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Why Your Company Needs Penetration Testing? Planning and appraising existing infrastructure can only do so much when it comes to developing cybersecurity strategies. To create an unassailable security plan, you have to take a look at things from a hacker’s perspective. That’s where penetration testing comes in. It is much better to find the vulnerabilities in your systems or software before a hacker can attack and exploit them. When you have spent time working on your company’s defenses, you want to make sure they work. A properly conducted penetration test can reveal insights into the weaknesses of your company’s cyber defenses and can help develop better systems. This is why companies should opt for pen-testing services. What is Penetration Testing? A penetration test, which is also known as ethical hacking, is a real-time cyber attack performed in secure conditions with permission from the company. A pentest aims to breach defences to discover real-time weaknesses or assess a network’s strength to figure out where a hacker might be able to attack from. It can also reveal gaps in the system, applications, and network, test the strength of web application security, and detect loopholes and vulnerabilities that may be exploited. Generally, penetration tests are included in security audits and are a way to gain a real sense of a company’s cyber security defenses. This is why organisations should get themselves pentested. Pentesters use the same techniques as hackers when attempting to breach all or part of the system. They may use attacks like phishing, creating backdoors, etc. Another reason that organisations should get themselves pentested is that it may help identify areas that have been overlooked by security professionals during development and draw attention to vulnerabilities that need a different perspective to be found. External testing, blind testing, targeted testing, internal testing, and double-blind testing are the five main types of penetration testing. Reasons You Need Penetration Testing Pen-tests allow companies to evaluate their IT infrastructure’s security and find out which areas need better security protocols. Successful cyber security attacks cost companies greatly, which is why no company should wait for a real attack to occur before updating its security. Using penetration testing tools can help unveil holes in the security layer of a company and allow security experts and ethical hackers to work on any shortcomings before they become liabilities. Some reasons to invest in penetration testing are as follows: Risk Assessment: Reputation: Regulations and Compliance: Saving Costs: The Benefits of Penetration Testing Penetration tests are generally performed by establishments charged with protecting the private information of citizens. Even the top IT departments might not have the equitability required to find flaws in security that could leave an organisation exposed to attacks from hackers. These tasks should be performed by a penetration tester who can conduct white box testing, black-box testing, as well as other security evaluations from the outside. If someone who is not a part of the business conducts intrusion tests, they can provide valuable insights in the following ways: Final Thoughts Penetration testing should not be confined to a one-time effort. It should be a segment of ongoing vigilance to help companies stay safe through different types of security testing. Security patches, updates, and new components that are used in a company website can create new risks that allow hackers to attack. This is the reason why organisations need to regularly schedule pen-tests to uncover new weaknesses in security, thus preventing any opportunity to exploit these weaknesses. Reach out to us at SECUREU & let’s talk about how we can help you! Website: https://secureu.in | E-mail: contact-us@secureu.in | Contact us: Telegram, Twitter Youtube & LinkedIn

The Meaning of VPN A VPN (Virtual Private Network) describes the opportunity to create a protected network connection when you use a public network. VPNs give you privacy and anonymity online by establishing a private network from a public internet connection. They hide your IP address so that your online activity is virtually untraceable. VPNs create secure and encrypted connections to give you, even more, privacy compared to a secure WiFi hotspot. Virtual private networks are an essential privacy tool that one should use when they are logging onto the internet from a public place like a coffee shop or a hotel lobby, or any other place that provides access to free public WiFi. A VPN creates a kind of tunnel that masks your online activity such as the links you clicked or downloaded files so that hackers, businesses, government agencies, etc., cannot see it. Once your internet traffic has been encrypted and your online activity disguised, third parties will have a tough time tracking your online activities and stealing your data. How Does a VPN Work? A VPN can hide your IP address by making the network redirect it through a specially configured remote server run by a VPN host. If you surf online with a VPN, its server becomes the source of your data. Because of this, your internet service provider and other third parties cannot view the data you send or receive or which websites you visit while online. VPNs work like filters that transform all your data into “gibberish” by encrypting it. So, even if someone were able to access your data, it would be futile. A VPN can extend a corporate network through encrypted connections made over the Internet. As the traffic between the device and the network is encrypted, the traffic remains private as it travels. Due to this, employees working outside the office can still securely connect to the corporate network. Smartphones and tablets can also connect through the use of VPNs. Why Should You Use a VPN? Your Internet Service Provider (ISP) may share your browsing history with other parties like advertisers or government agencies. ISPs can also be attacked by cybercriminals. If an ISP gets hacked, your personal and private data can be leaked. If you regularly connect to public WiFi networks, this is especially important. Someone might be monitoring your internet traffic without your knowledge and they may steal your passwords, personal data, payment information, or even your identity. What Are The Benefits Of A VPN Connection? VPN connections disguise your data traffic online and protect it from external unauthorized access. If data is not encrypted, it can be seen by anyone with network access. With VPNs, cybercriminals cannot decipher your data. This is why VPNs are considered important privacy tools. The benefits of VPNs are listed below: Secure Encryption: Without an encryption key, it would take millions of years for a computer to decipher code in case of a brute-force attack. If you use a VPN, your online activity is hidden even on public networks. Access to Regional Content: Some web content may not be accessible in certain regions. Often, services and websites will contain content that is only accessible from certain parts of the world. Standard connections make use of local servers in the country to ascertain your location. This is why you cannot access some international content from home. VPNs have location spoofing due to which you can switch to a server in another country and “change” your location. Hiding Your Location: In essence, VPN servers act as your proxies on the internet. As the demographic location data comes from a server in a different country, your real location cannot be ascertained. Additionally, most VPN servers do not store logs of your online activities. On the other hand, certain internet service providers record your activities but do not hand over this information to third parties. This means that any possible records of your user behavior remain hidden for good. Secure Data Transfer: While working remotely, you might need access to important files on your company’s network. For security purposes, this information requires a secure connection. To acquire access to the network, a VPN connection is required. VPNs connect to private servers and make use of encryption techniques to reduce the risk of data leakage. How To Surf Securely With A VPN VPNs encrypt your surfing activities which cannot be decoded unless one has the key. The key is only known to your computer and the VPN. This means that your ISP cannot determine where you are surfing. Different VPNs use different encryption processes, but they generally work in three steps: It is a good idea to invest in a good VPN. Many antiviruses these days come with a VPN. You can protect not only your privacy but also your company’s. Reach out to us at SECUREU & let’s talk about how we can help you! Website: https://secureu.in | E-mail: contact-us@secureu.in | Contact us: Telegram, Twitter Youtube & LinkedIn

Some cybersecurity tips for Startups Often, startups tend to overlook the importance of strengthening protection. This is why they are susceptible to cyberattacks. According to a report by the Cyber Security Breached Survey, medium and small industries struggle the most due to cyber-attacks all over the world. This is precisely why startups need to focus on security right off the bat. It is essential that startups secure themselves against infiltration, as failure to do so can lead to bankruptcy. Large firms may recover from a breach, but the possibility of startups recovering from a breach is truly slim. To prevent themselves from shutting down, startups should follow best security practices to defend their firms and, consequently, build trust among their customers. Here are some tips startups can use at the beginning of their journey to ensure a safe and secure business. Two-Factor Authentication A critical step to safeguarding a startup is to implement two-factor authentication. This simple step can help reduce the likelihood of attacks or unexpected misuse. If startups integrate 2F authentication, they can enable an extra layer of security while still making sure that sensitive information is available to those who need to access it. Usually, it is believed that two-factor authentication is only for financial services. If so, one should remember how Ola was hacked during its initial years. On that account, startups should secure access to information on networks with the help of 2FA or even better, multi-factor authentication. Social Engineering and Educating Employees Social Engineering attempts to psychologically manipulate employees and obtain sensitive information from them without using any code. As it happens, it has proven to be the easiest way to access any network. These social engineering attacks are generally conducted via email or other forms of communication. This is why raising awareness is critical for startups to certify that confidential data cannot be leaked accidentally. It is believed that hackers generally try to attack employees who have low to no technical expertise, as they are the ones who are most likely to fail to recognise the threat. Any opening in the startup’s defence can negatively affect it and decrease its brand value. Holding workshops about cybersecurity for all employees is a good way to raise awareness of threats. A lot of attacks can be prevented if your employees have a bit of a background in cybersecurity and the types of threats that companies face. Protection Against Ransomware Ransomware is a type of malware that is created to deny access to files on a computer. It works by encrypting these files and demanding a ransom to provide access to the files again. Ransomware can also have added functionality such as data theft to incentivize victims to pay the ransom. Ransomware happens to be the most detrimental for businesses, as it extorts a massive amount of money in exchange for access to files. Hospitals and public schools used to be frequent victims of ransomware attacks, but they have now spread to startups as well as personal computers. Ransomware attacks can be deadly even for large corporations, let alone startups. While ransomware attacks can occur due to viruses and loopholes in security, one way to reduce the chances of this attack is to shun all unauthentic software. Testing Your Defences Even if a startup spends a large sum of money on their security system, it won’t matter unless they test it to ensure that it works. Finding chinks in your armour is a vital step toward having a secure system. This is why startups should regularly get their defences appraised through pen-testing and by hiring cybersecurity consultants. This will give them insights into the weaknesses of their security systems as well as give them information on how to protect themselves better. Conclusion Security may not be a top priority for startups, but it is definitely better to be safe than sorry. Often, startups cannot bear the cost that entails a breach. This is why startups must constantly take steps to ensure that they can operate safely and confidently by following best cybersecurity practices and updating their defenses whenever possible. Reach out to us at SECUREU & let’s talk about how we can help you! Website: https://secureu.in | E-mail: contact-us@secureu.in | Contact us: Telegram, Twitter Youtube & LinkedIn

Choosing a VPN In today’s age, VPNs are an essential tool for maintaining privacy. But how does one pick a VPN that meets their needs from a multitude of options available in the market? Since there are so many different kinds of VPNs, it is important to take a look at their features and then pick one according to your needs. Let’s take a look at things to keep in mind while selecting a VPN. We rely on VPNs to perform more than one task. It is also important that the VPN itself be protected from being compromised. Here are some of the features that you can expect from an extensive, exhaustive VPN solution: What Are The Different Kinds Of VPNs? There are many different types of VPNs available in the market. Here are the 3 main types that you should know about: Site-to-Site VPN Site-to-site VPNs are private networks designed to hide private intranets and allow their users to access each other’s resources. If you have multiple locations in your company, each with its local area network connected to the wide area network, then site-to-site VPNs are useful. They also come in handy when there are two separate intranets between which you want to send data without users from one intranet accessing the other. As site-to-site VPNs are difficult to implement and are not as flexible as SSL VPNs, they are mainly used in large companies. Despite these problems, they are the most effective way to guarantee communication between large departments. SSL VPN Often, companies may not have enough equipment for their employees. In such cases, employees have to resort to using private devices. In these instances, companies have to rely on SSL VPN solutions which are usually implemented via a hardware box. Usually, an HTML-5 capable browser is used to call up the company’s login page as a prerequisite. HTML-5 capable browsers are available for pretty much any OS. Access is protected with a username and password. Client-to-Server VPN You can imagine connecting through a VPN client as if you are connecting to your home computer to the company using an extension cable. Employees can log into the company network from their home office using a secure connection as if they were present in the office. To do this, a VPN client needs to be installed and configured on the computer. This involves the user not connecting to the internet through their ISP but rather establishing a direct connection through their VPN provider. In essence, this shortens the tunnel phase of the VPN cycle. Rather than using the VPN to create an encryption tunnel to disguise the existing internet connection, the VPN can encrypt the data automatically before it is made available to the user. This is a prevalent type of VPN, that is very useful for providers of insecure public WLAN. It stops third parties from gaining access to and compromising the network connection and encrypts data up to the provider. In addition to this, ISPs are prevented from accessing data that remains unencrypted for whatever reason and sidestep any restrictions on the user’s internet access. This type of VPN is advantageous as it is more efficient and provides universal access to company resources. Installing A VPN On Your Computer There are different implementation methods of VPNs and it is important to know about them before you proceed with installing a VPN: VPN Client: For standalone VPN clients, software that is configured to fulfill the requirements of the endpoint must be installed. The endpoint implements the VPN link and connects to the other endpoint, creating the encryption tunnel when setting up the VPN. Usually, in companies, a password issued by the company or the installation of an appropriate certificate is required. Passwords and certificates allow firewalls to recognize authorized connections. Then, the employee can identify themselves with their credentials. Router VPN: For many devices connected to the same internet connection, it can be easier to implement the VPN on the router itself than to install a separate VPN on each device. Router VPNs come in handy when you want to protect devices that are not easy to configure, like smart TVs. They may even allow you to access geographically restricted content through home entertainment systems. Router VPNs are easy to install, provide privacy and security, and protect your network from being compromised when insecure devices connect to it. It is worth noting, however, that if your router does not have a user interface, the router VPN will be difficult to manage and can lead to incoming connections being blocked. Browser Extensions: You can add VPN extensions to most web browsers. Some browsers such as Opera have their VPN extensions integrated into them. While extensions make it easier and faster for users to switch and configure their VPN, the VPN connection is only valid for data that is shared in this browser. Using different browsers and other uses of the internet such as playing online games cannot be encrypted by VPN. It should be noted that although browser extensions are not as exhaustive as VPN clients, they may be an adequate alternative for occasional internet users who desire an extra layer of security on the internet. However, it has been found that browser extensions are more prone to breaches. Users should also make sure to choose a reputable extension as data harvesters make use of fake VPN extensions to collect their private data. Advertising content is then tailored to you using this data. Company VPN: Company VPNs are custom solutions that need personalized technical support and setup. It is usually created by the company’s IT team for you. Users have no administrative influence from the VPN. Activities and data transfers are logged by the company. This helps companies minimize the risk of potential data leakage. The major advantage of corporate VPNs is that they are completely secure connections to the company’s intranet and server even for employees who work outside the company and use their internet connection. Can VPNs Be

Securing your Web3 Assets! Web3.0, Blockchain, Ethereum, Cryptocurrency, NFTs, etc. let me use all the buzzwords to get people over to my blog post. Jokes aside I wanted to focus on Web3.0 assets and related products that I mentioned above because these are the new shiny toys of the technology world. Just like any other shiny toy on the market, everyone is trying to get these for themselves and not everyone is following the legal way to obtain them. Cyber attacks in the Web 3.0 domain have gone rampant and it does not seem that they will be coming to an end any time soon. Previously when the internet age began most of the world was unaware of its implications and the security issues that might arise with it. Luckily after all this time, we have had several learnings from the past and if we generate enough awareness among the people we might not have to encounter as many cyberattacks in the future as we do today. If you are someone who has also invested a ton of money in cryptocurrencies and NFTs or are thinking to do so I think it is extremely important and beneficial for you to give a read ahead. Top Five Attack Vectors There have been several different cyberattacks that have been carried out in the past few years trying to dupe people out of their cryptocurrency and NFTs. The good thing is that most of them can be categorized under the few attack vectors mentioned below. So, if you manage to keep yourself aware and be on the lookout for such attacks against you, you can protect yourself from nearly every malicious hacker out there. Let’s dive in and get a basic understanding of these various attack scenarios and how one can protect themselves. Cloning crypto wallets is one of the most common attacks right now. As with any normal wallet, crypto wallets consist of the majority of your crypto assets and thus they become an extremely attractive point of attack for attackers. To help customers recover their crypto wallets companies provide them with a set of 12 to 24 words, also known as the “seed phrase”. It acts as a private key and can be utilized to regain access to your wallet in case it is lost or destroyed. The issue is the attackers try to social engineer their victims to obtain their seed phrase and many of these unsuspecting people completely unaware of the importance of these words provide them to these attackers without a second thought. Once these attackers have your keys to the crypto wallets they can extract everything you have in your wallet within seconds and you won’t be able to take any steps to obtain them back. 2. Fake customer agents This is a variation of the social engineering attacks that I just mentioned above but it needs to be stated separately because of how common this specific methodology has become. Attackers have been utilizing these methods to extract the seed phrase from the users by acting as if they are calling from the company whose crypto-wallets their victims own. They ask their victims to tell them the seed phrase as only then they will be able to establish that they are the rightful owner of the crypto-wallet and some of their victims do tell their seed phrase and get hacked. These fake customer agents also utilize the same methodology to obtain the OTPs when hacking people who have multi-factor authentication enabled. They ask the customers for the OTP under the pretext to establish trust with their victims and then utilize the OTP to then hack into their email accounts and initiate resetting passwords of their online crypto accounts and then transferring everything to their accounts. 3. Whales The cyberattacks that take place in this space are completely out of the world. The word “whales” is used to describe those high-net-worth entities which have huge amounts of assets with them, in this particular case crypto-assets. It is estimated that there are nearly 40,000 whales, which combined own nearly 80% of all NFTs out there. This makes these whales extremely attractive to hackers. Also as these entities have a huge amount of assets with them, so malicious hackers are comfortable with spending a ton of money to hack these people or organizations. As the rewards outweigh the cost of the attack multi-folds. The attackers spend a lot of time carefully figuring out the “whales”. People create entire fake projects and run the Discord servers and Twitter accounts associated with it for months sometimes to be able to phish these whales. Whales should be on the lookout for such projects that seems fishy or do not have tons of people backing them or if the code for their smart contract has not been made public. They should make sure to follow the defence-in-depth strategy and utilize several security features to lock down their wallets, with strong passwords and multi-factor authentication being the bare minimum. 4. ENS Domains ENS, Ethereum Name Service domains have gathered loads of popularity as they provide easy-to-remember names to help find other people’s cryptocurrency wallet addresses. This is extremely useful for people regularly transferring cryptocurrencies to each other as it eases the process. The sad news is anyone can buy an ENS domain of whatever name they prefer it to be and then carry out an attack against their victims by tricking them. These ENS domain names can be very similar to that of the person they are trying to impersonate and then convince their victim to transfer their crypto assets on this fake wallet instead of the intended person. These addresses can be also up for grabs once the previous person doesn’t resubscribe to the same wallet address and this can also lead to phishing attacks. 5. Malicious Smart Contracts Attackers sometimes focus on exploiting genuine bugs in legitimate smart contracts but it requires too much effort and knowledge to carry out such an attack. So

Proven Ways to Secure Your Computer Network Businesses face threats from multiple sources in many ways, and the more users, apps, and devices they add, the more susceptible their network becomes. Let’s take a look at how companies can secure their networks. What is Network Security? Any activity that is designed to protect the integrity and usability of the network and data is called network security. This includes hardware as well as software technologies. Good network security manages access to the network and targets a variety of threats to stop them from entering or spreading on a network. How Does Network Security Work? Network security merges various layers of defenses at the edges of and in a network. Policies and controls are implemented at each network security layer. Malicious actors are prevented from carrying out threats and exploits whereas authorized users are allowed to get access to network resources. How Do You Benefit From Network Security? Each organization needs to protect its network. Our world has changed due to digitization. The way we live, work, and even play has changed. Network security helps businesses protect their private information and thus, protects their reputation. Ways to Protect Your Network It is difficult to know how to secure a network for small and medium-sized businesses that do not have IT staff to take care of system maintenance full-time. Luckily, there are some network security practices that organizations can use to secure their data and hopefully build better defenses against hackers and viruses. A firewall is a piece of software or hardware that has been designed to prevent unauthorized access to computers and networks. To simplify, it is a set of rules that controls network traffic. Computers and networks that “abide by the rules” are allowed into access points. The ones that don’t follow the rules are stopped from accessing your system. A firewall is an integral part of the defense of your network. If you do not have a firewall in place, you should make sure to set up a firewall as soon as possible. Firewalls can be set up on individual devices and your antivirus software may include firewall protection in it. It is worth noting that firewalls can also be set up as a WAF (Web Application Firewall). Web Application Firewalls protect web apps by monitoring and filtering HTTP traffic between the internet and a web application. A WAF is akin to a shield placed in front of a web application, separating it and the internet. It protects the server from being exposed by making clients pass through the WAF before getting to the server. A WAF is especially important for businesses that sell products online and store customer information. A WAF helps protect this stored data. The latest firewalls are integrated network security platforms that comprise a variety of encryption methods and approaches, all working together to prevent breaches. 2. Advanced Endpoint Detection Advanced endpoint detection and response uses AI to look for signs of compromise and react accordingly to respond to the ever-evolving world of online threats. This technology gathers and analyses information obtained from network devices, endpoint logs and threat intelligence feeds, and using this data it identifies security incidents, fraudulent activity, and other threats. To respond faster, a high degree of automation is employed to allow security teams to quickly identify and respond to threats. Signs of compromised behavior can range from characteristics related to threat actor inclusion to ransomware and malware and general virus-like behavior. Advanced Endpoint Detection is more advanced compared to antivirus software and is a part of a layered, modern, and proactive approach to cybersecurity to help defend against the always-changing attack of hackers. 3. Update Passwords Often Employees must know to avoid default passwords such as “12345”, “password” and their dates of birth. While using good passwords that feature a combination of upper and lowercase letters as well as numbers and symbols, is important, it should be mandatory for employees to regularly change passwords used on systems that have access to business networks. Employees need to be informed that substituting letters with similar-looking characters is not a good idea. For example, choosing “pa$$word” instead of “password” will not work as hackers are aware of this trick. The more often a password is changed, the better. The recommended frequency of password changes is once every quarter as changing passwords too often can cause confusion and lead to employees being unable to remember their user IDs and passwords. It should be noted that many businesses now make use of two-factor authentication to connect to the network. Along with a username and password, users also need to enter a code that they receive through text or email or another such means to connect to a network or system. 4. Creating Virtual Private Networks VPN stands for Virtual Private Network. It is a service that protects your privacy and internet connection online. It encrypts your network to ensure online privacy for all users. As it hides your IP address and makes your online activity virtually untraceable, you can safely use public Wi-Fi hotspots. VPNs create a secure connection between remote computers like home networks or computers and other “local” computers and servers. It blocks your data, history, communications, and other information from hackers. VPNs are essentially only accessible to people who can have access to your systems, wireless network, and to equipment that has been authorized in the network settings. VPNs can drastically decrease the probability of hackers being able to find a wireless access point and wrecking your system 5. Encrypting Files The idea of hackers invading your private networks is a cause for alarm. However, if all they find is a bunch of gibberish, is the idea still as alarming? Encryption prevents your data from being read and can protect sensitive data on Windows or macOS by using software designed to mask your IP address. You can find out if a website has been secured with encryption by looking for “HTTPS” in the address bar

The 5 most important phases of a Penetration Test A penetration test attempts to identify the vulnerabilities in security systems or networks by trying to exploit them. It is different from hacking in the sense that a pen-tester has permission to attack a system. Hacking aims to harm a system, whereas pen-testing (also known as ethical hacking) aims to secure a system by finding its weaknesses. The results of penetration tests are essential for finding and patching security flaws. The Responsibilities of an Ethical Hacker Ethical hackers are responsible for finding vulnerabilities in systems while also deciding which penetration testing method is the best fit for the situation out of the many methods available. This task is challenging and requires great skills, knowledge, and experience. Penetration testers need to be comfortable with various hacking methods and have thorough network security knowledge. They must also be aware of different hacking tools and their uses and know how to appraise the target system’s security posture. Penetration Testing Phases A penetration test can be divided into 5 stages, namely, reconnaissance, vulnerability assessment, exploitation, and reporting. Reconnaissance This is the first stage of penetration testing. This phase requires that the penetration tester or ethical hacker gathers as much information about the system to be targeted as possible. So the hacker will gather information about the OS and applications, the network topology, user accounts, and other relevant info. The goal of this stage is to gather as much relevant data as possible to help the tester plan a potent attack strategy. In this step, the scope and goals of the penetration test are also defined, along with the systems to be addressed. Scanning In the second stage, after all the necessary data has been accumulated in the reconnaissance phase, the tester moves on to scanning. The tester uses different tools to recognize open ports and check the network traffic on the targeted system. Open ports are possible entry points for attackers and so, this stage aims to find as many of the ports as possible so that the tester can use them in the following phase. In this stage, the tester tries to understand how the target system will respond to different threats. The methods to do so are static analysis and dynamic analysis. Vulnerability Assessment Vulnerability assessment is the third phase of the penetration testing process. In this stage, the ethical hacker uses all the information collected in the reconnaissance and scanning phases to pinpoint potential weaknesses and determine if they can be exploited. Vulnerability assessment is used to gain initial knowledge and identify possible security weaknesses that may make it possible for potential attackers to gain access to the system. This is the penultimate stage of a penetration test. As soon as all the vulnerabilities have been identified, the tester can now attempt to exploit them. The tester aims to gain access to the target system through these vulnerabilities. Various tools such as Metasploit can be used for this purpose. Tools can help simulate real-world attacks. Reporting or Analysis After the exploitation, the ethical hacker creates a report that documents all of the pentest’s results. These findings can be used to patch vulnerabilities in the system and improve the system’s security. The report must detail the specific vulnerabilities that were attacked, sensitive data that was retrieved, and the amount of time the tester was able to remain undetected in the target system. This information is used by security personnel to help protect against future attacks. Benefits of Penetration Testing Penetration testing has multiple benefits which makes it extremely attractive to companies. Some of these benefits are listed below. Compliance: Many regulatory standards require organizations to regularly conduct penetration tests and audits. If an organization does not comply, it may have to pay heavy fines. Performing penetration tests can help companies save money and make sure that all vulnerabilities are found and subsequently fixed. Vulnerability Identification: One of the biggest benefits of penetration testing is that it allows you to find vulnerabilities in your system before they get exploited by a hacker. Breaches are detrimental to a company’s reputation and cause massive monetary loss. Penetration testing can help prevent these losses. Keeping Cyber-security Professionals Up-to-Date: To be a successful penetration tester, one has to stay abreast in a world of constantly changing trends and techniques. Regular penetration tests are helpful to security professionals in that they allow them to keep up with the latest cyber threats and learn how to defend against them. Final Thoughts Penetration tests are indispensable for organizations. It is a fundamental step to help secure companies and start-ups and can in no way be overlooked. A well-performed penetration test can be the difference between terrible losses because of attacks or a well-reputed organization known for its security that gains the trust of its customers. Reach out to us at SECUREU & let’s talk about how we can help you! Website: https://secureu.in | E-mail: contact-us@secureu.in | Contact us: Telegram, Twitter Youtube & LinkedIn

Protecting your mail like a PRO !!! To be true as a tech enthusiast who has been tinkering around with computers longer than I can remember, typing out this blog seems kind of ridiculous. I nearly moved away from my desk and had dropped the idea of writing this but then this happened. The podcast that I listen to occasionally started discussing the hacks that have been going around. You might say it’s a coincidence but right then they started discussing this major email-based phishing attack that was carried out against OpenSea users who bought NFTs on their platform. The attackers had sent an email to the customers of OpenSea that seemed legit at first glance and asked them to migrate their listings with the added bonus of gas-free transactions. If you know anything about the crypto world you know that gas fees (the cost of computing to carry out a transaction) can be pretty high and this bait of “gas-free” migration tempted users to fall for the trap and they ended up losing their NFTs. The total amount of the NFTs that was lost was worth around 1.7 million US dollars. It was then that I realized no matter how many blogs are already up there on the web regarding this. I am going to write one more, to maybe better educate my regular blog readers. Why does phishing exist in the first place? It’s 2022, on one side tech folks are busy creating Web3.0 infrastructure and then there are people still falling for phishing attacks that belong to the Web1.0 days. This begs us to ask the question why do phishing attacks still work in this day and age? People need to understand that email-based phishing attacks still exist cause email as technology was built with trust as an inherent factor. It was built in the early days of the internet when there were only a handful of people using it. They never saw the potential of what email could be and hence they never developed it keeping in mind the millions of spam emails that traverse the internet on a daily basis.It would have been fine if only that was the issue, but then comes in the other reason that’s a bigger contributing factor to why phishing attacks still persist. The reason is that we humans as a species are by default encoded to trust others rather than be suspicious of them. It is only after several mishaps that we learn that goes against our nature and start being suspicious of things that happen around us. So if you ever find yourself shocked by listening to the extent of phishing attacks that are still prevalent in 2022, remember the points that I just mentioned above. “I won’t fall for it” syndrome! One other issue that I have faced when it comes to phishing attacks is that people somehow disregard other peoples’ experiences and think that for some reason they are not vulnerable to such attacks and will easily be able to detect them. Now, read the next few words very carefully. “You are as likely to be vulnerable to a phishing attack just like any other person on this earth”. Please get rid of the “I won’t fall for it” syndrome. People who have written books on phishing attacks and such schemes have failed to detect phishing attacks and fall for it themselves. Side Note: I myself have been duped of a hefty sum of money. They used one of my shortcomings against me. I was unemployed at the time and they somehow managed to convince me to pay them upfront as they can help me land a respectful job. Thinking about it today makes me laugh at how I could have fallen for it. So, trust me when I say greed & fear will somehow make you do things that you can’t even imagine yourself doing in the future. So let me reiterate that it is only when you understand your own shortcomings that you have any chance to securely navigate through the spam and malicious mail that floods your inbox on a regular basis. Now let’s try and find a solution for it! What should we do then? I am glad you asked, now that you properly understand why phishing still exists. Let’s dive into how can we really eradicate it and what we need to do to get that done! One thing you must have understood by now is that phishing will exist as long as we humans continue to utilize emails. It’s a double whammy both from the technological side as well as the psychological side. As a cybersecurity professional I would advise the following good practices to avoid falling for phishing attacks:- Now, if you read the above points and you are able to properly implement them it will keep you secure from every single phishing attack that you might face. The issue is that most people already know these but they feel it to be a hassle every time they have to check these things while using their email. So now let me give you other solutions which aren’t exactly hassle-free but they will help you if you are not able to follow the tips mentioned above and they can also protect you against advanced levels of phishing attacks too. Conclusion If you manage to follow these rules that I just mentioned you should be secure even against the most targeted and advanced phishing attacks and maybe just because of that won’t lose out on thousands of dollars of worth of NFTs, cryptos, and other extremely important personal data. If you think you need more help on this or you need to make your company members aware of these points, feel free to reach out to us. Let us help you up to your security game and make your business and startup feel more trustworthy to your customers. We are eagerly waiting for your call! Reach out to us at SECUREU & let’s

Your Smartphone Might Have Been Compromised? Smartphones have crept their way into every aspect of our lives. No matter what you need, there is most likely an app available for it. And yet, in spite of our excessive use of smartphones, most of us are unaware of the exact extent of the threats we may face while using these devices. Mobile security threats are growing daily and now account for more than 60% of digital fraud ranging from stolen passwords to phishing attacks. Security is even more essential since we now use our phones to conduct online transactions and banking. Fortunately, mobile phones can still be used safely by keeping yourself informed and taking the necessary precautions. Let us take a look at some threats that smartphone users may face. Unsecured WiFi When wireless hot spots are available nearly everywhere, why would anyone want to use up their cellular data? However, it should be noted that free WiFi networks are generally not secured. When you connect to public WiFi networks that do not require passwords or use encryption, you can allow anyone near you to spy on your online activity. Cybercriminals can create fake WiFi hotspots to trick users into connecting to them and can then steal the user’s data. For instance, these phony networks can direct you to a webpage that looks exactly like your bank’s website and then steal your password when you attempt to log in. Public WiFi networks are not as secure as private ones as there is no way of knowing who set up the network or how it is secured if it is secured at all. There is also no way of knowing who is accessing or monitoring the network. It is best to not connect to just any network that you find. If it is absolutely necessary, ensure that you do not perform any activity (like entering passwords or banking) that may compromise you. Data Leakage Often, mobile apps are the reason behind the unintentional leakage of data. “Riskware” apps pose a real threat to mobile users as they grant them varied permissions without checking the security. Generally, these are the free apps that are found in official app stores. They usually perform as advertised, but also send personal — and even possibly corporate — data to remote servers where it is used by advertisers. If these remote servers are compromised, or if a technical error leaves them prone to attack, the collected data can be used by cybercriminals for fraud. Hostile enterprise-signed mobile apps can also lead to data leakage. Such mobile malware programs use distribution code native to famous mobile OSs like Android to transport valuable data across networks without raising suspicion. To avoid data leakage, one should only give permissions that are absolutely essential for the app to perform its functions. Adjust the security controls on your mobile so that apps only collect limited data and do not install any apps that ask for more permissions than required. A common worry of many mobile users is malware sending data to cybercriminals. However, more than malware that users should be worried about but spyware instead. Often spyware can be installed by spouses, employers, or coworkers to keep track of the victim’s activities and whereabouts. Spyware is also known as stalkerware and these apps are created to be loaded on the victim’s device without their permission or knowledge to survey or collect data. Spyware is most commonly installed on mobile phones when the user clicks on malicious advertisements or through scams that trick users into unintentionally downloading it. Spyware is designed to allow very invasive digital monitoring through smartphones and one should be wary of apps that promise to surveil the activities of your children or loved ones through their mobile devices. These apps can be used by abusers to secretly listen to conversations, take pictures, read texts and emails, and track the phone’s location amongst other things. Less insidious apps can still gather information about what you do on your phone. One should avoid mobile apps that ask for a lot of permissions or permissions that have anything to do with accessibility. Accessibility permissions give apps the power to read the text in other apps or control other apps. Phishing Cybercriminals will often use text messages, voice mails, as well as emails to trick their targets into revealing sensitive information like passwords, clicking on malicious links, or confirming transactions. This practice is called phishing, which happens to be the most successful and hence most often used method that cybercriminals use to attack their victims. As mobiles are always on, they are the most common targets for phishing attacks. As mobile users often check their email in real-time, they are more susceptible to being a target of phishing. Mobile device users are more vulnerable as email applications display less information to adjust to the smaller screen size. Even when opened, an email may only show the sender’s name unless the header information bar is expanded. This is why one should never click on unknown email links. And unless the matter is urgent, it is best to let the response wait until you can access a computer. To avoid becoming a victim of phishing, you should always confirm who is calling you for your personal information. For instance, if the caller claims to be calling from the bank, you can say that you will call back using the bank’s official number. One should also not respond to messages claiming you have won prize money or any other such scenario and delete those messages immediately as they are generally scams. Network Spoofing Hackers may set up fake access points, i.e. connections that look like WiFi networks but are bait, in public locations with high traffic like restaurants, libraries, etc. This is called network spoofing. Cybercriminals also give access points names that encourage users to connect to them such as “Coffeehouse WiFi” or “Free Airport WiFi”. Often, hackers will force users to create “accounts” to be able to