Category Archives: Vigilant

Hacker thanks non-profit’s donors for fake $2,000 contributions

January 18, 2020 How do you think this would go over with your prized donors? They get an email from your non-profit organization saying you plan to process a $2,000 credit card payment in two hours. The email invites them to review and verify this payment by clicking on a link. The email address is from someone they … Continue reading "Hacker thanks non-profit’s donors for fake $2,000 contributions" Read More

California’s new privacy law sparks confusion, inconsistency

January 13, 2020 California’s new privacy law took effect Jan. 1 and so far, the results are confusing and inconsistent. One of the markers of the new law is a “Do Not Sell My Info” link. But some websites do not have it yet, or have buried it in fine print. The L.A. Times offered up a lengthy … Continue reading "California’s new privacy law sparks confusion, inconsistency" Read More

Ransomware Costs More Than A Single Payment

January 10, 2020 The first known ransomware attack happened way back in 1989. Then, people were still learning to navigate the nascent world of digital technology, and this kind of invasion was a brand new breed of enemy. Today, ransomware is one of the most prevalent threats to businesses and individuals alike. If you are not familiar with … Continue reading "Ransomware Costs More Than A Single Payment" Read More

Facebook, Apple, FTC discuss privacy at CES 2020

January 8, 2020 At the giant Consumer Electronics show in Las Vegas yesterday, the data privacy officer for Facebook said Facebook is just like Apple in building “privacy by design.” But she was challenged by an FTC Commissioner. The Privacy Roundtable marked the first time since 1992 that an Apple executive has attended CES. Apple has been touting … Continue reading "Facebook, Apple, FTC discuss privacy at CES 2020" Read More

Iranian hackers deploying destructive “wiper” malware

January 3, 2020 An Iran-based hacking group has been deploying a new “wiper” malware that destroys computer systems and the data housed on them. While the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) warned of Iranian wiper malware last June, IBM researchers announced last month that a new version of wiper malware attributed to an Iranian hacker group … Continue reading "Iranian hackers deploying destructive “wiper” malware" Read More

Don’t pay ransom to cyber criminals, Microsoft advises

January 1, 2020 Don’t pay ransom – it only spurs more ransomware attacks, according to Microsoft. In a recent blog post by Microsoft’s Detection And Response Team, organizations are urged to maximize their security efforts instead. “Paying a ransom is often expensive, dangerous, and only refuels the attackers’ capacity to continue their operations,” the post says. “(B)ottom line, … Continue reading "Don’t pay ransom to cyber criminals, Microsoft advises" Read More