This week's episode covers free hotel Wi-Fi security flaws, Facebook snoops, a DIY kill cord to wipe a stolen laptop, and ICS computer spyware.

 

 


Security flaws found in a popular guest Wi-Fi system used in hundreds of hotels

TechCrunch

Attack Type:

CS Standards and Regs v2   Threat actors v2   Tech failure v2   Human v2

 

What To Know: Hotel-provided WiFi service may come with serious privacy risks.

Why You Should Care:  Hotel WiFi isn’t the only problem, any WiFi not under control by yourself should never be implicitly trusted.  Follow the principle of “zero trust” and always use a VPN service for an additional layer of protection when traveling.


Facebook blocks snoop accounts, alerts 50k potential targets

The Register

Attack Type: 

Threat actors v2   Human v2   

 

What To Know:  Intelligence gathering outfits of varying repute use social media to gather information about people and organizations.  Be careful when using Facebook and other social media.

Why You Should Care:  When a service is “free”, the product is YOU.  Always use with care and caution.


This USB ‘kill cord’ can instantly wipe your laptop if snatched or stolen

TechCrunch

Attack Type: 

Threat actors v2   

 

What To Know:  An affordable action movie type device has been developed to instantly lock and/or wipe your laptop when the bad guys show up to get you.

Why You Should Care:  Many people still live under repression and censorship in various parts of the world, and technology like this helps to keep them and their information safe from bad actors and people that might literally kill them.


Mass spyware campaign targets thousands of ICS computers around the world

Yahoo Finance

Attack Type: 

 Malicious Logic v2   Malicious Logic v2   CS Standards and Regs v2

 

What To Know:  Industrial Control Systems are the computers that control automation in factories, among other things.  These systems are being targeted by sophisticated and at times state-backed actors.

Why You Should Care:  ICS disruptions can cause utility outages, supply chain disruptions, and many other problems that would affect the daily lives of regular people.

 

News & Updates

APPALACHIA IN THE NEWS: Appalachia Technologies Cited in Case Study to Improve Efficiencies and Service Delivery   Improve and Evolve - this is one of the five Core Values of Appalachia Technologies and one we believe helps us to stay at the forefront of our industry.  Our Technical Assistance Center (TAC), while performing well and delivering quality service, was being challenged by processes for documentation that were manual and outdated.  Not satisfied with the current way of doing this, Chris Swecker, Manager of TAC, began to explore IT Glue.  IT Glue centralizes information, allowing for efficiencies in response time, accuracy, and client satisfaction.  As he explains, "IT Glue became our source of truth."  Chris and his team built on the success by incorporating additional tools to assist with password rotation and a client-side tool for password management and shared documentation.  

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