Vulnerability Note

  Amid heightened  border tensions  between India and China, cybersecurity researchers have revealed a concerted campaign against India's critical infrastructure, including the nation's power grid, from Chinese state-sponsored groups. The attacks, which coincided with the standoff between the two nations in May 2020, targeted a total of 12 organizations, 10 of which are in the power generation and transmission sector. "10 distinct Indian power sector organizations, including four of the five Regional Load Despatch Centres (RLDC) responsible for operation of the power grid through balancing electricity supply and demand, have been identified as targets in a concerted campaign against India's critical infrastructure," Recorded Future  said  in a report published yesterday. "Other targets identified included 2 Indian seaports." Chief among the victims include a power plant run by National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) Limited and New Delhi-based Power Sy...

  Social media is surrounded by people and companies subconsciously telling you who you should be, how you should look, what you should buy and how you should think. The truth is, it’s a double-edged sword. It without a doubt has its positives, but you can’t deny the negative. Social media companies are businesses first and foremost, looking to make a profit off you and your data. They want you glued to your phone. You must be extremely diligent and purposeful with your interactions with digital and social media. Binging on digital media is NOT a wise time investment. The only opinions you should care about are from the people you know and trust Constantly referencing social media keeps you in a semi distracted state and leads you to live a life in your head.  Studies have shown numerous times the link between depression, loneliness, anxiety, and social media. As humans, we are hardwired with a fundamental need for connection. Social media plays on that core need. It’s great t...

  What comes to your mind when you hear the term “Social Media?" Perhaps some people thinking about the media that makes them able to meet and communicate with people around the world. While some others think about that, social media is the channel that gives them the chance to send and receive many information. Others think that social media is about the way we get many updates from people who we follow and maybe someone out there thinks social media is a part of a new marketing strategy. Nowadays, social media seems like a big part of our life. When your friends didn’t reply to your text, you can greet them on Facebook. When you want to listen to music or see a music video from your favorite singer – go to YouTube. When you just wake up and open your eyes, you don’t have to walk outside to get the newspaper, just take your phone and scroll your Twitter timeline then you’ll get the information. Blog and Forum are also types of social media because they allow you to share “what yo...

  Last night, Americans watched to see how the US election would play out. In addition to wondering whether Texas would go blue, or whether votes would go uncounted, many wondered about the potential for cyber interference. Did cyber attacks occur on election day?  Agencies waited on edge all day long. Overall, no cyber attacks appear to have affected Americans on election day. However, for months, the FBI and New York attorney general have tracked a mysterious series of robo calls that aimed to convince citizens to stay home. Although there is no specific mention of the US elections in the call, the number of these calls increased by 5x or 6x on election day. In the calls, the robot’s synthetic voice says the following: “Hello. This is just a test call. Time to stay home. Stay safe and stay home.” Why are these robo calls fueling election anxiety?  For some, these robocalls are triggering anxiety about violence around the election. The calls aren’t a form of election hac...

  Most stores are offering online sales to help consumers avoid crowds within small spaces. Sales have started on Amazon.com, Target.com, Best Buy’s website and many other major retailers’ e-commerce platforms. As you shop, remain alert when it comes to phishing schemes. Phishing is a deliberate attempt to steal sensitive information, including login credentials and/or credit card numbers, by masquerading as  someone trustworthy . QR code scams are also on the rise. QR codes were originally developed by the auto-industry to provide efficient means of accessing large repositories of information. QR codes made inventory tracking easy. Users point at a special square with a phone, and information quickly downloads. Eventually, advertising agencies and others picked up on the utility of this tool. As smartphones grew increasingly popular, so did the use of these cool codes. However, counterfeit QR codes are now a serious concern. Phishing: What’s happened so far this year? Last mo...

  Smart-home devices can compromise your privacy. Former Amazon executive Robert Frederick even admits to turning Alexa off, due to concerns that the company was listening in. Need to regain some privacy in your home? For Amazon’s Alexa, follow these three tips: Turn-off the ‘drop-in’ app: Alexa’s ‘drop-in’ feature allows predetermined contacts to simply start speaking out of a device’s speaker. No need for the device-owner to “answer” a call. Despite the user-friendly functionality, someone who ‘drops-in’ can hear everything happening in your home. Because you may want to discuss private matters out of friends’ earshot, it’s best to turn off your ‘drop-in’ feature unless you specifically want to use it.To turn it off, open the Alexa app, tap ‘devices’, select the intended device, then tap ‘communications’. This will enable you to flip the ‘drop-in’ switch to ‘off’ or to limit it to specific home devices. Eliminate ‘Hunches’ from your suite of apps: The ‘Hunches’ tool allows the Al...

  The coronavirus pandemic has transformed the world as we knew it, leading to profound changes in business operations and business cultures. Previously, working from home was often seen as a privilege or a luxury, while it’s now a part of the ‘new normal’. Among US companies,   84%   anticipate broader and sustained remote working opportunities post-pandemic. At this point in time, a significant challenge for organizations comes in the form of educating employees about cyber security hygiene and best practices. Be sure to provide your employees with the information that they need to keep your organization as safe and secure as possible. Check Point’s President of the Americas, Chris Scanlan, offers the following tips: Request for employees to pay special attention to unsolicited or suspicious emails.  “…the majority of cyberattacks I see are triggered by a phishing campaign,” he says. Verifying the legitimacy of emails is important, and employees may need coaching o...