How Data Breaches Happen

A data breach is more than just a temporary terror. They can have a profound impact on your life. Sensitive information can cause huge problems for individuals, businesses, and governments. Hackers can reach you online or offline via Bluetooth, text messages or other online services.

A small flaw can lead to a huge data breach if it isn't addressed properly.

Many people don't pay enough attention to modern security threats because they aren't aware of their existence.

We'll be discussing data breaches and their potential impact on you in this article.

We'll be diving in to answer some of the most frequently asked questions.

• What is a data breach?
• What is the cause of a data breach
• What does a data breach mean for me?
• What can I do prevent data breaches?

Before we move on, let's first define data breaches.

What is a Data Breach?

Data breach is when confidential, sensitive or protected information is made available to an unauthorised person. Files in a data breach can be viewed and/or shared by anyone without permission.

Data breaches can happen to anyone, from individuals to governments and high-ranking companies. Even more important, anyone can expose others to risk if they don't have their data protected.

Generally speaking, data breaches take place because of weaknesses in:

• Technology
• User behavior

Data can slip through more places as our mobile devices and computers get more connected. We are constantly creating new technologies faster than we can protect them.

The IoT sector's devices are a clear example of how we value convenience over security.

Hackers are exploiting many "smart home", products that have flaws like a lack of encryption.

We'll see more of this issue as new digital products, tools, and services are used without any security testing.

Even if all the technology is in place, users may still be prone to poor digital habits. It takes just one person to compromise a website, or network.

You are almost certain to be at risk if you don't have comprehensive security both at the enterprise and user levels.

Understanding how data breaches occur is key to protecting yourself and others.

How do Data Breaches happen?

Although it is commonly believed that data breaches are caused by outside hackers, this is not always the case.

Sometimes, data breaches can be traced back at the source to intentional attacks. It can also be caused by simple oversights or weaknesses in the company's infrastructure.

Here are some ways a data breach could occur:

• An Accidental Insider. One example is an employee accessing a colleague's computer without authorisation permissions and reading files. This access is accidental and no information is given out. The data was however viewed by an unauthorized person and is therefore considered to be breached.
• A Malicious Insider. A malicious insider is someone who accesses or shares data in order to cause harm to an individual/company. Although the malicious insider may be authorized to access the data, the intention is to use it in criminal ways.
• Devices stolen or lost. A laptop or external hard drive that is not encrypted and locked -- any information that contains sensitive data -- can be lost.
• Malicious Outside Criminals. These hackers use various attack vectors in order to obtain information from a network or individual.
• Malicious methods used to breach data

Cyberattacks can lead to malicious data breaches, so it is important that you know what to look out for.

These are some of the most popular hacker methods

• Phishing
• Malware
• Brute Force Attacks

Phishing. Such social engineering attacks are intended to trick you into causing data breaches. To deceive you, phishing attackers pretend to be organizations or people that you trust. These criminals will try to get you to give the data to them or to gain access to your sensitive data.

Brute force attacks. Hackers might use software tools to guess passwords in a more aggressive approach.

Brute force attacks

You should go through every possible password option until you get it right. Although these attacks can take some time, they have become more rapid with the increase in computer speed. Hackers can also hijack other devices similar to yours by infecting them with malware, which speeds up the process. It might take only a few seconds for hackers to crack your password if it is not strong enough.

Malware. Security flaws can exist in your device's operating system and software. Criminals use these security gaps to insert malware. Spyware is perfect for stealing private information while remaining undetected. This infection might not be detected until it is too late.

What are the targets of Data Breaches?

A data breach could be caused by an innocent error, but real damage can occur if the person with unauthorized entry steals or sells Personally Identifiable Information or corporate intellectual data in order to gain financial gain or cause harm.

Malicious criminals follow a simple pattern. Targeting an organization to breach is planning. They conduct research on their victims to find out where vulnerabilities exist, such as missing updates or failures and employees' susceptibility to phishing attacks.

Hackers discover weaknesses in a target and then create a campaign to get insiders downloading malware. Sometimes, they directly target the network.

Once inside, malicious criminals can search for any data they need. This is because it takes an average of five months to find a breach.

Common vulnerabilities that malicious criminals target include:

You have weak credentials Weak credentials are responsible for the majority of data breaches. Your username and password combination can be used to gain access to your network by malicious criminals. Cybercriminals can use brute-force attacks to gain access to your email, website, or other financial information, as most people reuse passwords.

Stolen credentials. Brute force.

Phishing

They pose a serious security risk and can be used by cyber criminals to gain access to your bank account and other online accounts.

Compromised assets.

Various malware attacks

These are used to disable regular authentication steps that would normally protect computers.

Payment Card Fraud. Card skimmers attach themselves to gas pumps and ATMs and steal data every time a card swipes.

Third-party access. Third-party access. Malicious criminals may be able to gain access to your network and data, even though you do your best to protect it.

Mobile Devices. Employees are permitted to bring their own devices into work (BYOD). This makes it easy for malware-laden apps to be downloaded to the device, giving hackers access to the data. This includes files and email from work, as well as the owner's PII.

Data Breach can cause serious damage

Data breaches are not something that can be fixed with a few password changes. Data breaches can have a long-lasting impact on your finances and reputation.

A data breach can be devastating for business organizations. It can affect their reputation and financial bottom lines. Equifax, Target and Yahoo are just a few of the organizations that have suffered from data breaches. Many people today associate the data breach with these companies and forget about their actual business operations.

Government organizations can be exposed to highly confidential information by compromising their data. A government's citizens and its citizens can be seriously threatened by military operations, political dealings, or details about essential national infrastructure.

Individuals: Identity theft is a serious threat to victims of data breaches. Data leaks could reveal everything, from banking information to social security numbers. These details can be used to commit fraud under your name by criminals. It is possible to lose your credit and face legal problems if your identity is stolen.

These are all common situations, but data breaches can cause more harm than these. It is important to determine if your data has been compromised. To find out if your personal or work accounts have been compromised use https://haveibeenpwned.com/ to check (this tool checks existing data breaches for your email address and reports what was leaked).

To determine if your data is being leaked, you might need more detailed monitoring. Kaspersky Security Cloud offers data leak detection to help you navigate the situation.

The best way to protect your self is to not be a victim. There are many ways to protect yourself, whether you're an individual person or an enterprise.

How to avoid becoming a Data Breach victim

• Everyone needs to be involved in data breach prevention, from IT support staff to end-users and everyone in between.
• Security is as weak as the weakest link when you are trying to prevent data breaches or leaks. Each person who interacts with the system could be vulnerable. Even children as young as three years old can be at risk from a tablet connected to your home network.
• These are some best practices to prevent data breaches
• Software updates and patches available as soon as possible
• Secure data encryption using high-grade technology
• Upgrade devices when software is not supported by the manufacturer
• BYOD security policies should be enforced, such as requiring that all devices use a business-grade VPN and antivirus protection.
• To encourage better cybersecurity practices, strong credentials and multifactor authentication should be enforced. Encourage users to use a password manager.
• Educate employees about security best practices and how to avoid being victim of socially-engineered attacks.

Call SpartanTec, Inc. now if you want to prevent data breaches and keep other online threats at bay.

SpartanTec, Inc.
Myrtle Beach, SC 29577
(843) 420-9760
https://www.spartantec.com/

Serving: Myrtle Beach, North Myrtle Beach, Columbia, Wilmington, Fayetteville, Florence, Charleston

Link between Cybersecurity Attacks & Remote Work Technology

According to a recent 60 Minutes interview, more and more of the workforce is opting to work remotely. This can leave a big gap in your cybersecurity network. Research and reports on the cybersecurity risks of hybrid or remote work continue to be published. A Tenable study found that 74% of companies attributed recent cyberattacks on their business to remote work.

The report was conducted by Forrester. It found that cloud services, apps, personal devices, and remote access tools have effectively eliminated security perimeters within organizations, leading to more cyberattacks and compromises as IT support managers struggle with managing the new technologies.

Today, 80% security and business leaders believe that remote work has made their organization more vulnerable to risk. This is attributed to three factors, according to the survey: lack of visibility into remote employees' home networks, expansion of the software supply chain, and migration to the cloud.

Cybersecurity and Remote Work

The research found that over half of remote workers access work data via a personal device. 71% of security officers lack adequate visibility into remote employee networks. This leads to cyber attacks targeting remote employees (67%)

Recent cyberattacks have also highlighted the increased use by threat actors of compromising third party software providers or leveraging vulnerability in those products. 65% of respondents to this survey link recent cyberattacks with those compromises.

Tenable found that while the cloud is generally viewed as more secure than the on-premises infrastructure in many cases, 80% of security and business executives told Tenable that they felt that moving business-critical functions to cloud increased their risk. 62% also reported that cloud assets were causing business-impacting attacks.

The survey found that at least two-thirds (or more) of IT security professionals plan to increase cybersecurity investment over the next two year. Nearly 75% of respondents cited vulnerability management and cloud security among their top priorities.

Amit Yoran (CEO of Tenable) stated that hybrid and remote work are not going away. Therefore, organizations must adapt to ensure their employees can be protected.

Yoran states that there are two ways forward. One is riddled by unmanaged risks and unrelenting hack attacks, and the other accelerates business productivity. "CISOs and CEOs have the responsibility and opportunity to harness the power and manage cyber risks for the new world.

Call SpartanTec, Inc. now if you need professional help in securing the system you use for your work from home setup.

SpartanTec, Inc.
Myrtle Beach, SC 29577
(843) 420-9760
https://www.spartantec.com/

Serving: Myrtle Beach, North Myrtle Beach, Columbia, Wilmington, Fayetteville, Florence, Charleston

Hackers Are Using Big Brand Surveys To Scam Victims

Surveys have long been a playground of hackers and scammers.

That's true at any time of the year but it's especially true around the Holidays when such scams seem to attract even more unwitting victims.  In fact, some estimates place scammer profits revolving around fake surveys as being nearly $80 million a month. So it's big business for them.

The particulars vary somewhat from one operation to the next.

Here's how cybersecurity scams work in general:

First the scammer targets a perfectly legitimate survey or giveaway offered by a big well-known company or brand.

They'll copy the layout and format of this legitimate survey creating their own version of it.  By all outward appearances from the perspective of a visitor to the survey site, they're taking advantage of a legitimate offer.

Naturally there are some telltale signs.  Most of these fake sites are written by people who are not familiar with the English language and they aren't checked closely for quality control so you're likely to catch spelling errors or grammatically incorrect phrases that could serve to give away the game. Of course there's no hiding the URL but most of the people who land on a survey or giveaway page aren't paying much attention to that.

Once on the page the victim is in the funnel. The survey proceeds as you'd expect with a request for personal information at the end.  Sometimes they ask for a credit card (which the victim is assured won't be billed - it's merely being used for 'verification purposes.')

And you know how the story ends.

Armed with this freshly gleaned information the scammers make off with it either running up big bills on the victim's card or selling the data to the highest bidder.

This is a global issue.  It impacts people from all walks of life and from almost every country on the planet.  Don't fall for it.  Do your due diligence or just say no to anything that looks like it's too good to be true.

Have your employees been trained on what to look for when it comes to phishing emails? Are you sure your data is secure?

If you don't know the answer to these questions, it is time to contact SpartanTec by completing the form to the right.

SpartanTec, Inc.
800 25th Ave S #4320
North Myrtle Beach, SC 29582
(843) 418-4792
https://www.spartantec.com/

Used with permission from Article Aggregator

New Ransomware Named AvosLocker Uses Multiple Tricks In Attacks

There's a new strain of ransomware to be concerned about in the form of AvosLocker.

This is from security firm Sophos who warns that the new strain of human-operated ransomware is one to watch.

AvosLocker burst onto the scene over the summer of this year (2021). Having enjoyed some success with their product the gang behind the code is now on the hunt for partners in a bid to fill the gap left by REvil's departure.

One of the key features of the malware's design is the fact that it leverages the AnyDesk remote IT admin tool while running it in Windows Safe mode. We've seen malware that leverages Windows Safe Mode. Safe Mode loads with a minimal set of drivers and it is less well-protected but it isn't exactly a common tactic.

AnyDesk is of course a perfectly legitimate tool used by thousands of professionals all over the world every day.  Here however it is being put to nefarious use and by combining it with running in Safe Mode and it allows the hackers to deal serious damage to their targets.

Peter Mackenzie is the Director of Incident Response at Sophos. Mackenzie says the group behind this new strain relies on simple but very clever tactics and methodologies to get the job done. So far, they've been amazingly successful.

The company had this to say about the new strain:

"Ransomware, especially when it has been hand-delivered (as has been the case in these Avos Locker instances), is a tricky problem to solve because one needs to deal not only with the ransomware itself, but with any mechanisms the threat actors have set up as a back door into the targeted network. No alert should be treated as "low priority" in these circumstances, no matter how benign it might seem."

Wise words indeed.  Stay alert out there.

Call SpartanTec, Inc. now if you need the help of IT specialists in setting up the most effective cybersecurity measures to protect your business against various online threats.

SpartanTec, Inc.
Myrtle Beach, SC 29577
(843) 420-9760
https://www.spartantec.com/

Serving: Myrtle Beach, North Myrtle Beach, Columbia, Wilmington, Fayetteville, Florence, Charleston

The Best IT-Related Resolutions For The New Year

The past couple of years have been difficult for just about everyone. Business owners and entrepreneurs have had to adapt and evolve to survive in an ever-changing climate. There’s no telling when or even if things will go back to what we once thought was “normal.” As we enter a New Year, many business owners are putting their resolutions in place to survive and hopefully thrive in 2022.

People will focus on plans for growth and ways to bring more profit in for their resolution, but it’s important to include tech- and IT-related resolutions as well. Technology might not be an obvious approach to growing a business, but it goes a long way toward making your clients and employees feel more secure about everyday interactions. This can inadvertently lead to growth as you improve customer relationships as well.

Here are a few tech-related resolutions that we think can greatly improve any business.

Use Multiple Layers Of Cyber Security Protection

There is no security approach that covers every hole or flaw that cyber security threats are looking to exploit. The best way to keep your defenses protected is to put in place multiple approaches to cover every possible gap. By using multiple programs and layers, you will ensure that every individual component of your cyber security program has a backup to counter any issues.

Your first line of defense should be a firewall. Firewalls help monitor incoming and outgoing traffic and work as a barrier between networks you trust and don’t trust. They essentially shield you from malicious or unnecessary network traffic. Multifactor authentication is an important layer as well. This prevents cyber-attacks that come from weak or compromised passwords. With multifactor authentication, you and your employees may have to receive a text to your cell phones to prove that the correct person is trying to access the network. This will help prevent the use of employee passwords to gain access to sensitive information.

Back Up Your Data And Replace Old Equipment

Unfortunately, preventive measures don’t always work. An unexpected disaster could cause your network to go down or someone could accidentally delete some important files. Plus, if your data is not backed up, you could lose sensitive information as well as time and money down the road. Customers will also be upset if you lose information pertaining to them. This could devastate your brand’s reputation and cost you customers. If you do not have a backup plan or program in place, you should definitely get one for 2022.

In addition to backup plans, it’s important to have equipment that is up-to-date. Using slow and outdated technology can take away from productivity and will make your job more difficult. If some of your equipment goes down, think about replacing it with something new rather than repairing it. While it might be more expensive at first, this decision will save you time and money in the long run.

Employee Security Training

If you want to run a cyber security-aware business, you’ll need to train your employees in security awareness and create a culture that ensures information security. Providing your employees with training related to information security can make them more comfortable and confident in their decision-making and overall employment. This rubs off on your clients and makes them feel more comfortable about doing business with you. According to information from the UK Information Commissioner’s Office, human error is to blame for 90% of cyberdata breaches. Getting your employees trained in cyber security awareness can help reduce the chance of human error.

As you lay out plans to make your business more successful throughout 2022 and beyond, ensure that your tech and information security practices are updated. There are simply no downsides to improving your technology and cyber security. Adopting these practices can go a long way toward making your employees and customers feel more comfortable and confident in their decisions.

SpartanTec, Inc. would like to partner with you in the new year to ensure your business, your employees and your customers data is secure. Call us today for a complete consultation on how we can give you peace of mind.

SpartanTec, Inc.
Myrtle Beach, SC 29577
(843) 420-9760
https://www.spartantec.com/

Serving: Myrtle Beach, North Myrtle Beach, Columbia, Wilmington, Fayetteville, Florence, Charleston

Reasons The Log4j Java Library Security Issue Is Concerning

Haven't heard of Log4j before right now? If not, you're certainly not alone but unfortunately it's something you're likely to hear more about in the weeks ahead. It may wind up being the cause of a few headaches for you.

"Log4j" is a Java library.  Its function is to log error messages in applications.  Consider it akin to an overworked clerk in the back office somewhere.

As is often the case with overworked clerks in back offices, it turns out that they're important. If one of them starts having issues it can have gigantic ripple effects. That's basically what's happening here.  This library is open source and is one of the bedrock components of the Java-logging framework.

Recently cybersecurity researchers found a remote code execution flaw in Log4j that is already being exploited in the wild.

The issue is being tracked as CVE-2021-44228 and has a severity score of 10/10 so this issue is as serious as they get.  In fact, it's such a major problem that the UK's National Cyber Security Centre has already issued a bulletin about it.

This is a pervasive issue that impacts pretty much every device that's exposed to or connected to the internet and that's running Apache Log4j versions 2.0 to 2.141. Even worse is that there's at least one group of hackers already abusing the flaw.  The Mirai botnet targets mostly IoT devices and has been modified with a module that specifically exploits this flaw.

Fortunately, both Cisco and VMware have released patches that address the issue for their products that were affected by the issue. As a whole the industry is moving very slowly when it comes to responding to this cyber threat.

That's dangerous because the global economy absolutely depends on the internet these days. Anything that has a large-scale impact on the web will have enormous ripple effects that will be felt for months if not years.

People also ask

What is Log4j used for?

Log4j is used by developers to keep track of what happens in their software applications or online services. It's basically a huge journal of the activity of a system or application. This activity is called 'logging' and it's used by developers to keep an eye out for problems for users.
https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/information/log4j-vulnerability-what-everyone-needs-to-know

What are the best practices to manage cyber risk like Log4j?

There are three main reasons that all cyber professionals need to be proactive in managing cyber risk. They must comply with regulations, their frequency and their severity. What can we do to address this problem?
https://manageditserviceswilmington.com/manage-cyber-risk/

What is Log4j vulnerability?

The Log4j flaw allows attackers to execute code remotely on a target computer, which could let them steal data, install malware or take control. Exploits discovered recently include hacking systems to mine cryptocurrency.
https://www.spartantec.com/2021/11/29/mistake-employees-cybersecurity/

Call SpartanTec, Inc. now for more details on how we can help protect your information against various types of cyberthreats.

SpartanTec, Inc.
Myrtle Beach, SC 29577
(843) 420-9760
https://www.spartantec.com/

Serving: Myrtle Beach, North Myrtle Beach, Columbia, Wilmington, Fayetteville, Florence, Charleston

Government & Small Businesses Must Prioritize Cybersecurity

Are You Prepared If Your Companies Data is Compromised?

Most of your everyday interactions are dominated by Fortune 1000s. However, small businesses continue to be the foundation of the U.S. economy. The 30 million small businesses that are operating in the country employ almost 50% of the overall workforce, as per the Small Businesses Administration. However, these same businesses have started to fall prey to cybercriminals at an increasing rate. This trend is putting the country’s economy at risk. As bigger organizations invest heavily on cybersecurity, hackers, fraudsters, and cybercriminals have started to shift their focus on small businesses.

Improved Cybersecurity Can Protect Economy

Malicious cyber activities cost the U.S. economy between $57 billion and $109 billion every year. These figures are expected to grow as the economy starts to include all of the losses incurred by small businesses from cybercrime.

As economists highlight the possibility of recession, it is crucial for all of society to assist small businesses from becoming a contributing factor. Here are few things that need to be done.

Government supported tax incentives – the government is already trying to secure our borders, financial system and air travel. Now, it needs to help in securing the digital environments of all those who are unable to do so on their own. A good place to start is to provide tax incentives to encourage innovation as well as to help small businesses realize the importance of network security. Incentives are an effective way of producing results without having to implement regulations and not having to force firms to react. In many instances, the government has leveraged tax deductions and rebates to encourage certain behaviors that are unlikely to be seen otherwise, just like with electric vehicles and solar power.

Lower Cyber Insurance Premium – small businesses can benefit from having cyber insurance if the event of a cyberattack since the damages the result from it are generally excluded from general liability policies. If small businesses do not have coverage, they will have no choice but to deal with ransoms, data loss, damages, as well as other liabilities. But, several small firms are priced out of cyber insurance market these days. Aside from that, the policies don’t cover the main attack vector, which is email phishing. If making insurance widely available is in the horizon, there is a need to request assistance from the federal and state government through tax deductions and grants. This is a small price to pay when compared to how the economy will suffer if small businesses continue to fall victim to cyberattacks.

Improved organizational awareness -  small businesses also have the responsibility to raise awareness in their company and to improve their defenses. A study revealed that less than 20% of small businesses said they were confident in their cybersecurity and those that had a well defined cybersecurity strategy didn’t reach 50%. Performing a third party security evaluation that will identify vulnerabilities is one affordable yet crucial step to take. Once the weaknesses have been determined, a plan can be made on how to deal with these weaknesses and mitigate possible losses in case a cyberattack happens.

Call SpartanTec, Inc. if you need help in setting up the most effective cybersecurity measures to secure your business against the most common online threats.

SpartanTec, Inc.
Myrtle Beach, SC 29577
(843) 420-9760
https://www.spartantec.com/