By -- 2020-07-17 in Blog

Three weeks ago, security researchers detected and exposed a piece of malware lurking inside of tax software that the Chinese government requires companies to install. The evidence gathered reveals that the spy campaign showed that a separate piece of malware released equally sophisticated ways to infect the taxpayers in China. GoldenHelper, which is the name of the malware, conceals its behavior by hiding inside the Golden Tax Invoicing software which all companies that are registered in China are required to use to pay value-added taxes. Researchers found that the malware can bypass the User Account Control, the Windows Mechanism that requires the users to give permission before software can install programs or make any system changes.

GoldenHelper plays tricks to cover its existence and evade detection. These tricks include random generated filenames, random generation ‘creation’ and ‘last write’ timestamps, hardcoded logic that uses domain lookup data to control.” This discovery came to light three weeks after Trustwave exposed GoldenSpy, an advanced spyware that company researches found installed inside their network’s large multinational technology company.

Even technology companies have suffered with unwanted malware subtly placed within their systems. If you are worried that your business may be exposed to unwanted malware, please feel free to reach out to OptfinITy at (703)790-0400 or email us at info@opftinity.com

By -- 2020-07-10 in Blog

According to a new cybersecurity study, there was an increase of 37% in phishing attacks that target smartphones in the just the first few months of 2020 . While those using laptops and desktops have been used to the threat of emails containing phishing campaigns, criminals setting their sights on IOS and Android devices with these attacks is relatively new. Specialist believe this is because it is more difficult to track phishing campaigns from smart phones, and also because people are most likely to open emails and messages on their phones than they are likely to open it within their email.

 

Believe it or not, many organizations are still unaware of the threat that phishing campaigns and ransomware poses on their businesses. That is why OptfinITy is here to educate and help businesses with the importance of cyber-security. For more information, please contact us at (703)-790-0400 or via email at info@optfinity.com

By -- 2020-07-1 in Blog

Almost 30 journalists have been laid off this week after Microsoft announced that it will soon be implementing A.I. Software (aka Artificial intelligence) to replace journalists. Microsoft believes it will  no longer need to  employ people for editing, research, and choosing articles for their pages as the data collected by AI software has been able to provide the same service, while do so quicker, more accurate, and without a monthly salary.  Journalists who are capable of reporting and commenting on news will remain in their jobs.

Although Artificial intelligence software is removing the need for some jobs, it is also helping in many ways such as monitoring the dark web and enhancing security.  To see how AI can help your organization, give OptfinITy a call or email us at sales@optfinity.com.

By -- 2020-06-25 in Blog

Do you have a camera within your organization?   Recent reports currently released show that certain brands of wireless cameras feature a security flaw that allows the opportunity for hackers to access people’s home network. Although the connected cameras are meant to issue a sense of security for its owners, it opens the door for malicious actors to compromise both their security and privacy. The cameras are manufactured by the Chinese firm, HiChip, and are extremely popular with individuals across the UK and other countries. Over 100,000 cameras sold across the UK have been confirmed to contain the security flaw.

 

The security flaw allows hackers to access live footage and access other devices connected to the home networks. It also allows hackers to eavesdrop, speak through the camera’s microphone and even pinpoint where the camera user lives. Reports also state that an attacker could still access your network and carry out malicious activity even if the user changes the password.

 

If you fear your business may be vulnerable to unknown security flaws, feel free to contact OptfinITy on (730)790-0400 or info@optfinity.com

By -- 2020-06-18 in Blog

A small Kentucky business recently found themselves to be victims of a ransomware attack, resulting in their having to pay $150,000 to regain control of their data.  The company, which is only made up of 8 computers, simultaneously received messages on their screens saying that the hacker group had control of their PCs and they needed to pay to have their files returned. After exhausting all other options, the company was forced to work with a third-party contractor in order to help handle the ransom payment  This is the cost of not having proper backups.

If your business, big or small, does not have security and online backup plans, you could be spending this much money just to stay in business. Contact us at info@optfinity.com, or call us at 703-790-0400.

By -- 2020-06-17 in Blog

Zoom announced this past week that those who use the video platform for free will no longer have encrypted calls and that this new change will be happening soon. According to the company, the reason for the change is the company is  wanting to comply and work with local law enforcement in case Zoom is ever used for any malicious reasons. Those who use Zoom for free only need to provide an email address which is not considered adequate information to verify the identity of an individual, so Zoom is removing that capability so that only verified users can have access to encryption.

This new change is making business owners wary of Zoom, and some have begun considering other communication platforms   For more information on security related issues, keep an eye on the OptfinITy social media and blogs.

By -- 2020-06-9 in Blog

Researchers at Check Point have recently discovered that in May 2020, nearly 250 domains were registered with the word “employment” inside. They found that 7% of the domains were found to be malicious and 9% were suspected to be as well. They also found that these malicious files being a fake CV phishing scam has been doubling in the past two months. Cybercriminals are luring in potential victims into opening .xls attachments by using phishing emails with subject lines such as “applying for job” or “regarding job.” Victims are then asked to enable content permission, which immediately initiates the malicious file that downloads the trojan or ransomware.

 

If your company is currently in the process of searching for new hires and are not sure if you are fully safe from potential phishing attacks, please feel free to contact OptfinITy at (730)-790-0400 or at info@optfinity.com.

By -- 2020-05-28 in Blog

 

A UK power grid company has been rumored to have suffered a ransomware attack, although electricity supply for their customers did not seem to have been affected.

Elexon administrates a crucial part of the power supply chain, known as the Balancing and Settlement Code (BSC), which includes the country’s suppliers, generators, distributors, traders, and energy importers and exporters.

After the issue came up, a message from Eloxon appeared saying that they have identified the root of the problem and are taking steps to restore the IT systems. It has been mentioned that a cyber-attack has been confirmed.; however, cybersecurity specialists have not been able to identify whether or not the attack was ransomware.

If you would like to learn more about how to keep your business safe from cyberattacks, feel free to call OptfinITy at (703)790-0400 or email us at sales@optfinity.coms

By -- 2020-05-27 in Blog

It turns out the selfies you are taking with your facemask on are not just being seen by your family and friends, but researchers are collecting them as well to improve their facial recognition algorithms. A recent report shows that thousands of face-masked selfies are currently present in public data sets filled with photos taken directly from Instagram.

Face mask cover-up is an essential part of facial recognition algorithms and lack of facial recognition data has threatened the future of a multimillion-dollar industry. Since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, individuals have been urged into wearing face masks and facial recognition companies are attempting to keep up in collecting enough data as possible while they still can.

As with any technology, it is important to keep updated on the latest technology and security concerns.  Before you post anything on Instagram, you should look at the ramifications for your company. For more information on how to protect your businesses , feel free to contact OptfinITy at (703)790-0400 or at sales@optfinity.com

By -- 2020-05-8 in Uncategorized

Operators of the infamous ransomware Shade have decided to shut down and have released over 750,000 decryption keys to their victims who can now decrypt their files and hopefully regain access. The Shade explained on a message posted in the GitHub Repository that they have decided  to publish all decryption keys back to their victims and hope that antivirus companies will issue their own user-friendly decryption tools – ending their message with an apology for all the victims that were affected by their trojan over the years and hope the keys will be able to recover their data.

The Shade ransomware is one of the oldest ransomware strains out there but they are not the only one and you should still take proper precautions. For more information on ransomware strains or information on how to protect your business, you can contact OptfinITy on (703)-790-0400 or sales@optfinity.com.