Sometimes you wish to protect data on your compute devices by more than permissions and ownership. Encryption may be the method chosen.
BE AWARE encryption is a double edged sword. If you lose or forget the key, you will have the same problem accessing your data that you are wanting to use to thwart others.
So, what are some options?
Security by obscurity. Name the file with an benign name. Change the extension to prevent default application from opening.
e.g. squash recipie rename from resume.doc
For windows and MacOS you can adjust permissions on files and folders so others can not read or modify those files and folders. There are many ways to overcome such settings. Slightly more protections of the intended data than obscurity.
You can also "hide" files and folders so others will need to expend more effort to "find" the hidden data.
Windows: attrib +h +s path\filename
MacOS: chflags hidden path/filename
Linux: add a leading dot "." to the filename
You can encrypt documents/spreadsheets/presentations and other data in most office suites. Select the desired document and use the office suite utilities to encrypt and decrypt the desired data.
AGAIN, if you lose control of the encryption key or passphrase you will lose access to the data you are intending to protect. Also, the encryption used by most office suites are more easily broken by tools on the Internet.
You can purchase external media that has encryption capabilities.
Size, connection methods, encryption strength, capabilities, and other factors will influence that purchase.
Bio-metrics for encryption key control is also a double edged sword. Finger print enablers are better for loss of encryption key control, but not if you lose that finger or you need to have the data passed to an heir or spouse.
Full disk encryption can protect a drive on the compute platform you want to protect via encryption. If your platform is stolen or you lose physical control then the drive will need the encryption key or passphrase to access the data.
A more controlled approach is to use encryption applications or utilities to provide protection via encryption.
TrueCrypt was the popular encryption app for many years. Open source, flexible, dependable, free. VeraCrypt is the current fork of the TrueCrypt utility.
Other encryption utility offerings include DiskCryptor, Cryptainer LE, and Challenger.
Users needs vary. One should determine their needs and use the above and other options to fit those needs. If your needs change, revisit the options available at that time.
These methods offer a level of data protection. As with most things, you need to protect the protections.
Do not give sensitive information to others unless you are sure that they are indeed who they claim to be and that they should have access to the information.
What is a social engineering attack?
In a social engineering attack, an attacker uses human interaction (social skills) to obtain or compromise information about an organization or its computer systems. An attacker may seem unassuming and respectable, possibly claiming to be a new employee, repair person, or researcher and even offering credentials to support that identity. However, by asking questions, he or she may be able to piece together enough information to infiltrate an organization's network. If an attacker is not able to gather enough information from one source, he or she may contact another source within the same organization and rely on the information from the first source to add to his or her credibility.
What is a phishing attack?
Phishing is a form of social engineering. Phishing attacks use email or malicious websites to solicit personal information by posing as a trustworthy organization. For example, an attacker may send email seemingly from a reputable credit card company or financial institution that requests account information, often suggesting that there is a problem. When users respond with the requested information, attackers can use it to gain access to the accounts.
Phishing attacks may also appear to come from other types of organizations, such as charities. Attackers often take advantage of current events and certain times of the year, such as
- natural disasters (e.g., Hurricane Katrina, Indonesian tsunami)
- epidemics and health scares (e.g., H1N1)
- economic concerns (e.g., IRS scams)
- major political elections
- holidays
What is a vishing attack?
Vishing is the social engineering approach that leverages voice communication. This technique can be combined with other forms of social engineering that entice a victim to call a certain number and divulge sensitive information. Advanced vishing attacks can take place completely over voice communications by exploiting Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) solutions and broadcasting services. VoIP easily allows caller identity (ID) to be spoofed, which can take advantage of the public’s misplaced trust in the security of phone services, especially landline services. Landline communication cannot be intercepted without physical access to the line; however, this trait is not beneficial when communicating directly with a malicious actor.
What is a smishing attack?
Smishing is a form of social engineering that exploits SMS, or text, messages. Text messages can contain links to such things as webpages, email addresses or phone numbers that when clicked may automatically open a browser window or email message or dial a number. This integration of email, voice, text message, and web browser functionality increases the likelihood that users will fall victim to engineered malicious activity.
How do you avoid being a victim?
- Be suspicious of unsolicited phone calls, visits, or email messages from individuals asking about employees or other internal information. If an unknown individual claims to be from a legitimate organization, try to verify his or her identity directly with the company.
- Do not provide personal information or information about your organization, including its structure or networks, unless you are certain of a person's authority to have the information.
- Do not reveal personal or financial information in email, and do not respond to email solicitations for this information. This includes following links sent in email.
- Don't send sensitive information over the internet before checking a website's security. (See Protecting Your Privacy for more information.)
- Pay attention to the Uniform Resource Locator (URL) of a website. Malicious websites may look identical to a legitimate site, but the URL may use a variation in spelling or a different domain (e.g., .com vs. .net).
- If you are unsure whether an email request is legitimate, try to verify it by contacting the company directly. Do not use contact information provided on a website connected to the request; instead, check previous statements for contact information. Information about known phishing attacks is also available online from groups such as the Anti-Phishing Working Group. (See the APWG eCrime Research Papers).
- Install and maintain anti-virus software, firewalls, and email filters to reduce some of this traffic. (See Understanding Firewalls, Understanding Anti-Virus Software, and Reducing Spam for more information.)
- Take advantage of any anti-phishing features offered by your email client and web browser.
What do you do if you think you are a victim?
- If you believe you might have revealed sensitive information about your organization, report it to the appropriate people within the organization, including network administrators. They can be alert for any suspicious or unusual activity.
- If you believe your financial accounts may be compromised, contact your financial institution immediately and close any accounts that may have been compromised. Watch for any unexplainable charges to your account.
- Immediately change any passwords you might have revealed. If you used the same password for multiple resources, make sure to change it for each account, and do not use that password in the future.
- Watch for other signs of identity theft. (See Preventing and Responding to Identity Theft for more information.)
- Consider reporting the attack to the police, and file a report with the Federal Trade Commission.