You may have seen the recent news about a broad hacking attack that’s been going on for over 18 months and has affected over 2,500 companies and government agencies. This long lasting attack appears to be coming from organized groups in Europe and China. What’s important to note is that in most cases the original target vector for these different types of hacks was email. Whether it was a phish that attempted to capture usernames and passwords, a link to an infected website or malicious payload in the message itself, email was the front door these hackers walked through.
It seems to be a function of human nature to believe that what we can’t see won’t hurt us. We see a door or a window and know they need a lock. We have ignition locks and anti-theft devices for our cars. We have bike locks and suitcase locks and trailer locks and gate locks…we even have locker locks. But, we seem to be happy with very basic or even no protection for our most valuable assets, our information. At Mailprotector we’ve always advocated and offered a multi-layered approach to data security, beginning with off network email virus & malware protection, then adding phishing detection as well as web traffic scanning & filtering. It’s this multi-layered approach that guards not only the front but the back and side doors of your data which provides a real deterrent to the criminals who want your information.
We live in a dangerous and competitive world where nefarious individuals and organizations around the world are just as close to you as the company next door. Remember…that internet connection goes both ways! Don’t let your business become a victim.
In a recent study researchers found that small botnets are causing big problems for enterprise networks.
Most botnets are doing more with less
The study tracked more than 600 botnets over a 3 month period. Most of the botnets studied, 57%, were comprised of 100 or fewer nodes. 21% of the botnets had 101 – 500 nodes. 17% of the botnets had between 500 – 10,000 nodes. Only 5% of the botnets had more than 10,000 nodes. Whenever we think of botnets we usually envision thousands of slave PCs being used for nefarious purposes. These smaller botnets are more specific in their targets and are not causing large network disruptions. They are harder to detect as a result. This study sheds new light on the botnet issue.
“Do-it-yourself” botnet kits are readily available
Many of these smaller botnets use tools from DIY kits that can be purchased or downloaded for free from various malware distribution sites. The ability to build tools to lurk on networks provides the hacker with tailored application to specifically target the items and information they want to access. Many of the tools that are being used to craft these specific applications even have backdoors that were created by the original developer. So now you have the hacker that created the custom application gathering information about the network as well as the creator of the original tools used to develop this custom application all collecting information about the enterprise network. Dangerous and scary!
Stop the botnets from attacking
Mailprotector’s services help to protect your email systems from botnets. We keep rogues from sending you unwanted spam and malware to your users. We also protect your email systems from sending spam or malware from within by users or rogue accounts. We’ll even provide you with a free 30 day trial so you can experience botnet-free messaging. Check out our services online or feel free to contact us to learn more.
You can read more details about this study at http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Security/Small-Botnets-Causing-Big-Security-Problems-for-Enterprises-275556/
It’s October! Football season, Halloween and National Cyber Security Awareness Month! Whether you’re the IT admin or the person that answers the ‘info@’ emails you should always stay abreast of cyber security threats.
The bad guys are constantly looking for new ways to get their spam or malware into your network. We’ve highlighted and discussed in our blogs numerous ways that the rogues operate. They’re a smart and crafty bunch. You just need to be aware of how they operate so you don’t fall into their traps.
Be aware
A well trained and aware staff can prevent security breaches from causing business disruptions and outages. If you have an awareness program in place then you’re addressing this issue head-on. If you’ve not implemented an IT security awareness program then there is no better time than now to start. There are daily news stories chronicling data and security breaches in large and small businesses. In many cases the reason the breach occurred was due to human error. You can have the best IT security systems in place but if you have just one person that has not been made aware of proper procedures then all of your IT security systems could be for naught.
Be prepared
Mailprotector’s services mitigate the email threats to your systems. People still need to be made aware of how they can help prevent cyber threats from creating havoc in the workplace. To learn more about what you can do visit Homeland Security’s site at http://www.dhs.gov/files/programs/gc_1158611596104.shtm.
by Tim Sullivan on September 29, 2009 · 0 comments
In an earlier post I discussed energy consumption savings when implementing server virtualization technologies. There are other savings you will realize when you move to a virtual computing environment. Not only can you substantially reduce your energy bills by virtualization but you can also save on hardware and software replacement costs. Virtualization allows you to host many virtual servers on fewer physical servers. Let’s say that you have an environment that has 5 servers running various business applications. When it’s time to replace these 5 servers you could purchase only a couple of servers to run all of these applications in virtual environments. Many businesses run legacy or custom software applications. Upgrading hardware often creates migration issues for moving these applications from their original server environment to their new server environment. If you can place these applications on virtual servers that have been imaged from the original server hardware then you could solve many software/hardware migration issues from occurring. Implementing virtual servers will translate to lower expenditures in numerous ways:
1. Purchase fewer physical servers
2. Use fewer man hours by either your IT staff or outside consultant to deal with migration issues
3. You won’t have to spend additional funds to update the legacy or custom software application(s)
4. Your staff won’t have to go through additional training for new and/or updated software applications and learn the new work flow
5. Reduction in energy consumption
Mailprotector can assist you with lowering your total hardware and software costs. We can provide you with hosted email services to keep your costs down. You don’t have to worry about updating your hardware or software. You don’t have to worry about spending money for IT staff or an outside consultant to work on your email systems. Mailprotector takes care of all of that for you. If you’re considering upgrading your email systems anytime soon and want to reduce your IT capital expenditures you should talk to us about our Hosted Exchange 2007 service or one of our Scan and Store options. We’ll be your virtual mail server providing all the service and support for your email infrastructure while you go on about your business. It’s an easy decision to make in these tough economic times.
by Tim Sullivan on September 25, 2009 · 0 comments
Going green can actually save you a bunch of “green”, as in money. How’s that? Well, if you’re reducing your energy consumption in the work place, at home, in your car then it’s highly likely you’ll be reducing your energy bills. There’s lots of small steps we can all take to reduce energy consumption: digital thermostats, easing off the gas pedal, flying commercial instead of taking the private jet. Simple stuff. In the technology world one of the biggest movements is virtualization in the data center. The idea is to reduce the number of physical servers. Virtualization technology allows you to build multiple virtual servers onto a single physical server. The fewer physical servers there are to power up then the less energy is consumed. I’ve seen reports that datacenter power consumption can be greatly reduced when virtualization is implemented (see slide 4 here as an example). It’s an innovative way to save some “green”.
Mailprotector has been helping customers be green and save “green” for a long time now. We’ve assisted by reducing the amount of power the customer needs to run their email infrastructure. Our Scan and Forward service blocks over 90% of all spam before it ever reaches the customers’ network. That means less bandwidth is consumed and less processing power is used by the customers’ gateway servers and mail servers. Our Hosted Exchange 2007 and Scan and Store services eliminate the need for a mail server to be on the customer site. Customers use less electricity since they don’t maintain mail servers at their facilities. By using less energy our customers are paying less for utilities. That’s a good thing to be able to save money, especially in these tight economic times.
by Tim Sullivan on September 21, 2009 · 0 comments
My wife forwarded me an email that one of her work colleagues had received from a CPA. The accountant had been contacted by a few clients asking about an email purportedly from the IRS. The gist of the message is the recipient has to click onto the URL that is included in the email to go to the IRS site to answer questions about unreported income. The email is bogus and the link probably goes to a site that will perform SQL injection or other such attack against the user’s PC.
There’s plenty of new email scams that use the cover of legitimate organizations. In the latest edition of the SANS Institute – Ouch! Newsletter they cite three such examples. This newsletter is geared to end users so they may stay abreast of the latest IT security threats. They’ll email the newsletter monthly if you sign up for it. In section 2, Scams and Hoaxes, here are three recent email scams they cite that I’ll share:
Purdue University Warns Affiliate Organizations of .com Email Scam
Organizations closely affiliated with Purdue have been targeted by scam emails claiming that the University is changing its domain name and urging recipients to update their weblinks. The embedded link points to a fraudulent Purdue homepage. Purdue University is not changing its domain name and has no plans to move its web offerings to “.com” site.
For more information click here.
Alarmist Swine Flu Emails
According to email warning messages, H1N1 (swine flu) is wiping out entire villages in parts of Asia and has already mutated into a more deadly strain. This information supposedly originates from experts at the US based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and The Johns Hopkins University. However, it is unsubstantiated and false, as are claims that the mutated version of the virus is set to reach the United States in coming months where it will kill six out of ten people and necessitate implementation of martial law.
For more information click here.
Bell Canada Phishing Scam
This email, which purports to be from Bell Canada, claims that due to a problem with a recent bill payment, the recipient is required to update his or her billing information or risk an interruption of service. The recipient is advised to follow a link in the message to confirm and update billing information. However, the message is not from Bell Canada. Instead, it is a phishing scam designed to steal personal and financial information from Bell Canada customers.
For more information click here.
If you’re responsible for the IT security of your organization these are great examples to share with your users as part of their ongoing security training and awareness. Email scams and hoaxes aren’t just from Nigeria anymore.
by Tim Sullivan on September 15, 2009 · 0 comments
Recently, there were shipments of laptop computers sent to governors’ offices in West Virginia, Vermont, Wyoming, and Washington state. These laptops were not purchased by the governors nor anyone in their offices. The purchases were made with credit cards in the names of each governor but not belonging to any of them. Two things stand out here that are incredibly frightening. First, why were these laptops sent to the governors? Secondly, is there ID theft involved since the credit cards used to purchase the laptops were in some of the governors’ names? The FBI has gotten involved now to learn if there is something nefarious about these free laptops.
The shipment of these mystery machines may be a new twist on the old Trojan horse attack or a newer spear-phishing method. I’ve read of reports of USBs being “gifted” to employees of targeted firms by a seemingly legitimate source. The employees would plug them into their laptop or PC only to unleash the malware that was contained on the USB. The malware would do it’s dirty work, compromise the network, “phone home” with information gleaned and wait for any other instructions to carry on further attacks.
Hopefully this story raises awareness in the mainstream. If it’s learned the laptops the governors were sent contain malware then it will become more clear as to why these machines were “gifted” to the governors. People should be diligent if they receive “free” computers, USBs, email solicitations, email attachments and the like from known or unknown sources. I once had an auditor tell me the best policy to follow is to trust but verify. Education is a key component in IT security. This story can be used to teach your computer users the proper way to handle “gifts” they may receive via FedEx or email.
by Tim Sullivan on September 10, 2009 · 0 comments
I read a recent Fortune article about AT&T’s iPhone offering. Apparently they didn’t anticipate that iPhones would be such bandwidth hogs. They were too excited about their exclusive deal with Apple and the lucrative margins they would earn from the associated voice & data plans. Well, the iPhone users tend to stay on their devices all the time sucking up lots of bandwidth and creating problems for AT&T’s mobile delivery infrastructure.
We at Mailprotector have decided to toss a lifesaver to AT&T to help them through these tough times. We’re offering all of our hosted email services to their business customers: Hosted Exchange 2007, Scan and Forward and Scan and Store. How will the Mailprotector services help alleviate the bandwidth issues for AT&T? There are estimates that 90% of all email traffic is spam related. Mailprotector is going to smack it down. Heck, we’ll even offer this wonderful deal to any business so they can save on their bandwidth costs, too. At Mailprotector, we’re all about helping others solve their messaging security and bandwidth problems.
H1N1 is the latest rage on the Internet, TV, radio, and print. You can’t help but hear about swine flu no matter where you go. A couple of the latest news stories I’ve read report that students at Emory and University of Kansas have been quarantined. I guess if you’re one of the healthy students at either of these fine institutions you’re most appreciative that the infected students have been sequestered. I mean, you really don’t want to be stuck next to a coughing, sneezing, sniffling, tissue carrying sicko in English Lit 101. Nope, keep those kids away from the healthy population.
Hey, that reminds me! Mailprotector’s award winning email security service quarantines viruses, too. That’s good – you definitely don’t want your network infected with malware, Trojans or H1N1. Mailprotector keeps all that bad stuff away from your systems. I guess it’s like vitamin C for your email.
Yep – H1N1 has gone viral. Hopefully it doesn’t go postal.
Have you ever been on the receiving end of a recorded call that starts off “Your car’s warranty is about to expire….” The first time I got one of those calls it scared the daylights out of me. I had thoughts of my transmission dropping out while driving my kids around. My kids aren’t mechanics and neither am I so we’d be in quite the pickle. The calls keep coming to your phones, home and mobile. How annoying is that? All I could think was that these guys are spamming me through my phone.
Well, there’s good news. Next Tuesday the feds will make it illegal for telemarketers to use robocalls. “American consumers have made it crystal clear that few things annoy them more than the billions of commercial telemarketing robocalls they receive every year,” FTC Chairman Jon Leibowitz said in a news release. You got that right! Just like spam we don’t have the time or patience to deal with this junk. The feds also enacted CAN-SPAM a few years back to deal with spam messages. It’s estimated that close to 90% of all email traffic is junk mail. Hopefully, the robocalls perpetrators won’t decide to move their operations offshore and use crazy call-routing schemes to keep the pressure up to persuade consumers they need new car warranties.
After next Tuesday I can rest a little easier. I won’t have to screen my calls as diligently as before. I only wish this law had included the annoying political phone calls that come around each election cycle. Oh well, no law is perfect but it’s a start.
