What is CEO fraud, and how can it be avoided?
Cybercriminals benefit significantly from the success of cyberattacks known as CEO fraud and the evolution of technology behind the proliferation of this type of attack.
What is CEO fraud?
CEO fraud, or "Business Email Compromise" (BEC), is a cyber scam in which criminals impersonate a company's CEO or senior executive to deceive employees and obtain money transfers or confidential information. This type of fraud has gained notoriety in recent years due to its effectiveness and the significant financial impact on organizations.
CEO fraud is characterized by its sophistication and the use of social engineering techniques. Cybercriminals thoroughly investigate the targeted company, gathering information about its organizational structure, executives, and employees. They use this information to create forged emails, apparently sent by some senior official, that appear authentic and often contain a sense of urgency.
These emails may request money transfers to bank accounts controlled by the criminals or the disclosure of sensitive information.
Some of the techniques used to carry out CEO fraud are:
- Impersonation Scammers create email addresses that mimic those of the company's top executives. Sometimes, they even compromise executives' real email accounts to send fraudulent messages.
- Social engineering. Criminals use persuasion tactics to gain the trust of employees. They may impersonate the CEO or a senior executive, even mimicking their way of communicating and writing, and request urgent actions, such as money transfers, citing critical business reasons.
- Psychological manipulation. Fraudulent emails often contain a sense of urgency and pressure for employees to act quickly without following the usual verification procedures. This can include subtle threats or the promise of rewards.
The impact of CEO fraud can be devastating for businesses. Financial losses are often significant, and recovering stolen money is difficult or impossible.
You may be interested in our content→ How to prevent identity theft on social networks.
How CEO Fraud Works: Main Steps
As we've already seen, CEO fraud is a sophisticated tactic that cybercriminals use to trick a company's employees into obtaining financial benefits or sensitive information. This type of fraud relies on psychological manipulation and social engineering to achieve its goals.
The typical steps that fraudsters take to carry out CEO fraud are:
Research and information gathering
The first step in CEO fraud is thoroughly investigating the target company. Cybercriminals collect information about the company's organizational structure, senior executives' names and titles, and employees with access to finances or sensitive information.
This information is obtained through various sources, such as social networks, corporate websites, and public databases.
Impersonation
Once the scammers have gathered enough information, they create email addresses that mimic those of the company's top executives. Sometimes, they even compromise executives' real email accounts to send fraudulent messages.
These spoofed emails are designed to look authentic and often contain specific details that increase their credibility.
Sending the fraudulent email
Cybercriminals email company employees, posing as the CEO or a senior executive. These emails typically feel urgent and ask for immediate action, such as money transfers to bank accounts controlled by criminals or disclosing sensitive information.
Scammers use persuasion and psychological manipulation tactics to convince employees to act quickly without following the usual verification procedures.
Psychological manipulation
Emails involved in CEO fraud include psychological manipulation to increase the likelihood of success. For example, subtle threats, such as the possibility of losing a significant business opportunity, or promises of rewards, such as a promotion or bonus.
Fraudsters also take advantage of times of high market pressure or changes in the company, such as mergers or acquisitions, to increase the credibility of their requests.
Execution of the scam
Cybercriminals achieve their goals if employees fall for the trap and perform the requested actions. Money transfers are sent to bank accounts controlled by criminals and are almost impossible to trace, or the sensitive information obtained is used for other malicious purposes.
Strategies to avoid CEO fraud
Preventing CEO fraud requires taking security measures specifically aimed at these types of attacks, such as:
Establishing Verification Protocols
It is one of the most effective measures to prevent CEO fraud. These protocols ensure that any request for money transfer or disclosure of confidential information is verified before execution. Some best practices include:
- Verbal confirmation: Require that any request for money transfer be confirmed verbally via a direct phone call to the executive supposedly sending the email.
- Two-factor authentication: Implement a two-factor authentication system for financial transactions. Of note, for its effectiveness, is the obligation to have the approval of two or more people in the organization for any significant money transfer.
- Escalation procedures: Establish clear procedures for escalating suspicious requests to a higher management level for review and approval.
Email Protection
Email protection is crucial to preventing CEO fraud. Businesses should implement email security solutions that include:
- Advanced spam filters. Advanced spam filters block suspicious emails before they reach employees' inboxes.
- Email authentication. Implement email authentication protocols such as SPF (Sender Policy Framework), DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail), and DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance) to verify the authenticity of incoming emails.
- Phishing detection. Phishing detection.
- Education and awareness. Train employees on identifying suspicious emails and what to do if they receive one. It includes teaching them to verify email addresses, look for grammar and spelling errors, be suspicious of unusual communication tones, and not click links or download attachments from unsolicited emails.
External confirmation procedures
Companies should establish external confirmation procedures and internal verification protocols to ensure the authenticity of money transfer requests.
- Verification with the bank. Before processing any money transfer, check the request with the bank to ensure it is legitimate. This may include confirmation of the applicant's identity and review of the destination bank account.
- Emergency contact list. Maintain an emergency contact list that includes the phone numbers and email addresses of senior executives and other key employees. It allows for quick and direct confirmation of any urgent request.
- Review of transactions. Implement a transaction verification process that includes verification of any significant money transfers by multiple people. This helps ensure that requests are legitimate and that proper procedures are followed.
Is it possible to detect signs to avoid being a victim of CEO fraud?
Knowing signs of potential CEO fraud is crucial to preventing such attacks. To do this, employees must be familiar with the various warning signs, and the organization must be aware of the threats to which it is exposed at all times that can be used to arm the attack.
Red Flags
Several red flags can indicate a fraud attempt by the CEO.
- Emails with grammatical, spelling, or tone errors: fraudulent emails often contain errors or unusual communication tones that should always alert and force verification.
- Urgent action requests: Scammers often create a sense of urgency for employees to act quickly without following standard vetting procedures.
- Suspicious email addresses: Email addresses that mimic those of senior executives but with slight variations are a clear sign of fraud.
- Unusual requests: Any request that does not follow the company's usual procedures should be considered suspicious and verified.
Monitoring techniques
To detect possible attempts at fraud by the CEO, it is convenient for companies to implement monitoring techniques that include all web layers.
Surface Web Monitoring
The surface web includes all websites accessible through conventional search engines. Monitoring tools track mentions of the organization, executive names, and other sensitive information on blogs, forums, and social media. They help identify potential attempts by cybercriminals to collect information.
Deep web monitoring
The deep web includes content not indexed by conventional search engines, such as databases, private forums, and password-protected websites. Specialized monitoring tools track suspicious activity on these sites. It includes searching for leaked information, such as login credentials, that cybercriminals could use to engineer a CEO fraud attack.
Dark web monitoring
The dark web is a part of the deep web that requires special software to access, such as Tor. It's commonplace to sell and share stolen information. Specialized monitoring tools track the sale of sensitive information, such as email credentials, financial data, and sensitive personal data. They provide an early warning that cybercriminals are collecting information for a potential attack.
Behavioral Analysis
Behavioral analysis tools help identify unusual activity in email accounts and financial systems. They detect anomalous behavior patterns, such as login attempts from unusual locations or unauthorized money transfers.
Regular audits
Regular audits of financial transactions and electronic communications are essential to detect anomalies. Audits help identify suspicious activity and patterns and ensure that proper security procedures are in place and followed.
Relevant Examples of CEO Fraud
We know some of these attacks when they jump into the media, but they are not all, as most companies try to prevent them from going public for reputational reasons.
- Ubiquiti Networks (2015). The scammers used spoofed emails to trick employees of this tech company into making money transfers to bank accounts controlled by the criminals. The financial loss amounted to $46.7 million.
- FACC (2016). Austrian aerospace company FACC suffered a CEO fraud that resulted in a €50 million loss. The scammers posed as the CEO and emailed employees requesting money transfers for a purported acquisition.
- Crelan Bank (2016). The Belgian bank Crelan Bank was the victim of CEO fraud, which resulted in a loss of 70 million euros after the scammers deceived some employees by asking for different transfers.
- Zendal Pharmaceutical Group (2020). In Spain, immersed in the pandemic, the group's CFO transferred €9 million following the alleged urgent and confidential order of the company's CEO, whose email had been tapped by a cybercriminal.
- Caritas Luxembourg (2024). Although it remains under investigation, Caritas Luxembourg's financial collapse, caused by the transfers of 61 million euros to 14 different bank accounts over five months, is blamed on CEO fraud, who deceived the organization's financial director.
Enthec helps you manage your organization's threat exposure
Thanks to its Threat Exposure Management (TEM) solutions, Enthec allows the organization to monitor the different layers of the web to locate the leaked and exposed information available to anyone who wants to use it to design a CEO Fraud attack. This includes sensitive corporate information and the personal information of the CEO and senior executives so that the organization can neutralize its effects even before the attack is executed.
Contact us to learn more about how Enthec can help you avoid CEO fraud and other social engineering techniques and the costly financial impact that comes with them.
Social engineering attacks on senior executives
Senior executives are desirable targets for social engineering attacks because they can access sensitive information and influence within the organization.
How Social Engineering Works
Social engineering is a psychological manipulation technique that cybercriminals use to trick people into revealing sensitive information or taking actions that compromise security. Unlike technical attacks that exploit vulnerabilities in systems and software, social engineering focuses on exploiting human vulnerabilities.
These attacks have the highest success rate because people are the weakest link in the cybersecurity chain.
Social engineering is based on exploiting psychological principles and human behaviors that are difficult for us to ignore. Attackers use a variety of tactics to manipulate their victims, taking advantage of factors such as trust, fear, curiosity, and urgency.
- Confidence. The attackers pose as people or entities the victim trusts to win them over and not raise their suspicions. They may impersonate colleagues, service providers, bank representatives, friends, and family. In this way, it is easy for them to persuade the victim to perform the action they are interested in.
- Authority. Cybercriminals pose as authority figures, such as CEOs, managers, or law enforcement representatives, to intimidate the victim into complying with their demands. The perception of authority makes people more likely to obey without question.
- Urgency. Creating a sense of urgency is a widespread tactic in social engineering. Attackers convey that immediate action is needed to avoid a negative consequence. The urgency and magnitude of the negative repercussions cause people to act quickly without taking the time to verify the authenticity of the request.
- Curiosity. Attackers use human curiosity to lure victims into malicious downloads or links through intriguing or sensational subjects.
- Fear. Fear is a potent tool in social engineering. Attackers threaten serious consequences, such as the disclosure of compromising information or the loss of money, to coerce the victim into complying with their demands.
The success of social engineering lies in the fact that victims have to fight against the instinctive reactions dictated by their own human nature to deal with it.
What is a social engineering attack?
As we've already seen, social engineering attacks are tactics cybercriminals use to manipulate people into revealing sensitive information or taking actions that compromise an organization's security.
These attacks are based on psychological manipulation and deception, taking advantage of the victims' trust, fear, curiosity, and urgency. Cybercriminals use various techniques to carry out these attacks, and senior executives are frequent targets due to their access to sensitive information and their influence within the organization.
Main characteristics of a social engineering attack
As characteristics of social engineering attacks, we highlight the following:
- Psychological manipulation: attackers use psychological manipulation techniques to influence the victim's behavior. These techniques include impersonating a trusted person, creating a sense of urgency, or tapping into the victim's curiosity.
- Deception: Social engineering attacks often involve deception to trick the victim into revealing sensitive information or taking harmful actions. Deceptions include sending fraudulent emails, creating fake websites, or making false phone calls.
- Exploitation of human vulnerabilities: Unlike technical attacks, which focus on vulnerabilities in systems and software, social engineering attacks focus on human vulnerabilities and create the necessary and sufficient context to exploit them successfully.
Successful social engineering attacks have severe consequences for organizations. These potential consequences include the loss of confidential information, reputational damage, financial losses, and compromised information security and corporate systems.
Senior executives are desirable targets for cybercriminals due to their access to sensitive information and influence within the organization. Understanding these attacks is crucial to developing effective prevention and protection strategies.
Types of Social Engineering Attacks on Senior Executives
The basis of all these types of attacks is social engineering, and they differ in the way it is carried out:
Phishing
Phishing is one of the most common types of social engineering attacks. It involves sending scam emails that appear to come from legitimate sources, such as banks, service providers, or even coworkers. The objective is to trick the victim into performing the specific action that interests the attacker.
Discover our post→ Phishing: what it is and how many types there are.
Baiting
Baiting seeks to lure the victim with a tempting offer to enter a fraudulent page and leave relevant data there or to download an attachment in the email with an attractive and harmless title.
Brand Impersonation
Brand spoofing is an increasingly common technique whereby attackers create fake websites or social media profiles that mimic legitimate organizations. Senior executives may be directed to these counterfeit sites through phishing emails or online advertisements so that they interact with them, thinking they are the real thing.
Surely you are interested→ Brand protection: strategies to prevent fraudulent use.
BEC Attack
The BEC (Business Email Compromise) attack is a type of fraud in which attackers impersonate senior executives or trusted vendors to trick employees or other executives into making money transfers or divulging sensitive information. These attacks are often very targeted and well-researched, making them particularly dangerous.
Vishing or Smishing
Vishing (voice phishing) and smishing (SMS phishing) are variants of phishing that use phone calls or text messages to trick the victim. Attackers may impersonate bank representatives, service providers, or co-workers to obtain sensitive information or convince the victim to take harmful actions. The evolution of new technologies is behind the sophistication of this type of attack.
Quid Pro Quo
Quid pro quo involves offering something, usually helping in a made-up problem caused by the attacker himself, in exchange for information or access. Senior executives, who are often busy and may not have time to verify the authenticity of the situation, are ideal targets for this type of attack.
How to avoid social engineering attacks
Avoiding social engineering attacks is achieved by combining strategies to protect corporate systems and strategies to train people. This ensures that they master instinctive reactions and use analytical skills first, whatever the scenario presented to them.
Implement access control policies
Implement access control policies
Implementing strict access control policies is one of the most effective ways to prevent social engineering attacks. These policies should clearly define who has access to information and under what circumstances. Some key measures include:
- Multi-factor authentication (MFA). Users must provide two or more verification forms before accessing sensitive systems or data. These can include something that the user knows (password), something that the user has (security token), or something inseparable from the user's own (fingerprint, face, etc.). This makes access difficult, as is the transfer of credentials to third parties under deception.
- Principle of least privilege. Limit access to information and resources to only those employees who need it to do their jobs. This reduces the attack surface and minimizes the risk of sensitive information falling into the wrong hands. This is a difficult point to define concerning senior executives.
- Regular review and audit. Conduct regular audits to review access permissions and ensure only authorized individuals can access critical information.
Conduct security training
Security training is essential to help senior executives and all employees recognize and prevent social engineering attacks. For senior executives, the training must be specific to their level of information and performance.
Some effective strategies include:
- Phishing simulations. Conduct phishing attack simulations to educate executives on identifying fraudulent emails and what to do if they receive one.
- Workshops and seminars. Organize regular workshops and seminars on the latest cybersecurity threats and best practices to protect against them.
- Clear reporting policies. Establish clear guidelines for reporting suspicious incidents and ensure executives know where, how, and who to turn to if they suspect an attack.
Employ cybersecurity or cyber intelligence technologies
The use of advanced cybersecurity and cyber intelligence technologies helps to detect and prevent social engineering attacks effectively. These technologies provide an additional layer of protection when managing threat exposure.
Some of these technologies are:
Phishing detection systems
Use software that scans incoming emails for signs of phishing, such as malicious links or suspicious senders. These tools block fraudulent emails before they reach the user's inbox.
Intrusion Prevention Systems (IPS)
Implement systems that monitor network traffic in real time and detect suspicious activity that may indicate an attempted attack. These systems automatically block malicious traffic and alert security administrators.
Behavioral Analysis
Use behavioral analysis tools to monitor user activities and detect unusual patterns indicating a social engineering attack. This way, the system can generate an alert if a senior executive tries to access information they don't usually use.
Monitoring of all layers of the web
Employ cyber intelligence solutions to monitor the web, deep web, and dark web, including social media and forums, for mentions of the organization or its senior executives and exposed corporate or personal information that can be used to design the social engineering attack.
These tools identify potential threats before they materialize and enable the organization to take preventative and mitigating measures.
Enthec helps you strengthen the protection of your organization and its senior executives against social engineering
Enthec`s threat exposure management solutions allow your organization to implement a proactive security and protection approach that completes its cybersecurity strategy.
Enthec's technology's capabilities for detecting the theft of corporate and personal identities, the location of exposed sensitive information, and the guarantee of eliminating false positives make it a unique weapon against social engineering attacks.
If you need more information on how Enthec can help protect your organization, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Cyber-intelligence: what it is and what are its advantages of use at a strategic and tactical level
Cyber-intelligence is an emerging and ever-evolving field that combines elements of traditional intelligence with information technology to protect digital operations.
What is cyber-intelligence?
Cyber-intelligence is the collection and analysis of information on threats and vulnerabilities in cyberspace that can affect organizations, administrations, and governments.
Its main objective is to provide a detailed understanding of the threats these entities and countries face, enabling informed decision-making to protect their digital assets.
To understand cyber intelligence, it is important to note that it focuses on detecting and identifying potential threats before they materialize, enabling organizations to prepare and defend proactively.
This can include identifying threat actors, their tactics, techniques, and procedures, and the open and exposed corporate vulnerabilities they could exploit to carry out an attack.
It is essential to understand that Cyber-intelligence is not only about collecting, analyzing, and transforming data into valuable information to address detected threats.
It requires data analysis capabilities and involves creating a feedback loop in which threat information is continuously used to improve an organization's defenses.
Main Applications of cyber-intelligence
Cyber-intelligence has many practical applications within an organization's cybersecurity strategy.
Brand Protection
Brands, with their reputations, are among an organization's most valuable assets and, therefore, one of the most targeted by cybercrime.
Cyber-intelligence tools currently offer the best strategy for protecting the brand against fraudulent use or abuse.
Third-party risk
In an environment where the IT perimeter has blurred its boundaries in favor of hyperconnection, controlling the risk of the value chain has ceased to be a voluntary protection strategy. It has become an obligation established by the most advanced legislation, such as the European NIS 2 Directive.
These tools allow organizations to control third-party risk using objective, real-time data collected nonintrusively, so obtaining third-party permission is unnecessary.
Detecting and disabling phishing, fraud, and scam campaigns
Raising awareness among customers, employees, and third parties about phishing, fraud, and scams cannot be an organization's only strategy to fight them. Organizations must actively protect all these actors, both for safety and for their brand's reputation.
Through Cyber-intelligence, organizations can locate, track, and deactivate phishing, fraud, and scams with corporate identity theft on social networks.
You may be interested in our post→ Phishing: what it is and how many types there are.
Compliance
Legal systems are becoming stricter regarding organizations' compliance with protecting the personal and sensitive data they handle and with controlling the risk posed by third parties.
Cyber-intelligence tools allow not only control of the value chain but also the real-time detection of leaks or exposures of an organization's database, as well as open vulnerabilities that may entail legal sanctions.
Detection and removal of open and exposed vulnerabilities
Open and exposed vulnerabilities on the Internet, the Dark Web, the Deep Web, and Social Networks are within anyone's reach and are exploited by cybercriminals to design attacks.
The time the vulnerability remains open plays into the attack's success. Cyber-intelligence tools enable the organization to detect them almost as soon as they occur.
Locating Leaked Passwords and Credentials
The organization's knowledge of leaked passwords and credentials and its real-time location allow it to change them before they can be used to execute an attack.
Locating Leaked and Exposed Corporate Databases
Cyber-intelligence tools allow the organization to detect the leak of any database in real-time and act quickly to avoid sanctions and damage to corporate reputation.
Protection of intellectual and industrial property
Detecting the unauthorized use of resources over which the organization has intellectual or industrial property is essential to protecting the corporate core's assets.
With cyber-intelligence tools, this fraudulent activity can be detected in real time, and the mechanisms to report and eliminate it can be activated.
Cybersecurity Scoring
The most evolved cyber-intelligence tools allow you to obtain cybersecurity scores, both your own and those of third parties, obtained through objective and up-to-date data.
This capability facilitates decision-making in alliances and collaborations, positioning in contracts with the administration or other agents, and identifying weak points in the cybersecurity strategy.
The Three Types of Cyber-intelligence: Tactical, Strategic, and Technical
Among the different types of Cyber-intelligence, we can find three main ones:
Tactical cyber-intelligence
This type of Cyber-intelligence focuses on immediate threats. It includes identifying specific threat actors, understanding their tactics, techniques, and procedures, and detecting ongoing attacks.
Tactical Cyber-intelligence is essential for incident response and threat mitigation.
Strategic cyber-intelligence
Strategic cyber-intelligence deals with long-term trends and emerging threats. It includes analyzing cybercriminals' tactics, identifying new vulnerabilities, and understanding how the threat landscape will evolve.
Strategic cyber-intelligence is crucial for security planning and decision-making at the organizational level.
Technical cyber-intelligence
Technical cyber-intelligence involves the detailed analysis of technical data related to cyber threats. It includes analyzing malware, identifying indicators of compromise, and understanding how attacks are carried out.
Technical cyber-intelligence is essential for network defense and the protection of digital assets.
Each type of cyber-intelligence plays a crucial role in protecting organizations against threats. Together, they provide a complete view of risks, enabling organizations to protect themselves effectively in the digital environment.
Advantages of using cyber-intelligence at a strategic and tactical level
On a strategic and tactical level, implementing a cyber-intelligence tool offers several advantages to organizations:
- Cyber Threat Prevention: Cyber-intelligence enables organizations to identify and mitigate threats before they can cause harm. This includes identifying threat actors, understanding their tactics, and detecting vulnerabilities that could be exploited.
- Incident Response: When a security incident occurs, cyber intelligence helps determine what happened, who was responsible, and how it can be prevented in the future. This includes actions such as malware analysis, attack attribution, and identification of indicators of compromise.
- Threat Intelligence: Cyber-intelligence provides valuable insights into emerging threats and security trends. It helps organizations stay one step ahead of cybercriminals and adapt their defenses accordingly
- Regulatory compliance: Organizations have compliance requirements, including protecting digital information and susceptible data identified by legal systems. Cyber-intelligence helps organizations comply with these regulations by providing information about the threats and vulnerabilities that must be addressed.
- Digital Investigation: In the case of a digital crime, Cyber-intelligence is used to collect evidence and track criminals. This involves identifying the source of an attack, gathering digital evidence, and assisting in prosecuting criminals.
Why do companies need cyber-intelligence tools?
In the digital environment, cyber threats are a constant reality that is increasingly difficult to contain due to the incorporation of new technologies into the planning and execution of attacks. Businesses of all sizes and industries are potential targets for cybercriminals. Cyber-intelligence tools allow them to use those same new technologies to take a proactive approach to cybersecurity and stay ahead of attacks, neutralizing them before they materialize.
- Proactive threat prevention: Cyber-intelligence enables organizations to identify and mitigate threats before they can cause harm. This is especially useful at the tactical level, where early threat identification can prevent attacks and minimize damage.
- Informed decision-making: At a strategic level, Cyber-intelligence provides organizations with the information they need to make informed decisions about protecting their digital assets. This includes identifying new vulnerabilities, understanding cybercriminals' tactics, and anticipating emerging threats.
- Effective Incident Response: Cyber-intelligence helps organizations respond more effectively to security incidents. It provides information that allows the identification of an attack's source, the determination of its scope, and the implementation of measures to prevent future incidents.
- Regulatory compliance: Cyber-intelligence helps organizations comply with information security regulations by providing information about the threats and vulnerabilities that can lead to a legal breach.
- Improved cybersecurity strategy: By providing a comprehensive view of threats, Cyber-intelligence enables organizations to improve their security posture and protect themselves more effectively in the digital environment.
- Cost savings: Security breaches are costly in terms of direct financial loss and damage to a company's reputation. Cyber-intelligence tools prevent these breaches, reducing the business's IT risk.
Know our cyber-surveillance and cyber-intelligence solution for companies
Kartos, the corporate cyber-intelligence platform developed by Enthec, provides organizations with the most advanced cyber-intelligence capabilities on the market.
Thanks to in-house, automated, continuous artificial intelligence, Kartos obtains data on open and exposed vulnerabilities, issues real-time alarms, and generates reports.
An AI so evolved allows Kartos to be the only Cyber-intelligence platform for companies capable of eliminating false positives in search results.
Contact us if you need more information on how Kartos can protect your business.
Deepfakes: what they are and how to detect them
In the digital information age, artificial intelligence (AI) has enabled surprising manipulation of images, videos, and audio. This advancement has given rise to deepfakes, which impresses its realism but raises ethical and safety concerns.
If you've ever wondered, "Deepfakes, what exactly is that?" here's what they are, how they work, and most importantly, how you can spot them.
What are deepfakes?
The term "deepfake" comes from the combination of two words: "deep learning" and "fake". It refers to media content manipulated using artificial intelligence algorithms, specifically deep neural networks, to create a highly realistic version of something that didn't happen.
In other words, deepfakes allow you to change faces, voices, or even movements in videos and audio, making it seem that a person said or did something that never happened. For example, you might see a celebrity singing a song they never performed or a politician giving a fake speech.
How do deepfakes work?
Deepfake AI is generated using advanced deep learning technologies. This involves training the AI with large amounts of data, such as images, videos, and audio of a person so that the machine learns to replicate their gestures, tone of voice, and facial expressions.
This process uses techniques such as GANs (Generative Adversarial Networks), which pit two neural networks against each other: one generates fake content, and the other evaluates its authenticity, improving the result with each iteration.
Thanks to tools accessible on the Internet, creating fake images has become easier. In the past, creating a deepfake required advanced programming skills and expensive equipment, but today, anyone with access to certain applications can generate a manipulated video.
Why are deepfakes dangerous?
Now that you know what deepfakes are and how they work, we must emphasize that although this technology has positive applications, such as in the entertainment, education, or marketing industry, its dark side is undeniable. Deepfakes have been used to spread fake news, impersonate identities, and even extort people.
Impact on society
- Spreading disinformation. Deepfakes have become perfect tools for disinformation campaigns. Manipulating a video to make someone believe something fake is true can have serious consequences, especially during elections or social crises.
- Reputational damage. A fake image or video can ruin the reputation of a public figure or any individual, affecting their personal and professional lives.
- Cyberbullying and fraud. Deepfakes have been used to create non-consensual content or to trick people into fraudulent activities.
The 5 steps to detect a deepfake
Although they are becoming more and more realistic, deepfakes are not infallible. A few tricks exist to identify these fake images and protect yourself from deception.
- Notice the details of the face: Deepfakes often fail in subtle aspects, such as eye blinking, lip-syncing, or natural eyebrow movement. If a video seems strange, pay attention to these details.
- Analyze the audio: In manipulated audio, the intonation and rhythm of speech can sound mechanical or unnatural. Listen carefully if something doesn't fit.
- Look for inconsistencies in lighting: errors in shadows or reflections are usually common in deepfakes. It is likely false if the face's lighting does not match the environment.
- Use specialized tools: Currently, platforms are designed to analyze whether a video or image has been manipulated. Cybersecurity tools such as Deepware Scanner or InVID can help verify the authenticity of the content.
- Trust official sources: Verify the information with reliable sources before believing dubious content. In many cases, deepfakes are designed to manipulate you emotionally and provoke immediate reactions.
What to do if you find a deepfake
If you suspect you have found a deepfake, the first thing to do is not share it. Spreading false content, even without malicious intent, can contribute to the problem. Instead, report it on the appropriate platforms or notify the affected person if possible.
In addition, implementing cybersecurity policies and conducting training on deepfake detection can make a difference in corporate environments.
How can we help you at Enthec?
At Enthec, we know the challenges deepfakes pose to individuals. We provide cyber surveillance solutions for people who detect and prevent digital manipulation.
The impact of deepfakes is real, but with the right solutions, you can stay one step ahead. Contact us and protect what matters most: your credibility and security.
In a world where making someone believe something false is true has become so simple, prevention and knowledge are your best allies. Don't let deepfakes fool you: identify, protect, and take action
Trust Enthec to keep you safe in the digital environment.
Cybersecurity solutions that you should apply in your company
Protecting your company's information, nowadays, is no longer an option to consider, it is a necessity. Cyberattacks are on the rise, and with them, the risks to businesses of all sizes. If you're not prepared, you could face financial loss, reputational damage, and, in some cases, legal consequences.
In this article, we'll discover the most important cybersecurity solutions for businesses, both preventive, such as our Enthec cyber surveillance solutions , and reactive, and how you can implement them in your organization.
The Need for Enterprise Cybersecurity Solutions
Digital transformation has revolutionized how businesses operate, but it has also expanded the attack surface for cybercriminals. The risks are more varied and sophisticated than ever, from ransomware to phishing attacks to sensitive data breaches.
Enterprise cybersecurity solutions protect information, ensure business continuity, increase customers' trust, and comply with legal regulations such as GDPR. However, choosing the proper measurements for your particular case is key.
Key cybersecurity solutions to protect businesses
Threats are not the same for all organizations, but several cybersecurity tools and strategies can be tailored to a business's specific needs. Here, we show you the most important ones.
Perimeter Protection Solutions
Perimeter protection is the first line of defense against unauthorized access to your network. This involves establishing controls at entry points, such as firewalls, intrusion detection and prevention systems (IDS/IPS), and network segmentation. These tools act as a wall that prevents cybercriminals from accessing internal systems.
For example, a firewall can block suspicious connections, while an IDS detects anomalous activity in real-time. This perimeter cybersecurity is specially relevant to preventing attacks targeting servers and connected devices.
Cyber Intelligence Solutions
Cyber intelligence is about collecting and analyzing data about potential threats before they occur. This includes using advanced platforms to monitor the digital environment for signs of malicious activity, such as suspicious patterns in emails or irregular network movements.
This approach allows companies to anticipate attackers and respond quickly. Corporate cyber-surveillance tools like Kartos identify vulnerabilities and plan mitigation strategies before irreversible damage occurs.
Data Protection Solutions
Data protection is essential for any company that handles sensitive information, whether from clients, employees or internal projects. Encryption tools, multi-factor authentication, and regular backups are essential measures. Furthermore, it is important to know that data protection solutions not only guarantee the privacy of information, but also protect its integrity. If an attacker manages to break into your systems, backups and encryption can be the last barrier to avoiding a catastrophe.
Differences between proactive and reactive cybersecurity solutions
A comprehensive approach to cybersecurity combines proactive and reactive security measures. Both approaches are complementary and necessary, but understanding their differences will help you prioritize according to your resources.
Proactive Threat Prevention Solutions
Proactive solutions seek to prevent an attack from occurring. They include security audits, training staff to identify phishing emails, attack simulations to assess system weaknesses and real-time detection of exposed vulnerabilities before they can be used by a cybercriminal to execute an attack, such as the Kartos platform.
These measures are crucial for businesses looking to stay ahead of cybercriminals and reduce risk before something happens.
Reactive solutions for incident recovery
Conversely, reactive solutions focus on responding to an incident after it occurs. This is where disaster recovery plans (DRP), system restoration via backups, and post-incident investigations come into play to prevent recurring problems.
While prevention is ideal, having a solid response strategy can make the difference between a brief disruption or a complete shutdown of the business.
Kartos: the advanced solution in enterprise cyber surveillance
Choosing a trusted provider to manage your company's cybersecurity is as important as the tools you implement. In this sense, Kartos is a leader in enterprise cyber-surveillance solutions.
Kartos offers a personalized approach through constant monitoring, vulnerability detection, and real-time support. This platform is designed for companies that want to stay one step ahead of cybercriminals.
Why choose Kartos?
- Real-time cyber intelligence. Identify threats before they become problems.
- 100% non-intrusive AI. It analyzes information on the Internet, Deep Web, Dark Web, and open sources to identify exposed data that cybercriminals could use. It is delivered to companies to protect themselves without carrying out attacks.
- Third-Party Risks In addition to protecting the organization and its risks, Kratos allows organizations that need it to manage third-party risks.
Investing in cybersecurity solutions is not just a technical issue but a strategic decision protecting your company's present and future. Whether you take proactive or reactive measures, the most important thing is to act now.
If you are looking for an ally to help you implement these measures effectively, Kartos is the answer. With their experience and advanced technology, you can be sure that your company will be in the best hands. Contact us today and take the first step towards a safer digital environment.
What is spyware and how to protect your digital assets
Our devices have become gatekeepers of personal and professional information. However, they have also become targets for cybercriminals. One of the most common, though not always visible, risks is spyware.
But what is spyware, how does it affect your digital assets, and, most importantly, how can you protect yourself? This article explains it all.
What is spyware?
Spyware is malicious software designed to infiltrate devices and collect information without your consent.
This software works in the background, spying on your device's activity, such as the websites you visit, the passwords you enter, or even your private conversations. Sometimes, it can even take partial control of your computer or mobile to perform malicious activities.
Spyware compromises your privacy and digital assets, such as bank details, access credentials to sensitive services, or critical corporate information.
Most prominent types of spyware
Now that you know what spyware is, you should know that not all of them work the same way. Here are some of the most common types of spyware:
- Keyloggers. These programs record every keystroke you make on your device. They are used to capture passwords, usernames, and other sensitive data.
- Adware. While their primary intent is to display unwanted ads, some adware also collects browsing data to personalize those ads and sell your information to third parties.
- Remote Access Trojans (RATs). They allow attackers to control your device remotely. They can activate your camera, access your files, or even install other malware without you noticing.
- Mobile spyware. These programs are specifically designed to collect data from mobile phones. From text messages and GPS locations to contact lists or call recordings, this spyware can turn your phone into a spying tool.
Spyware: Famous Examples
Some spyware cases have achieved worldwide notoriety due to their massive impact:
- Pegasus. An extremely sophisticated spyware used to spy on journalists, activists, and politicians. This program infected mobile devices without the need for user interaction.
- CoolWebSearch. This spyware modifies the web browser to redirect to malicious pages and collect information from users.
- FinFisher. Used by governments and criminals alike, this spyware is designed to monitor devices in advanced ways.
These examples remind us that spyware is not a minor problem or limited to famous people. We can all be at risk at some point.
How do you remove spyware?
If you suspect that your device is compromised, here are the basic steps to detect and remove spyware:
- Identify signs of infection
- Your device is slower than usual.
- Unexpected pop-up ads appear.
- Changes to your browser, such as a new homepage.
- Unusually high battery or data consumption.
- Use anti-malware tools. Install reputable programs like Malwarebytes or Norton to scan your device and remove any detected spyware.
- Update your operating system and apps. Cybercriminals often exploit vulnerabilities in outdated software. Always keep your programs up to date.
- Reset your device to its factory settings. If the infection persists, this can be an extreme but effective solution. Make sure to back up your important data before proceeding.
- Consult a professional. If you're unsure how to proceed, contact a cybersecurity expert who can help you clean and protect your device.
How to protect yourself from future spyware attacks
You already know the primary keys to knowing what spyware is and should understand that prevention is the best defense against this attack. Here are some key practices:
- Only download apps from trusted sources. Avoid installing programs from unknown or dubious websites.
- Be wary of suspicious emails. Don't click on links or download files from senders you don't recognize.
- Use up-to-date security software. Install and keep a good antivirus and antimalware program active.
- Set up strong passwords. Use unique combinations of letters, numbers, and special characters, and avoid using the same password for different accounts.
- Turn on two-factor authentication (2FA). This adds an extra layer of security, making it difficult to gain unauthorized access even if someone gets your password.
Your Cyber Surveillance Ally: Protect What You Value Most
In today's landscape, protecting your digital assets is not an option but a necessity. At Enthec, we offer cyber surveillance solutions to protect your information from threats like spyware.
If you're looking to identify breaches and spot issues that have overcome guardrails, we're here to help.
Spyware is a real threat that affects both individuals and businesses. By knowing what it is, how it works, and how to prevent it, you can take a firm step towards protecting your digital assets. Remember: in cybersecurity, staying one step ahead of attackers is crucial.
Would you like to know more? Enthec is here to help.
Proactive security: What is it and why use it to prevent and detect threats and cyberattacks?
Proactive security involves a combination of technologies, processes, and practices designed to protect organizations from attacks or unauthorized access before they occur.
What is proactive security?
Proactive security is an approach to cybersecurity that focuses on preventing cyber threats before they occur rather than simply reacting to them once they have occurred.
This approach involves identifying and remediating security vulnerabilities and anticipating future threats to prevent potential security breaches.
Proactive safety is based on the premise that prevention is better than repair. Rather than waiting for a security incident to occur and then taking steps to minimize or repair the damage, organizations with a proactive approach to cybersecurity seek to prevent these incidents by identifying and eliminating vulnerabilities before cybercriminals can exploit them.
A key component of proactive cybersecurity is regularly assessing information systems and networks to identify vulnerabilities. This may involve conducting penetration tests, in which security experts attempt to breach the organization's systems to uncover weaknesses before attackers do.
Another proactive strategy is the continuous monitoring of the attack surface external to the organization – the internet, dark web, deep web, social media, and other sources – to detect leaked information, open breaches, exposed system vulnerabilities, and suspicious activity. This involves the use of continuously functioning automated cyber intelligence tools for real-time threat detection.
Security training is also an important aspect of proactive cybersecurity. By educating employees on security best practices and keeping them informed about the latest threats and attack tactics, organizations can reduce the risk of security breaches occurring due to human error or a lack of security knowledge.
By taking a proactive approach to security, organizations empower themselves to prevent threats before they occur, minimizing the risk of cyberattacks and protecting their valuable information assets.
Why use a proactive approach to security?
Today, cybersecurity is a critical concern for all organizations. However, many companies still take a reactive approach, responding to threats as they occur, and organizations need to adopt a proactive attitude to security due to the advantages it brings:
- Attack prevention. Proactive security focuses on preventing attacks before they happen. This is achieved by identifying and remediating vulnerabilities and anticipating future threats. By doing so, organizations avoid the costly downtime and data loss associated with consummate cyberattacks.
- Cost savings. Although implementing proactive security measures may require an upfront investment, the cost of these measures is often much lower than the cost of responding to a cyberattack and its aftermath. In addition, successful cyberattacks can lead to regulatory fines and litigation, which cause financial damage.
- Reputation protection. A cyberattack can significantly damage an organization's reputation. Your customers and business partners will lose trust in a company that can't protect their data. By taking a proactive approach, organizations demonstrate their commitment to data security, thereby enhancing their reputation.
- Compliance. Most countries have strict rules and regulations around data security. By taking a proactive approach, organizations can ensure they comply with these standards, thus avoiding fines and penalties, while facilitating partnerships and internationalization.
- Guarantee of business continuity. Organizations can avoid system downtime and keep their operations running smoothly by identifying and fixing vulnerabilities before they are exploited.
- Competitive advantage. Organizations that demonstrate a solid commitment to cybersecurity have a competitive advantage in an increasingly digitized market. Customers and business partners often prefer to do business with companies that take data security seriously.
Proactive Security Best Practices for Detecting Cyberattacks
A proactive security attitude involves deploying a series of best practices in the organization's cybersecurity strategy.
Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR)
It provides continuous visibility into network endpoints and enables rapid responses to cyber threats. EDR collects and analyzes endpoint data to detect, investigate, and prevent threats.
This proactive solution enables organizations to identify abnormal behavior, perform forensic analysis, and mitigate risks before they become security incidents, thereby improving their overall security posture.
Data Loss Prevention (DLP)
It focuses on identifying, monitoring, and protecting data in use, in motion, and at rest. DLP uses security policies to classify and protect sensitive and critical information, preventing users from sending, storing, or using sensitive data inappropriately.
By detecting potential data breaches before they occur, DLP helps organizations prevent the exposure of valuable information, comply with regulations, and protect their reputation.
Vulnerability Detection
Monitoring the external attack surface and locating exposed vulnerabilities is an effective proactive cybersecurity practice. It consists of identifying, classifying, and prioritizing vulnerabilities in the corporate system that are accessible to the public.
This practice allows organizations to detect potential cyberattack entry points, providing a clear view of potential threats. By locating and remediating these vulnerabilities, organizations strengthen their cybersecurity strategy, prevent intrusions, and minimize the impact of any attacks. This practice is essential for effective cybersecurity management.
Disaster Recovery Plan
It prepares an organization to respond to a cyberattack. It includes procedures for detecting, evaluating, and recovering from security incidents.
This plan helps minimize damage, accelerate recovery, and protect data integrity. It is essential to maintain business continuity, protect the company's reputation, and ensure customer trust. The goal is to restore normal operations as quickly as possible after a cyberattack.
Benefits of Proactive Security
Staying one step ahead of cybercriminals makes it possible to neutralize attacks before they are executed or minimize their consequences if they cannot be avoided.
A proactive attitude to security provides the organization with the following advantages:
Threat Anticipation
By anticipating threats, organizations can take preventative measures to protect their systems and data, reducing the risk of security breaches and minimizing the impact of any attacks.
Strengthening the relationship with the customer
Proactive cybersecurity strengthens the customer relationship by building trust and security. Customers value their privacy and the protection of their data.
By implementing proactive measures, organizations demonstrate their commitment to customer data security. This increases customer satisfaction, improves retention, and attracts new customers. In addition, in the event of a cyberattack, a quick and effective response can minimize the impact on customers, maintaining their trust in the organization.
Reducing business risk
Proactive cybersecurity reduces business risk by preventing cyberattacks. By identifying and mitigating vulnerabilities, exposure to threats is minimized, protecting the integrity of data and systems.
This avoids costly outages and information loss, maintaining customer trust while complying with privacy and data protection regulations. Proactive cybersecurity protects the company's value and reputation.
To stay up-to-date in this sector, we encourage you to access our content→ The 5 cybersecurity trends you need to know.
Discover the Kartos by Enthec CTEM platform
Kartos Corporate Threat Watchbots, the Continuous Threat Exposure Management platform for companies developed by Enthec, provides organizations with the most evolved Cyber Surveillance capabilities on the market to respond to attacks' evolutions and trends.
Using Artificial Intelligence internally developed and working automatedly and continuously, Kartos by Enthec obtains and delivers data on companies' open and exposed vulnerabilities, providing real-time alarms and issuing reports on their cybersecurity status and that of their value chain.
In this way, Kartos allows organizations to implement a proactive approach in their cybersecurity strategy and ensure the detection and nullification of open breaches and exposed vulnerabilities before they are used to execute a cyberattack.
If you would like to learn more about how Kartos can help you implement a proactive approach in your cybersecurity strategy, don´t hesitate to contact us.
What is a CVE?
CVE, Common Vulnerabilities, and Exposures is a list of standardized names and codes for naming information security vulnerabilities and exposures to make them publicly known.
Each vulnerability has a unique identification number, which provides a way to publicly share data and information about them.
Thus, a CVE is a standard identifier for information security vulnerabilities. In addition to the unique number, a CVE assigns a brief description to each known vulnerability to facilitate its search, analysis, and management.
CVEs aim to provide a common, unified reference for vulnerabilities so that they can be easily shared and compared across different sources of information, tools, and services. CVEs also help to improve awareness and transparency about threats to information security and foster cooperation and coordination between the different actors involved in their prevention, detection, and response.
Before delving into how the CVE system works, it is worth clarifying what a vulnerability and an exposure are.
Differences between a vulnerability and an exposure
As indicated by INCIBE, a vulnerability is a technical flaw or deficiency in a program that can allow a non-legitimate user to access information or carry out unauthorized operations remotely.
An exposure is an error that allows access or unwanted people to a system or network. Exposures can lead to data breaches, data leaks, and the sale of personally identifiable information (PII) on the dark web.
An example of a data exposure could be accidentally publishing code to a GitHub repository.
How does the CVE system work?
CVE is a security project born in 1999 focused on publicly released software, funded by the US Division of Homeland Security. The CVE Program is managed by the Software Engineering Institute of the MITRE Corporation, a non-profit organization which works in collaboration with the United States government and other partners.
CVEs are issued by the CVE Program, an international initiative that coordinates and maintains a free, public database of vulnerabilities reported by researchers, organizations and companies around the world.
CVEs can be viewed on the official CVE Program website, where you can search by number, keyword, product, supplier, or date. They can also be consulted in other secondary sources that collect and analyze CVEs, such as the National Vulnerability Database (NVD) in the United States, which provides additional information on the impact, severity and the solutions for each vulnerability.
Criteria followed by CVEs
The CVE Glossary uses the Security Content Automation Protocol (SCAP) to collect information about security vulnerabilities and exposures, catalog them according to various identifiers, and provide them with unique identifiers.
The program is a community-based cooperative project that helps discover new vulnerabilities. These are discovered, assigned and published on the lists so that they are public knowledge. It does not include technical data or information on risks, impacts and remediation.
In this way, the CVE consists of a brief description of the error and the version or component that is affected. It also tells where to find out how to fix the vulnerability or exposure.
CVEs are released once the bug has been fixed. This, by pure logic, is done to avoid exposing affected users to a risk without being able to solve it. In fact, this is one of the criteria that CVEs follow: the vulnerability can be fixed independently of other bugs or vulnerabilities.
Recognition by the software or hardware vendor is also important. Or, the whistleblower must have shared a vulnerability report that demonstrates the negative impact of the bug and that it violates the security policy of the affected system.
CVE identification
As mentioned above, the identification of CVEs is unique. This nomenclature consists of an ID and a date indicating when it was created by MITRE, followed by an individual description field and a reference field. If the vulnerability was not reported directly by MITRE, but was first mapped by an advisory group or bug tracking advisory group, the reference field will include URL links to the advisory group or bug tracker that first reported the vulnerability. Other links that may appear in this field are to product pages affected by CVE.
Kartos by Enthec helps you locate the CVEs of your organization
Kartos Corporate Threat Watchbots is the Continuous Threat Exposure Management (CTEM) platform developed by Enthec for the protection of organizations. Working in an automated, continuous and real-time manner, Kartos alerts your organization of any corporate vulnerabilities and exposures so that they can be nullified before any attack is executed through them. Simply enter the company's domain into the platform, and the Kartos bots will begin crawling the three layers of the web in search of your organization's CVEs. If you want to learn more about how Kartos can help you locate and override your organization's CVEs, do not hesitate to contact us.
How can your credit card data be stolen?
With the proliferation of online commerce, credit card data theft has become a common crime. Billions of compromised data, such as these data, passwords, and bank accounts, are bought and sold on the Dark Web, and it is estimated that up to 24 billion illegally leaked data circulate there.
Theft of credit card data in non-face-to-face transactions
In recent years, EMV systems have been implemented to prevent the physical cloning of credit cards. EMV is a payment method based on a technical standard for smart payment cards, payment terminals, and ATMs that can accept them. EMV stands for "Europay, Mastercard, and Visa," the three companies that created the standard.
That's why credit card vulnerabilities are more common during card-not-present (CNP) transactions.
Most common ways to execute the theft of credit card data.
Cybercriminals use the evolution of technology to sophisticate their attacks and execute credit card data theft in online transactions.
Phishing
Phishing is a scam in which a cybercriminal impersonates a legitimate entity (e.g., a bank, e-commerce provider, or technology company) to trick a user into entering personal data or downloading malware without realizing it.
Web Skimming
This is malicious code that is installed on e-commerce site payment pages. The code is invisible to the user and can steal compromised bank account data.
Free public WiFi Network
Cybercriminals can access a network to steal third-party credit card details as the cardholder enters them. These networks are usually free public Wi-Fi hotspots.
Data Leak
There have been leaks of compromised data from companies that have suffered an attack on database systems. This method of obtaining data is more cost-effective from the criminals' perspective, as they gain access to a large amount of data through an attack.
Qondar helps you protect your credit card data
Qondar Personal Threat Watchbots is the cyber surveillance platform developed by Enthec for the online protection of people. Among many other capabilities, Qondar automatically and continuously monitors your credit card data on the Web, Dark Web and Deep Web to detect any leaks and fraudulent online use. In addition, Qondar issues alarms in real time, in order to cancel or minimize the negative impact of the filtration of said data. If you want more information on how Qondar can help you control the fraudulent use of your credit cards, contact us.