A search engine for Hackers – SHODAN

Wouldn’t that be cool if we could get access and control to security cameras, printers, toasters, traffic lights, gas station, nuclear power plant, monitoring stations etc.? Well, that’s exactly, what Shodan does for us. Basically, Shodan is a search engine that help users find specific devices (routers, servers, switches, computers etc.) that are connected to the internet.

This search engine was created by John Matherly and launched back in 2009. What makes Shodan different from other search engine is because of its algorithm, and definitely the way it unites the devices linked with the internet. Some define it as a reconnaissance tool, since it gives information about the open ports, service versions, server information and much more about the specified devices. A penetration tester would use this engine to find the targeted IP information which is publicly exposed. Security researchers would use it to find certain devices or information and generate report and distribute among the security community, whereas the same information could also be used by the black hat community to exploit the targeted network and cause damage to those vulnerable devices.

Most of the connected devices tend to be vulnerable in one way or the other way. A script kiddie with no prior knowledge of how things work, could use this engine and find widely open devices which uses default password or no passwords in some cases and then claim that they have hacked certain devices and act cool among friend circle. Well, isn’t that cool? (And by saying that I don’t motivate you to act illegal) Exactly, that’s what happen and what are happening. Sometimes back, security researchers have found huge number of vulnerable monitoring devices which used default username and default password or no password at all.

Back in the time, people used google dork to find out “How to hack IP camera” or so, but with Shodan you can now act as a Hollywood hacker and act cool (And again by saying this I don’t motivate you to act illegal either). Huge number of devices are widely exploited and used by cyber folks and kids. IP cameras are just a simple example. Not only IP cameras, but the devices I mentioned on the very first sentence are online, can be seen at Shodan, which are widely vulnerable and could easily be exploited with malicious intended folks from the dark.

It is always a best practice to change your default usernames and passwords, close the unused ports, and update your devices to the latest firmware and to the latest kernel release, patch the vulnerability which are made public, do not open any port unless you really need it and at least follow security related news to know what’s going on in the security community.

At last, remember this adage, “Bridge when you can and route when you must.” You might need it someday folks.

Social Impacts of Advances in Communications Technology

Technology these days has revolutionized the world of communication. The world is switching to the different era of modification because of the vastly growing and the wider use of the tech products. Technology now allows people the opportunity to communicate from opposite ends of the globe. Generally, communication and technology encompasses a broad range of mediums, from the internet to radio to television to wireless signal providers.

Social networking site’s seems to be a great place for utilizing the time for people these days. The newly emerging concepts and thoughts are being combined together for the general public’s benefit in the field of communication. These days people of different gender, geography and ethnicity from all over the globe is connected via the internet for communication among their relatives and loved ones. Using these social media and service’s was fairly complex for the people who are far from the world of inner tech as it involved html coding and designing custom pages. Eventually, developments in the field of communications and technology gave birth to the recent sophisticated social networking sites like that of Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp, Google+, and LinkedIn etc. Most of the business organizations and public, use the social networking sites for the advertisement of their goods and products and communicating with their loved ones. Social networking sites as well as e-commerce websites has been a great place for businessman to display their goods and generate income.

Social impacts of the communication technology or social networking are excessive. Facebook has about 864 million daily users on average as of September 2014 data and so does some other top level social networking sites (Facebook team, 2014). The social networking sites as well as electronic device has made the life style of people a lot easier. People of age groups from 10 has been using and taking the advantages of communication technology these days. Despite of general communication, social networking sites like that of Facebook and twitter are being excessively used for scientific communities and research oriented organizations to spread the latest developments in science and technology. Parents and children, teachers and students, staffs and managers are using these sites as a tool to communicate. Many different opportunities for employment also arise and can be found via the internet.

As everything have pros and cons, every single electronic device, websites and servers can be hacked. The priority for the security to the communication and technology should not be neglected. Unprecedented advances in computing, robotics, artificial intelligence hold the potential to radically transform our world for the better and create mass abundance for all. Just because of the rapid development in communications and technology, the public in this world has changed their mind-set for the future and has skilfully developed the way of making use of the resources through the technology today.