Flexnet Networks LLC Blog

We write about cyber security all of the time, and for good reason. You need to be sure that your organization’s defenses are bulletproof, or at least optimized for maximum security. A recent debacle in the United States serves as a reminder that even high-level, super-secret government accounts can be hacked, like this story from the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).

How overwhelming is the amount of spam and junk mail you receive on a regular basis? Are you able to effectively navigate your inbox without wasting time on unimportant messages? If you’re a user of Gmail, you now have some tools available to you by default that can help you in the war on spam. You can block specific users and even unsubscribe from email campaigns, allowing you to take back time previously spent cleaning up your inbox.

The social media revolution has taken the world by storm, so much in fact that some people are completely at the mercy of their smartphones. However, the dark side of social media, especially Facebook, grows more apparent every day, especially when it comes to both cybersecurity and personal privacy. Are you sure that your Facebook settings aren’t giving away a little too much of your information to the powers that be?

It’s been two years since the world was introduced to CryptoLocker, a particularly-nasty ransomware that encrypts a computer’s data while giving the user a deadline to pay a ransom for the encryption key, or else have their data destroyed. What we’re seeing now is that the reach of CryptoLocker is extending beyond the average PC user; even gamers are getting owned by Cryptolocker.

Thieves stealing mobile devices like laptops and smartphones have reached epidemic proportions. In fact, 2013 statistics from Consumer Reports and LoJack show that two million laptops were stolen that year, along with three million handsets. Translation; it’s way more likely for your mobile device to be stolen than you probably realize.

Every business executive knows the struggle of employee turnover. Your employees might come and go, but your data is one thing that you can’t afford to lose from your business. You might feel that you can trust all of the employees who have put in years of effort to ensure your organization stays afloat, but you may be surprised to learn that a significant number of them will probably leave your company with at least some corporate data.

With plenty of new features to throw around, Windows 10 is shaping up to be quite the operating system. One feature that seems to have fallen off of everybody’s radar (so far) is Windows Hello, a brand new way to authenticate your PC login. By taking advantage of biometric scanning, your computer will let you log in just by looking at your face.

When it comes to the security of your company’s network, you need to have a strike plan to get you out of any potentially threatening situations. Essentially, your network needs an email security solution like a spam filter to act as a sheriff for your business.

In this day and age, a password isn’t enough to keep your accounts secure from attempted hacks. Passwords can be cracked as easily as anything. A lot of businesses have moved to two-factor authentication in order to preserve their data. There are several ways of using this for your business, but a new startup called BioCatch is developing an authentication procedure which looks at your mouse activity.

People use and reuse old passwords time and again, and then they get two-factor authentication to augment their fifteen-character passwords. Wouldn’t it be great if your computer could recognize you just by how well you recognize others?

Network security entails a ton of different procedures, and it can be easy to lose track of what you’ve already implemented, and what still needs to be done. Instead of worrying about keeping your business’s confidential data safe, know with certainty that it’s as secure as possible by following our security checklist.

When you think of the Internet of Things, does your mind immediately wander into the realm of connected devices that change the way we interact with each other? Or, does it consider the security issues that can potentially become a threat to your entire network and technology infrastructure? Hopefully it’s a little of both, with an emphasis placed on security.

Just like Silk Road (the illegal online black market designed to smuggle drugs around the world), there exists an online trade for zero-day exploits. Unsurprisingly, hackers find it exceptionally lucrative to sell these exploits for profit. Now, there’s a new marketplace where hackers can get their hands on these vulnerabilities, and it’s all thanks to the anonymity of the Darknet.

Even the most innocent Internet user can fall victim to the stray hacking attack, and it’s all thanks to the manner in which malware reverse-engineers software. This process is how a hacker finds vulnerabilities in software. However, a new security concept might be able to protect software from the reverse-engineering method used by hackers.

The online world is a scary place. Viruses, malware, spyware, adware, and more are all out there trying to get at your network. These threats are almost always prevalent, but compared to each other, some are vastly superior and far more dangerous and advanced than the others. Advanced malware has the potential to disrupt your business’s operations, cause extensive data loss, and more.

Today’s headlines are dominated by stories of major companies getting hacked, making the average computer user feel uneasy about their security. If you’re solely dependent on a measly password to protect you from hackers, then you’ve got good reason to worry. Adding a second layer of verification is an easy way to protect your information. Here’s how to set up 2-Step Verification for your Google account.

The topic of online pornography can be rather uncomfortable to discuss, but it’s an issue that business owners need to be aware of; especially considering that 70 percent of all online porn access happens during business hours! Whoa. This statistic has some naughty implications for what your employees may be doing on company time.

As seen by the recent Superfish app debacle, software that comes preinstalled on a new PC shouldn’t always be trusted. Most of the time, the innate software on a device can be trusted; but the Superfish application is an exception. This app, which came preinstalled on new Lenovo PCs between the months of September and December of 2014, can potentially compromise the security of your machine.

Smartphones may have been some of the first Internet-connected mobile devices, but they are still as vulnerable to attack as ever. This is especially true for those who forsake any sort of mobile device security policy. With modern businesses utilizing mobile devices, it’s more important now than ever before to have solid security practices in place.

A couple of big names stand out when it comes to hacking attacks, but the recent Sony hack has really taken the cake. The GOP, who call themselves the “Guardians of Peace,” have exposed a ton of details to the public, including the company’s budget, their plans for layoffs, and 3,800 employee Social Security numbers. Now, they’ve released even more information; this time, it’s leaked personal emails, and judging from the content of them, Sony never wanted them to see the light of day.