When we come across the term Artificial Intelligence (AI), our mind often ventures into the realm of sci-fi movies like I, Robot, Matrix, and Ex Machina. We’ve always perceived AI as a futuristic concept, something that’s happening in a galaxy far, far away. However, AI is not only here in our present but has also been a part of our lives for several years in the form of various technological devices and applications.
In our day-to-day lives, we use AI in many instances without even realizing it. AI has permeated into our homes, our workplaces, and is at our fingertips through our smartphones. From cell phones with built-in smart assistants to home assistants that carry out voice commands, from social networks that determine what content we see to music apps that curate playlists based on our preferences, AI has its footprints everywhere. Therefore, it’s integral to not only embrace the wows of this impressive technology but also understand and discuss the potential risks associated with it.
→ Dig Deeper: Artificial Imposters—Cybercriminals Turn to AI Voice Cloning for a New Breed of Scam
AI, a term that might sound intimidating to many, is not so when we understand it. It is essentially technology that can be programmed to achieve certain goals without assistance. In simple words, it’s a computer’s ability to predict, process data, evaluate it, and take necessary action. This smart way of performing tasks is being implemented in education, business, manufacturing, retail, transportation, and almost every other industry and cultural sector you can think of.
AI has been doing a lot of good too. For instance, Instagram, the second most popular social network, is now deploying AI technology to detect and combat cyberbullying in both comments and photos. No doubt, AI is having a significant impact on everyday life and is poised to metamorphose the future landscape. However, alongside its benefits, AI has brought forward a set of new challenges and risks. From self-driving cars malfunctioning to potential jobs lost to AI robots, from fake videos and images to privacy breaches, the concerns are real and need timely discussions and preventive measures.
AI has made it easier for people to face-swap within images and videos, leading to “deep fake” videos that appear remarkably realistic and often go viral. A desktop application called FakeApp allows users to seamlessly swap faces and share fake videos and images. While this displays the power of AI technology, it also brings to light the responsibility and critical thinking required when consuming and sharing online content.
→ Dig Deeper: The Future of Technology: AI, Deepfake, & Connected Devices
Yet another concern raised by AI is privacy breaches. The Cambridge Analytica/Facebook scandal of 2018, alleged to have used AI technology unethically to collect Facebook user data, serves as a reminder that our private (and public) information can be exploited for financial or political gain. Thus, it becomes crucial to discuss and take necessary steps like locking down privacy settings on social networks and being mindful of the information shared in the public feed, including reactions and comments on other content.
McAfee Pro Tip: Cybercriminals employ advanced methods to deceive individuals, propagating sensationalized fake news, creating deceptive catfish dating profiles, and orchestrating harmful impersonations. Recognizing sophisticated AI-generated content can pose a challenge, but certain indicators may signal that you’re encountering a dubious image or interacting with a perpetrator operating behind an AI-generated profile. Know the indicators.
With the advent of AI, cybercrime has found a new ally. As per McAfee’s Threats Prediction Report, AI technology might enable hackers to bypass security measures on networks undetected. This can lead to data breaches, malware attacks, ransomware, and other criminal activities. Moreover, AI-generated phishing emails are scamming people into unknowingly handing over sensitive data.
→ Dig Deeper: How to Keep Your Data Safe From the Latest Phishing Scam
Bogus emails are becoming highly personalized and can trick intelligent users into clicking malicious links. Given the sophistication of these AI-related scams, it is vital to constantly remind ourselves and our families to be cautious with every click, even those from known sources. The need to be alert and informed cannot be overstressed, especially in times when AI and cybercrime often seem to be two sides of the same coin.
As homes evolve to be smarter and synced with AI-powered Internet of Things (IoT) products, potential threats have proliferated. These threats are not limited to computers and smartphones but extend to AI-enabled devices such as voice-activated assistants. According to McAfee’s Threat Prediction Report, these IoT devices are particularly susceptible as points of entry for cybercriminals. Other devices at risk, as highlighted by security experts, include routers, and tablets.
This means we need to secure all our connected devices and home internet at its source – the network. Routers provided by your ISP (Internet Security Provider) are often less secure, so consider purchasing your own. As a primary step, ensure that all your devices are updated regularly. More importantly, change the default password on these devices and secure your primary network along with your guest network with strong passwords.
Having an open dialogue about AI and its implications is key to navigating through the intricacies of this technology. Parents need to have open discussions with kids about the positives and negatives of AI technology. When discussing fake videos and images, emphasize the importance of critical thinking before sharing any content online. Possibly, even introduce them to the desktop application FakeApp, which allows users to swap faces within images and videos seamlessly, leading to the production of deep fake photos and videos. These can appear remarkably realistic and often go viral.
Privacy is another critical area for discussion. After the Cambridge Analytica/Facebook scandal of 2018, the conversation about privacy breaches has become more significant. These incidents remind us how our private (and public) information can be misused for financial or political gain. Locking down privacy settings, being mindful of the information shared, and understanding the implications of reactions and comments are all topics worth discussing.
Awareness and knowledge are the best tools against AI-enabled cybercrime. Making families understand that bogus emails can now be highly personalized and can trick even the most tech-savvy users into clicking malicious links is essential. AI can generate phishing emails, scamming people into handing over sensitive data. In this context, constant reminders to be cautious with every click, even those from known sources, are necessary.
→ Dig Deeper: Malicious Websites – The Web is a Dangerous Place
The advent of AI has also likely allowed hackers to bypass security measures on networks undetected, leading to data breaches, malware attacks, and ransomware. Therefore, being alert and informed is more than just a precaution – it is a vital safety measure in the digital age.
Artificial Intelligence has indeed woven itself into our everyday lives, making things more convenient, efficient, and connected. However, with these advancements come potential risks and challenges. From privacy breaches, and fake content, to AI-enabled cybercrime, the concerns are real and need our full attention. By understanding AI better, having open discussions, and taking appropriate security measures, we can leverage this technology’s immense potential without falling prey to its risks. In our AI-driven world, being informed, aware, and proactive is the key to staying safe and secure.
To safeguard and fortify your online identity, we strongly recommend that you delve into the extensive array of protective features offered by McAfee+. This comprehensive cybersecurity solution is designed to provide you with a robust defense against a wide spectrum of digital threats, ranging from malware and phishing attacks to data breaches and identity theft.
The post AI & Your Family: The Wows and Potential Risks appeared first on McAfee Blog.
As we continue to evolve technologically, so do cybercriminals in their never-ending quest to exploit vulnerabilities in our digital lives. The previous years have clearly shown that cybercriminals are increasingly leveraging new technologies and trends to trick their victims. As we move into another year, it’s crucial to be aware of the tried and tested tactics these cyber criminals use and stay prepared against potential threats.
In this article, we delve deeper into one such tactic that remains a favorite among cybercriminals – ‘phishing‘ via emails. We focus on the trickiest and most dangerous email subject lines that have been commonly used in worldwide phishing emails. Recognizing these ‘ baits’ can be your first step towards safeguarding your identity and valuables against cybercriminals. Beware, there are plenty of these ‘phishes’ in the sea, and it helps to be on your guard at all times.
Sending email messages filled with malicious links or infectious attachments remains a dominant strategy among cybercriminals. This strategy, commonly known as ‘phishing,’ is often disguised in a variety of forms. The term ‘Phishing’ is derived from the word ‘Fishing,’ and just like fishing, where bait is thrown in the hope that a fish will bite, phishing is a cyber trick where an email is the bait, and the unsuspecting user is the fish.
Today’s most common phishing scams found by McAfeerevealed that cybercriminals tend to use certain email subject lines more often. Although this does not mean that emails with other subject lines are not harmful, being aware of the most commonly used ones can give you an edge. The key takeaway here is to be vigilant and alert when it comes to all kinds of suspicious emails, not just those with specific subject lines.
Let’s take a look at the top five most commonly used subject lines in worldwide phishing emails. The list will give you an understanding of the varied strategies employed by cybercriminals. The strategies range from social networking invitations to ‘returned mail’ error messages and phony bank notifications. Be aware that these are just the tip of the iceberg and cyber criminals are continuously coming up with new and improved tactics to gain access to your sensitive data.
In the past, cybercriminals used to cast big, untargeted nets in the hopes of trapping as many victims as possible. However, recent trends indicate a shift towards more targeted and custom messages designed to ensnare more victims. A classic example of such a targeted phishing attack is the JP Morgan Chase phishing scam that took place earlier this year.
→ Dig Deeper: Mobile Bankers Beware: A New Phishing Scam Wants Your Money
The fact that phishing scams are still on the rise amplifies the importance of proactive measures to protect our digital assets. As technology advances, these threats continue to evolve, making ongoing vigilance, education, and caution in our online engagements critical in combating the increasing prevalence of such scams.
Phishing emails, often with a guise of urgency or familiarity, cunningly aim to deceive recipients into revealing sensitive information, most commonly, personal identities and financial credentials. These malicious messages are designed to prey on our trust and curiosity, making it crucial to scrutinize each email carefully. Cybercriminals behind phishing schemes are after the keys to both your digital identity and your wallet. They may seek login credentials, credit card details, social security numbers, and other sensitive data, which can lead to identity theft, financial loss, and even broader security breaches. It is essential to exercise caution and rely on best practices for email and internet security to thwart their efforts and safeguard your online presence.
While phishing emails come in a variety of forms, their ultimate goal remains the same: to steal your identity and money. As we move into the New Year, it’s prudent to add a few safety measures to your resolutions list. Protecting yourself from the increasingly sophisticated and customized phishing attacks requires more than awareness.
With an understanding of phishing techniques, the next step is learning how to protect yourself from falling prey to them. Ultimately, you are the first line of defense. If you’re vigilant, you can prevent cyber criminals from stealing your sensitive information. The following are some tips that can help you safeguard your digital life and assets:
First, avoid opening attachments or clicking on links from unknown senders. This is the primary method that cybercriminals use to install malware on your device. If you don’t recognize the sender of an email, or if something seems suspicious, don’t download the attachment or click on the link. Even if you do know the sender, be cautious if the email message seems odd or unexpected. Cybercriminals often hack into email accounts to send malicious links to the victim’s contacts.
Another important practice is to think twice before sharing personal information. If you’re asked for your name, address, banking information, password, or any other sensitive data on a website you accessed from an email, don’t supply this information, as it is likely a phishing attempt. In case of any doubts regarding the authenticity of a request for your information, contact the company directly using a phone number or web address you know to be correct.
Even with the most diligent practices, it’s still possible to fall victim to phishing attacks. Hence, having security nets in place is crucial. Start by being careful on social networks. Cybercriminals often hack into social media accounts and send out phishing links as the account owner. Even if a message appears to come from a friend, be cautious if it looks suspicious, especially if it contains only a link and no text.
Installing comprehensive security software is another essential step. McAfee LiveSafe service, for instance, offers full protection against malware and viruses on multiple devices. This software can be a lifeline if you happen to click a malicious link or download a hazardous attachment from an email.
It’s also a smart idea to regularly update your devices. Updates often contain patches for security vulnerabilities that have been discovered since the last iteration of the software. Cybercriminals are always looking for vulnerabilities to exploit, so keeping your software up-to-date is one of the most effective ways to protect yourself.
McAfee Pro Tip: Always update both your software and devices. First and foremost, software updates often include patches and fixes for vulnerabilities and weaknesses that cybercriminals can exploit. By staying up-to-date, you ensure that you have the latest defenses against evolving threats. Learn more about the importance of software updates.
Phishing attempts are a constant threat in the digital world, and their sophistication continues to evolve. Cybercriminals are relying more on tailored and targeted attacks to deceive their victims. The top five most dangerous email subject lines mentioned above are a clear indicator that criminals are becoming more nuanced in their attempts to trick victims. However, with awareness and vigilance, you can effectively avoid their traps.
Remember, your personal and financial information is valuable. Make sure to protect yourself from phishing attempts by avoiding suspicious links and attachments, thinking twice before sharing your personal information, being cautious on social media, installing comprehensive security software like McAfee+, and keeping all software up-to-date. Being prepared can make all the difference in keeping your digital life secure.
The post Top 5 Most Dangerous Email Subject Lines appeared first on McAfee Blog.
SMiShing, a term from ‘SMS phishing’, is a growing cyber threat that is as dangerous, if not more, than its sibling, “Phishing.” While the terms may seem comical, the repercussions of falling victim to these scams are no laughing matter. In an increasingly digital age, cybercriminals are taking advantage of our reliance on technology to steal personal information and leverage it for malicious purposes. This article provides an in-depth explanation of SMiShing, how it works, and, most importantly, how you can protect yourself from it.
In essence, SMiShing is a deceptive practice where scammers send fraudulent text messages masquerading as reputable institutions, aiming to dupe recipients into clicking on a link, calling a number, or providing sensitive personal information. The risk with SMiShing is that mobile users tend to trust their SMS messages more than their emails, making it an effective scamming tool. The best line of defense is awareness and understanding of what SMiShing is, how it operates, and the protective measures you can take against it.
The term ‘SMiShing’ is a concatenation of ‘SMS’ (short message service) and ‘Phishing’. The latter is a cybercriminal strategy, where scammers send emails that impersonate legitimate organizations with the aim of luring victims into clicking links and/or entering their login data or credentials. The word ‘Phishing’ is a play on the word ‘fishing’, depicting the tactic of baiting victims and fishing for their personal information.
SMiShing is a variant of phishing, a social engineering tactic where scammers resort to sending text messages instead of emails. These messages are engineered to appear as though they’ve been sent by legitimate, trusted organizations, leading the recipient to either click on a link or respond with their personal details. The transition from emails to text messages signals a shift in cybercrime trends, as scammers exploit the trust users place in their text messages, as opposed to their scrutiny of emails.
→ Dig Deeper: What Is Smishing and Vishing, and How Do You Protect Yourself?
Cybercriminals use sophisticated technology that allows them to generate cell phone numbers based on area codes. These phone numbers include a cell carrier’s provided extension, plus the last four random numbers. Once these phone numbers are generated, the scammers utilize mass text messaging services to disseminate their SMiShing bait, much like casting a large fishing net hoping to snare unsuspecting victims. A simple online search for “mass SMS software” will yield numerous free and low-cost programs that facilitate mass texting, revealing the ease with which these scams can be carried out.
→ Dig Deeper: What You Need to Know About the FedEx SMiShing Scam
SMiShing has proven to be effective mainly because most people have been conditioned to trust text messages more than emails. Moreover, unlike emails accessed on a PC, text messages do not allow for easy link previewing, making it risky to click on links embedded within the texts. The links either lead to malicious websites intended to steal data or prompt the download of keyloggers, tools that record every keystroke on your device, facilitating the theft of personal information. Alternatively, some SMiShing texts may trick recipients into calling specific numbers which, when dialed, incur hefty charges on the victim’s phone bill.
The first step towards protecting yourself against SMiShing is recognizing the threat. Cybercriminals often capitalize on the victim’s lack of understanding about how these scams work. They prey on the recipient’s trust in their text messages and their curiosity to view links sent via SMS. By understanding how SMiShing works, you are able to spot potential scams and protect yourself against them.
Typically, SMiShing messages are crafted to impersonate familiar, reputable organizations such as banks, utility companies, or even government institutions. They often induce a sense of urgency, pushing the recipient to act swiftly, leaving little to no time for scrutiny. The messages may alert you of suspicious activity on your account, a pending bill, or offer incredible deals that seem too good to be true. Any SMS message that prompts you to click on a link, call a certain number, or provide personal information should be treated with suspicion.
More often than not, recognizing an SMiShing scam relies on your observational skills and your ability to spot the tell-tale signs. One common red flag is poor grammar and spelling. Although this is not always the case, several SMiShing scams tend to have mistakes that professional communications from reputable institutions would not.
Another sign is that the message is unsolicited. If you didn’t initiate contact or expect a message from the supposed sender, you should treat it with suspicion. Additionally, reputable organizations usually employ a secure method of communication when dealing with sensitive information; they would rarely, if ever, ask for personal data via SMS.
Pay attention to the phone number. A text from a legitimate institution usually comes from a short code number, not a regular ten-digit phone number. Also, check whether the message uses a generic greeting instead of your name. Finally, use your common sense. If an offer seems too good to be true, it probably is. Also, remember that verifying the legitimacy of the text message with the supposed sender can never harm.
Many of these signs can be subtle and easy to overlook. However, staying vigilant and taking the time to scrutinize unusual text messages can save you from falling victim to SMiShing.
→ Dig Deeper: How to Squash the Android/TimpDoor SMiShing Scam
Psychological Manipulation is a critical aspect of this cyber threat, involving the art of exploiting human psychology and trust to trick individuals into revealing sensitive information or engaging in harmful actions. Even individuals with the intelligence to steer clear of scams might become vulnerable if the psychological manipulation is exceptionally compelling.
Smishing attackers employ a range of social engineering techniques that tap into human emotions, including fear, curiosity, and urgency. They often impersonate trusted entities or use personalized information to lower recipients’ guard and establish trust. The use of emotional manipulation and emotional triggers, such as excitement or outrage, further intensifies the impact of these attacks. Recognizing and understanding these psychological tactics is paramount for individuals and organizations in fortifying their defenses against smishing, empowering them to identify and resist such manipulative attempts effectively.
→ Dig Deeper: Social Engineering—The Scammer’s Secret Weapon
Arming yourself with knowledge about SMiShing and its modus operandi is the initial line of defense. Once you comprehend the nature of this scam, you are better equipped to identify it. However, understanding alone is not enough. There are several practical measures that you can adopt to safeguard your personal information from SMiShing scams.
At the top of this list is exercising caution with text messages, especially those from unknown sources. Resist the impulse to click on links embedded within these texts. These links often lead to malicious websites engineered to steal your data or trigger the download of harmful software like keyloggers. Do not respond to text messages that solicit personal information. Even if the message seems to originate from a trusted entity, it is always better to verify through other means before responding.
Furthermore, be wary of text messages that create a sense of urgency or evoke fear. SMiShers often manipulate emotions to spur immediate action, bypassing logical scrutiny. For instance, you may receive a message supposedly from your bank alerting you about a security breach or unauthorized transaction. Instead of panicking and clicking on the provided link, take a moment to contact your bank through their officially listed number for clarification.
There is also the option of using comprehensive mobile security applications. These apps provide an array of features such as text message filtering, antivirus, web protection, and anti-theft measures. Applications like McAfee Mobile Security can significantly enhance your defense against SMiShing attacks and other cyber threats.
McAfee Pro Tip: Try McAfee Mobile Security’s scam protection. It scans the URLs within your text messages to enhance your online safety. If a suspicious or scam link is detected, it will send an alert on Android devices or automatically filter out the problematic text. Additionally, it actively blocks potentially harmful links in emails, text messages, and social media if you happen to click on them by mistake, adding an extra layer of protection to your online experience.
SMiShing is a serious cyber threat that aims to exploit the trust that individuals place in their text messages. By impersonating reputable organizations and creating a sense of urgency, scammers try to trick recipients into providing personal information or clicking on malicious links. Protecting oneself from SMiShing involves understanding what it is, recognizing the threat, and adopting effective protective measures. These include being cautious of unsolicited text messages, refraining from clicking on links within these texts, and using comprehensive mobile security applications. Additionally, being aware of the red flags, such as poor grammar, unsolicited messages, and requests for sensitive information via SMS, can help in detecting potential scams. In an increasingly digital age, staying vigilant and proactive is the best way to protect your personal information from cybercriminals.
The post Understanding and Protecting Yourself from SMiShing appeared first on McAfee Blog.
OSINT framework focused on gathering information from free tools or resources. The intention is to help people find free OSINT resources. Some of the sites included might require registration or offer more data for $$$, but you should be able to get at least a portion of the available information for no cost.
I originally created this framework with an information security point of view. Since then, the response from other fields and disciplines has been incredible. I would love to be able to include any other OSINT resources, especially from fields outside of infosec. Please let me know about anything that might be missing!
Please visit the framework at the link below and good hunting!
(T) - Indicates a link to a tool that must be installed and run locally
(D) - Google Dork, for more information: Google Hacking
(R) - Requires registration
(M) - Indicates a URL that contains the search term and the URL itself must be edited manually
Follow me on Twitter: @jnordine - https://twitter.com/jnordine
Watch or star the project on Github: https://github.com/lockfale/osint-framework
Feedback or new tool suggestions are extremely welcome! Please feel free to submit a pull request or open an issue on github or reach out on Twitter.
For new resources, please ensure that the site is available for public and free use.
Thank you!
Happy Hunting!
Today, the latest issue of The Domain Name Industry Brief Quarterly Report was released by DNIB.com, showing the third quarter of 2023 closed with 359.3 million domain name registrations across all top-level domains (TLDs), an increase of 2.7 million domain name registrations, or 0.8%, compared to the second quarter of 2023. Domain name registrations also increased by 8.5 million, or 2.4%, year over year.
Check out the latest issue of The Domain Name Industry Brief Quarterly Report to see domain name stats from the third quarter of 2023, including:
DNIB.com and The Domain Name Industry Brief Quarterly Report are sponsored by Verisign. To see past issues of the quarterly report, interactive dashboards, and learn about DNIB.com’s statistical methodology, please visit DNIB.com.
The post Domain Name Industry Brief Quarterly Report: DNIB.com Announces 359.3 Million Domain Name Registrations in the Third Quarter of 2023 appeared first on Verisign Blog.
Goblob is a lightweight and fast enumeration tool designed to aid in the discovery of sensitive information exposed publicy in Azure blobs, which can be useful for various research purposes such as vulnerability assessments, penetration testing, and reconnaissance.
Warning. Goblob will issue individual goroutines for each container name to check in each storage account, only limited by the maximum number of concurrent goroutines specified in the -goroutines
flag. This implementation can exhaust bandwidth pretty quickly in most cases with the default wordlist, or potentially cost you a lot of money if you're using the tool in a cloud environment. Make sure you understand what you are doing before running the tool.
go install github.com/Macmod/goblob@latest
To use goblob simply run the following command:
$ ./goblob <storageaccountname>
Where <storageaccountname>
is the target storage account to enumerate public Azure blob storage URLs on.
You can also specify a list of storage account names to check:
$ ./goblob -accounts accounts.txt
By default, the tool will use a list of common Azure Blob Storage container names to construct potential URLs. However, you can also specify a custom list of container names using the -containers
option. For example:
$ ./goblob -accounts accounts.txt -containers wordlists/goblob-folder-names.txt
The tool also supports outputting the results to a file using the -output
option:
$ ./goblob -accounts accounts.txt -containers wordlists/goblob-folder-names.txt -output results.txt
If you want to provide accounts to test via stdin
you can also omit -accounts
(or the account name) entirely:
$ cat accounts.txt | ./goblob
Goblob comes bundled with basic wordlists that can be used with the -containers
option:
Goblob provides several flags that can be tuned in order to improve the enumeration process:
-goroutines=N
- Maximum number of concurrent goroutines to allow (default: 5000
).-blobs=true
- Report the URL of each blob instead of the URL of the containers (default: false
).-verbose=N
- Set verbosity level (default: 1
, min: 0
, max: 3
).-maxpages=N
- Maximum of container pages to traverse looking for blobs (default: 20
, set to -1
to disable limit or to 0
to avoid listing blobs at all and just check if the container is public)-timeout=N
- Timeout for HTTP requests (seconds, default: 90
)-maxidleconns=N
- MaxIdleConns
transport parameter for HTTP client (default: 100
)-maxidleconnsperhost=N
- MaxIdleConnsPerHost
transport parameter for HTTP client (default: 10
)-maxconnsperhost=N
- MaxConnsPerHost
transport parameter for HTTP client (default: 0
)-skipssl=true
- Skip SSL verification (default: false
)-invertsearch=true
- Enumerate accounts for each container instead of containers for each account (default: false
)For instance, if you just want to find publicly exposed containers using large lists of storage accounts and container names, you should use -maxpages=0
to prevent the goroutines from paginating the results. Then run it again on the set of results you found with -blobs=true
and -maxpages=-1
to actually get the URLs of the blobs.
If, on the other hand, you want to test a small list of very popular container names against a large set of storage accounts, you might want to try -invertsearch=true
with -maxpages=0
, in order to see the public accounts for each container name instead of the container names for each storage account.
You may also want to try changing -goroutines
, -timeout
and -maxidleconns
, -maxidleconnsperhost
and -maxconnsperhost
and -skipssl
in order to best use your bandwidth and find results faster.
Experiment with the flags to find what works best for you ;-)
Contributions are welcome by opening an issue or by submitting a pull request.
An interesting visualization of popular container names found in my experiments with the tool:
If you want to know more about my experiments and the subject in general, take a look at my article:
Last week, KrebsOnSecurity broke the news that one of the largest cybercrime services for laundering stolen merchandise was hacked recently, exposing its internal operations, finances and organizational structure. In today’s Part II, we’ll examine clues about the real-life identity of “Fearlless,” the nickname chosen by the proprietor of the SWAT USA Drops service.
Based in Russia, SWAT USA recruits people in the United States to reship packages containing pricey electronics that are purchased with stolen credit cards. As detailed in this Nov. 2 story, SWAT currently employs more than 1,200 U.S. residents, all of whom will be cut loose without a promised payday at the end of their first month reshipping stolen goods.
The current co-owner of SWAT, a cybercriminal who uses the nickname “Fearlless,” operates primarily on the cybercrime forum Verified. This Russian-language forum has tens of thousands of members, and it has suffered several hacks that exposed more than a decade’s worth of user data and direct messages.
January 2021 posts on Verified show that Fearlless and his partner Universalo purchased the SWAT reshipping business from a Verified member named SWAT, who’d been operating the service for years. SWAT agreed to transfer the business in exchange for 30 percent of the net profit over the ensuing six months.
Cyber intelligence firm Intel 471 says Fearlless first registered on Verified in February 2013. The email address Fearlless used on Verified leads nowhere, but a review of Fearlless’ direct messages on Verified indicates this user originally registered on Verified a year earlier as a reshipping vendor, under the alias “Apathyp.”
There are two clues supporting the conclusion that Apathyp and Fearlless are the same person. First, the Verified administrators warned Apathyp he had violated the forum’s rules barring the use of multiple accounts by the same person, and that Verified’s automated systems had detected that Apathyp and Fearlless were logging in from the same device. Second, in his earliest private messages on Verified, Fearlless told others to contact him on an instant messenger address that Apathyp had claimed as his.
Intel 471 says Apathyp registered on Verified using the email address triploo@mail.ru. A search on that email address at the breach intelligence service Constella Intelligence found that a password commonly associated with it was “niceone.” But the triploo@mail.ru account isn’t connected to much else that’s interesting except a now-deleted account at Vkontakte, the Russian answer to Facebook.
However, in Sept. 2020, Apathyp sent a private message on Verified to the owner of a stolen credit card shop, saying his credentials no longer worked. Apathyp told the proprietor that his chosen password on the service was “12Apathy.”
A search on that password at Constella reveals it was used by just four different email addresses, two of which are particularly interesting: gezze@yandex.ru and gezze@mail.ru. Constella discovered that both of these addresses were previously associated with the same password as triploo@mail.ru — “niceone,” or some variation thereof.
Constella found that years ago gezze@mail.ru was used to create a Vkontakte account under the name Ivan Sherban (former password: “12niceone“) from Magnitogorsk, an industrial city in the southern region of Russia. That same email address is now tied to a Vkontakte account for an Ivan Sherban who lists his home as Saint Petersburg, Russia. Sherban’s profile photo shows a heavily tattooed, muscular and recently married individual with his beautiful new bride getting ready to drive off in a convertible sports car.
A pivotal clue for validating the research into Apathyp/Fearlless came from the identity intelligence firm myNetWatchman, which found that gezze@mail.ru at one time used the passwords “геззи1991” (gezze1991) and “gezze18081991.”
Care to place a wager on when Vkontakte says is Mr. Sherban’s birthday? Ten points if you answered August 18 (18081991).
Mr. Sherban did not respond to multiple requests for comment.
In the ever-growing digital age, our mobile devices contain an alarming amount of personal, sensitive data. From emails, social media accounts, banking applications to payment apps, our personal and financial lives are increasingly entwined with the convenience of online, mobile platforms. However, despite the increasing threat to cyber security, it appears many of us are complacent about protecting our mobile devices.
Survey revealed that many mobile users still use easy-to-remember and easy-to-guess passwords. With such an increasing dependence on mobile devices to handle our daily tasks, it seems unimaginable that many of us leave our important personal data unguarded. Theft or loss of an unsecured mobile device can, and often does, result in a catastrophic loss of privacy and financial security.
The unfortunate reality of our digital era is that devices are lost, misplaced, or stolen every day. A mobile device without password protection is a gold mine for anyone with malicious intent. According to a global survey by McAfee and One Poll, many consumers are largely unconcerned about the security of their personal data stored on mobile devices. To illustrate, only one in five respondents had backed up data on their tablet or smartphone. Even more concerning, 15% admitted they saved password information on their phone.
Such statistics are troubling for several reasons. The most obvious is the risk of personal information —including banking details and online login credentials— falling into the wrong hands. A lost or stolen device is not just a device lost— it’s potentially an identity, a bank account, or worse. The lack of urgency in securing data on mobile devices speaks to a broad consumer misunderstanding about the severity of the threats posed by cybercriminals and the ease with which they can exploit an unprotected device.
→ Dig Deeper: McAfee 2023 Consumer Mobile Threat Report
Perhaps one of the most surprising findings of the survey is the difference in mobile security behaviors between men and women. This difference illustrates not just a disparity in the type of personal information each group holds dear, but also the degree of risk each is willing to accept with their mobile devices.
Broadly speaking, men tend to place greater value on the content stored on their devices, such as photos, videos, and contact lists. Women, on the other hand, appear more concerned about the potential loss of access to social media accounts and personal communication tools like email. They are statistically more likely to experience online harassment and privacy breaches. This could explain why they are more concerned about the security of their social media accounts, as maintaining control over their online presence can be a way to protect against harassment and maintain a sense of safety.
The loss of a mobile device, which for many individuals has become an extension of their social identity, can disrupt daily life significantly. This distinction illustrates that the consequences of lost or stolen mobile devices are not just financial, but social and emotional as well.
Despite the differences in what we value on our mobile devices, the survey showed a worrying level of risky behavior from both genders. Over half (55%) of respondents admitted sharing their passwords or PIN with others, including their children. This behavior not only leaves devices and data at risk of unauthorized access but also contributes to a wider culture of complacency around mobile security.
Password protection offers a fundamental layer of security for devices, yet many people still choose convenience over safety. Setting a password or PIN isn’t a failsafe method for keeping your data safe. However, it is a simple and effective starting point in the broader effort to protect our digital lives.
→ Dig Deeper: Put a PIN on It: Securing Your Mobile Devices
While the survey results raise an alarm, the good news is that we can turn things around. It all begins with acknowledging the risks of leaving our mobile devices unprotected. There are simple steps that can be taken to ramp up the security of your devices and protect your personal information.
First and foremost, password-protect all your devices. This means going beyond your mobile phone to include tablets and any other portable, internet-capable devices you may use. And, while setting a password, avoid easy ones like “1234” or “1111”. These are the first combinations a hacker will try. The more complex your password is, the sturdier a barrier it forms against unauthorized access.
Another important step is to avoid using the “remember me” function on your apps or mobile web browser. Although it might seem convenient to stay logged into your accounts for quick access, this considerably amplifies the risk if your device gets stolen or lost. It’s crucial to ensure you log out of your accounts whenever not in use. This includes email, social media, banking, payment apps, and any other accounts linked to sensitive information.
McAfee Pro Tip: If your phone is lost or stolen, employing a combination of tracking your device, locking it remotely, and erasing its data can safeguard both your phone and the information it contains. Learn more tips on how to protect your mobile device from loss and theft.
Sharing your PIN or password is also a risky behavior that should be discouraged. Admittedly, this might be challenging to implement, especially with family members or close friends. But the potential harm it can prevent in the long run far outweighs the temporary convenience it might present.
Having highlighted the importance of individual action towards secure mobile practices, it’s worth noting that investing in reliable security software can also make a world of difference. A mobile security product like McAfee Mobile Security, which offers anti-malware, web protection, and app protection, can provide a crucial extra layer of defense.
With app protection, not only are you alerted if your apps are accessing information on your mobile that they shouldn’t, but in the event that someone does unlock your device, your personal information remains safe by locking some or all of your apps. This means that even if your device falls into the wrong hands, they still won’t be able to access your crucial information.
It’s also critical to stay educated on the latest ways to protect your mobile device. Cyber threats evolve constantly, and awareness is your first line of defense. McAfee has designed a comprehensive approach to make the process of learning about mobile security not just informative but also engaging. Our array of resources includes a rich repository of blogs, insightful reports, and informative guides. These materials are meticulously crafted to provide users with a wealth of knowledge on how to protect their mobile devices, ensuring that the learning experience is not only informative but also engaging and enjoyable.
While the current state of mobile device security may seem concerning, it’s far from hopeless. By incorporating simple security practices such as setting complex passwords and avoiding shared access, we can significantly reduce the risk of unauthorized data access. Additionally, investing in trusted mobile security products like McAfee Mobile Security can provide a robust defense against advancing cyber threats. Remember, our digital lives mirror our real lives – just as we lock and secure our homes, so too must we protect our mobile devices.
The post How to Protect Your Mobile Device From Loss and Theft appeared first on McAfee Blog.
Every day, life for many consumers has become more “digital” than before—this has made day-to-day tasks easier for many of us, but it also creates new challenges. From online banking to medical records, protecting our private, personal information is imperative.
Too often, the same password is used for multiple online accounts—for instance, you might log in to your online banking site with the same password you use for your personal email account. In a McAfee survey, 34% of people reported that they use the same password for multiple online accounts. Using identical passwords is convenient for us as users, but it’s also convenient for any hacker trying to steal personal information—once a hacker has access to one of your accounts, he can use a recycled password to snoop around at will.
Certainly, using more than one password and passphrases that include a mix of upper and lower case letters, numbers, and symbols and is at least ten characters in length goes a long way towards keeping malicious people at bay, but unfortunately, merely adding variety to your login information doesn’t guarantee security. In The Easiest Ways to Not Get Hacked, author Rebecca Greenfield included this chart showing just how much difference one character in length makes:
One of the most important accounts to keep secure is your primary email account—and here’s why: sooner or later, we all have to use the “I forgot my password” option, which typically sends a password reset email.
A hacker only needs to crack the password for your primary email account, and he’ll be able to access any of your other secure accounts simply by clicking the “forgot password” button when he sees it. This is known as a single point of failure, meaning it’s the one piece in any system that can bring down your whole system.
McAfee Pro Tip: If you’re having trouble remembering all your complex passwords on multiple accounts, a password manager can help you save time and effort while securing your accounts and devices. Learn more about McAfee’s password manager.
Establishing a separate email account for registration is one idea—in other words, your “I forgot my password” emails would all be sent to an account other than your primary email account. But even in that situation, there’s still only one password between a hacker and most of the data you want to keep from a hacker’s hands—from financial accounts and bank access to your weekly grocery delivery service. So the real question, even if you’re savvy enough to have a separate email address for password rescue, is: how do you make any email account more secure?
Two-step verification (often referred to as two-factor authentication) is a system designed to give you an extra layer of security that’s easy to use and indispensable for commercial or highly sensitive accounts. Two-step verification protects your email with not only a password but also by associating your account with a specific device or devices. A recent example of how this works comes from Google. In the case of Google’s two-step verification for Gmail accounts, a user simply re-authorizes the account every 30 days, by providing a numeric code that confirms the account.
→ Dig Deeper: Two-Factor vs. Multi-Factor Authentication: What’s the Difference?
The extra step and learning a new system of security sounds like an enormous hassle, but Google has taken the pain out of the process by allowing you to obtain the code in one of three ways:
This means that a hacker who wants to access your email account can only do so if he has access to your text messages or your landline phone. It might not stop every cybercriminal, but it does make the average hacker’s job a lot harder.
McAfee Pro Tip: Some hackers may go as far as calling your personal numbers, if they have access to them, and ask for your two-factor verification code to access your financial accounts, citing that they need it for their ongoing promotions or measures to improve your account security. This is a social engineering tactic that you should familiarize yourself with. Learn more about social engineering.
This two-factor authentication, while not new, is making major inroads among websites, apps, and services that process critical information. Many corporations have used hardware-based secondary authentication codes for years, but Google and others (including Twitter) are working hard to make this enhanced authentication flow a more practical and accessible part of our working lives.
New biometric verification options, such as a retina or fingerprint scan, are also catching on among security-conscious consumers, and will likely be a feature on more devices in the future. As times change, and more sensitive information flows through these sites, we can be sure to see more of these processes put into place.
→ Dig Deeper: How Virtual Reality and Facebook Photos Helped Researchers Hack Biometric Security
Two-step verification offers multiple benefits in the world of digital security. The key merit is that it presents an extra hurdle for hackers to overcome. If a hacker has breached your password, they still have to pass the second level of verification. As such, two-step verification makes your information harder to access, giving you added peace of mind.
Apart from enhancing security, two-step verification simplifies the recovery process if you ever forget your password. Since you have set up a secondary recovery method, you can use it to reset your password. This reduces the risk of losing access to your account due to forgotten passwords.
→ Dig Deeper: Let’s Make Security Easy
Setting up two-step verification on your accounts is relatively straightforward process. The first step is to go to the account settings of the platform where you want to enable this feature. Once you are there, locate the two-step verification or two-factor authentication option. Click on it, and follow the prompts. Typically, the system will ask for your phone number or an alternative email address to send the verification code to complete the process. Once that is done, you are all set.
From then on, every time you log in, you will need to input not only your password but also a unique code sent to your phone number or alternative email. Remember to choose a method that is convenient for you. For instance, if you are always on your phone, it may be easier to opt for the text message verification code option. This ensures that you can always promptly complete the second step of verification whenever you log in.
→ Dig Deeper: Protect Your Social Passwords with Two-Step Verification
While two-step verification offers an added layer of security, it is not foolproof. One potential challenge is that a hacker could intercept the verification code. Despite its rarity, this type of security breach is possible and has occurred. Furthermore, you might face issues if you lose the device used for verification. For example, if you lose your phone and have set it up for receiving verification codes, you might struggle to access your accounts.
Moreover, two-step verification can be inconvenient for some people. It adds an extra step every time you log in, and if you do not have immediate access to your verification device, you might be locked out of your accounts. Despite these challenges, the benefits of two-step verification far outweigh the potential drawbacks, and it remains a robust and recommended security measure in the digital era.
In conclusion, two-step verification offers a critical layer of security in protecting your digital assets. As life becomes increasingly digitized, and we continue to store more personal and sensitive information online, it is crucial to employ strong security measures like two-step verification. While it might seem like a bit of a hassle at times, the added security it provides, the peace of mind and the protection of your personal information make it a worthwhile endeavor. As the old saying goes, “It’s better to be safe than sorry.”
Therefore, embrace two-step verification and make it harder for hackers to gain access to your information. After all, security in the digital sphere is not a luxury, but a necessity.
To further protect your digital assets, consider McAfee+, our most comprehensive online protection software. Protect your mobile, laptops, computers, and IoT devices with reputable security software.
The post Make a Hacker’s Job Harder with Two-step Verification appeared first on McAfee Blog.
In the last decade, Bitcoin has emerged as a revolutionary form of digital asset, disrupting traditional financial markets along the way. Unlike traditional currencies issued by national governments (fiat money), Bitcoin is a decentralized form of money operated via a peer-to-peer network. This means it is not regulated or controlled by any central authority or government. This, along with many other characteristics, offers a range of benefits but also poses certain risks. In this article, we will examine these advantages and challenges to help you evaluate whether the benefits of Bitcoin outweigh the risks.
Bitcoin was created in 2009 by an anonymous person or group of people using the pseudonym Satoshi Nakamoto. As the first cryptocurrency, Bitcoin introduced a new kind of money that is issued and managed without the need for a central authority. Not only is Bitcoin a single unit of currency (simply referred to as a “bitcoin”), but it is also the decentralized, peer-to-peer network that enables the movement of that currency.
Bitcoin transactions are verified by network nodes through cryptography and recorded on a public ledger called blockchain. A user can access his or her bitcoins from anywhere in the world, as long as they have the private key to their unique Bitcoin address. Now, let’s delve into the inherent benefits and risks associated with Bitcoin.
This digital cryptocurrency has gained immense popularity and continues to capture the imagination of investors, tech enthusiasts, and financial experts alike. As we dive into the world of Bitcoin, let’s also uncover the myriad benefits it brings to the table, from decentralization and security to financial inclusion and innovation.
As a decentralized form of currency, Bitcoin is not subject to control by any government, bank, or financial institution. This ensures that the value of Bitcoin is not affected by monetary policies or economic conditions of any specific country. It also means there is no need for intermediaries, such as banks, to process transactions. As a result, Bitcoin transactions can be faster and cheaper than traditional money transfers, particularly for international transactions.
Furthermore, this decentralization offers potential benefits in regions where the local currency is unstable or access to banking is limited. For those without bank accounts, Bitcoin provides an alternative way to store and transact money. It also provides a safeguard against the risks of government-controlled fiat currency, such as inflation or deflation. This property of Bitcoin has been particularly attractive in countries experiencing hyperinflation, such as Venezuela.
Bitcoin transactions are recorded on a public ledger, the blockchain, which is accessible to anyone. This ensures a high level of transparency, as the flow of Bitcoins and the transactions can be tracked by anyone. Nonetheless, while transactions are public, the identities of the parties involved are pseudonymous. This offers a level of privacy and anonymity to users, as their real-world identities are not directly connected to their Bitcoin addresses, offering more privacy than traditional banking systems.
Moreover, because of its immutable and transparent nature, Bitcoin has potential uses beyond being a currency. The underlying blockchain technology has numerous potential applications, including secure sharing of medical records, supply chain management, and secure transfer of assets like land deeds and other legal documents.
→Dig Deeper: Demystifying Blockchain: Sifting Through Benefits, Examples and Choices
Bitcoin stands as both an enigma and a harbinger of change. Its meteoric rise to prominence has captivated the world, yet it has also garnered its fair share of scrutiny and caution. Now, let’s examine the flip side of the digital coin – the risks that come with it.
Price Volatility
One of the most well-known risks of Bitcoin is its price volatility. The value of a bitcoin can increase or decrease dramatically over a very short period. This volatility can result in significant financial loss. While some traders may enjoy this volatility because it provides exciting opportunities for high-return investments, it can be a risky venture for those seeking stability, particularly for those who intend to use Bitcoin as a regular currency.
The volatility also makes Bitcoin less feasible as a store of value. With traditional currencies, individuals can expect the purchasing power of their money to remain relatively stable over short periods of time. With Bitcoin, however, the purchasing power can fluctuate wildly from day to day.
While the Bitcoin network itself has remained secure since its inception, the ecosystem around it is not entirely secure. Bitcoin wallets and exchanges, which are necessary for users to store and trade Bitcoins, have been the targets of hacking in the past. In some instances, users have lost their entire Bitcoin holdings.
Bitcoin transactions are irreversible. Once a transaction is initiated, it cannot be reversed. If the transaction is fraudulent or a mistake has been made, it cannot be corrected. This risk factor demands a high level of care and caution by Bitcoin users. The anonymity of Bitcoin can also facilitate criminal activities such as money laundering and the buying and selling illegal goods, which can impact users indirectly.
→Dig Deeper: Crypto Scammers Exploit: Elon Musk Speaks on Cryptocurrency
Bitcoin operates in a relatively gray area of law and regulation. While it is not illegal, its status varies widely around the world. Some countries have embraced Bitcoin as a legitimate payment method, while others have banned or restricted it. The variability of regulation creates uncertainty and poses a risk for Bitcoin users. There’s also a risk that future regulation could adversely affect Bitcoin. For instance, if a major government declared Bitcoin use illegal, or one of the world’s largest exchanges was hacked, the value of Bitcoin could plummet.
Due to Bitcoin’s decentralized nature, lawmakers and regulatory bodies may find it difficult to draft and implement effective regulations that do not stifle innovation. The digital nature of Bitcoin also poses challenges with legal protections that are generally applied to traditional instruments, such as the ability to challenge fraudulent transactions.
→Dig Deeper: Cryptohacking: Is Cryptocurrency Losing Its Credibility?
When comparing the benefits and risks of Bitcoin, it becomes clear that this cryptocurrency presents both unique opportunities and challenges. On the positive side, its decentralized and peer-to-peer nature offers a level of independence and flexibility not found in traditional financial systems. Additionally, its underlying blockchain technology offers potential for numerous applications beyond cryptocurrency itself.
However, these benefits must be weighed against the risks they pose, including its high price volatility and security issues, and the potential consequences of an uncertain regulatory environment. These risks underline the need for caution and due diligence before investing in or transacting with Bitcoin.
As the first cryptocurrency, Bitcoin is still in its early stages and will likely continue to evolve. As its regulatory environment becomes clearer and its technology becomes more established, the risks associated with Bitcoin may decrease. However, until then, a balanced perspective on the benefits and risks of Bitcoin is essential for anyone considering participating in its network.
McAfee Pro Tip: Bitcoin’s security issues are one of the main risks you need to consider and watch out for if you wish to invest in Bitcoin. Traditional or cryptocurrency, learn how to protect your finances online.
In a remarkably short time, Bitcoin has evolved from a fringe concept to a global financial phenomenon, challenging conventional notions of currency and decentralization. While its disruptive potential, innovation, and the allure of financial autonomy are undeniable, Bitcoin’s journey is punctuated with volatility, regulatory ambiguities, and security concerns that demand cautious consideration. As it continues to capture the world’s imagination, Bitcoin stands as both a symbol of the digital age’s possibilities and a stark reminder of the complexities and challenges associated with redefining the future of finance. Its ultimate role in the global economy remains uncertain, but its impact on the way we perceive and utilize money is undeniable, solidifying its place in history as a transformative force in the world of finance.
As individuals, it is essential to safeguard your digital assets, traditional financial resources, and online financial dealings to ensure a secure and unrestricted existence in the modern world. That’s why we encourage you to improve your digital security. Check out our McAfee+ and Total Protection to boost your protection.
The post Do the Benefits of Bitcoin Outweigh the Risks? appeared first on McAfee Blog.
During the reconnaissance phase, an attacker searches for any information about his target to create a profile that will later help him to identify possible ways to get in an organization.
CloudPulse is a powerful tool that simplifies and enhances the analysis of SSL certificate data. It leverages the extensive repository of SSL certificates obtained from the AWS EC2 machines available at Trickest Cloud. With CloudPulse , security researchers can efficiently explore SSL certificate details, uncover potential vulnerabilities, and gather valuable insights for a variety of security-related tasks.
Simplifies security assessments with a user-friendly interface. It allows you to effortlessly find company's asset's on aws cloud:
1- Download CloudPulse :
git clone https://github.com/yousseflahouifi/CloudPulse
cd CloudPulse/
2- Run docker compose :
docker-compose up -d
3- Run script.py script
docker-compose exec web python script.py
4 - Now go to http://:8000/search and enjoy the search engine
1- download CloudPulse :
git clone https://github.com/yousseflahouifi/CloudPulse
cd CloudPulse/
2- Setup virtual environment :
python3 -m venv myenv
source myenv/bin/activate
3- Install requirements.txt file :
pip install -r requirements.txt
4- run an instance of elasticsearch using docker :
docker run -d --name elasticsearch -p 9200:9200 -e "discovery.type=single-node" elasticsearch:6.6.1
5- update script.py and settings file to the host 'localhost':
#script.py
es = Elasticsearch([{'host': 'localhost', 'port': 9200}])
#se/settings.py
ELASTICSEARCH_DSL = {
'default': {
'hosts': 'localhost:9200'
},
}
6- Run script.py to index data in elasticsearch:
python script.py
7- Run the app:
python manage.py runserver 0:8000
Included in the CloudPulse repository is a sample data.csv file containing close to 4,000 records, which provides a glimpse of the tool's capabilities. For the full dataset, visit the Trickest Cloud repository clone the data and update data.csv file (it contains close to 9 millions data)
as an example searching for .mil data gives:
searching for tesla as en example gives :
CloudPulse heavily depends on the data.csv file, which is a sample dataset extracted from the larger collection maintained by Trickest. While the sample dataset provides valuable insights, the tool's full potential is realized when used in conjunction with the complete dataset, which is accessible in the Trickest repository here.
Users are encouraged to refer to the Trickest dataset for a more comprehensive and up-to-date analysis.
Cross-language email validation. Backed by a database of over 55 000 throwable email domains.
FILTER_VALIDATE_EMAIL
for PHP)This will be very helpful when you have to contact your users and you want to avoid errors causing lack of communication or want to block "spamboxes".
Need to provide Webhooks inside your SaaS?
Need to embed a charts into an email?
It's over with Image-Charts, no more server-side rendering pain, 1 url = 1 chart.
https://image-charts.com/chart?
cht=lc // chart type
&chd=s:cEAELFJHHHKUju9uuXUc // chart data
&chxt=x,y // axis
&chxl=0:|0|1|2|3|4|5| // axis labels
&chs=873x200 // size
Mailchecker public API has been normalized, here are the changes:
MailChecker(email)
-> MailChecker.isValid(email)
MailChecker($email)
-> MailChecker::isValid($email)
import MailChecker
m = MailChecker.MailChecker()
if not m.is_valid('bla@example.com'):
# ...
became:
import MailChecker
if not MailChecker.is_valid('bla@example.com'):
# ...
MailChecker currently supports:
var MailChecker = require('mailchecker');
if(!MailChecker.isValid('myemail@yopmail.com')){
console.error('O RLY !');
process.exit(1);
}
if(!MailChecker.isValid('myemail.com')){
console.error('O RLY !');
process.exit(1);
}
<script type="text/javascript" src="MailChecker/platform/javascript/MailChecker.js"></script>
<script type="text/javascript">
if(!MailChecker.isValid('myemail@yopmail.com')){
console.error('O RLY !');
}
if(!MailChecker.isValid('myemail.com')){
console.error('O RLY !');
}
</script>
include __DIR__."/MailChecker/platform/php/MailChecker.php";
if(!MailChecker::isValid('myemail@yopmail.com')){
die('O RLY !');
}
if(!MailChecker::isValid('myemail.com')){
die('O RLY !');
}
pip install mailchecker
# no package yet; just drop in MailChecker.py where you want to use it.
from MailChecker import MailChecker
if not MailChecker.is_valid('bla@example.com'):
print "O RLY !"
Django validator: https://github.com/jonashaag/django-indisposable
require 'mail_checker'
unless MailChecker.valid?('myemail@yopmail.com')
fail('O RLY!')
end
extern crate mailchecker;
assert_eq!(true, mailchecker::is_valid("plop@plop.com"));
assert_eq!(false, mailchecker::is_valid("\nok@gmail.com\n"));
assert_eq!(false, mailchecker::is_valid("ok@guerrillamailblock.com"));
Code.require_file("mail_checker.ex", "mailchecker/platform/elixir/")
unless MailChecker.valid?("myemail@yopmail.com") do
raise "O RLY !"
end
unless MailChecker.valid?("myemail.com") do
raise "O RLY !"
end
; no package yet; just drop in mailchecker.clj where you want to use it.
(load-file "platform/clojure/mailchecker.clj")
(if (not (mailchecker/valid? "myemail@yopmail.com"))
(throw (Throwable. "O RLY!")))
(if (not (mailchecker/valid? "myemail.com"))
(throw (Throwable. "O RLY!")))
package main
import (
"log"
"github.com/FGRibreau/mailchecker/platform/go"
)
if !mail_checker.IsValid('myemail@yopmail.com') {
log.Fatal('O RLY !');
}
if !mail_checker.IsValid('myemail.com') {
log.Fatal("O RLY !")
}
Go
go get https://github.com/FGRibreau/mailchecker
NodeJS/JavaScript
npm install mailchecker
Ruby
gem install ruby-mailchecker
PHP
composer require fgribreau/mailchecker
We accept pull-requests for other package manager.
$('td', 'table:last').map(function(){
return this.innerText;
}).toArray();
Array.prototype.slice.call(document.querySelectorAll('.entry > ul > li a')).map(function(el){return el.innerText});
... please add your own dataset to list.txt.
Just run (requires NodeJS):
npm run build
Development environment requires docker.
# install and setup every language dependencies in parallel through docker
npm install
# run every language setup in parallel through docker
npm run setup
# run every language tests in parallel through docker
npm test
These amazing people are maintaining this project:
These amazing people have contributed code to this project:
Discover how you can contribute by heading on over to the CONTRIBUTING.md
file.
Web Path Finder is a Python program that provides information about a website. It retrieves various details such as page title, last updated date, DNS information, subdomains, firewall names, technologies used, certificate information, and more.
Clone the repository:
git clone https://github.com/HalilDeniz/PathFinder.git
Install the required packages:
pip install -r requirements.txt
This will install all the required modules and their respective versions.
Run the program using the following command:
┌──(root💀denizhalil)-[~/MyProjects/]
└─# python3 web-info-explorer.py --help
usage: wpathFinder.py [-h] url
Web Information Program
positional arguments:
url Enter the site URL
options:
-h, --help show this help message and exit
Replace <url>
with the URL of the website you want to explore.
Here is an example output of running the program:
┌──(root💀denizhalil)-[~/MyProjects/]
└─# python3 pathFinder.py https://www.facebook.com/
Site Information:
Title: Facebook - Login or Register
Last Updated Date: None
First Creation Date: 1997-03-29 05:00:00
Dns Information: []
Sub Branches: ['157']
Firewall Names: []
Technologies Used: javascript, php, css, html, react
Certificate Information:
Certificate Issuer: US
Certificate Start Date: 2023-02-07 00:00:00
Certificate Expiration Date: 2023-05-08 23:59:59
Certificate Validity Period (Days): 90
Bypassed JavaScript content:
</ div> Contributions are welcome! To contribute to PathFinder, follow these steps:
This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.
For any inquiries or further information, you can reach me through the following channels:
Okta, a company that provides identity tools like multi-factor authentication and single sign-on to thousands of businesses, has suffered a security breach involving a compromise of its customer support unit, KrebsOnSecurity has learned. Okta says the incident affected a “very small number” of customers, however it appears the hackers responsible had access to Okta’s support platform for at least two weeks before the company fully contained the intrusion.
In an advisory sent to an undisclosed number of customers on Oct. 19, Okta said it “has identified adversarial activity that leveraged access to a stolen credential to access Okta’s support case management system. The threat actor was able to view files uploaded by certain Okta customers as part of recent support cases.”
Okta explained that when it is troubleshooting issues with customers it will often ask for a recording of a Web browser session (a.k.a. an HTTP Archive or HAR file). These are sensitive files because they can include the customer’s cookies and session tokens, which intruders can then use to impersonate valid users.
“Okta has worked with impacted customers to investigate, and has taken measures to protect our customers, including the revocation of embedded session tokens,” their notice continued. “In general, Okta recommends sanitizing all credentials and cookies/session tokens within a HAR file before sharing it.”
The security firm BeyondTrust is among the Okta customers who received Thursday’s alert from Okta. BeyondTrust Chief Technology Officer Marc Maiffret said that alert came more than two weeks after his company alerted Okta to a potential problem.
Maiffret emphasized that BeyondTrust caught the attack earlier this month as it was happening, and that none of its own customers were affected. He said that on Oct 2., BeyondTrust’s security team detected that someone was trying to use an Okta account assigned to one of their engineers to create an all-powerful administrator account within their Okta environment.
When BeyondTrust reviewed the activity of the employee account that tried to create the new administrative profile, they found that — just 30 minutes prior to the unauthorized activity — one of their support engineers shared with Okta one of these HAR files that contained a valid Okta session token, Maiffret said.
“Our admin sent that [HAR file] over at Okta’s request, and 30 minutes after that the attacker started doing session hijacking, tried to replay the browser session and leverage the cookie in that browser recording to act on behalf of that user,” he said.
Maiffret said BeyondTrust followed up with Okta on Oct. 3 and said they were fairly confident Okta had suffered an intrusion, and that he reiterated that conclusion in a phone call with Okta on October 11 and again on Oct. 13.
In an interview with KrebsOnSecurity, Okta’s Deputy Chief Information Security Officer Charlotte Wylie said Okta initially believed that BeyondTrust’s alert on Oct. 2 was not a result of a breach in its systems. But she said that by Oct. 17, the company had identified and contained the incident — disabling the compromised customer case management account, and invalidating Okta access tokens associated with that account.
Wylie declined to say exactly how many customers received alerts of a potential security issue, but characterized it as a “very, very small subset” of its more than 18,000 customers.
The disclosure from Okta comes just weeks after casino giants Caesar’s Entertainment and MGM Resorts were hacked. In both cases, the attackers managed to social engineer employees into resetting the multi-factor login requirements for Okta administrator accounts.
In March 2022, Okta disclosed a breach from the hacking group LAPSUS$, which specialized in social-engineering employees at targeted companies. An after-action report from Okta on that incident found that LAPSUS$ had social engineered its way onto the workstation of a support engineer at Sitel, a third-party outsourcing company that had access to Okta resources.
Okta’s Wylie declined to answer questions about how long the intruder may have had access to the company’s case management account, or who might have been responsible for the attack. However, she did say the company believes this is an adversary they have seen before.
“This is a known threat actor that we believe has targeted us and Okta-specific customers,” Wylie said.
Update, 2:57 p.m. ET: Okta has published a blog post about this incident that includes some “indicators of compromise” that customers can use to see if they were affected. But the company stressed that “all customers who were impacted by this have been notified. If you’re an Okta customer and you have not been contacted with another message or method, there is no impact to your Okta environment or your support tickets.”
Update, 3:36 p.m. ET: BeyondTrust has published a blog post about their findings.
Update, Oct. 24, 10:20 a.m. ET: 1Password and Cloudflare have disclosed compromises of their Okta authentication platforms as a result of the Okta breach. Both companies say an investigation has determined no customer information or systems were affected. Meanwhile, an Okta spokesperson told TechCrunch that the company notified about 1 percent of its customer base (~170 customers), so we are likely to see more such disclosures in the days and weeks ahead.