Is There a Way Out of Password Woes?

The last month saw many high profile cases of hacking attacks including the famed New York Times and Washington Post outages. A password cracker program oclHashcat-plus was used to break into NY Times website. This free to download program has the ability to crack passcodes up to 55 characters long. How long will we take to understand that it's the underlying infrastructure that needs to beef up rather than the tired passcode system. Every hacker is after your data and there are hundreds of effortless and hassle-free ways for them to do so.

So you thought two way authentication is the answer to your password woes? Well, think again. A Trojan named Perkele infects not only your PC but also your mobile device to steal passcodes sent to your mobile for verification. This Trojan can wreak havoc for online banking customers. Banking institutions need to think beyond just authenticating the user and strengthen their online banking platforms from within. CEH Training makes you a Certified Ethical Hacker who knows all tricks of unethical hackers.

Do you know what they attackers with your stolen passwords? They update rainbow tables thus making it progressively easier to break other passkeys. Once cracked, they use it coupled with your email addresses to spear phishing attacks. And in no time, they possess a lot of information about you which can cause damage to your finances, reputation or even steal your identity.

Fly High with a Career in Information Security

The NY Times website went down for almost two hours a few days back. Even the Washington Post site and two other media URLs were attacked this week by Syrian hackers. With new instances of compromised integrity and privacy making headlines every day,  most organizations are now aware of the importance of securing their data and applications. Web applications are more vulnerable than ever. This scenario has opened doors for IT professionals towards a lucrative career option - Network Security.

 For those still confused about where to start, this guide will help you make inroads into amazing career opportunities. Getting certified and regularly upgrading your skills is the first step to a rewarding career in this field. Here are a list of beginner level courses that you can go for depending upon your inclination:

CEH: EC-Council's CEH Training (Certified Ethical Hacker) certification is the buzzword for security professionals nowadays. This training program equips individuals with potent skills to safeguard networks and systems so that they can thwart cyber attacks. Students learn various tools and penetration testing techniques that ensure a strengthened information backbone of an organization.  

Security+: CompTIA's entry level vendor neutral IT certification can also help you make a mark in this domain. Some companies even mandate this credential in candidates applying for a job in the InfoSec area. Aspirants pursuing this certification are taught how to secure networks at the operational, application, information and infrastructure level.