As threats like phishing and data breaches rise, organizations and individuals are seeking more robust ways to protect sensitive information.

Biometric authentication—using unique biological characteristics such as fingerprints, facial recognition, or voice patterns—has emerged as a leading solution. Here are five compelling reasons to use biometrics to secure your mobile devices:

1. Eliminates the Threat of Passwords

Passwords remain one of the weakest links in mobile security. Over 80% of company data breaches are attributed to weak or stolen passwords. Many users still rely on simple, easily guessed passwords or reuse the same password across multiple accounts, making it easier for hackers to gain unauthorized access. Biometrics remove this vulnerability by replacing passwords with something unique to each user, significantly reducing the risk of data breaches.

Read more: How many different passwords should you have?

2. More Convenient for Users

Remembering and resetting passwords can be frustrating and time-consuming. Biometric authentication streamlines the process—users can unlock their devices or access sensitive apps with a simple fingerprint scan or facial recognition. This not only saves time but also enhances the user experience, as you can’t forget your fingerprint or face.

3. Greater Accountability

Biometrics provide a clear audit trail of who accessed a device or network and when. Unlike passwords, which can be shared or stolen, biometric data is unique to each individual. This accountability is crucial for organizations that need to track access and investigate potential security incidents.

4. Widespread Adoption and Trust

Biometric technology is rapidly becoming the standard for mobile security. Over 60% of employers already use biometrics in the workplace, and nearly half use it specifically to secure mobile devices. As more consumers and businesses adopt this technology, its effectiveness and reliability continue to improve.

5. High Return on Investment (ROI)

Implementing biometric security can lead to significant cost savings. By reducing the risk of costly data breaches and minimizing the need for password resets and IT support, organizations can achieve a high ROI. For example, one bank reported a 191% ROI after adopting biometric authentication.

Therefore, we use biometrics in the dfndr security applock.

Ready to take your mobile security to the next level?

Discover how dfndr security can help protect your devices and data. 

Article originally published by: https://www.cshub.com/mobile/articles/5-reasons-to-use-biometrics-to-secure-mobile-devices

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Caution Flags 

The radical simplicity and irresistible pull of the Coinbase spot was the talk of the post-game ad reviews. But out of the din of this discussion came another message — this one from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Inc Magazine’s Jason Aten pointed to a warning they had issued a month prior to the big game – the first lines lay out the situation quite clearly:

The FBI is issuing this announcement to raise awareness of malicious Quick Response (QR) codes. Cybercriminals are tampering with QR codes to redirect victims to malicious sites that steal login and financial information.

QR Codes Are Back, And Bigger Than Ever

Once again, it seems that bad actors have seized on a popular trend to help them do their dirty work. A simple technology dating back to the 90’s, QR Codes are on the rise lately – as they’ve become a very effective digital tool for marketers who want to quickly convert mobile phone readers into shoppers and buyers. The Wikipedia entry on QR codes gives you a quick grasp of just how powerful they can be when scanned on a mobile phone:

QR codes may be used to display text to the user, to open a webpage on the user’s device, to add a Card contact to the user’s device, to open a Uniform Resource Identifier (URI), to connect to a wireless network, or to compose an email or text message.

All you have to do is think about how hackers might use that kind of power, and you can quickly see that indiscriminate scanning of QR codes could lead you into some serious trouble. 

Two Primary Sources of QR Code Danger

The first danger with malicious QR codes is the fact that they can transport you seamlessly to a fake website. As with most hacks, the first layer of the transaction seems to be legitimate: the QR code works! The user arrives at a site that has the offer or information they were seeking. 

And this is when many users will let their guard down, and fail to notice telltale signs that the site isn’t legitimate. Super-sweetened offers can also play a role in softening up otherwise careful users. The bad website can be a collection point for private information and financial data, and the path to financial losses and ID Theft is paved.

The second danger is QR codes that include malware themselves. Once again, let’s turn to the FBI for — “just the facts”:

Malicious QR codes may also contain embedded malware, allowing a criminal to gain access to the victim’s mobile device and steal the victim’s location as well as personal and financial information. The cybercriminal can leverage the stolen financial information to withdraw funds from victim accounts.

That’s about as bad as it can get. So, short of forsaking the use of all QR codes — how do you defend yourself?

What Can You Do?

Here are the five steps you can take – we discuss each below in more detail:

1. Get informed about what QR codes are and what they can do.
2. Make sure your device has good security software.
3. Use that security software regularly!
4. Before scanning any QR code, scan “the situation.” 
5. Make sure you land where you expected to!

You’ll be glad to know that you’re well on your way to completing the first step. We hope this article has helped in this regard, and if you want to get even more up-to-date on potential threats to you and your mobile device, we highly recommend these two companion articles:

Six Ways That Cybercriminals Try To Take Over Your Device – QR codes are covered here along with several other traps, like WiFi Honeypots, Fake Apps, and even Subtitles in Streaming Apps. Do give it a careful read – lots to learn here.

Can a QR Code Be Used In A Phishing Attack? – If you’ve followed us so far, you know the answer to this question is YES! But hit the link to get more information on how QR codes can bait the hook for hackers’ big Phishing expeditions.

Security Help

If you’re using dfndr security, make sure you activate the anti-hacking feature to protect you from scams and malware. dfndr security PRO plan also has a dedicated Safe App function to help sniff out apps that contain malware, and also provides complete Identity Theft reports should you suspect trouble.

Eyes Up!

But your awareness is always going to be your first line of defense. Remember that QR codes primary benefit is to help you connect to a specific spot on the web without your having to type in a URL. The “fun” of seeing this work is no doubt a major part of the success of that Coinbase ad. 

If you decide you do want to scan a QR code – make sure you can verify it’s from a trusted source, and take a good close look at the surroundings: the copy and design, the context of use. Is the code stuck on a wall outside a club? Or did it come to you via a traceable source like a mass mailing? If you can verify that the code is from a trustworthy source – make sure the landing spot is what you expected it to be.  

Just remember what your friends in the FBI told you: a QR code isn’t a game to be taken lightly — or a Pokemon type game where you have to capture and collect. They serve a very specific function, and they’re more powerful than they look. Treat QR codes with the same caution you’d give to any unknown app or web address.

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The ph prefix means that both are…well…phake.

But despite the cute names, the damage that can be wrought with either method is considerable. Identity Theft is the end game for many of these swindles, and as you may know, the long tail effects of ID theft can be personally devastating (and if you’ve never really experienced or read-about just how hard ID Theft can be for individuals, we highly recommend reading through that linked article. Not fun, but essential information).

While phishing attacks are made through phishy emails, pharming is the term applied when the hacker sets a trap in the form of a malevolent website: frequently, an impostor-site posing as a well-known and trusted company site. 

Pharming: Individual User Attacks

Phishing and pharming often go together – and the phishy email lures a single user to a malicious website, where the user enters their private information and the pharmer makes off with it, using it later to sow havoc by deploying it on the real site.  

Sometimes these sites are simply set up like traps on the web – you may have encountered one or more of these by simply misspelling the name of a popular site. The result may be a jarringly different site than what you expected. 

In truth these situations are relatively easy to avoid.  But sometimes the site you’re delivered to can be very close to what you expected, and that’s where real pharming trouble can begin.

Malware can drive pharming too – redirecting you to the substitute site without your awareness or permission. It’s important to remember that hackers are increasingly fond of using techniques of misdirection. You may inherit malware through a new app you download, but the consequences arrive later, when you first log on to your bank-site or try to pay your credit card bill, and the malware takes you to an impostor site to steal that information from you.

DNS Switching  

DNS switching takes the whole pharming idea to a more dangerous height. Whereas the malware or phishing-driven pharming operates at an individual user level, DNS Switching redirects all traffic to a given website to a pharmed-out impostor. 

The malware works within the DNS server and redirects requests to reach the authentic site to the pharming site. These more sophisticated attacks often involve more sophisticated fakery, and the pharming sites can be very convincing.

How To Protect Yourself, Down on The Pharm

As always, there are a few different layers of protection you can enlist to keep yourself from pharming — and the more of them you employ, the safer you’ll be:

Mindset: Your mindset as a user is one of the best defenses you have against hackers. Remember that hackers are fond of using social engineering – which some might refer to as “good old psychology” — to lure users into interactions with iffy emails, sketchy sites, and strange-people on well-known platforms. Keep your guard up, and if somebody, something, or some site asks you for information that your bank or health club or grocery-delivery (etc.) already should have, let that alarm bell go off loudly in your head. Then take three giant steps away from your keyboard. 

If your spider-sense has even an inkling that an email from a friend or a site isn’t the real deal: slow down and check it out. In general: try not to confer the trust you have in a person or company onto any representation made for them on the web. The web is…the web. And it should always be treated with caution.

Unprotected?: Public, unsecured wifi networks really are the devil’s playground.

The upshot is that public networks have chinks in their armour, and hackers use those chinks to “eavesdrop” on your conversations. Information they steal through this technical kind of listening can lead to direct attacks, or…down the road, a phishing or pharming attack tailored just for you. 

S matters: There’s a big difference between http:// and https:// — the difference is that “s,” which stands for secure. When you see the full https://, it means that information on both ends of the website transaction is encrypted and secure. When you don’t – that may not be the case. This is such a widely accepted standard now that the absence of that s should put you on high alert.  

Phishy?: If it looks or sounds phishy, it probably is. It might also be pharmy. Here’s an example of what we mean: in one of the biggest pharming attacks ever launched, a DNS Switching attack on more than 50 financial institutions, the affected users were presented with an error screen that asked them to switch off their anti-malware and any firewall protection they might be running. Many users simply complied, and provided access to the pharming malware to do the rest of the work. 

This obviously relates to our mindset discussion as well, but we wanted to emphasize that even very sophisticated pharming attacks will sometimes rely on users turning off systems of defense: whether it be their own mindset, or settings in place on their computer designed to protect them!

Speaking of Defense…  

Of course one of the essential bits of protective equipment is a good security software solution. dfndr Pro provides several excellent tools to help you protect not only your private information but your physical phone as well. Having that combination of protections is important. 

Pro also offers a Safe App function that enables you to screen any app you might want to try before downloading it, and that can be an excellent first line of protection from malware of all types – including those that are designed expressly to uh, ”take you down on the pharm.” 

With your mindset on high-alert, and your phone protected with a well-designed, and multi-layered security capability, you can move about confidently. Just be careful out there, and try not to get any mud on your shoes!

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“Eventbot” leverages Android accessibility to reap private data from financial applications. It also has the ability to hijack SMS-based two-factor authentication codes, and it can even read user SMS messages. A very foreboding mix of capabilities. 

“This one is especially dangerous,” remarks Emilio Simoni, Research Director at dfndr lab, “Eventbot is a trojan that targets over 200 different financial apps.” Simoni explains that these  include banking, money transfer services, and crypto-currency wallets like Coinbase, Paypal Business, TransferWise, HSBC, CapitalOne, Santander, Revolut, and Barclays… and many more.

How EVENTBOT Does Its Damage

 First identified in March 2020, Eventbot makes its way onto phones by posing as a legitimate app: Adobe Flash, Microsoft Word, and similar.  Eventbot primarily resides on unofficial Android App stores and other unauthorized websites, it has also been delivered through bulk SMSs and Emails, typically offering special savings on popular Android apps.

When installed, Eventbot requests a robust list of permissions, including accessibility settings; “read” permission from external storage; the ability to send and receive SMS messages; run in the background; and launch after system boot.

Users who grant these permissions unwittingly enable EventBot to operates as a keylogger, which can extract notifications about other installed applications, and scan and scrape the content of open windows. It also further-leverages Android’s accessibility services to steal the lock-screen PIN — then sends all of its stolen data in an encrypted format to its command-center server. 

Simoni explains: “The ability to track SMS messages also enables this malware to pass-through SMS-based two-factor authentications, which opens the gates wide for financial attacks of the very worst kind.”

Protect Yourself

“It’s important to always rely on a security mechanism. dfndr security, for example, has a Safe App Installer feature that is designed expressly to deal with dangerous apps like this,” Simoni offers, “This feature lets you know if an app is safe before you ever install it, and its updated constantly by the PSafe security team. We scan the web constantly for updates and information to enrich our database.”

With Safe App Installer, any app you intend to install will be rated for trustworthiness. There are two levels of alert if the feature discovers an issue:

• Security Alert: If the app is malware;
• Privacy Alert: If the app already experienced a data breach;
• Trusted: If The app is not malware or has never experienced a data breach. 

 “Eventbot would absolutely trigger a security alert,” Simoni notes.

The free version of dfndr security also has an anti-hacking capability that blocks scams directly on the SMS app, web browsers and messaging apps (WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger). It also offers a URL checker to check the security of any URL you enter.

Further Safety Measures for EventBot (and Similar Trojans)

One of the easiest ways to protect yourself is to make sure that you are only downloading mobile apps from authorized sources,” Simoni emphasizes. “With malwares as dangerous as Eventbot making the rounds, you have to be doubly alert and careful with any unofficial links.” As a rule, you’ll want to avoid any links sent by people unknown to you, and from bulk marketing SMSs and Emails. Finally, be careful with permissions required by various apps — if the list is extremely long or doesn’t make sense, be on guard.

Consider dfndr Pro

One of the best ways to protect your information now is to upgrade your dfndr security app (if you haven’t already) to PRO.  (This link will help you learn more, and you can use it to download PRO if you decide it’s right for you.).

 With dfndr Pro in your toolbox, the rest is a matter of staying as aware as you can to protect yourself and your family. PSafe will continue to provide updates here for new malwares that we discover that is especially noteworthy.

This one is VERY dangerous, so be careful out there!

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Big Data Protections

With so much data constantly be collected and used for advertising purposes, one can’t help but wonder what might happen if this information fell into the wrong hands. To solve this problem, experts are turning to a technology called cognitive security. Security experts can use big data to predict and eliminate data threats before they arise. Think about the way advertisers use your information to send you unique advertisements — cognitive security works the same way, to predict threat risk.

Read More: These Are the Current Trends in Cybersecurity

Cardless ATMs

Major U.S. banks like Bank of America and Wells Fargo have already rolled out card-free ATMs that make it much harder for hackers to collect your personal information. By generating unique codes on your phone, hackers cannot collect your information from the metallic stripes used on ATM cards currently — a fairly common practice. Instead, users simply receive codes on their phones and hold their phones to the ATM machine when they want money dispensed. This way, there is no static ID number that hackers could learn in order to repeatedly access your banking information.

Internet of Things (IoT) Security

One of the biggest threats on the horizon today is the security of the Internet of Things. The IoT includes a network of home and wearable technologies that link to users’ smartphones. To protect the IoT from hackers, organizations will need to start extensive application security testing. This type of protection runs extensive tests to find vulnerabilities on apps that could be exploited by cybercriminals. The goal is to fix potential security breaches before they become problems.  

Cyber threats can seem like they’re everywhere. However, cyber threat protections are constantly being developed to thwart these sophisticated, new cyber threats. To keep yourself safe from new cyber threats, always stay up to date on the latest cybersecurity practices, and be sure to take advantage of DFNDR’s different security features. Further, be vigilant about new ways to bank, shop, and send information safely online.

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Read More: Hackers Can Now Use Your Phone Sensors to Steal Your PIN Info

What Malware Threats Do Robots Face?

Robots are embedded systems, meaning they are a computing system constructed within a larger system. As an embedded system, these machines are vulnerable to a number of different attacks including hardware attacks, firmware or OS attacks, and application attacks. In addition, many robots rely on insecure methods of communication and lack acceptable cryptographic standards. While there has yet to be a major cyber attack against robots, researchers have successfully hacked a teleoperated surgical robot, pointing to a real possibility of robotic cyber attacks in the future.

Potential Impact of Robotic Cyber Security Attacks

Many robots operate in close proximity to people and as such, a cyber attack poses a danger to the humans directly interacting with these machines. A hijacked military drone could be rerouted to target civilian populations while an automated vehicle could be manipulated to override collision avoidance software.

In recent years, the number of manufacturing jobs held by robots has increased, hovering around 10 percent. Should a cyber attack dismantle robots in manufacturing settings, such an attack would drastically alter or potentially halt production at assembly plants.

Mitigating Robotic Cyber Security Threats

To mitigate the possibility of cyber attacks, robotic manufacturing employees should strictly limit access to sensitive material regarding robot hardware. Robot manufacturers should also consider implementing a common, standardized operating system and create a council to oversee security issues and updates to the operating system. Most importantly, robot manufacturers should turn their attention to creating a secure application code and placing emphasis on cybersecurity considerations throughout the design and development stages. While these changes likely won’t happen overnight, researchers and security experts agree that robot cybersecurity should be a priority moving forward.

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These days, handling the aftermath of a security breach is as important as preventing one. Of course, there are many firewalls, virus detectors, and scanners you can use to ease your mind and stay protected against future malware. However, in 2017, online crime’s sophistication level is so high that these attacks can’t always be predicted. Read on to discover a short history of online threats — and how cybersecurity efforts have battled them!

Read More: These Are the Current Trends in Cybersecurity

1989: The First Worm is Born

Robert Morris designed the world’s first online worm in 1989. His denial-of-service attack (DoS) was so ruthless that it managed to compromise a lot of the web. This initial virus helped create the infrastructure for a first round of cybersecurity. Computer Emergency Response Teams (CERTs) were founded to immediately combat any malicious threats as they appeared. During this time, the earliest virus scans and firewalls started to be developed, too.

1990s: The Earliest Viruses

Remember the viruses called ILOVEYOU and Melissa? By attacking email accounts, this wicked duo infected millions of computers worldwide. In the 1990s, users weren’t as aware of spam attachments and links. So, everyone was more vulnerable to these attacks, since phishing attempts were far more likely to succeed. People were just clicking on whatever landed in their inbox, whether from a friend or an unknown address. In the aftermath of Melissa and ILOVEYOU, improved cybersecurity technology was built to identify viruses before they began wreaking havoc.

2000s: Online Identity Theft

After the new millennium, an onslaught of online identity thefts occurred. Hackers were targeting credit cards, specifically. The effects were devastating, since millions of dollars had to be returned to the affected victims. Since these breaches were largely occurring at American retailers like TJ Maxx and Target, companies had to invest in improved cybersecurity to protect their customers’ transactions. Point-of-sales (POS) are now heavily safeguarded to avoid losing millions of dollars — along with their customers’ hard-earned trust.

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Read More: Does the U.S. Government Value Your Privacy?

Criminal Masterminds

At one time, hackers were a mostly solitary bunch. They would steal this info or that and move on to the next victim. Now, however, hackers work together. They use each other’s strengths to attack large organizations, financial institutions, and corporations. What if they target your bank, a place you shop, or some other outlet?

Now that your Internet history is available for sale from your Internet service provider — so they can make money from you without your consent — it becomes another way a hacker can gain personal information. Both of these points mean that you can no longer ignore securing your information or devices to prevent attacks from hackers.

Popular Apps

End-to-end encryption in apps like WhatsApp keep your data safe. It means that your messages are sent to the recipient without anyone else having access. That’s a great thing for everyone who has ever shared a personal bit of info, like a login username and password. But some groups and governments want a back door built in to allow themselves access to your message. Hackers could take advantage of this weakness. Providing a back door gives hackers a way to break in and gobble up whatever information they can get.

Cell Phone Users

You use your cell phone to do everything, from finding directions to the nearest Thai restaurant, to paying for your electric bill, to shopping online for just about everything. Hackers know this, too. The information they steal is more than your name. They can nab your address; they can know where you are located and decide if they want to target your home. They can also grab your logins and passwords, your financial info like your credit card numbers, and even your social security number.

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While New York is on the right track, they still have a long way to go to truly improve cybersecurity efforts. Fortunately, you don’t have to wait — you can improve your cyber awareness through a few simple steps. You should create strong and complex passwords, be wary of unknown links or emails, and regularly scan your devices for viruses. Use the Full Virus Scan to check your smartphone and SD card for malware and security threats. Click here to scan your device for malware now:

New York’s Cybersecurity Regulations

Why the big deal? Haven’t banks and insurance institutions always had security and cyber-related standards and regulations? Yes, except this is the first time that anyone has proposed a list of specific requirements in that realm. It’s a huge step forward.

After all, privacy is a big concern. Whether you are shopping or browsing online, your personal data is important. Identity theft, data breaches, and other cybercrimes aren’t just going to go away. This regulation makes it clear that companies need to do more. It will likely have far-reaching effects. Other states and even other countries will likely model their policies after the New York model.

There are fourteen pages in the document, and it is broken into twenty-three different sections. But is it enough? Those who have experience in cybersecurity believe it is a start but it isn’t quite enough. While it is great that companies will need to take a firm, active stance in the matter — and undergo processes to thwart this type of crime — some point out that the proposal doesn’t go far enough.

They highlight the fact that cyber risk certifications will be checked once per year or even quarterly. Based on the number of updates antivirus software typically undergoes, an annual check certainly won’t be enough. A quarterly check isn’t looking any better, either.

How to Improve the Proposal

Technology advances: it’s constantly changing. These systems won’t stay static; they need to be frequently checked. Technology’s evolution demands that information systems be checked for errors that account for many of the largest breaches, as opposed to solely issues with firewalls.

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Pros

Cybercrime has been exploding throughout the past few years at an alarming rate. As computers get more secure, hackers get more knowledgeable about cracking codes to infiltrate these systems. Thus, knowing about cybersecurity can be an extremely useful skill in the job market. Considering the student debt accumulation in the United States, paving the way for children to take advantage of cybersecurity programs at a trade school or community college could be a smart investment.

Read More: Mobile Malware is on the Rise — Find out Why

Moreover, cybersecurity isn’t just for those looking to go into the computer industry. Cybercrime is rampant across America, so individuals need to have a basic foundation of cybersecurity knowledge if they wish to operate their computers and other devices efficiently. For instance, knowing how to spot phishing or a malicious email is imperative to staying safe online. These hackers can lead to large losses of money and data on your computer.

Beyond computer security, it is important to teach kids about passwords. For example, repeating your password for all of your accounts is extremely dangerous if a hacker can get their hands on the password. Plus, password complexity is another layer of protection. These are all cybersecurity issues that are important for kids to know

Cons

While cybercrime is becoming increasingly more problematic, some find learning about cybersecurity to be an inefficient way to utilize school time. Some kids won’t go on to primarily use computers in their jobs, so this could be a huge waste of time for them when they could be learning more valuable and substantive material.

Plus, this could be a tax burden for public schooling systems. Funding expensive laptops and other devices could be a questionable investment for schools that are lacking in other important materials such as textbooks.

In sum, there are several pros and cons to teaching kids about cybersecurity in school. The subject matter certainly depends upon the environment of the school and the interests of the children being taught.

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The primary funding mentioned below is encompassed within the Cybersecurity National Action Plan. This is the culmination of 7 years of research done by the administration, and it will address cybersecurity threats and intrusions. The plan will help the government promote internet and computer security to businesses both private and public. Here are some of its highlights.

Read More: Are Voting Machines Susceptible to Hacking?

There are a few different avenues through which our government can funnel money in order to address problems with cybersecurity. For instance, according to whitehouse.gov, the President plans to allocate $3.1 billion dollars in the 2017 fiscal budget towards Technological Modernization Funding. This ensures that governmental computer technology is up to date and functioning. This funding also helps support maximum computer security on this equipment.

The United States government is also investing in cybersecurity education for federal programs throughout the nation. The President plans to invest $62 million in this education. Among this funding will be scholarship programs for citizens who are wishing to break into the field of cybersecurity for the federal government.

Moreover, this funding will implement a Cybersecurity Core Curriculum that will ensure that cybersecurity graduates have what it takes to work for the federal government. The president’s budget is also incentivizing individuals to join the cybersecurity workforce by granting student loan forgiveness for those who are wishing to go into this field in the federal workforce.

PSafe Total
Who needs federal tax dollars when you can download PSafe Total and PSafe Total Windows for free? PSafe Total includes a variety of tools that will help optimize your device’s performance and secure you from malicious hackers. PSafe Total includes features such as Advanced Protection, which allows PSafe to protect your device from third-party uninstalls in case of loss or theft. This maximizes the privacy of your photos, messages, and personal data.

Plus, the anti-theft software allows PSafe Total to track, block, locate, and even erase all of your data remotely in case of theft.

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Unlike a DoS attack, the attacker in a DDoS attack is often made up of multiple (or thousands of) machines, all with unique IP addresses that can come from around the world. Often, hackers take advantage of machines with poor security to help launch their attacks. The attacks usually target banks or other financial services. The attacks typically send about 50+ gigabits per second of data in order to crash the network. However, larger attacks have sent up to 500+ gigabits per second.

Read More: Why Are Dangerous Cybercrimes Going Unpunished?

DDoS attacks are often motivated attacks, and the reasoning could be political or vengeful. This has been exemplified by hacking groups like Anonymous, who target specific organizations and businesses that they believe to be corrupt. Another example would be the cyber warfare between the United States and Iran. In 2013, Iran attacked U.S. banks with DDoS attacks, supposedly in response to economic sanctions.

How to Prevent a DDoS Attack
A business or organization isn’t necessarily vulnerable to a DDoS attack if they take the right precautions. These precautions are necessary, because without them, a DDoS attack could greatly affect a business financially, in addition to resulting in a loss of customers. One of the first steps in DDoS prevention is learning how to recognize an attack. Some signs might include slow site performance, inability to access a site or page, and dramatically increased bandwidth and site traffic. The second step involves protection. Track your website’s behavior so that you have an idea of normal behavior. If a business is particularly vulnerable to a DDoS attack, it might be best to seek out a company that offers DDoS software protection.

Download PSafe Total
While you might not personally experience a DDoS attack, it’s always a good idea to protect your devices against any potential cyber attacks. Download PSafe Total for your Android devices and PSafe Total Windows for your PC to protect your devices against malicious threats 24/7. In addition, both services offer cleanup tools so that you can ensure your devices are free of unnecessary files and running as efficiently as possible.

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Not long ago, Edward Snowden proved that the NSA has the ability to break into your phone’s camera or microphone — even when it is turned off — and photograph the user, or record his or her conversations. What the NSA can do, a hacker can do. Exactly how likely is our phone to be susceptible to recording or photographing us while we’re unaware?

It depends. There are many ways that the security of our phone can be in jeopardy. You might already be familiar with unknown e-mail contacts sending malicious links with the intent of compromising your device; this method also applies to unknown phone numbers texting links or blank messages. Also be aware of strange links sent by e-mail addresses or phone numbers you do know — their device or e-mail could have been hacked. If you’re unsure about a link or message’s validity, ask your contact if it was intentional.

More recently, many Android viruses, like the “Stagefright” bugs, use messaging applications to infect the device by sending a MMS message — such as a video, or a link to a video —  that is automatically accepted by your device. These viruses are known for taking control of your device within seconds, which can lead to stolen personal information and spying.

One way to prevent this from happening is to turn off automatic retrieval of MMS messages. Further, be cautious of third-party applications that request access to your camera or microphone: Do they need either in order to work properly? Hackers often insert malicious code into more popular, trusted apps as well — so you might not even be aware of any malware until it’s too late.

If your phone has been hacked, and you’re able to, download PSafe’s antivirus software. If not, you can perform a factory reset, which will wipe the virus from the device. However, there are still some precautions you can take, such as:

• Make sure your phone is receiving the latest security updates.
• Download anti-virus software, like PSafe Total, to quickly eliminate security threats and protect your device 24/7.

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The Internet of Things

Rather than purchasing information from suppliers, companies are taking advantage of the Internet of Things (IoT) to obtain data from the physical world. The IoT refers to the wireless network connectivity of physical objects that lets them collect, send, and receive data. While this is futuristic and exciting, hackers have gained additional opportunities to attack, as an increasing number of objects are equipped with Internet connectivity.

To make matters worse, many consumer IoT devices do not prioritize security, partially because consumers aren’t willing to pay the higher price necessary for it. Hackers therefore use breeches in consumer product security to access important data from major companies.

Two Faced Malware and Ghostware

Elvis Presley’s “Devil in Disguise” might as well have been about two faced malware. It appears harmless while under surveillance, but morphs into destructive code once the inspection is over. Similarly, the introduction of “ghostware” has made it possible for hackers to penetrate networks, steal data, and delete all evidence of compromise prior to detection. Both of these developments are representative of hackers’ attempts to evade law enforcement, and security measures by changing their tactics.

Read More: The Hackers Are Here: 3 Ways Cybercriminals Target Android Phones

Phishing Attacks

You’ve likely been warned to be wary of emails, and websites that ask you for your personal information. But, what if you received an email from your bank asking you to update your account information? Phishing is a hacker’s attempt to solicit sensitive information, like passwords or credit card numbers. It’s usually accomplished through fraudulent emails, and typically results in identity theft. As we become more comfortable with handling tasks online, like banking and shopping, it becomes harder for us to distinguish between legitimate, and illegitimate sources.

Headless Worms

A headless worm may seem less malign than a regular computer worm, but unfortunately, it can be much more dangerous. A headless device is essentially a computer in non-computer form, like a smart watch, fit bit, or smart phone, and a headless worm is a piece of malicious code that spreads across these devices. As with the Internet of Things, the lack of security in consumer products makes it easier for these headless worms to crawl through millions of devices.

How Can You Stay Protected?

Fortunately, the solution is far less complicated than the threats. Download PSafe TOTAL for antivirus protection, this way you can keep your Android, and personal information protected from hackers’ new methods, and techniques all year long.

O post Cybersecurity Threats You Should Watch for in 2016 apareceu primeiro em PSafe Blog.