Category: Security
Tech Time Warp: Teens left their fingerprints on the Goner worm
Much like the “Wet Bandits” left their signature (running water in a stopped-up sink) on home burglaries in the holiday classic Home Alone, the Israeli teenagers arrested in December 2001 for spreading the Goner worm signed their work — and...
The growth of IoMT and what it means for MSPs
We know that IoT is transforming the landscape for MSPs. MSPs that once simply had to monitor and maintain a bare-bones network, now must contend with everything from connected coffeemakers to myriad BYOD items. There is a sub-variant of IoT that’s...
Tech Time Warp: Columbia researchers find IoT vulnerability
The headlines were inflammatory in every sense of the word: In November 2011, two Columbia University researchers recognized a security vulnerability in HP printers and set one ablaze. Professors Salvatore Stolfo and Ang Cui realized that every time an HP...
Cities have a massive need for cybersecurity
Cities are increasingly making headlines for being crippled by ransomware and other attacks. Such vulnerability isn’t surprising, since municipalities have a growing number of attack vectors and a pool of taxpayer or insurance money that hackers find too tempting to resist....
Cybersecurity defense: Racquetball, rest, and service
I frequently talk to MSP owners or their technicians and often find them harried and stretched for time. While those descriptors could apply to scores of professions, the stakes of feeling frazzled are high for MSPs. The world of cybersecurity...
Another ‘-ish’ MSPs need to watch
When it comes to MSPs, there is one set of letters that causes indigestion: ‘-ishing.’ Phishing is the biggest headache, of course. Successful phishing expeditions have led to many network breaches in businesses large and small. Recently on Smarter MSP,...
Tech Time Warp: Jerusalem malware inspires antivirus industry
Even malware can produce silver linings — at least in the case of the Jerusalem virus, which inspired computer science students to develop some of the first antivirus software. In November 1987, Omri Mann and Yuval Rakavi were computer science...
MSPs need to help customers confront their cybersecurity fears
Halloween is supposed to that one day of the year when ghosts, goblins, and other supernatural threats are supposedly allowed to roam the land before the onset of the dark days of winter. Unfortunately, for cybersecurity professionals, every day feels...
Four areas MSPs need to consider while transitioning to 5G
For years we’ve anticipated 5G’s arrival, and as we approach 2020, you’ll be hearing about it more and more. Welcome to a world where data is transferred up to 100 times faster than current speeds. Countries like South Korea and...
Ask an MSP Expert: Why is multi-factor authentication important?
Q: My customers don’t always understand the importance of multi-factor authentication and other cybersecurity practices. How can my MSP convince them that this is important and what else should we be teaching them? Cybercriminals are constantly adapting their tactics in...