Tag Archive for: Simple

A simple tool to make websites more secure and curb hacking

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Credit: CC0 Public Domain

An international team of researchers has developed a scanning tool to make websites less vulnerable to hacking and cyberattacks.

The black box security assessment prototype, tested by engineers in Australia, Pakistan and the UAE, is more effective than existing web scanners which collectively fail to detect the top 10 weaknesses in web applications.

UniSA mechanical and systems engineer Dr. Yousef Amer is one of the co-authors of a new international paper that describes the development of the tool in the wake of escalating global cyberattacks.

Cybercrime cost the world $6 trillion in 2021, reflecting a 300% hike in online criminal activity in the past two years.

Remote working, cloud-based platforms, malware and phishing scams have led to skyrocketing data breaches, while the rollout of 5G and Internet of Things (IoT) devices has made us more connected—and vulnerable—than ever.

Dr. Yousef Amer and colleagues from Pakistan, the UAE and Western Sydney University, highlight numerous security weaknesses in website applications and how these are costing organizations dearly.

Due to the widespread adoption of eCommerce, iBanking and eGovernment sites, web applications have become a prime target of cybercriminals who want to steal individual and company information and disrupt business activities.

Despite a projected $170 billion global outlay on internet security in 2022 against a backdrop of escalating and more severe cyberattacks, existing web scanners are falling way short when it comes to assessing vulnerabilities, according to Dr. Amer.

“We have identified that most of the publicly available scanners have weaknesses and are not doing the job they should,” he says.

Nearly 72% of organizations have suffered at least one serious security breach on their website, with vulnerabilities tripling since 2017.

WhiteHat Security, a world leader in web application security, estimates that 86% of scanned web pages have on average 56% vulnerabilities. Among these, at least one is…

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Keep Your Online Data Safe And Secure By Following These Simple Steps

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Keep Your Online Data Safe And Secure: In today’s time, all our important information is present on the phone, computer, or laptop. All this makes our lives easy. But a small mistake can make our data available online thus putting us in a dangerous situation. Here cyber expert Abhishek Dhabhai is telling us what measures can be taken to secure our data.Also Read – Pandya Store Actress Simran Budharup Gets Rape Threats From 14-Year-Old, FIR Filed

What measures should be taken on the phone for data protection?

For data protection on the mobile device, save your 15-digit IMEI number. In case of mobile phone theft or loss, this number will come in handy for filing a police complaint. Use auto-lock to lock automatically or you can enable keypad lock using passcode/security pattern. Also Read – Online Job Fraud Awareness: How Fake Job Search Websites Can Rob You Off Your Money

Use the PIN to lock the SIM card, so that the SIM is not misused if the device is stolen. Use a password to protect memory card information. Never leave your mobile device unattended. Turn off applications (camera, audio/video players) and connections (Bluetooth, Infrared, Wi-Fi) when not in use. Back up data regularly. Also Read – Quick Steps To Copy Text from Photos on Android and iPhone: Complete Guide Inside

Accept all cookies or not?

We should not accept cookies from all types of websites. With the help of cookies, all your important information also goes to those websites. Later they can also misuse it. To avoid this, only the cookies of the trusted website should be accepted. It is best to decline cookies as far as possible.

How to block a spam message?

There are two ways to block spam calls and messages. First, go to the messaging app and type start and send it to 1909. Another way is to call 1909 from your phone. Activate the Do Not Disturb (DND) service by following the instructions on the phone. With both these methods, the incoming calls and messages on your phone will be greatly reduced. With the help of some apps like Truecaller or call blockers, you can detect spam. Although it is completely malware-free, it is not necessary.

Many apps ask for access to our photos, and messages….

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Follow These Simple Steps to Prevent Online Scams

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In the last few years, a number of organisations have migrated to the online space at a surprising rate. Several new businesses, including local merchants and kirana shops, have moved to the digital ecosystem and are aggressively using digital mediums for online transactions. With the pros of the digital ecosystem, some pitfalls come handy. The shift to the digital world has promoted online financial fraud. Not just organisations but also many individuals become victim of the fraud, hence, it is vital to understand the potential online risks associated with online banking transactions. Here are some safety tips to ensure while making online transactions.

Beware of What Apps you Install

Be careful of what applications you are downloading or installing on your device, even the non-financial ones. The applications should be official and made by companies or businesses you trust. Chief technology officer (CTO) atBankBazaar.com, Murari Sridharan suggested that people must download and use only those banking or shopping apps, which are available in the app store of the individual’s mobile platform (Google Play Store, Windows App Store, iPhone App Store, etc). Make sure, one must not use essential accounts to access temporary apps or post any information about themselves through them.

Don’t Transact on Public Networks

Always avoid using public network for making any financial transactions and also don’t use public hotspots or Wi-Fi in hotels, airports or any other such places. This is because the public networks are open networks, therefore they are prone to risks of data theft as their encryption can be cracked easily by hackers to access any account’s crucial information. Hence, it is advised that you make all financial transactions only when you have connected your device to a password-protected personal internet connection.

Be Cautious of the Links

Don’t fall for link baiting. Many websites, text messages and emails invite you to click on links that look attractive or offer prize money or rewards. Most of these links are fake and lead to phishing sites that can get past your mobile’s security features and can even get hold of an individual’s financial and personal…

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Turn off, turn on: Simple step can thwart top phone hackers

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RICHMOND, Va. — As a member of the secretive Senate Intelligence Committee, Sen. Angus King has reason to worry about hackers. At a briefing by security staff this year, he said he got some advice on how to help keep his cellphone secure.

Step One: Turn off phone.

Step Two: Turn it back on.

That’s it. At a time of widespread digital insecurity it turns out that the oldest and simplest computer fix there is – turning a device off then back on again – can thwart hackers from stealing information from smartphones.

Regularly rebooting phones won’t stop the army of cybercriminals or spy-for-hire firms that have sowed chaos and doubt about the ability to keep any information safe and private in our digital lives. But it can make even the most sophisticated hackers work harder to maintain access and steal data from a phone.

“This is all about imposing cost on these malicious actors,” said Neal Ziring, technical director of the National Security Agency’s cybersecurity directorate.

The NSA issued a “best practices” guide for mobile device security last year in which it recommends rebooting a phone every week as a way to stop hacking.

King, an independent from Maine, says rebooting his phone is now part of his routine.

“I’d say probably once a week, whenever I think of it,” he said.

Almost always in arm’s reach, rarely turned off and holding huge stores of personal and sensitive data, cellphones have become top targets for hackers looking to steal text messages, contacts and photos, as well as track users’ locations and even secretly turn on their video and microphones.

“I always think of phones as like our digital soul,” said Patrick Wardle, a security expert and former NSA researcher.

The number of people whose phones are hacked each year is unknowable, but evidence suggests it’s significant. A recent investigation into phone hacking by a global media consortium has caused political uproars in France, India, Hungary and elsewhere after researchers found scores of journalists, human rights activists and politicians on a leaked list of what were believed to be potential targets of an Israeli hacker-for-hire company.

The advice to periodically reboot a phone reflects, in part, a change in how top…

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