How you can protect yourself
Email and Web site scam
Criminals have capitalized on the broad power and wide availability of the Internet and electronic mail (e-mail) to defraud unsuspecting people. It is critical that each of us maintain constant vigilance over the way we use the Internet and all forms of electronic communication. Phishing (pronounced "fishing") as in fishing for confidential information - is a scam that encompasses fraudulently obtaining information by sending an e-mail that appears to originate from a trusted source, such as a financial institution, government agency or other entity.
This is how it works:
- A consumer receives an e-mail, which appears to originate from a financial institution, government agency, or other well-known/reputable entity.
- The message describes an urgent reason you must "verify" or "re-submit" personal or confidential information by clicking on a link embedded in the message.
- The provided link appears to be the Web site of the financial institution, government agency or other well-known/reputable entity, but in "phishing" scams, the Web site belongs to the fraudster/scammer.
- Once inside the fraudulent Web site, the consumer may be asked to provide Social Security numbers, account numbers, passwords or other information used to identify the consumer, such as the maiden name of the consumer's mother or the consumer's place of birth.
- When the consumer provides the information, those perpetrating the fraud can begin to access consumer accounts or assume the person's identity.
Below are current links with information regarding phishing:
http://www.youtube.com/user/FTCvideos
Vishing is a socially engineered technique for stealing information or money from consumers using the telephone network. The term comes from combining "voice" with "phishing," which are online scams that get people to give up personal information. It is one of the latest breakthroughs in telecommunications-Voice Over Internet Protocol, or VoIP, which enables telephone calls over the web. Pharming refers to the redirection of an individual to an illegitimate Web site through technical means. For example, an Internet banking customer, who routinely logs in to his online banking Web site, may be redirected to an illegitimate Web instead of accessing his or her bank's Web site.
Web Site Spoofing
Spoofing is another trick used by criminals. Criminals steal a Web site's code the technical programming that makes the Web site work and use it to create a fake Web site that "spoofs" or appears to be the legitimate site.
The difficulty for unsuspecting consumers is that these sites look legitimate.
To help protect yourself, be aware of how you're accessing the site.
- Don't follow a link in an unsolicited e-mail if you have any doubts about the sender (see "phishing", above)
- Type all Web site addresses carefully, or use Favorites or Bookmarks to store frequently accessed sites especially financial-related sites. Misspelling, even by one letter, the address of the Web site you are trying to access may send you to an incorrect, possibly fraudulent, Web site.
OnGuardOnLine.gov provides practical tips from the federal government and the technology industry to help you be on guard against Internet fraud, secure your computer, and protect your personal information.
For additional information about safe online banking and avoiding online scams, visit http://www.fdic.gov/consumers/consumer/guard/
Lottery/Sweepstakes Letter scams
If you receive a letter, accompanied by a check from Woori America Bank, that claims you have won a lottery, a sweepstakes, have been chosen to be a paid "secret shopper" or a similar variation of a popular contest, be advised that these are scam letters and fraudulent checks since Woori America Bank will not send those winning messages via letter or email.
If you contact the sender as requested, you will be instructed to negotiate the check and forward the sender money through a wire transfer or money order. Please do not negotiate these checks, as they are not authentic Woori America Bank checks.
If you receive one of these letters and/or checks, you should report it to your local U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
Cyber Guidance for Small Business
Why cybersecurity matters?
Cyberattacks cost the U.S. economy billions of dollars a year, and pose a threat for individuals and organizations. Small businesses are especially attractive targets because they have information that cybercriminals (bad actors, foreign governments, etc.) want, and they typically lack the security infrastructure of larger businesses to adequately protect their digital systems for storing, accessing, and disseminating data and information.
Surveys have shown that a majority of small business owners feel their businesses are vulnerable to a cyberattack. Yet many small businesses cannot afford professional IT solutions, have limited time to devote to cybersecurity, and don’t know where to begin.
Start by learning about common cybersecurity best practices, understanding common threats, and dedicating resources to address and improve your cybersecurity.
Best practices for preventing cyberattacks
Train your employees
Employees and their work-related communications are a leading cause of data breaches for small businesses because they are direct pathways into your systems. Training employees on basic internet usage best practices can go a long way in preventing cyberattacks.
Other training topics to cover include:
- Spotting phishing emails
- Using good internet browsing practices
- Avoiding suspicious downloads
- Enabling authentication tools (e.g., strong passwords, Multi-Factor Authentication, etc.)
- Protecting sensitive vendor and customer information
Secure your networks
Safeguard your internet connection by encrypting information and using a firewall. If you have a Wi-Fi network, make sure it is secure and hidden. To hide your Wi-Fi network, set up your wireless access point or router so it does not broadcast the network name, known as the Service Set Identifier (SSID). Password-protect access to the router. If you have employees working remotely, use a Virtual Private Network (VPN) to allow them to connect to your network securely from out of the office.
Use antivirus software and keep all software updated
Make sure all of your business’s computers are equipped with antivirus software and are updated regularly. Such software can be found online from a variety of different vendors. All software vendors regularly provide patches and updates to their products to correct security problems and improve functionality. It is recommended to configure all software to install updates automatically. In addition to updating antivirus software, it is key to update software associated with operating systems, web browsers, and other applications, as this will help secure your entire infrastructure.
Enable Multi-Factor Authentication
Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) is a mechanism to verify an individual’s identity by requiring them to provide more than just a typical username and password. MFA commonly requires users to provide two or more of the following: something the user knows (password, phrase, PIN), something the user has (physical token, phone), and/or something that physically represents the user (fingerprint, facial recognition). Check with your vendors to see if they offer MFA for your various types of accounts (e.g., financial, accounting, payroll).
Monitor and manage Cloud Service Provider (CSP) accounts
Consider using a CSP to host your organization’s information, applications, and collaboration services, especially if you’re utilizing a hybrid work structure. Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) providers for email and workplace productivity can help secure data being processed.
Secure, protect, and back up sensitive data
- Secure payment processing - Work with your banks or card processors to ensure you are using the most trusted and validated tools and anti-fraud services. You may also have additional security obligations related to agreements with your bank or payment processor. Isolate payment systems from less secure programs and do not use the same computer to process payments and casually browse the internet.
- Control physical access - Prevent access or the use of business computers by unauthorized individuals. Laptops and mobile devices can be particularly easy targets for theft and can be lost, so lock them up when unattended. Make sure a separate user account is created for each employee and require strong passwords. Administrative privileges should only be given to trusted IT staff and key personnel. Conduct access audits on a regular basis to ensure that former employees have been removed from your systems and have returned all company issued devices.
- Back up your data - Regularly back up data on all of your computers. Forms of critical data include word processing documents, electronic spreadsheets, databases, financial files, human resources files, and accounting files. If possible, institute data backups to cloud storage on a weekly basis.
- Control data access - Frequently audit the data and information you are housing in cloud storage repositories such as Dropbox, Google Drive, Box, and Microsoft Services. Appoint administrators for cloud storage drive and collaboration tools and instruct them to monitor user permissions, giving employees access to only the information they need.
Common threats
As important as it is to include best practices in your cybersecurity strategy, preventative measures can only go so far. Cyberattacks are constantly evolving, and business owners should be aware of the most common types. To learn more about a specific threat, click on the link provided to view a short video or fact sheet.
Malware
Malware (malicious software) is an umbrella term that refers to software intentionally designed to cause damage to a computer, server, or computer network. Malware can include viruses and ransomware.
Viruses
Viruses are harmful programs intended to spread from computers to other connected devices like a disease. Cyber criminals use viruses to gain access to your systems and to cause significant and sometimes unrepairable issues.
Ransomware
Ransomware is a specific type of malware that infects and restricts access to a computer until some sort of ransom is provided. Ransomware will commonly encrypt data on the victim's device and demand money in return for a promise to restore the data. Ransomware exploits unpatched vulnerabilities in software and is usually delivered through phishing emails.
Spyware
Spyware is a form of malware that is designed to gather information from a target, and then send it to another entity without consent. There are types of spyware that are legitimate, legal, and operate for commercial purposes such as advertising data collected by social media platforms, however malicious spyware is used frequently to steal information and send it to other parties.
Phishing
Phishing is a type of cyberattack that uses email or a malicious website to infect your computer or system with malware or to collect sensitive information. Phishing emails appear as though they’ve been sent from a legitimate organization or known individual. These emails often entice users to click on a link or open an attachment containing malicious code. Be very cautious about opening links from unknown sources. If something seems suspicious from a known source, don’t just click on it - ask the source directly if it's legitimate.
Additional Resources
In addition to those highlighted above, here are some additional resources available, at no cost, to help improve your cybersecurity.
Cyber Guidance for Small Businesses
https://www.cisa.gov/cyber-guidance-small-businesses
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) is an operational component of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). CISA works to understand, manage, and mitigate risk to the nation's cyber and physical infrastructure in the public and private sector.
Stopransomware.gov
As part of the whole-of-government approach to combating ransomware, CISA created StopRansomware.gov, a one-stop-shop of free resources for organizations of any size to protect themselves from becoming a victim of ransomware.
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