Busted : Common Web Security Myths

Hii Everyone Today we are going to describe the most common web security myths that we all have came across. Also we will describe how true the myths are and the fact behind it.

So let’s Start :

Myth : You only get viruses from the shady areas of the internet.

Fact : Not all malware and viruses come from torrent sites or adult websites. While user who frequently visit more obscure areas of the web may be more likely to get infected, hackers are increasingly taking advantage of mainstream websites to infect visitors. Hackers infect more popular sites by attacking ad networks and inserting malware into ads. Even if the site itself has a good reputation, if it runs ads that your network security is not actively verifying , you could be a victim of drive-by malware.

ADVICE : Careful where you click, especially when it comes to ads.

Myth : No one will hack me. I don’t have anything.

Fact :  If you think there’s nothing of value in your laptop or smartphone, think again. it’s not just banking credentials cyber criminals are after. Bad Guys target individual employees to gain corporate account credentials that can be used as a doorway to get deeper inside a corporate network. Small organizations are increasingly targeted because they are less likely to have sophisticated security plans in place.

ADVICE : Use Secured and varied passwords for all your accounts.

Myth : I have a MAC, they don’t get viruses or malware.

Fact :  For years MAC users have bragged about their impenetrable laptops, and for good reasons. Compared to the virus riddled world of PC’s MAC’s have remained unaffected by a large amount of attacks. But now MAC’s are found to be vulnerable by various trojans ( like the Flashback trojan ), making them penetrable. Security firms are taking greater action to protect apple products too including your iPhone and tablet.

ADVICE : Stay in sync with the recent updates of your security softwares and remember that all devices are vulnerable.

mac

Myth : I am safer on my phone then on my desktop.

Fact :  Smartphone users may feel safe when navigating apps and websites, but it actually is an ideal environment to execute phishing attacks. In many cases, best practice to identify phishing scams no longer apply in mobile mail client. It’s hard to authenticate a sender or mouse over a hyperlinked text to identify destination domain.

ADVICE : Visit websites by directly entering url through browser and not through some forwarded message.

Myth : I have an antivirus, I don’t have to worry about anything.

Fact : Antivirus relies on the previous knowledge of a threat to protect you. And the truth is, threats have always evolved a step ahead of technologies that seek to protect against them. Antivirus repositories are filled with about a hundred million digital signatures and yet a new threat arises every day.

ADVICE : Don’t completely rely on just antivirus. Building a complete secure network or a security strategy requires multiple layers of protection. Antivirus is just one of them. You should have vpn, configured firewalls, honeypots and database backups to stay secure.

Found it Interesting? Got Something to ask??
Feel free to comment it below.

Stay Secure ! Stay Happy !!

Taha Chatriwala

Spreading Cyber Security Knowledge to the people of this digital era !

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