ATTENTION! WARNING! Cyber Attackers are using Desktop Sharing Software to Target US Businesses
Since 2018 until this year, there has been malicious attacks by cyber actors using desktop sharing software to facilitate numerous network invasions of authorized and unauthorized installations to gain access to a victim’s system and inaccessible files.
Everyone, whether it is for personal or business use, desktop sharing software allows multiple legitimate users access to files and information, enables telework, tech support and allows for file transfers. Now cyber actors’ use this software and the use of engineering tactics and stolen credentials to access the victim’s system and perform a range of malicious attacks.
BEWARE, typically these actors use the fake identity of being a technical support agent that convince victims to voluntarily download and install the desktop sharing software or corrupt insiders with a vindictive AND/OR larcenous motives to victimize employers, co-workers, or the company. The most common victimized targets in a range of organizations, include Financial Services and Information Technology divisions.
Examples of Malicious Attacks:
- Using granted desktop sharing software to perform fraudulent wire transfers.
- Injecting malicious code and viruses, which allows these cyber actors to be hidden in this desktop sharing software, where malware files cannot be detected, and control the software startup parameters to block/obscure user activity.
- Allows for transparent movement across a network to increase scope of activity.
Recommendations to help protect against this attack:
- Use strong passwords that will protect Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) credentials.
- Mixture of capital Letters, lower-case letters, special characters, numbers, random password generator
- Use a password manager such as LockPass (free), to keep/ secure passwords.
- Use a two-factor authentication, google has it’s own google two-factor authentication.
- Identify and suspend any access of users exhibiting unusual activity on any company software
- UPDATE YOUR SOFTWARE!
If you’d like some help protecting yourself & your business from these attacks, feel free to CONTACT US to see how we can help!
