Serious flaw in WPA2 protocol affects Android and Linux users

A new vulnerability has been discovered centered around a flaw in the WPA2 protocol that many wireless routers use for security.The proof-of-concept exploit is called KRACK and has been only discovered as a possible way for hackers to steal data over wireless connections. This has not been proven to be useful in a real-world situation but the possibility is present that a hacker could exploit this vulnerability. To protect yourself update the firmware on your wireless router/access point and update the software on your Android smartphones. You can read more about the vulnerability in this article: https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2017/10/severe-flaw-in-wpa2-protocol-leaves-wi-fi-traffic-open-to-eavesdropping/

 

Avoid Ransomware attacks

Ransomware has quickly become one of the biggest forms of malware attacks in the world. Many organizations have been affected throughout the world and no one is safe from the possibility of these infections making their way onto your system. Here are a few tips on how to avoid being infected.

Keep Windows updated!

  • There’s nothing more important than to keep Windows updated with the latest patches available for your version. Unless there’s reason not to, you should set Windows Updates to run automatically and set it for a time when you’re not using your computer. The key here is to make sure the system is turned on and not in sleep mode when the updates are set to run.

What is Ransomware?

Paid Security Software.

  • There are some free antivirus/antimalware programs available online but the truth is the best ones are the paid versions. In this field you really do get what you pay for and a full Internet Security solution is your best bet. Most packages run $30-$60/year depending on features.

Don’t click that link/open that attachment!

  • Almost all malware infections including Ransomware come through either an infected email attachment, or a hijacked link on a web page.
  • Don’t open an attachment in an email if you were not expecting it or do not know the sender.
  • Beware of emails or websites that could contain hijacked links.
    • Before clicking any link in an email or on a web page hover over the link with your mouse. The actual web page the link points to will appear in the bottom left-hand portion of your web browser. If the link looks suspicious at all do not click on it.

These are just a few things that can be done to protect against Ransomware and other forms of malware infections. Contact us now to find out how our custom security solutions are designed to protect your systems and data from Ransomware attacks.

Office 365 Offerings

Microsoft Now Offers Solutions for Small Businesses.

The latest offerings from Microsoft include Office 365 solutions custom tailored to small business users. These include solutions for hosted Exchange email, online and desktop versions of Office 2016 for Windows and Mac, SharePoint and OneDrive cloud storage, and Skype for Business. Collaboration has never been easier with these new tools which allow your team to share everything from documents to calendars and contacts. You can compare the three business packages available here Office 365 for Business or contact us today for a free consultation.

New Remote Support Services offered

DuLac Networks is proud to announce a new remote support service for our customers.

This service will allow us to troubleshoot your PC or Mac remotely without having to be physically at the computer. You can initiate a remote session request at our website by clicking on the link located in the right-hand sidebar. Contact us today to find out more about this new service.

Healthcare Security breach

Last week CareFirst BlueCross, BlueShield reported a data breach that had been in existence for over 10 months, according to an article on CSOonline.com. Here’s an excerpt:

“Health care companies have often been more willing to accept those risks because of a mistaken belief that ‘the hackers are after credit card numbers, not electronic health records,” commented John Pescatore, director of emerging trends at SANS Institute, during an interview earlier this month with CSO Online.

The reality is the exact opposite.

Healthcare data is extremely valuable to criminals, as it can be re-packaged and sold for a number of different criminal campaigns.

Read the whole article here.

If your healthcare practice does not have security best practices in place contact us to secure your network right away. DuLac Networks offers security risk assessment and provides managed security services to minimize the possibility of a breach.

 

Developers hack DropBox

In a recent article on ComputerWorld.com developers were able to reverse-engineer the DropBox code and therefore discovering how to bypass it’s security. They were also able to write an open source client for DropBox and directly access user files without needing a password. DropBox has over 175 million users currently as the largest cloud storage provider on the market. This creates the potential for users of DropBox to have their data accessed by anyone capable of writing an open-source client using what these developers found.

DuLac Networks Cloud Backup with FileLocker uses three-phase encryption technology that far surpasses the security of DropBox or any competitor on the market. Our proven cloud storage solution provides you with the peace of mind knowing that your data is being stored with encryption techniques that have not been overcome by hackers.

Contact us now to protect your data in the cloud. Whether you are already using DropBox or have yet to move to the cloud we can assist you in making the switch easily.

Windows XP Support ends

On April 8th 2014 Microsoft will stop officially supporting the Windows XP operating system. This means that MS will no longer release security updates for Windows XP nor support technical issues for the OS. There is a lot of talk about how this will affect end users, and the bottom line is that most users should be migrating to another newer version of Windows (7 or 8) for other reasons like incompatibility with newer software and modern web sites. Some users of XP may find that they will also need to upgrade other software packages like Office when moving to a newer version of Windows. The good news is that Windows 7 and 8 offer a way to run software that is only compatible with XP. This can make the migration smoother from XP to 7 or 8.

The biggest area of concern will be the fact that Internet Explorer versions beyond 8 are not compatible with Windows XP. This means that if you’re using XP and IE 8 or earlier you will be less secure, and therefore at greater risk of infection from malware. Online security for banking and secure transactions will also be less secure using an older version of IE.

You can read more about if from Microsoft here.

For information on how DuLac Networks can assist you on migrating from Windows XP contact us today.