CYBERSECURITY KEYTERMS WE SHOULD KNOW

Staying one step ahead of the latest threats is tricky. Not understanding technical terminology makes it even more difficult. In this post, we define nine cybersecurity terms that you need to know to stay safe and secure.

In these times, it can be very difficult to protect devices, data privacy and, in general, our online world. Although there are many reliable solutions for desktops and mobile devices, it is not so easy to know where we are vulnerable if we are not familiar with the jargon and acronyms that describe these incidents.

Here is a glossary of security terms that you should know to stay protected:

Cybersecurity Glossary

Botnet: A botnet (from the fusion of "robot" and "network") is a network of devices infected by an attacker. Whoever controls it can use it, for example, to carry out DDoS attacks (see below), mine Bitcoin and spread spam via email. Almost any device connected to the Internet, including home routers, can be infected and incorporated into a botnet without its owner ever realizing it.

Information Breach: An information breach occurs when a company's network is under attack and valuable data is stolen, typically personal information, login credentials, credit card details, and social security numbers. This stolen data can be exploited in a thousand ways: it can be ransomed (see Ransomware, below), it can be sold on the dark web, or it can be used to make purchases. Often, hackers try to decipher the passwords of email and then test to get them on popular sites, since many people use the same credentials for multiple accounts.

DDoS attack: Attacks DDoS (distributed denial of service) are used to make an inoperative network. To do this, the target machine is simply flooded with a massive number of requests from numerous devices. The target's bandwidth is saturated, making legitimate connections impossible. These attacks are usually carried out by botnets (see above).

DNS attack: A "domain name server" attack is a type of DDoS attack that uses specific query protocols and available hardware to flood a system with incoming requests. A hacker can manipulate publicly accessible domain names and overwhelm the target with a large volume of data packets or requests.

DNS hijacking consists of redirecting users to malicious sites by using a fake DNS server. For example, we can expect “google.com” to lead us to Google's IP address. However, DNS hijacking allows cybercriminals to translate “google.com” into their own IP address and redirect the user to a malicious site to steal their information, or lead them to download malware. A DNS hijack can also provide corrupted search results to try to get the user to click on a certain link.

Mobile Banking Trojans: It looks like your trusted banking app, but it's really just a mask. Under it, a mobile banking Trojan tricks you into entering its banking credentials and other personal information. You can also get administrative rights to intercept SMS messages, allowing you to register your two-factor authentication codes.

Open Wi-Fi networks: encrypted connections protect you. Open Wi-Fi networks are not encrypted and therefore pose such a high risk. Anyone can create a rogue access point and trick their device into joining automatically.

When you use Wi-Fi without the protection of a VPN (see tips below), any user on the network can see the sites you visit, your login passwords, your financial and personal details, and much more. It is common for hackers to name their fake Wi-Fi networks after popular sites (such as "Starbucks"), knowing that most devices automatically reconnect to computers hotspots you've used in the past. They can even redirect your unencrypted traffic and send you to malicious sites.

Phishing: Cybercriminals use these scams to mislead you into providing confidential information. Phishing messages pose as emails from an organization or person you know. They often include a link or attachment that prompts you to click, with the result that malware is inadvertently downloaded onto the system. Phishing scams are sometimes indistinguishable from copycat sites and try to trick you into entering your password.

Ransomware: Ransomware is a type of malware that takes over the system and encrypts it, sometimes attacking specific files. When you try to access the encrypted files, a ransom note is activated informing you that you will not have access to your data until you make a payment. Sometimes these messages pretend to be from a government agency and accuse you of having committed a cybercrime, leading many victims to pay out of fear. It is common for payment to be required in bitcoin.

Spyware: Spyware is a type of malware that hackers use to spy on you to gain access to your personal information, your bank account details, your online activity, and anything else they consider valuable. On mobile devices, spyware can record your location, read your text messages, redirect calls, and much more.

Tips for staying safe and secure

Although all of this may seem intimidating, a few simple strategies will keep almost all threats at bay, from botnets to Trojans. These are our main suggestions:

Install good security software on all devices: Antivirus Software prevents malware from infecting your device and also includes Wi-Fi Inspector, which looks for vulnerabilities on your home router. All Antivirus ensures that the websites you visit are the real one, the mails are not spammy, and there are no viruses or threats. It also prevents hijacking thanks to the encrypted connection between the browser and Avast's own DNS servers.

Use strong and unique passwords: If you want to generate hyper-secure passwords, use a password manager. It also alerts you if your email address may be included in an information breach, so you can take action.

Only download apps from trusted sources:  In addition, it uses an antivirus for smartphones, which prevents the entry of Trojans and eliminates those already present.

Use a virtual private network (VPN): If you plan to use free and open Wi-Fi networks. A VPN, creates a secure, encrypted connection that protects your personal data and privacy. VPNs allow you to browse anonymously and change your location, which helps prevent someone from tracking you.

Think twice before opening attachments, following links, or sharing sensitive data. Please carefully examine any emails that ask for personal information. If you see a typo, an incorrect logo, or anything else that makes you doubt, contact the sender (by any method other than replying to the suspicious message) to verify the content before taking any action.

To prevent ransomware from attacking your system, consider using antivirus software, whose Ransomware Shield can be installed on all your PCs.