Tag: hackers
Don’t give hackers a happy holiday season!
Many people worldwide are beginning to prepare for the rush of shopping, festive gatherings, and visiting in-laws as the holidays ramp up. Previously, SmarterMSP has written about the cybersecurity dangers that holiday weekends pose, and the end-of-year holiday season is...
Tech Time Warp: Hack shuts down PlayStation Network for 3 weeks
Video games have been a godsend during the COVID-19 pandemic, providing those “staying at home” with diversion and a chance at safe social interaction (Animal Crossing, anyone?). It’s worth remembering, however, that even the big guys in digital gaming and...
Tech Time Warp: Prince Philip’s inbox gets hacked
Harry and Meghan might grab headlines for their privacy settlements and use of social media, but the younger royals are hardly breaking new ground. You might say they’re just following in the family’s footsteps. In 1985, two hackers were arrested...
Catch hackers with a honeypot in your security service
I once visited an Amish farm where green plastic 2-liter 7-Up bottles dangled from the lower branches of the fruit trees. The bottles were filled about halfway with some sort of liquid. Upon closer inspection, I could see a banana peel...
Bad actors are using AI in their cyber attacks
The alarms have been going off for some time about the growing role of AI in cyber attacks. In 2017, a survey of cybersecurity professionals found that 91 percent are concerned about AI-powered attacks against companies. More recently, an article in Fortune...
Hackers are disguising themselves as the IRS
With tax season in full swing, the IRS is arriving to disrupt the efforts of MSPs to protect each of their client’s data. Not the actual IRS. Hopefully, your MSP’s books are in order (if not, well, that’s another conversation). No,...
Tech Time Warp: AOHell was a long way from “You’ve got mail”
The speed of fiber Internet makes it easy to view the days of America Online with rose-colored glasses. Recalling the dulcet tones of the “You’ve got mail,” one tends to overlook the nefarious activities that occurred on AOL. It turns...
Tech Time Warp: The modern-day Robin Hoods of the Chaos Computer Club
The Chaos Computer Club, Europe’s self-described “largest association of hackers,” has always taken an unorthodox approach to saving the world. Founded in 1981 by activist Wau Holland, the club — also known as the CCC — boasts 5,500 members and works to...
Tech Time Warp: The curious cases of early hackers
These days, cybersecurity is such a pervasive concern that it’s easy to forget law enforcement and the courts once had no idea what to do with hackers. Some of the earliest cases of hacking and computer fraud predate the federal...
Today’s hackers are definitely not your father’s hackers
There was once a hacker stereotype — the prototype was a pimply-faced teenage boy living in his parent’s basement in some nondescript suburb. His end goal was proving he could get into your network and show off his bonafides to...