Just as a reminder, as part of your financial protector – we help with Technology Safety too – We are not Cyber specialists, but we do stay up on the latest scams and techniques and are a good source of knowledge through our contacts and most importantly, YOU GUYS … So once again, thanks for keeping us in the loop by sharing anything that looks shady- we do our best to stay ahead with everyone’s help…
Do not think twice about reaching out if you see something that does not look correct – we can get to the bottom of it, again if not from our own experiences, with our contacts – safe over sorry – measure twice cut once before you click that hot link….
What follows is one new to us instance – being voracious users of remote access – this RAT warning – love the name by the way, hit home, we know many may not have as much exposure as us, but wanted to warn…. Secondly a clever phishing text that came in this week that we have notified the appropriate authorities on and they are on the watch!
RAT – Remote Access Tool Scam – The following from our Protectors – Hence the detailed protocols-
How a RAT-based attack works:
These attacks may use legitimate applications, so the problem may not show up in antivirus/malware scans.
First, the fraudster sends a phishing email with a link or attachment that appears legitimate.
Once the victim clicks, the RAT is installed on that device without any notification to the user, and automatically connects to a remote server controlled by the attacker.
In case of suspected RAT infection:
Assume your credentials have been compromised, but don’t change them until after you have successfully removed the RAT. Otherwise, the attacker may be able to discover and leverage your new credentials.
Disconnect from the internet immediately. This prevents the RAT from communicating with the attacker. Contact your firm‘s IT department immediately. Or, if your firm doesn’t have IT specialists, review and remove any apps on your device that you don’t recognize. Caution: If you are unsure or unable to identify and/or remove the RAT yourself, consult a cybersecurity expert as soon as possible.
There is a lot more on this, but much of it is common knowledge– you guys get the gist!
This last and most recent example from the field last week, as mentioned earlier –
Can you spot the problem?
This hotlink is miss spelled – had to be for it to work! Think of things like “JPMrgan” “Bank of Amerca” even “Amzn” all very common catchy misspellings that it a glance/guard down moment you may miss!
In closing, not wanting to create tons of fear or to be a cynic, just conscience, reminded effort to stay alert! You have got this!!
Have a Great “Cyber Reminder” Friday and fun weekend – Talk next week!
John A. Kvale CFA, CFP
AI Content Authenticity: AI created the Splash image. All of the following text content has been completed by myself and has not been edited or created by AI. Occasionally we do use AI for images and will note when appropriate.
Founder of J.K. Financial, Inc.
A Dallas Texas based fee only
Financial Planning Total Wealth
Management firm.
