Silicon Prairie Cyber Services' Blog

Have you heard of WhisperGate yet? It’s ransomware. But it’s not. Let me explain. First off, ransomware is typically categorized by the fact the files on your computer get encrypted and you can’t get to them until you pay the ransom. You pay the ransom, and then you’re supposed to get the decryption key to unlock your files. WhisperGate is playing by a different set of rules. WhisperGate tells you they’ve corrupted your hard drive and if you want to recover your files, you need to pay $10,000 to a bitcoin wallet. Seems like ransomware, right? Unfortunately, they never send you a decryption key, and while you’re sitting and waiting, they’re overwriting all of your data, so you can’t recover. YOU CAN’T RECOVER. This is NOT ransomware; this is destructive malware. There are two cybersecurity awareness opportunities here. First, share information about this ransomware message and let them know how and where to report this when they see it. Second, get together with your IT and disaster rec...

Data Privacy week is January 24 – 28, 2022. What are you doing to increase data privacy awareness in your business? What about at home? If privacy isn’t one of the topics you include in your current cybersecurity awareness program, this is a great reminder to get it added. What’s the point? Privacy is more than an abstract idea that businesses need to worry about; it’s something you as an individual need to be concerned with too. As this week approaches, I want you to think about: Trading privacy for convenience. We ALL do this. That free app, you're trading your data and privacy for the convenience of getting to use that app for free. When an app asks for permission to access some additional info on your phone, do you read what it’s asking for? Or do you simply click yes and move on? You could give away too much information. If that app is asking for too much access, it’s probably best to uninstall that app and save yourself some grief later on. Learn how to manage your privacy. M...

December was a busy month for me. How about you? With all the busyness of the season, you might have missed my Phish or Friend Online Quiz Event. What’s this Phish or Friend Online Quiz Event you ask? It’s an online event that anyone can sign up for, and I’m sharing real life emails, and YOU have to decide if it’s a phish email from a bad guy, or legit. The faster you answer with the correct answer, the more points you get. It’s a great opportunity for you to get expert cybersecurity training that’s fun at an unbeatable price. What you get... 🎣 Practice catching phishing emails in a safe and controlled environment 📝 Test your knowledge ✔️ See how your phish detection skills up against others 😈 Learn how fraudsters lure you in 👉 Receive a bonus tip sheet to help you spot that phish Attend the Phish or Friend Quiz live on January 27 at 11 AM CT for only $12.99 per person. Register Today https://siliconprairiecyber.com/Quiz Some more notes for you: Phish or friend won’t be back until ...

We’ve made it through the holidays, and entered into a new year. (Hooray for 2022?)   Working on new year’s resolutions and goal planner entries are pretty hot right now.   Me? I focus on my word of the year to kick things off. Last year, my word was DISCOVERY. I focused on exploring and learning in my business so I could give you the cybersecurity services you want and need.   This year, my word of the year is  STRAIGHTFORWARD . I selected this word because during my year of discovery I niched down and narrowed my services. Cybersecurity is so many things, and I offered and did so many things. But, all those things… it’s overwhelming for you, and... sometimes for me. Thanks to niching down - everything in my business is much more straightforward. Now, I can share information and solutions that are straightforward, and to makes it simple for you to select the help you need.   From now on, my business will focus on providing cybersecurity awarenes...