Have you ever experienced the feeling of relief that comes when you do something silly, but you’re glad you did it where people don’t know you? Or maybe you wished you were somewhere like that, but alas… That is what a Virtual Private Network (VPN) can do for you: it can put you in a place where you are unknown. To determine if and when you need a VPN, you must define what … [Read more...]
A week in security (January 4 – January 10)
Last week on Malwarebytes Labs, we released survey results about VPN usage and found that 36 percent of our respondents use it. We also talked about Adobe Flash Player reaching its end of life—meaning, Adobe won’t be supporting the updating and patching of its Flash Player software; covered the ransomware attack against Funke Media Group, one of Germany’s largest publishers; and … [Read more...]
VPN usage is increasing, says survey
I won’t reveal my mom’s exact age, but she’s in her late 60s. Other than her phone, my mom doesn’t own or use a computer—but she knows what Zoom is. Not since “Kleenex” has a brand become so pervasive that people use the brand name as a generic term for the product. For my mom, any kind of video call is now a “Zoom.” A FaceTime call, for example, is Zoom. I’ve stopped trying to correct her. As … [Read more...]
VPNs: should you use them?
We are going to talk today about something you’ve likely heard of before: VPNs, or Virtual Private Networks. We at Malwarebytes have delved into these tools in greater depth, and we’ve literally discussed them on the digital airwaves. But we want to answer a question we’ve been getting more and more. Folks aren’t as curious about what a VPN is anymore, as they are about whether they should use … [Read more...]
Maze: the ransomware that introduced an extra twist
An extra way to create leverage against victims of ransomware has been introduced by the developers of the Maze ransomware. If the victim is not convinced that she should pay the criminals because her files are encrypted, there could be an extra method of extortion. Over time, more organizations have found ways to keep safe copies of their important files or use some kind of rollback technology to … [Read more...]
Podcast: VPNs, Cybersecurity, and Data Privacy During COVID-19
Ted Kim, CEO of Private Internet Access, joins the podcast to chat about VPNs, privacy online, and how the cybersecurity threat landscape has changed during the COVID-19 pandemic. … [Read more...]
10 best practices for MSPs to secure their clients and themselves from ransomware
Lock-downs and social distancing may be on, but when it comes to addressing the need for IT support—whether by current of potential clients—it’s business as usual for MSPs. And, boy, is it a struggle. On the one hand, they keep an eye on their remote workers to ensure they’re still doing their job securely and safely in the comfort of their own homes. On the other hand, they must also … [Read more...]
A week in security (April 27 – May 3)
Last week on Malwarebytes Labs, we looked at how secure the cloud is, understood why unexpected demand can influence an organization to consider their “just in time” (JIT) system, speculated on why the threat actors behind the Troldesh ransomware suddenly released thousands of decryption keys, preached the good news about VPN being mainstream, touched on the relationship between cybercrime and a … [Read more...]
Lock and Code S1Ep5: Mythbusting and understanding VPNs with JP Taggart
This week on Lock and Code, we discuss the top security headlines generated right here on Labs and around the Internet. In addition, we talk to JP Taggart, senior security researcher at Malwarebytes, about VPNs—debunking their myths, explaining their actual capabilities, and providing some advice on what makes a strong VPN. Tune in for all this and more on the latest episode of Lock and … [Read more...]