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For some, vanquishing aliens, building virtual amusement parks, and online battles royale are an excellent stress reliever. As we all know, over the past year there’s been plenty of stress to relieve and more spare time on our hands in which to revel in our hobbies. There was a 30% jump in online gaming traffic from the first to the second quarter of 2020.
Hackers are taking advantage of highly trafficked online gaming portals to make a profit on the dark web. The next time you log on to your virtual world of choice, consider these recent video game breaches and up your gamer security, which could include an antivirus for gaming.
Between 2019 and 2020, web attacks on gaming companies rocketed up 340%, according to Akamai. Hackers have targeted several high-profile gaming companies recently with various motives. First, game source code was stolen from Electronic Arts to sell on the dark web. Developers shopping the dark web use stolen source codes to reverse-engineer popular games or copy the code into their own game. Capcom and CD Projekt Red were hit by ransomware attacks only a few months apart from each other, one attack focused on company financial information and the other on source code.
“Titan Fall” and “Apex Legends” have both been hacked to the point where the former is unplayable, according to many gamers. To protest “Titanfall’s” developers’ inaction, gamers took to “Apex Legends,” altering in-game messages. The apparent ease with which hackers can walk into online gaming portals requires that game developers and gamers themselves pay more attention to their security.
Online PC gaming allows players to use real-world money to purchase valuable upgrades to their characters. These characters receive admiration from some fellow players. Others feel greed. Advanced characters can fetch a lot of money on the dark web, so some cybercriminals practice credential stuffing to force their way into player accounts and steal ownership. Credential stuffing is a type of brute force attack where hackers take informed guesses at username and password combinations. A strong password or passphrase is essential to keeping your account and investment safe from a dark web fate.
Based on the above recent hacks, it is clear that gaming companies host a trove of valuable information. Gamers trust these platforms with their payment information and with the safety of their gaming characters on which they spend thousands of hours and hundreds of dollars upgrading, making gaming a lucrative target for hackers.
Another way cybercriminals target gamers is through malware disguised as an advantage. Cheat software for online games is common as players strive to be the best out of thousands. Advantage seekers for “Call of Duty: Warzone” were targeted by a malware scam. The malware creators advertised the “cheat software” on YouTube with instructions on how to download it. The video received thousands of views and hundreds of comments, which made it look legitimate.
One of the steps in installing the “cheat software” was that users had to disable antivirus programs and firewalls. Users let the cybercriminals walk right into their device! From there, the device was infected by an aggressive type of fileless malware called a dropper. A dropper doesn’t download a malicious file onto the device; rather, it creates a direct pathway to deliver an additional payload, such as credential-stealing malware.
Competitive gaming is, well, competitive. So, if you invest a lot of real money into your characters, be especially vigilant and follow these five important tips to protect your online accounts.
It’s common for gamers to use variations of their real names and birthdates in their public-facing usernames. Don’t use your real name or birthdate in your username. Consider using a nickname or a combination of random numbers instead. Along this same vein, don’t reveal personal details about yourself (phone number, birthday, places you visit regularly) on chats or streams. Lurking cybercriminals can gather these personal details to impersonate you.
On some online PC games, you can join campaigns with gamers from all over the world. While the interconnectivity is great, carefully vet who you allow to follow your online profile. If a stranger sends a friend request out of the blue, be on alert. They could have nefarious motives, such as phishing for valuable personal data. It’s best to customize your privacy settings to make your profile invisible to strangers.
Developers spend a lot of time creating amazing games, so make sure you purchase games legally and play them as they are intended. Be especially wary of free downloads or pirated versions and cheat software, as they’re likely too good to be true. Instead, go for a challenge and have fun with the game as it’s written.
A virtual private network (VPN) scrambles your online data traffic, making it impossible for hackers to access your IP address and spy on your online browsing.
Gaming antivirus software not only makes your online gaming experience more secure, but it can boost your rig’s performance! McAfee Gamer Security detects threats through the cloud and optimizes resources to minimize frame drops.
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This month’s Patch Tuesday brings us a relatively small number of CVEs being patched, but an abnormally high percentage of noteworthy critical vulnerabilities.
One such vulnerability is identified as CVE-2021-34535, which is a remote code execution flaw in the Remote Desktop client software, observed in mstscax.dll, which is used by Microsoft’s built-in RDP client (mstsc.exe). The vulnerability is very closely related to a bug released in July of 2020, CVE-2020-1374, which also came through Microsoft’s Patch Tuesday process and had highly similar characteristics. The vulnerability is an integer overflow due to an attacker-controllable payload size field, which ultimately leads to a heap buffer overflow during memory allocation. The vulnerability can be triggered via the RDP Video Redirection Virtual Channel Extension feature [MS-RDPEV], which is typically deployed on port 3389, and is contained inside of compressed UDP payload and encrypted RDP using TLS.
But does this flaw, despite its impressive 9.9 CVSS score, rise to the level of past RDP vulnerabilities, including the infamous BlueKeep (CVE-2019-0708)? Not so fast – there are a few additional factors to take into consideration.
First and foremost, this is a client-side vulnerability, meaning there is no real ability for self-propagation, or “wormability” from an Internet perspective. The most likely attack scenario would be to convince a user to authenticate to a malicious RDP server, where the server could trigger the bug on the client side. During reproduction of the issue, we were able to easily trigger the crash and observe a later memcpy using the controlled overflow, which should facilitate exploitation. We think it is likely that exploits will be developed for this vulnerability but the availability of a patch prior to any known public exploitation helps to mitigate risks for organizations and individuals.
Secondly, thanks to the widespread proliferation and reach of BlueKeep and other related RDP vulnerabilities, a significant portion of RDP clients and servers have been disabled or moved from the network perimeter. This is less important given the client-side nature of the bug but does help with the overall attack surface.
In addition to Microsoft’s built-in RDP client (mstsc.exe), which is the more common Remote Desktop network connection, we have also confirmed that some lesser- known RDP vectors are affected by this vulnerability. Microsoft Hyper-V Manager “Enhanced Session Mode” and Microsoft Defender’s Application Guard (WDAG) both use RDP to screen share and present the secured browser respectively. This gives the end user a remote view of their isolated instance in the context of the host system. Rather than reimplementing the RDP session sharing capability, Microsoft ported the existing RDP client code base into Hyper-V and WDAG. Since the RDP client code is self-contained in mstscax.dll (an ActiveX COM object) it can simply be loaded into the Hyper-V (vmconnect.exe) and WDAG (hvsirdpclient.exe) processes to avail of the RDP client functionality. There does not appear to have been any attack surface reduction on this code base as the same DLL is loaded within all three processes mstsc.exe, vmconnect.exe and hvsirdpclient.exe. The impacted components are:
Mitigation: Patch
Mitigation: Patch or disable “Enhanced Session Mode”
The built-in RDP client and Hyper-V/WDAG clients communicate over different transport mediums in the form of TCP/IP and VMBus but they both use the same RDP client protocol implementation. Given that the flaw is contained within mstscax.dll, and is self-contained, the vulnerability was ported to these two implementations along with the rest of the code base.
While the urgency for patching remains somewhat lower than past critical vulnerabilities, threat actors will look to weaponize any of these low-hanging fruit that leverage common network protocols. Patching should be a top priority, and furthermore, a comprehensive and ongoing review of internet-facing and internal networked RDP clients and servers would be highly recommended. Eliminating or reducing the attack surface is one of the best counter attacks to vulnerability exploitation.
Microsoft have published a Knowledge Base article for the issue here with corresponding patch information. In the meantime, we are continuing to monitor this vulnerability closely; if exploitation is observed we may release additional content for customers.
For RDP security best practices please see https://www.mcafee.com/blogs/other-blogs/mcafee-labs/rdp-security-explained/
With thanks to Cedric Cochin, McAfee.
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We are in the midst of digital transformation to the cloud – these cloud services fuel transformative projects for businesses, empowering employees with powerful tools to do their jobs better and more efficiently. This cloud transformation has meant that a large portion of enterprise data now resides and is being accessed outside of the network perimeter and beyond the reach of traditional data security controls.
MVISION Unified Cloud Edge is the SASE security fabric between an organizations’s workforce and their resources that enables fast direct-to-internet access by eliminating the need to route traffic through their data center for security. Data and threat protection are performed at every control point in a single pass to reduce the cost of security and simplify your management.
Sensitive data uploaded to CRM has also put the service on the radar of IT security teams. Based on the Market share report Microsoft Dynamics 365 is amongst the top CRM vendors
Data in Dynamics 365 represents anything from proprietary business information to sensitive customer data. The high volume and value of this data have made Dynamics 365 security a top priority for companies embarking on cloud security projects.
Microsoft provides a host of security features for enterprise customers at the infrastructure and software level, but customers default lack many controls around data and user account security. For example, only 36 percent of cloud customers say they can enforce data loss prevention in the cloud. These are key security controls for organizations using Dynamics 365, especially those who upload regulated data to the service.
MVISION Cloud for Dynamics 365, part of McAfee’s Unified Cloud Edge offering is a comprehensive solution, which allows enterprises to enforce security controls for data in Dynamics 365. It addresses four areas of Dynamics security:
By applying cloud DLP policy you can find any sensitive info stored in Dynamics entity in near real-time. Configure via UI the entities where you know sensitive content is posted by the user and do near real time DLP. Also, you can integrate your Endpoint DLP engine policy and use the single console of MVISION to leverage the DLP policy defined on Dynamics entities. In addition, before the Auditor finds any sensitive information stored in data at rest, you can run on-demand scans on Dynamics 365 entities/attachments to ensure there is no sensitive data in Dynamics entities. MVISION Cloud Compliance scan applies to entities (structured data) and attachments (unstructured data) in Dynamics. Data privacy can save organizations from massive compliance fines, a negative public image, and loss of customer trust. Dynamics 365 data privacy is just as important as security, MVISION Cloud compliance scan ensures GDPR compliance for data at rest. In all cases whenever out of compliance is found, then raise incidents and takes remedial action for complete visibility. Malware scan to detect malware on any Dynamics 365 attachments if there is Malware. This scan could be Near Real-Time and also could be on data at rest.
MVISION Cloud for Dynamics 365 can act as an additional control point between enterprise users and the cloud to provide enhanced analytics into cloud usage, detect threats from insiders, compromised accounts, and privileged users, enforce compliance policies with DLP, and contextual access controls. Additionally, detecting intentional or inadvertent threats from employees or third parties, enforcing granular access controls based on parameters such as role, device, data, and location, and enforcing DLP policies.
Finally, the MVISION platform provides benefits that a single-point solution for one cloud service cannot satisfy. A single point for cloud control removes gaps in policy enforcement. Visibility into all cloud traffic allows MVISION to correlate activity occurring across multiple cloud services, identifying high-risk users and cloud-to-cloud threats. And MVISION offers integrations with on-premises security tools to extend existing security policies to the cloud and feed cloud threats into SIEM solutions. Consolidating all cloud security data in one tool is the best way to capture a holistic view of cloud risk, in a snapshot and as it changes over time.
Moving to the cloud does not have to be a trade-off between business results and security. Improved security in the cloud is a reality for companies that have embraced a cloud-native security approach. Using MVISION Cloud for Dynamics 365 can make data safer than ever before while empowering business teams to become more efficient and dynamic.
For more information or to test out MVISION Cloud for Dynamics please visit us at: https://www.mcafee.com/enterprise/en-us/solutions/mvision/marketplace.html
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Smart speakers. Banking online. Location tracking. If you are a senior adult, there’s no doubt, the digital leaps and bounds you’re asked to consider each day can be daunting. If you are the child of a senior adult trying to make digital life more accessible, helping your parent consistently stay safe online can also be a challenge.
According to the most recent Pew study on the topic, senior adults continue to become more digitally connected, but adoption rates continue to trail younger users, and digital divides remain. The study also revealed that 77% of older adults needed assistance in learning how to use technology.
As a senior, it’s easy to feel intimidated and even try to avoid technology altogether as a safety plan. However, more healthcare, banking, and retailers become almost 100% digital, opting out of digital life is becoming impossible.
Still, there’s a way forward. As with any challenge, it’s best to begin one step at a time. First, put your stake in the ground by committing to increase your awareness and consistency in the digital realm. Doing so will help you reduce your fear about potential data breaches, malware attacks, or worse, falling prey to an online scam. Here are seven more ways to build upon your privacy path.
1. Consider another layer of protection. Parental controls and antivirus software cover every age and stage of a family’s digital life. Here’s why: 1) If you are a senior and love exploring online but hate bumping into inappropriate content, parental controls will help you keep the fun and block the junk 2) Filtering software also keeps your PC clean and protected from viruses and malware. 3) If you are a caregiver to a senior and notice your parent struggling with online shopping limits, keeping personal information private on social media, or even sharing fake news, parental controls can help by blocking tempting sites.
2. Update and store your passwords. Updating your passwords regularly is an online privacy gamechanger. The only problem? It’s tough to remember all those passwords, so who wants to risk changing them, right? Consider a password manager (find the software packages that have a password manager built-in). Your Password Manager (PM) stores then populates the username and password fields every time you log on to a favorite site or app. Better yet, it makes changing your password an easy task since you don’t need to do any remembering—your PM does it all for you.
3. Use 2-Factor Authentication (2FA). What in the world? 2FA sounds complicated! Don’t worry, it’s not. Opting for 2FA means that before logging onto your account, you will have one more step to verify it’s you logging on. When given this privacy option, take it. Commonly, the 2FA process is a code generated by a smartphone app—no biggie. If you want to try, go to your settings in your favorite apps, such as Google or Facebook, and turn on the 2FA option.
4. Install software updates immediately. Along with strong passwords, updating your software is a front-line defense against identity theft and fraud. Installing software updates (those pesky pop-up notices that are critical to your privacy) is essential in securing your IoT devices, PCs and phones, and the social media, banking, and healthcare portals connected to them.
5. Use a Virtual Private Network (VPN). If we could write this one tip down a hundred times without losing our readers, we surely would. Every senior adult needs a VPN for practical, powerful privacy protection and peace of mind. A VPN keeps credit card and personal info contained in a secure network and away from prying eyes.
6. Fight back with knowledge. Fraudulent emails connected to fraudulent websites can look very legitimate. A secure website will have an “HTTPS” in the browser’s address bar. The “s” stands for “secure.” If the web address or URL is just HTTP, it’s not a secure site. Still unsure? Read reviews of the site from other users before making a purchase. Never send cash, cashier’s check, or a personal check to any online vendor. If purchasing, always use a credit card in case there is a dispute. Stay up-to-date on scams that target seniors specifically. Lately, elder scams have been constructed around COVID, dating apps, tax returns, employment, and, of course, the common military catfish scams.
7. Have fun as you skill up. When trying to boost your digital skills, don’t forget about all the amazing instructional content at your fingertips. A quick search of YouTube will render easy-to-understand videos on how to do just about everything (including install security software, change your router password, secure the smart devices in your home, and how to adjust your privacy settings on any device).
Learning or building a new skill isn’t always easy, but if you stop to think about it, as a senior, you’ve gained so many skills over your lifetime (far more than your juniors). So, practically speaking, building up your tech skills is one is just one more task to ace. So, lean into the challenge, have fun learning, and don’t hesitate to ask for help if you need it.
The post 7 Savvy Ways Senior Adults Can Safeguard Digital Privacy appeared first on McAfee Blogs.
This is the third in a series of blogs on the Cybersecurity EO, and I encourage you to read those you may have missed. (Part 1, Part 2).
Between the initial publication of the Executive Order (EO) for Improving the Nation’s Cybersecurity on May 12 and late July, a flurry of activity by departments and agencies continues to occur on how best to understand and address potential security gaps. Once identified, these analyses will facilitate plans to fulfill the requirements and further augment agencies’ existing preventative measures to improve their cybersecurity posture. Due to numerous far-reaching cybersecurity breaches that have occurred throughout the past year, one of the primary areas of emphasis in the Executive Order is enhancing the Federal Government’s ability to be more proactive in detecting vulnerabilities and preventing cybersecurity incidents throughout an agency’s network. By introducing an Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) solution into an enterprise environment, the Government will be able to empower agency SOC teams to engage in active cyber hunting, containment, remediation, and incident response activities more universally.
The potential loss and impact of a cyberattack is no longer constrained to a single silo within an agency’s network or a small subset of devices. It can quickly escalate and impact the mission of an agency in seconds. That is why the Executive Order states it is crucial a government-wide initiative is undertaken to begin to get ahead of malicious actors by developing a comprehensive security strategy to prevent attacks before they happen.
Many cyberthreats use multiple attack mechanisms, requiring a different approach to keep our enterprises secure from malicious actors. Endpoint protection platforms still play a critical role in defending agency assets, but they are only one component of a multilayered approach to a robust cybersecurity strategy. Fortunately, McAfee Enterprise’s endpoint protection platform offers a threat detection capability that allows incorporating a next-generation solution (EDR) to track down potential threats if they break through the first layer of countermeasures.
By incorporating endpoint detection and response (EDR), organizations have granular control and visibility into their endpoints to detect suspicious activity. As a cloud service, EDR can incorporate new features and services in much more agile fashion than other solutions. MVISION EDR can discover and block threats in the pre-execution stage, investigate threats through analytics, and help provide an incident response plan. Additionally, by leveraging AI and machine learning to automate the steps in an investigative process, more experienced threat hunters can focus on in-depth analysis of sophisticated attacks, and other members of the SOC team can discover key findings to triage potential threats much faster and with less experience. These new capabilities can learn an agency’s baseline behaviors and use this information, along with a variety of other threat intelligence sources, to interpret findings.
As the attack surface continues to evolve, a far more holistic approach to detection is needed. Although EDR is crucial to surfacing anomalous threats and malicious behavior for workstations, servers, and cloud workloads, their area of influence is confined to the telemetry provided by the endpoint. Realizing EDR is network blind and SIEM is endpoint blind, we integrated McAfee Enterprise EDR and SIEM technologies to enrich investigations. Still, more telemetry sources are needed to reveal all potential threat vectors an enterprise may encounter. This is where Extended Detection and Response (XDR) comes in, supporting agencies in a journey beyond the endpoint and allowing them to close even more gaps.
XDR isn’t a single product or solution but rather a journey, as it refers to compiling multiple security products and technologies that comprise a unified platform. An XDR approach will shift processes and likely merge and encourage tighter coordination between different functions like SOC analysts, hunters, incident responders and IT administrators.
SIEMs are largely data-driven, meaning they need data definitions, custom parsing rules and pre-built content packs to retrospectively provide context based on the data they have ingested. In contrast, XDR is hypothesis driven, harnessing the power of machine learning and artificial intelligence engines to analyze high-fidelity threat data from a multitude of sources across the environment to support specific lines of investigation mapped to the MITRE ATT&CK framework.
Technically speaking, an XDR is a converged platform leveraging a common taxonomy and unifying language. An effective XDR must bring together numerous heterogeneous signals and return a homogenous visual and analytical representation. XDR must clearly show the potential security correlations that the SOC should focus on. Such a solution would de-duplicate information on one hand, but would emphasize the truly high-risk attacks, while filtering out the mountains of noise. The desired outcome would not require excessive amounts of repetitive manual work. Instead, it would allow SOC teams to focus on leading investigations and mitigating attacks. XDR’s presentation of data would be aware of context and content, be advanced technologically, yet be simple enough for analysts to understand and act upon.
As many organizations begin to adopt EDR solutions with the capability to embrace XDR, they also must consider how these solutions enable them to migrate toward a Zero Trust architecture. The wealth of information that will be available in a platform capable of distilling threat telemetry not only from endpoints, the networks they are accessing, and the cloud services they consume will create real advantages. It will greatly improve the granularity, flexibility, and accuracy of the policy engines granting access to enterprise resources and using that degree of trust to determine how much access is granted within the application.
The ideal solution must provide enhanced detection and response capabilities across endpoints, networks, and cloud infrastructures. It needs to prioritize and predict threats that matter before the attack and prescribe necessary countermeasures allowing the organization to proactively harden their environment. The ideal solution also must incorporate Zero Trust, and it should be built on an open security ecosystem.
McAfee Enterprise recognized early on that a multi-vendor security ecosystem is a key requirement to building a defense in depth security practice. One of the key building blocks was the Data Exchange Layer (DXL), which was subsequently made available as an open-source project (OpenDXL) for the community to further develop innovative use cases. This enabled our diverse ecosystem of partners from threat intelligence platforms to orchestration tools to use a common transport mechanism and information exchange protocol, thereby encouraging participating vendors to not only communicate vital threat details but also inform them of actions that all connected security solutions should take.
When you combine XDR and an open security ecosystem for XDR capabilities, agencies will have a solid foundation to advance their visibility and detection capabilities across their entire cyber infrastructure.
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If you are part of an organization aspiring to evolve and modernize your SecOps practice with greater efficiencies with XDR, this read is for you.
So, what’s all the continuous hype about XDR? Is it for you and what does it mean to your organization? If you haven’t already, I invite you to read our XDR—Please Explain and Unravel to XDR Noise blogs for added context. From here we can begin to ask, what are XDRs and what are they not? What happens once you acquire components that add the “X-factor” to your threat detection and response (TDR) practice? And how can SOC teams use it for investigation, prioritization, remediation and hunting?
I’ll cover the basics in this blog and hopefully by the end I’ve piqued your interest enough to watch our on-demand webinar where we will cover these aspects in detail.
For security practitioners, there’s one question that is top of mind—am I protected against the latest threats? But let’s face it, threats are evolving, adversaries are evolving too and a shortage of talent make it near impossible to keep up with alerts.
In fact, according to the latest XDR research by ESG, The Impact of XDR in the Modern SOC March 2021 [1], the top challenges related to TDR for respondents were:
Advanced threats are now commonplace, challenging most security professionals to detect and respond before damage is done, we know that these attacks leverage multiple attack vectors to gain a foothold and execute. XDR solutions bring together security telemetry across multiple controls, correlating and stitching together complex attacks so analyst can quickly assess and investigate. XDR is seen as having the potential to modernize the SOC with enriched and aggregated security analytics capabilities to accelerate the investigation to a resolution.
What’s more, McAfee Enterprise is here to help you evolve your SecOps practice into the next era of security analytics, threat detection and response. McAfee’s MVISION XDR tools provide visibility across multiple control points to not only detect threats but to help organizations improve their security posture. In addition, MVISION Insights provides relevant threat intel to help customers proactively prevent threats on multiple control points like endpoint.
We invite view our on-demand webinar with Mo Cashman, Enterprise Architect at McAfee Enterprise, and Dave Gruber, Senior Analyst at ESG, as they cover what XDRs are and aren’t, the keys to SOC modernization for XDR with a focus on the SOAPA approach to security, and how McAfee’s MVISION XDR lays out the flexible groundwork for organizations aspiring to evolve with XDR. Here is the link to watch.
Whether you are building a SOC function with limited resources or maturing a well-established SOC, McAfee Enterprise is here to help you simplify and strengthen your security operations with MVISION XDR. With MVISION XDR, you can proactively identify, investigate and mitigate threat actors targeting your organization before they can gain a foothold in the network. By combining the latest machine-learning techniques with human analysis, XDR connects and amplifies the early warning signals from your sensors at the network, endpoint, and cloud to improve situational awareness, drive better and faster decisions, and elevate your SOC. [2]
1 – ESG Research Report: The Impact of XDR in the Modern SOC by Jon Oltsik
2 – Cyber Cyber, Burning Bright: Can XDR Frame Thy Fearful Asymmetry?
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McAfee Enterprise is pleased to announce that the Network Security Platform (NSP), our industry leading next-gen Intrusion Prevention System (IPS) solution, has been awarded Miercom Certified Secure for superior security and performance.
Miercom has been reviewing network products for over 30 years, forming standardized test programs that have grown into a worldwide evaluation service for the latest technology. Miercom has published hundreds of network product analyses in leading trade periodicals and other publications, thus gaining the reputation of being a leading, independent product test center.
The NSP Next Generation Intrusion Prevention System (NGIPS) solution was independently assessed by Miercom engineers for security, performance, and hands-on use to provide unbiased verification of McAfee Enterprise’s unique qualities. The NGIPS solution was deployed in a real-world environment and subject to performance tests, multiple iterations of attacks from Miercom’s proprietary malware suite, and exploits from Ixia BreakingPoint and other test tools.
Figure 1. Test Bed Diagram
Figure 2. Test Tools
NSP demonstrated security effectiveness in the attack lifecycle detection and protection through its efficient signature engine along with multiple advanced signature-less detection technologies, including file analysis, protocol behavior analysis, and network behavior analysis. The results not only showed NSP continued to hold the highest standard in exploit prevention capability, but also proved its advantage in zero-day malware and malicious URL protection compared to other IPS solutions in the market.
“Based on our findings, the McAfee Network Security Platform with NS9500 sensors demonstrates competitively superior security and performance. The McAfee solution was stressed under real-world known and not yet discovered exploits and heavily loaded conditions and passed these tests with ease. McAfee Network Security Platform has rightfully earned the distinction as Miercom Certified Secure.” – Rob Smithers, CEO, Miercom
McAfee Enterprise’s new appliance offerings, NS9500 and NS7500, are scalable hardware platforms that provide investment protection. They offer multiple throughput options with the inspection throughput being controlled by a software license. This provides customers the flexibility to only buy capacity that is needed, and easily scale inspection throughput as needs increase via a software upgrade license and/or by stacking appliances. The appliances are purpose-built for line speed DPI (Deep Packet Inspection) and its efficient architecture preserves performance regardless of security settings unlike other IPS offerings in the market.
To download a copy of the report, please visit McAfee.com/nsp-Miercom
To learn more about McAfee NSP, please visit McAfee.com/nsp
To learn more about Miercom, please visit https://Miercom.com
The post McAfee NSP Provides Superior Security and Performance appeared first on McAfee Blogs.
In the last week there has been change, but a lot remains the same, too. First, we are now McAfee Enterprise, a pure-play enterprise cybersecurity company under the new ownership of Symphony Technology Group (STG). It’s an exciting change and true focus for our company, allowing us to concentrate on enterprise and commercial business needs. Our partners are an important part of our journey, and together we are excited to continue to win and drive success.
As we start this chapter as a pure-play enterprise security company, my focus is on adding value for our partners at all levels, ensuring our joint customers understand the power of our technology portfolio, and driving profitability and growth through better cybersecurity outcomes for our customers.
Our strategy continues to be Channel First, and we have worked to create continuity in all that we do for our channel partners and customers through the transition. That means our operations as a company will remain very much the same, so there will be no new systems or tools to learn, and our partners will continue to receive the same program benefits. At the same time, we will continue to evaluate and enhance program benefits, enablement and sales engagement.
We look forward to embarking on this journey with our partners as McAfee Enterprise. Our vision cannot be achieved without our partners’ trust and confidence in us.
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The DotNet based CyaX-Sharp loader, also known as ReZer0, is known to spread commodity malware, such as AgentTesla. In recent years, this loader has been referenced numerous times, as it was used in campaigns across the globe. The tale of CyaX-Sharp is interesting, as the takeaways provide insight into the way actors prefer to use the loader. Additionally, it shines a light onto a spot that is not often illuminated: the inner workings of loaders.
This blog is split up into several segments, starting with a brief preface regarding the coverage of loaders in reports. After that, the origin of the loader’s name is explored. Next, the loader’s capabilities are discussed, as well as the automatic extraction of the embedded payload from the loader. Lastly, the bulk analysis of 513 unique loader samples is discussed.
To conceal the malware, actors often use a loader. The purpose of a loader is, as its name implies, to load and launch its payload, thereby starting the next stage in the process. There can be multiple loaders that are executed sequentially, much like a Russian Matryoshka doll in which the smallest doll, which is hidden inside numerous others, is the final payload. The “smallest doll” generally contains the malware’s main capabilities, such as stealing credentials, encrypting files, or providing remote access to the actor.
While there is a lot of research into the actions of the final payload, the earlier stages are just as interesting and relevant. Even though the earlier stages do not contain the capabilities of the malware that is eventually loaded, they provide insight as to what steps are taken to conceal the malware. Blogs generally mention the capabilities of a loader briefly, if at all. The downside here lies in the potential detection rules that others can create with the blog, as the focus is on the final step in the process, whereas the detection should start as soon as possible.
Per best security practices, organizations should protect themselves at every step along the way, rather than only focusing on the outside perimeter. These threat models are often referred to as the, respectively, onion and egg model. The egg’s hard shell is tough to break, but once inside, an attacker has free roam. The onion model opposes the attacker every step of the way, due to its layered approach. Knowing the behavior of the final payload is helpful to detect and block malware although, ideally, the malware would be detected as early on as possible.
This blog focuses on one specific loader family, but the takeaways are valid in a broader sense. The preferred configurations of the actors are useful to understand how loaders can be used in a variety of attacks.
A recent blog by G Data’s Karsten Hahn provides a more in-depth look into malware families ambiguous naming schemes. This loader’s name is also ambiguous, as it is known by several names. Samples are often named based on distinctive characteristics in them. The name CyaX-Sharp is based upon the recurring string in samples. This is, however, exactly why it was also named ReZer0.
When looking at the most used names within the 513 obtained samples, 92 use CyaX-Sharp, whereas 215 use ReZer0. This would make it likely that the loader would be dubbed ReZer0, rather than CyaX-Sharp. However, when looking at the sample names over time, as can be seen in the graph below, the reason why CyaX-Sharp was chosen becomes apparent: the name ReZer0 was only introduced 8 months after the first CyaX-Sharp sample was discovered. Based on this, McAfee refers to this loader as CyaX-Sharp.
Within the settings, one will find V2 or V4. This is not a reference of the loader’s version, but rather the targeted DotNet Framework version. Within the sample set, 62% of the samples are compiled to run on V4, leaving 38% to run on V2.
Each version of the loader contains all core capabilities, which may or may not be executed during runtime, based on the loader’s configuration. The raw configurations are stored in a string, using two pipes as the delimiting value. The string is then converted into a string array using said delimiter. Based on the values at specific indices, certain capabilities are enabled. The screenshots below show, respectively, the raw configuration value, and some of the used indices in a sample (SHA-256: a15be1bd758d3cb61928ced6cdb1b9fa39643d2db272909037d5426748f3e7a4).
The loader can delay its execution by sleeping for a certain number of seconds, use a mutex to ensure it is not already running, display a message box with a custom message, persist itself as a scheduled task, and/or execute a given payload in several ways. The payload can be downloaded from an external location, after which it is started. Alternatively, or additionally, the embedded payload within the loader can be launched. This can be done directly from the loader’s memory with the help of reflective calls, or by hollowing a newly created process. The flowchart below visualizes the process. Note that the dotted line means the linked step can be skipped, depending on the loader’s configuration.
The newly created process is one of the following: MSBuild.exe, vbc.exe, RegSvcs.exe, or a new instance of the loader. The process hollowing code segment seems to be taken from NYAN-x-CAT’s GitHub, as the for-loop to start the process hollowing method is present in both the loader and the linked repository. The way an error is handled is not a standardized method, making the link between the publicly available code very likely. The first image below shows the original code from the repository, whereas the second image shows the code from the loader (SHA-256: a15be1bd758d3cb61928ced6cdb1b9fa39643d2db272909037d5426748f3e7a4)
The loop calls the process hollowing function several times to more easily handle exceptions. In the case of an exception during the process hollowing, the targeted process is killed and the function returns. To try several times, a loop is used.
Even though the loader has changed over time, it maintained the same core structure. Later versions introduced minor changes to existing features. Below, different loader versions will be described, where the length of the string array that contains the loader’s configuration is used to identify different versions. The graph shows the rise and fall for each of the versions.
There are two notable differences in versions where the config array’s size is larger than 29. Some specific samples have slightly different code when compared with others, but I did not consider these differences sizable enough to warrant a new version.
Firstly, the ability to enable or disable the delayed execution of a sample. If enabled, the execution is delayed by sleeping for a predefined number of seconds. In config_29, the delay functionality is always enabled. The duration of the delay is based on the System.Random object, which is instantiated using the default seed. The given lower and upper limits are 45,000 and 60,000, resulting in a value between these limits, which equals in the number of milliseconds the execution should be delayed.
Secondly, the feature to display a custom message in a prompt has been added. The config file contains the message box’ title, text, button style, and icon style. Prompts can be used to display a fake error message to the victim, which will appear to be legitimate e.g. 43d334c125968f73b71f3e9f15f96911a94e590c80955e0612a297c4a792ca07, which uses “You do not have the proper software to view this document” as its message.
To automatically extract the payload and configuration of a given loader, one can recreate the decryption mechanism in a language of choice, get the encrypted data from the loader, and decrypt it. The downside here is the need for an exact copy of the decryption mechanism. If the key were to change, or a slightly different algorithm were to be used, the copy would also need to reflect those changes. To avoid dealing with the decryption method, a different approach can be taken.
This loader mistakenly uses static variables to store the decrypted payload and configuration in. In short, these variables are initialized prior to the execution of the main function of the loader. As such, it is possible to reflectively obtain the value of the two variables in question. A detailed how-to guide can be found on my personal website. The data that was extracted from the 513 samples in the set is discussed in the next section.
The complete set consists of 513 samples, all of which were found using a single Yara rule. The rule focuses on the embedded resource which is used to persist the loader as a scheduled task on the victim’s system. In some cases, the Yara rule will not match a sample, as the embedded resource is obfuscated using ConfuserEx (one example being SHA-256 0427ebb4d26dfc456351aab28040a244c883077145b7b529b93621636663a812). To deobfuscate, one can use ViRb3’s de4dot-cex fork of de4dot. The Yara rule will match with the deobfuscated binary. The graph below shows the number of unique samples over time.
The dates are based on VirusTotal’s first seen date. Granted, this date does not need to represent the day the malware was first distributed. However, when talking about commodity malware that is distributed in bulk, the date is reliable enough.
The sample set that was used is smaller than the total amount of loaders that have been used in the wild. This loader is often not the first stage, but rather an in-memory stage launched by another loader. Practically, the sample set is sizable enough for this research, but it should be noted that there are more unique loader samples in the wild for the given date range than are used in this report.
It is useful to know what the capabilities of a single sample are, but the main area of interest of this research is based upon the analysis of all samples in the set. Several features will be discussed, along with thoughts on them. In this section, all percentages refer to the total of 513 unless otherwise specified.
The loader’s usage is widespread, without a direct correlation towards a specific group or geographical region. Even though some reports mention a specific actor using or creating this loader, the fact that at least one builder has leaked makes attribution to one or more actors difficult. Coupled with the wide variety of targeted industries, as well as the broad geographic targeted areas, it looks like several actors utilise this loader. The goal of this research is not to dig into the actors who utilise this loader, but rather to look at the sample set in general. Appendix A provides a non-exhaustive list of public articles that (at least) mention this loader, in descending chronological order.
The two options to launch a payload, either reflectively or via process hollowing, are widely apart in usage: 90% of all loaders uses process hollowing, whereas only 10% of the samples are launched via reflection. Older versions of the loader sometimes used to reflectively load a decrypted stager from the loader’s resources, which would then launch the loader’s payload via process hollowing. The metrics below do not reflect this, meaning the actual percentage of direct launches might be slightly lower than is currently stated. The details can be viewed in the graph below.
Note that the reflective loading mechanism will default to the process hollowing of a new instance of the loader if any exception is thrown. Only DotNet based files can be loaded reflectively, meaning that other files that are executed this way will be loaded using a hollowed instance of the loader.
The persistence method, which uses a scheduled task to start the loader once the computer boots, is used by 54% of the loaders. This does not mean that the other 46% of the samples are not persisted on the victim’s machine, as a different stage could provide persistence as well. Notable is the date within the scheduled task, which equals 2014-10-25T14:27:44.8929027. This date is, at the time of writing, nearly 2500 days ago. If any of the systems in an organization encounter a scheduled task with this exact date, it is wise to verify its origin, as well as the executable that it points to.
A third of all loaders are configured to avoid running when an instance is already active using a mutex. Similar to the persistence mechanism, a mutex could be present in a different stage, though this is not necessarily the case. The observed mutexes seem to consist of only unaccented alphabetical letters, or [a-zA-Z]+ when written as a regular expression.
Delayed execution is used by nearly 37% of the samples, roughly half of which are config_29, meaning this setting was not configurable when creating the sample. The samples where the delayed execution was configurable, equal nearly 19% of the total. On average, a 4 second delay is used. The highest observed delay is 600 seconds. The graph below shows the duration of the delay, and the frequency.
Note that one loader was configured to have a delay of 0 seconds, essentially not delaying the execution. In most cases, the delayed time is a value that can be divided by five, which is often seen as a round number by humans.
Prior to launching the payload, the loader can perform several checks. A virtual environment can be detected, as well as a sandbox. Roughly 10% of the samples check for the presence of a virtual machine, whereas roughly 11% check if it is executed in a sandbox. Roughly 8% of the 513 samples check for the presence of both, prior to continuing their execution. In other words, 88% of the samples that try to detect a virtual machine, also attempted to detect a sandbox. Vice versa, 74% of the samples that attempted to detect the sandbox, attempted to detect if they were executed on a virtual machine.
The option to disable Windows Defender was mainly present in the earlier samples, which is why only 15% of the set attempts to disable it.
The loader’s final goal is to execute the next stage on the victim’s machine. Knowing what kind of malware families are often dropped can help to find the biggest pain points in your organization’s additional defensive measures. The chart below provides insight into the families that were observed the most. The segment named other contains all samples that would otherwise clutter the overview due to the few occurrences per family, such as the RedLine stealer, Azorult, or the lesser known MrFireMan keylogger.
The percentages in the graph are based on 447 total payloads, as 66 payloads were duplicates. In other words, 66 of the unique loaders dropped a non-unique payload. Of all families, AgentTesla is the most notable, both in terms of frequency and in terms of duplicate count. Of the 66 duplicates, 48 were related to AgentTesla.
Two functions of the loader that are barely used are the message box and the download of a remote payload. The usage of both is, respectively, 1.3% and 0.8%. All of the remote payloads also contained an embedded payload, although one of the four remotely fetching loaders does not contain a URL to download the remote payload from. The external file can be used as an additional module for a next stage, a separate malicious payload, or it can be used to disable certain defense mechanisms on the victim’s device.
Companies using the aforementioned onion security model benefit greatly from the dissection of such a loader, as their internal detection rules can be improved with the provided details. This stops the malware’s execution in its tracks, as is shown in the sequential diagram of McAfee’s detection below.
The techniques that this loader uses are commonly abused, meaning that the detection of a technique such as process hollowing will also prevent the successful execution of numerous other malware families. McAfee’s Endpoint Security (ENS) and Endpoint Detection & Response (EDR) detect the CyaX-Sharp loader every step of the way, including the common techniques it uses. As such, customers are protected against a multitude of families based on a program’s heuristics.
Below, a non-exhaustive chronologically descending list of relevant articles is given. Some articles contain information on the targeted industries and/or target geographical area.
The hashes that are mentioned in this blog are listed below, in order of occurrence. The SHA-1 and SSDeep hashes are also included. A full list of hashes for all 513 samples and their payloads can be found here.
Sample 1
SHA-256: a15be1bd758d3cb61928ced6cdb1b9fa39643d2db272909037d5426748f3e7a4
SHA-1: 14b1a50c94c2751901f0584ec9953277c91c8fff
SSDeep: 12288:sT2BzlxlBrB7d1THL1KEZ0M4p+b6m0yn1MX8Xs1ax+XdjD3ka:O2zBrB7dlHxv0M4p+b50yn6MXsSovUa
Sample 2
SHA-256: 43d334c125968f73b71f3e9f15f96911a94e590c80955e0612a297c4a792ca07
SHA-1: d6dae3588a2a6ff124f693d9e23393c1c6bcef05
SSDeep: 24576:EyOxMKD09DLjhXKCfJIS7fGVZsjUDoX4h/Xh6EkRlVMd3P4eEL8PrZzgo0AqKx/6:EyycPJvTGVijUDlhfEEIUvEL8PrZx0AQ
Sample 3
SHA-256: 0427ebb4d26dfc456351aab28040a244c883077145b7b529b93621636663a812
SHA-1: 8d0bfb0026505e551a1d9e7409d01f42e7c8bf40
SSDeep: 12288:pOIcEfbJ4Fg9ELYTd24xkODnya1QFHWV5zSVPjgXSGHmI:EEj9E/va
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Hyperautomation is a process where artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), event-driven software, and other tools are used to automate as many business and IT processes as possible. Forecasted by Gartner to reach $596.6 billion by 20221, hyperautomation and the global software market that enables it show no signs of slowing.
The myriad of technologies used by a typical organization often are not integrated and exist as siloed disparate tools. Hyperautomation aims to reduce this “organizational debt” to improve value and brand. In the context of cybersecurity, a patchwork of stovepipe solutions not only exposes the environment to risk, but also impacts the cyber defender’s ability to fortify the environment and respond to threats at machine speed. Our target is “shift-left” security — leveraging intelligence to enhance predictability and encourage proactive responses to cyber threats.
The rise of telemetry architectures, combined with cloud adoption and data as the “new perimeter,” pose new challenges to cybersecurity operations. Organizations will be forced to contend with increased “security debt” unless we figure out how to optimize, connect, and streamline the solutions. In some cases, we have technologies available to begin this journey (MVISION Insights, MVISION Extended Detection and Response (XDR), MVISION API). In others, our customers demand more. They challenge us to build next-generation platforms to see themselves, see their cyberspace, and understand their cyberspace. Some cyber defenders need more than traditional cyber threat intelligence telemetry to make critical operational impact decisions.
MVISION Insights and MVISION XDR are great starts. It all begins with the build-up of an appropriate telemetry architecture, and McAfee Enterprise’s billion-sensor global telemetry is unmatched. Insights provides an automated means to fortify the environment against emerging threats, weaponizing threat intelligence to take a proactive stance in reducing your attack surface from device to cloud. Why start engaging at an attack’s point of impact when an organization can begin its own awareness at the same point an attacker would? MVISION XDR brings together the fragmented security solutions accumulated over the years, sharing information and coordinating actions to deliver an effective, unified response across every threat vector. Workflows are effortless to orchestrate. The powerful combination of Insights and XDR provides management and visibility of the complete attack lifecycle. Open architectures reinforce our belief that we are better together and facilitate a cybersecurity ecosystem consistent with the concepts of hyperautomation enablement.
Figure 1 – Attack Lifecycle
Where can we go from here? How do we secure tomorrow? From my perspective, we should expand the definition and scope of cybersecurity.
The answer is to look beyond traditional cyber threat telemetry; external factors (environmental, social media, geolocation, law enforcement, etc.) truly matter and are vital in making business impact decisions. Complete operational visibility, and the ability to investigate, research, and rationalize what matters most to make accurate, critical judgments, is the missing link. This is a Cyber Common Operating Picture (COP). A natural extension of our current initiatives within the industry, a COP answers the growing need to provide an integrated cyber defender’s visualization workbench that manages multiple data telemetry sources (beyond cyber threats) and delivers our customers wisdom – a true understanding – regarding their cyberspace on a local, regional, and global scale.
Telemetry data represents change, and telemetry architectures will require new forms of advanced analytics, AI, and ML to make sense of the vast sea of all-source intelligence flowing in from the environment to enhance observations and take definitive action. If we can “shift-left” for cyber threats, we can leverage that same predictability to identify and prepare for the impact of peripheral threats. Open source, custom, and third-party data feeds are widely available and create integration opportunities with emerging markets and capabilities to solve unique challenges typically not associated with our platform:
Non-traditional sensor telemetry, a multitude of feeds, and threat intelligence must be overlayed across the Cyber COP to provide AI-driven predictability modeling for next-gen systems and actionable conclusions. This is a potential future for how hyperautomation can impact cybersecurity; this is orchestrating beyond standard capabilities and expanding the definition and scope of how our complex environments are secured. AI engineering strategies will continue to expand and deliver data analytics at machine speeds.
McAfee Enterprise has always been a proponent of a platform approach to cybersecurity, creating interoperability and extending the security investments its customers have made. Loosely coupled security systems introduce gaps, and hyperautomation aims to solve that at a much larger scale. As we look toward the future, we can collectively build the requirements for the next generation of security solutions and broaden the scope of how we defend against our common adversaries. I am confident that the technologies currently exist to provide the framework(s) of a COP solution for enhanced cyber situational awareness.
Source: 1Gartner Press Release: Gartner Forecasts Worldwide Hyperautomation-Enabling Software Market to Reach Nearly $600 Billion by 2022 (April 28, 2021)
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Every organization has data moving to the multi-cloud; digital transformation is occurring rapidly, is here to stay, and is impacting every major industry. Organizations are working hard to adopt Zero Trust architectures as their critical information, trade secrets, and business applications are no longer stored in a single datacenter or location. As a result, there is a rapid shift to cloud resources to support dynamic mission requirements, and the new perimeter to defend is data. At its core, Zero Trust is a data-centric model and is fundamental to what McAfee Enterprise offers. In the Public Sector, data has now been classified as a strategic asset – often referred to as the “crown jewels” of an organization. Reinforced by the publication of the DoD Zero Trust Reference Architecture, we have arrived at a crossroads where demonstrating a sound data strategy will be a fundamental requirement for any organization.
All DoD data is an enterprise resource, meaning data requires consistent and uniform protections wherever it is created or wherever it traverses. This includes data transmitted across multi-cloud services, through custom mission applications, and on devices. Becoming a data-centric organization requires that data be treated as the primary asset. It must also be available so that it can be leveraged by other solutions for discovery and analytics purposes. To achieve this, interoperability and uniform data management are strategic elements that underpin many sections of DoD’s official vision of Zero Trust.
Let us dissect how the DoD plans to create a data advantage and where McAfee Enterprise can support these efforts as we explore the four essential capabilities – Architecture, Standards, Governance, and Talent & Culture:
Figure 1 – DoD Data Strategy Framework
McAfee Enterprise’s open architectural methodology emphasizes the efficiencies that cloud adoption and open frameworks can offer. The ability to leverage agile development and continuously adapt to dynamic mission requirements – faster than our adversaries – is a strategic advantage. Data protection and cloud posture, however, must not take a back seat to innovation.
The rapid pace of cloud adoption introduces new risks to the environment; misconfigurations and mistakes happen and are common. Vulnerabilities leave the environment exposed as DevOps tends to leverage open-source tools and capabilities. Agile development introduces a lot of moving parts as applications are updated and changed at an expedited pace and based on shorter, prescriptive measures. Customers also utilize multiple cloud service providers (CSP) to fit their mission needs, so consistent and uniform data management across all the multi-cloud services is a necessity. We are at a pivotal inflection point where native, built-in CSP protections have introduced too much complexity, overhead, and inconsistency. Our data security solution is a holistic, open platform that enforces standardized protections and visibility across the multi-cloud.
Together with our partners, we support the architecture requirements for data-centric organizations and take charge as the multi-cloud scales. Several items – visibility and control over the multi-cloud, device-to-cloud data protection, cloud posture, user behavior and insider threat – play into our strengths while organic partner integrations (e.g., ZTNA) further bolster the Zero Trust narrative and contribute to interoperability requirements. We are better together and can facilitate an open architecture to meet the demands of the mission.
DoD requires proven-at-scale methods for managing, representing, and sharing data of all types, and an open architecture should be used wherever possible to avoid stovepiped solutions and facilitate an interoperable security ecosystem. Past performance is key, and McAfee Enterprise has a long track record of delivering results, which is crucial as the DoD moves into a hybrid model of management.
Data comes in many forms, and the growth of telemetry architectures requires machines to do more with artificial intelligence and machine learning to make sense of data. How do we share indicators of compromise (IoCs) so multiple environments – internal and external – can leverage intelligence from other organizations? How do we share risks in multi-clouds and ensure data is secured in a uniform manner? How do we weaponize intelligence to shift “left of boom” and eliminate those post-compromise autopsies? Let’s explore how McAfee Enterprise supports data standards.
Made possible by Data Exchange Layer (DXL) and a strategic partner, the sharing of threat intelligence data has proven successful. Multiple environments participate in a security-connected ecosystem where an “attack against one is an attack against all” and advanced threats are detected, stopped, and participants are inoculated in near real-time. This same architecture scales to the hybrid cloud where the workloads in cloud environments can benefit from broad coverage.
Furthermore, DXL was built as open source to foster integrations and deliver cohesive partner solutions to promote interoperability and improve threat-informed intelligence. All capabilities speak the same language, tip and cue, and provide much greater return on investment. Consider the sharing of cloud-derived threats. No longer should we be limited to traditional hashes or IoCs. Perhaps we should share risky or malicious cloud services and/or insider threats. Maybe custom-developed solutions should leverage our MVISION platform via API to take advantage of the rich global telemetry and see what we see.
Our global telemetry is unmatched and can be leveraged to organizations’ advantage to proactively fortify the device-to-cloud environment, effectively shifting security to the “left” of impact. This is all done through the utilization of MVISION Insights. Automated posture assessments pinpoint where potential gaps in an organization’s countermeasures may exist and provide the means to take proactive action before it is hit. Through MVISION Insights, cyber operators can learn about active global campaigns, emerging threats, and whether an organization is in the path – or even the target. Leadership can grasp the all-important risk metric and deliver proof that the security investments are working and operational. Combined with native MITRE ATT&CK Framework mappings – an industry standard being mapped across our portfolio – this proactive hardening is a way we use threat telemetry to customers’ advantage.
Standardized data protection, end-to-end, across all devices and multi-cloud services is a key tenant of the DoD Data Strategy. Protecting data wherever it lives or moves, retaining it within set boundaries and making it available to approved users and devices only, and enforcing consistent controls from a single, comprehensive solution spanning the entire environment is the only data security approach. This is what Unified Cloud Edge (UCE) does. This platform’s converged approach is tailored to support DoD’s digital transformation to the multi-cloud and its journey to a data-centric enterprise.
DoD’s data governance element is comprised of the policies, procedures, frameworks, tools, and metrics to ensure data is managed at all levels, from when it is created to where it is stored. It encompasses increased data oversight at multiple levels and ensures that data will be integrated into future modernization initiatives. Many organizations tend to be driven by compliance requirements (which typically outweigh security innovation) unless there is an imminent mission need; we now have the compliance requirement. Customers will need to demonstrate a proper data protection and governance strategy as multi-cloud adoption matures. What better way to incorporate Zero Trust architectures than by leveraging UCE? Remember, this is beyond the software defined perimeter.
McAfee Enterprise can monitor, discover, and analyze all the cloud services leveraged by users – both approved and unapproved (Shadow IT) – and provide a holistic assessment. Closed loop remediation ensures organizations can take control and govern access to the unapproved or malicious services and use the information to lay the foundation for building effective data protection policies very relevant to mission needs.
Granular governance and control – application-level visibility – by authenticated users working within the various cloud services is just as important as controlling access to them. Tight API integrations with traditional SaaS services guarantee only permitted activities occur. With agile development on the rise, it is just as important that the solution is flexible to control these custom apps in the same way as any commercial cloud service. Legacy mission applications are being redesigned to take advantage of cloud scale and efficiency; McAfee Enterprise will not impose limits.
Governance over cloud posture is equally important, and customers need to ensure the multi-cloud environment is not introducing any additional source of risk. Most compromises are due to misconfigurations or mistakes that leave links, portals, or directories open to the public. We evaluate the multi-cloud against industry benchmarks and best practices, provide holistic risk scoring, and provide the means to remediate these findings to fortify an organization’s cloud infrastructure.
Unified data protection is our end goal; it is at the core of what we do and how we align to Zero Trust. Consistent protections and governance over data wherever it is created, wherever it goes, from device to multi-cloud. The same engine is shared across the environment and provides a single place for incidents and management across the enterprise. Customers can be confident that all data will be tracked and proper controls enforced wherever its destination may be.
Becoming a data-centric organization will require a cultural change. Decision-making capabilities will be empowered by data and analytics as opposed to experienced situations and scenarios (e.g., event response). Machine learning and artificial intelligence will continue to influence processes and procedures, and an open ecosystem is needed to facilitate effective collaboration. Capabilities designed to foster interoperability and collaboration will be the future. As more telemetry is obtained, solutions must support the SOC analyst with reduced noise and provide relevant, actionable data for swift decision-making.
At McAfee Enterprise, we hear this. UCE provides simplified management over the multi-cloud to ensure consistent and unified control over the environment and the data. No other vendor has the past performance at scale for hybrid, centralized management. MVISION Insights ensures that environments are fortified against emerging threats, allowing the cyber operators to focus on the security gaps that can leave an organization exposed. Threat intelligence sharing and an open architecture has been our priority over the past several years, and we will continue to enrich and strengthen that architecture through our platform approach. There is no silver bullet solution that will meet every mission requirement, but what we can collectively do is ensure we are united against our adversaries.
Data and Zero Trust will be at the forefront as we move forward into adopting cloud in the public sector. There is a better approach to security in this cloud-first world. It is a mindset change from the old perimeter-oriented view to an approach based on adaptive and dynamic trust and access controls. McAfee’s goal is to ensure that customers can support their mission objectives in a secure way, deliver new functionality, improved processes, and ultimately give better return on investments.
We are better together.
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Picture this: you open your MacBook and see an email claiming to be from your favorite online store. In the email, there is an attachment with “important information regarding your recent purchase.” Out of curiosity, you open the attachment without checking the recipient’s email address. The next thing you know, your device is riddled with malware.
Unfortunately, this story is not far from reality. Contrary to popular belief, Apple computers can get viruses, and XLoader has Mac users in their sights.
Let’s break down XLoader’s ‘s origins and how this malware works.
Where Did XLoader Come From?
XLoader originated from FormBook, which has been active for at least five years and is among the most common types of malware. Designed as a malicious tool to steal credentials from different web browsers, collect screenshots, monitor and log keystrokes, and more, FormBook allowed criminals to spread online misfortune on a budget. Its developer, referred to as ng-Coder, charged $49, a relatively cheap price to use the malware, making it easily accessible to cybercriminals.
Although ng-Coder stopped selling FormBook in 2018, this did not stop cybercriminals from using it. Those who had bought the malware to host on their own servers continued to use it, and in turn, quickly noticed that FormBook had untapped potential. In February 2020, FormBook rebranded to XLoader. XLoader can now target Windows systems and macOS devices.
Typically, XLoader is spread via fraudulent emails that trick recipients into downloading a malicious file, such as a Microsoft Office document. Once the malware is on the person’s device, an attacker can eavesdrop on the user’s keystrokes and monitors. Once a criminal has collected enough valuable data, they can make fake accounts in the victim’s name, hack their online profiles, and even access their financial information.
According to recent data, Apple sold 20 million Mac and MacBook devices in 2020. With macOS’s growing popularity, it is no surprise that cybercriminals have set their sights on targeting Mac users. Check out these tips to safeguard your devices and online data from XLoader and similar hacks:
Hackers often use phishing emails or text messages to distribute and disguise their malicious code. Do not open suspicious or irrelevant messages, as this can result in malware infection. If the message claims to be from a business or someone you know, reach out to the source directly instead of responding to the message to confirm the sender’s legitimacy.
Hackers tend to hide malicious code behind the guise of fake websites. Before clicking on an unfamiliar hyperlink, hover over it with your cursor. This will show a preview of the web address. If something seems off (there are strange characters, misspellings, grammatical errors, etc.) do not click the link.
Use a solution like McAfee Total Protection, which can help protect devices against malware, phishing attacks, and other threats. It also includes McAfee WebAdvisor — a tool that identifies malicious websites.
Regardless of whether you use a PC or a Mac, it is important to realize that both systems are susceptible to cyberthreats that are constantly changing. Do your research on prevalent threats and software bugs to put you in a great position to protect your online safety.
XLoader is just the latest example of how the gap between the prevalence of PC versus macOS malware is steadily closing. To better anticipate what threats could be around the corner and how to best combat them, stay updated on all of the latest online safety trends and practice great security habits. This will not only help protect your devices and online accounts but also bring you greater peace of mind.
The post 3 Tips to Protect Yourself From XLoader Malware appeared first on McAfee Blogs.
The current business transformation and remote workforce expansion require zero trust access to corporate resources, with end-to-end data security and continuous risk assessment to protect applications and data across all locations – public clouds, private data centers, and user devices. MVISION Private Access is the industry’s first truly integrated Zero Trust Network Access solution that enables blazing fast, granular “Zero Trust” access to private applications and provides best-in-class data security with leading data protection, threat protection, and endpoint protection capabilities, paving the way for accelerated Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) deployments.
We are currently operating in a world where enterprises are borderless, and the workforce is increasingly distributed. With an increasing number of applications, workloads and data moving to the cloud, security practitioners today face a wide array of challenges while ensuring business continuity, including:
Cloud-based Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) application adoption has exploded in the last decade, but most organizations still rely heavily on private applications hosted in data centers or Infrastructure-as-a-Service) IaaS environments. To date Virtual Private Networks (VPN) have been a quick and easy fix for providing remote users access to sensitive internal applications and data. However, with remote working becoming the new normal and organizations moving towards cloud-first deployments, VPNs are now challenged with providing secure connectivity for infrastructures they weren’t built for, leading to bandwidth, performance, and scalability issues. VPNs also introduce the risk of excessive data exposure, as any remote user with valid login keys can get complete access to the entire internal corporate network and all the resources within.
Enter Zero Trust Network Access, or ZTNA! Built on the fundamentals of “Zero Trust”, ZTNAs deny access to private applications unless the user identity is verified, irrespective of whether the user is located inside or outside the enterprise perimeter. Additionally, in contrast to the excessive implicit trust approach adopted by VPNs, ZTNAs enable precise, “least privileged” access to specific applications based upon the user authorization.
We are pleased to announce the launch of MVISION Private Access, an industry-leading Zero Trust Network Access solution with integrated Data Loss Prevention (DLP) and Remote Browser Isolation (RBI) capabilities. With MVISION Private Access, organizations can enable fast, ubiquitous, direct-to-cloud access to private resources from any remote location and device, allow deep visibility into user activity, enforce data protection over the secure sessions to prevent data misuse or theft, isolate private applications from potentially risky user devices, and perform security posture assessment of connecting devices, all from a single, unified platform.
Here are the key capabilities offered by ZTNA to provide secure access for your remote workforce:
Though ZTNAs are frequently promoted as VPN replacements, nearly all ZTNA solutions share an important drawback with VPNs – lack of data awareness and risk awareness. First-generation ZTNA solutions have categorically focused on solving the access puzzle and have left data security and threat prevention problems unattended. Considering that ubiquitous data awareness and risk assessment are the key tenets of the SASE framework, this is a major shortcoming when you consider how much traffic is going back and forth between users and private applications.
Moreover, the growing adoption of personal devices for work, oftentimes connecting over unsecure remote networks, significantly expands the threat surface and increases the risk of sensitive data exposure and theft due to lack of endpoint, cloud and web security controls.
Addressing these challenges requires ZTNA solutions to supplement their Zero Trust access capabilities with centralized monitoring and device posture assessment, along with integrated data and threat protection.
MVISION Private Access, from McAfee Enterprise, is designed for organizations in need for an all-encompassing security solution that focuses on protecting their ever-crucial data, while enabling remote access to corporate applications. The solution combines the secure access capabilities of ZTNA with the data and threat protection capabilities of Data Loss Prevention (DLP) and Remote Browser Isolation (RBI) to offer the industry’s leading integrated, data-centric solution for private application security, while utilizing McAfee’s industry-leading Endpoint Security solution to derive deep insights into the user devices and validating their security posture before enabling zero trust access.
MVISION Private Access allows customers to immediately apply inline DLP policies to the collaboration happening over the secure sessions for deep data inspection and classification, preventing inappropriate handling of sensitive data and blocking malicious file uploads. Additionally, customers can utilize a highly innovative Remote Browser Isolation solution to protect private applications from risky and untrusted unmanaged devices by isolating the web sessions and allowing read-only access to the applications.
Fig. 1: MVISION Private Access
Private Access further integrates with MVISION Unified Cloud Edge (UCE) to enable defense-in-depth and offer full scope of data and threat protection capabilities to customers from device-to-cloud. Customers can achieve the following benefits from the integrated solution:
Additionally, UCE’s Hyperscale Service Edge, that operates at 99.999% service uptime and is powered by intelligently peered data centers, provides blazing fast, seamless experience to private access users. Authentication via Identity Providers eliminates the risk of threat actors infiltrating the corporate networks using compromised devices or user credentials.
With dozens of ZTNA solutions on the market, we’ve made sure that MVISION Private Access stands out from the crowd with the following:
With MVISION Private Access customers can establish granular, least privileged access to their private applications hosted across cloud and IT environments, from any device and location, while availing all the goodness of McAfee’s leading data and threat protection capabilities to accelerate their business transformation and enable the fastest route to SASE. To learn more, visit www.mcafee.com/privateaccess.
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This news has been some time in the making, and I’m terrifically excited to share it.
As of July 27th, we take a decisive step forward, one where McAfee places its sole focus on consumers. People like you. This marks the day we officially divest our enterprise business and dedicate ourselves to protecting people so they can freely enjoy life online.
This move reflects years of evolution, time spent re-envisioning what online protection looks like in everyday life—how to make it stronger, easier to use, and most importantly, all the ways it can make you feel safe and help you stay that way.
In the coming days, you’ll see your experience with us evolve dramatically as well. You’ll see advances in our online protection that look, feel, and act in bold new ways. They will put you in decisive control of your identity and privacy, all in a time where both are so infringed upon. And you’ll also see your protection get simpler, much simpler, than before.
Today, I’d like to give you a preview of what’s ahead.
First, these changes are inspired by you. From feedback, research, interviews, and even having some of you invite us into your homes to show us how you live life online, you’ve made it clear what’s working and what isn’t. You’ve also shared what’s on your mind—your thoughts on technology’s rapid growth, the concerns you have for your children, and the times where life online makes you feel vulnerable.
We’re here to change things for the better. And here’s why …
Our lives are more fluid and mobile than ever before. From the palm of our hand, we split the cost of dinner, purchase birthday gifts, dim the lights in our living room, warm up the car on a winter morning, and far more. In many ways, our smartphones are the remote control for our lives. From managing our finances to controlling our surroundings, we’re increasing our use of technology to get things done and make things happen. Could any of us have imagined this when the first smartphones rolled out years ago?
Without question, we’re still plenty reliant on our computers and laptops too. Our recent research showed that we’re looking forward to using them in addition to our phones for telemedicine, financial planning, and plenty of personal shopping—each representing major upticks in usage than in years before, up to 74 percent more in some cases.
Yet what’s the common denominator here? You. Whatever device you’re using, at the center of all that activity is you. You’re the one who’s getting things done, making things happen, or simply passing some time with a show. So, while the device remains important, what’s far more important is you—and the way you’re using your device for ever-increasing portions of your life. Safely. Confidently. Easily.
Taken together, the time to squarely focus on protecting people is now. A new kind of online security is called for, one that can protect you as you go online throughout your day in a nearly constant and seamless fashion. We’ve dedicated ourselves to making that happen. And you’ll soon see what that looks like.
So how can you expect this evolution to take shape? You’ll see it in three significant ways:
1. Personalized experience. We’re building security that protects you effortlessly wherever your day takes you. From device to device, place to place, and all the experiences online in between. Think of our approach to online protection like Netflix, which used to be a physical service where you waited in queue for that next episodic DVD of Lost to get mailed to you. Now your shows follow you and stream anywhere, no matter what device you’re on. It’s the same thing with our security. It will recognize you and protect you whether you’re at home or by the pool on vacation, on your laptop, or your phone, with one consistent experience. Again, it’s all about you. Keeping you protected as you enjoy every perk and convenience of life online.
2. Intelligent experience. The next evolution builds on personalization and takes it a step further. This is security that understands when you and your personal info is at risk and then takes intelligent steps to protect you. This could be your smartphone automatically connecting to VPN when you’re at the airport, keeping you safe from prying eyes on public networks. It could also be alerts to you if your personal info is compromised so you can take steps to protect it. Or it could be a simple suggestion to help keep you safe while browsing, shopping, or banking online. In all, it’s intelligence that helps you stay safe and make safe choices.
3. Simpler experience. With this personalization and intelligence in place, you can protect everyone in your family far more easily than ever. It becomes practically automatic. Regardless of their age, interests, or how much they know about technology, this simplified approach to online security makes smart choices for you and your family wherever possible, steering them clear of threats and keeping everyone safer as a result.
Us at your side. New and existing customers alike will still benefit from McAfee’s award-winning technology as you always have. Further advances and features will roll out to you as part of the regular updates as they become available for your subscription. In all, you’ll always have the latest and greatest benefits of your product with us.
As for our future, expect more to come. Your confidence in us both fuels and informs these leaps ahead. Thank you as always for choosing us for your protection. It allows us to invest in breakthroughs that keep you safe against new and evolving threats, just as we have as a market leader for years.
The new McAfee is focused on you. It’s a bold new world of protection online, where you are in control of your identity and privacy, where you have intelligence that offers right protection in the right moment, where you can simply feel safe, and where you’re ultimately free to enjoy your life online at every turn.
Here’s to what’s next. And I can’t wait for you to experience it.
To stay updated on all things McAfee and on top of the latest consumer and mobile security threats, follow @McAfee_Home on Twitter, subscribe to our newsletter, listen to our podcast Hackable?, and ‘Like’ us on Facebook.
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Architected for the cloud-first and remote-first deployments, MVISION Cloud Firewall secures access to applications and resources on the internet, accessed from every remote site and location, through a cloud-native service model. The solution inspects end-to-end user traffic – across all ports and protocols, enabling unified visibility and policy enforcement across the organizational footprint. Powered by McAfee Enterprise’s industry leading next-generation intrusion detection and prevention system, contextual policy engine and advanced threat detection platform, and supported by Global Threat Intelligence feeds, MVISION Cloud Firewall proactively detects and blocks emerging threats and malware with a high degree of accuracy, uniquely addressing the security challenges of the modern remote workforce. MVISION Cloud Firewall is an integral component of McAfee Unified Cloud Edge, offering organizations an all-encompassing, cloud-delivered Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) security solution for accelerating their business transformation.
For a long time, firewalls and computer networks were like conjoined twins. Businesses simply could not afford to run an enterprise network without deploying a security system at the edge to create a secure perimeter around their crown jewels. The growing adoption of web-based protocols and their subsequent employment by cybersecurity adversaries for launching targeted malware attacks, often hidden within encrypted traffic, saw the emergence of next-generation firewall (NGFW) solutions. Apart from including stateful firewall and unified threat management services, NGFWs offered multi-layered protection and performed deep packet inspection, allowing organizations greater awareness and control over the applications to counter web-based threats.
But things took a dramatic turn with the introduction of cloud computing. Cloud service providers came up with an offer the organizations could not refuse – unlimited computing power and storage volumes at significantly lower operating costs, along with the option to seamlessly scale business operations without hosting a single piece of hardware on-premises. Hence began the mass exodus of corporate data and applications to the cloud. Left without a fixed network perimeter to protect, the relationship between firewalls and networks entered complicated terms. While the cloud service providers offered a basic level of security functionality, they lacked the muscle power of on-premises firewalls, particularly NGFWs. This was further exacerbated by the ongoing pandemic and the overnight switch of the workforce to remote locations, which introduced the following challenges:
The distributed workforce has expanded the threat landscape at an alarming rate. According to the latest McAfee Labs Threats Reports, the volume of malware threats observed by McAfee Labs averaged 688 threats per minute, an increase of 40 threats per minute (3%) in the first quarter of 2021. While SWGs and CASBs could address the security challenges for web and SaaS traffic, respectively, how could organizations secure the remaining non-web traffic? The answer lies in Firewall-as-a-Service, or FWaaS. FWaaS can be defined as a firewall hosted in the cloud, offering all the NGFW capabilities, including deep packet inspection, application-layer filtering, intrusion prevention and detection, advanced threat protection, among others. While, at the onset, FWaaS may give the impression of lifting and shifting NGFWs to the cloud, their business benefits are far more profound and relevant for the modern workforce, some of which include:
McAfee MVISION Cloud Firewall is a cutting-edge Firewall-as-a-Service solution that enforces centralized security policies for protecting the distributed workforce across all locations, for all ports and protocols. MVISION Cloud Firewall allows organizations to extend comprehensive firewall capabilities to remote sites and remote workers through a cloud-delivered service model, securing data and users across headquarters, branch offices, home networks and mobile networks, with real-time visibility and control over the entire network traffic.
The core value proposition of MVISION Cloud Firewall is characterized by a next-generation intrusion detection and prevention system that utilizes advanced detection and emulation techniques to defend against stealthy threats and malware attacks with industry best efficacy. A sophisticated next-generation firewall application control system enables organizations to make informed decisions about allowing or blocking applications by correlating threat activities with application awareness, including Layer 7 visibility of more than 2000 applications and protocols.
Fig. MVISION Cloud Firewall Architecture
Superior IPS efficacy: MVISION Cloud Firewall delivers superior IPS performance through deep inspection of network traffic and seamless detection and blocking of both known and unknown threats across the network perimeter, data center, and cloud environments. The next-generation IPS engine offers 20% better efficacy than competitive solutions, while far exceeding the detection rates of open-source solutions. The solution combines with MVISION Extended Threat Detection and Response (XDR) to offer superior threat protection by correlating threat intelligence and telemetry across multiple vectors and proactively detecting and resolving adversarial threats before that can lead to any enterprise damage or loss. Additional advantages include inbound and outbound SSL decryption, signature-less malware analysis, high availability, and disaster recovery protection.
End-to-end visibility and optimization: The ability to visualize and control remote user sessions allows MVISION Cloud Firewalls to proactively monitor the end-to-end traffic flow and detect any critical issues observed across user devices, networks, and cloud. This offers network administrators a unified, organization-wide view of deployed assets to pinpoint and troubleshoot issues before the overall network performance and user productivity gets impacted. Optimizing network performance elevates the user experience through reduced session latency while keeping a check on the help desk ticket volumes.
Policy Sophistication: MVISION Cloud Firewall considers multiple contextual factors, such as the device type, security posture of devices, networks and users, and pairs that with application intelligence to define a robust and comprehensive policy lexicon that is more suitable for protecting the modern remote workforce. For example, most NGFWs can permit or block user traffic based on the configured rule set, such as permitting accounting users to access files uploaded on a Teams site. McAfee, on the other hand, utilizes its data protection and endpoint protection capabilities to create more powerful NGFW rules, such as permitting accounting users to access a third-party Teams site only if they have endpoint DLP enabled.
MVISION Cloud Firewall converges with MVISION Unified Cloud Edge to offer an integrated solution comprising of industry best Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB), Secure Web Gateway (SWG), Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA), unified Data Loss Prevention (DLP) across endpoint, cloud and network, Remote Browser Isolation (RBI) and Firewall-as-a-Service, making McAfee one of the only vendors in the industry that solves the network security puzzle of the SASE framework. With the inclusion of MVISION Cloud Firewall, McAfee Enterprise customers can now utilize a unified security solution to inspect any type of traffic destined to the cloud, web, or corporate networks, while securing the sensitive assets and users across every location.
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There’s a lot of misinformation about Virtual Private Networks, what they do, and the security benefits they offer. For this article, I’d like to do some myth-busting about how a VPN actually works and why you should use one.
A VPN is an app that you install on your device to help keep your personal data safe as you browse the internet
You may have heard that VPN apps live on your device and allow you to connect to the internet securely. What that means is, when you turn your VPN app on, your device makes a secure connection to a specialized computer that routes internet traffic, called a VPN server. You also may have heard that your connection is “wrapped in an encrypted tunnel” which means your device and the server share a secure connection so only you can see what you’re doing on the internet.
Every internet connection (like your cable modem) is assigned a unique set of numbers called an IP address, which is tied to information such as geographic location, ISP, etc. A VPN replaces your actual IP address to make it look like you’ve connected to the internet from a different location: the physical location of the VPN server, rather than your real location. This is just one reason why so many people use VPNs. This can be handy when you want to hide from advertising trackers or protect your search history.
To change your IP address, you simply open your VPN app, select the server location you’d like to connect to, and you’re done. You’re now browsing with a new IP address. If you’d like to make sure your IP has changed, open up a browser and search for “What’s my IP address” and click on one of the results.
When to use a VPN really depends on what you want it for. For example, 39% of users understand public Wi-Fi is unsafe but still do sensitive things, like banking or shopping on public WiFi, so using a VPN when you’re at the airport, or a café is a great use case.
As I mentioned before, a lot of people use a VPN for privacy reasons, like stopping advertisers from tracking them. Searches you perform, or websites you visit won’t be trackable, which means you’ll be able to surprise your spouse with a vacation you researched and planned on a computer you both use. Targeted ads could spoil things if your spouse is bombarded with ads for plane tickets and hotels while they browse.
A VPN protects your search history through the secure connection you share. When you search for a website, or type a URL into your navigation bar, your device sends something called a DNS request, which translates the website into the IP address of the web server; this is how your browser can find the website and serve its content to you. By encrypting your DNS requests, a VPN can hide your search habits and history from those that might use that info as part of building a profile of you. This type of info could be used in a wide variety of ways, from legitimately serving targeted ads to nefarious social engineering.
A VPN can protect your identity by blocking online trackers from following you around the internet. With your VPN on, trackers will think all of your browsing is coming from a different device in a different location. This throws off the profile advertisers try to build because they think you’re someone else.
Another way a VPN can protect your identity is by preventing some types of hacking. Stopping attacks on public WiFi where a bad actor tries to get between you and the website you’re visiting, is just one way VPNs can help. It’s called a Man-in-the-Middle attack, but that’s a subject for another article.
No, a VPN cannot make you anonymous. They help secure what you’re doing, but your ISP still knows when you’re using the internet. They just can’t see what you’re doing, what sites you visit, or how long you’ve been on a site.
Private browsing modes can help protect your privacy, but they’re useful if you share a device with other people and you don’t want them to see your search history. You can read all about the differences in the article I wrote a little while ago.
Apple’s Private Relay is currently in Beta and will be available with an iCloud+ subscription for Safari users on iOS and macOS soon. Private Relay is similar to a VPN in that it changes your IP address so websites you visit can’t tell exactly where you are.
When you turn Private Relay on, your device connects to a server that sends your browsing data to a second server, before it travels through the internet. The reason for the double hop is that first server gives you a new IP address, to make you harder to track, while the second server hides that information from the website you’re browsing. The first server only knows your original IP address, while the second server only knows what you’re browsing, but not your IP.
Private Relay only works with Safari on iOS and macOS. Even if you are using an Apple device, a VPN is still a good idea because it will protect the information that your device sends outside of Safari.
If you’re already a McAfee Total Protection subscriber, you have access to unlimited VPN usage. Protect your personal information, like your banking information and credit cards, from prying eyes with McAfee Total Protection’s Secure VPN. If you haven’t already signed up, now’s the perfect time. McAfee Total Protection provides security for all your devices, giving you peace of mind while you shop, bank, and browse online.
The post What is a VPN and Can it Hide My IP Address? appeared first on McAfee Blogs.
How many rooms in your home contain a smart device? From Peloton bikes to showerheads with Bluetooth speakers, smart home technology is rapidly making its way into every room in every household. In fact, the number of smart households (those that contain smart home technology) in the U.S. is expected to grow to 77.05 million by 2025. But with new technology comes new challenges.
Many product designers rush to get their smart devices to market, treating security as an afterthought and consequentially creating an easy access point for criminals to exploit. Once a hacker taps in to a user’s home network, they could potentially gain access to all the devices connected to the network. And many consumers, amazed by the appliances’ efficiency, are unaware of the risks of interconnectivity. So, how can families prevent criminals from taking peeks into their home?
Let’s take a tour through an average smart home and uncover the security implications of the various devices in each room.
Believe it or not, the security risks of a smart home often apply before you even step foot inside the house. Approximately 21 million U.S. homes have professionally monitored security systems. However, these systems are not immune to hacks. One popular security camera system experienced a series of intrusions where hackers were able to communicate with residents, making inappropriate comments, taunting children, and even demanding a ransom payment for the hacker to leave the system. Some users of another security camera system experienced similar intrusions, with hackers playing vulgar music and cranking the homeowners’ heat up to 90 degrees.
Security cameras are just the beginning. Users control mowers, smart sprinklers, and other outdoor devices remotely with smartphone apps. Although they are meant to make consumers’ lives more convenient, outdoor devices with embedded computers could be at the greatest risk of attack, according to professor of computer science and cybersecurity expert, Dr. Zahid Anwar.
Outdoor devices like garage door openers, wireless doorbells, and smart sprinklers are more vulnerable because they may be easily accessible to someone driving down the street with a computer or other Wi-Fi transmitter. Outdoor smart devices can be used as entry points, allowing hackers to access the entire smart home network. To prevent a stranger from spying on your network, it’s important to check how these products store your data. If the device’s system stores your personal information and is connected to the main home network, there is a possibility that a breach of one device on the network could reveal your data to a hacker.
Once you step foot into a smart home, you’ll likely find a variety of devices adopted by residents for added convenience, including smart TVs, Wi-Fi routers, smart speakers, thermostats, lightbulbs, and personal home assistants — the list goes on! But the fact that these devices are connected to the internet opens the door for cybercriminals to make themselves at home. For example, the FBI issued warnings about the risks of smart TVs, noting that hackers could potentially gain access to an unsecured television and take control by changing channels, adjusting volume levels, and even showing inappropriate content to children.
Additionally, a recent study outlined multiple privacy concerns with a popular virtual assistant, ranging from misleading privacy policies to allowing third parties to change the code of their programs after receiving approval from the device’s parent company. Anupam Das, assistant professor of computer science at North Carolina State University, stated that third party software developers created many of the applications consumers interact with while using the virtual assistant. However, Das and their fellow researchers identified several flaws in the current vetting process that could allow those third parties to gain access to users’ personal information. The virtual assistant’s parent company does not verify the developer responsible for publishing the third-party program, so a cybercriminal could easily register under the name of a trusted developer and create a program that spreads malicious code. For these reasons, it is critical that consumers stay informed on potentially vulnerable entry points left open by device manufacturers so they can take action to better protect their smart home technology and their personal privacy.
Today, it is not so weird to talk to your refrigerator (well, maybe a little). Smart appliances are quickly making their way into consumers’ kitchens. You can control your blender or Instant Pot from your phone and use voice activation with various appliances, further blurring the lines between the physical and the digital. And while smart kitchen appliances empower you to do things like controlling your air fryer from an app and use voice activation to brew your coffee in the morning, living like a Jetson does come with potential security risks. In 2019, McAfee researchers discovered a vulnerability within a Mr. Coffee brand coffee maker that could allow a hacker to access the user’s home network. To prevent criminals from brewing up trouble in your home, ensure that you take measures to secure each of your devices and keep criminals from spying on your network.
For many people, the bedroom is more than just the place where they sleep at night — it is a relaxing sanctuary where they can unwind. It is no wonder that many people have adopted various gadgets to turn their sanctuaries into high-tech hubs for relaxation. Take a smart bed, for example. These mattresses incorporate biometric sensors to help you snooze better, and they connect to a smartphone app that tracks your sleep trends and health metrics. While this technology may provide insight on how you can sleep better, it is important to realize that these devices are collecting data and sending it back to the manufacturer. Often, consumers do not stop to research what specific data is being collected and how it is being used, placing a lot of trust in the device manufacturer to safeguard their private information. But what happens if the company suffers a data breach or ransomware attack? There is a chance that your data might fall into the hands of a hacker. To better protect your online security, understand that enjoying the convenience of connected IoT requires an assessment of where your information is being stored.
There is no denying that IoT devices have upped the convenience of tech users’ lives everywhere. But with these technological rewards comes added risk — cybersecurity risk, that is. The more connected devices you have in your home, the more opportunities criminals have to infiltrate your network and reach other data-rich devices. This can potentially put your private and financial information at risk, not to mention your privacy.
As our reliance on IoT and smart home technology grows, so will the need for users to step up their cybersecurity practices. Follow these tips to help protect your personal data and privacy while still enjoying all that your smart home gadgets have to offer:
1. Secure your Wi-Fi network
Out of the box, most Wi-Fi routers are either not secured or use a default password such as “admin,” making it easy for hackers to poke around and access devices that are connected to your router. To prevent cybercriminals from snooping on your network and the gadgets that are attached to it, secure your Wi-Fi network with a strong password.
A password or passphrase that is long, complex, and unique will discourage attempts to break into your accounts. Try creating a string that is at least 12 characters long, contains a combination of uppercase letters, lowercase letters, symbols, and numbers, and that is unique to each account.
Do your research before investing in a smart device. Ask yourself if the gadget is from a reputable manufacturer. Has the company had previous data breaches, or do they have an excellent reputation for providing secure products? Also, take note of the information your IoT device collects, how vendors use this information and what they release to other users or third parties.
Above all, understand what control you have over your privacy and information usage. It is a good sign if an IoT device allows you to opt-out of having your information collected or lets you access and delete the data it does collect.
In addition to the password/username combo, multi-factor authentication requires that users confirm a collection of things to verify their identity — usually something they have, and a factor unique to their physical being — such as a retina or fingerprint scan. This can prevent a cybercriminal from using credential-stuffing tactics (where they will use email and password combinations to hack into online profiles) to access your network or account if your login details were ever exposed during a data breach.
Stay on top of software updates from your device manufacturer. Available updates are not always advertised, so visit the manufacturer’s website regularly. Additionally, make sure to update mobile apps that pair with your IoT device. Adjust your settings to turn on automatic software updates, so you always have the latest security patches.
Your router is the central hub that connects all the devices in your home, so make sure that it’s secure. After you change the default password and name of your router, ensure that your network name does not give away your address, so hackers can’t locate it. Then check that your router is using an encryption method, like WPA2, which will keep your communications secure.
Additionally, consider setting up a “guest network” for your IoT devices. This is a second network on your router that allows you to keep your computers and smartphones separate from IoT devices. So, if a device is compromised, a hacker still cannot get all the valuable information that is saved on your computers. Check your router’s manual for instructions on how to set up a guest network.
You do not need to go it alone — employ the help of a security solution like McAfee Secure Home Platform, which provides smart security for your home network. By automatically protecting your connected devices through the router, you can feel confident that you have a solid line of defense against online threats.
McAfee Total Protection also includes a robust password management system that creates and saves strong passwords across all your accounts in one centralized location. It also includes home network security to protect your firewall and block hackers from accessing your home network. McAfee Total Protection includes a home network map that allows you to easily identify trusted devices on your network and flag potential intruders.
Recognize that every Wi-Fi connection, every Bluetooth connection, and every connection you make using a wireless connection is subject to hacking. This will help you better understand the risks associated with your smart home devices, and therefore will help you be more equipped to combat them. Remember: a secure home is the smartest home you can have!
The post How to Secure Your Smart Home: A Step-by-Step Guide appeared first on McAfee Blogs.
Over the past year and a half, workers everywhere have gotten used to working from home. They have adopted an entirely new work from home mindset and diverted their weekly commuting hours to other productive and more enjoyable pursuits. As parts of the world return to a “new normal,” another change is on the way: a gradual return to the office.
The hybrid working model is met with mixed reviews from employees and business security teams alike. For some employees, a clearer separation between work and home is a welcome change. CTV News reports 66% of Canadian respondents to an International Workplace Group poll say they are looking forward to splitting their working hours between the office and home.
For business security teams who are just catching their breath after the monumental shift to a remote workforce, they are now gearing up for the new online safety challenges posed by the hybrid work model. According to a VMware Canada Threat Report, 86% of security professionals agree that cyberattacks aimed at their organizations have become more sophisticated since the onset of the pandemic. Additionally, 91% of global respondents cite employees working from home as the cause of cyberattacks. Challenges of the hybrid workforce include the constant back-and-forth of company-issued devices, the lack of control over home office setups, and mixing personal and company devices with company and personal business respectively. For example, if you pay your bills or shop online using your work device, it opens several new avenues for a hacker to walk right onto the corporate network. When your guard is down even a little bit when you are off the clock, you could fall victim to e-skimmers, fake login pages, or phishing scams.
No matter how advanced your company’s threat detection system, hackers know where vulnerabilities lie and are on the hunt to exploit them. Check out these tips to ensure you are not the weak link in your organization.
A virtual private network (VPN) is a service that scrambles online browsing data, making it impossible for nefarious characters to decipher your activity. This is an excellent way to deter hackers from tracking your movements and picking up sensitive pieces of information.
VPNs are essential if you are working in a public area, sharing a wireless network with strangers, or using a Wi-Fi connection that is not password protected. Public Wi-Fi networks are notoriously easy pickings for hackers seeking entry into unsuspecting users’ devices. On the days where you are not in the office, make sure your wireless connection is secure.
While a VPN is an excellent tool, security measures and your accounts are vulnerable without a strong and private password or passphrase to protect them. The gigantic Colonial Pipeline hack is being blamed on a hacker gaining entry through an unused VPN that was not secured with multifactor authentication. Multifactor authentication is an online safety measure where more than one method of identity verification is needed to access the valuable information that lies within password-protected accounts.
Consider using a password manager to organize all your passwords and logins. Password managers remember each pairing so you don’t have to, plus most managers are secured with multifactor authentication. A password manager makes it easier to add variety to your passwords and prevents you from ever having to write them down.
Professionals who travel between their home and an office are likely transporting their devices back and forth, increasing the number of opportunities for devices to be forgotten at either location or in transit. As convenient as it may be, never use your personal device for official business. Even if you pride yourself on sound online safety habits, your company device likely has more defenses ingrained in its hardware than your personal devices.
With your personal devices, you should carefully vet everything you download. With your work-issued devices, this vetting process is even more important as company information is at stake. The Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario states that employees should never download applications to their work devices without permission from the IT team. Apps and programs often have security vulnerabilities that could open a gateway for hackers.
Zero Trust is a security philosophy that is exactly what it sounds like: trust no one. Businesses are employing Zero Trust models to greatly limit who has access to sensitive data sources. Adopt your own personal Zero Trust philosophy concerning your passwords, logins, and device access. This means never sharing passwords or log in details, especially over email, instant messenger, or over a video conference. Hackers commonly eavesdrop on all three mediums. Also, even your most trusted coworker could mishandle your passwords and login details, such as writing them down and leaving them in a public place.
A key aspect of the Zero Trust model is only granting employees access to platforms that are vital to their job. Sharing your logins with coworkers who may not be authorized for using that platform undermines all the hard work the IT team does to keep tabs on data access.
Every time you turn on the nightly news, another ransomware attack has hit another organization, each one bigger than the last. This heightened prevalence is a reflection on the wiliness of hackers, but also the number of security holes every company must plug.
There are several vulnerable points of entry in every company, and some of those vulnerabilities are heightened by the hybrid work model. Always heed the advice of your company’s IT team, and make sure to do your part to keep your devices and work information secure.
The post Hybrid Workplace Vulnerabilities: 4 Ways to Promote Online Safety appeared first on McAfee Blogs.
With the increase in online activities due to the COVID-19 pandemic, consumers are potentially becoming exposed to more online threats, and nearly 1 in 3 Americans are not confident in their ability to prevent a cyberattack. Through a partnership with American Express via the Amex Offers Program, McAfee is delighted to offer eligible American Express Card Members personal online security by providing access to comprehensive solutions that protect online security
“Despite the increase in potential risks, consumers plan to continue conducting more and more personal activities online as the post-pandemic new normal comes to fruition,” said Pedro Gutierrez, SVP Global Consumer Sales & Operations at McAfee. “Investing in personal security solutions to protect your online life is a simple way to think security-first, and we’re ecstatic we can now offer these solutions to add value to American Express Card Members.”
The COVID-19 pandemic has forced many regular activities online, with McAfee’s 2021 Consumer Security Mindset Report finding that internet providers saw household internet usage surge anywhere from 40% to 100% as people worked, studied, shopped and entertained themselves at home. Additionally, McAfee found that of consumers that purchased connected devices in 2020, only 50% acted by purchasing security software and only 1 in 4 checked if their security software is up to date.
Through the Amex Offers program, eligible American Express Card Members can receive a statement credit of up to $15 if they spend $45 or more to purchase personal protection solutions at McAfee.com. The statement credit is available to eligible American Express Card Members until August 24th, 2021 and Card Members should check their offers list for additional details on eligibility, offer redemption instructions and applicable limitations.
The post McAfee Partners with American Express to Provide Best-in-Class Security appeared first on McAfee Blogs.
Equipping and guiding your digitally connected child is one of the toughest challenges you will face as a parent. As your child grows and changes, so too will their online activities. Friend groups, favorite apps, and online interests can shift from one month to the next, which is why parental controls can be a parent’s best friend.
According to a report from Common Sense Media, teens spend an average of seven hours and 22 minutes on their phones a day. Tweens (ages 8 to 12) spend four hours and 44 minutes daily. This is time outside of schoolwork.
That is a lot of time to stroll the streets of cyberspace for entertainment purposes, and it’s only increased since the pandemic.
Striking a balance between screen time and healthy device use is an always-evolving challenge. On the one hand, your child’s device is an essential channel connecting them to their self-identity, peer acceptance, and emotional well-being. On the other hand, that same device is also the door that can bring issues such as cyberbullying, predators, risky behavior, and self-image struggles into your child’s life.
Parental controls are tools that allow parents to set controls on their children’s internet use. Controls include content filters (inappropriate content), usage limits (time controls), and monitoring (tracking activity).
Many of the technology your family already owns or sites your kids visit have basic parental controls (i.e., built-in controls for android and iPhone and social networks such as YouTube). However, another level of parental control comes in software specifically engineered to filter, limit, and track digital activity. These consumer-designed parental controls offer families a higher, more powerful form of protection.
If you are like many parents who land on this blog, you’ve hit a rough patch. You have concerns about your child’s online activity but aren’t sure how to begin restoring balance. Rightly, you want to find the best parental control software and put digital safeguards in place.
Every family dynamic is different, as is every family’s approach to online monitoring. However, most parents can agree that when a negative influence begins to impact the family’s emotional and physical health, exploring new solutions can help get you back on track.
Depending on your child’s age, you may need to consider parental controls if:
1. They don’t respond when you talk to them
If your child is increasingly engrossed in their phone and it’s causing communication issues in your family, you may want to consider software that includes time limits. Connecting with your child during device-free time can improve communication.
2. They’ve started ignoring homework and family responsibilities
There are a lot of reasons grades can plummet, or interests can fade. However, if your child is spending more and more time online, limiting or monitoring what goes on in that time can help restore emotional balance and self-discipline to meet responsibilities.
3. Their browser history shows access to risky content
Innocent online searches can lead to not so innocent results or children may go looking for content simply because they’re curious. Parental controls automatically block age-inappropriate sites and filter websites, apps, and web searches.
4. They won’t give you their device without a fight
If the phone has become the center of your child’s world at the cost of parental respect and family rules, they may be engaged in inappropriate behavior online, connecting with the wrong friends, or struggling with tech balance. With the proper parental controls, a parent can block risky content, view daily activity, and set healthy time limits.
5. They’re losing interest in family outings and other non-digital activities
Poor habits form quietly over time. If your child has dramatically changed their focus in the past three to six months, consider zooming in on why. It may not be technology use, but you may consider an additional layer of protection if it is.
6. They go into another room to respond to a text
While everyone deserves privacy, if constantly sneaking away to communicate with a friend is your child’s new norm, you may consider making some screen time adjustments.
7. They are exhausted
Unbeknownst to parents, kids might be exchanging sleep for screen time. Parental controls can help you nip this unhealthy habit. Setting time limits can help kids experience deeper sleep, better moods, more focus, and more energy.
8. They overshare online
If you browse through your child’s social media and notice their profiles are public instead of private, or if your child tends to overshare personal information, parental controls can help you monitor future activity.
Ideally, we’d all prefer to live in a world where we didn’t need parental controls at all. Unfortunately, that is neither a present nor future reality. So, we recalibrate, keep learning, and keep adding to our parenting skills. As always, we believe the first go-to digital safety tool is investing in consistent open and honest conversation with your child. And the second tool? Yup, reach for the parental controls. While you may hear some hemming and hawing from your kids at first, the peace of mind you gain from having parental controls in place will be worth it.
The post 8 Signs It May Be Time for Parental Controls appeared first on McAfee Blog.
People in their 20s and 30s are losing it online. And by it, I mean money—thanks to digital identity theft.
In its simplest form, your digital identity is made up of a whole host of things that can be traced back to you and who you are. That can range anywhere from photos you post online to online shopping accounts, email accounts to telephone numbers, and bank accounts to your tax ID.
In this way, your digital identity is like dozens upon dozens of puzzle pieces made up of different accounts, ID numbers, and so forth. When put together, they create a picture of you. And that’s why those little puzzle pieces of your identity are such attractive targets for hackers. If they get the right combination of them, you can end up a victim of theft or fraud.
Here’s what’s happening: people in their 20s and 30s were twice as likely than people 40 and over to report losing money while shopping online. That’s according to recent figures from the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC), which also found that people in their 20s to 30s are far more likely to report losing money to fraud. What’s more, they’re also 77% more likely than older people to lose it by way of an email scam.
And it’s no surprise younger adults get targeted this way. They’re far more likely than any other age group to use mobile apps for peer-to-peer payments, transfer money between accounts, deposit checks, and pay bills. In short, there’s a lot of money flowing through the palms of their hands thanks to their phones, as well as their computers.
Protecting yourself from hackers and fraud means protecting your digital identity. And that can feel like a pretty huge task given all the information your digital identity includes. It can be done, though, especially if you think about your identity like a puzzle. A piece here, another piece there, can complete the picture (or complete it just enough) to give a hacker what they need to separate you from your money. Thus, the way to stay safe is to keep those puzzle pieces out of other people’s hands.
It’s actually not that tough. With a few new habits and a couple of apps to help you out, you can protect yourself from the headaches and flat-out pain of fraud. Here’s a list of straightforward things that you can get started on right away:
1. Start with the basics—security software
Protect yourself by protecting your stuff. Installing and using security software on your computers and phones can prevent all kinds of attacks and make you safer while you surf, bank, and shop online. I should emphasize it again—protect your phone. Only about half of people protect their phones even though they use it to hail rides, order food, send money to friends, and more. Going unprotected on your phone means you’re sending all that money on the internet in a way that’s far, far less safe than if you use online protection.
2. Create strong passwords
You hear this one all the time and for good reason—strong, unique passwords offer one of your best defenses against hackers. Never re-use them (or slight alterations of them) across the different platforms and services you use. Don’t forget to update them on the regular (that means at least every 60 days)! While that sounds like a lot of work, a password manager can keep on top of it all for you. And if your platform or service offers the use of two-factor authentication, definitely make use of that. It’s a further layer of security that makes hacking tougher for crooks.
3. Keep up to date with your updates
Updates have a way of popping up on our phones and computers nearly every day, resist the urge to put them off until later. Aside from making improvements, updates often include important security fixes. So, when you get an alert for your operating system or app on your devices, go ahead and update. Think of it as adding another line of defense from hackers who are looking to exploit old flaws in your apps.
4. Think twice when you share
Social media is one place hackers go to harvest personal information because people sometimes have a way of sharing more than they should. With info like your birthday, the name of your first school, your mother’s maiden name, or even the make of your first car, they can answer common security questions that could hack into your accounts. Crank up the privacy settings on your accounts so only friends and family can see your posts—and realize the best defense here is not to post any possibly sensitive info in the first place. Also, steer clear of those “quizzes” that sometimes pop up in your social feeds. Those are other ways that hackers try to gain bits of info that can put your identity at risk.
5. Shred it
Even though so many of us have gone paperless with our bills, identity theft by digging through the trash, or “dumpster diving,” is still a thing. Things like medical bills, tax documents, and checks still might make their way to your mailbox. You’ll want to dispose of them properly when you’re through with them. First, invest in paper shredder. Once you’ve online deposited that check or paid that odd bill, shred it so that any personal or account info on there can’t be read (and can be recycled securely). Second, if you’re heading out of town for a bit, have a friend collect your mail or have the post office put a temporary hold on your mail. That’ll prevent thieves from lifting personal info right from your mailbox while you’re away.
6. Check your credit
Even if you don’t think there’s a problem, go ahead and check your credit. The thing is, someone could be charging things against your name without you even knowing it. Depending on where you live, different credit reporting agencies keep tabs on people’s credit. In the U.S., the big ones are Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. Also in the U.S., the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) requires these agencies to provide you with a free credit check at least once every 12 months. Canada, the UK, and other nations likewise offer ways to get a free credit report. Run down your options—you may be surprised by what you find.
As I just mentioned, the quickest way to get sense of what’s happening with your identity is to check your credit. Identity theft goes beyond money. Crooks will steal identities to rent apartments, access medical services, and even get jobs. Things like that can show up on a credit report, such as when an unknown address shows up in a list of your current and former residences or when a company you’ve never worked for shows up as an employer. If you spot anything strange, track it down right away. Many businesses have fraud departments with procedures in place that can help you clear your name if you find a charge or service wrongfully billed under your name.
Other signs are far more obvious. You may find collection agencies calling or even see tax notices appearing in your mailbox (yikes). Clearly, cases like those are telltale signs that something is really wrong. In that case, report it right away:
Likewise, many nations offer similar government services. A quick search will point you in the right direction.
Another step you can take is to ask each credit bureau to freeze your credit, which prevents crooks from using your personal information to open new lines of credit or accounts in your name. Fraud alerts offer another line of protection for you as well, and you can learn more about fraud alerts here.
With so many bits and pieces of information making up your digital identity, a broader way of keeping it safe involves asking yourself a question: what could happen if someone got their hands on this info? Further realizing that even little snippets of unsecured info can lead to fraud or theft in your name helps—even that un-shredded bill or innocuous refund check for a couple of bucks could give a crook the puzzle piece they need. You can keep your digital identity safe by keeping those pieces of info out of other people’s hands.
The post Guide: Protecting Your Digital Identity appeared first on McAfee Blog.
Depending on where your travels take you, you might need a new passport—a COVID-19 vaccine passport.
In an effort to kickstart travel and local economies, these so-called vaccine passports are more accurately a certificate. Such a “passport” can offer proof that the holder has been fully vaccinated against the virus, and there are several of these passports developing in the wings. With all of this in motion, I wanted to give families a look at what’s happening so that they can protect their privacy and identity online.
Broadly speaking, a vaccine passport works like this: information such as name, date of birth, date of vaccination, vaccination type, and vaccination lot number are used to create a digital certificate stored in a smartphone or a physical card. The holder can then offer up that proof of vaccination (or a recent negative test result) to businesses, travel authorities, and the like.
The notion of a vaccine passport has actually been around for a while now, such as the “Yellow Card” issued by the World Health Organization (WHO), which documents vaccination against diseases like cholera and yellow fever for travelers. Note that currently there’s no widely accepted standard for COVID-19 vaccine passports. What’s more, conversations continue around the concerns that come with documenting and sharing vaccine information securely. Understandably, it’s a complex topic.
As of this writing, the European Union has started issuing the “EU Digital Covid Certificate,” which allows its holders to travel throughout the EU freely without quarantine restrictions. The UK has its own version in the works, as do other nations in Asia, along with airline carriers too. In the U.S., “passports” appear to be in development on the state level, rather than on the federal level. For example, the state of New York has its Excelsior Pass program and California has its Digital COVID-19 Vaccine Record available to residents. Private airlines and air travel industry groups have launched their own efforts as well, such as the International Air Travel Association’s IATA Travel Pass.
How these passports are rolled out and how they get used will vary, yet vaccine passports may have an impact on the way people can travel as we recover globally from the pandemic. In some cases, they may even determine if people can attend large events that can help localities reboot their economies and public life in general (i.e., concerts, sporting events, and so on).
The development of vaccine passports and all the rules businesses and local authorities set around them may feel a bit out of our hands. However, in terms of your privacy and your family’s privacy, plenty is still very much in your hands. The common denominator across all these vaccine passports is the exchange of personal information—you and your family’s personal information. And where personal information is shared, hackers are sure to follow. This presents a perfect opportunity for you and your family to review your online privacy practices and close any gaps, whether you plan on traveling or not.
I put together a few things you can do to make sure that you and your family can navigate the future use of these passports with your privacy in mind:
What seems like an innocent celebration of your vaccination could put your personal information at risk. The information captured on these cards varies by nation, region, and locality, with some of the cards containing more information than others. However, even basic info such as birthday, vaccine manufacturer and lot number, location of immunization, or doctor’s name can provide the basis of a scam, such as a phishing email or phishing text message. Likewise, such information could get scooped up by a hacker and used to create phony vaccination credentials. Instead of posting that pic of you and your vaccine card, go with a happy selfie instead. And if you’ve already posted, go ahead and delete the image, better to remove it now and stay safe.
As mentioned above, the uncertainty around vaccine passports, and the general uncertainty around the latter days of the pandemic overall, creates opportunities for hackers and cybercrooks. Just as the early pandemic saw phony offers around miracle cures and today we’re seeing offers for phony vaccination cards, you can bet that scams revolving around vaccine passports will follow. The best advice here is to go to a trusted source for information, like the NHS in the UK or the American Medical Association in the U.S. Granted, cybercrooks will launch their phishing campaigns regardless. Here’s what to do if one heads your way:
In all, if someone is asking for any kind of personal or financial information via an email, text, instant message, or the like, chances are it’s a scam. For more, check out this article on how to spot the warning signs of a phishing attack.
In a time of data breaches large and small, checking your credit regularly is a wise move. Doing so will help you quickly spot issues and help you address them, as companies typically have a clear-cut process for dealing with fraud. You can get a free credit report in the U.S. via the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and other nations like the UK have similar free offerings as well.
Do the same for your children. They’re targets too. High-value targets at that. Their credit reports are clean, which gives cybercrooks a blank slate to work with. Even more attractive is that child identity theft often goes long unnoticed until years later when the child gets older and rents an apartment or applies for their first credit card.
It’s that simple. Given that these vaccine passports will likely involve a digital certificate stored on a smartphone, app, or possibly other devices, protect them so you can protect yourself. Select comprehensive security software that will protect multiple devices so that everyone in your home is covered.
You can bet that rumors will abound as to who is issuing what “passport”, under what restrictions, and with what implications for traveling, dining out, and visiting shops. All of that amounts to plenty of falsehoods and scams that attempt to rob you of your privacy, identity, and even your money. Turn to trusted news sources known for their even-handed reporting, such as Reuters or the Associated Press, and get your information from there. Knowing what the facts about vaccine passports are in your locality will arm you against fear-based attacks.
A few months back, the FTC posted its own blog about sharing vaccine card photos. It’s a great read, in part because they used a helpful analogy to discuss privacy and identity theft:
Think of it this way — identity theft works like a puzzle, made up of pieces of personal information. You don’t want to give identity thieves the pieces they need to finish the picture.
Likewise, any vaccine passport you acquire will become yet another puzzle piece that you have to protect.
In all, with post-pandemic recovery measures evolving before our eyes, keep an eye on your family’s security. Don’t give away any snippets of info that could be used against you and stay on the lookout for the scams hitting the internet that play on people’s uncertainty and fears. COVID-19 passports may be entirely new, yet they give cybercrooks one more way they can play their old tricks.
The post COVID-19 Vaccine Passports: 5 Security Tips for You and Your Family appeared first on McAfee Blogs.
Small business owners are getting a special deal on their online protection through a partnership between McAfee and Visa. With new ways of working creating online opportunities and risks for small business owners, McAfee and Visa have come together to offer comprehensive protection for a changed business landscape.
Designed to help you minimize costs and unexpected interruptions to your business, McAfee® Security for Visa cardholders provides award-winning antivirus, ransomware, and malware protection for all your company devices including PCs, smartphones, and tablets on all major platforms. Visa Small Business cardholders automatically save up to 40% with a 24-month package and up to 60% with a 12-month offer.
Safety features include:
McAfee’s security savings bundle is also part of Visa’s commerce in a box initiative, which has launched in six U.S. cities (D.C., Detroit, Atlanta, Miami, Los Angeles and Chicago). This program features a curated selection of offers, discounts, and bundles from Visa’s Authorize.net and Visa partners designed to help small businesses with what they need to move their business forward digitally — from accepting digital payments and building an eCommerce site to marketing to their audience in new ways and providing online marketing tools to run and protect their business.
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The latest guidance in the Executive Order on Improving the Nation’s Cybersecurity (EO), Section 2, discusses removing the barriers to sharing threat information. It describes how security partners and service providers are often hesitant or contractually unable to share information about a compromise. The EO helps ensure that security partners and service providers can share intelligence with the government and requires them to share certain breach data with executive level departments and agencies responsible for investigating and remediating incidents, namely CISA, the FBI, and the IC. This approach will enable better comprehensive threat visibility across the Executive Branch departments and agencies to promote early detection and coordinated response actions. Indeed, the threat information sharing section will help enhance the public-private sector partnership that McAfee, and our colleagues in the cyber security industry are committed to supporting. To achieve this goal the EO requires:
The EO is a positive first step towards improving incident awareness at a macro level, though the EO would be even more impactful if it pushed government agencies to share more threat information with the private sector. The U.S. government represents an incredibly large attack surface and being able to identify threats early in one agency or department may very well serve to protect other agencies by enabling stronger predictive and more proactive defenses. While a government-built threat intelligence data lake is a critical first step, I think a logical next step should be opening the focus of threat intelligence sharing to be both real-time and bi-directional.
The EO focuses on the need for the private sector to improve its information sharing and collaboration with the government. However, the guidance is focused more on “post-breach” and unidirectional threat sharing. Real-time, not just “post-breach,” threat sharing improves the speed and effectiveness of countermeasures and early detection. Bi-directional data sharing opens possibilities for things like cross-sector environmental context, timely and prescriptive defensive actions, and enhanced remediation and automation capabilities. Harnessing real-time sector-based threat intelligence is not a unique concept; companies like McAfee have started to deliver on the promise of predictive security using historical threat intelligence to guide proactive security policy decision making.
Real-time threat sharing will make one of the EO’s additional goals, Zero Trust, ultimately more achievable. Zero Trust requires a dynamic analysis layer that will continuously evaluate user and device trust. As environmental variables change, so should the trust and ultimately access and authorization given. If the intent of threat intelligence sharing is to identify potentially compromised or risky assets specific to emerging campaigns, then it stands to reason that the faster that data is shared, the faster trust can be assessed and modified to protect high-value assets.
McAfee has identified the same benefits and challenges as the government for targeted threat intelligence and has developed a useful platform to enable robust threat sharing. We understand the value of sector specific data acting as an early indicator for organizations to ensure protection. Focusing on our own threat intelligence data lakes, we deliver on the promise of sector-specific intelligence by identifying targeted campaigns and threats and then correlating those campaigns to protective measures. As a result, government agencies now have the advantage of predicting, prioritizing, and prescribing appropriate defense changes to stay ahead of industry-focused emerging campaigns. We call that capability MVISION Insights.
This approach serves to drive home the need for collaborative shared threat intelligence. McAfee’s broad set of customers across every major business sector, combined with our threat research organization and ability to identify sector-specific targeted campaigns as they’re emerging, allows customers to benefit from threat intelligence collected from others in their same line of business. The federal government has a wide range of private sector business partners across healthcare, finance, critical infrastructure, and agriculture, to name a few. Each of these partners extends the government attack surface beyond the government-controlled boundary, and each represents an opportunity for compromise.
Imagine a scenario where an HHS healthcare partner is alerted, in real-time across a public/private sector threat intelligence sharing grid, to a threat affecting either the federal government directly or a healthcare partner for a different government agency. This approach allows them to assess their own environment for attack indicators, make quick informed decisions about defensive changes, and limit access where necessary. This type of real-time alerting not only allows the HHS partner to better prepare for a threat, but ultimately serves to reduce the attack surface of the federal government.
Allowing industry partners to develop and participate in building out cyber threat telemetry enables:
The U.S. government can begin to effectively shift focus from a reactive culture to one that is more proactive, enabling faster action against threats (or something like this). In the next EO, the Administration should bulk up its commitment to sharing cyber threat information with the private sector. The capability to exchange cyber threat intelligence data across the industry in standards-based formats in near real time exists today. The collective “we” just needs to make it a priority.
The post White House Executive Order – Removing Barriers to Sharing Threat Information appeared first on McAfee Blogs.
Among the many major shifts in lifestyle during the COVID-19 pandemic, the way we used healthcare was one of the most significant. Providers limited in-person visits, elective procedures were delayed, and we avoided hospitals. In response, we went online and started using telehealth and other virtual solutions in ways we never had before.
Our latest consumer mindset survey confirms this was more than a passing trend, showing an almost 50% rise since the beginning of the pandemic in the use of PCs and Mobile devices to access health information, meet virtually with health care providers, and manage prescriptions. Survey respondents also showed they adapted by increasing their usage of smart fitness devices, like Fitbits, to track their personal health.
Navigating the healthcare system and accessing more of our services through the web means more of our personal information is now online. From patient intake forms to test results, a great deal of data about our health, including confidential information like vaccination records, is potentially available. Survey respondents confirmed that they shared and accessed their personal health information across the internet, despite 1/3 or more of respondents having concerns for their privacy and security of their personal information.
This trend hasn’t gone unnoticed by cybercriminals. In fact, the US Department of Health and Human Services is currently investigating nearly 800 health-related data breaches impacting nearly 60 million individuals. All of which is to say that telehealth advances may help us avoid sitting in a doctor’s office, but we need to be more mindful about our security when using these new online services.
Despite the adoption of many telehealth and online health services, security was still a concern for many of our survey respondents. A majority said the primary reason they do not use smart devices for their personal health was because of privacy and security concerns. Fortunately, just as there is preventive medicine, there are also preventive cybersecurity measures we can take to keep our personal data safer online. Here are a few we recommend:
The shift to managing our health online comes with a few safety considerations, but by following the steps above, we can enjoy convenience and access to a healthier life online and off.
The post How to Make Telehealth Safer for a More Convenient Life Online appeared first on McAfee Blogs.
The COVID-19 pandemic forced many of us to quickly adjust to the new normal — case and point, admitted that they switched to digital activities like online banking, social networking, and online shopping in 2020 out of convenience. Research now shows that consumers’ reliance on this technology is here to stay. PwC found that 44% of global consumers now shop more using their smartphones compared to when COVID-19 began. While having the world at your fingertips is convenient, how does this digital lifestyle change expose users to cyber threats, especially attacks on mobile devices?
It’s no secret that cybercriminals tend to manipulate their attacks based on the current trends set by technology users. As you reflect on how increased connectivity affected your everyday life, it’s important to ask yourself what could be lurking in the shadows while using your mobile devices. With more of us relying on our devices there’s plenty of opportunities for hackers. This begs the question, what does mobile security look like in a post-pandemic world?
In addition to the increased adoption of digital devices, we had to figure out how to live our best lives online – from working from home to distance learning to digitally connecting with loved ones. And according to McAfee’s 2021 Consumer Security Mindset Report, these online activities will remain a key part of consumers’ post-pandemic routines. But more time spent online interacting with various apps and services simultaneously increases your chance of exposure to cybersecurity risks and threats. Unsurprisingly, cybercriminals were quick to take advantage of this increase in connectivity. McAfee Labs saw an average of 375 new threats per minute and a surge of cybercriminals exploiting the pandemic through COVID-19 themed phishing campaigns, malicious apps, malware, and more. New mobile malware also increased by 71%, with total malware growing nearly 12% from July 2019 to July 2020. As consumers continue to rely on their mobile devices to complete various tasks, they will also need to adapt their security habits to accommodate for more time spent online.
Here at McAfee, we recognize that the way you and your family live your digital lives has changed. We want to help empower you to protect your online security in your hyper-connected lifestyle. To help provide greater peace of mind while using your mobile devices, follow these tips to help safeguard your security.
When setting up a new device or online account, always change the default credentials to a password or passphrase that is strong and unique. Using different passwords or passphrases for each of your online accounts helps protect the majority of your data if one of your accounts becomes vulnerable. If you are worried about forgetting your passwords, subscribe to a password management tool that will remember them for you.
Remember to physically lock your mobile devices with a security code or using facial recognition as well. This prevents a criminal from unlocking your device and uncovering your personally identifiable information in the event that your phone or laptop is stolen.
Multi-factor authentication provides an extra layer of security, as it requires multiple forms of verification like texting or emailing a secure code to verify your identity. Most popular online sites like Gmail, Dropbox, LinkedIn, Facebook, etc. offer multi-factor authentication, and it takes just a few minutes to set it up. This reduces the risk of successful impersonation by hackers who may have uncovered your credentials.
Hackers tend to lurk in the shadows on public Wi-Fi networks to catch unsuspecting users looking for free internet access on their mobile devices. If you have to conduct transactions on a public Wi-Fi network, use a virtual private network (VPN) like McAfee® Safe Connect to help keep you safe while you’re online.
Be skeptical of text messages claiming to be from companies with peculiar asks or information that seems too good to be true. Instead of clicking on a link within the text, it’s best to go straight to the organization’s website to check your account status or contact customer service.
Some cybercriminals send texts from internet services to hide their identities. Combat this by using the feature on your mobile device that blocks texts sent from the internet or unknown users. For example, you can disable all potential spam messages from the Messages app on an Android device by navigating to Settings, clicking on “Spam protection,” and turning on the “Enable spam protection” switch. Learn more about how you can block robotexts and spam messages on your device.
Prepare your mobile devices for any threat coming their way. To do just that, cover these devices with an extra layer of protection via a mobile security solution, such as McAfee Mobile Security.
COVID-19 changed our relationships with our digital devices, but that does not mean we have to compromise our online security for convenience. Incorporating these tips into your everyday life can help ward off mobile cyber threats and stay a step ahead of hackers.
The post The Future of Mobile in a Post-COVID World & How to Stay Secure appeared first on McAfee Blogs.
Microsoft has shipped an emergency security update affecting most Windows users. This update partially addresses a security vulnerability known as PrintNightmare that could allow remote hackers to take over your system.
PrintNightmare could allow hackers to gain control of your computer. This means hackers could perform malicious activities like installing their own apps, stealing your data, and creating new user accounts.
Microsoft recommends Windows 10, 8.1, and 7 users update their computers through Windows Update as soon as possible. Note that an additional patch will likely be required to fully fix the issue, so expect another update prompt from Microsoft in the days to come.
For extra protection against malware that may result from a hack like this one, we recommend an all-in-one security solution, like McAfee Total Protection or McAfee LiveSafe. If a hacker takes advantage of the exploit and tries to install additional malware, McAfee Total Protection/LiveSafe can help protect against those attempts. Learn more about our online security products here.
PrintNightmare exploits a vulnerability in the Windows Print Spooler service. The step-by-step instructions below will guide you through turning off the service to ensure hackers can no longer exploit the security flaw. The Print Spooler will remain off until the PC is rebooted.
Step 1: Press the Windows key, and type Services, clicking on the Services App
Step 2: Scroll down to the Print Spooler Service
Step 3: Right-click on the Print Spooler Service and click Stop.
The post Microsoft Urges Customers to Update Windows as Soon as Possible appeared first on McAfee Blogs.
The Smartsheet enterprise platform has become an essential part of most organizations, as it has done much to transform the way customers conduct business and collaborate, with numerous services available to increase productivity and innovation. Within the McAfee customer base, customers had expressed their commitment to Smartsheet, but wanted to inject the security pedigree of McAfee to make their Smartsheet environments even stronger.
In June 2021, McAfee MVISION Cloud released support for Smartsheet – providing cornerstone CASB services to Smartsheet through the CASB Connect framework, which makes it possible to provide API-based security controls to cloud services, such as:
Utilizing the CASB Connect framework, McAfee MVISION Cloud becomes an authorized third party to a customer’s Smartsheet Event Reporting service. This is an API-based method for McAfee to ingest event/audit logs from Smartsheet.
These logs contain information about what activities occur in Smartsheet. This information has value; McAfee will see user logon activity, sheet creation, user creation activity, sheet updates, deletions, etc. Overall, over 120 unique items are stored in the activity warehouse where intelligence is inferred from it. When an inference is made (example: Insider Threat), the platform can show all the forensics data that lead to that conclusion. This provides value to the Smartsheet customer since it shows potential threats that could lead to data loss, either unintended by a well-meaning end-user or not.
Policies for content detection are another important use-case. Most McAfee customers will utilize Data Loss Prevention (DLP) across their endpoint devices as well as in the cloud utilizing policies that are important to them. Examples of DLP policies could be uncovering credit card numbers, health records, customer lists, specific intellectual property, price lists, and more. Each customer will have some kind of data that is critical for their business, a DLP policy can be crafted to support finding it.
In Smartsheet, when an event from the Event Reporting service is captured that relates to DLP – a field is updated, a file is uploaded, or a sheet is shared, the DLP service in MVISION Cloud will perform an inspection of the event. Should the content or sharing violate a policy, an incident will be raised with forensic details describing what user performed the action and why the violation was flagged. This is important for customers because it operationalizes security in Smartsheet and other cloud applications that MVISION Cloud protects. The same DLP policies can be utilized across all of their critical cloud services, including Smartsheet.
Lastly, MVISION Cloud integrates with most popular Identity Providers (IDP). Through standards-based authentication, MVISION Cloud can enforce policies such as location and device policies that assure that only authorized users connect to Smartsheet; for regulated industries this can be important to ensure no compliance issues are violated as they conduct business.
Smartsheet enterprise customers benefit significantly from MVISION Cloud’s support. Visibility of user activity, threats and sensitive data give users a chance to further entrench their business processes in a cloud app they want to use. Adding security tools to an enterprise platform like Smartsheet reduces overall risk and gives organizations the confidence to more deeply depend on their critical cloud services.
Trying out Smartsheet and McAfee MVISION Cloud is easy. Contact McAfee directly at cloud@mcafee.com or visit resources related to this blog post:
The post Adding Security to Smartsheet with McAfee CASB Connect appeared first on McAfee Blogs.
We live in a world that thrives on digital connectivity. According to We Are Social, Canadians are now spending half a day more a month online than they did a year ago. Also, 33 million Canadians logged on to the internet at least once a month in 2020. As more people every year are spending hours upon hours online, they are knowingly (and sometimes unknowingly) unsafely releasing their personal information into the digital ether, making them vulnerable to all sorts of cybercrimes. The ramifications range anywhere from malware infection to identity fraud. Better understanding the best practices for online sharing will ensure users can navigate online dangers and safely connect with others.
Here are three ways online users share too much information and how they are placing themselves at risk.
Think about how many websites you visit regularly. How many of these have access to your personal information, such as your email, credit card numbers, and shipping address? Before accepting the option to save your information on file for a “faster checkout experience,” consider the following: A Canadian Internet Registration Authority polled 500 IT security professionals, and a quarter of them experienced a breach of customer data in 2020. Online users cannot afford to take liberties with the information they hand over to online companies, especially if they subscribe to numerous sites.
On a similar note, it is equally inadvisable to hand over information about yourself. Although seemingly harmless, online quizzes may not be as safe as you think. Some quiz questions sound more like security questions such as, “What was the first car you owned?” or “Where did you grow up?” Hackers using spyware can access these answers and anything else you enter on quiz sites to formulate informed guesses at your passwords.
It may seem counterintuitive not to share information on social media, seeing as the purpose of these platforms is to share. However, the problem with social media is that too many people are leaving themselves exposed to hackers due to the specificity of the information they share. More than two-thirds of Canadians are on social media, according to Statista, meaning there are millions of user profiles and newsfeeds brimming with personal information. Specific information such as company details in a new job announcement or your birth date in a celebration post are details hackers can use to impersonate you or break into your accounts. Additionally, cybercriminals can impersonate people in your network or pose as average users and add you as a friend. Hackers will often use this tactic to get close to someone and gather intel to formulate a targeted phishing attempt or identity theft.
While you can take proper precautions to safeguard your personal information, you cannot guarantee that others will do so with the same vigilance. Many do not realize there is more at stake than a loss of privacy when intentionally sharing information, usually login credentials, with others. If your friend you shared your password with is hacked, then a cybercriminal can now access your information as well as theirs. Cybercriminals can then use this information to break into your accounts, hold your data for ransom, and even steal your identity.
Knowing what is safe to share online and how to protect the information that is not is the first step to safeguarding your online presence. Here are four tips to consider before sharing your personal details on websites, social media, and with others:
Always err on the side of caution whenever you visit unknown sites or download applications on your devices. Be aware of what you click on, the ramifications of clicking on a malicious link, or handing over information on an unsecured website. One way to ensure you are visiting a secure website is to look for the padlock icon in the top left corner of your browser. This icon indicates the site and your connection are secure.
Take your internet protection one step further and avoid saving your information on file. If possible, use an alternate payment gateway with verified encryption that does not require inputting your credit card information. This way, your data does not become a liability in the event of a company data breach.
There’s a fine line between sharing too much and sharing just enough on social media. Start taking control of your privacy on social media by adjusting your privacy settings. Unless you are an aspiring social media influencer, it is best to keep your account private and limit your followers to only people you know personally. Do not follow strangers and reject friend requests from strangers. They could turn out to be a hacker.
Take advantage of platform security controls that allow you to control your visible information. For example, you can disable your activity status or geolocations to block other people from tracking your every move or manage the personal data these platforms are allowed to share. Keep in mind that any third-party app with access to these platforms will have varied privacy policies. Read the fine print on their user agreements, as these policies differ depending on the app.
3. Use a VPN
Before hopping online, consider using a virtual private network (VPN) to secure your connection. A VPN allows you to browse the internet with the confidence that your Wi-Fi and any sensitive information you send through this connection is encrypted. In other words, if a hacker intercepts this data, they won’t be able to make any sense of it.
Enabling multi-factor authentication adds an extra layer of protection that makes it nearly impossible for hackers to bypass even if they do manage to steal your credentials.
Also, make sure you create strong passwords or passphrases by following password best practices and ensuring they are long, complex, and varied. Use a password manager with a generator to help you create strong passwords and store them, so you do not have to memorize them. This method also makes it easier and more secure than saving passwords on internet browsers. Further, password managers, like McAfee True Key, make it easy to securely share your credentials with others.
From social media to work to daily activities, peoples’ lives are centralized around their digital devices and online access. Users must learn to care for their information to the same degree one would manage their physical IDs or credit cards. Only then can they carry on their online activities, confident in the knowledge they are doing so securely.
The post The Ultimate Guide to Safe Sharing Online appeared first on McAfee Blogs.
Do you usually read what critics say before deciding to see a movie or read a book? We believe these McAfee MVISION XDR reviews were worth the wait. But rather than simply share a few top-tier analyst blurbs with you, we’d like to walk through what these insights mean to our growing set of customers and how their sec operations will evolve with greater efficiencies.
Extended Detection and Response products, better known as XDR, not only extended the capabilities of EDR platforms, but according to Gartner[1] “ XDR products may be able to reduce the complexity of security configuration and incident response to provide a better security outcome than isolated best-of-breed components.”
Our Enterprise Security Manager (ESM)/SecOps team briefed a top-tier analyst firm on ESM product execution and the MVISION XDR platform in particular. His reaction to our use cases? “These are great and it is useful to have examples that cut across different events, which is illustrative more so than anything. The response to the cuts across various tools, and the proactive configuration aspect with the security score type analysis, is also pretty rare in this market.”
The takeaway: Preventing an incident is much better than cleaning up after the fact. MVISION XDR powered by MVISION Insights offers a unified security posture score from endpoint to cloud, delivering a more robust and comprehensive assessment across your environment. It allows you to drill down on specifics to enhance your security.
“The vendor has stolen a march on some of its competitors, at least in the short term, with this offering. A lot of vendors are aiming to get to an offering comprising threat intel + prioritization + recommendations + automation, but few if any have actually reached that point today.” – Omdia
A top-tier analyst firm mentioned that many EDR vendors today call themselves “Open XDR” vendors, but they do not offer a fully effective XDR product. The analyst sees XDR as a significant opportunity for McAfee to expand the breadth of our product portfolio.
The takeaway: A fully effective XDR product unites security controls to detect and assess comprehensively and prevent erratic movement of advanced threats. A robust product portfolio with an integrated service offering from a platform vendor with a proven track record of integrating security (McAfee) is critical to achieve this.
Noted by a top-tier analyst firm, only McAfee and one other offers data-awareness in the XDR offering. This XDR capability alerts the analyst that the threat impact is targeted at sensitive data.
The takeaway: Many SOCs have siloed tools that hinders their ability to detect and respond quickly and appropriately. SOC’s must prioritize threat intelligence to rapidly make critical decisions.
A top-tier analyst firm believes the primary segments for XDR capabilities are in the three groups to solve problems: 1) Workspace 2) Network 3) Cloud workloads. Giving hardening guidance is good for customers, so any vulnerability exposure and threat scoring are good priorities for MVISION Insights.
The takeaway: McAfee MVISION XDR provides automation that eliminates many manual tasks but more importantly, it empowers SOC analysts to prioritize the threats that matter and stay ahead of adversaries.
A top-tier analyst firm likes our product direction. “Where you’re going with XDR, and with the cloud console — that’s the way to go. It feels like we have crossed the Rubicon of cloud-delivered.”
The takeaway: By going cloud-native, MVISION XDR enables more efficient, better, and faster decisions with automated investigations driven by correlation analysis across multiple vectors. We can provide unified visibility and control of threats across endpoints, networks and the cloud.
| To discover why McAfee MVISION XDR earns rave industry reviews, see our resources on XDR to evolve your security operations to be more efficient and effective. |
Resource: [1] Gartner Innovation Insight for Extended Detection and Response, Peter Firstbrook, Craig Lawson , 8 April 2021
The post The Industry Applauds MVISION XDR – Turning Raves into Benefits appeared first on McAfee Blogs.
Families are hitting the road again. And it’s absolutely no surprise that they’re taking their smartphones with them. Perhaps what is surprising is that so many of them may be hitting the road without any digital or mobile protection.
Our recent research shows that 68% of people in the U.S. said that they’re planning to travel for leisure this year, slightly higher than the international average of 64%.1 However, our research also discovered that nearly half of them don’t use mobile security software to protect themselves or their smartphones.
That lack of protection is a concern, particularly as our April 2021 Threats Report detected a more than 100% increase in attacks aimed at mobile devices. It makes sense that such is the case, as the pandemic led to increased adoption of online activities like banking, shopping, and even doctor visits via telemedicine—often straight from our smartphones.
However, our smartphones can be as vulnerable as any other device (like our computers). Accordingly, with the volumes of valuable data that those activities create on our smartphones, cyber crooks were sure to follow.
The good news is that you can indeed enjoy all of that mobile convenience without worry, even on vacation. No doubt many travelers will do some online banking or even some online food ordering while they’re out and about. Likewise, their kids will be online for stretches of that time too, whether it’s on chat apps like Snapchat, social media like Instagram and TikTok, games like Fortnite and Among Us, or streaming videos. Go ahead, do it all. Just make sure you’re protected before you hit the road.
With that, add mobile protection to your packing list. I’ve put together a shortlist of straightforward things you can do that will help you and your kids stay safe online while on the road this summer.
While the tips above are great for the whole family, the following additional steps are what you can take to protect your children even further:
Tracking your child’s smartphone not only allows you to find it easily if it’s lost or stolen but can also put you at ease by knowing where your child is. Yet it’s important to use location tracking selectively. Not every app needs location tracking to work as intended, even though many apps ask for permission to enable it. Go into the phone’s settings and disable the location features on an app-by-app basis. For example, a weather app doesn’t need your child’s second-by-second location information to work properly, nor should a gaming app need it at all. Likewise, photos taken on a phone can embed location information that can be easily read when shared, revealing plenty about when and where it was taken. In all, enable the location services for only the most necessary of apps like maps.
Use travel as a time to reset
Recent research shows that tweens spend nearly five hours on their screens each day, while teenagers push that up to more than seven hours a day. Some staycation time is a good time to pare back those hours and enjoy the local scenery, even if for a short stretch. You can use your travel time as well to re-establish your phone rules. That way, vacation stays entertaining but doesn’t affect the habits you set into effect back home.
Above and beyond security settings and software, there’s you. Get in the habit of talking with your child for a sense of what they’re doing online. As a mom, I like to ask them about their favorite games, share some funny TikTok clips or cute photos with them, and generally make it a point to be a part of their digital lives. It’s great, because it gives you peace of mind knowing what types of things they are doing or interactions they are having online.
For those of you hitting the road in the coming weeks, enjoy your travels, wherever they take you!
The post Travel Smart: Protecting Your Family’s Smartphones While on Vacation appeared first on McAfee Blogs.
I’m about to tell you an extraordinary fact about cybercrime. Some of the most significant data breaches in internet history weren’t after bank account numbers, cryptocurrency, or even credit card numbers. They were, in fact, after YOU. That’s right, the most valuable data on the internet is the data that comprises your identity. Let’s take a look at what that data is, how it gets leveraged by cybercriminals, and how you can get the online identity monitoring you deserve.
1 billion is a big number. In the case of a recent CVS database leak, that’s how many user records were accidentally released online, including details like email addresses and even searches about Covid vaccines. This is just one of the dozens of breaches that have occurred recently and will continue to happen as personally, identifiable information becomes more valuable to cybercriminals. Just as remarkable as the huge volume of user data being exposed online is the speed with which compromised data is used by hackers online. Cybersecurity researchers recently discovered that cybercriminals access leaked or stolen credentials within 12 hours to exploit them as soon as possible. These circumstances beg the question, why has your personally identifiable information has become so valuable lately?
While the value of some information, like a credit card number, is obvious, you may think your name and date of birth aren’t that big of a deal. After all, it wasn’t so long ago that you could find all that information in a phone book. In fact, personally identifiable information (PII), also known as data used to identify a specific individual, is what many data breaches are after.
Armed with just a mailing address, a phone number, and a date of birth, a cybercriminal can begin constructing a fake identity to take out loans and disguise many kinds of criminal activities. With a social security number and a few personal details from a social media account, they could take over a bank account. When it comes to your PII, any information is as good as gold to cybercriminals.
If our PII were treated like actual gold and held in a safe location like Fort Knox, I wouldn’t be writing this post. But in fact, it’s the currency we use to obtain many services in our connected lives. Social media sites are massive repositories of PII, and their access to our most personal details and the ability to sell it to marketers is the reason the service remains free. Free email services are the same. Now consider all the other accounts we may have created to, say, try out a streaming service for free, or even old accounts we no longer use. From that perspective, you can see how much of your data is being used by companies, may not be very well protected, and is a tempting target for cybercriminals. Fortunately, there are many things you can do to keep your identity safer online.
When it comes to protecting your PII, knowledge is power. Let’s start by identifying if you’ve been the target of a data breach. Here are a few tell-tale signs:
Okay, now that you know the signs of a data breach, let’s look at how you can take action to protect yourself. The best way to avoid being the victim of identity theft is by limiting the amount of PII you provide. There are some easy ways to do this.
Only a few types of organizations legitimately need your social security number. These include employers or when contracting with a business, group health insurance, financial and real estate transactions, applying for credit cards, car loans, and so forth.
Quizzes, social media games, and other kinds of interactive clickbait are often grifting pieces of your PII in a seemingly playful way. While you’re not giving up your SSN, you may be giving up things like your birthday, your pet’s name, your first car … things that people often use to compose their passwords or use as answers to common security questions on banking and financial sites.
A phishing email poses as a real email from known or trusted brands and financial institutions. These emails attempt to trick you into sharing important information like your logins, account numbers, credit card numbers, and so on under the guise of providing customer service. Here are some more ways to spot a phishing email.
Clearly, we’re in a new era when it comes to securing our identities online. In response, McAfee has created a new kind of identity monitoring.
We knew from the outset Identity monitoring had to be proactive, holistic, and accessible. We also wanted it to follow the timeline for how cybercrime actually affects your identity. When it comes to PII, the breach is just the first step for cybercriminals. The 10 months following a breach is when cybercriminals will use your PII to commit fraudulent acts using your data.
To address this, your identity monitoring looks after more personally identifiable information than other leading competitors. It will also alert you of stolen personal info an average of 10 months ahead of other monitoring services. And it’s accessible anywhere via mobile app, browser, and the web.
In practice, McAfee’s identity monitoring protects all your online accounts by doing the following:
As we spend more of our lives online, we need an approach to security that reflects this new reality. Identity monitoring is part of it. VPN is part of it. Antivirus is part of it. They are all pieces of a puzzle that we solve with products like McAfee Total Protection. Our premier security service is comprehensive, affordable, and, with identity monitoring, an indispensable part of your life online.
The post Identity Protection Service: The Best Solution to a Growing Problem appeared first on McAfee Blog.
Today we wrap up Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2021. Whether you joined online or attended the hybrid conference in person, one thing is certain: today’s groundbreaking technology is paving the way for our future connectivity. Fittingly, the theme of this year’s event was Connected Impact, representing the role mobile connectivity plays in an ever-changing world, where flexibility and adaptability are critical. Here are four of the key consumer takeaways from this year’s conference:
COVID-19 truly put the power of online connectivity to the test. While 2020 was supposed to be the year of 5G connectivity, this was put on pause as the world faced social and financial uncertainty. Instead, the spotlight fell on legacy technologies to create a new normal for users. Consumers quickly had to figure out how to live their best lives online — from working from home to distance learning to digitally connecting with loved ones.
To help foster online connectivity for all, 5G must step back into the spotlight. Although publicly available 5G networks have been around for two years, it is unlikely that many users see much of a difference between 5G and LTE. For users to feel the impact of 5G, mobile carriers must expand the frequencies at the low and high ends of the spectrum, which is where 5G networks operate.
Qualcomm led the 5G announcements on Monday with the unveiling of its second-generation Qualcomm 5G RAN Platform for Small Cells (FSM200xx). This platform brings major enhancements to radio frequencies and is designed to take millimeter wave performance to more places: indoors, outdoors, and around the globe. According to Qualcomm, these advancements aim to facilitate greater mobile experiences and accelerate 5G performance and availability to users everywhere— thus reshaping opportunities for homes, hospitals, offices and more.
Technology and connectivity played a crucial role in our daily lives in 2020—and therefore, unsurprisingly, spending on health and wellness tech grew by 18.1%. But now, we must ask ourselves what role technology will play post-lockdown.
While they did not have a physical appearance at MWC this year, Samsung provided a sneak of their new wearables: they introduced the One UI Watch user experience, a new interface designed to make the Galaxy Watch and smartphone experience more deeply connected. Samsung also announced its expanded partnership with Google, promising to deliver better performance, longer battery life, and a larger ecosystem of apps to the Galaxy Watch. Although they did not unveil any hardware at MWC, Samsung did ensure that users can expect to see new devices like the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and the Galaxy Watch 4 at their Galaxy Unpacked event happening in July/August of 2021.
2020 also shone a bright light on the key role technology plays in the consumption and distribution of creative arts and entertainment. Lockdown put an even greater responsibility on streaming platforms — and the devices they are accessed on — to deliver content right to people’s homes.
To help meet entertainment consumption needs, Lenovo announced not one, not two, but five new Android tablets during MWC. Its largest tablet is the Yoga Tab 13, which features a built-in kickstand, 13-inch display with 2,160 x 1,350 resolution, up to 12 hours of battery life, and more. Lenovo is pitching this model as its “portable home cinema,” perfect for streaming on the go. It also unveiled the Yoga Tab 11 and the Tab P11 Plus, which are expected to be available in EMEA in July following the Yoga Tab 13’s June release date. For users hoping for a more compact, budget-friendly device, Lenovo also announced the Lenovo Tab M8 and the Lenovo Tab M7. Whichever model you select, one thing it certain — digital devices have and will continue to be instrumental in consumer entertainment.
These exciting announcements are a great representation of what the future holds for mobile technology and greater connectivity. The advancements in mobile connectivity have already made a positive impact on consumer lifestyles, but the rise in popularity of these devices has also caught the attention of cybercriminals looking to exploit consumers’ reliance on this technology.
More time spent online interacting with various apps and services simultaneously increases your chance of exposure to cybersecurity risks and threats. Unsurprisingly, cybercriminals were quick to take advantage of the increase in connectivity throughout 2020. McAfee Labs saw an average of 375 new threats per minute and a surge of hackers exploiting the pandemic through COVID-19 themed phishing campaigns, malicious apps, malware and more. For users to continue to live a connected life, they will need to take greater care of their online safety and ensure that security is top-of-mind in any given situation. Taking these precautions will provide greater peace of mind in the new mobile-driven world.
The post The Future of Mobile: Trends from Mobile World Congress 2021 appeared first on McAfee Blogs.
Here’s to the hashtags, the likes, the followers, the DMs, and the LOLs—June 30th marks Social Media Day, a time to celebrate and reflect on how social media has changed our lives over the years.
Started in 2010 by media and entertainment company Mashable, celebrations have taken on all kinds of forms. Meetups, contests, calls to increase your social circle by one meaningful connection have all marked the date in the past. Yet this year feels like an opportunity to consider just how heavily so many of us have leaned upon social media these past months, particularly in a world where nearly 50% of the global population are social media users to some degree or other.
What’s more, people worldwide spend an average of 145 minutes a day on social media. With users in the Philippines spending three hours and 53 minutes a day and users in the U.S. spending just over two hours a day, that figure can vary widely, yet it’s safe to say that a good portion of our day features time browsing around on social media.
With that, Social Media Day is also a good day to give your social media settings and habits a closer look, all so that you can get the most out of it with less fuss and worry. Whether you’re using Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, or whatnot, here are several things you can do that can help keep you safe and secure out there:
Social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and others give you the option of making your profile and posts visible to friends only. Choosing this setting keeps the broader internet from seeing what you’re doing, saying, and posting, which can help protect your privacy.
Be critical of the invitations you receive. Out-and-out strangers could be more than just a stranger, they could be a fake account designed to gather information on users for purposes of cybercrime, or they can be an account designed to spread false information. There are plenty of them too. In fact, in Q1 of 2021 alone, Facebook took action on 1.3 billion fake accounts. Reject such requests.
Nothing says “there’s nobody at home right now” like that post of you on vacation or sharing your location while you’re out on the town. In effect, such posts announce your whereabouts to a broad audience of followers (even a global audience, if you’re not posting privately, as called out above). Consider sharing photos and stories of your adventures once you’ve returned.
It’s a famous saying for a reason. Whether your profile is set to private or if you are using an app with “disappearing” messages and posts (like Snapchat), what you post can indeed be saved and shared again. It’s as simple as taking a screenshot. If you don’t want it out there, forever or otherwise, simply don’t post it.
We’re increasingly accustomed to the warnings about phishing emails, yet phishing attacks happen plenty on social media. The same rules apply. Don’t follow any links you get from strangers by way of instant or direct messengers. And keep your personal information close. Don’t pass out your email, address, or other info as well. Even those so-called “quiz” posts and websites can be ruses designed to steal bits and pieces of personal info that can be used as the basis of an attack.
Some platforms such as Facebook allow users to review posts that are tagged with their profile names. Check your account settings and give yourself the highest degree of control over how and where your tags are used by others. This will help keep you aware of how you’re being mentioned by others and in what way.
Security software can protect you from clicking on malicious links while on social media, strengthen your passwords so your social media account doesn’t get hacked, and boost your online privacy as well. With identity theft a sadly commonplace occurrence today, security software is really a must.
The post Protect Your Social Media Accounts from Hacks and Attacks appeared first on McAfee Blog.
Across the country, Canadians are moving out of cities in droves to stretch their legs and call a larger plot of land home. For those embracing the work-from-home lifestyle, they no longer need to live near metro-area offices in expensive shoebox apartments and condos. According to Statistics Canada, 50,000 people moved out of Toronto and nearly 25,000 people migrated from Montréal to suburban areas from July 2019 to July 2020.
The increased demand for suburban housing is making the Canadian real estate market a mad dash for limited supply. Additionally, some families who are out of work are struggling to keep their homes and are resorting to unsafe measures to keep a roof over their heads.
Leave it to scammers and identity thieves to pounce on a vulnerable situation. Scammers and identity thieves are increasingly taking advantage of unsuspecting homeowners, and in some cases, selling homes without the rightful owners even realizing it.
Be on the lookout for these three Canadian real estate scams.
Foreclosure occurs when a homeowner can no longer afford to pay their mortgage, so the lending institution takes over homeownership with the right to sell it. When homeowners are facing the prospect of having to move out, they may seek dubious loans to help them bridge the gap. Loan fraud is when a scammer pretends to extend a gracious loan. In exchange for the loan, the scammer may ask for the title of the home. With the title in hand, the thief may stop sending loan payments to the homeowner and instead resell or remortgage the property.
Not being able to make mortgage payments is a desperate situation, which causes struggling homeowners to make dramatic decisions. Before agreeing to any type of loan, homeowners must ask themselves if the terms of the loan are too good to be true. In cases of fake loans, they often advertise an incredibly low-interest rate. It is best to trust your financial matters to accredited institutions.
Title fraud is when someone steals the title of the home, usually by impersonating the homeowner. Once they have the title, the thief may attempt to sell the home or apply for a mortgage against it. In March 2021, the Times Colonist reported that a thief impersonated a British Columbian homeowner in order to transfer the home’s title to someone else’s name. Then, the thief tried to sell the home behind the rightful homeowner’s back. It was only when a neighbor alerted the real homeowner about the for-sale sign that they realized that their home could have been sold without their permission.
The best way to defend against title fraud is to keep your personal information as private as possible. Title fraud is closely related to identity theft, and fraudsters may gain access to your personal information through phishing methods. Phishing is a tactic where cybercriminals trick people into giving up personal details, including full names, birthdays, and financial information. Statistics Canada calculates that 34% of Canadians have experienced a phishing attempt since the beginning of the pandemic. This statistic emphasizes the importance of constant vigilance concerning your most sensitive personal information.
Mortgage fraud is a term that can apply to untruthful lenders who attempt to swindle cash from unsuspecting buyers or pitch mortgage terms that fall outside of the buyer’s means. The Financial Services Commission of Ontario lists several warning signs of mortgage fraud. For example, lenders who do not have your best interests in mind may ask for cash fees and upfront payments.
Again, it is best to only trust accredited financial institutions with your mortgages and loans. Research the institution before signing any contract. If the mortgage terms are too good to be true, it probably is. There are several online mortgage calculators that can give you an idea of the type of mortgage you can afford. Before entering any talks with a lender, conduct some research beforehand so you can spot unreasonable terms.
Also, an unscrupulous lender may try to hurry you along but also take a long time responding to your calls and emails. If you feel pressured or unsure at any point, remember that there are plenty of fish in the sea. Ask your friends or family for lender recommendations to make sure that you are not tricked into mortgage fraud, the consequences of which could follow you for years.
The post 3 Canadian Real Estate Scams You Should Know About appeared first on McAfee Blogs.
As Ransomware continues to spread and target organizations around the world, it is critical to leverage threat intelligence data. And not just any threat intelligence but actionable intelligence from MVISION Insights. Fortunately, there are several steps you can take to proactively increase your Endpoint Security to help minimize damage from the next Darkside, WannaCry, Ryuk, or REvil
MVISION Insights provides near real time statistics on the prevalence of Ransomware campaigns and threat profiles detections by country, by sector and in your environment.
Above you can see that although 5ss5c is the most detected ransomware worldwide, in France Darkside and Ryuk have been the most detected campaigns in the last 10 days. You can also sort top campaigns by industry sector.
As you can see above, MVISION Insights measures your overall Endpoint Security score and provides recommendations on which McAfee Endpoint Security features should be enabled for maximum protection.
Then, MVISION Insights assesses out-of-the-box the minimum version of your McAfee Endpoint Security AMcore content necessary to protect against each campaign. As you can see above, two devices have an insufficient coverage against the “CISA-FBI Cybersecurity Advisory on the Darkside Ransomware”. You can then use McAfee ePO to update these two devices.
Below, MVISION Insights provides a link to a KB article for the “Darkside Ransomware profile” with detailed suggestions on which McAfee Endpoint Security rules to enable in your McAfee ePO policies. First, the minimum set of rules to better protect against this ransomware campaign. Second, the aggressive set to fully block the campaign. The second one can create false positives and should only be used in major crisis situations.
MVISION Insights can show you whether you have unresolved detections for specific campaigns. Below you can see that you have an unresolved detection linked the “Operation Iron Ore” threat campaign.
MVISION Insights provides IOCs (Indicators of comprises) which your SOC can use with MVISION EDR to look for the presence of these malicious indicators.
If your SOC has experienced threat hunters MVISION Insights also provides information on the MITRE Tactics, Techniques and Tools linked to this threat campaign or threat profile. This data is also available via the MVISION APIs to integrate with your other SOC tools. In fact, several integrations are already available today with other vendors from the McAfee SIA partnership.
Finally, the ultimate benefit from MVISION Insights is that you can use it to show to your management whether your organization is correctly protected against the latest ransomware attacks.
In summary, you can easily leverage MVISION Insights to proactively increase your protection against ransomware by:
The post How to Proactively Increase Your Protection Against Ransomware with Threat Intelligence appeared first on McAfee Blogs.
Every day you place your personal information in the hands of companies and trust that it will remain safe. However, what happens when external threats jeopardize your personal data security, especially while working remotely?
The transition to remote work environments and consumers’ online habits have made it more difficult for Canadian employees and consumers to protect their personal information. This challenge is primarily due to ransomware. To protect yourself, you need to first understand how cybercriminals take advantage of users’ online behaviors to launch strategic attacks against employees and consumers through the information they glean from stolen company data.
Ransomware has been on the rise this past year with attacks increasing 62% in 2020 according to Statista. In fact, 78% of Canadian cybersecurity professionals said that attacks increased due to employees working remotely in a recent VMware report. Cybercriminals target remote workers primarily through malicious links sent through phishing emails — in fact, over one third of Canadian respondents in a recent survey said they experienced at least one phishing attempt in the last year.
Hackers pose as legitimate organizations and prompt individuals to take action: say you decide to check your personal email on your work laptop during your lunch break. You open a message that claims to be from one of your favorite retailers claiming that you just won $500 in shopping credit – all you need to do is click on the link and fill out your banking information. This is an example of a phishing attack that could not only wreak havoc on your personal security, but your company’s as well. If the link in the message downloads a credential-stealing malware on your work laptop, there is a good chance that your organization’s private data or network could be compromised.
Knowing that many employees will be communicating virtually instead of face-to-face, hackers can take advantage of the remote work environment by posing as employees from finance departments and sending fake invoices for products or services. The goal of these fake invoices is for employees to call a support phone number to investigate, whereby hackers attain credit card numbers or other information they can leverage in spear-phishing scams. Hackers can also spoof phone calls to make it look like it is coming from a legitimate number within the organization. Revealing too much information to an unverified contact is a risk that remote workers must learn to identify and avoid.
Ransomware is always evolving, making it critical to understand the nature of these threats so you can better avoid them.
Cybercriminals are constantly finding new ways to automate their attacks and increase their profits. Here is a look at five active ransomware variants cybercriminals use today—and how they deploy them.
By the end of 2020, McAfee Labs observed a 69% increase in new ransomware, which Cryptodefense largely drove. This virus is similar to CryptoLocker, a trojan virus that spreads through email phishing to infiltrate hard drives and files. Both spread ransomware, use high levels of encryption to compromise users’ files, and claim that these files cannot be decrypted without a decryption key.
Maze ransomware has been active since November of 2019 and is operated by hackers notorious for leaking victim data upon non-payment. Maze operators first gain access to a network by using valid credentials. It will then scan the network for user devices, check these devices for additional credentials, and compromise user files.
In a Ransomware Task Force interview with an affiliate of the REvil/Sodinokibi syndicate, the interviewee revealed that companies with cyber insurance are prime targets since the chances of a payout are high. This ransomware spreads through software vulnerabilities, phishing scams, and exploit kits. Once it infiltrates a device, it spreads through escalated privilege to compromise user files and systems.
Ryuk has been around since August of 2018 and targets large companies, critical infrastructure, and hospitals. This ransomware is almost always spread through a banking trojan called Trickbot, used by hackers to steal financial and banking credentials. The operators behind this ransomware demand higher ransoms compared to other groups. They also use opensource tools and manual hacking techniques to bypass detection and infiltrate private networks.
The operators behind SamSam ransomware gain access through Windows servers using a Microsoft protocol that allows remote connections to other computers. Operators will then elevate their privilege to include admin rights once inside a network to infect servers with malware, requiring no action or authorization on the victim’s part.
Ransomware can affect anyone, regardless of whether you are an employee or a customer of a targeted company. Keep these tips in mind to reduce your risk of a ransomware attack and know what steps to take if you fall victim.
Phishing emails are one of the most common methods a hacker will use to infect devices and spread ransomware. They will send links through seemingly legitimate emails to trick users into clicking on them and downloading malicious files. Knowing how to spot one is the first step to prevent infection. If you receive an email you suspect is a phishing scam, start by analyzing its structure: common indicators of a phishing scam may include:
Once you identify a phishing email, don’t click on any links or download attachments. Simply delete it and carry on with your day.
Keep in mind that the cybercriminals behind Maze ransomware gained access to private networks through valid credentials. Hackers typically obtain these credentials through a “password spray” technique where they attempt to log in to accounts using a list of commonly used passwords. However, hackers have a higher chance of guessing valid passwords if they are too short or not complex enough. Additionally, a hacker is more likely to infiltrate multiple accounts if they share the same password.
Strong passwords help ensure that a hacker cannot access your private network, gain administrative rights to your device, or infect another device you are connected to. Create a password that is strong enough to withstand simple guess-and-check attempts by making them long, difficult, and unique. Multi-phrased passwords or passphrases also help to prevent hackers from breaking into your accounts, such as “P3anutbutter&J3lly.” Avoid reusing passwords across multiple accounts and change them periodically, especially after an account has been breached. Even if a hacker does steal your credentials, multi-factor authentication adds an extra validation layer to prohibit unauthorized sign-in attempts.
Your device is more susceptible to ransomware and viruses without the right security tools to help mitigate the chances of infection. Avoid the risk of a ransomware attack by employing a quality security solution like McAfee Total Protection. A holistic security solution can help you stay vigilant of cyber threats by monitoring for ransomware viruses in addition to malware and spyware. Security software can also monitor your internet connection and network traffic through regular scans to flag malicious activity and provide guidance on how to sidestep these threats. If a hacker attempts to launch an attack on your device, you can rest assured your security software will promptly alert you of the intrusion.
In addition to social engineering tactics, hackers will leverage vulnerabilities in software to create a back door through which they can infiltrate user devices. A way to keep cyber criminals out is to keep your software applications and devices up to date. This includes the apps on your mobile device as well as apps on your desktop. Regular updates ensure that the proper security patches are implemented, the right bugs are fixed and that hackers cannot exploit these vulnerabilities.
If worse comes to worst and your device is infected with ransomware, the first thing to do is isolate the device and disconnect from shared networks. Disconnecting the infected device ensures that ransomware cannot spread to other devices on that same network.
Immediately gather evidence on what type of malware you are dealing with so you can accurately report it to authorities and determine what your options are for remediation. You can then choose to remove it or wipe your system completely which is the most assured way to eliminate ransomware from your device. Afterwards you can reinstall your operating system and, provided you perform regular backups, restore your files to a previous version.
No one is truly out of the danger zone when hackers strike. Ransomware is on the rise, and online users must understand how to bypass these viruses to avoid the ramifications of a compromised device. By understanding online security best practices, users can safeguard their online presence and defend against ransomware threats.
To stay updated on all things McAfee and on top of the latest consumer and mobile security threats, follow @McAfee_Home on Twitter, subscribe to our newsletter, listen to our podcast Hackable?, and ‘Like’ us on Facebook.
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If you have a tween or teen, you’ve likely heard a lot of excited chatter about Roblox. With a reported 150 million users, there’s a good chance your child has the Roblox site on their phone, tablet, PC, or Xbox. In fact, in 2020, Roblox estimated that over half of kids in the U.S. under 16 had used the forum. However, as with all digital destinations, the fun of Roblox is not without some safety concerns.
Roblox is an online gaming forum (not an app or game as one might assume) where users can create and share games or just play games. Kids can play Roblox games with friends they know or join games with unknown players. Roblox hosts an infinite number of games (about 20 million), which makes it a fun place to build and share creations, chat, and make friends. Game creators can also make significant money if their games take off.
A huge component of Roblox is its social network element that allows users to chat and have meetups. During quarantine, Roblox added its own private space for users to host virtual private birthday parties and social gatherings.
Like any site or app, Roblox is safe if you take the time to optimize parental controls (both in-forum and personal software), monitor your child’s use, and taking basic precautions you’re your child starts using the forum. Especially with kids drawn to gaming communities, it’s important to monitor conversations they can be having with anyone, anywhere.
Roblox security tip: Adjust settings to prohibit strangers’ from friending an account. Consider watching your child play a few games and how he or she interacts or wanders through the app. Pay close attention to the chat feature. Keep the conversation open, so your child feels comfortable sharing online concerns with you.
If you have your child’s login information, you can easily view their activity history in a few vulnerable areas including private and group chats, friends list, games played, games created, and items purchased. It’s also a good idea to make sure their birthdate is correct since Roblox automatically filters chats and game content for users under 13. Roblox has a separate login for parents of younger kids that allows you to go in and view all activities.
As always, the best way to keep your child safe on Roblox or any other site or app is to take every opportunity for open, honest conversation about personal choices and potential risks online. Oh, and sitting down to play their favorite games with them — is always the best seat in the house.
The post What is Roblox and is It Safe for Kids? appeared first on McAfee Blogs.
Over the last year, our relationship with digital technology has changed completely, and probably irrevocably. The pandemic has been bruising in many different ways, but it has been clear from the very start how important the internet has been as a tool to help us through it. Even just a few years ago, the behavioural shifts it enabled would not have been possible. From offices running on videoconferencing, to essential retail moving online, to digitally-delivered healthcare, many online tools that were once seen as promising growth areas or quality-of-life improving luxuries have come into their own as vital parts of everyday life.
Every big change in how we use technology, however, is followed sooner or later by a development in how we approach security and safety. This was true when the emergence of personal computers and ATMs led to education campaigns around the importance of PIN and password vigilance. It was true when the commoditisation of internet access created the need for consumer antivirus protection. It was even true when the automobile was first introduced, with cities rushing to introduce traffic signaling to manage that new high-speed flow.
Soon, then, we should expect to see another step in our collective attitude to security and privacy. What will that look like? For me, it should rest on a new sense of what is being protected, and new expectations about how that protection happens.
To explain why, it’s worth understanding what the process of finding and fixing cybersecurity issues looks like. The first line of defence against attacks always happens during product development, when coders and engineers try to ensure that what they are creating is not vulnerable. The nature of cybersecurity, however, is that some problems will inevitably occur in finished products. That’s why there are also teams of people who analyse these products, independently testing whether they are truly safe.
At McAfee, our enterprise Advanced Threat Research (ATR) team has a long history and a strong track record of doing this testing. Often, the ATR team’s work is very similar to what people might imagine when they think of a ‘cybersecurity researcher’: it’s unpicking highly complex systems and tracing international criminal organisations responsible for attacks.
A lot of this work is much closer to home, though, and increasingly it deals with finding vulnerabilities not just in apps and computers, but in devices that few would think of as being a potential risk. The rise of the smart home means that many household items, from luxuries like exercise machines to basics like wall clocks, can also be internet-connected computers, tapping into the network to make life easier and better in a myriad of ways.
The ‘internet of things’, or IoT, has been a tech catchphrase for a long time, but it’s now a daily consumer reality too, with thermostats and air conditioners, security cameras and door locks, fridges and coffee machines all offering enhanced experiences through online connectivity. The security challenge lies in the fact that most people would view items like these just as a thermostat or as a door lock – not as a computer which requires protection. How, after all, do you install an antivirus service on a fridge?
Combined with the increase of online activity we’ve all experienced over the last year, this requires more than widening consumers’ current thinking about security to include more devices. It requires a whole new approach. When the average household had one or two computers, it made sense to think of cybersecurity in terms of protecting the device. When any item in a home could also be an internet access point, we need to start thinking instead in terms of protecting people and families.
A big part of that will be expecting more of the companies who design and supply these devices. When the ATR team – or another threat research team – finds a flaw in a consumer device, step one is always to contact the manufacturer and work with them to fix it before malicious actors spot the opportunity. Many businesses behave responsibly, responding openly and collaboratively, developing a solution, and rolling it out as quickly as possible. Not all businesses are so conscientious. How businesses react to security problems should be a much bigger part of how we choose what to purchase.
Going back to the car, the traffic light was not the final safety innovation we saw. Over the last century, growing regulations and awareness led to a situation where, today, purchasers are likely to inspect a vehicle’s safety ratings before handing over their cash. In just the same way, attitudes to cybersecurity need to keep evolving – and soon, we may even be asking car manufacturers about how they respond to vulnerability disclosures.
The pandemic was a leap forward in how far digitalised our lives have become. Companies and customers alike now need to think carefully about what we need to talk about when we talk about making our online lives safe, secure, and private.
The post Homes, Not Just Devices: The New Consumer Cybersecurity appeared first on McAfee Blogs.
If you recently found yourself looking for a new job, you are far from alone. According to the Institute of Labor Economics, more Canadians were seeking new employment opportunities at the height of the pandemic than during the previous three recessions combined. Job hunters only used to have to worry about the clarity of their cover letters and impressing interviewers. Now, however, a new hurdle is in the mix in the race for a new job: online job scams.
Here are three online job scams that you may encounter, plus a few tips on how to avoid and report them.
Fake job ads trick employment seekers into giving up their financial information. Fake job ads are more likely to appear on free sites, such as Craigslist, but they could be listed anywhere. So, no matter where you are searching, be wary that not everyone is looking for a talented individual such as yourself. They are on the hunt for sensitive personal details.
When you are interviewing for jobs, legitimate employers are careful and intentioned about evaluating your fit for the job. For this reason, employers want to make sure they are not interviewing fake candidates, so they are likely going to want to meet you face-to-face or through a video chat. If an employer extends a job offer after a few email exchanges or an instant messenger job interview, request a more formal meeting. If they say that they would like to move fast and hire quickly, be concerned as no real employer would act that quickly.
Guard your personal and financial information until you are 100% sure of the legitimacy of a job offer. Be on high alert if the “human resources representative” asks for your credit card or banking information to pay for training. Fake employers may also ask for your Social Insurance Number before extending a job offer letter. A great rule of thumb is to never share your SIN with anyone over the phone or over email.
Between March and September 2020, 34% of Canadian respondents reported receiving a phishing message, according to a survey by Statistics Canada. Phishing emails often include malicious links that, when clicked, download malware to your device. Online job scams may not only attempt to steal your sensitive information, but they may also be phishing attempts to take over your personal devices.
Some scammers using job offers as a guise might email people who never applied for a new opportunity. Be careful around these types of messages, urges the University of Calgary. Recruiters will most likely reach out and offer unsolicited interviews through social networking channels rather than email. Also, when you receive emails from people looking to hire you, take note of their email domain name. Is the email domain customized to the company’s name or is it a generic @gmail or @yahoo? Check the spelling of the email domain carefully too. Phishers are notoriously bad spellers and sometimes they use incorrect spelling of domain names to trick people into thinking they are the real company.
Immigrating anywhere is a massive and stressful undertaking. Cybercriminals prey upon this stressful, major life event and target immigrants with enticing, but fake, job offers. The Government of Canada advises to never trust someone who says they can guarantee you a job in Canada. Also, keep an eye on the salary. Is it very high? Do your skills not completely align with the job description? Does the job seem very easy? Unfortunately, that may mean that the offer is too good to be true.
The best way to avoid falling for job scams is to know what you are looking for and to take your time when considering a new job. Check out these tips to outsmart scammers and keep your personal information and devices safe.
Most job applications are submitted online, but if an employer is impressed by your resume, they will likely offer a screening call. When a human resources representative calls, make sure to note their name and ask for the website address of the company. Afterwards, search for the company online and the human resources representative who called you. They should show up together on a professional-looking website or a professional networking site.
Inspect all correspondences you get from potential employers. Phishers often use language that inspires strong emotions and urges a speedy response. Strong emotions could include excitement or fear. If the email says you only have a few hours to respond or else the job will go to someone else, be skeptical. Accepting a job is a huge decision that you should be able to take at least a few days to think about. Read carefully, always hover over links to see where they redirect, and keep a level head when making decisions about your next career move.
When you come across fraudulent activity, it is important that you report it to the correct authorities to stop it from happening to someone else. For immigration and online job scams, contact the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.
Phishers and job scammers may have gotten in contact with you with the aim of downloading malicious software on your computer. A comprehensive suite of security tools will protect you from viruses and malware that may have slipped past your eagle eye. McAfee Total Protection offers premium antivirus software, safe web browsing, and PC optimization.
The post Watch Out for These 3 Online Job Scams appeared first on McAfee Blog.
What do Burger King and the popular “Doge” meme have in common? They both have cryptocurrencies named after their likeliness. WhopperCoin and Dogecoin are just two examples of the thousands of types of cryptocurrencies that have caught users’ attention over the past few years. Cryptocurrencies are digital tokens generated by a computer after solving complex mathematical functions. These functions are used to verify the authenticity of a ledger, or blockchain.
Bitcoin is the most popular cryptocurrency today, increasing its value by almost 300% in 2020. Today, almost 46 million Americans own at least one share of Bitcoin, illustrating how these cryptocurrencies are the future of tomorrow’s digital payment system — or are they? The same benefits that make them a popular choice with online users have also made them popular amongst online thieves, sparking a wave of ransomware attacks and other cyberattacks more recently. This begs the question: do the benefits of Bitcoin outweigh the risks?
Every rose has its thorn, and several Bitcoin benefits seem to be hitched to online security risks. Here are some cryptocurrency characteristics that may seem appealing to users, but also provide cybercriminals with an opportunity to exploit:
As previously mentioned, cryptocurrency exchanges take place on an online public ledger, or blockchain, to secure online transactions. This means that anybody can observe the exchange online. However, the parties making the transactions are anonymous, disguised with a random number. Bitcoin users can make purchases that are never associated with their identity, similar to a cash transaction.
While the purchase discretion provided by Bitcoin may be appealing to users who want to remain private, this characteristic could also aid cybercriminals in malicious activity. Due to the anonymity of Bitcoin transactions, there is no way for someone to associate a person with a certain cryptocurrency wallet. Furthermore, a user could have multiple wallets, allowing them to spread their currency from one address to another.
For a cybercriminal looking to target an individual with ransomware, the purchase discretion and anonymity of Bitcoin provide a favorable solution. In fact, Bitcoin accounts for approximately 98% of ransomware payments today. Say a hacker carries out a ransomware attack and demands that the user pay a large sum in Bitcoin. If the user completes the payment, the hacker can keep moving the currency from one anonymous account to another. That makes it very difficult — though not impossible — to trace if the individual decides to investigate the case and tries to get their money back.
Another characteristic that Bitcoin users find appealing is the autonomy offered by digital currencies. In theory, they allow users more autonomy over their own money than government-regulated currencies do. With Bitcoin, users can control how they spend their money without dealing with an intermediary authority like a bank or government.
This lack of intermediary authority also opens a door for hackers to exploit. Say a user decides that they want to manage their finances using Bitcoin to bypass banking fees and send money to friends and family in different parts of the world. As previously mentioned, a Bitcoin user is assigned an anonymous private key that acts as their security credential. This key is generated and maintained by the user instead of a third-party agency. But what happens if the key isn’t random enough? An attacker could steal the user’s private key, and they will not be able to recover it since the Bitcoin blockchain is not dependent on any centralized third-party institutions. Therefore, it will be very difficult to track the attacker’s behaviors and recover lost funds.
It is safe to say that Bitcoin has caused a lot of buzz. But do the benefits outweigh the risks? Due to the nature of Bitcoin and most other public blockchains, anyone in the world can perform transactions or cryptographic computations — including cybercriminals. That’s why it is crucial for current cryptocurrency users and those considering cryptocurrency investment to do their research and know what vulnerabilities lie within the world of Bitcoin.
Follow these tips to help protect yourself from common threats that leverage cryptocurrency:
With blockchain, cryptocurrency, and any new and emerging technology, make sure you always remain a bit skeptical. Do your homework before you embrace the technology — research your options and make note of any known security issues and what you can do to mitigate known risks.
If a hacker does target you with ransomware demanding Bitcoin payment, it’s best not to pay the ransom. Although you may feel in the moment that this is the only way to get your encrypted files back, there is no guarantee that the ransomware developers will send a decryption tool once they receive the payment. Paying the ransom also contributes to the development of more ransomware families, so it is best to hold off on making any payments. Furthermore, a recent study found that 80% of businesses that choose to pay a ransom experience a subsequent ransomware attack. While it may feel like your only option in the moment, paying a ransom could show attackers that you’re willing to make the payment, therefore positioning you as an ideal target for yet another attack.
If you are targeted with ransomware, it’s crucial that you always have backup copies of your files, preferably in the cloud and on an external hard drive. This way, if you do get a ransomware infection, you can wipe your computer or device and reinstall your files from the backup. Backups protect your data, and you won’t be tempted to reward the hackers by paying a ransom. Backups won’t prevent ransomware, but they can mitigate the risks.
Large organizations often fall prey to ransomware attacks, so take necessary precautions if a company you’ve interacted with becomes compromised from a data leak or a ransomware attack. Immediately change your passwords for all your accounts, ensuring they are strong and unique. You can also employ a password manager to keep track of your credentials and generate secure login keys.
Add an extra layer of security with a solution such as McAfee® Total Protection, which includes Ransom Guard, to help protect your devices from these cyberthreats and ensure your digital wellness online.
The emergence of Bitcoin has indeed facilitated a wave of cybercrime that was previously difficult to perceive. In this new age of digital payments, blockchain, and cryptocurrencies, make sure that you do your research and stay vigilant when it comes to protecting your online safety. Remember: Bitcoin worth will continue to fluctuate, but your personal security will always remain invaluable.
To stay updated on all things McAfee and on top of the latest consumer and mobile security threats, follow @McAfee_Home on Twitter, subscribe to our newsletter, listen to our podcast Hackable?, and ‘Like’ us on Facebook.
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Note: This article originally appeared in Verisign’s Q1 2021 Domain Name Industry Brief.
This article expands on observations of a botnet traffic group at various levels of the Domain Name System (DNS) hierarchy, presented at DNS-OARC 35.
Addressing DNS abuse and maintaining a healthy DNS ecosystem are important components of Verisign’s commitment to being a responsible steward of the internet. We continuously engage with the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) and other industry partners to help ensure the secure, stable and resilient operation of the DNS.
Based on recent telemetry data from Verisign’s authoritative top-level domain (TLD) name servers, Verisign observed a widespread botnet responsible for a disproportionate amount of total global DNS queries – and, in coordination with several registrars, registries and ICANN, acted expeditiously to remediate it.
Just prior to Verisign taking action to remediate the botnet, upwards of 27.5 billion queries per day were being sent to Verisign’s authoritative TLD name servers, accounting for roughly 10% of Verisign’s total DNS traffic. That amount of query volume in most DNS environments would be considered a sustained distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack.
These queries were associated with a particular piece of malware that emerged in 2018, spreading throughout the internet to create a global botnet infrastructure. Botnets provide a substrate for malicious actors to theoretically perform all manner of malicious activity – executing DDoS attacks, exfiltrating data, sending spam, conducting phishing campaigns or even installing ransomware. This is the result of the malware’s ability to download and execute any other type of payload the malicious actor desires.
Malware authors often apply various forms of evasion techniques to protect their botnets from being detected and remediated. A Domain Generation Algorithm (DGA) is an example of such an evasion technique.
DGAs are seen in various families of malware that periodically generate a number of domain names, which can be used as rendezvous points for botnet command-and-control servers. By using a DGA to build the list of domain names, the malicious actor makes it more difficult for security practitioners to identify what domain names will be used and when. Only by exhaustively reverse-engineering a piece of malware can the definitive set of domain names be ascertained.
The choices made by miscreants to tailor malware DGAs directly influences the DGAs’ ability to evade detection. For instance, electing to use more TLDs and a large number of domain names in a given time period makes the malware’s operation more difficult to disrupt; however, this approach also increases the amount of network noise, making it easier to identify anomalous traffic patterns by security and network teams. Likewise, a DGA that uses a limited number of TLDs and domain names will generate significantly less network noise but is more fragile and susceptible to remediation.
Botnets that implement DGA algorithms or utilize domain names clearly represent an “abuse of the DNS,” opposed to other types of abuse that are executed “via the DNS,” such as phishing. This is an important distinction the DNS community should consider as it continues to refine the scope of DNS abuse and how remediation of the various abuses can be effectuated.
The remediation of domain names used by botnets as rendezvous points poses numerous operational challenges and insights. The set of domain names needs to be identified and investigated to determine their current registration status. Risk assessments must be evaluated on registered domain names to determine if additional actions should be performed, such as sending registrar notifications, issuing requests to transfer domain names, adding Extensible Provisioning Protocol (EPP) hold statuses, altering delegation records, etc. There are also timing and coordination elements that must be balanced with external entities, such as ICANN, law enforcement, Computer Emergency Readiness Teams (CERTs) and contracted parties, including registrars and registries. Other technical decisions also need to be considered, designed and deployed to achieve the desired remediation goal.
After coordinating with ICANN, and several registrars and registries, Verisign registered the remaining available botnet domain names and began a three-phase plan to sinkhole those domain names. Ultimately, this remediation effort would reduce the traffic sent to Verisign authoritative name servers and effectively eliminate the botnet’s ability to use command-and-control domain names within Verisign-operated TLDs.
Figure 1 below shows the amount of botnet traffic Verisign authoritative name servers received prior to intervention, and throughout the process of registering, delegating and sinkholing the botnet domain names.
Phase one was executed on Dec. 21, 2020, in which 100 .cc domain names were configured to resolve to Verisign-operated sinkhole servers. Subsequently, traffic at Verisign authoritative name servers quickly decreased. The second group of domain names contained 500 .com and .net domain names, which were sinkholed on Jan. 7, 2021. Again, traffic volume at Verisign authoritative name servers quickly decreased. The final group of 879 .com and .net domain names were sinkholed on Jan. 13, 2021. By the end of phase three, the cumulative DNS traffic reduction surpassed 25 billion queries per day. Verisign reserved approximately 10 percent of the botnet domain names to remain on serverHold as a placebo/control-group to better understand sinkholing effects as they relate to query volume at the child and parent zones. Verisign believes that sinkholing the remaining domain names would further reduce authoritative name server traffic by an additional one billion queries.
This botnet highlights the remarkable Pareto-like distribution of DNS query traffic, in which a few thousand domain names that span namespaces containing more than 165 million domain names, demand a vastly disproportionate amount of DNS resources.
What causes the amplification of DNS traffic volume for non-existent domain names to occur at the upper levels of the DNS hierarchy? Verisign is conducting a variety of measurements on the sinkholed botnet domain names to better understand the caching behavior of the resolver population. We are observing some interesting traffic changes at the TLD and root name servers when time to live (TTL) and response codes are altered at the sinkhole servers. Stay tuned.
In addition to remediating this botnet in late 2020 and into early 2021, Verisign extended its already four-year endeavor to combat the Avalanche botnet family. Since 2016, the Avalanche botnet had been significantly impacted due to actions taken by Verisign and an international consortium of law enforcement, academic and private organizations. However, many of the underlying Avalanche-compromised machines are still not remediated, and the threat from Avalanche could increase again if additional actions are not taken. To prevent this from happening, Verisign, in coordination with ICANN and other industry partners, is using a variety of tools to ensure Avalanche command-and-control domain names cannot be used in Verisign-operated TLDs.
Botnets are a persistent issue. And as long as they exist as a threat to the security, stability and resiliency of the DNS, cross-industry coordination and collaboration will continue to lie at the core of combating them.
This piece was co-authored by Matt Thomas and Duane Wessels, distinguished engineers at Verisign.
The post Industry Insights: Verisign, ICANN and Industry Partners Collaborate to Combat Botnets appeared first on Verisign Blog.
There’s little rest for your hard-working smartphone. If you’re like many professionals today, you use it for work, play, and a mix of personal business in between. Now, what if something went wrong with that phone, like loss or theft? Worse yet, what if your smartphone got hacked? Let’s try and keep that from happening to you.
Globally, plenty of people pull double duty with their smartphones. In Spain, one survey found that 55% of people use the same phone for a mix of personal and and work activity. The same survey showed that up to half of people interviewed in Japan, Australia, and the U.S. do so as well, while nations like the UK and Germany trailed at 31% and 23% respectively.
Whether these figures trend on the low or high end, the security implications remain constant. A smartphone loaded with business and personal data makes for a desirable target. Hackers target smartphones because they’re often unprotected, which gives hackers an easy “in” to your personal information and to any corporate networks you may use. It’s like two hacks with one stone.
Put simply, as a working professional with a smartphone, you’re a high-value target.
As both a parent and a professional, I put together a few things you can do to protect your smartphone from hacks so that you can keep your personal and work life safe:
First up, the basics. Locking your phone with facial ID, a fingerprint, pattern or a pin is your most basic form of protection, particularly in the event of loss or theft. (Your options will vary depending on the device, operating system, and manufacturer.) Take it a step further for even more protection. Secure the accounts on your phone with strong passwords and use two-factor authentication on the apps that offer it, which doubles your line of defense.
Or, put another way, don’t hop onto public Wi-Fi networks without protection. A VPN masks your connection from hackers allowing you to connect privately when you are on unsecure public networks at airports, cafes, hotels, and the like. With a VPN connection, you’ll know that your sensitive data, documents, and activities you do are protected from snooping, which is definitely a great feeling given the amount of personal and professional business we manage with our smartphones.
Both Google Play and Apple’s App Store have measures in place to help prevent potentially dangerous apps from making it into their stores. Malicious apps are often found outside of the app stores, which can run in the background and compromise your personal data like passwords, credit card numbers, and more—practically everything that you keep on your phone. Further, when you are in the app stores, look closely at the descriptions and reviews for apps before you download them. Malicious apps and counterfeits can still find their way into stores, and here are a few ways you can keep those bad apps from getting onto your phone.
Backing up your phone is always a good idea for two reasons:
Both iPhones and Android phones have straightforward ways of backing up your phone regularly.
Worst case scenario—your phone is gone. Really gone. Either it’s hopelessly lost or got stolen. What now? Lock it remotely or even wipe its data entirely. While that last bit about wiping the phone seems like a drastic move, if you maintain regular backups as mentioned above, your data is secure in the cloud—ready for you to restore. In all, this means that hackers won’t be able to access you, or your company’s, sensitive information—which can keep you out of trouble and your professional business safe. Apple provides iOS users with a step-by-step guide for remotely wiping devices, and Google offers up a guide for Android users as well.
We all download apps, use them once, and then forget they are on our phone. Take a few moments to swipe through your screen and see which ones you’re truly done with and delete them along with their data. Some apps have an account associated with them that may store data off your phone as well. Take the extra step and delete those accounts so any off-phone data is deleted.
The reason for this is that every extra app is another app that needs updating or that may have a security issue associated with it. In a time of data breaches and vulnerabilities, deleting old apps is a smart move. As for the ones you keep, update them regularly and turn on auto-updates if that’s an option. Updates not only introduce new features to apps, but they also often address security issues too.
With so much of your life on your phone, getting security software installed on it can protect you and the things you keep on your phone. Whether you’re an Android owner or iOS owner, mobile security software can keep your data, your shopping, and payments secure.
The post 7 Tips to Protect Your Smartphone from Getting Hacked appeared first on McAfee Blog.
How much of the global economy is managed from a home network these days? Or, more importantly, what percentage of your company’s most sensitive data passes through employee home networks right now?
If you’re like me, working from a home office, you can’t help but think about all of the cybersecurity tradeoffs that accompanied the widespread shift from on-premises to cloud-delivered services. Better productivity in exchange for deeper vulnerabilities—like man-in-the-middle attacks—wasn’t a choice many cybersecurity pros would make under normal circumstances.
Yet, for better—and worse—there’s no going back to how things were. When Gartner revealed its annual list of top cybersecurity trends last month, we learned that while 64% of employees now work from home, at least 30-40% will continue to do so once the pandemic is over.1 In the foreseeable future, the Wi-Fi streaming your kids’ favorite shows will transport an untold amount of business data, too. All of which must be protected from device to cloud.
In the same report, Gartner said that with so many employees continuing to work from home, “endpoint protection services will need to move to cloud-delivered services.” While the vast majority of our customers made the overnight switch—many still need to adopt a cloud-native architecture.
No doubt the best transformations are the ones you plan for and manage from end-to-end. But the cloud transformation that many didn’t plan for—and most cybersecurity defenses couldn’t handle—turned out to pack the biggest punch. Here are three ways to better prepare for what comes next.
Stopping unauthorized access to corporate assets—and protecting them—is, on the face of it, a never-ending battle. You can’t build a moat, a wall, or a bubble and say, hey, my work here is done. We’ve found our customers need to solve two primary issues:
So, we created the MVISION Device-to-Cloud Suites to protect all of this data coursing through home networks. Among the many types of threats we’ve tracked, one of the biggest threats is viruses infecting browsers and capturing keystrokes to steal sensitive information. We solve this by isolating a browser so that no one can see what information has been entered.
While paradigms may shift, going forward we believe it’s predictive defenses that will enable faster, smarter and more effective data loss prevention. We get there by enabling optimized endpoint threat protection, Extended Detection and Response (EDRs) that improve mean time to detect and respond to threats, and useful analytics that not only empower your SOC but also help inform and engage executives.
Gaining executive and board-level buy-in has long been a topic of concern in the cybersecurity field. Thanks in part to the harsh publicity and severe damage caused by state-sponsored hacks that day is finally in sight. In a recent blog, McAfee’s Steve Grobman indicated SolarWinds is the first major supply chain attack which represents a shift in tactics where a nation state has employed a new weapon for cyber-espionage.”2
Cybersecurity is perceived as the second highest source of risk for enterprises, losing out to regulatory concerns, notes Gartner.3 While today only one in 10 board of directors have a dedicated cybersecurity committee, Gartner projects that percentage will rise to 40% in four years.
One reason why cybersecurity hasn’t been elevated to an ongoing board concern previously is that many executives lack a window into the cybersecurity in their midst. And lacking a window, they have no keen understanding of their organization’s vulnerabilities. Which also makes it difficult to assess the operational value of various cybersecurity investments.
The ability to gain visual insights and predictive assessments of your security posture against dangerous threats is what generates actionable intelligence. A CISO or CSO should be able to look at a single screen and understand in minutes how well protected they are against potential threats. They also need a team that’s ready to take action on these insights and enact appropriate countermeasures to protect corporate assets from imminent attack.
You want to protect your palace from thieves, but when do you finally have too many latches, locks, and bars on your doors? At some point, less is more, particularly if you can’t remember where you put your keys. Consolidation is one of Gartner top five trends this year. Four out of five companies plan to trim their list of cybersecurity vendors in the next three years.4
In fact, Gartner’s 2020 CISO Effectiveness Survey found that 78% of CISOs have 16 or more tools in their cybersecurity vendor portfolio, while 12% have a whopping 46 or more.5 Mind you, we know there is no end-all, be-all Security vendor who does everything. But with our Device-to-Cloud Suites, your security technology resides in one umbrella platform. Without McAfee, you’d need one vendor on the desktop, another in the cloud, and one more on the web gateway.
Consolidation is intended to remove headaches rather than create them. With one SaaS-based suite that addresses your core security issues, you have lower maintenance, plus the ability to visualize where you’re vulnerable and learn what you need to do to protect it.
McAfee is here to help organizations manage the transformation to a predictive cybersecurity defense and we provide the footprint to secure the data, endpoints, web, and cloud. From my vantage point, securing distributed digital assets demands effective security controls from device to cloud.
MVISION Device-to-Cloud Suites provide a simplified way to help accelerate your cloud transformation and adoption, better defend against attacks, and lower your total cost of operations. The suites scale with your security needs to deliver a unified endpoint, web, and cloud solution.
Learn More About McAfee Device-to-Cloud Suites:
Source:
1. Gartner Identifies Top Security and Risk Management Trends for 2021 (Gartner)
2. Why SolarWinds-SUNBURST is a Wakeup Call (McAfee)
3. Gartner Identifies Top Security and Risk Management Trends for 2021 (Gartner)
4. Ibid.
5. Gartner Survey Reveals Only 12% of CISOs Are Considered “Highly Effective” (Gartner)
The post Transforming to a Predictive Cyber Defense appeared first on McAfee Blogs.
How well can you predict, prevent and respond to ever-changing cyberthreats? How do you know that your security efforts measure up? The stakes are high if this is difficult to answer and track. Imagine if you had one place where you found a comprehensive real time security posture that tells you exactly where the looming current cyber risks are and the impact? Let’s consider a recent and relevant cyber threat.
Take, for example, the May 7th DarkSide ransomware attack that shut down Colonial Pipeline’s distribution network. That well-publicized attack spurred considerable interest in cybersecurity assessments. Ransomware doesn’t just cost money—or embarrassment—it can derail careers. As news spread, we fielded numerous calls from executives wondering: Are my systems protected against DarkSide?
Until recently, discovering the answer to such questions has required exercises such as white hat penetration testing or the completion of lengthy or sometimes generic security posture questionnaires. And we know how that goes — your results may vary from the “norm,” sometimes quite a bit.
To empower you to ask and confidently answer the “am I protected” questions, we developed MVISION Insights Unified Posture Scoring to provide real-time assessments of your environment from device to cloud and threat campaigns targeting your industry.
With the score, you’ll know at a glance: Have you done enough to stave off the most likely risks? In general, the better controls you set for your endpoints, networks and clouds, the lower your risk of breaches and data loss—and the better your security posture score. A CISO from a large enterprise recently stated that the “most significant thing for a CISO to solve is to become confident in the security score.”
Assessing risk is about determining the likelihood of an event. A risk score considers where you’re vulnerable and based on those weaknesses how likely is it that a bad actor will exploit it? That scoring approach helps security teams determine whether to apply a specific tool or countermeasures.
However, a posture score goes a step further when it considers your current environment’s risk but also whether you’ve been able to withstand attacks. Where have you applied protections to suppress an attack? It enables you to ask: what’s the state of your defensive posture?
Security posture scoring may answer other critical questions such as:
Knowing these answers also makes security posture scoring useful for compliance risk assessment, producing a benchmark that enables your organization to compare its industry performance and also choose which concerns to prioritize. The score can also serve as an indicator of whether your organization would be approved for cyber insurance or even how much it may have to pay.
Some organizations use security posture scoring to help prepare for security audits. But it can also be used in lieu of third-party assessments—applying recommended assessments instead of expensive penetration testing.
No doubt, the pandemic and working from home have exacerbated security posture challenges. According to Enterprise Strategy Group (ESG), a “growing attack surface” from cloud computing and new digital devices are complicating security posture management. So is managing “inexperienced remote workers,” who may be preyed upon by various forms of malware. This can lead not only to management headaches, says ESG, but also to “vulnerabilities and potential system compromises.”
About one year ago we released the initial version of MVISION Insights posture scoring —focused on endpoint assessments. A security score was assigned based on your preparedness to thwart looming threats and the configuration of your McAfee endpoint security products. It enabled predictive assessments based on security posture aligned to campaign-specific threat intelligence.
Customers are tired of piecing together siloed security and demand a unified security approach reflected in our MVISION XDR powered by MVISION Insights. We expanded the scoring capability to also assess cloud defenses, including your countermeasures and controls. Derived from MVISION Cloud Security Advisor, the cloud security posture is weighted average of visibility and control for IaaS, SaaS,and shadow IT. There is an option to easily pivot to MVISION Cloud Security Advisor. The Unified Security posture score is weighted average of the endpoint and cloud security posture score delivering a more robust and comprehensive assessment with the ability to drill down on specifics to enhance your security from device to cloud. Many endpoint wanna-be XDR vendors cannot provide this critical aggregated security assessment across vectors.
Becoming more robust is what all of us must do. When organizations face the jeopardy of “Ransomware-as-a-Service” payments that may scale up to $2 million, understanding how best to manage your security posture is no longer simply a nice to have, it’s become an operational imperative.
Click here to learn more about Security Posture Scoring from a few practitioners in our LinkedIn Live session.
The post Testing to Ensure Your Security Posture Never Slouches appeared first on McAfee Blogs.
The gig economy has become more prevalent in today’s world with the appeal and necessity of flexible work opportunities. Many take advantage of short-term contracts, side jobs, and freelance work to retain more control over how they spend their day and earn their income. However, the proliferation of these flexible work opportunities has transcended into the dark web, allowing individuals to conduct nefarious activities. Rather than contracting handyman or moving services on the dark web, you can find hackers contracting their website hacking services or buyers placing ads looking for a hacker to hire. These acts pose significant risks to online users, given the amount of stolen personal information on dark websites. Take a look at the activities you can expect to find on the dark web and the steps you can take to safeguard your online privacy.
The dark web is part of the public internet that search engines do not index. In other words, what happens on the dark web, stays on the dark web with no traceable records. Most people don’t realize that the dark web is not illegal despite its association with criminal activities. However, the dark web has retained a criminal reputation since it is challenging to track what goes on. As a result, criminals will often frequent the dark web to conduct a variety of illegal transactions, including hacking services.
Researchers are discovering an uptick in activity on dark web forums that includes buying and selling black hat hacking services. 90% of the activity on these forums is from people looking to hire hackers to infiltrate websites and steal databases. Additionally, 4% of the people frequenting dark web forums requested hacking services related to website hacking and malicious code injection.
Another 7% of people on the dark web are hackers contracting out their services and tools. These services and tools include web shells, a file uploaded to a server that an attacker can use to execute operating system commands, as well as access to administrative website interfaces and ready-made exploits. Many of the services offered on these forums range in specialties such as site infiltration to data extraction. As a result, they often attract a variety of customers with numerous requests.
Further, many of the ads seeking hacking services are aimed at database hacking. Those targeting databases are often financially incentivized hackers and companies out to steal their competitor’s information. Databases remain a popular target for hackers since they contain a significant amount of personal information ranging from first and last names to credit card numbers. Cybercriminals can then use this information to commit numerous crimes such as monetary theft, unemployment and tax relief fraud, and identity theft.
For example, the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) had to suspend approximately 800,000 accounts after discovering matching credentials for sale on the dark web. In a previous data breach, hackers used login credentials to access taxpayer accounts, apply for COVID-19 relief funds, and reroute the funds into their bank accounts. Taxpayers could not log in to their accounts without first taking the necessary steps to regain safe access.
Users must protect their online presence and information as these criminal activities continue to escalate in demand. Here are the five must-dos after discovering a data breach to retain your online security.
Be one of the first to know about a data breach by leveraging security software such as McAfee Total Protection. A comprehensive security solution that includes dark web monitoring actively monitors the dark web for data breaches and exposed information. This information includes but is not limited to your date of birth, email addresses, credit card numbers, and personal identification numbers. Robust security software also provides steps for remediation after a data breach to guide the user to regain control and integrity of their data and privacy.
Companies are required to notify their customers of a data breach under the PIPEDA legislature. Be on the lookout for breach notices from relevant companies since they are often the first to know about a data breach impacting their online customers.
Create news alerts for companies that have access to your information to stay notified of the latest events. Additionally, create notifications for your bank and other financial accounts to monitor for suspicious activity such as unauthorized transactions or a drop in credit score. You will be better prepared to mitigate any cybersecurity threats with the right security software and knowledge of the latest risks.
Looking back to the 800,00 taxpayers whose accounts were suspended, they could not regain access without first changing their login credentials. Changing your login credentials such as your usernames, passwords, and security questions is a critical first step to take after any data breach.
Changing your credentials prevents hackers from accessing your personal information and ensures that you regain control over your account security. The chances of a hacker accessing your data are exceptionally high if you use the same credentials across different accounts. Thus, it’s essential to change your usernames and passwords regularly to ensure your information remains secure.
Just as important as changing your password regularly is changing your password following best practices. Create stronger passwords by using a combination of the following:
Long passwords with a minimum of 12 characters are also more effective than shorter passwords since it makes it more difficult for a hacker to guess. In sum, ensure all passwords are long, complex, and only used once. Use a password manager with a built-in generator like the one included in McAfee’s Total Protection solution to make it easier to access and manage passwords.
If your credentials are exposed in a data breach, using multifactor authentication will ensure hackers cannot access your information using only your login credentials. So even if your username and password are exposed, there is still a layer of security that hackers will not be able to bypass. Block out unauthorized login attempts by enabling multifactor authentication wherever applicable.
The dark web continues to be a primary destination for cybercrime. Online users must remain cautious about the information they retain in their online accounts and the websites with access to their personal information. Your data security and privacy are not always a guarantee, but the more precautions you take with your online safety, the better protected you will be.
To stay updated on all things McAfee and on top of the latest consumer and mobile security threats, follow @McAfee_Home on Twitter, subscribe to our newsletter, listen to our podcast Hackable?, and ‘Like’ us on Facebook.
The post The Rise of the Dark Web Gig Economy appeared first on McAfee Blogs.
[Disclaimer: The McAfee ATR team disclosed this vulnerability to Peloton and promptly started working together to responsibly develop and issue a patch within the disclosure window. The patch was tested and confirmed effective on June 4, 2021.]
Picture this: A hacker enters a gym or fitness center with a Peloton Bike+. They insert a tiny USB key with a boot image file containing malicious code that grants them remote root access. Since the attacker doesn’t need to factory unlock the bike to load the modified image, there is no sign that it was tampered with. With their newfound access, the hacker interferes with the Peloton’s operating system and now has the ability to install and run any programs, modify files, or set up remote backdoor access over the internet. They add malicious apps disguised as Netflix and Spotify to the bike in the hopes that unsuspecting users will enter their login credentials for them to harvest for other cyberattacks. They can enable the bike’s camera and microphone to spy on the device and whoever is using it. To make matters worse, they can also decrypt the bike’s encrypted communications with the various cloud services and databases it accesses, potentially intercepting all kinds of sensitive information. As a result, an unsuspecting gym-goer taking the Peloton Bike+ for a spin could be in danger of having their personal data compromised and their workout unknowingly watched.
That’s a potential risk that you no longer have to worry about thanks to McAfee’s Advanced Threat Research (ATR) team. The ATR team recently disclosed a vulnerability (CVE-2021-3387) in the Peloton Bike+, which would allow a hacker with either physical access to the Bike+ or access during any point in the supply chain (from construction to delivery), to gain remote root access to the Peloton’s tablet. The hacker could install malicious software, intercept traffic and user’s personal data, and even gain control of the Bike’s camera and microphone over the internet. Further conversations with Peloton confirmed that this vulnerability is also present on Peloton Tread exercise equipment; however, the scope of our research was confined to the Bike+.
As a result of COVID-19, many consumers have looked for in-home exercise solutions, sending the demand for Peloton products soaring. The number of Peloton users grew 22% between September and the end of December 2020, with over 4.4 million members on the platform at year’s end. By combining luxury exercise equipment with high-end technology, Peloton presents an appealing solution to those looking to stay in shape with a variety of classes, all from a few taps of a tablet. Even though in-home fitness products such as Peloton promise unprecedented convenience, many consumers do not realize the risks that IoT fitness devices pose to their online security.
IoT fitness devices such as the Peloton Bike+ are just like any other laptop or mobile phone that can connect to the internet. They have embedded systems complete with firmware, software, and operating systems. As a result, they are susceptible to the same kind of vulnerabilities, and their security should be approached with a similar level of scrutiny.
Following the consumer trend in increasing IoT fitness devices, McAfee ATR began poring over the Peloton’s various systems with a critical eye, looking for potential risks consumers might not be thinking about. It was during this exploratory process that the team discovered that the Bike’s system was not verifying that the device’s bootloader was unlocked before attempting to boot a custom image. This means that the bike allowed researchers to load a file that wasn’t meant for the Peloton hardware — a command that should normally be denied on a locked device such as this one. Their first attempt only loaded a blank screen, so the team continued to search for ways to install a valid, but customized boot image, which would start the bike successfully with increased privileges.
After some digging, researchers were able to download an update package directly from Peloton, containing a boot image that they could modify. With the ability to modify a boot image from Peloton, the researchers were granted root access. Root access means that the ATR team had the highest level of permissions on the device, allowing them to perform functions as an end-user that were not intended by Peloton developers. The Verified Boot process on the Bike failed to identify that the researchers tampered with the boot image, allowing the operating system to start up normally with the modified file. To an unsuspecting user, the Peloton Bike+ appeared completely normal, showing no signs of external modifications or clues that the device had been compromised. In reality, ATR had gained complete control of the Bike’s Android operating system.
The McAfee ATR team disclosed this vulnerability to Peloton and promptly started working together to responsibly develop and issue a patch within the disclosure window. The patch was tested and confirmed effective on June 4, 2021. The discovery serves as an important reminder to practice caution when using fitness IoT devices, and it is important that consumers keep these tips in mind to stay secure while staying fit:
Stay on top of software updates from your device manufacturer, especially since they will not always advertise their availability. Visit their website regularly to ensure you do not miss news that may affect you. Additionally, make sure to update mobile apps that pair with your IoT device. Adjust your settings to turn on automatic software updates, so you do not have to update manually and always have the latest security patches.
Do your research before making a significant investment in an IoT device. Ask yourself if these devices are from a reputable vendor. Have they had previous data breaches in the past, or do they have an excellent reputation for providing secure products? Also, take note of the information your IoT device collects, how vendors use this information and what they release to other users or third parties.
Above all, understand what control you have over your privacy and information usage. It is a good sign if an IoT device allows you to opt-out of having your information collected or lets you access and delete the data it does collect.
Protect your data from being compromised by stealthy cybercriminals by using an identity theft solution such as the one included in McAfee Total Protection. This software allows users to take a proactive approach to protecting their identities with personal and financial monitoring, as well as recovery tools.
If you are one of the 4.4 million Peloton members or use other IoT fitness devices, it is important to keep in mind that these gadgets could pose a potential security risk just like any other connected device. To elevate your fitness game while protecting your privacy and data, incorporate cybersecurity best practices into your everyday life so you can confidently enjoy your IoT devices.
As stated, McAfee and Peloton worked together closely to address this issue. Adrian Stone, Peloton’s Head of Global Information Security, shared that “this vulnerability reported by McAfee would require direct, physical access to a Peloton Bike+ or Tread. Like with any connected device in the home, if an attacker is able to gain physical access to it, additional physical controls and safeguards become increasingly important. To keep our Members safe, we acted quickly and in coordination with McAfee. We pushed a mandatory update in early June and every device with the update installed is protected from this issue.”
Peloton is always looking for ways to improve products and features, including making new features available to Members through software updates that are pushed to Peloton devices. For a step-by-step guide on how to check for updated software, Peloton Members can visit the Peloton support site.
The post Is Your Peloton Spinning Up Malware? appeared first on McAfee Blogs.
The McAfee team is very proud to announce that, for the third year in a row, McAfee was named a 2021 Gartner Peer Insights Customers’ Choice for Secure Web Gateways for its Web Solution.
In its announcement, Gartner explains, “The Gartner Peer Insights Customers’ Choice is a recognition of vendors in this market by verified end-user professionals, taking into account both the number of reviews and the overall user ratings.” To ensure fair evaluation, Gartner applies rigorous methodology for recognizing vendors with a high customer satisfaction rate.
For the distinction, a vendor needs at least 20+ Reviews from Customers with over $50M Annual Review in 18-month timeframe, above Market Average Overall Rating, and above Market Average User Interest and Adoption.
Gartner Peer Insights is a peer review and ratings platform designed for enterprise software and services decision makers. Reviews are organized by products in markets that are defined by Gartner Research in Magic Quadrant and Market Guide documents.
The “Voice of the Customer” is a document that applies a methodology to aggregated Gartner Peer Insights’ reviews in a market to provide an overall perspective for IT decision makers. This aggregated peer perspective, along with the individual detailed reviews, is complementary to expert-generated research such as Magic Quadrants and Market Guides. It can play a key role in your buying process, as it focuses on direct peer experiences of buying, implementing and operating a solution. A complimentary copy of the Peer Insights ‘Voice of the Customer’ report is available on the McAfee Web site.
“We were using an on-prem web gateway and we have been migrated to UCE recently due to the pandemic situations. It gives us the flexibility to manage our Web GW as a SaaS solution. The solution also provides us bunch of rulesets for our daily usage needs.” CIO in the Manufacturing Industry [Link here]
“McAfee Secure web gateway provides the optimum security required for the employees of the Bank surfing the Internet. It also provides the Hybrid capabilities which allows to deploy same policies regardless of the physical location of the endpoint.” [Link here]
MVISION Unified Cloud Edge was specifically designed to enable our customers to make a secure cloud transformation by bringing the capabilities of our highly successful Secure Web Gateway appliance solution to the cloud as part of a unified cloud offering. This way, users from any location or device can access the web and the cloud in a fast and secure manner.
“The McAfee Web Gateway integrated well with existing CASB and DLP solutions. It has been very effective at preventing users from going to malware sites. The professional services we purchased for implementation was the best we’ve ever had from any vendor of any IT security product.” Senior Cybersecurity Professional in the Healthcare Industry [Link here]
McAfee’s Next-Gen Secure Web Gateway technology features tight integration with our CASB and DLP solutions through a converged management interface, which provides unified policies that deliver unprecedented cloud control while reducing cost and complexity. By integrating our SWG, CASB, DLP, and RBI solutions, MVISION Unified Cloud Edge provides a complete SASE security platform that delivers unparalleled data and threat protection.
“We benchmarked against another very well known gateway and there was no comparison. The other gateway only caught a small fraction of what MWG caught when filtering for potentially harmful sites.” Information Security Officer in the Finance Industry [Link here]
As the threat landscape continues to evolve, it’s important for organizations to have a platform that is integrated and seamless. That’s why McAfee provides integrated multi-layer security including global threat intelligence, machine learning, sandboxing, UEBA, and Remote Browser Isolation to block known threats and detect the most elusive attacks.
To learn more about this distinction, or to read the reviews written about our products by the IT professionals who use them, please visit Gartner Peer Insights’ Customers’ Choice announcement for Web. To all of our customers who submitted reviews, thank you! These reviews mold our products and our customer journey, and we look forward to building on the experience that earned us this distinction!
McAfee is named a Customers’ Choice in the June 2021 Gartner Peer Insights “Voice of the Customer”: Secure Web Gateways.
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If only more things in life came with training wheels; a child’s first smartphone could certainly use some.
Like taking off the training wheels and riding out into the neighborhood for the first time, a smartphone opens an entirely new world for children. There are apps, social media, group chats with friends, TikTok stars, and the joy of simply being “in” with their classmates and friends through the shared experience of the internet.
For parents, the similarities between first bike rides and first phones continue. You love the growing independence that this moment brings, yet you also wonder what your child will encounter out there when you’re not around. The good and the bad. How have you prepared them for this? Are they really ready?
That’s the question, isn’t it—when is my child ready for that first smartphone?
For years, your child has dabbled on the internet, whether that was playing on your phone while they were little, letting them spend time on a tablet, or using a computer for school. Along the way, there have been teaching moments, little lessons you’ve imparted about staying safe, how to treat others online, and so forth. In other words, you’ve introduced the internet to your child in steps. Giving them their own phone is yet another step, but a big one.
Yet those teaching moments and little lessons are things that they’ll lean on when they’re on their own phone—whether those were about “stranger dangers” online, proper online etiquette, and the difference between safe and unsafe websites. Understanding if your child has a firm foundation for navigating all the highs and lows of the internet is a strong indication of their readiness. After all, safely entering the always-online world of having a smartphone demands a level of intellectual and emotional maturity.
Good question. We do know that smartphone usage by children is on the rise. For example, research from Common Sense Media indicates that 53% of 11-year-olds have a smartphone, a number that jumps to 69% at age 12. That’s quite a bit of smartphone use by tweens, use which may be lightly monitored or not monitored at all. Note the percentage of ownership by age and the volume of screen time that follows in the infographic below:
Source: Common Sense Media
Why the rise, particularly in very young owners? However, does that mean 26% of nine-year-olds should have unfettered and all-day access to the internet in the palm of their hands? That’s a topic for you to decide for yourself and for the good of your family. However, if the notion of a third grader with a smartphone seems a little on the young side to you, there are alternatives to smartphones.
If keeping in touch is the primary reason for considering a smartphone, you have internet-free options that you can consider:
In all, for a younger child, one of these options may be your best bet. They’ll help you and your child keep in touch, develop good habits, and simply learn the basic responsibilities and behaviors that come with using a device to communicate with others.
Now’s a perfect time to prepare yourself for the day when your child indeed gets that first proper smartphone. That entails a little research and a little conversation on your part. Topics such as cyberbullying, digital literacy, social media etiquette, and so on will be important to get an understanding on. And those are just the first few.
A good place to start is your circle of family and friends. There, you can find out how they handled smartphone ownership with their children. You’ll likely hear a range of strategies and approaches, along with a few stories too, all of which can prepare you and your child.
I also suggest carving out a few minutes a week to read up on our McAfee blog safety topics so that you can have all the knowledge and tools you need. We blog on topics related to parenting and children quite regularly, and you can get a quick view of them here:
Having a smartphone will change not only their life, but yours as well. Relationships will evolve as your child navigates their new online life with their middle school and high school peers. (Remember those days? They weren’t always easy. Now throw smartphones into the mix.)
With that, give you and your child one last checkpoint. The following family talking points for owning a smartphone offer a solid framework for conversation and a way to assess if your child, and you, are truly ready for what’s ahead.
Once smartphone day arrives, it’s time to put two things in place—mobile security and parental controls:
Plenty. And as a mom myself, I rely heavily on those parental controls I put into place, but I also stay close to what they are doing online. It’s a bit of a mix. I simply ask them what’s going on and do a little, monitoring too. That could be asking them what their favorite games and apps are right now or talking about what playlists they’re listening to. This keeps communication open and normalizes talking about the phone/ their internet usage and what’s happening on it. Communication like this can come in handy later on should they need your help with something that’s occurred online. By talking now, the both of you will have an established place to start.
In all, take children’s smartphone ownership in steps and prepare them for the day those training wheels come off so the both of you can fully enjoy that newfound independence of life with a smartphone.
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The mass migration of employees working from home in the last 14 months has accelerated the digital transformation of businesses. Cloud applications are no longer a “nice to have,” they are now essential to ensure that businesses survive. This introduces new security challenges in being able to locate and control sensitive data across all the potential exfiltration vectors regardless of whether they are in the cloud; on premise via managed or unmanaged machines. Attempting to control these vectors through multiple products results in unnecessary cost and complexity.
McAfee anticipated and responded to this trend, solving all these challenges through the launch of our MVISION Unified Cloud Edge solution in 2020. Unified Cloud Edge doesn’t simply offer data protections controls for endpoints, networks, web and the cloud; rather, Multi-Vector Data Protection provides customers with unified data classification and incident management that enables them to define data workflows once and have policies enforced consistently across each vector. Because of the unified approach and our extensive data protection heritage, we are delighted to be named a Leader in The Forrester Wave: Unstructured Data Security Platforms, Q2 2021. In our opinion, we were the top ranked dedicated cyber security vendor within the report.
We received the highest possible score in nine criteria with Forrester Research commenting on our “cloud-first data security approach” and customer recognition of our “breadth of capabilities (in particular for supporting remote work and cloud use)”.
We continue to innovate within our Unified Cloud Edge solution through the introduction of remote browser isolation to protect against risky web sites (our “heavy focus in supporting security and data protection in the cloud”), which uniquely to the market allows us to continue applying DLP controls even during isolated sessions. Delivering on increased customer value through innovation isn’t just limited to new features, for instance we continue to drive down costs through an unlimited SaaS application bundle.
Click below to read the full report.
: Unstructured Data Security Platforms, Q2 2021McAfee is delighted to be named a Leader in The Forrester Wave Unstructured Data Security Platforms, Q2 2021 report. We received the highest possible score in nine criteria with Forrester Research
The Forrester Wave: Unstructured Data Security Platforms, Q2 2021, 17 May 2021, Heidi Shey with Amy DeMartine, Shannon Fish, Peggy Dostie
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Every week it seems there’s another enormous breach in the media spotlight. The attackers may be state-sponsored groups with extensive resources launching novel forms of ransomware. Where does your organization stand on its readiness and engagement versus this type of advanced persistent threat? More importantly, where does it want to go?
We believe that the way your organization uses threat intelligence is a significant difference maker in the success of your cybersecurity program. Just as organizations take the journey toward cyber defense excellence at their own rate of speed, some prioritize other investments ahead of threat intelligence, which may impede their progress. Actionable insights aren’t solely about speed, though fast-emerging threats require prompt intervention, they’re also about gaining quality and thoroughness. And that’s table stakes for advancing in your threat intelligence journey.
A Threat Intelligence program typically spans five organizational needs:
When you disseminate a threat insight, it triggers different responses from various members of your security team. An endpoint administrator will want to automatically invoke counter-measures and security controls to block a threat immediately. A SOC analyst may take actions including looking for signs of a breach and also recommend ways to stiffen your defense posture.
Better threat intelligence provides you with more contextual information — that’s the key. How will this information help your company, in your particular industry, in your region of the world?
The Threat Intelligence journey comes in stages. Where is your program now?
Within this stage most companies want to prevent the latest threats at their endpoint, network and cloud controls. They mostly depend on their security vendors to research and keep products up to date with the latest threat intelligence. However, in this stage companies also receive intelligence from other sources, including government, commercial and their own cyber defense investigations, and can use the extra intelligence to further update controls.
At this stage, organizations advance beyond vendor-provided intelligence and adapt their protection by adding indicators from third-party threat feeds or from other organizational SOC processes such as malware analysis.
Within this stage, companies want to do more than prevent known threats with their tools. They want to understand the adversaries who might target them, improve detection and respond faster by prioritizing investigations.
Organizations with this goal know that their industry faces targeted threats every day and they have already invested significantly in their threat intelligence capability. At this stage they most likely have a team utilizing commercial and open-source tools as well as threat data feeds. They’re looking for specialized analysis services and access to raw data.
These organizations can proactively assess their exposure and determine how to reduce the attack surface. They apply threat intelligence to empower their threat hunting, either on a proactive or reactive basis.
Until recently it was difficult for security managers to know not just whether their organization has been exposed to a particular threat but whether they have a good level of protection against specific campaigns.
McAfee MVISION Insights is helpful at each stage of your threat intelligence journey because it proactively assesses your organization’s exposure to global threats, integrating with your telemetry, and prescribes how to reduce attack services before the attack occurs. For stage one, organizations can proactively assess their exposure and determine how to reduce the attack surface. For stage two and three, organizations can apply threat intelligence to empower their threat hunting and analysis, either on a proactive or reactive basis.
MVISION Insights Dashboard
One way we help is by integrating data from both McAfee Threat Intelligence feeds such as our Global Threat Intelligence and Advanced Threat Defense, and also third-party services via MVISION APIs. While McAfee Global Threat Intelligence is one of the world’s largest sources of this information, with more than 1 billion global threat sensors in 120+ countries, and 54 billion queries each day, the key thing to know is that we have 500 plus McAfee researchers providing this form of threat intelligence as a service. The idea is to help you elevate your threat intelligence at each step of your organization’s journey.
Check out the latest threats from a Preview of MVISION Insights.
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On May 12, the President signed the executive order (EO) on Improving the Nation’s Cybersecurity. As with every executive order, it establishes timelines for compliance and specific requirements of executive branch agencies to provide specific plans to meet the stated objectives.
It is clear from the EO that the Executive Office of the President is putting significant emphasis on cyber threat intelligence and how it will help government agencies make better decisions about responding to cyber threats and incidents. The EO also focuses on how federal agencies will govern resource access through Zero Trust and how to comprehensively define and protect hybrid service architectures. These are critical aspects as government agencies are moving more and more mission-critical applications and services to the cloud.
The call to action in this executive order is long overdue, as modernizing the nation’s cybersecurity approach and creating coordinated intelligence and incident response capabilities should have occurred years ago. Requiring that agencies recognize the shift in the perimeter and start tearing down silos between cloud services and physical data center services is going serve to improve visibility and understanding of how departments and sub-agencies are being targeted by adversaries.
I am sure government leaders have started to review their current capability along with their strategic initiatives to ensure they map to the new EO requirements. Where gaps are identified, agencies will need to update their plans and rethink their approach to align with the new framework and defined capabilities such as endpoint detection and response (EDR) and Zero Trust.
While the objectives outlined are critical, I do believe that agencies need to take appropriate cautions when deciding their paths to compliance. The goal of this executive order is not to add additional complexity to an already complex security organization. Rather, the goal should be to simplify and automate wherever possible. If the right approach is not decided on early, the risk is very real of adding too much complexity in pursuit of compliance, thus eroding the desired outcomes.
On the surface, it would seem that the areas of improvement outlined in the EO can be taken individually – applied threat intelligence, EDR, Zero Trust, data protection, and cloud services adoption. In reality, they should be viewed collectively. When considering solutions and architectures, agency leaders should be asking themselves some critical questions:
The executive order presents a great opportunity for government to evolve their cybersecurity approach to defend against modern threats and enable a more aggressive transition to the cloud and cloud services. There is also significant risk, as the urgency expressed in the EO could lead to hasty decisions that create more challenges than they solve. To capitalize on the opportunity presented in this executive order, federal leaders must embrace a holistic approach to cybersecurity that integrates all the solutions into a platform approach including robust threat intelligence. A standalone Zero Trust or EDR product will not accomplish an improved or modernized cybersecurity approach and could lead to more complexity. A well-thought-out platform, not individual products, will best serve public sector organizations, giving them a clear architecture that will protect and enable our government’s future.
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Kids are online now more than ever, not just during free time, but also during school time. It is impossible to always peek over their shoulder, and depending on their age, they may grow tired of a POS (aka parent over shoulder). The internet can be a dangerous place, but with the right education, kids can navigate hazards and remain safe and calm while online.
Check out this online safety guide on how to keep your children engaged while learning about cybersecurity and imparting lessons that stick. This guide will work for children ages 6 through 18 with variations.
The first tip to teaching kids about online safety is making sure that your lessons are relatable. For example, if the day’s lesson is about phishing, do not illustrate it with an example of a major corporation’s folly. Instead, liken it to stranger danger. Just like kids know not to talk to strangers on the sidewalk and to distrust strangers who say they have candy, tell them that the same rule applies to online strangers: Walk right by and do not accept anything you are offered. That means not clicking on any links the online stranger sends you, especially when they say you have won a prize. Thirty-four percent of Canadians have encountered a phishing attack since the beginning of the pandemic, according to Statistics Canada. This prevalence means that it is likely someone in your family will receive a phishing message. Warn children that phishing and other social engineering attempts are likely to play with their emotions to make them feel happy, excited, mad, or scared. Encourage your children to always stay calm online and let an adult know when they are approached by strangers.
Along the lines of keeping cybersecurity lessons relatable, make sure that children also know what is at stake if they are irresponsible online. In the case of clicking on suspicious links, tell children that this could make their device ill. When computers are infected with a virus, or are sick, they work slowly and could shut off when they are in the middle of a school assignment. Also, make note of the prevalence of viruses, and how children should stay on guard for them constantly. Over 800,000 Canadian devices had encounters with malware in the last 30 days, at the time this article was written.
In extreme cases, children can have their identities stolen due to irresponsible online behavior. A stolen identity could affect their credit card eligibility and set them off on the wrong foot in adulthood. Stress the severity of identity theft and the specific consequences. Teenagers who have their sights set on financial freedom, buying a car, or setting up their own bank account could be severely affected. The best way to keep your identity safe is by keeping your Social Insurance Number completely private, never sharing your banking information, and not oversharing online. Canada’s Centre for Digital and Media Literacy explains that preteens especially have a hard time judging the accuracy of online information and are vulnerable to filling out forms that ask for their personal information. When possible, try to keep all internet-connected devices in communal areas of your home so you can periodically check in on your kids.
When teaching children about online safety, make sure you don’t use fear tactics. Be firm about the potential consequences, but emphasize that kids have your support, the right online literacy skills, and the support of antivirus software and identity theft protection to catch any threats that fall through the cracks.
Passwords are a thing of the past. The hippest new way to protect your accounts is with complex, yet memorable, passphrases. The Government of Canada defines a passphrase as “a memorized phrase consisting of mixed words with or without spaces.” When kids are old enough to be responsible for their own accounts, such as a school login, email address, or social media profile, impart the lesson of passphrases. Thinking up passphrases can turn into a fun exercise.
When it is time to create a passphrase, have your kids brainstorm some of their favorite things that loosely relate to the account the passphrase is for. For example, a social media site’s passphrase could be about friends, like “A$hleyIsMy#1Fr13nd!” and a school login could be along the lines of “$0cial$tud!esR0ck$!” A loose association may make the passphrase easier to remember.
If they are gamers, kids may already be familiar with leet, or using symbols in place of letters. Encourage children to practice their leet fluency and substitute as many letters for symbols as they would like. The Government of Canada recommends that passphrases be at least 15 characters long.
As hard as it might be, never write down passphrases on paper, do not share your password with other people, and do not reuse passphrases. Instead, leverage a password manager, like McAfee True Key, to keep them safe for you. If your child is old enough, encourage them to set up their own account and protect it with two-factor authentication.
Encourage kids to ask questions! Part of your cybersecurity lessons should be to alert an adult when they are not sure if something is quite right. For example, they received an email from grandma, but there is a weird link hidden inside it. Children should know that they can come to you for questions and caution is better than rolling the dice. Questions can then lead to advanced lessons, like how to hover over links to see where they redirect and if the links look fishy.
The cybersecurity lessons you impart on children now will set a solid foundation for sound cyber literacy for a lifetime. No one is ever too old or too young to learn the basics and then put them into practice. Who knows? Maybe you will learn something along the way.
To stay updated on all things McAfee and on top of the latest consumer and mobile security threats, follow @McAfee_Home on Twitter, subscribe to our newsletter, listen to our podcast Hackable?, and ‘Like’ us on Facebook.
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There used to be a time when one roommate split the cost of rent with another by writing a check. Who still owns a checkbook these days? Of course, those days are nearly long gone, in large part thanks to “peer to peer” (P2P) mobile payment apps, like Venmo, Zelle, or Cash App. Now with a simple click on an app, you can transfer your friend money for brunch before you even leave the table. Yet for all their convenience, P2P mobile payment apps could cost you a couple of bucks or more if you’re not on the lookout for things like fraud. The good news is that there are some straightforward ways to protect yourself.
You likely have one of these apps on your phone already. If so, you’re among the many. It’s estimated that 70% of adults in the U.S. use mobile payment apps like these. And chances are that you have more than just the one. Only 25% of adults in the U.S. use just a single payment app.
Yet with all those different apps come different policies and protections associated with them. So, if you ever get stuck with a bum charge, it may not always be so easy to get your money back.
With that, here are seven quick tips for using your P2P mobile payment apps safely.
In addition to securing your account with a strong password, go into your settings and set up your app to use a PIN code, facial ID, or fingerprint ID. (And make sure you’re locking your phone the same way too.) This provides an additional layer of protection in the event your phone is stolen or lost and someone, other than you, tries to make a payment with it.
What’s worse than sending money to the wrong person? When paying a friend for the first time, have them make a payment request for you. This way, you can be sure that you’re sending money to the right person. With the freedom to create account names however one likes, a small typo can end up as a donation to a complete stranger. To top it off, that money could be gone for good!
Another option is to make a test payment. Sending a small amount to that new account lets both of you know that the routing is right and that a full payment can be made with confidence.
Bye, bye, bye! Unlike some other payment methods, new mobile payment apps don’t have a way to dispute a charge, cancel a payment, or otherwise use some sort of recall or retrieval feature. If anything, this reinforces the thought above—be sure that you’re absolutely making the payment to the right person.
Credit cards offer a couple of clear advantages over debit cards when using them in association with mobile payment apps (and online shopping for that matter too). Essentially, they can protect you better from fraud:
Report any activity like this immediately to your financial institution. Timing can be of the essence in terms of limiting your liabilities and losses. For additional info, check out this article from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) that outlines what to do if your debit or credit card is stolen and what your liabilities are.
Also, note the following guidance from the FTC on payment apps:
“New mobile apps and forms of payment may not provide these same protections. That means it might not always be easy to get your money back if something goes wrong. Make sure you understand the protections and assurances your payment services provider offers with their service.”
It’s sad but true. Crooks are setting up all kinds of scams that use mobile payment apps. A popular one involves creating fake charities or posing as legitimate ones and then asking for funds by mobile payment. To avoid getting scammed, check and see if the charity is legit. The FTC suggests researching resources like Better Business Bureau’s Wise Giving Alliance, Charity Navigator, Charity Watch or, GuideStar.
Overall, the FTC further recommends the following to keep yourself from getting scammed:
With so much of your life on your phone, getting security software installed on your it can protect you and the things you keep on your phone. Whether you’re an Android owner or iOS owner, mobile security software can keep your data, shopping, and payments secure.
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In 2018, Macs accounted for 10% of all active personal computers. Since then, popularity has skyrocketed. In the first quarter of 2021, Macs experienced 115% growth when compared to Q1 2020, putting Apple in fourth place in the global PC market share. It is safe to say that Macs are well-loved and trusted devices by a significant portion of the population — but just how safe are they from a security perspective?
Many users have historically believed that Macs are untouchable by hackers, giving Apple devices a reputation for being more “secure” than other PCs. However, recent attacks show that this is not the case. According to TechCrunch, a new malware called XCSSET was recently found exploiting a vulnerability that allowed it to access parts of macOS, including the microphone, webcam, and screen recorder — all without consent from the user.
Let’s dive deeper into how XCSSET works.
Researchers first discovered XCSSET in 2020. The malware targeted Apple developers and the projects they use to build and code apps. By targeting app development projects, hackers infiltrated apps early in their production, causing developers to unknowingly distribute the malware to their users.
Once the malware is running on a user’s device, it uses multiple zero-day attacks to alter the machine and spy on the user. These attacks allow the hacker to:
While macOS is supposed to ask users for permission before allowing any app to record the screen, access the microphone or webcam, or open the user’s storage, XCSSET can bypass all of these permissions. This allows the malware to sneak in under the radar and inject malicious code into legitimate apps that commonly ask for screen-sharing permissions such as Zoom, WhatsApp, and Slack. By disguising itself among these legitimate apps, XCSSET inherits their permissions across the computer and avoids getting flagged by macOS’s built-in security defenses. As a result, the bug could allow hackers to access the victim’s microphone, webcam, or capture their keystrokes for login credentials or credit card information.
It is unclear how many devices were affected by XCSSET. Regardless, it is crucial for consumers to understand that Mac’s historical security reputation does not replace the need for users to take online safety precautions. The following tips can help macOS users protect themselves from malware:
Software developers are continuously working to identify and address security issues. Frequently updating your devices’ operating systems, browsers, and apps is the easiest way to have the latest fixes and security protections. For example, Apple confirmed that it addressed the bug exploited by XCSSET in macOS 11.4, which was made available on May 24th, 2021.
Hackers often use phishing emails or text messages as a means to distribute malware by disguising their malicious code in links and attachments. Do not open suspicious or irrelevant messages, as this can result in malware infection. If the message claims to be from a business or someone you know, reach out to the source directly instead of responding to the message. This will allow you to confirm the sender’s legitimacy.
Use a solution like McAfee Total Protection, which can help protect devices against malware, phishing attacks, and other threats. It also includes McAfee WebAdvisor — a tool to help identify malicious websites.
Regardless of whether you are Team PC or Team Mac, it is important to realize that both platforms are susceptible to cyberthreats that are constantly changing. Doing your research on prevalent threats and software bugs puts you in a better position to protect your online safety.
To stay updated on all things McAfee and on top of the latest consumer and mobile security threats, follow @McAfee_Home on Twitter, subscribe to our newsletter, listen to our podcast Hackable?, and ‘Like’ us on Facebook.
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Over the past year, you may have seen the term ransomware popping up frequently. There’s good reason for that as ransomware is responsible for 21% of all cyberattacks, according to a new report. For enterprising hackers, this tactic has become standard operating procedure because it’s effective and organizations are willing to pay. But what does that mean for you and living a confident life online? Fortunately, there are a number of things individuals can do to avoid ransomware. But first, let’s start with the basics.
Ransomware is malware that employs encryption to hold a victim’s information at ransom. The hacker uses it to encrypt a user or organization’s critical data so that they cannot access files, databases, or applications. A ransom is then demanded to provide access. It is a growing threat, generating billions of dollars in payments to cybercriminals and inflicting significant damage and expenses for businesses and governmental organizations.
McAfee Labs counted a 60% increase in attacks from Q4 2019 to Q1 2020 in the United States alone. Unfortunately, the attacks targeting organizations also impact the consumers who buy from them, as the company’s data consists of its customers’ personal and financial information. That means your data if you’ve done business with the affected company. Fortunately, there are many ways you can protect yourself from ransomware attacks.
When a company is hit with a ransomware attack, they typically are quick to report the incident, even though a full analysis of what was affected and how extensive the breach may have been may take much longer. Once they have the necessary details they may reach out to their customers via email, through updates on their site, social media, or even the press to report what customer data may be at risk. Paying attention to official communications through these various channels is the best way to know if you’ve been affected by a ransomware attack.
The top ransomware infection vectors – a fancy term for the way you get ransomware on your device – are phishing and vulnerability exploits. Of these two, phishing is responsible for a full 41% of ransomware infections. Ironically, this is good news, because phishing is something we can learn to spot and avoid by educating ourselves about how scammers work. Before we get into specific tips, know that phishing can take the form of many types of communications including emails, texts, and voicemails. Also know that scammers are convincingly imitating some of the biggest brands in the world to get you to surrender your credentials or install malware on your device. With that in mind, here are several tips to avoid getting phished.
If you receive an email, call, or text asking you to download software or pay a certain amount of money, don’t click on anything or take any direct action from the message. Instead, go straight to the organization’s website. This will prevent you from downloading malicious content from phishing links or forking over money unnecessarily.
If someone sends you a message with a link, hover over the link without clicking on it. This will allow you to see a link preview. If the URL looks suspicious, don’t interact with it and delete the message altogether.
Instead of clicking on a link in an email or text message, it’s always best to check directly with the source to verify an offer, request, or link.
McAfee offers the free McAfee WebAdvisor, which can help identify malicious websites and suspect links that may be associated with phishing schemes.
If you do get ransomware, the story isn’t over. Below are 8 remediation tips that can help get your data back, along with your peace of mind.
If you get ransomware, you’ll want to immediately disconnect any infected devices from your networks to prevent the spread of it. This means you’ll be locked out of your files by ransomware and be unable to move the infected files. Therefore, it’s crucial that you always have backup copies of them, preferably in the cloud and on an external hard drive. This way, if you do get a ransomware infection, you can wipe your computer or device free and reinstall your files from backup. Backups protect your data, and you won’t be tempted to reward the malware authors by paying a ransom. Backups won’t prevent ransomware, but they can mitigate the risks.
If you discover that a data leak or a ransomware attack has compromised a company you’ve interacted with, act immediately and change your passwords for all your accounts. And while you’re at it, go the extra mile and create passwords that are seriously hard to crack with this next tip.
When updating your credentials, you should always ensure that your password is strong and unique. Many users utilize the same password or variations of it across all their accounts. Therefore, be sure to diversify your passcodes to ensure hackers cannot obtain access to all your accounts at once, should one password be compromised. You can also employ a password manager to keep track of your credentials and generate secure login keys.
Two or multi-factor authentication provides an extra layer of security, as it requires multiple forms of verification. For instance, you’ll be asked to verify your identity through another device, such as a phone. This reduces the risk of successful impersonation by hackers.
Be careful where you click. Don’t respond to emails and text messages from people you don’t know, and only download applications from trusted sources. This is important since malware authors often use social engineering to get you to install dangerous files. Using a security extension on your web browser is one way to browse more safely.
Avoid using public Wi-Fi networks, since many of them are not secure, and cybercriminals can snoop on your internet usage. Instead, consider installing a VPN, which provides you with a secure connection to the internet no matter where you go.
While it is often large organizations that fall prey to ransomware attacks, you can also be targeted by a ransomware campaign. If this happens, don’t pay the ransom. Although you may feel that this is the only way to get your encrypted files back, there is no guarantee that the ransomware developers will send a decryption tool once they receive the payment. Paying the ransom also contributes to the development of more ransomware families, so it’s best to hold off on making any payments. Thankfully there are free resources devoted to helping you like McAfee’s No More Ransomware initiative McAfee, along with other organizations, created www.nomoreransom.org/ to educate the public about ransomware and, more importantly, to provide decryption tools to help people recover files that have been locked by ransomware. On the site you’ll find decryption tools for many types of ransomware, including the Shade ransomware.
Adding an extra layer of security with a solution such as McAfee® Total Protection, which includes Ransom Guard, can help protect your devices from these cyber threats. In addition, make sure you update your devices’ software (including security software!) early and often, as patches for flaws are typically included in each update. Comprehensive security solutions also include many of the tools we mentioned above and are simply the easiest way to ensure digital wellness online.
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There are more online users now than ever before, thanks to the availability of network-capable devices and online services. The internet population in Canada is the highest it has been, topping the charts at 33 million. That number is only expected to increase through the upcoming years. However, this growing number and continued adoption of online services pose increasing cybersecurity risks as cybercriminals take advantage of more online users and exploit vulnerabilities in online infrastructure. This is why we need AI-backed software to provide advanced protection for online users.
The nature of these online threats is ever-changing, making it difficult for legacy threat detection systems to monitor threat behavior and detect new malicious code. Fortunately, threat detection systems such as McAfee’s Antivirus and Threat Detection Defense adapt to incorporate the latest threat intelligence and artificial intelligence (AI) driven behavioral analysis. Here’s how AI impacts cybersecurity to go beyond traditional methods to protect online users.
Most of today’s antivirus and threat detection software leverages behavioral heuristic-based detection based on machine learning models to detect known malicious behavior. Traditional methods rely on data analytics to detect known threat signatures or footprints with incredible accuracy. However, these conventional methods do not account for new malicious code, otherwise known as zero-day malware, for which there is no known information available. AI is mission-critical to cybersecurity since it enables security software and providers to take a more intelligent approach to virus and malware detection. Unlike AI–backed software, traditional methods rely solely on signature-based software and data analytics.
Similar to human-like reasoning, machine learning models follow a three-stage process to gather input, process it, and generate an output in the form of threat leads. Threat detection software can gather information from threat intelligence to understand known malware using these models. It then processes this data, stores it, and uses it to draw inferences and make decisions and predictions. Behavioral heuristic-based detection leverages multiple facets of machine learning, one of which is deep learning.
Deep learning employs neural networks to emulate the function of neurons in the human brain. This architecture uses validation algorithms for crosschecking data and complex mathematical equations, which applies an “if this, then that” approach to reasoning. It looks at what occurred in the past and analyzes current and predictive data to reach a conclusion. As the numerous layers in this framework process more data, the more accurate the prediction becomes.
Many antivirus and detection systems also use ensemble learning. This process takes a layered approach by applying multiple learning models to create one that is more robust and comprehensive. Ensemble learning can boost detection performance with fewer errors for a more accurate conclusion.
Additionally, today’s detection software leverages supervised learning techniques by taking a “learn by example” approach. This process strives to develop an algorithm by understanding the relationship between a given input and the desired output.
Machine learning is only a piece of an effective antivirus and threat detection framework. A proper framework combines new data types with machine learning and cognitive reasoning to develop a highly advanced analytical framework. This framework will allow for advanced threat detection, prevention, and remediation.
Online threats are increasing at a staggering pace. McAfee Labs observed an average of 588 malware threats per minute. These risks exist and are often exacerbated for several reasons, one of which is the complexity and connectivity of today’s world. Threat detection analysts are unable to detect new malware manually due to their high volume. However, AI can identify and categorize new malware based on malicious behavior before they get a chance to affect online users. AI–enabled software can also detect mutated malware that attempts to avoid detection by legacy antivirus systems.
Today, there are more interconnected devices and online usage ingrained into people’s everyday lives. However, the growing number of digital devices creates a broader attack surface. In other words, hackers will have a higher chance of infiltrating a device and those connected to it.
Additionally, mobile usage is putting online users at significant risk. Over 85% of the Canadian population owns a smartphone. Hackers are noticing the rising number of mobile users and are rapidly taking advantage of the fact to target users with mobile-specific malware.
The increased online connectivity through various devices also means that more information is being stored and processed online. Nowadays, more people are placing their data and privacy in the hands of corporations that have a critical responsibility to safeguard their users’ data. The fact of the matter is that not all companies can guarantee the safeguards required to uphold this promise, ultimately resulting in data and privacy breaches.
In response to these risks and the rising sophistication of the online landscape, security companies combine AI, threat intelligence, and data science to analyze and resolve new and complex cyber threats. AI-backed threat protection identifies and learns about new malware using machine learning models. This enables AI-backed antivirus software to protect online users more efficiently and reliably than ever before.
AI addresses numerous challenges posed by increasing malware complexity and volume, making it critical for online security and privacy protection. Here are the top 3 ways AI enhances cybersecurity to better protect online users.
The most significant difference between traditional signature-based threat detection methods and advanced AI-backed methods is the capability to detect zero-day malware. Functioning exclusively from either of these two methods will not result in an adequate level of protection. However, combining them results in a greater probability of detecting more threats with higher precision. Each method will ultimately play on the other’s strengths for a maximum level of protection.
AI enables threat detection software to think like a hacker. It can help software identify vulnerabilities that cybercriminals would typically exploit and flag them to the user. It also enables threat detection software to better pinpoint weaknesses in user devices before a threat has even occurred, unlike conventional methods. AI-backed security advances past traditional methods to better predict what a hacker would consider a vulnerability.
AI can help users understand the risks they face daily. An advanced threat detection software backed by AI can provide a more prescriptive solution to identifying risks and how to handle them. A better explanation results in a better understanding of the issue. As a result, users are more aware of how to mitigate the incident or vulnerability in the future.
AI and machine learning are only a piece of an effective threat detection framework. A proper threat detection framework combines new data types with the latest machine learning capabilities to develop a highly advanced analytical framework. This framework will allow for better threat cyber threat detection, prevention, and remediation.
The post The What, Why, and How of AI and Threat Detection appeared first on McAfee Blogs.
With so many of us relying on the internet in ways we simply haven’t before, it follows that a safer internet is more important than ever before too.
June marks Internet Safety Month, a time where we can look back at the past year and realize that the internet was more than just a coping mechanism during the pandemic, it evolved into a survival tool.
Our research published earlier this year showed how. It found that we relied heavily on the internet for our banking, personal finance, shopping, and even healthcare—not to mention the ways we worked, studied, and kept in touch with each other online during the pandemic. For millions of families globally, the internet was their connection to the rest of the world.
None of that would have been possible without a safer internet that we can trust. The truth is, part of creating a safer internet rests with us—the people who use it. When we take steps to protect ourselves and our families, we end up helping protect others as well. How we act online, how we secure our data and devices, how we take responsibility for our children, all of it affects others.
Here are just a few ways you can indeed make a safer internet for your family, and by extension, safer for others too:
Start with the basics: get strong protection for your computers and laptops. And that means more than basic antivirus. Using a comprehensive suite of security software like McAfee® Total Protection can help defend your entire family from the latest threats and malware, make it safer to browse, help steer you clear of potential fraud, and look out for your privacy too.
Protecting your smartphones and tablets is a must nowadays as well. We’re using them to send money with payment apps. We’re doing our banking on them. And we’re using them as a “universal remote control” to do things like set the alarm, turn our lights on and off and even see who’s at the front door. Whether you’re an Android owner or iOS owner, get security software installed on your smartphones and tablets so you can protect all the things they access and control.
Another thing that comprehensive security software can do is create and store unique passwords for all your accounts and automatically use them as you surf, shop, and bank. Further, it can keep those passwords safe—unlike when they’re stored in an unprotected file on your computer, which can be subject to a hack or data loss—or sticky notes that can simply get lost.
With stories of data breaches and identity theft making the news on a regular basis, there’s plenty of focus on the things we can do to protect ourselves from identity theft. However, children can be targets of identity theft as well. The reason is, they’re high-value targets for hackers. Their credit reports are clean, and it’s often years before parents become aware that their child’s identity was stolen, such as when the child enters adulthood and rents an apartment or applies for their first credit card.
One way you can spot and even prevent identity theft is by checking your child’s credit report. Doing so will uncover any inconsistencies or outright instances of fraud and put you on the path to set them straight. In the U.S., you can do this for free once a year. Just drop by the FTC website for details on your free credit report. And while you’re at it, you can go and do the same for yourself.
You can take your protection a step further by freezing your child’s credit. A freeze will prevent access to your child’s report and thus prevent any illicit activity. In the U.S., you’ll need to create a separate freeze with each of the three major credit reporting agencies (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion). It’s free to do so, yet you’ll have to do a little legwork to prove that you’re indeed the child’s parent or guardian.
Smartphone safety for kids is a blog topic in itself. Several topics, actually—such as when it’s the “right” time to get a child their first smartphone, how they can stay safe while using them, placing limits on their screen time, and so on.
Taking it from square one, make sure that all your smartphones are protected like we called out above—whether it’s yours or your child’s. From there, there are eight easy steps you can take to hack-proof your family’s smartphones, such as juicing up your passwords, making sure the apps on them are safe and setting your smartphone to automatic updates.
If you’re on the fence about getting your child their first smartphone, you’re certainly not alone. So many parents are drawn to the idea of being able to get in touch with their children easily, and even track their whereabouts, yet they’re concerned that a smartphone is indeed too much phone for younger children. They simply don’t want to expose their children to the broader internet just yet.
The good news is that there are plenty of smartphone alternatives for kids. Streamlined flip phones are still a fine option for parents and kids, as are cellular walkie-talkies and new lines of devices designed specifically with kids in mind.
And if you’re ready to make the jump, check out our tips for keeping your child safe when you purchase their first smartphone. From basic security and parental controls to keeping tabs on your child’s activity and your role in keeping them safe, this primer makes for good reading, and good sharing with other parents too, when you get serious about making that purchase.
Cyberbullying is another broad and in-depth topic that we cover in our blogs quite often, and for good reason. Data from the Cyberbullying Research Center shows that an average of more than 27% of kids have experienced cyberbullying over the past 13 years. In 2019, that figure was as high as 36.5%. Without question, it’s a problem.
What exactly is cyberbullying? Stopbullying.gov defines it as:
“Cyberbullying is bullying that takes place over digital devices like cell phones, computers, and tablets. Cyberbullying can occur through SMS, Text, and apps, or online in social media, forums, or gaming where people can view, participate in, or share content. Cyberbullying includes sending, posting, or sharing negative, harmful, false, or mean content about someone else. It can include sharing personal or private information about someone else causing embarrassment or humiliation.”
Part of the solution is knowing how to spot cyberbullying and likewise taking steps to minimize its impact if you see it happening to your child or someone else’s. The important thing is to act before serious damage sets in or even a criminal act can occur.
The painful truth is that someone’s child is doing the bullying, and what could be more painful than finding out your child is doing the bullying? If you suspect this is happening, or have seen evidence that it’s indeed happening, act right away. Our article “Could Your Child (Glup) be the One Cyberbullying,” outlines ten steps you can take right away.
If you’ve taken steps to solve a situation involving cyberbullying and nothing has worked, know there are cyberbullying resources that can help. Likewise, don’t hesitate to contact your child’s school for assistance. Many schools have policies in place that address cyberbullying amongst their students, whether the activity occurred on campus or off.
With all the emphasis on technology, it’s easy to forget that behind every attack on the internet, there’s a person. A safer internet relies on how we treat each other and how we carry ourselves on the internet (which can be quite different from how we carry ourselves in face-to-face interactions).
With that, National Internet Safety Month presents a fine opportunity to pause and consider how we’re acting online. Very Well Family put together an article on internet etiquette for kids, which covers everything from the online version of “The Golden Rule” to ways you can steer clear of rudeness and drama.
Granted, we can’t control the behavior of others. Despite your best efforts, you or your children may find themselves targeted by poor or hurtful behavior online. For guidance on how to handle those situations, check out our article on internet trolls and how to handle them. There’s great advice in there for everyone in the family.
If we didn’t know it already, the past year proved that a safer internet isn’t a “nice to have.” It’s vital—a trusted resource we can’t do without. Take time this month to consider your part in that, what you can do to make your corner of the internet safer and a thriving place that everyone can enjoy.
The post A Safer Internet for You, Your Family, and Others Too appeared first on McAfee Blogs.
May 2021 has been an extraordinary month in the cybersecurity world, with the DoD releasing its DoD Zero Trust Reference Architecture (DoDZTRA), the Colonial Pipeline being hit with a ransomware attack, and the White House releasing its Executive Order on Improving the Nation’s Cybersecurity (EO). Add to that several major vendors that our government depends on for its critical operations disclosing critical vulnerabilities that could potentially expose our nation’s critical infrastructure to even more risk, ranging from compromised email and cloud infrastructures to very sophisticated supply chain attacks like the SolarWinds hack, which could have started as early as 2019.
If the situation sounds ominous, it is. The words and guidance outlined in the DoDZTRA and EO must be followed up with a clear path to action and all the stakeholders, both public and private, are not held accountable for progress. This should not be another roll-up reporting exercise, time to study the situation, or end up in analysis paralysis thinking about the problem. Our adversaries move at speeds we never anticipated by leveraging automation, artificial intelligence, machine learning, social engineering, and more vectors against us. It’s time for us to catch up and just very possibly think differently to get ahead.
There is no way around it: This time our nation must invest in protecting our way of life today and for future generations.
The collective “we” observed what happened when ransomware hit a portion of the nation’s critical infrastructure at Colonial Pipeline. If the extortion wasn’t bad enough, the panic buying of gasoline and even groceries in many of Eastern U.S. states impacted thousands of people seemingly overnight, with help from social and traditional media. It’s too early to predict what the exact financial and social impacts may have been on this attack. I suspect the $4.4M ransom paid was very small in the greater scheme of the event.
May 2021 has provided a wake-up call for public-private cooperation like we’ve never seen before. Perhaps we need to rethink cybersecurity altogether. During his keynote remarks at the recent RSA Conference, McAfee CTO Steve Grobman talked about how “as humans, we are awful at perceiving risk.” Influenced by media, anecdotal data, and evolutionary biology, we let irrational fears drive decision-making, which leads humans to misperceive actual risks and sub-optimize risk reduction in both the physical and cyber world. To combat these tendencies, Steve encourages us to “be aware of our biases and embrace data and science-based approaches to assess and mitigate risk.”
Enter Zero Trust Cybersecurity, which is an architectural approach – not a single vendor product or solution. The DoDZTRA takes a broader view of Zero Trust than the very narrow access control focus, saying it is “a cybersecurity strategy and framework that embeds security throughout the architecture to prevent malicious personas from accessing our most critical assets.” And our most critical assets are data.
NSA also recently weighed in on Zero Trust, recommending that an organization invest in identifying its critical data, assets, applications, and services. The NSA guidance goes on to suggest placing additional focus on architecting from the inside out; ensuring all paths to data, assets, applications, and services are secure; determining who needs access; creating control policies; and finally, inspecting and logging all traffic before reacting.
These practices require full visibility into all activity across all layers — from endpoints to the network (which includes cloud) — to enable analytics that can detect suspicious activity. The ability to have early or advanced warnings of global and local threat campaigns, indicators of compromise, and the capability to deliver proactive countermeasures is a must-have as part of an organization’s defensive strategies.
The Zero Trust guidance from both DoD and NSA is worth following. It’s also worth reprising the concept of defense in depth – the cybersecurity strategy of leveraging multiple security mechanisms to protect an organization’s assets. Relying on a single vendor for all an organization’s IT and security needs makes it much easier for the adversary.
If you believe in a good conspiracy theory, the month of May 2021 could provide great material for a made-for-TV movie. Earlier I mentioned that the collective “we” needs to be held accountable. Part of that accountability is defining success metrics as we take on a new path to real cybersecurity.
The post Why May 2021 Represents a New Chapter in the “Book of Cybersecurity Secrets” appeared first on McAfee Blogs.
Believe it or not, the baby turns 3 today! And like with every three-year-old, there is a lot to watch out for.
Granted, when GDPR was born it was after a 2-year gestation (transition) period. What followed were many sleepless nights with the new baby when it was born on May 25, 2018; not to mention the sleepless nights in the run up to the birth. Some parents (organisations) were running around frantically trying to figure out what the heck was going on, few parents were over-prepared and some, well, some were coasting. We then hit the Terrible (Schrems) Two’s when tantrums prevailed (i.e. Privacy Shield held invalid) and we cut our first teeth (the first fines). And so, we find ourselves raising this rowdy toddler, who will no doubt create more life-altering changes when it hits teenage years! There is certainly more to follow…
All jokes aside, the privacy space has seen a lot of changes (ups and downs) in these last three years:
And it will continue to be interesting to work in this space:
And so, as this toddler finds its feet in the world, there is only one thing we can do to wish it along: sing together “Happy Birthday, GDPR!!!”
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