Tag Archives: Security Alert

$1.5M Cyber-Heist Typifies Growing Threat

Efficient Escrow of California was forced to close its doors and lay off its entire staff when cybercriminals nabbed $1.5 million from its bank account. The thieves gained access to the escrow company’s bank data using a form of “Trojan horse” malware.
Once the hackers broke in, they wired $432,215 from the firm’s bank to an account in Moscow. That was followed by two more transfers totaling $1.1 million, this time to banks in Heilongjiang Province in China, near the Russian border.
The company recovered the first transfer, but not the next two. They were shocked to discover that, unlike with consumer accounts, banks are under no obligation to recoup losses in a cybertheft against a commercial account. That meant a loss of $1.1 million, in a year when they expected to clear less than half that. Unable to replace the funds, they were shut down by state regulators just three days after reporting the loss.
Net result? The two brothers who owned the firm lost their nine-person staff and faced mounting attorneys’ fees nearing the total amount of the funds recovered, with no immediate way to return their customers’ money.

The Single Most Dangerous Assumption Businesses Make About Bank Security That Can Cause Them To Lose ALL Their Money

Here’s a shocker to most business owners: You’re bank often can NOT reclaim money stolen from your bank account due to fraud or cyber-crime. That means if money gets drafted from your business bank account from a hacker, phishing attack, identity theft or by any other means, you have little to no chance of getting it back.

What You Need To Know About The New Security Breach Notification Laws

It’s Monday morning and one of your employees notifies you that they lost their laptop at a Starbucks over the weekend, apologizing profusely. Aside from the cost and inconvenience of buying a new laptop, could you be on the hook for bigger costs, and should you notify all your clients? Maybe, depending on where you live and what type of data you had stored on that laptop.

Top 4 Threats Attacking Your Network
And What To Do About Them

#1 Overconfidence

User overconfidence in security products is the top threat to your network. Failure to “practice safe software” results in nuisance attacks like porn storms (unstoppable rapid fire pornographic pop-ups) and more subtle key loggers that steal passwords. Surveys promising free stuff, result in theft of information like your mother’s maiden name, high school, etc. used to answer common security questions leading to theft of otherwise secure data. Think before you click!

Apple Picking?

Apples are picked on crowded subways, in quiet parks, on busy street corners, in loud bars. Apples are picked while people are talking on the phone, the picker dashing past and doing the deed in midstride.

I’m not talking about Red Delicious apples. I’m referring to the Apple iPhone. Many major cities have seen an increase in the crime rate because of the Apple iPhone. In New York City alone in 2012 there were 16,000 Apple “pickings”, or 14% of all crimes.

How to Pick a Good Password!

What’s the most common password? You guessed it…”password.” Obviously this is not the best way to protect yourself against hackers and online thieves. But even if you don’t use the word “password,” you might be using an equally easy password to decipher.

We suggest you DON’T use the following passwords for really important web sites, such as your online banking web site or other financially related sites.

Security Alert!

Ads for fake antivirus and antispyware programs are multiplying!

How to avoid getting tricked?

Many “reputable” sites are compromised and the owners don’t know it. So it’s not always where you surf. Here are four tips that may help you avoid getting infected.

1. Keep your computer updated with the latest antivirus and antispyware software, and be sure to use a good firewall.
2. Never open an email attachment unless you are POSITIVE about the source.
3. Do NOT click on any pop-up that advertises antivirus or antispyware software. If a virus alert appears on your screen. DON’T click on it, even to “close” it. Instead click the browser “X” button in the far upper right corner of the browser screen. Then call your computer guy.
4. Do not download freeware or shareware unless you know it’s from a reputable source. Many freeware and shareware programs come bundled with spyware, adware, or fake antivirus programs.

The best prevention is your own skepticism. The rule is: IF IN DOUBT, DON’T!