Network attacks

Though less common than malware and social engineering, network-based attacks are still a threat to every computer and mobile user, and everyone should have at least a basic understanding of what they are and how to avoid them. So this month let’s look at how these attacks work, and what you can do to guard against them.

Nmap/port scanning

Port scanning, most commonly done through an app called Nmap, is not an attack per se. It’s an attempt to check your system for attack vectors by seeing which ports you have open on your router and therefore what servers you might have running on your network. Then they can tailor an attack to that kind of server.

For example, if you