Keep Yourself Secure from Hackers | Corona, CA

Data Breach

During this election season, you hear all about other countries hacking our elections and trying to rig it every which way. It has all of us on edge, because even our social media accounts can get compromised. Since October 2004, the National Cyber Security Division within the Department of Homeland Security and the National Security Alliance has sponsored National Cyber Security Awareness Month.

National Cyber Security Awareness Month is focused on encouraging individuals to be cautious and to use protection while accessing the internet. Let’s face it – the internet impacts our lives on a daily basis. We use the internet to connect with family and friends, to handle business and banking online and rely on it for many other services, like electricity and even transportation, which are supported by online systems. Technology has prompted advancements in life as we know it.

And while technology does help our lives, it also makes us more vulnerable to risks of theft, fraud and abuse. No one is immune to cyber risks at this point. As individuals, cybersecurity risks can threaten our identities, finances and privacy. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to keep yourself, your assets and personal information safe online:

  • Create strong passwords and do not share them with anyone.
  • Keep operating system, browser and other critical software’s up to date by installing updates.
  • Raise awareness by talking openly with your family, friends and community about internet safety.
  • Limit the amount of personal information you share online and use privacy setting to avoid sharing information widely
  • Be very cautious about what you receive or read online.

Call Up & Running Computer Solutions in Corona, CA for help with your computer issues at 951-737-8558. Learn more at our website at www.urcs.net.

Up & Running Computer Solutions proudly serves Corona and all surrounding areas.

Ransomware Attacks: June 2020 | Corona, CA

In this day and age, ransomware cyberattacks are happening every 11 seconds on various industries, making it a big business – a big business that is estimated to cause $20 billion worth of damage by 2021. Manufacturing and government are the hardest hit according to industry, the United States by country.

Ransomware attacks surged again in the month of June with Covid-19 related phishing techniques still proving popular with cybercriminals. Notable attacks include Honda, who had their European operations significantly affected, and the University of California who reportedly paid $1.14 million to recover academic data related to its Covid-19 research. Here is a roundup of the incidents we uncovered:

We start the month in South Africa with telecoms firm Telkom SA SOC Ltd. We found limited coverage of the incident, but it was reported that the attack led to outages across several systems with remote staff unable to connect to the servers or VPN.

Up next is Columbia College in Chicago who were attacked just one week after the attack on Michigan State University. On the Netwalker blog the cybercriminals claimed to have exfiltrated very highly- sensitive data during the attack.

Hackers continued their spree on US colleges when they hit the University of California on the same day. Important Covid-19 research was encrypted during the attack and the school paid out $1.14 million to recover the data.

The City of Florence in Alabama became the next victim on June 5 when an attack shut down the city’s email system. The city reportedly paid over $250K to recover the encrypted data.

The next attack took place at VT San Antonio Aerospace, the US subsidiary of ST Engineering Aerospace in Singapore. The ransomware attack resulted in the exposure of confidential data including government contracts.

Automotive giant Honda suffered an Ekans ransomware attack which targeted its offices in the United States, Europe and Japan. The attack forced many offices to shut down in what was likely the most publicized ransomware incident of the month.

Earlier in the month Australian beverage giant Lion disclosed they had been the victim of a cyberattack, they later confirmed it was ransomware. The company’s data was said to be available on the Dark Web but at the time of writing the company did not have any evidence of data being exfiltrated.

Over to New Mexico next where nuclear missile contractor Westech International was the victim of a Maze ransomware attack. Hackers were able to access sensitive employee information, but it is still unconfirmed whether any classified military information was accessed.

Next up is Norwegian shipbuilder Vard, Europe’s first attack of the month. Local reports indicate that company servers were hit with an encryption attack which led to downtime. The overall extent of the damage has not yet been disclosed.

Fisher and Paykel, a whitegoods manufacturer based in New Zealand disclosed they had been targeted by Nefilim. Although quickly identified, the hackers did disclose an initial leak of the company’s corporate files on the Dark Web.

New York company Threadstone Advisors, a mergers and acquisitions firm whose client list includes Victoria Beckham, were hit by Maze ransomware. The gang insists that they had exfiltrated and encrypted the company’s data.

An overnight attack hit the City of Knoxville in Tennessee. Fortunately emergency services were not affected in the attack but by the time it was noticed by the IT department the ransomware had already encrypted multiple systems. Knoxville joins a list of affected cities including Atlanta, Baltimore, Denver and New Orleans.

Back to Europe now where this time it was European Energy giant Enel Group. The incident was the work of the Snake ransomware group who were also responsible for the attack at Honda earlier in the month.

Rhode Island-based Care New England (CNE) was victim of a cyberattack that hit its servers on June 16. The suspected ransomware attack forced the shutdown of its website and other internal systems.

Up next is Florida based ConnectWise who hit the headlines when it was revealed that their partners were hit by ransomware through a software flaw in their platform.

Electronics giant LG is reportedly being threatened by the Maze ransomware gang, however at the time of writing no official statement had been issued by the company.

Closing out the month is another suspected attack on car giant Mitsubishi. The Doppelpaymer gang are allegedly threatening to leak data from the organization, although at the time of writing there has been no official statement from the company.

To read more about the ransomware attacks of 2020, click here.

Call Up & Running Computer Solutions in Corona, CA for help with your computer issues at 951-737-8558. Learn more at our website at www.urcs.net.

Up & Running Computer Solutions proudly serves Corona and all surrounding areas.

Staying Virus-Free | Corona, CA

Now that we have been quarantined to our homes, we are using the internet more than ever in order to keep ourselves entertained. Coronavirus has taken over our lives, but there is one more virus we need to keep in mind – the computer virus. Because we are going to be using the internet for things like searching for information, work, shopping, schoolwork and even banking, it is important that we prevent our computers vulnerable to hackers with the personal information held in there. Here are a few tips to lower your risk of contracting a virus:

Anti-virus software. Having an anti-virus program installed is a great benefit for your computer. The ant-virus programs scan for viruses that try to get into your emails, operating system or files. Make sure your anti-virus is set to update automatically for the most protection.

Install a firewall. Firewalls can help alert you of any suspicious activity, while also blocking viruses, hackers or worms from attempting to download malicious programs onto your computer. Some systems have a built-in firewall but are usually shipped in “off” mode, so be sure to turn your firewall on. Make sure to keep your firewall updated regularly.

Pop-up blocker. Avoid clicking on pop-up ads by using a pop-up blocker. Most pop-ups are created by advertisers, but they may contain a harmful or unsafe code.

Use spam filters. Emails can contain computer viruses, so before opening an email, make sure you’re receiving it from a known address or sender.

Strong passwords. Make sure to choose a strong password to protect yourself for potential hackers. Don’t choose something simple as your password; some hackers have a program that can try every single word in the dictionary.

Call Up & Running Computer Solutions in Corona, CA for help with your computer issues at 951-737-8558. Learn more at our website at www.urcs.net.

Up & Running Computer Solutions proudly serves Corona and all surrounding areas.

Is It Malware or a Virus? | Corona, CA

headache over computer problems

In a world where it seems everything is getting hacked, it is easy to panic when something goes wrong with your computer equipment. The slightest glitch or stall and we are thinking the worst. And when we think of the worst thing that can happen to this equipment, we will generally think about computer viruses. Yes, the evil computer virus is the original enemy of the typical computer user, and in this day and age, it is impossible to not use some type of computer in our daily lives.

Then you hear about malware and a whole new set of questions and concerns come to mind. Let’s break it down – a virus is just one kind of malware, but the actual term is largely used by the public and the only way to protect yourself is to have some type of an anti-virus. The following are various types of malware designed to infect your computer or mobile device:

Adware. Adware is the least dangerous and most profitable malware. It displays ads on your computer.

Spyware. This software spies on you by tracking your internet activity in order to send adware back to your machine.

Worms. A worm replicates itself and destroys data and files on your computer until the drive is completely empty.

Trojan horse. One of the most dangerous malwares, Trojans are designed to discover your financial information and take over your computer’s system resources.

Ransomware. If you see a screen that warns you that you have been locked out of your computer until you pay for your “cybercrimes”, you have ransomware.

Call Up & Running Computer Solutions in Corona, CA for help with malware protection at 951-737-8558. Learn more at our website at www.urcs.net.

Up & Running Computer Solutions proudly serve Corona and all surrounding areas.

Secure Your Cyber Fortress | Corona, CA

Data BreachWithin the Department of Homeland Security lies the National Cyber Security Division. Every October they team up with the National Security Alliance to sponsor National Cyber Security Awareness Month, every October to focus on encouraging individuals to be cautious and to use protection while accessing the internet.

Seems every time we blink there is a new story about someone getting hacked or their identity stolen. And since we use the internet to connect with family and friends, to handle business and other services supported by online systems. Technology has prompted advancements in business, healthcare, music, government and many other industries. Unfortunately, as things become easier, they are also more prone to tampering. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to keep yourself, your assets and personal information safe online. So, in honor of National Cyber Security Month, take a look at your current online presence. If you find you could be too exposed, follow these helpful tips. They can not only help you to stay safe from identity theft and other account tampering, but it can also protect your family and friends:

  • Create strong passwords and keep them private by downloading apps and other resources available to protect your passwords from being stolen
  • Keep operating system, browser and other critical software up-to-date
  • Limit the amount of personal information you share online and use privacy setting to avoid sharing information widely
  • Be very cautious about what you receive or read online – if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is

Call Up & Running Computer Solutions in Corona, CA for help with your backup equipment at 951-737-8558. Learn more at our website at www.urcs.net.

Up & Running Computer Solutions proudly serve Corona and all surrounding areas.

3 World Famous Hackers

Now there are actually two types of hackers. First, you have the type of hackers that are often portrayed by Hollywood as antisocial nerds that are out to rule the online world by breaking into secure networks and screwing things up. Second, you have the type of hackers who just enjoy fiddling around with software source code and hardware.

For those that don’t know, the term “hacker” originally referred to the second type, which didn’t have any malicious implications. However, recently the term is primarily used to describe criminal masterminds. There are both good and bad hackers. These days, harmless hackers are called “white hats”, while the more mischievous hackers are called “black hats”.  I have complied a list of three famous hackers that are termed black hats, and include the following:

Jonathan James- Jonathan James, known as “c0mrade” in the cyber world, was convicted of and sent to prison for hacking the United States government agencies. This all happened while he was a minor.  At the age of just fifteen, James managed to hack into networks, including those belonging to NASA and the U.S. Department of Defense.

James hacked into NASA’s network and downloaded enough source code to learn how the International Space Station operated. The total value of the assets he downloaded equaled nearly 1.7 million. To top it off, NASA had to shut down their network for three weeks while they investigated, which ended up costing them $41,000.

Kevin Mitnick- Kevin Mitnick was deemed the “most wanted” computer hacker in U.S. history. After Mitnick served his time for hacking into Digital Equipment Corporation’s network, he was let out for three years of supervised release. However, near the end of that period he went on a two and a half year hacking spree. This hack spree involved breaching national defense warning systems and stealing corporate secrets.

He was eventually caught and convicted, resulting in a five year prison sentence. After Mitnick served his time, he became a consultant and public speaker for computer security. Mitnick now runs Mitnick Security Consulting, LLC.

Kevin Poulsen- Kevin Poulsen, also known as “Dark Dante”, gained his fame by utilizing his elaborate knowledge in telephone systems. At one point, Poulsen hack into radio station phone lines and fixed himself as a winning caller, which landed him a new Porsche. According to the media at the time he was called the “Hannibal Lecter of computer crime”. Poulsen earned his way onto the FBI’s wanted list when he hacked into the federal system and stole wiretap information. He was captured later in a supermarket and was sentence to 51 months prison time, as well as paying $56,000 in compensation.

Be sure to protect your network from potential hackers. Contact Up and Running Computer Solutions in Corona, CA 951-737-8558 to learn how to best protect you and your business from cyber attacks. Or visit www.urcs.net for information regarding the services we offer.

Up and Running Computer Solutions proudly serves Corona, Riverside, Anaheim, Irvine, Newport Beach, Tustin and all surrounding areas.

32 Million Passwords for Twitter Accounts May Have Been Hacked

Woman on Computer

Yet another hack for users of popular social media sites to worry about. LeakedSource, a website with a search engine of leaked login credentials, stated in a blog post that 32 million Twitter login credentials were collected by hackers and are now being sold on the dark web. However, Twitter has stated that their systems have not been breached.

LeakedSource said in their blog post that it received a copy of the user information from “Tessa88@exploit.im”, which happens to be the same alias name used by the person who’s linked to the recent Myspace, LinkedIn and Tumblr data breach. LeakedSource also states that its unlikely Twitter was breached and rather the consumer was. They pointed out that malware may be the culprit.

“The explanation for this is that tens of millions of people have become infected by a malware, and the malware sent every saved username and password from browsers, like Chrome  and Firefox, back to the hackers from all websites including Twitter.” the blog post states. LeakedSource said that it was able to verify the passwords associated with 15 users.

Twitter writes in blog post “We’ve investigated the claims of Twitter @names and passwords available on the “dark web”, and we’re confident the information was not obtained from a hack of Twitters servers.” And goes on to say “The purported Twitter @names and passwords may have been amassed from combining information from other recent breaches, malware on victim machines that are stealing passwords for all sites, or a combination of both. Regardless of origin, we’re acting swiftly to protect your Twitter account.”

As LeakedSource says in their blog post, “The lesson here? It’s not just big companies that can be hacked, users need to be careful too.”

Be sure to protect yourself as much as possible from potential hackers. Contact Up and Running Computer Solutions in Corona, CA 951-737-8558 to learn how to best protect you and your family from cyber attacks. Or visit www.urcs.net for information regarding the services we offer here URCS.

Up and Running Computer Solutions proudly serves Corona, Riverside, Anaheim, Irvine, Newport Beach, Tustin and all surrounding areas.

Hacker Gives Away Email Account Information from Major Email Services

Data Breach

Just recently, hundreds of millions of hacked usernames and passwords for major email accounts are being traded in Russia’s crime circle.

There were 272 million stolen accounts, which included a majority of users of Mail.ru, Russia’s most popular email service, and a smaller amount Google, Yahoo and Microsoft users. It’s been said that this is one of the largest known hacks since cyberattack hit U.S. Banks and retailers about two years ago.

This cybercriminal ended up being young Russian hacker, and was mysteriously willing to sell the entire accumulation of stolen legal documents for 50 rubles, which equals less than a one dollar! Included in these stolen accounts were some usernames that appeared to belong to employee’s at large banks, manufactures and retailers in the U.S.

However, Hold Security researching from Milwaukee was able to get the hacker to give up the sensitive information after they agreed to post favorable comments about him in the hacker forum. Hold security has found that cyber threats in forums and chatrooms are what make up the internet’s criminal circle.

The following is a simple breakdown of the major services that were affected by the cyberattack and the number of stolen accounts:

  • Gmail-24 million
  • Microsoft Hotmail- 33 million
  • Yahoo- 40 million
  • Mail.ru ( Russian Popular Email Service)- 57 million

These numbers are astounding, and to think that this hacker was selling the entire cache for less than a dollar is mind blowing. This type of sensitive information is extremely “potent” if it ends up in the hands of a cybercriminal.

Be sure to protect yourself as much as possible from potential hackers, contact Up and Running Computer Solutions in Corona, CA 951-737-8558 to learn how to best protect you and your family from cyberattacks. Or visit www.urcs.net for information regarding the services we offer here at Up and Running Computer Solutions.

Up and Running Computer Solutions proudly serves Corona, Riverside, Anaheim, Irvine, Newport Beach, Tustin and all surrounding areas.

Hackers Hit Bugzilla | Tech News

Earlier this month Mozilla, the company behind the Firefox Web Browser, reported that hackers had gained access their bug tracker Bugzilla and stole security-sensitive information. It’s believe that the information that’s been stolen was used by the hackers to attack Firefox users.

Although Mozilla did not provide any details on how exactly the stolen information was used to target Firefox users, the company did say in a blog post that they were making improvements to the bug tracker in an effort to protect their products, developer community and users from these hacker.

Bugzilla is an open source tool that’s used to track flaws in Mozilla software. This information on Bugzilla can be viewed by the public but access to security sensitive information is restricted to certain users. Fortunately, the company planned to update Bugzilla’s security so that similar attacks like this don’t happen again later down the road.

“We are updating Bugzilla’s security practices to reduce the risk of future attacks of this type. As an immediate first step, all users with access to security-sensitive information have been required to change their passwords and use two-factor authentication” Mozilla stated in blog post. “We are reducing the number of users with privileged access and limiting what each privileged user can do. In other words, we are making it harder for an attacker to break in, providing fewer opportunities to break in, and reducing the amount of information an attacker can get by breaking in.”

To read Mozilla’s blog post click here.

If you think your computer has been infected with a virus, contact Up & Running Computer Solutions in Corona, CA at 951-737-8558 or visit our website at www.urcs.net for more information regarding our services.

Proudly serving Corona, Riverside, Anaheim, Irvine, Newport Beach, Tustin, and all surrounding areas.