The past few weeks have been fraught with cybersecurity breaches and events. From Microsoft’s massive phishing incident to ransomware in Italy, businesses and consumers alike have had to grapple with the reality of increasing cyber threats.
In light of these recent events, we’ve rounded up some of the latest news and insights on cybersecurity threats and what businesses can do to protect themselves.
Latest News
FTC Crack Down
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) stated that it will enforce the law against the illegal sharing of sensitive information including health and location.
What many consumers may not realize is that connected devices continuously detect and gather sensitive information that is not shared to even close friends and family. Information like location and medical data is continually tracked on your phone and applications. The FTC highlighted that sensitive data is protected, consumer data must not be misused and sold, and claims that data is anonymous are deceptive and often untrue.
Recent Phishing Campaign
Since 2021 at Microsoft, over 10,000 organizations have faced adversary-in-the-middle(Aitm) phishing attacks through their mailboxes. The attackers used landing pages to gather account information. They stole passwords and cookie sessions and logged onto the victims’ accounts to perform business email compromise (BEC).
Email users should be wary of suspicious emails asking for information to your accounts or with any links attached.
Ransomware Plagues Palmero, Italy
Palmero, Italy was hit with ransomware that affected the police operations, public video surveillance, and government services. The hackers, Vice Society, threatened to publish public records if they did not get ransom money.
Palmero’s government refuses to pay a ransom and instead will use backups to restore data. The city remained offline for days as the government’s IT team worked to fix the issues.
SMB Cybersecurity Tips
- Implementing Security Awareness Training: When it comes to cybersecurity, one of the best things small businesses can do is educate their employees. Security awareness training programs help employees learn how to spot and avoid common cyber threats, and they’re an important part of any comprehensive security strategy.
- Implementing MFA: Multi-factor authentication (MFA) is another important security measure that can help small businesses protect their data. MFA adds an extra layer of security by requiring users to provide two or more pieces of evidence, or “factors,” to verify their identity. Common examples of MFA factors include something you know (like a password), something you have (like a security token or code), and something you are (like a fingerprint).
- Partnering with an MSP for Cybersecurity Services: Small businesses often don’t have the resources or expertise to fully protect themselves when it comes to cybersecurity. That’s where partnering with a managed service provider (MSP) can be helpful. Many MSPs offer cybersecurity services, which can help small businesses fill the gaps in their security defenses.
- Updating Software: One of the most important things small businesses can do to improve their cybersecurity is to keep their software up to date. Software updates often include security patches that address new vulnerabilities, so it’s important to install them as soon as possible. Many software programs have automatic update features that make it easy to keep your software up to date.
- Staying Up-to-Date on the Latests Cybersecurity Risks: In order to have a robust smb cybersecurity infrastructure in place, it’s important to stay up-to-date on the latest threats. There are a number of resources that can help small businesses stay informed about the latest cybersecurity risks, including the Small Business Administration’s Cybersecurity Resources website and the Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity & Infrastructure page.
Tech Rockstars Can Improve Your SMB Cybersecurity
Hackers are always coming up with new ways to attack and poke holes in SMB cybersecurity. To stay ahead of the curve, it’s important to partner with Tech Rockstars—we can help you identify and defend against the latest threats.
As a small business owner, you can’t afford to neglect your cybersecurity. By taking some simple steps, you can help protect your business from attack.
