SEO Poisoning On The Rise

One of the latest tricks hackers are now using is search engine optimization to promote malware infected websites for popular search terms. This new threat is called “SEO Poisoning.” In fact, at any given moment, three of the top ten search results contain at least one malicious URL within the top 70 results! Here’s how it works…

Hackers use well-known search engine optimization tactics to create websites that will rank in the top results for popular keywords. For example, the BP oil spill and World Cup keywords were riddled with these infected sites. When you click on them, you are presented with pop ups, free software downloads, fake virus warnings and other ads. If you click on anything, you’re instantly infected with malware.

What makes this so dangerous is that most of us have come to trust search engine results and click on the links of websites without question of security. Plus, hackers have learned that the more “normal” their websites look, the easier it is to get users to trust them. To protect yourself, make sure you have up-to-date antivirus software installed. Some security companies offer a free browser plug-in that will warn you if it detects a site is a poisoned site that will harm your computer.

“Growing Good Corn”

There once was an old farmer who grew award-winning corn. Every year he entered his corn into the state fair and won the blue ribbon.

One year, after winning yet another competition, a young newspaper reporter requested an interview with the farmer to try and uncover the farmer’s secrets to his prize-winning corn. Although he expected to be turned down, the farmer welcomed the interview. He asked the old farmer several questions about his techniques and then discovered something interesting about how he grew it: the reporter discovered that the farmer shared his seed corn with his neighbors!

“How can you afford to share your best seed corn with your neighbors when they are entering their corn into the same competition with yours every year?” the reporter asked. “Why sir,” said the farmer, “didn’t you know? I can’t afford not to! The wind picks up pollen from the ripening corn and swirls it around from field to field. If my neighbors grow inferior corn, cross-pollination will steadily degrade the quality of my corn. If I am to grow good corn, I must help my neighbors grow good corn as well. It’s one of my secrets to success.”

The moral of the story is simple: If we are to grow “good corn” in our businesses, we must be willing to help our fellow business owners grow “good corn” too. When times are tough, it affects us all. That’s why we’ll always look for ways to cut costs and save you money on hardware, software and services. While this may not make a huge difference in any one company’s success, it’s our way of helping our neighbors “grow good corn.”

PC On A Stick Technology

Road warriors know that packing light on business trips is a must; but one of the things you just can’t leave behind is your laptop – until now…

Thanks to new “PC On A Stick” technologies, you can carry your desktop around on a simple USB device. Simply plug this specially equipped USB device into any PC and you’re instantly working on what appears to be your own desktop. Unplug it, and all traces of your data vanish! Here are the top 3 options:

MojoPac: This is a free software option that enables you to “clone” or copy your desktop applications and files to a virtualized machine that will work with any USB device, be it a pen drive, iPod or external hard drive. However, it will only work with Windows XP computers and lacks encryption capabilities.

Ceedo Personal: This inexpensive software product will give you a near-perfect facsimile of your desktop on any USB device. At $39, you’ll get Windows 7 compatibility and integration with secure TrueCrypt devices.

CheckPoint Abra: Out of the three mentioned here, this is the most secure. You’ll pay a bit more ($140 to $210) but it will give you security encrypted access to your cloned desktop.

The Shocking State Of Data Security In Small Business: Are YOU Making These Terrible Mistakes?

According to a survey of 2,100 businesses conducted by Applied Research and commissioned by Symantec, the vast majority of businesses are frequent victims of cyber attacks, data loss and non-existent backup and recovery systems. Here are just a few of the shocking facts discovered:

74% of the businesses surveyed were affected by cyber attacks – including hackers, viruses, worms, etc. – in the past 12 months.

62% had lost at least one mobile device in the last 12 months, and 100% admitted they had no password protection on these devices.

Less than 1/3 of the devices lost had a way to wipe these lost devices clean to prevent unauthorized access to confidential data.

42% of businesses have lost confidential data in the last 12 months and 40% reported a direct financial loss because of this.

47% of those surveyed said they STILL do NOT backup their data!

To be perfectly blunt, this is just plain stupid and irresponsible behavior on the part of businesses who allow these attacks to happen. Even worse, it’s a black eye on their PR if the confidential information is CLIENT data, such as credit card numbers, bank account information, medical records or other important identity information like social security numbers, birth dates, passwords, etc.

ALL businesses know of the threats to their computer network, be it viruses, hackers or internal employees; not taking some simple measures to protect against theft and loss of confidential data is completely foolish – not to mention expensive!

If you have any doubt whatsoever about whether you’re backing up your data properly, protecting mobile devices and maintaining up-to-date firewall, patches and security updates, NOW is the time to get this fixed!