Internet of Things (IoT) Security in 2020: Expert Advice You Should Follow

The rapid proliferation of Internet of Things (IoT) devices in the past few years has been unprecedented. It is estimated that the number is going to touch 125 billion by 2030! What’s more is that the combined market size for IoT devices will reach $520 billion by 2021. Internet-connected devices now rule the digital landscape and are more than set to revolutionize the way we humans live, work, and play.

But what is the Internet of Things, and should we be concerned about security threats? Here’s your 2020 primer on beefing up IoT security in 2020.

What is IoT and What are the Security Risks in 2020?

Put simply, the IoT encompasses all devices connected to the internet and to each other. It is the interconnected behemoth of devices and people linked to each other through the internet. 

Considering the fact that many IoT devices are online every minute of every day, this makes them particularly vulnerable to DDoS botnet conscription. Because IoT devices utilize backend connectivity, they can easily be used as entry points by skilled hackers to compromise home or enterprise networks.

We’re in 2020 now and 5G is close to becoming a widespread reality. While this may be good news, it also means IoT devices—which more often than not have long shelf lives—that end up becoming obsolete will remain insecure over long periods of time. Hackers can exploit the increased 5G connectivity on these vulnerable devices for their own gain.

Prioritize API Security

According to Security Boulevard, API security is a growing concern in the IoT world. 2020 will see API abuses as one of the more prominent ways through which data breaches will be made. According to Gartner, 2022 will see APIs becoming the top attack vector.

The only way to protect from API attacks is to increase spending on cybersecurity protocols and measures to counteract the increased risk IoT-related risk.  

If you require state-of-the-art and reliable cybersecurity measures to protect against attacks on IoT, look no further.

Here at Lean Security, we are at the forefront of effective security solutions for IoT devices. We help companies to prevent theft of personal, financial information, and costly data breaches from unauthorized parties.

We are professional penetration testing service providers that can help secure your APIs through thorough API penetration tests. If you require web application or mobile application security and penetration testing, we provide that as well.

Contact us today on +61280786952

E-commerce Security 101: What You Should Know

The skyrocketing popularity of e-commerce has increased alongside the frequency and sophistication of cybersecurity threats. While brick-and-mortar stores had to contend with physical security threats such as break-ins, robberies, and theft, online retailers have to protect themselves against viruses, hacking, spyware, and phishing.

Cyberattacks necessitate e-commerce security. Here are the fundamentals of what it entails.

Privacy

In this context, privacy refers to preventing information from getting into the hands of unauthorized third parties.

The personal details and account information your customers enter when shopping online should be inaccessible to everyone except you and the customers themselves. In order for sensitive information such as bank and credit card details to remain private, businesses should implement encryption, virus protection, and set up a firewall.

Authentication

In order to avoid fraudulent transactions, both the seller and the buyer need to be verifiable. For the seller to feel secure about the sale, the buyer needs to provide proof of identification. Likewise, there will be no selling unless the business is real and its products are real.

Many businesses hire experts to authenticate the information customers enter on the website. Some of the more common authentication measures include buyer logins, passwords, and/or credit card PINs.

 

Integrity

In e-commerce security terms, integrity is the principle that any information the customer shares online will remain unaltered. A secure transaction necessitates unaltered data.

The business should only use exactly what was entered by the customer. In other words, businesses aren’t allowed to tamper with the information.

Non-Repudiation

For a successful transaction to take place, neither party can deny their involvement in the transaction. Legally speaking, non-repudiation adds a level of security because it confirms that the information shared between the two parties was received, and the purchase was made.

If you run an e-commerce website and need to professionally and thoroughly test your security measures, you’ve come to the right place.

We are a trusted penetration testing provider based in Gordon, New South Wales, AU. We are specialists when it comes to mobile application penetration tests and web application penetration tests.

Our penetration testing service includes client assessment, backend web service assessment, and network assessment. All clients are provided with a detailed technical report during the process.

Get in touch with us today! Call +61280786952

Prioritizing Web Security in Digital Marketing

As cyberspace evolves, the digital marketing industry is constantly adapting to fluctuating trends. Digital marketing is reliant on information systems, so the risk of cyber threats like hacking, data breaches, and financial fraud is ever-present. The biggest threat to SMEs in 2018 was cyber risk.

To prevent any of this from happening to your business, you need to prioritize cybersecurity for your website when running your digital marketing campaign.

Common Types of Cyberattacks on Websites

Before you implement mitigations, here’s an overview of common cyberattacks that websites face:

Cross-site scripting: This involves injecting malicious into a website. It’s used by hackers to infect and steal data from the website’s visitors.

Denial-of-Service attacks: This is when hackers flood a website with traffic in order to bring it down.

SQL injection attacks: If you have a poorly configured website, hackers can exploit its vulnerabilities and access the databases behind the site. They do this by sending commands to search boxes and online forms.

Password attacks: Cyber-criminals notoriously use sophisticated tools to flood sites with potential passwords so they can gain entry to the back-end. Passwords that are easy to guess make their job much simpler. If they gain access to the configuration pages, they can do whatever they please.

 

Protecting Your Website

Email Attacks

Businesses use outbound email marketing to great benefits. However, this strategy opens them up to email account hijacking attacks, like spamming and phishing. To protect your business from these cyber threats, use email security software, encryption, and outbound filters.

Customer Data Privacy Leaks

Just as customer data is highly valuable to digital marketers, it is equally valuable to hackers. They steal and sell customer credit card information, passwords, and other sensitive personal data.

Threats To Financial Transactions

If you’re running an e-commerce website, it’s imperative that you protect the financial transactions that take place on it. If your website processes payments through third-party financial services such as PayPal, they can be vulnerable to cyberattacks. Digital marketers should be well-aware of anti-malware security measures that are used to protect against such attacks.

If you require cutting-edge and reliable security measures to protect your website from cyber-security threats, get in touch with us.

Here at Lean Security, we champion solid, effective, and non-invasive security for digital media applications, connected devices, and OTT services. Our digital media security solutions have multiple levels of security and meet DMR standards.

If, on the other hand, you need to test the robustness of your website’s security measures, we are an industry-leading penetration testing provider. We provide web application scanning and mobile application security testing.

Contact us today at +61280786952.

5 Expert Tips for Social Media Security to Mitigate Risks

Social media statistics seem to get more staggering every year. There are currently 3.5 billion social media users worldwide. That’s 45 percent of the world’s population! But as social media networks grow and access becomes easier, security risks increase.

If you run a business and want to tighten social media security, follow these expert tips.

Never Disclose Sensitive Information

This is a fundamental rule for businesses that use social media platforms to run marketing campaigns and boost online presence.

For this, you’ll need to train your staff on safe and secure social media practices. Your business can’t afford a staff member accidentally disclosing sensitive info such as product release dates, security details, or upcoming features through a tweet or a Facebook post.

Stay Alert for Scams

Social media platforms are rife with malicious applications that steal sensitive and personal information such as financial details, passwords, and security info.

It’s critical that businesses stay up-to-date with the latest scam techniques that are used on social media. For one, never click on dubious links because a click is all a hacker needs to steal and exploit your personal and financial information.

 

Use Different Passwords on Different Accounts

Many users make the mistake of using the same password across all social media accounts. This makes a hacker’s job much easier. If they gain access to the password, you can expect to have all your social media accounts compromised.

Use Two-Factor Authentication

Two-factor authentication is a good security measure in case your password is compromised. With two-factor authentication, you’ll be sent a verification code on your phone every time you attempt to log in to any of your accounts.

This means that without the code, unauthorized individuals won’t be able to log in to any of your accounts.

Limit Your Staff’s Access To Social Media

Don’t underestimate internal security breaches. Human error is one of the leading causes of security breaches. While you have teams that work on writing and designing your social media posts and messaging, not everyone should be allowed to post. Think hard about the best candidates for posting and limit access to.

We are a reputable online security company based in Gordon, New South Wales, AU. As a leading IT solutions provider, we have been providing professional penetration testing services, source code analysis, and mobile application security testing services online businesses for more than 10 years.

Get in touch with us today! Call us at +61280786952.

Cybersecurity for Small Businesses in Australia

As a small business owner, you’ve spent a whole lot of blood, sweat and tears into getting your start-up off the ground. It’s been six months in, and things seem to be going alright. But there’s one thing you haven’t given much thought to, and that is cybersecurity for your business.

Did you know that 60% of small businesses shut down within a year following a cyberattack? If you don’t have a cybersecurity plan in place, you’re putting your business in harm’s way.

Cybercriminals don’t discriminate. You may be tempted to think that since you aren’t running your operations on a large scale, you won’t come under their radar. But that’s a fool’s paradise you don’t want to be living in—statistics indicate that 516,380 small businesses in Australia have fallen victim to cybercrime in recent years.

In order to protect your business, you need to know what cybercriminals are looking for, how they attack your businesses, and devise a strategy to protect your business.

What are they looking for?

Cybercriminals usually look for data that can benefit them, in direct and indirect ways. Below are a few things online attackers will be looking for in your business:

· Financial information

· Intellectual property

· Customer records

· Business correspondence

How do they do it?

All that cybercriminals need is a small window or opening into your online data to cripple your business. Here are some strategies they use to attack your small business:

Zero-day attacks: Simply put, this method introduces vulnerabilities in software and operating systems to create security holes that are then exploited by cybercriminals.

Web-based attacks: These affect the availability of your apps and/or website and breach the integrity and confidentiality of your data.

Ransomeware: This prevents you from accessing your system and files, following which the cybercriminal demands a ransom payment to allow you to regain access to your data.

General Malware: This includes viruses, spyware, rootkits, etc.

How to protect your business from cyberattack

Now that you know what online attackers may be looking for and the methods that they’ll employ, the next step is to come up with defensive strategies. Here are some measures you can take.

1- Make use of Antispyware and Antivirus Software

When it comes to downloading antivirus software and antispyware, you have a variety to choose from. Some popular ones are McAfee, Norton as well as Webroot.

Make sure your software systems are updated so they function efficiently.

2- Use stronger passwords

This is fairly straightforward. Make sure your password is doing its job: keeping unauthorized parties out. If you choose a fairly obvious password such as YourBusinessName123 then cybercriminals will be granted access easily.  

3- Be mindful of mobile phone security

People usually choose to store sensitive information on their phones, which makes them a target for cybercriminals. Ensure that all your employees have password-protected phones with software that allows them to encrypt data and locate and wipe lost phones.

One breach of confidential data and your business loses the trust of its customers and employees. If you’re a business owner in Australia and need help protecting sensitive information, reach out to Lean Security. We provide advanced penetration testing services for websites and mobile apps to ensure our clients enjoy a safe online presence.

To avail our services, call us at +61 (2) 8078 6952 or email us at info@leansecurity.com.au.