Governments and Businesses are vulnerable too.

Governments and businesses all over the world have access to tons of confidential information. Information from their customers or citizens such as social security numbers, banking information, passwords, addresses, and etc. We would like to think all of that information is stored in a way that is inaccessible to those without the proper authorization to access it. Sadly, business and governments are still vulnerable to malware.

In August, Schnuck Markets Inc and four other retailers in Kentucky, had their point-of-sales systems attacked by malware. The attack came out of Eastern Europe and compromised the credit card information of their customers. The credit information was then sold on an underground internet forum. Only 72 hours after the hack, customers credit cards we already starting to be charged(Kitten).

The Department of Energy was the victim of of a hack in July that resulted in the personal data of 53,000 former and current employees and contractors. The fear of how damaging these hacks could be to the government has prompted the Department of Energy to award 11 contracts worth a combined $30 million to develop new tools to protect the electrical grid and gas and oil infrastructures from cyber attacks(Wait).

If big businesses and governments are just as vulnerable to malware as their customers and citizens, is it reasonable to assume no information completely safe from hackers? As these companies use their resources to build more secure systems there will always be someone trying find a new way around it. Outside of the precautions we take while on the web as individuals, we should also be aware of how much is being put into protecting information by the companies we do business with and our own government.






Works Citied:

Kitten, Tracy. "Recent Retail Breaches Connected." GOV Info Security. (2013): n. page. Web. 24 Sep. 2013. <http://www.govinfosecurity.com/recent-retail-breaches-connected-a-6022/p-2>. 

Wait, Patience. "Energy Dept. Invests $30 Million In Utility Security." Information Weekly. (2013): n. page. Web. 24 Sep. 2013. <http://www.informationweek.com/government/security/energy-dept-invests-30-million-in-utilit/240161651>.

Malware Goes Mobile

The buzz regarding mobile malware has begun to infiltrate our news headlines, but is there really a threat to our smartphone/tablet way of life?  According to McAfee Labs, mobile malware attacks have skyrocketed in the past couple years.  In fact, in a sample population, researchers with McAfee Labs found malware samples grew from 792 in 2011 to a staggering 50,926 samples in 2013!

But don’t trade in your new iPhone 5 for a “dumb-phone” or landline quite yet.  According to technology journalist Antone Gonsalves these frightening numbers may just be a way for the big anti-virus companies to grow their profits even bigger.  Apparently, the majority of malware attacks referenced in the reports were found outside of the U.S. in places such as Asia and Eastern Europe where users tend to download more third-party apps.  These third-party apps are the primary gateways to mobile threats, as they are more easily penetrated by hackers looking to steal mobile information.  Because most users in the U.S. go directly to official app stores, which carefully regulate and guard their software, it is much more unlikely for criminals to breach U.S. user downloads.

That being the case, there is still a small mobile malware threat, even to those of us in the U.S.  How can you best protect yourself?  A lot of the same techniques you use for your computer or laptop can be applied to your mobile habits as well.  First and foremost, stay away from pornography!  And not just because your mother said so.  According to a report by Blue Coat, a network management and network security company, pornography sites were visited less than one percent of any other site category, but more than 20 percent of malware can be traced back to those pornographic sites.  It is also important to stay away from suspicious sites, advertisements, downloads, spam, and phishing requests.  In short, instead of buying expensive anti-virus software for your mobile device, you may want to save your money for that next big app or iTunes download you’ve been looking forward to.  For now, being aware of the potential malware threat in suspicious places and practicing these mobile safety habits may be all you need to prevent your mobile device from becoming a victim.

Works Cited

McAfee Labs. (2013). McAfee Threats Report: First Quarter 2013. Mcafee.com. Retrieved September, 2013 from http://www.mcafee.com/us/resources/reports/rp-quarterly-threat-q1-2013.pdf.

Gonsalves, Antone. (September 2013). Mobile Security Trends: The greatest mobile threats (and Android malware isn’t one of them). Computerworld.com. Retrieved September, 2013 from http://blogs.computerworld.com/mobile-security/22815/greatest-mobile-threats-and-android-malware-isnt-one-them.

Blue Coat Systems, Inc. (2013). Blue Coat Systems 2013 Mobile Malware Report: How Users Drive the Mobile Threat Landscape. Bluecoat.com. Retrieved September, 2013 from http://www.bluecoat.com/sites/default/files/documents/files/BC_2013_Mobile_Malware_Report-v1d.pdf.

 

 

 

 

 

Is Anti-virus Really Needed???

  

The questions have arose around the fact of whether or not Anti-Virus software and securities are really needed in order to protect technology such as computers, laptops, cellphones, etc., from becoming infected by different forms of Mal ware. This Mal ware includes viruses, Trojan horses, ransom ware, worms, root kits, spy ware and all types of malicious viruses that can be by computers.  Well the answer to those questions are a definite YES.
 

Some may believe that if they practice good computer behaviors such as being sure which applications to download or refrain from opening suspicious emails, clicking on unknown links and blocking pop up images, then they could easily protect their computer from being compromised but that is just as foolish as believing that if you eat right and do not go outside in bad weather then you can stop yourself from catching a cold, it's just not guaranteed.
 
According to an article in the Charlotte Observer, "Blocking Images Can Be A Good Defense," but good behavior alone is not enough to protect you from Mal ware. Truth is, even the most legitimate websites can be compromised and subjected to viruses. Therefore Anti-virus security is good software to have when operating computer devices.
 
  Studies show that running Antivirus on a regular basis not only cleans any infection from your computer but proactively protects your system against malicious programs. Antivirus has been proven to improve IT system functions and processes and keeps them running fast and smooth.
One thing to keep in mind is not all Antivirus software is good software, cause remember that nothing is perfect and if your computer is compromised then viruses use up vital space and cause performance to suffer. For best practices you should make sure to follow a few steps to keep your computer secure.
 1) Make sure to download Microsoft Essentials, which is free, or another reputable form of antivirus. 2) Make sure automatic updating is turned on. 3) Keep firewall turned on at all times and do not open any suspicious emails or links.  Also, stay away from free Antivirus pop-ups because they are usually forms of Mal ware and if you do purchase Antivirus software make sure you purchase it from a secure and trusted site.

Works Cited  

 

Biersdorfer, J.D. "Blocking Images Can be A Good Defense," charlotteobserver.com.

 

www.antivirusware.com

 

www.Microsoft.com

 



 



 

  

Malware: Downloading videos on Facebook could cost you

If you’ve ever used the Internet for any purpose, chances are you are familiar with or have had some sort of experience with Malware.  The term Malware is a shorter way of saying malicious software.  Typically Malware works by getting the victim to download or access software that then infiltrates various components of the person’s computer or browser.  This software is used to steal passwords and other confidential information from the victims.  Another thing most people nowadays have utilized or come in contact with is social media.   Social media is an important and ever growing aspect of how people communicate through the use of posts, messages, pictures and videos.  Realizing the immense popularity of social media, online hackers have now developed all sorts of malware to lure unsuspecting victims on these sites.  One of the newest types of malware circulating currently are videos on Facebook that appear to be sent to you from a friend. (1)  The victim receives a notification that they’ve been tagged in a Facebook video by one of their friends.  When they click on the link to the “video”, they are then asked to download a browser extension or plug-in to watch the video.  Once the person does this, the Malware then has access to every password and all other sensitive information that was stored in that browser.  This leaves the victim exposed to various forms of fraud and theft before they even realize what has happened.  This malicious software is particularly advanced and can even remain dormant in your browser while it waits to accumulate additional information from you.  So, it would behoove all Internet users to be especially cautious before downloading any add-ons or plug-ins.  And also, be especially aware of who has sent you a link or video before you download it; even if it initially appears to be legitimate. (1)

References:

1.  Goel, Vindu. "Malicious Software Poses as Video From a Facebook Friend." The NY Times.  August 26, 2013, 8:44 pm http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/08/26/malicious-software-poses-as-video-from-a-facebook-friend/