Ransomware
There is a new threat that has taken hold recently called
"Ransomware". Essentially it is a virus that quietly (usually
over three days) encrypts all the files on your machine until a
notice pops up that you must pay a ransom (usually $300 to $900) to
get a key to decrypt your files. Our experience has been that
none of the virus protection schemes seems to fully protect against
this. Your best defense is to buy external hard drives and run
a backup every three of our days. Once the backup is finished,
unplug the drive and set it aside. Messy, we know but the
alternative is worse.
Watch out for "Phishing"
Here are some things to do to protect yourself and your data from
false emails:
Be wary of emails asking for confidential information -
especially information of a financial nature. Legitimate
organizations will never request sensitive information via email,
and most banks will tell you that they won't ask for your
information unless you're the one contacting them.
Don't get pressured into providing sensitive information.
Phishers like to use scare tactics, and may threaten to disable an
account or delay services until you update certain information. Be
sure to contact the merchant directly to confirm the authenticity of
their request.
Make sure you familiarize yourself with a website's privacy
policy. The majority of commercial websites have a privacy policy,
which is usually accessible at the foot of the page. The most useful
thing to look for is the website's policy on whether it will or will
not sell its mailing list.
Most of the spam you receive on a daily basis - as well as
potentially dangerous phishing emails - is coming to you because a
site you have signed up to has sold your email address to another
company. If you're not ok with this happening, it might be worth
reconsidering whether you want to sign up to the site.
Watch out for generic-looking requests for information.
Fraudulent emails are often not personalised, while authentic emails
from your bank often reference an account you have with them. Many
phishing emails begin with "Dear Sir/Madam", and some come from a
bank with which you don't even have an account.
Never submit confidential information via forms embedded
within email messages. Senders are often able to track all
information entered.
Never use links in an email to connect to a website unless
you are absolutely sure they are authentic. Instead, open a new
browser window and type the URL directly into the address bar. Often
a phishing website will look identical to the original - look at the
address bar to make sure that this is the case
To learn more or set up a meeting email
bernie@imark-co.com
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