Google Can Still Track You With Location Services Disabled

December 5, 2017 by Joseph Martin

Google recently found itself in a bit of hot water after an investigation by Quartz revealed that the company was intrusively collecting location data on literally every Android device in use today. That’s billions of devices all over the globe.

There are many instances when there’s an expectation that location data can and will be tracked. In fact, one of the most commonly used features of smartphones in general (GPS and directions) demands it. After all, Google Maps can’t tell you how to get where you’re going if it doesn’t know where you are, to begin with, so that’s all fine and good.

The problem, as revealed by the recent investigation, is that for all of 2017, Google was collecting location data on every Android device. This was happening even if the user took a series of frankly heroic measures in an effort to prevent it, including turning off location services, not allowing any apps to track their location and even pulling their SIM card from the phone.

The practice, as Quartz rightly pointed out, goes far beyond any reasonable expectation of consumer privacy and is wildly intrusive.

When Quartz made inquiries of Google regarding the matter, part of the official company response, sent via email, was as follows:

“In January of this year, we began looking into using Cell ID codes as an additional signal to further improve the speed and performance of message delivers. However, we never incorporated Cell ID into our network sync system, so that the data was immediately discarded, and we updated it to no longer request Cell ID.”

In recent years, all the major tech companies have come under fire for the vast amounts of data they collect on consumers of their products. Although Google made it clear that they were formally ending the practice, the current climate makes their intrusive data collection effort (which, again, went completely undetected for the better part of a year) even more disturbing, especially given the lengths the company has gone to in an effort to position themselves as champions of user privacy.

Businesses Make Assumption That Bank Security Keeps Their Money Safe

December 4, 2017 by Joseph Martin

To the surprise of many business owners, banks often cannot reclaim money stolen from accounts due to fraud or cyber crime. That means when a hacker, phishing attack or identity thief strikes, they have no chance of getting that money back. Business owners would also do well to remember that the FDIC is not a fraud fighter. The FDIC insurance is to protect against bank failure, NOT fraud. So if a debit card or account information gets accessed by a hacker and it isn’t noticed within the same day, that money is as good as gone.

To ensure that this financial fate doesn’t fall upon your company, here are FIVE essential rules to protect your business.

1. Mums the Word on Passwords. This is a simple but often overlooked precaution. Make sure that you and your employees change passwords on a regular schedule. Don’t use the same password for multiple accounts. And be sure that all passwords are complex.

2. A Firewall Can Keep You From Getting Burned. Don’t assume because you are a small business, hackers will just pass you by to hit up the big guys. Your network is at just as much risk as any business. The truth is, hackers attack the easiest prey, and without a firewall, that prey is YOUR BUSINESS.

3. Use a “SAFE” computer. Banks store money in safes/vaults, and you should do the same with your digital financial information. Designate a single computer to use for your online financial transactions. That means this computer is for bank uses and only bank uses (NO email, web surfing, Facebook or other social media).

4. Schedule a daily data backup. Always be sure to backup your computer network and files. Systems, such as cloud based technology, offer regular offsite backups for your network. If it can be stolen or corrupted, you want to be sure you have a spare.

5. Knowledge is power. Educated employees can be one of your best defenses. They can also be your weakest link if you aren’t prepared. Be sure that your entire staff is educated on the DO’s and DON’Ts of network and data security.

Epson Printer Having Issues? It Could Be A Microsoft Update

December 3, 2017 by Joseph Martin

Do you have an older Epson printer that suddenly stopped working? If so, it may not be the printer at all, but a recent Windows update that lies at the heart of the issue.

German engineer Gunter Born tracked the problem to the following Microsoft Patches:

KB4048953 for Windows 10, Ver. 1607

KB4048954 for Windows 10, Ver. 1703

KB4048955 for Windows 10, Ver. 1709

KB4048957 for Windows Server 2012, R2

KB4048958 for Windows 8.1

KB4048959 for Windows Server 2012

And KB4048960 for Windows 7, Service Pack 1

These recent updates caused a malfunction where Epson dot matrix printers are not recognized if they are connected via USB cables.

Epson users noticed the problem immediately, of course, and the issue was reported on a wide range of support forums across the internet as users cast about desperately for a solution. Microsoft ended speculation into the matter fairly quickly, confirming the recent patches as the root cause of the issue, and promised that a patch to the patches was coming. As of now, though, we don’t have an ETA on when the fix can be expected.

In the interim, users can still make use of their printers by uninstalling the faulty updates. Gunter Born recommends running the following command in a cmd.exe window:

Wusa /uninstall /kb: xxxxx /quiet /warnrestart

If this command is run as Administrator, and “xxxxx” is swapped out for the faulty KB update you installed, printer functionality will be restored.

It’s far less than optimal, though, because those updates contained a variety of patches for security issues. However, if you need immediate access to that printer until Microsoft issues a revised patch, it’s about the only option you’ve got. Just make sure your IT staff is aware so that they can be on the lookout for the update.

More Bad News For OnePlus Phone Users

December 2, 2017 by Joseph Martin

OnePlus phones have been getting plenty of bad press lately, thanks to malicious apps found to be factory-installed on a percentage of the devices, along with some intrusive data collection features the manufacturer has installed. As it turns out, though, the story gets worse.

Recently, a security researcher going by the alias “Elliot Alderson” discovered a factory-installed application called “Engineering Mode” that can perform a series of intrusive hardware diagnostic routines and can even be used to root the device. What’s worse is that security flaws in the app make it easy for hackers to exploit.

Alderson believes that the likeliest scenario for the existence of the Engineering Mode application is that it was a diagnostic app installed and used at the factory to test OnePlus phones prior to shipment. Somehow, the app was never uninstalled after the initial testing was completed, exposing OnePlus users to the extreme danger of losing control over their devices and any data stored on them.

According to Alderson, all a hacker would need is physical access to the phone. Once he has it in hand, one simple command is all it takes to root the phone. Other researchers have independently verified Alderson’s findings. Since he first published them, the company has admitted their mistake and promised to remove Engineering Mode from all OnePlus phones in a future update, although no ETA was given for when that might occur.

If you currently own and use a OnePlus phone, be aware of this and use with caution. Keep on the lookout for the update from the manufacturer which will remove the “feature” for you, but if you’d rather not wait, you can go into the phone’s settings and manually remove it.

Physical security of smart devices has always been vitally important, but in the case of the OnePlus, that’s doubly true. Keep it close!

Malware Infections Grow 4X In Just One Quarter

December 1, 2017 by Joseph Martin

The world’s hackers have been busy according to the latest report by Comodo security, which tracks the total number of threats around the globe, quarter by quarter. The latest statistics are alarming, showing a massive jump in the total number of malware infections reported in the third quarter of 2017. Reports show nearly 400 million infections.

What’s worse is that the infections have spread to literally every corner of the globe. No nation is completely safe.

Digging more deeply into the statistics offered by Comodo, we find that the top five countries for malware infections this quarter were:

Russia

The United States

Poland

The United Kingdom

And Germany

These five nations combined accounted for fully 80 percent of the total number of infections reported.

Breaking the infections down by type, we find the following as the top 5:

Trojans (13.7 million)

Viruses (5.4 million)

Worms (2.8 million)

Backdoors (553,000)

And Packed Malware (284,000)

Diving even more deeply into the statistics yields more good information, including the fact that poorer nations tend to be afflicted more often by viruses and worms as these nations tend to use the older, unpatched or unlicensed software. These types of infections tend to run rampant in Southeast Asia, Southeastern Europe, Africa and South America.

The report also details that the number of large-scale email phishing attacks is on the rise, due in no small part to the recent popularity of Locky and other strains of ransomware, with the largest phishing attack having been conducted from August to September 2017. According to the report:

“This attack was unique in its combination of sophistication and size, backed by a botnet spread across more than 11,000 IP addresses in 133 countries in just the first stage of the attack. Also, the malware was designed to avoid detection by sandboxing and artificial intelligence technologies common in many endpoint protection systems.”

All in all, it’s a fascinating, though disturbing read, and points to the rapidly increasing sophistication of the world’s hackers that will no doubt continue to spell trouble for security professionals around the globe.

Latest Store With Payment Breach Is Forever 21

November 30, 2017 by Joseph Martin

Unfortunately, another high-profile data breach has surfaced. The latest company to fall victim is US-based fashion retailer Forever 21, operating more than 800 stores in 57 countries.

The company became aware of the breach when they were notified of “unauthorized access to data from payment cards that were used at certain Forever 21 store locations.”

The investigation into the incident is ongoing, and we don’t have full details yet, but here’s what we know so far:

• Although the company had attempted to bolster security by implementing a token and encryption-based system that was designed to protect transaction data on the company’s point-of-sale system, an implementation issue at some store locations left POS equipment vulnerable, and these were the devices the hackers gained access to.

• Anyone who shopped at a Forever 21 location between March and October 2017 may have been impacted.

At this point, three significant pieces of information are missing. We do not yet know exactly which stores were impacted, nor how many of Forever 21’s customers may have seen their credit card information exposed, or what level of access the hackers may have had to the transaction data. We also don’t yet know if the group responsible got any personally identifiable information from the affected terminals.

The company’s official announcement regarding the breach included the following statement:

“Forever 21 immediately began an investigation of its payment card systems and engaged a leading security and forensics firm to assist. We regret that this incident occurred and apologize for any inconvenience. We will continue to work to address this matter.”

If you’ve shopped at any Forever 21 location during the timeframe mentioned above, be aware that your payment data may have been compromised. For now, the best thing you can do is monitor your credit card statements closely for any unusual activity and report it immediately if you find it.

Firefox Doubles Its Speed With Latest Release

November 29, 2017 by Joseph Martin

The new version of Firefox is out, and if you’ve moved away from the browser in recent years, it may be time to give it another look.

Dubbed “Quantum,” Firefox’s latest offering has been completely redesigned and has a lot to like, not the least of which is its raw speed. This latest version is twice as fast and now handily beats Google Chrome in speed tests, thanks in no small part to its next-gen CSS engine, and the fact that it is the first browser to fully utilize the power of multicore processors.

It also consumes 30 percent less memory and positively sips battery power, making it a great choice for laptop and smartphone users.

In addition to that, the revamped browser offers improved tracker blocking, built-in screenshot functionality and of particular interest, support for WebVR, which enables webmasters to take full advantage of the capabilities offered by virtual reality headsets.

You can get Mozilla’s latest offering from their website right now if you’re a PC user, though you’ll have to wait a bit if you’re on a smartphone. The latest release is scheduled to appear on the Google Play Store in a matter of days, but there is, as yet, no ETA on when it will be appearing in Apple’s App Store.

Speed is life in business, and if you’re looking to squeeze out a bit more efficiency and performance from the machines on your network, the new Firefox browser is definitely worth checking out. It’s only a matter of time before the other major players catch up, but until they do, Firefox’s Quantum browser looks to be the new reigning king of the hill and represents a big win for mobile users, given the power savings on offer. Kudos to Mozilla for an exceptional update!

Be Careful Of Downloads – Google Play Store Sees Malware Increase

November 28, 2017 by Joseph Martin

Google’s Play Store is under siege. In recent month, there has been a sharp spike in malware campaigns launched against the store, with a shocking number of poisoned apps slipping past Google’s robust system of checks designed to prevent, or at least minimize such occurrences.

The spike in poisoned apps has been reported by three different security companies: Dr. Web, McAfee and Malwarebytes.

According to the latest McAfee report, 144 Play Store apps have been identified as containing malware. To give you a sense of the scope and scale of the attack, McAfee analyzed a sample of 34 of the malicious apps and found that they had been downloaded between 4.2 million and 17.4 million times.

Of the malware strains found to be present on the Play Store, far and away the most common is Grabos, which is designed to push fake notifications that trick unsuspecting users into installing other apps. Based on the observed behavior, it’s likely that Grabos’ authors generate revenue based on the number of installs achieved. Based on the sheer number of downloads, it’s a model that’s paying handsome dividends for the hackers.

The second most common malware strain identified in the McAfee report is AsiaHitGroup, which utilizes an IP blacklist to specifically target users in Asian countries. This malware was initially found in an app named “QR Code Generator,” and once it infects a user’s machine, it will download a second-stage threat in the form of an SMS Trojan, which auto-subscribes infected users to premium phone numbers using SMS text messages.

Since its initial discovery in QR Code Generator, the AsiaHitGroup malware has been found in a variety of other apps, including alarm clock, photo editor, and internet speed test apps.

The security firm Dr. Web found a third distinct malware strain called Android.RemoteCode.106.origin, which was found to be embedded on nine different Play Store apps that had been downloaded between 2.37 million and 11.7 million times.

This campaign opens an “invisible” browser page that shows ads and is the least intrusive of the malware strains found. It’s likely that the hackers controlling this one get paid via ad impressions which are spoofed on the invisible browser window.

In addition to these, ESET has identified a fourth threat, having identified eight different apps that are infected with the MazerBot banking Trojan. This one is potentially the most damaging of the recently identified threats.

Google’s Play Store is clearly a fair bit more dangerous currently than its users are accustomed to. Be very careful when downloading apps until Google can beat back these recent attacks.

Are You Taking Full Advantage of VoIP?

November 27, 2017 by Joseph Martin

The Capabilities of VoIP

Have you recently made the switch to VoIP? While you may be loving the price saving capabilities it offers your business, you may not have taken the time to check out the numerous features and advantages it offers and the tools at your disposal:

Unified Messaging

This tools provides a great all-in-one ability to reach voice mail and email. With this tool, you are able to have emails converted to voice messages, and have your voice messages converted to email messages. You can also set a priority list to ensure the most important messages from key correspondence is always at the top of the list.

Conferencing

The traditional business conference just go a technology upgrade. With the VoIP conference abilities, you not only can not only hold a joint call, but participants are also able to exchange files, documents and calendars.

Find Me and Follow Me

This ability provides a single number forwarding tool that can ensure you and your employees are reachable regardless if you are at the office, at home or on the road.

Auto Attendant

This great tool provides music or prerecorded messages for incoming calls. As well as offering a voice mail support that can route calls to employees are give you the appearance of a corporate enterprise.

Black Friday Brings Major Increase In Fraud

November 26, 2017 by Joseph Martin

Retailers are gearing up for the year’s busiest shopping weekend, which runs from Black Friday to Cyber Monday, but another group is also gearing up.

Scammers.

Security experts are warning that retailers should brace for impact because the best estimates are that there could be as many as fifty million fraud-based attacks between those spectacularly busy shopping days.

The estimate is higher than it’s ever been and is driven in large part by the sheer number of high profile data breaches that have occurred over the last twelve months.

Account data for hundreds of millions of users flooded the Dark Web on the heels of those attacks. The scammers happily stocked up on them and are more than ready for the holiday season.

According to details provided by ThreatMetrix, the attack will shake out something like this:

• In advance of Black Friday, the scammers will use bots to test the stolen credentials they’ve purchased, tossing the ones that no longer work, and keeping the ones that are still active.

• Once they’ve culled their lists, they’ll spend a bit of time conducting a few million test attacks.

• After they successfully test their software with the valid IDs, they’ll launch large-scale fraud attacks with new user account registrations and attempted fraudulent payments.

According to security researcher Vanita Pandey:

“Many e-commerce merchants choose to accept a greater degree of risk on these key days in order to accept more transactions and reduce the chance that good customers experience friction when placing orders….fraudsters see peak shopping days as the opportunity to make larger purchases/attempt to redeem bigger basket sizes, which are less likely to be flagged as suspicious in among the sea of other high value purchases being made by good customers.”

The long and the short of it is that if you expect to see a spike in sales during the Black Friday – Cyber Monday shopping weekend, brace for a big spike in fraud attempts, too.