by Felicien | Apr 5, 2019 | Education
There are never enough hours in a day, but how you spend the hours that you do have can make all the difference in the world. Just think: business leaders such as Steve Jobs and Bill Gates have exactly the same 24 hours available to them as you do! All good business leaders have to determine the best way to be productive, but this can be a challenging lesson to learn. Here’s a quick hack that will help you be more productive without adding to your stress level.
Just Say No!
Ask yourself this question multiple times each day: “Am I adding unique value to this conversation, or could someone else do (nearly) as well?”. You have to be honest with yourself, but when you rigorously apply this rule you might find that you can skip some meetings, delegate decisions and allow others to take the lead on smaller projects or tasks so you can focus on leveraging your core competencies. Getting rid of the smaller annoyances leaves you more time to focus on what’s truly important — moving your organization forward.
Effective Prioritization
Did you know that the word “priority” was never meant to be plural? That’s right, we talk about “priorities” all the time, but for more than 500 years it strictly meant the very first thing. When you think about it, it’s impossible to have multiple “first” things, there’s only one first. When everything is a priority, nothing’s a priority, but how can you make decisions about where to focus without freezing yourself or your team in a circle of indecision?
Multitasking is a Myth
Your brain can truly only handle one task at a time. When you’re jumping back and forth between several tasks, your brain takes a minute to adjust each time you make that leap. This mental price is time taken out of your day that could otherwise be spent on a single productive task, allowing your brain to work at peak performance. Even if you’re only wasting 60 seconds between each task, that can easily add up to more than an hour each day. This performance disruption reduces your focus and makes your delivery less consistent.
If you can’t help with a particular project, or don’t need to be involved in a decision, don’t be afraid to step away and let others handle it. You need to be able to trust that your team can take care of the rest. There’s no need to add what is essentially busywork to your day when you can harness the power of your mind to create value in your little corner of the universe.
by Felicien | Apr 5, 2019 | Education
The attack dubbed “PhishPoint” is a recent cyber-attack scheme being used by foreign hackers. It demonstrates the craftiness and the extent that cybercriminals will go to in order to harvest your Microsoft Office 365 credentials. It uses several familiar aspects of Office 365 to lull potential victims into an assumption that everything is above board. But it’s not. Here’s what you need to know about PhishPoint and how to protect your organization.
How Did The PhishPoint Attack Get Into Office 365?
The PhishPoint hackers use Microsoft SharePoint files to host their phishing links. Typically hackers use emails to host malicious links. Now, these crafty hackers have figured out how to bypass Office 365’s built-in security to leverage their attacks. This shows that there’s a critical flaw in Office 365 in this respect.
How Does The PhishPoint Attack Work?
You can recognize a PhishPoint malicious email by its use of “URGENT” or “ACTION REQUIRED” to urge you to respond. But beware, this email contains a link to a SharePoint Online-based document that you don’t want to click.
Here’s how it works:
The link will direct you to SharePoint. It will look legitimate and could trick you or your users unless you know what to watch for it.
At this point, you’ll be shown a OneDrive prompt –The SharePoint file will impersonate a request to access a OneDrive file with an “Access Document” hyperlink. This is actually a malicious URL, as shown below.
Then you’ll see a Microsoft Office 365 logon screen – Don’t enter your information even though it’s very authentic-looking login page. if you do, the hackers can access your user credentials!
What Else Should We Watch For?
Several things stand out here, and you should watch for them:
1. The email is unsolicited and has a generic subject of “<person> has sent you a OneDrive for Business file.”
2. Opening the document requires you to take a number of steps.
3. The URL for the logon page isn’t on the office365.com domain.
Why Didn’t Microsoft Stop This Scam?
Unfortunately, Microsoft didn’t see this coming. They continually scan emails for suspicious links and attachments, but even they were fooled. They didn’t think that a link to their own SharePoint Online would be malicious.
Another problem is that Microsoft link-scanning only goes one level down. It scans links in the email body but doesn’t scan files that are hosted on their services like SharePoint. If they did, they would have to scan for malicious links within shared documents.
And there’s another problem…they couldn’t blacklist the malicious URL unless they did this for the full URL for the SharePoint file. In this case, the hackers could just make a new URL in an uploaded file that contained content similar to SharePoint.
Since Microsoft isn’t scanning files hosted on SharePoint, hackers can easily use the platform to con their users and steal their credentials.
This scam exemplifies the risk associated with cloud-based applications. Using context and services that users are familiar with, cybercriminals can take advantage of a lowered level of alertness, and gain access to corporate resources online – all without the user or organization ever knowing it.
What Is Microsoft Doing To Prevent Scams Like PhishPoint?
Microsoft has been working behind the scenes to stop foreign attackers. Court documents that were unsealed on March 27, 2019 show that they’ve been waging a secret battle against a group of Iranian government-sponsored hackers.
Microsoft said it received substantial support from the domain registrars, which transferred the domains over to Microsoft as soon as the company obtained a court order.
What Can We Do To Prevent Being Affected By PhishPoint?
It’s important that you share this message with all of your users:
Be on alert! The bad guys have a new way of stealing your login credentials. They target you by sending an invite via email to open a SharePoint document.
The link takes you to an actual SharePoint page where you will see a OneDrive prompt. The prompt will have an “Access Document” link in it- don’t click this link!
This link is malicious and will take you to a fake Office 365 login screen. Any credentials you enter here will be sent to the bad guys. Don’t be tricked!
Whenever you’re submitting login credentials to any site, make sure to check the URL of the page for accuracy. Also, remember to always hover over links to see where they are taking you. Remember, Think Before You Click.
Here are some other things that you and your users should do:
Be wary of any email subject line that contains an imminent threat like “URGENT” or “ACTION REQUIRED.”
Always suspect URLs in the body of an email. It’s best not to click them. Most legitimate businesses no longer send links in emails.
Carefully review any logon page. Check to make sure that the URL is actually hosted by the service that you want to use.
If an odd-looking email shows up in your inbox from someone in your organization and you question its authenticity, contact the person by phone to see if they sent the email.
Use Multi-Factor Authentication for all of your software platforms and online accounts.
You should also sign up your users for Security Awareness Training. When you do, they’ll have a better chance of spotting the telltale signs of a cyber threat.
by Felicien | Apr 4, 2019 | Education
It’s difficult to scan through any news site and not see mention of yet another cybersecurity breach at an organization, and the devastation that can be caused to that business and the community are significant. Maintaining a robust cybersecurity presence is no different than budgeting for the cost of electricity to keep the lights on or the cost of basic internet — it’s something you simply have to consider. If your organization isn’t keeping cybersecurity top of mind, here are some suggestions for sharing the scale of the potential risk with your decision makers.
All Hail the IoT
We have been hearing a great deal about IoT (Internet of Things) in recent years, but the market may leave people wondering when the actuality will live up to the hype. Experts predict that 2019 will be the year that hackers truly take a shot at connected devices, looking for new and creative ways to infiltrate your networks and data centers. Nothing is sacred, as everything from wearables to connected toys and smart speakers are all potential attack vectors for the next generation of savvy hackers. This type of vulnerability is mostly preventable, as long as you’re actively managing endpoints and connectivity within your organization.
Malicious Mobile
As it turns out, your organization has more to lose from malicious mobile apps than thousands of hours of productivity (although that’s a problem, too!). Mobile attacks are becoming more evident with Symantec recently sharing that more than 24,000 mobile apps are blocked on a daily basis by their software. If your corporate mobile phones are connected to your network in any way and are infected, it could lead attackers directly into your data structures and other applications. It’s crucial that you protect all devices that can possibly connect to your network, or you risk a massive breach. A prime example is the recent hack of popular app My Fitness Pal, which could potentially be integrated into HR to track steps for corporate wellness programs. UnderArmor reported that this particular hack affected more than 150 million users of the app.
Costs of Ransomware
Ransomware is a significant cost for organizations — and it is growing every year. In 2017, the costs of damage to organizations from ransomware expanded to $5 billion — a number which increased a dramatic 15 times the 2015 expenses. Organizations regularly lose access to their records, but are often able to quickly return their business to full operations if they had previously invested in robust backup and disaster recovery solutions. An inability to regain operations within a few days can lead to long-term and drastic damage to the reputation and operations of an organization.
Machine Learning Gone Bad
There are many wonderful applications of machine learning, some of which exist in cybersecurity as engineers “train” systems to identify the hallmarks of an attack to trigger an action or notification. Unfortunately, hackers are also finding that there are opportunities within machine learning and artificial intelligence worlds, creating adversarial machine learning (ML) that will counter the work that these smart programs are meant to accomplish. Today’s hackers are starting to see how information technology professionals are utilizing ML as a defense, and creating countermeasures that will actually allow the cybercriminals egress into sensitive systems.
Carefully Watch Emails
In 2017, experts at Symantec found that the most significant attack vector for business was one that people use hundreds of times a day: emails. Phishing emails are becoming more targeted, as cybercriminals look for specific information about particular individuals on social media or in the news and then leverage that knowledge to create a customized attack. These so-called spear phishing emails often go after individuals at an organization who have access to sensitive data or financial power, such as an individual in the accounting or bookkeeping department. With today’s distributed workforce, it’s not unusual for traveling employees to need an advance on funds or find themselves in some sort of financial bind. Hackers are using this proclivity to create felonious requests — which can become untraceable once the transaction has been completed. Organizations combat these problems by creating an ongoing education program for staff members, especially those in sensitive positions.
How is an organization to survive when you consider all of these various threats, and the massive scale of the risk that is experienced on a daily basis? According to a recent report by Cisco, one of the key problems with an organization’s cybersecurity is having a variety of vendors providing support to the business. When you consolidate your operations with a single technology managed services provider, you’re more likely to incorporate a comprehensive approach to cybersecurity — a crucial step for the longevity of your business.
by Felicien | Apr 3, 2019 | Education
No matter your profession, reusing passwords is a horrible idea. It’s dangerous and insecure. Reusing passwords is especially problematic for those working in fields like law, ones that require confidentiality in one form or another.
Many people already know that reusing passwords is unsafe, but they do it anyway. One recent survey conducted by Lastline revealed that nearly half (around 45%) of information security professionals polled admit to reusing passwords. These people get paid to work in information security, and yet they don’t follow some of the most basic protocols for keeping information safe.
If anyone should understand the dangers here, it would be information security professionals. You’re likely not an information security pro, though, so let’s look in greater detail at why reusing passwords is so bad.
A Broken System
First, cut yourself a little slack. The internet password system is inherently broken. Most people have well over a hundred digital accounts. These range from the seemingly trivial (paying a utility bill, “store insider” loyalty programs, and the like) to the vitally important (banking, proprietary business accounts, and so on). Each one requires a username and a password. To make things worse, many sites require a mix of characters (capital and lowercase letters, at least one number, and at least one symbol). Some sites won’t accept all the special characters, and various sites won’t even agree about which special characters are acceptable!
Cheating Ensues
Most people can’t easily memorize one hundred or so unique sets of site plus username plus password, so they cheat. Either they write all their passwords down in a notebook or they reuse the same password across multiple sites. Even worse, they may do both!
The Frequency of Reusing Passwords
How widespread is reusing passwords, really? A massive study from researchers at Virginia Tech found that the problem is quite severe. They analyzed 61.5 million passwords spread out over 28.8 million users and found that over half (52%) reused passwords wholesale. That doesn’t even account for people reusing the same basic word or phrase and just switching out a few characters or adding a new one to the end.
The Problem with Password Reuse
Here’s the problem with password reuse: credentials have a habit of being stolen. Companies frequently experience hacks where customer data is exposed. You may not consider it such a big deal if hackers got ahold of your username and password for Bargains ’R’ Us. You don’t shop there often and you don’t have any credit card info stored on their website. Is it really a big deal?
On its own, it’s likely not a very big deal. But if you reused the same username and password for, say, your bank or your credit card, it’s suddenly a very big deal!
The same goes for the sticky-note users out there. If you’ve ever written down your “go-to” password on a sticky note or in a notebook, consider who all has had access to that information. Family? Friends? Coworkers? The cleaning crew or service technicians? How easy would it be for someone to snag a quick picture of your password list? If you reuse your passwords, this problem escalates quickly.
One more problem worth noting is messaging or emailing passwords. Many of us have had the experience of texting, emailing, or messaging a password to a spouse or significant other. Those communications aren’t always secure, though, and often they stick around for a while. If someone gained access to your email, would they also gain access to sensitive passwords?
The Ubiquity of Data Breaches
Data breaches are happening all over the place, and some of them are huge. Yahoo had every single one of its 3 billion accounts breached. If you had a Yahoo account at the time of the breach, even an old dead one you never check, hackers may now have your sign-in info. If you used your go-to password on that account, then every other account you’re using that password for is now at risk. This is a big deal.
Solutions to the Password Problem
Passwords are a mess, and not reusing passwords is difficult. Here are some solutions that can help you clean up the mess and reduce frustration.
Enable Two-Factor Authentication Wherever Possible
Many websites offer two-factor authentication (2FA), which is much more secure. With 2FA, a one-time code is sent in a text message or email after logging in with username and password. Enable 2FA wherever possible.
Use a Password Manager
Password managers solve the problem of memorizing hundreds of unique passwords. They store all your passwords in an encrypted vault that you secure with one strong master password. We recommend using a good password manager. Doing so makes strong password security easy.
Conclusion
Understanding the danger behind reusing passwords is an important first step in securing your digital life. For help securing your workplace against digital threats, enlist the help of professionals like us. Contact us today to learn how we can help keep your systems secure.
by Felicien | Apr 3, 2019 | Education
Businesses owners need to know important dates for personal and corporate tax filings with protection plans from any tax-related identity theft. Knowing how income is produced is smart for business leaders and the generation of income also goes with a reporting process. The income produced may be posted to personal tax returns and the best planning of generated income will go smartly with the protection of personal credit and finances. In 2016, $21 billion in tax refunds was stolen from the American population as a result of identity theft. Protection of assets, profits, employee records, and income are smart areas of focus for business leaders. What are the best ways to avoid tax-related identity theft? A priority for management is to protect company profits and personal data such as Social Security Numbers. Implementing the best procedures for employees and tax reporting is helpful with worker compensation reporting and considerations for any independent contractors. Correct planning throughout all of this can help you avoid any tax identify theft as another part of effective leadership.
High-Level Reviews for Companies and Business Leaders
Organizing your corporate books and reporting throughout the year can help you float easier through tax season with filing dates and proactive planning for the reporting process. A review of the business structure may be part of an evaluation for a company and business leaders. The business structure may determine the type of tax returns being filed. Working with an attorney or a CPA is a smart way of being prepared to discuss the appropriate business structure that works best for a company. Growth plans, employee numbers, income allocations, and tax reporting are considerations for some business leaders. Profit projections with possible international growth plans are additional considerations for some businesses and the structure should support the best ways to operate a business with protection and risk mitigation. Technology solutions should support the best corporate structure with management reporting and accounting procedures. Tax identity theft is avoided throughout the payroll process and the costs to reduce all risks can be simplified with smart planning and policies.
How does a business protect personal credit and finances?
Appropriate planning to calculate taxes, file returns, and make payments if necessary can help you avoid penalties and interest costs. Plans should include smart procedures for protecting personal data. Protection may consist of a thorough review to make sure there are no unauthorized loans, credit cards or other amounts using a false identity. Eliminating risks includes protection to ensure there is no need to freeze credit when tax-related identity theft occurs. Closely monitoring credit card charges, user accounts, and personal information is a smart choice for reducing any risks of tax-identity theft involved with a business. Two areas of focus will help reduce risks:
Employee record keeping and protection of personal data
Tax Reporting and protecting personal data from tax-identity fraud
Preparations include plans to know how technology is an answer to feeling confident about filing during tax season and steps to take for employee data protection. Business executives understand planning and organizing for operations, sales, and technology implementations. Technology reviews are important for data protection and security planning is smart business.
Protection Planning and Important Tax Dates
When is protection planning important for personal data such as Social Security Numbers? Business leaders that are preparing smartly for tax season also know to have policies and procedures to support protection of personal data for all employees. Technology systems, such as accounting and payroll software, should be checked often to eliminate any security breaches or digital data hacks. Also, the process of employee withholdings and reporting payments made to independent contractors are considerations with protection and tax dates. The following are some dates to consider for tax reasons.
January 31, 2019 is a deadline for sending out W-2 for your employees and filing with the IRS.
February 15th, 2019 is the deadline for issuing 1099s to independent contractors that received payments in 2018.
February 28, 2019 is important for businesses filing reports on 1099s for 2018.
April 1, 2019 is a date to know for filing 1099s electronically. If you are not filing electronically, the deadline is February 28th.
Knowing the 2019 tax dates can help you plan ahead and minimize the risk of any fraud or tax-identity issues. Data protection makes sure no thieves are filing fraudulent returns before the real taxpayers file their legitimate ones. Business executives can be applauded and look prepared when communication of risk prevention strategies are confirmed as optimized. The tax planning process may include work with a CPA or accounting firm. Confirming the due dates for the year is smart planning and having enough lead-time to file the tax documents should also include proactive procedures to protect credit and finances.
Payroll, Systems, and Processes
Payroll can be part of the reporting and tax planning. A planned out system to process payroll efficiently can help with tax reporting. Tax tables and employee records are part of the planning process with considerations, such as salaries, hourly rates, benefit payments, and tax withholdings. Companies with employees in multiple states may have different withholdings for taxes. Also, income withholdings for city and local taxes may be part of calculating gross and net pay. For many reasons, some companies choose to save costs and time by outsourcing payroll functions to a third party firm. The benefits of proper planning can be to develop better processes for making estimated quarterly tax payments. Important considerations include hiring and paying full-time employees and independent contractors. Organizing the best way can save money and time for busy company executives and managers. Correct planning may help with payroll processing, tax reporting, and determining the best technology solutions for business. Protection of your employee personal data should be a priority with communication to any involved third-party firms.
Eliminate expenses and time wasters of being forced into working with creditors and credit reporting agencies to clear any fraudulent activity and tax-related identity theft. Employee personal data should also be protected with a smart focus and strength as an employer. Victims of tax-identity theft may need to report it to both the IRS and the Federal Trade Commission. Other suggestions outlined in this guide https://www.thesimpledollar.com/protect-yourself-from-tax-identity-theft/ include applying for an identity protection PIN, a six-digit IRS number that will be used to confirm identity on all filings and tax returns. Employers should consider important policies for the protection of employee data. Business executives should understand the protection of credit and finances, and know how this applies to best practices throughout the organization. Tax-related identity theft should never trace back to a business that has smartly focused on data security plans.
