Binary Code
Computers and other electronic devices store information as Binary Code (which is a series of 1s and 0s that might look like this: 10101001 01101100 11001010).
Network Topology Map
A Network Topology Map is a diagram of a computer network's components, including network access points and connections between its various parts.
Fake Anti-Virus Software
Fake Anti-Virus Software - also known as 'scareware' - is designed to trick you into buying worthless anti-virus protection that you do not need.
Domain Name System
The Domain Name System (DNS) is like the ‘telephone book’ of the Web – it translates a website's name into its corresponding numerical IP address on the Internet.
Social Engineering
A Phishing e-mail is an attempt to trick the recipient into giving up information, such as account, credit card or password information.
Data Encryption
Data Encryption is the intentional scrambling of information into unreadable form - until it is later converted back into its original form by the intended recipient.
Botnet, or Compromised Computers
A Botnet is a collection of computers compromised by a malware attack that can be controlled remotely (via the Internet) to attack websites, send out spam emails, etc.
Distributed Denial of Service Attack
A Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) Attack can use a botnet to force a website, network or other resource to shut down by overloading it with requests for data.
USB Flash Drive
A USB Flash Drive, aka a 'stick drive' or 'thumb drive' is a portable data storage device which connects to a computer's USB port to send and receive data.
Electronic vs. Static Media
Static Media is something like a book, magazine or printed photo, while Electronic or Digital Media (websites, digital photos, etc.) requires power to be viewed.
Administrative Access
A user with Administrative Rights has unrestricted power to create, modify or delete files, folders, settings and programs on a particular computer.
Computer Security Tip of the Week
Scott Aurnou – A ‘drive by download’ is malware hidden on a website that will attack your computer as soon as you go to the site (often unbeknownst to the website’s owner). What can you do to protect yourself from them?
Helpful websites referenced in this video include:
Secunia: http://secunia.com/
AppFresh for Mac: http://metaquark.de/appfresh/mac
If you enjoyed this video, you can see more on TheSecurityAdvocate YouTube channel (and subscribe if you like).
By Scott Aurnou
A ‘botnet’ is a group of computers that have been successfully attacked by malicious software (aka malware) that allows them to be remotely controlled through the Internet. These compromised computers can be used for a number of purposes, including sending spam and disabling targeted websites.
What are the parts of a botnet? The individual computers that comprise a botnet are sometimes referred to as ‘zombies’ or ‘drones’ due to their essentially mindless pursuit of whatever commands they are given by the ‘botherder’ (or ‘botmaster’) controlling them. As you might imagine, the owners of these zombie computers generally have no idea that their machines have been captured and co-opted into a botnet.
There are millions of botnets with hundreds of millions of compromised computers worldwide. A botnet can have a few hundred or a few hundred thousand drone computers and they are often available to be rented online to assist in a number of criminal ventures. Speaking of which…
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Computer Security Tip of the Week
Scott Aurnou – Backing up the data on your smartphone or tablet is fairly easy to do and critically important. It’s no secret that mobile devices are highly susceptible to loss and theft. If your data has been backed up, you can be back up and running almost immediately. If not, your messages, pictures, videos clips, etc. will be gone forever.
Websites referenced in this video include:
iCloud: https://www.icloud.com/
Google Play: https://play.google.com/store
Photobucket Mobile: http://photobucket.com/mobile
If you enjoyed this video, you can see more on TheSecurityAdvocate YouTube channel (and subscribe if you like).
By Josh Ablett
Peter Drucker famously said “what gets measured gets done.” The same is true for security. If you don’t track and measure your security activity, you may find yourself with a security breach because “someone forgot.”
To illustrate this, I’ll show you some of the lists that we use at Adelia Risk to keep everything organized. Here are some screenshots from a system that we use to centralize it all, but there’s no reason you can’t do the same using tools you already own.
1) Single Document Storage Location
Security and compliance activities generate a TON of documents. Designate a single place to store all of these documents, but make sure you can lock it down so only appropriate people can access it.
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Computer Security Tip of the Week
Scott Aurnou – Encrypting data renders it unreadable to anyone without the proper ‘decrypt key.’ If the electronic information on your computer or network has been encrypted and you suffer a data breach, the attackers will have effectively stolen gibberish, rather than usable information.
Helpful websites referenced in this video include:
TrueCrypt: http://www.truecrypt.org/
Top Ten Reviews: http://www.toptenreviews.com/
If you enjoyed this video, you can see more on TheSecurityAdvocate YouTube channel (and subscribe if you like).
