Security

What is a DDoS Attack?
What is a DDoS attack? 1024 576 Ravensdale Digital

What is a DDoS attack?

In an era where digital security is paramount, understanding the mechanics and implications of cyber threats, such as Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) attacks, is crucial for businesses. At Ravensdale Digital, not only do we provide insights into these cyber threats, but we also offer robust solutions, including secure hosting capable of withstanding DDoS attacks and continuous monitoring to protect your online assets. Based in Gqeberha (formerly Port Elizabeth), we are dedicated to fortifying businesses against these increasingly common cyberattacks.

What is a DDoS Attack?

A DDoS attack is a malicious attempt to disrupt the normal traffic of a targeted server, service, or network by overwhelming it with a flood of internet traffic. These attacks can render websites and digital services inoperable for periods ranging from a few seconds to weeks, causing significant disruption and potential loss of revenue.

How Does a DDoS Attack Work?

DDoS attacks involve a network of compromised internet-connected devices, known as a botnet. These devices, infected with malware, are controlled remotely by an attacker. The botnet sends numerous requests to the target’s IP address, leading to an overwhelmed server or network and denying service to legitimate traffic. Differentiating between legitimate and attack traffic can be challenging since each bot is a genuine internet device.

Identifying a DDoS Attack

Key indicators of a DDoS attack include:

  • Unusually slow network performance.
  • A sudden spike in traffic from a single IP address or IP range.
  • An unexpected surge in requests to a single page or endpoint.
  • Traffic patterns show unnatural spikes or intervals.

Common Types of DDoS Attacks

  1. Application Layer Attacks: Targeting the layer where web pages are generated, causing resource exhaustion.
  2. Protocol Attacks: Exploiting protocol stack vulnerabilities to disrupt service.
  3. Volumetric Attacks: Consuming all available bandwidth to the target, utilizing massive traffic from a botnet.

Mitigating a DDoS Attack

Mitigating a DDoS attack involves distinguishing between normal and malicious traffic. DDoS mitigation services re-route harmful traffic away from the victim’s network. These services, offered by providers like Cloudflare and Akamai, are essential in defending against such attacks.

Ravensdale Digital’s Commitment to Cybersecurity

At Ravensdale Digital in Gqeberha, we recognize the gravity of these cyber threats and offer advanced hosting solutions designed to withstand DDoS attacks. Our services include:

  • Secure Hosting: Robust hosting solutions equipped to counter DDoS attacks.
  • Continuous Monitoring: Round-the-clock surveillance of your website for any signs of attack.
  • Expert Support: Our team of cybersecurity experts is on hand to provide support and advice.

Conclusion

In today’s digital landscape, a DDoS attack can be a significant threat to any online business. Understanding these attacks and taking proactive measures is essential for maintaining a secure and reliable online presence. With Ravensdale Digital’s secure hosting and vigilant monitoring services, businesses in Gqeberha and beyond can confidently protect themselves against these cyber threats.

Need Protection Against Cyberattacks?

Don’t wait until it’s too late. Contact Ravensdale Digital today and fortify your online presence against DDoS attacks with our expert cybersecurity solutions.

Zero trust security
Zero Trust Security: The Future of Cybersecurity 1024 538 Ravensdale Digital

Zero Trust Security: The Future of Cybersecurity

At a time when cyber threats are becoming more sophisticated and frequent, traditional security measures are proving to be insufficient. As a result, businesses and organizations are turning to a new approach to cybersecurity called Zero Trust. In this article, we will explain what Zero Trust is, how it works, and why it is the future of cybersecurity.

What is Zero Trust?

Zero Trust is a security model that requires strict identity verification for every person or device that attempts to access a network or system, regardless of their location or level of access. The model is based on the assumption that all users, devices, and networks are untrusted until they can be verified and authorized.

How Does Zero Trust Work?

Zero Trust uses a layered approach to security, with each layer focusing on different aspects of the access process. These layers include:

  1. Device and User Identification: All devices and users attempting to access a network or system must be identified and authenticated before access is granted.
  2. Policy Enforcement: Access policies must be defined and enforced for each user and device, based on their identity and level of access.
  3. Network Segmentation: The network is divided into smaller segments or micro-perimeters, with access restricted to only those who require it.
  4. Threat Detection and Response: Real-time threat detection and response capabilities are used to identify and prevent potential threats.

Why Zero Trust is the Future of Cybersecurity?

Zero Trust is gaining popularity because it provides a more comprehensive and effective security solution for today’s complex and distributed computing environments. With the rise of cloud computing, remote work, and the Internet of Things, traditional security models are no longer adequate. Zero Trust, on the other hand, provides a more adaptive, risk-based approach that can address the evolving nature of cybersecurity threats.

In addition to providing better protection, Zero Trust can also help organizations comply with regulatory requirements, such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA).

Conclusion

Zero Trust is the future of cybersecurity, offering a more comprehensive and effective security solution in today’s complex and distributed computing environments. By requiring strict identity verification for every person or device attempting to access a network or system, Zero Trust can provide better protection against cyber threats, while also helping organizations comply with regulatory requirements.

If you are looking for a more secure approach to cybersecurity, Zero Trust is the way to go. It can help you protect your business from the growing number of cyber threats, while also ensuring that you comply with regulations and standards. To learn more about Zero Trust, contact us today.



Understanding Social Engineering
Understanding Social Engineering 1024 538 Ravensdale Digital

Understanding Social Engineering

Social engineering is a technique used by hackers to gain access to sensitive information by exploiting human psychology. The objective is to manipulate and deceive people into divulging confidential data, such as passwords or bank account details. In this article, we will discuss the different types of social engineering attacks and how to prevent them.

Phishing Attacks

Phishing is one of the most common types of social engineering attacks. It involves the use of fraudulent emails that appear to be from a reputable source, such as a bank or an online store. The emails often contain a link that redirects the user to a fake website where they are asked to enter their login details or personal information. To prevent phishing attacks, users should be cautious when clicking on links in emails, and always verify the authenticity of the website.

Pretexting

Pretexting involves creating a false scenario to gain access to sensitive information. For example, a hacker may pose as an employee of a company and call the help desk to request login credentials. To prevent pretexting, companies should implement strict policies for verifying the identity of anyone requesting sensitive information.


Baiting

Baiting involves offering something of value to entice a user to divulge confidential information. For example, a hacker may leave a USB drive containing malware in a public place and wait for someone to pick it up and plug it into their computer. To prevent baiting attacks, users should be wary of free offers and avoid plugging in unknown USB drives.

Tailgating

Tailgating involves following someone into a secure area without authorization. For example, a hacker may pose as a delivery person and ask someone to hold the door open for them. To prevent tailgating attacks, companies should implement strict physical security measures and train employees to be aware of potential security breaches.

Conclusion

In conclusion, social engineering attacks can be extremely damaging, both to individuals and companies. By understanding the different types of social engineering attacks and implementing strict security measures, you can protect yourself from these types of attacks. Remember to be cautious when clicking on links in emails, always verify the authenticity of the website, and be wary of free offers. With these precautions, you can stay safe and secure online.

Cybersecurity resources

How to disable Facebook location tracking Ravensdale Digital

How to disable Facebook location tracking

If your privacy is more important than Facebook knowing exactly where you are at all times, you might want to disable location tracking.

 

Disable Facebook location tracking

How to disable Facebook location tracking

Disabling location tracking in Facebook

  1. Open the Facebook app and then tap the menu button in the upper right corner.
  2. Tap Settings & Privacy and then tap Settings.
  3. Scroll down and tap Location.
  4. Tap Location Access and then tap Location Services.
  5. In the resulting window, tap Deny.

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Google aims to find out if showing only a domain name in the address bar will help Chrome users spot scams 150 150 Ravensdale Digital

Google aims to find out if showing only a domain name in the address bar will help Chrome users spot scams

Google Chrome

Image Source: ZDNet

Google will subject Chrome users to a large-scale test in the next version of its browser to discover how people respond to just seeing a site’s domain name without the full URL for pages on that site.

The test will be carried out on Chrome 86, which is due for a stable release at the end of this month.

Chrome 86 is already known to include a feature that detects and unloads heavy ads and throttles JavaScript timers used on websites to deliver better battery life for end-user devices.

Google’s new experiment will involve some “randomly assigned” users of Chrome 86. These users will have two choices when the full URL (Uniform Resource Locator) is concealed. Those in the experiment would, for example, only see en.wikipedia.org rather than the full address of the specific Wikipedia page.

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Google Chrome Will Automatically Scan Your Passwords Against Data Breaches Ravensdale Digital

Google Chrome Will Automatically Scan Your Passwords Against Data Breaches

A data breach on a site or app exposed your password. Chrome recommends checking your saved passwords now.

Google’s password checking feature has slowly been spreading across the Google ecosystem this past year. It started as the “Password Checkup” extension for desktop versions of Chrome, which would audit individual passwords when you entered them, and several months later it was integrated into every Google account as an on-demand audit you can run on all your saved passwords. Now, instead of a Chrome extension, Password Checkup is being integrated into the desktop and mobile versions of Chrome 79.

All of these Password Checkup features work for people who have their username and password combos saved in Chrome and have them synced to Google’s servers. Google figures that since it has a big (encrypted) database of all your passwords, it might as well compare them against a 4-billion-strong public list of compromised usernames and passwords that have been exposed in innumerable security breaches over the years. Any time Google hits a match, it notifies you that a specific set of credentials is public and unsafe and that you should probably change the password.

The whole point of this is security, so Google is doing all of this by comparing your encrypted credentials with an encrypted list of compromised credentials. Chrome first sends an encrypted, 3-byte hash of your username to Google, where it is compared to Google’s list of compromised usernames. If there’s a match, your local computer is sent a database of every potentially matching username and password in the bad credentials list, encrypted with a key from Google. You then get a copy of your passwords encrypted with two keys—one is your usual private key, and the other is the same key used for Google’s bad credentials list. On your local computer, Password Checkup removes the only key it is able to decrypt, your private key, leaving your Google-key-encrypted username and password, which can be compared to the Google-key-encrypted database of bad credentials. Google says this technique, called “private set intersection,” means you don’t get to see Google’s list of bad credentials, and Google doesn’t get to learn your credentials, but the two can be compared for matches.

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Ransomware: Cybercriminals are adding a new twist to their demands Ravensdale Digital

Ransomware: Cybercriminals are adding a new twist to their demands

Cybercriminals are adding a new twist to their demands

Pay the ransom or we’ll leak your data is the latest trend, warns cybersecurity company.

Cybercriminals Protection in Port Elizabeth, South Africa

Image: Emsisoft

Ransomware could be getting even nastier: a security firm is warning over a new trend among some cybercriminals to not just encrypt data, but steal some of it and use it as leverage to ensure a target pays up.

In several recent cases, it has been reported that the ransomware gang have not just encrypted data but also threatened to leak the data, too. Emsisoft says these attacks elevate the ransomware threat “to crisis level” and called on government organizations to immediately improve their security.

“If they do not, it is likely that similar incidents will also result in the extremely sensitive information which governments hold being stolen and leaked,” the cybersecurity company said.

Emsisoft said by its calculations that in 2019 across the US, ransomware attacks impacted at least 948 government agencies, educational establishments and healthcare providers at a potential cost in excess of $7.5 billion. The impacted organizations included 103 federal, state and municipal governments and agencies, 759 healthcare providers and 86 universities, colleges and school districts.

It said that the impact of ransomware included emergency patients being redirected to other hospitals, medical records made inaccessible and, in some cases, permanently lost, and emergency dispatch centres being forced to rely on printed maps and paper logs to keep track of emergency responders in the field.

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Google will pay bug hunters up to R22m if they can hack its Titan M chip Ravensdale Digital

Google will pay bug hunters up to R22m if they can hack its Titan M chip

Google will pay bug hunters up to R22m if they can hack its Titan M chip

Google announced today that it is willing to dish out bug bounty cash rewards of up to $1.5 million (R22 million) if security researchers find and report bugs in the Android operating system that can also compromise its new Titan M security chip.

Launched last year, the Titan M chip is currently part of Google Pixel 3 and Pixel 4 devices. It’s a separate chip that’s included in both phones and is dedicated solely to processing sensitive data and processes, like Verified Boot, on-device disk encryption, lock screen protections, secure transactions, and more.

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This unusual new ransomware is going after servers Ravensdale Digital

This unusual new ransomware is going after servers

This unusual new ransomware is going after servers

PureLocker ransomware appears to have links to some of the most prolific cybercriminal operations active in the world today.

An unconventional form of ransomware is being deployed in targeted attacks against enterprise servers – and it appears to have links to some of the most notorious cyber criminal groups around.

The previously undetected server-encrypting malware has been detailed in research by cyber security analysts at Intezer and IBM X-Force, who’ve named it PureLocker because it’s written in written in the PureBasic programming language.

It’s unusual for ransomware to be written in PureBasic, but it provides benefits to attackers because sometimes security vendors struggle to generate reliable detection signatures for malicious software written in this language. PureBasic is also transferable between Windows, Linux, and OS-X, meaning attackers can more easily target different platforms.

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Apple Mail on macOS leaves parts of encrypted emails in plaintext Ravensdale Digital

Apple Mail on macOS leaves parts of encrypted emails in plaintext

Apple Mail on macOS leaves parts of encrypted emails in plaintext

Apple has known since July, but a fix is still not available.

 

Apple Mail encrypted issueImage: Bob Gendler

The Apple Mail app on macOS stores encrypted emails in plaintext inside a database called snippets.db.

The issue was discovered earlier this year by an Apple IT specialist named Bob Gendler.

The issue is not fixed at the time of writing, although Gendler told the company about it back in July. A fix is coming, according to tech news site The Verge; however, Apple did not provide a timeline.

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