This article is an amusing collision between our last two topics – the problems with two-factor and multi-factor authentication and our four-part story on Google’s data mining habits. Google has developed and released their Titan MFA security key as a more secure way to implement multi-factor authentication that can’t be attacked through phishing and man-in-the-middle exploits.  So if you can stand ...
In our last post we looked at several problems you might encounter using two-factor or multi-factor authentication. If you have two-factor authentication, or are thinking about using it, there are some additional steps you should take in case you lose your second factor and have to re-establish access.
I am admittedly a huge proponent of two-factor and multi-factor authentication. For me, TFA, 2FA, and MFA have allowed the password some badly needed extended life as a secure authentication method. With multi-factor authentication, losing your password to an attacker is not enough for them to gain access to and compromise a system, resource, or account.
Multi-factor authentication requires a user to log into ...
Continue Reading →
If you use a password manager app on your smartphone, it may be vulnerable to package name spoofing, which would allow the password manager’s autofill feature to enter your login credentials on a spoofed web form. This vulnerability applies to popular apps from LastPass, Dashlane, Keeper, and 1Password.
I have been an advocate for password managers. They are part of the solution to creating ...
Continue Reading →
The holy grail of a cyber-attacker is the ability to achieve remote access to a computer on a network. It is even better when the attacker can get administrator privileges. Then they have the ability to do anything they need to do on the compromised computer to cross the network and compromise other computers and servers. Who has this kind of access already? ...
A quick Saturday digest of cybersecurity news articles from other sources.
New to cybersecurity? Building a successful cybersecurity career begins with taking good foundational steps. In this ebook, two InfoSec professionals share their advice for those just starting out.
A la “Catch Me If You Can” Frank Abignale fame, ...
Continue Reading →A quick Saturday digest of cybersecurity news articles from other sources.From LastPass – It feels like almost every day there’s another data breach in the news, or a case of user credentials up for sale on the Dark Web. Despite the headlines, and repeated warnings from experts about weak passwords and the dangers of password reuse, users have yet to change their online ...
Continue Reading →
We have discussed the sorry state of passwords in many recent articles. There is an alternative to passwords and pins that may be coming to a smartphone near you. It is called SemanticLock and it uses emoji-like icons to unlock your smartphone.
Most smartphones go unsecured mainly because most people find it difficult to enter a password using the on-screen keyboard. 4 to 6 digit numeric PINs are slightly ...
Continue Reading →Cyber-criminals are masquerading as customer service sites on Facebook, luring disgruntled customers to their Facebook page in order to trick them into divulging their user name, password, and other personal information. This is called “angler phishing.”
The way this usually works is this. Let’s say you have a bad experience with your bank. Then you write and post a negative comment on Facebook or Twitter about bad service you received at your bank, for example. A cyber-crime crew will be searching ...
Continue Reading →Two weeks ago when we started this series on password security, we revealed some sad statistics. 60% of people use the same password on multiple accounts. The average person has 26 password protected accounts, but only used 5 passwords across those accounts. And 85% of people keep track of passwords through memorization.
People reuse passwords just because it is easier. I get it, I have over 100 password protected accounts (not 26) and it is not possible for me to keep ...
Continue Reading →