How to protect your user privacy? Essential Guide to Safe Browsing
Protecting user privacy is critical in a digital world where personal information is at constant risk. Users are often unaware of how their private data is being used, which can lead to security breaches, phishing, and exposure to cybercriminals.
Sensitive data can be stolen and disclosed on the deep web if adequate protection is not in place. Many platforms collect user information through various tracking methods, exposing their privacy to potential threats.
If you are concerned about your user privacy, Qondar can become the best solution. Through continuous monitoring, it crawls the Internet, the Deep Web, and the Dark Web to identify exposed personal information, alerting in real time to potential threats and vulnerabilities.
Tracking Techniques Affecting User Privacy
Various techniques are used to collect information about users and their online habits. Knowing them is the first step to protecting yourself:
- Cookies. Small text files that store information in the user's browser and allow tracking of their online activity.
- Privacy Policies. These are documents that explain how a platform manages user data, although they are often extensive and difficult to understand.
- HTML5 elements. Browser storage systems with greater capacity than traditional cookies, allowing companies to save more data.
- IP address and geolocation. They allow the approximate location of an online user to be identified, which can be used for advertising or even malicious purposes.
- Social networks. Platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram collect information about their users, their interactions, and preferences, sharing it in many cases with third parties.
- Google services. Tools like Google Search and YouTube track user activity to personalize the experience and collect vast personal data.
- Browser fingerprint. Some websites can identify and track users using information about their browser and device, allowing tracking without cookies.
- Supercookies and Evercookies. Advanced storage methods that are more difficult to delete than conventional cookies and can persist on the user's system even after deleting the browsing history.
Tools to protect user privacy
Fortunately, various tools and techniques can improve user privacy and minimize the exposure of personal data on the Internet.
Private search engines
Some search engines respect user privacy and do not track your information or sell it to third parties:
- Ixquick. It does not log IP addresses or store tracking cookies, providing high anonymity.
- Startpage. It delivers Google results without collecting user information, combining privacy with a familiar search experience.
- DuckDuckGo. It does not store or share browsing data with other companies or generate user profiles.
- Qwant. A European search engine that respects users' privacy and does not track their online activity.
Privacy settings in browsers
Each browser offers options to improve user privacy, but they need to be configured appropriately to maximize their effectiveness:
- Firefox. It includes a privacy settings section that allows you to prevent tracking and delete third-party tracking cookies.
- Opera. It allows you to manage cookies, SSL certificates, and passwords and includes a built-in ad blocker.
- Chromium. It provides similar options to Firefox and Opera to protect personal information, but it depends on the user's correct configuration.
- Brave. A privacy-focused browser that blocks ads and trackers by default, offering added security from the start.
- A Virtual Private Network (VPN) hides the user's IP address and allows access to geo-restricted content, protecting privacy on public connections.
Anonymous proxies
A proxy server is an intermediary between the user and the website, hiding the IP address and protecting online privacy. Several lists of reliable proxy servers can help improve digital security, but it is important to choose services that do not store activity logs.
Other solutions to improve user privacy
- HTTPS Everywhere extension. It redirects traffic to secure versions of websites, protecting the transmitted information.
- Browser add-ons. Tools such as Click and Clean allow you to delete information stored in the browser easily.
- Privacy Badger. It blocks intrusive trackers and ads that collect personal data without user consent.
- Adblockers. Extensions such as uBlock Origin and AdGuard reduce online tracking by removing suspicious ads and scripts that may contain malware.
- Secure email. Services such as ProtonMail and Tutanota offer encrypted alternatives to protect users' privacy, prevent tracking, and keep their emails secure.
- Two-factor authentication (2FA). Adds a layer of security to prevent unauthorized access to personal accounts through temporary codes.
- Privacy-focused operating systems. Linux distributions such as Tails and Qubes OS are designed to offer high anonymity and online security.
Best practices for protecting user privacy
In addition to using security tools, it is essential to adopt responsible digital habits to minimize risks:
- Review and adjust privacy settings on social media and digital platforms regularly.
- Avoid sharing unnecessary personal information in online forms and service records.
- Regularly update passwords and use password managers to generate secure and unique keys.
- Be wary of suspicious emails and links to avoid phishing attacks and credential theft.
- Use private or incognito browsing mode when necessary to reduce tracking and prevent the storage of session data.
- Disable data collection on mobile devices by reviewing the permissions of installed apps.
- Encrypt files and devices to protect information from loss or theft.
Discover the primary keys to data encryption through our article→ What is data encryption: characteristics and operation.
Qondar: Advanced protection for user privacy
Qondar Personal Threat Watchbots is a continuous and automated monitoring tool developed by Enthec to protect users' privacy and digital assets.
Thanks to its advanced capabilities, Qondar not only allows for the detection of data breaches but also analyzes risk patterns and provides recommendations to improve digital security. Its artificial intelligence technology helps predict attacks and strengthen personal data protection.
Contact us to find out how Qondar can help you protect your online privacy and prevent your data from being compromised.
Phishing: What Is It and How Many Types Are There
In this article, we will continue to expand our information on one of the most common types of cyberattacks: phishing.
Phishing is a set of techniques that aim to deceive a victim and gain their trust by impersonating a trusted person, company, or service (impersonation of a trusted third party). The impersonator is called a phisher. The goal is to manipulate the victim and make them perform actions they should not perform (e.g., reveal confidential information or click on a link).
There are several types and examples of phishing, each with specific methods to trick victims. In this post, we describe the most outstanding ones and explain how to protect yourself from them through Enthec's solutions.
The most prominent types of phishing
Knowing the different types of phishing and how to identify the warning signs will help you protect your information and navigate the digital environment more safely. Read on to find out everything you need to know!
Email phishing
Most of these phishing messages are sent through spam. They are not personalized or directed to a specific person or company, and their content varies depending on the phisher's goal.
Common phishing targets include banks and financial services, cloud productivity and email providers, and streaming services.
Voice phishing
Voice phishing is the use of the phone to carry out attacks. Attackers use VoIP (Voice over IP) technology to make numerous fraudulent calls cheaply or for free to obtain codes, passwords or bank details from the victim, who often does not suspect anything.
SMS phishing
Smishing is a form of phishing in which mobile phones are used as an attack platform. Smishing attacks typically invite the user to click on a link, call a phone number, or contact an email address provided by the attacker via SMS message. Smishing is a form of phishing in which mobile phones are used as an attack platform. Smishing attacks typically invite the user to click on a link, call a phone number, or contact an email address provided by the attacker via SMS message. The criminal attacks with an attempt to obtain personal information, including credit card or social security numbers.
Page hijacking
It is achieved by creating an illegitimate copy of a popular website where visitors are redirected to another website when they log on.
Calendar spoofing
Calendar spoofing is when phishing links are delivered via calendar invitations. Calendar invitations are sent that, by default, are automatically added to many calendars.
Whaling
Whaling, also known as CEO fraud, is similar to spear phishing but focused on senior executives or people with critical organizational positions. Attackers are looking to gain valuable information or authorize fraudulent financial transfers.
To learn more, access our post→ What is CEO fraud, and how can it be avoided?
Spear phishing
This well-known type of phishing stands out for carrying out attacks that target specific individuals or companies. Cybercriminals research their targets to personalize messages and increase the likelihood of success. For example, they may impersonate a colleague or boss by requesting sensitive data.
If you want to learn more about this type of phishing→ What is Spear Phshing: 4 keys to protect your company.
Qrshing
The trend of using QR codes has also led to the emergence of some scams, such as this type of phishing, which specifically consists of creating malicious QR codes that, when scanned, direct victims to fraudulent sites designed to steal personal information.
Main keys on how to prevent phishing
Now that you know the main types of phishing, it is essential to consider the keys to prevent them.
- Verify the authenticity of messages. Before clicking links or providing information, confirm that the sender is legitimate.
- Don't share sensitive information. Avoid providing personal or financial data through links or unsolicited calls.
- Keep your software up to date. Make sure all devices and apps have the latest security updates.
- Use multi-factor authentication (MFA). Add extra layers of security to protect accounts.
- Educate and raise awareness. Participate in cybersecurity training programs to recognize and prevent phishing attempts.
If you have been the victim of an attack, you should first change your access credentials and notify the impersonated entity to solve the phishing. In addition, it is advisable to use threat monitoring solutions, such as Enthec's Kartos, which allows you to detect active campaigns and prevent new fraud attempts.
Kartos by Enthec helps you locate active phishing campaigns
Kartos Corporate Threat Watchbots is the monitoring and cyber surveillance platform developed by Enthec for the protection of organizations. Among its capabilities, the real-time location of active phishing campaigns with corporate identity theft and their monitoring until their total deactivation stands out.
Contact us to learn more about how Kartos can help protect your organization from phishing and other threats.
The Three Layers of the Web: Internet, Dark Web and Deep Web
This article will discuss the Internet, the Deep Web, and the Dark Web and the content found in each. These are commonly referred to as the three layers of the Web or the three levels of the Web.
Internet
The Internet is a web-like network of interconnected computers worldwide. It consists of servers that provide information to millions of people who are connected through telephone and cable networks. Its origins date back to 1969, when the first computer connection, known as ARPANET, was established between three universities in California (United States).
One of the most successful services on the Internet has been the World Wide Web (WWW or the Web), to such an extent that confusion between the two terms is common. The WWW is a set of protocols that allows, in a simple way, the remote consultation of hypertext files.
The Deep Web
The Deep Web is part of the World Wide Web and cannot be found on common search engines like Google. The part that is available to everybody is called the Surface Web. The first person to use the term “Deep Web” was Mike Bergman, a computer scientist, in 2000.
The Deep Web is not the same as darknet or the Dark Web, though they could quickly appear to have the same meaning.
Accessing the deep web does not require unique protocols; that is the main difference.
The Dark Web
This term refers to content that search engines do not index, requiring authorization or special software to access. It is all that deliberately hidden content that we find on the Internet.
A darknet is a private or closed computer network. The Dark Web comprises independent networks (specific networks such as TOR or IP2).
The Dark Web is a part of the World Wide Web located on the darknets. To access it, you must know a password and use specific software. It can only be accessed through the Tor or IP2 browser. The encrypted nature of the browser means that anyone trying to access the dark web remains anonymous by default.
Google or any other search website cannot find a darknet. The Dark Web exists within the Deep Web but is not an equivalent network.
Kartos crawls the three layers of the Web to locate vulnerabilities in your organization
Kartos Corporate Threat Watchbots is the Continuous Threat Exposure Management (CTEM) solution developed by Enthec to protect organizations. Through its army of bots, Kartos crawls the Internet, the Deep Web and the Dark Web to locate exposed vulnerabilities and open corporate breaches that are public and for sale and that can be used to engineer a cyberattack against the organization. Kartos works continuously, automated, autonomous and in real time. It does not require implementation in the organization's IT system and issues alarms in real time about the vulnerabilities and threats it finds. Contact us to receive more information on how Kartos can help you neutralize ongoing threats against your organization.