Category: Security

master decryption key
TeslaCrypt closes doors, offers master decryption key

TeslaCrypt closes doors, offers master decryption key

In a surprising turn of events, notorious ransomware TeslaCrypt seems to be no more.

/ May 20, 2016
ransomware 3
Ransomware exposes poor data management hygiene

Ransomware exposes poor data management hygiene

As ransomware attacks continue to proliferate, the soft underbelly of IT — how organizations often manage their data in a cavalier manner — is finally being exposed. Ransomware combines social engineering techniques, malware, and encryption to take an organization’s data hostage. As...

/ April 28, 2016
fbi malware
The FBI wants to see your malware

The FBI wants to see your malware

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) would like IT services providers and their customers to share their malware with them. As part of its ongoing efforts to combat cybercriminals, the FBI has developed a massive database of malware that it...

/ April 21, 2016
samsam_petya_ransomware
Samsam and Petya: The New Wave of Ransomware

Samsam and Petya: The New Wave of Ransomware

Malware development, like any other area in IT, is a hotbed of innovation and change. At the forefront of this trend are the groups responsible for developing ransomware applications such as TeslaCrypt and Cryptowall. Today’s news brings two new challengers:...

/ March 30, 2016
ransomware
TeslaCrypt 4.0 ransomware ups the ante with unbreakable encryption

TeslaCrypt 4.0 ransomware ups the ante with unbreakable encryption

When TeslaCrypt first arrived on the ransomware scene about a year ago, it seemed like a CryptoLocker copycat with a few new tricks, such as renaming existing files, deleting browser history to hide the source of the infection, and a...

/ March 24, 2016
ransomware
Locky malware creates potential IT security nightmare

Locky malware creates potential IT security nightmare

Most IT service providers that have any experience with IT security knew it was only a matter of time before a ransomware exploit wound up taking an organization’s data hostage in a way with no known remediation. Taking advantage of the...

/ February 23, 2016
cybersecurity attacks
Cybersecurity attacks against IT service providers get more advanced

Cybersecurity attacks against IT service providers get more advanced

Like any pirate, most cybercriminals prefer easy targets. So, while the number of attacks continues to increase, the majority of them are looking to exploit vulnerabilities that are easily defended. A new report from Arbor Networks suggests that the number of...

/ February 2, 2016
ransomware
Ask an MSP Expert: How do I recover a customer after a CryptoWall 4.0 attack?

Ask an MSP Expert: How do I recover a customer after a CryptoWall 4.0 attack?

  Q: My team has been dealing with a worst-case scenario. One of our customers was hit with CryptoWall 4.0, and their systems need to be restored. We’ve paid the ransom, and the ordeal is over, but none of us...

/ January 25, 2016
cyber security
3 reasons your SMB customers don’t want to talk about cyber security

3 reasons your SMB customers don’t want to talk about cyber security

Does it feel like your small business customers try to change the subject whenever you bring up cyber security? Well, you’re probably not imagining things. Data breaches, malware, and other cyber threats are scary subjects, and they can have serious...

/ November 12, 2015
CryptoWall returns for another round with CryptoWall 4.0

CryptoWall returns for another round with CryptoWall 4.0

The gold standard in ransomware, CryptoWall, is making the rounds again with a new 4.0 release. In this revision, there are some pretty important changes that are going to make life more difficult for both infectees and security researchers looking...

/ November 6, 2015