Saturday, July 24, 2021

10 Alarming cyber security facts You Need To Know !

 

Innovation in technology leads to the development of individuals' lifestyle, business and ultimately the economy of the state. To be innovative in privacy or security is as important as to be innovative in tech. In this developing technology cyber security is one of the prominent issues.


Every day, the cybersecurity business expands at a breakneck pace. Despite the fact that more resources are being invested to combat cyber attacks, the industry as a whole still has a long way to go before we can catch up with these dangers.


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Given these troubling statistics, it's critical that we describe what the contemporary information security and cybersecurity sector looks like.


But before looking into the facts let us have a brief idea about cyber security and how it affects the security or privacy of the individual, organization , etc.


What is cyber security?


The technique of protecting computers, mobile devices, servers, networks, electronic systems, and data from hostile intrusions is understood as cyber security. it is also referred to as electronic


(IS)information security or (IT) security. The phrase is employed during a range of contexts, starting from business to mobile computing, and it's going to be weakened into a couple of categories.



Network security: The practice of securing a network from intruders, whether targeted attackers or opportunistic malware, is understood as network security.



 Operational Security: Decisions and processes for handling and securing data assets are included in operational security. This umbrella includes the permissions people have when accessing a network, also because the protocols that regulate how and where data are often kept or exchanged.


Disaster recovery and business continuity are terms wont to describe how a corporation reacts within the case of a cyber-security breach or the other catastrophe that leads to the loss of operations or data. Disaster recovery policies define how an organisation returns operations and knowledge to an equivalent operational capabilities as before the disaster.




End-user education addresses the foremost unpredictably unpredictable aspect of cyber-security: people. By failing to follow appropriate security measures, anyone can unintentionally introduce an epidemic into an otherwise protected system. It's critical for each organization's security to show users to delete suspicious email attachments, not connect unrecognized USB drives, and a spread of other key teachings.




What are the different types of  cyber attack?


Cyber-security counters three sorts of threats:


1. Cybercrime may be defined as individuals or groups who attack systems for monetary gain or to cause disruption.

2. Political motivation for  information collection is common in cyber-attacks.

3. The goal of cyberterrorism is to panic or dread by undermining electronic systems.


So, how do attackers obtain access to computer systems?

Here are a number of the foremost typical ways in which cyber-security is jeopardised:





Malware

Malware may be a term that refers to malicious software. A software specially designed by a cybercriminal or hacker to damage or disrupt a legitimate user's computer. it's one among the foremost common cyber dangers.


Malware, which is usually sent by an unsolicited email attachment or a legitimate-looking download, are often employed by cybercriminals to make money or in politically motivated cyber-attacks.




Malware comes during a sort of shapes and sizes, including:


Virus: A self-replicating programme  infected files with harmful code after attaching itself to a clean file and spreading throughout a computing system .


Trojan horses: Malware that masquerades as legitimate software. Users are misguided into downloading Trojans onto their computers, which then inflict damage or collect data.


Spyware may be a sort of software that secretly records what a user does in order that hackers can take advantage of it. Spyware, for instance , could record mastercard information.





How does cybersecurity threaten the privacy of an individual or the organisation?


Cyber risks can arise from a variety of sources, including people, locations, and situations. Actors who are malicious include:


  • Individuals that develop their own attack vectors with their own software

  • Criminal groups that operate like businesses, with vast numbers of employees designing attack vectors and completing attacks

  • Nation-states

  • Terrorists

  • Spies from the business world

  • Organized crime syndicates

  • Insiders who are dissatisfied

  • Hackers



Many of the foremost serious attacks are administered by nation-states. There are various sorts of cyber dangers posed by nation-states. Some are simple acts of espionage, like attempting to uncover the secrets of another country's government. Others are designed to cause havoc.




10 Alarming cyber security facts 


  1. In 2016, only three industries accounted for 95% of all data breaches.

Government, retail, and technology all have a role. The reason for this isn't always due to a lack of attention to consumer data security in those industries.


They're merely incredibly popular targets because their records contain a lot of personal identifying information.


  1. Every 39 seconds, a hacker assault occurs.

A study from the  University of Maryland Clark School said that  quantify the constant rate of hacker attacks on devices with Internet access—every 39 seconds on average, affecting ⅓   Americans every year—as well as the non-secure usernames and passwords we use, which give attackers a better chance of succeeding.



  1. Small businesses and the organizations are the target of 43% of cyber attacks.

Web-based attacks have been encountered by 64% of businesses. Phishing and social engineering attacks were reported by 62 percent of respondents.


Malicious code and botnets were found in 59 percent of firms, and denial-of-service attacks were found in 51 percent. Small businesses (those with fewer than 500 employees) spend $7.68 million on average each incident.


  1. The average cost of a data breach for SMBs worldwide is $3.9 million.

This amount is crushing for most organizations, not only financially but also in terms of reputation. Because there is more at stake for public organizations, the cost is substantially higher; on average, a data breach at a publicly traded company costs $116 million.


  1. The FBI claimed a 300 percent rise in reported cybercrime since COVID-19.

Taking the advantage of pandemic, hackers  attacked unprotected networks as office work shifted to private residences. They had recorded 12,377 Covid-related scams as of last summer.


  1. In September 2020 , 9.7 million healthcare records were compromised.

“83 breaches were related to Information Technology and hacking incidents, and 9,662,820 records were compromised in those breaches,” according to the HIPAA Journal...


  1. The best defence against phishing assaults is human intellect and comprehension.

Thwarting phishing attempts, according to Cofense, boils down to user behaviour, and knowing is the greatest approach to protect your company from some of the most frequent hacking methods.


  1. By 2021, it is estimated that $6 trillion would be spent on cybersecurity around the world.

To conform with this newly defined reality of our modern society, organisations must adapt their approach to cybersecurity and reprioritize finances.


  1. By 2025, there will be 30 billion connected IoT devices.

Internet of Things (IoT) connections ( laptops, smartphones and computers). At the end of 2020, 11.7 billion (or 54 percent) of the 21.7 billion active connected devices on the planet will be IoT device connections. More than 30 billion IoT connections are predicted by 2025, with nearly four IoT devices per person on average.


  1. Over 4 million cybersecurity jobs are now unfilled around the world.

More than 500,000 cybersecurity jobs in the United States are unfilled, with job posts up 74% in the last five years. Cybersecurity engineers are among the highest-paid of those vocations, with an average salary of $140,000 per year.



“Cybercrime is the greatest threat to each company within the world.” During the subsequent five years, cybercrime might become the biggest threat to each person, place and thing within the world. With evolving technology comes evolving hackers. Our greatest defense is to remain informed and learn from AchieveX.

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7 Common Mistakes Businesses Make When Choosing IT Services



The technology, a company picks has a direct influence on its production, profitability, and customer service.


Choosing the proper business IT solutions may help a firm run more effectively, find more productivity in employees’ days, and move ahead of the competition.


But just as simply, the poor technology decisions may hold organizations back and have them paying more expenditures for IT than they should be. Employees might quickly feel upset when their business tools aren’t helping them to perform as efficiently as they could.


Organization of all dimensions outsources certain aspects of their business-technology needs, including IT assistance, website creation and digital marketing to meet their IT demands.


Most firms are skeptical when choosing an IT provider for their business that would satisfy their business needs. And, their stance is quite justifiable as the leaps and bounds of the domain can be well witnessed.


Are you a business owner who is in a dilemma to choose the right IT providers for your business?
Are you confused or don’t know how to choose the right IT provider for your growing business?


Here are the pro tips that will guide you and act as a reference while choosing from a wide variety of IT vendors. 


So, let’s begin. Shall we?


#1 Select the least affordable solution (or choosing the cheapest service)


In a layman term, this signifies that you are prioritizing price over quality. However, the cheapest solution doesn’t always signify the real number, there is a catch to it. 


Just said, value is more expensive. If you determine that an IT business with the lowest rate will pay the lowest total cost, then sorry! You have been mistaken. 


The lowest hourly price might be intimidating; nevertheless, it does not include project labor, emergency assistance, hardware, or other necessary and must-have assistance. 


The cheapest service providers are also very likely not to be subject matter experts and lack the prerequisite knowledge. And there is a high chance for the latter to have minimum experience in executing projects correctly. 


Therefore, seek a solution with a low price yet that is paired with great quality and knowledge.


#2. Making a Decision Based on the Specification list


Are you one of those people that grow tired quickly and adore the "new car smell" of a brilliant new app? It is not uncommon for a company owner or other management to switch applications too often because they see something that someone else uses and wants to test.


A list of specifications might block you and a quick selection can lead to road difficulties.


For instance, you can discover a new live chat application for your site that appears better than you do today. Your team will thus go through the whole process of changing applications and setting up the new app on your website. Then you find that it is not compatible when you try to link the app to your CRM program. Huh! A big issue!


Before integrating applications into your company process, you need to properly examine them. You want to check how integrations will match with your present IT environment, safety, and whether you can add redundancies.


#3. Recruiting the first IT provider that you encounter


It is tempting to employ one of Google's first-page technology providers, or the first IT company you locate. It takes extra time to make this decision. Take the time to interview a number of IT companies or development organizations and compare them before you choose the ideal fit.


If you are doubtful, utilize a marketplace and experienced outsourcing department that has done research and analysis previously so that you do not have to.


To witness value-driven results for your business, you check into AchieveX, a leading outsourcing company that beholds the right expertise for your growing business needs.




#4. Not asking about credentials.



In order to deliver modern and trending tech advice, managed service providers need to pass industry tests and other necessary certifications. 


Request their credentials from your IT seller. Some may have network engineering, cybersecurity, and ethical hacking qualifications or be certified by Microsoft to mention a few.


As for digital marketers, Google Analytics and Google Ads certificates and content marketing certifications will be provided. 

The following sorts of certificates may be provided for web developers based on their selected expertise: Microsoft developer certifications, certification of Amazon Web Services (AWS certified developer), Adobe certified developer, and other web professional developers certifications.


#5. Trying to do all things yourself


The marketing gimmicks of the cloud application make things look easy. Companies, therefore, wind up using tools and seeking their integration instead of receiving assistance from an IT specialist.


It can lead to issues with data transfer, choosing technologies not well suited to your business aims, and to a firm that has actually been working hard to "branch" productivity processes.


You're getting the advantage of working with a reputable IT provider like AchieveX Solutions:


  • Guidance from experts

  • An impartial and professional view

  • Software warnings notorious for poor performance

  • Confirm if a new tool meets your present IT strategy or not


#6. Underestimating the necessary skills and technology required for your project



You will want and need to know what approaches your project or technology will need to fulfill your continuing demands. Seek a business that will advise you on the finest stack in technology. Be careful of their talents and their technology, so that you don't have an outmoded firm.


A pro suggestion is to ask how to keep up with the latest technology and trends. 


For this, you can check out AchieveX Solutions, which is known for delivering expert support and reliable results that meet the modern trends.


#7. Failing to grasp prices, contracts, or services outside scope.


Some IT vendors are "free," with set charges charged. Other IT companies may provide bundles while others may provide contractual services on a monthly basis. What you require and will cost for continuous assistance, projects or out-of-scope work, and even emergency work is crucial to know.


Looking for an ideal IT provider for your business?
Do check out AchieveX Solutions!


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Wednesday, July 21, 2021

Understanding Blockchain Technology without complexities — Your one-stop guide to Blockchain

 

So, whenever you hear the term Blockchain, What pops up in your mind? It may just sound like fancy geeky terms or maybe some cool new technology that is constricted among the techno-nerds. Isn’t it? 






Well, if you feel the same, no worry! We are here to deliver you detailed information on Blockchain so that you can get error-proof knowledge and update your learning curve along with the growing trends.

Now, before starting this topic let me warn you if you are here while watching a Netflix Series, or in a hurry, or if you are an impatient reader then I am extremely sorry, this blog is not for you. This blog is dedicated to all those passionate readers and knowledge-hungry men and women who want to up-skill their genre of knowledge.

So, which category are you in?


If you are in the second category, I would like to congratulate you that you chose to learn, over other fancy things. So, without any further ado let’s get started. Shall we?


Oh, yeah!


Let’s understand blockchain with real-life scenarios


To begin with, imagine a world where you can directly send money to anyone without a bank or any third parties within a few seconds, and the coolest part is that you don’t have to pay the hefty bank charges or other charges associated with your transaction.


Or, maybe you can consider an online wallet where you can store money that is not associated with any banks, meaning you are your own bank. For that, you do not need to take the permission of the bank to access it, and you don’t have to worry about third parties like the government or other institution taking away your money in case of any economic policy or other similar instances like inflation and various government policies.


Yes, this is not a mere fantasy of the future. In fact, these are few instances of blockchain technology. We will see the rest in the later part of this blog.


Before getting into further discussion let’s understand what blockchain is!


What is Blockchain Technology


Blockchain is often referred to as Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) that makes the transaction history of any digital assets transparent and unalterable through the extensive use of decentralization and cryptographic hashing.




Without getting into technical definition let’s understand blockchain technology in layman’s terms. In a simpler understanding, blockchain technology can be visualized as Google Docs. When we create a document and spread it to other groups of people, the document is then distributed but not copied and everyone can access the document at the same time. This in terms creates a decentralized distribution chain that allows everyone to access the document at the same time. Any modification in the document is being recorded at the same time, thereby making the changes transparent.


One thing to be noted in this regard, in real-life blockchain and Google Docs is an entirely different technology. Only, a glimpse of the similar functionalities has been showcased in this blog.


How Does Blockchain Work? 


Blockchain lies around three main concepts: blocks, nodes, and miners.


Blocks

Blockchain is a chain of multiple Blocks. A Block is consist of three basic elements:

Blocks. 

Every chain consists of multiple blocks and each block has three basic elements:


  • The data in the block.

  • And a 32-bit whole number called a nonce. When a block is created, a nonce gets generated randomly along with it which then generates a block header hash.

  • The hash is a 256-bit number mated with the nonce. It generally starts with a huge number of zeroes.


When the first block of a chain is created, the nonce brings about a cryptographic hash. The data in the block is then signed and forever tied to the nonce and the hash, unless it is being mined.



 

Miners


Miners are responsible for creating the new blocks in a chain and this process is called mining.


Mining a block isn’t an easy task. In a blockchain, every block has its unique nonce and a cryptographic hash, and also the reference of the previous block, thus making it a chain. It is the job of the miners to find out the unique nonce through a complex mathematics problem that accepts the hash. 


A nonce is a 32-bit number whereas the hash is a 256-bit number thus there are more than 4 billion possibilities to find the unique nonce-hash combination. For this, miners use special software to find the “golden nonce” or the desired combination, once it is found a block is then added to a chain and the miners enjoy a small commission for the same.


Now, in order to manipulate or make changes in a block, one has to re-mines not only the block with the change but also all the blocks in the chain. Hence, it is utterly impossible to manipulate blockchain technology.


Once a block is successfully mined, the change is then accepted by all of the nodes on the network.


Nodes


In a blockchain, no one computer or organization can own the chain, rather the chain is connected via the nodes.  Now, what are Nodes? Nodes can be any electronic device that maintains the copy of the blockchain thereby, keeping the network functioning.


Each Node has its own copy of the blockchain. And since the blockchains are transparent, every action can be viewed and checked at any given time. Moreover, each node is provided with a unique alphanumeric identification number that showcases their transactions.


Types of Blockchains

As of now, there are four types of blockchain


1. Public Blockchains

These are open, decentralized networks of computers accessible to anyone who wants to validate and check transactions at any point of time. Basically, no restriction is present in the number of participants. Anyone can view the ledger and fall in with the consensus process.

Some common examples of public blockchain are Bitcoin and Ethereum


2. Private Blockchains


Private blockchain as the name suggests is not open to everyone, they do possess access restrictions and this is governed by a single entity. One who wants to join may require permission from the system administrator.
Few examples of private blockchains are Ripple (XRP), and Hyper ledger.


3. Hybrid Blockchains/Consortiums


These are a combination of public and private blockchains thus giving it hybrid characteristics. Moreover, the Consortiums possess both centralized as well as decentralized features. 


4. Sidechains


A sidechain is a new mechanism of blockchain that runs parallel to the main chain. This allows the user to move the digital assets between the blockchains which in terms improves the scalability and efficiency.
Liquid Network can be cited as a perfect example for the Sidechains.



History of Blockchain 


Who Invented Blockchain?  


In 1982 it was David Chaum, a cryptographer who first initiated the blockchain-like protocol. Later, W. Scott Stornetta and Stuart Haber composed their work on Consortiums in 1991.


But, the ultimate blow came from Satoshi Nakamoto who first invented and implemented blockchain network and bring into the limelight, the world’s first digital currency, Bitcoin.


Who found Bitcoin?
Bitcoin was introduced by a mysterious and pseudonymous Satoshi Nakamoto. The identity of the person is still a mystery for many.





Who Owns Blockchain Technology? 


Blockchain Technology is not associated with any individual or organization, nor can it be owned. Anyone and everyone can make use of this technology to run their own sets of blockchain.


Who Sent and Received the First Bitcoin Transaction? 

Nakamoto was the first ever to send bitcoins. He sent 10 bitcoins to the computer scientist, Hal Finney, who built the first reusable proof of work back in 2004.


Why is there so much hype around blockchain technology?

It can be seen that a ton of attempts were made in the past to create a digital currency, yet they have failed.

The reason behind this is "Trust". If a new currency called the 'X' dollars is created by an entity, the question arises what is the proof that they won't give themselves a million 'X' dollars, or steal your 'X' dollars for themselves?


Therefore came Bitcoin, designed to solve the said problem with a new genre of technology called Blockchain. Most other normal databases, like in a SQL database, someone is in charge of editing and changing the entries (i.e. giving themselves a hundred thousand X dollars), whereas a blockchain database plays a completely different role from the traditional one. 


In a blockchain, nobody is in charge of the entries, it is run by the people who use it. Moreover, the transactions of bitcoins are completely transparent and decentralized meaning no one is present to manipulate, and also bitcoins can not be faked or duplicated thereby adding trust to the people who were earlier being sceptical of the digital currencies.


Advantages and Disadvantages of Blockchain

Pros


  • Enhancing the accuracy due to least human intervention.

  • Reduction in cost due to the elimination of third parties.

  • A decentralized platform makes it harder to manipulate.

  • Transactions are safe, secure, and most importantly transparent.

  • It can be used as an alternative to banking that is more secure in beholding personal information especially for the citizens of countries with unstable and underdeveloped governments.





 

Cons

  • The primary challenges lie with the significant cost of the technology.
  • Most importantly, there is no regulatory body to regulate the technology. Now, this can be used as an advantage and also a disadvantage, this solely depends on how the technology is being used.
  • Lower transaction per second. Now this may be subjective, with the evolution of blockchain technology, soon this problem may get dispensed.




How is Blockchain Used? 


So, briefly explaining these are the few areas where blockchain can mark a significant impact

  • Banking and finance
  • Voting
  • Currency
  • Supply chains
  • Healthcare
  • Smart Contracts


Stay tuned to get more info on 'the uses of blockchain' which will be coming in a few days. A detailed explanation will then be provided. Subscribe to the newsletter! To get informed.


Let us know if you found this insightful!


Stay tuned for more from AchieveX!



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  Innovation in technology leads to the development of individuals' lifestyle, business and ultimately the economy of the state. To ...