Andy on Cyber Security

What is Social Engineering? Social Engineering is the psychological manipulation of people into performing actions or divulging confidential information for the attacker. Social engineering is exploiting flaws in human beings, making the victim do things that they wouldn’t otherwise have done. Social engineering is an attack vector, a means to an end. It is not the goal but a way to get there. Humans are the soft center within the hard shells of all modern security systems. Cracking the humans is often a lot easier than cracking these systems. Firewalls: Hardly any operating systems today come without a built-in firewall. You can find them in servers, in desktops and in routers. There are even dedicated firewall devices for protecting corporate networks. Security firms spend a huge amount of money on developing firewalls and for good reason. Firewalls form the first line of defense, the hard shell that a hacker must break through in order to gain access to a system. ...

Polymorphic Malware Polymorphic malware is a type of malware that constantly changes its identifiable features in order to evade detection. Many of the common forms of malware can be Polymorphic, including Viruses, Worms, Bots, Trojans, or Keyloggers . The malware is designed to be unrecognizable to detection methods. Commonly altered characteristics include the file’s Encryption Key, File Format, or simply its name. The malware is widespread . According to research and study, 97% of malware infections use polymorphic techniques. While this isn’t a new trend – the tactic has been used since the 90s – recently new, highly aggressive waves of the malware have emerged. One notorious example of polymorphic malware is CryptoWall , a type of strain that encrypts files on the victim’s computer and demands a ransom payment in exchange for their decryption. The polymorphic builder used in CryptoWall develops what is essentially a new variant for every potential vict...

Trojan Horse, Spyware, Viruses and Worms. All are likely familiar with some of the most common security threats in computing systems. Although they go by different names, they all fall under the same cyber security category —   Malicious Software , aka, “Malware”.  Understanding the nature of this threat to your Computer's Security is the first step to preventing malware from infiltrating and taking down your business. Let’s start with what is a Malware ? “Malware” is short form for “Malicious software” . It is a computer programs that is designed to infiltrate and damage computers without the user’s consent. Malware encompasses any software program created to perform unauthorized actions on another user’s computer, tablet, or smartphone. “Malware” is the general term covering all the different types of threads to your computer safety such as  Viruses , Spyware , Worms , Trojans , Rootkits and so on. Individual malware programs often include se...