Category: Security

Beware of people posing as someone else online – it’s a growing threat to individuals and businesses. The phenomenon has been known as ‘catfishing’ for the past few years. It’s when someone creates fake profiles on social media to trick people into thinking they’re somebody else. The term originates from a 2010 documentary about a… Continue reading ‘Catfishing’ ID fraud is big problem

There’s a lack of cyber security expertise and insufficient expenditure in many organisations which makes them more vulnerable to cyber-attacks. One of the most vulnerable in the UK is the National Health Service. Research by cyber security company Redscan indicates that many NHS trusts are unable to retain the necessary skills and expertise. The average… Continue reading Invest more in cyber security

The theft of up to 500 million customer records from the Marriott hotel group is a shocking reminder to everyone how vulnerable personal information is in the digital era. Many millions of people who have stayed at Marriott’s 6,700 properties in 129 countries will have unwittingly given hackers their names, dates of birth, phone numbers,… Continue reading Marriott hacking is stark warning

Be warned against buying hardware from China, it could be fitted with extra micro-chips designed to break into your organisation. The threat from technology built in China loomed large with the discovery of additional micro-processors on standard motherboards. It’s believed the problem affected around 30 US companies, including Amazon and Apple. The motherboards were also… Continue reading Chinese spy micro-chip danger

A massive breach of security at British Airways, which compromised 380,000 card payments, shows that organisations of all sizes are vulnerable to cyberattacks if their security is flawed. The theft of credit card numbers, expiry dates, street and email addresses and other personal data follows hot-on-the-heels of BA’s meltdown last year. BA’s chief executive said… Continue reading BA data breach is stark reminder

Chilling new research reveals cyber criminals are outspending big businesses and posing an ever-increasing threat to UK companies. The survey commissioned by software company Carbon Black reveals that 92 per cent of all UK businesses have had their cyber defences breached within the past 12 months – and 82 per cent have experienced more attacks… Continue reading Cyber crime pays – so watch out

Companies should be aware of the hidden security threat from fax machines which are an unlocked backdoor for criminals. New research from Check Point Security estimates that 300 million fax numbers are still in use. Using just a phone line, the researcher sent a fax that took full control over the printer that received it.… Continue reading Network threat from faxes

Companies need to protect their people and systems against hacktivism because it can compromise their networks. Worse still, it can be a cover for cyber criminals. The term hacktivism first emerged in the mid-1990s when hacking into computer systems was employed by some activists to express political or sociological beliefs. Famously, The Cult of the… Continue reading Guard against hacktivist attacks