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Things To Know Before Using VPN Server

VPN is an abbreviation for Virtual Private Network. A Virtual Private Network allows to establish a safe and encrypted connection to access the public internet securely. VPN hides the user’s online identity by real-time encryption of the traffic sent or received over the internet. This makes a VPN more secure than a private WiFi hotspot.

How Does VPN Work?

In order to understand how VPN works, let us first understand the path followed by data when a user accesses the internet.

When a user sends a request to a website over internet, the data is sent or received via Internet Service Provider (ISP). Any request sent by the user is first redirected to the ISP server and then transmitted to the online service or website. Similarly, data sent by the website in response to the user request is first sent to the ISP server, which then sends it to the user. Thus ISP server has details pertaining to user’s identity, browsing history, online communications, etc. Hackers can also gain access to these details by targeting ISP servers.

VPN acts as a tunnel that bypasses ISP server. When user connects to internet via VPN, the traffic between the user and internet is sent via secure server of the VPN instead of the ISP server. VPN server acts as source server for the user. This can be understood in a stepwise manner.

  1. User sends data to a website.
  2. The data is received by the VPN server.
  3. VPN server sends the data to internet.
  4. Traffic received from internet is received by VPN.
  5. VPN then serves the traffic to user.

As a result of the process, the user has no direct interaction with the internet. This keeps user’s identity and internet surfing history private. Additionally, VPN encrypts the traffic to ensure further security in case the server is hacked.

What Are The Uses Of VPN?

VPN can be used for a wide array of purposes:

  1. Staying Anonymous Online: ISPs can keep an eye on your online activity including services or products you search for. This information holds high value on dark web. Using a VPN for online activity helps in keeping your credentials and online activity hidden and secured.
  2. Ensure Security On Public WiFi: Public WiFi are not secured and lack data security configurations. Low security makes it easier for hackers to compromise the WiFi and eavesdrop on the traffic moving across the server. Using VPN when accessing internet over public WiFi helps in ensuring data and credentials security.
  3. Data Security: Comparable to ISPs, many apps collect user data and sell it to marketing agencies. Using a VPN prevents apps from attributing data to user’s IP address, thus, ensuring data security.
  4. Content Access: Content streaming platforms might publish some content for targeted locations only. For example, some shows might not stream outside US. However, users can use a VPN to mask their location and access geo-blocked content irrespective of their physical location.

To know more about VPN or how to securely browse internet, contact Centex Technologies. You can contact Centex Technologies at Killeen (254) 213 - 4740, Dallas (972) 375 - 9654, Atlanta (404) 994 - 5074, and Austin (512) 956 – 5454.

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What Is Surface Web, Deep Web, and Dark Web

Broadly internet is classified into three layers, namely, the surface web, the deep web, and the dark web. Each of these layers represents a different level of accessibility and anonymity. From a cybersecurity perspective, it is important to know what you can do safely on the web by understanding these terms and knowing what they include.

Surface Web

It is estimated that the surface web comprises less than 4% of the entire internet. The surface web, often known as the visible web, is the section of internet that is accessible via search engines like Google and Bing. This covers all web pages that are indexed by search engines and content that is accessible to everyone. An example of surface web would be the common web pages that we see and browse every day (without signup), like Wikipedia.

Deep Web

The deep web is a part of the internet that is inaccessible to normal search engines. Deep web information is not indexed by search engines such as Google as they are restricted from reaching the content using various protocols. Individuals are also restricted from browsing the information unless they have a login (or special access) and/or know the precise path (URL). It is estimated that the deep web comprises approximately 90% of the whole internet.

Some examples of the deep web are:

  • Login-required social media/messaging services
  • Encrypted or password-protected online banking/financial information.
  • Medical records and other sensitive personal data held in systems accessible only to authorized people
  • Non-public court records and legal documents
  • Private forums and discussion boards that require registration and identification
  • Subscription-based streaming services like Netflix
  • Non-public government databases and archives.

Dark Web

The dark web is a section of the deep web that is deliberately hidden and requires specific software and protocols to access. The dark web is frequently associated with illegal activity. Browsing the dark web can be dangerous and illegal. It can expose you to malicious code/malware and viruses that can affect your computer and other devices. People should be careful and use the best cybersecurity practices to protect themselves.

It's important to know the differences between these three layers of the internet because they have different levels of risks and opportunity. The surface web is usually safe and open to everyone. The deep web and dark web, on the other hand, can be more dangerous and require more safety precautions.

How To Safely Browse Internet

  • Always use a reliable antivirus solution to protect your devices from viruses, malware, and other threats. It is also important to regularly update the antivirus software for protection from the latest threats which were not identified in earlier versions.
  • Use strong and complex passwords that are difficult to guess.
  • Keep your software and operating system up to date to have the most recent security fixes and features.
  • Be cautious of unsolicited emails and social media posts. Never give your personal information or click on a link from unknown senders.
  • Using a VPN service to browse internet can protect your online activity and encrypt your interactions.
  • Avoid accessing sensitive information or making financial transactions on public Wi-Fi networks.
  • Practice safe browsing by visiting sites that use SSL certificates.

Centex Technologies provides enterprise cybersecurity solutions. For more information on cybersecurity solutions for your business, contact Centex Technologies at Killeen (254) 213 - 4740, Dallas (972) 375 - 9654, Atlanta (404) 994 - 5074, and Austin (512) 956 – 5454.

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Best Practices to Prevent Zero-Day Attacks

A Zero-Day Attack refers to a cyber security attack launched by exploiting a security vulnerability that has not yet been discovered by IT team yet. Zero-day attacks have emerged as a major cyber security challenge as there has been a significant increase in the number of zero-day attacks recently. 

Why Have Zero-Day Cyber Attacks Increased?

There are many reasons that contribute to an increase in the number of zero-day attacks.

  1. Zero-day attacks can exploit security vulnerabilities at multiple levels such as in the code, configuration settings, and hardware. This widens the attack surface for the cyber criminals.
  2. A global proliferation of available hacking tools is another major reason. Hacking tools are now easily available in the form of Software-as-a-Service package. This has facilitated cyber criminals to launch attacks at a rapid pace as soon as a vulnerability is detected without the need to code or fabricate attacking software.
  3. Once a vulnerability is detected, the software developer has to review the code and replace the defective piece of code. This is time consuming which gives the cyber criminals an opportunity to exploit the vulnerability in the meantime.
  4. After the software developer issues an update to patch the vulnerability, the users generally take time to download and install the updates. This allows hackers to exploit devices running on vulnerable software.

These technical challenges make it difficult to cope up with zero-day attacks. However, adopting some best practices in cyber security strategy can help prevent zero-day attacks.

Zero-Day Attack Prevention Best Practices

  1. Well-Defined Perimeters: Identifying all the end-points connected to your organization’s network is the first step towards preventing vulnerability attacks on the devices. Now implement Endpoint protection platforms (EPP) and Endpoint detection and threat response (EDR) solutions to monitor/record user-behavior, identify malware, and block malicious scripts. To ensure efficiency of EPP and EDR solutions, it is important to lay down well-defined perimeters. 
  2. Use Web Application Firewall: A Web Application Firewall (WAF) monitors and reviews all the traffic directed toward the web applications. When configurated efficiently, WAF plays a vital role in blocking malicious traffic by filtering it out and preventing the malware from exploiting any vulnerabilities. It ensures a quick response as WAF can be trained to adapt to real-time threats.
  3. Deploy Multiple Security Controls: The vulnerabilities exploited by the zero-day attacks can expose devices and networks to multiple security breaches. Thus, it is important to deploy security controls which may include malware detection & prevention controls, firewalls, traffic filtering software, patch management, password & access management, and identity management solutions. 
  4. Segmentize The Network: An organization uses multiple networks to perform its functions. Segmenting the networks allows the IT team to define different security controls suitable for the defined network. It also helps in containing the impact of an attack, if any, to a single network.
  5. Anti-Bot Strategy: The majority of modern attacks rely on botnets. Botnets are networks of compromised machines connected to a hacker’s server by malware. If any vulnerability arises in the organization’s network, the compromised machines report it to the hacker’s server and hackers exploit the vulnerability to launch an attack. Implement an anti-bot strategy as a part of your cyber security routine. Make sure to inspect all machines or devices connected to the network to check if any of the devices have been compromised. Remove all the compromised machines from the network to mitigate the risk of an attack.

In addition to above mentioned best practices, make sure to follow cyber security hygiene including a regular update of software and hardware, password ethics, regular security inspection, etc.

You can contact Centex Technologies at Killeen (254) 213 - 4740, Dallas (972) 375 - 9654, Atlanta (404) 994 - 5074, and Austin (512) 956 – 5454 for advanced cybersecurity solutions for businesses. 

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Role of Interoperability In Cyber Response Effectiveness

In general terms, Interoperability refers to the ability of diverse software and computer-based systems to exchange and utilize information. It involves uninterrupted and seamless data communication between apps, servers, and devices followed by the processing of data without any involvement of end users. Different apps, software, and devices understand different data structures and languages; interoperability relies on a data dictionary that sets definitive rules for data such that it is understandable across apps and software.

Need for Interoperability in Cyber Security

Cyber security is a highly dynamic landscape which needs constant upgrades to tackle new threats. Besides cyber threats, new software vulnerabilities, misconfigured devices, and human errors make it tough for cyber security professionals to ensure complete security of a network.

Interoperability among software, apps, and devices helps in improving cyber security efficiency for a business.

  1. Cyber security professionals have to perform many tasks such as conducting regular cyber security audits, mitigating IT threats, configuring and updating devices, and setting up diverse cybersecurity tools. This puts cyber security professionals at a shortage of time and resources to analyze threat trends/data and make preparations to prevent attacks.
  2. Apps, software, and data of an organization are spread across multiple on-site and cloud locations. Data has to travel from one software/location to another to ensure seamless operations. It is practically impossible to manually change data structure every time it travels while maintaining security procedures. This is both time-consuming and prone to errors which may lead to breaches. Thus, it is important for software, apps, and devices to transmit, receive, understand, and process data seamlessly and automatically.
  3. Diverse threats require organizations to deploy software and tools to ensure multiple layers of cyber security defense. These tools may include analytical tools, firewalls, penetration testing apps, peripheral security software, antivirus software, etc. To perform efficiently, multiple software share and utilize data from one another. For example, firewalls need data from analytical tools to understand the latest threat patterns and trends to reconfigure themselves and block malicious traffic efficiently. Hence, it arises need for seamless data sharing among apps/devices.

Importance of Interoperability in Cyber Security:

Interoperability offers multiple benefits that vouch for its importance in today’s cyber security landscape.

  1. Adaptability: It allows the systems, apps, and software to connect and share the threat information automatically. It helps in transmitting the information to the relevant defense team in the organization without the time-consuming process of downloading, converting, and re-transmitting the information.
  2. Higher Efficiency: It improves the efficiency of different cyber security tools as the updated information is available and accessible across the system. Thus, it leads to smooth and efficient operations of the cyber defense machinery.
  3. Data Unity: Interoperability promotes data unity which facilitates the cyber security tools to receive, process, and act upon information from external sources such as threat intelligence.
  4. Data Protection: Interoperability allows the users to access sensitive data via shared records instead of manually and repeatedly punching in information or user login information to access data. This lowers the chances of data breaches and improves data protection.
  5. Cost Efficiency: Interoperable systems are capable of communicating information automatically which reduces the costs associated.

For more information about role of interoperability in cyber security and to know about the latest cybersecurity tools, contact Centex Technologies. You can contact Centex Technologies at Killeen (254) 213 - 4740, Dallas (972) 375 - 9654, Atlanta (404) 994 - 5074, and Austin (512) 956 – 5454.

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Steps to Measure Security Control Effectiveness

Cyber security controls can be defined as the set of tools that help in prevention, detection, and mitigation of cyber crimes or threats. Cyber security controls can be broadly classified as administrative, physical, technical, and operational. Every set of controls deals with a specific threat vertical.

Different types of cyber security controls are:

  1. Preventive controls
  2. Detective controls
  3. Deterrents
  4. Corrective controls
  5. Recovery controls
  6. Compensating controls

In order to ensure effectiveness, every set of security controls needs to be employed efficiently. Once you have established a cyber security control strategy, it is advised to regularly test the efficiency of cyber security controls to find any misconfiguration. This helps refine the cyber security control implementation to improve the detection and prevention of cyber threats and recovery from cyber-attacks if any.

But, how can you measure the efficiency of cyber security controls?

There are numerous methods to assess security control efficiency. These methods can be classified based on their approach.

  1. Indirect Assessment
  2. Direct Assessment

Indirect assessment involves collecting data from sources such as perimeter servers, DNS configurations, etc., to analyze security risks likely to be faced by the organization.

Direct assessment involves testing and measuring the operations and configuration of security controls.

Let us delve deeper into methods to measure security control effectiveness:

  1. Analyze Attack Surface: To understand the effectiveness of security controls, organizations first need to understand their attack surface. Attack surface refers to network backdoors that can act as entry path for cyber-attacks. The attack surface comprises exposed credentials, misconfigurations, vulnerabilities, etc.  Active Directory also constitutes a major part of the attack surface as it is one of the most desirable targets for cyber-attacks due to the important information it holds. The attack surface can be analyzed using diverse tools such as Endpoint Detection & Response tools, Extended Detection & Response tools, and Identity Threat Detection & Response tools. Gaining visibility throughout the network is the first step toward ensuring effective security controls.
  2. Track Incident Response Times: One of the best ways to measure security control efficiency is to track cyber security violations or incidents. This can provide effective insight into how well the security controls are configured. Tracking the time between infestation and the first report against the problem, response time taken to fix the issue, steps taken to mitigate the issue, and if the incidents have been recurrent helps provide information about security control’s health. Additionally, check if the outcomes of the mitigation steps were favorable or not. This allows a fair analysis of effectiveness of security controls.
  3. Check the Permissions: Assigning extensive access permissions to users can provide cyber criminals an opportunity to gain access to sensitive data. This makes it imperative to investigate the permissions granted to every user in the organization. Zero-Trust Architecture can help in mitigating this risk.
  4. Analyze Detection Alerts: Fake alerts can deter the cyber security personnel and cause delay in detecting actual threat. Tracking False Positive Reporting Rate (FPRR) helps in improving the configuration of detection tools to ensure more accurate threat alerts. Incorporating AI and ML capabilities in the detection tools can make the detection controls more sensitive.

For complete cybersecurity solutions for your business, contact Centex Technologies at Killeen (254) 213 - 4740, Dallas (972) 375 - 9654, Atlanta (404) 994 - 5074, and Austin (512) 956 – 5454.

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Expert Tips to Protect Active Directory

What is Active Directory & Why is it Important?

An Active Directory can be defined as a database and identity management system. The directory contains information about the network environment, including details of all users, systems connected to the network, applications, devices such as printers, and shared folders. It further contains details of the level of access for every user.

The Active Directory services also serve the role of user authentication based on the login credentials entered by the user and allow access to the data based on authorization.

The Active Directory stores files at a centralized location, making them accessible to all users and devices across the network as per their access level. Thus, an active directory is essential to ensure that all the users can access network resources required to perform their tasks.

How To Secure Active Directory?

The importance of Active Directory makes it a desirable target for cybercriminals. Here are some expert tips to help you protect the Active Directory:

  1. Follow Industry Best Practices: Implementing industry best practices, such as security guidelines laid out by NIST (National Institute of Standards & Technology, USA), is the first step towards securing Active Directory. The guidelines issued by NIST are based on data and statistical analysis, making them highly impactful in preventing cyberattacks.
  2. Limit Domain Admins: Privileged groups such as Domain Admins have extensive access authority. The users added to Domain Admins group have deep rooted access across the network, including all systems connected to the network and all data created, stored or shared across the network. In case hackers crack the user credentials of any member of Domain Admins group, they can gain access to all the data and information across the network. Additionally, they can move laterally across the network and gain access to other systems connected to the network. It is important to check the user accounts in Domain Admins group and remove the dead user accounts from the group.
  3. Multiple Accounts: Instead of adding all the users to privileged groups, encourage multiple user accounts and provide different privileges. This is referred to as a tiered approach. User accounts can be provided with different access levels, such as a regular account (with minimum privileges), server administration account, network administration account, and workforce administration account. Encourage users to login with a regular account for daily tasks and use privileged accounts for administrative tasks only. This limits the exposure to cyber-attacks.
  4. Password Security: Cyber criminals usually employ tactics to steal user credentials such as passwords to gain access to the Active Directory. Implement password strengthening strategies to avoid falling victim to identity theft attacks.
  5. Detect Delegation: Delegation allows users to impersonate other accounts on the Active Directory if their unconstrained delegation is enabled. This can lead to security issues if hackers access one account and use delegation to gain further access. The problem is aggravated by privileged accounts with unconstrained delegation. Make sure to regularly check for accounts with delegation enabled and report these accounts. Additionally, make a list of privileged users, delegated admins, and service accounts to help IT professionals keep a check on the potential vulnerabilities and authorization risks.

To know more about IT security for businesses, contact Centex Technologies at Killeen (254) 213 - 4740, Dallas (972) 375 - 9654, Atlanta (404) 994 - 5074, and Austin (512) 956 – 5454.

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