Cyber Attack and Ransomware

A cyber attack is any type of offensive set of action or program that attacks any system or algorithm in a sequence of disrupting regular services or creating harm to  individuals, groups, or organizations that targets computer information systems, infrastructures, computer networks, and/or personal computer devices by various means of malicious acts usually originating from an anonymous source that either steals, alters, or destroys a specified target by hacking into a susceptible system.

What is a RANSOMEWARE ?
A ransomeware is a computer viruses that is designed to lock down your files and threatens to delete your files unless you pay a ransom are known as ransomware. According to security experts warned that ransomware is the fastest growing form of computer virus exploiting a security hole in vulnerable software by tricking somebody into installing it and then taking in control the system.

Ransomware works by encrypting all your data in the computer making it a situation of lock down with a permanent message demanding a payment to release the files blocking access to a computer system or data, WannaCry encrypts data on the device and demands a ransom of USD$300 to be paid to a given bitcoin wallet within three days or USD$600 within seven days. Unlike other viruses however, WannaCry propagates through the network and infects computers like a worm, which means that their users do not have to activate the infected file or link for the software to continue spreading.

Protection Against RANSOMEWARE?
Microsoft has already issued an update for Windows 10 and other system. Till the time
your operating system is up-to-date, you should be protected from this strain of ransomware. Always make sure you are running the latest version of your operating system with the latest security fixes installed – and run up-to-date anti-virus software from a trusted company. Take in consideration email attachments and always beware suspicious emails asking you to click links or download attachments.

What are loss in Figure ?

It is estimated that ransomware-related bitcoin wallets, in 2016, ransomware attacks cost more than USD$1 billion. The numbers are uncertain as many companies will not reveal that their systems have been compromised by ransomware, and accept payments openly. The average ransom demand has more than doubled, from USD$294 at the end of 2015, to USD$679 in 2016. Bitcoin’s open ledger allows anyone interested to trace the payments being made to the criminals in the WannaCry ransomware attack.

According to Microsoft president and chief legal officer Brad Smith said on Sunday: “We have seen vulnerabilities stored by the CIA show up on Wikileaks, and now this vulnerability stolen from the NSA has affected customers around the world.
“An equivalent scenario with conventional weapons would be the US military having some of its Tomahawk missiles stolen.”

Source: RAYZNEWS  

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Internet Governance, Multistakeholder Environment and Diversity

In a Least Developing Country (LDC) like Nepal, Internet governance is a very least expected topic that makes it to any national level dialogue process. Though various concepts and technologies find its way for communication and discussion, internet governance is still in progress of finding a channel among various stakeholders. Its identity struggles among various stakeholders, who shift their responsibilities in being carefree of putting a monster in a box and criticizing the  negative aspect of internet or social media. We fail to address the issues of its development and values where the current evolution in terms of diversity and adaptation matters.

We have made it or we have created it and we need to accept and move forwards towards finding a proper solution giving it the collaborative approach of multistakeholderism and trust.

Our society of today is not just limited within countable use of internet which prioritizes the involvement and openness of how the internet has evolved and will be further interpreted.

Whether you talk about leadership or technical people, the scope, role and objective of internet governance is very much hidden within the text  where most of the people in power and chair even fail to even address the issue. In recent development, Nepal has updated or upgraded with various wireless broadband technologies and policies,  but when it comes to awareness of internet and its core values people at leadership and normal layman still uses the internet without the knowledge of its basic core values.

THIS IS THE REALITY AND  WE ARE BLINDLY USING AND SPREADING THE USE OF INTERNET, MAKING PEOPLE MORE VULNERABLE.

It is used basically for a  number of applications where these devices are related to its output rather than giving a fair value of understanding or building the moral values of using the internet and its related technology. And maybe because of this the wrong use or the wrong interpretation is happening in most of the cases.

“I strongly believe, internet has been passed on to the developing world not as a service or facility, but it has been passed on as a part of a business promotion strategy which is more focused towards generating revenue rather than awareness and value.”

Reality of today, is  these gaps have been hindering people for its development in countries like Nepal, where internet is treated just as a business commodity and  the government is more focused about the taxes, the private companies are worried about their revenue and subscription and user groups are always worried about their connection only. More or less policies are made limiting the scope and role where survey and research at done at a very minimum criteria of fulfilling the gaps. Likewise diversity is yet another issues which has been long addressed as well. There is no point of talking or discussion about the core value or for what reason it has been phased out or how can we use it in a proper way of ensuring human values.

It is the limitation of human boundaries where we have created this gap and we need to overcome it by creating better core values.

Recently, I was invited to host a program called guffgaff organized  by LoomNepal which is a social organization working towards the rights of women and LGBT group. The program was themed internet freedom and FoE in Internet but with the level of participation, interest and queries I was pretty surprised interacting with the various stakeholders  that internet of today was no different than internet of yesterday. It was a great learning opportunity talking with youths, & other stakeholders, including the #LGBT community leaders. the LGBT group leaders expressed their level of concerned about how the internet is wrongly being used in slashing their rights and FoE. They have been deprived from the government and from polices which even fails to address their issues and rights at times of need.

Certainly, #FoE & #internetfreedom are issues of our concern, they are basic right of any individual ensured by the constitution of Nepal but how many of the citizen know about it is a question.

We need more #collaboration & #cooperation in terms of making governance visible & practical. It still is repressive, offensive and unsecured for the citizen from various angles . It was still the same at various levels of policy enactment and cooperation that was focused more towards promoting business to organization only.

In absence of proper internet core values we have made the internet a compulsive, addictive, un-manged daily commodity which was evolving as a bad habit.

The government was focused more towards regulation, the private sector towards business and the people are lost in communication and adaptation of social media and entertainment redeeming the real values of the internet.

Let's talk & let's be sensitive about these issues only then we can #change our society but first we have understand these core values of internet and further work towards creating awareness. Only then things can change or else  it is just a funding project that works without sustainability option.  

Event Link: Internet Freedom and FoE discussion

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Why is it important to attend APrIGF?

Building on the United Nations (UN) Millennium Development Goals, and the mandate given at the Second Phase of the World Summit on the Information Society in Tunis in 2005, the IGF (Internet Governance Forum) is a United Nations activity initiated in 2006 as a global platform for multi-stakeholder policy dialogue on prevailing and emerging issues on Internet governance so as to foster the sustainability, robustness, security, stability and development of Internet.

Asia Pacific Regional Internet Governance Forum (APrIG) is a regional event of the Asia Pacific which basically served as a platform for discussion, exchange and collaboration at a regional level.  It is an open platform of dialogue for all stakeholders in discussing their technical and other issues in context of national and regional level .


The importance of APrIGF event  are

1. To provide broad platform for discussion at regional level 
2. Better communication of ICT issues and challenges 
3. Easy communication and networking 
4. Diversify internet issues and challenges
5. Collaborative approach to the problem
6. Standardization of internet policy and law
7. Problem identification and collaboration 
8. Creating values and better opportunities 
9. Adopting dynamics of internet 
10. Promoting equality and diversity among stakeholders
11. Discouraging internet fragmentation  
12. lessening digital divide 
13. Promoting net neutrality 

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7 Tips to Stay Safe on Social Media

Social Media is the next big things in our society. We virtually do everything where it has become our existence. To be more precise it has taken the form of addiction that has more cons than pro.
As coming down from the decade old infestation the social media  has evolved with various aspect of vulnerability that are more threatening than benefiting:

1. Privacy and safety issue 2. Human psychology issue 

Here are some of the top 11 tips to stay safe on social media:

1. Always use secure passwords with better integration of security features or authentication methods like phone validation and email validation.
2. Keep your Privacy setting tight keeping your geography data and location to a  limited circle. In case of social media always  turn off your  location and GPS as it draws more battery and make your vulnerable in case of surveillance.
    
3. Most of the times, the security features include security question which can be a life savers at times of revival or retrieval of social media account. try to use this feature following your own secret question and answer.
4. Always use different passwords for your devices and accounts.
5. Keep your friendship list tight and be selective with friend requests. If you don’t know the person, don’t accept their request.  It could be a fake account. Always try personal verification then verifying random search or mutual friends listing.
6. Social media these days have been intervened by lucrative adds and messages always be cautioned about links and adds. Just be careful about what and where you are clicking.
7. Always read the privacy policy and check the various features of the privacy and security
     

"SOCIAL MEDIA CRISIS is an unwanted situation which is a wrong representation or interpretation of statement. A social media crisis is a viral situation that occurs at a time of any statement with compliment to various meanings and interpretation occurs randomly being shared #viral. For addressing the issues, it cannot be derailed or dropped in the viral post or cannot be defied with justification. It can settle down with only a strategic compliance of secured answers and data's minimizing confrontation and communication."  

Process of facing Social Media Crisis

Protocol of Social media Attack or threats 

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11 Tips to Stay Safe Online

Online or internet safety is a major issue for everyone, especially daily users who use it 24/7. Considering the boom of Social Media and smart phone, our privacy has been compromised at various levels of just one password or click or even with downloading an app . You will not even have an idea and your information can be compromised at various levels.

Similarly, with the ongoing attacks and cyber frauds, things seem to be very uncontrollable and unavoidable. But you can escape these situation simply following major steps or being aware of certainly situation or things that can help you identify the threat. Here we are not talking about the threat but about taking precaution about being safe and secure:  

1. Do not accept any sort of email or link that you do not know or trust. If you receive any unwanted email in spam check it and be sure its from the owner or friend or else report it or delete it. The phishing emails are well written with links that lead to websites that can lure you in giving your personal information or download malware to your computer. They can even ask for your contact number and may call you for gaining your trust.
   
2. Always keep your Personal information tight to your self, do not upload any personal information or data related to your daily life. identify theft is a very commonly evolving problems in the cyber space. Especially with social media keep your privacy locked.
   
3. Beware of marketing and online shops, scammers are getting better at replicating sites by making fake profile and creating fantastic designs. Personal information and financial records are in their only target and make sure it’s not asking for information it shouldn’t be.
   
4. Always use mixed alpha numeric password.  Try to avoid typing your password directly in the password box, try using display keyboard for safeguarding your password and always check your financial statements for questionable activity.
   
5. Update your operating system with new updates and security features that are generally time consuming but on the bright side it will be securing your computer or laptop or phone  with addressing the cyber security loop holes and issues.   


6. Secured your network and wifi with password, if possible hide your network and used MAC number for validation of devices in wifi.
   
7. Always install a firewall, it is not a complete protection but it can always buy you time in securing better chance of  surviving a cyber attack. Most of the OS comes with a pre-installed firewall you might want to update it regularly  or check if there are any issues running.
    
8. Trying using genuine and original key and  software which will ensure proper security and operation. I know and understand its expensive but using a cracked software can severely compromise your data, privacy and system.
    
9. Downloading and uploading are major activities of internet, always be cautious about who what and where? Always use certified sites and be wise enough to take your time to check.
   
10. Never compromise your situation, internet is a networks or network so anything you upload is never deleted or can be restored or shared so always be in the position to understand in securing yourself first and then rest.
    
11. If possible use a good Antivirus and regularly tweak your system of trash and other necessary steps for better operation and management.  

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