Since 2017, malware attacks on schools have been increasing. While cybercriminals have conducted attacks using a variety of different malware, one of the biggest problems is ransomware. Ransomware is malicious code that encrypts files, systems and even master file tables, preventing victims from accessing their data. The attack is accompanied by a ransom demand. Victims are required to pay a ransom based on the number of devices infected. The ransom payments can range from a couple of hundred dollars to more than a thousand dollars per device. Ransom demands of millions of dollars are now common, as is data theft prior to file encryption. This double extortion tactic requires payment to decrypt files and to prevent the sale or exposure of stolen data.
Data can be recovered from a backup, but only if a viable backup of data exists. All too often, backup files are also encrypted, making recovery impossible unless the ransom is paid and recovering files from backups will not prevent misuse of stolen data.
Ransomware attacks can be random, with the malicious code installed via large-scale spam email campaigns involving millions of messages. In other cases, schools are targeted. Cybercriminals are well aware that cybersecurity defenses in schools are often poor and ransoms are more likely to be paid because schools cannot function without access to their data.
Other forms of malware are used to record sensitive information such as login credentials. These are then relayed back to the attackers and are used to gain access to school networks. The attackers search for sensitive personal information such as tax details, Social Security numbers and other information that can be used for identity theft. With ransomware, attacks are discovered immediately as ransom notes are placed on computers and files cannot be accessed. Keyloggers and other forms of information stealing malware often take many months to detect.
Recent malware attacks on schools have resulted in entire networks being sabotaged. The NotPetya attacks involved a form of malware that encrypts the master file table, preventing the computer from locating stored data. In this case, the aim of the attacks was to sabotage critical infrastructure. There was no way of recovering the encrypted MFT apart from with a full system restore.
The implications of malware attacks on schools can be considerable. Malware attacks on schools result in considerable financial losses, data can be lost or stolen, hardware can be rendered useless and educational institutions can face prosecution or law suits as a result of attacks. In some cases, schools have been forced to turn students away while they resolve infections and bring their systems back online.
Major Malware Attacks on Schools in 2017
Listed below are some of the major malware attacks on schools that have been reported in 2017. This is just a very small selection of the large number of malware attacks on schools in the past 6 months.
Minnesota School District Closed for a Day Due to Malware Attack
Malware attacks on schools can have major consequences for students. In March, the Cloquet School District in Minnesota experienced a ransomware attack that resulted in significant amounts of data being encrypted, preventing files from being accessed. The attackers issued a ransom demand of $6,000 for the keys to unlock the encryption. The school district is technology-focused, so without access to its systems, lessons were severely disrupted. The school even had to close for the day while IT support staff restored data. In this case, sensitive data were not compromised, although the disruption caused was severe. The ransomware is understood to have been installed as a result of a member of staff opening a phishing email that installed the ransomware on the network.
Swedesboro-Woolwich School District Suffers Cryptoransomware Attack
The Swedesboro-Woolwich School District in New Jersey comprises four elementary schools and has approximately 2,000 students. It too suffered a crypto-ransomware attack that took its computer systems out of action. The attack occurred on March 22, resulting in documents and spreadsheets being encrypted, although student data were apparently unaffected.
The attack took a significant part of the network out of action, including the District’s internal and external communications systems and even its point-of-sale system used by students to pay for their lunches. The school was forced to resort to pen and paper while the infection was removed. Its network administrator said, “It’s like 1981 again!”
Los Angeles Community College District Pays $28,000 Ransom
Ransomware was installed on the computer network of the Los Angeles County College District, not only taking workstations out of action but also email and its voicemail system. Hundreds of thousands of files were encrypted, with the incident affecting most of the 1,800 staff and 20,000 students. A ransom demand of $28,000 was issued by the attackers. The school had no option but to pay the ransom to unlock the encryption.
Calallen Independent School District Reports Ransomware Attack
The Calallen Independent School District in northwestern Corpus Christi, TX, is one of the latest victims of a ransomware attack. In June, the attack started with a workstation before spreading to other systems. In this case, no student data were compromised or stolen and the IT department was able to act quickly and shut down affected parts of the network, halting its spread. However, the attack still caused considerable disruption while servers and systems were rebuilt. The school district also had to pay for improvements to its security system to prevent similar attacks from occurring.
Preventing Malware and Ransomware Attacks on Schools
Malware attacks on schools can occur via a number of different vectors. The NotPetya attacks took advantage of software vulnerabilities that had not been addressed. In this case, the attackers were able to exploit the vulnerabilities remotely with no user interaction required. A patch to correct the vulnerabilities had been issued by Microsoft two months before the attacks occurred. Prompt patching would have prevented the attacks.
Software vulnerabilities are also exploited via exploit kits – hacking kits loaded on malicious websites that probe for vulnerabilities in browsers and plugins and leverage those vulnerabilities to silently download ransomware and malware. Ensuring browsers and plugins are 100% up to date can prevent these attacks. However, it is not possible to ensure all computers are 100% up to date, 100% of the time. Further, there is usually a delay between an exploit being developed and a patch being released. These web-based malware attacks on schools can be prevented by using a web filtering solution. A web filter can block attempts by end users to access malicious websites that contain exploit kits, malware and ransomware as well as phishing websites where credentials are harvested that give the attackers the foothold in the network they need.
By far the most common method of malware delivery is spam email. Malware – or malware downloaders – are sent as malicious attachments in spam emails. Opening the attachments results in infection. Links to websites that download malware are also sent via spam email. Users can be prevented from visiting those malicious sites if a web filter is employed, while an advanced spam filtering solution can block malware attacks on schools by ensuring malicious emails are not delivered to end users’ inboxes.
TitanHQ Can Help Schools, Colleges and Universities Improve Defenses Against Malware
TitanHQ offers two cybersecurity solutions that can prevent malware attacks on schools. WebTitan is a 100% cloud-based web filter that prevents end users from visiting malicious websites, including phishing sites and those that download malware and ransomware.
WebTitan requires no hardware, involves no software downloads and is quick and easy to install, requiring no technical skill. WebTitan can also be used to block access to inappropriate website content such as pornography, helping schools comply with CIPA.
SpamTitan is an advanced spam filtering solution for schools that blocks more than 99.9% of spam email and prevents malicious messages from being delivered to end users. Used in conjunction with WebTitan, schools will be well protected from malware and ransomware attacks.
To find out more about WebTitan and SpamTitan and for details of pricing, contact the TitanHQ team today. Both solutions are also available on a 14-day no-obligation free trial, allowing you to test both products to find out just how effective they are at blocking cyberthreats.
Providing free WiFi in shops helps to attract more foot traffic and improves the shopping experience, although retailers are now realizing the benefits of providing secure WiFi access for shops. Over the past two years, there has been considerable media coverage of the dangers of public WiFi hotspots. Consumer websites are reporting horrifying cases of identity theft and fraud with increasing regularity.
With public awareness of the risks of connecting to public WiFi networks now much greater than ever before, secure filtered WiFi access for shops has never been more important. Consumers now expect free WiFi access in shops, but they also want to ensure that connecting to those WiFi networks will not result in a malware infection or their personal information being obtained by hackers.
Fortunately, there are solutions that can easily be adopted by retailers that mitigate the risks and ensure consumers can connect to WiFi networks safely, but before we cover those options, let’s look a little more closely at the risks associated with unsecured WiFi networks.
The Risks of Unsecured WiFi Networks
If retailers provide free WiFi access in store it helps to attract more foot traffic, individuals are encouraged to stay in stores for longer, they have access to information and reviews about products and studies have shown that customers spend more when free WiFi is provided. A survey by iGT, conducted in 2014, showed that more than 6 out of ten customers spend longer in shops that provide WiFi access and approximately 50% of customers spend more money.
Connecting to a public WiFi network is different from connecting to a home network. For a start, considerably more people connect, including individuals who are intent on stealing information for identity theft and fraud. Man-in-the-middle attacks are common. Man-in-the-middle attacks involve a hacker intercepting or altering communications between a customer and a website. If login details or other sensitive information is entered, a hacker can obtain that information.
Malware and ransomware can be downloaded onto users’ devices and phishing websites can easily be accessed if secure WiFi access for shops is not provided. Consumers typically have Internet security solutions in place on home networks that block these malicious websites. They expect the same protections on retailers’ WiFi networks. Malware poses a significant threat. Alcatel-Lucent, a French telecommunications company, reports that malware attacks on mobile devices are increasing by 25% per year.
Then there is the content that can be accessed. Recently, before Starbucks took steps to block the accessing of pornography via its WiFi networks, the coffee shop chain received a lot of criticism from consumers who had caught glimpses of other customers accessing pornography on their devices.
Secure WiFi Access for Shops Brings Many Benefits
The provision of secure WiFi access for shops tells customers you are committed to ensuring they can access the Internet safely and securely on your premises. It tells parents that you are committed to protecting minors and ensuring they can access the Internet without being exposed to adult content. It tells consumers that you care, which helps to improves the image of your brand. It is also likely to result in positive online reviews.
Providing secure WiFi access for shops makes it easier for you to gain an insight into customer behavior. A web filtering solution will provide you with reports on the sites that your consumers are accessing. This allows you to profile your customers and find out more about their interests. You can see what sites they access, which can guide your future advertising programs and help you develop more effective marketing campaigns. You can also find out more about your real competitors from customers browsing habits.
The provision of secure WiFi access for shops will also help you to reduce legal liability. If you do not block illegal activities on your WiFi network, such as file sharing (torrents) sites, you could face legal action for allowing the downloading of pirated material. The failure to block pornography could result in a lawsuit if a minor is not prevented from accessing adult content.
WebTitan Cloud for WiFi – Secure WiFi Access for Shops Made Simple
Secure WiFi access for shops doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive. TitanHQ offers a solution – WebTitan Cloud for WiFi – that is cost effective, easy to implement, requires no technical skill, has no effect on Internet speed and the solution can protect any number of shops in any number of locations. The filtering solution can be managed from an intuitive web-based graphical user interface for all WiFi access points, and control can easily be delegated to individual shops or regions with ease. WebTitan Cloud for WiFi has a full suite of reports that can be scheduled or run on demand to give you visibility into what users are doing when connected to your WiFi network. You can even drill down and get a real-time view of Internet access and can gain invaluable insights into customer behavior to guide your marketing strategies.
WebTitan Cloud for WiFi is a 100% cloud-based DNS filtering solution. Point your DNS record to WebTitan and you will be filtering the Internet in minutes and blocking undesirable, dangerous and illegal web content. You do not need any additional hardware, you do not need to download any software, and configuring the filtering settings typically takes about 30 minutes.
Summary of the Benefits of WebTitan Cloud for WiFi
Create a family-friendly, safe and secure web browsing environment.
Accurately filter web content through 53 pre-set categories and up to 10 custom categories.
Filter by keyword and keyword score.
Filter content in 200 languages.
Apply time-based filtering controls.
Filter the Internet across multiple WiFi hotspots.
Manage access points through a single web-based administration panel.
Delegate management of access points.
Reduce the risk of phishing attacks.
Block malware and ransomware downloads.
Control bandwidth use to ensure everyone can access the Internet.
Inspect encrypted websites with SSL certificates.
Schedule and run reports on demand with real time-views of Internet activity and extensive drill down reporting.
World class customer support.
Highly competitive and transparent pricing policy.
To find out more about WebTitan Cloud for WiFi, including details of pricing and to register for a 14-day, no obligation free trial, contact TitanHQ today.
Many hotel guests used to choose hotels based on whether free WiFi was available, now free WiFi is no longer enough – secure WiFi for hotels is required to ensure the Internet can be accessed safely, a fast connection is essential, and the WiFi signal must be reliable.
Even budget hotels know the attractive power of free WiFi and how much easier it is to attract guests with free, reliable Internet access. Forrester Research conducted a survey back in 2013 that showed 90% of hotel guests considered free WiFi access to be the most important hotel amenity, while 34% of respondents said when it comes to choosing a hotel, free WiFi was a deal breaker when choosing a place to stay.
Providing Free WiFi is No Longer Enough
Now that most hotels are offering free WiFi, travelers have become much more discerning. Free WiFi access is no longer sufficient. Hotel guests want reliable access, good Internet speeds, sufficient bandwidth to stream music and videos and secure WiFi for hotels is similarly important. Hotels now need to improve their WiFi networks to continue to attract business.
A quick look on TripAdvisor and other review sites is all it takes to assess the quality of the Internet connection. There are even websites dedicated to providing this information. A poor WiFi signal is one of the most common complaints about hotels.
Providing an excellent Internet connection may not mean a 5-star review is guaranteed – but one or two-star reviews can be expected if the Internet connection or WiFi coverage is poor.
If you really want to attract more guests, provide free WiFi access. If you want to gain a serious competitive advantage, ensure all rooms have an excellent signal, there is sufficient bandwidth and make sure your network is secure. Guests now expect the same protections they have at home.
Common Problems with Hotel WiFi Networks
Listed below are some of the common problems reported by guests about hotel WiFi
Problems connecting more than one device to the network – Hotels often have WiFi networks with limited bandwidth. Restrictions may be in place that only allow one device to be connected per room. For a couple or family, that is no longer sufficient. Most guests will require at least two devices to be connected simultaneously per room, without Internet speed dropping to a snail’s pace.
Parents do not want their children to be able to access porn – A night in a hotel should be a relaxing experience. Parents do not want to have to spend their time policing the Internet. They want controls in place to make sure adult content cannot be accessed by their kids.
Connecting to guest WiFi should be safe and secure – Guests should be protected from malware and ransomware infections and steps should be taken by the hotel operator to reduce the risk of man-in-the-middle attacks. Safe and secure WiFi for hotels is essential. Accessing hotel WiFi should not result in nasties being transferred to guests’ devices. Safe and secure WiFi for hotels is especially important for business travelers. They should be able to enter their usernames and passwords without risking an account compromise.
Bandwidth issues are a major bugbear – If some guests are streaming video to their devices, it should not prevent other users from accessing the Internet or enjoying reasonable Internet speeds. Even at busy times, all guests should be able to connect.
How to Resolve these Problems?
Bandwidth is a major issue. Increasing bandwidth comes at a cost. If free WiFi is provided, it is difficult to recover that expenditure. There are solutions however. Hotels can offer free WiFi access to all guests, yet block streaming sites and other bandwidth-heavy activities. If guests want to be able to stream video, they could be offered a premium service and be charged for non-standard access. The same could apply to adult content. Hotels could offer family-friendly WiFi as standard, with a paid for service having fewer restrictions.
Secure WiFi for hotels is a must. Hotels can implement solutions that block malware and prevent guests from accessing phishing websites. Providing an encrypted connection is also essential. Guests should be able to login to their accounts without being spied on.
Secure WiFi for Hotels Made Simple
A web content filter can be used to resolve many of the above problems and ensure safe and secure Internet access for all guests. Arranging secure WiFi for hotels is simple with TitanHQ.
TitanHQ’s WebTitan Cloud for WiFi is a content filter with a difference. The solution is cloud-based so there is no need for hardware purchases or software installations. Once installed, it is simple to manage, with updates to the system occurring automatically. Users don’t even need any technical expertise. The solution can be implemented and accounts set up in minutes. It doesn’t matter how many hotels you operate, or how many WiFi hotspots you have, all can be protected with ease through a central control panel that can be accessed from any location.
Secure WiFi for Hotels from TitanHQ
WebTitan Cloud for WiFi allows hotel operators to:
Control content and online activities without any impact on Internet speed
Block pornography and other inappropriate content to make the WiFi network family-friendly
Prevent users from engaging in illegal activity
Block phishing websites
Prevent malware and ransomware downloads
Restrict bandwidth-heavy activities such as video and music streaming services
Create user groups with different restrictions, allowing streaming or adult content for specific user groups
Set web filtering controls for different access points
Manage content filtering for multiple hotels with ease, no matter where in the world they are located
Filter by website, website category, keyword term, or keyword score
Gain a real-time view of internet activity
Gain insights into bandwidth use and restrict activities to conserve bandwidth
WebTitan Cloud for WiFi can be integrated with existing systems through a suite of APIs, controls can easily be set for different users with integration with AD, LDAP, and NetIQ, and hotel operators benefit from low prices, flexible payment terms, and world class customer support.
To find out more about all of the benefits of WebTitan Cloud for Wifi, how secure WiFi for hotels can be provided, details of prices and to register for a free trial, contact the TitanHQ team today. Your guests will thank you for it.
Family-Guard offers its customers online protection by blocking access to adult website content such as pornography and stopping malware infections, ensuring the Internet can be accessed safely and securely by all family members.
Family-Guard supplies WiFi routers with pre-configured DNS settings to its customers. Plug in the router and customers are instantly protected from online threats and inappropriate content. As more families take steps to prevent their children from harm online, the company has gone from strength to strength.
However, the firm was not entirely satisfied with its previous web filtering provider and sought a partnership with a new company. Before deciding to deploy WebTitan Cloud for WiFi, Family-Guard needed to be certain that WebTitan offered the required level of protection for its customers. It was essential that all harmful and dangerous website content could be filtered out to ensure customers received the service they paid for. TitanHQ could reassure Family-Guard that its URL filtering technology was up to the task.
The problem with the firm’s previous partner was the inaccuracies in categories and site classifications. Those problems could not be overcome. WebTitan on the other hand offers accurate classification of websites, with more than 500 million web addresses present in its database, including sites in more than 200 languages. Since deploying WebTitan Cloud for WiFi through its router packages, Family-Guard has not experienced the accuracy problems of its previous provider.
Another key consideration when selecting a service provider was the ability to provide the solution in white-label form. It was essential for Family-Guard to incorporate its own branding, which includes the product as well as the user interface for setting filtering controls. With WebTitan, the solution can be supplied without any branding, ready for customization. The white label option and choice of hosting also makes WebTitan an ideal web content filter for managed service providers.
While reassurances could be provided by TitanHQ, the proof of the pudding is in the eating. Before committing, Family-Guard needed to perform extensive testing of the solution. The firm signed up for a free trial and conducted independent tests. Tanner Harman, President of Family-Guard said, “In terms of the trial everything was very straightforward, it was good to speak to an engineer that was able to answer all my questions, this is not common in the technology industry.”
WebTitan is incredibly easy to use and maintain. There are no software updates necessary as all are managed by TitanHQ. Setting up the solution is also straightforward. Once the DNS has been directed to WebTitan, it is just a case of configuring the web filtering controls. For Family Guard, it took staff around 30 minutes to become familiar and comfortable with using the solution. The company is now reaping the benefits.
“For our technical staff, it reduced the time spend on support calls as the number of support calls reduced dramatically almost immediately,” the solution has also dramatically reduced the time the support team has spent dealing with malware. Tanner said, “WebTitan Cloud blocks all the bad stuff before it hits the customers location so issues that previously occurred regularly are now avoided.”
It can take some time following deployment to fully appreciate the benefits that WebTitan brings to an organization. Family-Guard implemented the solution in April 2016. The cost saving from deploying WebTitan Cloud has been considerable. In the 12 months following the implementation of WebTitan Cloud, Family Guard has enjoyed savings of more than $10,000.
Further, as Family-Guard grows, it is not limited by its license. With WebTitan, additional licenses can be added as and when required with a dynamic pricing plan lacking the barriers and wastage typical of other web filtering solutions.
Whether you are looking for a web content filter for public hotspots, a filtering solution to package into your products and services or a content filtering solution for your business WiFi network, TitanHQ can help.
Benefits of WebTitan Cloud for WiFi
Create a family-friendly, safe and secure web browsing environment.
Accurately filter web content through 53 pre-set categories and up to 10 custom categories.
Filter by keyword and keyword score.
Filter content in 200 languages.
Coverage of more than 500 million web addresses.
Apply time-based filtering controls.
Filter the Internet across multiple WiFi hotspots.
Manage access points through a single web-based administration panel.
Delegate management of access points.
Reduce the risk of phishing attacks.
Block malware and ransomware downloads.
Inspect encrypted websites with SSL certificates.
Schedule and run reports on demand with real time-views of Internet activity and extensive drill down reporting.
Managed Service Provider and Reseller Benefits:
Multiple hosting options, including within your own data center.
Easy integration into existing billing, auto provisioning and monitoring system through a suite of APIs.
Option of WebTitan as a white label ready to take your own branding.
World class customer service with dedicated account managers.
Highly competitive pricing and a fully transparent pricing policy.
Flexible pricing to meet the needs of MSPs as seats fluctuate.
For further information on the features and benefits of WebTitan, answers to technical questions and to register for a free trial, contact the TitanHQ team today.
Customers are increasingly choosing to visit retailers based on whether free Internet access is available in store. Providing WiFi access doesn’t just attract more customers. It provides retailers with an opportunity to communicate new sales initiatives to customers and allows valuable information to be gathered on what customers do inside stores. Monitoring the websites accessed by customers also allows retailers to gain a valuable insight into customer behavior.
Retailers are increasingly offering free WiFi in-store to attract more customers, but providing access to the Internet in-store carries risks. If customers have free, unfettered access to the Internet they would be able to access inappropriate content, accidentally download malware or use the connection for illegal file downloads.
Retailers can gain huge benefits from offering customers free access to WiFi network, but without security solutions to mitigate risk, the offer of free WiFi can backfire. A web content WiFi filter for public hotspots is now essential.
Selfridges understands the benefits of providing free WiFi access to customers, but also the risks. If WiFi was to be provided in-store, it would need to be secure to prevent customers from installing malware or accessing phishing websites
Selfridges also needed protection from legal liability. Steps therefore needed to be taken to prevent customers from accessing inappropriate website content in store and to stop minors from accessing adult content.
Selfridges prides itself on providing high quality products and customer service, so it was important to ensure for its WiFi service to reflect the stores values. Alisdair Morison, IT manager at Selfridges, said “We had to ensure that guests could not access malicious sites or to view inappropriate content while in the store.”
In the case of inappropriate website content, the risks are considerable. Morison said, “We knew that if a guest accessed porn on the WiFi connection and a child or other person could inadvertently view that screen, we would be legally liable.” The same applies to illegal file downloads via its WiFi network.
Choosing a solution posed a number of challenges. Selfridges has a small, but busy IT department so a web filtering solution needed to have a small administrative burden. Technical staff are not present in each store so it was important that the solution could be managed remotely for all four locations without the need for any site visits.
Selfridges contacted TitanHQ and chose WebTitan Cloud for WiFi. “We looked at a bunch of solutions. I was really taken aback by the price point, features and functionality we were going to get with WebTitan WiFi,” said Morison, “Other solutions didn’t have all the features and functionalities we wanted; they could do some of what we now do with WebTitan WiFi, but at a higher cost.”
The solution was set up in less than half a day and the IT team can manage the solution remotely and monitor WiFi connections. All four locations are managed through a central administration management console. All that was required to get started was to add the company’s external IP address to the GUI, update DNS forwarders and set the filtering controls.
Selfridges now blocks pornography, illegal activities such as file sharing and activities that are ethically or legally questionable. The WiFi network is child-friendly, so parents need not worry about the content that their children can access in-store. The WiFi network can be used safely and securely by all its 200 million annual visitors, with both Selfridges and its customers gaining benefits from in-store WiFi.
If you want to carefully control the activities of individuals when connected to your WiFi network and make your WiFi service family-friendly, get in touch with TitanHQ today.
Key Benefits of WebTitan Cloud for WiFi:
Filter the Internet across multiple WiFi hotspots
Manage access points through a single web-based administration panel
Delegate management of access points
Filter by website, website category, keyword term, or keyword score
Block material contained in the child abuse image content URL list (CAIC List)
Upload blacklists and create whitelists
Reduce the risk of phishing attacks
Block malware and ransomware downloads
Inspect encrypted websites with SSL certificates
Schedule and run reports on demand
Gain a real-time view of internet activity
Gain insights into bandwidth use and restrict activities to conserve bandwidth
Integrate the solution into existing systems through a suite of APIs
Apply time-based filtering controls
World class customer service
Highly competitive pricing and a fully transparent pricing policy
