[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/univista.com\/posts\/the-ping-gone-phishing\/#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/univista.com\/posts\/the-ping-gone-phishing\/","headline":"The Ping: Gone Phishing?","name":"The Ping: Gone Phishing?","description":"Spear phishing has become a large problem in the past few years, affecting both business and personal lives alike. Check out this article to learn how to keep yourself safe! ","datePublished":"2019-12-13","dateModified":"2020-08-07","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/univista.com\/posts\/author\/corie-bogan\/#Person","name":"Corie Bogan","url":"https:\/\/univista.com\/posts\/author\/corie-bogan\/","identifier":5,"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/1cc33ae534ef31a23f9281fa0d638eb45e31ff2282dc8fabaf8cec72af5f1961?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/1cc33ae534ef31a23f9281fa0d638eb45e31ff2282dc8fabaf8cec72af5f1961?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"UniVista","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/univista.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/Univista-Logo-e1522352689794.png","url":"https:\/\/univista.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/Univista-Logo-e1522352689794.png","width":600,"height":60}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/univista.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/Scam.jpg","url":"https:\/\/univista.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/Scam.jpg","height":371,"width":640},"url":"https:\/\/univista.com\/posts\/the-ping-gone-phishing\/","about":["business management","internet","malware","news","planning","safety","Security","Security Alert","The Ping","virus","vulnerability"],"wordCount":684,"keywords":["2fa","cybersecurity","data breaches","disaster recovery","hackers","malware","Security","Virus"],"articleBody":"ShareTweet                                        Spear Phishing One of the most effective types of attacks is called spear fishing. \u201cSpear phishing is email targeted at a specific individual or department within an organization that appears to be from a trusted source. It\u2019s actually cybercriminals attempting to steal confidential information,\u201d – KnowBe4. A worrying new type of phishing email is going around using stolen data from high-profile websites. These emails include a password that has been used with the user\u2019s email address in the past in an attempt to scare that person into sending the scammer money (typically Bitcoin). Since the emails include personalized information, they appear credible in ways typical phishing emails do not. Typically, the scammer is claiming that they have recorded \u201ccompromising activity\u201d and blackmailing the user for their silence. How Does This Happen? A website is compromised (\u201chacked\u201d or \u201cbreached\u201d) due to poor security. That website\u2019s user database (including emails and sometimes passwords) is stolen (\u201cleaked\u201d). This stolen information is generally made available on the web. Scammers obtain one of these lists of emails and passwords. Scammers send messages to your email and include the password from the list. You open the email and are worried that you have been infected. 2FA 2FA, or multi-factor authentication, is a mechanism of confirming one\u2019s identity using a combination of at least two factors.\u00a0Its use is very important to limit the scope of most traditional intrusion attempts and account compromises. However, UniVista believes implementing 2FA is NOT an alternative to providing your team with the training to detect these attempts before they affect your business.\u00a0Multi-factor authentication does not provide a 100% guarantee that your information won\u2019t be hacked. However, properly implemented 2FA will reduce that risk and provide some peace of mind.\u00a0\u00a0Using 2FA will NOT prevent data leaks from a compromised device that is already authenticated.\u00a02FA will NOT prevent sophisticated remote account compromises. \u00a0\u00a0UniVista considers training important to reinforce the behaviors of stopping, thinking, and acting carefully no matter the specifics of the situation.\u00a0\u00a0 To learn more, check out –>\u00a0The Ping: 2FA\u00a0Passwords Password complexity and changes are often glossed over by the everyday user and yet can be the first step in preventing cyber-attacks. UniVista encourages you to\u00a0change your password\u00a0at least every 30 days and follow these generic password creation rules:\u00a0Do not use common information\u00a0Do not use a single, common word\u00a0\u00a0Do not use repeating characters or single digits.\u00a0Do not re-use the same password for multiple different logins!\u00a0UniVista recommends changing your password as soon as you think you might have been compromised!\u00a0To learn more tips about passwords go to\u00a0The Ping: Security in Public Places\u00a0CyberSecurity Awareness Building awareness with your employees isn\u2019t just about teaching them what to look for but also to show them why they are an important part of the solution. Once your employees can relate to the importance of keeping the network secure, they\u2019re more likely to take their training more seriously. Training your employees to be able to detect and delete just one phishing email, or\u00a0know which links they should not click on, can save everyone a lot of time and money.\u00a0UniVista advises a cybersecurity training course that provides multiple training methods is an effective way to really teach and track progress. Training videos, short quizzes and even test phishing emails that can show you who your \u201cclickers\u201d are allows you to see security training\u00a0actually work!\u00a0Communicate the Importance of Cybersecurity Build Awareness and Knowledge Measure and Monitor Check out more at The Ping: The Human FirewallUniVista has developed the UniVista CyberSecurity Suite to help small businesses like yours accomplish all of the key elements. If you\u2019d like to know more about The UniVista CyberSecurity Suite call us at 512-832-6209 or email support@univista.com Your UniVista Team*Celebrating 20+ Years of Customer Satisfaction* ShareTweet                                        "},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Posts","item":"https:\/\/univista.com\/posts\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"The Ping: Gone Phishing?","item":"https:\/\/univista.com\/posts\/the-ping-gone-phishing\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]