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Our all-new ransomware coverage is now available, ready to help just in case—all backed by expert advice to help you find the quickest and best possible path to recovery.
Ransomware coverage from McAfee can reimburse you up to $25,000 for losses resulting from a ransomware threat, including financial losses and ransom fees. You’ll find this ransomware coverage included with our McAfee+ Ultimate plan.
As well as eligibility for ransomware reimbursement, our team of experts can help you:
However, it’s important to realize that ransomware is unlike any other attack. When ransomware locks someone out of their device or encrypts their data and files so they can’t use them, a demand is usually made for money. Sometimes, paying the ransom results in the device being made accessible again or the files being decrypted. Yet like any ransom case, this result is not always guaranteed. There are plenty of cases where people pay the ransom but never get their data or access to their devices back.
Again, our coverage includes guidance from our expert advisers to help walk you through your options should the worst happen to you. You won’t be in it alone—particularly as you look to recover from what can be a complicated attack.
As the name implies, ransomware is a type of malware that holds your device or information for ransom. It may lock your computer or smartphone entirely or it may you out of your files by encrypting them so that you can’t access them. Whether it’s a hacker or a cybercrime organization behind the attack, the bad actor involved holds the key to unlock those files—and promises to do so. For a price. And as mentioned above, sometimes that doesn’t happen, even if you pay.
Ransomware can infect your devices several different ways:
Ransomware has seen quite the evolution over the years. Its origins date back to the late 1980s, where malware-loaded floppy disks were sent to users who installed them under false pretenses. There the malware would lie in wait until the user rebooted their computer for the 90th time and presented with a digital ransom note.
From there, ransomware attacks on individuals became more sophisticated, and more lucrative, with the advent of the internet and the millions of everyday users who flocked to it. Using phishing emails, malware downloads from phony sites, and compromised software and networks, hackers rapidly expanded their ransomware reach.
However, yet more lucrative for hackers and organized cybercriminals were public and private organizations. Shifting their attacks to so-called “big game” targets, hackers and organized cybercriminals have used ransomware to extort money from hospitals, city governments, financial institutions, and key energy infrastructure companies, to name just a few. Seeing further opportunity, ransomware attackers then began targeting smaller and mid-sized businesses as well. While the ransom demands account for lower amounts, these organizations often lack dedicated cybersecurity teams and the protections that come along with them, making these organizations easier to victimize.
Meanwhile, the body of malicious code and attack packages used to launch ransomware attacks has only grown. As a result, small-time hackers and hacking groups can find the tools they need to conduct an attack for sale or for lease as a service (Ransomware as a Service, or RaaS). In effect, these bad actors can simply access a dark web marketplace and figuratively pull a ready-to-deploy attack off the shelf.
As a result, ransomware remains a concern for individuals, even as businesses and governmental bodies of all sizes deal with its threat.
What makes ransomware so damaging is just how much effort it can take to undo. Setting aside the sophisticated attacks on businesses and governments for a moment, even those “off-the-shelf” attacks that some hackers will launch against individuals go beyond the average user’s ability to undo. For example, there are some known attacks with known methods of decrypting the data, however, that requires knowing specifically which attack was used. Attempting to undo the encryption with the wrong solution can potentially encrypt that data even more.
So without question, the best defense against ransomware is prevention. Comprehensive online protection software gives you the tools you need to help avoid becoming a ransomware victim. A few include:
Moreover, you can protect yourself further by backing up your files and data. A cloud storage solution,121cwdv 1765ujb n4yh that’s secured with a strong and unique password, offers one path. Likewise, you can back up your files on an external disk or drive, making sure to keep it disconnected from your network and stored in a safe place.
Also as mentioned in the bullets above, keep your operating system and apps current with the latest updates. Beyond making improvements in your operating system and apps, updates often also address security issues that hackers often use to compromise devices and apps.
Lastly, stay alert. Keep an eye out for sketchy links, attachments, websites, and messages. Bad actors will pull all kinds of phishing tricks to lure you their way, places where they try to compromise you, your devices, and data.
Taken together, the combination of online protection software and a few preventative steps can greatly reduce the chance that you’ll fall victim to ransomware. From there, you also have the assurance of our ransomware coverage, ready to get on the path to recovery, just in case.
The post All-New Ransomware Coverage Opens Up the Path to Recovery appeared first on McAfee Blog.
Sextortion is something no parent wants to think could happen to their child, nor a topic most of us would ever imagine we’d need to discuss in our homes. However, according to the latest FBI reports, sextortion is a digital threat to children that, woefully, is on the rise.
According to the FBI, there has been a considerable increase lately in sextortion cases involving children and teens being coerced by adults online.
A sextortion scenario can emerge in several ways. Most often, it occurs when an adult (posing as a peer) engages in casual conversation with an underage child, gains their trust through online conversation, then pressures or threatens the child into sharing sexual photos or videos of themselves.
In some cases, the initial contact with the criminal will be a threat. The person may claim to already have a revealing picture or video of a child that they threaten to share if the victim does not send more pictures.
According to the FBI, this crime more often starts when young people believe they are communicating with someone their age who is interested in a relationship or with someone who is offering something of value. This catfish (false profile) relationship usually involves the predator using gifts, money, flattery, lies, or other methods to get a young person to produce an image.
These dangerous conversations can be initiated through text, a social or chat app, a gaming site, or any number of digital connection points.
After a criminal successfully obtains a photo or video from their victim, the threats can escalate to promises to publish the content or even hurt the child if they don’t send more. This emotionally harrowing situation can ignite shame, fear, and confusion in children who may be too embarrassed to ask for help or report the abuse.
While these criminals rarely request to meet their victims face-to-face, the emotional and physical impact of sextortion can be devastating to a child. According to the FBI, some victims report abusers who become vicious with non-stop harassment and threats. Victims can feel scared, alone, embarrassed, and increasingly desperate. Sadly, as reported in the news, this type of crime can leave some children feeling like they have no way out of the situation.
If you are a parent or caregiver, explain to your child how sextortion can happen to anyone online and why it’s important to only connect with known friends and family. Parents: Consider boosting your device security with parental controls that filter content, report your child’s online activity, and reveal potential problems.
Some essential safety protocols kids should follow online are worthy of repeating. They are:
1) Make social accounts private, don’t share personal information, and only connect with known friends
2) Ignore and block messages from strangers
3) Keep your guard up. People can pretend to be anyone online, and photos can be altered
4) Be suspect if anyone asks you to message or text with them privately
5) Never share risky photos with anyone online—even a trusted friend
6) Tell someone immediately if someone is threatening you online.
With your child, go through their apps, social networks, chats, gaming communities, and friend groups and do some editing, defriending, and blocking. Make sure both you and your child know and trust all their online connections. Remember: Open communication and an honest relationship with your child are the most powerful tools you have to keep your child safe online.
A sextortion situation for a child can be incredibly confusing and cause them to isolate and avoid telling anyone about it. Remind and be clear with your child that they would never be in trouble for coming to you with any problem. Let them know that sextortion is a crime for the perpetrator and that they have not broken any laws by sending photos (despite what an abuser might have told them).
Victims of sextortion should go to a parent or trusted adult and tell them they need help. While doing this can feel terrifying, it’s crucial for victims to know people understand and want to help. For parents and caregivers, contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI or report the crime online at tips.fbi.gov.
While the bad actors online are out to exploit and ruin our digital spaces, it’s important to maintain a healthy perspective rather than responding with fear. Remind your kids that there’s an army of people even more dedicated than the criminals; people like the FBI who are out to stop online crime and keep the internet safe for families. Additionally, as a parent or caregiver, your commitment to helping your family stay informed, equipped, and empowered online is how we all win.
The post Sextortion: What Your Kids Need to Know appeared first on McAfee Blog.
If you’re thinking about crypto, one of the first things you’ll want to do is get yourself a good wallet.
Topping the several important things a new cryptocurrency investor needs to think about is security. Rightfully so. Cryptocurrency is indeed subject to all kinds of fraud, theft, and phishing attacks, just like the credentials and accounts we keep online.
But here’s the catch. Lost or stolen cryptocurrency is terrifically difficult to recover. By and large, it doesn’t enjoy the same protections and regulations as traditional currency and financial transactions. For example, you can always call your bank or credit card company to report theft or contest a fraudulent charge. Not the case with crypto. With that, you’ll absolutely need a safe place to secure it. Likewise, in the U.S. many banks are FDIC insured, which protects depositors if the bank fails. Again, not so with crypto.
So, when it comes to cryptocurrency, security is everything.
Cryptocurrency theft offers hackers an immediate payoff. It’s altogether different from, say, hacking the database of a Fortune 500 company. With a data breach, a hacker may round up armloads of personal data and information, yet it takes additional steps for them to translate those stolen records into money. With cryptocurrency theft, the dollars shift from the victim to the crook in milliseconds. It’s like digital pickpocketing. As you can guess, that makes cryptocurrency a big target.
And that’s where your wallet will come in, a place where you store the digital credentials associated with the cryptocurrency you own. The issue is doing it securely. Let’s take a look at the different wallets out there and then talk about how you can secure them.
Broadly, there are two general categories of wallets. First, let’s look at what these wallets store.
A wallet contains public and private “keys” that are used to conduct transactions. The public key often takes the form of an address, one that anyone can see and then use to send cryptocurrency. The private key is exactly that. Highly complex and taking many forms that range from multi-word phrases to strings of code, it’s your unique key that proves your ownership of your cryptocurrency and that allows you to spend and send crypto. Needless to say, never share your private key.
With that, there are two ways to store your keys—in a hot wallet or a cold wallet.
Hot Wallets:
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Cold Wallets:
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As you can see, the benefit of a hot wallet is that you can load it up with cryptocurrency, ready for spending. However, it’s the riskiest place to store cryptocurrency because it’s connected to the internet, making it a target for hacks and attacks.
In addition to that, a hot wallet is connected to a cryptocurrency exchange, which makes the transfer of cryptocurrencies possible. The issue with that is all cryptocurrency exchanges are not created equal, particularly when it comes to security. Some of the lesser-established exchanges may not utilize strong protocols, likely making a target for attack. Even the more established and trusted exchanges have fallen victim to attacks—where crooks have walked away with millions or even hundreds of millions of dollars.
While the funds in cold wallets are far less liquid, they’re far more secure because they’re not connected to the internet. In this way, cold wallets are more vault-like and suitable for long-term storage of larger sums of funds. But cold wallets place a great deal of responsibility on the holder. They must be stored in a physically secure place, and be backed up, because if you lose that one device or printout that contains your cryptocurrency info, you lose the cryptocurrency altogether. Within the cold wallet category, there are a few different types:
Several manufacturers make storage devices specifically designed to store cryptocurrency, complete with specific features for security, durability, and compatibility with many (yet not always all) of the different cryptocurrencies on the market. An online search will turn up several options, so doing your homework here will be very important—such as which devices have the best track record for security, which devices are the most reliable overall, and which ones are compatible with the crypto you wish to keep.
Storing cryptocurrency information on a computer or laptop that’s disconnected from the internet (also known as “air-gapped”) is a storage method that’s been in place for some time. However, because computers and laptops are complex devices, they may be less secure than a simpler, purpose-built cryptocurrency device. In short, there are more ways to compromise a computer or laptop with malware that a determined hacker can use to steal information in some rather surprising ways. (Like noise from a compromised computer fan passing information in a sort of Morse Code or generating electromagnetic signals on a compromised computer that nearby devices can use to skim information.)
Ah, good old paper. Write down a code and keep it secure. Simple, right? In truth, creating a paper wallet can be one of the most involved methods of all the cold storage options out there. Bitcoin offers a step-by-step walkthrough of the process that you can see for yourself. Once done, though, you’ll have a piece of paper with a public address for loading cryptocurrency into your paper cold wallet, along with a private key. One note: Bitcoin and others recommend never reusing a paper cold wallet once it’s connected to a hot wallet. You should go through the process of creating a new cold paper wallet each time.
Physical coins are a special case and are relatively new on the scene. They’re a physical coin minted with a tamper-resistant sticker that indicates the actual value of the coin. Like other methods of cold wallet storage, this calls for keeping it in a safe place, because it’s pretty much like a wad of cash. And like cash, if it’s stolen, it’s gone for good. Also note that a cryptocurrency holder must work with a third party to mint and deliver the coin, which has its own costs and risks involved.
With that look at wallets, let’s see what it takes to secure them. It may seem like there’s plenty to do here. That’s because there is, which goes to show just how much responsibility falls on the shoulders of the cryptocurrency holder. Of course, this is your money we’re talking about, so let’s dive into the details.
Whatever form your storage takes, back it up. And back it up again. Cryptocurrency holders should make multiple copies just in case one is lost, destroyed, or otherwise inaccessible. For example, one story that’s made the rounds is of a IT engineer in the UK who accidentally threw away an old hard drive with his cryptocurrency key on it, one that held 7,500 bitcoins, worth millions of dollars. Redundancy is key. Back up the entire wallet right away and then often after that.
With redundant backups in place, store them in places that are physically secure. It’s not uncommon for crypto holders to use fireproof safes and safe deposit boxes at banks for this purpose, which only highlights the earlier point that a wallet is as good as cash in many ways.
This will help prevent malware from stealing crypto, whether or not your device is connected to the internet. Comprehensive online protection software will give you plenty of other benefits as well, including identity theft monitoring and strong password management, two things that can help you protect your investments, and yourself, even further.
Updates often address security issues, ones that hackers will of course try to exploit. Keep everything current and set automatic updates wherever they are available so that you have the latest and greatest.
Just as your bank and other financial accounts offer MFA, do the same here with your crypto. Some extra security-conscious crypto investors will purchase a device for this specific purpose for yet greater protection, such as a separate phone with texting capability. This keeps their crypto transactions separate from the multitude of other things they do on their everyday smartphone, effectively putting up a wall between these two different digital worlds.
Two things fall under this category. One, the less you say about the crypto investments you make, the less word gets around, which can help keep hackers out of the loop. Particularly on social media! Two, consider setting up a unique email account that you only use for crypto. The less you associate your crypto accounts with other financial accounts like your banking and online payment apps, the more difficult it is to compromise several accounts in one fell swoop.
Just like hackers send phishing emails with an eye on accessing your bank accounts, credit cards, and so on, they’ll do much the same to get at your crypto accounts. The target may be different, that being your crypto, but the attack is very much the same. An email will direct you to a hacker’s website, using some sort of phony pretense, get-rich-quick-scheme, or scare tactic. Once there, they’ll ask for private key information and then simply steal the funds. And it’s not just email. Hackers have used online ads to phish for victims as well.
As you can see, these security measures rely almost exclusively on you. If something happens to you, that could make recovering your funds a real problem. Consider reaching out to someone you trust and let them know where you’re storing your wallets and information. That way, you’ll have some assistance ready in the event of an emergency or issue.
The very things that define cryptocurrency—the anonymity of ownership, the lack of banking institutions, the light or non-existent regulation—all have major security implications. Add in the fact that you’re your own safety net here and it’s easy to see that crypto is something that requires plenty of planning and careful through before diving into. Getting knowledgeable about security, how you’ll protect your crypto, should absolutely top your list before investing.
The post Cold Wallets, Hot Wallets: The Basics of Storing Your Crypto Securely appeared first on McAfee Blog.
Whether it’s for routine care, a prescription refill, or a simple follow-up, online doctor visits offer tremendous benefits in terms of both convenience and ease of care—all good reasons to help mom and dad get connected with it.
There’s no doubt that more older adults than ever are taking advantage of online doctor visits, more formally known as telemedicine. While usage numbers have risen dramatically across all age groups, it’s particularly so for elders. Pre- and post-pandemic numbers saw a 63-fold increase in Medicare telemedicine use.
However, many older patients are missing out and not using telemedicine for one reason or another. What’s holding them back? Several things, according to research from the University of California, San Francisco:
Moreover, another issue is that many older adults do not know that telemedicine is an option. Research from the University of Michigan showed that 55% of older adults surveyed were unaware if their healthcare provider even offered telemedicine as a service. And perhaps quite telling is that the same survey revealed nearly half of older adults harbored concerns about privacy and did not feel personally connected to their care provider during their visits.
For us as children and grandchildren of older adults, it can be tough knowing that a loved one is missing out on an avenue of care that they could otherwise benefit from. While we absolutely respect what they feel is comfortable and trustworthy for them, there are several other areas where we can help the older loved ones in our lives overcome the issues and concerns they face.
With that, let’s talk about the technology behind telemedicine and how you can help them use it, and address some of those privacy issues as well.
As indicated above, paying a visit to the doctor via telemedicine can be a big jump. Just as the idea of it is new for many of us, it’s yet newer for older adults. There’s a good chance that you’re familiar with video chats and calls already, which gives you a foundation we can work with when it’s time to see the doctor on a screen. That may not be the case for older adults. Add that into the privacy concerns and decades of seeing a doctor in person, you can see why some older adults simply choose to opt-out.
One way you can help is to have a few video chats with your older loved ones. In addition to the regular calls you make, you might want to try having a video chat with them from time to time. It’s an outstanding way to spend time together when you can’t be together in person, and it may develop a comfort level with the technology so that they may be willing to give telemedicine a try. You can check out my earlier article in this series that covers video chats with mom and dad, along with straightforward steps to get them up and running on the technology and how to use it.
One thing your parents will need for their visit is a reliable device that they’re comfortable using. It could be a computer or laptop, or it may be a smartphone or tablet. Note that in some cases their healthcare provider may use a telemedicine solution that has certain requirements as well, so you’ll want to see what those are and ensure that the device mom or dad has is compatible. (For example, the care provider may have an app that’s available through the Apple App Store or Google Play. Others may have an online platform that can be accessed by several different kinds of devices.)
If they’re using a smartphone or tablet, that will likely make things easier because the camera and microphone are already integrated into the device—all set up and ready to go. For a computer or laptop, you can help them get familiar with the setup, like the microphone levels, speaker volume, and camera. For audio, you can see a set of headphones or smartphone earbuds work well for them, which can help prevent audio feedback loops and simply make it easier to hear the caregiver.
If you’re looking for a little assistance with a Windows computer, you can check out this quick article for setting up the audio and this article for setting up the camera. For Macs, check out this article for audio and this article for the video.
If they don’t already have comprehensive online protection software for their devices, look into getting it. This will protect them against malware, viruses, and phishing attacks. They’ll also benefit from other features that help them manage their passwords, protect their identity, safeguard their privacy, and more.
As for privacy in general, medical information is among the most precious information any of us have. For example, here in the U.S., we have HIPPA privacy standards to protect our medical records and conversations. Yet there’s also the issue of eavesdropping, which is a risk in practically any online communication.
To help address privacy issues and concerns, health care providers will often post a set of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) as part of their telemedicine service. Within that, you’ll very likely find a section on personal privacy and the technologies in place to protect it. Here’s a good example of a telemedicine FAQ from the University of Washington Medicine and another example from the telemedicine page that Virginia Mason/Franciscan Health designed for its patients.
In all, if your parents have concerns about their privacy, you can absolutely assure them that it’s a valid concern. Consult the provider’s FAQ for guidance. If either of you has further questions, feel free to call the healthcare provider and speak with them.
In addition to digital security, there’s the possibility of physical eavesdropping, somebody actually listening in on their conversation from another room, apartment, or from the street. Help your older loved ones pick a place in their home where they can have some privacy and where they can’t be overheard by neighbors and passers-by. A bedroom is a fine place—or any location that’s familiar and comfortable as well. When choosing a private place, a well-lit location is important as well so that the camera captures a nice and clear image.
Additionally, you can help them prep for their visit by putting together a list of things to discuss during the visit. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services suggests writing things down:
In addition to the above, there are further measures you can help your parents or older loved one take to further secure their telemedicine visit—and their internet usage in general.
Your telemedicine visit may require setting up a new account and password. When doing so, make sure it’s with a strong, unique password. A password manager can help. Also found in comprehensive online protection software, a password manager can create and securely store strong and unique passwords for your mom and dad, giving them one less thing they need to remember and worry about.
A VPN, or virtual private network, offers a strong layer of additional protection when you’re transmitting health data or simply having a private conversation about your health with a professional. A VPN creates an encrypted tunnel to keep you and your activity anonymous. In effect, your data is scrambled and hidden to anyone outside your VPN tunnel, thus making your private information difficult to collect. Check with the care provider to see if their telemedicine solution uses a VPN. If not, you can always get a VPN as part of your online protection software.
Beyond their devices, securing their internet router is an important step in making a telemedicine visit safe and secure. The data that travels along it is of a highly personal nature already, so make sure the router has a strong and unique password. Also, change the name of their router so it doesn’t give away their address or any other signs of their identity. One more step is to check that your router is using an encryption method, like WPA2, which will keep your signal secure. If you have questions, check with their internet provider—they may even offer up a newer, more secure router to replace an older one.
As with anything concerning their health, have your parents and loved ones consult with their caregivers to ensure that a telemedicine visit is a proper course for them.
So while the technical ins and outs of preparing for a telemedicine visit may have their challenges for some older adults, we should also realize that getting comfortable with the idea of a telemedicine visit in the first place may take some time and effort. Starting with regular video chats with the family may increase familiarity and ease with holding a conversation over video. Likewise, having a conversation with their doctor about telemedicine may put some concerns to rest as well. After all, they will have a relationship with their doctor. Getting the facts from the doctor, face to face may help.
We all want what’s best, particularly when it comes to the care of our parents and older loved ones in our lives, and choosing to try telemedicine is a highly personal decision for them. I hope this article and the resources cited within it will help you enable them to make the choice that’s comfortable, effective, and right for them.
The post Helping Mom & Dad: Online Doctor Visits and Telemedicine appeared first on McAfee Blog.
More senior adults are taking advantage of the array of wearable technology that helps them stay connected to healthcare providers and monitor their physical health and safety. But that newfound convivence comes with risk and, for many, the genuine fear of falling prey to an online hacker.
Wearable technology brings seniors both power and peace of mind. Many elderly consumers rely on wearable technology to monitor critical blood glucose levels, heart activity, and blood pressure. In addition, seniors and their families rely on fall detection, emergency alerts, and home security technology to monitor physical safety. Since the pandemic, wearable technology has played a central role in connecting virus-vulnerable seniors to healthcare professionals.
A recent study cites that 25 percent of U.S. homeowners with broadband internet expect to purchase a new connected consumer health or fitness device within the next year. Another study predicts the global market for wearable healthcare devices will reach $46.6 billion by 2025.
This kind of data is excellent to show consumer trends, but it also gives cybercriminals a road sign for new inroads into stealing consumer data.
So how do we dodge the digital dangers of our beloved wearable devices? With time, attention, and a few basics.
Sound like a hassle? Perhaps. However, following these basic protocols is likely far more manageable than having to navigate through the potential chaos connected to a data breach.
1. Install updates immediately. When it comes to protecting your wearables, security updates are not optional. Be sure to install the updates (usually with a single click) to protect your device from reported bugs, enhance functionality, and of course, seal up any security loopholes.
2. Add digital protection. It’s more than a buzz. Extra security solutions such a Virtual Private Network (VPN) and added security software can be your saving grace from prying eyes and help protect the health data you send over the internet. A VPN uses an encrypted connection to send and receive data. For example, if you use a VPN, a hacker trying to eavesdrop on your network will be met with a cacophony of jumbled data on their screen. In addition, installing comprehensive security software can thwart viruses and malware scams from infecting your digital landscape.
3. Level up your password IQ. Several practices can quickly shore up your password security: 1) Change your device’s default username and password immediately, 2) choose a strong password, 3) use Two Factor Authentication (2FA), and 4) keep your passwords in one place such as a password manager.
4. Switch devices off and on. Here’s a fun one—go old school. The National Security Alliance (NSA) recently advised consumers of one powerful way to thwart cybercriminals, especially with smartphones. Turn your device on and off every now and then. Better yet, if a device is not in use, shut it down.
5. Verify every source. Scams connected to your new device or health condition increasingly look legitimate. For that reason, verify sources, websites, and avoid giving out any personal information, and never send money to an unverified source. Scams come in the form of a phony email, people posing as an IT department or helpdesk, text message, pop-up, calendar invite, or even a direct message on social media. This is where antivirus software can save the day.
6. Ask for help. Beyond your device manual, Google and YouTube, if you are a senior and still have issues securing a new device, reach out for help. Don’t overlook the help desk associated with your new device, many of which also have a convenient online chat feature. Other possible resources include: Your local library, senior center, Agency on Aging, or community center may have help. In addition, AARP has published a list of helpful IT resources for seniors.
Having the right technology at your fingertips can feel like magic especially if you are a senior adult with health and safety concerns. In these times of widespread digital insecurity, giving even a little extra time and attention to these basic digital security protocols can bring a new level of peace and power to your daily routine.
The post Can Your Wearable Health Monitors Be Compromised? appeared first on McAfee Blog.
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.
World Password Day isn’t the most popular day on the calendar, but it’s an important reminder that good password hygiene is essential to staying safe online. This World Password Day, we’d like to talk about improving your password hygiene, how you can help your friends and family improve theirs, and what the future of authentication holds.
The SolarWinds hack in 2020 is one of the most devastating hacks in the history of the internet. Close to 20,000 company’s systems were compromised, losing billions of pieces of data in the process. If you’re one of the 37% of Americans that go long periods of time without updating passwords*, large-scale attacks like SolarWinds can be devastating. By stealing so many login credentials simultaneously, attackers can potentially access exponentially more accounts by reusing leaked credentials on different sites. Unfortunately this is not an isolated event, data breaches from websites and services we frequently use continue to happen through 2021 as well.
According to a recent survey we conducted, 34% of Americans have reused the same, or similar, password more than once. By using the same password for multiple accounts, attackers only need to find one password, creating a domino effect that makes it easier to access more accounts. If that password is weak, it becomes even easier to tip over that first domino.
Our guidance is to create strong, hard-to-guess passwords to protect your accounts. We recommend creating a unique password for every online account, using more than 16 characters, with upper and lower case letters, some numbers, and special symbols, to make a stronger than average password. How are you supposed to remember all of those strong passwords, though?
Well, password managers, especially those included in comprehensive security suites like McAfee® Total Protection, do much of the heavy lifting for you. For instance, McAfee’s integrated password manager not only helps you create stronger passwords and store them, but will also autofill your credentials and log you into websites as well. These convenient features extend beyond just your computer and can be used on other devices like your phone and tablet. Best of all, password managers that are an integrated part of a security suite can be monitored, so you’ll be alerted if your passwords get exposed in a data breach.
You’ve already taken a step towards improving your password hygiene by reading this blog post. But the next step is, have an honest look at your passwords. Do you write them down, use the same for many accounts, or use weak ones? Then it may be time for a change to better protect your accounts and the personal info in those accounts.
If you’re like a certain member of my family—that will remain nameless, Mom—who kept their passwords written down in a notepad, making the change to a password manager (McAfee’s, naturally) was a life-changing moment. Not only did it help her see just how often she was using the same login credentials, she now has an easy way to store, auto-fill, and even generate strong passwords across all her accounts and devices. An intended bonus was that she also realized how many accounts she was no longer using!
Now that you know more about what makes a strong password and how to protect them, let’s talk about why strong passwords are just the start of keeping your accounts safe. You’re probably already using Two-Factor Authentication for apps and services, but you may not have heard the term before. Two-Factor Authentication, or 2FA, is the second layer of protection to authenticate or prove you are the owner of this account. If you’ve received a text message or an email to confirm a new account signup, that’s a type of 2FA.
Text messages and email aren’t the only types of 2FA. There are USB keys, apps, and even systems built-in to your phone, like facial recognition to open phone apps, for example. Some popular 2FA options are USB keys and Google Authenticator.
The great thing about 2FA is that it helps make your strong passwords even more effective by stopping an attacker from using stolen credentials. If you fell victim to a phishing attack that looked like your bank’s website, the attacker would have your email and password combination. Without 2FA, they could log into your account and pretend they’re you. With 2FA in place, it becomes much harder for an attacker to access your account because they’re missing that last important piece of information.
Humans are almost always the weakest link when it comes to securing information. But by committing ourselves to better password practices, with help from the latest technology, we can make sure passwords are a strong link in our security chain; one that will only get stronger in the future.
For instance, using a device like a key-fob, new passwordless systems can authenticate a user without entering their login details. Not only does this make logging into your accounts lightning fast, you also never have to remember a complicated password again.
Biometric locks, like FaceID, are another example of passwordless entry. Using your face, or a fingerprint to authenticate yourself makes it much harder for attackers to break into your accounts.
We hope this Password Day post has helped answer some questions about password hygiene and how to take better care of your online accounts. Online security changes from day to day, so staying aware of new technologies and building safe new habits is essential. Perhaps one day this day will no longer need to exist on our calendars, as we look to a future where we might not need passwords at all. While we collectively make strikes towards this future, let’s celebrate this day while it lasts.
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 email, listen to our podcast Hackable?, and ‘Like’ us on Facebook.
The post World Password Day: Make Passwords the Strongest Link in Your Online Security appeared first on McAfee Blogs.
How our new identity & privacy app can help
By this point in the year you may have already broken some of your New Year’s resolutions, but here’s one to keep: better protecting your online privacy.
After all, we are likely to continue to spend more time online in 2021, whether it be for working, learning, or shopping. This makes taking some preventative steps to shield our identity information more important than ever.
That’s why McAfee has been working on a new identity and privacy app for safeguarding your personal information, and we’d love for you to try it if you’re in the U.S.
Here’s a little bit about our approach. We looked at some of the key areas where users’ private information can be vulnerable, and designed a tool that offers easy-to-use, proactive protection for Windows, Android, and iOS devices, with consistent, familiar experiences regardless of the platform.
We know, for instance, that users are vulnerable when using unsecured networks, like public Wi-Fi. This is where a cybercriminal can potentially capture your login credentials and other personal information as it flows over the network, from your laptop to your bank’s website, for example.
So, we made sure to include a Virtual Private Network (VPN) to keep your information protected from prying eyes. It does this easily, and even automatically, by detecting when you’re on a public network and prompting you to turn on your VPN. The VPN then scrambles, or encrypts, your data as it flows over the network. Unlike some VPNs that require advanced settings to shield your data, our app offers seamless security.
Another area of high risk that we want to address is data breaches. Whether one of your personal accounts is hacked–or worse–another website somehow gets ahold of your data and subsequently gets breached, your data may end up on the dark web. This is where cybercriminals buy and sell information.
To detect these dangerous leaks, we included dark web monitoring, which alerts you if your login credentials have been exposed. It can even provide you with a link to the site that uses those credentials when the information is available. This allows you to swiftly reset your passwords, mitigating the risk.
Given that we saw a spike in corporate data breaches in 2020, where 58% of victims had their personal data compromised, I believe this kind of always-on monitoring of your private information is key.
Most importantly, we wanted to make this personal protection app easy to use and available across all your compatible devices. So, whether you’re out with just your phone, or home working at your PC, you have access to your protection, and can even pick up where you left off on a different device.
I know that organizing my digital life gives me one less thing to worry about, and I hope it’s the same for you. Give the app a try, and please let us know what you think since we are always open to your feedback.
Here’s to a happy and secure year!
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 email, listen to our podcast Hackable?, and ‘Like’ us on Facebook.
The post Let’s Commit To Protect Our Privacy This Year appeared first on McAfee Blogs.
Quantum computing is the next frontier in computer science. It can bring untold benefits, allowing the development of new materials, tackling pandemics and making the world a greener, safer place. But it also threatens to break the encryption that keeps our data safe from prying eyes. France’s recent announcement to invest €1.8b into Europe’s quantum computing effort – on top of Germany’s two billion euros and the EU’s one billion euro quantum strategy – will help ensure Europe doesn’t miss the boat on what is set to become the cornerstone of innovation in the coming decades.
In short, quantum computing is an entirely new paradigm for making calculations on computers. Today, all computing relies on sequences of ones and zeroes to make increasingly complex calculations, culminating in the smartphones, cloud services and the supercomputers that exist today.
Quantum computing uses peculiar characteristics of physics to allow machines to perform complex algebra calculations in one fell swoop: “It would take ten thousand years to factor something on the fastest computer today, that could be minutes or seconds given a sufficiently powerful quantum computer,” said McAfee’s chief technology officer Steve Grobman on a recent podcast. “Think about it more as waves than binary,” added John King, a McAfee research fellow also on the podcast. “You reinforce the ones that you want, and dampen the ones that you don’t want,” he said.
To achieve these quirks of physics requires machines operating at temperatures colder than outer space, so it is unlikely that every person will have a quantum computer in their basement anytime soon. However, with the Internet and cloud computing, we will have the ability to harness the power of quantum computing remotely, just like data centres can be used from hundreds of kilometers away at the tap of a few buttons in a web browser today.
Nor is quantum computing always going to be superior to the well-developed binary technologies in place today, which are handsomely suited to making precise calculations. “Quantum computing is not well suited for general purpose computing, but for solving very specific math problems that are well suited to the quantum model,” said Grobman.
But the pattern-recognising abilities of quantum algorithms are uniquely well suited to complex problem. Think how to best distribute COVID-19 vaccines across populations, or even the world, or optimising global shipping networks leading to lower emissions from boats and planes.
On the flipside quantum is also, unfortunately, much better at breaking encryption algorithms than tradiditional computing power . Data that is considered secure today could be rendered public knowledge in the coming decade’s advances in quantum technology, with massive implications for company secrets and national security.
In the US and China, private and public actors are already pouring huge investments into quantum, and without considerable efforts, Europe exposes itself to gaping security holes, and missing out on harnessing the power of quantum to solve pressing problems such as climate change.
This is why France’s recent announcement is not just timely, but necessary, for Europe to continue charting a path of global success in the future. Today, the theory of quantum computers is way ahead of their actual capability. But in 10 years, it will be a different story, and given the scale of the challenge, acting now is of essence.
Making the most of quantum is not just about building the computers themselves. The entire paradigm of computer science is being upended. Europe is already facing a shortage of computer scientists, and its future computer science graduates must have the tools and knowledge needed to harness this new technology. This is why France is right to focusing funding not only on research and equipment, but also talent and skills to power this computer science revolution.
For McAfee, making the digital world safe is a top priority, and naturally our attention gravitates toward the opportunities and threats quantum computing poses to keeping data secure and safe.
But making the world a safer place isn’t just about preventing cyberattacks and encrypting valuable data. It’s equally about making the world greener and using the power of technology to solve our pressing societal and economic challenges. Quantum computing will play a key role in all these goals, provided the technology is in the right hands. Bad actors see the same opportunities in quantum to disrupt and bring chaos as we see in making the world a better place, and the only way to stymie their efforts is ensuring that Europe, along with the US and others determined to make the world a better place, stay one step ahead.
The post Europe’s Quantum Story is Accelerating, and the World Will be Better for it appeared first on McAfee Blogs.
Last month, I discussed the FedRAMP program’s basics and why it’s such a big deal for the federal government. In short, the program protects the data of U.S. citizens in the cloud and promotes the adoption of secure cloud services across the government with a standardized approach.
But within the FedRAMP program, there are different authorizations. We’re pleased that McAfee MVISION for Endpoint Access recently achieved FedRAMP Moderate Authorization, which allows users from federal agencies, state and local government, and other industries in regulated environments to manage Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) such as personally identifiable information (PII) and routine covered defense information (CDI).
As organizations across the country continue to adapt to a remote workforce, the U.S. government is “in a race to modernize its IT infrastructure to support ever more complicated missions, growing workloads and increasingly distributed teams—and do so facing a constantly evolving threat landscape,” Alex Chapin, our VP of DoD and Intelligence notes.
And he’s right – with the 2021 federal fiscal year in full focus, federal agencies are continuing to push cloud computing as the COVID-19 pandemic continues, creating a real need for security in these applications.
The FedRAMP Moderate designation allows MVISION to provide the command and control cyber defense capabilities government environments need to enable on-premises and remote security teams, allowing them to maximize time and resources, enhance security efficiency and boost resiliency.
This is a massive win for the federal government as it continues to build out its remote workforce capabilities at a time when the GAO is continuing to release best practices for telework, highlighting how remote work is here to stay in the federal government.
MVISION Cloud is currently in use by ten federal agencies, including the Department of Energy (DOE), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
At McAfee, we are dedicated to ensuring our cloud services are compliant with FedRAMP standards to help the federal government secure its digital infrastructure and prepare for an increasingly digital operation. We look forward to working closely with the FedRAMP program and other cloud providers dedicated to authorizing cloud service offerings with FedRAMP.
The post McAfee MVISION for Endpoint is FedRAMP Moderate As Federal Cloud Usage Continues to Rise appeared first on McAfee Blogs.
Organizations across the country – from the private sector to the federal government – have become more digital, especially following the shift to remote work this year. It’s no surprise that cybercriminals around the world have taken notice. According to a new report by McAfee and the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), cybercrime is now a nearly trillion-dollar industry, and the government sector is not immune.
Across the board, the issue continues to rise – increasing the cost of cybercrime by nearly 50% since our last report in 2018. The threats to the government from cybercriminals are even greater, leading to potential national security risks as dark actors look to steal U.S. secrets and intellectual property.
All levels of government – from state and local to the federal government here in Washington – are taking steps to mitigate the issues, but they must do so differently than their private sector counterparts. Government respondents to the survey reported the highest number of malicious attacks, highlighting the high-stakes environment in which governments operate.
Unfortunately, the report also found that while government organizations face more attacks than their private-sector counterparts, they also take longer to remediate them, leaving our government services, infrastructure, and other critical aspects of society at risk for longer than they need.
Earlier this week, McAfee’s CTO Steve Grobman joined CSIS for a conversation on the report and how we can continue to prepare for and mitigate the risk of cybercrime and its hidden costs with CSIS’ Jim Lewis and Zhanna Malekos Smith, former Federal CISO Grant Schneider and the FBI’s Jonathan Holmes.
Kicking off the discussion, Schneider highlighted the importance of the workforce and the need to take care of them so organizations can quickly rebound from an incident. Schneider noted that if an office were robbed, no one would blame the team, but with cybercrime, victims are often seen as the issue – leading to reduced employee morale and more issues later down the line.
Instead, Schneider argued on the importance of preparing the workforce and that preparation can take several forms, including risk management through NIST’s risk management framework. He also called for organizations to develop a recovery plan, engaging different departments, leadership and the public to be ready for when an incident occurs.
In his discussion of the report’s findings, McAfee CTO Steve Grobman noted they weren’t shocking. Grobman said that as we adopt new technologies, adversaries will continue to find new attack vectors.
This year was particularly notable as much of the federal government transitioned to a remote work environment overnight. As the workforce went remote – critical government information was accessed from home internet routers that lacked the same level of security as government office networks, increasing adversaries’ ability to successfully launch attacks.
Luckily, as Grobman noted, there are ways lawmakers can mitigate the threat of ransomware against government and the private sector.
Across the country, governments are facing ransomware attacks at an alarming rate, and every one of them – at every level – needs to have a plan in place. There needs to be a data-based discussion with leadership to decide how to balance the daily blocking and tackling of threats with limited complication to the continuation of operations and preparation for big intrusions like we’ve seen happen this year.
There are also policy solutions – many of these criminal groups operate in countries that allow them to do so. When negotiating trade deals with countries, the level of cybercrime and the government’s cooperation with or against those groups must be considered.
The cost of cybercrime is now nearly 1% of the global GDP, and it will only continue to rise, impacting companies and governments around the world unless we come together to stop it through basic cyber hygiene, preparation and policy solutions.
The post The Hidden Costs of Cybercrime on Government appeared first on McAfee Blogs.
Government and Private Sector organizations are transforming their businesses by embracing DevOps principles, microservice design patterns, and container technologies across on-premises, cloud, and hybrid environments. Container adoption is becoming mainstream to drive digital transformation and business growth and to accelerate product and feature velocity. Companies have moved quickly to embrace cloud native applications and infrastructure to take advantage of cloud provider systems and to align their design decisions with cloud properties of scalability, resilience, and security first architectures. The declarative nature of these systems enables numerous advantages in application development and deployment, like faster development and deployment cycles, quicker bug fixes and patches, and consistent build and monitoring workflows. These streamlined and well controlled design principles in automation pipelines lead to faster feature delivery and drive competitive differentiation.
As more enterprises adapt to cloud-native architectures and embark on multi-cloud strategies, demands are changing usage patterns, processes, and organizational structures. However, the unique methods by which application containers are created, deployed, networked, and operated present unique challenges when designing, implementing, and operating security systems for these environments. They are ephemeral, often too numerous to count, talk to each other across nodes and clusters more than they communicate with the outside endpoints, and they are typically part of fast-moving continuous integration/continuous deployment (CI/CD) pipelines. Additionally, development toolchains and operations ecosystems continue to present new ways to develop and package code, secrets, and environment variables. Unfortunately, this also compounds supply chain risks and presents an ever-increasing attack surface.
Lack of a comprehensive container security strategy or often not knowing where to start can be a challenge to effectively address risks presented in these unique ecosystems. While teams have recognized the need to evolve their security toolchains and processes to embrace automation, it is imperative for them to integrate specific security and compliance checks early into their respective DevOps processes. There are legitimate concerns that persist about misconfigurations and runtime risks in cloud native applications, and still too few organizations have a robust security plan in place.
These complex problem definitions have led to the development of a special publication from National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) – NIST SP 800-190 Application Security Container Guide. It provides guidelines for securing container applications and infrastructure components, including sectional review of the fundamentals of containers, key risks presented by core components of application container technologies, countermeasures, threat scenario examples, and actionable information for planning, implementing, operating, and maintaining container technologies.
MVISION Cloud Native Application Protection Platform (CNAPP) is a comprehensive device-to-cloud security platform for visibility and control across SaaS, PaaS, & IaaS platforms. It provides deep coverage on cloud native security controls that can be implemented throughout the entire application lifecycle. By mapping all the applicable risk elements and countermeasures from Sections 3 and 4 of NIST SP 800-190 to capabilities within the platform, we want to provide an architectural point of reference to help customers and industry partners automate compliance and implement security best practices for containerized application workloads. This mapping and a detailed review of platform capabilities aligned with key countermeasures can be referenced here.
As outlined in one of the supporting charts in the whitepaper, CNAPP has capabilities that effectively address all the risk elements described in the NIST special publication guidance.
While the breadth of coverage is critical, it is worth noting that the most effective way to secure containerized applications requires embedding security controls into each phase of the container lifecycle. If we leverage Department of Defense’s Enterprise DevSecOps Reference Design guidance as a point of reference, it describes the DevSecOps lifecycle in terms of nine transition stages comprising of plan, develop, build, test, release, deliver, deploy, operate, and monitor.
The foundational principle of DevSecOps implementations is that the software development lifecycle is not a monolithic linear process. The “big bang” style delivery of the Waterfall SDLC process is replaced with small but more frequent deliveries, so that it is easier to change course as necessary. Each small delivery is accomplished through a fully automated process or semi-automated process with minimal human intervention to accelerate continuous integration and delivery. The DevSecOps lifecycle is adaptable and has many feedback loops for continuous improvement.
Specific to containerized applications and workloads, a more abstract view of a container’s lifecycle spans across three high-level phases of Build, Deploy, and Run.
The “Build” phase centers on what ends up inside the container images in terms of the components and layers that make up an application. Usually created by the developers, security efforts are typically focused on reducing business risk later in the container lifecycle by applying best practices and identifying and eliminating known vulnerabilities early. These assessments can be conducted in an “inner” loop iteratively as developers perform incremental builds and add security linting and automated tests or can be driven via an “outer” feedback loop that’s driven by operational security reviews and penetration testing efforts.
In the “Deploy” phase, developers configure containerized applications for deployment into production. Context grows beyond information about images to include details about configuration options available for orchestrated services. Security efforts in this phase often center around complying with operational best practices, applying least-privilege principles, and identifying misconfigurations to reduce the likelihood and impact of potential compromises.
“Runtime” is broadly classified as a separate phase wherein containers go into production with live data, live users, and exposure to networks that could be internal or external in nature. The primary purpose of implementing security during the runtime phase is to protect running applications as well as the underlying container infrastructure by finding and stopping malicious actors in real time.
By applying this understanding of container lifecycle stages to respective countermeasures that can be implemented and audited upon within MVISION Cloud, CNAPP customers can establish an optimal security posture and achieve synergies of shift left and runtime security models. Security assessments are critically important early in planning and design, where important decisions are made about architecture approach, development tooling and technology platforms and where mistakes or misunderstandings can be dangerous and expensive. As DevOps teams move their workloads into the cloud, security teams will need to implement best practices that apply operations, monitoring and runtime security controls across public, private, and hybrid cloud consumption models.
CNAPP first discovers all the cloud-native components mapped to an application, including hosts, IaaS/PaaS services, containers, and the orchestration context that a container operates within. With the use of native tagging and network flow log analysis, customers can visualize cloud infrastructure interactions including across compute, network, and storage components. Additionally, the platform scans cloud native object and file stores to assess presence of any sensitive data or malware. Depending on the configuration compliance of the underlying resources and data sensitivity, an aggregate risk score is computed per application which provides detailed context for an application owner to understand risks and prioritize mitigation efforts.
As a cloud security posture management platform, CNAPP provides a set of capabilities that ensure that assets comply with industry regulations, best practices, and security policies. This includes proactive scanning for vulnerabilities in container images and VMs and ensuring secure container runtime configurations to prevent non-compliant builds from being pushed to production. The same principles apply to orchestrator configurations to help secure how containers get deployed using CI/CD tools. These baseline checks can be augmented with other policy types to ensure file integrity monitoring and configuration hardening of hosts (e.g., no insecure ports or unnecessary services), which help apply defense-in-depth by minimizing the overall attack surface.
Finally, the platform enforces policy-based immutability on running container instances (and hosts) to help identify process-, service-, and application-level whitelists. By leveraging the declarative nature of containerized workloads, threats can be detected during the runtime phase, including any exposure created as a result of misconfigurations, application package vulnerabilities, and runtime anomalies such as execution of reverse shell or other remote access tools. While segmentation of workloads can be achieved in the build and deploy phases of a workload using posture checks for constructs like namespaces, network policies, and container runtime configurations to limit system calls, the same should also be enforced in the runtime phase to detect and respond to malicious activity in an automated and scalable way. The platform defines baselines and behavioral models that can specially be effective to investigate attempts at network reconnaissance, remote code execution due to zero-day application library and package vulnerabilities, and malware callbacks. Additionally, by mapping these threats and incidents to the MITRE ATT&CK tactics and techniques, it provides a common taxonomy to cloud security teams regardless of the underlying cloud application or an individual component. This helps them extend their processes and security incident runbooks to the cloud, including their ability to remediate security misconfigurations and preemptively address all the container risk categories outlined in NIST 800-190.
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Today’s U.S. government is in a race to modernize its IT infrastructure to support ever more complicated missions, growing workloads and increasingly distributed teams—and do so facing a constantly evolving threat landscape. To support these efforts, McAfee has pursued and received a Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP) Authorization designation for McAfee MVISION for Endpoint at the moderate security impact level.
This FedRAMP Moderate designation is equivalent to DoD Impact Level 2 (IL2) and certifies that the McAfee solution has passed rigorous security requirements for the increasingly complex and expanding cloud environments of the U.S. government. The FedRAMP Moderate authorization validates the McAfee solution’s implementation of the baseline 325 NIST 800-53 controls, allowing users from federal agencies, state and local government, and other industries in regulated environments to manage Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) such as personally identifiable information (PII) and routine covered defense information (CDI).
By achieving FedRAMP Moderate Authorization for MVISION for Endpoint, McAfee can provide the command and control cyber defense capabilities government environments need to enable on-premise and remote security teams, allowing them to maximize time and resources, enhance security efficiency and boost resiliency.
McAfee MVISION for Endpoint consists of three primary components: McAfee MVISION Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR), McAfee MVISION ePolicy Orchestrator (ePO) and McAfee Endpoint Security Adaptive Threat Protection with Real Protect (ENS ATP):
Together, these solutions provide today’s U.S. government agencies the AI-guided endpoint threat detection, investigation and response capabilities they need to confront today’s ever evolving threats across a wide variety of devices. This important FedRAMP milestone is the latest affirmation of McAfee’s long-standing commitment to providing U.S. government agencies advanced, cloud-based cyber defenses to help them meet whatever mission they may confront today and in the future.
Other recent McAfee public sector achievements include:
Please see the following for more information on McAfee’s efforts in the FedRAMP mission:
The post McAfee MVISION Solutions Meet FedRAMP Cloud Security Requirements appeared first on McAfee Blogs.
Malicious actors are increasingly taking advantage of the burgeoning at-home workforce and expanding use of cloud services to deliver malware and gain access to sensitive data. According to an Analysis Report (AR20-268A) from the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), this new normal work environment has put federal agencies at risk of falling victim to cyber-attacks that exploit their use of Microsoft Office 365 (O365) and misuse their VPN remote access services.
McAfee’s global network of over a billion threat sensors affords its threat researchers the unique advantage of being able to thoroughly analyze dozens of cyber-attacks of this kind. Based on this analysis, McAfee supports CISA’s recommendations to help prevent adversaries from successfully establishing persistence in agencies’ networks, executing malware, and exfiltrating data. However, McAfee also asserts that the nature of this environment demands that additional countermeasures be implemented to quickly detect, block and respond to exploits originating from authorized cloud services.
Read on to learn from McAfee’s analysis of these attacks and understand how federal agencies can use cloud access security broker (CASB) and endpoint threat detection and response (EDR) solutions to detect and mitigate such attacks before they have a chance to inflict serious damage upon their organizations.
McAfee’s analysis supports CISA’s findings that adversaries frequently attempt to gain access to organizations’ networks by obtaining valid access credentials for multiple users’ O365 accounts and domain administrator accounts, often via vulnerabilities in unpatched VPN servers. The threat actor will then use the credentials to log into a user’s O365 account from an anomalous IP address, browse pages on SharePoint sites, and then attempt to download content. Next, the cyberthreat actor would connect multiple times from a different IP address to the agency’s Virtual Private Network (VPN) server, and eventually connect successfully.
Once inside the network, the attacker could:
McAfee’s comprehensive analysis of these attacks supports CISA’s proposed best practices to prevent or mitigate such cyber-attacks. These recommendations include:
While these recommendations provide a solid foundation for a strong cybersecurity program, these controls by themselves may not go far enough to prevent more sophisticated adversaries from exploiting and weaponizing cloud services to gain a foothold within an enterprise.
Organizations will gain a running start to identifying and thwarting the attacks in question by implementing a full-featured CASB such as McAfee MVISION Cloud, and an advanced EDR solution, such as McAfee MVISION Endpoint Threat Detection and Response.
Deploying MVISION Cloud for Office 365 enables agencies’ SOC analysts to assert greater control over their data and user activity in Office 365—control that can hasten identification of compromised accounts and resolution of threats. MVISION Cloud takes note of all user and administrative activity occurring within cloud services and compares it to a threshold based either on the user’s specific behavior or the norm for the entire organization. If an activity exceeds the threshold, it generates an anomaly notification. For instance, using geo-location analytics to visualize global access patterns, MVISION Cloud can immediately alert agency analysts to anomalies such as instances of Office 365 access originating from IP addresses located in atypical geographic areas.
When specific anomalies appear concurrently—e.g., a Brute Force anomaly and an unusual Data Access event—MVISION Cloud automatically generates a Threat. In the attacks McAfee analyzed, Threats would have been generated early on since the CASB’s user behavior analytics would have identified the cyber actor’s various activities as suspicious. Using MVISION Cloud’s activity monitoring dashboard and built-in audit trail of all user and administrator activities, SOC analysts can detect and analyze anomalous behaviors across multiple dimensions to more rapidly understand what exactly is occurring when and to what systems—and whether an incident concerns a compromised account, insider threat, privileged user threat, and/or malware—to shrink the gap to remediation.
In addition, with MVISION Cloud, an agency security analyst can clearly see how each cloud security incident maps to MITRE ATT&CK tactics and techniques, which not only accelerates the entire forensics process but also allows security managers to defend against similar attacks with greater precision in the future.
Furthermore, using MVISION Cloud for Office 365, agencies can create and enforce policies that prevent the uploading of sensitive data to Office 365 or downloading of sensitive data to unmanaged devices. With such policies in place, an attacker’s attempt to exfiltrate sensitive data will be mitigated.
In addition to deploying a CASB, implementing an EDR solution like McAfee MVISION EDR to monitor endpoints centrally and continuously—including remote devices—helps organizations defend themselves from such attacks. With MVISION EDR, agency SOC analysts have at their fingertips advanced analytics and visualizations that broaden detection of unusual behavior and anomalies on the endpoint. They are also able to grasp the implications of alerts more quickly since the information is presented in a format that reduces noise and simplifies investigation—so much so that even novice analysts can analyze at a higher level. AI-guided investigations within the solution can also provide further insights into attacks.
With a threat landscape that is constantly evolving and attack surfaces that continue to expand with increased use of the cloud, it is now more important than ever to embrace CASB and EDR solutions. They have become critical tools to actively defend today’s government agencies and other large enterprises.
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Over the last few months, Zero Trust Architecture (ZTA) conversations have been top-of-mind across the DoD. We have been hearing the chatter during industry events all while sharing conflicting interpretations and using various definitions. In a sense, there is an uncertainty around how the security model can and should work. From the chatter, one thing is clear – we need more time. Time to settle in on just how quickly mission owners can classify a comprehensive and all-inclusive, acceptable definition of Zero Trust Architecture.
Today, most entities utilize a multi-phased security approach. Most commonly, the foundation (or first step) in the approach is to implement secure access to confidential resources. Coupled with the shift to remote and distance work, the question arises, “are my resources and data safe, and are they safe in the cloud?”
Thankfully, the DoD is in the process of developing a long-term strategy for ZTA. Industry partners, like McAfee, have been briefed along the way. It has been refreshing to see the DoD take the initial steps to clearly define what ZTA is, what security objectives it must meet, and the best approach for implementation in the real-world. A recent DoD briefing states “ZTA is a data-centric security model that eliminates the idea of trusted or untrusted networks, devices, personas, or processes and shifts to a multi-attribute based confidence levels that enable authentication and authorization policies under the concept of least privilege access”.
What stands out to me is the data-centric approach to ZTA. Let us explore this concept a bit further. Conditional access to resources (such as network and data) is a well-recognized challenge. In fact, there are several approaches to solving it, whether the end goal is to limit access or simply segment access. The tougher question we need to ask (and ultimately answer) is how to do we limit contextual access to cloud assets? What data security models should we consider when our traditional security tools and methods do not provide adequate monitoring? And is securing data, or at least watching user behavior, enough when the data stays within multiple cloud infrastructures or transfers from one cloud environment to another?
Increased usage of collaboration tools like Microsoft 365 and Teams, SLACK and WebEx are easily relatable examples of data moving from one cloud environment to another. The challenge with this type of data exchange is that the data flows stay within the cloud using an East-West traffic model. Similarly, would you know if sensitive information created directly in Office 365 is uploaded to a different cloud service? Collaboration tools by design encourage sharing data in real-time between trusted internal users and more recently with telework, even external or guest users. Take for example a supply chain partner collaborating with an end user. Trust and conditional access potentially create a risk to both parties, inside and outside of their respective organizational boundaries. A data breach whether intentional or not can easily occur because of the pre-established trust and access. There are few to no limited default protection capabilities preventing this situation from occurring without intentional design. Data loss protection, activity monitoring and rights management all come into question. Clearly new data governance models, tools and policy enforcement capabilities for this simple collaboration example are required to meet the full objectives of ZTA.
So, as the communities of interest continue to refine the definitions of Zero Trust Architecture based upon deployment, usage, and experience, I believe we will find ourselves shifting from a Zero Trust model to an Advanced Adaptive Trust model. Our experience with multi-attribute-based confidence levels will evolve and so will our thinking around trust and data-centric security models in the cloud.
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If you are someone who works for a cloud service provider in the business of federal contracting, you probably already have a good understanding of FedRAMP. It is also likely that our regular blog readers know the ins and outs of this program.
For those who are not involved in these areas, however, this acronym may be more unfamiliar. Perhaps you have only heard of it in passing conversation with a few of your expert cybersecurity colleagues, or you are just curious to learn what all of the hype is about. If you fall into this category – read on! This blog is for you.
At first glance, FedRAMP may seem like a type of onramp to an interstate headed for the federal government – and in a way, it is.
FedRAMP stands for the Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program, which provides a standard security assessment, authorization and continuous monitoring for cloud products and services to be used by federal agencies. The program’s overall mission is to protect the data of U.S. citizens in the cloud and promote the adoption of secure cloud services across the government with a standardized approach.
Once a cloud service has successfully made it onto the interstate – or achieved FedRAMP authorization – it’s allowed to be used by an agency and listed in the FedRAMP Marketplace. The FedRAMP Marketplace is a one-stop-shop for agencies to find cloud services that have been tested and approved as safe to use, making it much easier to determine if an offering meets security requirements.
In the fourth year of the program, FedRAMP had 20 authorized cloud service offerings. Now, eight years into the program, FedRAMP has over 200 authorized offerings, reflecting its commitment to help the government shift to the cloud and leverage new technologies.
Any cloud service provider that has a contract with a federal agency or wants to work with an agency in the future must have FedRAMP authorization. Compliance with FedRAMP can also benefit providers who don’t have plans to partner with government, as it signals to the private sector they are committed to cloud security.
Using a cloud service that complies with FedRAMP standards is mandatory for federal agencies. It has also become popular with organizations in the private industry, which are more often looking to FedRAMP standards as a security benchmark for the cloud services they use.
There are two ways for a cloud service to obtain FedRAMP authorization. One is with a Joint Authorization Board (JAB) provisional authorization (P-ATO) and the other is through an individual agency Authority to Operate (ATO).
A P-ATO is an initial approval of the cloud service provider by the JAB, which is made up of the Chief Information Officers (CIOs) from the Department of Defense (DoD), Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and General Services Administration (GSA). This designation means that the JAB has provided a provisional approval for agencies to leverage when granting an ATO to a cloud system.
The head of an agency grants an ATO as part of the agency authorization process. An ATO may be granted after an agency sponsor reviews the cloud service offering and completes a security assessment.
Achieving FedRAMP authorization for a cloud service is a very long and rigorous process, but it has received high praise from security officials and industry experts alike for its standardized approach to evaluate whether a cloud service offering meets some of the strongest cybersecurity requirements.
There are several benefits for cloud providers who authorize their service with FedRAMP. The program allows an authorized cloud service to be reused continuously across the federal government – saving time, money and effort for both cloud service providers and agencies. Authorization of a cloud service also gives service providers increased visibility of their product across government with a listing in the FedRAMP Marketplace.
By electing to comply with FedRAMP, cloud providers can demonstrate dedication to the highest data security standards. Though the process for achieving FedRAMP approval is complex, it is worthwhile for providers, as it signals a commitment to security to government and non-government customers.
At McAfee, we are dedicated to ensuring our cloud services are compliant with FedRAMP standards. We are proud that McAfee’s MVISION Cloud is the first Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB) platform to be granted a FedRAMP High Impact Provisional Authority to Operate (P-ATO) from the U.S. Government’s Joint Authorization Board (JAB).
Currently, MVISION Cloud is in use by ten federal agencies, including the Department of Energy (DOE), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
MVISION Cloud allows federal organizations to have total visibility and control of their infrastructure to protect their data and applications in the cloud. The FedRAMP High JAB P-ATO designation is the highest compliance level available under FedRAMP, meaning that MVISION Cloud is authorized to manage highly sensitive government data.
We look forward to continuing to work closely with the FedRAMP program and other cloud providers dedicated to authorizing cloud service offerings with FedRAMP.
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As Congress prepares to return to Washington in the coming weeks, finalizing the FY2021 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) will be a top priority. The massive defense bill features several important cybersecurity provisions, from strengthening CISA and promoting interoperability to creating a National Cyber Director position in the White House and codifying FedRAMP.
These are vital components of the legislation that conferees should work together to include in the final version of the bill, including:
One of the main recommendations of the Cyberspace Solarium Commission’s report this spring was to further strengthen CISA, an agency that has already made great strides in protecting our country from cyberattacks. An amendment to the House version of the NDAA would do just that, by giving CISA additional authority it needs to effectively hunt for threats and vulnerabilities on the federal network.
Bad actors, criminal organizations and even nation-states are continually looking to launch opportunistic attacks. Giving CISA additional tools, resources and funding needed to secure the nation’s digital infrastructure and secure our intelligence and information is a no-brainer and Congress should ensure the agency gets the resources it needs in the final version of the NDAA.
Perhaps now more than ever before, interoperability is key to a robust security program. As telework among the federal workforce continues and expands, an increased variety of communication tools, devices and networks put federal networks at risk. Security tools that work together and are interoperable better provide a full range of protection across these environments.
The House version of the NDAA includes several provisions to promote interoperability within the National Guard, military and across the Federal government. The Senate NDAA likewise includes language that requires the DoD craft regulations to facilitate DoD’s access to and utilization of system, major subsystem, and major component software-defined interfaces to advance DoD’s efforts to generate diverse and effective kill chains. The regulations and guidance would also apply to purely software systems, including business systems and cybersecurity systems. These regulations would also require acquisition plans and solicitations to incorporate mandates for the delivery of system, major subsystem, and major component software defined interfaces.
For too long, agencies have leveraged a grab bag of tools that each served a specific purpose, but didn’t offer broad, effective coverage. Congress has a valuable opportunity to change that and encourage more interoperable solutions that provide the security needed in today’s constantly evolving threat landscape.
The House version of the NDAA would establish a Senate-confirmed National Cyber Director within the White House, in charge of overseeing digital operations across the federal government. This role, a recommendation of the Cyberspace Solarium Commission, would give the federal government a single point person for all things cyber.
As former Rep. Mike Rodgers argued in an op-ed published in The Hill last month, “the cyber challenge that we face as a country is daunting and complex.” We face new threats every day. Coordinating cyber strategy across the federal government, rather than the agency by agency approach we have today, is critical to ensuring we stay on top of threats and effectively protect the nation’s critical infrastructure, intellectual property and data from an attack.
The FedRAMP Authorization Act, included in the House version of the NDAA, would codify the FedRAMP program and give it a formal standing for Congressional review, a critical step towards making the program more efficient and useful for agencies across the government. Providing this program more oversight will further validate the FedRAMP approved products from across the industry as safe and secure for federal use. The FedRAMP authorization bill also includes language that will help focus the Administration’s attention on the need to secure the vulnerable spaces between and among cloud services and applications. Agencies need to focus on securing these vulnerabilities between and among clouds since sophisticated hackers target these seams that too often are left unprotected.
Additionally, the Pentagon has already committed to FedRAMP reciprocity. FedRAMP works – and codifying it to bring the rest of the Federal government into the program would offer an excellent opportunity for wide-scale cloud adoption, something the federal government would benefit greatly from.
We hope that NDAA conferees will consider these important cyber provisions and include them in the final version of the bill and look forward to continuing our work with government partners on important cyber issues like these.
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