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Countermeasures for Ransomware – like WannaCry

You may have seen the news this weekend. Criminal hackers have released a new strain of ransomware that spreads itself automatically across all workstations in a network, causing a global epidemic. If you or a co-worker are not paying attention and accidentally open one of these phishing email attachments, you might infect not only your workstation but immediately everyone else’s computer too. As more information comes in regarding this strain of ransomware (also called WannaCry, WannaCrypt0r, WannaCrypt, or WanaDecrypt0r), we know that it is infecting computers based on someone in …

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Ways Your Employees Compromise Data Security

Last week’s blog included tips on how to be proactive in your network security. One of those ways was to train your personnel. This week we will discuss why it is so important to have a trained staff. Here are five ways employees can compromise your data security. Inside Job Thinking this is an inside job is the worst one to bring up, but we will just go ahead and get it right out of the way. Yes, sometimes your employees can be so mad about something that they will …

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Cerber Malware – The Latest and Greatest…Just Not for You

Cyber criminals are at it again, and their latest and greatest favorite malware strain is called Cerber. Just like it’s Greek mythology namesake, Cerberus (Hound of Hades), it packs a punch and keeps your head spinning. Last week, four of our customers were held ransom by Cerber. We immediately started double checking and shutting down any remaining RDP (remote desktop protocol) ports that were still open, and are working diligently to beef up security measures to protect against this strain of ransomware. You might wonder why the sudden outbreak in …

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Spring Cleaning for Your Computer

I’m not sure if anyone still goes through the “spring cleaning” process at homes, but we’ve got some tips for office spring cleaning to maintain your technology to keep it at top speeds and ensure it is the most reliable. Defrag Make sure all those little Tetris blocks are in the correct spot so your computer can find things faster and run more smoothly. Find the steps to defrag your computer here. Firewall Love Make sure it is turned on. Why? It’s a barrier between your computer network and the …

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Printer Security…Is that a Thing??

Printers. Every office has one, but do you think any more about it unless it isn’t currently working? Should you? The answer is yes. Printers can be one of the biggest risks to your network security. Per HP, “There are hundreds of millions of business printers in the world and less than 2% of them are secure”, which is a great thing for anyone wanting to wreak havoc in your organization. Listed below are some of the main threats and vulnerabilities found in printers and some ways to mitigate them. …

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Blythe Group

Blythe Group was formed in 1996 (formerly known as Blythe Design) and rebranded to encompass all of the services they offer. They are a full-service architecture firm, which means they handle conceptual design and programming, architecture, interior design and project management services. Blythe is a team of 8, which is one of the largest firms on the Western Slope of Colorado. Everyone on staff has a passion for creating unique, amazing projects, but they also strive to learn about their client’s wants and needs to enhance and customize each design …

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New Year, New Security Habits

With another year comes a whole slew of new resolutions. They always range from being a healthier person to being kinder or more patient, but what about your security habits? With cyber security hacks on the rise, have you thought about your online security? Passwords. With larger companies getting hacked, your safety is severely at risk. Are you making sure to change all passwords every time an announcement comes out? If not, you could be putting yourself at risk unnecessarily. The best practice is to update your password every couple …

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Daniels Law Group

Martelle Daniels graduated from the University of Denver, College of Law in 1983, thus beginning her career in the field of law. Growing up, she was always interested in politics and government. In 1987, she was appointed as Magistrate for the 21st Judicial District. During her tenure, she was named to the Child Support Commission and helped create the current child support guidelines and legislation. In 1994, Martelle hung up her Magistrate robe and ventured into private practice. She opened Daniels Law Group in 2005 and specializes in dissolution of …

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Malicious JPG Images on Social Media Spreading Locky Ransomware

IF YOU RECEIVE AN IMAGE FILE SENT BY SOMEONE, EVEN YOUR FRIEND, ON YOUR FACEBOOK MESSENGER, LINKEDIN OR ANY OTHER SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM, DO NOT CLICK ON IT. According to thehackernews.com, a new campaign attack has begun. This one is targeting all sorts of social media! Facebook Messenger and LinkedIn have reportedly been hijacked to spread the Locky Ransomware. Booby-trapping JPG images spread the ransomware. In some cases, you don’t even have to download the picture file; the malicious program forcibly downloads to your computer. Once the malware is in your system, …

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Your Data is More Valuable Than You Think

Big company or small business, your data is valuable to not only you but hackers too. Don’t ever think that your firm is “too small” to be the victim of an attack. According to a recent NY times article, sixty percent of all online attacks in 2014 targeted small and midsize businesses. That number has only been growing over the past few years. With the increase in popularity of ransomware and phishing scams, individuals and businesses at every level are more prone to be targeted. It is easy money for …