Cybersecurity

The FBI has issued a Public Service Announcement (PSA) warning users of smart home device with cameras and voice capabilities to use complex, unique passwords and enable two-factor authentication to help protect against “swatting” attacks. Smart home device manufacturers recently notified law enforcement that offenders have been using stolen e-mail passwords to access smart devices with cameras and voice capabilities and carry out these attacks.

A group made up of 19 security firms, tech companies, and non-profits, headlined by big names such as Microsoft and McAfee, have announced plans to form the Ransomware Task Force (RTF), a new group that will focus on assessing existing technical solutions that provide protections during a ransomware attack. The end result should be a standardized framework for dealing with ransomware attacks across verticals, one based on an industry consensus rather than individual advice received from lone contractors.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has posted a blog with tips for preventing ransomware infections at businesses. The blog begins with an overview of ransomware, reminding its readers that attacks aren’t just directed at large corporations and adding, “every company is a potential target.” After going through a list of steps to take to protect against ransomware, the blog addresses the potentially tricky question of whether to pay. On this, it notes that, for one thing, paying the ransom doesn’t guarantee the victim will get their data back.

With the recent, high-profile cyber incidents involving FireEye and SolarWinds, Microsoft has shared information and issued guidance about increased activities from a sophisticated threat actor that is focused on high value targets such as government agencies and cybersecurity companies.