hacking Archives - Foster Institute

Hacking Easier than Protection

Mike Foster — Tue, 27 Oct 2015 14:48:39 +0000

The shocking truth: In some ways, it is easier to hack systems than it is to protect them. There are many automated tools that greatly simplify the art of hacking yet it often takes someone with IT knowledge to protect a system. You will have to find thousands of ways to protect against, but an attacker only needs to find one way in.

Help protect yourself at the foundation: First, discuss and determine how aggressive you want to be with your patches – and get them applied. Second, be sure to make users something other than local administrators.

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Hackers Can Kill You

Mike Foster — Fri, 07 Aug 2015 14:43:46 +0000

Am at the famous DEF CON ® Hacking Conference. One of the presentations today is entitled, “I Will Kill You.” A skilled hacker will show how he can do so by creating a doctor’s medical document showing cause of death, how to create a funeral director record showing that your body was disposed of, how to get a death certificate, and so on.

What if someone is angry at you, and they create your “death” and you wind up, so far as the government and business world knows, dead. Just try to apply for a loan or insurance after that! Am not sure if you will still have to pay taxes though… even after you are officially, but not really, dead.

Not only would this devastate you personally, the ability to forge someone’s death will create a whole new world of nightmares for businesses and governments alike. Imagine HR implications in your own organization. Insurance, accounts receivable, the list goes on…

But, all is not lost. He will also demonstrate how to create a new birth certificate. He shows how hackers can create a whole new identity.

And, related to identity theft, the hacker asks the question: If someone steals the identity of a person who isn’t a person, is that a crime since there is no victim?

How will it affect your organization if you don’t know who is really alive or dead, and if you can’t tell if people exist or never existed in the first place?

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Hacking Competition Helps You

Mike Foster — Mon, 23 Mar 2015 20:52:56 +0000

Every year, a major hacking competition called Pwn2Own attracts hackers from around the world to break into computers and programs. This year, hackers earned a total of $442,000 finding holes.

Technology companies reward this behavior by paying a bounty, yes, a bounty, to the attackers. They win the computer they hacked, win a ton of money, and get to wear a really cool jacket demonstrating their master level of expertise. Google paid one team $75,000 for finding a bug in Chrome.

How does the Pwn2Own competition help you? Because the computer and software manufacturers get to work patching the holes in their products. Soon patches will be available that, after you install them, will make your systems more secure.

Isn’t it an interesting world? Paying hackers who successfully hack products – what will we think of next?

Please post your comments below…

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Protect Your Kids from Online Cyber Threats

Mike Foster — Mon, 29 Dec 2014 21:56:05 +0000

Another free tool that helps you protect your kids from cyber threats while they are online protects them if they are using Windows, Apple computers, iPads, iPhones, Androids…

Last week we covered a powerful, and free, Microsoft tool that protects kids both online, and offline: Protect your Kids from Cyber Dangers

Another free tool, which can be used concurrently with Microsoft Family Safety, is OpenDNS. It can protect Apple computers, iPads, iPhone, Androids, etc.

Without going into details that you don’t need to know in order to use their service, their solution is surprisingly simple – and effective. OpenDNS helps keep your family from visiting “bad” websites. That includes attackers that lure your family to visit their websites.

There are simple instructions at their website: OpenDNS.com

Remember, last week’s tool only works with Microsoft computers, but it handles off-line use too. In its most basic configuration, OpenDNS protects against online only, but can cover just about any device that connects to your network.

Please post your comments below…

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Protect Your Kids from Cyber Dangers

Mike Foster — Mon, 22 Dec 2014 22:26:57 +0000

Know about a free tool that helps you protect your kids from cyber threats while they are both online and offline, limit the hours of use, and if you want to, monitor their cyber behavior…

Families of many executives will be getting new computers during the Holiday Season. Those new computers will come with Windows 8.1, along with a free tool designed to help you to protect your kids, find out what they are doing on their computers, and impose healthy boundaries.

To help your kids be responsible, Microsoft Family Safety helps you:

Receive activity reports
Set time limits and curfews
Set limits on games and apps
Restrict what websites kids can visit
Have different settings for each of your kids
Kids can ask for permission, even when you aren’t with them

Microsoft provides a clear and concise tutorial for parents here: Keep your Kids Safer on the PC

You might even get your e-savvy kids to help you set it up… Just don’t tell them your password, so they can’t change the settings later…

Please post your comments below…

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Cyber-Safe Holiday Travels

Mike Foster — Fri, 19 Dec 2014 17:57:27 +0000

Many executives will be travelling for the holidays. It will be so tempting to use W-Fi wireless connections in airports, coffee shops, hotels, in-flight Wi-Fi…

Most executives do not realize that using public Wi-Fi can be very dangerous.

Rather than terrify you with all of the cyber-security risks companies face, because the Sony breach is doing that. Here is a better solution for wireless access: Use the data-sharing function of your phone.

Most phones these days permit you to connect your laptop through the phone to use the Internet. The connection speeds are usually very fast, and unless you are watching movies, the amount of data you consume may be less than you think.

Wishing you a cyber-safe holiday season!

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Hack the Hacker who Hacked You

Mike Foster — Thu, 11 Dec 2014 16:55:56 +0000

Many times, organizations that got hacked want to track down and “hack the attacker back.” For instance, suppose someone emails your customers an email that says something bad about your organization. Most of the time, you’ll want to track those people down and do something about it!

But don’t mess with Hackers.

They can remain anonymous and, if they even think you are trying to get back at them, they’ll slam you. To them, you are picking a fight you cannot win.

Unless they are the most basic hackers, then they have resources they can use to take down your website, hack your network, use your servers to hack others, and make your life generally miserable in many ways.

Besides, if you did attack the attacker back, your legal counsel might tell you that what you are doing is illegal too. Even hacking a hacker is still hacking.

Put a smile on your face, do some PR damage control, and focus on growing your business and service your customers – the way you always do. And increase the security of your network!

Please say if you would like more information and please post your comments below…

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Think you’re secure? See how easily you can be hacked.

Mike Foster — Thu, 29 May 2008 21:36:10 +0000

I’ve been demonstrating hacking in my presentations, and in response to many requests, the video is now available of the hacking session. Watch the hacking demonstration video below.

Click here to view the computer hacking video demonstration

This video demonstrates how someone might watch your traffic while you are in a hotel, coffee shop, hot spot, or even your own office. Check it out and post your comments below!

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