Author: centexitguy Page 92 of 142

What Is The Internet Of Things?

On January 17, 2015

January 17, 2015

The Internet of Things (IoT) may be described as a network of devices connected to the internet to communicate and share valuable information. The concept entails internet connectivity beyond the traditional devices such as computers, tablets and smart phones to TVs, cars, electronic appliances etc. In a nutshell, every device that has an embedded technology to be able to connect to the internet comes under the category of Internet of Things.

Mainly, it consists of three essential components:

The devices themselves
The network that connects them to other devices
The systems that can utilize the data shared through the connected devices

With the help of this infrastructure, the IoT can be used to make our lives better in a number of ways by allowing constant connectivity throughout the world, real time tracking of everything etc. However, every new technology comes with its own share of vulnerabilities, and so does the Internet of Things. Ranging from cross-site scripting, weak passwords to SQL injections and Heartbleed, there are a number of security concerns surrounding these devices. Some of them are:

Privacy Issues: Most of the IoT devices collect personal information of the user such as name, date of birth, address, bank account, credit card details etc. More disturbing fact is that most of these gadgets still transmit these particulars over the internet without any encryption. Thus, it is highly possible that this data may be misused by the cyber criminals.
Insufficient Authentication: There are many users who still rely on weak passwords that are short and easy to remember. A number of devices do not even require a strong password for the user to access the internet. Thus, it provides an easy way for the hackers to decode the password and penetrate the data stored.
Web Interface: One of the common security concerns with the Internet of Things is issues in the UI including issue poor session administration, cross-site scripting and weak default authorizations. This allows the hackers to identify user accounts and manipulate them by resetting passwords.
Insecure software: While downloading any software updates, most users do not use proper encryption. With such an error, the hackers can easily intercept these downloads and even see or modify them for their own benefit.

Given the above concerns, the manufacturers of IoT devices must take the necessary steps to ensure the user’s security while being connected to the internet.

Cyber Security Concerns In 2015

By centexitguy

On January 10, 2015

In Security

January 10, 2015

After a year of facing some challenging cyber security threats like Shellshock (Bash Bug) and Heartbleed, experts have started to make predictions for security concerns in 2015. It is believed that besides traditional cybercrimes like data breaches and password attacks, many larger hacking attacks can also be expected this year.

Given here are some of the potential threats predicted by cyber security experts:

XSS Attacks: It is difficult to find high-risk vulnerabilities in credible web products, such as SharePoint, WordPress etc., however, low-risk vulnerability like XSS is quite common. As these attacks give the same results as an SQL injection, hackers usually prefer to exploit XSS to access confidential data.
Third Party Plugins: Even though the core databases of many web products are quite secure, third party programs are at high risk for security breaches. Any outdated plugin can put the entire application at risk.
Chained Third Party Attacks: Reputed websites are usually protected against critical vulnerabilities. Thus, it becomes easy for the hackers to combine several low to medium risk vulnerabilities to gain access to the websites.
Ransomware Attacks: This is a type of malware that restricts a user to access the computer that it infects. It even demands certain sum of money to be paid to the hacker after which the restriction can be removed.
The Internet of Things: Connecting your gadgets and devices like mobile phones, TVs or cars to the internet will also be a major cyber security concern in 2015. As these devices do not have any sophisticated security applications, it is much easier for the hackers to access important data and manipulate the system.
Cyber Espionage: Also known as cyber spying, this is a very common attack used by the hackers to get hold of confidential information illegitimately from a computer system.
Point of Sale Attacks: With the introduction of Apple’s virtual payment system Apple Pay, cyber criminals will definitely look to abuse any flaws in the application. In addition, other digital payment systems on mobile phones will also remain the target of hackers.
Blastware: This malware destroys operating systems, deletes important information and wipes out the data required to track the hackers. Much like Ransomware, it also enables the cyber criminals to get control over the entire system and manipulate the data for malicious purposes.

Hackers continuously look for insecure and vulnerable networks in order to implement their attacks. Thus, in order to deal with the cyber security concerns in 2015, individuals and organizations must update their security systems regularly.

Things To Check If Your Internet Is Blocked On Your PC

By centexitguy

On December 30, 2014

In IT Support, Networking

December 30, 2014

You might have witnessed times when you are suddenly unable to connect to the internet from your computer system. This could be due to several reasons which most people are unable to detect. Given here is a complete list of the common things to check when you witness internet connection not working on your PC.

Unplugged Network Cable Or WI-Fi Disabled

This is the most common reason why most people are unable to connect to the internet. The connection failure is not due to a problem in the network, but because of Wi-Fi adapter been shut off in the laptop. In home networks, the router might have been inadvertently unplugged by someone.

Rule Out Fake Alarms

Instead of problem in your network connection, there are chances that a particular website may be down. Hence, before assuming any conclusion, make sure you visit several popular websites rather than just a single one.

Avoid IP Address Clashes

If more than one computer is using the same IP address, the clash between them can also prevent the internet connection from working properly. To resolve this issue, you should renew the IP address of any of the computers having confilct. If your network has a static IP address, you can manually change it to any other number.

Check For Faults in Computer Firewall

Firewalls installed on many computers are intended to restrict unauthorized traffic to affect network processes. Regrettably, due to an error, these software systems can sometimes also block valid internet users. Also, when more than one firewall is installed on the same computer, conflicts between them can also lead to erroneously block traffic. If you have recently updated or installed a computer firewall system, disable it temporarily to see if it has been causing the problem in internet connection.

Check If Wireless Signal Is In Range

If you are on a Wi-Fi network, the performance of the connection will be influenced by the distance between the wireless access point and computer system. Farther the Wi-Fi device, slower will be the internet speed. Determine the strength of your wireless connection to diagnose the problems in your internet.

Changes In Wireless Network Configuration

Wi-Fi networks usually require matching WEP or WPA security keys to connect. If a person changes the password or encryption key at the access point, all the devices will be unable to connect to internet. You can contact the network administrator to confirm if the pin has been changed recently.

If all the above things are working correctly, contact your internet service provider to check if there is an outage in your area. They can also guide you to troubleshoot the connection problem.

All You Need To Know About VPN

By centexitguy

On December 24, 2014

In Networking

December 24, 2014

Virtual Private Network (VPN) is a private network that uses the public telecommunication system, usually the internet, to enable a secure network access within an organization. It aims at providing the entire organization with the same network capabilities, but at a much lesser cost. VPN is often used to extend intranets across the world in order to broadcast information to a wider audience. If a user wants to gain access to the network, he must go through an authentication protocol using a username and password.

Types of VPN

Dial-up VPN: This is a software based system developed over your existing internet connection. It involves creating a secure channel between the two remote points which allows the users to connect to the network. There is often little or no cost associated with this type of network set-up as you can easily use your existing software and equipment.
Site To Site VPN: This type of VPN can be used to connect several computers present in remote locations to a particular network. All the systems connected to the network can have an access to each other.
Client VPN: This is an encrypted connection from one remote device to a VPN router. Traffic is channeled from the device towards the router so that the user can access the inside information of the organization.
SSL VPN: This type of VPN works much similarly to the client VPN. The major difference lies in the fact that it does not require any preconfigured software to connect to the network. Rather, the web browser performs the function of VoIP software.

Security Tips For VPN

Install and constantly update firewalls to strengthen your VPN network.
An intrusion detection or prevention system is recommended to effectively monitor malicious attacks on the network.
Unmanaged or unsecured systems without any authentication should not be provided access to the network.
Remote network servers or computer systems should have anti-virus software installed to prevent any infections.
Network administrators should be provided proper training to follow best security measures during the installation and use of VPN.
Auditing and logging functions should be present to record any unauthorized attempts to access the network.
Guidelines and policies should be provided to the responsible parties to regulate their network use.
Unnecessary access to the intranet should be controlled and limited.

Following the above given security tips can help you have a safe and secure network connection in your organization.

PCI Compliance For Your Web Store

By centexitguy

On December 16, 2014

In Security

December 16, 2014

PCI (Payment Card Industry) security standards are a set of guidelines aimed towards protecting the personal information as well as confirming security at the time of online transactions using a credit or debit card. If you are in an online retail business you might be involved in financial transactions over the internet. Such dealings are susceptible to a lot of malicious attacks posing a threat for penalties, lost revenue and even credit card breaches.

Whether you have a small or large web store, being PCI compliant is necessary to ensure security for customer related information while processing payments or while handling their data. An autonomous body named PCI Security Standard Council (PCI SSC) was created by the leading credit card brands MasterCard, Visa, JCB, Discover and American Express to administer and manage the PCI DSS (Data Security Standards).

How to be PCI compliant?

There are 5 standards that must be met for a web store to be PCI compliant:

Maintain Secure Network: Businesses must ensure that the systems used to store customer data is protected with a firewall. Also, reasonable measures should be taken to safeguard the network to which the servers are connected.
Protect Cardholder Data: The personal data of the cardholder should not be accessible to everyone. The credit card numbers must be stored in an encrypted form so that even if someone breaches the database, he would not be able to decode the information.
Maintain a Vulnerability Management Program: Keeping your server software, hardware and operating systems updated is another important measure to be compliant with PCI standards.
Implement Strict Access Control: Web store owners must assign a unique identification number to each person who has access to the cardholder data. This access should also be provided only to a limited number of employees who need to use it.
Regularly Test Networks: The network security processes and measures should be regularly scanned, tracked and monitored to detect any potential security issues. Issues detected should be fixed on priority.

Benefits of Being PCI Compliant:

Merchants can protect themselves against heavy fines by preventing data breach.
PCI compliant web stores are trusted by the customers. Thus, it helps to increase their business.
Being PCI Complaint helps to protect the reputation and credibility of an online retailer.
PCI compliance can help online businesses become more secure by decreasing vulnerability to network attacks.
Keeping the above benefits in mind, it is important that the web stores should make sure they comply with the security standards of PCI.

We at Centex Technologies provide complete security solution to our clients. For more information, call us at – (855) 375-9654