The Best Ways to Secure Your Digital Documents

Backup, Data Breach, Data Security, digital documents, Ophtek, password protection, strong passwords, windows encryption, , , , , , ,
14
May 2024

Every business relies on digital documents, but the threat of data breaches and cyberattacks mean these documents must be correctly secured.

There are many types of documents a business uses daily such as Word, Excel, PDF, and digital images. All of these can contain sensitive information, and it’s no surprise threat actors want to get their hands on them. Not only can a threat actor use these to compromise other accounts, but they can cause real financial damage with them. Accordingly, it makes sense to secure your organization’s digital documents to keep them safe.

Securing Your Digital Documents

Your business may contain numerous files in different locations, but the good news is that securing all of them is straightforward. Just make sure you follow these best practices:

  • Password Protection: the simplest way to secure your digital documents is by implementing password protection. A common security measure for decades, passwords put a major barrier in the way of unauthorized access. Not all files can be password protected, but common files such as Microsoft 365 documents and Adobe PDF documents can.
  • Use Strong Passwords: central to good password protection is strong passwords. Never use passwords which are easy to guess e.g. using “password” or “admin”. Instead, always use passwords which combine upper and lower case characters with numbers and symbols. It’s also recommended that passwords are longer than 8 characters and different passwords should be used for different documents.
  • Restrict Access: it’s important to remember not every employee needs access to every single file within your organization. Your marketing team, for example, doesn’t need access to your finance team’s documents and vice-versa. Accordingly, you need to restrict access to only those who need it. The best way to achieve this is by setting up ‘restricted’ drives for each team to store their department-specific documents.
  • Use Windows Encryption: compromised devices present a goldmine of data for threat actors, but it’s possible to avoid this disaster by encrypting your devices. Yes, if you’re running Windows 10/11 Pro or Enterprise versions, it’s possible to encrypt data and provide access only to those with authorization. This is easy to put in place and, if Windows encryption is not available on the device, you may still be able to use BitLocker encryption to encrypt it.
  • Always Create Backups: in the event of a ransomware attack, your organization could find all of its documents encrypted and inaccessible. This is why creating backups is the surest way to enhance the security of your digital documents. The preferred method for executing this is with the 3-2-1 backup method, as this provides you with multiple copies in different locations. Complete loss of your data is minimized and there’s no need to pay any ransom fees.

Final Thoughts

All it takes is for a single file to be compromised by threat actors to cause major damage, so it’s crucial that you prioritize securing your digital documents. Putting the suggestions above into practice is relatively easy, and it ensures your data remains safe. So, don’t delay, secure your digital documents today and benefit from the peace of mind it provides.

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

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5 Easy Ways to Improve Your Organization’s Cybersecurity 

Backup, cyber attacks, cybersecurity, Ophtek, secure WIFI, Training, two-factor authentication, VPN, , , , , , ,
10
Oct 2023

With cyber-attacks showing no signs of slowing up, it’s more important than ever before to make sure your organization’s IT systems are protected. 

Luckily, this doesn’t necessarily involve huge amounts of investment. In fact, some of the most effective ways to protect your IT infrastructure are the simplest. But not ever business realizes this, and this is why so many find themselves falling victim to cybercriminals. Therefore, it’s crucial that you start implementing the best solutions for protecting your organization. 

How Do You Keep the Cybercriminals at Bay? 

To help you get started with securing your defenses, we’ve put together 5 easy ways to improve your organization’s cybersecurity: 

  1. Two-factor authentication: passwords are an amazing method of protection, and this is why they have been used as a security measure for decades. However, a breached password is of little use when it comes to securing your IT systems. Therefore, implementing two-factor authentication should be a major priority. This extra layer of security involves a user receiving a unique code – via registered text or email – to confirm their identity after entering their login credentials. This means that, even if a password is stolen, there is a further security hurdle to overcome. 
  1. Training as a team: training sessions are essential when it comes to educating your staff on the dangers of malware and threat actors. However, one-to-one IT induction processes aren’t enough. You also need to develop programs which train your team as a whole. Studies have shown that group learning is more effective and this is exactly what you need when building your IT defenses. 
  1. Secure your networks with a VPN: one of the best ways to protect your organization’s data and internet connections is by using a virtual private network (VPN). A VPN establishes secure connections between remote employees and the organization’s network, maximizing data privacy and preventing data breaches. It does this by encrypting data transmissions, shielding sensitive information from hackers, and preventing unauthorized access. Combined with tunneling protocols and authentication mechanisms, a VPN will help you create a secure digital barrier. 
  1. Create backups: many cyberattacks, particularly ransomware campaigns, focus on stealing and restricting access to data. This is why backups should form a major part of your IT defenses. By creating multiple backups – see our guide to the 3-2-1 backup method – you are essentially creating a safety net for your business in the event of a data breach. While it may not mitigate every negative impact of a data breach – such as customer data being leaked – it will minimize the risks of data loss.  
  1. Secure your Wi-Fi network: there’s absolutely no need for your Wi-Fi network to be publicly visible. By advertising the presence of your Wi-Fi network, you are inviting threat actors to test your defenses. Therefore, you need to not only secure and encrypt your Wi-Fi network, but also hide it from public view. This can be achieved by instructing your router to never broadcast its network name, also known as the Service Set Identifier (SSID). 

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

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The Importance of an SOC and NOC in Business IT 

Backup, monitoring, network, NOC, Ophtek, security, SOC, Uncategorized, Updates, , , , , , ,
15
Aug 2023

Every business wants their IT infrastructure to be secure, so it’s crucial that you understand all your options. And two of the best are an SOC and an NOC. 

A Security Operations Center (SOC) and a Network Operations Center (NOC) are exciting options for your defenses, but not everyone knows what they are. The good news is that both of these options, which can be based in-house or outsourced to external contractors, are here to protect your IT operations. And they both do this with a high level of sophistication, which ensures that cybersecurity threats are quickly identified and nullified. 

How Does an SOC Protect Your IT Infrastructure? 

Integrating an SOC into your cybersecurity strategies is one of the quickest ways to enhance your defenses. In short, an SOC is a dedicated team of professionals who can provide 24/7 monitoring of your IT systems. Their main duties include: 

Why Does Your Organization Need an NOC? 

IT networks are complex, highly complex. This means that monitoring them effectively is difficult, but crucial when it comes to securing them. It’s difficult for your standard IT team to dedicate themselves to this task, so this is why the emergence of NOCs is so exciting for organizations. With an NOC supporting your IT infrastructure, you can expect 24/7 coverage in the following areas: 

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

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Wiper malware attack on Sony Pictures
Wiper malware attack on Sony Pictures

Wiper Malware is Quickly Becoming a Major Threat

Backup, Cyber Security, email security, Ophtek, segmenting network, Wiper Malware, , , , ,
25
Apr 2023

Wiper malware attack on Sony Pictures

The world of malware evolves rapidly, sometimes from one day to another, but one of the most recent surges in popularity has been found in wiper malware.

You may not be familiar with wiper malware, but it’s a form of attack which has been steadily generating headlines over the last year. And the most recent data from FortiGuard Labs shows there was a 53% in wiper malware activity between Q3 to Q4 in 2022. Any increase in malware activity should be a concern, but anything which is over 50% represents a significant threat. This threat becomes magnified further when you consider the impact of wiper malware. Accordingly, there’s never been a more pressing time to learn about wiper malware.

What is Wiper Malware?

Wiper malware gets its name from its purpose of completely erasing all data from hard drives. Although it may seem similar to ransomware, wiper malware typically demands a fee in exchange for data recovery, but in reality, there is no chance of retrieving the data from the attackers. This type of cyber-attack is highly destructive and can cause harm not only to security but also to IT infrastructures.

Why is Wiper Malware Surging?

The initial surge in wiper malware, first observed in the first half of 2022, was attributed to the war in Ukraine. Most of this activity was the result of advanced persistent threat (APT) hacking groups from Russia supporting their governments campaign in Ukraine. And, as this conflict is still ongoing, the wiper malware threat has remained.

However, Fortinet has observed that the range of threat actors implementing wiper malware has now widened. So, as well as APT groups, wiper malware is also being unleashed by threat actors seeking financial gain and hacktivists looking to push political agendas. The research conducted by Fortinet also indicates that this surge currently shows no signs of slowing down, so it’s a threat which appears here to stay.

How Do You Combat Wiper Malware?

You may not feel as though your organization is a typical target for wiper malware, but this could quickly change due to the increased adoption of wiper malware. Therefore, you need to make sure you’re prepared for this type of attack:

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

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Cuba Ransomware Collects Over $40 Million in Ransom Fees

Backup, Cuba ransomware, Ophtek, Phishing, Ransomware, Updates, , , , ,
23
Aug 2022

Using a new remote access trojan, threat actors behind the Cuba ransomware have amassed ransom payments estimated to be close to $44 million.

Over the past five years, countless headlines have been generated by the damage caused by ransomware attacks. Not only do they compromise access to your organization’s data, but they also have the potential to inflict painful financial damage. To make matters worse, these attacks are evolving to become more powerful and harder to prevent. In fact, on many occasions (and as we’ll see with the Cuba ransomware) these evolutions will take place over a matter of months.

Ransomware, therefore, is a very real threat to your organization’s IT network, so it’s important that you understand exactly how the Cuba ransomware operates.

What is the Cuba Ransomware?

Cuba was first detected in late 2019 before disappearing from the frontline and returning two years later in November 2021. Evidence of the Cuba ransomware has been detected in around 60 ransomware attacks, with 40 of these victims revealed to be US-based. Cuba is delivered to PCs through the Hancitor loader, a type of malware which is used to download and execute additional malware e.g. remote access trojans. Hancitor makes its way onto PCs through a variety of means such as phishing emails, stolen login credentials and software vulnerabilities.

Since Cuba first emerged onto the digital landscape, it has undergone a series of significant changes. The most notable changes have seen it terminating more processes before it locks files, widening the range of file types it encrypts and, believe it or not, enhancing its support options for victims wanting to pay. Cuba has also been observed operating a backdoor trojan called ROMCOM RAT, a piece of malware which deletes files and logs data to a remote server.

Protecting Yourself Against the Cuba Ransomware

With Cuba collecting ransom payments of over $40 million, it’s clear to see Cuba is a dangerously effective threat. It’s also important to point out there is currently no known decryption tool available to combat Cuba’s encryption methods. Accordingly, you need to be on your guard against this threat and any similar attacks. Therefore, make sure you practice the following:

  • Install updates: Cuba has the power to exploit software vulnerabilities to gain unauthorized access to computer networks, so it’s crucial that you always install updates as soon as possible. The install process for updates can feel time consuming, but when you have the option to automate these installations, there’s no reason this shouldn’t take place.

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

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