Republic of the Philippines

UNIVERSITY OF NORTHERN PHILIPPINES

Tamag, Vigan City
2700 Ilocos Sur
College of Nursing

MODUL
E 3LESSON 2: Internet
and Network
Threats, Issues and
Defenses
ASSIGNMENT NO. 10

Macaraeg, Andrei Lord S.

BSN-1A

14 December 2021

IT100
Think Question #1
Does a list of known malwares exist? Explain further. Search for: malware list

 Ransomware
Ransomware is software that uses encryption to disable a target’s access to its data until a
ransom is paid. The victim organization is rendered partially or totally unable to operate until
it pays, but there is no guarantee that payment will result in the necessary decryption key or
that the decryption key provided will function properly.
Ransomware Example:
This year, the city of Baltimore was hit by a type of ransomware named RobbinHood, which
halted all city activities, including tax collection, property transfers, and government email
for weeks. This attack has cost the city more than $18 million so far, and costs continue to
accrue. The same type of malware was used against the city of Atlanta in 2018, resulting in
costs of $17 million.

 Fileless Malware
Fileless malware doesn’t install anything initially, instead, it makes changes to files that are
native to the operating system, such as PowerShell or WMI. Because the operating system
recognizes the edited files as legitimate, a fileless attack is not caught by antivirus software
— and because these attacks are stealthy, they are up to ten times more successful than
traditional malware attacks.
Fileless Malware Example:
Astaroth is a fileless malware campaign that spammed users with links to a .LNK shortcut
file. When users downloaded the file, a WMIC tool was launched, along with a number of
other legitimate Windows tools. These tools downloaded additional code that was executed
only in memory, leaving no evidence that could be detected by vulnerability scanners. Then
the attacker downloaded and ran a Trojan that stole credentials and uploaded them to a
remote server.

 Spyware
Spyware collects information about users’ activities without their knowledge or consent. This
can include passwords, pins, payment information and unstructured messages.
The use of spyware is not limited to the desktop browser: it can also operate in a critical app
or on a mobile phone.
Even if the data stolen is not critical, the effects of spyware often ripple throughout the
organization as performance is degraded and productivity eroded.
Spyware Example:
DarkHotel, which targeted business and government leaders using hotel WIFI, used several
types of malwares in order to gain access to the systems belonging to specific powerful
people. Once that access was gained, the attackers installed keyloggers to capture their targets
passwords and other sensitive information.

 Adware
Adware tracks a user’s surfing activity to determine which ads to serve them. Although
adware is similar to spyware, it does not install any software on a user’s computer, nor does it
capture keystrokes.
The danger in adware is the erosion of a user’s privacy — the data captured by adware is
collated with data captured, overtly or covertly, about the user’s activity elsewhere on the
internet and used to create a profile of that person who includes who their friends are, what
they’ve purchased, where they’ve traveled, and more. That information can be shared or sold
to advertisers without the user’s consent.
Adware Example:
Adware called Fireball infected 250 million computers and devices in 2017, hijacking
browsers to change default search engines and track web activity. However, the malware had
the potential to become more than a mere nuisance. Three-quarters of it was able to run code
remotely and download malicious files.

 Trojan
A Trojan disguise itself as desirable code or software. Once downloaded by unsuspecting
users, the Trojan can take control of victims’ systems for malicious purposes. Trojans may
hide in games, apps, or even software patches, or they may be embedded in attachments
included in phishing emails.
Trojan Example:
Emotet is a sophisticated banking trojan that has been around since 2014. It is hard to fight
Emotet because it evades signature-based detection, is persistent, and includes spreader
modules that help it propagate. The trojan is so widespread that it is the subject of a US
Department of Homeland Security alert, which notes that Emotet has cost state, local, tribal
and territorial governments up to $1 million per incident to remediate.

 Worms
Worms target vulnerabilities in operating systems to install themselves into networks. They
may gain access in several ways: through backdoors built into software, through
unintentional software vulnerabilities, or through flash drives. Once in place, worms can be
used by malicious actors to launch DDoS attacks, steal sensitive data, or conduct ransomware
attacks.
Worm Example:
Stuxnet was probably developed by the US and Israeli intelligence forces with the intent of
setting back Iran’s nuclear program. It was introduced into Iran’s environment through a flash
drive. Because the environment was air-gapped, its creators never thought Stuxnet would
escape its target’s network — but it did. Once in the wild, Stuxnet spread aggressively but did
little damage, since its only function was to interfere with industrial controllers that managed
the uranium enrichment process.

 Virus
A virus is a piece of code that inserts itself into an application and executes when the app is
run. Once inside a network, a virus may be used to steal sensitive data, launch DDoS attacks
or conduct ransomware attacks.

Viruses vs. Trojans

A virus cannot execute or reproduce unless the app it has infected is running. This
dependence on a host application makes viruses different from trojans, which require users to
download them, and worms, which do not use applications to execute. Many instances of
malware fit into multiple categories: for instance, Stuxnet is a worm, a virus and a rootkit.

 Rootkits
A rootkit is software that gives malicious actors remote control of a victim’s computer with
full administrative privileges. Rootkits can be injected into applications, kernels, hypervisors,
or firmware. They spread through phishing, malicious attachments, malicious downloads, and
compromised shared drives. Rootkits can also be used to conceal other malware, such as
keyloggers.
Rootkit Example:
Zacinlo infects systems when users download a fake VPN app. Once installed, Zacinlo
conducts a security sweep for competing malware and tries to remove it. Then it opens
invisible browsers and interacts with content like a human would — by scrolling,
highlighting and clicking. This activity is meant to fool behavioral analysis software.
Zacinlo’s payload occurs when the malware clicks on ads in the invisible browsers. This
advertising click fraud provides malicious actors with a cut of the commission.

 Keyloggers
A keylogger is a type of spyware that monitors user activity. Keyloggers have legitimate
uses; businesses can use them to monitor employee activity and families may use them to
keep track of children’s online behaviors.
However, when installed for malicious purposes, keyloggers can be used to steal password
data, banking information and other sensitive information. Keyloggers can be inserted into a
system through phishing, social engineering or malicious downloads.
Keylogger Example:
A keylogger called Olympic Vision has been used to target US, Middle Eastern and Asian
businessmen for business email compromise (BEC) attacks. Olympic Vision uses spear-
phishing and social engineering techniques to infect its targets’ systems in order to steal
sensitive data and spy on business transactions. The keylogger is not sophisticated, but it’s
available on the black market for $25 so it’s highly accessible to malicious actors.

 Bots/Botnets
A bot is a software application that performs automated tasks on command. They’re used for
legitimate purposes, such as indexing search engines, but when used for malicious purposes,
they take the form of self-propagating malware that can connect back to a central server.
Usually, bots are used in large numbers to create a botnet, which is a network of bots used to
launch broad remotely-controlled floods of attacks, such as DDoS attacks. Botnets can
become quite expansive. For example, the Mirai IoT botnet ranged from 800,000 to 2.5M
computers.
Botnet Example:
Echobot is a variant of the well-known Mirai. Echobot attacks a wide range of IoT devices,
exploiting over 50 different vulnerabilities, but it also includes exploits for Oracle WebLogic
Server and VMWare’s SD-Wan networking software. In addition, the malware looks for
unpatched legacy systems. Echobot could be used by malicious actors to launch DDoS
attacks, interrupt supply chains, steal sensitive supply chain information and conduct
corporate sabotage.

 Mobile Malware
Attacks targeting mobile devices have risen 50 percent since last year. Mobile malware
threats are as various as those targeting desktops and include Trojans, ransomware,
advertising click fraud and more. They are distributed through phishing and malicious
downloads and are a particular problem for jailbroken phones, which tend to lack the default
protections that were part of those devices’ original operating systems.
Mobile Malware Example:
Triada is a rooting Trojan that was injected into the supply chain when millions of Android
devices shipped with the malware pre-installed. Triada gains access to sensitive areas in the
operating system and installs spam apps. The spam apps display ads, sometimes replacing
legitimate ads. When a user clicks on one of the unauthorized ads, the revenue from that click
goes to Triada’s developers.

REFERENCES:
Baker, K. (2021, August 19). THE 11 MOST COMMON TYPES OF MALWARE.
CROWDSTRIKE. Retrieved December 13, 2021, from
https://www.crowdstrike.com/cybersecurity-101/malware/types-of-malware/

Tunggal, A. T. (2021, November 4). 22 Types of Malware and How to Recognize Them in
2021. UpGuard. Retrieved December 13, 2021, from
https://www.upguard.com/blog/types-of-malware

Think Question #2
Assuming you have played online games or downloaded gaming apps and followed the
advice listed above. How will you change your gaming behavior now that you are aware
of specific security threats?

The most important thing to do when playing games online, is to follow the advice listed
above. Taking extra precaution is a must now that I am aware of such. Improving the device
security is also another way to-go. If needed, install additional device security application just
to safe. In addition, it is very important to protect your identity any time you’re online
(whether you’re gaming or not). When you are creating an account, make sure you stay
anonymous or use a nickname that doesn’t reveal your real name.

Think Question #3
What is a zombie computer and what is the most popular ways of using zombie
computers?

Zombie computer, connected to the Internet and taken over by a computer worm, virus, or
other “malware.” Most owners of zombie computers do not realize that their system is being
used in this way, hence the comparison with the living dead. They are also used in DDoS
attacks in coordination with botnets in a way that resembles the typical zombie attacks of
horror films. Over time, however, most zombie computers accumulate so much malware that
they become unusable by their owners. Often, the only cure for heavily infected machines is
to completely erase the hard drive and reinstall the operating system.

Zombies are frequently used in denial-of-service attacks (DDoS), which refers to the
saturation of websites with a multitude of computers accessing at the same time. As so many
users are making requests at the same time to the server hosting the Web page, the server
crashes, denying access to genuine users.

A variant of this type of saturation is known as degradation-of-service attack and uses

'pulsing zombies': degradation of the service by periodically saturating the websites at a low
intensity, with the intention of slowing down, instead of blocking, the targeted website. Such
attacks are difficult to detect, as the slow service may go undetected for months or even years
or is simply assumed to be due to other problems.
REFERENCES:
PANDA DOME. (n.d.). Zombie. Panda. Retrieved December 13, 2021, from
https://www.pandasecurity.com/en/security-info/zombie/

Hosch, W. L. (2008, December 30). zombie computer. Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved

December 13, 2021, from https://www.britannica.com/technology/zombie-computer

Think Question #4
Why would someone execute a DoS or DDoS attack?

A distributed denial of service (DDoS) attack is a brute-force attempt to slow down or

completely crash a server. Although still a serious threat to businesses, increasing corporate
awareness coupled with Internet security software enhancements has helped reduce the sheer
number of attacks. Nonetheless, any denial of service represents a serious risk — but how
exactly do these attacks work, and what kind of damage can they really do?

Money, time, clients and even reputation can be lost in the event of a DDoS attack.
Depending on the severity of an attack, resources could be offline for 24 hours, multiple days
or even a week. In fact, a survey by Kaspersky Lab revealed that one in five DDoS attacks
can last for days or even weeks, attesting their sophistication and serious threat posed to all
businesses. During an attack, no employees are able to access network resources, and in the
case of Web servers running eCommerce sites, no consumers will be able to purchase
products or receive assistance.

There are many reasons why an attacker might want to put your site out of action via a DDoS
attack. These include attacks by competitors and attacks because of your content. In an ideal
world, your competitors would attempt to outperform you online by improving their content,
SEO and conversion rate, which is the legitimate way to use your website to gain competitive
advantage. But in some cases, competitors might take more extreme measures. A competitor
might hire someone to mount a DDoS attack on your site in the knowledge that this won’t
only impact your website, it’ll also impact your business. Some sites are subject to DDoS
attacks because of the nature of their content. For example, a whistleblowing site might be
subject to an attack. A site dealing with a controversial issue (such as access to abortion or
anti-racism) might suffer attacks from people who disagree with its message and want to put
it out of action. Or your content might be commercial but still sensitive and there are people
who don’t want it available online. If your site is successfully attacked, it will put your
content out of circulation, which could cause problems for your users if they need access to
information or guidance.

REFERENCES:
McCollin, R. (2021, June 10). DDoS Attacks Explained: Causes, Effects, and How to Protect
Your Site. Kinsta. Retrieved December 13, 2021, from https://kinsta.com/blog/what-
is-a-ddos-attack/#why-would-someone-ddos-your-site

Kaspersky Lab. (n.d.). Distributed Denial of Service: Anatomy and Impact of DDoS Attacks.
Kaspersky. Retrieved December 13, 2021, from https://usa.kaspersky.com/resource-
center/preemptive-safety/how-does-ddos-attack-work
CompTIA, Inc. (n.d.). WHAT IS A DDOS ATTACK AND HOW DOES IT WORK? CompTIA.
Retrieved December 13, 2021, from https://www.comptia.org/content/guides/what-is-
a-ddos-attack-how-it-works

Think Question #5
What steps do you need to do, if ever you received a spoofed email message? How would
you know if it was spoofed?

Spoofing is a cybercrime that happens when someone impersonates a trusted contact or

brand, pretending to be someone you trust in order to access sensitive personal information.
Spoofing attacks copy and exploit the identity of your contacts, the look of well-known
brands, or the addresses of trusted websites.

1. Use a Subdomain
Make sure that you aren’t using a top-level domain to send out emails (e.g. something that
ends with “@granicus.com”). You should always use a subdomain (“@info.granicus.com”).

2. Talk to Your Company’s Tech Support

Once you’ve established a sub-domain to use, find the person at your organization who has
the power to update your Domain Name System (DNS) records electronically. That
individual needs to add three records: one Sender Policy Framework and two Mailbox
Exchange records.
These records verify that your domain is allowing a certified outside party, like govDelivery,
to send emails on its behalf. With this record, the mail server knows that messages from
public.govdelivery.com are rerouted to a custom domain.

3. Talk to Granicus Tech Support

Once your DNS settings are updated, write to the Granicus support team
(help@granicus.com) in order to request a DKIM key. Our engineers will generate the key
and selector and send it back to you. Have the same person that updated your DNS records
install the provided key. Then, write back to Granicus support to let us know that the work is
complete.

4. Test DKIM
Once we hear back from you, our engineers will test and deploy the new DKIM key to make
sure it meets DKIM requirements. If it does, that’s it! You can rest a little easier, knowing
that it’s much more difficult for people to spoof emails using your agency or department’s
name.
While adding DKIM is a technical, multi-step process, it’s an important part of your email
security protocol that can help maintain the reputation of your department or agency, as well
as the safety of citizens’ private information.

The email headers contain a significant amount of tracking information showing where the
message has traveled across the Internet. Different email programs display these headers in
different ways. The following tips can help identify a spoofed message in the email headers.
Identify that the 'From' email address matches the display name. The from address may
look legitimate at first glance, but a closer look in the email headers may reveal that the email
address associated with the display name is actually coming from someone else.
Make sure the 'Reply-To' header matches the source. This is typically hidden from the
recipient when receiving the message and is often overlooked when responding to the
message. If the reply-to address does not match the sender or the site that they claim to be
representing, there is a good chance that it is forged.
Find where the 'Return-Path' goes. This identifies where the message originated from.
While it is possible to forge the Return-path in a message header, it is not done with great
frequency.

REFERENCES:
Granicus, Inc. (n.d.). 4 Steps You Should Take to Avoid Email Spoofing. Granicus. Retrieved
December 13, 2021, from https://granicus.com/blog/4-steps-to-avoid-email-spoofing/

Carnegie Mellon University. (2020, July 29). How to Identify Email Spoofed Phishing
Attacks. Retrieved December 13, 2021, from
https://www.cmu.edu/iso/news/2020/email-spoofing.html

Belcic, I., & Farrier, E. (2021, March 6). What Is Spoofing and How Can You Prevent it?
Avast Software. Retrieved December 13, 2021, from https://www.avast.com/c-
spoofing#gref

Oppido, L. (2020, September 24). How to Identify Email Spoofing. WikiHow. Retrieved
December 13, 2021, from https://www.wikihow.com/Identify-Email-Spoofing

Think Question #6
Present five (5) precautions do take to prevent viruses and other malware from
infecting a computer?
 Backup your computer
The best thing you can do is back up your files—all of them. Ideally you will have your files
(your data) in at least three places: the place where you work on them, on a separate storage
device, and off-site. Keep your files on your computer, back them up to an external hard
drive, then back them up in a different location. You can use a backup service or simply get
two external hard drives and keep one at work, at a friend’s house, at a family member’s
house, or in a safe deposit box.
 Anti-virus basics
Anti-virus software is the basis of computer virus protection — hence the name. While it’s
important to have a quality anti-virus installed on your computer, there are some best
practices to have in mind. Having more than one anti-virus solution on your network is a very
unneeded and generally a bad idea. Computer viruses and malware get created and
discovered daily. Your anti-virus solution is only as effective as its ability to be up to date on
computer viruses that are a threat to you. For this reason, be sure your anti-virus program
updates automatically and at a reasonable time — not 3am on Wednesday nights as it’s not
likely that your computer will be turned on during that time and not at 2pm when you are sure
to be in numerous meetings. This way the updates won’t be a hassle, and you will be sure you
are protected against the most sophisticated viruses out there.
 Avoid suspicious web sites
There are over a trillion web pages online right now. We spend lots of time browsing the
internet, researching, shopping, communicating…and it all involves visiting different
websites. While many standards have come out that make sure you are the very least notified
you are about to enter an insecure and potentially dangerous website, cyber criminals have
found ways to trick those standards and still show up as a legitimate site. Sometimes it’s
impossible to see right away if the website hosts malicious content. But it is all in the details.
Be sure to notice the URL of the web site, check on official sources if the website is real and
is what it presents like. While obvious, the lock icon next to a URL is one of the first signs
that you might be on a potentially malicious website.
 Always scan email attachments
One of the oldest ways of infection, and one that made computer viruses so notorious in the
early days of the internet is through email. Some people send viruses to their friends and not
even know that they did it. At Altitude Integrations, we have encountered many situations
where our clients have had their email accounts hacked. Once hacked, the attackers would
use that account to send malicious content to the entire address book list. The most reliable
way to make sure you are safe is to open an email attachment or click on a link is to scan it
with anti-virus software. Your mail provider or email service you are using should also have
some sort of email protection against viruses. In Gmail, for example, attachments are
automatically scanned for viruses. If a virus is present, the email will be rejected, and you
will be notified.
 Use a malware scanner
Anti-virus is important, and you should invest in a robust solution, there is still a possibility
for the virus to slip through the cracks and get downloaded to your computer. It can often lurk
in your network; you are being unaware of its presence. To make sure viruses don’t get the
opportunity to spread further through your network and to minimize the damage, a weekly
malware scan should be scheduled. Many of these programs are easy, affordable, and
sometimes even free and they can be used in combination with a backup, so to ensure no
malicious files are backed up with your other files.
REFERENCES:
Benton, B. (2014, February 22). 10 Tips to Prevent Malware From Infecting Your Computer
—and Your Livelihood. Redshift by Autodesk. Retrieved December 13, 2021, from
https://redshift.autodesk.com/10-tips-on-how-to-prevent-malware-from-infecting-
your-computer/

Ramberg, B. (2021, April 22). 7 Tips on How to Prevent Computer Viruses. Altitude
Integrations. Retrieved December 13, 2021, from https://altitudeintegrations.com/7-
tips-on-how-to-prevent-computer-viruses-2/

Brooks, R. (2021, August 3). How to Prevent Malware Attacks: 10 Security Tips. Netwrix
Blog. Retrieved December 13, 2021, from
https://blog.netwrix.com/2020/06/12/malware-prevention/
Think Question #7
Why do some websites display distorted characters you must reenter along with your
password?

You may have seen CAPTCHA during a password or account creation process in which a
randomly distorted image appears with numbers or letters, and the information page will ask
you to identify the characters or numbers you see in the image. This process helps validate
your identity with human observation and interaction.

CAPTCHA (Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart)
is a type of security measure known as challenge-response authentication. CAPTCHA helps
protect you from spam and password decryption by asking you to complete a simple test that
proves you are human and not a computer trying to break into a password protected account.

A CAPTCHA test is made up of two simple parts: a randomly generated sequence of letters
and/or numbers that appear as a distorted image, and a text box. To pass the test and prove
your human identity, simply type the characters you see in the image into the text box.

The internet and computers are actually made up of a unique coding language. Computers
find it difficult to understand languages because of the strange and intricate rules human
languages take on, along with slang that humans use.
REFERENCES:
Thornton, D. (n.d.). Why Are My Web Pages Displaying Strange Letters? Chron. Retrieved
December 13, 2021, from https://smallbusiness.chron.com/pages-displaying-strange-
letters-27347.html

Google, Inc. (n.d.). What is CAPTCHA? Google Workspace Admin Help. Retrieved
December 13, 2021, from https://support.google.com/a/answer/1217728?hl=en

Panda Security. (2019, January 9). What is Captcha? Panda | Mediacenter: A Watchguard
Brand. Retrieved December 13, 2021, from
https://www.pandasecurity.com/en/mediacenter/panda-security/what-is-captcha/

Lewis, K. (2017). CAPTCHA - an overview | ScienceDirect Topics. Science Direct. Retrieved

December 13, 2021, from https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/computer-
science/captcha

Think Question #8
Do retailers use a signature verification system for credit card purchases? Explain.

For decades, credit card companies relied on receipt signatures to prevent fraud. They
required merchants to collect and store customer signatures so that if a transaction was
disputed, the merchant could produce a signed receipt proving the customer was physically in
the store and personally approved the purchase. Without this proof, merchants were on the
hook for losses due to chargebacks. They were also liable if the signature on the receipt didn't
match the signature on file or on the card. With the advancement of EMV-compliant card
readers, chip readers have replaced customer signatures.
Cardholder Verification Methods (CVM) are how the consumer authenticates their identity
for the payment transaction. For a time, this was largely perceived as:
Credit = Signature
Debit = PIN

But with the shift away from signature-capture transactions paired with the increased use of
digital wallets—like Apple Pay or Google Pay—and the impact of COVID, to say the
payments landscape is changing is an understatement.

Every EMV (chip) transaction begins with a conversation between the card and the terminal.
Every type of card (ex. Visa Credit or Visa Debit) is considered an application, and every
application has its own set of instructions.

When a card is inserted or tapped, the list of application(s) on the card is matched to the
terminal. Then the card instructions are reviewed. These instructions include:
 How large can the transaction be? Sometimes a transaction is small enough (under a
pre-determined amount) where the transaction doesn’t need additional verification for
the payment to be successfully processed.
 How is the transaction verified?

The terminal will list everything it supports, and the card will list everything it supports.
However, while the terminal is happy to support anything that matches, the card has its
options listed in a specific order. These options and the order are set by the card
manufacturer.
REFERENCES:
Konsko, L., & Soucy, P. (2021, June 2). Why Don’t I Always Have to Sign for Credit Card
Purchases? NerdWallet. Retrieved December 14, 2021, from
https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/credit-cards/credit-card-purchases-why-
signatures-not-always-required

Fairbanks, L. (2021, November 30). Should Small Businesses Require Receipt Signatures?
Business News Daily. Retrieved December 14, 2021, from
https://www.businessnewsdaily.com/10691-no-signature-credit-card-transactions.html

Baxter, E. (n.d.). Card Verification in Retail Transactions: What is it and why does it matter?
IQmetrix | Blog. Retrieved December 14, 2021, from
https://www.iqmetrix.com/blog/card-verification-in-retail-transactions-what-is-it-and-
why-does-it-matter

Think Question #9
In addition to safeguarding the data and information on your computers from others,
why else might be a good idea to secure a wireless network?

If a system begins to utilize Wi-Fi without the owner's knowledge, it might cause
inconvenience and difficulty for the owner to use the wireless network. Others can readily
identify it and gain access to it. It is critical to protect the wireless network system, because
without a password, someone else may begin using the Wi-Fi without the owner's knowledge.

Encrypt your network. Encrypting scrambles, the information sent through your network.
That makes it harder for other people to see what you’re doing or get your personal
information. You encrypt your network by simply updating your router settings to either
WPA3 Personal or WPA2 Personal. WPA3 is the newer — and best — encryption available,
but both will work to scramble your information.

Change your router’s preset passwords. Some routers come with preset passwords out of
the box. But hackers can easily find these passwords, so it’s important to change them to
something more complex. There are two passwords on your router that you’ll need to reset.
1. The Wi-Fi network password: this is the one you use to connect your devices to the
network. A unique and secure Wi-Fi network password prevents strangers from
getting onto your network.
2. The router admin password: this is the one that lets you into the administrative side
of the device. There, you can do things like change settings (including the Wi-Fi
network password). If a hacker managed to log into the admin side of your router, the
hacker could change the settings (including your Wi-Fi password). That would undo
any other security steps you may be taking.

To find instructions for changing your router’s admin and network passwords, first, find the
name of your router’s manufacturer. Then go online and search for “how to change [your
router manufacturer] admin password” and “how to change [your router manufacturer] Wi-Fi
network password.” Still having trouble. Contact the manufacturer directly.

Keep your router up to date. Before you set up a new router or make updates to your
existing one, visit the manufacturer’s website to see if there’s a newer version of the software
available for download. To make sure you hear about the latest version, register your router
with the manufacturer, and sign up to get updates. If you got your router from your Internet
Service Provider (ISP), like Verizon or Comcast, check with your ISP to see whether it sends
out automatic updates.

Turn off “remote management,” WPS, and Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) features.
Some routers have features that can be convenient but weaken your network security. For
example, remote access to your router’s controls allows you to change settings over the web.
WPS lets you push a button on the router to connect a device to the internet instead of
entering the network password. Lastly, UPnP lets your devices find each other on the
network. These features may make it easier to, say, add devices to your network or let guests
use your Wi-Fi — but they can make your network less secure.

Set up a guest network. Many routers let you set up a guest network with a different name
and password. It’s a good security move for two reasons:
1. Having a separate login means fewer people have your primary Wi-Fi network
password, and
2. In case a guest (unknowingly) has malware on their phone or tablet, it won’t get onto
your primary network and your devices.

Log out as administrator. Once you’ve set up your router or are done changing settings,
don’t forget to log out as administrator. When you’re logged in as administrator, you can
change passwords and otherwise manage settings that control the security of your network. If
a hacker got into your administrator account, they could easily get into your network and
devices.

Protect your devices. Just as hackers can get to your data through unsecured networks, they
can also get to your network through unsecured devices. To find tips on locking down your
devices, read about keeping your devices secure.

REFERENCES:
Petcu, A. G. (2021, August 25). How to Enhance Your Home Wireless Network Security.
Heimdal Security Blog. Retrieved December 14, 2021, from
https://heimdalsecurity.com/blog/home-wireless-network-security/

Cooper, S. (2020, April 24). How to secure your home wireless network (Updated 2021).
Comparitech. Retrieved December 14, 2021, from
https://www.comparitech.com/blog/information-security/secure-home-wireless-
network/

Federal Trade Commission. (2021, May 28). How To Secure Your Home Wi-Fi Network.
Consumer Information. Retrieved December 14, 2021, from
https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/how-secure-your-home-wi-fi-network

Think Question #10

What mobile security safeguards have you undertaken to protect your smartphone or
mobile devices?

People have become overly reliant on mobile gadgets due to their portability and fast
evolving technologies. Mobile devices carry out a variety of our day-to-day activities, such as
surfing the web, booking appointments, setting up reminders, sharing files, instant messaging,
video conferencing, and even mobile banking, thanks to their enhanced functionality.
Because of all of these features, mobile devices are vulnerable to internet threats as well as
physical attacks due to their portability. Malware built specifically for mobile devices is one
of the security dangers.
Keep Your Phone Locked. One potential threat is getting your device is stolen, which could
give the thief complete access to your personal information. To prevent this, be sure to have a
lock on your screen. Whether this is a passcode, pattern, fingerprint, or face recognition is up
to you and your device’s capabilities.
When enabling a lock screen, you’ll have the option to choose how long the phone can be
idle before locking. Be sure to choose the shortest amount of time. This will protect you, by
automatically enacting the lock screen even if you forget to lock it yourself. It will also save
your battery because the screen will go dark after the set amount of time.

Set Secure Passwords. Setting strong passwords on your apps will make it harder for a
hacker to guess them. It’s also suggested to set a different password for each app. This way if
one password is discovered, the hacker won’t have access to all your information.

Keep Your Device’s OS Up to Date. Mobile phone operating system updates are intended to
improve your experience. This could entail anything from performance to security. Although
they happen frequently and users tend to click through quickly or ask the device to remind
them in the future, it’s important to stay up to date with these. These updates can protect both
iOS and Android devices from newly discovered threats. To check if your phone’s OS is up
to date, go to “about phone” or “general” and click “system updates” or “software update.”

Connect to Secure Wi-Fi. The beauty of mobile devices is that we can access the internet
anywhere and everywhere we go. One of the first things we do at a restaurant or friend’s
house is search for Wi-Fi. While free Wi-Fi can save us on data, it’s important to be wary of
unsecured networks.

Beware of Downloads. When you are downloading apps, be sure to download them from the
official app stores and check reviews. Cybercriminals create rogue mobile apps that mimic
trusted brands in order to obtain users’ confidential information. To avoid this trap, be sure to
look at the number of reviews, last update, and contact information of the organization.

Encrypt Your Data. Your smartphone holds a lot of data. If it’s lost or stolen, your emails,
contacts, financial information and more can be at risk. To protect your mobile phone data,
you can make sure the data in encrypted. Encrypted data is stored in an unreadable form so it
can’t be understood.
Most phones have encryption settings you can enable in the security menu. To check if your
iOS device is encrypted, go to the settings menu and then click on “Touch ID & Passcode.” It
will prompt you to enter your lock screen code. Then scroll to the bottom of the page where it
should say “Data Protection is enabled.”

Install Anti-Virus Software. You’ve probably heard of anti-virus programs for laptops or
desktop computers, but your handheld computers can benefit from them, too. These programs
can protect against viruses and hacking attempts. Some software like Panda’s free antivirus
software has VPN features included as an added bonus. Smartphones are pocket-sized
computers that can hold all your important data and personal information. Keeping these
mobile security tips in mind will help you protect your device.

REFERENCES:
Zamora, W. (2020, July 30). Top 10 ways to secure your mobile phone. Malwarebytes Labs.
Retrieved December 14, 2021, from https://blog.malwarebytes.com/101/2016/09/top-
10-ways-to-secure-your-mobile-phone/

NortonLifeLock Inc. (n.d.). Eight ways to keep your smartphone safe. BullGuard. Retrieved
December 14, 2021, from https://www.bullguard.com/nl/bullguard-security-
center/mobile-security/mobile-protection-resources/8-ways-to-keep-your-smartphone-
safe.aspx

Authors, T. G. (2016, November 29). How to Secure Your Mobile Device in Six Steps. The
State of Security. Retrieved December 14, 2021, from
https://www.tripwire.com/state-of-security/security-data-protection/secure-mobile-
device-six-steps/

Panda Security. (2020, December 19). 8 Mobile Security Tips to Keep Your Device Safe -
Panda Security. Panda Security Mediacenter. Retrieved December 14, 2021, from
https://www.pandasecurity.com/en/mediacenter/panda-security/mobile-security-tips/