Common Password Mistakes | Password Security

Common Passwords & 6 Common Mistakes People Make

A secure password is the first line of defence against cybercrime, yet many of us still use passwords that the average 10-year-old could crack without blinking. If you’re still using classics like 123456 or admin, it’s time to change that password before you become the next victim of the data crime wave.

A recent survey has revealed South Africa’s top 20 favourite passwords, and most of them aren’t hard to guess – especially for cybercriminals. Let’s take a look at what internet users from Cape Town to the Limpopo are opting to use, and what you should probably use instead.

Do you use a globally preferred password?

A report by Online security company NordPass has revealed that SA’s 2023 most used passwords have a worrying global trend, and most of them will be familiar to anyone who has worked in an office, especially in the IT department. Here are some of the trusty strings of numbers and letters that people turn to when securing their valuable data.

admin
123456
336699
password
weiter

While “admin” is the most common password used in South Africa and second most used globally, there were a couple of passwords in the lineup unique to SA. These included “Mandela1964”, “sexy1234” and ‘october@24’.

Taking a look at this year’s list, it’s clear that local netizens have a long way to go in improving their password game. Most of the country’s favourite passwords can be cracked in less than two seconds, making them close to worthless as a cybersecurity defence in real terms.

As a security conscious net user, you’ll definitely want to do better than “password” – and we’d love someone to explain what “weiter” even means!

Here are 6 of the most common password mistakes and the best practices that you can adopt to secure your data with a strong password.

Six password mistakes to avoid

Changing a single letter and thinking its enough. Single letter substitutions like “p@ssword” aren’t effective barriers against cybercrime – in fact they can be cracked in seconds.
Not using a password generator. A unique, randomly generated password is far more difficult to crack than a common one that’s used by millions of people.
Sharing your password. There’s almost no situation which should call for you to reveal your password to anyone – and if you do, they’ll need to take special steps to keep it secret.
Not changing your password regularly. You’ll want to update your password every few months – and if one of your devices has been stolen or compromised you should do it right away.
Keeping default passwords. Devices that are protected with the password “admin” are all too common, and the only people who approve of them are hackers.
Not having an integrated cybersecurity strategy. A strong password should be matched with a firewall and secure cloud storage to maximise your data a protection level.

Soteria’s range of encrypted backup solutions has the right package for businesses and households of all sizes. Browse our packages today and sign up for the solution that suits your needs.

Chat GPT down | AI Cyberattack

It Had to Happen – Open AI Cyberattack Leaves ChatGPT Down

OpenAI, the company that developed ChatGPT, has announced that it may have fallen prey to a DDOS attack in early November.

The company, which clocked over 100 million users recently, announced the potential attack and its intention to investigate how it was carried out.

Cybersecurity experts have long warned that ChatGPT may become the target of a cyberattack or hacking takeover attempt, and the recent incident shows that even one of the internet’s most well-known and popular sites can still fall prey to the ill intent of cybercriminals.

Ask ChatGPT: how did the hackers do it?

Almost all of us have experimented with ChatGPT by now, and whether the results were amazing, encouraging, or downright hilarious there’s no doubt that the technology has changed the way we work in 2023.

When we asked the bot how it got hacked, we got a long version of “I don’t know” – but cybersecurity experts at OpenAI think they’ve identified the cause of the recent outage.

Surprisingly, given ChatGPT’s sophistication, the method used to carry out the suspected cyberattack was relatively simple.

A DDoS, or distributed denial of service, attack is one of the most rudimentary but effective forms of cybercrime. Put simply, it’s a malicious attempt to disrupt normal traffic on a site.
DDoS attacks work by setting up a huge number of pings trying to access the website’s resources simultaneously.

It’s easy to imagine what would happen if a website that usually receives 1 000 visitors a day suddenly received 1 million visitors. Loading time would grind to a halt, and eventually the site may go offline entirely. This is exactly what happened to ChatGPT’s website earlier this month.

Some netizens initially expressed doubt as to whether the attack was really a DDoS or just a huge surge in the number of users in the wake of GPT 4 Turbo, OpenAI’s latest version of the hugely popular chatbot. However, cybersecurity experts believe that the sheer number of pings was far too high to have occurred naturally.

Cyberattack marks OpenAI’s most challenging month yet

November’s cyberattack incident is the latest in a string of controversies faced by ChatGPT.

The AI chat bot has been criticised for producing output that is factually incorrect and engaging in problematic – or even disturbing – conversations with its users as well as hallucinating.

The company’s recent boardroom coup in which CEO Sam Altman was forced to leave, subsequently joining Microsoft in a senior position, was the crowning event in an extremely trying month for the company.

How to avoid DDoS attacks against your business

Cybercriminals are always thinking of new ways to cause inconvenience for honest business people. To avoid a DDoS attack, it’s essential to ensure that the attack surfaces (number of resources on your website) are limited.

Using cached data may also help keep your site safe from DDoS attacks and help it recover faster if an attack occurs.

To increase your business’s overall cybersecurity, choose from our range of secure cloud storage packages today.

2024 Big Tech | Technology Trends

Big Tech Trends in 2024

The final quarter of 2023 is well underway and South African businesses are looking forward to 2024 with an eye on the fast-developing tech sector. Let’s take a look at some of the big tech trends on the horizon as we find out what awaits us in the age of AI.

Artificial intelligence to come into its own next year

It’s hard to believe that ChatGPT launched just over a year ago, given the profound changes that this and other generative AI are bringing about in the global economy.

Here are some of the big changes we expect in 2024.

Universal access to AI

As 2023 comes to an end it seems AI is everywhere – and that means that entrepreneurs and businesses that previously didn’t have access to it can use it as a major competitive advantage going forward.

Generative AI has the potential to enhance almost every business process, from content creation to data analysis and client service. For businesses, this presents a unique opportunity to streamline processes and access as if it were done by humans.

While fears that AI would replace everyone’s job seem to be overblown, a future where creativity and strategy are formulated by human minds and routine tasks required for their execution are done by machines seems increasingly likely.

The “phygital” revolution

Just when you thought the tech sector couldn’t come up with any new buzzwords, the phygital revolution is here – and it has nothing to do with restless fingers.

Phygital living is a term that describes our current and future lifestyle where technology has permeated almost every aspect of our existence.
A generation ago, most meals began with a quick word of thanks or a prayer where today the first order of business is taking food pics for Instagram – and that’s just the tip of the phygital iceberg.

From these small beginnings, we can envisage a future in which wearable tech devices monitor our movements and health status, provide access to buildings and vehicles, and even replace paper money as instantaneous digital payments become more common.

A hybrid reality in which the physical and digital coexist simultaneously presents huge opportunities for app developers, hardware companies, and of course, cybersecurity specialists who will be in high demand to ensure that the devices so closely linked to our daily experience don’t get hacked.

Sustainable tech

In our previous article on sustainable IT, we touched on some of the innovations that are taking place in the tech space to ensure that we can continue to develop cutting edge technology without harming the planet in the process.

Emphasising reusable and recyclable materials in hardware development and reducing wasteful data usage to cut down on power consumption at data centres and in the crypto mining sector are just two of the steps that will need to be taken for years to come.

There are several other hot trends that you can expect to hear about in 2024 and beyond:

Cybersecurity resilience. The sheer number of users online and the data that is exchanged on a daily basis is mind-boggling. Securing your network against the predatory behaviour of cybercriminals is no longer a nice-to-have it’s a necessity.
Quantum Computing. The advent of super-fast computers, powered by the movement of quantum particles instead of traditional silicone chips could cause an explosion in processing speed and data handling capacity.
Augmented HR development. Artificial intelligence can now be used to train employees and monitor their performance, freeing up HR professionals to deal with workplace issues to keep teams happy and functioning well in the AI era.

Enjoy a safe digital future with secure cloud storage

There’s no doubt that the years to come will see an explosion of new technology including artificial intelligence – and an explosion in data and cybersecurity concerns to go along with it.

To keep your business and personal data safe in the age of information without borders, browse our range of secure cloud storage packages today.

Business Backups | Cloud Storage

Business Backups – Is it Time to Shift from Hard Drives to Cloud Backup

External hard drives, USB sticks, and even the occasional writable CD ROM are still being used in offices across the country – even as cloud storage becomes increasingly popular as a means to secure company data.

As a business owner, choosing between physical storage such as hard drives and secure cloud storage could have a big impact on your data security and potentially save you money in the long term.

Let’s take a look at physical storage and the cloud, compare their pros and cons, and help you decide which is best for your business.

Are hard drives still relevant?

From online streaming services taking the place of the movie theatre and CD shop to online shopping looking to replace malls – not to mention the ubiquitous Zoom call which changed our meeting cultures forever – it’s safe to say that the cloud is the future.

Despite these shifts, some businesses still choose physical backup hard drives over cloud-based storage, citing data breaches, hacking attempts and lost files. There is also often concern that their data is being stored in overseas locations.

Many businesses still see physical backups as the easiest, if somewhat least professional way of storing business data which can then be enabled to share to network drives on employee’s computers. The downside is that you have to pay for the hardware upfront and it’s not cheap.

Businesses like this will typically use external hard drives to back up their files – hopefully on a regular basis – in the hope that these devices will eventually contain a full set of data that can be used to restore files in the event of a hardware failure.

The perceived reliability of physical backup that comes with having an external hard drive on your desk or in the server room may be comforting to some, but these devices have one major flaw:

If the drive is stolen or malfunctions, the device itself can usually be replaced but the files can’t.

Cloud storage, with its decentralised and encrypted data protection technology, virtually illuminates this risk and gives individuals and business owners the peace of mind that comes with knowing that the data can be fully recovered in the event of a cyberattack.

Why cloud storage is a winner in 2023 and beyond

Secure cloud storage technology offers all the functionality of an external physical backup device, but with a level of encryption, security, and flexibility that these devices simply can’t offer.

Data kept safe in the cloud is encrypted so that it can’t simply be stolen and accessed by hackers and cybercriminals.
Cloud-based backup solutions offer multiple-factor authentication to verify the identity of users and prevent unauthorized access.
Unlike an external hard drive, the entire cloud can’t be stolen during a robbery,

As an added advantage, secure cloud storage can be scaled up or down depending on your data requirements.

A business that requires 1 GB of storage will pay a significantly lower monthly subscription, than one requiring one 1 TB of storage, helping business owners to reduce costs over the long term.

Experience the ease and security of secure cloud storage

Tired of forgetting to back up your data manually? Soteria’s range of encrypted cloud storage solutions for businesses and households alike offers the best security and flexibility at competitive rates to suit any budget.

To get started securing your data, browse our range of packages today and choose the backup option that best suits your needs.

Sharing Public Links | Data Security

Data Security: How Safe is it to Share a Public Link?

Link sharing is so common that we don’t even think about what we are doing when we copy and paste a link. But thinking twice before sharing public links to an interesting article could help protect you from cybercriminals

Here’s why link sharing has become so risky and what you can do to stay safe – while staying social – online.

Think before you link

There’s no doubt that hyperlinks are one of the major inventions that made the rapid progress of the internet possible. After all, they give us a simple way to link pages within a single site or refer to other URLs.

Without links, websites simply wouldn’t function, and Google would lose one of the major criteria it uses to rank websites on the search results page. But for all the great functionality that links offer, they also present their share of risks.

In general, there are three main online security threats that could occur every time you share a link.

Privacy concerns. Linking to a Google Drive or Dropbox folder containing sensitive information could result in major data losses if it falls into the wrong hands.
No user trail. A public link can be accessed by anyone and even with the best analytics you won’t know who actually clicked on it – and potentially viewed sensitive information or downloaded it.
No passwords required. A normal hyperlink doesn’t require a password to access it, leaving sensitive information potentially exposed.

In addition, a major issue can arise if there’s a typo in your link, which creates a brand new link that previously didn’t exist. This new domain could be noticed by cybercriminals, registered, and populated with malware or other damaging software.

If a social media post containing the erroneous link happens to go viral, millions of internet users could be affected.

How to share data safely online

To avoid the data privacy pitfalls that come with link sharing, you’ll want to opt for alternative ways of sharing information.

Encrypted email, private groups on slack and WhatsApp, and private networks are some alternatives that will let you share information without exposing your business to significant online risks.

Keep your data safe with secure cloud storage

Being conscious of online security threats is one part of an overall strategy that can help you to secure your data.

Secure cloud storage will let you build a fortress around your valuable files and ensure that they don’t end up in the wrong hands. To protect your data today, choose from our range of packages for business and personal users.

Cybersecurity Awareness

Creating a Culture of Cybersecurity Awareness

In 2004, October was declared to be “Cybersecurity Awareness Month” – a time for the private and public sectors to work together in raising awareness about the importance of cybersecurity. With 89% of South African senior management and company directors saying they’re worried about their company’s data security measures cybersecurity is clearly one of the biggest concerns on the minds of executives this year,

While technical solutions including secure cloud storage can help to create a wall around your data, your company’s cybersecurity culture will determine who manages to climb over it – or even walk straight through an open door.

In this article, we take a step back from the tech aspect of cybersecurity to address the all-important question of company culture. Here’s how you can create an organisation that is data savvy and cybersecurity conscious to reduce the risk of a financially damaging cybersecurity incident.

Cybersecurity is a company-wide priority

The potential for cyberattacks is higher than ever before, with South Africa registering the greatest number of these crimes in Africa.

Despite the well-known threats of online fraud and data theft, cybersecurity is overlooked by many departments in the average company and is often seen as the IT department’s problem.

That is, until a cyber-attack occurs, and it quickly becomes everyone’s problem.

There’s no doubt that having an IT specialist trained in cybersecurity may give your business an edge when it comes to threat detection and prevention, but that’s not all it takes.
In order to create an effective company-wide, best practice cybersecurity policy, the top management of your business will need to lead from the front.

Making cybersecurity a priority in the boardroom and setting an example for teams and employees is the first crucial step in creating a culture of data savvy cyber safety in your business.

Cybersecurity can be fun if you do it right

One of the main reasons why companies have trouble implementing anti-cybercrime measures is that the training often seems technically complicated and boring to employees who don’t have a strong IT background.

The fact that most cyberattacks take place through social engineering means that there’s usually a fascinating story behind them.

Engaging your marketing department to collaborate with IT or your cybersecurity consultant to create engaging materials and company-wide projects and campaigns is a great way to start. These efforts should encourage workers to take digital security seriously and identify the tell-tale signs of a cyberattack.

Keeping it clean

They say that change is as good as a holiday and changing bad cybersecurity habits within a company by creating a culture of awareness could just be the break you need.

Cyber-hygiene is a mindset but it needs to be taught and using examples of daring online scams and hacking incidents that have an amusing twist can be a memorable and creative way to build security-centric habits.

Investing in the right cybersecurity setup is essential

A security-conscious tech culture in your business needs to be paired with the latest cybersecurity defences in order to create a powerful barrier against online crimes.

Our range of secure cloud storage and backup packages for households and businesses run the latest generation of encrypted data storage software to help you stay one step ahead of the hackers. We also offer immutable storage as an extra layer of protection to help your sensitive files stay out of the wrong hands.

Data Encryption | Data Security

Data Encryption Matters – How Treasury Plans to Get SA off the Grey List

National treasury has announced a raft of changes to SA banking legislation, in order to comply with international requirements and remove the country from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list.

In February 2023, FATF placed South Africa on a list of countries that includes Jamaica, Morocco, Barbados, and the UAE, citing problems with the local banking industry’s measures to combat money laundering and terrorist financing.

This decision could have a potentially huge impact on the economy and even prevent foreign funds from investing in the long-term.

In response to the decision, the SA government has announced a variety of changes to the law, especially where personal and commercial financial services are concerned, and this is sure to have an impact on the data security industry.

Banks set to share more financial data than ever

One of the biggest changes to the South African banking landscape in the wake of greylisting will be enhanced sharing of financial information between banks and other institutions.

This is designed to identify illicit transactions since criminals tend to have multiple bank accounts when carrying out money laundering activities and linking them to their true owners is the first step in combating these crimes.

From a cybersecurity point of view, this essential measure presents a huge challenge in terms of securing privacy and personal data.

Some banks still use outdated, mainframe computers with software that is several decades old. These will need to be updated to ensure compatibility with cybersecurity measures.
The flow of sensitive information between banks could create the potential for massive data leaks, breaches, and hacking attempts, which could see crucial financial information falling into the hands of cybercriminals.

Data encryption is essential as financial information flows rapidly

Before SA can leave the grey list, we expect the naming industry to revamp its IT policies and embrace encrypted cloud security solutions as an industry best practice.

While banking customers can’t fully control the way their institutions share information, there certainly are things that can be done to protect your personal financial data online.

Soteria’s range of secure cloud storage packages offers an easy solution for your data security needs. Choose the option that suits your business, budget, and storage requirements today for total peace of mind.

How to Choose Cloud Storage

How To Choose The Cloud Storage Solution That Suits Your Needs

Choosing the right data storage package can make the difference between a smooth backup process and major headaches caused by data leaks and breaches.

Whether you need to choose cloud storage solutions for your family or business, there are a few key factors that you should consider when weighing up your options.

Let’s take a look at five crucial angles to consider before you make your choice.

Reliable Security

With data security incidents skyrocketing around the world, South Africans can no longer afford to be complacent – in fact we currently rank number one in Africa for cyberattacks.

A cloud storage solution that features encryption and using advanced algorithms is an essential weapon in the fight against cybercrime. Make sure that your provider’s security is up to scratch before you sign up.

Scalable as you grow

If you’re shopping around for a business data storage solution, you’ll need a package that grows with your enterprise.

Your monthly backup requirements may only be one gig or less currently, but in the years to come your business may generate 10 or even 100 times that amount of important data per month.
It’s always best to opt for a cloud storage provider that offers a range of packages with increasing data storage capacity so that you never have to read the words “your storage is full” ever again.

Great Customer Support

Every tech product experiences a bit of downtime now and then – plus there’s always a setting that needs to be changed or a feature that you’d like your provider to explain better.

Reliable and well trained customer service representatives are an essential link between you and your data backup provider and it’s essential that they offer online chat support as well as a call centre so that you’re able to get in touch with them and resolve any issues that arise.

Backup enabled

Having a digital storage option to replace your physical hard drive or other devices is one thing, but making sure that your sensitive information is regularly uploaded is equally important.

When you choose a cloud storage provider, make sure that the products have an automated backup feature so that you can specify how often you’d like your files to be stored in the cloud.
This will help ensure that you have a copy of all your important data and will help you to bounce back from a data leak or cyber attack.

Designed for business and personal users

Some cloud products are well-suited for companies with large budgets and significant data security concerns while others are more suitable for individuals and families.

It’s important to check the specific features of your provider’s backup solution before you make a final purchase decision so that you don’t end up with too many features for a home set up or a package that doesn’t offer the functionality you need for business data backup.

We’ve got your ideal cloud storage solution right here

Soteria’s range of secure cloud storage packages are suitable for both household and business use. Whether you’re backing up your personal files, photos and videos, or looking for secure, encrypted cloud storage and backup system for a medium to large size business, we can help.

To choose a secure cloud storage package that ticks all the boxes above, browse our range of packages today.

New Job Post New Target | Hackers

LinkedIn Privacy – Don’t Let Your New Job Post be a New Target for Hackers

LinkedIn is a fantastic social network for connecting with colleagues and industry associates, but posting about your latest new job on the platform could make you a target for cybercrime.

Here’s a brief overview of the current threats on LinkedIn and how to keep your profile secure.

Cybercriminals targeting professionals on LinkedIn

The excitement of getting a new job is something we all like to share with our social network – but unfortunately they aren’t the only ones looking at our LinkedIn profiles.

A new wave of cybercrimes using LinkedIn is on the rise with professionals around the world wishing for the days when their most annoying connection requests came from pushy recruiters.

Today, hackers and cybercriminals are tracking professionals who have started new jobs and using the information they gather to carry out impersonation scams.

The typical MO of a LinkedIn impersonation scam goes like this:

The new employee who has recently joined a company receives an email from their boss or supervisor, requesting that they make an unexpected purchase or funds transfer.
Not wanting to make a bad impression on the boss, many overly trusting people will follow the instructions as given – only to find that their actual manager knows nothing about the request.

In reality, the person who sent the email was simply impersonating a senior member of the company after researching both the employee’s and manager’s details on LinkedIn. This double violation of privacy has cost workers in various countries a small fortune – and you certainly don’t want it happening in your organisation.

As online scams escalate, privacy protection is non-negotiable

Protecting your LinkedIn profile from unwanted eyes – and ensuring that everyone in your company does the same – is an essential first step when it comes to avoiding these LinkedIn scams that are becoming more and more common.

Employees should be guided to not accept connection requests from people they don’t know and have never interacted with before.
The onboarding process is an ideal opportunity to educate your team on the importance of verifying that emails are legitimate and have been sent from one of the company’s official email addresses before following instructions.

Online scams and other cyberthreats are a reality that every business needs to prepare for. To secure your confidential data and enjoy peace of mind, browse our range of secure cloud storage solutions today.

Hackers and daring online scams | Cybersecurity

The Most Daring Online Scams

At Soteria we work around the clock to help companies secure their data and prevent cyberattacks, and we will be the first to say that data security is no laughing matter.

Except when it is.

Hackers may be our sworn enemies, but we have to admit that some of the tactics and tricks they use to fool internet users, including some of the smartest people in the world, can be inspired and hilarious.

In this article, we take a lighter look at the world of cybersecurity and some of the crazy lengths cybercriminals have gone to in their quest to access your crucial private data.

The first hack in history

Hacking may be the scourge of the ultra-connected 21st-century, but illegal interception of communications started over 100 years ago.

Back in 1903, the Royal Institution was getting ready to demonstrate a new telegraph technology invented by Guglielmo Marconi. Just as the demonstration was about to kick off – with the kind of excitement you’d expect from a new iPhone release back when we still cared about them – the telegraph machine suddenly sprung to life with the word “rats” being repeated over and over on the ticker tape.

Before long, a dirty poem mocking Marconi arrived over the telegraph, causing a stir in the press. When the authorities investigated, they discovered that the magician Neville Maskelyne, who had a grudge against Marconi, had managed to intercept the telegraph transmission.

This was a sign of things to come 120 years later in our own time, when hackers routinely attack unpopular public figures or execute denial of service attacks on websites that they dislike.

Ocean’s 11 – in a fish tank

The Internet of Things has brought about a situation where smart devices are connected in almost every office in the world, and some of them are so obscure that you’d never think to secure them.

Several years ago, a Las Vegas casino suffered a major data breach when hackers took control of the electronic sensors that monitor the water temperature and mineral content of one of its fish tanks. Once they gained access to the casino’s network, they were able to identify some highly sensitive unsecured data which they transmitted to Finland – a fitting location for such a fishy crime.

X marks the spot for a celebrity bitcoin scam

In 2022, when X was still known as Twitter, the company’s current CEO Elon musk was one of many internet users scammed by a cybercriminal who offered to double any amount of bitcoin that they sent to him.

Needless to say, not one of the countless number of people who fell prey to the scam got even a cent back. Then again, since Elon is estimated to have overpaid by $19 billion when he bought Twitter he probably didn’t let the loss of a few bitcoin get him down.

Jokes aside: you won’t be laughing if you’re the victim of a cyberattack

The ingenuity that cybercriminals have shown in cheating internet users out of their money is only going to get more impressive in the years to come.

Securing your network, updating your firewall and antivirus, and never responding to communications from anyone you don’t know and haven’t confirmed as the sender are three simple ways to stay safe online – but you these days you will likely need more protection.

Secure cloud storage offers a powerful layer of protection for your crucial data, with automated and encrypted backup ensuring that files are sent to the cloud on a regular basis to prepare your organisation for anything the dark web can throw at it.

Learn more about our range of packages for business and home users and take a powerful step in securing your data in the battle against hackers.