This is a dangerous time. Keep your eyes open.
Along with the egregious physical attack on the ground in Ukraine, cyber-attacks are flying back and forth between the combatants. Unfortunately, these cyber-attacks are not limited to Russia and Ukraine. Parties trying for a peaceful resolution using sanctions are also viable victims in this battle.
What this means to you: We all need to be extra vigilant of attacks from multiple vectors. This article covers the ways you can help protect yourself and your organization during this dangerous time.
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We need to be extra vigilant during these difficult times. Not only could we be less attentive because we are worried about the troubles in the world today, but hackers are using those troubles specifically to trap us.
Be wary of emails/links soliciting donations for Ukraine
Whenever there is a highly visible event, hackers take advantage and send out solicitations regarding it. The war on Ukraine is no exception. Please be wary of any emails soliciting donations or offering information about it. If you are interested in donating, then please open a new browser window and enter the web address of the recipient organization. Clicking a link in a soliciting email can be dangerous.
Be extra careful about phishing emails
Whether they are related to Ukraine or not, phishing emails are on the rise. Please review our previous article about this topic and better protect yourself from this dangerous crime.
Be careful about text links on mobile devices
Email is not the only avenue to receive spam and phishing messages. Your phone is also a prime conduit. Links in text messages can be just as dangerous. Please do not click links in text messages unless you are absolutely sure you know who they are from and what they are for.
Don’t install unauthorized programs (and uninstall ones you may have installed already)
Both the Google Play Store and the Apple Store have hosted programs uploaded by hackers with dangerous elements. This despite the fact that both attempt to test all programs to protect their users. If you are not sure about a program, please ask HDF before you install it. If you are no longer using software, uninstall it. More information is available in our previous article about unapproved apps.
Keep your computer updated
Software developers release updates regularly to patch security holes. These patches only protect you if you install them. More information is available in our previous article about keeping Windows up-to-date.
Keep your browser updated
A special category of software, because we use it so much, is the browser. Please keep it up to date to help protect you from the massive amount of data that flows through them. Chrome is especially important, since it is so popular.
Please remember to block attempts by Microsoft to update your computer to Windows 11
Not directly related to security, but worth the mention: Microsoft is still trying to get you to upgrade your newer computers to Windows 11. We are still waiting for it to become more stable and support more drivers and programs. Please continue to refrain from upgrading your computer to Windows 11.
If you have questions about this, please let us know and we will be happy to assist you.
Take care,
