As the demand for experienced cyber security workers increases, our national security decreases. Some analysts believe that by as early as next year there could be a global shortage of cybersecurity professionals. With cyber-attacks becoming an increasing threat, enlisting and training a new generation of well-versed cyber security experts, as well as training current workers in the field, will aid in not only restoring the confidence of those who use the internet, but those who are just starting to experience the world wide web. Rebuilding our defenses online is the first step to a stronger, more confident nation. Some of you may be wondering what you can do to help, and the answer is simple! The National Cyber Security Alliance and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security both urge parents, teachers, and employers to motivate potential talent to pursue a career in cyber security. A cyber security professional needs an understanding that goes deeper than just math and technology. They need to be curious, passionate about learning, have a strong ethic and moral compass and be aware of the risks that come with the job. While all these ideas play an important role, at the end of the day, a profession in cyber security means having a passion in keeping our online world more secure and safer for all. To those who are worried about a boring job, fret not, for you will be at the front lines. While cyber security experts are behind the scenes, the roles they play impact our digital lives in big ways. Cyber security experts tackle catastrophic issues before they can detonate, causing massive issues for the internet. This profession is dedicated to protecting those online, keeping them more secure and safer from any threats they may face. A profession in cyber security builds important team-based skills and provides an environment for one to continue to learn and improve in skill. If you believe your student or child to be interesting in cyber security, there are steps you can take to aid them! You could volunteer at school or set up community workshops that help to teach children and adults about online safety and a career in cyber security. Try exposing students or your children to the opportunities in the field of cyber security by hosting an open house at your company to talk about what your cyber security department does. Inspire children to learn about cyber security by mentoring a team in a cyber challenge or hosting events and after school programs. Work with schools or community organizations to create an internship program for hands-on learning. For parents, become knowledgeable about the educational steps to a career in cyber security and about organizations that host events for cyber security. For those in college searching for a job in cyber security, get credentials. Four out of five cyber security jobs require a college degree. Do volunteer work and internships so that you can become more experienced in the field itself. Offer help to you IT professors at college or employer to gain more experience. Read about the latest advancements and breaches regarding cyber security. Pay attention to how these breaches occur and how they were fixed. If you are interested but not sure if cyber security is right for you, take a look at the National Initiative for Cyber security Careers and Studies (NICCS). NICCS has career resources for learning more about jobs in the field, as well as guides for learning about how to join a cyber security team! At Hammett Technologies we put your online security as a top priority. We treat your network as our own, with regular maintenance and updates to keep your company’s data secure. Be with a team you can trust, become a Hammett Technologies Partner today! Still curious as to what we can do to help your company grow? Click here to find out more!
“Mass Logger,” a new keylogger on the market, has the potential to become extremely dangerous for businesses and individuals. Keyloggers are a type of malware, usually found within phishing campaigns, that store all information you type into your computer. These malicious programs can lead to many of your passwords becoming compromised. Why is This Key Logger so Dangerous? Mass Logger is different from other key loggers. The developer of Mass Logger is frequently updating this key logger to help it remain undetected through automated antivirus solutions. Furthermore, support from the developer allows other cybercriminals to assist with and make requests for the malware. Cofense Intelligence has already identified a phishing campaign hiding Mass Logger. Emails loaded with GuLoader, a popular malware delivery mechanism that downloads encrypted payloads hosted on legitimate file-sharing platforms is also being used to deliver Mass Logger. A New Kind of Keylogger Additions and features, such as the ability to spread itself through USB ports, set Mass Logger apart from other key loggers. Mass Logger is also able to search for specific file extensions and exfiltrate them. These “features,” and the key loggers continued support from its developer, could see Mass Logger being adopted by a large portion of cybercriminals. Defending Yourself from Mass Logger Defending yourself from malware is tiresome but a necessary task when online. Ensure that you are watching out for suspicious emails from unknown senders. Never open attachments from people you are unfamiliar with or do not know. Merely opening an infected attachment is all malicious programs need to begin infecting your system. Ensure that you trust the sites you are downloading programs from and that they are reputable. If you are worried about your company and want your employees to understand the importance of practicing cybersecurity daily, call Hammett Technologies. We are certified experts and will ensure your business runs at top speed without cutting corners on cybersecurity.
Windows and Linux users are once again the targets of a new string of ransomware: Tycoon. First discovered in 2019, the new strain of ransomware was created to attack educational institutes and software industries. Once inside, Tycoon proceeds to encrypt file servers, demanding a ransom for decryption. What makes this ransomware different from its predecessors is its use of code to help disguise its presence on networks. Uncovering Tycoon Ransomware Discovered by researchers and security analysts at Blackberry and KPMG, Tycoon is quite unusual compared to other ransomware. Utilizing Java, Tycoon deploys using Java Runtime Environment (JRE) and compiles itself into a Java image file (Jimage) to hide its malicious payload. What Tycoon Does The ransomware infiltrates a network using unsecured internet-facing remote desktop protocol (RDP) servers. When the system is compromised, antivirus solutions are rendered useless due to Tycoon’s ability to elevate its privileges and disable them. Once executed, Tycoon ransomware encrypts all files connected with the network, adding filename extensions such as .redrum, .grinch, and .thanos. Like other ransomware, once all files are encrypted, users are prompted to pay a ransom (in the form of bitcoin) to obtain their data back safely. Staying Safe RDP is a common way for many malicious attack campaigns to infiltrate networks. Ports should only face outward towards the internet for extreme cases, and users accessing these ports should have strong, unique passwords. Regularly updating your system’s security is another good way to ensure your network remains safe. Regularly backing up your network and storing those backups offsite or off the network is another crucial step to take. Should the worst case scenario happen, a backup will save you time and money. Worried your network may be compromised or at risk to attackers? Wondering when the last time you backed up your network was? Hammett Technologies can take care of all your business’s technological needs without the headache. Give us a call and secure your data today!
After the death of Iran’s General Qassem Solelmani, the United States may end up dealing with some serious cyber-attacks. Since 1984, the United States has recognized Iran as a nation that supports terrorism and terrorist organizations, which has led to previous conflicts between the two nations. However, after the recent assassination of General Qassem Solelmani, the United States may face fierce retaliation. We have already seen government sites become hacked and defaced with Pro-Iran propaganda. Therefore, while we are unsure which shape their “revenge” will take, it is important that all US citizens prepare for all aspects, especially cyber. The Department of Homeland Security has issued the following statement urging US citizens to be cautious when browsing online over the next couple of weeks. Many of us are aware of the basics when it comes to browsing online safely, but it is important to review. Be cautious of suspicious emails It is better to be safe than sorry. Do not download any attachments, or click any links, from emails unless you are 100% certain the email originated from a trusted sender. Be aware of suspicious websites If a website seems off or is asking for your credentials where it has not before, close the browser and attempt to navigate to the proper website. Fraudulent banking websites are extremely common and usually appear due to simple typos. For businesses, make sure your cybersecurity team has your network locked down and protected against cyber-attacks. It is extremely important that one’s network is protected at all times. This is especially important if you are a business that transports customer confidential data or uses credit card transactions. If you are worried that your business’s network may be easily accessible by criminals, do not hesitate to reach out to Hammett Technologies. With over 20 years of IT and Cybersecurity experience we will help identify flaws that allow attackers to enter your network ensuring your network is protected. Our team will ensure your company’s and customer’s data is secure and encrypted, without interrupting the day to day processes. Contact us today and figure out why we are the #1 growing MSP in Maryland!
Computers around the world are continually generating records that occur. While some of these are routine checks, others are hostile, aimed at gaining access to or even destroying your network. However, by checking and reviewing the log files, you can stay on top of these issues. From malware, damage, and loss and legal liabilities, log files contain all the day to day information of your network. Therefore, it is important to practice event log management daily. It must be collected, stored, analyzed, and monitored to meet and report on regulatory compliance standards like PCI and HIPPA. WHY LOG MANAGEMENT IS IMPORTANT Every transaction and event that takes place on a machine on your network generates a log file. Microsoft-based systems use Windows Event Log files. When working on Windows, monitoring the event logs is crucial. Windows Event Log files all contain crucial information, but of all of them, the Security Log is the most important. The security log provides log in events as well as what each user is doing. It is vital that your IT security team understands the Windows Security Log to spot a vulnerability or attack accurately. However, this information can be overwhelming and exhausting to look through. If you use an Event Log Management tool, you can accurately and precisely navigate through log files, allowing you to find that single file that is causing an issue. Event Log Management is a crucial component in ensuring security and compliance, and it is essential to review all logs. SECURING THE CASTLE The top priority for any company should be security. Keeping the company safe from outside attacks that aim to disrupt customer’s data, exploit employee data, or crash a company’s server. However, attacks from the inside are just as real and can cause catastrophic damage. This is not to say that keeping your network safe from the outside is any less important, but you must be mindful of an attack from the inside. Perhaps you have an employee who is curious about financial records and wants to start drama among the workers or an employee who is upset about a decline for a promotion or pay increase and wants to delete years of data. These employees can create a backdoor into the network or give themselves admin privileges, attempting to fly under the radar from security. However, if you have a well-established ELM strategy, you can monitor these internal attacks accurately and stop them before they turn nuclear. PCI – DSS AND HIPPA COMPLIANCE Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI-DSS) provides IT professionals that handle consumers credit cards data. Any business that claims PCI compliance have to be able to show compliance in their yearly audit. If it is discovered that they are not, denial of processing and storing credit cards can occur. HIPPA requires a reliable audit trail to protect the personal data of all medical patients. HIPPA has two different significant rules: Privacy and Security. Medicaid and Medicare require, along with building an IT infrastructure and strategies to protect against threats to personal information, but there must also be preparations made for investigations of security breaches should they occur. Furthermore, you must be able to provide enough information to be able to establish occurred events, when they occurred, as well as what or who has caused them. Ways to Manage Events and Logs There are numerous ways to go about handling the logs for your networks, and WhatsUp Gold offers some of the best ways to do so: 1. Define your Audit Policy Categories Audit policies in Windows record the security log events found on your network’s log files for your company. With Microsoft Windows NT systems, audit policies have to be put in place manually on each server and workstation. However, Windows 2000 and 2003 Active Directory domains allow for Group Policy, which enables you to set universal audit policies for groups on the servers and even the domain. 2. Log Records Are Merged Automatically By default, decentralized records, such as Windows events logs and Syslog files, record their log activity. However, if you want to gain a “big picture” view of what is going on within your network, admins in charge of security and compliance need to be able to merge Windows event logs and Syslog files into one another in order to be able to monitor thoroughly, analysis, and report. It is necessary that you maintain your log data! Many compliance standards require data to be stored up to seven years. However, if you automate the process, life can become much more accessible. Automation can assist in data retrieval and the longevity of log data. It is important to remember: Archived logs must be readily obtainable. Automation helps reduce the risk of corruption. The larger the company, the more users and machines. With more users and machines comes an increase in bandwidth and network traffic, which will only further complicate the log file. Automation can greatly assist in making sure all data is collected. Usually, administrators use an event log management tool to record log event data from the servers and workstations. Make sure you find an event log management tool that supports a method to re-import collected log files into the database if they are needed. 3. Event Monitoring, Real-Time alerts & Notification Policies While your company may have most, if not all, Windows-based machines, it is important to branch out from the Windows event log monitoring system. Consider using Syslog as well. They have support for switches, routers, firewalls, IDS, as well as support for UNIX and Linux based systems. Most products that perform real-time scanning and monitoring of logs require the use of an agent. However, if you can find a software package that can be used without an agent, go for it. This avoids many issues upon initial setup and continued maintenance. Every company has a different classification of what they find important, and what they want to be listed in the logs. The one security research
The most recent breach of Facebook, resulting in 50 million accounts hacked, has the corporation in the spotlight once again and for the wrong reasons. To help those who fear they may have been hacked, the Fox 45 Morning News team asked our Owner and CEO, Charles Hammett, to come on and provide his expert knowledge concerning cyber security and help explain to viewers what they can do in order to prevent these attacks from happening. Watch the video below to find out more! At Hammett Technologies the security of our client is our number one concern. With help from our certified team, you can have faith that your company’s users and data are kept safe and secure.