Security
Massive Rise In HTTPS Attacks
The latest “ThreatLabz: The State of Encrypted Attacks,” 2021 report has shown a 300 per cent increase in online attackers using HTTPS to cloak their activities and blend in with other traffic. HTTPS HTTPS, the encrypted version of the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP), enables secure communication over a computer network, using Transport Layer Security (formerly,…
Read MoreScam Calls : A Significant Update
This week, we heard the good news that the big phone networks have agreed to automatically block foreign scam calls, and we heard the bad news that an Ofcom survey has revealed that 45 million people in the UK were targeted by scam text messages or phone calls this summer! The Challenge The challenge has…
Read MoreHow To Tell If You’re Being Spoofed
Many cybers attacks now take the form of using fake/spoof communication to trick victims into parting with personal (or company) data, or money. We take a look at some of the most popular and widely reported methods and how to avoid falling victim to them. Phishing This is a very common form of spoofing attack.…
Read More30 Countries Pledge To Act On Ransomware
The international Counter-Ransomware members from 30 countries have issued a joint statement outlining their intent to take action to counter the growing threat posed by ransomware. What Is Ransomware? Ransomware is a form of malware that encrypts the important files on a computer and the user (often a business/organisation) is given a ransom demand, the…
Read MoreProposed Ban For Mass Facial Recognition & ‘Predictive’ Policing
The European Parliament has adopted a resolution calling for a ban on the use of AI-based predictive policing systems and the processing of biometric data that leads to mass surveillance. Areas The resolution seeks to ban the use of facial recognition technology and AI in several key areas: – Police use of facial recognition technology…
Read MoreQR Codes … A Security Risk?
In this tech-insight, we take a look at what QR codes are used for, review some well-known security risks, and outline what action you can take to protect yourself from malicious QR codes. Quick Response (QR) Codes A QR code is a machine-readable (e.g., by smartphones), matrix barcode invented in 1994 by the Japanese Toyota…
Read MoreDomain Security
After a recent report found that poor domain security has left most Global 2000 companies vulnerable to the threats of phishing and brand abuse, we take a closer look at domain security and how businesses can maximise their protection against popular threats. CSC Research – Domains Dangerously Under-Protected Recent research by US-based CSC, which describes…
Read MoreTech Insight: What Is Zero Trust?
With mobile computing, software-as-a-service (SaaS), and now remote working moving the focus of IT security away from the traditional perimeter, this article takes a brief look at what a ‘Zero Trust’ approach is and how it can help. More Complex Security Demands The belief among many IT security experts is that a traditional perimeter-based security…
Read MoreTech Insight – What Is 2FA?
Two-Factor-Authentication (2FA) refers to another piece of information that users are required to provide (in addition to username and password login details) to access a website/platform/account. Requiring another piece of information protects against others accessing the account if they simply know the username and password. Reasons The reasons for 2FA include: – A huge increase…
Read MoreFeatured Article – Who Was John McAfee?
After John McAfee was found dead in a Barcelona prison cell last week, we take a brief look at the colourful life of this complicated, maverick software entrepreneur. McAfee Antivirus The products that made John McAfee a household name were his antivirus software and anti-spam products. John McAfee formed his software company, originally called McAfee…
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