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Tag: cybersecurity

As business concerns over AI ethics continue to worsen, new best practices emerge

Written by Carmi Levy on . Posted in Blog. No Comments on As business concerns over AI ethics continue to worsen, new best practices emerge

EARLY AND BUGGY Since ChatGPT was first made available for public consumption in late 2022, it has served as the poster child for the generative AI revolution. It has also become something of a proving ground for millions of AI newbies still trying to figure out how all of this applies to them. But like any new technology, it comes with its own dark side. AI chatbots tend to “hallucinate”. Also known as going rogue, they can just as easily return outright lies the longer we interact with them. These imperfections are largely based on the fact that their training methods...

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TikTok bans are a long overdue wakeup call for mobile security

Written by STEP Software on . Posted in Blog. No Comments on TikTok bans are a long overdue wakeup call for mobile security

A GATHERING STORM The Canadian move echoes similar moves in recent weeks by the U.S. government, the European Union, and at least half of all American states. It falls short of a full-on national ban, however such legislation has been proposed in the U.S. Nevertheless, this marks a serious foreign policy rebuke from Canada to China. The growing global turbulence around TikTok reinforces the disparity between its populist perception as a non-threatening app, and accusations that it represents a major security threat on a personal, organizational, and national...

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Italian ransomware attack highlights bad patch management

Written by STEP Software on . Posted in Blog, StringN. No Comments on Italian ransomware attack highlights bad patch management

TARGETING THE WEAK The newest attack impacted servers across Italy. At its peak, traffic was reduced to 26% of normal levels across the country. Servers in France, Finland, the United States, and Canada were also affected. The French cybersecurity agency, ANSSI, which issued the first alert on Friday, warned of continuing attacks against vulnerable servers in the days to come, and reiterated its guidance to administrators to patch their affected systems. So, in case we’re keeping score, here’s where we’re at: VMware identified a weakness in its products 2 years ago. The...

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A new year means a new approach to cybersecurity

Written by STEP Software on . Posted in Blog. No Comments on A new year means a new approach to cybersecurity

WATCH WHAT YOU CALL THEM, THOUGH Let’s not call these resolutions, though. Because unlike our resolutions to eat better and get more steps in, we can’t afford to start ignoring cybersecurity before the first holiday credit card statement arrives in the mail. Here’s a quick list of things you’ll want to zero in on as you tune up your organization’s cybersecurity strategy for 2023: 1 – UPDATE YOUR DEVICES AND SOFTWARE You’re only as secure as your latest software update. We all know that outdated operating systems, apps, browsers, firmware, and any other form of code are...

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Ukraine war holds critical cybersecurity lessons for all organizations

Written by STEP Software on . Posted in Blog. No Comments on Ukraine war holds critical cybersecurity lessons for all organizations

THREATS THAT GO BACK YEARS The warnings have been building since long before Russian soldiers and weapons first began massing at the border, and the conclusions are stark. A report from Forrester in March concluded the invasion threatened to permanently alter the cyberthreat landscape; primarily as Russia accelerated its cyberattacks and cyber-espionage efforts to offset military losses and compensate for expanding economic sanctions. Forrester said Russian cyberattacks had been building for years, targeting Ukrainian financial systems and critical infrastructure. Forrester’s...

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Ransomware and remote workers: 8 tips to stay safe

Written by STEP Software on . Posted in Blog. No Comments on Ransomware and remote workers: 8 tips to stay safe

CYBERCRIMINALS ADAPT After millions of workers worldwide were sent home following the first wave of lockdowns in March 2020, cybercriminals shifted gears. Amid the chaos of those early days, as corporate IT focused on keeping remote workers productive, ransomware attacks skyrocketed, with the FBI reporting a 62% increase in ransomware reports in the first half of 2021 compared to the same year-ago period. This follows a 20% increase in 2020. None of this came as any surprise to those of us in IT; the pandemic opened the door and malicious actors were only too happy to walk...

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Apple security update – 5 lessons for the hybrid workforce

Written by STEP Software on . Posted in Blog. No Comments on Apple security update – 5 lessons for the hybrid workforce

NEVER-ENDING WARNINGS After all, hardly a day goes by that we’re not receiving yet another warning that our favorite Windows PC, Android phone, Ring smart doorbell, or Roomba smart vacuum cleaner needs a software update to patch a weakness that seemingly came out of nowhere. We’ve become almost numb to the never-ending threat landscape, to the sky-is-falling warnings that it’s time, yet again, to batten down the hatches. At the same time, it’s just as easy to understand why we can’t afford to ignore the warnings. And why it’s long past due for employers and employees alike to...

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Teleworking: Information Security Essentials for Organizational Leadership

Written by STEP Software on . Posted in Blog. No Comments on Teleworking: Information Security Essentials for Organizational Leadership

USING VIRTUAL DESKTOP INFRASTRUCTURE (VDI) FOR SECURE REMOTE CAPABILITIES If your organization already utilizes VDI and you have enough licenses to accommodate your teleworking staff, you are ahead of the game. VDI users can be provided role-based access, giving them access to only the resources they need to perform their jobs. All of those resources remain secured inside your organization’s environment or in the cloud; thus, physical security and unauthorized access concerns are reduced. VDI also uses less bandwidth and is easier for your IT staff to manage than Virtual Private...

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How an API Can Be Leveraged to Boost Sales

Written by STEP Software on . Posted in Blog. No Comments on How an API Can Be Leveraged to Boost Sales

WHAT AN API CAN DO: TECHNICAL DETAILS Before knowing how an API can make you money, you should first understand what an API does. API is a common term used for any component that can be used as a “middleman” between a client application and data (e.g., a third-party developer program and your internal procedures). APIs aren’t only for web applications. They are a part of operating systems that give external software access to low-level computer functionality. APIs can be implemented in many computer systems that allow third-party developers access to internal...

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10 Ways Artificial Intelligence Will Change Business

Written by STEP Software on . Posted in Blog. No Comments on 10 Ways Artificial Intelligence Will Change Business

1. NEW CAPABILITIES WILL GET ADDED TO EXISTING JOB ROLES Despite all the hype about AI eliminating millions of jobs, most human jobs will be fine. For example, before 2020, AI has created 2.3 million new jobs while only eliminating 1.8 million jobs. According to experts, AI removes repetitive tasks to allow employees to focus on more productive tasks. Therefore, new roles are being created for human workers to perform that increase productivity. 2. COMPANIES WILL HIRE MORE AI PROFESSIONALS In addition to most human jobs being safe, many businesses will have to hire more AI...

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