Less than 30 days till Windows 7 is no longer supported.

On January 15th Microsoft will be ending support for Windows 7.  This does not mean that your computer will stop working, however, you will get a popup warning from Microsoft...  What is does mean is that Microsoft will no longer be providing patches, this can leave your network and data vulnerable to compromise.. 

You do have options, and depending on the age of the actual PC hardware, you may be able to simply run an upgrade on the operating system software.  This is also a good time to look at upgrading your hardware that would include an upgrade to Windows 10. 

If you need help or want more information on what this means please call me at 817.505.1257 or schedule a time with me at https://calendly.com/robertblake/30min

I will be happy to discuss your options for upgrading your windows or any other computer needs you may have.

Bit by bit helps client networks run smooth and secure.. visit our website at www.bitxbit.com

Data Breaches Reach New Highs

2019 has been a notorious year for data breaches, a reality that is playing out in front page headlines and major industry studies. According to Risk Based Security’s Q3 2019 Data Breach Report, it’s the worst ever recorded in history. 

The year’s third quarter saw a year-over-year increase of 112% in the total records exposed. Unfortunately, this isn’t all attributable to the high-volume data breaches at major corporations. This year, SMBs, government agencies, and educational institutions are also seeing an uptick in cybersecurity incidents, together creating a 33.3% increase in the total number of breaches for the year. 

Notably, many of these data breaches were avoidable. From misconfigured databases to phishing attacks, businesses have many options at their disposal for proactively protecting their most sensitive information. There is no indication that this recent data breach trend is likely to abate anytime soon, so businesses of every size have plenty of reasons to ensure that negligence isn’t the cause of yet another data catastrophe.

https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2019/11/14/breaches-2019/

Bit by bit helps client networks run smooth and secure.. visit our website at www.bitxbit.com

Australian Cybersecurity Personnel Are On the Verge of Burnout

For companies around the world, the threat of a data breach is becoming ever-present. This reality is especially pronounced in Australia, where cybersecurity professionals are reporting fatigue and burnout as they battle the litany of threats facing their companies. According to the 2019 Asia Pacific CISO Benchmark Study, the burnout rate among Australian organizations is more than double the global average of 30%. 

In total, 69% of Australian organizations are receiving more than 100,000 cybersecurity alerts every day, significantly higher than the global average. At the same time, the survey, which polled 2,000 information-security professionals, found that Australian organizations were slower to respond to data breaches than companies in other countries. Such behavior compounds costs, as 84% of Australian businesses that experienced a data breach admitted that the expenses exceeded $1 million, a significantly higher sum than other countries in the region. 

SMBs are already struggling to hire sufficient cybersecurity personnel, so supporting IT professionals is a critical component of any company’s cybersecurity initiatives. Fortunately, they don't have to do it alone. The supportive services of an MSP can augment capabilities, lightening the load on in-house cybersecurity professionals.
https://www.cso.com.au/article/668151/surging-breach-alert-identity-burdens-fatiguing-security-practitioners-australia-more-than-anywhere-else/

Bit by bit helps client networks run smooth and secure.. visit our website at www.bitxbit.com

Google Has Access to Personal Health Information of Millions of US Patients

Recently Google partnered with Ascension - one of the largest health systems in America - but did so quietly. This partnership allows Google access to all of Ascension's patients' data. Ascension operates 150 hospital 21 states.

The effort was code named "Project Nightingale," and has allowed some Google employees access to data including names, birth dates, addresses, family members, allergies, immunizations, radiology scans, hospitalization records, lab tests, medications, medical conditions, and even some billing records. 

The current agreement does not appear to be a violation of HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act). Google has been looking to expand their health information efforts, including plans to acquire Fitbit. However, Google has responded to the news of the partnership to say the data will not be used other than to assist Ascension medical providers.

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/11/business/google-ascension-health-data.html

Bit by bit helps client networks run smooth and secure.. visit our website at www.bitxbit.com

Italian Precision Engineering Companies Hit with Spear Phishing Campaign

Italian precision engineering companies are the latest victims of spear phishing attacks that trick employees into compromising personally identifiable information, login credentials, or other sensitive data. 

The attacks are arriving in employees’ inboxes disguised as authentic-looking inquiries from potential customers. The emails appear with a seemingly innocuous Microsoft Excel spreadsheet that actually contains a fileless trojan capable of capturing users’ credentials. 

The Excel spreadsheet is filled with lists of spare parts, real catalog codes, and other ordering information, making the attacks especially difficult to identify. In addition, the emails are being sent under the guise of international textile producers, a viable client for precision engineering companies.

Currently, only a fraction of antivirus software detects credential stealing malware, which underscores the importance of cybersecurity best practices for protecting company data. Holistic employee awareness trainingequips employees to spot phishing scams and trains them to follow cybersecurity best practices with a simple, streamlined solution.

https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/phishing-campaign-targets-precision-engineering-company/

Bit by bit helps client networks run smooth and secure.. visit our website at www.bitxbit.com

Dark Web Trends

healthcare data is targeted by cyber criminals, lax account security compromises PII, and Australian cybersecurity specialists are on the verge of burnout.

Dark Web ID Trends:Top Source Hits: ID Theft Forums
Top Compromise Type: Domain 
Top Industry: Finance & Insurance
Top Employee Count: 1 - 10 Employees 

Bit by bit helps client networks run smooth and secure.. visit our website at www.bitxbit.com

3,000 Fort Worth Water Department Customers Victims of Data Breach

About 3,000 Fort Worth residents who used credit cards to pay their water bills online may have had their personal information stolen, the water department said Thursday.

BREAKING NEWS Thursday, December 05, 2019 3,000 Fort Worth Water Department Customers Victims of Data Breach About 3,000 Fort Worth residents who used credit cards to pay their water bills online may have had their personal information stolen, the water department said Thursday. VIEW STORY »

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