The coronavirus pandemic has driven workers home from work, which has raised concerns about digital security.

This fear is justified, after all, according to Fortinet Threat Intelligence Insider Latin America, in the first half of 2020 alone there were more than 2.6 billion cyberattacks in Brazil, and in the same period of 2021, 3.2 billion, a 23% increase.

In addition, cybercriminals are becoming more and more specialized, with sophisticated techniques of intrusion, theft, and even data hijacking. This scenario is highly harmful to companies.

In this way, we have created exclusive content about cybersecurity, so you know how to avoid threats to business data, without having your business productivity harmed.

Check it out!

Look for Balance

It is important to talk about the coronavirus pandemic to understand the increase in recorded attacks. Because it is a period of social tension and generalized anxiety, human beings tend to seek more information.

It is no wonder that, according to Interpol, most phishing cases are related to appealing links about the disease caused by the coronavirus.

With the population concerned, this theme started to be used to attract attention, and when clicking, steal personal data. When this happens in a company’s infrastructure, business data is also at stake.

However, care must be taken to strike a balance between security and productivity. There is highly confidential information that must be protected more rigorously, but some, such as personal customer data, need to be available for your team to be able to work.

However, it is useless to implement highly bureaucratic protocols if this prevents people from carrying out their activities. At the same time, it is critical to ensure information security, as data leaks can be equally harmful. Thus, it is necessary to find a balance through good usage practices.

Beware of Passwords

The market has been in contact with computers for more than 50 years, and the pandemic has forced the acceleration of the digital transformation process in companies. Therefore, it is essential to stop practicing actions that are already widely known, and that can be harmful.

For example, using the same password for different services. Remember that if different users can use the same credentials, it is difficult to control access even by employees.

On the other hand, several different combinations can be confusing, and many people make the mistake of writing down passwords. With auto-save services, users give browsers and devices full access to their credentials. If this equipment is invaded, everything is in the invader’s hands.

Some important tips are:

• Create passwords with more than 8 characters, mixing letters, numbers, and symbols;
• Never use words, obvious or otherwise. Create something of your own.
• Establish a routine to update credentials periodically.
• To save credentials virtually, count on highly specialized and certified companies.

Request a senhasegura demo to understand how it is possible to have this information always at hand, in a secure way.

Take LGPD into account

The General Data Protection Law (No. 13.709/2018) has already come into force and is fining and condemning companies not paying due attention to information security regarding customer personal data.

However, it serves as a good educational guideline for companies to develop compliance actions or action policies to prevent threats to business data.

LGPD suggests that periodic data inventories be carried out, so that the company understands what type of information is being stored on its servers, for how long, and what is the real need of this data for the business.

A suggestion to avoid threats to business data is to hire a specialized consultancy, so, with an external look and without vices, you will understand how the flow of data processing takes place, finding possible bottlenecks and vulnerabilities that, by routine, go unnoticed.

Bear in mind that with the legislation being taken seriously, it is not just the brand’s integrity that is at stake with the possible leaks of corporate data, but also legal liability even of the individuals who make up the company’s social organization.

Understand Security Challenges

The best way to avoid threats to business data is to stay informed about the topic. As we mentioned, with the evolution of security technology, cybercriminals are also becoming more and more sophisticated, causing more damage, and leaving fewer tracks.

Cybersecurity is an ongoing movement, not a one-time set of actions. There is no use in training your team if real changes in the organizational culture are demanded.

Employee Awareness

Know that your employees are not experts in information security, in most cases, so it is essential to get in touch with a professional with this profile.

The first step to be taken is to make it clear what are the attitudes and behaviors that harm the company’s performance in this area. Only by knowing what to avoid can concrete measures be taken.

Create Protocols and Processes

With everyone aware of their role and duties in the fight against cybercrime, the company must adopt a proactive stance, creating mechanisms and a code of conduct regarding virtual behavior.

Keep in mind that most attacks are still due to users clicking on links without checking the source. In this way, most of the changes are not necessarily in technology, but in behavior.

Count on Technology

But, of course, security technology is a key aspect. Outdated equipment, old systems, and non-functional pages are the main sources of attacks.

Stay aligned with market security trends, so that your company becomes a reference in information security, and can make this a competitive advantage.

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With the evolution of computer technologies, the population has become increasingly connected, but there are complications, such as SQL Injection. Do you know it? In this article, we will explain what it is and how to protect yourself.

SQL Injection: How to Prevent it and Protect Your System?

SQL stands for Structured Query Language. This is a programming language to use the relational database in an uncomplicated and unified way.

SQL Injection is a type of digital attack based on SQL manipulation, as this is the way programs exchange information with databases, and most manufacturers use this software on PC and laptops.

A SQL attack happens when the attacker can place or modify queries that are sent to the relational database. This action works because there is trust in the arbitrary data that is shown to the user, as there is a context in the data made available.

SQL Injection via the Login Screen

This form of SQL injection is an attack option that takes place when the user tries to log in; the attacker creates a fake form that files your input data anywhere.

Because it is simple manipulation, it is difficult to identify, only small changes in the page or its internet address can be noticed. It usually happens when you are directed to a website that requires a login.

This practice is very similar to the criminal action that aims to clone credit card data, using a scan of the information contained therein. You need to be very careful not to fall into this type of scam.

SQL Injection via DDoS

DDoS is the acronym for Distributed Denial of Service and is one of the targets of SQL Injection by malicious hackers.

Using a variation of DDoS we know as DoS, Denial of Service, an attack is made by a server or computer that aims to overload the system by taking the target off the internet.

With SQL injection via a rogue DoS using manipulated forms or URLs, it is possible to capture user information, and this tactic often occurs on fake bank pages that aim to steal money or make loans.

There are cases where hackers block access to the information contained in PCs and ask for ransom so that the user can access their own data. This practice has become quite common, being used against government agencies, private companies, and demonstrates the great vulnerability of their systems.

How Does SQL Injection Occur?

SQL Injection occurs when your filters are unable to defend the system and allow many malicious interactions to take place, which ends up creating loopholes for the insertion of some malicious code into the system.

Through codes, the infected system will accept all information inserted in it, being able to give the intruder Adm status, giving them access to each file or data contained in the PC.

The SQL Injection attack via DDoS will overload the server or the computer, which will exhaust memory, processing, and other resources, preventing access. A page with an error or is slow to load can be a sign that the user is under attack.

SQL Injection by DDoS occurs when many sources send requests to the server. Hackers often use home computers that are hacked without their owners knowing, using this so they can access and command their systems.

With this action, the SQL Injection attack comes from multiple locations, which makes it virtually impossible to defend the system. Affected servers become overloaded and unable to handle the volume of requests.

How to Prevent SQL Attacks?

SQL Injection attacks are only possible on vulnerable systems, but it is possible to create defense means with practical actions to increase the security of servers and their users.

Using user-typed data validation is an action to block SQL Injection, as this is one of the main ways hackers obtain information.

Not allowing it to connect to the SQL server through a firewall or by observation helps in defending the system. High-priority websites must be accessed by devices exclusively used by the user themselves.

Always create security logs on your server, so that any attempts at invasive commands can be reported; periodically check the system for any SQL Injection attempts.

The increase in internet bandwidth can also help in a SQL Injection attack, as it can send a volume of data of 80 Gbps per traffic through DDoS, which is a very high rate.

With the increase in the bandwidth rate, it will be possible to resist the attack and create measures to defend user information through servers with greater data reading capacity.

The installation of specialized mitigation devices is a means of defense that comes through installing a firewall, which acts as a SQL Injection prevention and blocking system in your system, being able to block attacks in real-time.

Using local settings, it is possible to increase the bandwidth via traffic through the cloud. One must communicate with the provider to approve this action by creating the automated routing systems in the case of SQL Injection.

With the configuration of your firewall, you will be able to handle large volumes of data connections, showing the importance of increasing bandwidth. Your defense program needs to withstand a large volume of connections, as it will be able to block SQL Injection attacks through these actions.

With this information, a user can start to defend against SQL Injection attacks, but it will not always be possible. In this case, count on the senhasegura team, which will help you in the search for greater protection for your data.

We cannot deny that using a Privileged Access Management (PAM) solution considerably increases a corporation’s information security. However, what many people do not know is that this type of solution has some basic functions so that a PAM solution can effectively guarantee information security. Let’s see more about that in today’s article.

PAM Solution: How Does it Apply to Privileged Data Security?

With the proliferation of the new coronavirus, certain areas were forced to create ways to continue operating, and for this, they ended up opting for home office services, but many companies found themselves lost with this new scenario.

Hackers take advantage of the lack of protection in accessing and transferring corporate data through home networks that fail to defend their devices and networks, carrying out attacks via phishing, ransomware, and other malware.

The PAM solution is one of the main ways to guarantee the protection of a company’s confidential information and that all activities are tracked and audited.

Privileged credentials are the targets of choice for cyberattackers. It is fundamental that your privileged access management solution has the privileged session recording feature in order to record, in video and text, the actions performed by the user within the system while using a privileged credential.

To ensure a quality privileged session recording, it is important to check with the PAM solution provider if the system provides the option of storing recording files and audit logs to prevent users from messing with their activity history and altering their entire tool. In this case, senhasegura is the right solution to help you.

It makes sense that privileged accounts are the most vulnerable, as once compromised, they can grant unrestricted access to your company’s IT infrastructure. This is why many high-profile breaches have resulted from exploiting unmanaged and unmonitored privileged accounts. Responsible attackers often gain administrative control and can do considerable damage in their wake.

Credential Management

To ensure information security, you need to develop prevention practices regularly, such as managing your company’s privileged accounts.

A solution that does not provide this function leaves the security of your information with many loopholes, which makes a cyberattack possible.

With this capability, your company is able to manage all active privileged credentials and confirm the privilege level of each one, verifying it is appropriate for such users to have access to certain environments, in addition to being able to revoke credentials that are no longer required, such as from former employees.

To avoid the risk of information being leaked, besides verifying access to privileged credentials, it is also important to properly manage it through the automatic change of passwords.

In this way, you can prevent users from having passwords or performing unauthorized access.

A news article produced by the newspaper O Estado de São Paulo and replicated by the G1 website has pointed out that approximately 243 million Brazilians had their data exposed on the Internet due to failures by the Ministry of Health. These numbers include people who have already died. 

In practice, anyone registered with the Unified Health System (SUS) or a health plan had data such as individual taxpayer number, full name, address, and telephone number exposed.

In the previous week, 16 million people who had coronavirus had been victims of another leak caused by the same flaw: exposure of login and password that give access to the Ministry of Health’s system.

Also, a study performed by Apura Cybersecurity Intelligence has shown that there are 920,866 suspicious websites with the term “coronavirus”.

By reading this article, you will understand what has driven the recent increase in attacks against healthcare organizations. To facilitate your understanding, we have divided our text into topics that explain the reasons:

1. More Workers Working Remotely 
2. Low Investment in Cybersecurity
3. Lack of Specific Cybersecurity Professionals
4. Low Awareness 

Read it until the end!

1. More Workers Working Remotely 

Again, we quote a story from G1: according to this report, there were twice as many cyberattacks against hospital and pharmaceutical organizations in 2020 than in the previous year.

That’s because this sector represented 3% of detected digital threats in 2019. In 2020, that number rose to 6.6%. But what has changed from one year to the next? 

In fact, with the Covid-19 pandemic, many professionals have had to adhere to remote work. As a result, they began to access corporate devices from less secure environments, making IT systems more vulnerable. 

2. Low Investment in Cybersecurity

Not all healthcare organizations invest as much as they should in cybersecurity. Often, companies do not even have a department dedicated to this area, ignoring fundamental items, such as:

• Cybersecurity Policies;
• Disaster Recovery Plan;
• Controls for compliance with data protection laws and regulations such as HIPAA.

This lack of investment and old operating systems explain why cybercriminals were already finding loopholes to attack the healthcare industry even before the pandemic. 

To give you an idea, the healthcare industry is one of the main targets of ransomware attacks, along with industries, banking institutions, and government agencies.

3. Lack of Specific Cybersecurity Professionals

We know that having professionals specialized in cybersecurity is essential today. However, these experts are scarce in the job market. It is no wonder this sector has an unemployment rate of 0% and jobs that require knowledge in cybersecurity take an average of 79 days to be filled, surpassing other IT areas.

Data from 2020 indicate that, in order to have an adequate number of professionals with this knowledge in Brazil, we would have to get a 52% increase in the number of employees, from 331,770 to 636,650.

4. Low Awareness 

In addition to everything we have already shown in this article, there is a problem that affects not only the healthcare area, but countless others: low cybersecurity awareness. This means organizations also do not invest in training their employees to deal with cyber threats.

And nowadays, it is extremely important to make teams aware of the risks they assume when accessing IT systems, in addition to promoting training that makes it possible to detect and combat these threats.

These trainings must be performed periodically. That’s because technology constantly evolves, offering increasingly efficient resources to malicious users too. Thus, cybersecurity care must follow this evolution.

By reading this article, you understood the main reasons for the increase in cyberattacks against healthcare organizations. Did you like our content? Share it with someone who may also be interested in the topic.

Failures in the IT infrastructure can compromise the continuity of a business. For this reason, organizations must have a disaster recovery strategy to avoid losses.

This solution is useful to circumvent problems that can have different origins: natural disasters such as fires, human error, and cyberattacks are some examples. 

In this article, we go into more detail about disaster recovery and its importance for the security of institutions. We have broken down our text into the following topics:

• What is Disaster Recovery and What Is Its Importance?
• Emergence of Disaster Recovery
• What are the Main Obstacles Faced by Disaster Recovery?
• Threats to Cybersecurity in Organizations
• Top Disaster Recovery Methods
• What is the Best Disaster Recovery Method for my Organization?
• Building a Disaster Recovery Plan
• Understand RPO and RTO 
• Synchronous Replication: Excellent Method for Companies that Cannot Tolerate High RPO from Data to Disaster Recovery
• Asynchronous and Mixed Replication

Enjoy the read!

1. What is Disaster Recovery and What Is Its Importance?

As we suggested in the introduction to this article, disaster recovery is important to ensure the continuity of a business. 

This is because it is designed to avoid data loss and enable the company’s operations again whenever there is an interruption generated by unforeseen events, such as natural phenomena, cyberattacks. or system failure.

Thus, it is possible to prevent these inconveniences from negatively impacting the organization’s image in the eyes of its customers and causing great damage to the company.

2. Emergence of Disaster Recovery

 Disaster recovery came on the scene in the early 1970s. Before that, companies were less dependent on computer-based operations. 

In the following decade, American banks had to adapt to a government requirement: according to the determination, they would have to present a backup plan that could be tested. As a result, companies in other areas had adopted the same strategy in order to avoid long pauses in operations. 

In the 2000s, the dependence on network services was greater among companies, which began to capture and store a large amount of data, making disaster recovery a highly complex solution. 

This was simplified after 2010 with cloud computing and disaster recovery services, or “data recovery as a service” (DRaaS).

With the evolution of malicious actor tactics in virtual environments, adopting a disaster recovery plan has become imperative. After all, cyberattacks can affect a company’s work to the point of destroying its credibility, in addition to the immediate financial impacts.

3. What are the Main Obstacles Faced by Disaster Recovery?

In this topic, we cover some inconveniences that can be avoided or tackled by a disaster recovery plan. Check it out:

• Human Error

People are subject to failures, which can result in incalculable damage if not properly addressed. These errors can occur on purpose or accidentally.

In the case of professionals who deal with computer equipment, any error can jeopardize data and operations and bring great financial impacts to companies. 

• Equipment Problems

Machines can have faults that generate great inconvenience. This could be associated with software crashes, slow equipment. or system crash. 

This type of failure causes loss of productivity or even downtime when it is necessary to send the equipment for repair. Inevitably, this generates losses for organizations. 

• Natural Phenomena

While not a frequent issue, natural disasters can occur and be devastating for companies that do not have a disaster recovery plan in place. 

A storm, for example, can destroy a company’s headquarters and computer equipment. For this reason, one needs to be prepared for such situations. 

• Power Outages

Outages in electricity supply occur much more frequently than a natural disaster and also have a great potential to interrupt the activities of organizations, causing incalculable damage.

This type of unforeseen event can damage IT equipment and cause data loss, which is a major inconvenience. That is, the possibility of having a power outage is one more reason to adhere to a disaster recovery plan.

• Equipment Theft

Having the equipment stolen creates problems that go beyond the initial scare and the damage caused by the need to replace the machines.

Besides the devices, it is possible to lose customer data and information about the business itself, which can even affect the company’s credibility. 

In this sense, it is advisable to have resources that allow you to recover lost data and keep operations in full swing to avoid damage.

• Cybercrimes

With the evolution of technology and the action of hackers, organizations are increasingly vulnerable to cybercrimes. 

Cyber intrusions can occur for different purposes: demanding a ransom or appropriating data relating to that business.

Thus, it is essential to have a disaster recovery plan to recover information and files that may eventually be lost.

4. Threats to Cybersecurity in Organizations

Cyberattacks are increasingly sophisticated, which requires security solutions and, often, disaster recovery. Here are some threats:

• Phishing: This is a social engineering attack (it is based on the manipulation of victims). Its most common methods include links that copy websites of trusted companies used to collect information to steal bank accounts, among other malicious actions.
• Ransomware: In this type of malware, malicious actors demand payment of ransom to give victims back access to systems and files lost in traps such as spam.
• Backdoor Attack: A backdoor allows an administrator to access a certain system in order to solve a problem. However, this mechanism can represent a loophole for hackers.
• DoS and DDoS Attacks: DoS is a malicious action that overloads a server, making access to a website unavailable. In turn, DDoS affects multiple machines, flooding them with false requests and undermining real demands.

5. Top Disaster Recovery Methods

Currently, there are several disaster recovery strategies and organizations often use more than one to ensure their security. Check out the main resources used:

• Cold Site

Here, the disaster recovery strategy works as follows: the institution has a second facility so that employees can continue to perform their duties even if incidents such as storms or fires occur.

This solution prevents business downtime, but does not enable data recovery. For this reason, we strongly recommend that it be paired with other disaster recovery tools.

• Hot Site

This feature is very efficient when it comes to avoiding downtime. That’s because it copies data frequently, keeping it always up to date. However, their setup takes a long time and they are not among the most cost-effective solutions.

• DRaaS

This solution ensures that computer processing is transferred to a cloud infrastructure. In this way, the company can carry out its activities even if the servers are down. 

You can access DRaaS plans through subscription or pay-per-use.