What exactly does a router do?

The primary function of a router is forwarding (or routing) data packets between networks. In networking, data packets are the fundamental information units that are transferred over the internet. Every data packet contains a source IP address and a destination IP address. A router’s job is to efficiently route an IP packet from the source station to its destination station without any hindrances.

Routers have various other functions as well, including:

• Simplifying management: Given the limited number of available IP addresses, routers use Network Address Translation (NAT), which allows several devices to share a single public IP address. NAT also improves network security and simplifies network management.
• Packet filtering: Routers monitor incoming and outgoing packets for suspicious traffic using filtering techniques. They decide whether to allow or disallow packets based on screening filters like port numbers, IP addresses, and Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) messages.
• Dynamic routing: In dynamic routing, routers adapt to changes in networks and take the best path based on real-time conditions. If a router detects a failure in a network’s section, it consults its routing table and reroutes the traffic to an alternate path.
• Classifying traffic: With the help of Quality of Service (QoS), routers prioritize which traffic will receive more preferential treatment.

How do routers work?

When a router receives a data packet, it reads its IP header to understand where it is headed. To begin with, it checks its routing table with the details of paths to various network destinations. These routing tables use algorithms that help pick the best path to reach that destination.

The router then sends packets to the next node until they reach the destination, allowing for smooth data transmission.

Components of a network router

A network router comprises both internal and external components. The internal components are:

• CPU: Routers have CPUs that can efficiently determine the most optimal route for packets while keeping track of them.  
• Memory: A router uses different types of memory like RAM, Read Only Memory (ROM), Flash, and non-volatile RAM (NVRAM).
  • RAM: RAM is the main memory in routers, but only temporarily stores data. If the router is turned off, all data is erased.
  • Flash: Flash memory is a type of non-volatile memory designed for storing a router’s operating system. The content stored in flash memory is not affected even when the router is shut down.
  • NVRAM: NVRAM is a kind of non-volatile RAM that can save data even after a router has been turned off.
• Interfaces/ports: Routers support multiple interfaces/ports like Ethernet and Serial to connect to various wires. In Ethernet, the router supports FastEthernet and GigabitEthernet, while Serial supports HDLC, PPP, and Frame Relay.

The external components of a router include:

• WAN Port: The WAN port connects to the wide area network or the internet.
• LAN Port: The LAN port connects to the local area network, enabling communication between connected devices.

Main types of routers

Routers used to be essentially the same: a piece of hardware that allowed devices to communicate with each other across a network. But today, routers can take many different forms. Here are some of the most common:

• Wired router: The original router type, wired routers use physical Ethernet cables to share data over networks.
• Wireless router: Wireless routers allow Wi-Fi internet connections through built-in access points. These routers are widely used in homes and small offices and can support multiple devices simultaneously.
• Edge router: An edge router is a specialized wire or wireless router that resides at the boundary of a network. These routers don’t communicate with internal networks; instead, they communicate with external networks.
• Virtual router: Virtual routers are a type of software that allows computers to function as efficiently as physical routers. They work similarly to physical routers by sharing data packets and can be scaled up quickly when required. As a result, they are an excellent option for businesses looking for high-performance networking solutions.
• Core router: Core routers are another form of specialized routers that forward data within the core of the network. They are ideal for large organizations and are designed to handle high traffic.

What are the most common router issues?

Routers can face many issues. Below are common router issues and how to troubleshoot them:

Slow network

It is common to encounter slow networks where several clients are attempting to connect to a router that may or may not have enough capacity to accommodate all of them. In such cases, the router may slow down internet speed on one or more of the connected devices.

To troubleshoot a slow network, you can unplug the router and wait 30 seconds before plugging it back in.

Weak signal

If your router is old or placed in an unsuitable location, it may block the Wi-Fi signal. In addition to that, physical interferences, such as large appliances or thick walls, can also result in low signal strength.

For a strong Wi-Fi signal, remove obstructions between your router and wireless devices. Also, place your router on a high surface and keep it updated. In a large area, you may need to use one or more Wi-Fi extenders.

You get locked out

There are a few ways you can get locked out of your router. Perhaps you have forgotten your password, or it may have been hacked.

Regardless of the cause, if you get locked out, you can reset your router password by pressing the reset button for at least 10 seconds.

Router protocols

Routers use routing protocols to build routing tables that contain details about the paths available to different networks. With this information, the router can determine the most optimal route for each data packet.

Types of router protocols

There are various types of router protocols. Here are some of the most common:

Routing Information Protocol (RIP)

One of the oldest routing protocols, RIP is an interior gateway protocol that uses a distance vector algorithm to route packets to their destination. Distance vector routing determines the best path for data packets with a simple calculation of how many routers the packet has to pass through (or “hop”) to reach its destination.

However, RIP is not the best option for large and complex networks. That’s because it is designed to only broadcast updates every 30 seconds — which was enough in the early days of networks, but can’t support modern network traffic volumes — and only supports up to 15 hops.

The newer version of this protocol, RIPv2 (and its IPv6 extension, RIPng), improves on the shortcomings of RIP and provides additional features like multicasting, password authentication, variable length subnet masking, poison reverse, and more — but it’s still limited to a maximum hop count of 15.

Open Shortest Path First (OSPF)

OSPF is a link-state routing protocol designed for TCP/IP environments. It calculates the best path the packets should take to reach their destination using Dijkstra’s algorithm.

Border Gateway Protocol (BGP)

BGP is a gateway protocol developed to replace EGP. Its primary function is to transfer data packages between autonomous systems (AS) using the best path selection algorithm. Prominent features are support for next-hop, Classless Inter-Domain Routing (CIDR), Transmission Control Protocol (TCP), and efficient network bandwidth utilization.

Immediate System-to-Immediate System (IS-IS)

IS-IS is a link state and classless protocol that uses the Dijkstra algorithm to find the optimal path for data transmission. It is used for routing in autonomous systems.

Router vs. switch vs. modem

While a router, switch, and modem might look similar, each is used differently, combining to facilitate internet connectivity for homes, businesses, and other organizations.

Bottom line: Routers facilitate efficient network communication

A router is a literally essential component of modern network computing — without it, most network connectivity would be impossible. A good router ensures fast, reliable, and secure data transmission across networks.

Network administrators should have a comprehensive understanding of routers, including their types and uses. This knowledge will help them decide which router to choose for their organization and optimize their network’s performance.

Get to know the best enterprise Wi-Fi solutions and providers to maximize efficiency and uptime on your organization’s network.

The post What Is a Router in Networking? Core Function Explained appeared first on Enterprise Networking Planet.

Secure Shell (SSH) is a widely used network protocol that enables users to securely access remote servers over unsecured networks. SSH creates a cryptographically secure connection between a server and a client to ensure that subsequent communications are encrypted and have not been tampered with. It is commonly used in various operating systems, such as Linux, Unix, and macOS.

SSH was originally developed in 1995 to replace protocols like Rlogin and Telnet, which came with several security flaws. SSH1 provided users with an encrypted login path to remote systems. It included features like symmetric encryption and enabled port forwarding.

Still, it had numerous security flaws that made it susceptible to cyberattacks. This led to the development of SSH2. The SSH2 protocol, released in 2006 and still in use today, includes additional security measures such as the Diffie–Hellman key exchange and message authentication codes (MACs).

With SSH, users can safely transfer files, manage network infrastructures, remotely access apps and devices, and execute commands. Thanks to its ability to authenticate and encrypt sessions, SSH provides robust protection against cyberattacks and information theft.

How does secure shell protocol work?

The SSH protocol operates on the client/server architecture model within a network. Communication takes place through shells such as Linux terminal shells. Clients use a form of the following command to connect to remote servers:

ssh UserName@SSHserver.example.com

To authenticate and approve the process, SSH uses the Diffie–Hellman key exchange mechanism of public and private keys to access data securely. When a client attempts to connect to a server for the first time, the server will ask the client to prove its identity. The client, in turn, must provide valid credentials to establish its identity. If the client provides incorrect credentials, the authentication is rejected.

The server encrypts a challenge message using the public key and waits for the client to respond. If the client can decrypt the challenge message with the correct private key, it is verified as genuine, and communication between the two is allowed.

It is important to note that the private key is only accessible to the user and should always be kept safe. Exposing the private key can let unauthorized persons access mission-critical systems. Conversely, the public key is used by both the client and the remote server, making it an essential element in the communication process between the two.

SSH tunneling

Let’s say a server wants to access data on your local port that is inaccessible. How do you bypass firewalls and ensure the data is not stolen in transit when it passes through the public internet?

Network tunneling is the process of allowing bi-directional connections between a local port (i.e., the destination port on your own computer) and a remote port via a secure tunnel. SSH tunnels use hashing algorithms and symmetric encryption to encrypt data, thus providing security during data transmission.

To put it simply, SSH tunneling allows you to set up a new connection from your local computer to the remote server through an already-established SSH connection between the client and server. SSH tunneling is preferred by enterprises for its ease of use and its ability to bypass firewalls.

What are the main uses of SSH?

SSH connections are mostly used to:

• Provide a secure way to transfer resources over insecure pathways.
• Ensure secure access to business data and processes.
• Issue remote commands.
• Forward ports.
• Run X11 forwarding.
• Manage operating systems and routers.
• Transfer files between computers.

How secure is SSH?

SSH is generally considered to be one of the most secure encryption methods available today and is currently used on almost half of the world’s servers and nearly every Linux computer.

SSH keys encrypt traffic between the client and server, preventing malicious actors from eavesdropping and decrypting it. However, the proliferation of SSH keys in organizations exposes them to cybercriminals who can take advantage of these unattended and often forgotten SSH keys to gain privileged access to networks. This can result in significant damage to the organization and its stakeholders.

SSH can also be vulnerable to attacks such as brute force attempts to guess passwords or usernames. A significant threat to SSH is hackers exploiting SSH keys to gain root access to the server and install malicious malware. Although unconfirmed, it has been suggested that Edward Snowden successfully exploited SSH keys to breach the National Security Agency (NSA) in 2013.

Implementing multi-factor authentication (MFA), using firewalls, changing default options, deleting untracked/orphan keys, and frequently rotating keys are some ways to secure SSH.

What port is used for secure shell connections?

Port 22 is the default port used for SSH protocol. When an SSH client wishes to connect to an SSH server, it sends a request for communication to the server on port 22. After the connection is made, the server and client exchange cryptographic keys, which are used to create a secure and encrypted communication channel between the two.

Although port 22 is the default port, it is possible for SSH to run on different ports. To change the SSH port number, locate the SSH server configuration file and modify the port number to one of your choice.

How SSH compares to other protocols

SSH vs. Telnet

Telnet is a network protocol that was developed in 1969 and allows users to access remote servers. Over time, SSH has largely replaced Telnet due to its drastically superior security.

• One of the primary differences between Telnet and SSH is that Telnet sends data in plain text form while SSH encrypts the data, making it highly secure.
• SSH uses port 22 by default, but you can change the port number. Telnet uses port 23 and is designed to work with LAN.
• SSH uses public key encryption for authentication purposes. Telnet does not provide any authentication privileges to users.
• SSH is preferred for public networks. In contrast, because of security concerns, Telnet is more suitable for private networks.

SSH vs. SSL and TLS

Similar to SSH, Transport Layer Security (TLS) and Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) are two cryptographic protocols that provide security for data transmitted over the internet. Like SSH, both protocols encrypt data and authenticate the connection. However, SSL has a significant number of security vulnerabilities and has been deprecated. TLS is now widely used as a replacement for SSL due to its improved security features.

While SSH and TLS share some common features, they differ in the following aspects:

Common SSH commands

The ssh command is used to securely log into remote systems. The most basic SSH command is ssh user@host, where “user” is the username/client, and “host” is the address or server of the remote machine.

Some common SSH commands include:

cd command

The cd (change directory) command is used to navigate between directories.

cd [name of the directory]

In case the directory structure is nested, then to reach a particular directory one needs to give the full path of the directory. For example:

cd HomeDirectory/Level1Directory/Level2Directory

The above command then takes you to Level2Directory.

mkdir command

The mkdir (make directory) command is used to create a directory. The syntax for an mkdir command is:

mkdir [folder name]

touch command

The touch command is used for creating a new file. The syntax for the touch command is:

touch [file name]

rm command

The rm (remove) command is used for deleting or removing a file. The syntax for the remove command is:

rm [file name]

cp command

The cp command (copy command) is used for copying a file. The syntax for the copy command is:

cp [source file name] [destination file name]

Bottom line: SSH encryption secures communication over enterprise networks

SSH has successfully replaced older network protocols like rsh, Telnet, and FTP that transferred information in plain text. By using SSH, you can be assured that every single communication between your device and server is secure and encrypted. Therefore, leveraging SSH protocol is an effective approach to protecting network health, particularly in light of continuous cybersecurity threats.

We carefully analyzed and selected the top encryption software to enhance the security of your data in transit and protect your critical communications.

The post Secure Shell (SSH) Protocol: Encryption Over Insecure Networks appeared first on Enterprise Networking Planet.

Local Area Network (LAN): A LAN is a network of devices interconnected by a common communications line. These devices are located in close proximity to each other and are usually housed in the same building or office complex. The LAN allows devices to share resources like files, printers, or apps while also facilitating communication between them. Unlike a WAN, it is easy to set up a LAN.

Wide Area Network (WAN): A WAN is a telecommunications network that connects devices spanning multiple locations spread across the globe. For instance, businesses with locations in diverse places use WANs to connect to their branch offices, enabling their employees to access resources from any location. WANs use satellite links, leased lines, multiprotocol label switching (MPLS), and other communication technologies for secure data transfer between devices.

LAN vs. WAN comparison chart

Here is a quick side-by-side comparison of LAN and WAN to better display their basic differences:

How do LANs and WANs work?

LANs and WANs function very differently from one another, using different protocols and management models to achieve essentially the same function: sending and receiving data packets between users on different devices.

How local area networks work

A LAN provides shared access to computing devices located near each other. Data on a LAN is commonly transmitted through peer-to-peer communication (directly between devices) or client-server communication (devices connecting to a central server). LANs use network protocols like Ethernet to transmit data between devices.

The following three topologies are used for transmitting data in LANs:

• Bus topology: In bus topology, devices are connected to a single cable. Data is transmitted along the cable, and if the destination address matches the enclosed address, the data is allowed to pass through.
• Star topology: The star topology is a networking setup where multiple workstations are connected to a central hub, forming a star-shaped network. If a particular device on the network wants to communicate with another workstation, it must first send the data through the central hub. This topology is the most commonly used setup in local area networks.
• Ring topology: In a ring topology, devices are connected in a circular manner, and data passes around the ring until it reaches its destination. There is no central console.

When a device on the LAN sends information to another device, it first breaks down the data into packets. These packets contain source and destination addresses. The source device sends the packet, and with the help of switches and routers, the packet is forwarded to the destination device.

How wide area networks work

Due to their geographical size, WANs are usually owned and managed by a service provider such as MPLS, satellite services, Virtual Private LAN Services (VPLS), or cable companies that help in long-distance communication and data transmission.

The infrastructure components used in a WAN include switches; routers; transmission lines like fiber optic cables, satellite links, and wireless connections; and a range of other networking equipment.

WANs transmit data either through point-to-point (P2P) connections or shared circuits using packet-switching. In P2P connections, packets sent from one point are delivered to the other using Layer 2 of the OSI model. P2P connections are also known as circuit-switched networks, private lines, or leased lines.

A more modern approach is packet switching technology, where data does not rely on any physical connection between nodes but is broken down into small manageable packets. Each packet is assigned a source address and a destination address. Then depending on the traffic, the data is allowed to take any path to reach the destination, as opposed to being limited to a predetermined route.

Main differences between LANs and WANs

Despite the similarity of their names, LANs and WANs differ on most points, including size, connections, cost, security, and speed.

• Size: The primary difference between LANs and WANs is that LANs serve a small geographic area confined to a physical space, while WANs cover diverse geographical areas sometimes spanning across countries.
• Single point of failure: In LANs, it is common to have a single point of failure, and in case it goes down, there is a high probability that the entire network will be affected. WANs have no single point (other than the service provider itself), and seldom if ever go down entirely.
• Connections: LANs use local connections like Ethernet cables while WANs use MPLS, leased lines, and VPLS.
• Cost-effectiveness: LANs are significantly cheaper than WANs to set up and operate. Hence, they are more cost-effective — at least until you need to scale beyond their capacity.
• Security: LANs are more secure than WANs as they are restricted to a known area that firewalls and other security devices can protect.
• Speed: LANs are faster as they cover a short distance and experience less congestion. In contrast, WANs can sometimes get congested due to traffic surges.

Main similarities between LANs and WANs

LANs and WANs do have some things in common, namely their basic components and purpose.

• Collaboration: Both LAN and WAN allow for the sharing of resources among users.
• Components: Both use networking components like routers, switches, and cables to transmit data.
• Communications: Both use standard communication protocols to send information from one device to another.
• Packets: In both, data is broken down into packets containing source and destination addresses.
• Data protection: Both employ security measures to protect data at rest and transit.
• Addressing: Both assign addresses to identify devices on the network.

When to use LANs vs. WANs

Unsurprisingly for such different technologies, LANs and WANs have very different use cases.

LAN use cases

LANs are an excellent tool for creating secure connections between devices located close to each other. Here are some use cases where LANs prove to be incredibly useful:

• Families: Families can link multiple devices at home to a single internet connection. They can also share printers over the LAN, improving costs.
• Offices: Implementing LANs in an office environment allows colleagues to collaborate on projects in real time and access shared resources like printers, files, internet connections, drives, and other resources.
• Businesses: Brick-and-mortar businesses can store and backup data centrally on the LAN. This data is updated regularly and can be accessed by authorized users.  
• Manufacturing: Through the use of LANs, industrial machines can be connected to control systems, which help to enable remote monitoring of manufacturing processes.
• Collaboration and esports: One of the benefits of LANs is that they enable software sharing among users connected to the same network.

WAN use cases

WANs are the go-to option anytime an organization needs to extend connectivity outside of a limited area. Here are some examples where you might need a WAN connection:

• International, hybrid, or remote workforces: WAN can help businesses communicate with geographically dispersed offices and allow team members to access shared corporate assets.
• Cloud: WANs enable companies to connect to cloud apps and infrastructure.
• External resources: WAN administrators can grant permission for third parties to access internal resources of a business.
• Warehouses: Logistics companies can use WANs to monitor processes and track inventory.
• Universities: Educational institutions use WANs to support online learning activities.
• Ecommerce: Retailers use WANs to process transactions and manage workloads.

Bottom line: Do you need a LAN or WAN for your network?

Organizations need to choose the right enterprise network solution when it comes to sharing information across different devices or locations. Examining your business needs will help you make the right decision when selecting a LAN versus a WAN.

If you’re a small office and your business requirements are restricted to a particular workplace, you should choose a LAN. In contrast, a WAN is the ideal network for you if you are a large corporate organization with offices located in different cities or even countries.

If you have small, local network needs, here are the top enterprise LAN providers to get you set up. For bigger, more dispersed needs, here are the best SD-WAN providers to manage your network.

The post LAN vs. WAN: How These Network Types Are Different appeared first on Enterprise Networking Planet.

Ethical hackers use the same techniques as malicious actors to test IT assets for vulnerabilities. They may deploy code injection attacks, distributed denial-of-service (DDoS), brute force, social engineering, or cross-site scripting attacks to hack a system. Organizations can then address the issues before they become a security incident.

How does ethical hacking work?

Whether ethical or not, the steps involved in hacking are the same. Some of the commonly employed hacking steps are:

1. Reconnaissance

During the reconnaissance stage of ethical hacking, the hacker gathers information about the system. Dumpster diving is also performed to check for sensitive information that might be inadvertently sent to the trash.

2. Scanning

In the scanning stage, the ethical hacker uses tools to test the organization’s weak points. Scanning involves identifying active hosts, mapping their networks, and sending packets to ports using ping scans, SYN scans, vanilla scans, and XMAS scans to identify fault lines.

3. Access phase

The hacker exploits the vulnerabilities discovered in the previous stages, which subsequently gives them entry into the system. The end objective is to escalate privileges, allowing them to gain administrative control and access all vital resources.

4. Maintaining access phase

Here, ethical hackers try to maintain access to the network so they can keep penetration testing (pentesting) it in the future. Ethical hackers may also install a mock Trojan horse virus or a backdoor to test the system. This phase helps hackers understand how much damage a malicious actor can cause if they gain administrative privileges.

5. Reporting

Reporting is the final step in the ethical hacking process — and the one that most differs from unethical hackers for obvious reasons. After the hackers have identified all the vulnerabilities, they create a comprehensive report outlining all the security loopholes found, along with any steps taken to address them and further recommendations.

Why organizations use ethical hacking

With the number of cyberattacks increasing every year, businesses need to defend their systems from attackers at all costs. One of the ways businesses can protect themselves from malicious actors is by using the services of an ethical hacker. Ethical hackers step into the shoes of threat actors and find fault lines in a system that others normally wouldn’t.

What differentiates them from unethical hackers is that when they find a vulnerability, they report it to the organization immediately without exploiting it for their personal gain. It is also their responsibility to provide advice on how to prevent problems from occurring, alongside ensuring top-notch security measures are in place to keep client data safe and secure.

Here are some key benefits of hiring an ethical hacker:

• The primary benefit of employing ethical hackers is that they enhance corporate network security by identifying vulnerabilities before they get exploited.
• Qualified ethical hackers ensure that your firm stays abreast of compliance regulations and avoids paying penalties.
• They can educate staff on security best practices, enabling them to be more vigilant when dealing with corporate data.
• They can find out how threat actors evade firewalls and other detection systems.
• They provide enterprises with a comprehensive view of their security systems.

What are the limitations of ethical hacking?

The main limitations of ethical hacking include inconsistency, time restrictions, and scope limitations — all of which can be partially or wholly mitigated by regular updates and reappraisals.

Inconsistent quality

The industry is flooded with numerous ethical hackers and companies, but not all offer the same quality of service. Going with a pentesting company that offers low-quality service can cause further damage to a business by failing to close all loopholes and providing a false sense of security.

Restricted to a point in time

A limitation of ethical hacking is that it delivers only a snapshot of your cybersecurity health at that point in time. However, organizations are constantly evolving and adapting to new security challenges. As a result, ethical hacking reports may quickly become outdated upon publication, and will need to be updated regularly — at least once a year, but ideally much more frequently — to stay relevant.

Scope limitations

The main objective of ethical hacking is to discover and analyze potential vulnerabilities that are not yet known and then implement measures to minimize or eliminate them. But unfortunately, ethical hacking is a field that is constrained by the scope of work (specifying the parts of a network that require testing), which limits the hackers’ ability to operate freely. Network managers need to ensure that ethical hackers are granted a comprehensive picture of the network so they can leave no stone unturned in their tests.

What is the difference between ethical hackers and malicious hackers?

While both ethical and malicious hackers may have similar skills, the crucial difference is that ethical hackers are authorized by the organization they work for to hack their systems, whereas malicious hackers operate without permission. Thus, ethical hackers will hack only when they have permission to do so and have all legal contracts in place.

In contrast, malicious hackers are individuals or organizations that gain access to a corporation’s data, exploit its vulnerabilities, and launch a series of attacks to disrupt systems. The ultimate aim is to steal data and sell it for a profit or demand ransom money in exchange for it.

Top 3 ethical hacking tools

There are many quality ethical hacking tools available — and many more poor ones. Here are a few strong contenders to consider.

SQLMap

SQLMap is a popular pentesting tool used by ethical hackers to try out SQL injection (SQLi) attacks and verify if a network is protected. The tool can detect six different SQLi types — Boolean-based blind, time-based blind, error-based, union-based, out-of-band, and stacked queries. In addition, SQLMap supports several database systems like Oracle, Sybase, PostgreSQL, Microsoft SQL Server, IBM DB2, Firebird, and several others. It’s also a free, open source solution available to anyone with the training to use it.

Nmap

Nmap is an open-source network scanner tool used to discover open ports and scan networks. With this multipurpose tool, hackers can perform various tasks, such as finding live hosts on a network, launching DNS queries, tracerouting, scanning ports, and ping sweeping. The types of scans you can perform with Nmap include TCP connect scans, bounce scans, SYN scans, TCP reverse identification scans, and UDP scans. It is also free and open source.

Metasploit

Metasploit is another open-source tool that scans networks for vulnerabilities. It has a vast library of exploits and payloads to help ethical hackers identify and mitigate actual attacks. Tools offered by Metasploit include MSFconsole (default Metasploit interface), MsfVenom (customize payloads), msfdb (database management), and Meterpreter (advanced payload).

How to become an ethical hacker

To become a successful ethical hacker, aspiring candidates should be well-versed in networking, programming, operating system configuration, and database familiarity.

Networking knowledge

For ethical hackers to successfully exploit a system’s weaknesses, they must have a comprehensive understanding of networking concepts. They should also know networking fundamentals like servers, internet protocols, network architecture, topology, subnetting, and DHCP to detect network intrusions easily.

Programming languages

To gain an in-depth understanding of a company’s software, ethical hackers can benefit from learning programming languages like C++, Java, Python, Perl, Ruby, and various others. This will help them exploit programming loopholes and build a more secure system.

Operating systems

Ethical hackers should know how to use various operating systems, including both Windows and Mac. With Linux being such a popular choice of operating system for enterprises, ethical hackers need to develop mastery of it especially. By learning this, they will be better equipped to combat hackers and reinforce the system’s defenses against vulnerabilities.

Database skills

Another skill that ethical hackers should know is database navigation. Databases are repositories of data. If they get hacked, then the entire business is at risk. Companies thus need to make them hack-proof. So ethical hackers should clearly understand databases and how they function in order to pentest and ultimately guard them against malicious actors.

Bottom line: Ethical hackers keep unethical ones out

The costs associated with cyber incidents have become so high that it is no longer feasible for businesses to overlook them. Taking a proactive approach to network security can help organizations secure their data. Although ethical hacking alone cannot provide complete protection to a company, it can significantly strengthen the defense systems of an enterprise when combined with other security best practices.

It’s important to not just have the expertise when performing ethical hacking, but the right tools as well. Here are the best ethical hacking tools for a variety of purposes to help your team test vulnerabilities in your network.

The post What Is Ethical Hacking in Cybersecurity? Ultimate Guide appeared first on Enterprise Networking Planet.

Nowadays, hackers are becoming increasingly skilled at circumventing detection based on signatures. Fortunately, EDR solutions are available to handle these types of threats. EDR tools not only perform automated threat hunting and quickly remediate these attacks, but also conduct forensic analyses to ensure that such incidents are not repeated.

How does endpoint detection and response software work?

EDR tools work through a process of information gathering, threat detection, remediation, and investigation.

1. Gathering information

An EDR tool continuously monitors endpoint devices for suspicious activity. It tracks everything from user logins and network activities to file info and more. Security teams often rely on a combination of software agents and agentless solutions to collect this information and log it.

2. Threat detection

Utilizing advanced ML capabilities and behavioral analysis, the EDR software scrutinizes incoming files for malicious content, drawing on historical data to do so. If it finds a suspicious file, it takes measures to contain it.

3. Remediation

When the EDR detects an incoming threat, it flags any suspicious behavior and takes immediate action to combat it. This involves implementing predetermined rules to automatically block malicious activity or temporarily isolate the endpoint to prevent it from contaminating the entire network. Additionally, alerts are immediately sent to the security operations center (SOC) teams to alert them about the situation.

4. Investigation

The information is sent to a centralized cloud database for further investigation. The investigation process involves a comprehensive review of log data and other network information to pinpoint the root cause of the issue and to prevent potential security lapses.

Key EDR software features and capabilities

Though their specific offerings may vary, any decent EDR solution should have ML-enabled detection features, threat intelligence feeds, incident triage, and forensic investigation abilities.

ML-enabled detection features

Advanced EDR tools are equipped with ML detection features that automatically analyze endpoints for suspicious activities. When combined with threat intelligence, it becomes a formidable tool and helps SOC teams investigate in detail the threat vector, its targets, and compromised systems, if any.

Threat intelligence feeds

Threat intelligence feeds provide additional info about suspicious events or activities. This helps teams to perform forensic analysis and take corrective action.

Incident triage

An EDR tool automates the investigation of endpoints and triages security incidents for in-depth review. The system identifies and prioritizes the most critical anomalies and alerts, ensuring that security teams address the most dangerous threats first. This approach saves valuable time and safeguards organizations from severe damage.

Forensic investigation

EDR tools provide comprehensive forensic investigation capabilities to IT teams, allowing them to conduct thorough analyses of security lapses and identify the root cause. This makes EDR tools a vital resource for any security team seeking to enhance their incident response capabilities.

Benefits of EDR

EDR has a lot to offer organizations, including increased visibility, cost savings, remote work security, and rapid response to potential security incidents.

Increased network visibility

Companies can gain comprehensive visibility into their networks through EDR solutions. These solutions continuously monitor endpoints and networks and report them to a centralized location. It allows security teams to conduct a detailed forensic investigation into the events leading up to an incident and also perform a root cause analysis to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.

Cost savings

The average cost of a data breach can cost companies in millions. Since EDR tools provide continuous monitoring of endpoints, they can quickly detect and counter attacks by cybercriminals. By detecting and addressing potential threats early on, your security team can prevent them from escalating into a full-blown attack, saving your company money — and headaches — in the long run.

Remote work security

With cybercriminals increasingly targeting endpoints, IT security teams face a significant challenge when protecting the endpoints of their remote and hybrid work teams. With EDR services, organizations can confidently adopt modern work practices while keeping their networks secure.

EDR automatically monitors the endpoints, reducing the burden on IT teams, all the while enabling organizations to give employees the work flexibility they need without compromising the entire network.

Prevention first approach

Securing networks is critical to protecting the organization from cyberattacks. But the ease with which hackers can bypass traditional antivirus tools, which only recognize signature-based malware, means that networks are vulnerable to infection with malicious code. One advantage of EDR tools is that they can detect threats that are not even signature-based, making them a valuable addition to any security strategy.

Quick incident response

When endpoint devices are managed and configured manually, investigating attacks takes longer. Since EDR solutions automate the threat discovery process, the response time gets accelerated, enabling an organization to respond quickly to threats and mitigate their impact.

Limitations of EDR

While EDR tools can effectively detect threats, there are certain limitations when it comes to using this technology, including the risk of alert fatigue, the need for more IT resources, and the focus on endpoints.

Alert fatigue

An EDR solution is designed to proactively investigate suspicious activity and alert security teams if necessary. While an EDR provides valuable visibility, it also has the drawback of covering too many endpoints.

The negative impact of this is that security analysts are now faced with the task of triaging, investigating, and responding to all threats as a result of the data that has been collected, leading to the potential for alert fatigue among teams.

Resource requirements

Building upon the previous point, it is important to understand that managing a high volume of alerts demands substantial IT resources, such as time, funds, and bandwidth. This would incur additional costs for the organization.

Focuses only on endpoint telemetry

Critics of EDR point out that EDR focuses only on endpoint telemetry, leaving out the rest of the network. But security incidents do not occur only on the endpoints. Thus, while EDR tools offer valuable insights into endpoint activity, relying solely on them may not provide a comprehensive solution to the problem.

Companies should be aware that, while EDR is very effective at what it does, it’s only one part of a comprehensive network security stack.

3 top endpoint detection and response solutions

Depending on your needs, there are many good EDR solutions to choose from in the market today. Here are a few top choices to consider.

Microsoft Defender for Endpoint

Microsoft Defender is an endpoint solution that can help organizations promptly identify and fix malware attacks from a centralized console. Defender for Endpoint is a user-friendly and intuitive tool ideal for beginners. It is compatible with Windows Server, Windows 10, Linux, iOS, and a host of other operating systems.

Two plans are available, with Plan 1 having limited features and Plan 2 containing the full version. Both are available with Microsoft 365 at different tiers. A free trial is also available.

VMware Carbon Black EDR

VMware Carbon Black Endpoint is a powerful tool for threat hunting and incident response, designed specifically for SOC teams. It gathers detailed data on endpoints, giving security experts real-time information on endpoint activities. This information is stored in VMware Black Cloud, allowing teams to see the entire chain of events, pinpoint the root cause, and leverage aggregated threat intelligence feeds to respond quickly to security incidents.

SentinelOne Singularity

SentinelOne Singularity is an AI-powered EDR cybersecurity solution that uses next-gen advanced technology to protectively hunt for threats and protect endpoint devices. With the aid of a robust ML model, Singularity helps enterprises detect intrusions in real time and take immediate action against threats. Its automated EDR not only mitigates threats but also expertly isolates networks while providing endpoint auto-immunization for maximum protection.

Bottom line: EDR protects the most vulnerable points of entry

Endpoints are considered one of the most vulnerable points of entry into organizations. And with conventional endpoint solutions proving to be less effective against threat actors, investing in a solution that can defend your organization against sophisticated cyberattacks is essential.

With features like real-time endpoint monitoring, recognizing suspicious activity, automatic quarantine, and in-depth forensic analysis, EDR tools ensure that malware stays out of the network, preserving the organization’s security.

Here’s a review and analysis of the best EDR solutions to help you choose the one that’s right for your organization’s needs and budget.

The post What Is Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) Software? appeared first on Enterprise Networking Planet.

With a better understanding of these KPIs, IT administrators can identify the root cause of network problems and take proactive measures before they escalate into significant failures or outages.

This article will cover how the process of network monitoring works, its benefits and challenges, different types of network monitoring, and some top tools to help you get started.

How network monitoring works

Network monitoring in its simplest form works by first identifying devices on the network, collecting data on their communications and sending it to a central location to monitor overall metrics, and then troubleshooting whenever issues or anomalies arise.

1. Identifying devices

To effectively monitor their network, organizations must first identify the devices and networks that require monitoring. Establish a baseline to compare performance metrics, and determine a monitoring frequency for each function. Note that mission-critical components should have shorter monitoring intervals compared to less critical ones.

2. Data collection

As part of their monitoring process, network engineers use a variety of protocols, including simple network management protocol (SNMP), packet sniffing, internet control message protocol (ICMP), and log analysis to gather network information. Network administrators also send out ping sweep requests and wait for responses to determine if the network is down or experiencing packet loss.

Additionally, SNMP collects data on various network metrics, such as throughput, interface errors, CPU utilization, and memory, and alerts users if any of these metrics behave irregularly.

3. Monitoring data

The collected data is sent to a centralized monitoring system allowing network administrators to monitor key performance metrics from a single location.

4. Troubleshooting

Monitoring tools have set thresholds for various key performance parameters like latency, bandwidth, connection speed, and others. When these thresholds are breached, network engineers employ a range of techniques, including but not limited to network analyzers, performance tools, ping, and traceroute techniques, to identify and resolve any network-related issues that may arise.

Benefits of network monitoring

Constantly monitoring the network provides benefits such as greater network visibility, high availability, and enhanced efficiency, all of which help IT teams troubleshoot early and maintain business continuity.

Greater network visibility

Through network monitoring, an organization gets complete visibility into how a network’s routers, virtual machines (VMs), switches, firewalls, cloud servers, and other components operate. In the event of a network issue, IT administrators can quickly pinpoint and solve it before it starts impacting end users.

High availability

Network availability is essential for the smooth running of a business. Network monitoring tools conduct network root cause analysis with the help of a centralized platform and visual representation of alarm details. This, in turn, reduces the mean time to response (MTTR) and helps enterprises maintain the high availability of their networks.

Enhanced efficiency

By monitoring the network more closely, an organization can quickly identify and resolve issues to prevent major disruptions. This causes fewer interruptions to operations and, most importantly, leads to the better utilization of IT resources as they can invest their time in more critical work.

Challenges in network monitoring

While network monitoring has several benefits, certain challenges have to be considered, such as false positives, too many alerts, and ensuring an accurate baseline as you scale.

False positives

Network monitoring systems may sometimes produce inaccurate results that can lead to false positives. Such situations may cause an overestimation of risks, ultimately wasting valuable time and resources.

Too many alerts

Network monitoring tools can produce an overwhelming number of alerts, especially in conjunction with the above problem of false positives. This can hinder network admins’ capacity to sift through all the warnings and lead to alert fatigue, where people start to ignore the latest alerts due to a backlog. Additionally, the actual alerts become obscured by dealing with ones that do not require attention.

Taking accurate baselines into account

A well-developed network baseline monitors network traffic, packet size, bandwidth, and application usage to provide a clear picture of the health of a network. However, as networks continuously evolve and scale, incorporating every new network node can pose a challenge in establishing and maintaining an accurate baseline. It requires constant attention and tinkering to ensure your baseline reflects any changes in devices or users at your organization.

Types of network monitoring

Network monitoring can be grouped into various types depending on what exactly needs to be monitored, including fault monitoring, log monitoring, performance monitoring, configuration monitoring, and availability monitoring.

Fault monitoring

Network fault monitoring involves finding and reporting faults in a computer network. It is crucial for maintaining uninterrupted network uptime and seamless operation, essential to running all programs and services smoothly.

Log monitoring

Monitoring logs involves analyzing the logs generated by network resources such as servers, applications, or websites. These logs provide valuable insights into user activity and aid businesses in complying with regulations, promptly resolving incidents, and boosting network security.

Network performance monitoring

Network performance monitoring (NPM) tracks monitoring parameters like latency, network traffic, bandwidth usage, and throughput to optimize the end-user experience. NPM tools provide valuable information that can be used to minimize downtime and troubleshoot network issues.

Configuration monitoring

Monitoring network configuration involves keeping track of the software and firmware in use on the network. Doing so ensures that inconsistencies are identified and addressed promptly to prevent gaps in visibility or security.

Network availability monitoring

Availability monitoring is the monitoring of all IT infrastructure to determine the uptime of devices. By consistently monitoring IT devices and servers, organizations can receive alerts when there is a network downtime or when they become unavailable. ICMP, SNMP, and Syslogs are the most commonly used techniques for availability monitoring.

Top 3 network monitoring tools

Manually monitoring a network and gathering inputs on its performance can be time-consuming and riddled with errors. Automated network monitoring tools use the latest technologies to provide you with complete visibility into your network and enable you to supervise your networks more efficiently.

Here is a look at some proven network monitoring tools.

WhatsUp Gold

WhatsUp Gold is a somewhat lesser known but well-loved network monitoring option. With this software, network admins can easily monitor applications both on-premise and in the cloud.

Using Layer 2/3 technology, such as SNMP and IP addresses, WhatsUp Gold enables network admins to gain complete visibility into their servers and wireless networks and monitor them for traffic, performance, or other potential issues. To aid the process, WhatsUp Gold offers an interactive and customizable dashboard to monitor your network’s performance in real-time easily.

SolarWinds

SolarWinds is a multi-vendor network performance solution that makes it easy to monitor networks from a single place. SolarWinds Network Performance Monitor (NPM) effortlessly detects network paths and nodes using SNMP, ICMP, and Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) protocols, giving network admins a clear overview of all devices and vendors. Its NetPath feature lets you dive deeper into monitored nodes and track important performance metrics.

The platform also has essential tools like an SNMP trap server to monitor traps in real time, a universal device poller to create custom monitors, and a syslog to store log messages centrally.

LogicMonitor

LogicMonitor is a cloud-based network monitoring platform that enables IT teams to monitor their entire network from one unified dashboard. With over 2,000 out-of-the-box integrations, LogicMonitor automates device discovery and includes topology maps that analyze network traffic. Plus, it has intelligent alert thresholds that can quickly resolve any network issues that arise.

Bottom line: Network monitoring ensures performance and prevents issues

Maintaining a stable network requires constant vigilance, as even a single performance issue with a network component can significantly impact the entire network. Network monitoring is absolutely essential to ensure optimal performance and prevent any network issues.

Proactive network monitoring identifies problems early on, minimizes downtime, and improves the productivity of network administrators. This ultimately results in time savings and increased efficiency.

Optimize your network monitoring and performance with one of the best network monitoring tools available on the market. On a budget, or looking for more granular configurability? Try one of the best open-source network monitoring solutions instead.

The post What Is Network Monitoring? Definition, Benefits, and Types appeared first on Enterprise Networking Planet.

Modern enterprises have offices distributed worldwide, and successfully managing these networks with so many dispersed and fluctuating endpoints is next to impossible with a traditional firewall. An FWaaS functions as a perimeter-bound firewall but is hosted in the cloud for more scalability, visibility, and simplified management. Choosing a FWaaS solution allows businesses to customize it per their network’s unique demands.

Because of its ease of use and numerous benefits, many enterprises now prefer FWaaS solutions. Not surprisingly, the global FWaaS market is expected to reach USD 8.28 billion by 2029, at a CAGR of 25.40%, with the “public cloud” accounting for the maximum share.

This article will explain how FWaaS works, key features, and what organizations might stand to gain — or lose — from implementing one on their networks.

How Firewall as a Service works

In FWaaS, just like any other as-a-service offering, third-party vendors host extensive firewall deployments in cloud environments. To ensure security, each customer receives a firewall instance that is different from other instances. Users can access the instances allotted to them via a centralized firewall panel and configure the firewall. 

Configuring and activating a FWaaS from the user’s end takes place within minutes. Customers can set their own rules on the administrative panel, such as allowing or blocking specific IP addresses, protocols, and ports.

The company’s router is connected to the FWaaS vendor’s cloud infrastructure. Once that is done, internet traffic is routed through the provider instead of the user’s system.

When the FWaaS receives internet traffic, it checks the data packets for outgoing and incoming addresses, port numbers, packet headers, and payload content. Based on the configuration rules, the FWaaS decides whether traffic will be allowed to pass through or not.

It also logs and records network traffic for future analysis. Companies can access these logs on the monitoring dashboard.

In addition, the FWaaS vendor conducts routine security audits and applies patches and fixes to ensure the firewall is well-equipped to deal with any cyber threat.

Key features of FWaaS

The key features you should look for when choosing a FWaaS provider include:

• Sandbox server
• Advanced threat protection capabilities
• Email/URL filtering
• Intrusion prevention system (IPS)
• Domain name system (DNS) protection
• Application control
• Instant scaling
• Log reporting
• DDoS protection

Why do organizations need FWaaS?

As cloud computing comes to the forefront and virtualization becomes the norm, it has become evident that perimeter security is simply not enough to protect the network. Traditional perimeter-based security has limitations and blind spots that make monitoring digital infrastructure difficult. This can leave a system vulnerable to attacks and data breaches.

Additionally, with users located in various places, keeping track of all the devices and endpoints can be challenging. This creates opportunities for potential threats to go unnoticed.

Further, traditional perimeter-based firewalls focus more on protecting the network from external threats (north-south traffic). As a result, they rarely pay attention to internal or east-west traffic, which is equally vulnerable. No doubt, physical firewalls can implement segmentation policies, but they’re not agile enough to work in dynamic environments.

FWaaS offers a strong defense for cloud applications. Access can be controlled through a central panel, giving IT teams complete visibility and enabling granular access controls. This ensures the protection of sensitive data and applications.

Benefits of Firewall as a Service

Benefits of FWaaS over traditional firewalls include their comparatively easy setup and management, unified security policy, and scalability.

Easy to set up

Installing a traditional firewall is time-consuming and involves a lot of personnel and resources. IT teams must not only ensure the firewall is properly secured but also perform maintenance duties.

In comparison, setting up a FWaaS is straightforward and hassle-free. Simply notify your service provider, and they will handle the installation of the firewall and the configuration of the required application controls.

Simplified management

Using traditional firewalls means you have to regularly patch or update the software whenever a new security development occurs. Since FWaaS is a managed service, you no longer have to worry about provisioning or deploying new security tools. The provider is responsible for maintaining the network tools necessary to protect your organization.

Unified security policy

With FWaaS, you can seamlessly secure your company’s network resources, whether they are onsite or stored remotely. This powerful tool enables you to manage everything from one location, ensuring comprehensive protection for your valuable assets.

Centralized policy management

Using centralized policy management, security operation center (SOC) teams can view all network traffic and monitor it round-the-clock from a single pane of glass. Real-time threat visibility allows for immediate action, increasing system efficiency.

Easy to scale

In-house firewalls come with several challenges. For one, you have to hire extra staff to manage your infrastructure, which can be expensive and laborious. Again, if you plan to increase the size of your equipment, you will need to purchase costly hardware that will become unnecessary when you downsize. In contrast, you can scale up or down your FWaaS cloud firewall without investing much.

Limitations of FWaaS

Although there are so many benefits to FWaaS, organizations need to be aware of certain limitations they might face when adopting a FWaaS solution, including potential latency issues, privacy concerns, and vendor lock-in.

Network latency concerns

Many businesses prefer in-house firewalls, as it is believed that using FWaaS may cause latency problems and slow down the network. This can be especially true for applications that require low latency. These issues are being mitigated by advanced network technologies like 5G, but they are worth looking into beforehand by assessing your network strength, required bandwidth for the FWaaS, and third-party review sites.

Privacy concerns

Businesses with mission-critical data might be hesitant to hand over their network’s security to an external third party. At the very least you should carefully review any agreements you sign to ensure you know exactly what data you may be sharing and what it might be used for.

Vendor lock-in

Similar to other as-a-service options, vendor lock-in is possible when choosing an FWaaS solution. Without a dependable exit strategy, it might be tough to switch providers if things don’t go as planned. Make sure you carefully weigh your options and choose a service that aligns with your organizational goals.

Top use cases for FWaaS

The current primary use cases for FWaaS involve protecting your network, migrating your data, and securing remote access.

Protect your network from malicious traffic

With FWaaS, your cloud assets are protected 24/7, and you can access the internet securely at all times. Before permitting traffic to enter your networks, FWaaS thoroughly examines data packets, enabling it to determine whether traffic should be allowed to pass through or not.

FWaaS also uses application control to apply granular policies like authentication, multifactor authentication (MFA), and validity checks on data to prevent malicious traffic from accessing the network.

Safe data migration

Your data is most vulnerable when it’s on its way to the cloud. To protect it, you can use FWaaS. This allows you to apply fine-grained controls and do microsegmentation, ensuring that your valuable data is effectively safeguarded during transit to the cloud.

Securing remote access

Remote workers frequently use virtual private networks (VPNs) to access corporate data centers. But now, with most applications in the cloud, it doesn’t make sense for customers to connect to the data center to access the cloud. Instead, they can do so by directly connecting to an FWaaS. FWaaS offers advanced threat detection capabilities to monitor and filter traffic for malicious activity without backhauling all that traffic to the data center.

FWaaS vs. NGFW

While it’s easy to confuse FWaaS with next-generation firewalls (NGFWs), there are some basic differences between them.

NGFWs are highly sophisticated firewalls equipped with advanced capabilities such as IPS, deep packet inspection (DPI), and threat intelligence feeds. On the other hand, FWaaS is not actually a firewall itself but a software solution that operates in the cloud and provides firewalls “as-a-service.”

Securing every aspect of a network, including remote devices, can be costly and complicated when using an NGFW. However, by utilizing an FWaaS solution, organizations can outsource the software’s management, configuration, and updates to the vendor by selecting a subscription service.

Unlike some NGFWs, FWaaS can natively perform SSL inspection without needing additional software.

FWaaS simplifies duplicating security designs across multiple sites compared to NGFWs. It turns out to be more cost-effective as it removes the requirement of individually setting up NGFWs at each location.

Bottom line: Using FWaaS in your organization

Having an efficient firewall system should be a part of every company’s network strategy. However, with company offices located worldwide and remote work becoming popular, maintaining an in-house firewall system will only partially protect company assets.

A smart solution is to opt for FWaaS, which offers protection against a wide range of advanced cyberthreats while freeing up time spent on managing an in-house firewall. By utilizing the latest technologies, FWaaS enables enterprises to stay safe in today’s complex security landscape.

We selected the best software-based firewalls available to protect your organization’s network.

The post What Is Firewall as a Service? Cloud-Based Firewalls Explained appeared first on Enterprise Networking Planet.

While most spam is just a nuisance, criminals can use it to unleash malicious attacks. For example, scammers send spam to gain illegal access to devices and compromise your systems by unleashing phishing attacks or spreading malware through the system.

In this article, we will walk through the various types of spam, how to identify them, and the steps you can take to fight them.

Types of spam

Though spam began primarily as an email phenomenon, it is now widespread in many forms, from SEO and social media spam to smishing spam and malware spam.

SEO spam

SEO spam, otherwise known as “spamdexing,” is a form of spam where hackers use SEO spam to inject websites with spammy links and build backlinks to their scam websites. This is a shortcut way for scammers to inflate their organic search engine rankings in a short span of time. 

SEO spam is a common form of website attack, with a Sucuri report noting that SEO spam is one of the fastest-growing infection trends. For instance, in 2018, almost 51% of website attacks were related to SEO spam.

Social media spam

With increased social media usage, spammers have found a golden opportunity to target users on these platforms. The motive behind social media spam for hackers is to amplify traffic or revenue for a spammer’s website. 

In an effort to measure social media spam, content marketing agency FoundationInc teamed up with Question Pro and Orbit Media. Among other findings, the report revealed that:   

• Social media accounts like Facebook and Instagram are the most spammy.
• 60% of users get spam DMs.
• 20% of users get spam DMs every day.
• Users on LinkedIn get fewer spam messages.

Smishing

Smishing (a portmanteau of SMS phishing) is a phishing attack where scammers send phishing messages through SMS to users on their mobile devices. Smishing messages can also be delivered via popular text messaging platforms like WhatsApp, Messenger, Viber, Snapchat, and Skype.

Hackers use social engineering techniques to manipulate users into clicking on malicious URLs. Smishing is a popular method for delivering spam, as users have a higher level of trust in messaging platforms than in emails.

Malware spam (malspam)

Malspam or malicious spam is usually delivered via spam or phishing emails and gets activated when users open infected files and get directed to malicious delivery sites.

Threat actors use spoofing techniques (impersonating a trusted entity to make users open or click an email) and deliver malware like Trojan horses, keyloggers, spyware, and ransomware to a user’s device. 

The deadly Emotet malware that infected more than a million computers and caused billions of dollars of damage worldwide is a case of malspam.

Chain letter spam

Another kind of spam is chain letter spam, which encourages multiple people to forward messages to other email users. Fraudsters capitalize on human greed and entice them into forwarding chain messages.

Money spam is another example of chain letter spam that is sent to multiple people, promising them huge sums of money in return for a small investment. “Nigerian prince” fraud scams are a well-known example of money spam.

How to recognize spam

Today’s email clients are growing more effective at identifying and filtering spam — but as anyone who has had to go searching in their Spam folder for an important personal email knows, they’re not perfect.

No matter how much we try to avoid it, all of us, at some point in time, have fallen victim to spam. After all, spammers are experts at making spam emails look credible. Fortunately, certain indicators can help you detect spam and avoid clicking on it. Here is how you can identify spam.

Generic greeting messages

Spam emails usually begin with generic greetings like “account holder,” “dear sir,” “valued customer,” etc. A legitimate sender will address you by your name instead of a copy/paste generic greeting.

A forced sense of urgency

More often than not, spam emails create a sense of urgency and demand the reader take action immediately. According to a study by KnowBe4, phishing emails with the following subject lines had the most clicks:

• IT Reminder: Your Password Expires in Less Than 24 Hours (12%)
• All Employees: Update your Healthcare Info (10%)
• Change of Password Required Immediately (10%)
• Revised Vacation & Sick Time Policy (8%)
• Quick company survey (8%)
• Email Account Updates (8%)

Poorly writing and grammar

Professional organizations don’t send emails containing poorly worded sentences or with evident spelling mistakes. If you notice any of the above, it could indicate a spam email.

Forged domain name

Threat actors will modify the spelling of the address field to make it difficult to distinguish from a legitimate source at first glance. This technique is called email spoofing, where scammers impersonate a legitimate email address to fool users into clicking on the mail and possibly sharing vital info.

For example, PayPal might be written as Paypal, or Walmart might be spelled as WalMart. A rule of thumb is to check the domain name for spelling mistakes since trusted companies will never go wrong with their spelling.

Unknown attachments

A safe cybersecurity practice is never to download unknown attachments from sources you do not know. Be careful when downloading them, as it may result in malware being downloaded on your device and causing damage.  

Be especially cautious with file attachments like .vbs, .exe, .js, or .scr. Since executable files like .exe can install files on your computer, they can be used to easily infect computers with malware.

Tips for preventing spam

In 2022, approximately 53% of worldwide email traffic was spam, with Google alone blocking around 100 million spam messages every day. If you are fed up with the never-ending stream of junk emails clogging your inbox, here are some quick and easy tips for dealing with them.

Don’t share your email address too widely

We freely share our email addresses without thinking much about it, whether signing up for newsletters or company coupons or sharing it on social media. Each time you do so, however, you’re increasing your chance of exposure to hackers and spammers.

To be on the safe side, it’s better to keep your email address private and share it only when it’s necessary to do so. You can create a “dummy account” only for generic subscriptions and company signups, or better yet, use a temporary email address — there are lots of free hosting options available online.

Obfuscating your email ID or using email aliases will improve email security and prevent your ID from falling prey to email harvesters.

Beware of suspicious emails

Be wary of suspicious emails from unknown people or ones that invoke a sense of urgency. If anything seems off, simply delete the email instead of opening and engaging with them, as doing so increases the chances of you receiving even more spam.

Don’t respond to spam emails

Never reply to emails that you suspect may be spam. When you reply, it confirms that your email account is active, making the spammer target you with more spam. Instead, you can either block the sender, or, if you are unsure, independently email the relevant party from your address book or the company’s contact page to ensure you are dealing with the correct people and not a spoofer.

Use a third-party spam filter

Most likely, your email service provider already uses a spam filter to filter out spam messages. But for additional security, invest in a third-party spam filter. Spam filters use instance-based or rule-based algorithms to parse the contents of an email before sending them forth. With two spam filters working side-by-side, you can rest assured that even if spammers manage to breach one filter, there is still another one to catch it.

Report spam emails

Flagging junk email as spam is another step you can take to prevent excessive spam from landing in your inbox. Reporting spam emails will alert your mailbox provider about the spammer’s activities and prevent them from contacting you further.

Create a new email ID

You may need to create a new email address if you have tried all the methods but still receive excessive spam messages. Once you have created a new account, you can notify all your contacts to let them know you have a new email ID.

Bottom line: Avoiding dangerous spam

While not all forms of spam are dangerous, excessive spam leads to bandwidth expenses, productivity loss, and other unseen costs. And that’s not to mention the cybersecurity challenges that phishing emails pose. Although there is no way you can stop spam entirely, you can still restrict the amount of spam you receive by adopting the steps outlined above.

One of the most important steps to protect your network and your endpoints is installing an effective firewall. Here are the best firewalls for SMBs — and the best firewalls for enterprises.

The post What Is Spam? Tips for Fighting Spam Calls and Emails appeared first on Enterprise Networking Planet.

With a hacker attacking every 39 seconds, organizations must know the ins and outs of hacking and learn how to avoid being hacked.

This guide will describe how hacking works, the types of hacking methods, and how best to prevent them.

How hacking works in 5 steps

Hacking typically proceeds over the course of five stages: reconnaissance, scanning, access, maintenance, and clearing tracks.

1. Reconnaissance

Reconnaissance is the first phase of hacking, where the hacker tries to gather the maximum information possible on the target’s computer system. It is a time-consuming process, as the hacker has to identify weak entry ports and active machines and do network mapping to gain detailed information about the target network.

To aid the process, hackers use social engineering and dumpster diving techniques to obtain sensitive information like passwords, account details, social security numbers, and other credentials.

2. Scanning

After the organization’s surveillance has been satisfactorily completed, hackers scan the network for specific vulnerabilities they can exploit. Weaknesses they look for include open services and ports and the devices used on the network.

There are three types of scanning:

• Port scanning to extract information about live ports and services running on the network.
• Vulnerability scanning to identify vulnerabilities and exploit them. Hackers often use automated vulnerability scanners to speed up the process of detecting vulnerabilities more quickly.
• Network scanning to create maps of networks and locate the organization’s firewalls, routers, and networks.

3. Access

In the access phase, hackers do the actual hacking. They use various techniques like man-in-the-middle (MitM) attacks, brute force attacks, spoofing, session hijacking, and denial-of-service (DoS) attacks to infiltrate the system. The network maps created in the previous process aid them in gaining access to confidential data and systems in the network.

4. Maintaining access

In this phase, hackers strive to maintain the access they gained earlier. They use several options like backdoors, Trojan horse viruses, and rootkits to secure continued access to the network and acquire administrative privileges.

Getting elevated privileges allows them not only to control and modify data within the network but also to use the system to launch attacks on other networks.

5. Clearing tracks

This is the last phase of hacking, where hackers try to remove all signs of the attack to evade detection. They achieve this by deleting log files, closing all open ports, and clearing cookies and caches.

How to prevent network hacking

Organizations can protect their networks against hacking by implementing anti-malware protection and firewalls, keeping software updated, and using strong passwords as part of a robust cybersecurity stack.

Use anti-malware protection

The first thing organizations should do is to download and install a reliable antivirus software solution that can protect their network from hard-to-detect malware. 

A robust antivirus or anti-malware solution will regularly scan your computer for both incoming and existing threats. These solutions even prevent users from accessing suspicious websites. Further, they come with regular updates to counter newer versions of malware.

Use firewalls

A sound network firewall system equipped with robust security features is a cornerstone of any network security stack. Firewalls add multiple layers of protection to your security measures and block illegal access to your data and devices. 

Network firewalls are located on the network’s edge and scan incoming traffic for potential threats. As part of a defense-in-depth approach to security, firewalls don’t just block incoming attacks: they also check for data exfiltration and limit insider threats as well.

Keep your software updated

Outdated software can make hacking your networks and computing devices easier for cybercriminals. A case in point was the 2017 WannaCry ransomware attack that targeted users and organizations who did not update their software on time.

With new vulnerabilities constantly emerging, keeping your software updated is one of the best defenses against cybercriminals.

Use strong passwords

Weak passwords are one of the most common entry points for hackers. Using strong passwords can make it more difficult for cybercriminals to compromise your system.

Some pointers to keep in mind are:

• Avoid using the same password for multiple accounts.
• Use a combination of words, special characters, and symbols.
• Change your passwords often.

You can also use a password manager to keep track of all your company passwords and ensure accounts remain secure and only accessible by authorized users.

Types of hacking

Hacking can come in many different forms, but some of the most common approaches are through social engineering, brute force, backdoors, and distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks.

Social engineering

Social engineering is a manipulation method fraudsters use to trick users into giving away sensitive personal information. Social engineering is a relatively easy way to get into a system, as the user willingly hands over confidential and vital information to the hacker.

Social engineering attacks depend on popup ads, instant messages, and various forms of phishing to achieve their aim.

Brute force attacks

Brute force attacks are trial-and-error methods hackers use to obtain passwords. Hackers use guesswork to decode passwords by generating different combinations for letters or numerical patterns to help them crack password combinations.

Using long, complex passwords with a mix of letters, numbers, and symbols can help make your passwords hard to guess.

Backdoor attacks

Backdoor attacks are attacks where hackers gain root access to computer systems and networks without the user or organization noticing it. Once they gain high-level access, they can steal info or inject malware into the system.

According to the IBM Security X-Force Threat Intelligence Index 2023 report, backdoor attacks were the most common attacks by threat actors in 2022, leading to a significant spike in Emotet cases in the months of February and March.

Distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks

A DDoS attack is a hacking method where hackers send unusually large amounts of traffic to a website, preventing users from loading and accessing its pages. DDoS attackers use botnets or zombie computers and spoofed IP addresses to overload a computer system with data packets, eventually leading to a website crash.

DDoS attacks remain one of the biggest cyber challenges, with attacks growing by 150% in 2022 compared to the previous year.

What can happen if a hacker gets into your network?

Depending on the hacker’s motives — e.g., financial gain, hacktivism, or theft (see below) — they might execute all manner of different attacks on your network.

Successful hacking attempts might result in the perpetrator:

• Stealing your bank details and opening bank accounts in your name.
• Selling your personal information for monetary gain.
• Exfiltrating your data for ransom or other purposes.
• Deleting important files on your device.
• Encrypting your essential files and decrypting them only when you pay a ransom.
• Damaging your credit score or your organization’s reputation.

Top reasons people hack into networks

Hackers typically break into networks for personal monetary gain, political or ideological hacktivism, or to steal information for a variety of purposes.

Monetary gain

While there are several reasons why people hack into networks, monetary gains remain one of the primary motivations for hackers. In fact, an overwhelming 95% of breaches are financially driven. 

As ransomware attacks continue to rise year-over-year, they cost businesses huge sums of money. Ransom payments by organizations worldwide amounted to $8.44 trillion in 2022 alone. And these figures are expected to increase further and reach $23.82 trillion by 2027.

Hacktivism

Hacktivism is a form of hacking where hackers or “hacktivists” attack corporate organizations or governments that they deem dangerous or oppressive. These attacks are more likely to be centered around sabotaging organizations by deleting or corrupting data, rather than simply stealing it.

Usually driven by political reasons, the main aim of hacktivists is to promote a particular ideology and draw public attention to issues they feel have been sidelined. Some of the most famous examples of hacktivism include WikiLeaks, LulzSec, and, more recently, the Russia-Ukraine war.

Steal information

Yet another common reason for cybercriminals to hack is to steal information. This could range from financial details to classified information about your clients or business. With this info, hackers can perform identity theft, initiate an account takeover, perform phishing attacks, or demand a ransom.

Bottom line: Protect your organization against network hacking

The ramifications of a cyberattack resulting from hacking can be devastating. Losing organizational data to hacking not only results in monetary losses, but your company’s reputation also takes a hit.

With hackers getting more innovative with time, paying close attention to cybersecurity and safeguarding your data and networks is critical. One of the best methods is educating your staff on cybersecurity best practices, as is downloading a comprehensive anti-malware security solution to protect your networks from the latest cybersecurity threats.

Here are six simple steps you can follow to secure your network. Or, entrust your protection to one of the best enterprise network security companies.

The post What Is Network Hacking? How to Avoid Being Hacked appeared first on Enterprise Networking Planet.

With most cloud platforms operated by U.S. hyperscalers, companies are concerned about their data being in the hands of these cloud service providers (CSPs). And laws like the Cloud Act (Clarifying Lawful Overseas Use of Data Act), which compels organizations to share their data with U.S. authorities whenever called upon to do so—even if it’s stored in other countries—further exacerbates the situation.

Seeking digital sovereignty, governmental bodies and organizations with mission-critical workloads are adopting sovereign clouds that guarantee data is in compliance with local and privacy laws.

What is the purpose of a sovereign cloud?

Sovereign clouds were designed to protect official government, public sector, or other regulated data behind a veil of data privacy, blocking its access by other nations or corporations.

Countries impose data regulations for a variety of reasons, out of national security interests or to protect citizens’ personal data. But increasing fragmentation of data regulation along nation-state boundaries has a side effect of severely hampering enterprises’ international competitiveness.

The growing network of red tape in the international digital economy also poses formidable financial hurdles and a legal landmine, especially for multinational enterprises in the banking, healthcare, and insurance industries.

To meet these challenges, sovereign clouds are created to bridge the competing needs of governments and enterprises. They allow countries to maintain data sovereignty and enterprises to stay competitive in an interconnected global digital economy.

Sovereign clouds are built on the three abiding principles:

Data sovereignty

Under data sovereignty, no unauthorized parties can access customers’ data, including even the employees of the particular cloud where data is stored. Also, users can encrypt their information with local encryption key management. 

Operational sovereignty

Operational sovereignty gives complete visibility into cloud operations and provides users with a comprehensive end-to-end view of how their data is being stored and accessed.

Software sovereignty

Software sovereignty provides assurance to customers that they can run their workloads wherever and whenever they want without being tied to a single CSP. By avoiding dependency, it becomes easier to migrate applications and services onto a different IT infrastructure at any time (including, for example, in-house infrastructure).

Who are sovereign clouds for?

Sovereign clouds are for any enterprise that collects, stores, and handles data in multiple countries or regions. They are particularly pertinent to enterprises that operate within highly regulated sectors, such as public utilities, health, insurance, and finance, which are beholden to special rules, such as HIPAA for U.S. healthcare companies or PCI and EBA for banking.

Finally, governmental agencies have used sovereign clouds for several years now to keep confidential data secure out of national security interests.

According to IDC FutureScape: Worldwide Cloud 2023, by 2024, 40% of G2000 will move 10% of their data to a sovereign cloud to meet data compliance and technical requirements. And by 2025, 55% of them will adopt multicloud data logistics platforms.

What do sovereign clouds do?

Sovereign clouds protect sensitive data and maintain accessibility controls according to relevant data privacy laws of the jurisdiction (i.e., the country or region) where the data resides and is collected.

They offer protection, autonomy, compliance, and performance to maximize benefits to all parties involved: consumers, enterprises, cloud service providers, and nation-states.

Protection

Sovereign clouds protect sensitive data, like credit information, IP addresses, and geolocation data, according to the standards where that data is collected and stored.

For example, Germany’s sovereign cloud, created in collaboration with T-Systems and Google Cloud, protects data generated, collected, and stored by organizations conducting business in Germany, whether they are physically located there or not.

However, Germany does share data with trusted nation-states, companies, and clouds. For instance, because of the Cloud Act of 2018, U.S.-based companies are allowed to access data that they manage in Germany.

Who is and isn’t authorized to access data in a sovereign cloud may change as a result of geopolitical conflict, such as the one currently unfolding in Ukraine. The removal of seven Russian banks from the SWIFT bank messaging system is an example of the volatility of the global data economy as a result of sanctions imposed on a country.

Autonomy

Sovereign clouds provide autonomy to both enterprises and countries and give countries a say in how data is handled within their jurisdiction. They counterbalance the dominance of U.S.-based CSPs like AWS, Azure, and Google in the market by ensuring that enterprises are not forced to use those providers.

Since cloud data migration is often cumbersome, enterprises quickly become dependent on one of the major providers. Sovereign clouds enable application portability and independence so enterprises can easily switch providers without sacrificing performance or security.

Germany’s Open Telekom Cloud is an example of a German-built and operated contender in the public cloud market.

Compliance

Sovereign clouds guard against changing regulations, such as the 2018 introduction of GDPR in the EU or security threats arising from geopolitical conflict.

Also, as previously noted, sovereign clouds give companies autonomy over which CSP(s) they use. Sovereign cloud service providers have built-in controls to protect your enterprise against violations. For instance, a sovereign cloud provider conducts regular audits only according to the current jurisdictional regulations of the location where your company’s data is collected and stored.

Performance

In spite of governmental regulation behind sovereign clouds, they allow companies to conduct their business in the cloud without sacrificing performance. Sovereign clouds are efficient and scalable solutions that enable companies to quickly and securely deploy data to the cloud while remaining compliant.

How are sovereign clouds created?

There are a few simple, specific steps your organization can take to implement a sovereign cloud solution. It starts with planning and setting your objectives, then classifying your data, and finally selecting a qualified service provider.

1. Plan a sovereign cloud

Before you choose a sovereign cloud, decide on your sovereignty objectives based on the three pillars of data sovereignty, software sovereignty, and operational sovereignty (see above). Once you do that, you can then start classifying your data.

2. Data classification

Categorize your workloads and data based on their sensitivity level. Then, depending on that, you can apply the necessary security measures to put in place. Also, ensure that the CSP provides end-to-end encryption for your data.

3. Service provider selection

Choose a qualified cloud vendor that adheres to sovereignty requirements, especially data residency, jurisdictional control, data sovereignty, and cross-border movement.

Sovereign cloud providers

In order to meet the data privacy and compliance requirements of their customers, cloud vendors are providing sovereign cloud services that comply with the data privacy laws of different countries and industries. Here are some of the most dependable.

Google Sovereign Cloud

The Google platform provides tools to meet the sovereignty requirements of its customers. For example, for European customers, GCP has developed Assured Workloads that provide a set of stringent security controls and allow governments and highly regulated organizations to achieve compliance.

With Assured Workloads, customers can easily get data residency controls, personnel access controls, real-time monitoring for compliance violations, and automatic enforcement of product deployment locations.  

VMware Sovereign Cloud

VMware’s Sovereign Cloud is based on the principles of:

• data sovereignty and jurisdictional control
• data access and integrity
• data security and compliance
• data independence and mobility

VMWare cloud providers that are part of the VMWare Sovereign Cloud initiative are Cloud verified and have the capabilities to deliver multi-tenant hybrid clouds while still adhering to jurisdictional sovereignty and data privacy.

Oracle Sovereign Cloud

To address sovereignty requirements, Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) offers several deployment models that meet the privacy, data residency, security, and compliance requirements of its customers. 

Oracle Sovereign Cloud Regions enable customers to customize their options, including how their data is accessed and stored, as well as how government requests for data are handled.

OCI is also planning to launch Oracle EU Sovereign Cloud later in 2023, with data centers located in Germany and Spain, to help organizations place sensitive data in the cloud that aligns with EU sovereignty requirements.

Sovereign cloud tips for users

Here are some tips for a smooth user experience if your organization is using or considering a sovereign cloud.

• First, you need to decide what you want to achieve with a sovereign cloud. Based on that, you can identify the workloads you want to move to a sovereign cloud.
• Get familiar with the jurisdiction laws under which your sovereign cloud service provider will operate.
• Select a provider based on customer feedback, their track record, data residency guarantees, and compliance with privacy laws in your jurisdiction.
• Do a data protection assessment before moving to the cloud.
• Develop the right migration strategy that deploys your mission-critical and sensitive workloads to the right clouds.
• Work together with your sovereign cloud provider to maximize the sovereignty and security aspect of your data.

Bottom line: Protecting

In years to come, expect to see international law and the tech industry increasingly overlap. Cloud service providers will entertain more federal contracts to build sovereign clouds that conform to a country’s data protection laws. Also, on a supranational level, multiple countries who share data ethics will enter into agreements that give rise to regional and transcontinental sovereign clouds. Working with strong, established sovereign cloud providers will help both enterprises and agencies navigate these increasingly crowded waters.

Here’s a list of some of the best cloud service providers to partner with on establishing sovereign clouds—and, for some extra protection, the best cloud security posture management tools as well.

The post What Is a Sovereign Cloud? Meaning, Purpose & User Tips appeared first on Enterprise Networking Planet.