cyberattacks – Page 5 – Computer Security Articles

Mingis on Tech: The language of malware

July 12, 2017 admin Backup & Recovery, cyberattacks, Security

Credit to Author: Ken Mingis, Fahmida Y. Rashid| Date: Wed, 12 Jul 2017 03:00:00 -0700

Sometimes, how you say something can be as important as what you say — especially when’s there been a cyberattack and law enforcement officials are trying to figure out who you are.

That’s what CSO senior writer Fahmida Rashid found when she looked into how cybersecurity firms go about tracking down the bad actors behind malware campaigns. While linguistics may not be the first thing companies worry about when trying to protect — or retrieve access to — their data, it can help pinpoint an attack’s origin, Rashid told Computerworld Executive Editor Ken Mingis.

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ComputerWorld Independent

Mingis on Tech: How linguistics can help catch cyberattackers

July 12, 2017 admin cyberattacks, Security

When it comes to tracking down the bad actors behind malware and ransomware, cybersecurity firms are turning to linguists.

ComputerWorld Independent

Windows Defender does not defend Windows 7 against WannaCry

May 21, 2017 admin cyberattacks, Cybercrime & Hacking, Malware & Vulnerabilities, Security, Windows PCs

Credit to Author: Michael Horowitz| Date: Sun, 21 May 2017 17:37:00 -0700

Thanks to Kaspersky, we now know that 98% of the Windows machines infected by WannaCry/WannaCrypt were running Windows 7. Since, once it gets a foothold, the malware can infect an entire network, most of the attention was focused on LAN based attacks. My previous blog was about using the Windows firewall as a defensive measure.

But any malware can spread in multiple ways so there is always a need for anti-malware software on Windows PCs. The May 12th blog post, Customer Guidance for WannaCrypt attacks, in which Microsoft announced the release of a bug fix for Windows XP, mentioned that

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ComputerWorld Independent

IDG Contributor Network: Who you gonna call?: Getting ready for the next cyber disaster

May 19, 2017 admin cyberattacks, Cybercrime & Hacking, IT Skills & Training, Security

Credit to Author: Sandra Henry-Stocker| Date: Fri, 19 May 2017 06:03:00 -0700

Are you ready for the next cyber disaster? You may not ever be fully ready. Given the ever-increasing number and variety of threats out there, it’s hard to imagine the many ways in which you could be hit. Twenty years ago, who would have imagined 9/11 or ransomware or the sophistication of today’s social engineering techniques? But even if you can’t be fully prepared, you can avoid being totally unprepared.

There are many things that you can do to be more likely to recover from a major attack or limit how hard it hits you. Being more in touch, more aware, and more prepared are key. Given the proliferation and variety of the threats today, avoiding disaster is a big deal and limiting impact a worthy goal. What are those who deal these issues everyday trying to tell us and how can we put their insights to good use?

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ComputerWorld Independent

China pays for Windows XP addiction as 'WannaCry' hits

May 15, 2017 admin cyberattacks, Security, Windows PCs

Credit to Author: Gregg Keizer| Date: Mon, 15 May 2017 12:34:00 -0700

The WannaCry ransomware has wormed its way into tens of thousands of Windows PCs in China, where Windows XP runs one in five systems, local reports said Monday.

More than 23,000 IP addresses in the People’s Republic of China (PRC) show signs of infection, the country’s National Computer Network Emergency Response Technical Team/Coordination Center (CNCERT) told Xinhua, the state-run news agency, on Monday.

“Intranets in many industries and enterprises involving banking, education, electricity, energy, healthcare and transportation have been affected in different extents,” CNCERT said.

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ComputerWorld Independent

Patching Windows XP against WannaCry ransomware

May 14, 2017 admin cyberattacks, Cybercrime & Hacking, Security, Windows PCs

Credit to Author: Michael Horowitz| Date: Sun, 14 May 2017 12:56:00 -0700

Microsoft just released a patch for Windows XP that fixes a file sharing flaw being exploited by the WannaCry ransomware. Here’s how to install it.

You can download some versions of the patch using links at the bottom of this May 12th Microsoft article: Customer Guidance for WannaCrypt attacks. The full list of patch variants, including languages other than English, is in the Windows Catalog, just search for KB4012598. Windows Update does not work on XP.

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ComputerWorld Independent

How your company needs to train workers in cybersecurity

April 25, 2017 admin cyberattacks, IT Management, Malware & Vulnerabilities, Security

Credit to Author: Matt Hamblen| Date: Tue, 25 Apr 2017 09:21:00 -0700

With workplace cyberattacks on the rise, industry experts are pressing businesses to train their workers to be more vigilant than ever to protect passwords and sensitive data and to recognize threats.

“It is imperative for organizations of all sizes to instill among employees the critical role they play in keeping their workplace safe and secure,” said Michael Kaiser, executive director of the National Cyber Security Alliance, a group that promotes education on the safe and secure use of the internet. The group’s members include such major technology companies as Cisco, Facebook, Google, Intel and Microsoft.

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ComputerWorld Independent

What prevents breaches: process, technology or people? One answer is PC, and one is right.

April 12, 2017 admin cyberattacks, Security

Credit to Author: Ira Winkler| Date: Wed, 12 Apr 2017 04:00:00 -0700

When I served on a panel about data breaches at the ISACA Silicon Valley chapter conference recently, the moderator asked, “To prevent data breaches, which is more important: process, technology or people?”

My fellow panelists (three CISOs and two highly experienced consultants) all answered ahead of me: “People.” I was surprised. Here I was the only awareness specialist on the panel, yet my answer was process.

Without process, I explained, the people don’t know what to do. Without process, there is no right way to implement technology. Process is implemented through governance. As I discuss in Advanced Persistent Security, without governance your security program is an accident.

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