When we think of vulnerabilities in technology, we usually think of the software holes that allow attackers access over the Internet. However, computer hardware also comes with its own set of vulnerabilities. Even if you have perfect software (and no one does), here are three ways your hardware could leave you vulnerable:
1) Unknown Equipment - One of the easiest ways to hack a company's computer network is to not go through the network at all. Exploiting our natural curiosity is another great way to gain unauthorized access to a network. Many attackers have found their way to company data by leaving a flash drive or external hard drive in the lobby of a building. An employee finds it and wants to help return it, so he plugs it in hoping that the files give some indication of the owner. Meanwhile, this drive is downloading information to the computer that will then be used to cause all kinds of trouble on the network. Even if you are just a home user, plugging in a drive you found could be a recipe for disaster.
If you find a drive, be very careful about plugging it in at all, and if you do, be very careful about the files you open. I have a computer that I use that contains no personal or business information; its entire purpose is to open suspicious files (or suspicious drives). If you find a flash drive or hard drive and you don't have a setup that allows you to contain the problems that could occur from opening it, take it to an employee at the business where you are or turn it in to the police.
2) Theft - Think about all the information your phone could tell about you. Someone who looks through the phone could potentially find your home address, photos of your family, where you bank, who you know, and a whole host of usernames and even passwords for your accounts. Even if you do not do sensitive activities on your phone, syncing data with your home computer could cause that information to be stored on your computer without your knowledge. Plus, a knowledgeable person can easily uncover information hidden away on your computer. I once observed an investigation on a server, and I was stunned at how much information was exposed in under two minutes. If your phone or laptop falls in the wrong hands, it could expose pages of information about you.
Any device should always be password-protected before it goes out the door of your home for any reason. If it contains sensitive information, that data should also be encrypted.
3) Plugging In - You have a password (hopefully, a good one) to secure your wireless internet. However, that password can be bypassed by anyone who has direct access to your router through its Ethernet ports. Obviously, someone cannot do this from outside your house, but if they are allowed inside (perhaps as a repairman), they could quickly plug in a device to obtain physical access. Once they have access, they can access the router's control panel unless the default password has been changed.
If you have a business location, your network could be set up to allow/disallow access based on location. For example, people plugged into ports in the accounting room could automatically be granted access to the financial programs and data. However, it is not difficult to unplug a cable from a desktop in order to plug it into a laptop. If your network is configured in this way, make sure that it requires permission for every new device on the network.
Monday, June 22, 2015
Friday, June 19, 2015
What Is a Hacker?
One of my friends likes to introduce himself to new people by saying, "My name is __, and I'm a hacker!" Although many people initially give him a wary look, he uses this introduction to help people understand what he does and how his role in "hacking" helps improve security.
When most people think of hackers, they think of the "black hat" hackers that gain unauthorized access to information in order to sell it, expose it, or even delete it. These hackers can be individuals, criminal organizations, or even state-sponsored groups.
However, there are a second group of hackers. These "white hat" hackers can be freelancers or employed by corporations or security companies. They test websites and networks just like the black hat hackers, but when they find a vulnerability, they report it in a responsible manner instead of exploiting it for gain. Their goal is to get into systems so that companies can patch their systems before the black hats can get in. By doing this, they improve security for everyone.
Many companies have recognized the benefit that the white hats provide, and they encourage anyone to test their systems by offering "bug bounties". These are usually cash amounts offered in exchange for responsible handling of known vulnerabilities. (The amount offered varies greatly by company and is usually based on how severe the vulnerability is.) In order to earn the money, you must agree to not disclose the bug until after the company has been able to issue a patch.
However, not all companies are friendly to white hats. One security researcher warned an electronic billboard company that the security on their billboards was easy to get around. Instead of being greeted with thanks, he was contacted with threats of legal action. The company did nothing about its security until someone hacked it and added pornographic images to its display queue.
While this tip may not be something that will improve your computer use, I feel that it is important to understand the role that the white hats play in improving security. Just because someone "hacked" a computer system does not mean they were necessarily doing it with malicious intent. Many companies employ people whose sole job is to hack their products to make them better, and many more encourage the public to test their systems through the use of bug bounties.
Unfortunately, many companies do not understand this role and threaten the good guys with legal action. Even worse, when the media catches wind of the occasional story, they often make no distinction between the white and black hats. In order to make sense of these stories, you must be able to cut through the hype and understand the motivations of the person involved.
When most people think of hackers, they think of the "black hat" hackers that gain unauthorized access to information in order to sell it, expose it, or even delete it. These hackers can be individuals, criminal organizations, or even state-sponsored groups.
However, there are a second group of hackers. These "white hat" hackers can be freelancers or employed by corporations or security companies. They test websites and networks just like the black hat hackers, but when they find a vulnerability, they report it in a responsible manner instead of exploiting it for gain. Their goal is to get into systems so that companies can patch their systems before the black hats can get in. By doing this, they improve security for everyone.
Many companies have recognized the benefit that the white hats provide, and they encourage anyone to test their systems by offering "bug bounties". These are usually cash amounts offered in exchange for responsible handling of known vulnerabilities. (The amount offered varies greatly by company and is usually based on how severe the vulnerability is.) In order to earn the money, you must agree to not disclose the bug until after the company has been able to issue a patch.
However, not all companies are friendly to white hats. One security researcher warned an electronic billboard company that the security on their billboards was easy to get around. Instead of being greeted with thanks, he was contacted with threats of legal action. The company did nothing about its security until someone hacked it and added pornographic images to its display queue.
While this tip may not be something that will improve your computer use, I feel that it is important to understand the role that the white hats play in improving security. Just because someone "hacked" a computer system does not mean they were necessarily doing it with malicious intent. Many companies employ people whose sole job is to hack their products to make them better, and many more encourage the public to test their systems through the use of bug bounties.
Unfortunately, many companies do not understand this role and threaten the good guys with legal action. Even worse, when the media catches wind of the occasional story, they often make no distinction between the white and black hats. In order to make sense of these stories, you must be able to cut through the hype and understand the motivations of the person involved.
Thursday, June 18, 2015
Stay Safe on a Public Computer
Most of us carry a computer, smartphone, or tablet with us daily, so the need for a public computer is greatly diminished. However, there may be times when using a public computer (or a borrowed computer) is a necessity. Perhaps you need to use a library computer because your laptop's battery died and you need to send an important email. Or maybe you are borrowing a computer at a friend's house so you can type a letter.
Whatever the situation, you want to make sure that you stay safe while you are using a shared computer. Here are four tips to keep yourself safe when using a public computer:
1) Don't Save Logins and Always Log Out - Checking your Facebook or email? Don't check that little box to save your login information. Your user name and password will go straight to that box, and the next person who logs in can go straight to your account. Even if only the email address is saved, you can open yourself up to spam.
Also, never assume that your browser information will be saved when you close your browser. Always find the button and log out before you close your browser. If you forget, you can go back to the site to see if you are logged out or if the browser saved your session.
2) Clear the History - The browser history can contain a large amount of information about you. Even if you were only doing something like checking your email, there is no way to tell what cookies are already on the computer tracking you. Before you do anything, take time to clear everything you can from the browser. This includes the cookies, browsing history, and cache. The process for doing this varies depending on the browser, but it is very simple.
3) Go Incognito - All the major browsers now have an incognito mode. This allows you to browse without the computer saving information about your history and cookies. (This makes a good choice if you are shopping for a birthday present for someone who shares the computer!) After you have cleared the browser information, use your browser's incognito mode to keep information about your session from being stored on the computer. (It never hurts to go back afterward and clear everything again, just in case!)
4) Only Do What's Necessary - If you only need to use the public computer to check your email, then check your email and get off! I know it might be tempting to get on Facebook and browse for a few minutes, but anything could be tracked by programs you don't know are on the computer. If it is not absolutely necessary, then don't risk it.
Wednesday, June 17, 2015
Six Ways to Browse the Internet Safely, Part 2
Yesterday, I covered three tips for safe browsing. Here are three more ways to stay safe online:
4) Visit Trusted Websites and Links - Wouldn't it be nice if all sites that push malware had names like "iwillgiveyouavirus.com"? Unfortunately, malware hides itself on sites that look legitimate. While search engines do adjust their algorithms to try to reduce the rankings of questionable sites, you should not automatically assume that any site that makes it to the top page on Google is a legitimate site.
Before you click on a result, check the site name to see if it looks legitimate. If you have not heard of the name, it might be best to skip over that result.
5) Beware of Typos - When I was in middle school, one of my teachers gave us an research project to teach us how to do research on the internet. One of the sites we were supposed to visit was whitehouse.gov. Unfortunately, one group visited whitehouse.com, which was a porn site at the time.
Fortunately, well-known sites are much better at buying domains with these type of mistakes and redirecting them to their actual site. For example, type "facbook.com" and you will get to Facebook. However, be careful to make sure that you type the name correctly. If someone had registered this name before Facebook got it, they could copy Facebook's login page and use it to steal login credentials. People trying to get to Facebook could easily be fooled if they didn't realize they mistyped the name.
6) Watch Out for Scams - This last one might be broad, but it is the easiest way to put it. Always look at everything online through a skeptical lens. Not only will this keep you from sending your bank account number to a "Nigerian prince", but it will also help you identify fake news stories and scams that permeate social media sites and email.
4) Visit Trusted Websites and Links - Wouldn't it be nice if all sites that push malware had names like "iwillgiveyouavirus.com"? Unfortunately, malware hides itself on sites that look legitimate. While search engines do adjust their algorithms to try to reduce the rankings of questionable sites, you should not automatically assume that any site that makes it to the top page on Google is a legitimate site.
Before you click on a result, check the site name to see if it looks legitimate. If you have not heard of the name, it might be best to skip over that result.
5) Beware of Typos - When I was in middle school, one of my teachers gave us an research project to teach us how to do research on the internet. One of the sites we were supposed to visit was whitehouse.gov. Unfortunately, one group visited whitehouse.com, which was a porn site at the time.
Fortunately, well-known sites are much better at buying domains with these type of mistakes and redirecting them to their actual site. For example, type "facbook.com" and you will get to Facebook. However, be careful to make sure that you type the name correctly. If someone had registered this name before Facebook got it, they could copy Facebook's login page and use it to steal login credentials. People trying to get to Facebook could easily be fooled if they didn't realize they mistyped the name.
6) Watch Out for Scams - This last one might be broad, but it is the easiest way to put it. Always look at everything online through a skeptical lens. Not only will this keep you from sending your bank account number to a "Nigerian prince", but it will also help you identify fake news stories and scams that permeate social media sites and email.
Tuesday, June 16, 2015
Six Ways to Browse the Internet Safely, Part 1
As the internet began to grow in popularity and computer began to make their way into everyone's homes, malware also came into existence. At first, malware primarily targeted companies, but it eventually came to target individuals. In the late 1990's and early 2000's, the solution to malware was simple: use an antivirus program.
Unfortunately, that philosophy is still believed to be the best way to defend against modern threats. Too many people believe that they can install an antivirus on their computer and never have to worry about threats. This is simply not true! While antivirus software should be an important part of your defense, it cannot be the only defense you have.
However, you also do not need to go load up your browser with security software. In fact, in some cases, having more than one product doing the same thing can leave you more vulnerable. This means that we must take our online security into our own hands. Here are some things you can do to stay safe as you browse the internet:
1) Keep Your Software Up-to-Date - Sometimes companies will issue updates that are not necessary, but the vast majority of the updates your computer wants to download and install are intended to fix security holes that have been found. These patches close backdoors that attackers could use to get onto your system. Since these are holes in software (such as your operating system or your browser), an antivirus program will not catch most of them.
I know it can be annoying to turn off your computer and have to wait while it installs updates, but it is an important part to staying safe. Once a patch is released, attackers become aware of that vulnerability (if the did not know about it before), and they can begin to exploit it on unpatched computers. Always let your computer install updates.
2) Use a Modern Browser - Web browsers go through life cycles, too. When a new version of your browser is released, update to it as soon as possible. I recently received an infected computer that was still using Internet Explorer 6 (IE is currently on version 11). Since all the major web browsers are available for free, there is no reason to use anything other than the most current version.
3) Don't Install Untrusted Media - One fairly common method to gain unauthorized access to a corporate network or other secured installation is to leave a flash drive somewhere on the property. When a person finds it, they usually want to stick it into their computer and see if they can find the owner. However, that flash drive could contain malware that downloads itself onto your computer the second you plug it in. If you do not know who something belongs to, do not connect it to your computer.
The same principle applies to free software downloads. There are plenty of excellent free programs available, but there are also malicious downloads that masquerade as alternatives to expensive software. You may or may not get software that accomplishes the tasks you need, but you could also end up with headaches as you try to clean up the damage. Unless you are testing the software in a controlled environment, only download software that has recommendations from trusted sites.
As a final note, be careful when you download from certain download sites. Many sites offering free downloads support themselves with advertising. However, many advertising networks will run ads featuring download buttons that are similar to the site's actual button. I have heard of several instances where someone has downloaded the wrong file because they clicked on a malicious download button on one of these sites. This is also one reason why I recommend using an ad blocker.
Unfortunately, that philosophy is still believed to be the best way to defend against modern threats. Too many people believe that they can install an antivirus on their computer and never have to worry about threats. This is simply not true! While antivirus software should be an important part of your defense, it cannot be the only defense you have.
However, you also do not need to go load up your browser with security software. In fact, in some cases, having more than one product doing the same thing can leave you more vulnerable. This means that we must take our online security into our own hands. Here are some things you can do to stay safe as you browse the internet:
1) Keep Your Software Up-to-Date - Sometimes companies will issue updates that are not necessary, but the vast majority of the updates your computer wants to download and install are intended to fix security holes that have been found. These patches close backdoors that attackers could use to get onto your system. Since these are holes in software (such as your operating system or your browser), an antivirus program will not catch most of them.
I know it can be annoying to turn off your computer and have to wait while it installs updates, but it is an important part to staying safe. Once a patch is released, attackers become aware of that vulnerability (if the did not know about it before), and they can begin to exploit it on unpatched computers. Always let your computer install updates.
2) Use a Modern Browser - Web browsers go through life cycles, too. When a new version of your browser is released, update to it as soon as possible. I recently received an infected computer that was still using Internet Explorer 6 (IE is currently on version 11). Since all the major web browsers are available for free, there is no reason to use anything other than the most current version.
3) Don't Install Untrusted Media - One fairly common method to gain unauthorized access to a corporate network or other secured installation is to leave a flash drive somewhere on the property. When a person finds it, they usually want to stick it into their computer and see if they can find the owner. However, that flash drive could contain malware that downloads itself onto your computer the second you plug it in. If you do not know who something belongs to, do not connect it to your computer.
The same principle applies to free software downloads. There are plenty of excellent free programs available, but there are also malicious downloads that masquerade as alternatives to expensive software. You may or may not get software that accomplishes the tasks you need, but you could also end up with headaches as you try to clean up the damage. Unless you are testing the software in a controlled environment, only download software that has recommendations from trusted sites.
As a final note, be careful when you download from certain download sites. Many sites offering free downloads support themselves with advertising. However, many advertising networks will run ads featuring download buttons that are similar to the site's actual button. I have heard of several instances where someone has downloaded the wrong file because they clicked on a malicious download button on one of these sites. This is also one reason why I recommend using an ad blocker.
Tuesday, June 2, 2015
Keep Yourself Safe from Ransomware
Last year, a new variant of malware made national headlines on multiple occasions. This software would lock up a computer and require payment of a "ransom" in order to restore the computer. People and businesses (including several police departments) paid millions of dollars to regain access to sensitive files or systems that had become infected.
While nothing can completely stop ransomware, good habits will reduce your likelihood of infection and make recovering your system much easier. Here are some things to keep in mind:
1) Never Open Email Attachments - unless you are sure the person sending it actually intended to send it to you. If you aren't expecting an attachment, there is probably no harm in waiting a few extra minutes to make sure that it is not malicious. A quick email, text, or phone call is all that is needed to confirm the actual source of the message.
2) Use Antivirus Software - This one should go without saying, but the number of unprotected computers is absolutely shocking. If you do not have an antivirus (or it is not up-to-date), you are relying solely on your own capability to prevent malware. One click on the wrong site (or wrong file), and your system will be infected.
3) Use Caution with Drives - Never plug in a flash drive if you do not know what it is. There have been many stories of flash drives being left in corporate buildings with the hope that they will be discovered and infect the company's networks. If you are unsure if a drive is safe, use caution.
4) Be Careful with Downloads - Always use reputable sites for downloads and always read the terms at each screen during the installation process. Always go to the program's main page to obtain a download. It takes very little time and effort to edit a program's installer to install ransomware or some other type of adware or malware. While many legitimate downloads may come wrapped with software you do not want, they will at least spell out what it will do if you take the time to read each screen.
5) Back Up Your Files - If you have backups of all your files, restoring your system will be a fairly easy task that can be completed in under two hours. If you do not have backup copies, it will take significantly longer to recover your files, and in some cases, they may not be recoverable at all. It was several months before security companies figured out a way to recover files encrypted with the CryptoWall ransomware, and it was not long before a new version was issued.
While nothing can completely stop ransomware, good habits will reduce your likelihood of infection and make recovering your system much easier. Here are some things to keep in mind:
1) Never Open Email Attachments - unless you are sure the person sending it actually intended to send it to you. If you aren't expecting an attachment, there is probably no harm in waiting a few extra minutes to make sure that it is not malicious. A quick email, text, or phone call is all that is needed to confirm the actual source of the message.
2) Use Antivirus Software - This one should go without saying, but the number of unprotected computers is absolutely shocking. If you do not have an antivirus (or it is not up-to-date), you are relying solely on your own capability to prevent malware. One click on the wrong site (or wrong file), and your system will be infected.
3) Use Caution with Drives - Never plug in a flash drive if you do not know what it is. There have been many stories of flash drives being left in corporate buildings with the hope that they will be discovered and infect the company's networks. If you are unsure if a drive is safe, use caution.
4) Be Careful with Downloads - Always use reputable sites for downloads and always read the terms at each screen during the installation process. Always go to the program's main page to obtain a download. It takes very little time and effort to edit a program's installer to install ransomware or some other type of adware or malware. While many legitimate downloads may come wrapped with software you do not want, they will at least spell out what it will do if you take the time to read each screen.
5) Back Up Your Files - If you have backups of all your files, restoring your system will be a fairly easy task that can be completed in under two hours. If you do not have backup copies, it will take significantly longer to recover your files, and in some cases, they may not be recoverable at all. It was several months before security companies figured out a way to recover files encrypted with the CryptoWall ransomware, and it was not long before a new version was issued.
Monday, June 1, 2015
A Great Media Player
Windows Media Player and iTunes are great media players, but unfortunately, they do not play all of the major file formats. This is especially true of the flash formats (flv and f4v). Many of the most popular media players have trouble with these formats.
However, there is one media player that seems to be able to play every format it sees. VLC Media Player has many of the same functions as the others, but it requires less resources and can play a large number of formats. In fact, it can even work through corrupted files without shutting down.
VLC has the capability to play audio and video files on your computer or off of a disk. It can also play streaming audio/video and video captured from other sources.
If VLC has one weakness, it is the ability to organize files into playlists. While its capabilities are much improved over previous versions, it still has a long way to go.
If you want to try out VLC media player, you can download it here.
However, there is one media player that seems to be able to play every format it sees. VLC Media Player has many of the same functions as the others, but it requires less resources and can play a large number of formats. In fact, it can even work through corrupted files without shutting down.
VLC has the capability to play audio and video files on your computer or off of a disk. It can also play streaming audio/video and video captured from other sources.
If VLC has one weakness, it is the ability to organize files into playlists. While its capabilities are much improved over previous versions, it still has a long way to go.
If you want to try out VLC media player, you can download it here.
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