Computer viruses seem to be lurking behind every link these days. We have heard the horror stories of finding viruses on trusted websites. We’ve heard terrible things about losing all of your data to one of these awful creatures. Viruses are pretty commonplace depending on how you surf the net and what sorts of websites you frequent, but none of us are ever really completely safe. Now, don’t worry, there are ways of telling whether or not your machine has been infected and there is plenty you can do to protect yourself. Let’s check out some ways to see if you need some virus removal help. [Read more…]
5 Tips to Make a Stronger Password
March 8, 2015 by
Attacking a computer through hacking isn’t just about technical know-how, there’s also an element of psychology. The easiest way into a computer or secure data, like your e-mail, is by simply entering the correct password. Smart hackers can use clues (besides the post-it note on your desk with the password written down) like your name, age, job, and family relations to guess obvious passwords and gain access to your secure data. Use these 5 tips to make a stronger password.
1.The Password is at Least 8 Characters long
Our first tip to make a stronger password is to make it longer. Making your password at least 8 characters long improves its strength in two ways. First for the hacker who uses social clues, having a longer password simply makes it harder to guess at. [Read more…]
The Problem with Superfish and Komodia
February 27, 2015 by
It was recently brought to light that the computer company Lenovo built and sold laptops with an adware program preinstalled between October and December 2014. The program, called Superfish, was designed to inject ads onto secure HTTPS web pages. This sounds bad enough on its own, but it gets worse. To do this Superfish uses a code library, from an Israeli company called Komodia, that installs a self-signing root HTTPS certificate that falsely represents itself as the website’s official certificate.
Why this is Bad
The problem with Superfish, and its komodia code, is that it poorly circumvents HTTPS site certificates are how your browser judges whether the site is legitimate. For example, under normal conditions a fishing site set up to look like a Bank of America site would be flagged by your browser for having a false certificate and a warning would pop up in your browser that the site you were attempting to access had an invalid certificate. [Read more…]
Cost of Sony Hack Has Reached $15 Million
February 8, 2015 by
The Sony Pictures Entertainment hack, a recent and large scale information security breaches, was given an estimated price tag as of February 4th 2015. The chaos resulting from the hack has caused Sony to file for an extension to report on its third quarter earnings, but was still required to present what information they had as an estimate to investors. In a company press conference, Sony announced that the hack, the investigation, and remediation cost the company an estimated $15 Million. This is a drop in the bucket compared to the forecast loss of 1.4 billion for the whole of the fiscal year.
Cost of Sony Hack Still Climbing
Let us be clear, the cost of approximately $15 million is just the estimate made and reported to investors for the purposes of the third quarter earnings release. As the investigation is not complete, the cost is only related to the costs in the third quarter of the fiscal year, and does not include potential future costs incurred relating to the hack. It will likely be more when the full accounting has been completed.
Human Cost of Sony Hack
With the hack, and release of company e-mails to the public, there came a subsequent shake up in company leadership. Amy Pascal, cochairman of Sony Pictures Entertainment, stepped down from her role after a career with the company of twenty years. Under her leadership Sony Pictures helmed commercial and critical hits like “The Social Network”, “Skyfall”, and “American Hustle” that boosted Sony Pictures Entertainment’s profile as a quality movie production company. Her departure leaves a gap in their senior management, and an uncertain future for the company
Avoid the Cost to Your Company
At Working Nets, we know that handling the cybersecurity for a business while actually keeping that business running can seem impossible, especially in the daunting face of cyber-attacks against much larger businesses. Outsourcing your IT can give you peace of mind and allow you to take care of the things that are important for your company. Working Nets is a Maryland based IT Service and Security company that services small businesses nationwide. We’re always on top of emerging cybersecurity trends and threats so you don’t have to be.
To talk to someone about managed IT for your business, give us a call at (443) 992-7394. We’d be happy to assist you with your professional business networking needs.
You can also visit WorkingNets.com and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Google+
Government Plans Bank Hack for Security Test
January 26, 2015 by
Having your website hacked can give you a panicked feeling: you want to make sure your customers’ information is safe and that your products are still able to ship. Until a breach is fixed, it can cost you money. But what do you do about the worst kind of hack, the one that gives you a sinking feeling in the pit of your stomach? A bank hack.
The United States and the U.K. are attempting to test bank security by planning a deliberate hack. The internet is calling it the “war games,” which makes us think it’s a comical spin-off of the popular movie “The Hunger Games.” Though nothing to do with the film, the purpose of the hacks is to test the cyber defenses of each country. The Bank of England and the U.S. Federal Reserve are among those to be breached. The test will be led by the National Security Agency and GCHQ (the U.K.’s intelligence agency).
Why would the United States plan a deliberate hack on its own banks?
Some of the largest security breaches in history happened this past year. JPMorgan was a victim as well as Sony Pictures Entertainment. Credit cards all over the United States were compromised when using them at popular retail stores such as Target and The Home Depot. These attacks have been projected to increase this year, so the financial market segment should be on the defense. The President and security agency have weighed in on this and formulated a plan to hack major banks to develop a defense against it.
In the U.K., cyberattacks are considered a terrorism-level offense. Banks have great cyber security systems in place and are difficult to breach. Only professionals would be able to hack into a bank system, so this would be a highly criminal offense. The penetration testing that is going to be happening is necessary to keep these criminals out of the system and keep your money safe. Gaps that have been created before will be patched and any weak part will be tested and strengthened. There is a risk of taking a system down for a short period of time, but it is better to fix the problem before it turns into a serious threat.
Protect Your Business With Cybersecurity From Working Nets
At Working Nets, we know that handling the cybersecurity for a business while actually keeping that business running can seem impossible, especially in the daunting face of cyber-attacks against much larger businesses. Outsourcing your IT can give you peace of mind and allow you to take care of the things that are important for your company. Working Nets is a Maryland based IT Service and Security company that services small businesses nationwide. We’re always on top of emerging cybersecurity trends and threats so you don’t have to be.
To talk to someone about managed IT for your business, give us a call at (443) 992-7394. We’d be happy to assist you with your professional business networking needs.
You can also visit WorkingNets.com and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Google+
Benefits of IT Services for Healthcare Providers
December 31, 2014 by
If you’re a medical professional or hospital administrator, you know the rigorous technological demands that are put upon any medical institution on a daily basis. Whether it’s insurance management or patient record keeping, you rely on your medical computer systems to keep things running smoothly and ensuring your patients get the best care possible. That’s why Working Nets is here to talk about the benefits of outsourced IT services for Baltimore healthcare providers.
Always-Available Service Desk
With the increasing complexity of technology available to the average consumer, the complexity of queries to help desks increases too. In a fast-paced world where callers have high expectations, it’s vital to have a tech support team that can handle problems quickly. Working Nets service desk provides accurate and fast IT service that’s ready to handle anything from password resetting to system configuration at a moment’s notice.
Network Monitoring
Make sure your users have a reliable and smooth experience each and every day they access your system with network monitoring from Baltimore’s best IT services provider, Working Nets. We’ll keep you up to date on your network’s functionality, and address potential issues before they become major problems.
Expert IT Consultation
Do you need someone with a high degree of specific technical knowledge fast? Working nets can provide the best available IT consulting, advising you on anything from system design to product purchasing, ensuring that your healthcare systems are completely cost-effective. We’re ready with the IT services and knowledge you need to keep your Baltimore healthcare office running at maximum efficiency.
Security and Recovery Services
If you’re working on a potentially unsecured healthcare management system, disaster could strike at any time. Whether it’s through user error or a malicious hacking attempt, the consequences could be dire. Lost or stolen data presents a significant danger to your healthcare business and your Baltimore clients. Fortunately, Working Nets has ample network security options to keep your information safe and secure. We also boast a suite of data recovery options, ensuring that your information is protected against system errors and crashes.
Working Nets Has What It Takes
At Working Nets, we know that handling the massive task of managing IT services for a healthcare, while actually keeping everything running can seem impossible. Outsourcing your IT can give you peace of mind and allow you to take care of the things that are important for your company. Working Nets is a Baltimore based IT Service and Security company that services small businesses nationwide. We’re always on top of emerging cybersecurity trends and threats so you don’t have to be.
To talk to someone about managed IT for your business, give us a call at (443) 992-7394. We’d be happy to assist you with your professional business networking needs.
You can also visit WorkingNets.com and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Google+
Sony Pictures Hack Highlights Importance of Cybersecurity
December 10, 2014 by
In today’s fast paced and increasingly digital world, stories on companies being hacked are, unfortunately, not unusual. However, as revelations pile up, it appears that a hack perpetrated on Sony Pictures on 11/24 is anything but usual. Attacks like these highlight the importance of maintaining top-notch cybersecurity and Working Nets is here with the details.
What Happened?
Around 11am, Monday, November 24th, emails began to circulate around Sony Pictures employees instructing them to stop using their computers, corporate email accounts, and cell phone wifi access. As the news traveled it became clear that hackers had seized an estimated 11,000 gigabytes of data that may have included personal passwords, financial information, passport and visa info of cast and crew along with info regarding Sony’s IT systems. As Sony began to look for possible perpetrators, even more information was found floating around on the web, including the movies Annie, Mr. Turner, and Still Alice, which have not yet been released in theatres. Further investigation into the leaked files turned up employee criminal background checks, salary negotiations, and medical information as well as the script for an unreleased pilot written by Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan.
And this is just the tip of the iceberg. All this information makes the Sony Pictures hack easily the worst corporate hack in recorded history.
How Can I Protect My Business?
Well, you can start by not angering North Korea. Sony has publicly speculated that the attack may be a form of retaliation against the upcoming release of The Interview, a comedy starring James Franco and Seth Rogan wherein they play characters who attempt to assassinate North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
Of course, the likelihood that your business has threatened the DPRK is very low, but that doesn’t mean these kinds of attacks couldn’t happen to you. If your cybersecurity isn’t being professionally monitored and updated, your business could have serious vulnerabilities you might not even know about.
Protect Your Business With Cybersecurity From Working Nets
At Working Nets, we know that handling the cybersecurity for a business while actually keeping that business running can seem impossible, especially in the daunting face of cyber-attacks against much larger businesses. Outsourcing your IT can give you peace of mind and allow you to take care of the things that are important for your company. Working Nets is a Maryland based IT Service and Security company that services small businesses nationwide. We’re always on top of emerging cybersecurity trends and threats so you don’t have to be.
To talk to someone about managed IT for your business, give us a call at (443) 992-7394. We’d be happy to assist you with your professional business networking needs.
You can also visit WorkingNets.com and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Google+
Watch Out For “Regin” Malware
November 26, 2014 by
At Working Nets, we know that staying on top of the latest in emerging security threats while running a small business can seem impossible. That’s why we’re here with updates on significant developments in the field of cyber security and their implications for your business. While many pieces of malware originate from abroad, this latest technological threat is home-grown, from the United States government as a matter-of-fact. Known as “Regin,” this piece of spyware, recently discovered by security firm Symatec, has been spying on international businesses for at least 6 years.
What is Regin?
Regin is a type of malware known as a Trojan, which is defined as a non-replicating piece of malware which disguises itself as a benign or useful program and typically opens a back door through which a third party can steal data and manipulate the infected computer.
Symantec has described Regin as “a complex piece of malware whose structure displays a degree of technical competence rarely seen.” This highly elusive and versatile piece of malware uses a structure typically employed for long-term intelligence-gathering. Regin has been found observing government organizations, infrastructure operators, businesses, academics, and individuals, collecting massive amount of data for years.
The largest percentage of targets infected with Regin have been small businesses and private individuals, the vast majority of whom are located in Saudi Arabia and Russia, but has also been seen found in Mexico, Ireland, India, Afghanistan, Iran, Belgium, Austria, and Pakistan.
How Does It Work?
With a highly modifiable structure, Regin can inject custom features and software into a target. It then follows up with a five-stage decrypting process delivering valuable information and complete access to a remotely connected host.
Where is Regin From?
Symantec’s initial assessment stated that “The development and operation of this malware would have required a significant investment of time and resources, indicating that a nation state is responsible.” Recent reports have shown strong evidence indicating that Regin can be traced to U.S. and U.K. officials, like the much maligned Stuxnet malware.
What Does Regin Mean for My Small Business?
The revelations about the extensive length of time and breadth of focus of Regin illustrate that the largest cyber-security threats facing businesses do not come from small-time independent hackers, but by vast, highly organized, and well-funded government organizations. Threats may come from any direction, within our borders, or globally, and staying prepared and in the know about cyber security is paramount to your businesses success.
Keep Your Private Information Secure with Working Nets
Outsourcing your IT can give you peace of mind and allow you to take care of the things that are important for your company. Working Nets is a Maryland based IT Service and Security company that services businesses nationwide. We’re always on top of emerging cyber security trends and threats so you don’t have to be.
To talk to someone about managed IT for your business, give us a call at (443) 992-7394. We’d be happy to assist you with your professional business networking needs.
You can also visit WorkingNets.com and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Google+
Cyber Security Tips for Your Small Business
November 14, 2014 by
The increasing digitization of business platforms and information has been a boon to small businesses worldwide, allowing small business to reach further than ever before, establishing themselves in markets around the world and making information readily accessible to employees no matter where they are. However, as we all know, this trend hasn’t come without risks. Cyber security threats are everywhere and ever changing. Working Nets is here with a few simple tips that small business owners should follow to maintain cyber security.
Train Employees Thoroughly
A recent cyber security survey found that in 77% of small businesses employees were considered the biggest threat to cyber security. This was not due to nefarious behavior, but rather the fact that many employees are untrained in, or ignore, cyber security standards, reusing passwords, or leaving them on easily lost physical objects. That’s why it’s vital to train your employees in proper internet usage, strong password creation, secure data storage, and the penalties for ignoring those protocols.
Use Clean Machines
Make sure any computer that handles your small business’s data is protected with up-to-date security software, web browsers, and operating systems. Make sure you antivirus software performs regular scans to check for spy or malware, and be sure to have routine cyber security inspections performed by a reliable cyber security company.
Backup
In case of an unexpected data breach or system failure, it’s absolutely vital to have your small business’s important data and files backed up in a secure location. This can include documents, digital spreadsheets, databases, financial files, accounts receivable/payable files and human resources info. Store your information with a reliable cloud service for maximum protection from data loss.
Need Cyber Security for Your Small Business?
Contact Working Nets. We know that handling the cyber security for a business while actually keeping that business running can seem impossible. Outsourcing your IT can give you peace of mind and allow you to take care of the things that are important for your company. Working Nets is a Maryland based IT Service and Security company that services small businesses nationwide. We’re always on top of emerging cyber security trends and threats so you don’t have to be.
To talk to someone about managed IT for your business, give us a call at (443) 992-7394. We’d be happy to assist you with your professional business networking needs.
You can also visit WorkingNets.com and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Google+
WireLurker: A New Kind of Security Threat for the iOS
November 6, 2014 by
Apple devices have long lorded their comparable lack of malware over their Windows competitors. However a new cyber security threat, dubbed WireLurker, may signal a coming change in the iOS’s fortunes. Working Nets, one of Maryland’s leading cyber security providers, is here with the details on why this malware is particularly dangerous for iOS devices.
What is WireLurker? What Makes it Dangerous?
WireLurker is a piece of malware, originating in China on some 500 infected apps on the unofficial Maiyadi app store, which has already infected close to 400,000 iOS devices. More importantly, WireLurker is the first known malware to target non-jailbroken iOS devices. Previously malware on the iOS was confined to users who jailbroke (disconnecting their operating system from Apple’s network and disabling limitations on installing unauthorized software) their phone, meaning that most consumers of Apple products had a very high degree of guaranteed security. The discovery of WireLurker could herald an onslaught of malware directed at iOS devices belonging to anyone.
How Does WireLurker Work?
WireLurker makes its way onto a device through infected malware downloaded from an app store or the internet, from there it infects the iOS of that machine, and makes its way to others by installing rogue apps whenever an infected device is connected via USB to an uninfected one. The original WireLurker malware made its way onto such a large number of devices because it was hidden inside seemingly legitimate applications, including illegitimate versions of highly successful games like The Sims 3 and Angry Birds.
What Does WireLurker Do?
WireLurker like most malware is used for data collection. What’s especially unusual is what data the malware seems to be interested in collecting. Most malware gathers up as much personal data as it can handle but WireLurker has only been observed identifying device owners, leading some to speculate that it was being used by the Chinese government to root out the identity of software pirates. However the amateurish nature of WireLurker’s distribution has made most cyber security experts skeptical of that assertion.
Keep All Your iOS Devices Secure With Working Nets
Keeping up with the latest cyber security threats can be exhausting, especially if you’re already running your own business. Outsourcing your IT can give you peace of mind and allow you to take care of the things that are important for your company. Working Nets is a Maryland based IT Service and Security company that services businesses nationwide. We’re always on top of emerging cybersecurity trends and threats so you don’t have to be.
To talk to someone about managed IT for your business, give us a call at (443) 992-7394. We’d be happy to assist you with your professional business networking needs.
You can also visit WorkingNets.com and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Google+
