Cybermini Articles

Email Security Checklist The Email Security Checklist 1. Enable SPF (Sender Policy Framework) What it is: SPF is like a guest list for your email domain. It tells the world that only specific servers are allowed to send email for your domain. How it works: Publish an SPF record in DNS. When someone receives an email claiming to be from your domain, their mail server checks if the sending IP is listed in the SPF record. If the IP is not listed, the email is rejected or marked as spam. Example SPF record: v=spf1 ip4:203.0.113.0/24 include:_spf.google.com -all Only servers in the specified IP range and Google’s mail servers can send emails for this domain. Others are rejected. Points to Note: Prevents attackers from spoofing your domain and sending phishing or spam emails. 2. Enable DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail) What it is: DKIM is a digital signature for each email, ensuring that the message hasn’t been tampered with. Ho...

Kubernetes Basics for DevOps & DevSecOps Kubernetes Basics for DevSecOps 1. Introduction to Kubernetes In the early days of deploying applications, we used to run them directly on physical servers. This approach was inflexible and inefficient — if one application needed more resources, it could starve others. Virtual machines (VMs) improved this by isolating workloads, but they were heavy and took time to provision. Then came containers. Containers are lightweight, portable, and can run anywhere — your laptop, a server in the cloud, or even a Raspberry Pi. But managing containers at scale quickly becomes a nightmare. Imagine you have 500 containers — how do you start them, stop them, update them, and ensure they recover from failures automatically? Enter Kubernetes — an open-source container orchestration platform that automates deployment, scaling, and management of containerized applications. It was originally developed by Google and i...

Docker Basics and Docker Compose Explained Docker Through My Lens Introduction to Docker Docker is a platform designed to create, deploy, and run applications inside containers. Containers bundle an application with all its dependencies, ensuring consistency across different environments. Unlike virtual machines, containers are lightweight and share the host operating system kernel, making them efficient for development, testing, and deployment. Basic Docker Commands To start using Docker, here are some essential commands: docker run [image] – Runs a container from the specified image. docker ps – Lists running containers. docker ps -a – Lists all containers, including stopped ones. docker stop [container_id] – Stops a running container. docker rm [container_id] – Removes a container. docker images – Lists available Docker images. docker rmi [image_id] – Removes a Docker image. Creating Your First Docker Container You can run ...

Perimeter security isn’t enough—because sometimes the threat is already inside. In this blog post, I’m sharing what I learned from a hands-on TryHackMe lab on GitLab security . It revealed how a simple internal misconfiguration—like open registration or overly permissive repo access—can lead to major data exposure inside an organization. I’ll walk you through the red team perspective on exploiting a misconfigured GitLab instance , and then flip the script to explain how you can secure your own internal build systems . Scenario: Inside the Walls of a Large Organization Think of a large organization—like a bank—with thousands of employees and multiple teams handling development, IT operations, and security. To keep intellectual property (IP) secure, these organizations often host self-managed GitLab instances on their internal network. But here’s where things can go wrong: GitLab is hosted internally Allows anyone on the internal network to register Has some projects...

Advanced Cyber Threat Intelligence 1. Introduction to the Intelligence Lifecycle The course begins by outlining the intelligence lifecycle, a structured approach comprising: Collection: Gathering raw data from various sources. Processing: Organizing and structuring the collected data. Analysis: Interpreting processed data to generate actionable intelligence. Dissemination: Sharing intelligence with relevant stakeholders. This framework ensures a systematic method for developing and leveraging threat intelligence programs. 2. Data Collection Sources Effective threat intelligence begins with robust data collection from both internal and external sources: Internal Sources: Endpoint Logs: Data from devices within the organization. Network Traffic: Information from firewalls, routers, and switches. Security Tools: Outputs from SIEMs, IDS/IPS, and antivirus solutions. External Sources: Private Feeds: Subscript...

📚 My Cybersecurity Learning Journey Key Topics from a 17-Hour Security+ Course 🔹 CIA Triad Explained Confidentiality: Ensuring that sensitive data is only accessed by authorized users. This is often achieved using encryption and access controls. Integrity: Ensuring data is accurate and untampered. Techniques like hashing, checksums, and digital signatures help validate that data hasn't been altered. Availability: Making sure systems and data are accessible when needed. Achieved through backups, redundancy, load balancing, and fault-tolerant design. 🔹 Types of Threats Malware: Includes viruses, ransomware, worms, and trojans that compromise devices or networks. Social Engineering: Manipulating users into giving up confidential info. Example: Phishing emails. Insider Threats: Employees or contractors misusing access, accidentally or intentionally. Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs): Long-term targeted attacks, often by well-funded threat actors. Zero...

Beware of Instagram Shopping Scams: Tips to Stay Safe In recent years, Instagram has evolved into a popular marketplace, allowing users to discover and purchase products directly through the platform. While this has made shopping more convenient, it has also opened the door to a rise in scams and fraudulent activities. Here’s what you need to know about Instagram shopping scams and how to protect yourself. What Are Instagram Shopping Scams? Instagram shopping scams typically involve fake accounts or websites that mimic legitimate brands. Scammers often create attractive posts featuring trendy products at unbeatable prices, luring unsuspecting shoppers into making purchases. Once you’ve placed an order, you might receive subpar merchandise, or worse, nothing at all. I'm receiving a lot of calls nowadays about scams, and people are asking how they can get a refund and whether there is any chance of getting their money back. Common Types of Scams are Fake Accounts, Phishing Links and ...