Personal Information Compromised in City of Tucson Data Breach
In light of a recent data breach, the City of Tucson, Arizona, is alerting approximately 123,000 citizens that their personal information has been compromised. The issue was detected in May 2022, but the city’s investigation didn’t conclude until last month. As detailed in the notification addressed to those impacted by the data breach, an attacker […]
Akamai Finds 13 Million Malicious Domains Each Month
According to a new Akamai analysis, the company’s experts classified about 79 million domains as dangerous in the first half of 2022; based on a NOD (newly observed domain) dataset, this is about 13 million malicious domains per month, representing 20.1% of all the successfully resolved NODs. According to Akamai, a NOD is any domain […]
Lyft and Argo Bring Autonomous Vehicle Rides to Austin
Lyft is now launching autonomous robotaxi trips in Austin, Texas. Argo AI will power Ford’s autonomous driving vehicles. According to a blog post by the company, Austin users can choose a driverless commute directly from the Lyft app for the same price as a regular Lyft ride. Customers can start the ride, unlock the doors, […]
Intel Confirms Leak of Alder Lake BIOS Source Code
After a source code leak was posted by an unidentified third party on 4chan and GitHub last week, the technology giant Intel has confirmed that confidential source code related to its Alder Lake CPUs has been leaked. The disclosed information comprises UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface) code for the company’s 12th-generation CPUs that were released […]
New AI Upgrades to Adobe Photoshop and Premiere Elements
While Premiere Elements 2023 is receiving a couple of new features and a considerable speed boost, Photoshop Elements 2023 adds some powerful new features and enhanced performance. Along with these enhancements, both editors have been given a boost from Adobe Sensei, the company’s universal AI. While Premiere Elements 2023 is receiving a couple of new […]
Cloudflare Revolutionizes CAPTCHAs
Turnstile, an ambitious new project from Cloudflare, aims to do away with the CAPTCHAs that are now being used on the internet to confirm users are not robots. Turnstile utilizes a revolving set of “browser challenges” to verify that visits to a website are not, in fact, bots. This service is free for all website […]
DDoS Attacks Target Major U.S. Airports
Some major U.S. airports’ websites were inaccessible early on Monday, October 10, 2022, due to a coordinated denial-of-service assault orchestrated by professional hackers. However, officials said flights were unaffected. The assaults, in which participants bombard sites with garbage data, were planned by a mysterious organization named Killnet. The group posted a target list on its […]
Cybersecurity Attack Hits U.S. Healthcare System
On October 4th, 2022 a cybersecurity incident has disrupted CommonSpirit Hospitals. With more than 150,000 employees, 20,000 physicians, and serving 21 million patients, CommonSpirit Hospitals is the second-largest nonprofit hospital system in the nation. In 21 states, CommonSpirit operates more than 1,000 care sites and 140 hospitals. CommonSpirit Hospitals announced it is investigating an “IT […]
The Advantages of VoIP for Businesses
Voice over IP, or VoIP, has become increasingly popular among business owners. However, many business owners ask if VoIP is viable in a landscape where many voice systems are either no longer supported or cost a fortune to upgrade. Your business relies on a consistent and secure communication network. Therefore, choosing the right voice over […]
Updated Malware Attacks Point of Sale Devices
This year, security experts have found three updated versions of Prilex malware that target point-of-sale systems. In 2014, Prilex was a type of malware that targeted ATMs. It switched to PoS (point of sale) devices in 2016, but it wasn’t until 2020 that the malware reached its peak. After that, it faded away in 2021. […]
Create a Secure Environment for Remote Workers
Having remote workers in your business is a great way to expand cost-effectiveness and helps your business grow. But, unfortunately, many businesses have issued remote workers limited access to the network to protect important information. Knowing this, hackers are finding creative ways to access networks and steal vital information. It is important to ensure your […]
Google Unveils New Products at Pixel Event 2022
During a press event in New York City, Google unveiled the new Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro devices, the brand-new Pixel Watch, and a teaser for a forthcoming 2023 Pixel Tablet. Although the devices are similar to those from last year, there seemed to be some welcomed improvements, like additional camera functions, a better […]
Microsoft Edge Improves Performance
Engineers at Microsoft recently announced performance improvements for their Edge browser. A blog post that the company published recently explained how. A blog post from the company explained how: “Beginning with Microsoft Edge 102 on Windows, Microsoft Edge automatically compresses disk caches on devices that meet eligibility checks, to ensure the compression will be beneficial […]
CISA Issues Warning Over Microsoft Exchange Server Vulnerabilities
Microsoft has warned that hackers are already using zero-day Exchange Server exploits to break into victims’ networks and steal data and that more attacks are likely to come. Microsoft has given more details about how the vulnerabilities have already been exploited, starting with attacks in August. In a small number of targeted attacks, the CVE-2022-41040 […]
Product Releases from Amazon’s Hardware 2022 Event
A number of exciting products were announced at Amazon’s Hardware 2022 event. These announcements include two brand-new Eero home networking products and the news that the next-generation Echo Dot devices will feature Eero capabilities. The first product is the Eero PoE 6 access point. Due to PoE (Power over Ethernet) technology’s popularity among enterprises and […]
Malware-as-a-Service Gaining Popularity
Malware as a Service (MaaS) has gained popularity over the past few years as a method of spreading malware. Typically, MaaS is provided at a monthly, annual, or lifetime subscription price. Once a threat actor obtains access to the malware, they can target individuals through various tactics. A relatively new MaaS has emerged, called Erbium. […]
Tesla Introduces Optimus Robot Prototype
Tesla introduces the humanoid Optimus robot prototype and claims to be aiming for a price of under $20,000. After the event started, Tesla’s eagerly anticipated humanoid robot was unveiled. The prototype walked unfettered across the stage. Tesla’s CEO, Elon Musk, stated that the team is working to make the robot accessible as soon as possible […]
Firefox 105.0 Update, The End of Low Memory Crashes and Other Features
The most recent version of Firefox, version 105, was made available for download on September 20, 2022. This version is a minor update that does not offer as many new features as previous versions. However, the most striking improvement in Firefox 105 is that Mozilla has drastically decreased the number of out-of-memory browser crashes the […]
Windows 11 2022 Update
Microsoft released the “first major update” for Windows 11 on Tuesday, September 20, 2022, as Windows 11 nears its first anniversary. According to a blog posted by Microsoft, the Windows 11 update focuses on four key areas: ● Making the PC easier and safer to use for everyone ● Empowering people to be more productive […]
How To Optimize Your Website With SEO
So, you’ve built your company’s website. That’s great news and a major milestone, for sure. Unfortunately, your work is just beginning. If you want anybody to be able to find you among the billions of sites that make up the internet, you’re going to need a little bit of help. The first and best thing […]
Microsoft 365 Accounts Targeted In New BEC Scam
Recently, researchers at Mitiga have sounded the alarm about a new Business Email Compromise (BEC) campaign. They discovered evidence of the campaign responding to another incident and have watched the campaign grow in scope and scale over time. Here’s how the attack works: The individual targeted by the campaign receives an email that appears to […]
Modern Security Solutions For Evolving Ransomware Attacks
Based on a recent survey conducted by the folks at Titaniam, a solid majority of organizations have robust security tools in place. Yet nearly 40 percent of them have fallen victim to a ransomware attack in the past year. How can this be? With conventional tools in place, how can this still be happening? The […]
Oracle Cloud Infrastructure New Vulnerability Patch
In June, Wiz engineers discovered and reported #AttachMe, a critical cloud isolation flaw in Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI). Due to its potential to affect all OCI customers, the #AttachMe cloud vulnerability is one of the most severe vulnerabilities discovered to date. The majority of the time, cloud isolation flaws only impact a single cloud service. […]
Known Senders Option In Google Calendar Decreases Spam Invites
Recently, Google’s engineers introduced a small but important feature to their Calendar app. If you haven’t used the “known senders” option, you owe it to yourself to check it out. It allows you to toggle a setting that will filter out invites from people you don’t know, with an eye toward eliminating or drastically reducing […]
DuckDuckGo Email Privacy Service Beta Released
DuckDuckGo has a reputation for protecting the privacy of its users far more than most other companies. Last year, the tiny search engine announced that they were experimenting with a free service designed to dodge email trackers as a means of further protecting the privacy of its users. The company’s Email Protection service works by […]
Apple Products Released at Far Out Event
On September 7, 2022, Apple hosted its annual product release event at one pm Eastern Time (ET). Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO, took the stage at the Far Out event held at the company’s headquarters in Cupertino, California, to unveil a slew of brand-new and significantly enhanced devices. The iPhone 14 and several new smartwatches and […]
Microsoft Teams Vulnerability Discovered
Microsoft Teams is a part of the 365 product family and is used by more than 270 million people for exchanging text messages, videoconferencing, and file storage. In August of 2022, the team at Vectra Protect discovered a post-exploitation vulnerability in the plaintext storage disk used by Microsoft Teams while conducting research for a client. […]
Lenovo Issues Important Update
Lenovo issued a security notice informing customers of multiple serious BIOS vulnerabilities affecting hundreds of Lenovo devices across various models (Desktop, All in One, IdeaCentre, Legion, ThinkCentre, ThinkPad, ThinkAgile, ThinkStation, ThinkSystem). Exploiting the vulnerabilities might result in the disclosure of sensitive information, an increase in privileges, a denial of service, and possibly even the execution […]
Uber Hacked Again
An unknown hacker, who claims to be eighteen years old, acquired administrative access to Uber’s corporate network and proprietary internal tools on Thursday, September 15, 2022. On September 15, 2022, at 6:25 pm PT, Uber issued a statement on Twitter that it was “responding to a cybersecurity incident.” An attacker gained access to the account […]
Google Leaving IoT Services
Tech giant Google recently announced that it’s closing the doors on its IoT Core service. Their stated reason for doing so was that their strategic partners can better manage customers’ IoT services and devices. Time will tell if the company’s decision was a good one. Another tech giant, Microsoft, is wasting no time and is […]
Windows 11 Gets New Taskbar Overflow Option
Are you the type of person who is in the habit of keeping all their apps open? If so, you’re going to love a recent addition to Windows 11. In a bid to make finding your open apps easier, once you’ve run out of room on the Windows Taskbar, they’ve introduced a new “taskbar overflow” […]
Cyber Security Best Practices For Businesses
Smaller companies often struggle to develop and invest in robust IT security systems, which can leave them relatively more vulnerable to cyber attacks. If that’s the situation you’re in and you’re trying to decide what to invest in and where to use the money that you have to spend on IT security, here’s a quick […]
Zoom Outage Reported
Recently Zoom, a popular, cloud-based communications platform used for online meetings and video conferencing, experienced an outage that impacted tens of thousands of users worldwide. The issue began shortly after 8:00 am PDT on Thursday, September 15, 2022, when users reported that they could not log in or join meetings. At 8:17 PDT, the company […]
Latest Microsoft Patch Fixes Dozens of Bugs
Even if you don’t consistently install Microsoft’s security patches as soon as they’re released, the September 2022 patch released this week deserves immediate attention. Dozens of bugs, flaws, and vulnerabilities were addressed in this iteration, including fixes for: *30 Remote Code Execution vulnerabilities 18 Elevation of Privilege vulnerabilities 16 Edge/Chromium vulnerabilities 7 Information Disclosure […]
New Phishing Service Is Targeting Banks
Hackers are increasingly adopting practices that legitimate business owners will immediately recognize. Recently, a new PhaaS (Phishing as a Service) operation has surfaced that specifically targets major banks. These banks include Bank of America, Wells Fargo, Citibank, Capital One, PNC, US Bank, Lloyds Bank, Santander, and the Commonwealth Bank of Australia. Snarkily named “Robin Banks,” […]
Fresh Look For Gmail Users Has Been Released
If you’re a Gmail user and you haven’t seen the change already, be aware that Google has freshened up their email interface. Don’t expect a radical change, however. This update is more of an evolution than a revolution. Chiefly, you’ll notice that the Chat, Spaces, and Meet buttons have all been drawn closer together. This […]
Apple To Settle Butterfly Keyboard Lawsuit
Do you have a MacBook with a Butterfly Keyboard? If so, keep an eye out for an email regarding the Butterfly Keyboard class action lawsuit. Recently, Apple has agreed to pay out $50 million to settle the suit that alleged that Apple knew about flaws with the butterfly keyboard’s switches it built into several MacBook […]
Microsoft Resolves File Explorer Freezing Bug In Windows 11
Recent Windows 11 updates have been problematic in several ways. That’s not the end of the world, but it has been more than a little frustrating for those in the test group getting a first look at the new operating system. One recently introduced bug has been a sore spot for Windows 11 users. The […]
RDP Brute Force Attacks Blocked By Windows 11
A small but important feature was recently incorporated by the Windows 11 design team. A new Account Lockout Policy enabled by default has been added. This policy automatically locks user accounts (including Admin accounts) after ten failed sign-in attempts. The account remains in a locked state for ten minutes, requiring users to wait that amount […]
New Android Malware Disables WiFi To Attempt Toll Fraud
There’s a new threat to be aware of if you own an android device. Microsoft recently warned that their researchers had spotted a new toll fraud malware strain wreaking havoc in the Android ecosystem. Toll fraud is a form of billing fraud. It is a scheme whereby bad actors attempt to trick unsuspecting victims into […]
DuckDuckGo Browser Blocks Microsoft Trackers
If you haven’t heard of DuckDuckGo, it’s a tiny browser that only gets a fraction of the traffic that Google does. If we’re being honest, it gets only a fraction of the web traffic that Bing does. The search engine does have some pluck though and bills itself as the engine of choice for those […]
WordPress Plugin Leaves Sites Vulnerable
Researchers at Defiant authored the popular Wordfence security solution for WordPress users and they have detected a massive campaign that has seen hackers actively scanning for websites employing the Kaswara Modern WPBakery Page Builder plugin. The plugin was recently abandoned by the creative team behind it before receiving a patch for a critical security flaw. […]
Technology Advances With Speech-Recognition Via AI Technology
If you haven’t heard of the UK startup Speechmatics, it may come as a surprise to learn that the company may be on its way to becoming a globally recognized brand. The company’s ambitious goal is to leapfrog over the progress made by America’s tech giants in speech recognition by using AI and machine learning. […]
Windows 11 Apps Are Being Tested For Kiosk Mode
There’s interesting news in the world of Windows 11 development. Microsoft recently began testing a new Kiosk feature that will enable IT administrators to limit which applications users can use while logged into their user profiles, blocking all other functionalities. Even better is that the kiosk approach allows you to create multiple different apps and […]
Skimmers Are Stealing Credit Card Information From US Restaurants
If you eat out or are in the habit of ordering take-out on a regular basis, be aware. Recently, a large, well-organized web-skimming campaign has been uncovered that allowed hackers to swipe the payment card details for more than 300 restaurants, impacting more than 50,000 customers. Web-skimmers are sometimes called Magecart malware and they are […]
Nvidia Leads Quantum Computing Innovation With New Platform
Quantum computing is on the horizon. Unfortunately, it’s been on the horizon for at least two decades. It’s one of those technologies that’s always “just around the corner.” In recent years, however, several important strides have been made. Although quantum computing isn’t exactly mainstream, great strides have been made where the technology is concerned. There’s […]
Large Scale Okta Phishing Campaign Targets Many Organizations
According to ongoing research by Group-IB, a massive phishing campaign is currently underway. This is a campaign that has impacted no less than 130 organizations across a broad range of industries. These include but are not limited to professional recruiting firms and companies connected to finance and technology. Some of the companies targeted include giants […]
Healthcare Data Breach Exposes 1.3 Million Patients
Do you make use of the “MyChart” portal to refill prescriptions, contact your healthcare providers or make appointments? If so, you should know that recently, the healthcare giant Novant disclosed a data breach that impacted more than 1.3 million patients. Impacted patients had their personal information collected by a Meta Pixel ad tracking script. Meta […]
LastPass Has Been Hacked
Using different passwords on every website and storing them in a secure password manager is a standard best practice in data security. It’s generally good advice, but what happens when the makers of password vaults get hacked? That’s what the more than twenty-five million users of LastPass are now finding out. LastPass is one of […]
New Tools Available With Kali Linux 2022.3
Do you have the Kali Linux distribution running on one of the machines you own? If you’re not sure what that is, then you almost certainly don’t. Kali is a Linux distro used mostly by “ethical hackers” who use it mainly to perform security audits, cybersecurity research, penetration testing and the like. Offensive Security has […]
Microsoft Releases PoC Code For MacOS App Sandbox Vulnerability
MacOS features a powerful sandbox restriction that helps keep modern Apple computers safe by limiting how code can run on the system. Unfortunately, no system is bullet proof. There’s a way that a determined attacker could bypass sandbox restrictions and execute malicious code arbitrarily. Engineers at Microsoft discovered the vulnerability, and independent security researcher Arsenii […]
Lenovo Models Affected By Medium Severity Vulnerabilities
If you own a Lenovo laptop, be aware that researchers at ESET have recently discovered a trio of bugs reported to Lenovo that could allow an attacker to disable security features and hijack your operating system. The issues are tracked as CVE-2022-1890, CVE-2022-1891, and CVE-2022-1892 and are all classed as medium severity level. The first […]
Microsoft 365 Suggests Rollback After Issues From Update
Does your company use Microsoft 365? If so, and you’ve noticed that your Office apps have begun to crash mysteriously and inexplicably, be aware that the latest update (build 15330.20298) is the culprit. Unfortunately, the bug was introduced in the Enterprise channel during the company’s regularly scheduled “Patch Tuesday.” The error manifests itself when users […]
IoT Security With Microsoft Defender
The Internet of Things (IoT) has seen explosive growth in recent years. If you like, you can now build your own smart home with intelligent toasters, washing machines, dishwashers, and refrigerators. They are all connected to your home network, and they all make vast amounts of data available to you at your fingertips. Unfortunately, security […]
Internet Safety Tips For Parents
In today’s climate, is there anything more prevalent than the Internet? In fact, we’ve grown so accustomed to using it that the Internet now seems to help us meet any need or want. Unfortunately, we don’t often think about the effect that has on our kids, who have never known a world without this level […]
Hackers Use VoIP Systems To Install PHP Web Shells
Security researchers at Unit 42, a division of Palo Alto Networks, have been tracking the efforts of a massive campaign aimed at Elastix VoIP telephony servers. They are used by companies of all shapes and sizes to unify their communications, and it is especially attractive because it can be used with the Digium phones module […]
Google Experiences International Outage
“Just Google it.” You’ve probably heard that phrase a thousand times. In fact, you may use it yourself on a regular basis. Unfortunately, Googling it wasn’t possible recently. The iconic search giant went dark across broad swaths of the world and simply could not be accessed at all for thirty 34 very long minutes. It […]
Apple Users Will Want To Update As Soon As Possible
Do you own a device running macOS Monterey 12.5.1, or iOS/iPadOS 15.6.1? If so, you’ll want to download and install the latest patches as soon as possible. Apple recently released a small but critical security update aimed at fixing a pair of serious vulnerabilities that could allow an attacker to execute arbitrary code on an […]
Raspberry Robin Worm In Hundreds Of Windows Networks
Analysts at Red Canary Intelligence have recently spotted a Windows worm on hundreds of networks belonging to a wide range of organizations around the world. Dubbed “Raspberry Robin” by the research team that discovered it, this worm spreads via infected USB devices and was initially spotted in September of last year (2021). Another firm, Sekoia, […]
The Importance Of Having An Email Newsletter
Most business owners understand the importance of being active on at least one social media channel. That’s fine as far as it goes, but have you considered supplementing your social media presence with a good, old-fashioned newsletter? Of course, when we say newsletter, we’re not talking about something you print and mail to your customers but […]
Prepare For Windows Server 2012 End Of Support
Another week, another Microsoft “End of Life” reminder to write about. This time, it’s Windows Server 2012 R2. If you’re a user, then you’re probably already aware of the looming deadline. If you’ve blocked it out of your mind, or if you’ve missed the notifications that Microsoft has been sending out, here’s what you need […]
Microsoft Is Phasing Out Windows 8.1
If you are still using Windows 8.1 and if you’ve somehow managed to avoid seeing the parade of notices Microsoft has been sending out, you should know that the end is nigh. Support for the aging OS will end on January 10, 2023. If you have not already done so, you should begin making plans […]
Twilio Data Breach Happened Via Employee Smishing
Twilio is the Cloud Communications Company. They are the latest to fall victim to a data breach. The company recently disclosed that some of its customer data was accessed by unknown attackers who gained access to the system by stealing employee login credentials via an SMS phishing attack, known as ‘Smishing,’ for short. The company’s […]
OpenSea Warns Users Of Phishing Attacks From Data Breach
Are you a fan of NFTs? If so, you’ve probably heard of OpenSea, which is the largest marketplace for non-fungible tokens. If you have an account there, be aware that recently the company disclosed that their network had been breached and they issued a warning to their clients urging them to be on the lookout […]
Microsoft Office And Google Docs Sync For Offline Use
Recently, Google announced a small but significant change to Google Docs. Now, if you have enabled offline access for files you have stored on your Google Drive, the system will auto-sync any Microsoft PowerPoint, Excel, or Word files if you have opened them with Google Slides, Sheets, or Docs. This is a tremendously handy change. […]
Secret Twitter Accounts Are Not What You Think
Do you have a Twitter account? Have you been patting yourself on the back while assuming that your identity was a secret, allowing you to ply the waters of Twitter in anonymity? Unfortunately, that’s probably not the case. Recently, Twitter disclosed the existence of a critical security vulnerability that allows someone to discern whether a […]
Malware Is Targeting Small Office And Home Office Routers
Researchers at Lumen’s Black Lotus Labs recently spotted evidence of a highly sophisticated and tightly targeted campaign aimed at SOHO (small office/home office) routers across both Europe and North America. Based on the evidence the team has collected thus far, their conclusion is that the unidentified actor must be state sponsored. This is because garden […]
New Version Releases For iOS Devices
Apple has recently announced a new string of updates for their OS family including iOS, iPadOS 15.6, macOS 12.5, watchOS 8.7 and tvOS 15.6. Bear in mind that the next version of all of these will be out in just a few months, so these updates are a bit light on features as compared to […]
How To Easily Create An Efficient Workspace
The more efficient you are, the more effective you are. That’s true whether you’re working from the office or from home. Fortunately, most office environments lend themselves to being efficient, so there’s probably not much you need to do on that front. So, the tips below are aimed mostly at those who are working from […]
Hackers Are Stealing Facebook Accounts With Malicious Messenger Bots
Researchers at Trustwave have shed light on a recently discovered phishing campaign revolving around Facebook Messenger bots. If you don’t spend much time on social media, chatbots are programs designed to impersonate live people and are usually relegated the task of answering simple questions as a form of triage customer support. If the bot can’t […]
Fake Copyright Infringement Emails Used To Spread Malware
Hackers found a new way to slip malware past your defenses. Researchers around the world have spotted a curious new campaign designed to scare victims by sending them emails warning of copyright infringement. The email begins by warning that the recipient’s website is hosting copyright-protected content and threatens legal action if the offending material isn’t […]
Conflict Resolution In The Workplace
Conflict in the workplace is sadly inevitable. Put a group of people in a room together for eight hours or longer every day, week after week. No matter how well they get along, sooner or later, it’s going to happen. Since it can’t be completely avoided, the next best thing is to have a plan […]
Android And iOS Network Protection Added With Microsoft Defender
Recently, Microsoft added a new feature for Microsoft Defender for Endpoint (MDE) which has fans of the product cheering. Once the new “Mobile Network Protection” feature is enabled on the iOS and Android devices you want to monitor, the security platform will provide the same robust protections and notifications that your other network devices currently […]
The Windows 11 Apps That Use Your Microphone And Camera
Are you a member of the Windows 11 Insiders group? If so, then you already know that you get a sneak peek at all the cool new features the engineers at Microsoft are building into the new Operating System. If you’re not yet a member of that group, then this announcement might entice you to […]
Conduct More Effective Meetings With These Simple Tips
Do the meetings you hold tend run off the rails? Do you find that they frequently run far longer than you intended and that very little actually comes out of them? If those things are true and if you’re looking for ways to improve the structure of your meetings, here are some quick tips that […]
WordPress NinjaForms Plugin Was Force Updated Due To Vulnerability
Do you run a WordPress site? Do you also use the popular forms design and management plugin called NinjaForms? If you answered yes to both of those questions, be aware that NinjaForms was recently found to have a critical security flaw. The flaw takes the form of a code injection vulnerability and impacts all versions […]
Voicemail Phishing Attacks Called Vishing Are On The Rise
While “vishing” is by no means a new threat, it’s not something that has ever happened with sufficient frequency to get most people’s attention. So, if you haven’t heard the term before, you’re not alone. “Vishing” is short for voicemail phishing, and it is apparently on the rise based on data collected by the security […]
Simple Tips For Securing Smart Device Data
Data security isn’t something that’s at the forefront of most people’s minds, but it probably should be. These days, we use far more than just our trusty laptops and desktops to do real, meaningful work. Most people have a plethora of devices they tap into on a regular basis and take with them wherever they […]
One Of The Largest US Banks Discloses Data Breach
Do you have an account with Michigan-based Flagstar Bank? As one of the largest banks in the United States, it’s quite possible that you do. If so, be aware that the company recently issued a breach disclosure notification relating to a security incident that occurred in December of 2021 when unknown attackers breached the company’s […]
Microsoft Believes AI Can Help Prevent Ransomware In The Future
Recently, Microsoft published a fascinating blog post. In the blog post, they said they were experimenting with “novel approaches” when it comes to harnessing the power of AI to spot threats on the threat landscape before they become a problem. In particular, the company is focused on stopping ransomware attacks while they’re still in their […]
You May Need To Replace Old Cisco VPN Routers
Do you own one or more of the following products made by Cisco? The RV110W Wireless-N VPN Firewall The RV130 VPN Router The RV130W Wireless-N Multifunction VPN Router The RV215W Wireless-N VPN Router If so, be advised that a new and critical security vulnerability has been found that impacts your equipment. It is being tracked […]
Some Requested Features May Be Coming To Microsoft Teams
Do you use Microsoft Teams? If so, you’ll be thrilled to know that the Redmond Giant is continuing to pour resources into improving the software with a specific focus on audio and video quality. Recently, the company announced a plan to add echo cancellation, which is a feature that legions of Teams users have been […]
It May Be Time To Update Your Business Logo
Corporate branding can be worth its weight in gold and certain images are absolutely iconic. The Golden Arches, the Nike “swoosh,” and Apple’s Apple all come to mind. Logo images give companies the means of offering a consistent brand image over time, and that can be a very good thing. Over time, tastes and styles […]
Researchers Find New CPU Security Vulnerability
Remember the Heartbleed scare we had a couple years back? It was a nasty side-channel attack that was somewhat exotic and difficult to pull off, and it was absolutely devastating and sent shockwaves through the entire world. Well, it’s back. In a way. While this new side-channel attack isn’t identical, it’s similar enough that the […]
Ransomware Hackers Have Set Their Sights On Exchange Servers
Microsoft Exchange servers are once more in the crosshairs of hackers around the world. Most recently, hacking groups have been specifically targeting them to deploy BlackCat ransomware. As is common among ransomware attacks, the hackers here first rifle through an infected network, looking for login credentials, proprietary information, and other sensitive files that they can […]
The Surprising Ways Mobile Technology Impacts Our Lives
If you grew up in the days before the internet, it’s absolutely staggering to think of all the ways that mobile technology has changed our lives (and mostly for the better). Remember when you had to pay for long distance telephone calls? That’s mostly a thing of the past. In under a minute, you can […]
How Southern California Businesses and Non-Profits Can Quickly Eliminate Tech Problems In Their Organizations
Now more than ever, we depend on technology to run our business (and our lives). When the “internet goes down,” most businesses are at a standstill until they are back online, costing thousands in lost productivity and sales. It’s not just the BIG problems but things like file access, password protection, being able to print […]
Edge Will Replace Internet Explorer After It Is Gone
It may seem as though Internet Explorer is the browser that will not die, but according to Microsoft, it is now a step closer to breathing its last virtual breath. Microsoft has struggled in the browser wars for the entire existence of the internet. They came late to the party. Although they did manage to […]
New Panchan Botnet Targets Linux Servers
If you’re involved with IT Security at any level and if your network includes Linux servers, keep a watchful eye out for the new Panchan botnet. It first appeared in the wilds on March of this year (2022) and its main focus seems to be targeting Linux servers in the education sector and enslaving them […]
How To Protect Your Company With Cybersecurity Awareness
These days, companies spend significant sums of money to protect themselves from cyber criminals. The threat matrix is vast, and attacks can come from almost any quarter. That is why many companies not only spend heavily on antivirus software, but also on a wide range of tools that IT security professionals can leverage to intercept […]
Data Breach Hits One Of America’s Largest Healthcare Providers
Do you receive healthcare of any kind from Kaiser Permanente? If so, be aware that they recently published a data breach notification indicating that an unidentified attacker accessed an email account that contained personal health information on April 5th, 2022. Based on the investigation to this point, it appears that sensitive health information belonging to […]
Cisco Email Gateway Appliance Users Should Apply Security Patch
Tech giant Cisco recently sent out a notification to its vast customer base urging them to apply a recently issued patch that addresses a critical security vulnerability. This vulnerability could allow an attacker to bypass the authentication process entirely and gain access to the web management interface of Cisco email gateway appliances with non-default configurations. […]
Simple Ways To Hire The Perfect Candidate The First Time
Top quality talent can be difficult to find in any field, if you have spent any time looking for and hiring people, you know the challenge can be an especially daunting one. There’s tremendous competition for talented folks. Given the cost of hiring and training new people, it’s something you want to get right the […]
Massive Phishing Attack Scammed Millions Of Facebook Messenger Users
According to research conducted by the cybersecurity firm PIXM, there is a massive phishing campaign that peaked in April and May of this year (2022) and it is still ongoing. The campaign has lured millions of unsuspecting users to phishing pages by abusing Facebook and Facebook Messenger and tricking users into entering their account credentials. […]
Researchers Warn About Symbiote Malware Which Attacks Linux Machines
Are you a Linux user? If so, be aware that there is a new kind of malware to be concerned about. The BlackBerry Threat Research and Intelligence team, in concert with Joakim Kennedy (an Intezer Analyze security researcher), have announced the discovery of a new strain of malware. They’ve dubbed it Symbiote, and it was […]
New Malware Uses Word Documents To Get On Your System
Researchers at HP have discovered a new malware loader that they’ve dubbed SVCReady. While new malware strains are common, this one is distinct for a couple of different reasons. Like many malicious programs, this spreads primarily via phishing email campaigns. One way that this new strain differs however, is the fact that the malware is […]
Microsoft Adding Restore Apps Feature To Make Reinstalling Easier
Are you excited about Windows 11? Many people are and in fact there are legions of beta users who are in the Windows Insiders group so they can get a sneak peek at some of the features on deck as updates are released. One of the coolest new features making its way through the development […]
Hackers Are Teaming Up To Wreak Havoc On Corporate Users
It’s never a good thing when well-organized groups of hackers start working together, but that’s what appears to be happening. Recently, evidence has emerged that the Black Basta ransomware gang has begun tight-knit cooperation with the infamous QBot malware operation. They share the specific goal of inflicting maximum damage on corporate targets. While many different […]
Emotet Malware Will Include Credit Card Theft In Attacks
If you’re involved in information security in any capacity, you’re probably quite familiar with the infamous Emotet botnet. It’s one of the most dangerous and prolific botnets out there and it is a dire threat to organizations of all sizes. The bad news is that the botnet is still being actively enhanced and is gaining […]
Medical Service Provider Data Breach Affects 2 Million Users
Depending on where you live, you may have received medical care from the Shields Health Care Group (Shields), or from a provider associated with them. If so, be aware that the Massachusetts-based medical provider specializing in PET/CT scans, MRIs, radiation oncology, and ambulatory surgical services has been hacked. The unknown hackers gained access to their […]
