Some less evident IT warnings when business travel increases
Ensure that the team members that travel are employing MFA, and VPNs
The hackers will act as CEO when the boss is away.
Additionally, because so many people post selfies and location data on social media, fraudsters can choose the right moments to play bossfake.
When it’s simpler than ever to locate the OOO executive, IT professionals must have verification procedures in place to demonstrate that the boss who is drinking a margarita on a beach and asking for crucial information is, in fact, the boss who is sipping a margarita on a beach and asking for crucial information.
According to executives of emerging security trends, they say “always assume bad guys will know if somebody is on travel.”
According to these executives, they say Harry Houdini gave his wife a secret codeword so that anyone claiming to have had touch with the escape artist in the afterlife would have the credentials to back up their claims.
An agreed-upon spoken code can assist a business get out of a fraud situation and verify the connection, whether an executive texts for a wire transfer or a CFO emails for a sales presentation.
An IT professional-familiar travel check list can and should now include a spoken password:
- Avoid using free WiFi and utilize VPNs to encrypt your traffic.
- Implement multi-factor authentication (MFA) to safeguard against any compromised credentials.
- Keep your devices nearby. Taking an interview from the airport, Doug Saylors, partner at the consulting ISC, noticed an abandoned device and said, “Like literally across from me, there’s a laptop on a table.”
While MFA safeguards access to a lost laptop and VPNs can thwart man-in-the-middle attacks, organizations lost $2.4 billion due to corporate email intrusion.
When a vendor sends an invoice or a CEO asks an assistant to buy gift cards for staff awards, the request looks to be legitimate in a business email compromise (BEC) fraud
A “CEO fraud” ring that impersonated executives and asked the accounting department for last-minute wire modifications was busted by Europol in February.
An attacker might generate a false feeling of urgency if a group is aware that the boss is away. Hey, we’ve had to turn this money over to a vendor by midnight, might be the subject of a phishing SMS or email sent to a CFO.
Hou-dun-it? According to the chief experience officer of Sectigo, employees in dubious situations should start the dialogue, not click any links, and go “out-of-band” and beyond the initial communication.
“When someone claiming to be someone you know and trust asks you for money or sensitive information, but the situation seems unique and irregular…The red flags should rise, particularly when they convey a sense of urgency.
Even calling the boss may not be a sufficient guarantee. A late 2022 VMware analysis found that respondents experienced a 13% increase in malicious deepfakes, of which slightly less than half were audio-based.
Encourage staff to phone them, email a Slack, or do the Houdini.
Assume that their vacation plans are known, and prepare a plan of action to handle it just in case.
Looking to discuss VPNS and remote working ? Contact the professional IT specialists at ETV Software, Inc. at 903-531-0377
Safer Internet Day "Together for a better internet"
Safer Internet Day “Together for a better internet”
Today on February 5th we are participating with National Safer Internet Day aka SID. We want to encourage everyone in our community to take part in ensuring the internet is safe for everyone, especially for the younger users of the internet. Events such as the digital exchange of child sexual exploitation materials, cyberbullying, and sextortion. There is so much to worry about when it comes to internet safety so it’s no wonder so many people forget to implement tactics to ensure their safety. One thing to keep in mind is that when you practice internet safety, you not only are protecting yourself you’re making sure that others are not affected by any hacks, scams, or viruses that may have come into contact with your technology. We have created a helpful list to keep with you not only today but all year long to help make the internet safer for yourself and others. Feel free to share this list with your friends and family and spread along the hashtags for the Safer Internet Day organization. #SID2019 #SaferInternetDay
10 Tips For Staying Safe On The Internet
✔️Use Only Complex Passwords – It’s probably the most common tip for staying safe on the internet, but it’s because it’s essential. The ideal password is very unique and uses a mix of upper and lower case letters. It uses a combination of letters, number, and symbols, and has no ties to your personal information. Also, keep in mind that using the same password across multiple platforms it increases your risk of a data breach.
✔️Focus On Network Security – Your connections to the internet are just as important as your passwords. Most home routers are protected with encryption technology, but when you are out-and-about, it can be tempting to use free public Wi-Fi. The problem with this is that it is usually insecure and can lead to data breaches. Using a Virtual Private Network or VPN is a great way to combat this issue, and allow you to safely connect anywhere.
✔️Firewall – Even after you have created safe passwords, and created a VPN, using a firewall is an important next step to ensuring internet safety. The good thing is that firewalls are usually included with comprehensive security software such as Webroot Security.
✔️Make Smart Clicks – Each year new tactics are used by scammers to get you to agree and open up dangerous links and pages. Keep a look out for spam emails, phony free offers, click bait, online quizzes and anything that seems off to you. Be wary of offers that seem too good to be true or anything that requests your private and personal information.
✔️Be Selective With Sharing On Social Media – It’s very popular and common for young people to share images and personal moments online. Make sure you or your child is being cautious when posting their location or any personal information that they use for logins.
✔️Don’t Neglect Your Mobile Device – It’s not as well known but mobile devices can also be susceptible to cyber threats. There are new risks to worry about like unsafe mobile applications, and links sent through text. This can easily be tackled by making sure your security settings are enabled on your mobile phone just like you would on your computer.
✔️Surf & Shop Safely – It is actually easy to make sure a site you are shopping on is safe. Look up at the site link at the top of your browser and make sure there is an https not http at the beginning of the URL. This will notify you that the site is secure and uses encryption to scramble your personal data. Also, there should be a padlock icon in the URL feed as well. Check for links that have misspelled words or poor grammar because they could be trying to trick you by copying similar words to the site you are trying to land on.
✔️Stay Up To Date – Making sure all your software is up to date is a majorly important step to practicing internet safety. Enabling automatic updates is a great hassle-free way to stay safe with all your technology.
✔️Pay Attention To Scam Trends – Unfortunately, online threats are evolving at all times. Pay attention to reliable blogs and websites that notify you of the latest in internet safety news.
✔️Don’t Let Your Gaurd Down – Being an internet user today requires you to be always checking the sites you go to, keeping your software up-to-date, backing up all your files, and so much more. Talking preventative measures now will help save you a lot of time and energy in the long run.
