Get Doodling To Keep Your Phone Secure

Image credit: Wired

We all know that keeping our devices secure is essential in today's climate, with computer hacking and phone cracking starting to become the norm. 

However, a team at Rutgers University have developed the first ever "free-for gestures passwords", which lets people draw their passwords instead of using number combinations. This form of password security has a far greater number of combinations and variations compared to traditional passwords, making it harder to crack.  

Not only are doodle passwords more secure, they're faster than traditional passwords and easier to remember. 

91 people took part in the study where 347 text passwords and 345 gesture passwords, completing over 2,000 logins during the research were created. The team found that the participants spent 22% less time logging in and 42% less time creative passwords, and that overall they actually preferred the doodle passwords. 

Currently, the passwords will only work on touchscreen phones, but there's plans to extend the service to touchscreen computers and doors. 

We've been writing a lot about security recently, but it's really that important. If you're running a business, a TalkTalk style hacking is every CEO's worst nightmare. For more information on how to keep your company secure read our Top 6 Tips post.

360ict provides managed IT services and support for SMEs in central London and the south-east, including Croydon and Bromley. For more advice on gaining competitive advantage as a mid-sized company, give us a call on 0208 663 4000. 

Will Russia Commit The Ultimate Hack?

Image credit: Gizmodo

Russia’s relationship with the rest of the Western world has been tense for quite a long time and recently they’ve done nothing easy concerns. A report from the New York Times states that Russia could be developing plans to sever key internet communications, which has sparked fresh worries and unrest throughout Europe and North America. 

The article reports that there has been a spike in Russian naval activity near the locations of undersea cables. Various military sources are concerned that Russia could sever these connections in future wars. The cables are vital to the internet’s daily running and carry huge amounts of data between continents. 

There are many thousands of miles of these cables under the world’s ocean, some in incredibly hard to reach areas. Would this be the ultimate hack? Is it even possible to bring down a country’s internet communications? 

Speaking to the BBC, Keir Giles from think tank Chatham House said “I very much doubt that anyone would think of cutting off the US. It is only going to work in locations where the internet geography is going to create a vulnerability in communications.” There are simply too many connections going in and out of the US to bring down the country’s entire system, however Mr Giles added that there are parts of the world where Russia could be successful.

There has been no evidence so far of any cable cutting, but there is major concern that Russia plans to halt internet communications in the future knowing that the West’s governments, economies and citizens are dependent on it. 

360ict provides managed IT services and support for SMEs in central London and the south-east, including Croydon and Bromley. For more advice on gaining competitive advantage as a mid-sized company, give us a call on 0208 663 4000 or head to our website.

Yet another cyber attack hits the headlines, this time TalkTalk are on the chopping block

Image credit: BT

It has been quiet on the cyber attack front over the last few weeks, but we knew that was too good to be true. The hackers are back and this time they’ve taken no prisoners, they have accessed the personal information of around 4 million TalkTalk customers.

The cyber attack, which took place on Wednesday, was a “significant and sustained” attack on TalkTalk’s website, and as result a criminal investigation has now been launched by the Metropolitan Police Cyber Crime Unit.

The company admits that there is a chance that not only names, home addresses and dates of birth have been accessed, but also phone numbers, email addresses, back account information and credit card numbers could be the in the hands of the hackers.

Talking to the media last night, TalkTalk CEO Dido Harding said the company “constantly updates its systems” against the “rapidly evolving threat of cyber crime.” However, this isn’t the first attack on TalkTalk, they have had a few security scares over the last year but this is the first attack to do some serious damage.

If you’re a TalkTalk customer it’s good to know that TV, broadband, mobile and phone services were not affected, but the attack will have had a major impact on the company as a whole. Stock prices are already down 10% and it’s going to be really difficult for TalkTalk to restore it’s dented reputation.

Ms Harding added: "It's too early to know exactly what data has been attacked and what has been stolen.”
"Potentially it could affect all of our customers, which is why we are contacting them all by email and we will also write to them as well.”

It’s going to be a long hard slog to reassure customers that they can provide a secure and robust system. These next few days will prove crucial for the company if they hope to make a comeback from one of the worst cyber crimes to ever hit the UK.

360ict provides managed IT services and support for SMEs in central London and the south-east, including Croydon and Bromley. For more advice on gaining competitive advantage as a mid-sized company, give us a call on 0208 663 4000 or head to our website.

6 Ways To Keep Your Company's Data Secure

Image via UK Security Jobs

Over the last few years the media has regularly reported on high-profile data breaches, with cheating site Ashley Madison - where the personal details of around 32 million members were leaked - being the latest company in the limelight. The loss of data has had a major impact on big corporations from financial to breach of trust. However, it’s not just the big companies that get targeted, SMEs are too. In the US last year a staggering $3.5 million losses were recorded from an average data breach. 

This week protection specialist Bit9 + Carbon Black released a survey showing that consumers in Britain are increasingly concerned that there are many data breaches companies have yet to discover. The researchers found that high-profiled security breaches have led to increased fear among the public, with 81% of people worrying that cyber criminals might've already stolen their data without anyone noticing. 

But you can put your customers minds at rest by adopting these six practices from 360ict:

- Stay up-to-date with software, data security news and internal reports

Updating all the software you use daily is essential to keeping your business secure. This includes operating systems and anti-virus software. 

- Create and follow suitable security and backup procedures

Security and backup procedures differ for each company, it’s always worth talking to a risk management expert. 

- Monitor security hazards, regulation and compliance

- Track your digital data

It’s important to understand what data is business-critical or sensitive and what isn’t. You must track this data and identify how it’s used and where it’s stored.

- Manage access to onsite data and protect data taken offsite

One of the main security hazards we face at the moment is the Bring Your Own Device (BYOD). Locking down your data on the move has always been important but now companies need to control data on employees devices and accounts as well as on storage platforms. Picking the correct storage platform is also essential, with many companies opting for the cloud.

- Correctly dispose of data, documents, and equipment that stores data

360ict provides managed IT services and support for SMEs in central London and the south-east, including Croydon and Bromley. For more advice on gaining competitive advantage as a mid-sized company, give us a call on 0208 663 4000 or head to our website.