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Cyber attacks are getting smarter and bigger. Is your protection?

27th February 2023
Cyber Attacks are getting Bigger and smarter

Have you ever tried to buy tickets for a huge event and found that the seller’s website has collapsed under the weight of thousands of people all trying to do the same thing at the same time?

The ticket site falls over – usually temporarily – because the server is overloaded with traffic it doesn’t have the capacity for.

Criminal Distributed Denial of Service attacks – DDoS, for short – exploit the same principle.

When a DDoS attack targets a business, it floods it with internet traffic in an attempt to overwhelm the system and force it to fail.

This results in the business and its customers being unable to access services. That may trigger a temporary failure, or it could be more serious. Last year, the average DDoS attack lasted 50 minutes.

That may not sound like a long time, but it’s enough to create angry customers, or to bring business to a grinding halt. And downtime can be costly.

The really bad news is that DDoS attacks are not only lasting longer, but they’re becoming bigger, more sophisticated and more common.

Recently, the biggest ever reported DDoS attack was reportedly blocked. At its peak, it sent 71 million requests per SECOND to its target’s servers. Prior to that, the biggest reported incident stood at 46 million requests per second.

Worse still, more businesses are reporting being targeted by DDoS attacks where criminals are demanding huge ransoms to stop the attack.

What does this mean for you?

It’s important you check all your security measures are up-to-date and working as they should be. Are your firewalls up to the task, with DDoS monitoring and prevention tools set up? And is your team fully aware of the importance of staying vigilant?

We can help make sure your business stays protected. Just get in touch.

Published with permission from Your Tech Updates

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Phishing Emails are getting better thanks to AI

20th February 2023
AI is making phishing scams more dangerous

AI chatbots have taken the world by storm in recent months. We’ve been having fun asking ChatGPT questions, trying to find out how much of our jobs it can do, and even getting it to tell us jokes.

But while lots of people have been having fun, cyber criminals have been powering ahead and finding ways to use AI for more sinister purposes.

They’ve worked out that AI can make their phishing scams harder to detect – and that makes them more successful.

Our advice has always been to be cautious with emails. Read them carefully. Look out for spelling mistakes and grammatical errors. Make sure it’s the real deal before clicking any links.

And that’s still excellent advice.

But ironically, the phishing emails generated by a chatbot feel more human than ever before – which puts you and your people at greater risk of falling for a scam. So we all need to be even more careful.

Crooks are using AI to generate unique variations of the same phishing lure. They’re using it to eradicate spelling and grammar mistakes, and even to create entire email threads to make the scam more plausible.

Security tools to detect messages written by AI are in development, but they’re still a way off.

That means you need to be extra cautious when opening emails – especially ones you’re not expecting. Always check the address the message is sent from, and double-check with the sender (not by replying to the email!) if you have even the smallest doubt.

If you need further advice or team training about phishing scams, just get in touch.

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Is you Cyber Security looking at the right things?

15th February 2023
Is your security focusing on the right things

When we look to protect our homes, we start with shutting and locking the doors and windows. Then we will add extra measures like alarms, security lights, fences etc.

But there’s no point going to all that effort if someone’s already broken in and set up camp in the basement.

Yet, by deploying the latest must have cyber security product to protect your business and it’s data that is exactly what you may be doing.

What businesses currently do.

Businesses generally do many of the right things. They invest in security software. They take a strong, multi-layered approach to security – including all the things we recommend, like multi-factor authentication, encryption, reliable backup systems and staff training.

But they don’t pay enough attention to detection and response. That involves constantly scanning systems for any sign that a crook may have gained entry somewhere, and having a process to stop an attack in its tracks.

A new study shows that only a third of businesses place detection as their main priority, while two thirds say prevention is their primary focus.

That means, they could be building 10-foot walls around their systems with intruders already inside.

In-house security teams might be super-confident in the security measures they’ve put in place. But the data suggests that they’re being too complacent. The study reveals that more than eight in ten businesses experienced more than one data breach last year – even with good security in place.

Criminals are constantly finding ways to evade security. That tells us that we need to take a rounded approach, with strong prevention AND detection policies providing the best protection against today’s determined criminals.

If you need world-class security, get in touch today.

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Young Employees, what is their attitude to cyber crime.

7th February 2023
Young Employees, have different attitudes to cyber crime

Do you employee staff aged 16 to 19? then read on and take notes!

If the above statement applies to you then you need to pay special attention to the cyber security training you are providing them.

A new study has revealed that a host of worrying online behaviour has become almost normalised among many young people. And much of this activity is illegal.

This isn’t the serious cyber crime such as ransomware attacks or stealing data.

But one in three 16 to 19-year-olds have admitted to digital piracy; and a quarter have tracked or trolled someone online.

Most of these behaviours may not directly affect your business. But some are so commonplace that too many young people view them as a part of everyday life.

That’s not something you want them bringing to work.

Casual software piracy or illegal downloads on devices used for work could open the door to a massive security breach.

What is the answer

The answer is simple: Hold cyber security training for all your employees on a regular basis.

This training should:

  • Highlight the impact of bad online behaviour and potential for security breaches
  • Help everyone understand how this kind of activity can harm people – and your business
  • Make everyone aware of the scams and attacks that your business is vulnerable to, as well as the part they play in keeping everyone protected
  • Make the consequences clear for anyone found to be engaging in this behaviour

If this is something you need some expert help with, it’s what we do. Get in touch.

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Devious new Phishing Scam – Take action to avoid

30th January 2023
Devious new phishing scam - take action to avoid.

New day, new scam, and this one is very sneaky.

Cyber criminals are getting smarter. And this recent malware threat is very smart. It impersonates a highly trusted brand name to get a foot in the door.

What happens

Targets receive a convincing looking email that appears to come from a widely used e-signature platform.

This email has a blank image attached. The image is loaded with empty svg files, which are carefully encoded inside an HTML file attachment. (Sorry for getting slightly technical, hang on we are getting there).

In short, it’s very clever and it’s tricking its way past a lot of security software.

And because it is getting past a lot of security software, it is putting businesses like yours at risk. Because code within the image sends people to a malicious URL.

Open the attachment and you could unwittingly install malware onto your device – or even your network – which risks exposing your data and leaving you open to a ransomware attack.

Recently, there’s been a wave of HTML attachment attacks on small and medium sized businesses, so it’s clear that companies need to take action to stay ahead of the criminals.

What you can do

If you use software to sign documents electronically, double-check that emails are genuine before opening any attachments.

There’s a reason why the criminals have chosen to impersonate a trusted name.

Taking things a step further, you could block all emails with this type of attachment, to prevent employees from being exposed to scam emails in the first place.

If you’d like any further advice, or help implementing extra security measures, get in touch.

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When did you last have a health check?

23rd January 2023
When did you last have a health check?

Did you start a January Health kick? How is it going?

January is that time of year when a lot of us take our health seriously, well for a month or so! It is a good thing to look after yourself, and do something about it.

Your doctor would probably like to see you once a year for a health check, just to find any small problems and stop them from progressing.

It is the same principle with your technology.

So why not book in for an IT check-up, to make sure everything is in great shape for the coming months.

After all we do this for Ourselves, or our car, and it’s a good plan to do the same with your workplace tech. After all it might be working really hard in the year ahead.

What would we do

We will help pick up any minor-but-urgent fixes, that could help prevent a disastrous breakdown in a few months time. (we have just seen this where we identified an issue with a server, which went on the break, and was unable to be repaired just 4 months later)

If there are bigger, but no-urgent jobs that you can safely leave for another day, we will tell you that too.

And if you get a clean bill of health, you can carry on with confidence for the coming months.

It may also be a great time to think about new technology and prioritise your IT projects. We can look at what you need to do with your systems as your business grows.

Our experts carry out top to toe IT health checks for all kinds of businesses, and we will give you honest jargon-free advice on the best solutions for a trouble-free tech set up.

To book your check-up, get in touch

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Are your younger employees experiencing ‘tech shame’?

15th January 2023
Are your younger employees experiencing tech shame

It seems that Gen Z and even some Millennial employees are less tech savvy than many employers might expect. It’s an assumption that’s leading to a sense of ‘tech shame’.

Younger workers may have grown up using Snapchat, TikTok and Minecraft, but they’re not always equipped with the skills they need to adapt to the workplace.

A recent study has found that one in five employees aged 18 to 29 feel judged when they encounter technical issues at work. That’s compared to just one in 25 employees aged 40 or over.

The solution may lie in providing better training, not just for younger colleagues and first-jobbers, but for the whole team. Some Gen Z workers may have started their careers during the pandemic. That means they will never have experienced anything other than a digital working environment. Especially if they work remotely or in a hybrid role.

As well as fixing any skill gaps there may be, whole-team training can provide a much-needed confidence boost for young employees.

Another consideration is the provision of tools and devices your team has access to – especially if they’re working remotely.

Younger workers with less available income to spend on home office equipment may be less likely to speak up if they’re struggling.

Simply checking in with employees – particularly if they’re not in the office – can make a big difference to their engagement, productivity, and confidence. If there are any issues, big or small, find a way to put them right, and you’ll notice a positive shift in the whole business.

If you’d like any advice about tech shame or help with training, boosting efficiency or sourcing equipment, we’re here when you need us. Just get in touch.

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Windows is the prime target for cyber criminals

18th December 2022
Windows is the prime target for cyber criminals

Windows is the prome target for cyber criminals, the bigget reason why is its huge dominance in the workplace. The bad actors are trying to steal your information, disrupt your business, or hold your data to ransom.

Tens of millions of attempted malware attacks were discovered throughout this year, and a massive 95% of those threats were targeted at Windows.

Although most of these are unsuccessful, those that are succsessful can cause havoc for the affected businesses. The best way to minimise or prevent this is by taking all possible precautions to protect your business and your data.

  • Hardware and software companies release regular updates to address threats to Windows users, as well as security patches designed specifically to deal with new risks. These should all be installed as soon as they become available.
  • Your people should be regularly trained in how to spot cyber security threats and what to do if they suspect one.
  • And because it’s not possible to protect every business from 100% of all threats, it’s also important that you have a strong resilience plan in place.

Resilience Plan

This should detail exactly how your business should react if it falls victim to a cyber attack and who should be notified to take action. Everyone in the company should have access to this document and know to report any potential attack as quickly as possible – that’s the best way to lessen its impact.

If you have an IT service provider, they’ll be able to make the best recommendations to keep your business safe and secure, train your people, and even provide monitoring to spot any potential danger before it becomes a problem.

This is something we do every day. So if we can help your business become more resilient, just get in touch.

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Holiday Cyber Attacks

15th November 2022
Holiday Cyber Attacks.

Holiday time is coming and so are the Holiday cyber-attacks!

Before working in IT, and Cyber Security, I was in the Military, and whenever we were operating during holiday periods, we knew in the back of our minds that if something was going to happen it would happen during holiday time.

The same is true of cyber-attacks and cybercrime. This year we might see more than previous years, already in early October there was an attack on some of America’s largest airports websites.

It isn’t just the Christmas holiday period that we see the increase

  • Colonial Pipeline (Mother’s Day Weekend (US))
  • Kaseya 4th of July
  • Sony and Microsoft Christmas Eve)

Holiday Cyber Attacks, why and what you can do.

The bad guys are aware that during holiday periods there are fewer employees around to look after the infrastructure. Also we are all preoccupied with thoughts of the festive season. So may click on items that we might not normally do.

Security tips:

  • Train empolyees in cybersecurity and phisihing awareness.
    User error is still the number one cause of malware attacks, make sure all employees undergo an annual social engineering training.
  • What are the internal threats, including scanning and patching software?
    If you are able to make sure these are taken care of this will help in securing your organisation from exploits whilst there is limited supervision during this period.
  • Who has access to your Systems.
    Have you implemented a strategy to restrict who has access to data stores, and applications. Only allowing team members access to what they need and having the right levels of privileged access will help.
  • Protect the Network
    Although perimeter firewalls will assist in a strong defence, you should also deploy firewalls at the endpoint, and this should block applications and traffic, unless it is required.

Don’t get caught out this year! If you need any help on this please call 01752 546967 and we will be happy to help.

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Are you sure you are downloading Zoom?

10th October 2022
Is that Zoom....Or is it malware.

Are you downloading Zoom or Malware. When you think about tools for remote working and chatting online, one of the first names in your mind is Zoom.

But its popularity has opened the door for cyber criminals. They’re using its name to steal sensitive data.

Researchers have discovered at least six convincing-looking download sites. They’re not the real thing. They’re designed to tempt you into downloading FAKE Zoom software, containing ‘info stealers’ and other forms of malware (malicious software).

Outcomes!

Accidentally use one of these sites thinking that you’re downloading a Zoom update… and you risk having sensitive data stolen. Possibly your banking info, passwords or browser history.

Some can even steal your multi-factor authentication details. That could give cyber criminals access to your most sensitive data.

The research also found these ‘stealer logs’ for sale on the dark web, where criminals can buy this information and use it to gain access to business networks.

Once a cyber criminal has access to your network, every piece of data you have stored becomes a target. In extreme cases, this can leave you vulnerable to ransomware attacks, or data theft.

While these fake sites can be incredibly convincing, take these simple steps to avoid being fooled.

  • Before you download the Zoom application (or any application), double check the address of the website you’re on. Is it what you’re expecting? If you clicked an email to get to that site, are you 100% sure it’s from the real company?
  • Study the rest of the web page too, looking for anything that doesn’t ring true, such as spelling mistakes or a clunky layout.
  • Make sure your security software is up to date and is actively scanning for malware and suspicious downloads.
  • Have a plan to roll out this advice across your business.

If you need any help or advice to keep your business protected from malware and other security threats, get in touch.

Published with permission from Your Tech Updates.

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