Why is ransomware such a popular online crime?
Because it pays! In fact, it pays very well indeed. Forty-four percent of the time. And those behind it are hardly likely to get caught either. The perfect crime, some may say. So just how much are people prepared to pay to get their encrypted data back? Well, according to Bitdefender, the answer is a […]
And the biggest hacking threat is… social engineering
Criminals who don’t have an odd $23,000 in change stuffed down the back of the sofa are primarily trying to hack into companies via social engineering, according to a new survey from Balabit. Despite the much-publicised access for cash we’ve heard about recently, outsiders are typically looking to gain inside access with minimal financial outlay, or indeed […]
CEO Fraud Attacks Continue to Rise
Here at BH Consulting we have become aware of a number of attacks, known as CEO attacks, Invoice Redirection Fraud, or Business Email Compromise (BEC), against Irish businesses. A number of these attacks have resulted in financial loss for the victim companies. The Central Bank of Ireland is one example, which Lee covered in an earlier […]
One in fifty mobile devices are already compromised or under attack
According to security firm Skycure, 2-in-100 mobile devices are already infected with malware or under attack. While no device is immune, compromise rates were highest on Android devices with around 1-in-3 harbouring a nasty secret. Furthermore, over a quarter of Google-powered smart devices were found to been opened up to third-party app installation, allowing unofficial apps to […]
Majority of UK workers understand phishing but remain blissfully unaware of other risks
Good news! A new study conducted by internet security firm ESET has revealed that 87% of British workers know what phishing is. Hurrah! Now for the bad news. Brits, by and large, remain blissfully unaware of almost every other threat they may encounter. Boo! Hiss! Responding to a Cyber IQ test compiled by ESET boffins, […]
And the biggest cause of data loss in 2015 is… human error
There are a million and one (go on, count them, I dare you) technical measures you can employ to protect your business data but all are for nought if you ignore the biggest cause of data loss which is, according to the sixth annual Databarracks Data Health Check survey, human error. In its latest report, the […]
Phone scam costs UK business £1 million
If you are running a business you have probably educated your staff to be on the lookout for suspicious emails that attempt to lure them to fake websites in an attempt to snag their, or your, login credentials for online banking and other sensitive accounts. But have you also educated them to be on their guard […]
Security makes us less productive say employees
A recent study from Dell, which does much to pimp its ‘solution’, suggests business users and IT professionals in the UK, Germany and US feel hampered by security measures, especially when working remotely. Traditional security policies, the survey concludes, lead to “too many passwords, access protocols and employee workarounds that expose the business to risk,” […]
Got sticky plaster on your webcam? Good. Now add it to your phone's camera
Ok, maybe not all of you will need to do that, but anyone who ever uses their smartphone to view adult movies may be wise to do so. According to security firm Zscaler, some viewers of graphic entertainment may have not been as lonesome as they thought at the time. That’s because an Android app – […]
Brits say go easy on the security and give me an extra portion of simple
Some like it hot. Many prefer blondes. But when it comes to security most like it easy. According to an ongoing government survey started in October 2014, as part of the Cyber Streetwise campaign, your password is likely to be a bit rubbish in all honesty. In fact 3 in 4 Brits favour a list of […]