blog Phishing

How to deal with Whaling as a Cyber-Security threat

The practice of phishing as a means for cyber-criminals to obtain sensitive information from an online user is rife. Usernames, passwords and credit card details are all at risk, with the theft of money often the ultimate goal of the hacker. The most common method of phishing is for the criminal to send out an email that gives the impression that it has come from an official source. This email will likely have a link that leads to somewhere harmful, or an attachment that has malicious intent when opened. Read more

When is a cyber-attack not an attack?

The Impact of Website Hacking

When is a cyber-attack not an attack? An interesting conundrum, but one that many website owners are beginning to consider thanks to a new wave of cyber-crime that is sweeping the internet. We have covered a number of topics through the Digital Pathways blogs that deal with the obvious repercussions of a hack or cyber-attack. When it comes to the Risks of Ransomware for instance, the dangers are obvious, namely the encryption of your data by a hacker who then blackmails you for its return. Targeted phishing too has quite evident consequences, with the release of malware onto a network that subsequently leaks your important data. Website hacking, in contrast, is not a denial of service attack. In fact, you might not even know you’ve been hacked. Read more

Is changing your password a good idea?

For years it has been common practice to regularly change the passwords you use for key logins. Users have been repeatedly encouraged to come up with unique variations in an attempt to help keep cyber criminals at bay and to safeguard against hacking. But, in what some people are finding a confusing turnaround, the UK government has now repeated advice against doing exactly this, claiming instead that it plays directly into the hands of those you are trying to protect against. Read more

The Dangers of Voicemail Phishing

Picking up the phone is a hazardous business these days. Whether it is a call regarding PPI for an account that never existed, or an imaginary problem with your PC that desperately requires attention, there are a lot of reasons to ignore what comes down the line. One place you can consider yourself safe though is surely voicemail. The cold callers generally avoid leaving a message, and anything that does squeak through can be ignored and deleted. So where does Voicemail Phishing enter the equation, and why are we warned that it is on the rise? Read more

Hacking Buildings – Is your building at risk of being hacked?

When you stop to think about the businesses who have been hacked in recent years, there have been some quite big names under the spotlight. Organisations such as Sony and Ashley Madison are good examples of recent scandals. These companies, although working on digital platforms, were subject to some quite serious breaches that have severely affected the way they are able to operate. The reason why is simple; lack of security as a result of lack of knowledge. But although ‘Digital’ businesses, surely the same thing couldn’t happen to a company as technology leading and digitally savvy as Google. Could it? Read more

ObserveIT – Insider Threat Detection and Prevention Software

The Insider Threat is a growing concern among businesses. The idea that an attack, be it vicious or unintentional, can come from an internal source is frightening. Organisations put a lot of trust in their employees, and quite rightly too, but when it comes to digital security it pays to be slightly more vigilant. Many larger companies are beginning to see the value in software that monitors their employees’ actions, logging the data so that if and when disaster strikes it can be traced back to the party at fault. Unfortunately, this is very much locking the door after the horse has bolted. Luckily, there is a preventative measure available. Read more

How to Deal with Ransomware

A digital security risk that appears to be becoming more prominent in the mainstream media is ransomware. Stories are beginning to surface more and more frequently, both highlighting the sheer volume of attacks and also focussing on the more targeted examples of hospitals and schools who have been left helpless. As the name suggests, Ransomware is a form of malware that encrypts your data so that it becomes unreadable, and then proceeds to extort money from you to receive a code that unlocks it. Traditional blackmail revolutionised for a digital age. Read more

blog Phishing

The Rise of Targeted Phishing

The issue of phishing is widespread. As a process, this form of cybercrime attempts to acquire private information from an individual via email correspondence. The criminal who sends the email pretends to be from a reputable source and asks for a username, password or even credit card details to be shared. The sender will seem trustworthy, the request a fair one. Once these details, or even the money itself is delivered, you have given access to someone who really shouldn’t have it, and your system or accounts will be breached. Read more

Cyber Security for Start-Up Businesses

There appears to be a culture of entrepreneurship evident across the UK at the moment, with London having been ranked sixth in the Global Start-up Ecosystem Rankings 2015 last year, and cities ranging from Glasgow and Edinburgh, to Brighton and Bristol all having recorded over 2,000 business start-ups over the course of 2015. The start-up landscape is also seeing huge diversity too, especially in London, with the growth of creative media and fashion businesses being matched by the founding of financial and technology based companies. With the British economy continuing to show signs of improvement, there seems little chance of the pace slowing down either. Read more

The Cyber Security Seminar – Colin Tankard

The Cyber Security Seminar held on 1st March 2016 at our Harlow Enterprise Hub headquarters was a huge success. The presentations were perceptive and the audience engaged. The diverse range of cybersecurity knowledge in the room also made for a great social and educational event. The final speaker at the event was our very own Colin Tankard, director at Digital Pathways and an expert in cybercrime prevention. His presentation on ‘how they hack’ used video clips and detailed infographics to take the audience on a journey through cybersecurity. Read more