Edward Baker | Buzz Cybersecurity

What Is Cybersecurity: Cybersecurity 101

In today’s digital age, cybersecurity has become an essential aspect of protecting our personal information and business data. But what exactly is cybersecurity? In this informative article, we will delve into the world of cybersecurity and explore its significance in safeguarding against cyber threats. Whether you are new to the topic or a business owner considering implementing cybersecurity measures, this article will provide you with the necessary insights to understand the importance of cybersecurity and its role in our increasingly interconnected world.

What Is Cybersecurity?

The practice of defending computers, servers, mobile devices, networks, and data from digital attacks, hackers, and illegal access is referred to as cybersecurity. It entails putting in place safeguards to avoid, identify, and respond to cyber threats like hacking, malware, phishing, and ransomware. Cybersecurity is a broad term that refers to a variety of strategies and technology that work together to keep sensitive information safe and secure.

Why Is Cybersecurity Important?

The importance of cybersecurity cannot be overstated, as it serves as a critical defense mechanism shielding businesses from cyber threats and digital criminal activities, thus upholding the safety and integrity of sensitive data. In the contemporary digital landscape, the persistent threat of cyber attacks and data breaches necessitates vigilant protective measures, as the consequences of such breaches can be profoundly detrimental to businesses.

What Are The Benefits Of Having Cybersecurity?

Protection Against Data Breaches

Cybersecurity solutions protect your company against illegal access and stop data breaches, which can result in large losses, harm to your company’s brand, and legal repercussions. You may drastically lower the chance of data breaches by putting strong security measures in place such intrusion detection systems, firewalls, and encryption techniques.

Safeguarding Customer Trust

Customers concerns regarding the security of their personal information are growing in today’s data-driven economy. You may build loyalty and trust by putting cybersecurity first and proving that you are committed to safeguarding consumer data. You can keep up a good reputation and obtain a competitive edge by making sure that the information about your consumers is protected from hackers.

Ensuring Business Continuity

Downtime and lost revenue are both possible outcomes of a cyber assault on your firm. The effects of such assaults can be mitigated and company continuity ensured with proper cybersecurity safeguards in place. You may swiftly recover from cyber events and save downtime by implementing backup and recovery systems and solid incident response procedures.

Compliance With Regulations

The safekeeping of private information is mandated by law or industry standard in several fields. Cybersecurity measures ensure your company complies with these standards, protecting it from fines and other legal repercussions.

Protection Against Intellectual Property Theft

Cybersecurity measures not only protect your customer data but also safeguard your valuable intellectual property. Intellectual property theft can have severe consequences for businesses, including loss of competitive advantage and revenue. By implementing strong security measures, you can prevent unauthorized access to your intellectual property and keep your valuable assets safe.

Detection and Response To Cyber Threats

Real-time monitoring and threat detection systems that can recognize and address any threats before they inflict serious harm are examples of cybersecurity measures. You may minimize the effect and shorten the recovery time by taking a proactive approach to cybersecurity and promptly detecting and responding to threats.

Cost Savings

Despite the fact that purchasing cybersecurity protections may initially appear like an extra cost, doing so can end up saving you money. Recovering from a cyberattack or data breach can come at a much larger cost than putting preventative measures in place. You may safeguard the financial stability of your company and spare yourself the expense of recovering from an assault by making cybersecurity investments.

Competitive Advantage

Businesses who prioritize cybersecurity are seeing an increase in caution from customers and business partners due to the growing amount of cyber threats. You may stand out from the competition and draw in clients who respect security by putting strong cybersecurity measures in place. You might gain a competitive edge in the market by showcasing your seriousness about cybersecurity.

How Can Businesses Implement Cybersecurity Measures?

Assess The Risk

Determine the possible cyberthreats and weaknesses that your company might encounter. Examine your data storage, hardware, software, and network infrastructure. This will assist in organizing and customizing your cybersecurity defenses.

Create a Cybersecurity Policy

Provide a thorough cybersecurity policy including the methods, security measures, and employee rules that must be adhered to. Key management, data encryption, software upgrades, and staff training should all be covered under this policy.

Invest In Security Technologies

Firewalls, anti-virus software, intrusion detection systems, and encryption software should all be put into place. These tools can monitor networks for suspicious activity and block malicious ones before they do damage.

Regularly Update and Patch Systems

Keep your software and systems up to date with the latest security patches. Many cyber attacks exploit vulnerabilities in outdated software, so regular updates are crucial to ensure the security of your business.

Educate Employees

Employees should be taught to spot phishing emails, make secure passwords, and avoid visiting malicious websites. Since human mistake is a common cybersecurity flaw, it’s crucial to train and inform staff.

Backup Data

Regularly backup your data to a secure location. This can help mitigate the damage caused by a cyber attack or data breach. Ensure that backups are encrypted and stored offline or in a separate location to minimize the risk of unauthorized access.

Monitor and Respond To Threats

Implement a system for monitoring and responding to cyber threats in real-time. This can involve using security monitoring tools, setting up alerts for suspicious activity, and having an incident response plan in place.

Conduct Regular Audits and Assessments

Regularly assess the effectiveness of your cybersecurity measures through audits and assessments. This will help identify any weaknesses or gaps in your security and allow you to make necessary improvements.

What Are The Different Types Of Cyberthreats?

Malware

Malicious software, also known as “malware,” is any program with the intention of causing harm to a computer, network, or person. Malware of this type comprises viruses, worms, Trojan horses, ransomware, spyware, and adware. Email attachments, compromised websites, and pirated programs are all potential vectors for the spread of malware.

Phishing

Phishing is a form of cyberattack in which hackers attempt to fool victims into divulging personal information (e.g., login credentials, credit card numbers, and social security numbers). Emails, texts, and phone calls masquerading as official entities are common tools for phishing attempts.

Denial of Service (DoS) and Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) Attacks

Both distributed denial of service (DDoS) and distributed denial of service (DoS) attacks use a flood of traffic to try to bring down a computer system, network, or website. These types of attacks have the potential to wreak havoc on corporate operations, result in monetary losses, and harm an organization’s brand.

Social Engineering

Cybercriminals employ social engineering to trick users into giving up sensitive information or taking malicious acts. It takes advantage of people’s vulnerable mental states and relies on their trusting natures. Social engineering often takes the form of phishing, luring, pretexting, or tailgating.

Insider Threats

When workers or contractors with access to confidential information commit malevolent acts, they pose what is known as an insider threat to the company. These people can purposefully or accidentally damage the company by stealing information, sabotaging systems, or disclosing sensitive data.

Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs)

Advanced persistent threats (APTs) are persistent cyberattacks designed to cause the most damage possible to a single person, company, or country. They can go unnoticed for extended periods of time, and are typically carried out by well-resourced and adept cybercriminals or nation-state actors.

Ransomware

Malicious software known as “ransomware” shuts down a victim’s computer or encrypts its files, then demands a fee to unlock it. It is typically distributed via phishing emails or compromised websites, and it has the potential to seriously impair company operations and result in large financial losses.

IoT-based Attacks

With the rise of Internet of Things (IoT) devices, cybercriminals are exploiting the vulnerabilities in these devices to launch attacks. IoT-based attacks can include taking control of smart home devices, surveillance cameras, or industrial systems, potentially causing physical harm or manipulating data.

What Are The Laws and Regulations Related To Cybersecurity?

General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)

Enforced in the European Union (EU), GDPR aims to protect the personal data of EU citizens. It imposes strict requirements on the collection, storage, and processing of personal information and provides individuals with greater control over their data.

California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA)

Californians have specific rights about the gathering and use of their personal data thanks to the CCPA, a state privacy legislation. It gives customers the option to refuse having their data sold and forces companies to be open and honest about their data usage policies.

Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)

HIPAA is a U.S. federal law that sets standards for the protection of sensitive health information. It applies to healthcare providers, health plans, and clearinghouses, requiring them to implement security measures to protect patient data.

Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS)

PCI DSS is a set of security standards established by major payment card brands to protect cardholder data. It applies to any organization that processes, stores, or transmits payment card information and requires compliance with various security measures.

Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA)

A federal statute in the United States called FISMA provides a framework for protecting federal information systems. To prevent unauthorized access, use, disclosure, disruption, alteration, or destruction of sensitive information, federal agencies must create, implement, and maintain an information security program.

What Are The 3 Major Types Of Cybersecurity?

Network Security: The goal of network security is to prevent unauthorized users from gaining access to, or making changes to, a network. It entails setting up safeguards like firewalls and intrusion detection systems to keep hackers out of networks. The confidentiality, integrity, and availability of network data must also be ensured, in addition to safeguarding wireless networks and virtual private networks (VPNs).
Application Security: Application security refers to the measures taken to protect software applications from security vulnerabilities and attacks. This includes identifying and addressing coding errors, implementing authentication and access controls, and conducting regular vulnerability assessments and penetration testing. Application security helps prevent common attacks such as cross-site scripting (XSS), SQL injection, and buffer overflow.
Information Security: The goal of information security is to prevent the loss of data or the compromise of systems that store or transmit it. That means setting up safeguards like passwords, encryption, and regular data backups. Information security also includes audits, risk assessments, and training for staff on how to respond to security incidents.

Conclusion

In conclusion, cybersecurity is vital in today’s digital landscape, safeguarding personal and business data from cyber threats like hacking and malware. Investing in cybersecurity is crucial to mitigate risks, protect customer data, comply with regulations, and gain a competitive edge. It offers benefits such as data breach prevention, enhanced customer trust, business continuity, and long-term cost savings. Implementing cybersecurity involves risk assessment, policy development, technology adoption, employee education, and proactive monitoring. Understanding cyber threats and relevant laws is essential. Ultimately, cybersecurity is fundamental for preserving the integrity and financial stability of businesses in the interconnected world.

Final Thoughts

When it comes to cybersecurity expertise, Buzz Cybersecurity is your trusted source. We excel in providing a range of cybersecurity measures, including cloud solutions, disaster recovery, and managed detection and response. Serving businesses across all scales, we extend our services from California to neighboring states throughout America. Contact us today, and let’s collaborate to secure your digital assets.

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8 Ways Managed IT Services San Francisco Can Help Your Business Thrive

So you’re a business owner and you’re always looking for ways to improve operations and grow your company? We have got you covered, because we understand that Managed IT services are vital in helping you achieve your long-term business goals. But there are so many different solutions available in the market, how should you choose? It can be challenging to know what is right for you and your business and take action, but it’s 2023 and cyber threats are real. That’s why we are excited to introduce you to Buzz Cybersecurity, the #1 solution for managed IT services San Francisco.

We are super excited about this blog post, because we’ll cover what managed IT services are and how they will help your business thrive. Let’s do this together, and take a deep dive into the specific ways managed IT services can help your business stay current with the times and propel risk in this ever-evolving atmosphere.

What Are Managed IT Services?

Managed IT services can be a serious lifesaver in the event of technological issues. If you have dealt with any type of Internet or data loss issues then you know how important it is to outsource your business’s IT infrastructure management to a third-party provider with special skills and talents in cyber security. It makes a lot more sense to outsource your IT needs so that your employees can focus on the work that your company specialized in and not their password issues. An IT service provider takes care of the management and monitoring of your entire IT infrastructure, so that your employees can stay focused on the work that they specialize in (instead of the website issues).

Managed IT services can include things like cybersecurity, data backup and recovery, network support, and more. Managed IT services allow you to use your own IT equipment and provide you and your team with some serious peace of mind surrounding the technology that helps you run your day to day.

Why Does My Business Need Managed IT Services?

Whether you are a small business or a large corporation, we all know that technology runs our world. The truth is that any business can benefit from a managed IT partner that has their back in the event of a technological emergency.

Let’s take a look at why your business needs managed IT services no matter the size:

Cyber-threats are increasing every year and can pose a severe threat to small and mid-sized businesses.

Technology equipment needs regular maintenance and updates to perform effectively.
Managed IT services offer reduced labor costs, as you no longer have to employ an in-house IT team.

Now that we’ve touched on what managed IT services are and why your business needs them, let’s keep going, because we have got the ultimate guide on why and how managed IT services can help your business thrive.

How Managed IT Services Help Your Business Thrive

We here at Buzz Cybersecurity truly want your business to thrive, that’s why we are going over the eight ways to ensure that it does. To ensure that your day-to-day operation never stalls.

1. Managed IT Gives Your Business a Competitive Edge

Managed IT services offer small businesses and big corporations alike access to vital technology that protects their assets and online data.It is so important that your business stays competitive in a rapidly changing business landscape that contains ever-evolving technology. Are you ready to have the latest technology solutions and cybersecurity in place? We promise that putting safety and security at the head of the curb is going to give you an edge over the competition every time.

2. Minimize Your Risk, and Be Stress-Free

Proactively managing and mitigating risks is like the middle name of managed IT services. With a partner in managed IT, your business can utilize advanced security solutions. This means that IT service providers can identify and eliminate security vulnerabilities before they even begin. Now that is powerful. With a managed IT service provider, you get peace of mind knowing that your network and data is not only backed up but protected against risk.

3. Your Time is Important, Save It

As a business owner, your time is valuable. Managed IT services allow you to focus on growing your business instead of worrying about technology. With an experienced IT service provider, you can expect prompt responses and quick resolution to any issues that may arise.

4. Lower Your Operation Costs

Outsourcing your IT management can result in lower costs. With managed IT services, you only pay for what you need. You can scale your services up or down as your business needs change, resulting in lower operational costs.

5. Scale Your Network

Managed IT services can help you quickly scale your network as your business grows. You don’t have to worry about outgrowing your in-house IT capabilities; managed IT services can grow right alongside your business and into the future.

6. Stay Up-to-Date with Compliances

Depending on your industry, your business could be required to stay up-to-date with regulations such as PCI-DSS, HIPAA, or GDPR. Compliance can be challenging to navigate, but with managed IT services, you’ll have experts on your side every step of the way that make sure your company stays compliant on the cyber front.

7. Reduce Risk and Data Loss with Managed IT Services San Francisco

Managed IT services will save you a serious headache by preventing data loss and offering backup and recovery solutions for any data that has been lost. Utilizing cloud backup services is like purchasing insurance for your data. Trust us when we tell you that you will want the peace of mind in knowing that your team can quickly recover data in case of a natural disaster or cyber attack.

8. Stay Up-to-Date on Company Hardware

Keeping hardware updated is essential to maintaining a secure network and avoiding security vulnerabilities during the work day. With managed IT services, your hardware will always be up-to-date and free of security leaks.

Contact Buzz Cyber Security for Managed IT Services San Francisco

By investing in managed IT services, you take the power in your hands to help your business thrive within a technologically evolving atmosphere. You already know that it’s important to stay competitive. So what are you waiting for? Start saving time and money, and get some seriously needed peace of mind knowing that your network and data are protected. Buzz Cybersecurity is the #1 solution for managed IT services in San Francisco. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help your business thrive.

10 Things to Know About Managed IT Services for Small Business

In today’s fast-paced business world, technology plays a critical role in driving success. Small businesses, in particular, rely on IT systems to manage their daily operations. However, many small business owners need more expertise to manage their IT infrastructure, leaving them vulnerable to security breaches, data loss, and downtime. This is where managed IT services for small business comes in – they provide affordable, reliable, and proactive IT support to small businesses.

But how do you choose the right managed IT service provider for your small business? In this blog post, we’ll discuss the ten things you should look for when evaluating managed IT services for small businesses.

24/7 Support for Your Employees and Company Computer System

One of the most critical things to look for in a managed IT services for small business is 24/7 support. Your employees and computer system need to be supported at all times, and you want to be safe if an issue arises outside of regular business hours.

Additional things to look for when evaluating 24/7 support:

Live support from a real person (not an answering service or automated system)
Rapid response times for urgent issues
An escalation process for complex issues
Support for multiple communication channels, including email, phone, and instant messaging

Friendly Help Desk Support

Another important thing to look for in a managed IT service provider is friendly help desk support. Your employees should feel comfortable reaching out for help without worrying about being judged or belittled for their lack of technical knowledge.

Some things to look for when evaluating help desk support include:

Polite and patient technicians who take the time to explain issues and solutions
Clear documentation and tracking of support requests
Multiple tiers of support to ensure the right person is handling the issue
Regular training and knowledge-sharing among technicians

Budget Planning

As a small business owner, you have to be mindful of your budget. When evaluating managed IT services for small businesses, make sure you understand the costs associated with the service and how they fit into your overall IT budget.

Here are some things to look for when evaluating budget planning:

Transparent pricing with no hidden fees
Flexible pricing models that fit your needs and budget
A detailed explanation of what is and isn’t included in the service
Guidance on optimizing your IT spending

Data Backups and Cloud Storage For Your Business

Data loss can be catastrophic for a small business. It’s essential to look for a managed IT service provider that offers robust data backup and cloud storage solutions.

Take a look at some key signs to look for when evaluating data backups and cloud storage:

Automated backups to prevent data loss
Regular testing and verification of backups
Secure cloud storage options with encryption and redundancy
Clear policies on how data is stored and accessed

A Plan for Disaster Recovery of Files

In addition to backups and storage, your managed IT service provider should have a disaster recovery plan in place. This helps ensure that your business can quickly recover from any data loss or system failure.

Here are some things to look for when evaluating disaster recovery plans:

A detailed plan for recovering lost data
Regular testing of the disaster recovery plan
A designated person or team responsible for executing the plan
A plan for communicating with employees and stakeholders during a disaster

Business Technology Vendor Relationships

Managed IT service providers should have relationships with key business technology vendors. This ensures that they have access to the latest products, tools, and expertise needed to support your business.

Check out these green flags when evaluating vendor relationships:

Partnerships with industry-leading technology vendors
Regular training and certification of technicians on the latest products and tools
A deep understanding of how vendor products work together to support your business
Access to vendor support for complex issues

Continuous Monitoring and Proactive Testing

Managed IT services for small businesses should be proactive, not reactive. Your service provider should continuously monitor your systems and perform proactive testing to identify and fix problems before they cause downtime or security breaches.

Be aware of the following when evaluating continuous monitoring and proactive testing:

Automated monitoring tools that run 24/7
Regular vulnerability scanning and penetration testing
Patch and update management to keep systems up-to-date
Review of system logs and alerts

Regular Upgrades & Maintenance

Technology constantly evolves, and your managed IT service provider should stay on top of the latest trends and best practices. Regular upgrades and maintenance ensure that your systems are secure and running optimally.

Check out these key signs to look for when evaluating regular upgrades and maintenance:

A schedule for regular upgrades and maintenance
A detailed process for upgrading and maintaining systems
Regular reporting on the status of upgrades and maintenance
Integration of upgrades and maintenance into the disaster recovery plan

On-Site Support

Sometimes, your employees need in-person support to resolve IT issues. A managed IT service provider should offer on-site support to ensure that your employees can get the help they need when needed.

Here are some things to look for when evaluating on-site support:

Clear policies on when on-site support is available
Rapid response times for urgent issues
Flexibility to work around your business schedule
Technicians who are trained to work in your specific environment

Transparent Cost and Billing Structure

Finally, managed IT service providers should have a transparent cost and billing structure. You should know exactly what services you’re paying for and how much they cost.

Key signs when evaluating cost and billing structures:

Transparent pricing with no hidden fees
Regular reporting on prices and services
Flexibility to add or remove services as needed
Customizable plans to fit your specific needs

Partner With Buzz Cybersecurity for Managed IT Services for Small Businesses

At Buzz Cybersecurity, we understand the unique challenges that small businesses face when managing their IT systems. That’s why we offer comprehensive managed IT services for small businesses that provide 24/7 support, help desk support, budget planning, data backups and cloud storage, disaster recovery, vendor relationships, continuous monitoring and proactive testing, regular upgrades and maintenance, on-site support, transparent cost and billing structures.

Partnering with Buzz Cybersecurity means that you can focus on your business while we handle your IT needs. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help your small business thrive.

Backup and Disaster Recovery Plan: A Two-Fold Approach to Data Security

In today’s digital era, businesses thrive on storing and maintaining accurate, comprehensive, and reliable data. Without access to their data, most businesses would be unable to operate. And if something were to happen that permanently erased or corrupted their data, those same companies would face many consequences that could ultimately put them out of business.

However, there’s an alarming number of businesses inadequately prepared for these kinds of security incidents.

It’s important to keep in mind that not all data losses are the direct result of a cybercrime attack. Data losses can also occur due to natural disasters, hardware system failures, user errors, corrupted software, and data corruption during transmission. While some of these can be mitigated, it’s still important to secure your data against every possible scenario.

That’s why you need a backup and disaster recovery plan. Though it’s common for these two terms to be used interchangeably, there are some key differences between these two methods for data protection. And because each plays a different role in data security, you should use a combination of both to make sure that your data can always be restored.

What Are the Differences Between Backup and Disaster Recovery?

As mentioned above, both of these techniques play a crucial role in having a comprehensive data security plan in place. Let’s take a look at the details for each of these to gain a better understanding of how they contribute to the overall backup and disaster recovery plan.

Backup

When you back up your data, you’re creating a record of all of your data that can be restored at a later time. You should take a backup of your data at least once per day, but some businesses take backups much more frequently.

Backups can be taken manually by IT staff, or they can be taken automatically at predetermined intervals by implementing certain kinds of software. However, when taking backups, it is important to store them in a secure location. This will ensure you can access them if something should happen to your normal system.

For example, many businesses choose to operate from a single in-house server. Rather than storing data in individual computers, all of their data is stored on one server that is located somewhere in the company’s office.

If you store your backups on the server you are backing up, you’ll lose access to your data if the server goes down. When your backups are stored in a separate location, they can be restored if the business’s IT infrastructure experiences a major incident.

It is important to note that, although they should be part of your data security strategy, taking backups comes with some limitations. Backups are snapshots of your data from a specific point in time. This means that new data will be lost when your backup is restored.

This is why you need to add disaster recovery to your data protection approach.

Disaster Recovery

Rather than taking periodic backups and storing them in a separate server, a disaster recovery system is essentially a redundant or duplicate system that is on standby in case something should happen to your primary server.

With a disaster recovery system in place, all of your data will be continuously transmitted to your disaster recovery system in real-time. That way, if your primary server were to go down, your disaster recovery system would be ready to go online immediately.

It is possible to automate the switch from your primary system to your disaster recovery system, but the process is often handled manually by a company’s IT staff.

Because the disaster recovery system is standing by while receiving all of your business’s data in real-time, all it needs is to be activated in order for it to be fully operational. Once the switch is made, your company can continue operating normally.

The main benefits of a disaster recovery system are that you will experience minimal lost data and much shorter downtime. Backups, on the other hand, take additional time to retrieve and restore, which can result in longer downtimes and damage your company’s reputation.

Backup and Disaster Recovery Plan

A thorough backup and disaster recovery plan will include regular backups taken at least once per day, along with a redundant server that is ready to go in case of a system-wide failure.

An effective backup and disaster recovery plan relies on redundancy, which means that it is important to store your backups in multiple secure locations. It is advisable to have your backups stored on separate computers or servers while also utilizing cloud storage. Similarly, it is also recommended to house your disaster recovery plan in the cloud. While having a separate server for your disaster recovery plan is the ideal approach, it can be expensive to have a dedicated server solely for your business.

One popular solution for creating and implementing a backup and disaster recovery plan is working with a third-party cybersecurity provider who can back and host your data for you. This is a much more budget-friendly solution than purchasing and maintaining a second in-house server since these companies already have the personnel and infrastructure to implement this kind of solution.

Third-party managed IT companies will be able to automate many aspects of your backup and disaster recovery plan, which means you will be up and running again with minimal loss and downtime.

Restore Confidence in Your Data with Buzz Cybersecurity

Buzz Cybersecurity is a managed IT service provider that assists companies across Southern California in securing and managing their IT infrastructure.

Our experienced IT security team employs cutting-edge cybersecurity technology to manage all of our client’s data security needs.

If you need to improve your data’s security, or if you have any questions about what managed IT services can do for you, feel free to get in touch! We would love to meet you in person and show you how our managed IT services can improve your business!

Financial Cloud Computing: Servers That Power The Future

There are many concerns for privacy and security when it comes to the use of cloud computing the in financial services industry.

Although there is little regulation regarding financial services institutions’ (FSIs) use of cloud computing, there are many conversations taking place among various independent and regulatory bodies concerning the increased security risks involved with FSIs’ use of public clouds.

In the United States, the financial services industry is overseen by several government agencies and councils, including FINRA, FFIEC, and the OCC. However, these regulatory bodies have yet to issue a set of hard and fast rules concerning cloud computing in financial services.

Most of the official statements and literature regarding this topic comes to us in the form of “guidelines” rather than official policy or laws, which means it is incumbent upon FSIs to ensure that their data, and more importantly, their customers’ data, is safe and secure.

The good news for consumers and FSIs is that there are many advanced security measures that can strengthen cloud security in the financial industry and protect sensitive data from falling into the wrong hands.

Why Do Financial Institutions Choose Cloud Computing?

Cloud computing has skyrocketed in the last few years, and many businesses are taking advantage of the cost-effective scalability cloud computing offers. Gartner, a leading tech consulting firm, estimates that 85% of businesses in the US will adopt the use of cloud computing by the year 2025. And the financial sector is no exception to this.

FSIs collect and process massive amounts of data to carry out their business functions, and cloud computing services offer an unparalleled solution for streamlining FSI business operations.

In addition to the growing use of cloud computing in financial services, FINRA is now also partnered with AWS (Amazon Web Services). FINRA chose AWS as their primary cloud computing solution to manage the massive amounts of data that they collect and analyze every day. In a speech given by Saman Michael Far, the Senior Vice President of Technology at FINRA, he stated that through the use of cloud computing to improve FINRA’s operations, the federal government is projecting a cost reduction of $10 million to $20 million annually.

It’s clear to see that in terms of savings alone, migrating essential systems to the cloud is a game changer, and that’s not even considering the additional resources and computing power provided by cloud computing solutions.

What Are the Security Risks Associated with Cloud Computing?

When you use cloud computing services, there will be some inherent risks involved. Here are a few examples of these potential liabilities.

Data Breaches

Although cloud computing service providers usually have extremely stringent security measures in place, there are some factors that can potentially allow malicious actors to access a business’s cloud data. These can include weak authentication, unsecured APIs, and poorly configured security settings.

Data Loss

Another potential risk of cloud computing in financial services is lost data. Data can be lost as a the result of faulty hardware, software issues, or user error. However, most large cloud computing providers will have redundant systems and regular system checks in place to prevent these kinds of occurrences.

Shared Infrastructure

When financial services institutions (FSIs) utilize cloud computing for their daily operations, they often share server resources with other clients. Also, some of the applications that run on these servers, such as virtual machines, could potentially expose FSI data to other users who are trying to exploit weaknesses in the server’s systems.

It’s important to note that there are many other security risks we haven’t mentioned here. However, this list serves to highlight a few examples of the security risks involved with using cloud computing in financial services.

What Can Financial Institutions Do to Protect Their Cloud Data?

There will always be certain risks associated with conducting any form of business online, whether on the cloud or otherwise. No matter where financial institutions choose to store and manage their data, malicious actors may be trying to access their systems and gain control of their information.

However, there are many security measures that financial institutions can put into practice in order to stop these attacks from being successful. Many financial institutions turn to managed IT services providers to plan and implement security practices that will keep their data safe.

While it is impossible to completely stop attacks from occurring, there are advanced cybersecurity measures capable of detecting and stopping the propagation of attacks within your system.

Managed IT service providers will design a customized approach to continuously monitor and manage your data both in the cloud and within your internal network to ensure that your operations continue to run smoothly and securely.

A managed IT service provider will incorporate advanced machine learning technology to analyze all of your system’s activities to establish a baseline for healthy network and cloud environment behaviors. With an established baseline, your managed IT service provider can immediately detect deviations from normal patterns and deploy a predetermined response based on the severity of the security incident.

Furthermore, your managed IT service provider will already have the necessary infrastructure to store all of your data on their highly-secured servers. This ensures that access will only be given to those who have been cleared to handle your information.

And one of the best aspects of working with a managed IT service provider is the money that your business will save! When you work with outsourced IT services, your data security and system infrastructure will be managed at a significantly lower cost compared to establishing an in-house IT security department.

Secure Your Cloud Environment with Buzz Cybersecurity

Buzz Cybersecurity offers advanced cloud cybersecurity services for businesses across Orange County, California. We believe in taking a personalized approach to cybersecurity, and we strive to understand our clients’ goals to better meet their needs.

If you are the owner or decision-maker of a financial institution in need of cloud security services, feel free to give us a call! We’re happy to set up a meeting and show you why our clients love working with us!

Check Everything IT off Your List with IT Managed Services

Growing businesses face a number of challenges when trying to scale their operations. In fact, scalability is one of the primary bottlenecks that companies will have to overcome, and it is often an ongoing effort that can determine whether or not the company succeeds.

In order to scale successfully, business owners and leaders need to find solutions that address their growing needs while also striking a delicate balance between cost effectiveness and performance.

It’s simply not feasible for most businesses to hire a new person, pay for new equipment, and buy new software every time a new requirement for growth presents itself. This is why many businesses choose to outsource certain aspects of their business to third parties who are already established and equipped to handle specific tasks.

Traditionally, this method was most commonly used to meet a company’s needs for accounting, customer service, and human resources, but in recent years, outsourcing IT and cyber security is becoming an increasingly common practice.

When a business outsources its IT needs, they gain the knowledge, experience, and infrastructure of an entire IT department without needing to hire and train additional employees, allowing businesses to cross several things off their lists with a single solution.

In today’s article, we will be exploring the benefits of managed IT services, as well as how you can seamlessly incorporate managed IT services into your daily operations to help you scale your growing business. After reading this article, you should have a better idea of what you can expect when hiring a third-party IT company to handle your digital infrastructure.

Why Choose Managed IT Services?

Managed IT services can play a critical role in securing and streamlining your online and in-network operations, but your unique needs will depend on the size and scope of your business. This is why managed IT services is a practical and scalable solution, since it can be customized for your specific needs, no matter what you do or how you do it.

Here are some of the reasons why managed IT services might be right for you.

Scalability

Although we already mentioned this in passing, we want to reiterate this point and look at it in some more detail to highlight its importance. When talking about this point, it is important to note the differences between growing and scaling your business.

When your business grows, your revenue increases as more and more people buy your products, but this also results in busier employees and a need for better resource management. In order to keep up with the demands of your growing business, you may need to hire more employees, acquire more assets to handle your operations, and expand your physical footprint, but these efforts will be for not if you don’t have an adaptable plan for managing these changes.

This is where scalability comes into play. Having a scalable business plan means that you have access to the necessary resources to make your human capital and infrastructure continue to run smoothly as they increase in size, but this must be accomplished without over-extending your budget and putting your company in a weaker financial position. When you have scalable operations, your infrastructure will grow alongside you organically, eliminating the need to create and maintain a larger infrastructure that you can grow into.

Managed IT services are a perfect solution for overseeing your company’s digital assets without creating an entire IT department from scratch. When you keep your IT efforts in-house, you will not only need to hire new, well-paid employees, but you will also have to acquire the physical resources needed for these employees to carry out their jobs, such as computers, software, desks, chairs, and a work space.

Although professional managed IT services are not cheap, they are much more budget-friendly than the alternative. Rather than paying for all of the things we mentioned before, you will have one monthly bill to cover all of your IT needs. And as you continue to grow, you can simply change your service level agreement with your managed IT services partner.

Increased Security

Cyber security is a growing concern for businesses, and statistics show that many companies who fall victim to cyber attacks are unable to recover. According to a study conducted by the US National Cyber Security Alliance, more than half of the businesses that experience a successful cyber attack are forced to shut down within six months.

When a business suffers an attack, honesty is the best policy to reestablish trust with customers and partners, but this causes irreparable damage to a company’s reputation and public perception more often than not.

Furthermore, cyber attacks are becoming increasingly sophisticated and diverse, especially through the use of AI and machine learning. As technology advances, malicious actors are able to improve the means through which they are able to gain access to a network and steal or corrupt sensitive data.

Working with a managed IT services provider will give you access to a large team of seasoned IT security experts. Through a combination of their insight and the security measures they have at their disposal, these experts will equip your system with all of the latest security measures to protect your infrastructure and data.

It is impossible to completely prevent attacks from occurring, but having a managed IT services provider in your corner can mitigate many of the risks involved with running crucial aspects of your business online.

Managed IT services will not only install security measures onto the devices in your network and cloud environment, but they will also continuously monitor activities on these devices to identify malicious activity and prevent it from propagating throughout your system.

Improved Efficiency

As you probably already know, computers and other devices can get bogged down when they are used to process and store large amounts of data, and businesses are certainly not immune to this. Since employees and business owners use their computers day in and day out, excessive amounts of unnecessary data can be stored on these devices, ultimately resulting in slower speeds, longer loading times, and system crashes.

A managed IT services provider can configure your devices and install software to ensure that they run smoothly and efficiently. Managed IT service providers use advanced techniques for trimming the fat from the devices that populate your network, allowing the available processing power to be allocated to critical functions.

Easy Communication

When you partner with a managed IT services provider, you will have 24/7 access to the organization responsible for overseeing your network, and you can talk to them as much or as little as you need to.

Additionally, all of your communications will go through a single point of contact, which reduces the amount of redundancy in your relationship. Since everything will go through one person, you won’t need to explain yourself to a new representative every time you call. You will have one dedicated expert who knows your business and IT needs in and out.

In addition to ongoing support, your managed IT services provider will get to know your specific needs and make customized recommendations based on your IT setup. After creating a plan to address all of your vulnerabilities and improve your operations, your account manager will walk you through the entire process of implementing your new IT solution. This is the best time to ask any questions and raise concerns to avoid future misunderstandings.

Also, if a security issue arises that you need to be aware of, your managed IT services provider will notify you immediately through whichever medium works best for you.

One-Stop Solution

No matter what your unique IT needs are, your managed IT services provider has a solution that will cover your entire system. Managed IT services will have the knowledge and tools to adapt to your network and operations, allowing you to continue your everyday activities while they manage everything in the background.

Managed IT services providers tend to work with companies that are located in the same general geographical area, which allows them to make onsite visits as well. Onsite visits will sometimes be necessary for IT to address hardware issues, install new devices, and configure some types of network settings.

Managed IT Services

In addition to being aware of the benefits of managed IT services, it’s also important to be aware of the services they offer.

Network Provisioning and Virtualization

Network provisioning is the process of setting up a network and configuring it to allow access for the necessary users and devices. This will typically need to be performed onsite by an experienced IT professional who can install and configure everything correctly. This process can include running the necessary connection cables, setting up routers and switches, installing security software, connecting the network to the server, and anything else that goes into establishing the physical infrastructure of the network.

In addition to provisioning, managed IT services can also provide virtualization services to bring additional software and hardware resources to a virtual environment.

Web Hosting

Hosting your company’s website through your managed IT services provider rather than through a commercial hosting service will ensure a more dedicated level of service, as well as more advanced security measures.

In case you are not familiar with the term “hosting” or what it actually means, a host is simply the server or computer that houses your website. All of the traffic going to or from your website will be processed by the host computer, which makes it one of the most critical elements of a website.

Although commercial hosting providers usually provide solid “uptimes,” there are several drawbacks that come with choosing cheap hosting providers over more individualized solutions. For example, the server where your site is hosted through a commercial hosting platform will also have thousands of other websites that are sharing the same resources. This can present problems such as slower loading times and increased security risks.

Another downside of hosting your website with a large commercial provider is that they have millions of customers. This will often translate into lower prices, but those cheap prices can come at a premium. When you call to speak with someone about your service, you will likely end up speaking with someone in another country who knows nothing about you, your website, or your business.

On the other hand, when you host your website with managed IT services, you will be working with a company who knows you and your brand by name. Also, since your managed IT services already have access to your network and are aware of your ongoing needs, they will be able to find quicker and more efficient solutions for any issues that come up regarding your website.

Network Testing and Monitoring Facilities

When we talk about network testing and monitoring in the realm of cyber security, we are referring to the process of testing your network for vulnerabilities and monitoring it for intrusions. This is a continuous process that is made possible through the use of advanced automated software.

By using this software and programming it to meet your specific needs, managed IT services can contain and neutralize most security threats before they become an issue. Automated security software provides several benefits, but one of the most important of these is the fact that they can respond to threats automatically. This gives IT more time to investigate the attack while also ensuring the attack is unable to spread.

Managed IT services can also deploy specialized security software for database management. This will ensure that sensitive information regarding your customers and internal operations will remain confidential and secure.

Buzz Cybersecurity Is in Your Corner

When you work with Buzz Cybersecurity, you won’t be thought of or treated as a customer – but rather as a partner.

Buzz Cybersecurity is a growing managed IT services provider in Southern California, and we service businesses all over Orange County, CA and the surrounding areas.

Buzz is ready to take on all of your IT and cybersecurity needs, whether it’s setting up a network from scratch or installing an advanced security strategy across your entire system.
Also, if you know you need IT but aren’t very computer savvy, we’re happy to meet with you in person to create a customized approach for your business. Click here to give us a call or send us a message!

Buzz Cybersecurity at the 2021 World Petroleum Congress

Buzz Cybersecurity is proud to be at the 2021 World Petroleum Congress (WPC) in Houston, TX from Dec 5^th–8^th in the only Cyber Pavilion there.

The World Petroleum Congress is the largest event in the Oil & Gas industry that is held ONLY every 3 years! 2021 marks the first time in over 30 years that the WPC is being held in the United States.

Ziggy Ransomware Shuts Down, Refunds Money

In a stunning reversal, the Ziggy admin is now giving ransom money back to victims

Darth Vadar. The Grinch. The Ziggy Admin. What do they all have in common? Once known as infamous agents of villainy, they all experienced one heck of a character arc after seeing the light. What caused this change of heart? It’s difficult to say for sure. Vadar was turned back by the love of a son who chose to believe that there was still good inside of him, while Mr. Grinch was won over by the indomitable spirit of the Whoville residents when he grossly misjudged the source of their joy, causing his attempt to steal Christmas to fail miserably.

And the Ziggy admin? In early February, the cybercriminal operation announced that they were shutting down for good. They shared with Bleeping Computer that they had turned to crime because they lived in a developing country but that they were “very sad” about the crimes they had committed and had decided to release the encryption keys publicly for their victims. They also admitted that they were concerned about legal problems and the possibility of having the same fate as ransomware extortionists Emotet and Cyberwalker, who had recently been raided.

No other information was forthcoming, so it became a waiting game to see if Ziggy would make good on their promise. Many cyber-criminologists remained skeptical. Yet the Ziggy admin was true to their word—sort of. The next day they published the decryptor code, offering an SQL file with 922 decryption keys that victims could use to unlock their files, but they were loaded with malware. In addition to the keys, the admin also published a tool to make the process less complicated, along with the source code for a decryptor that does not need an internet connection to work.

They are not the first hackers to do a 180. Days before, the hacker group known as Fonix (aka Xonix and FonixCrypter) had also made a similar announcement, stating that guilt had finally caught up with them and releasing the decrypter codes would help to alleviate that. And in the past, other groups such as GandCrab, Shade, and TeslaCrypt have also made similar turnarounds.

What makes Ziggy different is that in mid March, they announced that they would be refunding their victims the money paid for the ransom. It was a move that shocked many. Within a week of the unprecedented announcement, they stated they were ready to begin making restitution.

The Ziggy admin told Bleeping Computer that they would begin refunding the ransom in Bitcoin at the rate it was valued on the day that the ransom was paid. Which means they are still making a tidy profit, given the fact that the price of Bitcoin has been ascending the last three months. On the day that Ziggy made the announcement, the price of Bitcoin was around $39,000. Five days later, it had jumped above $61,000.

The Ziggy admin insists though that they are not profiting, and have even had to put their house up for sale to pay for restitution. They also have stated that they are now going to start using their powers for good as “ransomware hunters.”

Maybe it’s not that surprising a move after all. Among cybercriminals, Ziggy was never considered a hardcore bad guy in comparison to others like the aforementioned Emotet, whose actions prompted a joint international strike force coordinated by the Eureopean Union to launch a crackdown that ended with seizing of computers and arrests. Or Egregor, who shut down Translink’s transportation system in Vancouver last year when ransom demands were not met.

Ziggy was more “old fashioned” in their crime sprees. They would encrypt files after hacking into a company’s records, but never actually steal them and threaten to sell them to the public if the ransom wasn’t paid.

So what do we make of all of this? Was it true repentance or a strategically-timed ploy to escape punishment? We can’t really know the heart of a person and this blogger will refrain from passing judgement. In the end, perhaps it’s enough that they’re going to refund the monies ransomed, and trying to be a force of good in the cyberworld.

All we can tell you is that an ounce of prevention is always better than a pound of cure. So if you have any lingering doubts about whether or not you’re protected against a ransomware attack, let us help with a free assessment today. Don’t hope to depend on the kindness of strangers!

If you’ve been the victim of a Ziggy ransomware attack, please reach out to the admin directly at [email protected] with proof of your payment in Bitcoin and computer ID. It’s estimated that you’ll see a refund to your Bitcoin wallet in roughly two weeks.

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

The Changing Face of Generative and Predictive Artificial Intelligence

(and how it’s shaping cybersecurity for decades to come)

First off, let’s define what we mean by AI (artificial intelligence), because the definition can be varied, depending on who you ask. For some, it’s Haley Joel Osmont’s character David laughing that creepy laugh during the dinner table scene in the Steven Spielberg film AI, or, if you’re of a certain age, it’s HAL 9000, the sentient computer who goes on a eerily calm murder spree in the cold vacuum of space in Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey.

(Personally, I am super nice to Alexa, in the hopes that when the machines do take over, she might put in a good word for me!)

But all kidding aside, what are we really talking about here? In the cybersecurity world, we’re looking at predictive AI, and most experts recognize that there have been three waves of development with this type of network protection:

Wave One: Human developers created guidelines for AI to follow. The first phase of AI could solve complex problems. If you’ve ever seen a chess match between a computer and a human being, this is a classic example of First Wave AI. The AI was supervised during the entire process, and gathered data to form a baseline with which other data would be compared. Then the AI would look for anomalies in any new, incoming data. The issue programmers ran into was that the information collected for the baseline quickly became outdated because hackers were evolving faster than the data could be updated. Which led to the creation of the next phase.
Wave Two: Supervised and unsupervised AI, also known as “machine-learning AI” were used to create guidelines by relying on methods such as classification, clustering, and regression, which are used to help with making predictions. Although it was considered superior to first wave AI, it still had some limitations. Second Wave AI doesn’t have the capacity to draw conclusions or make predictions based on its own reasoning.
Wave Three: Unsupervised by humans, computers “self-supervise” and make decisions based on their own reasoning and analytics. Third Wave AI is able to draw new conclusions and increases its own learning capacity. It’s considered “context aware.” Operating systems using 3rd wave predictive AI can adapt to changing situations.

So, now that we know what predictive AI is, why is it important for cybersecurity? Before we answer that, it’s important to realize that you are most likely using predictive AI everyday without realizing it. If you’ve ever used Uber, Lyft, or DoorDash, their apps use predictive AI to determine what time you’ll arrive at your destination or when your food will arrive. Also, if you’ve ever fly on a commercial airline, the average flight only involves an average of seven minutes of human-steered flight time, typically during take offs and landings. The rest of the time? Autopilot, which—you guessed it—is a form of predictive AI.

In terms of AI used in cybersecurity, it’s often seen in things like anomaly detection, threat detection, and cybercrime prevention. One benefit is that Third Wave assesses each situation in real-time, as it’s unfolding. Typically, odds favor hackers, but with Third Wave, those odds are being evened.

Statistically, companies that were using Third Wave experienced far less issues with hacking issues like ransomware attacks during the Covid-19 shutdown. With millions of employees suddenly working from home with little to no training on how to avoid sophisticated phishing scams, cyber criminals jumped on the opportunity to exploit any weakness that resulted from workers using unsecured networks. And those who had Third Wave predictive AI were able to adapt more quickly than their counterparts.

Perhaps the most apparent example of this was the string of zero-day attacks that occurred at the end of 2020 on several government agencies, including the Department of Homeland Security and the National Institute of Health. Considered one of the boldest cyber crimes ever committed, many people wondered how this could have happened “on US soil.” That’s a discussion for another blog, but suffice to say that Third Wave predictive AI has the capability to respond much faster because it’s real-time threat detection, versus a rules-based evaluation of the events unfolding. It may not sound that impressive, but every second counts when someone is trying to steal sensitive data and make you pay a ransom for it.

And yet, many people don’t feel entirely comfortable with trusting AI to be responsible for their safety. We find ourselves back to a HAL 9000 conundrum. Tesla made headlines last year when several of its self-driving cars crashed, all within a short time frame of one another.

And there is also the growing concern that as AI evolves, many people will find themselves out of a job and obsolete. To be fair though, it’s already been proven that this concern is somewhat unfounded. Predictive AI has actually been shown to create jobs. A recent article by Forbes Magazine indicated that although AI will eliminate roughly 85 million jobs by 2025, it will create 97 million more.

The main concern for most people is the moral and ethical question on AI. The Campaign to Stop Killer Robots, chartered in 2013, lobbies governments to halt the development of drones and other AI-powered machines. Frank van Harmelen, an AI researcher based in Amsterdam stated, “Any computer system, AI or not, that automatically decides on matters of life and death — for example, by launching a missile — is a really scary idea.”

Van Harmelen may be thinking back to an incident in 1983 where former Soviet military officer Stanislawv Petrov averted a potential global nuclear war when he noticed that Russian computers had incorrectly sent out an alert that the United States had launched a preemptive nuclear missile strike.

And yet, the benefits of AI are hard to ignore. One of the main challenges of cybersecurity is staying ahead of hackers. Ransomware attacks have grown exponentially in the last few years alone, and their success rates are alarming. When federal governments and hospitals treating COVID-19 patients are targeted with no mercy, it makes the days when financial devastation being the greatest consequence of being hacked seem like child’s play. Right now, AI is the only way to assess threats in real time and shut them down before they inflict serious damage.

Many people are not comfortable becoming bedfellows with AI, and that’s something to continue to pay attention to as we continue in the 21st century. It’s not an either/or situation. While AI might work for some cybersecurity scenarios, obviously at least as much (if not more) consideration needs to be given in the areas for example, such as military AI or robo doctors.

It’s a trend we’ll keep you up to date on, and in the meantime, feel free to reach out to us with any questions or concerns you have when trying to assess just how safe you are from things like a ransomware attack. Buzz Cybersecurity provides free assessments and provides preventative care for all of your digital integrity needs.

Photo by FLY:D on Unsplash

What Is The Dark Web? Everything You Should Know

(The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly)

Many of us have been hearing about the Dark Web for some time now, but it’s usually in the vaguest terms: we don’t really understand what it is or have a firm grasp on how it might be impacting us. Much like the boogie man of our childhood, we understand it to be something bad but only on the most enigmatic level. In this blog, we’ll take a look at what the Dark Web is, it’s history, and the pros and cons of its existence.

In defining what the Dark Web is, we would be remiss if we didn’t take a moment to distinguish it from the Deep Web, with which it is often confused. Many news outlets fail to make a distinction between the two, but for the purpose of this article (and to be more factually accurate), according to Wikiedia, the deep web is “a reference to any site that cannot be accessed through a traditional search engine,” and the dark web is “a portion of the deep web that has been intentionally hidden and is inaccessible through standard browsers and methods.” Because the Dark Web is not indexed, it can only be accessed via certain networks, such as The Onion Router and The Invisible Internet Project. More on those in a minute.

The Dark Web has a muddied history. But it’s not at all new, and it may surprise you to know that it’s been around for decades. There were a string of articles that came out last year touting the 20th anniversary of the advent of the Dark Web, while other sources claim that a rudimentary form of the web’s underbelly, known as ARPANET, first originated in the 1960s as an anonymous online communications network. But if the Dark Web has been around for so long, why is it that many of us have only started hearing about it in the last few years?

The answer is not complicated. We’ve blogged before about the exponential rise of cybercrime, in the form of ransomware, identity fraud, phishing scams. And with the rise in notoriety there has come an increased awareness of the places where cyberterrorism has been allowed to flourish unchecked.

The people that made the Dark Web possible actually started out with good intentions. In early 2000, Freenet was launched, and touted itself as a peer-to-peer, decentralised network, designed to make it less vulnerable to attack and snooping by authorities and states. To be fair, it was never squeaky clean, as it was immediately used to distribute pornography and pirated materials, but the amount of nefarious activity was a fraction of what takes place today. Back then, it was seen more as a way to share information.

In 2002, The Onion Router (also known as TOR) was created by scientists who received funding from the US Naval Research Laboratory with the hopes that it would facilitate safer communications with intelligence sources from around the world.

In 2004, the Naval Research Laboratory released the code for TOR to the public, and it quickly became the most popular means by which people accessed the Dark Web. It wasn’t long before people who had more sinister intentions found a way to subvert and take advantage of the fact that they couldn’t be tracked.

In 2010, users started taking advantage of another technological advancement: cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin, and later on, Montero. The anonymous transfer of funds combined with the ability to do so on untraceable networks seemed like a marriage made in heaven for the sale of nearly every kind of illegal transaction possible. Only 4 years later, in 2014, a study by Gareth Owen from the University of Portsmouth found that the most commonly hosted type of content on TOR was child pornography, with the sale of illegal drugs being almost as popular.

Equally as disturbing is that the Dark Web was used by hackers and cyberterrorists connected to the Arab Spring to coordinate attacks on entire countries. And it’s only been escalating ever since. Last month, we blogged about a government-backed terrorist group in North Korea using social networks to infiltrate security teams at Google. And not to be outdone, hackers routinely market their services the highest bidder. Some have even been reported to track and extort money from pedophiles. It’s not called the Dark Web just because the exchanges happen in the shadows; there are pockets of the web that are so subversive that most people with a shred of morality can’t begin to imagine the goings-on.

However, proponents of the Dark Web state that the bad outweighs the good. Many people feel a sense of uneasiness about their every online movement being tracked. Data such as what sites they visit, what they purchase, and even their political affiliations are easily accessible. How many times have you been on Amazon looking for something, closed out of the app, and then suddenly found yourself looking at ads on Facebook for the very same product?

When the Constitution and The Bill of Rights were written, the concept of the World Wide Web may have been difficult for the Founding Fathers to conceptualize, but they were adamant about keeping the Government out of people’s private affairs so long as no one was infringing on another’s rights. They would have no doubt supported protecting citizens, especially those who are too young to defend themselves and are in need of rescue from sexual predators. But they would have also vehemently objected to a record of someone’s purchases or books borrowed from a public library being turned over to the governing authorities to be monitored and tracked.

For many people, it’s not a black-and-white issue. But it is one that will no doubt continue to be debated as we find ourselves utilizing online services more and more. With COVID-19, we saw entire industries go virtual practically overnight. So we predict that this won’t be the last time we will be blogging about the Dark Web. In the meantime, we’ll continue to keep you in the loop about all things related to your digital integrity. If you have any questions though about how to protect yourself from scammers, hackers, and cyberterrorists, reach out to Buzz Cybersecurity today for a free consultation!

Photo by Sebastiaan Stam from Pexels