Russian Hackers Exploit a Windows Flaw

We’ve heard a lot lately about Russian hackers. The CIA and the FBI said they were responsible for many of the election hacks. But how are they doing it? It’s suspected that the Russian hackers exploit a Windows flaw, as well as one in Adobe Flash. Our security experts at Cadamier Network Security in Denver stay on top of these concerns so we can protect our clients against hacking.

According to a CIO-Today article, Microsoft reported that a group they call Stronium has been linked to the Russian state-sponsored hacking and specifically the theft of Democratic National Committee emails during the election, and was behind recent cyberattacks targeting Windows users.

Microsoft security researchers didn’t directly connect Stronium to Russian state hacking, but the hacking group is also known in the security community as Fancy Bear or APT 28 and has been linked by others to Russian state hacking.

The Redmond company has identified a hacking campaign that exploited previously unknown vulnerabilities in Microsoft's Windows operating system and Adobe's Flash in a bold attempt to gain control of computers. The group behind the attacks are thought to have targeted a specific set of customers, according to Microsoft who would not identify the victims of the hack.

Microsoft has been relatively quiet, releasing only a blog post detailing the attacks. In November, Microsoft hustled to fix the Windows vulnerability in a patch. Adobe patched its flaw in Flash in October.

U.S. intelligence agencies are accusing Russia of hacking American political sites to try to interfere with the U.S. presidential election. After the DNC was hacked and 20,000 emails were stolen and released by WikiLeaks, they hired CrowdStrike, a cybersecurity firm. CrowdStrike confirmed Stronium was among the intruders into the DNC's computer systems. The group's cyber theft was thought to fit the pattern of Russian state-sponsored hacking, according to CrowdStrike.

Microsoft reported Stronium aims primarily at government bodies, diplomatic institutions, and military forces in NATO-member nations and Eastern European countries. Microsoft hasn't named Russia for the hacking attacks, but the listed targets line up with Russian state hacking.

Google disclosed the software flaws under attack. Their security researchers contacted Adobe and Microsoft in October to inform them of the flaws in their software. According to a Google blog post from security researchers, they stated that this vulnerability is particularly serious because it is being actively exploited. Their policy is to publicly disclose critical security flaws if there is no fix a week after informing the company that makes the software.

Window and Devices Executive Vice President Terry Myerson was mad at Google for disclosing the Windows flaws. He said, "We believe responsible technology industry participation puts the customer first and requires coordinated vulnerability disclosure. Google's decision to disclose these vulnerabilities before patches are broadly available and tested is disappointing and puts customers at increased risk.”

Myerson explained that Windows users running the latest version of Windows 10 and Microsoft's Edge browser were protected from versions of the attacks Google had observed. Microsoft said the flaws disclosed recently were targeted in spear-phishing attacks which are designed to fool an email user into clicking on a malicious link or opening an attachment that grants the attacker access to the computer's functions.

Your company or organization might not be a target when Russian hackers exploit a Windows flaw, but other hackers may want to steal your information. Our security experts at Cadamier Network Security in Denver know what’s going on so we can protect our clients from cyber attacks. You need to make sure you can defend against all intrusions.

How to Increase Network Security with Remote Employees

Thanks to technology, the old business model where everyone was required to work in one location is changing. Many businesses now give employees the option to work from home and other locations. But with this new flexibility comes the concern of how to increase network security with remote employees. Cadamier Network Security in Denver can help your company or organization protect your information with advanced security management and network design strategies.

Allowing remote employees to have location flexibility can help keep business costs down, increase overall productivity, and even boost morale. But cyber dangers remain and remote locations are often points of increased vulnerability. Many companies are struggling to effectively communicate the need for network security and vigilance to keep company and customer data protected.

Remote and mobile employees often don’t realize that cyber threats are lurking everywhere, such as hotels, conferences, airports, and shared computers. But this extends beyond computers and includes possible attacks on company smartphones, tablets, laptops and storage devices like USB drives.

In addition, thefts of computers, tablets, or phones with company information or access are a real and growing threat now. Never let your information devices out of your sight.

According to a Business 2 Community article, as more and more employees work remotely, a company should consider several things when developing your strategic information security plans. Let’s review.

Provide Clear Objectives and Boundaries

The first step in how to increase network security with remote employees is to openly communicate the company’s objectives and rules for cyber security. Remote employees need to be aware of the dangers and understand that just because they are not in the corporate office, they are still responsible for their actions. There should be strict boundaries and accountability for a breach. Remote employees must be aware of the risks and proactively protect company and client information, both personal and business.

Consider Going Cloud-Based

You may want to consider using a cloud-based system where information is stored on an off-site server with advanced security. Instead of important company or client information being kept on a laptop that can be stolen, it’s securely saved in the cloud where remote employees can access it on-demand. Your employees should be reminded that public wi-fi networks can be easily hacked and shouldn’t be used.

Prohibit Unsecured Wireless Networks

The danger of using unsecured wireless networks should be communicated and reiterated to all remote employees. Unsecured wi-fi at coffee shops, restaurants or airports provide convenience, but they leave your company susceptible to attacks and breaches. They should never be used.

Change Passwords and Make Them Unique

One thing your employees can do to enhance security is to create secure passwords that don’t contain their personal information such as their birth date, pet’s name or child’s name. Passwords should always be unique, with at least 12 characters, including a combination of letters, numbers, and special characters. Don’t forget to tell your employees to change their password often and ask them not to use the same password for different websites, applications, and corporate systems.

Protect Email Access

Guarding email access is crucial in providing network security, not only from direct attacks but from hacker phishing emails as well. Your employees should always use a secure webmail program that encrypts messages before they are sent. Your company should also update virus protection regularly since viruses and malware still pose a serious security risk.

Keep an Eye on Your Equipment

And of course, remind employees to be aware of their surroundings. When traveling or at offsite meetings, making sure their laptop and phone never leave their sight is an easy way to prevent theft.

The old office structure is out. Virtual offices are in. But the convenience and cost savings should never outweigh the concern of how to increase network security with remote employees. Our cyber experts at Cadamier Network Security in Denver can help your company or organization develop objectives and strategies to keep employee equipment safe and ensure the privacy of client and company data. Call or contact us today and let’s put the right plan in place for maximum protection.

DU Program Tackles Lack of Cybersecurity Experts Amid Rise in Computer Hacking Attacks

High profile hacking events against Sony Pictures Entertainment, the Democratic National Committee, major stores, banks and hospitals has increased the need for anti-hackers. According to an article from the Denver Post, a new DU program tackles the lack of cyber security experts amid a rise in computer hacking attacks. Of course, security experts at Cadamier Network Security in Denver are already available to help your company or organization keep your network safe.

According to the article, The new University of Denver (DU) fast-track program’s goal is to train more people to meet the demand for cyber security jobs in order to stop cyber attacks. The leading states for cyber hiring are Washington, D.C., Virginia, Maryland, and Colorado. For Colorado, the jobs are focused in Denver, Boulder, and Colorado Springs. In fact, Colorado Springs will be the home of a new National Cybersecurity Intelligence Center.

Today’s cyber hacking has the ability to go beyond just stealing information and can result in physical injury. According to the Denver Post, a laptop was used by cybersecurity experts to gain control of a 2014 Jeep Cherokee. They were able to slam on the brakes, as well as increase speed. The laptop was connected to a USB port under the dashboard, but their research indicates hackers could carry out a similar attack remotely. After informing Jeep of their ability to hack the vehicle, the manufacturer sent owners a software patch to block remote access and updated software to stop this type of hack.

Beyond cars, there are millions of dollars at stake in a variety of key industries. The Federal Bureau of Investigation recently warned banks to look out for a group of hackers that took $81 million from the central bank of Bangladesh. Data breaches in stores have also exposed credit card numbers and other crucial information of millions of retail customers.

These increased threats from hackers in Russia, China, and North Korea have created the need for cyber security experts.

DU is only one of five schools in Colorado with cyber education programs and has earned a designation from the National Security Agency and Department of Homeland Security, as a Center of Academic Excellence. The other four Colorado schools with similar programs are the U.S. Air Force Academy, Regis University, Colorado Technical University, and the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs.

Students don’t need an undergraduate degree in computer science to participate in DU’s masters level cyber security program. You can have a degree in other majors unrelated to computers if you do well on a test known as the Graduate Record Examination, specifically a portion of the test focusing on math knowledge and reasoning skills. If you have a computer background, you can complete the program in nine months. If not, you will get three extra months of instruction and finish in 12 months.

The increasing need for security experts has encouraged the creation of this special DU program that tackles the lack of cyber security experts amid a rise in computer hacking attacks. But security experts at Cadamier Network Security in Denver are ready today to help keep your network safe from hackers. If you need help or have concerns about your own business, feel free to get in touch with our team.

Network Security Consultant Denver

You need an experienced computer network security consultant in Denver who knows how to protect your information and keep your network safe. We can do that for you. We're Cadamier Network Security Corporation.

You focus a lot of resources on the security of your computer network but you can't do it alone. It's important to find a company with extensive knowledge to help you.

We've been in business since 2001 and our computer network security consultant in Denver has provided equipment and services to hundreds of customers in the financial, healthcare, manufacturing, and government sectors, as well as many others. 

Cadamier, a network security consultant in Denver, installs and manages complete network security protection for businesses, organizations and governments with dedicated high-speed connections to the Internet. This is vital to the safety of your network information. You need to feel completely secure in your network. It's too important to your business or organization.

Cadamier keeps your network safe and prevents your information from getting into the wrong hands. With Cadamier your number one concern will be handled competently.

When you need the best protection available for your network, come to us.

For more information about Cadamier Network Security, visit our website at www.cadamier.com.

Computer Network Security Consultant Denver

Cadamier, a computer network security consultant in Denver, installs and manages complete network security protection for businesses, organizations and governments with dedicated high-speed connections to the Internet. This is vital to the safety of your network information.

You know how important the security of your computer network is to your company. The success of keeping your corporate network safe is crucial to your company or organization. But to do it well you need experts who know how to protect you. You need to partner with a company with extensive knowledge and experience. That's where Cadamier comes in.

We've been in business since 2001 and our computer network security consultant in Denver has provided equipment and services to hundreds of customers in the financial, manufacturing, healthcare, and government sectors, as well as many others.

We are an experienced computer network security consultant in Denver who knows how to keep your information and  network safe. Cadamier Network Security Corporation can do that for you. 

With Cadamier the safety of your network will be handled competently and securely. When you seek the best possible protection available for your network, come see us. We're Cadamier. We will keep your network safe and prevent your information from getting into the wrong hands. 

You need to feel completely secure in your network. It's too important to your business or organization.

For more information about Cadamier Network Security, visit our website at www.cadamier.com.