IT security

December 6, 2016 By Bob Martin

5 Ransomware Stats That Will Scare You

We’ve talked about ransomware a lot in 2016. It’s a growing, ever-evolving threat to your data security that you may not be paying enough attention to. Preventing this form of cybercrime takes a combination of robust security, in-depth education of staff, and thorough back up. If you need more convincing that it’s a threat you need to take seriously, check out these 5 stats:

1. On average, since January 2016, there are 4,000 ransomware attacks per day, a 3005 increase over last year, according to the FBI. This only represents a small portion of actual attacks, as many people don’t actually report them (if you need to report one, you can do so here).
2. In 2014-2015, around 27,000 corporate users were attacked. Compare that with 2015-2016, when that number rose to 158,000, that’s over a six-fold increase, according to security vendor Kaspersky Labs.
3. According to Webroot, 100,000 net new malicious IP addresses were created per day in 2015, a significant increase from the 2014 average of 85,000 a day indicating cybercriminals rely less on the same list of IPs, and are expanding to new IPs to avoid detection.
4. Webroot also states that the U.S. continues to have the most malicious IP addresses of all countries. In 2015, it accounted for over 40 percent of all malicious IP addresses, a significant increase from 31 percent of malicious addresses in 2014.
5. PhishMe released findings that indicate the amount of phishing emails containing a form of ransomware grew to 97.25% during the third quarter of 2016 from 92% in Q1. The most pervasive form of ransomware being Locky.

If you are the victim of a ransomware attack, call the security experts at Great Lakes Computer immediately. The sooner they can get access to your systems, the better. We have helped other clients regain control of their systems, read one example by clicking below.

June 21, 2016 By Bob Martin

Virtual Currency: A Primer and Security Warning

Bitcoin is now so ubiquitous that you’ll frequently hear stories about the world’s most popular virtual currency on the local evening news. Bitcoin and other virtual currencies have exploded in popularity in recent years, yet many people still don’t know much about their foundations and are unaware of the dangers involved in using them.

Virtual currencies, like most truly innovative solutions in their infancy, currently exist in a dynamic and unregulated market. They can be useful in certain circumstances, but it’s crucial to understand the risks before entering the market and to weigh those risks against the potential benefits.

The Basics of Virtual Currency

Virtual currency systems generally operate on peer-to-peer networks, where computer programs control transactions that are logged on an equation-based ledger. Virtual currencies are not beholden to the currency system of any sovereign nation so there is no government entity in charge of maintaining the value or controlling the flow of currency.

Essentially, a virtual currency attains value because a group of people come together and agree that it has value between them for completing transactions. As more and more people buy into the system the value tends to increase, since the currency is then accepted for a greater range and volume of transactions.

Different Types of Virtual Currencies

– Bitcoin is both the pioneer of virtual currencies, as well as the most popular and valuable one by a significant margin. It was initially developed in 2009 and has grown to reach over a $10 billion market capitalization.

– Litecoin came to the market in 2011, and it has become a popular alternative to Bitcoin. Litecoin utilizes an open source global payment network, and it boasts that it can generate stored blocks of data faster than Bitcoin.

– Peercoin was launched in 2012, and one of its most notable features is a unique algorithm that minimizes the use of energy when generating blocks compared to other virtual currencies. Peercoin is subject to periods of inflation, as it lacks a fixed maximum for the number of coins that can be circulated.

Lack of Government Regulation

The most notable difference between virtual currencies and traditional models is that virtual currencies are not affiliated with any particular government. When you accept US currency, you are also receiving a promise backed by the US government relating to the value of the paper you hold. Of course, government currencies are subject to inflation, but they offer a relative sense of security as to their worth. Some virtual currencies, such as Bitcoin, do utilize algorithms designed to prevent rapid inflation, but these policies are not regulated by any agency with oversight.

Risk of Cyberattacks

While it is possible for a cyberattack to wipe out the holdings of a traditional bank, their currency is insured by the FDIC. This means that personal funds are protected in the event of theft or other unforeseen event. Virtual currencies lack FDIC protection, meaning that your money may be vulnerable in the event of a malicious cyberattack.

If you want to stay informed about the latest trends in virtual currencies or other tech topics, follow the Great Lakes Computer blog.

April 7, 2016 By Bob Martin

Top 5 Best Practices for Network Security

The web we create with the introduction of newer, better technology is a tangled one. In a business setting, we not only have internal servers, but we operate on the cloud as well. We have BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) work environments where our staff are using their mobile phones and personal devices to conduct business on our behalf. We have wireless routers powering all of our office equipment, and all of our employees personal tech as well. All of this interconnectedness increases our efficiency and decreases the time it takes to get tasks done. It also opens us up to a world of network security risks like we’ve never faced before.

We’ve shared with you several of the recent national security breaches. Now we’d like to share with you 5 best practices for staying ahead of the constantly evolving threat of network invasion.

1. Install and Maintain your Firewall. The Firewall is the keystone of network defense for a decade or more and is still required for solid foundational security. Its job is still fairly simplistic; control what data flows can go where. Without firewalls in place to drop unwanted flows, your job of protecting your assets increases exponentially. Firewalls need to be present at your external perimeters but also inside of your network for secure segmentation of data.*
2. Monitor Applications with Access to Data. Applications are great. They give your business the tools it needs to function and be productive. But they also put your sensitive data at risk. When IT security attempts to protect critical information, it usually involves putting up firewalls and building your infrastructure around the data you want to protect. Then you give applications access to this data. When hackers look to steal your data, they won’t try to hammer their way through your firewall, they’ll look for the least secure system with access to the data they need.**
3. Maintain your Security Patches. Cyber-criminals are focused solely on seeking out vulnerabilities and finding new ways to access your network. The companies that make your security software send out regular updates to their software to address the new threats before they get to you. Your network is only secure as the last update you made. To keep your network protected, be sure you are up to date on all patches.
4. Educate and Train your Users. The humans on your network are your biggest security weakness. This risk can only be managed if you properly inform them of the appropriate way to use the network and how to be aware of threats. This teaching should include how to write strong passwords, how to detect a SPAM email, and how to protect company data if they need to take it from the building. Also give new hires concise instructions on security policies as soon as you bring them on board.
5. Have a Disaster Recovery Plan ready. If all else fails and you experience a breach or data loss, a disaster recovery plan is crucial. It needs to be thorough and precise. It is a guide to getting your systems back online and getting business operations back to normal. It also needs to be accessible to more than the person who wrote it.

While all of these can help keep your network secure, sometimes you need a trusted partner to help keep an eye on your most valuable resource, your network and the data that travels through it. Great Lakes Computer can worry about protecting your network so you don’t have to.