All that stands between a hacker and your sensitive information is one puny password. You may think that your password is uncrackable because it has served you well all these years, but the reality of the situation is that an experienced hacker can break almost any password. Here are the most popular methods.
The CryptoLocker virus is a new ransomware that began attacking computers via the Internet last September and has now grown to become one of the world's fastest spreading and most dangerous malwares. If your business isn't prepared for CryptoLocker, then your company's data is at serious risk.
Do you think your computer is the only technology you own that is vulnerable to hackers? You may be surprised to learn that there are other technologies in your office and home that can be hacked without you knowing about it. Here's a list of five of the most surprising technologies that may be putting your information at risk.
If a hacker manages to get their grubby hands on your computer, you're going to have a bad time. Of course, how bad of a time you have depends on your hacker's intentions. There are several things hackers can do to harm you, here are four of the most common ways hackers can disrupt your life.
It's a network security best practice to regularly switch out old passwords for new ones. However, if you're the one changing and distributing the new passwords, you may face resistance from office workers that see this mandate as an inconvenience. To make sure everyone is onboard, you will need to preach the importance of password security.
We often view hackers as creeps who are bent on spreading viruses to disrupt everyone's lives, perhaps for the sake of anarchy or some extreme ideology. But when it comes down to it, most hackers are in it for the money and are just trying to make a quick buck. In fact, hacking groups may even be more organized than your business!
When you go home for the night and lock your office door, what happens in your office under the cover of darkness? During the day, you are present to monitor what goes on and control the chaos, but what kind of monitoring and controls are in place for your office at night?
Are you going to make sure your machete is handy and start boarding up your windows for the coming of George Romero's slow-moving walking dead, or will you load up on ammo and lock yourself in a bunker for the more active and feral Max Brooks-type zombies? What about your data, like your Zombie Survival Guide E-book? Is it safe?
With all the attention that hackers receive, you would think that they are solely responsible for every network security breach, but the truth of the matter is that most damages to company networks are due to negligence. Here are the four most common IT security oversights that can lead to major damages to your network.
An online threat becoming more and more problematic is fake anti-virus and anti-spyware software pop-ups. You may have run into these malicious pop-ups when you're surfing online. A seemingly legit pop-up appears saying, "Your Computer Has Been Infected!" The pop-up prompts you to click it to buy software to rid your computer of the infection.
However, clicking on the pop-up actually installs malware that it claims to be helping you protect against. The malware can compromise your personal data, make your PC extremely slow or unusable, and more. Worse yet, if you proceed to buy the software that the pop-up presents you, your credit card information falls into the hands of thieves.
Here are some things you can do to protect yourself:
• Do NOT click on any pop-up that advertises anti-virus or anti-spyware software, especially a program promising to provide every feature known to mankind. In general, do not click on any pop-up advertisements, as many of them are malicious.
• Use ALT + F4 to close a pop-up window... this is the only safe method for closing one.
• If a virus alert appears on your screen, do NOT touch it. Do not use your mouse to eliminate or scan for viruses, and DON'T use your mouse to close the window. Contact SMART Services immediately. Clicking anywhere on the pop-up will allow the software to install itself.
• Never open an email attachment unless you are POSITIVE about the source.
• Do not download freeware or shareware.
• Avoid questionable websites. Some sites may automatically download malicious software onto your computer.
Malicious online pop-ups are becoming more and more complex, making it harder for everyday users to decipher what is legit and what is harmful. These pop-ups go so far as to trick you into installing malware on your computer, potentially compromising personal and company data while making your computer run slow.
This webinar recording provides you with guidance for preventing the installation of malware on your computer.
We all have our preferences when it comes to how we work. Our Microsoft Outlook settings are no different.
Many people like to have their inbox set up with the reading pane to preview emails at a glance without fully opening them. This is a common practice that, unfortunately, opens up users for unwanted viruses and threats via email.
Emails sent to your inbox containing viruses or malware will install the threats when the emails are viewed in the preview pane, whether or not you've fully opened them or not.
To avoid this potential danger, simply turn off your Outlook reading pane. To do this, go to View > Reading Pane > Off.
This should be done for Outlook Web Access as well because the threat is the same.
One of the most controversial parts of having remote workers is how they access your organization’s network while out of the office. You don’t want them to risk compromising your business’s data, but you also need them to have access to mission-critical applications and information while on the go. Therefore, you need a solution that helps your employees access this information securely without incident, like a virtual private network (VPN).
How much does your organization spend on cybersecurity every year? It’s a well-known fact that the Internet houses an incredible amount of threats that consistently pose a significant danger to organizations, so it’s expected that businesses will shell out to keep them away. However, large businesses with over 1,000 employees spend an average of approximately $15 million annually to protect their data. Clearly, cybersecurity isn’t a joke, and your business should take it seriously too.
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