11/5/2010 8:45:22 AM
IT Security news: HOW MANY web sites are hacked every hour???
Two thousand five hundred is the answer to your question. How do
you know this I hear you ask, well I don't, But the IT Security
vendor CryptoCard stand by this claim.
So why do they think this is such a big number? The increase in
mobile devices and home working has been the primary driver as
organisations get a little bit too lax over password security.
GetSafeOnline, a joint initiative between government, enterprise
and law enforcement agencies, agree and provided an example to back
this up. An unnamed individual had his usernames and passwords
saved into the contact list on his iPhone, Eeek!
I blogged recently about the danger of WifWif zones and this is
where the link between that blog and this, comes into play.
A phantom WiFi zone was then set up via a wireless router and a
3G mobile card connected to it, naming it BTOpenzone (iPhones
automatically connect to these by default). Once he
was hooked up to the phony WiFi network, he pillaged the contacts
list on the phone and had all the passwords. As we all know, once
you have usernames and passwords you are invisible!
So what is the solution or fix? Well there’s Two-factor
authentication - in other words a username, password AND a one-time
code generated form a secure token.
Lessons to be learned? Well, for my Mum I shall tell her to take
off the passwords and usernames for various things off of her phone
- I'm joking! Don't take on Mrs Hicklin, she is formidable!
Damian Hicklin
IT
Security & Communications Manager
Follow me on Twitter
ARM