As school, socializing, and many aspects of life have moved online this year, it’s more important than ever that you protect your digital devices and steer clear of cybercriminals. Computer security threats are relentlessly inventive. Masters of disguise and manipulation, these threats constantly evolve to find new ways to annoy, steal and harm. Arm yourself with information and resources to safeguard against complex and growing computer security threats and stay safe online.

Examples of Online Cybersecurity Threats

Computer Viruses

Probably the most eminent computer security threat, a computer virus is a program written to alter the way a computer operates, without the permission or knowledge of the user. A virus replicates and executes itself, usually doing damage to your computer in the process.

What can you do to avoid computer viruses? Carefully evaluate free software, downloads from peer-to-peer file sharing sites, and emails from unknown senders. These things are critical to avoiding viruses. Most web browsers have security settings which can be configured for top defense against online threats. But, as we’ll say again and again, the single most-effective way of fending off viruses is up-to-date antivirus software and monitoring agent, like we include in our Managed Service Plans.

Spyware Threats

A serious computer security threat, spyware is any program that monitors your online activities or installs programs without your consent for profit or to capture personal information.

While many users won’t want to hear it, reading terms and conditions is a good way to build an understanding of how your activity is tracked online. As always, if a company you do not recognize is advertising for a deal that seems too good to be true, be sure you have an internet security solution in place and click with caution.

Hackers and Predators

People, not computers, create computer security threats and malware. Hackers and predators are programmers who victimize others for their own gain by breaking into computer systems to steal, change, or destroy information as a form of cyber-terrorism. These online predators can compromise credit card information, lock you out of your data, and steal your identity. As you may have guessed, online security tools with identity theft protection are one of the most effective ways to protect yourself from this brand of cybercriminal.

Phishing

Masquerading as a trustworthy person or business, phishers attempt to steal sensitive financial or personal information through fraudulent email or instant messages. Phishing attacks are some of the most successful methods for cybercriminals looking to pull off a data breach. Antivirus solutions with identity theft protection can be taught to recognize phishing threats in fractions of a second.

Cyber Safety Tips

• Keep software systems up to date and use a good anti-virus program.
• Examine the email address and URLs in all correspondence. Scammers often mimic a legitimate site or email address by using a slight variation in spelling.
• If an unsolicited text message, email, or phone call asks you to update, check, or verify your account information, do not follow the link provided in the message itself or call the phone numbers provided in the message. Go to the company’s website to log into your account or call the phone number listed on the official website to see if something does in fact need your attention.
• Do not open any attachments unless you are expecting the file, document, or invoice and have verified the sender’s email address.
• Scrutinize all electronic requests for a payment or transfer of funds.
• Be extra suspicious of any message that urges immediate action.
• Confirm requests for wire transfers or payment in person or over the phone as part of a two-factor authentication process. Do not verify these requests using the phone number listed in the request for payment.

If you have any questions, please email us at support@sjtechies.com or call us at (856) 745-9990.

Not sure your are protected? Contact us, we can help!

Hackers held two school districts on Long Island hostage over the summer, forcing one of them to pay $88,000 in cryptocurrency in order retrieve student and staff information before the school year started.

Despite using an anti-virus software and other firewalls for cyber security, the School District’s encrypted files were accessed this summer by Ryuk ransomware, which can infiltrate an entire server with one click of a malicious email attachment. The virus encrypts data, essentially locking users out of access to their files, and hackers are blackmailing schools until payment is made, usually in bitcoin, through school insurance to unlock the system’s server.

The Mineola School District was also attacked by the same virus. But they didn’t have to pay because they had a backup that wasn’t compromised.

What are some tips to avoid having to pay the ransomware

The nefarious ransomware business model has turned out to be a lucrative industry for criminals. Over the years its ill repute has made law enforcement team up with international agencies to identify and bring down scam operators.

Most of the ransomware attacks that have taken place in the past have been linked to poor protection practices by employees and businesses. There are ways to prepare and steps you can take to avoid the nuances these hackers are causing.

Here are a few dos and don’ts when it comes to ransomware.

1. Do not pay the ransom. It only encourages and funds these attackers. Even if the ransom is paid, there is no guarantee that you will be able to regain access to your files.
2. Restore any impacted files from a known good backup. Restoration of your files from a backup is the fastest way to regain access to your data.
3. Do not provide personal information when answering an email, unsolicited phone call, text message or instant message. Phishers will try to trick employees into installing malware, or gain intelligence for attacks by claiming to be from IT. Be sure to contact your IT department if you or your coworkers receive suspicious calls or emails.
4. Use reputable antivirus software and a firewall. Maintaining a strong firewall and keeping your security software up to date are critical. It’s important to use antivirus software from a reputable company because of all the fake software out there.
5. Do employ content scanning and filtering on your mail servers. Inbound e-mails should be scanned for known threats and should block any attachment types that could pose a threat.
6. Do make sure that all systems and software are up-to-date with relevant patches. Exploit kits hosted on compromised websites are commonly used to spread malware. Regular patching of vulnerable software is necessary to help prevent infection.
7. If traveling, alert your IT department beforehand, especially if you’re going to be using public wireless Internet. Make sure you use a trustworthy Virtual Private Network (VPN) when accessing public Wi-Fi like Norton Secure VPN.

Ransomware criminals often attack small and medium sized businesses. Among other cyber attacks, ransomware is one criminal activity that can be easily worked around with the above-mentioned solutions. South Jersey Techies coupled with education about these threats is an excellent protection plan for today’s cyber landscape.