ScioTek Corporation Blog

We are living in an era dominated by digital connectivity. The importance of staying vigilant and cybersecurity education cannot be over-stated. As technology advances, so do the threats that lurk in the online world.

Often, it’s our own actions that leave us most at risk of a cyberattack or online scam. Risky behaviors include weak passwords and lax security policies, as well as too quickly clicking on a link before thinking. Having a “This won’t happen to me.” thought process isn't going to help. This is why human error is the cause of approximately 88% of data breaches.

The National Cybersecurity Alliance and CybSafe are working to correct poor cyber hygiene. Each year, the duo publishes a report on cybersecurity attitudes and behaviors. The goal is to educate both people and businesses. To educate them on how to better secure their digital landscapes.

This year’s study surveyed over 6,000 people across the U.S., Canada, the U.K., Germany, France, and New Zealand. The survey asked about several things. These include knowledge of cybersecurity risks, security best practices, and challenges faced.

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QR codes are everywhere these days. You can find them on restaurant menus, flyers, and posters. They’re used both offline and online. QR codes are convenient and easy to use. You just scan them with your smartphone camera. You’re then directed to a link, a coupon, a video, or some other online content.

With the rise in popularity of QR codes comes an unfortunate dark side. Cybercriminals are exploiting this technology for nefarious purposes. Scammers create fake QR codes. They can steal your personal information. They can also infect your device with malware or trick you into paying money.

It's vital to exercise caution when scanning QR codes, and as always "think before you click". This emerging scam highlights the potential dangers lurking behind those seemingly innocent squares.

Your identity has quite a lot of value, especially in the wrong hands. Security firm ZoneAlarm put together some numbers in 2011 concerning identity fraud, and it even shocked us. Let's talk about a few of these statistics and what it means.

Email is (and has been) a prime method of communication for businesses of all sizes. With email comes a whole slew of issues that are essentially synonymous with the technology; spam, information overload, phishing, and information privacy. Even Colorado small businesses that only do business locally are at risk of these issues. Personal email accounts are equally at risk. Employing proper precautions and practices whenever communicating via email is very important to prevent the risk of security compromises, monetary loss, and even legality issues.