Essential Security Elements and Phases of Hacking Attacks

Cyber security provides protection against theft of data, protects computers from theft, minimizes computer freezing, provides privacy for users, and offers strict regulation. Firewalls can be difficult to configure correctly. Faultily configured firewalls may prohibit users from performing any behavior on the internet before the firewall is properly installed, and you will continue to upgrade the latest software to retain current protection. Cyber protection can be expensive for ordinary users. This is chapter helps to understand phases of attacks and types of attacks. Ethical hacking simulates a malicious attack without trying to cause damage. If you need to understand the countermeasures, first you need to understand the phases of an attack. It is necessary to comprehend the steps to counter an attack once it is detected and stop the attack before it reaches the next phase. In general, there are five phases that make up an attack such as reconnaissance, scanning, gaining access, maintaining access, covering tracks.

Ethical Hacking, Threats, and Vulnerabilities in Cybersecurity

This chapter will discuss the important topic of ethical hacking, also known as penetration testing. It will start by explaining the constituents of ethical hacking: scope and goal setting, exploitation, and documentation. The authors will define and explain the reasons for the rapid rise in cyber-crimes and their socio-economic impact. It will further discuss the steps involved in ethical hacking, who is allowed to conduct ethical hacking, its importance, and the role it plays in deterring future and potential hackers. The chapter will analyze the various types of malware and the steps to follow to become an ethical hacker. It will further describe social engineering, the types of cyber-attacks, the phases of attack, testing for vulnerabilities, and it will put forward a list of countermeasures. The chapter will end by detailing the steps to be taken in the documentation process and crafting the executive summary.

Cybersecurity Risks, Vulnerabilities, and Countermeasures to Prevent Social Engineering Attacks

The broad objective of this study is to evaluate the vulnerabilities of an organization's information technology infrastructure, which include hardware and software systems, transmission media, local area networks, wide area networks, enterprise networks, intranets, and its use of the internet to cyber intrusions. To achieve this objective, the chapter explains the importance of social engineering in network intrusions and cyber-theft and the reasons for the rapid expansion of cybercrime. The chapter also includes a complete description and definition of social engineering, the role it plays in network intrusion and cyber identity theft, a discussion of the reasons for the rise in cybercrimes, and their impact on organizations. In closing the authors recommend some preventive measures and possible solutions to the threats and vulnerabilities of social engineering. The chapter concludes that while technology has a role to play in reducing the impact of social engineering attacks, the vulnerability resides with human behavior, human impulses, and psychological predispositions.

The Dynamics of Social Engineering and Cybercrime in the Digital Age

Social engineering attacks have emerged to become one of the most problematic tactics used against businesses today. Social engineers employ both human-based and computer-based tactics to successfully compromise their targeted networks. This chapter will discuss the basics of social engineering and what it means today. It will explain some common attack methods like baiting, phishing, pretexting, quid pro quo, tailgating, and dumpster diving. It will then highlight the impact social engineering has had on the rise in cybercrime and why threat actors have grown more innovative. Finally, this chapter will discuss what multi-layer defense or defense in depth is and offer countermeasures that can be enforced to defend against social engineering attacks.

Emerging Trends in the Mitigation of Data Security of Consumer Devices Industry

Previous literature has investigated if mobile applications unregulated by the United States, such as Tik-Tok, can have a detrimental impact regarding the vulnerability of personal identifiable information of their daily users and are therefore worthy of banned designation for consumer use in the United States. The research conducted in these findings aimed to assess the benefits and downsides of user-permitted data collection from mobile applications such as Tik-Tok including whether Tik-Tok indeed poses a serious national security threat due to its potential exploitation from foreign governments, therefore warranting government escalation from being closely monitored to banned status. This chapter's research also consisted of analyzing emerging trends in the mitigation of data security of consumer devices industry in the instances of cloud computing, 5G implementation in home automation, and mobile applications privacy. Previous findings implicate the potential vulnerability of PII in mobile applications and support the notion of Tik-Tok becoming banned by the United States.

DWT-Based Steganography for Image Transmission

Due to internet development, data transfer becomes faster and easier to transmit and receive different data types. The possibility of data loss or data modification by a third party is high. So, designing a model that allows stakeholders to share their data confidently over the internet is urgent. Steganography is a term used to hide information and an attempt to conceal the existence of embedded information in different types of multimedia. In this chapter, a steganography model is proposed to embed an image into a cover image based on DWT approach as the first phase. Then, the embedded secret image is extracted from the stego-image as the second phase. Model performance was evaluated based on signal noise ratio (SNR), PSNR, and MSE (mean square error). The proposed steganographic model based on DWT is implemented to hide confidential images about a nuclear reactor and military devices. The findings indicate that the proposed model provides a relatively high embedding payload with no visual distortion in the stego-image. It improves the security and maintains the hidden image correctness.

The Unprecedented Rise in Cybercrime and the Role of the Human Vulnerability Factor

This chapter is primarily intended to firstly define and review the literature in cybersecurity and vividly shed light on the mechanisms involved in the social engineering phenomenon. It will discuss the various attempts at network intrusion and the steps typically taken in the implementation of cyber-thefts. The chapter will provide the rationale behind the justification of why humans are considered to be the weakest link in these attacks. The study will also explain the reasons for the rise in cybercrimes and their impact on organizations. In closing, the chapter will put forward some recommendations to serve as preventative measures and solutions to the threats and vulnerabilities posed by cyber-attacks. Finally, measures, such as conducting regular, thorough, and relevant awareness training, frequent drills, and realistic tests, will be addressed with a view to maintaining a steady focus on the overall discipline of the organization, thereby hardening the component of the network that is the softest by nature—the human vulnerability factor.

Evaluating the Impact of Cybertheft Through Social Engineering and Network Intrusions

This chapter takes an in-depth look into the research literature to analyze and evaluate the role that social engineering plays in network intrusion and cybertheft. It will also discuss preventive measures and solutions to the threats and vulnerabilities that present themselves in the process of social engineering attacks. Social engineering is a means of stealing private data through tactics that make the victim feel comfortable to give their data. This kind of attack can cost individuals and organizations millions of dollars and block their access to data. The articles present multiple statistics that prove that the risk of social engineering attacks on individuals or organizations has increased tremendously. This new wave of communication has given hackers many opportunities to threaten security by tracking your email, phone, social networks, etc. Information detailing how users can be more aware of ways to protect their private information from attackers will also be presented.

The Analysis of Top Cyber Investigation Trends

Cybersecurity is an ever-evolving area of technology. As such, there will always be myriad trends to consider. Through the progression of cybersecurity comes the increased need for organizations to keep pace with the rapid development of technology. However, the current skills gap of cybersecurity professionals has overwhelmingly become a cause for concern. The spread of cloud computing has created a need for new cloud forensics procedures, and the use of internet-connected medical devices has added concerns for the information security structure of many organizations. In order to resolve these issues, proper vulnerability testing and implementation of new processes to keep up with the changes in technology have to be introduced to reduce the possibility of hacking incidents and aid in remediation. If more organizations leverage the skills and personnel available to them, there are ways to reduce the skills gap and other issues affecting cybersecurity.

The Socio-Economic Impact of Identity Theft and Cybercrime

The purpose of this chapter is to explore and address the socio-economic impact of identity thefts and cybercrime in general. The chapter will further explain the various ways employed in their implementation. The chapter will also put forward ways to prevent the threats and vulnerabilities of the attacks. The study will also recommend solutions to stop and/or mitigate the consequences of cyber-thefts. The study will define social engineering as well as provide various social engineering tactic. The chapter will also discuss the reasons for the rise in cybercrime. Such reasons will include financial gain, revenge, as well as non-financial gains. Also cited are examples that demonstrate the capabilities of cybercriminal. The chapter will also provide justification for the reasons behind the cumbersome task and failure in instituting a lasting solution to the criminal activities. Finally, this chapter will close with a conclusion on the economic implications of social engineering on the general cyberwar on cybercrime at the national and global levels.