Prevent drive-by hacking
Keep hackers out of your home network and away from all your devices, not just your PC.
Another growing threat to your computer – and wider network – comes from so-called hack tools. These are part of a wider range of tools known as ‘riskware’, which are tools that aren’t in themselves malicious, but capable of being used for nefarious ends by hackers. This is a grey area usually ignored by security software because the targets are perfectly legitimate programs that perform useful functionality – for example, Nirsoft’s ProduKey is designed to help you recover Windows and Office product keys from your computer, but because it can also be deployed to pull product keys from other computers on your network is designated a hack tool by Malwarebytes Anti-Malware.
Other types of tool that fall into this category are network scanners, SSH and even tools designed to perform illegal activities such as GameHack, a family of tools that bypass gaming platform server restrictions or paywalls.
If you want protection against these threats – as with adware, then Malwarebytes Anti-Malware ( www. malwarebytes.com) is a must-have.
Network threats
Many of these appropriated tools – along with tools developed specifically for cybercriminals – are used to attempt drive-by hackings of computers and their networks. The tools are usually indiscriminate – scanning thousands of public IP addresses in the hunt for weak spots that give hackers access to home and business networks, giving them carte blanche to do what they will.
You can reduce your risk of attack by following the step-by-step guide opposite. It involves strengthening the device that provides a gateway to and from the internet: your router. These are often shipped with gaping security holes, so follow the advice across the page to instantly improve matters – and also increase protection against anyone within physical range of your network (including neighbours piggybacking on your internet connection).
Another weak point are the devices on your network. Their connections to the internet are ‘guaranteed’ in that they’re trusted, but they also make it possible to target your network through a specific device rather than a generic attack through your gateway. Your PCs (and Macs if you have them) should already be protected with strong security software, but you’ll need anti-virus for your Android mobile too. Apple devices are more tightly locked down, but here it’s important to install the latest updates, avoid insecure wireless networks and exercise the same caution opening emails and visiting websites as you would with your PC.
IoT vulnerabilities
The growth of the Internet of Things – smart devices spanning from speakers to energy meters, security cameras to lights – poses its own threat. The IoT is often overlooked when performing security audits but is particularly vulnerable to attack. Sadly, security is often of secondary important to IoT manufacturers – the devices have limited storage or lack mechanisms for firmware updates to close vulnerabilities when discovered.
If you’ve not yet done so, take the time to identify all these devices and perform a security audit on them. More reputable devices – including Samsung’s SmartThings hub and Amazon’s Alexa range of speakers – should be constantly on the lookout for firmware updates, and alert you via whichever apps you have installed.
Other devices, however, may not have this ability, relying on you to hunt down and apply firmware updates yourself (this is true of your router too). Visit the device manufacturer’s webpage and look in the support or downloads section for possible updates. If none exist, try Googling the product name and keywords like ‘vulnerability’ or ‘hack’ to see if attacks have occurred.
If devices are no longer supported, consider up-to-date replacements. Failing that, follow the advice in the step-by-step to place them on their own isolated guest network away from your computer and other importance devices – you may wish to do this with all your IoT equipment. You should still be able to access them, but the connection will be made over the internet rather than through your local network.