Examining the state of privacy regulations
We have now passed a couple of years of GDPR enforcement, and today the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) will also take effect. The result of the former has been a net increase in data breach notifications across European businesses. One exception has been in the UK, according to a Linklaters report, which has seen… Read More
Planning for compliance and security
A recent ESI Thoughtlab report reveals how many small-to-mid-size businesses are planning to approach cyber-insurance spending over the next few years. Namely, about 65% of them plan for increases (58% for larger firms). This decision reflects a growing realization of the inevitability of cyberattacks: 45% now expect a breach to happen soon. As remote working… Read More
Skimming data from online shoppers
A new Verizon Data Breach Investigation Report (DBIR) means it’s time to look and evaluate the state of data security across industries. Almost 4,000 data breaches were examined, and to be honest, there are very few surprises in my opinion. A lot of the data reaffirms what we’ve long known and always hear. Causes like… Read More
Differing attitudes toward security create remote working risks
We’ve examined in recent weeks the risks that come from widespread remote working. Now, thanks to a study from Tessian, new insights are coming to light. Most notably, a disconnect persists between IT staff and an organization’s employees regarding best security behaviors. Surveying 2,000 professionals in the US and UK, Tessian found that only about… Read More
Simple tips for identifying phishing emails
How can you help in the fight against phishing schemes? The most simplistic answer is, don’t click on fraudulent emails. But distinguishing between phishing and genuine emails is not always so clear-cut. A few simple tips can help tilt the fight in your favor. Personally, the first and main thing I do is to see… Read More
Protecting essential services from cybercrime
Are you finding that you’re cooking more—or at all—thanks to extended quarantine? Boy do I miss restaurants. Maybe you do, too. Maybe you’re even ordering takeout or meal kits to cook up yourself. In which case, you might be susceptible to a data breach. Kroger’s Home Chef Services, one of the more popular delivery services,… Read More
Phishing schemes cast a wide net during a crisis
The Identity Defined Security Alliance (IDSA) has released a survey of IT professionals that spotlights the growing importance of identities, and the vulnerabilities they create in the workplace. Basically, what this means is an expansion of connected devices, user accounts, and therefore greater likelihood that hackers will compromise any number of these accounts. According to… Read More
Group efforts are required to secure data
A number of sites have recently experienced data breaches, and now the stolen information is up for grabs on the dark web. ShinyHunters, the hacking group reportedly responsible for these multiple cases, is offering over 73 million records from sources like the dating app Zoosk, the Star Tribune, several South Korean fashion and furniture sites,… Read More
Beginners Guide – Securing Legacy Devices
All hospitals and medical facilities have devices that store patient data. On August 21, 1996, the Healthcare Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) was signed into law, and by that time, millions of devices were installed and active. It was not until twenty years after HIPPA came to be that manufacturers began to address data vulnerabilities in their medical devices…. Read More
Data sharing, collection, and personal privacy concerns
The security risks created by COVID-19 continue to abound. Applications have proliferated in the wild, offering concerned people the chance to test themselves for Coronavirus. Now, I haven’t used any of these apps, I don’t know how reliable they are, but the point is they are being used. People are submitting copious amounts of data… Read More