Security Best Practices for Regular Users

Security Best Practices For Regular

UsersGeoffrey Vaughan

@mrvaughanSecurity Engineer

Whoami• Geoffrey Vaughan @MrVaughan• Security Engineer @SecurityInnovation• Appsec pentesting/advisory at all areas of SDLC• Former High School/Prison/University Teacher• Occasionally I’m let out of my basement• Travelled from Toronto to be here with you today

Why This Talk?• I care about you and your data• I’m tired of regular users suffering for mistakes made by

large organizations (data breaches) or being caught by the simplest of phishing scam• Often small adjustments in user behavior has a large

impact on security / privacy

Tldr; If you only read one slideGiving it all away at the beginning:1) Use a password manager2) Keep your devices up to date3) Use 2-Factor Authentication on all your accounts4) Free Wi-Fi Comes at a cost – Don’t connect to untrusted networks5) Lock and encrypt your devices (phones + computers)

For more info I wrote a Guide: https://web.securityinnovation.com/essential-guide-to-online-security

Beyond the Basics: How Paranoid Should I be?• Protecting your data and privacy online can take a lot of

effort• Complete anonymity is really hard• It will always be a trade off between usability and

security/privacy

How Paranoid should I be?It greatly depends on your personal threat model

Threat Model?Simplified Definition:Identify and quantify your weaknesses so you can come up with appropriate defenses.

Threat Modelling on Easy Mode• What assets are you trying to protect?• What threats are the assets under?• What is the likelihood of a threat being realized?• What measures can help mitigate or decrease the risk

associated with the threat?

Assets to Protect• Personal Information - Name, Age, DOB, Spouse, Children, Parents• Personal Pictures, videos, documents• Financial Information - Banking, loan, credit• Your Location - Home address, places you frequent, or where you are

right now• Social Media accounts and data• Physical Devices• Business Assets on your devices• Personal Communications/Conversations - Emails, Text Messages, Chat

etc, phone calls• Data about Data – When you called someone, who you text messaged

Threats?• Which of the assets are most important for you to

protect?• How might an attacker target each of those assets?

Personal InformationThreats

• Information obtained through public searchable resources (Google, phone/address look up)• Attacker reads

information leaked by peers (tagged pictures, connections)• Social Media post leaks

info

Defenses• Hack yourself – See what’s out

there• Harden your social media

security/privacy settings• Use fake names / complete

alter ego online• Draw a very clear line between

your public and private life.• Ask friends not to tag you

Social Media Settings

Personal Pictures, Videos, DocumentsThreats• Malware compromises

mobile/desktop device• Cloud backup account is

compromised• ‘Auto post’ feature

publishes content automatically• Data shared with a friend

gets shared with others

Defenses• Keep your devices up to date• Use strong passwords on all

online accounts• Use multi-factor

authentication wherever possible• Be aware of all

security/privacy settings for the applications you are using

https://twofactorauth.org/

Financial Information

Threats• Attacker compromises online banking

account (Guesses PVQ, Weak password, Compromised email allows password reset)

• Attacker acquires enough information to perform credit/loan applications on your behalf

• Website you used improperly stores your information and your credit card/information gets compromised

• You use a malicious POS device and your credit card gets skimmed

• Paypal (or other) account is compromised

Defenses• Lie on all PVQ questions• Strong passwords (password

managers)• Use multi-factor authentication• Never give out SIN/SS/Personal

Code unless you are sure that the request is legitimate• Big retailers are probably safer

than mom/pop shops as they likely spend much more on security*

Password Managers

To name a few:• LastPass• 1Password• KeePass• Built-in to browsers (ex.

Chrome/Safari keychain)

Consider the Features• Local encrypted database• Remote ‘cloud’ features• In browser extensions• Share passwords across

devices or users

Your Location

Threats• Government/ISP/App developer is able to

ascertain your exact location at a particular time

• General pubic is able to ascertain your location• Social media posts leaks location• Image data leaks location• Misconfigured app leaks location• Content of image leaks location (OSINT)• Connected to untrusted wireless

• Motivated attacker is able to ascertain your location• Compromised mobile device• Phishing email• Compromised mobile application/account

Defenses• Complete burner phone + number,

Tor/VPN user, completely separate accounts for burner device

• Harden security settings, disable EXIF image metadata, be careful of the content of your posts

• Previously mentioned device defense strategies:• Keeping devices up to date• Don’t click untrusted links• Strong passwords

Image Content / Open Source Intelligence

http://blog.ioactive.com/2014/05/glass-reflections-in-pictures-osint.html

• Tweeted a picture from a hotel• Previous tweet said they were

in Miami• Hacker used hotel room

images on travel websites to find the hotel based on window structure and reflections• Used Google earth to render

similar views and get an estimation on floor and building area.

Tinder API

http://blog.includesecurity.com/2014/02/how-i-was-able-to-track-location-of-any.html

• In 2014 Tinder API allowed trilateration of a users exact location• Used in conjunction with

GPS spoofing

Social Media Accounts and Data

Threats• Social media account gets

compromised resulting in information disclosure, posting on your behalf, or data loss

Defenses• Strong Passwords• 2-Factor Authentication• Restrict third party app

access• Review security settings• Protect your email account

similarly (password resets)• Avoid Phishing Scams

Physical Devices

Threats• Lost or stolen device

results in all data being lost/compromised• Your device is inspected at

a border crossing• Your device is

compromised while being unattended

Defenses• Strong device password• Full disk encryption (usually enabled

by default on mobile devices when you apply a password)

• Restrict what data you keep on your device (if concerned)

• Consider implications of online vs. local backups

• Use and test a “lost my device” app• Enable remote wipe capabilities

(never a guarantee)

Business Assets• All other threats/defenses apply except now the

implications are more severe• Greater care needs to be taking with corporate assets• Consider implications on personal assets if a BYOD

policy allows remote management/monitoring/removal of your data• Recommend separating business and pleasure or revise

your threat model to consider additional threats

Personal Communications/ConversationsThreats• Attacker/ISP/App

Provider/Nation State intercepts communication data in transit and reads conversation• Receiver forwards conversation

to third party• App Provider is compromised

leaking all conversation logs• Government requests app

provider to turn over data

Defenses• Gold Star: Signal Messenger (now

with disappearing messages)• Decent: Wickr• Getting Better: Facebook

Messenger, WhatsApp• Avoid: SMS• A couple companies that have

proven they have your back: OpenWhisper (Signal), Apple, Facebook

Data About Data

Threats• You consider information

about who you are talking to and when sensitive information• Attacker/ISP/App

Provider/Nation State/Untrusted Wireless is able to collecting metadata about your communication/activity

Defenses• Anonymity is hard. At this level

even the best get caught• Burner phones / accounts• Full Tor/VPN would make it difficult

for organizations to collect data• Time delayed messages might

mask some traffic• Create additional noise in

communications, talk to more people more often

ResourcesI wrote a paper:

https://web.securityinnovation.com/essential-guide-to-online-security

Another talk today:I’m also presenting one other talk today on a completely unrelated subject:Catching IMSI Catchers: Hunting the hunter, can you tell if your phone’s being captured by a rogue cell phone tower/ IMSI catcher/ Stingray?

Thank youGeoffrey Vaughan@mrvaughan@SecurityInnovation