Tag Archive for: Online Threats

Defending Against the Dark Web – Dark Web Monitoring

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Every year billions of identity records find their way onto the web through data breaches.  This represents hundreds of millions of compromised online accounts, with much of this data finding its way into the depths of the dark web.

While good password management practices are crucial, they only go so far in terms of protecting your data, as your information can find its way onto the dark web through no fault of your own.  The scale of the problem means that it’s inevitable that your data will, sooner or later, end up on the dark web.  Once it’s there, there is no getting it back, but by knowing it’s there you can take action to secure online accounts before serious harm can occur.

 

Dark web monitoring – your last line of defence against Dark Web criminals

Dark web monitoring services scour the corners of the dark web where stolen data is frequently sold using tools called “scrapers” and “web crawlers.”  These services monitor the dark web and can be used to spot stolen information such as:

  • Usernames
  • Passwords
  • Email Addresses
  • Credit card numbers
  • Financial Account information
  • Personal ID numbers

They monitor activity across various types of dark web locations, including:

  • Chat spaces and Forums
  • Blogs
  • Social media sites
  • Web Pages
  • Peer-to-peer sharing networks
  • Web Services, servers and file transmissions

Beware of the difference between Dark Web Monitoring and Dark Web Scans.  Scanning tools allow you to scan the dark web at a point in time, whereas a monitoring service operates continuously, meaning there’s a greater chance of spotting stolen data early, enabling damage-mitigating action to be taken.

As soon as your information is discovered on the dark web you’ll be notified and can then take the necessary steps to secure your account(s).

 

What action should I take if my information is found on the dark web?

Change Passwords

You should change the password of the affected account as soon as possible.  If any other accounts share the same (or similar) password ensure you change these immediately too.

 

Contact your bank and inform them of the situation (if applicable)

If financial information is uncovered on the dark web you should contact the relevant Financial service provider and explain the situation.  Affected accounts will be frozen and remedial action might involve opening new accounts with new cards.

 

Examine account statements (if applicable)

Examine recent account activity for suspicious transactions.  Notify your bank or card provider of any transactions that you didn’t make to avoid being held liable.

 

Monitor your credit reports

If the online criminals gather enough articles of identifying information they may be able to use it to commit identity theft.  Often criminals use a stolen identity to apply for credit cards and take out loans in the victim’s name, so examine your credit reports and look for loans, card applications and other activity that you don’t recognise.

 

Dark Web Monitoring is not a ‘fix all’ solution

Dark Web Monitoring helps you catch data that has slipped through the net into the criminal underworld, however, it has its limitations.  Monitoring shines a light on the more accessible areas of the dark web, areas identified as being hotpots for the trading of stolen information.  It doesn’t however monitor the dark web in its entirety, as it would be impossible to routinely monitor the vast number of possible site addresses that could exist.  It’s also important to remember that monitoring doesn’t necessarily identify information at first exposure, meaning damage could occur to your accounts long before dark web monitoring spots your credentials.

However, combined with a comprehensive data security strategy that includes strong password protection and watertight authentication protocols, Dark Web Monitoring is a useful tool to help you counter the forces of darkness that exist of the infamous Dark Web.

 

Struggling to find a solution that fits around your business?

At Cloudscape, we use our extensive experience to deliver custom-fit technology solutions to SMEs in London and the home counties. Technology should serve your business’ aims and aspirations, it shouldn’t be something to mould your operation around. We are experts in Cloud-computing and we know how empowering Cloud Services can be when leveraged correctly, so let us help you tailor Office 365 so that it works for your business and the unique challenges you face. Call us on 0207 952 8123 or send us an email info@cloudscape.it.

Defending against the Dark Web – How to keep your Data out of the hands of cybercriminals

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Now that we’ve looked at what the Dark Web is and how data can end up on it, let’s explore some of the simple steps you can take to ensure your business’ sensitive data doesn’t find its way into the hands of dark web criminals.

In April of this year, video conferencing platform “Zoom” suffered a data breach which led to the release of over half a million account logins onto the dark web.  Events of this nature are often highly publicised leading users to feel frustrated and angry at their details being compromised, and rightly so!

While you don’t want any of your accounts to be compromised, in some cases damage can be avoided by simply changing your account login details after becoming aware of the breach.  However, this won’t be the end of the story if you and your staff routinely practice poor password hygiene…

 

Recycling is great…but not when it comes to passwords!

For every online profile you set up, you should configure a unique, complex and long password.  Each password should bear no resemblance to that for any other account, and you should avoid using words, phrases or number/letter sequences that have any personal meaning to you.

Ensuring each password is unique is particularly important, as using identical or similar passwords for multiple accounts may allow hackers to wreak havoc across your digital estate using a  technique known as ‘credential stuffing.’

 

What is Credential Stuffing?

Basically, it involves hackers either acquiring or buying a bundle of stolen account credentials and then trying each login on a number of other sites in the hope of gaining access.  This technique leads to success for the hackers due to the fact that an estimated 73% of passwords are duplicated (according to Microsoft).  Even if a user changes their password on the breached account, the stolen credentials may be the key to another account somewhere on the web.

Sometimes the hackers also take the stolen credentials and apply variations to them to gain access to other accounts.

 

Password practice – 15 ways to keep your accounts secure

We’ve outlined the importance of long, complex and unique passwords, but what else can you do to keep your account impenetrable?

Use password encryption

Non-reversible, end-to-end encryption adds an extra layer of protection to passwords in transit and in the event that a data breach should occur.

 

Deploy multi-factor authentication

Multi-factor authentication requires the additional access criteria to be met in addition to a correct username/password combination.  This additional piece of information could be:

  • Something only the authorised user would know. A pin, answer to a security question etc.
  • Something only the authorised user would possess. This might involve sending a code via text message to the user’s smartphone to verify identity.
  • Biometric data. Facial recognition, fingerprint or voice recognition data.

Now widely available, you may be able to activate multi-factor authentication within the apps and services you currently use.

 

Test Passwords

Password testing tools are available online to help you determine the strength of your account passwords.  Microsoft’s Safety & Security Center also contains such a tool.

 

Avoid Dictionary words

“Dictionary Attacks” involve the use of software programs which cycle through tens of thousands of dictionary words in the hope of finding a match.  Sometimes additional characters are added to common words too, so to stay safe it’s best to avoid dictionary words altogether.

 

Keep mobile devices secure

With mobile devices increasingly being used for business purposes, device security has never been more vital.  A lost or stolen device can easily be compromised unless strong access controls are implemented.  Secure all portable devices with pin/password protection as well as a fingerprint or facial recognition controls where available.

 

Don’t ask employees to change passwords frequently

While this may seem counterintuitive, requiring users to change passwords regularly has been shown to increase the likelihood of password duplication.  There also an increased chance of passwords being written down.  Only request that users change passwords when a threat to account integrity is uncovered.

 

Apply special protections to “Privileged Accounts”

Consider using the likes of PAM (Privileged access management software) to apply extra safeguards to privileged accounts, which are prized targets for cybercriminals.  Unlike general user accounts, privileged account credentials should be changed on a regular basis.

 

Be mindful of the information you put online

Phishing scammers often use publicly available information in order to steal account information.  They may use the information you make public via social media or even your business’ website in order to impersonate trusted individuals with close links to your business.

 

Don’t manually record passwords

Recording account credentials on paper or digitally is a risky business.  Such records could end up getting lost or stolen and could give criminals widespread access to your sensitive data across multiple accounts.

 

Guard against malware!

You password management efforts will be for nothing if malware present on your system allows hackers to record your every keystroke.  Deploy technical measures to scan for and deal with malware, such as anti-virus software and vulnerability scans.  Ensure software and operating systems are well maintained to minimise points-of-entry for hackers.

 

Use a Password manager

Password managers allow you to safely and securely store all your account passwords in one place behind a wall of encryption.  Password managers can also be used to create and store highly-secure autogenerated passwords designed to give maximum security.

Just make sure that you set up a strong master password!

 

Struggling to find a solution that fits around your business?

At Cloudscape, we use our extensive experience to deliver custom-fit technology solutions to SMEs in London and the home counties. Technology should serve your business’ aims and aspirations, it shouldn’t be something to mould your operation around. We are experts in Cloud-computing and we know how empowering Cloud Services can be when leveraged correctly, so let us help you tailor Office 365 so that it works for your business and the unique challenges you face. Call us on 0207 952 8123 or send us an email info@cloudscape.it.

The Shady Side of the Internet – The Dark Web

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You’ve probably come across the term “Dark Web” at some point, but what does this somewhat ominous term refer to?

Dark Web refers to sites that are hosted behind several layers of encryption, and because of this encryption, the site operators and contributors remain hidden as it is very tricky to trace a Dark Web site back to the source.  Most of these sites are used for a wholly or partially illegal purpose, as their clandestine nature means morally questionable activities can be carried out under a veil of secrecy and anonymity. Without going into the unpalatable details, many sites on the Dark web are used for purposes such as:

  • The distribution of illegal drugs.
  • Gathering spaces for extremist ideologies
  • The sale of counterfeit documentation
  • The sale of illegal weaponry
  • Human trafficking activities
  • The sale and distribution of stolen goods.
  • The sale and distribution of stolen data.

It, therefore, goes without saying that the dark web is home to some very unsavoury characters.

It is also used by individuals who are intensely paranoid about their online privacy, particularly concerning their communications. While online privacy is a concern for many, there are definitely better ways to conceal private conversations than taking them into a seedy criminal underworld that’s rife with malware.

 

I don’t think I’ve encountered such sites, how do you access them?

You cannot stumble across a dark web site through a Google search, to find the dark web you have to go looking for it.  And while much of the activity on the dark web is illegal, browsing the sites is not – although it’s something we certainly wouldn’t recommend!

Dark Web sites exist behind encryption, so in order to access a site, you have to use the same encryption tool as the site you’re trying to access.  You also have to possess the site’s URL, as you cannot access dark web sites via domain name searches.

Again, accessing the dark web is a risky business and we strongly advise against it.  You may encounter criminals, be exposed to a range of extremely potent malware designed to steal your data or inadvertently engage in activity that could be considered a criminal offence.

 

So why do I need to know about the Dark Web?

It’s important to be aware of the Dark Web from an online security perspective.  As we’ve mentioned, criminals use the dark web to trade illegal commodities, and one of these commodities is stolen data.  Indeed, if you were to suffer a data breach carried out by a cybercriminal there the chances of your data being traded on the dark web is relatively high.

 

How could my data end up on the Dark Web?

Dark web criminals use a number of methods to steal valuable data:

Malware

Hackers use a variety of malware types to harvest data from various settings.  Most types are designed to extract login credentials, particularly those used to access banking sites or sites that allow the hacker to leverage some kind of financial reward from the account information.  Keyloggers, info stealers and banking malware are common examples and are often picked up through malicious email attachments, drive-by downloads and interactions with malicious websites.

Phishing scams

Phishing scams involve the use of social engineering to encourage victims to voluntarily hand over personal information.  The scammers often masquerade as a trusted organisation or someone known to the victim in order to build a bond of trust before requesting information (again, usually login details).  Phishing scams can be avoided if you know what to look out for, so staff training is one of the best way businesses can defend themselves against Phishing fraudsters.

Weak account protections

Hackers use methods such as Brute force attacks in order to gain access to online accounts.  The weaker the account password the greater the chance that such an attack will be successful.  Once the hacker knows your password they might use it to make purchases or steal money from an account.  Alternatively, they could bundle it into a collection of stolen account credentials and sell this bundle on the Dark Web.

Unsecure connections

Techniques such as ‘man in the middle attacks’ allow hackers to intercept data travelling across insecure networks such as public WiFi.  Levels of security on such networks are often low, leaving users vulnerable to a range of attacks.

Sometimes ‘rogue hotspots’ are also used.  This involves the hacker setting up a public Wi-Fi portal that imitates a legitimate hotspot nearby.  These hotspots can then be used to listen in on traffic, distribute malware or even direct users towards malicious websites.

Attacks on large companies

The databases of large corporate entities are a prized target for the most sophisticated cybercriminals.  Social media giants, software-as-a-service companies and financial institutions have to spend large sums of money on cybersecurity, in order to defend the vast quantities of customer data they hold in their servers.  While such breaches are relatively uncommon when they do occur attacks can result in millions of articles of sensitive data being leaked onto the dark web.

 

Struggling to find a solution that fits around your business?

At Cloudscape, we use our extensive experience to deliver custom-fit technology solutions to SMEs in London and the home counties. Technology should serve your business’ aims and aspirations, it shouldn’t be something to mould your operation around. We are experts in Cloud-computing and we know how empowering Cloud Services can be when leveraged correctly, so let us help you tailor Office 365 so that it works for your business and the unique challenges you face. Call us on 0207 952 8123 or send us an email info@cloudscape.it.