Visual IT-Security:Your Computer As A Possible Cyber-Weapon!?

Authors

Gust MEES ICT course instructor Website: http://gustmees.word… ICT course instructor ................ Life Long Learner, Critical Thinker, IT-Security Thought Provoker, who loves to share his knowledge with others... I believe that through "Curation", by building a "Personal [Professional] Learning Network [PLN]" and that by "Social Learning" WE go for a BETTER learning...

Learning IT-Security,e-Learning,m-Learning,Bring Your Own Device, BYOD,Cyberwar,Cyber-Warfare,Cyber-Weapon,Cyber-Crime

MAUSI, the smart computer mouse. Gust MEES’s creation, realized by Chantal MAQUET

For most people it is very difficult to understand IT-Security and also the need to apply it…. To me it looks sometimes like that people see a computer as a modern typewriter and/or a game console, but that’s not the case, I will try to explain to you a computer in a visual manner so that you might able to understand better why there is a need to protect your computer and also why a computer is in danger to get a virus, trojan, and other malware infections. Why a computer could become a possible Cyber-Weapon who is attacking web sites and perhaps also your Government’s web-sites!

Check the map below to see in real time DDoS attacks, attacks made with infected computers!

Click image map to see in real time the DDoS attacks!

Check ALSO my blog below, who shows you more interactive maps:

In this course you will learn:

Why there is a need to protect your computer.
Why a computer is in danger to get a virus, trojan, and other malware infections.
Why a computer could become a possible Cyber‐Weapon who is attacking web‐sites and perhaps also your Government’s web‐sites!

Note: by reading ONLY the bold text you will get the most important information, in case that you would like to read it on a fast way because of lack of time…

===> This blog contains a lot of information, so I advice you to bookmark and read it carefully as on your convenience, take your time please. <===

Keywords for learners and especially for teachers and educators who want to use this free course to build their own course

community, responsibility, IT-Security, more secure Internet, habits, sharing, characters, good habits, bad habits, less stress, be organized, organization, more confidence in Internet, no loss of money, no loss of privacy, no loss of digital identity, digital foot print, good reputation, e-Citizen, Digital Citizen…

English: Forewarned is Forearmed! Deutsch (German): Gefahr erkannt is Gefahr gebannt! French (Français): Danger connu est danger vaincu !

Introduction to Visual IT-Security

But let us start first with some funny videos who will explain to you also about IT-Security in a visual way…

Video 1: “Weird Al” Yankovic – Virus Alert

Try every time to see a computer as a technical machine, which it is, and when connected to Internet it is your vehicle who navigates you trough the Data Highway (Internet). So, vehicles as you know need sometimes maintenance and may also represent (even new ones) technical problems which may effect the security for you and also for the community.

===> Nobody is perfect! <===

Video MALWARE: What is Botnet?.

Check the video below who explains very well about all the malware, you will understand then WHY the need to secure your computer.

Knowing NOW what is possible and how computers could get misused for Cyberattacks, YOU should realize that it is NOT anymore fiction, but reality!!!

Read ALSO what Eugene KASPERSKY says as on 01 May 2014: “In cyberspace there is almost no distance from espionage to cyberweapons because it is very easy to upgrade one to the other at the push of a button,” warned Kaspersky.” Read the full article below, please:

Video Beyond Today: Mikko Hypponen – Zeitgeist 2012

Critical Thinking

Some questions to wake you up to critical-thinking, if you permit 😉

Explaining the dangers of infected computers and the dangers to your Government also:

Would you allow a person entry with contagious disease into your home or institution? An epidemic would be the result!

Are you a good patriot? Would you help to defend your country and Government against attacks? So do so also on Internet! Learn the basics of IT-Security!
Do you know that Cyber-Criminals earn more money than others with Drugs?
Do YOU know that Cyber-Criminals are better organized as Police and FBI and…?

Some important data who should wake you up!

Image source

[Start] Text from AllThingsDigital (JULY 4, 2012 AT 7:24 AM PT)

If you needed any further evidence about the possibility of an unexpected blowback from the creation of the Stuxnet worm and other cyber-weapons like it, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has something for your night table, bound to keep you awake.

Earlier this week, it released a 17-page report, embedded below, detailing the activities of the Industrial Control Systems Cyber Emergency Response Team, or ICS-CERT for short. [End]

Video: U.S. is under “Cyber Attack”

Flame Proves Cyber Warfare is ACTIVE

A MUST READ:

http://www.scoop.it/t/securite-pc-et-internet?q=flame

Video E: VOLUTION

Computer crime is getting worse?

What three indicators mentioned in the video indicate to you that computer crime is getting worse?

What does it mean when someone says “a virus has evolved”??

Check the video to find out…

Video A Quick Guide To Scary Stuff on the Internet (Part 3)

After watching this video you will be able to answer the following five questions:

What is the “cyber crime underground”?
- The current state of the cybercrime ecosystem
What are three things stolen?
What tools do cyber criminal use?
- Check:
  - They have their own E-Shops where they are selling their malware-kits
Why can’t the underground be shut down?
What can you do to protect yourself and community?
- Check:

Ever thought about that your smartphone is also a computer with phone capabilities?

See screenshot below who shows you the Quarter Report 2012 from McAfee and download the PDF document with full report by clicking the image…

McAfee Threats Report - First Quarter 2012

Here is also a text ONLY version: McAfee Labs Threat Report for Q1 2012: Threats Gone Wild

SUMMARY

So, now by having seen the videos above and by having read my questions, did you get more critical-thinking now and do you realize the dangers? You should be aware now a bit. Let us continue now with a bit more explications:

Once your computer is infected because you don’t use an antivirus and a firewall, because you didn’t make the updates of your Operating System, called also “OS” (Windows, Mac, Linux and…), because you didn’t update your “Third Party Applications” and… you will also infect other person’s computer and this NOT ONLY over Internet; see Dangers of Storage Devices.

It could be also possible that your infected computer (even a Mac!) would become part of a so called “Botnet“, a ring of infected computers who will get used to make attacks on other companies and also on Government web sites, even getting used for a Cyber-War, thus meaning:

The infrastructure & energy supply of a country (electricity, gaz …) can be interrupted or disrupted through targeted DDoS attacks, as well the communication channels (Radio, TV, Internet and phone connexions …)

Additional Questions on Cyber Weapons & Government Attacks

This sounds strange to me, never heard about Government attacks!?
How can it happen that my computer helps attacking Government web sites?
I am ONLY connected to Internet, I don’t see how this is possible that my computer is a so called “Cyber-Weapon“, this sounds weird to me!?
I have a Mac computer, I don’t worry, I am not concerned! BIG LOL for that, check here http://www.scoop.it/t/apple-mac-ios4-ipad-iphone-and-in-security and wake up please!

As I have multicultural and international readers, so I will present to you videos in different languages, make your choice. You will see also some commercial videos and you will understand ALSO how difficult it is for an IT-Administrator to manage those risks and ALSO the costs of such protections and hopefully you will understand now the IMPORTANCE of IT-Security!

Video DDoS Angriff (Theorie) – German

What is a DDoS attack & how can it be mitigated? Check video to find out…

Video Fight Cybercrime with a Fully Integrated Attack Mitigation Plan – English

What is a DDoS attack & how can it be mitigated? Check video to find out…

.Video INTERNET: La cyber-criminalité – French

cyber-crime,cyber-criminalité,Anonymous,l’essentiel,cyber-criminalité expliquée en vidéo,

Check video by clicking the link here or click image: L’Essentiel (LU)

IT SECURITY Expert Reports

Curation about IT-Security, Cyberwar, Cyber-Warfare,Internet-Safety,Online-Safety,Cyber-Security

itsecurity,cybersecurity,cyberwar,cyberwarfare,curation,internetsafety,onlinesafety,infosec,

The Costs Of Cyber-Crime: click image

Definition of IT Security in simple words

IT-Security means proactive thinking, acting before it happens! Knowing the dangers of Internet and being prepared for them!

IT-Security is:

Critical-Thinking
Think everytime on worst-case who could happen
Forewarned is Forearmed, stay informed!

Additional Readings

Cyber-Attacks on Governments

Read also the news about already known Cyber-Attacks on Government web sites (will get updated as soon as there are new attacks):

Cyber-Crime

IT Security, Twitter, & the Use of Hashtags (#)

As you might have remarked already I use some strange characters in this tutorial such as “#“, that’s a so called “Hashtag” and used on Social Medias such as Twitter and also on Google+.

What are Hashtags?

Scoop.it (my curation): http://www.scoop.it/t/21st-century-learning-and-teaching?q=hashtags
http://www.scoop.it/t/21st-century-tools-for-teaching-people-and-learners?q=hashtags

Follow me

Gust MEES on Twitter and best Hashtags on Twitter for following news about IT-Security.

My Twitter account is @Knolinfos https://twitter.com/#!/knolinfos
Best Hashtags for IT-Security are:
#itsecurity
#cybersecurity
#InfoSec
#security
#Internetsafety
#Onlinesafety

Other IT‐Security People to Follow on Twitter, my suggestions are:

Special mention to @kevin_corbett https://twitter.com/#!/kevin_corbett who gave me valuable and professional advice about making this blog better for Accessibility and Search Engine Optimization (SEO), as well on Style, thanks a lot Kevin, much appreciated. That’s what I call “Social Media”, one learns from each other 😉 Check out also Kevin’s web site http://kevincorbett.com/, interesting…

Freeware & Commercial Protection Software

Check here to find best freeware and commercial protection software:

http://www.scoop.it/t/ict-security-tools

Final Word

===> Share best practices of IT-Security, Internet-Safety, Online-Safety over Social Medias! Stand up and help to make Internet a more secure place, thanks in advance! <===

Best Hashtag for Social Media is #SoMe.

I hope that this small tutorial (course) will have opened your eyes and also your critical-thinking and made you ready to use NOW protection on your computer. As longer you wait, as longer it will take to learn IT-Security! You will need it anyway one day because of Bring Your Own Device (BYOD), so go for it now!

As some of you readers would not know what “Bring Your Own Device” (BYOD) would mean, it is a new way for schools and also for companies who allows people to bring their own computer, smartphone, tablets, and… to the school and/or working place. This is money saving for schools and work places and also more freedom for the owners of the so called “BYOD” as they can install what they want and work (and learn) with their own programs, but… Watch the video please…

BTW: Did YOU remark that I highlighted the word you? Why? We are living in a society where the word COMMUNITY doesn’t have anymore that IMPORTANCE as it should have! We use the words SOCIAL, SOCIAL MEDIAS… Critical-thinking, sorry… Think on it please, thanks in advance to do so, would be much appreciated and would help to build up a more secure Internet!

PS: Don’t see the above as condescending please, as it isn’t. It’s a reminder to help make the Internet Community stronger, thanks!

Recommendations from the BIG Players on #itsecurity #cybersecurity #Internetsafety #privacy #Onlinesafety:

as on Friday May 18, 2012: SaferOnlineTeam@MS ‏@Safer_Online

Follow Friday – Follow @knolinfos to help stay up to day on Internet security and safety tips. ===> That’s my Twitter account

PS: SaferOnlineTeam@MS ‏@Safer_Online is Microsoft’s official Twitter account for privacy and online safety guidance and information.

Redmond, WA, USA http://www.microsoft.com/security

as on Wednesday 06, 2012 @WebrootRescue We’re very happy to be recommended and used by @knolinfos, an #ITsecurity expert & instructor! Our story: http://bit.ly/GRkX6l

Gust MEES est Formateur andragogique / pédagogique TIC, membre du “Comité Conseil” de “Luxembourg Safer Internet” (LuSI), appelé maintenant BEESECURE, partenaire officiel (consultant) du Ministère de l’éducation au Luxembourg du projet ”MySecureIT“, partenaire officiel du Ministère du Commerce au Luxembourg du projet ”CASES” (Cyberworld Awareness and SecurityEnhancement Structure)…..

The author Gust MEES is ICT Course Instructor, ”Member of the Advisory Board” from “Luxembourg Safer Internet” (LuSI), BEESECURE, Official Partner (Consultant) from the Ministry of Education in Luxembourg, project “MySecureIT“, Official Partner from the Ministry of Commerce in Luxembourg, project “CASES” (Cyberworld Awareness and Security Enhancement Structure).