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Help You, we can.
Have you ever wondered how we here at Scriptingthewhy play a part or have a place in this community? We would like to think it’s attributed to the insight we provide on certain cybersecurity issues.
There are many places online where you can find information, however, it’s in a technical tone most of the time. Most people just want “What is the problem”, and “How do I fix it”.
We would like to think that with us, you get your problem fixed and a chuckle at the same time.
Information technology has many tools, none of them are a one-size-fits-all. Photo by Pixabay, please support by following @pexel.com
Now, making jokes aside, we have helped people. Covering topics like cloud computing and programming helped people be better prepared for what to expect. The world of Information Technology is vast and it’s difficult to navigate, especially when trying to switch careers.
That’s why we created our site, Scriptingthewhy.com, because we’re trying to make IT simple for the layman. We will admit it’s not perfect and we still need a lot of work, but we know it’s a step in the right direction.
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Use the past to point you onward. Photo by Kaique Rocha, please support by following @pexel.com
In this direction, it is hoped that we provide you with some quality entertainment while you learn or find a solution to a pending problem. Information technology can seem a large and intimidating field, but we can assure you that with small steps, it can be for anyone.
Also, as you can see in the media, you don’t need a degree to get into the field. Most places say they require it, and sure, depending on the job and the requirements, you may need one. But on a general scale, a degree is not needed to work in IT. And we’re here to provide that comfort.
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Which one of you spiked my drink!? I can taste my heartrate! Photo by Mauricio Mascaro, please support by following @pexel.com
This might send you back to those feel-good party nights so prepare to reminisce and say…” No, I don’t recall that happening.” Have you ever been to a nightclub, found someone to party with, and decided that you would like to spend most of your time with them?
You both are having a really good time, the music is pumping, the people around you are jamming, and something to you smells funny but that’s okay because the pills you took five minutes ago bestowed upon you the ability to see and taste sound.
You have to take a quick break and hit the restroom, only to come back and find your chosen dance partner is oddly being blocked by a crowd of people and no matter how much you try, you just can’t seem to get within reach of them. Have you never had this happen?
Okay, so apparently Z-Daddy is the only one who has had weird times in nightclubs huh? While you are lucky enough to say you haven’t experienced this event, this often happens with computers and companies you favor. What is this go-go nonsense I’m yammering on about? This will all make sense in a moment.
She’s leaving with you, but she was programming with me bro. Oh wait, that’s not right. Photo by Vlad Alexandru Popa, please support by following @pexel.com
Clubbing in Denial
What is this weird phenomenon taking place in this nightclub which often happens to a computer or network? To put it in simple terms, you’re symbolically being hit with a “denial-of-service” or DoS.
This is a form of cyber-attack where the attacker seeks to make either your machine or a network resource unavailable for intended users. Distributed Denial of Service or DDoS occurs when a mass of machines operates together to focus an attack on one target to disrupt the normal traffic of the targeted IP address.
Picture if you can, five lanes of traffic trying to fit down a one-way street. This leads to the target’s device being overwhelmed and denying legitimate users access to the desired website. In fact, one of the largest attacks on record was at GitHub, a popular online code management platform that is used by a lot of developers. They were hit with a large volume of traffic that led to the disruption of their site. Click here to find out more details. What are some other things that can suffer from an attack like this I can hear you ask.
Aside from personal computers, cell phones, public cloud services, and IoT (Internet of Things) devices that aren’t tightly secured are not off the menu, they can all suffer a DDoS attack. Depending on how bad the attack is can play into how long it takes for your site to become available.
In some cases, could be as little as 24hrs and in others can be from days to a week given how quick the response time is. Variety is the spice of life and by choosing which device to overload, you can find plenty of it.
I can’t get to access my Grub Hub account…that means I have to cook tonight. Photo by Andrea Piacquadio, please support by following @pexel.com
Dirty, Dirty, Dirty Tactics
Who and why would someone turn to use such a tactic? Trying to hinder or take out the rival competition is one reason. If customers can’t get to your competitors’ sites but find access to yours. Then it makes the choice that much easier for them to buy from you.
This is pretty much a “Two birds with one stone” situation because not only are you carrying out a hit on your competition, but you are also passively strong-arming your potential customers into buying from you.
That’s operating like a boss. Another reason someone might perform a DDoS is Hacktivism, meaning they don’t agree with something political and promote an agenda of their own by hacking. In the days before the pop-ups of “How-to”, you had to be skilled to perform such an attack but now, like with malware, you can simply go to the dark side and pick something up extra saucy if you have enough coin.
Again, your presence on the dark web is not illegal but the activity you choose to engage in begs the question. Remember to always stay legal kids.
Bob: Karen, I thought you were leaving him for me. Tim: she’s with me buddy. Your access just got denied. Photo by Two Shores, please support by following @pexel.com
Last Minute Halts
So why is knowing about a DDoS important? DDoS can and have affected many if not all industries. This ranges from being able to place bets on gambling sites to trying to clear out your cart on an e-commerce site.
Everyone with a storefront on the internet has at one point or another suffered the simulated feeling of being an employee having to work retail on Black Friday. DDoS attacks have been around for quite some time, the earliest attack was back in the late 90s and they have been evolving ever since.
We’ve all made this face at one point or another while on the toliet. Photo by Andrea Piacquadio, please support by following @pexel.com
Made it this far and found this to be entertaining? Then a big thanks to you and please show your support by cracking a like, scripting a comment, or plug-in to follow.
Would like to give sincere thanksto current followers and subscribers, your support and actions mean a lot and has a play in the creation of each script.
Do you feel like I may have missed something about DDoS? Script a comment below.
Quick note: if you’re viewing this via email, come to the site for better viewing. Enjoy!
It was only five minutes; I shouldn’t feel this guilty. Photo by Keira Burton, please support by following @pexel.com
So you’re at your computer sitting on your fart box, surfing the vast world of the internet and you decide to make a pit stop in the “red light district” because you have five minutes of free time and no one is around so you don’t have to feel an ounce of shame.
Given that you have five minutes means you’re on the clock and you figure downloading would be faster than streaming. After you find and download that sweet but extra spicy file to handle your developing situation, once the fun is had and the mission is complete, a moment of clarity happens.
You notice something, it’s a strange shortcut on your desktop named “This is nothing to worry about”. Thinking to yourself, “Hmm, that wasn’t there before. Oh well, I’m sure it’s nothing to worry about.” But wait sweet child of mine, it is something to worry about indeed.
Like a chick who partied too hard and left a frat party the next morning, how would you feel if I told you; You just may be pregnant? Don’t understand? Let me explain.
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Rooting to the Core
You see, while you were in the red-light district of the internet seeking your jollies. Someone has provided something called a “rootkit” to get into your computer and well, have its way with your machine.
A rootkit is a type of malware that can provide administrative privileges to hackers for complete control of a targeted device. There are five types of rootkits and none of which are pleasant to deal with.
Hardware (Firmware) rootkit infects your computer’s hard drive, the BIOS (Basic input/output system), and your router.
Bootloader rootkit, your bootloader is an important tool since its loads when your computer is turning on, however, when booting, the system can be attacked and even replace your computer’s bootloader with a tainted one.
Memory rootkit hides in the computer’s RAM (Random Access Memory) and like football players running plays in the backfield, carry on any number of malicious tasks in the background. A good thing to note is they only live while your computer is on and sometimes go away after a simple rebooting, however, in some cases, you may have to do more.
An application rootkit will replace a file in your computer with a malicious file or files. This could also alter the way an application works such as Word or Notepad. A problem with this is trying to figure out which program is infected because an infected program will operate normally.
Lastly, kernel mode, the worst one in my opinion, hits the core of your computer’s operating system and can change how the OS functions. Where in some cases if not most, turns your computer into a zombie.
Your computer will passively tell you this. Photo by Saksham Choundary, please support by following @pexel.com
Crackers Seeking Control
Who are the people who use such a thing? Hackers originally were called “crackers” because they were working to crack a code or into a network and not hack but hackers just stuck I guess. These cybercriminals use such tactics to make like your nosey neighbor and eavesdrop on your interactions.
Hackers can intercept personal information via keyloggers which are devices that collect your keystrokes while typing on a keyboard. Yes, to all of you keyboard peckers, if were to equate your typing to internet speed, hackers would consider you to be dial-up. But while logging keystrokes, hackers, as mentioned before, can gain control of your operating system.
While eavesdropping, hackers can also conceal their digital footprint on a compromised system leaving a backdoor for frequent visits without being detected. So this is in a sense, your nosey neighbor jimmying your door and being allowed to free roam while you’re sat on the couch watching tv.
Star Wars or Star Trek, choose your answer wisely. Photo by Khoa Vo, please support by following @pexel.com
Nerds and Drive-by Exploits
Why is knowing about rootkits so important? Well, if you had experience with dealing with a stalker, you know things can get uncomfortable, however, if you find that not only, they are stalking you but are also inside the house. Things can ramp up very quickly.
Rootkits have the same behavior, a rootkit’s goal is to get into your system, bury itself deep within your OS, and change, collect, release, or even perform a combination of all three in your machine. But like stalkers, rootkits don’t just limit themselves to your house, smartphones, and other devices are not off the menu as they have several exploits such as GPS, battery, and voice.
There are ways to check for a rootkit, one way is looking for any strange behavior such as your machine is operating on its own. Another is performing a memory dump analysis which is to take all the information from the RAM and put it onto a storage drive for later analysis. Performing a factory reset will typically remove some infections but like cockroaches, some will survive.
The use of anti-virus programs like Norton or McAfee will not get rid of a rootkit, especially if they’re not up to date. As with any other type of malware, the absolute best way to avoid a rootkit infection is to never get it in the first place.
This might be easier said than done since visiting some sites will trigger an event where a file will be downloaded onto your computer without any action on your end. This is called “drive-by downloading”. I thought drive-bys were just limited to being in “da hood”, apparently, they can happen in IT too.
The thought of gang-affiliated nerds beefing with each other and doing drive-bys just broke me, I’m sorry. This event is hard to keep up with as it’s not just limited to any unknown sites, well-known and legitimate sites could have embedded code in them.
But if you have to visit some unknown sites because your curiosity about the darknet is killing you then keeping your operating system and all your software up to date will aid in the protection of your machine from rootkits.
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Made it this far and found this to be entertaining? Then a big thanks to you and please show your support by cracking a like, scripting a comment, or plug-in to follow.
Would like to give sincere thanksto current followers and subscribers, your support and actions mean a lot and has a play in the creation of each script.
Feel like I may have missed something? Script a comment below.
