How to Implement an Internet Security Counter Attack

Courtest of Wikimedia Commons

By Hector Cisneros

For more than a decade, hackers and cybercriminals have been increasingly wreaking havoc on business, government and the general public. Cybercrime has increased by a 100-fold in the last decade. Now it’s time to counterattack! But how, you ask? By what means do we have to counter this ever-growing menace? The fact is, we always could stop most hack attacks in their tracks. It’s just that people and businesses and governments try to implement what I call the least effort most gain strategy. This does not work! What does work is to implement the tools available and to then continuously upgrading your capability to stop all threats. Plus, there are new security measures available to make it much harder to breach your defenses. By implementing new and time-tested measures to thwart cybercriminals dead in their tracks, you can safeguard your digital domain.

What are these new and tried and true security measures? How can a business, government, or individual protect themselves from the increasing threats of cybercrime? In this episode of Working the Web to Win, we will explore new security measures that have just been released by Google and other companies to help counterattack the latest hacking threats being perpetrated by cyber criminals and rogue nations. We will also provide a detailed security plan that will stop most cyberattacks in their tracks. This will provide the reader with a list of potential threats and a means to further thwart hack attacks. So, get ready to print out this article and bolster your security as we delve into the latest in internet security methods to counterattack those who hack.

The Latest on Cybercrime - Ransomware, Hack Attacks and Massive Data Breaches

By Hector Cisneros

Courtesy of Pixabay

It seems like yesterday that I wrote, "The Latest Hack Attack - Equifax Breach Exposes 143 Million Americans".  However, soon after that article I wrote, "Massive Data Leak Exposes 340 Million Americans Personal Data - Now What!". In fact, when I searched our blog on the term "data breaches", 11 articles showed in the list.  If I added internet security and hacking, I'd get another two dozen more articles listed. We are a marketing company, so you are probably wondering why I'm writing about cybercrime and hacking. Well, the fact is this; cybercrime has a direct affect on the amount of trust consumers place in the internet. Without a high level of trust, people won't buy or use the internet for research and shopping. Without that trust, we as a marketing company would be out of business. In this episode of Working the Web to Win, we will explore the latest, data breaches, hack attacks and ransomware events taking place in the USA. We will also provide a list of resources to help you protect yourself from becoming a victim of cybercrime. So be ready to have your confidence shaken and then restored as we explore the latest  Cybercrrimes, including Ransomware exploits, Hack Attacks and Massive data Breaches that have taken place recently.

The Growing Holiday Cyber Security Threat

By Hector Cisneros

Every year since the invention of malware, cyber-attacks have escalated. This is especially true during the holiday season. Every October, the U.S. government commemorates National Cyber Security Awareness Month, guided by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the National Cyber Security Alliance. My question is why don’t they declare the whole fourth quarter National Cyber Security Awareness Season instead. During the holidays, cybercriminals are all too aware of how people are distracted by their holiday plans. People become more careless online, especially on social media and this allows cybercriminals to take advantage of them. To make things worse, it’s extremely easy for anyone to acquire hacking and ransomware tools that are easy to deploy, without being a cybercriminal mastermind. In this episode of Working the Web to Win, we will explore the latest cyber holiday threats and provide our readers with tips, tools, and resources to counter these holiday Cyber-Grinches. So, put on your holiday cap to learn about what happens as the season of thieving nears.

How Close is the US to Experiencing a Digital Pearl Harbor?

By Carl Weiss

Courtesy of Flickr

  

December 7, 1941:  “A date which will live in infamy.” — Franklin D. Roosevelt

Who can ever forget President Roosevelt’s utterance of those fateful words that propelled the United States headlong into World War II?  The Japanese sneak attack that spurred our reluctant country into jo

ining the expanding European and Asian conflict 73 years ago is not forgotten.  However, what has been lost during the intervening decades is that the US had actually known, through a series of intercepted and decoded diplomatic communiqués, that a Japanese attack was imminent. Yet the administration did little to take defensive action.

36 Top Cyber Security Tips to Protect your Digital World

Courtesy of Navy.mil

By Hector Cisneros

We live in a world where we depend on our digital technology for everything from staying in touch with our family and friends to engaging in work and executing our financial transactions. What would happen if suddenly, your smartphone, tablet or computer was infected with malware or worse, hacked? Would you be able to secure your personal and business bank accounts? Would they have access to sensitive and vital information stored on your digital devices? A breach of your digital security like this could change your life forever! In this episode of Working the Web to win we will explore the probability of your digital world being hacked, what you can do if you are, and how to prevent hackers from ruining your digital life. So, get ready to sure up the security of your smartphone, tablets, and computers as we delve into Hector the Connectors Top Tips for Smartphones and Digital security.

Is Software-Based Cybersecurity Enough These Days?

 By Hector Cisneros

Image courtesy Pixabay

Not according to Microsoft, it isn’t.  On June 24, Microsoft announced that a Windows 11 requirement is that all new devices running the operating system be equipped with a Trusted Platform Module chip.  The TPM chip is either part of the motherboard or added to the CPU separately.  It functions as a kind of impenetrable wall designed to protect sensitive data like encryption keys, user credentials and other key identifiers at the hardware level.  After warning users for months of the high incidence of firmware attacks that hackers have been using to gain access to business users devices, it was apparent to Microsoft that software solutions alone were no longer an effective protection.

The Latest Hack Attack - Equifax Breach Exposes 143 Million Americans

Top things you Need to Know and Do

Courtesy of Flickr

By Hector Cisneros

For years we have been writing about the threat of hackers and their attacks on our institutions. Today the threat level has now evolved into an ongoing curse because the latest hack on Equifax will have long-lasting negative effects on millions of Americans for many years to come. In the past, we have written how our government has been asleep at the wheel when it comes to the threat of hack attacks. Now our personal and financial information is being exposed by hacks on companies like Equifax, who have been gathering our personal information for decades without our permission. This hack attack has compromised 143 million amercians and made us vulnerable to all kinds of fraud and financial devastation. In this episode of Working the Web to Win we will discuss the hard reality of this breach. We will discuss the outlook and its consequences and we will provide direction and solutions to help mitigate this horrendous long-term threat. So get ready to understand the the situation that 143 million of us are now in. So Take notes on what you have to do, because this problem is going to get a lot worse before it gets better.  

How Do I Hack Thee? Let Me Count the Ways – A Cyberstalking Primer

By Carl Weiss

Photo Credit: inspireleads.com

Valentine ’s Day, a day for sweethearts, lovers, married couples and anyone with love in their hearts. But what happens when love is lost? What happens in our modern society when ex-lovers, sweethearts and couples hit the skids and go their separate ways? What happens when one or both of the ex-enamored ones decided they didn’t get treated right, or worse, they decided to dish out some malevolent treatment of their own?

With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, I thought I’d take the time to give all of our readers a little lesson on what can happen when a former long, lost love refuses to get lost.  I’m talking about the all-too-common practice of cyberstalking.  Along with hacking, this technocrime is on the rise worldwide.  If you want to avoid being your significant other’s online punching bag, you need to take precautions before the rose becomes a thornier issue, if you hope to have a moment’s peace should your relationship go kaput.

The Latest on Cybercriminal Phishing Attacks with Fake Insurance Ads, Surveys & More

Courtesy of Pixabay

By Hector Cisneros

I have been writing about cybercrime for over seven years now, but this year I have seen a marked increase in targeted email phishing attacks based on my Baby-Boomer profile. Obviously, the boomers are coming of age, but I also attribute this increase to the recent massive cyber breaches at Yahoo, Equifax, Facebook, and other mega database holders. The massive Baby-Boomer population along with the above-mentioned massive breaches are all leading to a perfect cyber phishing storm because now cyber-criminals have everything they need to profile this population. In this episode of Working the Web to Win, we will explore the uptick in email phishing, its causes, its targets and what preventive measures you can take to prevent this perfect storm from sinking your cyber life. So, batten down your cyber hatches and get ready to be schooled on the latest cyber-criminal phishing attack along with the best ways to protect your cyber world.

The Newest Tech and Tech Trends for the New Year

Courtesy of  en.wikipedia.org

By Hector Cisneros

Do you love to discover the latest new technologies that seem to come out of nowhere each year? Are you one of those early adopters of leading edge techie people who take advantage of new technologies to stay ahead of the competition or do you love new tech just because it’s cool? Every year there are advances in technology. This year is no different. Some of the technologies we will talk about in this issue are revolutionary breakthroughs, others are technologies that are maturing to the point that their cost and usefulness are creating demand. Some of the items we will talk about are showcased at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. So if you’re ready to learn about many of the latest cool gadgets and inventions coming your way, read on and discover what’s new in tech this New Year, in this issue of Working the Web to Win.

The Crypto Crunch - Ransomware Run Amok

Courtesy of  commons.wikimedia.org

By Carl Weiss 

The Crypto Virus is unlike anything you have encountered in the past.  Sure, other forms of malware can disrupt your web browsing, slow your machine to a crawl or pop up an endless stream of annoying ads.  But this nasty bug has the ability to ratchet up your angst a number of ways.  That’s because not only can Crypto encrypt your hard drive and hold your machine for ransom, but it can also infect any other peripheral connected to it, including the cloud.  This is the same virus that so infected the servers of a local police department in Georgia that when the cops asked the FBI what to do, the feds told them to pay the ransom.  Before your wired world gets turned upside down and your computers are held hostage, you had better read on so you can beef up your immunity to the nastiest bug in Cyberspace.

Thwarting Cyber Thieves (Reprinted from https://insuranceorangepark.blogspot.com)

Image Courtesy flickr

As a marketing company, we have been warning about the dangers of cybercriminals since 2012. We believe that cybercrime is not only a threat to the trustworthiness of Internet ecommerce structure, but it is also a direct threat to the very freedoms we hold so dear as Americans. We have written extensively about this subject. In fact, any search on cybercrime or Cybersecurity will bring forth a list of dozens of articles. Today's episode of Working the Web to Win comes to us from one of our favorite clients, Catherine Powell, the owner of A Plus All Florida Insurance of Orange Park. Her article delves right into the heart of cybercrime and how it can drastically, negatively affect your life.  So without further a due, read and share - Thwarting Cyber Thieves.

36 Social Media Myths and How to Slay Them – Part 3 of 3

By Hector Cisneros

Courtesy of Pixabay

For some, social media has been a godsend. It has been the great equalizer for the masses, allowing the everyday person to stand up against companies that provide poor products or services. For small businesses that are consumer-oriented, it has been a blessing because of the testimonials and high ratings they receive, allowing them to compete with big business. But for some, social media has been a curse! Any business or person who has ever been hacked, scammed, bullied or wrongfully vilified in any way knows how dreadful and relentless social media can be. It is a two-edged sword that cuts both ways. Both the positive and negative aspects of social media create myths. Sometimes, it’s because what was once great about a particular platform is now gone. Other times it’s because a one-time negative event began a bad memory that became a legend. In this episode of Working the Web to Win, which is also the third installment of “36 Social Media Myths”, we will continue with myths 25 through 36 to finish the countdown. I also recommend reading Part 1 and Part 2 of this series to get the big picture. We will include a few hidden tidbits along the way as well. So, roll up your sleeves and get ready to write down the last 12 myths as we explore the top “36 Myths in Social Media”.

New Year, New Internet Rules

By Carl Weiss

Courtesy of AF-Mil

Another year has come and gone and WWW still means The Wild, West West for many of you.  I hope you got your end-of-the-year celebrating out of the way because I’ve some news for you.  Since the world didn’t come to an end on December 21st, we are all going to have to keep pace with the changes that are in the works for 2013.  When it comes to the World Wide Web, don’t expect business as usual in the coming year.  So if you are in the “Forewarned is forearmed” camp, here are the five online areas you need to stay focused on in 2013.

Cybercriminals Do It in the Dark - Your Information for Sale on the Dark Web?

Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

By Hector Cisneros

The Dark Web! It’s a term you hear people bantering about quite a bit today. Are hackers buying and selling your info on the Dark Web! Are cybercriminals using the Dark Web as a means of attacking our government, our businesses, and our personal digital devices with impunity? What are the costs and the dangers we currently face?  There is no doubt in my mind this problem has mushroomed because of the cybersecurity incompetence of companies like Equifax, Yahoo, and others that have allowed cybercriminals to gain access to our personal data. The headlines about the Russians hacking our political system has finally brought to the forefront the danger that cybercrime brings. Today, our government needs to declare war on cybercrime if we want to keep this peril at bay. In this episode of Working the Web to Win, we will explore the current threat cybercrime is exposing us to, we will look at the ongoing cost, and we will look at what could and should be done to ameliorate this threat. So, press on to learn how to mitigate your risks and hide your digital footprints as we tackle the perils of the Dark Web and the sale of your personal data.

The Internet of Things (IoT) Give Birth to Star Trek Like Healthcare

By Hector Cisneros

Courtesy of Flickr

If you ask the average person if they want to be healthy, live longer, be more active in their retirement years, you would get a big fat "YES", as the answer almost every time. What if you asked - If we could make going to the doctor for a check up - painless, quick, easy you would get a big fat "YES". But what if we said that we could gather all your health vitals remotely using a health scanner followed by a five minute video teleconference once a year, if no problems are found. Wouldn't that even be better. Again the answer would be a big fat "YES". 

So If I told you we have Star Trek like technology available now that could provide all your vital health information and could eliminate most doctor visits, what would you say? Most people would say, "You're kidding, right!". But I wouldn't be kidding! In this episode of Working the Web to Win, we will explore the exploding healthcare IoT (Internet of Things) industry that is making Star Trek like healthcare a reality for many consumers in the 21st Century. So read on about the rapidly evolving IoT of healthcare and how it will affect your personal health in the present if you so choose.

How Smart is a Smart Home? Reprinted from Life Happens 365

Courtesy of  Flickr

Smart Homes are all the rage these days, but are the all they are cracked up to be? Can you actually do all the things the commercials say without things going haywire or worse?? Are they easily hacked? Can you protect your Smart House like a regular home? Our client Diane Tait from  A & B Insurance wrote this great article posted on her blog called Life Happens 365. We loved this article so much that we decided to reprint it in its entirety here on our blog and share it with all of our regular readers. So enjoy this article and then share it with your friends. Make sure you heed her warnings as well. At the end of the article we will supply some additional links to help with cyber security as well. So without any further Adu, read "How Smart is a Smart Home?".

Top Five Greatest Garage Gurus

By Carl Weiss

Courtesy of Flickr

A number of tech startups from Apple to HP and others got their start in the humble garage. Our own city of Jacksonville Florida has been the birthplace and host, to one of the world's first creativity, startup and crowdfunding festivals called OneSpark. With all the growth in the tech industries, I can't help but be excited about startups. So in this article, I will countdown the top 5 Garage Gurus of all time. We will also look at where the next titans of tech are likely to come from as well as what the garage startup has evolved into now that tech business incubators and cowork space abound.

The Doc in the eBox

Courtesy of  en.wikipedia.org

By Carl Weiss

As healthcare grows ever more expensive and complicated, more and more people are turning to the Internet for everything from diagnosis to treatment options.  More telling still is the fact that doctors are also using the web for everything from consultation to telesurgery.  Even computer giant IBM has anted up, retooling their Jeopardy winning Watson computer into Dr. Watson the diagnostician.  For those of us who lead active lives, not to mention the mobility impaired, turning to the doc in the “eBox” can not only save time, but lives.

Does Ransomware Make you Want to Cry?

How Hacker Threats are Turning the Internet into a Financial Minefield

Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

By Hector Cisneros

Every year since 2011, we have been writing about the tremendous threat that internet hacking poses. The number of hacks has continuously gone up every year since then. The financial cost has skyrocketed, and the number of lives this menace affects is mind boggling. In this episode of Working the Web to Win, we will cover how this threat exploits your digital life, we will explore new ways to protect yourself, and we will provide a checklist of items that must be deployed to stop these hack attacks in their tracks.