Although ransomware has stolen the limelight recently, there’s another type of cyberattack targeting your bank account. Thanks to some horrifying ingenuity, being infected by OSX.Dok can result in victims directly handing their bank account information to hackers. Take a minute to find out how it works so you can avoid making a costly mistake.

OSX.Dok isn’t new, but it has been improved

Originally, this Mac-based malware looked very different. When OSX.Dok was first reported several months ago, it could infect only older versions of the Apple operating system. Besides being relegated to OS X, it didn’t do much more than simply spy on the internet history of its victims. More recently, however, OSX.Dok was updated to target the newer macOS and to steal banking information.

How does it work?

Like so many malware programs today, this particular threat is distributed via phishing emails. Because the end goal is to acquire private financial information, these emails pretend to have pressing information about taxes or bank statements stored in attachments that actually contain malicious software.

Once any of these attachments are opened, OSX.Dok secretly broadcasts information about the computer and its location to the malware’s authors. Based on that information, hackers can redirect victims that visit banking websites to copycat URLs tailored to their language and location. Almost everything on the copycat sites looks exactly the same, but when you submit your user ID and password, they go straight to hackers.

Worst of all, the latest version of this malware seems to be incredibly advanced. It actively changes the way it hides itself and even modifies system settings to keep the computer from checking for operating system and security updates.

What can I do?

Security experts are still working on a way to combat OSX.Dok, but believe that it will remain a problem for some time to come. For now there are a few things you can do:

Never open attachments from people you don’t know personally, and even then be wary of anything you weren’t expecting.
Pay attention to little details. For example, copyright dates at the bottom of fake banking sites only went to 2013.
Look closely at the lock to the left of URLs in your address bar. Fake websites may have security certificates with names slightly different from those of the sites they mimic.

The best way to stay ahead of threats like OSX.Dok is by partnering with a capable IT provider. That way you can be sure that you have all the latest software and hardware to keep you safe. Even if something managed to slip through, regular audits are sure to find infections sooner than an overburdened in-house team would. Call us today to find out how we can protect you!

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Businesses that store and process large volumes of data need a highly organized storage and backup system. Although there are various ways to do this -- like keeping them on multiple devices or putting them on external hard drives and memory cards -- these are not very efficient and can also be misplaced. Google’s new application solves this dilemma.

Seamless backups and syncing

Google’s new application, Backup and Sync, allows both PC and Mac users to seamlessly back up files, photos, and video files from various devices, SD cards, and USB drives in Google Drive or Google Photos.

To use the app, download and install it on your Mac or your Windows computer, sign in with your Google account, select your sync settings, and choose the folders you wish to back up. If you’re uploading photos or videos, you can choose between High or Original quality upload size. And if you want to upload photos only, you have the option to upload to Google Photos.

Once you’re done setting up, a folder will be created on your computer where files can be saved and accessible anywhere via the cloud. Any file dropped into this folder will automatically sync to Google Drive.

Benefits and downside

Although Backup and Sync is free, you can store only up to 15 GB of data. But if you want to exceed the limit, simply upgrade your Google Drive storage. That said, this new tool is valuable because it simplifies the backup process.

The app is especially beneficial to businesses because it’s easy to set up and requires minimal effort from users. It’s also useful to companies with remote work policies; employees can simply drag and drop files into their computer’s folder and access them anywhere from any device.

Backup and Sync not only gives your business greater flexibility by providing anytime-anywhere access to your files, but it also helps keep them safe and sound in the cloud. If you want to explore other productivity tools for your business, get in touch with us today.

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The number of new malware being developed each day is alarming. If you think hundreds or thousands are a lot, try nearly one million. One that is extremely cunning goes by the name of CopyCat, which emerged in 2015 and has already infected millions of Android devices. That said, here’s everything you need to know to steer clear of its attacks.

What is it?

CopyCat is a strain of malware that pretends to be a popular app on third-party app stores. Alarmingly, it has already infected more than 14 million Android devices around the world, with the majority of victims in Asia. However, users in the U.S. aren’t in the clear as 280,000 Android devices have been hit since 2015.

Why is it dangerous?

Once downloaded, CopyCat collects data from the infected device and downloads rootkits that cut off the device’s security system. From there, it can download fake apps and hijack your device’s Zygote, the launcher for every app on your phone.

With control over your Zygote, CopyCat will know about every new app you’ve downloaded and opened. This allows it to replace the Referrer ID on your apps with its own and send revenues for every ad that pops up on the app to hackers instead of the app’s creators. Sometimes it even throws in its own ads to increase fraudulent ad revenues, too. So far, there have been nearly 4.9 million fake apps installed on infected devices, estimated to make CopyCat hackers more than $1.5 million.

And while it’s mainly after ad revenues, it could easily compromise confidential data collected from your Android device.

How to protect your Android device?

The malware spreads through five exploits that hit devices running Android 5.0 and earlier versions. Luckily, Google was able to track down this malware to update Google Play so all exploits have been discovered and patched.

However, Android users on older devices should avoid downloading apps from third-party vendors just to be safe. And even if you’re using newer versions of the Android OS, we recommend you ensure your Play Protect function -- Google’s security system which consists of application scanning, browser protection, and anti-theft measures -- is activated. It should be on by default on your Android device, but you can check its status by opening Google Play Store app > Tap Menu > Play Protect.

In an ideal world, you’ll no longer have to worry about cyber attacks and all the damage they can cause. But for now, staying knowledgeable and informed is the best way to protect yourself. If you’d like to learn more about how to keep your Android devices safe, just give us a call. We’ll be happy to help.

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