udhuahfkashfkasfh
dsvsvsf
Home Blog
Malware Attacks on Fiverr: How Freelancers Should Protect Themselves
The advent of the digital age has brought about several opportunities for independent entrepreneurs and freelancers worldwide. One such platform is Fiverr, a popular freelance marketplace. However, with these opportunities also come risks. The specter of cybersecurity perils, with malware attacks at the forefront, has amplified into a pressing issue for the solo professionals utilizing platforms like Fiverr. This article takes a comprehensive dive into the labyrinth of malware onslaughts on Fiverr and suggests actionable avenues whereby freelancers can defend against them.
Understanding Malware Attacks on Fiverr
“Malware” (a contraction of the words “malicious” and “software”) is an umbrella term covering an array of harmful software varieties—viruses, worms, ransomware, spyware . . . the list goes on. These cyber weapons are conceived with the express intent to breach, inflict harm, or sow disruption within the digital confines of a user’s system or network. For platforms like Fiverr, the faces of these attacks may morph into a destructive medley of innocuous-looking phishing emails, infection-carrying files, malevolent links, and more.
When targeting Fiverr, malware onslaughts are cunningly sculpted; their aim is to dupe unsuspecting freelancers into revealing critical data points such as login details or financial secrets, or inadvertently facilitating the ingress of harmful software onto their systems. Once the insidious software has penetrated the victim’s defenses, it can wreak havoc, throwing a wrench in the freelance machine, imperiling client data confidentiality, and possibly causing a hard financial hit.
The Implications of Malware Attacks on Freelancers
Beyond the immediate disruption and potential financial implications, malware attacks can have long-term consequences for freelancers. A cascade of consequences follows a breach—falling client confidence, a marred reputation, and in worst-case scenarios, the shadow of legal trouble looming in the wake of data leaks. Clearly, safeguarding against these virtual assaults should be a top priority for every freelancer within Fiverr’s domain (and on similar platforms).
Common Forms of Malware Attacks on Fiverr
Phishing Emails
Phishing refers to deceptive emails that appear to be from Fiverr or a potential client. They typically contain a malicious link or ask for personal information. Once the recipient clicks the link or shares their information, the attacker gains access to their account or infects their system with malware.
Infected Files
Some attackers may pose as potential clients and send infected files disguised as work samples or project files. When freelancers open these files, they inadvertently install malware on their system.
Malicious Links
Freelancers may also receive messages on Fiverr containing malicious links. When clicked, these links can take the victim to fraudulant websites designed to steal personal information or download malware.
How Freelancers Can Protect Themselves from Malware Attacks
Protecting oneself from malware attacks requires a multi-pronged approach, combining robust cybersecurity measures with informed behavior online. Below are some strategies freelancers can adopt to safeguard their online presence.
Implement Strong Password Practices
Using strong, unique passwords is one of the easiest ways to protect your accounts from cyber threats. Consider using a reputable password manager to help generate and store complex passwords.
Embrace the Double Lock: Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)
Infusing an extra level of security, two-factor authentication requires double proof of identity before allowing you (or anyone else who might be trying) entry to your account. Fiverr offers the 2FA option, which we highly recommend you activate as a security strategy.
Be Wary of Suspicious Emails and Messages
Be the master of your cyber world. Exercise caution and never click on links or download attachments emanating from unknown or unverified origins, no matter how tempting they look. The digital realm, like our physical world, has its dark alleys. If you encounter an email or message that raises your suspicion, you’d be wise to delete it from your system, block the sender, and/or take action by reporting it to Fiverr.
Install a Trustworthy Antivirus Software
Your digital fortress is only as strong as its defense mechanisms. Regularly updating and running antivirus software can safeguard your system from known cyber threats. But even antivirus software grows old and can become battle-weary and outdated. Keep it in its prime by updating it regularly, so it’s ready and able to defeat the evolving hydra of malware forms that keep sprouting new heads.
Keep Your System and Applications Updated
Just as a neglected house develops cracks and fissures, outdated software often nurtures vulnerabilities that are ripe for cunning malware to exploit. Regularly updating your operating system and all applications is critical—prioritize it as you prioritize maintaining your home. Doing so not only improves your user experience; it also deploys a protective shield against advancing hordes of cyber threats.
Back Up Your Data Regularly
In the event of a successful attack, having a recent data backup can minimize the damage. Make it a habit to back up your data regularly on an external hard drive or a trusted cloud service.
The Role of Fiverr in Protecting Freelancers
Fiverr, like other freelance platforms, has a role to play in protecting its users. The platform harnesses intricate security protocols to defend its digital domain and the user accounts that live there. Additionally, it offers a plethora of resources and navigation charts to help users sidestep scams and cyber onslaughts.
However, the primary responsibility for cybersecurity rests with the individual freelancer. By implementing the above strategies and maintaining a vigilant and informed approach to online interactions, freelancers can significantly reduce their risk of falling victim to malware attacks.
Wrapping up
In our digital age, the specter of cybersecurity is always looming, casting its shadow on everyone, including freelancers navigating Fiverr and similar landscapes. By understanding the potential perils and forging ironclad defenses, these entrepreneurs empower themselves to protect their livelihoods, their reputations, and their clientele’s data. With a proactive approach to cybersecurity, the benefits of freelance platforms like Fiverr can far outweigh the risks.
Account Takeover Attacks on WhatsApp and How to Prevent Them
What Are Account Takeover Attacks?
In the realm of digital deceit, we encounter Account Takeover (ATO) assaults, a treacherous dance in which malevolent entities unlawfully usurp control over another’s cyber sanctuary. This sinister activity is frequently seen waltzing through an array of virtual stages, with the realm of instant communication presenting a favored ballroom. In this domain, WhatsApp holds the dubious honor of being belle of the ball.
Consider WhatsApp as our case study. In this theater of instantaneous interaction, digital marauders seize on the application’s soft spots or the user’s carelessness to perpetrate their ATO attacks. The unfortunate result is a complete commandeering of an unsuspecting victim’s account. The cyber criminals then use their illegal access to manipulate the victim’s contact list, send deceitful messages, spread misinformation, or even conduct financial fraud.
How Are WhatsApp Accounts Compromised?
Hackers use various methods to carry out ATO attacks on WhatsApp. Some of these methods include:
SIM Swap Fraud
In this cyber chicanery, antagonists perform a sleight of hand. They bamboozle the mobile service maestro into conducting a digital about-face, transferring the victim’s phone number onto a new SIM card that the perpetrator masterfully orchestrates. Now, with the number in the fraudster’s hands, the stage is set.
The villains, already possessing the number, are ready for the next act, in which they receive the golden ticket—the coveted verification codes. Once these numbers are also in their possession, the final curtain descends, and they have full access to the victim’s WhatsApp account.
Phishing Attacks
Phishing attacks involve tricking victims into providing their personal information. For WhatsApp, this deception can take the form of a fake email or message that mimics WhatsApp’s official communication and prompts users to enter their verification codes.
Malware Infections
If attackers can infect victims’ devices with malware, they can then steal information and compromise the WhatsApp accounts.
QR Code Scanning
A less common but still feasible vulnerability is when a user inadvertently scans an attacker-generated QR code. This action can grant attackers access to the victim’s WhatsApp Web account and enable them to effectively take it over.
Account Takeover Attacks’ Impact on WhatsApp
When an attacker seizes a WhatsApp account, the breach poses serious risks not only to the account owner, but also to their contacts. These attacks’ implications can include:
Financial Fraud
A popular modus operandi for attackers is to impersonate the account owner and ask their contacts for money. They often do so by fabricating an emergency situation.
Spreading Misinformation
Hackers can use the victim’s account to spread fake news or malware-laden links to their contacts, thereby exploiting the trust these people have in the victim’s identity.
Personal Data Breach
A breached account is akin to private treasure falling into a pirate’s grasp. Personally important elements like chat histories, shared media, and vital contact information tumble into the wrong hands. This invasion harbors the potential for misuse of delicate, confidential data.
Preventing Account Takeover Attacks on WhatsApp
The silver lining in this digital storm cloud is that quite a few stout defenses are in place to safeguard your WhatsApp against the battering rams of ATO offensives. Each user, as the gatekeeper of their account, should adhere to follow the following protocols to fortify their defenses:
Two-Step Verification
This nifty feature, courtesy of WhatsApp, introduces an added layer of protection for your account. It’s similar to establishing a secret six-digit passphrase. Even if the bad guys manage to slip past the first guard and get ahold of your SMS verification code, they’d find themselves stumped at the second gate and be unable to infiltrate your account without the PIN.
Regularly Update Your App
Updates often include patches for known vulnerabilities. By keeping your WhatsApp application up-to-date, you’ll be protected against these recognized weaknesses.
Be Wary of Suspicious Links and Emails
Phishing attacks often come in the form of emails or messages that appear to be from trusted sources. Be skeptical of any unexpected communications asking for personal information or verification codes. Actually, be more than skeptical—never
fall for them!
Secure Your Mobile Device
Your mobile device stands as the initial defense against these digital sieges. To fortify it, create a strong, one-of-a-kind password that’s as difficult to crack as a mysterious riddle. As mentioned, consistently refresh your device’s operating system and apps with timely updates. Doing so is something like changing guards at a palace gate—when one set gets tired, you bring in fresh recruits.
Lastly, enlist the service of a robust antivirus software. Think of it as a guard dog keeping watch over your digital fortress and standing ready to pounce on incoming threats.
Tread Carefully in the World of QR Codes
QR codes can be gateways to an array of digital worlds, but they’re a two-edged sword in that they also have the potential to be instruments of deceit. For this reason, you should only scan QR codes that come from sources you trust.
Scanning a QR code should be a benign act, but it can turn sour if the code is a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Picture it as a trap door hidden beneath a harmless-looking rug. A malicious code can deliver your account on a silver platter to an attacker through the WhatsApp web portal.
Navigate the QR-code landscape with caution. A rash moment can lead to consequences that ripple across your entire digital existence, so approach QRs with a discerning eye—your digital safety may well depend on it.
In Closing
In our evolving digital landscape, ATO assaults on WhatsApp cast an ominous shadow that grows larger with every passing moment. Still, when you understand the tactics these cyber rogues employ and launch preemptive measures to shield your account, you can dramatically curtail the likelihood of becoming a prey to their deceptions.
Never forget, the keys to your account’s security vault rest primarily in your grasp. The more vigilant you are, the stronger your digital realm will be.
Mr. Beast Giveaway Scams and How to Avoid Them
Youtube is the second largest search engine in the world, with prominent YouTubers making millions via the various monetization methods provided by the platform. In the last couple of years, a new trend has also become popular referred to as giveaways. Famous YouTubers give away millions of dollars and prizes to their loyal subscribers further boosting their popularity. Mr. Beast, whose real name is Jimmy Donaldson, is a famous Youtube personality who has become famous for these giveaways. To put it into perspective, Mr. Beast has given away over $27.6 million as of July 2023, earning him the title of “YouTube’s biggest philanthropist.” However, at the same time, cybercriminals have been quick to latch onto the popularity of these giveaways, and Mr. Beast giveaway scams have started spreading. This article will focus on what these scams are, how they operate, and how to protect against them.
What are Mr. Beast Giveaway Scams
It is rare to find scams based around a person instead of a trend or an occasion, but that only shows just how famous Mr. Beast is on Youtube. By piggybacking on these trends, cybercriminals misuse Mr. Beast’s name and create fake giveaways to trick users eager to register for the next big giveaway and win prizes.
The giveaways typically appear as ads via pop-ups or promotions with Mr. Beast’s picture and offer vast amounts of cash rewards. By abusing the trust that users place in the Mr. Beast brand, attackers can trick users into downloading malicious software or handing over their personal information.
The scam typically works in the following way:
- Visitors to a website receive a popup notification or a direct message informing them that they have been selected as a Mr. Beast Giveaway winner. This can be via emails, social media messages, and even in the comments sections on official Mr. Beast videos.
- The prize can take the form of cash, electronics, and copies the style of messaging of authentic giveaways done by Mr. Beast.
- To claim the prize, the user is asked to click on a link that either contains a malicious link for stealing the user’s information or triggers the download of malicious software. Again, the scammers copy the style and branding of Mr. Beast’s messages. This can be a picture on Youtube with a message stating, “$1000 to every subscriber who visits this page!”. The user is then directed to enter information like their PayPal email address to receive this money. Or it could require downloading a particular application to claim the prize, which is malware.
Mr. Beast and his team have taken pains to inform users about the terms and conditions of his giveaways and how to identify whether a giveaway is genuine. The impact of falling victim to such a scam can be pretty damaging, ranging from data loss, identity theft, and even full device compromise. Cybercriminals can carry out further malicious actions and fraud by stealing the user’s personal information. Similarly, malware can infect the device and be used for further attacks.
How do Lottery Scams Work? How to Identify It?
How to combat these threats
The first step to combat these scams is to increase awareness and education about how Mr. Beast’s legitimate giveaways work. This helps users to identify malicious giveaways when they encounter pop-ups or messages claiming to be Mr. Beast’s team. While Youtube and other social media platforms moderate the content and remove such scams, they are not fool-proof. Some of the key tips to be aware of are:
- Be vigilant about unsolicited messages or ads that ask for your personal information in relation to a Mr. Beast giveaway
- Know that these these giveaways do not require any up-front payment or application to be installed.
- Be wary about messages that claim you have won awards that you have no recollection of enrolling to
- Check the URL of any messages you receive to ensure they are legitimate before visiting them, especially if they claim to be from a giveaway.
- Scan your device immediately with anti-malware if you downloaded anything or even visited the website to ensure your device or browser is not infected. Additionally, change your credentials for critical accounts like PayPal to mitigate the risk further.
Summary
Mr. Beast’s giveaway scam is unique in how it exploits the popularity of a Youtuber and their generous nature to trick users into downloading malware or sharing their personal information. Users need to understand this scam and how it works to prevent themselves from becoming victims. Youtube scams are evolving and will continue to spread as cybercriminals refine them to be more effective. User awareness is thus the best control to continue enjoying your favorite YouTube content and remaining secure at the same time.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are Mr. Beast Giveaway Scams?
Mr. Beast Giveaway Scams are fraudulent activities where cybercriminals misuse the popular YouTubers name to create fake giveaways. These scams trick eager users into downloading malicious software or handing over their personal information under the guise of winning prizes.
How do these scams typically operate?
These scams often manifest as pop-up ads or promotions claiming the user has won a giveaway. The user is then asked to click a link to claim the prize, which often leads to downloading malicious software or submitting personal information.
How can I combat these scams?
The first step is awareness. Understand how Mr. Beast’s legitimate giveaways work, be vigilant about unsolicited messages asking for personal information, verify the URL of any message claiming to be a giveaway, and immediately scan your device with anti-malware if you’ve downloaded anything suspicious.
What is the potential impact of falling victim to such scams?
Victims of these scams can face data loss, identity theft, and even full-device compromise. The stolen personal information can be used for further malicious activities and fraud.
The Best Way to Avoid Instagram Scams
We are living in a visual age where we are constantly bombarded with people sharing their life experiences on social media in the form of pictures or videos. This has opened up ways of expressing creativity that were simply not possible before. Instagram is one of these popular social media platforms, with billions of active users yearly. People can share images and reels of their actions, inviting engagement from their followers. This has also attracted the attention of malicious elements from the Internet, as Instagram scams are on the rise. This article covers Instagram scams, why they happen, and what can be done to protect against them.
Why do Scammers Choose Instagram
Instagram defines itself as “.. a free photo and video sharing app available on iPhone and Android. People can upload photos or videos to our service and share them with their followers or with a select group of friends.” There are several reasons why it has become a popular platform for such scams:
- It is primarily visual, with scammers exploiting this feature to engage and post clickbaity pictures that entice users. They also try to abuse the Instgram algorithm by encouraging users to like, comment and share the malicious posts, thus further increasing the reach of the scam.
- Instagram influencers such as celebrities, models, and public figures can have millions of followers. Scammers can exploit this by impersonating these figures and abusing the trust present in the platform.
- The transient nature of Instagram Stories and Highlights allows scammers to create malicious content that goes away after a time, allowing them to cover their tracks and stay undetected.
- Scammers can use hashtags on Instagram to take advantage of popular trends and further increase the reach of their malicious posts.
Types of Instagram Scams
Instagram scams come in a variety of types, but the underlying pattern is that of social engineering. Scammers exploit how the platform works and trick users via the trust they place in it. By manipulating users on Instagram, scammers can trick them out of vast amounts of money and in handing over their personal information. It is essential to stay aware of these scams to be protected:
- Phishing Scams: Scammers exploit Instagram’s direct messaging feature and present themselves as official support. They inform the user that their account has some problems and that entering their credentials on a link will resolve them. These phishing scams exploit the trust of direct messages within the platform.
- Fake prizes and giveaways: Scammers take advantage of users’ wishes to win free prizes and money. By impersonating influencers, celebrities, and other public brands, they promise giveaways in return for users providing personal information or making a purchase.
- Relationship Scams: Fake profiles of attractive-looking persons are created, reaching out to vulnerable users. Scammers exploit the personal nature of Instagram to trick gullible people into relationships over Instagram which are then exploited via requests for money.
- Impersonation Scams: As mentioned earlier, scammers impersonate profiles of famous influencers and celebrities. After building up an influence, they can ask for financial contributions in return for shoutouts or exclusive content.
- Financial Fraud: Scammers can impersonate popular financial brands and share Instagram posts and images that promise huge returns for fake financial investments.
These are just a few of the most popular Instagram scams, with the typical pattern being how scammers exploit users’ desire for relationships and influence. By emotionally manipulating users or promising prizes that seem too good to be true, scammers can socially engineer them into handing over their financial and personal information.
How to Prevent Instagram Scams
It is essential to be aware of the tell-tale signs that indicate an Instagram scam, such as the following:
- Sense of urgency in the messages where users are pressured into clicking on links within a specific timeframe
- The disparity between followers to the following ratio. Fake scams that impersonate other influencers typically have a skewed ratio, with them following vast amounts of users but having few followers.
- Requests for personal and financial information. Another giveaway is requests for your personal information, as no legitimate brand will ask for such details over Instagram messaging.
- Generic content that is posted repeatedly. Scammers typically repeat the same content over and over again to gain followers.
Along with awareness of such scams, there are other good practices that users can follow:
- Enable two-factor authentication on your Instagram accounts to improve its security posture and make it harder for account takeovers to happen.
- Verify influencer accounts on Instagram. Do some basic research to find out the official accounts of influencers and celebrities before interacting with them.
- Report suspicious accounts and activity to Instagram so malicious accounts and posts can be removed proactively and not spread.
Conclusion
Instagram will continue to be a popular platform for sharing images and videos and all its users should be aware of these scams. By following the tips outlined in this article, users can enjoy all the features of Instagram in a safe and secure environment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do scammers choose Instagram?
Scammers exploit Instagram’s visual nature, the transient nature of Stories and Highlights, and the use of hashtags. They may impersonate influencers and celebrities to mislead followers and abuse the trust within the platform.
What are the common types of Instagram scams?
Common Instagram scams include phishing, fake prizes, giveaways, relationship scams, impersonation scams, financial fraud, and investment scams. These scams all involve social engineering, where the scammers manipulate users and trick them into handing over money or personal information.
How do I protect myself from Instagram scams?
Be cautious of urgent messages, follower-to-following ratio disparity, requests for personal or financial information, and repetitively posted generic content. Use two-factor authentication, verify influencer accounts, and report suspicious accounts or activities to Instagram.
What actions should I take if I encounter a suspicious account or activity?
If you encounter a suspicious account or activity on Instagram, report it immediately to Instagram for investigation and possible removal to prevent the spread of scams.
How to Secure Your WordPress Website
Websites have evolved considerably since the dawn of the Internet. From static HTML-based pages to the powerful web applications of today, websites have become more sophisticated over time. This rise in functionality also means that cyberattacks have evolved with them becoming more and more advanced. WordPress is easily the most popular and widely used website platform due to its powerful features and flexibility. This also makes it a prime target for cyberattackers who try to compromise the underlying platform to gain access to the website for malicious activities. In this article, we go over why WordPress is such an attractive target for cyberattacks and the key actions users can take to protect themselves.
WordPress and Cyberattacks
Most of the attacks on WordPress installations are carried out by bots created by cyber criminals to scan for these vulnerabilities and exploit them continually. There are several reasons why WordPress is such a popular target for cyberattacks.
- Its popularity makes it easily one of the most popular website content management platforms globally. This also increases the attack surface for attackers to try and compromise.
- Its ease of use means most users can configure it themselves, often leaving security loopholes open for attackers to compromise. Default passwords and outdated installations are common weaknesses found across WordPress websites. Users are often not tech-savvy and unaware of the implications of not updating their WordPress website or securing passwords.
- Its open-source nature allows for a great deal of flexibility but also means that cyber attackers can analyze the code to find weaknesses that can be exploited.
- Plugins are one of the most popular features of WordPress, allowing users to extend its core functionality. These plugins can contain vulnerabilities if not developed securely or updated by the user on a regular basis.
Tips for Securing Your WordPress Website
WordPress attacks come in a variety of techniques that include website takeover, SQL injections, Denial of Service, and Malware attacks. But, it is essential to note that, like most platforms, WordPress is not inherently insecure and can be quickly hardened against cyberattacks. However, users must understand that they are responsible for following best practices to reduce the risk of a cyberattack succeeding.
Some of the critical tips to follow are:
- WordPress users must monitor for and install the latest updates as they become available. This includes the core platform and the supporting plugins. Most attackers attempt to compromise the underlying platform or its plugins, and patches protect against these vulnerabilities. Users can set up automatic updates also for ease of use so that their platform is always running on the most up-to-date version.
- Users must configure account security via select solid usernames and passwords, as brute force attacks against WordPress are quite common. Ensure you are using a password with adequate complexity and cannot be easily guessed. Enabling Multi-factor authentication can add an extra layer of security and render most password-guessing attacks useless. Some plugs can limit repeated password attempts from the same IP address and block the same to increase the effort for cyber-attackers. All of the work can significantly enhance your account security posture.
- Check the hosting service of your WordPress website to ensure it has good credibility and reviews in the industry regarding security like SSL certificates, DDOS protection, etc. Only go for a cheaper provider if their reputation is suitable within the industry.
- Users can go over the standard security plugins for WordPress and install the same. These are readily available and can protect your installations against common attacks like SQL injection, malware, and brute force attacks. The plugins come in free and commercial versions and can significantly enhance the security of your website.
- Carry out regular backups of your websites to recover to a safer version if needed. Plugs are present to automate this activity, where you can configure the frequency and location of backups. It is always recommended to store your backup in an external location to prevent it from falling victim to the same attack that compromises your WordPress server.
- Use SSL to encrypt your WordPress traffic between the server and the users’ browser to make sure that sensitive information cannot be intercepted. Numerous plugins are present that can install SSL for free on your website.
Conclusion
WordPress security is not a one-time event but an ongoing process. Attacks evolve and change, and you must remain updated against the latest threats. By following the advice outlined in this article, you can implement a defense-in-depth framework for your WordPress platform that can mitigate most cyberattacks. Patching, account security, plugins, SSL security, and backups strengthen your security posture and protect you against cyberattacks. However, it is essential to follow a layered approach to security that must be monitored regularly. WordPress offers tremendous ease of use but also invites cyberattacks, and by following the tips highlighted in this article, users can enjoy a safe website hosting experience.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do cybercriminals often target WordPress?
WordPress’s popularity, open-source nature, extensive use of plugins and themes, and frequent user errors, such as weak passwords and outdated installations, make it a popular target for cyberattacks.
What are the basic steps to secure a WordPress website?
Basic steps include regularly updating your WordPress core, plugins, and themes; using strong usernames and passwords; choosing a secure hosting service; and installing trusted security plugins.
How can I limit login attempts on my WordPress site?
Limiting login attempts can be achieved by using plugins like Login LockDown or WP Limit Login Attempts. These plugins help protect against brute force attacks by blocking IP addresses after a set number of failed login attempts.
What is the importance of SSL certificates in WordPress security?
SSL certificates encrypt the connection between your website and your users’ browsers, ensuring that any data transferred cannot be intercepted or tampered with. This is particularly crucial for websites handling sensitive data.
Pinterest Scams and Tips for Avoiding Them
Pinterest is one of the most popular social media platforms today on which users post images and videos around shared interests, referred to as “pins.” Collections of these pins based around a common theme are called boards. Millions use Pinterest for social media marketing, event management, recipes, fashion, etc. It caters to both personal and professional users, and its massive popularity, unfortunately, has also drawn the attention of cybercriminals, with Pinterest scams on the rise. This article reviews these scams and what steps can be taken to avoid falling victim to them.
Pinterest Scams and Why They Happen
Pinterest is unique amongst social media platforms due to its highly visual nature. It primarily uses images and video to convey information instead of text. This allows scammers to create attractive-looking pins that draw the viewer’s attention and do not contain enough tell-tale signs of a scam that might be present in text-based messages. Its popularity also leads its users to trust the pins they see, leading them to click on malicious ones without suspecting anything.
Pins allow users to embed links within them, often used by users to link back to their external websites or products. Scammers can misuse this to add links to malicious websites. Pinterest also encourages users to share pins or “repin, ” one of the most widely used activities on the platform. Unfortunately, this also means that users can unwittingly share malicious pins without realizing they are spreading a scam.
Some of the most common scams on Pinterest are:
- Malicious Pins in which scammers post attractive-looking pins that direct users to malicious websites containing malware or fraudulent content.
- Fake prizes and giveaways in which the pins promise users huge tips, deals, or coupons in return for their personal information. In reality, no prize is given; it is merely a scam to gather personal information.
- Phishing scams in which scammers pretend to be Pinterest staff and try to socially engineer users into handing over their account information so they can take over the account.
- Impersonation scams in which scammers pretend to be famous brands or influencers to gain a following on Pinterest. Once enough followers have been gathered; they misuse this trust to promote fake products or malicious websites.
- In click-bait scams, provocative imagery is used to draw users’ attention and bait them into clicking on the malicious link within the pin.
These scams can range from minor nuisances to full-on-identity theft, resulting in financial losses for its victims. Most of these scams rely on Pinterest’s culture of pinning and sharing images and abusing users’ trust within the platform. By making the pins look as authentic as possible, scammers can achieve a higher success rate on these scams than text-based messages.
How to Identify Pinterest Scams
Given the wide variety of scams, awareness must be created. Otherwise, users can inadvertently spread these attacks by repining them. Some of the critical tips to practice are:
- Be aware of the red flags that might indicate a malicious pin, such as images asking the user to immediately take action or redirect to links that ask for personal information. Grammatical errors within the Pin itself are also another warning indicator.
- Always beware of pins that promise deals seemingly too good to be true or offer coupons that provide highly discounted prices.
- Remember that Pinterest admin or other valid businesses do not ask for personal information or payment data through pins. This can help users to identify a scam immediately.
- Validate the URLs on the pin before clicking them. By just hovering over the link, users can view the URL and see if it is a known website or if it belongs to the brand.
- Follow good security practices such as strong passwords and enabling multi-factor authentication on your Pinterest accounts.
- Look at enabling privacy settings for Pinterest boards. If it is not required to make boards public, then look at turning them private so as not to attract the attention of scammers.
- Report any suspicious activity to the Pinterest team, who will investigate and remove potentially malicious pins or users.
Conclusion
Like most social media platforms, Pinterest has unique scams tailored toward its users, which will only increase over time. Users must arm themselves with awareness to avoid falling victim to them. Practice the same skepticism towards suspicious pins as you would towards suspicious emails. If the offer on the pin is good to true, then it probably is. Pinterest will remain a platform for creatives and businesses to spread their ideas. By being aware of these scams, users can continue to enjoy the benefits it provides without compromising their security or online safety.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the common scams on Pinterest?
Pinterest scams take various forms, including malicious Pins that direct users to harmful websites, fake giveaways that request personal data, phishing scams impersonating Pinterest staff, impersonation scams where fraudsters pretend to be famous brands or influencers, and click-bait scams that use provocative imagery to lure users into clicking on harmful links.
Why are scams so prevalent on Pinterest?
Scams are prevalent on Pinterest due to their visual nature and the high trust users place in the platform. Scammers often create visually appealing pins that don’t carry the obvious signs of scams that might be present in text-based messages. The feature that allows embedding links in pins and encourages repinning can be misused to spread scams widely.
How can I identify a Pinterest scam?
Several red flags can help identify a Pinterest scam. These include Pins asking users to take immediate action, deals that seem too good to be true, Pins asking for personal information, and URLs that look suspicious or do not match the alleged source. Also, remember that Pinterest staff or legitimate businesses will never ask for personal data or payment information through Pins.
What measures can I take to avoid falling victim to Pinterest scams?
To avoid scams, you should follow good security practices like creating strong passwords and enabling multi-factor authentication. Be cautious about what you click on and verify URLs before clicking on them. Consider making your boards private if public visibility is unnecessary, and report any suspicious activity to the Pinterest team.
Copyright Risks of using Generative AI – Are you prepared?
Generative AI, or GenAI for short, has transformed industries like advertising and copywriting. Tools like ChatGPT, MidJourney, and Stable Diffusion allow companies to write engaging content and create stunning images without hiring any external company or consultant. At the same time, using AI for generating such content has also opened a Pandora’s box of intellectual property issues that previously did not exist. The main question that gets asked is .. who owns this AI-generated content? This article covers the legal and ethical implications of AI-generated content and how companies can protect themselves from copyright claims.
GenAI and Copyright
GenAI learning process is based on the content it is trained on and its capabilities improve with each new piece of content it assimilates. We have already seen stunning images created by MidJourney that have gone viral and fooled millions of people.
Artists are rightfully critical of GenAI usage as they feel it could end human creativity. If GenAI starts matching human creativity, can this mean that art as a career is about to end?
Another key question that has emerged is .. who owns the content? Is it the person who issued the prompt to the GenAI system, or is the AI model itself? What if the AI was trained on copyrighted information and generated images or code that it did not have the right to access?
As GenAI adoption skyrockets, this will become a significant issue for companies planning to use these tools in their content creation work, especially with images or written material. These companies could potentially expose themselves to legal consequences if it turns out that the GenAI model was trained on copyright material without the consent of the person who created the original content. This is the first time we have faced such an issue with technology where the boundaries between creativity and tech are effectively blurred.
There are already cases emerging, with the famous comedian Sarah Silverman and other authors initiating legal action against OpenAI and Meta. They claim that the AI models used by these tech giants were trained on their copyrighted material without their consent. Another case earlier this year emerged when Getty Images filed a lawsuit against Stability AI, creators of the open-source AI art generator Stable Diffusion, stating that the company committed “brazen infringement of Getty Images’ intellectual property.” Stability AI allegedly copied more than 12 million images from Getty Images’ database without explicit permission or providing any compensation, infringing the company’s copyright and trademark protections.
We can expect this to be the start of similar cases as authors and artists wake up to the potential of their original works being taken away and absorbed by GenAI.
Can existing laws help?
Companies can find themselves struggling when trying to answer these new questions as AI steps into a domain previously exclusive to humans. While monotonous and repetitive tasks were always vulnerable to automation, creativity was a skill that was thought only humans possessed !
Current laws are designed for human beings, not AI, and might not provide the guidance companies seek. A recent example was when an artwork generated by AI won the Colorado State Fair’s art competition in 2022. This understandably led to outrage from the artistic community, who felt that AI-Generated images do not qualify for such prizes.
The European Union is finalizing its AI act, which, similar to how GDPR did for data privacy, will set down the tone for how AI copyright issues will be treated. European Parliament members have advocated for regulations requiring companies to disclose any copyrighted material used to train AI systems. However, these efforts are very much in their early stages and will take time to be formalized and put into action.
A New World
We are entering uncharted territory, and laws governing the usage of AI-generated content are very much needed to clarify what is and is not allowed. Until this issue is resolved, AI-generated content will continue to be a topic of hot debate.
Companies heavily investing in Generative AI should check with their legal and compliance teams to ensure they do not stray into a legal minefield with such tools! Without clarity, they can expose themselves to claims of infringement (intentional or unintentional ) if the GenAI model they use was trained on data containing copyrighted content. We can expect content creators to also start protecting their data with new techniques that allow them to be informed if their work is being used in GenAI without their consent.
GenAI is here to stay, and the world of content creation will never be the same again. Artists, AI developers, and companies must align with this new reality and put in measures to ensure that the rights of creators are respected and that no form of infringement occurs when using AI-generated content.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who owns the content generated by Generative AI?
The ownership of AI-generated content is a topic of much debate and legal ambiguity. It could belong to the individual or organization that issued the prompt, the developers who trained the AI, or no one. As AI progresses, legal systems worldwide are working to address these questions, but the answers still need clarification.
Can Generative AI infringe on copyright laws?
Yes, there’s a risk that Generative AI can infringe on copyright laws, especially if the AI was trained on copyrighted material without permission. This is an emerging issue, with cases already going through the courts. Users of AI-generated content should be aware of this risk and consult with legal counsel when necessary.
What is being done to protect the rights of original content creators?
Initiatives are underway globally to protect the rights of original content creators. For instance, the European Union is finalizing an AI act that could include regulations requiring companies to disclose any copyrighted material used to train AI systems. Content creators are also seeking ways to protect and monitor their work.
How can companies safeguard themselves when using Generative AI?
Companies can protect themselves by working closely with their legal and compliance teams to understand and mitigate potential risks. This could include being transparent about their use of AI and the data it’s trained on and seeking appropriate permissions where necessary. Staying abreast of changes and engaging in best practices is vital as legal frameworks evolve.
AnyDesk Scams and How to Avoid Falling Victim to Them
Technical Support Scams are a threat that has existed since the early days of the Internet, with cybercriminals and scammers using it as a common technique to compromise users’ devices and computers. The scam typically involves these scammers posing as helpful technical support staff and requesting users to install legitimate software such as AnyDesk. The tool allows the user to give the scammer remote access to his or her device, effectively giving them complete control over the victim’s machine. This article covers AnyDesk, a popular remote access tool, and how cybercriminals misuse it for malicious purposes.
How AnyDesk Scams Work
AnyDesk is a popular legitimate remote access tool that allows users to access computers and smartphones remotely. It is commonly used across companies of various sizes where the IT HelpDesk teams use it for troubleshooting and diagnosing problems. Unfortunately, the ability of the user to give remote access is something that cybercriminals are keen to exploit, leading to a rising number of AnyDesk scams. In these scams, scammers pretend to be technical support to gain access to their victims’ devices and compromise them, leading to identity theft, data loss, and financial losses.
The scam typically follows the below pattern:
- Cybercriminal contacts the victim pretending to be technical support. This is usually preceded by phishing emails or texts or the victim visiting a malicious website that shows pop-ups about the victim’s device being compromised by malware.
- The Cybercriminal then informs the user that their device is compromised and urgent assistance is needed to create a sense of urgency and not give them adequate time to assess the situation.
- The victim is instructed to install AnyDesk and give the criminal access to their device by informing them of the PIN that the software generates for the session.
- Once access has been granted, the cybercriminal can compromise the device and the victim’s data.
The impact of these scams can be severe, from losing access to your device to identity theft and even total loss of your data. The FBI has also released a notification informing the general public about the dangers of these scams.
Scammers have also evolved how they socially engineer users to fall for these scams. Some of the standard methods used are:
- Phishing emails and messages in which they reach out to their victims pretending to be tech support personnel from reputed companies. This is easily the most common and well-known scam.
- Website popups that inform you that your device has been compromised and to contact a particular email or person after installing AnyDesk.
- Fake Work-from-Home Officers: In this variation of the scam, the victims are informed about work-from-home opportunities that offer handsome salaries and require AnyDesk to be installed for onboarding and training purposes.
- Fraudulent transactions alert: The scammer pretends to represent your bank and informs you that your banking may have been compromised. He requests access to your device and possibly your account via AnyDesk.
- Fraudulent bills or invoices: In this scam, the victim is sent fraudulent invoices and requested to install AnyDesk to resolve the issue.
How to prevent AnyDesk scams
As is apparent, this scam is an evolving one and is successful due to the legitimacy of the AnyDesk software and the different ways in which users can be socially engineered into installing it.
Some of the key precautions that can be taken to prevent this scam are:
- Be highly skeptical of technical support staff contact you and ensure that you verify their identity first before granting any access
- Website popups that inform you about malware are malicious, and you should never install any software they are instructing you to do
- Work from Home offers that sound too good to be true generally are. Be highly vigilant about such offers and verify the legitimacy of these companies before granting any access
Despite these precautions, if you feel that you have fallen victim to this scam, then it is essential to take the following steps:
- Remove your device from the Internet so that the cybercriminal is unable to continue accessing your device
- Uninstall the AnyDesk software from all your devices so that future access is not possible
- Run an anti-malware scan on all your devices
- Change your credentials immediately and inform your financial institutions about any potential fraud
Conclusion
AnyDesk scams are unique in that they misuse legitimate software to compromise users and devices. Awareness is crucial for early detection of these scams and knowing what sort of messaging cybercriminals use. By spreading information about these attacks, companies and users can continue to benefit from AnyDesk while staying secure at the same time.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do AnyDesk scams work?
AnyDesk scams involve cybercriminals posing as technical support, convincing users to install the legitimate remote access tool. Once granted access, they compromise devices and steal data, leading to identity theft and financial losses.
What social engineering tactics do scammers use in AnyDesk scams?
Scammers use phishing emails, website pop-ups, fake work-from-home offers, fraudulent transaction alerts, and invoices to socially engineer users into installing AnyDesk and providing access to their devices.
How can I prevent falling victim to AnyDesk scams?
To prevent AnyDesk scams, be skeptical of unsolicited technical support contacts, verify identities before granting access, avoid installing software instructed by malicious pop-ups, be cautious of too-good-to-be-true work-from-home offers, and verify the legitimacy of companies before granting access.
What should I do if I suspect I’ve fallen victim to an AnyDesk scam?
If you suspect being a victim, take immediate action by disconnecting your device from the internet, uninstalling AnyDesk, running anti-malware scans, changing credentials, and informing financial institutions about potential fraud.
Malware Attacks on Freelancing Websites and How to Avoid Them
Malware is and will continue to remain one of the most devastating threats in our digitally connected world. Cybercriminals continue to find newer and more innovative ways to get malicious software delivered to users’ devices so that it can compromise them. Once the malware has successfully infiltrated a device, the cybercriminal is free to carry out further attacks such as data theft, fraud, system disruption, etc. As the digital landscape has evolved, so too have malware delivery mechanisms, with Freelancing websites being the latest target of malware scams. This article reviews how Freelancing websites like Fiverr and Freelancer have become ways to deliver malware to unsuspecting users and how users can protect against them.
Freelancing markets and the new risk landscape
Freelancing is one of the most popular side hustles in the digital age, with millions of freelancers across the world using platforms like Upwork, Fiverr, and Freelancing to earn extra income. Individuals with a variety of skills can showcase their talents on these marketplaces on which millions of transactions can take place
Individuals or companies can contact freelancers for various tasks on these platforms via direct messages and assign them to work for a fee. The nature of this platform has also caught the eye of cyber criminals and freelancers who have started abusing these platforms to turn them into vehicles for malware delivery.
The nature of freelancing typically requires Freelancers and buyers to have initial discussions and share information before an order is placed. Attackers exploit this exchange by pretending to be prospective customers and contacting freelancers for potential opportunities. They attach files containing details of the proposed work and ask the freelancers to review it. Freelancers are asked to enable macros to view the document, and unfortunately, these attachments are malicious and deliver malware that compromises the freelancer’s device. Enabling macros allows the malware to be dropped on the target device.
This scam is quite ingenious as it takes advantage of the nature of freelancing work, in which delays in responding to customer requests typically mean that the freelancer might miss out on a lucrative opportunity. Freelancers eager to secure work might click on these malicious documents masquerading as legitimate work leading to their devices being infected. Attackers can then use this malware to take over the device, steal data, and cause further disruption. The global nature of freelancing platforms also means that cybercriminals can launch attacks from any location and target individuals from third-world countries who might not be tech-savvy to increase the chances of success further.
These attacks are more directed than standard phishing attacks, with scammers typically interacting with the freelancers and offering them details of the prospective job opportunity. By establishing this trust, the chances of the user being socially engineered into clicking on the malicious file increase.
How to protect against scams on Freelancing websites
Unlike other social media platforms, Freelancing websites like Fiverr are marketplaces where users expect files and transactions to occur. The success and popularity of these websites mean that prevention is a shared responsibility with the platform and users both doing their part. Fiverr has already released a statement: “Fiverr uses the latest anti-fraud and data security measures to protect everyone who relies on our platform against malware and other attacks. Any attempts to publish or send malicious content with the intent to compromise another member’s account or computer environment is strictly prohibited on Fiverr, and we act aggressively against it.” Freelancer has also released a similar statement pledging their commitment to the security of its users.
However, despite these commitments, freelancers must be aware of these scams. Most platforms allow users to view the history of prospective buyers, and users must be vigilant about new buyers sharing documents. Freelancers can request buyers to share the work details via direct messaging instead of via attachments or links. They should also ensure their devices are patched and protected with the latest anti-malware solutions.
The Way Forward
Scams on Freelancing Platforms show the evolving nature of cyberattacks, with scammers finding newer, more sophisticated ways to compromise users. Hiding malware within potential job offers is a particularly insidious attack that exploits the nature of freelancing and takes advantage of users looking for extra income.
While platforms update their security measures to mitigate these risks, users must be vigilant about these threats and practice good security hygiene. The Freelancing economy is thriving, and freelancers can continue to enjoy its benefits by employing good security practices at all times.
Frequently asked questions
What types of malware are typically used in these attacks on freelancing websites?
The types of malware used in these attacks can vary, as cybercriminals continuously develop new strains to evade detection. However, they commonly use Trojans, spyware, ransomware, and other malicious software that can steal information, disrupt operations, or damage systems.
How can I identify a potential malware attack on a freelancing website?
You should be wary of unsolicited messages or emails with attachments or links, especially from new or unverified clients. These attachments or links may contain malware. Also, take note of any unusual requests, such as enabling macros to view a document, which could be a potential indicator of a malware delivery attempt.
Are certain freelancers more at risk of these malware attacks?
The risk is present for all freelancers, regardless of their field of work. However, freelancers who frequently share files with their clients or those with less cybersecurity knowledge may be more vulnerable.
What steps can I take to protect myself against these attacks?
Maintaining a high level of cyber hygiene is essential. This includes updating your devices and software, using strong and unique passwords, and employing a reputable anti-malware solution. Be wary of suspicious emails or messages, especially those with attachments or links. If in doubt, contact the platform’s support or the potential client through another verified channel. Avoid enabling macros on documents unless necessary, and always scan any downloaded files with your anti-malware software.
WhatsApp Account Takeover Scams: How to Protect Yourself
WhatsApp is the most ubiquitous messaging smartphone app across the globe boasting a user base of around 2.7 billion users, which is a staggering amount. The ease and user-friendly interface of the app has made it the preferred option for quick and easy messaging worldwide. Unfortunately, this massive user base also makes it a prime target for cybercriminals eager to compromise WhatsApp accounts, knowing the many victims they can gain access to. In this article, we talk about WhatsApp account takeover scams and how to protect against them.
How WhatsApp Account Takeover scams work
WhatsApp Account takeover scams typically occur when a scammer gains access to a WhatsApp number. Impersonating the victim, the attacker messages the person’s contacts and asks them to send him a six-digit code that he has “accidentally” sent them. In reality, this scammer is trying to log in with your WhatsApp number and socially engineer you into handing over your two-factor verification so he can take over your account. The code was generated when the scammer attempted to log in using your phone number.
Despite the obvious red flag, most people can easily fall victim to this scam because the messages come from a trusted contact. Once they share the code, the attacker can take over their WhatsApp number and lock them out. The attack then continues onward with the new compromised account and spreads, allowing the attacker to increase the impact of this scam.
Action Fraud, the UK’s national fraud and cybercrime reporting center; has reported over 60 cases that have fallen victim to this scam. This attack is not just restricted to this technique, as a recent blog by Malwarebytes Labs showed. In a new variation of this attack, scammers can also take over your account by taking advantage of a person’s unavailability and how WhatsApp verifies user’s identities
The attack follows the below pattern:
- The scammer attempts to log in to the victim’s WhatsApp account
- During the verification process, WhatsApp sends a PIN via text message to the phone number associated with the user’s account.
- If the person cannot respond ( due to sleep, travel, etc. ), the attacker can move on to the next step.
- The scammer contacts WhatsApp, informs them that the verification SMS was not received, and requests a phone call verification.
- As the victim is still unavailable, the call gets redirected to their voicemail.
- The attacker uses the last four digits of the victim’s mobile number, which often serves as the default voicemail PIN, and gains access to their voicemail and the WhatsApp verification code.
- They can now take over the WhatsApp account and lock the victim out of their account.
Once the account has been taken over, the attacker can use it to spread malware or even extort the victim to give access back to their account. The continuing evolution of this attack shows that attackers are aware of the potential of WhatsApp as a platform for fraud and will continue to adapt to new security controls.
How to prevent yourself from becoming a victim of this fraud
WhatsApp Account Takeover attacks are unique as attackers are aware of the two-factor authentication in place and actively trying to circumvent it via social engineering. This should not discourage people from enabling two-factor as a control however, due to the extra security it provides.
In addition, users should make sure to follow these tips to protect their accounts from this dangerous scam:
- Be extra skeptical of strange requests from your WhatsApp contacts, and do not rush to take action. Call the person to verify if it is them making the request.
- Do not share your Code with anyone in any circumstances. Any message requesting you to share the code is a red flag, even if it comes from your closest friends.
- Report any contacts you feel may have been compromised to WhatsApp so they can take action. This also stops the attacker from continuing to other contacts who may not be so security aware!
- Provide an email address for verification purposes for resting your two-factor code. This can prevent attackers from using the voicemail technique.
- Continually update your app to apply the latest security fixes and patches.
Any popular app becomes a target of scams and cyber attacks once cybercriminals see the value of compromising it. The growing number of account takeover scams means that users cannot afford to be complacent when using WhatsApp and must remain vigilant against suspicious messages.
Conclusion
WhatsApp has become a massive part of our personal and professional lives, and becoming a victim of an account takeover can be traumatic. These attacks underscore the need for users to be aware of such frauds and keep themselves and their close contacts updated. Given the interconnected nature of our digital lives, a single person being compromised in these scams can result in a chain reaction of further victims. Awareness is key to protecting yourself and your friends from WhatsApp account takeovers.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are WhatsApp Account Takeover scams?
WhatsApp Account Takeover scams occur when an attacker impersonates a user, accesses their WhatsApp account, and then tries to trick their contacts into revealing their two-factor verification codes, enabling the attacker to hijack their accounts. These scams leverage trust and social engineering to perpetrate fraud.
How do these scams typically work?
Scammers initiate the attack by trying to log in to the victim’s WhatsApp account. If the victim cannot respond, the attacker can request a phone call verification, which gets redirected to the victim’s voicemail. Knowing the default voicemail PIN (usually the last four digits of the phone number), the scammer accesses the voicemail and the WhatsApp verification code.
What can attackers do once they’ve taken over a WhatsApp account?
After gaining control of a WhatsApp account, the attacker can hijack the statements of the victim’s contacts, spread malware, or even extort the victim for access to their account. The attack can thus spread exponentially and cause substantial harm.
How can I protect my WhatsApp account from such scams?
To protect your account, enable two-factor authentication and never share your Activation Code with anyone. Always be skeptical of strange requests, even if they seem to come from trusted contacts. Update your app regularly to ensure you have the latest security fixes and patches. Lastly, provide an email address for verification purposes to prevent attackers from using the voicemail technique.
Five Common TikTok Scams and How to Avoid Them
TikTok as a platform has become a global phenomenon, with over a billion-plus users active across 150 countries. The platform has especially resonated with the young generation, who actively use it to share fun and entertaining videos. At the same time, this popularity also makes it an attractive platform for cybercriminals keen to exploit its users for various scams. In this article, we review some common TikTok scams, how they occur and tips to avoid them.
Why TikTok Scams Occur
Cybercriminals are well aware that the primary audience on TikTok is young individuals under the age of 14. This makes them especially vulnerable to scams and social engineering, unlike adults who may be more skeptical and less trusting. Other users may be looking for relationships or ways to supplement their income. Again these groups can be targeted easily by cybercriminals and scammed into handing over their money or identity information through some of the following scams.
TikTok Scams
The social nature of TikTok makes it a platform on which various types of fraudulent activity can be easily carried out. The following are just a few examples but show the diverse nature of scams on the platform.
Some of the most common ones are:
- Fake Money Offers and Giveaways: This is a common type of scam in which users are promised cash prizes and other attractive awards as a type of giveaway. Posts and Videos are created, enticing users to click on links to enroll. However, these links are either malicious, contain malware, or are used to steal the identity information of the victims. Users must be highly skeptical of such schemes where rewards too good to be true are promised.
- Fake Influencer Accounts: This scam abuses the Influencer culture of TikTok in which scammers create fake profiles of famous influencers. The goal is to gain followers by copying the content of a famous person on TikTok to gain credibility. Once sufficient followers have been gathered, they use the account to promote fake content and links like investment scams. Users must always verify that the account belongs to the celebrity with the blue check mark indicating a verified account.
- Relationship Scams: This scam exploits users who are browsing TikTok for relationships. Scammers create fake profiles with attractive pictures that are typically stolen to create a fake persona. This is then used to lure unsuspecting people into online relationships. Once a trust has been established, these victims are tricked into carrying out financial transfers or payments. Users must be wary about using TikTok as a relationship platform and be mindful of anyone asking for payments or financial help.
- Phishing Scams: As with any popular social platform that allows direct messaging, phishing scams have also found a home on TikTok. These fraudulent messages range from fake TikTok support asking for account details to malicious links or payment requests. Users must exercise the same caution with TikTok messages that they do for unsolicited messages and report any suspicious ones immediately.
- Fake Products and Services: Scammers on TikTok can also promote fake or non-existent products to users to scam them out of their money. This can additionally extend to fake malware apps that can compromise their device. Scammers use fake accounts to promote these apps, which promise additional features for TikTok users. Users must ensure they only purchase and install verified products and services with credible reviews that are from trusted companies.
How To Avoid TikTok Scams
Along with awareness, users can follow the below tips to stay safe while using TikTok:
- Always be wary of offers that promise substantial monetary awards or other prizes for your email or other personal information. Verify these offers and report if they seem suspicious.
- Ensure you verify accounts that belong to famous influencers via the blue check mark. Be wary of any influencer asking for investments or contributions.
- Never click on links that come via messages asking you for personal information. TikTok has a feature that allows you to report suspicious activities, which helps to protect the wider TikTok community.
- Make sure you extend these tips to young users who might not be aware of these scams. Parents should take time to talk to their children and educate them about online safety, given the dangers of TikTok.
Conclusion
TikTok is a massively popular platform that can provide endless hours of fun for young users. However, it has also become a hotbed of scams and frauds, which young and old users must be made aware of. By spreading awareness of these scams, users can stay protected while enjoying the creativity and entertainment this popular platform provides.
Why do scams occur on TikTok?
Scams occur on TikTok primarily because cybercriminals target the platform’s primary audience – young individuals under 14, who may be more susceptible to scams and social engineering. Other vulnerable groups include people seeking relationships or ways to supplement their income.
What are some common scams on TikTok?
Common scams on TikTok include fake money offers and giveaways, fake influencer accounts, relationship scams, phishing scams, and the promotion of fake products and services. These scams often involve enticing users to click malicious links or hand over their personal information.
How can I avoid falling for scams on TikTok?
To avoid scams on TikTok, be wary of offers that promise huge rewards, verify accounts that seem to belong to famous influencers, don’t click on suspicious links, and only purchase and install verified products and services. It’s also important to report suspicious activities to TikTok.
How can I protect young users from TikTok scams?
Parents and guardians can protect young users from TikTok scams by educating them about online safety and the dangers present within TikTok. Encourage them to be skeptical of too-good-to-be-true offers, verify accounts before following them, and report suspicious activities.
The Moveit Hack: What It Means and How to Prevent Against It
Cyber-attacks are an ever-present menace in today’s digital landscape. Security professionals have to contend not only with direct attacks that target their applications and infrastructure but also indirect attacks in the form of supply chain compromises. The SolarWinds attacks was one such example in which a popular application was compromised and used as an entryway for attackers. We now have another example with the MOVEit Hack, whose global impact is a stark reminder of how dangerous these attacks remain.
In this article, we go over the attack and what measures can be taken to protect against it.
What is the MOVEit Hack?
The MOVEit Transfer tool is a popular file transfer tool developed by the US company Progress Software that is used by thousands of companies to transfer sensitive files. Cybercriminals were able to compromise this tool via a SQL injection vulnerability, allowing them to execute code on the victim’s environment remotely. Once compromised, the attackers could carry out further malicious actions, such as listing files and creating users to gain a further foothold in the network.
The attack was a zero-day, meaning no fix or patch was available to fix it at the time of compromise. Cybercriminals ruthlessly used this to exploit the weakness, compromising many high-profile companies, including UK brands like Boots, British Airways, and the BBC. Other significant names like the US Department of Energy, John Hopkins University, Shell, and the New York City Department of Education system were also notable victims.
Interestingly, some companies that were compromised, like BBC, did not use MOVEit and instead were compromised as their payroll processor was the victim of the hack. The Russian group, Lace Tempest, already known for several similar attacks, has taken credit for the compromise and threatened to publish the data it has stolen if the companies do not negotiate with them.
Progress Software published an advisory on the attack to fix the vulnerability and other recommendations to mitigate the attack, such as blocking specific ports, checking for suspicious files, and restricting access to trusted IP addresses until the patch was applied.
How to prevent future breaches
Attacks like SolarWinds and MOVEit are difficult to defend against as they do not directly attack the infrastructure but instead abuse the trust within the Software supply chain. Along with a comprehensive security strategy built around defense in depth, some of the key controls to implement are:
Effective Patch Management: The speed at which attackers started compromising environments once the breach was available makes patch management essential. Fixes for critical vulnerabilities like MOVEit cannot be delayed and must be implemented immediately, which require a mature patch management strategy to be in place.
Mature cybersecurity framework: This zero-day vulnerability also underscores the need for a mature security environment built around multiple layers of security controls. Until such time a patch was available, companies needed to increase their vigilance to detect any suspicious activity within their environment. Controls like 24/7 monitoring, hardening, and microsegmentation can prevent criminals from laterally moving within the environment and causing further damage.
Vendor Risk Management: MOVEit and SolarWinds before it underscores the need for a robot vendor security risk management process to be put in place. Companies must insist their partners follow strict security standards to prevent their environments from being compromised. Security is only as strong as its weakest link, and supply chains can have multiple weak link to be taken advantage of
Business Continuity Processes: Companies dependent on MOVEit’s file transfer capabilities for critical business operations might have experienced severe business disruption in light of the attack. Even if their environment was not compromised, halting usage of this tool can result in loss of revenue and customer trust unless appropriate business continuity processes are absent.
Incident Response and Legal: Cyber Security professionals must ensure that their incident response plans contain adequate provisions for Legal help in case they face a situation similar to MoveIt. In such cases, legal advice is needed on the course of action, and it is not advised to engage with the attackers directly.
Threat Intelligence: An effective threat intel feed can be invaluable to be alerted proactively against zero-day threats like MOVEIt. Even if no patch is available, being alerted about compromises can enable companies to move fast and increase vigilance before they get compromised.
Conclusion
MOVEit is another incident highlighting the importance of not becoming complacent within cybersecurity. Just like SolarWinds was a wake-up call across the globe, MOVEit reminds cybersecurity professionals that supply chain attacks remain a serious risk and decades-old attacks like SQL injections can still compromise environments. As we move towards an increasingly interconnected cyberspace, a robot cybersecurity framework is no longer a luxury but a necessity.
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the MOVEit Hack?
The MOVEit Hack was a zero-day cyber-attack by exploiting a SQL injection vulnerability in the MOVEit Transfer tool. This tool, developed by the US company Progress Software, is used by thousands of companies for secure data transfer. The cybercriminals successfully executed code on the victim’s environment and carried out malicious activities leading to widespread compromises.
Who were the victims of the MOVEit Hack?
Several high-profile companies, including Boots, British Airways, BBC, the US Department of Energy, John Hopkins University, Shell, and the New York City Department of Education system, were compromised during the MOVEit Hack. Interestingly, some entities like the BBC did not directly use MOVEit but were indirectly affected due to their partners falling victim to the hack.
What steps were taken by Progress Software following the hack?
In response to the hack, Progress Software published an advisory outlining the vulnerability and providing recommendations to mitigate the attack. These steps included blocking specific ports, checking for suspicious files, and shutting down MOVEit until the security patch was applied.
How can companies prevent future breaches similar to the MOVEit Hack?
Companies can take several measures to prevent similar cyberattacks, including having an effective patch management strategy, developing a robust cybersecurity framework, adopting mature vendor risk management processes, ensuring business continuity, involving legal aid in incident response plans, and incorporating effective threat intelligence feeds. With an increasing dependency on interconnected digital platforms, maintaining a robust cybersecurity infrastructure is no longer a luxury but a necessity.
Common Mobile Gaming Scams and How to protect yourself
Gaming has surged massively in popularity these last few decades, with millions worldwide glued to their devices playing their favorite games. Initially considered a “geeky” pastime, gaming is now a multi-billion dollar industry, and one of the key reasons has been the the increase in the processing power of smartphones and other devices. Instead of buying an expensive console, users can just use their existing smartphones to play the latest mobile game which is almost as good as a console experience. Mobile gaming also appeals to the casual player and has a vast audience willing to pay for the experience.
Unfortunately, this also means that there is a massive opportunity for cybercriminals to take advantage of this user base and attempt to exploit it. In this article, we go over how mobile gaming has become a popular target for cybercriminals and some of the common scams to be aware of.
What are Mobile Gaming Scams
Mobile Games are typically bought from App Stores and installed either for a small fee or free of charge. Players are also incentivized to make in-game purchases to get extra stuff that makes the gaming experience more enjoyable. Mobile Gaming scams attempt to take advantage of this gaming eco-system via the following:
- Fake Apps: In this scam, cybercriminals create fake mobile gaming apps that might look similar to a legitimate and popular existing game. Players are unable to tell the difference and end up downloading the same. These fake apps are malicious and are used to compromise the player’s device.
- Account Takeovers: Players typically create accounts on gaming websites to make in-game purchases, and attackers often target these accounts via phishing attacks. If successful in compromising an account, cybercriminals can use the credentials to make in-game purchases or sell the account on the dark web. The attacks are not just email-based; attackers can also pretend to be fellow players and interact with the victim through the in-game chat to try and socially engineer them.
- Fake or Fraudulent In-App Purchases: In this scam, attackers try to trick users into paying for fraudulent or fake services that do not exist by posing as a legitimate storefront. They might even trick users into paying for services by manipulating how the mobile game takes payments.
- Cheating and Mod Scams: Players are often keen to use chats or mods to gain an unfair advantage within the game. Attackers provide these cheat codes or mods, which are malware, to compromise their devices.
The impact of these scams can be severe for the player and the gaming industry. Mobile game users might lose trust in a particular gaming brand that was fraudulently used after suffering financial loss due to a scam. Similarly, companies will lose customer share and revenue due to being associated with scams on their gaming app. This can have a ripple effect and slow down progress and innovation in an industry that thrives on it. Gaming companies are typically small size companies with a few dedicated employees that are often not aware of how to deal with these cybersecurity issues as they occur.
How to Protect Yourself From Mobile Gaming Scams
Mobile Gaming is a relatively new digital landscape to secure, and it is essential to understand what security measures can be put in place to stop such scams. One of the first steps is for players to become aware of these scams so they do not become victims. Other key measures are:
- Always verify that a gaming app is valid before installing it. Read reviews and the developer’s website, as that can often contain clues such as spelling errors that give away its origin
- Be suspicious of apps that require excessive permissions on your device when installing it.
- Make sure your device is installed with an anti-malware solution that can detect such malicious software.
- Exercise caution when making in-app purchases. Be suspicious of deals that are too good to be accurate and do not originate from the official gaming websites.
- Be wary of in-game chats or emails from the gaming company that asks you for your credentials or payment information.
- Use temporary payment cards for in-game purchases to minimize damage in case of a compromise.
In case of a compromise, be sure to contact your financial institution to report any financial losses. App stores such as Google Play and Apple also provide instructions on reporting a malicious app that can be removed before other users are harmed.
Gaming companies also have a role in deterring such scams, as it is not just the player’s responsibility. It is essential to implement robust security controls that prevent attackers from compromising the gaming ecosystem, such as multi-factor authentication, encryption, verified reviews, etc. Monitoring unusual logins or bot-like activity that may indicate an ongoing scam is also recommended. They can also educate the players about such scams via in-game notifications and awareness messages so they are aware of how attackers operate within the gaming community.
Conclusion
Mobile Gaming will continue to grow in popularity due to its mass appeal and be a target for scammers and cybercriminals worldwide. Securing the mobile gaming ecosystem is a shared responsibility between the players and the game developers who must work together to ensure that mobile gaming remains a secure and enjoyable experience for all.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are mobile gaming scams?
Mobile gaming scams are fraudulent activities targeting mobile game players. These scams include fake apps, account takeovers, fraudulent in-app purchases, and cheating scams.
How can I protect myself from mobile gaming scams?
To protect yourself from mobile gaming scams, follow these measures: verify the legitimacy of gaming apps, be cautious of excessive permissions requested during installation, use an anti-malware solution, exercise caution when making in-app purchases, be wary of suspicious in-game chats or emails asking for credentials or payment information, consider using temporary payment cards, and report any financial losses to your financial institution or app store.
What role do gaming companies play in preventing scams?
Gaming companies are responsible for implementing robust security controls such as multifactor authentication, encryption, and verified reviews. They should monitor for unusual logins or bot-like activity, educate players about scams through in-game notifications, and raise awareness within the gaming community.
Why is securing the mobile gaming ecosystem important?
Securing the mobile gaming ecosystem is crucial to protect players from financial losses and maintain trust in gaming brands. It also ensures the progress and innovation of the gaming industry by preventing scams that can harm both players and gaming companies. Cooperation between players and game developers is necessary to maintain a secure and enjoyable mobile gaming experience.
What is Generative AI. How to Protect Yourself from Misinformation.
We live in the era of Generative AI or “GenAI,” with tools like ChatGPT, MidJourney, and Copilot all spearheading the new age of AI-generated content. These tools have taken nearly industry by storm with their ability to create information that is almost impossible to distinguish from human-generated content. Users can generate stunning images, articles, code, and even videos from a few text-based prompts. Despite the massive potential this technology holds and its promise to change how we work, one significant risk with these tools is becoming more and more prominent: misinformation.
Due to their realistic content, AI-generated images and text can easily be used to mislead the masses and cause confusion if they are taken as factual without any verification. This article reviews this risk and the checks and balances that can be implemented.
How Generative AI can spread Misinformation
Misinformation existed before the GenAI boom, with numerous reports of bots spreading fake information on Twitter and other social media platforms during the 2016 presidential election. However, GenAI allows this misinformation to gain much more credibility due to how realistic its contents look. Imagine a social media post showing a politician committing a corrupt act that is shared on social media and spreads like wildfire gaining momentum via tweets, shares, likes, etc. Unfortunately, the images in the post are all fake and created by GenAI. While the truth might be revealed later on, it would be too late to undo the damage to the person’s reputation.
We have already seen examples of Midjourney images of the Pope wearing a white puffy jacket and Donald Trump getting arrested going viral on social media, with much of the public thinking they are the real thing. Far from being a harmless prank, this could be misused to spread discord amongst the public, leading to riots and destruction of public property. Cybercriminals could weaponize such tools to spread misinformation against a company or an individual for a fee, making it difficult for the general public to distinguish real news from the taken one.
How to protect against GenAI misinformation
The fight against GenAI misinformation needs to occur at two levels; one at the technical level and one at the human level. AI-generated content has telltale signs that can be used to discern it from natural images and text. For example, text from GenAI can be quite detailed, with phrases seeming slightly off despite having no grammatical issues. Similarly, images from tools like MidJourney might contain shadows and quirks in the eyes and fingers that can give away their origins. AI detection tools are also gaining prominence that performs checks to detect signs of GenAI via these telltale signs within images, text, and syntax.
Users must also be skeptical about what they read on social media and other platforms and practice a healthy amount of critical thinking before accepting anything they read. By practicing vigilance, they can prevent the spread of misinformation from being started in the first place. It is every user’s responsibility to verify the authenticity of the information and exercise critical thinking. If a social media post or news article seems too sensational to be accurate, it would be better to verify it from multiple sources before sharing it further. A few simple minutes spent verifying information before spreading it can potentially stop misinformation from being spread to thousands of users further.
The burden of combating misinformation spread via GenAI does not just fall on the user but also on the companies involved in creating GenAI products. Companies involved in developing these products must exercise transparency and ethics when it comes to creating these systems. Regulations are already under development that will govern how AI systems are trained and what guardrails must be implemented to restrict the spread of malicious content. However, these will take time, and companies must take the first step themselves for a safe AI-based future.
The way forward
GenAII has opened Pandora’s box, which will not be closed anytime soon. Cybercriminals and scammers will be looking at ways to misuse the capabilities of these systems to spread misinformation amongst the masses. GenAI could even become a tool during cyber warfare to spread propaganda amongst the public to sow discord and make them lose trust in their leadership.
While tools are being launched to detect and curb the spread of misinformation using GenAI, it is a long and challenging road ahead. The solution is not a wholesale ban on AI systems but a responsible, ethical development of these systems and a robust user awareness of the risks involved. By creating healthy skepticism amongst the public on information that might be AI-generated in nature, along with strong technical controls that can detect this type of data, we can move towards an AI-driven future with confidence.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does Generative AI contribute to the spread of misinformation?
Generative AI, with its ability to produce highly realistic content, poses a risk as AI-generated images and text can be mistaken for genuine. This can lead to disseminating fake news, false narratives, and deceptive social media posts, potentially damaging reputations and causing public unrest.
How can we protect against GenAI misinformation?
Protection against GenAI misinformation involves two approaches. Firstly, technical measures such as AI detection tools can help identify telltale signs of AI-generated content, including subtle text or visual elements irregularities. Secondly, users must exercise critical thinking, verifying information from multiple sources before accepting and sharing it.
What responsibility do users have in combating misinformation?
Users play a crucial role in preventing the spread of misinformation. By practicing skepticism, fact-checking, and engaging in critical thinking, individuals can minimize the inadvertent propagation of false information. Users should verify the authenticity of content before sharing it on social media or other platforms.
What role do companies play in addressing GenAI misinformation?
Companies involved in developing GenAI products are responsible for prioritizing transparency and ethics. They should implement safeguards and guardrails to restrict the spread of malicious content. Collaborating with regulators and supporting the development of ethical AI practices will contribute to a safer AI-driven future.
CAPTCHA Scams Exposed: How Scammers Use Bots to Bypass CAPTCHA
Online scams have existed since the dawn of the Internet, with attackers trying various methods to bypass security mechanisms. One of the oldest and most effective security methods to stop online scams has been CAPTCHA or Completely Automated Public Turing Test to tell Computers and Humans Apart. CAPTCHA has served as a control to differentiate if the requester accessing a website or platform is a human being or an automated bot, and helps ensure that only legitimate human users can access these systems and carry out activities. CAPTCHA has been a powerful tool against automated attacks for many years. However, cybercriminals are evolving their tactics to bypass even this tried and tested control. In this article we go over how CAPTCHA scams, how these controls can be circumvented and what these new tactics mean for the security of online systems.
Why is CAPTCHA needed?
Cybercriminals have often used bots to automate malicious activities such as data scraping, brute forcing, spamming, etc. CAPTCHA has served to deter such actions by providing a challenge that requires human intelligence to solve. This can be a puzzle, distorted image, text, or audio. The point is to make it difficult for bots to understand and bypass this challenge, and CAPTCHA is commonly found in login pages, comment sections, and other interactive areas where a bot is at risk of gaining access and spamming legitimate users. CAPTCHA has proved to be an effective security control for many years now due to its requirement for a human-dependent task to be carried out.
CAPTCHA’s challenges are typically too complex for bots to interpret, stopping them in their tracks. However, cybercriminal’s motivation for compromising CAPTCHA has remained high as it can allow them to mass create fake accounts, spam emails, plant malicious links and even launch Denial of Service attacks without any restrictions. Hence cybercriminals have been continually improving the sophistication and effectiveness of their attacks with CAPTCHA scams bypassing these controls becoming a growing menace.
CAPTCHA Challenges
As attacks increase in intelligence, CAPTCHA now faces the following challenges:
- Bots have become more sophisticated and intelligent over the years and can now solve simple CAPTCHA challenges by analyzing them. Cybercriminals have employed advanced techniques to reverse engineer CAPTCHA algorithms enabling them to identify patterns and trends within the code that can be exploited. This allows them to develop bots that use these vulnerabilities and bypass CAPTCHA controls.
- The rise of AI is another risk, as bots powered by machine learning can analyze pictures and complex text meant for humans and interpret it, allowing them to bypass CAPTCHA protection. These bots are trained on massive datasets with CAPTCHA images and their answers, allowing them to solve these challenges quickly.
- Human agents are present who are willing to solve CAPTCHA challenges for a small fee. These services are available for cybercriminals to take advantage of, saving them time and resources. These agents are typically present in third-world countries allowing attackers to take advantage of cheap labor.
If CAPTCHA scams are able to bypass this security control, it can have severe implications for the security of online systems. Attackers could gain access to sensitive functions within a system, allowing them to scrape data, spread malware and spam users without any restrictions. CAPTCHA is a ubiquitous control used by thousands of companies worldwide, and bypassing its security features can become a risk to millions of users across the globe.
How to protect against the new wave of attacks
To counter this new wave of advanced attackers, cybersecurity teams need to invest and implement more advanced CAPTCHA solutions capable of detecting and protecting against their techniques. Instead of simple image or audio challenges, more complex human-intuitive challenges can be introduced, like games that are easy for human beings to understand but difficult for bots.
CAPTCHA can also be augmented with AI-based controls that analyze behavioral risk of users who attempt to answer its challenges. By analyzing multiple context-based factors such as keystrokes, location, browsing patterns, etc. CAPTCHA can infer if the requester is a human or a bot. This can be effective against humans who are simply there to solve CAPTCHA challenges with malicious intentions.
Conclusion
As a control, CAPTCHA needs to evolve with the times to stay relevant. It is clear that modern attacks have become too sophisticated for standard CAPTCHA controls, and a rethink is needed. New and more innovative styles of challenges need to be implemented within these security controls, along with the ability to detect if the user is a bot or a human. This will help apply multiple layers of security that can stop even the most intelligent bot in its tracks. Using contextual-based rules powered by AI and machine learning, CAPTCHA can even identify human agents who only try to bypass it with malicious intentions.
Cybersecurity is an ongoing cat-and-mouse game between cybercriminals and security teams. As attacks become increasingly sophisticated, the answer is not to shelve security controls like CAPTCHA but to evolve them and harden them against modern-day attacks. Provided we mature and improve this control, CAPTCHA scams will not succeed and this control has a long future ahead in the world of cybersecurity.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is CAPTCHA necessary?
CAPTCHA is necessary to deter automated malicious activities by distinguishing humans from bots. It adds a challenge that requires human intelligence to solve, preventing bots from gaining unauthorized access and spamming legitimate users.
What challenges does CAPTCHA face today?
CAPTCHA faces challenges from increasingly sophisticated bots that can analyze and reverse engineer CAPTCHA algorithms. The rise of AI-powered bots allows them to interpret complex text and images meant for humans, bypassing CAPTCHA protection.
How do cybercriminals exploit CAPTCHA weaknesses?
Cybercriminals exploit CAPTCHA weaknesses by employing advanced techniques to develop bots that can identify vulnerabilities and bypass CAPTCHA controls. They may also utilize human agents in third-world countries who solve CAPTCHA challenges for a fee.
How can organizations protect against these new attacks?
Organizations should invest in advanced CAPTCHA solutions to counter advanced attacks. Complex human-intuitive challenges, like games, can be introduced, and AI-based controls can analyze contextual factors to distinguish humans from bots. Evolving CAPTCHA measures and implementing multi-layered controls can enhance security.
Death of the VPN: How Zero Trust Networks are replacing traditional VPNs
We live in a world where remote and hybrid work has become normalized within the last couple of years. The move to remote and cloud applications has spurred a shift in how employees connect to their corporate environments, with Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) being the def-factor standard for secure remote connections. The ability to securely connect over an encrypted tunnel has served companies well for many years. However, the rising popularity of Zero Trust Network Architecture (ZTNA) is now changing the mindset of many companies who are re-evaluating their reliance on VPNs. This article reviews why VPNs are slowly being replaced with ZTNA solutions and their pros and cons.
Why Traditional VPNs are no longer enough
VPNs have served as a secure way of connecting to the corporate environment for decades now; however, at the same time, they come with certain limitations which limit the effectiveness of modern networks. This effectively turns them into bottlenecks for modern security controls. Let us take a look at a few of the key issues with VPNs:
- Perimeter Approach: VPNs rely on user authentication to grant them access to a network, and this is typically done with a password and a multi-factor authentication mechanism. However, once the user has been granted access, it is not re-evaluated based on their requirements. A user can have full access to the network and laterally move to other resources within the network, compromising the least privilege and allowing attackers free access if they compromise the account.
- Complexity: VPNs can be quite complex to maintain, requiring an investment in infrastructure and expertise to support a corporate environment. With a surge in remote working, companies can struggle to scale the VPN infrastructure to accommodate an increasingly remote workforce.
- Performance: VPNs encrypt and decrypt data over a tunnel which can result in performance impact and reduced productivity. Users can struggle with reduced productivity and poor performance of their applications due to the overhead introduced by VPNs.
The Rise of Zero Trust Networks
Zero Trust Network Architecture (ZTNA) has grown in popularity within the last few years. It is a new security and network architecture approach that replaces the “Trust but Verify” principle with “Never trust, always verify.” In a ZTNA network, no implicit trust is assumed, and every user request is authenticated regardless of whether it originates from a remote or a local user. Some of the key features of a ZTNA are:
- Focus on Identity: Instead of focusing on the network location, ZTNA focuses on the user’s identity to assess if they should or should not be allowed access. This is not a one-time activity but a continuous one considering multiple contextual factors. In a ZTNA environment, lateral movement is much more complex, even if a user is compromised due to continual assessment.
- Micro-segmentation approach: ZTNA focuses on a micro-segmentation approach to network security which applies the least privilege principle to network architecture. Instead of placing sensitive workloads in their subnet, microsegmentation can secure separate workloads with intelligent and dynamic policies that can change at runtime. This means the network architecture can change dynamically in response to a security breach.
- Access from anywhere approach: In a ZTNA approach, there is no need for a VPN infrastructure for remote connection. The “never trust, always verify’’ approach means that users apply the same level of security regardless of where they connect. This has led to many companies like Google completely removing the need for VPNs for their employees and moving to a ZTNA approach.
Adopting Zero Trust brings numerous benefits, such as:
- Improved security as the ZTNA environment continually assesses the security posture of requests instead of relying on the perimeter approach. This is done by evaluating multiple contextual factors like users’ risk level and device posture.
- Improved support for Cloud: If the company plans to adopt a cloud methodology, then movement to Zero Trust makes a lot of sense due to how well these two approaches align. ZTNA was designed to accommodate cloud approaches as it does not rely on a user or device’s location for assessing security.
- Future-proofing the network: Zero Trust is the approach for future proofing your environment against new and upcoming threats. This can be seen in the Executive Order issued by the US Government that has directed federal agencies to adopt a ZTNA approach for their security.
How to move to a Zero Trust Network approach
Adopting a Zero Trust model does not mean implementing a product or applying for a certification, rather it is a change in mindset that takes time to implement. Zero Trust has certain principles that must be used in an environment and treated as a proper project with its resources and timelines. Not all network components will comply with a ZTNA approach, and most companies will adopt a hybrid system that will transition to a fully ZTNA-compliant environment over time. Proper training, change management, and a phase-wise strategy are essential to adopting Zero Trust.
Conclusion
Gartner has predicted that at least 70% of new remote access deployments will rely on a ZTNA approach instead of VPNs by 2025. While companies will continue to use VPNs, their effectiveness as a security control has diminished recently with the rise of remote working and cloud-first approaches. A move towards Zero Trust is inevitable for modern enterprises due to its increased security and flexibility. Companies should strategically adopt Zero Trust and start working on their roadmaps to move away from VPNs.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the limitations of traditional VPNs?
Traditional VPNs have certain limitations, such as a perimeter approach that grants users access to the entire network without re-evaluation. This compromises the principle of least privilege and allows lateral movement within the network if user accounts are compromised. VPNs can also be complex to maintain, leading to reduced performance and productivity due to encryption and decryption overhead.
What is Zero Trust Network Architecture (ZTNA)?
Zero Trust Network Architecture is a security and network approach that replaces the traditional “Trust but Verify” principle with “Never trust, always verify.” ZTNA focuses on continuous user authentication and identity-based access control, regardless of the user’s location. It employs micro-segmentation and dynamic policies to enhance security and supports access from anywhere without relying on VPN infrastructure.
What are the benefits of adopting a Zero Trust approach?
Adopting Zero Trust brings numerous benefits, including improved security by continually assessing the security posture of user requests. It also aligns well with cloud methodologies, supports future-proofing the network against new threats, and offers enhanced flexibility in remote work environments. The US Government has even directed federal agencies to adopt a Zero Trust approach for their security.
How can an organization transition to a Zero Trust Network approach?
Transitioning to a Zero Trust model requires a change in mindset and should be treated as a proper project with its resources and timelines. It involves applying Zero Trust principles, proper training, change management, and a phased approach to make the network fully compliant with ZTNA gradually. Most organizations adopt a hybrid approach initially before fully transitioning to Zero Trust.
Security Awareness in the Age of Deep Fakes: How to Train Employees in a World of Misinformation
The increasing popularity of Generative AI technologies has taken the world by storm these past couple of years. These tools have allowed the average user to create stunning AI-generated images, audio, and video and blurred the lines between real and fake. However, this has also given rise to the very real threat of misinformation in the age of AI, where it will be impossible to tell if the information is factually correct or fake. DeepFakes is one such application of AI that allows hyper-realistic videos of people in imaginary scenarios with viral videos of actors like Tom Cruise and Morgan Freeman present on the Internet. At the same time, this gives rise to a severe cybersecurity threat as DeepFakes can be leveraged to enhance the threat of Social Engineering attacks with fake video and audio. This article reviews this threat and what can be done to prevent it.
What are DeepFakes
DeepFakes is AI-generated content that uses the power of machine learning algorithms to create audio and video content. While the technology has existed for several years, it has become more accessible and mainstream in recent years. This has led many users to experiment with DeepFake videos and make them viral. Unfortunately, it has also fallen into the hands of Cybercriminals who have recognized its potential as a tool for improving social engineering attacks.
How DeepFakes can be misused
DeepFake scams can be considered the next evolution of social engineering attacks. Unlike traditional attacks, which rely on phishing emails or more targeted spear-phishing techniques, Deepfakes allow attackers to create highly realistic audio and video to fool their victims. The realistic nature of these attacks means that even security-conscious individuals can get tricked into handing over sensitive information by seeing a video of someone they trust. The impact of these attacks is not just restricted to identity theft and financial fraud but can extend to extortion and misinformation. Attackers can spread the news about well-known figures like politicians and senior executives to tarnish a company’s reputation and impact their stock price.
These attacks also have profound implications regarding remote working and granting access to employees in remote locations. A database administrator could be interviewed with all reference checks being passed. Yet, at the other end, it could be a cybercriminal who has stolen the identity of this individual and is impersonating him using DeepFake. This could allow cybercriminals to access sensitive data without committing a security attack! This is not theoretical as these attacks have already taken place, with the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) releasing an advisory on the same, educating users on this new type of attack. The combination of DeepFake technology and stolen personally Identifiable Information (PII) to commit fraud can be an incredibly dangerous combination to defend against with remote workers in sensitive roles like database administration, programming, business, etc.
How to create Awareness in a DeepFake age
People typically believe what they see, especially when they are talking to a person of authority. While educating users about being skeptical about the source of an email or a phone call is easy, detecting DeepFake scams can be much more difficult. Initial attacks have been seen by users becoming suspicious when the lip movement of the audio and the person were not synching however, this is an easy hurdle for cybercriminals to overcome as technology improves.
It is essential to create awareness around these scams, especially among staff with access to sensitive data. Employees should be trained to spot telltale signs of Deepfakes and how such scams work.
In addition to awareness, other controls that might be implemented are:
- Improve your current procedure for hiring and interviewing remote positions that might have access to sensitive data. Train HR and hiring managers on other methods to verify interviews through additional methods, such as face-to-face or two-factor authentication, as traditional interview procedures may no longer be sufficient for sensitive positions.
- Invest in AI-based tools that use the power of AI to detect liveness detection and can spot if DeepFake technology is being used by attackers. These tools can identify patterns that might be invisible to the human eye and serve as additional control.
- Upgrade your security training and incident response procedures to incorporate DeepFake attacks. HR and Media personnel should also be trained in preparing for situations where a malicious person might use DeepFake to spread fake information posing as a C-level employee.
Conclusion
DeepFakes are rapidly evolving and present a unique new challenge for cybersecurity professionals worldwide. A mixture of technical controls and awareness can help companies prepare for these attacks. The era of simple email-based social engineering attacks is far behind us as we enter new and uncharted territory. The way to success is to embrace this new age of AI and empower your staff with information on countering its malicious usage.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is DeepFakes?
DeepFakes refer to AI-generated content, including realistic audio and video, created using machine learning algorithms. While this technology has been around for some time, it has become more accessible and popular recently, leading to viral user experiments and misuse by cybercriminals.
How can DeepFakes be misused?
DeepFake scams represent the next evolution of social engineering attacks. Attackers can create highly realistic audio and video to deceive even security-conscious victims. These attacks can result in identity theft, financial fraud, extortion, and the spread of misinformation to tarnish reputations or impact stock prices.
What are the implications of DeepFakes for remote working?
DeepFakes pose severe challenges for remote working, especially when granting access to employees in remote locations. Cybercriminals can impersonate individuals by stealing their identities using DeepFake technology. This can give unauthorized access to sensitive data without the need for traditional security attacks, making it crucial to address this threat in remote working scenarios.
How can awareness be created in the DeepFake age?
Creating awareness about DeepFake scams is essential, particularly among staff members with access to sensitive data. Training employees to identify telltale signs of DeepFakes and understanding how these scams work is crucial. Additionally, implementing controls such as improved hiring procedures, AI-based tools for detecting DeepFakes, and upgrading security training and incident response procedures can help mitigate the risks. Embracing this new age of AI and empowering staff with knowledge is key to countering the malicious use of DeepFake technology.
MFA at risk – How new attacks are targeting the second layer of authentication
Multi-factor Authentication (MFA) has remained one of the most consistent security best practices for decades in the digital world. Whether it is accessing your social media account, internet banking, or a corporate application; implementing an additional layer of authentication over your password is an accepted best practice across the globe. MFA comes in three categories which are something you know (password), something you have ( a security token or a smartphone), and something you are (biometrics). This extra layer of security is used to prevent attackers from gaining access even if they have compromised a user’s password, as one level of authentication is no longer sufficient.
However, cybercriminals have started adapting to this layer of security, and new threats are emerging that put even MFA authentication at risk. In this article, we will go into the details of these new threats and what they mean for modern security.
Attacks against MFA
Despite MFA’s benefits, it is not fool-proof, and attacks against MFA systems have started to gain prominence where attackers can subvert this additional layer of security either directly or via other methods. These attacks have become dangerous enough for the FBI to issue an advisory about such attacks. Some of the common attacks are listed below:
- SIM swapping in which cybercriminals socially engineer customer service representatives of banks to port their phone numbers to a number belonging to the cybercriminal. Instead of attempting to attack the MFA layer, they change the authentication to their number, allowing them to carry out wire transfers, change credentials, and other financial fraud.
- Another attack involves bypassing the multi-factor authentication altogether by alerting the web URL of a banking application. By changing the URL, the attackers could avoid the need to enter a PIN, allowing them to commit financial fraud.
- Other attacks involve man-in-the-middle techniques where a cybercriminal can hijack the session between a valid user and the accessed platform. By monitoring the communication, they can intercept tokens and even initiate transactions acting as the user.
- An MFA fatigue attack is when an attacker already has access to a user’s credentials but attempts to flood the user’s device with MFA notifications. The intent is to frustrate the user and get them to approve blindly without checking the action that is being authorized.
Along with attacks, new toolkits are also available that can automate phishing attacks against MFA protection. Muraena and NecroBrowser toolkits can act as proxies and monitor traffic, such as passwords and even MFA tokens. The ability to automate attacks via these toolkits makes them appealing to cybercriminals who would use them to scale their operations.
Is MFA still a reasonable control?
Despite the attacks mentioned previously, it must be stressed that MFA remains a powerful control that can easily block the wide variety of attacks that target users via social engineering. Attacks specially tailored towards MFA are still rare and require extensive planning. Due to the increased efforts required, attackers have not yet adopted them at scale.
Microsoft has stressed the rarity of such attacks and recommends using MFA as a valid control stating that it stops 99.9% of attacks targeting users, which is a reassuring statistic. Google also provided similar stats, mentioning, “We found that an SMS code sent to a recovery phone number helped block 100% of automated bots, 96% of bulk phishing attacks, and 76% of targeted attacks.”
However, it must be stressed that MFA is not a silver bullet and must be used with other controls like good awareness about social engineering attacks and good browser/smartphone security hygiene. Users must remain vigilant about new techniques, such as Deepfake scams and fake AI-generated audio messages, which attackers are now adopting as another sophisticated type of social engineering attack. In these attacks, attackers can impersonate the image or voice of an authorized person and use it to trick users and customer service representatives into handing over their authentication tokens. Due to the attacker appearing as a trusted individual, the success rates of these attacks are often higher than regular social engineering attacks.
Additionally, keeping your browser and smartphone devices protected and patched at all times is essential and forms part of a strong security posture. Ensure that you have security software running on your devices that alerts you if an attacker attempts to take over your device as part of an account takeover.
Conclusion
MFA is and will continue to be a security best practice in the future due to its robust security against attacks like account takeover and phishing. Industry benchmarks like Zero Trust and PCI DSS continue to refer to it for forming a solid security foundation for a company. MFA Attacks will continue to evolve. However, user awareness and technologies like AI can help augment MFA with more intelligent context-driven data that can help prevent such attacks. To stay protected, users must remain vigilant and adopt a robust security awareness culture and technical controls like browser and device security.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the common attacks against multi-factor authentication (MFA)?
Attacks include SIM swapping, bypassing MFA by altering web URLs, man-in-the-middle attacks, and automated phishing attacks using toolkits like Muraena and NecroBrowser.
Is multi-factor authentication still an effective control despite these attacks?
Yes, MFA remains a strong control and blocks most social engineering attacks. Microsoft reports that MFA stops 99.9% of attacks targeting users, making it a reliable security measure.
Should MFA be used in combination with other security controls?
Yes, MFA should be complemented with measures like awareness about social engineering, browser and smartphone security, and adherence to security standards like Zero Trust and PCI DSS.
How should the security industry adopt MFA technology in the future?
The security industry should focus on continuous innovation to stay ahead of cybercriminals. This involves developing more secure identity confirmation methods, implementing robust security protocols, and educating users about potential risks and prevention strategies.
The ChatGPT Breach and What It Means for Companies
ChatGPT, the popular AI-driven chat tool, is now the most popular app of all time, with the highest growing user base in history, which is a staggering achievement. It is being used in virtually every industry, from content creation to law, healthcare, finance, and even cybersecurity. At the same time, significant concerns have been raised about the security of this tool and its potential for misuse. Users are often not careful about any sensitive data they might enter when prompting ChatGPT, and how the model might store this data for further training. Cybercriminals have also turned their sights on the tool resulting in the first ChatGPT breach being reported. This article reviews the recent ChatGPT breach, how it happened, and what it means for users.
How the breach happened
ChatGPT revealed that attackers gained access to the tool by exploiting a vulnerable open-source library used in ChatGPT’s code. This gave them access to a group of users’ chat history and personal information. Although OpenAI quickly fixed the issue and informed the general public that only a small group of users were impacted, this does open the discussion about the impact of a large-scale data breach. The vulnerable library Redis was used for caching users’ chat history for quicker response times and gave the attackers the initial foothold they needed to compromise ChatGPT. Along with the chat history, they could access personal information such as the user’s name, email address, and limited payment information. The tool was taken offline until OpenAI fixed the issue and announced an improvement in their security testing through a bug bounty program paying upwards of USD 20,000.
What the ChatGPT breach means
Despite the fast response by OpenAI and the limited exposure that occurred, the implications of the breach are severe. LLMs like ChatGPT and Bard are becoming integrated into more and more tools such as Bing and Google Workspaces. This means that a compromise could allow the attackers to move laterally to more sensitive information if sufficient isolation and sandboxing are not implemented.
This is not even considering the sensitive information users inadvertently put into ChatGPT daily. Open AI has stated, “A large amount of data on the internet relates to people, so our training information does incidentally include personal information. We don’t actively seek out personal information to train our models.” and, “Our models may learn from personal information to understand how things like names and addresses fit within language and sentences or to learn about famous people and public figures. This makes our models better at providing relevant responses”.
Countries like Italy have already temporarily banned ChatGPT due to privacy concerns, while companies like JP Morgan have put strict guidelines around using LLMs for employees. This can become a trend in the industry as concerns around ChatGPT and similar tools grow. While AI regulation is being developed to gain some measure of control, cybersecurity teams should be proactive in taking steps to mitigate the risks of ChatGPT compromise.
How to protect against future ChatGPT breaches
The popularity of ChatGPT and ease of use means that it will only become more and more integrated within companies going forward. Cybersecurity teams must be ready for risks with such integrations and take proactive steps to mitigate the same, especially in industries like finance, healthcare, payments, etc., where data protection is paramount.
It is recommended for cybersecurity teams to carry out threat modeling to identify pathways and dependencies via which attackers can potentially enter their environments via compromised LLMs. This will help to identify the blast radius of such attacks and
Teams should set clear guidelines on using tools like ChatGPT and other LLMs and what information can be shared with them. It is impractical to restrict such tools given their benefits, so user education is paramount. Cybersecurity teams should set down guidance on what content can be generated, if source code reviews can be carried out , what research can be used, etc. with ChatGPT, so that companies are aware of the inherent risks present within LLMs. It is paramount to educate them on the privacy risks of ChatGPT when sharing personal information, as that can be potentially used for further training the model and stored by OpenAI. For example, a user accidentally enters a sensitive document into ChatGPT and asks it to summarize, not knowing that the model might use this information.
The potential of ChatGPT and other LLMs is immense but must be balanced with the risk they bring. The more integrated such tools become within business processes, the more significant the impact in case of a compromise. While the current ChatGPT breach was relatively small in terms of its exploration, this can be a dangerous sign of things to come as cybercriminals try to compromise LLMs to gain access to the massive amounts of data that are present.
Frequently Asked Questions
What caused the ChatGPT breach?
The breach resulted from attackers exploiting a vulnerable open-source library used in ChatGPT’s code. They gained access to a specific group of users’ chat history and personal information.
What information was compromised during the breach?
The attackers obtained chat history data and personal details such as users’ names, email addresses, and limited payment information.
What are the implications of the ChatGPT breach?
The breach highlights the potential risks of large-scale data breaches and the need for robust security measures when integrating AI-driven tools like ChatGPT. Compromising such devices can lead to lateral movement and access to more sensitive information.
How can users protect themselves against future breaches?
To protect against future breaches, it is essential to establish clear guidelines on tool usage and educate users on the proper handling of sensitive information. Cybersecurity teams should proactively mitigate risks and ensure adequate protection, especially in industries where data security is crucial, such as finance and healthcare.
Prompt Injections – A New Threat to Large Language Models
Large Language Models (LLMs) have increased in popularity since late 2022 when ChatGPT appeared on the scene. The AI-powered chatbot is now officially the most popular app of all time, with the fastest-growing user base in history. Companies like Microsoft and Google have also jumped onto the trend and are now integrating LLMs into their core tools, like Bing and Google Workspaces, to enhance their functionalities. Unfortunately, this also means that LLMs will potentially gain access to the data stores within these tools and significantly increase a company’s exposure if they are compromised. In this article, we go over one such attack that is growing in popularity: Prompt Injection and what can be done to protect against it.
What are Prompt Injections
Prompts are the inputs that users provide to LLMs, which are processed and used to construct a response to send back. In most cases, these prompts are straightforward and processed safely and predictably.
Prompt Injections are when an attacker attempts to subvert this process and provide malicious prompts to make the LLM behave like the developers never intended. This can result in the LLM disclosing sensitive information, changing its behavior, and even providing wrong information. For example, an attacker might attempt to subvert the guardrails that have been put in place in tools like ChatGPT against hate speech or misinformation and trick it into responding in a biased or malicious manner.
These attacks can be similar to SQL injections, but instead of targeting a database, we target an LLM. This attack can also be considered more dangerous than SQL injections, given the lower barrier to entry. No technical knowledge is required, and simple prompts can result in a successful attack!
The severity of this attack is high, depending on what the LLM is being used for. For example, if the LLM is powering a chatbot being used in sensitive industries like healthcare or banking, then this could result in a data breach and severe reputational damage to the company hosting the LLM.
Types of Prompt Injection Attacks
Prompt Injections can be broadly categorized into direct or indirect attacks. In the direct prompt injection attack, the attacker directly provides malicious prompts to the LLM to make it behave unauthorizedly. For example, getting it to disclose sensitive information or generate hate speech.
In an indirect attack, the attacker may provide the prompt but in a far more subtle fashion, such as embedding the prompt in a website or a third-party plugin. These attacks can be far more challenging to detect and filter as the malicious prompts are not being entered directly. An attacker could store the prompt in a remote file and ask the LLM to read through it, resulting in executing malicious prompts.
LLMS must understand the context of each prompt to detect when an attacker is leading them down a path of a prompt injection.
Impact of Prompt Injections
A successfully executed prompt injection attack can result in several risks emerging, such as the following:
- Data leakage via the LLM disclosing sensitive information to which it was trained or it has access.
- Misinformation being spread via the LLM as the prompt injection could “trick” the LLM into generating incorrect information that could be accepted as fact leading to widespread problems.
- Hate speech and inappropriate responses being generated as the prompt injection could bypass the guardrails and result in the LLM developing hateful speech towards a particular ethnic group or minority.
- Security incidents if the LLM is hosted locally and can access sensitive systems. An attacker could use prompt injection to use the LLM to access these backend systems and exfiltrate data via its responses.
How to mitigate the risk of Prompt Injections
Cybersecurity teams need to educate themselves on this new attack vector, given the rapid pace at which LLMs are becoming part of tech ecosystems. LLMs generate text, code and even give legal or medical advice! A compromise via prompt injection could result in reputational damage and undermine users’ trust in these AI systems.
Developers and Cybersecurity teams should work together to implement controls like intelligent input sanitization and filtering that analyze the prompts and responses generated by the LLM. Only by understanding the context of a prompt can the LLM know whether it is part of a prompt injection. Additionally, reporting and alerting on potential attempts by attackers to input malicious prompts should be put in place, similar to failed logins or suspicious scans. Such repeated malicious prompts should activate security controls over the LLM and prevent the attacker from proceeding further.
In conclusion, while LLMs have great potential to enhance productivity across enterprises, their risks should be assessed and mitigated, such as the ones posed by prompt injections. CISOs and Cybersecurity teams should proactively educate themselves on this new threat vector and implement controls before attackers target their LLMs.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are prompt injections in large language models?
Prompt Injections are a type of malicious inputs that are designed to make Large Language Models (LLMs) behave in an unauthorized manner. This can range from changing the behavior of the LLM to making it disclose sensitive information. The attacker is able to subvert the input validation process through specially crafted prompts.
What are some common prompt injection vulnerabilities
Common vulnerabilities include crafting prompts that manipulate the LLM into revealing sensitive information, bypassing filters or restrictions by using specific language patterns or tokens, exploiting weaknesses in the LLM’s tokenization or encoding mechanisms, and misleading the LLM to perform unintended actions by providing misleading context.
How can we prevent prompt injections in large language models?
Preventing prompt injections involves implementing strict input validation and sanitization for user-provided prompts, using context-aware filtering and output encoding to prevent prompt manipulation, regularly updating and fine-tuning the LLM to improve its understanding of malicious inputs and edge cases, and monitoring and logging LLM interactions to detect and analyze potential prompt injection attempts.
Can you provide an example of a prompt injection attack scenario?
An attacker could create a prompt that tricks the LLM into disclosing sensitive information about what data it was trained on and internal system details. The attacker is able to bypass the internal content filters and guardrails by phrasing the prompt in such a way that the LLM does not recognize it as dangerous content.
The Growing Menace of AI-Powered Malware
Malware has been a thorn in the side of cybersecurity professionals since the early days of the Internet. Cybersecurity teams are engaged in a seemingly never-ending cat-and-mouse game with cybercriminals as newer and more sophisticated attacks emerge yearly. While cybersecurity controls have matured considerably against malware, one development threatens to tip the scales in favor of cyber criminals, and that is AI-driven malware. In this article, we will discuss this new sophisticated breed of malware that leverages the power of AI to evade even the most cutting-edge cybersecurity products.
How Cybercriminals have leveraged AI for Malware
The rise of ChatGPT in recent times has been a game-changer for various industries, and cybercrime has been no exception. With its ability to automate and streamline multiple attacks, the AI-powered tool has changed perceptions of what AI can achieve and made it a topic of mainstream discussion. Unfortunately, this same power has also been harnessed by cybercriminals for various use cases, such as writing better phishing emails, researching exploits, automating attacks, etc., and now we can add malware to the list.
Researchers have demonstrated that the power of Large Language Models like ChatGPT can be used to create sophisticated types of malware that can dynamically alter their behavior at runtime, effectively making them invisible to the latest cybersecurity tools. This AI-powered malware, called BlackMamba, was developed as a proof of concept by researchers and uses a polymorphic keylogging functionality without reliance on a Command and Control infrastructure. This enables it to fly under the radar of current market-leading security tools that rely on these indicators for detecting malicious activity.
The malware is quite ingenious in how it evades detection. It uses a simple executable that interacts with OpenAI’s API to obtain code for keylogger functionality. This code is generated dynamically and is constantly updated, making it effectively invisible to even the market-leading endpoint detection and response (EDR) systems.
Along with dynamically altering its code, it does not use a Command and Control infrastructure usually detectable by EDR solutions and instead leverages Microsoft Teams for exfiltrating its data. To prove the severity of this attack, BlackMamba was tested against a leading industry-grade EDR solution that could not detect it. Malware could theoretically steal credentials, cardholder data, and other personal information that could be sent out via Microsoft Teams without any security product detecting the same.
Along with BlackMamba, another proof of concept called ChattyCat was also developed by CyberArk, which utilizes ChatGPT. The ChattyCat malware contacts ChatGPT to update and modify its code in a similar fashion to BlackMamba. Both have provided a template for how new ransomware and data exfiltration types can be created with the same capabilities and serve as a wake-up call to the cybersecurity community about this new threat.
Risks of AI-driven malware
Despite the best efforts of the OpenAI team to put in content filters and guardrails to prevent ChatGPT from generating malicious code, cybercriminals can evade these checks and misuse the model for their malicious purposes. Malicious prompts that trick ChatGPT into generating code can be easily inputted by presenting them as hypothetical scenarios instead of actual ones. This also significantly reduces the learning curve for cybercriminals as ChatGPT dramatically reduces the technical bar needed for creating and launching such attacks.
BlackMamba and ChattyCat are merely proof of concepts, however the rise of AI-generated malware is very much real, and it is only a matter of time before we see its real-world counterparts appearing. The ability of this malware to continually change its behavior and operate without the need for a command and control infrastructure is a real threat to modern security solutions.
The way forward
ChatGPT has opened up Pandora’s box of security challenges and opportunities at the same time. AI regulations are still in development to gain some control over this technology however, cybersecurity professionals cannot afford to wait while these regulations are enacted. The risk of AI-powered technology is real, and we are only in the early stages of seeing how this technology can be misused.
It is essential to put in controls that enable Large Language Models (LLMs) to track the context of requests so that malicious inputs and responses can be detected. This would help to deter the usage of generative AI for creating malicious code and malware. Cybersecurity professionals also need to study how these malware operate and put in relevant controls to detect polymorphic code and suspicious activity on Microsoft Teams.
We are entering a new age where simple prompts are enough to generate sophisticated malware capable of evading the most cutting-edge security tools. Cybersecurity teams need to upskill and risk assess their environments against these threats to see where they stand and what measures can be implemented.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do cybercriminals leverage AI for malware?
Cybercriminals harness the power of AI, specifically Large Language Models like ChatGPT, to automate and streamline various malicious activities. They utilize AI to write better phishing emails, research exploits, automate attacks, and even create sophisticated types of malware.
What is AI-driven malware, and how does it evade detection?
AI-driven malware, such as BlackMamba and ChattyCat, dynamically alters its behavior at runtime, making it invisible to the latest cybersecurity tools. By using executable code that interacts with OpenAI’s API, the malware can obtain keylogging functionality that is constantly updated, effectively evading endpoint detection and response (EDR) systems.
What are the risks associated with AI-driven malware
Despite content filters and guardrails implemented by OpenAI, cybercriminals can trick ChatGPT into generating malicious code by presenting hypothetical scenarios. This lowers the technical barrier for launching attacks and allows the malware to continually adapt its behavior, operating without a command and control infrastructure.
How can cybersecurity teams address the threat of AI-driven malware?
To combat AI-driven malware, cybersecurity teams need to update their controls and invest in tools that detect these evolving threats, such as AI-powered EDR. Implementing measures that enable Large Language Models to track the context of requests is crucial, making it possible to identify and prevent malicious inputs and responses. Upskilling and conducting risk assessments are essential for organizations to protect against these emerging security challenges.
LinkedIn Scams – A New Dangerous Trend
LinkedIn as a platform has become synonymous with job hunting across the globe. Once used mainly for creating an online version of your resume, it has now transformed into a full-fledged content platform for activities like job hunting, professional networking, lead captures, and general industry collaboration. Billions of professionals use this platform daily, making it an attractive target for scammers and cybercriminals. This article reviews these scams and how to protect yourself against them.
Why LinkedIn Attracts Cybercriminals
LinkedIn has become an attractive target for cybercriminals due to industry professionals’ trust in it for conducting their activities. Attackers abuse this very trust to carry out their various scams and frauds. Some of these scams are variations of old attacks like phishing, while others leverage the unique nature of LinkedIn, such as fake job offers, phony recruitment profiles, etc.
Another reason that attacks on this platform have increased is the massive layoffs globally, particularly impacting the tech sector and remote workers. Job seekers on the platform are susceptible to scams, especially if they seem very lucrative. Cybercriminals are on the lookout for professionals who have lost their jobs and are looking for new opportunities. These scammers are willing to go the extra step to make their scams seem more legitimate such as setting up fake websites, phone numbers, etc., to increase their chances of success.
Let us look at the most common scams on the platform and how to spot them. Awareness is always the most important step to protect your personal and professional information from attackers.
Common LinkedIn Scams
- send the standard fake message in which the platform’s domain is impersonated via a fraudulent email with a malicious link. This email might contain a message about your profile being blocked or a password reset. Another scam might involve direct messaging on the platform, which would be harder to detect due to the implicit trust that users place on the platform. Attackers can create fake profiles of high-value individuals or companies and use them to send messages to their targets. The direct nature of these messages would result in a higher chance of success than email.
- Fraudulent Job Offers: A common scam on LinkedIn creates fake job offers and entices job seekers who are often desperate for employment. Once the victim clicks on the offer, they are usually instructed to pay a fee for their application to proceed. As mentioned earlier, the recent layoffs have resulted in many professionals flooding the market, making this a particularly attractive scam for attackers.
- Fraudulent Profiles and Connection Requests: In this technique, attackers can play the long game and create fraudulent profiles of recruiters. By connecting to potential job seekers, they may send malicious links or even ask for payments in return for job offers, background checks, travel expenses, etc.
How to Detect LinkedIn Scams
Awareness is the key to detecting and stopping attacks on LinkedIn. Let us take a look at some of the critical steps which users can take to stay protected:
- Understand how to use LinkedIn privacy and security settings to control who can contact you and add additional layers of protection, such as multi-factor authentication. It is also recommended to keep your account contact information current, especially the recovery email and phone number. This will help you recover in case of an attack and help LinkedIn contact you if your account displays suspicious activity.
- Exercise a healthy level of skepticism accepting connection requests and when recruiters contact you with job offers that often seem too good to be true. If a recruiter’s profile has only a few connections, that might be a sign that this is fake. Cyber Criminals often use stock photos to create attractive profiles with an air of legitimacy.
- Any form of payment request should be an immediate red flag. No legitimate company or recruiter will ask for your payment information on LinkedIn.
- Keep an eye out for emails claiming to be from LinkedIn and asking you to click on links or reset your password. Verify the sending domain; logging in to the platform and carrying out an action directly is always more secure.
- Report any suspicious activity or profiles you come across on LinkedIn so that such profiles are removed before they can cause damage to anyone.
LinkedIn has also introduced new features such as integrated AI detection that proactively identifies fake profiles generated using AI-based image generators and notifications about high-risk content. These features will no doubt be of great use to cut down on the increase in fraudulent activity and deter the attempts of scammers and cybercriminals.
To conclude, LinkedIn will continue to be a target due to the high-value nature of its users. It is essential to use a combination of technical controls and awareness to combat such scams so that LinkedIn continues to be a safe community for professionals worldwide.
Frequently Asked Questions
Has there been an increase in scams on LinkedIn?
There has been a reported increase in scams on LinkedIn, particularly those targeting remote workers and jobless tech employees. Scammers have become more sophisticated, often impersonating employers to trick job seekers.
What are the common types of LinkedIn scams?
Common LinkedIn scams include fake job recruitments and phishing attacks. Scammers might send a connection request followed by a message with a suspicious link that could either steal sensitive information or install malware on the recipient’s device.
What steps has LinkedIn taken to combat scams?
LinkedIn has introduced various security measures to combat scams, including new ways to verify users’ identities and employment roles. They also use artificial intelligence and expert teams to detect and remove fraudulent activity. An advanced safety feature warns users about LinkedIn messages with potentially high-risk content.
What can businesses do to protect themselves from LinkedIn scams?
Businesses can protect themselves by educating their employees about the types of scams on LinkedIn and how to recognize them. It’s also recommended to encourage employees to use two-factor authentication on their LinkedIn accounts and verify information requests.
Amazon Refund Scams: How to Protect Yourself
With the rise of online shopping, more people are turning to platforms like Amazon for their purchasing needs. However, convenience is accompanied by the inherent risk of scams and fraudulent activities. The Amazon refund scam is a prevalent type of scam that unsuspecting users may come across. In this article, we will delve into the different types of Amazon refund scams, the warning signs to look out for, and the steps you can take to protect yourself.
Understanding Amazon Refund Scams
Amazon refund scams encompass deceptive strategies aimed at deceiving users into divulging their personal and financial information or initiating fraudulent refund requests. Scammers utilize diverse tactics to create an illusion of legitimacy, underscoring the importance for users to recognize the distinct scam types and develop the ability to identify them.
Types of Amazon Refund Scams
Phishing Scams
Phishing scams entail the act of sending deceitful emails or crafting counterfeit websites that bear a striking resemblance to Amazon’s official communication channels. The primary objective of these scams is to deceive users into disclosing their login credentials, credit card information, or other sensitive personal details. The scammers may use various techniques, such as urgent requests to update account information or claims of suspicious activity.
Fake Refund Scams
Fake refund scams typically involve scammers posing as Amazon representatives or sellers. They claim that the user is eligible for a refund due to an issue with their order or account. To process the refund, they request personal information or payment details, which they can then use for identity theft or unauthorized purchases.
Return Item Switch Scams
Return item switch scams occur when scammers purchase expensive items, replace them with cheaper or counterfeit products, and then return the altered items to Amazon. Unsuspecting customers who purchase these tampered products may end up with a subpar product while the scammer profits from the sale.
Warning Signs of Amazon Refund Scams
To protect yourself from falling victim to Amazon refund scams, it’s crucial to be aware of the warning signs. Here are some indicators that should raise suspicion:
Suspicious Emails and Websites
Pay close attention to the email address and URL of any communication claiming to be from Amazon. Scammers often use slight variations or misspellings to imitate official channels. Exercise caution when encountering emails or websites that solicit personal information or payment details.
Unexpected Refund Notifications
If you receive a refund notification for an order you didn’t place or a significantly larger refund than expected, it could be a scam. Genuine refunds usually correspond to recent purchases, so be skeptical of unexpected refund claims.
Pressure Tactics
Scammers often use pressure tactics to rush victims into providing personal information or making quick decisions. If you feel pressured to act immediately, take a step back and evaluate the situation carefully.
Protecting Yourself from Amazon Refund Scams
Now that you understand the types of Amazon refund scams and the warning signs, let’s explore some preventive measures you can take to protect yourself:
Safeguard Your Account Information
Ensure the security of your Amazon account by employing robust and distinctive passwords, as well as activating two-factor authentication. Avoid sharing your account credentials or personal information with anyone.
Verify Emails and Websites
Prior to clicking on any links or sharing information, validate the authenticity of emails and websites that purport to be from Amazon. Check for spelling errors, unusual email addresses, or discrepancies in the URL. Instead of clicking on the provided link, visit Amazon’s official website directly.
Contact Amazon Directly
If you receive suspicious emails or refund notifications, contact Amazon’s customer support directly. Use the contact information available on their official website to ensure you’re speaking with a genuine representative.
Educate Yourself about Scam Techniques
Stay informed about the latest scam techniques used by fraudsters. Regularly update your knowledge by reading articles and resources provided by Amazon or trusted cybersecurity websites.
What to Do If You’ve Been Targeted by an Amazon Refund Scam
If you suspect that you’ve been targeted by an Amazon refund scam, here are the steps you should take:
Report the Scam to Amazon
Notify Amazon about the scam by forwarding the suspicious email or providing details of the fraudulent activity. Amazon takes such incidents seriously and investigates reports to protect their users.
Secure Your Account
Change your Amazon account password immediately and enable two-factor authentication if you haven’t already done so. This extra layer of security adds an additional barrier against unauthorized access.
Monitor Your Financial Accounts
Maintain diligent monitoring of your bank statements, credit card bills, and other financial accounts. In the event of detecting any unauthorized transactions, promptly report them to your financial institution.
Protect Yourself from Future Scams
Learn from the experience and take necessary precautions to protect yourself from future scams. Stay vigilant, follow best practices for online security, and keep yourself updated on emerging scam techniques.
Conclusion
As online shopping continues to gain popularity, it’s essential to remain cautious and informed about the potential risks involved. Amazon refund scams can be financially and emotionally distressing, but by understanding the different types of scams, recognizing warning signs, and adopting preventive measures, you can minimize the chances of falling victim to such fraudulent activities.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Amazon refund scams lead to identity theft?
Yes, Amazon refund scams can lead to identity theft if scammers obtain your personal information or login credentials.
If you unintentionally provided personal information to a potential scammer, what steps should you take?
If you’ve shared personal information with a potential scammer, immediately change your account passwords and contact Amazon’s customer support for further assistance.
Are all refund notifications from Amazon suspicious?
Not all refund notifications from Amazon are suspicious. However, unexpected refund notifications or those unrelated to recent purchases should be treated with caution.
Is it safe to click on links in Amazon emails?
It’s generally safer to visit Amazon’s official website directly instead of clicking on links in emails. This helps avoid falling for phishing scams that redirect to fraudulent websites.
Does Amazon offer refunds for unauthorized transactions?
Yes, Amazon has policies in place to protect users from unauthorized transactions. Report any unauthorized activity to Amazon, and they will investigate and assist you accordingly.
Revealing Facebook Romance Scams: Safeguard Yourself from Deceptive Tactics
Revealing Facebook Romance Scams: Safeguard Yourself from Deceptive Tactics
Facebook has revolutionized the way people connect and interact online. While it has brought people closer, it has also opened doors for scammers to exploit individuals’ emotions and trust. Facebook romance scams have become increasingly prevalent, targeting unsuspecting users who are seeking love and companionship. In this article, we will delve into the world of Facebook romance scams, how they operate, and what you can do to protect yourself from falling victim.
In today’s digital age, social media platforms have become popular avenues for scammers to prey on vulnerable individuals. Facebook, being one of the most widely used platforms, has not escaped the reach of these malicious actors. Facebook romance scams involve individuals posing as potential partners to establish relationships with their targets, only to exploit them emotionally and financially.
What are Facebook Romance Scams?
Facebook romance scams are fraudulent schemes orchestrated by individuals who create fake profiles on the platform with the intention of deceiving and manipulating others. These scammers use emotional tactics to exploit their victims, making them believe they have found genuine love or friendship. However, their ultimate goal is to extract money or personal information from their targets.
How do Facebook Romance Scams Work?
Creating a Fake Profile
Scammers typically create attractive profiles, often using stolen photographs and fictitious details to make themselves appear trustworthy and desirable. They invest time in crafting believable backstories, targeting individuals who might be more susceptible to their advances.
Establishing Trust and Connection
Once a potential target is identified, scammers initiate contact and gradually build a connection by engaging in conversations and sharing personal stories. They may express affection, empathy, and understanding, preying on the emotional vulnerabilities of their targets.
Manipulating Emotions
After establishing trust, scammers manipulate their victims’ emotions to gain their sympathy and create a sense of urgency. They often fabricate stories about personal crises, medical emergencies, or financial difficulties, prompting their targets to offer financial assistance.
Warning Signs of Facebook Romance Scams
It is crucial to be aware of the warning signs that can help you identify potential Facebook romance scams:
Profiles with Limited Information
Scammers usually create profiles with limited information, making it challenging to verify their identity or background. Look out for profiles that lack photos or have few connections and limited personal details.
Requests for Money
One common characteristic of Facebook romance scams is the request for financial assistance. Scammers may ask for money to cover unexpected expenses, travel costs, or medical bills. Be cautious if someone you’ve met online asks for money or financial favors.
Inconsistencies in Storytelling
Scammers often struggle to keep their stories consistent. They may provide conflicting information about their background, employment, or personal life. Inconsistencies in storytelling can be a red flag indicating a potential scam.
Steps to Protect Yourself from Facebook Romance Scams
To protect yourself from falling victim to Facebook romance scams, consider the following steps:
Conduct Research and Verify Identities
Before getting emotionally invested, take the time to research and verify the person’s identity. Use search engines and social media platforms to look for any signs of suspicious activity or discrepancies in their stories.
Be Cautious with Sharing Personal Information
Avoid sharing sensitive personal information with individuals you have only recently connected with online. Exercise caution when sharing details such as your home address, financial information, or social security number.
Educate Yourself and Stay Informed
Stay updated on the latest scams and tactics employed by scammers. Familiarize yourself with common warning signs and educate your friends and family about the risks associated with Facebook romance scams.
Reporting and Dealing with Facebook Romance Scams
If you encounter a potential Facebook romance scam, it is essential to take appropriate action to protect yourself and others from harm.
Report Suspicious Profiles to Facebook
Report any suspicious profiles to Facebook, providing them with as much information as possible. Facebook has dedicated mechanisms to address scams and fraudulent activities, allowing them to take necessary action against malicious accounts.
Cut Off All Contact
If you suspect someone may be attempting to scam you, cease all communication immediately. Block the individual and remove them from your friends’ list to prevent further contact and potential emotional manipulation.
Seek Support and Report to Authorities
If you have fallen victim to a Facebook romance scam, seek emotional support from friends, family, or professionals. Additionally, report the incident to your local authorities or the relevant law enforcement agency to increase awareness and potentially prevent others from becoming victims.
Real-Life Examples of Facebook Romance Scams
Understanding real-life examples can help highlight the tactics used by scammers and emphasize the importance of remaining vigilant. Let’s explore two fictionalized stories based on common Facebook romance scams:
John’s Story
John, a middle-aged divorcee, recently joined Facebook in hopes of finding a new partner. He received a friend request from a woman claiming to be a successful entrepreneur. Over time, they developed a close online relationship, and she eventually requested financial assistance to invest in a lucrative business opportunity. John, driven by emotions and the belief that he had found love, transferred a substantial sum of money, only to realize later that he had fallen victim to a scam.
Sarah’s Story
Sarah, a young professional, encountered a charming man on Facebook who claimed to be a doctor working with an international charity organization. He expressed deep affection and interest in Sarah, gaining her trust. However, he soon started requesting money for various reasons, including medical emergencies and supporting charitable causes. Recognizing the warning signs, Sarah ended the connection and reported the profile to Facebook, preventing further harm.
Conclusion
Facebook romance scams are a concerning issue in the digital age. Scammers exploit emotions, trust, and vulnerability to deceive individuals seeking love or companionship. By familiarizing yourself with the warning signs, taking necessary precautions, and reporting suspicious activity, you can protect yourself and others from falling victim to these scams.
Frequently Asked Questions
How common are Facebook romance scams?
Facebook romance scams have become increasingly common due to the widespread use of the platform. Thousands of individuals fall victim to these scams each year, highlighting the need for awareness and preventive measures.
Are older people more vulnerable to Facebook romance scams?
While people of all ages can fall victim to Facebook romance scams, older individuals, particularly those who may be more isolated or lonely, are often targeted due to their potential vulnerability.
Can Facebook prevent these scams from happening?
Facebook has implemented measures to identify and remove fraudulent accounts, but scammers continue to find ways to deceive users. It is essential for individuals to remain vigilant and cautious while using the platform.
What should I do if I have fallen victim to a Facebook romance scam?
If you have fallen victim to a Facebook romance scam, it is crucial to cease all communication with the scammer, report the incident to the authorities, and seek emotional support from friends, family, or professionals.
How can I help a friend or family member who is involved in a Facebook romance scam?
If you suspect that someone you know is involved in a Facebook romance scam, approach them with care and concern. Encourage them to gather evidence, report the scam to the authorities, and provide emotional support throughout the process.
AutoGPT – Understanding the risks of the new types of AI
ChatGPT has taken the world by storm in months, mainstreaming AI in a way that has never happened before with any application. Once Open AI, the developers behind ChatGPT released its API and allowed developers to experiment with their functionality by integrating it with ChatGPT; the sky was indeed the limit. Many ChatGPT-powered products have come out, each with its unique spin, with one of the most prominent and eye-opening ones being AutoGPT. In this article, we take a look at AutoGPT, what it is, and the potential risks involved with it.
What is AutoGPT
AutoGPT is a customized version of ChatGPT that can run autonomously, i.e., you provide it with a list of tasks, and it can carry them out on its own, greatly enhancing the functionality of ChatGPT. For example, you can ask it to research a particular keyword, extract the relevant information and email the results to you. It will be able to accomplish it, provided the requirements are met.
Unlike ChatGPT, which has to be repeatedly prompted, AutoGPT just needs general instructions and sets about doing the tasks by itself. You can ask it to recommend strategies for creating a business, and it can come up with the initial steps and even execute them on your behalf! Think of it as a min-AI assistant that just needs initial direction and then does everything without your input! It also has a small database that allows it to persist sessions and remember previous interactions. This greatly enhances its functionality and improves its performance regarding new tasks.
Risks of AutoGPT
The ability of AutoGPT to execute tasks by itself is awe-inspiring and gives us a small taste of how AI will be in the future. Unlike ChatGPt, it is truly autonomous and raises the issue of how much of our work can get potentially offloaded to AI as it becomes more and more advanced.
However, at the same AutoGPT is not without risks, and these must be considered. Some of the key ones are:
- AutoGTP relies on the ChatGPT API, which is not free to use. There is also a problem with AutoGPT getting stuck in loops as it tries and fails to execute tasks. The potential for getting infinitely stuck in loops and making repetitive calls can result in an increased cost for usage, which might not make it feasible for business usage. Setting up usage limits within the API dashboard to mitigate this risk is essential.
- AutoGPT can become an addition to the toolkit of cyber attackers as they can completely offload cyberattacks to this tool. AutoGPT can significantly enhance the productivity of cyber attackers as they automate more and more attacks to run independently.
- Auto GPT can also not convert the tasks provided into a reusable pattern or function that can be shared or repeated. This makes it impractical for cybersecurity users as it will not scale to the use cases of an enterprise in its current form. It would not be feasible for cybersecurity professionals to rewrite the same tasks every time it is needed to be run.
- AutoGPT’s current level of problem-solving is a bit limited as it is sometimes unable to break down complex problems into smaller tasks to be solved. This results in the previously mentioned loops and wastage of budgets. This is undoubtedly something that will improve in future iterations, but it is currently unreliable for critical cybersecurity use cases.
- AutoGPT is highly experimental, which makes users unclear about the ethical and legal considerations of using such a tool. If an AI was being used to run a business, what sort of liability would be present if incorrect emails were sent out or incorrect decisions were made?
AutoGPT is a glimpse into the future of AI, and while incredibly exciting, it is also important to be aware of the present risks. The more activities that are offloaded to AI, the more blurred the line becomes between how an AI can be held liable for decisions that impact humans and society.
The Way Forward
Other autonomous AIs similar to AutoGPT have already emerged with web interfaces like GodMode and AgentGTP, which provide web-based user interfaces that can run without local installations or setups. AutoGPT has opened our eyes to the future potential of AI and how it can run autonomously without human input or guidance. It is too early to say yet how much it will impact the job industry or even society as a whole. Still, we are entering uncharted territory, and cybersecurity professionals must understand this new world and the risks that are present in it.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is AutoGPT?
AutoGPT is a custom version of ChatGPT that can run tasks autonomously. It can conduct research, extract relevant information, and even execute specific tasks based on general instructions, enhancing the functionality of ChatGPT.
How does AutoGPT differ from ChatGPT?
Unlike ChatGPT, which requires back-and-forth prompting, AutoGPT can operate based on general instructions and carry out tasks independently. It also integrates with a vector database, saving context and ” remembering” past experiences.
What are the potential risks associated with AutoGPT?
Risks include the usage cost due to the reliance on the ChatGPT API and the potential for the tool to get stuck in task execution loops. Also, it could become a tool for cyber attackers to automate attacks. Ethical and legal considerations of using such a tool also present a challenge.
How does AutoGPT impact the future of AI?
AutoGPT provides a glimpse into the future of AI, where AI can operate autonomously without human input. It raises questions about how much work can be offloaded to AI and the implications for liability and decision-making in business and society.
Top Script Blocking Tools for Secure Browsing
In today’s digital landscape, where online threats and malicious scripts abound, it has become increasingly crucial to ensure secure browsing experiences. Script blocking tools play a significant role in safeguarding users’ privacy and protecting against various online risks. This article explores the top script blocking tools available and highlights their key features, benefits, and best practices for using them effectively.
With the rise of sophisticated online threats, including malicious scripts embedded in websites, users need robust defenses to ensure their online safety. Script blocking tools act as a frontline defense by preventing potentially harmful scripts from running on web pages. By blocking or allowing scripts selectively, these tools enable users to take control of their browsing experience and mitigate the risks associated with untrusted websites.
Importance of Script Blocking Tools
Script blocking tools provide a critical layer of protection against various online threats, such as cross-site scripting (XSS) attacks, malicious ads, cryptojacking, and data tracking. By intercepting and analyzing scripts executed on web pages, these tools can identify and block suspicious or harmful code. This proactive approach helps prevent malware infections, data breaches, and unauthorized tracking, ensuring a safer and more private browsing experience.
Key Features of Script Blocking Tools
When evaluating script blocking tools, it’s essential to consider their key features, which determine their effectiveness and ease of use. Some common features to look for include:
- Selective Script Blocking: The ability to choose which scripts to block or allow, providing flexibility and customization.
- Whitelisting: Allowing specific websites or domains to run scripts, ensuring compatibility with trusted sites.
- Blocking Criteria: Options to block scripts based on various criteria, such as domains, origins, types, or specific elements.
- Script Analysis: Advanced algorithms to analyze scripts for potential threats or suspicious behavior.
- User-Friendly Interface: Intuitive interfaces that make it easy to manage and customize script blocking settings.
- Performance Optimization: Minimizing the impact on browsing speed and resource consumption.
- Compatibility: Working seamlessly with popular web browsers and supporting different operating systems.
Popular Script Blocking Tools
Several reliable script blocking tools are widely used to enhance browser security and privacy. Let’s explore some of the most popular ones:
NoScript
NoScript is a widely acclaimed script blocking extension available for Mozilla Firefox. It offers comprehensive protection against malicious scripts by selectively blocking all scripts by default and allowing users to whitelist trusted websites. NoScript empowers users to control which scripts run, protecting against XSS attacks, clickjacking, and other web-based threats.
uMatrix
uMatrix is a powerful script and content blocker extension available for both Firefox and Google Chrome. It provides granular control over scripts, frames, cookies, and other web elements. With uMatrix, users can create custom rules for each website, blocking or allowing specific domains and elements as desired. Its advanced matrix-based interface allows fine-tuning of security and privacy settings.
ScriptSafe
ScriptSafe is a script blocking extension designed for Google Chrome. It offers a user-friendly interface with intuitive controls to manage script blocking and other web elements. ScriptSafe allows users to whitelist trusted sites, block JavaScript execution, and control various security-related features, such as blocking malicious iframes and web beacons.
Ghostery
Ghostery is a popular privacy-focused extension available for various web browsers, including Firefox, Chrome, and Safari. Alongside its robust ad-blocking capabilities, Ghostery can block scripts and trackers, protecting users from unwanted data collection and online tracking. It also provides informative insights into the trackers present on websites, helping users understand and control their online privacy.
Privacy Badger
Privacy Badger, developed by the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), is an intelligent browser extension available for multiple platforms. It combines script blocking, cookie management, and tracking protection to safeguard users’ privacy. Privacy Badger automatically learns to block invisible trackers and adjusts its settings accordingly, minimizing false positives and maintaining website compatibility.
Comparison of Script Blocking Tools
When choosing a script blocking tool, it’s essential to consider various factors to align the tool’s features with your specific needs. Here’s a comparison of the popular script blocking tools based on key aspects:
Ease of Use
NoScript and ScriptSafe provide user-friendly interfaces with straightforward controls, making them suitable for users seeking simplicity. uMatrix, while powerful, may have a steeper learning curve due to its advanced features.
Customization Options
uMatrix offers the most extensive customization options, allowing users to define precise rules for script blocking and other web elements. NoScript and ScriptSafe provide sufficient customization for most users, while Ghostery and Privacy Badger focus more on automated protection without extensive customization.
Performance Impact
NoScript, uMatrix, and ScriptSafe generally have minimal impact on browsing performance when properly configured. Ghostery and Privacy Badger may impact performance slightly more due to their additional ad-blocking and tracking protection features.
Compatibility
NoScript and uMatrix are available for both Firefox and Chrome, offering cross-browser support. ScriptSafe is specific to Google Chrome, while Ghostery and Privacy Badger support multiple browsers, including Firefox, Chrome, and Safari.
Best Practices for Using Script Blocking Tools
To maximize the benefits of script blocking tools, consider the following best practices:
- Whitelisting Trusted Sites: Ensure essential and trusted websites are whitelisted to avoid compatibility issues and ensure desired functionality.
- Regularly Updating the Tool: Keep your script blocking tool up to date to benefit from the latest security enhancements and bug fixes.
- Adjusting Settings for Enhanced Security: Customize script blocking settings based on your desired level of security and privacy, while considering website compatibility.
- Being Cautious with Unknown Websites: Exercise caution when visiting unfamiliar websites, and be vigilant in blocking untrusted scripts until their authenticity is verified.
Conclusion
In an era where online threats are becoming increasingly sophisticated, script blocking tools provide an essential layer of defense against malicious scripts and protect users’ privacy. By selectively blocking scripts and providing granular control over web elements, these tools empower users to browse the internet securely and enjoy enhanced privacy. With the top script blocking tools discussed in this article, you can choose the one that best suits your needs and take control of your online browsing experience.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do I need script blocking tools?
Script blocking tools help protect your browsing experience by preventing the execution of malicious scripts that can compromise your online security.
Can script blocking tools affect website functionality?
While script blocking tools may occasionally interfere with certain website functionalities, most tools offer customizable settings to allow essential scripts while blocking potentially harmful ones.
Are script blocking tools compatible with all browsers?
Most script blocking tools are designed to be compatible with popular browsers such as Chrome, Firefox, and Safari. However, it’s recommended to check the tool’s compatibility before installing.
Midjourney Scams and their impact on Society
We live in a post-ChatGPT world where AI dominates the discussion on every platform. One of the big names within AI platforms is Midjourney which has done for images, what ChatGPT has done for text. MidJourney is a generative AI platform that accepts text prompts similar to ChatGPT but converts them into images. The platform has already carved out a niche within the big names of AI, with users generating highly detailed images with just a few prompts. At the same time, Midjourney has also been misused as a platform with its high-quality images spreading misinformation amongst the masses. In this article, we go over Midjourney scams and what current and future impact they might have on the online world.
(mis)use of Midjourney
Midjourney works via the Discord app and accepts user prompts, responding with high-quality images that can be customized via additional parameters. Users can generate dazzling real-life images from just a few lines, and this ease, which requires no specialized software or training, has boosted Midjourney’s popularity worldwide. Even after moving to a paid subscription model, Midjojurney remains as popular as ever, which is a testament to how much it has resonated with users.
At the same time, cybercriminals and scammers have already latched onto the extraordinary potential that Midjourney has for generating false or misleading images that can be used to trick unsuspecting users. One of the reasons given for halting Midjourney’s free trial by its founder was the abuse of the platform with widespread synthetic images being spread across the Internet.
Several notable cases have been of false images generated by Midjourney going viral and being used to spread misinformation. Some of the most famous ones are:
- Images of former U.S. President Donald Trump being arrested were spread to millions of users across the world. The creator of the images was removed from the Midjourney platform and banned.
- An image of Pope Francis wearing a white puffer jacket spread like wildfire across the Internet, with many believing it to be true. Its creator had uploaded these images onto social media, where it was shared worldwide.
- Midjourney-generated images were part of a romance scam to defraud people over the Internet of their money and savings.
- Scammers also misused Midjourney to solicit donations to their fake accounts by spreading images of a firefighter carrying and comforting a child. These images were spread to get legitimacy and gain sympathy for their fake cause.
Midjourney has attempted to put some measure of control over these types of scams; however, their responses have been inconsistent. They attempted to ban specific keywords like “arrested” from prompts in response to images of Donald Trump; however, such controls can easily be bypassed and do not solve the core problem.
One strange move was to restrict images being generated of Chinese President Xi Jinping. The justification was to prevent any risk to users from China, where such forms of satire and images are unacceptable; however, this was criticized as a form of censorship and restriction on free speech.
How to detect Midjourney scams
The ease at which Midjourney makes it easy for cybercriminals to make fraudulent images will only increase its usage for malicious purposes going forward.
It is essential to learn how to spot such images and distinguish them from real ones:
- Always be skeptical of too-good-to-be-true images of people suddenly contacting you and asking for money.
- Specific indicators in the pictures, like distortions in hands and fingers, can give it away as an AI-generated image. AI-rendered hands have historically looked strange, being too long or disjointed.
- Another giveaway is strange lighting or texture that does not look like they belong within the picture. Shadows not being of the correct size or the image lacking the proper lighting can be another indicator.
- Skin tones not being consistent or having strange colors can be another sign. The AI engine typically creates the image from an amalgamation of all the images it has been trained on, leading to strange coloring and skin texture.
Conclusion
The world is still getting used to the potential of AI and how it has transformed our lives. Industry leaders like Elon Musk have called for a “pause” to be taken on AI, and tech leaders have agreed that some form of regulation is required to stop the use of AI for malicious purposes.
MidJourney, much like social media in its infancy, is finding its steps; however, it is key for users to understand these scams and frauds to stay protected in this exciting new world.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is Midjourney?
Midjourney is a powerful AI-based image generator that transforms simple text prompts into visually stunning synthetic images. Its technology resembles other notable AI tools like DALL-E and Stable Diffusion. It operates entirely through the Discord chat app, making it accessible to anyone with an internet connection.
How do I use Midjourney?
To use Midjourney, you need to subscribe to one of their plans. Once subscribed, you can generate images by inputting text-based prompts in the Midjourney Discord channel. Please note that Midjourney no longer offers free trials due to extraordinary demand and instances of trial abuse.
Has Midjourney been involved in any controversies?
Yes, Midjourney’s AI technology has been at the center of some controversies, mainly due to the potential misuse of its generated images. For instance, synthetic images of notable personalities like Donald Trump and Pope Francis created on Midjourney have gone viral, leading to discussions about the potential implications of AI technology. The company has implemented certain rules to curb misuse, such as banning specific terms and phrases in text prompts.
Are there any restrictions on the use of Midjourney?
Yes, Midjourney has enacted specific rules to minimize misuse and controversy. For instance, users cannot generate images of Chinese President Xi Jinping. Circumventing these rules can result in access being revoked. Midjourney’s moderation policies are continually evolving, and users are expected to adhere to them.
How to Spot Fake Websites: A Complete Guide
In today’s digital world, the internet has become an integral part of our lives, offering convenience, connectivity, and endless possibilities. However, amidst the vast expanse of the online realm, there are those who seek to deceive and defraud unsuspecting users through the creation of fake websites.
These malicious platforms are designed to trick people into sharing personal information, making payments for nonexistent products or services, or even spreading malware. The prevalence of fake websites poses a significant challenge for internet users. That’s why it’s crucial to arm ourselves with the knowledge and skills to spot these deceptive sites and protect ourselves from falling victim to their schemes.
In this comprehensive guide, we will explore the telltale signs of fake websites and provide you with valuable insights to help you navigate the digital landscape with confidence. So, buckle up and get ready to delve into the world of fake websites. By the end of this guide, you’ll be equipped with the tools and understanding to distinguish between legitimate websites and clever impostors. Let’s dive in and unravel the secrets of spotting fake websites to safeguard your online experience.
Understanding Fake Websites
Fake websites are designed to mimic legitimate ones, often using similar branding, layout, and content. These malicious sites exploit users’ trust by imitating reputable companies, popular e-commerce platforms, or government agencies. Spotting these fakes requires a combination of critical thinking, attention to detail, and awareness of common tactics employed by scammers.
Signs of a Fake Website
Poor Website Design: Fake websites often have subpar design and visual quality. Grammatical errors, awkward layouts, and low-resolution images can be indicators of a fraudulent site.
Suspicious URLs: Pay close attention to the website’s URL. Fake websites may have slight variations in spelling or extra characters. Always double-check the domain name to ensure it matches the legitimate website.
Missing Contact Information: Legitimate websites typically provide clear contact information, including a physical address, phone number, and email address. If this information is absent or difficult to find, it raises suspicion.
Unsecured Connections: Look for the padlock symbol and “https” in the website’s URL. Secure websites encrypt data to protect users’ information. If a website lacks these security measures, it’s best to avoid providing any personal details.
Red Flags to Look Out For
Too Good to Be True Offers: If a website offers products or services at prices significantly lower than the market average, it’s a major red flag. Scammers use enticing discounts and promotions to lure victims.
Unsolicited Emails or Pop-ups: Be cautious of unsolicited emails or pop-ups advertising incredible deals or asking for personal information. Legitimate businesses rarely use such aggressive marketing tactics.
No User Reviews or Testimonials: Genuine websites often display user reviews or testimonials to establish trust. If a website lacks any form of social proof, it may be a sign of a fake.
Unreliable Payment Methods: Be wary of websites that only accept unconventional payment methods or ask for wire transfers. Reputable websites offer secure payment options, such as credit cards or trusted online payment gateways.
Verifying the Legitimacy of a Website
To confirm the authenticity of a website, follow these steps:
Research the Website: Conduct a search using the website’s name along with keywords like “scam” or “reviews.” Read user experiences and feedback from reputable sources to gather more information.
Check for Legal Information: Legitimate websites often provide clear terms of service, privacy policies, and refund policies. Verify that this information is present and aligns with industry standards.
Contact the Company: Reach out to the company using the provided contact information and ask questions about their products or services. Legitimate businesses are usually responsive and willing to address inquiries.
Tips for Identifying Scam Websites
Exercise Caution with New or Unknown Websites: If a website is relatively new or lacks an established reputation, proceed with caution. It’s safer to stick to well-known and trusted platforms.
Pay Attention to Website Trust Seals: Look for trust seals or badges from reputable organizations that verify the security and legitimacy of websites. Examples include Norton Secured, McAfee Secure, or the Better Business Bureau (BBB) accreditation.
Compare Prices and Information: Cross-reference prices, product descriptions, and details with other reputable websites. Significant discrepancies may indicate a fake website.
Tools and Resources for Spotting Fakes Online Scam Databases: Utilize online resources like scam databases or consumer protection websites that catalog known fake websites. These platforms can help you identify suspicious websites and stay updated on emerging scams.
Web Browser Extensions: Install browser extensions that warn users about potentially dangerous websites. These extensions often analyze website reputation, security certificates, and user feedback.
Protecting Yourself Online
While learning to spot fake websites is essential, it is equally important to take proactive measures to protect yourself while navigating the vast online landscape. By implementing the following practices, you can enhance your online security:
Stay Updated and Vigilant: Keep your software, including operating systems, web browsers, and antivirus programs, up to date with the latest security patches and updates. Regularly check for software updates to safeguard against known vulnerabilities.
Strong and Unique Passwords: Use strong, unique passwords for each online account you have. Avoid using easily guessable information and consider utilizing password managers to securely store and manage your passwords.
Exercise Caution with Personal Information: Be cautious when sharing personal information online. Only provide necessary details on trusted websites and avoid sharing sensitive information through unsecured channels.
Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA): Activate two-factor authentication whenever available. This additional layer of security adds an extra step to verify your identity and helps prevent unauthorized access to your accounts.
Educate Yourself: Stay informed about the latest online scams, phishing techniques, and security best practices. By educating yourself and staying vigilant, you can better protect yourself from evolving threats.
Conclusion
In the vast digital landscape, where fake websites abound, it is vital to sharpen your skills in spotting these fraudulent platforms. By understanding the signs of a fake website, verifying their legitimacy, and utilizing available tools and resources, you can navigate the online realm with confidence and protect yourself from falling victim to scams.
Remember to stay vigilant and pay attention to poor website design, suspicious URLs, missing contact information, and unsecured connections. Be cautious of offers that seem too good to be true, unsolicited emails or pop-ups, and the absence of user reviews or testimonials. Always verify the legitimacy of a website through research, checking for legal information, and contacting the company directly.
In addition to identifying fake websites, take proactive steps to safeguard your online presence. Use strong and unique passwords, keep your software updated, and exercise caution when sharing personal information. Enable two-factor authentication whenever possible to add an extra layer of security.
By following these guidelines and reporting fake websites to the appropriate authorities, you contribute to a safer online environment for yourself and others. Stay informed, be cautious, and enjoy the benefits of the internet while keeping potential risks at bay.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
How can I report a fake website?
To report a fake website, you can contact local law enforcement, consumer protection agencies, or organizations like the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3). Submitting a complaint can aid in taking down fraudulent websites and preventing further scams.
Are all websites with low prices fake?
While not all websites with low prices are fake, significantly lower prices than the market average can be a red flag. Exercise caution and perform thorough research before making any purchases.
What should I do if I’ve already provided personal information to a fake website?
If you’ve unknowingly provided personal information to a fake website, act promptly. Change passwords for relevant accounts, monitor your bank and credit card statements, and consider contacting your financial institution to report the incident.
Can fake websites contain malware?
Yes, fake websites can distribute malware. It’s essential to have up-to-date antivirus software and avoid clicking on suspicious links or downloading files from untrusted sources.
How can I protect my online transactions from fake websites?
To protect your online transactions, use reputable and secure payment methods such as credit cards or trusted online payment gateways. Look for the padlock symbol and “https” in the website’s URL to ensure a secure connection.
Fake Giveaways: Beware of Scams Targeting Your Desires
In the digital age, giveaways have become increasingly popular. Who doesn’t love the chance to win exciting prizes or receive freebies? Unfortunately, not all giveaways are as they seem. With the rise of fake giveaways, unsuspecting individuals can fall victim to scams, compromising their personal information and peace of mind. In this article, we will delve into the world of fake giveaways, explore their various types, discuss how to spot and avoid them, and highlight their impact on both individuals and businesses.
What are Fake Giveaways?
Fake giveaways, also known as giveaway scams, refer to deceptive schemes where fraudsters exploit people’s desire for freebies or prizes to obtain personal information, spread malware, or engage in other fraudulent activities. These scams often imitate legitimate giveaways or promotions, tricking individuals into providing sensitive details or performing actions that benefit the scammers.
Types of Fake Giveaways
Social media platforms have become breeding grounds for fake giveaways. Scammers create fake profiles or hijack existing ones to promote bogus contests or giveaways. They may request likes, shares, or comments, aiming to increase their reach and visibility. However, these actions rarely result in actual prizes, leaving participants disappointed and potentially exposed to risks.
Phishing Scams
Phishing scams involve tricking individuals into revealing their personal information by posing as a trustworthy entity. In the context of giveaways, scammers send emails or messages asking recipients to provide sensitive details, such as their name, address, or credit card information, under the guise of participating in a contest. These scams can lead to identity theft or financial losses.
Fake Sweepstakes and Contests
Fake sweepstakes and contests operate similarly to traditional giveaways, with the intention to deceive participants. Scammers create websites or send emails claiming that individuals have won exciting prizes. However, these claims are false, and the scammers often require participants to pay a fee or provide personal information to claim their nonexistent winnings.
Signs of Fake Giveaways
To protect yourself from falling victim to fake giveaways, it is crucial to recognize the warning signs. Here are some red flags to watch out for:
Unrealistic Prizes
If a giveaway promises extravagant prizes that seem too good to be true, it’s likely a scam. Fraudsters often use eye-catching prizes to lure unsuspecting participants into their schemes.
Poor Branding and Grammar
Legitimate giveaways typically maintain a consistent branding and professional presentation. Be wary of giveaways with sloppy graphics, spelling mistakes, or poor grammar, as they are often indicators of fraudulent activity.
Suspicious URLs and Emails
Carefully scrutinize the URLs and email addresses associated with the giveaway. Scammers may use slight variations or misspellings of legitimate brand names to deceive participants. Similarly, be cautious of unsolicited emails or messages claiming you have won a prize without prior participation.
No Clear Terms and Conditions
Genuine giveaways usually have clearly defined terms and conditions, outlining the rules, eligibility criteria, and prize details. If a giveaway lacks transparency in its terms and conditions, it’s best to steer clear.
How to Spot and Avoid Fake Giveaways
Protecting yourself from fake giveaways requires a combination of skepticism and vigilance. Here are some practical tips to help you avoid falling for these scams:
Research the Brand and Host
Before participating in a giveaway, conduct research on the hosting brand. Verify their legitimacy by checking their website, social media presence, and customer reviews. A reputable brand is less likely to engage in fraudulent activities.
Verify Social Media Accounts
When a giveaway is promoted through social media, verify the authenticity of the account sharing the contest. Look for verified badges or indications of a genuine presence, such as a large following and engagement from real users.
Check for Secure Websites
If the giveaway requires you to visit a website, ensure it is secure. Look for the padlock icon in the browser address bar, indicating that the website has a valid SSL certificate and encrypts data transmission.
Read Terms and Conditions
Take the time to carefully read the terms and conditions of a giveaway. Ensure they are clear, comprehensive, and provide information about prize distribution, eligibility, and any associated costs. If anything seems suspicious or unclear, it’s better to avoid participating.
Use Trusted Platforms
Stick to reputable platforms when entering giveaways. Popular websites or trusted apps are more likely to host legitimate contests and have measures in place to prevent fake giveaways.
Reporting Fake Giveaways
If you come across a fake giveaway, it’s essential to report it to the appropriate authorities. Contact the hosting platform, such as the social media site or the website where the scam is promoted. Additionally, consider reporting the scam to relevant consumer protection agencies or organizations dedicated to combating fraud.
The Impact of Fake Giveaways
Fake giveaways not only harm individuals but also have detrimental effects on businesses and society as a whole. They erode trust in legitimate giveaways, tarnish brand reputations, and cause financial losses. Moreover, the personal information obtained through these scams can be used for further fraudulent activities, leading to identity theft and other cybercrimes.
Conclusion
While giveaways can be exciting and rewarding experiences, it is crucial to remain cautious and vigilant in the face of fake giveaways. By understanding the various types of scams, recognizing warning signs, and following best practices, individuals can protect themselves from falling victim to fraudulent activities. Remember to prioritize your online safety, verify the legitimacy of giveaways, and report any suspicious activity. Together, we can create a more secure digital environment for everyone.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
How can I differentiate between a real giveaway and a fake one?
To differentiate between real and fake giveaways, pay attention to the prizes offered, the branding and presentation, the clarity of terms and conditions, and the authenticity of the hosting brand or social media account. If anything seems too good to be true or raises suspicions, it’s better to err on the side of caution.
Can fake giveaways lead to financial loss?
Yes, fake giveaways can lead to financial losses. Scammers may request payment for claiming prizes or acquire credit card information under the guise of participating in a contest. It’s essential to avoid sharing sensitive financial information in the context of giveaways.
What should I do if I have participated in a fake giveaway?
If you have participated in a fake giveaway and provided personal information or made payments, take immediate action. Change your passwords, monitor your accounts for any unauthorized activity, and consider reporting the scam to the relevant authorities.
Are all giveaways on social media platforms fake?
No, not all giveaways on social media platforms are fake. Many legitimate brands and influencers host genuine giveaways to engage with their audience and promote their products or services. However, it’s important to exercise caution and verify the authenticity of the giveaway and the associated accounts.
How can I report a fake giveaway?
To report a fake giveaway, contact the hosting platform, such as the social media site or the website where the scam is promoted. Additionally, consider reporting the scam to consumer protection agencies and organizations dedicated to combating fraud.
Next Generation of Social Engineering Scam Attacks
Social Engineering scams have existed long before the internet but took on a new life once people started spending more time online. Phishing is easily the oldest scam on the Internet, with every online user receiving some form of phishing at one point or another in their digital lives. As technology has evolved, phishing has evolved with it becoming more and more sophisticated to get around security controls. Users became more tech-savvy, requiring attackers to move to more sophisticated attacks and other platforms besides email such as mobile-based phishing, discord scams, social media messages, etc.
Another recent and more dangerous evolution of social engineering is AI-based scams that have leveraged this technology to create more sophisticated and realistic scams that can fool even the most tech-savvy users.
In this article, we go over this trend and the key tactics attackers use.
How AI has impacted Social Engineering
AI has been a massively disruptive force in the industry, impacting nearly every sector, and cybercrime has been no different. Cyber Criminals have quickly recognized the raw potential of using AI in their schemes. Tell-tale signs of phishing, such as typos and mistakes, can easily be avoided using AI, and specially crafted emails can be generated quickly with the proper tool.
One of the most dangerous applications of AI for scamming and fraud has been the usage of Deepfakes scams. This AI-driven technology allows a person to impose or use an existing person’s voice or image over something else in a new, dangerous type of identity fraud. With Machine Learning algorithms powering Deepfake, it can be extremely difficult to identify what is real and fake in these scams.
Platforms like YouTube are already filled with Deepfake videos showing likenesses of famous personalities being used in videos in which it is nearly impossible to tell the difference between Deepfake and an actual legitimate video. This is a goldmine for attackers who can apply the same technology for malicious purposes.
For example, attackers could use this technology to impersonate a senior executive’s office to commit financial fraud. By instructing someone junior to them using the executive’s voice, fraudulent transfers could be carried out with no one the wiser. Similarly, attackers could substitute their face and voice with a legitimate employee’s voice and image to access sensitive information. This is especially dangerous in the era of remote work, where it is possible for an employee and hiring manager not to meet for months at a time!
What makes Deepfakes so dangerous
Deepfakes blur the line between reality and illusion, making them especially dangerous in social engineering situations. Cybersecurity teams educate users to look for the tell-tale signs of a social engineer. Still, if the scam seems to be coming from a trusted individual, it becomes extremely difficult to ascertain whether it is fake or real. Similarly, security products rely on detecting malicious patterns, and attacks focused on human perception will quickly fly under the radar of such tools.
Deepfake technology is also becoming increasingly accessible to the average user putting it in the hands of cybercriminals across the globe. Unfortunately, this threat is not just in theory, as several attacks have already occurred, showing the growing popularity of this threat vector. Criminals have started using deepfake scams in tandem with stolen identity documents to pass job interviews and get jobs at companies to gain access to sensitive information. The risk of these attacks was severe enough for the FBI to issue an advisory on the same, warning companies about this new threat stating, “The FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) warns of an increase in complaints reporting the use of deepfakes and stolen Personally Identifiable Information (PII) to apply for a variety of remote work and work-at-home position.”
How to protect against such scams
Deepfake scams are here to stay, and cybersecurity teams must upgrade their training programs to inform users about this new threat. Users and senior executives should be trained about these scams and how to identify if a request seems suspicious, even if it seems to be coming from a genuine source.
In addition to awareness, AI-based security solutions should be invested in identifying when deepfake content is being used due to patterns in audio or video streams. Such security solutions will become a standard part of any cybersecurity framework going forward as the industry matures and these attacks become more and more common.
Conclusion
The new age of technology has dramatically increased the sophistication of social engineering attacks and requires new types of cybersecurity controls to combat. Deepfake is not a new technology; however, its growing accessibility has evolved it from a harmless pastime on social media to a dangerous new cybercrime tool.
The days of standard email-based phishing attacks are far behind us as we enter a new era of social engineering scams powered by AI tools. Old methods of detecting such attacks will become obsolete as cybercriminals move away from text-based attacks to attacking how we perceive other people. Cybersecurity teams must understand these new risks before their companies are targeted and implement a holistic cybersecurity strategy based on technical controls and awareness.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What are some examples of deepfake scams?
Real-time deepfakes have been used to trick grandparents into sending money to simulated relatives, to secure jobs at tech companies to gain inside information, and to deceive individuals into parting with large sums of money. A recent scam highlighted by the FBI involved the use of deepfake videos during job interviews for tech positions, with the scammers misrepresenting themselves as applicants for remote jobs.
What was the FBI’s response to deepfake scams?
The FBI issued a warning in response to an increase in complaints about the use of deepfake videos during job interviews, particularly for tech jobs involving access to sensitive systems and information. The Bureau reported that the scam had been attempted on jobs for developers, database, and software-related functions; some required access to customers’ personal information, financial data, large databases, and/or proprietary information.
How prepared is society to handle the threat of deepfake scams?
Despite the emerging tools to detect deepfakes, society is not fully prepared to handle this threat. These tools are not always effective and may not be accessible to everyone. The sophistication of deepfake technology, combined with the difficulty of detection, highlights the need for further research and development in effective countermeasures to combat these sophisticated scams.
What are deepfakes, and how do they relate to AI-based scams?
Deepfakes are simulations powered by deep learning technology, a form of AI that uses vast amounts of data to replicate something human, such as a conversation or an illustration. In the context of AI-based scams, deepfakes can be used in real-time to replicate someone’s voice, image, and movements in a call or virtual meeting, thereby deceiving victims into thinking they are interacting with a real person.
New attacks targeting AI applications
We live in the age of Artificial Intelligence (AI), and the impact of this technology is not restricted to just tools like ChatGPT or Google Bard. AI is revolutionizing many sectors worldwide as businesses leverage the power of Machine Learning (ML) to offload key activities onto AI applications for better efficiency. At the same time, however, the broad adoption of these tools has not escaped the attention of cyber attackers, and new types of attacks targeting AI applications have started cropping up.
In this article, we go over two attacks that uniquely target how AI-based applications work and how they can exploit the inner workings of these applications. These are Membership Inference and Data Poisoning attacks.
Membership Inference
We must understand how Machine Learning applications work to understand Membership Inference attacks. These applications are trained on a massive amount of data to predict future outcomes and make decisions. This data can be quite sensitive, such as when AI applications are used in sectors like Healthcare, Payments, Government Services, etc.
In a Membership Inference attack, the attacker’s goal is to find out if a particular dataset was used in training. If the attacker is successful, this can have significant privacy implications, such as enabling the attacker to find out if a particular face was used in a facial recognition app or if a person was involved in a specific medical procedure.
Most AI applications do not provide this data but respond with confidence scores when they are queried. By constantly querying the machine learning model and observing the level of confidence scores that are generated, attackers can piece together the type of data that was used in the training.
This attack is unique in how it abuses the very nature of AI applications and how they depend on data to make their decisions. The attacker can deduce the differences when a model is given data on which it was trained vs. data it does not recognize and build up this pattern over time.
Data Poisoning Attacks
If Membership Inference attacks the privacy and confidentiality of a Machine Learning Application, then the following type of attack, Data Poisoning, targets the integrity.
As we mentioned earlier, Machine Learning needs data and lots of it. The accuracy and security of this data are paramount as that will form the basis of its training and affect how it makes decisions in the future. In this attacker poisons the data used for training to corrupt how the application makes predictions or decisions going forward.
Imagine an anti-malware program trained to recognize specific behavior, and an attacker introduces his malicious code into the “approved” behavior dataset. That could theoretically mean that the anti-malware would never flag this malicious code giving the attacker a backdoor to attack any company using this product! Or deliberately corrupting a dataset used by other machine learning programs causing widespread chaos.
An attacker could mislabel the training dataset used for self-driving cars, making it misidentify objects and civilians alike, leading to injury or even loss of life. Whether the goal is to “trick” the AI application or to degrade its performance, data poisoning can have profound security implications for companies using them.
The risk is amplified by the fact that most companies do not create training datasets from scratch but rely on pre-trained data stores that are shared amongst thousands of companies. If an attacker could poison this data pool, they could corrupt the decision-making in all these companies.
Protecting against these attacks
New attacks require new types of controls, and cybersecurity professionals must upskill themselves regarding these new threats.
A few essential controls that can be implemented are:
- For Membership Inference: Adding “noise” to the responses given by the model makes it difficult for attackers to differentiate individual responses that tell them which data was used to train the model. This is similar to how outputs are sanitized in web application attacks so that error codes do not give too much information. Other security controls can also be implemented, such as alerts if excessive querying occurs from a single location, potentially indicating an attacker is trying to commit inference attacks.
- For Data Poisoning: It is advised to implement robust security controls against data stores used for training purposes so that attackers cannot compromise the same. AI applications should also be tested whenever they are refreshed so that any changes in behavior or decision-making are immediately identified.
Looking ahead
Cybersecurity professionals must understand how this new breed of attacks works and the underlying techniques that are used to compromise machine learning applications to be in a position to protect against them going forward. AI is the future, and AI application attacks are here to say. As cyberattacks evolve, security controls must evolve with them and adapt accordingly.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is a membership inference attack?
A membership inference attack is a privacy breach where an attacker tries to determine if a specific data record was used to train an AI model. If successful, this can reveal sensitive information about individuals.
How does a membership inference attack work?
Membership inference attacks exploit the tendency of AI models to overfit their training data. An attacker can infer whether a data point was part of the training set by observing differences in the model’s behavior for data it was trained on versus unseen data.
What is a data poisoning attack?
A data poisoning attack is a type of cyber threat where an attacker manipulates the training data of an AI model with the intent to influence its behavior. Injecting malicious data can lead the model to make incorrect predictions or decisions.
What are the types of data poisoning attacks?
There are two main types of data poisoning attacks: targeted and exploratory. In targeted attacks, the attacker aims to manipulate specific predictions. In exploratory attacks, the goal is to degrade the model’s overall performance.
Safeguarding Against Tech Support Scams
Welcome to our comprehensive guide on protecting yourself from tech support scams. In an era where technology plays an integral role in our lives, it’s crucial to stay vigilant and safeguard our digital world from malicious actors. Tech support scams have become increasingly prevalent, targeting unsuspecting individuals seeking assistance with their devices. In this article, we will provide you with valuable insights and practical tips to ensure your safety and help you outshine potential threats. Let’s dive in!
Understanding Tech Support Scams
Tech support scams are fraudulent activities where scammers pose as legitimate technical support representatives to deceive users into providing personal information, granting access to their devices, or making unauthorized payments. These scams take various forms, including phone calls, pop-up messages, or even malicious websites that mimic reputable companies.
The Anatomy of a Tech Support Scam
To effectively protect yourself, it’s essential to understand how these scams operate. Let’s examine the typical stages of a tech support scam:
- Initial Contact: Scammers often initiate contact through unsolicited phone calls or by displaying alarming pop-up messages on your computer or mobile device. They create a sense of urgency, claiming that your device is infected with malware or experiencing critical issues.
- Establishing Trust: To gain your confidence, scammers may impersonate well-known technology companies, such as Microsoft or Apple. They may provide fake identification numbers, use logos and branding, or even direct you to spoofed websites that appear legitimate.
- Creating Fear and Urgency: Scammers employ fear tactics, emphasizing potential threats and claiming that immediate action is necessary to avoid severe consequences. They may request access to your device, instruct you to install malicious software, or request sensitive information to “resolve” the issue.
- Exploiting Vulnerabilities: Once scammers have gained access to your device or personal information, they may install malware, steal your data, or manipulate you into making payments for unnecessary services or fake software.
Now that we’ve outlined the anatomy of a tech support scam, let’s move on to practical measures you can take to protect yourself.
Proactive Measures to Outsmart Scammers
1. Be Skeptical of Unsolicited Communications
Exercise caution when receiving unsolicited calls, pop-up messages, or emails claiming to be from technical support. Legitimate companies generally don’t contact users without prior requests for assistance. If you’re unsure, it’s best to verify their authenticity independently.
2. Do Not Provide Personal Information
Never share sensitive information, such as passwords, social security numbers, or financial details, with unknown individuals or through unsecured channels. Legitimate technical support representatives will not ask for this information unless you have initiated contact through official channels.
3. Verify the Identity of Technical Support
When contacted by someone claiming to be from technical support, ask for their name, department, and a call-back number. Independently verify their identity by reaching out to the official customer support line of the company they claim to represent. Mermaid diagra
4. Install Reliable Security Software
Protect your devices by installing reputable antivirus and anti-malware software. Ensure the software is regularly updated to guard against emerging threats. Consider using comprehensive security solutions that offer real-time protection, web filtering, and anti-phishing features.
5. Educate Yourself and Spread Awareness
Stay informed about the latest tech support scams and share this knowledge with friends, family, and colleagues. Awareness is a powerful tool in preventing scams and protecting others. Stay updated by visiting reputable websites and subscribing to newsletters or blogs that focus on cybersecurity and online scams.
6. Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)
Implementing two-factor authentication adds an extra layer of security to your accounts. By requiring a second form of verification, such as a unique code sent to your mobile device, you reduce the risk of unauthorized access, even if scammers manage to obtain your password.
7. Keep Your Software Up to Date
Regularly update your operating system, web browsers, and applications to ensure you have the latest security patches. Developers frequently release updates to address vulnerabilities that scammers might exploit. Enabling automatic updates is a convenient way to stay protected.
8. Be Wary of Remote Access Requests
Tech support scammers often request remote access to your device under the guise of resolving issues. Avoid granting such requests unless you have initiated contact with a trusted technical support representative from a reputable company. Unauthorized remote access can compromise your privacy and security.
9. Trust Your Instincts
If something feels off or too good to be true, trust your instincts. Scammers are skilled at manipulating emotions and creating a sense of urgency. Take a step back, evaluate the situation objectively, and don’t hesitate to end the interaction if you suspect fraudulent activity.
Reporting Tech Support Scams
Reporting tech support scams is crucial to help authorities track down scammers and protect others from falling victim. If you encounter a tech support scam, here are the steps you can take:
- Report to Local Authorities: Contact your local law enforcement agency or consumer protection agency to report the scam. Provide them with all the relevant details, including any documentation or evidence you may have.
- Report to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC): The FTC handles consumer complaints and tracks scam trends. File a complaint through their website at www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov or call their toll-free hotline.
- Report to the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3): The IC3 is a partnership between the FBI, the National White Collar Crime Center (NW3C), and the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA). Submit a complaint through their website at www.ic3.gov.
Remember, reporting scams is not only essential for your own protection but also for the collective fight against cybercrime.
Conclusion
As technology continues to advance, so do the techniques employed by scammers. By familiarizing yourself with the anatomy of tech support scams and implementing proactive measures, you can minimize the risk of falling victim to these deceptive schemes. Stay vigilant, trust your instincts, and remember that legitimate technical support representatives will prioritize your security and never use fear or coercion to extract personal information. Together, we can create a safer digital world.
Disclaimer: This article is intended for informational purposes only and should not be considered as professional or legal advice. Always consult with a qualified expert for personalized guidance on your specific situation.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
How can I recognize a tech support scam?
Tech support scams often involve unsolicited calls, pop-up messages, or emails claiming to be from reputable companies. They create a sense of urgency, request personal information, or ask for remote access to your device. Being skeptical of unsolicited communications and verifying the identity of the caller or sender can help you recognize potential scams.
What should I do if I receive a suspicious call or message?
If you receive a suspicious call or message, it’s important to remain calm and avoid sharing personal information or granting remote access. Hang up the call, close the pop-up message, or delete the email. If you’re unsure about the legitimacy of the contact, independently verify the caller’s identity by reaching out to the official customer support line of the company they claim to represent.
What steps can I take to protect my personal information?
To protect your personal information, it’s crucial to be cautious with whom you share it. Avoid providing sensitive data, such as passwords or financial details, to unknown individuals or through unsecured channels. Legitimate technical support representatives will not ask for this information unless you have initiated contact through official channels.
Is it safe to install security software from unknown sources?
It is not recommended to install security software from unknown or untrusted sources. Stick to reputable antivirus and anti-malware software from well-known providers. Research and read reviews before downloading any security software to ensure its authenticity and effectiveness.
Common Discord scams and how to avoid them
If you are in the gaming world, it is impossible not to be aware of Discord, a popular communication platform initially launched for gamers. However, its ease of use and intuitive interface made it massively popular outside of gaming, and it now commands a massive and loyal user base across the globe. This also means that cybercriminals have turned their eyes to this platform as a potential area to exploit. In this article, we review the common Discord scams and how to protect yourself from them.
Types of Discord Scams
- Phishing: Any popular platform that allows users to exchange messages will be vulnerable to the threat of phishing, and Discord is no different. Like standard phishing, Discord users are scammed into clicking on malicious links and handing over their personal information, such as passwords, payment details, etc. This is done by attackers either sending fake emails that impersonate Discord communication or direct communications within the platform itself.
- Fake Bot Scams: Bots are a popular feature of Discord that allows users to automate activities and streamline the entire experience. Cybercriminals can exploit this feature to create bots offering attractive services such as game cheats, server moderation, giveaways, etc. However, once granted access, they can start spamming users and spreading malicious links.
- Fake Giveaway Scams: A popular trend within Discord are “giveaways,” in which gamers give away free stuff to their followers. Cybercriminals can exploit this same trend to create fake giveaways in which they impersonate trusted individuals and offer game codes, subscriptions, and other products in exchange for the participants to share links or spreading the giveaway to more users. In reality, no gift is given away, and the cybercriminal is socially engineering users to spread malicious links and increase their chances of being scammed. This can also be combined with Fake bot scams in which bots contact users and inform them about the giveaways.
- Investment scams: Cybercriminals have quickly jumped on the trend of Cryptocurrencies online by creating fake investment scams within Discord. Discord users are contacted and promised massive profits for minimal investments and give fake statistics as proof. Along with Crypto, fake Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) are also used to trick users into buying them with their cryptocurrency.
- Nitro Scams: Nitro is a paid version of Discord that offers additional perks and benefits that are not present in the free version. Cybercriminals are aware of the lure hat the paid version of Discord holds for many users and will send fake messages directly or via bots promising users free access to Nitro. In reality, these malicious links compromise users and spread the link to more victims spreading fraud.
- Discord support Scam: Similar to the PayPal technical support scam, Cybercriminals will impersonate a Discord representative and contact users, asking them to join a community initiative. This scam is used to steal users’ personal information via malicious links and should be ignored.
How to protect yourself against Discord Scams
As with any online platform targeted by scams, user awareness is the best tip to protect yourself. Educate yourself on the common types of scams on Discord, and always be skeptical of messages promising gifts and items. If it is too good to be true, then it probably is! Discord provides easy access to their Trust & Safety team, which should be contacted if you feel scammers are tagging you.
Additionally, follow these tips for a safe Discord experience:
- Verified Servers: These are trusted communities with strict guidelines within Discord that are monitored for suspicious activity and provide a much safer experience than any anonymous server.
- Enable Multi-factor authentication (MFA): Besides following good password practices like avoiding reuse and regular changes, MFA should be enabled for your account. Turning on MFA can be the difference between your account being taken over or not. Make sure to turn on this feature to get an additional layer of security on your account.
- Beware of Bots: Bots are a fantastic feature within Discord, but you should be extremely careful when granting them permissions within the platform. If an unverified bot contacts you and requests admin privileges, then that is usually a red flag that something suspicious is happening. Only use bots that come from trusted sources.
- Enable privacy settings: Educate yourself on Discord privacy settings that allow you to control who has visibility on your profile and who can message you. This dramatically reduces your chances of becoming visible to cyber criminals and becoming a target.
- Be skeptical of giveaways: If you are contacted and informed that you have won a giveaway without entering anything, then be highly suspicious of this message. There is a high chance of this being a scam, and it should be treated with caution.
Conclusion
Discord is one of the best online platforms offering a rich and diverse community of users around the globe. Keeping yourself updated with the latest scams and how they occur is essential. Follow Discord’s regular updates on scams and how to protect yourself as cybercriminals keep changing their tactics and updating to new guidelines and controls. By following these tips and guidelines, you can enjoy the rich experience Discord offers while keeping your information safe at the same time!
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What are the common types of scams on Discord?
Common types of Discord scams include phishing, fake bot scams, giveaway scams, and investment or pyramid scheme scams.
How can I protect myself from scams on Discord?
Protecting yourself from scams on Discord involves being skeptical of too-good-to-be-true offers, using two-factor authentication, being cautious with bots and links, reporting suspicious activity, staying informed about the latest scam tactics, prioritizing privacy in your settings, thinking before clicking on any links or requests, using verified servers, and regularly updating and securing your account.
How can I report a scam on Discord?
If you encounter a potential scam on Discord, report it to Discord’s Trust & Safety team. You can do this by submitting a request on Discord’s support page, detailing the nature of the scam, and providing any evidence you have.
How can I secure my Discord account?
Securing your Discord account involves using a robust and unique password and enabling two-factor authentication (2FA). Regularly updating your password and avoiding using the same password across multiple platforms can also help keep your account secure.
The Rising Threat of Malverposting on Social Media
In the world of cybercrime, the only constant is change as cybercriminals continually invent new and more sophisticated ways to spread malware and bypass security controls. One new cyber threat which has recently emerged is Malverposting which uses the power of social media ads to spread malware. In this article, we will go over one campaign that has been active for months infecting over half a million users worldwide. The key factor that contributed to the success of this campaign was how the threat actor misused social media, specifically Facebook Ads to propagate his attack.
How Malverposting works
Social Media platforms like Facebook and Twitter might have billions of users connected at any given time, a fact of which cybercriminals are well aware. To exploit this massive user base, they have started using paid social media ads to spread malware, greatly expanding the reach of such malicious attacks. Instead of passively waiting for a user to visit a link or click on an attachment, Facebook ads can be shown to billions of users, increasing the blast radius of such attacks. This attack, “Malverposting” abuses the trust that users place on these platforms and works by showing them ads on their social media feeds and downloading malicious attachments once the ads are clicked. The cost of running such ads is quickly recouped by the additional victims the attackers can compromise.
The Vietnamese Malverposting Campaign
A recent campaign that used Malverposting to devastating effect was by a Vietnamese threat actor active on the FaceBook platform. The actor comprised nearly half a million users by flooding users’ FaceBook feeds with clickbaity ads. This was done by creating new business profiles or compromising existing ones that might have an existing user base or ad demographic in place.
Once the user clicks on the ad, they are social engineering into downloading malicious attachments that infect their devices and give the attacker access to carry out his malicious actions, such as stealing personal information. As is evident, it is not the infection part which is new but the mass delivery method which has resulted in this attack spreading to over 500,000 devices worldwide. Even tech-savvy users do not look at FaceBook ads with the same suspicion as they would a standard phishing email and have a certain amount of trust in the social media platform. It is this very trust that has allowed the attack to succeed in such a short amount of time.
It is not just users who are impacted but the business users whose profiles, the threat actor has compromised. Due to the malicious campaign committed using their profiles, their reputation can be seriously impacted, and their ad accounts potentially banned from the platform. Businesses can spend years building up their reputation only to have it lost within a matter of days because of Malverposting.
Why Malverposting is so dangerous
Success leads to imitation, and cybercriminals have undoubtedly noticed this recent campaign’s scale and success. The ability to quickly scale and automate a malware campaign using Facebook ads is very attractive. Cybercriminals are more than happy to make the initial investment, given the returns they can see in the future. Facebook is a massively popular platform with users across the globe, and Cybercriminals can use the analytics features to refine ads further and target more specific demographics.
The malware used in the attack is also quite advanced and can evade traditional endpoint defenses. It employs advanced techniques used by Advanced Persistent Threats (APT), with new variants being put out frequently, making the job of cybersecurity professionals even harder.
How to mitigate the risk of Malverposting
Malverposting is a unique threat in how it misuses the trust of social media platforms and the power of FaceBook ads. Users cannot rely on FaceBook to detect every malicious campaign that will be used on their platform and thus must educate themselves about this new type of attack. The sophisticated nature of the malware used in the attack also requires users and companies to put in place controls like Adblockers and advanced anti-malware controls for early detection.
Social Media users should be careful not to click on every ad on their social media feed and verify the links before visiting them. Cybersecurity professionals should add this new threat to their security awareness campaigns if employees use social media from their corporate devices and educate them on identifying such scams.
Conclusion
Malverposting will not go away anytime soon, and the recent success of the Vietnamese campaign means more cybercriminals will be rushing to adopt this technique. Awareness is critical, and if a particular ad on FaceBook or Twitter promises something too good to be true, it probably is!
Verify the business or source behind these ads and ensure all the devices you access social media from have the appropriate technical controls in place. Social media is no longer a safe haven from malware, and cybersecurity professionals and users must wake up to this new reality.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is Malverposting?
Malverposting is a new form of cyber threat that uses promoted social media posts to spread malicious software and other security threats. This tactic exploits social platforms’ vast reach and reputation to target and deliver harmful content directly to user screens.
What is a notable example of a Malverposting campaign
A significant Malverposting campaign linked to a Vietnamese threat actor has been running for several months. This campaign uses resilient deployment techniques and has propagated through the abuse of Facebook’s Ads service, leading to over 500,000 infections worldwide so far.
How does this Vietnamese Malverposting campaign work?
The threat actor creates new business profiles or hijacks existing ones, bombarding Facebook feeds with malicious click-bait posts. Clicking on these posts leads to a malicious ZIP file download. Once a user extracts this file, it initiates an infection process that steals session cookies, account information, crypto wallets, and more.
How can we combat Malverposting and similar threats?
To combat Malverposting and similar threats, cybersecurity measures need to evolve alongside the tactics used by threat actors. This involves a broader approach considering the misuse of legitimate platforms like social media and ad networks.
PayPal scams and how to avoid them
Paypal has long been synonymous with the word “online payments,” and for good reason. It offers a secure and easy way to make payments and conduct online transactions. Unfortunately, the ease and convenience that PayPal offers also make it a prime target for cybercriminals who want to abuse this platform for their own malicious purposes. In this article, we go over some of the most common scams on PayPal and the steps you can take to protect your account.
Common PayPal scams
- Phishing Emails: The oldest and most common type of attack on the Internet remains phishing, and the same technique applies to PayPal as well. Cybercriminals can trick users into handing over their credentials or compromising their machines by posing as a legitimate email from PayPal. These messages may inform users that their account has been locked out or ask them for an urgent password reset to excite them enough to act quickly. They are accompanied by fake links to websites that look precisely like PayPal but are used to harvest credentials.
- Paypal “smishing” attacks: In this type of phishing, attackers send fraudulent text messages instead of emails containing malicious links or fake fraud alerts. The limited number of words in the message means that users cannot see the same telltale signs in traditional phishing messages.
- Overpayment messages: In this scam, the cybercriminal will act as a legitimate buyer but will send over an invoice with a higher amount than agreed. The scam is that the cybercriminal typically uses a stolen account and hopes the user will send over the payment before the fraudulent account is discovered and blocked. The sale is also canceled once the victim sends over the refund. A variation of this fraud is with the attacker pretending to send you funds accidentally, i.e., “wrong person fraud,” and then asking you to refund the amount with the same results!
- Fake Invoice scam: This scam is more advanced than the others in which the criminal uses a legitimate PayPal email address to send you fake invoices. The invoices contain messages about why you own money and a contact phone number for more details. The cybercriminal attempts to trick you into downloading malicious software to hack your computer. This attack is more difficult to detect as it originates within PayPal and from a legitimate account.
- Bitcoin scam: Similar to a fake invoice scam but with the added twist that the attackers pretend to be a Bitcoin exchange. Victims will receive a fake invoice with a seller’s note about a Bitcoin purchase. Once the user calls the stated number, they will be socially engineered into paying a small amount to get the funds back or have their information stolen.
- Shipping Address Scams: In this scam, cybercriminals abuse the PayPal process that happens after a legitimate purchase. After buying an item, they change the shipping address and complain to PayPal that it was never received, enabling them to get a refund. Again, since this scam originates from Paypal, the success rate is much higher.
- Charity scams: In this scam, cybercriminals exploit the kind nature of people by pretending to be fake charities and asking for donations. By creating fake profiles on social media, they can add legitimacy to their requests and get users to transfer funds to what they think is a charitable cause.
- “Upfront fees” scams: You will get a message telling you that a huge amount has been deposited in your account, but you need to pay a small “upfront” fee to access it. Once the payment is made, the person disappears or keeps asking for more money.
- “Technical support” scams: Cybercriminals impersonate PayPal technical support and inform victims that their account is either blocked or compromised. This is designed to create urgency and for stealing their credentials, two-factor authentication codes, or getting them to install malicious software.
How to avoid becoming a victim of PayPal scams
As should be obvious now, the number of scams targeting the PayPal platform are many and diverse. Technical controls are not enough, and awareness of these scams is key to avoiding becoming a victim. The first step for every user should be to educate themselves on these scams and the common social engineering tactics that trick them into handing over sensitive information, such as checking the source of emails, verifying the legitimacy of messages, not carrying out any urgent actions, etc. Following the guidelines which PayPal provides for reporting such emails.
Apart from awareness, other vital controls are:
- Implementing Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) on your account. This is not a foolproof method, as cybercriminals have adapted to this method and will try other methods like social engineering to gain access to your two-factor codes. Still, there is no denying the extra layer of security that MFA provides.
- Staying within the PayPal platform only for transactions. Ensure you do not leave the platform to carry out any transactions, and beware of any URLs or messages that require you to click on them to go to PayPal. Always type the address yourself on the browser.
- Make sure you monitor your account for any suspicious activity or transactions that seem out of the ordinary. Immediately inform PayPal support of anything that seems like a scam, as it is better to be proactive!
- Always be suspicious of offers: Make sure to verify the authenticity of sellers on the platform via reviews and testimonials. Investigate if the seller has an online presence and what other users have said about their business before moving ahead.
- Be wary of invoices that you receive that you are not aware of. Refrain from getting alarmed if a person claims that you have made a payment and verify the authenticity of the purchase first.
Conclusion
Scams targeting PayPal and other popular platforms are not going away anytime soon and will only become more sophisticated. Users must educate themselves on these scams and the best practices to reduce the risks of falling victim to them and enjoy the benefits of online transactions.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What are some common PayPal scams?
Common PayPal scams include phishing emails, overpayment scams, shipping address scams, and fake charity scams. Scammers often use deceptive tactics to access your account or trick you into sending them money.
How can I verify if an email is genuinely from PayPal?
Always check the sender’s email address to ensure it comes from an official PayPal domain (e.g., @paypal.com). Be cautious of any emails that demand immediate action or request sensitive information. If you need clarification on the legitimacy of an email, contact PayPal directly through their official channels to verify its authenticity.
What steps can I take to protect myself from PayPal scams?
To protect yourself from PayPal scams, verify email communications, use PayPal’s official platform, monitor your account regularly, enable two-step verification, and be wary of unsolicited offers. Conduct thorough research and maintain a proactive approach to online security.
What is two-step verification (2SV), and why is it important?
Two-step verification (2SV) is an additional layer of security that requires you to enter a unique code, usually sent to your mobile device, along with your password during the login process. Implementing 2SV makes it more difficult for scammers to access your account, even if they have your login credentials.
What is Clickjacking and How to Protect Yourself Against It
In the era of the internet, people rely on digital technologies more than ever before. While technology has brought countless benefits to our lives, it has also created new security risks. One such risk is clickjacking. In this article, we will explore what clickjacking is, its impact, and how to protect yourself against it.
Clickjacking is a type of web attack that tricks users into clicking on a hidden button or link by disguising it as a legitimate one. This type of attack can have serious consequences, from stealing sensitive information to taking over a user’s computer. In this article, we will discuss how clickjacking works, its impact, and how to protect yourself against it.
What Is Clickjacking?
Clickjacking is a type of cyber attack that tricks you into clicking on something you don’t intend to. It works by overlaying a transparent layer over a legitimate website or application, hiding a malicious button or link underneath. When you click on what you think is a harmless button or link, you’re actually clicking on the hidden, malicious element. This can lead to a variety of dangerous consequences, from giving hackers access to your personal information to installing malware on your device.
Types of Clickjacking Attacks
There are many different types of clickjacking attacks that hackers can use to trick you into clicking on something dangerous. One of the most common types is the “likejacking” attack, where hackers trick you into “liking” a Facebook page without your knowledge. This can lead to the spread of spam and other malicious content. Another type of attack is the “click-to-reveal” attack, where hackers trick you into clicking on a hidden button that reveals your personal information, such as your password or credit card number.
The Dangers of Clickjacking
The dangers of clickjacking are very real. Hackers can use this technique to steal your personal information, infect your device with malware, and even take control of your computer. Once they have access to your system, they can do everything from steal your identity to hold your files for ransom. Clickjacking can also be used to spread spam and other malicious content on social media, leading to the spread of dangerous misinformation and propaganda.
How to Protect Yourself from Clickjacking
Protecting yourself from clickjacking is essential if you want to stay safe online. There are several things you can do to protect yourself from this dangerous cyber threat, including:
- Keeping your software up to date: Make sure you’re always using the latest version of your operating system, web browser, and other software.
- Using a reputable antivirus program: A good antivirus program can detect and block many types of malware and other dangerous software.
- Being cautious when clicking on links: Always be careful when clicking on links, especially if they’re from unknown sources.
- Using a virtual private network (VPN): A VPN can help protect your privacy and prevent hackers from tracking your online activity.
The Future of Clickjacking
As technology continues to advance, the techniques used by hackers to carry out clickjacking attacks are likely to become more sophisticated. This means that it’s more important than ever to stay vigilant and take steps to protect yourself from this dangerous cyber threat. By staying informed about the latest developments in clickjacking and using the right tools and techniques to protect yourself, you can stay safe online and avoid falling victim to this dangerous cyber attacks.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is clickjacking, and how does it work?
Clickjacking is a type of cyber attack where the attacker disguises an element on a webpage so that when you click on it, you’re actually clicking on something else entirely. For example, the attacker might overlay an invisible button over a “Like” button on a social media page. When you click the “Like” button, you’re actually clicking the invisible button, which could trigger a download or redirect you to a malicious website.
What can I do to protect myself from clickjacking?
The best way to protect yourself from clickjacking is to be cautious of what you click on. If you’re not sure if a link or button is legitimate, hover your mouse over it to see if the URL matches the website you expect to be on. You can also use browser extensions that block clickjacking attacks.
How can I tell if I’ve been a victim of clickjacking?
It can be difficult to tell if you’ve fallen victim to clickjacking since the attack happens silently. However, if you notice that your computer is behaving strangely or you’re redirected to a website you don’t recognize after clicking a link, it’s possible that you’ve been clickjacked.
Who is most at risk of clickjacking attacks?
Anyone who uses the internet is at risk of clickjacking attacks. However, attackers often target high-profile websites with large user bases, such as social media platforms, banking websites, and online marketplaces.
What should I do if I suspect I’ve been clickjacked?
If you suspect that you’ve been clickjacked, the first thing you should do is run a virus scan on your computer. You should also change any passwords or login information associated with the website you were on when the clickjacking occurred. If you’re still experiencing issues, contact the website’s customer support team or a cybersecurity professional for assistance.
How to know if your phone is hacked
Smartphones have become an extension of our everyday lives in today’s digitally connected world. Everything from stock prices, weather, exercise routine, payments, etc., is present within your device, making it a treasure chest for cybercriminals. By compromising these devices, they can get access to your personal information and the ability to commit further fraud by impersonating your digital identity. In this article, we go over the common signs that your phone has been compromised and the steps to take to prevent such an event from happening.
Common signs that your device is hacked
A few common indicators that your phone might have been compromised are:
- Performance and Battery issues: One of the most common signs that your phone might have been compromised is a rapid decline in its performance and battery life. This usually indicates that hackers are running malicious software, causing your battery to drain and your overall phone performance to suffer. Other signs might be your phone frequently crashing or freezing a lot which did not occur before. While these signs might be due to your phone not being updated, insufficient storage, or poor battery life, it is crucial not to rule out the possibility that something malicious is happening.
- A sudden increase in data usage: Another common indicator is a sudden spike in your data usage, which you cannot explain. This is usually due to cybercriminals using your data package to receive and transmit data, resulting in a sudden increase in data consumption. If you cannot explain this increase and have not changed your browsing activities, further investigation might be needed.
- Suspicious browser activity: You might start noticing suspicious pop-ups or ads during your everyday browsing activities that were not present before or even being redirected to strange websites with which you are not familiar. Cybercriminals use compromised phones as a way to generate ad revenue by hijacking browser sessions. It is suggested to re-install your browser, clear your cache and uninstall any browser extensions before doing any further online activity.
- Suspicious messages and calls: Receiving strange-looking text messages containing symbols and links might inculcate that you’re being targeted by cybercriminals who want to use your phone to further spread malware or malicious links to your contacts. It is essential not to respond to such messages and ignore/delete them.
- New apps showing up: Smartphones run on apps, and any device might have hundreds of apps installed at any time. However, if you suddenly notice new and suspicious-looking apps you never remember installing, it could indicate a sign of your device being compromised. Review what types of permissions this app has been granted and remove them if you are unfamiliar.
- Sudden account change notifications: If you suddenly start receiving text messages or emails about account access or your password is reset, it is another indicator of your phone being hacked. More often than not, the smartphone is used as a secondary authentication device along with the password, and hackers will use it to gain access to your accounts. Make sure you have enabled notifications for any account change on your critical accounts so you are notified.
How to verify if your device is compromised
If you observe one or more of these signs on your device, then it is best to validate your suspicious via the following methods:
- Install and run security antivirus software: Choose a reputable security scanning software and run it on your device to verify that no malicious software is present. Make sure you choose one with a good market reputation and is compatible with your device.
- Verify app permissions: If you observe any new apps, validate the permissions granted to them. Excessive app permissions are one of the key ways that cybercriminals gain a foothold on your device. Make sure you review new permissions also whenever you install a new app.
- Perform a factory reset: If you cannot fix the issues affecting your smartphone, a factory reset will restore the device to its default settings and erase all data. Use this as a last measure, however, as it effectively deletes all of the files and data stored on the phone.
Protecting your phone from being compromised
The ideal scenario is that your phone never gets compromised in the first place, so ensure you always follow good security practices. Make sure your phone is constantly updated with the latest version of the operating system and its apps. These are released to fix security issues and vulnerabilities which can be exploited by cybercriminals, so do not delay keeping your phone up to date.
Additionally, the following precautions are also advised:
- Be aware of the new types of threats and scams that are being used to trick smartphone users so you do not fall victim to the same
- Enable strong passwords along with multi-factor authentication on your critical accounts.
- Enable notifications for all sensitive activities so you are informed if any changes happen.
- Do not download apps from sources you are unaware of; only use trusted stores like App or Google.
- Use VPNs when connecting to public Wi-Fi networks to provide an extra layer of security and encryption of your data.
- Make sure your data is backed up to cloud storage so that you can retrieve it in case of factory resets or device compromise.
Conclusion
Smartphones are and will remain a key target of cyber criminals, given the amount of data they contain and the access they grant. Users cannot afford to be complacent about these threats and must educate themselves on the emerging types of threats. Taking proactive measures can significantly reduce the risk of your devices being compromised.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What are the common signs that my phone has been hacked?
Some common signs include unexpected battery drain, unexplained data usage spikes, strange text messages and calls, unfamiliar apps or icons, performance issues, and unusual browser activity.
How can I confirm if my phone is hacked?
To confirm if your phone has been hacked, perform a security scan using a reputable antivirus app, analyze app permissions, check for device updates, and consider performing a factory reset if necessary.
How can I protect my phone from hacking?
To protect your phone, use strong passwords and enable two-factor authentication, regularly update your phone’s operating system and apps, avoid downloading apps from unknown sources, be cautious when connecting to public Wi-Fi networks, regularly backup your important data, and stay informed about the latest cybersecurity threats.
Are there any antivirus apps that can help protect my phone?
Yes, several reputable antivirus apps are available for Android and iOS devices such as Guardio .These apps can help you detect and remove malicious software from your phone and provide additional security features.
Rising Trend of Data Breaches on Gaming Sites
The gaming industry has seen a massive shift in its perception in recent years. No longer considered a “geeky” pastime, it is now a multi-billion dollar industry with big gaming releases rivaling the launches of Hollywood blockbusters! Technology has grown by leaps and bounds, enabling gaming to be enjoyed by people of all ages and cultures. Unfortunately, another trend that has been on the increase is data breaches on gaming sites. In this article, we go over why this trend is on the rise and the key steps that can be taken to protect against the same.
Why Data Breaches are Increasing in the Gaming Industry
Cybercrime has become a menace to nearly every industry with an online presence, and gaming is no different. Attacks are getting increasingly sophisticated with each passing day making it more difficult for companies to defend against such tactics. It is not a matter of “if” you will be targeted but “when,” as the gaming industry is rapidly finding out.
There are several reasons why cyber-criminals have put the gaming industry in their cross-hairs.
Let us look at a few of the key ones below:
- The growing popularity of online gaming: The rapid growth of online gaming in the decade has resulted in a massive user base who are constantly online and connected to gaming services. These services are usually subscription-based, meaning that the gaming service stores user details such as email addresses, passwords, and even payment data. This can be a treasure trove for cybercriminals making gaming an attractive target. This data can be misused for identity theft or sold on the dark web for profit.
- Lack of awareness within the gaming community: The gaming community is generally less mature about cyberattacks than online banking and payment site users. Due to their lack of awareness, targeted phishing scams promising gamers of lucrative offers and “cheats” can result in a high success rate. Poor awareness also leads to users choosing weak passwords for their gaming accounts, which cybercriminals can easily guess and take over.
- Poor cybersecurity posture of gaming companies: Cybersecurity has traditionally not been a priority for the gaming industry resulting in high-profile breaches, as we will see in the next section. These companies also have supply chain dependencies, such as cloud providers, payment processors, software libraries, etc., that attackers can subvert and use as an entry point into their environments. The gaming industry has been improving its security posture but is far behind other sectors.
- High connectivity: Online gaming, by its very nature, requires constant connectivity, and large games can have thousands of users connected at any given time. This dramatically increases the attack surface for cybercriminals to find vulnerabilities and a more extensive user base to target
Key security breaches in the Gaming Industry
A gaming company or provider suffering a data breach can have long-lasting consequences with a loss of trust and the financial loss of the breach itself. Being associated with a cyber attack can directly result in loss of sales and revenue as gamers will no longer be willing to hand over their payment data or personal information to the company.
Some of the key cyberattacks targeting the gaming sector in recent years are listed below:
- Sony PlayStation Network (2011): Easily one of the most devastating against the gaming industry. In 2011, Sony’s PlayStation Network (PSN) suffered a massive data breach that affected over 77 million users, exposing their personal information and payment data. Sony was forced to shut down their service to recover from the incident resulting in millions in lost revenue.
- Capcom (2020): The famous Japanese gaming company, Capcom suffered a ransomware attack in 2020, which resulted in the personal information of over 350,000 customers and employees being leaked, such as names, addresses, email addresses, etc.
- Electronic Arts (2021): Electronic Arts (EA) was the victim of a data breach that resulted in the source code of some of their most popular games, like FIFA21, being stolen. In addition to the game source code, details about their internal Frostbite game engine were also leaked. Despite no user information being stolen, this attack still heavily damaged the company’s reputation in the industry.
- Activision (2022): One of the more recent attacks involved Activision. Cybercriminals compromised and stole internal information, such as the launch release schedule for its popular gaming franchise, Call of Duty. They also stole the personal information of Activision employees, such as their names, emails, phone numbers, salaries, addresses, etc. The attackers were able to compromise the environment after carrying out a successful phishing attack against a privileged user within Activision.
Preventing Data Breaches in the Gaming Sector
It is important to note there is no magic “silver bullet” to solve this growing problem of data breaches within the gaming sector. Gaming companies must take a long, hard look at their infrastructure and implement cybersecurity frameworks based on the principle of defense in depth. Controls such as multi-factor authentication, vulnerability scanning, user awareness, etc., are just a few that will go a long way in mitigating these risks. In addition, they must invest in independent third-party assessments and audits that can approach their network from an attacker’s viewpoint and help them identify weak points.
Conclusion
As gaming becomes more and more popular and profitable, data breaches will only continue to increase. The gaming industry has a long way to go when it comes to becoming a mature cybersecurity industry, but it is essential to start this journey. By implementing cybersecurity frameworks and investing in user awareness, the gaming sector can ensure that users enjoy this pastime without the threat of their information being stolen or targeted by cyber attackers.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What are data breaches in the gaming industry?
Data breaches in the gaming industry occur when unauthorized individuals gain access to sensitive user data, including personal information and payment details, stored by gaming companies and gaming sites.
What are some notable data breaches in the gaming industry?
Some notable data breaches in the gaming industry include Sony PlayStation Network in 2011, Electronic Arts in 2021, and Capcom in 2020. These incidents resulted in the exposure of personal information and, in some cases, the theft of valuable intellectual property.
Why are data breaches becoming more common in the gaming industry?
Data breaches are becoming more common due to rapid growth and digitalization, valuable user data, sophisticated cybercriminals, insufficient security measures, human factors, supply chain vulnerabilities, and increased interconnectivity.
What are the consequences of data breaches in the gaming industry?
Data breaches can have severe consequences for both gaming companies and their users. For companies, breaches can lead to financial losses, reputational damage, and decreased customer trust. For gamers, the exposure of personal data can result in identity theft, financial loss, and targeted phishing attacks.
How can gaming companies prevent data breaches?
Gaming companies can prevent data breaches by investing in robust cybersecurity measures, including multi-factor authentication, regular security audits, employee training, and collaboration with cybersecurity experts and law enforcement. Users should also take precautions to protect their personal information by creating strong, unique passwords and staying vigilant against phishing attempts.
What should users do if they are affected by a data breach?
If a user’s data has been compromised in a gaming data breach, they should immediately change their passwords, monitor their financial accounts for suspicious activity, and be cautious of potential phishing attempts. Users can also consider signing up for identity theft protection services and reporting the breach to relevant authorities.
Microsoft Security Copilot: Revolutionizing Cybersecurity with AI-Powered Assistance
Cybersecurity is an ever-evolving field with more sophisticated attacks emerging daily. It is essential to have tools that provide cybersecurity analysts with the information they require quickly and efficiently. AI and ChatGPT have been dominating the industry with various innovative applications, the latest being Security Copilot, an AI-powered security assistant from Microsoft. This new tool combines ChatGPT-4’s power with the Microsoft security ecosystem to create something that will be a game changer for the industry going forward.
Why Security Copilot is a Game-changer
In a nutshell, Microsoft Security Copilot is an AI-driven tool that will assist cybersecurity professionals in their activities by combining Microsoft’s security ecosystem with the power of a ChatGPT-driven engine. The tool will gather information from various external sources and Microsoft’s own threat intelligence database allowing analysts to formulate questions using natural language. This new tool is also part of a significant Microsoft shift towards introducing AI into its various services and software suite.
The options for Cybersecurity Analysts with Security Copilot are vast, allowing them to create root cause analysis reports, executive summaries, perform file and URL analysis, and so on. These results can also be shared in a collaborative space with the team, which can be handy in case of incidents. It has the function of a prompt book that will allow analysts to chain or bundle multiple steps into a single prompt allowing faster and more streamlined analysis. It will also allow analysts and investigators to collaborate and share information on investigations and alerts.
While initially, this may seem similar to other security tools already on the market, the combination of security tooling and OpenAI models makes Security Co-pilot a revolutionary step forward for cybersecurity. The tool has been optimized for security-related queries and tasks and will adapt and learn as it adapts to the environment. With the power of OpenAI and access to Microsoft’s security ecosystem, it can significantly accelerate tasks such as investigations, reporting, and collaboration without requiring detailed technical knowledge. Analysts will be able to query and gain insights into incidents without requiring any knowledge of the underlying security system.
Microsoft is aware that AI can also make mistakes and has implemented a feedback option to enable the model to learn and correct its mistakes over time. The feedback loop has been designed to be detailed so that the system can better understand what went wrong and how it can correct itself.
The next concern from users is privacy, as Security Copilot will gather a lot of information about the environment in which it works, along with details of investigations, threats, etc. Microsoft has assured customers of its total commitment to responsible AI practices and customer privacy. Customers will retain complete control over their data which will not be shared with other AI models. These AI controls are on top of the industry best practices and standards that are already enforced on the underlying Microsoft infrastructure.
Security Co-pilot has not been fully launched yet and is in the preview stage only with specific customers, which is understandable. Microsoft wants to ensure any issues or bugs are fixed and the product is refined before mass rollout. This is especially critical with AI-driven tools that drive security decision-making going forward and hence must follow responsible AI practices.
Microsoft also has plans to allow integration of Security Co-pilot with other third-party services and products and not restrict it to the Microsoft ecosystem only. This will enable the entire industry to benefit from the power of this new tool and enable widespread collaboration across the board.
Conclusion
Microsoft has truly opened a new era of cybersecurity with the introduction of the Security Co-pilot. By harnessing the power of natural language, advanced activities like threat analysis, modeling, and investigations will be made available to users of any skill level. The combination of advanced AI models with Microsoft’s vast array of threat intelligence and security products will tilt the balance in favor of cybersecurity professionals going forward. We can expect other tech giants to follow suit and introduce their variations going forward or risk being left behind. The intersection of AI technology and cybersecurity is fascinating and bodes well for the entire industry.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is Microsoft Security Copilot?
Microsoft Security Copilot is an AI-powered assistant designed for cybersecurity professionals, providing support for threat detection, response, and collaboration using advanced AI technology and vast threat intelligence.
How does Microsoft Security Copilot work?
Security Copilot leverages OpenAI’s GPT-4 generative AI and Microsoft’s security-specific model to process the 65 trillion daily signals Microsoft collects. It accepts natural language inputs and integrates with Microsoft’s end-to-end security products, allowing professionals to analyze data, identify threats, and collaborate on investigations.
Is Security Copilot intended to replace security analysts?
No, Security Copilot is designed to assist and augment the work of security analysts, not replace them. It provides valuable support for incident investigations, summarizing events, and facilitating reporting and collaboration among team members.
How does Security Copilot handle data privacy?
Security Copilot maintains strict data privacy standards. Your data remains your property, is not used to train foundation AI models, and is protected by comprehensive enterprise compliance and security controls.
What are some unique features of Security Copilot?
Security Copilot offers a prompt book feature that bundles steps or automation into a single, easy-to-use button or prompt. It also allows for creating PowerPoint slides outlining incidents and attack vectors and encourages collaboration through a shared workspace.
When will Security Copilot be available for general use?
Microsoft is currently previewing Security Copilot with a select group of customers. There is no specific timeline for general availability, as the company is focused on learning from initial users and ensuring responsible technology deployment.
How does Security Copilot help address the cybersecurity talent gap?
By augmenting the skills of security professionals and providing support for both primary and complex security-related questions, Security Copilot enables teams to operate more efficiently and effectively, bridging the gap in talent and resources.
Can Security Copilot be integrated with third-party security products?
While Security Copilot currently integrates with Microsoft’s end-to-end security portfolio, plans are in place to expand integration to a growing ecosystem of third-party products in the future.
Building Cybersecurity Culture in the Workplace
Cyberattacks have become a regular occurrence in today’s connected world, with no company seemingly safe from the menace of cybercrime. Despite the billions of dollars companies invest in implementing cybersecurity products and solutions, the most effective control remains that intangible thing called a Cybersecurity culture. Simply put, a well-trained workforce is more effective at stopping cybersecurity incidents than any technical control. In this article, we go over some strategies that can help create such a workforce and, more importantly, maintain it.
Tips for Creating an effective cybersecurity culture
A cybersecurity culture can be defined as the shared values and beliefs that shape employee cybersecurity practices and behavior within a company. These beliefs must be cultivated over time through various methods to create a security-focused mindset. Done correctly, this also helps the employees to feel a sense of ownership about the company’s assets instead of feeling that this is only the responsibility of the cybersecurity team.
Employees should own and embrace their role in securing a company’s assets and realize that any security violation can have serious consequences for the company.
Following are a few of the strategies that can be used.
1 – Create a practical cybersecurity policy
A cybersecurity policy is simultaneously the most important and neglected part of a cybersecurity culture. Too often, this document is only read at the time of employee onboarding and forgotten about, except during the annual cybersecurity training. For a cybersecurity policy document to be effective, it must be tailored to the company and kept as succinct as possible. Employees should be aware of these important principles via various interactive methods such as screensavers, desktops, posters, etc., instead of just being expected to read and remember a document.
2 – Creating an engaging Cybersecurity awareness program
Another critical component of the cybersecurity culture is the awareness program which is how employees are informed of the company policies, threats to avoid, and best practices to follow. Simply expecting employees to sit through PowerPoint presentations is another way to make them disinterested in learning about cybersecurity. Numerous ways, such as gamification of cybersecurity awareness sessions, competitions, prizes, etc., can engage employees and make them actively feel involved in the training.
3 – Creating an open-door policy
Employees should always feel empowered to approach the cybersecurity team and not have a negative perception of them. A collaborative culture is created by encouraging an open-door policy where employees can come and ask questions/report possible incidents at any time. This can be physical or online through a simple ticketing system or website. Another way of doing this is via regular meetings, workshops, or virtual forums where employees can freely ask any questions and highlight concerns
4 – Effective incident response planning
Incident response planning is not exclusive to the cybersecurity team but is something all employees should embrace and own. Usually, non-tech-savvy employees are social engineer’s primary targets and become the entry points for most cyber attacks. Make sure they are aware of how to report cybersecurity incidents and any suspicious events with minimum friction in place. Employees should be made part of regular drills and red teaming exercises so they understand the importance of such events and how to prepare against them.
5 – Effective monitoring of behavior
Despite all the cybersecurity awareness training and tips you provide, there will always be employees that will try to bypass controls in violation of the policies. Implementing intelligent monitoring that informs you when security policies are violated is essential. It is also vital not to over-police employees as that will only result in an atmosphere of distrust and cybersecurity being perceived negatively. Monitor and inform employees when they violate policies so there is room for human error and take action for repeated violations. This is also an excellent way to track whether cybersecurity training effectively changes employee behavior.
Conclusion
Cybersecurity culture is an intangible yet essential component for companies of all sizes. Whether you are a small tech startup or a massive Fortune 500 company does not matter. Employees will make or break your cybersecurity framework, so cultivating and refining a collaborative culture of cybersecurity is crucial for a secure and successful company.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Why is building a cybersecurity culture important?
A strong cybersecurity culture helps organizations protect their assets, safeguard their reputation, and maintain the trust of customers and partners by preventing data breaches and cyberattacks.
What is the first step in building a cybersecurity culture?
The first step is establishing a comprehensive cybersecurity policy that outlines the organization’s objectives, defines roles and responsibilities, and provides guidelines for acceptable use of company resources.
How can organizations promote cybersecurity awareness among employees?
Implement regular training sessions and awareness programs to educate employees about the latest threats, best practices, and company policies. Make these programs engaging, interactive, and tailored to the organization’s needs.
How can companies encourage employee accountability for cybersecurity?
Foster a sense of responsibility and ownership by informing employees of their vital role in maintaining the organization’s security. Encourage them to report suspicious activity or potential security incidents and involve them in decision-making.
What role do open communication and collaboration play in building a cybersecurity culture?
Open communication and collaboration allow employees to share concerns and ideas about cybersecurity, creating opportunities for cross-functional collaboration. This helps identify vulnerabilities and develop more effective security strategies.
How can organizations prepare for cybersecurity incidents?
Develop a comprehensive incident response plan that outlines steps to be taken in the event of a breach or attack, including roles and responsibilities, communication protocols, and recovery procedures. Ensure all employees are familiar with the plan and review it regularly.
What is the importance of regular monitoring and auditing in maintaining a cybersecurity culture?
Regular monitoring and auditing help evaluate the effectiveness of security measures, ensure that policies and procedures are followed, and detect potential threats. This allows organizations to make informed decisions about cybersecurity strategies and allocate resources effectively.
Cybersecurity for Smart Homes
Smart homes are becoming increasingly popular worldwide due to the convenience and ease they offer owners. Different interconnected devices work together to form a “smart” eco-system for homeowners that automate tasks and increase the simple enjoyment of living in a home. However, this connected nature can also become a cybersecurity risk if appropriate controls are not implemented. In this article, we will go over some of the critical risks and the measures to take to protect the smart devices present in your home.
Smart Home Cybersecurity
Smart homes are designed to make lives easier and more comfortable, with smart devices automating various tasks and catering to a person’s lifestyle. However, as with any connected device, security vulnerabilities can be present that cybercriminals can exploit to carry out malicious activities such as controlling devices, stealing personal information, and even physical theft. It is essential to know about these threats and take proactive measures to protect yourself before you become a victim of these attacks.
How to secure your Smart Home
When securing a smart home, good security practices are similar to securing a business. The difference is that it is your home you are securing instead of your workplace. It is crucial to create awareness in your household and educate them on good security practices such as not sharing passwords, securing their devices, and avoiding suspicious attachments or links in their emails. You and your family should also know whom to contact if they feel something suspicious is happening within your home. There is also no harm in contacting cybersecurity professionals for help if you need further help to secure your home environment and educate yourself on good practices.
In addition, other good security practices that can be taken are:
1- Ensure smart devices are from reputable sources
Smart Devices should always be purchased from reputable sources, not cheaper alternatives. Reputable names mean your devices will get regular updates to security issues and be better supported overall. Your smart devices form the foundation of your smart home and must be treated with the same importance. Make sure your devices are getting regular updates and sign up for any alerts so that you are aware of any critical patches as they are released
2 – Put in a strong password foundation
Smart devices often come with default passwords which should be changed as soon they are up and running in your home. Most of these default passwords are available online and can open the front door for attackers. Make sure you choose strong and complex passwords which cannot be easily guessed. If your devices support Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA), then enable the same to get another layer of security on top of your passwords/
3 – Sign up for alerts
Smart Devices can receive alerts for suspicious or sensitive alerts (such as when a security setting is changed). Do not leave these alerts dormant and turn them on so you are aware if any changes are done without your knowledge. Many Smart Devices come with security companion tools that can be enabled to provide additional functionality for an extra cost.
4 – Harden your smart devices
Smart Device manufacturers often provide best practice guides on configuring your smart device. Go through the same and see which settings/services are needed and which can be disabled. This greatly reduces the attack surface of your smart home.
5 – Secure your Wifi network
Smart Homes typically rely on your home’s WiFi network; hence the same must also be secured from attack. Cybercriminals can use a weak Wifi network to “piggyback” onto your Smart Home network hence protecting the same is crucial. Following these best practices at a minimum.
- Harden your Wifi router passwords and follow the practices we discussed earlier, e.g., strong passwords, hardening, updates, etc.
- Use Virtual Private Networks (VPN) to add encryption to your network communications. This can come in handy if you regularly access your smart home remotely.
- Harden your devices via firewalls and anti-malware solutions to prevent malware and other unauthorized activity. Make sure they regularly scan your environment for suspicious activity.
Conclusion
Smart homes are becoming increasingly familiar with each passing year, along with cyberattacks targeting them. Awareness of these attacks and implementing security controls at multiple layers means you can enjoy the comforts of your smart home without worrying about your privacy and safety.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What are the most common cybersecurity risks for smart homes?
The most common cybersecurity risks for smart homes include unauthorized access to devices and networks, data breaches, malware infections, and ransomware attacks. Hackers may exploit security vulnerabilities in smart devices to gain control, access personal data, or cause disruptions.
Can hackers take control of my smart home devices?
If your smart home devices have security vulnerabilities or are not adequately protected, hackers can exploit these weaknesses to gain control of your devices. To prevent this, ensure you purchase devices from reputable brands, keep the firmware and software up-to-date, and follow the cybersecurity best practices outlined in this guide.
Can I still use smart home devices without compromising my security?
Following cybersecurity best practices, you can still enjoy the benefits of smart home devices without compromising your security. By staying informed, regularly updating devices, and utilizing the latest security technologies, you can help ensure the safety and privacy of your smart home.
ChatGPT privacy in the new AI World
ChatGPT exploded onto the scene in late 2022, taking the entire internet by storm. ChatGPT, or Generative Prep-trained Transformer, which is its full name, is the most technically advanced AI chatbot the world has ever seen. Its ability to take questions in natural language across a vast array of topics and respond with human-like queries captured the imagination of millions worldwide who started using this new tool. Every industry, from writing to content creation to big tech, is looking at this new tool and how they can use it. ChatGPt was responsible for bringing AI into the mainstream and a topic of daily conversation.
At the same time, however, privacy risks are also being introduced in a rush to adopt this new revolutionary tech. The very nature of AI requires data to learn and further refine itself. This article will ask whether ChatGPT poses a privacy risk to corporations and users.
ChatGPT and the data problem
ChatGPT is more advanced than other AI chatbots due to the massive datasets that have been used to train it, estimated at over 300 billion words. Its model was trained on internet articles, social media platforms, blog posts, etc., raising questions about the type of consent that was given and what misinformation also found its way into the model. For example, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and other privacy laws impose strict data gathering and collection requirements.
As per OpenAIs own statement:
“A large amount of data on the internet relates to people, so our training information does incidentally include personal information. We don’t actively seek out personal information to train our models.
We use training information only to help our models learn about language and how to understand and respond to it. We do not and will not use any personal information in training information to build profiles about people, to contact them, to advertise to them, to try to sell them anything or to sell the information itself.
Our models may learn from personal information to understand how things like names and addresses fit within language and sentences or to learn about famous people and public figures. This makes our models better at providing relevant responses.”
This raises serious concerns with countries and jurisdictions that impose strict requirements on what data can be collected and the potential risks involved. There has already been action taken, such as Italy’s temporary ban on the usage of ChatGPT and The European Data Protection Board, the privacy body that enforces GDPR setting a task force to look at potential privacy guardrails on the usage of the chatbot. We can expect further regulations to follow to control the usage of AI models as the rapid adoption of this tool grows.
The chat problem
ChatGPT and other AI models utilize chat conversations to further train and refine their responses over time, effectively “learning” with the more information they get. This can raise the issue of users accidentally submitting sensitive information to the tool, leading to a privacy nightmare in other conversations with users.
Thankfully OpenAI has realized this risk and allowed users to turn off chat history, allowing them to control what chats are used to train its model. With this option turned on, chat history will only be trained for 30 days before being permanently deleted.
Privacy tips when using ChatGPT
As privacy professionals navigate the new reality, it is essential to educate users on the tips and practices to use when sharing information with ChatGPT.
Some good practices are :
- Control what you share with ChatGPT: Users need to be educated that any information shared with ChatGPT could be posted on the Internet and shared with others. Only share information that is not sensitive
- Be aware of OpenAI’s privacy policies and how they use information that is shared with them.
- Do not use official or personal emails to sign up with ChatGPT. Use secure email services that are not linked to your accounts.
- Create a policy around this tool that details the Dos and Don’ts of what can be shared with it to hold users accountable for their actions.
Conclusion
ChatGPT is here to stay, and its adoption across industries will only increase over time. Companies and governments need to recognize this new reality and create rules and regulations that balance the need for privacy with productivity. Excessive rules and regulations will only stifle innovation and progress. ChatGPT is a potent tool that can be used for various purposes. However, users must educate themselves on the types of privacy risks present to get the best of both worlds going forward.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is ChatGPT?
ChatGPT is an advanced chatbot developed by OpenAI based on the GPT-4 architecture. It’s designed to generate human-like responses, making it useful for various applications, such as content creation, customer service, and more.
How does ChatGPT gather data?
ChatGPT was trained on over 300 billion words from the internet, including articles, blog posts, social media sites, and books. Additionally, it collects data directly from users, such as account information, communication with OpenAI, and technical information about devices and browsing activity.
Is ChatGPT a privacy risk?
There are concerns regarding ChatGPT’s data collection practices, particularly regarding the use of user-generated data for training purposes and sharing information with various entities. These concerns have led to regulatory actions, such as Italy’s ban on ChatGPT in March 2023.
How can I protect my privacy while using ChatGPT?
To protect your privacy when using ChatGPT, consider registering with a private email, limiting the personal information you share in conversations, and exercising your right to be forgotten (or deletion) under GDPR or CCPA, if applicable.
Are there regulations in place for ChatGPT and other AI technologies?
Various governments are discussing and exploring regulatory measures, such as the European Data Protection Board and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration in the United States. The ongoing debate aims to strike a balance between innovation and privacy protection.
Can I delete my conversations with ChatGPT?
OpenAI states in its FAQ section that it “reviews” conversations users have with ChatGPT, which may be used for training purposes. Unfortunately, the prompts you submit cannot be deleted, according to OpenAI.
What types of information does ChatGPT collect from users?
ChatGPT collects Personally Identifiable Information (PII), such as account information, communication information, and social media information. It also gathers Technical Information (TI) about your device, operating system, browser, IP address, location, and browsing behavior.
The Future of new Cybersecurity technologies and trends
Cybersecurity is becoming one of the most important topics of discussion in the modern world as society increasingly depends on technology. No longer a technical topic, cybersecurity is now discussed at the topmost levels of corporations and governments alike. It is also a rapidly evolving field that must adapt to technological innovations and trends. This article reviews key trends that will shape the cybersecurity industry in the coming years.
The positive impact of AI on Cybersecurity
Artificial Intelligence (AI) has already become one of the most disruptive innovations of the past few decades. Machine Learning (ML) has improved cybersecurity products and solutions over the past few years with improved threat detection, automation, etc. Still, the arrival of ChatGPT on the scene in 2022 proved to be a game changer.
The AI-powered chatbot has impacted nearly every industry, with cybersecurity being no exception. It is already used to generate and review code, exploits, and even write security alert rules. Cybersecurity teams should ensure they have policies and Dos and Don’ts written down for such products and educate employees on the proper etiquette of generative AI.
We can also expect AI and ML to integrate more tightly with cybersecurity fields like application security and penetration testing and automate some of the lower level work.
AI-powered cybercrime
Unfortunately, AI is a double-edged sword, with cyber criminals also realizing its potential. We have deepfake scams becoming increasingly popular in a new kind of social engineering and AI-powered malware capable of evading the latest security products. In addition, AI-based applications are also vulnerable to new attacks like membership inference and model poisoning, which did not exist before. Cybersecurity teams must quickly upskill to defend against these new attack vectors or risk being left behind.
The Rise of Quantum Computing
Quantum Computing which allows the harnessing of computational power far beyond that of traditional computers, is another innovation that will change cybersecurity. New cybersecurity technologies and products will have access to the processing power that was impossible before, allowing more security problems to be solved. Unfortunately, this power can also be misused with Quantum Computing, easily capable of breaking today’s encryption algorithms on which the vast majority of the world depends. Cybersecurity teams need to understand how cryptography will work in a post-quantum world and how to prevent such attacks in the near future.
5G and its growing popularity
Another growing trend is the rise of 5G deployments which allow devices to connect at much faster speeds than currently possible allowing efficient deployments of self-driving vehicles and Smart Homes powered by the Internet of Things (IoT). This will also result in a massive increase in interconnected devices, increasing the attack surface area cybersecurity teams need to secure. Teams will need to look at new strategies for securing such a diverse and scattered network of devices and invest in AI-powered tooling and Zero Trust deployments to mitigate these threats.
Blockchain’s Impact on Cybersecurity
It would seem strange to call Blockchain a new trend as the technology has existed for quite some time, forming the basis for cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin. However, its cybersecurity usage is gaining traction due to its resistance to fraud and tampering. Blockchain technologies can help to validate malicious software updates, which are common in Supply chain attacks.
Supply chain security
Attacks like SolarWinds have highlighted how big of a blind spot supply chain attacks can be for cybersecurity teams. Cybercriminals are increasingly targeting the software supply chain instead of directly attacking a company’s defenses head-on due to the implicit trust that is present. These attacks can be devastating in their impact and compromise multiple companies simultaneously, as with SolarWinds. It is crucial to add the supply chain to cybersecurity risk assessments and adopt zero-trust principles that ensure all requests are authenticated regardless of where they originate.
Conclusion
New cybersecurity technologies are fast-moving field, and it is essential to be aware of these trends like 5G, AI, BlockChain, etc., shaping the industry’s future. These trends must be studied and integrated into the cybersecurity strategies of companies so proactive measures can be taken. The future is filled with opportunities and threats, and it is essential to be ready for both of them!
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What role will AI and Machine Learning play in the future of cybersecurity?
AI and Machine Learning will become increasingly integral to cybersecurity efforts. They will enable more efficient threat detection, analysis, and response and automate routine tasks, allowing security professionals to focus on complex and strategic issues.
How will quantum computing impact cybersecurity?
Quantum computing has the potential to break modern encryption algorithms, necessitating the development of post-quantum cryptography to ensure the continued security of communications and data storage.
What are the potential applications of blockchain technology in cybersecurity?
Blockchain technology can create decentralized identity management systems, protect user privacy, and ensure the integrity and provenance of software updates, reducing the risk of supply chain attacks.
How will the rise of 5G and edge computing affect cybersecurity?
The widespread deployment of 5G networks and the increasing adoption of edge computing will increase connected devices and data transmission, posing new security challenges. Security professionals must develop new strategies for securing 5G networks and edge computing environments.
Why is there an increased focus on privacy and data protection?
High-profile data breaches and growing public awareness of privacy issues have increased the emphasis on privacy and data protection. This may result in more stringent regulations, industry standards, and investment in privacy-enhancing technologies.
What is the significance of supply chain security in cybersecurity?
Supply chain security is crucial because cyber attackers increasingly target supply chain vulnerabilities to compromise systems and sensitive data. Organizations and governments must proactively mitigate risks and secure their supply chains.
How can organizations address the human element in cybersecurity?
Organizations should invest in cybersecurity awareness and training programs for employees, provide regular training on recognizing and responding to potential threats, and promote a culture of security awareness. Investing in technologies to mitigate the risk posed by human error, such as advanced email filtering systems and secure password managers, can also help.
VPN for Remote Workers: protect remote employees and their company data
The popularity of remote working has grown by leaps and bounds in the past few years. Once considered a perk granted by a few companies, remote working is now considered the norm for users globally. Despite the gains in productivity and convenience that remote work offers, it can also introduce certain cybersecurity risks that must be identified and mitigated for a safe working environment. In this article, we go over how VPNs can play an important way in enabling and securing remote work.
The Era of Remote Work and its risks
Remote work allows users to access their work environment from their homes. By its very nature, it introduces a broader attack surface for cybercriminals to exploit. Organizations must introduce means for employees to connect from any location via public and home networks. These networks are typically not as secure as a corporate network, which can expose employees and their corporate assets to cyberattacks such as phishing, malware, identity theft, etc. An attacker could potentially compromise a user via the public internet and use this corporate laptop as a jumping point into a corporate network.
How VPNs help to mitigate these risks
Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) create a secure, encrypted tunnel between a user’s device and the corporate network. They are a critical component of a secure cybersecurity framework for enabling remote work. This secure tunnel ensures that data is encrypted and cannot be accessed by a malicious party. A VPN can ensure that regardless of what type of public network is being used, corporate data such as passwords, intellectual property, financial information, etc., and email communication is secure between a user and a company. Users can safely access their file shares and corporate applications as if sitting within the office premises, despite being present at any location.
In addition to these apparent benefits, VPN for remote workers also bring added advantages, such as masking your IP address and location to maintain privacy and make it difficult for attackers to find your location. The encrypted tunnel VPNs also prevent ISPs from getting visibility into users’ activities and actions and targeting them based on that.
How to implement VPN as a remote work solution
Companies that want to implement a VPN for remote workers must consider this a project, not a product you implement. Users must be educated on the Dos and Don’ts and technical details. A few of the most important aspects to consider are:
- Create a project team with the relevant stakeholders if you are implementing a VPN solution for remote working, as this will require both time and effort. The budgeting and effort aspect must be monitored and reported on
- Choose a proper VPN for remote workers solution that can accommodate the user load that is expected to happen. Not all VPN providers and solutions are equal, so formalize the criteria that will be used, such as performance, security, compatibility, customer support, etc..
- Launch a training program for employees so they know how to use VPNs securely and the technical details around connecting, troubleshooting, patching updates, etc. There is a learning curve associated with using VPNs that should be considered. Employees must also acknowledge a VPN policy that dictates how they are expected to use this facility and any restrictions on the same. This will hold employees accountable in case of any violation. Make sure this is done regularly and is not a one-off activity.
- Implement controls for security and performance monitoring over the VPN. Like any solution, VPNs must be monitored significantly from a security and performance perspective since any issue will directly impact remote workers and their productivity. Define performance metrics such as downtime, connection speed, etc., for monitoring and investing in controls like DDOS protection so that the VPN connection point does not become a single point of failure.
These are just a few measures and controls companies can implement so that all employees safely and securely use remote working via VPN.
Conclusion
Remote working is a reality that will only grow in popularity over time thus, ensuring a safe and secure implementation of a VPN solution is essential for long-term success. Cybersecurity threats targeting remote working will only grow in popularity thus, selecting an appropriate VPN solution, educating employees, and monitoring is the key to long term remote work success.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is a VPN, and how does it work?
A VPN (Virtual Private Network) is a technology that creates a secure, encrypted connection between a user’s device and a remote server. This encrypted tunnel ensures that the data transmitted between the device and the server cannot be intercepted or read by unauthorized parties, providing a secure and private online experience.
Why are VPNs necessary for remote workers?
VPNs are crucial for remote workers because they protect employees and company data from various cybersecurity threats. By using a VPN, remote employees can secure their internet connection, ensuring that sensitive information such as login credentials, financial data, and proprietary information remains safe from hackers and cybercriminals.
What are the benefits of using a VPN for remote work?
Some key benefits of using a VPN for remote work include data encryption, IP address masking, secure access to company resources, bypassing geographical restrictions, and enhanced privacy protection.
How can companies implement VPNs in their remote work environment?
Companies can implement VPNs in their remote work environment by selecting the right VPN provider, establishing a VPN usage policy, providing employee training, monitoring VPN usage and performance, and regularly updating and maintaining VPN software.
Is a VPN necessary for every remote worker?
While the necessity of a VPN can vary depending on the nature of the work and the specific tasks performed by the employee, it is generally recommended for remote workers who access company resources and handle sensitive data. Using a VPN significantly enhances the security and privacy of the remote work environment, reducing the risk of data breaches and other cyber attacks.
Can a VPN slow down my internet connection?
A VPN may cause a slight decrease in internet speed due to the encryption and decryption process and additional routing through the VPN server. However, this speed reduction is generally minimal and does not significantly impact the overall user experience. Sometimes, connecting to a VPN server geographically closer to the user can minimize any potential speed reduction.
Secure Password Management: Best practices and tools
Passwords have remained the most critical access control over users’ data and applications for decades and show no sign of going away anytime soon. A user’s password is the doorway through which they enter their online lives and applications, hence becoming the primary target for attackers. Along with the risk of cybercrime, users also have to juggle remembering complex passwords for numerous applications, which can become very difficult over time. This article will review essential password management techniques that users can apply to manage their passwords securely and conveniently.
Laying the foundation – Strong passwords
Choosing strong passwords is a statement that every single online user has heard at one time or another, yet it is still something that is often neglected until a breach happens. A strong password lays the foundation for an overall strong security foundation and is something that should never be neglected.
There is a reason that the following principles have stood the test of time:
- Ensure the password has an appropriate length and complexity with a combination of lower, uppercase characters, numbers, symbols, etc.
- Avoiding common words and phrases that can easily be brute forced by attackers
- Avoiding passwords creates information that can easily be gleaned from your public profiles, like the date of birth, name, address, etc.
- Using passphrases that are easier to remember and yet much more difficult to guess
- Avoiding reuse of passwords as that exponentially increases the blast radius of an attack if your password gets breached.
Leveraging tools and technology
As mentioned earlier, managing passwords across applications can be a logistical nightmare leading to users choosing easy passwords, reusing them, or writing them down for easy access.
Thankfully there are numerous tools and technologies available that can mitigate these risks.
But before using these tools, it is essential to remember that not all passwords are created equal. It is important to list and categorize the accounts you use to immediately focus on the most sensitive ones and move to the less critical ones over time.
Some of the essential tools and tips that can be used are:
- Password Managers can be used to store your passwords in one place securely. Tools like LastPass can handle the overhead of creating and managing different, unique passwords from a central location. These tools can also fill them out automatically when users access their applications, thus removing the difficulty of password management.
- Enabling multi-factor authentication is a simple but effective way to strengthen your password footprint further. This additional layer of security can stop an attacker in their tracks even if your password is compromised. Most online applications and platforms support MFA, so enabling this should be a top priority.
- Establish a routine for changing passwords. Mark a date in your calendar for when you will change the passwords for your critical accounts. It is easy to keep putting this off until a security issue happens and then go into panic mode. Ensure you change your password for critical accounts such as online banking, social media, and email every 3 to 6 months.
- Offline encrypted storage is another option for users uncomfortable using online password management tools. There are alternatives like encrypted USB drives that can be used and mitigate the risk of theft due to their strong encryption.
- Make sure that you review your accounts periodically and close those accounts you are no longer using. Reducing your digital footprint helps you become a less attractive target for attackers.
Lastly, you must be informed about cybersecurity news to be aware of any data breaches that might impact your accounts. Register for updates on sites and always watch for attacks on websites and platforms on which you have a presence so you can immediately change your passwords in case of an attack.
Conclusion
As mentioned earlier, passwords are the “keys to the kingdom” in your digital life and should be treated as such. There are numerous tools present which can remove the burden of creating and managing strong passwords and reduce the risk of a data breach. In addition to these tools, enable MFA where possible, regularly review your accounts, and set up a password rotation schedule. These good practices working in tandem will make your passwords secure and easy to use.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is the recommended length and complexity for a strong password?
A strong password should be at least 12 characters long and include a combination of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters to make it harder for attackers to crack.
What is a passphrase, and why is it more secure than traditional passwords?
A passphrase is a sequence of words or sentences that is easy for you to remember but difficult for others to guess. Passphrases are generally more secure than traditional passwords because they are longer and less predictable.
Why is it important not to reuse passwords?
Reusing passwords across multiple accounts increases the risk of a data breach. If one of your accounts is compromised, all others are at risk. Creating unique passwords for each account minimizes this risk.
What are some popular password managers?
Some popular password managers include LastPass, Dashlane, and 1Password. These tools securely store and manage all your passwords in one place, generate strong, unique passwords for your accounts, and automatically fill them in when needed.
How often should I update my passwords?
It is recommended to update your passwords every 3-6 months, especially for sensitive accounts like email, banking, and social media. Regular password updates help reduce the risk of unauthorized access.
What is two-factor authentication (2FA), and why should I use it?
Two-factor authentication (2FA) is an added layer of security that requires a second factor, such as a fingerprint, a text message code, or a mobile app-generated code, to access your account. Using 2FA reduces the risk of unauthorized access even if your password is compromised.
How can I securely store my passwords offline?
For secure offline storage of passwords, consider using an encrypted storage solution like KeePass or an encrypted USB drive. Encryption ensures your passwords remain secure, even if the storage device is lost or stolen.
The Dark Web: How to safely navigate this hidden part of the Internet
Mention the words “Dark Web,” and often, most people conjure up images of cybercriminals selling stolen information on internet black markets and other illegal activities. The Dark Web has typically been associated with such harmful activities. Still, most people are unaware it also offers a haven for people who are serious about protecting their privacy and security on the Internet. In this article, we do a deep dive into the Dark Web, how it works, and how to use this hidden corner of the Internet safely.
What is the Dark Web?
The Dark Web, in its simplest form, is a corner of the Internet that contains content and infrastructure that is not searchable or indexable by traditional search engines, thus making it “invisible” to the vast majority of users on the Internet. You will not be able to find its content by doing a Google or Yahoo search but instead need special software or browsers like Tor to access it. This software hides your details and browsing activities by masking and encrypting your information.
Benefits of the Dark Web
As we mentioned earlier, the Dark Web is not just restricted to illegal activities but provides several benefits to privacy-conscious users. The anonymity it offers can be life-saving for users who live under regimes or countries where the Internet and free speech is heavily censored. Any sort of dissent is not tolerated. Users can access the Dark Web and share information with external parties without the threat of surveillance by government authorities. Some of the other benefits it offers are:
- Research: It is possible to find academic and research papers on the Dark Web that are not accessible anywhere else, along with books censored by government authorities.
- Journalism and whistleblowing: The Dark web offers a safe space for whistleblowers who want to expose unethical or illegal activities of governments or organizations. It allows them to share sensitive information with journalists and newspapers without risking their identities being revealed and putting them in danger. Journalists can also use it to publish censored or restricted news within their own countries.
- Underground marketplace: While it is true that cyber criminals and other illegal parties are some of the key users of the Dark Web, it also offers underground marketplaces for valid goods such as privacy-enhancing software, cryptocurrency products, electronics, etc., which are usually not available anywhere else
Precautions when using the Dark Web
As we have seen, the Dark Web can offer as many benefits as risks, but it is only a place to visit with taking precautions. If you are interested in using the Dark Web, the first step is to understand how it works and how its users operate. Users on the Dark web are fiercely protective of their privacy, which must be respected at all times. There are numerous forums where you can educate yourself about the culture of the Dark Web and the dos and don’ts of operating there ( Be careful of any scams that promise you access in exchange for money ).
Along with empowering yourself with information, some of the other precautions to take are:
- Use security software such as a Tor Browser, which masks your IP addresses and anonymizes your internet footprint. This way, you can securely browse the Dark web without the risk of revealing your identity. At the same time, be extremely careful not to reveal personal information about yourself, such as your name or email address.
- Use Encryption: Ensure you enable end-to-end encryption as an additional control when browsing the Dark Web. You can use a Virtual Private Network (VPN) along with Tor browser to create a secure and encrypted tunnel on top of the security that the Tor browser already provides.
- Ensure your software is secure: Ensure your device is up to date with the latest security patches and you are using the latest version of the Tor Browser. Also, make sure your devices are protected with anti-malware software as the Dark Web is filled with cyber criminals.
- Beware of Scammers: There is no end to the amount of the scams you will find when browsing the Dark Web with malicious links and messages promising you all sorts of attractive items. Be extremely cautious when clicking on any link, and educate yourself on common Dark Web scams.
The way forward
I hope this article gave you a good idea of the Dark Web and how it is not just a place for illegal activities and cyber criminals. The Dark Web’s privacy and anonymity can be life-saving for journalists, whistleblowers, and people who want to be secure from government surveillance. By understanding how the dark web operates and taking the necessary precautions, the Dark Web can be used responsibly and securely.
What is the Dark Web?
The Dark Web is a subset of the Deep Web, which consists of web content not indexed by standard search engines. It can only be accessed through special software, such as the Tor Browser, which provides users anonymity and privacy.
How is the Dark Web different from the Deep Web?
The Deep Web refers to all web content not indexed by search engines, whereas the Dark Web is a smaller portion of the Deep Web that requires specialized software. The Dark Web is designed explicitly for anonymity and privacy, while the Deep Web encompasses a broader range of content.
Is the Dark Web illegal?
The Dark Web is not illegal but can be used for illegal activities, such as buying and selling drugs, firearms, and stolen data. Accessing the Dark Web for legitimate purposes, such as research or secure communication, is legal.
Can I access the Dark Web with a standard browser?
You cannot access the Dark Web with a standard browser like Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox. You need specialized software like the Tor Browser to access the Dark Web.
How do I stay safe while browsing the Dark Web?
Use the Tor Browser, a VPN, and encrypted communication to stay safe on the Dark Web. Keep your software up to date, avoid clicking on suspicious links, and do not share personal information. Learn about the Dark Web community to identify risks and make informed decisions.
Is it safe to use the Dark Web?
While the Dark Web offers a high level of privacy and anonymity, it also presents risks due to its association with illegal activities and malicious actors. By following the safety precautions mentioned in this article, you can minimize these risks and navigate the Dark Web responsibly.
Privacy-focused Search Engines Prioritize User Privacy.
In today’s digitally connected world, retaining control of your personal information is getting harder and harder. Everything from smartphones to social media applications request access to personal information for customizing their experiences, making privacy a primary concern for users. Along with the rise of privacy issues, data breaches are also becoming common, and users need to take back control of where and how they share their data.
Most Internet users interact with the web via search engines, with Google being the market leader by far. Google has made no secret of how it uses user information to customize advertising and further refine search results, causing concerns to users who are sensitive about what information they share. As privacy awareness has grown, users are now looking for other options to control and restrict data collection while surfing the web.
Various privacy-focused search engines are now available to fill this gap, serving as a more secure alternative to mainstream search engines like Google. These search engines are designed to protect user privacy and keep data collection minimal. This article will detail a few of these engines and their unique features.
DuckDuckGo
One of the most famous names in the privacy search engine market, DuckDuckGo promises a privacy-friendly experience to users. By blocking third-party trackers, it ensures that data is not tracked or sold to third parties. It uses its web crawler, DuckDuckBot to crawl the Internet and provide search results.
Key Features:
- Third-party trackers are blocked
- No tracking of user data
Startpage
Another popular option is Startpage which was launched in 2006. This privacy engine provides Google results without user tracking or targeted ads. Users can enjoy the benefits of Google’s search results quality without their privacy being lost.
Key Features:
- Privacy-friendly Google results
- Anonymous View feature that allows you to visit web pages without any tracking
- Ability to save settings on websites without the usage of cookies
Qwant
Launched in 2013, Qwant is a French search engine that functions similarly to DuckduckGo and its counterparts by not tracking user data or serving targeted ads. It categorizes search results into social media, news, web, etc., making it easy for users to find what they want.
Key Features:
- Third-party trackers are blocked
- No tracking of user data
- Search results are categorized
Swisscows
Swisscows was launched in 2014 and, as its name suggests, is based out of Switzerland, one of the world’s most privacy-friendly countries. It stores no identifying information and uses Bing for its search results. It also filters any explicit content out, making it a child- and family-friendly option.
Key Features:
- Third-party trackers are blocked
- No tracking of user data
- Explicit content is filtered out
- Data is stored in one of the most privacy-friendly countries in the world
Searx
An open-source option launched in 2013, Searx provides the previously mentioned benefits and aggregates the results from other engines. Due to it being open source, users can run their version of Searx, giving them even more control over the engine.
Key Features:
- Third-party trackers are blocked
- No tracking of user data
- Able to Aggregates search results from other search engines
- Open-source allows users to host their instance of Searx
MetaGer
Based out of Germany, MetaGer is operated by the nonprofit organization SUMA-EV. Its search engine again aggregates search results from various engines giving users an unbiased result of what they are searching for.
Key Features:
- Third-party trackers are blocked
- No tracking of user data
- Able to Aggregates search results from other search engines
- Managed by a nonprofit organization.
- It also supports open source.
- Uses green energy for data center
Mojeek
Mojeek is a UK-based search engine focusing heavily on user privacy and providing unbiased search results. Launched in 2004, it provides the features mentioned previously but has its unique web crawler and does not rely on other search engines for its results.
Key Features:
- Third-party trackers are blocked
- No tracking of user data
- It uses its custom web crawler and indexing to provide results
- Data is stored in a privacy-friendly region
- Uses green energy for data center
Conclusion
The mentioned search engines are just a few of the options available to users who are serious about their privacy and protecting their personal information. Each of these engines has its own unique pros that should be evaluated by users and chosen based on what they prioritize. By using a privacy-focused search engine, users can enjoy the benefits of surfing the web and being comfortable in control of their personal information.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is a privacy-focused search engine?
A privacy-focused search engine is an alternative to mainstream search engines that prioritizes user privacy by not tracking search queries, browsing history, or personal information. These search engines aim to minimize data collection and protect user privacy.
Why should I use a privacy-focused search engine?
Using a privacy-focused search engine helps protect your personal information from being tracked, stored, and potentially shared with third parties. Using these search engines allows you to enjoy a more secure browsing experience and maintain greater control over your data.
Are privacy-focused search engines as efficient as mainstream search engines?
While privacy-focused search engines may not always provide the same level of personalization as mainstream search engines, they still offer high-quality search results. Many privacy-focused search engines use aggregated results from multiple sources or use their web crawlers to ensure accurate and relevant search results.
Are privacy-focused search engines free to use?
Yes, most privacy-focused search engines are free to use. They may generate revenue through non-personalized ads or rely on donations to support their operations.
How do privacy-focused search engines prevent tracking?
Privacy-focused search engines prevent tracking by not storing user data, such as IP addresses or search queries. They may also block third-party trackers, use encryption to secure user data, and offer features like anonymous browsing to protect user privacy further.
Social Media Privacy Protection
Social media is now an integral part of our digital lives, with an estimated 4.89 billion social media users across the globe. It has become the primary way of staying connected with friends and colleagues as they share updates about their lives, jobs and other events. At the same time, by its very nature, social media requires personal information to be shared with it, which can become a serious privacy concern. Over time, these social media platforms can become a treasure trove of data about individuals that can get shared or misused if appropriate controls are not implemented. In this article, we will go over some important tips and best practices to keep in mind when using social media so your personal information stays secure and private
Tips and best practises
The most obvious tip when using social media is to be careful about what you share. No technical control can stop you from revealing too much personal information online. Educate yourself on the dangers of sharing too much information, such as cyberstalking, identity theft, etc. Details like your phone number, address, and financial details will never be shared on such platforms. Even other details like your travel locations and work details can be misused by attackers who seek to gain as much knowledge as possible about potential targets.
In addition, and no particular order, here are some of the most important things you can do to protect your personal information on social media platforms:
- Understand how privacy settings work: Each social media platform, be it Facebook, Instagram, Twitter etc. come with built-in privacy settings that allow you to control who can view your profile, posts etc. However, they mostly default to the least privacy-friendly settings. Make sure to review them and fine-tune them so only your contacts can view and comment on your profiles. This is also not a one-time activity, as social media platforms make regular changes to their privacy policies which can affect the visibility of your profile and posts. Make sure to check and fine-tune these settings regularly.
- Enforce Multi-factor authentication (MFA): Using strong, unique passwords for each social media account is essential in safeguarding your personal information. Create complex passwords that incorporate a mix of upper and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols, and avoid using easily guessed information, such as your birthdate or pet’s name. Consider using a password manager to help generate and store your passwords securely. Additionally, never share your passwords with others, and change them periodically to maintain their effectiveness. Turning on MFA on your social media profile is a powerful control against account takeover attacks. Enabling MFA ensures that a secondary check, such as a One Time Password (OTP), is needed for logging on to your profile.
- Be cautious of third-party apps: Third-party apps are a popular way to extend the functionality of social media platforms; however, they come with a caveat. Such apps require access to your profile and personal information to provide their functionality. Carefully review what permissions you are granting before consenting to such access. Like point 1, review the access granted to third-party apps regularly and remove those applications you no longer use.
- Be careful with connections: While gaining as large a following on social media as possible is tempting, you should always be careful when accepting requests. Accept connection requests only from those individuals you know and trust instead of blindly accepting any request so that your following will increase. Cybercriminals and scammers are well aware of the lure of social media and try to gain access to your profile and network, bringing us to our next point.
- Educate yourself on social engineering: Scammers and criminals seeking access to your personal information often use social engineering tactics to trick you into handing over access. Phishing attacks on social media platforms are common and can have a higher success rate due to the trust placed in direct messaging over email. Fake profiles can be created and used to gain trust before fraudulent messages are sent. Always be on the lookout for unsolicited messages attempting to coerce you into taking action.
- Learn about browser extensions: Browser extensions are a great way to extend the functionality of your web browser and block trackers and advertisements. They can inform you about tracking requests from social media websites, such as pixels, cookies etc. and prevent such requests from taking place.
Conclusion
These are just a few tips to remember when using social media platforms for a safe and privacy-friendly experience. Note that the goal is not to become completely anonymous on the internet but to ensure you only share details that cannot be misused or shared without your consent. There is no silver bullet to securing your personal information on social media but a combination of good practices such as fine-tuning privacy settings, setting strong password controls, controlling this party apps and overall awareness. By following these tips, you can safely enjoy the social media experience while securing your information simultaneously.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Why is it important to protect my personal information on social media?
Protecting your personal information on social media is crucial to prevent identity theft, cyberstalking, unauthorized access to your accounts, and other potential dangers. Keeping your information secure ensures your privacy and reduces the risk of becoming a target for cybercriminals.
What should I avoid sharing on social media?
Avoid sharing sensitive personal information, such as your phone number, address, financial details, travel locations, and work details. Sharing too much information can make you vulnerable to cyberattacks and other privacy risks.
How do I manage privacy settings on social media platforms?
Each social media platform has built-in privacy settings that allow you to control who can view your profile and posts. Familiarize yourself with these settings and fine-tune them to enhance your privacy. Regularly review and update your settings, as platforms may change their privacy policies over time.
How can I ensure that third-party apps are safe to use on social media?
Be cautious when granting permissions to third-party apps, as they often require access to your profile and personal information. Carefully review the requested permissions and only grant access to trusted apps. Regularly review and revoke permissions for apps you no longer use.
How can I identify and avoid social engineering attacks on social media?
Educate yourself about social engineering tactics, such as phishing attacks and fake profiles. Be cautious of unsolicited messages, especially those that try to persuade you to take any action. Only accept connection requests from people you know and trust.
Why Your Netflix Account Could Be Targeted by Scammers
Scams targeting Netflix users have become increasingly common in recent years, and it is important to be aware of the different types of scams that exist. In this article, we will explore some of the most common Netflix scams and provide you with tips on how to avoid them.
Types of Netflix Scams
Phishing Scams
Phishing scams involve tricking users into providing their personal information by posing as a legitimate website or service. In the case of Netflix scams, scammers may send fake emails or text messages that appear to be from Netflix, asking users to update their account information.
To avoid falling victim to a phishing scam, we recommend that you always check the sender’s email address or phone number and verify that it is legitimate before providing any personal information.
Malware Scams
Malware scams involve tricking users into downloading malicious software that can harm their devices or steal their personal information. In the case of Netflix scams, scammers may create fake websites that offer free Netflix accounts or access to exclusive content, but require users to download a suspicious file first.
To avoid falling victim to a malware scam, we recommend that you only download software from trusted sources and use antivirus software to protect your devices.
Subscription Scams
Subscription scams involve tricking users into paying for fake Netflix subscriptions or services. In the case of Netflix scams, scammers may create fake websites or ads that offer discounted Netflix subscriptions or access to exclusive content, but require users to provide their credit card information first.
To avoid falling victim to a subscription scam, we recommend that you only subscribe to Netflix through the official Netflix website or app, and never provide your credit card information to third-party websites or services.
How to Protect Yourself from Netflix Scams
- Use Strong Passwords
Using strong, unique passwords for your Netflix account can help prevent scammers from accessing your account or personal information.
- Enable Two-Factor Authentication
Enabling two-factor authentication for your Netflix account can provide an extra layer of security by requiring a verification code in addition to your password.
- Check for Secure Connections
Always check that you are using a secure connection when accessing Netflix or entering personal information online. Look for the lock icon in your browser’s address bar and make sure the URL starts with “https”.
- Stay Informed
Stay informed about the latest Netflix scams and security threats by following reputable online security blogs or news sources.
Conclusion
Netflix scams can be a serious threat to your online security and personal information. By following the tips outlined in this article, you can help protect yourself from these scams and enjoy your Netflix subscription with peace of mind.
In summary, we hope that this article has provided you with valuable information on how to protect yourself from Netflix scams. By following the tips and advice outlined in this article, you can enjoy your Netflix subscription without falling victim to scams and security threats.
US 2023 cybersecurity policy
According to IBM, the average Ransomware attack cost was estimated to be 4.5 Million Dollars in 2022. Given the clear impact that lack of CyberSecurity is having even on the average company, it is a matter of national interest that public institution do their part in defining a clear strategy and goals to achieve to bring CyberSecurity back to an acceptable level.
The white house publishes the strategy and its outlined in five pillars:
- Defend Critical infrastructure
- Disrupt and Dismantle Threat Actors
- Shape Market Forces to Drive Security and Resilience
- Invest in a resilient future
- Forge International Partnerships to Pursue Shared Goals
A More Fierce Cyber Security Strategy
The US has set quite an ambitious objective to increase security until the point where “criminal cyber activity is rendered unprofitable”. In order to “Dismantle” threat actors, the US to ramp up its action against cyber criminals by;
- Better integration with Federal Bodies: Several federal entities, such as the Department of Justice and FBI, have already engaged in activities such as cryptocurrency seizing, hunting criminal hosting on the web and dismantling botnets. Coordinating these activities and expanding on new efforts will be the cornerstone of the strategic objective “Disrupt and Dismantle”
- Enhancing Public-Private Collaboration: US recognises the fact that the private sector is more scalable and flexible. In order to increase resilience on a state level, is necessary to broaden the collaboration with private institutions.
- Increase Intelligence Sharing: to educate a broader audience and increase the base capability of all the entities involved in the internet, the US aims to improve intelligence sharing by publishing more information and keeping the public more informed on the identified emerging threats
- Prevent Infrastructure Abuse and Cybercrime: Hosting and cloud infrastructure offer actors outside the US the ability to turn against the country its own resources. The US aims to tighten security and regulations in order to prevent this phenomenon
Finally, a dedicated section of the strategy aims to increase the protection from Ransomware, demonstrating how this particular type of malware has gained a considerable spot in the light.
How the US Intends to Achieve its 2023 Strategy?
The United States will achieve the above-mentioned objectives by pursuing a multifaceted approach, which can be summarized in a few key points as follows.
First, is a priority to establish the cybersecurity requirements that are crucial to support the national security sector and have a concrete impact on public safety. This is essential to secure critical infrastructure and defend them against cyber threats.
Moreover, scaling public-private collaboration will be a strategy that, while promoting information sharing, will also ensure that cybersecurity resilience across multiple entities is enhanced by design.
Also, the US aims to strengthen the integration across cybersecurity centres that are already existing on a federal level. There are already several stakeholders on a federal level that are proving to be crucial in the fight against cyber threats. The goal of the 2023 cyber strategy is not to replace these institutions but to capitalize on them and better coordinate their effort against cyber criminals.
Finally, a modern federal defence strategy requires staying ahead of emerging threats. For this reason, the US has set a goal to increase adaptiveness against a rapidly evolving cybersecurity landscape.
What to expect as a business owner?
If you are a small business owner or an individual, chances are that in the future, the burden of ensuring cybersecurity will be shifted from you to government-level organisations or bigger companies that can better sustain the effort. Through a model of shared responsibility, leveraging the market forces and regulatory tools, safer cybersecurity practices will be incentivised to increase public safety and, consequently, general prosperity.
The United States has also committed to pursuing this strategy with a particular approach that will balance short-term needs with long-term investments. Some of these investments will impact areas such as cybersecurity research and development, workforce development, education and awareness.
Thus, If you are a stakeholder in these sectors, you can expect an increase not only in opportunities but in responsibilities as well as accountability for Data Processing, Secure Process Development, Insurance on Cyber Security incidents and similar practices, that today are innovative, will soon become a standard.
Special Focus on International Partnerships
If you are a service provider or a Cyber Security business stakeholder from abroad, you might be interested in knowing that international partnerships occupy a dedicated section in the 2023 US Cyber Security strategy document.
In fact, to counter the threats posed by hostile actors in the cyberspace, cooperation with international partners will be increased to achieve the following objectives:
– Build coalitions to counter threats to our digital ecosystem: The U.S. has set out to increase cooperation with allies and partners abroad to share information, coordinate responses, and impose sanctions on those who engage in malicious cyber activities. These partners on a state level include various countries such as Japan, Australia and India. The US intends to strengthen cooperation with these countries to achieve a more robust presence outside its boundaries, as many threats targeting the US are also coming from outside.
– Strengthen international partner capacity and assist partners: Increasing allies’ capabilities, where necessary, is also a strategic goal. As instability and inadequacy in protecting cyberspace for a third country could likely result in a threat to national security, the US commits to fostering investments and advancements in “like-minded” states.
– Secure global supply chains for information, communications, and operational technology products and services: The U.S. has recognised its dependency on products manufactured in foreign countries and in order to reduce its exposure will ensure that critical components are either built within the country or will ensure that the supply chain is stable and secure
What comes next?
The US Cyber Security Strategy 2023 document concludes by outlining what to expect next in three aspects:
- Assessing the effectiveness: The first step is to assess the current status and plan for measuring the effectiveness of the solution implemented, ensuring that the progress is measurable and the measurements are data-driven
- Incorporating Lessons Learned: lessons learned refers to learning how to prevent cyber security issues from cyber incidents. The government will start applying the cyber security strategy from the already present lesson learned from previous cyber incidents
- Making the Investment: the next step is to make new investments in order to further the cyber security strategy where lessons learned is not sufficient to bring the security up to the desired standard
These are the first steps that the government will take to ensure that the strategy is implemented sufficiently, but you can expect more developments to come as time goes on.
Conclusions
The US 2023 cyber security strategy is a relvant document under many aspects. An achievement that reflects the growing importance of protecting digital assets, information and identity in the virtual space. Besides outlining the vision of current objectives, the document sets future goals and measurements that will define whether the strategy was followed. However, this document is not the last step of a path but rather a first step on many roads that will define the national direction of cyber security. The US must continue adapting to this territory’s evolving challenges and opportunities and operate with its allies to promote a stable and secure cyberspace.
Credit Card Payment Scams and How to Avoid Them
In today’s digital world, society is moving away from a cash-based economy and towards contactless payments, e-commerce, and other payment methods. Credit Cards can now be made part of your smartphone wallet allowing easy and seamless payments. Despite all this evolution, however, one thing that has remained constant is cybercriminals and scams targeting this payment information. This article covers the different types of Credit Card scams and how to protect yourself against such fraudulent attacks.
Understanding Credit Card Scam
Credit Card Scams refer to the techniques used by scammers to access a person’s payment card data so they can either carry out fraudulent transactions or sell this information onward for a price. Scammers leverage numerous techniques to trick individuals into handing over this sensitive information via social engineering, identity theft, malware, etc. This can have severe consequences for the victims as they have to deal with the financial damage and stress that happens in the wake of a credit card scam.
As payments have become more and more electronic, attacks have also increased in sophistication. Advanced social engineering techniques are used to trick unsuspecting individuals and gain access to their data. It is crucial for every individual to understand these attacks and how to protect themselves.
Types of Credit Card Scams
- Fake accounts: Scammers commit identity theft and use this stolen personal information to open credit card accounts in the victim’s name. This can lead to severe financial problems as the victim might become liable for transactions that he or she never committed, and solving this can be a long and tiring process. It is essential to protect your personal information at all times and regularly review credit reports to make sure that no suspicious activity is occurring under your name.
- Skimming: Skimming involves placing a device on top of the ATM or Point of Sale Machine that accepts credit card payments to capture the used credit card information. The skimming device on the ATM or POS device secretly captures the full details of the card, which the scammer can later use to create cloned or counterfeit cards. Always be vigilant of suspicious devices or cameras near ATM Machines or POS devices. It is recommended to use ATMs in well-lit and public areas to minimize the risk of the device being compromised. Ensure that your keypad is also covered when the PIN information is on it so any secret cameras cannot view it.
- Phishing scams: Phishing unfortunately remains a tried and tested way for scammers to trick people into handing over their credit card data. By impersonating trusted organizations, they can cause the user to click on malicious links and enter their data on fraudulent websites capturing their payment data, Phishing red flags typically involve grammatical errors, and typos within content of the email, typically requiring urgent action from the user. Always be suspicious of emails claiming to be from the company and asking you for personal information. Avoid clicking on links within these emails and contact the companies directly to verify.
Social Media Scams: A more sophisticated version of the phishing scam involves attackers creating fake social media profiles to trick victims into handing over sensitive information. The nature of these platforms allows direct messaging instead of emails which attackers exploit to send messages pretending to be customer support or a trusted friend. Due to the user’s trust in these platforms, these attacks can have a higher success rate than standard phishing emails.
How to protect yourself from Credit Card Scams
Awareness is the first and most critical step in protecting oneself from Credit Card scams. As a credit card user, you must be highly cautious about the physical and digital security of your credit card information.
Keep the following in mind at all times:
- Make sure to carry out online transactions on secure websites that use encryption and other controls (the easiest way to check is to ensure the “https://” and padlock icon is visible in the website URL). Do not enter this information on websites that do not appear legitimate and verify their reputation via customer reviews, news, etc.
- Set up alerts for your credit card transactions and closely review your monthly statements for any transactions you are unfamiliar with. Report any anomalies to the bank or issue them immediately.
- Be aware of the telltale signs of phishing emails or telephone scams. Avoid clicking on links or providing your credit card information to callers who claim to be from your bank or credit card issuer. Always verify the identity of someone claiming to be from such organizations.
- Turn on additional features like multi-factor authentication for your online accounts, which add an extra layer of security for your accounts.
- Look into using temporary credit cards or “virtual” cards that typically are valid for a limited time only. This can help protect you in case the information gets compromised online.
When used together, these good practices can significantly reduce the risk of being compromised via a credit card scam. Despite all of these, however, if you find yourself a victim, immediately contact your bank or credit card issuer to report such activity. Look into canceling or freezing the compromised account so that additional transactions do not happen.
Conclusion
Credit card scams will not go away anytime soon and will only increase in sophistication as attackers find innovative ways to compromise your payment information. The combination of technical controls and awareness measures outlined in this article is the best way to stop yourself from being a victim of such scams. Vigilance and awareness is the best way to keep enjoying a secure and enjoyable online shopping experience!
Frequently Asked Questions
What are credit card scams?
Credit card scams involve techniques used by scammers to gain access to payment card data for fraudulent transactions or resale. These scams often employ social engineering, identity theft, and malware to trick individuals into revealing sensitive information.
What are the types of credit card scams?
Credit card scams include fake accounts, skimming, phishing, and social media. Fake accounts involve identity theft, skimming captures card information from ATMs or POS machines, phishing tricks individuals into providing data on fraudulent websites, and social media scams use fake profiles to deceive victims.
How can I protect myself from credit card scams?
To protect yourself, always transact on secure websites with encryption. Review your credit card statements regularly, set up transaction alerts, and report any suspicious activity immediately. Be cautious of phishing emails and telephone scams, verify identities before sharing information, enable multi-factor authentication, and consider using temporary or virtual credit cards.
What should I do if I become a victim of a credit card scam?
If you become a victim, immediately report the activity to your bank or credit card issuer. Consider canceling or freezing the compromised account to prevent further transactions. By following these measures and staying vigilant, you can reduce the risk of falling victim to credit card scams and enjoy a secure online shopping experience.
New AI-generated YouTube tutorial spreads malware
ouTube has become the second most visited website in the whole web, with more than 500 hours of video uploaded every minute and 1.5B visitors each month.
It is only natural that such a websites attracts malicious actors that to spread malware and videos to spread stealer malware, trojans and other dangerous software through malicious links or malicious files.
The latest of these are AI-generated videos. If you are how AI can help malicious actors spread Malware through YouTube, don’t miss this article.
Malicious content on YouTube
There’s been quite a spike in malicious content published on YouTube over the past few years. As the platform gains popularity, it becomes more appetible for cybercriminals not only for the larger audience they can access but also because, as more content is published hourly, it becomes harder and harder to filter out malicious content.
The surge in AI capability will only make this trend spike in the future, as generating bulk videos through AI is now easier than ever. The more content is published, the higher the chance to elude YouTube’s tight controls.
How is Malware Spread Through YouTube Videos
The official YouTube page is safe to navigate. There is almost no chance you will get your machine infected simply by browsing and watching videos on the official YouTube webpage and/or YouTube app.
So how do hackers spread malware through this platform?
Videos spread Stealer Malware, like Raccoon, RedLine, and Vidar, by advertising links and actions that lead users to self-infect their machines.
These videos look like legitimate tutorials explaining how to install free commercial Software, such as Adobe or Autocad.
The cracking instructions lead to links where an unofficial version of this software containing the malware code waiting to be downloaded.
The instructions to install the software also mislead users into applying unsafe configurations on their OS, allowing the Malware to operate its hack.
How to Protect from YouTube Videos Spreading Stealer Malware
Never trust by default the legitimacy of a video; YouTube tutorials are a great source of knowledge and can be used for training, but they are not a single source of truth like most content on the web.
You can always check on youtube videos whether the account publishing the content is a legitimate organization or a private user.
Generally, accepting cracked versions of costly Software for free is unsafe behavior for several reasons besides being unethical and illegal.
Most YouTube videos also include various links in their description sections. Always check the link destination before clicking on them, even when you are visiting a trusted channel, as never trusting a link destination unless you verified it is a good practice in general when being onlin
How to Recognize AI-Generated Videos on Youtube
AI-Generated youtube videos to spread malicious links can be harder to spot in time as the AI-generated content increases in quality. Verifying the source channel is the first step. Channels with few users subscribed despite publishing high volumes of content are most likely publishing low-quality content, such as AI-generated videos.
Fake comments published to trick users into believing the channel is legitimate are also easy to spot as a red flag. If you notice that in the comment section, several comments look like they are AI-generated or highly repetitive, probably the content creator is trying to make its content look more legitimate than it is.
If you are wondering how to assess whether the content you are viewing is AI-Generated, you can spot some common factors:
- Environment errors: AI-Generated videos tend to have imperfections such as unnatural lightning in the environment they try to represent or unnatural movement of the bodies.
- Voice and Speech: AI-Generated youtube videos will most likely feature voice content that is AI-Generated as well. The combination of automated imagery creation and automated voice-over is an easy-to-spot combination.
- Lack of errors and expressivity: Content creators tend to give distinguishing traits to their videos, odd behavior, loud talk, errors and abrupt reactions are not uncommon in videos as they make creative content look more original and entertaining. Flat videos with still human figure talking, even for professional uses, are quite unusual.
Conclusions
There are licensed product that have a learning curve out there and that people like to test before committing to subscription, also everyone wants to get a better deal than most, but these shouldn’t be driving factors when following link or instructions on software installation from unknown sources on the web.
YouTube is a trustworthy platform but its content trustworthiness can vary significantly depending on the source.
AI-Generated youtube videos to spread stealer malware have become a problem in the community as AI-Generated content is more compelling and easier to create than ever.
Healthcare device manufacturer cybersecurity will ramp up following FDA regulation
Security Misconfiguration is in the top 5 OWASP vulnerabilities and was the main vulnerability to which EyeCare and HearingCare Networks were subject. The two entities provide devices to aid people with sight and hearing dysfunction and fell victim of a hack in 2021. As the record goes, EyeCare and HearingCare suffered “unauthorised access to its data environment whereby someone removed and then deleted certain patient information”.
The data breach resulted in a class action that led to even more complications for the two entities. Because of incidents like these, the Food and Drug Administration decided to publish its own draft guidance to help companies operating in the healthcare industry improve their cyber security awareness and capability.
In this article, we will give an overview of this document and offer useful insight.
What is FDA Medical Device Security
The Food and Drug Administration (aka FDA) is the United States Government Agency in charge of regulating drugs, food, medical devices, cosmetics, tobacco and more. The FDA mission is to ensure that all the products manufactured and sold that fall under this umbrella are in compliance with its safety, efficacy and security standards.
In order to succeed in its mission, FDA creates and updates its regulatory standards, offering mandatory and cautionary guidance on all the subjects under its jurisdiction. The FDA regulations don’t necessarily influence only the technical qualities of products and manufacturers; in some cases, FDA rules on supply chain standards to counter-terrorism, for example, or to ensure sustainability and quality of products in commerce in the US.
In the matter of Medical Device Security, FDA has taken more and more responsibility in guiding medical machine manufacturers through the process of secure software design applied to medical devices.
In order to achieve this, FDA has developed a draft guidance on the Cyber Security standards that medical device developers should consider. This draft guidance is a best practice suggestion and is not in a final state; it is not legally binding and does not force nor give the right to any individual to act following its recommendations. It does, however, reflect “the current thinking of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA or Agency) on this topic”.
Thus, the reason why is important to be up to speed on this document is the fact that there is a significant chance that an upcoming regulation on this very subject will reflect the current approach.
In the following sections, we will detail the most salient key points of the FDA Cyber Security Guidance that you shouldn’t miss.
The FDA Medical Device Security Guidance Draft
The draft document audience is developers that envision to produce of medical devices that will require the following application submissions:
- Premarket Notification (510(k)) submissions;
- De Novo requests;
- Premarket Approval Applications (PMAs) and PMA supplements;
- Product Development Protocols (PDPs);
- Investigational Device Exemption (IDE) submissions; and
- Humanitarian Device Exemption (HDE) submissions
Depending on the devices you are about to submit for FDA approval, you might be required to apply for one or multiple of the above-mentioned.
The document’s objective is to ensure that the devices submitted for approval have a high standard of integrity, availability and confidentiality measures. Also, Authenticity, and timely updatability are features considered necessary for good device security.
The way the FDA envisions to evaluate whether the applicant has reached these set objectives, and the degree of effectiveness with which the same have been met, is to measure the following:
- the device’s intended use and indications for use;
- the presence and functionality of its electronic data interfaces;
- its intended and actual environment of use;
- the type of cybersecurity vulnerabilities present;
- the exploitability of the vulnerabilities; and
- the risk of patient harm due to vulnerability exploitation.
How to make use of FDA Medical Device Security Guidance Draft
The FDA Cyber Security Guidance can be a valuable tool to anticipate trends in cyber security and regulations.
There are several key points in the document that you can use to start improving your Medical Device security before these requirements are enforced.
One of the first steps you should take is to integrate Secure Product Development Framework (SPDF). An SPDF is, in essence, a set of processes that a device manufacturer can embed in its production line in order to ensure that the product is resilient from early stages to the most common security issues, and it also helps improve the security of future development.
For example, by designing a program or a device with an SPDF, you reduce the risk of redeveloping from scratch or investing a large sum of money when integrating the same product in the IOT environment.
Risk Management is the second step. When developing a device, you should make use of the known cyber risks related to the same technology that has been identified in the past to build a risk register that highlights the following:
- Threat Modelling
- Third Parties
- Known Unresolved Issues
- Security Risk Management Documentation
- Other industry-specific elements, such as Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure (TCLP)
Once you have identified these risks, you should develop a Cyber Security Architecture that resolves all the aforementioned objectives; in particular, the Cyber Security Architecture should take into account the following controls:
- Authentication
- Authorisation
- Cryptography
- Code, Data, and Execution Integrity
- Confidentiality
- Event Detection and Logging
- Resiliency and Recovery
- Updatability and Patchability.
These controls should be addressed and in case you are preparing for an FDA submission, it is recommended that you present the controls implemented with the following approach:
- Global System View: A complete system view should be offered, showing as much as possible of the connection and the data flow the device is subject to.
- Multi-Patient Harm View: If the device can be connected to a network, you should highlight what are the chances that it could cause harm by interacting with other devices, as well as the risk of being compromised (or spreading a compromise) by interacting with other devices.
- Updateability/Patchability View: You should show how you are going to deliver timely and reliable security patches.
- Security Use Case View(s): Make sure to provide a good number of use cases that explore all the possible operational states of the device
Once you have built a solid Cyber Security Architecture System, you should focus on developing a Penetration Testing and Vulnerability assessment methodology that supports the Architecture and aims to test the applied patches to the known vulnerabilities.
The last piece of the puzzle is to create a Vulnerability Management plan that continuously keeps track of evolving threats and takes into account extreme scenarios such as disaster recovery.
Conclusions
Anticipating the trend can be risky but, when it comes to Cyber Security, the safest choice is actually being ahead of the curve. FDA is looking to increase the standard of Cyber Security in medical devices. You can rest assured that this will most likely result in a dedicated Cyber Security regulation soon. If you don’t want to be caught off guard, you can start preparing now by implementing a Secure Product Development Framework that embeds Risk and Vulnerability Management in the product life cycle, as well as Testing and Control Management that aims to address the set objectives, such as Authentication COntrol, Cryptography and more.
What Are SMS Scams and How to Avoid Them
Ever received an SMS giving you false information regarding suspicious transactions from your bank account? Or maybe you received an SMS regarding bills or goods you were supposed to receive or pay for, redirecting you to a page where you input credentials and nothing happened?
These are common Smishing schemes, used to manipulate people with fake SMS and steal login credentials, credit card numbers and other useful personal data.
In this article, we’ll have an in-depth view of how Smishing works and how you can protect yourself.
Smishing: When Phishing Went Mobile
The word Smishing is an expression used to describe fraudulent schemes perpetrated through SMS scam messages. Being a subset of Phishing schemes, SMS and Phishing were pulped into the word Smishing.
The most notorious Smishing schemes evolved from simple SMS scam messages containing pretexts to make contact to mimicking legitimate services’ SMS notifications.
The early kind of Smishing was leveraging only irrational emotion and the excessive trust of phone users to make them believe someone with legitimate interest was trying to make contact through SMS. The latter kind of Smishing manages to create a sense of urgency and legitimacy given by the fact that most important services today use SMS notifications to alert users of data breaches and other account-related problems.
Despite the fact that no legitimate service would send links or request information through SMS (at least nowadays), is often overlooked due to the fact that, unlike mail, SMS messages are much more neutral and telegraphic in content and format, thus being optimal for capitalizing on irrational and rushy decisions.
As modern smartphones allow SMS senders to display a name beside the number when sending a message, these schemes are even more compelling, as a legitimate sender’s name would inspire trust at a first superficial read.
There are several Smishing techniques that had been perpetrated for years, in the next sections, you’ll have an overview of which are the most common Smishing schemes and which are the best defence techniques.
Most common Smishing techniques
There are several types of Smishing schemes that can be perpetrated, but you most likely have already encountered (or will encounter) one of these:
- The PayPal Scheme: In this scheme, the text message pretends to be sent from PayPal, informing you that there has been suspicious activity of some sort o your account, or then again you are being requested money or offered a refund for some purchase. The endgame is prompting you to click on a link to investigate the matter. The link leads to a fake website that looks like PayPal’s official site, thus prompting you to input your credentials, which will be recorded and used by the Smisher.
- The Package Delivery Scheme: In this scheme, the Smisher sends you an SMS that should look like an automatically generated message, notifying you of a delivery from renowned companies such FedEx or UPS, prompting you to click on a link that leads to a fake package tracking webpage. The endgame is leading you to give personal information such as mail, physical address, phone numbers and, in some cases, prompting you to give payment details with the pretext of security deposit or delivery fees.
- The Government Scheme: In this scheme, the text messages you receive claims to be from a governmental institution such as e-gov webpages or similar, informing you that you are eligible for a tax refund or that your account will be locked unless you update your personal details. You are offered a link leading, again, to a fake website where you’ll be requested personal information and/or login credentials.
- The Banking Scheme: In this scheme, the Smisher pretends to be a smart banking service, generating an automated message to inform you that your account will either be blocked due to expired credentials or pretending to inform you of suspicious activities (access from an unknown location, fund depletion, multiple password inputs), prompting you to click on a link to investigate the issue or to reply with information regarding your identity and security codes. The endgame is to gain the credentials and second-factor authentication method (security questions and similar) to then access your account and lock you out from it.
Many other schemes can be perpetrated, but these are the most common as they rely on well-known institutions that use, at times, SMS notifications for security purposes and deal with very sensitive information, such as financial and or social security data, thus creating effectively a sense of urgency.
In the next section, a few defence techniques.
How to defend yourself from SMS Scam Messages?
It is paramount to prevent the leaking of your personal information online. As Smishers can only make contact with you once they have your name and phone number, it would be sufficient to have control over the online entities that you trust with that information.
In the modern world, however, as much as you can limit to the minimum necessary the number of times you’ll trust an entity with your phone numbers, you still will end up leaving that information around the web multiple times. In order to minimize chances, keep in mind that Smishers can get easily phone numbers lists from public sources such as social media, business or educational institutions’ webpages and other commercial entities that are allowed to use your personal information for commercial purposes.
Always check the usage policy of your personal information made by the entity to which you are about to submit that information. Also, be sure to be aware of which websites share information with search engines, making it easier to find and connect your publicly available info through simple web searches.
With that in mind, you still have to be aware that some Smishers use random phone number generators to send batches of SMS scam messages. So in case a Smisher still manages to reach you, apply the following best practice every time you receive an SMS:
- Read the message carefully, especially the ones you did not expect to receive.
- If you suspect that the SMS you received was sent by mistake or if the content surprises you, even if you believe it to be written in good faith, apply maximum scepticism.
- Verify the identity of the sender by checking the number used. You can double-check with SMS previously received whether is a number you can trust or check online. In case of doubt apply distrust and contact the entity involved in the communication.
- Do not click on any links given in the SMS. No institution or private company would require you to access your account through a link contained in the SMS as it can be assumed that you can autonomously access it on your own. No issue would be urgent enough to require you to access any webpage from a link contained in an SMS or mail.
- Elements such as haste, urgency, and danger are feelings often exploited with simple but effective pretexts: errors in deliveries, delays in payments, and account compromise are all examples of notifications that should induce you to be sceptic rather than rushy.
These 5 simple steps should become an easy routine every time you receive an SMS. They might feel like an effort in the beginning but they will help you save time soon enough as you’ll end up ignoring scam messages more often than not.
Conclusions
Smishing is a technique that has enjoyed a long-lasting career. Its success has been determined by the inexperience of the average phone user, which means that you can easily counteract it by applying a few key routine actions every time you receive an SMS. Also you should be aware of potential information leaks on websites you visit and, whenever you are prompted to give consent for personal information processing, consider reviewing the consent you are about to give as it might include sharing personal info (such as your name and phone number) with third parties that you have less control on.
What is Smishing?
Smishing is a phishing technique that uses SMS as a contact channel to scam you into giving up personal information or financial data.
How do I know if my phone number was leaked?
Your phone number could have been leaked for several reasons. Most private institutions tend to inform their customers about data leaks, if you suspect your information was leaked as you received suspicious SMS, check with the institutions that the suspicious contact claims to be.
What do I do if I receive a Smishing SMS?
Contact the institution that the Smisher pretends to be contacting you from, as they might have suffered a data leak. Also, block the sender and avoid clicking on any links or replying.
How do I recognize a Smishing SMS?
Smishing SMS usually pretend to be sent from financial or governmental institutions you might be related to, pretending that some urgent issue requiring your attention can be solved by following a link. Any SMS you receive that follows this pattern should be double-checked as it is with a high probability of a Smihing SMS.
How to Protect Your Accounts From Credential Stuffing
In 2020 State of New York fined Dunkin Donuts for more than $650,000 and forced the renowned chain to begin a Cyber Security Program that would solve a 5-years-lasting issue: user credential security.
The doughnut manufacturer was then requested to issue a mail that would inform all its customers about the data breaches that occurred between 2015 and 2019, giving them suggestions on how to request assistance and how to apply for a refund in case of unauthorized transactions executed on their behalf.
This means Dunkin had to refund fraudulent transactions that occurred through hacked users’ accounts for the whole 2015-2019 period. The most amazing thing is that this very expensive and durable hacking scheme, credential stuffing, is considered by Cloudflare (Internet Security Service Provider) a low success rate attack strategy.
How did it end up costing so much to Dunkin’ Donuts and its customer? How can you avoid making the same mistakes?
In this article, we’ll have a deep review of Credential Stuffing workings and how to prevent it.
What is Credential Stuffing Scams
Credential stuffing scams is considered a variation of brute-force attacks.in this scheme, attackers manage to get lists of usernames and passwords from one or multiple sources. With the credential records they attempt to gain unauthorized access to user accounts on different websites and online services, by automated login attempts with all the credentials.
The automated tools used in the process are bots programmed to enter the stolen login information in rapid succession on login pages of different websites until they find a match.
As mentioned before, this attack strategy has very low success rates. However, given the huge number of attempts that attackers can try in succession, even a 0.1% success rate can turn into a considerable value for hackers. For example, let’s assume a credential stuffing scheme involves an attacker with 10’000 credentials. If they were to try those credentials on 10 websites, they would reach 100’000 attempts. Out of that amount of attempts, a 0.1% success rate corresponds to 100 successfully accessed accounts.
If on those 100 accounts, an average sum of 100$ was spent, we would immediately reach 10’000$ of stolen funds.
To reach 100’000$ of stolen funds it would be sufficient, statistically speaking, to try and use those credentials on 100 websites instead of 10 or to have 100’000 credentials instead of 10’000.
This is why, despite the low success rate, this attack strategy has been used many times and it still provides a good return on investment to attackers. The fact that it can be automated, the fact that stolen credential databases often have more than 100’000 records, and the fact that there are way more than 10 websites that can potentially expose someone’s credit card data, are all reasons why Credential Stuffing scam has been a treacherous attack strategy in the past few years.
In the next section, we will see how to protect from credential stuffing.
How to protect from Credential Stuffing
Credential stuffing scams attack require both the merchant/service provider and the customer/user to use cybersecurity best practices standards:
- For merchant/service providers: enforce password security standards of length and complexity for your users. Allow them to enable multi-factor authentication and consider improving login security by tracking suspicious activity, like simultaneous login from very different geographical locations or device confirmation. Most importantly, use encryption or equivalent security measures to protect your customer’s data. Several techniques can help you make sure that even if data is leaked it is unusable and, in addition, you must enforce incident responce and reporting practice across your company to ensure your customers can take action as fast as possible.
- For users/customers: Never use the same password for two websites. You can rely on password managers to help you create and store secure credentials. Also, check the security settings of the website you navigate and be sure you have a good combination of security/accessibility settings. Minimise the credentials you create and the data you leave around the web by keeping in check which accounts you regularly access and which you don’t (consider deleting the latter).
If you are on either side and you do your part, you’ll reduce significantly the chance of success that Credential Stuffing attacks can benefit from.
Conclusions
Credential Stuffing, like other brute force based techniques, is a narrow success chance but high volume attack. Decreasing both volume of applicability and success chance are key factors in reducing usability of these types of attack. In order to discourage hackers from using it, and prevent any immediate threat, you can use the most common password creation best practice and choose carefully the information you leave on websites. Make sure your service provider enforces best practices (such as encryption of data at rest and in transit) before trusting them with your credentials and payment methods.
How to block websites on iOS
Despite being a secure system, iOS is still prone to many cyber attacks. Zero-day Vulnerabilities and security patches are part of the OS lifecycle. You can check at any moment Apple’s official Support Page and see with each security patch released the security flaws that have been corrected.
As you would see by going through all the updates, there are several of them, and probably more will be found in the future, so you should never assume that your web activity is always vulnerability free under the belief that your phone’s operative system is marginally more secure than others.
In this article, we will explore the main security issues you can incur while surfing the web on iOS devices and how to secure yourself against cyber threats targeting your iPhone.
The security flaws in iOS web navigation
Web navigation on iOS devices occurs, by default, on Safari, as it is the pre-installed software browser in iOS devices. You can also surf the web with Chrome, Firefox, Edge, and all the other supported browser out there. Despite all the security reviews that these apps take regularly, you are still never totally secure while online and we can, in fact, distinguish 3 main categories of vulnerabilities that can affect your experience:
- Engine Vulnerabilities: Webkit is the engine used by Safari to run and work in integration with other apps; as with any other software, it is prone to vulnerabilities that allow, through several attack vectors, the unintended execution of code on iOS systems. Webkit vulnerabilities are continuously patched and, among others, some known vulnerabilities in the past allowed hackers to take control of iOS devices by exploiting security holes through webpages, PDF document handling, memory, and URLs accesses. In short, any security flaw at the core of the engine used to run Safari translates in a security flaw during navigation of Safari.
- 3rd Party Vulnerabilities: Safari Extensions and App Store Rogue Apps can pose a security threat as they do not directly exploit a vulnerability in Safari itself, yet they still rely on Safari to run malicious code on your phone. The same issue of the previous point (engine vulnerabilities) applied to any other search engine that you installed on your phone can also lead to security issues, as Safari is not at all the only mobile web browser in need of regular security patches.
- User Negligence: Generic disattention or scarce awareness while surfing the web can lead you to access malicious webpages that do not rely on the security flaws of Safari and other apps but simply on your inability to spot a threat. Modern web browsing apps do a fairly decent job in blocking malicious websites by default, but they are still not as efficient as to be able to block all the malicious actors out there based solely on their intent. There are several ways a webpage can be used to perpetrate a scam without having to run any malicious code.
Depending on the case, you might find a combination of one or more of these major vulnerabilities being exploited by an attacker.
Despite problems that may arise during navigation on a mobile browser, there are a few solutions and habits that you can adopt to limit the impact of consequences.
How to protect yourself while using browsers on iOS
Despite potential security flaws in your browser, there are several ways yo can keep yourself secure during web navigation.
First and foremost, check that your Operative System and your browser app have the latest version installed.
The operating system is updated from the settings app inside the “General” settings tab under the voice “Software Update”. App Updates can be verified through the app store app. By tapping your profile icon on the top right corner, you’ll be able to see which apps among the ones you installed require an update. Remember to swipe down from the bottom to refresh the app list (sometimes, the apps that receive updates do not refresh automatically).
Once you made sure your browsing apps and system are up to the latest update, you should check for third-party add-ons and extensions installed in your browser.
Inside the settings app, under the Safari menu, you’ll find the “extensions” voice; you can review your extensions or add new ones from there. Check whether you recognize or not all the extensions installed and try to keep them updated. Consider uninstalling extensions that you do not use anymore.
Check search engine and default search engine voices as well, from the same safari menu in Settings App, as the installed browser can also affect the security of your navigation. Be sure that the search engine you have selected as default is the one you prefer, as it will affect the results you’ll see by searching from the address bar.
You are all set up to navigate securely but there are other habits you should take to navigate securely.
Good habits while navigating from iOS
Having an updated system is a good start but how do you keep your system healthy?
Private mode navigation is synonymous with no-history navigation. Although this is true, this feature also offers a more important safety feature: it does not store cookies. This ensures that your personal information is not shared with any webpage while you are in private mode.
Of course, this could be troublesome if you are trying to access features and content quickly from pages you access frequently. If you are on casual browsing and you do not entirely trust the pages you have to visit, however, this can be a great habit that ensures you minimize the information webpages collect from you.
While navigating, always keep an eye on the address bar. You’ll notice that a locked padlock is shown on most browsers. That padlock certifies that the website possesses a valid SSL certificate. If the padlock is not shown or is shown open or with other signs of warning, it means that the webpage you are visiting does not enforce a secure connection. This means that the data you send and receive through that webpage is “in-clear” (anyone intercepting it would be able to read it).
If you are visiting such pages and you do not know any particular reason or amend for the lack of this security feature, you should leave the page, or at least share as little data as possible while navigating it.
Besides this, if you are undecided whether you should access a website or not, try Virustotal malicious URL scanner. Virustotal is a directory with millions (if not billions) of records regarding files, URLs, hashes and more. By providing the web application with a URL, you’ll receive an estimate of the probability of a malicious website, depending on the number of reports received about that webpage.
Virustotal is not the only tool providing security scores and advise on webpages and, if a webpage contains unsafe content, the browser app itself will block it before you access the page giving you a warning.
Of course, this last aid should not be relied on as not all malicious pages can be blocked before you access them. Always put yourself in the position of having established the security of a page before you access it.
Conclusions
Despite the many threats that still affect web navigation from mobile apps, there are several ways an average user can protect himself/herself without the necessity of employing technical means addition to those already present in their smartphones. Apply careful routines to your navigation, such as regular update checks, malicious URL scans, and SSL connection checks.
Are Hackers using ChatGPT to access your PC
A group of tech entrepreneurs funded OpenAI in 2015 but it was not until Q4 of 2022 that ChatGPT (GPT (Generative Pretrained Transformer) language model became a worldwide known phenomenon with more than 100 million users.
This is due to the usefulness of this AI-powered tool, capable of answering complex and detailed questions about almost anything.
Precision, however, is not the strong suit of ChatGPT yet.
As you can see from this sample chat, if the AI is posed with tricky questions, especially those that include possible infringement of rules, it will give relatively useful answers or conservative answers in order not to ever recommend debatable actions, or in some cases, it will simply not be able to provide an answer.
So, there is no imminent threat of AI overtaking the world by hacking or allowing anyone who wants to hack into systems to do so from scratch.
Still, the usefulness of this tool is a proven fact just like its limitations, and although it cannot make a hacker out of anyone, this tool can provide aid to malicious actors in several ways.
Despite no official report of AI-based attacks, there are several rumours about recent AI-assisted activities with malicious intent online.
In this article, we will explore in what ways hackers are using ChatGPT to further illicit schemes and improve their offensive strategies.
The hacking strategies that ChatGPT improved
There are several ways to make use of AI for a very simple reason: it helps you gather faster and more accurate knowledge than you would spend more time gathering on your own.
This very simple aspect applies to all sorts of criminal activity, not just hacking. It is also worth noting that OpenAI is taking a massive effort into limiting the scope of ChatGPT answers to licit activities. As of today, you cannot simply ask ChatGPT “how do I hack NSA servers” and get a bullet point step-by-step action list.
With that said, the AI chat model is only capable to predict the goal of the question based on the question itself, which means that there are still several ways that one would be able to make use of its aid to further an illicit behaviour.
These many options can be summarised into 3 main categories:
Malicious Content
ChatGPT can be asked to write directly content without specifying its purpose, only its features. Its ability to write lines of code or human-like text following instructions turns it into a very effective tool to accelerate the creation of malware and phishing tools.
In these cases, using the famous AI leads to direct results that are immediately employable for malicious use. As dangerous as it may sound, the fact that a directly illicit intent is easier to spot for the language processing model makes it also easier for ChatGPT to avoid providing aid to malicious actors.
However, there is only so much that OpenAI can do to train its creation in spotting its community members’ intentions, especially as more subtle malicious uses are basically impossible to spot even for humans.
Information War
The information war has captivated as well a lot of people’s attention during 2022. As fake news or the fear of fake news spread, more and more people take an interest in the impact of information shocks in the public debate and the importance of having reliable sources.
Some reports have been made of malicious actors using ChatGPT-generated content, similar to essays and articles with the sole purpose of spreading fake news, creating panic and distrust.
It is the responsibility of the entire community to be vigilant and report any suspicious activities involving ChatGPT scams. OpenAI is committed to promoting the ethical and responsible use of its technology, and will continue to work towards improving the ability of ChatGPT to detect and prevent malicious intent.
Information Scraping
OSINT and information scraping are other critical aspect that hackers take into account when preparing for a malicious attack. ChatGPT does a great job at pulling together a lot of information from a huge catalogue that a human would never be able to go through on its own.
The language will tell you, shall you ask, that its information ranges from 2000 to 2021 approximately. This means Billions of entries feed the AI and those entries can be quickly filtered with a question.
As gaining knowledge on targets can determine a huge advantage for an attacker against is a victim on the web, the help provided in this sense by the AI is crucial.
In this case also, however, it must be noted that OpenAI has taken efforts in ensuring that personal information is not disclosed during the regular use of ChatGPT.
How to ensure your information is safe?
ChatGPT might sound like a game changer, when in fact, it only changed the game’s pace. The cybersecurity rules and best practices that were enforced until the day before its release are more than ever valid and useful.
The fact that ChatGPT data only dates until 2021 it’s a huge factor. If you worry about possible uses that can be made of information related to you, or if you know of someone who accessed your information through ChatGPT it is only a matter of rendering outdated information.
Changing your mail or phone number today requires negligible investments in time and money. For other information, such as publicly available sources (journal articles and reports), that you wish ChatGPT or any other web scraper would not access, you can ask them to be removed from the website owner. In case you own a business and you do not want your data online to be accessible to automated programs you should enforce authentication on your website or make use of the so-called “robots.txt” files, to exclude bots and search engines from content you have published on the web.
Last but not least, fight fire with fire. If you are concerned that anyone might use ChatGPT against you by scraping your info, use the tool yourself and test how much of your personal information is exposed by it. From within ChatGPT you can report and give feedback on the answers provided. This allows you to immediately flag content that could be directly harmful to you and the issue will be taken care of by OpenAI Team.
Conclusions
ChatGPT is in charge to vet for its own users’ intentions, which sounds like putting a child in charge of deciding whether or not he or she is telling the truth.
In fact, despite its remarkable potential, AI still struggles at producing content that can only be used for legitimate purposes, and it can provide aid to malicious actors.
With that said, you are not defenceless in this process. Besides the continuous efforts made by OpenAI to improve the tool and respond to its users concerns, you can improve privacy for yourself and your business in the areas that were still lacking by following the best practices suggested in this article
How can I detect if a text is generated by ChatGPT or a human?
ChatGPT cannot give answers that are evidently unethical or debatable on moral standards. It also struggles with absurd or abstract questions and it tries to validate its own text as much as possible, often being self-referential even in short texts. Try to spot these patterns in the content you are reading as well as clear errors of common sense.
How can I prevent ChatGPT from being used for cheating or plagiarism?
You can use Plagiarism and AI Checkers available online to actively prevent excessive use of AI written content or demand updated content (2022 and later) that ensures that CahtGPT had limited contribution over the text.
How can I report any misuse of ChatGPT that I encounter?
All the parties involved in the misuse, including ChatGPT Support Team, should be alerted, with priority to law enforcement in your country, if the misuse you spotted resulted in a criminal act.
What are some ethical guidelines for using ChatGPT responsibly?
Ethical guidelines could require that ChatGPT-created content is only used after being double-checked by humans and with heavy referencing to ensure the validity and accuracy of the content. Also, you could establish a threshold of words or topic areas exclusion to be implemented.
The cost of using free Wi-Fi
We don’t necessarily find ourselves short of cellular data due to over-usage. Being abroad, using a new device, and being in a geography with no cellular data are all situations that occur now and then, leaving us with no option but relying on a public Wi-Fi connection.
The most tempting element of these connections is that they can be used for free, making you save on money, not just effort, to get data that might be indispensable in some situations.
However, the security of public networks re several, as you are in the same network with tenths or hundreds of people; more and foremost, you don’t know who set up the network and how it’s being managed.
Is it worth it to put yourself at risk? How grave are the dangers, and what could be the alternatives?
In this article, the answers.
The risk of using public wifi
Besides the risk correlated to any Wi-Fi network security, there are some security concerns specifically related to the usage of public Wi-Fi.
- Man-in-the-Middle Attacks: Unless you can verify that the connection on the Public Wi-Fi is encrypted, you should not assume it. Often public Wi-Fi networks do not encrypt the data transmitted between the device and the network, allowing malicious actors to intercept or eavesdrop on your online activity. It must be noted, though, that today, most websites and apps (such as HTTPS websites and WhatsApp) encrypt communications on their own, reducing the information put at risk by default. Still, not all your apps follow the same security standard, and if you are connecting from a laptop, the same issue applies to desktop programs.
- Malware Infection: Some malicious software, such as Emotet, spreads on the same network in a “worm-like” approach. In a public network, where tenths or hundreds of devices are connected together, it would be sufficient to have one infected to put all the others at risk.
- Rogue Wi-Fi Networks: A rogue network is a network created with the purpose of luring people into connecting and surfing the internet or transferring data, into capturing the data transmitted during the connection. Setting up a rogue Network is a relatively easy task, as many devices and software would allow malicious actors to set up a legitimate enough access point to lure anyone needing data connection. You have no way of knowing whether you are connecting to a legitimate network except common sense indicators. Still, some advanced users could be able to reproduce an access point identical to a legitimate one in proximity.
All risks are linked to the trustworthiness and population crowding the public network you are linked to. However, there are ways to mitigate these risks and even assess how much you should be concerned about them.
The remediations and alternatives
Assuming you have no better option and your cellular connection is not available, there are some ways you can still make use of public Wi-Fi with limited risks.
Using a Virtual Private Network (VPN) allows you to secure all the information in traffic between you and the destination. This would reduce exposure to Man-in-the-Middle Attacks as well as the risk of compromising your information on a Rogue Network.
VPN encrypt information between you and your VPN provider, who then securely connects you with your target destination, preventing anyone who might intercept the traffic from acquiring valuable information about your network activity.
This mitigation, however, does not offer considerable remediation against possible Malware infections. In order to mitigate these risks, you could rely on AntiVirus Software, which would protect you against the more common menaces.
Other configurations to always adopt when on public Wi-Fi, and that would not require additional software, are the following:
- Turn off file sharing and automatic connectivity. Be sure only intended connections are established and only intended information is shared between your device and other devices on the network.
- Access only websites with HTTPS connection. You can verify that by checking the “lock” icon on the left of any browser’s address bar. Avoid as much as possible any connection not secured by default.
- Keep your device and apps updated. Be sure to have a device that is not prone to the most common malicious software.
- Do not access particularly sensitive information. If you are using a company laptop, you might already be obligated not to connect to any public Wi-Fi, but if you are connecting for any reason, avoid accessing Smart Banking web pages or sharing confidential information.
If you are reading this article, you might be curious to know which alternatives are then more secure to public Wi-Fi in case you need to absolutely access sensitive information when you are in an untrusted environment. You might consider other options. Here a few suggestions on alternatives that, despite requiring a bit of pre-planning, offer a valid and safer alternative to public Wi-Fi:
- Prefer wired access to wireless access. Sometimes public connections offer wired access besides Wi-Fi. This prevents you from being exposed Wi-Fi based attacks.
- Carry an emergency mobile broadband device that you can use to make your own emergency hotspot.
- Look for Private Hotspot relays. Some cable companies and ISP built their own hotspot relay network in public spaces that clients can use for a price. Check whether your ISP or service provider offers such services.
If you are not travelling alone, asking a friend to offer a hotspot can be a valid alternative as well, as long as the hotspot is not created with a weak password (easy to guess) and the device you are connecting to follows the aforementioned best practices.
Conclusions
While public Wi-Fi can be a convenient way to access data in unforeseen situations, they present a severe risk to your information security. If you are able to pre-plan, you should find better ways to avoid using them, but, in the opposite scenario, there are a few key actions to take in order to use them with minimized risks: double attention on the active device sharing options, choose encrypted by default connections, ensure that your device is secure and reduce the information transmission. If you have the opportunity, make use of VPN and AntiVirus software while the connection is active.
What is a Public Wi-Fi?
Public Wi-Fi is a term that refers to networks situated in a public space (airport, coffee shop, restaurant, public office, etc.), to which anyone could access due to the fact that the password is either easily shared or not required at all.
What are the most common risks of using a public Wi-Fi?
Public Wi-Fi networks expose users to many risks, particularly: Man-in-the-middle attacks, Malware Infections and Rogue Networks.
What are the best tools to protect myself over public Wi-Fi?
Use VPN and Antivirus software, use updated devices and apps and be sure that your connection and sharing settings are always set to the minimum required. Check also that pages you connect to enforce HTTPS and do not share or work with sensitive information unless strictly necessary.
What are the more secure alternatives to public Wi-Fi?
Assuming you cannot use your connection, you should prepare yourself and either carry a mobile broadband device or check for your ISP’s Private hotspot relay coverage (if any is offered). You can also rely on a friend’s hotspot, provided that if follows best practice, and in case none of the above alternatives is available, you can check whether the public network you are connecting to offers a wired connection to at least minimise the risks.
Cyber Security and Smart Banking
Cryptocurrencies are disrupting the way people feel about managing their finance. The idea of transferring a currency in a matter of seconds forces traditional financial systems to do some catching up. On the other side, not everyone is fully confident that an all-digital financial future is around the corner, as cyber-crime, power outages, service denial and learning curves encompass not only Crypto Currencies but IT-related products as a whole.
Still, some institutions have already begun a digital transition, if not in the commodities they trade, at least in the way they handle operations. Smart Banking is the term used to describe the process of digitalisation of customer care, finance and wealth management, consultancy and all other operations that a financial institution might offer to its clients.
Smart Banking is nowadays widespread, and all major make use of it to answer the growing desire for applications and other IT services that allow customers more independent control over their finances. Yet how does that play from the Cyber Security perspective?
In this article, we will explore all the risks related to smart banking, and we will try to understand whether your money is safer on the web rather than under the mattress.
Cyber Security and Smart Banking: can you trust it?
The Brno University of Technology published a study in 2022 that tried to capture the Cyber Security posture of Smart Banking. According to their findings: “Financial services firms fall victim to cybersecurity attacks 300 times more frequently than businesses in other industries,’’ and ‘‘Number of security incidents in this sector has tripled in the past five years’’.
These numbers show how Smart Banking functionalities are becoming more and more of a target for cyber attackers. The issue that most bank face, however, according to the same study, is the insider threat.
This means that the most occurring breach scenarios involve an insider, such as an employee or a contractor, exploiting a weakness of the Smart Banking system to benefit from breaching the security by acquiring customer data or stealing actual information.
The simplicity and gravity of these attack vectors are correlated, as insider threats are usually more prominent in environments where scarce security policies are put in place. In other words, the ability of an employee to make use of a vulnerability is influenced by the internal checks and balances put in place by the bank.
This notion alone could probably tell us that if the first concern of banks today is still et their internal procedures and checks up to speed, maybe the world is not ready for it yet.
Conversely, this assertion is only valuable when compared to the bigger picture of the financial system. If we look at the U.S. Security and Exchange Commission’s annual report (SEC.gov), we will also find that insider trading and market manipulation cover a large percentage of crimes investigated (13%), putting it among the top 5 investigation category.
The problem of the trustworthiness of financial systems handled by people is way more complex than simple statistics related to reported incident causes. Over the years, most financial institutions have been exposed to various insider attacks. Yet, we still have faith in the banking system because of the many efforts made to regulate and balance it.
The same logic should be applied to cyber security and smart banking. What effort should you see your bank making to know you can trust their Smart Banking functionalities?
What should a Smart Banking platform include?
Here follows a list of features that your Smart Banking app and the webpage should include to be considered trustworthy:
Encryption: Sensitive data such as customer passwords, financial transactions, and personal information should be encrypted using strong encryption algorithms to prevent unauthorized access.
- Encryption and Updates: All the data at rest (saved on your phone or on the bank servers) and in transfer (data exchange during communication between you and the bank) should be encrypted with up-to-date strong algorithms and techniques. This applies to web pages and apps, which should be regularly updated and available on the latest version of operating system and devices.
- Multi-factor authentication and ID Verification: A modern Smart Banking platform should implement multi-factor authentication with easy-to-use methods. Today there are several tools and providers of authentication methods, and you should be able to choose the most convenient method. Also, check whether the bank you use verifies its customer by ID and personal verification. This will ensure that sensitive actions are not taken unless someone verifies your identity remotely.
- Employee training: Employees are the first line of defence of any company, and if they lack the appropriate training, then all other security measures implemented will have marginally less effective in mitigating the risks.
- Intrusion Detection and Access Control: Security monitoring through intrusion detection systems and other industry standard technologies should be enforced. Also, access to the back end of the application should be controlled with an access control list that ensures that only people with appropriate rights are able to log in and operate on the code. These two elements ensure non-repudiation of actions
- Cyber Security Policies: Risk management, third-party management, vulnerability assessment and regular audits are a basic list of procedures that the bank should possess and enforce; any online financial platform should have these and more
The simplicity of use and a strong customer service portal is the last but important elements you should be looking for.
Being locked out from your Smart Banking app or being unable to understand how it works properly are issues that will make you more vulnerable and unable to manage a crisis should any accident happen.
Also, the point of Smart banking is to give you more control over your financial information, don’t let this goal be forgotten while searching for a trustworthy Smart Bank.
Conclusion
You can trust Smart Banking only as much as you can trust your bank. Remember to evaluate a Smart Banking platform’s trustworthiness based on a few key principles and try to get a platform that can be most familiar to you, at least in the beginning, to ease your learning curve.
Remember that Smart Banking is evolving with you. Nothing will impede you from switching to a different platform in a few years, so don’t miss the opportunity to stay up to date right now.
What is Smart Banking?
Smart Banking is a term that refers to all the services provided by banks and other financial institutions that allow customers to control their accounts and finances easily through the internet and mobile apps.
What are the Cyber Security risks of smart banking?
Smart Banking exposes your financial accounts and operations to all risks correlated to web activity. Also, in case of data breach on the bank side, you put at risk all your personal information related to your account.
Which bank has the safes smart banking platform?
Banks that apply best practice rules are a better option than those which don’t. The following are a few parameters you can use to make a comparison: technical features (encrypted app and connection, identity and access control on backend and multi-factor authentication for apps and webpages), policies and culture (personnel training, cyber security policy), ease of use and updates (frequency of updates, interface appeal and uasbility).
PayPal in numbers
Tesla and Twitter have definitely monopolized attention over Elon Musk’s achievements. Yet you might, or might not, still remember that was PayPal mr—Musk’s original billion dollar succes story.
Although PayPal was founded in 1998, its original name and founders were Confinity, and its original founders were Max Levchin and Peter Thiel. It was only in in 2000 that it merged with X.com, the online banking giant, property of Elon Musk. Today PayPal has about 1.2 Billion visits per month and its expected earning for Q4 2022 only are almost 7 Billions.
An entity too big to go unnoticed to the eye of scammers and hackers, who, only in 2020, caused almost a quarter million security incidents over the platform, according to PayPal official report.
What are the main causes for such incidents and how to protect from them are the topics of the following article.
Different Types of PayPal scams
Sacmmers found several different scenarios over the year that play more or less in the same way. Through an extravagant excuse or a very sophisticated scenario pre-made, the victim is convinced of the legitimacy of the transaction that it’s requested. The victim sends money to a PayPal account that quickly cashes out on different accounts the funds and then disappears.
These scams often have the same preparation as well, as scammers often prepare fraudulent websites or apply for account verification to lure their victims more easily.
Here follows a list of the most common playbooks for PayPal scams with tipson how to defend from them.
The Order Confirmation Scam
- How it plays: The scammer creates an email that looks legitimate, asserting that a purchase that you never made, or a payment, that you never sent occured. The mail will solicit you to click on a link or open an attachment to cancel the transaction, confirm your details or complete other actions related to the pretext event.
- How to spot it: These scams try to create a subtle sense of urgency by not asking you directly for money; they try instead of making you feel at risk of losing money or excited by receiving something so that you would quickly try to access your account and know more about what is going on. It is essential that you thoroughly review any communication you receive from PayPal to verify the validity of the sender.
The Fraud Alert Scam
- How it plays: The scammer creates a fake mail that mimics PayPal security notification. By claiming that there has been a suspicious activity on your account, they lead you to click on a link or call a number that then requires you to verify your identity by providing sensitive information.
How to spot it: sense of urgency here
The Unsolicited Transfer Request Scam
- How it plays: Scammers send you a fake email or text message that looks like it’s from PayPal, requesting money for a product, service, or crypto you never ordered. They may also claim they accidentally sent you money and ask you to return it.
How to spot it: A PayPal employee should never require you to give them sensitive informations such as username or passwords. You should also check that the links and numbers you are about to contact, in case of emergency, are the same afvertised on the official support page.
The Charity Scam
- How it plays: The scammer send you a mail that looks like a PayPal charity fund campaign to have a pretext to ask you to donate money for a charity cause.
How to spot it: PayPal may advertise charity sometimes, but you can always check whether it’s true or not following their official fundraiser page. There, you will find a list of accounts collecting money for charity, and you can validate which accounts you are sending money to.
The Promo Coupon Scam
- How it plays: The scammer sends you an email or makes contact by offering you a discount, a coupon, or other free promotional material, that you would be able to claim by clicking on a link.
How to spot it: Promotional materials are usually distributed in promo codes, and they are intended to be for as large as possible groups of users. If you are being requested to provide some sensible information (username and password) to retrieve them, it means you might be lured into a scam.
The Collateral Scam
- How it plays: The Scammer contacts you through platform like Fiverr, Facebook Marketplace and tells you that in order tosecure your investment/payment for a service/good, you can pay through PayPal and be refund in case you are satisfied; however, instead, of sending you a PayPal payment link they send you a donation link, by claiming that is to avoid to pay additional fees
How to spot it: Donations do not incur in fees because they offer no protection over your payment. In this scheme, the security often associated with PayPal name, is used to cover with a veil of legitimacy the fraudulent request. Never consider goign through PayPal as sufficient condition to secure payment, and always verify that payment protection is enforced on the transaction.
The Payment Excess Scam
- How it plays: The Scammer makes contact with you by overpaying an item that you are selling on some online marketplace. This creates a pretext to ask you to pay back the difference. They use a payment method, like credit card, PayPal account or bank account, to make the initial payment and then ask you to make the refund on a different account.
How to spot it: Always be suspicious when someone asks you to reverse payments with different billing methods than the one initially used. Check names and beneficiaries on all payment streams provided. Also, ask your clients to reclaim money through the appropriate refund request button that they have in their PayPal transaction page or by raising a ticket in the support page before asking you directly for money.
Conclusions
As you might have noticed already, the most common spotting techniques require you to be very attentive of the legitimacy of the mail you are receiving or the platform you are navigating. These two are imprescindible to avoid most type of scams, as well as being aware of PayPal’s procedures and security measures.
Fees and processes put in place by PayPal are made to secure that most, if not all, transactions made are done respecting the best interests of both parties; if someone asks you to circumvent those rules, they might not have your best interest at heart after all.
Falling victim to PayPal scams is a risk that requires your awareness, as it is a platform that allows a lot of scammers to ask for money easily. Whenever you are sending money on PayPal, double check the receiver’s identity and the authenticity of any website they present to you before giving credentials or financial data. To ensure that not only your money, but also your PayPal account are kept secure, be sure to make use of a two-factor authentication method as well as PayPal’s security settings and notifications.
What are PayPal scams?
PayPal scams are frauds occurring on websites that are played by having a scammer asking a victim for money through PayPal in exchange for goods or services that are never delivered. Usually, these scams are conducted relying on the inability of a person to validate the scammer; also, the trustworthiness associated with PayPal as a payment method is a part of the scheme’s tools to earn the victim’s trust.
What’s the best way of using PayPal safely?
Always check whether payment protection is enabled, and never send money to someone you cannot verify. PayPal has a also a way of verifying accounts, it can be an additional validation, but none of the above mentioned is a sufficient condition to grant trust.
How do I report a PayPal scam?
You can follow PayPal community rules as well as your own country rules. Scams over PayPal are a crime, just like in-person fraud, and you can sue the person who perpetrated it against you.
How do I get my money back if I think I was scammed?
If you send money as a donation or as a gift, the chances of getting the money back are dim. You can easily get your money back by demonstrating you did not receive the good you paid for if you had Payment Protection activated at the moment of payment. You should ask PayPal customer service to help you out nonetheless, but be aware that scammers tend to cash out as fast as possible, so manage your expectations. You can also ask to your local IT crime authority to pursue an investigation and help you.
Was your Identity Stolen? Protect from Identity Theft
Steven Spielberg’s “Catch me if you can” brought even more fame to one of the most renowned conmen in the USA’s history: Frank Abagnale Jr.
Last year on Fox News, Frank Abagnale stated that “Fraud is 4,000 times easier to commit today than 50 years ago”. If a master con man, who then became one of the leading security experts, believes that today impersonating someone is a relatively easy effort, you have to believe that you should be concerned about it.
In this article, we will review how identity theft and impersonation scams work, as well as how you can defend yourself from them. We will also have a look into how to prevent identity thieves from using your information to con other people.
What is Identity Theft?
Identity theft or impersonation scams are a case of fraud in which an attacker uses social engineering techniques to deceive the victim. By pretending to be someone else, the attacker gains directly by influencing the victim to do something or indirectly by obtaining sensitive information that can be misused later on.
Identity theft and impersonation usually require 3 elements:
- A vector: vectors are an essential element for impersonation, as they can help cover the fraudulent actor’s real identity and help him/her conceal the real identity. For example, phones and emails help the actor conceal their identity as the victim cannot immediately verify the identity of the person making contact. Vectors like personal contact, on the other side, can be used to further the scenario rather than conceal the identity, as meeting someone in person under disguised circumstances can help gain more trustworthiness in the eyes of the victim.
- A scenario: the scenario is the pretext for making contact. It is usually a situation concocted to inspire strong feelings or a sense of urgency that would make the victim think less rationally and more instinctively.
- A call for action: an action call is the exploit of an impersonation. The attacker uses the trust validation created through vector and scenario to have the victim perform an action that leads the attacker to his/her intended gain.
In the next section, I will outline an example of the use of these three elements in an identity theft scenario as well as the most common defence techniques against this kind of attack.
Most common scenarios and defences
A good example of an Identity Theft scenario could be the following:
You receive a phone call from a colleague. You don’t quite recognize the voice as the voice is muffled over the phone, and your colleague asserts he/she has been attacked and her working phone was stolen. She is in the hospital (you can hear sounds in the background confirming this statement), and she needs to review and submit to a client a very important document that he/she cannot access unless you send it to his/her personal e-mail. You don’t quite recognize the e-mail in the beginning, but being a combination of name and surname, you believe that it is legitimate and, considering the bad situation he/she is going through already, you would like to help as much as possible.
This is one of the many possible scenarios that you would have to be aware of by always applying the following logic pattern:
- Vector: in the example, a phone call was placed by an emergency room phone, so you wouldn’t immediately question the fact that the number is unknown, yet you can always check the country code (first digits) on the phone to verify from which country the phone call is coming in. Also some particular institution, such as hospitals, have recognizable phone prefix, while some other, such as big corporations, have their name displayed on call even if you didn’t add them to your phone book. Look for these hints to know who you are about to talk to before you pick up. On the other side, a combination of names and surnames can be easily adopted by people without legitimacy on the identity, especially on less used mail providers’ domains. Always check the mail provider domain (@google.com, @microsoft.com, @easymail.com) and always check with your mail contact history whether you are being contacted by the same person you previously talked with.
- Scenario: in the example, the scenario allowed the scammer to cover with legitimacy easily claims some suspicious aspects, like differences in the voice tone. A busy place and an injury can make communication less clear and distract you from incoherence in the story you are being fed with. If you suspect due to incongruences in the vector and/or scenario you are in contact with, never feel that it is inappropriate to ask for a confirmation. What hospital is the call placed from? What was the phone number of the stolen phone? What project are you working on, and who is managing it? Does the phone have a camera, and if yes, can it be turned on to verify the caller’s identity?
Remember that no urgency is urgent enough to prevent anyone from validating their identity. If establishing someone’s identity, without a doubt, is anything but easy, you are probably being scammed. - Call for Action: you are being asked to do something against the rules, such as sending work-related information on personal channels. You are putting yourself at risk as well. Helping someone shouldn’t put you in danger, ever. Also, apply special scepticism when you are being requested with urgency money, and sensitive information, as whoever asks for one of these should know how important it is that you deal with them with precaution. If they deliberately ignore it, they are probably trying to scam you.
In the following section, a few tips so that your identity doesn’t serve anyone’s Identity Theft scheme.
What if I am the subject of Identity Theft?
If you believe someone is impersonating you, or if you know due to a report you received. Immediately proceed to contact authorities and try to gain control over your financial and personal data. Change all passwords and verify that multiple authentication methods are enforced on these platforms.
To avoid being a victim of Identity Theft, be particularly aware of the following threats:
- Phishing: Phishing scams are emails or messages that appear to come from legitimate sources.
- Vishing: Voice Phishing follows the same concept of Phishing but uses phone and voice calls as vectors to gain information.
- Public Wi-Fi: Public Wi-Fi networks, such as those found in coffee shops or airports, can be vulnerable to hackers who can intercept and steal personal information while you are connected to them, such as passwords and contacts usernames.
Also, you can always check how much exposure of your personal information you are giving by going to the privacy settings page of your social networks accounts.
Conclusions
To prevent identity theft online, it is important to take action to protect your personal information. It is also recommended to use modern apps and tools that allow you to check suspicious movements on your financial platforms quickly. If you are being scammed through Identity Theft scenarios, always try to mind the vector, the scenario and the call for action presented to you by always giving yourself the time to think twice about these elements.
What is Identity Theft?
Identity Theft and Impersonation are internet frauds in which a person disguise his/her identity using someone else’s by using or submitting information found online or through other illicit acts.
How do I know if my identity was stolen?
Several online tools allow you to check whether your information was leaked online. You can also search for yourself and your data through a common browser to see whether the results you are getting are coherent with your expectations.
What can I do to prevent identity theft?
Avoid submitting your personal and sensitive information to suspicious websites or to suspicious people that make contact with you through mail and/or phone.
What should I do if I suspect my identity was stolen?
Make immediate contact with the owner of the webpage/app that led you to suspect that your identity was stolen and express your concerns. Contact the police and other authorities in your country that are responsible for communication and IT crimes. Change passwords and enforce multi-factor authentication on websites you think are compromised. Review activity on accounts you think is the source of compromise and gather evidence (mail, chat, phone logs) if you think you were the victim of a scam.
Are Password Managers safe?
Starting from data breach cases and concerns, this article examines the pros and cons of using password managers, including data storage, encryption, and productivity features. It also provides an opinion from a security expert on the risks and benefits of using password managers, suggesting good cyber hygiene and considering alternatives to reduce the risk of data leakage.
On December 22, 2022, LastPass CEO published a notification of Security Incident.
According to the report, the Treat Actors could “target customers with phishing attacks, credential stuffing, or other brute force attacks against online accounts” if they succeeded in using data exfiltrated.
Not only Lastpass, but also Dashlane, 1Password and other Password Managers have suffered cybersecurity incidents resulting in data leakage; are these major companies not taking enough security measures? Or it’s just the managed password lifestyle that will never be secure? Then again, what are the options to keep so many passwords safe without losing them?
These questions will be the focus of this article, which aims to guide you in making an informed choice before using any Password Manager.
One Password to Rule Them All
The demand for password management is increasing and is legitimate. By developing more complex online offerings and more diverse content, companies want to have closer contact with customers by having them sign up with an account. To fulfil this duty and access apps, games, discounts, and all tailor-made services one could think of, a username and a password are most surely necessary.
The promise of using one password to keep hundreds or thousands (or hundreds of thousands) safe, however, sounds too good to be accurate; in fact, it might just be a farfetched promise onto which, all the same, Password Manager built a market worth (depending on the source) approximately 1 Billion, or even more.
Yet the regular cadence at which data breaches occur among Password Managers should have increased scepticism among users by now. As a matter of fact, scepticism and distrust in regard to Password Managers are present among both users and reviewers, yet the product proves to be resilient.
In order to understand the features and limitations of Password Managers, we must first summarize their mechanics. The average Password Manager offers three main services:
- Data Storage and Encryption: whether it is for credentials or files, Password Managers offer, first and foremost, encryption of data. Username and password, generally, are encrypted and stored in a database that the users access through one credential, also known as the master password. This way, theoretically, it would be sufficient to remember the master password to access all the other passwords stored. As Password Managers grow, so does their ability to organize passwords by website, by user-defined labels or even by AI-Defined categories, reducing the attrition and slowing down the process of saving or accessing the intended credentials.
- Productivity Features: mainly auto-fill and cloud backup/synchronization. Auto-fill is a feature that users must enable to allow the Password Manager to fill in credentials automatically once a website or an app requests credentials to log in; cloud sync/backup allows users to have their password database always up to date on all the devices they use. Both features reduce the time and complexity of using passwords significantly. Still, they can be considered the main “Security Concern” for users, as they rely on the fact that users’ credentials are not stored locally and on granting extra permission to the Password Manager (access to the clipboard, view over web activity etc.)
- Added Security Features: Multi-Factor Authentication and Dark Web Leak monitoring are only two of the features that are added on top of the Password Manager by the most known market players. These features usually complete the offering and target premium subscribers
Now that we have a clear vision of how Password Managers work, we can dive deeper in what are the stronger and weaker aspects of their offering.
Bright and Dark Sides of Password Managers
The features mentioned above can give a lot of value or a lot of trouble depending on the use you make of them; when evaluating the usefulness of a Password Manager, you should focus on the following tasks that Password Managers nail:
- They do generate stronger and more unique passwords than you could ever do on your own, and they do store them in a most secure and accessible way than you could on your own. This means that it is legitimate to say that a Password Manager does help you save time on an unavoidable task.
- They do increase productivity. Once more, saving a few seconds every time you input a password during the day means saving time and resources for other tasks. Especially now that most users own at least two devices and need to access passwords on both of them seamlessly during the day.
- They increase your security posture by allowing you to remember one password instead of hundreds. Less chance of forgetting a password means less chance of getting locked out of a platform during critical situations. Unless you have a dedicated plan for storing your password securely in a file, keeping them in the cloud also offers an additional layer of security, as you separate the storage of your passwords from the storage of other data.
This last statement, in particular, cannot be taken as an absolute truth, and in fact, part of the risks that you should consider when dealing with a Password Manager include
Cons of using Password Managers:
- Password Managers can become your single point of failure: If the Password Manager suffers a breach or you forget the master password, all the stored passwords and other sensitive information will be inaccessible or, worst, stolen. Concentrating all the eggs in one basket was no one’s best security practice.
- Password Managers raise Privacy concerns; as for many other services on the web, you are relying on a third party to handle some of your data, such as the website you have a subscription with, your payment details, your login data and device information. You are, in essence, relying on a third party in more than one aspect of your web activity, which leads to the next point:
- Password Managers do get breached, as they are in the bullseye of many malicious actors. Reliance on them, as a third party, can be a considerable concern, primarily if you handle special categories of data and you are mainly a security focus.
So how do you weigh these pros and cons, and what is the opinion of a security expert over this very debate? The answer in the next section
A security Expert Verdict on Password Managers
At the beginning of this article, I quoted LastPass’ notification of the Security Incident. In the same notification, the CEO suggested that it would have taken “millions of years to guess your master password” for the attackers to guess any of the leaked master passwords, as long as the users kept the default master password requirements active.
This statement is quite accurate, as the advanced encryption Password Managers apply on their data renders the data stolen a pile of gibberish code requiring millions of dollars over centuries to decode. Furthermore, the fact that data breaches are promptly notified allows you to re-secure your data and passwords long before they are used. A data breach is cause of concern only if not correctly addressed, and service providers in this area are doing their best to be transparent.
On the other side, nothing prevents you from using multiple Password Managers. Locally handled Password Managers, such as Keepass, do not offer many of the advanced features that other premium services grant but are an inexpensive and secure way to split the risk and keep your most confidential information closer to the chest.
As a general habit, generating secure passwords, managing them by keeping them updated, and having an eye over expired credentials and unutilized subscriptions leads to better cyber hygiene. You must always be aware of the potential impact of a data breach on your security posture and legal compliance, but the weight of these factors might not be as dramatic as it would seem.
On the other side, how would your productivity be impacted if you had to use unmanaged passwords? How would your security posture be if you ended up using similar, if not identical, passwords, not to end up losing them?
Single Sign On and Managed Sign On can solve this, but the “single point of failure” issue still stands even with those options.
Conclusions
We examined the pros and cons of using Password Managers: data storage and encryption, productivity features and added security features. We also had an overview of the limitations, and we strayed over the several data breaches that occurred and their impact on users. Password Managers did not solve the “single point of failure” issue over the years, yet they improved productivity and security in many aspects. Considering that there are no alternatives that offer the same benefit without any of their limitations, they are worth considering products, as they guide you towards taking up the habit of managing your credentials.
The App Gatekeepers: Apple and Google
On February 1st 2023 the National Telecommunications and Information Administration published a report on the competition in the mobile industry. The report itself states how “Mobile apps have become an essential tool for participation in much of daily life” and, in the attempt to assess the market states, it also provides an overview of the security checks that both Apple and Google (owner of Android) run before allowing the app to be sold on their stores.
The report analyses the fact that sometimes security is used “pretextually to justify anticompetitive behaviors” and concludes that, while “Apple and Google are the primary gatekeepers for apps,” it is also true that consumers can benefit from stores and devices that implement “privacy by design out of the box.” In other words, for better or worse, the security measures that Apple and Google implement in their stores created two tightly controlled environments with pros and cons that users have to choose between.
Which of the two ecosystems is the best and implements the best security features to protect you is the question that we will try to solve in this article.
App marketplace comparison
On February 1st 2023 a report from Sophos too was released. This report was about the infiltration of scammer apps on the App Store and Google Play Store. It would seem that, despite the malware scan on the app that both app stores execute on every app submitted, these apps managed to divulge the CryptoRom malware.
It is not the first time that either store is a victim of a cyber security breach, despite the fact that both have a remarkable security record considering that millions of apps have been uploaded for selling in the past 15 years. The App Store, launched by Apple in July 2008, and The Play Store, launched by Google in October 2008, sell through their stores e-books, music, video, and all types of digital content that can be used on smartphones.
The fact that both stores fell victim to security breaches more than once does not mean that they are not secure as they both run very thorough reviews of the apps once they are uploaded, and every time they are updated.
Apple’s App Store reviews every app and every update submitted based on technical, content, and design criteria. It also checks whether data is collected and used following industry-standard security practices.
On the other hand, Google Play Store uses Google Play Protect, which checks apps before you download them and scans your device regularly for potentially harmful apps and behaviors originating from Play Store apps and apps installed from other sources. It warns you about any detected risks and removes known harmful apps from your device.
Both stores use industry-standard techniques to perform their checks, and when a security breach affects one store, it usually affects the other. Also, it is worth noting that Play Store runs on Android devices on the side of other stores, such as the Samsung App Store or the Xiaomi Mi Store.
It can be hard to determine which of the two ecosystems, iOS and Android, offer a safer experience in their store. Yet, while iOS has a tighter grip and total control over the apps running on its devices, Android devices can benefit from the additional security offered by Play Protect.
In order to understand which ecosystem is better, we should have a broader overview of how the Operative Systems are managed.
Operative System Security Comparison
Apple’s iOS and Google’s Android have very different approaches to their operating systems.
On one side iOS has a closed-source operating system. This means that only Apple is capable of making modifications to it and only Apple can issue new system releases. On the other side, Android has an open-source operating system, meaning that other entities are able to customize the Operative System and release their own version.
From a security perspective, Apple’s App store has an edge. While open-source systems are not necessarily preferable, as they are reviewed and tested by the system’s community, in the particular confrontation of Android vs iOS, the fact that Android has various different versions used by millions of users, makes it harder to track and solve bugs.
As a problem affecting an android based Samsung phone won’t necessarily affect a Google Pixel phone, it is harder to keep consistent the effort put into making Android a more secure environment overall.
This includes security patch and updates that Apple releases regularly for its iOS devices, while Android updates rollout depend on the device manufacturer.
These last entities, device manufacturers, are also responsible for hardware-level security, the last ground of confrontation for this contest.
Hardware-level security Comparison
As per the Operative System, Apple controls both the hardware and software of its devices, making it so that hardware-level security features, such as Touch ID and Face ID, are immediately available on all devices of the same generation.
Android devices, on the other hand, have a wide range of manufacturers, making it difficult to ensure consistent security features on all the hardware running them.
Conclusions
Following this confrontation, we can draw some conclusions. The fact that iOS does not allow for unreviewed apps to be installed, and Apple’s tighter control over OS and Hardware level security patches and features, make iOS an ecosystem less prone to cyber security breaches compared to Android.
However, this does not render iOS immune to cyberattacks. Both systems have their strengths and weaknesses, and users must be aware of the potential risks to take the correct precautions.
What to do after a security Breach
Vulnerability and Risk assessments can help you identify remediations to avoid security breaches and minimize the damage of incidents. At some point, however, an incident is due to happen, and you must have a plan of action ready for such an event. “Hope for the best and prepare for the worst” should be every security expert’s mantra when it comes to incident response and disaster recovery. Before enacting these two states across your group, there are, however, a few actions to keep in mind that can facilitate business continuity and disaster recovery while putting a first patch to potential damage.
You’ve been hacked!
According to ENISA, “Data breach is an intentional attack brought by a cybercriminal to gain unauthorized access and the release of sensitive, confidential or protected data”. According to the same source, in 2022, “about 82% of breaches
involve a human element and no less than 60% of the breaches […] include a
social engineering component”. These statistics show the importance of human behavior inside the mechanics that lead a vulnerability to become a breach. Being prepared to respond in such cases can prevent further damage from being taken, as panic exploitation is one of the many successful strategies that social engineering uses.
In the following sections, we’ll provide you with a to-do list that can help hold back panic.
Breach assessment
Start by quickly summarizing infrastructure and people affected by the breach. The purpose of this action is not just to have a quick view of where the incident produced an impact but also to have a list of responsible people that should be immediately available.
Identify whether the data breach involves data falling in one or more of these categories:
- Personal names or legal entity names
- Contact details (mail, phone numbers, link to webpage etc.)
- Financial information (credit cards, bank accounts, invoices, transaction amount, payment statements etc.)
- Health records (medical data, drug prescriptions, health conditions, etc.)
This information can be related to both clients and employees, so be sure to check for both of them.
Once you have built a list of possible data affected and you are able to summarize the affected infrastructure, you should proceed to contact the responsible people identified by explaining to them what data was affected on which assets so that they have immediately a scope on the actions they have to take to contain the incident
Contain Expansion
If you performed the first step correctly, you should know on which infrastructure you should start to assess how the data leaked can lead to the expansion of data breaches.
For example, if the username and password for the google ads dashboards were leaked, the data breach will soon expand to all the data inside your google ads account such as statistics and billing information. The people responsible for each affected infrastructure must quickly asses the potential expansion of the known breaches.
While performing this step you have to keep in mind present security misconfiguration, such as the use of the same password for multiple accounts/tools. In case the Marketing team and IT team use the same password to access their mail accounts, a data breach for one team credential will son expand over the other.
In such a case, you must immediately address those misconfigurations so the breach does not expand.
Finally, keep in mind that the information leaked can indirectly help attackers expand the breach. For example, if the password for the Marketing team is “PassMarketing2020” and the password for the IT team is “PassIT2022”, anyone would be able to easily guess with three attempts or less that the password for the Logistics team is “PassLogistics2021”. In the same way, if all your users’ mail is in the format “name.surname@yourcompany.com” a breach of their contacts should be considered a breach of their names as well. In short, assessing how the information involved in the breach can lead to attackers easily obtaining further information indirectly.
Look for evidence
Once you are sure you managed to scope the incident and block possible dripping of breach, gathering proof is the next important step.
The information you have to gather immediately are:
- Logs and event records: Reviewing log documents, machine occasion logs, and community device logs can offer valuable facts on the time and nature of the breach.
- System Images: an image of the compromised device can serve as evidence for later analysis. To fulfill this purpose, the image of a system must be taken as quickly as possible after the breach has been assessed, as the longer the machine is in use, the more the evidence may be lost or altered.
- Forensic Analysis: this includes network traffic that can be captured through software like Wireshark and data recovered through forensic analysis of the system with tools like Autopsy. Forensic analysis also includes user interviews. If any of your users had a direct experience with the issue and can give important insight into how the events developed, you should record their contribution.
It’s important to remember that gathering evidence in a cyber protection breach is a time-sensible activity, meaning the longer you wait, the more likely the proof will be lost or altered. Additionally, it’s essential to follow proper proof managing techniques related to the specific type of evidence to make sure the effort made is not wasted, as tampered with or not adequately preserved evidence is not admissible in court cases.
Contact authorities and stakeholders
Depending on the nature and severity of the breach, local law enforcement may be the appropriate authority to contact. They can assist with the investigation and provide support and resources for dealing with the breach’s aftermath.
For what concerns stakeholders, remember that the purpose is not to spread panic but to help contain the breach. You should have already contacted the people who had to be involved with priority. In this phase, extend communication to internal and external stakeholders with a clear indication of which data category was breached. Consider that internal and external stakeholder might need to take actions of their own to contain the data breach so give them as detailed as possible indications on how to do so.
Conclusions
If you follow the steps above, you are ready to start thinking about implementing a Business Continuity plan. The incident response must be prompt and precise, as mistakes can further the damage caused by the breach and hinder your ability to prosecute malicious actors. Have your tools prepared to contain breaches, have a list of internal and external contacts for such cases, and invest in training and preparation.
Google Warns 3.2 Billion Chrome Users Of Critical Hacking Threats. This Extension Keeps Them Safe
Google Warns 3.2 Billion Chrome Users Of Critical Hacking Threats. This Extension Keeps Them Safe
On December 6th, 2022 Google announced a serious hacking threat to its Chrome browser. These “high-vulnerability” threats attack weaknesses in the software They allow criminals to invade your hard drive and steal your private information.
Google doesn’t usually announce an emergency security update for only one bug. That means this one is a serious threat!
Google Chrome users should upgrade right now to the latest version (110.0.5481.64). If your browser is this version or higher, you are supposedly safe. (At least, until the hackers find the next work-around.)
Yet, while keeping your Chrome browser up to date is always a good idea, it’s not always guaranteed to protect you. Even using a traditional anti-virus software isn’t enough.
Fortunately, there’s an easy and more secure way to protect your browser from threats. It’s called Guardio.
Guardio is a Chrome extension that monitors suspicious activity and blocks hackers from stealing your data.
Click to Check for Hidden Malware and Identity Leaks
Click To Check
Verified by Google Chrome. Instant Results.
4.6/5 based on 1,000+ Trustpilot reviews
Guardio Will Protect You from Cyberattacks:
LThe FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) handles an average of 2,000 complaints a day. Even with antivirus programs, chrome users not running Guardio are at risk. Cyberattacks exposed 36 billion personal records in the first six months of 2021. The average cost of identity theft is approximately $1,100 and takes about six months to recover.
Don’t be one of them. Protect your private information.
Trusted By Over 1M Users
Follow These Simple Steps to Protect Your Chrome Browser
LStep 1: Click the button below to install Guardio
Step 2: Run a free security scan in seconds.
Step 3: Browse the web with ease, knowing you’re protected..
Start My Full Online Protection Now
Click To Check
Verified by Google Chrome. Instant Results.
4.6/5 based on 1,000+ Trustpilot reviews
Elementor #827
Google Warns 3.2 Billion Chrome Users Of Critical Hacking Threats. This Extension Keeps Them Safe
n December 6th, 2022 Google announced a serious hacking threat to its Chrome browser. These “high-vulnerability” threats attack weaknesses in the software They allow criminals to invade your hard drive and steal your private information.
Google doesn’t usually announce an emergency security update for only one bug. That means this one is a serious threat!
Google Chrome users should upgrade right now to the latest version (110.0.5481.64). If your browser is this version or higher, you are supposedly safe. (At least, until the hackers find the next work-around.)
Yet, while keeping your Chrome browser up to date is always a good idea, it’s not always guaranteed to protect you. Even using a traditional anti-virus software isn’t enough.
Fortunately, there’s an easy and more secure way to protect your browser from threats. It’s called Guardio.
Guardio is a Chrome extension that monitors suspicious activity and blocks hackers from stealing your data.
Click to Check for Hidden Malware and Identity Leaks
Click To Check
Verified by Google Chrome. Instant Results.
4.6/5 based on 1,000+ Trustpilot reviews
Guardio Will Protect You from Cyberattacks:
The FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) handles an average of 2,000 complaints a day. Even with antivirus programs, chrome users not running Guardio are at risk. Cyberattacks exposed 36 billion personal records in the first six months of 2021. The average cost of identity theft is approximately $1,100 and takes about six months to recover.
Don’t be one of them. Protect your private information.
Trusted By Over 1M Users
Follow These Simple Steps to Protect Your Chrome Browser
Step 1: Click the button below to install Guardio
Step 2: Run a free security scan in seconds.
Step 3: Browse the web with ease, knowing you’re protected..
Start My Full Online Protection Now
Click To Check
Verified by Google Chrome. Instant Results.
4.6/5 based on 1,000+ Trustpilot reviews
Here is what people like you are saying about Guardio:
The Tor Browser
Are you tired of being tracked when browsing the web? Do you wish to keep your internet activity private? Look no further than the TOR browser, free and open-source software. This sophisticated tool enables you to surf the web anonymously, keeping you safe from hackers and identity thieves. Nobody will be able to track your whereabouts or monitor what you do on the internet since your web traffic is encrypted and diverted through a number of relays. By using the Tor browser, you can get the most out of your web browsing experience.
What is the Tor Browser?
The Tor Browser uses a network of volunteer-run servers, known as “onion routers” or “relays,” to conceal the user’s IP address and location, making it difficult to track anyone’s online behavior.
Before passing it to its destination, the Tor Browser encrypts data and routes it through multiple relays. Because each relay only decrypts enough information to know where to send the next packet of data, no single relay can determine what websites you are visiting or what content you are downloading. The final relay broadcasts your request to the public internet, keeping your identity and location concealed.
The Tor Browser offers several advantages for those who desire more anonymity while browsing the web. For example, websites cannot track your physical location or use cookies and other tracking methods to build a profile based on your browsing history, as your IP address is hidden. Additionally, using the Tor Browser protects against malicious actors such as hackers who may try to track an individual’s online activity to gain access to sensitive information, such as passwords and bank details.
How does Tor Browser Work?
The TOR browser works by encrypting your internet traffic before sending it out to the public internet, making it impossible for anyone to track your activities back to you.
To better understand how the TOR browser works, consider what happens when we use a standard web browser. When you enter a website address, such as “www.example.com,” into your browser, your computer sends a request for information from that site across the public internet. This request includes information about the request’s origin (your IP address), so the website can respond properly to you.
With the TOR browser, instead of sending requests directly over the public internet, they are routed through multiple nodes on a secret network known as The Onion Router (TOR). Each node encrypts a portion of the data packet before forwarding it to the next node until it reaches its destination server on the public internet.
This technology makes browsing anonymous because each node only knows who supplied it with data and who will receive it. None of them knew who initiated the connection or what type of data was being carried.
As long as all nodes remain secure and no single entity controls more than half of them, it should be impossible for anyone else to track down who made any specific request or transaction online using TOR technology alone. This makes it much more difficult for malicious actors, such as hackers or government agencies, to monitor people’s online activities without their knowledge or permission.
The TOR browser adds an extra layer of security. Even if someone were to determine the source of a connection due to an attack on one node in The Onion Router network, they would be unable to discover any other users connected through that same point. This is because all connections are encrypted end-to-end, meaning only those participating can decrypt messages transferred between them, ensuring that everyone’s privacy is protected.
Advantages and Benefits of Using Tor Browser
The TOR browser offers numerous benefits, including increased security and privacy. When using TOR to access the internet, your IP address is concealed from websites you visit, providing protection from potential hackers and unwanted individuals. TOR also masks your location, allowing you to access websites that may be blocked in your country.
Online privacy is maintained by prohibiting tracking and surveillance of your surfing activities. Governments and businesses seeking to track user activity for marketing or other purposes are prevented from collecting data, as requests are sent via multiple nodes, making it challenging to determine the origin.
You can also use the TOR browser to access the Dark Web, an encrypted section of the internet that can only be accessed with specialized software like TOR.
These networks offer a wide range of services, from illegal activities such as drug trafficking to legitimate services like forums and anonymous communication networks where people can discuss politics and current events without worrying about censorship or surveillance.
However, before utilizing these features, it is crucial to understand the risks of accessing the Dark Web. In the following section, we will examine the safety of the TOR browser.
Is Tor Browser Safe?
When using the Tor Browser, certain precautions should be taken to ensure optimal safety and security while browsing the web. For instance, avoid downloading files from unknown websites as they may contain malware or viruses that could compromise the security of your computer.
Also, before using the Tor Browser, make sure you have up-to-date antivirus software installed on your computer. This will help protect you from potential risks such as phishing attacks and other criminal online activities.
Where Can I Download Tor Browser?
If you’re interested in trying out the Tor Browser, go to torproject.org and follow the instructions to easily install and configure the application on your desired device(s).
The browser is available for Windows, MacOS, Linux, and Android devices and can be downloaded free from the website’s download page after agreeing to the terms and conditions and completing the registration process.
After completing the installation procedure, users should proceed to adjust various options based on their personal preferences before beginning to navigate the darknet realms safely.
In conclusion
The Tor Browser is considered safe if the proper safeguards are implemented while browsing. To maximize your safety while using the Tor Browser, avoid downloading files from unknown sources and ensure that your computer has up-to-date antivirus software installed
Frequently Asked Questions About TOR Browser
Are Tor browsers legal?
Tor browsers are, in fact, legal. Even though some dark web activities may be illegal, using a Tor browser is not against the law in most countries worldwide.
Do You Need a VPN for Tor?
Tor does not require the use of a VPN, but it is highly recommended. A Virtual Private Network (VPN) protects your online privacy and security by encrypting your data as it goes from your device to the internet. It also masks your IP address, making it impossible for websites to monitor or identify you. A VPN can also help prevent criminals from acquiring critical information on the dark web when using Tor.
What is the purpose of the Tor Browser?
It operates by routing traffic through a network of relays run by volunteers worldwide. This makes it impossible for anyone to track your online activities or determine your real location.
Is Tor free software?
Yes, in fact, Tor Browser is a free open-source tool that the Tor Project and a global community of volunteers maintain.
How to avoid delivery and shipping scams
As the U.S. continues to see an increase in online shopping due to COVID-19, so too do consumers observe a steady rise in package deliveries – and unfortunately, fraudsters have taken advantage of this trend through scam calls and texts intended to steal money and personal information from unsuspecting victims. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has received numerous complaints regarding these delivery notification scams as they continue to adapt their methods according to current trends.
Widespread delivery and shipping scams
During the holidays, when numerous packages are sent out, delivery scams and theft are at an all-time high. Scammers try their luck preying on shoppers who may be too busy or distracted to think twice before reacting. However, these swindles can occur any time of year—so it’s essential to remain vigilant no matter what season it is.
Phishing scams
You should be wary of delivery scams that start with an email or text message claiming to have a package for you, as warned by the Better Business Bureau. These messages usually contain a “tracking link” asking you to click and update your payment information. Sometimes, this link could lead you to a website that requests personal information from you or even install malware on your device.
The US Post Office has raised a warning about fraudulent delivery texts. These messages, which declare that an upcoming USPS shipment requires your action and contains a web link not affiliated with the Postal Service, should be disregarded.
To help their customers avoid deceptive package delivery schemes, both FedEx and UPS have placed information on their websites. Neither of these companies sends out texts or emails asking for payment or personal details from unsolicited sources.
Missed delivery note
Fraudsters also utilise a deceptive delivery approach by leaving “missed delivery” tags on your door. According to this scam, they will claim that it is hard for them to deliver the package and ask you to call a specific number to reschedule the shipment. However, their true motive here is obtaining personal information from you. Unfortunately, the number you call back may be answered by an imposter claiming to need verification of your account or payment details. Defend against these malicious threats and never provide sensitive data unless requested through reliable channels such as financial institutions and retailers with secure websites.
Watch out for any scam calls or texts claiming you must pay a customs fee or tax before your delivery can be made. Additionally, beware of fake delivery notices with an 809 area code (or another 10-digit international number) asking you to call back—this could leave you paying exorbitant connection fees and per-minute rates.
When a suspicious email or text message appears genuine, never click the link it contains or call back its number. Contact the delivery service or seller through an official website or verified number for confirmation.
Tips to help you avoid delivery scams
- If your package contains something of great worth or delicacy, don’t forget to acquire shipment insurance. Furthermore, ensure you obtain the tracking number and then keep an eye on its progress until it’s safely in your hands.
- Be wary of any text messages, calls or emails claiming a missed delivery. Authentic courier services usually leave a “missed delivery” notice at your doorstep. Before following the directions on the form you receive, inspect it thoroughly and ensure it is legitimate. It’s essential to keep tabs on what you’ve requested so that you have a better understanding of when it will arrive. To do this, avoid clicking any links and instead go directly to the delivery carrier’s website or log into your retailer’s tracking tools. This way, you can stay up-to-date with the progress of your shipment.
- Protect your device from phishing scams with browser protection software. Unsuspecting internet users are regularly vulnerable to phishing scams and fraudulent websites that aim to steal personal information. These sites often appear as unknown links within emails, social media posts, popups and ads, but hackers go to great lengths to make them look legitimate. Thankfully Guardio is here with a better solution – one designed to reveal these malicious sites for what they are and help you protect your device from being compromised. Guardio provides unparalleled protection against phishing and other malicious sites as our in-house security team develops groundbreaking features that go beyond the standard blacklists of most products.
- Invest in a signature request: This feature may cost extra, but it is worth every penny! With this service, delivery services won’t drop off packages unless someone is there to sign for them. Your packages will be much safer and more secure when you have a signature request set up on your account.
- Don’t let your package sit idle on the doorstep to ensure it is delivered securely. Leaving packages outside makes them vulnerable to theft – no one wants that! Have your delivery sent directly to a colleague or safe companion who will be home to accept it instead. And suppose you’d like an extra layer of protection for greater peace of mind. In that case, some courier companies are now providing lockers where you can store essential items and access them using a unique code provided by the company upon arrival.
- Upon receiving your package, inspect it for any signs of damage or tampering. If you suspect something is wrong with the shipment or that what you bought is not what was delivered, reach out to the seller immediately. Also, check their return policy in case there are damaged items or you don’t want them anymore.
Final thoughts
To avoid delivery scams and protect your personal information, it is essential to be vigilant and take the necessary steps when receiving packages. This includes verifying all forms of communication, acquiring shipment insurance, paying close attention to tracking numbers, and practicing caution when dealing with unsolicited emails or texts. Additionally, you should consider investing in a signature request service, browser protection software or choosing an alternate location for package delivery. Finally, inspect all packages upon arrival and immediately report any suspicious activity to your seller. With these tips in mind, you can help protect yourself from phishing scams and other delivery-related frauds.
How to get money back from a Facebook scammer
Facebook is the most popular social media platform, with already 2.94 billion monthly active users worldwide in 2022. Facebook hosts too much information, so hackers see it as an ideal place to commit crimes. With one of Facebook’s creations, the Marketplace, the number of users who use the platform to market products has increased. Whether you are looking for a new baby crib or a designer handbag, you can find what you need right in the Marketplace at a reasonable cost. At least most of the time.
While most Facebook Marketplace users are honest people selling actual items, many scammers try to appear as genuine customers and sellers.
You may wonder: I got scammed on Facebook what can I do. Well, not everything is terrible. Depending on your situation, you can take several actions to get your money back. So, if you are an active user of the Facebook Marketplace, you should be aware of the risks involved.
Contact the authorities:
If you are the victim of a crime, start by contacting your local law enforcement before contacting Facebook. In addition, you should alert the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and Internet Crime Complaint Center.
Check the purchase protection policy:
Once you have contacted the authorities, return to Facebook. Facebook has recently implemented a Purchase Protection policy to guard users against scammers.
The Facebook Purchase Protection policy protects customers in the following cases:
- You didn’t receive your order.
- The product was different from what was advertised. It was damaged or different.
- The seller broke Facebook’s refund policy.
- The scammer purchased without your permission (i.e., you can show that your account was hacked or someone else made the purchase under false pretenses).
Request Facebook a refund:
Obtaining a refund from Facebook payments can take time and effort. If the seller does not respond to your attempts at contact, you can request a refund from Facebook. The process of getting a refund differs depending on how was made the original purchase. The only time Facebook will give you a Marketplace refund is if you used the onsite checkout feature, which means your purchase is covered under Facebook’s Purchase Protection Policy. Facebook doesn’t have onsite checkout available for all items in the Marketplace, and it isn’t accessible in all countries.
If you used PayPal to send your Marketplace payment and were not happy with the purchase, some buyers have reported successfully receiving refunds.
Report the Facebook scammer:
To stop potential scammers, you should report them to Facebook.
To report a person on Facebook Marketplace:
- Go to the Marketplace icon on your screen’s left side.
- Find their listing and select the seller’s name to report a person.
- Select the “More Options” button and choose “Report Seller.”
- Follow the instructions to finish the report.
You must send any available evidence you have of the scam. If Facebook sides with you, Facebook will block the seller from their account and be unable to log in.
Final thoughts
If you are scammed on Facebook Marketplace, it is essential to remain calm and take the appropriate steps to get your money back. Whether this means contacting the authorities or reporting the seller to Facebook, there are measures you can take to ensure that you receive a fair resolution. So, don’t hesitate – to stay vigilant, be proactive, and protect yourself online!
How to Know if Someone Hijacked Your Browser
Browser hijacking is a security issue that could have destructive consequences. If your browser has been hijacked, any personal or sensitive information stored within is at serious risk. So not only are browser hijackers super annoying, but they can also leave your computer vulnerable to other viruses and malware. Sadly, millions of online users are victims of hijacking every day. However, if you know the warning signs, you can spot a hijacker and act on time to contain problems induced by adware, spyware, and other malware known for hijacking your browser.
The signs your browser has been hijacked
Unknown Homepage and URL Redirecting
If your homepage settings have changed without your knowledge, it may be a sign of browser hijacking. If you see an unfamiliar website after launching your browser, especially pornographic or advertising fake security software, it’s most likely the work of a hijacker. When you type an URL but are taken to another page, this is also an indication that your device has been infected with malware. Even though you can initially reset your home page, it will likely return to the hijacked state once you relaunch your browser. To return your settings to average, you must remove the hijacker.
How can you prevent it:
Software like Guardio will reroute all search hijacking attempts to your specified search engine.
Installing a browser protection software like Guardio will prevent you from becoming a victim of malware in the first place.
Malware can infect your computer or device by entering in different ways. One of them is malicious extensions that can cause damage to your system. Malicious extensions are hard to spot, and you may even ignore them on your device. They come in the shape of useful tools or apps. Guardio scans your device to identify these tools or apps, removes them and alerts you before installing them.
Popups that you can’t stop!
While many people see popup windows as an annoyance, they don’t know that popups are a common way for malware to be delivered. Browsers hijacked often display popup ads relentlessly, and hijackers can disable your browser’s blocker. The goal of these continuous popups is to frustrate you so much that you click on one of the links without meaning to, thereby infecting your computer with a virus. Some of these links could also attempt to route you toward harmful websites.
What can you do to avoid it:
When you protect your browser with a tool like Guardio, you can identify fake websites. Guardio pinpoints these sources and connections and terminates them once and for all. Guardio exclusive in-house features detect and block any malicious site you are redirected to, preventing you from accessing these sites and acquiring a virus. In addition, Guardio sticks to the origins and does away with the pesky notifications.
Fake Security Warnings
Hijackers can also take the form of fake security alerts. When you come across a message on your desktop or browser that your security has been breached or that your computer is being hacked, read the entire thing before clicking any links. If the message is from a security program, you cannot recall downloading it. It is likely the result of a hijacker. Watch for any red flags that would indicate these messages are illegitimate, such as colours that don’t match your desktop scheme or glaring spelling errors.
How to spot these fake alerts:
Guardio is the best way to keep your system secure. Scanning with Guardio will find and remove any threats to your computer. If you think your browser is under attack, shut it down immediately. Once you get rid of the hijacker, do a clean reinstall of your browser software to eliminate any changes the hijacker has made. Only download browser add-ons from sources trusted by your browser’s developer to avoid hijackers. After you’ve gotten rid of a hijacker, it’s also essential to change all your passwords.
Conclusion
Hijackers are malicious programs that can cause severe damage to your computer or device by redirecting your browser, displaying endless popups and fake security alerts, and even stealing your personal information. To prevent these issues, downloading tools like Guardio that can scan for malware on your device and block any suspicious connections or sites is vital. In addition, you should only download trusted add-ons from reputable sources, be careful of fake security alerts, and constantly change your passwords after removing a hijacker from your system. With these precautions, you can keep your browser secure from these harmful attacks.
What is a brute force attack?
If you use online services often, you probably notice that most of them now require complex passwords or multi-factor authentication to sign up. This requirement is rising among service providers, who need to minimize the risk of successful brute-force attacks on their users’ passwords. If you are unfamiliar with brute force, worry not, the nature of these attacks and the strategies to mitigate them will be the subject of this article.
Have you ever forgotten the combination of your travel trolley? If yes, y must have realized that it would be sufficient to try all the combinations of numbers on the three gears to unlock it in a couple of dozen minutes. Time better spent on something else, but definitely worth investing, considering the value of your luggage contents. This is an example of a rudimentary, but no less effective, brute force attack.
There is no univocal and specific definition for brute-force attacks, as this attack strategy has been created not by hackers, but by mathematicians; for this reason, the term brute-force has been for a long time a term used in a variety of contexts. When we refer to a “brute-force” methodology in mathematics or computer science, we describe a simple methodology: attempting all possible solutions applicable to a problem until one of them turns out to be the correct one.
In the field of cyber security, “brute force” consists, therefore, in trying to penetrate an environment by systematically trying all possible access strategies until one of them proves to be effective. A more practical example, which happens to be also the case most referred to when speaking of brute force, is a hacker attempting to decrypt data or passwords. The brute-force attack will be carried out by trying to find a decryption key or password, using all possible combinations of letters, numbers, and other characters that could be included in it.
From a mathematical point of view, the success of this attack is certain, but from a practical point of view, who could attempt hundreds of thousands of combinations in a realistic time window without giving up?
To successfully carry out the attack, hackers rely on two factors:
- Dedicated Infrastructure: specialized software and powerful computers. These tools allow them to attempt hundreds (even thousands) of different keys per second, reducing both the time and effort necessary to reach success.
- Intel: gathering information about the person from whom you are trying to steal a key greatly helps reduce the number of combinations attempted. It might not seem too relevant, but coming back to the luggage example, imagine being sure that the combination on your trolley does not contain a 9. It would take you at least a fifth less of the time to find the right combination, as, out of 1’000 possible combinations, more than 200 include 9. Similarly, an individual trying to guess a password, knowing that this does not include (or excludes) specific characters or words, would take considerably less time and resources to succeed in the effort.
In the next section, we will see in a little more detail how brute force is applied and how to defend yourself.
How are brute-force attacks carried out?
An average hacker can use software such as Ripper or Hashcat, which easily allows you to start a brute force operation, provided you are equipped with a computer that has sufficiently performing processors. Due to their computing power (considering energy cost), GPUs are, for example, excellent processors for this type of operation. They are easily purchasable without major investments, not to mention the fact that they can easily be resold. This should help you understand how, theoretically, this type of attack is within the average man’s reach. But how much time does a brute-force attack really take?
Estimates are continuously made on the subject since the constant improvement of processors increases the effectiveness of this technique. Nowadays (2022) it is estimated that any attacker can derive an 8-character password, which contains only uppercase and lowercase letters, in just 2 minutes. If the same password contains numbers symbols and letters, it will take about 40 minutes. A password containing only upper and lower case but 12 characters would take two days instead. What if it also contains numbers and special characters? About 3000 years old. This is why, as debated at the beginning of this article, service providers request, sometimes demand, you to come up with a long and complex password.
How to protect yourself from brute force attacks
It is therefore evident that the complexity and length of passwords have a significant impact on the probability that someone will be able to access a system. It is certainly no coincidence that encryption standards, such as AES, are now employing longer and more complex keys to decrypt than before. At the same time though, a human being’s ability to invent and remember strong passwords has not increased over the last decades, correct?
Not exactly. Thanks to password managers and the automation of some controls (for example the obligation to update the password after a certain period of time), today it is easy to maintain the habit of creating passwords by observing a few key principles:
- Password rotation and non-identity: The passwords you own are different for each platform (or at least the most important ones) and are periodically updated. Many services and systems also allow you to set up periodic notifications that remind you of the password “expiration date” (without taking drastic actions such as blocking your account).
- Complexity: the passwords you use must include uppercase and lowercase and special characters; there are software that generate passwords (not necessarily password managers) that are as long and complex as they are easy to remember;
- Ease of recovery and multi-factor: Multi-factor authentication, new login notifications, and credential recovery tools ensure that if you forget a strong password or if your credentials ever fall into someone’s hands, you stay in control of your access.
Conclusion
Since brute-force has been a strategy used since the dawn of computer crime, and since it does not require any type of specific expertise to be used, various deterrents have been developed and continuously updated, to effectively counter this type of attack. The ease of use of these deterrents implies that brute force, although theoretically effective, is easily daunted by an internet community with good computer-hygiene habits.
Data leak: A Comprehensive Guide
Data leaks occur when internal errors expose information to unauthorized parties. Lack of training, outdated systems, and poor data security are all common causes. A data leak could lead to harmful consequences such as identity theft, data breaches, or ransomware installation.
Many well-known companies, including American Airlines, Maryland’s health department, and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority of New York, have previously suffered data leaks. In 2021, due to a Microsoft software misconfigured setting, a data leak exposed at least 38 million records, including employee information, vaccination reports, contact tracing, and testing appointments related to Covid-19.
How do data leaks and data breaches differ?
Both leaks and breaches involve unauthorized data exposure, but whether they are leaks or breaches depends on the cause.
There are many ways in which criminals can attempt to crack a network. Criminals can use data from a data leak to launch a large-scale data breach. When information is exposed from an internal source, it is considered a data leak. In contrast, a data breach is when an external attack breaches a system from the outside. The difference between a data leak and a breach is that a leak is usually an accident, while a breach usually occurs due to malicious intent.
Data leaks are all criminals need to produce a massive data breach. There is no doubt that leaks pose a serious threat to organizations, just as data breaches do. However, data leaks can be prevented by understanding what causes them.
Causes of data leaks
1. Setting up software incorrectly
There is a possibility that misconfigured or outdated software settings could expose sensitive customer information. In addition, there could be the threat of cyberattacks if the leaking software is popular. Protecting data requires careful configuration of all infrastructure by organizations.
2. Social engineering
Cybercriminals often leak data due to a tactic or social engineering trick.
Social engineering aims to obtain sensitive credentials from victims by manipulating their psychological state. Social engineering attacks are most commonly carried out verbally or electronically through phishing.
Verbally attacks
Threat actors impersonating IT technicians might use verbal phishing to target employees. As a result of a critical internal issue, the threat actor may request login credentials.
The performance will seem very believable to an uneducated victim if accompanied by provocations that reflect a sense of urgency on the company’s part. Using the leak of personal data, hackers could breach an IT perimeter and begin a cyberattack sequence after relinquishing personal information.
Phishing attacks
Electronic phishing attacks are more widespread and can reach a more significant number of victims much faster. In social engineering, email phishing is the most common method.
Despite appearing legitimate, phishing emails contain infected links that appear to be from reputable sources. Phishing emails trick users into clicking on links that install malware or load a dummy website designed to steal information.
A growing number of sophisticated phishing emails are becoming harder to detect, especially when they exploit recipients’ anxieties.
3. The use of recycled passwords
Since users tend to use the same password across various logins, a single compromised password can compromise several digital solutions.
4. Sensitive devices being stolen
When company devices are lost or stolen, sensitive information can be accessed, resulting in security breaches or identity theft.
Cybercriminals can gain remote access to a company’s private network by persuading an IT administrator to divulge this information.
As a result, the compromised laptop is the attack vector exposing data leaks that connect the compromised employee to the company’s IT administrator.
5. Security vulnerabilities
Cybersecurity issues can easily arise from software vulnerabilities. Security threats can be created by criminals using outdated software or zero-day exploits. In this way, criminals bypass the initial stages of the attack lifecycle, propelling them straight into the privilege escalation phase – the last step before a data breach occurs.
It is possible to exploit these vulnerabilities to gain unauthorized access to the network, install malware on the computer, compromise social media accounts, and even steal credit card information.
Data Leak Prevention Strategies for 2023
1. Implement browser protection software.
Users can monitor their identities while browsing online with the Guardio Browser extension. Among Guardio’s features, the company’s security team develops in-house features to detect phishing, and tech support scams, among other threats. Your privacy can be compromised when a data breach occurs at a service you use. With Guardio, you can immediately take action to prevent identity theft by seeing past leaks and getting real-time alerts.
2. Third-party risk assessment.
The vendors you work with may not take cybersecurity as seriously as you do. The security posture of all vendors needs to be continually evaluated to ensure that critical security vulnerabilities aren’t causing data leaks.
3. Ensure that all network access is monitored.
It is easier to identify suspicious activity if more corporate network traffic is monitored. It is common for cybercriminals to conduct reconnaissance campaigns before launching a cyber attack to identify certain defenses that will have to be circumvented.
Organizations can prevent reconnaissance campaigns by identifying and strengthening security vulnerabilities.
4. Determine which data is sensitive
By carefully uncovering and classifying the data into its respective categories, businesses can establish optimal protection against potential leaks for each type. With precise identification of sensitive information comes to a greater trust in their security system to ensure that all confidential information is always safe.
Guardio is a Chrome extension that monitors suspicious activity and blocks hackers from stealing your data.
5. Ensure that all endpoints are secure.
Endpoints communicate with a business network either through end users or autonomously. Mobile devices, desktop computers, and Internet of Things (IoT) appliances are included.
Almost every organization now employs a remote working model, dispersing endpoints (sometimes internationally). Endpoint security needs to extend to the cloud.
VPNs and firewalls offer a basic level of endpoint security, but more is needed. To bypass these security defences, criminals often introduce malware into an ecosystem.
Cyberattackers use trickery to trick organizations, especially with email phishing and social engineering attacks.
6. All data must be encrypted.
If the data is encrypted, cybercriminals may have difficulty exploiting leaks. Public-key encryption and symmetric-key encryption are the two main types of data encryption.
Although encrypted data may seem impossible to amateur hackers, a cyber attacker with the right skills can decrypt it without a decryption key. Therefore, these methods should be used alongside data encryption as a data leak prevention strategy.
7. Permissions should be evaluated.
Companies should evaluate all permissions to prevent unauthorized individuals from gaining access.
Companies should categorize critical data into different sensitivity levels to control access to other data pools. Highly sensitive data should only be accessible to trusted staff with essential requirements.
As a result of this procedure, malicious insiders that facilitate the exfiltration of sensitive data may also be identified.
8. Keep track of all vendors’ security postures.
Vendors cannot confirm that their cybersecurity efforts have been successful without a monitoring solution.
Data breach susceptibility is evaluated with security scoring. Organizations have instant visibility into the security rating of their entire vendor network using these monitoring solutions.
In closing
As data breaches continue to be one of the biggest threats to modern organizations, businesses must implement a robust data leak prevention strategy. Key elements of such a strategy include implementing a browser protection software like Guardio, third-party risk assessment, monitoring network access, identifying sensitive data, securing endpoints, encrypting all data, evaluating permissions, and tracking vendor security postures. By combining these strategies and implementing cybersecurity best practices, organizations can protect themselves against the many risks posed by potential data leaks.
Identity Theft: 8 signs that your identity has been stolen
Identity theft is one of the fastest-growing crimes in America, with over 17 million victims in 2018. It’s also a crime that’s easy to fall victim to—and hard to recover from once you have. That’s why it’s so important to know how to spot the signs that your identity has been stolen and act quickly if you suspect anything fishy. Here are some ways to detect when someone has used your personal information without your knowledge.
Your tax records are wrong.
From an employer, you might receive W-2 forms to report your income. If the W-2 is not sent to you, contact the IRS and ask for a copy. You can also request one online.
If you have been contacted by anyone claiming to be from the IRS or another government agency asking for money, hang up and call 1-800-908-4490 right away. The IRS will never call about taxes owed without sending first a letter through regular mail.
If you don’t receive any tax records at all, or if they’re wrong—for instance, if someone else gets a refund using your Social Security number—it could be an indication that someone has stolen your identity and filed taxes in your name without letting the IRS know who actually deserves it.
You’re not receiving your bills.
If you’re not receiving your bills, you may be a victim of identity theft. You should contact the company and ask them to resend the bill. If they say that they haven’t received payment, then you need to get a copy of the bill and prove that it was paid by showing them your canceled check or credit card statement that has been marked as paid. If they tell you they have never received payment from you, then this is definitely a sign that someone stole your identity!
Bills show up for accounts you didn’t open.
If you see charges on your bill that you didn’t make, there’s a good chance someone else is using your identity.
If you think someone has stolen your identity, get in touch with the credit bureau to place a security alert on your account. This will help prevent new accounts from being opened or existing ones from being used without your permission. If you find an account that has been opened fraudulently and reports it within 60 days of when it was created (or 90 days if over $5,000), the credit bureau will contact the bank or company and have them freeze any activity related to this account until further notice.
For more information about what happens after filing an identity theft report with one of these agencies, check out our guide here.
Unknown bank accounts appear on your credit report.
If you see an unknown bank account on your credit report, that’s a clear sign of identity theft to look out for. If you can’t remember opening the account and it isn’t in your name, contact the bank right away to have them investigate whether or not someone else has opened an account in your name.
If you do have an account, check to see if it’s in your name or someone else’s. If it is in someone else’s name, contact the bank immediately and ask them which of their employees are using their own information as identification when applying for credit cards and loans—and then report those employees to whoever monitors fraud at this institution (generally a law enforcement agency).
Credit score suddenly drops.
A sudden drop in your credit score can be a sign that someone has stolen your identity. The number and types of accounts you have, how long you’ve had them, and whether they’re paid on time all contribute to the calculation of your credit score. If someone opens new accounts using your personal information or fails to pay off loans appropriately, it can lower your score and make borrowing more difficult for you down the road.
Your identity may also be stolen if you suddenly see applications for new lines of credit in addition to existing ones—but only if these requests come from creditors who have never before contacted you about opening an account with them (for example, a mortgage company).
There’s a debt collector calling about an account you don’t recognize.
If you get a call from an unknown debt collector and they’re asking for payment on a debt that doesn’t seem familiar, don’t pay it.
If you do recognize the debt and are willing to pay, ask them to send you a copy of the bill. If this happens, make sure that even after paying it off, you keep all copies of bills sent to you by the collector (and keep them as long as possible).
You get rejected for credit or loans.
If you are rejected for credit or loans, ask the creditor why. You can verify your identity with a credit bureau. If it turns out that someone else has opened a new line of credit in your name, contact the FTC and file an identity theft affidavit.
The sooner you notice that your identity has been stolen, the easier it is to deal with it.
The sooner you notice that your identity has been stolen, the easier it is to deal with it. If you’re not sure if your identity has been stolen and would like a professional opinion, contact one of these services:
- Consumer Credit Counseling Service (CCCS)
- National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC)
- Identity Theft Resource Center
Conclusion
Identity theft is a serious crime that can have devastating consequences. By knowing what to look out for, you can stop thieves from stealing your identity before they do too much damage and recover more quickly if they already have.
Scam calls on Amazon how to recognize them
Amazon is one of the largest retailers and online stores in the world. It has millions of customers, so it’s no surprise that scammers have targeted Amazon to try to trick people into giving them money or information. We’ll cover some of the scams being used right now, including a new variant on an old favorite: The IRS scam call.
An Amazon caller asks you to verify your bank info
- Never give out your bank account info to a caller. Amazon will never ask for this information over the phone, so if you receive a call requesting it, hang up and contact Amazon directly.
- If you do choose to provide your personal banking details, it’s possible that you will be scammed by someone impersonating an Amazon employee. Identity theft is one of the fastest-growing crimes in America; giving away sensitive financial data makes you vulnerable to being targeted by fraudsters and identity thieves.
The Amazon caller asks you to press a number on your phone keypad
If you get a call from someone claiming to be from Amazon, and they ask you to press 1, 2, 3 or 4 on your phone keypad: don’t do it! The only thing this accomplishes is giving the scammer access to your contact information. There’s no legitimate reason for them to know this information unless you’ve clicked on a link in an email or text message (which we’ll cover below).
While we’re on the subject…
A voice announces that you’ve won an Amazon sweepstakes prize
There’s a new scam in town, and it’s called the “Amazon sweepstakes scam.” While this kind of fraud has been around for years, scammers are using some pretty sophisticated techniques to trick people into giving them their personal information. In this tactic, you’ll receive a call from someone claiming to be from Amazon who tells you that you’ve won a prize. This can occur when a caller says they’re calling on behalf of Amazon or that they’re an employee of the company (or even both). The goal is always the same: get your personal information so they can steal your identity and commit fraud against your bank account.
If this happens to you, don’t give out any personal information over the phone—and definitely don’t send cash! If someone calls asking for money or sends an email asking for payment via gift card or wire transfer (which would allow them access to almost any account), ignore it completely—even if it looks like an official Amazon communication. You should also always check with legitimate companies before sending money; if there’s any doubt about legitimacy or authenticity, stay away!
You get a text message about Amazon prizes
If you get a text message from Amazon, it’s probably a scam.
Amazon will never send you a text message about winning a prize or gift card. If you receive a text message that claims to be from Amazon and says that you have won something, delete it immediately.
A caller says there is a problem with your account or order
There are many ways that scammers can steal your identity. Many times, they’ll start by calling you and pretending to be someone else who is trying to help you out of a bind. The first thing they’ll do is ask you for your account information—your credit card number, the last four digits of your Social Security number and so on. They might also try to get into other personal information like your address and phone number.
If you think this sounds suspicious or something fishy is going on, don’t give out any confidential information over the phone!
Your caller ID says the call is from Amazon
Amazon will not call you to ask for your personal information. If a caller ID says the call is from Amazon, don’t trust it. Some scammers use spoofed numbers—and with Caller ID spoofing services available for less than $10 per month, there’s no reason not to use them.
If you get one of these calls, hang up immediately and do not call back any number that showed up on your caller ID.
Your caller ID says AMZN_CALL
If you see the caller ID AMZN_CALL, it’s probably a scam. This is because the call may be coming from an automated phishing site, or it could be just an unlucky coincidence that you’re getting phished at all.
The first thing to do if you get a call from this number is check your account and credit card statements for suspicious activity. It’s also a good idea to contact Amazon directly using their customer service number so they can help determine whether your account has been compromised or what else might be going on.
It’s helpful to know how the latest scams work.
It’s helpful to know how the latest scams work. Here are some of the most common ones, along with tips on how to spot them and protect yourself:
- The Amazon scam: This one is a variation on a routine telephone fraud called the “grandparent scam.” You receive an email or voicemail from someone who claims to be your grandchild in distress; they’ve been arrested overseas, their passport has expired (or something similar), and they need money immediately. If you click any links or call any numbers in this message, it will lead you right into a trap set up by criminals who want access to your bank account information and credit cards so they can steal money from you directly.
- The Apple Store scam: Someone calls claiming that there’s been fraudulent activity on your Apple ID account—you need to log into your account now! When you do so, hackers can get all of your passwords for other accounts and steal even more money than before.
- The IRS scam: Someone calls pretending that he’s an agent with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). He says he needs you to send him money immediately because you owe taxes on illegal activities like buying drugs online—or sometimes just because he owes taxes himself!
Conclusion
These scams are becoming more common and can be quite costly. It’s helpful to know how they work so that you can avoid falling for them in the future.
Synthetic Identity Theft
Synthetic identity theft is a crime that’s growing in popularity, and it’s something you should be aware of. If this sounds like something out of a sci-fi novel, don’t worry—it’s not just a plot device. Synthetic ID theft is one of the fastest-growing forms of identity theft and occurs when a scammer combines real and fake information to create a new identity. The reason why synthetic ID fraud has become so popular with criminals is that it requires less personal information than other types of ID theft; this makes it harder for financial institutions to detect when someone is stealing your info.
Synthetic ID theft is one of the fastest-growing forms of identity theft and occurs when a scammer combines real and fake information to create a new identity.
Synthetic ID theft is one of the fastest-growing forms of identity theft and occurs when a scammer combines real and fake information to create a new identity. It can occur in a variety of ways, like getting a credit card in your name with the same address as yours or even opening up an entirely new bank account in your name using someone else’s social security number.
The reason this type of fraud is so successful is that it’s difficult for banks to spot unless they verify that all of their client’s information matches up perfectly. On top of that, banks may be hesitant to close accounts due to privacy concerns; however, if you suspect your bank account has been compromised by synthetic identity thieves and there is no way you authorized any transactions made on it (e.g., withdrawing money), then you should definitely contact them right away!
Synthetic ID theft requires less personal information than other forms of ID theft.
In synthetic ID theft, the thief doesn’t need to steal your name or Social Security number (SSN). Instead, they use a combination of your SSN and other identifying information—like your birthday and mother’s maiden name—to create a fake credit file for you.
Once the fake credit file is created, it can be used to open new accounts in your name. Then, whenever anyone tries to access those accounts for any reason—whether it’s an insurance company checking on claims history or even just when you make an online purchase from Amazon—they’ll get incorrect information about what’s in your credit report. In turn, they may not notice that there are actually other accounts that have been opened without their knowledge. As long as these false accounts keep being used responsibly (which means not making purchases or taking out loans with them), nobody will realize anything is wrong until it’s too late.
Synthetic ID thieves can steal your identity for years before you find out about it.
You may not find out about it until you apply for a loan or credit card.
You may not find out about it until you try to buy a house.
You may not find out about it until you try to get a job.
It’s much harder to fix synthetic ID fraud than to prevent it in the first place.
The biggest problem with synthetic identity theft is that it’s much harder to fix than it is to prevent. The reason for this, as we’ve already seen, is that you can’t prove who you are when your identity has been stolen. So if someone steals your social security number and uses it to apply for credit cards or loans in your name, how do you prove that the person who did all those things isn’t really ‘you’?
The answer lies in proving who you are by using other documents like birth certificates and driver’s licenses—but these can be faked too! That means the process of proving yourself without a valid birth certificate can be long, time consuming and expensive. You may have to spend years going through judicial proceedings before being compensated for damages caused by synthetic identity fraud; even then there’s no guarantee that any compensation will be forthcoming. In fact, given the nature of this type of crime (which involves stealing personal information from third parties), victims rarely see any restitution from those responsible for their troubles!
You should keep an eye on your credit report to be sure no one has been using your information without your knowledge.
If you’re worried about identity theft, the best thing to do is keep tabs on your credit report. You can get a free copy of your credit report once a year from each of the three major credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian and TransUnion). You can also get a free report from AnnualCreditReport.com.
If any unauthorized activity is found on your report, contact one of these agencies immediately so they can investigate further and take steps to block out any fraudulent charges made under your name.
Conclusion
Synthetic ID theft is a new form of identity theft that’s been around since at least 2010, but it’s only recently become more common. This type of fraud hurts people across all demographics and affects every state in the United States. Synthetic ID thieves don’t need as much personal information as other types of fraudsters do, so it’s important to be on guard against this kind of scam!
Three-Bureau Credit Monitoring: The 3 Best Options In 2023
If you’re looking for the best way to monitor your credit, there are three main options. The first is using a two-bureau credit monitoring service. You can get one of these from Experian or Equifax, which report on both of their databases at once. Then there’s the three-bureau option where you have access to all three agencies’ data at once—and this is where we’ll focus our attention in 2023.
What is a credit score?
A credit score is a number that represents your creditworthiness. It’s based on the information in your credit report, which lenders use when determining whether or not to approve you for loans or other financial products.
The three main factors that determine a person’s score are:
- Payment history: How much money you owe and how often you pay back debts (the more time it takes for them to be paid off, the lower this score will be)
- Credit utilization: The percentage of available credit that has been used by an account holder; if this percentage exceeds 30%, then it will reduce their overall rating (and potentially lower their interest rate)
Who can use a three-bureau credit monitoring service?
There are a few things to consider before deciding on a three-bureau credit monitoring service. First, it’s important to understand that there are varying levels of security and privacy involved in each service. For example, you may want your identity protected from fraud or someone else who wants to see your report without permission (e.g., an employer who isn’t aware that you’ve been denied credit). In addition to these concerns about privacy and security, there are also some differences between the different types of services available so you can choose one based on your needs and budget:
- Two-Bureau Credit Monitoring—This type of monitoring allows users access only two bureau reports (Equifax and TransUnion) rather than all three bureaus combined as in other options discussed further down this page. This means less information on file at any given time but still provides enough data points for anyone interested in seeing what’s going on with their financial situation over time; however, this option won’t give users much insight into how accurate those reports might be since they only have access through Equifax’s database instead.”
How we evaluated the best three-bureau credit monitoring services
We looked at the most popular services and evaluated them based on their popularity, value for money and comprehensive coverage. Our team also reviewed user-friendly features, reliable customer service and overall reputation of each service.
We found that credit monitoring can be an important tool for both individuals and businesses, so we made sure to include all three major types of monitoring: Three-Bureau Credit Monitoring (TCM), TransUnion Risk Solutions (Truescore) and Equifax Risk Solutions (Cramer).
The 3 best three-bureau credit monitoring services of 2023
- Credit monitoring services are a great way to keep track of your financial health and can be used as a preventative measure. The three best options in 2023 are LifeLock, Experian IdentityWorks Premium, and ID Watchdog Platinum Plus.
- LifeLock is a popular credit monitoring service that provides 24/7 access to your credit report and scores from all three major bureaus (Experian, Equifax and TransUnion). You can also monitor the activity on your accounts through their website or mobile app so you know exactly what’s happening with them at any given time. You will receive notifications if someone opens or closes an account on which you have an existing line of credit or charge card – this includes new accounts opened by people who already have one!
- Experian IdentityWorks Premium offers similar benefits as LifeLock but adds additional services such as identity theft protection for $39/year ($49/year). If someone obtains access to personal information from one of these sources then they’re automatically added into their system so it’s easy for users like yourself who want full control over their accounts without having worry about fraudulent activity taking place due lack knowledge how common scams occur nowadays especially when dealing with technology-based systems like smartphones today.”
#1 LifeLock
LifeLock is one of the most comprehensive credit monitoring providers on the market, with a full suite of tools and services that can help you monitor your accounts.
The name LifeLock may be familiar to you if you were ever affected by identity theft or fraud. The company was founded in 2003 by then-CEO Todd Davis after he was hit with a $16 million scammer who stole his personal information and used it to file fraudulent loans against him. In today’s world there are more ways than ever before for people to lose their identities—and this includes financial crimes such as investment fraud or identity theft scams (which often target seniors).
LifeLock offers protection against both types of crime through its Identity Theft Protection Program. This service includes credit monitoring (via Experian), as well as identity theft insurance coverage if your sensitive data is compromised at any time during an ongoing investigation into unauthorized use of your personal information (which could happen if someone uses another person’s Social Security number).
#2 Experian IdentityWorks Premium
Experian IdentityWorks Premium is the best option if you want a full suite of tools that can help you track and protect your credit, identity theft insurance, and even a free credit report. This service comes with a $1 million guarantee on its services. It also includes:
- Identity monitoring: You’ll receive alerts when someone applies for new accounts in your name or opens an existing one; it will show you how many accounts are opened in the past 90 days so that you can monitor them individually or as part of an overall strategy
- Credit score tracking: Get access to Experian’s proprietary algorithm that analyzes over 500 different factors when scoring your FICO® Score—and tell whether it’s heading towards poor behavior (red) or good behavior (green).
#3 ID Watchdog Platinum Plus
If you’re looking for the best way to monitor your credit and identity, ID Watchdog Platinum Plus is a great option. This service offers a full suite of tools, including credit monitoring and identity theft protection. It’s also the only service that provides access to your credit report from all three major credit bureaus—TransUnion, Experian and Equifax—so it gives you an accurate picture of your overall financial health at any given time.
It’s important when choosing any type of monitoring program that you understand how it works in practice; otherwise, it could cause unnecessary stress or anxiety by letting you see too much information about yourself or by sending alerts about changes in your account balances without giving them enough context so they don’t cause concern unnecessarily (which could lead people towards panicking).
LifeLock is our top choice because it offers comprehensive monitoring and protection with a full suite of tools.
When it comes to credit monitoring and identity protection, LifeLock is our top choice. It offers comprehensive monitoring and protection with a full suite of tools.
The LifeLock service gives you access to your reports from three different companies in one place: Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. This means that you can check your credit score at any time without having to visit multiple websites or apps—just log into the same login page on all three sites for instant access! You’ll also receive alerts about suspicious activities like identity theft or new accounts opening up in your name when they’re reported by either company’s database.*
Conclusion
As you can see, there are many different types of credit monitoring services out there. If you’re looking for a way to keep tabs on your credit and ensure that nothing bad happens while learning how to prevent it in the future, LifeLock is definitely worth considering. It offers comprehensive monitoring and protection with a full suite of tools that monitor all three major credit bureaus.
Is Etsy Safe? Etsy Scams You Didn’t Know About (Until Now)
Etsy is one of the most popular online marketplaces in the world, allowing users to sell and purchase handmade crafts and other products. It has become a significant player in E-Commerce by providing an easy way for creative individuals to earn income and monetize their skills. Unfortunately, as is the case with any popular marketplace, it is also becoming the target of increasing scams and frauds that users must be aware of. In this article, we go over some of the key frauds and scams on the Etsy platform and how to guard yourself against them.
Scams on Etsy
Some of the most common scams carried out against Etsy are:
- Phishing: Any platform with a large user base will inevitably find itself targeted by phishing attacks, and Etsy is no different. Scammers abuse people’s trust in Etsy by sending emails that appear to originate from the platform asking users to complete their transactions or unlock their accounts by clicking on malicious links. The Etsy user base often consists of individuals who are typically not tech-savvy. Legitimate-looking emails can easily trick them and make them fall prey to these scams resulting in their credentials being compromised. It is essential to be aware of these scams and be wary of any email that alleges to be from Etsy asking you for personal information. It is recommended to contact the seller directly and verify any request. Users can also notify Etsy of suspicious seller accounts they feel are committing identity theft.
- Fraudulent Seller profiles: In this scam, buyers are tricked by fake seller profiles that pretend to be from locations like the U.S., UK, Australia, etc., to create a fake sense of trust and legitimacy. They offer products that do not exist or are counterfeit goods and lure buyers by offering prices that are often too good to be true. Users should immediately be aware of such profiles that do not contain many reviews and offer massively reduced prices. Another red flag is if the buyer asks for the payment to be completed outside the platform, as this will disqualify the transaction from any Etsy protection in case of fraud.
- Fraudulent Shipping Notices: One of the more common scams on Etsy is the fake shipping notice in which the seller provides a shipping notice to confirm that the item has been purchased or shipped. But in reality, nothing has been shipped, and the buyer is just using this fake notice to buy time. Verifying the buyer’s history via reviewers and user comments is essential to ensure they have a trusted reputation on the platform. Verify any shipping invoices or notices you receive and contact Etsy customer service if anything seems off about the transaction.
- The “Bait and Switch” scam: Bait and Switch is an old technique long before Etsy in which scammers promise buyers a valuable item to lure them in and provide something else. The same technique is applied on the platform where products are advertised with particular features, but the reality is entirely different, and the buyer changes the deal once the transaction is made. For example, promising early delivery but instead delaying the order or charging extra for items assumed to be part of the product itself. Again, review the product description and user reviews for any deceptive practices. Cancel the order if you feel that the buyer is being deliberately misleading.
- Deceptive Return / Exchanges practices: In this scam, the scammer abuses the return and exchange policy within the platform and takes advantage of it. Buyers could be charged excessively for returns or not receive a refund. Review the return and exchange policy of a product before making a purchase. If the terms seem too ambiguous, this might be a red flag that this buyer should avoid. Again, contact Etsy customer support if you feel that the buyer is being misleading or deceptive.
These were just a few of the common scams on the Etsy platform. Buyers need to be aware of red flags that might indicate they are dealing with a scammer:
- The Etsy store profile and history contain a lot of typos and grammatical errors, with very few sales
- Product images seem to be taken from other sellers on the platform
- Shipping timelines and rates seem to be unreasonably high
- Negative customer reviews are present, complaining about the seller’s practices.
- Positive reviews seem “fake” and seem to be repeating the exact phrases over and over again.
What to do if scammed?
While prevention and awareness are the best control, even the most vigilant buyers can get scammed by deceptive sellers. If you feel you have fallen victim to one of the scams listed, contact Etsy immediately and inform them. Etsy has strict policies and will investigate and remove sellers abusing the platform with fraudulent activities. Its resolution center can also be contacted if you have lost money in the scam. In conclusion, while Etsy is a fantastic platform, its popularity also makes it the target of numerous scams that buyers must be aware of for a safe and secure buying experience!
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the common scams on Etsy?
Some common scams on Etsy include phishing, fraudulent seller profiles, fake shipping notices, bait and switch, and deceptive return/exchange practices.
How can I protect myself from scams on Etsy?
To protect yourself, always verify the authenticity of emails from Etsy, especially those asking for personal information. Be cautious of seller profiles offering too-good-to-be-true prices, and verify their history through reviews and comments. Also, scrutinize shipping notices and avoid sellers who promise one thing and deliver another.
What should I do if I fall victim to an Etsy scam?
If you believe you’ve been scammed on Etsy, contact Etsy immediately to inform them about the fraudulent activity. You can also report the scam to Etsy’s Resolution Center, especially if you’ve lost money due to the scam.
Does Etsy have measures in place to tackle scams?
Yes, Etsy has strict policies against fraudulent activities and will investigate reported scams and remove sellers found to be conducting fraudulent activities on the platform.
Netflix Scams
Netflix has become a popular over-the-top (OTT) platform worldwide. With its presence in more than 190 countries and 222 million subscribers in 2022, Netflix is one of the most popular streaming platforms worldwide, with 70% of users streaming content on Netflix. However, like any other business, Netflix and its users have been a victim of scammers. Actually, Netflix is one of the most frequently impersonated brands by hackers. Netflix’s monthly and yearly subscription plans have been taken advantage of by scammers who use unsuspecting people for financial gain.
How does a Netflix scam work?
Netflix scams mostly happen through phishing. Phishing occurs when someone uses a fake email or phone number to trick you into giving them your personal information. Netflix scammers’ goal is to steal your money, ID or login credentials. These types of emails may also have more than one purpose.
The most common types of Netflix scams and how to avoid them
The Personal Data Thief
In this instance, the scammer’s goal is to steal your personal information, like your Netflix login ID and password. Often, scammers will pose as Netflix to get your personal information. They do this by sending an email that claims someone has been trying to log into your account. To ‘fix’ the issue, you must click on the link below and change your password or enable more security measures. The link in the email will direct you to an identical page on Netflix. Then, they will request your login ID and password, which gives them all the information they want. When a hacker gains access to your Netflix account, he will be able to see your payment details and make purchases with your credit/debit card. In addition, once he has discovered your email and password, it will be easier for him to access other accounts you have.
How can you avoid it?
Hackers do a professional job by creating fake pages that look exactly like legitimate ones. However, there are several ways to identify when it is a fake harmful.
- Install a browser protection tool. Guardio extension blocks any harmful sites you visit when you click on unknown links, ads or popups. The Guardio security team specifically works to create features that will increase the ability to detect phishing and other malicious sites.
- Analyze the URL and the content of the page. We recommend looking for clues such as spelling errors, a sense of urgency or downloading attachments.
- Make sure that a padlock appears on the side of the browser where the address of the web page is. This way, your browser guarantees that the connection is secure.
Netflix Out-of-the-ordinary offers
Common Netflix scams often involve someone sending a victim an email or text message, pretending they have won a free account. They would have to give in their personal details and a small amount of money as payment. The victims, believing this to be true, agree to the trap and send money and their personal information. In this type of scam, the fraudster gets paid and manages to steal your personal information, which they can use for other illegal activities.
How can you avoid it?
- Refrain from believing in offers that are too good to be true.
- Always confirm any offer on Netflix’s official website or by contacting customer service.
- If you receive an offer, search the internet for references from others who have been victims of something similar.
The Extortionists
With this scam, the scammers will send an email that looks like it’s from Netflix. The email will say there was a problem with the last payment for the subscription. The scammers will ask their victims to click the link below and pay them. The victim follows the link to what appears to be an identical Netflix page. Unfortunately, as soon as they enter their payment information, the money goes straight into the scammer’s account rather than paying for their membership.
How can you avoid it?
If you have doubts about your subscription payment, you can always confirm this information directly in your Netflix account. In fact, you can change the payment method, if necessary, directly in the app.
Final thoughts
Several different scams involve Netflix. One common scam is when scammers pose as Netflix to steal your personal information, such as your login details. There are also scams where you might receive an offer for a free Netflix account or be asked to pay for one that is not real. To avoid these scams, make sure that any offers or payments are legitimate and confirmed through official channels. Additionally, installing security tools like Guardio and practicing good online safety habits can help protect you from phishing websites and other harmful scams.
Juice Jacking Definition
We use our smartphones daily for socializing, working, studying, making payments, shopping, etc. This is why protecting the data and information we share through smartphones is also necessary. We have all been in that desperate situation of running low on battery while having the urge to communicate with our family, friends and colleagues. Public charging stations can be an excellent solution for those moments. Maybe we are at the airport, a hotel or a restaurant, and we end up plugging in our devices without knowing the risks involved. However, you may not have heard of juice jacking. This blog post will explain what it is, how it works, and how to avoid it.
What is juice jacking?
Brian Krebs first envisioned the term juice jacking in 2011. Juice jacking refers to when a malicious actor infects a USB port or the cable attached to the port with malware. If you connect your phone to an infected USB port or cable, it means the attacker has access to all your files and information and can download this data. In addition, the hacker can monitor your keystrokes on the device, which means they can send texts, emails and more. They could also infect your phone with a virus or malware, leading to harmful consequences. Juice jacking typically happens on public charging stations you can find at public places such as airports, coffee shops, shopping centres, and restaurants, among others. This is, without doubt, a high price to pay for a quick charge.
How does juice jacking work?
Most people don’t think twice about plugging their phone into a USB charging station when running low on battery. But juice jacking is a real threat when someone plugs their smartphone into an infected charging point. Without warning or permission, hackers can infect devices with malware through the USB port by tampering with charging points.
All mobile devices are at risk of juice jacking, regardless of the operating system, as they all use some form of cable power supply.
When one cell phone wants to connect with another device, it first has to “pair” with that device and form a trusted connection. For example, on iOS, anytime users connect their device to another or a power outlet, they receive a notification asking if they want to trust the new device. Once a secure connection is established, hackers can transfer data between devices.
The same happens in the charging process. The USB cable must open a communication channel if you want to charge your device, and hackers use that opportunity to put malware onto your device. Hackers can access and steal data from a person’s device after an initial attack without the victim even knowing. Mobile device companies are thankfully aware of this issue and have taken steps to disable the default data transfer capabilities on most smartphones. However, older devices need additional action to disable automatic data transfer.
How to avoid juice jacking
If you’re worried about juice jacking, here are some tips on avoiding it or other situations where your personal device might be compromised.
- Immediately disconnect your device from the charger and remove the battery.
- Run an antivirus scan on your device.
- Immediately change all passwords to something new and secure.
- If you haven’t done it yet, update the operating system immediately.
- Install anti-malware software on your mobile devices to protect them from viruses and malicious attacks.
- If you use public charging stations regularly, consider using a protective case with a built-in locking mechanism. This will help keep your device safe from theft or damage.
- Keep your devices charged at all times.
- Please take your own charger and plug it into an electrical plug when you can.
- A great way to charge your devices is by using a third-party charger that doesn’t require an outlet or USB port.
Final thoughts
While juice jacking may seem like a relatively new threat, protecting your devices and keeping your sensitive data safe is essential. Whether you use public charging stations regularly or want to be prepared for a juice jack attack, there are many ways to avoid this threat and stay safe online.