enterprise security

Whatsapp security dichttimmeren: stap voor stap (NL)

English version here: https://identityunderground.wordpress.com/2021/06/07/whatsapp-security-lockdown-step-by-step/

Gebruik je WhatsApp, of overweeg je om het te gebruiken (of ben je uitgenodigd door contacten)?

Dan kan de onderstaande checklist je stap-per-stap in detail uitleggen om

  • te evalueren of het de moeite waard is om WhatsApp te gebruiken, en
  • de beveiliging van je WhatsApp dicht te timmeren, om zo veilig mogelijk te blijven als je Whatsapp wil gebruiken.

Download dit article

At the end of this article, you can also find the download link for an offline version of this article.

Als je echt om privacy geeft en het is van het grootste belang…

Zoals hieronder uitgelegd, kun je WhatsApp zeker beveiligen, maar ze hebben nog steeds je gegevens en metadata en ze definiëren de regels waarmee WhatsApp de show uitvoert. En dat kan veranderen, wanneer ze maar willen.

En je moet weten dat WhatsApp eigendom is van en wordt beheerd door Facebook. En Facebook heeft al bewezen dat ze een echt slechte reputatie hebben als het gaat om privacy …

Als je echt niet wilt toegeven qua privacy, kijk dan eens naar alternatieven die niet zijn gebouwd door bedrijven die geld verdienen met je persoonlijke gegevens… (zie einde van dit artikel).

Het is aan jou om te beslissen welk risico je wilt nemen. Als je het gebruik van WhatsApp en je privacy wilt afwegen tegen de best mogelijke beveiliging, lees dan verder.

Als je om privacy geeft en toch Whatsapp wilt gebruiken

End-to-end encryptie

Het goede nieuws is dat WhatsApp een end-to-end encryptie gebruikt.

En hoewel Facebook of andere partijen mogelijk niet meeluisteren met uw gesprekken, kunnen de contactgegevens, de metagegevens (de gegevens over uw gesprekken) worden onderschept en eigendom zijn van / worden beheerd door Facebook / WhatsApp.

Verder is het belangrijk om te weten dat encryptie NIET van toepassing is op de WhatsApp back-ups.

Zoals hieronder wordt uitgelegd, kunt u dus overwegen whatsApp-back-up uit te schakelen om uw gegevens te beschermen.

En als je er toch voor wilt kiezen om WhatsApp te gebruiken, kun je de privacy en beveiliging in alle lagen van de applicatie beter vergrendelen.

Algemene beveiligingsregels

Minimaliseer uw gegevens

Over het algemeen is het altijd slim om uw gegevens in de applicatie te minimaliseren.

  • Geef geen persoonsgegevens weg
  • houd uw profielgegevens tot het minimum dat nodig is

Ga naar het WhatsApp status tabblad (rechts naast chats)

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is whatsapp_settings1.png

en klik vervolgens op “Instellingen” (Settings)

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is whatsapp_personal-info-1.png

Ook, heel belangrijk, beperk het delen van persoonlijke gegevens, er is een specifieke set opties in het gedeelte Privacy.

  • uw profiel alleen delen met vertrouwde contactpersonen
  • De publicatie van
    • “laatst gezien” tijdstempel
    • profielfoto
    • status
    • groepen
    • live locatie
    • …

Stel voor elk van deze opties de juiste keuze in om delen uit te schakelen.

Kies “Alleen delen met…” (Only Share with…) > geen contactpersonen selecteren (of enkel een beperkte set vertrouwde contactpersonen)

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is whatsapp_status-privacy.png

Resultaat

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is whatsapp_settings_privacy.png

Zorg er ook voor dat u het “Vingerafdrukslot” (Fingerprint lock) inschakelt, indien beschikbaar op uw smartphone.

Koperstip: voor de volgende smartphoneaankoop moet u rekening houden met de beschikbaarheid van een vingerafdrukscanner op uw telefoon.

Houd de app up-to-date

Werk uw apps continu bij, incl. WhatsApp, naar de nieuwste versie, om ervoor te zorgen dat alle beveiligingsfouten of beveiligingsproblemen meteen worden opgelost.

De meeste beveiligingsinbreuken of hacks richten zich specifiek op verouderde software.

Hoe u uw WhatsApp-beveiliging kunt vergrendelen, de controlelijst

Zonder beveiligingsconfiguratie is het vrij eenvoudig om een WhatsApp-account te kapen, omdat de eerste registratie alleen is gebaseerd op mobiele nummerregistratie en / of sms (kort bericht).

Dit maakt de eerste WhatsApp-gebruiker extreem gevoelig voor accountovername. Wees niet het volgende slachtoffer en vergrendel WhatsApp vanaf het eerste gebruik.

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is whatsapp_settings_account-2.png

Whatsapp tweestapsverificatie (2FA) of multifactorauthenticatie (MFA) inschakelen

Allereerst moet je MFA inschakelen, het is een must.

Wanneer je 2FA / MFA inschakelt op de WhatsApp-instellingen, voorkom je dat iemand anders gewoon je telefoonnummer of WhatsApp-account kan overnemen.

Gebruik de sterke authenticatie van je telefoon

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is whatsapp_settings_2fa.png

E-mailadres registreren voor je account

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is whatsapp_settings_2fa_mail.png

Een pincode instellen

Houd er rekening mee dat de pincode in WhatsApp geen inlogmethode is, maar een herstel- / herinstallatiefunctie.

Meer info: https://faq.whatsapp.com/android/security-and-privacy/adding-a-password/?lang=en

Maar u kunt de smartphonebeveiliging gebruiken om toegang tot toepassingen in te schakelen.

Het wordt sterk aangeraden om 2FA of MFA (multifactorauthenticatie, zoals uitgelegd in eerdere paragrafen) in te schakelen.

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is whatsapp_settings_2fa_pin.png

Whatsapp-tweestaps- of multifactorauthenticatie inschakelen

Gebruik telefoon sterke authenticatie

Vingerafdruk

Binnen de privacy-instellingen vindt u de optie “Vingerafdrukvergrendeling” (als uw smartphone de vingerafdrukscanner aan boord heeft).

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is whatsapp_fingerprint.png

Ga naar Instellingen > Account > Privacy om de vingerafdrukvergrendeling in te schakelen

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is whatsapp_settings_privacy_fp.png

Selecteer vervolgens de laatste optie (Vingerafdrukvergrendeling)

In dit vingerafdrukvergrendelingsmenu kunt u de ontgrendeling inschakelen en de time-outperiode kiezen. Hou het kort.

(Misschien is “meteen”/”immediately” een beetje lastig, zet ‘m dan op 1 minuut bijvoorbeeld…)

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is whatsapp_privacy_fingerprint.png

De beveiligingsmeldingen inschakelen

In de account settings

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is whatsapp_settings_account.png

er is een beveiligingsoptie

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is whatsapp_settings_security.png

Zorg ervoor dat u de optie “Beveiligingsmeldingen weergeven” inschakelt.

Dit zorgt ervoor dat u meldingen ontvangt wanneer de beveiligingscode van uw contacten verandert.

De privacy-instellingen vergrendelen

Verwijder overbodige persoonsgegevens uit uw profiel

Er is niet veel informatie die u zelf aan uw profiel kunt toevoegen.

Houd het tot het strikte minimum, en ik stel ook voor om geen persoonlijke foto toe te voegen, maar eerder een algemene foto.

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is whatsapp_settings_account-1.png

Schakel in de privacyinstellingen alle publicatie van uw profielgegevens uit.

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is whatsapp_settings_privacy-1.png

Locatietracking stoppen

Een belangrijke optie in de vorige lijst is ook het uitschakelen van locatietracking (“Live locatie”).

Back-up uitschakelen

Hoewel WhatsApp end-to-end-codering gebruikt voor zijn berichten, wordt de codering niet gehandhaafd wanneer de gegevens in de back-up worden opgeslagen

Als u zich echt zorgen maakt over privacy en beveiliging, schakelt u de back-up uit.

Trouwens, als u het verlopen van het bericht activeert, is de back-up toch overbodig…

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is whatsapp_settings_account2.png

Select de “Chats” optie

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is whatsapp_chats.png

Kies in de chatoptie de optie “Chat back-up”

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is whatsapp_backup1.png

In de Google drive settings (tenminste voor Android devices), selecteer “Backup to Google Drive” en selecteer dan “Nooit/Never”.

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is whatsapp_backup.png

Berichtvervaltijd inschakelen (berichten verdwijnen)

Als u het verlopen van berichten wilt inschakelen, moet u dit instellen op accountniveau van uw contactpersoon of op groepsniveau

Er is geen algemene beveiligingsinstelling en u kunt deze ook niet instellen op berichtniveau.

Waarschuwing

Houd er rekening mee dat het verdwijnen van berichten in WhatsApp enkele problemen kan hebben: https://www.androidauthority.com/whatsapp-disappearing-messages-feature-1173692/

Op contactniveau

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is whatsapp_contact_group_setting.png

Berichtvervaltijd op groepsniveau inschakelen

You can set the same options on group level too.

It’s highly suggested to enable these group options, and make sure information is not kept longer as needed.

Andere operationele beveiligingstaken

Verouderde leden uit groepen verwijderen

Het is heel belangrijk om groepen die u beheert te bewaken en overbodige leden zo snel mogelijk te verwijderen.

Zo voorkom je dat er gegevens ‘lekken’ naar deelnemers die die informatie niet nodig hebben.

Groepen verlaten die u niet meer gebruikt

Controleer groepen waarvan u lid bent en sluit deze groepen af/afsluit deze groepen als u ze niet meer nodig hebt, als u geen informatie meer wilt delen of als u niet wilt dat leden uw informatie/berichten zien.

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is whatsapp_leave-group.png

Zo voorkomt u dat u gegevens ‘lekt’ naar deelnemers om u te zien of te volgen.

Verzoek om toegang tot gegevens

Als je de informatie wilt controleren die WhatsApp over je weet, kun je een kopie van die infromation aanvragen

Ga naar je accountinstellingen

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is whatsapp_settings_requestinfo.png

En klik vervolgens op de optie “Informatie aanvragen”

Overweeg om andere tools te gebruiken, enkele alternatieven

Source:

Als je echt niet wilt toegeven aan privacy, kijk dan eens naar alternatieven die niet zijn gebouwd door bedrijven die geld verdienen met je persoonlijke gegevens…

Referenties

Whatsapp

Jezelf beschermen tegen WhatsApp-hacks

Uw gestolen account herstellen

Andere bronnen – aanvullende referenties die je kan raadplegen

Download

Dit artikel in het Nederlands kan je in PDF downloaden via deze link:

https://identityunderground.files.wordpress.com/2021/06/whatsapp-security-lockdown-step-by-step-nl-v1.pdf

Whatsapp security lockdown step-by-step

(NL versie vind je hier: https://identityunderground.wordpress.com/2021/06/07/whatsapp-security-dichttimmeren-stap-voor-stapnl/)

Are you using WhatsApp, or considering (or invited to, by contacts)?

Then the checklist below should provide you with detailed steps to

  • consider if it’s worth using WhatsApp
  • lock down the security of your WhatsApp to keep as secure as possible

Download this article

At the end of this article, you can also find the download link for an offline version of this article.

If you really care about privacy and it’s paramount…

As explained below you surely can lockdown WhatsApp, but they still have your data and metadata and they define the rules by which WhatsApp runs the show. And that can change, whenever they want.

And you should know that WhatsApp is owned and managed by Facebook.
And Facebook already has proven to maintain a really bad reputation when it comes down to privacy…

If you really do not want to give in on privacy, better check for alternatives that are not built by companies that make money with your personal data… (see end of this article).

It’s up to you to decide what risk you want to take. If you want to balance the use of WhatsApp and your privacy with the best possible security, continue to read.

If you care about privacy and still want to use Whatsapp

End-to-end encryption

The good news is, WhatsApp is using an end-to-end encryption.

And although Facebook or other parties might not listen in on your conversations, the contact data, the meta data (the data about your conversations) might be intercepted, and is owned/managed by Facebook/WhatsApp.

Furthermore it’s important to know that encryption DOES NOT apply to the WhatsApp backups.

So, as explained below, you might consider disabling WhatsApp backup to protect your data.

And if you still want to choose to use WhatsApp, better lock down the privacy and security in all layers of the application.

General security rules

Minimize your data

In general it’s always smart, to minimize your data in the application.

  • Don’t give away personal data
  • keep your profile data to the minimum needed

Go to the WhatsApp status tab

then click “Settings”

Also, very important, limit personal data sharing, there is a specific set of options in the Privacy section.

  • only share your profile with trusted contacts
  • Disable the publication of
    • “last seen” time stamp
    • profile photo
    • status
    • groups
    • live location
    • …

For each of these options set the right choice to disable sharing.

Choose “Only Share with…” > do not select any contacts (or a limited set of trusted contacts)

Result

Also make sure to enable the “Fingerprint lock” if available on your smartphone.

Buyers tip: for next smartphone purchase you must consider the availability of a fingerprint scanner on your phone.

Keep the app up to date

Continuously update your apps, incl. WhatsApp, to the latest version, to make sure that all security bugs or security issues are fixed right away.

Most of security breaches or hacks do specifically target outdated software.

How to lock down your WhatsApp security, the check list

Without security configuration it’s fairly easy to hijack a WhatsApp account, as the initial registration is only based on mobile number registration and/or SMS (short message).

This makes the initial WhatsApp user extremely sensitive to account take over. Don’t be the next victim, and lock down WhatsApp from the first use.

Enable Whatsapp Two-step (2FA) or multifactor authentication (MFA)

First of all you need to enable MFA, it’s a must.

When you enable 2FA/MFA on the WhatsApp settings, you avoid that someone else simply can take over your phone number or WhatsApp account.

Use phone strong authentication

Register email address to the account

Set a pin/password

Be aware that the PIN in WhatsApp is not a login method but a recovery/reinstallation feature.

More info: https://faq.whatsapp.com/android/security-and-privacy/adding-a-password/?lang=en

But you can use the smartphone security to enable application access security.

It’s strongly suggested to enable 2FA or MFA (multifactor authentication, as explained in previous paragraphs.

Enable Whatsapp Two-step or multifactor authentication

Use phone strong authentication

Finger print

Within the privacy settings, you can find the option “Fingerprint lock” (if your smartphone has the fingerprint scanner on board).

To enable the fingerprint lock, Go to Settings > Account > Privacy

Then select the last option (Fingerprint lock)

In this Fingerprint lock menu, you can enable the unlock and choose the time-out period. Keep it short.

(Maybe immediately is a bit inconvenient…)

Enable the security notifications

In the account settings

there is a security option

Make sure to enable the “Show Security notifications” option.

This will make sure you get notifications when the security code of your contacts change.

Lock down the privacy settings

Remove redundant personal data from your profile

There is not a lot of info you can add to your profile yourself.

Keep it to the strict minimum, and I also would suggest not to add a personal photo, but rather a general photo.

In the privacy settings, disable all publication of your profile data.

Stop location tracking

An important option in previous list is also to disable location tracking (“Live location”).

Disable backup

Although WhatsApp is using end-to-end encryption for it’s messaging, the encryption is not maintained when the data is stored in the backup

If you really are concerned about privacy and security, you disable the backup.

By the way, if you activate message expiration, the backup is redundant anyway…

Select the “Chats” option

In the chats option, choose the “Chat backup” option

In the Google drive settings (at least for Android devices), select “Backup to Google Drive” and then select “‘Never”.

Enable message expiration (disappearing messages)

To enable message expiration, you’ll need to set it on the account level of your contact or on group level

There is no general security setting, nor can you set it on the message level.

Warning

Please be aware that disappearing messages in WhatsApp might have some issues: https://www.androidauthority.com/whatsapp-disappearing-messages-feature-1173692/

On contact level

Enable message expiration on group level

You can set the same options on group level too.

It’s highly suggested to enable these group options, and make sure information is not kept longer as needed.

Other operational security tasks

Remove obsolete members from groups

It’s quite important to monitor groups you manage and remove redundant members as soon as possible.

This way you avoid ‘leaking’ data to participants who do not need that information.

Leave groups you don’t use anymore

Monitor groups you are member of, and you should quit/exit these groups if you do not need them anymore, or you do not want to share information anymore, or if you don’t want members to see your information/messages.

This way you avoid ‘leaking’ data to participants to see you or track you.

Data access request

If you want to check the information that WhatsApp knows about you, you can request a copy of that infromation

Go to your account settings

And then click the “Request Information option”

Consider to use other tools, some alternatives

Source:

If you really do not want to give in on privacy, better check for alternatives that are not built by companies that make money with your personal data…, like

Reference

Whatsapp

Protecting yourself from WhatsApp hacking

Recover your stolen account

Other sources – additional references you can check

Download

The current article is available for download here: https://identityunderground.files.wordpress.com/2021/06/whatsapp-security-lockdown-step-by-step.pdf

Note-to-self: 2019 …cost of a data breach…

Many InfoSec and data protection or privacy courses reference 3 authoritative yearly reports that show interesting numbers, statistics and trends about breaches year over year.

And these are extremely useful to talk about to your management…

Interesting to know they all have been updated for 2019.

1. Verizon DBIR

(The Verizon Data breach Investigations Report, DBIR)

https://enterprise.verizon.com/resources/reports/2019-data-breach-investigations-report.pdf (click the view only option)

2. IBM-Ponemon – Cost of a data breach report 2019

https://www.ibm.com/downloads/cas/ZBZLY7KL

(You can always use the official link and give away your privacy…at https://www.ibm.com/security/data-breach)

3. IAPP-EY Annual Governance Report 2019

(IAPP members get it for free)

Hint: the IAPP link below also shows reports of previous years.

https://iapp.org/resources/article/iapp-ey-annual-governance-report-2019/

V2018 also available from the EY website: https://assets.ey.com/content/dam/ey-sites/ey-com/en_gl/topics/financial-services/ey-iapp-ey-annual-privacy-gov-report-2018.pdf

June 2017: @TroyHunt is back in Belgium for his workshop ‘Hack Yourself First’. Wanna join?

ZIONSECURITY will be welcoming Troy Hunt again. The 1st and 2nd of June, he will be leading a ‘Hack Yourself First’ workshop where he will teach professionals how to break into their own applications. Find out the program and register here!

#update: download the flyer with program and details here: Flyer Troy Hunt June.

I have been there the last time, it was great fun, lots of interaction. And I certainly would recommend you to join.

What if you really wanna join, but your boss is not willing to sponsor? (While he SHOULD!).
Or any other silly reason you can’t attend?

Well, you know, if you can provide me a very good, strong, original and unique argument why you MUST be at this workshop, you might be lucky.

You know the channels to reach out to me and test your luck.

Some suggestion, send me a direct message:
1. Comment on this post,

2. mail me, tweet me (direct message!), F@ceBook me, LinkedIn …

Convince me and it could be you sitting at the first row.

Note-to-self: Strenghten your Intune/SCEP with ADCS

Recently I got a question from a customer about SCEP.
SCEP as in “Simple Certificate Enrollment Protocol”, not “System Center Endpoint protection”.

Pretty important difference, although SC (System Center as in SCCM) is involved in this case.

Background:
customer investigating integration of ADCS (Active Directory Certificate Services) with Intune.

Case:
Customer found an interesting article: “Simple Certificate Enrollment Protocol (SCEP) does not strongly authenticate certificate requests” (http://www.kb.cert.org/vuls/id/971035)

In short, the article mentions (quote):

“SCEP was designed for use “…in a closed environment” and is not well suited for MDM and “bring your own device” (BYOD) applications where untrusted users and devices are in use.

When a user or a device requests a certificate, the SCEP implementation may require a challenge password. It may be possible for a user or device to take their legitimately acquired SCEP challenge password and use it to obtain a certificate that represents a different user with a higher level of access such as a network administrator, or to obtain a different type of certificate than what was intended.”

In Windows Server 2012 R2 the Active Directory Certificate Services (AD CS), NDES supports a policy module that provides additional security SCEP.

Windows Server 2012 R2 AD CS NDES does not ship with a policy module. You must create it yourself or obtain it as part of a software solution from a MDM vendor.

Microsoft Intune DOES HAVE that module.

But how do you integrate your ADCS with Intune?
Well, here’s the interesting stuff, there is a bunch of interesting reading and even step-by-step guides available from one of our Microsoft colleagues.
Just to be clear: all credits go to the original authors of ALL these articles I point you to.

But I thinks the links below must be in your favorites collection.

The technical background info you can find on TechNet had an update, recently:

If you really want to dive into it, with practical hands-on, please check this out (credits to Pieter Wigleven)

Pieter has put quite some effort to document the procedures step-by-step with very interesting screenshots.
Enjoy and share!

Note-to-self: Download free DLA Piper legal start-up pack with legal rules of thumb and templates.

Source: http://trends.knack.be/economie/bedrijven/gratis-juridisch-start-up-pack-voor-technologiestarters/article-normal-541367.html

“This Start-up Pack has been designed and prepared by the (DLA PIPER) Technology Sector initiative, which includes lawyers with experience in intellectual property, corporate, employment and tax matters.

The purpose of this Start-up Pack is to provide assistance and support to early stage start-ups who are looking to establish their business on a more formal basis. Creating the right legal framework and ensuring that the business is protected at the outset is vital for a start-up to achieve its full potential.”

Note-to-self: using Honeypot to detect Mimikatz Use On Your Network

Source: https://isc.sans.edu/diary/Detecting+Mimikatz+Use+On+Your+Network/19311

In short:”… Here is the idea.   You stage these fake credentials in the memory of computers you suspect might be the initial entry point on your network.   Perhaps all the computers sitting in your DMZ.    For a great deception my friend Rob Fuller (@mubix) is toying with the idea of putting this into the logon scripts to stage fake workstation administrator accounts on all the machines in your network.  Then you would setup alerts on your network that detect the use of the fake accounts.    Be sure to choose a username that an attacker will think is valid and will have high privileges on your domain. …”

 

Note-to-self: Just Enough Administration Whitepaper

Source: https://gallery.technet.microsoft.com/Just-Enough-Administration-6b5ad370

Short URL: http://aka.ms/JEA

From the introduction: ”

In the current world of Information Technology, protective measures do not stop at the network edge. Recent news reports based on security breach post-mortems indicate the need to protect assets using measures that reduce administrative access. While the principle of least privilege has always been known to IT Security professionals, there is a need in the industry for a standardized method of constructing an operator experience that reduces access with a more sophisticated level of granularity than what is available in many traditional access control models.

Just Enough Administration (JEA) is a solution designed to help protect Server systems. This is accomplished by allowing specific users to perform administrative tasks on servers without giving them administrator rights, and then auditing all actions that these users performed. JEA is based on Windows PowerShell constrained runspaces, a technology that is already being used to secure administrative tasks in environments such as Microsoft Exchange Online.”

For the latest information, please see http://blogs.msdn.com/powershell/ and http://aka.ms/buildingclouds

Don’t need to tell you that you should definitely save these in your favorites. (Well, just did it… so no excuses..)

Note-to-self: free Executive Guide: IT-security en riskmanagement #ZDNet

Source: http://www.zdnet.be/continuity/159407/gratis-executive-guide-it-security-en-riskmanagement

As add-on to their free seminar on businesscontinuity (11/dec) ZDNet offers a free guide on IT-security and riskmanagement.

It offers 10 IT-riskmanagement domains that are often forgotten. The guide also offers a simplified framework on IT Risk management for SMB.

Further more the guide discusses useful topics on risk management, to determine the possible risks and how to implement control mechanisms on insider threats.

Download the executive guide here.