Posts

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Personal Activities … On Work Laptops (Part 2)

In this second part article, where we review the issues around employees engaging in personal activities on company-issued devices, we look deeper into the legal and compliance implications and provide real-world case studies of security breaches.…
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Personal Activities … On Work Laptops (Part 1)

CEO and founder of messaging app Telegram, Pavel Durov, was recently arrested in France over allegations that Telegram facilitates illegal activities, including money laundering, drug trafficking, and the distribution of child sexual abuse…
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Hacked MSP Fined £6m (Provisionally)

A provisional £6m fine has been imposed on an NHS software provider Advanced Computer Software Group following a 2022 data breach that affected more than 80,000 people.  Advanced Software Group  Founded in 2008, Advanced Computer…
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New Index Reveals Cyber Criminal Countries

In this insight, we look at how a recently developed ‘World Cybercrime Index’ appears to show the globe’s key cybercrime hotspots by ranking the most significant sources of cybercrime at a national level.  Three Years To Develop  The…
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Global Call-Spoofing Operation Shut Down

The UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA) has shut down a global call-spoofing operation called ‘Russian Coms’ which is believed to have been used to swindle more than 170,000 victims.  Russian Coms  Russian Coms is the name…
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King’s Speech Highlights Security Laws

Following the State Opening of Parliament, the King’s Speech on 17 July included news of significant new legislative proposals to address cyber security concerns, focusing on supply chain risks, particularly in the public sector, and improving…
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UK Company Scammed $25 Million Via Deepfakes

It’s been reported that an employee at London-based design and engineering multinational, Arup, was duped by a deepfake video call into paying a staggering $25.6 million to fraudsters.  What Happened?  According to reports…
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Wales Has Put A SOC In It

The UK’s first national security operations centre (SOC) known as CymruSOC, has launched in Wales to protect the country’s local authorities and fire and rescue services from cyber-attacks.  SOC  The Welsh government…

‘Networkless’ Attacks?

In this article, we look at why and how networkless attacks (which target cloud apps and identities) have created new opportunities for attackers and new risks for businesses, plus what your business can do to mitigate these risks.  The…
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New Quantum Attack-Proof PCs

At its Annual Partner Conference 2024, HP announced the world’s first business PCs to protect firmware against quantum computer attacks.  This Issue  As highlighted by Global Risk Institute research, 27 per cent of experts…
Google

What Does Incognito Mode Actually Do?

Following news that Google may need to pay $5 billion over tracking millions of people who thought they were browsing privately through incognito mode, we look at what incognito mode actually does.  Incognito Mode  Different browsers…
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New Privacy Features For Facebook and Instagram

Meta has announced the start of a roll-out of default end-to-end encryption for all personal chats and calls via Messenger and Facebook, with a view to making them more private and secure.  Extra Layer Of Security and Privacy  Meta…
Hacker

Cyber Attacks Burn Out Security Experts

A new survey from CyberArk has revealed that increased workloads caused by a surge in cyber threats and attacks has led to 59 per cent of UK senior cyber security professionals facing burnout.  Cyber Crime Levels High  The results…
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Microsoft Launches New AI Content Safety Service

Microsoft has announced the launch of Azure AI Content Safety, a new content moderation service that uses AI to detect and filter out offensive, harmful, or inappropriate user and AI-generated text or image content.  What Kind of Harmful…
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Safety Considerations Around ChatGPT Image Uploads

With one of ChatGPT’s latest features being the ability to upload images to help get answers to queries, here we look at why there have been security concerns about releasing the feature.  Update To ChatGPT  The new ‘Image input’…
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Firefox Helps You Hide (Your Emails)

Following several months of testing, Firefox users can now take advantage of the Firefox Relay email masking tool from within the browser to help preserve their online anonymity and boost security.  What Is Firefox Relay?  Firefox…
Chat GPT
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New Chatbot Attack : “Unstoppable”

Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University have reported finding a simple way to exploit a weakness and disrupt major chatbots like ChatGPT, Bard, and others.  Incantation  The researchers discovered that if they add specifically…
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Government Pushing For Right To Spy On WhatsApp Users (and others)

The recent amendment to the Online Safety Bill which means a compulsory report must be written for Ofcom by a “skilled person” before encrypted app companies are forced to scan messages has led to even more criticism of this rather…

Snooper’s Charter Updated. (Poorly)

Amendments to the UK Online Safety Bill mean a report must be written before powers can be used by the regulator to force tech firms to scan encrypted messages for child abuse images.  What Is The Online Safety Bill?  The Online…
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What’s Involved In a ‘Pen-Test’ ?

If you’d like to know what a ‘Pen Test’ is and the sorts of things you can expect from one, this article will give you a helpful overview. Pen Tests  Put simply, pen testing is short for “penetration testing” and in a virtual…

What Are ‘Zero-Day’ Attacks?

In this tech insight, we look at what ‘zero-day’ attacks are, then look at some recent high-profile examples and ultimately at what businesses can do to protect themselves from zero-day attacks.  Sophisticated Attacks That Highlight…
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11% Of Female Gamers Left Suicidal By Online Abuse

New Sky Broadband research has revealed that the level of abuse suffered by female online gamers from male gamers has been so strong that over one-in-ten (11 per cent) have been left feeling suicidal.  Shocking Levels…
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Two Key Cyber Security Insights

With phishing attacks being favoured for their effectiveness by attackers and most ransomware attacks now targeting backup storage, we look at what businesses can do to protect themselves.   Spear Phishing Accounted For Two-Thirds…
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View Deleted WhatsApp Messages

In this Insight, we look at how it is possible to uncover and read deleted messages on WhatsApp, and what a number of privacy features on the app mean for business users.  Changes   WhatsApp have made changes as regards message…
Google
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Passwordless Future : Google ‘Passkeys’

Google has announced the rollout of ‘Passkeys,’ which it describes as “the easiest and most secure way to sign-in to apps and websites” and a major step toward a “passwordless future.” Working Toward A Passwordless…
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Quantum Threat Growing

Following large investments in quantum computing followed by the ensuing advancement of this technology in recent years, as well as looking forward to benefits this could bring, there is also the growing threat of ‘quantum hacking.’  Quantum…
laptop users

How To Spot Fake Images

With deepfake images recently making the news by fooling many people, we look at the issues around fake images and how to spot them.  Recent Examples  The emergence of AI has led to an increasing output of highly convincing fake…
Device users

What’s All the Fuss About A National Alarm?

With the UK government’s new ‘Emergency Alerts’ system now live, we take a look at what it is and how it will work.  What Are ‘Emergency Alerts’?  The UK government’s Emergency Alerts service, managed by the…
DataCenter
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World Backup Day Is An Important Reminder

World Backup Day founder, Ismail Jadun, has said that March 31 will “will make everyone think about their situation, learn about the various options and get their files backed up”.  World Backup Day  World Backup Day, first…
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WhatsApp’s UK Threats Over Online Safety Bill

The boss of WhatsApp, Will Cathcart, has said he would rather stop users in the UK from using the app than lower its security, as suggested by the UK’s Online Safety Bill.  End-to-end Encrypted App  One of the key security features…
Meta
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New Meta Verified Blue Badge Subscription Service

Meta has announced it’s launching its own version of Twitter’s Blue Tick called ‘Meta Verified’ for Facebook and Instagram where users pay a monthly subscription to be verified on the platforms.  Announcement  On February…
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IT Security Threatened By Professional Burnouts

A Mimecast spokesman has warned that in a labour market already stretched by shortages, Dutch digital resilience could be threatened if more attention isn’t paid to the mental well-being of cyber security professionals.  Wanting To…
Twitter
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2FA Storm At Twitter

Twitter-owner Elon Musk’s latest decision to turn off SMS 2FA after 20 March unless you pay for Blue Tick has caused another storm of criticism.  What And Why?  On 15 February, Twitter announced that: “starting today, we…
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What Are SPF, DKIM, And DMARC Records?

In this insight, we look at the popular email authentication protocols SPF, DKIM, and DMARC, how they work, why they’re important, and what happens if they’re not set up properly.  What Is SPF?  SPF, or Sender Policy Framework,…
Hacker

Do Hackers Get Pensions & Sick Pay?

Kaspersky research has shown that hackers are now being recruited with dark web job ads offering huge salaries and benefits!   What?!  According to Kaspersky’s analysis of more than 200,000 employment ads posted on the dark…
security

What’s All the Fuss About LastPass?

Following news that hackers have stolen encrypted backups from the parent company of popular password manager LastPass, we look at what password managers are, plus the implications of the attack for businesses.  Password Challenges  We…
ransomware

Fewer Victims Pay Ransomware, Yet More Victims

Blockchain data platform Chainanalysis has reported that cybercriminals have seen a 40 per cent fall in their earnings as more people have refused to pay the ransom following ransomware attacks.  More Strains With Shorter Lifespans  However,…
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Smart Products Have Just 2 Years Of Life

Consumer champion Which? says that high-end smart products may lose features and functionality, or become a hacking risk, after as little as two years because manufacturers may stop tech updates.  Stopping The Smart Updates Limits Lifespan  Which?…
cyber security

A Lack Of Cyber Professionals

(ISC)2’s 2022 Cybersecurity Workforce Study has highlighted how the workplace skills gap, particularly the gap in the number of cyber security professionals, has grown by 26.2 per cent in the last year.  All Time High – But Still…
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Forget Hacking, What About Tracking?

In this article, we look at the many different ways we are being tracked online, plus which measures users can take to avoid being tracked.  Why Are We Being Tracked?  Internet tracking is used for a number of reasons, including:  Improving…
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What Are ‘BEC Campaigns’?

In this insight, we look at what BEC campaigns are, their characteristics, together with what businesses can do to protect themselves from the threat of BEC campaigns.   What Is A BEC Campaign?  A business email compromise…
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GMA Announces Commitment to Growing Cybersecurity Success by Becoming a Cybersecurity Awareness Month 2022 Champion

Gregory Micallef Associates Limited (GMA) announced this week that it has signed on as Champion for Cybersecurity Awareness Month 2022. What Is Cyber Security Awareness Month? Founded in 2004, Cybersecurity Awareness Month, held each…
hacker

The Anatomy of a Data Breach: And Four Steps To Protect Your Business

Arguably no phrase has dominated the tech world the last 24 months more than the term “data breach.” From breaches that have impacted critical infrastructure like the Colonial Pipeline to hackers compromising healthcare records at UC San…
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Nearly Half of Employees Use Risky Login Practices

A new study by 1Password has revealed that almost half of employees put their companies at risk by using risky online habits to avoid difficulties logging in and out of apps at work.  Taking Risks With Company Security  The study,…
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Sharing Files That Self-Destruct

In this insight, we take a look at some of the many options available for sharing files that self-destruct. Why? Many business IT users have occasions where they need to send sensitive information, e.g. passwords and other private work…
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Tech Tip – Stay Organised In Chrome By Pinning Important Tabs To The Left

If you’re working with lots of tabs open but want to be able to quickly locate essential web pages in your Google Chrome browser, try pinning important tabs to the left-hand side. Here’s how: Right-click on the tab and select ‘Pin’.The…
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UK Broadband And Mobile Carriers Face Tough New Security Rules

The UK government’s Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport has proposed a new set of rules to tighten up network security against cyberattacks in broadband and mobile carriers.  Amongst The Strongest In The World  The…
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Tech Tip – Get Creative And Save Or Share Sketched Ideas Using Google Canvas

If you’d like a really fast way to sketch out your creative ideas on a digital canvas and quickly download or share the image, try Google Canvas. Here’s how it works: Go to https://canvas.apps.chrome/.Choose a pen, pencil, crayon, eraser,…
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The True Cost Of Using Pirated Software

In this article, we look at how the risks to businesses posed by pirated software can far outweigh the benefits of using it, and how you can protect your business from the true costs of pirated software.  Benefits  On the surface,…

Tech Tip – Stay Organised With Microsoft To Do’s ‘My Day’ 

If you’d like to improve your productivity and focus on daily tasks, but in a way that works with your existing behaviour patterns, and doesn’t create ever-longer to-do lists, ‘My Day’ in Microsoft's ‘To Do’ cross-platform app may…
laptop worker

Protect Yourself From Job Phishing Scams

In this article, we look at what ‘job phishing’ is, how it works, and how you can protect yourself from this type of fraud.  What Is Job Phishing?  Job phishing refers to recruitment/employment scams where fraudsters pose as…
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Tech Tip – How To Use Notepad To Test Your Antivirus

Here’s a simple tip using Notepad to check if your antivirus is working as it should: Open Notepad.Type X5O!P%@AP[4\PZX54(P^)7CC)7}$EICAR-STANDARD-ANTIVIRUS-TEST-FILE!$H+H* into notepad.Save the file as either e.g., test.exe or test.bat…
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Major NHS Supplier Hit By Ransomware Attack

Advanced, an IT supplier to the NHS, has been hit by a ransomware attack that could take a month to recover from.  What Happened?  Birmingham-based ‘Advance’ provides digital services to the NHS such as patient check-in and…
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Pros and Cons of Weakening Encryption

With the Online Safety Bill threatening to undermine end-to-end encryption, we look at the strengths and weaknesses of this security trade-off.  Encryption  Encryption comes from the science of cryptography. In today’s digital…
Alexa
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How To Fake Someone’s Voice

Following recent security concerns about Amazon’s plans to enable Alexa to mimic voices, we look at how easy it is to do, what the benefits are, and what risks it poses.  Alexa The Mimic  Recently, Amazon announced that it was…
windows logo

New Windows Feature Displays Which Apps Have Been Listening-In

The new Privacy Auditing feature in Windows 11 allows users to see a list of which apps have accessed their microphone or camera recently, plus details of any other suspicious activity.  See Which Apps Have Accessed Your Microphone…
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How Can You Protect Yourself From ‘Identity Theft’?

With identity theft and the resulting identity fraud becoming more widespread, we look at how to spot the signs that you may be a victim, the effects on victims, plus how to reduce the risk of having your identity stolen and used for fraud.  What…
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Russia Cautions Cyber Attacks May Start Military Confrontation

The growing number of cyber-attacks since the start of Russia’s war against Ukraine have led The Russian Foreign Ministry to warn that more western cyber-attacks on its infrastructure could lead to a direct military confrontation.  Housing…
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New Spy-Spotting App From MI5

The UK government’s MI5-run ‘Centre for the Protection of National Infrastructure’ has launched a new app to help people spot approaches from foreign spies and organised criminals seeking sensitive information.  Really? How Big…
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Apple, Google and Microsoft In Password Collaboration

Apple, Google and Microsoft have announced that they are joining forces to support a common passwordless sign-in standard that will allow websites and apps to offer consistent, secure and easy sign-ins across devices and platforms.   The…
laptop

Pernicious Pegasus Plagues (Another) Prime-Minister

With many governments (including the UK Government) being targeted with Pegasus phone-spying software, there’s now news that Spain’s PM’s has also been hit.  What Is Pegasus?  Pegasus spyware is sold by Israeli-based NSO Group…
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Pegasus Spyware Discovered In Downing Street

The University of Toronto’s Citizen Lab has reported finding evidence that Pegasus spyware was being used to listen-in on UK government networks for 10 Downing Street and the Foreign and Commonwealth Offices (FCO) in 2020 and 2021.  Pegasus  Pegasus…
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Warning: Scam Aid To Ukraine Emails Circulating

The UK’s national fraud reporting centre, Action Fraud, says that it has received 196 reports of scam emails claiming to be raising funds for victims of the war in Ukraine.   Facebook Post   In a Meta / Facebook post on…
Hackers
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What is Lapsus$?

In this article, we look at the cyber-crime gang Lapsus$, how they operate and the details of some of their recent high-profile attacks.  Lapsus$ ?  Lapsus$ is reported to be a mostly teenage cyber-crime gang (hackers), mainly…
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Germany Warns Against Use of Kaspersky Anti-Virus

Germany’s Federal Office for Information Security (BSI) has warned that Russia-based Kaspersky’s anti-virus software could be used for spying or launching cyber-attacks.   Russian Companies Forced To Launch Cyber-Attacks?   The…
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Stop Your Smart Devices From Being Used To Spy On You

With so many smart devices now all around us in homes and offices, we look here at ways to minimise the risk of having your privacy invaded.    The Internet of Things (IoT)    IoT devices are those devices that are now…
mikhail-nilov

3% of Users Responsible For 92% Of Breaches

A report by Security Company ‘Elevate’ has revealed that 3 per cent of users are responsible for 92 per cent of malware events for businesses, indicating that a small number of users create the most risk.    2016 to 2021    ‘The…
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Mobile Malware Surges By 500%

Proofpoint researchers have reported that, starting in early February, there has been a 500 per cent jump in mobile malware delivery attempts in Europe.  Trend  According to the researchers, this rise is in keeping with a trend…
Ukraine

How Worried Should We Be About Cyber Warfare?

In this article we look at how cyber-attacks have been used by Russia against Ukraine, how this may spread to other countries, and what businesses can do to prepare. Cyber Attacks – A Part of ‘Hybrid Warfare’  State-sponsored…
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Ransomware Study : Most UK Firms Pay

A study by security firm ‘Proofpoint’ has revealed that 82 per cent of UK organisations whose systems were infected by ransomware in 2021 opted to pay the ransom.  Much Higher Than The Global Average  Despite cybersecurity and…
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Firms Prepare For The Quantum Apocalypse

In this article, we look at what the ‘quantum apocalypse’ is, and what businesses are doing to prepare for this threat.  What Is The Quantum Apocalypse?  The so-called ‘quantum apocalypse’ refers to the unspecified point…
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Why Solid Black Bars May Be Best For Redacted Text

In this insight, we look at how to best to avoid redacted text from being ‘unredacted’ by certain software tools, and we look at what researchers advise based on recent experiments.  The Problem  For businesses and organisations,…
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Ex School IT Technician Jailed For Cyber Attack

A sacked school IT Technician who took revenge by deleting data and sabotaging his old school’s network (and by wiping the computers of everyone who was logged in) has been jailed.  Revenge Hack  As reported on Leicestershire…
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What Is The Online Safety Bill?

Following recent announcements of a toughening-up of the (draft) Online Safety Bill, we look at what the bill is, and what its implications are. What Is The Online Safety Bill For? The UK government’s Online Safety Bill is (draft) legislation…
Microsoft
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How Microsoft Will Block Macros To Stop Malware

Microsoft recently announced that it will be blocking Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) macros by default as a way to stop the spread of malware. Since these macros are important automation tools for Microsoft Office apps, how is this going…
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European Oil Facilities Targeted By Cyber Attacks

In a worrying trend, oil facilities in Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands have all recently been targeted by cyber-attacks. Germany The attack on German oil, vehicle fuel and petroleum products company Oiltanking Deutschland GmbH &…
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30% Rise In Crypto-Laundering

A report by blockchain data platform ‘Chainalysis’ has shown a 30 per cent increase in cryptocurrency being used for money laundering in 2021 compared to the previous year. $8.6 Billion The 2022 Crypto Crime Report noted how cybercriminals…
look at code

Study Shows No-One Is Immune From Phishing

A new report from F-Secure has revealed that the most technically competent staff are just as likely (if not more likely) to fail a phishing test exercise. Phishing Phishing attacks typically involve sending emails that appear to come…
phone and computer
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How to Avoid Being “Doxxed”

In this article, we look at what doxxing is, some examples of doxxing, and what can be done to protect ourselves and our businesses from being ‘Doxxed’. What Is Doxxing? Doxing is a 90s hacker term meaning for dropping (personal)…
Hacker with CC card

What Is A ‘Watering Hole’ Attack?

In this tech insight, we look at what a watering hole attack is, some examples of such attacks, and how businesses can defend against this threat. Poisoning The Water A watering hole attack is a targeted, ‘supply chain,’ cyber-attack…
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How To Check Your VPN

In this article, we take a look at some of the ways users can assess how good their VPN really is. What Is A VPN? A ‘Virtual Private Network’ (VPN) is used to keep internet activity private, evade censorship / maintain net neutrality…
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The Essentials Of A ‘BYOD’ Policy

In this article, we look at what BYOD is, why a BYOD policy is important, and what elements form the essential blueprint of a BYOD policy. What Is BYOD? The term Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) has been around since 2004 when it was first…
password

What Is A Password Manager?

In this tech insight, we look at challenges to using passwords, what password managers are, and why they are still so important. The Limitations and Challenge of Passwords Passwords have long provided a practical way to log in to websites,…
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A Business Continuity Plan : The Essentials

In this article, we take a look at what a Business Continuity Plan is, what it should contain, and why it’s such an important document. Preparing Accepting that the unexpected and disasters will happen (and that you can plan how to…
laptop and mobile phone

Email Security

In this tech insight, we take a look at the many threats to email security that businesses face and what businesses can do to mitigate them, together with what help is available to help tackle those threats effectively. Email Accounts For…
Hacker

GoDaddy “Security Incident” Could Affect 1.2 Million

In this week’s security update, GoDaddy has reported a hack/data-breach on its managed WordPress hosting service which could mean that the details of 1.2 million users may have been exposed. Reports indicate that an intruder gained access…
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One-Third Of UK Employees Being Remotely Monitored By The Boss

A Prospect trade union poll has revealed that 32 per cent of UK workers are being remotely monitored and tracked by employers. Big Rise The poll also shows a rise in the number of employees under remote surveillance that’s up from a…
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Tech Insight : WAP … WEP … What ???

In this tech insight, we take a brief look at the WEP and WAP security protocols, and what happened to them. What Is WAP? Developed by Ericsson, Motorola, Nokia, and Unwired Planet, and introduced back in 1999, Wireless Application Protocol…
ATM
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Crypto ATM Scammers

An FBI announcement has warned that scammers are now directing victims to use physical cryptocurrency ATMs and digital QR codes to complete payment transactions. What Are Cryptocurrency ATMs? A cryptocurrency ATM is a physical kiosk/terminal/device…
Amazon

One Million UK households May Be ‘Brushing’ Scam Victims

A report from Consumer watchdog Which? reveals that as many as 1.1 million people in the UK may have been caught up in a parcel delivery ‘brushing’ scam. What Is Brushing? Brushing is where people are sent packages of goods to their…
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Massive Rise In HTTPS Attacks

The latest “ThreatLabz: The State of Encrypted Attacks,” 2021 report has shown a 300 per cent increase in online attackers using HTTPS to cloak their activities and blend in with other traffic. HTTPS HTTPS, the encrypted version of…
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Scam Calls : A Significant Update

This week, we heard the good news that the big phone networks have agreed to automatically block foreign scam calls, and we heard the bad news that an Ofcom survey has revealed that 45 million people in the UK were targeted by scam text messages…

30 Countries Pledge To Act On Ransomware

The international Counter-Ransomware members from 30 countries have issued a joint statement outlining their intent to take action to counter the growing threat posed by ransomware. What Is Ransomware? Ransomware is a form of malware…

How To Tell If You’re Being Spoofed

Many cybers attacks now take the form of using fake/spoof communication to trick victims into parting with personal (or company) data, or money. We take a look at some of the most popular and widely reported methods and how to avoid falling…
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Proposed Ban For Mass Facial Recognition & ‘Predictive’ Policing

The European Parliament has adopted a resolution calling for a ban on the use of AI-based predictive policing systems and the processing of biometric data that leads to mass surveillance. Areas The resolution seeks to ban the use of facial…
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Domain Security

After a recent report found that poor domain security has left most Global 2000 companies vulnerable to the threats of phishing and brand abuse, we take a closer look at domain security and how businesses can maximise their protection against…
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QR Codes … A Security Risk?

In this tech-insight, we take a look at what QR codes are used for, review some well-known security risks, and outline what action you can take to protect yourself from malicious QR codes. Quick Response (QR) Codes A QR code is a machine-readable…
Amazon

Amazon To Start Selling Cyber Insurance

Amazon has entered the B2B insurance market through a partnership with Superscript and is offering cyber insurance to small and medium-sized businesses in the UK. Cyber Insurance? Cyber insurance protects businesses (and individuals providing…
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No More Passwords For Microsoft Logins

In a bold step, Microsoft has announced that it is getting rid of all password logins, and that users will have to use an authenticator app or other solution instead. Vision Back in 2019, Microsoft announced that 100 million people were…
iPhones
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Apple Issues Patch To Stop iPhone ‘Zero-Click’ Spyware

Apple has issued a security update following the discovery of a zero-day, zero-click “spyware” that could infect iPhones and iPads. Discovered By Researchers The threat was discovered by independent researchers from the University…
Hacker

Tech-Insight : What Is ‘Doxing’ ?

In this article, we look at what doxing is, the legality of it, some examples of doxing, and we consider what we can do to protect ourselves and our businesses from attack. What Is Doxing? Doxing is a term meaning for dropping (personal)…
laptop

What Is Most Web Traffic Made Up Of?

In this article, we look at how a surprisingly large proportion of Internet traffic is made up of bots, how many of these can be ‘bad bots’, and what businesses can do to keep enjoying the benefits of good bots while guarding against the…
facial recognition
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Tech News # 1 : Biometrics Could Assist the Taliban

Human Rights groups fear that the Taliban could soon be able to use collected biometric data to identify contractors and locals working with the US military. What Biometric Data? It has been reported that, over time, while on operations…
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Tech Insight : How (Simple) 2FA is Being Beaten

In this article, we take a look at how two-factor authentication, introduced to help add an extra layer of security to logins, has its own vulnerabilities. What Is 2FA? Two-factor authentication (2FA) combines a username and password…
Royal Mail

Delivery Scams Top The ‘Smishing’ List

Data, published by trade association UK Finance for security provider Proofpoint, shows that parcel and package delivery scams are now the most common form of ‘smishing’ attempts. What Is Smishing? Smishing is where an attacker sends…
crypto cash
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Crypto Hackers Return Most Of The $610 Million Crypto Cash

On 12 August, the Poly Network DeFi platform announced that, following the theft of $610 Million in digital coins, the hacker thieves had returned $342 million. However, it’s been reported that more recently, almost all of the stolen crypto…
zero trust

Tech Insight: What Is Zero Trust?

With mobile computing, software-as-a-service (SaaS), and now remote working moving the focus of IT security away from the traditional perimeter, this article takes a brief look at what a ‘Zero Trust’ approach is and how it can help. More…
laptop security

Tech Insight – What Is 2FA?

Two-Factor-Authentication (2FA) refers to another piece of information that users are required to provide (in addition to username and password login details) to access a website/platform/account. Requiring another piece of information protects…
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Doesn’t Microsoft Back-Up Your Stuff? Er, No!

Recognising that Microsoft 365 does not comprehensively back up your data means that making sure that you have a third-party, “point-in-time” backup solution is an important consideration for your business. Only For 30 Days Microsoft…
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Tech Insight – What Is A VPN?

In this article, we take a brief look at what a VPN is, how it works, its advantages, plus its disadvantages. What Is A VPN? A Virtual Private Network (VPN) is a service that allows you to create a secure connection to another network…
Data Wall

How Secure Is Your Software/Digital Supply Chain?

It is easy to think that cyber-attacks are likely to come from outsiders unconnected to the business, but how much do you know about the security of your digital supply chain? Software Supply Chain Risks Businesses use many different…
laptop security
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Guarding Against The Rise In Router and VoIP Attacks

After a recent high profile media story highlighted how poor router security led to a police raid of the home of an innocent family, we take a look at how Wi-Fi piggybacking attacks against home and domestic targets, and VoIP hacking of businesses…
safety
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Get Notified By Google If Your Passwords Are Compromised

As part of Google’s latest security updates to Chrome and Android, users will not only be alerted if any of the passwords in their Password manager are compromised but will also be given the opportunity to make a quick fix. Quick Fix –…
Google
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New Privacy Features For Android 12

Google has announced the release of the first beta of Android 12 which has a range of new features including some security measures which Google hopes can match those of Apple. Design Change Announced recently at a developer conference,…
Oh No

The Issue of Push Payment Fraud Reimbursement

With Barclays Bank recently publishing the figures of refunds it made to customers who fell victim to authorised push payment (APP) fraud, there have been calls for greater transparency and reform to the current (voluntary) reimbursement code. Authorised…
WatchGuard T80WatchGuard
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Tech Insight: What Are Firewalls?

In this article, we take a brief look at what a firewall is, what types there are, and the benefits and drawbacks of firewalls. Firewall A firewall is a network security system that can monitor and control incoming and outgoing network…
Security

Tech Insight: What Is Patching or Patch Management?

In this article, we take a brief look at the importance of patch management in maintaining security. Patches and Patch Management Patches are the software fixes for known security vulnerabilities in software such as operating systems,…
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Google Users To Be Auto-Enrolled In Two-step Verification

In a recent blog post, Google has announced that the automatic enrolment of Google account users in Two Step Verification ‘2SV’ is coming soon. Passwords – Single Biggest Threat To Online Security In the blog post on ‘On World…
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Old Router Risks Could Affect Millions

An investigation by consumer watchdog ‘Which?’ has highlighted how millions of people around the UK are using old routers with security flaws. The Investigation The Which? investigation surveyed 6,000 UK adults and, with the help…
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How To Browse Privately

This article takes a brief look at what private browsing actually means with popular browsers and software, and how genuinely private browsing could be achieved. Why Browse Privately? Over 80 percent of websites use one or more tracking…
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MI5 ‘Think before You Link’ Campaign Warning To Staff

MI5 is using a ‘Think before You Link’ campaign to warn its workers about the growing threat of being targeted for information by actors for hostile states using fake profiles on platforms such as LinkedIn. Think before You Link It…
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Russia Sanctioned Over Cyber Attacks

President Biden’s administration in the U.S. has placed new sanctions on Russia over alleged cyberattacks affecting the U.S. and its allies. What Is Russia Accused Of? The U.S. government sanctions relate to: The ‘SolarWinds attack’…
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Ransomware Payouts Tripled Last Year

The Ransomware Threat Report 2021 from Unit 42 shows that the average amount paid by ransomware victims tripled from 2019 to 2020. Ransomware Ransomware is a form of malware that encrypts the important files on a computer and the user…
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Are Macs More Secure Than PCs?

Apple Macs have long had a reputation for being more secure than PCs but where does this idea come from and is it really the case? How Did It Start? Apple itself supported the idea that Macs didn’t get computer viruses until (in 2012)…
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Two ISPs Helped Secret Government Web Spying

Using the Investigatory Powers Act of 2016, it has been reported that a recent government test of tracking users' web histories has been helped by two ISPs. The Investigatory Powers Act The Investigatory Powers Act 2016 (also known as…
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Google Alerts Used In Malware Scam

It has been reported that hackers have been able to spread malware using fake news stories via the Google Alerts service. Google Alerts Launched in 2003, Google Alerts is Google’s content change detection and notification service which…
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Post Office Biometric Authentication

The Post Office has announced that its new, free app will include the latest biometric-face matching and liveness biometric authentication. Partnership With Yoti As a result of a partnership with London-based digital identity company,…

Emotet : A Million Bucks per Incident

In the light of a reported recent victory by Europol in trying to stop the particularly dangerous Emotet malware, we look at what it is, how it is spread, and how to try and guard against it. What is Emotet? Emotet is a computer malware…
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What Is Zero Trust?

With mobile computing, software-as-a-service (SaaS), and now remote working moving the focus of IT security away from the traditional perimeter, this article looks at what a Zero Trust approach is and how it can help. More Complex Demands The…
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Data About You Held By UK Government

In this article, we look at not just the story of how a staggering 400,000 police records were accidentally deleted but also at the wider picture of what information is held about us UK citizens by the authorities, and what powers we have over…
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Microsoft’s Password Manager Works Across Devices and Browsers

Microsoft has announced that its new Authenticator App will also work as a password manager which will allow passwords to be synced across desktop and mobile devices (iOS and Android) as well as Edge and Google Chrome browsers. Free Authenticator The…

Personal Data Security Given Low Priority By Christmas Online Shoppers

A survey commissioned by PCI Pal® shows that Christmas online shoppers appear to be more concerned about prices and the speed and cost of deliveries than the security of their personal data. Priority Ranking The survey asked 2,002…
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Stay Safe Online This Christmas

With Christmas just around the corner here are some suggestions for how you and your loved ones can stay safe online over this festive period and beyond. The Shift Online The pandemic has prompted a huge shift online this year for work…
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UK COVID Vaccine Maker Targeted By Suspected North Korean Hack

It has been reported that UK drug company AstraZeneca has been targeted by suspected North Korean hackers thought to be looking for COVID vaccine secrets. Used WhatsApp and LinkedIn Over the last few weeks, attacks have reportedly been…
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HMRC Self Assessment Scam Warning

HMRC has issued a warning to those completing Self Assessment tax returns for 31 January not to be caught out by SMS messages and email scams purporting to be from HMRC. Bogus An upturn in scams using HMRC’s name has meant that in the…
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The Difference Between Cloud Backup and Cloud Storage

This article looks at the difference between cloud backup and cloud storage and how each contributes to daily business life; business continuity and disaster recovery. The Need For Storage Businesses not only have limited hard drive space,…
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Data Breaches : The Fallout

Data Breaches A personal data breach, as defined by the UK’s data watchdog and regulator, The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), is “a breach of security leading to the accidental or unlawful destruction, loss, alteration,…
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Scammer Accidentally Calls Cyber-Crime Squad

A hapless scammer pretending to be from a broadband network got more than he bargained for when he accidentally called (and tried to work his scam) on the cyber-crime squad of an Australian police force. Claimed To Be From Broadband Network The…
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Bring Your Own Device (BYOD)

In this article, we look at why bring your own device (BYOD) is still popular and we look at some of the risks businesses face by allowing BYOD. BYOD BYOD has been around since 2004 and essentially allows employees to bring in their personally…
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How Do You Know If Your Website Has Been Hacked?

Hacking of websites, as well as devices and accounts, is all too common and this article looks at some of the tell-tale signs that your website may have been hacked, and what to do about it. Signs The kinds of signs that alert website…
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Password Security and The Road Ahead

The fact that websites continue to be hacked and passwords are frequently stolen (and that a computer recently set a record by guessing 100 billion passwords per second) calls in to question how passwords can still be used safely and what lies…
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Tech Increasing Domestic Abuse

With domestic abuse on the rise, particularly since the pandemic lockdowns, we look at some of the chilling ways that smart devices and other technology are being used as a tool by abusers. Rise In Reports A BBC Panorama and Women’s…
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Learning From the WisePay Attack

In the wake of the recent attack on the WisePay website which saw some parents unwittingly making school payments to cyber-criminals, we look at how to spot whether personal data may have been compromised and how to protect personal information…
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Are You Being Tracked By WhatsApp Apps?

A recent Business Insider Report has highlighted how third-party apps may be exposing some data and details of the activity of WhatsApp users. WhatsApp – Known For Encryption Facebook-owned WhatsApp is known for its end-to-end encryption. …
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Facial Recognition, Facial Authentication and the Future

Facial Recognition and facial authentication sound similar but there are distinct differences and this article takes a broad a look at how both are playing more of a role in our lives going forward. So firstly, what's the difference? Facial…
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Privacy Campaigners Challenge Government Over Test and Trace

Privacy campaign groups Big Brother Watch and The Open Rights Group have voiced their concerns that there is a lack of clarity from the government about how the data of users of the new NHS contact tracing app will be protected. Concerns The…
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Cybersecurity Top of List for Digital Transformation

A recent survey appears to have shown that changes brought by the pandemic have meant that IT buyers from companies working on digital transformation now value cybersecurity the most. Survey The survey, conducted among IT business leaders…
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The Challenge of User Access Permissions

Employees being given too much access to privileged, sensitive company data can put an organisation in danger.  In this article, we explore the issues around this subject and how businesses can minimise the risk. Survey In a recent…
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Tips & Tools To Keep Kids Safe Online

The online environment can be a dangerous as well as a fun place for young people so here are some tips and tools to help keep kids safe online. The Risks Children face many risks online including seeing/watching things they shouldn’t,…
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Making Your Router Secure

With your router in charge of all incoming and outgoing Internet traffic and controlling the Wi-Fi network for your devices, it makes sense to make it as secure as possible. Routers Your router is the device that connects your computer…
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Lockdown Love Scams

Details emerged this week of a scam whereby a man claiming to be on a top-secret military mission contacted a lady on a dating site and encouraged her to switch to an encrypted message service in order to steal money and personal details. Hooked In…
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Ritz Roasted

Some diners with bookings at the Ritz Hotel were reportedly targeted by phone scammers who posed as hotel staff to steal credit card details. What Happened? The ID spoofing attack involved the fraudsters pretending to be hotel staff,…
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Celebrity Twitter Accounts Hacked For Bitcoin

Twitter accounts of celebrities including Barack Obama and Bill Gates were hacked and used to operate a scam, asking people to donate bitcoin. What Happened? Hackers used the tools that were normally only available to Twitter staff to…
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LinkedIn Sued Over Clipboard-Reading Allegations

An Apple iPhone user in the U.S. has sued LinkedIn over allegations that its app was reading the contents of an Apple device user’s clipboard without their knowledge. Spying Complaint The complainant, Adam Bauer, alleges that LinkedIn’s…
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Free Cybersecurity Testing Module For Remote Workers

A new penetration testing module as part of the National Cyber Security Centre’s Exercise in a Box toolkit will help remote workers of SME’s to improve their cybersecurity. The free cybersecurity testing module for remote workers is the…
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Police Crack Encrypted Network To Reach Crime Gangs

An international law enforcement operation has led to the cracking of the EncroChat Android phone network and the arrest of criminal gangs. The Network The France-based EncroChat network, which was discovered by the French National…
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NatWest’s Extra Layer of Behavioural Biometrics Security

In partnership with Visa, NatWest has added an invisible layer of behavioural biometrics as part of an authentication process that will enable compliance with a new EU regulation. Which Regulation? The Strong Customer Authentication (SCA) regulation,…
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Beware of Fake Contact Tracer Messages

Just as you thought that cybercriminals had exploited every aspect of the pandemic, there are now warnings to beware of fake contact tracer messages. Contact Tracing in the UK Here in the UK, NHS contact tracers are now contacting…
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What Is Vishing? And How to Guard Against It

‘Vishing’, or ‘phishing over the phone’ is on the rise and in this article, we look at what vishing is, and the techniques used. We show examples and explain how to guard against it. What Is Vishing? The word Vishing is a combination…
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eBay Port Scanning Causes Alarm

Reports that eBay has been running port scans against the computers of visitors to the platform have caused alarm over potential security issues. Port Scans Port scanning is something that many people associate with cyberattacks…
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Does My Phone Have A Virus?

Have you have ever wondered "does my phone have a virus?", if so read on. This article looks at how to tell if your phone has a virus, what to do if you think it has, and how to protect your phone. Phones are essentially powerful mobile computers…

Robotic Dog Maintains Social Distancing in Singapore

A robotic dog maintains social distancing in a trial in a park in Singapore. The robot called SPOT warns visitors to observe social distancing measures. Sign The 2-week trial in Singapore’s Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park is a collaboration…
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Scam Warnings For Remote Workers

More scam warnings for Zoom, Teams and Meet users as reports show hackers still use domains related to popular collaborative platforms to target remote workers with phishing scams during lockdown. Domains Almost as soon as the lockdown…
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How Tech is Helping Reduce Lockdown Stress and Mental Health Problems

A state of lockdown has increased our reliance on technology to help us meet our needs and to reduce our stress.  Here are some of the many ways that technology has helped us to look after our mental health in these challenging times. Apps…
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Apple and Google Ban Location Tracking in Contact Tracing App

Apple Inc and Alphabet Inc (Google) have both announced that they will not use GPS location tracking as part of the COVID-19 contact tracing app that they are jointly developing. Contact Tracing Apps With contact-tracing and testing believed…
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Businesses Get Extra Time To Meet New Secure Payment Processing Rules

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has given UK businesses an extra 6 months to reach compliance with the new Strong Customer Authentication (SCA) rules for secure payment processing. What Are the SCA Secure Payment Processing Rules? The…
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How To Securely Dispose of Old Phones, PC’s and Laptops

When our PCs, laptops, phones, and other devices need to be replaced, disposing of them in a way that does not pose a data security risk is especially important. Here are some tips on how to dispose of devices securely. Backup Before…
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Google Blocks 18 Million Coronavirus Scam Emails Per Day

Google is reported to have been blocking 100 million phishing emails per day and 18 million email scams relating specifically to coronavirus. Millions of Scams and Spam Messages Daily On its Cloud blog on 16th April, Google reported that…
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Data Reveals Business Worries About Remote Working Challenges

London-based security company Redscan has reported that recent Google searches reveal how businesses are focused on how they can adapt to the security and technology challenges posed by remote working. Not Prepared This does appear to…
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Maintaining Security on Employee Exit

When employees leave (or are asked to leave) or retire from businesses and organisations, those entities still have a legal responsibility to ensure that security levels are maintained with regards to data security. Laws For Data The…
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Research Indicates Zoom Is Being Targeted By Cybercriminals

With many people working from home due to coronavirus, research by Check Point indicates that cybercriminals may be targeting the video conferencing app ‘Zoom’. Domains Cybersecurity company ‘Check Point’ reports witnessing a…
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Cybercriminals Hijacking Netflix and Other Streaming Accounts

It has been reported that the surge in the use of streaming music and video services has been accompanied by a surge in the number of user accounts being taken over by cybercriminals. Entertainment During Isolation Self-isolation and…
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Maintaining Security During The COVID-19 Health Crisis

The current global health crisis may bring many different IT security challenges to businesses and organisations and this article highlights some of the ways that you can prepare to keep IT security covered as best you can at this difficult…
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Cybercriminals Take Advantage of Covid-19 Outbreak With Phishing Emails

Some cybercriminals have already taken advantage of the fear surrounding the Covid-19 outbreak by sending out phishing emails that promise cures, seek donations, or heighten panic in order to extract personal data and money. Phishing For…
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