The amount of digital information accessible through digital communication networks and the internet is increasing.
This is due to the rapidly evolving technology and the widespread adoption of software across various industries, including finance, government, military, retail, healthcare, education, and energy.
With the growing value placed on sensitive information by cybercriminals, it is crucial to implement strong cybersecurity measures to protect it.
Cybersecurity involves protecting sensitive data and critical systems from online threats.
These security measures, sometimes referred to as information technology (IT) security, are designed to counteract threats from both within and outside an organization.
Organizations often provide their employees with cybersecurity training, which can vary in duration but provides the opportunity to develop expertise in the subject and reduce the risk of cyberattacks.
Applications of Cybersecurity
The evolving nature of cyber threats requires organizations to continuously adapt their defense measures.
As hackers adapt by developing new methods to bypass security, it’s crucial for organizations to stay ahead by implementing a robust collection of cybersecurity tools and techniques.
The strength of an organization’s cybersecurity depends on its weakest link, so it’s important to have a comprehensive approach to protect sensitive data and systems.
1. Automotive Hacking on the Rise Today’s
Vehicles are equipped with automated software for convenient connectivity, including features such as cruise control, engine timing, door locks, airbags, and driver assistance systems.
However, these technologies, such as Bluetooth and WiFi, make vehicles vulnerable to hacking. As the use of automated vehicles increases, so too will the threat of hacking and eavesdropping through vehicle microphones.
Autonomous vehicles, in particular, require robust cybersecurity measures due to their complex mechanisms.
2. The Power of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Cybersecurity
AI has transformed cybersecurity by introducing machine learning and automating security systems, including natural language processing, face detection, and threat detection.
However, it is also being utilized to create smarter malware and bypass security protocols for data control. With AI-powered threat detection systems, administrators can be instantly notified of any data breaches and predict new attacks.
3. Mobile Devices Emerge as a Major Threat
Cybersecurity trends show a significant rise (50%) in mobile banking malware and attacks in 2019, making our handheld devices a prime target for hackers.
Our personal information, including photos, financial transactions, emails, and messages, are now at greater risk. The threat of smartphone viruses and malware is expected to be a prominent issue in 2023 cybersecurity trends.
4. The Cloud is Vulnerable Too
As more and more organizations move to the cloud, it’s important to continuously monitor and update security measures to protect against data breaches.
Although cloud providers like Google or Microsoft have their own security measures in place, user end errors, malicious software, and phishing attacks can still pose a threat.
5. Data Breaches Remain a Major Concern
Data security continues to be a top priority for both individuals and organizations worldwide. Any weakness in software or browser systems can leave personal information vulnerable to hacking.
The European Union implemented the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in May 2018 to ensure data protection and privacy for individuals.
Similarly, the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) went into effect in January 2020 to protect consumer rights in California.
6. IoT and 5G Network
The New Frontier of Technology and its Risks With the emergence and growth of 5G networks, a new era of interconnectivity will be made possible through the Internet of Things (IoT).
The communication between various devices, however, can also make them vulnerable to outside influence, attacks, or unknown software bugs.
For instance, even Google’s most widely used browser, Chrome, has been found to have critical bugs. 5G technology is still relatively new in the industry and requires extensive research to identify vulnerabilities and ensure its security from external threats.
The manufacturers of 5G hardware and software must take extra caution to prevent data breaches, as every stage of the 5G network can bring new potential security risks that are not yet understood.
Cybersecurity Used Tools
1. Wireshark
A solid networking foundation is essential to become a competent tester.
Wireshark is the best tool for network analysis. This open-source tool allows you to analyze logs in real-time from the network.
Wireshark can dissect data packets into frames and segments, providing detailed information about the packets’ bits and bytes in a box.
2. Nmap
Nmap is the first tool that you will encounter if you have a career in the world of cyber security. This network scanner tool will be beneficial during the footprinting process of a network that you want to test.
This information includes open ports, services, and the operating system on the target computer.
For basic scanning, many are starting to switch to using naabu because the tool built using the Go language is indeed faster in performance.
But for features, it’s clear that Nmap is still more complete than similar tools. So, for now, Nmap is still the best tool for the network scanner category.
Nmap also provides a GUI version called Zenmap. For those of you who are just learning and still need clarification about the CLI, you can try this tool.
3. Ncat
Ncat, previously named netcat, is a simple tool that can view and record data on a TCP or UDP network. Netcat functions as a backend listener, enabling port scanning and a port listener.
Ncat is used to back-connect or get reverse shell access from the target system.
4. Metasploit
Metasploit is not just a tool but a framework that will love to help during the pen testing process.
Metasploit contains an exploit and scanner module for discovered and published vulnerabilities. With Metasploit, you can create a payload and send it to the target computer or server.
The module is complete in Metasploit itself; you can even back-connect and do port scanning using Metasploit. You can also add your exploit modules in the Metasploit Framework.
5. Nikto
Nikto is an open-source tool capable of scanning while pen testing on a web server. This scanning process also includes checking for outdated software and configuration errors.
Nikto is also equipped with an anti-IDS plugin that allows you to scan in stealth mode so that the scanning process is not detected by firewalls that may be installed on the target web.
6. Burp Suite
Burp Suite is one of the favorite tools for web app testers. This tool has many modules for scanning during the pen testing process.
This tool supports all processes in testing the security of a web server, starting from the scanning process to exploitation. One of the main features of BurpSuite is its ability to intercept HTTP requests and modify them before sending them back to the server. With this, you can see and analyze if there are differences in the response given by the server.
7. Jogn The Ripper
Passwords are still the de-facto authentication standard on most systems. Even when you manage to get into a server or database, there are times when you need to crack passwords to gain higher access from a system.
John the Ripper is a tool for password hacking. This tool is quite popular because it supports custom wordlists and can be used to crack most popular hashes such as MD5 and SHA.