It is one of the most well-known and unique web-based dating applications, being a tease and visiting. A latent way of behaving happens when somebody isn’t energetic about a specific interest or intrigued by a more profound relationship with another individual. Ghosting is a typical method for dealing with heartfelt experiences since you don’t have to go through a troublesome conversation or give a definite explanation.

Ghosting: What It Is, How To Defend Yourself And Behave

Many argue that social networks have dehumanized us, as they permit us to interface with others without manufacturing a certified human bond. Moreover, the virtual idea of web-based entertainment correspondence permits us to avoid delicate social circumstances, such as Ghosting. Notwithstanding, some contend that interpersonal interaction has assisted us in making more associations with additional individuals by expanding our organization of contacts.

Reality lies in the middle between. Informal communities are a helpful asset that we can use to fortify our connections, yet they can likewise make things more troublesome because of the virtual idea of correspondence. Eventually, it relies heavily on how we use it. Ghosting is conduct in which an individual unexpectedly removes all correspondence with someone else without clarifying or officially cutting off the friendship.

This conduct has become more regular in web-based teasing because the mysterious and far-off nature of computerized correspondences can make it simpler for one individual to disregard or keep away from one more without participating in a troublesome discussion or managing unfortunate results. Furthermore, the straightforwardness with which individuals can associate with numerous potential accomplices online can make it more probable that some will only consider or remove correspondence with somebody with clarification. Here are a few hints to shield yourself from ghosting and act accurately in these circumstances:

• Expect the worst: Don’t warm too quickly to someone you only know online or remotely, as Ghosting is a more common behavior in these situations.
• Don’t take it personally: Ghosting says nothing about your self-worth or worth.
• Avoid Ghosting: If you decide to end the relationship, do it respectfully and openly, allowing the other person to end the relationship formally.
• Take care of yourself: After ghosting, take the time to take care of yourself and remember that you deserve respect and consideration from others.

Ghosting is an awful way of behaving that can cause torment and vulnerability. It’s essential to treat others consciously and be transparent, regardless of whether it implies troublesome discussions or abnormal circumstances.

The Effects Of Ghosting

For those who suffer from it, Ghosting is challenging to acknowledge; the absence of an explanation and a characteristic conclusion makes it hard to pause and continue. One remains in a kind of limbo in which various inquiries emerge about the reasons that might have driven the other to vanish, and this thus prompts a twisting of fault and endeavors to restore contact.

The casualty of Ghosting gambles with fostering a fixation on the likelihood that the other individual will return; this can prompt habitually looking at the telephone, the status (on the web/disconnected) on informing applications, and ceaselessly keeping an eye on informal organizations looking for data.

The post What Is Ghosting, And Why Is It Common In Online Flirting? appeared first on Tech Buzz Reviews.

Protecting web accounts and making them secure is an operation that should always be noticed. Think of the Google account: if an attacker could access it, he could consult the user’s email, open all the attachments, and, for example, view the documents saved in Drive.

This information would allow the user-victim to be attacked on several fronts, obtaining immediate access to other services (email is often an inexhaustible source of access credentials and other strictly personal data…).

But there’s no need to “inconvenience” Google: if the user forgets to protect web accounts that are less “rich” in data, their content could still be exploited to gain access to other accounts. Below we present what are the ten most effective methodologies for improving the security of web accounts. We have many accounts today: email addresses of various providers, Google, Microsoft, Apple, Facebook, Twitter, PayPal, eBay, Amazon, Dropbox accounts and so on.

Protecting accounts adequately means avoiding any risk of attack.

How To Secure Web Accounts In A Few Steps

Never, For Any Reason, Use The Same Credentials For Multiple Accounts

This is “rule number one”. Unfortunately, even today, most users still don’t realize how important it is to choose a different password for each online service you use. If an account is unfortunately violated or there is data theft on the server side, an attacker would easily access other accounts of the same user that “share” the same password.

Carefully Choose The Password To Protect Your Account

When choosing the password to protect any account, you should always carefully avoid all “weak” passwords and, above all, contain references to your person, important dates, relatives, anniversaries, pets, etc. The information is useful for violating an account “raked” on social networks and exploited to gain unauthorized access. Passwords should always be long (preferably at least 14 characters) and complex; use alphanumeric characters and at least one symbol. These precautions make it possible to avoid any risk of brute force or dictionary-based attacks.

Use Two-Factor Authentication

Especially for the protection of accounts that contain a lot of personal data (think Facebook, Google Drive/Gmail, Microsoft OneDrive/Outlook.com, and Dropbox), we recommend turning on two-factor authentication factors. To access the account, you will not have to know and enter only the normal credentials (username and password) but must use a device you own (on which a confirmation code will be sent) or a biometric parameter.

To protect your Google account, we suggest activating the excellent Google Prompt mechanism. It allows you to activate a two-factor authentication system, dispensing the user from manually entering any confirmation code. Thanks to a Message from Google, whenever a new attempt to access your Google account is detected, a screen will appear on your Android device with the warning ” Are you trying to access? “.

You can authorize or deny access to your Google account from the same screen. Facebook, Google, and Dropbox support using U2F (Fido) sticks as an alternative for two-factor authentication: Access Google, Gmail and Dropbox without typing a password. In the case of Microsoft accounts, to activate two-factor authentication, access this page and then choose Set up two-step verification in the Two-step verification section.

Request Notifications For Suspicious Or Unauthorized Logins

Google automatically sends notifications about any suspicious or unauthorized login attempts. On Facebook, on the other hand, it is advisable to manually verify the activation of this setting by accessing this configuration page and selecting the options Receive notifications and Login alerts by email.

Don’t Use Online Password Managers

Although some products are now popular and widely used, we prefer to rely on something other than cloud password managers. Many solutions ensure that your credentials are stored securely using encryption on the server side while sending and receiving usernames and passwords.

Periodically, however, independent researchers and companies active in the security sector identify some gaps in the online password managers or, in any case, in the applications used to interface with the various services: Android password managers are vulnerable, according to the Fraunhofer Institute. Of course, in most cases, the vulnerabilities are promptly resolved, but it seems unreasonable to entrust the management of all one’s access credentials, some of which are very sensitive, to third parties.

Also Read: Data Security Between Confidentiality, Availability, And Integrity

Check The Last Accessed To Your Account

In the case of Google, by accessing this page, you can check the security level of your account.

The step-by-step procedure helps you review, from a single screen, all the most important settings that allow you to protect your account properly. In the control connected devices section, Google displays the full list of devices you’re signed in from. You will find similar information in the Facebook settings screen under Where you logged in.

Check The Applications Authorized To Access

The content of Google, Facebook, Microsoft, Dropbox, and so on allow the user’s account to interface with applications developed by third parties. The access credentials to the various accounts are never shared, and instead, the OAuth protocol is generally used, which – through a software token – allows an application to be enabled to use part of the account data.

Users, over time, grant access to many applications. These will have the opportunity to use the permissions granted by the user and use the information in the account. We recommend using the following pages to control which apps have access to your account and revoke permissions for apps you no longer use:

• Apps linked to Google account
• Apps and services that can access Microsoft account
• Apps that can access Facebook data
• Apps that are entitled to access content saved in a Dropbox account (scroll the screen to the Connected Applications section)

Don’t Rely On “Secret Questions.”

As early as 2015, Google highlighted how secret questions are now an outdated and, often, counterproductive protection system: Security questions: need to be more secure. Setting a “discounted” security question answer can seriously put your account security at risk. Many users set the answer to the security question rashly, providing information that can often be found, for example, by other users, on their Facebook wall. Our advice is, therefore, to put aside the use of the “security question”, preferring the use of two-factor authentication, as seen previously.

Do Not Log Into Your Accounts On Other Users’ Systems

It is true that all major websites use an HTTPS connection which prevents the theft of login data and other data exchanged with the remote server. However, logging into your accounts using someone else’s system is always inadvisable. The presence of a malicious component or a keylogger could be cleverly concealed and thus expose you to a substantial risk of theft of your digital identity.

Suppose you have logged in on a computer or other device and even need to log out of your account. In that case, we suggest you follow the instructions in the article Logging out Gmail, Google and Facebook remotely. For security, it would be good to proceed with a password change.

Use Email Accounts That Support The Use Of Encryption (TLS Protocol)

Email messages often contain sensitive information and strictly personal data. If you use an account that does not support data encryption (it does not matter if emails are received via POP3 or IMAP and sent via SMTP) and therefore do not allow the use of the TLS protocol to be combined with any malicious people connected to the same network they could easily intercept not only the contents of the emails but also the username and password for accessing the email account.

Especially if you use WiFi networks managed by third parties, the TLS protocol for sending and receiving emails is essential: Email: SSL, TLS and STARTTLS. Differences and why to use them. When choosing the best email service provider, we placed the availability of authenticated access via TLS at the top of the list: Creating an email address: which service to choose.

It would be important for the email service provider to use the TLS protocol and communicate with the other providers’ mail servers (MTA, mail transfer agent).

When the server of the other provider also supports TLS, the emails will be encrypted along their entire path, offering maximum guarantees in terms of security and privacy (Google Gmail supports this type of approach). By visiting this page and entering the domain name of the mail provider you are using in the Explore data box, you can immediately ascertain whether or not the chosen provider activates the encryption of messages along their journey.

The Gmail web interface highlights an icon depicting an “open” red padlock when an email – in all likelihood – will not be encrypted before reaching the recipient’s inbox. By clicking the icon, Gmail displays a message similar to the one in the below-mentioned image. Google clarifies that the destination mail server does not support encryption and recommends caution when sending personal information and sensitive data.

Also Read: Corporate Security: What Are Clients And Servers?

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Why is cybersecurity paramount?

The importance of cybersecurity will expand as people’s reliance on digital devices and technology increases because modern programs receive an influx of personal data that leaves internet users vulnerable. Cybersecurity threats are getting worse by the day as the level of sophistication of cyberattack methodologies increases.

The subject has been an interesting topic for movies and TV series over the last few years as people have become more aware of the threat cyber threats pose.

While some people might prefer to binge-watch movies and comedies, you might prefer dramatic TV series that offer a glimpse at the intriguing topic of cybersecurity. We’ve gathered the top hacker TV series for you to put on your list and enjoy.

CSI: Cyber

If you’re a cybersecurity enthusiast, you most likely have heard of this TV series. Even if CSI: Cyber has moderate ratings in comparison to the other CSI TV series, it’s still a must watch if you like niche films. The investigations depicted in each episode of the series will unfold several twists that will make you question your online security. We watched all seasons and promise they’re worth your time because they depict some unique cases. Besides the tech stuff the TV series is filled with, the psychological tricks the directors use are also meant to keep you engaged.

Robot

The next on the list is a hacker show. Mr. Robot is the ideal choice for those who want to dip their toes in a TV series that shows the widest range of technological threats people using the internet are exposed to. The show approaches subjects like experiencing a data attack while having Bluetooth activated or having your smartphone hacked while buying a coffee at Starbucks. In real life, you could claim compensation for most of the instances presented in the movie because you can benefit from the assistance of a company like Data Breach Claims which helps victims claim compensation when their sensitive information is lost due to the fault of another party.

Cybersecurity movie enthusiasts have called Mr Robot one of the finest TV shows in the niche. The series follows a character named Elliot, portrayed by Rami Malek, who is a cybersecurity by day and a hacker by night. The TV show has 43 episodes, so it’s a good choice if you want to binge-watch a series.

Block Mirror

This one might not be a cybersecurity-themed TV series, but it’s a sci-fi show that uncovers the dark side of people’s obsession with technology and devices. The title of Black Mirror hints at the blank phone screen that shows the user’s reflection. Many think that the closed screen of a device is the thin line between the real and digital world. Technology users are always caught between the two worlds.

Each episode of the series depicts a mind-blowing story from a dystopian perspective that shows where people could get if they allowed technology to rule their lives. To make the TV show even more interesting, the directors and writers have integrated technology that already exists, and that people are currently using.

Scorpion

Scorpion is a movie inspired by the true story of Walter O’Brien, a man with an IQ greater than Albert Einstein who became a hacker. Those who are passionate about the stories of children who hacked into government systems will love this TV series because it depicts Walter O’Brien’s life as an adult.

In Scorpion, Walter teams up with other genius geeks to solve cybercrimes. However, besides digital security facts, the show also offers information about science, so don’t hesitate to give it a shot.

Person of Interest

Person of Interest is one of the most successful series that approaches a serious subject in a funny manner. A programmer creates powerful artificial intelligence called The Machine, which he offers to the Federal Bureau to identify terrorist plans and shut them down before they wreak havoc.

But the Machine does more than this; it also collects past criminal records the authorities ignored to solve and offers Finch and his CIA assistant the opportunity to solve them.

Intelligence

Are you looking for a TV series that mixes crime fiction with technology to create an entertaining series? Intelligence tells the story of an officer with a computer microchip embedded in his brain. The microchip offers him some powers and enhancements regular officers lack and enable him to perform better at his job.

Intelligence shows that with the aid of technology, people can solve challenging situations.

Almost Human

This TV series approaches a futuristic subject. The show is set in a world where all cops are assigned a robot to fight crimes. John Kennex, the main character, receives a robot to help him work on his detective cases. He first dislikes being accompanied by the robot, but as the show progresses, he learns to appreciate the companionship of the robot.

Almost Human focuses on the story of the growth and development of Kennex and his robot called Dorian.

Who Am I

Who Am I is a German techno-thriller that depicts Benjamin, a young individual who lost himself in the online world. He doesn’t fit in real society but feels very comfortable online, where he wears a digital mask. Benjamin is a professional hacker who causes several online disruptions. He teams up with other online criminals and creates the CLAY (Clowns Laughing at You) community that aims to hack and humiliate well-known companies. The TV series shows that no cybersecurity system is safe against online threats.

What do you think about the above TV series recommendations? Which one is first on your list?

Also Read: Six Skills You Will Need To Succeed In Cybersecurity

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What Is An Attack Perimeter?

In the IT environment, the attack perimeter is the sum of all points/vectors by which an unauthorized user can access a system. In other words, the attack perimeter consists of all those endpoints or vulnerabilities that an attacker exploits to violate a system. To reduce the risk of unauthorized access, the best practice is to maintain a limited perimeter.

What Is The Difference Between A Perimeter And An Attack Vector?

As already mentioned, the attack perimeter represents all those contact points with the network that a cyber-criminal can exploit to access software, hardware, networks, and clouds. On the other hand, the vector is the actual method by which to infiltrate and breach the system. Here are some of the more common ones: compromised credentials, ransomware, malicious insiders, man-in-the-middle attacks, or poor or no encryption.

But What Is An Example Of An Attack Perimeter?

Now that you know what an attack perimeter is, we can look at some concrete examples: software, applications, operating systems, data centers, mobile and IoT devices, web servers, and even… physical locks!

Also Read: Data Security Between Confidentiality, Availability, And Integrity

Perimeter Types

Perimeters can be digital or physical. Both should be as limited as possible to protect against unauthorized public access.

What Is A Digital Perimeter?

As the name suggests, the digital perimeter represents all the digital touchpoints that could serve as a gateway to systems and networks. These include unauthorized code, servers, applications, ports, websites, and system access points. Any vulnerabilities resulting from weak passwords, exposed programming interfaces, or poorly maintained software are part of a digital perimeter. Everything that lives outside the firewall and is accessible through the Internet is part of a digital perimeter. Cybercriminals often find it easier to access systems by leveraging weak cybersecurity rather than a physical perimeter. Digital perimeters can include three different types of assets:

• Unknown assets: Often referred to as Shadow IT, these are outside the purview of the IT security team and include anything not under the control of a company’s IT executives: from software installed by employees to marketing websites, up to forgotten websites.
• Known Assets: Includes managed and inventoried assets such as corporate servers, websites, and the dependencies that run on them.
• Rogue assets: Any malicious infrastructure created by cybercriminals, such as typo-squatted domains, apps, fake websites, and malware.

What Is A Physical Perimeter?

Unlike a digital perimeter, a physical perimeter represents all endpoints and hardware devices such as desktops, tablets, notebooks, printers, switches, routers, surveillance cameras, USB ports, and cell phones. In other words, a physical perimeter is a vulnerability within a system that is physically accessible to an attacker. A physical attack perimeter can be accessible even when not connected to the Internet. Typically these types of perimeters are overrun by intruders posing as assistants, BYOD or rogue devices on secure networks, social engineering, or “rogue employees.”

Management Of A Perimeter

Perimeter management (ASM) is the process that enables the identification, classification, inventory, monitoring, and prioritization of all digital assets in an IT environment, which may contain, process, and transmit sensitive data. Generally, perimeter management extends to everything outside the firewall, to those tools that cybercriminals could wield to launch an attack.

The most important things to consider when implementing perimeter management are:

• The complexity, breadth, and scope of the perimeter;
• The assets to be inventoried;
• Attack vectors and potential exposures;
• The methods to protect the network from cyber-attacks and violations.

Why Is It Important To Manage An Attack Perimeter?

Given the rapid evolution of cyber attacks, it is increasingly easier for hackers to launch complete and automated surveillance. Managing physical and digital perimeters is an effective strategy: through the continuous visibility of vulnerabilities and rapid “remediation,” an attack can be prevented and stopped before it occurs. Management helps mitigate the risk of potential threats from unknown open-source software, outdated and vulnerable software, human errors, vendor-managed assets, IoT, legacy and shadow IT assets, intellectual property infringements, and much more. Attack perimeter management is essential for:

Finding Incorrect Configurations

Needed to detect misconfiguration in your operating system, website settings, or firewalls. It is also useful for detecting viruses, outdated software or hardware, weak passwords, and ransomware that cybercriminals could use as “gateways.”

Protection Of Intellectual Property And Sensitive Data

Perimeter management helps protect intellectual property and sensitive data and mitigates the risks associated with Shadow IT assets. It also detects and denies any unauthorized activity.

How To Manage The Perimeter?

A perimeter’s steps or “management phases” are cyclical or ongoing and can vary from organization to organization. However, the “standard” steps that should be present in organizations are:

• Discovery: it is the first step for any management solution. In this stage, you get complete visibility into all digital assets that process or contain business-critical data.
• Inventory: or IT asset inventory, involves the labeling and dislocating of digital assets based on business criticality, technical properties, characteristics, type, owner, and compliance requirements.
• Classification: Classification is the process of categorizing or aggregating assets and vulnerabilities based on their priority level.
• Monitoring: it is one of the most important phases. It allows you to track your assets 24/7 to check for compliance issues, misconfigurations, weaknesses, and security vulnerabilities.

Perimeter Reduction

Reducing the perimeter is a key goal for any IT professional. This mitigation involves regular vulnerability assessment, monitoring anomalies, and protecting the weakest points.

Why Is It So Important?

While managing a perimeter is critical to identify any current and future risks, mitigation is critical to minimizing the number of entry points and security gaps.

Also Read: Corporate Security: What Are Clients And Servers?

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Currently, Kaspersky Free is not India, but its interface will be translated into our language by early October, as clarified on this page. Kaspersky’s anti-malware scanning engine needs no introduction: it’s always at the top regarding threat detection and doesn’t suffer from the “false positives” problem that plagues many other competing products.

How Kaspersky Free Works

Let’s say right away that Kaspersky Free, despite being a free product, works very well.

The only “annoyance” may be registering on the Kaspersky website, which is not strictly necessary. Still, by doing so, you will avoid the appearance of a notification window when you start your PC and the message referring to “licensing problems” on the main screen of the antivirus. Despite its free nature, Kaspersky Free is a relatively complete product because it includes the following:

• Real-time and on-demand scanning –
• Heuristic analysis of files
• Advanced (“smart”) scanning modes to improve Performance
• Web protection (scanning Internet pages while browsing online looking for potentially harmful)
• Instant messaging software protection
• E-mail scanning (POP3, IMAP, and SMTP servers) with analysis of all incoming and possibly also outgoing messages
• Cloud-based

Protection – VPN protection with the ability to transfer up to 300 MB of data for free every day: Kaspersky Secure Connection: protects your data when using other people’s WiFi. We have some reservations about this service because it is provided by Hotspot Shield, which recently ended up in the “eye of the storm”: VPN security, Hotspot Shield accused of monitoring user traffic.

If you do not need to use the Kaspersky VPN ( Kaspersky Secure Connection service ) and you prefer, for example, to use the excellent ProtonVPN ( ProtonVPN: how to browse anonymously ), you can proceed with the installation of this module by acting on the Programs and Features window of Windows.

Like all the most modern and effective antiviruses, Kaspersky Free – albeit free – integrates a module for scanning data on the cloud. Thanks to it, infections can be prevented, and those that have just appeared on the Net can be stopped in the bud. The approach based exclusively on viral signatures fails when dealing with new threats which have recently appeared on the Net and still need to be discovered by the technicians of the antivirus laboratories.

To also benefit from cloud protection with Kaspersky Free, you must tick the I want to participate in the Kaspersky Security Network (KSN) box when installing. This will permit you to share some anonymous data, but in return, you will automatically receive and activate cloud protection. Once Kaspersky Free is installed, the first step is to download and apply the latest updates for viral signatures ( Database update button ).

Kaspersky Free’s main window only offers a little: most of the space is taken up by references to the advanced features that are provided in the paid versions of the antivirus. The most exciting part of Kaspersky Free is, therefore, without a doubt, the Settings section, accessible by clicking on the icon representing a small gear at the bottom left.

By default, Kaspersky’s free antivirus optimizes its operation by choosing a configuration that represents the right balance between performance and protection effectiveness. After installation, Kaspersky Free is usually usable already as it is, ensuring truly top-level real-time data protection and web protection that is very effective in blocking websites with harmful content. Defenses are not usually found in free products.

One of the scanning methods that should be performed regularly is Quick Scan. It analyzes only the most critical areas of the operating system, within which the malware components “lurk.”

This is an intelligent scan mode that allows you to minimize scan times.

By accessing the Kaspersky Free settings, then click on Scan in the left column, and, finally, on Advanced settings, Quick scan settings, and Additional settings, you can adjust some items that will make system scanning even faster. this window, choose File scanned by extension, Scan only new and changed files, and Do not unpack compound files larger than 100 MB.

This way, the Scan will effectively work on files by extension, scan only new items or items added since the last Scan, and refrain from unpacking extensive archives. The same changes can also be made to the configuration of Full Scan and Selective Scan without lowering the overall level of protection guaranteed by Kaspersky Free.

By default, Kaspersky Free concentrates on scanning tasks when the system is not in use ( idle ). If necessary, this behavior can be changed by clicking on Performance and then on the Perform Idle Scan box .

After the first Scan, we also suggest disabling the periodic rootkit scan (which can be activated later on request) by checking the Search for software intended to conceal traces of a malicious program in the system (rootkits) box. The anti-rootkit Scan is rather heavy in terms of system resources used because it adds to the “load” of the traditional analysis routines. Therefore, this analysis procedure can be activated only when needed in case of doubts.

Also Read: Microsoft’s Antivirus Is Coming To iOS & Android Very Soon

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How Message Smishing Scams Work

They usually contain a link to a fraudulent site as similar as possible to the original and structured in such a way as to record the data that the unsuspecting user enters. Other SMS scams try to get attention with promises of big wins or profits, such as cash prizes or gift cards from famous brands. There are many ways this fraud is perpetrated, but the goal is always the same: sensitive data and money.

Also Read: How Scammers Catch Small & Medium Enterprises (SMEs)

Just Open The Message To Become A Victim?

No, it’s not enough to “open” or read the spam or phishing message; you need to click on the link or attachment and enter your data on a fraudulent site (or download malware without realizing it). Scams can vary greatly, so it’s helpful to know the main ones to identify common elements and highlight what hackers leverage to deceive recipients. Here are six examples of threats:

• The Detained Package Scam – Message example: Hi, your package has been held at our shipping center. Please follow the instructions here: [fraudulent link follows].
• The blocked checking account – Message example: We have suspended your banking accounts for suspected fraud. Thank you
• You have won a prize – Sample message: Dear Euronics Competition Winner, We are pleased to inform you of the award. Select your product here: [fraudulent link follows]
• Security problems relating to the account – Message example: Dear customer, a problem has occurred with your account. To continue accessing the apps, updating the data at the following link is mandatory: https://bit.ly/webISP. Best regards, Intesa San Paolo
• INPS message – Message example: Bank transfer order from INPS with identification number 08124880 failed.
• Message from the Ministry of Health on the Green Pass – Message example: Your COVID-19 green certification appears to be cloned; identity verification is required at dgcgov.valid-utenza.com to avoid blocking.

How To Recognize A Fake Text Message

Most scam SMS contains some easily identifiable elements that can help users recognize them:

• The message is irrelevant: the user has no reason to expect the received message, which is unrelated to any activity undertaken in the last few days.
• The message conveys a certain urgency: an emergency is communicated in the text, and requests to intervene as soon as possible to avoid disastrous consequences.
• The sender is an unknown number: the number is not in the phonebook or contains fewer digits than a regular phone number.
• The SMS contains spelling and grammatical errors: in most of the examples chosen by Panda, the smishing messages are poorly written both stylistically and grammatically and sometimes also contain gross spelling errors, such as wrong double consonants or the Z instead of the S.
• The message contains a suspicious link: fraudulent links often start with the HTTP prefix (without the final S) or are short URLs such as ly or simulate the name of the authentic company by inserting other words or letters, such as Unicredit-bank – italia.com.

How To Defend Yourself Against SMS Scams

• Opt out of advertising communications from the companies and stores where you shop. Most services rely on third-party partners for marketing; for example, they may manage contact lists illegally by sharing them with other organizations. This is how cell phone numbers end up in scammer databases.
• Download call-blocking apps like Hiya, Nomorobo or Truecaller
• Please don’t reply to unsolicited messages, even ask to stop receiving them.
• Do not share personal and financial data via SMS link.
• For example, don’t share your phone number and email address online to participate in offers or access content behind paywalls.
• Periodically update your phone’s operating system.

The number of SMS scams, spam, and smishing messages is rising, so it’s important to learn how to identify them and know what to do to protect yourself. Another defense is the ability to filter messages and calls through your smartphone based on the number and caller ID.

Activate the block from the phone settings so if the ID matches one of those on the blocklist of the phone manufacturer or your telephone operator, the incoming call or spam SMS will be blocked. It is important to pay attention to the telltale signs highlighted and to trust your intuition: if a message is suspicious, it is almost certainly fraudulent.

Also Read: Online Scam Report: How To Do It

The post Scam SMS: How They Work And How To Block Them appeared first on Tech Buzz Reviews.

E-Commerce Security Is More Than The Antivirus

Even if the described virus attack sounds like the worst-case scenario, other threats could also affect your website and your users (in the next section). Information security measures always pursue three classic protection goals: availability, confidentiality, and integrity (correctness of information and functions). All three are also important for online shops. “Availability” refers to (authorized) users being able to access systems and data as intended.

In the case of a webshop: Potential customers must be able to access your shop website and use all the essential functionalities (product selection, shopping cart, payment process); you, as the operator, must be able to access the backend. But even if everything works, that doesn’t mean everything is fine. Perhaps a hacker has manipulated the system in such a way (violation of “integrity”) that it is spying on users unnoticed (breach of “confidentiality”)? In short: Take a holistic view of security and think about possible risks and their effects.

Know Your Enemy

However, this assumes that you understand the potential risks, which is challenging in a fast-moving environment like online security. Cybercriminals are constantly finding new ways to compromise other people’s systems. Security service providers such as Avast and authorities publish up-to-date information. The most critical cyber threats relevant to online shops currently include ransomware and DDoS attacks, and automated or targeted hacker attacks. Ransomware is a virus that encrypts essential data and only re releases it after paying a ransom – if at all. They get into the system in a variety of ways: as a Trojan (malware disguised as helpful software), via email attachments clicked on through ignorance, through a supply chain attack (regular updates from a manufacturer’s hacked server), or as the result of a successful hacker attack. However, other malware still poses a severe threat.

With DDoS attacks (Distributed Denial of Service), criminals try to bring web servers to their knees with mass requests. The aim is either to harm the operators or to blackmail them. You can find more information at the BSI, for example.

Hacker attacks aim to exploit security gaps (e.g., weaknesses in your shop software or WordPress but insufficiently protected logins) to penetrate the system. This is done in a targeted or increasingly automated way by bots – especially in e-commerce, whereby in 2021, almost 60 percent of all attacks were carried out by bots.

Virus Protection

Virus protection is also vital for websites today. Host Europe provides a free antivirus solution for its/many shared hosting packages. The administration tools Plesk or cPanel also offer virus protection and other security tools for server packages. In addition, shop operators can also use a cloud-based SaaS solution (Software as a Service). However, the best defense against ransomware is an up-to-date backup of your business-critical data – don’t allow yourself to be blackmailed in the first place!

Close Vulnerabilities

Any reasonably complex software contains potential vulnerabilities that hackers can exploit to cause harm. A distinction can be made between errors in the code (security gaps) and errors in the configuration (e.g., unsecured ports and weak passwords). Most attacks on websites are automated: scripts (“bad bots”) scan the systems for open ports and vulnerabilities or carry out so-called brute force attacks in which numerous username-password combinations are tried (often supported by lists of millions of stolen real credentials). If successful, further actions follow, usually automatically: The attackers try to explore the system, install malware, access relevant data, or gain access to other systems. In particular, popular websites and shop systems are increasingly exposed to targeted attacks. Prominent examples are so-called Magecart attacks on shopping cart systems, in which hackers attempt to use javascript code to access customer data and payment information during the payment process.

Newly discovered vulnerabilities are usually closed by the developer soon after they become known – but exploited by hackers just as quickly or even faster. Therefore, always keep your system up to date and immediately import security updates for all components. You can read how to view essential pages, e.g., B. Login pages, in this article. Before the launch or after significant changes to your system, invest in a security expert who will check your design and carry out penetration tests (simulated attacks). You also get a high level of security with a web application firewall (WAF): a proxy that monitors the data traffic between the shop and the requesting systems. There are WAFs, for example, as server plugins, separate appliances, or as a service in the Sucuri security suite already mentioned.

Repel DDoS Attacks

DDoS attacks are particularly insidious: In extreme cases, they can completely paralyze your shop, which leads to significant sales losses, especially during peak periods such as Black Friday or before Christmas. And it’s hard to fight back. The BSI recommends configuring the web server in such a way that the attack surface is as tiny as dangerous and TCP packets that are not necessary or potentially are rejected from the outset (filtering, logging of IP addresses, etc.), to make use of the provider’s defense services and to prepare accordingly to mitigate the consequences of successful DDoS attacks. The caching of static content in distributed Content Delivery Network (CDN) servers, which Sucuri also offers, can mitigate DDoS attacks and increase performance.

Ecommerce Security – The Human Factor

Website security can be significantly improved with security solutions such as Sucuri Website Security, especially for shop owners without technical and safety knowledge or access to the server configuration. But technology isn’t everything – people are still the most significant weak point for security experts. It is one thing that manufacturers deliver their systems with insecure default settings and that admins can make configuration errors. Even more severe is the ignorance of the users. Again and again, employees fall for phishing emails, calls from alleged admins or Microsoft employees, and other social engineering tricks, divulge critical information, or click on virus-infected attachments. You should therefore ensure that everyone in your company and, if possible, your partners are aware of these threats.

Also Read: When You Need A VAT Number To Open An Online Shop

The post Security In E-Commerce: How To Protect Your Online Shop appeared first on Tech Buzz Reviews.

Online Scam: The Steps To Follow

Here are the steps to follow immediately after the scam:

• Block your credit or debit card immediately by calling your bank or contacting PayPal customer service, depending on the payment made. The faster you are in this phase, the greater the chances of recovering the lost amounts of money.
• Report the scam to the Postal Police.
• Leave a review that warns other users of possible scams if the Fraud happened on an e-commerce site, of course.
• Change your email, bank App and social profile passwords right away.

Report For Online Fraud To The Postal Police

The best way to report an online scam and try to recover the lost money is to contact the Postal Police immediately. A body specialized in telematic crimes.

Two Ways Of Reporting To The Postal Police

We have two ways of reporting.

• The first online directly on the website of the Postal Police
• The second is by going in person to the nearest police office.

How To Fill Out The Online Scam Report

To fill out the online scam report, you need the following information:

• Personal details of the victim and the details of the identity card,
• A detailed description of the fact and the type of scam,
• The name of the site or sites involved.

Online reporting is undoubtedly the fastest. Anyone who reports must, in any case, go in person to the offices to deliver the electronic receipt and the protocol number issued by the portal.

Online Scam: What Is The Risk

In our criminal code, there is no specific type of crime dedicated to online scams. Reference is made to the general rules relating to Fraud provided for in article 640: “Anyone who, with artifices or deceptions, by misleading someone, procures an unfair profit for himself or others with damage to others, is punished with imprisonment from six months to three years.

Online Scams With Theft And Improper Use Of Digital Identity

The imprisonment penalty can rise to 2/6 months and a fine from € 600 to € 3,000; if the Fraud is committed with theft or improper use of the digital personality to the drawback of at least one subject.

Purchase Of An Item That Has Never Been Received

In the event of an online scam on the purchase of an asset that has never been received, the law punishes the attacker with imprisonment from six months to three years and a fine from fifty-one euros to one thousand thirty-two euros.

When An Online Scam Is Criminally Relevant

To talk about a criminally relevant scam, these two elements must be present:

• Artifices
• Deceive

Artifice and deceptions are behaviors used to simulate or conceal reality, making the victim believe the false for the true, inducing him to make an error. In the case of online scams, the tricks and deceptions can be:

• Photos of the advertised holiday home, which in most cases either does not exist or is not in the hands of the scammer;
• Indicate a fake address;
• Write false personal details or provide a telephone number that will almost certainly be deactivated at the end of the scam;
• Procuring an unfair profit by creating harm to others.

Why Are Most Online Scams Not Reported?

The first reason for the impunity of online scammers is that victims hardly report. In most cases, it happens because the scam sells illicitly sourced goods, such as counterfeit shoes, fake watches or bags. In this case, the scam victim knows he is buying a counterfeit item online.

Also Read: How Scammers Catch Small & Medium Enterprises (SMEs)

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However, the dangerous situation has become even more acute due to the increased digital transformation in companies and the switch to working from home since the beginning of the Corona crisis. Because to protect against threats such as ransomware, the IT infrastructure and its protection must be further developed in parallel: With each newly implemented application, the IT managers have to expand and adapt the security measures accordingly.

During the pandemic, however, companies were so busy introducing new solutions and equipping home offices that protecting the latest IT infrastructure was neglected in many places.

The resulting gaps and vulnerabilities can have fatal consequences, warn the authors of the “Veritas Vulnerability Lag Report,” for which more than 2,000 IT managers from 19 countries were surveyed. Accordingly, companies are more likely to become victims of ransomware attacks and suffer data loss in the next two years. This also makes it more challenging to comply with compliance requirements.

Also Read: Cyberattack In The Home Office? This Is How Companies Protect Themselves

Increasing Complexity Makes Security Measures More Difficult

Many companies have invested in cloud solutions to switch to working from home and drive digital transformation quickly. According to the report, 64 percent of German companies implemented more new cloud functions or infrastructure elements during the pandemic than initially planned. For cost reasons, they often rely on several providers. A survey by Veritas last November found that companies use an average of 12 different cloud providers. As a result, complexity has increased to a level that IT security can often no longer keep up with.

According to the “Veritas Vulnerability Lag Report,” the security strategy in the cloud area has gaps in almost every second German company. And 45 percent of local companies say they are struggling with compliance regulations. In addition, complex cloud environments are particularly vulnerable to ransomware attacks. As attackers increasingly target online backups, there is a growing risk that the clients and the cloud data will be encrypted. And the more clouds are in use, the more difficult it is for the IT department to recover data after a ransomware attack. It is then likely that the company will meet the ransom demand.

Complex Management Of Hybrid IT Environments

To make matters worse, many applications still run on legacy systems that are controlled, monitored, and kept highly available with proven management processes and tools. When connecting this “old world” to the dynamic public cloud, the workloads are often not optimally coordinated. Management is usually isolated from one another and manual, which means that the IT teams monitor both worlds with scripts and processes they have developed. This increases the error rate and makes it difficult to get an overview of the workloads, their availability, memory utilization, and backups. Two worlds also collide regarding data backup: the proven backup concept of the data centers and the cloud concepts with the integrated backup services of the providers.

As a result, many different tools with their working methods, user interfaces, and restore technology are in use. The data is often distributed across many storage systems and fragmented infrastructures. It is becoming increasingly difficult to track where information is located and whether all critical data is secured according to the same SLAs and can be restored according to uniform policies – regardless of whether it is in the cloud, on-premises, or virtual server environments. The current report also confirms this. According to this, on average more than 30 percent of the information stored in companies is so-called dark data, the content and value of which is unknown. 34 percent of IT experts cannot even say how many cloud services are in use – let alone which ones are involved.

High Damage Caused By Ransomware Attacks

This further increases the risk of failures and data loss in hybrid environments. In Germany, 82 percent of companies have been affected by at least one such incident in the past twelve months. Each company experienced almost two ransomware attacks that resulted in downtime. The consequences are financial losses, dissatisfied customers, and image damage. To protect itself adequately, a German company would have to spend an average of almost two million euros more and hire 24 new IT employees, the study’s authors calculated. However, this is hardly feasible given the current shortage of skilled workers.

But there are effective solutions. A consolidated data protection platform used for the entire data inventory – both in the data center and in the public cloud – can significantly reduce the administrative burden of data protection. Data mapping tools are also helpful. They show connections between information and its storage location in real time and use this to create data maps. This not only gives those responsible an overview of where data is located. You can also see whether they are managed in a compliant manner. Data protection tools based on artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) can also reduce the need for additional staff.

Also Read: Cyber ​​Attacks: Companies Fear An Increase In The Next Two Years

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Significant in many respects, the year 2020 was also the year of all records in terms of cybercrime. Unfortunately, 2021 and 2022 have taken the same path. Our advisory and service missions lead us to believe that raising everyone’s awareness and popularizing our discourse can help reverse this trend.

Information System Security: The Right Questions To Ask

To do this, what better guide than a simple methodology around critical questions to ask? The ANSSI (National Agency for the Security of Information Systems) has also published a guide for VSEs and SMEs. This guide offers several questions to ask that we will answer. These responses or proposals are intended to be consistent with your business requirements and obligations while complying with security obligations.

The idea is that your stable and secure information system should serve your organization, not the other way around.

Information System Security: Do You Know your IT Assets Well?

Indeed, knowing your equipment is the first question you should ask yourself. To meet this first challenge, it will be necessary to keep an accurate inventory of your equipment, but also of your software and your users.

Who uses what? Who has access to what? And especially why? The answers to these questions will then determine the strategies we will implement to ensure optimal security for your information system.

Do You Make Regular Backups?

Making regular backups of your data is one of the critical security measures. Indeed, regularity and redundancy are 2 words you absolutely must associate when you have to determine your backup strategy.

Do you know the 3-2-1 rule when it comes to backups?

Redundant Backups Of Your Data On 2 Different Media (at least), Including 1 External…

These basic recommendations will allow you, in particular, a faster restoration in the event of an incident.

What data? On what media? Physical, cloud or mixed backups? So many questions will allow you/us to determine your organization’s most relevant backup strategy.

Do You Regularly Apply Updates?

Yet essential, updates are too often ignored by users. Indeed, the updates offered by your operating systems or software contain patches, particularly security.

A station for which the updates are systematically ignored will be much more vulnerable than another (even with equivalent equipment), which would see updates applied when recommended.

To avoid any oversight or negligence, think, for example, of activating the automatic update functions!

Do You Use An Antivirus?

An antivirus (note, also regularly updated) is one of the first security measures put in place on information systems.

On the other hand, take advice from a service provider who will be able to guide you, in particular, when it comes to adding options such as the firewall, WEB filtering, etc.

Do You Have A Password Management Policy In Place?

Needless to say, the security of your information system also lies in implementing a password policy. 1234 or 0000 are not satisfactory for professional use! As a reminder, a strong password must contain between 8 and 12 characters and be a mixture of numeric, alphanumeric and special characters.

This password should not be familiar to all identification services and should be changed regularly.

To ensure that each of your employees adopts this strategy, favor password safes: these tools generate and save strong passwords in a secure file. Your employees will then only have one password to remember.

Information System Security: Have You Activated A Firewall?

The firewall protects your information systems from attacks coming from the Internet. When a firewall is installed and activated on all the workstations of an information system, it blocks or slows down the propagation of the attack to other equipment connected to the network.

How Do You Secure Your Email?

Remember that email is one of the first security breaches in companies. Using a professional mail server will make your installations less vulnerable. But beyond the physical parameters and the tools, the most reliable security barrier for your information systems lies in the training and awareness of your users regarding the use of their email: verification of senders, not opening all emails, never opening a dubious attachment …

How Did You Secure Mobile Computers?

The increasing mobility of our employees and the development of telework must be supervised so that the security of your information system is guaranteed. A list of good practices will allow your employees concerned to combine mobility and safety. Is the data saved elsewhere than on the mobile station? Is mobile equipment equipped with a screen filter? However, ban using promotional USB keys; limit the volume of data recorded on the computer as much as possible…

Have You Informed And Educated Your Employees?

We have already mentioned it, but raising your employees’ awareness comes down to involving them alongside you in this quest for safety.

The IT charter can, for example, be explained, argued or illustrated with concrete examples instead of being distributed against the signature.

Empowering and regularly raising awareness among your users will instill a culture of “IT hygiene” in your team.

Information System Security: Will You Be Able To React In The Event Of A Cyber Attack?

The primary security rules of your information system are intended, in particular, to fight against cyberattacks. But knowing how to fight against cyber-attacks also means dealing with these viruses. When detecting such an attack, the first reflex is to disconnect the infected workstation or the information system from the Internet and immediately inform the internal or external IT department.

These few best practices list all the essential security rules to ensure your information system is secure and stable.

Also Read: Corporate Security: What Are Clients And Servers?

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