Businesses worldwide utilizing CrowdStrike cyber security software were impacted by an update deployed by CrowdStrike, which caused systems to become inoperable and unable to be re-booted. This event did not impact BankOnIT and the services we provide to our client institutions. BankOnIT does not outsource the functions clients hire us to perform; instead, we perform these services ourselves from data centers we own with our staff.
Fraudsters use recent events, such as the CrowdStrike incident, and will attempt to have you click on a link in an email or open an attachment. They may ask you to provide information on a phone call. They aim to create fear that your workstation or network is at risk due to the CrowdStrike incident.
If a caller says your computer has a problem, hang up. A tech support call you don't expect is a scam — even if the phone number is local or looks legitimate. Scammers use fake caller ID information to look like trusted companies. If you get a pop-up message on your desktop asking you to call tech support, delete it and ignore it.
It's a con artist's trick. Fraudsters want you to act quickly and will rush you, and may become verbally abusive if you are moving too slowly in responding to their requests. The fraudster wants you to act fast so you do not have time to think about your actions. Simply hang up on such callers. With email, the best defense is not to engage in back-and-forth conversations and not to click on any links or attachments. Never provide username or password credentials when asked, whether by email or phone.
Other people you know may be targeted by these scams. If their email account is compromised, the cyber attacker can send emails from it to anyone and everyone on their contact list. Use caution with emails, even from people you know.