Kevin Hawkins's Linkedin Analytics

Organisations face a variety of scams that exploit vulnerabilities in technology, human behaviour, and operational processes. Here are some of the most prevalent scams targeting businesses: • Phishing Scams: Phishing remains one of the most common tactics used by cybercriminals. These scams involve fraudulent emails or messages that appear to come from legitimate sources, tricking employees into revealing sensitive information such as passwords or financial data. • Business Email Compromise (BEC): This scam targets businesses that engage in wire transfer payments. Attackers impersonate executives or trusted partners via email, requesting fund transfers or sensitive information. BEC can result in significant financial losses. • Ransomware Attacks: Ransomware involves malware that encrypts an organisation’s data, rendering it inaccessible until a ransom is paid. These attacks can cripple operations and often involve demands for payment in cryptocurrencies to maintain anonymity. • Tech Support Scams: Scammers impersonate tech support representatives from well-known companies, claiming there are issues with an organisation’s systems. They often attempt to gain remote access to devices. • Supply Chain Attacks: Cybercriminals target third-party vendors that have access to an organisation’s systems or data. By compromising these suppliers, they can infiltrate larger organisations, leading to data breaches or financial fraud. • Social Engineering: This includes tactics where attackers manipulate individuals into divulging confidential information. Examples include pretexting (creating a fabricated scenario) and baiting (offering something enticing to lure victims). • Investment Scams: Organisations may fall victim to fraudulent investment opportunities promising high returns with little risk. These scams can often appear legitimate and may involve complex schemes designed to confuse potential victims. • Fake Invoices: Scammers send fake invoices for products or services that were never delivered, hoping that accounts payable departments will process them without scrutiny. This tactic exploits the routine nature of invoice processing. • Credential Stuffing: With many organisations using similar usernames and passwords across platforms, attackers use automated tools to test stolen credentials from one breach against multiple accounts on different systems, gaining unauthorised access. • Impersonation Scams: Attackers may pose as company executives, vendors, or even government officials to extract money or information from employees. This can occur through phone calls or digital communication channels. The greatest tip in regard to scam prevention, is cyber awareness training. It's the cheapest and quickest win you can make. If you need advice, or just want to chat about it, give me a call. #CyberSecurity #PhishingScams #BEC #Ransomware #EmailSecurity #FraudPrevention #ScamAlert #CyberAwareness #RiskManagement #EmployeeTraining

I’ve often seen their trucks on the road. A sad and salutary story that all SMEs should read. Protect your data and monitor your systems.

We have often talked about risk management and how important it is to establish exactly what risks you face, in order to be able to judge what you need to do to mitigate those risks and to target your undoubtedly limited budget. How else do you know that your money is well spent on protections that are doing what you think they are doing? #sme #riskmanagement #riskassessment #cybersolutions

What do SME owners and directors truly prioritise in their complex relationship with cybersecurity? Are they genuinely interested in how the latest technological solutions function? Do they pay attention to the alarming stories, or do they believe those concerns apply to them? They might have an awareness that cybersecurity could be an issue, but is it pressing enough for them to take action? Once they reach the realisation that there may be a problem needing their attention, you can concentrate on what they want to know in order to create effective strategies and suitable solutions. From my experience, I would highlight two crucial aspects. The first is cost-effectiveness. This becomes particularly vital during economic downturns when their focus on expenses intensifies. SMEs resemble that friend who insists on splitting the bill evenly, even if they only ordered water. They seek robust cybersecurity measures that are budget-friendly. After all, if they were inclined to splurge, they'd rather host a lavish office party! The second key point is simplicity. SMEs desire user-friendly security solutions that don’t require an advanced degree in Cyber Science. They want a security system as easy to navigate as their favorite app—preferably one that doesn’t crash frequently. They aren’t interested in jargon or complex industry metrics. Remember the KISS principle: Keep It Simple Stupid! Naturally, their focus will vary depending on what’s important to them, which is largely influenced by their business type. While there are similarities across different sectors, unique differences—some significant and some subtle—will affect any cybersecurity solutions offered. If you're feeling uncertain and need guidance, don't hesitate to reach out to us at 0800 4947478 for a no-obligation consultation. #CyberSecuritySME #SMEChallenges #CostEffectiveSolutions #CyberAwareness #AffordableCyberSecurity #DataProtectionForSMEs #CybersecurityStrategy #RethinkCyberSecurity #BudgetFriendlySecurity

I've highlighted multiple times that small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are less concerned about the technologies themselves and more focused on their implications and vulnerabilities. So, let's discuss the potential risks that AI and machine learning can present to SMEs. It's truly a double-edged sword. On one side, AI and machine learning can greatly benefit SMEs by enhancing threat detection, automating responses, and even predicting potential vulnerabilities. However, on the other side, cybercriminals can also leverage these technologies for malicious purposes. Here are some threats to watch out for: 1. Automated Attacks: Cybercriminals can harness AI to automate their attacks, making them quicker and more challenging to defend against. Picture bots that learn from past attacks and adapt their strategies! 2. Phishing Scams: AI can generate highly convincing phishing emails. With machine learning, scammers can analyse successful email characteristics and customise their messages to deceive your team into clicking harmful links. 3. Data Breaches: If hackers utilise AI tools to pinpoint weaknesses in your systems, they can exploit these vulnerabilities more effectively, leading to potentially costly and damaging data breaches. 4. Deepfakes: This is quite astonishing! Deepfake technology could be employed to fabricate fake videos or audio of key personnel in your organization, resulting in fraud or manipulation. This has already occurred; the classic CEO scam involving a fake email with a fraudulent invoice forwarded from the CEO to accounts payable has evolved into deepfake phone calls. 5. DDoS Attacks: Machine learning can assist attackers in optimising Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) attacks, complicating efforts for SMEs to maintain their services during an assault. 6. Social Engineering: AI can scour social media and other online platforms to collect information about your employees, facilitating personalised social engineering attacks for attackers. While AI and machine learning offer exciting possibilities for bolstering cybersecurity in SMEs, they also equip cybercriminals with powerful tools to exploit vulnerabilities. Staying informed and proactive about your cybersecurity practices is crucial! It may seem daunting at times, but with the right strategies and tools, you can enhance your business's defense against these evolving threats. If you'd like to discuss this further, feel free to call me at 0800 4947478. #SMEs #CyberSecurity #MachineLearning #CyberThreats #AutomatedAttacks #PhishingScams #DataProtection #VulnerabilityAwareness #OnlineSecurity #AIForSMEs #CyberCrimeAwareness #RiskManagement #ThreatDetection #BusinessResilience

One of the quickest and most adaptable exploits in the cyber realm is Curly Spider, as highlighted in CrowdStrike's threat report. Sounds concerning, right? It executes rapid, hands-on intrusions. In this instance quoted by Crowd Strike, the attacker aimed to fulfill their objectives without needing to switch to another device. The entire attack sequence, from initial user engagement and social engineering to creating a backdoor account for persistence, took less than four minutes. This exploit heavily relies on social engineering for its initial access: • Users are bombarded with numerous spam emails masquerading as charities, newsletters, or financial offers. • Shortly after, a caller pretending to be from help desk or IT support claims that the spam is a result of malware or outdated spam filters. • The user is then directed to participate in a remote session using an RMM tool like Microsoft Quick Assist or TeamViewer, with the attacker guiding them through the installation if it's not already installed; in this scenario, the adversary opted for Quick Assist to gain control. Once CURLY SPIDER achieves initial access, their window of opportunity is limited and lasts only as long as the victim remains on the call. To prolong control, the adversary's immediate goal is to establish backdoor access before the session concludes. With remote access secured, CURLY SPIDER acts swiftly, often while still in communication with the victim, to deploy their payloads and ensure persistent access. Most of the intrusion time is spent maintaining connectivity and resolving any access issues to reach their cloud-hosted malicious scripts. The primary methods for combating social engineering include ongoing cyber awareness training and protective monitoring. Both solutions are accessible to SMEs today. Give us a call at 0800 4947478 or visit our website at www.hah2.co.uk. #CurlySpider #CyberSecurity #SocialEngineering #CyberAwareness #ThreatReport #CrowdStrike #RemoteAccess #MalwareProtection #RMMTools #CyberIntrusion #BackdoorAccess #ITSupportScam #SpamEmails #PhishingAwareness #SMEs #SecureYourBusiness #CyberTraining

Who's heard of SIM swapping? Anyone? It refers to a scam perpetrated when your 2 factor authentication is bypassed when your mobile phone number is associated to an account of some sort, by a scammer. It was reported on the BBC that a man was targeted by fraudsters who got his mobile phone number from an energy company. The man had more than £40,000 taken from an account after his name and email address was used to get the information from EDF. Within 48 hours of his mobile phone number being divulged, his accounts with O2, Nationwide Building Society and Virgin Media had all been compromised. The man said he was alerted to the criminal action on 3 February, having received a text from O2 confirming he had changed his password. After telling O2 he had not changed his password, the firm said he must have been a victim of a Sim swap scam, which sees his mobile number used and transferred to a new Sim card. The next morning, EDF emailed him asking for feedback on his recent contact with the company, despite him not having made that call. He was told its fraud department would get in touch but a week later had heard nothing. Meanwhile, O2 confirmed his new Sim card was on its way, but it was connected to a different mobile phone number. Its staff told him to check his emails and he discovered from his email provider Virgin Media that someone had changed his password. As he was trying to fix that, criminals raided his accounts. He then could not access his Nationwide credit card. The building society then upped his security. Worse news was to come, when he learned his National Savings and Investments password had been changed. By this time he was told he taken out a very large amount of premium bonds, over £40,000 worth. After more than a week, EDF finally responded about the call it thought Stephen made at 11:00 GMT on 3 February. EDF explained the fraudster had his name and email address and had asked EDF to give them his mobile number, which the company did, having passed security with his name and email address. The call from the fraudster to EDF happened three hours before O2 received a request to move his number in the Sim-swap scam. Criminals do it to bypass two-factor authentication to change passwords and access anything else you need a code from a text message for. It was reported to Hertfordshire Police and it was passed it on to Action Fraud as the crime was believed to have been committed outside the county. In 2024, Action Fraud, the UK's reporting centre for fraud and cyber crime, external, received more than 2,000 reports of Sim swapping, close to double what had been reported the previous year. Are we getting a little too reliant on mobile phones as part of 2 factor authentication? #SimSwapping #FraudAlert #CyberSecurity #TwoFactorAuthentication #ScamAwareness #IdentityTheft #MobileSecurity #FraudPrevention #BankingSafety #ScamAlert #ProtectYourself #ActionFraud

I read a lot about the remote v office argument, from both managers, employees and HR types. I can see the arguments from both sides but as usual, I come at it from the cyber security POV, looking at how it can affect SMEs. #RemoteWork #OfficeVsRemote #HybridWork #CyberSecurity #DataProtection #WorkFromHome #SMEs #VideoConferencing #CyberAwareness #Ransomware #Phishing #ZeroTrust #EmployeeTraining #DataSecurity #HomeOffice #DigitalSecurity #TrustH2 #ProductivityTools #BusinessContinuity #SecureConnections

Another day, another scam, but this one has been around for a while. Quishing - what is it? It refers to a specific type of phishing attack that uses QR codes to trick individuals into sharing sensitive information or downloading harmful software. As QR codes gain popularity for contactless interactions, cybercriminals are exploiting this trend. Key Aspects of Quishing: 1. Mechanism: In a quishing attack, a scammer creates a QR code linked to a fake website. When users scan the code, they may be redirected to a site that appears legitimate but is actually designed to collect personal information like login credentials, credit card details, or other sensitive data. 2. Delivery Methods: Quishing attacks can be presented in various ways, including: - Printed materials in public spaces (such as posters or flyers). - Emails or messages featuring images of QR codes. - Fake product packaging or promotional items. - Automated parking meters are increasingly common, where QR codes are often provided as a quick payment option. - Electric vehicle charging stations. 3. Social Engineering: Similar to traditional phishing, quishing frequently employs social engineering tactics to convince users to scan the QR code. This could involve instilling a sense of urgency or presenting attractive incentives. 4. Risks: The dangers associated with quishing mirror those of traditional phishing attacks. Victims may face identity theft, financial loss, and unauthorised access to their accounts. 5. Prevention Tips: - Exercise caution when scanning QR codes from unfamiliar sources. - Always check the URL before entering any personal information. - Utilise a reputable security solution that can help identify malicious links. - Educate yourself and others about the signs of quishing and other cyber threats. As QR codes become more integrated into daily life for various applications, like payments, ticketing, and information sharing, awareness of quishing and similar threats is increasingly vital for cybersecurity. Stay vigilant! #Quishing #CyberSecurity #StaySafe

IT budgets are a fascinating topic for SMEs! How many small and medium enterprises actually set aside a dedicated IT budget for the financial year? I suspect that those on the larger end of the SME spectrum might give this some serious thought, whilst smaller businesses may not prioritise it as much. I could be mistaken, but my experience suggests otherwise. When it comes to allocating funds for IT security, there isn't a universal solution. In the past, we advised businesses of all sizes to allocate around 5% of their total IT expenditure to security. That figure is now outdated and has increased to approximately 15%, with some corporations even spending about 20%. For SMEs, a practical guideline is to allocate around 10-15% of their overall IT budget toward security. This percentage can fluctuate based on the industry, business nature, and specific threats faced. If you operate in a heavily regulated sector, such as finance or healthcare, where data breaches can have severe repercussions, consider increasing that allocation. Conversely, if you're in the early stages and your operations are relatively straightforward, you may spend slightly less while establishing your business. Ultimately, it’s crucial to strike a balance where you invest adequately to safeguard your enterprise without overspending. Remember, security encompasses more than just tools and software; it also requires training your team to identify threats and protect your data effectively. Stay smart and secure! For personalised advice and guidance, feel free to call me at 0800 4947478. #ITBudgeting #SMEBusiness #CybersecurityInvestment #SmallBusinessIT #DataProtection #BusinessContinuity #RiskManagement #SMEChallenges #DataBreachPrevention #ITStrategy #ComplianceCosts

I often ponder what stops many SME owners and managers, from adopting a risk managed approach to cyber security. It has perplexed me for many years and I know there are a lot of us within the cyber security profession, who have had similar experiences. This piece suggests some things but I know there are many views to be taken into account. #CyberSecurity #RiskManagement #SMEs #BusinessContinuity #DataProtection #CyberAwareness #ITSecurity #CyberThreats #SecurityTraining #InformationSecurity #TechInvestments #CyberRisk #ProtectYourBusiness #H2CyberSecurity #SafeData #DigitalDefence

At H2 we've talked about the Internet of Things before, but it's worth another go as we increasingly add to the already abundant number of smart devices that are finding their way from the home to the workplace. #InternetOfThings #IoT #SmartDevices #CyberSecurity #DataProtection #SME #TechTalk #HomeAutomation #DigitalTransformation #SecurityAwareness #AIThreats #RemoteWork #NetworkSecurity #CyberRisk #IoTSecurity #HackingAwareness #TechTrends #SmartAppliances #IoTInBusiness #SecureYourNetwork

The take up of cyber awareness training amongst SMEs remains low, despite it being one of the most cost effective quick wins an SME can make. Cyber attacks will often start by targeting staff with phishing and social engineering attacks and if your staff are aware of the dangers and techniques used, then they can move from being your biggest weakness to being your greatest asset, in the fight against cyber crime. So why isn't it undertaken by more SMEs? There are a number of reasons and chief amongst them is cost. SMEs will have limited budgets for staff training and what they do have will be focused on training in whatever the business does, rather than what is seen as a peripheral function . Time constraints is another issue. Employees in SMEs often juggle multiple roles, and taking time away for training can be seen as a disruption to productivity, which in itself is seen as a cost. SMEs will be concerned about how effective the training is, and how engaged their staff will be. And of course there is the move to hybrid working and the perceived expense of bringing remote staff in for training. What if we could navigate around these issues? What about a cost effective solution that provided cyber awareness training online, allowing staff to work at their own pace, at their own desks, or remotely, and that ensures staff engagement by testing through systems such as phishing simulations. Would that work for you? Call us on 0800 4947478 or check out our website www.hah2.co.uk. We'd love to hear from you. #CyberAwareness #SMEs #CyberSecurity #Phishing #SocialEngineering #EmployeeTraining #OnlineTraining #RemoteWork #CostEffective #StaffEngagement #CyberCrime #TrainingSolutions #Productivity #HybridWorking #PhishingSimulations #CyberTraining #BusinessSafety #ProtectYourBusiness