The Internal Revenue Service and its Security Summit partners today issued warnings to all taxpayers and tax professionals to beware of scams and identity theft schemes by criminals taking advantage of the combination of holiday shopping, the approaching tax season and coronavirus concerns.

Topics: Security, cybersecurity

 

Topics: Security, cybersecurity, Ransomware, Information Security, Privacy

In an effort to keep you abreast of ongoing developments that could impact your firm's technology, we wanted to alert you to increasing likelihood of disruptions to major IT manufacturers' supply chains due to the Coronavirus outbreak in Asia.

Topics: Security, Technology Consulting, IT Tips, Alerts, Disaster Recovery

Everyone needs to know what to do in the event of a successful cyberattack.

Topics: Security, Training, Technology Consulting, cybersecurity, Ransomware, FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center, US-CERT, IC3, Secret Service, PII, Federal Trade Commission, Cybercrime, Publications, Articles, Information Security

The only thing to be afraid of when it comes to cybersecurity is not having a plan.

 

Topics: Security, Technology Consulting, Managed Services, cybersecurity, Two Factor Authentication, 2FA, Information Security

Recent research has shown changes in the effectiveness of various phishing attacks.

Cofense, previously PhishMe, issued a report based on 1,400 clients in 23 industries in more than 50 countries that notes that 7.5 million phishing emails were reported in 2017 alone. But the effectiveness of phishing campaigns has shifted.

In prior research, users were most emotionally motivated to open emails that made them feel a sense of urgency, fear or opportunity. Those three emotional motivators have now been replaced with entertainment, social and reward/recognition.

Topics: Security, Training, cybersecurity, Ransomware, Hacking, phishing, Cybercrime, Email Security, Information Security

Topics: Security, Training, Malware, Information Governance, Email Management, Network, Access Control, Mimecast, Dual Factor Authentication, whaling, cybersecurity, Passwords, Biometric Authentication, Two Factor Authentication, Ransomware, Hacking, Advanced Persistent Threats, phishing, Antivirus, Cybercrime, Enterprise Mobility Management, Mobile, Email Security, 2FA, Information Security, Penetration Testing, Vulnerability Testing, firewall

We have recently been made aware of a sophisticated email phishing campaign targeting law firms and other businesses. 

Topics: Security, Alerts, Email Management, cybersecurity, Hacking, phishing, Cybercrime, Email Security, Information Security, Identity Theft

It's that time again — time to file your taxes early so criminals don't do it for you and steal your possible refunds. This is of special importance after the recent Equifax hack in which most Americans' personal information, including Social Security Numbers, was accessed by criminals. The most effective defense is to file your taxes early — before identity thieves have the chance to do it for you. 

Topics: Security, Alerts, Hacking, phishing, PII, Cybercrime, Identity Theft

Topics: Security, IT Tips, cybersecurity, Cybercrime

Have you been following along and applying these tips over the past couple of weeks? If so, you've probably noticed they're quick and easy steps to enhance information security. Read the first two tips here and here. 

Topics: Security, IT Tips, cybersecurity, Cybercrime

At the end of each year, the organizations publishing dictionaries release terms that will be included in their next editions. Terms that would have been nonsensical just years ago become commonplace. One word has been hiding just below the surface of our everyday conversation. It is terrifying in terms of scope and mortifying in terms of transmission. I speak of the word “ransomware.”

Topics: Security, SentinelOne, cybersecurity, Ransomware, Cybercrime, Email Security, Information Security

News this week that a series of cyberattacks and data breaches at North American law firms in 2015 was worse than initially reported (isn't that always the case?) was seemingly timed with the release of a bevy of new articles and information sheets on cybersecurity by our staff.

Topics: Security, Technology Consulting, Cloud, IT Tips, cybersecurity, Cybercrime, Email Security, Articles, Information Security

We wanted to inform you of a serious security breach at Yahoo!

 

Earlier today, Yahoo! issued a press release stating that 500 million users' accounts were breached in a 2014 hack of their systems. Account information accessed includes usernames and passwords, security questions and answers and other confidential user information. 

 

Yahoo! said in the press release that: 

 

A recent investigation by Yahoo! Inc. has confirmed that a copy of certain user account information was stolen from the company's network in late 2014 by what it believes is a state-sponsored actor. The account information may have included names, email addresses, telephone numbers, dates of birth, hashed passwords (the vast majority with bcrypt) and, in some cases, encrypted or unencrypted security questions and answers. The ongoing investigation suggests that stolen information did not include unprotected passwords, payment card data, or bank account information; payment card data and bank account information are not stored in the system that the investigation has found to be affected. Based on the ongoing investigation, Yahoo! believes that information associated with at least 500 million user accounts was stolen and the investigation has found no evidence that the state-sponsored actor is currently in Yahoo's network.

If you were a victim of the attack, we encourage you to review these steps you can take to file a report and help protect yourself from identity theft. 

 

Yahoo! also recommends – as we do, too – that users take advantage of two-factor authentication to provide an extra layer of security to their Yahoo! accounts. 

Yahoo! is not what we would consider a best-of-breed solution for email or other business matters. If you would like to discuss more enterprise-level, law firm standard solutions, please email sales@innovativecomp.com or call 1.800.541.0450, and one of our professional Account Executives will be happy to discuss security and file sharing with you in-depth.

Topics: Security, Dual Factor Authentication, cybersecurity, Passwords, Two Factor Authentication, Hacking, Email Security, Yahoo, 2FA

Moving to the cloud is an important decision. Let our CEO Michael Kemps walk you through important security aspects of the cloud in his new article.

Topics: Security, Cloud, Cloud Storage, cybersecurity, Cybercrime, Articles