WyzGuys Tech Talk

A quick Saturday digest of cybersecurity news articles from other sources.

Will working and schooling from home break the Internet?

I have been getting this question a lot lately.  Quick answer, it is unlikely, so no it won’t break the Internet.  But is is changing usage from downtown areas to suburbs.  See the map.  From Tech Republic.

Remote working due to coronavirus? Here’s how to do it securely…

Don’t let teleworking due to concerns over the coronavirus (Covid-19) put your cybersecurity health at risk….

Tips for a successful remote work environment

(Comment from Bob – I have worked remotely as an employee for three different employers, and then worked from home for decades inn my own business.  This post from Melissa Harrison should be helpful to those of you who are WFH for the first time.)

I thought that in this time where others are navigating remote work–some for the first time–this tangible list of tools and advice could help ease some anxiety.  My prediction as we navigate these waters and come out on the other side (I’m talking to you, COVID-19) is that there will be some companies that see the value in remote work options. While these companies may not adopt a full work-from-home policy, they may realize that it can be done–successfully–and that employees may value the ability to get work done from a location of their choosing.

A special thanks to our critical infrastructure workers.

Glad to see that Information Technology workers are included.

What Happened When Hong Kong’s Schools Went Virtual to Combat the Spread of Coronavirus

Temporarily, all schools in Hong Kong have gone to online learning.  Something that the US school systems need to be preparing for.  From the Smithsonian.

8 ways tech pros are helping healthcare providers cope with coronavirus

Free telehealth toolkits, childcare calculators, and symptom screeners are a few of the tools and services now available to ease the burden on hospitals and doctors during the outbreak.

How Will Ransomware Attack Vectors Change in Response to COVID-19?

The data is in, and ransomware is on the rise in a major way. According to research by Beazley Insurance, ransomware attacks more than doubled in 2019. The attacks against Beazley’s clients rose 131% in 2019 compared to 2018. But how are the details of these attacks changing? And perhaps more importantly now, how will they continue to change given the global state of the pandemic? And Beazley identified another shift in the ransomware landscape because of the coronavirus. It is changing everything about the world right now, and employment is one of those many things. The remote workforce is larger than ever, and this increases the risk of ransomware. Why? A significant reason is the… Read more

Do Cybersecurity Certifications Really Matter?

The world is desperate for more smart people to enter the cybersecurity workforce. And organizations are turning over all kinds of rocks to find them. This has led to a growing question within InfoSec: with such a shortage of talent, do cybersecurity certifications matter? The latest piece of evidence that certifications matter comes from a new survey of CTOs, CIOs, and CISOs or equivalent at companies with 100… Read more

NCSC: Secure your webcams now

We don’t want to see what you do behind closed doors, but lots of hackers would be happy to pull up a chair to view that video stream.

Tech support scammers hacked back by vigilante

A cybercrime vigilante was so incensed by tech support scammers, he reverse-hacked the Indian call centre to spy on his would-be attackers.

Google Chrome to start blocking downloads served via HTTP

Google has announced a timetable for phasing out insecure file downloads in the Chrome browser starting with desktop version 81 due this month.

FBI director warns of sustained Russian disinformation threat

Russia is still using social media in a sustained campaign to dabble in US affairs, according to FBI director Chris Wray.

Microsoft: Turn off Memory Integrity if it’s causing problems

Microsoft has finally clarified how users can fix a Windows security measure that has been causing hardware problems: turn it off.

Windows Explorer Used by Mailto Ransomware to Evade Detection

Researchers at Quick Heal Security Labs discovered a new strain of the Mailto ransomware that uses a novel way to disguise itself to evade detection and stay invisible for Antivirus products.  The new strain targets Windows devices both of consumers and organizations worldwide using Windows’ explorer[dot]exe (not to be confused with Internet Explorer) to achieve its evasive action act through an innovative form of “process injection.”

Yet Another Utility Company Falls Victim to Ransomware Attack

The latest ransomware attack on yet another utility company echos the warnings from last year’s report on utilities’ readiness for a cyberattack.  Just two weeks ago, Massachusetts utility company, Reading Municipal Light Dept (RMLD), announced on their website that they had become the victim of a ransomware attack. Calling it a “targeted” attack, RMLD becomes just one of many utility companies to be the focus of cyberattacks by eleven different cybercriminal organizations.