What Is the Internet of Behavior?

The Internet of Behavior or IoB is the area of research and development that looks at the collection of data on human behavior and analyzes it in hopes to understand and predict how people interact with various technologies and also the world around them.

This data can potentially come from various sources including social media activity, search history, and even sensor data from smart connected devices. The Internet of Behavior uses the collected data to design tailored user experiences. This can be in the form of targeted advertising, personalized recommendations, and behavior-based security systems.

IoB can also be used to evaluate and enhance the performance of an organization. It can help identify patterns in customer satisfaction or even the productivity of employees. The research and development of IoB can potentially transform the way we interact with technology and even the world around us. It also raises some concerns about privacy and data security.

How Is Data Being Gathered for the Internet of Behavior?

The Internet of Behavior collects data in several different ways, which will depend on the particular application or use case. The first way that data is collected for IoB is through wearable devices. Wearable devices like smartwatches and fitness trackers can be used to gather data on its user. The data gathered can include how active a person is, their sleep habits, and all biometric information. Data can also be collected from various sensors placed in a home or office. Sensors can track aspects like temperature preference, lighting preference, and even movement.

Another way that data can be gathered is through more traditional methods like questionnaires and surveys. This method has long been one of the ways that companies use to understand better a demographic’s opinions, attitudes, and behavior.

In more recent years, social media platforms have been used to gather even more data on the general public and individuals. When a user likes, comment, or posts anything on their social media platforms, organizations can use this data to better understand their interests.

A more inconspicuous way that data is gathered is through our smartphones. The various applications and services we use can give insight and data about our interests. Our phones track our location and how we use multiple applications and services, which can all be gathered into useable data for the Internet of behavior.

All of this data from these various sources can give insight into our behavior. This data can be used in a variety of ways, including giving users a better experience with products and services, and it can also help companies improve their business by understanding their consumers.

How Can Companies Use This Data to Improve Their Business?

Various organizations use the Internet of Behavior information to improve their business in several ways. The first way that IoB data can be used is by creating a more personalized customer experience. Getting better insight into a customer’s preference and behavior—a company can offer specific things more catered to the customer.

Companies can also use the Internet of Behavior for target marketing. Understanding what a customer’s preference is can also help with marketing efforts. Companies can use this knowledge to send advertisements to specific customer social media accounts. Social media users will typically see ads that are specific to them, which also saves a business from using advertisements on people who wouldn’t care to see the ads in the first place.

Businesses can also use this data to advise on developing new products and services. Companies can use data from sensors in a customer’s home to know how they use their products and identify areas for improvement.

Internet of Behavior data can also help better understand customer needs and behavior to optimize customer support. The information collected from customer interactions can also be used to train artificially intelligent systems to provide better support.

Companies can also use this information to advance their internal operations by recognizing any inadequacies. An example of this can be, companies using the information from sensors in a warehouse to improve the movement of goods or data from an employee’s smartwatch to monitor work hours and productivity. Internet of Behavior can even help future supply chain issues.

Should You Be Concerned About Your Digital Footprint and “Digital Dust”?

Everyone should be aware of their digital footprint. Smart-connected devices have made it easier for anyone and everyone to access information individuals may not want to share. All actions online leave a digital footprint. We share information online both deliberately and unintendedly. All of this information can be used to track an individual’s movements, habits, and personal information.

This information may even to issues like online harassment, identity theft, and even discrimination. As more and more personal information is shared online, it may become harder for individuals to control how their data is used or who has access to it. It’s important to think about the potential consequences of online actions and take steps to protect personal information.

What Can You Do to Protect Your Digital Footprint?

Digital dust is created for just about every action we do online. This is also even more expected with the mainstream adoption of smart connected technology. But there are numerous things you can do to secure your smart devices and safeguard your digital footprint.

Ensuring your passwords are strong and unique for your various accounts is essential. Don’t repeat your password for multiple sites or accounts. It’s also important to be aware of what you post online and make your privacy settings for only people you want to share information with. Public social media accounts can increase the chances of sharing information with people you don’t want it shared with.

It’s also important to be vigilant about the links you click on or the attachments you download from unknown sources. Using a Virtual Private Network can be beneficial when using public Wi-Fi.

Keeping your digital devices updated with the latest software and security is vital. Software updates are important because they can prevent security issues. Updates can keep computers, mobile devices, and other connected devices running smoothly and also lower security vulnerabilities like data breaches and cyber-attacks. Lastly, inform yourself about digital privacy and security best practices.

Conclusion

The additional information we share when accessing data is known as digital dust. This knowledge is important because it could raise privacy and security concerns. Since digital dust will be created anytime we use our smart connected devices. Businesses will use this information for the Internet of Behavior for various reasons. It’s also important for users to understand this information to protect themselves better. The way data is being used is changing, and we need to be aware of its repercussions on us.  

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How Does a Virtual Private Network Work?

When people discuss them, the VPNs that are typically referred to are commercial virtual private networks for everyday use by people like you and me. But for quite some time now, the technology of VPNs has been used by the government and large companies to allow their staff to access digital resources from anymore. So, how do VPNs work?

The way VPNs work is by creating an encrypted tunnel or connection between your computer device and a remote server through a virtual private network service. While a person is using a VPN, all of their internet traffic is channeled through this encrypted tunnel to the server and then to the regular public internet. Incoming data back to the user uses the same route. Data is sent from the internet to the VPN server, back through the encrypted tunnel, and then to your computer device.

Can VPNs Give You Anonymity?

A virtual private network allows users to encrypt their online traffic, making it harder for others to distinguish their online activity. While this encryption method makes it harder to track specific online activity—it isn’t impossible. The Internet Service Provider you use has immense insight into most of your online activity.

In the United States, internet service providers have been allowed to sell your online data since 2017, when Congress passed a resolution to remove FCC privacy rules that prohibited this practice. A VPN, however, will make it more difficult for advertisers to track your activity.

When users use a VPN, their specific IP address is hidden from anyone watching their activity. Data is typically transmitted from the internet to your computer using your specific IP address. Through a VPN, your particular IP address is concealed, and advertisers and anyone else looking to watch your activity can only see the IP address of the VPN server. This stops one method of tracking your activity.

Advertisers have multiple ways of identifying and tracking you as you move through the internet. This includes cookies and trackers on websites. Browser fingerprinting is another tactic for identifying your online activity. Browser fingerprinting is when websites use various scripts to collect enough data about you like browser type and version, time zone, default language, and other identifiers. Adding these multiple identifiers can also help websites track each unique user. Unfortunately, we also give up some of our privacy to use services like Google, Amazon, and Facebook.

What Other Security Aspects Can VPNs Help With?

Certain VPN providers claim that their encryption method can also protect against malware and other malicious files by scanning the information making its way through the system before it reaches your device. It would be more beneficial for users to find a separate ant-malware software, and being a tool for privacy, it might be even better if virtual private network services didn’t go through a user’s web traffic.

The same goes for other dangers one might face online. For computer viruses, malware, phishing, botnets, Distributed Denial of Service, trojan horse, etc., it would be better to find separate tools to safeguard you from these threats.

A VPN enables users to encrypt their web traffic, which can mean your ISP may not be able to see the sites you are visiting or the files you are moving. While your ISP may not be able to know if you are torrenting and binge-watching whole seasons of your favorite shows—you will still be using a tremendous amount of bandwidth, which may also breach the terms and conditions of your contract. Some VPNs also do not allow pirating content, which is an illegal act. Digital piracy is a violation of federal copyright laws.

How Can Virtual Private Networks Protect Internet Freedom? 

One of the main reasons people use VPNs is to protect their internet freedom. Some VPNs can connect through a server in another country and allow users to browse the internet as though they are in that specific country. This could potentially help users bypass some local content restrictions and censorships.

VPNs have also helped some users unblock streaming content not available in their country by disguising their actual location. So, you may be able to access certain content without using the proper streaming services and even stream videos that are not available in your country. While this may be the case today, both government agencies and streaming services know some people are using this loophole and will eventually prevent this somehow.

How Secure Are VPN Services?

To some extent, users trust their internet service provider, but they have the ability and the power to sell your online activity to other companies. VPN providers have the same insight as your ISP and could potentially sell that data if they were inclined to do so. For VPN providers to continue to be trusted, transparency reports will be essential to assure their trust.

An unbiased audit from a separate company of the VPN service would also help with its transparency to its users. Authenticating and confirming the VPN service’s policies and security would be beneficial for its users.

Conclusion 

One can never be too safe when protecting their online security. An encryption method like a virtual private network can be helpful. When VPNs first became popular with the general public, the website standard was HTTP but has since been updated and upgraded to HTTPS, which also encrypts your connection. The added protection can be beneficial for many users. If you want to learn how to set up and maintain a VPN or want to learn how data centers are key to maintaining a secure VPN network—we have various industry insight articles on these topics. Stay safe and stay protected, keeping yourself up to date with everything you need to know about technology and connectivity.  

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What Is Antivirus?

There is a stark difference between a firewall and an antivirus. As mentioned earlier, antivirus software is what protects you and your computer devices from outside threats. With an estimated and expected 6 billion worldwide users connected to the internet, antivirus software is more important than ever. But, unfortunately, the growth of internet-connected users also equates to the increase of potential cyber attackers.

There is a perpetual need to predict or foresee the trajectory of cybersecurity protection. Cybercriminals continue to adapt, which is why antivirus needs have also adapted and grown over the years.

The very first identified computer virus was generated by BBN Technologies in 1971. It was nicknamed the “Creeper” and was a self-reproducing virus that attacked the hard drive until it couldn’t be operated. Modern viruses continue to evolve into more innovative and superior attacks and can initiate complete damage with a single click of a button.

Antivirus emerged in the mid-80s with now well-known names such as John McAfee, Eugene Kaspersky, and more. The first antivirus products were made available in the 1990s but were overtly simple and needed specific signatures to identify each virus.

The problem with early antivirus products was the need to identify a specific virus signature. These early viruses couldn’t detect any unique and innovative viruses, and as cybercriminals and cyber threats became increasingly more advanced—antivirus software needed to evolve.

The Progression and Advancement of Antivirus Protection

Antivirus detection was pretty simple compared to how current antivirus works today. The idea of the cybersecurity industry keeping up with cyber criminals hasn’t been enough. Cybersecurity experts need to be ahead of cybercriminals, which has led to what is called the next-generation antivirus.

Instead of only protecting against things the software can see, the next-generation antivirus protects against behaviors. This new approach may implement cloud-based analytics, artificially intelligent algorithms, and machine learning technology.

The prevention of malware infections isn’t a simple task, so some antivirus and security vendors are developing technology called Endpoint Detection and Response. This type of security can detect viruses and malware, as well as search for and examine potentially compromised endpoints.

Endpoint detection and response (EDR), referred to as endpoint threat detection and response (EDTR), is an endpoint security solution that uses both continuous real-time monitoring and endpoint data collection. It also uses rules-based automated response and analysis skills. It also uses an endpoint protection platform (EPP), which fights malware at the level of the device. The endpoint protection platform is defensive in form and may also use components of traditional signature-based antivirus methods.

What Is Next-Generation Antivirus?

Anti-virus software has come a long way since its conception. Next-generation antivirus or NGAV solutions prevent attacks by observing and countering all attacker strategies, methods, and actions.

Next-generation antivirus uses traditional software but brings it to a new level with endpoint security detection and protection. It employs more than the conventional file-based malware signatures and uses a cloud-based approach. In addition, using predictive analytics with artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies truly is the next generation of antivirus.

Next-generation antivirus can prevent malware and non-malware attacks, identify malicious threats, and behavior, and can identify patterns of malicious activity from unknown sources. It can also collect and analyze widespread endpoint data to determine its origins. Lastly, it responds to innovative and upcoming threats that may have formerly gone undetected.

Why Are Advancements in Technological Security Vital?

Advancements in technological security and staying ahead of cybercriminals will always be an essential focus for our security. Online and digital security is important because most people have personal data stored online. Many individuals rely on connected devices and digital accounts for various aspects, including banking.

It’s reported that 73% of individuals globally use online banking at least once a month. This can include checking an account’s current balance or transferring money. It is also reported that 59% of people find online banking more secure for certain complex processes.

Innovations in technological security are also important because cybercriminals are also innovating. The idea of the Quantum Supremacy and the Quantum Apocalypse is another reason why advancements in technology (from a general perspective) are important.

Quantum supremacy is the experimental demonstration of a quantum computer’s supremacy and advantage over traditional computers (including the world’s current fastest supercomputers). The concept of the quantum apocalypse also goes hand in hand with this because once quantum supremacy is proven, whoever has a quantum computer could potentially bypass any encrypted or secret files. A quantum computer could, in theory, crack any security measures taken by any company or organization.

Security advancements and innovations in technology are vital because the world relies on data more than ever before. As a result, cybersecurity experts need to stay ahead of the pack when it comes to security and technology to safeguard users from cyber threats.

Conclusion

As the world continues to rely on technology, connected devices, and data—the need for the best antivirus and security measures becomes even more vital. Antivirus software has come a long way since its conception. Advancements in artificial intelligence, machine learning, and cloud-based analytics have made current antivirus software a formidable opponent against cybercriminals. Now that we’re on the verge of quantum computing, innovations in this aspect of computer technology will also be essential for security computer security measures. The evolution of antivirus software shows that technology continues to advance in a multitude of facets.

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What Is Cybersecurity Automation?  

First off, cybersecurity is a broad term for the use of various technologies and processes that protect digital systems, programs, data, networks, and all devices within these systems. Cybersecurity aims to protect or at the very least, reduce digital attacks for all of these aspects. Cybersecurity protects companies against cybercriminals and the cyber threats they produce.

The term automation refers to the technique of minimizing human input where it is possible. Through the years, technology has been implemented to make things automatic or as close to automatic with little to no human participation. Some of the most recognizable examples of automation are dishwashers, thermostats, ice makers, and more. 

Cybersecurity automation is more advanced than these everyday examples. Using artificial intelligence and machine learning, security systems can be programmed to sense, study, and stop cybersecurity threats automatically. Instead of simply sounding an alarm to signal a human security technician to take action, an automated cybersecurity system could recognize a potential threat and would be able to neutralize it. AI and Machine learning give automated cybersecurity systems the ability to decide the best way to defuse the threat. 

Automating not only makes security systems more efficient, but it improves the overall effectiveness as well. A study revealed that approximately 74% of security events and alerts are ignored because security teams cannot deal with the volume of threats. When a cybersecurity system is automated, every alert and event is handled and learned from for future purposes.

Where Should Cybersecurity Be Implemented?

Cybersecurity should be implemented in several areas including critical infrastructure cybersecurity, network security, cloud security, and internet of things security. Cybersecurity should be deployed is called critical infrastructure cybersecurity. As the name suggests, this technique is used to secure systems that have a critical infrastructure. These infrastructures are the systems that the world depends on including traffic lights, the electricity grid, hospitals, and water purification systems. Disrupting any of these systems could be detrimental to society. To protect these critical systems and decrease cyberattacks, organizations need to access the vulnerable points.

The next place automated cybersecurity should be implemented is in network security. This enables companies to secure their computer networks from cybercriminals. The world has become more digitized creating more data than ever before. Most companies have a digital and online presence in one form or another. This is why network security is vital.

Another place cybersecurity should be implemented is in the cloud. Companies typically use several different options for data storage including, an in-house on-premises data center, dedicated servers from a data center provider, a colocation data center, or the cloud. Cybersecurity for the cloud is important since they typically manage their storage and monitor their data. Implementing cybersecurity is important in managing cloud systems.

Cybersecurity should also be employed in the Internet of Things security. Connected devices have gained popularity over the years, and some of these devices don’t have the best-preset security settings. Enabling cyber security is for your connected IoT devices should be a priority.

How Does Cybersecurity Automation Work?

Various types of cyber security solutions can be implemented. Some of the most hi-tech cybersecurity systems not only use automation to help neutralize threats but also incorporate security orchestration as well. Security orchestration is the action of combining various technologies and connecting security tools that are both security-specific and non-security specific to make them able to work together.

The first part of automated cybersecurity is gathering and correlating data. A good cybersecurity automation system requires good data to work properly and efficiently. Artificial intelligence and machine learning systems make studying this data easier. These two aspects make cybersecurity automation possible.

By using AI and Machine Learning, automated cyber security systems can predict and protect the system from any cyberattacks. The second part utilizes the data gathered and predicts and prevents the same attacks from occurring.

After the problem is recognized and neutralized, there could be a lasting effect on the system. The last part of cybersecurity automation scans the system to see if there are additional or lasting threats left behind. Analyzing the system again will ensure the infrastructure is safe from the threat originally found.

What Are the Benefits of Cybersecurity Automation?

As mentioned earlier, human security specialists cannot handle all of the security alerts that they see. Ignoring nearly 74% of these alerts could cause some serious damage to these companies. Cybersecurity automation improves security response tremendously and does it more efficiently.

Introducing automation within cybersecurity can also improve compliance as data privacy is a vital part of many businesses. This automation will not only improve security but can also identify when a procedure is violating compliance standards. Automation can make a company’s overall operation more secure and safe.

As mentioned earlier, safeguarding a company’s network is important. Cybersecurity automation can extend the reach of a company’s security. Managing multiple aspects of security including authorization and authentication where necessary will be taken care of through automation.

An automated cybersecurity system will gather a tremendous amount of data. This data can also be used to improve the overall company operations in a variety of ways. What is normally a labor-intensive process will be taken care of through AI and machine learning automation.

Conclusion

Businesses need the proper care when managing their data. Cybersecurity is just one of the aspects that need to be taken care of when it comes to data management. Using a trusted colocation data center can help keep a company’s data assets safe. The best data center security systems offer DDoS monitoring and protection with a preventative measure that will catch most attacks before it happens and dedicated firewalls to block outside users from gaining access to important data. And are compliant with certifications in HIPAA, PCI, and SSAE. If you are looking for a trusted colocation data center—connect with Colocation America today.  

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What Is a Remote or Hybrid Workplace? 

Many workers were forced to work remotely from home during the pandemic lockdown. A remote workplace is a work area that isn’t located in a single location like an office. Remote working employees can from several different places including at home, a café, a library, and even on a train or bus.

A hybrid workplace combines both on-site at the office and remote work. This could be done in several different ways. A hybrid workplace can be something like working a couple of days in the office and a couple of days remotely. This will vary depending on the employer.

There are numerous reasons and benefits for a remote workplace. A remote working staff can save companies money because they wouldn’t have to pay rent for an office every month. A remote working staff can save a company a large sum of money every year. The company can also take advantage of a wider scope of talent from various areas instead of only using employees close to a physical office.

A remote workplace can be beneficial for the employees as well. Studies have shown that remote working employees are happier and stay working for the company longer.

Is a Hybrid Workplace a Cybersecurity Liability?   

As mentioned earlier, a hybrid workplace environment combines working in the office and working remotely. Laptops and other smart devices have made things easier for remote and hybrid workplace staff. But some worry that moving these devices in and out of the company network is causing unwanted exposure to hackers and cyberattacks. 

How to Safeguard Remote Workers from Cybersecurity Threats

Even before the worldwide pandemic and lockdown, and certainly after the fact, remote work has become an aspect of work that has been increasingly more prevalent. Many companies have even decided it is even more beneficial for their workforce to continue working from home even as the world opens up again.

This could present a unique challenge concerning information security because remote work environments may not have the same precautions and defenses as their office environment. However, following these steps can help protect remote workers from outside threats.

Digital Security Guidelines When Working Remotely

One of the things we’ve covered in various articles is to avoid using public Wi-Fi. When working at cafes or libraries etc., it’s easy to use the available public Wi-Fi, but this should be avoided. Look into getting a personal hotspot or way to encrypt your web connection. Using public Wi-Fi has one main problem for users who want to protect their digital security. People will be using the same network without a firewall between each user. Cyberattacks can be happening from people in the same room as you without your knowledge. A personal hotspot can help protect you from outside threats, and it could be faster since you are the only one using that connection. A VPN can help secure your online data transmission and prevent malicious sites from stealing your data.

The next tip is to have a designated work computer and a separate computer for personal use. This may or may not be feasible for some because computers can be expensive, but it helps keep your work data secure. If you can have a designated computer for work, try to keep the two separated from doing the other. Keep all passwords and company information on the designated work computer to safeguard your company data.

If you are working from a public area, pay attention to those around you especially when you are working on something that may be confidential. Also, keep your devices with you at all times. It may be easier to leave your laptop at your table as you order your coffee or go to the restroom, but it won’t take cybercriminals very long to steal information from your computer.

We send and receive emails several times a day. Some of these emails may have sensitive data, which is always a risk. This can be intercepted or even physically seen by someone with malicious intent. Encrypting sensitive data in emails and on your devices is important. And have your device be set to have all stored data encrypted if your computer is stolen.

Physical Security Guidelines When Working Remotely

When working remotely, digital and physical security should be considered. When it comes to physical security, because you are bringing sensitive company information home on your laptop, you should always make sure your doors are locked and stored in a safe place inside your home. And as mentioned earlier, in case of theft, make sure your devices are encrypted.

Do not leave your computer and other work devices in the car. This is a best practice for every industry. At the end of a long day, you may be tempted to simply leave your computer in the car, but this is never a good idea. There is always the potential for theft or even damage from extreme weather. Always remember to bring your computer inside your home at the end of the day.

Do not use random flash drives that aren’t yours. If you don’t know where the particular hard drive came from do not use it. Only use external drives that are new and your own.

Conclusion

Many companies have found it more beneficial for their employees to continue working remotely. Although there are some challenges when it comes to cyberthreats and data security, knowing how to safeguard your employees from any outside threats is quite simple. A remote or hybrid workplace is only a liability if you don’t safeguard your employees. Following these guidelines can keep your company data safe while still obtaining the many benefits that are remote and hybrid workplace environments.

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It is predicted that blockchain will dramatically change the cybersecurity of any business, making it possible to store information without the risk of damage, theft, or data loss.

What Is Blockchain?

Credit: Imperva

This is a decentralized data registry containing information about all operations performed through peer-to-peer networks. Conducted transactions are recorded in time and are grouped in blocks with feedback. Blocks are cryptographically protected and organized in chains.

The transaction data is immutable and is considered reliable, protected. Blockchain technology allows all users to see any transaction ever committed by anyone on the network.

Key Elements of Blockchain Technology

• Network member. This is a person who has a wallet with tokens, a digital signature, and two keys: a public key and a private one.
• Transactions. Any participant can create a transaction and send it to the network. The transaction includes the recipient’s public key, cost information, and the sender’s digital signature.
• Authentication. After the transaction is sent, the peer-to-peer network nodes verify its authenticity by decrypting the digital signature. Scheduled transactions are organized into a pool of pending operations.
• Blocks Miners select pending transactions from the pool and create blocks using consensus mechanisms.
• Blockchains. As soon as most of the network checks the block through the consensus algorithm, miners “hook” it to the blockchain. Blocks are linked to each other by a hash, which is a unique fingerprint of the code in the previous block.

Three Principles of Blockchain Security

Credit: CSO

Peer -to-peer network allows its participants to interact with each other on equal terms. The result of a peer-to-peer connection is that there is no need for central coordination. A large number of nodes ensures the stability of the blockchain chain even when some nodes are inaccessible or infected with malware.

Distributed consensus requires agreement among most nodes for a single data value. This approach allows blockchain technology to validate a single, correct process without central control. Breaking the consensus mechanism is only possible if attackers can use 51 percent of the computing power of a peer-to-peer network.

Security encryption uses cryptography, a form of data protection in which the keys used to encrypt and decrypt data are different. Blockchain technology uses this approach to ensure the security of information as it moves across the network. Cryptography protects completed transactions from any changes, making them immutable.

Blockchain Benefits for Cybersecurity

• Decentralization. Thanks to the peer-to-peer network, there is no need for third-party verification, since any user can see network transactions.
• Tracking and control. All transactions in the blockchains are digitally signed as well as time-stamped. Therefore, participants can easily track the history of transactions and accounts at any time.
• Confidentiality. Participants are kept confidential through public-key cryptography to authenticate participants and encrypt their operations. Some blockchain projects are aimed at further improving this technology. For example, Guardtime startup is the developer of Keyless Signature Infrastructure (KSI) technology, which allows users to verify the validity of a digital signature without revealing keys.
• The right to oblivion. After registering on the blockchain, the information becomes unique. This guarantees data security, allows the system to protect itself from any illegal or duplicate transactions, and prevents the possibility of deletion of information.
• Sustainability. Blockchain technology does not have a single point of failure. This means that even in the case of DDoS attacks, the system will work in normal mode due to the many copies of digital data.
• Integrity. The distributed register protects data from unauthorized alteration or destruction. In addition, the technology ensures the authenticity and irreversibility of completed transactions.

Credit: Gemalto blog

• Flexibility. Using a peer-to-peer network ensures that the blockchain will work around the clock, even if some nodes are offline or under attack.
• Secure network access. Due to the fact that participants have constant access to the blockchain from several devices, there is a risk of losing control over private keys. To avoid the risks associated with losing keys or human errors, the publicly available REMME protocol provides each user, each device with an SSL certificate that eliminates the need for passwords. This approach makes unauthorized access to the network impossible.

Blockchain is a breakthrough in cybersecurity for the entire digital world. The new technology will ensure the highest level of confidentiality, accessibility, data security. However, the complexity of its implementation can cause difficulties with development and actual use.

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Data science is a process that finds its uses in a wide variety of different areas, one of them being cybersecurity. Given that everyone would like to understand their landscape much better, data science offers some leverage, allowing companies to be able to understand how to anticipate and respond to cybersecurity issues, threats, and attacks.

Cybersecurity before Data Science

Before the inception of data science, things were done majorly based on assumptions, and these were central to many organizations’ information security strategies. As a result, right and wrong decisions were subjective as they were formed around doubt, fear, and uncertainty.

With data science, however, the dark and ambiguous world of these fears, uncertainty, and doubt- FUD-based assumptions have become significantly illuminated. As a consequence, cybersecurity’s decisions have been rid of the congeal nature, and instead, decisions have become factual.

 This, however, does not simplify the job of cybersecurity anyway, such that analysts and professionals in the information security field can overlook some cogent details. But cybersecurity has offered an amount of data-driven methods and tools that will make them more efficient at their jobs.

To meet this requisite demand, many organizations have to hire consultants to contribute their wealth of knowledge and expertise to their respective businesses that have cybersecurity data science needs. This has resulted in a tremendous improvement in terms of insights for organizations because their visions have been made more realistic, especially concerning how they manage their cybersecurity strengths and the risks involved.

The Impact of Data Science in the Realm of Cybersecurity

Essentially, the application of data science to cybersecurity to help protect against attacks and improve techniques to better combat cyber threats has many benefits. Admittedly, data science has changed cybersecurity a lot and the effect has been profound and incredibly revolutionizing. Some of the ways in which cybersecurity has benefited from data science are:

Improved Detection of Intrusion and Enhanced Predicting Ability

Cybersecurity takes the form of a cat-and-mouse game. As in, attackers or hackers have various means of intruding. They can change their styles, tools, and methods at any time. This calls for earlier intrusion detection, in which the system typically helps bridge the gap of time between attack and response.

Nonetheless, the attackers still had their way somehow. Interestingly, the adoption and implementation of data science afford organizations to feed machine learning algorithms with historical and current information about these numerous and avoidable intrusions. The result of this is a more effective means of detecting intrusion and managing the system, which also has the advantage and ability to be able to predict future attacks before the incidents happen.

Machine learning algorithms, an impressive feature of data science, helps in detecting loopholes in an information security environment to contribute to the strengthening of its security in different organizations.

Behavioral Analytics

It is good to be able to detect and identify malware (attacks generally) but understanding the behavior of the attacker is another. With data science, organizations can now reliably analyze a vast amount of information, especially data.

The use of tools like Solarwinds Log and Event Manager (LEM) helps pull a large amount of data from different sources. To predict future behavior, some system and network logs are further included and correlated. That way, loads of information can be processed on time and the malicious actors are handled much easier.

Data Protection

Another benefit of data science to cybersecurity is data protection. The former or traditional security measures such as complex signatures and encryption have been quite helpful in bringing an end to probing information and the various methods used by attackers in attacking valuable information.

Data science takes it a step ahead by helping to reinforce these measures and afford organizations means of developing highly impenetrable protocols through machine learning algorithms.

Avoiding Laboratory Scenarios for Real-World Scenarios

Data science enables the ability to move away from the laboratory scenarios which are fundamentally based on science and hypothesis and instead rely on real-world examples.

These real-world scenarios are extracted from historical data which algorithms use to display the events that have taken place in the previous scenarios of attacks, and the way the organization responded and possibly recovered. With that, organizations can gain the true idea and know about their information security landscape much better, the benefits of which pays dividends in terms of better security.

To be specific, in order to identify malware and spam, organizations can take advantage of data science by collecting data from a variety of samples purposely for deep learning and training in order to detect the malware on time. Once these spam and malware are identified, false positives would be reduced.

This also stands true for the identification of intrusions and attacks. With data science, every anomaly and abnormality caused by an intruder can be easily and properly identified. Then, proper preventative measures can be taken to prevent the severity of the intrusion. The process is the same for preventing fraud. When you have a sample of data set, it would be easy to detect abnormalities in credit card purchases, and this helps you identify any kind of fraudulent activity on time.

The Future of Data Science in Cybersecurity

Data science helps analyze big data for the purpose of rooting out all kinds of vulnerabilities. Conversely, data security software such as VPN services helps protect the network from the source of the big data. This implies that data science and data security related to symbiotically. Even though there is a long way to go, data science is the in-thing in cybersecurity and by incorporating this into your programs.

As much value as data science has in the cybersecurity field already, there are yet vast amounts of opportunities and benefits in the future. With the application of data analytics and different machine learning tools, organizations can conduct a proper analysis of the information they collect.

Not only that, but professionals will also be able to examine data very closely and thoroughly to identify trends and patterns. Moreover, data science can make things that were previously impossible, possible. Such things include flagging new threats depending on how similar they are too known exploits and their patterns.

With the advancement of technology, cybercriminals will have to keep up with the pace but how exactly would data science change to meet the needs?

With the look of things, datasets will become larger and algorithms will become sharper, while detection systems have a high tendency to improve. In the future, the security operations center (SOC) and its elements may become incredibly automated. And not only that, triage and automatic mitigation.

Meanwhile, there are specific cautions against adopting the hype of technology as it were, and instead, always keep in mind that data science transcends a collection of algorithms. There are more things to it.

Data science is continually improving, and as the years roll by, the relevance in data security is becoming increasingly pronounced. In fact, according to research, artificial intelligence is forecast to reach about $35 billion by 2025.

The fact that data scientists play a massively versatile role or an analyst, interpreter, technical expert, and the likes, makes problem-solving the easiest for them. With the knowledge of data science, programmers can enhance their techniques and hone their skills better to create more effective programs that can help protect against cyber threats.

Main Photo Credit: Search Engine Journal

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Smartphones, computers, laptops, and tablets keep surrounding us, 24×7!

Actually, we all are surrounded by technology and can’t even imagine our lives without it.

Undoubtedly, technology has now become an integral part of our day to day life. It has the potential to improve every aspect of our lives.

Certainly, the evolution of technology is transforming the entire business landscape at an astonishing pace. But, this rapid technological change increases the risk of cyber threats too.

Today, cybersecurity threat is the biggest concern for every business.

However, the reason is quite obvious.

Every single cyber-attack can wipe out all the reputation of your business and can damage the trust of your customers too.

So, What Exactly Is a Cyber Security Threat?

In simple terms, it is the possibility of a cyber-attack that aims to steal, damage, or destroy your data. As technology rises, cybercriminals are getting more advanced. They continuously formulate new strategies to penetrate your security network and reach the core of your business operations. A cyber-attack has the potential to ruin everything, and destabilize an enterprise overnight. Cyber threats involve data breaches, Denial of Service (DoS) attacks, computer viruses, and many more.

In 2019, the global cybercrime cost had reached $2 trillion. According to the experts, cybercrime is going to be the biggest challenge for businesses in the next two decades. 

There is a common misconception, according to which, a small business is less vulnerable to cyber-attacks than a large enterprise.  

Sadly, that’s not the case!

In fact, small or medium-sized businesses are more at risk.

According to a recent survey report, 61% of cyber-attacks are perpetrated for small businesses. Luckily, there are several ways to guard your business against cyber-attacks. By implementing a high-quality security system, you can slash the vulnerabilities and combat your business from cybersecurity threats.

But, what about the cyber threats that will be encountered in the future? 

How will you protect your business from them?

Following are the 6 most likely cyber threats that you should know to protect your business in the future:

Destructive Ransomware Attacks

Soon, a ransomware attack will become one of the top cyber threats, especially to attack small businesses. In simple terms, ransomware is a kind of malware, that hackers use to gain access to the system or server. For cyber attackers, ransomware is only about making money.

The attack happens when hackers stab into your security network to gain access to your data, hold it with them until you pay some kind of ransom in exchange. This means that you have to choose between your high classified data or money. Sadly, such attacks are proving successful and attackers make huge money from organizations.

Do you know, a single click on a hacked website or an email attachment can get a ransomware attack on your enterprise? An infected email attachment consists of malicious code, once you run it, your system gets infected.

LockerGoga, Ryuk, and WannaCry are the popular ransomware attacks.

To protect your business from ransomware attacks you need to avoid downloading unnecessary email attachments without verifying the web address. Also, refrain from sharing finance-related or any other crucial information with anyone via email.

Phishing

Basically, it is a scam!

Phishing is one of the easiest forms of cyber-crimes. It is an unethical way that cybercriminals use to steal your personal information including credit card numbers, account details, passwords, and more sensitive information. Phishing is usually performed through emails. the attack happens when a malicious email is sent to the victim in order to receive the personal information. The email message consists of a link to a fake website that excites victims to fill their personal information.

Do you know, nearly 1.4 million websites are created every month by scammers to avoid the detection of cyber-attacks?

Some more complex phishing methods involve the creation of fake social media profiles and push notifications.

To avoid such scams, you need to educate your staff members about cybersecurity. Your employees should know where to click or not. You can also use cybersecurity tools to identify such suspicious activities before the attack.

MITM Attacks

MITM stands for Man-in-the-middle.

The attack happens when the attacker acts as a spy who secretly intercepts the communication between the two parties that believe that they are communicating directly. MITM attack allows cyber attackers to redirect the browser of the victim to a malevolent site, so they can steal the sensitive information.

Most probably, the free wifi-networks are used for MITM attacks because it’s easy for hackers to get into your system with an unverified router. 

The end-point authentication is the best way to tackle MITM attacks. You can also enable two-factor authentication to create a thick security layer.

Insider Attacks

An insider attack is a malicious attack initiated by the action of people inside your organization. Most of the insider attacks are the result of unintentional mistakes like clicking on a malicious URL; though, disgruntled employees may also be responsible for such attacks to take revenge from the firm.

Insider attacks are now becoming a big concern for businesses. It’s easy to protect your business from outsiders but difficult to deal with attacks by your own people.

However, using CYBERShark, you can protect your organization from insider attacks. With the help of this cybersecurity tool, you can monitor and track each and every user activity.

Password Attacks

A Password attack is also known as a Brute Force attack. It is the easiest method that hackers use to gain access to any server or site. The attack happens when the attacker attempts to access a password-protected network by trying multiple passphrases and combinations.

In simple terms, the hacker guesses your password!! It’s quite easier for hackers to guess short passwords, but for the longer passwords, they need to go through millions of combinations. Thus, it’s imperative for everyone to make strong passwords, that cannot be even guessed.

Due to the simplicity of passwords, such attacks are increasing day by day. In 2019, a software-based company named Citrix got hacked by a password attack. This was the biggest breach of 2019.

However, you can prevent your business from this attack by implementing a password complexity requirements policy.

Malware Attacks

A Malware attack is one of the biggest threats to businesses. It is a common cyber-attack, led by cybercriminals who create malicious software and install it on the victim’s system stealthy. Malware includes many cyber threats such as spyware, viruses, Trojan horses, etc.

The intent of Malware attacks is to gain access to sensitive or personal information for financial gains. These attacks can even damage your entire system that costs a lot to repair.  Usually, spam emails, malicious site downloads, and connection with unknown devices are responsible for Malware attacks.

However, by using strong end-point solutions, you can prevent your devices from such Malware attacks. Restricted access to suspicious sites can also help you to secure your systems and devices. Also, make regular checks to your central admin panel to make sure that the security system is working fine.

It’s true that as technology advances, the risk of cyber threats increases.

But, no one can stop this!

Thus, it’s high time to get serious on this and develop a strong cybersecurity plan to combat future cyber threats.

The post 6 Major Cyber Threats Businesses May Face in Future appeared first on Colocation America.

Data for educational institutions is highly critical yet not many of them considered data security as one of their top priorities. Failing to secure student data not only affects the reputation of the institute, but they are also obligated to pay a huge penalty to each compromised record. However, with the increase of information being controlled by technology and the rise in security breaches, educational institutions are slowly embracing data security practices.

Some Facts about Data Breaches in Educational Institutions

Credit: Security Magazine

On average, over 60 million students and teachers use the institution’s internet and other internal online applications in the US alone every day. So much information and data concerning students, teachers, and the institution are exposed and ready to access. Failing to secure this data can lead to huge losses of critical data and personal information.

Below are a few data attacks that effected some top educational institutions over the past 10 years. Data collected from ITRC resource center. 

• The Maricopa Community college in Arizona had two back-to-back data breach attacks – one in 2011 and the other again in 2013. Tons of personal data belonging to students, teachers, and vendors like names, addresses, and social security numbers were exposed and sold online.
• Unauthorized access to web applications led to a massive data breach for Georgia Tech in 2019. About 1.3 million users (staff, students, faculty) had their personal information compromised.
• In this world of technology, we tend to forget that cybercrimes can also happen in the physical world! In 2017, Washington State University had locked up a hard drive that contained critical information of about 1.1 million users. Needless to say, this hard drive was stolen, and the data was compromised. The university had to pay $5000 as a settlement to each victim in that database crime so other educational institutions beefed up their security systems to avoid such breaches.

Top Data Security Tips for Educational Institutions

Some of the top few reasons for data breaches to take place in schools and universities are weak network firewalls, unauthorized access, lack of a cybercrime response plan, and more. But the most cybersecurity attacks take place due to human error – 95% of the time! 

Following some guidelines and procedures can however help education institutions to better secure their data –

Storage of Data

Many educational institutes prefer on-premise storage as it offers total control over data. Physical security is a big concern here and steps should be taken to secure the data servers. The other option for bigger institutions, however, would be to go with Cloud-based storage options. Not only does it offer more space (easily expandable), it offers various options to protect data privacy. Here are a few pointers that can help you make a better choice –

• When choosing on-premise storage, make sure data encryption is implemented. (Don’t forget to securely store the encryption key)
• Make sure your ex-staff members (fired or disgruntled) do not have access to the servers once they leave the institution.
• Choose a cloud-based service that offers high-level security like strong encryption, SSL/TSL protocols, zero-knowledge encryption (key will not be stored by the provider). 
• Private clouds offer more security and control over public cloud servers.
• Explore Hybrid data storage solutions that offer a nice mix of cloud-based and on-premise based storage.

Strong Data Privacy Standards

Educational institutions deal with various kinds of data. Data that transfers between student to faculty to administration. With stringent data security standards and policies in place, data breaches can be prevented.

• Social Media laws should be implemented to avoid phishing attacks, cyberbullying, and data breaches. Students and staff should be trained and informed on how to safely use Social media while on the institution’s network
• Email policies should include warning staff and students on sharing personal information over email, to use BCC when sending bulk emails, to avoid sharing extremely sensitive data, etc.
• Policies should be set about accessing the internet. For example, students and staff should be warned against using websites that contain explicit content, that does not have an SSL certificate (https), about clicking on harmful links, and more.
• Content filters and internet firewalls should be frequently updated with restricted access to spam sites and inappropriate content.

Secure CMS

Websites of educational institutions are at a high risk of getting attacked as it is an easy entry point to the database. Considering the huge amount of vital student and administration information the website holds, it becomes more important to secure it.  

Things you should keep in mind before choosing a secure CMS –

• An open-source CMS is always a better option as it is powered by a community that is constantly working towards the betterment of the CMS.
• Granular content and access control.
• Single Sign-on for a more secure environment for institutions with multiple resource centers.

Security Awareness Programs

As we have discussed before, 95% of cybercrimes take place due to human error. Hence, organizing frequent security awareness programs and educating students, faculty, and administration staff has become extremely important. The types and levels of security threats are evolving with time, which makes it important to have regular refreshes of security policies and compliance regulations. What should your awareness programs include?

• Awareness should be conducted on making the right choice of digital communication methods and how to safely use them.
• Regular training sessions on login protection including strong passwords and usernames and why they should not be sharing it with anyone.   
• Awareness of clicking on harmful, third-party links and downloading malicious email attachments.
• Since most of the staff are not extremely tech-savvy, it is very important to train them to report an issue to the IT department as soon as they find it. 
• Train staff and students on safe and secure online shopping.

Continuously Monitor Data

With huge amounts of sensitive data being stored and moved around in educational institutions, it becomes hard to find the root cause of the attack. It is important that data remains transparent and the IT staff knows where exactly the data is stored and being moved around. The solution? Data Loss Prevention (DLP) system. A DLP software provides a set of tools and processes that ensures data is not violated, lost, or misused. 

• It offers deep analytics and visibility of the data and controls that can help in securing it.
• Suspicious accounts can be blocked before any data is leaked.
• Identifies any violations of the institution’s policies.
• Allows tracking data on the network and endpoints.

Restrict Usage of Portable Devices

It is a common practice largely by students to carry around their work in portable devices (like USBs) and connect them to the educational institution’s computer. This is an easy but huge vulnerability and needs immediate attention. 

• Awareness should be created on how to safely use portable devices within the campus.
• Encourage usage of devices that ensures encryption of data automatically.
• DLP tools can also help out here by restricting access and usage of portable devices.

Have a Contingency Plan Ready

Data breaches can be prevented by stringent implementations of the above strategies, but you cannot completely rule out the possibility. Always ensure that a disaster recovery plan is in place. The IT staff should ensure that even after a hacker attack, everything else can still work smoothly without any hiccups. Having insurance coverage to cover the costs after a data breach attack is highly important.

Technology comes with pros and cons. In this rapidly evolving technology world, it has become more important to protect data that is sensitive and personal. Schools and universities deal with plenty of critical information about students, parents, staff, and management. Information like login credentials, addresses, social security numbers, and more are at risk of being leaked and misused by the bad world. Education institutions are the second most vulnerable industry to be attacked by hackers. Implementing data security strategies can help in mitigating possible attacks.

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Why Is the Maintenance of the Data Center Important?

Due to loads of data, there are high chances of your data center shutting down. Shutting down of data center does not just affect the accessibility, but, it is very costly. According to recent research, approximately $5600 is a cost of 1-minute downtime of the data center. These downtimes are costing millions of dollars to big facilities. So, on-time maintenance of data centers is very crucial to avoid spending the extra dollar and to avoid interaction in storing, accessing, and retrieving data.

What Is Preventative Maintenance?

Preventative maintenance is the process to ensure the minimum amount of equipment shut down and failures. Preventive maintenance conduct scheduled analyses to catch the defect before occurring. To save data center from failure, preventive maintenance is performed. The following are the 7 tips to make preventive maintenance more effective for data centers.

Safety of the Technician

The first and very critical step of preventive maintenance is to ensure the safety of the technician while executing preventive maintenance. Before letting any technician perform preventive maintenance, they should be given security training. They should be trained to save themselves in emergency conditions.

Regular Maintenance

Most of the shutdowns and failures in data centers happen because of batteries and ups failure. So the very crucial factor of preventative maintenance is to keep a check of ups and batteries regularly. Regular maintenance of equipment will not just reduce failure, but will also help in increasing the equipment lifetime. Preventive maintenance also helps in managing power usage and energy consumption.

Make a Checklist

Before assigning work to any technician, you need to make a standard checklist mentioning the duties. So that every time a technician performs preventive maintenance, he knows what to do. This checklist will even help you in the long term.No matter which the technician is performing preventive maintenance, the procedure will always be the same. In the case of the data center, the standard checklists are named SOP, MOP, and EOP.

Perform PM Compliance

After estimating the total cost required on 1 minute shut down of the data center, it is very necessary to perform preventive maintenance on time. To measure whether or not your preventive maintenance is on time, the best way is to produce PM compliance. You must wonder what PM compliance is? PM compliance is defined as the process to measure in what percentage the scheduled task of preventive maintenance is performed. If the task is executing as per the schedule, then your preventive maintenance will be successful.

Keep Your Documentation Ready All the Time

Documentation is very significant to keep track of things. Incomplete documentation can lead to bigger issues to the data center manager in case of emergency or failure. Another benefit of the complete documentation of preventive maintenance is that it will help auditors in the inspection. So making the documentation available for the auditors, complete it regularly. Similarly, the documentation can be used to reduce the failure and shut downtime of equipment.

Measure Your Performance

It is said that if you can measure anything, you can not improve it. So measuring the performance of preventive maintenance is very crucial. You can measure the performance using the KPIs.There are so many KPIs which include preventive maintenance compliance, accessibility, and reliability. You can design your preventive maintenance in a way that it performs better but at less cost.

Get Yourself a CMMS

Below are the thoughts of the author and do not represent Colocation America

You can measure maintenance using the different android app and software. The most reliable way of keeping track of preventive maintenance is the Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS).

CMMS not only keep a track of preventive maintenance but also help in improving it by using the above tips. Using the CMMS, the staff members can keep a track of maintenance and cost. It can help in improving the lifetime of the data centers, equipment, and improving productivity. It is also useful for technicians to keep track of equipment maintenance data, order history, and much more.

Data centers are very useful in today’s world for storing, retrieving, and accessing data. But failures and downtimes are the most common problems and challenges in data centers. So to keep it working, it is important to prevent it from failure because recovery of failure can cost a large amount. So to prevent data centers from shut down or failure, preventive maintenance is used. It is very important to perform effective preventive maintenance to ensure improvement and minimize failure. Using the above techniques, you can make your preventive maintenance more effective.

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