Cybersecurity Archives - The Logic Group

What’s the Actual Cost of a Data Breach?

wpengine — Mon, 29 Aug 2022 14:00:00 +0000

What’s the Actual Cost of a Data Breach?

When we think about cyberattacks, we tend to focus exclusively on the amount of damage they could cause to our networks. However, the impact of a data security breach can be felt in more ways than one. A successful cyberattack could result in a company paying hefty sums for system recovery, regulatory fines, and even litigation. While that shouldn’t come as a surprise, what may shock you is the actual cost of a data breach.

What’s the Real Cost of a Data Breach?

Between its own information and the personal information of your customers, your company possesses a lot of data. As a result, cybercriminals see your network as an enticing target just waiting to be invaded. Regardless of your industry, your organization has an obligation to protect the data of your clients as well as your business. With the high prevalence of cybercrime these days, it’s never been more important to be aware of the consequences of a data breach.

Part of being aware of the consequences is understanding the real cost of a data breach. In their most recent report, IBM and the Ponemon Institute found that the average cost of a cyberattack reached $4.24 million in 2021. That’s a 10% increase from the $3.86 million reported back in 2019. Furthermore, the global cost of cyberattacks is expected to hit $6 trillion.

What Are These Estimates Based On?

After a cyberattack, there are several expenses a company may have to pay for. The joint report from IBM and the Ponemon Institute takes into account hundreds of cost factors that range from regulatory fines to customer turnover and much more. The findings are based on 537 breaches in 17 countries that cover 17 industries.

What’s Driving These Attacks?

In 2021, cybercrime was up across the board, from zero-day exploits to server query language (SQL) injections. Some of the more notable types of attacks include:

Web Application Attacks: Web applications are cloud-based productivity tools. One of the most popular web applications is Google Suite. These programs make it easy for employees to share files and collaborate. Hackers target these services because of their easy access and reliance on user input.
Malicious Network Traffic: Malicious traffic is any suspicious link, file, or connection that’s created or received on a network. When opened, the threat can compromise a computer by creating a pathway for more malware.
Trojans: A Trojan horse, or simply Trojan, is a type of malware that disguises itself as legitimate software. Once it’s on your device, it creates holes in your security.
Spyware: Designed to steal your sensitive information, spyware hides in the background of your operating system and spies on what you do.
Botnets: A botnet is a network of infected computers that work together to carry out other attacks online. Simply put, your computer becomes a zombie under the control of the attacker. One of the most dangerous botnets in history, dubbed Emotet, was actually taken down in 2021.

A development that fueled this problem was the switch to full remote or hybrid work environments. Remote workers don’t have access to the same level of cybersecurity as office workers, making them more vulnerable to attack. However, 2021 was undoubtedly the year of ransomware and phishing.

Since the start of the pandemic, phishing has skyrocketed as opportunists attempted to capitalize on the global health scare. This tactic uses social engineering to trick the victim into performing an action or revealing sensitive information. Phishing scams only ramped up further as we made our way through 2021.

The rise of ransomware can be attributed to geopolitical, behavioral, and cybersecurity issues. From the cybersecurity perspective, a lot of companies failed to implement strong cybersecurity solutions. After getting attacked, these victims responded by paying the ransom, which only encouraged more attacks. The geopolitical aspect involves the rise of ransomware gangs. These gangs operate around the world and either carry out attacks on their own or sell their ransomware programs to interested buyers.

How To Avoid Paying Cybersecurity Costs

The only way to avoid paying the cost for a data breach is to prevent the cyberattack from happening in the first place. You can do this by taking steps to strengthen your security posture, including:

Educate Your Employees: Take the time to educate your staff on the dangers of ransomware and other cyberthreats. This can involve online courses, ongoing emails with cybersecurity tips, and more. The more your team understands the risks, the less likely they are to fall victim to an attack.
Train Your Employees: In addition to education, you should train your workforce on how to spot suspicious activity. If you partner with a managed service provider (MSP), they can simulate cyberattacks that allow your employees to put what they’ve learned to the test.
Implement Cybersecurity Tools: An MSP can provide your network with enterprise-level cybersecurity tools capable of thwarting a variety of cyberattacks.
Maintain Communication: Maintain ongoing communication about cybersecurity with your staff.
Configure Your Filters: Configure your anti-spam filters to flag file types commonly used to hide ransomware like .exe and .vbs.
Create Backups: Frequently back up crucial files and systems so they can be recovered if a ransomware attack occurs.

Protect Your Business With The Logic Group

The worst way to learn about the cost of a data breach is to experience it firsthand. Let the experts at The Logic Group help you boost your cybersecurity posture. With our monitoring services, we can identify suspicious activity in your network and provide the correct data breach response to protect your information.

The post What’s the Actual Cost of a Data Breach? appeared first on The Logic Group.

How To Identify Cyberthreats and Deal With Hackers

wpengine — Mon, 08 Aug 2022 14:00:00 +0000

How To Identify Cyberthreats and Deal With Hackers

Recognizing security threats and attacks is easier said than done. You need an expert security team and resources like real-time intrusion detection systems, not to mention the foresight to implement proactive security solutions and the self-discipline to update them. Network security threats are constantly evolving, and hackers are clever. If you aren’t on top of your game, your sensitive data is at risk.

Keep reading to learn how to detect hacking attempts and how to counter hackers.

Why You Should Know How To Recognize Security Threats and Attacks

Cybersecurity isn’t simple. Hackers are inventive, and if you want to protect your sensitive data from compromise, you can’t just implement anti-malware software and leave it at that. There are many types of attacks and malicious code a bad actor can use to gain unauthorized access to your assets. To stand a chance against them, you need to take a holistic approach to security: diversify your defenses, test them often, and keep them as updated as possible.

Hackers use malicious software, denial-of-service (DDoS), phishing attacks, and more to crack your security and steal your data. No security team can promise to make your business immune to cyberattacks, but you can arm yourself with the knowledge and tools to contain and address security threats quickly, minimizing the damage a hacker can do to your security.

In this article, we’ll give you a few tips to help you identify cyberthreats and remove hackers. But first, let’s review the many types of attacks and types of malware bad actors use.

Malware

Malware is any software that includes malicious code designed to perform harmful activities on computers and networks. An infection can corrupt files, modify or destroy data, distribute credentials, restrict legitimate access, and cause a crash. Malware is a common hacker tool, and there are many types, each with defining characteristics. Here are a few to look out for:

Viruses – This type of malware multiplies within computers and across networks to compromise sensitive data. Viruses often activate after a victim performs an action, such as clicking on an email attachment or following a suspicious link.
Trojans – These are malicious coding hidden inside seemingly harmless software. Once the program is installed, the trojan gains control of data and inflicts damage on your device. Trojans can come with a virus.
Spyware – This malicious code enters your computer or network to gather information and pass it to interested parties. Like Trojans, spyware is introduced to a computer when users install a program they shouldn’t. While spyware may not actively damage your data, it often goes undetected and could have financial consequences.
Ransomware – Ransomware locks users out of their devices and files unless they agree to a ransom. This type of malware leads to downtime. When your employees can’t work, your operations stop, costing you money.

Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) Attacks

DDoS attacks occur when a hacker uses a network of computers to bombard a website with traffic. The site fails to process such a high volume of connection requests and shuts down. Unlike most types of attacks, DDoS strikes are designed to disrupt a company, not steal its data. However, a bad actor can use a DDoS attack to cover other criminal activity, like a data breach, so it’s a good idea to check your network thoroughly following an attack.

Social Engineering

Social engineering involves sending seemingly legitimate communication via email or text message that contains malicious code. Phishing attacks are the most common form of social engineering attack. Users open suspicious links that steal sensitive data like login credentials or release malware into their system. When your workforce isn’t knowledgeable of phishing scams, they’re a massive vulnerability and a threat to your security posture.

How Network Breach Detection Keeps You Safe

A breach detection system is your best protection against a data breach. Breach detectors can be introduced to your processes and programmed to alert you when there’s a security event. When you have an intrusion detection system (IDS) to monitor a network for policy violations or malicious software, you can collect the data necessary to contain the issue and prevent further damage. It’s the proactive solution your organization needs to safeguard sensitive data.

When placed at certain points around a network to monitor traffic, an IDS analyzes connections and matches the traffic with known attack methods. Once the system detects suspicious behavior, it sends an alert to your security team. This technology is adaptable, scalable, and robust.

Take a look at these additional tips for identifying cyberthreats and countering hackers:

Watch Out for High Outgoing Traffic

Has your network experienced a high volume of network traffic? Is it unusual? Then a hacker may have breached your systems. A bad actor could be using your device to send spam to other users in your network, which may lead to an even greater data breach.

Keep an Eye on Your Antivirus

Has your antivirus solution detected malicious software? Even if you haven’t done anything unusual, it’s important to take your antivirus seriously. Many hackers use malicious code in programs like trojans to gain access to a computer or network. If an illegitimate third party can access your system, you open your company’s network to exploitation.

Investigate Disk Activity

Look for suspicious files hidden in the root directories of your drives. Malicious users can run scans to discover documents containing login credentials and financial information that could damage your organization. Disk activity while a device is idle is a major sign of malware infection. Identifying cyberthreats like these early can save you money and resources.

The Logic Group Can Help You Identify Cyberthreats

Are you not sure how to detect hacking attempts? The Logic Group can provide the tools your business needs to counter hackers at every turn. Our extensive cybersecurity services keep your workforce safe with security awareness training and threat hunting capabilities. Your network security should be a priority. Reach out today if you’re ready to take your IT framework to the next level.

The post How To Identify Cyberthreats and Deal With Hackers appeared first on The Logic Group.

Cloud 101: How To Improve Cloud Computing Security

wpengine — Mon, 01 Aug 2022 14:00:00 +0000

Cloud 101: How To Improve Cloud Computing Security

Cloud-based data and applications have become the norm in many industries. Moving your data to a cloud environment is one of the best things your organization can do to promote business agility and prepare your infrastructure for the future. However, as with any technology, cloud services come with many security risks. Keep reading to learn how to mitigate the risks of cloud computing.

What Is Data Security in Cloud Computing?

Cloud computing is necessary to evolve your company’s IT infrastructure. Company-wide collaboration and scalability are more accessible than ever before, and as cloud data and applications mature, your options for IT strategy grow. However, hackers never rest. Cloud data security is a concern for IT specialists everywhere.

Preventing unauthorized access to your important cloud-based data should be your top priority. Introducing the right security controls and managing access controllability keeps your assets safe while still providing all the flexibility and innovation cloud computing is famous for. Security tools allow your IT professionals to locate and document resources, improve your security posture, and prevent data loss.

You can protect your cloud environment with constant monitoring, testing, and encryption. Keep reading if you want to know what to look for in cloud security.

The Top Cloud Security Issues and What To Look for in Cloud Security

Cloud computing security threats come in many forms. Bad actors have learned how to exploit the unique structure of the cloud environment to gain unauthorized access to users’ data. To address security threats and prevent data loss, you need to practice responsible cloud computing security habits.

Let’s take a look at a few of the biggest cloud data security threats and how to remedy them:

Cloud Security Threats

Cloud Service Misconfiguration

The greatest threat to your organization’s cloud data security posture is your workforce. Cloud misconfiguration occurs when a user establishes a cloud platform’s security settings incorrectly. An admin could allow unrestricted outbound access to assets, which confuses communication and lets in unauthorized applications. A severe misconfiguration can lead to data loss if not remedied quickly.

Malware Infection

Malware is a threat even in a cloud environment. While cloud computing allows for unmatched access to valuable data and assets, malware also becomes more accessible. Data travels to and from the cloud, presenting an opportunity for a bad actor to release malicious software and damage your assets.

Undetected malware can wreak havoc on even the most up-to-date cloud-based infrastructure. Once it has entered your system, it spreads quickly and leaves you open for worse exploitation. Credentials and protected information can be stolen and auctioned off to the highest bidder. Hyperjacking, distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks, and hypervisor infections are all strategies hackers can use to ruin your cloud environment.

Data Loss

The cloud is a flexible and scalable solution that offers improved shareability and collaboration over traditional IT solutions. But while the cloud makes it easy to share data, sometimes it’s a little too easy. Employees and third parties associated with your organization can leak and modify data from many access points. Without solid data security policies that reinforce access controllability, you’re inviting malicious users to take advantage.

Recovering data after a security breach costs time, money, and energy. Even if your IT team has spent days or even weeks trying to patch up the damage, there’s no guarantee you’ll salvage all of your assets. When you have clients and employees who trust you to protect their interests, investing in cloud computing without also using proper security controls is a mistake that could cost you your revenue and reputation.

How To Mitigate Risk in Cloud Computing

Use Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) and Strong Passwords

You can protect your cloud data and applications with a standard security tool: a good old-fashioned password. Ensure your password is long and tough to guess. Keep your codes secret and don’t fall for phishing emails or other malicious activity.

Multi-factor authentication prevents malicious users from gaining access to your account. Hackers won’t be able to open your cloud files even if they’ve stolen your credentials. To log in to an account with 2FA activated, you need your password and another code from your phone or an application.

Test, Test, Test Your Cloud Environment

Once you’ve built your cloud solution, test it routinely. There are many security tools you can use to check your infrastructure for vulnerabilities. Misconfiguration testing, vulnerability tests, and penetration testing probe your data and applications for weaknesses and provide valuable feedback you can use to improve your defenses.

Some tools even allow your IT professionals to launch a simulated attack on your organization’s data centers, meaning you can see in real-time how an attack might affect your security posture and identify ways to address the issues.

Closely Monitor Your Data

You should continually monitor your cloud environment so you’ll know the moment something is wrong. Look out for unauthorized edits to files, configuration changes, or lapses in compliance. If you detect a security breach early enough, you can contain the issue quickly and mitigate any long-term damage.

Have a Data Backup Plan

No data center is safe without a backup plan. A data backup strategy protects your business from permanent data loss, while an effective security platform allows you to enforce data protection policies across your cloud services. Be sure to scatter data and applications across multiple channels and regularly refine your disaster recovery and data backup strategies.

Thorough backups strengthen business continuity and ensure that if the unthinkable happens, you’ll be in a position to recover.

The Logic Group Promotes Data Security in Cloud Computing

Are your data and applications safe and secure? The Logic Group can help you establish a cloud computing security strategy that defends your sensitive information against security threats and prevents data loss. With constant monitoring and testing as well as a robust data backup plan, you can mitigate the risks of cloud computing while enjoying its power and flexibility. Trust our specialists for cloud solutions, managed IT support, and cutting-edge cybersecurity.

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2021 Cybersecurity Trends: Everything You Should Know

wpengine — Mon, 11 Jul 2022 14:00:00 +0000

2021 Cybersecurity Trends: Everything You Should Know

Phishing and ransomware are major cybersecurity concerns, but they’re far from being the only factors threatening the security of your network. What’s worse is it seems new threats emerge on an almost yearly basis. In order to protect your business, it’s necessary to take steps to prepare your organization. One of the best ways to fight against cyberthreats is to stay aware of new cybersecurity trends.

2021 Cybersecurity Trends

Last year was quite a hectic year in terms of information technology. Along with a notable rise in cyberthreats, we had cybersecurity evolution in the form of new solutions, revelations, and regulations. Since the technology landscape is constantly shifting, what was trending then may not be the case now. So, how has the industry changed now that we’re in the year 2021?

Ransomware Is Back and More Troublesome Than Ever

It’s the problem that just won’t go away. Ransomware is one of the most common cybersecurity threats in the corporate world. Not only are these attacks increasing in frequency, but they’re also becoming more sophisticated and disruptive. Ransomware caused up to $20 billion in damages in 2020 and that number is only expected to go up in 2021.

Just this year, we had the most infamous ransomware attack against a U.S. corporation. Colonial Pipeline—the largest fuel pipeline in the country—suffered an attack in May that forced its pipelines to temporarily shut down. This is only one in a line of high-profile attacks we’ve seen so far. Some of the top IT organizations in the world—Cognizant, CompuCom, and DXC Technology—have been hobbled by ransomware as well.

There are a variety of ways a business can become infected with ransomware. However, hackers tend to favor phishing as their preferred method of attack. To guard against this type of threat, it’s a good idea to train your staff so they know how to spot phishing scams when they happen.

AI and Machine Learning for Security

The capabilities of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning make them valuable tools in business. These technologies are only going to improve as time goes on. While they can be used as virtual assistants or to automate processes, the best way to use them may be to integrate them into your security structure.

AI and machine learning is increasingly being used to create automated security systems that remove the human factor from the equation. This makes sense because of the solution’s ability to quickly analyze massive quantities of risk data. AI and machine learning have been used to do everything from discovering network vulnerabilities to detecting cyberattacks within seconds. Dependence on these systems is expected to increase in the foreseeable future.

If you want to strengthen your security measures, think about implementing an AI-powered security system. A solution like this has the potential to streamline your threat detection efforts.

Improved Cyber Awareness

It doesn’t matter if you’re a small startup or a mega corporation, every organization shares a common vulnerability—their employees. You could have the strongest security measures in the world. All it takes is a single mistake from one of your employees to bring disaster to your network.

Fortunately, there is something you can do to turn this weak link into a strength—invest in security awareness training (SAT). With a cybersecurity awareness program, you can train your team on how to identify and avoid threats. As cybersecurity becomes more of a central focus in the business world, we’re seeing a growing number of employers take this approach.

The Cloud Isn’t as Safe as It Used To Be

Cloud services offer a variety of benefits like increased flexibility, scalability, operational efficiency, and cost-effectiveness. In 2020, the cloud’s ability to allow employees to work from anywhere made it an essential tool as companies switched over to full remote work. Cloud adoption is only expected to grow in the years to come.

Of course, due to the uptick in popularity of the cloud, hackers are now increasingly targeting these services. In response to this situation, the current cloud security trend is to familiarize yourself with the vulnerabilities that come with integrating cloud services with your infrastructure. When you are aware of the security gaps of your solution, you can take steps to eliminate them.

Existing Cyberthreats Are Getting Stronger

It’s not just ransomware that’s getting worse. Phishing, trojans, botnets, and so on are also evolving and becoming more sophisticated. Not only that, but as we lean more towards automation, expect the volume of these threats to grow in frequency.

Many cybercriminals have already begun plotting their next move. Now that malware and social engineering campaigns are being industrialized, hackers can assess and fine-tune their strategies based on the results of a previous attack. As if they weren’t already a big enough pain in the neck, expect for these threats to become more difficult to deal with.

An Increased Need for Cybersecurity Professionals

Confiding in professionals who are well-trained and experienced in handling cyberthreats has always been an industry best practice. However, the growing complexity of cyberattacks has really highlighted the importance of having an expert by your side. It’s no longer viable to take chances with the protection of your IT.

While hiring an internal team to take care of your cybersecurity needs is a solution, it’s not always the right solution for every business. Hiring new staff can be too expensive for some small- to medium-sized businesses. If this is the case, there’s always the option to outsource with a managed service provider (MSP). An MSP is able to act as your cybersecurity solution for less than the cost of hiring one employee.

Do What It Takes To Protect Your Business

The Logic Group is a full-service IT and network services provider that is committed to the protection of your sensitive information. We offer a range of cybersecurity services—like dark web monitoring and 24/7 Security Operation Center—to meet the needs of your business.

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Cybersecurity: How To Secure Remote Employees

wpengine — Mon, 04 Jul 2022 14:00:00 +0000

Cybersecurity: How To Secure Remote Employees

A lot has changed since the beginning of last year. In terms of business, arguably the most notable shift has been the increase in the number of people working from home. Although it was already a growing trend, a majority of companies had yet to adopt this business model. Now, more organizations than ever are allowing their workforce to telecommute.

A good reason for the continued use of work from home is that it provides benefits like cost savings and improved quality of life. However, what many employers may not have realized is, there are cyber risks that come with this business model. Anyone who works outside of the office is more prone to cyberattacks than those who are inside the office. Knowing this, what is the best way to maintain security when employees work remotely?

How To Secure Remote Employees

One of the biggest challenges of going fully remote is work from home security issues. Your company fends off cybersecurity threats by using enterprise-level cyber security solutions. It’s important to remember the security-level of the average home network is often substandard when compared to an office environment. Since this is the case, your employees lose this protection and instead have to rely on their own network security.

In short, your remote workers can find themselves more exposed to threats like social engineering attacks and computer viruses. The easiest way to help your staff avoid security risks is by operating with caution. Develop a strong home security plan that takes hardware and software into consideration.

If you need help figuring out how to protect your remote staff, a reliable managed service provider can help. For example, The Logic Group can provide advice on how to boost your security efforts. We can also implement a number of solutions to protect your team from a variety of threats.

To help you on your mission to protect your staff, here are some cybersecurity tips for remote workers. By following these best practices, you and your team can continue to work without issue.

Data Security Employee Training

When it comes to cybersecurity, there’s one thing every business has in common—your employees are a security vulnerability. Even if you have the best firewall and monitoring services in the world, all it takes is for one person to bring your network crumbling down. Training your employees in cybersecurity best practices can go a long way in preventing accidental network breaches.

We’re all human; mistakes are bound to happen every now and then. However, training your staff on how to identify threats can minimize the chances of them making such a mistake. Additionally, training teaches your team how to handle a threat if they encounter one and what to do if the attack was successful.

Your workers are the first line of defense. The stronger that line is, the better off your network is. In a way, you can think of it as turning your weakness into your strength.

Install a Firewall

Your IT department implements various cybersecurity measures to keep your employees’ devices safe and secure. For example, they’ve likely installed firewalls and antivirus software on the office network. These tools are highly effective in stopping intrusion attempts. Knowing this, you should have your team install a firewall for their network.

Don’t Forget To Install Antivirus Software

In addition to installing a firewall, all remote employees should also have antivirus software installed on their computers. Keep in mind that not all antivirus software is created equally. Some are more reliable than others. What your remote team uses should be comparable to the antivirus software you use for your office. It would also help to have 24/7 network monitoring to ensure your workforce has proactive protection.

Never Leave Equipment Out in the Open

When we think about cybersecurity, we often only think about it from the software side. However, cybersecurity includes both software and hardware. Before you begin your work from home program, you should make it known that it’s up to your employees to protect their physical work devices. The last thing any business wants is for their network to be compromised because an employee had their laptop stolen.

How you protect your hardware depends on the situation. However, there’s one good rule of thumb your team can follow—never leave your equipment out in the open. Make it known that once your employees are done with their work, they need to store their device in a secure location.

Use Strong Passwords

Logging into accounts is just something most employees have to do during the workday. The more accounts an employee has, the more likely they are to use passwords that are simple or easy to remember. The reason why this is a problem is because these kinds of passwords are easy to crack.

A password should always be complex and hard to guess. It’s a best practice to use multiple characters, symbols, and numbers when creating a password. If you’re afraid of forgetting all of your passwords, a password manager would allow you to keep all your passwords in one place. This means you only have to remember a single password.

Use Multi-Factor Authentication

Strong passwords are great, but multi-factor authentication (MFA) is even better. This solution adds an extra layer of security to your logins by requiring two or more forms of verification. MFA works by first asking for login information. Once that information is entered, the user is asked to submit another identifier. This may be something like a message with a specific code sent to the user’s phone or email account. Unless the cyber criminal has access to these credentials, they won’t be able to access the account.

Stay Secure With The Logic Group

The Logic Group is focused on doing whatever it takes to protect your network from cyber threats. Our team consists of industry experts who are highly trained in cybersecurity best practices. From vulnerability management to business continuity solutions, we offer everything you need to stay secure.

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Hackers Are Targeting Office 365 With Phishing Scams

wpengine — Mon, 20 Jun 2022 14:00:00 +0000

Hackers Are Targeting Office 365 With Phishing Scams

In the context of information technology, social engineering is a dangerous form of manipulation. It is often used to get people to divulge confidential information that can range from login credentials to credit card numbers. One of the most prevalent forms of social engineering in the IT world is phishing. No business is immune from being targeted by these malicious attacks, but it seems we’re seeing an increase in Microsoft Office 365 phishing.

The New Office 365 Phishing Scam To Look Out For

Recently, phishers have been sending specialized links to Microsoft Office 365 users. These links take the user to a login page. After the login details are submitted, the page prompts the user to install a malicious application. This malware grants the hacker persistent access to your emails and files.

Specifically, the way this attack is carried out is through an email. The link in the email doesn’t take you to a suspicious website; it takes you to the official Office 365 login page. Once logged in, you might see a legitimate-looking pop up asking for permissions for a known and trusted application—like Sharepoint. If you click approve, the attacker is able to bypass security measures—including multi-factor authentication—because the user gave the phisher permission.

What Is Spear Phishing?

The one thing that makes social engineering so scary is it’s specifically designed to prey on the natural helpfulness of people or exploit their perceived personality weaknesses. This is particularly troubling for businesses as employees can unwittingly undermine security efforts. The strength of your company’s cybersecurity doesn’t mean much when it’s your employees who are compromising your network.

As mentioned earlier, phishing is a form of social engineering. Like in this new story, phishing can easily be used to trick employees into doing the cybercriminal’s dirty work. However, what Office 365 users are experiencing isn’t just simple phishing, it’s a more advanced version of the attack. This type of phishing is known as spear phishing.

You can consider spear phishing as a subsection of phishing. While it uses a similar strategy to phishing, this version of the attack is aimed at a specific individual or group. Before performing this attack, a hacker usually gathers information on the target to make the message more convincing.

Microsoft 365 Security and Awareness Training

Now that you know the danger Microsoft 365 owners face, it’s time to talk about what you can do to protect yourself and your team. The first step to remaining secure is to build awareness around the issue. Explain to your staff why phishing scams are dangerous and that businesses are a prime target for these attacks. From there, you should create a security awareness program that trains your employees on how to spot and avoid cyber risks.

What Goes Into an Awareness Program?

A security awareness program should include four key elements: communication, checklists, content, and controls.

Communication: Security needs to be an ongoing conversation throughout your organization. Upper management needs to regularly communicate to all employees that cybersecurity is essential to your business.
Checklists: Checklists serve as a way to ensure that cybersecurity best practices are being followed. With a checklist, your company can stay organized when developing, delivering, and maintaining a security awareness program.
Content: Security awareness training should be coupled with supporting content. Items like a security handbook, role-based guides, and more can provide a much needed reference for employees who want to brush up on their training.
Controls: When people make mistakes, you are going to need to be prepared. A control is a guardrail that ensures that an individual and the system they’re using can only do what their roles dictate. If they want to go beyond that, they need the appropriate approval. This allows you to more easily contain incidents when they occur.

Let Us Protect Your Company From Cyber Threats

The Logic Group is a full-service IT provider that has delivered first-class IT services to a variety of businesses since 1996. We offer a robust cybersecurity solution we call LogiGuard Complete to protect our clients from intrusive cyberthreats. Our service can come a-la-carte or bundled depending on your business needs.

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Most Common Cyber Security Attacks

wpengine — Mon, 06 Jun 2022 14:00:00 +0000

Most Common Cyber Security Attacks

Cyber criminals are on the rise, which means your cyber security measures need to be up to date with the latest safety protocols to avoid cyber attacks.

What Is a Cyber Attack?

A cyber attack is a malicious attempt by an individual or organization to disable computers, steal information, or breach data from another organization’s computer network. Cyber criminals generally perform cyber attacks to obtain confidential security information from the network that financially benefits them.

Types of Attacks in Cyber Security

The most common cyber attack methods used by cyber criminals include:

Malware

Malware is an umbrella term for various malicious software such as spyware, viruses, and worms. Malware attack occurs when there’s a weakness in network security, and a user engages with a dangerous link or attachment; these links are used to install malware within your computer and access sensitive data. The most common types of malware include:

Viruses: Viruses replicate themselves to infect other codes within the system.
Trojans: Unlike viruses, trojans do not duplicate; however, they develop vulnerabilities from the inside out to enable hackers into the network.
Worms: Worms don’t attack the host, computer, or network; they are often installed through email attachments and overload the email service to achieve a denial-of-service attack.
Ransomware: Cyber criminals threaten to delete or publish critical victim network information until a ransom is paid.
Spyware: A program is installed to collect user information and browsing habits; spyware is generally used for blackmailing purposes.

Phishing

Phishing attacks involve sending fraudulent emails to network users; these emails often appear to be coming from a reliable source. Although phishing emails appear legitimate, links and attachments within the email are designed to give hackers access to the device to gather personal or company data and information.

Many people believe phishing only occurs through email. However, phishing can also take place through social media and other online communication platforms. Phishers are advanced in social engineering and have the ability to collect information about where you work and what you are interested in; this gives the impression that they have credibility and it convinces you to trust them.

There are several types of phishing attacks that can occur:

Spear Phishing: This is directed toward a particular company or individual.
Whaling: This attack focuses on targeting executives and company stakeholders.
Pharming: This is where hackers capture user credentials through a fake login page.

Man-in-the-Middle (MitM) Attack

Man-in-the-Middle attacks—also known as MitM, middle, or eavesdropping attacks—occur when a hacker steals and manipulates data by interrupting traffic between two parties.

Middle attacks often occur due to an unsecured public Wi-Fi network because attackers can put themselves between a visitor’s device and the network. MitM is difficult to detect because the visitor passes all their information to the hacker without knowing.

Denial-of-Service (DoS) Attack

Denial-of-service (DoS) attacks occur by flooding systems, servers, or networks with traffic to overwhelm its resources and bandwidth. This results in the system being unable to fulfill genuine requests due to overload.

Similar to a DoS attack, a distributed-denial-of-service (DDoS) attack overloads the system’s resources through multiple compromised devices. The most common types of DoS and DDoS attacks include teardrop, smurf, and ping-of-death attacks. The goal of these attacks is to pave the way for another attack to enter the computer and network environment.

SQL Injections

Server Query Language (SQL) injection—also known as Structured Query Language injection—is when an attacker inputs a malicious code into a server and forces it to disclose confidential information. This type of attack generally involves putting a malicious code into a vulnerable website’s search box. SQL injections can be prevented by using proactive coding practices.

Zero-day Exploit

Zero-day Exploit is when a new network is exploited before any security measures are implemented to the system. There is no software to prevent this attack because they occur before network preventative measures exist. To prevent Zero-day Exploit, the network should be constantly monitored and implement protective solutions as soon as possible to secure the network.

Password Attack

Passwords are the biggest targets for cyber criminals because they authenticate access to a secure network. Using an authorized user’s password allows attackers to access critical personal and company data and enable them to manipulate computer and network systems.

There are various methods hackers can use to identify user passwords, such as social engineering, accessing a password database, or using a systemic manner known as brute-force attack. A brute-force attack is a program that tests every possible character and combination of information to guess a user’s password.

Another standard method of password attack is referred to as a dictionary attack. A dictionary attack occurs when a hacker uses a list of common passwords to gain access to a user’s computer and network. Two-factor authentication is helpful to prevent dictionary attacks because it provides an additional layer of security.

Cross-site Scripting

Cross-site scripting sends malicious scripts to a victim’s browser from a trustworthy site. The malicious code consists of a Javascript code executed by a victim’s browser but can also include Flash, HTML, and XSS.

Rootkits

Rootkits are installed inside dependable software platforms, and they can gain remote and admin level access to a computer/network system. Attackers use rootkits to steal passwords, user credentials, and confidential data.

Since rootkits hide in reliable software programs, when changes are made in the operating system, the rootkit installs itself in the host, computer, or servers and remains stable until a hacker activates it. Rootkits are commonly activated through email attachments or downloads from vulnerable websites.

Internet of Things (IoT) Attack

Accessibility to the internet is incredibly convenient for a lot of individuals. However, it also poses many risks because accessibility allows attackers to exploit your technology devices and virtual network. Hackers can identify entry points of vulnerable networks and use that to exploit other devices in the network as well.

IoT attacks are becoming more common because access to the internet is becoming more available through the devices we use daily. The best way to prevent cyber attacks through the internet is to secure strong passwords and change them often.

Think Logically About Cyber Attack Prevention

For over 25 years, The Logic Group has been helping industries like yours prevent cyber attacks from hackers. Avoid data breaches and exposed sensitive information by collaborating with The Logic Group for all your cyber security needs. Connect with our team of IT professionals and learn how they can help you maintain and improve your IT infrastructure.

The post Most Common Cyber Security Attacks appeared first on The Logic Group.

What Is in an Information Security Program?

wpengine — Mon, 23 May 2022 14:00:00 +0000

What Is in an Information Security Program?

Cyber threats are a major concern for any business, regardless of its size. Even a single data breach could result in disastrous consequences to your reputation and financials. The best way for organizations to prevent cyber risks is to have an information security program. With a cybersecurity program, you can protect any confidential information your company has.

However, not all organizational leaders know what this type of solution is. Additionally, those who do know may not be able to pinpoint what’s needed in a security program to make it effective. Without this knowledge, you could be unintentionally opening your company up to exploitable vulnerabilities. In this blog, we’re going to clarify what this plan is, as well as discuss the components of a security program.

What Is an Information Security Program?

An information security program is a collection of activities, projects, and initiatives that support your organization’s cybersecurity efforts. These solutions help your company accomplish business-related objectives and meet corresponding benchmarks. With a well-thought-out program, you can protect key business processes, IT assets, and sensitive employee data. It also helps you identify individuals or assets that could impact confidentiality.

Having an information security program lets you take a proactive approach to safeguarding data. However, before you implement your own security strategy, you first have to put it together. Constructing an effective program requires you to understand your organization’s security needs and the goals you want to accomplish. Establishing your needs and goals can reveal the IT tools and other information security assets necessary for successful deployment.

Components of Information Security Program

Understanding needs and setting goals helps determine how strong your security program can be. But those aren’t the only factors that can contribute to its success. In fact, there are multiple components you can use to enhance its effectiveness.

It’s not enough for the program to assess risks. You want a system that gives prevention recommendations in addition to risk assessments. It must also actively play a role in targeting issues, as well as mitigating problems if they make it past your defenses.

The Steps of Information Security Program Development and Management

The part where most business leaders tend to trip up when attempting to develop a security program is in the defining stage. Fortunately, there are steps you can follow to make this process a little easier.

The first step you want to take is figuring out the expected results of your plan. When you accomplish your desired security goals, what outcome do you want to see? This can be defined by your security objectives or what you consider to be the optimal state of your network.
To be able to make accurate measurements on the effectiveness of your program, you need a baseline. This means you need to know the current state of your IT infrastructure and its level of security. This can be done through a variety of means including business impact assessments or security audits. A risk assessment, in particular, can highlight any weaknesses in your system.
Once you know your current security posture, the next step is a gap analysis. A gap analysis clarifies the difference between your current and your desired state of security. It’s in this step where you can see how close or far away you are from your ideal security program.
After the gap analysis, you can create a roadmap. The roadmap outlines the steps you need to follow and the approach you want to take to achieve your security goals. A roadmap usually includes the people, processes, technology, and any other resources that can be used to realize your ambitions.
The final step in the process is management. The roadmap serves as your guide for finishing the development of your security program. Now that it’s in action, you need to maintain it so it can achieve the objectives and meet the expected results you set in place. Management requires the proper amount of active support and resources if it is to continue operating as expected.

Security Awareness

A critical element of an effective information security program is awareness training. Often the weakest link in any organization’s security strategy is the employees. An unwitting employee that falls victim to a cyberattack can undermine any cybersecurity measures your business has implemented.

Just as it sounds, awareness training helps your team understand the cyber risks facing your company. It also serves to establish the policies, standards, and procedures involved in your security program. Training can go a long way in convincing your staff to adopt safe practices and be vigilant against various threats.

Working With a Managed Service Provider

Due to the importance of keeping sensitive information secure and increasing troubles with cybersecurity, various laws and regulations now require companies to undergo security awareness training. Despite this, many organizations still lack the awareness they need to protect themselves. If your company is in need of comprehensive security awareness training, you can outsource your solution with a managed service provider (MSP) like The Logic Group.

Working with The Logic Group is simple, and we provide a continuous, easy-to-consume security awareness campaign. Through quizzes and simulations, we can help your team recognize threats and stay vigilant.

Stay Secure With The Logic Group

The Logic Group is a leading MSP in the Montgomery, Chester, and Delaware County, Pennsylvania area. We specialize in a variety of cybersecurity services that can be purchased individually, in customizable bundles, or through our LogicGuard Complete package.

The post What Is in an Information Security Program? appeared first on The Logic Group.

Steps on How To Protect Against Identity Theft

wpengine — Mon, 16 May 2022 14:00:00 +0000

Steps on How To Protect Against Identity Theft

With the proliferation of cyberattacks in recent years, cybersecurity has never been more important in the business world. Even just one successful attack is enough to devastate a business of any size. One of the scariest potential consequences of a cyberattack is identity theft. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to protect yourself, your staff, and your customers from having personal information compromised.

How To Protect Against Identity Theft

Identity theft is a serious problem that’s getting worse by the year. To avoid the repercussions of this type of cybercrime, you need to follow cybersecurity best practices. Before discussing the steps you can take to guard against identity theft, however, let’s first talk about what cyber identity theft is. The more you understand about the concept and how it works, the easier it is to stay secure.

Identity theft is a type of cybercrime where your personal and financial data is obtained without your permission. What this means is the hacker who stole this information has unauthorized access to things like Social Security Numbers (SSN), bank account numbers, credit cards, and more. Someone who has this kind of data can assume your digital identity and wreak a lot of havoc. For example, they could use your identity to open new bank accounts or apply for credit cards.

This type of cybercrime can be carried out in a variety of ways. From skimming—when a hacker tampers with an electronic card reader to steal card data—to stealing your wallet, there’s no shortage of attack methods. However, most of the damage is done through phishing emails and imposter phone calls.

While there’s no way to keep your business 100% protected from identity theft, there are steps you can follow to greatly lower your chances of it happening. Here are a few identity theft information security tips you can use to prevent cybercriminals from taking your sensitive information.

Be Cautious on How You’re Exchanging Information

In business, it’s not uncommon for employees to exchange confidential personal and corporate information. In fact, many companies request that new employees provide information like routing numbers and home addresses for direct payment on their first day. When this time comes, never do it over the phone or on a website. A skilled hacker can easily access these channels and steal whatever is being passed.

In addition, don’t blindly trust whoever is requesting the information. As mentioned earlier, one of the most common ways identities are stolen is through imposter phone calls and phishing emails. Always verify the legitimacy of the organization and the person asking for the information. If you’re in doubt, you can talk to a colleague or your manager about the request.

Keep an Eye on the URLs You’re Using

Depending on what your job is, you’ve likely filled out your fair share of online forms. Some of them may be questionnaires that want you to share your opinion, while others may be more formal. However, there are times when those forms may ask you to provide sensitive information.

If you ever have to fill out an online form, always take a moment to check the URL. The URL should have a “https://” and a padlock icon next to it. This is an indication that the website is secure. If it doesn’t have these elements, avoid it and investigate whether the form is legitimate.

Use Only Strong Passwords

Although they may be an annoyance, passwords play an important role in keeping your accounts safe. It can be tempting to create easy-to-remember passwords or reuse passwords you have for other accounts but doing so can negate the benefit of having a password. Creating a simple password or reusing a password makes the hacker’s job much easier.

Everyone in your organization should be creating strong passwords and changing them on a regular basis. You also want to avoid writing down and storing your passwords in your desk. If you’re worried about forgetting a password you created, you can always use a password manager. With a password manager, you can securely store all of your passwords in one place, so you only have to remember the one password you created to access the manager.

Limit the Amount of Personal Information You Share on Social Media

A hacker doesn’t necessarily have to hack anything to obtain personal data. You would be shocked by how much sensitive information people willingly give on their own social media accounts. That’s why a common identity theft tactic is combing through a person’s social media accounts.

Whether it’s Facebook, Twitter, or even LinkedIn, these applications and websites are rich with personal information. You could simply get rid of all your social media accounts, but it’s not necessary to take actions that are so drastic. Just make sure to scrub your accounts of any information that isn’t necessary for others to see.

Securely Dispose of Documents

Documents are a staple of business, and they often contain information that no one outside of the business should be privy to. Any documents that contain personal, company, and/or confidential information should be handled carefully. Additionally, they should always be stored in a safe place that only qualified workers have access to. When these documents are no longer needed, they should be disposed of in a secure way.

Get the Protection Your Business Needs

For the best in cybersecurity and identity theft protection, come to The Logic Group. We are an experienced managed services provider that offers customized full-service solutions. Through our advanced cybersecurity solutions—like dark web monitoring and managed next-gen firewall—we keep your network protected from even the worst cyberattacks.

The post Steps on How To Protect Against Identity Theft appeared first on The Logic Group.

7 Ways To Prevent Ransomware

wpengine — Mon, 09 May 2022 14:00:00 +0000

7 Ways To Prevent Ransomware

Among the plethora of issues currently threatening businesses today, ransomware is quickly emerging as one of the most prevalent and dangerous. Just this year, we’ve had a number of high-profile attacks, one of which could have had national economy-affecting implications. With cybersecurity on center stage, it’s never been more important to know how to avoid ransomware attacks.

Are There Ways To Prevent Ransomware?

Like computer viruses, botnets, Trojans, or spyware, ransomware is a type of malware. As its name suggests, hackers use this malware to hold things for ransom. This can include your computer files, applications, or even your entire operating system (OS).

Often caused by someone falling for a phishing scam, ransomware works by encrypting whatever it gains access to. Users are locked out of these infected programs, rendering them useless until the ransom is paid. What’s worse is ransomware can affect a variety of devices, like laptops, servers, and even smartphones.

No one is safe from a ransomware attack, whether it’s an individual or a company. However, cybercriminals tend to focus most of their attention on corporations because businesses have access to valuable sensitive information and are more likely than individuals to pay the ransom.

Having ransomware protection can help defend your business from these attacks. But as the saying goes, an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure. Fortunately, there are many ways to prevent ransomware attacks and keep your network secure.

Types of Ransomware

The more you know about ransomware, the easier it is to avoid it. So, let’s talk about the different types of ransomware. There are countless strains of ransomware on the internet. However, most of them fall into one of two categories. These categories are:

Crypto Ransomware: This type of ransomware encrypts important data—like documents, pictures, and videos—but doesn’t interfere with basic computer functions. This means that you can use your computer normally and see your files, but you can’t access them.
Locker Ransomware: Locker ransomware ups the ante by not encrypting the files, but actually locking you out of your device. If you are able to interact with anything, it’s likely only the keyboard, mouse, and a window that allows you to send the ransom payment.

Both types of attacks are designed to pressure you into feeling like your only option is to pay the fee. However, it’s recommended that you never pay what the hacker is asking for. Paying the ransom only encourages the cybercriminal to do it again. It’s also important to keep in mind that there’s no guarantee the hacker will free your system from the malware even if you do pay up.

The Best Ways To Avoid Becoming a Victim

Now that you know a little more about ransomware and its nature, here are seven steps you can take to avoid it:

Educate Your Employees: Your employees are your first line of defense against all cyberattacks. That’s why the first step on how to prevent hacking in business starts with education. You need to take the time to educate your staff on the dangers of ransomware and other cyberthreats. Providing online courses, learning tools, and other helpful items can boost their understanding of the subject. An employee who’s armed with this knowledge is much less likely to become a victim.
Train Your Workers: In addition to education, it helps to throw in some training as well. Create real-life scenarios that force your team members to use what they know. For example, you could have your IT department periodically send your staff simulated phishing scams. By doing this, the lessons your team has learned get engraved into their minds, enabling them to see through attacks more easily.
Change the Culture: In order to make sure your team continues to abide by cybersecurity best practices, you need to create a work culture that encourages the behavior. Whether employees are taking steps to further educate themselves, participating in discussions, or joining training sessions, you want to foster a culture that makes your team want to stay engaged.
Avoid Unknown USBs: Have you ever plugged in someone else’s thumb drive into your work computer? If yes, that is a dangerous game you’re playing. You should never connect a USB drive or other storage media to your computer if you don’t know where it came from. Cybercriminals often install ransomware on storage devices and place them in public areas to entice someone into using it. It’s also not uncommon for coworkers with ulterior motives to do something similar.
Maintain Communication: Your employees aren’t perfect and they can forget the lessons they learned. It helps to maintain ongoing communication about cybersecurity by providing reminders.
Configure Your Filters: While it’s possible for hackers to hide ransomware in common files—like Word documents—most rely on less common executable file types. For example, you are more likely to see ransomware in files that contain .exe, .vbs, and .scr. By configuring your anti-spam filters to flag these file types, you can make it easier to avoid an attack.
Monitor Your Network: If a ransomware infection manages to penetrate your firewalls, remember that you’re not completely helpless. If you can catch it early enough, you can mitigate the danger. A managed service provider (MSP) can monitor your network 24/7, alert you to suspicious activity, and remove the threat before end users notice anything wrong.

Protect Your Network From Infection

The Logic Group is an industry-leading MSP that specializes in managed IT and cybersecurity services. Whether you’re looking for 24/7 monitoring, cybersecurity awareness training, data backup, web filtering, or other advanced cybersecurity measures, we have exactly what you need to stay secure. Let our security experts protect your systems.

The post 7 Ways To Prevent Ransomware appeared first on The Logic Group.