Enhancing Computer Security: Key Recommendations

In today’s fast-paced digital world, cybersecurity is a top priority for businesses of all sizes. As technology continues to evolve, so do the threats that compromise data integrity and business operations. TMD Technology Services understands the importance of safeguarding digital assets. Here are some essential computer security recommendations to keep your systems secure.

1. Implement Strong Authentication Methods

Multi-factor authentication (MFA) adds an extra layer of security beyond just usernames and passwords. Implementing MFA ensures that even if credentials are compromised, unauthorized access is still prevented. Additionally, consider adopting passkeys as a modern, password-less authentication method to enhance security and reduce the risk of credential theft.

2. Keep Software and Systems Up to Date

Outdated software is a prime target for cyberattacks. Regularly updating operating systems, applications, and antivirus software helps protect against vulnerabilities. Automated update scheduling can simplify this process.

3. Educate Your Team on Cybersecurity 

Human error remains one of the most significant security risks. Conduct regular training sessions to educate employees about recognizing phishing emails, using strong passwords, and following best practices for data protection. Implement phishing tests to assess employee awareness and identify areas for improvement, helping to build a proactive security culture.

4. Back Up Data Regularly

Frequent data backups minimize downtime in the event of a ransomware attack or system failure. Employ both on-site and cloud-based solutions to secure critical information. Additionally, consider cloud-to-cloud backup solutions for services like Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace to ensure continuous data availability and protection against data loss.

5. Utilize Network Segmentation

Implementing DNS protection can further secure network boundaries by blocking access to malicious websites and preventing data exfiltration. Integrating DNS protection into your cybersecurity strategy helps reduce the risk of phishing and malware attacks.

Segmenting your network reduces the risk of lateral movement by attackers. Separating sensitive data from other parts of the network creates isolated environments that are harder to infiltrate.

6. Monitor and Respond to Threats in Real-Time

Invest in advanced monitoring tools that detect unusual activities. A robust incident response plan will help mitigate damage during a security breach.

Utilizing advanced threat detection tools like SentinelOne can significantly enhance real-time monitoring capabilities. SentinelOne’s AI-driven endpoint protection continuously scans for suspicious activities, providing rapid response and containment.

Final Thoughts

Proactively managing computer security is essential for staying ahead of evolving cyber threats. TMD Technology Services can leverage these recommendations to enhance client protection and maintain trust in today’s competitive tech landscape. Contact us to learn how we can help implement these strategies for your business.

Don’t Let Your Employees Become Your Biggest Vulnerability

Computer Repair and Managed IT Services in Delray Beach

A couple years ago, TechRepublic ran a story with the following headline: “Employees Are Almost As Dangerous To Business As Hackers And Cybercriminals.” From the perspective of the business, you might think that’s simply inaccurate. Your company strives to hire the best people it can find – people who are good at their jobs and would never dream of putting their own employer at risk.

And yet, many employees do, and it’s almost always unintentional. Your employees aren’t thinking of ways to compromise your network or trying to put malware or ransomware on company computers, but it happens. One Kaspersky study found that 52% of businesses recognize that their employees are “their biggest weakness in IT security.” 

Where does this weakness come from? It stems from several different things and varies from business to business, but a big chunk of it comes down to employee behavior.

Human Error 

We all make mistakes. Unfortunately, some mistakes can have serious consequences. Here’s an example: an employee receives an e-mail from their boss. The boss wants the employee to buy several gift cards and then send the gift card codes to them as soon as possible. The message may say, “I trust you with this,” and work to build urgency within the employee.

The problem is that it’s fake. A scammer is using an e-mail address similar to what the manager, supervisor or other company leader might use. It’s a phishing scam, and it works. While it doesn’t necessarily compromise your IT security internally, it showcases gaps in employee knowledge. 

Another common example, also through e-mail, is for cybercriminals to send files or links that install malware on company computers. The criminals once again disguise the e-mail as a legitimate message from someone within the company, a vendor, a bank or another company the employee may be familiar with. 

It’s that familiarity that can trip up employees. All criminals have to do is add a sense of urgency, and the employee may click the link without giving more thought.

Carelessness

This happens when an employee clicks a link without thinking. It could be because the employee doesn’t have training to identify fraudulent e-mails (See How to Spot a Phishy Email) or the company might not have a comprehensive IT security policy in place. 

Another form of carelessness is unsafe browsing habits. When employees browse the web, whether it’s for research or anything related to their job or for personal use, they should always do so in the safest way possible. Tell employees to avoid navigating to “bad” websites and to not click any link they can’t verify (such as ads). 

Bad websites are fairly subjective, but one thing any web user should look for is “https” at the beginning of any web address. The “s” tells you the site is secure. If that “s” is not there, the website lacks proper security. If you input sensitive data into that website, such as your name, e-mail address, contact information or financial information, you cannot verify the security of that information and it may end up in the hands of cybercriminals. 

Another example of carelessness is poor password management. It’s common for people to use simple passwords and to use the same passwords across multiple websites. If your employees are doing this, it can put your business at a huge risk. If hackers get ahold of any of those passwords, who knows what they might be able to access. A strict password policy is a must for every business and MFA or 2-Factor should be used whenever possible.

Turn Weakness Into Strength 

The best way to overcome the human weakness in your IT security is education. An IT security policy is a good start, but it must be enforced and understood. Employees need to know what behaviors are unacceptable, but they also need to be aware of the threats that exist. They need resources they can count on as threats arise so they may be dealt with properly. Working with an MSP or IT services firm may be the answer – they can help you lay the foundation to turn this weakness into a strength.

MANAGED IT SERVICES

CYBERSECURITY | HELPDESK | UPDATES | BACKUPS

WHY DO YOU NEED MANAGED SERVICES?

Criminals Are Using YouTube Video Channels To Spread Malware

YouTube has long been a hunting ground used by hackers and scammers to push all manner of hoaxes, scams and malicious code onto unsuspecting users. A security researcher known only as Frost is working for Cluster 25.

Frost has reported a significant uptick in the number of malware campaigns orchestrated from YouTube.

Overwhelmingly these campaigns are pushing Trojans onto the PCs and smart devices of their victims.

Frost has identified what appear to be two clusters of malicious activity occurring simultaneously. One of these is pushing the RedLine trojan and the other is pushing Racoon Stealer.

Literally thousands of videos and channels have been made in the conduct of these two campaigns. Based on Frost’s personal observation the campaigns are adding 100 new videos and 81 channels every twenty minutes.

He had the following to say about the identified campaigns:

The videos in question cover a wide range of topics. The hackers behind the campaigns tend to favor videos about software cracks, how to guides that outline how to get around software licenses, cryptocurrency, software piracy, game cheats and VPN software.

The videos are at least vaguely helpful and contain a link that the video’s authors claim is to a tool that will help the viewer on his or her quest related to the topic of the video. Naturally the link is nothing of the sort and clicking on it will install malicious code on the viewer’s device.

The problem has gotten serious enough that YouTube’s owner Google made a formal statement about the matter.

Google’s statement reads in part as follows:

“We are aware of this campaign and are currently taking action to block activity by this threat actor and flagging all links to Safe Browsing. As always, we are continuously improving our detection methods and investing in new tools and features that automatically identify and stop threats like this one. It is also important that users remain aware of these types of threats and take appropriate action to further protect themselves.”

The moral of the story is simple: Be very careful about any links you click.

MANAGED IT SERVICES

CYBERSECURITY | HELPDESK | UPDATES | BACKUPS

WHY DO YOU NEED MANAGED SERVICES?

It’s the season of giving but scammers are taking

The holiday season is one of the busiest times of year for scammers and many Americans are putting themselves at risk. Don’t be one of them.

Here are 10 tips on how to protect yourself from holiday scams:

holiday-security-tipsCheck the charity: Before donating to a charity, make sure it is registered with the Secretary of State and ask how much of the money goes to the charitable fundraiser and how much goes to the charitable purpose.

Travel Safely: Millions hit the road, rail and sky during this holiday season. But with the cost of travel on the rise, especially airfares, passengers are easy prey for a host of scams.  Some seem legitimate. But there are some warning signs. For example, you want to travel to Europe or the Bahamas and a travel site offers you a hotel or apartment rental at a great price in a city you want to go to. It seems perfect, except you can’t pay with a credit card. They want cash, a bank or wire transfer. DON’T do it. It’s a scam.  Also, during the holidays, you can often be targeted using familiar e-mail addresses of your friends. You may receive an e-mail purporting to be from friends saying they were traveling and had their wallet stolen and that they’re in a hotel, unable to pay their bill. This is a travel scam that uses details taken from social networking sites (such as Facebook) to send phony distress e-mails to family and friends. And of course, these e-mails ask that money be wired or transferred.

Gift Card Fraud: Only purchase gift cards from reputable sources and try to get them directly from the store they’re from.  Ask the store cashier to scan the card to ensure it has the correct balance and provide a receipt before leaving.  Look at the back of the card to ensure the area with the protective scratch-off is intact.

Surf safely: Do not use public Wi-Fi to check sensitive financial information, or to make purchases using your credit card.

Package Theft: Require a signature on all package deliveries. You can also write specific instructions for the delivery company on where to leave your package, and don’t forget you can always have your package delivered to you at work.

Use credit: Use a credit card instead of your debit card when making holiday purchases.

Fake checks and free gift offers:  Websites may offer free gifts if you “click here,” and letters in the mail could ask for personal information in exchange for a $500 check.  Believe us, people you don’t know don’t want to give you free money. Remember the adage that there ain’t nothing in life for free. Similarly, the emails and shared status updates on social media saying “click here for your free gift” are likely phishing schemes or malware-laden, and letters asking for an advance payment to receive your free check for thousands of dollars are bogus.

skullBeware Suspicious Emails: Pay special attention to emails you receive from sources such as your bank, retailers and shipping companies such as FedEx or UPS. Scammers use the names of reputable companies to try and get you to open attachments containing malicious software or enter logon credentials to your accounts.  Never click links from emails or open the attachment in an email, especially if you’re not expecting a message from the source.  Instead, close the message and visit the site by manually opening it in your browser.  Call the source directly if you are suspicious or believe the message to be false.

Beware of deals: Watch out for deals offered by companies with unfamiliar websites. Look for reviews on Yelp, Google and the Better Business Bureau or search the retailer’s name and “scam” to see if it checks out before giving your payment information.

Secure your systems: Take added precautions with your security.  Make sure your antivirus and malware software’s are up to date and functioning. Ensure your windows and java security patches are applied and your firewall is configured correctly.  Backup your data!  These steps along with some simple common sense can help mitigate your exposure while online.

If you need assistance securing your systems or help cleaning up from a suspected scam contact us.

(561) 404-9251 | TMDTechnology.com

Keep the Ghosts and Goblins out of your Computer

ghosts-goblins-pcHere are some tips to help protect your computer and keep the ghosts, ghouls and goblins out! All devices no matter the Operating System (Mac, Windows, Linux, Android, etc) are susceptible to being hacked or having malicious software put on them. Your computers, smartphones, tablets, and even TVs all can be hacked and used to collect information about you that can later be sold or posted online.

1. Using the same password over and over again
This may come as news to you, but whenever there is a breach in a company’s database or information, emails, passwords, names and other confidential information is what usually gets posted online. You can check if your information has been posted online here, just type in your email address and it will tell you if your account is posted online somewhere.

2. Visiting questionable or vulnerable websites
Whether you mean to or not, you may end up at a questionable website. You might click on a pop-up ad or a bad link in an e-mail. Either way these types of websites do NOT have your best intentions in mind. To avoid pop-ups or other questionable blockers, check out services such as Adlock Plus for Google Chrome or Firefox.

3. Failing to patch and update software
One of the easiest ways for hackers to access your computer is by not updating your software. Software makers are always plugging security holes to prevent this from happening, but if you don’t have the latest version, you can be more likely to become a victim.  Hackers are always trying to exploit the known issues first, after all they are known.

skull4. Downloading illegal and pirated online content
Sure it is easy to get the latest music, movies, or games online but resist this temptation.  First, it’s illegal. second, it can cause some serious issues. Hackers know lots of people are searching for free content like this online so they put viruses and Trojan viruses into illegal content. It is just waiting for you to download and run it.

5. Unsafe web searching
Make sure you use the real Google, Yahoo or Bing as your search engine rather than another browser. Sometimes a toolbar will change your search engine to theirs so they can make some money from advertisements. Browser redirection can be a real drag.  Search results are typically paid for and likely not what you expected.

6. Clicking unknown links or opening attachments in your e-mail
This one is very essential now-a-days because everyone gets a few hundred e-mail messages a day. Most of them are spam but a few of them look legit because they claim to be from your bank, courier services or some other well-known company. They are just there to get you to click a link then steal your login information.  Never click a link in an email and be cautious when opening attachments (especially zip files)

7. Installing junk software
Free is not always a good option and that old adage you get what you PAY for comes to mind.  Ask yourself does it make sense for someone to spend all that time making a program then just give it away? Nope…Most of the time they expect you to just hit next when installing and also install their partner advertisements and other junk on to your computer.

8. Not keeping virus or malware scanners or software up-to-date
By not updating your scanners you are basically scanning your computer for viruses that are old. Most scanners now update their virus definitions hourly or at least daily. So it is very important to check in with your scanner at least once a week and make sure all is running smooth. Generally they have a dashboard that will let you know.

9. Work with Computer Professionals
For an easily budgeted, fixed monthly fee — TMD Technology Services can take away the worry, frustration and considerable cost of managing your IT environment.  Our managed IT services solution keeps watch over your systems 24/7, and includes built-in virus and malware protection.  We can step in the moment we discover anything amiss. In most instances, you won’t know there was ever an issue. This proactive approach to IT maintenance keeps small problems from becoming big … and expensive!

www.TMDTechnology.com