A New Direction for Hackers plus more on this Tech Talk with Craig Peterson Podcast
Craig Peterson - America's Leading Technology News Commentator
Release Date: 10/02/2020
Craig Peterson - America's Leading Technology News Commentator
In the ever-evolving landscape of cybercrime, the Business Email Compromise (BEC) has emerged as a potent weapon for hackers and scammers to dismantle businesses and siphon off enormous sums of money. A recent incident involving a US hoser operating from Brazil highlights the gravity of this threat. This individual's audacious $3 million BEC scheme played out like a thriller, involving doppelganger tactics, international wire transfers, and a successful hoodwinking of an oil company that parted with a staggering $651,000, thinking it was headed to Portugal. However, this story isn't just a...
info_outlineCraig Peterson - America's Leading Technology News Commentator
Hello, tech-savvy fans! Today, we're diving into a critical topic that demands your attention - safeguarding your smartphone from stealthy cyber attacks, particularly a notorious one called whaling. But hold your harpoons, we're not just talking about any aquatic adventure here! Whaling is a sophisticated form of phishing attack that sets its sights on individuals with substantial savings and senior executives within organizations. So, what's the catch? Cybercriminals orchestrating whaling attacks are on a mission to obtain valuable credentials and access sensitive bank information. They...
info_outlineCraig Peterson - America's Leading Technology News Commentator
In today's digitally driven world, our smartphones are indispensable extensions of ourselves. They hold our deepest secrets, sensitive information, and personal memories. However, this convenience comes at a price, as these prized possessions have also become prime targets for covert cyber attacks. In this article, we embark on a journey to unveil the hidden dangers lurking in the digital shadows and arm you with the knowledge to safeguard your smartphone effectively. The First Three Flavors of Mobile Malware: Unmasking the Threat Our exploration begins with the first three flavors of mobile...
info_outlineCraig Peterson - America's Leading Technology News Commentator
In an ever-evolving digital landscape, where hackers and spies lurk in the shadows, safeguarding your smartphone has never been more critical. Cybercriminals are becoming as crafty as cat burglars, slipping through the cracks of our digital defenses, and targeting your most sensitive information. Today, we embark on a journey through the labyrinth of cyber threats, armed with knowledge and a determination to keep your smartphone secure. 1. The Payment Delivery Scam Unmasked Our first destination is the treacherous realm of payment delivery scams, a cunning ploy orchestrated by...
info_outlineCraig Peterson - America's Leading Technology News Commentator
The digital landscape is a battleground. As the Tactical Octopus Gang orchestrates intricate schemes and the debate over Global Warming Hoax Princeton and MIT rages on, a new threat looms large: hackers and spies targeting your smartphone. In a world where even Direct Air Capture Systems can't purify your device from virtual invaders, it's time to fortify your defenses. In-person vs. Zoom Meetings are a dilemma, but amid this, hackers seize opportunities. Your smartphone, brimming with personal and sensitive data, becomes their prized possession. The urgency to arm yourself against this...
info_outlineCraig Peterson - America's Leading Technology News Commentator
Your smartphone, that tiny marvel of technology, holds the key to your world - your personal information, contacts, photos, and more. But lurking in the digital shadows are hackers and spies, waiting to exploit every chink in your smartphone's armor. In this age of connectivity, safeguarding your micro-computer is no longer just an option – it's a necessity. Join us as we unveil a treasure trove of knowledge to empower you on the digital battlefield. Phishing Tips: Avoiding the Siren's Call Ever been lured by a cleverly disguised email or text? You're not alone. Phishing has become a potent...
info_outlineCraig Peterson - America's Leading Technology News Commentator
Embark on a riveting cyber adventure like no other, intrepid digital explorers! Brace yourselves for an eye-opening journey into the realm of "Browser Security: Safeguarding Your Online Odyssey." Bid farewell to mundane tech advice – we're about to unveil the secrets of the digital savannah where cyber predators lurk behind unsuspecting links. Imagine your browser as the valiant Indiana Jones of this sprawling web jungle. But even our trusty explorer needs reinforcements. Learn the art of deciphering its warning signals – a modern-day SOS to steer clear of lurking dangers. And just like...
info_outlineCraig Peterson - America's Leading Technology News Commentator
Malware, the silent enemy lurking in the digital shadows, has become a formidable threat to our ever-connected lives. With Android users facing an alarming 50 times more attack than their Apple counterparts, it's evident that cyber adversaries have their sights set on the famous 'little green bot.' As we navigate the digital landscape, safeguarding ourselves and our loved ones becomes an urgent necessity. In this eye-opening article, we delve deep into the world of Android malware and its devastating consequences on your digital life. From the vulnerable digital playgrounds our kids inhabit to...
info_outlineCraig Peterson - America's Leading Technology News Commentator
Greetings, fellow guardians of digital security! Today, we embark on an exhilarating journey to unravel the enigmatic world of Microsoft Windows and the clandestine data-gathering practices it conceals. Windows 11 and Windows 10, cherished by millions worldwide, harbor a well-kept secret—they quietly amass your personal information. Fret not, my dear readers, for I have armed myself with invaluable insights to reinforce your privacy defenses. Let us embark on this adventure, empowering ourselves against the lurking risks! In this captivating exposé, we'll delve into the lesser-known VPN...
info_outlineCraig Peterson - America's Leading Technology News Commentator
In a world where the digital landscape is riddled with potential threats, it's essential to armor up and protect yourself from hidden dangers. The recent controversy surrounding ChatGPT OpenAI's investigation by the FTC serves as a stark reminder of the perils lurking in the shadows. As you navigate the vast sea of information, it's easy to overlook the critical aspects of online security, such as patching and patchware. Fear not, for there's a beacon of hope amidst this digital labyrinth—patches. Whether you're worried about losing jobs by the 2030s or concerned about your smart devices...
info_outlineWelcome!
Craig discusses problems that businesses can face when using VPNs and why you should be looking to a Zero-trust network if you are running a business today.
For more tech tips, news, and updates, visit - CraigPeterson.com
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Automated Machine-Generated Transcript:
Craig Peterson: [00:00:00] What is going on with malware? There've been some major changes just over the last few months. That's what we're going to talk about right now. What do you need to watch out for? What should you be doing in your business as well as your home?
Hey, you're listening to Craig Peterson.
We know that they're here. I have been a lot of attacks over the years. That's what we're trying to stop. Isn't it with our businesses, with our home users? That's why we buy antivirus software or why we have a firewall at the edge. Maybe we even upgraded your firewall. You got rid of that piece of junk that was provided by your internet service providers. Most of them are frankly, pieces of junk, maybe you're lucky and have a great internet service provider that is giving you really what you need. I have yet, by the way, to see any of those internet service providers out there, that are really giving you what you need.
So there is a lot to consider here when we're talking about preventing and preventing malware. What we have found is that malware attacks declined this year in the second quarter, but here's what's happening. Right? They are getting through more.
Historically, we had things that have hit us that have been various types of malware. I remember when I first got nailed back in 91. I had a Unix server that I was running, as you probably know, I've been using Unix since the early eighties, 81, 82.
I was using Unix, and I had my own Unix machines because I was helping to develop the protocols that later on became the internet about a decade or more later.
The Unix world was on rather an open world. Was everybody on the internet was pretty friendly. Most people were involved in research, either government research or businesses doing research online, a lot of smart people and we actually had some fun back in the days', puns, and everything.
We weren't that worried about security, unlike today, where security really is a top of mind thing for so many people. We weren't worried about who's going to do this to me or that to me.
I had a Unix server that I was using, actually at a few of them that I was using for my business. Now, one of those servers was running emails, a program called Sendmail. That's still around today. It was the email package that was ruling the internet back at the time. I got nailed with something called a worm. It was the Morris Worm. In fact, it got onto my computer through no act of my own.
I didn't click on anything. It got onto my computer because it came through the internet. That was back in the days when we really didn't have much in the line of firewalls so it just talked to my mail server. One of these days we'll have to tell some stories about how we really trusted everybody back then.
You could query to see if an email address was good. You could get onto the machine and say, Hey guy, I noticed that you had this problem so I went in and fixed it for you, and here's what I did. Much, much different world back then.
But that's how malware used to spread. It was something, it was just kind of automated. It went out and they just checked everybody's machine to checked firewalls, to see what they were to see if they were open.
We've been doing that for a very long time, haven't, we? We have been nailed with it. That's what the viruses were and are still. Where it gets onto your computer.
Maybe you installed some software that you shouldn't have, and that software now takes over part of your computer. It affects other files. It might be something that's part of a Word macro or an Excel macro. And it now spreads through your sharing of that file and other people opening it.
Worms are like what I got nailed with, just start crawling around through the internet. So they run some software on your machine and that looks for other machines and today things have changed again.
They are changing pretty frequently out there. What we have seen so far here in 2020 is a decrease in malware detections. Now, just because there's been a decrease in malware detections, I don't want you to think that the threat has diminished because it hasn't. But the signature-based antivirus system is real problems.
Now, what's a signature-based antivirus system. That's any antivirus software, like your McAfee's like your Norton's, the Symantec stuff, any antivirus software, that is working like your body's immune system.
What happens with your body's immune system? You get a virus and you're your body says, okay, what's going on here? It starts to multiply. Eventually, the body figures it out. It develops antibodies for it. So the next time it sees that particular virus, you're likely to be pretty much immune from it. Your body's going to say, Whoa, that's a virus and it goes in and kills it pretty darn quickly.
That's the whole idea behind trying to stop the WuHan virus that is spreading out there. How do we stop it while we stop it, by just developing antibodies? Right? That's herd immunity. We could also develop antibodies by an antivirus shot that is designed to stop that virus from spreading and prevents you from coming down with COVID-19 symptoms.
In the computer world, it's much the same as most of the software signature-based antivirus software is exactly the same as the way your body's immune system has been working. In many, many ways.
Here's what happens. Someone gets infected with a virus and they reported to Symantec or Norton, or maybe the software reported itself. Usually, it's a third party that reports that and they look at it and they say, okay, so what does this virus look like? There is in this program the developers' names embedded or the name of the hacker group is embedded in it. So we are going to now say any piece of software that it has this hacker group's name in it, we're going to ban. Right? It recognizes it. So when the file comes onto your computer your computer looks at it. It looks at the signatures. These are called signatures. To say, okay, how does it match? Or it doesn't match at all and it might be through a string that's somewhere embedded in there. So it might be through a name. It might be through a number of other things. That's signature-based.
The malware, that was not detectable by signature-based antivirus systems jumped 12%. In the second quarter of 2020. That is amazing. Amazing, absolutely amazing. Seven in 10 attacks that organizations encountered in the second quarter this year. In fact, involved malware designed to circumvent anti-virus signatures.
Most cyber-attacks last year and this is probably going to be true in 2020 as well as we get into the fourth quarter. But most cyberattacks in 2019 came about without malware. That means that there were hackers behind this.
We're going to talk about that. What's going on some of the data also from CrowdStrike and what they have found CrowdStrike is an anti-malware anti-hacker company. They've got a lot of great people working for them as well. What they have found.
It's like the bad old days of hacking and they're back on us right now.
So make sure you stick around. Cause we're going to get into that when we get back. And of course, we got a whole lot more, including a major windows bug that's now under exploit and how does this all fit together?
You are listening to Craig Peterson.
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