Where did Archer News take you in 2018?

All over the globe, to help you stay smarter and safer in your digital world.

From Miami to Mexico to Spain, Sweden and Russia, here’s a look at what we did together this year.

 

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Around the World

We often bring you news and alerts from our Archer News studios in Portland, Oregon, and Cabo, Mexico.

But we started the year far away, in Miami, Florida.

There, we showed you a big development in the digital world — cyber attackers fighting their way into an industrial plant, using malware with several names, like Triton, Trisis, Tri-X, even Hatman. 

This time, they hit a dangerous target — the safety system in the plant.

“Safety system is the last line of defense,” cybersecurity analyst Marina Krotofil told us. “For me personally, it’s worrisome. People working in the plant. People live around the plant.”

Across the Sea

In Lisbon, Portugal, you saw how the new generation of Nigeria scammers changed their game to attack you with new energy, trading the obvious “Nigerian prince” e-mails for well-crafted invoices that trick millions of dollars from companies large and small.

You can protect yourself:

• Check your email account to see if someone’s forwarding your messages somewhere else.
• Keep watch for suspicious emails coming in.
• When it comes to payments, call to verify, and don’t use the number in the e-mail.

In Madrid, we learned you how one of the world’s top breweries is now digital — and pulling the plug on cyber attacks.

In Your Garage

In Sweden, we showed you how malicious hackers are causing an epidemic of car thefts, and what you can do to keep your car under your control and in your own garage.

For example, keep your car updated, keep your keyless entry car keys away from your front door, and use a physical lock, like a steering wheel lock.

Delete your personal info from a rental car when you’re done, and be careful about what apps you connect to your car in the future.

“That’s how hackers usually think,” car security expert Kai Thomsen said to Archer News in Stockholm. “‘What if I can pretend I’m your smart phone app? Just use that channel to try to take control of the car.’”

 

On the Water

In the Olympic city of Sochi, Russia, on the Black Sea, you saw the newest scourge of the waters. 

Cyber pirates are taking over yachts and ship owners are leaving their systems wide open for attack.

Malware, ransomware, spying on people through the ship’s entertainment or communications systems.

Spying on the stars could bring big money.

“Best paparazzi system,” researcher Stephan Gerling told Archer News in Sochi. “Maybe the celebrities should think more about that.”

Your Child

From Ecuador to Hawaii, the San Francisco Bay Area to the Alamo in San Antonio, Nashville to New Orleans, we helped you stay alert.

You learned how to make sure your child’s school doesn’t lose your private info to attackers and threaten your children.

“You have to advocate on the part of your kids,” said security expert Dave Lewis in an Archer News interview in Honolulu. “You have to ask the questions. You go to your school. You go to the school board, school trustees.”

 

Your Family & Your Money

Also, how to pick toys for your kids that don’t spy on them and let predators into your home.

And how to avoid a crypto-mugging.

You saw what you can do if you hate passwords.

Or if you get tagged in a world-wide Facebook scam where bad guys take over the accounts of friends and family who have passed away and post ads for fake sunglasses.

The Extra Mile

When needed, we hit the water on the Columbia River, toured the world’s smallest park in Portland, Oregon, and hung out with virtual Michael Bolton and Virtual Kitty, all in the quest to give you info you need in the digital space.

Thank you for traveling with us around the world this year.

Here’s to more great stories — and more security — in 2019!