While cybersecurity attack methods are rapidly evolving, it's more often than not a misuse of administrative privileges and weak or stolen credentials that are enough to breach any critical infrastructure. Let's take the attack on the water treatment plant for example—all it took for the unidentified perpetrator was one unprotected password to access and handle the control systems remotely. Time and again, incidents like this prove that when passwords are stored in secure vaults and are subject to standard security practices, the chances of getting hacked are far lower.
COVID made “flatten the curve” a household phrase in 2020, but did you know the concept also applies to vulnerability exploits? It turns out that what’s past is prologue in exploit trends. By tracking which attacks are being exploited the most, organizations discover important information to help proactively determine their vulnerability and risk. But it is also important to track attacks where activity has increased the most within a specified timeframe. It only takes one critical exploit to cause significant damage and, once inside the network, the attacker will need to move laterally and probably deploy additional exploits. That’s why understanding which exploits have the greatest likelihood of arriving on the network’s doorstep helps organizations prioritize patch management and risk assessment. This remains top of mind as cyber adversaries continue to maximize vulnerabilities, as we have recently seen with DearCry ransomware, for example.
With enterprise security risk management, organizations should consider the risks versus potential impact to dictate when and how often they assess risk. What does that mean for your organization?
Enterprise security risk management is an approach where organizations should consider the risks versus potential impact in order to dictate when and how often they assess risk. The ESRM approach to risk management and security is meant to keep a security program agile and responsive. Learn about the keys needed to implement an efficient ESRM program.
The Security Department at the El Centro Regional Medical Center maintained a compassionate, yet firm security presence, updating its pandemic response policies and processes, resulting in an orderly continuation of patient admissions and continuation of patient care.
The Security Department at the El Centro Regional Medical Center (ECRMC) was put to the test, tasked with supporting the expansion of the hospital’s patient load to 50% above licensed capacity – far beyond any patient census in the hospital’s history. William DuBois, Security Department Manager at ECRMC, led the physical security through the pandemic, ensuring the Department’s updated mission of assuring the safety and security of patients, staff and visitors while maintaining the assets and business continuity of the hospital.
Communication was already a challenge in the security industry with widespread teams or lone personnel in siloed locations. Now that COVID-19 has virtually eradicated in-person interactions and many team members are only working remotely, it is all the more difficult to keep everyone synced. The entire face of security communications has changed, escalating the need to find alternate ways to connect with the growing remote workforce. Internal and external communications are merging as security companies struggle to manage disconnected teams. Remote work now requires mobile communication delivery at an unprecedented level. Security professionals are discovering faster, more effective ways to communicate with simple, plug-and-play digital solutions.
Enterprise security teams need the ability to see, and they need good sound—sound that is clear, intelligible, and understood, every time. Only then can security teams acquire actionable business intelligence, increase operational efficiency, and mitigate safety and security risks. What are some examples within enterprise security where “good sound” and high-definition audio can help security teams to reduce security risks?
RiskRecon, a Mastercard Company, and the Cyentia Institute published “From Uncertainty to Understanding: The Value of Better Data in Third-Party Risk Assessments.” To help organizations choose the best data to power their third-party risk models, RiskRecon partnered with Cyentia Institute to conduct the research study that quantifies how high-fidelity data turns risk assessments from an exercise of uncertainty to one of understanding.
ADM and its security team tapped into existing data, both inside the company and publicly available, to enable informed decision-making and real-time insight into the company’s pandemic response plan including contact tracing, location insight and information, and facility occupancy.
ADM and its security team, including Kevin Wujek, Insider Threat Coordinator, tapped into existing data, both inside the company and publicly available, to enable informed decision-making and real-time insight into the company’s COVID-19 pandemic response plan including contact tracing, location insight and information, and facility occupancy.
Semperis announced the appointment of James (Jim) W. Doggett Jr. as chief information security officer (CISO). A longtime partner at Ernst & Young (EY) LLP and a veteran security and risk executive, Doggett will be responsible for managing Semperis’ cybersecurity posture and information and risk management program, along with helping customers improve the resiliency of their foundational identity systems.
Almost every American adult knows that cyberattacks and breaches are ubiquitous and have primarily targeted companies and government entities. They might even know that the single most common breach these days is ransomware, a malicious process by which hackers dismantle computer systems and don’t fix them until a ransom is paid. Few, however, are aware that ransomware is targeting a new set of highly vulnerable victims en masse. In recent months, the majority of successful ransomware attacks have struck K-12 schools nationwide, casting a whole new light on the number of Americans highly susceptible to a cyberattack.