DREAD Threat Modeling: An Introduction to Qualitative Risk Analysis

By 2025, the global cost of cybercrime is projected to reach an estimated $10.5 trillion (INTRUSION, Inc., 2020). With 30,000 websites hacked every day (Bulao, 2022), companies of all sizes need to prioritize cybersecurity. As the prevalence and costs of cybercrime skyrocket, organizations have developed a variety of methods to model cyberthreats and assess cybersecurity risks and vulnerabilities. One of these risk analysis methodologies is DREAD, a threat modeling framework created by Microsoft (Meier et al., 2003). Although Microsoft has since abandoned the model, citing concerns about its subjectivity (Shostack, 2008), it’s still in use today by small businesses, Fortune 500 companies, and the military.

What Is the DREAD Model?

The DREAD model quantitatively assesses the severity of a cyberthreat using a scaled rating system that assigns numerical values to risk categories. The DREAD model has five categories (Meier et al., 2003):

◉ Damage: Understand the potential damage a particular threat is capable of causing.

◉ Reproducibility: Identify how easy it is to replicate an attack.

◉ Exploitability: Analyze the system’s vulnerabilities to ascertain susceptibility to cyberattacks.

◉ Affected Users: Calculate how many users would be affected by a cyberattack.

◉ Discoverability: Determine how easy it is to discover vulnerable points in the system infrastructure.

The DREAD model enables analysts to rate, compare, and prioritize the severity of threats by assigning a given issue a rating between 0 and 10 in each of the above categories. The final rating, calculated as the average of these category ratings, indicates the overall severity of the risk. 

Damage Potential: How Much Damage Could the Attack Cause?

◉ 0: No damage

◉ 5: Information disclosure

◉ 8: Non-sensitive user data related to individuals or employer compromised

◉ 9: Non-sensitive administrative data compromised

◉ 10: Destruction of an information system; data or application unavailability

Reproducibility: How Easily Can the Attack Be Reproduced?

◉ 0: Difficult or impossible 

◉ 5: Complex 

◉ 7.5: Easy 

◉ 10: Very easy 

Exploitability: What’s Required to Launch the Attack?

◉ 2.5: Advanced programming and networking skills

◉ 5: Available attack tools 

◉ 9: Web application proxies 

◉ 10: Web browser 

Affected Users: How Many People Would the Attack Affect?

◉ 0: No users 

◉ 2.5: Individual user 

◉ 6: Few users 

◉ 8: Administrative users 

◉ 10: All users 

Discoverability: How Easy Is the Vulnerability to Discover?

◉ 0: Hard to discover the vulnerability

◉ 5: HTTP requests can uncover the vulnerability

◉ 8: Vulnerability found in the public domain

◉ 10: Vulnerability found in  web address bar or form

Overall Threat Rating

The overall threat rating is calculated by summing the scores obtained across these five key areas. The risk severity categories for a threat are as follows:

◉ Critical (40–50): Critical vulnerability; address immediately.

◉ High (25–39): Severe vulnerability; consider for review and resolution soon.

◉ Medium (11–24): Moderate risk; review after addressing severe and critical risks.

◉ Low (1–10): Low risk to infrastructure and data.

Cyberthreat modeling using the DREAD framework is customizable based on your needs. However, to successfully apply a subjective risk analysis framework like the DREAD model, you need extensive cybersecurity expertise to ensure that your analysis of cyberthreats is accurate. Without up-to-date domain knowledge, you risk missing crucial information about system vulnerabilities and potential attack vectors. 

EC-Council’s Certified Threat Intelligence Analyst (C|TIA) certification program can provide you with the knowledge base and practical skills you need to progress in your cybersecurity career. The program leverages insights from industry professionals to create one of the most robust and informative threat intelligence training courses in the cybersecurity industry.

Source: eccouncil.org

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A Complete Career Guide for Computer Forensics: Steps to Success

If you’re looking to join an in-demand career field, a position in digital forensics might be just what you’re looking for. Cybersecurity Ventures predicts that, by 2025, global cybercrime damages will exceed $10.5 trillion annually (Morgan, 2020).

There’s already high demand for cybersecurity professionals, and this need is only expected to grow. Read on to learn more about increasing concerns over cybersecurity, how digital forensics professionals are working to combat cybercrime, and how to get started in the computer forensics industry.

The Cyber Forensics Industry Continues to Grow

As cybercriminals and malicious hackers continue to attack data systems in their searches for sensitive information, the need for computer forensics professionals will continue to rise. While the need for computer forensics professionals is evident, understanding what digital forensics is all about may not be as straightforward. Below, we’ll cover the ins and outs of digital forensics and explain the role of cyber forensics experts.

What Is the Role of a Cyber Forensic Investigator?

So what is digital forensics all about? Digital forensics, also referred to as computer forensics or cyber forensics, is the process of gathering evidence in the form of digital data during cybercrime cases. The primary role of computer forensics professionals is to track, locate, and extract various data needed during criminal investigations.

What Skills Do Cyber Forensics Experts Need?

Digital forensics experts are typically expected to have the following skills: 

◉ Excellent communication and problem-solving abilities

◉ Capability to think analytically and critically

◉ Understanding of ethical and legal issues related to data and data acquisition

◉ Knowledge of how to use file recovery programs and encryption-decoding software to search hard drives for deleted files

◉ Ability to gather information from network servers, databases, smartphones, tablets, and other digital devices

◉ Openness to continuously learning new things to keep up with changing technologies

What Are the Career Choices in Digital Forensics?

Digital forensics is a career field with a high expected job growth rate. The market for forensic science technicians is expected to grow by 16.9% between 2016 and 2026, with digital computer forensics accounting for much of this increase (Sokanu, 2016).  There are numerous job positions and specializations to choose from within the digital forensics industry, including: 

◉ Information security analyst

◉ Computer systems analyst

◉ Malware analyst 

◉ Information technology auditor 

◉ Computer forensic analyst 

◉ Security consultant

How to Become a Digital Forensic Investigator

There are several ways to enter the exciting field of digital forensics and become a cyber forensics expert. One great option is to obtain a leading digital forensics certification like EC-Council’s Computer Hacking Forensic Investigator (C|HFI). The C|HFI is designed by industry experts to train upcoming cyber forensics professionals in today’s most job-relevant skills, including:

◉ Complex investigation practices

◉ Investigation and preservation of digital and non-digital evidence of a cyberattack

◉ How to utilize threat intelligence to anticipate and alert security teams to imminent cyberattacks

◉ Specialized forensics proficiency in emerging areas like the Internet of Things (IoT), dark web, the cloud (including Microsoft Azure and Amazon Web Services Cloud), networks, mobile devices, and more

Source: eccouncil.org

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EC-Council’s Cybersecurity Technician Certification

The C|CT: A Brand-New Cybersecurity Course to Kickstart Your Professional Career

Cybersecurity is one of the most vital and fast-growing professions in the world, and there’s good news for those interested in starting a career in this field: EC-Council has launched the Certified Cybersecurity Technician (C|CT), a brand-new entry-level certification course.

The C|CT course covers every introductory concept needed to succeed in cybersecurity, including topics like network defense, ethical hacking, and digital forensics. Enroll in EC-Council’s C|CT program today to kickstart your cybersecurity career!

What the Certified Cybersecurity Technician Course Entails

The C|CT course covers the basics of secure computer use, internet security tools, operating system security features, network security devices, and virus protection methods, among other topics. With 85 practical labs, the course is designed for those who want to obtain practical, hands-on experience before entering the cybersecurity field (although students should have some technical background, as the curriculum covers topics requiring basic knowledge of computers).

Introduction to Cybersecurity

This unit focuses on the essential principles and practices of cybersecurity. It covers how to identify and respond to cyberthreats, protect systems and networks against cyberattacks, and secure information assets. After completing this module, students will understand the basics of cybersecurity threats and how to mitigate and respond to them with different defense mechanisms.

Network Defense

This module introduces the theory and practice of network defense. It covers how to identify threats, defend networks against cyberattacks, and respond to network security incidents. Network security precautions like firewalls, intrusion detection and prevention systems, and encryption are also covered. After completing this module, students will know how to defend networks from common attacks and how to respond to network-related security incidents.

Ethical Hacking

This module provides an introduction to ethical hacking concepts and methods. It covers how attackers exploit systems and networks and how ethical hackers can use the same techniques to analyze and protect organizations’ environments. Techniques like footprinting, scanning, and enumeration are covered in detail. After completing this unit, students will be able to identify vulnerabilities in systems and networks and mitigate their risks.

Digital Forensics

In this module, students will learn about the methods used by cyber forensic investigators to examine digital devices to extract evidence for use in legal proceedings, including techniques for data acquisition, evidentiary analysis, and reporting. After completing this module, students will know how to conduct a digital forensic investigation and understand the process of evidence collection and preservation.

Security Operations

This module introduces the theory and practice of security operations and management. It covers how to identify, respond to, and investigate security incidents. This includes managing incidents, assessing damage, and restoring systems to regular operation. Students will learn the basics of how a security operations center is managed using industry-standard tools and procedures. After completing this module, students will know how to manage security operations and understand the importance of security policies.

Comprehensive, Performance-Based Exam

After completing all modules, students earn the C|CT certification by taking a comprehensive exam designed to test their knowledge and skills learned throughout the course. The exam consists of both knowledge-based, multiple-choice questions and a performance-based practical challenge.

The hands-on performance assessment is a critical component of the exam, as it gives students the opportunity to truly prove their understanding by applying their knowledge in a real-world environment. This sets the C|CT apart from other entry-level certifications, which do not test learners’ knowledge in live settings.

EC-Council’s Industry-Renowned Certifications

EC-Council is a global leader in cybersecurity education and training and offers a variety of world-renowned certifications in addition to the C|CT, including the Certified Ethical Hacker (C|EH) and Certified Penetration Testing Professional (C|PENT). Obtaining an EC-Council certification demonstrates that a cybersecurity professional has the required skills and knowledge to defend against attacks and protect an organization’s critical information. These credentials validate that the certification holder can successfully perform essential cybersecurity tasks, such as identifying and mitigating cyberthreats, performing risk assessments, and conducting incident response.

The Benefits of Pursuing a Career in Cybersecurity

There are many benefits to pursuing a career in cybersecurity. Here are some of the top reasons to enter this exciting field:

◉ Cybersecurity is a well-paid profession. The average salaries for the top-earning cybersecurity jobs range from USD 125,000 to 250,000 (Hatten, 2021).

◉ There are many opportunities for advancement. With experience and additional training, C|CT-certified professionals can move up the career ladder to a position as a network administrator, systems engineer, or chief information security officer (CISO).

◉ Cybersecurity professionals can work from anywhere in the world. Cybersecurity skills are in high demand in every country and industry, and many cybersecurity jobs offer remote or hybrid work options.

◉ The cybersecurity job market is expected to grow massively in the next few years. The cybersecurity industry is expected to drive USD 372 billion in revenue by 2028 (Grand View Research, 2021).

◉ The work is exciting and challenging. Cybersecurity professionals are constantly faced with new challenges as they work to protect organizations from ever-evolving threats. Cybersecurity workers can expect to regularly use their creativity and problem-solving skills.

Jobs in the Cybersecurity Field

EC-Council’s C|CT certification is a gateway to a career in cybersecurity. After completing the program and becoming a C|CT, students will have the skills and knowledge necessary to pursue various entry-level jobs in the cybersecurity field, as the course provides an excellent foundation for further study and certifications.

The following are just some of the jobs that C|CTs can pursue once they have obtained their cybersecurity technician certification.

Cybersecurity Analyst

Cybersecurity analysts defend organizations’ computer networks and systems against cyberattacks. They identify threats, develop defense strategies, and monitor networks for suspicious activity.

Systems Administrator

Systems administrators are responsible for the day-to-day operation of organizations’ computer systems. They install and maintain software and hardware and troubleshoot related problems.

Network Engineer

Network engineers design, construct, and maintain organizations’ computer network infrastructures. They plan and execute network upgrades, repairs, and expansions.

Chief Information Security Officer

CISOs are responsible for an organization’s overall cybersecurity strategy. They develop and implement policies and procedures to protect data from unauthorized access.

Ethical Hacker

Ethical hackers are cybersecurity professionals who utilize hacking techniques to test the security of an organization’s computer systems—with the organization’s permission—to identify vulnerabilities and recommend solutions.

The Future of Cybersecurity

The future of cybersecurity is bright: With the increasing number of cyberattacks (Brooks, 2021), businesses are realizing the importance of a strong cybersecurity team. As more organizations move into the digital age, the need for qualified cybersecurity professionals will continue to grow.

The C|CT course is the perfect place to start for those seeking a career in cybersecurity. As a C|CT-certified cybersecurity professional, you’ll have the opportunity to work in a wide range of industries and have many potential career paths to choose from.

Source: eccouncil.org

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What is Social Engineering? Attacks, Techniques & Prevention

What is Social Engineering?

Social engineering is the art of manipulating users of a computing system into revealing confidential information that can be used to gain unauthorized access to a computer system. The term can also include activities such as exploiting human kindness, greed, and curiosity to gain access to restricted access buildings or getting the users to installing backdoor software.

Knowing the tricks used by hackers to trick users into releasing vital login information among others is fundamental in protecting computer systems

Read More: 312-50: Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH)

In this tutorial, we will introduce you to the common social engineering techniques and how you can come up with security measures to counter them.

How social engineering Works?

HERE,

◉ Gather Information: This is the first stage, the learns as much as he can about the intended victim. The information is gathered from company websites, other publications and sometimes by talking to the users of the target system.

◉ Plan Attack: The attackers outline how he/she intends to execute the attack

◉ Acquire Tools: These include computer programs that an attacker will use when launching the attack.

◉ Attack: Exploit the weaknesses in the target system.

◉ Use acquired knowledge: Information gathered during the social engineering tactics such as pet names, birthdates of the organization founders, etc. is used in attacks such as password guessing.

Common Social Engineering Techniques:

Social engineering techniques can take many forms. The following is the list of the commonly used techniques.

◉ Familiarity Exploit: Users are less suspicious of people they are familiar with. An attacker can familiarize him/herself with the users of the target system prior to the social engineering attack. The attacker may interact with users during meals, when users are smoking he may join, on social events, etc. This makes the attacker familiar to the users. Let’s suppose that the user works in a building that requires an access code or card to gain access; the attacker may follow the users as they enter such places. The users are most like to hold the door open for the attacker to go in as they are familiar with them. The attacker can also ask for answers to questions such as where you met your spouse, the name of your high school math teacher, etc. The users are most likely to reveal answers as they trust the familiar face. This information could be used to hack email accounts and other accounts that ask similar questions if one forgets their password.

◉ Intimidating Circumstances: People tend to avoid people who intimidate others around them. Using this technique, the attacker may pretend to have a heated argument on the phone or with an accomplice in the scheme. The attacker may then ask users for information which would be used to compromise the security of the users’ system. The users are most likely give the correct answers just to avoid having a confrontation with the attacker. This technique can also be used to avoid been checked at a security check point.

◉ Phishing: This technique uses trickery and deceit to obtain private data from users. The social engineer may try to impersonate a genuine website such as Yahoo and then ask the unsuspecting user to confirm their account name and password. This technique could also be used to get credit card information or any other valuable personal data.

◉ Tailgating: This technique involves following users behind as they enter restricted areas. As a human courtesy, the user is most likely to let the social engineer inside the restricted area.

◉ Exploiting human curiosity: Using this technique, the social engineer may deliberately drop a virus infected flash disk in an area where the users can easily pick it up. The user will most likely plug the flash disk into the computer. The flash disk may auto run the virus, or the user may be tempted to open a file with a name such as Employees Revaluation Report 2013.docx which may actually be an infected file.

◉ Exploiting human greed: Using this technique, the social engineer may lure the user with promises of making a lot of money online by filling in a form and confirm their details using credit card details, etc.

Social Engineering Counter Measures

Most techniques employed by social engineers involve manipulating human biases. To counter such techniques, an organization can;

◉ To counter the familiarity exploit, the users must be trained to not substitute familiarity with security measures. Even the people that they are familiar with must prove that they have the authorization to access certain areas and information.

◉ To counter intimidating circumstances attacks, users must be trained to identify social engineering techniques that fish for sensitive information and politely say no.

◉ To counter phishing techniques, most sites such as Yahoo use secure connections to encrypt data and prove that they are who they claim to be. Checking the URL may help you spot fake sites. Avoid responding to emails that request you to provide personal information.

◉ To counter tailgating attacks, users must be trained not to let others use their security clearance to gain access to restricted areas. Each user must use their own access clearance.

◉ To counter human curiosity, it’s better to submit picked up flash disks to system administrators who should scan them for viruses or other infection preferably on an isolated machine.

◉ To counter techniques that exploit human greed, employees must be trained on the dangers of falling for such scams.

Source: guru99.com

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What is Digital Forensics? History, Process, Types, Challenges

What is Digital Forensics?

Digital Forensics is defined as the process of preservation, identification, extraction, and documentation of computer evidence which can be used by the court of law. It is a science of finding evidence from digital media like a computer, mobile phone, server, or network. It provides the forensic team with the best techniques and tools to solve complicated digital-related cases.

Digital Forensics helps the forensic team to analyzes, inspect, identifies, and preserve the digital evidence residing on various types of electronic devices.

History of Digital forensics

Here, are important landmarks from the history of Digital Forensics:

◉ Hans Gross (1847 -1915): First use of scientific study to head criminal investigations

◉ FBI (1932): Set up a lab to offer forensics services to all field agents and other law authorities across the USA.

◉ In 1978 the first computer crime was recognized in the Florida Computer Crime Act.

◉ Francis Galton (1982 - 1911): Conducted first recorded study of fingerprints

◉ In 1992, the term Computer Forensics was used in academic literature.

◉ 1995 International Organization on Computer Evidence (IOCE) was formed.

◉ In 2000, the First FBI Regional Computer Forensic Laboratory established.

◉ In 2002, Scientific Working Group on Digital Evidence (SWGDE) published the first book about digital forensic called "Best practices for Computer Forensics".

◉ In 2010, Simson Garfinkel identified issues facing digital investigations.

Objectives of computer forensics

Here are the essential objectives of using Computer forensics:

◉ It helps to recover, analyze, and preserve computer and related materials in such a manner that it helps the investigation agency to present them as evidence in a court of law.

◉ It helps to postulate the motive behind the crime and identity of the main culprit.

◉ Designing procedures at a suspected crime scene which helps you to ensure that the digital evidence obtained is not corrupted.

◉ Data acquisition and duplication: Recovering deleted files and deleted partitions from digital media to extract the evidence and validate them.

◉ Helps you to identify the evidence quickly, and also allows you to estimate the potential impact of the malicious activity on the victim

◉ Producing a computer forensic report which offers a complete report on the investigation process.

◉ Preserving the evidence by following the chain of custody.

Process of Digital forensics

Digital forensics entails the following steps:

◉ Identification

◉ Preservation

◉ Analysis

◉ Documentation

◉ Presentation

Process of Digital Forensics

Let's study each in detail

Identification

It is the first step in the forensic process. The identification process mainly includes things like what evidence is present, where it is stored, and lastly, how it is stored (in which format).

Electronic storage media can be personal computers, Mobile phones, PDAs, etc.

Preservation

In this phase, data is isolated, secured, and preserved. It includes preventing people from using the digital device so that digital evidence is not tampered with.

Analysis

In this step, investigation agents reconstruct fragments of data and draw conclusions based on evidence 

found. However, it might take numerous iterations of examination to support a specific crime theory.

Documentation

In this process, a record of all the visible data must be created. It helps in recreating the crime scene and reviewing it. It Involves proper documentation of the crime scene along with photographing, sketching, and crime-scene mapping.

Presentation

In this last step, the process of summarization and explanation of conclusions is done.

However, it should be written in a layperson's terms using abstracted terminologies. All abstracted terminologies should reference the specific details.

Types of Digital Forensics

Three types of digital forensics are:

Disk Forensics:

It deals with extracting data from storage media by searching active, modified, or deleted files.

Network Forensics:

It is a sub-branch of digital forensics. It is related to monitoring and analysis of computer network traffic to collect important information and legal evidence.

Wireless Forensics:

It is a division of network forensics. The main aim of wireless forensics is to offers the tools need to collect and analyze the data from wireless network traffic.

Database Forensics:

It is a branch of digital forensics relating to the study and examination of databases and their related metadata.

Malware Forensics:

This branch deals with the identification of malicious code, to study their payload, viruses, worms, etc.

Email Forensics

Deals with recovery and analysis of emails, including deleted emails, calendars, and contacts.

Memory Forensics:

It deals with collecting data from system memory (system registers, cache, RAM) in raw form and then carving the data from Raw dump.

Mobile Phone Forensics:

It mainly deals with the examination and analysis of mobile devices. It helps to retrieve phone and SIM contacts, call logs, incoming, and outgoing SMS/MMS, Audio, videos, etc.

Challenges faced by Digital Forensics

Here, are major challenges faced by the Digital Forensic:

◉ The increase of PC's and extensive use of internet access

◉ Easy availability of hacking tools

◉ Lack of physical evidence makes prosecution difficult.

◉ The large amount of storage space into Terabytes that makes this investigation job difficult.

◉ Any technological changes require an upgrade or changes to solutions.

Example Uses of Digital Forensics

In recent time, commercial organizations have used digital forensics in following a type of cases:

◉ Intellectual Property theft

◉ Industrial espionage

◉ Employment disputes

◉ Fraud investigations

◉ Inappropriate use of the Internet and email in the workplace

◉ Forgeries related matters

◉ Bankruptcy investigations

◉ Issues concern with the regulatory compliance

Advantages of Digital forensics

Here, are pros/benefits of Digital forensics

◉ To ensure the integrity of the computer system.

◉ To produce evidence in the court, which can lead to the punishment of the culprit.

◉ It helps the companies to capture important information if their computer systems or networks are compromised.

◉ Efficiently tracks down cybercriminals from anywhere in the world.

◉ Helps to protect the organization's money and valuable time.

◉ Allows to extract, process, and interpret the factual evidence, so it proves the cybercriminal action's in the court.

Disadvantages of Digital Forensics

Here, are major cos/ drawbacks of using Digital Forensic

◉ Digital evidence accepted into court. However, it is must be proved that there is no tampering

◉ Producing electronic records and storing them is an extremely costly affair

◉ Legal practitioners must have extensive computer knowledge

◉ Need to produce authentic and convincing evidence

◉ If the tool used for digital forensic is not according to specified standards, then in the court of law, the evidence can be disapproved by justice.

◉ Lack of technical knowledge by the investigating officer might not offer the desired result

Source: guru99.com

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What is Cybercrime? Types, Tools, Examples

What is Cybercrime?

Cybercrime is defined as an unlawful action against any person using a computer, its systems, and its online or offline applications. It occurs when information technology is used to commit or cover an offense. However, the act is only considered Cybercrime if it is intentional and not accidental.

Read More: EC-Council Certified Security Specialist (ECSS)

Example of Cybercrime

Here, are some most commonly occurring Cybercrimes:

◉ The fraud did by manipulating computer network

◉ Unauthorized access to or modification of data or application

◉ Intellectual property theft that includes software piracy

◉ Industrial spying and access to or theft of computer materials

◉ Writing or spreading computer viruses or malware

◉ Digitally distributing child pornography

Cybercrime Attack Types

Cybercrime can attack in various ways. Here, is some most common cybercrime attack mode:

Hacking:

It is an act of gaining unauthorized access to a computer system or network.

Denial Of Service Attack:

In this cyberattack, the cyber-criminal uses the bandwidth of the victim's network or fills their e-mail box with spammy mail. Here, the intention is to disrupt their regular services.

Software Piracy:

Theft of software by illegally copying genuine programs or counterfeiting. It also includes the distribution of products intended to pass for the original.

Phishing:

Pishing is a technique of extracting confidential information from the bank/financial institutional account holders by illegal ways.

Spoofing:

It is an act of getting one computer system or a network to pretend to have the identity of another computer. It is mostly used to get access to exclusive privileges enjoyed by that network or computer.

Cyber Crime Tools

There are many types of Digital forensic tools

Kali Linux:

Kali Linux is an open-source software that is maintained and funded by Offensive Security. It is a specially designed program for digital forensics and penetration testing.

Ophcrack:

This tool is mainly used for cracking the hashes, which are generated by the same files of windows. It offers a secure GUI system and allows you to runs on multiple platforms.

EnCase:

This software allows an investigator to image and examine data from hard disks and removable disks.

SafeBack:

SafeBack is mainly using for imaging the hard disks of Intel-based computer systems and restoring these images to some other hard disks.

Data dumper:

This is a command-line computer forensic tool. It is freely available for the UNIX Operating system, which can make exact copies of disks suitable for digital forensic analysis.

Md5sum:

A tool to check helps you to check data is copied to another storage successfully or not.

Source: guru99.com

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Ethical Hacking - Process

Like all good projects, ethical hacking too has a set of distinct phases. It helps hackers to make a structured ethical hacking attack.

Different security training manuals explain the process of ethical hacking in different ways, but for me as a Certified Ethical Hacker, the entire process can be categorized into the following six phases.

Reconnaissance

Reconnaissance is the phase where the attacker gathers information about a target using active or passive means. The tools that are widely used in this process are NMAP, Hping, Maltego, and Google Dorks.

Scanning

In this process, the attacker begins to actively probe a target machine or network for vulnerabilities that can be exploited. The tools used in this process are Nessus, Nexpose, and NMAP.

Gaining Access

In this process, the vulnerability is located and you attempt to exploit it in order to enter into the system. The primary tool that is used in this process is Metasploit.

Maintaining Access

It is the process where the hacker has already gained access into a system. After gaining access, the hacker installs some backdoors in order to enter into the system when he needs access in this owned system in future. Metasploit is the preferred tool in this process.

Clearing Tracks

This process is actually an unethical activity. It has to do with the deletion of logs of all the activities that take place during the hacking process.

Reporting

Reporting is the last step of finishing the ethical hacking process. Here the Ethical Hacker compiles a report with his findings and the job that was done such as the tools used, the success rate, vulnerabilities found, and the exploit processes.

Quick Tip

The processes are not standard. You can adopt a set of different processes and tools according to your techniques that you are comfortable with. The process is of least significance as long as you are able to get the desired results.

Source: tutorialspoint.com

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EC-Council ECES Certification to Gain a Competitive Edge

The EC-Council Certified Encryption Specialist (ECES) certification introduces professionals and applicants to the field of cryptography. The applicants will learn the basics of modern symmetric and vital cryptography, comprising the data of algorithms such as Feistel Networks, DES, and AES.

Many penetration testing professionals testing normally don't attempt to breach cryptography. A primary understanding of cryptanalysis is very helpful to any penetration testing.

Target Audience

Anyone engaged in the selection and implementation of VPNs or digital certificates should earn this certification. Without understanding cryptography in some depth, people are limited to following marketing hype. Understanding the actual cryptography allows you to know which one to select. A person completing this course will choose the encryption standard that is most beneficial to their organization and understand how to deploy that technology effectively.

EC-Council ECES certification is best for ethical hackers, and penetration testing professionals as most penetration testing certifications ignore cryptanalysis altogether. Many penetration testing professionals testing usually don't attempt to breach cryptography. Fundamental knowledge of cryptanalysis is very crucial to any penetration testing.

About The ECES Exam

• Exam Title: EC-Council Certified Encryption Specialist
• Number of Questions: 50
• Duration: 2 hours
• Exam Availability: EC-Council Exam Portal
• Test Format: Multiple Choice
• Passing Score: 70%

What is an Encryption Specialist?

An encryption specialist defends the IT systems and information distributed over any network with cryptography. Cryptography is a technique in which data is encrypted through algorithms before its transmission. Only the receiving party can decode the data and read it.

The encryption analysts also carry out the cryptoanalysis. They figure out the encrypted data. Analyzed information is carried out to develop software and other plans necessary for information security. Private organizations and government companies engage encryption experts to secure their valuable data from unauthorized access.

Skills Needed to Become an Encryption Specialist

It expects a profound knowledge of networking, computer programming, and database architecture to become a skilled encryption specialist. High-level mathematics and a knowledge of data structure are an advantage.

A professional must also hold excellent analytical and productive thinking skills to evolve new ciphers and algorithms to safeguard information.

Benefits of EC-Council ECES Certification

There have been a lot of thoughts about the benefits of EC-Council ECES certification. Though, now a huge number of organizations require applicants to have ECES certification to carry out the tasks efficiently. Listed below are some of the benefits of having this certification.

1. EC-Council ECES Certification Help You Stand Out

Having an ECES certification can be the core distinguisher between you and another applicant applying for the same job profile. There are several examples of professionals with similar knowledge and experience beat others just based on their certification.

2. Show A Level Of Accomplishment And Perseverance

No doubt achieving a certification demands expects hard work and determination as it is a tough exam. Therefore, earning a certification confirms that you're dedicated to your career and are engrossed in moving forward and beyond to deliver your best. Additionally, this is especially helpful if you've just new to the field. This will equip you with some authenticity and urge potential employers to hire you. In a nutshell, having an ECES certification confirms that you're serious about the field and want to develop a long and remunerative career.

3. Hiring Managers Place High-Value On EC-Council Certification

It's a known fact that not every hiring manager will be relying on certifications; there are still a considerable amount of employers who are normally impressed by them. Even the army has made it compulsory for some of their employees to earn certification based on their experience and position. This is mainly because having a college degree is usual and immense. On the contrary, by passing an EC-Council Certified Encryption Specialist exam, you now have contemporary knowledge of the concepts and methods that are useful to carry out the given tasks successfully.

4. Get Noticed for a Promotion At Work

Have you ever sense that you're at a dead-end? Have you seen your co-workers get promotions over you, but you're jammed in the same position? If that's the situation, you should think of earning an EC-Council ECES certification. By doing this, you will acquire extra knowledge and skills that are sure to impress your administration. This will result in you getting other brilliant opportunities to evidence your determination and acquire more responsibilities.

All in all, you will be an esteemed resource and will play an important role in Identifying any weakness in prevailing cryptography systems and implementing more secure, extremely encrypted solutions for your organization.

5. Brilliant Career Prospects

EC-Council Certified Encryption Specialist can get to work in national and international organizations such as the National Security Agency or any other agency or organization that requires the secure transmission of secret information.

Conclusion

This article describes the importance of earning EC-Council ECES certification for those looking to efficiently promote their career through certification.

Such a career move not only requires money but also support from the organization you are presently working for. Schedule a meeting with your manager to know early on the kind of support they can provide. And start preparing to pass this certification exam.

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What Is Alert Triage? Do You Know How It Is Carried Out?

With cybercriminals always on the lookout for a vulnerability in an organization’s system, analysts need to be on their toes at all times. Their role is to stop these cybercriminals from getting into the system; otherwise, the entire organization will be ruined.

Security Operations Centers face an overwhelming amount of security alerts every day. It becomes almost impossible to look into all these threats with limited tools and technology. Where most of the threats are false positives, some of them are accurate too. This is why it becomes important to look into every one of them.

What Is Alert Triaging?

The term “triage” was introduced on the battlefields of France. Due to the overwhelming number of patients that required urgent treatment, the top surgeon of the facility categorized patients into three parts and prioritized them according to this list.

1. Those who will live regardless if they are treated right away.

2. Those who will not live regardless of any medical treatment they receive.

3. Those who will probably live if treated right away.

This process was introduced to utilize resources in the maximum amount. The process was then termed “triage.” The process is still used during emergencies. Triage analysis is where threats are prioritized based on the triaging process.

Similarly, in the cyber world, alert triage is a process that allows analysts to prioritize threats and then decide if those threats should be deeply analyzed. The problem is that without following a lengthy triage process, analysts have no way of figuring out which threats can turn into breaches. Sometimes due to this lengthy process, these threats convert into breaches.

What does triage mean in cybersecurity?

Like a medical emergency, cybersecurity becomes an emergency too when it faces several threats. The process of triaging used by analysts is similar to the process given above. In triaging, analysts first determine what threats are serious enough to harm the system and what only seem like threats but are not. After analyzing what threats to look into and what threats to discard, analysts turn to examine the remaining threats.

Read More: EC-Council Certified Encryption Specialist (ECES)

The effectiveness of threat analysis depends on the tools and resources analysts have. If they have good enough tools that support them by thoroughly investigating threats and sending them high alert to look into them immediately, their job will not be that hectic. But most of the time, software and tools fail to do a good job, which leaves analysts alone with a long process of looking into every threat.

Analysis of SIEM Incident Detection in Security Operations Center

When the system shows a threat, it does not reveal much information about it. General software shows very little data that can hardly be used to prevent breaches. For example, if an employee’s credentials have been stolen are being used to access files and other data, the software will only flag it as a suspicious activity instead of showing you the details of the threat. Security information and event management (SIEM) analyze and correlate every available business information and network activity to detect incidents in real-time.

Understanding SIEM Deployment

◉ Log correlation: A single login can not show suspicious activity but analyzing the pattern of failed and successful login attempts can flag the activity as a threat.

◉ Threat intelligence: SOC SIEM tools help early threat detection by identifying incidents in advance. Security Operations Center SIEM tools give the most reliable and latest threat information.

◉ Anomalous user behavior analytics: To prevent breaches, it is important to analyze user activity. It involves analyzing their login and log-out times, user privileges, and accessible data.

Handling Alert Triaging and Analysis

◉ Identify: The first step is to analyze if a threat is malicious or not. It requires network security monitoring and deeper investigation. Before taking action, figure out how did it enter the system? What harm has it caused? Where is it? Have you detected all of it?

◉ Contextualize: Prioritize the alert based on its solution and discovery, if there is external intelligence available for it, what information you have of threat, and what damages it has caused till now?

◉ Contain: Analyse what risks this threat possesses. According to the threat level, you can plan a response with proper SOC SIEM tools.

Source: eccouncil.org

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What Is Network Forensics? How to Successfully Examine the Network?

The growth in networking activity, connectivity, and complexity has been accompanied by increasing criminal activities conducted within the networks. Therefore, forcing both law enforcement and enterprises to undertake specialized investigations. However, making sense of fragile digital data inside the network can become a very complex and difficult task if one is not aware or specialized in network forensics.

In this article, we will discuss network forensics, different steps involved in examining network forensics, different tools available for network forensics, and the difference between computer forensics and network forensics.

What Is Network Forensics?

Network forensics analyzes the network traffic and monitors data packets transferred over the internet for intrusion and malware detection. It involves collecting and recording data, analyzing the issue, determining the best troubleshooting response, and implementing it.

Network forensics experts collect data from different websites and network equipment, including intrusion detection systems (IDS) and firewalls, to analyze network traffic data. Moreover, network forensics can also be used for monitoring, preventing, and analyzing potential attacks.

Network Forensics Examination Steps

The following are the seven different steps involved in the network forensics examination.

1. Identification

The first step in the network forensics examination is identification. This step is very crucial as it can have a huge impact on the conclusion of the case. The step involves the process of recognizing and determining the incident based on the different network indicators.

2. Preservation

The second step in the network forensics examination is preservation. In this step, the network forensic expert will isolate the data to ensure that people do not tamper with the evidence. There are different cyber forensics tools available that can help with the preservation of evidence. These include tools such as Autopsy and Encase.

3. Collection

The third step in the process is known as collection. In this step, the network forensic expert records the physical scene and duplicates digital evidence using the standard procedures and methods.

4. Examination

The examination is the fourth step in the process. In this step, the network forensic expert will record all visible data and examine different pieces of data that might be useful in the court of law.

5. Analysis

The fifth step in the network forensic examination is an analysis of the collected data. In this step, the expert will draw a conclusion based on the evidence that was collected and examined previously.

6. Presentation

The sixth step in the network forensic examination is the presentation of analysis. It means that the evidence is presented in the court of law, wherein the expert will summarize and provide an explanation of the conclusions at hand.

7. Incident Response

The final step in the network forensic examination is incident response. The detected intrusion is based on the data gathered for validating and assessing the incident.

Types of Tools Available

There are several different tools available that can help with network forensics. These tools include

1. dumpcap

2. Xplico

3. NetworkMiner

4. snort

5. Scapy

6. Libpcap

7. ngrep

All of these tools are designed to help you at different stages of the network forensic examination.

Difference between Computer Forensics and Network Forensics

Network forensics is a sub-branch of computer forensics or digital forensics. However, it is significantly different than digital forensics. For instance, network forensics deals with dynamic and volatile information, whereas computer forensics mainly deals with data at rest. That said, network forensics deals with the monitoring of computer network traffic for collecting legal evidence which can be useful in the investigation process.

Source: eccouncil.org

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What Are the Different Phases in a Successful Cyber Kill Chain?

A cyber kill chain also referred to as a cyberattack chain, is a way to understand and predict the various stages of a cyberattack in an organization’s IT environment. By understanding how the attack-chain model works, security teams can put technologies and strategies in place to contain or kill the attack at various stages. Therefore, allowing the security team to protect their entire IT ecosystem better. This article will discuss the cyber kill chain and the different phases in the cyber kill chain, among other things.

What Is Cyber Kill Chain?

It is a security model which outlines the different phases of a cyberattack. A cyber kill chain covers the various stages of a network breach. This includes everything from early planning and spying on the final goal of the hacker. That said, getting an understanding of the different stages of the attack allows organizations to prepare tactics and strategies to detect and prevent malicious intruders. The cyber kill chain helps prepare the organization for all common threats such as network breaches, data thefts, ransomware attacks, and advanced persistent attacks.

What Are the 8 Phases In Cyber Kill Chain?

The cyber kill chain consists of several core stages, from reconnaissance to lateral movement to data exfiltration. The following are the different kill chain phases that can help the organization prepare strategies and tactics to prevent their network and system from malicious cyberattacks.

1. Reconnaissance

The first of the eight kill chain phases is reconnaissance. In this stage, attackers lookout for victims and research the different security vulnerabilities. Attackers try to locate sensitive data that you might have, where you store it, who access the data regularly and how they can steal it.

2. Intrusion

Once the attacker has completed their research and located the victims, they are now able to get into the organizational system in this phase. This is often done by leveraging malware and other security vulnerabilities.

3. Exploitation

In this kill chain phase, the attacker delivers malicious code into the victim’s system to get a better hold on their data and other sensitive information.

4. Privilege Escalation

For getting access to more data and permissions on the victim’s system, attackers are often looking for more privileges. To do so, they are required to escalate their privileges often to the admin level.

5. Lateral Movement

Once the attacker is able to get into the system, they can move laterally to other systems available on the network to gain more leverage and access to other sensitive information. This provides them with higher permissions, greater access to the system, and more data.

6. Anti-forensics

Attackers have to cover their track for successfully pulling off a cyberattack. Therefore, this is the phase, wherein the attacker lays false trails to misguide investigators. Moreover, they also clear logs to confuse the forensics team.

7. Denial of Service

In this phase, attackers disrupt the normal access for systems and users. This is done, so as to ensure the attack is not tracked, monitored, and blocked.

8. Exfiltration

This is the last of the various kill chain phases. In this stage, the attacker tries to get the data out of the compromised system.

Why Is Cyber Kill Chain Used?

The organization uses the cyber kill chain to get a better understanding of the process of cyberattacks. Thus, allowing the security teams to understand every point in the chain of events leads to cyberattacks. Using this information, security teams can focus on breaking the cyber chain and mitigating the damages.

What Is Nextgen Kill Chain Framework – Mitre Attack?

The Mitre Attack is a curated knowledge base for the cyber adversary model that reflects on various phases of the adversary’s attack lifecycle and the different platforms they tend to attack. The techniques and tactics in the model offer a common taxonomy of individual adversary actions which are understood by both defensive and offensive sides of cyberattacks.

Source: eccouncil.org

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How to Create a Successful Incident Response Plan

The threat landscape is evolving every day. Either your organization can adapt to tackle this evolving threat landscape or die. Having said that, preparing for the onslaught of attacks occurring on a daily basis is fundamental to that adaptation. Developing a well-thought-out cybersecurity incident response plan allows your organization to counter new methodologies in the hands of attackers.

In this article, we will discuss why your organization needs an incident response plan and how you can create an incident response plan.

Why Your Organization Needs an Incident Response Plan

It is imperative for every organization to have an incident response plan so that when it is under the pressure of a security breach, correct decisions can be made to bring the situation back under control.

Security incidents can be very daunting if the incident response is not conducted in a systematic manner. The security breach can result in severe damages to the organization and can even harm the brand’s reputation. Therefore, to deal with data breaches effectively, your organization needs to have a dedicated incident response team that specializes in incident response.

Of course, your organization also needs to have an incident response policy in place. However, simply having an incident response plan is not enough. The incident response team must have the experience and skills to deal with potentially high-risk situations. Otherwise, the organization can face huge losses, both in terms of revenue and reputation.

How to Develop an Incident Response Plan

1. Determine important components of the organizational network

For protecting data and networks from major damage, it is crucial that organizations back up the data in a remote location. However, because these networks are complex, it is important to determine which data and systems should be backed up. This will help you recover quickly after a data breach.

2. Identify points of failure and address them

Similar to backing up data, organizations should have another plan for every critical component. This includes software, hardware, and employees as well. A single point of failure can expose your organization as and when the incident takes place. Address these points of failure and ensure that you have a backup for everything.

3. Create a continuity plan

Even when a data breach takes place within your organization, it is imperative to ensure that your organization is still functioning seamlessly. Therefore, build the IT infrastructure in such a way that it provides employees the required technologies to ensure the full functioning of business operations.

4. Create an incident response plan

Produce a formal incident response plan and ensure that everyone within the organization at different levels of the company is aware of their roles and responsibilities. Every member of the incident response team must know the different incident response steps they have to take to ensure business continuity. The incident response plan must include a business continuity plan, roles and responsibilities of incident response team members, a list of critical networks, and communications (both internal and external).

5. Offer training to employees

Once you have created the incident response plan, all employees within the organization must understand the different incident response phases. When organizations have the cooperation of their employees, it can reduce the length of disruptions significantly. It can also reduce the occurrences of security breaches significantly.

Different Incident Response Phases

It is imperative that the incident response plan addresses the security breach in a series of phases. In each of the different incident response phases, the organization must consider specific areas to deal with the data breach. The following are the six different incident response phases.

1. Preparation

2. Identification

3. Containment

4. Eradication

5. Recovery

6. Lessons Learned

Source: eccouncil.org

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What Is Incident Management? How Does It Help?

Imagine a scenario where internet connectivity is lost for a day due to a denial of service attack. Will your employees be able to work at the same pace they used to every day? No! Their productivity will drastically drop because most of their work is done online. In fact, if you calculate it, your employees would most likely have to work overtime for an entire month or more to recover the losses from that day. This is where incident management comes into the picture, as it is an essential process to avoid these situations. An incident management team is the key to a successful business that doesn’t suffer losses due to unpredictable incidents.

More Info: 312-50: Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH)

If you are curious about what incident management is and its benefits, then you have come to the right place. This blog will equip you with knowledge about incident management and help you decide whether you should invest in building your own incident response team.

Incident Management Defined

Incident management is the management of incidents that have occurred during the working hours of an organization. Incident management allows organizations to get back to their normal routine as soon as possible without disrupting their systems.

Cybersecurity incidents can cause great harm to an organization on a large scale. Examples of a cybersecurity incident include a computer system breach, unauthorized access, use of sensitive data without authority, and theft/loss of equipment that is storing data.

What Is the Purpose of Incident Management?

Incident management is used widely throughout the world to avoid disruptive incidents and their harmful outcomes. During the process, the incident is analyzed and logged in, and the response team finds out who is responsible for the incident and what steps should be followed to resolve it.

An incident response policy is not limited to solving small issues faced by the organization. These small issues, when resolved, help avoid major incidents. The faster the issue is resolved, the lesser the impact on the organization. Without a proper incident response, companies might lose valuable data and produce less work, which will eventually lead to lower profits. This will impact the life of the organization and the lives of employees.

Types of Incidents

A single incident response cannot be applied to every incident that occurs during work, as each case is different. For easier classification, incidents can be divided into four types:

Small incidents: Small incidents do not harm the organization too much if they are resolved quickly. Of course, these small incidents can turn into major incidents if organizations do not take them seriously and quickly do something to resolve them.

Major incidents: Incident security causes disruption in companies. Organizations do not face major incidents very often, but when they do it shakes the company to its core. Companies need to be prepared for such incidents. When a major issue occurs, employees often find it hard to tackle the issue because they are not prepared for it. It leaves them in a confused state.

Repetitive incidents: Repetitive incidents can occur often if the previous issues have yet to be resolved. These issues happen when the IT team is not able to identify the cause of the issue.

Complex incidents: Complex incidents are large and repetitive and must be avoided at all costs. The incident response team should be able to maintain a smooth workflow without running into any more issues while working on complex issues.

Incident Management Process

Roles and Responsibilities of an Incident Management Team

An incident management team needs to restore services to their normal state without affecting the services in a negative manner.

◉ An incident response team has to reduce the number of incidents faced by the organization.

◉ An incident response team has to identify the underlying issues that cause repetitive incidents.

◉ An incident response team needs to come up with a plan after every incident which will allow them to resolve the next incident quickly.

Incident Management Tools

The most important tool for an incident response policy is the known error database (KEDB). It is maintained by problem management and contains past incidents and their solutions. Another tool is the incident model. Since new incidents are similar to old ones, the team can apply past solutions to new incidents to resolve them quickly.

Source: eccouncil.org

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