Blog
Hackers May Have Gained Instagram Users’ Info Through Mobile Bug
A group of hackers recently bragged about having obtained the personal details of some six million Instagram users, including a number of A-list celebrities that include the likes of Adele, David Beckham and Emma Watson. Worse, the hackers created a new website dubbed “Doxagram,” which they charge people ten dollars a search to look up […]
New Android App Allows Anyone To Create Ransomware
There’s a new Android app to be aware of. This one allows anyone, even without any technical skills, to create ransomware, in a matter of minutes. It’s a menu-driven system that automates every aspect of the software’s creation. Toolkits like these are not unheard of. Seasoned hackers often refer to no- or low-talent hackers as […]
Extensions In Popular Web Browsers Found To Have Vulnerabilities
Security researchers in Europe have discovered a pair of flaws that relate to modern web browsers’ extension system. Exploiting these flaws would allow a patient and determined hacker to determine with absolute accuracy of what extensions any given user is making use of. While not as critical of a flaw as some of the others […]
Microsoft May Stop Forcing Windows Updates In Upcoming Windows 10 Release
Microsoft has been under fire for forcing its legion of Windows 10 users to automatically receive security updates for the OS. The level of outcry against it has been loud and constant, and finally, it looks like the company is listening to its customers. They promised that starting with the Windows 10 Creators Update, your […]
Equifax Gets Breached – Almost 150 Million People Could Be Affected
You’re probably familiar with Equifax. As one of the three major US credit bureaus, the company exerts an outsized influence on millions of lives, because their record of your credit score plays a big role in determining if or whether you can get loans, and what your terms will be. Unfortunately, Equifax was hacked, and […]
Caution: New Virus Found In Facebook Messenger
There’s a particularly nasty new malware campaign being orchestrated via Facebook, and all users are advised to steer clear of clicking on links in Facebook’s messenger service, even if you know the recipient. There are a few reasons this attack is worth paying special attention to: First, as yet, no one has been able to […]
App On Android, iOS Uploads Your Contacts Without Permission
If you spend any time at all on social media, you may have heard a lot of recent buzz about an app for both Android and iOS devices called “Sarahah,” which was developed by a Saudi developer. In Arabic, the word means “honesty,” and the app’s stated purpose is to give users a platform to […]
Hackers Changing Point Of Sale Systems’ Prices In Latest Attack
Point of Sale (POS) systems are notoriously easy to hack. Hardly a month goes by that we don’t hear of some vendor or another having had their POS system breached, exposing customer credit card and other personal data. It’s always the same story. X numbers of users are impacted, notified and told to watch their […]
Ransomware On Android Devices More Than Doubles This Year
You may have heard the statistic from Google that less than 0.05 percent of Android devices downloaded malware in 2016. It’s a great statistic, and one that the company should be proud of. Here’s a statistic they’re not talking about nearly as much: this year, the number of successful ransomware attacks against Android devices has […]
Privacy Concern: Did That New Android App Take Photos, Recordings?
Google is struggling to keep malware out of the Play Store these days. Recently, literally thousands of malicious apps were discovered, and Google has been busy banning them. This represents a significant reversal of fortunes for the tech giant, which in recent years has been able to brag about its success, relative to other companies, […]
A Visionary Approach to Your Security
The purpose of an IT partner isn’t just to fix something when it is broken, it is to keep your people working and your data secure. Astral moves beyond traditional managed services by addressing all the key areas of cybersecurity in today’s complex landscape.
