A new wrinkle in the ongoing battle against malware exploits emerged last month when security reports from Kaspersky Lab and Symantec revealed a hacking group responsible for targeted attacks on Twitter, Facebook, Apple, and Microsoft in 2013 had renewed its cybercrime ways.
The group, identified as Wild Neutron or Butterfly, has intruded on the systems of at least 45 major companies in 20 countries since 2012. And their approach still relies on the kind of Adobe Flash Player and Java zero-day exploits identified by CMIT Solutions earlier this year. These are particularly dangerous because Flash and Java are used on millions of websites across multiple operating systems and browsers. That makes even the most inconspicuous user susceptible to having a custom “backdoor” installed on their computer that can then access higher-level networks, Microsoft Exchange email servers, and also content management systems.
So How Can Businesses Keep Their Computers, Servers, and Networks Secure?
CMIT Solutions recommends a multi-tiered or “umbrella” approach that provides several layers of security:
1) Antivirus, anti-spyware, and anti-malware software are important. But many hackers change their tactics faster than even the best software can keep up—Butterfly, for instance, stole a digital certificate from computer maker Acer that they could use to disable certain types of malware blockers. A good antivirus solution deployed properly by an IT provider can provide a certain level of security, but…
2) Comprehensive network security can make the difference. CMIT Solutions uses heightened security tools that analyze Internet traffic for malware, botnets, and phishing attempts before they affect your system. By identifying targeted attacks, blocking threats both on local networks and mobile devices, assessing the viability of removing Java and Flash plug-ins, and enforcing acceptable use policies through content filtering, the proactive monitoring or “umbrella” approach can deliver an unprecedented level of security. Of course, no one layer of security provides surefire protection, which is why we also specialize in…
3) Critical backup and disaster recovery. In a worst-case scenario, the only way to prevent data loss is if your information is backed up by a remote, regular, redundant, and easily retrievable solution. Users who are infected by Flash exploits or other ransomware viruses and don’t have a solid backup and disaster recovery plan in place have been forced to pay hundreds or even thousands of dollars to retrieve their data.
Cyberattacks, exploits, and other security compromises are constantly coming at us from all directions. That’s why CMIT Solutions is dedicated to helping our business clients survive and thrive in today’s complicated IT world by specializing in proactive monitoring, backup and disaster recovery, business continuity, data encryption, email archiving, and a host of other services. No security solution is 100% effective, but the more layers you put between your systems and cybercriminals looking to infiltrate them, the safer you’ll be.
At CMIT, we defend your network, secure your data, and empower your staff to be more productive. Contact us today so that we can worry about your IT—and you can worry about growing your business.