Is Zoom Back in Business?

By -- 2020-11-30 in Blog, Uncategorized

Work-from-home is the reality for so many of us during the coronavirus pandemic. Being out of the office has its challenges: interrupting kids, spotty internet, and endless miscommunications! However, online meetings have become the symbol of this new working environment, especially the virtual meeting app ‘Zoom’. Part of the app’s popularity was its security. Zoom increased its revenue over 300% during the pandemic, due in part to its security guarantees. That all changed when investigators discovered that the company had not been completely honest about their security protocols.

Zoom had always represented itself as having end-to-end encryption. This meant that no-one except meeting participants could access non-encrypted data on the meeting. It claimed to provide that encryption long as everyone accessed the call using their computers. Instead, users only had access to TLS, transport layer security. This meant that Zoom had access to unencrypted meeting data. The outrage prompted Zoom to release an updated version of their security that included true end-to-end encryption. So now that Zoom’s improved security has been released to the public, is it worth returning to the platform?

The good news is that now Zoom does seem to have full end-to-end encryption. The updated security option is available for everyone, a change from their initial plan to only offer it to paid users.  This makes Zoom one of only a few videoconferencing platforms to offer the service. However, the option does still have its drawbacks. For free users, the feature requires two-factor authentication to enable. Each user has enable the feature, meaning a meeting host cannot enforce the feature. The option is only available in meetings with under 200 members, an 80% reduction in capacity.

In the end, Zoom’s updated security policy makes it a great option for smaller, secure meetings. Individuals and small business owners will love the combination of convenience and security that the free option provides without being inconvenienced by the member limit. However, the removal of features and need for manual authentication from every member makes Zoom’s end-to-end encryption impractical for most large meetings. Cybersecurity has only become more important in the past few months, so making sure your meetings are safe is crucial. If you need help making sure that everything is protected, you can email us here or call us at (703) 790-0400.

Your Computer May Be ‘Fully Compromised’

By -- 2020-11-20 in Blog

The world’s largest software registry, NPM, removed three packages from their site on Thursday after discovering that they contained malicious code.  Each of the packages were ‘libraries’ for the coding language JavaScript.  A library is a collection of resources often used for software development. Because libraries can contain so many different types of data, they are a perfect place to hide malware.  These packages remained on the site for over a year before NPM, the hosting site, removed them.

So what makes this code so dangerous? When downloaded, they create a ‘shell’ on the user’s computer.  This ‘shell’ allows bad actors to connect remotely to the user’s device.  This means that the bad actors had complete access to the information stored on the computer. They could even download more malware to the device so that removing the package did not remove their access.  For this reason, NPM stated that any computer with these packages installed should be considered ‘fully compromised’.

If you downloaded these packages on your devices, you are at risk. You should take some steps to secure your information:

  • Think about wiping your computer.
  • Rotate any sensitive information from a different computer.
  • Remove the package from your computer.

Finally, this is a situation where you should consider seeking outside help.  If you want to keep the compromised device, an outside IT firm is a great resource to make sure that your information is secure.  Contact us here if you think that this may have affected your computer. You can also call us at (703) 790-0400.

The Hack is Coming From Inside the House!

By -- 2020-11-10 in Blog

Sometimes it seems like it’s impossible to keep your business safe. Software is constantly improving. Cybercriminals are becoming more technologically savvy. The list of security to-do’s is growing ever longer. With all that happening, it can be hard to figure out where to start. One option is to hire someone to do the heavy lifting for you. However, taking some simple steps on your own can be a great first start.

The good news is that preventing the vast majority of cybercrime doesn’t require a lot of technical know-how, just some basic knowledge of how cybercrime happens. Most cybercriminals are not spending days writing code to get into your system. Instead, they try to trick you and your employees into opening the door for them. Phishing campaigns are a popular way of doing this: someone sends your employee an unexpected email asking them to click a link or open a file. The next thing you know, your system has been infected with malware and you have to write some very embarrassing emails to your clients explaining why their contact information has been stolen. Most successful cybercrime happens in a situation like this, where someone within the company lets malware in.

So how do you stop it? Have regular meetings with your employees about the importance of information security. Make sure they know the basics. Never open anything from an unfamiliar sender and never install software (or browser add-ons, or applications) unless they are company-approved. Also, don’t click on strange links or visit shady websites. It’s important to ground information security in the real world. While it can be hard to understand how opening a link could cost your company millions, it is a lot easier to get how that same link steals their personal data. That personal touch is a good way to make sure that facts stick. Finally, if you’re in a position of power at your company, take charge! Create complexity guidelines for employee passwords and consider putting a secure password manager on company computers.

If all else fails, feel free to shoot us an email at info@optfinty.com; we’re always ready to help!

Stolen Netflix Logins And Bank Credentials Sold for Cheap On The Dark Web

By -- 2020-09-29 in Uncategorized

The number of cybersecurity breaches, rise in online scams and cold-call phishing has increased since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic with crooks buying personal data on the Dark Web that allows them to target individuals. The Dark Web fraud marketplace is a lucrative place with stolen data being sold anywhere from $4 for passwords for platforms such as TikTok, to $10 for Netflix and $450 for login details to mortgage and banking accounts.

The most expensive pieces of data sold are those that hold information about an individual’s financial details, but all types of data can be found on the Dark Web, with social media and email being the most commonly found on sale.

If you are worried about your personal information and want the ability to monitor the dark web, email us at info@optfinity.com.

Cyberthreats Against Your Company May Start as Low as $40

By -- 2020-09-23 in Blog

As cyberthreats and attacks continue to increase, a recent report by Positive Technologies reveals an analysis that exposes why that is. The report shows the costs of many cybercrime services across the dark web are surprisingly cheap.

According to the report, the costs of cybercrime services can begin from as low as $40 to $4,500. This means that hackers can infiltrate a business’ email and steal sensitive information for under $50 dollars. Since the price of attacks start so low, cybercrime is not directed at only big business. Reports show that 71% of SMBs are not prepared for cybersecurity risks, and with how cheap it is to attack, preparations are necessary. The report encourages all SMBs to begin conducting detailed digital risk assessments to protect their businesses.

Larger businesses must also remain vigilant as they are also not in the clear. Since some cybercrime services are so inexpensive, hackers could purchase multiple attack services to target one larger enterprise from different angles. If you are an SMB and you don’t know where to start, OptfinITy can help.

Feel free to contact us at (703)790-0400 or email us at info@optfinity.com

Huge Increase in Ransomware Attacks as Criminals Focus on Targeting Businesses

By -- 2020-09-15 in Blog

A report released shows an extreme increase of ransomware attacks over the course of 2020. Ransomware attacks have been on the rise and getting more dangerous in recent years, with cyber criminals aiming to encrypt as much corporate networks as possible to extort bitcoin ransom from companies before returning their data. A single attack itself can result in cyber criminals making hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars depending on the size of the establishment.

Not only has the number of ransomware attacks increased, but ransomware has continued evolving, and some of the most popular forms of ransomware last have disappeared and been released with new forms of ransomware that are more disruptive and damaging. At this rate, a company’s best bet of surviving attacks of ransomware is to be fully protected and prepared.

If you are worried that you or your company are not prepared to handle ransomware attacks, OptfinITy can help. Feel free to contact us at (703)790-0400 or email us at info@optfinity.com for more information.

New Study Reveals 15 Billion Stolen Credentials Circulating The Dark Web

By -- 2020-08-25 in Blog

A new study has revealed that there are potentially more than 15 billion stolen account credentials circulating on criminal forums within the dark web according to researchers at the cyber security firm, Digital Shadows.

As one would imagine, the most expensive credentials for sale on the dark web were those for accounts with bank and financial service companies. The average listing for these was $74 dollars. The number of stolen credentials has risen by more than 300 per cent since 2018, due to a surge in data breaches.  With an estimated 100,000 separate breaches taking place over the last two years, the amount of data available has increased exponentially.

Are you tracking your company information on the dark web?  If not, OptfinITy can help.  If you are interested in hearing more regarding our services and how we can keep your business safe, please email us on at info@optfinity.com or call us at (703)790-0400

How Cybercriminals are Using the Dark Web to Scam People From US Employee Benefits

By -- 2020-08-24 in Blog

Cybercriminals have been capitalizing on every virtual aspect of the coronavirus pandemic. Malware has been created to tap into the medical, financial, social, and even psychological repercussions of the outbreak.

In a blog post entitled Pandemic Unemployment Scams Made Easy, IntSigns notes that the dramatic rise in unemployment numbers has placed major stress on the people and processes managing unemployment benefits, giving scammers a more vulnerable target for exploitation.

Cybercrime forums on the Dark Web have been populated with conversations on unemployment benefits. IntSights researcher Yoav Harpaz Cohen said he found discussions around the benefits themselves, the regulations from each state, and the steps required to claim the benefits, according to the report.

Typically, most data extracted is paid and bought on the Dark Web

While the Dark Web is filled with illegal activity, there are things you can do to keep your organization safe.   For more information on the dark web and what you can do, join one of our upcoming webinars or contact  us at (703)790-0400 or email us at info@optfinity.com