Keep Cyber attackers at bay with these easy pointers

Lately have you felt your PC has been at the receiving end of attacks launched by Cyber criminals or attackers? Do you feel they are hell bent on ensuring your PC gets reduced to a pile of heap? If yes, then start paying heed to these pointers for they would end up coming in good to bolster the defense mechanism of your PC big time. So, go ahead and read all such pointers in order to bolster your PC’s defense mechanism big time. Starting with:   

·    Get the senior management onboard – The prospect of getting the senior management onboard augurs well because a PC user would always be made aware about the risks and opportunities out there in the cyber world.

·    Take a good hard look as to how prepared your organization is prepared to take on cybercrime – unlike the traditional economic crimes, cybercrime is fast-paced and new risks emerge all the time; meaning the organization needs to bring about a change in its procedures to continually take on such challenges head on.

·       Awareness about the current and emerging cyber environment enables an organization to make well-informed decisions and do the right things at the right times.

·   By setting up a cyber incident response team that can act and adapt quickly – the organization can always end up tracking, do risk-assessment and deal with incidents as soon as they are spotted in a business.

·     Recruiting people with the relevant skills and experience helps in creation of a ‘cyber-aware’ organization that can end up protecting itself better.

·    Taking a tough and clearer stance on cybercrime enables an organization to take the requisite legal action against cyber criminals and announcing what it really intends to do about any future threats and incidents. http://www.pccare247.com/pc-security/malware-removal.html

Beware!! For these processes have a Malicious Intent

Malware – The term is so synonymous with everything that intends to shred the security of our PC into tatters. But then again, also on a flipside, in spite of the entire hullabaloo, not all malware is malicious in intent and is commonly referred to as spyware; malicious software truly hell bent on infiltrating computers every now and then.

A case wherein hackers end up refining the capabilities of malware, expanding the flux technologies in order to obscure the infrastructure and making it even harder to locate their servers. However, in the recent times recent variants have come out that are able to detect when someone is investigating an activity; in order to respond with a flooding attack against an investigator. In short, malware is becoming stickier on target machines and more difficult to shut down.

So, just in case to prepare PC users better, we ended up preparing a list of processes which need to be watched out for in order to take any malware threat head on. Starting with:

ISASS.EXE

A part of Optix.Pro virus, Isass.exe is also better known as the Optix.Pro Trojan that carries along with it a payload ability to disable firewalls, local security protections and the ability to open a backdoor capability for fairly unrestricted access into a PC. The Trojan was a brainchild of someone by the name of s13az3; who at the same instance also ended up being a part of the Evil Eye Software crew.

NVCPL.EXE

A component of W32.SpyBot.S Worm; Nvcpl.exe is a process that is registered as the W32.SpyBot.S worm (It at the same time is also associated with the Yanz.B worm which again is once again just another name). Taking advantage of the Windows LSASS vulnerability, the process creates a buffer overflow, forcing a PC to shut down. Although not necessarily considered to be a particularly destructive piece of malware, it is a nuisance since it continues to access an e-mail address books while at the same time sending spam to contacts.

CRSS.EXE

Crss.exe is a process-forming part of the W32.AGOBOT.GH worm. The spyware worm is distributed via the Internet through e-mail and acquires the form of an e-mail message, in the hope that a PC user would end up opening the hostile attachment. The worm has its own SMTP engine to gather E-mails from a local computer while at the same instance trying to re-distribute itself. Yet, at the same time in worst case circumstances, the worm also ends up allowing attackers to access a PC while stealing personal data and passwords.

SCVHOST.EXE

A part of the W32/Agobot-S virus family, the scvhost.exe file belongs to the Agobot (aka Gaobot) PC worm family. The Trojan ends up spreading itself via networks and allows attackers to access a PC from remote locations, steal their passwords and along with it all forms of Internet banking and personal data.

SVHOST.EXE

Svhost.exe is a process associated with the W32.Mydoom.I@mm worm. The worm is distributed as an e-mail message and requires a PC user to open a hostile attachment. Using the SMTP engine, the MyDoom worm is known to gather e-mails from a local computer in order to redistribute itself. Further, as it would go, the other payload carried by the process was a denial of service attack on the website of SCO Group. But that’s somehow not it, for the later versions of the worm have also been known to carry out denial of service attacks on other sites, and those popularly being Google and Lycos. http://www.pccare247.com/pc-security/malware-removal.html

Data Loss Disasters: Tackle threats head on before they lead to irreparable damages

Often Data leaks and losses can cause an organization to lose significant amount of money on legal, public relations and brand reputational front. So, every time an organization ends up losing a USB stick, CD-ROM or suffers a data breach, the same old questions are asked and those really being was data transported in an unencrypted or an insecure format? Or at the same time have IT security managers failed to grasp the data leak protection dilemma and developed systems — and what strategies do they really have in place to prevent further data leaks and losses.

Reasons leading to Data Losses

There can be many reasons which might end up leading to data losses. But amongst all of them there are a few which would have far reaching consequences than others. Starting with:

• Unintentional emails

In the present times, it would be very easy to fire off an email in haste to the wrong individuals. Better still, as it is the case such instances end up highlighting multiple procedural and policy failings triggered or further compounded by accidental actions of employees. With better security systems put in place and acting as a safety net, these data errors either wouldn’t have happened or at best their effects might have been mitigated. Yet, at the same security systems could have verified the email addresses of the recipient, recognized the content was sensitive and would have proceeded to enforce the company policy of either blocking the email or automatically encrypting it.

• Missing USB stick

With many employees choosing to work from their home on an occasional basis and at the same time carrying work home with them on a USB stick is bound to lead to data theft in a big way. With many USB sticks not secured, the data can—and often does end up turning up at the most unexpected places. As it goes secure USB sticks need to be used in those situations where data loss is anything but always something that is bound to happen sooner or later.

• Rogue employees resorting to stealing of employer’s data

When an employee is allowed uncontrolled access to new data over a lengthy period of time, it is a potential cause for lost business. Although in spite of a range of data security systems in place, there is generally a clear gap in the situation whereby large amounts of sensitive data could be accessed and be copied on to a single workstation at a particular time each week. And as it would be the case, any IT security audit and review system should have the ability to spot such a procedural loophole even in those situations where a security system would be applied on a fit-and-forget basis.

• Corporate responsibility and Social Media

With an organization having social media security controls in place; replete with staff training and procedures defining staff responsibilities such a situation can be easily avoided, since employees would  be unable to access social media services, except wherein expressly allowed only by relevant IT Technical Support systems.

Classifying Cyber Attackers and their motivational Quotients

Different organizations tend to have their own way of specifying cyber threats. But then again, as it would be the case according to the renowned IT organizations there are just five broad categories of cyber attacks and each one of them have their own and distinct; although sometimes overlapping methods and objectives. Those popularly being:

-      Pulling off Financial cons and scams

The first amongst the objectives; it often ends up involving criminals – highly organized and well-funded; using technology as a tool for stealing money and other assets. This stolen information at times is used for extorting a ransom from the target organization in question.

-       Spying

In the present era, the valuable intellectual property of an organization comprises of corporate electronic communications and files as well as traditional R&D outputs. With the theft of IP considered as a persistent threat and the victims not even knowing what has happened – right till the point until someone knocks off the products suddenly appearing in the market, or the patent based on R&D gets registered by another organization. Well, as it would go the crimes in such a case may be either carried out by commercial competitors or state intelligence services seeking to use IP for either R&D or gain high-end business intelligence.

-        Conflict between nations or Warfare

With tensions every now and then escalating amongst nations; critical national infrastructure (CNI) such as power, telecoms and financial systems is always a plum target. The Stuxnet attack on Iran’s nuclear establishment is a good example.

-         Unleashing Terror Campaigns

With the threat often overlapping with warfare attacks are undertaken by (possibly state-backed) terrorist groups again targeting either state or private assets, in some instances often targeting establishments such as CNI.

-          Activism

Again as an ideology, it may end up overlapping some other categories, but then as it goes attacks are undertaken by supporters of an idealistic cause – as in the recent times by supporters of the Wiki Leaks site. And as it goes organizations need to anticipate such threats by thinking how activists might view the impact of particular actions taken by them on their personal interests.   www.pccare247.com

Safeguarding Information Resources from Insider Threats

Insider threats have been around for a long time and if one were to trace them back to the earlier civilization’s, it was in 1800s that the first batch of computers suffered an attack at the hand of malicious insiders. Invented by Joseph-Marie Jacquard of France, it was essentially an automatic loom that ended up boring the brunt of an attack launched by malicious elements.

Two insider variables working against you

There are two insider variables which seem to be working against an employee big time:

·         Firstly, Trust &

·         Secondly, Legitimate Access  

The first instance allows malicious insiders to conduct espionage, steal sensitive data, and sabotage assets quickly, easily and with a greater degree of stealth than an external attacker. Careless and negligent insiders pose a similar threat, even if their intentions wouldn’t be considered to be nefarious. Something one could end up carrying out accidently or with purpose; leading to ramifications fraught with adverse consequences. And additionally from there on an investigation into the insider activity would enable one to ascertain whether the same act was carried out with a malicious intent.

Best Practices Considerations

·         Monitoring every user’s interaction with information

·    Ensuring high-end accountability irrespective of an endpoint gadget in question i.e. it does not matter whether a device in question is a laptop, desktop, tablet, or a smart phone

·   Protecting clients from careless activity related to accidental sharing, posting, and   uploading of information as well as any activity related to lost or stolen laptops and USB thumb drives

·         Employing varying controls across all information states—at rest, in motion, and in use

·         Aggregating controls across endpoint, network, and data for holistic visibility

·       Centralizing security control management for rapid incident identification, analysis, and response

While at the end of the day, human analysis would be essential to protect information from insiders, it is impossible to know if individuals responsible are indeed supported with the right type of security controls. And in such a scenario no black box can be plugged into a network that will mitigate all careless and malicious insider activity. However, then again there are sets of controls which when leveraged collectively could provide strong incident detection, protection and response capabilities across all endpoints, networks, data as and when the requirement be. www.pccare247.com

Customer service techniques for building customer loyalty

Call centres are renowned for offering the highest degree of customer convenience. Without the client having to trot off to a retail location, the caller can not only place orders but also make reservations, check balances, register complaints and ask questions concerning products and prices. However, this convenience comes at a price and conducting business over a phone is never as personalized as a face-to-face interaction. With too many visuals missing – people can't see whom they are speaking with – leading to less than complete communication. And this is exactly where an interminable wait in the call queue or, worse, the handoff fails to make an issue go away.

The cost of convenience comes inclusive of impersonal agents and long virtual lines. Thus, a run around might only end up making clients apprehensive about getting their concerns resolved over the phone. On the contrary, as it might be the case superior client-servicing skills not only help call center agents overcome any caller angst but at the same time only work towards injecting more personality back into a client conversation.

Try and build a rapport

To engage a client it is essential to build a rapport. And to build a rapport, modifying the tone, tempo, vocabulary and volume is essential. If the caller is an executive, short, direct language might be required. If the caller is a disgruntled client, a warm, friendly approach using simple language might be the best available option.

Being an Optimist Always Helps

Phrasing what may be received as bad news can really end up making a difference in the perception of a caller. Cushioning the blow by focusing on the bright side of things always ends up makes things a whole lot simpler. The following response would go a long way towards bringing a conversation to favorable end. Say for instance, the statement "I am so sorry, we no longer carry that item" can be replaced by an approach instead which says, "Our product line has recently been upgraded. The item you requested is now available in a new and improved format. Please, tell us how you would like it to be shipped."

Proactive Listening

Before call center agents can go ahead and effectively assist customers, they have to find out what a particular client wants. And for the same to happen, a certain amount of listening to what is being said and isn't being said is required. Agent should use confirmations like "yes," "I see," and "I understand" as verbal substitutes any eye contacts or head nods in an ordinary conversation. Agents should also end up listening "between the lines" for what is left unsaid. Through active listening, agents would create a conversational connection that further ends up reassuring a caller that someone really does care.

Offering an Apology

Nobody is perfect and no organization would be considered to be fault free. Mistakes happen and when they do happen, a sincere and an unconditional apology would only help in defusing a situation. What's more interesting is that only a genuine apology and proper handling of the complaint can increase customer loyalty. In fact, as research would point out, if clients feel that their concerns are addressed appropriately, 85 percent will continue to be loyal to the organization.

Stay positive

Customers can often be difficult to tackle. They rarely hold back and all they think of is to just direct their disappointment, dissatisfaction and displeasure at you. But then what can you do to stay upbeat in the face of phone rage? Firstly, avoid the tendency toward "fight or flight." Be proactive. Listen. Put yourself in your customer's shoes. And if the customer continues to be unreasonable, involve your supervisor. Just the thought that someone higher up is now involved will calm many a frustrated customer.

Being responsible helps to quite an extent

Very often call center agents hide behind the limitations of their computer scripts to avoid dealing with anything unusual. In such cases often scripts provide an efficient way to carry forward seamless customer conversations. It is only when a caller has a concern that there is some or the other sort of deviation from the planned path. Extraordinary customer support always tends to take care of things away from the script. In fact as it would go taking the initiative and assuming responsibility for resolving the case is always a part of the plan.

Resolving the issue

Clients get in touch with contact centres because they need help with something they can't resolve on their own. For all issues on hand superior call center agents are trained to assess all possible requirements. All the more being aware about what resources are available to address a particular need they go ahead and put together people and the resources for getting a job done. By involving clients throughout the process they only end up asking, "How can I help solve this problem? What would you like me to do? Is there anything else I can try for you?" To get the solution for these general queries or question visit here www.pccare247.com

Good reasons for you to go ahead and replace your remote support tool

In order for the helpdesk to improve its responsiveness both on and off the corporate LAN; maybe it was about time one ended up reevaluating the remote support by adding new capabilities, increased efficiency and consolidated support tools.

However, all said and done, if we may only proceed and beg to ask what exactly would you really stand to gain by switching the remote support tool?

·         Enhanced technician efficiency via reduced average handling time

Any patented and cutting-edge remote support tool operating via point-to-point architecture enables technicians to reliably connect to remote PCs, Macs and smart phones – on or off LAN – approximately in as much as 20 to 30 seconds. A facet not only contributing to technician productivity but also reducing support costs. On an average, the switch to a better application can reduce every technician’s AHT (Average Handling Time) by one and a half hour every day.

·        Boosting up support capability through accentuated support for PCs, Macs, Smart phones with a single tool

The move to support mobile applications or add support for smart phones calls in the need to rope in an application with an edge. The same tool should not only ease the workflow but also act as a best possible support tool for remote PCs, Macs and Smart Phones.

·         Increased security risk

A good deal of legacy IT management tools boast of an ability to remote control end user machines without prompting an end user. Even though the same concept is intended for unattended management it can end up posing as a major security risk to Accounting, Legal and Finance departments.

·       Improvement in Support Efficiency not only leads to ease of use but a greater degree of integration with support workflows

Any remote support solution can be more valuable if the interface is intuitive for technicians and integrates easily with existing support tools such as ticketing and CRM software. All the more when any technician’s interface maps to support workflows and is well-integrated, the requirement to hop between desktop screens is done away with.

·         Decreasing support costs through effective communication and reduced telecom costs

Escalations, expensive callbacks and long phone times can drive up support costs. Shifting support interactions from phone-based support to online channels like chat, email and Web forms as techniques can save an organization’s money in big time.  www.pccare247.com