We wanted to take a minute to talk a little bit about something we all cherish: hope. Hope is a powerful force and it constantly propels us forward and can brighten even the darkest days. We hope for good health, happy families, and definitely that winning lottery ticket.

Unfortunately, hope is a terrible cybersecurity strategy.

Every year, new malware, ransomware, and general cyber-nonsense emerge from the depths of the internet, evolving like a villain in a sci-fi movie. One moment, you’re minding your own business, and the next, your company’s data is held hostage and someone is demanding you pay them in Bitcoin.

Cybersecurity is intensely important, so a business owner would think implementing every security feature and defense would be a good idea. However, as research has shown, this can be counterproductive, as only 67% of surveyed security leaders know what led to cybersecurity incidents in their businesses over the past year. 

It’s ironic when devices you own for the sake of security actually put you at risk. It’s like having a guard dog who barks at the wife and kids but quietly wags its tail at the stranger forcing their way into your window.

That’s how a lot of business owners are feeling right now, as security cameras have been one of the attack vectors of choice for cybercriminals.

Let’s dive in.

One of the worst things that can happen to any organization is to be infiltrated with ransomware. Ransomware is a strain of malware that allows hackers to lock down files or computing systems and then ransom access back to the organization. It can really be a problem.

The world’s largest ticket retailer is in hot water after their parent company, Live Nation Entertainment filed an 8-K filing with the Security and Exchange commission admitting that they had been hacked to the tune of 1.3 terabytes of information. That amounts to 560 million customers’ personal information that has been stolen from the company’s servers. Today, we take a look at the hack and what it means for consumers.

It doesn’t matter how big or small your business is, whether you are a nationwide or global entity or a small local business in Baltimore or Bel Air; cybersecurity is a critical issue for your business. Cybercrime is a lucrative business, and the bad guys are doing a great job at making it extremely challenging to dodge their traps.

Mobile malware isn’t common, but it’s growing increasingly more so. You may have heard of a malware called XLoader, which has been used to victimize people in over seven countries. This mobile threat has seen various iterations over the past several years, but you should be especially concerned these days.

Cybercriminals are always looking for new ways to trick users and businesses into falling for their traps. With cyberthreats on the rise, and online risks becoming more detrimental to businesses, it’s definitely something that all businesses need to have protections in place for.

A new attack involves ransomware being disguised as some of the most prominent business-related software tools.

Small businesses, like any other entities, can be vulnerable to various computer scams. Scams can have an unsettling effect on how your business runs, as it always keeps doubt—even if you do everything you can to mitigate risks—to whether you are going to be the victim of a horrible Internet-based scam. Here's a list of common computer scams that small businesses should be aware of.

QR codes have become a popular tool for businesses to quickly and easily share information with customers. However, cybercriminals have found a way to exploit this technology for their own malicious purposes. In recent years, there has been a rise in QR code scams and vulnerabilities in businesses, making it crucial for companies to understand the risks and take necessary precautions to protect themselves and their customers.

In this article, we will explore the use of QR codes by cybercriminals, the potential vulnerabilities they pose for businesses, and how companies can improve their QR code security.

Ransomware is perhaps the nastiest threat you can encounter, and the unprepared business could potentially be crippled beyond repair if it suffers from an attack like this. We’re here to demystify the inner machinations of a ransomware attack so you know better how to respond to it.

For the most part, Microsoft takes security as seriously as it should, issuing updates and patches to maintain your Windows and Server operating systems. While you can count on receiving these updates for your supported operating systems, what you might not have known is that Microsoft accidentally overlooked a flaw in its own defenses.

Malware has been a problem for people that rely on technology for decades. Like the security that is designed to mitigate the effect of malware, the malware itself has grown in potency and frequency and is a major problem for businesses. Today, we will take a look at a few ways you can get malware. 

Smartphones have managed to hold out against ransomware a bit longer than other hardware and operating systems, but those days are coming to an end. It’s important to remember that the average smartphone is not protected with antivirus software and thus remains threatened by your standard ransomware attacks. It is absolutely critical that your business doubles down on its protection against ransomware, especially in the mobile market.

Cybersecurity needs to be taken seriously. Cyberthreats can cause serious damage to an organization in the form of lost revenue, lost data, damage to your public image, lawsuits, and more. It helps to understand what you are up against, so let’s define some of the most common types of threats that you need to be aware of.

At the beginning of this year, Governor Larry Hogan approved $16 million in capital grants, distributed amongst 13 agreements. These grants were earmarked to benefit a variety of public facilities, from community centers to medical support and treatment centers, amongst others. 

While we recognize this as a great thing for the people of Maryland, we can’t help but hope that some of these funds are going to be used by the recipients to lock down their cybersecurity.

Back in December of 2021, the Maryland Department of Health suffered a ransomware attack that rendered quite a few services unavailable. Let’s take a few moments to look back at this attack to see what can be learned from it.

We all know at this point how dangerous ransomware can be for businesses. It can lock down files, threaten operational continuity, and in some cases subject victims to brutal fines as a result of privacy breaches. One place where you might not expect ransomware to hit, however, is customer reviews, and it all stems from the big question: do you pay to resolve a ransomware attack or not?

Do you ever see an advertisement for a free download of a popular Windows application and think, “Wow, this sure sounds too good to be true!”? Well, it most definitely is, and hackers use these malvertisements to infect computers with malware and other threats. Specifically, malvertising is used to download three different types of malware, all of which can cause harm to unwary businesses.