Issue 31

POST

Welcome to POST by ResTech Solutions

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News

Kaseya Is Making Its Customers Sign Non-Disclosure Agreements to Obtain Ransomware Decryption Key

Image from Gizmodo

As more information comes to light about the Kasaya attack that occurred about a month ago there seems to be more questions than answers. We've known for weeks now that the flaw that was exploited in Kasaya's VSA software had been known internally since at least July 2015. The announcement that they have acquired a decryption key for the ransomware came as a surprise to many. Kasaya has also been tight-lipped about how it received it and its plans to help the affected customers.

Now that they are requiring their customers to sign NDAs to get the decryption key we may never truly know how this could have occurred to begin with. Former employees have previously spoken about how this flaw was known and yet it was ignored, however, we cannot take this as fact.

I hope everyone will take away the following from this incident regardless if this affected you or not. This particular incident shows that no one should rely one hundred percent on their vendors for security purposes. Every business should have its own cybersecurity protection in place and robust backups should recovery be needed.

Cyber Security

What Are Wi-Fi Frag Attacks and How Can You Protect Against Them?

Image from MUO

The Bad News: Many of these vulnerabilities date back to 1997 and affects every wi-fi device. The Good News: Nine months had passed between the discovery of the flaws and them being revealed to the public. Most companies during this time had released security patches and updates for these vulnerabilities.

A Frag attack does one of the two things:

It captures traffic passing through unsecured networks, mimics it, and then impersonates servers.

It injects the network traffic with malicious plaintext frames that resemble handshake messages.

To put it simply, the Frag attacks dupe your Wi-Fi-connected devices into thinking they are conducting safe business.

Currently, there are no known attacks of this type but you can protect yourself by keeping up to date with all security updates and replacing obsolete devices.

5 LinkedIn Scams to Watch Out For

Image from MUO

Just like any other place on the internet, LinkedIn also has its share of scams. I have seen some of these occur. I've had connections whose accounts had been compromised and then had many messages sent on LinkedIn that contained attachments that likely contained a virus or malware. This does not mean that LinkedIn is not safe, it is still a safe place. Like any website or other social media platform, it is still susceptible to scams and bad actors. Check out the linked article to see the common scams you can run across on LinkedIn.

Windows

Microsoft Windows 11 Preview

Image from PCMag

Here is the latest round-up on information on the forthcoming Windows 11.

This will likely be a worthwhile upgrade for most users as Windows 11 will be adding some useful features to make tasks easier. We should also see more unification with the interfaces. Overall there is a lot to be excited about with Windows 11. Check out the linked article for the latest information.

Windows 11 Is Just Windows 10 in Disguise: Here's Why That's a Good Thing

Image from MUO

Even though Windows 11 is a new operating system it still shares a lot with the current Windows 10. In fact, Windows 11 looks to be an enhanced version of what we were expected with the Windows 10 21H2 update or the Fall 2021 feature update. Other than some visual and design changes with Windows 11 and some new features most everything will still be like it is now with Windows 10.

Unlike nearly all past Windows version updates this should hopefully be the least jarring for most users. So far all indications are pointing to a smoother start with Windows 11 than past versions of Windows.

Apple

Apple: Install This Critical Security Update Now

Image from MUO

If you use an iPhone, iPad, or Mac then you need to check for and run a recently released critical security update. The security vulnerability that this update addresses will correct an issue that could allow an attacker to run malicious code on the device.

Periodically there will be unscheduled updates released to patch these urgent security items. It is best practice to check all devices for updates every week. When updates are released you will not always see a notification right away.

Tips & Tricks

How to Trace Emails Back to Their Source IP Address

Image from MUO

Why would you need to trace an email back to its source IP Address?

The biggest reason is to block malicious emails. A malicious actor can use multiple email addresses to try and land in your inbox. This can make it hard to block all the emails as they are constantly coming from a different email address. However, there is a high probability they could be coming from the same location or IP address.

Once you know where the emails are coming from you can then, depending on your email system, can either block the IP address or create a rule to filter any email from the IP address. You don't have to just accept that there is nothing you can do about unwanted email. There is always a solution.

Useful Information

Can Li-Fi Replace Conventional Wireless Technologies?

Image from MUO

What is Li-Fi?

Li-Fi has taken over the mantle from Wi-Fi in providing high speed data connectivity and bandwidth by utilizing LED light bulbs. These bulbs have attached microchips that serve as access points.

Li-Fi tech solves the fundamental problems of conventional wireless technologies such as RF interference, spectrum saturation, and even cabling challenges.

If you are familiar with fiber then you know the data transmitted over fiber is sent by bouncing a beam of light through the fiber cable. The concept of Li-Fi is similar except the light is wirelessly transmitted to devices to send a signal instead of using radio waves.

I expect we will begin to see more of this technology due to its advantages and ease of installation. Expect to first see more military/defense applications and other large industry applications before it finds its way into the SMB and consumer markets.

Is AI Dangerous? 5 Immediate Risks Of Artificial Intelligence

Image from MUO

AI or Artificial Intelligence is not meant to be dangerous. Like anything else, it is how the technology is used or implemented that can change it from a safe technology to a dangerous one.

As artificial intelligence increases in sophistication and capability, many positive advances are being made. But unfortunately, powerful new technology is always at the risk of being misused. These risks affect almost every facet of our daily lives, from privacy to political security to job automation.

The first step in mitigating the risks of artificial intelligence will be to decide where we want AI to be used and where it should be discouraged. Increasing research and debate into AI systems and their uses is the first step to preventing them from being misused.

Check out the linked article for more details on some of the immediate risks of AI.

FAQ of the Week

Is Fast Charging Bad for Battery Life?

Image from MUO

Each week we will address a frequently asked question. This week we are looking at fast charging and how it may affect battery life.

Heat is bad for electronics and is what usually causes the most damage to them over time. Fast charging will generate more heat due to the higher amount of power being drawn. However, once a battery has reached a specified level of charge the charging rate will drop and will then produce less heat.

Overall companies have done a lot of work with the charging systems on their devices to mitigate any negative side effects of fast charging. As long as the method is implemented properly there will be no damage to the battery life.