QR codes have been around for a while, but they became far more widespread in daily life after the COVID-19 pandemic. What started as contactless menus became boarding passes, payment systems, and authentication gateways. But this ubiquity created a... Read More
Credential-based Attacks
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How to optimize Entra MFA with Specops uReset and Secure Service Desk
At Specops Software, we work closely with many customers and assist with the challenges they face in transitioning to more secure authentication methods. This has become increasingly critical as both the complexity and frequency of cyberattacks have increased. Our... Read More
Stale admin account with ‘123456’ password gives McDonald’s a security scare
Interacting with a chatbot as part of a hiring process feels somewhat dystopian from a candidate’s perspective. In this case, there was almost an added twist when candidate data was nearly exposed thanks to weak cybersecurity controls from the... Read More
Third-party risk: Behind the Google, Chanel, & Air France-KLM breaches
2025 has been a summer of high-profile breaches. This post will focus on four notable and high-profile victims: Chanel, Google, Air France, and KLM. Although the companies and exact data sets differ, these breaches share a clear pattern: attackers... Read More
MFA failure costs Hamilton $18m in cyber insurance payout
On February 25th, 2024, a sophisticated ransomware attack struck the City of Hamilton, crippling roughly 80 percent of its network. This included business licensing, property-tax processing, and transit-planning systems. Cybercriminals proceeded to demand an $18.5 million ransom that the... Read More
How one weak password destroyed KNP: A sad lesson in the cost of password neglect
Businesses fail all the time, for all sorts of reasons. Especially startups and fledgling ventures. So when a business like Knights of Old (trading as KNP Logistics Group) survives a century and a half, through enough recessions, wars, government... Read More
“Can you reset my password?” How a simple service desk attack cost Clorox $400 million
Last week, cleaning products giant Clorox took the unusual step of suing its IT services partner Cognizant for gross negligence. Clorox are alleging that the August 2023 ransomware attack they suffered came about thanks to an incredibly simple piece... Read More
Hackers’ 5 top password cracking techniques
Cyber-attacks come in many forms and continue to evolve, but there’s one tried and trusted unauthorized entry method that’s stood the test of time – cracking a user’s password. Despite this, too many organizations still rely on outdated advice... Read More
Man-in-the-Middle (MITM) attack guide & defense tips
Imagine you’re overseeing your organization’s network security when suddenly you notice an unusual traffic pattern: packets flowing through a server that shouldn’t be there. What you’re witnessing could be a Man-in-the-Middle (MITM) attack in action, where an adversary stealthily... Read More
SIM-swap fraud: Scam prevention guide
SIM-swapping is quickly becoming a favorite form of attack for cybercriminals. According to the National Fraud Database, SIM-swap fraud jumped by over 1,000% in 2024. Hackers port a victim’s number onto a rogue SIM, so they can intercept SMS-based... Read More