When we think of Ransomware, we don’t think of all the costs of this rapidly growing plague. The global cost of Ransomware payments is in the BILLIONS, an FBI report says that in 2023 approximately $12.5 billion was paid out, and that is just what victims had to pay who reported it! The number is predicted to grow by double digit percentages year over year. What is the actual cost …
I know people who tell me they do not use any social media, well except LinkedIn or maybe Pinterest or Facebook to stay in touch with old friends, I always laugh. Without knowing it, they all seem to use some form of Social Media, even apps like WhatsApp for a group discussion before heading out to dinner or a movie. Recently 2 giants in the world of Social Media, Twitter …
We all have a friend or family member who is a doctor, lawyer, dentist, electrician, etc., and we always call them up asking for advice. Well it’s no different when you are in the IT business no matter what it is you do, inevitably you get ‘THAT CALL’! The ‘how do I call’, how do I make a picture bigger, how come my WiFi doesn’t work, why won’t my computer …
I remember when we lived in a world before computers and the internet, which meant hackers were heavy smokers…! Now we live in an age where everyone has a computer everywhere they go. From your cell phone to your computer at work or home, your gaming system, you are tied to technology! As all our technology advances so does the software that runs it and runs on it. All software …
As we’ve become more and more reliant on our mobile devices, we’ve become more starved for power to keep them running! Whether its in the airport, mall or wherever, we see that battery percentage drop and we start to panic!!!! I was at an outdoor mall this weekend and saw people plugging in their phones without a second thought, I wondered to myself who or what is on the other …
Sorry for my absence but there is a good and true reason for it, and you’ll find out why here. Recently I contracted a certain virus we have all become very aware of and at the same time tired of hearing about, Covid 19. As we have all spent the last couple of years learning more and more about this virus and how it morphs and spreads in different ways, …
By now we all know about Crypto Currency and its value, especially in ransomware attacks. But there is a business within the business of Crypto Currency. Cryptomining, below is a definition for those who are not familiar with it, And the blog for this week is below that! ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ What Does Cryptomining Mean? By: Jennifer Seaton | Reviewed by Kuntal Chakraborty | Last updated: December 9, 2021 Cryptomining is the process of validating a cryptocurrency transaction. Cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin use …
When you think of ransomware attacks and data breaches you don’t think of how fast your files can be gone! Knowing the facts can help you think about how to be smarter if you can’t be faster. In the article attached you’ll see how fast hackers can steal you data. How much of your valuable data can be in 100,000 files? Now ask yourself the same question but increase that …
We all see the dreaded “There is a software update waiting” and hesitate as long as possible to do it, or in a lot of cases just don’t do it at all. We also don’t have automatic updates turned on or manually check for software updates because it’s just a hassle! It takes time to download, then install, then reboot… But trust me it is worth the time! The reality …
This is a very serious matter and I am speaking from a recent personal experience. Last week I received multiple messages from my MFA/2FA that someone had tried to change the password on one of my Social Media accounts! What does that mean?? We live in a very connected world these days via Social Media, for personal use, business, interests, dating etc. Some people have so many Social Media apps …
This week I was helping a friend with some issues they had on their personal computer. We needed to log in to a number of their accounts to fix some issues. I was blown away at how a friend of mine could use the same password for every one of their accounts, email, social media, work… Now this is not an unusual occurrence to be sure! I decided to look …
I read this article and was amazed at the time and dedication this hacker took to get his revenge. After he was hacked by a government he sat and lay in wait for the right moment then WHAM he took down a whole country’s internet!! I am not saying that I condone this in any way, but it proves that it doesn’t necessarily take a team of sophisticated, well funded …
Definition: Hacktivism is the misuse of a computer or the internet, primarily by way of hacking into unauthorized networks, to expose a believed injustice. And that’s the premise of hacktivism: carrying out hacking attacks as a form of activism. Hacktivism is usually directed at corporate or government targets. As if things weren’t bad enough in the world of hackers and ransomware, the hacktivists are now getting in the way of serious …
This week the Canadian Foreign Affairs Ministry was hacked. Which means, even though they have the money and access to technology, the cybercriminals are still winning the war. This leads to a big question of how are governments fighting this war, and are they really using all the possible assets available to them? With the political situation globally getting more tense, what will happen if the well funded hackers attack …
In the article attached it is clear that hackers are exploiting every possible avenue they can to gain access to your environment and lock you out! This is one of a few articles I’ve read lately about USB memory sticks as a means to get in. And they’re using the good old fashioned snail mail to deliver it! Other articles as well talk about the USB devices being sent out …
Let me start my first blog of the year by wishing everyone a Happy and Healthy New Year! As I read the article below a couple of things struck me, first is that this is an ongoing issue since December 12th, 2021, but more horrific is that 12 years of employee data was stolen! Furthermore I found it unsettling that the company feels in someway, better that no customer data …
It’s a sad thing to think that some people might not get gifts for the holidays or be able to have the typical family celebrations!! Not because they don’t have jobs, not because they haven’t earned their pay, but because hackers hit the company that provides the software to processes the payroll has been hit with Ransomware!! These hackers make Scrooge look like a nice guy! In the article they …
Passwords are essential. Indeed, it’s important to protect your network, all its data and your business and/or family. It should meet complex rules to avoid cyberattacks. DOs and DON’Ts to keep your data and accounts safe: DO NOT use a set of same characters/numbers or adjacent on your keyboard: hhhh, 4444, qwerty, 5678. DON’T get inspired by the top 10 passwords of all time (according to Symantec) are: 1. 123456 2. …
8 behaviors to avoid to stay safe from cyberattacks: Clicking a phishy email Clicking a “cute cats” link on social media that introduce malware Not updating your software and never get the latest security patches Uploading list of social security numbers to Dropbox Using an unmanaged personal device to access company cloud applications Keeping important data on your computer and not on server (servers are usually backed up daily and …
In the beginning of 2016, a ransomware attack locked computers’ data of the Ottawa’s hospital. To recover the data, the hospital was forced to pay $17.000 US in bitcoins. Not only big organizations are attacked by ransomwares. Indeed, for several years, beginner hackers can easily download virus packs like Trojan Horses, and target individuals, and small & medium sized organizations to infect. In the first quarter of 2016, victims paid more …
Since a long time, Disaster recovery was neglected but the situation today has changed. Everyone till date has experienced the data loss at least once. It is important to learn the importance of Disaster recovery in order to avoid losses that could have a negative impact on your business. 40% of businesses don’t reopen after a major disaster, such as a fire or a flood. But with a good disaster …
It is a well-known fact that the security of the cloud infrastructure is perceived as both an advantage and a challenge today. According to IT professionals marketing, in a survey of 300 companies which employee more than 100 employees – 64% of the companies consider cloud to be a more secure alternative to legacy systems. The level of enterprise who trust cloud security is encouraging but it is not that simple. The myth that the Cloud is less secure is rooted in …
