Category Archives: Internet Security

Conference to address internet security on the farm – Cedar Valley Daily Times

AMES The first of its kind Cybersecurity on the Farm Conference, offered by Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, will be held at the Iowa State University Alumni Center in Ames on Jan. 11, from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Registration is available through Jan. 10, cost applies. Refreshments and lunch are included. Register online at https://go.iastate.edu/BPGFN4.

This one-day conference is designed to address the unique intersection of todays agriculture and cybersecurity. The resource fair will be available during the lunch hour and throughout the day and features experts and service providers at the juncture of farming and cyber tech.

For farmers, this workshop offers insights into the ever-evolving world of digital lending in farming and the shift toward online agricultural marketplaces. There will be critical discussions on the potential cyber threats that emerge when working in the agricultural sector. By the end of the day, farmers will be better equipped to navigate farming on the internet while keeping an eye on safety and security.

Through panel discussions with industry experts and a resource fair with trusted service providers, this conference is designed to support farmers as they work to create a seamless integration of cybersecurity into existing systems.

Register at the above site, or contact Madeline Schultz for more information at schultz@iastate.edu or 515-294-0588.

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Conference to address internet security on the farm - Cedar Valley Daily Times

7 cybersecurity predictions to look out for in 2024 – TechRadar

It's that time of the year again, so while we wait for the final tick of the clock, let's look back over the past 365 days in the world of cybersecurity and predict what's coming next.

Throughout 2023 we saw the use of VPN services remain high as internet restrictions increased across the world, new privacy threats loomed, and governments enforced VPN censorship. The same goes for local and national-scale internet shutdowns, with Iran being the biggest perpetrator in the past 12 months.

It's not possible to talk about this year's cybersecurity landscape without mentioningAI. The boom of ChatGPT and similar tools have presented new challenges for online privacy, scams, and disinformation, but they certainly opened up new possibilities within the security software industry as well. At the same time, the race to bring encryption protections up to the post-quantum world has never been so fierce.

So, with these past events in mind, let's dive into our top 7 cybersecurity predictions to look out for in 2024.

As mentioned, in 2023, everyday people have increasingly turned to VPNs to access censored sites and apps, enjoy better online privacy, or simply boost their overall internet performance.

Short for virtual private network, a VPN is a security software that encrypts internet connections and spoofs IP addresses. As a result, VPNs are an incredibly versatile tooland they've never been more commercially accessible.

Experts expect this trend to consolidate during 2024, as censorship and privacy threats are on the rise. On this topic, Head of Product at Private Internet Access (PIA) Himmat Bains told me: "With the increasing of online scams and governments becoming more and more interested in people's data and what they do online, I think now than ever before VPNs are incredibly useful for customers to protect their most important access: their own digital privacy."

We already mentioned how generative AI shook the security industry this year, presenting it with a series of new threats to internet privacy and security.

Hackers have been using ChatGPT to write more effective malware, for example. Data-scraping practices behind these Large Language Models (LLMs) have also been worrying privacy experts. Online disinformation, deepfakes, and online scams are becoming more sophisticated, too, all thanks to AI tools.

Again, experts foresee this worsening throughout 2024especially considering that we still don't have proper AI regulations in place.

Andrew Whaley, the Senior Technical Director at Norwegian security firm Promon, said: "The emergence of advanced AI-assisted attacks, including deep fakes for social engineering and bypassing ID controls, can be anticipated. This raises the threat of AI being exploited for disinformation campaigns, with potentially major consequences for the upcoming US election."

As the name might suggest, passwordless authentication refers to the act of signing into a service without using a password. Instead, sign-in can be done with certificates, security tokens, one-time passwords (OTPs), or biometrics.

With data breaches on the rise, the industry has increasingly been moving in this more secure direction over the past few years, including the big tech giant Microsoft. Experts now expect a consolidation of the passwordless market in 2024.

Bassam Al-Khalidi, co-founder and co-CEO of passwordless solutions firm Axiad, said: "Next year, well start to see mergers between passwordless and credential management companies, which will create a new category in the authentication space: think passwordless plus. This movement will be similar to the consolidation we saw a few years back between identity management and access management companies, which resulted in the identity and access management (IAM) industry."

If, on the one hand, AI brought huge issues to people's privacy and security online, these powerful tools also have huge potential for doing good. That's why cybersecurity experts and software engineers will undoubtedly begin to harness their power more and more in 2024.

In August, NordVPN launched a new initiative aiming to do exactly this. NordLabswants to provide a platform for engineers and developers to test new ideas and approaches to ever-changing online security and privacy issues. A month later, the team launched Sonar, an AI-enabled tool to fight back against increasingly sophisticated phishing attacks.

"New emerging technologies raise challenges for cybersecurity, privacy, and internet freedom, but at the same time, they bring new opportunities. NordLabs will allow us to have additional flexibility when it comes to the development of experimental tools and services," said Vykintas Maknickas, the head of product strategy at Nord Security.

We are sure the new year will bring even more of these innovative AI-powered solutions.

The year of policymakers has been characterized by worldwide governments trying to regulate new technologies and the internet at large.

The long-awaited Online Safety Bill became law, despite heated debates. Similar proposed legislation, introducing stricter age verification rules and more power to check on people's communications in an attempt to protect children online, is also on the table elsewhere. So, we expect that we'll see new policies in 2024.

The race for a comprehensive AI Act has been fierce, too. The UK AI Summit ended with a world-first signed agreement among the UK, the US, China, and 25 more countries to develop safe and responsible AI software. The EU also managed to agree on the backbone of the future law, which is likely to become the go-to model for the West.

When it comes to data protection and privacy laws, the US took positive steps in Colorado and Virginia, finally enforcing privacy laws, but the ADPPA is still stalled at the time of writing. What's certain is that organizations will need to adapt their internal practice to keep up with an ever-changing environment.

Once again, internet shutdowns surged across the world in 2023. VPN provider Surfshark counted 42 instances affecting over 4 billion people in the first half of the year.

At the time, researchers pointed out how there was a 31% reduction in new internet restrictions compared to the same period in 2022. However, the decrease in new restrictions (from 42 in the first half of 2023 to 61 in the same period the year before) primarily resulted from the drop in cases acrossJammu and Kashmir(from 35 to only 2). Excluding this region, global restrictions suddenly increased by 54% compared to 2022, suggesting that digital freedoms across the world "may have worsened."

While it's not possible to say for sure, the data collected from 2015 onwards indicate that a spike in internet and social media shutdowns is, sadly, a very likely scenario we'll need to cope with next year.

Despite being a few years away from becoming commonplace, the threat of quantum computing to current encryption models is looming. That's because hackers in 2023 began to perform attacks deemed as "harvest now, decrypt later."

It's in this context that providers have been racing to implement quantum-resistant cryptography in their services. The list so far includes the encrypted messaging app Signal, secure email provider Tuta (previously Tutanota), and some VPN services, including ExpressVPN and PureVPN.

Again, we expect this trend to consolidate throughout 2024.

Compare today's best five overall VPNs on price

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7 cybersecurity predictions to look out for in 2024 - TechRadar

A smarter society, rise of the robots and security worries — Internet of Things predictions for 2024 – BetaNews

With ever increasing numbers of smart devices in our homes and workplaces, the Internet of Things has become an established facet of everyday life.

But like the rest of the technology industry the IoT isn't standing still. Here are some expert views on the opportunities and risks it's likely to present in 2024.

Eric Purcell, senior vice president of global partner sales at Cradlepoint, thinks the IoT will finally bring the 'smart' society to life -- from cities, to malls, to businesses. "From powering smart infrastructure to traffic management to smart parking, IoT devices throughout cities are actively creating seamless experiences and empowering the cities of the future In 2024, we'll see an increase in industries that leverage IoT devices to bolster connectivity opportunities to increase efficiency, bolster productivity, and meet the need for consumer and customer experiences. As such, we'll begin to see the inklings of a smart society as IoT-enabled establishments from shopping malls to public transportation to modern businesses take flight."

Felix Zhang, founder and CEO of Pudu Robotics, thinks the IoT will be a key part of a new robotic era. "If 2023 is the year of Gen AI, 2024 will be the year of the robot. As autonomous technology becomes more advanced and the integration of Gen AI makes robots more intelligent, we can expect to see robots in even more applications and places than just restaurants, warehouses, and factories. We are only years away (and in some cases months) from seeing robots in stores that can greet shoppers with personalized recommendations, clean and traverse large venues like casinos and outdoor spaces like amphitheaters, carry medicine in hospitals, and even monitor the elderly in senior living facilities. As robots gain more IoT-related controls, we anticipate architecture will follow, enabling robots to use elevators, control lights and other smart home devices, and literally open new doors."

However, Kevin Kumpf, chief OT/ICS security strategist at Cyolo, thinks this could be a double-edged sword:

In the coming year, industrial sectors will experience rising threats to OT and ICS security due to the increasing number of Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT). IIoT devices have historically enabled a wide range of advancements in smart factories, making them more efficient, safe and intelligent. For example, AI/ML-driven technologies can be used to automate factory lighting, monitor vital signs and performance metrics and enhance overall worker safety. AI-intelligent heavy machinery and recently deployed factory robot dogs can also assist in manufacturing processes and ensure the safety of workers in the field.

However, the accelerated integration of IIoT devices will also make organizations significantly more vulnerable to cyber threats. Smart factories generate lots of critical data, and this vast amount of information will become increasingly difficult to analyze and secure effectively, which can hinder its optimization and place organizations at risk of cyberattacks. This upcoming year and beyond, we'll see a growing demand for OT security experts, as there is currently a skills gap in this area which organizations will seek to be filled, especially as vulnerable smart technologies continue to be integrated within these environments.

Yaniv Vardi, CEO at Claroty, thinks generative AI will help handle data from IoT devices. "Generative AI will enhance the resilience of cyber-physical systems against AI-armed threat actors. With the rapid increase of IoT devices, there's an abundance of data, and generative AI will help harness this data for better security and operational insights. It will automate workflows and add better visibility into the attack surface which will in turn empower CPS defenders to anticipate malicious attacks."

Mike Nelson, vice president of digital trust at DigiCert, says devices will become more tamper-resistant. "As the world grows increasingly mobile and dynamic, device security is becoming more important than ever. With individual identity now frequently tied to smartphones and other devices, the root of identity must be specialized per device and per individual -- all protected under the umbrella of trust. We predict that more and more devices will be secured with identity and operational checks to confirm authenticity, enabling individuals to interact with devices that support everyday activity with the confidence that the devices are tamper-resistant and their information is secure. Increased levels of IoT trust will also open up more opportunities for particularly sensitive use cases, such as electric vehicle chargers and medical devices."

Ellen Boehm, SVP, IoT strategy and operations at Keyfactor, thinks cryptography will be part of this. "Similar to how AI has accelerated marketing content, AI will help developers iterate faster on designs and innovate features that might not have been possible through standard methods. The challenge with using any AI engine always comes back to proving the origin, authenticity, and record of how code has changed over time. This is where the new security vulnerabilities could be introduced into IoT products, if AI-based code development leverages an unknown source."

Rajeev Gupta, co-founder and chief product officer at cyber insurance company Cowbell, says, "The increasing connectivity of devices due to the Internet of Things (IoT) will likely create new vulnerabilities, making cybersecurity measures even more critical. As a result, there may be a growing demand for insurance coverage related to IoT security breaches."

VP of security services at Edgio, Tom Gorup thinks the IoT will drive more DDoS attacks:

DDoS attacks have been a thorn in the side of businesses for years, and it seems that they will not be letting up anytime soon. In fact, based on current trends and emerging technologies, DDoS attacks are on track to become even more frequent and larger in scale by the year 2024.

One of the reasons for this is the increasing availability of massive resources for cybercriminals to launch these attacks. Attackers are more often compromising web servers to run massive layer 7 or DDoS attacks, giving them more powerful compute capabilities to increase the intensity of their exploit attempts.

In addition, with the proliferation of Internet of Things (IoT) devices, more and more devices are becoming connected to the internet, which can be exploited by attackers to create massive IoT botnets for DDoS attacks. According to a recent report, the number of IoT devices is expected to reach 38.5 billion by 2025, providing cybercriminals with even more ammunition to launch DDoS attacks.

Seth Blank, CTO at Valimail, expects the IoT to come under attacks as other channels become more secure. "With advancements in email security, particularly through stringent authentication requirements, there will be a shift in the threat landscape. As email becomes more secure and less susceptible to attacks, attackers will pivot to other, less secure communication channels, such as SMS, phone calls, and IOT communications. This shift will reflect the adaptive nature of cyber-criminals, who continually seek out the weakest points in the security infrastructure, and highlight the ongoing challenge of maintaining a comprehensive security posture that evolves in response to the changing tactics of cyber attackers."

Debbie Gordon, founder and CEO of Cloud Range, echoes this view. "There will be a continued expansion of attack surfaces driven by Internet of Things (IoT) devices and a lack of security standards. As more devices become connected to the internet, entry points for cyber threats will become more present. The absence of uniform security standards for these devices will create more vulnerabilities and pose a risk to personal security."

Shankar Somasundaram, CEO at Asimily, says, "Healthcare organizations increasingly depend on vast fleets of internet-connected devices for patient care and outcomes. However, these devices come with thousands of new reported security vulnerabilities each month: an unparalleled challenge that no cybersecurity budget could surmount. In 2024, I think we'll see more healthcare organizations approaching this cybersecurity challenge by adopting risk-first strategies, and utilizing IoT device visibility to prioritize the 5-10 percent of vulnerabilities that represent true immediate risk considering their use cases, network configurations, and common cyberattacker practices. For healthcare organizations with limited budgets, this approach will optimize resources, and results."

Image credit: Jirsak / Shutterstock

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A smarter society, rise of the robots and security worries -- Internet of Things predictions for 2024 - BetaNews

6 Ways to Improve Cyber Security and Internet Safety on Your … – Campus Safety Magazine

Starting with these tips below as a framework can help structure your campus internet safety plan and flesh it out to meet your institutions needs.

In todays hyper-connected world, the propagation and maintenance of internet safety knowledge and protocol is now a vital part of how institutions need to operate. The threat of cyber attacks is becoming increasingly common and can result in devastating, costly breaches that have created irreversible damage and even shut the doors for many institutions over the last few decades.

If you are responsible for the safety of a campus, it is not just physical or natural emergencies you need to deal with. Cyber security and internet safety must be included in your protocols and strategies alongside more traditional security concerns.

The cyber security statistics are grim: 623 million ransomware attacks were reported worldwide in 2021, an increase of more than 100% over the previous year. The numbers of both attacks and damages are increasing. The consequences of a cyber attack can be severe. Depending on the type of attack and how successful it is, ramifications can include:

And potentially other harmful results as well.

Though the world of cyber aggression and cyber crimes changes constantly, there are a few basic forms of cyber crime activities that have been predominantly used over the past decade to compromise both individuals and institutions:

Phishing refers to using fake emails to either extract sensitive information (like passwords or identity information) or trick readers into clicking links or downloading and installing software that is actually harmful in nature. When targeting individuals, this might be an email made to look like that persons bank or branded to mimic an institution with which that person has an account or membership.

When used against organizations, phishing might look like a forged email from another organization, member of staff, or supervisor asking for passwords or important information. Once the criminal has obtained that sensitive piece of information, it will often be used to break into accounts and steal or change data.

Ransomware and Malware refer to pieces of software that, once installed, create problems on a machine or network. They can range from software that allows someone to control the computer remotely to software that causes the machine to crash, or (in the case of ransomware) software that locks the owner out of their accounts or out of the machine itself and demands a ransom payment to regain access.

Data theft and espionage can either be visible or, in some more dubious cases, can happen without any knowledge that there has been a breach. Digital data monitoring or spying has taken place in some institutions networks or databases for years before the compromise was discovered, making it an especially dangerous type of cyber attack. Even if the breach is known right away, data theft can be a hugely expensive and costly problem and can endanger, in some cases, up to thousands of individuals sensitive data or information.

Though there are other types of cyber security attacks, these are some of the most common and should be well considered when implementing strategies to minimize the risk of cyber-attacks on your campus.

Instituting protocol to maintain campus internet safety can be a difficult, daunting task. It can be hard to know where to begin. Starting with these tips below as a framework can help you structure your campuss internet safety plan and flesh it out to meet your institutions needs.

There are a few large-scale security software platforms that have been built for the type of digital infrastructure and reach that exists on a campus. Security software platforms can help formatively strengthen the internet security of a campus by monitoring internet use across all devices connected to campus networks; blocking known dangers or suspicious web properties from loading; and guarding against malware and ransomware installations.

People who have never been taught the nature of a social engineering attack (a form of phishing) are the most susceptible to unknowingly giving information away to criminals when they experience one. To effectively maintain campus internet safety, its vitally important to provide educational materials about the nature of cyber security and common cyber threats for all stakeholders that will be using devices or accessing the internet on campus.

This might be a required presentation during orientation or onboarding, an informational video or webinar shown during the first week of the school year every year, posters on bulletin boards, or some other form of dissemination. How you deliver information about cyber security practices is not as important as the fact that you do deliver it somehow and make sure its accessible to those who need to know.

Though most cyber aggressions happen remotely over the internet, certain kinds are also implemented via physical access to hardware, servers, or devices themselves. From computers in student libraries to server rooms, digital equipment storage spaces, and IT access portals in offices, make sure you do a thorough assessment of your hardware risks in addition to software.

Tightening access, keeping equipment rooms locked, implementing auto-reset passwords and access codes and more can all contribute to keeping your campus safe from hardware hackers.

When designing security protocols, writing a risk register can be an extremely helpful exercise. A risk register is a list of all the ways that you might experience some kind of compromise or breach as well as the ramifications each one could cause. It sounds a little bit tedious, but it can actually create huge awareness of the potential problems your campus faces and helps you think through solutions and preventative methods without hopefully ever having to experience the risk in the first place. Risk registers help you prepare for the worst, head off threats, and develop action steps to mitigate problems when they arise.

Even though you have put time, energy, and work into heading off the risk of cyber-attacks as much as you possibly can, no amount of planning and preparation can completely mitigate the chance that a breach will one day take place. Part of this process must include outlining action steps and responsibilities in the case of a successful cyber attack or breach. And once youve developed this plan, it cannot sit in a drawer somewhere. It needs to be accessible, visible, and easily memorable for all who might have a part to play in enacting it.

If this includes more than faculty and staff (i.e. students or other stakeholders), its very important to make sure you share that information in places they would know to look for it in the case of a cyber security emergency.

Sometimes its necessary to bring in professional expertise to make sure everything has been set up correctly. Whether you need help implementing and configuring your campus security software, want to have another eye look over your risk register or response protocol, or need someone to review all your actions and make sure you havent missed any holes in your internet security strategy, an external professional or consultancy can be the best option to make sure your plan is as bulletproof as possible.

Campus internet security unfortunately isnt something you can deal with once and then forget. It needs to be part of your living, breathing, regularly reexamined campus rhythms and know-how for all stakeholders on campus.

Sarah Daren has been a consultant for startups in multiple industries including health and wellness, wearable technology, nursing, and education.

Note: The views expressed by guest bloggers and contributors are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, Campus Safety.

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6 Ways to Improve Cyber Security and Internet Safety on Your ... - Campus Safety Magazine

Cyber Security Testing – Types of Cybersecurity Testing – Check … – Check Point Software

The Importance of Cybersecurity Testing

Companies digital attack surfaces are constantly expanding. The rise of cloud computing, bring your own device (BYOD) policies, and the Internet of Things has opened up new potential attack vectors in already expanding IT infrastructures.

As IT systems change and evolve, new vulnerabilities may be introduced or discovered, whether by legitimate security researchers or cyber criminals. Regular cybersecurity testing enables an organization to find and fix potential security gaps in its systems before an attacker can exploit them.

Companies have a variety of IT systems and face a range of potential cyber threats. Numerous types of cybersecurity testing exist to help identify potential vulnerabilities in these environments, including:

The goal of cybersecurity testing is to inform the client of their cyber risk exposure and empower them to address the identified issues and improve their security posture. Some of the key deliverables of cybersecurity testing include:

Check Point has deep expertise in identifying and closing security gaps in organizations IT environments. Check Points Infinity Global Services (IGS) enables companies to take advantage of this expertise via pen testing engagements. To learn more about how a penetration test can enhance your organizations security posture, contact a Check Point security expert today.

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Cyber Security Testing - Types of Cybersecurity Testing - Check ... - Check Point Software

How much antivirus protection is right for you? Here’s how to tell – PCWorld

Antivirus has become these days a catch-all term. It doesnt just mean blocking literal computer viruses, trojans, and other bits of malicious code meant to attack your PC. When you opt to go beyond Microsofts built-in protections, an antivirus software subscription can provide a light step up from Windows Defender or a set of intensely comprehensive safeguards that extend to your financial accounts.

So what level of defense do you need, especially when youre concerned about all angles of online security? Here are the general levels of protection you can choose from, as well as what you should consider when considering each.

Microsoft

Free antivirus isnt worse than paidnot when it comes to catching viruses and malware, anyway. For example, AVG (a highly popular free antivirus program) is scored well by respected testing groups like AV-Test and AV-Comparatives. In fact, it tops the charts for offline and online detection, as well as for online protection, with very low false positives. Microsofts Windows Defender also holds up, though AV-Test found it to be a little weaker at protecting against zero-day attacks.

So what does this mean? If youre careful about where you browse, as well as what you download, open, and click, then free antivirus should keep you adequately safe. Thats especially so if you sidegrade to a free version of something like AVG or Avast, which centralize more protections in a single interface.

Further reading: Best antivirus for Windows 2023

However, the flipside is that youre responsible for your own safety. Free software has limitations, too. Take Windows Defenderit protects against ransomware if you make sure controlled folder access is turned on. And generally, if you choose a free antivirus program, you also only have backup protection for your documents if you enable OneDrive syncing or another form of backup.

In a nutshell, free security is as good as your system of manual checks and balances. It relies both on you keeping on top of the latest security threats and avoiding them, as well as setting up your software (and making use of other services, like credit freezes) to thoroughly guard you on all those fronts.

PCWorld

Figuring out what to expect from paid antivirus software can be nebulous, since every antivirus software company offers at least one (if not more) paid subscription outside of the flagship premium option. In fact, long-storied companies like Norton and McAfee seemingly have an endless array of features remixed into different packages.

But at minimum, you should expect an entry-level subscription to include protection against malicious and phishing sites, online trackers, and bad email attachments and links. (This is in addition to basic blocking of virus, malware, and ransomware.) As you go up the tiers (and in price), you should get access to a VPN and/or password manager, parental controls, safeguards against unknown remote access to your PC, and identity monitoring.

In this middle ground, you should ask yourself:

For example, if you only need a little extra defense beyond free antivirus but for lots of devices, then the mid-tier plan from a company like AVG or Avast may be your best bet. Conversely, for roughly the same cost, you could get access to a password manager and cloud backups for your important documents through Nortons similarly priced Antivirus Plus planprovided you dont need protection for more than one device.

The more you pay, the more features you should get, but youll have to shop around and compare features to find your match. (Comparison charts on each companys website are a great starting point.) As you go up the scale, youll see more protections for your online life, like privacy related to social media and data brokers.

McAfee

Once upon a time, the top-tier subscriptions offered by antivirus companies would have been called Cadillac plansand in some cases feel like they cost as much as a luxury car. Take for example the McAfee+ Ultimate plan, which has a regular rate of $280 per yearand thats the individual plan, not the family plan ($425 per year).

But the most expensive plans across all antivirus companies arent equal. One companys Ultimate plan may be more akin to a rival companys mid-tier offering. (This is where comparison charts once again come in handy.)

When considering plans that cost more than $100 per year, expect to see financial protections layered into the plan, like banking account monitoring and online identity-theft assistance. Some even offer insurancelike $1 million of coverage related to identity theft losses.

If that sound appealing, ask yourself if you need to monitor all the major elements in your life (like your credit reports) through one source. It is easy, but you can also pretty easily freeze your credit reports on your own, for example. Most financial institutions also offer account alerts if you want to stay on top of your transactions.

Also, make sure you trust the antivirus company with your most sensitive informationwhich will include your social security numberin order for them to monitor your life online.

Thomas Newton / Foundry

Not interested in combing through endless charts? You cant go too wrong with a basic paid plan that protects against malicious and phishing websites, as well as nasty attachments and links in email downloaded to your PC. I like ones that also guard against remote access to your web cam and PC (though truthfully, I think these shouldnt be paid features). This way, you dont spend a ton of cash, and youve got software on the lookout for your major internet threats.

This level of protection will protect you against slipups, because even the vigilant among us can have off-days.

If you work often from public Wi-Fi, a VPN is also a good investment as a general principlethough signing up for a separate service is the better call. You get more control in what features and servers you get access to, as youll see in our roundup of the best VPNs. That goes even when using a free VPN.

My advice is similar for a password manageryou can often get more robust features and a better user interface if you choose a service independent of your antivirus software.

But as always, the best software is the one you use, so if getting these service as part of a bundle will ensure youll put it to work, then thats the right call.

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How much antivirus protection is right for you? Here's how to tell - PCWorld

Web Security 101 Best Practices and Solutions – Security Boulevard

Web security or website security is the practice of safeguarding networks, online communications, hardware and software from being malhandled or used for malicious purposes. In this growing age of cyber threats and vulnerabilities, the main targets are websites. Therefore, a proper focus on website security is necessary. An efficient website can reduce downtime, prevent unauthorized access, and enhance customer satisfaction. However, it is important to use reliable security tools and to implement security best practices.

Lets delve deep and find out the best practices for securing your website!

Web security is an umbrella term for online or internet security, referring to cybersecurity practices when you are using the internet. Website security is a part of web security that is all about protecting the privacy and integrity of a website. The goal of web security is to keep intruders at bay while you are operating online using the internet.

Website security is a broad discipline that safeguards your data and network resources from online threats. When 30,000 to 50,000 websites are hacked daily, web security holds its importance even more.

So, some of the best practices must be implemented in order to protect networks, servers, and computer systems from damage or credential theft.

Web security can be divided into three parts:

The importance of website security is paramount. The following are some of the main reasons why:

Data Protection: Protects the information about your customers such as their names, addresses, and credit cards. Your customers will only trust you if they feel secure.

User Trust: Consumers trust brands and companies based on their security. People share personal information online more often if they feel safe. Personal information may be less comfortable on insecure sites.

Prevention of Financial Loss: Ensure that there are no loopholes in your website to allow hackers to gain access to your accounts or steal information from you.

Regulatory Compliance: Keep all the necessary documentation available, such as legal statements, privacy policies, and other documents that are relevant to the businesss operations.

Protection Against Legal Consequences: To ensure that any legal action does not take down your website, it is important to have a proper security setup. This ensures that there are no loopholes for hackers to exploit and take down your site through legal means.

Business Reputation: Ensuring that your website has excellent protection against hackers and other malicious activities will help improve your business reputation as well as increase sales!

Your website is only as secure as the weakest link, so its important to keep an eye on your assets. The easiest and most cost-effective way to do this is through regular security audits and penetration testing.

Strict CSP is a security feature that can be used to prevent Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) attacks. It checks the source of scripts and if it does not match, it will not execute them.

HTTP Strict Transport Security (HSTS) is a security policy mechanism that allows websites to declare their support for HTTPS on any web pages served from that domain. The browser will only consider sites that are served with HTTPS as secure, even when they were not explicitly requested via a HTTPS connection.

This allows users to have a more secure browsing experience and prevents opportunistic attackers from gaining access to the users information.

Conducting regular cybersecurity audits allows you to identify and fix any problems that could lead to hackers gaining unauthorized access to your site. You can also use these tests to find out how vulnerable your site is to various attacks, such as SQL injection, cross-site scripting (XSS), or other types of malware.

Web Application Firewalls (WAFs) are specifically designed to stop malicious code from entering your website by analyzing requests before they reach the application layer. This helps prevent hackers from gaining unauthorized access by intercepting malicious requests before they reach the server.

Incorporate SRI (Subresource Integrity) into your web pages using the HTTP header X-Frame-Options. This will tell the browser what to do with any external resources that you embed into your website, such as third-party scripts and images. The browser will only render these resources if the content is not modified during the life cycle of the request.

Apply an X-Frame-Options HTTP header to all frames in all browsers except for Safari and Chrome on iOS 8 or lower. This will prevent cross-site iframes from executing on your site by default.

DNSSEC are DNS Security extensions that provide a way to secure data exchanged in the domain name system (DNS) from being compromised. The DNS is the structure that converts human-friendly names into IP addresses, which can be read by machines to determine your location on the internet.

If someone were to break into the DNS and change the IP address, they would be able to gain access to all of your information and resources. DNSSEC helps to make sure that only authorized parties can modify records in DNS.

A CDN is a network of servers that load content from different locations in order to improve performance and reduce load times for users. Google has built-in support for SSL and DNSSEC, so you can easily enable protection on your site by using a CDN.

There are many different types of SIEM systems out there. Still, the most common one is a software-based solution that monitors network activity and alerts administrators when something goes wrong. SIEM systems also log data from endpoints, including web server logs, application logs, and network traffic.

Security monitoring is key to protecting against an attackers attempt to break into your system. It can help identify vulnerabilities in your network architecture or policies that are allowing unauthorized access to your network.

Web security and website security is a very important consideration that doesnt just apply to large corporations. Several studies show that mistakes are commonly made by individuals as well as small to mid-sized businesses, and many of those mistakes can simply be avoided with the right knowledge.

On investing in good web security and website security measures, you position yourself as a responsible organization and individual who has proactive mindset when it comes to dealing with real-time threats. It only you provides you with the peace of mind required to have a good nights sleep it also lets you walk away with a more secure online interface.

*** This is a Security Bloggers Network syndicated blog from PowerDMARC authored by Ahona Rudra. Read the original post at: https://powerdmarc.com/web-security-website-security-explained/

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Web Security 101 Best Practices and Solutions - Security Boulevard

Nueces County resident heads to prison for possessing multiple … – Department of Justice

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas A 34-year-old Corpus Christi resident has been sentenced for possession of child pornography, announces U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Omar Diego Lyra pleaded guilty July 27.

U.S. District Judge David Morales has now sentenced Lyra to 228 months in prison. At the hearing, the court heard Lyra engaged in distribution of images and videos with others. In handing down the prison term, the court noted the seriousness of the offense and that Lyra provided images and videos to others. Lyra was further ordered to pay $27,000 in restitution to the victims and will serve 20 years on supervised release following completion of his prison term. During that time, he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet. Lyra will also be ordered to register as a sex offender.

The investigation began June 2022 when authorities discovered images of child pornography on an online platform associated with an email address belonging to Lyra. Law enforcement then executed a search warrant of Lyras residence and found images and videos depicting sexual exploitation of minors present on electronic devices in his possession.

Lyra has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with assistance of the Victoria and Corpus Christi Police Departments.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Overman prosecuted the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJs PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources link on that page.

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Nueces County resident heads to prison for possessing multiple ... - Department of Justice

Upholding Internet Freedom as Part of the EU’s Iran Policy – Carnegie Europe

Why the Issue Is Important

Cracking down on internet access and digital rights has been an integral part of the Iranian regimes violent repression of the Woman, Life, Freedom movement. Since fall 2022, regular internet shutdowns have become a new normal; in Sistan and Baluchestan Province, they have occurred every single Friday for fourteen consecutive months. This clampdown is part of a much larger pattern under which the Iranian authorities have worked toward a national information network by centralizing Irans internet infrastructure over the past two decades.

Adebahr is a nonresident fellow at Carnegie Europe. His research focuses on foreign and security policy, in particular regarding Iran and the Persian Gulf, on European and transatlantic affairs, and on citizens engagement.

Beyond impediments like surveillance, the throttling of bandwidth to inhibit traffic, the censorship of web pages or services, and occasional complete shutdowns of mobile data or the internet, the states monopolization of internet infrastructure has led to the digital isolation of Iranians and near-total governmental control. These measures severely infringe Iranians human rights, inhibiting them from communicating and interacting socially, politically, and economically with each other and with the international community. In response, the EUs strategic interest lies in mitigating censorship and enabling access to information, especially for civil society.

Barbara Mittelhammer is an independent political analyst and consultant. Her research focuses on human security, gender in peace and security, feminist foreign policy, and the role of civil society in foreign policy making.

Digital repression by the Iranian authorities goes far beyond the infringement of internet access and individual rights. Instead, the regime is pursuing a strategic plan to advance and continue its digital repression and control to further isolate the countrys citizens from the world. So far, the EUs response has not been commensurate with the scope of such actions and the urgency of their implicationseven though it is in the unions interest both to realize Iranians digital rights and to prevent authoritarian regimes worldwide from strengthening their repressive capacities.

Barbara Mittelhammer is an independent political analyst and consultant. Her research focuses on human security, gender in peace and security, feminist foreign policy, and the role of civil society in foreign policy making.

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Upholding Internet Freedom as Part of the EU's Iran Policy - Carnegie Europe

DNS Service Market Thriving Due to Escalating Demand for Secure and Efficient Internet Infrastructure – Yahoo Finance

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Global DNS Service Market

Global DNS Service Market

Dublin, Nov. 23, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "DNS Service Market - Global Industry Size, Share, Trends Opportunity, and Forecast, 2028F" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

This report offers comprehensive insights into the DNS (Domain Name System) Service Market, including market size, growth trends, and key drivers.

The Global DNS Service Market has shown robust growth, reaching a value of USD 2.4 billion in 2022, and is poised to continue expanding at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 8.4% through 2028. DNS services are integral to the functioning of the internet, translating human-readable domain names into IP addresses, enabling users' access to websites and online resources. This market's growth is driven by the rising demand for secure, efficient, and highly available DNS solutions. These solutions support the increasing online presence of businesses and the growing reliance on the internet for various activities.

Key Market Drivers

1. Increasing Internet Penetration: The rapid expansion of the internet and the growing number of internet users worldwide are driving the demand for DNS services. DNS services play a crucial role in facilitating the translation of domain names into IP addresses, ensuring smooth and uninterrupted internet access. The internet has experienced exponential growth in recent years, with millions of new users joining daily, thanks to technology advancements, affordable internet access, and the proliferation of connected devices. This surge in internet adoption has led to a higher demand for efficient and reliable DNS infrastructure to meet user expectations for fast and seamless access to websites and online services.

2. Growing Emphasis on Internet Security: In a landscape of escalating cyber threats and attacks, organizations prioritize fortifying internet security. DNS services have become central to a robust security infrastructure, playing a pivotal role in detecting and mitigating diverse cyber threats. These include Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks, malware infiltrations, and phishing attempts. DNS service providers proactively integrate advanced security features into their offerings, including threat intelligence mechanisms and DNS filtering. Implementing DNSSEC (Domain Name System Security Extensions) adds an additional layer of security by validating DNS data authenticity and integrity, mitigating DNS cache poisoning and other DNS-related attacks.

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3. Cloud Adoption and Hybrid Environments: The adoption of cloud computing and the proliferation of hybrid IT environments are driving the demand for DNS services. Cloud-based DNS solutions offer scalability, flexibility, and robust availability, making them ideal for organizations transitioning to cloud-centric operations. These solutions can adapt to shifting workloads and traffic patterns, accommodating the dynamic requirements of modern businesses. Furthermore, they seamlessly integrate with both on-premises and cloud-based systems, ensuring consistent and reliable connectivity. Organizations benefit from simplified DNS management and a seamless user experience.

4. Internet of Things (IoT) Expansion: The rapid proliferation of IoT devices, from smart sensors to connected appliances, has introduced challenges in DNS management. IoT devices rely heavily on DNS services to establish their connection to the internet and facilitate communication with other devices and services. Scalable and efficient DNS solutions are imperative to manage the surge in DNS traffic resulting from the growing IoT ecosystem. DNS service providers are developing specialized solutions tailored to meet the unique demands of IoT deployments, ensuring agility and responsiveness for seamless device connectivity.

5. Global Expansion of Businesses: Expanding global business operations drive the demand for DNS services that can accommodate international presence effectively. Global DNS services strategically deploy geographically distributed DNS servers worldwide, ensuring organizations efficiently deliver content and services to users regardless of their location. This reduces latency and enhances the end-user experience on a global scale. Global DNS services leverage advanced routing techniques, including Anycast, to orchestrate efficient DNS traffic flow, reducing latency and enhancing overall performance.

Key Market Challenges

1. Lack of Standardization and Compatibility: The lack of standardization and compatibility across different DNS service providers presents a major challenge. Each provider may have its own protocols, configurations, and management tools, making it difficult for organizations to seamlessly collaborate and integrate their DNS services. Standardization efforts are needed to establish common protocols and standards to promote interoperability.

2. Resistance to Change and Adoption: Implementing DNS services may face resistance from employees and stakeholders. Resistance to change can stem from a lack of understanding about the benefits, concerns about disruptions to existing infrastructure, or fear of potential security vulnerabilities. Overcoming this challenge requires effective change management strategies, including comprehensive communication and training programs.

3. Complexity and Integration Challenges: DNS service implementations can be complex, particularly when integrating with existing IT infrastructure and systems. Legacy systems, diverse network architectures, and complex DNS configurations can create integration challenges, leading to delays, inconsistencies, and suboptimal performance. Robust integration capabilities and comprehensive planning are crucial to ensure smooth integration.

4. Managing DNS Performance and Reliability: Ensuring optimal DNS performance and reliability can be challenging, especially with large-scale networks and high DNS query volumes. Failure to meet performance and reliability expectations can result in website downtime, user frustration, and revenue loss. Proactive performance monitoring, capacity planning, and load balancing strategies are essential.

5. Security and Privacy Concerns: Security and privacy are significant challenges. DNS services must adhere to industry best practices and regulatory requirements to protect sensitive data and user privacy. This includes implementing robust security measures, such as DNSSEC, DDoS protection, and encryption, and conducting regular security audits and vulnerability assessments.

Key Market Trends

1. Shift towards Cloud-based DNS Solutions: The Global DNS Service Market is experiencing a significant shift towards cloud-based solutions due to their scalability, flexibility, and cost-effectiveness. Cloud-based DNS services offer high availability and global scalability, advanced security features, and are preferred by businesses seeking efficient DNS infrastructure.

2. Integration of Artificial Intelligence and Automation: AI and automation technologies are being integrated into DNS solutions. AI-powered DNS solutions analyze traffic patterns, detect anomalies, and mitigate potential DNS attacks. Automation streamlines DNS management processes, enhancing operational efficiency.

3. Focus on Security and Threat Intelligence: Security and threat intelligence features are gaining prominence in DNS services. Advanced security measures, including DNS firewalling, traffic analysis, and threat intelligence feeds, are offered to protect against DNS-based attacks.

4. Emphasis on Performance and Global Reach: Performance and global reach are key considerations. DNS service providers invest in global infrastructure and leverage technologies like DNS load balancing to deliver low-latency and high-performance DNS resolution.

5. Enhanced Analytics and Reporting Capabilities: Analytics and reporting tools provide insights into DNS traffic, performance metrics, and potential issues. Predictive analytics anticipates DNS traffic patterns, facilitating capacity planning and optimization.

Segmental Insights

Deployment Insights: Cloud-based deployments dominate the Global DNS Service Market due to their scalability, flexibility, and cost-effectiveness. Cloud-based DNS services offer high availability, advanced security, and global scalability, reducing the burden on internal IT teams.

Type Insights: Primary DNS services, which translate domain names into IP addresses, dominate the market. These services are essential for internet functionality and offer advanced features such as load balancing and security enhancements.

End-User Industry Insights: The IT and Telecom sector leads the market due to its reliance on digital infrastructure, increasing demand for connectivity, and adoption of technologies like cloud computing, IoT, and 5G networks.

Regional Insights: North America is the dominant region in the market, benefiting from a highly developed internet infrastructure, a favorable business environment, and strong cybersecurity awareness.

Report Scope: The report covers various segments of the DNS Service Market, including deployment, end-use industry, type, enterprise size, and region. It provides market size, growth trends, and key market drivers and challenges. The report offers insights into prominent companies in the market, including Amazon Web Services, Cloudflare, Google, Microsoft, Oracle, Verisign, Akamai Technologies, IBM, Neustar, and NS1.

Key Attributes:

Report Attribute

Details

No. of Pages

181

Forecast Period

2022 - 2028

Estimated Market Value (USD) in 2022

$2.4 Billion

Forecasted Market Value (USD) by 2028

$4.09 Billion

Compound Annual Growth Rate

8.4%

Regions Covered

Global

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/2hkrjv

About ResearchAndMarkets.comResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends.

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DNS Service Market Thriving Due to Escalating Demand for Secure and Efficient Internet Infrastructure - Yahoo Finance