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Elevating Your Small Business's Security with Password Managers

In today’s fast-paced digital landscape, securing sensitive information is paramount. Small businesses, forming the backbone of many economies, are no exception to this rule. But with the multitudes of platforms and services necessary for operations, password fatigue makes it easy to get bogged down. The solution? A password manager. This tool is a simple yet potent ally in safeguarding your business data. Let’s delve deeper into elevating your small business’s security with password managers.

Understanding Password Managers

A password manager is a software application that helps store and manage passwords for various online services and applications. The primary purpose of this tool is to foster more robust security practices by encouraging the use of complex, unique passwords for different platforms without the need to memorize each one. You only need to remember a master password, which grants access to your secure vault of passwords.

How It Works

The functionality of a password manager can be broken down into these core steps:

1.) Installation & Setup: You begin by installing a password manager application on your devices. During the setup process, you will create a master password. This master password is the key to accessing your password vault.
2.) Adding Passwords: Add your existing usernames and passwords to the password manager. Once set up, you can add these details manually or let the password manager prompt you to save credentials as you log into various services.
3.) Generating Passwords: Password managers can generate complex passwords for you, which are hard to crack compared to user-created passwords. These generated passwords are stored securely in the password vault, ready for use.
4.) Auto-Fill & Auto-Login: One of the significant benefits of using a password manager is the convenience it offers through auto-filling and auto-login features. It automatically fills in your username and password fields on recognized websites, saving you time and protecting against phishing attacks.
5.) Multi-Device Synchronization: Many password managers offer the ability to synchronize your password vault across various devices, ensuring that you have access to your passwords whether you are on your mobile, tablet, or computer.

Why Your Business Needs a Password Manager

Enhanced Security

Using a password manager promotes using unique, complex passwords for each service, minimizing the risk of password reuse, which is a common avenue for cyber-attacks. Furthermore, it helps to protect your business against phishing scams, as it only auto-fills credentials on genuine websites.

Cost-Efficiency

By preventing data breaches through robust password management, your business can avoid the potential financial losses associated with cyber-attacks. It also saves time for your employees, as they no longer need to reset forgotten passwords constantly.

Simplified Compliance

For businesses required to adhere to various data protection regulations, using a password manager can be a step towards compliance, demonstrating that your company takes data security seriously.

Employee Education and Adoption

Implementing a password manager is also an opportunity to foster a security-conscious culture within your business. By encouraging employees to use the password manager for professional and personal use, you promote better security habits across the board.

Integrating a password manager into your business operations is not just a smart move; it’s a vital step towards safeguarding your business assets in the digital age. As you venture forward in bolstering your business’s cybersecurity infrastructure, consider adopting a password manager as a foundational tool in your security toolkit. Start today, and take a proactive step towards a safer, more secure business environment!


The Growing Importance of Mobile Security

Mobile devices – smartphones, tablets, and even wearable gadgets – have become indispensable in our daily lives. They contain our personal information, banking details, work emails, etc. This immense storage of sensitive data makes them a prime target for cyberattacks. Hence, the increasing emphasis on mobile security is not just a trend but an essential component in our technologically advanced society. Let's delve into the growing importance of mobile security and provide some critical pointers on staying secure in this mobile age.

Rise in Mobile Device Usage

With the proliferation of smartphones and other mobile devices, there has been an exponential rise in the amount of data being stored and accessed via these devices. Whether for work, social networking, banking, or entertainment, the convenience of accessing everything on the go is unparalleled. This dependency has made securing these devices more crucial than ever before.

Increase in Mobile-based Threats

With increased usage comes increased risks. Cybercriminals continually evolve strategies, and mobile devices have become a hotspot for attacks. These can range from malicious apps, phishing attempts, and unsecured Wi-Fi networks to sophisticated malware targeting mobile operating systems.

Mobile Banking and E-commerce

Online shopping and banking have made our lives considerably more comfortable. However, they've also made our mobile devices a treasure trove of financial information. This information can easily fall into the wrong hands if not properly secured.

BYOD (Bring Your Own Device)

Many companies have adopted a BYOD policy, where employees use their devices for work-related tasks. While this does offer flexibility and cost savings, it also means that the company's data can be at risk if an employee's device is compromised.

Emerging Technologies

New technologies like the Internet of Things (IoT) mean more interconnected devices. A vulnerability in one device can expose an entire network to threats.

Tips for Ensuring Mobile Security:

Regular Updates:

Always keep your mobile operating system and apps updated. These updates often include security patches for known vulnerabilities.

Download Wisely:

Only download apps from official app stores and be cautious of permissions an app requests.

Use Strong Passwords:

This may sound like a no-brainer, but using strong and unique passwords for your devices and accounts is a simple yet effective way to enhance security.

Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA):

Use 2FA for your accounts whenever possible. This provides an extra layer of security beyond just a password. To understand more about 2FA please read our blog post here.

Be Wary of Public Wi-Fi:

Public networks can be unsecured, making it easier for cybercriminals to intercept data. Use a Virtual Private Network (VPN) when accessing sensitive information on public networks. To understand the critical importance of a VPN when using public Wi-Fi, please read our blog post here.

Regular Backups:

Regularly back up your device's data. If your device is compromised, you won't lose all your valuable information.

Stay Informed:

Knowledge is power. Staying updated about the latest mobile threats and security measures can help you be prepared.

As the digital landscape evolves, so does the importance of mobile security. Being proactive, staying informed, and taking basic preventive measures can go a long way in ensuring that your mobile experiences remain safe and enjoyable. Remember, in the age of mobility, security isn't just a consideration—it's a necessity.


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Unseen Intruders: What is Spyware and how it can affect your business.

As small business owners, we often focus on growing our ventures, meeting customer needs, and staying competitive. However, a lurking threat can silently undermine our efforts and compromise sensitive business information – spyware. Let's explore what spyware is, how it can affect your business, and the potentially devastating consequences it can have on your operations.

What is Spyware?

Spyware is malicious software designed to infiltrate and secretly gather information from a computer system or network. It operates in the background, often without the user's knowledge, and collects data such as passwords, financial details, browsing habits, and other sensitive information. This data is transmitted to unauthorized third parties, posing a significant business threat.

How Spyware Infects Small Businesses

Spyware can enter your business's systems through various methods, with some common vectors being:

Phishing Attacks:

Cybercriminals use deceptive emails, messages, or websites to trick employees into downloading infected attachments or clicking on malicious links.

Drive-by Downloads:

Spyware can be automatically installed when visiting compromised or malicious websites, even without the user's consent.

Freeware and Shareware:

Free software downloaded from untrusted sources may contain spyware bundled.

Infected USB Drives:

Plugging infected USB devices can introduce spyware to your business network.

Effects of Spyware on Small Businesses

The presence of spyware in your business infrastructure can lead to several detrimental consequences:

Data Breaches:

Spyware can expose sensitive customer information, financial data, and intellectual property, leading to severe legal and reputational consequences.

Financial Losses:

Cybercriminals can use spyware to steal login credentials and initiate fraudulent transactions, leading to financial losses for the business and its clients.

Operational Disruptions:

Spyware can slow down computer systems, decreasing productivity and increasing downtime.

Reputation Damage:

Falling victim to spyware can erode trust among customers and partners, affecting your business's credibility and brand image.

Competitive Edge Erosion:

Corporate espionage through spyware can give your competitors access to your strategies and innovations, putting your competitive edge at risk.

Protecting Your Small Business from Spyware

Prevention is vital when it comes to dealing with spyware. Here are some measures to safeguard your small business:

Educate Employees:

Train your staff about the dangers of phishing attacks, suspicious websites, and downloading software from untrusted sources.

Install Security Software:

Utilize robust antivirus and anti-malware software to detect and remove spyware.

Keep software Updated:

Regularly update operating systems, applications, and security software to patch vulnerabilities.

Use Firewalls:

Implement firewalls to monitor and control incoming and outgoing network traffic.

Secure Wi-Fi Networks:

Protect your Wi-Fi with strong passwords and encryption to prevent unauthorized access.

Regular Backups:

Routinely back up important data to secure offline locations to mitigate the impact of data loss.

Spyware is a growing threat that small business owners must not underestimate. Understanding how spyware operates and its potential consequences is the first step toward protecting your business from this silent menace. Educating your employees, employing robust security measures, and staying vigilant can safeguard your business and its invaluable assets from falling prey to spyware attacks. Remember, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure in cybersecurity. Stay safe, stay secure! Click here to see how Unique Computing Solutions can help keep your business safe from Spyware and other malicious cyber attacks.


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Protecting Yourself Online: How to Spot and Avoid Online Scams

The internet has become an integral part of our daily lives, offering convenience and accessibility like never before. However, with the tremendous advantages of the online world come potential dangers, especially in online scams. Cybercriminals are constantly devising new tactics to exploit innocent internet users, making it crucial for everyone to stay informed and vigilant. We are committed to ensuring a safe online experience, and we've compiled this comprehensive guide to help you spot online scams and protect yourself from falling victim.

Trust Your Gut Instinct:

The first and most essential rule is to trust your instincts. If something feels too good to be true, it probably is. Scammers often try to lure victims with extravagant promises, incredible discounts, or quick-rich schemes. If an offer seems too enticing or suspicious, take a step back and investigate further before proceeding.

Verify Website Security:

Before entering any personal or financial information on a website, check its security features. Look for "https" in the URL and a padlock icon in the address bar. These indicators signify that the website uses SSL encryption to protect your data during transmission. If the site lacks these security measures, avoid providing any sensitive information.

Scrutinize Email Communication:

Phishing emails are a common scamming tactic. Cybercriminals impersonate reputable entities to trick users into revealing sensitive information or clicking on malicious links. Be cautious of emails claiming urgent action is required or offering unexpected rewards. Always verify the sender's email address and refrain from clicking links or downloading attachments from unfamiliar sources.

Research the Company/Organization:

When encountering unfamiliar companies or organizations, research them thoroughly before engaging with their offerings. Check for reviews, complaints, and ratings from reputable sources. Legitimate businesses will have an established online presence with verifiable contact information and a professional website.

Use Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA):

MFA adds an extra layer of security by requiring users to provide multiple verification forms before gaining access to an account. Enable MFA whenever possible, especially for critical accounts like email, banking, and social media. This extra step can significantly reduce the risk of unauthorized access.

Stay Informed About Current Scams:

Cybercriminals are continuously adapting their tactics to bypass security measures. Stay informed about the latest scams by following reliable news sources, subscribing to security blogs, and keeping up-to-date with your IT company's security advisories. Awareness is your best defense.

Be Cautious with Personal Information:

Be cautious about sharing personal information online. Avoid providing unnecessary details on social media platforms or public forums. Identity thieves can piece together seemingly harmless information to create a more comprehensive profile, which they can use to conduct fraudulent activities.

Avoid Unsecured Wi-Fi Networks:

Using public Wi-Fi networks, particularly those without passwords, can expose your data to potential interception by hackers. Use a Virtual Private Network (VPN) to encrypt your internet connection when accessing sensitive information on public networks.

Keep Software Up-to-Date:

Regularly update your operating system, antivirus software, and applications. Software updates often include security patches that protect against known vulnerabilities, reducing the risk of falling victim to cyberattacks.

Report Scams:

If you encounter or suspect an online scam, report it to the appropriate authorities. Many countries have dedicated agencies or cybercrime reporting centers. By reporting scams, you protect yourself and help prevent others from becoming victims.

The internet is a fantastic tool that enriches our lives in countless ways but also harbors potential risks through online scams. You can protect yourself from these fraudulent schemes by staying informed, being cautious, and adopting good security practices. We are dedicated to ensuring your safety online and hope this guide empowers you to navigate the digital world confidently and securely.

Remember, knowledge is power, and we can build a safer online environment for everyone. Stay safe, stay vigilant, and happy browsing!


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What is social engineering and how it can negatively affect your business.

In today's interconnected world, where technology plays a central role in business operations, the need for robust cybersecurity measures has become more critical than ever. While organizations invest heavily in firewalls, antivirus software, and other technical safeguards, there is a relatively less talked-about threat that can bypass these defenses and exploit the weakest link in any security system: human beings. This insidious threat is known as social engineering. Let's dive into what social engineering is and how it can negatively affect your business.

What is Social Engineering?

Social engineering refers to manipulating individuals to deceive them into revealing sensitive information or performing actions compromising an organization's security. Instead of exploiting technical vulnerabilities, social engineering exploits human psychology, emotions, and social norms to gain unauthorized access or obtain valuable data.

Types of Social Engineering Attacks:

Phishing:

Phishing attacks involve sending fraudulent emails, instant messages, or other communication that appear to be from a reputable source. These messages often trick unsuspecting users into clicking on malicious links, providing login credentials, or downloading malware-infected attachments.

Pretexting:

Pretexting involves creating a false scenario or pretext to deceive individuals and gain their trust. This technique often involves impersonating a trusted person or organization and manipulating victims into divulging sensitive information.

Baiting:

Baiting attacks entice individuals with the promise of something desirable, such as a free download or a physical item, to persuade them to take actions that compromise security. For example, an attacker might leave infected USB drives in public spaces, hoping that curious individuals will pick them up and connect them to their computers.

Tailgating:

Tailgating occurs when an unauthorized person gains access to a restricted area by closely following an authorized individual. This technique exploits people's tendency to hold the door open for others without verifying their credentials.

Negative Impact on Businesses:

Data Breaches:

Social engineering attacks can lead to significant data breaches, exposing sensitive customer information, trade secrets, or proprietary data. This can result in severe financial losses, reputational damage, and potential legal consequences for businesses.

Financial Losses:

Social engineering attacks can lead to fraud, unauthorized fund transfers, or identity theft, causing substantial financial losses for organizations and their customers.

Damage to Reputation:

If a business falls victim to a social engineering attack, its reputation can be severely damaged. Customers may lose trust in the company's ability to protect their information, leading to a decline in sales and difficulties attracting new customers.

Operational Disruptions:

Social engineering attacks can disrupt business operations, as compromised systems may require extensive remediation and recovery efforts. This can lead to downtime, loss of productivity, and increased costs associated with incident response.

Prevention and Mitigation:

Employee Education

Regularly train employees on social engineering techniques, identifying phishing emails, and verifying requests for sensitive information.

Implement Security Policies

Establish robust security policies and procedures, such as multi-factor authentication, strong password policies, and encryption of sensitive data.

Incident Response Plan:

Develop a comprehensive incident response plan to handle social engineering attacks effectively. This plan should include steps for containment, investigation, and recovery.

Security Awareness Culture:

Foster a culture of security awareness within the organization, encouraging employees to report suspicious activities and promoting a proactive approach to security.

Social engineering attacks continue to pose a significant threat to businesses in the digital age. Understanding attackers' techniques and implementing robust security measures are crucial to mitigating this risk. By educating employees, establishing security protocols, and fostering a security-aware culture, businesses can enhance their resilience against social engineering attacks and safeguard their valuable assets and reputation.


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Understanding The Role of VPNs in Enhancing Security

The need for robust security measures to protect sensitive information has become more crucial. Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) have emerged as an indispensable tool for ensuring data privacy, confidentiality, and online security. Understanding the role of VPNs in enhancing security is critical in keeping you and your business safe from cyber threats. Let's discuss what a VPN is and how it can shield companies from potential threats.

A Virtual Private Network (VPN) is a secure connection that allows users to access the internet privately and securely by creating a private network from a public internet connection. It establishes an encrypted tunnel between the user's device and the destination website or online service, shielding their online activities from prying eyes.

When users connect to a VPN, their device establishes a secure connection with a VPN server. This server is an intermediary between the user's device and the internet. All internet traffic between the user and the VPN server is encrypted, preventing unauthorized parties from intercepting and accessing the data.

Data Encryption:

VPNs employ robust encryption protocols to protect sensitive data transmitted over public networks. This encryption ensures that the information remains unreadable to malicious actors even if intercepted, maintaining the confidentiality of business communications and proprietary information.

Remote Work Security:

With the rise of remote work, VPNs have become invaluable for ensuring secure connections between employees and company networks. VPNs enable remote workers to access internal resources and systems securely, mitigating the risks of accessing sensitive company data from unsecured networks.

Protection against Cyber Threats:

VPNs serve as a first line of defense against cyber threats, including hackers, identity theft, and malicious software. By encrypting internet traffic and masking IP addresses, VPNs make it challenging for cybercriminals to infiltrate business networks and compromise valuable information.

Geo-Restriction Bypassing:

Many businesses operate globally and may encounter restrictions on accessing certain online services or content based on geographical location. VPNs allow enterprises to bypass these limitations by routing their traffic through servers in different areas, enabling unrestricted access to information and resources.

Secure Collaboration:

Businesses often rely on collaboration tools and cloud-based platforms to share and store sensitive data. By using a VPN, companies can ensure secure communication and file sharing among team members, protecting valuable intellectual property and maintaining client confidentiality.

Mitigating Insider Threats:

VPNs assist in mitigating the risks associated with insider threats by monitoring and logging users' activities. This aids in identifying any unusual or unauthorized behavior, allowing businesses to take appropriate action before any harm occurs.

In the digital landscape, where cyber threats continue to evolve, businesses must prioritize security measures to safeguard their valuable assets. Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) provide a crucial layer of protection by encrypting data, maintaining privacy, and allowing secure access to business resources. From protecting against cyber threats to enabling safe remote work, VPNs have proven essential for businesses seeking to maintain online security in an increasingly interconnected world. By embracing VPN technology, companies can fortify their defenses, ensuring the safe and secure operation of their critical systems and data.


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Total Data Protection

According to FEMA, as many as 60% of small businesses never recover after a disaster and are forced to close, highlighting the importance of maintaining backups that can keep systems running. Businesses need infrastructure in place that provides total data protection for their critical components. Datto’s Unified Continuity product family offers the solutions necessary to protect businesses from data loss due to power failures, flooding, security breaches, and human error.

Protecting the Business Data No Matter Where It Lives

Datto Unified Continuity includes a layered approach to protecting all critical business data across server infrastructure or SaaS applications. In today’s business environment, critical data is stored in physical, virtual and SaaS environments, all of which are equally vulnerable to natural disasters and malware. If any of that data is lost or breached, companies are vulnerable to significant revenue loss and even failure. Unified Continuity protects against ransomware, accidental deletion and disasters, providing business owners with peace of mind knowing they can restore data in seconds.

Why Haven’t You Heard of Datto?

While Datto protects over 500,000 small-to-medium sized businesses (SMBs) with their technology, Datto is a channel-only company serving over 14,000 MSPs. That means you won’t be able to go online and buy a Unified Continuity product without working with on of our partners like Unique Computing Solutions. And we do that for good reason: our MSP partners have the skill and technical expertise needed to deploy our products. We choose to sell through this highly skilled channel in order to ensure you (business owners) are getting the service you need for your unique challenges.

Why haven’t you heard of Datto? Because your IT service provider is our customer. Aligning yourself with a Datto partner means you are aligning yourself with the best in continuity services. It means your critical data is backed up. It means you will stay in business no matter the data loss scenario.

The Best Total Data Protection Available

Reliable storage options that scale, extremely fast recovery times, and 24/7/365 Direct to Tech support.

Datto builds the world’s easiest to manage and most dependable business continuity and disaster recovery products available today. Offering data production solutions for businesses for every size, regardless of infrastructure. Datto Continuity services provide automated local backup on robust hardware purpose-built for data protection and replication to the secure Datto Cloud. With our Instant Virtualization technology, business can be up and operational within seconds of an incident. Our suite of business continuity products includes the DATTO SIRIS, DATTO ALTO and DATTO NAS, all managed within a single web portal.

All-in-One Business Continuity

Ensuring your customer’s business is always on and resilient to disasters, SIRIS is an all-in-one solution that includes verified backups, restore options for any scenario, instant virtualization, and ransomware protection. SIRIS is backed by Datto’s private cloud so backup, failover, and recovery can be performed locally or in the cloud with no additional configuration. Streamlined business continuity solutions save time, money, and headaches. Every component of the SIRIS stack is built by Datto to seamlessly work together, from the backup agent, to the SIRIS software platform, to the private Datto cloud.

Raising The Bar for Reliability

Reliability begins with knowing your backup is always good. Datto eliminates the need to worry if the system will boot or be recoverable by automatically verifying backups will boot with all data intact and no ransomware, giving you 100% confidence in your backups and ability to restore. With backup you can count on and the ability to failover and restore from anywhere, we can deliver a high level of service to our customers.

Maximizing Uptime

Going beyond simply recovering data, business continuity saves businesses by keeping them online in the face of otherwise devastating issues such as ransomware, malware, natural disasters, network downtime and costly human errors. Datto’s breadth of restore tools are fit for any job and designed to get you back to production faster by taking out the guesswork. Backups are stored so that any snapshot can be used to restore or virtualize. Restore options range from granular restores which can target specific files to full system restores which include instant virtualization to keep your customers online. With the ability to immediately get back up and running from the Datto Cloud, you will have an edge when local competitors lack the ability to bounce back as quickly.

With robust solutions, advanced security features, and state-of-the-art technology, Datto is a clear choice when building your Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery Strategy. Unique Computing Solutions has been a provider of Datto Solutions for many years and we are proud to offer a product that exemplifies the core beliefs we rely on for supporting our clients and protecting their infrastructure. If you are in the midst of a disaster, looking to upgrade your BCDR Strategy or starting from the ground up, the team at UCS and Datto is here to help! Please contact our office to learn more about these solutions and how they can integrate with your business or industry.


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Insider Threat - Define and Defend

When you think of cybersecurity threats to your company, you’re almost always thinking about threats from outside your sphere. Dark Web profiteers. Competitors. Malicious hacking groups. Cybercriminals. But are you considering the possibility that an insider threat can be the biggest risk to your organization?

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Poison Attacks 101

Smart technology is everywhere. Not just in our offices, but even in our day-to-day lives with tools like Google Home and Alexa becoming a commonplace. With technology becoming smarter every minute, the risks are increasing by the minute as well. Cyber-criminals are finding new ways to corrupt our IT networks to disrupt our businesses, hold our data hostage and even clear out personal bank accounts. Some of the more overt, commonly known acts of cyber-crime include hacking, phishing, and ransomware attacks. This article discusses a lesser-known cyber-crime. Let's take a look at Poison Attacks 101.

What Are Poison Attacks

Poison attacks are attacks on the ability of a system to make smart decisions. Think about this for a second. How do systems make intelligent decisions? Based on the training or data they receive. This data is used to hone the artificial intelligence of the system to help make smart decisions. Poison attacks mess with the very base layer – the training data set - by skewing the system’s data model in such a way that the output is no longer as intended. They create a new normal for everything and are primarily used as a backdoor attack method. In a backdoor poison attack, the attacker creates a loophole in the core data rule and trains the system to adhere to that rule so it can be exploited at a later time.

For example, let’s say the access control for a particular file is set such that it will allow only those beyond the VP level to view the data. If someone changes the main parameter to include manager level access, the core data set is violated and the system will not detect an intrusion by someone at the manager level, even if they log in with their credentials.

Poison Attack Methodologies

Poison attack methodologies typically fall into one of the following 4 categories:

    • Logic Corruption
    • Data Manipulation
    • Data Injection
    • DNS Cache Poisoning

Logic Corruption

In Logic Corruption, the attacker changes the basic logic used to make the system arrive at an output. It essentially changes the way the system learns, applies new rules and corrupts the system to do whatever the attacker wants.

Data Manipulation

In Data Manipulation, as the name suggests, the attacker manipulates the data to extend data boundaries that result in backdoor entries that can be exploited later. Unlike Logic Corruption, the attacker doesn’t have access to the logic, so they work with the existing rule and push data boundaries further with a view to accommodate them later.

Data Injection

In Data Injection, the attacker inserts fake data into the actual data set to skew the data model and ultimately weaken the outcome. The weakened outcome then serves as an easy entryway for the attacker into the victim’s system.

Protecting Yourself Against Poison Attacks

Data poisoning by way of logic corruption, data manipulation and data injection happens when the attacker finds a way to access your data set. The kind of poison attack varies depending on the level of access the attacker is able to achieve. Here’s what you can do to ensure such access is prevented:

  1. The data poisoning attacks discussed above adversely affect your IT system’s machine learning capabilities. So, the first logical step would be to invest in a good machine learning malware detection tool. These tools are different from the typical anti-malware tools you get in the market and are specifically designed to prevent machine learning capability poisoning.
  2. Always follow general IT security best practices such as:
    • Training your employees to identify spam, phishing attempts, and possible malware attacks.
    • Following good password hygiene, which means never sharing passwords and only using passwords that meet the required security standards.
    • Having a powerful IT audit process, tracking and version control tools, so as to thwart any possible insider attack.
    • Ensuring the physical security of your IT systems by way of bio-metric access, CCTV systems, etc.

DNS Cache Poisoning

In one of the most common poisoning attacks, the attacker poisons the DNS Cache with the aim of leading visitors to a fake website. In a DNS cache poisoning case, the attacker gains control of the DNS server and then manipulates cache data such that anyone typing the URL of the actual website is redirected to the fake one. This could be a phishing site where the attacker would have carefully laid out a trap to capture the unsuspecting victim’s personal data or secure information. For example, the visitor thinks they are logging into their bank’s website online, but are actually on the attacker’s phishing site, where they enter the login credentials.

Protecting Yourself Against DNS Cache Poisoning Attacks

As discussed before, one of the most common poisoning attacks are DNS attacks. You can prevent this by bringing a trained professional onboard for your DNS server set-up. An expert will know to set up your DNS server such that it has a minimum relationship with other, external DNS servers, thus limiting your attacker’s ability to corrupt your DNS server using theirs.

As a best practice, ensure that your DNS servers only store data related to your domain and not any other information. It is harder to corrupt the system when it focuses on a single element.

Another best practice is to ensure that you are up-to-date on all DNS security mechanisms and are using the most recent version of the DNS.

Ensure your site has an SSL certificate and is using HTTPS protocol. Using encryption, a site with HTTPS protocol allows for a more secure connection between its server and the internet and is better at keeping cyber-criminals out. Have an SSL certificate also ensures your site’s name shows up alongside the URL in the address bar. This is an easy way for visitors to identify if they are on a genuine site or not, thus helping them steer clear of phishing attacks and clone sites.

Data poisoning is one of the lesser-known and hence less talked about forms of cyber-crime. But, it can inflict great damage – perhaps even more damage than the other obvious threats such as viruses and ransomware, because, unlike a Denial of Service (DDoS) attack or a Ransomware attack where you know the moment the malware has hit your system, in a data poisoning attack, the malware is incorrect data that slithers into your system quietly and changes its overall functioning before delivering the big blow.

Preventing attacks on your data and infrastructure is where Unique Computing Solutions specializes with comprehensive Managed Security Service packages an a complete team of professionally educated technicians to back it all up. Give us a call today to see how we can help improve your security from day one: 708-922-9444


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Email Protection 101

Email is the most critical communication tool for your business. Communicating via email is fast and easy, just like using a phone, but also leaves a legal trail of evidence that brings accountability to any communication. In this quick Email Protection 101 article we are going to show you some of the most common ways of helping secure your most used form of communication both at work and at home.

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