Steve LaPha, Vice President, Dytech Group
Computer users continue to get bombarded with email scams that are more sophisticated and clever than ever before. Many mirror emails from actual companies to catch us off guard and lure us into entering sensitive information. Be diligent in checking emails before clicking on any links or opening any attachments. You can hover your mouse over the link to see the real underlying website name.
One of the newest scams targeted Netflix subscribers who have been sent emails notifying them to update their account to avoid suspension, and are directed to a Netflix landing page prompting them to enter their billing information. Once the information is entered, scammers now have subscriber’s valuable information.
Email “phishing” scams are also very common. They are used by hackers to gain access to your files and information. They work very hard to gain your email password, credit card information and sometimes convince you to wire them money. “Spear Phishing” is targeted attacks on CEO’s, owners, or accounting contacts. They use information on your website or on social media sites to craft
convincing emails and then try to steal from you.
Some of the most common phishing notices are your account has expired, invoice is overdue, package delivery information, your mailbox is full, Dropbox links and DocuSign links, and Google Docs or links to “documents” are also a concern. They are good at making convincing emails that lure you into clicking on the link or opening the attachment.
If you are suspicious or have any doubts about an email, contact your IT person to notify them of the scam. If you have opened an attachment or entered your password on a bogus site, contact your IT person immediately so they can mitigate the damage. If you don’t have an IT person on staff, there are companies available that you can keep on retainer to handle these types of issues. You’ll find that it is worth the investment, should your files become corrupt or deleted.
Ransomware continues to be a problem. Hackers are encrypting your files so you lose access to them, and then want you to pay a ransom to unlock them. If you do not have a good backup of your files then they are lost forever. Never save important files on your desktop. Company data and important files belong on the server where they are protected and backed up. There are good and inexpensive options for backing up and storing your data, such as the cloud and external backup drives.
Here are some websites that have additional information on preventing these scams:
■ http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0003-phishing
■ http://www.webroot.com/us/en/home/resources/tips/pc-security/security-what-is-phishing
■ http://www.phishtank.com/what_is_phishing.php
■ http://lts.lehigh.edu/phishing/examples
Steve LaPha, a thirty-plus year veteran of the computer industry started with Dytech Group eighteen years ago as a Network Engineer. He came from the government computer sales and service industry where he owned his own computer business for fifteen years supplying personal computers to NASA at the Kennedy Space Center. Steve was promoted to Service Manager, General Manager and now Vice President of operations. He works along with Dennis Bell, the President, running the business and supervising ten employees. The primary business is providing Managed Services to small and medium size businesses in Orlando and the Central Florida area under the DytechONE brand.
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