Pay... or No?
An email warns: pay this bill immediately…or else.
Should you trust it?
Watch this video and you’ll see.
Update: massive file of personal information
for sale on the dark web
One of the largest data breaches in history recently exposed the personal information of over 130 million adults in the U.S., UK, and Canada. The data, including people’s names, email addresses, phone numbers, mailing addresses, and Social Security numbers, was owned by National Public Data. They provide information used in background checks.
Here’s a website where you can check to see if your information was stolen: https://npdbreach.com/. If your name appears, do a web search to learn how to “freeze your credit.”
Guess the 5-letter cybersecurity word.
You have 5 tries.
Correct letter, correct spot.
Correct letter, incorrect spot.
Wrong letter.
Hint: A deceptive attempt to obtain sensitive information by disguising as a trustworthy entity.
Score: 0
Phish of the Week
Check out this “vish,” a voicemail from a scammer.
In this example, they’re offering to cancel your income tax bill as part of some government relief program.
(Hint: it’s too good to be true.)
Scammers require an upfront payment, which they keep without delivering anything to the victim.
Click the arrow below to listen.
Cybersecurity News You Can Use
POPULAR FLIGHT APP HACKED: Check your phone for an app called “FlightAware.” The Cybersecurity Hub says hackers have been stealing users’ information from the real-time flight app because it lacked proper password safeguards. If you use FlightAware, change your password immediately. If the app is on your phone and you don’t use it, log in to your FlightAware account, cancel it, and then delete the app.
MAC USERS, JUST SO YOU KNOW: Apple frequently ran commercials for its Safari web browser during the recent Paris Olympic Games, claiming that Safari offers greater privacy than other browsers. Yes, but…the Washington Post says users should understand that even if they turn on “private browsing” mode, their information is still visible to websites they visit, their internet service provider, and their employer (if using a work computer). The Post says the Firefox browser is best at protecting users’ privacy.
These organizations say they have been hacked recently. If you do business with any of these companies, change the password on your account and use two-factor authentication wherever possible.
One more thing...
Poor scammer.
The victim broke into his computer and locked it.
Click the arrow below to watch.
securephishinghackers via Instagram
Answers to Your
Cybersecurity Questions
“What’s the best practice for allowing or blocking cookies and permissions? For instance, there are several permissions on Instagram. Should all of them be deleted?”
— Ashley M.
When most people see a pop-up box asking how you want the website to handle “permissions,” they click “accept all.” But you should only grant access to permissions the app requires to function correctly. For example, flashlights and calculators sometimes request access to your location, microphone, camera, or list of contacts. They might like to have access to that information, but they don’t need it.
“Is two-factor verification necessary?”
— Jennifer H.
Admittedly, using two-factor authentication is a bit of a hassle, but it’s wise to use it with any account that offers it. That way, even if scammers manage to steal your password, they’d still need access to that one-time code to get into your account. Here’s a tip: it’s a bit safer to have that one-time code sent via email instead of as a text message.
“I received a letter from “Change Healthcare,” saying they had been hacked. They’re offering to place a fraud alert on my credit file and a security freeze with consumer reporting agencies. Is it real? Please advise.”
— Richard E.
Yes, this alert is legitimate. Change Healthcare is a big company that handles medical billing for hospitals, doctors’ offices, and pharmacies. It suffered a data breach earlier this year that exposed personal information, including health and payment information about potentially millions of people in the U.S. It’s better to set up fraud alerts and freeze your credit yourself than use a breached company to do it. If you decide to proceed, save all the paperwork and communications.
Original content © 2024 Aware Force LLC