Stealing WiFi to Bypass Copyright Laws

Tougher legislation aimed at protecting copyrighted materials is driving illegal file sharing underground and causing users to unlawfully ‘Piggy-back’ off wireless networks in order to download content anonymously, leaving businesses open to bandwidth abuse and theft. Many businesses have set up loosely secured hotspots for visitors or for convenience. Illegal access by outsiders may cause businesses new headaches as illegal file sharing is traced back to the point of access.

There is precedence, however, that may help businesses that get ensnared in this situation. In 2005, a 40 year old Florida man was arrested and charged with a felony for stealing bandwidth from a nearby WiFi connection. The man was charged under a seldom used-Florida law that prohibits accessing a computer or network knowingly, willfully and without authorization. The owner of the WiFi connection was concerned he might be linked to whatever the accused was doing such as accessing porn sites or child pornography.

PEARL SOFTWARE RELEASES ECHO CRYPTO.VIEW™

Pearl Echo 12 Monitors and Controls Encrypted Communications

Philadelphia, PA – June 15, 2016 – Pearl Software released Echo Crypto.View™ as part of its latest line of Internet monitoring and web filtering products. Echo Crypto.View provides administrators with full insight into encrypted communications including secure web (HTTPS) as well as secure email (SSL).  Pearl’s real-time and remote endpoint security suite includes the ability to safely monitor and control communications that have been protected with encryption without the use of complicated proxy servers or Internet traffic redirection. Continue reading

Top 5 Top Cyber Security Predictions for 2019

2017 was the biggest year of cyber security threats in history, and it’s only increased from then. There’s been data destruction, embezzlement, intellectual property theft, personal and financial data theft, and the list goes on. This is why it’s important to stay on top of the current trends and be ready for the cyber security issues to come for 2019. Here’s what will probably happen to make sure security is up to snuff.

Million-Dollar Data Breach Fines

Think about Facebook and Uber, both underwent serious cyber security concerns. They ended up not only needed to pay exorbitant fines, but having to rebrand a bit. These million-dollar data breach fines can only grow higher as security issues climb. Companies may even lose billions just ignoring the need for internet monitoring software. Many businesses use Skype monitoring to maintain control over what their employees are doing. Continue reading

Business Cyber Attack – A $50,000 Bitter Pill (If You’re Lucky)

Commonly known as cyber-attacks, data breaches, or cybercrimes, data theft (whether it is internally or externally driven) can bankrupt the average business. During the fallout of a data breach, businesses can lose proprietary data that form the core of their capital-generating strategies. The aftermath of this can result in massive lawsuits. As these incidents increase, businesses are asking how much a cyber incident could cost them.

The U.S. government collects information on cybercrime and cyber espionage through various means. Yet, it is still difficult to accurately assess the cost of cybercrime for the average business because of varying business landscapes and the diversity of cybercrime attack methods. In addition, businesses are often reluctant to report these incidents due to the potentially devastating fallout or further exposing vulnerabilities that subsequent cybercrime provocateurs could exploit.

Many reputable cybercrime surveys peg the average business’s annual losses at anywhere from $1 million to more than $3 million. This falls in line with PriceWaterhouseCoopers (PwC) 2014 Global Economic Crime Survey, which found that 7 percent of U.S. organizations lost $1 million or more due to cybercrime incidents in 2013. The survey went on to show that 19 percent of U.S. entities reported financial losses of $50,000 to $1 million, compared with 8 percent of worldwide respondents. Continue reading

IT is Not Your Internet Cop

A comprehensive reporting module is a “must have” with any employee Internet management solution. The reporting module’s purpose is to synthesize raw data and turn it into information that can be easily understood and used by MANAGERS to manage their employees. The amount of time and labor cost a user spends at sports related Web sites is an example of an informative report. The number of violations to your organization’s Internet Acceptable Use Policy is another. Reports should provide information graphically and numerically and should be able to be scheduled to be run and distributed automatically. Advanced features like report customization and distributed reporting can also be beneficial. In large or growing organizations you may want to have managers run their own reports however you may want to limit you manager’s visibility to data of only those employees for which they are responsible.Continue reading

Romance Extortion – Don’t Learn the Hard Way

Video conferencing, once the purview of the Fortune 500, has become ubiquitous thanks to the popularity of Skype and Facetime.  But with most things Internet, there are frequently unintended consequences.  Welcome the latest scam:  The Romance Extortion.

In this scam, the target is lured into participating in cyber-sex using a webcam.  The scammer records the video session and uses it to blackmail the target.  Who would fall for that?  Welcome Nebraska State Senator Bill Kintner.

Sen. Kintner began messaging with a woman who contacted him via his Facebook page.  Their interaction grew over time from casual, to explicit, to the point where the woman convinced the married senator to contact her on Skype.  While on travel, the senator used his state-issued laptop to engage in video cyber-sex.  The woman soon after threatened to release the captured video unless the senator acquiesced to her extortion demands.  Realizing he blew it, the senator decided to come clean and report his activity to state officials.  Public officials in Nebraska who misuse state property can be charged with a misdemeanor.  Sen. Kintner, perhaps due to his position, got off easy by paying a $1000 fine. Continue reading

CEO Spoofed – Loses Company $47 Million then Fired.

An FACC employee wired 50 million euros after receiving emailed instructions from someone posing as FACC’s CEO.  This forced the company to report a financial loss to investors which would have otherwise shown net positive earnings.  FACC, whose customers include Airbus (EPA: AIR), Boeing (NYSE: BA) and Dassault (AM:EN), fired its CEO after he “severely violated his duties”.  The company’s CFO was also terminated.

The scam is known as the “Fake President” fraud.  By using a fake email address that resembles that of the President’s, the scammer convinces an employee, usually working in the finance department, to make an bank wire transfer to a third party on the grounds of a debt to pay, a provision in contract or a purchase deposit.  The order is given with authority and urgency. The scammer has usually done enough research on the target company to give them the necessary arguments to convince the victim to act in accordance with the request. Continue reading

The Pearl Software NIST Guide

The National Institute of Standards and Technology has published a self-assessment tool designed to help organizations gauge the impact and effectiveness of their cybersecurity risk management initiatives. The NIST Framework for Improving Critical Infrastructure Cybersecurity (the “Framework”) enables organizations to apply the principles and best practices of risk management to improving the security and resilience of critical infrastructure. The Framework is not intended to be a one-size-fits-all solution to cybersecuirity.  Rather, the Framework will help an organization align its cybersecurity activities with its business requirements, risk tolerances, and resources.

Pearl Echo helps organizations satisfy portions of the Protect, Detect and Respond “Functions” of the Framework by focusing on the following Framework “Categories”: Continue reading

Malware vs. Spyware

Security is a growing concern for many businesses. With the number and scope of cyber attacks increasing every year, companies and organizations need to be aware of the different threats that face them, how to spot suspicious activity, and what to expect when a security incident occurs.

Malware and spyware are two terms often used when discussing cyber security. Although they are often used interchangeably, they actually carry different meanings. Malware and spyware are among the most common attacks that a company will experience, thus it is important to understand their differences and similarities.

Malware

Generally speaking, “malware” is a generic term for any piece of software that has negative or malicious intentions. Examples of malware include, but are not limited to, viruses, remote access tools (RATs), and trojans. Each of these types of software are used for specific purposes and carry different sets of consequences and threats. These applications can be used to control a victim’s computer, destroy software (and in some cases hardware), and even install other pieces of software without the victim’s knowledge. Thus, malware can be devastating in both personal and corporate contexts. Continue reading

Should Your Business Start Monitoring Skype Conversations?

We’re all aware of being monitored in our everyday lives, whether for security reasons or for consumer purposes. Another area where it may happen is in the workplace. As an employer, you may be wondering if you should do it and how. The easiest area in which to monitor the goings-on of the office is in workplace communication tools. One of the most popular VoIP and communication technologies is Skype. Here, we’ll discuss some of the capabilities of the app and how it can be utilized by employers.

First off, there are several versions of Skype available for use by businesses:

  • Skype is a free communication and VoIP tool for consumers; it can be used by businesses of up to 25 people.
  • Skype for Business is available in two versions: Skype for Business Online, which is a cloud-based version and is part of the Microsoft Office 365 Suite, and Skype for Business Server, which is the on-premise version and is meant for large enterprise organizations, utilizing a company’s servers. Continue reading