Credit Card & Bank Info

Credit Card and Bank Information

By: Tyler H, Trent H. Allen B, Andrew Z, Rohin K, Megan Z, and Michelle L

Today’s Setting

Today, we have a more secure credit card system, but before and still now, many hackers hacked into people’s credit cards, causing many problems for the people who used that card.

Hackers before can steal your credit card and bank information, and they still can today. They make charges with your money in your bank or on your credit card. Cryptography can help to strengthen those codes so hackers can’t break into other people’s information.                                                             

Now, however, we have EMV credit cards that use chips, which are much more secure that than the old metal strip.  EMV uses a metal chip (as shown below), which is uses a unique signal every time it is used. (you can read more about the metal strip below)

       

                               

Source of the image

How Does relate to Cryptography?

Well as you know, hackers can crack easy codes or hard codes. For that reason, if banks have harder cryptography codes to crack, it will be harder for the hackers to crack and they will not get the credit card or bank info as fast. Many banks have really hard cryptography codes, to protect their user’s accounts.

You can get jobs and other in this and help keep credit information safe. People make code better and more difficult to crack and nobody can get in. Cryptologists fix other code and keep us safe. Credit companies make sure they keep changing and stay safe.

source of image

Flaws in Credit Card Code

One of the most popular known ways of getting people's information is hacking.  The way people hack is by using a series of code to get preset bank card numbers and people's private information.  The whole cause of this is from information being preset into the websites.

This is just one example of flaw in the coding of websites.  There are many different flaws that hackers have discovered to hack and use people's private information.

Some more ways that people get other peoples information are spoofing where hackers  using fake websites and emails for credit card information, phishing where calling businesses acting like a bank to receive credit cards, and skimming where when hackers put credit card readers in gas pumps and ATMs to get the magnetic strips on cards.

These are just some of the flaws in the everyday world that hackers use to get bank and credit card information. (See the metal (strip below)

Source of image

Conclusion

Our credit information is safe and it is getting safer every day. Many cryptologists have changed and made the code better so people can keep more of their credit card info safe. Cryptologists are fixing a flaw in the code and trying to change more people to the chip reader.

We still need more Cryptographers to help secure everybody’s credit cards and bank information. There are many jobs for cryptographers. Your career could be cryptography. You can join other cryptographers to help secure people’s information.

Sources:  http://smallbusiness.chron.com/hackers-card-number-64333.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_dq5suDRoK0

Cell Phone Security

Cell Phone Security

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Over the years, cell phone security has improved greatly. Even though there are still many accounts that are hacked, they are doing things to prevent this is they have created a face and voice recognition. They also have this new features to cell phones have lessened the amount of hacked phones.

According to Cell Phone Hacking: More Serious Than you Think, it says “During this year over a billion cell phones were hacked because of lack of a secure password or no password at all.” This proves that people need better security on their devices.

There are four main ways to figure out that your phone/or other devices are being hacked.
1. If your phone lights up on its own even if you're not on it.

2. If it makes weird sounds during a phone call.

3. If your phone gets super hot.

4. If you are charged double or triple for every call/text you make.

 

The longer or more complex the better. You should avoid your password being a common street name, common last name, or 1 or 2 numbers or using easy-to guess passwords. A way to prevent people getting into your account is by changing passwords frequently.

Another way to prevent hacking is not to download any sketchy apps. It’s tough to tell the difference between a good and bad app. Since so many people are creating mobile apps, sometimes we see unsophisticated apps that could leak your online privacy through bad privacy practices or careless coding. Only download applications from sites you trust, and you should only download apps after checking their ratings and reviews.

There are many ways to prevent getting your phone hacked. Starting with, don’t click on unknown websites or staying off of unknown websites. Don’t use public wifis and especially don’t purchase anything on public wifis. If you put your password in on anything while using public wifi, you are more likely to get hacker.

Cell phone hacks can majorly affect our society. Now with new advances in technology people put their credit cards and personal information stored on their phones. So with one hack someones credit can be used however they want. Your personal information can also be hacked such as your social security number so your identity could be faked. So your entire life could be taken over by a hacker. Fortunately, security has improved over the years and it has helped prevent most hacking.

This also affects society because if someone gets your security/credit card number, they might use all the money and nothing will be left for the things you need. Such as groceries, gas, etc. So in other words with one hack, it can change the rest of your life.

There many ways your cell phone can be hacked including the simplest way a phone camera hole.  For example, clicking on unknown websites can lead to someone hacking your account. If you send a link in a text message and the person you send it to clicks on it, the person who texts them can see through their camera hole. If your cell phone is being hacked, one way you can stop that progressing is by installing anti-virus applications.

Here are 5 steps to hack from the website “Cell Phone Hacking: More Serious Than you Think.” “Hacking most phones is completed in simple, easy to understand steps. However, there are Spy mobile programs that do all the work in less time.”

1. “Acquire the cell phone iPhone IP address. Use the content configuration information to connect to a sftp. Host name is (sftp), username (root) and password is (alpine). This is the most crucial step in setting up the hacking platform.”
2. “Chances are an unknown host key might pop up. This is to be expected. The message reads something like this: You have no guarantee the server is the computer you believe, trust this host and carry on connecting? Do not worry though, just ignore the message and press ok or enter to proceed.”
3. “This step brings up the entire directory listing. Once inside the directory, everything on the phone is visible. What programs are listed, their root extensions, the sizes of the files and more.”
4. “In this step, try to locate the directory which contains the SMS data. This may read something like: /private/var/mobile/library/SMS. Now once the file is in clear view proceed to downloading the phone’s SMS file, which reads: sms.db.”

5.“This is where the hard work pays off. In this step, commence to opening the iphone's sms database. This is accomplished by using a popular SQLite browser. Now select the message on the table that says “HOPP.”

Recent Security Breaches

Recent Security Breaches

By: Declan O’, Sophia C, Sharon F, Lexi L, Pearce B, Euan J, and Gus F

Hackers

As many of you should know, hackers are dangerous to the world of technology.
But what exactly is a hacker? A hacker is a person that illegally tries to gain access
to unauthorized information. With the advancement of technology, hackers are able
to hack into large breaches of data instead of just hacking people one by one. This
can be very harmful to the customers, stock market, and businesses. Nowadays, we
have security officers just to help lower the damage hackers can do and to keep us
and our information safe.

What can Hackers Do?

A list of  things that hackers can do are:

• Obtain and hijack information such as your Social Security number, names, addresses
• , birthdays, passwords, usernames, and more
• Sell your personal information for money
• Create counterfeit, or fake accounts using your information
• Use information for blackmailing
• Make purchases with your money
• Abuse and use your Social Security number
• Shut down websites
• Create “online traffic jams”

Why Do Hackers Do This?

Why do hackers want to cause so much disruption? Instead of looking at hacking
as a threat to the economy, some hackers think of it as more of a hobby and do it
for the enjoyment and for the adrenaline rush of being able to hack into a system.
Hackers also hack to steal information that could be important and crucial to
people. Additionally, they also hack to leak and spread information to undermine
rivaling businesses. One reason they are able to do this are by guessing easy and
simple passwords many people use, which leads us into our next topic.

How to Keep Your Password Safe

Keeping your password safe is very important. Don't use your same password for
many different websites. And don’t use passwords like “password” because people
can easily guess that and then hack you. Some bad passwords include birthdays,
dog’s names, simple, or often used passwords like “123456”. They can take
control over your money and possessions, and you can be in big trouble if they get
your password, so it is important to keep your password protected.

To make safe passwords you can include lowercase and uppercase letters. You can
also use numbers, and symbols like dollar signs, hashtags, and asterisks. Also, you
can make your password longer, but try to remember it!

Recent Security Breaches

There have been many recent security breaches that have impacted many people.
One example of a recent security breach is Target. In the winter of 2013, Target
suffered from a large data hack. The hackers could obtain much as $10,000. The
breach caused as many as 40 million credit and debit cards to be impacted, but that
number grew to 70 million.

Other companies like Yahoo and Equifax recently suffered from large data breach
attacks at similar numbers of costs and number of cards and people impacted.
Equifax is a banking company, and when it got hacked, even people that don’t use
Equifax still were  in danger of getting information leaked. Almost half the U.S.
was impacted by this. Yahoo had all 3 billion people that used it getting
information stolen this year. It was recorded as the biggest hack in history!
You should keep your password safe in order to protect yourself from hackers.

How to Stop Hackers

You can’t exactly stop hackers, but you can prevent them for using your
information. Ways you can monitor your accounts are by checking them daily.
You will be able to tell to see if things have been bought on your credit card that
you or your family did not buy. You also can see if things have changed a lot to see
if someone else had been on your account. You also can have different and random
passcodes that you will remember and the hackers will not.

There is No Flaw in the Code

No one can crack this code. Because of the great advancement of technology
we have today, no one can stop the hackers from hacking because we haven't
found a solution and a way to prevent people from hacking the code. But,
everyday people are making advancements and finding new ways to make codes
better. So, we can only prevent people from accessing information.

When do we Use Cryptography?

We use cryptography when we are trying to keep information safe and secure.
When people are trying to keep information safe,  they normally appoint a chief
information security officer or create different firewalls to keep people  from
viewing the information. People also use cryptography/encryption when making a
mobile phone call.

Conclusion

In conclusion, it is definitely safe to say that modern day hackers are dangerous.
It is impossibly hard to stop hackers, but they are still a threat to businesses and
people today. They can leak personal information, shut down websites,
and create fake IDs using your name. Cryptography and encryption is still
important today because you need to have uncrackable codes to stay safe and
away from hackers who could be a potential threat to you.

        Sources:

• Techopedia

• Hackers

• What can Hackers Do?

• Other things they can do

• Why do hackers hack?

• Another link about RSB

       -   Silicon Valleys Explanation

Wind Talkers

Wind Speakers

By: RJ, Isaac, Alex, Amelia, Evelyn, and Jackson

How it started      
  During World War II, the US and Japan were doing their share of fighting
each other. The Americans were losing badly because the Japanese were
cracking every code thrown at them as easy as pie. Then in February 1442,
retired US Marine corps Philip Johnston had an idea. He visited Camp
Elliot with his idea. He managed to persuade Lieutenant Colonel James E.
Jones to try using the Navajo people as code talkers. They recruited 4
bilingual Navajo natives. On February 28th, they had a demonstration
for marine staff officers. The Navajo code talkers communicated with
radios. Normally, the Japanese and the Germans  would intercept a radio
code and would crack the code if the sender used one, but with the new
code they could send the code without it being intercepted. At the time
the Americans were using a very complex code that was made using a
radio, but when the Navajos land started to get bombed some of them
joined the war and ended up becoming code talkers.

How it influenced cryptography

    The Navajo code had two parts. The first part was a 26 part phonetic
alphabet. They used Navajo names for 18 animals that stood for the
letter they started with. However, for other letters, they had to use other
words. These codes were ice for ‘i’, nut for ‘n’, quiver for ‘q’, ute for ‘u’,
 victor for ‘v’, cross for ‘x’, yucca for ‘y’, and zinc for ‘z’. The second

 part wasa 211 word english vocabulary with Navajo synonyms.

How did it get cracked?
Trick question. It never got cracked, they just released the code after
the war was over. The navajo code greatly affected WWII.If the code
was not made the US would have probably lost the battle of Iwo Jima.
That would mean the the US would have probably lost WWII because
the Japanese would have known what the US battle plan was. However,
if someone had eavesdropped on soldiers taking lessons on the code and
then used that knowledge to listen to the United States soldiers sending
messages then they could decipher the messages and crack the code easily.

Sources

http://www.historynet.com/world-war-ii-navajo-code-talkers.htm

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LN2oKqa1o04

Amelia D.
Evelyn B.
Alex T.
Isaac S.
RJ P.
Jackson K.