Common Hard Drive Issues and How to Fix Them

corrupt hard drive, full hard drive, hard drive, Ophtek, overheated hard drive, unknown hard drive fault, , , , ,
25
May 2021

A healthy hard drive will keep your data safe and allow you to remain productive. But what happens when your hard drive fails?

It’s important that you know what to do when your hard drive fails. After all, you may be working to a tight deadline on a project. Or you may have data saved to your hard drive which hasn’t been backed up elsewhere. Whatever the scenario, the result is the same: you need that hard drive back. While many of these issues are technical and complex, there are also hard drive issues that you can remedy yourself.

Naturally, you won’t know what these are without a little education, so that’s where we step in. And, today, we’re going to look at common hard drive issues and how to fix them.

How to Save Your Hard Drive

If your hard drive has failed, then don’t panic. There’s a good chance that you can carry out a simple repair in the following scenarios:

  • Corrupted Hard Drive: You’ll know if you have a corrupted hard drive as your PC will tell you in the boot process. And it won’t let you go any further. A corrupted hard drive can occur for many reasons, such as malware attacks and files being deleted, but fixing this isn’t always rocket science. All you have to do is run a ‘system diagnostics’ check. Once your system starts trying to boot up you will need to press the F2 key (this can vary between different manufacturers) and then select the system diagnostics option. This will run a series of tests and try to fix any existing issues.
  • Full Hard Drive: PCs may have hard drives that can hold substantial amounts of data these days, but this doesn’t mean we don’t push them to their limit. And it’s very easy for a hard drive to quickly fill up. When this happens you’ll find that your PC runs slowly and will be unable to perform certain operations. In these instances you will need to either delete files you no longer need (or transfer them to a storage drive) and uninstall any unnecessary applications.
  • Overheated Hard Drive: If a PC is working too hard then it is going to generate heat. Usually, this can be controlled by the internal fan system. But, sometimes, this isn’t enough due to other factors. Blocked air vents, for example, prevent the internal fans from having air to cool and pass around the hard drive. And a build up of dust can also lead to components becoming insulated and generating excess heat. Therefore, always check that your PCs air vents are clear and that dust is not allowed to build up around the vents.

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

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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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Malware Hidden in Fake Microsoft DirectX Download Page

Antivirus, Direct X, fake emails, fake websites, malicious websites, Microsoft, Ophtek, , , ,
11
May 2021

Microsoft is a name you should be able to trust. But, online, nothing is ever quite as it seems. And that’s why you need to be careful what you click.

DirectX is a crucial component when it comes to processing multimedia materials on Windows PCs. It has been in use for over 25 years now and is an established element of the Windows experience. But it’s this familiarity, and reliance on the software, which makes it the perfect target for hackers. Accordingly, security researchers have discovered a fake web page which claims to carry a genuine version of the software. Unfortunately, the only thing that this download contains is untold trouble and chaos for IT systems.

It’s always important to be aware of the latest threats, so we’re going to take you through the processes involved in this new attack.

Fake Website Spells Danger

The fake website in question has been set up by hackers to look like a genuine site offering a download of DirectX 12 for Windows. The hackers have been careful to disguise the website as genuine by putting some effort into its design. Most malicious websites are basic with the main emphasis being on a download button. While this latest website does rely on a download button, the designers have also included additional pages including: a contact form, copyright infringement details, a privacy policy and a legal disclaimer. This ‘extra effort’ is used in order to create a false sense of security.

Victims of this download scam are likely to find themselves at this website through a number of means: they may have received fake emails urging them to download a new version or they may have found the website through a search engine. Either way, the results of infection are the same. Clicking on the download page will forward users to a remote website where they are prompted to download the software. Two options are put forwards to the user: a 32-bit or a 64-bit version. Both files will then download further malware capable of the following:

  • Stealing confidential data such as login credentials by recording keystrokes
  • Unauthorized transmission of user files
  • Accessing a wide range of cryptocurrency wallets to steal funds

How to Avoid the Dangers of Malicious Websites

The threat of malicious websites is nothing new, but their continued presence online indicates that PC users need continual refreshers on them. Therefore, make sure that your staff practice the following:

  • Only ever download software from the manufacturer’s official website e.g. DirectX software should only be downloaded from Microsoft. And always double check that the website address is genuine. If in doubt, get an IT professional to verify it.
  • Install anti-virus software on your PCs that evaluates websites and blocks those that are suspected of being malicious. This is a common feature of almost all anti-virus software and offers you a valuable moment of thought before proceeding.

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

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What Should You Do AFTER a Data Breach?

Data Breach, data recovery, Data Security, Hackers, Hacking, Ophtek, , ,
04
May 2021

One of IT security’s main aims is to avoid data breaches. However, breaches are inevitable in the modern age. Therefore, you need to know how to recover.

The impact of a data breach can be huge and catastrophic for all involved; organizations and their clients can be equally affected when data is stolen. And, in many cases, the clients are the ones who have the most to lose e.g financial and personal data being leaked and spread by hackers. Accordingly, if your organization finds itself in the unenvious position of experiencing a data breach, there is a lot of work to do.

A data breach is a stressful event and cleaning up afterwards can be a real struggle. But, with our tips on what you need to do after a data breach, you should find it a little easier.

Coping with a Data Breach

Once a data breach is confirmed then it’s crucial that you carry out the following:

  • Identify the Stolen Data: Understanding exactly what has been breached is vital when it comes to evaluating the extent of the attack. As long as you have a suitable set of defenses in place, you should have access to intrusion detection systems. These tools will provide an insight into which files were accessed and what the hackers did with them e.g. deleted or copied them. Putting this picture together will allow you to determine your next steps.
  • Prepare a Fix and Test It: A data breach indicates that there is a hole in your defenses, so you should act quickly to plug this. It may involve installing a security patch or it may require a more in-depth response from your IT team. Whatever the solution, you need to put it in to place as soon as possible. This will protect your data and limit any further damage. But you need to make sure this fix works. Test the solution several times to guarantee that the attacker cannot launch the same attack again.
  • Advise All Your Customers: It’s essential that, once your fix has been established, you inform your customers of what has happened. Naturally, they will be anxious as the phrase “data breach” carry a certain amount of dread. Honesty, therefore, is the best policy. Advise your customers of the data that has been breached and how it could affect them. This may be as simple as asking them to change their passwords, but could also extend to contacting their financial providers if the relevant information has been compromised.
  • Evaluate and Build Stronger Defenses: The one benefit (and we’re using that verb lightly) of a data breach is that it prompts you to strengthen your IT defenses. Your organization will need to carry out a full investigation to understand exactly what happened. Was, for example, the breach able to succeed due to out-of-date software? Or was it down to a lack of staff training on the dangers of social engineering? Regardless of the cause, the solution will need to be determined and put in place to prevent future breaches.

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

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Fake Clubhouse Ads on Facebook Were Packed with Malware

Ad-Blocker, Antivirus, Facebook Clubhouse, Fake Ads, malware, Ophtek, , , , ,
27
Apr 2021

Clubhouse is a social media app which is currently only available on Apple devices. But this hasn’t stopped hackers using it to exploit PC users.

The success of Clubhouse since its launch in April 2020 has ensured that it has grabbed numerous headlines. And everyone is keen to have a taste of the Clubhouse experience where audio content is king. But this is not yet an option for PC users. Nonetheless, the interest generated by Clubhouse means that the app has brought it to the attention of the hacking community. Using all their cunning and guile, these hackers have decided to use Clubhouse as a front for infecting PCs with malware. And they have been meeting this objective by running fake ads on Facebook.

Facebook currently has around 2.8 billion regular users, so the potential for success with this attack is large. Therefore, you need to be aware of what to look out for.

Fake Ads on Facebook

The promise of these fake ads on Facebook were simple: a Clubhouse app is now available for PCs, so get it now. It was an announcement which caught the eye of many PC users. But, unfortunately, there was no Clubhouse app for the PC. Instead, clicking the ad would take the user to a malicious website pretending to be an official Clubhouse page. On this page there was a download link for an app, but it was not Clubhouse; there would be no opportunity for social media activities on the malicious app. Once it was opened it would connect the victim to a remote server which then proceeded to download malware (including ransomware) on to the PC.

Combatting Fake Ads

Malvertising has been a common hacking strategy for some time now, but it is not one that many people are familiar with. And, given the size and scale of Facebook, it is surprising that their platform is open to such abuse. However, it is this size which makes it such an attractive proposition to hackers. If just 0.5% of Facebook’s audience fall for a scam then it’s a significant hit. Thankfully, this Clubhouse scam appeared to deactivate as soon as it was discovered. The malicious app no longer connects to a remote server and now only returns an error message. But it’s important that you know what you’re clicking on when you’re online.

In an ideal world, Facebook would fully vet every single advert submitted to its system. But this is impossible due to the sheer numbers involved. And, besides, they can easily be adjusted after being accepted on the platform. Therefore, it pays to carry out these best practices:

  • Verify Ad Destinations: Depending on which browser you use, you should be able to view where an ad will send you before clicking on it. Often, hovering over it is enough to display the destination within your browser. Alternatively, you can right hand click an ad and select “Copy link address” before pasting it into a program such as Notepad. If there is something suspicious about this link – such as a name which doesn’t match the promised destination – then don’t click the advert.
  • Run Antivirus Software: It’s crucial that you install antivirus software on your PC, particularly one that runs in real-time. These apps may not stop you clicking on infected adverts, but they can identify infected software. Accordingly, the malicious Clubhouse app would be detected and immediately quarantined.
  • Use an Ad-Blocker: An ad-blocker will block all the ads on a webpage, so this completely eliminates the risk of clicking on a malicious ad. This may sound perfect, but bear in mind that some websites may not run properly when an ad-blocker is used. In fact, many websites may not allow you to gain access to their content as a result. Luckily, websites that you trust can be listed as exceptions within the software.

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

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