Security | Threat Detection | Cyberattacks | DevSecOps | Compliance

October 2022

How to Speak Fluent Board

You and your board have the same goal: to drive your organization in the right direction. That makes everything easy, right? Well, not always. Whereas the problem used to be an overall lack of security awareness, boards now are very much aware of the business risk less-than-robust cybersecurity poses. Today, it’s all about communicating effectively and fluently, especially when introducing cybersecurity solutions.

SecurityScorecard Partners With Cloud Security Alliance - Why Continuous Cyber Risk Monitoring Across Industries is Crucial

Effectively evaluating risk goes a long way toward improving an organization’s cybersecurity posture. The Cloud Security Alliance (CSA) is the world’s leading organization dedicated to defining and raising awareness of best practices to help ensure a secure cloud computing environment. CSA’s partnership with SecurityScorecard will enhance their members’ ability to evaluate their own risk and that of their entire business ecosystem.

KillNet Targeting U.S. State Government Websites

On October 5, a cyber incident disrupted the availability of three state government websites. The Russian-speaking KillNet group claimed responsibility. As discussed in previous SecurityScorecard research, KillNet began as a financially-motivated operation offering a botnet for hire. It has since remodeled to a hacktivist collective, conducting a series of relatively low-sophistication DDoS attacks against targets linked to entities perceived to oppose the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

New Security Directives for U.S. Railroad Carriers Require Real-Time Continuous Monitoring of Cyber Risk

The U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) recently issued new cybersecurity regulations for passenger and freight railroad carriers to enhance cybersecurity resilience with performance-based measures. This security directive includes a new requirement for railroad carriers to build continuous monitoring policies and procedures. This is the latest of several recent initiatives on the U.S. state and federal levels requiring continuous monitoring of cyber risk.

What Drives Cyber Risk? Cyber Insurers and SecurityScorecard Reveal Answers

Seeking to stay ahead of hackers, many researchers have asked themselves what drives cyber risk. And many cyber insurance carriers have wondered how to accurately underwrite and price the risk. According to preliminary results from SecurityScorecard’s joint work with our cyber insurance partners, the answer is clear but multi-faceted.

The State of Cybersecurity During Awareness Month

From nation-state threat actors to cybercriminals, today’s businesses face many cybersecurity threats. At the same time, organizations struggle to maintain a strong security posture because they have not yet shifted to a holistic approach to risk – one that combines a 360º view of the attack surface with the ability to communicate risk meaningfully and respond effectively.

Cyber Risk Intelligence: County Government Cyber Incident May Have Involved Social Engineering and Targeting of Vulnerable SSH Services

The government of a U.S. county announced on September 11 that a recent cyber incident had disrupted its online services. Subsequent coverage of the event has noted that it strongly resembles a ransomware attack. The disruption comes against a backdrop of frequent ransomware activity targeting state and local governments and the education sector.

Is Cybersecurity Recession-Proof?

Spoiler alert: The answer is yes. But not in the way you might expect. Unless you live in an enchanted land where mermaids feed you healthy beer for breakfast, your security budget has probably shrunk recently. The good news is that this can be good news because determining with ruthless clarity the effectiveness (or ineffectiveness) of your cybersecurity program will help you take deliberate steps to improve it with an efficient spend.

Do You Know How Much Risk Your Third-Party Vendors Pose to Your Business?

When you choose to work with a third party, there's always the risk that they will cause your business harm. The right tools can help you make better-informed decisions about the vendors you choose and spot problems before they occur. Third-party vendors are an important part of any business, but it's important for employers to understand what the risks are when working with these partners.

What is Cyber Risk Quantification? A Comprehensive Guide

As cybercriminals discover new ways to expand the threat landscape, cyber security professionals need to be able to predict their next move and stay ahead of evolving cyber threats. But in order to do so, businesses must be aware of their vulnerabilities, have a clear view of their cybersecurity posture, and have an understanding of their associated risks.

Phishing May Have Preceded Data Breach Exposing Personal Information of Over 2.5 Million People

In late August, a technology provider that offers student loan account management and payment services submitted a breach notice indicating that a compromise detected on July 22 exposed 2.5 million individuals’ data, including their names, contact information, and social security numbers. At present, neither the breach notice nor subsequent reporting have provided detailed insights into the nature of the breach, noting only that it likely began in June and continued until July 22.

Product Announcement: Monitor Vendors Outside Your Portfolios with Watch List

We’re excited to announce a new way to monitor all of the companies you care about, but maybe don’t need all the granular security data on. Watch List lets you monitor the high-level score information of companies you care about without consuming a more detailed Portfolio slot.

To vCISO or not to vCISO?

Chief Information Security Officers know all about the “Sea of troubles,” and they experience “slings and arrows” daily. In mid-September, we saw a breach of Uber that threatened to undo the company’s security program - for exposing a fairly easy path to super admin privileges across most (if not all) of its infrastructure and security tools like GSuite, AWS, and HackerOne private vulnerability reports. The stakes are high.

3 Services That Improve Your Security Posture

Besides KPIs and ratings to measure and quantify risk, you need to have a team of experts available 24/7, who you can rely on to help fix the worst problems. Put these four services in your cybersecurity toolbox: If a ransomware attack happens in the middle of the night on the weekend, you must be able to call somebody 365 days a year to help you recover and figure out how to get back up to speed. If you get breached, how do you diagnose how an attacker got in? You need to have experts who can go on your site and understand how attackers penetrated the defenses.