This month's letter includes critical information for TDS clients. For viewing on a browser and for printing, click here.
But first, I'm excited to announce our strategic partnership with Batten Safe. Batten Safe is a website marketplace with a singular, sharp focus; home and family security and safety.
Announcing our new partners - Batten Safe
Batten Safe features curated expert vetted, and consumer recommended security products for protection online, at home, and in an emergency. Today, home and family must consider cybersecurity a crucial part of their overall plan.
TDS' enterprise-grade cybersecurity solutions coupled with Batten Safe's mission to simplify security solutions will allow both companies to better serve consumers through increased industry knowledge and product offerings.
Batten Safe founder, Patrick Robinson, announced the partnership with TDS by saying:
“Cyber, home security, and emergency preparation aren’t three different categories, but rather dimensions of a universal need—we call it ‘3D security’ or simply, Family Security. TDS is client-focused and an ideal partner for Batten and our customers who want a concierge cyber-security experience."
As for a good description of what Batten does: Batten simplifies security with expert vetted, and consumer recommended security products to protect online, at home, and in an emergency.
I'm proud of Patrick and his Batten team. They're on a mission to help homes and families, and I'm delighted their experts chose TDS to fulfill their customers' cybersecurity needs. We wish the Batten team great success in assisting folks to protect themselves from the range of threats faced today.
F-Secure this month announced an organizational change that separates their consumer and business cybersecurity lines. The consumer line of products will keep the traditional F-Secure moniker, and “F-Secure Business” is now “WithSecure."
Since Total Digital Security uses the business lines, our customers are affected by the brand change. Changes will happen automatically, and Windows computers will be the first devices affected.
Brand name changes can be clunky and frustrating. We know. The roll-out will come in stages and depend on the type of device to upgrade. Eventually, the adjustment will be complete and reflected across logos, icons, and other branding elements.
✓ The changes are cosmetic and won't affect the functionality of the security system.
Check your Spam and Junk folders
Spam is up 6,000% since COVID-19. The filters that are supposed to keep spam out are working overtime and blocking emails that should be in your inbox. Some good emails are likely being redirected to your Spam or Junk folders. It's worth checking and adding the senders to your Contacts to prevent them from getting blocked again.
✓ Periodically look over your Spam and Junk folders for misdirected emails that belong in the inbox.
Junk and spam mail include phishing, which has grown just as fast but with greater customization and sophistication. The following section is a must-read to prevent these scams.
Phishing for targets with Rackspace, Microsoft, Apple, Outlook, Office, and others
Never trust a request for your email credentials. Never let anyone "remote in" to your computer. Don't fall for text phishing and expect these scams to get more sophisticated soon by using clever combinations of email, text, and voice. And if you ever have questions or doubts, contact us.
✓ These scams will include brands you know, use, and trust, like Rackspace, Microsoft, Apple, and others.
Quickbooks, Zelle, and Wells Fargo Payment Scams
Here's more on the evolution of phishing, this one using Quickbooks. Click the link for the full story:
And this one uses Zenmo to defraud Wells Fargo banking customers for thousands of dollars from each victim:
If my warnings sound familiar, it's because you've read them here before. Still, there are too many victims, and we must keep our awareness of these risks front and center.
"There is a new form of scam messaging on the rise and it is done via text messages."
F-Secure
They Were ‘Calling to Help.’ Then They Stole Thousands
"When my mom fell victim to a phone scam, we learned a painful truth: The explosion of personal finance apps makes it all too easy to target vulnerable people."
WIRED - Feb 3, 2022
You Can Now Ask Google to Remove Your Phone Number, Email, or Address from Search Results
"Google said this week it is expanding the types of data people can ask to have removed from search results, to include personal contact information like your phone number, email address or physical address."
Krebs on Security - April 29, 2022
Florida man loses life savings in ‘SIM swap’ phone scheme
His phone number had been transferred to a crook’s device, and Clark’s accounts, including his proceeds in investments in cryptocurrency, were wiped out.
“I lost everything in a matter of a few hours,” he said. “Life’s work, a few hours.”
Newsbreak - May 10, 2022
Quote of the Month
"So what’s the Original Sin of the Internet? Nearly all business models it supports require spying on consumers and monetizing them.”
Bob Sullivan - author and investigative journalist
Staying Safe Online
A concise guide.
Checklists and best practices.
Think you've been hacked?
Smarter passwords.
Use a VPN every day.
For previous CyberAdvisor Letters:
To view Blog posts:
Total Digital Security, 7777 Glades Rd, Suite 100, Boca Raton, Florida 33434, United States, 877-643-6391