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What is a Computer Worm?

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Worms. Most of us probably think of them as those squirmy invertebrates we dissected as a kid or found on the sidewalk after a storm. You might have used them as bait for fishing (not phishing), to pull a prank or have even eaten them (no judgment).

6DWhether you like worms or not, there’s one kind of worm that definitely isn’t your friend—the computer worm. This kind of worm is a computer program that can replicate and send copies of itself to other computers in a network. Worms are considered a subset of viruses, but unlike viruses they can travel without any human action.

Most worms are designed to exploit known security holes in software, although some spread by tricking Internet users. Mass-mailing worms, for instance, spread via email or instant message (IM). They arrive in message attachments and once you download them the worm silently infects your machine. Peer-to-peer (P2P) networks are another avenue for worms: cybercriminals upload infected files with desirable names to entice users into downloading them. And once you download the file your computer is infected.

Once your machine is infected, the worm can corrupt files, steal sensitive information, install a backdoor giving cybercriminals access to your computer, or modify system settings to make your machine more vulnerable. They can also degrade your Internet connection and overall system performance.

The good news is there are steps you can take to keep your computer from being infected:

  • Don’t download or open any files on P2P sites.
  • Since some worms now have a phishing component—meaning that they try to trick users into running the malicious code—do not click on links in unexpected emails and IMs, or download attachments connected to them.
  • Use comprehensive security software, like McAfee LiveSafe™ service, with a software firewall to block unauthorized traffic to and from your computer. Make sure to keep your security software updated.

If you fear that your machine is already infected, immediately run a security scan.

Of course, given the fast-moving nature of Internet worms, your best bet is to be cautious and take steps to avoid getting infected in the first place.

Robert Siciliano is an Online Security Expert to McAfee. He is the author of 99 Things You Wish You Knew Before Your Mobile was Hacked!  Disclosures.

Hackers and Banks win, Clients lose

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Don’t blame the hackers; don’t blame the bank; apparently it’s the victim’s fault that a Missouri escrow firm was robbed of $440,000 in a cybercrime, says a report on computerworld.com.

11DThe attack occurred in 2010, but the appeals court’s March 2013 ruling declared that the firm, Choice Escrow and Title LLC, can’t hold its bank accountable. The victimized firm might even have to pay the bank’s attorney fees. The court says that the firm failed to abide by the bank’s recommended security procedures.

BancorpSouth Bank was sued by Choice Escrow following a cyber assault in which the password and username to the firm’s online bank account was stolen.

The victim asserted that the bank failed to implement sufficient security measures, allowing the attack to take place. The firm also insisted that the bank should have detected that the wire transfer of the money to Cyprus was fraudulent because it was initiated outside the U.S.—an unprecedented type of transaction.

BancorpSouth’s defense was that Choice Escrow failed to instill the security precautions for wire transfers that the bank recommended.

At first it seems like the bank here is bucking culpability, but according to the bank:

  • It had controls in place for Choice Escrow to use.
  • The bank requested that the firm use a dual-control process for wire transfer requests that would require two people to sign.
  • The bank asked the firm to enforce an upper limit on wire transfers.
  • Choice failed to follow these two recommendations.

The bank also points out that the wire transfer was started by someone who used the firm’s legitimate banking credentials, along with a computer that seemed to belong to the company. Had the company followed the bank’s recommendations, the crime may not have occurred.

Stealing legitimate banking credentials and using them to initiate criminal wire transfers to overseas accounts is nothing new to cyber criminals. This crime causes disputes between banks and their customers and heightens awareness over how much responsibility each entity should carry.

Robert Siciliano is an identity theft expert to BestIDTheftCompanys.com discussing  identity theft prevention. For Roberts FREE ebook text- SECURE Your@emailaddress -to 411247. Disclosures.

Security is Everyone’s responsibility

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In the movies, the good guys always get the bad guys. In cyber reality, no such thing exists.

1DA survey of 5,000 IT security professionals turns up the following:

  • 63% doubt they can stop data breaches.
  • 69% think threats slip through the cracks of their security systems.
  • 57% believe their company lacks protection from advanced attacks.
  • 80% think their company’s leaders fail to connect the dots between a data breach and potential profit loss.

A survey of customers shows:

  • 59% are quite concerned about credit and debit card information theft.
  • 57% are very concerned about ID theft.
  • About 60% believe that a data breach involving their credit card or personal details would make them less likely to conduct business at a store or bank they usually use.

That last point leads to reputation smearing and loss of customer trust. But what about customer responsibility when it comes to security breaches? The “blame the customer” mentality seems more appropriate in the workplace when employees bring to work their own devices to assist in their jobs. This lets the data-breach cat out of the bag.

Though a significant percentage of employees have admitted (in surveys) to having a security problem with their device, a remarkably small percentage of these users felt compelled to report this to their boss. A very statistically significant number of employees who bring their devices to work haven’t even signed a formal contract that outlines security procedures. The bottom line is that taking security seriously is a rare find among employees who do the BYOD thing.

Another survey turned up an unsettling result: 76% of the 700+ consumers (who were affected by a breach) who were surveyed experienced stress from the event—but more than half didn’t even take steps to prevent ID theft afterwards.

Maybe this complacency can be in part explained by the fact that the losses from breaches are mostly absorbed by the companies involved.

The consumer, customer and employee need to step up to the plate and do their fair share of taking security measures seriously, rather than sitting back and letting businesses and banks take the entire burden.

It’s like getting attacked by a shark. Is the shark entirely to blame if the swimmer jumped into water near a sign that says “Beware of Sharks”? Then again, someone has to take the responsibility of putting the sign there in the first place…

All entities must pull together, stop finger pointing and accusing, and try to get a step ahead of the real villains.

Robert Siciliano is an identity theft expert to BestIDTheftCompanys.com discussing  identity theft prevention. For Roberts FREE ebook text- SECURE Your@emailaddress -to 411247. Disclosures.

5 ways Criminals hack your PC

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Hackers are hell-bent on busting into the network of their targets. They are persistent—never giving up. When you build your defense against cyber criminals, it must be done with the idea that they WILL succeed. When you operate on this assumption rather than thinking that your anti this and anti that are all you need, you’ll have the best cyber security in place.

4DAnother mistake is to assume that hackers hound only small businesses or weak networks. The cyber criminal doesn’t care so much about vulnerabilities; he wants the goods. It’s like a burglar wanting a million dollars worth of jewels that he knows is stashed inside a mansion surrounded by a moat filled with crocodiles. This won’t stop him. It will only determine the dynamics of how he penetrates.

Yes, less sophisticated hackers will target more vulnerable networks, but there’s a lot of hefty hackers out there who aren’t intimidated by persistence. If cyber thieves want a goal badly enough, they’ll get into every nook and cranny to achieve their mission.

Hackers also determine ahead of time how the victim might respond to an attack. The crime ring will invest time in this, going well-beyond the intended target’s IT tactics. They’ll go as far as learning employees’ after-hour leisure activities. To make it harder for hackers to mine all this information, a company should keep things unpredictable like work routines and not embrace social media.

The hacker creeps around quietly, going undetected while spreading damage. To catch below-the-radar cyber invasions, a business should employ a system that can spot and stamp out these murmurs.

Finally, cyber criminals usually launch a secondary attack as a distraction while the major attack gets underway—kind of like that newsworthy operation of some years ago involving pairs of thieves: One would approach a woman with a baby and tell her the baby was ugly. This distracted her so much that she had no idea that the accomplice was slipping off her purse and scrambling away with it. You must anticipate decoy operations.

Remember, install layers of protection:

  • Antivirus, antispyware, antiphishing, firewall
  • Set up encryption on your wireless router
  • Use a VPN when on free wireless
  • Keep your devices software, apps, browser and OS updated

Robert Siciliano is an identity theft expert to TheBestCompanys.com discussing  identity theft prevention. For Roberts FREE ebook text- SECURE Your@emailaddress -to 411247. Disclosures.

6 Ways to Protect your Internet of Things from Hackers

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Everything seems like it is connected to the Internet, just about, including TVs, home thermostats, sprinkler controls, door locks, egg trays (yes, there’s an app for that), tooth brushes (cray cray), and more.

11DA study by HP shows that 70 percent of devices have vulnerabilities. Researchers have revealed that most of the devices in their study, plus the devices’ mobile and cloud applications, had a welcome mat for hackers.

Most of these devices had weak passwords (like qwerty) or weakly protected credentials (unencrypted): beacons for hackers. Seventy percent of the devices lacked encryption. Sixty percent had insecure software updates.

The Open Web Application Security Project notes that vulnerabilities include poor physical security of devices. Gartner, an industry analysis firm, predicts that over 26 billion items, by 2020, will be connected to the Internet. And this includes all sorts of stuff in your home.

All these “smart” devices are a little too dumb and need even smarter protection. The more connected you and all the things in your home are, the more vulnerable you truly are.

Just think of how much of your personal information gets all over cyberspace when you’re so connected, including where your person is at any moment and medical details. Its these “peripheral” devices that connect to your wired or wireless network that in some way connect to your desktop, laptop, tablet or smartphone that criminals are after. Once they hack, say your thermostat, that may give them a backdoor to your data.

Device makers are not bound by any policies to regulate safety/security, making the instruments highly prone to cyber criminals. Worse, most people don’t know how to spot attacks or reverse the damage.

So how do you create a “smarthome”?

  1. First, do your homework. Before you purchase that smarthome device, take a good hard look at the company’s security policy. How easy can this device be updated? Don’t make the purchase if you have any doubts. Take the time to contact the manufacturer and get your questions answered. Know exactly what you’re about to sink your teeth into.
  2. Your device, new or old, should be protected with a password. Don’t keep saying, “I’ll get around to it.” Get it done now. If you’ve had a password already, maybe it’s time to change it; update them from time to time and use two-step verification whenever available. If you recently created a new password for security purposes, change it if it’s not long, strong and unique. A brand new password of 0987poi is weak (sequential keyboard characters). Criminals are aware of these kinds of passwords in whats called a “dictionary attack” of known passwords.
  3. Make sure that your software/firmware is updated on a regular basis. If you see an update offered, run it, rather than getting annoyed by it and clicking “later” or cancelling it. The updated version may contain patches to seal up recently detected security threats.
  4. Cautiously browse the Internet. Don’t be click-happy. Make sure whenever using a wireless connection, especially those that are free public WiFi use Hotspot Shield to encrypt your data in transit.
  5. Don’t feel you must click on every offer or ad that comes your way, or on links just because they’re inside e-mails. Don’t click on offers that seem too good to be true.
  6. Your mobile devices should be protected. This doesn’t just mean your smartphone, but the smart gadgets that your smartphone or tablets control, like that egg tray that can alert you when you’re running low on eggs.

Robert Siciliano is an Identity Theft Expert to Hotspot Shield. He is the author of 99 Things You Wish You Knew Before Your Identity Was Stolen See him discussing internet and wireless security on Good Morning America. Disclosures.

The Beginners Guide to using TOR

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Want to be invisible online? Get to know Tor.

TORTor will make you cyber-anonymous, concealing your cyber footprints, ID, browsing history and physical location. It even makes the sites you visit anonymous. Now, all that being said, there seems to be a concerted effort by certain US government agencies and others to crack Tor, but that hasn’t been completely accomplished…yet.

More on Tor

Realize, that Tor can’t provide 100 percent security. On paper, the Tor network is secure. But the typical Joe or Jane may unintentionally exit Tor using an “exit node,” and end up getting on a website or server that’s in the “open web.” If the visited site is not encrypted, Joe or Jane’s communications can be hijacked.

Tor is actually easy to set up. You can download packages for your operating system: Mac, Windows or GNU/Linux, and this includes the Tor Browser. The Covert Browser supports Tor for iOS and Android.

You may find, however, that your device may fight against installing Tor; the device thinks it’s malevolent and won’t accept the download. Keep trying. Have faith in the Tor code and download it.

The Tor experience is quite leisurely, slowing down what you can do in a given amount of time. It’s not going to get faster, either, as more and more people decide to use Tor. It’s slow because it directs traffic through multiple, random relay nodes prior to arriving at the destination node. So realize that you’ll be dealing with more of a turtle than a hare.

Tor blocks applications, too. If you want total anonymity, you should use the Tor software with the Tor Browser. But plugins will be blocked by the Tor Browser—because plugins can be used to see your IP address. This is why the Tor Project suggests not installing plugins. This means giving up YouTube and other sites while using Tor.

Be warned, Tor can get you undesired attention because the government is more suspicious of Tor users. This doesn’t mean the government will knock down your doors if you’re using Tor. It just means that Tor users may get the attention of the government more than typical Internet users.

As previously stated there’s evidence that government agencies, including the NSA, are trying to dismantle the Tor network, even though it delivers strong privacy protection to average Internet users.

If you want this level of anonymity, you’re going to have to get used to the fact that using Tor will change your online experiences (can you get by without YouTube?). The Tor Project says: “You need to change some of your habits, as some things won’t work exactly as you are used to.”

No matter whether on Tor or the open web, make sure if you are on free public WiFi that you are using Hotspot Shield to encrypt any wireless data.

Give Tor a try if privacy and anonymity are important enough for you to give up some of the features that make your online activities enjoyable, convenient and/or productive timewise.

Robert Siciliano is an Identity Theft Expert to Hotspot Shield. He is the author of99 Things You Wish You Knew Before Your Identity Was Stolen See him discussing internet and wireless security on Good Morning America. Disclosures.

Botnets Here, Botnets There, Botnets EVERYWHERE

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What are these “botnets” you keep hearing about? Botnets (think roBOT + NETwork—gets you “BOTNET”) are a network of secretly compromised, run-of-the-mill home and office computers that have malicious software—controlled by a solitary hacker or cybercrime ring.

6DHackers use botnets to execute a variety of cybercrimes like page rank sabotage, mass spamming, bitcoin mining, and more. The FBI says there are 18 botnet infections every second worldwide and these infiltrations pose one of the gravest online threats ever. That figure means over 500 million computers a year are infected.

Needless to say, these attacks can occur without the user knowing it. Botnets will swipe the user’s personal and financial data and can result in stolen credit cards, website crashes and even record your keystroke habits.

The FBI is trying fervently to crumble the botnet empire, as this costs billions of dollars in fallout. And botnetting is on the rise. Hackers aren’t just going after Joe Smo’s credit cards, but top government secrets and technology.

This situation is compounded by another facet of the U.S. government using botnets to build up its power. Think NSA, with its pervasive surveillance program. NSA is assuming control over botnet-infected devices, using these for their own purposes.

NSA, in fact, has a legion of “sleeper cells,” according to the document that was leaked by Edward Snowden. These are remote-controlled computers infested with malware, and as of 2012, were on 50,000 networks.

So we have our government fighting to dismantle botnets, yet simultaneously, building up their arsenal with…botnets. So how on earth will this problem ever be mitigated?

It starts with you.

  • Pay attention if you notice that your Internet connection is unusually slow or you can’t access certain sites (and that your Internet connection is not down)
  • Make sure you have comprehensive Antivirus security installed on all your devices.
  • Be careful when giving out your email address, clicking on links and opening attachments, especially if they are from people you don’t know
  • Stay educated on the latest tactics that hackers and scammers use so that you’re aware of tricks they use
  • Keep your devices operating systems critical security patches updated.

Robert Siciliano is an identity theft expert to TheBestCompanys.com discussing  identity theft prevention. For Roberts FREE ebook text- SECURE Your@emailaddress -to 411247. Disclosures.

Majority of Executives believe Attackers will overcome Corporate Defenses

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Many technology executives don’t have a favorable outlook on their ability to sideswipe cybercriminals, according to research conducted by McKinsey and World Economic Forum.

2DThe research also shows that both big and small businesses lack the ability to make sturdy decisions, and struggle to quantify the effect of risk and resolution plans. As the report authors state, “Much of the damage results from an inadequate response to a breach rather than the breach itself”.

These results come from interviews with more than 200 business leaders such as chief information officers, policy makers, regulators, law enforcement officials and technology vendors spanning the Americas, Europe, Asia, Africa and the Middle East.

Cybercrimes are extremely costly and the cost can hit the trillions of dollars mark.

Several concerning trends regarding how decision makers in the business world perceive cyber risks, attacks and their fallouts were apparent in the research findings:

  • Over 50 percent of all respondents, and 70 percent of financial institution executives, think that cybersecurity is a big risk. Some executives believe that threats from employees equal those from external sources.
  • A majority of executives envision that cyber criminals will continue being a step ahead of corporate defenses. 60 percent believe that the gap between cyber crooks and corporate defense will increase, with, of course, the crooks in the lead.
  • The leaking of proprietary knowledge is a big concern for companies selling products to consumers and businesses.
  • Service companies, though, are more worried about the leaking of their customers’ private information and of disruptions in service.
  • Large organizations, says ongoing McKinsey research, reported cross-sector gaps in risk-management competency.
  • Some companies spend a lot but don’t have much sophistication in risk-management capabilities, while other companies spend little but are relatively good at making risk-management decisions. Even large companies can stand to improve their risk management capabilities substantially.

Robert Siciliano is an Identity Theft Expert to AllClearID. He is the author of99 Things You Wish You Knew Before Your Identity Was Stolen See him knock’em dead in this identity theft prevention video. Disclosures.

Cybersecurity Insurance still Requires Cybersecurity

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OpenSSL vulnerabilities are sticking around for a while. In fact, recently two new ones were announced: One allows criminals to run an arbitrary code on a vulnerable computer/device, and the other allows man-in-the-middle attacks. A more famous openSSL vulnerability that made headlines earlier this year is the Heartbleed bug.

3DMight cybersecurity insurance be a viable solution?

As reported in SC Magazine, Yes, says Hunton & Williams LLP. Cybersecurity insurance fixes the problems that these vulnerabilities cause—that technology alone can’t always mitigate.

Hunton & Williams LLP reports that GameOver Zeus malware infiltrated half a million to a million computers, resulting in gargantuan losses to businesses and consumers. The firm says that antivirus software just isn’t enough to prevent mass infection. The fact is, advances in malicious code have rendered antivirus software frightfully weak, continues the firm..While not everyone agrees on this point, Hunton & Williams recommends a proactive approach which includes assessment of risk transfer methods, e.g., insurance.

Laurie Mercer, from the security consulting company Contest Information Security, also believes in cybersecurity insurance. Mercer uses cars as an analogy. A car must stick to safety standards. The car gets serviced every so often. But the car also has various buttons and whatnots inside that can alert the driver of a problem.

Likewise, with cybersecurity, products can be certified with commercial product assurance accreditation. A website can get a regular security audit every so often. And like the interior buttons of a car, a website can have a response strategy to a cyber incident or some kind of detection for an attack. However, the car should still be insured.

At a recent SC Congress London, Sarah Stephens from Aon EMEA pointed out that cyber insurance is rising in popularity. But Andrew Rose, a security analyst with Forrester, noted that many threats can be resolved with adequate plans in place.

Robert Siciliano is an Identity Theft Expert to AllClearID. He is the author of 99 Things You Wish You Knew Before Your Identity Was Stolen See him knock’em dead in this identity theft prevention video. Disclosures.

Cyber Security Insurance Difficult for Business to Navigate

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Cyber insurance is now booming, with about 50 carriers in the industry. An increasing number of companies have cyber insurance to protect against cyber crime. However, businesses claim it’s not easy to get adequate coverage.

4DLosses from data breaches are difficult to quantify. The tangible losses are more easily insured, says a New York Times online report. When it comes to a data breach, there are often related losses such as reputational damage and loss of customer loyalty that are harder to quantify.

Add to this the fact that underwriters don’t yet have sufficient data to estimate the likeliness or cost of an attack; most breaches get missed or aren’t reported publicly.

While an insurance company can tell you the precise odds of a major city office building burning down, nobody knows when the next giant retailer will be hacked. Statistics on hacking risks aren’t constant due to the continuous evolution of cyber crimes.

According to New York Times estimates, companies seeking coverage can only hope for, at best, a $300 million policy, peanuts compared to the billions devoted to property protection. Though this still sounds generous, the cost of a major breach can easily exceed it. Target’s situation is on course for just that, says the New York Times online article. The 2011 Sony breach has already exceeded $2 billion in fallout.

The best policies cover costs associated with alerting customers, plus forensics, call center setups, consumer identity monitoring, legal fees and a crisis management firm. But that may only dent the disaster. Policies don’t address loss in profits due to customers jumping ship. A policy can’t prevent a marred brand reputation. “Although a solid cyber policy will cover notification, crisis management expenses, defense costs, damages and the costs associated with regulatory action, it would not cover other, potentially much larger losses, such as reputational injury and loss of brand and market share,” says Roberta Anderson, an insurance coverage and cybersecurity attorney with the law firm of K&L Gates, LLP.  “Those losses are difficult to value and remain uninsurable in the market today.”

Expect the cyber insurance industry to continue swelling while cyber crime continues to remain several steps ahead of businesses and security systems.

Robert Siciliano is an Identity Theft Expert to AllClear ID. He is the author of 99 Things You Wish You Knew Before Your Identity Was Stolen See him knock’em dead in this identity theft prevention video. Disclosures.