Ransomware is a type of malware designed to encrypt users’ files or lock their operating systems so attackers can demand a ransom payment. According to a 2016 Symantec report, the average ransom demand is almost $700 and “consumers are the most likely victims of ransomware, accounting for 57 percent of all infections between January 2015 […]

Who Else Is Online? Social media sites are not well-monitored playgrounds with protectors watching over you to ensure your safety. When you use social media, do you think about who might be using it besides your friends and connections? Following are some of the other users you may encounter. Identity thieves. Cybercriminals need only a […]

Face it: Hackers Gonna Hack. How to know if you’ve been hacked? Your friends tell you. They’ve received a spammy or phishy e-mail from your account. Your phone tells you. Collection companies are calling about nonpayment. Battery and data usage are higher than normal. Charges for premium SMS numbers show up on your bill. Your […]

Microsoft and Adobe both released a large number of critical security updates for a variety of products yesterday. These updates are believed to address vulnerabilities related to exploits developed (and later stolen from) the National Security Agency. Security researchers believe that that these exploits are already being used by hackers to attempt to compromise systems. […]

Follow these six National Cyber Security Alliance recommendations to better protect yourself online and make the Internet more secure for everyone: Fortify each online account or device. Enable the strongest authentication tools available. This might include biometrics, security keys, or unique one-time codes sent to your mobile device. Usernames and passwords are not enough to […]

A password is often all that stands between you and sensitive data. It’s also often all that stands between a cybercriminal and your account. Below are tips to help you create stronger passwords, manage them more easily, and take one further step to protect against account theft. Always: Use a unique password for each account […]

According to the US Department of Justice, more than 17 million Americans were victims of identity theft in 2014. EDUCAUSE research shows that 21 percent of respondents to the annual ECAR student study have had an online account hacked, and 14 percent have had a computer, tablet, or smartphone stolen. Online fraud is an ongoing […]

We all like to travel with our mobile devices (smartphones, laptops, or tablets) — whether it’s to the coffee shop around the corner or to a café in Paris. These devices make it easy for us to stay connected while on the go, but they can also store a lot of information — including contacts, […]

Cybercriminals know the best strategies for gaining access to your institution’s sensitive data. In most cases, it doesn’t involve them rappelling from a ceiling’s skylight and deftly avoiding a laser detection system to hack into your servers; instead, they simply manipulate a community member. According to IBM’s 2014 Cyber Security Intelligence Index, human error is […]

Ransomware is back in the news again and the latest victims of these attacks have been library and school systems. This type of malicious software is particularly effective because of how thorough and destructive it can be in a business environment- and how easily it spreads across a computer network. Remember, never open unexpected email […]