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Detrimental lies are not new. Even misleading headlines and text can fool a reader.  However, the ability to alter reality has taken a leap forward with “deepfake” technology which allows for the creation of images and videos of real people saying and doing things they never said or did. Deep learning techniques are escalating the technology’s finesse, producing even more realistic content that is increasingly difficult to detect.

Deepfakes began to gain attention when a fake pornography video featuring a “Wonder Woman” actress was released on Reddit in late 2017 by a user with the pseudonym “deepfakes.” Several doctored videos have since been released featuring high-profile celebrities, some of which were purely for entertainment value and others which have portrayed public figures in a demeaning light. This presents a real threat. The internet already distorts the truth as information on social media is presented and consumed through the filter of our own cognitive biases.

Deepfakes will intensify this problem significantly. Celebrities, politicians and even commercial brands can face unique forms of threat tactics, intimidation, and personal image sabotage. The risks to our democracy, justice, politics and national security are serious as well. Imagine a dark web economy where deepfakers produce misleading content that can be released to the world to influence which car we buy, which supermarket we frequent, and even which political candidate receives our vote. Deepfakes can touch all areas of our lives; hence, basic protection is essential.

How are Deepfakes Created?

Deepfakes are a cutting-edge advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AI) often leveraged by bad actors who use the technology to generate increasingly realistic and convincing fake images, videos, voice, and text. These videos are created by the superimposition of existing images, audio, and videos onto source media files by leveraging an advanced deep learning technique called “Generative Adversarial Networks” (GANs). GANs are relatively recent concepts in AI which aim to synthesize artificial images that are indistinguishable from authentic ones. The GAN approach brings two neural networks to work simultaneously: one network called the “generator” draws on a dataset to produce a sample that mimics it. The other network, known as the “discriminator”, assesses the degree to which the generator succeeded. Iteratively, the assessments of the discriminator inform the assessments of the generator. The increasing sophistication of GAN approaches has led to the production of ever more convincing and nearly impossible to expose deepfakes, and the result far exceeds the speed, scale, and nuance of what human reviewers could achieve.

McAfee Deepfakes Lab Applies Data Science Expertise to Detect Bogus Videos

To mitigate this threat, McAfee today announced the launch of the McAfee Deepfakes Lab to focus the company’s world-class data science expertise and tools on countering the  deepfake menace to individuals, organizations, democracy and the overall integrity of information across our society. The Deepfakes Lab combines computer vision and deep learning techniques to exploit hidden patterns and detect manipulated video elements that play a key role in authenticating original media files.  

To ensure the prediction results of the deep learning framework and the origin of solutions for each prediction are understandable, we spent a significant amount of time visualizing the layers and filters of our networks then added a model-agnostic explainability framework on top of the detection framework. Having explanations for each prediction helps us make an informed decision about how much we trust the image and the model as well as provide insights that can be used to improve the latter.

We also performed detailed validation and verification of the detection framework on a large dataset and tested detection capability on deepfake content found in the wild. Our detection framework was able to detect a recent deepfake video of Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg giving a brief speech about the power of big data. The tool not only provided an accurate detection score but generated heatmaps via the model-agnostic explainability module highlighting the parts of his face contributing to the decision, thereby adding trust in our predictions.

Such easily available deepfakes reiterate the challenges that social networks face when it comes to policing manipulated content. As advancements in GAN techniques produce very realistic looking fake images, advanced computer vision techniques will need to be developed to identify and detect advanced forms of deepfakes. Additionally, steps need to be taken to defend against deepfakes by making use of watermarks or authentication trails.

Sounding the Alarm

We realize that news media do have considerable power in shaping people’s beliefs and opinions. As a consequence, their truthfulness is often compromised to maximize impact. The dictum “a picture is worth a thousand words” accentuates the significance of the deepfake phenomenon. Credible yet fraudulent audio, video, and text will have a much larger impact that can be used to ruin celebrity and brand reputations as well as influence political opinion with terrifying implications. Computer vision and deep learning detection frameworks can authenticate and detect fake visual media and text content, but the damage to reputations and influencing opinion remains.

In launching the Deepfakes Lab, McAfee will work with traditional news and social media organizations to identify malicious deepfakes videos during this crucial 2020 national election season and help combat this new wave of disinformation associated with deepfakes.

In our next blog on deepfakes, we will demonstrate our detailed detection framework. With this framework, we will be helping to battle disinformation and minimize the growing challenge of deepfakes.

To engage the services of the McAfee Deepfakes Lab, news and social media organizations may submit suspect video for analysis by sending content links to media@mcafee.com.

The post The Deepfakes Lab: Detecting & Defending Against Deepfakes with Advanced AI appeared first on McAfee Blogs.

Securing documents before cloud

Before the cloud, organizations would collaborate and store documents on desktop/laptop computers, email and file servers. Private cloud use-cases such accessing and storing documents on intranet web servers and network attached storage (NAS) improved the end-user’s experience. The security model followed a layered approach, where keeping this data safe was just as important as not allowing unauthorized individuals into the building or data center. This was followed by a directory service to sign into to protect your personal computer, then permissions on files stored on file servers to assure safe usage.

Enter the cloud

Most organizations now consider cloud services to be essential in their business. Services like Microsoft 365 (Sharepoint, Onedrive, Teams), Box, and Slack are depended upon by all users. The same fundamental security concepts exist – however many are covered by the cloud service themselves. This is known as the “Shared Security Model” – essentially the Cloud Service Provider handles basic security functions (physical security, network security, operations security), but ultimately the end customer must correctly give access to data and is ultimately responsible for properly protecting it.

The big difference between the two is that in the first security model, the organization owned and controlled the entire process. In the second cloud model, the customer owns the controls surrounding the data they choose to put in the cloud. This is the risk that collaborating and storing data in the cloud brings; once the documents have been stored in M365, what happens if it is mishandled from this point forward? Who is handling these documents? What if my most sensitive information has left the safe confines of the cloud service, how can I protect that once it leaves? Fundamentally: How can I control data that lives hypothetically anywhere, including areas that I do not have control over?

Adding the protection layers that are cloud-native

McAfee and Seclore have extended an integration recently to address these cloud-based use cases. This integration fundamentally answers this question: If I put sensitive data in the cloud that I do not control, can I still protect the data regardless of where it lives?

The solution works like this:

The solution puts guardrails around end-user cloud usage, but also adds significant compliance protections, security operations, and data visibility for the organization.

Data visibility, compliance & security operations

Once an unprotected sensitive file has been uploaded to a cloud service, McAfee MVISION Cloud Data Loss Prevention (DLP) detects the file upload. Customers can assign a DLP policy to find sensitive data such as credit card data (PCI), customer data, personally identifiable information (PII) or any other data they find to be sensitive.

Sample MVISION Cloud DLP Policy

If data is found to be in violation of policy, it means the data must be properly protected. For example, if the DLP engine finds PII, rather than let it sit unprotected in the cloud service, the McAfee policy the customer sets should enact some protection on file. This action is known as an “Response”, and MVISION Cloud will properly show the detection, violating data, and actions taken in the incident data. In this case, McAfee will call Seclore to protect the file. These actions can be performed both in near real-time, or will enact protection whenever data already exists in the cloud service (on demand scan).

“Seclore-It” – Protection Beyond Encryption

Now that the file has been protected, downstream access to the file is managed by Seclore’s policy engine. Examples of policy-based access could be end-user location, data type, user group, time of day, or any other combination of policy choices. The key principle here is the file is protected regardless of where it goes and enforced by a Seclore policy that the organization sets. If a user accesses the file, an audit trail is recorded to assure that organizations have the confidence that data is properly protected. The audit logs show allows and denies, completing the data visibility requirements.

Addressing one last concern; if a file is “lost” or the need to restrict access to files that are no longer in direct control such as when a user leaves the company, or if the organization simply wants to update policies on protected files, the policy on those files can be dynamically updated. This addresses a major data loss concern that companies have for cloud service providers and general data use for remote users. Ensuring files are always protected, regardless of scenario is simple to achieve with Seclore by taking the action to update a policy. Once the policy has been updated, even files on a thumb drive stuffed in a drawer are now re-protected from accidental or intentional disclosure.

Conclusion

This article addresses several notable concerns for customers doing business in a cloud model. Important/sensitive data can now be effortlessly protected as it migrates to and through cloud services to its ultimate destination. The organization can prove compliance to auditors that the data was protected and continues to be protected. Security operations can track incidents and follow the access history of files. Finally, the joint solution is easy to use and enables businesses to confidently conduct business in the cloud.

Next Steps

McAfee and Seclore partner both at the endpoint and in the cloud as an integrated solution. To find out more and see this solution running in your environment, send an inquiry to cloud@mcafee.com

The post “Best of Breed” – CASB/DLP and Rights Management Come Together appeared first on McAfee Blogs.

For many, Amazon Prime Day is an opportunity to score some great deals. For hackers, Amazon’s annual discount shopping campaign is an opportunity to target unsuspecting shoppers with phishing scams. In fact, researchers at McAfee Labs previously uncovered a phishing kit specifically created to steal personal information from Amazon customers in America and Japan just in time for last year’s Amazon Prime Day. 

Let’s dive into the details of how this phishing kit worked and what you can do to protect yourself while hunting for those Prime Day bargains.  

Phishing Kit Allowed Hackers to Target Amazon Users 

You’ve probably received an email that looked a bit phishy—perhaps the logo was just slightly off–centered, or something about it didn’t feel quite right. That is how the phishing kit worked: hackers created fake emails that looked like they originated from Amazon (but didn’t). Once opened, the email prompted the unsuspecting recipient to provide their login credentials on a malicious website. Once logged in, hackers had access to the victim’s entire account, enabling them to make purchases or even worse, steal the victim’s credit card information.  

When this threat first emerged, the McAfee Labs researchers reported widespread use of the phishing kit – with over 200 malicious URLs deployed on innocent online shoppers. The phishing kit was then sold through an active Facebook group with over 300 members looking for a way to access unsuspecting shoppers’ Prime accounts. McAfee notified Facebook of this group’s activity when it surfaced, and the social network took an active role in removing groups and accounts that violate their policies.   

Protect Your Prime Day Shopping with These Tips 

Users hoping to score some online shopping deals this week should familiarize themselves with common phishing tactics to help protect their personal and financial information. If you’re planning on participating in Prime Day, follow these security steps to help you swerve malicious cyberattacks and shop with peace of mind: 

Beware of bogus deals 

If you see an ad for Prime Day that looks too good to be true, chances are that the ad isn’t legitimate. Play it safe and don’t click on the ad. 

Think before you click 

Be skeptical of ads shared on social media sites, emails, and messages sent to you through platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and WhatsApp. If you receive a suspicious message regarding Prime Day, it’s best to avoid interacting with the message altogether. 

Do your due diligence with discount codes 

If a discount code lands in your inbox, you’re best off verifying it through Amazon.com directly rather than clicking on any links. 

If you do suspect that your Amazon Prime account has been compromised due to a cyberthreat, take the following steps: 

Change your password 

Change the passwords to any accounts you suspect may have been impacted. Make sure your new credentials are strong and unique from your other logins. For tips on how to create a more secure password, read our blog on common password habits and how to safeguard your accounts.  

Keep an eye on your bank account 

One of the most effective ways to determine whether someone is fraudulently using your credit card information is to monitor your bank statements. If you see any charges that you did not make, report it to the authorities immediately. 

Consider using identity theft protection 

A solution like McAfee Identify Theft Protection will help you to monitor your accounts and alert you of any suspicious activity. 

Stay Updated 

To stay updated on all things  McAfee  and on top of the latest consumer and mobile security threats, follow  @McAfee_Home  on Twitter, listen to our podcast  Hackable?, and ‘Like’ us on  Facebook. 

The post Ready, Set, Shop: Enjoy Amazon Prime Day Without the Phishing Scams appeared first on McAfee Blogs.

2020 has seen cloud adoption accelerate with Microsoft Teams as one of the fastest growing collaboration apps, McAfee customers use of Teams increased by 300% between January and April 2020. When we looked into Teams use in more detail in June, we found these statistics, on average, in our customer base:

Teams Created                                                                 367

Members added to Teams                                      6,526

Number of Teams Meetings                              106,000

3^rd Party Apps added to Teams                                 185

Guest users added to Teams                                  2,906

This means that a typical enterprise has a new guest user added to their teams every few minutes – you wouldn’t allow unknown people to walk into an office, straight past security and walk around the building unescorted looking at papers sitting on people’s desks, but at the same time you want to allow in those guests you trust. For Teams, you need the same controls – allow in those guests you trust, but confirm their identity and make sure that they don’t see confidential information.

Microsoft invests huge amounts of time and money in the security of their systems, but security of the data in those systems and how they are used by the users is the responsibility of the enterprise.

The breadth of options, including inviting guest users and integration with 3^rd party applications can be the Achilles heel of any collaboration technology. It takes just seconds to add an external third party into an internal discussion without realizing the potential for data loss, so sadly the risk of misconfiguration, oversharing or misuse can be large.

IT security teams need the ability to manage and control use to reduce risk of data loss or malware entering through Teams.

After working with hundreds of enterprises and over 40 million MVISION Cloud users worldwide and discussing with IT security, governance and risk teams how they address their Microsoft Teams security concerns, we have published a paper that outlines the top ten security threats and how to address them.

A few of the 10 Top Microsoft Teams Security Threats are below, read the paper for the full list.

1. Microsoft Teams Guest Users: Guests can be added to see internal/sensitive content. By setting allow and/or block list domains, security can be implemented with the flexibility to allow employees to collaborate with authorized guests via Teams.
2. Screen sharing that includes sensitive data. Screen sharing is very powerful, but can inadvertently share confidential data, especially if communication applications such as email are showing alerts on the screen.
3. Access from Unmanaged Devices: Teams can be used on unmanaged devices, potentially resulting in data loss. The ability to set policies for unmanaged devices can safeguard Teams content.
4. Malware Uploaded via Teams: File uploads from guests or from unmanaged devices may contain malware. IT administrators need the ability to either block all file uploads from unmanaged devices or to scan content when it is uploaded and remove it from the channel, informing IT management of any incidents.
5. Data Loss Via Teams Chat and File Shares: File shares in Teams can lose confidential data. Data loss prevention technologies with strong sensitive content identification and sharing control capabilities should be implemented on Teams chat and file shares.
6. Data Loss Via Other Apps: Teams App integration can mean data may go to untrusted destinations. As some of these apps may transfer data via their services, IT administrators need a system to discover third-party apps in use, review their risk profile and provide a workflow to remediate, audit, allow, block or notify users on an app’s status and revoke access as needed.

McAfee has a wealth of experience helping customers security their cloud computing systems, built around the MVISION Cloud CASB and other technologies. We can advise you about Microsoft Teams security and discuss possible threats of taking no action. Contact us to let us help you.

Teams is just one of the many applications within the Microsoft 365 suite and it is important to deploy common security controls for all cloud apps. MVISION Cloud provides security for Microsoft 365 and other cloud-based applications such as Salesforce, Box, Workday, AWS, Azure, Google Cloud Platform and customers’ own internally developed applications.

The post Top 10 Microsoft Teams Security Threats appeared first on McAfee Blogs.

If you are someone who works for a cloud service provider in the business of federal contracting, you probably already have a good understanding of FedRAMP. It is also likely that our regular blog readers know the ins and outs of this program.

For those who are not involved in these areas, however, this acronym may be more unfamiliar. Perhaps you have only heard of it in passing conversation with a few of your expert cybersecurity colleagues, or you are just curious to learn what all of the hype is about. If you fall into this category – read on! This blog is for you.

At first glance, FedRAMP may seem like a type of onramp to an interstate headed for the federal government – and in a way, it is.

FedRAMP stands for the Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program, which provides a standard security assessment, authorization and continuous monitoring for cloud products and services to be used by federal agencies. The program’s overall mission is to protect the data of U.S. citizens in the cloud and promote the adoption of secure cloud services across the government with a standardized approach.

Once a cloud service has successfully made it onto the interstate – or achieved FedRAMP authorization – it’s allowed to be used by an agency and listed in the FedRAMP Marketplace. The FedRAMP Marketplace is a one-stop-shop for agencies to find cloud services that have been tested and approved as safe to use, making it much easier to determine if an offering meets security requirements.

In the fourth year of the program, FedRAMP had 20 authorized cloud service offerings. Now, eight years into the program, FedRAMP has over 200 authorized offerings, reflecting its commitment to help the government shift to the cloud and leverage new technologies.

Who should be FedRAMP authorized?

Any cloud service provider that has a contract with a federal agency or wants to work with an agency in the future must have FedRAMP authorization. Compliance with FedRAMP can also benefit providers who don’t have plans to partner with government, as it signals to the private sector they are committed to cloud security.

Using a cloud service that complies with FedRAMP standards is mandatory for federal agencies. It has also become popular with organizations in the private industry, which are more often looking to FedRAMP standards as a security benchmark for the cloud services they use.

How can a cloud service obtain authorization?

There are two ways for a cloud service to obtain FedRAMP authorization. One is with a Joint Authorization Board (JAB) provisional authorization (P-ATO) and the other is through an individual agency Authority to Operate (ATO).

A P-ATO is an initial approval of the cloud service provider by the JAB, which is made up of the Chief Information Officers (CIOs) from the Department of Defense (DoD), Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and General Services Administration (GSA). This designation means that the JAB has provided a provisional approval for agencies to leverage when granting an ATO to a cloud system.

The head of an agency grants an ATO as part of the agency authorization process. An ATO may be granted after an agency sponsor reviews the cloud service offering and completes a security assessment.

Why seek FedRAMP approval?

Achieving FedRAMP authorization for a cloud service is a very long and rigorous process, but it has received high praise from security officials and industry experts alike for its standardized approach to evaluate whether a cloud service offering meets some of the strongest cybersecurity requirements.

There are several benefits for cloud providers who authorize their service with FedRAMP. The program allows an authorized cloud service to be reused continuously across the federal government – saving time, money and effort for both cloud service providers and agencies. Authorization of a cloud service also gives service providers increased visibility of their product across government with a listing in the FedRAMP Marketplace.

By electing to comply with FedRAMP, cloud providers can demonstrate dedication to the highest data security standards. Though the process for achieving FedRAMP approval is complex, it is worthwhile for providers, as it signals a commitment to security to government and non-government customers.

McAfee’s Commitment to FedRAMP

At McAfee, we are dedicated to ensuring our cloud services are compliant with FedRAMP standards. We are proud that McAfee’s MVISION Cloud is the first Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB) platform to be granted a FedRAMP High Impact Provisional Authority to Operate (P-ATO) from the U.S. Government’s Joint Authorization Board (JAB).

Currently, MVISION Cloud is in use by ten federal agencies, including the Department of Energy (DOE), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

MVISION Cloud allows federal organizations to have total visibility and control of their infrastructure to protect their data and applications in the cloud. The FedRAMP High JAB P-ATO designation is the highest compliance level available under FedRAMP, meaning that MVISION Cloud is authorized to manage highly sensitive government data.

We look forward to continuing to work closely with the FedRAMP program and other cloud providers dedicated to authorizing cloud service offerings with FedRAMP.

The post FedRAMP – What’s the Big Deal? appeared first on McAfee Blogs.

When something goes wrong with your computer or devices, it can cause a panic. After all, most of us depend on technology not only to work and connect with others, but also to stay on top of our daily lives. That’s why tech support scams are often successful. They appear to offer help when we need it the most. But falling for these scams can put your devices, data, and money at even greater risk.

Although support scams have been around almost as long as the internet, these threats have increased dramatically over the last couple of years, proving to be a reliable way for scammers to make a quick buck.

In fact, the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) said that it received nearly 11,000 tech support related complaints in 2017, leading to losses of $15 million, 90% higher than the losses reported in 2016. Microsoft alone saw a 24% increase in tech scams reported by customers in 2017 over the previous year, with 15% of victims saying they lost money.

Often, scammers convince users that there is a problem with their computer or device by delivering pop-up error messages. These messages encourage the user to “click” to troubleshoot the problem, which can download a piece of malware onto their machine, or prompt them to buy fake security software to fix the issue. In some cases, users wind up downloading ransomware, or paying $200 to $400 for fake software to fix problems they didn’t actually have.

And, in a growing number of instances, scammers pose as legitimate technology companies, offering phony support for real tech issues. Some even promote software installation and activation for a fee, when the service is actually provided for free from the software provider. They do this by posting webpages or paid search results using the names of well-known tech companies. When a user searches for tech help, these phony services can appear at the top of the search results, tricking people into thinking they are the real deal.

Some cybercriminals have even gone so far as to advertise fake services on legitimate online forums, pretending to be real tech companies such as Apple, McAfee, and Amazon. Since forum pages are treated as quality content by search engines, these phony listings rank high in search results, confusing users who are looking for help.

The deception isn’t just online. More and more computer users report phone calls from cybercrooks pretending to be technology providers, warning them about problems with their accounts, and offering to help resolve the issue for a fee. Or worse, the scammer requests access to the victim’s computer to “fix the problem”, with the hopes of grabbing valuable data, such as passwords and identity information. All of these scams leave users vulnerable.

Here’s how to avoid support scams to keep your devices and data safe:

• If you need help, go straight to the source—Type the address of the company you want to reach directly into the address bar of your browser—not the search bar, which can pull up phony results. If you have recently purchased software and need help, check the packaging the software came in for the correct web address or customer support line. If you are a McAfee customer, you can always reach us at https://service.mcafee.com.
• Be suspicious—Before you pay for tech support, do your homework. Research the company by looking for other customer’s reviews. Also, check to see if your technology provider already offers the support you need for free.
• Be wary of callers asking for personal information, especially if they reach out to you first—Situations like this happen all the time, even to institutions like the IRS. McAfee’s own policy is to answer support questions via our website only, and if users need assistance, they should reach out here directly. Never respond to unsolicited phone calls or pop-up messages, warning you about a technical issue, and never let anyone take over your computer or device remotely.
• Surf Safe—Sometimes it can be hard to determine if search results are safe to click on, or not. Consider using a browser extension that can warn you about suspicious sites right in your search results, and help protect you even if you click on a dangerous link.
• Keep informed—Stay up-to-date on the latest tech support scams so you know what to watch out for.

Looking for more mobile security tips and trends? Be sure to follow @McAfee Home on Twitter, and like us on Facebook.

The post How To Spot Tech Support Scams appeared first on McAfee Blogs.

Stay Connected and Protected During Work, School, and Play

These days, work and home mean practically the same thing. Our house is now an office space or a classroom, so that means a lot of our day-to-day happens online. We check emails, attend virtual meetings, help our children distance learn, use social media platforms to check in on our friends and family – our entire lives are digital! This increase in connectivity could mean more exposure to threats – but it doesn’t have to. That’s why this National Cybersecurity Awareness Month (NCSAM) you should learn what it means to be cyber smart.

In our third blog for this NCSAM this year, we examine what that entails. Let’s dive in.

Stay Secure While Working Remote

According to Stanford research, almost twice as many employees work from home than at the office in the U.S. in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. And this new work-from-home economy is probably only going to expand in the future. Your pets and children will continue to make surprise guest appearances on work calls, or you may continue your new job hunt from the kitchen table. But as you work on juggling your work life and personal life at home base, this doesn’t mean that you should have to juggle security threats too.

The new WFH landscape has also brought about increased risk from . Unlike corporate offices – which usually have IT staff responsible for making any necessary network security updates and patches – users’ home network security is in their own hands. This means users must ensure that their Wi-Fi connections are private and locked with a complex password or employ the help of a VPN to prevent hackers from infiltrating your work.

Be Cybersmart While Distance Learning

Work isn’t the only element of consumers’ lives that’s recently changed – school is also being conducted out of many students’ homes as they adapt to distance learning. As a result, parents are now both professionals and teachers, coaching students through new online learning obstacles. But as more students continue their curriculum from home and online activity increases, so does the possibility of exposure to inappropriate content or other threats.

For instance, the transition to distance learning has led to an increase in online students to lose valuable time meant to be spent on their education.

To help ensure that learning from home goes as smoothly as possible, parents must stay updated on the threats that could be lurking around the corner of their children’s online classrooms. Take the time to secure all the devices that power your kids’ learning with a comprehensive security solution.

Enhance Your Streaming Security

Of course, everyone needs to find a balance between work, school, and play! These days, that means scavenging the internet for new content to help keep entertained at home. In fact, according to Nielson, there was an 85% increase in American streaming rates in the first three weeks of March this year compared to March 2019 reports. However, causing users to turn to other less secure alternatives such as illegal downloads and links to “free” content riddled with malware. This could open consumers up to a whole host of threats.

Users looking to stream the latest TV show or movie should be cautious and only access entertainment content directly from a reliable source. The safest thing to do is to subscribe to a streaming site that offers the content or download the movie from credible websites, instead of downloading a “free” version from a website that could contain malware.

If You Connect It, Protect It

We all need to be cybersmart and aware of the threats that come with our lifestyle changes. By following these pointers, you can block threats from impacting your new day-to-day and ensure security is one less thing to worry about. When looking ahead to the future, incorporate the aforementioned pointers into your digital life so that you are prepared to take on whatever the evolving security landscape brings – now that’s being cybersmart!

Stay Updated

To stay updated on all things McAfee and on top of the latest consumer and mobile security threats, look out for our other National Cybersecurity Awareness Month blogs, follow @McAfee_Home on Twitter, listen to our podcast Hackable?, and ‘Like’ us on Facebook.

The post Stay Connected and Protected During Work, School, and Play appeared first on McAfee Blogs.

These days, spending time with friends face-to-face still isn’t always an option for teens. So, finding a fun, new app can be a little like discovering your own private beach where you can chill out, connect with friends, and be thoroughly entertained. Keeping them safe on that digital beach? That’s where parents can make a difference.

With all the popular, increasingly sophisticated video apps available, it’s easy to understand why safety ends up being the last thing on our kids’ minds. I get it. My daughter and I recently sat for hours watching Tik Tok videos and laughing until we cried.

However, October is National Cybersecurity Month and the perfect time to hit pause and talk about how to stay safe on all the apps vying for our attention.

Popular Apps to Monitor

Triller. The Triller app is a video-based platform, much like Tik Tok, that has been around since 2015. Triller has a variety of filters, and music kids can use with the videos they create.

What to monitor: Triller’s content may not always be appropriate, and because viewers can leave comments on videos, there’s a risk of cyberbullying. Also, Triller has some privacy loopholes such as data collection, location tracking, and a public account default — all of which can be modified in Settings.

HouseParty is a group video chat platform nicknamed the “Quarantine App” since its popularity increased by an additional 10 million users during the COVID lockdown. Houseparty allows users to invite friends and “friends of friends” into group video-chat sessions — much like a party. The app displays up to eight live streams on the screen at a time, creating an instant sense of community.

What to monitor. Because the app allows “friends of friends” to livestream in a group, that unknown element opens the door to a number of safety issues. Encourage kids to deny join requests from unknown people. While some users leave rooms unlocked while live streaming their party, encourage your child to use the padlock function to limit conversations to people who know each other.

Yubo. The Yubo app (formerly Yellow) is also called the “Tinder for Teens.” Kids can connect and live stream with people they know — and easily connect with people they don’t. If two users swipe right, Yubo will match them, and they can share Snapchat or Instagram names. Another app very similar to Yubo is the Hoop app.

What to monitor. Content on Yubo can be explicit and cyberbullying can arise more often since fake accounts are common. Yubo’s swipe format promotes a appearance driven match standard may not be healthy for some teens.

Byte. Another app similar to Tik Tok, Byte, features short-form videos. Byte, created by the Founders of the now defunct Vine app, lacks the filters and music of other video apps, but that’s okay; the simplicity is a plus for Byte fans.

What to monitor: Be aware of inappropriate content, cyberbullying in comments, and unknown “friends” who may be part of your child’s Byte community. Online predators have been known to reach out to kids on this app. While unwanted followers can be blocked, surprisingly, Byte doesn’t give you the ability to make your account private.

App Safety Basics

Practice personal responsibility. The theme for Cybersecurity Month 2020 is Do Your Part #BeCyberSmart. With this in mind, discuss the responsibility that comes with owning technology, be it a smartphone, a game system, a smartwatch, or any other connected device. The goal, says The National Cyber Security Alliance,

“If you connect it, protect it.”

Privacy settings. To protect privacy and keep unknown people from connecting with minors, maximize privacy Settings on each new app.

Increase safeguards. Apps can be addictive and siphon family time, study time, and sleep. A comprehensive security solution can help parents limit device time, monitor activity, and block risky content and apps.

Share wisely. Even a 15-second video shared with “close friends only” can end up in the public stream. Advise your child to only share videos or photos they’d feel good sharing with the world.

Protect personal information. Remind your child not to share private details about themselves or their family members with anyone online. This includes emails, full names, phone numbers, pet names, school names, or location.

Block and report. Talk with your child about what you consider appropriate versus inappropriate content, how to block strangers, and how to report cyberbullying and scams.

Finally, keep talking with your kids — about everything. Ultimately, it will be your consistency in having honest, ongoing dialogue with your child that will be your most valuable tool in keeping them safe online.

The post #BeCyberSmart: Equipping Kids to Stay Safe on New Video Apps appeared first on McAfee Blogs.

Election 2020 – Fake Election Websites: Five Tips So You Don’t Get Fooled

When you spot a .GOV web domain tacked onto the end of a U.S. election website, that’s a strong sign you can turn to it for trustworthy election information. However, the overwhelming majority of local county election websites fail to use the .GOV domain.

Recent research by McAfee found that more than 80% of the 3,089 county election administration websites in the U.S. don’t use a .GOV domain.  The concern behind that stat is this: the lack of .GOV domain usage could allow bad actors to create fake election websites—which could in turn spread disinformation about the election and potentially hamper your ability to cast a valid ballot.

Moreover, nearly 45% of those 3,089 sites fail to use HTTPS encryption, a security measure which can further prevent bad actors from re-directing voters to fake websites that can misinform them and potentially steal their personal information.

And it appears that a number of fake sites have cropped up already.

Let’s take a closer look at what’s happening and what you can do to protect your vote.

Why .GOV domains matter

Not anyone can get a .GOV domain. It requires buyers to submit evidence to the U.S. government that they represent a legitimate government entity, such as a local, county, or state election administrative body. Thus, .GOV sites are quite difficult to fake.

Compare that to elections site that use publicly available domains like .COM, .ORG, and .US. A bad actor could easily create fake election sites by purchasing a URL with a similar or slightly mis-typed name to the legitimate election site—a practice known as typosquatting—and use it spread false information.

A rise in fake election sites?

Typosquatted election sites are more than a theory. Just this August, it was reported that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued a warning bulletin to election officials that stated, ““The FBI between March and June 2020 identified suspicious typosquatting of U.S. state and federal election domains, according to recent FBI reporting from a collaborative source.”

And just last week, the Feds issued another warning about the risk of fake websites exploiting the lack of .GOV in the names of election websites.

What makes this approach of mimicry and typosquatting so attractive to bad actors? Rather than clear the much more difficult hurdle of meddling with ballots and other vote-tabulating infrastructure, bad actors can take the relatively easier route of faking websites that pass along incorrect voter information, all in an effort to keep people from casting a valid vote in the first place.

Protect your vote

While we have no direct control over the use of the .GOV domain and HTTPS encryption by our local election sites, there are still steps we can take to protect our vote. Here’s what you can do:

1. Stay informed. Check that the site you’re visiting is a .GOV website and that HTTPS security protection is in place to ensure your security. If your local site is one of the many that does not use one, the other, or both, contact your local officials to confirm any election instructions you receive. gov provides an excellent resource for this as does the U.S. Election Assistance Commission.
2. Look out for suspicious emails. Scrutinize all election-related emails you receive. An attacker could use time-tested phishing techniques to misinform you with emails that can sometimes look strikingly legitimate. Check this blog for tips on how to spot such phishing attacks.

2. Trust official voting literature. The U.S. Postal Service is the primary channel state and local governments use to send out voting information. Look to those printed materials for proper information. However, be sure to validate the polling information you find in them as well—such as with a visit this list of polling places by state compiled by Vote.org.
3. Steer clear of social media. It’s quite easy for bad actors to spread bad information by setting up phony social media groups or profiles. For more on spotting fake news in your social media feed and election misinformation, check out my recent blogs on those topics.
4. Protect yourself and your devices. Using strong security software that protects your computers, tablets, and smartphones will help prevent phishing attacks, block links to suspicious sites, and help protect your privacy and identity. Also, disable pop-ups in your browser. Together, these will offer a line of defense against attempts to steer you toward a phony election site.

Stay Updated 

To stay updated on all things McAfee and for more resources on staying secure from home, follow @McAfee_Home on Twitter, listen to our podcast Hackable?, and ‘Like’ us on Facebook.

The post Election 2020 – Fake Election Websites: Five Tips So You Don’t Get Fooled appeared first on McAfee Blogs.

Vor dem Hintergrund des IT-Fachkräftemangels gestaltet es sich für Unternehmen immer schwieriger, mit der wachsenden Zahl sowie Raffinesse von Cyber-Angriffen Schritt zu halten und drängt Sicherheitsteams dazu, oft nur noch reaktiv agieren zu können. Wie Sie mithilfe einer umfassenden Bedrohungsdatenbank sowie proaktiver Reaktionsmaßnahmen Ihre Endgerätesicherheit verbessern und Reaktionszeiten von Monaten auf Stunden verkürzen können, diskutieren wir in diesem Podcast. Hierfür zusammengekommen sind Heiko Brückle, McAfee Senior Security Engineer, sowie Chris Trynoga, McAfee Regional Solution Architect.

The post ST24: Proaktive Absicherung zur Minimierung von Endgeräterisiken (German) appeared first on McAfee Blogs.