Category: Security Page 73 of 79

Data Loss Prevention

On March 23, 2015

March 23, 2015

Data Loss Prevention (DLP) can be defined as a strategy to identify or monitor confidential data to ensure that it is not sent outside a corporate network. It involves real time tracking of data as it moves through the end users in an enterprise and prevents its unauthorized access by implementing strict privacy policies. The term may also be used to describe software solutions that enable the web administrator to control the data that can or cannot be transferred by the users.

With the increasing number of devices connected to the network, Data Loss Prevention has become extremely important for the organizations to maintain their stability and protect confidential information. The types of data that may be leaked include:

Corporate Data: such as employee information, company strategies, financial documents etc.
Intellectual Property: such as product designs, price lists, source code etc.
Customer Data: such as financial records, personal details, credit card and bank account numbers, social security numbers etc.

Mainly, Data Loss Prevention products offer three different types of protection:

In-Use Protection: This is applicable when the confidential information needs to be used by certain applications. Access to such data depends upon the user’s ability to pass through different levels of control systems to authenticate his identity such as employee ID, job role and security policies. Additionally, such information is likely to be stored in an encrypted form to prevent the attempts to access snapshots, paging or any other temporary files.
In-Motion Protection: This is applicable when the sensitive data is being transferred through the network. Proper encoding methods are implemented to alleviate the risk of spying or hacking attack. The more confidential the information, the tougher the encryption will be.
At-Rest Protection: This is applicable when the data is saved on some kind of physical storage medium. It involves restricting access to the programs, monitor the attempts to use such information and use strong encryption to prevent threats to the physical media where the information is stored.

Requirements Of A Data Loss Prevention Software

Your DLP product should be capable of finding and protecting all information, regardless of its storage location.
It should also be able to track the usage of the data and prevent it from getting out of the organization’s internet network.
The system must also accurately detect any potential threats or breaches of network security.
Lastly, DLP software must be able to encrypt the sensitive information to prevent loss of data.

It is extremely important to have an effectively functioning Data Loss Prevention system to keep your business and data protected from potential security threats.

Keeping Your Wireless Internet Secure

By centexitguy

On March 17, 2015

In Security

March 17, 2015

Setting up a wireless internet network has become much easier these days. All you need is a cable modem or DSL plugged in to a Wi-Fi router. However, most people are not aware of the necessary measures that must be taken to keep the network secure from unauthorized users. Configuring the router settings appropriately is essential to prevent the misuse of your wireless internet.

Given here are some tips that will help to keep your wireless internet secure:

Encode With Password: When you set up a Wi-Fi network, make sure you turn on encryption with a WPA2 password. Operating an unsecured network or selecting WEP encoding method is not advisable. With WPA2, your computer will ask you to set up a password that has to be entered by the users who want to access your network. You must create a passcode that is complex, lengthy, unique and contains a combination of alphabets, numbers and special characters. Weak passwords can be easily determined by the hackers to gain access to your network.
Change Pre-Set Passwords: Many routers come with a default password set by your administrator company. Cyber criminals know these passwords, so make sure that you change it to something that only you know. The tougher the password, the harder it would be to crack.
Disable SSID Broadcast: When someone searches for available Wi-Fi networks, your connection will pop up in the list if you have enabled SSID broadcast. Deactivating this setting will not let everyone know about your wireless network, unless you provide them the information.
Enable MAC Filtering: This is probably the easiest way to prevent intruders from accessing your network connection. Most routers have an option to restrict the right to use based on the MAC (Machine Access Code) address of any device. You can create a white list of MAC addresses that you want to allow to use your network.
Disable Remote Access: Most routers offer the feature of remotely accessing your wireless internet from anywhere outside of your home network. Even if you have set up a strong password, anyone can gain access to your Wi-Fi without the need of any log in credentials. Disabling remote access will make sure that you are secure from any unauthorized people remotely using your internet connection.

You must also keep your router’s firmware updated to keep your wireless internet secure. Some routers might have the ability to update software automatically. Alternatively, you can check your administrator’s website to see if a newer version is available.

What Are DDoS Attacks And How Can You Prevent Them?

By centexitguy

On February 27, 2015

In Security

February 27, 2015

A ‘Distributed Denial of Service’ (DDoS) attack can be defined as an attempt made by the hackers to make a system unavailable to the users. This is usually accomplished by interrupting the functioning of the host network or a server to which the system is connected. Unlike a Denial of Service (DoS) attack, DDoS uses multiple remotely monitored computers to overpower the target system and making it unable to respond to the requests of legitimate users.

In a DDoS attack, the hacker begins by exploiting certain vulnerability in a particular computer. Using this, the attacker can easily identify and infect the other connected systems. These computers, also called as zombies or bots, are then directed to launch a flood attack towards the target systems.

Tips To Prevent DDoS Attacks

Buy More Bandwidth: This is one of the easiest techniques to ensure that you are protected against DDoS attacks. With this, you can easily distribute your traffic to different servers and create a lot of space to handle the persistently increasing users. Purchasing more bandwidth can allow you to handle more requests, thus, tackle low intensity outbreaks.
Restrict Connectivity: If you have multiple computers that directly connect to the internet, you must properly configure routers so as to restrict connectivity. For instance, if you need to receive some information from the client’s system, you can configure it to pass from some selected ports through the firewall.
Buy Intrusion Detection System (IDS): These are the software applications that are attached to the network in order to monitor all the malicious activities. If anything suspicious is detected, the IDS alerts the network administrator so that preventive measures can be taken well before time.
Encode Your Website Efficiently: If you have programmed your website in an efficient way, the botnets need to be more sophisticated to be successful in the attack. Thus, you must make sure that your web pages are properly encoded and involve minimum server requirements to load.

DDoS attacks are becoming increasingly common due to the vulnerabilities in most of the devices. Cyber criminals are finding it very easy to implement these attacks, particularly against small businesses. Following the above mentioned tips can help you to create a resistant web network that is capable of preventing or mitigating the effects of a DDoS attack.

What Is Botnet And Rootkit Security Threat?

By centexitguy

On February 23, 2015

In Security

February 23, 2015

Cybercriminals are constantly developing new ways to access computer systems for unlawful purposes. Two of such threats to network security are Botnets and Rootkits, which can infect your computer before you even realize that you are a victim of cybercrime.

Botnet

Botnet simply means a group of bot infected computers. In a botnet attack, the owners of computers do not know that a bot has infected their system and the bots remains dormant till the time they receive a command to perform particular action by their controller or botmaster. The bots are commonly transferred to computers through unprotected internet ports or other malicious downloads.

The number of computers in the botnet can range from just a few to thousands or even more. Botnets are often used in Denial of Service (DoS) attacks, spreading virus and spam, and stealing sensitive data such as bank account or credit card details.

Rootkit

A rootkit is referred to as software that can be installed on a computer system without the user being aware of it. It can either come as a part of a larger software package or installed by an attacker by convincing you to inadvertently download the bug. This allows the hacker to take control of your computer system or network.

It is not always necessary that rootkits are malicious, however, they may hide such activities. The cybercriminals can alter your system programming, access important data, and carry out many other tasks on your computer while being hidden. Rootkits are also used for some genuine purposes such as observing illegitimate activity and preventing misuse of an organization’s network by the employees.

How to protect your PC for Rootkit and Botnet?

Make sure you create strong passwords that are difficult to be cracked by the hackers. It should include a combination of uppercase, lowercase letters, special characters and numbers. Do not allow your internet browser to remember passwords.
Installing an anti-virus software can also help to avoid attacks by obstructing the malicious users from accessing your network.
The anti-malware programs should always be authentic and reliable. They should be constantly updated to search for any viruses or bugs in your system.
Always be cautious while using emails and internet. Hackers usually deliver malware in the form of images, videos, links or pop-ups on your computer screen.

Following good cybersecurity practices can help you protect your network and stop the hackers from taking control of your computer system.

What Is Browser Hijacking And How To Prevent It

By centexitguy

On February 16, 2015

In Security

February 16, 2015

Browser hijacking is a term used to describe modification of user’s internet browser’s settings without his consent. This can either happen while downloading and installing new software, or if some malicious hacker forcibly redirects you to a spam website. Once your browser has been hijacked, it can crash your browser, change your default search engine, redirect you to third party websites, add new toolbars or bookmarks, and enable popups or ads on your screen.

Just like other malware and internet scams, hijacked browsers can make a good amount of money for the hackers. It can change your default home page to their website where the search results are directed to the links that the hackers want you to see. Any click on these links is a source of money for the cybercriminals. They can also sell information about your browsing habits to third parties to be used for marketing purposes.

Tips To Prevent Browser Hijacking:

Given here are some of the important tips that can help you prevent your browser from getting hijacked:

Frequently Update Your OS And Browser Version: Make sure that you have updated your browser with the latest version available. Also make sure that all the security patches are properly functioning to avoid any cyber-attacks targeted at unshielded vulnerabilities. Companies providing web browsers are responsive to the hijacking issue and keep on adding security features to prevent it. Thus, it is essential that you update your browser regularly.

Enable Real-Time Protection in Your Anti-Virus Software: Most antivirus software offer a feature known as ‘Real-Time Protection’ that keeps an eye on attempts made to alter your browser’s configuration files. It alerts you if anything you are downloading is trying to make changes in the browser’s settings. For this, you should make sure that your antivirus software is always up to date.

Be Careful Before Downloading Any Software: Browser hijacking software may be downloaded automatically along with a number of authentic software. Therefore, you should always be careful while reading the disclaimer details about installing any particular software. Some companies allow you to refuse to install the bundled applications that are not essential for the downloaded software to operate.

Removing Browser Hijacking Malware: Some hijacking software permit removing the faulty applications after installation. However, most of them do not allow you to undo the changes made to your browser’s settings. Even after you have removed the software from your system, your browser will remain hijacked until you manually reset its settings to default.

Browser hijacking is one of the most common cyber security threats. It is important to protect yourself by selecting appropriate settings and anti-viruses for your computer. For more information on network/ cyber security, please call us at – (855) 375-9654.