Security researchers at Arctic Wolf and Fortinet have confirmed a critical situation: a new vulnerability allows attackers to bypass authentication on FortiGate firewalls via the FortiCloud SSO service.  The immediate advice from Fortinet is drastic but necessary:  Disable FortiCloud SSO immediately.   While this stops the technical bleeding, it creates a new, dangerous operational gap, one that social engineers are already preparing to exploit.  The "Break-Glass" Vulnerability  When you disable Single Sign-On (SSO) for your network infrastructure, you are effectively locking the front door to your own house. To get back in to manage devices, apply patches, or monitor traffic, your network administrators must revert to "break-glass" procedures.  They have to use  local administrative accounts  (e.g., admin, root) that are not tied to their personal identities.  This creates chaos. Admins who are used to clicking one button to log in are now locked out. They need passwords they haven't used in months. They are under pressure to secure the network.  This is the exact moment fraudsters strike.   The Scenario: The "Panicked Admin" Call   Attackers read the same threat intelligence reports we do. They know that right now, in Operations Centers across the globe, SSO is being disabled and confusion is high.  Expect your Help Desk to receive calls like this:  "Hi, this is Dave from Network Engineering. Look, we disabled SSO per the Fortinet advisory, but now I’m locked out of the Edge Firewall. I need the local admin password immediately to apply the mitigation before we get hit. Hurry."   To a helpful agent, this sounds plausible. It sounds urgent. It sounds like a security priority.  But if that caller isn't Dave, and your agent reads out the local admin password,  the attacker has won.  They didn't need a technical exploit; they just needed to exploit the chaos caused by one.  When Tech Fails, Verification Must Hold  This incident highlights a critical truth:  Technology breaks.  Firewalls have bugs. SSO services have vulnerabilities.  When the technical layers fail, your security falls back to the human layer. If your method of verifying that human is weak (like checking Caller ID or asking "secret" questions), your last line of defense is gone.  This is where TechJutsu’s Caller Verify  becomes your safety net.  How to Secure the Patch Gap   Even when your infrastructure is vulnerable, your verification process doesn't have to be. Here is how Caller Verify protects your organization during the Fortinet crisis:  Verify the Person, Not the Login:  Even if the "admin" claims they can't log in to the firewall, their trusted mobile device is still active. When they call for support, the agent triggers a Caller Verify push notification.  Cryptographic Certainty:  The real admin taps "Approve" on their device. A fraudster spoofing their number cannot do this.  Gatekeep the Keys:  The agent sees a green "Verified" light  before  they even consider releasing local credentials or "break-glass" passwords.  Audit the Chaos:  Every verification attempt is logged in ServiceNow. If an attacker tries to impersonate your admin, you have a digital record of the failed attempt.  This record is valuable intelligence during an active incident.  Don't Let a Patch Become a Breach   The Fortinet vulnerability is a technical problem, but fixing it is an operational challenge. As you move to disable SSO and lock down your perimeter, ensure you aren't leaving the phone line wide open.  Technology breaks. Trust shouldn't.   Is your Help Desk ready for the "Panicked Admin" call?  Book a demo with Caller Verify today.

Last week, Las Vegas hosted one of the largest enterprise technology events of the year: ServiceNow Knowledge 2025 . With more than 25,000 attendees from around the globe, this year's conference was an incredible showcase of innovation, insight, and community. The theme, “Put AI to Work for People – Now,” set the tone for three packed days focused on workflow automation, AI integration, and digital transformation, all driven by ServiceNow’s rapidly evolving platform. We were thrilled to have Ajay from our team on the ground, representing our company and our flagship product, Caller Verify . Caller Verify seamlessly integrates with ServiceNow. It is already helping customers eliminate impersonation attacks and improve call center efficiency. First Impressions: Bigger, Bolder, Smarter Ajay described Knowledge 2025 in one word: huge . The scale of the conference, with thousands of IT leaders, developers, ServiceNow users, and ecosystem partners under one roof, signaled that digital workflows and AI-enhanced service delivery are central to enterprise strategy in 2025. The event wasn’t just about flashy product demos or grandiose keynotes. It was about real knowledge sharing. Companies of every size and from various industries came to share practical experiences, valuable lessons, and creative uses of the ServiceNow Platform. This spirit of collaboration makes Knowledge unique and invaluable. Connecting with Old and New Clients One major benefit of attending Knowledge 2025 was the opportunity to meet face-to-face with current and prospective customers. Ajay connected with several of our existing clients, strengthening relationships. He heard first-hand how they are deploying Caller Verify to boost service desk security and meet compliance standards. Translating online conversations into in-person connections can be tricky. At one point, Ajay struck up a conversation with a fellow attendee during breakfast. After a few minutes, they realized they had met on a video call weeks earlier! It turns out that matching three-dimensional people to their flat video call personas isn’t always easy. Ajay also spoke with representatives from well-known companies assessing our solutions. Some are on track to become clients soon. With organizations recognizing the urgency to protect help desks and call centers against impersonation and social engineering attacks, Caller Verify is becoming an essential tool in the ServiceNow ecosystem. A Seamless Integration with ServiceNow As a proud ServiceNow partner , TechJutsu offers solutions that integrate directly into the workflows organizations already use. Caller Verify works natively with ServiceNow, enabling help desks to validate user identities in real-time. It uses strong, out-of-band authentication within existing incident management and service workflows. Our partnership with ServiceNow ensures that our clients receive cutting-edge security solutions and a smooth, unified user experience. A Touch of Vegas Glam Of course, it wouldn’t be Vegas without a little showbiz sparkle. Knowledge 2025 delivered with a performance by Gwen Stefani at the Knowledge After Party. This breathtaking event took place at the Sphere venue. It was a high-energy, high-tech celebration wrapping up a week focused on the future of work and the role AI and automation play in shaping it. The Future is Bright Reflecting on TechJutsu’s experience at Knowledge 2025 confirms what we've long believed: workflow-integrated identity verification isn’t just a "nice to have." It’s essential. With Caller Verify, we help organizations close critical security gaps in their service desks and call centers while ensuring a fast, user-friendly experience aligned with the ServiceNow ecosystem. Final Thoughts Whether you attended in Las Vegas or followed from afar, one thing is clear: the ServiceNow community is now bigger, smarter, and more energized than ever. Don’t let impersonation be your weak link. Let's put identity security to work! To learn more about Caller Verify, Book a demo with us today.

In today's digital security landscape, there is an attack vector that is quietly growing in both scale and effectiveness. Vishing leverages phone calls to impersonate trusted sources, often using only psychological manipulation to extract sensitive information. What’s worse, it often bypasses technical protections entirely. The Clorox Service Desk Case: A Cautionary Tale A revealing case highlighted by Ars Technica underscores the shocking simplicity of some attacks. In this breach, compromised customer service agents at Clorox handed over passwords and access to internal systems without the attackers using malware or elaborate hacking tools. The attackers simply asked! The company has since sued its service desk vendor, arguing that the incident was preventable had standard verification protocols been in place. This case demonstrates that even multi-million-dollar cybersecurity stacks can be undermined through phone-based social engineering, especially when vetting policies are lax or inconsistently enforced. Why Vishing Is So Effective Caller ID Spoofing : Using VoIP technology, attackers can make their phone number appear familiar or official, increasing legitimacy during a call. Social Engineering Prep : Attackers comb social media and corporate directories to glean details like employee names, job roles, or company org charts to make their deception more convincing. Timely Simplicity : With vishing campaigns, hackers don’t need advanced software or system exploits. A well-crafted phone call can bypass security altogether. As seen in the Clorox case, simply “asking” may be enough. Famous Vishing Attacks You Should Know Twitter (2020) : Attackers used "phone spear phishing" to impersonate internal helpdesk staff. By misdirecting employees, they gained access to internal tools and hijacked verified Twitter accounts, launching fraudulent cryptocurrency scams. Other Industries : Similar tactics have been reported at banks, cryptocurrency exchanges, and hosting companies. Simple voice-based impersonation without breaching any firewall. Four Steps to Protect Yourself from Vishing Train Your Staff on social engineering awareness, especially help desk personnel, who are primary attack targets. Avoid Knowledge-Based Authentication : Do not ask for easily found details like birthdates or employee IDs. Use Out-of-Band Verification : Implement MFA push notifications to a registered device to confirm caller identity by requiring interaction outside the phone call. TechJutsu’s Caller Verify enables your existing MFA for this purpose. Flag and Escalate High-Value Accounts : For executives or IT admins, require manager approval or elevated verification steps. Vishing: A Human Vulnerability In many organizations, phone calls remain one of the least secured channels. While email phishing attempts can be detected by spam filters and gated landing pages, vishing preys entirely on trust and social engineering . As ChatGPT and other voice synthesis tools improve, even convincing impersonations can be generated with minimal effort. The Psychological Aspect of Vishing Understanding the psychology behind vishing is crucial. Attackers exploit human emotions, such as fear, urgency, and the desire to help. They create scenarios that compel individuals to act quickly without thinking critically. This psychological manipulation is what makes vishing so dangerous. Real-World Implications of Vishing Attacks The consequences of vishing attacks can be severe. Organizations may suffer financial losses, reputational damage, and legal repercussions. Moreover, sensitive data can be compromised, leading to further security breaches. It is essential to recognize that the impact of vishing extends beyond immediate losses; it can affect long-term trust and relationships with customers and partners. Conclusion: Don’t Let a Simple Call Lead to Catastrophe The Clorox incident is a stark reminder that sometimes hackers don’t need to exploit software. Often, they prey upon our human willingness to help. Vishing may sound low-tech, but its impact is real: compromised credentials, stolen data, and unauthorized access delivered through a mundane phone call. By implementing strict verification protocols, leveraging multi-factor authentication, and elevating threat awareness within help desk teams, organizations can protect themselves from voice-based scams. In the war against cyber threats, the weakest link is not malware; it is trust. Stay cautious, stay curious, and always verify the caller. To book a demo of our Caller Verify solution, contact us today! Resources: Canadian Centre for Cyber Security

The IT help desk is the nerve center of an organization. It's the trusted resource for employees needing access, support, and problem-solving. However, this trusted position also makes it a primary target for cybercriminals. Attackers know that if they can compromise the help desk, they can gain a foothold into the entire organization. Here are the biggest security risks every modern help desk faces today. Understanding the Risks 1. Social Engineering and Impersonation This is, by far, the most prevalent and effective threat. Attackers often call the help desk pretending to be an employee, frequently one who is traveling or a high-level executive. They use urgency and pressure to trick an agent into resetting a password or granting access to systems. This attack, known as "vishing" (voice phishing), bypasses technical defenses by exploiting the human element. The recent high-profile attacks by groups like Scattered Spider almost always begin with a simple, manipulative phone call to the help desk. 2. Inadequate and Outdated Authentication The primary defense against impersonation is authentication, but many help desks still rely on dangerously weak methods. Knowledge-Based Authentication (KBA): Security questions are no longer secure. The answers are easily found on social media or in data breaches. NIST specifically calls out KBA as insufficient. Relying on Caller ID: Caller ID can be easily "spoofed," making it trivial for an attacker to appear as if they are calling from a legitimate employee's phone number. 3. Insider Threats A security risk can also come from within. While malicious employees who intentionally abuse their access are a concern, a far more common risk is the unintentional insider threat. This is a well-meaning but negligent employee who makes a mistake. For example, an agent might be tricked into bypassing protocol, or an employee could write their password on a sticky note. These actions, while not malicious, create openings that external attackers are quick to exploit. To avoid this, it is important to have controls implemented by technology that do not depend on an overly helpful help desk agent’s judgment. 4. Lack of Continuous Security Training Many organizations provide security awareness training during onboarding but fail to follow up. The threat landscape changes constantly, with attackers developing new social engineering tactics. Without regular, specific training on recognizing vishing attempts and the importance of following protocol, agents can easily fall victim to a well-rehearsed attacker. The Common Thread: The Identity Problem Nearly all of these major risks boil down to one fundamental challenge: the inability to reliably verify a caller's identity. Without a quick, secure way to prove a caller is who they claim to be, your help desk is forced to rely on guesswork, weak data points, and the hope that an agent can outsmart a professional scammer. How to Mitigate These Risks Securing the help desk starts with solving the identity problem. Implementing a real-time, Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) process is the single most effective step you can take. By requiring users to approve a request on a trusted device they own, you remove the agent's burden and the attacker's advantage. This hardens your primary point of entry and provides a strong defense against the most significant threats you face. It is also critical to enforce strong verification. This can be accomplished with business rules that don’t allow a help desk agent to progress with the ticket until the verification is complete. Conclusion Don't let your help desk be your weakest link. Talk to our team to discover how to secure it with Caller Verify. By addressing these vulnerabilities and implementing robust security measures, organizations can significantly reduce the risks associated with their help desks. Remember, a secure help desk is a secure organization.

In the world of call center management, Average Handle Time (AHT) is a critical metric. The goal is always to resolve a customer's issue as efficiently as possible. Because of this, security measures are often seen as a necessary evil.  All too often people want to avoid this cumbersome process that adds friction and slows agents down.  But what if the  right  kind of security could make your calls shorter and more efficient?  That’s the reality of moving from outdated verification methods to modern, real-time authentication. Poor authentication is a primary driver of high AHT, while a streamlined process can significantly reduce it.  How Traditional Verification  Increases  AHT   Consider how traditional verification methods actively inflate AHT. The process is a script of inefficiency:  The Knowledge-Based Authentication (KBA) Interrogation:  Agents must spend the first 30-90 seconds of every sensitive call asking a series of security questions.  The Forgotten Answer:  Legitimate customers frequently forget the exact format of their answers, leading to failed attempts, repeated questions, and rising frustration.  Costly Escalations:  When a customer fails the KBA process, the agent must escalate the call or follow an even longer, more complex manual identity-proofing procedure, bringing resolution to a halt.    Every one of these steps adds seconds, or even minutes, to the call, frustrating both the agent and the customer.  How Modern Authentication  Reduces  AHT   Now, contrast the old way with a modern, MFA-based workflow.  The Request:  The caller asks for a password reset.  The Trigger:  The agent clicks a button to initiate verification.  The Approval:  A push notification appears on the user's phone, and they tap "Approve."  The Confirmation:  The agent's screen shows "Verified" in seconds.  The   Documentation: This is all auto logged in the Service ticket, without human effort  The entire security process is completed in less time than it takes to ask one security question.  This approach slashes AHT in several ways:  Eliminates the KBA Script:  You can remove the entire interrogation sequence from the call flow.  Reduces Errors and Escalations:  There are no wrong answers to forget. The verification is a simple yes/no, drastically cutting down on failed attempts that require manager intervention.  Gets to the Point Faster:  Agents can immediately start working on the caller's actual problem, leading to quicker resolutions.  Improves Customer Experience:  A faster, smoother process at the start of the call leads to a happier customer, which makes the rest of the interaction more efficient.  By implementing a solution like Caller Verify, you're not choosing between security and efficiency. You're using better security to  drive  better efficiency. It’s a strategic upgrade that strengthens your defenses while simultaneously improving a core operational metric.  Want to improve security and performance at the same time?  Book a demo to see how.

The recent CrowdStrike incident led to widespread system failures and put a spotlight on the critical need for robust identity verification methods. As organizations grapple with the aftermath, one pressing issue is the management of BitLocker recovery key requests. With systems down and traditional identification methods like knowledge-based factors proving insufficient, IT teams face a unique challenge. How can IT departments confidently confirm that callers are who they claim to be? Providing elevated access with admin credentials or BitLocker keys is a highly sensitive operation that increases security exposure and should only be permitted when callers are securely identified. The Challenge of Non-Functional Systems The CrowdStrike incident has rendered many computers non-functional, presenting a significant obstacle for identity verification. Typically, IT departments might use the affected device itself as a part of the verification process—such as sending a verification code to the device or requiring a specific action to be taken on it. However, with systems down, these methods are no longer viable. This situation necessitates alternative approaches to ensure secure and reliable identification. The Limitations of Knowledge-Based Authentication Traditionally, knowledge-based authentication (KBA) methods, including passwords and security questions, have been a cornerstone of IT security. However, these methods are increasingly viewed as inadequate. The reasons are multifaceted: Data Breaches and Information Availability : The prevalence of data breaches has made it easier for attackers to access personal information, including answers to common security questions. Publicly available data and social media profiles further exacerbate this issue, making it relatively easy for attackers to impersonate legitimate users. Password Weaknesses : Passwords are often weak, reused across multiple platforms, or stored insecurely. These vulnerabilities are well-known and frequently exploited by attackers. Additionally, passwords alone do not provide adequate protection against sophisticated phishing attacks or social engineering tactics. Given these limitations, relying solely on KBA for verifying requests for BitLocker recovery keys is risky. Organizations need more secure, multi-layered approaches. Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) is a more robust solution that addresses many of the shortcomings of KBA. MFA requires users to provide two or more verification factors from different categories: Something you know : A password or PIN. Something you have : A hardware token, a mobile device, or an email account for receiving verification codes. Something you are : Biometric data, such as fingerprints or facial recognition. By requiring multiple forms of verification, MFA significantly reduces the risk of unauthorized access. For instance, even if an attacker knows a user's password, they would still need access to the user's mobile device or biometric data to proceed. This layered security approach makes it much harder for attackers to compromise an account. Call Center Authentication Strategies When dealing with sensitive information like BitLocker recovery keys, it is crucial to use secure communication channels. This means avoiding insecure methods like standard email or unverified phone calls. Instead, organizations should use encrypted messaging services or secure portals that require user authentication. An increasingly common strategy is the use of out-of-band authentication methods. In situations where a caller needs to be verified, rather than requesting information via that voice call, the help desk can send a push notification  to a registered mobile device. Such push notifications provide a secure way for callers to quickly and easily confirm their identity, as they typically require real-time interaction and physical access to a user’s device, making it difficult for attackers to intercept or spoof the authentication process. Call-back verification is another effective technique. After receiving a request for a recovery key, IT support can call the user back using a pre-registered phone number. This method adds an extra layer of verification, ensuring that the person making the request is indeed the authorized user. It also provides an opportunity to verify other information, such as recent activities or specific security questions. The downside of call-back verification is that it is extremely time-consuming and is not automatically logged in the ITSM. Use of Pre-Registered Verification Information Organizations should leverage pre-registered information that only the legitimate user would know or have access to. This can include: Pre-set security questions : These should be unique and not easily guessable based on publicly available information. Codewords or passphrases : These are agreed upon during account setup and are not used elsewhere, providing an additional layer of security. Secondary email addresses or phone numbers : These can be used to send verification codes or to confirm the identity of the caller. It is important to regularly update this information and ensure that users are aware of its importance in the verification process. Logging and Monitoring             Every request for a BitLocker recovery key should be meticulously logged and monitored. This includes recording the time, date, identity of the requester, and the IT personnel involved. Monitoring these logs helps identify suspicious activities and potential unauthorized attempts to access recovery keys. Regular audits of these logs are essential. They ensure that all requests are legitimate and comply with security protocols. In the event of a security incident, these logs can provide critical forensic evidence to help identify and mitigate the threat. Logging can be automated with Caller Verify, which logs every verification in the ITSM. Training and User Awareness Finally, training and user awareness are critical components of a comprehensive security strategy. Users should be educated on the importance of securing their accounts and the risks associated with sharing sensitive information. They should also be familiar with the organization's verification processes and know what to expect when requesting a BitLocker recovery key. Users should be encouraged to use strong, unique passwords and to enable MFA wherever possible. Regular security training sessions can help keep users informed about the latest threats and best practices for protecting their information. Conclusion: Evolving Security Practices The CrowdStrike crisis highlights the need for robust and evolving security practices. As threats become more sophisticated, organizations must adopt more advanced methods to verify identities and protect sensitive information. Relying solely on knowledge-based factors like passwords and security questions is no longer sufficient. Instead, a combination of MFA, secure communication channels, call-back verification, and careful logging and monitoring should be used. By implementing these measures, organizations can protect against unauthorized access to BitLocker recovery keys and other sensitive information. In doing so, they can safeguard their data, maintain their reputation, and ensure the trust of their users, even in the face of significant technical challenges. To learn more, Book a demo  with us today.

At Caller Verify, we believe that identity security should not compromise customer experience. We are thrilled to announce our latest integration: Caller Verify + NICE CXone . This powerful combination provides frictionless and secure caller authentication directly within your IVR flow. A Smarter Way to Verify Identity In the world of contact centers, trust starts at “Hello.” Traditional authentication methods, such as knowledge-based security questions, callbacks, and agent-led verification, are outdated. They are error-prone and slow. Moreover, these methods leave your organization vulnerable to social engineering attacks from sophisticated threat actors like the Scattered Spider hacker group, who specifically target help desks and contact centers. According to TransUnion’s 2024 report , high-risk calls to U.S. call centers rose 55% year-over-year . Vishing attacks, including help desk social engineering, increased by 442% in 2024, as noted in a recent CrowdStrike report . This data underscores that contact centers have become a primary gateway for fraud. The integration of Caller Verify with CXone , NICE’s cloud-native contact center platform, is critical. It introduces modern multi-factor authentication (MFA) to the IVR before a call reaches a live agent. Modular by Design, Seamless in Execution What sets this integration apart? Modularity. We designed our CXone connector to plug in cleanly to your existing IVR flows. It adapts and enhances your unique business logic without requiring wholesale redesigns. Whether you need to verify only high-risk scenarios or every inbound support call, the configuration is flexible and customizable . This modular approach offers several advantages: Minimal disruption to current operations Faster implementation timelines No vendor lock-in or heavy customization debt Caller Verify provides secure, user-friendly authentication using your existing MFA infrastructure with no new tokens or apps required. This means lower friction for customers and less overhead for IT. 👉 See it in action Benefits of IVR-Based Caller Authentication When Caller Verify integrates into CXone, authentication occurs before an agent picks up the call. This leads to several benefits: Reduces average handle time (AHT) Cuts fraud risks at the source Eliminates the need for agents to ask security questions Frees agents to focus on solving problems rather than verifying identities Built for Today’s Threats, Ready for Tomorrow As modern attacks become more sophisticated, identity remains your first and most critical line of defense. The Caller Verify + CXone integration empowers you to confront today’s threats head-on, without sacrificing experience or efficiency. Conclusion I n conclusion, integrating Caller Verify with NICE CXone transforms how contact centers handle identity verification. It streamlines processes, enhances security, and improves customer satisfaction. Talk to our team about how easy it is to integrate Caller Verify into your CXone environment. By adopting this innovative solution, you can ensure that your organization is well-equipped to handle the evolving landscape of identity security challenges.

In today’s digital age, businesses are constantly adapting to an increasingly sophisticated landscape of cyber threats. One threat that has gained significant traction in recent years is help desk caller impersonation. With the rise of remote work and the reliance on digital communication, attackers have found a new way to exploit trust: by pretending to be internal personnel over the phone. This type of social engineering attack is not only invasive, but it can also be incredibly damaging. What is Help Desk Caller Impersonation? Help desk caller impersonation is when a cybercriminal calls into a company’s help desk, posing as an employee or a trusted external contact, in order to gain unauthorized access to sensitive systems, information, or networks. These attackers can use the caller ID to mask their true identity, leveraging social engineering tactics to manipulate help desk staff into divulging critical data or bypassing security protocols. Often, they’ll impersonate employees by knowing personal details about them, like names, job titles, or internal processes—either through previous data breaches, public information, or through well-crafted research. The success of such an attack largely depends on the attacker’s ability to convince the help desk staff that they are a legitimate caller. Unfortunately, with the pressure and volume of calls many help desk teams face daily, the chances of a successful impersonation increase. Why Luck Shouldn’t Be Part of Your Security Strategy Many organizations mistakenly rely on luck or human intuition to detect these types of attacks. Help desk staff are trained to assist, and the nature of their role means they’re often more focused on resolving issues quickly rather than verifying the caller’s identity with in-depth scrutiny. While most employees mean well, human error is inevitable, and attackers know how to exploit it. Let’s face it: luck is not a strategy.  Hoping that your help desk staff will recognize and thwart every impersonation attempt is a dangerous game. The reality is that help desk teams can’t always be expected to perform intricate identity verification in every situation, especially when dealing with high call volumes or urgent requests. The Costs of a Breach The consequences of falling victim to help desk caller impersonation can be devastating. Attackers could gain access to confidential company data, install malware, steal credentials, or even escalate privileges within the system. Depending on the severity of the breach, organizations could face severe reputational damage, financial losses, and legal repercussions. A single successful impersonation attempt could be the entry point to an entire chain of attacks, potentially giving cybercriminals access to sensitive customer data, financial records, or proprietary company information. With businesses under constant threat from all angles, no one can afford to rely on luck when it comes to safeguarding their critical infrastructure. What You Can Do About It This is where proactive security measures come in. The good news is that technology has evolved to help organizations address these vulnerabilities effectively. With advanced solutions like Caller Verify, you can eliminate the guesswork and significantly reduce the chances of falling victim to caller impersonation. CallerVerify.com  uses cutting-edge technology to validate and authenticate incoming calls, ensuring that your help desk staff can trust who they’re speaking to. By implementing solutions like this, businesses can protect themselves against impersonation attempts without burdening employees with extra steps or slowing down response times. Take Action Now Don’t leave your company’s security to chance. With the growing threat of help desk caller impersonation, it's essential to implement safeguards that can protect your sensitive data and maintain trust with your customers. If you're ready to take control of your security and protect your business from these attacks, book a demo with CallerVerify.com today. Let us show you how easy it is to integrate a reliable caller verification system into your operations, so you can stop relying on luck and start relying on technology to keep your business safe. Book your demo now at CallerVerify.com and make sure your help desk is prepared to handle any call safely.

We talk a lot about caller verification and best practices in this blog, but what does that actually mean for you and your organization? Here are a few guiding principles to think about when setting up verification for your callers:  Don’t use information that can be guessed   Yes, this means no security questions. With social media more popular than ever, it’s easy for fraudsters and bad actors to look up information about your callers and impersonate them. If you’re relying on a caller providing their employee number or their cat’s name, you can’t be sure if it’s your caller. Anyone could have looked up that information online.    Think twice about biometrics   Voice authentication may seem like a simple solution, but not in the new world of AI. Voice authentication is easily phished or faked, whether with AI imitation or a good old-fashioned phishing phone call. Is that really a bad connection, or is someone splicing together a recording of your caller’s voice?    Consider device-based factors   Since knowledge or biometric factors are not secure, what should you use instead? We recommend device-based factors, such as an authenticator app or code.    Using an authentication code or prompt sent to a device the user controls is best. You can set this up by having your callers install an authenticator app and use the app to authenticate. For corporate devices, you can increase the security of this method by requiring the device owner to set up a PIN or passcode to access the verification.     Can’t use an authenticator app? A TOTP (time-based one-time pad) code sent to a phone number or email the user controls can be an OK substitute, though there is a risk of compromise if an attacker compromises the caller’s email or SIM (e.g. via a SIM swap).    Keep it simple   The simpler your verification is, the easier and quicker it will be for callers and call center employees to manage. Surprise and delight your callers by verifying them quicky and easily and helping them move onto the purpose of their call faster. Not only will your callers be more secure, they’ll be happier too!    Don’t go it alone   Call in some expert help to make your call center verification the best it can be. We’re here at TechJutsu  to help set you up with caller verification that keeps you secure and your business moving with Caller Verify . Book a Demo to learn more

Okta Partner Awards: Celebrating our 2024 Partner Award winners We are proud to announce that TechJutsu has been nominated for an award in the Okta Elevate Partner Program for our innovative Caller Verify product! This recognition highlights our commitment to delivering top-notch security solutions through a productive and successful partnership with Okta. Caller Verify continues to revolutionize caller authentication for organizations, and this nomination is a testament to the dedication of our team and the trust of our clients. We are proud to be on this journey with Okta and look forward to continuing to drive success together! Oktane24

Canadian Cybersecurity Network Remember when Wayne Gretzky, "The Great One," famously said he skates to where the puck is going to be, not where it is? Cybersecurity professionals need to embrace this concept. Most of our current security measures are focused on where the puck is now, protecting online and mobile applications. Meanwhile, clever hackers are targeting areas where our defenses are weak: the call center, chatbots, and video calls. These oft-neglected targets are a hat trick of opportunities for fraudsters. Terrifyingly, many people call their bank's call center and are verified with easy-to-guess security questions that can be easily found on social media. Or worse yet, verification relies on voice ID that can be easily mimicked by AI-generated voices. We wouldn’t bank with a financial institution that does not have multifactor authentication (MFA) like biometrics or SMS codes protecting their website and mobile banking, but we still accept these outdated and insecure practices when we pick up the phone. Expecting fraudsters to play nice and only attack us where we have a goalie in place is a losing strategy, since they are finding places where our defensive players aren’t. Today’s fraudsters are scoring against the call center, chatbots, and video calls - all of which have insufficient or sometimes no identity verification in place. The FBI has released an advisory on a particularly effective game plan being used by a Russian hacker group named "Scattered Spider." This team of hackers has been calling help desks and impersonating real employees whose profiles were found on LinkedIn. The attackers convinced help desk employees to reset passwords and grant access to sensitive systems. Once inside, they accessed critical systems and data, causing significant operational disruptions and millions in financial losses to companies ranging from energy infrastructure to financial institutions and even well-known Vegas resorts. The victims of these attacks had their heads down and were left dazed after a big financial hit. To meet these rising cybersecurity threats, we need to be aware of those dirty areas and put our defenders where they can break up plays that cost us goals. The help desk staff getting drafted are our team’s enforcers. Ensure they are first-round picks, not beer league irregulars. You get what you pay for in your first line of defense. Enhanced training for help desk employees is crucial, ensuring they can recognize fraudulent calls and understand the importance of thoroughly verifying a caller’s identity. Budgeting appropriately for technology is as important as making sure you have money for helmets and pads. No team would take the ice without proper protective gear, and no organization should face the digital landscape without investing in robust cybersecurity measures. Establishing and enforcing standardized procedures for caller verification is essential. Employees should follow the team playbook for every interaction. Help desk teams must be coached to follow the game plan. A key strategy employed by fraudsters is to elicit a false sense of urgency to coerce help desk agents into breaking the rules. Without any referees to call penalties, the help desk must keep their heads in the game and avoid coughing up the puck, no matter how urgent it seems. Business rules can reduce the stick handling you need your help desk to do. These rules can be enforced with technology and ensure callers are who they say they are before high-risk actions are taken. Leveraging technology to aid in identity verification can further bolster defenses, such as advanced call monitoring systems that flag suspicious activity or secure, encrypted communication channels for help desk interactions. Regular audits of help desk interactions can help identify gaps in identity verification processes, reinforcing training and ensuring compliance with established procedures. Leadership plays a crucial role in fostering a culture of security within an organization. As with coaching, it’s essential for leaders to set priorities. Focusing on cybersecurity and providing the necessary resources and support for robust user authentication processes is critical. This includes investing in technology and training and creating an environment where employees feel empowered to adhere to security protocols, even if it means delaying service to verify identities thoroughly. As cyber threats continue to evolve, so too must our defenses. The weakest link in security defense is often the human element. By focusing on strengthening identity validation processes for help desk interactions, organizations can significantly reduce their vulnerability to social engineering attacks. It’s a proactive step that requires investment and commitment but can ultimately safeguard against the potentially devastating consequences of a security breach. Implementing hardware tokens or authenticator apps in your MFA strategy can greatly improve your defense for help desk interactions. MFA are the shot-blockers to your helpdesk’s goalie – an additional layer of protection keeping the puck out of your own net. In the matchup against cybercrime, we need to play the right way. Ensuring that help desk employees are well-equipped to validate identities effectively is not just a best practice—it is a critical component of a comprehensive cybersecurity strategy. By addressing this often-overlooked vulnerability, organizations can build a more resilient defense against the ever-present threat of cyberattacks. Applying compliance frameworks to all vectors of attack can help keep your opponent off the scoreboard. Ongoing maintenance of your cybersecurity program is like training for the next season. Even if you win the cup this year, there’s no guarantee that you have a dynasty on your hands. Your opponent is continually coming up with new offensive strategies, so you must ensure your team is always prepared. This maintenance includes technology upgrades, ongoing team training, and playbook reviews. There are no Zamboni drivers to clean up the ice, intermissions, or off-season breaks. Your organization needs to keep moving and training to stay ahead of the bad guys. When your cybersecurity practices are robust and protect the security of your employees, customers, and their data, you will be well on your way to the Cybersecurity Hall of Fame! Just a few thoughts from a hockey fan in cybersecurity. To learn more, Book a demo  with us today.

The Health Sector Cybersecurity Coordination Center (HC3) within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is at the forefront of healthcare cybersecurity. In April 2024 HC3 put out an urgent alert titled “Social Engineering Attacks Targeting IT Help Desks in the Health Sector”. The full document can be found here: Help Desk Social Engineering Sector Alert . The alert outlines examples of some recent, high-profile attacks targeting healthcare IT help desks. Threat actors are employing sophisticated tactics to manipulate help desk agents into providing unauthorized access to corporate resources, posing significant risks to data integrity and organizational security. Amidst these threats, Caller Verify has emerged to bolster security measures. Caller Verify extends Okta Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) to contact centers and IT help desks for hospitals, providing a robust defense against social engineering attacks. Let's explore how Caller Verify can effectively combat these threats: Out-of-band Authentication NIST (the National Institute of Standards and Technology) recommends using out-of-band authentication channels  to enhance security during the authentication process. Out-of-band authentication involves verifying a user's identity using a separate communication channel or device from the one being used for the primary transaction or interaction. This approach helps mitigate the risk of attacks, such as man-in-the-middle attacks, by separating authentication data from the main communication channel. These may include methods such as: sending authentication codes via SMS or email sending push notifications to a user's mobile device time-based one-time passcodes (TOTP codes) on a mobile device dedicated hardware tokens By leveraging out-of-band authentication for caller verification, organizations can enhance the security of their authentication processes and reduce the risk of unauthorized access and fraud.    Modern Identity Verification Caller Verify modernizes help desk methods for caller authentication. Instead of relying solely on easily compromised security questions or personal information, Caller Verify can utilize more trustworthy out-of-band authentication factors such as TOTP codes and push notifications. Requiring callers to authenticate themselves via phishing resistant verification factors significantly reduces the likelihood of unauthorized access by malicious actors. Real-Time Caller Authentication With Caller Verify, organizations can authenticate callers in real-time, ensuring that only authorized individuals gain access to sensitive systems and data. By verifying the authenticity of callers before granting access, organizations can thwart social engineering attempts, even when threat actors possess partial employee information obtained through public sources or previous data breaches. Unified Verification Experience Caller Verify offers a unified verification experience across all communication channels, streamlining the authentication process for both callers and help desk staff. Whether callers reach out via phone, email, or chat, Caller Verify ensures consistent and robust identity verification measures are in place, regardless of the communication medium used. Mitigation of Social Engineering Tactics The sophisticated social engineering tactics used in recent breaches are blocked in organizations protected by Caller Verify. By requiring out-of-band authentication, Caller Verify adds layers of security that make it significantly harder for threat actors to succeed in their malicious activities. Proactive Security Measures Caller Verify empowers organizations to take proactive security measures against evolving social engineering threats. By providing user awareness training and implementing policies and procedures for enhanced security, organizations can stay ahead of emerging threats and ensure their help desk staff are equipped to identify and thwart social engineering attempts. In conclusion, Caller Verify emerges as a powerful ally in the fight against social engineering attacks targeting healthcare IT help desks. By fortifying identity verification processes, providing real-time authentication, and offering a unified verification experience, Caller Verify helps organizations mitigate risks and safeguard sensitive data from malicious actors. As organizations continue to prioritize cybersecurity, solutions like Caller Verify play a vital role in enhancing resilience and protecting against evolving threats. To learn more, Book a demo  with us today.