What is Tiered Security?

Tiered security is the idea behind an assortment of defenses that cover multiple layers and that ensure that all angles and levels of attacks are taken into consideration. A tiered security system thus has a 2^nd, 3^rd or even a 4^th layer of security in case the other levels are bypassed. Cyber attacks can come from any angle. Unfortunately, there is no one secure system that can provide all-around protection. If you are aiming for top security then a tiered security system that includes different types of utilities is your best option.

With different security systems on a single system, there is always the possibility that they could interfere with one another which can potentially leave security holes. In order to properly implement a tiered security system, you, therefore, need to understand the type of programs you are running and if redundancy is needed to further secure your system.

What to consider?

What are the most crucial levels and angles of protection that a tiered security system must take into consideration? In a nutshell – Real-Time Protection, Firewall, Passive Defense and Immunity, Scanning and Removal.  To avoid conflicts, you can have only one real-time antivirus service and one firewall. Scanning and removal, as well as passive immunization, can have several redundant utilities so that a comprehensive protection umbrella is established. Remember also to pick respected applications that have a reliable security history.

With this little knowledge, you are now capable of building a fairly secure tiered system, at least for your personal computer.

Running JavaScript with the proxy

Breaking proxies all boils down to disabling JavaScript. If a Web proxy allows JavaScript to be executed, then the protection is literally lifted. Since proxies use JavaScript methods for IP protection, all a website needs to do is override these methods that are meant to prevent an attack. Once this basic protection is lifted, web resources can then be “unproxified” and reveal a direct IP connection to a user.

Breaking a proxy with invalid HTML code

Breaking a proxy can also be done by introducing invalid HTML code. Since web proxies interpret HTML code differently from your browser, omitting even one link of a website link such as an image or style will make it vulnerable to being bypassed. Enabling JavaScript will further make it impossible for the proxy to reach the real test site without providing full anonymity.

Solution = disable Javascript scripts?

The only way to resist this attack is to disable all JavaScript plugins and scripts. Doing this will make it almost impossible to surf the web with a proxy since most sites need JavaScript-enabled browsers for navigation. Browser plugins like Flash and Java are also vulnerable to deanonymization and should, therefore, be deactivated. Alternatively, a proxifier software can be used to force Flash and Java to use a proxy in order to protect your IP address.

Conclusion

There are, however, proxies that provide anonymity. Using a tool like IP Check can help you determine which proxies are more secure and how deep the proxy security goes. If you are sending private sensitive data, it is advisable to avoid using proxies altogether just to be on the safe side.

Login Information

Assuming the hacker has not already changed the email password, the first step is to change your password.  If you have other accounts that use the same password, you may have information in your emails that may point the hacker to those online resources, it is therefore wise to change those passwords as well. Some email addresses allow you to create an alternate email address or link to your other email addresses to help you retrieve forgotten passwords. Ensure that you also change those accounts and passwords as well.

Dig Deeper

You can also do a thorough email search for other unrelated accounts which may likewise have been compromised in the initial attack. Any suspected accounts should be changed to ensure that the hacker does not gain access to your information in the future. It is also good to monitor your “Sent” and “Trash” folder to see if the hacker spammed your contacts. It can also give you clues of other activities the hacker undertook using your email address.

If a hacker finds valuable data in your email, he may edit your account so that future emails can be auto-forwarded to another account. He may edit the “sent from” section to avoid spam detection or even the “footer and “vacation responder” settings on your account. Sometimes, a hacker may target old email addresses that you either forgot or your friends forgot about.

Inform your friends

While discretion should be used when informing your friends that your account has been hacked, it is good to send an alert email to inform them of the need to be cautious of unusual emails.

In most cases, however, the use of strong passwords that are changed once in a while will help keep your email account secure. Also, don’t forget to use a VPN service if you are connecting to the Internet on public Wi-fi networks.

Have you got your email account hacked? What did you do? Share your experience in the comments below.

Computer Code

Most hackers are programmers and apart from writing and using their own computer code, they will also go online and download program code that is known to exploit a known vulnerability in a system. There are also known programs that test and crack websites and other programs and these are also freely available online.

Logging Keystrokes

Some programs which are also freely available online allow a hacker to monitor each keystroke on a computer system and therefore record usernames and passwords. All a hacker needs to do is disguise the program as a helpful computer application and once the user installs it, it secretly records his or her keystrokes and sends them via the internet to the hacker. The hacker can then use the collected credentials to steal your identity.

Password Hacking

Some programs allow hackers to generate passwords using simple algorithms. Every possible combination of numbers, letters and symbols can be tried at a very fast speed using either a brute force attack or a dictionary attack. The former uses a trial and error method to attack a system while the latter inserts commonly-used words and combinations into the password field.

Virus and Trojan Horses

A computer virus can be written and released online either via email or on known download sites. Once it infects a system it can send back information to the hacker about the internal structure of a system and alert the hacker to possible intrusion points that are unsecured or with a known vulnerability.

Trojan Horses are known to search for unsecured pathways to a network system making it possible for a hacker to access a system without even the need for a username and a password. This is called backdoor access and is one of the most effective ways of infiltrating a computer or a network.

Zombie Computers

Once a hacker gains access to a computer system, he or she can use the compromised system, now a zombie computer, to launch what is called a Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack. Zombie computers are used to infiltrate systems for spam or attack other computer systems. One of the most common and effective attacks is to spam a system with continuous data until it goes down.

Thousands of hackers are active online on any given day, always looking and testing systems for vulnerabilities. Keep your system secure at all times to avoid being the next victim.

P.S. Don’t forget to use a VPN or other hide IP tool to protect yourself while browsing!

What is spoofing?

Spoofing is the act of fooling and presenting false data to appear credible especially its source. Before a spoof can be successful, the spoofer first determines the IP address of a trusted host. Once this is determined, the attacker then goes ahead and changes the packet headers to make it seem like the transmission is from the trusted source effectively spoofing the target. What sorts of attacks though can be launched with IP spoofing?

Types of IP Spoofing

Blind Spoofing

While it is difficult to predict the correct sequence number of packets transmitted, blind spoofing is achieved by a cracker who injects data into a packet stream without having to authenticate him or herself. Blind spoofing requires a cracker to first send requests to a network and then be able to analyze the transmission sequence in order to successfully implement a blind spoof.

Non-Blind Spoofing

This involves a cracker who resides on the inside of a network and is therefore capable of determining the sequence cycle of packet transmission. Having this knowledge will allow an attacker to hijack sessions, bypass authentication mechanisms in place. Further, the attacker can sniff and inject packets at will.

DoS Attack

The denial-of-service attack involves sending multiple hosts a constant stream of packets in what is referred to as a large-scale attack. This eventually results in all streams being spoofed thereby making it very difficult to track down the source of the packet storm.

Man-in-the-Middle Attack

This usually involves an eavesdropping mechanism where a malicious machine intercepts packets, alters the packets and sends them along to the intended destination. This is where the spoofing element enters the equation. Since both the originating and the receiving machines are unaware that the communication has been compromised.

How to Prevent IP Spoofing

IP spoofing is especially critical since it allows unauthorized users to access the root of the targeted system effectively bypassing one-time passwords and allowing the intruder to access the system using login connections from any user residing in the system.

Use Access Control Lists (ACL)

Since all private networks follow the RFC 1918 standards, identifying the IP addresses of an internal network is not a complex undertaking.  After taking a listing of all the IP addresses of authenticated hosts on the internal network, any other IP address coming into the network should be denied access. Any host that accesses the internal network should have an outside IP address since there would be no valid reason for it to have an IP address falling within the internal network range.

Filter Traffic

Network traffic can be controlled by implementing IPSec filtering rules which control what protocols, ports and IP addresses are allowed or denied access. The Microsoft Management Console (MMC) is used to implement the policy and assign it to individual host computers. The IPSec policy is flexible enough to allow different filter rules to be implemented such as controlling what sites and applications can access hosts. For data privacy, integrity and authenticity, the IPSec protocol is preferred.

Router Configurations

Routers can also be configured so that they reject any packets that purport to originate from within the network but are coming from the outside. Alternatively, encryption sessions can be enabled within the router so that only trusted hosts residing outside the network can securely communicate with local hosts from within.

In most cases, IP spoofing can be detected and stopped by implementing the already existing security measures that come with router hardware and current operating systems.

What is the IPConfig Tool?

The IPConfig tool, which is run from the Windows command line is part of the TCP/IP protocol suite and can be a great resource when working or troubleshooting a network. Even for an average PC user, this tool can help in troubleshooting simple network and Internet connection problems.

Identify your local IP address

On a local network, the IPConfig tool can help identify your local IP address as well as extra details like the Gateway computer’s IP address or the router address on the local network.

Switches

IPConfig supports several command line options otherwise known as parameters. These switches are invoked using the syntax “ipconfig / {switch}”. One of these is the “ipconfig /?” switch. This switch provides a list of other switches that are used with the IPConfig command.

The most commonly used switches are the “release” and the “renew”.  Since most IP addresses are dynamic they usually have “lease” periods which, upon expiry, usually in a day, are released. When conflicts occur, such as when a single IP address is assigned to more than one computer, the “release” switch can be used to reset the IP address. Once released, the “renew” switch is then used to assign a new IP address. Where more than one connection exists, the command can also be applied to a specific connection. For example to release the IP for a connection called “LAN 2”, use the command below:

IPconfig /release “LAN2”

These switches are especially important if you travel and have to use different broadband connections requiring that you get assigned different IP addresses every time you connect.

For advanced troubleshooting, the switches “displaydns”, “flushdns” and “registerdns” can be used.  If the information contained in the DNS cache becomes corrupted or outdated, you may not be able to access the Internet. In some cases, the IP address of a website may change or the website may go offline for an unspecified period of time. These 2 scenarios can be resolved by flushing the DNS and re-registering it to the local DNS cache using the “flushdns” and “registerdns” switches respectively.

Conclusion

So the next time you fail to connect to the Internet, why not use some of these switches and see if you can resolve the problem before calling your ISP or the IT guy.

PS3 Proxy Servers Configuration – While it is not possible to connect your PS3 directly to a VPN service, it is, however, possible to set up and configure a proxy server to work. This is usually set up, not on the PS3 system directly, but on a computer that is connected to the same network as your PS3 console.  After making the configurations on your computer, you can then configure the PS3 to the user the proxy server. Next, you will be able to do just about everything else in a normal configuration mode.

How to get a PS3 proxy server

Firstly, you need a proxy server. You may find free ones by taking a search on Google or by checking proxy lists, but, if you are serious about your privacy, I recommend subscribing to a premium proxy service or a VPN service that also offers proxies. Find both such services on our hide IP tools page.

Set up a proxy on your computer

Set up the proxy server service on your computer and ensure that it is working. If the proxy server is not running and working on your computer it will likely not work on your PS3. You will need to take note of the correct IP address used.  Next, the proxy port which will be used when configuring the PS3 console.

Set up the PS3 proxy server

Next, connect your PS3 to the network and go to “Settings” “Network Settings” and select the “Proxy Server” or similar designation that you plan to use for this connection. Press the X button to use this network connection.

Enter the IP address and the proxy port you noted previously when the Address field comes up. In most cases, the Proxy port will usually be “6588” for a Windows system and “8080” for a Mac. Ensure though that you enter the number that you collected when setting up your computer. Leave the UPNP setting unchanged.

Confirm a summary of the connection details after clicking on “Next” and then proceed to test the connection to see if it works. Pressing the X button will attempt to connect the PS3 system to the Internet. If the connection test is successful, the PS3 system will display a message saying that it has obtained an IP address and is now connected.

Check your new IP location

Go to your web browser on your PlayStation system and using a location checker like this one. Your location should now be different from your actual location.

Start playing!

You can now log into the PlayStation Network, PlayStation Store, and Chat or Play games online just like you would in a normal setting, only this time you cannot be tracked by your location.

Do you know good PS3 proxy servers? Fill free to share them in the comments below.

That’s right, in our present world where questions like “What is on your mind?” or “What are you doing?” are already getting old, the next big wave, even in social networks is “where are you?” Facebook, Foursquare, and Gowalla are just some of the services that are revolutionizing the location-based services including the hundreds of apps that run on both Android and iPhone platforms.

Why determining your geographic location?

By determining your geographic location by use of the IP address, it is possible to offer more localized services and allow you to enjoy a much fuller user experience, especially when using localized services like those mentioned above. Some common applications for geolocation by IP include chat programs, Weblogs and other distributed computing environments where location data is used to provide a local experience.

Almost all modern browsers today support the geolocation feature, which is the ability to track your location and by extension offer location-based services.

How does it work?

A client-side device like an iPhone, Android device or a conventional desktop browser can retrieve geographic positioning using some JavaScript code. Asynchronous functions are implemented to allow a user to authorize applications to track his location while still making it possible to access and use the other services inside an application. The HTML 5 specification makes it possible to implement these functions using the getCurrentPosition API that is now supported by most modern browser upgrades.

The geolocation feature: tracking your location

Inspecting the geolocation data usually brings up a number of important details. For one, it will denote the time at which the geolocation data instance was created. A set of geographic coordinates together with their associated accuracy and other optional attributes will be displayed. Knowing this information exists will help you better determine if it is wise to allow applications to track your location or restrict access to your location. In addition, if your target device supports it, you can access some of this information and determine how you are being tracked.

Geolocation databases

For those browsers that do not support geolocation, there is always the option of using large geolocation databases to map the IP address of a device. This method however usually suffers from the fact that the IP addresses may be wrongly associated with a location, it could provide a very broad geographic area results without street or latitude/longitude locations or some addresses simply do not exist on the databases making the location untraceable. When GPs or triangulation is not available, however, these external geolocation services provide a good fallback.

How can you use the IP address geolocation to provide localized services? 

To implement this on a website or an application, you can use PEAR system which comes with a PHP package that can assist in retrieving such information. Alternatively, the PERL module can also be used. Another useful geolocation resource is the DNS LOC. This resource provides a means for expressing location information in the Domain Name System. This is done by adding the server location information on the DNS registration page. The use of DNS LOC makes it easy for applications to use this information without having to do any extra work. In addition, it allows location-based services to estimate your location based on ping times and traffic even where the signal has been bounced to the second or third server.

To help geolocation by IP address, some service providers associate the dynamic IP addresses of users to an internal naming scheme that they keep and then shortening this information to some name like a12-55-1-00.try.hereiam.com. Some resources can then be used to decipher the country code, associated city and the region of the city. One of these is the GNS (GEOnet Names Server).

If you are uncomfortable using location-based services that track your IP, you can always use a proxy or simply disable the service on your end.

Data can be pulled from the iPhone via a wireless tether and sent to the iPad. This, however, is only possible if you know the iPad IP address which will enable you to make the few configurations needed to have yourself a tracking iGadget. This is a very simple to set up, and it only requires that you have a Wi-Fi nearby and of course an iPad 2.

Firstly, connect to the Wi-fi

Navigate to the “Settings” on your iPad and select the “Wi-Fi” option on the sidebar.

Tap on the arrow located next to the Wi-Fi network you want to connect to. The iPad will begin searching for all the available networks that are broadcasting and within range. Select from the list the Wi-Fi network that you want to connect to and tap on the network name to try to attempt to connect to it.

Enter the wireless encryption password if the network is protected.

Secondly, find the assigned IP address

Once you complete the connection process, the iPad will present with a list of all the settings including the IP address it has obtained from the network. You can then use this IP address to connect or access it via other devices on the network.

Another solution

Alternatively, it is also possible to check IP iPad address by logging into the hotspot device, which could be a router, and accessing its list of connected devices. From here you can easily tell the IP address by identifying its name on the network. Some software applications, like those that come with Cisco devices, also allow you to view the network and determine what devices are connected with their IP addresses.  However, in all cases, the iPad needs to first connect to a network before you can identify its IP address.

Check IP iPad – The public IP address

If you want to find the public IP address directly navigate to xmyip.com. You will find not only the IP but also other publicly available info regarding the IP.

You are probably well aware of the fact that knowing an IP address of a computer reveals a lot of things about that user. The basic theory of the nets and the Internet is the fact that uploaded and downloaded packets carry your destination address and can be easily used to track you down. Fortunately, there are different ways of hiding your IP or at least making it difficult for others to track where you are located.

Proxy Services

These are used to provide anonymity to users that hiding your IP address before going online. Since not all proxies are reliable, it is always a good idea to check that your IP address is, in fact, anonymous by using the tool on this website. Before connecting to a proxy, check your IP address and then do that again after you connect. The IP should now be different.

Anonymizers

These are usually paid proxy services that have their own Web interface allowing you to hide your IP addresses from online resources. Using anonymizers is certainly great if you are looking for high-level anonymity but it comes at a cost and at slow speeds.

Cookie Technology

Cookies are small files that are stored locally on your PC and are used by websites and online resources to learn about your web habits, follow your Web routes, and can ultimately be used to locate you. Cookies are only about 4KB in size but for anyone looking for anonymity, they will want to ensure that no cookies are saved on their PC.

Even with special access limitation to preserve data confidentiality that only allows servers that put the data in the cookies to access it, it is easy to see how this information can be used maliciously. The browser options can be used to disable cookies and prevent websites from saving data on your PC.

“Hide IP” Software

The software can be used to manage your proxy service features and configure your setting to provide anonymity. The use of software as opposed to accessing a proxy directly enables the set of features that you may easily bypass, especially if you don’t know much about proxies. There are many software packages available online to help you hide your IP.

Socks Technology

This usually provides total anonymity, in principle. Socks technology uses the socks-protocols where a socks-server receives requests and re-targets the returned data back. The communication between a PC and the socks-server takes place using special protocols designated as Socks4, Socks5, etc effectively making the user’s IP address impossible to guess.

Hiding your IP address and staying protected is an ongoing process and keeping up with the latest on computer security will help you stay ahead of the curve.