The Benefits of Cyber Security Insurance for Your Business

Cyber Attack, Cyber Security, Cyber Security Insurance, Data Breach, Data Security, Ophtek, , ,
18
May 2021

We’re all used to dealing with insurance for both our personal and business needs, but did you know it was possible to arrange cyber security insurance?

2020 saw financial losses caused by cyber crime topping $1 trillion. Yes, you read that right, $1 trillion. This is a phenomenal figure and one which underlines the damage that cyber breaches can cause. Ransomware, as you would expect, is a major contributor to this figure of $1 trillion and confirms just how important cyber security is. However, no set of defenses are 100% perfect. Accordingly, it’s possible for any organization to suffer financial losses. And this is where cyber security insurance comes in.

To help you understand the benefits of cyber security insurance and how it works, we’re going to take a quick look at the subject.

What is Cyber Security Insurance?

The impact of a data breach can be catastrophic for a business. Not only is there the damage to your reputation, but there are also the financial effects. Ransomware, of course, can pose an immediate financial risk. And many organizations feel pressured into paying the ransom fees demanded by hackers. There’s also the major risk of hackers causing direct damage to your hardware which, in turn, may need replacing. Compounding the impact even further is the threat of legal action from customers who feel as though their data has not been protected effectively.

Clearly, a cyber attack can quickly become very costly for your business. And it won’t be covered by your general liability insurance. This is why cyber security insurance has been developed. It serves to protect your business by covering your organization’s liability for any cyber attacks. This insurance is available from a wide range of vendors and is similar to almost all other forms of insurance. Each policy, which can be tailored to your specific needs, is costed accordingly and then registered against your business.

The Benefits of Cyber Security

But what exactly are the benefits of cyber security? Let’s take a look:

  • Recover Ransomware Losses: The funds demanded by ransomware can be costly and, if paid, can put a serious dent in your finances. Thankfully, with cyber security insurance in place, you can recoup any ransom funds through your insurance vendor.
  • Help Notifying Customers: By law, an organization needs to contact all affected parties when a data breach occurs. The time and energy required to carry out such a communication can be expensive. But the cost behind this exercise can be negated when you have taken out cyber security insurance.

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

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What’s a Keylogger? And How Do You Beat One?

anti malware, Cyber Security, keylogger, malware, Ophtek, spyware, , , ,
30
Mar 2021

One of the simplest forms of spyware you can run into is a keylogger. Capable of stealing large amounts of data, a keylogger is simple yet dangerous.

In the world of cyber-security, keyloggers are a frequently mentioned hacking device. But what exactly are they? And what should you do if you fall victim to one? These are important questions as keyloggers can cause immense damage. The main interest of a keylogger is data. In particular, keyloggers have an intense hunger for personal data. Login credentials, banking details and social security information are all at risk. Therefore, it’s critical that you know what a keylogger is, how it works and how to protect yourself.

Luckily, we’ve put together a quick guide to give you the lowdown on keyloggers.

A Beginner’s Guide to Keyloggers

As we have established, keyloggers thrive upon harvesting data from their victims. The simplest way that a keylogger can do this is by monitoring and recording the keystrokes that are made on an infected PC. The software behind a keylogger is simple and can quickly be installed on a PC either manually, through an infected website or as part of a malware package. Once it’s installed, the keylogger will work silently in the background as it records data. The harvested data will then be routinely transmitted to a remote server.

A keylogger can quickly harvest data that puts both organizations and their customers at risk. Not only can personal details be stolen and used for criminal means, but financial accounts can also be compromised. Almost all modern malware will contain some form of keylogger; this is unlikely to change while users continue to use their keyboards to enter data into PCs. But you don’t need to fear keyloggers. As long as you know how to protect your PC then you should be able to benefit from peace of mind.

Beating Keyloggers

It’s impossible to provide 100% protection against keyloggers, but it’s possible to strengthen your defenses to their maximum. And you can do this by carrying out the following:

  • Two-Factor Authentication: One of the best methods for thwarting hackers is by using two-factor authentication. Organizations can easily generate unique authorization codes that are forwarded to an individual’s phone/personal device. These one-off codes ensure that employees can gain access to their network, but, even if this code is harvested, it is useless.
  • Monitor Network Activity: A keylogger will need to contact its remote server to transmit its stolen data. But, to do this, it will need to leave your network. And this network activity can easily be monitored at your end. Any unusual traffic or external destinations should be investigated immediately and blocked if any malicious activity is suspected.

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

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CopperStealer Malware Shows the Dangers of Illegal Downloads

CopperStealer, Cyber Security, Data Security, Illegal Downloads, malware, Ophtek, , , ,
23
Mar 2021

The world of illegal downloads is a dangerous place to travel to and the emergence of the CopperStealer malware demonstrates why.

Ever since the dawn of the world wide web, there have been illegal downloads. And pretty much anything that runs on a PC can be downloaded illegally. The new Kings of Leon album, the latest Marvel movie or even the most up-to-date version of Microsoft Office can be found online for zero dollars and zero cents. However, the fact that these downloads are illegal means that, aside from the fact that you’re committing a felony, you could download more than you bargained for.

CopperStealer is the perfect example of this dangerous activity, so we’re going to show you exactly what can happen.

What is CopperStealer?

The CopperStealer malware is believed to have been active in the wild since 2019, but its malicious activity has only just been detected. CopperStealer relies on illegal downloads to infect workstations and does this by either masquerading itself as, for example, a Windows 10 install file or by bundling itself with a genuine piece of software. Either way, when the person downloading the file tries to install their illegal software, they will inadvertently install CopperStealer on their system. This allows the malware easy access to PCs and does it with the help of the unwitting victim.

Once CopperStealer has taken hold on a PC it begins working quietly in the background as it harvests user information. In particular, it’s exceptionally hungry for login credentials; details for major platforms such as Amazon, Google, PayPal and Twitter have all been targeted by CopperStealer. These are all websites that are used by organizations to store huge amounts of personal data, so the threat that CopperStealer represents is serious. As well as this major threat, CopperStealer also finds time to download additional malware in order to compromise infected systems even further.

How To Protect Yourself from CopperStealer

There is one simple move you can make to defend yourself against CopperStealer: don’t get involved with illegal downloads. Not only is there the threat of unwanted malware being bundled with them, but you risk installing unpatched software without the safety net of available support. Thankfully, CopperStealer is far from sophisticated, certainly compared to other contemporary malware, and can easily be removed with anti-malware software such as AVG and Kaspersky products. Naturally, you will want to make sure that your anti-malware application is fully up to date to protect against all the latest threats.

Final Thoughts

The temptation of illegal downloads, especially when we are living in a time of economic turbulence, is strong, but it pays to resist it. If, for example, your PayPal credentials are stolen then you and your customers could face some significant financial hardship. Therefore, it’s crucial that you always pay for your software. This will, as discussed, ensure you receive regular updates and patches as well as providing you with peace of mind that your software is clean.

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

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Microsoft Exchange Email Vulnerability Hits 30,000 US Firms Hard

Cyber Security, Data Security, email security, Hackers, Microsoft, Online Security, Ophtek, Software Security Patches, , , , ,
09
Mar 2021

Vulnerabilities in the Microsoft Exchange Server software have led to 30,000 US businesses being hacked. And it’s a very dangerous hack.

A total of four vulnerabilities have been discovered in Microsoft Exchange Server (MES) which has allowed hackers to carry out numerous attacks. The hackers appear to be part of a Chinese cyber-espionage group who specialize in stealing email communications. It’s believed that hundreds of thousands of firms have been attacked with at least 30,000 of them being US-based. As email is a crucial part of any modern business, it’s not an exaggeration to say that the MES hack is a major threat.

What is the Microsoft Exchange Server Hack?

The MES hack appeared, at first, to be concerned with stealing email data from organizations that were running the server through internet-based systems. The four vulnerabilities, present through MES versions 2013 – 19, allowed the hackers easy access to emails. However, the hackers – who Microsoft have called Hafnium – did not stop at stealing emails. Once they had access to affected systems, they also installed a web shell. This granted Hafnium the opportunity to gain remote access and full administrator privileges. The web shell is password protected and ensures that disrupting the hackers’ access is highly difficult.

Microsoft quickly formulated a security patch to eliminate the vulnerabilities, but many organizations have failed to install the MES patch. As a result, these organizations remain at risk. And, to make matters worse, Hafnium still has them in their sights. Using automated software, Hafnium is actively scanning the internet for any organizations using unpatched versions of MES. This allows the hackers to continue their campaign of data theft and disruption. It also appears that Hafnium is not fussy about who they target. Industries as wide ranging as NGOs through to medical researchers and legal firms have all been infiltrated by the MES hack.

Protecting Against Vulnerabilities

When it comes to attacks such as the MES hack it’s vital that patches are installed as soon as possible. The longer your system is unpatched then the chances of it being breached are exceptionally high. And, if you give a hacker enough time, there’s the chance of additional malware such as ransomware being installed. Setting your updates to ‘automatic install’ is the simplest and quickest way to minimize this risk. This will ensure that any security updates are in place the moment they are available.

But you can’t rely on a patch alone. Patches are not always available in time. And this means that you run the risk of having your systems breached and data stolen. Therefore, make sure that you also implement these procedures:

  • Monitor traffic entering and leaving your network to identify any potential breaches. Unusual levels of traffic can often indicate that hackers have taken control of your network.
  • Segment your network where possible. By separating your network into several different segments, you are limiting the access that a hacker has if they infiltrate your system.
  • Employ two-factor authentication procedures for gaining administrator privileges. This should make it next to impossible for hackers to take full control of your network.

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

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Windows Defender Needs Defending

Cyber Security, Data Security, Defender, Ophtek, PC Security, Security, Windows Defender, , ,
26
Jan 2021

You would like to think that your security software keeps you secure and, on the whole, it will. But there is the chance it could be turned against you.

One of the most trusted anti-malware tools is Microsoft’s Windows Defender app. Originally launched in 2005 – as Microsoft AntiSpyware – Windows Defender is a free tool which offers real-time protection against infected files and websites. It’s a highly effective piece of software and one that all Windows users should ensure is running. But, in an ironic twist, Windows Defender has fallen victim to a vulnerability. And, as you would expect, hackers have been keen to capitalize on it.

The Windows Defender Vulnerability

The basic process of Windows Defender is that it scans files and activity on a PC for any malicious potential. If these files are considered suspicious then they will be quarantined by Windows Defender; the user then has the option to either restore or delete the file. However, a problem has been discovered in Windows Defender in the form of CVE-2021-1647. This code, allocated by Microsoft, indicates that it’s a vulnerability in Windows Defender which allows remote access to the app.

By allowing remote access to Windows Defender, this vulnerability grants hackers the chance to turn the app against its user. Instead of scanning malicious files and quarantining them, remote users will program Windows Defender to execute these files. Therefore, a hacker could send infected files to a user safe in the knowledge that Windows Defender will do the hard work for them. It’s a serious threat and one which could cause major problems for your network in a matter of seconds. The exploit has been recorded as active in the digital wild, so this demonstrates that hackers have been aware of it for some time.

Defending Windows Defender

It may sound a tall order to defend a piece of software there to defend you, but this is the world we live in. Thankfully, putting safety measures in place is relatively simple. The vulnerability in question has been fixed thanks to a patch swiftly released by Microsoft. This will be installed automatically and requires no work on the user’s part. Naturally, this does not mean that Windows Defender is 100% secure, the threat of further exploits being discovered remains a possibility. But, by ensuring that automatic updates are in place, your system will be safer than before.

Final Thoughts

Vulnerabilities in PCs are all too common and even Microsoft are not immune from these flaws in their products. The Windows Defender vulnerability – and others such as Zerologon – underline the importance of installing updates. The simplest way to secure your PC is by making sure it has the best chance to defend itself. Accordingly, updates need to be installed as soon as possible. When it comes to Microsoft updates, these can be set to install automatically. This gives you the best chance of staying ahead of exploits and any hackers using them.

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

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