Page 100 - Cyber Defense eMagazine Special RSA Conference Annual Edition for 2022

Keystroke Logging and Malware

Keylogging software is one of the most nefarious tools used by cybercriminals. Keyloggers are highly
effective at keeping track of your activities. These activity-monitoring programs allow hackers to access
a wealth of personal information. This can include usernames and passwords, payment information, as
well as your general browsing history. Unless you're actively looking for such software, its presence will
go undetected. By the time you realize there's an issue, sensitive data will be in the hands of the individual
who installed the keylogging software.

Malware is even more difficult. As with keystroke software, malware can monitor activities like internet
browsing. It may also install additional software cookies onto your device without you knowing. In the
worst-case scenario, malware can mine your hard drive for specific pieces of information. Some
malwares can even access microphones and webcams, presenting a significant security risk.

Cryptojacking Attacks

Mining for cryptocurrency requires considerable processing power, making it an infeasible venture for
many. It probably comes as no surprise that the crypto boom has brought with it unique cyber risks. If
you've recently purchased refurbished hardware, cryptojacking is something you should be looking out
for.

In short, criminals piggyback onto the processing power of your hardware and its electrical consumption
by installing malware on a device that mines for cryptocurrency. You might think this an unlikely scenario,
but in the first half of 2021, more than 51 million such attacks were detected. This is a marked increase
in attacks detected in 2020.

As with other types of malwares, crypto mining software can be hard to detect and largely goes unnoticed.
However, if your device is running at a considerably slow speed, it could be a sign that your hardware
has been compromised with crypto mining software.

How to Combat Cyber Risks with Refurbished Hardware

All of this might make for scary reading, but there are many steps you can take to mitigate risks when
using refurbished hardware. Many of these are easy to implement yourself.

Clearing Hard Drives

For starters, make sure the hard drive of a newly acquired piece of hardware has been wiped clean. Even
if a reseller has given you assurances that a hard drive has been wiped, there's no guarantee. The peace
of mind involved in carrying out a second hard drive wipe is priceless. Many data removals are readily
available precisely for this purpose. A full wipe will remove all files from a hard drive, as well as annihilate
any lingering data.

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