The Dangers of WiFi

General Security Issues Ransomware, Phishing and other Malware Security Tools The Dangers of WiFi

Remote Working and Encryption

This is a subject that I tend to jump on every so often, because it’s one that people just don’t seem to get.  Whether it’s working from home, from a coffee shop, airport, railway station etc, there is this perception that it’s safe because you’re connected via VPN, or perhaps some other form of application which encrypts data in transit.  Well, let’s explore this subject a bit further.

There is no doubt that the propensity for working from home, or other remote locations, since COVID has introduced some very difficult, or at least challenging, security vulnerabilities into your network.  For instance, prior to the pandemic, when you were 100% office based (except perhaps some mobile salespeople), your local IT provider will have almost certainly set up what we called the bastion security model.  Ie, like a castle, a bastion, you had a wall around you, and for belt and braces, you also had a moat.  The gateway was robust, had a drawbridge and portcullis, or let’s call it a secure firewall and anti-malware system.  Everything was locked up inside and nice and secure (in fact it probably wasn’t but that’s for another day).

Whilst Microsoft didn’t invent the term the ‘new normal’, they were the first, I believe, to apply it to IT, following the enforced change in working practices brought about by the pandemic.  Many companies have embraced this new normal and have settled into some form of hybrid working.  Of course, this is nothing new, it’s been ‘a thing’ for years now, certainly regarding corporate organisations.  The real change came about in SMEs for whom it really was quite revolutionary.  Corporate bodies will have spent a lot of money on a variety or remote access systems to keep their data secure, whilst SMEs not only had to rush unprepared because of the pandemic, but they simply didn’t have the budget to employ more secure connections.

What the pandemic has done is change that, or perhaps arguably, accelerated the change to a more distributed way of working, already underway in corporate organisations but now common amongst SMEs.  What does that mean for us?  Firstly, we have to re-think how we are going to work.  We start from a position where we still have preexisting tech, such as VPNs and whole disk encryption, to tackle modern and evolving issues.

So, what about VPNs?  What are they?  A VPN, or Virtual Private Network, is a service that creates a secure, encrypted connection between your device and the internet. This private “tunnel” protects your data and hides your IP address, effectively masking your online identity and activity.  It works by allowing you to connect to the internet via an encrypted tunnel to a VPN server, which then forwards your requests to the website or service you’re accessing.  The benefits are that it protects your data from being accessed by hackers or eavesdroppers, especially on public WIFI. It masks your IP address and replaces it with one from the VPN server, so it’s harder for websites, advertisers, or even your ISP (Internet Service Provider) to track your online activity.  It’s particularly useful when working from insecure public WIFI but should also be used when working from home.

VPNs are available as standalone apps and more often now, incorporated into other applications, particularly those used to connect to cloud services.

All good, right?  Well yes, anything that helps secure your data is a good thing.  But like all good things it has some downsides.  A VPN does help protect data in transit over an insecure WIFI connection by encrypting the data you send and receive over the internet. This means that if you’re connected to an insecure WIFI network (like in a coffee shop or airport), the VPN will prevent anyone from intercepting and reading your internet traffic.

However, a VPN does not protect data stored locally on your laptop. Files or personal information saved directly on your hard drive are not protected by the VPN. To secure the data on your laptop, you may want to consider using additional protections such as some sort of full disk encryption (BitLocker for Windows or FileVault for macOS are standard with the operating systems) to protect data at rest.  And you should be using strong passwords and multi-factor authentication.

So, what I’m saying here is that should someone manage to gain access to your end point ie your laptop, desktop, even your phone, then your VPN is not going to protect you. 

Let’s now talk a bit more about Bitlocker and FileVault.  BitLocker, Microsoft’s disk encryption tool, provides robust security when configured properly (but I make the point here that it’s often not only incorrectly configured but isn’t even in use, making it pointless). And, like all encryption systems, its security depends on several factors, including the version of BitLocker, implementation practices, and potential vulnerabilities in the system environment. Bitlocker uses strong encryption, either AES 128 or 256 Bit, both of which are considered secure. 

FileVault is the MacOS equivalent of Bitlocker (roughly) and is considered secure and built into the MacOS and is very easy to switch on.  It too offers full disk encryption using AES 128 or 256 Bit.  Once again though it is often not in use by Mac users, many of whom don’t even know it exists.

Are there any drawbacks to whole disk encryption?  Will it protect me against things like ransomware?  Whole disk encryption is designed to secure data at rest by preventing unauthorised access to data on a physical storage device (e.g., in case the device is lost or stolen).  The problem is that once the machine is booted up, using the correct authentication, the disk is unencrypted, allowing you access to the data.  So, the answer to the specific question re ransomware is that such an attack is typically not mitigated by this kind of encryption because:

  • Ransomware Operates at the OS Level: Once a device is booted up and the encrypted disk is unlocked (usually via user login), ransomware can interact with files just like any other software. Since the operating system has access to the data, the ransomware does as well.
  • Ransomware Encrypts Data Independently: Ransomware generally works by encrypting the contents of individual files or directories (not the entire disk), effectively “locking” them within the already-decrypted environment. BitLocker, or any full disk encryption, won’t stop ransomware from doing this, as it doesn’t interfere with file operations once the system is unlocked.
  • No Version Control or Rollback: Whole disk encryption solutions don’t provide a way to revert to previous file versions or recover from ransomware encryption. This is where regular backups (stored separately from the network) play a critical role in protecting against ransomware.

You’re being careful, you have a VPN, and you have Bitlocker configured on your laptop.  You’re feeling nice and secure and have no issues using the local Coffee Shop or your home WIFI.  Your connection to your cloud service is secure and all your data in transit is encrypted.  Even your email is going via a secure tunnel.  All is good with the world.  Except of course that as soon as you logged on your whole disk encryption is switched off and your data is vulnerable even before you transmit it.  Any data you download to work on likewise becomes vulnerable as soon as it lands on your laptop.

Earlier I argued that VPNs were old tech being used to combat modern threats and a different way of working.  Does that mean that I think the VPN is no longer useful and is going out of style.  No of course not, VPNs have a very real place in our security architectures and that won’t go away anytime soon.  But they, like the vulnerabilities they are trying to mitigate, have to evolve and keep pace with present day and future realities.

VPNs, whether stand alone, or incorporated into another technology are great at securing data in transit.  What about your data at rest?  The best VPN in the world won’t protect you from someone who is determined to get in and steal your data or install ransomware.  The problem for SMEs is the same that it pretty much always has been.  Cost.  Can they afford a system that will protect their data and stop it being lost, stolen or ransomed. 

What has long been needed is a simple, flexible and intuitive security solution. We believe we have found such a system that protects your company against all known threats, and puts you firmly in control of your data, working automatically 24/7 to identify and safeguard your sensitive information.

Delivering multi-level protection, it provides real time control over all sensitive data. You can identify and solve every problem with a single click of your mouse!  Instead of whole disk encryption, which is decrypted as soon as you log on, it provides file level encryption which allows authorised users access but no one else.  But it does more, it locates all your data, allows you to decide what is, and what is not, sensitive, and provides subscription pricing for a fully managed solution. 

It’s a system that is designed specifically for SMEs and is therefore appropriate to you, and affordable.  To prove that we offer a 30-day free trial so that you can see it for yourself.  Check it out at https://hah2.co.uk/gdpr-data-protection/.

Cyber Awareness Training General Security Issues Ransomware, Phishing and other Malware Security Tools The Dangers of WiFi

Can Remote Working be Dangerous?

Well frankly, yes it can be dangerous.  There is a myriad of issues which have sprung out of remote working since COVID, with many SMEs, now operating a hybrid working scenario, although in my experience, certainly amongst my customer base, there are very few going 100% remote.

Businesses of all sizes have been forced to transform their operations to support remote work and by and large have done well, but not without many challenges—including video conferencing burn out, (along with wishing they’d taken out shares in Zoom!!), and a yearning to work together in person again, someday.  We all realise that group working, face to face, is often necessary not just for efficiency, but because we are social animals.  Experience has taught many businesses many things, but strangely, to my mind at least, many have simply not grasped the potentially dire consequences in terms of cyber security and data protection.

A distributed work environment i.e., personnel spread around various locations, office, home working, even the local coffee shop, creates critical challenges and new security threats as a result.  The speed with which this has happened has meant that many simply did not take this into account and if they did, thought, well, this is temporary, and it won’t matter in the long run.  Well perhaps, but as many are now finding, there have been advantages to home working, not least a lowering of costs in terms of how much office space is needed to carry out the business function.  Many are now looking at Hybrid working i.e., from home with a day or two in the office during the week.  There are pros and cons to this outside of the scope of this article, and businesses will have to make their own judgements, but one thing is clear and that is that businesses need to understand the risks now inherent in distributed work and need to get better at cyber security and data protection, in those environments.

Employees when remote working, are at much greater risk than those in offices. Since home connections are less secure, cybercriminals have an easier entry into the company network.  Furthermore, the explosion of various online tools, solutions, and services for collaboration and productivity tend to have the bare minimum of security default setting, and updates from third-party vendors can change security preferences and be easily overlooked.

Phishing becomes an even greater threat to home workers simply because, in an office environment, they have access to colleagues and managers, who they can approach for advice and guidance.  This is much harder to replicate with remote workers, especially those who may not be particularly tech savvy and who may not wish to become ‘burdensome’ to their co-workers.

Ransomware also enjoys an advantage in the remote working model.  If their connection to the company is blocked, it is more difficult for workers to get assistance from the right experts and authorities.  And since trust levels are lower when working from home, some workers will be concerned that they have “done something wrong” and so may be more reluctant to seek help. While this risk can be addressed by increased training, as well as messaging that vigilance and involving corporate IT will be rewarded, it can still be an uphill battle.

One of the biggest dangers I still see day to day is the dangers inherent in working from the local coffee shop.  This is a subject that I tend to jump on every so often, because it’s one that people just don’t seem to get.  Whenever I drop into a coffee shop for my caffeine infusion, there are usually at least a couple of people with their laptops open, working away on business issues.  I could see open spreadsheets (and easy to read if you were sitting behind them), and all have their email open.  They are often on a video call, and I can often hear all their side of the conversation, annoying enough for other café users but they are oblivious of the data being released into the wild.

If you are among those free Wi-Fi lovers, there’s bad news for you… your online privacy and security is at risk, if you rely on the weak to non-existent Wi-Fi security protocolsat coffee shops.  This means that you could be exposed to various threats such as identity theft which has over 15 million cases each year, data theft/breaches, introducing malware to your business network and that of your customers/suppliers.  This list is not exhaustive.

Free or public Wi-Fi’s are hotspots for hackers and data snoopers who want to steal your private data or financial information. It is easy for hackers to do that nowadays. You will be surprised to know the different ways hackers can compromise your device or your private information and why you shouldn’t rely on Wi-Fi security at coffee shops as they come with a lot of risk.

  • Unencrypted Data Exposure: If the Wi-Fi network is not encrypted, your sensitive information (e.g., passwords, emails, and financial data) can be intercepted by hackers using packet-sniffing tools.
  • Man-in-the-Middle Attacks: Hackers can position themselves between you and the network, intercepting and potentially altering the communication between your device and the server, leading to data theft or manipulation.
  • Fake Hotspots (Evil Twin Attacks): Cybercriminals may create a rogue Wi-Fi network that mimics the coffee shop’s legitimate network. If you connect to it, they can access all the data transmitted over the connection.
  • Malware Injection: Open networks can allow hackers to inject malware or viruses onto your device, which can lead to long-term breaches of your data or systems.
  • Session Hijacking: Attackers can intercept your session cookies, giving them access to your accounts, even if you’re using secure websites.
  • To mitigate these risks, use a VPN, avoid sensitive transactions, and ensure your firewall and antivirus software are active.  Although a VPN may not save your data if it’s stored on your laptop.

We are huge supporters of Cyber Awareness training for managers and staff, arguing that this is no longer a ‘nice to have’ and is now very much a necessity.  In fact, it is arguably the biggest quick win, giving the greatest potential return on investment that there is.  Of course, this means that companies must understand what their threats, vulnerabilities and risks are, to assess exactly what training is going to be the most effective.

But that alone won’t save you from a dedicated hacker.  We need to look at some more technical solutions to help you beat attacks.  Here at H2 we have researched and developed services using Software as a Service (SaaS), which, being cloud based, work wherever you are, office, home or coffee shop, and encrypts your most sensitive data whether on your machine, or in transit. 

If you feel a no obligation chat about this would be helpful, give us a call.

The Dangers of WiFi

The dangers of Wi-Fi in your local coffee shop

This is a subject that I tend to jump on every so often, because it’s one that people just don’t seem to get. I dropped into a coffee shop yesterday for my caffeine infusion, and there were a couple of people with their laptops open, working away on business issues. I could see open spreadsheets (and easy to read if you were sitting behind them), and all had their email open. One was on a video call, and I heard all of her side of the conversation, annoying enough for other café users but she wasn’t aware of the data she was releasing into the wild, at all.

Of course, this is nothing new, it’s been ‘a thing’ for years now, but is it a safe thing to be doing?  A recent survey suggests that a high proportion of the connections to unsecured Wi-Fi networks result in hacking incidents, often from working in coffee shops, restaurants, airports, and other public places.

If you are among those Wi-Fi lovers, there’s bad news for you… your online privacy and security is at risk, as long as you rely on the weak to non-existent Wi-Fi security protocols at coffee shops.  This means that you could be exposed to various threats such as identity theft which has over 15 million cases each year, data theft/breaches, introducing malware to your business network and that of your customers/suppliers.  This list is not exhaustive.

Free or public Wi-Fi’s are hotspots for hackers and data snoopers who want to steal your private data or financial information. Needless to say, it is pretty easy for hackers to do that nowadays. You will be surprised to know the different ways hackers can compromise your device or your private information and why you shouldn’t rely on Wi-Fi security at coffee shops as they come with a lot of risk.

One of the favourites is the Man-In-The-Middle attack.  As the name suggests, it is a type of attack where the attacker intercepts a transmission between two parties by inserting himself / herself between your network connection and the server. Quite easy to do with limited or no security on the Wi-Fi router.  The attacker can record the data for later viewing and even change or modify it.

MITM attacks are usually caused by exploiting vulnerabilities, through malware or malicious tools like “hotspot honeypot.”  An MITM attack is perhaps the most common type of Wi-Fi attack. In fact, a security survey of 500 CIOs and IT decision makers from 5 countries, conducted by iPass on Mobile Security, reveals that MITM poses the greatest threat to mobile security.

Another favourite is the Network scanner.  The Internet is brimming with network scanning tools that are built to compromise networks or devices.  They work by:

  • Mapping the network to find all the devices that are connected to it
  • Retrieve details regarding the operating system and find vulnerabilities like open ports
  • Using the open ports, the hacker would try to directly connect to the device through any means necessary such as password cracking

There is evidence to suggest that hotspot spoofing is the third greatest threat (after lack of encryption – almost never implemented in coffee shops) when it comes to mobile security.  Wi-Fi lovers wouldn’t think twice what network they are connecting to and whether the network is safe or not.

Hackers are well aware of the psychology of Wi-Fi users and they exploit it by creating spoofed hotspots.  These hotspots may have the label of the coffee shop, but in reality, they are fake networks created by hackers.  When you join a fake or malicious hotspot, the attacker can trick you into using your credentials on fake websites or to gain access to your company network. For instance, when you try to purchase something online using your credit card, the hacker might create a fake website and retrieve your credit card number.

With such details in wrong hands, you might fall victim to threats like identity theft. The following could potentially happen:

  • The cybercriminal can use your national insurance number to get a job or apply for benefits
  • Take loans out in your name
  • Rent properties, even get a mortgage
  • Get access to your company network and install back doors, false identities etc to enable them to return time and again

Coffee shops are the most popular spots for people to sit and relax, drink coffee or eat their preferred food items. Perhaps their popularity is what makes them dangerous when it comes to mobile security.  When you rely too much on the Wi-Fi security at coffee shops, you fall into the traps that hackers have laid out for you.

Coffee shops may be considered as dangerous venues when it comes to your online security. However, it doesn’t necessarily need to be!  Security awareness amongst employees and individuals is of paramount importance, and there are a number of technical implementations that can be undertaken to allow for this practice to continue safely.

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