This document provides an overview of cyber security threats and best practices for protecting personal information and devices. It discusses what cyber security is, common threats like malware, hackers, and social engineering, and high profile cyber attacks such as those against Target, iCloud, Ashley Madison, and Sony. The document recommends security best practices like installing operating system and software updates, using antivirus software, implementing strong password management, enabling personal firewalls, and knowing how to identify phishing attempts. It also provides guidance on what to do if a device or account becomes compromised, such as disconnecting from the internet, running antivirus scans, resetting passwords, and contacting authorities in some cases.

1. Travis Good

2. Introduction
 This session will provide you with
suggestions on how to protect your
personal information and devices and
what you need protection from
 Topics:
 What is Cyber Security?
 Threats
 Best Practices & Protecting your identity
 What to look for and what to do if something
goes terribly wrong

3. What is Cyber Security?
 Cyber = Digital
 Protection of information systems from
theft or damage to the hardware, the
software, and the information on them
 Includes disruption or misdirection of the
services they provide

4. What is a Cyber Crime?
 Illegal access
 Illegal Interception
 System Interference
 Data Interference
 Misuse of devices
 Fraud

5. Threats
 Malware
 Hackers
 Social Engineering
 Espionage

6. Malware
 Any software used to disrupt, gather
information, gain access, extort money,
or display advertising
 Viruses, Trojans, Spyware, Worms
 Often disguised as normal files
 Affects all systems – Windows, OS X,
Android, iOS

7. Malware - CryptoLocker

8. Hackers
 “Trespass” into computers or systems
 Use compromised computers to:
 Send spam or viruses
 Gather data
○ Credit Cards, SSNs
 Gather credentials
 Sell access (botnets)

9. Hackers – BotNets
 BotNets are groups of
compromised computers
 Sold on black markets
 Often used in DDoS
attacks
 Average cost is $67
for 24 hours

10. Hackers - BotNets
 Distributed Denial of Service Attacks
disrupt services

11. Social Engineering
 Attacks that rely on human interaction
 Usually revolve around tricking people
into performing actions or divulging
information
 Most common attacks:
 Baiting – real-world Trojan Horse
 Vishing – calls about a “virus”
 Phishing

12. Phishing
 Emails disguised as an official
notification
 Usually attempt to create a sense of
urgency
 Generally in search of credentials

13. Phishing

14. Espionage
 Governments
 Classified documents & archives
 Strategic plans
 Corruption
 Corporations
 Trade secrets
 R&D of new technology
 Financial data

15. Espionage
 Norse Attack Map
 http://map.norsecorp.com/#/

16. High Profile Attacks
 Target
 Celebrity iCloud
 Ashley Madison
 Sony
 Stuxnet

17. Target Breach – 2013
 Gained credentials via a Phishing
campaign on 3rd party HVAC firm
 Installed malware on thousands of POS
systems for 2 months
 40 million credit and debit cards
 70 million customer records
 50% profit drop that quarter
 CEO and CIO resigned

18. Celebrity iCloud Breach - 2014
 Weakness in iCloud’s API allowed
attackers to make unlimited login
attempts
 Brute-force tools were successful
 Attackers were able to download entire
backups without ever accessing victims’
iPhones
 Backups included documents, contacts,
texts, and pictures

19. Ashley Madison Breach - 2014
 Hacktivists “Impact Team” attacked
because of moral/ethical reasons
 Believed to have gained entry from
former employee
 32 million users’ account details dumped
online
 New websites built specifically to search
through data dump

20. Sony Breach - 2014
 Attackers gained credentials from fake
Apple ID phishing emails
 Many high-level executives used same
passwords
 Once in, attackers spread across
network with new “Wiper” malware
 Attackers had access for more than a
year, stole 100 terabytes of data
 Connected to North Korean government

21. Stuxnet - 2009
 Believed to be world’s first
“cyberweapon” with physical fallout
 Developed by US & Israeli governments
 Specialized worm developed to
sabotage Iranian nuclear program
 Targeted computer systems controlling
uranium centrifuges
 Destroyed over 1,000 centrifuges, set
back program by 2 years

22. Best Practices
 Install OS/Software Updates
 Run Anti-Virus Software
 Practice Good Password Management
 Turn On Personal Firewalls
 Know How To Spot a Phish

23. Install Updates
 80% of exploit instances are crimes of
opportunity
 70% of last year’s breaches exploited a
known vulnerability at least 1 year old
 Always Update Windows and OS X
 Commonly exploited programs:
 Java
 Adobe Flash Player
 IE & Safari

24. Automatic Updates -
Windows

25. Automatic Updates – OS X

26. Run Anti-Virus Software
 Over 100,000 known variants of
malware across all operating systems
 Antivirus Firms give each variant a
unique identifier called a “signature”
 Antivirus programs detect programs
based on these signatures
 Remove viruses
 Quarantine infected files
 Prevents future infections

27. Antivirus Programs
 Avira
 Mac and PC
 Sophos
 Multiple computers from a single interface
 Malwarebytes Anti-Malware
 Good second line of defense

28. Password Don’ts
 Never use your name
 Don’t use information about you
 Birthday
 Phone Number
 Location
 Never give your password to anyone at
any time
 Don’t use the same password for
multiple services

29. Password Do’s
 Long password that is easy to
remember
 Length generally the most important factor
 Use upper and lower case
 Use a symbol or a number
 Best method: use a short phrase or
sentence
 Include spaces and punctuation

30. Breaking Passwords
 Brute Force Attack
 aaaaaa, aaaaab, etc.
 Thousands of tries per second
 Dictionary Attack
 Word lists
 Hybrid Attack
 Dictionary + Brute Force

31. Password Strength
 “Buffalo!”
 8 characters
 Upper & Lower case
 Special Character
 Easy to remember
 Strong password?
 Let’s check
○ https://howsecureismypassword.net/

32. Password Strength
 “Buffalo!”

33. Password Strength
 “I love cold beer.”
 17 characters
 Upper & Lower case
 4 special characters
 Easy to remember
 Strong password?

34. Password Strength
 “I love cold beer.”

35. Further Protection
 Two-Factor Authentication
 Combination of 2 forms of identification from
separate categories
 Most common method uses SMS codes

36. Two-Factor Authentication
 Most major sites now offer it as an
optional setting
 Facebook
 Gmail, Yahoo, Microsoft
 Twitter
 Instagram
 Tumblr
 Most Banks

37. Turn On Personal Firewalls
 Protective barriers between computers
and the internet
 Hackers search the internet by sending
out pings and waiting for responses
 Stop your system from replying

38. Enabling Firewall - Windows

39. Enabling Firewall – OS X

40. What To Look For
 Know the signs of being compromised
 If you get an official notice of
compromise, take it seriously
 Pay attention to media reports
 Listen to your gut
 Know how systems and apps run
normally, take notice when they don’t

41. Know How to Spot a Phish

42. Did I Get Owned?
 Signs of compromise:
 Computers
○ Sudden appearance of popups
○ System running very slow
○ Browsers redirecting to weird pages
○ Files corrupt, or simply won’t open
○ Antivirus suddenly disappears or stops
working

43. Did I Get Owned?
 Signs of compromise:
 Accounts
○ Loss of access
○ Strange activity
 Unfamiliar sent items
 Messages disappearing
 Random transactions
- Can be many small purchases or a few large
transfers

44. Okay, I Got Owned.
 What to do if compromised:
 Computer
○ Disconnect from the internet immediately
○ Run anti-virus scans with multiple products
 Use another computer or recruit a friend
○ If the scans find anything, clean and reboot
○ If the scans don’t find anything, backup
personal files and restore to a previous OS
version

45. System Restore - Windows

46. Time Machine – OS X

47. Okay, I Got Owned.
 What to do if compromised:
 Accounts
○ Reset passwords immediately
 Start with email
 If email is compromised, reset all accounts
associated with it
○ Regain access to hacked accounts
 Most sites have means of reclaiming
○ If account is banking related, contact bank
ASAP

48. Okay, I Got Owned.
 What to do if compromised:
 Identity
○ Contact all 3 major credit bureaus: Equifax,
Experian, and TransUnion
 Order credit reports
 File initial fraud alert
○ Contact local police and report identity theft
○ Request all new banking cards
○ Closely monitor future monthly statements
and credit

49. To Summarize
 Cyber Security is critical
 Reliance on technology will continue to
increase
 As security measures become more
effective, so will the threats
○ APTs
 Information is a commodity

50. To Summarize
 Protecting yourself is your responsibility
 Stay up to date
 Practice good password management
 Keep your eye out for strange activity
 If unsure, ask!
○ Google is your friend
○ So am I
 If compromised, act quickly

51. Questions?
 Email me any time!
 tggood@wtamu.edu