Using the Auto-Fill Feature

Hey guys!

Today I am going to talk about something that many of us do that could potentially be risky in today’s world filled with cyber crime.

On many laptops and desktops, Internet browsers will ask if you would like to store passwords or credit card information on certain websites. They call it the auto-fill feature, and it may seem like a good idea. People tend to frequently forget their passwords or they may just like the idea of not having to enter their password every time they log on to a certain website. While it may seem like a good idea at the time because it can make your life easier if you are in a rush, it can also make it easier for your information to fall into the wrong hands.

Many smartphones and tablets also use the auto-fill feature when attempting to store data into your personal device. We all know how tedious it can be to type in long passwords or credit card numbers using the small keyboards on a mobile device or tablet, so auto-fill may seem like a quick and easy fix.

There was a study regarding cyber security risks on conducted in the United Kingdom, but I believe the results can also be generalized to the population of individuals in the United States in this technologically advanced generation. The study examined the login preferences on personal devices of 2,000 adults in the UK. Less than half of the participants in the study have a pass code set up on their mobile phone or tablet, meaning that anyone who gets their hands on the device can access all of its contents. Three out of five of the participants stay logged into their social media accounts on their personal devices and 58% of the respondents stay permanently signed in to their personal email accounts. Nearly two thirds of the respondents store their credit or debit card information on Amazon and a fifth of the respondents store their credit or debit card information on EBay. A third of the respondents store their card details on PayPal and a fifth of UK residents stay permanently logged on to the payment service. With all of this information stored on one personal device that can easily fall into the wrong hands, people are setting themselves up for dangerous long-term consequences.

Seven in ten people struggle to remember the different passwords for the different websites that they use. Over a third of UK adults struggle because they have a different password for each website they visit. It can be very difficult to keep track of these passwords since different websites require different conditions when creating passwords, such as length requirements, the use of special characters, the use of numbers, etc. According to the responses of the survey, they have determined that Brits have to request a new password every other month on average because they keep forgetting them, while a third of the respondents say that they end up writing their passwords down. Eight out of ten participants claim that they use the auto-fill option because of speed and convenience.

It is recommended that you be incredibly cautious with the websites you choose to store your information on and it’s also recommended that you do not store financial information on your personal devices.

Sources:

http://www.peterboroughtoday.co.uk/news/latest-news/millions-risking-cybercrime-by-storing-passwords-and-card-details-on-sites-such-as-amazon-paypal-and-tesco-1-7328223

Political Terrorism

Recently, the Department of Justice has charged seven Iranians with hacks against US banks and infrastructure. They used a series of Denial of Service attacks, which are meant to overwhelm servers and take them offline, against several US-based organizations. The alleged hackers are believed to be working with the Iranian government and its elite military army, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

The Department of Justice issued a statement saying that “the attacks disabled victim bank websites, prevented customers from accessing their accounts online and collectively cost the victims tens of millions of dollars in remediation costs as they worked to neutralize and mitigate the attacks on their servers.” The FBI Director, James Comey, issued a press conference on the matter. He stated “the challenge we face in investigating cyber crime is that cyber criminals often think that it’s a freebee to reach into the United States to do harm to steal what matters to us to wreak havoc. They think it’s a freebee because they’re halfway around the world and trying to use anonymization techniques. The message of this case is that we will work together to shrink the world and impose costs on those people so that no matter where they are we will try to reach them and no matter how hard they work to hide their identity and their tradecraft, we will find ways to pierce that shield and identify them.”

Another recent issue was a Chinese national pleading guilty to participating in a conspiracy to hack into the computer networks of U.S. defense contractors and exfiltrate military information back to the Chinese government. These have been rather frequent occurrences as of late. Political terrorism is an increasing trend in this day and age and many people are still unaware of what it is, why it is happening, and what ways we can go about preventing or minimizing it.

The Department of Justice is working on new ways to protect cyber security. They are looking for the best approaches and new, innovative ways to keep the country safe. These attacks can potentially have disastrous consequences if executed properly. The Department of Justice believes that communication among departments is one important aspect in combating cyber crime. They also believe that it is important to make sure people are aware of the issue. Another main goal that they are working on is deterrence. They are also taking measures to make sure the military intelligence is protected, since the cyberspace is only one way to go. According to the article, “the United States military operates in many other domains and so we’ve heard press articles talk about potential Iranian hacktivists attacking a U.S. dam – I don’t have any information that says it’s there. But what prevents nation states from taking action [is] the fact that they would have to deal with the United States in other domains. And so it always has to include all domains, not just cyber. Our response to a cyber attack may not be in cyber.”

Sources:

https://defensesystems.com/articles/2016/03/24/us-charges-7-iranian-hackers.aspx

 

Cyber Crime at a Young Age?

Hi guys! I hope everyone had a fantastic week!

According to recent reports, cyber criminals are beginning to start at an early age, which can be very concerning in many aspects. The average age of cyber crime suspects from the past year was 17 years old, which was a dramatic drop from the previous year’s average age of 24 years old. Being a technologically advanced generation, younger people tend to go to the Internet for everything, making it easy for cyber criminals to try and recruit them. It is said that online games are one of the largest breeding grounds for cyber criminals.

In this day and age, most teenagers have relatively easy access to the Internet. Many parents may not be fully aware of all of their child’s activities while on the Internet. Some teenagers tend to be risky or rebellious at their age, making them easy targets for cyber criminal recruitment. The act of cyber crime can carry some very serious consequences and is taken very seriously by law enforcement. The punishments can range anywhere from a warning to a fine, or even a lengthy prison sentence. The National Crime Agency (NCA) in the United Kingdom believes that the worrying shift in the increasingly younger cyber criminal market could be due to a lack of knowledge about what actually constitutes cyber crime. Cyber crime can mean any illegal behavior involving a computer or a computer network. Believe it or not, seemingly innocuous cheats on an online game can be considered an act of cyber crime.

So what are some ways to go about protecting your children?

One way would be to have an honest talk with them about their Internet use. Let them know the truth about cyber crime and warn them about some concerning problems that they might run into. Also, make sure that they are aware of their expectations when using the Internet and that they are aware of the consequences that their actions could potentially cause. In many cases, knowledge is power, so if you make it a point to teach them right from wrong when it comes to their Internet conduct, it could be very beneficial in the long run. As stated by the National Crime Agency, they believe that this trend is mostly due to the lack of knowledge in teenagers, as well as parents. The NCA also suggests that you support your child in their interests, rather than push them to express it in all the wrong ways. They want to make people aware that engaging in criminal activity, especially at a young age, can negatively influence the rest of an individual’s life. They could end up with a criminal record, which can limit their choices for the future. In situations like this, it is always better to be proactive, rather than reactive.

Sources:

http://www.welivesecurity.com/2016/02/26/cybercrime-isnt-fun-video-games/

Ransomware Attacks

Ransomware attacks have become increasingly common in the world of cyber crime. A ransomware attack is an attack in which hackers use software to block access to a system until someone pays them off to gain their access back. According to a report from Symantec, and antivirus software company, the number of attacks each month increased from 100,000 in January of 2013 to 600,000 by the end of the year.

Anyone can become a potential target for a ransomware attack, from individuals to large corporations. When they were relatively new, ransomware attacks would generally target individuals and hold their family photos or other meaningful items hostage until that individual would pay them off to gain access back. They also used to make the money exchange using cash, whether it was the cash in briefcase or postal method. In today’s world consumed with virtual reality, Bitcoins are preferred as the method of exchange, since they can be relatively difficult to trace. The Bitcoin method is also quick and easy.

Towards the beginning of this month, a hospital in Los Angeles, California became a victim of one of these malicious acts. Due to the computer hack, the hospital ended up getting shut down for a brief period of time. The hack affected a lot of the necessary machinery and could have compromised patient information and data, although the reports show no evidence of that. The hospital decided that it would be in their best interest to go ahead and pay off the hackers, and ended up giving them 40 Bitcoins, which equals about $17,000 in cash. However, the consequences could have been much worse. As previously aforementioned, patient records could have been compromised during the attack. Also, during the lockup of the system, the records are not able to be accessed by the medical personnel, so if anything were to happen to a patient, the personnel might not be aware of some important information. This kind of attack can go from bad to worse when life and death becomes a factor. The CEO of the hospital, Allen Stefanek, stated these as the main deciding factors in the decision to pay the ransom. He said it was the quickest and most efficient way to restore operations. The FBI is involved in an investigation for this case, but will not give out much information on the details. They currently do not know who was behind the attack and they claim there is a possibility they might never know, since it can be hard to track. They believe that this act was random and the hospital was not an intentional target. They claim that there is a chance that someone at the hospital clicked the wrong link at the wrong time. The investigation is currently ongoing and they are urging everyone to take the necessary precautions to protect themselves from becoming a victim of one of these attacks.

Sources:

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/ransomware-hollywood-presbyterian-hospital-hacked-for-ransom/

http://www.scpr.org/programs/take-two/2016/02/17/46449/computer-virus-holds-an-l-a-hospital-hostage-for-3/

The Dark Web

Hi, everyone! I hope you all had a wonderful week!

This week, I’m going to talk about the Dark Web. If any of you watch network crime dramas, then you may have seen an episode or two that involve the Dark Web. But what exactly is it and what is it used for?

The Dark Web is a secret place on the Internet that is nearly untraceable. It is not accessible by normal search engines and it is also a challenge for law enforcement when it comes to trying to trace it. Therefore, the Dark Web is a large hot spot for criminal activity. Users typically download software for their computer called Tor, which allegedly helps keep them anonymous and their activity untraceable. Throughout the Dark Web, users are able to participate in all different kinds of criminal activity, from selling and purchasing illegal contraband to hiring assassins. Most transactions on the Dark Web are made through Bitcoins, which are digital currency that can be given to another individual securely and anonymously, making it another attractive feature when it comes to participating in illegal criminal activity.

Even though many believe that the Dark Web is nearly untraceable and safe, it is still completely possible that criminal activity can end up being traced. Some criminals may be smart, but Federal Law Enforcement is always trying to outsmart them. In 2013, the FBI managed to trace and take down a website on the Dark Web called Silk Road. The Silk Road was considered to be the Dark Web’s largest black market website with close to a million customers and around $1.2 billion in sales. The alleged operator of The Silk Road, Ross Ulbricht, was arrested in the matter and charged with money laundering, drug dealing, and conspiring to murder a witness. The FBI agents will not reveal how exactly they managed to trace him and the website, but they did say that Ulbricht made a critical mistake that they were able to uncover. The website was shut down completely and all of their assets were seized by the FBI. This case really brought the Dark Web and the use of Bitcoins to light in the public eye. Many people who were not already aware of its existence are now aware, which could be considered a good thing and a bad thing. It is always good to be informed about things of this capacity, but that knowledge could be bad if it ends up in the wrong hands.

The Dark Web is a dangerous place with some even more dangerous people. It is perceived to be untraceable and completely anonymous, but one unintentional slip up can make that all come crashing down, as shown with result of the Silk Road bust. Law enforcement agencies are hoping that this will make a statement to criminals, letting them know that even if they think they are safe, they actually are not and they can be traced. Hopefully this will also deter criminals from using the Dark Web for criminal activity, as well as deter other individuals who may be curious about venturing into the mysterious world of the Dark Web.

Sources:

http://thehackernews.com/2016/02/deep-web-search-engine.html

http://money.cnn.com/2014/03/10/technology/deep-web/index.html

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/10/21/fbi-cracks-silk-road/2984921/

Implications of Cyber Crime

Hello again!

Last week, I discussed a little bit about hackers and gave a few tips on how to go about protecting yourself from a potential cyber attack. This week, I’m going to try to go a little more in depth on the possible implications of hacking and cyber crime.

According to an article on CNBC, the global economy is going to be heavily impacted by cyber crimes this year, taking a hit of about $445 billion. However, economic implications are not the only concerning factors regarding cyber attacks. Political implications can also be a huge concern. There is a threat of state-sponsored attacks that could potentially lead to disastrous consequences for the United States, or any other country. State-sponsored attacks are generally aimed at taking down critical infrastructure and if that kind of information falls into the wrong hands, the results could be disastrous. The 2014 Sony attack could be considered an example of a state-sponsored attack on a U.S. company. Government officials believe that North Korea was behind this attack in an attempt to show their dissatisfaction with the upcoming movie “The Interview” that they believed portrayed their country in a negative manner. This act was considered malicious with the intent to harm the company, which can be a major concern for our national security. You never know the extent that they are willing to take it and that can make it difficult to figure out the most appropriate course of action to take next. It’s also a concern when it comes to the possibility of future attacks.

Experts claim that it is important to have a backup plan when it comes to cyber security. Even companies with the best, top-of-the-line security systems can still be prone to cyber attacks. Technology is constantly improving and it can be hard to keep up with the current systems and keep all of the software updated. Hackers are becoming more skilled and they are also getting better at finding and exploiting the weaknesses of their targets. Experts say that the company response in the event of any kind of disaster is crucial. It’s important to take measures to be prepared and know what to do and how to react if it comes down to it. Being prepared and having a backup plan in place can help minimize the impact of an attack. With the preparation, you are able to react more quickly instead of scrambling to figure out the next step. Many companies are beginning to invest in tools to help them in the event of an attack. Many companies are also making cyber security more of a priority than they used to.

Companies are working to stay ahead of the game, which is important when it comes to the protection of the business and consumers. They are hopeful that the advancement of technology will help them in the fight against theft and fraud. Many companies are implementing devices that will read EMV chips in credit cards. This procedure is relatively new to the U.S., but it’s supposed to be a successful advancement in combating fraud and protecting the customer. Experts are also hopeful that the emergence of mobile payment systems are also helping the fight and making transactions safer for the customers. Being able to fight against cyber crimes will impact the global economy in a positive way.

Sources:

http://www.cnbc.com/2016/02/05/an-inside-look-at-whats-driving-the-hacking-economy.html

http://www.forbes.com/sites/davidparnell/2014/12/19/the-sony-breach-carries-broad-implications-surrounding-national-security/#8bd38c249ef6

http://www.foxbusiness.com/features/2016/02/04/how-america-can-fight-back-against-cyber-crime.html

Cyber Crime and Hackers

Hello fellow bloggers!

The world of technology is constantly evolving and improving, and with that, the threat of cyber crime is increasing. Hackers are also becoming smarter getting better at what they do, which can leave anyone vulnerable to a cyber crime attack. Large businesses and corporations are especially considered common targets for an attack. There have been quite a few major news stories recently about a security breach at a major company. Target had a major security breach a few years ago and the hackers got the credit and/or debit card information of 40 million customers and personal information from upwards of 110 million customers. Corporate cyber crime has been increasing in rates of the double digits for the past five years. In 2015, the corporate cyber crime rate was 38% higher than it was just the year before. Corporations can lose a lot of money when they become victim to these attacks and they often try to combat the problem by dishing out more money to improve their security measures. However, many prevention measures in this aspect have often proved to be ineffective.

Large corporations are not the only targets of cyber crime. Anyone can become a victim of a cyber crime attack. Devices with low security are often the most vulnerable to an attack, such as smartphones. There are a few ways to go about trying to protect yourself from falling victim to an attack. Downloading an antivirus software is one way to attempt to prevent cyber crime. However, many people do not keep their antivirus software updated, which can make things easier for hackers. Another suggestion is to be careful about the websites you are visiting. Websites that are unfamiliar with questionable content can be prone to attacks. Also, when choosing passwords, try not to use something simple, as they can be a higher risk. Do not share your passwords with anyone and if you write them down, make sure to keep them in a safe and secure place. One thing that many people might not know is that turning your computer off is another simple prevention method when it comes to cyber crime attacks. Whenever you are not using your computer, turn it off rather than just putting it into sleep mode.

75 percent of Americans believe they are adequately protecting their data, but many of these people may not be taking the necessary precautions to do so. They may not want to spend the extra money for protection software or they may not want to take a little bit of extra time out of their day to download or update their software. Regardless of what the reasons may be, it will be a lot less costly and time consuming to take the extra measures of protection now than it will be to fall victim to potential disastrous consequences of any kind of cyber crime attack. So I urge all of you to make sure that all of your devices are secure and that you use extra caution when entering personal information into any kind of website.

Sources:

Cybercrime is booming and the Internet of Things will just make things worse

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/20/business/target-settlement-on-data-breach.html?_r=0

http://nooga.com/172261/tips-to-protect-yourself-from-cybercrime/