quote:
Originally posted by MoonMystic:
.. wanted to give a warning to those who either never had it occur or anyone unaware how common it is. Phishing on Windows machines is a huge issue, 🏴☠️
Normally I whouldn't get involve and offer any suggestions on this topic.
I belive both you and Teasel have a good heart so I will offer some tips here.
It does sound like a phishing attack, however phishing attacks are not isolated to windows machines only.
This is because this type of attack is commonly run through your web browser and web browsers are multiplatform..they run on every operating system even mobile OS.
Currently it's the browser that is the weakest link in the OSI (Internet Model) because your browser just interprets the data being sent/received as web packets and displays them.
So anything that appears on your browser can be manipulated, altered and changed.
Don't believe me see the tutorial and try it yourself:
https://blog.devmountain.com/how-to-use-inspect-element-jump-into-what-makes-a-web-page-tick/
To defend against this there are two things
1) only access a website that uses https://
this makes it 90% safe since it will now use TLS.
The TLS process goes as follows,
the extra S in https means secure meaning that the website will first need to have a digital certificate which at least validates that the website is comming from a trusted source.
Next a one to one encryption exchange between the website your viewing and the server occurs, typically RSA, SHA-256..which works on a public and private key exchange.
This makes it difficult for somewhat to host a fake site because they might get the public keys for the encryption but won't have access to the private keys, you need both.
lindaland is not a secure site for that reason and could be a gateway for phishing!!!.
2)The next option is never click a link your not familar with, always manually type in the website.
Typically phising sites will have a URL address that doesn't match the actually website.
For exampe I could create a fake website that looks like google, but I can't use www.google.com.
I could try something like www.ggoogle.com and hope nobody notices.
This is because once the domain name for a website is taken, it's taken.
A lot of phishing website will not display the URL for this reason.
Other tips:
Opera has a free VPN built into it if you use the browser, it says a VPN but it's techinically just a proxy.
https://www.myce.com/wp-content/images_posts/2016/04/opera-vpn-enabled-popup.png
MoonMystic,
If you want to feel more secure..i'm sure you must still be feeling shaken about it.
Since your using linux, try to see if you can install Virtual Machine too and run linux from virtual box.
https://www.virtualbox.org
A lot of security is moving towards virtualization. basically it's simulating another computer inside a computer.
If someone tries to attack you then they get traped..because the computer you were using techinically doesn't exist.
I will have to find the article a couple of Russian intrusions were defeated using a virtualization server.
If you use virtualization, then a VPN or Opera which has a free VPN..be it a bit slow because its free...followed by safe web browsing practices.
You should be well protected, a layered defense is best.
FYI. I have a BSc In Computer Science with a focus in networking.
I will most likely edit out this post in a couple days.
My Planets
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