October 2024 - CORSA-broadcast

Business Email Compromise: The $43 Billion Scam
by Frank Hatfield Dec. 13, 2024

Dec. 13, 2024

Business Email Compromise/Email Account Compromise (BEC/EAC) is a sophisticated scam that targets both businesses and individuals who perform legitimate transfer-of-funds requests. The scam is frequently carried out when an individual compromises legitimate business or personal email accounts through social engineering or computer intrusion to conduct unauthorized transfers of funds. The scam is not always associated with a transfer-of-funds request. One variation involves compromising legitimate business email accounts and requesting employees' Personally Identifiable Information, Wage and Tax Statement (W-2) forms, or even crypto currency wallets. Losses associated with BEC scams quadrupled last year to an astonishing $43 Billion according to the FBI statistics below. Just last week about $4 million in federal funding intended for housing assistance in Kentucky was stolen after someone directed that money to a private bank account. (Source: https://www.cnn.com/2022/08/29/politics/kentucky-4-million-cyber-theft/inde… ) "These types of attacks can be especially impactful to state and local governments that may do business with dozens, if not hundreds, or different vendors," Hassold, who is now director of threat intelligence at cybersecurity firm Abnormal Security, told CNN. FBI SUGGESTIONS FOR PROTECTION * Use secondary channels or two-factor authentication to verify requests for changes in account information. * Ensure the URL in emails is associated with the business/individual it claims to be from. * Be alert to hyperlinks that may contain misspellings of the actual domain name. * Refrain from supplying login credentials or PII of any sort via email. Be aware that many emails requesting your personal information may appear to be legitimate. * Verify the email address used to send emails, especially when using a mobile or handheld device, by ensuring the sender's address appears to match who it is coming from. * Ensure the settings in employees' computers are enabled to allow full email extensions to be viewed. * Monitor your personal financial accounts on a regular basis for irregularities, such as missing deposits. Source: FBI Public Service Announcement https://www.ic3.gov/Media/Y2022/PSA220504 CORSA is committed to keeping members informed of and protected against threats to their financial assets and systems. BEC and/or payment fraud is on the rise which creates considerable exposure to governmental entities, including CORSA members. Current technology provides sophisticated criminals the tools to create or alter checks or divert payments via BEC or social engineering. In addition to the FBI's above recommendations, CORSA strongly encourages members to enroll in the anti-fraud services Positive Pay and ACH Positive Pay. The Ohio Auditor of State also recommended enrolling in the above anti-fraud services to guard against check fraud. (See: Auditor of State Best Practices https://ohioauditor.gov/publications/bestpractices/best%20practices%20sept%…) Positive Pay is a service that essentially requires bank customers to provide their bank with a list of checks that are to be paid, while payment is withheld for any checks that don't match the customer's list. The ACH Positive Pay service allows a customer to set parameters on payments. For instance, payments that occur regularly with similar amounts can be set up to pay automatically, while any payments that fall outside normal transactions will be suspended until authorized. Most banks offer Positive Pay and ACH Positive Pay for a fee. In CORSA's experience fees vary, but customers are able to significantly lower fees through negotiation. Should you have questions regarding Positive Pay or ACH Positive Pay contact Thisbe Butcher at tbutcher(a)ccao.org<mailto:tbutcher@ccao.org> [Chart depicting Reported Loss Associated with BEC/Cryptocurrency Complaints for the years of 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021.] Frank Hatfield CORSA Risk Manager fhatfield(a)ccao.org<mailto:fhatfield@ccao.org> 614-560-1474 614-220-0209 Fax www.corsa.org<http://www.corsa.org/> [cid:image002.png@01D8BD3E.0B6EC360] " The leader in providing Ohio Counties with exceptional value, service, and protection of assets." CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This e-mail message (including any attachments) is intended only for the person or entity to which it is addressed and may contain confidential and/or privileged material. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply e-mail and destroy this message and all attachments.

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Uniform Allowance
by Pamela S. Davis Oct. 24, 2024

Oct. 24, 2024

Does anyone have a policy regarding uniform allowance that specifically indicates dollar amounts or # of shirts, pants, etc. permitted annually? I appreciate any information you can share. Thanks! Pam Davis Human Resources Muskingum County 740-588-4371

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Cybersecurity Awareness Month - Secure Our World - Week Four - Update Software
by Jim Hale Oct. 18, 2024

Oct. 18, 2024

Think Twice Before Putting Off Updates! Many people might select “Remind me later” when we see an update alert. However, many software updates are created to fix security risks. Keeping software up to date is an easy way for us to stay safer online. To make updates even more convenient, turn on the automatic updates in the device’s or application’s security settings! Keep Software Up to Date with Three Simple Steps: 1. Watch for notifications Our devices will usually notify us that we need to run updates. This includes our devices’ operating systems, programs and apps. It’s important to install ALL updates, especially for our web browsers and antivirus software. 2. Install updates as soon as possible When notified about software updates, especially critical updates, we should be sure to install them as soon as possible. Malicious online criminals won’t wait, so we shouldn’t either! 3. Turn on automatic updates With automatic updates, our devices will install updates without any input from us as soon as the update is available—Easy! To turn on the automatic updates feature, look in the device’s settings, possibly under Software or Security. Search settings for “automatic updates” if needed. Why It’s So Important to Update Promptly If a criminal gets into our devices through a security flaw, they will look for sensitive information to exploit. Technology providers issue software updates to "patch” security weak spots as quickly as they can. If we don’t install them, they can’t protect us! Software updates can also: * Fix bugs * Improve performance * Add features that can enhance our experience PRO TIP Every product you use should have auto-updates turned on by default. If you’re using a product or device that doesn’t have an auto-update option, ask your provider why not. It’s your information they’re putting at risk! Link to Understanding Patches and Software Updates: https://www.cisa.gov/news-events/news/understanding-patches-and-software-up… Secure Our World Resources & Cybersecurity Awareness Month 2024 Toolkit: https://www.cisa.gov/resources-tools/resources/secure-our-world-resources-c… James Hale, ARM-P, ARM-E Risk Control Consultant County Risk Sharing Authority 209 East State Street Columbus, OH 43215 614.246.1630 FAX 614.220.0209 “ The leader in providing Ohio Counties with exceptional value, service, and protection of assets.”

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FW: PRIMA’s 2024 National Cyber Security Awareness Month resources - Week 3
by Jim Hale Oct. 15, 2024

Oct. 15, 2024

From: PRIMA <primacomm(a)primacentral.mmsend.com> On Behalf Of PRIMA Sent: Tuesday, October 15, 2024 11:07 AM To: Jim Hale <jhale(a)ccao.org> Subject: PRIMA’s 2024 National Cyber Security Awareness Month resources - Week 3 [https://maassets.higherlogic.com/image/PRMA/PRM2417-NCSAM_24_Email_630px_ne…] Week 3 featured podcast Phishing Schemes and Risk Management Guests: Karl Miller Assistant Vice President, Sales & Compliance American Computer Estimating, Inc. Angelo Losardo Sales Support American Computer Estimating, Inc. On this week’s episode of PRIMA's NCSAM podcast series, Karl Miller and Angelo Losardo discuss phishing and its impact on risk management. Karl and Angelo explain the legal and practical definition of phishing and explain how it affects risk operations. They also provide an overview of common phishing schemes and how to combat them. Listen now<http://www.mmsend56.com/link.cfm?r=hXPlZdzAL3Tu3eWB9PTj-w~~&pe=h9BCo5jraZqG…> [https://maassets.higherlogic.com/image/PRMA/Alliant200_2916937.png] Additional resources from Alliant Six Phishing Scams that Can Hobble Your Business The term “phishing” refers to a type of cybercrime that involves the use of emails or other electronic communication to trick the recipient into divulging sensitive information, clicking on harmful links, or opening malicious attachments. Read more<http://www.mmsend56.com/link.cfm?r=hXPlZdzAL3Tu3eWB9PTj-w~~&pe=paZFZzj2Y5kl…> [https://maassets.higherlogic.com/image/PRMA/Travelers250px_2916926.jpg] Additional resources from Travelers Network Security Tips & Guidelines Each year, attacks on cyber networks have resulted in the loss of important data costing businesses millions. The annual Travelers Risk Index shows that many companies surveyed worry about cyber risks. Aggressive and extensive protection strategies may help you prepare against external attacks and maintain the safety of your network. Read more<http://www.mmsend56.com/link.cfm?r=hXPlZdzAL3Tu3eWB9PTj-w~~&pe=T0dDnqtrYY9-…> [https://maassets.higherlogic.com/image/PRMA/WTW_logo_200px_2928854.jpg] Additional resources from WTW Tips on Implementing Multi-Factor Authentication The current cyber threat environment has increased the focus on authentication measures to help ensure data and systems are accessed by the appropriate people. The proliferation of usernames and passwords on the dark web has forced the need of different factors of authentication beyond the common password. Enter multi-factor authentication (MFA). Read more<http://www.mmsend56.com/link.cfm?r=hXPlZdzAL3Tu3eWB9PTj-w~~&pe=bSbhR5OqFLCK…> The National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA) and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) designated October as National Cyber Security Awareness Month (NCSAM). NCSAM was designed to serve as a collaborative effort among federal, state and local governments as well as non-governmental organizations, to increase awareness regarding the significance of cyber security and provide the necessary resources to ensure people are safe and secure online. [Facebook]<http://www.mmsend56.com/link.cfm?r=hXPlZdzAL3Tu3eWB9PTj-w~~&pe=jJ89VfXwOjkx…> [Twitter]<http://www.mmsend56.com/link.cfm?r=hXPlZdzAL3Tu3eWB9PTj-w~~&pe=abv6IlgRyOkz…> [Linkedin]<http://www.mmsend56.com/link.cfm?r=hXPlZdzAL3Tu3eWB9PTj-w~~&pe=EFwdj2nI4w-l…> [YouTube]<http://www.mmsend56.com/link.cfm?r=hXPlZdzAL3Tu3eWB9PTj-w~~&pe=ACfXgg0MfmsL…> [RSS]<http://www.mmsend56.com/link.cfm?r=hXPlZdzAL3Tu3eWB9PTj-w~~&pe=JKC45RUdvXB4…> Click here to unsubscribe.<http://www.mmsend56.com/link.cfm?r=hXPlZdzAL3Tu3eWB9PTj-w~~&pe=uYEE2FaAGey1…> 700 S.Washington Street, Suite 218, Alexandria, VA 22314

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Cybersecurity Awareness Month - Secure Our World - Week Three - Recognize & Report Phishing
by Jim Hale Oct. 15, 2024

Oct. 15, 2024

Don’t Take the Bait Phishing occurs when criminals try to get us to open harmful links, emails or attachments that could request our personal information or infect our devices. Phishing messages or “bait” usually come in the form of an email, text, direct message on social media or phone call. These messages are often designed to look like they come from a trusted person or organization, to get us to respond. Stay Safe with Three Simple Tips 1. Recognize Look for these common signs: * Urgent or emotionally appealing language, especially messages that claim dire consequences for not responding immediately * Requests to send personal and financial information * Untrusted shortened URLs * Incorrect email addresses or links, like amazan.com A common sign used to be poor grammar or misspellings although in the era of artificial intelligence (AI) some emails will now have perfect grammar and spelling, so look out for the other signs. 2. Resist If you suspect phishing, resist the temptation to click on links or attachments that seem too good to be true and may be trying to access your personal information. Instead, report the phish to protect yourself and others. Typically, you’ll find options to report near the person’s email address or username. You can also report via the “report spam” button in the toolbar or settings. 3. Delete Delete the message. Don’t reply or click on any attachment or link, including any “unsubscribe” link. Just delete. If a message looks suspicious, it's probably phishing. However, if you think it could be real, don't click on any link or call any number in the message. Look up another way to contact the company or person directly: * Go to the company's website and capture their contact information from the verified website. Search for the site in your web browser or type the address yourself if you’re sure you know it. * Use another way to reach the person to confirm whether they contacted you. For example, if you get a strange message from your friend on Facebook, and you have their phone number, text or call them to ask if they sent the message. Link to Avoiding Social Engineering and Phishing Attacks: https://www.cisa.gov/news-events/news/avoiding-social-engineering-and-phish… Link to Using Caution with Email Attachments: https://www.cisa.gov/news-events/news/using-caution-email-attachments Secure Our World Resources & Cybersecurity Awareness Month 2024 Toolkit https://www.cisa.gov/resources-tools/resources/secure-our-world-resources-c… James Hale, ARM-P, ARM-E Risk Control Consultant County Risk Sharing Authority 209 East State Street Columbus, OH 43215 614.246.1630 FAX 614.220.0209 “ The leader in providing Ohio Counties with exceptional value, service, and protection of assets.”

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Cybersecurity Awareness Month - Secure Our World - Week Two - Stay Safer Online: Enable MFA
by Jim Hale Oct. 7, 2024

Oct. 7, 2024

Turn on MFA for each account or app! 1. Go to Settings It may be called Account Settings, Settings & Privacy or similar. 2. Look for and turn on MFA It may be called two-factor authentication, two-step authentication or similar. 3. Confirm Select which MFA method to use from the options provided by each account or app. Examples are: * Receiving a numeric code by text or email * Using an authenticator app: These phone apps generate a new code every 30 seconds. Use this code to complete logging in. * Biometrics: This uses our facial recognition or fingerprints to confirm our identities. Now that we’ve set up MFA, when we log into our accounts, it may challenge us to complete the MFA step that proves our identities. It only takes a moment but makes us much safer from hackers! Turn on MFA for every account or app that offers it. Enabling MFA will protect things like: * Banking information * Online purchases * Social media * Email * Businesses * Your identity PRO TIP Check to see whether your email accounts, banks, healthcare providers, and other important accounts offer MFA and enable it by default. If they don’t, ask them why not. It’s your information they’re putting at risk! Phishing Resistant MFA is Key to Peace of Mind - https://www.cisa.gov/news-events/news/phishing-resistant-mfa-key-peace-mind Secure Our World Resources & Cybersecurity Awareness Month 2024 Toolkit https://www.cisa.gov/resources-tools/resources/secure-our-world-resources-c… James Hale, ARM-P, ARM-E Risk Control Consultant County Risk Sharing Authority 209 East State Street Columbus, OH 43215 614.246.1630 FAX 614.220.0209 “ The leader in providing Ohio Counties with exceptional value, service, and protection of assets.”

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Uniform Allowance Policy
by Pamela S. Davis Oct. 3, 2024

Oct. 3, 2024

Does anyone have a policy regarding uniform allowance? Specifically indicating dollar amounts or # of shirts/pants permitted annually. Thanks! Pam Davis Human Resources Muskingum County 740-588-4371

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2025 pay increases
by Michele Long Oct. 2, 2024

Oct. 2, 2024

Has anyone established pay increases for 2025 if so what are they. Guernsey County is thinking 4%. THANKS Michele Long, Clerk Guernsey County Commissioners 627 Wheeling Ave. Cambridge, OH 43725 Office - 740-432-9205 ********** Confidentiality Notice ********** This electronic transmission and any attached documents or other writings are confidential and are for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) identified above. This message may contain information that is privileged, confidential or otherwise protected from disclosure under applicable law. If the receiver of this information is not the intended recipient, or the employee, or agent responsible for delivering the information to the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any use, reading, dissemination, distribution, copying or storage of this information is strictly prohibited. If you have received this information in error, please notify the sender by return email and delete the electronic transmission, including all attachments from your system. All electronic transmissions sent to and from this domain (guernseycounty.org) are archived and may be viewed by other parties than the intended recipients.

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Driving Policy Language for Personal Vehicles
by Jonette Jackson Oct. 1, 2024

Oct. 1, 2024

Hello, Lorain County is asking if you would share your policy for County Employees who operate their personal vehicle on county Business. Thank you, Jonette Jackson Safety Risk Administrator Lorain County Board of Commissioners Human Resources Department 226 Middle Avenue, 4th Floor Elyria, OH 44035 (440) 329-5227 Phone jjackson(a)loraincounty.us<mailto:jjackson@loraincounty.us> www.loraincountyohio.gov<http://www.loraincountyohio.gov> www.loraincountyohio.gov/jobs<http://www.loraincountyohio.gov/jobs>

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FW: PRIMA’s 2024 National Cyber Security Awareness Month resources - Week 1
by Jim Hale Oct. 1, 2024

Oct. 1, 2024

From: PRIMA <primacomm(a)primacentral.mmsend.com> On Behalf Of PRIMA Sent: Tuesday, October 1, 2024 11:06 AM To: Jim Hale <jhale(a)ccao.org> Subject: PRIMA’s 2024 National Cyber Security Awareness Month resources - Week 1 CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. [https://maassets.higherlogic.com/image/PRMA/PRM2417-NCSAM_24_Email_630_2916…] 2024 National Cyber Security Awareness Month Week 1 featured podcast Vulnerability Management and Updating Your Software Speaker: CJ Dietzman; CISSP, CISA Senior Vice President, Alliant Insurance Services, Inc. On this week's episode for National Cyber Security Awareness Month, CJ Dietzman explains the importance of updating your software and vulnerability management. Further, he shares how third parties can provide and manage software and systems for organizations. CJ discusses lessons learned from handling vendor and software issues. Listen now<http://www.mmsend56.com/link.cfm?r=hXPlZdzAL3Tu3eWB9PTj-w~~&pe=eE4pkx17KpvO…> [https://maassets.higherlogic.com/image/PRMA/Travelers250px_2916926.jpg] Additional resources from Travelers 5 Cyber Readiness Practices to Boost Your Cybersecurity [https://maassets.higherlogic.com/image/PRMA/Travelers_screenshot570px_copy_…]<http://www.mmsend56.com/link.cfm?r=hXPlZdzAL3Tu3eWB9PTj-w~~&pe=fFsJi-dYBWeQ…> Watch<http://www.mmsend56.com/link.cfm?r=hXPlZdzAL3Tu3eWB9PTj-w~~&pe=OVsT2cbnA6Su…> [https://maassets.higherlogic.com/image/PRMA/Alliant200_2916937.png] Additional resources from Alliant Data Breach Prevention: Your Comprehensive Guide In the modern digital era, data breaches have become an increasingly frequent threat to businesses of all sizes. If your company handles sensitive assets like customers' personally identifiable information (PII), protected health information (PHI), intellectual property or proprietary corporate data, you are at risk of a data breach. With technological advancements, cybercriminals are constantly devising new tactics to exploit vulnerabilities in company systems. The impact of a data breach can be catastrophic, ranging from financial losses, regulatory implications, and reputational damage. Therefore, it is crucial for businesses to proactively take measures to prevent data breaches from occurring and to mitigate the impact to the organization if they do occur. Read more<http://www.mmsend56.com/link.cfm?r=hXPlZdzAL3Tu3eWB9PTj-w~~&pe=Z4YP24Oh53wB…> The National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA) and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) designated October as National Cyber Security Awareness Month (NCSAM). NCSAM was designed to serve as a collaborative effort among federal, state and local governments as well as non-governmental organizations, to increase awareness regarding the significance of cyber security and provide the necessary resources to ensure people are safe and secure online. [Facebook]<http://www.mmsend56.com/link.cfm?r=hXPlZdzAL3Tu3eWB9PTj-w~~&pe=r3de139dhpAS…> [Twitter]<http://www.mmsend56.com/link.cfm?r=hXPlZdzAL3Tu3eWB9PTj-w~~&pe=JEF9ASeWKzLx…> [Linkedin]<http://www.mmsend56.com/link.cfm?r=hXPlZdzAL3Tu3eWB9PTj-w~~&pe=Eu9qDnjQtUSr…> [YouTube]<http://www.mmsend56.com/link.cfm?r=hXPlZdzAL3Tu3eWB9PTj-w~~&pe=A0OHIH5IV5Jh…> [RSS]<http://www.mmsend56.com/link.cfm?r=hXPlZdzAL3Tu3eWB9PTj-w~~&pe=pkQ8btitHQRs…> Click here to unsubscribe.<http://www.mmsend56.com/link.cfm?r=hXPlZdzAL3Tu3eWB9PTj-w~~&pe=vVXod07-2JEC…> 700 S.Washington Street, Suite 218, Alexandria, VA 22314

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