|
|
posted by: IT Security Team at Wednesday, March 30, 2022 11:23:00 AM
As you know, you should be using different passwords for all of your accounts, whether at work or personally. How do you keep track of it all though? Check out the article in the post for the latest recommendations.
|
posted by: IT Security Team at Monday, March 14, 2022 9:59:00 AM
As a result of the escalations in Eastern Europe, there is an increased level of risk from malware and cyber-attacks. The Department of Information Technology reminds everyone to please remain vigilant against cyberthreats while reviewing your email messages or browsing the Internet. Please be extra cautious of Phishing emails when opening email attachments or clicking links contained in email messages.
Here are a few red flags that can help you spot a phishing email:
• Sense of urgency or threatening language.
• Unfamiliar or unusual senders or recipients. (Verify senders name & email address)
• Spelling or grammar errors.
• Request for money or personal information.
• Call to action, such as clicking a link or downloading an attachment.
Remember you can report phishing emails by using the Message Reporter button in your Outlook toolbar. You can also contact the Service Desk at 757-382-8911 or open a service request via the Service Desk portal.
For further information and tips, please periodically check out the IT Mashup Blog.
Thank you for your vigilance in keeping the City’s technology resources safe and secure.
|
Remember… Stop - Think - Before You Click!
|
posted by: IT Security Team at Thursday, January 13, 2022 10:52:00 AM
Did you know Betty White taught Cybersecurity!? Check out these videos...
|
posted by: IT Security Team at Wednesday, December 1, 2021 10:11:00 AM
Check out this pertinent article from our friends at SANS on cybersecurity tips while on vacation.
|
posted by: IT Security Team at Monday, November 15, 2021 7:20:00 AM
|
posted by: IT Security Team at Wednesday, October 27, 2021 1:58:00 PM
Did you know that the first ransomware ever created was way back in 1989?! Ransomware is now one of, if not the most, dangerous cybersecurity issue of the day. Check out the article linked to in this blog for more information and a year-by-year history.
|
posted by: IT Security Team at Thursday, October 21, 2021 9:13:00 AM
Business Email Compromise poses a serious financial threat to any organization. It's even available as an easy to use service from various dark web providers. Check out the article in this post to see their tricks that people fall for...
|
posted by: IT Security Team at Monday, October 4, 2021 7:33:00 AM
October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month! To kick it off with information you need to know to be come more cyber aware, please check out this article linked to in this blog post...
|
posted by: IT Security Team at Tuesday, September 14, 2021 8:18:00 AM
Due to a serious iMessage vulnerability found recently in Apple iPhones and iPads, please upgrade your iPhones and iPads to iOS and iPadOS v14.8 as soon as you can. This is being exploited and can infect a device without interaction by the user.
If you have an Android device, please keep up with those updates as well...
|
posted by: IT Security Team at Thursday, August 12, 2021 4:55:00 PM
A reminder...when you come across a potential phishing or malicious email, please report it to the cybersecurity team via the new Report Message Button....
|
posted by: IT Security Team at Monday, May 3, 2021 11:11:00 AM
Apple released the much anticipated 14.5 update last week, but there were some vulnerabilities that have come to light since then. 14.5.1 has now been released. Please update to it now.
|
posted by: IT Security Team at Monday, March 29, 2021 8:11:00 AM
Apple has released an emergency update to patch a serious vulnerability found in iOS, iPadOS, and watchOS.
The patches are iOS 14.4.2, iPadOS 14.4.2, and watchOS 7.3.3, respectively.
The vulnerability, discovered by Google's Threat Analysis Group, affects Apple's WebKit browser engine, and what makes this an urgent update is the fact that the Apple claims that the vulnerability is being actively exploited. Please update your Apple devices now. Click on this blog post for further details...
|
posted by: IT Security Team at Thursday, March 18, 2021 7:38:00 AM
New data shows that pushback from the ransomware victim “market” may be influencing just how much cybercriminals are asking for as ransom and are being paid.
2020 seemed to point to ransomware continuing to grow in devastation and cost; Ryuk reached a $34 million ransom payout, organizations were operationally brought to their knees by many of the prominent ransomware families, and the “as-a-Service” market for various parts of ransomware attacks – including the publishing of exfiltrated data – grew in interest.
For details, please check out this post....
|
posted by: IT Security Team at Friday, March 12, 2021 9:18:00 AM
Please be extra vigilant with regards to incoming email. Due to a major vulnerability and attack by nation state actors, cyber-attackers are taking full advantage of slow patch or mitigation processes on Microsoft Exchange Server with attack rates doubling every few hours.
|
posted by: IT Security Team at Tuesday, February 23, 2021 5:23:00 AM
Qshing, or QR Code Abuse, is a growing cybersecurity threat. Those square codes that have become popular over the past few years can also hide links to malicious sites and websites that generate them can steer you to a malicious site...
|
posted by: IT Security Team at Wednesday, January 27, 2021 8:05:00 AM
Apple has released iOS/iPadOS 14.4 with security fixes for three vulnerabilities, said to be under active attack by hackers.
The technology giant said in its security update pages for iOS and iPadOS 14.4 that the three bugs affecting iPhones and iPads “may have been actively exploited.” Details of the vulnerabilities are scarce, and an Apple spokesperson declined to comment beyond what’s in the advisory.
Please update your Apple devices as soon as possible. For details, please check out the full blog post...
|
posted by: IT Security Team at Monday, January 25, 2021 8:01:00 AM
Business email compromise (BEC)—also known as email account compromise (EAC)—is one of the most financially damaging online crimes. It exploits the fact that so many of us rely on email to conduct business—both personal and professional. View this blog post to learn about BEC and see tips on how to prevent it...
|
posted by: IT Security Team at Wednesday, October 28, 2020 8:01:00 AM
Ever wondered what the big tech companies know about you? Well wonder no more, check out the link inside this post...
|
posted by: IT Security Team at Monday, October 26, 2020 9:34:00 AM
October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month. With many of us working from home this year, check out this free training course from our friends at KnowBe4.
|
posted by: IT Security Team at Thursday, October 22, 2020 10:03:00 AM
**MARCH, 2021: AN UPDATED SOPHOS IS NOW AVAILABLE** If you use SOPHOS Endpoint Protection on an Apple Mac, do not upgrade to MacOS Big Sur yet, which should be available shortly. The current version of SOPHOS will not run on Big Sur. An update will come up sometime this fall that will work.
|
posted by: IT Security Team at Wednesday, October 7, 2020 1:26:00 PM
If you recently upgraded your Apple iPhone or iPad, you may have noticed a small green or orange light at the top right of the display on occasion. This is a new feature to alert you to when the camera or microphone are in use. See this blog post for further details...
|
posted by: IT Security Team at Tuesday, September 29, 2020 8:17:00 AM
One of the most persistent pieces of malware targeting Android devices has reared its head again, this time appearing in 17 apps on the Google Play Store. If you have an Android phone or tablet, please check out this post...
|
posted by: IT Security Team at Friday, September 4, 2020 8:07:00 AM
For fun, this is an interesting visual look at the most popular websites for each year since 1993.
|
posted by: IT Security Team at Monday, August 17, 2020 2:00:00 PM
Security Awareness Newsletter. Please pull down the PDF from the blog post.
|
posted by: IT Security Team at Monday, August 17, 2020 8:10:00 AM
On the Dark Web, you can purchase cybercrime “how-to kits” that gather lists of breached names, account numbers, passwords, and even telephone support lines for the victims to call. Make no mistake. Just because you’re on the Dark Web doesn’t mean you’re anonymous though.
Ransomware attacks, data breaches, and scams — along with a steady stream of extortion and phishing emails — have taken over the internet. We hear about cybercrime so often that it can quickly turn into white noise. That's a mistake.
Here are 10 security myths you need to stop believing about your data.
|
posted by: IT Security Team at Monday, August 10, 2020 9:54:00 AM
These 10 cybersecurity tips will help you maintain your personal cybersecurity...
|
posted by: IT Security Team at Thursday, June 4, 2020 10:39:00 AM
With the influx of remote workers, it’s a perfect opportunity to flood people’s inboxes with malicious emails and fake links. The Cofense Phishing Defense Center (PDC) recently uncovered a phishing campaign that targets employees to harvest their Microsoft credentials. Ironically, the phish was found in an environment protected by Microsoft’s own secure email gateway (SEG). The phishing email, which was reported to the PDC using the Cofense Reporter button, included a well thought out “AudioChat” notification link supposedly from Microsoft Teams.
Teams is one of the most popular platforms for remote employees. Predictably, the threat actors have taken this into consideration – especially during the COVID-19 pandemic with millions of people teleworking. We expect this trend to continue with similar communication platforms.
|
posted by: IT Security Team at Tuesday, May 19, 2020 11:21:00 AM
In today's world we are more connected than ever — not only to each other, but to our devices. For example, people now have the ability to open and close their garage doors and even start their cars directly from their phones. But what information do we put at risk when we do all of these amazing things? Securing Internet of Things (IoT) devices and keeping personally identifiable information (PII) safe and secure these days is of the utmost importance...
|
posted by: IT Security Team at Thursday, May 7, 2020 4:45:00 PM
The first Thursday of each year is 'World Password Day'. It's designed to educate everyone on the proper and secure use of account passwords. See inside for helpful information.
|
posted by: IT Security Team at Monday, May 4, 2020 3:15:00 PM
When using Android devices, be sure to use the Google Play Store to download apps. While third party app stores are available, they have are more likely to include malicious apps. In this case, COVID-19 themed apps have been showing up in various third party app stores that pose a threat to the user that installs them. As always be careful as to what apps you download and avoid third party app stores.
|
posted by: IT Security Team at Monday, March 23, 2020 3:38:00 PM
With the current coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis, more of us will be working from home for a period of time. Please check out this post for further information on how best to do this securely.
|
posted by: IT Security Team at Monday, March 23, 2020 1:26:00 PM
Please be aware that we are seeing an increase in phishing emails during this difficult time. In particular are emails with links to download files or enter credentials. Please take a look at this blog post for further details.
|
posted by: IT Security Team at Saturday, March 14, 2020 2:00:00 PM
In the interest of helping to keep you safe not only at work but at home, SOPHOS has made available multiple free products that are available for personal use that you may find useful. This is even more vital if you are working remotely from a personal computer.
|
posted by: IT Security Team at Friday, March 13, 2020 7:09:00 AM
With the advent of the latest Coronavirus (COVID-19), keeping electronics that you regularly touch clean, is more necessary than ever. Check out this post for tips on keeping some of these devices clean.
|
posted by: IT Security Team at Friday, February 28, 2020 2:50:00 PM
Here's an update of a post from 2016. It still holds true today...
USB "Thumb" Drives are popular tools for backing up and transporting data. They are small and feather-light, yet can hold mountains of data. Their compact design enables us to conveniently slip them into our pockets when on the go and then used in almost any device that's handy. However, it is precisely this efficient usefulness that also makes them dangerous. Consider the following inside this post...
|
posted by: IT Security Team at Tuesday, February 25, 2020 8:44:00 AM
Whenever a disaster of some sort happens, there are usually criminals out there that like to take advantage of the situation. The same goes for the current Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreaks. Be on the lookout for fake phishing emails that claim to be sending you information about the virus. If you get one, perform the usual checks to see whether it's real or not. If there's any question, please contact the IT Help Desk. Inside are a couple of recent articles that discuss the situation...
|
posted by: IT Security Team at Friday, January 10, 2020 12:33:00 PM
In recent months we've seen an increase in email that has the name of a staff member, usually a supervisor or director, on it but is from an unknown email address. Anyone can put any name they like on an email account, so it's very hard to prevent this. However they tend to send phishing email like this in an attempt to steal money. Please see the blog post for further details and an amazing example.
|
posted by: IT Security Team at Wednesday, January 8, 2020 10:57:00 AM
Smishing is phishing via Short Message Service (SMS Texting) on a participating device, usually a cell phone. Long neglected by phishers and spammers, smishing has recently become a very common way of spamming, phishing, and spear phishing potential victims. KnowBe4 has been covering and warning users about it and its coming rise for years. This blog post will cover why smishing is becoming so popular, show some general and more sophisticated examples, and discuss defenses.
|
posted by: IT Security Team at Tuesday, December 31, 2019 7:54:00 AM
The City has seen an influx of phishing emails lately that claim to be sending you a Voicemail Message. Check out this post for further details.
|
posted by: IT Security Team at Thursday, November 21, 2019 10:27:00 AM
Here are some tips regarding the latest wireless ('WiFi') router offerings in case you are in the market for one.
|
posted by: IT Security Team at Tuesday, November 19, 2019 5:26:00 AM
It’s that time of year again, holiday shopping has begun! Everyone is looking for those unique gifts, hot toys, and cool electronics. Black Friday sales seldom fail to pique the interests of even the most casual shoppers. Yet even after the chaos of Black Friday lies both Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday. While it’s clear that businesses are after your dollars during the holidays, you should be aware that cybercriminals are on the lookout, too. Click on this article for shopping tips from the folks at the Center for Internet Security.
|
posted by: IT Security Team at Monday, November 4, 2019 4:25:00 PM
According to the Alabama Association of Chiefs of Police, below are 15 potentially dangerous apps every parent should look for on their child's cell phone and/or tablet. Please see this article inside...
|
posted by: IT Security Team at Monday, November 4, 2019 4:16:00 PM
Did you know that the City has embarked on a high-speed fiber network project? Magellan Advisors was selected to guide us through development of the project. Inside is their announcement. Exciting times ahead!
|
posted by: IT Security Team at Thursday, October 31, 2019 8:25:00 AM
If you own an Apple iPhone 5, iPhone 4s or one of the early iPads with cellular connectivity, your device is about to be turned into a vintage technology paperweight by the GPS rollover problem if you don't upgrade by Nov. 3, 2019.
|
posted by: IT Security Team at Tuesday, October 29, 2019 4:57:00 PM
Today, October 29, the Internet turned 50! In reality, it started as ARPANET as an offshoot of the cold war and on this day in 1969, the first transmission was sent across a network between 2 computers. It immediately caused them to crash, but this was the Internet in its infancy. Enclosed are some articles that you may find of interest...
|
posted by: IT Security Team at Monday, October 21, 2019 11:35:00 AM
If you've ever wondered how to block robocalls from telemarketers that interrupt you during all ours of the day, you have a number of effective options. These range from using features on your phone, options offered by your phone carrier, or using robocall blocker apps.
|
posted by: IT Security Team at Tuesday, October 15, 2019 8:13:00 AM
Your mobile devices – including smartphones, laptops and tablets – are always within reach everywhere you go, whether for work, travel or entertainment. These devices make it easy to connect to the world around you, but they can also pack a lot of info about you and your friends and family, like your contacts, photos, videos, location and health and financial data. It's important to use your mobile devices safely. The first step is to STOP. THINK. CONNECT. STOP: make sure security measures are in place. THINK: about the consequences of your actions and behaviors online. CONNECT: and enjoy your devices with more peace of mind.
|
|