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Children As Online Targets--What Every Parent Needs To Know

Your Security

Children As Online Targets--What Every Parent Needs To Know

Adults should be well-aware of hacking and the risks involved when traversing online. But what many don’t know is the sad truth that children are also targets of online abuse. Sadly, this includes infants. The good news is that parents aren’t helpless when it comes to protecting their child’s online activities and real-world identities. Knowing the signs of child identity theft, other harmful vulnerabilities and how you can help prevent them is a great way to start. READ FULL STORY

Identity Theft

Spam Emails Mask Ransomware With A Wink And A Smile
September 24, 2021

A new ransomware, Avaddon, is having a bit of fun with its targets as their way to install the malware on devices worldwide. Hackers are sending “innocent” spam emails as a calling card to deploy Avaddon ransomware on data systems. Hoping to catch users off guard, spam emails infiltrate email accounts with a subject line asking the user if they approve of their “new photo” or the photo of the spam sender. What could possibly go wrong when the only email content is an innocuous winking smiley face? READ FULL STORY

What Is The Price Of The Average Data Breach? Awareness Training May Be The Key To Prevention

Corporate Security

What Is The Price Of The Average Data Breach? Awareness Training May Be The Key To Prevention

The price tag for a data breach went up this year, way up. Although the global average cost per breach is now a whopping $3.86 million, the average cost for the U.S. is $8.64 million, the most expensive in the world. IBM’s “2020 Cost of a Data Breach” report sheds light on the growing financial costs of a breach, having increased by more than $2 million each over the past two years. The report also finds employees are the costly reason behind enterprise data breaches. READ FULL STORY
In Shadow Of Coronavirus: Phishing Campaign Uses Job Hunting As Foil

Scams & Phishing

In Shadow Of Coronavirus: Phishing Campaign Uses Job Hunting As Foil

At a time when most are anxious for life to get back to “normal,” returning to work is a big part of making that happen. While the number of coronavirus cases continues to go down in some areas and surge in others, there’s another escalation going on and its name is “cybercrime.” The level of hacks reported last month hit its own peak with a 16% increase compared to March and April of this year and they are using resumes and medical leave forms to make that happen. READ FULL STORY
Not All Cookies Are Created Equal; Know When Not To Accept Them

Your Security

Not All Cookies Are Created Equal; Know When Not To Accept Them

It seems every webpage you land on these days has an “Accept Cookies” pop-up. After all, what’s the big deal about a few cookies, so we click “Accept” and move on. Well, turns out it’s a bigger deal to accept cookies than most users realize. Thinking twice before you accept them can help keep malicious and zombie cookies off your device, among other things. Who would ever think a few innocent cookies could be a bad thing, but unfortunately, many of them are. READ FULL STORY

Security Education Videos

Caller ID Spoofing: Don't Hang On, Hang Up
September 20, 2021

Spoofing is when a caller deliberately falsifies the information transmitted to your caller ID display to disguise their identity. Scammers often use neighbor spoofing so it appears that an incoming call is coming from a local number, or spoof a number from a company or a government agency that you may already know and trust. If you answer, they use scam scripts to try to steal your money or valuable personal information, which can be used in fraudulent activity. READ FULL STORY

Arrests of 6 Ransomware Gang Members Doesn't Thwart Attacks

Your Security

Arrests of 6 Ransomware Gang Members Doesn't Thwart Attacks

A ransomware gang finally faced the law when six members of Clop ransomware group were tossed into a jail cell in the Ukraine. The arrests followed an Interpol international investigation and collaboration with law enforcement agencies in the United States and Republic of Korea. The arrested each face up to eight years in a Ukraine prison. That doesn't mean we can let our guards down. In fact, there is always another ransomware group waiting in the wings to take over. READ FULL STORY
How To Create A Strong And Unique Password For Every Account

Education

How To Create A Strong And Unique Password For Every Account

Most of us know by now not to use the same passwords for different accounts; yet some of us still do. But users who continue to use passwords they know have been exposed in a hack are truly flirting with danger. In a recent study, Google found 1.5% of passwords are still being used despite those users knowing they’ve been compromised. A security researcher discovered more than 22 million unique passwords and over 770 million email addresses were made public on a popular hacker forum earlier this year. READ FULL STORY
Does Your State Rate? Top Five Worst States For Cybercrime In The U.S.

Your Security

Does Your State Rate? Top Five Worst States For Cybercrime In The U.S.

Last year was a wild ride for many reasons, least of all the continuing coronavirus pandemic. Hacking levels hit historic highs when scammers and hackers set their sights on new criminal opportunities created by the pandemic. Marketing company GetResponse took a closer look at hacking activity by individual state in their report “State of Online Hacking in America.” Their findings are based on the FBI’s “Internet Crime Report 2020,” which studied cybercrime in America during 2020. READ FULL STORY
New Chrome Features Boost Your Browsing Security

Your Security

New Chrome Features Boost Your Browsing Security

We are always on the edge of our seats to see what new privacy and security settings Google comes up with for its massively used Chrome browsers. Perhaps wer are not on the edge of our seats, but there are some reportedly cool new features of version 92, that is already available. And while features are not normally what we recommend for downloading new versions of anything, some of these new ones for Chrome cross over into security. So, take note and see what’s new. READ FULL STORY
Gift Card Email Scams Hide Devastating BEC Attacks

Scams & Phishing

Gift Card Email Scams Hide Devastating BEC Attacks

Business email compromise (BEC) can be devastating to any company, especially when 60% of small-to-medium-sized businesses don’t survive these assaults. However, BECs target a wide range of victims, and it’s reported that hackers use gift card scams in 66% of their email phishing attempts. The importance of avoiding BEC scams can’t be overstated, and what helps protect against these cybercrimes should be of interest to employees and CEOs alike. READ FULL STORY
MacOS 11 And Chrome Browser Vulnerable To Improved XCSSET Malware

Your Security

MacOS 11 And Chrome Browser Vulnerable To Improved XCSSET Malware

From smartphones to laptops and computers, if you use Apple devices and the Google Chrome browser, be aware that your devices are currently at risk of attack by a new and improved malware. A discovery by TrendMicro finds malware known as XCSSET recently received a dangerous upgrade that puts Apple’s Mac operating system (macOS) and its users at risk. MacOS 11 Big Sur with Apple’s new M1 processor chip are now particularly vulnerable to this malware and its current upgrade. READ FULL STORY
Microsoft Warns Phishers Sneak In New Lures To Snag You

Scams & Phishing

Microsoft Warns Phishers Sneak In New Lures To Snag You

Detecting phishing is getting harder and harder as the days go by. Merely looking out for misspelled words, bad grammar, or unknown senders just isn’t enough anymore. A popular way the phishers lure unsuspecting victims is using well-known business names and/or products and Microsoft Office 365 has been a popular one of late. As if they weren’t hard enough to find anyway, Microsoft has recently warned of yet another one that is craftier at bypassing anti-phishing filters and succeeding at capturing user login credentials. READ FULL STORY
Stopping Ransomware: 50% Of Organizations Unprepared, Report Finds

Corporate Security

Stopping Ransomware: 50% Of Organizations Unprepared, Report Finds

A research report by Trend Micro finds only 50% of organizations can identify cybercrimes…in particular, ransomware attacks. That’s not good news for anyone, but on the other hand, Trend Micro also finds there’s plenty of room for improvement. That progress depends on each individual company and how they do (or don’t) approach strengthening their security environment. Hackers are proving even more ruthless with their attacks, especially those using ransomware. READ FULL STORY




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