Cyber Defense: Analysis of Information Security Technologies Report

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of web browser security, addressing critical issues such as phishing, website spoofing, and the importance of security updates. It outlines strategies to minimize user risks, including identifying authentic links, verifying website legitimacy, and recognizing disguised web addresses. The report emphasizes the need for secure browser configuration, including privacy settings, up-to-date browsers, and the use of security plugins. It also highlights the importance of patching third-party software to enhance security and data protection. The analysis includes practical procedures and recommendations for users to protect their online activities, ensuring they can browse the internet more safely and effectively. The report draws from academic sources and module content to provide a well-rounded understanding of web browser security and vulnerability assessment.

Running head: ANALYSIS OF INFORMATION SECURITY TECHNOLOGIES
ANALYSIS OF INFORMATION SECURITY TECHNOLOGIES
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1ANALYSIS OF INFORMATION SECURITY TECHNOLOGIES
Abstract
In order to retrieve personal information, hackers often tricks people to visit a website where
they find a URL in address bar of that website similar to a website that they recognize. This is
referred to as website spoofing and if personal information is asked from visitor of that
website, then it is referred to as phishing scam and therefore website spoofing is an important
cyber-security issue. In this report some important security issues regarding access to web
browsing and internet has been analysed and strategies for mitigating those issues are also
analysed in details.

2ANALYSIS OF INFORMATION SECURITY TECHNOLOGIES
Table of Contents
Introduction................................................................................................................................3
Procedure to minimize users clicking on links without considering the risks of their actions. .3
Procedure to address Web page addresses that are disguised....................................................4
Procedure to ensure that third-party software has a mechanism for receiving security updates5
Procedure to ensure users know how to configure their web browsers securely.......................6
Conclusion..................................................................................................................................6
References:.................................................................................................................................8

3ANALYSIS OF INFORMATION SECURITY TECHNOLOGIES
Introduction
In internet browsing it is often identified that most of the people browsing web or email does
not recognize what links they are clicking and whether these links are authentic or not.
Although, in authentic web pages, these type of links are typically not found. It is also
applicable for emails that are sent from authentic sources. However, there are many web
pages or emails that contains links that are not authentic and users should not click those links
as well (Badawi et al., 2019). These links are often malicious in nature and therefore, might
obtain personal information which are stored in computers and smartphones where these
information are often stored for personal access. Therefore, in order to minimize risks
associated with clicking malicious links proper strategies need to be considered as well.
In this context, an detailed analysis of these strategies are provided for an comprehensive
overview regarding what are these strategies, how to apply these strategies for minimizing
risks as already described in this context.
Procedure to minimize users clicking on links without considering the risks of their
actions
Some of the strategies that users need to apply are the followings:
One of the most important aspects of minimizing risk of clicking links is to identify
authenticity of any link. In order to do that, it is required to analyse if any website or email is
asking to provide personal information (Battat, 2017). If any website or email ask personal
information then it is recommended not to click any link in those website or email as well.
When a link is received, it is recommended to hover over it through mouse to see full address
of that link and it would help to identify if that link is associated with a legitimate website or
not.

4ANALYSIS OF INFORMATION SECURITY TECHNOLOGIES
Before clicking any link it is recommended to manually type that link a new tab of browser
which will prevent that link to redirect to another website that is not authentic. It minimizes
chances of computer system being hacked as hackers often redirect people to web server that
is controlled by them. Therefore, this is an important strategy and it needs to be considered as
well.
Procedure to address Web page addresses that are disguised
In order to ensure that people are not tricked to visit such website, it is required to identify
how to recognize a spoofed web address as it will minimize risk of website spoofing. First of
all, it is required to ensure that website name is verified on digital certificate through
application of SSL/TLS for analysing legitimacy and authenticity of that website (Hussain &
Agarwal, 2019). Then it is required to identify whether it is possible obtain actual URL of
that website or not as it provides a comprehensive idea whether that URL is authentic or not,
therefore providing information regarding authenticity of that website as well. Some common
characters often found in spoofed website are %00, %01, @ and if any of these character is
provided in URL of website then chance is that website is not authentic. Along with
identification of spoof URL, it is also required to consider installing any internet security
software of any proper brand and set internet security level to high. It will help protecting
computers from this type of security issue (Aleroud & Zhou, 2017).
It is also recommended to install network filters on computer system for inbound and
outbound network traffic as well. It will help in analysing network traffic and prevent
connecting network to any external network through spoofed IP address, therefore enhancing
security of computer system. Some Wi-Fi and routers support configuration that rejects any
network packet which are not associated with local network and therefore minimizes security
risks as well.

5ANALYSIS OF INFORMATION SECURITY TECHNOLOGIES
Procedure to ensure that third-party software has a mechanism for receiving security
updates
When software are installed on computers and mobile devices, it is important to update those
software as various new features are provided in this update which enhances performance and
security of software (Vaithyasubramanian, Lalitha & Kirubhashankar, 2019). Therefore, it is
important to ensure that third party applications installed on computers and smartphones
receives security update for increasing software security and data security which these
software has access to.
In order to receive security update, it is required to patch third party applications and
software. Patching refer to process of installing security updates available for those
applications. However, it is not an effective approach to manually patch third party
applications for updating those applications, especially when there are many third party
applications and software are installed on computer system and smartphones as well
(Nastase, 2018).
It is recommended to install patching software that not only recognizes any updates available
to those software installed in system, but also updates those software to its latest version
which makes managing security updates effective and efficient as well.
Most of the popular patch management software is capable of scanning third party
applications and identifies if there is any missing security updates. If there is any missing
security patches, then patches are automatically downloaded from vendor site and upgrades
applications to its latest version as provide by vendors. Therefore, it is important to identify a
good patch manager software as it automates process of identifying if there is any available
security update, downloading those updates from vendor sites and upgrade those applications

6ANALYSIS OF INFORMATION SECURITY TECHNOLOGIES
for enhancing performance and security of those applications and therefore, it needs to be
considered as well.
Procedure to ensure users know how to configure their web browsers securely
Although many people browse internet through their preferred web browser, most of them do
not whether their browser are secure or not and if not how to secure their browser for ensuing
online security and privacy as well (Ransome & Misra, 2018).
However, it is easy to secure web browsers if proper strategies are followed. Therefore, in
order to ensure that those strategies needs to be communicated with people for enhancing
their knowledge regarding web browser security. These strategies are the followings
(Ramachandran, 2016):
 Configuration of security and privacy setting to ensure that website blocks third-party
cookies, asking for location permission before any website access location for
preventing online advertiser from tracking online activities as well
 Ensuring that browser is up-to-date for enhancing security of web browser as latest
security features are provided in browser update
 Analysing plugging through reviews as this often affects security of browsers
 Not keeping cookies on browser for long time as it allows hackers to obtain personal
information through accessing these cookies
 Installing some security plugins from trusted source for ensuing that security of
browser is effective and efficient as well
If these strategies are followed by people then it is possible to configure web browser and
enhance security of web browser as well.

7ANALYSIS OF INFORMATION SECURITY TECHNOLOGIES
Conclusion
There are number of ways through which hackers might exploit online security of people.
Therefore, it is required to ensure that while accessing internet, browsing web it is important
to consider proper security strategies for ensuing that online data are easy to access by
hackers as it will affect security and privacy of people as well. In order to minimize users
who clicks on links without considering its risks, it is required to increase awareness among
users regarding how to identify authenticity of any link and what exactly they needs to do
after they identifies such links.

8ANALYSIS OF INFORMATION SECURITY TECHNOLOGIES
References:
Aleroud, A., & Zhou, L. (2017). Phishing environments, techniques, and countermeasures: A
survey. Computers & Security, 68, 160-196.
Badawi, E., Jourdan, G. V., Bochmann, G., Onut, I. V., & Flood, J. (2019, June). The “Game
Hack” Scam. In International Conference on Web Engineering (pp. 280-295).
Springer, Cham.
Battat, R. (2017). Lessons from the Yahoo Hack. Risk Management, 64(9), 14-16.
Hussain, S. Z., & Agarwal, N. (2019, January). Content Spoofing via Compounded SQL
Injection. In International Conference on Intelligent Computing and Communication
Technologies (pp. 244-252). Springer, Singapore.
Nastase, R. (2018). Hacking: Hacking Essentials, Learn the basics of Cyber Security and
Hacking.
Ramachandran, M. (2016). Software security requirements management as an emerging
cloud computing service. International Journal of Information Management, 36(4),
580-590.
Ransome, J., & Misra, A. (2018). Core software security: Security at the source. CRC press.
Vaithyasubramanian, S., Lalitha, D., & Kirubhashankar, C. K. (2019). Enhancing website
security against bots, spam and web attacks using l CAPTCHA. International Journal
of Computers and Applications, 1-7.