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Best Practices to Secure Joomla Website

Donald Korinchak, MBA, PMP, CISSP, CASP, ITILv3
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Best Practices to Secure Joomla Website

With the growing popularity of e-commerce stores, which offer an easy shopping experience for customers, comes the need to have a more fitting website to connect with your audience.  Joomla is a CMS (content management system) platform that you may want to use to build your online store. In addition, it has many e-Commerce extensions, which make it easier to build your site.

Is Joomla Safe from Hackers?

The question of whether or not Joomla is safe for e-commerce stores has been a concern since the emergence of POS (point of sale) malware and cyberattacks on small businesses.

Joomla is not entirely safe from hackers. When it comes to security, it is still a complex system with many vulnerabilities like cross-site scripting, which you may need to understand to fully secure your Joomla website.

Joomla websites often get hacked, and the audiences have no way to know about it because owners don’t communicate it upfront in their terms and conditions. But if we look at the reasons behind it, only two things come out as possible explanations.

The first one is that owners neglect the Joomla website security best practices, for example, by not keeping them up-to-date, and a few don’t even know how to secure their Joomla websites. The second reason could be that they do update but still leave loopholes for hackers to enter.

How you store, data can make your website vulnerable or resistant to online attacks. In this article, we explore common vulnerabilities in Joomla and provide actionable tips on best securing your Joomla website.

Outdated Joomla Plugins, version, and extensions

The first step in securing a Joomla website is to update your Joomla components. To do so, go to the Components page and select Check for Updates.

This will notify you if there are any available updates or not. If yes, then it’s wise to proceed by clicking on Install Updates, which will remove all the old and outdated components from your Joomla website.

In installing the updates, it is also essential to remove any extensions that you no longer use because they may still be vulnerable or have a security hole that hackers might exploit for their purpose. This can only be done by going through each extension and unchecking the ones you no longer require.

Restrict Access to Joomla Admin Backend

This is an essential step for Joomla store owners because it will prevent hackers from accessing the backend of your website. You will need to change the default Joomla administrator URL which is usually; http://www.yoursite.com/administrator.

There are free Joomla extensions you can use to change the default admin URL. A relatively common option you may want to use is the AdminExile plugin. When restricting access to ensure that you have a secure Joomla website, it is also prudent that you change the default Username/Password.

Update Joomla Database

It is also essential to update the database and make sure it’s secured with a strong password. The username and password for the MySQL database can be changed by going to Components > Secure MySQL Access from the bottom right-hand corner of the screen. Next, select your username and password from the Secure MySQL Access window options and click on Secure Connection.

This will encrypt your Joomla database with a strong password and make it difficult for hackers to steal any information about your website. On the same note,  if you want to update the username and password of the MySQL database, then go back to the Components page and select Secure MySQL Access from the bottom right-hand corner of your browser.

Next, select Secure MySQL Access and then click on the Secure Connection button. This will encrypt the Joomla database with a strong password and make it difficult for hackers to steal information about your website.

Install an SSL Certificate

It is also essential that you get an SSL certificate for your website. Secure Socket Layer (SSL) encrypts the in-transit data between the web browser and server, which helps protect sensitive information like credit card numbers during online transactions.

This will encrypt all your data sent across networks, making it difficult for hackers to steal any information about your website. If you have just one domain or subdomain to secure, you can buy a cheap positive SSL, and that will do the job.

However, Joomla e-commerce website owners often have multiple first-level subdomains such as product pages, blogs, payment pages under one primary domain. Therefore, it doesn’t make sense to invest in separate single-domain SSL for each new subdomain that they add.

In this case, we strongly recommend going for a wildcard SSL certificate. Looking for cheap yet premium wildcard options? Well, you can buy Rapidssl Wildcard and afford premium encryption to your chosen primary domain and unlimited first-level subdomains at meager costs!

Set Strong Passwords

You must use a strong password for your Joomla administrator account. While this is not technically related to securing the Joomla website, it will help keep hackers from hacking into your admin console and then doing any damage. So, make sure that you don’t set the same password as before or something easy like 123456.

Use Joomla Two Factor Authentication

If you want to restrict the access of your Joomla admin console and reduce any chances of a hacker breaking into it, then use Two Factor Authentication (2FA) for maximum security. This will ensure that all users need two pieces of information – username and password or 2FA token- to log in.

This provides added protection from hackers who might have compromised authentication credentials. They would also require an additional piece of information like an SMS text message or an app notification on their phone with a one-time code before being allowed inside your website’s backend.

Joomla 2FA is available for Joomla versions 3.2.0 and above. To enable the Joomla Two Factor Authentication on your Administrator Panel, go to Components -> Post-Installation Messages and then select Two Factor Authentication. You will be redirected to the user profile page.

Proceed to install the Google Authenticator Client->Scan the QR code with your phone->key in the generated 6-digit code->click on ‘Save & Close.’

Use a Joomla Web Application Firewall

For ultimate security, you can install a Joomla Web Application Firewall (WAF), an application that protects web servers from malicious activity like SQL injections and cross-site scripting.  Configure WAF to monitor incoming traffic to detect any suspicious requests or even attacks on your website.

Take Regular Backups

It is also a good idea to take regular backups of your Joomla website. This will help you recover from any disaster or hacking attacks if something goes wrong with your site by having an up-to-date copy that can be restored.”

Choose a reliable Hosting Provider.

Do note that your hosting provider also has a hand on how secure your Joomla website can be. Therefore, you must choose a reliable hosting provider for your website. A secure Joomla website should be hosted on web servers with security in mind and one which will take care of all the technical details to make sure your site runs smoothly.

In Closing, having a secure Joomla website could mean the difference between having a successful and profitable eCommerce store or one that suffers from high-profile data breaches. So, act now to secure your Joomla website and enjoy peace of mind from knowing that your data is safe and sound.

How to Encrypt Internet Connection in 2023 – Top 5 Methods

George Mutune
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How to Encrypt Internet Connection in 2023 – Top 5 Methods

There has been an increased uptake of remote working following a global pandemic that disrupted normal office-based work methods. Currently, at least 16% of organizations worldwide are fully remote, whereas experts predict that 73% of companies will allow employees to work remotely by 2028. In a remote working setting, employees not only require a strong and stable internet, but it must also be secure and encrypted. Remote working means that employees use their preferred internet connections to access or transmit sensitive information. How to encrypt internet connection is also crucial for office-based setups, home networks, and other networks that individuals use to gain internet access.

Additionally, end-to-end internet encryption has gained popularity due to increased reliance on online-based solutions, applications, and software programs. In response to the proliferating technological use for business use, pertinent regulations, such as the GDPR require organizations to adopt strong encryption measures to ensure customer and employee privacy. Also, IBM estimates that a single data breach can cost companies more than $4 million, an unwanted result that may lead to more dangers, such as the closure of a business within six months after the breach has happened.

One of the leading causes of cyber breaches is the use of an unsecured, unencrypted internet connection. For instance, connecting to websites that lack the recommended hypertext transfer protocol secure (HTTPS connection) can enable exposure to various online risks, such as man-in-the-middle and data theft attacks. Also, unencrypted internet connections mean that malicious cyber actors can hack the networks and intercept data transmitted through the networks. At least 69% of security professionals believe that attacks are more targeted nowadays. Hackers target high-value data assets, such as personal information, credit card data, and network data packets transmitted through websites lacking HTTPS encryption. Therefore, companies need to understand the best ways they can ensure online privacy by encrypting internet connections.

Understanding Internet Encryption

Encryption is a mechanism used to encipher or scramble data such that only users with the correct decryption keys required to transform it to its original form can access it. At the very least, internet encryption is a process used to make data shared between a client and an online server unreadable or unusable to unauthorized parties. Thus, Internet encryption provides a secure communication channel to enable users to access and use online traffic without worrying that a malicious Internet user can intercept or read the data. In a more technical definition, internet encryption utilizes cryptographic methods to scramble data transmitted online such that only the legitimate parties can access and use it.

Encrypted information, commonly called ciphertext, is an ideal strategy for sharing personal data with the intended internet users or remote servers. Internet encryption plays a pertinent role in reducing the possibility of a data breach and protecting business or user privacy. For example, sharing information via an encrypted internet connection would require hackers or other malicious parties to access the correct encryption keys to hack the network and access the data. Therefore, all users need to use encrypted networks to share sensitive data, whether in plain text or encrypted.

Benefits of Internet Connection Encryption

The internet is full of marauding cybercriminals trying to hack networks and computer systems to gain unauthorized access to protected information. That said, using the internet makes users vulnerable to multiple cyber threats that can cause massive data breaches, data theft, damage to network or system components, and disrupt critical business operations. The following are some of the primary reasons why individual users and organizations must ensure to use only encrypted internet connections when sharing data with third parties:

1.      Secure Multiple Sevices

Accessing the internet requires an individual to use any internet-enabled device. These could be laptops, desktops, or smartphones. Cyber adversaries can hack and access data stored in those devices when users transmit data through an unencrypted internet connection. As such, unencrypted connections pose a threat to data in transit and data at rest stored in the internet-enabled devices. Therefore, regardless of the device used to access the internet, using an encrypted internet connection is a necessary security measure required to maintain the security of those devices.

2.      Privacy Protection

As opposed to the perception of most internet users, everyone has something of value that can attract nefarious internet actors. Internet-enabled devices are a rich source of private information, such as credit card information, passwords or usernames, email addresses, social security numbers, home addresses, among others. Hackers target such information to use it in other criminal activities like phishing scams and identity theft attacks. Therefore, it is pertinent for all users to share such information through encrypted internet connections to protect their privacy from adversarial cyber actors.

3.      Compliance with Data Protection Regulations

Nearly all current data protection regulations require organizations to encrypt sensitive information. For example, the GDPR stipulates mandatory encryption requirements for personally identifiable data. Also, the Health Information Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) imposes encryption requirements for companies that deal with health data. In this regard, encrypting an internet connection is an effective way for assisting business owners in meeting various compliance requirements. Besides, encryption is a suitable way for preventing unauthorized data access, which is also a key requirement for most data protection regulations today.

4.      Enhance Customer Confidence

Most businesses today are data-driven in that they collect, process, and transmit a certain amount of customer data. Most of the data contain sensitive information that can harm customers if it falls into the wrong hands. Hence, most customers are often concerned if organizations lack sufficient safeguards, such as encrypted internet connections. Lack of strong encryption schemes may cause some customers to be unwilling to allow businesses to use their data. Therefore, business owners should apply strong encryption schemes to maintain their current customers and acquire new ones.

Recommended Internet Encryption Methods

1.      Connect to the Internet Using a Virtual Private Network

A virtual private network (VPN) is the first thing that comes to mind when internet users want to communicate securely through an insecure network, such as a public Wi-Fi network. A VPN provides an encrypted network tunnel that permits users to share sensitive information with the intended recipients. Besides providing an encrypted tunnel that can’t be monitored or intercepted, VPNs also encrypt the transmitted information to protect it from prying eyes. As a result, if a cyber-attack breaches the network and enables attackers to intercept the data, it remains unusable unless they possess the correct decryption keys. Due to this, VPNs are among the most renowned internet connection encryption methods known today.

Using a VPN connection service to encrypt an internet connection provides additional benefits that can assist users in browsing the internet anonymously. For instance, connecting to the internet using a VPN hides the users’ location and IP address, which prevents governments, internet service providers, or organizations from spying on their online activities. Thus, a VPN not only encrypts an internet connection and shared data but also protects a user’s identity from malicious online adversaries. Multiple VPN providers claim to provide the best internet connection encryption practices but are vital for users to conduct due diligence before settling on a specific provider.

Once an organization identifies the desired VPN provider (an internet service provider can offer VPN solutions), the process of establishing an encrypted internet connection is fairly simple. All a user needs to do is initiate a connection from a list of available VPN servers using an internet-enabled device. Some VPNs provide multiple VPN servers spread across different regions such that a VPN user from the user would appear to be connecting from a different country. Once the device establishes a connection, the selected VPN server establishes an encrypted tunnel that further encrypts the transmitted data. VPNs are among the most widely used internet encryption tools since they provide full data protection. Even governments that have access to state-of-the-art resources cannot pinpoint a VPN user’s location or identity.

2.      Browse the Internet Anonymously Using TOR Browser

Most internet users are conversant with the Tor browser, which is designed to provide anonymous internet browsing. Tor browser is an internet connection protocol capable of anonymizing information shared between a user and the internet. A Tor network provides the same functions as other popular web browsers, including Microsoft Edge and Google Chrome, despite the enhanced encryption functionalities. However, the Tor browser has the edge over other internet browsing applications. It is primarily built to enable user privacy and encrypt web traffic shared through an insecure wireless network. Tor browser specializes in enabling private communication and, therefore, is one of the best methods for encrypting internet connections.

When a user connects to the internet using the Tor browser, it bundles the transmitted network traffic into encrypted data packets before leaving the computer and entering an online server. Additionally, the Tor browser identifies and removes some information from the data packets’ header that cybercriminals can use to reveal information about a user. Such information includes the user’s operating system, IP address, and other types of system information. Then, the Tor browser encrypts the remaining addressing data and routs it through multiple servers placed in different geographic locations. As a result, the mechanism secures internet users and encrypts all their transmitted data t ensure they are fully anonymous when browsing the internet. o

3.      Connect to the Internet Using Encrypted Wi-Fi Networks

Wi-Fi encryption is one of the easiest methods used to protect data shared through the internet. The process entails using a strong password to prevent unauthorized or unauthenticated users from connecting to the Wi-Fi network. Encrypting a Wi-Fi network only allows trusted users to access it and protect them from malevolent users who connect to unsecured Wi-Fi networks to listen to and intercept transmitted information. Therefore, before connecting any Wi-Fi networks, users should ascertain that it is encrypted, which is fairly easy since it requires a password or displays a password padlock icon beside the network signal.

An organization may choose to encrypt its Wi-Fi networks using Wi-Fi protected access (WPA), WPA2, or WEP encryption protocols. Most security professionals consider the WPA2, an update of WPA encryption protocol, to be more secure than other Wi-Fi encryption methods. WPA2 provides a secure layer enhanced by the Counter Mode Cipher Block Chiang Message Authentication Code Protocol, which makes it almost impossible to hack and compromise the security of the Wi-Fi network.

Due to the increased online risks, Wi-Fi encryption is a critical requirement for transmitting and sharing sensitive data. Users can encrypt their Wi-Fi networks through an easy router setting configuration. While some wireless routers require users to navigate a sophisticated process to encrypt their Wi-Fi networks, the encryption process of most Wi-Fi routers is fairly simple since they require users to log in, enable the WPA2 encryption mode, and set a strong password.

4.      Send Messages Through Encrypted Messaging Applications

Internet advancements have resulted in multiple messaging applications that enable users to send messages through the internet. However, with the internet rife with security risks and threats, it is essential to use encrypted messaging apps to prevent unauthorized access to the sent message content. The advantage of using encrypted messaging apps is that they provide end-to-end encryption, which essentially means that only the legitimate sender and recipient can access sent messages. Some of the most popular encrypted messaging apps include:

  1. Apple messages: TheApple messaging application has an encryption scheme based on Apple’s iMessage secure service. The messaging service has one of the strongest encryption schemes, such that even Apple cannot decrypt sent messages. Fortunately, Apple pre-installs the messaging app on all Mac and iOS devices.
  2. Signal: Signal is a messaging application that permits users to share encrypted messages, videos, audio, or files to a single user or several users. Additionally, Signal enables users to make video and voice calls via an end-to-end encrypted platform. The messaging app is available for almost all operating systems.
  3. Wickr Me private messenger: Wickr Me is a private instant messaging application that applies end-to-end encryption to secure all messages and protect them from unauthorized access. The application provides an encrypted and secure method for sending videos, messages, and different types of attachments.
  4. WhatsApp: WhatsApp is among the most widely used messaging applications today. Facebook, the largest social media platform, operates WhatsApp, which may turn off some users due to various Facebook data breaches and privacy issues. However, WhatsApp implements an end-to-end encryption scheme for audio, videos, messages, and other forms of shared media.
  5. Encrypted email services: many email service providers offer end-to-end encryption that help both businesses and individuals to keep their information secret. Sending a message over encrypted email services means that the plain text content is scrambled, making it impossible for hackers to read an email without an encryption key.

While the encryption messaging applications discussed above are recommended for sharing encrypted data, they require both the sender and recipient to install them on their devices. In addition, the applications do not support cross-messaging, which implies that only a WhatsApp user can share and receive messages with other WhatsApp users, and so on.

5.      Only Use HTTPS Websites

Encrypted messaging applications, routers, and VPNs are great tools for achieving encrypted internet connections. However, if users cannot use them for any reason, the best way to stay secure is to ensure they use web-based applications that use the encrypted HTTPS protocol. An HTTPS website means that users transmit information through an encrypted internet connection. While an HTTPS browser extension does not mean that you are immune to hackers, it efficiently minimizes unauthorized access to sensitive information.

IPv4 DNS Vs. IPv6 DNS – Implementation and Predictions

Donald Korinchak, MBA, PMP, CISSP, CASP, ITILv3
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IPv4 DNS Vs. IPv6 DNS – Implementation and Predictions

The Basics of DNS

DNS is the acronym used for Domain Name System.  A primary purpose of DNS is to translate IP addresses into hostnames (alphabetic names) inside a local network and vice versa (Kralicek, 2016).  DNS is an essential component of the Internet because this IP conversion creates a much more user-friendly experience.  Without DNS, the user would be required to navigate the Internet using numeric (IPv4) or hexadecimal IP (IPv6) addresses.  It is much easier for users to remember hostnames that usually consist of easily remembered words. An example of a hostname is Amazon.com.  One of the IPv4 addresses that are associated with Amazon.com is 205.251.242.103.  For humans, the hostname of Amazon.com is easier to remember than the IPv4 address.  There is often the need to remember dozens of web addresses, so DNS is essential.  DNS has evolved to become a worldwide network of databases that resolves IP addresses to support internet traffic.  DNS works with both IPv4 and IPv6.

IPv4

The invention of IPv4 came in the 1970s.  IPv4 addresses consist of 32-bit numeric characters providing the capability of about 4.3 billion different combinations of numbers.  The 32-bit numbers contain four digits separated by periods, as shown in the Amazon.com example above.  Each of the four numbers can have a value that ranges from 0 to 255.  IPv4 is considered a classful network architecture.  There are five classes, but only three are commonly used by hosts on networks.  Large organizations such as governments, large universities, large businesses, and large Internet Service Providers use Class A network addresses.  Mid-sized companies and organizations use Class B network addresses.  Small organizations, businesses, and home offices use Class C network addresses (Panek, 2020).

IPv6

The development of IPv6 came in the 1990s.  The need for IPv6 was driven by the expectation that the approximately 4.3 billion address capacity of IPv4 would be exhausted because of the ever-increasing number of devices that require addresses.  IPv6, which

replaces IPv4, solved the address exhaustion problem by using 128-bit address space instead of the 32-bit address space of IPv4.  This larger address space gives IPv4 the capability of providing exponentially more addresses than IPv4 (3.4 undecillion addresses) (Kralicek, 2016).  IPv6 addresses are divided into eight groups that each contain four hexadecimal digits.  Every hexadecimal digit can represent four bits.  The preferred form is x:x:x:x:x:x:x:x. Each x is a 16-bit section that can be represented using up to four hexadecimal digits, with the sections separated by colons (Cisco Press, 2017).

Some Advantages of IPv6 over IPv4

Beyond the increase in available address space, IPv6 has some additional advantages over IPv4.  In the 1970s, when IPv4 was created, there was less focus on security compared to today.  IPv4 required the introduction of security, while IPv6 was designed to have native security baked in.  IPv6 utilizes IPSec to provide end-to-end packet encryption that ensures data is transmitted across the network securely.

Another advantage of IPv6 is that it eliminates the need for Network Address Translation (NAT).  NAT for IPv4 is a method to deal with the limited number of available IP addresses.  NAT works on routers that sit between two networks.  It translates private addresses used on a local network to globally unique addresses that can be forwarded to other networks.  Using NAT, only a single address gets advertised by the router that connects the network to the outside world.  When incoming packets are received, NAT translates again to ensure that the packet is delivered to the correct device within the network.  Since IPv6 eliminates the problem of limited address space, IPv6 removes the need for NAT.  The removal of NAT from a network is an advantage because it removes a point of failure.  Also, the removal of NAT means that less processing is needed resulting in more efficiency and potentially higher data transmission speeds.

IPv6 has configuration advantages over IPv4.  In IPv4, network administrators manually assign IP addresses or use Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP).  DHCP enables temporary IP addresses to be assigned automatically from a pool.  The IP addresses are returned to the pool for reassignment after the “IP Lease” expires.  IPv6 allows IP addresses to be automatically assigned using Stateless IP Address Autoconfiguration (SLAAC) (Hagen, 2014).  With SLAAC, when a new device is added to a network, it can automatically obtain its own IP address without the need for DHCP.

IPv4 supports broadcast transmissions, while IPv6 supports multicast.  Broadcast is the sending of data packet(s) to all users on a network without the need to individually address the packet(s) and without the need for a response from the users.  In IPv4, a broadcast is sent using a broadcast address.  Conversely, IPv6 was designed with the capability of multicast.  Multicast sends data to a set of hosts that are predetermined by adding the host addresses to multicast groups (Juniper, 2021).  Multicast is more efficient than broadcast because multicast allows the senders to select who receives the transmission.  This results in more efficiency within the network since the nodes within the network do not need to continuously listen for and receive broadcast traffic that might not be necessary.

Quality of Service (QoS) is another differentiator between IPv4 and IPv6.  QoS is used to control traffic so that performance is guaranteed for specific applications.  QoS is applied for bandwidth-intensive applications like Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP).  VOIP is a protocol that allows phones to work over the network, replacing the need for traditional Plain Old Telephone Service (POTS) phones.  If data transmission performance is low (i.e. latency or jitter) for VOIP, the voice quality can be affected. With IPv4, QoS data is included in the packet, and routers are configured to prioritize critical traffic (like VOIP traffic).  IPv6 has built-in QoS. 

Diferences between IPv4 DNS and IPv6 DNS

The shift from IPv4 to IPv6 does not change the user experience when it comes to DNS.  With IPv6, the user will still enter the same hostnames, and the IP address will be resolved in the background, just like when using IPv4.  The configuring of IPv6 DNS is also very similar to the process for configuring IPv4 DNS.  

There are two types of lookup zones utilized in DNS: Forward Zone and Reverse Zone.  Forward lookup zones translate the hostname to the IP address, while reverse lookup zones translate the IP address to the hostname.  In IPv4, forward lookup zones are represented using ‘A Records’.  ‘A Records’ are only designed to hold 32-bit IP addresses.  Since IPv6 addresses are 128 bits, DNS needed a solution that would accommodate the larger IP addresses.  The answer came with introducing the ‘AAAA’ (Quad A) record (Liu, 2011).  Berkely Internet Name Domain (BIND) is open-source software that is commonly used for DNS servers.  BIND currently supports IPv6 and ‘AAAA’ Records.  Reverse zone lookups translate hostnames to the IP address.  IPv6 uses the IP6.ARPA domain to accomplish reverse zone lookups (Pete, 2004).  ARPA is the acronym for Address and Routing Parameters Area.  Similarly, IPv4 uses the  IP4.ARPA domain for this reverse lookup function.

Advantages of IPv6 DNS

The primary advantage of IPv6 DNS is that it enables the benefits that IPv6 has over IPv4.  These include the ample address space, the elimination of NAT, configuration advantages, multicast enablement, QoS, etc.

Another advantage of IPv6 DNS is that it is more secure than IPv4 DNS. 

Disadvantages of IPv6 DNS

A disadvantage of IPv6 DNS is that it is not backward compatible with IPv4.  Since the IPv6 rollout is a slow process, lasting many years, there is the need for DNS servers to respond to both IPv6 and IPv4 requests.  This requirement results in less efficiency until the completion of the IPv6 conversion.

IPv6 may reduce the practice of subnetting.  Subnetting is often used in IPv4 to segment networks to increase the efficiency of the available IP space.  Since IPv6 has an exponentially higher number of IP addresses available, system administrators may reduce this practice.  Subnetting has the side effect of reducing unnecessary web traffic.  The result of less subnetting would result in the disadvantage of an increased traffic load on DNS servers.

Since IPv6 does not need or allow for NAT, a security feature existing in NAT does not apply to IPv6.  NAT hides the internal network IP addresses and port numbers to not be visible to the outside world.  The fact that IPv6 does not allow for this could be considered a disadvantage.  This disadvantage is arguable since the hiding of internal network IP addresses is not regarded as a robust security feature.

As mentioned, IPv6 uses SLAAC to assign IP addresses automatically.  Using SLAAC, the IPv6 end nodes choose their own IP addresses.  An issue arises because the DNS servers still need to have reverse DNS records for the IP selected using SLAAC, but these records are not available to the DNS servers (Internet Society, 2014).  Several options have been recommended and implemented for overcoming this issue, so this disadvantage is no longer relevant.

How IPv6 May change the way networks use DNS

The IPv6 advantages of eliminating NAT and increased IP space, along with the proliferation of new connected IoT devices, will lead to massively increased traffic to DNS servers.  This increase will likely require the DNS server infrastructure to scale up to meet the demand.  More processing power and storage will be required.  The DNS hierarchy can is a tree that consists of managed zones with root servers at the top.  Due to limitations in IPv4, there are only 13 root server addresses, but there are over 600 different root servers distributed across the world.  The increase in internet traffic and the removal of the limitations of IPv4 may also lead to the implementation of additional root server addresses.

References

Hagen, S. (2014). IPv6 Essentials (3rd ed) O’Reilly

Kralicek, E. (2016). Accidental SysAdmin Handbook, Sybex.

Liu, C. (2011). DNS and BIND on IPv6, O’Reilly

Panek, C. (2020). Networking Fundamentals, Springer Nature.

Pete, L. (2004). IPv6: Theory, protocol, and practice 2nd ed) Morgan Kaufmann

DNS considerations for IPv6. (2014, June 14). Internet Society.  https://www.internetsociety.org/resources/deploy360/2014/dns-considerations-for-ipv6/

IPv6 address representation and address types. (2017, October 3). Cisco Press.  https://www.ciscopress.com/articles/article.asp?p=2803866

Multicast protocols user guide (2021, January 13). Juniper. https://www.juniper.net/documentation/us/en/software/junos/multicast/topics/concept/multicast-ip-overview.html

The Effect of Cryptocurrency on the Banking System

Donald Korinchak, MBA, PMP, CISSP, CASP, ITILv3
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The Effect of Cryptocurrency on the Banking System

Abstract

What implications will cryptocurrency have on current banking systems?  The invention of cryptocurrency and its subsequent adoption may have a significant impact on banks and financial systems.  Cryptocurrency adoption has grown significantly since the creation of bitcoin in 2009.  Today, cryptocurrency adoption is substantial, and many reputable companies are involved in cryptocurrency.  Government regulation may mitigate some of the effects of cryptocurrency on the current banking system.  The adoption of Central Bank Digital Currencies may change and minimize the impact of cryptocurrencies on the current system.  Banks may adopt the new technology and offer cryptocurrency products and services.  In an extreme scenario, cryptocurrencies may completely disrupt traditional banks and banking systems.

Cryptocurrency and the Banking System

Cryptocurrency was invented in 2009 with the creation of bitcoin by an unknown engineer with the pseudonym Satoshi Nakamoto.  Cryptocurrencies are entirely digital and decentralized – no state or central authority supports cryptocurrencies (Burlacu, 2021).  The decentralized nature of cryptocurrencies is made possible through the innovation known as the blockchain.  The blockchain is a public database (or ledger) that contains records and details about cryptocurrency transactions (Nicoleta, 2021).  The blockchain database is copied and updated on all of the computers on the cryptocurrency’s network.  This distributed network creates both trust and redundancy.  Most cryptocurrencies are open source, so anyone can become part of the blockchain network by running software on their computer or other devices (Raj, 2019).  Since the blockchain database has so many copies that are the same, it is nearly impossible to introduce a false version of the database without detection.  Also, the distributive nature of the blockchain database means that it does not rely on any central authority, and it does not have any single point of failure.  What implications will cryptocurrency have on current banking systems?

A Brief History of Cryptocurrency and the Current State of Adoption

Cryptocurrency adoption has evolved since the recording of the first bitcoin transaction was made on January 12, 2009 (Raj, 2019).  Bitcoin, being the first mover, has the highest adoption rate of any cryptocurrency.  Bitcoin accounts for a substantial percentage of the entire cryptocurrency market.  Early adopters of bitcoin included tech-savvy individuals who were able to see potential early on.  Later, bitcoin became popular with libertarians who viewed cryptocurrency as a possible method to avoid central government and corporate power.  Today, bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies are seen by many as a method to store value and a valid alternative to traditional fiat currency.  The financial press routinely reports on bitcoin’s value, and many high-profile public companies use cryptocurrencies as a basis for innovation and profitability. Approximately 2% of financial institutions are currently interested in offering crypto-related services (Shelvin, 2021).

Cryptocurrency Regulation can Mitigate the Impact

The nature of cryptocurrencies puts it at odds with the traditional, centralized banking system.  Traditional banking systems rely heavily on banks and on a central government that can control fiscal policy.   Since cryptocurrency is outside of the control of any single entity, there has been speculation that governments will heavily regulate or even outlaw the use of cryptocurrency.  These concerns have eased somewhat because governing bodies like the US Security and Exchange Commission (SEC) have indicated that they intend to enact regulations to protect investors (Gura, 2021) instead of implementing laws that severely restrict cryptocurrencies.  If heavy regulation is enacted, however, the adoption of cryptocurrencies could be hampered, minimizing the impact of cryptocurrency on the existing financial system. 

Central Bank Digital Currency Implementation

Government-sponsored alternatives to cryptocurrencies are called Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs) (Broby, 2021).  The digital nature of CBDCs gives them some of the advantages of cryptocurrency while avoiding decentralization and anonymity.  There are privacy concerns with CBDCs since the currencies can be programmed to track all transitions and gather consumer purchasing data.  CBDCs could be programmed to restrict purchases to certain items and even collect taxes automatically during transactions. Some governments are attracted to the potential for enhanced power over financial systems and consumers.  Government adoption of CBDCs could ensure that an evolved form of banks and the central banking systems remain strong.

Acceptance of Cryptocurrency within the Traditional Banking Industry

As stated previously, approximately 2% of financial institutions are investigating cryptocurrency services.  Large financial institutions like Fidelity and Bank of America are facilitating the trade of financial instruments that mirror the value of bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies.  The banking industry is accustomed to change and has been evolving since 1472 (Broby, 2021). To date, however, most large and small baking institutions have not fully embraced cryptocurrency.  Some companies such as Coinbase, PayPal, Square, and others are capitalizing on the need for cryptocurrency exchanges and services such as crypto credit cards (Forbes, 2021).  The demand for these services will likely increase if the cryptocurrency adoption rate trend continues.  The existing banking industry may capitalize on its strengths and financial stability to profit from cryptocurrencies.  Offerings could range from trading and lending cryptocurrencies to enhanced services and rewards (Forbes, 2021).

Complete Disruption of Traditional Banking

Since the original intent of bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies is to remove the need for banks and a centralized financial system, the impact on the existing systems could be severe.  In the extreme, traditional banking systems might collapse if consumers avoid using fiat currency in mass and rely solely on cryptocurrency for purchases and as a store of value.  Cryptocurrencies can be sent, received, and traded directly without the need for a third party.  Cryptocurrency users can store the currency locally in cold wallets without the need for banks to provide security. Mass adoption of cryptocurrency could significantly impact financial institutions because many of the traditional banking services they provide will become obsolete. 

Conclusion

The invention and adoption of cryptocurrency and blockchain technology have the potential to disrupt the current banking system.  The adoption rate of bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies is increasing.  Stringent regulation of the cryptocurrency could slow its adoption and mitigate any disruptive effect on banking.  The creation and implementation of Central Bank Digital Currency might also reduce the impact of cryptocurrency.  Banks may offer new crypto services and products that will allow them to profit from cryptocurrency.  An extreme scenario is that cryptocurrency could entirely disrupt the banking system by rendering it obsolete.

References

Broby, D. (2021, June). Financial technology and the future of banking. Financial Innovation, (7,1), 1-19

Gura, D. (2021, August 20). Tougher rules are coming for bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies.  Here’s what to know. NPR. https://www.npr.org/2021/08/20/1029436872/tougher-rules-are-coming-for-bitcoin-and-other-cryptocurrencies-heres-what-to-kn

Nicoleta, V. B. (2021, June) Cryptocurrencies, money of the future or the future of money. EIRP Proceedings, 6(1), 286-290

Raj, K. (2019) Foundations of blockchain: The pathway to cryptocurrencies and decentralized blockchain applications Packt Publishing. https://web-b-ebscohost-com.libauth.purdueglobal.edu/ehost/ebookviewer/ebook/bmxlYmtfXzIwMTM4NzJfX0FO0?sid=9d1347c9-006a-4919-ba45-9ad5db39bdbf

Shelvin, R. (2021, April 19). The coming bank bitcoin boom: Americans want cryptocurrency from their banks?Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/ronshevlin/2021/04/19/the-coming-bank-bitcoin-boom-americans-want-cryptocurrency-from-their-banks/?sh=236702a24908

5 Must-Have Cybersecurity Skills in High Demand for 2023

Jon Baleva
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5 Must-Have Cybersecurity Skills in High Demand for 2023

Cybersecurity is a topic that we hear about more and more these days. As the world increasingly becomes digital, cybersecurity is becoming an increasingly valuable skill to have. As a result, the demand for cybersecurity skills has thrived in recent years. It is projected to continue growing over the next few years as well.

Companies are increasing cyber security to protect their data from the rapid growth of technology. In addition, virtual experiences have increased, making companies more vulnerable at home and in shared networks that expose new vulnerabilities.

With new cyberattacks occurring every day and more sophisticated hacking tools at their disposal, there will be no shortage of work for those who possess these skills. This blog will explore five must-have cybersecurity skills in high demand for 2022. It can help get ahead of the job market of the cybersecurity industry.

Cyber Security Skills And Its Demand

Cyber security applies technologies, processes, and controls to protect systems, networks, programs, devices, and data from cyber-attacks. These aim to reduce risk against unauthorized exploitation or attack to ensure confidentiality (keeping information secret), integrity, and availability.

Cybersecurity skills are in high demand in 2022. It protects computer systems from digital attacks like cyber-crime, hacking, or spying. These cyber-threats can take place against individual users and enterprises, and nation-states.

According to a Forbes analysis, organizations have placed a top priority on building secure digital infrastructure. Without saying, application development security and cloud security are the topmost in-demand cybersecurity skills today.

While having many technical skills, it is also essential for cybersecurity professionals to have specific soft skills that coincide with their cybersecurity roles and responsibilities. Some of the soft skills include:

● Technical Aptitude

● Problem-Solving Skills

● Communication Skills

● Attention to Detail

● Creativity

Besides this, the technical cybersecurity skills you must have are explained below:

Top Must-Have Cyber Security Skills for 2022

With a wide variety of cybersecurity job opportunities available in today’s market, you need to possess the most demanded skills. A key takeaway from the Forbes analysis is the salary boost. Hence, to attain that lucrative career opportunity, focus on achieving either of given below skills:

1. Application Development Security

2. Cloud Security

3. Threat Intelligence Analysis

4. Incident Response

5. Penetration Testing

1.     Application Development Security

The procedure of developing, adding, and testing security features inside applications to prevent unauthorized access and modification is known as application security.

Companies need a flexible, communicative person who has experience with DevOps and works closely with software engineering teams to succeed in this area. The most important skill here is working well together as the business units outside of security control. They rarely prioritize application development for its security features or functionality to improve their product’s success rate within an organization.

2. Cloud Security

Cloud security is a growing field of cyber-security that ensures data remains private and secure across online infrastructure, applications, and platforms. This involves the efforts of both cloud providers to keep their clients’ information safe by providing all necessary measures along with the client’s actions for this process to be successful.

Now more than ever, companies need individuals who can monitor and identify the telltale signs of a fake page that has been set up to harvest credentials. In addition, with the growing number of companies looking to cloud infrastructure for data storage and running applications, we need people who understand how identity management and authentication tie into SaaS application security.

3. Threat Intelligence Analysis

Threat intelligence is a form of cyber-security knowledge that allows organizations to avoid or stop cyberattacks. Open-source intelligence, social media intelligence, human intelligence, technical intelligence, and Deep & Dark Web Intelligence are some examples of threat intelligence sources.

Organizations use pieces of information to better protect themselves by understanding the threats that are targeting them. For example, threat intelligence, or cyber threat intelligence (CTI), is used when preparing for and preventing attacks against valuable resources in an organization’s network.

Physical security professionals must assess threats and the associated risks to a system and organization. Most businesses have many tools to detect hazards. Still, these are useless unless experts who can properly evaluate, rank, and fix them exist.

4. Incident Response

Incident response is a process that an organization employs to deal with a data breach or cyberattack, including how it manages the consequences of the attack or intrusion. The aim is to successfully manage the incident so that damage is kept to a minimum and recovery time and costs, and collateral damage, such as brand reputation, are reduced.

An incident response plan is an effective way to respond to a security breach quickly. Still, it is also essential for organizations to ensure thorough investigations and provide recommendations. In addition, organizations should look into hiring people to craft plans that reduce IT service downtime when incidents occur.

5. Penetration Testing

Penetration tests are evaluations of IT infrastructure security by safely trying to exploit vulnerabilities. These may exist in operating systems, services and application flaws, or risky end-user behavior. Assessments also validate the efficacy of defensive mechanisms and adherence to policies set out for users.

Exploitation techniques are in high demand among cybersecurity professionals. Most pen testers have hands-on abilities and a desire to break things down. Their findings assist organizations in improving digital security procedures and addressing security flaws and gaps. They do so while keeping in mind that a malicious hacker would do the same if they attempted to breach a system without permission.

How To Build Cyber Security Skills?

Cybersecurity skills are gained through pure interest and passion. However, you can quickly learn cybersecurity skills if you have the will to improve your skills.

Find your interest area and work on building adequate soft skills. For example, you can enhance critical thinking, communication skills, and analytical thinking with determination with the help of formal training.

Depending on your educational and experience background, you can pursue cybersecurity certification to create a solid foundation. It will enhance your skills and knowledge and pose you as a high potential employee to the firm. The proper accreditation validates your talents, passion, and experience, through which a variety of job opportunities will open for you.

Let’s Sum Up

As cybercriminals continue to grow, there is a growing need for cybersecurity specialists who possess the skills and expertise. With potential career opportunities in this rapidly expanding field, now’s your chance to get ahead of the game by learning these essential abilities. There are many jobs in the cybersecurity field, but only a handful of open opportunities for career growth. Therefore, gain expertise in your domain by obtaining soft skills and understanding cybersecurity through various resources.

Boosting Coding Efficiency: The Benefits of Microsoft Copilot Consulting

Dan Evert, CCNP
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Efficiency in coding is not simply a nice-to-have in today’s fast changing technological environment—it is a need. The need for tools and services that speed up the coding process has never been greater as software development projects get more complicated and deadlines get shorter. Microsoft Copilot is one such product that has been making waves in the market, and when used in conjunction with the knowledgeable direction of Microsoft Copilot Consulting services from EPC Group, it changes the game.

Microsoft Copilot’s Power

Advanced artificial intelligence (AI) code generating tool Microsoft Copilot integrates smoothly with well-known integrated development environments (IDEs), such as Visual Studio Code. It offers real-time code recommendations, auto-completions, and even full code blocks to aid developers in writing code more quickly and precisely. Microsoft Copilot uses OpenAI’s GPT-3 language model to its full potential to help programmers with their coding duties.

Why Efficiency Matters

Before delving into the specifics of EPC Group’s Microsoft Copilot Consulting services, let’s first understand why efficiency in coding is paramount. Every second matters in today’s technologically advanced society. A competitive edge in the market is eventually possible thanks to efficient coding, which can result in shorter development cycles and speedier time to market.

Cost savings are a byproduct of efficiency. Reduced labor expenses and the ability for corporations to direct resources to other crucial areas are two benefits of quicker job completion by developers. A project’s debugging and maintenance stages can be significantly shortened by using efficient code since it is less likely to include mistakes.

The Role of Microsoft Copilot in Boosting Efficiency

When it comes to the coding process, Microsoft Copilot is like having a skilled developer at your side. It comprehends context, spots trends, and makes code suggestions that are in line with the objectives and coding standards of your project. Developers’ cognitive burden is significantly reduced by this AI-powered tool, enabling them to concentrate on the logic and design of their code rather than being mired down in syntax and mundane duties.

One of Microsoft Copilot’s unique characteristics is its capacity to produce complete functions and code snippets based on the developer’s comments and descriptions. For example, if a programmer says, “Retrieve user data from the database,” Copilot may produce the required SQL query or code in the language of your choosing to carry out that action. This capability is revolutionary, especially for programmers who are just learning a new language or framework.

The Benefits of EPC Group’s Microsoft Copilot Consulting Services

While Microsoft Copilot is unquestionably a potent tool on its own, the real magic emerges when it’s combined with professional advice from EPC Group’s Microsoft Copilot Consulting services. The EPC Group is a well-known brand in the technology consulting sector, distinguished by its in-depth knowledge of Microsoft technologies and dedication to assisting businesses in realizing the full potential of their IT investments.

Here are some key benefits of leveraging EPC Group’s Microsoft Copilot Consulting services:

1. Customized Implementation: 

Every organization has its own coding standards, processes, and project needs, and EPC Group is aware of this. Their consulting services begin with a thorough analysis of the requirements and objectives of your firm. To guarantee that Microsoft Copilot interacts easily with your existing workflows, they collaborate directly with your development teams to personalize its implementation.

2. Onboarding and Training: 

Although Microsoft Copilot is designed to be user-friendly, getting the most out of it demands a solid grasp of its features and capabilities. To guarantee that your development teams can utilize this potent tool to its fullest right away, EPC Group offers training and onboarding sessions. To enable developers to fully utilize Copilot’s AI-driven support, they offer practical instruction.

3. Code Review and Quality Assurance: 

EPC Group’s consultants are not just specialists in Microsoft Copilot; they are also seasoned developers who are aware of the value of high-quality code. To make sure that the code produced by Copilot complies with your organization’s standards and best practices, they may do code reviews and quality assurance tests. Potential problems can be avoided in the future with this extra level of analysis.

4. Ongoing Support and Optimization: 

Following the first deployment, EPC Group continues to be dedicated to your success. To continually tailor Microsoft Copilot for your organization’s changing needs, they provide support and optimization services on an ongoing basis. This makes certain that you constantly get the most out of this helpful instrument and maintain an edge in the ever evolving IT industry.

5. Scalability and Integration: 

Your organization’s coding requirements change and increase as well. Microsoft Copilot Consulting services from EPC Group are built to grow with your business. They can assist you in smoothly integrating Copilot into new endeavors and making sure that it continues to be an advantageous resource as your development teams grow.

In a world where efficiency and speed are paramount, Microsoft Copilot has emerged as a powerful ally for developers. Its ability to accelerate coding tasks, reduce errors, and improve overall code quality is undeniable. However, to truly unlock its potential and tailor it to your organization’s unique needs, partnering with experts like EPC Group is a strategic move.

EPC Group’s Microsoft Copilot Consulting services offer a comprehensive solution that goes beyond the out-of-the-box experience. They provide customized implementation, training, code review, ongoing support, and scalability, ensuring that Microsoft Copilot becomes an indispensable tool in your development arsenal.

Which Industries Are Most at Risk for Cyberattacks?

Zachary Amos
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Which Industries Are Most at Risk for Cyberattacks?

Based on a survey conducted by Statista, IT security professionals worldwide saw an increase in the number of cyberattacks due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The threats IT professionals faced were primarily seen in data infiltration and leakage. In addition, email phishing scams were reported by half of the respondents.

Businesses of all kinds and across the globe need to be prepared to face such threats. Cybercrime attacks prove to be costly — the FBI reports in their 2020 Internet Crime Report that costs exceed a total of $4.2 billion.

Many businesses can prevent falling victim to cybercrime. Still, not all business leaders know the ins and outs of IT security to employ these options. It can be incredibly challenging for companies that lack the funding to support a dedicated IT department.

Below are some examples of these industries and why the nature of their work tends to attract these types of cybercriminals.

1. Government Agencies

Each year, cyber threats that target the U.S. government grow in number, scale, and severity, making it challenging for governments to maintain a secure network.

According to the National Security Agency (NSA), some cybercriminals want to exploit government officials for information to gain an advantage over the U.S. In contrast, others aim to simply earn a profit. Whatever the reason, the government agencies that help run the country are highly vulnerable to facing cyber security attack attempts.

Because government agencies have access to highly sensitive information regarding national security, they must find innovative ways to secure their network and information technology infrastructure.

2. Health Care

Similar to government agencies, health care facilities often face instances of cybersecurity threats. Hackers are trying to take advantage of an industry still struggling to fight the coronavirus pandemic, and they’re upping the ante with ransomware.

One reason hackers are trying to infiltrate health care facilities, such as hospitals, is to gain access to vaccine research. 2020 was already a tumultuous year for health care, and the pressures of fending off cyberspace threats added to the chaos.

The U.S Department of Health and Human Services found that the U.S. is considered the most targeted country in the world for cybersecurity attacks.

3. Financial Institutions

It’s no surprise that the financial sector has a target on its back regarding cybersecurity threats. Money is powerful and often motivates would-be hackers to do whatever it takes to access financial institution information. That could mean hacks, identity theft, or fraud.

The pandemic has only increased the need for reliable and trustworthy cybersecurity preventive measures. Banks and companies gather sensitive information from their customers, and maintaining a secure network to prevent data breaches is crucial.

Protecting customer information should be a top priority for all employees and top management working at financial institutions.

4. Energy Companies

Energy companies need to employ cyber-resilience strategies to protect their various assets and function properly. The public relies on dependable energy infrastructure, and cyber attacks work to dismantle it.

The Office of Cybersecurity, Energy Security, and Emergency Response (CESER) is in place to strengthen the weak areas of cybersecurity in the energy sector. It monitors the ever-changing energy security needs and implements preventive measures to lower any industry cyber attack risks. Here are some examples of CESER’s responsibilities:

5. Education

Many are aware of the recent educational sector shifts, including the change to hybrid learning environments and more students using digital resources to access their learning materials.

Because of this, schools have had to implement cybersecurity measures to ensure student information is protected. Cyber security attacks can easily disrupt student learning, making it challenging for educators to adequately teach students during the school year.

Schools can limit the risks of cyberattacks by employing well-informed IT leaders within the school district and implementing cybersecurity insurance. In addition, educating teachers, parents, and students about cybersecurity can help reduce the risks of phishing, data breaches, or ransomware attacks.

6. Manufacturing

With advanced technologies emerging, it’s evident that cybersecurity is becoming more vital to the manufacturing industry. Manufacturers rely on data to run their operations, which opens them up to facing more cybersecurity attacks.

Hackers are looking to target industrial control systems to yield a big payday. Ransomware attacks are increasing in the manufacturing sector, so industry leaders need to develop new ways of protecting their assets.

Disruptions in manufacturing supply chains will likely create a domino effect and impact getting products to consumers and businesses. Supply chain disruptions often lead to shortages of materials, which can impact other industries, such as construction or consumer electronics.

As a direct result of the pandemic, many businesses across various industries have to invest more time and money into improving their cybersecurity measures.

Cybersecurity Measures in the Future

As advanced technology continues to develop, it’ll be necessary for industries to implement cybersecurity measures and adapt to a more secure environment. Protecting existing data from getting into the hands of malicious hackers will be a top priority for these industries moving forward.

New Cryptocurrency Regulation is Expected Soon

Donald Korinchak, MBA, PMP, CISSP, CASP, ITILv3
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New Cryptocurrency Regulation is Expected Soon

“Tougher Rules are Coming for bitcoin and other Cryptocurrencies. Here’s What to Know,” written by David Gura (2021) for NPR, explains that Gary Gensler, the head of the Security and Exchange Commission (SEC), has a concern about cryptocurrency’s risks.  He intends to enact regulations to protect investors.  Because cryptocurrency markets have developed rapidly, lawmakers have not yet implemented regulation frameworks.  Policymakers are now actively considering what laws to pass.

            Even though millions of people actively trade Bitcoin, other cryptocurrencies, and related assets, no clear trading rules or regulations exist.  This lack of regulation creates complications for companies in the cryptocurrency industry as well as for investors.  Effective law requires the adoption of standardized definitions for cryptocurrency and related terms.  Clear cryptocurrency definitions are necessary to understand what regulation body has authority over cryptocurrency assets.  Both the SEC and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) have looked to regulate cryptocurrencies with existing laws.  The existing rules handle other asset types such as bonds and stocks.  Adapting these rules to this new asset class is not easy.  Until new cryptocurrency-specific regulations become law, regulators expect to continue to adapt existing law (Gura, 2021). 

            Gensler asked Congress to grant regulators authority to compose new regulations that are made specifically for cryptocurrencies.  New regulation proposals are forthcoming.  These regulations will attempt to protect against market manipulation and other risks.  The cryptocurrency industry appears to favor new rules as long as they are not too stringent.  The effect that coming regulations on cryptocurrencies is not yet clear.  The inventors of Cryptocurrencies intended them to be decentralized and uncontrolled by a central banking authority or government.  Government regulations counter this original intent and will cause the original cryptocurrency structure to evolve.  The final result of how this cryptocurrency evolution ends is not yet known (Gura, 2021).

            With regards to this cryptocurrency, people need to think hard if they want to dive into getting started with it because if Congress is taking long to decide, then what does that tell you. You want to be sure that you are making the right decision, and you will see in the future that Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies are going to be used and anything that has to do with money will be non-existent. If cryptocurrency is so widely talked about how come they haven’t really put it into action or done anything to make headway with it?

References

Gura, D. (2021, August 20). Tougher rules are coming for bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies.
Here’s what to know. NPR. https://www.npr.org/2021/08/20/1029436872/tougher-rules-are-coming-for-bitcoin-and-other-cryptocurrencies-heres-what-to-kn

5 New Trends in AI and Cybersecurity

George Mutune
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5 New Trends in AI and Cybersecurity

AI and Cybersecurity IS NO LONGER NICE TO HAVE – IT IS CRUCIAL FOR DEFENDERS AND ATTACKERS

Companies require cybersecurity plans and procedures to secure their networks, computers, and data from malicious cyber incidents, such as breaches and unauthorized access. On the other hand, AI and cybersecurity entail designing and building autonomous, smart systems that require minimal or zero human interference to operate. That said, modern cyber-attacks have necessitated the combined use of cybersecurity solutions with AI capabilities to secure against new threats and enhance threat detection capabilities. In addition, investing in AI-enabled security platforms has become integral to strengthening data security and reducing the financial or operational repercussions resulting from common cybersecurity threats.

Integrating artificial intelligence in cybersecurity has several advantages. Firstly, AI enables efficient analysis of user behaviors, pattern recognition, and identification of different network security flaws and irregularities. In addition, AI enhances security tools, enabling more responsiveness, resilience, and greater robustness. Besides, AI-enabled security systems use deep learning to escalate complex cyber incidents, enable real-time response and prevention. However, cybercriminals also power sophisticated malware with AI to execute more powerful and devastating attacks.

The Growing Importance of AI and Cybersecurity

75% of IT executives in a survey said they rely on AI-enabled cybersecurity tools to identify and prevent potential threats in their networks. Other than network security, 68% and 71% of the executives reported that AI is essential in endpoint security and data security, respectively. More organizations have adopted AI in cybersecurity to protect sensitive information from rising cases of cyber-attacks and data breaches. For example, a recent study found that an attack occurs every 39 seconds, indicating that companies are required to respond in real-time to thwart attempted attacks.

Since current cybersecurity technologies cannot guarantee optimized protection, integrating AI in cybersecurity can complement human teams by simplifying the threat detection, analysis, and prevention workload. Whereas security analysts would take days to process threat data, AI systems are designed to process big data quickly while detecting interesting or strange information, such as unusual user behaviors, malicious activities, exposed attack surfaces, and possible threats. Therefore, AI is a building block for achieving a strong cybersecurity posture since the advanced threat hunting capabilities identify security issues rapidly.

Top Trends in AI and Cybersecurity

The rapid growth of AI and machine learning has continued to define organizational cybersecurity daily. As a result, the following are some of the top trends resulting from increased reliance on the technology as the cybersecurity industry battles sophisticated bad actors.

  1. Responding to attacks: At least 69% of cybersecurity professionals believe that combining artificial intelligence and cybersecurity is key to responding to cyberattacks. Additionally, many telecom organizations (80%) count on AI cybersecurity systems to detect sophisticated threats and prevent attacks.
  2. Greatest fraud detection potential: Cybersecurity systems based on AI has the greatest potential for detecting online fraud, malware, and network intrusions. AI cybersecurity has pattern recognition capabilities and can analyze network traffic patterns to detect anomalous behaviors and restrict unauthorized or unauthenticated system access.
  3. Enhanced threat detection and incident response: The use of AI in cybersecurity enhances an organization’s ability to detect different types of threats and respond to incidents with zero or minimal human intervention. Due to this, 51% of cybersecurity experts use AI-based intelligent machines to predict, detect, and prevent unknown threats.
  4. Companies depend on AI as a foundation for cybersecurity automation: Enterprises rely on AI-driven cybersecurity automation to support emerging digital business models and the adoption of new technologies. In addition, using AI-based cybersecurity automation frameworks can enable the correlation of threats data on vast amounts of data, providing opportunities for creating a sophisticated cybersecurity space with minimal business interruptions.
  5. Companies have increased spending on machine learning and AI for cybersecurity: Most organizations have increased spending on machine learning and AI for cybersecurity since they play a significant role in protecting personal data. A recent study found that 26% of US cybersecurity teams believe that their organizations can do more to leverage AI benefits to avert security risks. On the other hand, 84% of the study respondents believe that hackers use adversarial machine learning to execute intelligent and hard to detect attacks. Considering all the figures, companies cannot regard AI-driven cybersecurity as a luxury but rather a necessity to protect against modern attacks.

Role of AI in Strengthening Cybersecurity

As more organizations adopt online activities and increasingly depend on the Internet of Things (IoT), there have been increased challenges in protecting against unknown threats. Also, the rollout of 5G networks and advanced cloud services have scaled in size worldwide, such that cyber adversaries are always innovating complex techniques to exploit the increasing vulnerabilities in an expanding threat landscape. Fortunately, the rate at which enterprises are adopting AI and machine learning cybersecurity technologies has increased as they turn away from the traditional methods to modern threat detection and prevention capabilities. 

Furthermore, today’s world generates at least 1.145 trillion MB every day, an amount beyond what human analysts, traditional techniques, and human intelligence can monitor or defend. As a result, an AI-driven, self-learning cybersecurity system using neural networks has become integral to modern businesses in securing sensitive data and critical networks against attacks. AI technologies can continuously gather data across organizational information systems to analyze it for hidden threats, predict data or network breach risks, and respond to threat alerts appropriately in real-time.

AI plays an important role in cybersecurity since IBM notes that AI-powered security applications provide unmatched accuracy in detecting threats. Accurate threat detection is pertinent to realizing a proactive security approach where companies can mitigate identified threats in real-time rather than waiting for a disaster to occur. For instance, companies can integrate advanced AI capabilities to evaluate risks and manage vulnerabilities in their security technologies. Also, AI-driven security technologies assist in assessing risks in specific user sessions, monitor suspicious behaviors, and verify/prioritize risks accordingly.

Common Applications of AI and Cybersecurity

1.      Developing Robust Systems

The need to detect and respond to adverse cyber events requires robust self-learning systems to establish context for distinguishing between normal and bizarre behavior. In AI-enabled cybersecurity, robust systems imply the ability to detect anomalies while profiling everything else. In addition, AI in cybersecurity systems cuts through the noise from benign false positives common in traditional security apparatuses.

Cybersecurity experts can also incorporate AI in cybersecurity systems’ development to enhance cybersecurity controls. For instance, fully automated vulnerability management and assessments utilize AI capabilities to reduce the detection and response times, a desirable attribute in protecting against modern stealth attacks.

Moreover, code review to detect malware is an AI application in cybersecurity for developing robust systems. Code review is a recommended security practice for application development, but manual processes take time and may fail to identify some security flaws. Using AI to automate source code review increases the number of security vulnerabilities found while lowering the detection time significantly.

It is essential to note that incorporating AI in developing robust cybersecurity systems results in a tactical impact – reducing security flaws and enhancing network/computer security. Also, implementing AI-driven systems has a strategic effect since they lower zero-day attacks’ impacts. Attackers execute zero-day attacks to exploit security weaknesses yet to be detected, but AI-enabled cybersecurity tools can identify and alert such vulnerabilities in real-time.

2.      Increasing Cybersecurity Resilience

Resilience is a network or system’s ability to facilitate anomaly and threat detection as a way of tolerating an attack to prevent downtime. A critical system can be resilient if it can adapt to adversarial events by adapting to the new environment to maintain normal functions and operations. Therefore, system cybersecurity resilience implies an automatic shift of core processes to adapt to changing security environments. In this regard, one of the common applications of AI in cybersecurity is threat and anomaly detection because:

  • Thousands of unique malware variants are emerging every day.
  • Human beings alone can’t identify and classify new threats since they are becoming more complicated every day.
  • Traditional threat detection measures, such as using database signatures to match suspected threats with known threats, are ineffective in detecting advanced malware strains that evolve by the second.

AI cybersecurity solutions can enable organizations to automate cyber defenses to enhance resilience to attacks. These include compromised networks or computers, malware attacks, phishing scams, and online frauds. Also, companies can leverage AI-driven predictive analytics to determine the possibility of attacks, assisting them in bolstering their defenses in advance. Predictive analytics analyzes data from multiple sources to establish attack vectors and enable automatic management of big data. As such, it reduces human errors and simplifies the security analysts’ workloads.

3.      Attack and Threat Response

Responding to threats and attacks requires a security system first to determine the malicious event happening in a network, identify all vulnerabilities, and prioritize them to determine the most severe requiring an immediate response. Implementing AI-enabled cybersecurity threat detection and response systems is pertinent to the deployment of real-time response security measures.

For instance, AI can respond to attacks by deploying autonomous lures, which create an environment similar to that an attacker attempts to compromise. As a result, the AI solutions can deceive the attackers into understanding the payloads to be used, thus providing a suitable response to stop the attack from occurring in the protected environment. Besides, AI-powered solutions use dynamic network segregation to isolated crucial assets in controlled network areas or redirect intrusions away from valuable assets.

AI is Also Used for Malicious Cybersecurity Reasons

Experts term the use of AI in cybersecurity as a double-edged sword, and for a good reason. Cyber-attackers use AI solutions to develop new threats to increase the success rate of an attack. For example, the ready availability of inexpensive AI tools enables malicious actors to expand existing threats. AI tools can automate tasks to enable attackers to impersonate people or systems in real-time. In such a case, they can execute an attack like password harvesting without using noisy tools that leave traces, making it harder to detect the attacks.

Also, AI-driven cyber-attacks are challenging to detect and prevent because of the following reasons:

  • They are evasive: It is more challenging to detect AI-powered malware since they leverage AI capabilities to hide in benign applications. The malware can use various attributes to identify a target system and conceal their intent until they execute where they will cause the most damage.
  • They are pervasive: The pervasive potential of intelligent technologies is a defining point for AI-enabled machines and malware. AI-driven smart malware can recognize and react to a different network, system, or user patterns, enabling them to identify targets and execute without the need for human instructions.
  • They are adaptive: AI technologies are adaptive, implying that they can learn the surrounding environment and become creative to adapt accordingly. Therefore, malware crafted based on AI technologies can adapt to evade detection and increase the success rate of an attack once executed.

How to Protect Your PC From Cryptojacking

Donald Korinchak, MBA, PMP, CISSP, CASP, ITILv3
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How to Protect Your PC From Cryptojacking


As technology advances, so does our dependence on it. And with COVID-19 encouraging more digital lifestyles, we’re now more reliant on tech than ever before.

However, as PC use increases, so does the sophistication of methods used to disguise hacking attempts. On average, a computer is breached every 39 seconds. Private consumers fall victim to identity theft, and commercial users experience the loss of sensitive data.

Even blockchain — one of the most secure technologies in the world — is affected. In fact, cryptocurrency-related hacks, known as cryptojacking, may not seem malicious on the surface, but it was listed by us as one of the most dangerous security threats of 2021.

Why you should take cryptojacking seriously

Cryptojacking involves someone else hacking into your computer and leeching your processing power for cryptomining, slowly killing your PC hardware. Hackers do this by covertly sending you code and tricking you into executing it on your computer.

This can be accomplished in a few ways. Phishing-like emails can look legitimate but contain links that execute cryptomining code once clicked, for instance. Code can also appear in internet ads without the site hosts knowing it. In fact, you wouldn’t even know you’d be cryptojacked, as the only visible symptom is a lag in computer performance.

That’s why, even if cryptojacking only emerged in 2017, it has become increasingly widespread. Coincidentally, Bitcoin, one of the most famous cryptocurrencies in the world, spiked in price towards the end of 2017. Today, a Bitcoin is mined every 10 seconds, generating almost $6 billion a year, and cryptojacking lets hackers cash in on that using someone else’s computer.

How to protect against cryptojacking

You might be wondering how exactly one should protect against a virtually invisible enemy. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to protect yourself from a cryptojacking attempt.

Be wary of suspicious websites

As many attempts originate via browser, common sense may actually be what protects you the majority of the time. Don’t visit sites with suspicious-looking URLs, or download anything in an unknown format. Immediately get rid of emails that have titles like “Claim Your Prize!” and get all your software from legitimate sources.

If you ever do stumble upon these suspicious websites, just close the tab you’ve been using, and block the URL to prevent future attacks. However, if the browser is already infected, try updating all your extensions and purging infected or unnecessary ones. Ad-blocking browser extensions like Ghostery can help bar Javascript-based cryptojacking attempts.

Check your computer’s activity levels

If you feel like your computer is slow even though you’re not doing much with it, it could be a sign of cryptojacking. Use Task Manager or Activity Monitor to see if your CPU activity is abnormally high. If it is, turn off your PC to kick the potential cryptojacker out of your device. In fact, it might be worth running your computer through antivirus software the next time you turn it on, just to double-check if the culprit is still lurking in your programs.

Don’t forget to keep all your software updated to make use of the latest security patches.

Do your research

Afterward, update your knowledge to protect against future attacks. For example, specialized sites like Coindesk can help keep you up-to-date on the latest cryptojacking news. This will let you know how hackers are constantly improving their methods and the appropriate countermeasures for them. You can also listen to cryptojacking and crypto podcasts on The Cyber Wire and Software Engineering Daily.

Cryptojackers may be difficult to detect but with caution and knowledge on the subject, it’s fairly easy to thwart their attacks.

Connecticut Leads The Country With Cybersecurity Initiatives

Donald Korinchak, MBA, PMP, CISSP, CASP, ITILv3
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Connecticut Leads The Country With Cybersecurity Initiatives

Connecticut businesses and organizations that have been breached in a cyberattack could be protected from liability if they have adopted and implemented adequate cybersecurity protocols under a new Connecticut law. The new law has been designed to give businesses and organizations an incentive to enhance their digital defenses.

While the Connecticut legislature did not succeed in passing their own privacy law like those that were passed in other states, including California, Colorado, and Virginia, the legislature was able to pass the “Act Incentivizing The Adoption Of Cybersecurity Standards For Businesses” – the bill was drafted by the legislature’s Commerce Committee and passed unanimously in the House and Senate in June and will go into effect on October 1, 2021.

This law is one of many laws at both the state level and the national level that can have an impact on how MSSPs protect customer data. Like many data security laws that have been passed across many states, Connecticut’s Cybersecurity Standards Act requires businesses and organizations like MSSPs to implement cybersecurity programs that have reasonable controls.

Instead of outright defining what reasonable controls are by referencing requirements that were listed in laws enacted by other states, Connecticut’s Cybersecurity Standards Act requirements are more general, and reasonable controls are established by way of a safe harbor. This Cybersecurity Standards Act establishes an affirmative defense for a civil action brought against covered entities for a data breach of personal information and/or restricted information.

The bill states that when a data breach takes place, punitive damages cannot be assessed by the courts if the business or organization implemented a cybersecurity program that contained safeguards for protecting the information that was exposed in the data breach. The affirmative defense is made available when the action is brought under Connecticut law or in Connecticut state courts, as well as when the defendant’s business or organization can show that it complied with one of the industry-recognized cybersecurity frameworks.

What Cybersecurity Standards Are Referenced?

The cybersecurity standards that are referenced under this law include the following:

National Institute of Standards and Technology

  • Framework for Improving Critical Infrastructure Cybersecurity
  • Special Publication (SP) 800-171
  • SP 800-53 and 800-53a

Federal Risk and Management Program

  • FedRAMP Security Assessment Framework

Center for Internet Security

  • Center for Internet Security Critical Security Controls for Effective Cyber Defense

International Organization for Standardization and the International Electrotechnical Commission

  • ISO/IEC 27000 series

Reactions 

As with the implementation of any new law, there will be mixed opinions. While some may welcome the policy, others may feel the law will not have the type of impact it intends to. Anthony Buonaspina, BSEE, BSCS, CPACC, CEO and Founder of LI Tech Advisors, said:

I had no idea that Connecticut was taking such a proactive approach to encourage businesses and organizations to bolster their cybersecurity. 

Connecticut is taking the stance of incentivizing companies over penalizing them. Basically, they can attract (and protect) more companies with honey than with vinegar and allow companies to avoid large fines by simply enhancing their security and meeting all the necessary state-mandated security guidelines.  

I can see this as quickly causing a major uptick in companies reaching out to MSSP’s to fill in the gaps and plug the holes in their IT security infrastructure. My conversations with clients have always been that you NEED to improve your security to a certain level by building higher walls and wider moats. However, clients typically put off the expense and “hope for the best”. 

This now gives added reasons as to why they need to act as soon as possible to implement these basic protections – since the expenses needed to bolster security can now be looked at as an investment similar to cybersecurity insurance. By simply paying a little money now, you can avoid a large expense if and when a security breach occurs.  

You are also going to see the need, like with the WCAG ADA accessibility compliance, for an MSSP to “certify” that a company has met all the guidelines the state has put in place. I predict that many MSPs will pivot their business structure to become more of an MSSP. I believe that the future of MSPs is quickly becoming a “race to the bottom”, whereas MSSP’s are becoming a “race to the top”. I think this new type of “incentivizing businesses” approach will quickly become the standard for many states.

One online forum user stated, ”I can see exactly how this will end up. Companies will do the bare minimum to check all the boxes on the audit and then be free from all liability. If companies want to take risks and cut corners, then they should be held liable for the consequences.”

Another user stated, ”I’m not sure rewards are the right thing here. You implement security because you value it, not because someone promises to buy you a pony. Let businesses with poor security practices fail. Paves the way for secure/mature businesses to leverage security as an asset and differentiator.”

For many businesses and organizations, cybersecurity is often viewed as a cost center. Many do not believe data protection is a necessary cost of doing business. Connecticut hopes to provide incentives for businesses and organizations that do more to protect their data. There are also business owners and leaders across the globe who have indeed taken notice of the horrifying stories of cyberattacks, ransomware demands, and data breaches. The thought alone can certainly be intimidating. Business owners and leaders will always operate with the belief that they could be next.

If you are located in Connecticut or have business connections to the state of Connecticut, this may present a great opportunity to have some peace of mind with some enhanced rules and protection from the Connecticut government. 

The new law will incentivize the right behavior as opposed to punishing and penalizing the victims, which is how things have been handled for many years. Will this change by the state of Connecticut start a trend? Will other states do the same? 

7 steps how to prevent data breach (Take Immediate Action)

George Mutune
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7 steps how to prevent data breach (Take Immediate Action)

Knowing how to prevent data breach is important because they have increased rapidly in recent years. For example, the 2020 FBI Internet Crime Report shows that the Internet Crime Complaint Center received more than 790,000 data breach complaints in 2020 alone, whereas businesses reported losses not less than $4.1 billion. According to the report, the complaints represented a sharp rise of 64% compared to the complaints made in 2019.

Besides that, data breach threats have become more sophisticated due to new technologies, such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, and 5G networks. As a result, cyberattacks are becoming harder to detect as the need to compromise secure networks and steal sensitive information increases.

Undeniably, the SolarWinds attack in 2020 is one of few high-profile breaches where hacker groups used sophisticated malware to steal sensitive data from the US Departments of Commerce, Energy, State, and Justice. The attack and many others demonstrate ways enhanced cooperation between state actors and malicious hacker groups have contributed to rising data breach threats worldwide.

Understanding a Data Breach

A data breach can be summarized as unwanted or unauthorized access to confidential information, such as financial information, personal data, social security numbers, and credit card numbers. Due to increased reliance on digital technologies, data breaches can affect anyone or an organization. Essentially, data breaches occur due to weak user behavior, security flaws, or a lack of relevant security controls within a network or information system.

Currently, the data breach threat surface has expanded significantly as almost all human activities have become more connected through mobile devices, social media interactions, and the Internet of Things (proliferation). For instance, the race to control the IoT market shows that users in the modern era value convenience over robust security. With many vendors releasing digital products with insufficient data protection mechanisms, such as two-factor authentication, encryption, and regular updates and patches, users are exposed to data breach threats every day.

On the other hand, even if all digital technologies had perfect data security capabilities, human errors would still result in cyber-attacks, causing data exfiltration. As might be expected, humans are the weakest link in data security since they often fall prey to social engineering tactics, such as opening phishing emails. Other practices, including sharing login credentials for critical user accounts, can result in ransomware attacks and theft of identifiable information.

Data Breach Costs’ Implication

A data breach can have adverse cost implications for a small business. A data security breach’s cost comprises the direct and indirect expenses an organization incurs in remediating the resulting impacts. For instance, the direct costs include expenses like potential settlements, outsourcing investigations to external forensics experts, and hotline support. On the other hand, the indirect costs include expenses used in in-house investigations, lost business opportunities due to system downtime or data unavailability, and damaged reputation.

According to IBM Security and Ponemon Institute, the worldwide average cost of a data breach currently stands at $3.92 million. The cost has grown by 12% within the past five years, largely driven by challenges in mitigating the outcomes of a cyber-attack, increased cyber regulations, and devastating financial implications of a breach.

The following are additional statistics showing the possible financial implications of a data breach:

  • A data breach resulting from a Business Email Compromise can cost a company not less than $24,439 for each record.
  • Data compromised through malware attacks has the highest financial implications since they cost organizations $2.6 million. Other expensive data breaches include denial of service attacks and web-based attacks.
  • Organizations that implement data protection measures, among them integrating cybersecurity in the software development lifecycle, data loss prevention measures, and strong encryption, suffer lower costs. Extensive use of such data security measures reduces a data breach cost to an average of $360,000
  • A data breach can result in lower share prices. According to experts, the share prices of breaches companies decrease by an estimated 14% only a few days after the breach has occurred.
  • Almost $600 billion, which makes up close to 1% of the world GDP, is lost to security incidents every year.

Common Data Breach Methods in 2022

1.      Ransomware Attacks

Ransomware Attacks

Ransomware is a malicious program that hackers use to prevent companies from accessing crucial information systems and data. In a ransomware attack, attackers demand a ransom to enable an organization to regain access and control over its data and networks. Ransomware attacks have increased in recent years due to emerging trends where malware developers create ransomware and lease to other criminals on what has been dubbed as ransomware as a service. During a ransomware attack, the attackers force the breached company to pay the ransom by threatening to leak sensitive information to various dark websites.

Ransomware attacks are dangerous data breaches due to several reasons. For instance, companies that pay the ransom end up with data leaks and corrupted data. Moreover, ransomware attackers control affected data, systems, and networks preventing the affected organizations from conducting any business activities. Also, a ransomware attack can ruin the reputation of the breached company since it means malicious actors have gained unauthorized access and encrypted customer information using harmful software.

2.      Phishing Attacks

Avoid data breach Phishing

Phishing attacks are among the most widely used methods in breaching sensitive information. Attackers entice users to click harmful links or attachments in phishing emails to install malware or reveal confidential information to protected user accounts, such as login credentials. Since phishing attacks require little expertise or equipment to execute, phishing attacks are prevalent in most companies.

Common targets of phishing emails include company executives and individual system users. Through phishing attacks, attackers can trick victims into installing spyware and data exfiltration malware that steals and uploads critical data to a remote server under the hacker’s control. In other cases, attackers use phishing attacks to gain unauthorized network access by compromising the account security of phishing victims.

3.      Insider Threats

Data breach insider threats

Cybersecurity professionals consider insider threats to be among the most dangerous. Insider threats consist of individuals who misuse their access privileges to information systems and sensitive databases to commit cybercrimes. For instance, a disgruntled employee can collaborate with malicious actors to provide them access to intellectual properties.

However, insider threats can be intentional or accidental. Intentional insider threats are driven by motivations like monetary gain or revenge and may, therefore, instigate cybercrimes by using their access permissions to critical systems. On the other hand, unintentional insider threats are users who, through ignorance or inadequate training and awareness, cause accidental data breaches. Either way, insider threats are one of the biggest data breach risks organizations should be concerned about.

Best Practices for Preventing Data Breaches

The following methods describe the best way a business owner can prevent data breaches in their companies:

1.      Employee Training and Awareness

System and data users are the weakest link in the implemented cybersecurity programs and the most vulnerable to data breach attacks. As such, enrolling employees inadequate information security training programs can help prevent data breaches from occurring. Employee training programs are essential in educating users on the recommended information security practices. A suitable user training program should sufficiently equip employees with the skills needed to detect phishing emails and the security mistakes to avoid when using sensitive customer or business information.

2.      Endpoint Management

Since technology has become a vital aspect of contemporary business engagements, it is pertinent for companies to adopt acceptable methods to reduce the resulting data breach threats. Endpoint protection is a critical requirement needed to counter data breaches. Endpoints include all the devices employees can connect to a company’s network to access or transmit confidential information. Organizations can achieve network-wide visibility of all connected endpoints and control who can access which data through endpoint management systems. Moreover, endpoint threat detection systems enable continuous monitoring of all data traffic flows and provide real-time alerts upon detecting suspicious behavior that can cause a data breach.

3.      Modern Data Backup and Encryption

Prevent Data Breach - Encryption

Almost every business requires customer data to provide efficient services. Hence, data is the primary driver of business operations today and, therefore, the holy grail for most attacks. In this case, companies must observe stringent data backup and encryption practices to ensure continuous data availability and authorized access only, respectively.

For data backups, companies must ensure that employees make real-time backups in a secure cloud. Other backup methods, such as physical media like hard drives, are not as secure since they can be stolen or lost. At the same time, organizations must implement sufficient encryption schemes for data at rest, data in use, and data in transit. Encryption provides an added security layer since it ensures only users with the correct decryption keys can access the data.

4.      Assess Third-Party Data Security Measures

The nature of modern businesses may necessitate an organization to share confidential information with third parties in the supply chain. As a result, the data may be used and stored in insecure environments, causing data breaches through a third party. Therefore, it is recommended that security teams perform detailed risk and vulnerability assessments to ascertain that the third parties accessing their sensitive information have achieved a strong cybersecurity posture. More importantly, such assessments demonstrate an entity’s serious intention regarding data protection to the external parties wishing to engage in any business activity.

5.      Strong Password Security Policies

How to prevent data breach - Passwords

Password security is among the most used data protection measure among companies and individuals. That said, business owners must enforce strong password security policies. At a minimum, the policies should require users to create complex passwords that are hard to guess. Also, users should create unique passwords for different work accounts and work-issued devices. Employees can easily log in to protected accounts without remembering the complex passwords by using a password manager.

6.      Timely Patch Installation and System Updates

At the very least, an organization must protect its data assets using antivirus software and other security tools. However, data breach prevention tools are useless if a company fails to install timely updates and security patches. Updating all computers and operating systems protects against attacks that seek to exploit unpatched vulnerabilities. In addition, maintaining up-to-date software eliminates all weak spots a hacker can exploit by mitigating existing vulnerabilities.

7.      Restrict Access to Sensitive Data

There are several access control measures a company can use to limit who can access valuable information. However, the first step is classifying all organizational data according to sensitivity and value. The most sensitive data requires adopting robust data protection measures and access control mechanisms to restrict unauthorized access. Organizations can restrict access to sensitive data by knowing what personal information they have in their IT environment, scaling down information by keeping only what the business needs, locking the information that the organization keeps, and creating a reliable plan to respond to security incidents.

Healthcare Cybersecurity Post Covid-19

George Mutune
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Healthcare Cybersecurity Post Covid-19

Healthcare Cybersecurity is one of the largest concerns for healthcare organizations. With phishing emails, ransomware attacks, and healthcare data breaches increasing daily, protecting patient data is one of the crucial objectives of healthcare providers. For example, researchers estimate that ransomware attacks will quadruple in the coming years as the global healthcare industry digitizes patient information.

In addition, in contrast to the perception that cybersecurity risks are similar across all industries, healthcare cybersecurity is unique. The healthcare sector has rapidly connected networks, systems, and data to leverage the technological benefits in recent years. However, healthcare professionals have focused more on connecting healthcare systems quickly, with little thought to achieve robust security processes.

Also, numerous legacy systems are still in use in many healthcare facilities. According to Kathy Hughes, Northwell Health CISO and VP, procured medical devices have an expected life of 10 to 20 years. As a result, legacy systems with outdated security patches and applications may contain exploitable vulnerabilities resulting in an increased attack surface. While healthcare workers perceive legacy health systems as diagnostic or therapeutic machines used to provide medical care, security researchers regard them as susceptible machines that may contain exploitable vulnerabilities.

The Healthcare Sector Facing Unprecedented Cyberthreats

Continued attacks targeting critical medical records, health systems, and essential infrastructure have accelerated in 2021. For example, patient records, deemed the proverbial gold for cybercriminals, will continue being targeted. As healthcare facilities continue grappling with the deadly impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, personalized patient information has become a ripe target for social engineering threats. Additionally, hackers can use healthcare information to access financial records and use them in malicious actions, including making false health insurance claims or blackmail.

Additionally, ransomware threats continue inhibiting patient care globally. Ransomware attacks can potentially disrupt medical practices completely, resulting in life-or-death consequences. A ransomware attack targets and encrypts electronic health records, computer systems, and information systems until a hospital pays a specific ransom amount. Subsequently, the attack derails vital health services by preventing healthcare workers from accessing medical equipment.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, hackers exploited the resulting confusion to target health services, causing a rise in healthcare-related ransomware incidents in 2020 and 2021. Due to this, the FBI, Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), and Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) issued a joint advisory regarding the rising and imminent ransomware threat to US healthcare providers.

Significant Cyber-attacks in Healthcare Since COVID-19

Numerous attacks targeting the healthcare sector have occurred following the outbreak of the devastating coronavirus. The following are detailed attacks describing the root causes and impacts:

1.      Brno University Hospital Ransomware Attack

Brno University Hospital, one of the primary major healthcare providers in the Czech Republic, was a ransomware attack victim. After the hospital discovered the ransomware infection, it pulled its computer networks offline, causing the postponement of serious surgeries. Also, the variant used in the attack was gradually replicating, causing individual systems to fail, necessitating the disconnection of all networks and computers. Therefore, the ransomware incident impacted and disrupted the provision of critical services since the hospital could not access databases systems or collect new patient medical information. Furthermore, effects like shifting from digitized procedures to pen and paper manual processes can cause patient safety issues when the global healthcare sector fights a killer virus.

2.      DHHS DDoS Attack

A DDoS attack targeted the United States Department of Health and Human Services last year in an attempted disruption of the COVID-19 response effort. During the attack, malicious actors targeted the organization’s servers with millions of traffic requests for multiple hours. With the DHHS tasked with supporting essential human services and ensuring the health safety of US citizens, the attack aimed at derailing the response measures to coronavirus. However, the organization maintains that the attackers did not intrude on the internal networks or steal sensitive information. Such an attack demonstrates that cyber threats to the healthcare industry need not cause network or system damage or information theft to impact healthcare services.   

3.      Increasing COVID-19-Themed Phishing Attempts

The World Health Organization (WHO) and associated partners warned the public regarding rising phishing and website hacking attempts. According to the warning, malicious individuals registered more than 4,000 COVID-19 related domains since the virus was first announced in 2020. Adversaries used the registered domains to facilitate phishing attacks used to steal login credentials to various sites. For example, a group of malicious cyber actors registered a dummy website that tricks WHO workers into inputting their login credentials. While the phishing campaign was largely unsuccessful, it shows that phishing attacks can target global healthcare bodies.

4.      Increased Ransomware Attacks Worldwide

A recent Interpol advisory cautioned health institutions and security agencies worldwide regarding a significant rise of ransomware incidents targeting hospitals. According to the notice, increasing cases of attempted ransomware attacks had been noted in almost all countries. Most ransomware incidents used COVID-19 themed phishing emails to deliver the ransomware variants to multiple medical providers.

Besides, the US and the UK also issued a joint cyber warning to major healthcare organizations concerned with responding to coronavirus cases in both countries. In particular, the US CISA and the UK National Cyber Security Center (NCSC) issued a joint statement indicating uncovered cybersecurity threats. In particular, the joint statement noted largescale password spraying attacks targeting medical research institutions and healthcare bodies.

5.      Malware Variant Targeting the Healthcare Supply Chain

An FBI-issued warning noted a spike in the malware variant used to execute supply chain attacks directed at the global healthcare sector. The malware, referred to as Kwampirs, is a remote access trojan that hackers use to detect and exploit network security flaws in healthcare organizations. Supply chain attacks comprise pre-compromised medical devices or components that contain malware designed to execute under a specific environment. In the FBI warning, the supply chain components susceptible to the malware consist of cyber-physical assets and systems required to provide crucial health operations. The FBI advisory on the Kwampirs supply chain malware noted it is more prevalent in targeting medical device manufacturers in the Middle East, Asia, Europe, and the US.

A Wakeup Call for Healthcare Cybersecurity

The 2020 health pandemic exposed a pressing need for healthcare organizations to invest more in cybersecurity infrastructure, tools, and incident response procedures. In addition, reports from multiple cybersecurity experts have revealed the unique challenges the health industry faces compared to other industries. For example, prior to the pandemic, medical providers were already prime targets for data breaches owing to the vast amount of patient medical records required to provide effective services.

In the 2021 Horizon Report, the reported breach statistics in the healthcare industry are more than dismal. For instance, the report reveals that at least 500 healthcare institutions were victims of a cyber-attack affecting not less than 500 patient records, with a cumulative total of more than 23.5 million impacted patients. Furthermore, the report notes an 18% rise of reported data breaches within the first ten months in 2020 compared to a similar period in 2019. Attackers targeted medical providers the most since healthcare breaches accounted for 79% of all breaches.

However, the increased rate of malicious cyber events can be attributed to the reluctance of the healthcare industry to strengthen cybersecurity in contrast to their counterparts in other industries. 2020 was just an eye-opener for a problem that has been in existence for many years. For example, the need to embrace remote working rapidly revealed severe exploitable vulnerabilities. These include weak passwords and an ignorant workforce that tend to open suspicious emails and attachments piled on the exposure. Also, with many healthcare workers working remotely, the preference for personal devices over work-issued equipment further increased security risks facing the healthcare sector.

All these and other cybersecurity scares have forced healthcare providers to rethink data security, network security, employee training, endpoint security management, and data procedures, governance, and policies. Specifically, security information and event management (SIEM) is taking a front seat in healthcare cybersecurity. SIEM collects and analyzes security event data to identify potential threats enabling organizations to implement requisite protection technologies.

Also, healthcare operators are focusing more on enhancing internal security procedures and employee training. Some internal security processes include tightening access to essential data, systems, and equipment to authorized and authenticated users. On the other hand, training the healthcare workforce has become critical to thwarting ransomware and phishing attacks. The human element is one of the weakest links in organizational cybersecurity, requiring the healthcare sector to implement frequent training and awareness programs. For example, as phishing attacks skyrocketed following the coronavirus outbreak, hospital workers must be trained on identifying, handling, and reporting phishing emails and text messages.

Best Practices and Security Solutions to Healthcare Cybersecurity Issues

1.      Implementing Endpoint Security Measures

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, healthcare workers and patients alike have resorted to using the Internet of Things (IoT) and telehealth technologies remotely in compliance with social distance regulations. However, using the technologies outside a hospital’s protected network has increased the threat footprint and expanded the attack surface. Therefore, it is pertinent for healthcare employees to reduce the use of IoT technologies to meet the security regulations stipulated in the Health Information Protection and Portability Act (HIPAA).

That said, it is crucial to note that most health facilities rely on perimeter security, such as firewalls and antivirus tools, to secure sensitive patient information. Unfortunately, such defenses are highly incapable of protecting against modern threats and an expanded attack surface. Fortunately, an endpoint device security approach can assist hospitals in preventing unauthorized access by managing the devices and users that can access confidential patient records remotely. The solution also provides increased visibility of connected devices and users to strengthen security monitoring and management.

2.      Increase Cybersecurity Training and Awareness

Many healthcare institutions have already rolled out cybersecurity programs for raising training and awareness levels among health workers. Some of the training solutions used today included training users on the best practices when accessing and using patient information and raising awareness on best password security practices. For example, a common training method includes sending phishing messages to determine how many employees can identify and report phishing emails. However, the common training procedures are inadequate in equipping the necessary skills for protecting against most COVID-19 themed attacks. Despite the world appreciating the essence of cybersecurity training, the healthcare industry is more at risk of being attacked and, therefore, requires to focus on enhancing the efficiency and efficacy of awareness programs.

3.      Cybersecurity Technology Rationalization

It is a common practice for healthcare entities to continue using outdated technology or have a wide array of unused cybersecurity capacity. The approach exposes an organization to numerous threats since it is challenging to protect vulnerable medical equipment or IT assets connected to a network. In this regard, the following points can assist cybersecurity teams in healthcare setups to rationalize cybersecurity tools and technologies required to reduce risk and achieve a robust information security posture:

  • Track the available cybersecurity technology, types of tools, and protection approach (in-house or outsourced) to successfully secure all vulnerable areas.
  • Evaluate the compatibility of current tools with anticipated approaches, such as work from home requirements. Through the evaluation results, a hospital can decide if it is necessary to add compatible cybersecurity capacity before adopting new technologies or work methods.
  • Develop key performance indicators and monitor the progress to ensure that the healthcare organization is on track to meeting optimized cybersecurity posture

4.      Legislation of Appropriate Policies

The health industry in many countries has implemented various legislations aimed at strengthening patient data privacy and protection. Also, there are different regulations and laws developed to secure cyber-physical systems in a healthcare environment. However, following the new normal resulting from the COVID-19 impacts, relevant regulatory bodies must tailor healthcare cybersecurity controls to meet emerging security needs. Besides, medical device manufacturers must consider the controls and regulations when designing mobile devices or other equipment to foster telehealth procedures. Essentially, responsible government agencies and regulatory bodies need to collaborate in strengthening legislation and cybersecurity policies to protect against increasing attacks.

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