The Dangers of Cloud9: Why You May Not Be Fine

We go to great lengths to secure our clients' online accounts. These security threats could come in the form of key loggers that record your login information as you enter it, or DDoS (Distributed Denial of Service) attacks that will overwhelm a service with fake traffic, causing it to crash.

This is why we always urge our clients to install software updates as soon as they become available, and we're there to help them if they need assistance.

But if you visit a website that asks you to install an update for Adobe Flash, DON'T DO IT!

Flash itself was discontinued in 2020, so it's no longer supported. Any update messages you see will not be legitimate.

Recently, a new ‘botnet’ campaign is disguising itself as Flash notifications to install a malicious browser extension called Cloud9. If you use Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge, you could be a target.

A botnet is a group of infected devices controlled as one, often without the owners' knowledge, that steal sensitive data and cause all kinds of trouble.

Even worse, the Cloud9 botnet could install additional malware on your device or network if it isn’t stopped in time.

This type of attack is difficult to spot because it looks like a genuine request and anyone can become a victim.

To protect your business, here are some things you can do.

1. Make sure your employees are aware of the threat. If they know what to look out for, they’re less likely to install the update themselves.
2. Make sure you have the latest versions of your browser and security software installed.
3. Turn on Enhanced Protection in your browser’s Privacy and Security settings to get a warning if you stumble upon a risky website or download.

Let us help you protect your business from cybercriminals. Contact us today.

#GoogleChrome #MicrosoftEdge #Cloud9Malware