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Zero-day: Birth of a new threat

  • min read
    • They're inside your system but no one knows how they got there – or how to stop them. These destructive attacks are called zero-day threats, because your security team will have zero days to prepare. Zero-day attacks involve cybercriminals using vulnerabilities no one knows about. They're hard to detect and can go on for years. Zero-day: Birth of a New Threat is Tomorrow Unlocked's latest film in the hacker:HUNTER Behind the Screens series. Michael Gregg, CEO of Managed Service Provider Catalyst Network Solutions, discusses these attacks and his clever way to trick cybercriminals into giving up their secrets. He also shares ways to spot these sometimes-subtle attacks. Understanding zero-day attacks While you may not have heard of zero-day attacks, some of the most well-known cyberattacks fall into this category, such as WannaCry and BlueKeep. But what does it mean? Software developers are always looking out for vulnerabilities hackers could use to gain access to systems through their software. When you receive software updates, these often include 'patches' for recently discovered security holes. "It's called zero-day because that's exactly how long you've had to prepare for it," says Gregg. Zero-day attacks might include reaching a vulnerable system using phishing – manipulative emails to users aiming to convince them to open a file or visit a malicious site. That action downloads the attacker's malware, which infiltrates user files. It can take time for developers to find the vulnerability that allowed the attack. In recent years, hackers have become faster at exploiting vulnerabilities soon after discovery. Zero-day attacks are especially dangerous because only attackers know about them. Once they have access through a zero-day vulnerability, criminals can attack immediately or wait for the best time. What is a Managed Service Provider (MSP?) Gregg's company, Catalyst Network Solutions, is a Kaspersky partner Managed Service Provider (MSP.) MSPs offer cybersecurity-as-a-service. Rather than or as well as an inhouse cybersecurity team, businesses hire MSPs to take care of their cybersecurity. Using MSPs makes it easier for businesses to have a range of cybersecurity expertise on-hand in a market where hiring cyber experts can be challenging. MSPs typically provide services to multiple companies and organizations, giving them broad-based knowledge of cyberthreats and cyber solutions. With the wide range of business tech that needs securing today – from light switches to security cameras to fridges – the value of wide-ranging experience is rising by the day. Tricking cybercriminals with their own tricks The data tricks cybercriminals into using, and so revealing, their zero-day methods. This has allowed Gregg's team to prevent and stop attacks faster. Preventing zero-day attacks As soon as a zero-day threat is understood, software developers will release updates to patch it, so your business should ensure it always installs updates promptly. If you can't stop a zero-day attack happening, there are ways to ensure it's caught early. Gregg advises "There's never a call that's not worth making," when it comes to cybersecurity. Signs of zero-day attacks can be subtle. "If your mouse is moving in a weird way, you're getting out-of-place keystrokes or your computer's running slowly," let the cyber professionals know – whether you have an internal team or a Managed Service Provider.
lighting up dark web, fraud, low enforcement

How police identify criminals selling data on the dark web

  • min read
    • In the north of England, a team of officers are getting creative. They're finding ways to identify criminals selling personal data, fake COVID-19 vaccines and child sexual abuse images on the dark web. Tomorrow Unlocked's film Lighting up the Dark Web follows the UK's Yorkshire and Humber Regional Cybercrime Unit (RCCU) in their quest to unmask a crime ring selling personal data for fraud. What is the dark web? The dark web is a network of computers where web traffic is anonymized. Many use it to access marketplaces and other sites to commit crime. The dark web can also be used for good. Dissidents, whistleblowers and investigative journalists use it to communicate anonymously online, and others use it to avoid online data collection. The sale of personal data is big business on the dark web. The US's Federal Trade Commission reported consumers lost nearly $8.8 billion US dollars to scams in 2022. Linking dark web identities and real-world people In 2014, a trader called Data Pro was selling National Insurance numbers, dates of birth, credit card numbers and more on the dark web marketplace Evolution. RCCU suspected the source was a UK-based business. RCCU used 'slips' – when Data Pro occasionally used identifiable information – to link his clear web and dark web identities. How businesses can protect themselves from dark web criminals While the dark web seemed impossible to control in the past, law enforcement is now getting ahead. Businesses can also act to give fraudsters less opportunity to make dark web profits out of their data. First and foremost, protect your business's data from being stolen with strong data security practices, including encrypting your data and educating employees on how to avoid accidentally giving cybercriminals access. Your people are your most important security feature because most breaches start with basic errors like clicking a link in a rogue email or giving login details to someone who isn't who they said they were. If your data is already stolen and ends up on the dark web, dark web monitoring services like Have I Been Pwned may help you identify a breach and alert those whose information was stolen faster. As law enforcement becomes more cyber savvy, there are fewer places for cybercriminals to hide. Increasing international cooperation is also helping light up the darkest parts of the web. Businesses also have a part to play by reducing the opportunities for their data to be stolen and sold.
kids, tomorrow unlocked

What should we do with kids who hack?

  • min read
    • Tomorrow Unlocked's latest video series in collaboration with Euronews, hacker:HUNTER The Kids, examines how and why children get into hacking – putting themselves at risk and doing much damage. Should these young hackers be treated like criminals? Or can they be rehabilitated and taught to use their hacking skills for good? Watch the episodes: 1.  Criminals in children's rooms? How kids become hackers One mom didn't know her son was hacking until he had a gun delivered to the family home. Episode 1 explores how organized crime groups target children and groom them into cybercrime. We also follow the journey of a young hacker's mother who now helps police address cybercrime by children. 2.  How kids with little code skill do big, damaging hacks Children don't need much code skill to perform damaging cyberattacks. In episode 2, hear original testimony from a child hacker – a 'script kiddie' or 'skiddie:' How and why he attacked his school, stealing and exposing private information. But despite increasing damage from their hacks, experts think script kiddies shouldn't be thrown in jail – instead, they could be nurtured to be future cyber leaders. 3.  It started with innocent pranks. Now he faces life in prison. A 14-year-old known as Omnipotent started one of the world's most popular hacking forums, RaidForums. It began with innocent pranks on users of streaming service Twitch, but soon led to life-threatening hoaxes and selling stolen data. Authorities long knew Omnipotent was Portuguese national Diogo Santos Coelho. Yet they didn't arrest him until he was old enough to be tried as an adult. His case raises hard questions – could police have stopped crime if they'd intervened earlier? 4.  How Dutch police put prevention first with young hackers Hacking's adrenaline rush can be addictive. If authorities intervene when they're young, can black-hat (illegal) hackers gain a moral compass and learn to use their skills for good? Netherlands' National Police Corps focus on preventing cybercrime. Their unique programs RE_B00tCMP (Reboot Camp) and HACK_Right aim to send young hackers in a positive direction. Hacker GhostExodus, imprisoned for 11 years because of his illegal hacking as a young person, shares how he got back on track. Subscribe to Tomorrow Unlocked on YouTube for more films about how tech is changing our world. Experts in hacker:HUNTER The Kids Waqas Ahmed, Cybersecurity Writer, HackRead Media. Ben Cooper KC, specialist extradition lawyer. Dr. Kelli Dunlap Clinical Psychologist and Game Designer. Christian Funk, Head of GReAT, Kaspersky Germany. Barbara Gemen, Parent and Cyber Special Volunteer with the Dutch National Police GhostExodus, former black hat hacker turned humanitarian activist. Floor Jansen, Team Lead, Cyber Offender Prevention Squad, Dutch Police. Mike Jones, Security Researcher. Marco Preuss, Director of GReAT, Kaspersky Europe. Alexander Urbelis, Cybersecurity Lawyer, Crowell and Moring. Jorik Van Maanen, student and RE_B00tCMP graduate. Erik Van Oosbree, white-hat hacker and penetration tester.
IT economics report

Guess who’s leaking as much data as cybercriminals

  • min read
    • New research by Kaspersky finds employees are causing more data leaks. So much so that employee action and cyberattacks are running neck-and-neck. What's behind this growth in employee-initiated data leaking? And what can business leaders do to turn employees from cyber risk to cyber asset? Why are employees causing more data leaks? More than 3,000 IT security managers in 26 countries contributed views to Kaspersky's 2022 IT Security Economics report. The research found that in 2022, cyberattacks caused 23 percent of data leaks, while employees caused a close 22 percent. This growing proportion of leaks linked to employees may follow work-life changes since the pandemic. The report says, "IT security teams are now battling data leakages caused by employees […] following the introduction of new staff laptops or tablets, and Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) to enable remote working." And it's not all innocent mistakes. Most employee-triggered leaks involved ignoring cybersecurity policy, but security managers also reported more than a third (36 percent) were deliberate acts of sabotage or espionage. How employees cause data leaks Small, almost mundane actions often lead to data leaks. Usually, the employee is tricked by a 'social engineering' tactic or practicing poor cyber 'hygiene.' But what does that mean? Social engineering Cybercriminals use manipulative tricks known as social engineering to fool employees into giving them access to systems or giving out information they otherwise wouldn't. A common approach is 'phishing' – emails or messages containing links that give cybercriminals access to business systems when clicked on. Phishing is getting more sophisticated – mimicking, for example, emails announcing sales or discounts from household brands so well they're hard to tell apart from the real thing. 'Spear phishing' is more targeted and personalized. It might, for example, target those in an organization most likely to take the bait, or mimic a target organization's internal newsletter or email format. Cybercriminals also engage in social engineering one-on-one. For example, they may phone employees saying they're from the IT support desk and try to persuade the employee to share their login and password details. Cyber hygiene Maintaining good cyber hygiene means everyday practices that make it harder for cybercriminals to access systems. The actions that make up cyber hygiene will hopefully be familiar, for example: Having complex passwords, always using a VPN when working remotely and deleting digital information you no longer need. How to stop employee leaks Cybersecurity awareness training aims to teach cyber hygiene alongside the broader education employees need to notice and avoid falling for social engineering tricks. Earlier Kaspersky research in partnership with Longitude, a thought leadership agency within the Financial Times Group, found businesses confident in their cyber skills programs also report better overall cyberattack preparedness. While cybersecurity experts should upskill regularly, the research highlights the importance of training all staff – beyond the IT department – to create a company-wide cybersecurity culture. One-off training is also not enough: staff need to absorb ideas and practice skills to make new habits. Heathrow Airport's innovative employee cyber awareness program aims to change behavior long-term with 'little and often' education targeted at those who need it most. Heathrow uses mock phishing emails to identify employees at risk of falling for cybercriminals' tricks, so they're not wasting time educating employees whose cyber awareness is already strong. Cybersecurity awareness training should also aim to encourage 'cyber pride' – building positive motivation for good cyber behavior rather than stoking fear. What about preventing employee sabotage? Comprehensive cybersecurity education may not be enough to prevent the 36 percent of employee-generated data leaks done by disgruntled employees. Examples of how employees have deliberately leaked data abound – from sharing customer data online to handing access keys to cybercriminals. Regular user access reviews – checking who has access to what and keeping all system access to a minimum – are important, but nothing surpasses the value of maintaining a positive workplace culture. Leaders need ways to 'temperature check' their organization beyond relying on the Personnel department or peers in senior leadership to thoroughly report concerns. Affected departments have a 'dog in the fight,' so to speak, and may not share everything they should. Ways to temperature-check include 360-degree feedback mechanisms – where all staff give anonymous feedback about their manager. Writing in Forbes, founder of Rungway workplace advice platform, Julie Chakraverty, says, "To… uncover hidden attitudes and views, you need to ask your employees how they feel. Lead by example by being fully open and transparent… [and] empower your employees to share their opinions and give honest feedback." The change in how data leaks happen, with more employees triggering them, should give every business pause for thought. Bringing leadership focus back to workplace culture and employee wellbeing has always paid dividends across the business, but we now understand its crucial importance in keeping data safe. Regular, targeted cybersecurity education, strong cyber hygiene and understanding how everyone in your organization is feeling should be central to your data protection strategy.
manage data leak

Infographic: Five vital steps to deal with a data breach

  • min read
    • Things can be frantic when you're dealing with a data breach. While swiftly diagnosing the problem and communicating clearly with everyone who needs to know, it's easy to miss something that could have serious consequences later. Use these five pointers to make sure you've done the right thing after a data breach. 1.  Assess the situation First, assess the data breach's risk to customers. Risk assessment lets you decide the next steps, including whether to report the breach. If it's a high risk to customers, you must inform them without undue delay, perhaps even before reporting to authorities. 2.  Be transparent and helpful Don't try to cover up the breach or hide details from those affected. If you hide things, you may see customers losing trust in your business on top of negative news coverage. When you tell customers what happened, give them advice on what to do next. 3.  Document everything Document every data breach, even if you don't have to report it. Record what happened, the steps you took and why the breach was reported or not reported. 4.  Learn from it Once you identify the cause, fix it. Next, make sure all staff receive training in how to prevent future breaches. Human error causes most data breaches. 5.  Make sure you notify everyone affected If you're processing data for other organizations, don't forget to tell them about the breach. They will have steps they must take too. Using these five pointers after a data breach will help your business get back on its feet sooner rather than later. Communicating swiftly and clearly with customers and partners is all-important in limiting the breach's impact on your business. It may happen to even the most cybersecurity-conscious organizations, but there's still a lot you can do to prepare. Equipping your employees with cybersecurity skills and knowledge is crucial to ensuring your customers' data stays safe in future.
data toxic waste

Data – the new oil, or potential for a toxic oil spill?

  • min read
    • Both of these statements were once controversial, but today, they're commonsense. If Equifax, the CIA, the NSA, The Office of Personnel Management, Facebook and dating sites can't keep our secrets secret, then neither can your business. In truth, industry's old, ill-placed confidence in the security of data was always an example of motivated reasoning. Collecting data is so cheap and storing it is so easy, and there were so many analysts and investors and hustling grifters exclaiming that "data is the new oil" that it seemed fiscally irresponsible not to collect everything you could, and retain it forever. Who knew how that data could be put to profitable use in the future? It was raining soup, so it was time to fill your boots – even if you couldn't find a market for soup-in-a-boot today, there was no doubt that such a market would appear in the foreseeable future. Given such a value proposition, it's not surprising that the people doing the collecting and the retaining of data talked themselves into the idea that both activities could be undertaken safely. But of course, they were wrong, and as history has caught up with them – as breach after breach has hit in ever-increasing waves – the rationale has changed. Now, rather than arguing that breaches are inevitable, the story goes that breaches aren't a big deal: every time there's a data breach, company spokespeople recite the catechism: "We take our customers' privacy very seriously. None of the data that leaked was compromising." Some of that is "privacy nihilism" – it was all going to leak eventually, so what's the difference? But there's a more insidious version of this, which argues that breach data isn't a problem because bad people can't do much with it. This isn't just nihilism; it's denialism. Breach apologists argue that the data they leak isn't compromising because it's anonymized, or because key identifiers were removed from it. This profoundly misunderstands how data is used – and abused. Re-identification of anonymized data-sets is a hot research topic for computer science today, with researchers creating automatic tools that piece together disparate data-sets to identify the people in them: for example, you can merge a health authority's database of anonymized prescribing data (doctor, medicine, date and time) with a breached database of taxi journeys that includes trips to hospitals that coincide with the prescribing times to infer who is taking antipsychotic medications, or antiretrovirals or cancer therapeutics. Many data-protection vendors have promised that they can inject noise into data-sets to prevent re-identification, but those promises rarely survive contact with security researchers who evaluate their claims. It's been years since the first significant re-identification theoretical work was done, and things keep getting worse for those who insist that anonymization is possible. Re-identification methods tell us a lot about how digital criminals operate and their incredible frugality and resourcefulness. Usernames and passwords can be recycled in credential-stuffing attacks that allow them to break into security cameras from Ring and Nest, order takeaway meals, or track and immobilize entire fleets of corporate vehicles. Breach identities can be used to overwhelm regulatory proceedings with plausible fake comments or to create fleets of Twitter identities. Criminals operate by combining and recombining data-sets, using one company's breach in combination with a public data source, and a third company's anonymous data release to wreak incredible havoc. They might even get enough data fragments to fraudulently obtain a duplicate deed for your house and sell it to someone else while you're on holiday. Never mind that no one can point to a specific piece of data you're liable to lose control over someday and say, "That, that's the data-point that will cost someone their house, or let their stalker find them or expose their retirement savings to thieves." It's similarly true that no one can point to a specific droplet of dioxin in a factory's illegal effluent pipe and say, "That, that is the carcinogen that will kill a young mother of three, some five miles downstream of the pipe." This doesn't stop companies that poison the water or the air from paying the price. The harms from breaches are stochastic (i.e., randomly determined), not deterministic. So far, remedies for those who have been injured by breaches have been severely limited, but they're getting stiffer. Home Depot's 2014 breach cost it $0.34/customer in direct compensation. But that was then. Breached Yahoo! customers may get compensated $100 each. Facebook just got hit with a $5B fine, and the party's just getting started. The harms from breaches are cumulative: like toxic waste in nature, breaches build up in the information environment, and they are effectively immortal in their potential for damage. As the public – and the law – come to grips with this, we're likely to see greater and greater remedies for those whose data has been released into the wild (forever). Remember, breaches affect everyone alike – all political persuasions, rich and poor, including the governing classes and lawmakers themselves. Inevitably, we will see the framework for breach remedies transformed to look more like the remedies for other probabilistic harms, such as environmental harms. When that happens, it might be too late for you: the data you're warehousing today might already have been ex-filtrated from your network without you even knowing that it's happened – until one of your customers finds out the hard way that you've compromised them, and seeks legal remedies. Your insurer isn't going to write policies for you – or errors and omissions policies for your board – if you're warehousing all this digital toxic waste in leaky digital barrels, not once the penalties for losing control over it start to turn into real money. Maybe you could still justify all that risk if the profits from all that data were commensurate with it. But as researchers keep discovering, the benefits from data are wildly oversold – the efficacy of ad targeting based on users' behavior is almost identical targeting based on the content of the pages where the ads appear, which requires no user data. But if you're an ad-tech company or a Big Tech platform like Facebook or Google, the mystique about the ability of data to convert customers allows you to sell your product as a massive premium, while intimidating potential competitors who think that they will never get started because they can never collect as much data as the companies that are already in the space. The people who claim data is the new oil are people who are selling the data, and the claims they make about the ways that this data lets you do amazing things are sales literature, not peer-reviewed studies. Data was never the new oil. It was always the new toxic waste: pluripotent, immortal – and impossible to contain. You don't want to be making more of it, and you definitely should be getting rid of the supply you've so unwisely stockpiled so far. Data minimization isn't just good practice; it's good business. Collect as little data as you can, and keep it as briefly as you can. If your privacy policy fits on the back of a napkin – because you're collecting almost nothing and processing it only for specific purposes, and then deleting it forever – you're on the right track! This article reflects the opinions of the author.
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About Secure Futures

Secure Futures magazine is your go-to business guide for opinions, trends and insight into the world of technology and cybersecurity. We help your business to bring on the future. Brought to you by Kaspersky, the global cybersecurity experts.

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