Esskay Data Recovery

14/01/2019

Ransomware displaced by cryptojacking as the most trending cyberthreat but it is not dead yet

For those of you who have experienced the worst of Ransomware attacks in the form of WannaCry and Petya and believe that the worst is over; you never know what may await you on the other side of this New Year.

While the recent threat analysis reports by Quick Heal Security Labs suggest a significant decline in Ransomware attacks, it cannot be considered dead yet. In fact, the reason for this significant decline in Ransomware attacks can instead be attributed to the substantial growth in Cryptojacking or Cryptocurrency mining malware. One such prominent malware and threat distributor of 2018 being Emotet – a highly sophisticated cryptocurrency mining and banking Trojan.

Well, the price of digital currencies has grown exponentially over the past couple of years, which is one major reason for cybercriminals to dramatically shift their attention to cryptojacking. Besides, it is less risky and a comparatively simpler & secretive means of mining illicit money, till the time the infection is discovered.

Given this simplicity-to-mine, malware authors are increasingly replacing Ransomware with cryptojacking to mine easy targets like Monero (an open-source cryptocurrency) via malvertising, spear phishing, etc. After all, which hacker would want to resist a steady flow of income that a stealthy malware like cryptojacking can ensure and hence it’s boosted popularity!

With the evolving threat landscape, even Ransomware is metamorphosing in the form of new variants of attacks. Like the recently observed RDP brute-force attack which is basically a kind of Ransomware attack that makes use of RDP. Attackers simply scan a list of IPs to find the default RDP port and launch a brute-force attack, which is basically a trial & error technique of guessing User name and Password. Once attackers gain access, they can easily bypass the system’s antivirus and infect the system.

Not to forget, GandCrab Ransomware – one of the most wide-spread cryptovirus found to have infected over 50,000+ nodes. While this cryptovirus had been in the wild since January, it has only kept evolving ever since.

Thus, even though Ransomware may seem to have become dormant, it’s much advanced variants still pose a significant amount of threat and it could just be too early to belittle the potency of Ransomware any time soon.

05/11/2018

27/10/2017

It's the third major outbreak of the year after WannaCry and Petya.

17/10/2017

Happy Diwali

30/09/2017

Happy Dussera

28/09/2017

Your computer could be infected without you knowing it: Here's how to find out.

Until you become the target of data theft, a malware attack is only what you read about in the news. Yet there is a big possibility that malware keeps hiding in your system for a long time without you being aware of it. Theft of data or money is not always a sudden event; it can be a long process.

While smartphones are considered more vulnerable to malware, even computers are not totally safe. With mass malware attacks becoming common, you should watch out for suspicious activity on your computer that you might ignore as random malfunction. You start your computer and it takes forever. Your internet runs morbidly slow. Your programs are taking ages to respond. When you open your browser, unexpected pop-ups appear. Any of these routine troubles could be a sign of malware infection.

28/09/2017

Malware Attack

07/09/2017

DON'T FALL PREY: Ransomware attacks - fight back

Ransomware attacks are becoming a regular occurrence. Hackers lock computers and networks using file encryption software and demand payment to release the data. The attack typically enters through a phishing email and then spreads to other machines on the same network.

Better Business Bureau and the National Cyber Security Alliance suggest the following:

• Back up your most important files regularly. Backup activity should be diversified, so that the failure of any single point won’t lead to the irreversible loss of data. Store one copy in the cloud, resorting to services like Dropbox, and the other on offline physical media, such as a portable HDD.

• Set read/write permissions, so that the files cannot be modified or erased. Additionally, check to make sure your backup methods are working properly on occasion.

• Never click on links from anyone you don’t know. If you think you know the sender, be cautious about clicking on email links. When in doubt, delete it. Be especially wary of messages requiring you to act quickly, or asking for personal information.

• Keep clean machines: Update critical software as soon as patches or new operating system versions are available. This includes mobile and other internet-connected devices.

• Use strong authentication: Requiring more than a username and password to access accounts, especially critical networks, to prevent access through stolen or hacked credentials.

• Make better passwords: In cases where passwords are still used, require long, strong and unique passwords to better harden accounts against intrusions.

26/08/2017

Spammers misused WannaCry fear to market fraudulent data-protection services

One of the main trends in the past three months is the number of mass mailings targeted at corporate networks.
As the fear of the WannaCry ransomware epidemic set in, cyber criminals sent out spam and phishing emails offering users different services to fight against the epidemics, noted Kaspersky Lab's "Spam and phishing in Q2 2017" report.

The WannaCry ransomware attack affected more than 200,000 computers across the globe, resulting in massive panic, and spammers instantly capitalised on the opportunity. Researchers detected a large amount of messages offering services such as protection from WannaCry attacks, data recovery, and, moreover, educational workshops and courses for users.

In addition, spammers successfully implemented a traditional scheme of fraudulent offers to install software updates on affected computers. However, links were redirecting users to phishing pages, where the personal data of victims would have been stolen.

One of the main trends in the past three months is the number of mass mailings targeted at corporate networks. Based on Kaspersky Lab research, these have expanded since the beginning of the year. Spammers began to widely disguise malicious mailings as corporate dialogues, by using the identities of corporate mail services, including real signatures, logos and even banking information.

In archives attached to the email, cybercriminals sent out exploit packages targeted at stealing FTP, email and other passwords. Kaspersky Lab experts highlight that most attacks on the corporate sector have financial goals.

Further, in the second quarter of the year researchers detected a growth in number of mass mailings with malicious Trojans, sent on behalf of international delivery services. Spammers were sending shipping reports with information about non-existent parcel deliveries.

With the aim to infect computers or to steal personal credentials, criminals were found spreading download links with malware, including the banking Trojan Emotet, which was first detected back in 2014. Overall, the volume of malicious mass mailings has increased by 17 percent, according to the new Kaspersky Lab report.

"During the second quarter of the year, we have seen that the main trends in spam and phishing attacks have continued to grow. The use of WannaCry in mass mailings proves that cybercriminals are very attentive and reactive to international events. Moreover, cybercriminals have started to focus more on the B2B sector, seeing it as lucrative. We expect this tendency will continue to grow, and the overall amount of corporate attacks and their variety will expand", said Darya Gudkova, Spam Analyst Expert at Kaspersky Lab.

"Today, effectiveness depends on the flexibility and reliability of the self-learning systems created by experts. And success goes to those able to provide a combination of the mathematical abilities of man, and complex infrastructure that permits developing new algorithms; And we call that combination Humachine Intelligence - a fusion of three fundamental things: big data, machine learning, and our analysts' expertise," added Altaf Halde, Managing Director- South Asia, Kaspersky Lab.

18/08/2017

New Set of Ransomware is Threatening Everyone’s Cyber Security

For years, security experts have been working extra hard to fight off cyber criminals and their often vicious attacks–one of which is spreading ransomware to extort money from their victims.

18/08/2017

For any kind of data recovery from any storage device call 8450955515.
NO DATA NO CHARGE. FREE PICKUP / DROP & FREE CHECKING.

Esskay Data recovery a new branch of Esskay Compuservices established to explore and increase compan