Over the past month, Baltimore has faced repeated cyber attacks that have shut down the city’s email and systems allowing residents to pay water bills, purchase homes, and more . Now, a report by The New York Times has revealed that the malware used to attack Baltimore was created by the National Security Agency (N.S.A.). Security experts told the New York Times that attackers were using a tool called EternalBlue. Essentially, EternalBlue works by targeting a vulnerability in some versions of Microsoft’s Windows XP and Vista systems, The Verge reported . This lets external parties use remote commands on their targets. In 2017, the N.S.A. lost control of EternalBlue after it was leaked by a hacking group called ShadowBrokers . The tool has been used around the world, including in attacks against Ukrainian banks and infrastructure in June 2017. Baltimore was originally attacked on May 7. City workers found that their screens were suddenly locked. The hackers demanded almost $100,000...

Ever dreamt of building the next game-changing app or crafting the software that powers our world? There are endless possibilities. But what if you have no prior experience? Can you learn how to become a software engineer from scratch? Jobs in software, data, and technology have grown within the past 20 years. The need for programmers and other IT workers has grown dramatically as technology has permeated every industry. An increasing number of individuals are drawn to software employment due to its profitable nature , which provides an adaptable work environment and a highly competitive salary. You might be curious about the precise duties of a software engineer. You probably use mobile and web apps and visit different websites every day. Thousands, or perhaps hundreds, of lines of coding go into making these contemporary technologies. A software engineer wrote those lines of code. So, how can you become a software engineer from scratch? As the United States Labor Bureau projects...

Microsoft is seeking to reinforce its cybersecurity, following a recent legal victory against overseas hackers. According to CNBC, the court ruling allowed Microsoft to appropriate 50 domains that hackers used to infiltrate user accounts. “Thallium,” a group of hackers reportedly based in North Korea, used malware to collect and misuse the personal information of thousands of users in America, Japan, and South Korea. The latest pernicious attacks compromised systems and enabled emails, calendar entries, and other password-protected information to remain available to hackers even after users had changed their passwords . Thallium hackers gained access to Microsoft accounts through phishing techniques, in which users are prompted to click on links that appear to be from genuine sources. The fallout from such hacks is substantial, as the malware embedded in the links creates infinite system vulnerabilities. Thallium is not the only group of its kind. Other groups, such as the...

Many business functions, no matter the industry, use the Internet to send packets of communication which adjust inventory levels, charge credit cards, manage personnel profiles and much more. Since we’re in an ultra-connected society and there’s no going back, there are always online threats that we should be aware of including viruses, malware, trojan horses, ransomware, Social Engineering, man in the middle attacks, phishing and more. According to Verizon’s 2019 Data Breach Investigation Report , 43 percent of breaches targeted the data or processes of small businesses. Even though the threat of cyber attacks is high than its ever been, cyber security remains an afterthought for too many entrepreneurs and business owners — something they’re only focused on after the damage is done. Here are a few steps any diligent business owner who wants to ensure their operations run effectively and safely should take to protect their business data and maintain client and customer trust: 1....

The Internet is full of fraud. It is easier to scam people online than to do it on the street. At the same time, many online scams are well known and easy to avoid. Fraudsters know this and use different social engineering tricks to look like legitimate businesses. Most scammers operate from countries where there is almost no control. They act in the gray area of the digital world and use popular security tools that make them anonymous, invisible and inaccessible to regulators, law enforcement agencies and victims. Scammers work just like ordinary businesses. They have offices, secretaries, shifts, payrolls and even holidays. How do I avoid online fraud and scams? This is usually easy since many of them are pretty clear. In most cases, you just need to train yourself to understand the difference between fake and real websites. Below are seven of the most common online frauds, as well as tips on how to stay safe. 1. Binary options Binary options is a simple way to trade financial...

If you’re an avid user of the internet, spyware is something you should be concerned about. A lot of users ignore online spying, with the belief that it has no effect on them. However, if you have ever typed out your financial or login details with your computer keyboard, read your mail, or do anything with your computer you would consider private, chances are you were being watched. Spyware could be installed on your computer for a lot of reasons; to monitor your emails, call logs and messages, to steal your credit card or login details, or even to view your browser history. Apart from compromising your privacy, spyware slows down your computer, making it difficult to function optimally. There are lots of ways Spyware could get into your computer. Most people would not consciously install spyware on their device, so hackers design them in the form of Trojans. When you install programs that are not trustworthy or visit malicious links and websites, spyware can make its way into your...