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Macro Systems Blog

Macro Systems has been serving the Metro Washington, DC area since 1997, providing IT Support such as technical helpdesk support, computer support and consulting to small and medium-sized businesses.

A Look at Newest Malware Trends

A Look at Newest Malware Trends

Every year, new malware, ransomware, and cyber threats emerge from the depths of the internet, evolving like a villain in a sci-fi movie. One moment, you’re minding your own business, and the next, your company’s data is held hostage and a hacker is demanding you pay them in Bitcoin.

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Google’s Android Update Reminds Us How Important Maintenance Is

Google’s Android Update Reminds Us How Important Maintenance Is

The Android operating system periodically receives updates and patches detailed in online publications called Android Security Bulletins. In the March 2025 edition, Google announced that 43 malicious bugs had been resolved, two of which were zero-day vulnerabilities.

Listed below: how to implement these fixes and why this is a practice that should reach every aspect of your organization's IT.

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What To Do instead of Apologize for a Data Breach

What To Do instead of Apologize for a Data Breach

It's no surprise that cybersecurity is a big challenge for businesses and individuals alike. The problem: life pretty much revolves around being online these days, so there’s no avoiding it. Thus, it’s your responsibility to ensure that any data you collect from your customers, employees, and other key stakeholders in your business is well-protected, otherwise you will face severe consequences.

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Explaining the 'Are You a Human?' Prompts

Explaining the 'Are You a Human?' Prompts

We’ve all had to confirm we’re human when attempting to log into an account. This is the core purpose of what once was called CAPTCHA… the Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart. That being said, it seems surprising that computers don’t easily overcome these simple-seeming tests.

Listed below is why these simple tests actually are effective at differentiating between human users and automated bots.

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Tax Season = An Increase in Scammers

Tax Season = An Increase in Scammers

In the United States, tax season is prime time for hackers to take advantage of law-abiding, tax-paying citizens. They do this via all types of nefarious activities, such as phishing attacks conducted through text messages and emails claiming to be from the Internal Revenue Service. If you want to avoid getting scammed this tax season, be sure to keep the following tips in mind to stay safe while you conduct your typical tax routines.

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Ransomware Payments are Down, But It Isn’t All Good News

Ransomware Payments are Down, But It Isn’t All Good News

Despite some of the headlines that we saw last year, it wasn’t all bad news regarding ransomware. Crucially, 2024 saw ransomware payments plummet by hundreds of millions of dollars… despite many large-scale attacks and one record-breaking whaling payment of $75 million by one victim.

This is undeniably great to hear… but with that in mind, you cannot let yourselves slip into complacency.

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Why Extending Windows 10 Via Extended Security Updates Isn't a Good Business Plan

Why Extending Windows 10 Via Extended Security Updates Isn't a Good Business Plan

Windows 10 is rapidly reaching the end of its secure lifetime, with support scheduled to end on October 14, 2025. While this doesn’t mean that the OS will no longer be available to use, it does mean that it will no longer be able to be safely and securely used, a critically imperative distinction.

That is, however, unless you pay for the Windows 10 Extended Security Updates… but is this a feasible or maintainable strategy for businesses?

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Common-Sense Security Measures You Should Implement Today

Common-Sense Security Measures You Should Implement Today

Running a business is already confusing enough without worrying about security at all times. Whether you own a small business or a multi-level enterprise, security is just as imperative for all the same reasons. Listed below are a couple of security strategies you can implement today to feel better about the current state of your infrastructure moving forward.

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Why People Fall for the Phishing Schemes

Why People Fall for the Phishing Schemes

Phishing is the most common way hackers trick you, so to speak, but have you ever wondered why it’s so effective? Listed below is a list of the reasons why phishing schemes are so enticing to even the most security-conscious individuals out there. You might be surprised to know that even security professionals can fall prey to these types of attacks, and for very good reasons.

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A Refresher on Signs of a Phishing Attack

A Refresher on Signs of a Phishing Attack

Did you know that phishing is the most common security risk to your business? Any of your employees could become the target of a phishing attack, and all it would take is downloading the wrong file or clicking on the wrong link to expose your organization to security threats. Listed below is a refresher on the throwaway signs of a phishing attack and how to protect yourself and your team from harm.

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Data Privacy is Critical and Needs to be a Priority

Data Privacy is Critical and Needs to be a Priority

Since so much of the world is now online, businesses and organizations interact with people online now more than ever. This means they also collect people’s information, for various reasons. Individuals need to consider their own data privacy and how it might be affected by business practices.

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A look the State of Cybersecurity for 2025

A look the State of Cybersecurity for 2025

Businesses have seen an increase in cyberattacks, a trend that is not slowing down in 2025. Listed below is a look at what the future could hold so you can take these insights and apply them to your cybersecurity initiatives in the coming year.

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Consulting a Security Professional is the Right Call for Your Organization

Consulting a Security Professional is the Right Call for Your Organization

If you or your organization are concerned about cybersecurity, we’d like to say, “Congratulations, you get it!” Too many people fail to take cybersecurity seriously, and with hackers and data breaches making headlines worldwide, you cannot underestimate them. Listed below is how a cybersecurity consultant can save you time, money, and stress over your security systems.

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5 Common Cybersecurity Mistakes for Businesses

5 Common Cybersecurity Mistakes for Businesses

Technology is a large part of how businesses run today, but that also makes them prime targets for cyberattacks. These attacks can shut down operations and steal sensitive data. Listed below are five common cybersecurity issues businesses deal with:

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How to Make Individual Data Privacy a Priority

How to Make Individual Data Privacy a Priority

How seriously does your company take data privacy? Can you back up your answer with concrete examples of what you do to prioritize that notion? These days we face a serious threat to both individual and consumer data privacy; how you can make data privacy a priority in your own life is listed below.

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Why Do Modern Businesses Have Such Difficulty Spotting Cyber Threats?

Why Do Modern Businesses Have Such Difficulty Spotting Cyber Threats?

Cybersecurity is intensely critical, so a business owner would think implementing every security feature and defense would be a good idea. As research has shown, this can be counterproductive, as only 67% of surveyed security leaders know what led to cybersecurity incidents in their businesses over the past year. 

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The Latest Lesson We Can Learn from Disney: Manage Permissions More Cautiously

The Latest Lesson We Can Learn from Disney: Manage Permissions More Cautiously

The Disney brand has long cultivated an image of magic and wonder. That being said, this image has yet to materialize any magical effects in reality. For example: people still suffer from food allergies while visiting Disney’s various parks.

This makes it especially dangerous that a former Disney employee was allegedly still able to access a specialized menu-planning app and make alterations, like changing prices, adding language that Disney certainly would not approve of, switching text to the unintelligible “Wingdings” font, and worst of all… changing menu information.

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Redbox Kiosks Could Still Contain Your Data

Redbox Kiosks Could Still Contain Your Data

In June of this year, publisher Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment, best known for its book series of the same name, filed for Chapter 7 and Chapter 11 bankruptcy and had many of its assets liquidated. One of these assets was the movie rental service Redbox and its eponymous scarlet rental kiosks, rendering the service defunct.

Nonetheless, many kiosks remain standing outside businesses even now, which makes us wonder… what about all the data they collected while they were in use?

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Five Functions of NIST-Supported Cybersecurity Framework

Five Functions of NIST-Supported Cybersecurity Framework

A well-structured framework is essential for establishing effective, consistent policies and strategies. This applies to many areas, including network security. Listed below is a look into the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) cybersecurity framework, which outlines steps to help safeguard your business.

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Episode 1 'Of Vice and Vulnerability': Ransomware

Episode 1 'Of Vice and Vulnerability': Ransomware

This blog post is written in the format of a daytime soap opera. Please make sure you read all of the dialogue as if being whispered by extremely attractive television stars and starlets!

Life goes on in the small town of Oak Falls, deep woods surrounding the little hamlet nestled on the coast of Cape Seguridad. Let’s follow the lives of some of the residents, their lives Of Vice… and Vulnerability.

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Macro Systems
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Fairfax, Virginia 22030