vCTO Secure Blog

vCTO Secure has been serving the Seattle area since 2011, providing IT Support such as technical helpdesk support, computer support, and consulting to small and medium-sized businesses.

Three Steps That Are Mandatory to Avoid Ransomware

Three Steps That Are Mandatory to Avoid Ransomware

As business computing goes, ransomware poses the most significant threat. That’s why it’s imperative for organizations to proactively address this menace head-on. Today, we propose a comprehensive three-part strategy that can help your organization sidestep ransomware.

0 Comments
Continue reading

Protecting Yourself Starts with Understanding Scams

Protecting Yourself Starts with Understanding Scams

While many businesses are actively formulating operational plans and marketing budgets, it's imperative to acknowledge the significant challenges that could lead to substantial losses and extensive expenses if proactive measures aren't taken.

0 Comments
Continue reading

Ransomware is On an Unfortunate Trajectory

Ransomware is On an Unfortunate Trajectory

Ransomware is a real problem; I mean, a real problem. Not only does it create serious problems for any organization that is victimized by it, it is about to be a completely pervasive problem for everyone. It is extremely important for your organization to take the threat of ransomware seriously by implementing a strategy to keep it from being an issue. Today, we offer a three-pronged approach to doing just that.

0 Comments
Continue reading

4 Modern Cybersecurity Tricks That Could Definitely Slip By Your Defenses

4 Modern Cybersecurity Tricks That Could Definitely Slip By Your Defenses

Cybercriminals aren’t looking to play fair against businesses. They don’t care how big or small you are, they don’t care about what services you provide, or what good you offer for the community. You could be a children’s hospital or a single mother selling homemade mittens out of your dining room, you could be a school, an assisted living facility, or a Fortune 500. Either way, your organization is an equally viable target for cybercriminals.

0 Comments
Continue reading

This Ransomware Group’s Antics Remind Us How Dangerous Ransomware Can Be

This Ransomware Group’s Antics Remind Us How Dangerous Ransomware Can Be

Just like any other business that takes some time to get to know a new client, a new type of ransomware can take up to two weeks to map a network before it goes in for the kill. This threat from a group called Zeppelin has the potential to be a major threat actor in the ransomware space.

0 Comments
Continue reading

Cybercrime Turning Up the Heat on Those that Provide Degrees

Cybercrime Turning Up the Heat on Those that Provide Degrees

Ransomware is never a good thing, but for some, it can be worse than it is for others. Take educational institutions, for instance—they’ve become a favorite target for cybercriminals to take advantage of, unfortunately successfully. Many resort to paying up, something that we’d never recommend.

0 Comments
Continue reading

What Data is Stolen During a Ransomware Attack?

What Data is Stolen During a Ransomware Attack?

You can’t check the news without seeing the word “ransomware” plastered across the screen. It’s a major threat for businesses in just about any industry and of any size. In order to keep your business safe both now and into the future, you’ll have to implement adequate security measures that can put a stop to these types of threats. Of course, it’s easier said than done, especially when certain data is more likely to be targeted than others.

0 Comments
Continue reading

Just Because You’re Sick of Ransomware Doesn’t Mean It’s Gone Away

Just Because You’re Sick of Ransomware Doesn’t Mean It’s Gone Away

Ransomware is perhaps one of the most difficult types of malware to handle, and it has enabled cyber-extortion to flourish over the past several years. As a business owner, you need to know what ransomware is, how it should be addressed, and how to protect against it.

0 Comments
Continue reading

Unfortunately, Ransomware is Just Getting Worse

Unfortunately, Ransomware is Just Getting Worse

Ransomware is a top threat, and it’s definitely not going anywhere anytime soon. To help you best combat it, let’s take a look at what you can do to keep ransomware from disrupting your organization and its operations. We’ll provide a brief overview of what ransomware is and what you can do to take the fight to it.

0 Comments
Continue reading

Ransomware Is Really Scary, Even If You Don’t Have Ransomware

Ransomware Is Really Scary, Even If You Don’t Have Ransomware

If you look at all of the security-related headlines from the past year, what do you think the biggest trend is? Perhaps it was the plethora of large-scale ransomware campaigns that struck both individuals and businesses in spades. Even now, ransomware continues to make headlines by changing its tactics, with one of the more recent ones being in regards to fake ransomware.

0 Comments
Continue reading

You Actually Might Be Shocked at How Much a Ransomware Attack Costs the Average Business

You Actually Might Be Shocked at How Much a Ransomware Attack Costs the Average Business

Despite most security professionals advocating against making ransomware payments, according to a study by Mimecast titled “The State of Ransomware Readiness,” the United States has the highest average payment for ransomware out of the entire world at more than $6 million per victim. This number is shockingly high, as is the amount of people who are still paying the ransom.

0 Comments
Continue reading

Turns Out Paying Ransomware Hackers Is a Bad Idea After All

Turns Out Paying Ransomware Hackers Is a Bad Idea After All

Ransomware has taken over the security industry, as we are sure you have seen from the endless headlines associated with it. All business owners must remain cognizant of the dangers that ransomware represents. A new study has found that organizations infected by ransomware that wind up paying the ransom are not necessarily better off--in fact, paying the ransom could have disastrous consequences.

0 Comments
Continue reading

Cyberattacks are Happening Faster Than Businesses Can Detect and Prevent Them

Cyberattacks are Happening Faster Than Businesses Can Detect and Prevent Them

Cyberattacks are spending less time on their victims’ networks before they are discovered, which sounds like good news, but the reality isn’t so straightforward. Let’s take a few moments and dig into the situation at hand, and what it means for your cybersecurity.

0 Comments
Continue reading

IT Hard: A Reimagined Christmas Story

IT Hard: A Reimagined Christmas Story

During this time of year, many people like to sit back and reminisce upon favorite stories from the past. We figured we’d join in the fun by reimagining what many argue to be a holiday classic: Die Hard.

Let’s take a few moments to consider how the story might play out if the action were to take place today…

0 Comments
Continue reading

Ransomware is Now Even Less Affordable to Consider Paying

Ransomware is Now Even Less Affordable to Consider Paying

We haven’t exactly been shy about sharing our recommendation that a ransomware demand should never be met with payment, but there is now an even more impactful reason not to. This deterrent comes courtesy of the United States Treasury Department, which has released a statement informing businesses of potential fines as retribution for doing so.

0 Comments
Continue reading

Ransomware is a Nasty Thing to Get

Ransomware is a Nasty Thing to Get

Chances are, you’ve heard the term “ransomware” before. If you’re familiar with this particularly nasty bit of malware, the rest of this blog will be a familiar review. If you’re new to the term, let’s introduce you to the mean-spirited cyberattack known as ransomware.

0 Comments
Continue reading

Watch Out for All Different Kinds of Ransomware

Watch Out for All Different Kinds of Ransomware

Ransomware has become infamous in the past few years, largely due to its involvement in a growing number of cyberattacks during this time. Of course, not all ransomware works in the same way, and recognizing the difference could prove to be useful. Therefore, we’ve taken a few moments and assembled a brief description of the four most common ransomware varieties.

0 Comments
Continue reading

This Florida City Will Pay 65 Bitcoins to Get Files Back

This Florida City Will Pay 65 Bitcoins to Get Files Back

Florida’s Atlantic coast is a destination for millions of visitors each year. One visitor is costing a coastal city a pretty penny. Riviera Beach, a small city just north of West Palm Beach, has been hit with a major ransomware attack. Today, we’ll tell you how it came to be that the small beach city would make dubious history by paying what is the largest ransomware payout in the short history of these attacks.

0 Comments
Continue reading

Is it Wrong to Purchase Access to Your Own Data?

Is it Wrong to Purchase Access to Your Own Data?

Ransomware is a contender for the favorite method of attack for hackers. If you think about it, ransomware presents a no-loss situation. Either the victim pays the ransom and the hackers laugh all the way to the bank, or they move on to the next target and give them the same ultimatum.

0 Comments
Continue reading

Ransomware Can Just Be Devastating

Ransomware Can Just Be Devastating

Ransomware is still going strong, and now more than ever it’s important to emphasize the danger that it poses for your organization. Even municipalities and other high-profile targets are at risk of being taken down by ransomware. Since 2013, over 170 government systems at the county, city, or state levels have been attacked.

0 Comments
Continue reading

Mobile? Grab this Article

QR Code
Dark Web Monitoring

When you visit the Internet, you are more than likely sticking to the pages that can be accessed by typing an address into your browser, or by clicking on a link in a search result.

Find Out More
Contact Us

Learn more about what vCTO Secure can do for your business.

Seattle, Washington

Call us: (206) 895-5595

Protect Your Reputation

With human error causing over 92% of data breaches, we understand the importance of focusing on the weakest link by empowering employees through self-improvement, personal protection, and engaging training that is relate-able, not demeaning.

Find Out More