Security and business IT professionals are pretty much in agreement that it’s impossible for commercial organizations to completely avoid being hit by some form of cyber-attack or security breach – either as a future event or an incident that’s already occurred. While planning, policy-making, and the deployment of security mechanisms, devices, and protocols may offer some relief, the inevitability of … Read More
What is a Zero Trust Network?
The traditional model of network security relies on the establishment of a secure boundary, or perimeter. This not only keeps unwanted “visitors” or attackers out but also assumes that those who remain within the boundary are only authorized users of the system. These authorized users may then be trusted only to access the network resources that have been allocated to … Read More
The Importance of Digital Forensics
Just as in the physical world, we leave traces of ourselves – fingerprints, hairs, clothing fibers, DNA, etc. – when we move and interact with people, places, and objects, so too do activities in the digital realm leave pieces or echoes of themselves. These virtual or digital traces – think file fragments, activity logs, timestamps, metadata, and so on – … Read More
The Loapi Mining Trojan
Though its reputation has taken a battering in recent months over allegations of involvement in long-term spying or extreme surveillance operations conducted against agencies of the U.S. government, the Russia-based security firm Kaspersky Lab has recently made the news for more positive reasons. Researchers at Kaspersky have discovered a Trojan named Loapi – a resourceful and potentially deadly piece of … Read More
Advantages of Cryptocurrency
Having emerged as a digital alternative to more traditional methods of exchange like cash or credit cards, cryptographic or cryptocurrencies have also generated alternative points of view. On the one hand, there’s the school of thought which sees cryptocurrencies as a financial medium for fraudsters, terrorists, and criminals – especially given their involvement in ransomware scams, and in trading on … Read More
What Does Net Neutrality Mean for Your Privacy?
In its purest form, net neutrality is the principle that all data on the internet should be treated equally by Internet Service Providers (ISPs), government bodies regulating internet access, and all entities concerned with the movement and management of data over the internet, generally. This idea considers internet access provision to be a public utility, much like water or electricity … Read More
Home DNA Tests Could Be Gathering Your Personal Info! A Discussion of Genetic Testing Privacy Issues
Privacy concerns and worries about the handling of information gathered from consumers by mobile apps, websites, and online resources have been very much in the news, of late. But with the holiday season upon us – and with many people having excess time on their hands and/or memorable festive gifts to shop for – there’s an unusual new avenue which … Read More
Hardware Encryption – How is the Market Emerging?
Privacy and information security concerns have fueled the increased usage in recent years of data encryption. Much of the focus of this activity – and most of the forms in which the related technology has been distributed and implemented – has been on desktop software, mobile applications, and network/system processes. But hardware-based encryption methods and technologies do exist – and … Read More
The State of VPN in China – Apple Pulls VPN Apps From China App Store
To bypass censorship rules and other restrictions placed on internet usage, citizens must resort to Virtual Private Network or VPN applications and services in certain countries. Prominent among these nations is the People’s Republic of China, which not only has a long-standing history of online censorship but also an ongoing policy of proactive intervention when new avenues or technologies emerge … Read More
Email Spoofing – How SPF, DMARC and DKIM Help Detect and Prevent Attacks
As email remains one of the primary communications channels for private individuals, commercial or non-commercial organizations, and government institutions, it’s little wonder that it also continues to be a medium of choice for hackers and cyber-criminals. Two of their preferred attack methods are impersonation and fraud – both of which may be readily accomplished by spoofing the internet domains associated … Read More