2020 Webroot Threat Report: Phishing Attempts Grew by 640% Last Year
The annual Webroot Threat report was recently released, highlighting not only the agility and innovation of cybercriminals who continue to seek out new ways to evade defenses, but also their commitment to long-established attack methods. Most notably, Webroot observed a 640 percent increase in phishing attempts and a 125 percent increase in malware targeting Windows 7. The report is derived from metrics captured and analyzed by Webroot’s advanced, cloud-based machine learning architecture: the Webroot Platform.
“In the cybersecurity industry the only certainty is that there is no certainty, and there is no single silver bullet solution,” said Hal Lonas, Senior Vice President and CTO, SMB and Consumer, OpenText. “The findings from this year’s report underline why it’s critical that businesses and users of all sizes, ensure they’re not only protecting their data but also preparing for future attacks by taking simple steps toward cyber resilience through a defense-in-depth approach that addresses user behavior and the best protection for network and endpoints.”
Here are a few of the findings that I found pretty interesting:
Phishing URLs encountered grew by 640 percent in 2019.
1 in 4 malicious URLs is hosted on an otherwise non-malicious domain.
8.9 million URLs were found hosting a cryptojacking script.
The top sites impersonated by phishing sites or cybercriminals are Facebook, Microsoft, Apple, Google, PayPal and DropBox.
The top five kinds of websites impersonated by phishing sites are crypto exchanges (55%), gaming (50%), web email (40%), financial institutions (40%) and payment services (32%).
Malware targeting Windows 7® increased by 125 percent.
93.6 percent of malware seen was unique to a single PC – the highest rate ever observed.
85 percent of threats hide in one of four locations: %temp%, %appdata%, %cache%, and %windir%, with more than half of threats (54.4%) on business PCs hiding in %temp% folders. This risk can be easily mitigated by setting a Windows policy to disallow programs from running from the temp directory.
IP addresses associated with Windows exploits grew by 360 percent, with the majority of exploits targeting out-of-date operating systems.
Consumer PCs remain nearly twice as likely to get infected as business PCs.
The data reveals that regions most likely to be infected also have the highest rates of using older operating systems.
Of the infected consumer devices, more than 35 percent were infected more than three times, and nearly 10 percent encountered six or more infections.
The continued insecurity of consumer PCs underscore the risk companies face in allowing employees to connect to business networks from their personal devices.
Trojans and malware accounted for 91.8 percent of Android™ threats.
Now that working from home is the norm, video conferences are becoming the de facto way to meet. Here’s how to create Microsoft Teams meetings directly from within Outlook, without having to book them through the Teams app.
To create Teams meetings from within Outlook—either Outlook Online and the Outlook client—you need to install the Teams client on your computer. This will install an add-in to Outlook that provides a new option when you’re creating a meeting. Add-ins that you install in the Outlook client are automatically added to Outlook Online and vice versa. Once you’ve installed the Teams app, the add-in should be available in both clients.
These options should be available for all users of Outlook and Teams, regardless of whether you have a paid Office 365 (O365)/Microsoft 365 (M365) subscriptions. However, they’re only available for email accounts that use Exchange, whether that’s a free Outlook.com/live.com/hotmail account, or a paid Microsoft account for your own domain. If you’re using a non-Exchange account, such as a Gmail or Yahoo account, the Teams add-in won’t work for you.
We’ll take you through installing the Teams client first. If you have installed the client and you still can’t see these options, we’ve got some troubleshooting suggestions as well.
Install the Teams Client
The quickest way to get the Teams client is to open Teams online. On the first page, you’ll be offered the chance to download the Teams client.
If you already have Teams online open, click on the app download option at the bottom of the left sidebar.
Install the .exe file, and log in with your O365/M365 account details when requested. To make sure the add-in is installed in Outlook, restart Teams, then restart Outlook.
Follow the instructions below to use the add-in in the Outlook client and in Outlook Online. If it’s not available, follow these troubleshooting tips from Microsoft.
Create a Teams Meeting in the Outlook Client
When you install the Teams client on your computer, it will install an add-in to Outlook that provides a new option when you’re creating a meeting. The option is available in the Home > New Items menu.
It’s also available in the ribbon of a new Meeting request.
When you click one of these options, the meeting request will change to include a location of “Microsoft Teams Meeting” and a link in the body of the request that attendees can click on to join the meeting.
Create a Teams Meeting in Outlook Online
When you install the Teams client on your computer, it will install an add-in to Outlook that provides a new option when you’re creating a meeting. In Outlook Online, the option is available in the meeting request.
Toggle the setting on to make it a Teams meeting. Unlike Teams meetings you create in the Outlook client, nothing changes in the Outlook Online meeting request, but once you’ve sent the meeting request, the Teams link will appear in the event in your calendar.
For both Outlook Online and the Outlook client, fill in the attendees and the date and time of the meeting as usual. Send the meeting request the same way that you would with a normal meeting. The only difference is that you and your attendees will join the meeting in Teams, rather than a meeting room in an office.
With the rise of the mobile workforce, the need to minimize security risks like device theft, data accessibility, and malware attacks is also increasing. Also, the sophistication of today’s security threats require a comprehensive approach that keeps your business devices, networks, and data protected.
USER ACCESS CONTROL
Lenovo’s user access control technology protects the organization’s devices and business ensuring only the right people have access to it.
Multi Factor Authentication (MFA) – For User Identity Protection
IR Camera with Windows Hello – For Simple and Secure Facial Login
Smart Card Access – For Two-factor Authentication in One Step
Near Field Communication (NFC) – For Rapid Contactless Authentication
PORT AND PHYSICAL PROTECTION
Whether in the office or on the go, end user computing devices need protection not only at the software level but also at a physical level. Built-in port security features help protect against physical theft of data via the USB and other access ports on company PCs.
ThinkShutter Camera Privacy – For Privacy When You Need It
Kensington® Cable Lock – For Preventing Device Theft
ThinkPad Ultra Dock – For Innovative Dock and Device Security
DATA PROTECTION
To keep the business running smoothly and without disruption, it is essential to have secure, automatic, and efficient data backup. Lenovo’s robust data protection tools enable easy and efficient data recovery and retrieval only by authorized personnel.
Fast Identity Online (FIDO) – For Robust Data Protection
Discrete Trusted Platform Module (dTPM) 2.0 – For Data Encryption
Online Data Backup (OLDB) – For Safeguarding Your Critical Data
Hard Drive Retention – For Retaining Sensitive Company Data
BUFFERZONE® – For Sophisticated and Supreme Malware Protection
PC Madness provides a Cloud base Protection to better protect our Clients. PC Madness offers a managed service to their clients, helping in detecting and removal of threats without putting the client in stress. See below video and information on how PC Madness and Webroot Endpoint can help you today.
Discover cloud-based protection that stops threats in real time and secures businesses and individuals wherever they connect.
What is endpoint protection?
Endpoint protection, or endpoint security, is a general term that describes cybersecurity services for network endpoints, like laptops, desktops, smartphones, tablets, servers, and virtual environments. These services may include antivirus and antimalware, web filtering, and more.
Endpoint protection helps businesses keep critical systems, intellectual property, customer data, employees, and guests safe from ransomware, phishing, malware, and other cyberattacks.
Why businesses need endpoint protection
Criminals are constantly developing new ways to attack networks, take advantage of employee trust, and steal data. Smaller businesses may think they’re not a target, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. In fact, small businesses with 100 employees or fewer now face the same risk of attack as a 20,000-employee enterprise.*
No matter their size, businesses need reliable endpoint security that can stop modern attacks. And since most companies are subject to some form of compliance and privacy regulations, protection for endpoints is 100% necessary to help businesses avoid hefty fines and damage to their reputation due to a security breach.
Why Webroot Business Endpoint Protection is Different
We designed our solutions to put time back in your day, so you can maximize profitability.
Office 365 is the best option for anyone who needs access to the full range of apps and perks on multiple devices. Plus, you can share an account with up to six people. It’s also the only option that offers continuity of updates and upgrades with a low cost of ownership. However, there are monthly or yearly fees, and over time, you may end up paying for features that you’ll never use.
Pros
All apps access
Multiple people can use across multiple devices
Free upgrades
Customer support
Windows 10, 8.x, 7, and macOS support
Cons
Monthly or yearly subscription
Limited functionality if service issues
New changes can be overwhelming
Paying for unnecessary features
If you only need the basic features on a single PC, Office 2019 is probably all you need, as it allows you to access the must-have apps, such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook, with all the necessary functionalities. However, paying upfront can be pricey, you have to pay again for upgrades, and you don’t get extra perks.
Pros
Popular apps access
No monthly payments
Security updates
Traditional experience
Windows 10 and macOS support
Cons
One device per license
Limited set of features
Limited to Windows 10 and macOS
No upgrades
No customer support
If you’re planning to upgrade, or you’re new to Microsoft Office, you probably noticed that now you have two options: Office 2019 and Office 365. If you’re a little confused on which one to get, you’re not alone. Although both offerings give you access to the same apps with the latest core features, some significant differences come down to the cost of ownership and list of features (and to be clear, Office 2019 isn’t a replacement for Office 365).
Office 2019
Source: Windows Central
Office 2019 is the name that Microsoft is using for the standalone version of its popular suite of office apps. It doesn’t require a monthly subscription, meaning that once you go through the one-time purchase, you own the copy forever.
Using this option (also known as the “perpetual” or “on-premises” version of Office), you can install the apps on a single computer, and you’ll get security updates. Still, you won’t be able to upgrade to a follow-up version. This means that you can keep using the version that you purchased for its life-cycle (usually five years) and beyond (without updates), but if you want to access the new features and tools, you’ll need to pay full price again.
Also, even though Office 2019 comes with apps like Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook with more improvements than its predecessor, it only ships with a subset of features and without many of the perks available with an Office 365 subscription. For instance, with the 2019 version, you won’t find cloud and AI features, along with benefits such as 1TB of OneDrive cloud storage and free monthly credits to make calls to landlines using Skype.
Who should buy Office 2019
Although anyone can purchase Office 2019, this version has been designed for commercial customers with volume licenses who aren’t ready to transition to a cloud-based version of Office and happen to have specific requirements to use the suite of apps on-premises.
If you’re a regular consumer, this is still (somewhat) a good option if you prefer a more traditional experience. If you plan to install the suite on a single device, don’t depend on new features, or you’re not ready to start using cloud-based applications, it’s also a solid choice.
Additionally, while you’re getting a license for one PC or Mac going down the one-time purchase route, you can install the Office apps on all your mobile devices, but you’ll only get some basic features.
Office 2019 comes in two flavors, including “Office Home & Student 2019” and “Office Home & Business 2019,” and they’re typically priced at $150 and $250 per device, respectively. Office Home & Student 2019 comes with Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, while Office Home & Business 2019 includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and OneNote.
Also, consider that unlike previous perpetual versions, Office 2019 is only supported on devices running Windows 10 or the three most recent versions of macOS. If you must use the most up-to-date version of Office, and you’re still on Windows 8.1 or Windows 7, you have to purchase an Office 365 subscription.
Office 365 features
Source: Windows Central
Office 365 is the name that Microsoft uses for its subscription plan service that offers the same apps available with Office 2019, but with even more apps, features, tools, and other benefits.
Using this option, you’ll be paying a monthly or yearly subscription fee giving you access to apps like Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Publisher, Access, and others across your devices as long as only six devices are accessing the account at a time. Also, depending on your subscription plan, you can share the account with up to six additional people for a total of six people with one subscription.
Perhaps one of the best parts about getting a subscription plan is that you never have to worry about new versions. When you’re using Office 365, you’ll always be running the most up-to-date version of the apps that Microsoft can offer. This unlocks regular security updates, improvements, and, more importantly, access to the latest features and tools as soon as they become available.
You also get cloud features, such as real-time collaboration and AI features, to help boost your productivity at home, school, work, and across devices. Also, as part of the bundle, everyone gets 1TB of OneDrive storage (up to 6TB in total when using the Home subscription), Skype minutes to make calls to landlines, and you can contact the support line with any questions you may have.
If you need even more storage, in addition to the already 1TB of cloud storage, subscribers can also purchase up to an additional 1TB of OneDrive storage on 200GB increments for an extra $1.99 per month, doubling the total storage up to 2TB (1TB already included with bundled and 1TB additional subscription) in their account for $9.99. This option is only available for Office 365 Home and Personal customers. Still, if you’re sharing the account using a Home subscription with other people, only the primary account holder can access the separate full terabyte.
Similar to Office 2019, you can install Office 365 on your mobile devices, but unlike the perpetual version, you’ll get access to the complete array of features.
Who should buy Office 365
If you need access to the suite of apps, Office 365 is perhaps your best choice, as it’s the only option that ensures continuity of updates and upgrades at a low cost. Also, you get access to all the apps, which you can install on all your devices, including on devices running Windows 10, Windows 8.1, Windows 7, and macOS. (Office 2019 only allows you to use apps on a single computer running Windows 10.)
If you need access to the suite of apps, Office 365 is perhaps your best choice.
The subscription service comes with different plans. If you’re the only person using the apps and services, you can purchase the “Office 365 Personal” plan for $70 a year, which gives you access to the software suite, along with 1TB of OneDrive storage and Skype minutes.
However, if you’re planning to share the account with family members or roommates, you should select the “Office 365 Home” plan for $100 a year, which allows you to share the apps and the benefits with up to six additional people. Plus, everyone gets their Skype minutes and 1TB of OneDrive storage.
If you choose to buy into a subscription plan, you should purchase the yearly subscription as you’ll be spending more money paying the monthly fee.
Microsoft even has a free subscription plan for students and teachers using a valid school email address. Using this service, you’ll get access to Word, Excel, OneNote, PowerPoint, Microsoft Teams, and other school tools for free.
Although Windows 7 has reached the end of support, Microsoft will continue to offer security updates until January 2023, but you won’t receive new features. Once you upgrade to Windows 10, support will resume as normal with security patches and new features and improvements.
So, which should you buy?
Ultimately, it’ll depend on your requirements. However, if you’ll be using the apps for a long time, purchasing an Office 365 subscription is perhaps your best option, because you get full access to all the apps and perks with low cost of ownership.
