What You Need To Do Before Committing To A New VoIP System
There comes a time when every business needs to invest in a phone system: they’re buying a new phone system for their new location or they’re upgrading from an older system. Regardless of the reason, they’re ready to make the commitment. Your phone connects you to your customers, so you need it to be reliable. […]
Internet Browsers Blocking Some Ports Due To Security Vulnerabilities
If you rely on TCP port 554, you’ll probably want to do a bit of reconfiguration. Last year, security researchers discovered a new version of the NAT Slipstream vulnerability that allowed hackers to deploy malicious scripts in order to bypass a website visitor’s NAT firewall and access any TCP/UDP port on the visitor’s internal network. […]
Now Hackers Are Attacking Exchange Server Vulnerabilities
In early January of this year (2021), Microsoft informed security expert Brian Krebs that the company found four zero-day security flaws in their Exchange Server. Those flaws were actively being exploited by a persistent threat group known as Halfnium, sponsored by the Chinese government. According to Microsoft’s statistics, more than 30,000 Exchange Servers had already […]
New Windows Server 2022 Includes Security Improvements
Recently, Microsoft made an announcement regarding the particulars of Windows Server 2022, and there’s a lot to like in terms of built-in protections. That is amazing, even if you’re not especially concerned about security. Here’s a quick overview of what you can expect: First and foremost, Server 2022 will incorporate “Secured-Core” technology already in use […]
New Ryuk Ransomware Function Spreads Across Networks Quickly
In terms of ransoms paid, Ryuk is the most successful strain of ransomware in use today, having netted an estimated $150 million for the group behind the malicious code. According to a recent report published by France’s national cybersecurity agency, it just got even more dangerous. Ryuk has historically been used preferentially against hospitals and […]
New Ransomware Strains Have Researchers On Their Toes
Recently, researchers have discovered two new ransomware strains, dubbed “AlumniLocker” and “Humble”, both of which have very different ways of doing what they do. This highlights the ongoing development and diversification of the larger ransomware threat and underscores the fact that it will be a major cause for concern in the years ahead. Both new […]
People Using Mobile Data Instead Of Internet Service Providers
The ongoing pandemic has impacted daily life in the United States in a number of ways, some predictable and others surprising. On the predictable side, when tens of thousands of employees were asked to work from home, broadband internet connectivity saw a huge surge in use and nearly 80 percent of broadband users upgraded their […]
Mobile App Vulnerabilities Found To Leave Data Unsecured
Most apps these days make use of cloud storage in order to minimize their footprint on your device. That’s good in theory, but based on new research from Zimperium, a disappointing percentage of app developers don’t do nearly enough to secure the data they’re housing for you. In fact, the recent study indicated that fully […]
Microsoft Is Giving Windows 10 A New Makeover
One of the most frequently heard complaints about Windows has to do with aesthetics. Despite a few seemingly halfhearted attempts to modernize, significant portions of the OS looks and feels like they were designed in the 90’s. That’s because Windows is still utilizing a lot of design techniques and icons from Windows 95, so the […]
Hackers Are Using Unpatched NAS Devices To Mine Bitcoin
In late 2020, QNAP discovered a pair of critical security vulnerabilities that would allow hackers to take remote control over network attached storage devices (NAS). In this particular instance, the hackers chose not to encrypt files and demand payment or cause other mayhem. Instead, they made slaves of the devices and put them to work […]
Microsoft Expanding Fight Against Macros Based Malware
Macros have been a simple, effective means of spreading malware since the 1990’s, and some hackers still rely on them heavily to ensnare and infect unsuspecting users. It’s a long standing issue that many companies have attempted to address over the years. Now, it seems that it’s Microsoft’s turn at bat again. Recently, the Redmond […]
Latest Apple Update Fixes Web Security Flaw On Most Devices
Recently, two different security researchers (Clement Lecigne of Google’s Threat Analysis Group, and Alison Huffman from Microsoft’s Browser Vulnerability Research Group) discovered a pair of serious security vulnerability impacting Apple devices. The bugs, tracked as CVE-2021-1844 and CVE-2021-21166 respectively, are browser-based memory issues that could have allowed remote code execution if the victim navigated or […]
Hacker Uses Zoom Invites To Steal Credentials Through Sendgrid
There’s a mix of bad news and good in the ongoing war against the hackers of the world. For the bad news, security professionals have recently detected a sophisticated phishing campaign that makes use of SendGrid and convincing replicas of Outlook on the Web and Office 365 logins to harvest credentials. The attack works like […]
New Exchange Online Feature Helps Prevent Phishing And Ransomware
Microsoft has been busy of late, making a raft of improvements to their email system that are designed to enhance user security. Not long ago, they added a fantastically useful feature called ‘Plus Addressing’ which allows Office 365 users to make use of an unlimited number of disposable recipient email addresses and track email sources. […]
Browser Wars Heat Up With Microsoft Edge Boosting Speeds
If you thought the browser wars were over, think again. Microsoft has made some startling improvements to its Edge browser recently that gave it an impressive 41 percent speed boost. That suddenly puts it in the running for the fastest, if not the best and most robust browser in the game. The speed boost is […]
A United States Bank Hit By Ransomware And Data Breach
A few months ago, it became widely known that there was a critical security vulnerability in Accellion FTA servers. Naturally, hackers wasted no time exploiting the vulnerability, and since then, we’ve seen a few instances of high-profile data breaches traced back to that very vulnerability. Flagstar bank is the latest such victim. Recently, the company […]
Latest Windows 10 Release Ditches Unpopular 3D Objects Folder
Recently Microsoft made a change that few people will care about or even notice. On the off chance that you’re one of the minority of people who use the 3D Objects folder, you should know that as of Windows 10 release 1703, the 3d Objects folder will no longer be given special treatment by File […]
Ransomware Attackers Demand 20 Million From U.S. Kia Motors
Strange things are afoot at Kia Motors America (KMA), a subsidiary of Kia Motors with more than 800 dealerships scattered across the United States. Recently the company has reported a nationwide IT outage that is impacting their mobile UVO Link apps, phone services, the company’s payment system, and a number of dealer-specific applications. If you’re […]
Text Prediction Is Coming To Microsoft Word
Most modern email systems these days have a “predictive typing” feature. As you’re composing an email, the software behind the system predicts (fairly accurately) what you’re about to type and suggests the next word, or even the next few words for you. If you hit the activation key (which is generally the Tab key, but […]
What Are Managed Services, And Why You Should Demand This From Your IT Company
We all want to protect our businesses. They’re a part of who we are, and it would be devastating if anything bad happened — including an unexpected cyberattack. But it happens. Businesses are attacked every single day. Some businesses are left in ruin. Some can pick up the pieces, but at great cost. Then there […]
Another Malware Attack On Mac Systems Has Been Discovered
Barely a week ago, Patrick Wardle announced the discovery of the first piece of malware capable of slipping past the defenses of Apple’s M1, which was considered to be among the most secure commercially available technology. Now, it seems, there are two. Researchers from Red Canary and Malwarebytes jointly discovered an insidious, stealthy malware strain […]
Microsoft Word Adding Transform Feature To Create PowerPoints
Microsoft has been rolling out a number of good, interesting features to a broad spectrum of products lately. However, this one we’re not quite as sure about. On paper, it certainly looks interesting. The idea is that if you have a Word Document, at the touch of a button, you can transform that document into […]
Large Supermarket Chain Kroger Suffers Data Breach
Kroger, a titan in the US supermarket industry, is the latest company to fall victim to a data breach. In this case, the breach came about via a third-party service the company utilized called Accellion FTA. Hackers were able to exploit a Zero-Day vulnerability in that software and use it to steal data from vendors […]
Google To Add Password Breach Prevention Feature To Android
If you’re a Google Chrome user, then you’ve probably already used or at least seen the Password Checkup feature in action. It’s the little popup box you see when you type in a password to a website that requires a login and Chrome detects that the password has been compromised. At that point, you’ll get […]
Trusted Google Domain Helped Hackers Get Past Security
Hackers have found a new tool in their never-ending quest to cause trouble. They’ve begun abusing the Apps Script business application developed by Google in a bid to steal credit card and personally identifiable information. That’s significant because given Google’s dominant position on the internet, the Apps Script is widely trusted by the market. That […]
Microsoft Edge Browser Releasing Kids Mode For Safety And Security
If you have children, you probably know all about setting up parental controls. It’s annoying. It can be time consuming, and not to mention more than a little frustrating. Fortunately, Microsoft has an answer for that. Recently, the development team has been hard at work putting a “Kids Mode” together that’s built into the browser. […]
New Microsoft Office Coming To Windows And Mac In 2021
Microsoft recently announced a significant addition to their ubiquitous office suite. Two new versions are on deck for 2021: A consumer Office 2021 version and Office LTSC (Long-Term Service Channel) for Enterprise customers, with both of these being made available to both Windows and macOS users. That matters because although there has been a vast […]
