Blue Ridge Technology

Have you updated to the latest version of Windows 11 yet? If not, it’s time to act – Microsoft has announced when it will end support for older versions (and it’s soon!). Usually when people talk about digital threats to businesses, they focus on certain types of threats, like credential theft, ransomware, business email compromise, and malware. Those are all important threats that businesses need to defend against, but there’s another related type that doesn’t get enough coverage: cyber extortion. What Is Cyber Extortion? Cyber extortion is a malicious practice where criminals gain access to your organization’s data and then extort you with it, threatening to release it publicly or take some other action with it that will compromise your business or harm your reputation (or both). Usually this type of attack includes a request for ransom in exchange for not releasing your data or harming your organization. How Is Cyber Extortion Different Than Ransomware? Compromising your business an...

Protect your business from a data leak with Microsoft Edge Does your business use Microsoft Edge for web browsing? It isn’t nearly as popular as Chrome, but it is the second most popular browser in use today. And because it’s full of business-friendly features, many organizations use it as the default browser for workplace PCs. If you haven’t checked it out lately, this new announcement might make Edge worth a closer look. And if you’re already an Edge organization, you’ll want to know about this new tool in Edge so you can enable it and start benefiting from greater protections. So what’s the new tool? Microsoft Edge is now better at protecting your company from data leaks. Here’s how it works — and why it matters. Data Is Everywhere — And Everything To understand data leaks we need to start with a couple of foundational truths. First, data is everywhere. Your business handles sensitive information like customer data, financial details, and perhaps even trade secrets or proprietary d...

Protect your business from a data leak with Microsoft Edge After a few years of declines, ransomware attacks came back with a vengeance in 2023 according to a new report. Here’s what we know about the resurgence, why it’s happening, and what you can do to protect yourself and your business. What We Know About a Very Bad Year The 2024 report from NCC Group reveals a troublesome spike in ransomware attacks, up 84% from the previous year. The total number of global ransomware attacks captured in the report jumped by more than 2,000 cases from 2022 to 2023: 2022: an estimated 2,531 new attacks 2023: an estimated 4,667 new attacks NCC points out that several new ransomware groups entered the “market” in 2023. While LockBit, a well-known ransomware group, still led the pack, new attackers notched a sizeable number of successful attacks. Industrial companies were the hardest hit, followed by consumer cyclicals (a category that includes automotive, entertainment, and retail). Technology compa...

More businesses are proactively investing in cyber security defenses Despite how serious the threats are, one recent study found that 50% of SMBs have no cybersecurity plan in place whatsoever . That’s fully half of all the companies out there like yours, with no plan, no coherent defense. Are you one of them? If so, it’s time to make a change — and we can help. More Businesses Investing, But Progress Is Slow-Going A large survey of small business owners in early pandemic days revealed that it used to be worse: as many as 60% of businesses had no cybersecurity plan going into the pandemic. If we got that number down to 50% by 2022, that’s progress. It means that more businesses are getting proactive about investing in cyber security defenses. But 50% is still frightfully far away from zero. That progress is taking place slowly. Comprehensive Cybersecurity Is an Investment One reason SMBs shy away from implementing robust cybersecurity measures is that doing so isn’t easy or cheap: it’...

Are your people Christmas shopping from work? The holidays are fast approaching, and let’s be real — we’re all scrambling for those gifts, especially for the folks on our lists that are hard to shop for! More than likely, you’ve got an employee or two doing a little holiday shopping on their work machine. Let’s give them the benefit of the doubt and assume they’re doing it on break time or over lunch. Still, if you and your people aren’t careful, that online holiday shopping could actually turn into a business threat! Here’s how — and how you can keep your business data safe this holiday season. Online Scams Are Everywhere We’ve said it before, and it’s just as true now: online scams are everywhere. Well, not everywhere. If you’re buying from trustworthy retailers like Amazon or Macy’s or Wal-Mart — and you’re certain you’re on their actual legit website — it’s pretty tough to get scammed. During the holidays, online scammers like to take advantage of how busy and even desperate some p...

Are you really downloading Zoom… or is it malware? We talk a lot on this blog about keeping your company’s digital assets secure — stuff like your network storage, client files, business data, and account access to the systems that keep business moving forward. And there’s a good reason for it: digital threats to your business are all around you, and they’re more significant and more dangerous than most business leaders realize. Today we’re looking at another threat that’s a little different from phishing attacks and business email compromise. Let’s examine what we’re calling business software impostors. The good news on this one is that there are two really great ways to avoid the threat — but you and every member of your team have to know how. What’s a Business Software Impostor? A business software impostor is a fake version of a popular business software product or digital tool, designed with the intent of perpetrating some kind of attack once installed. In other words, it’s malwar...

Is working from home really good for your business? If you’re like most of our clients, work from home showed up in a big way thanks to COVID — and it’s not going away. The truth is, there’s just a lot to like about having the option to work from home at least some of the time. Well, from the employee’s perspective, at least. If you’re an office-oriented, creative, or knowledge-economy sort of business, work from home can work, and it can work well. (And at this point, the cost of not offering it? You could lose team members if you don’t.) Still, nearly three years in, many companies are discovering that WFH isn’t all roses and puppy dogs. There are perks and advantages, sure. But there are challenges, too. For many businesses — maybe yours too — the best approach is offering it, but doing it with both eyes open, staying aware of the costs and the potential downsides that can crop up. Let’s talk about the IT-related challenges as well as some hidden costs that can crop up with permanen...

Most ransomware victims would pay up if attacked again If you read much in the news — or in tech news specifically — it’s easy to grow a little numb to the constant reporting of digital threats and attacks on businesses. This is especially true if your business has yet to face a cyberattack: your policies and practices have gotten you by so far, so they must be good enough … right? The truth is, ransomware attacks are a threat, one that businesses like yours must take seriously now, not once you’ve already been attacked. How Ransomware Attacks Work Ransomware attacks can start like any other digital threat. Bad actors could go on a phishing expedition and steal the credentials of an unwitting employee. (We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again: two-factor or multifactor authentication eliminates the vast majority of phishing threats.) Or threat actors could identify a vulnerability in your system through more sophisticated computer wizardry. Whatever way the bad guys find a way i...

As a business owner, you’re understandably worried about digital threats to your business. One of the most persistent and frustrating threats is credential compromise, where a bad actor gains access to systems and services simply by pilfering someone’s credentials. You may have heard password managers mentioned as a potential solution to this problem. Here’s what you need to know. The Problem: Too Many Passwords, Bad Choices The typical internet user has somewhere north of 80 distinct accounts on various sites, services, platforms, and so forth. Most if not all of these are secured with a password. (Not to get too far off track, but say “most” because of newer technologies now coming into their own, like multifactor authentication and passwordless logins. These are massive improvements on the old username + password model, but they’re not yet in place on many sites and accounts. If you have the option for either one at your business for key accounts and services, turn it on right away....

We’ve covered phishing before on the blog, but have you heard about whaling? Put away your lifejackets: we’re talking about a specific type of targeted digital attack; no seafaring vessels in sight. (If you’ve ended up here expecting a blog post about whale-spotting or whale-hunting, you’re going to be disappointed!) This week, we’re covering whaling attacks. This type of digital attack can feel even more personal than some others—and it can be just as dangerous. Here’s what you need to know about this unique attack vector. Whaling Attacks Explained A whaling attack is one where someone (typically outside the company) imitates a high-ranking company official, usually in an attempt to steal money from the company by tricking an employee into paying a fake bill. Whaling attacks can also be engineered to steal data or credentials. We recognize that this definition is a little murky, so here’s an example. Set aside your actual role at your company for a minute. Instead, imagine you’re a br...