What can we do to protect ourselves?
These are the top things you need;
AntiVirus - Make sure it's EDR at a minimum
Backup - Make sure it's backing up offsite.
Updates for OS and Apps - If you need to automate this there are tools.
Password Manager - Keep your passwords in a secure location that is encrypted and has MFA to protect it. Not only that but it can generate very complex passwords for you without the need for you to remember them or heaven forbid, write them on a post it note stuck to your monitor... you know who you are...
DNS Filter - OpenDNS is still free. Configure your router so it points to this service and you'll have another layer of protection for really not much work.
Education, Education, Education - Forget location, that's passé!
Get suspicious! - A little paranoia goes a long way. Don't click on links in emails. Instead open a browser and type in the address (assuming you trust that email in the first place) When in doubt, ask! Some one asking you to send money that you weren't expecting? Or your boss asking you to buy gift cards? ASK! Start a NEW email or pick up the phone. A website from CIA, Microsoft, IRS, etc is asking you to call a number? NO! They just aren't going to ask that. Now if you are convinced that it's legit, go independently to their website and find their phone number and call that. Does the number match to their website? What's the email domain name that your email came from? Are there spelling mistakes?
Finally one that we have seen SOOOOOO many times. Here's the format;
"I have hacked you computer. I have been monitoring you. I will tell everyone what you have been doing. etc etc."
They might have one of your old (or possibly even current) passwords and your email to make it seem more legit! Argh you might be thinking... What has happened is that one of the big data pools that was stolen from some of the companies that were breached has been sold to an extortioner.
Example: The Yahoo breach a few years back resulted in ALL of Yahoo's clients information being stolen. That's 3 BILLION accounts.
Yes that's Billion with a B!
What did they steal? You email address and your password for the most part. So that database that was stolen can be used to try and scare people into thinking that they HAVE hacked your computer. After all that password WAS legit (maybe it still is?!?). Best solution here is to delete the email. Make sure that the password referenced in the email is not used in any of your accounts.
See your password manager that you should have setup by now.
