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Deep fakes are images or videos that have been manipulated using artificial intelligence to depict individuals saying or doing things they never actually said or did. As we approach the election cycle, the potential for deep fakes to disrupt the political process is a threat that could undermine the foundations of our democracy. Well - what was a potential threat is now a reality.

Concerns grow over deepfakes being used to sway voters in presidential election A deepfake purportedly showing a candidate doing or saying something they never did or said could have catastrophic consequences. Public Citizen activist Rob...

Stay cyber aware and protect your business against a Ransomware Attack. Ransomware and other malware often look for vulnerabilities in common software, so update all of your devices regularly to get the latest security patches. Backing up your devices protects your data even in a worst-case scenario.

Ransomware: What Is It, and How Can We Prevent It? Understanding ransomware is the first step in preventing it.

AI startup OpenAI recently announced that its chatbot, ChatGPT, now boasts over 200 million weekly active users, doubling its user base since last fall. The rapid growth highlights the increasing popularity and widespread adoption of AI-powered tools.

ChatGPT hits 200 million active weekly users, but how many will admit using it? Despite corporate prohibitions on AI use, people flock to the chatbot in record numbers.

From all of us at ITeck Solutions, have a happy and safe Labor Day Weekend!

"There is more to life than making a living. Do not work more than you live."

~Mokokoma Mokhonoana

Come visit our revamped website today!!! Beautiful updated design with some unique new features and offerings. Stop by and check us out ://itecksolutions.com/

ITeck Solutions will continue to provide the highest quality of service and support you expect from a managed service provider.
We will take your business IT to the next level.

https://itecksolutions.com/

Home - ITeck Solutions Get the benefits of an in-house IT department at a fraction of the cost. Get Started Get the benefits of an in-house IT department at a fraction of the cost. Get Started Get the benefits of an in-house IT department at a fraction of the cost. Get Started What We Do  Cloud Services In today’s bu...

Stay cyber aware and expect instances of remote video fraud to increase with easily available real-time deepfake software. Be sure to watch the video included in the article from arstechnica. Fascinating but frightening at the same time.

New AI tool enables real-time face swapping on webcams, raising fraud concerns Using one photo and free software, someone can impersonate your appearance in a video chat.

***Big Announcement***
ITeck Solutions is very excited for the launch of our new website today!!! Beautiful updated design with some unique new features and offerings. Stop by and check us out ://itecksolutions.com/

ITeck Solutions will continue to provide the highest quality of service and support you expect from a managed service provider. We will take your business IT to the next level.

https://itecksolutions.com/

Having a fully functional and well-managed IT infrastructure is not just an option but a must-have for businesses, especially small and midsize businesses (SMBs). Interesting article, written by Kimberly Zhang, outlining 10 important considerations business owners should take into account when choosing a MSP for their IT needs.

Key Considerations When Selecting a Managed IT Service Provider The foundation of any business today is technology, the fabric that holds it all together. Technology energizes more efficient processes, better customer experiences, and success in everything you do. Today, having a fully functional and well-managed IT infrastructure is not just an option but a mus...

How concerned are you about cyberattacks in the 2024 election? Are the agencies of the U.S. government preparing the public for expected election cyber interference? The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency issued a joint announcement, alerting Americans to the threat of cyberattacks targeting U.S. election infrastructure.

Learn more and stay cyber aware:






https://www.cisa.gov/topics/election-security/protect2024

Hackers delivered malware to Windows and Mac users by compromising their Internet service provider and then tampering with software updates delivered over unsecure connections, researchers recently stated.

Mac and Windows users infected by software updates delivered over hacked ISP DNS poisoning attack worked even when targets used DNS from Google and Cloudflare.

Hackers have found a way to present malicious ads as if they were from official sources, and even advertisers’ identities are verified by Google. Stay updated on all of the latest scams and keep cyber safe!

https://cybersecuritynews.com/google-authenticator-malware-scam/

Numerous Fortune 500 companies use CrowdStrike’s cybersecurity software to detect and block hacking threats. But when CrowdStrike issued an update last week to its signature cybersecurity software, known as Falcon, millions of computers around the world running Microsoft Windows crashed because of the way that the update interacted with Windows.

CrowdStrike blames bug for letting bad data slip through, leading to global tech outage CrowdStrike has blamed a bug in an update that allowed its cybersecurity systems to push bad data out to millions of customer computers.

Hackers have been setting up phony websites meant to appeal to people seeking information on, or solutions to, the worldwide IT meltdown but in reality are designed to harvest visitors’ information or to breach their devices, the security experts said.

How the CrowdStrike outage carved out new opportunities for hackers Former U.S. officials and security practitioners are wondering how a defective CrowdStrike patch for Windows systems fell through the cracks and created more cascading security risks.

This critical security flaw is caused by an unverified password change weakness in Smart Software Manager On-Prem's authentication system. Successful exploitation enables unauthenticated, remote attackers to set new user passwords without knowing the original credentials.

Vulnerability in Cisco Smart Software Manager lets attackers change any user password Yep, passwords for administrators can be changed, too.

Deepfakes and cheap fakes can be extremely dangerous when they are designed to manipulate your opinion. How well can you spot the differences between what is real and what is fake?

Take a quick look at this informative article written by world-renowned AI expert, Dr. Lance Eliot, explaining the differences:

Explaining Deepfakes Versus Cheap Fakes And The Role Of Generative AI Cheap fakes are in the news and on our minds, so let's take a look at how generative AI might help out. Be in the know and discover what the hubbub is all about.

As heads of NATO member states gather in Washington for the organization’s annual summit, experts have a reminder: cyber threats to the alliance are ever-larger and evolving. Insightful read from our friends at Cybernews.com.





https://cybernews.com/news/nato-summit-cyber-threats-russia-china/

NATO summit highlights constant cyber threat facing alliance | Cybernews As heads of NATO states gather in Washington for the organization’s annual summit, experts have a reminder: cyber threats to the alliance are ever-larger and evolving.

From all of us at ITeck Solutions, we wish you and your loved ones a very safe and happy 4th of July weekend. 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

Some critics claim Microsoft's recent history of questionable practices has eroded user trust, making people skeptical of Recall's intentions. Additionally, the reported lack of encryption for Recall's data raises concerns about third-party access.

Windows Recall demands an extraordinary level of trust that Microsoft hasn’t earned Op-ed: The risks to Recall are way too high for security to be secondary.

The Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) 2.0 program is the next iteration of the CMMC cybersecurity model. It streamlines requirements to three levels of cybersecurity and aligns the requirements at each level with well-known and widely accepted NIST cybersecurity standards.

What is Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC)? Over 300,000 members of the Defense Industrial Base (DIB) must comply with U.S. Department of Defense’s CMMC 2.0 guidelines as cybersecurity is now one of th...

With the proliferation of external products such as cloud storage, software as a service, and AI-driven security platforms, managing the risk inherent in using third-party providers has never been more important.

Council Post: Third-Party Risk Management Is Fundamentally Broken: Let’s Fix It! We’ll always be balancing risk control versus risk acceptance in third-party risk management, but we can do a lot better.

The primary goals of CMMC 2.0 are to reduce complexity, lower costs, and provide greater flexibility while maintaining robust security standards. By addressing the concerns raised by industry stakeholders, the DoD aims to create a more accessible and effective cybersecurity framework.

.0




https://dodcio.defense.gov/CMMC/FAQ/

Despite years worth of efforts to eliminate the scourge of ransomware targeting schools, hospitals, and critical infrastructure worldwide, experts are warning that the crisis is only heating up, with criminal gangs growing ever more aggressive in their tactics.

Security News This Week: Ransomware Attacks Are Getting Worse Plus: US lawmakers have nothing to say about an Israeli influence campaign aimed at US voters, a former LA Dodgers owner wants to fix the internet, and more.

The Department of Defense’s Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) is making security a more tangible business concern for many manufacturers. A very insight look from Zac Amos into the upcoming regulations that will undoubtedly impact the manufacturing sector in a few ways.

How CMMC Requirements Impact Manufacturers The Department of Defense’s Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) is making security a more tangible business concern for many manufacturers.

NewsBreak is one of the most downloaded news apps in the US. However, according to a Reuters report, the company is spreading misinformation through artificial intelligence (AI)-generated content. The report also highlights that NewsBreak has roots in China, with its technology being maintained in Beijing and receiving funding from a Chinese company that allegedly works for the country’s military.





NewsBreak: Most downloaded US news app has Chinese roots and 'writes fiction' using AI Last Christmas Eve, NewsBreak, a free app with roots in China that is the most downloaded news app in the United States, published an alarming piece about a small town shooting. It was headlined "Christmas Day Tragedy Strikes Bridgeton, New Jersey Amid Rising Gun Violence in Small Towns."

Computers cannot replicate organic human life, but there have been attempts to develop the best possible alternative, which centers on an AI-powered digital twin currently under development.

Zoom CEO envisions AI deepfakes attending meetings in your place Eric Yuan told The Verge that "digital twins" are the future of work.

In a filing to the US Securities and Exchange Commission, Live Nation said that on 27 May "a criminal threat actor offered what it alleged to be Company user data for sale via the dark web", and that it was investigating.

Ticketmaster hack may affect more than 500 million customers A group of hackers claimed this week to have stolen 1.3 terabytes of Ticketmaster user data, including names, addresses and credit card information.

The U.S. Department of the Treasury unveiled sanctions against three Chinese nationals for allegedly operating a malicious online anonymity service called 911 S5. The illegitimate residential proxy service lured victims by offering free VPN services to install malware designed to add their IP addresses to the botnet.

US sanctions operators of “free VPN” that routed crime traffic through user PCs 911 S5 residential proxy service was composed of 19 million IP addresses.

Microsoft is in the process of finalizing the next major version of Windows, which is expected to ship later this year as the Windows 11 2024 Update, also known as "version 24H2." Version 24H2 is expected to be a much larger OS update based on a new version of the Windows platform that brings performance and security improvements along with notable new features and quality-of-life updates.

Windows 11 2024 Update (version 24H2): New features, AI PCs, Windows on Arm, and everything we know so far Coming this fall, the Windows 11 2024 Update is all about AI features, new Arm PCs, and quality of life improvements.

From all of us at ITeck Solutions, we would like to wish you and your loved ones a very safe and happy Memorial Day weekend. Remember and Honor the men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice for this great country.

Ransomware is a specific kind of malicious software designed to block access to a computer system until a ransom is paid. Typically, victims are greeted with a message on their screen denying access to their data and files, which are effectively held hostage.

Protect yourself and your business by staying informed. Stay cyber safe!

Ransomware: What it is, and how you can avoid losing all your data in an attack Ransomeware has become increasingly popular over the past decade, with over $1 billion in payments in 2023 alone.