How to Protect Your Company From Data Extortion

𝗜𝗻 𝗝𝘂𝗹𝘆, 𝗮 𝗡𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗵 𝗞𝗼𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗻 𝗵𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗲𝗿 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝘀 𝗮𝗻 𝗜𝗧 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗲𝗿 and duped a cybersecurity company into hiring him. 𝙉𝙤𝙬 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙮’𝙧𝙚 𝙪𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙚𝙭𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙖𝙨 𝙖 𝙛𝙤𝙡𝙡𝙤𝙬-𝙪𝙥 𝙖𝙩𝙩𝙖𝙘𝙠. 𝗛𝗶𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗿𝗮𝘂𝗱 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗱 𝗮 𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹. North Korean hackers are no longer satisfied with just infiltrating your company—they’re holding your data hostage and demanding ransoms to keep it from being leaked. It’s a sophisticated evolution in cybercrime, and Western companies are the primary target. 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲’𝘀 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗶𝘁 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀: Hackers pose as highly qualified IT professionals, using fake resumes, AI-generated identities, and stolen credentials. They go through the hiring process unnoticed, secure a job, and gain access to sensitive company data. But instead of just stealing it, they’re now threatening to expose it—unless you pay up. 𝗦𝗼, 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗱𝗼 𝘁𝗼 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀? 1. 𝗧𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗛𝗶𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 Use multi-layered identity verification tools and require video interviews with real-time identity checks. Look for red flags like unverified recruiters or unusual interview behaviors (e.g., candidates refusing to turn on their camera). 2. 𝗦𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗝𝗼𝗯 𝗢𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗹𝘆 Whether you’re a hiring manager or candidate, scrutinize job application invites and offers, especially those from email or messaging services like WhatsApp. Verify the recruiter’s identity and check if the company they represent is legitimate. 3. 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗛𝗶𝗿𝗲𝘀’ 𝗕𝗲𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗼𝗿 Even after onboarding, monitor new employees for suspicious activity, such as unexpected access requests or attempts to install unauthorized software. Keep access levels restricted for new hires until they’ve been fully vetted. 4. 𝗨𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘇𝗲 𝗦𝘂𝘀𝗽𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗘𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗹 𝗔𝗻𝗮𝗹𝘆𝘀𝗶𝘀 𝗧𝗼𝗼𝗹𝘀 Before clicking on links or opening attachments in unsolicited job offers or other suspicious emails, make use of tools like Field Effect’s Suspicious Email Analysis Service (SEAS) to ensure they’re benign. The rise in this type of extortion shows just how advanced cybercriminals are becoming. Protecting your business goes beyond cybersecurity—it’s about reinforcing every layer, 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗵𝗶𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀. 𝗧𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗮𝘄𝗮𝘆: The next IT hire you make could be a undercover cybercriminal, but you can minimize the risk by staying vigilant, verifying identities, and implementing strict access controls. Intelligent Technical Solutions Mike Rhea #Cybersecurity #HiringFraud #DataExtortion #HRSecurity #RiskManagement #BusinessProtection #EndpointSecurity #ITSecurity #RemoteWork #Leadership #CyberRisk #RiskMitigation #BusinessLeaders #HR

🔐 If It’s Not Encrypted, It’s Not Secure! 🚨 Welcome to Day 2 of this week's Cybersecurity Series—today’s focus: Encrypting ALL Sensitive Data. Imagine a thief breaks into your office but finds all your client files locked in a safe with an unbreakable code. That’s encryption in action. Without it, your sensitive data is wide open for hackers to steal, sell, or ransom. The Reality of Unencrypted Data 🚫 Ransomware Attacks – Hackers steal & encrypt your data, demanding $$$ to restore it 🚫 Man-in-the-Middle Attacks – Cybercriminals intercept emails, contracts, and payment details 🚫 Lost or Stolen Devices – Laptops and USB drives with unencrypted files = massive liability Law firms, accounting firms, and businesses handling PII must treat encryption as a non-negotiable. How to Encrypt & Protect Your Data: ✅ Encrypt Data in Transit – Emails, file transfers, and communications should be end-to-end encrypted ✅ Encrypt Data at Rest – Secure client files, backups, and databases with strong encryption algorithms ✅ Use Encrypted Cloud Storage – Ensure your cloud provider offers default encryption for stored data ✅ Protect Devices with Full-Disk Encryption – Lost devices shouldn’t be a security risk Why It Matters: A business recently suffered a major breach when unencrypted client files were stolen during a cyberattack. Because the data wasn’t protected, they faced lawsuits, compliance fines, and a massive loss of trust. 👉 Watch today’s video on the importance of having an encryption policy (and implementing it!) 📩 DM me if you need help securing your firm’s sensitive information. About Me: I’m a retired FBI Special Agent with over 32 years of experience educating, investigating cybercrime, and helping businesses understand the threats targeting them and repelling those threats. Today, I lead Gold Shield Cyber Investigations & Consulting, helping businesses secure data, respond to breaches, and proactively protect their clients. Follow along this week as we cover the 5 essential cybersecurity areas every business must master. Tomorrow’s topic: Incident Response Planning & Tabletop Exercises! #CyberSecurity #DataEncryption #LawFirmSecurity #PrivacyProtection #CyberThreats #EndToEndEncryption #ZeroTrust #DataProtection #knowledgeisprotection

🚨 Ransomware 2.0: The Stakes Have Never Been Higher 🚨 As cybercriminals enhance their tactics, we’re not just combating data encryption anymore. Welcome to the era of #Ransomware2.0—a more sophisticated, damaging, and insidious threat. Here's the new reality: - Data Extortion: It’s not just about locking your files; it involves stealing sensitive data and threatening public leaks. - Double Extortion: Expect ransom demands both to decrypt your data and to prevent its leak. - Disruption: Prepare for #DDoS attacks aimed at crippling your operations. - Supply Chain Attacks: Attackers target vendors to infiltrate entire networks, amplifying the threat. So, what can your organization do to fortify its defenses? - Innovative Backup Strategies: Traditional backups aren’t enough. Ensure your backups are air-gapped—isolated from the production environment to prevent access by threat actors. Additionally, maintaining an immutable copy of backups ensures they cannot be altered or deleted under any circumstance. - Patch & Segment: Regularly update systems and isolate critical assets to limit damage scope. - Education is Key: Train employees on the latest cybersecurity practices, including how to identify phishing attempts. - Incident Preparedness: Have a rehearsed incident response plan to minimize downtime and impact. The cybersecurity landscape is evolving rapidly. Stay vigilant and proactive to protect your business. #cybersecurity #infosec #ransomware #datasecurity