Port closure + mobile proxies: a reliable solution for PC protection

The number of offenses that are committed using advanced technologies, in particular those based on the Internet, has recently been at a consistently high level. Therefore, information security has become one of the most important and, one might even say, fundamental moments of the modern world. Judge for yourself: the amount of information about how people transfer their own money to scammers is much more than news about real robberies. Despite the illegality of such actions, the behavior of scammers has its own logic. It is much safer and more efficient to commit crimes remotely than to wander through dark doorways and wastelands in order to take away a purse or jewelry from a negligent passerby.

It is possible to talk indefinitely about the schemes that modern scammers use to lure money from gullible users, which is primarily due to their very large variety. Now we will dwell in more detail on only one point, in particular, the vulnerability of a computer associated with open ports. We will tell you what exactly open ports are dangerous for, and give an example of how attackers use these vulnerabilities. Here are ways to help you close ports. And we will dwell on such a moment as additional protection against network attacks using mobile proxies.

What is the danger of open ports?

We note right away that attackers often use open ports in order to gain access to data. It is implemented through DDOS attacks or the introduction of malicious software onto the user device. That is, using open ports, criminals will be able to gain remote control over your system and only after that inject malware into it. Also, we must not forget that any of your visits to the Internet site leave a significant mark on the day, namely the real IP address of your device. If an attacker gains access to this information, he can launch a DDOS attack, which will make your work on the network impossible.

Here are just a few options for how an attacker can take advantage of open ports:

1. Malware injection. A malicious program is sent to the user device, which gains access to both the system and ports. Next steps — sending yourself to all available addresses already from your device.
2. Brute accounts from accounts. Assumes automatic enumeration of all valid password combinations from the database in order to select the correct one. Today, this database stores about a billion of the most common passwords. Along with the classic "0000" or "1111" this database contains more than enough combinations of alphanumeric passwords. It is highly likely that it also contains the one that you use to access your accounts.
3. DDOS attack on IP address. In this case, it is assumed that multiple requests are sent to the same address, which causes a server or computer failure. This device is physically unable to process such a huge number of input streams. They just don't have the computing power. As a result, freezing and errors appear in the computer.

One of the fairly effective ways to avoid unauthorized access by third parties is to use proxy servers in practice. Even the simplest solution from this segment can provide you with a fairly high level of protection against third-party encroachment. The fact is that such servers will replace your real technical parameters, in particular, the IP-address and geolocation to own data. Thanks to this, your IP will be securely hidden, which means it will not be possible to launch an attack on it.

Once again, we want to draw attention to the fact that if an attacker attacks your device in the form of malware infection, then you automatically become a participant in subsequent DDOS attacks that will be conducted from your device. But even if it happens that the attacker confines himself to this and subsequent infections do not occur, then as such there will be no direct damage to you. But when carrying out attacks, your Internet channel will be subjected to increased loads, which will automatically lead to a significant decrease in the connection speed.

Also, don't forget that older operating systems have a large number of vulnerabilities. That is why experts call regular updating of the operating system to the latest versions released by developers one of the mandatory rules for safe networking. In each such new product, specialists try to close all the vulnerabilities identified so far. This is the main purpose of updating the OS version. But the added new features — it's just a bonus. Therefore, if Windows XP, Windows 7 or Windows 8, Vista is still installed on your computer or laptop, then this is a reason to update them to newer versions as soon as possible.

In macOS and Linux operating systems, the situation is somewhat better in this regard. The fact is that Linux was originally intended for more experienced users for whom the security of networking — this is not an empty phrase. But in macOS, quite serious protection against external threats is already provided at the basic level. Surely you, as users of mac-books, in practice have never encountered the inability to install this or that program without prior intervention in the OS.

How can open ports be used by attackers?

To help you understand that the information we provided — this is not an empty phrase, but a really serious danger, let us draw your attention to a situation that occurred relatively recently. In particular, we are talking about the WannaCry encryptor. This is malicious software that targets devices running on the Windows operating system. In just a few days, over half a million private devices were infected with this application.

In operation, this ransomware was quite simple:

1. Malware scanned user addresses in order to detect open ports responsible for the operation of the SMB protocol: as practice has shown, it often remains open even if the user does not use them at all.
2. Using the identified vulnerability, the virus penetrated the system and from the inside started encrypting all files, except for those that were required to boot the system, maintain its performance and then distribute the malicious product. Also, communication with the computer user was not disabled.
3. In the process of communication, the attackers offered the user to deposit funds in the amount of approximately $300 to certain cryptocurrency wallets. They threatened to double the amount every day. If funds are not deposited in a week, the attackers promised to completely destroy all files on the PC without the possibility of recovering them.

It is impossible to say unequivocally how many people fell for such extortion, since there is no reliable data. The fact is that the WannaCry ransomware worked on the same principle as all ransomware programs, that is, there were no delivery channels for tools that would decrypt user files back. Also, there was no built-in system to keep track of those people who paid the ransom. But according to indirect evidence, with a high degree of certainty, we can say that a fairly large number of people fell into the trap of the attackers.

A word of warning: if you happen to be extorted by Internet intruders, then the only thing you can do in this situation — don't pay money. You still won't get your files back. The developers of such malware often do not provide any feedback channels, because this is the easiest way to identify them. But you need to understand that your safety is in your own hands. What can be done? Here are 3 highlights:

1. Closing ports.
2. We use a mobile proxy in our work.
3. Improve our own computer literacy.

We will dwell on how to close ports in more detail.

Possible ways to close ports

You can use the following methods to close ports on your device:

1. Self-closing. To accomplish this task, you will need to scan open ports. For these purposes, you should use online port scanner. These works involve simply closing applications that use ports. But we must understand that one-time actions are not enough here. You will constantly need to monitor the programs that are used in the work. Another way to close selected — apply the console and command directly to the standard Windows firewall. Using it, you will clearly see which ports are currently open on your device.
2. Using specialized software. According to its principle of operation, this option is quite similar to the first. The only difference — you will not have to do anything on your own, waste time studying the issue. All work will involve running the program and strictly following the instructions step by step.
3. Using firewall/firewall capabilities. This is a dedicated traffic management software with a wide range of tools. Along with monitoring streaming data, it can also identify and block all kinds of network threats, including vulnerabilities operating through open ports. Most firewalls come free for home use. Some of them are already included in anti-virus programs, and some — distributed separately.

The last option is the most preferred. You can evaluate the maximum efficiency of its use in practice together with the use of mobile proxies from the MobileProxy.Space service.

Why mobile proxies from MobileProxy.Space

One of the best solutions for today in the field of ensuring secure and anonymous browsing — using mobile proxies. These are servers with dynamic addresses that can be changed either automatically, or forcibly on a timer when you need it at work. The MobileProxy.Space service offers customers a multifunctional and easy-to-use solution that will provide reliable protection for your device from any unauthorized access and keep your online activities confidential. Also, additional functionality should include bypassing regional locks and the ability to work in multi-threaded mode without the risk of getting banned.

Such mobile proxies work on the technical capabilities of mobile network operators, that is, they use real IP-addresses, which means that the system will not notice any illegal actions on your part. Thanks to the simultaneous work on the HTTP(S) and Socks5 protocols, a high level of security and stability of work, as well as high data transfer speeds are ensured.

Click on https://mobileproxy.space/en/user.html?buyproxy for more details on the features features of this product and order a free two-hour test. This way you can make sure that mobile proxies from the MobileProxy.Space — this is the best of what the modern market offers, including the price.

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