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hackers Tag

28 Aug

Posted at 10:17h in Blog Post
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You’ve likely seen news coverage of ransomware targeting large companies or hospitals. Maybe you’ve seen Homeland when Claire Danes’ character falls victim to laptop ransomware during a surveillance mission. But did you know that ransomware attackers can also target your smartphone? A smartphone, after all, is a portable computer in your palm. Take a moment to imagine being locked out of your own phone. The hackers could gain access to your saved passwords and emails. You could lose access to your contacts, notes, and images, and even your three years’ worth of effort on Candy Crush. What You Need to Know About Smartphone Ransomware Also known as mobile ransomware, these attacks infect your smartphone. Instead of stealing the actual device, the bad actors take it hostage. They typically encrypt your data and make it so you can’t do anything. It may not be as widely publicized, but there’s already a long list of smartphone ransomware programs. The list continues to grow with examples such as ScarePackage, LeakerLocker, and LockerPin. ScarePackage can infect more than 900,000 phones in a single month. And before you think, “That won’t happen on my iPhone,” know that no smartphone manufacturer is secure. The type of ransomware may vary due to the different operating systems, but you can be at risk on both Android and an iPhone. Unlike other malware, the hackers usually want you to know they’ve gained control. Typically, they will notify you on your lock screen or home screen. You’ll often see a list of demands and a deadline to comply. That said, some mobile ransomware stealthily steals your data. What To Do About Mobile Ransomware The first thing to do? Be cautious. Keep these best practices in mind always: Regularly update your device's operating system and applications to patch any security vulnerabilities. Exercise caution when downloading or installing apps from untrusted sources. Avoid clicking on suspicious links or opening email attachments from unknown senders. Enable app and system updates to ensure you have the latest security patches. If you become a ransomware victim, try to disconnect your device from the internet. Turning off Wi-Fi and mobile data limits communication with the attacker’s server. Avoid paying the ransom. It’s tempting but not recommended. You are counting on hackers to keep their word and provide the encryption key. You can find decryption tools online for less complex ransomware. If the ransomware came from a malicious app, immediately delete that app if you can. What you can do will depend on the specific ransomware variety. In general, it's best to seek professional help. Work with an IT expert who can remove ransomware without further compromising your device. We can also help you restore clean, unaffected backups. Contact us today at 570-235-1946 or by filling out a contact form....

09 Oct

Posted at 09:00h in Blog Post
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6 Simple Tips to Protect Customer Data In this day and age, businesses must protect customer data. As cyber-attacks continue to make headlines, hackers are exposing or selling customer data files in record numbers. But just like with any threat, there are actions you can take to minimize risk and ensure your business retains a positive reputation among customers. Stop Using the Same Password Repeatedly Set a mandate for all staff that passwords must be unique for each user and for your workplace. That means it can’t be remotely like the one on their home PC, tablet or online banking. Passwords are hacked more than ever, so when you’re prompted for a password change, dig deep and really think about what goes into a hacker-proof password. If remembering them is a problem, consider one of the latest password management tools. Go On a Shredding Spree How much sensitive data is being dumped into the recycling bin? Valuable customer data is often taken from the bins of small businesses and quickly sold or published. It’s not just good practice to shred sensitive documents, it’s the law. Take 5 seconds to run documents through the shredder or book in the services of a secure shredding company. Ditch the Accounting Spreadsheets Still using an Excel doc for all your number-crunching? Besides making your accountant’s job harder (and more expensive), you’re opening your business to a massive range of vulnerabilities. Even with password-protection, spreadsheets aren’t designed to safeguard your financials or those of your clients. Upgrade to a proper accounting solution with built-in customer data protections and security guarantees. Train Staff Explicitly You can’t rely on common sense because what you think is a given might be news to someone else. It can be extremely beneficial to hold special data-safety training sessions once or twice a year as a reminder, as well as take the time to induct new staff into the way things are done. Limit Access to Data Just like the bank manager who guards the keys to the vault, you can limit who accesses your data. Revoke employee access as soon as they leave your business for good, and set rules around who can access what – and when. Do they need access to sensitive information while working from home? Should they be able to change the files, or only view them? Keep Software Updated Possibly the most preventable hack, having outdated software can be an open invitation for cyber-criminals. They look for known weaknesses in business software and waltz right in. While the nagging pop-ups and reminders to update can feel like a selling ploy, they’re actually helping your business to stay in the safe zone. Updated software gives you protection against new viruses and hacking techniques, plus closes off those nasty weaknesses. If you would like to make sure your business is secure from data breaches, give us a call at 570.235.1946 or visit our Contact Page...

14 Jun

Posted at 09:00h in Blog Post
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Stay safe from cyber attacks while traveling for business. Managers, owners, and employees are all embracing the flexibility of working while traveling, making it the new global norm. While you were in the office, you were protected by professionally designed firewalls, security infrastructure, and robust software. As soon as you step away from the building, those protections disappear, leaving your device and the data inside at risk. Cyber attackers love to collect any data they can obtain, often preferring to hack first, assess value later. Almost all data can be sold, including your personal details, those of your clients and suppliers, as well as your proprietary business data. The information stored on your device is usually worth much more than the device itself. Here are 3 ways a hacker will attack: Flaunting Opportunity: Whether your employee left their laptop at a café or a thief stole the device, the outcome is the same – that device is gone. Hackers will take advantage of any opportunity to gain access to a device, including taking them from hotel rooms and even asking to ‘borrow’ them for a few minutes to install spyware. Spoofing a Wi-Fi Hotspot: We’ve all come to expect free Wi-Fi networks wherever we go. Hackers will take advantage of this trust to create their own free, unsecure network, just waiting for a traveler to check a quick email. Intercepting an Unsecure Network: Hackers don’t need to own the Wi-Fi network to steal content from it. Data traveling across an unsecure network is visible and available to anyone with the right software. It’s okay, you don’t need to lock all employees inside the building or cancel all travel plans. Taking these four precautions will increase cyber safety and help protect your business data while on the go. Create backup before travelling: In the event your device is lost or damaged,  you can replace the device with a new one. Don’t use public Wi-Fi: Wait until you have access to a secure network before going online. Use passwords and encryption: Secure your device with a password or full drive encryption. Act fast after loss: If your device is lost or stolen, immediately notify the appropriate people. This includes your IT provider, your bank, and any staff who need to be aware of the breach. Need help with mobile cyber security? Call us at 570.235.1946 or visit our Contact Page...

23 Jan

Posted at 09:00h in Blog Post
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Will That Click Cost You Thousands? Just one click can cost thousands. Ransomware has undeniably been the biggest security threat of 2016. No-one was safe. Hackers targeted everyone and everything, including home PCs, earning themselves upwards of $846million from US reported incidents alone. Business is booming for hackers, with thousands of attacks each day bringing in an average of $640 per target. More alarmingly, the financial cost of each individual attack is on the rise. The more ransomware proves to be an easy earner for them, the more they demand each time. For a quick payday, some hackers offer to ‘rescue’ you from immediate danger – for a fee. One method is to trick you into thinking you have a virus that will spread if you don’t pay money to remove it immediately. Another much scarier method is to pretend to be the FBI and say your computer was involved in a crime (anything from money laundering to child pornography) and you can avoid going to prison by paying a few hundred dollars. Thousands of regular people are also waking up every day to discover they’ve been locked out of their own files. Entire music and video libraries, digital photos from the past 5 years, personal budget files and even their secret novel draft …all held hostage until the user pays a ransom. The encryption is so strong and unbreakable that paying the ransom often becomes the only solution. Ways Ransomware Gets Into PCs The way ransomware gets onto your computer is deviously simple. Generally, the hackers convince you to click an email attachment/link or pop-up. With both approaches, the hacker usually offers helpful information, for example: Tracking an unclaimed parcel Alerting that a virus was found and needs to be removed Advising details of a recent traffic fine It’s so tempting to click through for more details and that’s what the hackers count on. Their messages and pop-ups aren’t obvious threats and so slip easily under our radar. Unfortunately, they’re not the most trustworthy bunch so paying may not actually unlock your files, and one payment can quickly become several. To make matters worse, they can encrypt any backups connected to your computer too, like a USB drive. Having a backup is super important in any situation, but in cases like this, the right backup is needed. Not only one stored separate from your network, but one created recently with all the files you can’t bear to lose. Before restoring your backup, however, you’ll need to make sure the malware isn’t lurking in the background, ready to not just re-infect your restored files but also the backup drive itself. To avoid finding yourself up to the waist in ransom demands or sending hackers money each month, we recommend being wary of email attachments, even from friends and family. If you’re not sure what the file is, don’t click it. They may not have sent that email intentionally; their infected system may be auto-emailing everyone in the address book. You should also be careful with any popups that appear out of place, especially ones that try to make you panic. If it doesn’t sound right or look right, don’t click it. Ransomware is just too dangerous to risk. Call us at 570.235.1946 or visit our Contact Page...

28 May

Posted at 18:01h in Blog Post
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Apple Users Beware of Find My iPhone Exploit We are warning all customers with iPhones and iPads to immediately back up their devices either to their iCloud account or personal computers. Several news outlets have reported that hackers are using a Find My iPhone exploit to remotely lock-up iPhones and iPads. The "Find My iPhone" feature is a safety mechanism that allows a user to lock-down and erase sensitive data if their device is lost or stolen. However, in the wrong hands, this feature can be used to disable devices and, in the case of this attack, demand a ransom to reactivate it. The hackers are using a classic attack known as "phishing" to set up sites that look like legitimate Apple websites. Users enter their email and password into sites, not knowing it is a fake. Then, hackers use this information to access and lock the devices using the "Find My iPhone" feature to demand a ransom in exchange for unlocking the device. Back Up Before Its Too Late Again, if you haven't done so already, backup your data to iCloud or your computer. Users should bring their devices to the nearest Apple store if they've been compromised. It is important to set up your iCloud account and backup your data immediately. Doing so is the only way to get your photos, pictures and music back after a hardware reset. For more information on this attack, visit BGR.com or ArsTechnica.com. Stay protected from exploits like this. Call now at 570-235-1946 or visit our Contact Page...

11 Mar

Posted at 18:09h in Blog Post
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Attention Windows XP Users On April 8, 2014, Microsoft will be ending its support for Windows XP. This means that Windows XP will be left open and vulnerable to any future attacks. In the past, hackers found security holes and exploits that would allow them to  stealing your valuable information. In the past, Microsoft protected you with security patches. From April 8 on, however, these patch updates will no longer be released. That means any new holes or exploits will remain forever. If you are a home user, your personal information -- along with anything else stored on your computer -- could become accessible to anyone knowing how to exploit these security holes. As such, it's very important that you upgrade to any operating system later than XP. This includes Windows Vista, Windows 7 or Windows 8. If you run a business that has computers running Windows XP, it could mean the end of certain security certifications. Running a computer with XP will soon become a liability. If your business relies on storing the information of customers and clients, this data could be easily available to hackers capable of exploiting new found security holes in your systems! A quick call is all it takes to make sure you have everything you need to keep your computers running safe and secured. Call us at 570-235-1946 or visit our Contact Page...