FBI Warns It’s Time To Disable Your Local Admin Accounts
The FBI issued a new warning this week, and it’s one we think you should head – disable your local admin accounts. An administrator account refers to the first account created during the installation of a particular piece of software. It has full control of files, services, user creation, and other resources within said software. Essentially, it has a ton of control over sensitive data.
What Is A Local Admin Account?
The local admin account is a popular target for cybercriminals, as it takes just one time to get the password right to gain access over an entire network. Every device connected to a network or that can be accessed remotely using the admin account is at risk of unauthorized access. While it is definitely a hassle to disable your local admin account, it is absolutely worth it.
Taking away your local admin account is like blocking the highway – attackers will avoid the roadblock and divert their attacks elsewhere, reducing your organization’s risk profile. Cybercriminals like to take the easy road if it’s available, so doing everything you can to add layers of protection, roadblocks, and inconveniences for attackers is a benefit to you. The FBI’s warning provides a perfect solution to help reduce cybercrime.
FBI’s Warning
Forbes said, “According to the FBI announcement, victims have seen proprietary data and code held to ransom, the copying of corporate code repositories to attacker user-profiles and personal cloud accounts, and the attempted harvesting of company credentials and session cookies for further compromise opportunities.” Additionally, the FBI advises that you should disable local admin accounts, monitor for any unusual network activity, and limit privileges for installing remote desktop applications.
We Can Help
It may be a hassle to disable those local admin accounts, but in the end, it is truly worth it. We highly suggest you head the FBI’s warning and do so as quickly as possible. Pioneer-360 believes in being proactive in preparation for cybercrime, and doing everything you can to reduce your risk profile. If adding additional layers of security to your organization is something you’re considering, our remote programs put the right tools in your hands while also allowing you to leverage a group of SOC 2 Type II Certified security and compliance experts.
