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In today's digital age, cybersecurity is no longer just a technical issue, but a critical component of our daily lives. As technology evolves, so too do the methods employed by cybercriminals to exploit vulnerabilities, often focusing on the human element of security. This article outlines several common types of cybersecurity attacks that individuals and organizations should be aware of in order to better protect themselves. Social Engineering
Social engineering is the art of manipulating people so they give up confidential information. The types of information these criminals are seeking can vary, but when individuals are targeted, the criminals are usually trying to trick you into giving them your passwords or bank information, or access your computer to secretly install malicious software—that will give them access to your passwords and bank information as well as giving them control over your computer.
https://youtu.be/Vo1urF6S4u0?si=To_pZ2TH6fVdbAEPMore advanced reading:https://phoenixnap.com/blog/social-engineering-examples


Phishing
Phishing attacks are the process of attempting to acquire sensitive information such as usernames, passwords, and credit card details by masquerading as a trustworthy entity in an electronic communication. Typically carried out through email or instant messaging, it often directs users to enter personal information at a fake website which matches the look and feel of the legitimate site. https://youtu.be/gWGhUdHItto?si=Wh7_ZwbyiNPScsaS&embedable=true More advanced reading: https://www.verizon.com/business/resources/articles/s/the-history-of-phishing/ Spear Phishing
Spear phishing is a more sophisticated form of phishing, where the attack is tailored and directed towards specific individuals or companies. These emails may appear to come from a trusted source and often incorporate personal information to bypass initial skepticism. https://youtu.be/fZc2oXfz9Qs?si=omkiy3KiQhCOM8Bf&embedable=true More advanced reading: https://hempsteadny.gov/635/Famous-Phishing-Incidents-from-History Whaling
A whaling attack is a form of phishing targeted at senior executives and other high-profile targets within businesses. Here, the content will be crafted to target an upper manager and the message might look like a legal subpoena, customer complaint, or executive issue. https://youtu.be/BU8h9GzdlSw?si=VIM2mKfiIUqLVtpW&embedable=true More advanced reading: https://www.fortinet.com/resources/cyberglossary/whaling-attack Vishing
Vishing is the telephone equivalent of phishing. It is described as using voice communication to scam the user into surrendering private information that will be used for identity theft. The scammer usually pretends to be a legitimate business, and fools the victim into thinking they will profit. https://youtu.be/xuYoMs6CLEw?si=Bkxk-kM9T5iCG_Sr&embedable=true More advanced reading: https://www.cisco.com/site/us/en/learn/topics/security/what-is-vishing.html Tailgating and Piggybacking
These methods involve an unauthorized person physically following an authorized person into a restricted area. In tailgating, the unauthorized person follows without the authorized person’s knowledge; in piggybacking, the authorized person actually helps the unauthorized one gain access. https://youtu.be/jksOir0WGM8?si=Q3B8OCtlOhGpVPd4&embedable=true More advanced reading: https://www.mcafee.com/blogs/internet-security/what-are-tailgating-attacks Impersonation: Fake Identities
This involves an attacker pretending to be someone else to gain unauthorized access to systems, data, or networks. Impersonation can be as simple as stealing a user ID and password or as complex as creating a fabricated identity to infiltrate an organization. https://youtu.be/ePBkx7MDloY?si=n20q0TA7UKOpOFwq&embedable=true More advanced reading: https://www.upguard.com/blog/impersonation-attack Dumpster Diving
In this attack, hackers sift through trash bins to find discarded but sensitive information that can be used in further attacks—this could include paperwork containing personal details, passwords, corporate information, etc. https://youtu.be/h0UfLMy_Fq0?si=g-7mfQGyNpAIhoKL&embedable=true More advanced reading: https://www.palisade.email/resources-post/understanding-dumpster-diving-a-comprehensive-guide-to-this-cybersecurity-threat Shoulder Surfing
This occurs when someone watches you enter sensitive information on a keypad or computer screen. It is a direct observation technique, such as looking over someone's shoulder, to get information like passwords and PIN numbers. https://youtu.be/P9P07OgIkWY?si=CHUCIenU6jpRb6Ve&embedable=true More advanced reading: https://www.keepersecurity.com/blog/2023/07/26/what-is-shoulder-surfing/ Hoaxes and Watering Hole Attacks
Hoaxes are messages that trick the recipient into believing something false and often prompt them to part with confidential information or infect their systems with malware. Meanwhile, watering hole attacks target entire groups by infecting websites they are known to use with malware. https://youtu.be/RNWiqj_lkcs?si=pCZl1171oV6Ibd29&embedable=true More advanced reading: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virus_hoax Understanding these types of cybersecurity threats is the first step in protecting yourself from them. Awareness, combined with proactive measures and good security practices, can significantly reduce the risk of falling victim to cyber attacks. References Human generated text revision by ChatGPT
Various videos from youtube.com - links provided above
Cybersecurity articles as linked above In today's digital age, cybersecurity is no longer just a technical issue, but a critical component of our daily lives. As technology evolves, so too do the methods employed by cybercriminals to exploit vulnerabilities, often focusing on the human element of security. This article outlines several common types of cybersecurity attacks that individuals and organizations should be aware of in order to better protect themselves. Social Engineering
Social engineering is the art of manipulating people so they give up confidential information. The types of information these criminals are seeking can vary, but when individuals are targeted, the criminals are usually trying to trick you into giving them your passwords or bank information, or access your computer to secretly install malicious software—that will give them access to your passwords and bank information as well as giving them control over your computer.
https://youtu.be/Vo1urF6S4u0?si=To_pZ2TH6fVdbAEPMore advanced reading:https://phoenixnap.com/blog/social-engineering-examples Phishing
Phishing attacks are the process of attempting to acquire sensitive information such as usernames, passwords, and credit card details by masquerading as a trustworthy entity in an electronic communication. Typically carried out through email or instant messaging, it often directs users to enter personal information at a fake website which matches the look and feel of the legitimate site. Social Engineering Social engineering is the art of manipulating people so they give up confidential information. The types of information these criminals are seeking can vary, but when individuals are targeted, the criminals are usually trying to trick you into giving them your passwords or bank information, or access your computer to secretly install malicious software—that will give them access to your passwords and bank information as well as giving them control over your computer. https://youtu.be/Vo1urF6S4u0?si=To_pZ2TH6fVdbAEP More advanced reading:https://phoenixnap.com/blog/social-engineering-examples Social Engineering Social Engineering Social engineering is the art of manipulating people so they give up confidential information. The types of information these criminals are seeking can vary, but when individuals are targeted, the criminals are usually trying to trick you into giving them your passwords or bank information, or access your computer to secretly install malicious software—that will give them access to your passwords and bank information as well as giving them control over your computer. https://youtu.be/Vo1urF6S4u0?si=To_pZ2TH6fVdbAEP https://youtu.be/Vo1urF6S4u0?si=To_pZ2TH6fVdbAEP https://youtu.be/Vo1urF6S4u0?si=To_pZ2TH6fVdbAEP More advanced reading: https://phoenixnap.com/blog/social-engineering-examples https://phoenixnap.com/blog/social-engineering-examples Phishing
Phishing attacks are the process of attempting to acquire sensitive information such as usernames, passwords, and credit card details by masquerading as a trustworthy entity in an electronic communication. Typically carried out through email or instant messaging, it often directs users to enter personal information at a fake website which matches the look and feel of the legitimate site. Phishing Phishing attacks are the process of attempting to acquire sensitive information such as usernames, passwords, and credit card details by masquerading as a trustworthy entity in an electronic communication. Typically carried out through email or instant messaging, it often directs users to enter personal information at a fake website which matches the look and feel of the legitimate site. Phishing https://youtu.be/gWGhUdHItto?si=Wh7_ZwbyiNPScsaS&embedable=true https://youtu.be/gWGhUdHItto?si=Wh7_ZwbyiNPScsaS&embedable=true More advanced reading: https://www.verizon.com/business/resources/articles/s/the-history-of-phishing/ https://www.verizon.com/business/resources/articles/s/the-history-of-phishing/ Spear Phishing
Spear phishing is a more sophisticated form of phishing, where the attack is tailored and directed towards specific individuals or companies. These emails may appear to come from a trusted source and often incorporate personal information to bypass initial skepticism. Spear Phishing Spear phishing is a more sophisticated form of phishing, where the attack is tailored and directed towards specific individuals or companies. These emails may appear to come from a trusted source and often incorporate personal information to bypass initial skepticism. Spear Phishing https://youtu.be/fZc2oXfz9Qs?si=omkiy3KiQhCOM8Bf&embedable=true https://youtu.be/fZc2oXfz9Qs?si=omkiy3KiQhCOM8Bf&embedable=true More advanced reading: https://hempsteadny.gov/635/Famous-Phishing-Incidents-from-History https://hempsteadny.gov/635/Famous-Phishing-Incidents-from-History Whaling
A whaling attack is a form of phishing targeted at senior executives and other high-profile targets within businesses. Here, the content will be crafted to target an upper manager and the message might look like a legal subpoena, customer complaint, or executive issue. Whaling
A whaling attack is a form of phishing targeted at senior executives and other high-profile targets within businesses. Here, the content will be crafted to target an upper manager and the message might look like a legal subpoena, customer complaint, or executive issue. Whaling A whaling attack is a form of phishing targeted at senior executives and other high-profile targets within businesses. Here, the content will be crafted to target an upper manager and the message might look like a legal subpoena, customer complaint, or executive issue. Whaling https://youtu.be/BU8h9GzdlSw?si=VIM2mKfiIUqLVtpW&embedable=true https://youtu.be/BU8h9GzdlSw?si=VIM2mKfiIUqLVtpW&embedable=true More advanced reading: https://www.fortinet.com/resources/cyberglossary/whaling-attack https://www.fortinet.com/resources/cyberglossary/whaling-attack Vishing
Vishing is the telephone equivalent of phishing. It is described as using voice communication to scam the user into surrendering private information that will be used for identity theft. The scammer usually pretends to be a legitimate business, and fools the victim into thinking they will profit. Vishing
Vishing is the telephone equivalent of phishing. It is described as using voice communication to scam the user into surrendering private information that will be used for identity theft. The scammer usually pretends to be a legitimate business, and fools the victim into thinking they will profit. Vishing Vishing is the telephone equivalent of phishing. It is described as using voice communication to scam the user into surrendering private information that will be used for identity theft. The scammer usually pretends to be a legitimate business, and fools the victim into thinking they will profit. Vishing https://youtu.be/xuYoMs6CLEw?si=Bkxk-kM9T5iCG_Sr&embedable=true https://youtu.be/xuYoMs6CLEw?si=Bkxk-kM9T5iCG_Sr&embedable=true More advanced reading: https://www.cisco.com/site/us/en/learn/topics/security/what-is-vishing.html https://www.cisco.com/site/us/en/learn/topics/security/what-is-vishing.html Tailgating and Piggybacking
These methods involve an unauthorized person physically following an authorized person into a restricted area. In tailgating, the unauthorized person follows without the authorized person’s knowledge; in piggybacking, the authorized person actually helps the unauthorized one gain access. Tailgating and Piggybacking
These methods involve an unauthorized person physically following an authorized person into a restricted area. In tailgating, the unauthorized person follows without the authorized person’s knowledge; in piggybacking, the authorized person actually helps the unauthorized one gain access. Tailgating and Piggybacking These methods involve an unauthorized person physically following an authorized person into a restricted area. In tailgating, the unauthorized person follows without the authorized person’s knowledge; in piggybacking, the authorized person actually helps the unauthorized one gain access. Tailgating and Piggybacking https://youtu.be/jksOir0WGM8?si=Q3B8OCtlOhGpVPd4&embedable=true https://youtu.be/jksOir0WGM8?si=Q3B8OCtlOhGpVPd4&embedable=true More advanced reading: https://www.mcafee.com/blogs/internet-security/what-are-tailgating-attacks https://www.mcafee.com/blogs/internet-security/what-are-tailgating-attacks Impersonation: Fake Identities
This involves an attacker pretending to be someone else to gain unauthorized access to systems, data, or networks. Impersonation can be as simple as stealing a user ID and password or as complex as creating a fabricated identity to infiltrate an organization. Impersonation: Fake Identities
This involves an attacker pretending to be someone else to gain unauthorized access to systems, data, or networks. Impersonation can be as simple as stealing a user ID and password or as complex as creating a fabricated identity to infiltrate an organization. Impersonation: Fake Identities This involves an attacker pretending to be someone else to gain unauthorized access to systems, data, or networks. Impersonation can be as simple as stealing a user ID and password or as complex as creating a fabricated identity to infiltrate an organization. Impersonation: Fake Identities https://youtu.be/ePBkx7MDloY?si=n20q0TA7UKOpOFwq&embedable=true https://youtu.be/ePBkx7MDloY?si=n20q0TA7UKOpOFwq&embedable=true More advanced reading: https://www.upguard.com/blog/impersonation-attack https://www.upguard.com/blog/impersonation-attack Dumpster Diving
In this attack, hackers sift through trash bins to find discarded but sensitive information that can be used in further attacks—this could include paperwork containing personal details, passwords, corporate information, etc. Dumpster Diving
In this attack, hackers sift through trash bins to find discarded but sensitive information that can be used in further attacks—this could include paperwork containing personal details, passwords, corporate information, etc. Dumpster Diving In this attack, hackers sift through trash bins to find discarded but sensitive information that can be used in further attacks—this could include paperwork containing personal details, passwords, corporate information, etc. Dumpster Diving https://youtu.be/h0UfLMy_Fq0?si=g-7mfQGyNpAIhoKL&embedable=true https://youtu.be/h0UfLMy_Fq0?si=g-7mfQGyNpAIhoKL&embedable=true More advanced reading: https://www.palisade.email/resources-post/understanding-dumpster-diving-a-comprehensive-guide-to-this-cybersecurity-threat https://www.palisade.email/resources-post/understanding-dumpster-diving-a-comprehensive-guide-to-this-cybersecurity-threat Shoulder Surfing
This occurs when someone watches you enter sensitive information on a keypad or computer screen. It is a direct observation technique, such as looking over someone's shoulder, to get information like passwords and PIN numbers. Shoulder Surfing
This occurs when someone watches you enter sensitive information on a keypad or computer screen. It is a direct observation technique, such as looking over someone's shoulder, to get information like passwords and PIN numbers. Shoulder Surfing This occurs when someone watches you enter sensitive information on a keypad or computer screen. It is a direct observation technique, such as looking over someone's shoulder, to get information like passwords and PIN numbers. Shoulder Surfing https://youtu.be/P9P07OgIkWY?si=CHUCIenU6jpRb6Ve&embedable=true https://youtu.be/P9P07OgIkWY?si=CHUCIenU6jpRb6Ve&embedable=true More advanced reading: https://www.keepersecurity.com/blog/2023/07/26/what-is-shoulder-surfing/ https://www.keepersecurity.com/blog/2023/07/26/what-is-shoulder-surfing/ Hoaxes and Watering Hole Attacks
Hoaxes are messages that trick the recipient into believing something false and often prompt them to part with confidential information or infect their systems with malware. Meanwhile, watering hole attacks target entire groups by infecting websites they are known to use with malware. Hoaxes and Watering Hole Attacks Hoaxes are messages that trick the recipient into believing something false and often prompt them to part with confidential information or infect their systems with malware. Meanwhile, watering hole attacks target entire groups by infecting websites they are known to use with malware. Hoaxes and Watering Hole Attacks https://youtu.be/RNWiqj_lkcs?si=pCZl1171oV6Ibd29&embedable=true https://youtu.be/RNWiqj_lkcs?si=pCZl1171oV6Ibd29&embedable=true More advanced reading: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virus_hoax https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virus_hoax Understanding these types of cybersecurity threats is the first step in protecting yourself from them. Awareness, combined with proactive measures and good security practices, can significantly reduce the risk of falling victim to cyber attacks. References References Human generated text revision by ChatGPT Various videos from youtube.com - links provided above Cybersecurity articles as linked above Human generated text revision by ChatGPT Various videos from youtube.com - links provided above youtube.com Cybersecurity articles as linked above

Cybersecurity basics: common types of cybersecurity attacks

The Only Automated Step Your Business Will Ever Need to Handle Ransomware Attacks

The massive growth of data capacity in the cloud and big data era poses new challenges for data storage and protection, shifting from traditional familiar IT architecture to cloud architecture, virtualization, and hyper-convergence as representative technology upgrade iterations, accelerating the technical means of data protection. Cyber-attacks have become more common in recent years. According to the SonicWALL , ransomware attacks have surged by 232% since 2019. Here are a few examples of severe data breaches caused by ransomware. 2022 Cyber Threat Report Accenture Accenture left at least four AWS S3 storage buckets insecure in 2017, according to UpGuard, the world's first cyber resiliency startup, which discovered this in its cyber risk analysis. Unrestricted authentication details, private API data, digital certificates, decryption keys, user data, and meta information were all exposed in the hack. According to UpGuard's security investigation, the public had access to 137GB of data. As a result, cybercriminals exploited this information to defame people and extort money. Some of the stolen data were also made public on the dark web. Accenture was hit by the LockBit ransomware once more in August 2021. This time, the company was aware of the infiltration during an audit in the fourth quarter of 2021. As a result of the 2021 data breach, Accenture suspected a series of attacks on client networks, including misconceptions of vital systems, unintended leaks, and subsequent malware infections. The perpetrators, the LockBit ransomware, claim to have stolen 6 gigabytes of data from the attack and are holding it for a $50 million ransom. Verizon Due to an AWS S3 configuration issue, Verizon's third-party queue NiceSystems inadvertently disclosed user PPI in 2017. Because of Nice's blunder, the attacker was able to obtain more consumer call data. Verizon recorded 29,207 security incidents in 2020, with 5,200 of them confirmed as intrusions. DDoS attacks targeted the telecom behemoth; social engineering and client-side web application infections drove each attack, exposing server-side systems. Kaseya Kaseya, based in Miami, made a statement on July 2, 2021, stating that their Kaseya VSA software is vulnerable and has been compromised by the REvil hacker ransom organization and that it has shut down its SaaS servers and advised all clients to take down their VSA servers. Kaseya provides remote management software services for Managed Service Providers (MSPs), and this incident is widespread due to the global reach of MSP providers' customers, with Coop, one of Sweden's largest supermarket chains, being forced to shut down services at more than 800 stores nationwide as a result of the supply chain ransom attack. In February 2019, the Gandcrab ransomware organization exploited a vulnerability in the Kaseya plugin for ConnectWise Manage software to spread malware on MSP's customer network, marking the third time Kaseya products have been utilized in a ransomware deployment event. The REvil ransomware organization used an open RDP service to launch an attack against MSPs using the Webroot SecureAnywhere and Kaseya VSA solutions to distribute malware to their customers' networks in June 2019. Cognyte Cognyte, a cybersecurity analytics company, committed a mistake in May 2021 that rendered their database unprotected without authentication protocols. This blunder allowed cybercriminals to access 5 billion user records. Customers were notified of the third-party data breach by the comparative data provided by Cognyte's database. User credentials such as names, email addresses, passwords, and susceptible data points in the system were among the information disclosed. Raychat Raychat, an Iranian chat program, has managed to withstand a huge cyberattack. Nearly 267 million usernames, emails, passwords, information, and encrypted chat logs were exposed as a result of a database configuration breach. All of the company's data was destroyed by a targeted bot attack. According to Gizmodo, data was made public due to a MongoDB misconfiguration, allowing cyber attackers to manage the chat application's private data at any time. It demonstrates that bots may easily target NoSQL databases. Enterprises have long been concerned about , and they have gone to tremendous lengths to ensure that essential data is preserved. Every business does not take data backup and disaster recovery of crucial information lightly. The loss of key data spells the end for the company. When data is damaged by irresistible natural forces or human factors, it not only causes significant difficulties in the running of the business but also damages the company's reputation and puts it at a competitive disadvantage, resulting in incalculable losses. data backup and disaster recovery Documents, contacts, contracts, letters, and account numbers are essential for the great majority of enterprises. While contemporary technology aids businesses in managing critical data, it may also allow data to vanish in the blink of an eye. For most businesses, losing data means pausing operations, which will undoubtedly result in a loss of revenue, reputational damage, and the cost of recovery. Statistics show that the average financial loss suffered by small businesses in data loss cases amounts to $120,000, and $1.23 million for large enterprises. We therefore recommend: n Choose an affordable and reliable backup solution that meets your company's demands, and budget for data protection. n Back up at the very least the most crucial data, and better yet, all of it. n Backing up data on a frequent basis and automating it as much as possible; otherwise, it's easy to become engrossed in day-to-day duties and forget to back it up. n Back up your data in two copies, one on physical media and retained on-site, and the other in cloud storage.

Top 5 Cloud Data Breaches of Recent Years

The BitBucket vs GitHub Breakdown You Should Read

The role of the mobile phone has transformed in recent years from that of a portable calling device into a thinking, knowing, digital assistant. Today, smartphones can anticipate our journeys, complete purchases for us, and communicate instantly with billions of users. social media Of course, there are few great innovations that come completely free of discernible downsides, and one of the most significant issues behind the emergence of smartphones is the level of information we confide in them, and the to access our personal details through unsuspecting handset owners. potential for hackers Instances of smartphone hacking are on the rise like never before, with Android being one of the most vulnerable targets. (Image showing most vulnerable operating systems. Image Source: Statista ) But fear not - there are plenty of measures you can take to ensure that you don’t fall victim of prying eyes. Here’s a list of seven simple ways of adding an extra layer of privacy onto your smartphone. Don’t ignore system updates In light of the received recently after it was found that they were deliberately slowing down older models of their phones to encourage sales for their newer handsets, it could be tempting to ignore your system update notifications. fines that both Apple and Samsung However, many of the iOS and Android updates that you’re prompted to download are primarily security-based - and typically help to patch up any vulnerabilities discovered by developers. If you choose to avoid regularly updating your smartphone, it could be significantly more susceptible to attacks. Considering that most Americans are more worried about being a victim of than being a victim of a violent crime, updating your phone software is the least users can do. cybercrime (Image showing % of Americans worried about various things. Image Source: The Best VPN ) Utilise a secure mobile network Given the fact that some of the US cell carriers are location data, it’s never been a better moment to switch to a more secure network. selling your real-time UpGuard where they measured things like SSL encryption, email verification and breach history and gave a score to each carrier. ran research (Image showing score based on security featured of different phone carriers. Image Source: UpGuard ) As you can see, most carriers showed either low or mediocre score. When it comes to the UK, according to , networks like , and are among the best-performing ones. Tech Advisor EE O2 Three Take care on the app store One of the common ways hackers can gain access to your private data is through that pose as if they’re popular applications like WhatsApp and Facebook. When you download these trojan apps, hackers could potentially have the power to take pictures, record audio and access your personal data without you even knowing. rogue apps To minimise the risk of trojan applications, it’s important to take extra care on your respective app stores. Keep on the lookout for developer information and check reviews before going through with a download. If something doesn’t seem right, it could be worth investigating further. Utilise biometrics Modern smartphones have built-in which adds and an invaluable layer of protection for your device. Whether you have fingerprint sensors or facial identification, it’s definitely worth setting them up on your phone. biometric functionality Almost have fingerprint sensors, up from just 19% in 2014. 70% of smartphones (Chart showing the penetration of fingerprint sensors in smartphones from 2014 to 2019. Image Source: Statista ) We’re used to entering passwords in order to access both devices and digital services, and while you have the freedom to make your memorable phrases as complex as possible - they’re still much more susceptible to break-ins than with biometrics. Invest a few minutes in getting these added levels of security set up and then rest assured that your handset is much better protected. Close idle windows Having the ability to automatically log into your applications is a useful advantage of modern technology. The convenience of being able to leave windows open and running behind the scenes on your handset is a great way of saving time too. However, it’s important to and unlocked in the background of your phone. avoid leaving sensitive data open Not only does leaving windows open give physical thieves better access to your personal information, but it also makes it much easier for malware to track and record confidential information. Keep prepared for worst-case scenarios If you haven’t already, set yourself up for tracking services like . While losing the one piece of technology that knows you better than you know yourself might feel like a scenario that doesn’t bear thinking about - the idea of your device falling into the wrong hands for long enough to cause real damage is even worse. ‘Find My iPhone’ Approach open WiFi networks with caution Beware open WiFi networks. With the right set of tools, hackers using the same network could have the ability to take a snoop into what you’re up to online. This doesn’t necessarily mean that you should avoid connecting to the free WiFi at your local coffee shop, but it does mean that it’s worth keeping vigilant. Like many of the recommendations in this list, it’s very much worth keeping well away if something doesn’t seem right.

7 Simple Ways of Making Your Smartphones More Private

Over the past few years, the overwhelming popularity of blockchain platforms such as Ethereum and EOS have introduced the world to a new computing paradigm: decentralized applications. Unlike a conventional application that you would find on your smartphone, decentralized applications are not owned and run by a single entity or authority. These apps, also called DApps, offer a host of well-documented advantages, including censorship resistance, trustlessness, and reliability. However, since blockchain-based decentralized applications are still few and far in between, the thought of interacting with one can seem overwhelming and confusing at first. The objective of this article is to answer some of the most common questions related to DApps in three distinct sections - legality, privacy, and digital asset security. Understanding the Legality of DApps Even prior to the introduction of blockchain-based applications, decentralized apps have existed in the form of peer-to-peer platforms such as BitTorrent and TOR. After cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin exploded in popularity, however, enterprising developers quickly realized that there are many use cases of the technology that are yet untapped. Sometime in 2017, the number of DApps on the market started growing exponentially. According to data from the , the number of new releases grew from a mere 10 in January 2017 to 72 just one year later. By December 2018, the number of new DApps per month had grown to 177. Today, there are over 2,500 unique DApps across a variety of blockchain platforms. However, many first-time DApp users are unable to determine whether or not they are legal to use. Let us begin by addressing this common concern. State of the DApps Are DApps Legal to Use? Since the DApp ecosystem is still in its infancy, many jurisdictions around the world have limited to no regulation on the matter. While the legality of DApps has remained mostly unquestioned so far, governments have begun introducing new regulations on digital currencies. In spite of the common belief that cryptocurrencies are illegal, the fact is that Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies are considered illegal in only 4% of all countries in the world. All other nations do not actively prohibit their citizens from using digital tokens as either currency, commodity, or property. It is also worth noting that many DApps do not require you to use their accompanying digital currency at all. For instance, let’s take the case of Brave Browser’s Basic Attention Token (BAT). In Brave’s ecosystem, users are rewarded for engaging and viewing advertisements from time to time. Users can use their earned BAT within the Brave ecosystem itself, in order to tip content creators or donate to the Brave development team. Since these tokens never leave the platform and the ecosystem, Brave’s product is indistinguishable from any other non-blockchain platform with a virtual economy. Similarly, many other DApps on the market offer tokens with some underlying utility. So far, none of them have come under legal scrutiny, save for exceptional cases where nefarious or fraudulent activity was suspected. How Can I Use DApps If Crypto Is Illegal In My Country? Even if you are living in one of the few countries where cryptocurrencies are considered illegal, chances are that you can use decentralized applications without restriction. , for instance, is a cryptocurrency price prediction platform that does not require users to purchase or trade tokens in order to participate. New users can simply create an account and access the platform’s functionality. Alluva While a handful of governments are divided on the subject of token economies, the vast majority of them do not have any restriction on DApps themselves. In the case of Alluva, the act of simply making a price prediction is not illegal in any part of the world. I’ve Earned Some Tokens From A DApp, How Can I Withdraw My Balance In Fiat? Many DApps allow users to earn tokens on the platform for free, with no upfront investment mandated. As a result, first-time DApp users are often left wondering how they can convert their holdings into fiat currency. The answer is simple: cryptocurrency exchanges or peer to peer trading. In the case of a cryptocurrency exchange, you will likely have to complete a Know Your Customer (KYC) verification process in accordance with local rules and regulations. Once your personal information and supporting documents have been verified by the exchange, you can proceed to immediately trade your holdings against other tokens or fiat currencies. Sometimes, banks or financial institutions may not allow their account holders to use their accounts for cryptocurrency trading. Many DApps are still usable and beneficial because they allow their tokens to be directly exchanged for products and services, which means you can turn those tokens into tangible objects directly, saving yourself the effort of converting it to fiat with which you can purchase those very things. Do I Need To Pay Taxes On My Earnings From A DApp? Whether or not you need to pay taxes on your crypto gains depends entirely on which part of the world you reside in. While some nations tax crypto earnings as part of other income, others treat it as Capital Gains. As for the amount of tax you need to pay, it is worth noting that some countries boast rates that are as high as 50%. Reaching out to a local tax expert for advice specific to your region is always a safe bet. For the most part, however, this information is easy to find. Understanding How DApps Handle User Privacy Privacy has become increasingly difficult to take for granted on the internet, especially in light of the recent Facebook-Cambridge Analytica scandal and the Equifax data leak. However, the problem of centralized control over the vast amount of information that flows via the Internet extends far beyond the boundaries of social media and private companies. As the decentralized application ecosystem continues to grow bigger every year, it is important to understand the privacy-related intricacies of using a DApp. In this section, we look at user privacy implications, questions, and opportunities of DApps. A DApp is governed by a distributed authority, which means that all changes must be decided by the consensus or a majority of its users before they are implemented. Ideally, all records of a decentralized application’s operations are stored on a public and decentralized blockchain to avoid pitfalls of centralization. The distributed decision-making process is enabled by validators of the blockchain via one of the deployed algorithms that implement a consensus mechanism such as Proof-of-Work (PoW), or Proof-of-Stake (PoS). Centralization Of Data And User Privacy Crisis User privacy has become a hot topic of debate in the last couple of years as more and more data security breaches and user privacy scandals have surfaced. The huge tech behemoths that hold the largest amounts of user data are extremely centralized. As the Cambridge Analytica scandal unfolded in early 2018, gross negligence on the part of Facebook in handling its user data made regulators and the general public uneasy. The string of news stories about Facebook’s inability to secure user data has made arguments in favor of decentralization and data protection louder. In another recent example, more than 540 million records about , as claimed by the cybersecurity firm, UpGuard. This data was stored on Amazon’s cloud computing servers. Centralization is not just a problem for the storage of data but also for access to the Internet’s app ecosystem. Facebook users were exposed in April 2019 In May 2019, a group of iOS developers sued Apple for its monopoly on the App Store. Apple takes a 30 percent cut from all the app sales on the App Store. Decentralized applications, are different from conventional digital applications in that they are not run or controlled by a centralized entity. They run on a distributed computing system and the governance of a DApp is decentralized, as the decision-making process requires validation from a large number of users. But what does this mean for user privacy and security? A few of the most prominent questions in this regard are answered below. Is My Data Safe On A DApp? DApps are run on a blockchain and distributed computing systems, so the stored data is not vulnerable to one single point of failure compared to the centralized storage of big tech companies such as Facebook. The data security on a blockchain is ensured by cryptographic verification methods such as the (ZKP) method. Zero Knowledge Proof ZKP is a cryptographic verification method, which enables secure and private transactions. In a method like ZKP, a prover can prove to a verifier that they know a particular bit of information without having to disclose any sensitive data. This means DApps run on an architecture that embeds the privacy of the user by default. I Want To Be Anonymous. What Details Are Shared With Third Parties? DApps respect user privacy and virtually no user data is shared with third parties that can link a user with his/her sensitive financial transaction details. Most apps never share any identifiable user data as privacy and data safety is a serious consideration for many cryptocurrency enthusiasts and potential users. Increased user privacy is one of the key drivers of the rising adoption of blockchain. Since DApps use a blockchain, which decentralizes the data storage and processing using distributed computing systems, user data is not shared and exposed to third parties. Except for a few fringe cases, your anonymity will be preserved as your wallet and transactions are not directly linked to your personally identifiable information. Why Do I Need To Do KYC On DApps? DApps, despite being decentralized, still have to comply with the legal requirements of the country they are based in. KYC, or Know Your Customer, gives DApps a way to be legally compliant and cross-regulatory hurdles before bringing the benefits of the blockchain revolution to their users. DApps understand user KYC by using a digital identity proof, which is majorly issued, in the form of a digital certificate. A digital certificate is issued by an authorized agency, which uses encryption to issue private keys to the user. The issuing agency generates one public key while issuing the certificate. This public key is used to decrypt the certificate, which also holds the private key information of the user to whom the certificate has been issued. KYC data used by DApps are not linked with the user’s identity information and hence does not expose the user privacy. Understanding How DApps Safeguard User Capital While the first practical implementation of a blockchain was developed by Bitcoin founder Satoshi Nakamoto, developers have found a myriad of non-financial applications for the technology. The Decentralized Application (DApp) paradigm is arguably the most promising among them, challenging many long-standing notions about the internet and the rest of the digital ecosystem. Given that the technology is still relatively nascent, the vast majority of the world’s population has still not had a chance to try it out. As DApps become increasingly common though, your first interaction should be easy and comfortable. In this section, we take a nuanced look at how DApps handle the safety and security of user capital, including crypto tokens, on the platform. Furthermore, we will explore how you can safeguard your digital assets and insulate yourself from unnecessary risks. Are My Tokens Safe On A DApp Platform? Many users, new to the DApp ecosystem understandably find themselves worried about the security and ownership of their token holdings. As with any cryptocurrency though, DApp owners have no claim over your tokens until you manually initiate a transaction to the platform’s wallet address. Furthermore, since digital currencies are inherently decentralized, transactions can be publicly viewed and audited on the blockchain by anyone at any time. After all, one of the primary advantages of technology is increased transparency. Digital cryptocurrency wallets allow you to be your own bank and are an irrevocable storage solution. If you would rather trust a third party for convenience, exchanges or online service providers provide a way to store your tokens as well. In general, however, using a local wallet is recommended, as it allows you to exercise a greater degree of control over your tokens and safeguard them appropriately. How Can I Trust A DApp To Not Scam Me And Other Users? While the vast majority of DApps in existence operate within legal bounds, the unfortunate reality is that a handful of them do not. As a user, some prior due diligence can go a long way in determining whether a project is trustworthy or not. Generally, this means reviewing each DApp’s fundamentals, starting with its white paper, development team, and the functionality of the platform. DApps that boast legitimate public associations with major companies also demonstrate increased commitment to the project. Applications designed to siphon user capital usually show a noticeable lacking in some or all of these aspects as they require significant human and monetary resources to fulfill. Legitimate DApps also tend to have a community following on popular social networks such as Reddit, Discord, and Telegram. Healthy discussion between users and developers is yet another positive indicator for decentralized applications. Do All DApp Tokens Experience Significant Price Volatility? Can Tokens Lose Value Overnight? While major cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin and Ethereum are known to be volatile, not all DApp-specific tokens follow this trend. Project owners are motivated to keep token prices stable and accessible to attract new users. Since DApps are built to fulfil a specific purpose, there is little speculative component to their token prices. The same cannot be said for mainstream cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin and Ethereum, which see massive price jumps due to the market dynamics of supply and demand. As stated previously, the best way to safeguard your capital is to perform a basic background check on the DApps you’re interested in, especially ones that seem obscure. All in all, a DApp or blockchain-based project with strong fundamentals is more likely to maintain a steady valuation than one surrounded by controversy. Conclusion With that, we’ve covered most of the common doubts and concerns regarding the decentralized app ecosystem. As the blockchain-enabled DApp ecosystem grows further to bring the benefits of decentralization to more users, developers are constantly striving to provide a secure and friction-less platform for participating in it.

DApps 101: Decoding Legality, Privacy, and Token Security

TL;DRWith LeakLooker you can find publicly open MongoDB, CouchDB and Elasticsearch database, it also includes Kibana instances. Script parses results from Shodan, excluding empty and compromised databases. Everything is sorted and presented in clickable way. You can find script here https://github.com/woj-ciech/LeakLooker Introduction We have seen a lot of leaks from different sources — , , , and lot lot more. The most common mistake leading to leak is lack of basic security knowledge, untrained people and in some cases laziness. Due to small mistakes, whole company can be compromised and if we take GDPR into account, penalties can be devastating.Manually searching in Shodan is tedious because it shows everything which listens on specific port — empty and already hacked database. LeakLooker takes the results and shows only instances bigger than 217 MBs and accelerates your hunt. In some cases it was hard to exclude hacked databases, because when hacker left ransom note, data are still present, it applies to Elasticsearch and MongoDB. Among found information by script, there were a lot of personal identification information (PII), medical data, casinos transactions, credit card owners data, GPS tracking information, archived data of accounts of specific groups in social media, API tokens, sensitive logs and documents and lot more. To make it more interesting, you can specify page from which results will be displayed, makes it easier to find things that no one was looking for before. Additionally, origin country and names of databases (MongoDB, CouchDB) or indices (Elasticsearch) are showed. Amazon buckets Firebase Gitlab Rsync protocol CouchDB is document-oriented NoSQL database, using JSON and JavaScript as a query language. To be honest, I haven’t heard about any serious leak from CouchDB however it contains fragile data like every other type of database. Usually it uses port 5984. Additionally, for clarity you can review CouchDB via administration interface called Fauxton. Script gives you direct link to ‘_utils’ path where Fauxton is located. It happens sometimes that is password protected but it’s still possible to access data directly querying db and use commands like ‘ ’ and ’. Following this, documents and attachments can be retrieved and then downloaded. I’m not even saying about possibility to tamper data, because in most cases it allows you to write and delete whole database. CouchDB _all_dbs ‘_all_docs Example results of CouchDB Useful commands: /_all_dbs<db>/_all_docs?include_docs=true&limit=50/<db>/doc?rev=<nr><db>/doc <db>/doc/<name> /<db>/<docid>/<db>/<id>/<attachment_id> Shodan query: product: CouchDB MongoDB is another cloud NoSQL database which uses JSON structure. A lot was said about leaks from MongoDB and I found a lot of compromised DBs in the wild. Response from open MongoDB contains all collections in database and diagnostic or debugging information. Script focuses only on size, databases and collections. This is the only case when web interface is not accessible except of administration website which listens on port 28017, thousand higher than standard MongoDB port (27017). Connection to the database is made by command mongo — host <host> — port 27017 and next command ‘show databases’ is used for showing all databases. MongoDB Example results of MongoDB Useful commands: show databasesuse ‘db’show collectionsdb.’collection’.stats()db.’collection’.findOne()db.’collection’.find().prettyPrint()db.’collection’.find() Shodan query: product: MongoDB Kibana lets you visualize data from Elasticsearch, in most cases it’s used for monitoring devices and presenting it as a graphs or charts. However Kibana is also known for revealing sensitive data, one of the most infamous cases was mobile spyware company. It cannot be determined if instance is open or not, like it is in other databases, so I had to use special query to retrieve only these instances that can be accessed without authentication. I found out that there is a difference in response when login is required and when it’s not. To be precise, header Content-Length has value around 68407 bytes when Kibana returns login panel and exactly 217 bytes when it is publicly open and returns dashboard. Armored with this knowledge, Shodan query looks following: ‘kibana content-length: 217’ and since it has no filter, it does not use your Shodan credit. It is exact query so you will have 100 results per page. As mentioned earlier, it’s clickable and link leads you directly to discover panel where you can explore contained data. Kibana Example results of Kibana Shodan query: kibana content-length: 217 Elasticsearch Another cloud database known for infamous leaks is . Actually, according Wikipedia it is search-engine, which can be deployed in the cloud and provides you web interface on port 9200. What is interesting here, Elasticsearch has no authentication at all and owner should care about not exposing his instance without proper login mechanism. That’s why it happens so often that it’s easy target for cybercriminals. Each Elasticsearch cluster has an indices or indexes, it may be compared to the database in typical MySQL. Official documentation explains it in following way: Elasticsearch MySQL => Databases => Tables => Columns/RowsElasticsearch => Indices => Types => Documents with Properties Script shows links to ‘ ’, which next presents all indices in database including theirs size. You can access each index with command ‘ ’ _cat/indices?v <indice>/_search?size=50 Example results of Elasticsearch Useful commands: _cat/nodes?v_cat/count?v<indices>/_search?size=50 Shodan query: product:elastic port:9200 Conclusion Script has been made as a proof of concept to share awareness how companies and institutes handle your data. I’m sure that Chinese, American or Russian hackers have something more sophisticated to scan the Internet and look for free information, which then can be used for espionage. Cybercriminals also takes advantage of insecure database to force ransom from companies. Moreover, researcher companies like UpGuard also takes advantage of different open databases, so why independent cyber-researchers cannot check what is going on in intelligence gathering world? And remember, act responsible and if you see something, report it.

LeakLooker: Find Open Databases in Seconds

In 2017, cyber-attacks invaded the privacy of millions, grabbing headlines as established firms struggled to keep the noise down. Interestingly, these breaches had a common theme — they were reported weeks after their initial discovery. Here are three of the many security breaches of 2017 that impacted millions due to reasons including low security, weak passwords or avoidable negligence. Equifax The breach of the Atlanta-based credit reporting agency, Equifax is one of the worst data breaches recorded in the history of cybercrimes. The heist involved highly sensitive information of consumer data that included personal details of 143 million customers, their social security numbers, credit card accounts and US drivers’ licenses. 11 million Many aggrieved customers are facing the of the breach that include “multiple fraudulent charges” on credit cards and “unauthorized mortgage loans” on associated accounts. Additionally, driver licenses information is paving the way for impersonators to impact websites and services that accept driver’s license as a requirement. repercussions But it is Equifax’s negligence and delays in addressing the issue that deteriorated matters further for the firm. The hackers had retrieved the data between May and July 2017 but it took the company six weeks to report the breach. After uncovering the breach, Equifax’s attempt to address concerns through a data breach tool was also a failure and its support site resembled just another phishing site. The site directed the consumers to sign up for Equifax’s credit monitoring product TrustID. Considered to be the “ ”, the agency was eventually forced to retract clause on the site that prevented the affected customers from suing the company. mother of all hacks Yahoo — Verizon Reported in August 2016, Yahoo’s hack originally traces back to 2014. Initially, the breach impacted at least 500 million user accounts. But over a period of time, Yahoo’s breach took complicated turns, with deeper revelations. By the end of 2016, the company opened up on another hack which impacted one billion users. After four months of Yahoo-Verizon merger in mid-June, Yahoo’s bidding firm Verizon made a startling announcement. In a recent update in October 2017, it was revealed that each and every Yahoo account was impacted and this was close to . 3 billion The disclosure made Yahoo a home to the largest data breach in history, raising serious concerns on the stolen data. In its statement, Verizon , “The company recently obtained new intelligence and now believes, following an investigation with the assistance of outside forensic experts, that all Yahoo user accounts were affected by the August 2013 theft.” said But on July 13, 2017, Verizon too found itself amidst a hack that impacted 14 million subscribers. The consumers who had called customer services in the past six months of the July hack were exposed to the data breach. reported that the data of Verizon customers were available for download after an employee at an Israel-based firm, Nice Systems left them on an unsecured Amazon S3 storage server. The security lapse was discovered by the Director of cyber risk research at security firm UPGuard, Chris Vickery in June of 2017. ZDNet Such breach exposed records of customers’ information which included their names, cell phone number and account PIN. Uber When talking about breaches, Uber’s wait-watch-disclose policy provides a learning lesson for many startup hypes on why a business model needs to be an ethical one. On November 21, 2017, Uber announced that personal data of as many 50 million riders and 7 million Uber drivers in the US was stolen in a breach that dated back to October 2016. The stolen information (as reported by ) can allow hackers to find their homes and even their travel history. CNBC The company had not revealed any information about the hacker or how it paid him the money. To worsen matters, Uber paid the hacker to delete the data. According to , Uber’s newly appointed CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said that the disclosure to regulators should have been made at the time it was discovered. $100,000 Reuters After the disclosure of the security breach by Uber, two of the company’s top security officials were dismissed. The breach raised some serious concerns about the ethical and privacy policy of the ride-hailing app. Why are data breaches getting common? Poor cybersecurity practices can give way to cybercrimes. For established firms like Deloitte that pride themselves on Cyber Intelligence Centre, data breaches can be embarrassing. In March 2017, accounting giant Deloitte fell victim to a cyber-attack. reported that “a host of clients had material that was made vulnerable by the hack” which included The US departments of state, energy, homeland security and defense, the US Postal Service, the housing giants that fund and guarantee mortgages in the US, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. A Data Breach Investigations Report (DBIR) by Verizon showed that 70% of the breaches are financially motivated and 80% of the hacking-related breaches were either due to stolen passwords and/or weak passwords. The Guardian recent Any security breach stems from lapses in the privacy practices of the firm. At the time of the hack, Deloitte did not have multi-factor authentication, which allowed outside hackers to get into the system through the administrator’s account. Outdated Security Technology Outside hacking can be malicious and the cost of such attacks is costlier when compared to data breaches through system glitches and human errors. Extraction of personal data by hackers should be addressed immediately without delay before it spreads across the entire customer base and hackers cover their tracks. As cyber-attacks become common, it is important for CEOs of firms address the issue of cybersecurity diligently and create a protected work environment. In an interview with , McAfee CEO Chris Young said CEOs must enforce a “culture of security”. CNBC An report shows that “faster the breach can be identified and contained, the lower the costs”. But real-time detection remains distant for many companies but a grave concern is when reports of data breaches are kept under wraps for a long time. Delay in Report and Response IBM Reporting data breach years after it has been committed only worsens the situation for both the consumers and the firm’s goodwill. Late disclosures erode the trust in organizations. Uber and Yahoo are examples of how companies should not delay the disclosure. More than anything immediate efforts should be made to fix the issue since delaying it only aggravates the existing issue. Some of the biggest breaches like that of Yahoo took years to be revealed. Yahoo in its two consecutive hacks reported in 2016 revealed that they actually dated back to as early as 2013 and 2014. Yahoo’s recent update in 2017 worsened the issue when it was revealed that the breach actually impacted 3 billion accounts instead of 1 billion reported in 2016. According to latest findings by digital security provider , in the first half of 2017, almost 2 billion data records around the world were either lost or stolen through cyber-attacks. A cyber-attack is a serious crime and its impact can be devastating to the security of people of any country. In the coming times, protecting sensitive information from hacks is highly crucial and in the light of growing cyber-attacks, people should keep a close eye on fraudulent activities like bank account activities, revelations of credit card information and phishing scams. Gemalto Originally Published on Digital Disruption

Lessons from 3 Big Data Breaches of 2017

Reports that the 2016 US Presidential election was tampered with electronically by foreign political agents have served to put Western democratic nations on edge, with British Prime Minister Theresa May recently accusing Russia of meddling in their own elections. “We know what you are doing and you will not succeed,” she stated in an address to the Lords Mayor’s Banquet. However, it’s not just nation states attacking and spying on one another; cyber criminals are attacking businesses and individuals now at a rate unheard of before. What’s worse is that businesses don’t seem the least bit alarmed. According to the , a full 87 percent of businesses in the US and UK are “confident in their cybersecurity preparedness,” while concurrently finding that 71 percent of businesses surveyed had “at least one breach in the previous year”. SolarWinds MSP Security Survey’s findings This obvious disconnect between wishful thinking and reality isn’t shared by private US citizens. A shows that out of all crimes, Americans are worried about cybercrime. The results show that: separate poll by Gallup most of Americans worry about hackers stealing their personal information 67 percent worry about identity theft 66 percent Americans most frequently report being victims of cybercrime of Americans worry about having their car stolen or broken into, the third highest worry behind identity theft. 38 percent If high-alert government agencies, negligent businesses, and frightened citizens aren’t enough, the cybersecurity skills shortage means that things likely won’t get better. A Lack of Cyber Security Professionals Jon Oltsik, , believes that the cybersecurity skills shortage doesn’t just mean things won’t get better — he believes that it represents an existential threat to both private and national security. Out of 343 cybersecurity professionals surveyed by Oltsik’s company, 70 percent reported being affected by the cybersecurity skills shortage. When asked what that meant to their organizations, this is how they responded: writing for CSO Online said the cybersecurity skills shortage has led to increasing workload on the existing staff. 63 percent said they’ve had to hire and train junior employees rather than hire people with the appropriate level of skills needed. 41 percent said the cybersecurity staff is forced to spend a disproportionate amount of time on high-priority issues and incident response with limited time spent on planning, strategy, or training. 41 percent said the cybersecurity staff has limited time to work with business units to align cybersecurity with business processes. 39 percent said the cybersecurity skills shortage has led to a situation where cybersecurity professionals are unable to learn and/or fully utilize their security technologies to their full potential. 39 percent “To summarize, the cybersecurity skills shortage is having an impact on people (i.e. overwhelming workload, limited time for training, etc.), processes (limited proactive planning, limited time to work with business units, etc.) and (limited time to customize or tune security controls, etc.),” writes Oltsik. “In aggregate, all of us are being protected by an understaffed and underskilled workforce, and the data suggests things are only getting worse.“ technology Is Cyber Security Dead? All of this information put together indicates that cybersecurity is in a bad place. In fact, Mike Baukes, co-founder and co-CEO of cyber resilience platform UpGuard, made this controversial statement: writing for Forbes “The data is in: Cybersecurity is dead. Even as global cybersecurity spending is expected to balloon to over $100 billion by 2020, the frequency and severity of cyberattacks continue to grow, with seemingly no end in sight. While exploits and hacking tools become even more widely available and simple to deploy, there has been little commensurate progress in beating back attackers, who continue to find success striking at persistent, common weak points. How is this possible?” Baukes explains that the concept of anti-virus that many have in their head, such as Symantec software that you leave running and is supposed to protect you, is simply too easy to overcome. Not only that, but many businesses are unaware that their own practices are actually what is putting them at risk. Cloud company XMedius published a post titled “ ,” listing the number one risk as employees who don’t know how to protect data. 3 Major Data Security Risks Every Business Should Know About “It’s safe to assume that unless we work for a company specializing in IT security, the average worker goes about their day handling and sending sensitive data without thinking about hackers or data loss,” they write. “It’s actually the lack of security awareness and skills that makes organizations an easier target for hackers or disgruntled employees who have access to networks and admin accounts.” Add to all of this the fact that many businesses are using legacy systems and outdated, often unpatchable software, and we get a clearer picture of why cybersecurity as a whole seems to be in dire straights. Fortunately there are solutions on the horizon — but let’s hope they aren’t deployed too late for it to matter. The Blockchain and AI to the Rescue As cryptocurrencies have become a more pertinent topic of conversation in the mainstream, the technology that they’re built upon has become more pertinent as well. Anabel Cooper, , believes that blockchain technology’s ability to encrypt all actions performed with a file or object will bring data security to new heights, starting with private messengers and payments across social platforms. Not only will the contents of the messages be secured by blockchain technologies, but the metadata associated will also be encrypted and void the need for user authentication information. Cooper also believes that the blockchain will provide effective means of deflecting cyber attacks on major websites with centralized servers. blockchain writing for InfoSecurity Magazine “The problem is that current DNS servers lack in security because they keep the access key on a single server and rely too much on caching,” writes Cooper. “Startups like Guardian and Nebulis, are determined to change that with using the distributed network of keys and keywords on the basis of the blockchain. Ultimately, blockchain will protect servers from hacker attacks and make them virtually unbreachable.” While the blockchain could definitely help shore up defenses, the cybersecurity industry is also benefitting from new paradigms and philosophies. Artificial intelligence has made it possible to shift from the “fortress mentality” that focuses all resources on keeping intruders out, and instead focus on new approaches that detect intruders as soon as they’re in, and contain the damage before it gets out of hand. “They’re shifting from military metaphors to the language of biology,” . “They’re designing immune systems rather than barricades.” writes Scott Rosenberg Wired’s He explains that machine learning applications such as Darktrace, founded by Cambridge University mathematicians and ex-British spies, are now able to catalog never-seen-before anomalies as they happen. This is because Darktrace learns what “normal” looks like in a system, and then investigates and reports any deviation from that norm. Rosenberg interviewed Darktrace CEO Nicole Eagan for his article, and she extrapolates: Wired “The big challenge that the whole security industry and the chief security officers have right now is that they’re always chasing yesterday’s attack, That is kind of the mindset the whole industry has — that if you analyze yesterday’s attack on someone else, you can help predict and prevent tomorrow’s attack on you. It’s flawed, because the attackers keep changing the attack vector. Yet companies have spent so much money on tools predicated on that false premise. Our approach is fundamentally different: This is just learning in real time what’s going on, and using AI to recommend actions to take, even if the attack’s never been seen before. That’s the big transition that Darktrace is trying to get folks… to make: to be in the position of planning forward strategically about cyber risk, not reacting to the past.” Stuck in Limbo Until We Adapt Unfortunately, cybersecurity is stuck in a sort of inbetween right now. While blockchain tech is on the rise, Darktrace and other AI applications that follow its “Enterprise Immune System” (EIS) model are emerging, they’re a far cry from being considered “mainstream” solutions yet. They are a light at the end of the tunnel, a distant star on the horizon, and they represent hope. Interestingly, however, they also highlight that it’s not just technology that needs to change — it’s also us. Our attitude toward cyber security, prevention, and response desperately needs updating. The old M.O. of keeping the fortress walls high and the attackers out simply won’t cut it anymore, because no matter how high you build the wall, all it takes is a malicious actor that decides to built a taller ladder. This is a simple fact, and one of the main reasons that businesses should be wary of their confidence in their systems. As AI applications and EIS prove effective, fewer military fortress analogies will be used, and more businesses will begin liken cybersecurity to responsive immune systems. Until then, the rest of us will be left twiddling our thumbs, still wondering: is anything secure anymore?

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