Posts Tagged: "Cybercriminals"

How Individuals Can Protect Themselves from Scams Related to COVID-19

Cybercriminals have exploited the COVID-19 pandemic and the disruption of the past 14 months to scam a record number of people. The UK’s cybersecurity agency, the National Cyber Security Centre, has recently confirmed that it has taken down more scams in the last year than in the previous three years combined. In addition, experts oversaw a 15-fold rise in the removal of online campaigns when compared with 2019. Disturbingly, cybercriminals have also incorporated the COVID-19 pandemic and the vaccine rollout into their scams. The National Cyber Security Centre found a jump in the number of fraudsters using National Health Service (NHS) branding to dupe victims in the UK, with the vaccine rollout being used to acquire people’s personal information. 

Responding to Ransomware

Ransomware attacks are on the rise, partly because of the ease and anonymity of crypto-currencies. In a typical ransomware attack, cyber criminals invade a computer system and encrypt key data, then threaten to destroy the data unless the victim pays the criminal a relatively minor sum (ranging from hundreds to thousands, or in rare cases, tens of thousands of dollars). Rather than trying to determine whether to agree to ransom terms, spend your time and energy preparing for an attack. Companies should consider a ransomware attack as you would any other cybersecurity breach. That is, it is going to happen, the only question is when. Sound preparation boils down to several key considerations.

Taking a Data-Centric Approach to Today’s Security Landscape

High value information—identified as trade secrets, IP mappings, product designs, financial data, confidential business information and similar files and documents—require an extra level of protection because of their value to cybercriminals and malicious insiders. The last thing an organization wants to do is make the theft of high value information easier by leaving vulnerability gaps in security practices. A malicious actor will exploit those each and every time.

An Awareness Crusade Against the Online Piracy of Books

According to the Association of American Publishers, the publishing industry as a whole has lost $80 to $100 million dollars to online piracy annually. From 2009 to 2013, the number of e-book Internet piracy alerts that the Authors Guild of America has received from their membership had increased by 300%. During 2014, that number doubled. I’m certain that in 2016, the statistics will go even higher.