Directive Blogs

Today, almost everybody has an Internet-connected camera in their pocket. A crazy amount of photos are posted online. In fact, Facebook alone claims to have over 250 billion photos, with 350 million user images posted every day. All of these pictures are fun, but how do you ensure that only the people you want to see your photos are seeing them?

If 2014 hasn't been a legendary year for data breaches yet, it certainly is now. Community Health Systems, a hospital network for over 206 facilities across the United States, has been the target of a data breach resulting in 4.5 million records being compromised by Chinese hackers, including Social Security numbers, birthdays, names, addresses, and telephone numbers.

For Washington D.C. residents, there's a dubious threat looming in their backyards putting their personal data at risk. It's Coco, a Siamese cat wearing a high-tech collar designed for hacking WiFi networks. Have you taken the proper security measures to protect your sensitive information from feline foes like Coco?

In an attempt to push users toward the most recent installment of Internet Explorer (IE 11), Microsoft has announced that, as of January 2016, all older versions of Internet Explorer will reach their end-of-support date. This means discontinued patching and security update support, putting all who refuse the upgrade at risk.

All of the security breaches and vulnerabilities of 2014 sure have made for an interesting year; first Heartbleed, then the Internet Explorer vulnerability, GameOver Zeus, and the Russian password-stealing gang. In light of these events, you really have to ask the question, "how can we fight these threats?" Symantec has told The Wall Street Journal that they feel antivirus technology is "dead."

A few months ago, we mentioned that a ransomware called CryptoLocker was spreading at a dangerous rate due to the GameOver Zeus malware. The ransomware would lock down files on victims' computers until a fee was paid, but not anymore. Now, with the help of FireEye and Fox-IT, a solution has been created called DecryptCryptoLocker.

USB devices have long been a staple of the technology world, but are notoriously vulnerable to exploitation from hackers and malware. As malware grows more and more sophisticated, you can no longer trust simple antivirus scans to protect your business.

If your business purchases hardware or other supplies from a retailer, or if you are your own point-of-sale, your company might be targeted by a new type of Point-of-Sale malware known as Backoff. The malware is capable of stealing credit card information from unsuspecting victims, and should be a cause for concern for those unprepared to fight against it.

When it comes time to upgrade, many smartphone users will sell off their old device in hopes of making extra cash. However, if the phone's memory is improperly wiped, an experienced hacker can use advanced tools to recover sensitive data off the used phone. Let's talk about how this happens and what can possibly be recovered by a hacker.

Thanks to Edward Snowden's revelations concerning the National Security Agency's (NSA) questionable online practices, we now know that there are ways that we can be watched by others and not even know about it. But what's really scary is that malware exists that can accomplish this same goal.

Apple's iOS operating system might be well known for its impressive security features, but that doesn't mean that it's invulnerable to all threats. In fact, backdoors may have been located in the operating system, which allow Apple and law enforcement agencies like the NSA to access the devices.

The Hackers on Planet Earth (HOPE) conference which took place on Saturday, July 21st 2014, had an important panelist, that being Edward Snowden. Whether he's a whistleblower or a traitor is a hot topic on the web, but one thing is certain - he has called for assistance in creating and promoting anti-surveillance technology to mitigate government spying.

One of the greatest things about today's technology is that it has grown more mobile, and some employees like to bring their own devices from home to use for their workplace. This is called BYOD, and while it is useful sometimes, it might be putting your business at risk.

With all of the zero-day exploits popping up lately, such as the GameOver Zeus malware and Heartbleed bug a few months ago, it only makes sense to step up research on how and why it occurs. Google is doing just that with its new research program, rightfully dubbed Project Zero.

Don't trust Google and Yahoo just yet - they might be fake! On July 10th, 2014, Microsoft issued a warning concerning the nature of identical SSL certificates and domains of some popular sites that might allow malicious copycat sites to emerge. As of now, the cause is unknown, but we know that this could be dangerous if you're not prepared to deal with it.