Quick Intelligence Blog

Ransomware is malicious software designed to make your data inaccessible by encrypting files on your computers and network. The cybercriminal that sent the ransomware will then ask you for a substantial ransom to unencrypt your files.

(Image courtesy Trend Micro)

Defence-in-depth is what cybersecurity experts refer to as a complete strategy of securing your network environment. It involves detecting threats and protecting network endpoints. The question does arise, do you need a defence-in-depth strategy? Can a business rely on detection versus protection?

Malware is defined as software that has malicious intent. Malware can delete files, change your browser path, or create what’s known as a C&C (Command & Control) connection to an external server, allowing a hacker to connect directly to your PC without you knowing. Yes, you should worry about malware, as it can cause you all kinds of headaches, such as running silently and hidden in the background and stealing your credentials when you log in.

Protecting yourself and your data online can seem like a daunting task. The difficulty is tied to several factors, such as, how many data “assets” do you have that need to be protected, how many employees, how many locations, and how many Internet connections you may have. Generally speaking, the more complex your environment is, the more difficult protecting yourself can be. Add to that the types of data your organization is trying to protect, and how high profile of an organization you may be, can also play a role in the difficulty of protecting yourself.

Malware is loosely defined as software that, when installed on your pc, laptop, mobile device or server, does things that you really don’t want it to do. It could delete files, change your browser path, or create what’s known as a C&C (Command & Control) connection to an external server, allowing a hacker to connect directly into your PC without you knowing. It can run silently and hidden in the background, stealing your banking credentials when you log into the bank.

Computer viruses are bits of computer code that are designed to perform a specific purpose and are usually designed to propagate from one computer to another on a network. Just like viruses in the human body, a virus on a computer or network can make that computer “sick” meaning it doesn’t function the way it’s supposed to.

Nowadays, the digital equivalent of the wild west is called the Dark Web. The dark web is a subset of the internet that is intentionally hidden and not indexed. To access the Dark Web, a specific browser, like Tor, is required. Unavailable to the casual internet user, the Dark Web houses a treasure trove of stolen information, offering it for sale and trade on chat groups and online forums.

A firewall is software or hardware that sits at the edge of your network, between your company and the Internet. It’s designed to keep hackers out and to allow legitimate connections into your network if needed. Legitimate connections may include access to email, access to a company website or corporate cloud apps.

They say a fence is only as strong as its weakest link, that holds true with cyber security as well. With most companies outsourcing services to companies like yours (and ours!), what we do to protect ourselves directly impacts the overall cyber security postures of our customers.