IT Security Blog

Fuzzing: What Is It?

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A computer (credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/amagill/

Fuzz testing may sound like a term far removed from the IT world, but fuzzing is a good way of discovering weaknesses in a network, application or server before others do. Fuzzing involves bombarding a program with randomly generated data to see if it’ll withstand the overload. If it fails, either by crashing or not executing a specific code, then there’s a defect you need to find and correct. Hackers can use fuzzing to find what bugs exist in an application, for example, a web browser, and then create specific code to exploit the application’s weaknesses. But if these bugs are discovered before they can be exploited then a way can be found to fix these exploitable bugs.

Testers can use fuzz testing to find out if the current software being used have easily exploitable vulnerabilities. It is probably the closest approximate to a real-world situation when data coming into a system or application doesn’t always follow validation rules. While fuzzing, testers keep a record of all the data they create, so it’s easy can keep track of what specifically caused any errors. It’s also relatively cheap to perform fuzz testing, and it can be used to compare the security of different programs and operating systems. Open source fuzzing tools and tests for different applications and systems are now available online. Though fuzzing doesn’t guarantee to find every error-producing event and bug that can occur on your system, it does give an idea of where intruders might try to attack. Errors like buffer overruns and attacks on cross-site scripting can be prevented by fuzz testing.

[tags]fuzzing,bugs,buffers,phishing,pharming,software,errors,intruders[/tags]

A Few Tips to Avoid Phishing

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phishing example Chances are that when you open your inbox today you’ll find an e-mail claiming to be from your bank, an e-commerce site, or another online site you’ve visited. They might offer you an upgrade to your account, inform you that there’s been changes to their, and asks you to verify your account information. This could be a phishing attempt to get sensitive information like your personal information or passwords. Fortunately, you can avoid getting scammed by taking these precautions:

  • Be suspicious of any email with urgent requests for personal financial information. Phishers are getting more sophisticated in their attempts, so even if an e-mail appears to be legitimate, look for proof that it came from your e-commerce company. They should be personalized and carry information that only you and your company would know. They might show partial account numbers or other verification tools.
  • Use anti-virus software and a firewall, and keep them up to date. Phishers sometimes include script that can track your activities on the internet without your knowledge.
  • Never use the links in an e-mail to go to any webpage. Phishers will redirect you to a bogus site to trick you into logging in your account number and password. Log onto the website by typing in the web address to your browser. At the same time, never call any numbers in the e-mail. It could lead you to a VoIP provider that isn’t connected to your company at all.
  • Never fill out forms in e-mail messages asking for your personal financial information. Your e-commerce company would never ask you to send sensitive information in that manner.
  • Check your bank, credit, and debit card statements regularly to see if all your transactions are legitimate. Report any suspicious withdrawals immediately.
  • Finally, report the phishing attempt you received to your company and other anti-phishing groups.

[tags]phishing,spam,spoof emails,indentity theft,pharming,spam filtering[/tags]