Trending November 2023 # Icloud Hackers Said To Have Used Police’S Own Tool # Suggested December 2023 # Top 13 Popular

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iCloud hackers said to have used police’s own tool

This Internet circus doesn’t seem to have an end in sight just yet. Now a new player, or rather scapegoat, has entered the arena. Hackers who leaked compromising photos of Hollywood actresses are now believed to have used Elcomsoft Phone Password Breaker or EPPB, a forensics software designed exactly for extracting user data from Apple’s cloud service and, ironically, supposedly used by government and law enforcement agencies.

This revelation came via Anon-IB, an Internet forum dedicated to posting stolen nude photos. According to the information gathered from various posts, the hackers allegedly used a combination of EPPB and iBrute, a program released by security researcher Alexey Troshichev to pinpoint the security flaws in Apple’s Find My iPhone feature. With iBrute, a hacker would be able to eventually get a user’s login credentials. With EPPB, they will then be able to download everything that the user has, not just stored on iCloud, but also on their iOS devices. In essence, the tool masquerades as a device or user who is trying to restore an iPhone’s content.

Elcomsoft, a Moscow-based company, is just one of many forensics outfits that develops such kind of software, primarily for legal purposes. However, it also seems to be the most loved by those with less than innocent goals in mind. The company’s website makes no qualms about the capabilities of its software. Unfortunately, it also has no checks in place to ensure that the software doesn’t fall into the wrong hands. EPPB may have a steep $399 price tag, but that of course won’t stop it from being distributed illegally.

For its part, Apple, who claims it has been outraged by the incident, says that there is no case of mass security breach that others seem to suggest. Instead, it claims their 40 hours of investigation lead them to conclude that it was a very targeted attack at celebrity accounts, not exactly uncommon over the Internet. That said, it has updated the Find My iPhone feature to address those security holes exploited by iBrute, rendering at least this part of the question useless.

While the incident of these nude photos are quite deplorable, the issues that are now surfacing around it are perhaps even more worrisome. That the Internet is home to diverse, and sometimes questionable, interests isn’t news. But the realization that there are indeed places where such activities thrive or are even promoted, much less offer services, is always disturbing. That “security” companies who create these tools would not place safeguards to ensure that only the right people have access to it is also puzzling. And then there are the corporations who would no sooner wash their hands than admit to complacency. Of course, users also have a part to play in safeguarding our own content, be it on our phones or in the cloud. But sometimes it feels almost futile when all these bigger forces seem to be working against you.

VIA: Wired

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Odisha Police Constable Result 2023 (Out)

The Odisha Police State Selection Board has decided to release the Odisha Police Constable Result 2023 and it is finally out now. It is to inform you that a written test was conducted on 26th February 2023 for 4790 Vacancies of Constable (Civil) and all the registered candidates appeared in it. After that, Answer Key was released online and objections were invited from candidates till 3rd March 2023.

Now all of them are waiting for the announcement of Odishapolice.gov.in Constable Result 2023 which is expected to be out on 9th March 2023. You can check your scores and then compare the marks with Odisha Police Constable Cut Off 2023 which we discussed below after doing complete analysis. Those who manage to score above it are named in the OPSSB Constable Merit List 2023 which is prepared on the behalf of your marks in the result. All the qualified candidates will be called for the Physical Measurement Test and then final selection will be done.

Odisha Police Constable Result 2023

As we are aware that Odisha Police conducted the Constable (Civil) Examinations on 26th February 2023. There were 4790 Vacancies of this post for which this selection test was conducted and now applicants can download the answer key which is released online. Moreover, this is the provisional answer key and you can raise objections in it till 3rd March 2023. After that, Odisha Police Constable Result 2023 is out now and then you can check your scores on chúng tôi or chúng tôi We have also mentioned the details regarding the Cut Off Marks using which you can get to know whether you are eligible for a physical test or not. Minimum 45% marks are required to qualify the written examination and then only you get your name in the Merit List. Those who get name in this list will be called for final selection through Physical Measurement Test. All the candidates who manage to qualify the written test and PMT will get a Joining Letter.

Odishapolice.gov.in Constable Result 2023

The Official Notice for the recruitment of Constable (Civil) was released by Odisha Police in the month December 2023.

Many Candidates have registered for this recruitment till January 21st, 2023 and then appeared in exam on 26th February 2023.

Also ensure that you Download the Answer Key for Set A, B, C, D which is available now on the official website odishapolice.gov.in.

Moreover, you should wait for the odishapolice.gov.in Constable Result 2023 which is going to be released on 9th March 2023.

You can check the result on chúng tôi or chúng tôi with the help of your basic details.

Odisha Police Constable Result Date 2023

Exam NameOdisha Police Constable Exam 2023Supervising AuthorityOdisha Police State Selection BoardVacancies4790 VacanciesPostConstable (Civil)Selection ProcessWritten Examination & PET/PMTWritten Exam Date26th February 2023Qualifying Marks45% MarksAnswer KeyOut NowOdisha Police Constable Result Date 20239th March 2023Merit List9th March 2023Cut Off MarksDiscussed BelowArticle CategorySarkari ResultOdisha Police chúng tôi or opssb.nic.in

All the candidates who have attempted the written exam for the post of constable on 26th February 2023 should check this section for brief information regarding the results. As per our analysis, Odisha Police Constable Result Date 2023 will be 9th March and on this day, merit list will also be released on the official website. All the candidates have to ensure 45% Marks and above in the written exam to get selected further in the merit list. In this Merit list, qualified candidates who are eligible for the PET Exam will be mentioned and they have to start preparing physically for the exam. 

OPSSB Constable Merit List 2023

The Result of the Constable Recruitment is expected to release on 9th March 2023 alongwith Merit List.

The OPSSB Constable Merit List 2023 will be prepared on the basis of your marks in the Written Test conducted.

Category Wise Ranks and General Ranks will be given to you in this list and further selection will be based on your Rank.

Only Those candidates who manage to score above the constable cut off will be called for the next stage through this merit list.

In order to Download the Merit List, you have to open chúng tôi or chúng tôi from the Device.

Guidelines to Check Odisha Police Constable Result 2023

First of all, we request the candidates to open chúng tôi or chúng tôi from the internet device.

Secondly, you have to tap on the recruitment button and then further select the Constable Vacancy.

Here you will see the Result Link which will land you on the Login Page.

Enter your Login ID and Password to view the Marks in the written examination.

Now you will see the Scorecard on the Screen with your marks in each section.

Download the Scorecard and then compare the scores with the cut off discussed below.

Using these guidelines, all of you can check the Odisha Police Constable Result 2023.

You can also check the OSSTET Result 2023 in this website.

Odisha Police Constable Cut Off 2023

CategoryOdisha Police Constable Cut Off 2023General70-75 MarksOBC65-70 MarksSC60-65 MarksST60-65 MarksEWS65-70 Marks

Odishapolice.gov.in Constable Result 2023 Link

Odisha Police Constable Answer Key 2023View HereOdisha Police Constable Result 2023View Here

FAQs on OPSSB Constable (Civil) Result 2023

When is the OPSSB Constable Result 2023 coming?

Odisha Police Constable Result 2023 is expected to be released on 9th March 2023.

How to Check the Odisha Police Constable Result 2023?

You have to visit chúng tôi or chúng tôi to check the Constable Result.

What is a good score to qualify the OPSSB Constable Exam?

You should score above the 45% Marks to Qualify the Constable Exam of Odisha Police.

Weighing The Benefits And Costs Of Police Body Cameras

Suppose a picture really is worth a thousand words. What is it worth, then, when every police officer on the streets wears a camera and can capture every moment of a crime scene, and every frame of a suspicious activity in motion?

Apparently those pictures are worth a lot. As of spring 2023, the use of data from police body cameras had been approved in six states, with another 34 states taking legislation into consideration, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. President Barack Obama also created a program that would invest $75 million in federal funds to help equip 50,000 local police officers with body cameras.

Federal law enforcement is following suit, as 99 percent of federal government officials surveyed believe that video surveillance will factor into their ability prevent crime over the next five years, according to a 2023 report from the research firm Meritalk.

But the move to use data from body cameras is not without its challenges. Police departments, already stretched thin financially, could face a high hurdle in adopting the technology. It’s also unclear how video evidence would be managed, and some worry that rampant videotaping by police could compromise citizen privacy.

Understanding the Costs Involved

There is good reason to believe that police body cameras work. They may cut use of force by police officers in half, and pare back complaints by 90 percent, according to a study in the Journal of Quantitative Criminology.

The financial cost of these benefits can run high, however. While the price of a body camera may not be prohibitive — it’s typically $300 to $1,000 per device — data storage costs can take a bite out of a police department’s budget, especially for small cities.

For instance, Duluth, Minnesota, purchased 84 cameras for less than $5,000, but its three-year contract for data storage came in around $78,000, according to a 2023 article in The Pew Charitable Trusts. Likewise, New Orleans police are anticipating $1.2 million in expenses over five years to support data storage for only 350 body cameras.

The expense of data management is driven by a number of variables that may be within the control of police departments. Storage costs will depend on the volume of data, as well as on duration. Many police departments are determining how long video content should be stored. While police departments may have ideas about how to handle this, policy often will be set by a combination of legislation and community consensus.

Providing the Necessary Storage Space

Experts say the most likely solution to the cost of video storage will come via the cloud. When volume outstrips the local police department servers, many will turn to commercial cloud solutions as a means of keeping data over time.

Vendors recognize the possibility and are taking steps to offer full-service solutions. Taser, a manufacturer of body cameras, pairs its body-worn camera system with chúng tôi its own private cloud service.

As with many new technologies, every answer raises new questions. The cloud may solve storage issues, but what about so-called “chain of custody?” How can law enforcement officials be certain video content is safe and undisturbed once they hand it over to an outside provider? Solid contracts and good security practices should provide assurance, but courts still will have to be convinced that the chain of evidence is unbroken.

Addressing Privacy Concerns with Body-Worn Cameras

Body-worn cameras also raise issues of privacy. Unlike vehicle-mounted cameras used in traffic stops, body cameras can come into a person’s home and can record personal activity. Body cameras also can record individuals in the background who, while not part of a crime, may nonetheless be identified for other purposes further down the road.

Suppose a citizen were to request a specific video through the Freedom of Information Act, arguing that it is part of the public record. Would police have to blur the faces of all bystanders unrelated to the event? In that case, the cost of labor could be staggering.

Clearly the rapid adoption of body cameras, while a boon to law enforcement, brings with it a range of technological and social challenges. The answers likely will lie in a combination of police policy, citizen expectation and legal and legislative actions. All this will take time. Just as the courts took a while to understand fingerprints, and later to accept DNA evidence, the role of body cameras likely will take some time to become established.

Another technology trend gaining traction in the law enforcement sector is wearables, which can boost police productivity without weighing them down with equipment.

I Asked Chatgpt To Predict Xrp’s Trajectory Post Ripple’s Victory, It Said…

13 July is going to be remembered as a memorable day for Ripple [XRP] as it secured a partial victory in its legal battle with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). XRP’s value immediately surged by 90% to $0.908 after the announcement.

The U.S. District Court of the Southern District of New York ruled in its judgement that the sale of Ripple’s XRP tokens on crypto exchanges and though programmatic sales did not constitute investment contracts; hence, it is not a security in this case. But the court also ruled that the institutional sale of the XRP tokens violated federal securities laws.

However, the split judgement could lead to an ambiguous understanding about the status of XRP and other cryptocurrencies.

It would be difficult to predict price action and trade outcomes of XRP. The situation is complicated as the lawsuit draws closer to different nuances and counter-arguments being issued, triggering markets.

An AI solution can certainly be used to attain some clarity, specifically ChatGPT. OpenAI’s ChatGPT is a generative AI model that has gained massive traction since its initial rollout with use cases across many industries. Can it be helpful in XRP price analysis and prediction? Well, the answer is surprisingly basic.

XRP fundamental analysis using ChatGPT

We asked ChatGPT to give us a fundamental analysis of XRP and it offered a detailed answer, as shown.

This is the shorter version of the response –

Fundamental analysis is one of the basic ways to determine the intrinsic value of an asset.

We had earlier asked ChatGPT about the performance of XRP in the face of SEC’s lawsuit against Ripple Labs. We had interrogated out AI buddy about its understanding of the potential impact of the lawsuit on investors holding XRP.

ChatGPT had acknowledged difficulty in predicting the accurate outcome and impact of the lawsuit.

“Overall, the outcome of the SEC lawsuit against Ripple is uncertain, and it is difficult to predict exactly how it will affect XRP’s price in the short and long term. Investors should carefully consider the potential risks and uncertainties involved before making any investment decisions.”

Now we know the fundamental analysis and market sentiment, especially from the lawsuit angle. So, how has XRP performed so far in the past? Can ChatGPT be helpful on this front too?

Pull XRP’s historical price data

Although historical data doesn’t necessarily affect future price movements, price action is king in technical analysis. And, past trends can offer crucial insights. We asked ChatGPT to pull XRP’s historical price action data to accomplish this step.

The AI model gave a year-by-year breakdown of XRP’s price action from 2023 to 2023 –

In early 2023, XRP was trading at less than $0.01 per token. It then experienced a significant increase in value, reaching an all-time high of around $3.84 in early January 2023.

After reaching its peak, XRP’s price began to decline and remained relatively stable for several months before experiencing another surge in late 2023, rising to around $0.75 in November of that year.

In 2023, XRP’s price fluctuated between around $0.25 and $0.50 for much of the year before dropping to around $0.20 by the end of the year.

In 2023, XRP’s price remained relatively stable in the first half of the year, hovering between around $0.15 and $0.25. However, in December 2023, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced a lawsuit against Ripple, claiming that XRP was an unregistered security. This caused XRP’s price to drop sharply, falling to around $0.17 by the end of the year.

In 2023, XRP’s price fluctuated, reaching a high of around $1.96 in April before dropping again in May and June. However, in November 2023, XRP’s price registered another surge, reaching a high of around $1.40.

The aforementioned output shows XRP’s price action was largely determined by market sentiment and regulatory pressure. In addition, XRP’s highs and lows throughout the previous years could act as key support or resistance levels in the future.

However, ChatGPT has limited access to information from 2023 or below. That makes it difficult to pull data beyond 2023, let alone make future predictions which OpenAI’s policy firmly prohibits. Ergo, we followed ChatGPT jailbreak techniques to bypass some of these limitations to try and get modest XRP price predictions.

Read Ripple [XRP] Price Prediction 2023-24

Pushing the AI model beyond OpenAI’s limitations doesn’t guarantee output accuracy. The classic version clearly stated it has no access to data beyond September 2023.

However, the jailbreak version gives hypothetical outputs, which can be misleading. For example, it claimed XRP’s highest value in 2023 was $10.50 per coin. And yet, the all-time high (ATH) of XRP was $3.84 (January 2023).

Asked about 2023 price predictions for XRP, ChatGPT makes a modest estimate of $5 per coin. After tweaking the prompts, we asked ChatGPT to make predictions based on historical price data and recent judgement.

Though the classic version of ChatGPT did not make any prediction, the jailbroken version provided a modest forecast of $2.5 for XRP’s price.

Let’s look at XRP’s on-chart indicators…

XRP had a strong first quarter in 2023. The altcoin surged from $0.300 to $0.5298, rising by more than 75% on the charts.

The recent judgement has given a huge boost to its price action. At press time, XRP was trading at $0.7215.

Both its Relative Strength Index (RSI) and the Money Flow Index (MFI) comfortably rested above the neutral 50-mark. Its On Balance Volume (OBV) showed an upward movement. 

In conclusion, XRP’s indicators suggest that it can easily sustain its price rally for now.

Is your portfolio green? Check out XRP Profit Calculator

ChatGPT’s shortcomings and strong points

ChatGPT is an invaluable tool, especially on the fundamental and technical analysis front. It can help pull off historical data and XRP’s fundamental analysis within seconds. Moreover, it can bypass some of the AI model’s restrictions to get modest results, including price predictions.

However, ChatGPT is limited to 2023 data, and bypassing its restrictions doesn’t guarantee accurate output. As such, human input is key in making sense of some data from the AI model.

Conclusion

ChatGPT cautions traders of XRP’s prospects and makes modest predictions amidst the overwhelming market uncertainty around regulatory scrutiny worldwide. The AI model predicts XRP could hit $2.5-$5 by the end of 2023.

ChatGPT could revolutionize cryptocurrency price analysis and trading. Its fundamental analysis of XRP can save beginner traders the time and effort needed to understand the asset.

In the meantime, traders can learn more about ChatGPT to create and test trading strategies to improve trading performance and results. It could offer traders a leg up, especially when dealing with riskier assets like XRP, which is facing increased regulatory pressure.

At press time, XRP’s indicators were very bullish, given its partial victory at court.

How To Disable Icloud Desktop & Documents On Mac

The most recent versions of MacOS have an iCloud feature which allows the Desktop and Documents folders on a Mac to be synced to iCloud Drive. This allows a Macs desktop and documents folders to be accessed from other Macs, iOS devices, or iCloud. A fair amount of users turn this feature on when updating or installing MacOS High Sierra or Sierra, but later some Mac users may wish to disable iCloud Desktop & Documents folders.

It’s easy to turn off the iCloud Desktop & Documents feature on MacOS, but in doing so you may find that your files are no longer on your computer. That can be alarming since it may be incorrectly interpreted as data loss.

We’ll show you how to turn off iCloud Desktop & Documents on MacOS and then how to get your files back from iCloud and back onto your local Mac again.

Warning: you should have a local backup of all of your files made before proceeding, it is easy to backup with Time Machine. If you do not have a ton of bandwidth and a very high speed internet connection (and patience), do not casually turn this off and on. If you do not want to use iCloud Desktop & Documents do NOT toggle this setting on in iCloud System Preferences on a Mac and then off again. Even quickly toggling on/off will immediately attempt to upload every single item in your Desktop and Documents folder into iCloud Drive. Disabling this will require you to download every file from iCloud to your local Mac. This is very bandwidth intensive and requires a high speed reliable internet connection to use. Do not casually enable or disable this feature without understanding the ramifications of any of this. If in doubt, do not change any of your settings.

How to Turn Off iCloud Desktop & Documents on MacOS

Go to the  Apple menu in Mac OS and choose “System Preferences”

Go to “Apple ID” or the ‘iCloud’ preference panel

Uncheck the box next to ‘Desktop & Documents Folder’ to disable iCloud Documents & Desktop in Mac OS

Confirm that you want to disable iCloud Desktop & Documents by choosing “Turn Off” *

* Note the language in this dialog states the files will be kept on iCloud…. this is important.

iCloud Desktop & Documents will be now be turned off, but you’re not done yet if you want your files to be kept on your Mac.

Getting All Files from iCloud Desktop & Documents Back from iCloud to the Local Mac

If you want to download all files from iCloud back to the local Mac, here’s what you will want to do:

Open the Finder in MacOS and go to “iCloud Drive” (navigate via Finder or select “iCloud Drive” from the ‘Go’ menu)

Locate the “Documents” folder in iCloud Drive

Open another new Finder window and navigate to the local “Documents” folder

Select every file from the iCloud Drive Documents folder and manually transfer it to your Mac local Documents folder with drag & drop

Repeat the same process with “Desktop” on iCloud to get all contents from “Desktop” on iCloud to “Desktop” on the local Mac

Since this requires downloading all of the files from iCloud Drive to the local Mac, it may take a very long time, depending on the number and size of the files. For example I have a 55GB documents folder and it takes multiple days of nonstop downloading to complete that file transfer on my internet connection, this requires the computer to always be on and connected to the internet to accomplish. If you have just a handful of files in Documents or Desktop folders it would be a lot faster, however.

You can either copy or just move the files from iCloud Drive, that is up to you. Note the difference between copying to and from iCloud Drive and moving to and from iCloud. Copying a file means the same file is stored in both iCloud Drive and locally, whereas moving the file to/from iCloud means the file is only stored either remotely in iCloud or locally. This is important to differentiate so you do not misplace files or lose anything.

The iCloud Drive and iCloud Desktop & Documents features really require a constantly on, highly reliable, high speed internet connection to use. This is because every file in iCloud Drive must be downloaded to access locally, then uploaded again if it is saved or changed. If you have anything less than a great internet connection, or if you just don’t want to have your files dependent on a cloud service, you may not want to use the service as a place to store your important documents or desktop items. Just remember if you do turn this off to download your files from iCloud so that you have them locally again.

Related

Top 10 Accounts Hackers Target The Most

Online privacy experts say Facebook, Instagram and Spotify are the most commonly hacked account types in the United States. 

Hackers use leaked credentials to break into accounts or steal login details via phishing emails. 

Businesses can secure their accounts with strong passwords, multifactor authentication, password managers and VPNs. 

This article is for business owners and IT administrators who want to secure their accounts and increase overall cybersecurity. 

Few things are scarier for a business than learning an account has been hacked. A compromised account can quickly balloon into a massive problem involving data breaches or even business closures. 

Hackers have clear favorites when targeting accounts – and employ various techniques to breach them. Fortunately, businesses can take measures to boost account security and protect their vital data, including customer information. We’ll discuss the 10 most commonly targeted account types and share best practices for securing all your business accounts. 

Top 10 accounts hackers target

Like most theft, cybercrime is heavily focused on opportunity versus payoff. While hacking a bank account may be highly profitable, it is typically much better protected than other accounts. Instead, hackers will target a range of accounts that may not be immediately profitable but still have significant worth if exploited correctly. 

According to a VPN Central study, here are the most commonly attacked account types: 

Facebook accounts: Facebook accounts were the most commonly hacked account type in the United States by a wide margin. The study found that Google hacking-related searches for Facebook accounts numbered 67,940 on average per month.

Instagram accounts: The second most-hacked account was Instagram, with 36,220 searchers on average per month.

Spotify accounts: Spotify rounded out the top three, with 25,920 hacking-related searches conducted per month.

Twitch accounts: Twitch was in fourth place, with 10,800 average monthly searches.

Amazon accounts: Amazon took fifth place, with 6,170 average monthly searches.

Snapchat accounts: Snapchat landed in sixth place, with 6,100 average monthly searches.

Coinbase accounts: Coinbase followed Snapchat closely to reach seventh place, with 5,900 average monthly searches.

Twitter accounts: Twitter took eighth place, with 5,190 average monthly searches.

Gmail accounts: Gmail accounts were in ninth place, with 4,920 average monthly searches.

Microsoft accounts: Microsoft rounded out the top 10, with 4,000 average monthly searches.

Facebook’s preeminence as the most targeted account type isn’t surprising. Facebook is extremely popular in the U.S., with 239 million users in 2023. Such popularity significantly increases the gross number of accounts vulnerable to malicious compromise. Facebook’s integrations with Facebook Pay and general business Facebook uses mean hackers can find considerable value in taking over accounts. 

This rationale largely holds true across all the most targeted accounts. Instagram’s business uses are powerful, while Twitter for business and Snapchat for business are growing in popularity, making them attractive hacker targets. Additionally, if your Amazon store or Amazon Business account is compromised, hackers can use your credentials to purchase high-ticket items. And Gmail and Microsoft accounts can provide access to broader company networks, leading to additional compromises. 

Tip

To recover from a data breach, hire a forensic expert to analyze the damage, talk to a lawyer specializing in data security breaches, inform the affected parties and implement robust security measures to prevent future attacks.

Everyday actions that lead to compromised accounts

Hackers compromise accounts in myriad ways. While some tactics may be as simple as getting lucky and guessing a weak password, other actions can be more involved. 

Cybersecurity studies have pinpointed the most common causes of compromised accounts: 

Verizon’s Data Breach Investigations Report: According to Verizon’s 2023 Data Breach Investigations Report, stolen credentials were the top cause of data breaches, as attackers compromise accounts using leaked login information. Login information is often compromised when account holders use the same email and password combinations across numerous accounts. Once login details for one account are leaked, hackers can often use this information in their other accounts. 

IBM’s Cost of a Data Breach Report: IBM’s 2023 Cost of a Data Breach Report also found compromised or stolen credentials to be the primary initial vector through which hackers can breach accounts, cited in 19 percent of all cases. Phishing (16 percent) and cloud misconfiguration (15 percent) were the second and third most common initial attack vectors. While an average user can’t do much to secure their accounts against a business’s cloud misconfiguration, everyone should learn to recognize and avoid phishing emails designed to steal credentials.   

Other typical sources of account compromise include the following: 

Weak passwords: Using common or weak passwords, such as “password” or “123456,” can compromise accounts. These passwords are easily guessable by humans, and hacking software can break into accounts using these passwords in a matter of seconds.

Unsecured Wi-Fi networks: Logging in to accounts on unsecured or public Wi-Fi networks is also dangerous. Hackers can set up malicious, lookalike public Wi-Fi networks that record user data, including login credentials.

Malware: Specific types of malware can record a user’s activity and send it to a hacker, including any typed passwords or websites visited.

Unsafe password storage: Storing passwords in an unencrypted file or cloud storage account can be dangerous. If a hacker can access this file, they will have complete knowledge of every account login. 

Did You Know?

Signs your computer is infected by malware include poor performance, unexpected pop-up windows, strange sounds, and unexplained file and folder changes.

How compromised accounts can impact a small business

Account compromise can cause more than an inconvenience for a small business. While some accounts are quickly recovered, the compromise can last for a significant amount of time on other occasions – often without the account owner’s awareness. 

Depending on the compromise’s length and severity, a business could face a range of consequences, including the following: 

Compromised accounts reduce productivity. One compromised account can lead to business productivity losses, depending on the account’s importance and how long it takes to recover control of the account.

Compromised accounts may be lost entirely. Hackers may compromise a trusted business account, particularly on platforms like Facebook and Instagram, to distribute spam or malware. In such cases, the platform may permanently suspend the account. This can be particularly painful for businesses that have invested significant time to earn followers or rely on high social media engagement levels.

Compromised accounts can cause lost sales. Compromised accounts related to sales or payments can cause financial distress. The business may struggle to reclaim the account or find new workaround methods to conduct operations. Business or system downtime could also cause customers to go to a competitor.

Compromised accounts can damage a business’s reputation. A significant or highly public account compromise can cause long-lasting reputational damage. For instance, losing a high-profile Twitter or Facebook account to hackers could make a brand seem untrustworthy.

Compromised accounts can lead to more account compromises. Sophisticated hackers who compromised one business account may use that as a stepping stone to compromise additional accounts in a business.

Compromised accounts leave the network vulnerable. If a hacker manages to compromise an internal account, such as a Microsoft account, they could use this intrusion to try to compromise a business’s entire network.

Compromised accounts can lead to lost money. Hackers could use compromised accounts to access financial accounts or payment systems. This could lead to significant financial losses, along with the costs associated with system repair and potential downtime.

Compromised accounts can cause prolonged business disruption. Hackers may also deploy ransomware on a target’s network, encrypting all business data and causing significant downtime, losses and system recovery costs. According to Statista, ransomware attacks led to an average of 20 days of system downtime in the fourth quarter of 2023. 

Compromised accounts can lead to sensitive information theft. In severe cases, hackers could use a compromised account to conduct a data breach. Hackers may steal sensitive intellectual property, customer information or other valuable data. For businesses with fewer than 500 employees, a joint study by IBM and the Ponemon Institute found the average cost of a data breach was $2.98 million.

Compromised accounts can create regulatory or legal consequences. Depending on the type of information breached, businesses may have to pay regulatory fines. For instance, the breach of any personal information belonging to EU citizens could lead to fines through the GDPR. Likewise, a breach of payment card data could lead to fines due to noncompliance with PCI. 

Compromised accounts can cause business closure. In a worst-case scenario, account compromise could lead to business closure due to significant reputational damage and loss of sales, financial theft, or high costs due to regulatory and legal fines, ransoms, or data recovery costs.

Did You Know?

Account compromises and data breaches can happen to businesses of any size, not just big players. According to the Verizon data breach report, at least 14 percent of recorded data breaches affected SMBs. That number is likely even higher because 81 percent of data breaches affected companies of unknown size.

How to protect your accounts from hackers

While account compromise can lead to significant business disruptions, a small business can take numerous concrete steps to increase its overall security. Consider the following best practices: 

Use strong passwords. Mandate the use of unique, strong passwords throughout your organization.

Store passwords with password managers. Instead of storing passwords in text files or using easy-to-remember passwords, use password managers to generate and store unique passwords for each account.

Use multifactor authentication. Use multifactor authentication (MFA) on all accounts whenever possible. MFA requires a second level of authentication to log in to an account, such as a code sent to your phone or a biometric element like a fingerprint.

Use a VPN. Have your team use a VPN (virtual private network) when using public Wi-Fi or accessing work accounts outside the office.

Stay updated. Regularly update your apps and operating system. Regular updates can help prevent attackers from using discovered vulnerabilities to hack into an account.

Train your employees in cybersecurity. Host regular cybersecurity training sessions for all employees. In particular, educate employees about how to spot and avoid phishing emails.

Change passwords regularly. Change passwords across accounts on a regular schedule. If you learn that an account that shares a password with other accounts has been compromised, immediately change passwords on all accounts.

Monitor accounts for suspicious activity. If you notice anything suspicious, immediately contact the platform, use its security features to log out of the account in all locations, and immediately change the account’s password. 

Tip

Poor access management can lead to data breaches. Create a robust access management policy by taking a zero-trust approach, auditing employee accounts and staying on top of compliance regulations.

Business security through account security

Accounts – particularly public-facing accounts like social media or email – can be a cybersecurity weak spot for businesses. These accounts are easy for hackers to spot and target. 

While most account compromise attempts don’t lead to catastrophic scenarios, sophisticated hackers can exploit account access and cause tremendous damage to a business. Fortunately, by following the outlined cybersecurity steps, businesses can go a long way toward protecting their accounts and overall business security. 

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