Through observation and analysis of open source information and behavior on multiple closed forums, Intel 471 found actors adopting the use of legitimate big data technology for cybercrime and monetizing the data they obtain on the Chinese-language underground.

The last year has certainly shown businesses all around the world that they must be prepared for the unexpected. How they manage the unexpected is what separates those that sail through their challenges and those that let them significantly harm the institution. Being prepared starts with establishing an effective incident response program.

 Hiscox reveals that U.S. businesses’ cybersecurity spending is on the rise and they are leaders in cyber expertise, but still have more work to do when it comes to ransomware and phishing emails. The annual Hiscox Cyber Readiness Report, which gauges businesses’ preparedness to combat cyber incidents and breaches, surveyed over 6,000 professionals responsible for their company’s cybersecurity from the U.S., U.K., Belgium, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain and Ireland. Key findings specific to the more than 1,000 U.S. professionals surveyed include:

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today announced that Puesh M. Kumar will serve as Acting Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary (PDAS) for DOE’s Office of Cybersecurity, Energy Security, and Emergency Response (CESER).

Recent national events, such as the health crisis and geopolitical tensions, have caused budget reductions across the public safety community. To help state, local, tribal, and territorial government agencies maintain or adjust their budgets in a time of constrained funding, SAFECOM and the National Council of Statewide Interoperability Coordinators (NCSWIC) developed Contingency Considerations When Facing Reductions in Emergency Communications Budgets fact sheet to provide a series of contingency considerations to justify investment in four mission-critical resource categories: personnel, operating costs, equipment, and software.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), Indianapolis Motor Speedway, state and local first responders, law enforcement officials, and local businesses held a tabletop exercise to test response plans around hypothetical public safety incidents on the day of the Indianapolis 500, scheduled for Sunday, May 30.  Representatives from multiple government agencies and the community discussed their roles, shared best practices, and improved coordination mechanisms to help keep the public safe.  The exercise is part of an ongoing public safety efforts surrounding the Indianapolis 500 and was not in response to any specific threat.

Netenrich announced the appointment of Christopher Morales as Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) and Head of Security Strategy to its leadership team. Morales will oversee the strategic development, implementation, and market execution of the company’s security solutions and processes.

As we embark on the long-haul journey to distribute the COVID-19 vaccine to all Americans, addressing the communication challenges of this distribution has never been more vital for safety and coordination, says David Wiseman, Vice President of Secure Communications at BlackBerry. Here, we talk to Wiseman about the need for unified communications as states implement vaccine rollout strategies. 

A security team can sink an infinite amount of time and resources into strengthening your infrastructure, but it’s all for nothing if a default password is used by an exec, or someone in HR makes the mistake of responding to a clever phishing message. Cybercriminals will always find the path of least resistance and for most organizations the easiest way in is through the people.