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2020 Was Record Year for Cyber Attacks

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Guest post by Craig Petronella

While we don’t have all the data in just yet, one trend is clear: cyber security in the US in 2020 was just as abysmal as predicted.

Despite all the posts we wrote warning our readers that hackers had no shame and would exploit as many Americans working from home this year due to Covid-19 as possible, there were more attacks in 2020 than in any other year.

And this trend is not expected to improve.

With all the drama that unfolded in 2020 and all the drama that is already taking place in 2021, it’s likely that cyber hygiene will, again, be put on the back burner, making an already volatile situation even worse.

Russia, North Korea, China … all of our enemies have been waiting for us to slip up, and you can believe that they are well aware of our vulnerabilities. Factoring in the massive SolarWinds breach discovered just about a month ago and it’s easy to see that 2021 is probably not going to be the bright new year many were hoping it would be.

Read Craig’s post here.

Stay a step ahead of the cyber criminals by attending our FREE, one-hour CLE webinar “Chapter 4: Cyber Security Best Practices for your Law Firm in 2021” on March 23. The presenters are digital forensics specialist Nathan Little, of Tetra Defense, who will demonstrate simple, commonsense ways to stay safe, and attorney James Davidson – a nationally-recognized expert on cyber liability who defends lawyers and firms in malpractice cases. Register here.

Apple Patches: Update Your Apple Device Now

Apple has offered emergency security patches for the iOS 14.4 and iPad OS 14.4 platforms, warning users that they found three separate security vulnerabilities. Vulnerabilities that hackers might already be in the process of exploiting.

While Apple declined to provide in-depth vulnerability details, here is what we do know:

  • CVE-2021-1782: Kernel vulnerability
    • Impact: A malicious application may be able to elevate privileges. Apple is aware that this issue may have been actively exploited.
    • Available for:
      • iPhone 6s and later
      • iPad Air 2 and later
      • iPad mini 4 and later
      • iPod touch (7th generation).
    • Reported by: Anonymous
  • CVE-2021-1871 and CVE-2021-1870: WebKit vulnerability
    • Impact: A remote attacker may be able to execute arbitrary code. Apple is aware that this issue may have been actively exploited.
    • Available for:
      • iPhone 6s and later
      • iPad Air 2 and later
      • iPad mini 4 and later
      • iPod touch (7th generation)
    • Reported by: Anonymous researchers

That is all the information that has been released so far, though Apple has stated that they will provide additional details in the near future.

Please remember: One of the easiest ways to protect your network and devices is by updating your software IMMEDIATELY. Even though updates can be annoying, do not wait to activate them, or you put yourself at needless risk. Hackers have no shame.

Read Craig’s post here.

About the Author
Craig A. Petronella is the CEO of Petronella Technology Group Inc, a cybersecurity group that specializes in helping law firms with security and compliance. With 30 years of experience, he is the author of “How Hackers can Crush your Law Firm,” Peace of Mind Computer Support” and other titles. MIT Certified: AI, Blockchain & Hyperledger. Phone: 919-601-1601; Helpdesk Support: 919-422-2607. For more information about a cyber-crime risk assessment call: 1-877-468-2721

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