How to Keep Your Website Safe from a DDoS Attack

While the internet has opened endless possibilities for businesses, the risk of threats from cybercrime has also increased considerably. As of July 2019, more than 4000 malware programs attack the Australian population on a daily basis. And one of the most common and malicious attacks among these threats is a DDoS attack.

A DDoS attack can wreck the foundation of any website and can prove to be troublesome for website owners. Such attacks send fake traffic toward a website, causing it to crash. Websites lacking proper protection against hackers and viruses are usually the victims of such threats.

If you consider your website vulnerable to such attacks, it’s time you look into some preventative measures. Here are a few tips to prevent your website from a DDoS attack.

Invest in Quality Hardware:

The main purpose of a DDoS attack is to flood your website with excessive traffic. This can be detected by quality hardware. Your network hardware receives traffic in the form of voltages. A high spike indicates a sudden rush of traffic, which can be prevented by appropriate electronic components. This includes your router, a quality data transferring cable and network switches.

You should modify the firewall settings of your network to block out such attacks and keep your website safe.

Use a Strong Network:

Hackers usually look for the weakest targets on a website that are vulnerable to such attacks. If your website isn’t maintained by a strong network and a powerful hosting server, you’re an easy target in the pool.

To eliminate vulnerabilities, keep your system up to date. Don’t forget to update the version of WordPress, if you’re using one. Ask your hosting provider to upgrade their software and systems regularly.

Increase Internet Bandwidth:

The aftermath of DDoS results in a crashed website. The main reason why it happens is a small network bandwidth. Your internet bandwidth is unable to handle such a high amount of traffic sent by a hacker. This completely destroys your online platform.

To avoid this issue, buy extra bandwidth to combat the sudden surge of data. Increase the capacity of your server to manage a large amount of traffic efficiently. This way, your website will work fine even after a DDoS attack.

Avail DDoS Mitigation Service:

DDoS mitigation services act as a filter that removes all the excess traffic from your server, allowing only genuine traffic to visit your website. It’s an excellent option for multinational companies and large-scale businesses. Small businesses can opt for a managed hosting service.

For quality security consultancy and penetration testing services, contact Lean security. Give us a call at 61 (2) 8078 6952.

Mobile App Security Tips to Avoid Cyber Threats

Technology has brought about a world full of endless possibilities and benefits. And one of the most effective innovations of this new world is the smartphone. They’ve become an integral part of our lives and make things all the more easy for us.

Millennial spend about 5.7 hours on their phone, scrolling through mobile apps for most of this time. On the one hand, these apps have gained our trust and facilitate us in several ways. On the other hand, they’ve opened up more gateways for hackers and viruses.

Cyber threats are on the rise, affecting some of the biggest businesses across the world. In 2017, 516,380 small Australian businesses faced cyberattacks and this number has increased over the years. As the situation continues to worsen, it’s high time to get your defences up.

Take a look at these security tips to avoid cyber threats.

Use Antivirus:

Mobile apps can be pretty vulnerable if not secured properly. This is a serious concern for both, regular and commercial users. Most apps are made on an open-source platform, which makes it easier for viruses and malware to penetrate into the systems.

To avoid the threats, install effective antivirus software to protect your data and devices. An antivirus will block malware from entering your system and act as a perfect defence mechanism against security threats.

Limit Data Sharing:

Data theft is a growing concern for many firms. Most free apps are involved in data sharing over the server for advertisement purposes. This data is mined by criminals and hackers for illegal activities. And the main reason behind data leaks is ignoring the security checks and terms and conditions of apps.

While giving permission to an app to access your system, make sure you read every point. Don’t provide access to sensitive company data. Always use certified and trusted apps to avoid mishaps.

Avoid Unauthorized Access:

Sometimes, personal information or data is uploaded from your phone without your permission. This data can be used for spams or advertisement. Before your app accesses any data on your phone, it requires permission from an authorized user. For maximum protection, make sure you change your device setting s to ask for your permission to access any other app or data on your device.

Encrypt Your Data:

Another great practice to avoid the threat of cybercrime is using encrypted apps. Such apps hide your data from public servers and other platforms. Secure apps provide an added layer of security between user data and the online world.

If you’re looking for security solutions for your business, get in touch with Lean Security. We provide premium mobile application penetration test that offer you maximum protection from cybercrime. Call us at 61 (2) 8078 6952.

Five Reasons Your Business Needs The Most Secure Data Protection Available

Victim of a Vicious Malware Attack? Here’s What You Need to Do

Do pop-ups keep appearing even when you’re not browsing the Web? Is your system unusually slow and always showing high network activity? If so, there’s a big chance that your system is infected by a malware attack. It could be a cryptomining software, Trojan or a ransomware that’s lying dormant in your system, among many others.

Cybercrime is on the rise, and reports show that more than 25% of these attacks hit banks and various financial services organizations, resulting in compromised credit cards, malicious apps being installed, and credential leaks.

Once cybercriminals gain access to your organization and get past all your security solutions, you need a malware response plan — and fast! Unfortunately, it’s not as simple as changing the registry settings or deleting files — cybercriminals use strategic ways to establish a strong foothold within your system.

Here’s what you need to do to get rid of these attacks.

Step #1: Disconnect immediately!

If you’re the victim of a malware attack, the first thing you need to do is disconnect from the internet. This prevents personal data from being transmitted to the hacker. Contact your Internet Service Provider (ISP) if the attack took place on your personal device.

You may have realized that your system’s running slow or you probably clicked on an ad that you shouldn’t have — either way, it’s more likely that there are more than one affected endpoints in your system.

After disabling yourself from all network connections, it’s important to identify these affected endpoints so that you can clean out the infection before it spreads to other parts of your system. You can use a comprehensive malware detection service for this purpose.

Step #2: Scan and identify the method of entry

You should always have antivirus and antispyware software in place, installed and updated to the latest version. Run diagnostic scans and set automated scans at periodic intervals. It’s good practice to conduct external penetration tests in case the hackers are trying to compromise vulnerable hosts outside your business.

Make sure to close the door on the threat’s means of entry. Try to find the entry point —malware disguised as a phishing email or a malicious website that was visited. Once you’ve found your smoking gun — like a suspicious email with a misleading subject —block its access immediately with a targeted antivirus scan.

Step #3: Backup and restore endpoints

It’s a good idea to create a backup of all your data on removable media like USB or removable hard drive before you continue to restore endpoints.

Once you’re entirely sure that there’s no chance of underlying dormant malware in your system, it’s time to restore endpoint to a known-good state. It’s a good idea to update your system’s “images” periodically because in the case of a malicious attack, you can always restore to that particular image.

The key is to have a proactive approach in place to avoid serious security compromises. At Lean Security, we provide comprehensive security solutions including web security audit, web vulnerability scanner and much more to provide maximum protection from security breaches. Get in touch via call or our website for more information.

3 Potential Security Risks of Online Gaming

We’ve all played video games at some point in our lives. Whether you’re tirelessly trying to level up in Candy Crush or playing a Battle Royale like PUBG, you’re part of the gaming world. While online gaming provides people with a large platform to interact with players worldwide, there’s a dark side to it.

From online predators and identity theft to cyberbullying, online gaming exposes you to a wide array of security risks. We’ve prepared a comprehensive list of these associated risks to alarm you of the dangers that lurk around when you’re firing arms in Call of Duty.

1. Cyberbullying meets gaming

For a lot of people, the ability to escape into the online world — away from real life — is therapeutic. This anonymity however, cuts both ways. Studies show that players often take advantage of this and spam global and personal chats with derogatory comments and harmful messages. This activity is known as “whispering”.  

Reports show that 1 in 2 online gamers are bullied. Cyberbullies target gullible players via texts and web calls hidden in the app. Though a bully’s actions may be in violation of the game’s privacy terms of service and they can easily be blocked, it’s always a good idea to nip these security risks in the bud.

2. Personal information is at risk

Often, fraudulent websites offer games at comparatively low rates; gamers think it’s a great opportunity, but what they fail to realize is that these websites can easily misuse financial information. The National Cyber Security Alliance website, Stay Safe Online, recommends gamers never reveal their personal details like names, location and age. This can not only lead to identity theft, but is also a great opportunity for cybercriminals to target innocent players.

Therefore, make sure to never give away personal information, and keep your usernames different across different gaming sites. Also, perform a factory reset on your gaming console before throwing or giving it away.

3. Malware infections

Skilled hackers modify legitimate gaming apps with Trojans and upload them on reputed marketplaces like Google Play. One such incident was reported where the Trojan was used to take control of the user’s Android device and conscript it into a “botnet”. In order to avoid suspicion from victims, hackers use delay timers as malware. The bottom line is that a hacking nightmare can be masqueraded as a legitimate app — so it’s important to research the game developers and go through reviews before downloading games. Moreover, invest in a powerful security solution that offers comprehensive malware detection services.

At Lean Security, we offer end-to-end mobile application penetration test and web application penetration testing to reduce the chances of security breaches. If you’re interested in working with us, get in touch via call or website.