Horne & Benik Networks Blog

Horne & Benik Networks has been serving the Marlborough area since 1991, providing IT Support such as technical helpdesk support, computer support, and consulting to small and medium-sized businesses.

2024 Ransomware is as Scary as Ever

2024 Ransomware is as Scary as Ever

If you’re not familiar with ransomware, we wish we lived in the same universe you’ve been living in the past decade. It’s a serious problem for all types and sizes of businesses, not to mention its impact on individuals, governments, and world organizations. Today, we want to go over some of the latest ransomware tactics in use as of 2024.

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Three Ways SMBs Combat Mobile Malware

Three Ways SMBs Combat Mobile Malware

Mobile malware might not have a lot of attention on it, but it can be a significant problem for organizations that rely on smartphones. This goes double for small businesses that typically don’t have the large teams and big budgets for their mobile strategies that include devices, data and phone plans, and security controls. Today, we’ll look at mobile malware and how an organization with a limited budget can keep it from impacting its business.

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New Variant of XLoader Malware Runs in the Background and Steals Your Photos, Texts, and Other Data

New Variant of XLoader Malware Runs in the Background and Steals Your Photos, Texts, and Other Data

If you’re in the know about cybersecurity and, specifically, mobile malware, you might have heard the name XLoader in the past. The malware has gone through considerable versions and variations, allowing it to steal information from users in more than seven countries, but the most recent is incredibly scary.

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AI is a Security Threat You Cannot Ignore

AI is a Security Threat You Cannot Ignore

2023 was a banner year for AI (Artificial Intelligence), as it truly entered the zeitgeist in a way that it previously had failed to. Many companies and industries have considered ways to implement AI and make it part of their operations, while others might be fearful of it for its role in job scarcity. However, 2024 might show businesses that they should be worried about AI for a reason you might not have anticipated: AI-generated cyberthreats.

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Is Free Antivirus Free of Benefits?

Is Free Antivirus Free of Benefits?

Remember the era when antivirus software, like most computer programs, came packaged in hefty textbook-sized boxes on store shelves? Fortunately, those days are over. Today, there are a myriad of antivirus options available with a very basic Google search. Having so many options can overwhelm someone looking for basic protection for themselves, so today we thought we would look at free antivirus and whether or not it can be an option. 

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Don’t Let Fake Browser Updates Fool You

Don’t Let Fake Browser Updates Fool You

Ensuring that your computer's software stays up to date is always crucial for security and for the performance of the software. Outdated operating systems, web browsers, or other essential applications can result in malfunctions and expose you to potential threats. It's important to be aware that hackers can disguise malware as critical web browser updates.

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New Malware Sets Sights on Stealing Your Facebook Business Account

New Malware Sets Sights on Stealing Your Facebook Business Account

With so many businesses putting time and effort to cultivate an active following on social media, it only makes sense that cybercriminals try to get a piece of the pie.

A new malware strain particularly targets Facebook business accounts to run malicious advertising campaigns on your dime.

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3 Reasons Ransomware is So Scary

3 Reasons Ransomware is So Scary

Perhaps the most dangerous and notorious modern malware, ransomware affects businesses and industries without any regard to size or scope. It can even impact individual users and get away with it. We urge businesses to consider the other dangers associated with ransomware beyond just paying the ransom, as they extend far beyond and could have lasting impacts on your operations.

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No Matter How Unlikely, You Should Be Prepared for Total System Failures with a BDR

No Matter How Unlikely, You Should Be Prepared for Total System Failures with a BDR

The more complex and robust your IT infrastructure is, the greater the chances that it will undergo a system failure. Basically, according to Murphy’s Law, if something can go wrong, you should expect it to go wrong. To counteract this mentality with real, tangible methods that you can control, you’ll want to implement solutions that prioritize redundancy. This week’s blog is all about how you can build redundancy into your infrastructure through the use of data backup and restoration systems.

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Want to Improve Security? Start with These Basic Concerns

Want to Improve Security? Start with These Basic Concerns

There are some security issues that businesses are much more likely to experience than others, including the following. Let’s go over how you can protect your organization from these challenges and why it is so important that you take precautions now, before it’s too late.

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Ask a Tech: What’s the Deal with Ransomware?

Ask a Tech: What’s the Deal with Ransomware?

We throw around the term “ransomware” an awful lot, and while we’re confident that most people have some level of familiarity with the concept at this point, it is important that we acknowledge that not everyone has our experience in dealing with it. As such, we wanted to answer some of the questions we hear fairly often about ransomware.

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Make Sure You Avoid this Malware-Spreading Version of WhatsApp

Make Sure You Avoid this Malware-Spreading Version of WhatsApp

As one of the world’s most popular messaging applications, WhatsApp is a well-known tool, even in the business world. More notable is that WhatsApp—a platform known for its end-to-end encryption and security—now has a modified and unofficial version called YoWhatsApp, which has been deploying malware to unsuspecting users.

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Understanding How You Get Malware will Help You Avoid It

Understanding How You Get Malware will Help You Avoid It

Malware has plagued anyone using technology for a long time, and while security has certainly gone a long way toward protecting users from malware, so too have the threats grown more powerful and dangerous—especially for businesses. Let’s take a look at some common ways individuals might find themselves with a malware problem.

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The No More Ransom Initiative is Helping Organizations Deal with Ransomware

The No More Ransom Initiative is Helping Organizations Deal with Ransomware

Ransomware is an incredibly potent threat that has ravaged the cybersecurity landscape for several years now. Many users who get struck by ransomware feel like they have no choice but to pay the ransom, but others have banded together to create a community of resilience in the face of such a threat. Thanks to the efforts of one particular agency, victims of malware can enjoy access to malware removal tools for free.

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How to Navigate the Modern Threat Landscape

How to Navigate the Modern Threat Landscape

Cybercrime is a problem that is only getting worse, and as you might expect, it’s no good for business. It puts your organization in a position where it has to take steps toward securing its infrastructure, whether you like it or not. Let’s go over some of the problems associated with cybercrime and why you need to implement these measures sooner rather than later.

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Not All Malware is Created Equal

Not All Malware is Created Equal

When people talk about network security, it’s just like they are talking about any other subject, the most terrible and devastating of the bunch is all that is spoken about. In the case of malware, there is a lot of information about ransomware going around out there because it is largely the worst type of ransomware there is for any organization. Unfortunately, malware is a vast and largely misunderstood thing. Today, we thought we would briefly go through modern malware so you can identify if you are a victim or not. 

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5 Most Dangerous Strains of Ransomware, Based on How Profitable They Are for the Bad Guys

5 Most Dangerous Strains of Ransomware, Based on How Profitable They Are for the Bad Guys

There are all kinds of threats out there that can make things difficult for your business, but one of the biggest threats from this past year was ransomware. Ransomware encrypts data on the victim’s device so that it is inaccessible without the decryption key. Hackers have been successful with these extortion methods, as well as many others, yet ransomware continues to be a serious source of anxiety for businesses of all sizes and industries.

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How to Mitigate the Damage You See from Ransomware

How to Mitigate the Damage You See from Ransomware

This year saw a considerable rise in the number of high-profile ransomware attacks, so if you have not already considered what you are going to do to put a stop to them for your own business, you need to do so now. Thankfully, there appear to be several measures you can implement to limit the damages done by ransomware, and it all starts with some preparation.

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Android-Based Malware Can Derail Your Mobile Strategy

Android-Based Malware Can Derail Your Mobile Strategy

There is such a heavy focus on malware that targets desktop PCs, laptops, and servers, but there are mobile malware types too, one of which is TangleBot, a pesky malware that hits the Android operating system. This particular threat is dangerous due to the increasing reliance on mobile technology in today’s workplace.

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3 Ways to Tell That You’ve Been Hacked

3 Ways to Tell That You’ve Been Hacked

There are many different types of hacking attacks, but those targeting your computer can either be incredibly intrusive or so low-profile that you don’t even know you’ve been infected until it’s too late to do anything about it. Let’s discuss some of the telltale signs of a hack and what you should look for to prevent or identify them.

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Horne & Benik
2 School Street - PO Box 305
Marlborough, New Hampshire 03455