Quick Intelligence Blog

One of the biggest stories in cybersecurity has been the big increase in ransomware attacks. Even though ransomware is not a new threat, it seems that attacks are happening more frequently. Barracuda researchers reported that they’ve identified and analyzed 121 ransomware incidents so far in 2021, which is a 64% increase in attacks. The ransom demands are also getting bigger, with Palo Alto Networks’ Unit 42 finding the average ransomware payment had risen to $925,162.00 during the first 5 months of 2022. That is up 71% from 2021.

Businesses tend to think about insuring against typical things like theft, floods, and fire. Has your business ever considered insuring its data against theft? How about insuring your business against cyber attacks?

If you think your business is too small to be of interest to a cybercriminal, think again.  While big companies make the headlines for their data breaches, small companies are also an ideal target for hackers.  "Small businesses can be a really sweet spot for cybercriminals. They have more money to steal than a consumer and less security in place than a large business," said Kevin Haley, director of security response at Symantec. 

There is no doubt that ransomware continues to still be considered a big threat to businesses. The UK's National Crime Agency (NCA) warns in this report that the overall threat from cybercrime has increased during the past year, with more severe and high-profile attacks against victims. Particularly concerning for the NCA is the growth of ransomware "causing harm to our citizens and communities on a significant scale."

Some small business owners are under the mistaken impression that cyber security is only for larger enterprises. They often think, “why would a hacker want to attack my little business, when there are larger enterprises with more money and data to steal?” The reality is that small businesses are attacked often, they just don’t generate headlines the way larger businesses do. Unlike those large enterprises, 60% of small businesses will permanently close 6 months after a data breach. To avoid having your business close, read about the 6 big cyber security risks putting small companies out of business, along with tips on how you can minimize that risk.

If you are looking for the weak link in the cybersecurity chain, you will find it in people. People make mistakes. Hackers are great at exploiting vulnerabilities in software, but the easiest vulnerability for them to target is people. People can be too trusting which can lead to hackers easily gaining access to systems and information.

Covid-19 has forced companies to develop work-at-home policies to keep office workers safe. While some corporate workers are heading back into the office, others are continuing with a WFH or hybrid workspace. While this helps keep workers safe from disease, it makes it more challenging to keep those workers safe from cyber-attacks? If you are worried about the cybersecurity of your remote office staff, here are three tips your remote office workers should follow to help keep their data secure.

Cyber attacks are growing every year. There are all kinds of stats out there to verify this: 78% of organizations worldwide were hacked in 2019. Additionally, 60% of small businesses close 6 months after a data breach. Yet, sadly, many organizations still fail to take cybersecurity seriously.

ZeroFox announced yesterday that Quick Intelligence will be their Canadian Partner to extend their delivery of critical threat intelligence, digital risk protection, and adversary disruption services in Canada.

The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) have announced the arrest of a 31-year-old Ottawa man in connection with a number of ransomware and cyber security attacks in Canada and the United States. Matthew Philbert was arrested on November 30 after a 23-month investigation that involved the OPP, RCMP, FBI and Interpol.