Ransomware, Backups, and Testing your Plan
The news headlines seem to be filled with ransomware attacks of late. Business owners are taking note and asking their Managed Service Providers (MSPs) and IT departments to improve their …
FBI Recovers Colonial Bitcoin Payment
In May of 2021, the United States’ largest pipeline, Colonial Pipeline, halted operations due to a ransomware attack. At the time, Colonial Pipeline carried 45% of the fuel used on the …
JBS Ransomware Attack Shows Importance of Backups
[Update on JBS Ransomware attack: June 10, 2021 CyberHoot learned that backups and a strong disaster recovery plan weren’t responsible for a quick ransomware recovery at JBS meats as was …
Pipeline Breach Prompts Texas To Require Cybersecurity Training
May 17, 2021: Following the Ransomware Attack on the Colonial Pipeline, Texas Governor Greg Abbott took action and announced that he was signing a new cybersecurity law that penalizes those …
Ransomware Task Force (RTF)
The Ransomware Task Force (RTF) is a group of high-profile security vendors who teamed up with the Institute for Security and Technology (IST) in December of 2020 to combat ransomware. Members …
Ransomware Shuts Down Largest U.S. Pipeline
The United States’ largest pipeline, Colonial Pipeline, halted operations due to a ransomware attack. Colonial Pipeline carries 45% of the fuel used on the U.S. East Coast, running from Texas …
What Was 2020’s Most Expensive Cybercrime?
Reading the latest FBI report might convince you that Business Email Compromise was the largest cybercrime in 2020. Ransomware proves them wrong by a factor of at least 5 if not more. Both are scourges that SMBs need to protect themselves from. Become more aware to become more secure.
US Treasury Bans Ransomware Payments
Oct.1st, 2020: The US Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) warned organizations that making ransomware payments is illegal. These payments violate US economic sanctions banning the support of …
Leakware
Leakware, also known as Doxware, is a new more potent, and dangerous form of ransomware. When a ransomware Attack containing Leakware occurs, the attacker threatens to publicize personal data (confidentiality …
Emotet Operation Takedown
In January of 2021, law enforcement and judicial authorities across the globe disrupted one of the most notable botnets of the past decade: Emotet. Investigators have taken control of its …
Ransomware Task Force Forming
The damaging effects of ransomware hit $11.5 billion in 2019, and doubled in 2020 as new, more damaging strains of ransomware (Maze, Sodinokibi, Ryuk, Dharma) hit companies even harder. Older …
Restore (Recovery)
When -planning for risks to your small to medium sized business, you need to include data backups and recovery processes. Test that these work at least annually and be aware that some new hacking attacks cannot be addressed by simply restoring data from a strong backup strategy because of threats to your data’s confidentiality.
MAZE Ransomware: 3x Threat to Data Security
MAZE Ransomware represents a change for the worse in the capabilities of online hackers today. Traditional backup strategies are no longer enough to provide a get-out-of-jail-free card when hit with ransomware. Data confidentiality is also at risk now and that changes who will pay ransoms dramatically. Prepare now to avoid this scourge of online hacking.
Michigan School District Shut Down by Ransomware
Educational institutions are easy marks for hackers peddling ransomware. They have lots of critical student and employee data, small cybersecurity budgets, and don’t train students or faculty how to spot and avoid common cyber-attacks. Combined with an ability to pay ransoms either through cyber-insurance coverage or city coffers, and they have a perfect cyberattacks bullseye on them!
WannaCry Ransomware Explained and How to Protect Yourself From It
This video documents what the Wannacry ransomware virus did to companies and individuals throughout the world in the summer of 2017. This video outlines how the US’s own National Security …
New Orleans State of Emergency Following Cyber Attack
It was only about a week ago that the government facility in Pensacola, Florida was shut down due to a cyber attack. Now the city of New Orleans is shut …
Ransomware
Ransomware is a type of malicious software designed to block access to a computer system, and more importantly the critical data it contains, until a sum of money or ransom …
RYUK Ransomware infects 110 Healthcare Facilities
This past Thanksgiving weekend, 110 healthcare facilities were infected by a ransomware attack on their IT provider. Virtual Care Provider Inc. (VCPI), provides security, data hosting and access management services …
Watch out for Cyber Monday Phishing Scams
Who is most likely to fall victim to Cyber Monday phishing scams? People who don’t know about phishing scams, typosquatting, and fake look-alike websites. Did you know there are 4 …
BlueKeep is MS Blaster
Good backups will let you go back in time to recover compromised systems. Don’t let this happen by not patching for BlueKeep now.
MSP Attacks increasing but their Ability to Defend is Lacking
The FBI issued a stern warning in February 2019. They witnessed multiple Managed Service Providers successfully attacked by advanced hacking tools and organizations. This article details what’s happened since then. …
