January 2022 - Ophtek

Windows is one of the most popular operating systems around and, as it’s a Microsoft product, you would like to think it’s safe. But this isn’t quite true.

As part of their January 2022 ‘Patch Tuesday’ report, Microsoft announced that 97 new security vulnerabilities had been discovered across its range of operating systems. And with an estimated 1 billion Windows PCs in use across the globe, this is very concerning. Any operating system, of course, is a highly complex piece of software. The sheer amount of coding required, to deliver high quality functionality, means that mistakes are inevitable. And then there are the hackers, individuals who are determined to find new and innovative ways to breach Windows.

What Were the Vulnerabilities?

Nine of the reported vulnerabilities were classed as critical by Microsoft, with the remaining 88 being classed as significant threats. Technical details are yet to be released, but it’s known that some of the critical vulnerabilities were associated with Microsoft Exchange Servers and the HTTP Protocol Stack. And, in particular, the HTTP Protocol Stack vulnerabilitiy is one which would allow hackers to allow remote code execution i.e. taking control of an affected PC from a remote connection.

Six of the vulnerabilities discovered have also been categorized as zero-day vulnerabilties. These affect a range of Windows background processes and, as they are classed as zero-day, it’s believed that they were known to hackers before Microsoft’s announcement. Collectively, the 97 vulnerabilities are believed to have impacted the security of major Microsoft applications including Excel, Word, Edge, Windows Defender and all manner of network tools. As a result, it’s believed that users of Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 10, Windows 11, Windows Server 2019 and even Windows Server 2022 are all at risk.

How Can Windows Users Stay Safe?

Naturally, any user of Windows is likely to be very concerned after reading the above. But the good news is that Microsoft’s January 2022 patch addresses all of these vulnerabilities. Installing it, therefore, should be the number one priority for any PCs running Windows. And that will be nearly all of them. Unfortunately, for those running Windows Server 2019 and Server 2022, this patch was withdrawn due to bugs it was generating in these environments. Users of these operating systems should remain extra vigilant and ensure that automatic Windows updates are in place.

Final Thoughts

The last few months have been relatively poor for Microsoft when it comes to patching vulnerabilities. In September 2021, it was revealed that their patch for the ‘PrintNightmare’ flaw contained bugs which negatively affected numerous printers. And, now, it appears to be history repeating itself with Windows Server users left vulnerable to both security risks and buggy updates. These issues will, no doubt, be rectified quickly but, as ever, time is of the essence when it comes to PC security. Ultimately, installing each and every security update remains the very best practice for protecting your IT devices.

For more ways to secure and optimize your business technology, contact your local IT professionals.

Ophtek Partners with Identillect Technologies to Provide their Clients with Secure Email Services

UncategorizedOphtek, LLC

Jan 2022

Ophtek offers Delivery Trust to their Medical and Financial Services clients

DANA POINT, CA / ACCESSWIRE / January 20, 2022 / Identillect Technologies Corp., an industry leader in compliant email security announced its first new reseller partner of 2022. Identillect has refocused its market strategy to place a significant effort on providing support and resources to our growing reseller market. The reseller market is expanding and becoming a larger portion of Identillect’s customer base and future growth.

Ophtek is full-service technology and IT support organization; they have served Northern California’s Bay Area since 2013 and cater significantly to the technical and support needs of medical-based organizations. Ophtek prides itself on providing its customers with the most up-to-date technical service and support while keeping their services compliant with the expanding regulatory requirements. Ophtek has an ongoing education component to its organization which assists their customer base to understand the changing technical environment and the best path to success.

Ophtek founder Arash Shokouh stated, “We are committed to serving all aspects of our clients’ needs, and security is no exception. Partnering with Identillect Technologies allows us to provide secure communication to our clients, ensuring they have a positive user experience and maintain adherence to regulations such as HIPAA. Ophtek will continue in February with their quarterly IT Best Practices lecture series where we are excited to have Identillect’s CEO Todd Sexton as a guest lecturer on cyber-security on February 16^th, 2022, at a session where Delivery Trust will be highlighted.”

Identillect CEO, Todd Sexton, states, “Identillect is proud to be the security partner for Ophtek, they have an impressive reputation and growing customer base largely focused in the medical and financial sectors with significant security and regulatory requirements. Identillect is excited to be an ongoing partner to this organization, and I am extremely pleased to be working with Arash who is a progressive and intuitive business leader interested in maintaining cutting edge technology for his clients.”

HIPAA Journal recently reported additional HIPAA regulatory requirements in healthcare data breaches and2020 saw more than 29 million healthcare records breached. The medical profession is seeing a significant increase in data breaches and cyber-security protection is now more important than ever.

About Identillect

Identillect Technologies is the leading provider of email encryption service Delivery Trust^®, empowering enterprises of all sizes to protect their business and their client’s critical information against cyber security attacks.

Delivery Trust^® is an award-winning, multi-platform plug-in, which gives users complete control of their emails, for one low price. The simple integration complies with all regulations and most importantly provides peace of mind.

For more information, or your free trial, please visit www.identillect.com

On Behalf of the Board of Directors of:

IDENTILLECT TECHNOLOGIES CORP.

Todd Sexton
Chief Executive Officer
Tel: (949) 468-7878
Email: todd.sexton@identillect.com

About Ophtek:

Ophtek is a full-service technology and IT support company committed to the ever-changing needs of their customer base. They serve California ranging from Sacramento to Los Angeles.
They provide their clients with a complete range of IT Managed Services.

Ophtek’s Total IT Coverage services are a fixed cost on-site and remote support solution that helps you eliminate the costs associated with avoidable system downtime. They protect critical systems from security threats, provide updating, patching, preventative maintenance, onsite and remote support, providing a complete Managed IT Solution necessary to keeping your office operating at peak efficiency.

Ophtek LLC

Arash Shokouh
Chief Executive Officer
Tel: 877-674-8356
Email: arash@ophtek.com

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

This news release may include forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties. All statements within, other than statements of historical fact, are to be considered forward looking. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those in forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include market prices, exploitation and exploration successes, continued availability of capital and financing, and general economic, market or business conditions. There can be no assurances that such statements will prove accurate and, therefore, readers are advised to rely on their own evaluation of such uncertainties. We do not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking statements except as required under the applicable laws.

SOURCE: Identillect Technologies Corp

5 Useful Tips for Setting Up a New PC

Antivirus, Compatability, Default Browser, New PC, Ophtek, Power Options, Updatesantivirus, Compatability, Default Browser, New PC, Ophtek, Power Options, updatesOphtek, LLC

Jan 2022

An organization which keeps on top of productivity will regularly replace PCs which have become outdated. But what are the best ways to set up a new PC?

A new PC should instantly bring a boost to productivity to its user, but there’s always room for improvement. The complexity of hardware and software mean that it’s virtually impossible to get a PC’s configuration exactly right, especially the first time that it’s started up. However, there are a few useful tips which can help your organization maximize the functionality of its new PCs from day one. It’s merely a question of understanding the procedures behind this and then taking the time to implement them.

Luckily, we’ve decided to save you some time by outlining five useful tips for setting up a new PC.

Getting Your New PC Up to Speed

If you want to get your PC set up correctly and effectively, make sure you are mindful of these best tips:

Check for Updates: While a new PC is ‘new’ it’s not completely new as its likely been sat in a warehouse for some time before being shipped. As a result, there are likely to be new updates available for not just Windows, but many of the applications pre-installed on the PC. Therefore, one of the first things to do is check for Windows Updates. You can then install these updates to ensure your new PC is as secure and productive as it should be.
Run Your Antivirus Software: It’s not unheard of for new PCs to be pre-infected with malware before they leave the factory. Accordingly, it makes sense to run your antivirus software before a new PC is connected to the internet. This strategy ensures that your PC has the best chance of entering your network with the minimum security risk.
Select Your Default Browser: Connecting to the internet is an important part of business life these days, but there are several options when it comes to browsing the internet. As an organization, it’s useful to adopt a company-wide default browser. Not only does this allow technical issues to be minimized, but it makes training much simpler. So, once a PC has been started for the first time, make sure you apply the default setting to your preferred browser.
Check Existing Hardware is Compatible: A new PC doesn’t mean that you have to replace each and every piece of associated hardware. A mouse, for example, should be fine to keep and connect to your new PC. However, these pieces of hardware may not always be compatible with a new PC or operating system. Therefore, take the time to test existing peripherals to confirm if they can be transferred over or need replacing.
Set Power Options for Laptops: If you are dealing with a new laptop then you need to make sure that its power options are optimized. Your employees are unlikely to be proficient in fine tuning this to provide maximum battery life, so make a point of implementing the best settings for them.

For more ways to secure and optimize your business technology, contact your local IT professionals.

Solid State Drives Targeted by Stubborn New Malware

Hackers, malicious code, Ophtek, solid state drive (SSD), Updateshackers, malicious code, Ophtek, solid state drive (SSD), updateOphtek, LLC

Jan 2022

A new strain of malware has been developed which allows threats to be delivered to an inaccessible area of a solid state drive (SSD).\

The attack in question is not currently active, but the possibility of this attack has been modeled and proved successful by a group of Korean security researchers. However, hackers are persistent and they have likely been investigating such an attack for some time – similar strategies have already been employed to hide malware on hard disk drives (HDD). And, thanks to the rapid rise of SSDs over the last decade, threats to their security are only going to become more common.Combatting threats that have stealth on their side is crucial for protecting your IT infrastructures, so you need to take this threat very seriously. Let’s take a look at why and how your SSDs are at risk.

How Does This New Attack Work?

The Korean researchers have found a specific vulnerability in the design of certain SSDs which makes hacking them that little bit easier. An SSD which employs flex capacity (a technique where storage devices adjust their space to enhance performance) is the main target of this latest threat. Such an SSD contains an area known as over-provisioning which is located in an inaccessible area of the SSD. This area takes up, depending on the current demand, between 7 – 25% of the SSD capacity. And this over-provisioning area is invisible to the PCs operating system.

Due to the invisible nature of this over-provisioning space, it cannot be reached by applications such anti-virus tools or user intervention. However, it’s possible to exploit the size of this ‘hidden’ area and enlarge it by manipulation through the SSD firmware manager. Not only does this allow a hacker to deposit malware here, but it gives them access to the over-provisioning space – where sensitive data may remain for several months. It’s this sophisticated attack method which makes it difficult to detect and even more difficult to remove.

What Should You Do If You Have an SSD?

It’s believed that the attack required to exploit the over-provisioning area is not currently active. But it remains a viable threat and it’s only a matter of time before a hacker formulates a successful strategy. The sophisticated nature of this exploit means that tackling such an attack is difficult for an average PC user to complete. Solving this vulnerability lies with the manufacturers of SSDs who need to rethink the design of their systems.

Ideally, real time monitoring of these hidden areas needs implementing, with a view to providing a ‘wipe’ option when the over-positioning capacity increases rapidly. Nonetheless, it remains good practice to install every update and patch which is released for your SSD. Software within the SSD software will regularly need updating and these could be used to strengthen the defense of your SSD. Therefore, prioritizing and automating updates remains important to protect your PCs.

For more ways to secure and optimize your business technology, contact your local IT professionals.

Malware Found in Illegal Downloads of Spider-Man Film

cryptojacking, firewall, malware, mining malware, moreno, Ophtek, torrentscryptojacking, firewall, malware, mining malware, moreno, Ophtek, torrentsOphtek, LLC

Jan 2022

Hackers have decided to cash in on the popularity of Spider-Man by infecting copies of his latest movie with cryptocurrency mining malware.

Going to the movies is an expensive activity these days and, as a result, many people are turning to illegal torrents. These torrents are shared by hundreds of different people, each sharing the entire film as a file, with downloaders able to download parts of the file from these multiple sources. It may sound like the perfect answer to paying and queuing at the movies, but it’s an act which infringes copyright and is 100% illegal. And, of course, there’s the little matter of malware being bundled into these torrents. Nonetheless, it’s estimated that around 28 million users download and share illegal files every day.

Illegal downloads are here to stay, so it’s important that you understand the dangers they carry in terms of cybersecurity. And the Spider-Man example is the perfect place to start.

Using Spider-Man to Spread Malware

The latest Spider-Man movie is ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ and it was released to theatres in December 2021. Within days of the movie’s premiere, poor quality copies – often filmed from within a theatre – started appearing on torrent sites such as The Pirate Bay. However, there were also torrents available which contained a nasty surprise. Several torrents which claimed to be of No Way Home contained a file with the name of ‘spiderman_net_putidmoi.torrent.exe’ – ‘net_putidmoi’ being Russian for No Way Home.

But far from presenting you with a copy of the new Spider-Man movie, activating this file would launch cryptocurrency mining malware. The malware automatically added exceptions to Windows Defender in order to avoid detection on the infected system. With this concealment in place, the malware could then harvest the PCs processing power to mine a cryptocurrency known as Monero. While mining cryptocurrency is legal, the hijacking of PCs to power this process is highly illegal and dangerous.

How Do You Avoid These Types of Infection?

The malware involved in the Spider-Man hack has not been shown to compromise any personal information. But it will slow your PC down. And a more dangerous piece of malware could easily start compromising your data. Therefore, it’s essential that you avoid falling victim to malware hidden in torrents. The best way to stay safe is:

Don’t Download Torrents: the simplest way to avoid malware within illegal torrents is to avoid downloading them. It’s much safer for your PC (and your criminal record) to visit official sources and pay the required amount for songs, software and movies.

Always Use a Firewall: Although the Spider-Man malware is clever enough to write exceptions into Windows Defender, many similar strains of malware are not as clever. And that’s why it’s crucial that you always run a firewall, these can instantly stop malware operating on your PC.

Investigate Sluggish PC Activity: if your PC is regularly grinding to a halt and struggling to complete simple processes, there’s a good chance it’s been hijacked. Restarting your PC in Safe Mode and running anti-malware software is the best way to start ruling out an infection.

For more ways to secure and optimize your business technology, contact your local IT professionals.

Monthly Archives: January 2022