In this post, you will learn everything about vulnerabilities in cybersecurity. Including what the most common are, how you can close this unwanted open door without spending too much money, and more. 

Let’s get to it. 

What is a vulnerability in cybersecurity? 

A vulnerability in cybersecurity is like a weakness or a hole in a wall that protects your computer or online information. Cybercriminals can use these exploits to access personal information, steal sensitive company data, take control of a device, or launch massive attacks, such as ransomware. 

An example of a vulnerability is a misconfiguration on a system that someone with malicious intent can exploit for personal gain.

For example, imagine you have a lock on your front door to keep your house safe. But, if someone made a mistake installing the lock or the key is easy to copy, it becomes a vulnerability that a thief can exploit to break into your house. Now imagine you are not aware of these problems. That means that someone that knows can come and go into your home as they please, and you would never have a clue.

In the same way, if a website or software has a vulnerability, a hacker can use it to gain access to sensitive information or take control of the system. Likewise, you would have no clue what is happening, until it’s too late.

Almost all technology has some vulnerability, from smartphones your employees use, to the software that runs your network. Cybercriminals are always finding new vulnerabilities, so it is crucial to stay vigilant and act quickly to protect your information, staying one step ahead of hackers before they can break into your home.

Why are companies’ websites vulnerable? 

Company websites can be vulnerable to cyber attacks for a variety of reasons. Some examples are: 

1. Outdated software: Websites that are not regularly updated may be using outdated software that has known vulnerabilities that can be exploited by hackers.
2. Compromised passwords: Some websites may have weak or easily guessable passwords, making it easy for hackers to gain access. In other cases, the passwords are not stored correctly, being exposed by hackers to find them. And to top it off, data breaches might contain passwords that can still be used to log into a service. 
3. Lack of security measures: Some companies may not have adequate security measures in place to protect their websites from cyber attacks.
4. Third-party vulnerabilities: This is a big one, that even big companies are vulnerable to. Websites that use third-party plug-ins or other software may be vulnerable if those third-party providers have security vulnerabilities.

It all comes down to this: hackers are betting that most companies will not have the time, or the money, to keep up-to-date on their cybersecurity. After all, expert professionals can be quite expensive.

How do hackers exchange information about vulnerabilities?

To make matters worse, not only these vulnerabilities exist, but hackers exchange information about them and even sell this information to other hacker groups. This level of organization and information sharing is unprecedented, highlighting the danger even more. Here are a few methods that hackers use to share intel: 

1. Online forums: Hackers may use online forums and message boards to share information about vulnerabilities and exploit code.
2. Dark web and Deep web: Hackers may use the dark web and deep web to share information about vulnerabilities, exploit code, and other hacking tools.
3. Social media: Hackers may use social media platforms to share information about vulnerabilities and exploit code.
4. Private channels: Hackers may also use private channels, such as encrypted messaging apps, to share information about vulnerabilities with other hackers, making it almost impossible to track.
5. Vulnerability markets: Some hackers may sell information about vulnerabilities to other hackers or to organizations that will pay for the information.

That means that when one vulnerability is discovered, almost instantly, every hacker in the world can have access to that information, conducting attacks on their own. That makes it sound almost impossible to stay on top of these vulnerabilities, right? Not really. 

Fortunately, there are ways to fight them, with minimal effort, and without breaking the bank. 

Let’s get to them. 

What is the CVE? 

The Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE) is a system for identifying and cataloging known security vulnerabilities in software and other systems. The goal of the CVE is to provide a standard way to describe and identify these vulnerabilities so that they can be easily tracked and managed.

A CVE entry will typically include a description of the vulnerability, the affected software or system, and any known exploit code or attack methods. The entry may also include information on the impact of the vulnerability, such as the potential for data loss or unauthorized access, and the severity of the vulnerability, such as whether it can be used to take control of a system.

The CVE system is maintained by the MITRE Corporation, a non-profit organization, and is sponsored by the US government. The CVE is a widely used system and it is important for software vendors, security researchers, and other stakeholders to use the system to ensure that vulnerabilities are accurately and consistently identified.

When a software vendor or researcher identifies a new vulnerability, they will typically submit a request to MITRE to create a new CVE entry for that vulnerability. This allows other organizations to easily track and manage the vulnerability, and to take appropriate action to protect their systems and data.

To summarize, the CVE acts to counterbalance the hacker information trade machine. While they trade and gather information for attacks, the CVE (and other methods) provide information for defensive purposes. 

10 common vulnerabilities on websites

The CVE has cataloged over 200.000 known vulnerabilities. That is an astounding number, but with the help of an automated tool and a little prioritization, a company can manage without spening much and without a deticated team of cybersecurity experts. 

To get a little more practical, we have a few examples of common vulnerabilities, and what they mean: 

Injection attacks

Injection attacks occur when an attacker can insert malicious code into a web application, allowing them to access or modify sensitive data. This can include SQL injection, where an attacker inserts malicious SQL code into a web application, and command injection, where an attacker inserts malicious commands into a web application.

Cross-site scripting (XSS)

XSS attacks occur when an attacker can inject malicious code into a web page viewed by other users. This allows the attacker to steal user data, such as cookies and session tokens, and perform other malicious actions.

Broken authentication and session management

This occurs when an attacker can gain unauthorized access to a user’s account by exploiting weaknesses in the authentication and session management systems of a web application.

Insecure direct object references

This occurs when a web application references an internal object, such as a file or database record, using user-supplied input without proper validation. This can allow an attacker to access or modify sensitive data.

Vulnerabilities in security misconfiguration

This occurs when a web application or the underlying server is not configured securely, leaving it vulnerable to attack. This can include issues such as leaving default accounts and passwords in place, and not properly securing configuration files.

Vulnerabilities in Sensitive data exposure

This occurs when a web application does not properly protect sensitive data, such as credit card numbers and personal information. This can include issues such as storing data in plain text or using weak encryption.

Cross-site request forgery (CSRF)

This occurs when an attacker can trick a user into using a web application without their knowledge or consent. This can include actions such as changing a password or making a purchase.

Using components with known vulnerabilities

This occurs when a web application uses components, such as libraries and frameworks, that have known vulnerabilities. This can include issues such as using an outdated version of a library with known security issues.

Unvalidated inputs

This occurs when a web application does not properly validate user-supplied input, allowing an attacker to inject malicious code or perform other malicious actions.

Failure to restrict URL access

This occurs when a web application does not properly restrict access to sensitive URLs or pages, allowing an attacker to gain unauthorized access to sensitive data or perform other malicious actions.

How can a business find and manage vulnerabilities? 

Even with every tool at their disposal, businesses still have a hard time maintaining their online perimeter secure. That is perfectly understandable, considering how many digital tools a company uses, especially since each one of them might contain multiple exploits. The great news is that it’s possible to know all vulnerabilities without spending much and without a big dedicated cybersecurity team. 

For instance, a small business can find and manage vulnerabilities on its website by using a vulnerability scanner, which is a software tool that automatically checks for known vulnerabilities in web applications and their underlying systems. These scanners can check for a wide range of issues, including SQL injection, cross-site scripting, and insecure file permissions.

Once you have identified all vulnerabilities, the next step is to prioritize them based on their potential impact and ease of exploitation. The business can then develop and implement a plan to address the vulnerabilities, which may include patching or upgrading software, modifying configurations, or implementing additional security controls. 

Overall, regular monitoring and maintenance are key to managing vulnerabilities on a website.

Conclusion

In conclusion, identifying and managing vulnerabilities on a website is an essential part of maintaining the online security of your business. By using vulnerability scanners, prioritizing vulnerabilities based on potential impact, and implementing a plan to address them, you can help protect your website and your business from potential attacks, without spending too much money or overworking your IT team. You also don’t need a big team of cybersecurity experts to keep your company safe. 

It is also important to remember that website security is an ongoing process. Regular monitoring and maintenance are crucial to ensure the business has total visibility on any new vulnerability and that you have dealt with all previously known exploits. With the right tools and approach, you can help keep your website and business safe with less effort than you can imagine.

Want to know more?

Learn more about how leaks and data breaches can be harmful?
Check out this other post we commented on the subject:

Leaks and Breaches: The What, How… and Why You Must Protect Yourself!

The good news is that there are ways to recover lost photos on cell phones. The bad news is that this doesn’t always work, as the more time it takes to recover, the greater the chances that the photo is lost. With that in mind, let’s get to the tips. 

1 – Use Google Photos

Starting with the easiest way, Google Photos is the Android system that helps you control your photos. That can be the default setting, which makes your life much easier. 

Automatic and manual backup in Google Photos

The first step is to activate the automatic synchronization feature. That will sync all photos to the cloud, so even if you delete one from your cell phone, you can recover it on Google Photos. Let’s see how to activate synchronization: 

1. Open the Google Photos app on your smartphone;
2. Log in to your Google account if necessary;
3. Tap your profile picture or the first letter of your name, which is in the upper right corner of the screen;
4. Select the Google Photos Settings and then the Backup option;
5. Tap Backup to enable or disable this functionality. 

With this, every photo you take will automatically go to the cloud. However, you have to be careful as only 15GB of space is available for photo storage for free. Depending on how many photos you take, that may not be enough. 

Another option is to do this manually, backing up each photo individually. The process is similar and also quite simple: 

1. Open the Google Photos app on your smartphone;
2. Log in to your Google account if necessary;
3. Select the photo you want to backup;
4. Choose the Backup option, which is at the top right. 

That gives you more control over your photo backup, even if it takes a little more work. 

Finding items in Google Photos trash

If you already have synchronization active or use Google Photos as a default for photo management, all your deleted photos on Android go to the trash can. That means that recovering them is very simple: 

1. Open the Google Photos app;
2. Select Library and then Trash;
3. Tap and hold the photo you want to restore and click on the Restore option. 

However, there are some Google rules about how long photos stay in the trash. That’s why the more it takes, the greater the difficulty of recovering them. Here are the rules: 

1. More than 60 days in the bin or more than 30 days, in case of phones with Android 11 or newer and without backup;
2. You emptied the trash, or deleted the image permanently; 
3. The picture was deleted directly from the gallery without having been backed up to Google Photos.

2 – Use a photo recovery app

Didn’t find deleted photos on Android by Google Photos? Then you can use a photo recovery app. There are some options, such as DiskDigger or MobiSaver.

These apps work similarly, with a mix of free and paid versions. For example, DiskDigger only allows you to recover photos for free. Check out a very quick step-by-step on how to use DiskDigger: 

1. Download and open the app and start a basic photo scan;
2. After some time, which can take up to a few minutes, the application returns a list of possible recoverable photos;
3. Click on the ones you want to recover and choose a place to save them.

3 – Recover photos via PC with a recovery program

A similar option is to use a recovery program on the PC, such as RecoveryAndroid. In addition to the program, you will also need a USB cable to connect your cell phone to your computer or notebook. 

1. Install RecoveryAndroid or another similar program;
2. Connect the cell phone to the PC or notebook with the USB cable;
3. The program automatically recognizes the cell phone and maps files and photos found. 
4. Choose the items you want to recover to finish the process. 

4 – Avoid deleting photos on Android to have more space [extra tip]

Finally, if you have the habit of deleting photos on Android to have more space on your cell phone, dfndr security can help you. Much more than an antivirus, the app has several features that help with performance, such as more battery, more space, more memory and several others. 

Two features in particular help a lot to optimize the space in the photo gallery. The first is the duplicate photos feature, which recognizes duplicate photos and helps you delete them, preventing you from accidentally deleting more important ones. In addition, you can activate the gallery assistant, which will make recommendations for you to always have space on your cell phone for new photos. 

Do you want to know more about this and other dfndr security features? So go to the Google Play Store and check it out! 

How does this scam work?
Emilio Simoni, director of the dfndr lab, explains the scheme: “With the intention of deceiving Netflix customers, scammers steal the name and graphics of the well-known streaming platform. They approach their victims through emails with a malicious link, which directs them to a fake website posing as the official Netflix website. By clicking on this link, the victim is tricked into providing personal and credit card details for a supposed registration update. Those who provide this information hand over their sensitive data to scammers, making them likely victims of bank fraud “.

How to protect yourself from this type of digital scam:
The experts at dfndr lab list some precautions that everyone should take to avoid falling into phishing scams (malicious links):

1 – Use mobile security solutions that offer protection against digital threats. dfndr security, for example, sends security alerts in real-time to its users whenever they receive a malicious link or fake news, whether it’s on Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, via SMS, or in the browser.

2 – Always search and check to assure you’re on the official website for every company when you receive information through the Internet. Be wary of promotions, sensational news, discounts — and any administrative action that requires you to re-furnish personal / financial information.

3 – Be careful when clicking on links shared through Facebook, TikTok, and other social networks. Also be especially wary of any unknown email contacts. Don’t provide personal information to websites unless you’re certain of their authenticity.

4 – When in doubt, it is possible to check if a link is fake on the dfndr lab website. Checking the links notifies you in a few seconds whether a website may offer any malicious features.

“Credential stuffing” is the technique that’s used to take vast amounts of leaked data and use it to gain entry to sites that can provide immediate financial rewards, or future leverage for blackmail or other techniques. 

How Credential Stuffing Works

“The process begins with data, usually leaked from large, corporate breaches. But it’s important to note that there’s also a rapidly-growing  secondary market for this data,” says PSafe’s Director of Cybersecurity at dfndr lab, Emilio Simoni. “Now there are even mega-collections — huge aggregations of breached data, that are being re-sold or offered for free downloads on dark web marketplaces.  Some of these have hundreds of millions of password username combinations.”

To bypass web-site security protocols, hackers use tools designed to make attempts appear to be coming from a wide variety of different IP addresses, and simply storm as many commercial sites as they can (where credit card or bank account information, for example, might be stored.  “They may be successful as few as 0.1% of attempts,” Simoni explains, “but when they’re working with hundreds of millions of identity assets, the math works out in their favor.” 

Once the hackers have gained entry, they can take over the account and make use of it, either by using financial resources, or stealing more personal data to use in subsequent attacks.

How To Protect Yourself

As crafty and sophisticated as hackers’ use of technology has become, and as common as major breaches seem to be, the good news about credential stuffing is that it’s relatively easy to protect yourself from damage. “We recommend three fundamental steps to all of our customers,” says Simoni, “practice good password hygiene; use two factor authentication whenever possible, and protect yourself with a solid ID Theft prevention solution.”

Password Hygiene: Never use the same password for more than one site. You can use many free services to generate strong passwords for you, and make sure that your passwords are kept up to date on every site. This way, if a Social Site gets hacked, your password for your bank account isn’t in danger. 

Two Factor Authentication: Most financial and major social sites now offer two-factor authentication (usually with an option to send a code via-text to your phone).  Use these protocols whenever they’re available.

ID Theft Protection: “Having an early warning system for identity thefts and data breaches is a great way to stay ahead of hackers,” Simoni explains. “This is why our dfndr PRO product offers a feature that allows you to scan globally to see if your data has been breached, and lets you know where and when if it does discover a breach.”

With breaches occurring with increasing frequency, perhaps the way to stay ahead of the hacker-security cat-and-mouse game is to have a searchlight ability to know the status of your personal data at any time. With dfndr installed on your phone, you have one free ID Theft scan, so you can test it now if you like.  dfndr security PRO also has other important safety features, like a Safe App Scanner to protect you from malicious (data stealing) apps, and Anti-Theft features that help you locate and control your mobile device if it gets lost or stolen.  

If you want to be fully protected, we suggest that you download dfndr security now. Just click here!

In the meantime, make sure you have strong passwords, and different passwords on every site, and deploy two factor authentication wherever you can.  At Psafe, we’ll continue to keep you apprised of the many ways hackers are trying to make your life miserable — and the best ways you can return the favor!

Strategy for Hacking Email Accounts

Cases involving hacked email are more common than you might think. Emilio Simoni, security expert at dfndr lab, PSafe’s digital security lab, explains that phishing is the most commonly used practice for hacking an email account. 

“Phishing is fake pages that induce the user to provide sensitive data. In this particular case, if a cybercriminal is interested in stealing accounts from an email provider such as Gmail and Hotmail, he or she will create a fake page identical to the original email provider to trick a victim,” explains Simoni.

Generally, phishing attacks are fake campaigns containing misleading promotional messages aimed at stealing access credentials such as logins and passwords. “To attack, hackers mass-mail these campaigns through email and SMS to reach the largest number of users,” reports Simoni.

Risks to Users

Email is the “gateway” to other services on the internet. So, if one account is hacked, a cybercriminal will be able to change the password of virtually every service logged in to your email. It’s also common for hackers to impersonate a person after gaining access to their email and spreading other cyberattacks through someone’s contact list.

“People often link their mobile phone to an email account and if a hacker gets in, there is full access to a person’s location, photos, and confidential files,” adds Simoni.

How to Tell If Your Email Has Been Hacked

Here are some signs that may indicate that your account has been compromised:

Your Login History
Almost all email providers now have a login history. You can view it and see whether your account is being accessed from an unknown device.

Suspicious Email Logs
Make sure your email spam and inbox contains messages that confirm changes to passwords or logins for websites or apps that you made. 

Check Your Sent Messages
View the log of the last messages sent from your account and check for emails that were not written by you.

Check If Your Credentials Have Been Leaked
You can check if personal data such as email, passwords, or your conversation history has already been exposed on the internet. dfndr security has an Identity Theft feature, which lets you know if your emails or logins were leaked, when it happened, and how it was dispersed. The results are given from a completely thorough search of your email address.

My Email was Hacked, What Now?

Have you noticed strange behavior on your email account? Frank Vieira recommends some actions you should take:

1 – Change your account password immediately.
2 – Disconnect email access to all devices. To do this, go to your account settings and look for Login and/or Security options. Anyone logged in to your email from another mobile phone or computer will be automatically be logged out.
3 – Enable two-factor authentication. This will help you monitor access to your email and provide extra protection for your account.
4 – Download an antivirus on your phone. If your email is linked to your phone, it is essential to check for viruses and malware consistently. dfndr security is able to detect and remove any kind of threat on your phone bu providing real-time protection in messaging apps and browsers. Tap here to download dfndr security.

Is iOS Safe?

Every mobile operating system has its irregularities and flaws. However, many people still believe that iOS is 100% secure and its technology is not affected by scams or malware.

According to Emilio Simoni, director of dfndr lab, PSafe’s digital security lab, says that having an iOS doesn’t mean you can ignore all threats and risks on the internet, such as phishing, malware, and ramsonware. It’s important to know how to protect your iPhone from viruses, circumvent vulnerabilities, and watch over the privacy and security of your data.

According to a Forbes report, a survey revealed that 38% of all iOS apps contain critical vulnerabilities, the vast majority due to inaccuracies found in the early stages of app development. These types of flaws can give opportunities to hackers who are facilitating scams and consequently compromising the protection of Apple users. The number may be shocking, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

Symptoms of a Broken iOS

As the popular phrase says, “Prevention is better than the cure.” We’ve listed 5 characteristics of a broken iOS that are easy to spot:

Your Battery Doesn’t Last Long
When it is noticeable that battery life has shortened significantly with recent use or your iPhone takes longer to fully charge, malware could be a possibility. Another indicator may be if your phone feels unusually warm, which almost always points to software problems. If your device is warming up even without being used, it may mean that a virus is acting in the background.

Phone Performance Diminishes
The presence of malware on any system makes it operate poorly. It’s important to pay attention to any performance issues with your iPhone. Unusual slowdowns, apps that suddenly close or crash excessively are some indications that something is not right.

Your Data Runs Out
If you notice a spike in your data charges, it may be that there are malicious apps that run even with the screen locked, draining data sneakily from your phone.

There’s Non-User Activity
Links, messages, posts, likes, and shares that you did not perform may point to an identity theft case. If a hacker has access to your device, they also have access to all the accounts linked to it.

Phone Makes Strange Sounds
During a call, a compromised iPhone may make strange background noises, often described as echoes, squeaks, or clicks. These sounds can be caused by a weak signal, interference, or the worst scenario possible: someone is listening to your microphone. Be aware of any odd sounds your iPhone makes when not in use.

How to Protect my iOS from Scams

The dfndr lab experts have put together key measures to keep your iPhone safe: 

Choose a Strong Password
Always, always create good passwords for your accounts. They should be alphanumeric (composed of letters, numbers, and symbols). Also, it’s important that you have a different password for each online account. Avoid sequences like “1234abc” or important dates. Security experts also recommend changing your password every 30 days.

Keep Your Operating System Current
It’s essential that iOS is always the latest version, as hackers occasionally encounter exploitable coding flaws, making it easier to access personal data. Apple offers periodic updates as a way to correct these inconsistencies, so in addition to protecting your iPhone from viruses, it also improves performance overall.

Don’t Click on Suspicious Links
Be wary of links that offer great deals and discounts, especially if they are advertised in messaging apps such as WhatsApp. In addition, fake news also presents a certain risk that goes well beyond misinformation. Always research the information to make sure it’s from credible sources. When in doubt, do a link analysis, such as the offered by dfndr lab. The link checker lets you know if a site is dangerous without having to access it.

Use Trusted Antivirus
There is controversy about using security applications for the iPhone. But, according to Simoni, there will always be cybercriminals looking for vulnerabilities, whether on the Android or iOS system. It’s vital to keep a good security system installed on your phone to keep it secure. dfndr security is available for Android and iOS provides several tools to protect you against identity theft, malicious links, scams, and fake websites. You can download dfndr security for free here.