LEAN 365 – grab the cyber security tips of May

During May we shared a total of 30 cyber security tips in LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram. Here is a compilation of the posts. Jump in together with Fitsec – and stay cyber safe!

121. When changing sim cards, always destroy the old one

WHY?

Old sim cards may hold some information like phone numbers and even some text messages

122. Clear your browser history from time to time

WHY? 

Your browser history and cookies are valuable information to an attacker. This information can be used to build a profile of you for future attacks against you.

123. Turn on memory integrity from your Windows settings

WHY? 

The memory integrity feature prevents malicious code being injected into high-security processes on your computer 

124. When traveling, keep your devices/valuables in the hotel room safe when not in use

WHY? 

If someone breaks in or has access to your hotel room, you have at least some protection against the theft of your devices

125. Do not enable automatic login on your device

WHY? 

If someone steals your device, they have instant access to all your data

126. Make sure the electric chip is broken to pieces from old debit/credit cards

WHY? 

If the electric chip is intact, someone might be able to get something out from it

127. Before disposing of delivery packages, make sure to get rid of any sensitive information on them

WHY? 

Someone could get your personal information from the package and use it for malicious intent

128. Be careful of malicious text messages and never click links in text messages

WHY? 

Text messages are often used for phishing attacks and clicking a link can get you compromised

129. If an account of yours is compromised, change the password immediately

WHY? 

It helps prevent the hacker from accessing your account again if they log off and, in some cases, logs the hacker out

130. Make sure your LinkedIn account is connected to your mobile device

WHY? 

Doing this will ensure you can easily reset/change your password and enable two factor authentication 

131. If the buttons, screen or info labels on an ATM/cash machine look misaligned or out of place, don’t use the ATM

WHY? 

There is a good chance that the ATM has been tampered with and can be used to steal your card information

132. When buying used devices, always perform a factory reset of the device

WHY? 

You never know what has been left on the device by the previous owner. It is not uncommon to find malware on used devices.

133. Don't use end of life operating systems like Windows 7 (end of life: "a product that is outdated or unsupported by the manufacturer")

WHY? 

End of life operating systems/products will not get important security updates and will leave you seriously vulnerable to attacks

134. Don't trust online quizzes

WHY? 

Online quizzes often have terms and conditions to allow them to sell your data to third parties. Even when you do not give any information, they can gather your IP-address, location, and possibly profile information if you’re logged in to social media services

135. Don't blindly trust caller ID’s or phone numbers

WHY? 

Spoofing phone numbers to scam or trick people is common. If something seems off, hang up and visit the website of the organization that is supposedly calling you and call them back on their officially listed number.

136. There are encrypted USB drives available for purchase, so consider buying them instead

WHY? 

The encryption will make it difficult for attackers to access the information on the drive if you happen to lose it or it is stolen

137. If your computer or device is stolen, change all passwords to any accounts you have

WHY?

If your device contains your passwords, they can be compromised

138. If you're suspicious of a website, for any reason, simply don't use it

WHY? 

Being suspicious is reason enough to not use it, better safe than sorry as the saying goes

139. If you live in Europe, choose a cloud provider that complies with GDPR

WHY? 

Generally, GDPR compliance ensures that your data will be handled properly and can be deleted upon request

140. Use a DNS filtering service that blocks known malicious websites

WHY? 

It helps with blocking malicious websites and known scam websites, keeping you safer on the internet

141. Disable notification content on your phone’s lock screen

WHY? 

To prevent others from viewing your sensitive information when your device is locked

142. Periodically check if your desktop machine has additional unknown devices attached to it

WHY? 

Unknown cables or peripherals can pose a risk to your system’s security. This type of technique has been used by bad actors in the past.

143. If you've been hacked, consider professional help

WHY? 

Going to a professional to aid you in this situation is far better than trying to fix it yourself. With professional help, the situation can be resolved faster, and the damages can be minimized or contained.

144. Don't use any personal information like your name, birth date, or phone number in your usernames

WHY? 

This can make it easier to gain or link sensitive and private information about you

145. If you see messages being sent from your email account that you didn't send, run a virus scan and change all your passwords immediately

WHY? 

This is often a sign that you have been compromised in some way. A quick response can minimize the damage.

146. Always follow the instruction/installation manual when installing a new device

WHY? 

It will give you a step-by-step guide to installing it correctly and safely, for example: many devices have security suggestions in the manual

147. Don't download apps from third-party sites

WHY? 

Apps from third-party sites have a greater probability of being malicious

148. If your virus protection puts something in quarantine, just leave it there if you don't know what you're doing

WHY? 

The virus protection put it there for a reason, it could be malicious or just suspicious, either way its best to leave it untouched

149. Don't trust online password checkers or generators, instead, make your own passwords

WHY? 

You have no way of verifying what the website is doing with the checked/generated password. To be safe, it’s better not to use these websites at all.

150. If you get an email stating that you have been “hacked”, and the sender demands payment, ignore it.

WHY? 

In most cases, this is a scam and used to extort money from you

Multiple vulnerabilities in Zyxel NBG-418N V2

As part of Fitsec's service offering our labs conduct device audits and research to find new vulnerabilities that might affect our customers. Fitsec's labs come across a wide variety of devices, ranging from consumer products to enterprise devices. In the past, these have included devices such as utility grid monitoring (electricity & water), routers, smartphones and even engine control units (ECU).

During December 2022 we had an internal training session where the objective was to find vulnerabilities in common IOT devices.

For this purpose we purchased a few units of Zyxel NBG-418N V2 home routers, as they were on the low-end in terms of price and features, which makes them popular for consumers and small businesses alike.

To begin with, we first dumped the firmware from the internal Macronix EEPROM chip. We reverse engineered the bootloader in order to gain access to the actual code that was being run in the device.

After dumping, UART connection was also established to capture logs.
We were able to discover 5 unique vulnerabilities in the target device:

• XSS (Cross-site scripting) in the web management interface
• Persistent XSS in the web management interface
• Kernel stack overflows in the CLI (Command Line Interface) app
• Kernel format string vulnerabilities
• Denial of service condition (kernel crash and reboot)

The first issue was already known by Zyxel, but the other 4 were new vulnerabilities.

Based on our findings and reporting, Zyxel has released a firmware update and a security advisory. In case you have a vulnerable device in use, we recommend updating the device to the latest firmware.

https://www.zyxel.com/global/en/support/security-advisories/zyxel-security-advisory-for-multiple-vulnerabilities-in-nbg-418n-v2-home-router

LEAN 365 – grab the cyber security tips of April

During April we shared a total of 30 cyber security tips in LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram. Here is a compilation of the posts. Jump in together with Fitsec – and stay cyber safe!

91. It’s a good idea to password protect personal documents containing sensitive data

WHY? 

Even if your device is compromised, the data in these documents will be harder to access

92. Before giving away your phone, do a factory reset

WHY? 

A factory reset erases all your information from the device

93. Don’t use your car’s audio system for sensitive phone calls

WHY? 

In most cases the audio can easily be heard outside the car 

94. Never connect your own device to your organization’s network without approval

WHY? 

Your device may compromise the safety of the network and your company

95. Disable auto filling your account details on any websites

WHY? 

If your device is compromised, the attacker will automatically have access to your accounts

96. Beware of scams during major holidays

WHY? 

It’s common to offer “special deals” during major holidays, make sure that the offers are legitimate

97. On Windows machines, make sure Autorun/Autoplay features for media are turned off

WHY? 

It prevents external media infected with malicious code from being automatically executed

98. Make sure your Wi-Fi has strong password protection

WHY? 

Having a weak password on your Wi-Fi network makes it easier to attack

99. Install apps on your phone only from official sources (Google Play, Apple Store etc.)

WHY? 

Apps from official sources have been verified and are usually safe

100. If your printer supports secure printing, use it

WHY? 

Secure printing requires you to be present at the printer, thus making sure that no one can see your documents

101. Don't use passwords that contain your personal information, like date of birth

WHY? 

This makes your password easier to guess and your account more vulnerable

102. Don’t share your property information on the internet

WHY? 

Sharing your cabins etc. location or other information is not recommended and can lead to theft of your property etc.

103. Use a credit card for online purchases

WHY? 

If you get scammed, you can dispute the charge and get your money back

104. Don’t use admin account for everyday tasks

WHY? 

Using a regular user account will give less privileges to a possible attacker

105. Don't store sensitive data in the cloud; keep it entirely disconnected from the web

WHY? 

Keeping your sensitive data offline and requiring physical access keeps your data safe

106. If your device has a webcam, use a privacy cover. A piece of tape works just fine.

WHY? 

On some occasions, the webcam may be activated without an indicator light

107. Only connect with people you know on LinkedIn

WHY? 

In addition to giving more information about yourself to strangers, criminals have been known to use this extra information to attack other people as well

108. Exercise your right to be forgotten

WHY? 

Online services and companies in general, may otherwise retain your data indefinitely

109. Shred your old bank and credit cards

WHY? 

This makes them unusable, and it is near impossible to gather any data from a well shred card

110. You should turn off Windows timeline from privacy settings

WHY? 

The Windows timeline/activity history has to keep a lot of information about you to work and sends this information to Microsoft by default, turning it off is an easy way to gain more privacy

111. When taking a screenshot on your device, always double-check the picture before sharing

WHY? 

Using a regular user account will give less privileges to a possible attacker

112. Don’t trust any popups on websites that claim you have malware and prompt you to download an antivirus or call a number

WHY? 

This is a common method to get you to download malicious software on your device

113. Think twice before trusting free apps

WHY? 

Non-governmental free apps often make their money by selling personal data. Avoid giving any permissions related to data access if a free app asks for it

114. Never access your email or accounts on a device that you don’t own

WHY? 

It helps to prevent account hijacking and prevents leaking your information to a third party

115. Try to read news about new cyber attacks/scams

WHY? 

This might inform you of new ways hackers could be attacking you and help to keep you safe

116. Disable background webapps from your browser settings

WHY? 

Some apps might keep running even when you close your browser. This setting prevents them from doing so.

117. Be careful when taking or sharing workplace photos

WHY? 

There might be something in the background that could reveal/leak information that is private

118. If you are an EU citizen you have the right to ask for all the data that a company has about you

WHY? 

European union GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) states that a person must get a copy of the data about them when asked

119. Periodically check which devices are logged into your account if the service has such an option

WHY? 

If there is a new device that you don't recognize, your account may have been compromised

120. Make sure your phone is always locked when you are not using it

WHY? 

It helps to protect your data in case your phone gets stolen

LEAN 365 – grab the cyber security tips of March

During March we shared a total of 31 cyber security tips in LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram. Here is a compilation of the posts. Jump in together with Fitsec – and stay cyber safe!

60. You should have remote data wiping/factory reset enabled on your mobile device

WHY?

If you lose it or it gets stolen, you can wipe all information from your phone to prevent unauthorized access to your data

61. Never share your PIN code or password to anyone

WHY?

You have no way of knowing who can ultimately get access to your password. Passwords and PIN codes are sensitive information and should be protected.

62. If you make a mistake and open a phishing email or suspicious attachment, don’t hesitate to notify your IT/security team immediately

WHY?

A quick response to an incident may prevent any damages or at least minimize the impact on your organization

63. Make sure your employees only have access to assets that they need

WHY?

Giving your employees unnecessary access will cause more damage if they are compromised

64. Prefer your phone’s hotspot over public Wi-Fi

WHY?

Using your own hotspot is more secure than public Wi-Fi 

65. Make sure your desk is clean and doesn’t have sensitive documents on it when you are not present

WHY?

You never know who can have access to the documents 

66. Deny location sharing by default

WHY?

There is rarely a good reason for services to access your location. Limiting the amount of information you share is always a good idea. 

67. Think twice about what information you share about yourself when creating a new profile to some new service

WHY?

Some services may enable unauthorized third parties to collect this information about you

68. Keep in mind that any operating system can be infected by malware

WHY?

A common mistake is to assume that only Windows based systems are targeted by malware

69. Avoid public phone charging stations

WHY?

Malicious actors have been known to target public charging stations to infect your device

70. Before disposal, shred documents that contain personal information

WHY?

An unauthorized third party with malicious intent could get hold of your personal data and use it to harm you in numerous ways

71. Factory resetting a mobile device usually removes active malware on the device

WHY?

Most malware do not persist after a factory reset

72. Beware of marketplace scams. Never send money upfront when dealing with second-hand goods

WHY?

There are plenty of scams in used item marketplaces that take advantage of an unsuspecting buyer

73. You should use full disk encryption on your computer

WHY?

If your computer is stolen, your data is protected

74. Separate your work accounts from private ones

WHY? 

Using your work accounts for personal activities may endanger your organization’s security and may also result in losing access to your private accounts if they are tied to your work email for example 

75. Report phishing emails or other suspicious emails to your helpdesk/security team 

WHY? 

Reporting phishing emails helps protect your organization

76. Do not leave your personal belongings in plain sight in your car 

WHY? 

Your car will be more likely to be targeted by criminals 

77. SMS is not a secure messaging service

WHY?

There are multiple methods to capture SMS messages

78. Keep your devices turned off when not using them

WHY? 

There are many benefits to this, for example, when your device is turned off it is safe from network-based threats

79. Check your bank transactions regularly

WHY? 

This may show if somebody has access to your accounts

80. Don’t use actual personal information when answering security questions

WHY? 

If the answers to security questions have nothing to do with you, it will be more difficult for an attacker to guess them

81. Disable NFC on your device when not using it

WHY? 

NFC allows your phone to transfer data if it touches another NFC device

82. Always remember to logout of your accounts when you’re done

WHY? 

It’s simply a good practice that keeps you safer

83. If you’re connecting to a public Wi-Fi, make sure it’s the right one

WHY?  

It’s a common attack method to have a similar name to the actual Wi-Fi and use that to steal your information (for example: Starbucks-wifi vs Starbucks_WIFI etc.)

84. Remember to update the firmware of your devices periodically

WHY? 

Updating the firmware of your devices helps to keep them secure

85. Does your fridge or washing machine etc. really need an internet connection?

WHY? 

IOT devices often suffer from multiple vulnerabilities and may compromise your network

86. Do not share photos of your keys 

WHY? 

Certain types of keys can be cloned with just a photo of the key

87. Do not use public printers to print sensitive documents 

WHY? 

Some printers may save a copy of the file on an internal drive

88. When shopping online, search for reviews of the website before you place an order

WHY? 

Reading the reviews can tell you if the site can be trusted

89. Use encrypted email for exchanging sensitive data

WHY? 

Regular email is not encrypted by default

90. Disable auto connecting to Wi-Fi networks

WHY? 

Your device might automatically connect to a Wi-Fi that is pretending to be the intended Wi-Fi. This attack is called the Evil Twin attack.

LEAN 365 – grab the cyber security tips of February

During February we shared a total of 28 cyber security tips in LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram. Here is a compilation of the posts. Jump in together with Fitsec – and stay cyber safe!

32. Be cautious of who might see your computer screen when travelling or working in public. To help with this, use a privacy screen protector.

WHY?

All information is worth something to someone if the person seeing it has bad intentions

33. Protect yourself from phishing: Use common sense and do not open suspicious emails, always doubt!

WHY?

Someone can try to pose as an authoritative or well-known entity and exploit this to obtain information that can be used to steal money or cause other harm

34. From time to time clear your cookie cache in your browser settings

WHY?

Over time, cookies accumulate a wealth of information and can be used to for example track your browsing history and personal data

35. Always question messages that prompt you to act urgently - if you are not completely sure of the legitimacy of the sender and/or the message content, double check the legitimacy directly with the person supposedly contacting you (for example in person or by phone)

WHY?

Often scams tend to rely on conveying urgency, which leads to mistakes being made. You can never be too careful.

36. More sensitive activities like online banking should be avoided on devices that you don’t own

WHY?

You can’t be sure what software is installed on the device and your information may be compromised as a result

37. Always follow your organization's information security guidelines

WHY?

When all personnel work together as agreed it is easier to keep your organization secure

38. Use good judgement and common sense when downloading files from the internet. It is a good idea to scan the downloaded file with your antivirus product.

WHY?

There is an increased risk of malicious code being run on your computer when opening files downloaded from the internet

39. The best place to store your passwords is in your own memory: use memorable passphrases to help with this

WHY?

It is simply the safest solution

40. Keep your backups in a safe place, like in a trustworthy cloud service or a safe

WHY?

Without backups, you might lose some important information for good

41. Be careful not to reveal your personal identity information to anyone. Carefully destroy all the material containing this kind of information when you don’t need it anymore.

WHY?

Identity theft can lead to any number of problems for you. Your identity could for example be used to take loans in your name and you will be responsible for them.

42. Remember to read the reviews before trying a new app: If there are many complaints about its functionality or if every review is praising the app, carefully consider before using it

WHY?

Malicious apps are not that uncommon and are frequently found on legitimate marketplaces (google play, apple app store etc.). Creators of these apps can also source fake reviews of their apps to entice new users to download them.

43. It is a good idea to use incognito mode/private window when browsing the web on public/shared computers

WHY?

It prevents the next person using the same computer from accessing your browsing history and information related to it

44. Memorize or write down your bank’s deactivation service number

WHY?

In case your credit card is lost, or your bank account is compromised, you can quickly call to lock it

45. Delete unused accounts

WHY?

They could still contain sensitive data and you wouldn't even notice if they are compromised

46. Buy devices from known manufacturers

WHY? 

Off-brand devices generally have more security flaws and are not usually kept up to date

47. Always use a VPN when you are connected to a public Wi-Fi network

WHY? 

Unsecure public networks might give an attacker access to your sensitive data

48. Don’t plug in unknown USB devices to your computer

WHY? 

Unknown USB devices may harm your computer

49. Do not leave data protection material lying around unattended. The material should always be stored in the places designated for them, e.g. in a safe, fire safety cabinet or in a locked box/cabinet, depending on the sensitivity of the material.

WHY?

Because you can't be sure who has access to them otherwise

50. Take advantage of password managers, they generate unique and strong passwords and keep them safe

WHY? 

This makes it easier for you, so you don’t have to remember all of them

51. Don’t use auto login features. Always have some form of login authentication on your devices.

WHY? 

If your device is stolen and does not have a password/pin code, the thief will have immediate access to your device

52. Remove or destroy the hard drive from broken devices before disposal

WHY? 

You have no way of knowing where your device is going to end up after disposal. Even fully broken devices might have data left on the hard drive.

53. Remember that if something seems too good to be true it probably is

WHY? 

Many scams try to lure you with amazing prizes and offers

54. If you need technical support, use the official website of the vendor/manufacturer

WHY? 

A common scam is to target users of popular software and devices via fake support websites

55. Purchase tickets to events from official ticket vendor websites

WHY?  

Criminals often create fake websites and target consumers looking for deals. These websites steal your payment information and personal details.

56. If you are not using a password manager, update your passwords frequently. It is recommended to change passwords every 90 days.

WHY? 

If a service you use is compromised, there is a better chance of your account being safe

57. Don’t google search your own bank or other sensitive services. Type the URL directly in the search bar.

WHY? 

Criminals often target these types of services by advertising fake websites that look just like the real ones. These fake websites are then used to capture your login details and personal information.

58. Be mindful of what you put out on the internet 

WHY? 

What you put on the internet will stay there forever

59. Avoid software that is not supported or updated anymore

WHY? 

Unsupported/older software won't be updated with the latest security patches and could be vulnerable. This can ultimately lead to your device being compromised.