Information Security: 5 Best Practices to Implement in Your Company
Digitalization is becoming increasingly relevant in companies, highlighting their dependence on new technologies. This makes information security essential to prevent companies from leaving their data unprotected.
In this post, we explain what it consists of and provide 5 good practices in information security to start implementing.
What is information security?
Information security protects information and information systems against unauthorized access, use, disclosure, interruption, modification, or destruction. It has become a critical obligation for organizations.
Companies of all sizes and sectors handle a wealth of information, from personal and sensitive employee and customer data to financial and intellectual property information. This information is a valuable asset that, if compromised, can cause serious harm to data subjects and significant damage to an organization's reputation and financial viability.
Therefore, organizations must establish procedures to ensure information security, protect against threats that may affect it, and ensure the continuity of their operations.
Procedures to Ensure Information Security
These procedures should include information security policies, access controls, information security training, security incident management, and disaster recovery and business continuity plans.
- Information security policies provide a framework for managing information security in an organization. These policies define employee responsibilities, security requirements for information systems, and procedures for handling security incidents.
- Access controls are measures that limit information access to authorized persons. These can include passwords, key cards, and two-factor authentication.
- Information security training is essential to ensure that all employees understand information security and their responsibilities regarding it. This training should cover topics such as the secure handling of information, identifying security threats, and responding to security incidents.
- Security incident management involves identifying, tracking, and resolving security incidents. These incidents typically include phishing attacks, data breaches, and different types of malware.
Disaster recovery and business continuity plans detail how an organization will respond to a security incident that results in a significant loss of information or operational capacity and nullify or minimize its effects.
Key Terms in Information Security
Three key terms allow us to understand the concept and constitute the characteristics of information security: confidentiality, integrity, and availability.
Confidentiality
It refers to the protection of information from disclosure to unauthorized parties. Confidentiality measures include data encryption, access control, and user authentication.
Integrity
In this case, it refers to protecting information against unauthorized modification or deletion. This ensures that the information is accurate and complete. Integrity measures include version control, backups, and intrusion detection systems.
Availability
It refers to ensuring that information and information systems are available for use when needed. Availability measures include system redundancy, disaster recovery, and business continuity planning.
These 3 characteristics of information security should guide organizations in the development of security policies, procedures and controls.
However, information security is not a one-size-fits-all solution that can be applied uniformly across organizations. Each organization must assess its own risks and develop an information security strategy that is tailored to its specific needs.
In addition, information security is not a static state, but an ongoing process. As threats and risks evolve, so do security measures. This requires constant vigilance, regular evaluation of safety policies and procedures, and ongoing user education and training.
5 Best Practices in Information Security
Among the best practices in information security, implementing these five in your company that we detail below is the starting point for any corporate information security procedure.
1. Security Updates
Security updates are critical to
protecting organizations' information systems.
These updates contain patches that address the latest software vulnerabilities. Keeping systems up-to-date minimizes the risk of cyberattacks.
Discover the foremost common types of cyberattacks through our blog.
2. Access to information control
Access control is another crucial practice. It involves ensuring that only authorized individuals have access to sensitive information.
The organization should implement role-based access control policies to limit access to information based on its category and the job responsibilities of its employees.
3. Backups
Regular backups are essential for data recovery in the event of information loss.
The organization should make backups on a regular basis and store them in a safe place. In the event of a cyberattack, backups allow information to be restored and operational activity to be maintained.
4. Password management
Effective password management is vital for information cybersecurity.
It's critical to encourage employees to use strong, unique passwords for each account, as well as to renew them regularly. Additionally, it is advisable to implement two-factor authentication to add an extra layer of security.
5. Staff Awareness
Finally, staff awareness is crucial in preventing the success of social engineering techniques. This is one cybersecurity tip that you should keep in mind.
Your employees need to be informed about cybersecurity best practices and how to identify potential threats. Regular training is critical for them to stay up-to-date on the latest threats and how to prevent them.
Kartos helps you protect the security of your company's information
Kartos XTI Watchbots, our AI platform for Cyber Intelligence and Cybersecurity, enables your organization to proactively, continuously monitor key aspects of information security in real-time, such as:
- Passwords Leaked and Exposed
- Leaked and Exposed Databases
- Leaked and exposed documentation
- CVEs
- Outdated items
- Value Chain
Through monitoring of the Internet, the Dark Web, and the Deep Web, Kartos detects exposed security breaches affecting your organization's information in real-time so that you can correct and nullify them before they are used to execute a cyberattack. Get to know our solutions!
Guidance on cyber security patch management
Guidance on cyber security patch management
By keeping systems up to date and protected against known vulnerabilities, organisations improve their security posture and reduce the risk of cyber attacks. This protection is achieved through cybersecurity patch management. Here we explain what it consists of, phases and best practices.
What is patch management in cybersecurity?
Patch management is an essential practice within cyber security that focuses on keeping computer systems up to date and protected against known vulnerabilities. Patches are software updates that vendors release to fix security flaws, software bugs and improve functionality. Patch management ensures that these updates are applied in a timely and effective manner, minimising the risk of exploitation by attackers. The importance of patch management lies in its ability to protect systems against cyber threats. Vulnerabilities in software can be exploited by attackers to gain unauthorised access, steal data, install malware or disrupt operations. Once detected, vendors provide updates, called patches, to correct them. By patching on a regular basis, organisations can close these security gaps and significantly reduce the risk of incidents. In this way, security patch management plays an important role in business continuity. Security incidents can involve significant disruptions to operations. By keeping systems up to date, organisations minimise the risk of disruption and ensure continuity of operations. In addition, patch management contributes to the stability and performance of systems. Importantly, updates not only fix security flaws, but can also improve the efficiency and functionality of software. This translates into a better user experience and increased productivity for the organisation. As an associated benefit, security patch management also aids in regulatory compliance. Many regulations and industry standards, such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) or certifications such as ENS or ISO 27001, require organisations to develop a regular security patch management protocol to keep their systems up to date and protected against known vulnerabilities. Failure to comply can result in penalties and loss of certifications.
Phases of patch and update management
The patch and update management process generally consists of the following steps:
Identification
In this phase, vulnerabilities and necessary updates to corporate systems and applications are identified. It involves reviewing sources of security information, such as vendor security bulletins, vulnerability databases and security alerts. The main objective of this phase is to detect through proactive security any vulnerabilities that could be exploited by attackers. By identifying these vulnerabilities, the organisation can manage the necessary updates and patches to mitigate the risks. In addition, early identification of vulnerabilities allows the organisation to plan and coordinate the implementation of patches efficiently, minimising the impact on daily operations.
Asset management
During this phase, a detailed inventory of all IT assets, including hardware, software and devices connected to the network, is carried out. This inventory allows the organisation to have a clear view of the systems and applications that need to be upgraded. Asset management involves identifying and classifying each asset according to its criticality and function within the organisation. It helps prioritise patches and upgrades, ensuring that the most critical systems are upgraded first. It also allows for the detection of obsolete or unauthorised assets that could pose a security risk. Maintaining an up-to-date inventory of assets also facilitates the planning and coordination of updates, minimising the impact on day-to-day operations. You may be interested in→ The role of cyber intelligence in preventing digital fraud.
Patch monitoring
In this phase, the status of patches applied is continuously monitored to ensure that they have been installed correctly and that systems are functioning as expected. Monitoring involves the use of specialised tools and software that track and report the status of patches on all IT assets. It allows the organisation to quickly detect any problems or failures in patch deployment and take immediate corrective action. In addition, monitoring helps identify new vulnerabilities that may arise after patching, ensuring that systems remain protected. Maintaining constant vigilance also facilitates reporting and auditing, demonstrating compliance with security policies and regulations.
Prioritisation of patches
This phase involves assessing and ranking the available patches according to their importance and urgency. Prioritisation criteria may include the criticality of the vulnerabilities they address, the potential impact on systems and the availability of workarounds. During this phase, a risk analysis is performed to determine which patches should be applied first. Patches that fix critical vulnerabilities that could be exploited by attackers are usually given the highest priority. In addition, the impact on business continuity is considered, ensuring that patching does not disrupt essential operations. Effective patch prioritisation helps to minimise security risks and maintain operational stability. It is a balance between protecting systems and ensuring that updates are deployed in an orderly manner and without causing significant disruption.
Patch testing
In this phase, patches are applied in a controlled and isolated environment, known as a sandbox, before being deployed on production systems. The main objective is to verify that the patches do not cause unexpected problems, such as conflicts with other applications, system crashes or data loss. Extensive testing is carried out to ensure that the patch works correctly and does not introduce new vulnerabilities. In addition, the impact on system performance is assessed and critical functionalities are verified to ensure that they continue to operate as expected. This phase also includes documenting the test results and identifying any issues that need to be resolved before final deployment. The patch testing phase ensures that upgrades are performed in a safe and efficient manner, minimising risks and ensuring operational continuity.
Implementation of patches
The patch deployment phase is the last and critical step in an organisation's patch and update management process. During this phase, patches that have been tested and approved are deployed to production systems. The process begins with detailed deployment planning, including scheduling maintenance windows to minimise disruption to operations. Users are notified of the timing and expected impact of the upgrade. Patches are then applied according to a pre-defined plan, ensuring that the proper procedures are followed for each system. It is essential to monitor the process in real time to detect and resolve any problems that may arise. After implementation, additional testing is performed to confirm that the patches have been applied correctly and that the systems are functioning as expected. Finally, the process is documented and the success of the implementation is reported. This phase ensures that systems are protected and operational, with a minimum of disruption.
Best practice for patch management
In general, in order to maintain proper security patch management within the organisation, it is recommended:
Promoting accountability
Accountability implies that all team members understand the importance of timely and effective patching. It is achieved by implementing clear policies and assigning specific roles for patch management. In addition, it is essential to foster a culture of transparency and open communication, where patch status is regularly reported and potential vulnerabilities are discussed. Ongoing training and cyber threat awareness are also critical to ensure that staff are prepared to face challenges.
Creating a recovery plan
This plan ensures that, should a patch cause unexpected problems, the system can be restored to its previous operating state quickly and efficiently. A good recovery plan should include regular backups of all critical systems and data, as well as clear procedures for reverting changes made by patches. In addition, it is important to periodically test the recovery plan to ensure its effectiveness and update it as necessary. Detailed documentation and staff training are also crucial to ensure that everyone knows how to act in the event of an emergency. By implementing a robust recovery plan, organisations minimise downtime and reduce the impact of potential failures to maintain maximum operations.
Being intentional
Intentionality involves planning and executing patching with a clear and defined purpose. This includes carefully evaluating available patches, prioritising those that address critical vulnerabilities, and scheduling their implementation at times that minimise the impact on operations. In addition, being intentional requires effective communication with all team members, ensuring that everyone understands the objectives and procedures related to security patch management. It is also important to continuously monitor and evaluate results to adjust strategies as needed.
Find out how Kartos by Enthec can help you with patch and update management.
Kartos XTI Watchbots, the automated Cyber Intelligence platform developed by Enthec, provides organizations with information obtained from the analysis of CVEs in real time as defined in the standard.
In this way, organizations can know in real-time which corporate assets are outdated and, therefore, have exposed vulnerabilities that could be exploited to execute a cyberattack.
Contact us to learn about our cyber intelligence solutions and how Kartos can help you effectively manage your organization's patches and updates.
Threat hunting: 3 reasons why it is necessary to have it
Threat hunting is a proactive protection practice against advanced threats that is essential to maintain the integrity and security of an organisation's systems and data. Below we explain in more detail what threat hunting is and the relevance of implementing it in organisations.
What is Threat hunting?
Threat hunting is a proactive process of searching for and detecting cyber threats capable of evading traditional security defences. Unlike reactive methods that rely on automated alerts, threat hunting involves actively searching for suspicious or malicious activity within the system or network, both internally and externally. The primary goal of threat hunting is to identify, mitigate or nullify advanced threats before they can cause significant damage. This includes the detection of advanced persistent attacks (APTs), malware, exposed vulnerabilities and other risk factors that may not be detected by conventional security tools.
Threat hunting methodology
Now that you know exactly what Threat hunting is, it is essential that you discover its methodology. This process generally follows an iterative cycle that includes the following phases:
- Hypothesis. Threat hunting starts with the formulation of threat hypotheses based on threat intelligence, behavioural analysis and knowledge of the environment.
- Data collection. Data is collected from a variety of sources, such as event logs, network monitoring, and endpoint data.
- Analysis. The collected data is analysed for unusual patterns or indicators of compromise (IoCs).
- Research. If suspicious activity is identified, further investigation is carried out to determine the nature and extent of the threat.
- Response. If a threat is confirmed, measures are taken to contain, nullify or mitigate the impact.
Threat hunting uses a variety of tools and techniques including:
- Intrusion detection systems (IDS): to monitor and analyse network traffic for suspicious activity.
- Log and behavioural analysis: to review and correlate events recorded in different systems and identify deviations in the normal behaviour of users and systems.
- Threat intelligence: to obtain information on open breaches and exposed vulnerabilities on the web, dark web, deep web and social networks.
How to do Threat hunting: steps to follow
To carry out threat hunting effectively, the following key steps are necessary:
- Define objectives and strategy. Determine what you want to achieve, identify advanced threats or improve incident detection and develop a strategy containing the necessary resources, tools to be used and procedures to be followed.
- Form a Threat hunting team. The team must have experience in cyber security and data analysis, and it is essential that they are constantly updated on the latest threats and techniques.
- Collect and analyse data. Compilation through event logs, network traffic and Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS), automated Cyber Intelligence platforms...
- Formulate the hypotheses. Based on threat intelligence and behavioural analysis, hypotheses about possible threats are formulated and steps are defined to investigate each hypothesis.
- Execute the hunt. Active searches of collected data are conducted to identify suspicious activity. If indications of a threat are found, further investigation is conducted to confirm the nature and extent.
- Respond and mitigate. When a threat is confirmed, measures are taken to contain, nullify or mitigate its impact.
- Documentation and reporting. All findings and actions taken are documented and reports are provided to senior management and cyber security managers to improve defences and security strategies.
What is needed to start threat hunting?
To implement an effective Threat Hunting programme, it is necessary to prepare and organise several key components that will ensure its success. These fundamental elements include proper team selection, collection and analysis of relevant data, and integration of threat intelligence.
Human capital
Selecting the right threat hunting team is crucial to the success of the strategy. A threat hunting team should bring together a combination of technical skills, practical experience and the ability to work as a team. The threat hunting team should be composed of professionals with backgrounds in cyber security, data analysis, attacker techniques and procedures, with official certifications such as Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP), Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) or GIAC Certified Incident Handler (GCIH) and, if possible, extensive hands-on experience. The team must be able to work collaboratively and communicate their findings effectively to other departments and senior management. They should be continuously updated on cybersecurity and threats.
Data
To initiate threat hunting, it is essential to collect and analyse a variety of data that can provide indications of suspicious or malicious activity. This data should be extracted from event logs, such as system or security logs; network traffic, such as packet captures or network flows; endpoint data, such as activity logs or sensor data; threat intelligence, such as indicators of compromise or information gathered from monitoring external sources; user data, such as authentication logs or behavioural analysis; and data on exposed vulnerabilities and open breaches extracted from scans of the organisation's internal and external attack surfaces.
Threat Intelligence
Threat Intelligence focuses on the collection, analysis and utilisation of information about potential and current threats that may affect the security of an organisation. It provides detailed insight into malicious actors, their tactics, techniques and procedures (TTPs), as well as exposed vulnerabilities and open security holes that can be exploited to execute an attack. For threat hunting, threat intelligence acts as a solid foundation that guides the team in identifying and mitigating risks. By having access to up-to-date and accurate threat information, threat hunting professionals can anticipate and detect suspicious activity before it becomes a security incident. In addition, Threat Intelligence allows prioritisation of countermeasure efforts, focusing on the most relevant and immediate threats to the organisation.
Translated with DeepL.com (free version)
Outstanding features and benefits of Threat hunting
Threat hunting offers a number of key features and advantages that distinguish it from traditional security practices. The most relevant of these are highlighted below:
Proactive and immediate approach
Unlike traditional security methods that tend to be reactive, threat hunting empowers organisations to anticipate threats before they materialise. This proactive approach involves actively looking for signs of malicious activity rather than waiting for incidents to occur. By taking an immediate approach, threat hunting professionals can identify and neutralise threats in real time, minimising the potential impact on the organisation. This not only reduces incident response time, but also improves the organisation's ability to prevent future attacks. In addition, the proactive approach allows organisations to stay one step ahead of attackers by quickly adapting to new tactics and techniques used by malicious actors. You may be interested in→ Proactive security: what is it and why use it to prevent and detect threats and cyberattacks?
Continuous improvement
Threat hunting enables organisations to constantly evolve and adapt to new threats and tactics employed by malicious actors. Through threat hunting, security teams can identify patterns and trends in threats, allowing them to continuously adjust and improve their defence strategies. Continuous improvement involves a constant feedback loop, where threat hunting findings are used to refine security policies, update detection tools and techniques, and train staff on new defence tactics. This process not only strengthens the organisation's security posture, but also increases resilience to future attacks.
High adaptability
Through threat hunting, organisations can quickly adjust their defence strategies in response to emerging threats and the changing tactics of cyber attackers. Adaptability in threat hunting involves the ability to continuously modify and update the tools, techniques and procedures used to detect and mitigate threats. Thanks to this adaptability, security teams can respond more effectively to new challenges and vulnerabilities that emerge in the cyber security landscape. In addition, adaptability enables organisations to integrate new technologies and methodologies into their defence processes, thereby improving their ability to protect their critical assets.
Types of threat hunting according to need
To effectively address Threat Hunting, organisations can adopt a variety of models depending on their specific needs and the context in which they operate. Each Threat Hunting model offers a different approach to identifying and mitigating threats, adapting to different aspects of the security environment and protection objectives.
Intelligence models
These models focus on identifying cyber threats using Cyber Threat Intelligence. They enable organisations to identify suspicious activities and patterns of behaviour that could indicate the presence of malicious actors, as well as exposed vulnerabilities and open gaps in the network using indicators of compromise obtained from threat intelligence sources. They respond to the organisation's need to detect, monitor and understand threats at its external perimeter in order to neutralise them or respond effectively to their use by cyber criminals.
Hypothesis models
These models focus on the formulation of hypotheses about possible cyber threats. They rely on the knowledge and experience of security analysts to develop feasible assumptions about possible attacks and how they could be executed, as well as the vulnerabilities that could be exploited. They respond to the organisation's need to anticipate any type of threat and to proactively adapt to new threats as they emerge.
Personal models
These are advanced models that are tailored to the specific needs of an organisation. They are based on in-depth knowledge of the corporate environment, weaknesses and particular requirements, and use the organisation's own data and patterns to identify potential threats. They respond to the needs to detect specific threats, to adapt the strategy to its infrastructure and operations, and to optimise organisational resources. These models can be run through human teams, advanced Cyber Intelligence platforms that allow customisation of searches, or a combination of both.
Find out how Kartos by Enthec helps you in your Threat hunting strategy.
Kartos is the Cyber Intelligence platform developed by Enthec that allows you to develop a Threat hunting strategy in your organisation thanks to its capacity for continuous, automated and customisable monitoring of the internet, the deep web, the dark web and social networks in search of exposed vulnerabilities and open corporate breaches. Thanks to its self-developed AI, Kartos XTI is the only cyber intelligence platform that eliminates false positives in search results, thus ensuring the usefulness of the information provided to disable latent threats and vulnerabilities. In addition, Kartos by Enthec issues real-time alerts, sends constantly updated data and develops reports on its findings. Contact us to learn more about our Threat Intelligence solutions and licenses and how Kartos by Enthec can help your organisation implement an effective threat hunting strategy.
How to prevent social media phishing
Corporate identity theft or brand abuse on social media encompasses various tactics, from fake profiles impersonating the brand to distributing malicious content under the brand's name.
What is social media phishing?
In the digital age, social media has become integral to our lives and businesses, providing opportunities to connect, share content, and interact with diverse communities, including customers. However, this growing reliance has also increased phishing, fraud, and scam campaigns in these virtual environments. These criminal practices have evolved, including corporate identity theft to deceive users and customers and obtain confidential information or illicit enrichment. Social media impersonation, or brand abuse, involves creating fake accounts that impersonate the official profiles of well-known companies or relevant individuals.
In organizations, impersonators often meticulously copy logos, images, and communication styles to appear authentic. They frequently use active brand communication or promotion campaigns, copying them to attract customers maliciously. Its primary purpose is to trick users into revealing personal or financial information or to damage the company's image. The consequences of corporate identity theft are often severe. Customers lose trust in the brand, which decreases sales and engagement. In addition, the organization may face legal problems if customers suffer financial losses due to impersonation or if it has been used to commit other illicit acts.
Threat of the usurpation of corporate identity on social networks
The usurpation of corporate identity on social networks entails a series of
threats to organizations:
Profile forgery
Profile falsification is the basis of corporate identity theft on social networks. Criminals create fake profiles that mimic legitimate companies to trick users into obtaining personal or financial information. These counterfeit profiles can become very convincing and even indistinguishable without research. To appear authentic, they use logos, images, and brand language similar to the company's. They often post relevant content to appear genuine and gain followers. Once they have gained users' trust, these profiles are frequently used for various scams. These can include promoting fake offers, asking for payment details for non-existent products, or directing users to fraudulent websites where they are asked to provide personal information.
Phishing through social media
In the context of social media, fraudsters use sophisticated techniques to send direct messages or posts that appear to be from a recognized organization or institution whose identity they have usurped. Cybercriminals have adapted these tactics to the social media environment, taking advantage of users' trust and familiarity with these platforms. Thus, they use social engineering tactics to trick users into obtaining the sensitive information they seek. In a typical phishing scenario, criminals create fake profiles or pages that resemble those of a legitimate company. Then, they send enticing messages or posts that may include special offers, contests, or fake security alerts to lure users into clicking on malicious links. Once the user clicks on the link, they may be directed to a fake website that looks like the company's official website. Then, they are ordered to enter personal or financial information, which the criminals collect.
Posting malicious content
One of the most damaging threats of brand abuse on social media is the posting of malicious content.
Malicious content can take many forms, from false and misleading information to links to dangerous websites or malicious software. It can damage a company's reputation, sow discord, create conflicts, deceive customers, and steal valuable information.
Service Impersonation
Impersonation is another significant threat to social media in the context of corporate identity theft. Criminals create accounts that impersonate the brand's customer service, directing users to fake or dangerous sites or luring them into scams. These fraudulent services range from non-existent product offers to false customer support promises. Users, believing they are interacting with the real company, provide personal or financial information, make payments or make decisions based on incorrect information. Spoofing significantly damages an organisation's reputation. Customers who have been misled often associate their negative experiences with the real company, even holding it responsible for lack of sufficient vigilance and protection, which can lead to loss of trust and loyalty. There can also be a direct financial impact. If customers are tricked into buying fraudulent products or services, sales decrease. In addition, the organisation may face significant costs to mitigate the damage, restore its reputation or legally prove its lack of responsibility for the crime.
Preventing impersonation on social networks
Preventing social media phishing is critical to protecting your customers and your organization. A good strategy on how to avoid social media impersonation needs to include:
Monitoring social networks
By continuously monitoring social media, organizations can detect fraudulent use of their corporate identity on social media and prevent cybercriminals from using the brand with impunity to deceive customers. Continuous monitoring and analysis of the data it provides also help to identify emerging patterns and trends of brand abuse and proactively respond to the threat.
Establish a proactive protection strategy
When an organisation has a proactive social media brand protection strategy in place, the likelihood of the threat of maliciously targeted brand abuse decreases.
The proactive strategy allows the organization to stay ahead of brand abuse, detecting identity theft on social networks in real-time so that the organization can proceed with its cancellation before it causes significant damage. You may be interested in our publication→ Proactive security: what is it and why use it to prevent and detect threats and cyberattacks?
Being active in social networks
Although it may seem paradoxical, not opening corporate profiles on different social networks or remaining inactive on them not only does not protect against identity theft but also favors it. Having very active profiles on social networks allows users to become familiar with the brand's communication and more easily detect imitators. In addition, active profiles simplify checking a profile's integrity, which raises suspicions among users.
Protecting the brand with advanced technologies
The continued sophistication of cyber-attacks requires organizational protection that is up to the task and uses advanced strategies and technologies such as artificial intelligence and automation to provide the proper responses at the right time. Solutions based on artificial intelligence and machine learning identify fake profiles and malicious activity more effectively and quickly than traditional methods. In addition, they can automatically track active or latent fraudulent campaigns on social media until they are completely eliminated.
Consequences of corporate identity theft on social networks
Brand abuse often has serious consequences for an organisation:
Financial losses
Corporate identity theft on social networks leads to a decrease in brand value due to the loss of trust and a decrease in revenue due to the loss of sales to deceive customers. After a successful corporate identity theft on social networks, the organization must invest in powerful communication campaigns to regain some of its client´s trust. Furthermore, when cybercriminals use the stolen corporate identity to engage in illegal activities, fees are incurred to cover timely legal actions.
Reputational damage
A brand's reputation has a direct impact on its value. Corporate identity impersonation on social media damages an organization's reputation and brand. Fraudsters use the company's brand to spread false information or engage in unethical and criminal behavior, negatively affecting the organization's image.
Legal problems
Corporate impersonation raises legal issues when fraudsters use the brand to engage in illegal activities, as the organization will initially be held liable until it proves the impersonation. In addition, defrauded customers may keep the organization vicariously liable for the deception due to a lack of sufficient vigilance and protection and claim restitution for their financial loss from the organization, either legally or administratively. This also implies a legal or administrative defense.
Loss of customer trust
After interacting with or hearing about fake accounts that have impersonated the corporate identity, customers perceive that the organization is not taking adequate measures to protect its brand and, indirectly, them from scams.
They then become wary of interacting with the company on social media, proceed to avoid it, and are less likely to remain loyal to it.
Protect yourself from social media impersonation with Kartos by Enthec
Kartos Corporate Threat Watchbots, the cyber-surveillance platform developed by Enthec, continuously and automatically monitors the web and social networks to detect domains, subdomains, websites, and social profiles identical or similar to your organization's. Thanks to its self-developed Artificial Intelligence, false positives in findings are eliminated. In addition, Kartos monitors the phishing, fraud, and scam campaigns with corporate identity theft detected until their deactivation, with identification of the countries in which they are active, data, and alarms in real-time. Since this year, the Kartos platform has also offered a Takedown Service for fraudulent social profiles, domains and subdomains, and cloned websites detected by the platform. Contact us if you want more information on how Kartos can help you protect your brand from cloning and abuse on the internet and social networks.
The role of cyber-intelligence in preventing digital fraud
The role of cyber-intelligence in preventing digital fraud
Cyber intelligence has become an essential ally in the prevention of digital fraud, providing organisations with the ability to detect, understand and respond to this type of threat. In this publication we tell you everything you need to know about digital fraud.
What is digital fraud prevention?
Digital fraud prevention is a set of measures and strategies designed to protect individuals and organisations against fraudulent activities online. In today's digital environment, fraud has become a growing concern due to the increase in online transactions and the digitisation of markets and services. Preventing digital fraud is a multi-faceted effort that requires a combination of advanced technology, user education and robust regulations.
- User authentication is a crucial component of digital fraud prevention. It involves verifying the identity of users before allowing them to access online services. Common techniques include the use of passwords, two-factor authentication, facial recognition and biometrics.
- Monitoring for anomalies and vulnerabilities plays a vital role in preventing digital fraud. Fraud detection systems use machine learning algorithms to identify unusual or suspicious elements and behaviour, both on social networks and the web, as well as on the deep web or dark web.
- Cryptography is used to protect sensitive information. Sensitive data transmitted online is encrypted to prevent cyber criminals from intercepting it.
- User education and awareness are critical to prevent users from falling victim to digital fraud. Users need to be informed about common fraud tactics and how they can protect themselves.
- Data protection laws, such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in Europe, oblige organisations to protect users' data and to report any data breaches.
Importance of digital fraud detection
Digital fraud detection is an essential part of online information security and plays a crucial role in protecting users and organisations. As the digital environment grows, the importance of digital fraud detection has become increasingly evident. Early detection of digital fraud:
- Helps protect financial assets. Online transactions have made it easier for organisations and individuals to do business, but they have also opened up new opportunities for criminals. Credit card fraud, phishing scams and other types of fraud lead to significant financial losses. Detecting digital fraud early prevents the possibility of these financial losses.
- It is essential to protect the digital identity of users. Detecting digital fraud prevents cybercriminals from prolonging corporate or personal impersonation over time, thus reducing the chances of success of the scam.
- It is crucial to maintain customer confidence. If customers do not trust the security of an organisation or its services, they will look for alternatives.
- It is important to comply with data protection and fraud prevention regulations. Early detection of digital fraud helps to avoid significant legislative sanctions, both national and international.
- It provides valuable information to improve security measures and develop more effective strategies to prevent fraud in the future.
Fraud risk management strategies
Among the different strategies that an organisation can adopt to protect itself from the consequences of digital fraud, there are a few that stand out for their importance.
Client education
Customer education is a crucial strategy for managing digital fraud. Customers must understand what digital fraud is and be aware of the common tactics used by cybercriminals. They must also be educated on how to protect themselves and be made aware of the dangers. It is important that they internalise actions such as creating secure passwords, regular software updates and using secure authentication. It is also essential that customers know how to quickly identify when they are being or have been victims of digital fraud and how to proceed to avoid or minimise its consequences. This customer awareness must be ongoing. As cybercriminals change and adapt their tactics, customer education must evolve to keep pace.
Monitoring through advanced technology
Continuous network monitoring helps identify emerging threats. Cybercriminals often use dark forums, the deep web, the dark web and social media to gather information, plan and execute fraud. By monitoring these environments, organisations are able to detect potential threats before they materialise. In addition, monitoring provides early warnings and helps organisations better understand their exposure to digital fraud risk. Thanks to technological advances, companies now have more sophisticated tools at their disposal to detect and prevent fraud. Artificial intelligence and machine learning are used to identify patterns of suspicious behaviour. These algorithms can learn from historical data and adapt to new forms of fraud. In addition, big data analytics technology allows companies to detect fraud almost as soon as it occurs. You may be interested in our publication→ How to protect yourself amid a wave of cyber attacks on businesses.
Compliance with current regulations
The regulations establish a framework that helps organisations protect themselves against fraud and provides them with clear guidance on how to deal with digital fraud. In this way, regulatory compliance ensures that companies implement the necessary security measures. In addition, organisations that fail to comply with the regulations can face significant fines, as well as reputational damage.
Cyber intelligence as an ally in the fight against digital fraud
Cyberintelligence is now emerging as an important and powerful ally for organisations to combat digital fraud.
Also known as threat intelligence, cyber intelligence is the collection and analysis of information originating in cyberspace in order to detect, understand and prevent threats. This discipline focuses on detecting exposed vulnerabilities and identifying patterns and trends in online behaviour, enabling organisations to anticipate and prevent digital fraud. Cyber intelligence enables organisations to detect threats in their early stages, facilitating a rapid and effective response. By continuously monitoring cyberspace, cyber intelligence detects vulnerabilities and identifies tactics and techniques used by cyber criminals, providing organisations with the information they need to protect themselves, update their defences and make informed decisions about fraud risk management and resource allocation. In addition, cyber intelligence helps organisations understand the threat landscape more broadly. This includes identifying threat actors, their motivations and methods. With this information, organisations can develop more effective defence strategies.
Future trends in cyber-intelligence and fraud prevention
The technology associated with cyberintelligence is continuously evolving. Among the most notable trends currently shaping the future landscape of cyberintelligence are the following:
- Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML). AI and AA are revolutionising cyber intelligence. These technologies enable organisations to analyse large volumes of data at high speed, identifying exposed vulnerabilities, patterns and anomalies that may indicate fraudulent activity.
- Predictive analytics. Predictive analytics uses statistical and AA techniques to predict future fraudulent activity based on historical data. This proactivity enables organisations to take preventative measures and minimise the impact of fraud.
- Automation. Automation will play a crucial role in cyber intelligence. Repetitive and high-volume tasks, such as transaction monitoring or data collection, will be automated, carried out continuously and in real time, allowing analysts to focus on more complex tasks.
- Collaboration and information sharing. Collaboration between organisations and the sharing of cyber threat information will become increasingly common. This will enable a faster and more effective response to emerging threats.
- Privacy and regulation. As cyber intelligence becomes more prevalent, so do concerns about privacy and regulation. Organisations will have to balance the need to protect against fraud with respect for users' privacy.
Protect yourself from digital fraud with Kartos by Enthec
Kartos is the cyber intelligence platform developed by Enthec that allows you to protect your organisation and your customers from digital fraud thanks to its ability to monitor the internet and social networks and to detect corporate impersonation, web cloning and active phishing campaigns. Thanks to its self-developed AI, Kartos XTI is the only cyber intelligence platform that eliminates false positives in search results, thus ensuring the usefulness of the information provided to disable latent threats and vulnerabilities. Contact us to learn more about our solutions and how Kartos by Enthec can help your organisation prevent digital fraud and manage risk.
The importance of blacklists in cybersecurity
The importance of blacklists in cybersecurity
A blacklist is a fundamental tool in cybersecurity that allows blocking digital items that are considered suspicious or malicious in order to protect systems.
What is a cybersecurity blacklist?
One of the most widespread and effective tools in the fight against cyber threats are blacklists. But what exactly are they and how do they work? A cybersecurity blacklist is a database containing IP addresses, domains, emails, applications or any other digital element that has been identified as malicious or suspicious. These items are automatically blocked by security systems to prevent cyber-attacks. Blacklists are used by a variety of security solutions, including firewalls, intrusion detection and prevention systems (IDS/IPS), and anti-virus software.
When a blacklisted item attempts to access a system, the request is automatically rejected.
Public blacklists are maintained by cybersecurity organisations, Internet Service Providers (ISPs), and security software companies. These lists are constantly updated to reflect new threats as they are discovered. In turn, organisations can develop private blacklists to protect their systems from specific threats. If you want to keep up to date with the cybersecurity industry, see our publication→ The 5 cybersecurity trends you need to know about.
Types of blacklists highlighted
There can be as many types of blacklists as there are categories of threats detected. The most prominent are:
IP blacklist
The IP blacklist is a list containing a number of IP addresses identified as potentially dangerous. These IP addresses are often associated with malicious activities, such as sending spam, carrying out DDoS attacks, spreading malware, etc. IP blacklists are used to automatically block traffic from these IP addresses. IP blacklists are used to automatically block traffic from these IP addresses. When an IP address is blacklisted, any attempt to connect from that IP address to a protected system is rejected. IP blacklists are maintained and updated by cybersecurity organisations and Internet service providers. They are constantly updated to reflect new threats as they are discovered or to exclude those that have disappeared. While IP blacklists are a valuable tool in preventing cyber threats, they are not infallible. To avoid blocking, cybercriminals change IP addresses on a recurring basis.
Spam domain blacklist
The spam domain blacklist is a list of domain names that have been identified as sources of spam. These domains may be associated with the distribution of unsolicited emails, phishing, malware and other malicious activities. Spam domain blacklists are used by email security systems and spam filters to automatically block emails from these domains. When a domain is blacklisted, any email sent from that domain to a protected system is marked as spam or rejected. Like all other public blacklists, spam domain blacklists are maintained and updated by cybersecurity organisations, email service providers and security software companies. They are also constantly updated, as cybercriminals frequently change domain names to circumvent them.
How blacklists work
Blacklists are compiled through comprehensive collection and analysis of data on known threats.
The blacklisting process includes:
- Data collection. Data is collected from multiple sources, such as security incident reports, threat intelligence feeds and also internal analysis.
- Data analysis. The collected data is analysed to identify malicious patterns and behaviours. This includes analysis of IP addresses, domains, emails and applications that have been associated with malicious activity such as spam or cyber attacks.
- Creation of the blacklist. Once malicious items are identified, they are added to the blacklist.
- Constant updating. Blacklists should be constantly updated to reflect new threats as they are discovered and to correct detected errors.
Once the blacklist has been compiled, it is used to automatically block access to the organisation's systems by the digital items on the blacklist.
Main benefits of blacklisting
The use of blacklists for system protection is a solution that provides numerous benefits, among which are:
Easy implementation
Blacklists are relatively simple to implement, making them an attractive option for many organisations. These lists can be easily configured into most security systems, such as firewalls and intrusion detection systems. The ease of implementation allows organisations to quickly improve their security posture without requiring significant resources.
Proactive protection
Blacklists provide proactive security protection by identifying and blocking known threats before they can cause harm. By restricting access to suspicious entities, these lists act as a shield, preventing threat actors from exploiting vulnerabilities. This proactive approach allows organisations to anticipate threats and prevent them from materialising, rather than simply reacting to them once they have occurred.
Complementing security strategies
Blacklists are a valuable complement to other security strategies. They are effective in blocking known threats, but cannot protect against unknown or zero-day threats. Therefore, they are useful as long as they are used in coordination with other techniques, such as anomaly detection and threat intelligence. Together, these strategies provide defence in depth, protecting against a wider range of threats.
Reduction of malicious traffic
Blacklists are very effective in reducing malicious traffic. By blocking IP addresses, domains and emails associated with malicious activity, blacklists significantly decrease the amount of unwanted or harmful traffic. This not only improves security, but also increases network efficiency by reducing the amount of unnecessary traffic.
Limitations of blacklisting
Blacklists are a simple and effective tool to protect systems, however, they have limitations that make it necessary to integrate them into a set of tools.
The main limitations of blacklists are:
False positives
Often, blacklists include erroneous collections or analyses that lead to the blocking of legitimate traffic, an occurrence known as false positives. These false positives harm both the organisation blocking the legitimate traffic and the organisation from which the legitimate traffic originates. To address false positives, many organisations use a combination of blacklisting and whitelisting. Whitelists, in contrast to blacklists, contain items that are considered safe and are allowed. The combination of the two types of lists allows for more granular control and reduces the possibility of false positives.
Need for constant updating
To circumvent blacklist blocking, cybercriminals recurrently change IP addresses, domains or anything that could be blacklisted. Therefore, to remain effective, blacklists require constant updating of their database to reflect new threats as they are discovered, at a significant cost in resources.
Implementation of blacklists through Kartos by Enthec
Kartos XTI Watchbots, the Cyber Intelligence platform developed by Enthec, makes it easy for its customers to create private blacklists based on Kartos' findings and the results of their analyses carried out through our in-house developed artificial intelligence solutions.
In this way, in addition to the protection of general blacklists, our clients add that of private blacklists that respond to the specific context of the organization.
Contact us to learn about the benefits of incorporating our Kartos by Enthec Cyber Intelligence solution into your organization's Cybersecurity strategy to detect exposed vulnerabilities, open gaps, create blacklists and eliminate false positives.
How to prevent social media phishing
How to prevent social media phishing
Corporate impersonation or brand abuse on social media encompasses a variety of tactics ranging from fake profiles impersonating the brand to the distribution of malicious content under the brand's name.
What is social media phishing?
In the digital age, social media has become an integral part of our lives and businesses, providing opportunities to connect, share content and interact with diverse communities, including customers. However, this growing dependence has also led to an increase in phishing, fraud and scam campaigns in these virtual environments. These criminal practices have evolved to include corporate impersonation to deceive users and customers in order to obtain confidential information or illicit enrichment. Social media phishing, also known as brand abuse, involves the creation of fake accounts posing as official profiles of well-known companies or relevant individuals. As far as organisations are concerned, impersonators often meticulously copy logos, images and communication style to appear authentic. They often take advantage of active brand communication or promotion campaigns, copying them in order to maliciously lure customers. Their main objective is to trick users into revealing personal or financial information or to damage the company's image. The consequences of corporate impersonation are often serious. Customers lose trust in the brand, leading to a decrease in sales and engagement. In addition, the organisation may face legal problems if customers suffer financial losses due to the impersonation or if the impersonation has been used to commit other illegal acts.
Threats of corporate identity theft on social networks
The impersonation of corporate identity on social media brings with it a number of threats to organisations:
Falsification of profiles
Profile spoofing is at the heart of corporate impersonation on social networks. Criminals create fake profiles that mimic legitimate companies to deceive users and obtain personal or financial information. These fake profiles can become very convincing and even indistinguishable without research, using logos, images and brand language similar to those of the real company to appear authentic. They often post relevant content to appear authentic and gain followers. Once they have gained the trust of users, these profiles are often used to run a variety of scams. This can include promoting fake offers, requesting payment details for non-existent products, or directing users to fraudulent websites where they are asked to provide personal information.
Phishing through social media
In the context of social media, fraudsters use sophisticated techniques to send direct messages or posts that appear to be from a recognised organisation or institution whose identity they have impersonated. Cybercriminals have adapted these tactics to the social media environment, taking advantage of the trust and familiarity that users have with these platforms. They use social engineering tactics to trick users and obtain the sensitive information they seek. In a typical phishing scenario, criminals create fake profiles or pages that look like those of a legitimate company. They then send enticing messages or posts that may include special offers, contests or fake security alerts to lure users into clicking on malicious links. Once the user clicks on the link, they may be directed to a fake website that looks like the company's official website. The user is then prompted to enter personal or financial information, which is then collected by the criminals.
Publication of malicious content
One of the most damaging threats of brand abuse on social media is the publication of malicious content.
Malicious content can take many forms, from false and misleading information to links to dangerous websites or malicious software. This content can be used to damage a company's reputation, sow discord and create conflict, mislead customers and steal valuable information.
Impersonation of services
Impersonation is another significant threat in the context of corporate identity theft on social media. Criminals create accounts that impersonate the brand's customer service, directing users to fake or dangerous sites or luring them into a scam. These fraudulent services can range from non-existent product offers to false promises of customer support. Users, believing they are interacting with the real company, provide personal or financial information, make payments or make decisions based on incorrect information. Spoofing significantly damages an organisation's reputation. Customers who have been misled often associate their negative experiences with the real company, even holding it responsible for lack of sufficient vigilance and protection, which can lead to loss of trust and loyalty. There can also be a direct financial impact. If customers are tricked into buying fraudulent products or services, sales decrease. In addition, the organisation may face significant costs to mitigate the damage, restore its reputation or legally prove its lack of responsibility for the crime.
Preventing phishing on social networks
Preventing social media phishing is critical to protecting your customers and your organisation. A good strategy on how to prevent social media phishing needs to include:
Monitoring social networks
By continuously monitoring social media, organisations can detect fraudulent use of their corporate identity on social media and prevent cybercriminals from using the brand with impunity to deceive customers. Continuous monitoring and analysis of the data it provides also helps to identify emerging patterns and trends of brand abuse and proactively respond to the threat.
Establish a proactive protection strategy
When an organisation has a proactive social media brand protection strategy in place, the likelihood of the threat of maliciously targeted brand abuse decreases.
The proactive strategy allows the organisation to stay ahead of brand abuse, detecting identity theft on social networks in real time so that the organisation can proceed with its cancellation before it causes significant damage. You may be interested in our publication→ Proactive security: what is it and why use it to prevent and detect threats and cyberattacks?
Being active in social networks
Although it may seem paradoxical, not opening corporate profiles on the different social networks or remaining inactive on them not only does not protect against identity theft, but also encourages it. Having very active profiles on social networks allows users to become familiar with the brand's own communication and to detect impersonators more easily. In addition, active profiles make it easier to check the veracity of a profile that arouses suspicion among users.
Protecting the brand with advanced technologies
The continued sophistication of cyber-attacks requires organisational protection that is up to the task and uses advanced strategies and technologies such as artificial intelligence and automation to provide the right responses at the right time. Solutions based on artificial intelligence and machine learning identify fake profiles and malicious activity more effectively and quickly than traditional methods. In addition, they are able to automatically track active or latent fraudulent campaigns on social media until they are completely eliminated.
Consequences of corporate identity theft on social networks
Brand abuse often has serious consequences for an organisation:
Financial losses
Social media impersonation leads to a decrease in brand value due to loss of trust, as well as a decrease in revenue due to lost sales to misled or defrauded customers. After a successful social media impersonation, the organisation is forced to invest in powerful communication campaigns to regain some of its customers' trust. In addition, when cybercriminals use the impersonated corporate identity to engage in illegal activities, fees are generated to cover legal action.
Reputational damage
The reputation of a brand has a direct impact on its value. Corporate impersonation on social media damages the reputation of an organisation and its brand. Fraudsters use a company's brand to spread false information or engage in unethical or even criminal behaviour that has negative effects on the organisation's image. When this happens, the corporate image is damaged.
Legal problems
Corporate impersonation raises legal issues when fraudsters use the brand to engage in illegal activities, as the organisation will initially be held liable until it proves the impersonation. In addition, defrauded customers may hold the organisation vicariously liable for the deception due to a lack of sufficient vigilance and protection, and claim restitution for their financial loss from the organisation, either legally or administratively. This also implies a legal or administrative defence.
Loss of customer confidence
After interacting with or hearing about fake accounts that have impersonated the corporate identity, customers perceive that the organisation is not taking adequate measures to protect its brand and, indirectly, them from scams.
They then become wary of interacting with the company on social media, proceed to avoid it and are less likely to remain loyal to it.
Protect yourself from social media phishing with Kartos by Enthec
Kartos, the Cyber Intelligence platform developed by Enthec continuously and automatically monitors the web and social networks to detect domains, subdomains, websites and social profiles identical or similar to those of your organisation. Thanks to its self-developed Artificial Intelligence, false positive findings are eliminated. In addition, Kartos tracks phishing, fraud and corporate identity fraud campaigns detected until they are deactivated, with identification of the countries in which they are active, data and alarms in real time. Since this year, the Kartos platform also offers a Takedown Service for social profiles, domains and fraudulent subdomains, as well as cloned websites detected by the platform. Contact us for more information on how Kartos can help you protect your brand from cloning and abuse on the internet and social networks.
Cybersquatting: what is it and how to protect yourself?
Cybersquatting: what is it and how to protect yourself?
Cybersquatting is an increasingly widespread cybercrime that exploits the value of brands to make illegitimate profits by squatting on their domain. This cybercrime is becoming commonplace in the digital environment, so it is crucial for organisations to know exactly what cybersquatting is and how to protect themselves against it.
What is cybersquatting?
Cybersquatting is the act of registering, selling or using a domain name in bad faith, taking advantage of the reputation and commercial value of a famous brand or name with the intention of making illegitimate profits. Essentially, cybersquatting is a form of online piracy that causes harm to businesses and individuals. The term comes from squatting, which is the act of illegally occupying property, with the addition of cyber, to confine it to the digital environment. In this case, the squatted property would be the corporate domain. This is why cybersquatting is also called cybersquatting. Cybersquatters often register domain names or create subdomains that are identical or confusingly similar to popular brands in order to trick users into visiting their website. This leads users to fraudulent websites with various illegal intentions: selling fake goods, scams, data theft... In addition, cybersquatting is also often used by cybersquatters to profit from the sale of squatted domains to legitimate companies at exorbitant prices, in order for them to avoid damage to their brand. To combat cybersquatting, ICANN has developed the Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (UDRP). This procedure makes it easier for affected companies to recover domain names registered in bad faith. To find out more about cyber-attacks on businesses, go here→ How to protect yourself in the midst of a wave of cyber-attacks on businesses.
Differences between cybersquatting and phishing
Although both are cybercrimes that involve the misuse of names and trademarks and sometimes go hand in hand in a cyberattack, the cybersquatting and phishing are not exactly the same thing.
Cybersquatting is the registration, trafficking or use of a domain name that is identical or similar to a well-known trademark. Its aim is to make financial gain through that identical or similar domain name.
It does not necessarily involve deceiving users or stealing personal information; sometimes it is simply used to force the organisation to ransom the domain. Phishing, in turn, involves sending fake emails or creating fake websites that mimic legitimate companies or brands in order to trick users into obtaining personal information, financial information or login credentials. It aims to gain access to accounts, steal identities and commit fraud. It involves the use of social engineering techniques to manipulate victims into believing they are interacting with a trustworthy entity. Often, however, the first step in a phishing attack is cybersquatting: a real domain is used to create a fake website or profiles as the basis of the deception.
Some examples of cybersquatting
Some prominent examples of cybersquatting are:
- Registration of domain names identical or similar to famous brands with the intention of reselling them to their rightful owners at an excessive price.
- Use of domain names to divert web traffic to sites with pornographic content, misleading advertising or illegal activities.
- Blocking domain names to prevent legitimate companies from registering and using them, in order to sell them to the highest bidder.
- Creation of fake websites that mimic the appearance of well-known brands to deceive users and obtain personal or financial information.
Detection of cybersquatting
Some of the most effective strategies for detecting cybersquatting are:
- Domain monitoring. One of the most effective ways to detect cybersquatting is through regular monitoring of domain names. Such tools issue real-time alerts when a domain name that is similar to the organisation's domain name is registered, allowing quick action to be taken to protect the brand.
- Use of internet service provider (ISP) domain look-up tools. The tool shows the many variations that could be used to commit cybersquatting. These tools also indicate which domains have already been registered.
- WHOIS search. The WHOIS database is a valuable resource for detecting cybersquatting. A WHOIS search provides information on who has registered a particular domain name. In this way, an organisation can check whether a domain name similar to its brand name has been registered by someone who has no legitimate relationship to it.
- Phishing detection tools. Sometimes cybersquatters use cybersquatting in their phishing tactics to trick users into visiting their fraudulent websites. Phishing detection tools help to identify these websites and, collaterally, to detect cybersquatting.
The role of new technologies
Artificial Intelligence and machine learning are beginning to play a crucial role in the fight against cybersquatting. Their detection, analysis, learning and automation capabilities make them key tools for proactively, accurately and effectively combating cybersquatting. As cybercriminals develop more sophisticated tactics, their use will become increasingly critical. The use of AI and machine learning-based solutions allows:
- Proactive detection of suspicious domains: real-time detection and analysis of new domain registrations and patterns indicating possible cybersquatting, such as names similar to well-known brands.
- Constant monitoring of registered domains: continuous monitoring of detected suspicious domains similar to the brand, with alerts on changes in content or usage that may indicate fraudulent activities.
- Identification of cybersquatting techniques and patterns: recognition of common methods used by cybercriminals, such as addition, substitution or omission of characters in domain names.
- Reduction of false positives: accuracy in distinguishing between legitimate domain registrations and real cybersquatting cases, reducing false alerts.
- Automated real-time response: activation of automatic response protocols to block the suspect domain, notify the authorities and the affected brand and proceed to takedown.
Most used methods of cybersquatting
Cybersquatting can occur in different ways.
Homographic
It involves replacing characters in a domain name with visually similar characters, often indistinguishable to the naked eye. This method is particularly effective because of the difficulty for the human eye to distinguish between certain characters, especially in URLs.
Addition
It involves adding additional characters to an existing domain name. It is particularly effective when targeting brands with short names, as an additional character can easily go unnoticed.
Omission
In this case, it refers to the removal of characters from an existing domain name. It is quite effective when targeting brands with long names, as one less character goes unnoticed.
Domain change
It involves slightly altering an existing domain name, often by changing the order of the characters, introducing a spelling mistake or using a domain extension different from the organisation's official one. Its effectiveness is based on the very mistakes users make when typing a domain into the search engine.
Subdomain
A common cybersquatting tactic is the creation of subdomains outside one's own brand. A subdomain is an extension of the main domain name. Cybersquatters register subdomains containing the name of popular brands to trick users and redirect traffic to fraudulent sites.
How to prevent cybersquatting
Preventing cybersquatting can be a challenge, but there are several strategies that help protect the brand and domain:
- Early domain registration. Register domain names that are important to the brand early. This may include variations, common misspellings and other domain names that could be attractive to cybersquatters.
- Trademark protection. Registering the trademark provides additional legal protection against cybersquatting. If the trademark is registered, it ensures the possibility of winning a domain name dispute.
- Constant vigilance. Continuous monitoring of the domain with automated tools capable of alerting about the use or registration of domains and subdomains that are the same or similar to corporate domains is essential.
- Use of a private registration service. When registering a domain name, it is advisable to use a private registration service, so that cyber criminals cannot access the information associated with the registration.
- Legal action. Take immediate legal action to recover the domain name when cybersquatting is detected. The Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (UDRP) is the process for doing this.
You may be interested in our publication→ Brand protection: strategies to prevent fraudulent use.
Protect yourself from cybersquatting with Kartos by Enthec
Kartos XTI Watchbots, our Cyber Intelligence platform, uses in-house developed Artificial Intelligence to help organizations monitor their domain and detect any associated cybersquatting.
In addition, Kartos by Enthec provides organizations with real-time alerts about the existence of domains and subdomains associated with those of their brand and offers takedown services for the removal of those that are fraudulent.
Contact us to learn more about how the solutions of our Kartos XTI Watchbots Cyber Intelligence platform can help you detect and prevent cybersquatting, protect your brand, and avoid cyberattacks.
Keys to preventing data leaks
Keys to preventing data leaks
A data breach is a security incident in which confidential information is accessed or extracted without permission, which may include personal data, credentials or any other sensitive information of individuals and organisations. Here, we explain in more detail what it means and the fundamental keys to preventing a data breach.
What is a data leak?
Data leakage is one of the most common and damaging incidents in the field of cybersecurity.
A data breach occurs when confidential information is accidentally or unlawfully exposed. This can happen inside or outside an organisation, and can be the result of a cyber-attack, human error or a failure in security systems. The information leaked in a data breach varies widely in content. It can be personal data, such as names, addresses and social security numbers; financial data, such as credit card numbers and bank account details; or corporate data, such as product details and business strategies. The consequences of a data breach are generally significant. For individuals, it can end up as identity theft or financial fraud. For businesses, it can result in legal fines, loss of reputation and damage to customer relationships. Data leakage can be a quick event, where data is exposed and used immediately, or it can be a slow process, where data is collected over a long period of time before it is used.
Main types of data leakage
Data leaks are differentiated into different types such as:
Interns
In internal data leaks, data is leaked or leaked from within the organisation. It happens when employees or persons with authorised access to confidential information disclose or extract it in an unauthorised way, intentionally or unintentionally. Also, when an unauthorised person outside the organisation gains access to the organisation and its data. Generally, the latter type usually corresponds to a cyber-attack. Some of the main causes of insider leaks include:
- Disgruntled employees or employees with malicious intent who steal data for personal purposes or to sell to third parties.
- Lack of adequate controls and monitoring of the activities of users with access to sensitive data.
- Lack of clear information security policies and insufficient staff training.
- Vulnerabilities in systems and applications that allow unauthorised access to information.
- Cyber-attacks executed to obtain the information.
External
External data leaks are incidents in which confidential information is leaked without authorisation, willingly or unwillingly, by persons or entities outside the organisation, from outside the organisation.
Within external corporate data leaks, those caused by third parties represent a significant threat to an organisation. These leaks occur when an external entity that has legitimate access to an organisation's data, such as a service provider or business partner, inadvertently or maliciously exposes that information. Third parties within an organisation have access to a wide range of corporate data, from personal information of employees and customers to trade secrets and intellectual property. If they do not follow appropriate security measures, they become a weak link in the information security chain. To mitigate this risk, organisations must ensure that all third parties they work with have robust information security policies and procedures in place. This involves conducting cybersecurity audits, including data security clauses in contracts and, most effectively, automated, continuous, real-time monitoring of third-party risk.
4 causes of data leakage
Data leakage can be caused by voluntary and malicious acts or involuntary acts.
The most common causes of unintentional corporate data leaks include:
Use of suspicious software
Suspicious programmes, often disguised as legitimate software, can infiltrate an organisation's systems and give illegitimate access to confidential information. They are introduced by employees unaware of the risks or by external attackers. Once inside, these programmes collect and transmit sensitive corporate data. Infiltration of malware into the corporate system can occur through unwitting installation of malicious software, use of unauthorised messaging or cloud storage applications, downloading infected files or connecting to insecure public networks. Constant supervision and monitoring of activities is essential to detect and prevent the use of malicious software that can lead to data leaks.
Vulnerabilities in the system
Failures in firewalls, intrusion detection systems, and other security controls can leave data exposed to external attacks. In addition, inappropriate network configurations, such as the setting of access permissions, communication protocols, and other network settings, are likely to open unauthorised access to information. Also, lack of security patches and updates to applications and operating systems or lack of data encryption and protection make information more vulnerable to theft.
Social engineering
Social engineering is a major cause of corporate data breaches. Cybercriminals manipulate employees into revealing confidential information, often through phishing or phishing tactics. These attacks become very sophisticated, masquerading as legitimate communications from colleagues or superiors. Social engineering exploits the human tendency to trust and cooperate. To circumvent it, companies must implement cybersecurity training and awareness and appropriate security policies to mitigate this risk.
Improper design or implementation of security protocols
If security policies are not properly implemented and enforced, this creates vulnerabilities that cybercriminals can exploit to gain access to sensitive organisational data. It is crucial that companies design robust security protocols and ensure that they are properly enforced. Ongoing training and security audits are essential to prevent data leaks, as well as monitoring user activities and reporting security incidents. Security protocols must also be regularly reviewed, tested and updated to ensure their effectiveness.
Tips to prevent data leakage
We recommend that you consider the following tips on how to prevent a data leakage:
Use two-factor authentication
Dual authentication is a security measure that requires users to provide two forms of identification before accessing systems. This can be something the user knows, such as a password; something they possess, such as a mobile phone to receive a verification code; or something inherent to the user, such as a fingerprint. This additional layer of security makes it difficult for cybercriminals to access data, even if they have obtained a password. Dual authentication is a valuable investment in protecting corporate data.
In addition, two-factor authentication can be complemented with other measures such as data encryption and activity monitoring to further strengthen corporate information security. You may be interested in our publication→ Good information security practices for your company.
Keeping equipment up to date
Outdated systems have security vulnerabilities that cybercriminals try to exploit to execute attacks. Updates include security patches that fix vulnerabilities as they are detected. In addition, newer versions of software and hardware often incorporate better security measures. It is therefore crucial that companies implement a policy of regular updates and ensure that all devices, tools, systems and applications are up to date. This requires investments in time and resources, but is an essential preventive measure to ensure the protection of corporate data.
Regulating access to confidential information
It involves implementing a system in the organisation that ensures that only authorised employees have access to sensitive data. Access control systems, such as role-based authentication, are an example of such a regulation. Limiting access not only reduces the possibility of data being compromised internally, but also reduces the risk of cyber criminals gaining access through compromised accounts.
Update data security policies
Given the continuous evolution of threats, data security policies easily become obsolete. It is therefore imperative that organisations establish a recurrent process of updating these policies to incorporate the latest technologies and procedures. In addition to adapting to changes in the technology environment, security policy updates also allow organisations to incorporate new regulatory requirements, organisational growth and change, and reviews following a security incident.
Cyber-intelligence for the prevention of data leaks
Cyber Intelligence is an essential tool for the prevention and localisation of corporate data breaches, providing the information needed to understand, mitigate and respond to threats. It enables organisations to identify and monitor suspicious activities, both internal and external, that may indicate potential or actual activity to access, extract or leak sensitive information. Cyber Intelligence is based on the collection and analysis of information about potential threats in cyberspace. It includes the identification of suspicious behaviour patterns, the detection of open security holes and exposed vulnerabilities and the prediction of future threats. This enables organisations to adopt a proactive, risk-based security approach to protect their sensitive data. One of the main advantages of Cyber Intelligence is its ability to provide a real-time view of security threats. In this way, it enables organisations to respond quickly to threats, thus minimising the impact of any data leakage. In addition, Cyber Intelligence helps organisations to better understand the threat landscape. This includes identifying threat actors, their tactics, techniques and procedures, and the types of data they are seeking. With this information, companies can develop more effective defence strategies. By incorporating Cyber Intelligence into their data cybersecurity strategy and combining advanced analytics, constant monitoring and security best practices, organisations significantly strengthen their defence posture against data breaches.
Protect your organisation's data with Kartos By Enthec
The Kartos By Enthec helps you protect your organization's data thanks to continuous, real-time automated monitoring of the external attack surface.
Using Artificial Intelligence developed in-house, the Kartos XTI Watchbots Cyber Intelligence platform can detect in real time any corporate data leak, both its own and that of your third parties, issue an alert, and locate the vulnerability that caused it.
Don't wait any longer to protect your data and negate the consequences of any leak. Contact us to learn about our solutions.