Stuart Crawford – Page 29 – Ulistic Projects Blog

August 19, 2019

Australian Democracy is Protected by New Cyber Security Service

Microsoft has opened up its new Defending Democracy Program to Australian entities in the security and political arena to help protect against cyber attacks.

With the threats of cyber attacks during global elections, it’s a good time to think about how important democracy is to all Australians as well as taking stock of how good the security is when it comes to democratic rights and institutions. In 2018 in the United States, Microsoft launched AccountGuard, a special security service designed to offer additional critical cyber protection to users operating in a political sphere. This service is a key component in their initiative Defending Democracy.

AccountGuard Available to Australian Organisations and Individuals

In March 2019, Microsoft announced that its AccountGuard service was available to eligible individuals and organisations in Australia. In recent times, forces disruptive to democracy have used technology to game political systems. In February, Australians were reminded of this new threat to Australian institutions when the Australian Government revealed that a well-thought-out cyber attack had been launched against the people and systems in Parliament House. It was revealed further that the cyber attack was also directed at major political parties in the Australian Government by the same malicious entity.

Defending Democracy Initiative

Microsoft has developed AccountGuard as a part of a broader response under the Defending Democracy Initiative, a program to defend against growing threats of foreign interference in the country’s democratic processes in Australia and around the world. After the well-publicised allegations of foreign-sponsored interference in the United States 2016 Presidential elections, multiple additional reports have presented other attempts by nations, individuals and entities to damage, attack, and undermine the critical democratic infrastructure and institutions.

The Australian Government has responded by offering the AccountGuard service at no cost to political parties and candidates who use Microsoft Office 365. AccountGuard provides notifications about any cyber threats which include attacks by known foreign nations, personal accounts of the political organisations’ staff and leaders, and across email systems used by eligible organisations.

Microsoft AccountGuard is now available to all political candidates, campaign offices, and parties which operate on a state or national level. It is also being made available for eligible Think Tanks and other associated entities. If you or your organisation is eligible to install Microsoft AccountGuard, you can go to https://www.microsoft.com/accountguard to ask for an invitation to learn more or enroll. Australia now joins the United States, India, Canada, Ireland, the United Kingdom, and 12 more European countries in having access to this security service.

From Microsoft, “while AccountGuard does not replace existing security solutions and best practice, it is a useful tool in political parties’ kitbags to protect them and their candidates from unwanted interference.”

From Microsoft’s Website

Microsoft AccountGuard is a new security service offered at no additional cost to customers in the political space. The service is designed to help these highly targeted customers protect themselves from cybersecurity threats.

Specifically, the service provides:

Best practices and security guidance specific to those in the political space.
Access to cybersecurity webinars and workshops.
Notification in the event of a verifiable threat or compromise by a known nation-state actor against the participant’s O365 account.
Notification to both the organisation and, where possible, the impacted individual if a registered Hotmail.com or Outlook.com account associated with the organisation is verifiably threatened or compromised by a known nation-state actor.
Recommendations to the participating organisation for remediation, if a compromise is confirmed.
A direct line to Microsoft’s Defending Democracy Program team.

August 19, 2019August 19, 2019

The End Of Windows 7

As of January 14^th, 2020, Microsoft will be ending all support for their hugely popular Windows 7 operating system, which has technology professionals strongly recommending businesses upgrade to Windows 10 in response.

This brief video on the subject discusses what the end of Windows 7 support means for users and the risks that come with choosing not to upgrade before January 2020.

If you have questions or want to find out how we can assist you with upgrading smoothly to Windows 10, give us a call at {phone} or email us at {email}.

August 19, 2019August 19, 2019

The End Of Windows 7

This brief video on the subject discusses what the end of Windows 7 support means for users and the risks that come with choosing not to upgrade before January 2020.

If you have questions or want to find out how we can assist you with upgrading smoothly to Windows 10, give us a call at {phone} or email us at {email}.

August 19, 2019August 19, 2019

Capital One Data Breach

Recently, news broke about the latest large-scale data breach to hit a major organization. Capital One Bank has announced that millions of customers across the US and Canada have had their personal information compromised in one of the biggest breaches to ever happen to a financial services company.

This brief video courtesy of News24 discusses the scope of the incident, the kinds of information impacted, and tips to help protect you from scams that target you directly.

If you have any questions, give us a call at {phone} or email us at {email}.

August 16, 2019

The Price of Getting Hacked

Depending on the scope of the attack, the cost of getting hacked can be in the hundreds of thousands or more. Here’s what you need to know.

When it comes to cyberattacks, all too often the bad guys win. Hackers have targeted local governments, airports, banks, and businesses, stealing usernames, passwords, and sensitive private data. While they may sell this information on the black market, they often hold it for ransom. With no other way to retrieve the stolen data, victims are forced to buy back their belongings while the thief vanishes into anonymity. Here is a look into the true price of getting hacked and what you can do to protect yourself.

Lake City, Florida mayor Stephen Witt announced that the city would pay hackers $460,000 to recover stolen data. The thieves seized control of major email servers, bringing the city’s operations to a grinding halt. Witt claimed that cyber insurance would cover all but $10,000 of the ransom, though it’s uncertain whether the city met the policy’s criteria for protection.

Ransomware: An Alarming Trend

Ransomware attacks are on the rise, and victims are paying exorbitant sums to regain their data. Three attacks occurred in April 2019 alone, hitting Tallahassee, Augusta, and the Cleveland Hopkins International Airport. The ransomware forced operations to close, with the Tallahassee attack costing the city nearly a half-million. Hackers frequently target municipalities and government organizations knowing the high value of the stolen data and its importance in operations. In many cases, the data isn’t exactly stolen, but encrypted to prevent access. After the ransom is paid, the hackers unlock the data, or so they promise.

Research conducted by SentinelOne found that only 26% of U.S. companies that fell victim to ransomware and paid the ransom were able to access their files. And even if the hackers honor their end of the deal, they may attack again. In fact, organizations that ponied up the cash were hit again 73% of the time. What’s worse is that some cybersecurity providers are in cahoots with hackers, splitting the ransom between them.

MSPs at Risk

Managed service providers (MSPs) are often the strongest line of defense against hackers. Unfortunately, hackers know this and have started to attack the software and systems that MSPs use to protect customer data. By infecting these systems with malware, hackers can access account credentials and use them to log in to customer accounts. They can then obtain bank accounts, addresses, phone numbers, credit card numbers, and other private data.

How Can MSPs Fight Back?

As hackers become more adept, MSPs need to step up their game. Frequent testing of defense systems, backup and recovery plans, and other cybersecurity measures is a must. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has published a framework to mitigate cybersecurity risk to assist MSPs in keeping hackers at bay.

As is the case in medicine, prevention is the best cure for cyberattacks. Cities, corporations, and businesses must work together with MSPs to reduce their likelihood of being targeted and have multiple plans in place if a breach occurs. By staying proactive, the good guys can make it difficult for hackers to get what they want.

August 16, 2019

Cyber Security is Vital for Small Businesses

Small Business Tech Security

Small businesses need to take cyber security seriously, preventing lapses or weak points that could lead to major data breaches or attacks.

Modern technology is rapidly changing the landscape for small businesses. Small companies can now do more and have a far greater reach, but they are also faced with bigger security concerns. What once was a big company issue is now a concern for small businesses as well. Some small businesses get caught into an assumption that security breaches only impact big companies, but hacks, ransoms and malware threaten companies of all sizes.

Small- and medium-sized companies are being attacked at an increasing rate. The average cost of damage from theft, hacking and data loss increased from over $879k to $1mil, according to the Ponemon Institute. This has forced small businesses to spend more each year with a projected spend of $21.2 billion by 2021. Security has become a major small business concern.

Security is a Major Managed Services Offering for Small Business

Tech security is a vital need for small business, but not all companies can afford a full IT department. Small businesses that need additional tech support to cover the various aspects of their company. From firewalls and email to endpoints, top professionals should be keeping your business safe. Cybercriminals are becoming more sophisticated in their approaches, often tricking your employees into clicking on links or opening attachments that help them enter in a back door. Only the best software, updated devices and best practices for your employees will help reduce the risks of a breach. No matter what industry you are in, keeping your data, profiles and customers safe should be a top priority.

The traditional solutions are no longer good enough. In order to protect your business and customers, you will want to outsource tech support. By hiring an IT managed services company, you will have access to top professionals round-the-clock without paying for a full-time team. You want the expertise and niche talents that a full team can offer.

The True Cost of Data Breaches

Remember, your losses will go beyond the cost of recovery. You will have downtime that could cause major disruptions in your business and will impact how your customers trust your company. You could face governmental fines or settlements to cover customer loss. Your business could face investigations, digital forensics sweeps and more that would hinder work and become a huge time drag for you. Most businesses (60%) fail within 6 months of a data breach because the cost is too much to handle.

Strengthening Preventative Security Practices

A preventative approach to cyber security will be more valuable than just a response (though you want a response plan as well). Part of preventing those breaches is going to be in proper training for your employees. An estimated 54% of data breaches are the result of negligence on the part of an employee or contractor, according to a Ponemon study. Starting with good training and best practices will help reduce breaches due to error. A tech company should make necessary updates to your equipment and software to ensure you are protected against malware and virus attacks as much as possible. Backups should also be in place in case of a system breach, protecting you against lost data.

Stay Honest About Your Weaknesses

The right IT team will audit your company to find weak points and make reasonable suggestions for change. Having those honest conversations with your customers about potential risks can help protect both you and them. Being straightforward will help increase the trust and improve how customers treat their own data and account security. No matter what industry you operate in, your customers are going to hold you responsible when it comes to their security and data protection. By staying open about cyber concerns, you are more likely to take them seriously and get them ironed out. Trying to cover security concerns will only lead to bigger problems.

Get a tech team that works for you and knows your industry. If you need help with IT support or security, you can contact us for more information. We offer IT managed services that will help guard your company and prevent disaster.

August 16, 2019

The Top Online Journal Services For CEOs

How to Choose the Right App for CEO Online Journaling

Learn why many business leaders turn to journaling to build their brand and improve their leadership skills and see what features the top applications offer.

When you want to establish your own personal and professional brand online, using an online journal is an effective way to spread the word about your insights, leadership, business and philosophy. Having the right tool to help you get your message across to readers is an important decision.

Other CEOs use journals to fine-tune their skills, reflect on their days and improve their leadership skills.

“Setting aside as little as 10 minutes a day to record your thoughts stimulates reflection critical to making sense of the fast-moving world around you,” notes a recent Strategy and Business article. “Journaling engages the analytical, rational functions of the brain, which gives the more creative parts of your cranium space and time to work their magic.”

Below are the top online journal services that CEOs can use to build a better online persona or simply track their thoughts and perspectives.

What Features Should I Look For in a Journaling App?

The most effective apps are those that offer features that make it easier to write and publish. Some of the most common features among the top apps are:

Easy interface. You want to be able to focus on writing, so you need a minimalist interface that lets you focus your thoughts and write well. The app you choose should also be easy to use, with a limited number of clicks or taps needed to add an entry.
Exporting. You want to choose a product that allows for exporting into formats such as PDF, RTF or common word processing extensions that allow you to use the content wherever you want.
Syncing. Keep your journal synchronized across your devices with an app that has synchronizing capabilities.
Reminders. Gentle automated nudges to enter your thoughts are a good way to maintain the habit.
Visual support. You may want to add other elements to your journal, including photos, videos and graphics.

What Are the Top Online Journal Services for CEOs?

You have many choices when it comes to journaling services. Here are a few of the top options:

Day One. Automatically add metadata such as date, location, time and weather, synchronize your entries across devices, and use a dark mode if working in low light. It also uses IFTTT (“if this then that”), a free web-based service to automate the creation of entries on multiple apps.
Diario. A great choice when you want to add lots of images. You can add folders, tags, dates, locations and other filters.
Diary. A simple interface makes Diary popular for shorter entries, which can be shared easily with friends and followers on Facebook, Twitter and other social media platforms or via email. Provides cloud storage and reminders, too.
Journal. An intuitive interface and clean layout highlight this product. Synchronize with Google Maps to add location metadata and street views. Export entries to file types suitable for printing. Security features include Touch ID, Face ID and PIN protection and automatic backups to Google Drive.
LiveJournal. One of the oldest journaling apps dating to 1999, LiveJournal lets you share and read others’ journal entries while writing your own.
Momento. Connect Momento to social media apps like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube and you can automatically add social activity to your journal.
Penzu. Security is the name of the game with Penzu, which offers double password protection and 256-bit encryption, along with customizable backgrounds and fonts.

Whether for branding or reflection, the right journaling tool can improve your professional outcomes.

August 15, 2019

Australian Businesses Closed Due to Phishing Freight Scam

Australian Businesses Closed Due to Phishing Freight Scam

Several Australian businesses have become the targets of a phishing freight scam losing an average of $30,000 to $100,000.

Phishing is on the rise as a method of online criminal activity focused on businesses. Victims are being scammed out of tens of thousands of dollars via this email phishing scheme. Right now, scammers are directing their fraudulent activity at IT and electrical businesses. Several Australian companies have shut down after becoming victim to a freight forwarding email according to the Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC). These victims are losing an average of $30,000 to $100,000 after sending their products to the scammers who request delayed payment credit terms from the victims.

How Does The Freight Scam Work?

The scammers trick victims into participating by spoofing internet emails, domains and signatures of executives of large Australian companies and universities to legitimise their communications. An example of how they work is they send their email from lendleases.com.au instead of the actual website lendlease.com.au. One of the fraudulent emails that the ACSC released is supposedly from a Chief Procurement Officer at the University of Sydney.

On each purchase order, the scammers request laptops, hard drives, cosmetics, defibrillators and environmental monitoring equipment, all items that can be easily resold. The targets are asked to ship the orders to a freight forwarding company which in turn, then sends them on to another fraudulent entity who acts as a middleman. Then the freight forwarding company becomes a second victim when their bill is paid using stolen credit cards or using an established credit line.

How are Fraudulent Orders Identified?

In this case, the scammers are requesting shipments to many locations including Singapore, Dubai, Dagenham, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and Deira according to the ACSC. Businesses should never automatically trust any unsolicited order of goods with credit without further investigation. However, it’s possible for these orders to slip through the cracks if you don’t have a strict policy for your approval process on every transaction. The ACSC requests that all organisations should do due diligence on any new customers or unusual orders, and investigate any customer before granting credit. They also suggest that businesses should check the domain of websites and emails that are referenced on a purchase order. A good follow up is to contact customers by phone to confirm that they are a legitimate company, and have placed the recent order. Lastly, it’s important to verify the shipping address over the phone.

What is Phishing?

Phishing is one of the most commonly-used cyber attacks in Australia. Statistics from the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner show that phishing accounts for 39 percent of all breaches reported. Therefore, it’s important to be aware of how to protect yourself at home and at work from phishing.

How Does Phishing Work?

The victim receives an email that is simple in format and generally personalised and potentially from a known sender. It may look like an official email from a known organisation or company, and it invites the victim to click on an embedded link. Wording varies, but it may say, “click to learn more” or “click to see the image.” After clicking, the victim is redirected to a web page and asked to enter their user name and password or for other personal information. Once the personal information is filled in the attacker then sends emails to everyone in the victim’s address book and the cycle repeats.

What are the Dangers?

While having spam email issued from your own email account is annoying and a problem, the larger issue is that the victim has given the attacker their user name and password. With an email and password, the attacker can easily hack into anything the victim uses that email and password for. Most people repeat email and password data for multiple accounts. In the world of cloud storage, this can be several accounts including email, CRM, file storage, banking, and proprietary applications.

August 15, 2019July 25, 2019

Protect Yourself From Ransomware In Windows 10

Windows 10 Security Tips

Protect Yourself From Ransomware In Windows 10

You may have been using Windows 10 for some time now, but it’s likely that you haven’t mastered all of its features just yet.

You’ve heard about ransomware, right?

It’s a type of malware that encrypts your data so you can’t access it and holds it for ransom. Usually, this malware makes its way into your systems by posing as a file or program you think you want. Even if you don’t end up having to pay the ransom, it’s a lot of trouble that you should try to avoid.

Did you know that you can enable Controlled Folder Access in Windows 10 to protect against ransomware?

Enabling Controlled Folder Access protects the default Windows data storage locations in your profile from access by unknown applications. When compared to identified and allowed programs, if the malware is determined to be unsafe, you’ll get a pop-up letting you know it was denied access to your storage.

August 15, 2019August 15, 2019

The Complete Guide to Managing Popular Extensions Successfully

Protect Yourself from Potential Attacks Via Chrome Extensions

Learn two simple ways to set the privacy and activity settings for each Google Chrome extension on your browser and steps the company is taking to protect users.

Google’s Chrome web browser is a popular choice for businesses the world over. Managing the extensions gives you more control and faster results when using Chrome to its best. Here’s a closer look at Chrome add-ons and how to use them effectively.

And with emerging cyberthreats targeting browsers, now is an important time to know your way around the extensions.

What Is the History of Google Chrome Extensions?

Google introduced Chrome in 2008. By 2010, there were more than 10,000 extensions available in the Chrome Web Store. Today, the company does not release the number available, but it’s estimated to be in the hundreds of thousands.

That growth brings with it an increasing vulnerability to attacks via vectors embedded in extensions. The company does work to keep malicious extensions out of its store but mistakes are possible. Other extensions can invade users’ privacy.

Should I Uninstall All Chrome Extensions?

Deleting all extensions is not necessary. Instead, use these two helpful tools to manage your extensions better and control permissions you provide to the add-in.

1. Use Extension Icons

To the right of the address bar, you’ll find icons representing the extensions you’ve installed. If you right-click on an icon, you’ll see an option titled “This can read and change site data” with three options:

When you click the extension
On [the site you’re on]
On all sites

The default is the first option, which limits the use of the extension to user-activated times. If an extension is “loud,” meaning it uses a lot of bandwidth, these settings can provide more control.

2. Use Extension Settings

If you click on the hamburger menu icon to the far right of your address bar, you can click on the option “More tools” and click on “Extensions.” This will bring up a screen with a box for each installed extension. Click on the Details button for any extension you want to modify. You’ll see the three options again, but also an option to add the URLs of specific sites on which you want the extension activated.

What Can Go Wrong with Browser Extensions?

There are several risks to installing browser extensions. Here are a few of the ways extensions can do harm:

Malicious intent. Malware can be installed unknowingly that uses your computer for other purposes. Kaspersky, for example, noted a recent example of extensions that made money for the hacker by clicking on pay-per-click ads.
Hijacking. If a hacker steals a designer’s credentials, an extension can be compromised by changing the functionality or inserting malware.
Purchases. Extensions are hard for designers to monetize. That’s why many are eager to sell their code if approached by a buyer. Users are usually unaware if extensions change hands, meaning a previously well-intentioned add-on can be repurposed.

Is Google Addressing Extension Security?

Google recently announced steps it’s taking to combat the security issues with extensions. Among its changes:

More granular user permission options
A requirement that extensions only request access to the minimum amount of user data needed to operate
Expanding privacy rules for extensions. Those that carry user communications and user content will join those that handle personal or sensitive user data and need to post privacy policies

Proactive steps combined with Google’s efforts are critical to keeping your browsing and data safe and secure.