by Felicien | May 23, 2017 | Education
Adylkuzz can teach us even a more important security lesson than WannaCry – if we pay attention.
Adylkuzz is a bit of malware that you probably didn’t hear, but ran amok in May 2017, infecting Windows computers around the globe and using them for its own purposes. No, we’re not talking about another name for WannaCry – we’re talking about a more insidious type of attack that illustrates just how dangerous malware can be.
The Case of Adylkuzz
With all the furor created over WannaCry, it was easy to miss another, related malware attack, one knows as Adylkuzz, which was noted around the same time. Adylkuzz was a very different type of malware from the ransomware WannaCry, which held files on Windows computers hostage in exchange for money.
Adylkuzz popped up using the same vulnerability as WannaCry, a Windows exploit used by the EternalBlue hacking tools (which was quite possibly developed by the NSA). However, this bit of malware acted very differently: Instead of trying to extort money, it silently sets to work install a cryptocurrency miner in the background of the computer. This “recruits” the computer for the hacker, using some of its processing power to literally create money – in this case, the cryptocurrency Monero.
As you can see, the goal of Adylkuzz was to stay invisible, and it was good at its job. The security organization Proofpoint only found Adylkuzz while it was researching how WannaCry worked. For a large chunk of May, Adylkuzz went around hiding in WannaCry’s shadow and infecting up to 150,000 machines until people realized it was also a problem.
What Makes This Type of Malware Dangerous
When WannaCry hit, everyone knew about it. That’s the good thing about ransomware – it has to announce itself to complete its goal. But not all malware has to do this, which is why attacks like Adylkuzz can be so dangerous for businesses. Imagine if this type of malware was working behind the scene to copy and send sensitive business data instead of just using processing power! Remember, it took weeks to find out that it even existed, and that’s a lot of time for malware to do its work. Often, the most dangerous types of cyber attacks are those that go unnoticed until it is too late.
The Good News About Adylkuzz
All right, let’s take a look at the good news here. Adylkuzz was, fortunately, not programmed with much malicious intent. As we mentioned, turning a computer in a miner while avoiding detection is far safer for your data than a destructive or theft-oriented bit of malware.
In an even stranger twist, Adylkuzz wasn’t all bad for the computers that it infected. The malware was programmed to stay undetected in part by blocking any other malware from infecting the computer, up to and including WannaCry, which actually made Adylkuzz-infected computers immune to the WannaCry threat. This was a smart move: When WannaCry was discovered and a solution was found, it also meant the end of Adylkuzz. This is a point in favor of white hat security – patching one vulnerability can remove multiple threats at once.
Finally, it’s worth noting that while WannaCry could automatically infect computers through network connections, Adylkuzz was limited to the hacker’s personal work, and only infected the machines that it was directed to, based on how vulnerable the hacker believed certain systems to be.
Why It’s Important to Acknowledge All Types of Malware
When a big story like WannaCry hits, it can spur many organizations to finally implement security upgrades and important new precautions to keep data safe. But in the long-term, this kind of approach creates its own problem. Systems cannot be accurately patched based on whatever the “threat of the day” may be. That leads to a very shortsighted approach that allows other, sneakier malware to infect systems that are not adequately prepared. For every news-cycle-dominating attack like WannaCry, there are several Adylkuzz attacks lurking, watching for lazy security.
If you want full protection for your {city} business, it’s important to create a full security plan that includes regular updates and all necessary patches to protect from the latest threats. {company} can help! Find out more about our IT systems services by calling us at {phone} or emailing at {email}.
by Felicien | May 22, 2017 | Education
Google Analytics is a powerful suite of tools, but can be overwhelming at first: Here’s how to begin.
Google Analytics can be a godsend to young companies trying to grow online traffic to their website. It’s a free service provided by Google itself to track detailed website data and find out just what’s going on. For businesses without much experience in building and managing a website, Analytics can be a complex and daunting set of tools to dive into. Let us help by recommending several important steps when you are first setting up and finding out how Google Analytics works!
Keep an Unmodified Version of Your Site View
Google Analytics allows you to create properties based on your site and then specific “views” or reports of activity on your site. One of the first things that you should do when setting up is to create a base level reporting view of your site, just to see what it is. Keep that view separate – don’t add any filters or customization to, don’t change your websites and then redo it, just keep there, with the original data. This will be very useful when making long-term comparisons 6 months or a year out, when you can say, “This is where we started and here is where we are now.” This is particularly handy for ROI but also helps you create more accurate goals and not get lost in a mess of view reports without real purpose.
Use WebMaster Tools
Google Webmaster provides a variety of tools for you to research SEO trends and manage your website. You can link a WebMaster profile and an Analytics profile for your business, and this should certainly be another one of your first steps. Webmaster offers a number of useful tools for web designers, but it also provides valuable extra analysis. This is important since Google removed access to its primary keyword research tools on Analytics – Google generally tries to discourage “gaming the system” when it comes to keywords and thought that tool was providing a little too much actionable information. Webmaster provides a keyword research alternative that still allows you to find out useful SEO info for your content.
Prepare and Set “Goals” for Your Funnel
Goals are a specific tool in Google Analytics that allows you to research a very specific metric that you are concerned about our want to improve. As you set up your Analytics strategy, make sure that you create the right goals for your web pages and screens. Consider carefully beforehand just what you want to measure, from bounce rates and load times to single conversions and time spent on page. Every metric has its uses, but it’s smart to only pick a few viewer actions to measure in the beginning and make sure those actions connect with your goals.
Enable Site Search
Site Search is a handy capability that allows you to track search data within your website. This tool is particularly useful if you have an online product catalog or any type of complex website with different offerings and purchase opportunities. Site search will track exactly what terms visitors type in your site search bar to help them find something specific connected with your brand. These searches can tell you what people are interested in, and what they are having trouble finding via other means. It’s very handy!
Create a Schedule for Analysis
In general, Google Analytics is only useful if you use and make changes based on the information. Too many companies start Google Analytics but never progress or really use it for anything. So schedule a time – say, one afternoon a week – where you or your team sits down with Google Analytics, studies the latest results, and creates an updated plan based on what everyone has learned. Don’t let this tool go to waste.
Choose Some Extra Goals
When you feel confident enough, try a few extra, farther-reaching goals to track specific metrics that can provide very interesting information. That includes geo data for location-based results and more complex user paths to judge multiple events at the same time. You shouldn’t try to create goals for everything, but it’s good to sample different data sets from time to time, so start the habit early.
Do you have more questions about how to use Google Analytics and other research tools to improve your {city} website? Let {company} know how we can help! Contact us at {phone} or {email} to learn more.
by Felicien | May 22, 2017 | Education
The easy answer is money. Hackers infect your computer, lock up your data, and you pay to get it back. Easy to understand, right? The basics are. But if you’re like the average business computer user, you are now being newly exposed to terms like bitcoin, crypto mining and other terms that sound like they came directly from the latest Guardians of the Galaxy movie, not something we would deal with here on earth. Unfortunately, this is not the case.
Understanding all this can be confusing, and in a perfect world, something the average business owner shouldn’t have to worry about. The latest computer threats have changed all that. Basically, just as you already know, the computer tech world is just that, a world of its own, with its own language, structure, and of course, as you would expect, its own currency. Just like the currency we are familiar with, there are lots of types. Some examples include: Bitcoin, Namecoin, Dogecoin, Monero and many more. This currency, in most cases, is untraceable. Which means that, as you would expect, it is highly sought after, especially among those less reputable.
So why does it affect you? WannaCry last week exposed the world to the darker side of what a hacker can do—How your computer can literally be held for ransom. In the case of WannaCry, they wanted Bitcoin. During the clean-up of this attack, another virus was found named Adylkuzz. Unlike WannaCry, this virus doesn’t hold your computer ransom, in fact, you might never know it’s there because it’s basically invisible. Hackers created the virus to run processes on your computer that can earn the hacker cryptocurrency. How does this affect your business? It can slow down your entire network causing you time, and in some cases money.
Doesn’t sound like a big deal, right? It may not be, but it is to the hackers. In fact, the amount of cryptocurrency earned by hackers through Adylkuzz is way more than WannaCry.
Simply put, it’s no different than an employee stealing office supplies—A company may not notice, but it adds up after a while.
What can you do? The answer is simple, you’ve heard it time and time again—Make sure your software, especially Windows, is up-to-date. Like WannaCry, Adylkuzz found its way in because of outdated Windows software. It’s an easy fix.
Now more than ever, it’s important to have a trained professional involved in your computer support. The whole purpose of a good Information Technology Managed Service Provider is to ensure that you never have to worry about being hacked because your equipment or software was outdated, your security measures weren’t adequate, or because you just didn’t know what to look for. Call {phone} or send us an email to {email} today, to ensure your company’s IT is protected.
You have a choice. Learn a whole new language in addition to running your business, or hire a professional translator. {company} knows the language and the way the tech world works. Let us work for you.
by Felicien | May 22, 2017 | Education
WannaCry may be beaten, but here’s why the ransomware can still be dangerous.
WannaCry is an infamous example of how dangerous ransomware can be in the modern world. Almost overnight, this cyber attack hit computers around the world and managed to infect 300,000 computers in more than 150 countries before going back to the benches for a break.
Ransomware is particularly dangerous because, unlike many types of malware, it has a particular purpose: It tries to extort money from victims by holding data hostage. In this case, WannaCry spread its way through unprotected Windows computers, locking away valuable files and changed desktop backgrounds into a set of commands to submit money to the hacker via bitcoins. Here’s how it played out.
How WannaCry was Born
WannaCry is an interesting version of ransomware because of the way that it spreads. Most ransomware starts with a relatively simple phishing email that encourages victims to click on the link and so download the malware. WannaCry, short for Wanna Decryptor, spreads itself through the Server Message Block protocol, which is used by Windows computers to share files. That makes it very easy for the malware to jump between different computers that are on the same Windows network (the actual mechanics of making that jump are still somewhat unclear). This makes the ransomware particularly dangerous for business and school computers that are regularly connected on large networks. It even managed to infect high-level government organizations in countries like the UK.
When inside a vulnerable computer, WannaCry chooses specific files types – files types generally known for their valuable data content – and creates an encrypted copy of them using AES and RSA encryption techniques, which makes it very difficult for anyone but the hacker to decrypt the files. The encrypted versions replace the old files, and the ransomware displays the extortion message.
How Security Experts Tackled the Ransomware
Actually, it was one security expert in particular that cracked the code to shut down WannaCry before it did, even more, damage: A 22-year old anonymous malware researcher who digs into these problems for a living took a close look at WannaCry and found a significant vulnerability.
Most ransomware has a simple test that it runs when it firsts attacks a computer. This involves sending out a request to a website that doesn’t exist in the real world. This request is designed to fail. Ransomware is often tested in secured simulated environments by security experts looking for a weakness, so it is usually programmed to avoid infected computers in such a simulated network. A simulation wouldn’t route this website request to the real Internet, so the check would pass, and the ransomware would know it was a trap.
The UK white hat hacker came up with a simple solution based on this reaction: He simply bought a real domain for about $10 with the exact same name as the nonsense website that the WannaCry ransomware was programmed to check for. Suddenly, whenever WannaCry checked for the site on any connected computer, it came up positive. The ransomware immediately started thinking that everything was a trap, and it shut down instantly.
Why WannaCry is Still a Problem
Despite the clever solution, WannaCry remains a problem. That’s because hackers can’t resist a successful piece of ransomware, and copycat versions of the attack have already begun. At least two versions have come up with workarounds to the kill switch, including choosing a different target website for the test.
These versions of WannaCry remain less dangerous than the first because 1)we know about them and 2)they were sloppy copies from amateurs, but this doesn’t mean a bigger, badder WannaCry 2.0 isn’t on its way.
The Lessons We Can Learn
Don’t stick with older operating systems! WannaCry was a big problem for two reasons. First, while Microsoft released a patch that would have prevented the issue back in March, far too few people – including organizations that should have known better – downloaded it. That’s why it’s usually a good idea to have automated update schedule enabled, or at least clear instructions after an important patch is released.
Second, don’t get stuck in the dark ages. It took Microsoft a lot longer to create updates for outdated systems like Windows XP, which proved the most vulnerable platform by far for WannaCry. Guess who still uses Windows XP? If you answered, “Governments and lazy businesses,” then you are absolutely right, and they were also the most common victims of WannaCry. It’s all right to wait for compatibility and stability checks, but upgrading to new versions of the OS is important as soon as it is possible.
For more ways to protect your {city} business, contat {company}. Feel free to ask us any specific questions by contacting us at {email} or {phone}.
by Felicien | May 22, 2017 | Education
While it remains unclear exactly how many have been affected by the latest ransomware, aptly called “WannaCry,’ the estimate has already reached more than 75,000 computers in over 150 counties worldwide.
Hospitals, government offices, and high profile organizations are still reeling today after what cyber experts are calling one of the largest cyber attacks ever. This virus, identified as ransomware, seizes control of the user’s computer until a ransom has been paid. The user is given six hours to pay the $300 ransom, with the price increasing every three hours after that.
While it remains unclear exactly how many have been affected, the estimate has already reached more than 75,000 computers in over 150 countries worldwide. A vast majority of these ransomware attacks targeted Russia, but the effects were felt as far as the United States, Taiwan, and Ukraine. A major telecommunications enterprise in Spain reported a freeze on their entire network, as their ransom climbed to almost $550,000.
Who’s at Risk?
The latest in a recent string of cyber attacks was first discovered May 12 and has been linked to vulnerabilities in Windows. Aptly named ‘WannaCry,’ the ransomware targeted Windows XP, Windows 8, and Windows Server 2003 customers who had not yet installed the security update released by Microsoft in March. The National Security Agency (NSA) has received much criticism over the last week, with many blaming their handling of the ‘cyber weapon’ theft last month for the attack. In April, the group called ‘Shadow Brokers’ claimed responsibility for the piracy, but many feel the threat wasn’t taken seriously by the NSA.
While the attack was initially revealed on the 12th, analysts indicate the ransomware software was likely spreading for several weeks, laying dormant, waiting for the kill switch to be pulled. This exceptionally well-written code makes it virtually impossible to unlock encrypted files once they’ve been infected.
In the United Kingdom, outpatient appointments for sixteen National Health Service facilities were canceled and patients were advised to steer clear of emergency rooms if at all possible. China reported PetroChina gas stations were also experiencing difficulties, forcing consumers to pay cash for goods and services. Both countries have reported no evidence of personal information being compromised.
With Russia at the center of a large portion of the attacks, cyber experts indicate that the attack may have originated in Russia. Evidence points to the hacking of an extensive Russian email database as the likely source.
What’s Next?
The ransomware was discovered by a British security researcher, who goes by the name MalwareTech. It was configured to continually contact an unregistered domain that was built into its coding. During his analysis of the attack, MalwareTech registered the domain, which, unbeknownst to him, was what was necessary to halt the ransomware attack from spreading any further.
While Microsoft customers were the target of this attack, all software users are urged to update their operating systems immediately. Windows users who haven’t installed the update Microsoft released in March can prevent an attack on their system by doing so now. Unfortunately, the update won’t help those who have already been targeted in this recent attack. Laptop users should use extreme caution when utilizing public WiFi connections, as the ransomware is equipped with a ‘hunter module,’ which helps spread the virus to anyone on the shared network.
Recent studies reveal that cyber attacks are on the rise, showing no signs of slowing down in the near future. A published FBI report indicates an average of 4,000 ransomware attacks occurred each day in 2016, with an attack on U.S. enterprises occurring once every forty seconds. Businesses and individual users are urged to keep their firewalls up-to-date and configure them to block any malicious IP addresses. Anti-virus and anti-malware programs should also be configured to automatically perform regular scans.
by Felicien | May 22, 2017 | Education
Facebook Ads Manager is child’s play once you get accustomed to the interface. Spend a lot of time trying out each tool to make the most of your Facebook marketing campaigns.
Facebook Ads and Excel easily sound like a match made in heaven. What could be easier than tracking your ads via a convenient Excel spreadsheet? Using this tool along with other resources within your Facebook Ad Manager interface can make charting your ads progress seamlessly. Here are a few basics to get you started with Facebook Ads Manger and tips on using the latest tools.
Grab a Seat and Stay Awhile
Getting comfortable with Facebook Ads Manager is a must. You’ll do everything here: create ads, edit ads, and chart campaign progress. There are four main headings within Facebook Ads Manager: Account Overview, Campaigns, Ad Sets, and Ads. Account Overview is a summary of financials like how much you’ve spent over the past week on ads. While Campaigns, Ad Sets, and Ads are used to create/edit ads and retrieve reporting information. Since there is often a lot of information to process within Facebook Ads Manager, take advantage of the filters available. Options include filtering by date range or by specific keywords. Custom filters can be created and saved to help you find the data you need quickly at a later time.
Creating Ads on Facebook
The rules are pretty straightforward on Facebook for advertising: no adult content, no foul language, no copyright infringement, no misleading content, and no illegal products or services. Poor image quality and poorly worded copy are also common reasons for ad rejections. Take the time to create a polished ad with optimized images before heading over to Facebook Ads Manager.
To start, you’ll want to launch a new campaign. This allows you to tie a new ad set or ad to an existing campaign. Facebook walks you through the campaign creation process so there isn’t a steep learning curve. A campaign is set with an objective in mind before you move onto ad sets. The ad sets you choose will take some research. Select the demographics and placement most relevant to your brand. Ad sets are savable for later use. Design options will be chosen once you enter the Ads screen. This involves choosing your ad’s format and media type. Text and images are uploaded in this section before the campaign goes to Facebook for approval.
Facebook Reporting Tips
Analyzing your campaign’s performance is an essential part of Facebook Ads Manager. If your campaign is stalling, you’ll want to edit the campaign to get better results. You can view results directly from Facebook or use Facebook Ads Manager for Excel or FAME. The benefit of FAME is the ability to import multiple Facebook accounts into your reports. Moreover, you don’t have to mitigate your ad data manually each time you want to view results. With Excel’s refresh function, reports have automatic updating. The reports have plenty of useful data such as ad clicks, page likes, and conversions. Reports also contain the number of impressions for each placement and click through rate. The reports are used to manage your advertising budget since you’ll see total spent and cost per click.
Getting started on Facebook Ads Manager is easy and worthwhile. Promotions on Facebook has a proven track record of being lucrative and you don’t want to miss out on this opportunity.
