Security | Threat Detection | Cyberattacks | DevSecOps | Compliance

Audit logs provide a rich source of data critical to preventing, detecting, understanding, and minimizing the impact of network or data compromise in a timely manner. Collection logs and regular review is useful for identifying baselines, establishing operational trends, and detecting abnormalities. In some cases, logging may be the only evidence of a successful attack. CIS Control 8 emphasizes the need for centralized collection and storage and standardization to better coordinate audit log reviews.

Back in early June, the U.S. Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) published a fact sheet discussing the rising threat of ransomware to operational technology (OT) assets. This development raises several questions. Why is ransomware a threat to OT environments? And what can organizations do to protect their OT assets against ransomware?

Back in the early days of networking, many companies assigned all of the responsibilities to anyone who showed any aptitude towards operating a computer. In many companies, this was an accountant or someone else who also managed sensitive financial information. The assumption was that the person managing the corporate books was the most trustworthy person in the organization.

Organisations who find their networks hit by a ransomware attack may soon have to disclose within 48 hours any payments to their extortionists. That’s the intention of the Ransom Disclosure Act, a new bill proposed by US Senator Elizabeth Warren and Representative Deborah Ross.

When it comes to cybersecurity, vulnerability management is one of the older technologies that still play a critical role in securing our assets. It is often overlooked, disregarded, or considered only for checkbox compliance needs, but a proper vulnerability management program can play a critical role in avoiding a series data breach. CIS Control 07 provides the minimum requirements, table stakes if you will, for establishing a successful vulnerability management program.

Canopy was advertised to me through my child’s school. The company offers a multi-platform parental control app claiming various abilities to limit and monitor use of protected devices. Access to Canopy is billed monthly and includes a compelling list of features for concerned parents: Several of these features imply that the app has privileged access to the protected device and may be intercepting TLS connections to filter content.

In my previous post, I discussed some of the reasons why organizations decide to partner with managed service providers (MSPs). Organizations need to be careful when deciding to work with a specific provider, however, as not all MSPs are the created the same. Part of the reason why is because MSPs come in four varieties. Let’s discuss those types below.

It is October 2021, and another Cybersecurity Awareness Month is upon us. With so much having occurred over the last year, we should all be experts in personal cybersecurity protection. After all, when our homes became our primary business location, it all became very personal. I once worked at a company that prohibited me from offering personal cybersecurity advice.

What is your organization’s approach to security events? For many organizations, each security alarm is treated with the same urgency as a fire. While a sense of urgency is good, the ensuing panic that occurs is not a recipe for longevity. The constant shifting of attention from one emergency to the next is fatiguing; it can often lead to mistakes that compound an event. The “all hands on deck” approach is similar to an ineffective method of weeding a garden.

REvil is one of the most notorious ransomware groups in the world. Also known as Sodin and Sodinokibi, REvil has made a name for itself extorting large amounts of money from businesses, operating as a ransomware-as-a-service (RAAS) business model that sees it share its profits with affiliates who break into networks and negotiate with victims on the group’s behalf.