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Hackers Are Winning the Cyber Security Battle

We have seen some incredible security breaches and it is a clear indication that hackers are winning the cyber security battle. Guess who is losing?

Large organizations have managed to lose some large amounts of data to hackers including files and personal confidential information.  Unfortunately, most of these breaches from cyber criminals may have happened years before they were even reported.  The reality is that there are hackers out there right now getting information from systems that are unaware of the security breach.

Hackers are winning the cyber security battle and here are some of the largest breaches:

  1. Yahoo! has confirmed admitted it had only realized it had lost data when it analyzed files presented to it in November. Approximately 1 billion accounts have been compromised in the cyber security breach. A few months later, they confirmed another breach of 500 million accounts that were affected. The data was taken in 2013/2014 and affected accounts were alerted. Here are the statements from Yahoo!, September 2016 and December 2016.
  2. Twitter acknowledged that almost 32 million Twitter usernames and passwords were for sale on the dark web by cyber criminals.
  3. LinkedIn had a large security breach as they were aware that 6.5 million accounts had been stolen in 2012 however in 2016 it became apparent much more data was taken and all the information was for sale on the dark web.
  4. Dropbox also went through multiple years of leaking information starting from 2012 resulting in a large data deposit containing account details of Dropbox accounts. Unfortunately, Dropbox had reported the breach but did not mention how many accounts were affected.
  5. Tumblr managed to lose 65.5 million Tumblr accounts as they were breached with data loss dating back to 2013.

Some other notable IT security breaches included the Healthcare industry as medical records could have been stolen in a series of attacks in the US. The largest one involved 3.7 million patient records with the possibly of a loss of confidential personal information that can be used in identity theft.

Hackers are winning the cyber security battle and you can protect yourself by using some simple steps:

  • Fortify your passwords as its strength is vital to your online defense
  • Browse HTTPS all the time as this will encrypt any stream of data between you and the service
  • Use a secret email address as publicly available information is the first step to getting access.
  • Use a password manager as it will not only automatically enter your complex passwords for you but it will alert you should anything go awry.
  • Set Up Login Notifications as most services offer to text you anytime an unrecognized IP address logs into your account.

About 365 iT SOLUTIONS

365 iT SOLUTIONS is a leading boutique Toronto managed service provider (MSP) that offers industry leading IT solutions. Their Canadian team delivers Managed IT ServicesIT Support ServicesIT Outsourcing ServicesTech Support Services and Cloud Services. 365 iT SOLUTIONS provides managed services for a variety of industries, including healthcare, medical, non-profit, financial, legal, construction, engineering, and manufacturing.

 

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Free Ransomware Decryption Tools

Ransomware continues its attacks however there are free ransomware decryption tools out there that can help if disaster strikes your business.

What is Ransomware?

Ransomware is malware that locks your system and encrypts your electronic files for ransom payable in Bitcoin. You cannot get your data unless you pay the ransom. It is strongly recommended by IT security experts that you do not pay the ransom as it is not guaranteed it will work. Many organizations experienced this outcome.

Ransomware prevention is possible if you follow some simple cyber security processes. Unfortunately, once the ransomware has been released into your system, there is little you can do unless you have a data backup that works. Recently a police department lost years of evidence due to ransomware and failed backups.

Here is a list of six free ransomware decryption tools that can help.

Rannoh Ransomware Decryption

Rannoh Ransomware decryption tool can help clean Rannoh and CryptXXX malware. Unfortunately, it can only decrypt if there is at least one original file sample that has not been encrypted by CryptXXX.  In order to access the Rannoh Ransomware Decryption tool and instructions, follow this link for more information.

Wildfire Ransomware Decryption

Wildfire Ransomware decryption was created with the help of Kaspersky and Dutch police.  They received a call that a machine was infected with ransomware. Kaspersky tracked it down and the server was seized along with all the encryption keys. According to the police, the cyber criminals made $80,000 in a single month and infected over 5,600 systems.  In order to access the Wildfire Ransomware decryption tool and instructions, follow this link for more information.

Chimera Ransomware Decryption

Chimera Ransomware decryption takes advantage that working decryption keys were found on an internet forum which have been tested by IT security experts.  In order to access the Chimera Ransomware decryption tool and instructions, follow this link for more information.

Shade Ransomware Decryption

Shade Ransomware decryption keys were the result of the ransomware cybercriminal authors making a mistake that was discovered by IT security experts and researchers. They found the IP address of the server and gave it to the police, who seized the server resulting in over 250,000 encryption keys. In order to access the Shade Ransomware decryption tool and instructions, follow this link for more information.

Teslacrypt Ransomware Decryption

Teslacrypt Ransomware decryption tool was born from a strange event. Security experts at ESET contacted the cybercriminals and asked for the keys. Surprisingly, the cyber criminals turned them over. In order to access the Teslacrypt Ransomware decryption tool and instructions, follow this link for more information.

CoinVault Ransomware Decryption

CoinVault Ransomware decryption tool will decrypt files encrypted by CoinVault and Bitcryptor. There are over 14,000 decryption keys. In order to access the CoinVault Ransomware decryption tool and instructions, follow this link for more information.

About 365 iT SOLUTIONS

365 iT SOLUTIONS is a Toronto-based managed service provider (MSP) that offers IT business solutions. This includes Managed IT ServicesIT Support ServicesIT Outsourcing ServicesTech Support Services and Cloud Services. 365 iT SOLUTIONS provides managed services for a variety of industries, including healthcare, medical, non-profit, financial, legal, construction, engineering, and manufacturing.

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Police department loses years of evidence due to ransomware

Ransomware strikes again as police department loses years of evidence due to ransomware. Ransomware attacks are common however this outcome doesn’t have to be common.

Unfortunately, the Cockrell Hill Police Department was infected with ransomware and was lost access to video evidence, digital documents, and other data.  Some are claiming the police network was attacked by cybercriminal hackers however the police chief claims it was not hackers, It was a computer-generated ransom demand.

According to the FBI’s Cyber Division, the malware originated from Russia or Ukraine. Access to the network was gained after someone within the police department clicked on a cloned email made to look like it was sent from a department email address.

Should you pay the ransomware demands for the encryption key?

The cyber criminals demanded $4,000 in Bitcoin for the encryption key however the FBI and police department decided to not pay the ransom demand. The FBI understands paying does not guarantee you will get your information back or the encryption keys don’t work.

I do not want to pay the ransom, now what?

The police department decided to wipe the infected computers and had to accept that they lost the data. They did have a data backup process however their automatic backup started after the infection. According to the police department, no critical information was lost however many criminal defense lawyers are taking notice.

Many IT security experts have stated that experienced cybercriminal hackers are known to target places with valuable private data such as hospitals, schools, and law enforcement.

A police department loses years of evidence due to ransomware, however, this does not mean it must happen to your business. Build a solid disaster recovery plan, use a proactive network management strategy and train your employees.

Our complimentary network and security assessment can show you the risk of ransomware and if your disaster recovery strategy works properly.

365 iT SOLUTIONS is a leading IT consulting firm that delivers Managed IT ServicesIT Support ServicesIT Outsourcing ServicesTech Support Services and Cloud Services.

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Hackers locked hotel guests out of their rooms for ransom

In the latest security breach, Hackers locked hotel guests out of their rooms for ransom and this is the third time the hotel has been hit.

Romantik Seehotel Jaegerwirt is a 4-star hotel on the banks of the Alpine Turracher Hoehe Pass in Austria. Unfortunately, this is the third successful round against cyber criminals and this one cost them money and reputation. Good news is, they decided to go public with what happened to warn others of the dangers of cybercrime.

The hackers managed to breach the hotel’s electronic key system which resulted in locking hundreds of guests out of their rooms until the money was paid. Unfortunately, new key cards could not be programmed either until payment. The cyber attack on the hotel was so large it even shut down several different systems including hotel computers, hotel reservation system and the hotel cash desk system.

Once the cybercriminals received the ransom money, they unlocked the hotel and returned all systems to normal.   The hackers did, however, leave a back door open in the system and tried to attack the systems again, however, unsuccessful as the computers were replaced and the latest security standards integrated. They also did some network isolation of key network systems.

The hotel is giving up on electronic keycards and switching back to old-fashioned keys.

Hackers locked hotel guests out of their rooms for ransom.

What is the next big target for cyber criminals?

Our complimentary network and security assessment can show you the risk of ransomware.

365 iT SOLUTIONS is a leading IT consulting firm that delivers Managed IT ServicesIT Support ServicesIT Outsourcing ServicesTech Support Services and Cloud Services.

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Why does your business need Managed IT Services?

Technology is a robust part of the business landscape, however, why does your business need managed IT services? As Toronto’s leading IT support firm, we can point out a cost-effective solution.

As the economy continues to change with economic and political uncertainties, organizations are trying to reduce operating costs and other services however IT support and services should not be on the chopping block.

Why does your business need Managed IT Services? Simple, managed services providers become your complete IT department for the fraction of the cost of having your own IT department.  This will give you a complete IT support team instead of rely on a single person. In some cases, a managed IT services providers can compliment your current IT staff by handling everyday maintenance and management and allowing them to focus on more strategic long-term projects.

Managed IT services do not only cover IT support, it is proactive management, maintenance and planning to ensure a business is running more efficiently and safely.  When selecting a long-term IT consulting firm, you need to ensure they use business class technology to help clients achieve their business goals as well as make their business operate better, faster and more profitable.

It is extremely important that you ensure they offer proactive 24/7/365 business IT support, management and monitoring. The good news is that successful managed IT services providers use enterprise-class remote monitoring and management software to proactively detect tech issues and stop them from happening as soon as possible. This will ensure your network does not fall victim to a cyber attack, a malfunction or some other issue that will cause downtime, lost productivity and lost revenue.

Many businesses are turning over certain functions to managed IT services providers, therefore, freeing internal IT staff to focus on strategic IT projects. Managed IT services providers are long-term partners, not replacements. Many technology industry reports show that more organizations are opting to contract with managed service providers to help handle their IT support needs as most requests for support can be handled by IT support helpdesk.

Why does your business need Managed IT Services?

Our complimentary network and security assessment can show you the risk.

365 iT SOLUTIONS is a leading IT consulting firm that delivers Managed IT ServicesIT Support ServicesIT Outsourcing ServicesTech Support Services and Cloud Services.

 

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Focus on business and stop worrying about Ransomware

Ransomware is hitting the headlines daily and costing businesses big money but you should focus on business and stop worrying about Ransomware.

It is extremely important that you meet with your IT department or IT consultant and put together a proper disaster recovery plan. Like any business, you must be aware of your exposure and risk.

As Ransomware changes weekly, having an up-to-date antivirus solution is not enough to stop zero-day exploits and attacks. Here are three Ransomware that will help address the increasing frequency of Ransomware attacks.

  1. Reduce Your Risk from Ransomware an attack by implementing user awareness training, proactive system security patching and strict group policies.
  2. Reload Systems Infected from Ransomware as you are never to trust a compromised system.
  3. Recover from Ransomware by having a disaster recovery plan and process in place.

Some other proactive approaches to handling Ransomware include the following:

  • Have a corporate Incident Response plan in place in the event of a successful Ransomware attack.
  • Have a backup solution in place that offer onsite, offsite as well as tested for effectiveness.
  • Have a single management contact to handle the issue with your IT department or IT consultant.
  • Have regular user awareness training into threats such as email phishing, and websites.
  • Have a company policy to have important data files stored on the network and not the local machine.
  • Have a proper user permission policy as you need to limit users that require Local Administrative rights.

If you want to focus on business and stop worrying about Ransomware, you need to deploy as proactive IT management approach as well as a layered approach to the best defence against Ransomware.  Always ensure all software is up to date and you use a business-class anti-virus such as ESET. Tie this all into a robust backup and disaster recovery strategy.

Want to focus on business and stop worrying about Ransomware?

Our complimentary network and security assessment can put you to the test.

365 iT SOLUTIONS is a leading IT consulting firm that delivers Managed IT ServicesIT Support ServicesIT Outsourcing ServicesTech Support Services and Cloud Services.

 

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A College Just Paid Ransomware to Hackers

Cyber crime for 2017 is off to a start as a college just paid ransomware to hackers after they lost control of their network to cyber criminals.

In a recent statement, the Los Angeles Community College District has paid $28,000 in bitcoin to the cyber criminals.  The hackers gain control of a huge number of computer files after ransomware malware encrypted them. The college was lucky that it had a cyber security policy in place to pay the ransomware demand.

According to the college, there was no data breach and they cybercriminals were only interested in a payout of the ransom. The college felt they had little choice but to pay the ransom.  After paying the ransom, the digital key was sent to unlock their files.

The FBI has stated that paid ransomware hit $1 billion in 2016 which was a huge increase from $24 million paid in 2015.

How do you protect your business from ransomware and protect your business?

  • Have a real disaster recovery plan in place with onsite and offsite cloud backups.
  • Do not use a local USB drive for local backups as Ransomware tends to encrypt everything including USB drives.
  • Use a dedicated backup software and network attached storage (NAS) appliance.

As many may remember that back in 2016, a Hollywood hospital pay out $17,000 to hackers in return for an access key.  Another hospital was in a similar named Kansas Heart Hospital paid the ransomware however the criminals demanded additional payment.

The three strategies are not meant to be exhaustive and are not necessarily suitable for all organizations however all organizations need to address ransomware and evaluate good robust backup strategies.

Is your company protected from ransomware? Our complimentary network and security assessment can put you to the test.

365 iT SOLUTIONS is a leading IT consulting firm that delivers Managed IT ServicesIT Support ServicesIT Outsourcing ServicesTech Support Services and Cloud Services.

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Doxware Ransomware Threatens to Release Sensitive Info Publicly

In the latest twist, Doxware Ransomware malware will hold your computers hostage and if not paid, it will release sensitive info publicly.

Cyber criminals are getting more creative and gone are the days of pay Ransomware and move on with your business.   Recently, there was the new ransomware malware called “Popcorn Time” that would only release your data if you chose one of two options. Option 1 is you pay up or option 2 is for you to send referral links to people you know. Full article – Sharing is Caring according to New Ransomware Popcorn Time.

According to a recent report from Malwarebytes Anti-Malware, ransomware malware surpassed 2 million infections that was over a 17% increase from the previous year.  The report also shows that cyber criminals were able to gain more than $209 million from ransomware payments in the first quarter of 2016.

Many organizations had setup a proper IT infrastructure including disaster recovery plan to avoid paying ransomware fees.  They simply wiped system clean and restored from backup drives without being held hostage by cyber criminals.  This has been a great step however this ransom-avoidance has made cybercriminals become more creative with new Doxware ransomware and Popcorn Time ransomware.

How does Doxware ransomware work? Simple. Cybercriminals hold your computer hostage until you pay the ransom. If you do not pay, it will not only keep your computer encrypted, it will also publicly disclose conversations, photos, and sensitive files. Due to the threat of public exposure, it may entice victims to pay the ransom.  Doxware ransomware is very strategic as the cybercriminals will target their victims and aim at corporate leaders, politicians, celebrities, and other public figures.

Doxware ransomware is still new but evolving daily. It is currently limited to Windows operating systems however as it matures and can infiltrate mobile devices, the threat will become even more pervasive, with text messages, photos, and data from apps at risk for being leaked to the public.

Doxware ransomware is evolving and it is critical to keep data security top of your list.

Is your company protected from new ransomware such as Doxware and Popcorn Time? Our complimentary network and security assessment can put your IT infrastructure and Disaster Recovery Plan to the test.

365 iT SOLUTIONS is a leading IT consulting firm that delivers Managed IT ServicesIT Support ServicesIT Outsourcing ServicesTech Support Services and Cloud Services.

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How much malware is detected daily?

Everyone hears about malware and its increasing attacks, but how much malware is detected daily? The number is alarming and you should protect yourself from it.

Kaspersky Lab released some alarming numbers on new malware files detected by its products in 2016.  The alarming number is 323,000 per day which is an increase of 13,000 from 2015. The growing number of cyberthreats is increasing daily and impossible to process manually.

Organizations need to start automating their entire IT security policy and procedure including malware discovery and analysis process. The next factor is to train and educate the user human knowledge to have the best possible approach when it comes to fighting cyber threats.

So how much malware is detected daily?  According to Kaspersky Lab, it has been growing steadily over the last 5 years at a rate of 40.5 percent in December 2016 compared to 2011.  Another alarming stat is that malware has increased from 70,000 files per day in 2011 to 323,0001 per day in 2016.

How can you protect yourself from malware?

  1. Make sure your systems are updated and secure.
  2. Do not open random pop-up windows, error messages and attachments.
  3. Try to eliminate and block spam.
  4. Think twice before installing any new software

365 iT SOLUTIONS is a 100% Toronto-based IT consulting firm that delivers industry leading Managed IT ServicesIT Support ServicesIT Outsourcing ServicesTech Support Services and Cloud Services.

How much malware is detected daily? Let our complimentary network and security assessment put your company to the test.

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Sharing is Caring according to New Ransomware Popcorn Time

In the latest twist of security threats, sharing is caring according to new ransomware Popcorn Time as you must send a referral link to unlock or pay up.

Industry leading IT security researchers have uncovered the new ransomware Popcorn Time.  The new ransomware Popcorn Time infects victim’s systems and you have to two options which include pay up or you can send referral links.  If you do decide to send the referral link to two ransomware targets, they have to pay the ransom in order for the original ransomware target to receive a free key to unlock their encrypted files.

According to industry IT security experts in malware ransomware, all victims of the new ransomware Popcorn Time are given a week to pay the ransom or find new victims.  Based on some screenshots, the developer of the new ransomware Popcorn Time claim to be a group of computer science students from Syria and the proceeds will go to food, medicine and shelter of Syrians impacted by war.

sharing-is-caring-according-to-new-ransomware-popcorn-time-screen-shot
sharing-is-caring-according-to-new-ransomware-popcorn-time-screen-shot

The new ransomware Popcorn Time will display a lock screen.  The source code of the ransomware shows a function that suggests if you enter the wrong code four times, the will delete files.  The code for Popcorn Time ransomware is still under development so there are still many unclear issues with it.

365 iT SOLUTIONS is a 100% Toronto-based IT consulting firm that delivers industry leading Managed IT ServicesIT Support ServicesIT Outsourcing ServicesTech Support Services and Cloud Services.

Let our complimentary network and security assessment put your company to the test against threats like Popcorn Time.