Millions of Americans Are Working From Home – Are There Any Security Risks?


Fast Facts

  • 71% of security professionals reported an increase in security threats or attacks since the beginning of the coronavirus outbreak.
  • The leading threat cited was phishing attempts (55%), followed by malicious websites claiming to offer information or advice about the pandemic (32%), and increases in malware (28%) and ransomware (19%).
  • 61% of respondents were concerned about the security risks of having to make rapid changes to enable remote working.
  • 55% believe that remote access security needs improvements.

MSSP Alert

The new work normal

Millions of Americans are in an unprecedented situation. Specifically, Californians have been ordered by Governor Gavin Newsom to stay at home during the COVID-19 pandemic. As we normalize working from home – the thought of cybersecurity comes to mind. For example a change in routine can create new opportunities for more relaxed habits. We’ll elaborate. As workers increasingly log on from home, employees are having to merge personal technology with business devices. For employers, the concern isn’t about capacity, but about workers introducing new potential vulnerabilities into their routine — whether that’s weak passwords on personal computers, poorly secured home WiFi routers, or a family member’s device passing along a computer virus.

To point out another example, imagine a kid’s device infects the network. The same network the work from home employee is working on. Unbeknownst to the employee – the workstation has exponentially become vulnerable to whatever malicious software is on the network. As routines change, companies adjusting to remote work, and businesses testing their security systems, organizations may be a security risk.

Coronavirus (COVID-19): 3 Scams To Watch Out For


Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Cybercriminals are exploiting the current coronavirus public health scare with malicious cyber tactics. The World Health Organization (WHO), Federal Trade Commission (FTC), Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Better Business Bureau (BBB) have all issued warnings in recent weeks about the uptick in criminal scams tied to the coronavirus.

As the coronavirus news continues to spread throughout the world, scammers will amplify their efforts. Stay informed as to not fall to any unusual requests made by suspicious individuals. There are countless ways for scammers to exploit fear in order to steal money and compromise businesses.

We focus on 3 scams to help educate businesses.

What is Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) & How It Works


Here’s an example of what multi-factor authentication (MFA) is not. For instance, you head to your online bank account to login. Entering the username and password into the designated fields and click on login. From here, you’ve gained access to your bank information. Easy peasy and you go about your business. Wait one second! If you’re one of the 54% of consumers who use five or fewer passwords for all of your online accounts, you could be setting yourself up for failure.

Recycling passwords is a big no-no. We highly advise coming up with unique passwords for all digital channels. We published a blog post discussing the importance of unique passwords and why using the same password is bad.

Let’s dive right in and discuss the benefits of multi-factor authentication.

Why Using The Same Password Is Bad


Some of us more than others are guilty of using the same password for different websites. A new study by Google confirmed internet users need to stop using the same password for multiple websites unless they’re keen on having their data hijacked, their identity stolen, or worse. Utilizing the same password for different websites leaves you vulnerable to hackers gaining access to sensitive accounts. We’ll explain why having different passwords for different websites is a cybersecurity benefit and a tool to help manage many passwords. Spoiler alert – you’ll need to remember one master password.

Passwords are not the most efficient cybersecurity practice. Even though we’ve all had passwords since the genesis of the internet – passwords were ways to curtail access to sensitive data. Fast forward to 2019 and notice how new methods of authentication are beginning to replace passwords. For instance, the newest iPhone comes equipped with facial recognition software to unlock the phone. Another example is bio-metric security. Laptops and accessing secret lairs with a fingerprint is becoming used for higher level security hardware and buildings. Although this technology is available, it’s not practical for the average user. Therefore we use passwords to access certain information on the internet. Let’s discuss why using the same password is harmful to your digital identity.