by Felicien | Aug 29, 2018 | Education
BaseStriker attacks are software attacks that computer hackers use in an attempt to break through the defenses of an account or program. These attacks have been developed through unique coding while operating in a phishing-style in recent times. They’ve been so successful that they’ve grown and evolved becoming increasingly problematic to small business owners.
Used to get past anti-phishing filters while splitting and masking links with URL tagging code, researchers have found that Microsoft business products have become a big target. In the past, Microsoft Office 365 used very effective forms of security for their software and cloud-based products. Safe Link and Advanced Threat Protection feature some excellent security protocols.
baseStriker Attacks on the Rise
baseStriker attacks are escalating. Recently Microsoft reported that the security protocols built into Office 365 failed to protect 100 million email users. This is one of the largest security flaws ever reported for Office 365. Unlike similar attacks that could be discovered and blocked, hackers were able to use this vulnerability to completely bypass all of Microsoft’s security. This included its advanced services like ATP and Safe Links.
The name baseStriker originated due to the method hackers used to create this vulnerability. They split and disguise a malicious link using a tag called the <base> URL tag. This results in your antivirus software not being able to detect the link as malicious.
How baseStriker Attacks Work
A malicious link (that would normally be blocked by Microsoft security) is sent to the user. This URL is split into two snippets of HTML: a base tag and a regular href tag. In traditional phishing scams, a malicious link found in an HTML email would be blocked by the security programs found in Office 365. When these programs see a suspicious link, they perform a lookup using a list of known bad links.
For those customers who use Advanced Threat Protection, the suspicious URL is replaced with a “safe link” that prevents the user from proceeding to a phishing website. Using baseStriker methods, a phishing email that contains a malicious link is allowed through the email filters because they not handling the <base> HTML code correctly.
How ATP and Safe Links Can Help
Office 365, ATP, and Safe Links, along with Office 365 ATP Safe Attachments combine a number of security features for enterprise organizations. These are offered as part of Office 365 Advanced Threat Protection. Safe Links can help protect your business by providing time-of-click verification of web addresses in both official documents and websites.
This type of security can be customized by setting your own ATP Safe Links policies. Your security team can setup up your Office 365 program so that it works the way your business does. Once your ATP Safe Links policies are in place, your security team will get regular reports that show how Advanced Threat Protection is working. This information can help your security team take other steps to create stronger security for your company.
In spite of all these advancements, hackers work harder than ever to find new ways to get through all this security and steal personal and financial information.
What Attacks Have Been Common And What Has Been Done?
Security Affairs explained that baseStriker attacks have been more common in the past year. They were increasingly frequent in October 2017 and have continued since that time. The attacks are most commonly used to bypass Safe Links.
While Safe Links have been improving user capacities to protect against attacks in programs including Excel, Word, PowerPoint, baseStriker attacks have intensified.
Gmail users have not been as vulnerable to this specific method of attack because their developers have created base tag detectors. Mimecast has also built in ways to protect Office 365 users with Gmail accounts.
Microsoft is continuing to make improvements that address weaknesses in their security products. Patches and additional security protocols are being developed for the future. The landscape of hacking evolves almost daily so security must evolve as well.
Current forms of Office 365 security attempt to identify potential security risks through scans of base domains, and until some software development is built that does not ignore relative URLs, the security risk is expected to remain. Due to this, as Avanan reports, the attack method is analogous to viruses of biological immune systems, with even known attacks not being successfully addressed by Microsoft.
SC Media reported that Microsoft is aware of the issue and has dedicated resources to address it. Of course, they have recommended that customers follow common best practices for safe computer operations, but they have yet to develop software products that are capable of automatic recognition in the same manner as Gmail.
What Can I Do?
Enabling two-step authentication from within Office 365 allows users to reduce their vulnerabilities to information thefts made by malware. Organizations can purchase Advanced Threat Protection and have their security team optimize it for best protection. All employees should be trained on the latest hacking methods so they are well aware of what to look for. Many companies today are hiring IT consultants to come in and assess their security protocols, then recommend improvements.
by Felicien | Aug 29, 2018 | Education
New Study Shows That the Global Cost of a Data Breach Is Up in 2018
The Ponemon Institute recently released its annual Cost of Data Breach Independent Study that was sponsored by IBM Security. This study included two new factors that impact data-breach costs: Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the all-encompassing use of Internet of Things (IoT) devices.
The analysis also factored in the cost of a “mega breach” — the breach of 1 million records or more — and also used a formula to measure the financial cost of customers’ loss of trust in a company.
According to the 2018 Cost of a Data Breach Study, around 25 percent of all U.S. data breaches were recognized as carelessness or user error. The study stated that users consistently failed to properly erase data from devices. The study also reveals that negligent breaches are about half as frequent as criminal breaches.
The rate of data breaches is rising, and they are costing companies more to manage. U.S. businesses are shelling out about $7.9 million per year to fight off and recover from data breaches.
Root Causes by the Numbers
The study made known that malicious or criminal attacks caused the most data breaches at 48 percent. 27 percent were due to human error, and 25 percent were comprised of both IT and business process failures (system glitches).
Data Breach Cost Is Up in 2018
In this year’s study, the average cost of a data breach per compromised record was $148, and it took companies 196 days, on average, to uncover a breach. Based on these averages, The Ponemon Institute determined that the per-capita cost, average cost, and overall cost have swollen in 2018.
With the U.S. leading the way at almost five times that of the global average of notification costs, the Middle East had the highest percentage of the most expensive type of data breaches: Malicious or Criminal Attacks.
Globally, here is how the numbers broke down:
The Size of the Breach Does Matter
The Ponemon Institute’s 2018 report found that the average total cost of a breach ranges from $2.2 million for incidents with fewer than 10,000 compromised records to $6.9 million for incidents with more than 50,000 compromised records.
The study also revealed that a “mega breach” (what the Ponemon Institute deems as 1 million compromised records) can cost upwards of $39.49 million. As expected, this figure goes up as the amount of breached records grows.
The Consumer Impact
According to the report’s findings, organizations globally lost customers due to data breaches in the past year. But it also pointed out, businesses that put in the effort to improve customer trust reduced that number significantly. When a Company’s senior-level leader, such as a CEO or CISO (chief information security officer) addressed customer’s security concerns and pointed to fixing the issues, businesses lost fewer customers and reduced the overall cost of the consequences of a breach.
The Effects of AI and IoT
The 2018 study, for the first time, assessed the effects of a company implementing Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the use of Internet of Things (IoT) devices. The conclusion is AI security platforms have saved companies an average of $8 per compromised record at identifying and containing breaches by incorporating machine learning and analytics. So far, just 15 percent of companies reviewed in the study said they had fully implemented AI. At the same time, businesses that comprehensively use IoT devices pay on average, $5 more for each compromised record.
How Companies Can Reduce Data Breach Costs
In total, The Ponemon Institute’s 2018 report included 477 companies. It found that the mean time to identify a breach was 197 days, while the meantime to limit a breach is 69 days.
There are, however, strategies that support businesses and work on lowering the likely cost of a data breach. This is the 13th year of The Ponemon Institute’s study, and an alarming trend has reared its ugly head. For the fourth year in a row, the study found a connection between how fast a business detects and contains a breach and the sum of the total cost when all is said and done.
Conclusion
The study found that, above all, preparation and vigilance is crucial. An incident response team can reduce the cost of a breach by as much as $14 for each breached file from the average per-capita cost of $148. Comparably, extensive use of encryption can cut the cost by $13 per person. What all these statistics mean is that companies can reduce the cost of a data breach and reduce the negative effects to their company simply by being prepared. Your company needs a data breach team on staff who knows what to do and how to respond should any type of breach occur.
by Felicien | Aug 28, 2018 | Education
A recent study conducted by The Harris Poll on behalf of Scout, a healthcare marketing firm, uncovered some interesting statistics about healthcare data security and public perception. It determined that out of 2,000 US adults, about half are extremely or very concerned about the security of their healthcare data.
Another study, conducted by Protenus Breach Barometer, found that in the second quarter of 2018, from April to June, more than 3.15 million patient records were compromised across a total of 142 healthcare data breaches. The report reinforces the need for strong security measures in the healthcare system, concluding that healthcare organizations must maintain vigilance and be constantly on the lookout for best practices in healthcare privacy.
Examining The Data
Protenus Breach Barometer joined forces with Databreaches.com to gather data from a number of sources, including press reports, HHS, and nonpublic data from Protenus’ AI platform. According to incidents reported to the HHS or by the media, 31% of these breaches were executed by insiders.
According to the report published by Protenus, it’s believed that an individual healthcare employee who has breached patient privacy once is more than 30 percent more likely to repeat the offense within a three-month time frame. The chances that the employee will do so again within one year rises to more than 66%. Therefore, a delay in identifying and reporting these offenses is further putting institutions at risk.
The company estimated that out of 1,000 healthcare employees, more than nine are responsible for breaching patient privacy — an estimate up from five employees in the previous quarter.
One of the most common insider-related data breaches was family snooping, which accounted for a whopping 71% of the reported privacy violations. This number is down from 77 during Q1 of 2018.
According to the report, it can take organizations, on average, 204 days to identify a breach once it has occurred. Out of 61 incidents in which data was disclosed, the average time between when a data breach is identified, to the time it is reported to HHS or other sources, is 71 days. According to HHS requirements, a healthcare organization must report a breach involving 500 or more individuals no later than 60 days of discovery of the breach. Coincidentally, the largest gaps between the occurrence of the breach and discovery were reported with insider-related cases.
Out of the 143 healthcare data breaches disclosed, healthcare providers reported 99 of them, whereas 15 of them were disclosed by an insurance company or health plan. Business associates and third-party vendors were responsible for disclosing 18 of the cases, and ten were reported by other organizations.
It’s well known that healthcare security teams are lacking in manpower. It was reported that in hospital teams responsible for identifying insider threats, one investigator may be responsible for monitoring nearly 4,000 employees on average. This individual is responsible for 2.5 hospitals and handles a median of 25 cases.
With cyber threats on the rise within the industry, it’s vital that healthcare organizations do more to more to protect patient data. Thirty-eight states were included in the report’s 142 disclosed health data breaches. Out of these, California was responsible for the largest number of data breaches, with 20 incidents. Texas reported 13 incidents, ranking it the second highest.
The Rise Of Healthcare Hacking
Cyber threats are common in the digital world, but the stakes are particularly high in healthcare systems. According to the report, healthcare hacking accounted for 52 data breaches in Q2, which is a figure up from 30 during Q1.
Forty-four of these hacking incidents affected 2,065,813 patient records, with seven of them involving malware or ransomware. Ten hacking incidents mentioned a phishing attack.
In addition to phishing, malware, and ransomware, 23 incidents of those reported were related to theft. More than 600,000 patient records were compromised, with data disclosed for 19 of the 23 incidents.
Healthcare Hacking Prevention Tactics
There are some actions healthcare organizations can take to ensure they are keeping up with best practices in patient record security. The most important action to take is to perform an organization-wide risk analysis that covers all devices that contain ePHI or systems and devices that may be used to access PHI. Once this is performed, organizations can put into action a risk management plan that addresses and reduces all identified vulnerabilities.
It’s also important for healthcare organizations to keep up-to-date with the latest in equipment and regulations. All software systems should be maintained properly, with encryptions and backups implemented accordingly to protect patient information to the fullest extent. According to HIPAA, a good strategy for patient information backup is the 3-2-1 approach, which calls for at least three copies of data, across two different media, with one of these copies stored securely off-site.
Healthcare organizations may also do well to consider teaming up with threat intelligence organizations to keep privy about newly discovered threats and vulnerabilities. All of these steps combined can form a strong line of defense against healthcare hacking.
by Felicien | Aug 28, 2018 | Education
What Is Snapchat And What Business Uses Does It Have?
Snapchat is a form of now commonly used social media more recent than Facebook, Myspace, or Twitter. It’s unique in that it allows users to create pictures or messages that are only available for a short period of time before they become inaccessible to viewers. This is considered a convenient self-cleaning of media in addition to its other features. Just like Facebook timelines and Twitter feeds, users are allowed to create original “Stories” as 24-hour feeds of content presented chronologically through the app.
A “Discover” feature allows businesses to have an interactive exploration of their products or services. The app was developed for mobile technology and continues to evolve with the emphasis on virtual ‘stickers’ and affected ‘reality objects.’ Although not all features are unique to the software, business uses of Snapchat can include some pretty attractive features:
Frequently updated postings
Promotion through marketing channels
Creating sponsoring lenses
Allowing people to explore content through interactive features
Integrated content created by users
Promotion of products or services through discounts and promotion code marketing
Promoting new products
One of the best features that users love is that SnapChat allows celebrities and other people of interest to directly access the app. This means you might be able to view Jennifer Garner’s favorite places to eat or check out LeBron James on vacation in Italy.
Many of today’s top organizations are now successfully using the Snapchat app, including:
Taco Bell
Disney
Gatorade
Starbucks
McDonald’s
AT&T
Many others
As with other widespread social media programs, Snapchat can be used in traditional business practices including the social media marketing mix, brand strengthening processes, community engagement, and brand awareness.
According to The Social Media Examiner, over 100 million people use the app every day, responsible for up to 400 million snaps each day, and while 71% of the estimated billion viewers are between the ages of 18 to 34, it is considered one of the fastest growing networks. Access to live events can be provided through streaming, and the NBA is an example of a major organization that has been taking advantage of this.
Private content can be delivered through the software, and contests and other perks can be added to the organization’s storyline. Internal developments can be shown through the service while users can partner with influencers. People can also effectively “follow” organizations analogous to post subscriptions available on Twitter or Facebook.
What Are The Security Risks And Why Should I Be Concerned?
Snapchat’s features can be more convenient for some users, but it has security risks that may also be unique and therefore uniquely be concerning to users. The software, in short, may not be as private as it may seem. The creative nature of the app means that much of the user provided content is not covered by the same privacy and protection offered through other social media services like Facebook and Twitter.
The “snaps” that are made and posted can be potentially retrieved with software tools, and both forensic analysts and hackers alike have some potential to exploit this. According to the Telegraph, it is possible for hackers to intercept Snaps in transmission processes despite levels of encryption. This is due to the potential for decryption through a form of reverse engineering possible through the Android application package file.
This does not mean that Snapchat is less secure than services such as iMessage, but it is likely less secure than many people assume. Another potential issue is the possibility that a business will not have access to records if claims are made regarding the nature of posts that have automatically deleted. This could result in dually unfounded claims in court that can cost the organization funding and negative publicity if nothing else.
As explained in depth by The Hacker News, the source code of the program itself has also been hacked and posted online after a cyber thief was able to obtain it. The posting made the confidential information of the organization vulnerable to other people who could misuse it. In addition, a number of apps now exist that can capture your Snaps without alerting you. One popular site like this called “SnapSave” was breached in 2014 and 200,000 Snaps were leaked publically.
What Additional Security Concerns Should I Have If Using SnapChat?
In general, businesses who plan to use SnapChat should take some precautions to avoid being exploited. These are discussed below:
Enable login verification (2FA).
Educate users at your workplace who will be in charge of SnapChat with information about security breaches and such.
Manually restrict and control access.
Ignore random requests.
Make sure that only those connected with your account are able to connect with it.
Limit who can see your stories.
Transfer private snaps saved in memories to the ‘my eyes only’ section for added privacy.
Never publically share your Snapcode or username.
Conclusion
SnapChat can be a powerful business tool that lets your company connect directly with your consumers, fans, and other interested parties. However, by following a few security protocols you can protect your account against hackers and other intruders. As with all your IT technology, hackers are always on the look-out for weak perimeters that will allow them to come in and steal from you.
by Felicien | Aug 28, 2018 | Education
Is Windows 10 Enterprise Right For Your Business?
With the threats of cyber-attack at an all-time high, there’s no better time to reexamine your company’s operating system to see whether or not it offers the level of protection you, your company, and your clients deserve.
Windows 10 Enterprise ranks high among today’s most popular operating systems for large companies and it’s worth the expense. This operating system is beneficial to large businesses for a variety of reasons.
It features intelligent security, simplified updates, flexible management, and enhanced productivity. There are a number of other solid benefits to using Windows 10 Enterprise.
One of the main things that users notice about this operating system is that it makes up for what was lacking in Windows 8. The developers added many of the same familiar features that made Windows 7 so popular.
But Windows 10 Enterprise has much better security and an optimized interface for greater mobility within the workplace. All of this combined makes a strong case for why large organizations ought to consider Windows 10. It can breathe new life into your workflow and enable stronger productivity.
Enhanced Security
In terms of security, Windows 10 Enterprise is a viable option for businesses of all sizes, but particularly useful for large businesses. Windows 10 Enterprise’s Advanced Threat Protection, or ATP, has proven well worth its weight for peace of mind. In fact, the operating system was virtually unaffected during WannaCry, the largest global ransomware attack to date.
Its solid performance under this type of intrusion is a testament to its capabilities to keep businesses protected. For this reason, large businesses with much at stake would do well to examine Windows 10 as an option, especially if they’ve been impacted by large-scale global attacks like WannaCry in the past.
Device Guard, Windows Hello, and Microsoft Passport are just a few added security features to help users maintain privacy.
Device Guard
Device Guard isn’t just one feature, rather a set of three features that work cohesively to protect your system and eliminate any untrusted code from infiltrating a Windows 10 system.
These features include Configurable Code Integrity (CCI), VSM Protected Code Integrity, and Platform and UEFI Secure Boot.
CCI is responsible for ensuring that only trusted code runs from the bootloader onward, while VSM moves KMCI and HVCI into VSM to protect them from attack. Finally, the last feature, Platform, and UEFI Secure Boot work to ensure that boot binaries and UEFI firmware are accounted for and haven’t been compromised.
Windows Hello For Business
Strong two-factor authentication is vital for robust IT security. Windows Hello for Business ensures a tough line of defense on PCs and mobile devices by going one step further. This new type of authentication boasts a unique type of user credentials associated with a device. It utilizes a biometric or PIN feature for better security, and even allows users to authenticate to an Active Directory or Azure Active Directory account.
Flexible Management
An improved interface is another big benefit of Windows 10. The ability to switch back and forth between different virtual desktops has been something Mac users have enjoyed for years now, and with Windows 10, the feature is now a reality for Microsoft users too. What’s more, the feature is simple to use, requiring just a tap of the task-switching icon.
In addition to enhanced security, Windows 10 Enterprise brings improved compatibility by way of the Microsoft Edge browser. From improved battery usage to new capabilities like reading mood and webpage markup, Edge is intended to make browsing easier and more efficient than before.
Windows 10 Enterprise also offers simplified updates with unique tools that help streamline deployment. IT employees wear many hats, and there isn’t always enough time in the workday to dedicate to repetitive tasks. Windows Autopilot allows for easy, seamless setup and deployment, meaning you can take a new device out of the box and have it fully configured and managed from the cloud, all with minimal effort from the IT department.
Insight into your organization’s IT health and overall efficiency is imperative for sustained growth. With Windows 10, IT managers can ensure employee compliance, a more effective user experience, and smooth upgrades.
Elevated Productivity
Windows 10 offers a world of opportunity for software for tasks both large and small. There is a whole selection of apps that can be full-screen or windowed. The new range of apps includes more powerful media and productivity apps, new photos, music, videos, mail, maps, and calendars.
If your business thrives on creativity, you’ll find a good range of new tools to take advantage of, including Windows Ink, 3D in Windows 10, and OneNote. OneNote offers a single place for notes and ideas, while 3D in Windows 10 allows users to add a new dimension and elevate their design work.
And in a further effort for simplicity and familiarity, Windows 10 apps are designed to sync across a variety of iOS and Android devices for easy navigating between phone and PC. Furthermore, Nearby Sharing in Microsoft Edge, OneNote, File Explorer and other apps enable users to quickly and easily transmit files and web pages to nearby PC users with the click of a button.
Wrap Up
Overall, it has become clear that Windows 10 and Windows 10 Enterprise carry a wide range of benefits for large businesses. If you feel that your organization could use some improvement in the areas of productivity, IT security, and a better user experience, then a switch to Microsoft 10 may be long overdue.
