Know your threats: the nine scariest malware monsters
It’s been a particularly ghoulish year in cybersecurity, from Russian hacks to ransomware outbreaks. The bad boogey man in the black hoodie has been pulling one over the collective public. It’s dark and creepy, but users refuse to stop peeking behind the door. It’s enough to make even the most grizzled IT admin run for…
UK Blames North Korea for Cyberattack That Crippled Hospitals
Britain on Friday blamed North Korea for a ransomware attack this year that a new report revealed affected a third of English hospitals and could have been prevented with “basic” IT security. “This attack, we believe quite strongly that it came from a foreign state,” Ben Wallace, a junior minister for security, told BBC Radio…
How to identify every type of phishing attack
Every data breach and online attack seems to involve some kind of phishing attempt to steal password credentials, to launch fraudulent transactions, or to trick someone into downloading malware. In early 2016, 93 percent of phishing emails delivered ransomware, according to statistics from PhishMe.
Removal Attempt Turns Android Banking Trojan Into Ransomware
Researchers at SfyLabs have detailed the capabilities of an Android banking Trojan named LokiBot that is designed to turn into a piece of ransomware when users attempt to remove it from their devices. LokiBot has been around since at least June and its authors have been rolling out new features nearly every week. Once it…
Android Ransomware Abuses Accessibility Services
A newly discovered ransomware family targeting Android devices is abusing the platform’s accessibility services, ESET warns. Dubbed DoubleLocker, this innovative Android malware doesn’t merely encrypt users’ data, but also locks the infected devices down, security researchers from ESET say. The ransomware is based on the source code of BankBot banking Trojan, which is already known for misusing…
Printers: The Weak Link in Enterprise Security
Organizations frequently overlook printer security, leaving systems exposed to malware and theft. New tools aim to lessen the risk. PC security has become a priority for security leaders following global ransomware attacks earlier this year. If they didn’t before, everyone from CISOs to everyday consumers knows it’s a bad idea to ignore security updates or…
How to survive the worsening cyber threat landscape
Don’t expect the cyber threat landscape to get safer anytime soon. That’s the message given by speakers at two recent Boston-based events. “By any measure you want to use, the trend line is going the wrong way,” said Rob Joyce, White House cybersecurity coordinator, speaking at the Cambridge Cyber Summit hosted by CNBC and The…
The global impact of huge cyber security events
The past 12 months have seen a number of unprecedented cyber-attacks in terms of their global scale, impact and rate of spread. Already causing widespread public concern, these attacks only represent a small sample of the wide array of cyber threats we now face. Europol’s Executive Director Rob Wainwright: “The global impact of huge cyber…
13% of SMBs have experienced an IoT-based attack
One in four companies have already experienced a ransomware attack and one in eight have dealt with an IoT-based attack, according to Arctic Wolf Networks. As mid-market companies continue to embrace IoT without implementing the necessary security tools, these attacks and vulnerabilities will persist. Despite the lack of precautionary measures, organizations are well aware of…
How ransomware is creating a data backup explosion
While the WannaCry ransomware and Petya – a wiper disguised as ransomware – are two of the most recent headline-grabbers in the security world, the truth is that we’ve been seeing this type of attack become more common over the past few years. Because data is the new oil in the digital economy, ransomware attacks…