Issue 43 Oct 2017 Dear Readers, Greetings from Swan Solutions! Thanks to the recently uncovered Wi-Fi bug, Diwali this year was sort of a 'KRACK' festival for our beloved cybersecurity professionals. The tech world went scrambling when a Belgian researcher revealed that a flaw in WPA2, a protocol that secures today's wireless devices, can be exploited using KRACKs (key reinstallation attacks). It theoretically means that if your device supports Wi-Fi, it is at risk! This includes all our smartphones, tablets, laptops, switches, routers and what not! And, alas, those billions of IoT devices, most of which may not have built-in or bolt-on security features. Worst still, most organizations lack the network visibility to monitor and control these connected devices. And it's not just the IoT; we must weigh in factors such as network complexity and shadow IT while assessing our wireless security posture. KRACK reminds us about the ever-changing new age of exposure, and why security is an endless war for enterprises. Regards, C.E.O Tech Trend KRACK Attacks and the Truth about IoT Security Wi-Fi today is at the core of enterprise network. Nevertheless, improving security of Wi-Fi networks has never really been a core discussion beyond a point. Network admins and security experts dedicate less time for the wireless environments, mostly because there haven't been any major Wi-Fi attacks that caused serious disruption to your business. With the discovery of vulnerabilities like KRACK, it's evident that wireless security calls for more attention. Besides, the ubiquitous use of IoT is a key factor that put wireless security back in spotlight. KRACK poses greater challenges to security professionals, as it's a fundamental flaw that affects the widely used WPA2 protocol, putting most of the wireless devices at risk. It impacts devices and software from nearly every other vendor. Most of them are releasing patches as we read this. However, what happens to our IoT devices? IoT devices are already vulnerable to cyberattacks and even more so for KRACK, experts point out. This is mainly because of IoT's all-pervasive nature, huge volumes, and the fact that they are unlikely to receive proper software updates to defend against security issues. We probably do not need to press the panic button yet, as KRACK is a difficult vulnerability to exploit. But it surely raises some serious questions around how we are managing our IoT and even BYOD devices. It has been estimated that most companies do not have visibility to almost 40 percent of these connected devices on their network! Better visibility into your network, constant monitoring of all the connected devices, anomaly detection-all of these go a long way in ensuring effective security intelligence. Only then organizations can prepare for such unexpected attacks. Expert Tip Building A Resilient Wireless Network An organization's wireless environment must be resilient against the most advanced attacks and hacks. It's essential to understand your attack surface-all the wireless devices in your network, including unmanaged and IoT devices. Security teams must also monitor abnormal client behavior and exposed traffic. Expert recommend mitigating attacks against routers and access points by disabling client functionality and disabling 802.11r - fast roaming. Ensure that your wireless intrusion detection system has features to detect the latest attacks. Free Downloads Glympse: For Real-time Location Sharing No more texting while driving! This app allows you to share your real-time location using GPS tracking, with any of your family, friends, or co-workers. Whether you’re running late for a meeting or simply coordinating an office party, all you need is select contacts, set a duration, and hit send. Toshl: Stay in Control of Your Budget Keeping track of your personal finances has never been this easy. Toshl lets you control credit cards, bank accounts and cash from a single point. You can optimize spending by knowing where you spend more than you plan, and will be reminded if you hit budget limits. Also offers tutorial on how to set up your budget. Quiz Would you like to win a Free Movie Ticket ? Answer a few simple questions and send us the reply. In case of more than one correct entry, winner will be chosen by a draw. Swan is a 26+ year old, IT infrastructure and facilities management company providing state-of-the-art IT solutions to large and medium enterprises Swan Solutions & Services (P) Ltd - 404 T-Square, 4th Floor, Saki Vihar Road, Andheri East, Above Kavish Ford Showroom, Mumbai 400 072; Tel. 022-28034088 ; Email : enquiry@swansol.com Website : www.swansol.com