In today’s digital landscape, cybersecurity threats are evolving at an unprecedented pace. Organizations, regardless of their size, are constantly under the threat of cyberattacks, data breaches, and malicious activities. To combat these threats, cybersecurity professionals rely on a proactive approach known as threat hunting. Threat hunting involves actively searching for signs of malicious activity within a network before they escalate into full-blown attacks.

While many organizations invest in expensive cybersecurity solutions, there are also several free threat hunting tools that are widely used in the industry. These tools provide robust capabilities for detecting, analyzing, and mitigating threats without breaking the bank. In this article, we’ll explore some of the top free threat hunting tools, their features, and how beginners can use them to get started in cybersecurity.

What is Threat Hunting?

Threat hunting is the process of proactively searching for cyber threats that may have bypassed traditional security measures like firewalls, antivirus software, and intrusion detection systems. Unlike reactive approaches, threat hunting assumes that adversaries are already inside the network and focuses on identifying their presence and activities.

Threat hunters use a combination of tools, techniques, and intelligence to uncover hidden threats. These tools help in analyzing logs, monitoring network traffic, and identifying anomalies that could indicate malicious behavior. The goal is to detect and neutralize threats before they cause significant damage.

Top Free Threat Hunting Tools

Below is a list of some of the most popular free threat hunting tools used by cybersecurity professionals worldwide.

Wireshark

Wireshark is one of the most widely used network protocol analyzers. It allows threat hunters to capture and interactively browse the traffic running on a computer network. The basic features it provides are

• Deep inspection of hundreds of protocols.
• Live capture and offline analysis.

Wireshark is ideal for analyzing network traffic to identify suspicious patterns, such as unusual data packets or unauthorized connections. It’s particularly useful for detecting malware communication and data exfiltration attempts.

Demo

Install Wireshark, start a capture session, and apply filters to focus on specific traffic. Look for anomalies like unexpected IP addresses, unusual ports, or high volumes of traffic. In this tutorial, we’ll install Wireshark, capture traffic, and filter for SSH brute force attempts.

First install it using below command

Let’s agree for below

Install dependencies

Install tshark for terminal based packet capturing

Let’s say we want to capture traffic on port 22, we will run below command and it will start capturing packets accordingly

Wazuh

Wazuh is one such tool that has gained immense popularity for its comprehensive security monitoring capabilities. Wazuh is an open-source platform that provides intrusion detection, log analysis, file integrity monitoring, vulnerability detection, and incident response, all in one solution. It is highly scalable, making it suitable for organizations of all sizes, from small businesses to large enterprises.

Wazuh is built on top of the Elastic Stack (ELK Stack), which means it integrates seamlessly with Elasticsearch, Logstash, and Kibana for data storage, processing, and visualization. This integration allows security teams to analyze and visualize security data in real-time, making it easier to identify and respond to threats.

Key Components of Wazuh

Wazuh consists of three main components:

1. Wazuh Manager: The central component that processes and analyzes data collected from agents. It also stores rules, decoders, and other configurations.
2. Wazuh Agents: Lightweight agents installed on endpoints (servers, workstations, etc.) to collect and forward security data to the Wazuh Manager.
3. Elastic Stack: Used for data storage (Elasticsearch), processing (Logstash), and visualization (Kibana). Wazuh provides a dedicated Kibana app for security data visualization.

Basic Demo

Installation flow will be something like this

The quickest way is to follow below tutorial

https://documentation.wazuh.com/current/quickstart.html

Download and run installation wizard

This wizard has installed the Wazuh indexer, Wazuh server and Wazuh dashboard for us. We can use provided credentials to login

After successful login on the server, the next step is to add an agent on a machine which we want to secure. We can do it easily using the UI of the server. From below screen, go to “Deploy New Agent” option

Fill in the required information and it will give us a command to run on our machine that we want to secure i.e. where we want to install the agent

The command and next steps can be seen below

Let us run the command on our machine

Now let us restart wazuh agent service.

After restarting the agent, if we check the endpoints on our server dashboard, we will be able to see one agent added there.

As we can see, it has already pointed out a few Medium level vulnerabilities on our machine. We can click that to see further details

Zeek

Zeek is a powerful network security monitoring tool that analyzes network traffic at a high level, focusing on extracting meaningful insights rather than just capturing packets. Unlike traditional packet sniffers like Wireshark, Zeek interprets network protocols and generates structured logs that provide detailed visibility into network activity. It operates as a passive network monitor, inspecting live traffic or analyzing previously captured PCAP files. Zeek’s extensible scripting language allows users to define custom detection rules, making it effective for identifying security threats such as SSH brute-force attacks, malware communication, and anomalous network behaviors. Logs generated by Zeek can be integrated into SIEM systems, allowing security teams to automate threat detection and incident response efficiently.

Demo

Install the dependencies first

More dependencies according to documentation

Then add the zeek repository.

Then install it

Let’s go with basic configuration

Now add zeek in the path. To add it in path, first locate its binary using below command

Add it in path using below commands

Now let’s just run it using below command

By default the root installation directory is /opt/zeek. To set configurations and see logs we can go in this directory. For example, the configuration file to configure our interface for monitoring is available in below path

And the basic configuration can look like this

Besides generating logs, Zeek has many built-in features for analyzing and detecting different network activities. It can extract files from HTTP traffic, check for malware using external databases, spot outdated and vulnerable software, recognize common web applications, detect SSH brute-force attacks, verify SSL certificates, and do much more.

Zeek can also be used for analysis of pcap files. Zeek uses its own scripting language to analyze network traffic in real time. The scripts can log data, detect threats, and automate responses. Zeek scripts are event-driven, meaning they respond to network events like connections, HTTP requests, or SSH logins.

For introduction only, below script detects failed SSH login attempts

Please check below page for further information on zeek.

https://zeek.org/

OSSEC

OSSEC is an open-source Host-Based Intrusion Detection System (HIDS). Think of it as a security guard for your computer or server. It constantly monitors your system for any signs of suspicious activity, such as unauthorized changes to files, unusual log entries, or even hidden malware (like rootkits). OSSEC is widely used because it’s free, powerful, and easy to customize.

Key Features

Real-Time Log Analysis

OSSEC reads and analyzes logs generated by your system or applications in real-time. For example, if someone tries to log into your server multiple times and fails, OSSEC will detect this and alert you.

File Integrity Monitoring

OSSEC keeps an eye on important files and directories (like system files or configuration files). If any file is modified, deleted, or tampered with, OSSEC will notify you immediately. This is especially useful for detecting unauthorized changes.

Active Response to Detected Threats

OSSEC doesn’t just alert you, it can also take action to stop threats. For example, if it detects a brute-force attack (repeated login attempts), it can automatically block the attacker’s IP address.

Conclusion

Threat hunting is a critical component of modern cybersecurity strategies, and having the right tools can make all the difference. The free tools listed above provide powerful capabilities for detecting and mitigating threats, making them invaluable for organizations with limited budgets.

For beginners, these tools offer a hands-on way to learn essential cybersecurity skills, from network analysis to malware detection and incident response. By following the basic tutorials provided, you can start using these tools to gain practical experience and build a strong foundation in cybersecurity.

Remember, the key to effective threat hunting lies in continuous learning, collaboration, and staying updated with the latest threat intelligence. By leveraging these free tools, you can enhance your organization’s security posture and protect against evolving cyber threats. Happy hunting!

Initial Compromise

If you want to follow along be sure to first get access to this lab by going to OffSec. We start off by running a basic NMAP scan as root to determine what ports are open on the machine and their service versions. Let’s throw in the -A flag to get an understanding of what operating system we’re working with.

nmap -sV -sT -A -p- 192.168.224.249

Sometimes nmap scans can take a while, so I like to pipe the output into a text file to reference the scan later. You can use the following command to do so:

nmap -sV -sT -A -p- 192.168.224.249 >> nmap_scan.txt

Taking a look at our nmap results, we can see there’s various open ports. We see the web server is running a Unix distribution. Let’s start poking at each port. Starting at port 21, we see that the ftp service allows anonymous connections. To connect to it, we can use the ftp command.

ftp 192.168.224.249

When prompted for a username we just have to input “anonymous” and we have a valid connection. From here we can try to enumerate files on the system, but unfortunately many commands won’t work, so this avenue won’t get us anywhere. So let’s pivot to http enumeration.

Let’s try enumerating the http ports, 40080 and 33414. Upon navigating to 33414 in a web browser we don’t get anything useful. Let’s try 40080. We get a fancy looking page, but nothing too useful. Time to do some brute forcing. We’re going to fuzz potential directory endpoints using gobuster. 

gobuster dir -u 192.168.224.249:40080 -w /usr/share/SecLists/Discovery/Web-Content/directory-list-2.3-big.txt

Nothing super interesting from our gobuster fuzzing. Let’s try port 33414.

Gobuster dir -u 192.168.224.249:33414 -w /usr/share/SecList/Discovery/Web-Content/directory-list-2.3-big.txt

This yields some more promising endpoints. We see a /info and /help endpoint that we can navigate to and see what lives there.

We see that the help endpoint lists the /file-list?dir=/tmp and a /file-upload endpoint. That’s interesting, an endpoint that presumably allows us to enumerate files hosted on the web server. Let’s see what we can find, and figure out if we can find a user associated with the system. Users show up in the /home directory on linux & unix systems. Let’s see who we find if we try and hit the home directory.

Looks like there’s a user named alfredo. Let’s take a look at his home directory. 

Looks like there’s a .ssh folder, along with the first half of our flag that lives in local.txt. However, we can’t execute other commands through this endpoint. We can attempt to crack Alfredo’s password using hydra and attempting to brute force login through ssh, but remember that file upload endpoint we found earlier? Let’s see if we can upload a test file to the web server. Let’s take a look at that endpoint. We can gather some info on the file-upload function through the /info endpoint.

After some research, we can craft a curl command and upload a simple test.txt file to the web server and see if it works. 

curl -i -L -X POST -H "Content-Type: multipart/form-data" -F file="@//home/user/Documents/OffSec/Proving_Grounds/Play/Amaterasu/text.txt" -F filename=”/tmp/test.txt” 

Sure enough, we get a 200 OK from the server and we can use the /file-list endpoint to validate whether our test file lives on the server. 

Success! Our test file now lives in the /tmp folder on the server. Now that we know we can upload files to the server, let’s see if we can overwrite alfredo’s ssh keys. 

We can generate new keys using ssh-keygen and then upload those keys to the .ssh folder using the file-upload function.

Once we have the id_rsa files, we can upload the .pub file to the web server using the same curl command, but this time pointing to alfredo’s .ssh directory

Looks like the server only accepts certain file types. Although a small hiccup, we have a neat trick to bypass this. We can move the .pub file into a .txt file using the mv command in linux.

mv id_rsa.pub id_rsa.txt

Once we retry uploading the id_rsa.txt file to the .ssh directory, we get a successful response from the web server. Now we can try logging in as alfredo using the basic ssh function and passing the id_rsa file on our local machine. If we reference back to our initial port scan, the normal ssh port, 22, is not an open port. However, there’s an OpenSSH service running on port 25022, so we’ll need to use the -p flag to specify the correct port.

ssh -p 25022 alfredo@192.168.224.249 -i id_rsa

Success! We’re now logged in as alfredo and can get the first part of the flag.

Privilege Escalation

Now that we’ve got access to the web server, we need to escalate our privileges to root. Let’s take a look at the cronjobs on the syste by viewing the /etc/contab file.

cat  /etc/crontab

We can see a backup-flask.sh script that runs every minute. After doing some research, I was able to find the wildcare being used leads to privilege escalation using tar. We can do this by running the following commands in the restapi directory:

Finally, we can use the following script to successfully escalate our privilege:

Wait approximately 1 minute, run the sudo su command, and we now have root access and fully cracked this box!

In today’s digital world, cybersecurity is one of the most in-demand fields. With cyberattacks becoming more sophisticated, organizations are constantly looking for skilled professionals who can protect their systems and data. If you’re aspiring to build a career in cybersecurity, one of the fundamental skills you need to master is port scanning.

Port scanning is a technique used to identify open ports and services on a target system. It’s like knocking on doors to see which ones are open. By understanding port scanning, you can assess the security posture of a system, identify vulnerabilities, and take steps to secure it. In this article, we’ll explore how port scanning can help you achieve a cybersecurity career, and we’ll walk you through a hands-on tutorial using three popular tools: Nmap, RustScan, and Naabu.

Why Port Scanning Matters in Cybersecurity

Before diving into the tools, let’s understand why port scanning is so important in cybersecurity:

• It helps in identifying vulnerabilities. Open ports can be entry points for attackers. By scanning for open ports, you can identify potential vulnerabilities and secure them before they’re exploited.
• It provides network mapping. Port scanning helps you map out a network, understand its structure, and identify devices and services running on it.
• It is considered a pre-requisite of penetration testing. Ethical hackers and penetration testers use port scanning to simulate attacks and test the security of a system.
• It helps in compliance and auditing. Many organizations need to comply with security standards. Port scanning helps auditors ensure that systems are configured securely.
• It can help in forensics. During a security breach, port scanning can help identify how an attacker gained access and what systems were compromised.

By mastering port scanning, you’ll gain a skill that’s essential for roles like Security Analyst, Penetration Tester, Network Administrator, and Ethical Hacker.

Tools for Port Scanning

There are many tools available for port scanning, but we’ll focus on three powerful and widely used ones.

1. Nmap: The most popular and versatile port scanning tool.
2. RustScan: A fast and modern port scanner written in Rust.
3. Naabu: A lightweight and fast port scanner designed for simplicity.

Let’s dive into each tool, learn how to install them, and perform basic port scanning.

Nmap: The Swiss Army Knife of Port Scanning

Introduction to Nmap

Nmap (Network Mapper) is the go-to tool for port scanning. It’s open-source, cross-platform, and packed with features. Nmap can scan for open ports, detect services, identify operating systems, and even perform vulnerability detection.

Installing Nmap on Linux

Most Linux distributions come with Nmap pre-installed. If it’s not installed, you can easily install it using the package manager. We can run below commands for that

After installation, let us see how this works. For reference, we have opened a few ports on the target server. For example,

Then, enable the firewall so that the rules are applied properly. Make sure to enable necessary ports otherwise access will be blocked.

Basic Port Scanning with Nmap

Let’s say you want to scan a target system with the IP address xx.xx.xx.xx. Here’s how you can do it.

Simple Port Scan

Below command scans the 1,000 most common ports on the target system.

Scan All Ports

Below command scans all 65,535 ports on the target.

Service Detection

We can also try detection of running services on these ports

OS Detection

We can attempt to identify the operating system of the target.

Nmap is incredibly versatile, and these are just the basics. As the person progresses in his/her cybersecurity career, he/she learns more advanced Nmap techniques with different use-cases.

RustScan: The Fast and Modern Port Scanner

Introduction to RustScan

RustScan is a relatively new tool that’s gaining popularity for its speed. Written in Rust, it’s designed to scan all 65,535 ports in seconds. RustScan is ideal for quick scans and can be integrated with other tools like Nmap for deeper analysis.

Installing RustScan on Linux

RustScan can be installed using Docker or by downloading the binary. Lets go with the docker approach in this tutorial. First install docker

Then install RustScan using below command

To run it against a target, you need to run below command again and again

So what we can do is create an alias for it and then modify it according to our requirement. i.e.

To verify, if our alias was set fine. We can check using below command

Now we can run the scan easily. For example, a basic scan can be performed using the below command.

-A enables aggressive mode in Nmap (service/version detection, OS detection, script scanning).

RustScan’s speed makes it a great tool for initial reconnaissance, especially when time is critical. An important point to note here is that RustScan gave us 1 port open while nmap gave us all the open ports. This is why you try different tools in reconnaissance and you spend more time in this phase so that you can collect as much information as you can for later phases. If one will use only one tool and leave the others, one may not get the proper result.

Naabu: The Lightweight Port Scanner

Introduction to Naabu

Naabu is a fast and simple port scanner developed by ProjectDiscovery. It’s designed for ease of use and integrates well with other tools in the ProjectDiscovery ecosystem. Naabu is perfect for quick scans and can handle large networks efficiently.

Installing Naabu on Linux

Naabu can be installed using Go or by downloading the pre-built binary. Let’s install go first using below command

Then install pre-requisite as mentioned here

Then we can install our tool using below command

Add this in your path.

• Confirm the path

• Then add it in your path

Verify installation using below command

Basic Port Scan

We can perform basic scan using below command

Similarly,

We can also use -p – in the command to scan all the ports. e.g. 

Similarly, we can exclude the ports if we want to using below command

Naabu’s simplicity and speed make it a great choice for quick scans and large-scale reconnaissance.

How Port Scanning Can Help

Here are few points regarding its importance

• Port scanning is a foundational skill in cybersecurity. It’s often one of the first steps in penetration testing and vulnerability assessment.
• Proficiency in tools like Nmap, RustScan, and Naabu will make you confident in the interviews.
• Many cybersecurity certifications, like CEH (Certified Ethical Hacker) and CompTIA Security+, include port scanning as part of their curriculum.

Practicing Ethically

While port scanning is a valuable skill, it’s important to use it ethically. Consider below points

• Always get explicit permission before scanning a system. Unauthorized scanning can be illegal and unethical.
• Set up a lab environment using virtual machines to practice port scanning safely.

Conclusion

Port scanning is a critical skill for anyone pursuing a career in cybersecurity. By mastering tools like Nmap, RustScan, and Naabu, you’ll be well-equipped to identify vulnerabilities, secure systems, and protect organizations from cyber threats. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to advance your career, port scanning is a skill that will serve you well.

So, fire up your Linux terminal, install these tools, and start practicing. The more you experiment and learn, the closer you’ll get to achieving your cybersecurity career goals.

Ransomware, malware, phishing, DDoS and Man-in-the-middle attacks; you must’ve heard about these terms online. In this blog, we will be discussing and understanding these essential cybersecurity concepts for you to have a strong career in the field of cybersecurity.

The digital world is a battlefield.

While we don’t see physical weapons, the threat of using sophisticated technology inflicting long-lasting damage is a stark reality.

But rest assured, knowing what and how hackers think is winning half the battle. If you think like a hacker, you are always one step ahead of them, minimizing the chances of getting compromised.

From the fundamental CIA Triad to the ever-evolving landscape of cyberattacks, this blog will equip you with the right knowledge to understand how these attacks work and what you can do to remain safe.

Key Takeaways:

• Master the CIA Triad (Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability) as your first line of defense.
• Ransomware, phishing, and DDoS attacks are some of the top cyber threats facing businesses each day.
• A ransomware attack happens every 11 seconds, and will drop to one in just 2 seconds by 2031.
• Discover practical steps to protect yourself and your organization from cyber threats.

Cybersecurity Ventures predicts global cybercrime costs to grow by 15% per year over the next five years, reaching $10.5 trillion USD annually by 2025.

Without further ado, let’s get started.

The CIA Triad: The Cornerstone of Security

Although the concepts were first introduced in 1972, it wasn’t until 1986 when they were officially named as the CIA Triad.

Developed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to secure classified information, the CIA Triad has become the cornerstone of cybersecurity in today’s interconnected security.

The CIA Triad represents the three core principles of information security:

1. Confidentiality

Meaning: Ensuring that sensitive information is accessible only to authorized individuals or systems.

This involves implementing measures like encryption, access controls, and data masking. Think of it as a digital vault, protecting your valuable data from prying eyes.

Think of it like a locked bank vault ensuring only the actual owners can access the valuables inside. In other words, using strong passwords and encryption to keep the data secure.

2. Integrity

Meaning: Maintaining the accuracy and trustworthiness of data.

This involves preventing unauthorized modifications, deletions, or fabrications of sensitive data. Hash functions and digital signatures are often used for strong data encryption. It’s about ensuring the information you rely on is genuine and unaltered.

It guarantees that the information isn’t tampered with or changed in any unauthorized way. It’s like a tamper-proof seal, ensuring what you see is exactly what was intended.

3. Availability

Meaning: Guaranteeing timely and reliable access to information and systems for authorized users.

This involves implementing measures like redundancy, failover systems, and disaster recovery plans. It’s about ensuring that your systems and data are accessible when you need them.

This means that the information is accessible to those who need it, when they need it.

It’s like having a reliable power supply, ensuring your systems are always up and running.

Together, these three principles—Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability—form the foundation of information security, keeping your digital assets safe and sound.

Understanding Common Cyber Threats

Beyond the CIA Triad, understanding the various threats lurking in the digital world is crucial.

The following table breaks down the most common types of cyberattacks alongside their description, characteristics and mitigation strategies.

1. Ransomware

Ransomware is a type of malware that encrypts a victim’s data, rendering it inaccessible until a ransom is paid.

In simple words, it is the digital equivalent of human kidnapping and not releasing the victim unless a hefty amount is paid to the kidnappers.

Digitally, it is called taking the data hostage, which hackers believe that companies will go to any extent to get back.

Ransomware attacks can cripple businesses and organizations, causing significant financial losses and operational disruptions. In some cases, businesses have gone bankrupt with just one ransomware attack.

But if you regularly back up your data, even in the worst case scenario, your cost and time to recover from a cyberattack dramatically reduces. For example, the mean recovery cost of a company that uses backups is nearly $1 million lower than those that have no back up copies.

2. Phishing

Imagine you receive an email that looks like it’s from your bank.

It says:

“Dear Customer, we’ve noticed suspicious activity on your account. For your security, please click this link to verify your login details and change your password immediately.”

The email might even use the bank’s logo and branding to appear authentic. However, the link in the email actually leads to a fake website that looks exactly like your bank account’s login page.

Unknowingly, if you click the link and enter your username and password, the hackers will now have your information and can access your real bank account. The email was a phishing attempt designed to steal YOUR credentials.

This is called a deceptive attempt to obtain sensitive information, such as usernames, passwords, and credit card details, by representing as a trustworthy entity.

The term originated from the word “fishing”, where you use a rod and bait in hopes to catch big fish. This is exactly what hackers do.

Similar to “fishing” (which is a legitimate outdoor activity), “phishing” is a cybercrime where hackers pretend to send emails and messages from legitimate sources in an attempt to trick people into sharing sensitive information such as credit cards and login credentials. In other words, hackers eventually lure their targets as “baits.”

The goal is to make you believe it’s a real request so you’ll hand over your sensitive data, which they can then use to steal money, access your accounts, or commit other crimes.

3. Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) Attacks

An attack that floods a target system with traffic, overwhelming its resources and making it unavailable to legitimate users.

DDoS attacks can disrupt online services, causing significant downtime and financial losses. They are like a digital traffic jam, clogging the roads and preventing anyone from getting through.

Imagine you see a flashy sale on your favorite brand’s website. But it’s not just you, many others are also trying to access the website, and if too many people try to use it, the server may crash. This will lead to the genuine buyers not being able to get advantage of the amazing deals.

Hackers use multiple computers, forming what is known as a “botnet” to flood a website with fake traffic. It is no different than a physical store getting crowded with fake shoppers, not allowing the real customers to get in and make a purchase.

4. Malware

Anything that ends with “ware” is software. But if you add ransom or mal as a prefix, it means a piece of tool that does the exact opposite of what a normal computer software should do.

Short for malicious software, malware encompasses a wide range of harmful programs designed to damage or disable computer systems.

This includes viruses, worms, Trojans, and spyware. Malware can spread through various means, such as email attachments, infected websites, and software downloads.

5. Social Engineering

You work as an accountant and your Head of Department trusts you with your job. One day, you get an email from your boss instructing you to transfer funds to a vendor’s bank account.

Upon inspection, you get to know that it was “just some office work that had not been paid by the company for quite a long time.”

Without a shred of doubt, you hit that button, and boom, funds transferred to the vendor’s account. You then inform your boss that the unpaid dues have been cleared, and you hear this:

“What funds? I don’t remember authorizing you to release payments to any vendor!”

And that’s when you realize you just messed up!

So what happened? You, unknowingly just sent funds to a hacker’s account who impersonated your CEO and manipulated you into using the company’s official resources. This is called social engineering.

It is a manipulation technique that exploits human psychology to trick individuals into sharing sensitive information or performing actions that compromise security.

Social engineering relies on trust, fear, or other emotions to manipulate victims. It’s about exploiting human vulnerabilities rather than technical ones. Hackers know how to exploit this as they spend time and effort in creating campaigns luring the main target in sharing sensitive information.

6. The Human Element: The Weakest Link?

While technology plays a crucial role in cybersecurity, the human element often remains the weakest link. In one of our earlier blogs, we mentioned that nearly 90% of all cyberattacks involve some sort of human error.

Cybercriminals are adept at exploiting human psychology, using social engineering tactics to manipulate you into making mistakes.

Learn How Build a Strong Security Posture

In times like these, it is important to apply some time-tested strategies to reduce the risks of getting compromised. Here are some tips that you can work on immediately:

• Implement Strong Passwords- Use unique, complex passwords for all your accounts. Consider using a password manager to generate and store your passwords securely. Never use the same password for all accounts.
• No Financial Transactions on Public WiFi- Never access your banks or make a financial transaction on an unsecured network, such as a WiFi hotspot at a cafe, restaurant or any other public place.
• Enable Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)- Add an extra layer of security by requiring multiple forms of authentication, such as a password and a code sent to your phone.
• Keep Software Updated- Regularly update your operating system, applications, and security software to patch vulnerabilities.
• Be Wary of Suspicious Emails and Links- Avoid clicking on links or opening attachments from unknown or untrusted sources. In case of trusted sources, always verify through other means before opening any attachment.
• Install and update Antivirus Software: Use reputable antivirus software to detect and remove malware.
• Backup Your Data: Regularly generate multiple backup copies of your important data to different locations, so you can recover it in the event of a cyberattack or data loss.
• Stay Informed: Keep up-to-date with the latest cybersecurity threats and best practices.

The Road Ahead

The idea wasn’t to just share essential cybersecurity concepts, but provide you with a laser-focused approach on how to remain cautious online.

These terms are also important to understand if you’re interested in building a career in cybersecurity.