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Macro Systems Blog

Macro Systems has been serving the Metro Washington, DC area since 1997, providing IT Support such as technical helpdesk support, computer support and consulting to small and medium-sized businesses.

ALERT: Back Off! New Point-of-Sale Malware Threatens Businesses

b2ap3_thumbnail_point_of_sale_malware_400.jpgIf your business purchases hardware or other supplies from a retailer, or if you are your own point-of-sale, your company might be targeted by a new type of Point-of-Sale malware known as Backoff. The malware is capable of stealing credit card information from unsuspecting victims, and should be a cause for concern for those unprepared to fight against it.

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Old Mobile Devices Might Be Hurting Your Business’s Security

b2ap3_thumbnail_old_tech_security_risk_400.jpgOne of the greatest things about today's technology is that it has grown more mobile, and some employees like to bring their own devices from home to use for their workplace. This is called BYOD, and while it is useful sometimes, it might be putting your business at risk.

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Google Strengthens Zero-Day Exploit Research

b2ap3_thumbnail_google_research_400.jpgWith all of the zero-day exploits popping up lately, such as the GameOver Zeus malware and Heartbleed bug a few months ago, it only makes sense to step up research on how and why it occurs. Google is doing just that with its new research program, rightfully dubbed Project Zero.

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Beware of Government-Grade Malware - Especially from Hackers

b2ap3_thumbnail_government_grade_malware_400.jpgThanks to Edward Snowden's revelations concerning the National Security Agency's (NSA) questionable online practices, we now know that there are ways that we can be watched by others and not even know about it. But what's really scary is that malware exists that can accomplish this same goal.

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Alert: Google and Yahoo Doppelgangers Threaten the Internet

b2ap3_thumbnail_doppleganger_scam_400.jpgDon't trust Google and Yahoo just yet - they might be fake! On July 10th, 2014, Microsoft issued a warning concerning the nature of identical SSL certificates and domains of some popular sites that might allow malicious copycat sites to emerge. As of now, the cause is unknown, but we know that this could be dangerous if you're not prepared to deal with it.

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Is Online Pornography a Problem for Your Business?

b2ap3_thumbnail_content_filtering_400.jpgThe 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.

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Advanced Malware is Targeted, Stealthy, Evasive, and Adaptive

b2ap3_thumbnail_advanced_malware_presents_threats_400.jpgThe 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.

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A New Concept Might Take Reverse-Engineering to the Next Level

b2ap3_thumbnail_software_development_400.jpgEven 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.

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How a Phishing Scam Works and What You Can Do to Protect Yourself

b2ap3_thumbnail_social_engineering_magnet_400.jpgMost hacking attacks are the result of a flaw or vulnerability found within the code of a program or operating system, but we rarely take into account the ones that don’t. Hackers often take advantage of the human side of hacking as well, a process known as “social engineering.” This is usually the act of conning users into handing over personal information of their own free will, and it’s surprisingly effective.

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Hackers Shop for Vulnerabilities at Online Black Markets

b2ap3_thumbnail_black_market_peddler_400.jpgJust 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.

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Less Than 1% of Hackers Can Bypass Facelock Security App

b2ap3_thumbnail_facial_recognition_security_400.jpgPeople 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?

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How You Handle Your Mouse Says a lot About You

b2ap3_thumbnail_mouse_authentication_400.jpgIn 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.

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How a Spam Filtering Solution is Like the Sheriff of Your Network

b2ap3_thumbnail_ocular_patdown_400.jpgWhen 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.

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Tip of the Week: What it Takes to Login to Windows 10 With Your Handsome Face

b2ap3_thumbnail_windows_10_log_in_400.jpgWith 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.

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Tip of the Week: 3 Ways to Secure Your Facebook Account

b2ap3_thumbnail_facebook_security_400.jpgThe 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?

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For Cyber Security Month, Take Extra Care Not to Overshare

b2ap3_thumbnail_oversharing_400.jpgOctober is Cyber Security month. We want to bring attention to this very important issue affecting every person and organization connected to the Internet. When discussing cyber security, we often talk about computer viruses and malware, but these threats are only part of the cyber security equation. It’s just as important that you, your staff, and even your family, are mindful to not overshare information online that can compromise your organization’s security and personal identities.

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Hackers Find a Way to Take Over Smartphones Using Google Now and Siri

b2ap3_thumbnail_wireless_hacking_400.jpgMobile exploits are just as common as those found on legitimate operating systems like Windows, but many people just don’t understand this simple fact. However, this hasn’t stopped some folks from being cautious when using their devices. The latest exploit making the rounds, which takes advantage of the iPhone’s Siri or Android’s Google Now, will leave you speechless.

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If a Teen Can Hack the CIA, Your Business Needs to Prioritize In Security

b2ap3_thumbnail_cia_hacked_400.jpgWe 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).

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If You Pay a Hacker Ransom Money, You’re Still Gonna Have a Bad Time

b2ap3_thumbnail_DDos_ProtonMail_400.jpgA recent trend in cybersecurity is the omnipresent threat of ransomware and distributed denial of service attacks (DDoS). With hackers out to get you and your business, you need to stay updated on how to take the fight to these extortion masters. Unfortunately, victims who have become targets of ransomware, DDoS attacks, and other kinds of threatening hacker activity, often feel that “paying the piper” is the best way to resolve the issue. Well, we have news for you: it isn’t.

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Tip of the Week: Use Poetry to Protect Your Data

b2ap3_thumbnail_pasword_login_400.jpgPassword security is a common problem that businesses that take their cybersecurity seriously have to deal with on a regular basis. Passwords need to be complex and difficult to guess, but easy to remember at the same time. Unfortunately, these two goals don’t go hand-in-hand, and as such, users often have to sacrifice one for the other. The “passpoem” is a concept born to resolve this issue, though it takes a pretty roundabout path of doing so.

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Macro Systems
3867 Plaza Drive
Fairfax, Virginia 22030