Master Solutions Blog

If you’re not familiar with ransomware, we wish we lived in the same universe you’ve been living in the past decade. It’s a serious problem for all types and sizes of businesses, not to mention its impact on individuals, governments, and world organizations. Today, we want to go over some of the latest ransomware tactics in use as of 2024.

Mobile malware might not have a lot of attention on it, but it can be a significant problem for organizations that rely on smartphones. This goes double for small businesses that typically don’t have the large teams and big budgets for their mobile strategies that include devices, data and phone plans, and security controls. Today, we’ll look at mobile malware and how an organization with a limited budget can keep it from impacting its business.

If you’re in the know about cybersecurity and, specifically, mobile malware, you might have heard the name XLoader in the past. The malware has gone through considerable versions and variations, allowing it to steal information from users in more than seven countries, but the most recent is incredibly scary.

2023 was a banner year for AI (Artificial Intelligence), as it truly entered the zeitgeist in a way that it previously had failed to. Many companies and industries have considered ways to implement AI and make it part of their operations, while others might be fearful of it for its role in job scarcity. However, 2024 might show businesses that they should be worried about AI for a reason you might not have anticipated: AI-generated cyberthreats.

Remember the era when antivirus software, like most computer programs, came packaged in hefty textbook-sized boxes on store shelves? Fortunately, those days are over. Today, there are a myriad of antivirus options available with a very basic Google search. Having so many options can overwhelm someone looking for basic protection for themselves, so today we thought we would look at free antivirus and whether or not it can be an option. 

Ensuring that your computer's software stays up to date is always crucial for security and for the performance of the software. Outdated operating systems, web browsers, or other essential applications can result in malfunctions and expose you to potential threats. It's important to be aware that hackers can disguise malware as critical web browser updates.

With so many businesses putting time and effort to cultivate an active following on social media, it only makes sense that cybercriminals try to get a piece of the pie.

A new malware strain particularly targets Facebook business accounts to run malicious advertising campaigns on your dime.

Perhaps the most dangerous and notorious modern malware, ransomware affects businesses and industries without any regard to size or scope. It can even impact individual users and get away with it. We urge businesses to consider the other dangers associated with ransomware beyond just paying the ransom, as they extend far beyond and could have lasting impacts on your operations.

The more complex and robust your IT infrastructure is, the greater the chances that it will undergo a system failure. Basically, according to Murphy’s Law, if something can go wrong, you should expect it to go wrong. To counteract this mentality with real, tangible methods that you can control, you’ll want to implement solutions that prioritize redundancy. This week’s blog is all about how you can build redundancy into your infrastructure through the use of data backup and restoration systems.

Have you ever heard of what’s called a phishing attack? These are scams that are designed to trick users into handing over sensitive credentials by appearing to be someone else. However, some types of phishing scams are much more dangerous than others, with some hackers feeling ambitious enough to pull in “a big catch.” These types of attacks are called “whaling,” or the imitation of executive authority in order to get what they desire.

Ransomware is a major problem in both the personal and private sectors of computing, but up until very recently, Apple users had little to fear from potential ransomware hacks. Security researchers at Palo Alto Networks have discovered what’s known to be the first completed ransomware on an Apple device. The threat, called KeRanger, is officially “in the wild,” and is a danger to any Mac user.

Today’s various versions of ransomware are dangerous. By forcibly locking down important files on a victim’s computer, threats like CryptoLocker and CryptoWall are posing significant threats to both businesses and ordinary computer users. However, a new type of ransomware has appeared called CryptoJoker; and we assure you, there’s nothing funny at all about this one.

Cyber security continues to be a major pain point for small and medium-sized businesses, even if they’re taking the fight to the latest threats with solutions like antivirus and firewalls. Significant progress has been made, yet new threats are born every day. In fact, you might be surprised to find out that a monstrous 27.3 percent of all malware in the world was created just last year. 

Any business worth their gigabytes will practice extreme caution when surfing the Internet. Hackers tend to make users’ lives more difficult, even for those who are part of a small or medium-sized business. Teaching your employees security best practices in hopes that they’ll avoid suspicious websites isn’t a foolproof strategy, and thanks to malvertising, ensuring that your organization stays secure is more difficult.

Computer users, beware; there’s an intrusive malware spreading across the Internet that’s capable of locking users out of their web browsers and redirecting them to fake IT support phone numbers. The hacker’s goal is likely to steal sensitive information from users, so it’s especially important that you don’t call this fake phone number.

ATMs are probably everyone’s favorite kind of computer. You swipe your card, enter in your PIN, and withdraw cash immediately. Many people forget that an ATM is simply a computer in disguise, though; one that can be infected with malware just as easily as any old PC can. A new type of ATM malware, GreenDispenser, is making its rounds in Mexico, and could potentially make its way to other countries if left unchecked.

Malware and viruses are so common nowadays in the technology world that it’s no surprise when new ones are created. Thus, it should come as no surprise that hackers are looking to spread smartphone malware to unsuspecting users around the world. Kemoge, a new malicious adware for the Android mobile operating system, has spread to 20 countries, and is taking the mobile device world by storm.

In the wake of a ransomware takeover, it seems like the world can’t go a few months without some sort of data loss disaster occurring. The antics of hackers grow more dangerous and difficult to dodge, and IT departments have their hands full dealing with the fallout. What’s keeping you from contracting this ransomware, and how can you keep your business from suffering its consequences?

With spring arriving, “winter is coming” as the new season of the critically-acclaimed television series Game of Thrones returns to millions of viewers worldwide. Ironically, there’s also a type of malware gaining traction in the online community that matches its bark with its bite, aptly dubbed Dyre Wolf. This threat has the potential to cost businesses as much as $1.5 million per hack, and takes advantage of the ever-common spear phishing tactic.

Normally, you can trust the software that comes preinstalled on a new computer. Unfortunately, this isn’t the case with the shopping-search app Superfish, which came installed on every Lenovo device sold between September and December 2014. If you’ve got the Superfish app on your computer, then you need to remove it before it does some superbad damages. Here’s how you do it.