Get Tech Support Now - (818) 584-6021 - C2 Technology Partners, Inc.

Get Tech Support Now - (818) 584-6021 - C2 Technology Partners, Inc.

C2 provides technology services and consultation to businesses and individuals.

T (818) 584 6021
Email: info@c2techs.net

C2 Technology Partners, Inc.
26500 Agoura Rd, Ste 102-576, Calabasas, CA 91302

Open in Google Maps
QUESTIONS? CALL: 818-584-6021
  • HOME
  • BLOG
  • SERVICES
    • Onsite Support
    • Encryption
    • Backups
  • ABOUT
    • Privacy Policy
FREECONSULT
Tuesday, 19 November 2019 / Published in Woo on Tech

Two-fer Tuesday

It’s late and we’re fighting through a rather difficult month of technology challenges for our clients, but I wanted to make sure you got a heads-up on two important news items that happened this week. The first one actually happened months ago, but we are only hearing about it now, after the companies involved were able to plug the gaping security hole. As you can imagine, I’m fairly jaded when it comes to hearing about yet another vulnerability in our technology, but this one raised an eyebrow as it literally affected hundreds of millions of Android users.

Really Google? Again?

Google and Samsung recently confirmed a rather large security failure in the Camera app of both Google and Samsung smartphones that could be exploited to gain essentially unfettered access to the camera, microphone and GPS functions of your phone, all by installing a simple app that only requests storage access permissions. Discovered by security research firm Checkmarx back in July of this year and eventually fixed (supposedly) in August, Google and Samsung only just recently approved the publication of this vulnerability after confirming the patch has been successfully deployed to counteract this weakness.

While this particular incident wasn’t even out of sight of our rear-view mirror, news of a new email-delivered ransomware attack hit my inbox. For this latest campaign the hook was set to exploit everyone’s heightened awareness of keeping your computer up to date, an awareness that we have played no small part in pumping up, and now, ironically, may end up tricking clients into infecting their computers with ransomware. This time, the attack comes as the form of a fake email notification from Microsoft urging readers to, “Install Latest Microsoft Windows Update now!” and provides a spoofed EXE file renamed to appear as a JPG image file. If the reader happens to fall for the con, the attachment downloads the Cyborg ransomware variant and quickly encrypts the users data in files ending with “777”, leaving behind a note with instructions on how to get your files back if you pay the ransom in bitcoin.

The average Windows user probably doesn’t realize that Microsoft doesn’t use email to notify its customers that updates are available, primarily because it can do so right through the operating system. Unfortunately, we are all so used to receiving information via email that we’ve grown accustomed to these types of notifications for just about every other aspect of our digital lives. As a whole, we’ve become too trusting to question everything we receive digitally out of necessity as researching or vetting everything is essentially impractical for the average human. As such, you should continue to make it a rule to NEVER open an attachment that you haven’t vetted fully. Always call the sender to verify if you receive an unsolicited attachment, and if you are at all unsure, check with your nearest IT professional.

Image Courtesy of Stuart Miles at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

  • Tweet

What you can read next

Last Minute Gift Guide
BlackBerry logo
Strategy Pivot for BlackBerry in the Making?
Biohazard warning
Two billion-record database left open on internet

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recent Posts

  • SolarWinds blames intern for weak password scandal

    Despite their best efforts, SolarWinds isn&#821...
  • Apple-logo.png

    New Malware hits 30k Macs

    Not even three months into Apple’s releas...
  • Biohazard warning

    Poor IT practices led to Florida utility hack

    Last week the sleepy Florida town of Oldsmar ma...
  • Facebook – Too little, too late?

    When working with people who are actively attem...
  • Things you should know as a WFH Pro

    While the past year has been no picnic for anyo...

Archives

  • GET SOCIAL
Get Tech Support Now - (818) 584-6021 - C2 Technology Partners, Inc.

© 2016 All rights reserved.

TOP