Info sec is not daunting v1.0

Information Security may seem like
a daunting task for SMB's, but if
you do some basic things and know
when to seek help, you can
succeed!
Michael Gough – Founder
MalwareArchaeology.com

Who am I
• Blue Team Defender Ninja, Malware Archaeologist,
Logoholic
• I am the one you call when $*!+ hits the fan
• I love logs – they tell us Who, What, Where, When and
hopefully How
• Creator of the “Windows Logging Cheat Sheet”
• Creator of the “Malware Management Framework”
• @HackerHurricane also my Blog

Goal
• Interaction – Don’t be a Ding
Dong and NOT ask a question…
you WILL be rewarded
• Learn some basics
• Top 10 things everyone must
do well

• We discovered this May 2012
• Met with the Feds ;-)
Why listen to me

Yup, our PII is gone

Of course you can…

Step 1
Think about recovery

Recovery – Your Backups
• No matter what might happen, a hardware failure, theft, natural
disaster or hackers with malware or worse a breach, recovery is
your #1 goal
• This means backups are key to your continued success
• Organize the software you use, the data you have as that will aid in
recovery IF, I mean WHEN something bad happens
• Why? Because malware is software and you usually do not know it
is on your system until something bad happens or AV goes off or
someone calls you (the suits) and tells you that you have been
breached. ;-(

Backups
• For desktops data should be stored on a server that is
backed up
• If you must store data on your desktop or laptop, then use
a backup solution like Carbonite
• Have your IT person, people or consultant validate the
solution is working
• Some solutions offer a boot disk to recover the entire
system, OS and data
• But how do you know when your system went bad? What
backup do you recover the OS from? What if it was
infected for weeks?
• Why I prefer and recommend rebuilding the OS and
Applications from scratch and then restore your data.

Step 2
Rebuilding a system

Rebuild a system quickly
• Backups have your data
• But the PC, MAC or Server OS needs to be
built from scratch
• Instructions, steps, special configurations
• Make it easier for your IT person, people or
consultant helping your organization to
rebuild a dead or hacked system as fast as
possible
• Documentation for fast recovery is key

Rebuilding is a good thing
• It is the ONLY way you know your system is 100%
clean!
• Malware is written well to operate without
detection for days, weeks or months
• I rebuild my PC’s once or more per year
• Patching takes the longest, takes me 2 hours to
get up and running, 24 hours to finish patching
• Restoring a backup of an OS will take about an
hour, give or take, but how do you know it is
clean?

Step 3
Data and OS should
be seperate

Your Data and OS should not mix
• One of the worst things I see is where people
store data on the same drive as their operating
system
• If you want easier backups, keep data on a drive
that does NOT contain the operating system to
make it easier to rebuild a system and restore
data
• Only the OS and applications should be on the
drive that boots the operating system
• I prefer using a server share for your data that
gets backed up, but we have laptops with one
drive, so partition it into two parts; OS and Data

Your data and OS should not mix
• If you don’t use it, uninstall it
• Less is more as far as Apps
• Only install what you need and take an
inventory
• Please don’t store data in My Document ;-(
– User space is first to be hit in a RansomWare
event

Step 4
Don’t be an
Administrator

Verizon DBIR How you get
owned

You are just a user
• PLEASE… Don’t run as Administrator
• “But I have an application that must run as
Admin…” Fine, there is “Run As Administrator”
for this, enter these credentials as needed
• IF you have to because of a poorly written or old
application, then NO SURFING THE INTERNET !!!!
Or opening email attachments! Consider
isolating this system
• 90% of vulnerabilities will fail exploitation if you
are a General User

Step 5
Patch !!!

Patching is crucial
• Windows and Apple can auto update
• PLEASE make sure this is happening
• Let it interrupt your day
• Do NOT fall behind
• Malware takes advantage of what we call
“ZERO DAYS” or “0-Day” vulnerabilities and
patching breaks their exploit within 2 weeks of
discovery, your patches come monthly !

Step 6
Anti-Virus
or Anti-Malware

Anti-Virus is useful
• Everyone should know that Anti-Virus is no longer what it use to be
• But it does catch older (1 year+) emailed malware or older malware
found on compromised websites
• It does NOT do a good job on newly crafted Phishing Email SPAM
campaigns or newly compromised websites
• So don’t spend a lot on this, free solutions are almost as good as
paid solutions
• Windows Security Essentials (Windows 7 - Free)
• Windows Defender (Windows 8 - Free)
• Sophos (MAC OS – Free)
• Install only ONE AV solution
• Do not install Anti-Spyware or other “Fear-ware” prevention
• Stick to the big names

Step 7
Update Apps!!!

Update your Apps
• Malwarians (the hackers) pick on your apps as
a way in
• Keep them up to date!
• Install Secunia Personal Software Inspector
(PSI) or the paid version for business
• Better yet do NOT use applications that are
exploited regularly
• Any guesses?

Update your Apps
• Adobe anything – Bad
– Use FoxIT, Sumatra or other PDF Reader
– If required (Quickbooks)) install Adobe Reader and
then install FoxIT and mke it your default PDF reader
– Adobe Flash is builtin to Chrome
• Java – Bad
– Disable Java in your browser
• Anything that is Browser launched or email
attachment launched will be exploited !
• Don’t use Internet Explorer !!! Use Chrome
and/or Firefox or Safari

Step 8
Better Safer Browser

Better Browser
• Firefox – Use Security Plugins
– No Script (blocks scripting on websites)
– Ad Block (blocks ads used to spread malware)
– Web of Trust (gives you an idea of good and bad websites when
you search)
• Chrome – Use Security plugins
– Script Block (blocks scripting on websites)
– Ad Block (blocks ads used to spread malware)
– Web of Trust (gives you an idea of good and bad websites when
you search)
• Safari – For MAC lovers
– Firefox and Chrome too, same above applies

Step 9
Passwords

Passwords are evil
• Strong passwords
• What do you think?
• Long and random
– How long?
– But I can’t remember them?
– There are so many accounts…
• Password Managers are incredible !!!
– LastPass is my favorite
– Store all your passwords
– NEVER store them in your browser!
• Use 2-Factor authentication (Google Authenticator or a
Yubikey)

Step 10
Bookmarks

Bookmarks
• You need to save websites you visit often
• LastPass will do most of this for you, not just
ones with passwords
• Another item that gets lost when your system
crashes or is replaced
• Remember that first goal?
• Xmarks will synchronize your bookmarks to
the Internet so you can easily restore them on
rebuild. Just a plugin to your browser

Extra
Infrastructure

Verizon DBIR – Top Remediation
items

What if you are big enough for
in house infrastructure?
• Outsource these functions
– Email
– Email protection
– Web Surfing protection
– Endpoint protection (Malware detection and
prevention)
• Use a consultant to set these up, less for you to
maintain
• Think about the data you are storing with cloud
services (ADP, Salesforce, Amazon, Google) and
use ones that are trustworthy and well known

Use the Security features the
OS has
• Whitelisting
– Windows – Software Policy Restrictions
– Windows Ultimate or Enterprise – AppLocker
• Logging
– Can do SO much to detect bad things, needs to be
enabled and configured
– Splunk #1
– Loggly #2
– You outsource this unless you have staff
– #1 thing I will ask for and do if you need someone like
me

Safer Web Surfing
• OpenDNS
• Inexpensive way
to reduce bad
sites being visited

In Summary
• Ten things you CAN do to help reduce damage
caused by one of many outages
• Know when to ask for help implementing these
items by asking your IT person, people or
consultant to do these often and well
• All these items are basically FREE or very low cost
and yes, people time
• You don’t need to pay me to delete malware on a
PC or two, just rebuild them and move on at the
speed of business

Resources
• My Website
– MalwareArchaeology.com
• This presentation
– SlideShare.com – Search for Malware
Archaeology
• Attend training or a conference
– Bsides - SecurityBSides.org

Questions?
• You can find me at:
• @HackerHurricane
• MalwareArchaeologist.com
• HackerHurricane.com

Info sec is not daunting v1.0

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