If you don’t where it is, you can’t protect it.
Do you know where ALL your organisation’s data is – not physically, but on which web and cloud services?
Here’s the problem. If you don’t where it is, then you can’t protect it. The secondary problem is finding out, because not everyone in your organisation will be onboard. It is common for people to sign up to web services because they offer something useful that helps them do their job.
They sign up using their email address and creating a password. There is the first headache – how does anyone track what has been signed up to across your organisation, let alone who has access to it? If that person leaves, no one will change the account credentials if they don’t know about it, but your ex-colleague still has access.
Secondly, what data do they upload? Is that data that you have a legal or moral responsibility for?
There’s nothing noble about Nobelium.
This isn’t theory – it’s real. USAID is a pretty important US organisation – promoting democracy and human rights around the world. Turns out, someone there was using a well-known email database tool called Constant Contact. But their account wasn’t well protected. Worse still, their account had a huge mailing set up, and of course, it had all the official USAID templates.
So, these Nobelium people, allegedly a Russian state-sponsored hacker group, compromised the Constant Contact account and sent a bulletin out. The bulletin contained malware that allowed the hackers to take command and control over victims computers. Ironically the fake email alleged interference in the US federal elections.
So, what can you do?
The first step is knowing what SaaS tools your people are using. We call this SHADOW IT and it is inevitable. Rather than stopping it, the job IT has is to identify it and manage it. The second step is to secure those platforms. That’s why our KARE for Security S2 plan contains a useful tool to help you identify what services your people are using.
Refer : What We Know About The Apparent Russian Hack Exploiting USAID : NPR
Why Waiting to Replace Your PCs Could Cost You Thousands
If you still have Windows 10 PCs to replace, what does this mean for you?Kinetics is at the Canalys industry conference in Vietnam this week, and we've just been warned about a trend that's going to impact all of us in the next few months. It's even worse if you are...
Cybersecurity Alert: Holiday Phishing on the Rise — And Attackers Are Using Your Own Tools
As the festive season kicks into gear, so too does the cybercriminal playbook. We’ve noticed a spike in phishing attempts disguised as “pre-Christmas party invites”. While the festive spirit is infectious, so too is the threat. These aren’t just generic holiday...
Document Automation Macros for Word
Recently a client asked for help to create an automated document creation system.Problem: The client had hundreds of similar documents that needed to be created quickly, consistently and accurately Answer: Microsoft 365! Attached is a brief video that runs through how...
Webinar Replay: Reclaim Your Time: How Smart Microsoft 365 Use Saves 10+ Hours Per Week
Transform Daily Tasks with Microsoft 365 Tools You Already Own Stop reinventing the wheel every time you write a proposal, create a report, or process a form. Most New Zealand businesses use Microsoft 365 for email, document storage, and video calls, but they miss the...
Looking Back at 2020: The Year That Transformed Business IT Forever
Looking Back at 2020: The Year That Transformed Business IT Forever As we step into 2025, it's worth reflecting on a year that permanently altered the trajectory of business technology. Five years ago, 2020 didn't just bring new software releases and hardware...
2025 Q4: Cyber Landscape Update (are you still feeling lucky? New Zealand’s Cyber-threat landscape demands action)
Why This Brief Matters A cybercriminal only has to be lucky once. You have to be lucky every minute of every day. That remains the stark reality for kiwi businesses in Q4 2025. This isn't another dry technical report filled with acronyms and alerts. Kinetics has...
October 2025: Five AI Breakthroughs to change how businesses work
October 2025 was another big month for AI. We’ve picked 5 that stand out to us for highlighting. These five advances deserve your attention because they're already being integrated into tools your team likely uses daily. Here's what changed in October, and why it...
Beyond Anti-Virus: Understanding EDR and MDR for Your Business
"Do we have anti-virus?" It's one of the first cybersecurity questions business leaders ask. For many years, it was the right question. But in 2025, if anti-virus is your primary cybersecurity defence, you're bringing a lock and key to a sophisticated break-in. The...
Webinar Replay: From Firefighting to Future-Ready: Transform Your IT from Reactive Support to Strategic Business Driver
Does it seem that your IT team constantly putting out fires instead of preventing them? Are technology decisions being made in isolation without clear connection to your business goals? You're not alone. Watch this webinar recording where we'll reveal the critical...
SpamGPT: When AI Becomes a Phishing Playbook—And How to Protect Your Business
For years, we've told businesses to watch for telltale phishing signs: poor grammar, suspicious sender addresses, generic greetings. But what happens when cybercriminals have access to the same sophisticated AI tools your marketing team uses—except weaponised...