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Cybercrimes in Social Media

Almost everyone, from children, teenagers, housewives, working professionals to unskilled manpower, spends time on social media for various reasons. Cybercrimes such as cyberbullying, MMS, threatening messages, fake profiles, identity theft, cyber harassment, cyberstalking, and so on are very common on social media. Cybercriminals not only target individuals but they conduct automated attacks using bots.Following are some of the common cybercrimes in social media:Impersonation/identity theft: Cybercriminals obtain someone else personal information to commit frauds such as fake profile creation on social media, internet banking frauds, e-commerce transactions, and so on. They may trick the victim using various techniques such as phishing, phone scams, or skimming (illegal methods to obtain credit/debit card information using skimmer) installed at ATMs point-of-sale).Cyberbullying: It is an act of sharing false, racial, fake, or harmful content such as text, photographs, videos, and so on, which can cause embarrassment or humiliation to someone. Easy targets are school kids, teenagers, women, and co-working professionals.Cyber teasing: It is a behavioral pattern of an individual. These personalities specially target women and humiliate them on social media such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and WhatsApp. They post indecent comments or certain viral videos.Cyber defamation: It is an act when false information is published to malign the reputation of an individual or group, or false campaigns are being run by someone to tarnish the image of any organization.Cyberstalking: It is a well-planned cybercrime. Initially, one may send negative or unpleasant comments or messages, but later on, cybercriminals send annoying messages or post false accusations on commonly used social media apps or portals. These messages may be from one or many accounts managed by the same person. Sometimes cyberstalking is done indirectly to collect personal information with the intention of identity theft. It has been found that normally cyberstalkers are known to the victim or his/her family.Revenge pornography: Publication/distribution of sexual content to disgrace or tarnish the image of an individual. These videos may be made with or without the consent of the subject but are distributed without consent. Children, teenagers, and women are the main targets, but any colleague can also do this irrespective of gender in any organization due to jealousy.Doxing: It is a short form of dropping dox. It is a practice of collecting and publishing someone’s personal information over the internet. Cybercriminals do it for online harassment or extortion or to threaten someone. Sometimes doing is done by the investigators for legal investigation or by corporate houses for business analysis.Cyber swatting: An online harassment technique used on the internet often by the online gaming community. It includes making a hoax call at police or fire or ambulance helpline, providing false information to the authorities to create panic, or sending any emergency support at someone’s location. Cyber criminals’ motives can be cyber harassment, revenge, or financial gains.Cyber trolling: Initiation of discords or hurting the people’s sentiments by saying something controversial to provoke others. YouTube, Twitter, and WhatsApp are the common platforms for cyber trolling. It may target an individual to a specific group, community, or celebrities.Catfishing: It is a deception technique; cybercriminals create a fake online identity to commit financial fraud, but they may do it for the sake of revenge or to trap or abuse children or women.Hacking and frauds: By creating fake accounts or tricking people, cybercriminals get personal/sensitive information such as login credentials, banking details, or take over someone’s social media account.Vacation robberies: Criminals do recce on social media to know the whereabouts of their target. People publish their vacation and even live location on social media, and criminals take advantage of it to commit a crime.Fake online friendship: Cybercriminals especially trick children, teenagers, and women using emotional connect. Sometimes they even send gifts to trap their target and later use them for various criminal activities such as money laundering. They even trick them into getting money on theBuying illegal items: By creating fake profiles, cybercriminals use social media to trade illegal or banned items.Our objective is to make you aware of various social media-related cybercrime and preventive steps to safeguard.Hope this was helpful.

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Mobile App Security Risks and How to Mitigate Them

Mobile app security is a moving target. The need for better functionalities and features along with rapid deployment of software updates often comes at the expense of mobile security.One of the major concerns for mobile app development is the rising mobile app security risks, particularly to prevent data breaches.According to a study, over 10,573 malicious mobile apps were blocked per day in 2018.As technology advances, it has not only become easier to build and deploy apps, but also easy to crack a mobile application’s security as developers are still writing insecure code.Some attackers might try to crack a mobile app to find out more about the special features and other information about your mobile application. Others might do it to breach backend services.But how do you avoid such mobile security threats?Let’s find out.Top Mobile App Security Risks and Ways to Mitigate ThemHere are the top mobile app security risks and ways to mitigate them:In a common mobile app, data is typically exchanged in a client-server fashion. When the application transmits data, it traverses through the internet and the mobile device’s carrier network.1. Insecure CommunicationAttackers might exploit mobile security vulnerabilities to intercept sensitive information or user data while it is traversing across the network.What are the threat agents that exist in insecure communication?• Malware on your mobile device• A malicious actor who shares your local network (monitored or compromised wifi)• Carrier or network devices (proxies, cell towers, routers, etc.)Mobile developers often use SSl/TLS only during authentication but not elsewhere. This leads to an inconsistent security layer which increases the risk of exposing sensitive data such as credentials, personal information, session IDs, and more to interception by attackers.Having a SSL/TLS does not imply that the mobile application is entirely secure. You need to implement strong security protocols throughout the mobile application and its network.How Can You Prevent Insecure Communication?Only establish a secure connection after authenticating the identity of the endpoint server. While applying SSL/TLS to your mobile application, make sure you implement it on the transport channels that the mobile app will use to transverse sensitive data such as session tokens, credentials, etc.Use strong, industry standard cipher suites with appropriate key lengths. Apart from this, also consider using certificates signed by a trusted CA provider and refrain from allowing self-signed certificates. You should also consider certificate pinning for sensitive applications.Remember to account for third-parties like social networks as well by using their TLS versions when a mobile application runs a routine using webkit/browser.2. Lack of Input ValidationConsider applying an additional layer of encryption to any sensitive data before it is even given to the SSL channel. If security vulnerabilities are found in the SSL implementation, the encryption layer will act as a secondary defense against attacks.Input validation is the process of assessing input data to ensure that it is properly formed, preventing malformed data that might consist of harmful code or may trigger malfunction in the mobile app.What is the impact of poor input validation in mobile apps?Why is it a mobile security threat? Here’s why:When the mobile application does not validate input properly, it puts the application at risk of exposure to attackers who might be able to inject malicious data input and gain access to sensitive data in the app or breach backend data stores.Ideally, input validation should occur instantly after the data is received from an external system. This includes data from third-party vendors, partners, regulators, or suppliers, each of which could be compromised to deliver malformed data.While input validation is not sufficient to be used as a primary defense against preventing mobile app security risks, it is a significant way to filter out malicious data if implemented properly.How Can You Prevent Weak Input Validation?\You can implement input validation by using programming techniques that facilitate the effective enforcement of data correctness such as:• Minimum and maximum value range check for dates and numerical parameters along with length check of strings• Input validation against XML Schema and JSON Scheme• Minimum and maximum value range check for strings, minimum and maximum length check for dates and numerical parameters.• Regular expressions for any other structured data covering the entire input string (^...$) and avoiding using "any character" wildcard (e.g. as . or• Array of permitted values for small sets of string parameters (e.g. hours of days)Alternatively, a more efficient way to prevent attacks caused by poor input validation is to only allow known good rather than only rejecting known bad. This can set up much more stringent controls if done properly.If the input data is structured like social security numbers, dates, email addresses, zip codes, etc, then the mobile app developer should be able to build and implement a strong input data validation pattern on the basis of regular expressions.However, if the input data comes in a fixed set of options, such as radio buttons or drop down list, then the input data should match exactly as one of the options available to the user from the mobile application.Final ThoughtsIt is not possible to learn about all of the mobile app security risks that exist. But with the help of the above information about the most common mobile app security risks, you can secure your mobile apps from the biggest security threats.

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Why Your Business Needs a Computer Network in Office

IMPORTANCE OF COMPUTER NETWORK IN BUSINESSAs a business grows, so does its equipment. The more computers and devices a company has the more spread out the programs and information become. Unless you have your computers networked together.Computer networking is a group of computers that are configured together while not necessarily in the same physical location. When your computers are connected, the transmitted data between the computers make for more seamless communications and operations across the company. BENEFITS OF COMPUTER NETWORKING IN BUSINESS  It’s also very cost-effective as it allows computers to share hardware and software licenses, cutting back on those company expenses.File sharing allows for improved communications on a cohesive network. Consistency across individual computers with a central database creates cohesive operating systems. The benefits for business are larger storage capacity, effective communication, flexibility, and saving money on the costs of software. File sharing allows for improved communications on a cohesive network. Consistency across individual computers with a central database creates cohesive operating systems. The benefits for business are larger storage capacity, effective communication, flexibility, and saving money on the costs of software. Large Storage CapacityWith computer networking, your critical files are all a part of central file servers. Your employees can access these files and learn from the data for improved business operations. A central server lowers the number of storage systems you need for the company’s data. You gain storage space with an increase in employee productivity with access to files. Improved Business CommunicationInformation is the basis of communication. Modern networking allows the transfer of information in real-time anywhere with internet access. When your team has access to network files from any device you have more flexibility with remote workers and employees that need to work outside of the office.The more information available to employees, the more independently they can work. Downtime is a revenue killer. Network access to employees creates the company growth needed to reach long-term business goals.  If you have any issue with one device, you can access your information when you log into another device. This creates network security where you don’t have to worry about losing critical files. Flexibility and ConvenienceAccess to information through the network cuts down on steps that employees take to get the information they need for their daily tasks. When computers aren’t connected you need to transfer files through a USB drive or messages. With computer sharing employees can take files from any other connected computer as if it were on their own. This speeds up the daily tasks of your employees and creates a very functional workflow. Cost Benefits of Computer NetworkingA quality computer network allows for resource sharing across devices. You will need less hardware when your computers are connected and hardware is pricey equipment. Employees won’t need separate printers or backup storage when their computers are connected. You won’t need to install as many software updates and employees can share document scanning software. The ability to share technology assets among employees is one of the biggest cost benefits of this networking solution. Networked Versions of SoftwareBuying software for every computer and device isn’t the most cost effective way to get your employees the tools that they need. Many software companies offer versions of their software that were made for networks. This way you can purchase a single license for the product you need. You can then have it running on the central server that the individual computers are connected to.This puts an end to carrying around a USB drive and trading it with the next employee that needs the license. When you have a team of people with access to the tools they need, you have an efficient team of self-starters.  Improved Customer ServiceWhen your employees have access to company information they are better able to serve customers and clients. They can pull up all the information they need on the customer and provide answers to their questions quickly. They can also add information about the customer into the system so that other employees can be updated in real-time. There are many benefits to computer networking. There are also areas of this network type that need attention to make sure your systems are safe and promote business growth. Choosing the Best Computer Networking MethodThere are a lot of options for your networking system and an IT provider can help you make the best decision for your individual company. More freedom comes with modern computer networking, and you no longer have as many restrictions over what hardware is compatible with the network.THE PERFECT NETWORK NEEDS TO BE DONE RIGHThis way you can have different operating systems across a variety of devices. You can have equipment from different providers working together with one central server. Network SecurityWhen your computers are connected they could be open to more cyber threats. When you have one computer that has an issue it can spread to the rest. Corrupt files are not isolated when you have computer networking. This is not a problem when you have IT support to keep your system as a whole safe. IT consulting will give you all of the information you and your employees need to keep your company data safe. Employees may exchange corrupt files when they don’t know how to recognize and avoid these incidents. Proper training of employees will keep your company data safe while remaining accessible to promote employee productivity. Company security policies are crucial for a company of any size.  GroupOne provides custom IT security plans to protect your company. We get to know you and your business goals to create technology strategies for the growth stage of your company. We know how important company efficiency is and we help provide you with the most cost effective computer networking and support needed to grow a successful business.

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Improve your security posture.

The world of technology is continuously evolving, from the rise in the Internet of Things (IoT) to the adoption of Software as a Service (SaaS) over traditional in-house applications. And as technologies shift, so does the threat landscape. Yet many organizations adapt their technology without guidance or direction from IT, information security, procurement, or risk specialists.As a Managed Security Services Provider (MSSP), we act as our client’s trusted go-to partner bringing advanced expertise in the current threat landscape. Let us become an extension of your team, whether seeking assistance with 24x7 network security monitoring, Virtual CISO Services, or Penetration Testing.As a Managed Security Services Provider (MSSP), we act as our client’s trusted go-to partner bringing advanced expertise in the current threat landscape. Let us become an extension of your team, whether seeking assistance with 24x7 network security monitoring, Virtual CISO Services, or Penetration Testing.Our core principles are simple. We aim to:i. Be your trusted compliance and risk program advisor.ii. Deliver cost-effective technology to reduce enterprise-wide risk.iii. Provide expert consulting services to support IT teams.iv. Detect and respond to threats on your behalf.v. Bring information security leadership to enterprises of all sizesWhy Choose Us for Cybersecurity Audit & Resilient Enterprise:Cyber Security Services is a specialized consulting firm with a 24x7x365 security operations center headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, and serving clients nationwide. We provide both the industry insight and product expertise you need to manage cybersecurity threats without the added cost of personnel.And we’re vendor agnostic. This means that while other Managed Detection and Response service providers might require the use of their technology, locking you in, our customers are free to use any existing solution they might have without installing a new product. You can also choose any provider’s solution you prefer. For those who don’t already have a solution in place, we can work with you to acquire just the right solution for your environment. And if you change your mind down the road, you’re always free to switch technologies without losing us as your MDR provider.To best protect our client, we use real-time threat-intelligence feeds from both the U.S. government and the private sector to monitor networks, the same intelligence in place within some of the most sensitive environments like the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Opt for our optional attack blocking at the source, whether switch port or wireless controller, to prevent lateral movement. And get up and running in hours, not weeks. Cyber Security Services can back your organization with 24x7x365 dedicated security coverage, investigating and preventing attacks before they hit your bottom line.

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What is a Blue Team?

During cyber security testing engagements, blue teams evaluate organizational security environments and defend these environments from red teams. These red teams play the role of attackers by identifying security vulnerabilities and launching attacks within a controlled environment. Both teams combine to help illuminate the true state of an organization’s security.During cyber security testing engagements, blue teams evaluate organizational security environments and defend these environments from red teams. These red teams play the role of attackers by identifying security vulnerabilities and launching attacks within a controlled environment. Both teams combine to help illuminate the true state of an organization’s security.BLUE TEAM DEFINITION:The idea that you can better understand your defenses by attacking them in a controlled environment is a long-established military principle. This idea is most commonly expressed in the practice of “red teaming,” where an outside group of independent actors tests the systems or defenses of a target organization to identify any existing vulnerabilities.In the world of information security, the practice of red teaming is now well established. Red teams, who act as “ethical hackers,” methodically study an organization’s structure and defenses and then launch attacks to exploit any weaknesses.Yet red teams are only part of the equation. On the other side stand “blue teams” — security professionals who are tasked with defending an organization’s systems and assets against attacks, both real and simulated.RED TEAM VS. BLUE TEAM EXERCISES: HOW THEY WORKBlue teams conduct operational network security evaluations and provide relevant mitigation tools and techniques for organizations seeking to gauge their defenses or prepare for red team attacks.Blue teams are often composed of the security personnel within an organization, or that organization may select certain team members to create a dedicated blue team within the department. Blue teams may also be independent consultants hired for specific engagements who use their expertise to help audit the state of an organization’s defenses.When an organization schedules red team vs. blue team exercises, red teams may attempt a range of techniques to launch a successful attack. These techniques are very open-ended and not always confined to the digital realm.Red team attacks may include scenarios such as a red team member posing as a vendor to infiltrate the target organization. This person may slip into the room undetected and quietly install malware, gaining network access.Before getting started, red teams typically engage in digital reconnaissance to evaluate organizational defenses, then deploy various sophisticated attack techniques to compromise the target’s security while avoiding detection.Blue teams are tasked with rebuffing these attacks and exposing red team activity. This often begins with a detailed risk assessment of the organization’s current security posture. Blue teams then may deploy a combination of human intelligence activity and technical tools to detect and rebuff red team incursions.Ultimately, a blue team is expected to analyze log data, perform traffic analysis, execute audits, perform digital footprint and risk intelligence analysis, and take other similar steps to prevent any breaches — and then rectify any uncovered vulnerabilities.A skilled cyber security blue team can play a critical role in helping to develop a comprehensive plan for organizational defense using the latest tools and techniques — a “blue team security stack,” in other words. Often, it’s best to think of them as the most active contingent of a security team.Not all security team personnel specialize in tasks that are considered to be high-level or relevant enough for testing. Blue teams are focused on high-level threats and are dedicated to continuous improvement in detection and response techniques.THE VALUE OF BLUE TEAM TESTINGTo succeed, blue teams must be rigorously thorough; after all, red teams can launch 99 unsuccessful attacks and still win on the 100th attempt. Blue teams must be right all the time. In addition to attention to detail, blue teams must also think creatively and have the ability to adapt on the fly. This is because many of the most effective red teamers (and black hat hackers) are remarkably adept at formulating novel and hard-to-predict attack techniques.By evaluating the work of both red and blue teams, organizations can develop a holistic picture of the state of their security — and make any changes that may be required to ensure a robust overall defense.

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WHAT IS THE CYBER KILL CHAIN? PROCESS & MODE

What is the Cyber Kill Chain?The cyber kill chain is an adaptation of the military’s kill chain, which is a step-by-step approach that identifies and stops the enemy activity. Originally developed by Lockheed Martin in 2011, the cyber kill chain outlines the various stages of several common cyberattacks and, by extension, the points at which the information security team can prevent, detect or intercept attackers.The cyber kill chain is intended to defend against sophisticated cyberattacks, also known as advanced persistent threats (APTs), wherein adversaries spend significant time surveilling and planning an attack. Most commonly these attacks involve a combination of malware, ransomware, Trojans, spoofing, and social engineering techniques to carry out their plan.8 Phases of the Cyber Kill Chain ProcessLockheed Martin’s original cyber kill chain model contained seven sequential steps:Phase 1: ReconnaissanceDuring the Reconnaissance phase, a malicious actor identifies a target and explores vulnerabilities and weaknesses that can be exploited within the network. As part of this process, the attacker may harvest login credentials or gather other information, such as email addresses, user IDs, physical locations, software applications, and operating system details, all of which may be useful in phishing or spoofing attacks. Generally speaking, the more information the attacker is able to gather during the Reconnaissance phase, the more sophisticated and convincing the attack will be and, hence, the higher the likelihood of success.Phase 2: WeaponizationDuring the Weaponization phase, the attacker creates an attack vector, such as remote access malware, ransomware, virus or worm that can exploit a known vulnerability. During this phase, the attacker may also set up back doors so that they can continue to access to the system if their original point of entry is identified and closed by network administrators.Phase 3: DeliveryIn the Delivery step, the intruder launches the attack. The specific steps taken will depend on the type of attack they intend to carry out. For example, the attacker may send email attachments or a malicious link to spur user activity to advance the plan. This activity may be combined with social engineering techniques to increase the effectiveness of the campaign.Phase 4: ExploitationIn the Exploitation phase, the malicious code is executed within the victim’s system.Phase 5: InstallationImmediately following the Exploitation phase, the malware or other attack vector will be installed on the victim’s system. This is a turning point in the attack lifecycle, as the threat actor has entered the system and can now assume control.Phase 6: Command and ControlIn Command & Control, the attacker is able to use the malware to assume remote control of a device or identity within the target network. In this stage, the attacker may also work to move laterally throughout the network, expanding their access and establishing more points of entry for the future.Phase 7: Actions on ObjectiveIn this stage, the attacker takes steps to carry out their intended goals, which may include data theft, destruction, encryption, or exfiltration.Over time, many information security experts have expanded the kill chain to include an eighth step: Monetization. In this phase, the cybercriminal focuses on deriving income from the attack, be it through some form of ransom to be paid by the victim or selling sensitive information, such as personal data or trade secrets, on the dark web.Evolution of the Cyber Kill ChainGenerally speaking, the earlier the organization can stop the threat within the cyber attack lifecycle, the less risk the organization will assume. Attacks that reach the Command and Control phase typically require far more advanced remediation efforts, including in-depth sweeps of the network and endpoints to determine the scale and depth of the attack. As such, organizations should take steps to identify and neutralize threats as early in the lifecycle as possible in order to minimize both the risk of an attack and the cost of resolving an event.As noted above, the cyber kill chain continues to evolve as attackers change their techniques. Since the release of the cyber kill chain model in 2011, cybercriminals have become far more sophisticated in their techniques and more brazen in their activity.While still a helpful tool, the cyberattack lifecycle is far less predictable and clear-cut today than it was a decade ago. For example, it is not uncommon for cyber attackers to skip or combine steps, particularly in the first half of the lifecycle. This gives organizations less time and opportunity to discover and neutralize threats early in the lifecycle. In addition, the prevalence of the kill chain model may give cyberattackers some indication of how organizations are structuring their defense, which could inadvertently help them avoid detection at key points within the attack lifecycle.Role of the Cyber Kill Chain in CybersecurityDespite some shortcomings, the Cyber Kill Chain plays an important role in helping organizations define their cybersecurity strategy. As part of this model, organizations must adopt services and solutions that allow them to:Detect attackers within each stage of the threat lifecycle with threat intelligence techniquesPrevent access from unauthorized usersStop sensitive data from being shared, saved, altered, exfiltrated, or encrypted by unauthorized usersRespond to attacks in real-timeStop the lateral movement of an attacker within the network