Technology Advisor Blog

The "tech support" scam is a common threat on the Internet.  While working on your computer, a pop up will appear that says your computer has a problem and help is just a phone call or click away.  Many of these scams pretend to be from Microsoft.  The graphics may look very professional, and the tech jargon sounds convincing enough that may people fall for these scams.  After the "repair" is done, then you'll be asked for a credit card to pay.  Most people assume they won't fall for a scam, but if you're very busy, and the support price is low enough, it could seem like the fastest and most efficient way to get support and get back to work.  

Disaster recovery is a basic element of good business continuity planning. You've probably heard the phrase and like many businesses, it's something you'll get around to "later". 

Running a small business is exciting but also very risky. American business owners and managers spend countless hours building enterprises that bring value to the table. However, their survival rate doesn't look rosy according to recent statistics. Approximately 80% of businesses survive their first year, 50% survive their fifth year, and 30% survive their tenth year. The fact that their failure rate only increases over time is cause for concern.

The cost of cybercrime is no joke. This is easy to say from the perspective of someone whose business it is to know all about cybercrime trends, attack vectors, etc.  But to really quantify how big of a problem cybercrime is in the world of business, it is often easier to compare it to day to day things… like a doctor explaining a complicated procedure or a mechanic telling you why your car is making that noise. So today I would like to compare the cost of cybercrime to the most universal understanding that there is… time.

A new NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology) guidebook says Cybersecurity is everyone's job.  While many people may believe that cyber threats are a technology problem looking for a technology solution, the data shows otherwise:  people are the weakest link.  Whether your organization is large or small, a mindset of security and ongoing user education will help keep your data safe.  Sometimes all it takes is ONE user clicking on the wrong link to cause a lot of damage.  

Recently there have been many reports on a clever twist on an old scam that's made more believable with your hacked password.  The email purports to be from a hacker who has compromised your computer and recorded you watching porn and will release the information to all your contacts if you don't pay the ransom (payable to a crypto currency account so it's not traceable).   

Have you experienced an increase in the number of "local" junk calls to your cell phone?  You're not alone.  Scammers have yet another tactic to get through to you by "spoofing" a phone number.  When your phone rings and you see a local number, you're more likely to pick up.  After you pick up, your number is proven to be a "real" number which is more valuable to scammers and the number of calls increases.  

The FBI has issued an important warning about certain consumer-class routers after a massive malware attack was detected.  Turning the router off, then on again is a simple and important step to help stop the malware.  Additionally, it's recommended that you update the password and make sure the firmware is up to date.  The malware is capable of blocking traffic,  collecting information that's transmitted through the device, and disabling devices entirely.