Would Your Users Fall For These Social Engineering Schemes?
Social engineering is one of the trickiest parts of protecting your organization. It might sound like something out of a science fiction flick, but it’s one of the most dangerous attacks that a hacker can use against your business. Social engineering attempts to manipulate the target into giving away sensitive credentials or personal information for the purpose of stealing identities and other malicious intentions.
Here are some of the most popular social engineering hacks that you’ll have to watch out for in the business world.
- Vishing: More people are aware of phishing attacks than ever before, so naturally hackers had to pick up the slack somehow. Vishing is the alternative option that they are now trying to use, which features a voicemail asking for personal information.
- HTTPS: SSL certificates can make sure that users are aware of whether or not a website is secure enough to protect your personal information. However, HTTPS doesn’t necessarily mean that a website is using security. Hackers can lure in victims by providing “free” SSL certificates to organizations, providing them with a false sense of security. You need to find proof that the website using SSL has an extended validation (EV-SSL), which is not offered for free at all. You’ll see a green bar in the URL bar when this type of encryption is available.
- Website Copycats: Some scammers have even gone so far as to make websites that look exactly like reputable sites that are designed to harvest credentials or infect computers with malware. One example of this is the Equifax data loss incident which occurred in June 2017. Equifax had set up a website to help clients who had their information stolen, which used the URL equifaxsecurity2017.com. However, hackers capitalized on this event and created a spoof website using the domain securityequifax2017.com. The result tricked Equifax themselves. Here are some tips to help you avoid these spoofed websites:
- Make sure the URL is correct
- Don’t give information to sites that aren’t using EV-SSL
- Look for seals of trust from reputable IT security websites
- Be on the lookout for spelling errors, typos, or broken English
- Every Word Password Theft: Hacking tools have certainly developed into more sophisticated threats, going so far as to utilize every single word in the dictionary to crack passwords. These password crackers can create hundreds of thousands of credentials in a matter of minutes, all using a dictionary attack against unwary users. Therefore, the best approach to creating strong passwords is to use numbers, letters, and symbols to make a mixture that nobody would expect.
Online threats can be a considerable problem for your organization, especially when they use each and every exploit against you. Thankfully, with some proactive measures that can keep your business safe, you’ll have a much easier time going about your online duties without exposing your data to threats. To learn more about how to protect your business, reach out to us at (317) 705-0333.
7 Habits of Highly Effective PC Users
Security is an incredibly important part of running any business, but unless you’re a professional IT technician, you may run into a couple of roadblocks while implementing a solution. Chief among these is not knowing exactly what you’re protecting your business from. Keep the following tips in mind to reinforce your security strategy and preserve your business infrastructure’s integrity.
Implement Strong Passwords
Weak passwords are, not surprisingly, a major problem for all types of businesses. Strong passwords are practically impossible to remember, so users tend to opt for easy, less secure passwords when it comes time to create a new one. The truth of the matter is that strong passwords are essential if you want to optimize security. Be sure to include both upper and lower-case letters, numbers, and special symbols in your credentials.
Use a Password Manager
The increase in popularity for password managers means that there is no longer any reason not to use secure passwords. Since the main reason not to use a secure password is that they are difficult to remember, the password manager handles this task for you. Passwords are stored in a secure digital space where they are called upon as needed, allowing you to optimize security like never before.
Implement Two-Factor Authentication
Passwords might not be the most secure method of protecting accounts, but a method called two-factor authentication can help. Two-factor authentication creates secondary credentials that you use to access an account. These credentials are usually delivered via a secondary email account or a personal device. If hackers see that they need other credentials besides your username or password, they might think twice about attempting to breach your account. After all, hackers like simplicity, and if they have to work extra hard for something, they might be less likely to pursue the attempt.
Prevent Unnecessary Online Payments
The Internet has allowed organizations and individuals to shift the bulk of their consumer behaviors to online retailers. While it might be tempting to just use your credit cards for any online purchase, it’s important to remember that not every website will be protected for such transactions. You should only use credentials on encrypted websites so that they cannot be stolen by onlooking hackers. Always be sure to check the security protocol used by a website before entering any sensitive information into them.
Avoid Links and Attachments from Unknown Messages
You might receive spam messages in your email inbox, and it’s likely that they will contain links and attachments laden with malware or viruses. If they don’t directly contain malware, they might lead to malicious websites where your credentials are stolen. In fact, one of the most dangerous threats out there–ransomware–is typically distributed via phishing attacks within an email. To dodge these threats, you should implement an enterprise-level spam prevention solution.
Stay Away from Public Wi-Fi
Cyber criminals will use public Wi-Fi connections for the express reason that people tend to go where there is a free connection to use. Some examples are coffee shops, local libraries, or public areas where business owners gather. The reason for this is that many public Wi-Fi connections are unsecured, so hackers will have a field day compared to when they are trying to crack a secured, private Wi-Fi connection.
Upgrade Your Operating Systems
Older operating systems aren’t as secure as their newer ones. Nowhere is this more dangerous for a business than when they still run unsupported operating systems like Windows XP. New software offers almost continuous testing, so as critical security flaws are found they are patched, ensuring users have a secure and reliable user experience.
Your business’s security should be at the top of your mind. However, you might not have time to worry about it, so why not reach out to us at Catalyst Technology Group? Our trusted professionals can help you keep your organization’s network secure. To learn more, reach out to us at (317) 705-0333.