Critical to cracking this sophisticated scheme, which is alleged to have victimized more than 50 area businesses, was the fact that companies came forward to report the crimes. Because of that reporting, members of the U.S. Secret Service Electronic Crimes Task Force were able to connect the dots on what looked like unrelated incidents. As part of the public education around protecting business and personal networks , the U.S. Attorney and law enforcement provided tips to protect against being a victim:
- Businesses should review their wireless encryption and confirm that they are using the appropriate level of encryption (WPA2 Personal or WPA Enterprise).
- Businesses should keep a record of all laptop computers and ensure that any computers with remote access are encrypted. Any missing laptop computers should have passwords and credentials replaced immediately.
- Businesses should be aware of hacking that can occur from physical access to the server room as well as from external hacking.
- Employees should never click past security certificate warning screens and should notify their IT staff immediately.
- Managers should be aware of “watercooler” talk among employees that may indicate a breach has occurred. This includes numerous employees complaining of fraud on personal accounts.
- Businesses should ensure that they have a security response plan prepared in the event that some kind of incident does occur.
- If you notice suspicious activity, contact your local law enforcement. You can make a referral to the U.S. Secret Service Electronic Crimes Task Force or other law enforcement agencies through the Justice Department’s portal: www.cybercrime.gov/reporting.htm.
via U.S. Attorney Durkan: Protecting Yourself and Your Business against Cybercrime « USDOJ: Justice Blog.
