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A provocative piece from Vox, explains the current state of the Russian Cyber War.   After three weeks of fighting, Russia is beginning to deploy increasingly brutal tactics in Ukraine, including indiscriminate shelling of cities and “medieval” siege warfare. Other elements of its military strategy, however, are conspicuously absent in cyberwarfare.  Russia has a history of employing cyberwarfare tactics, which some experts believed could feature prominently in its invasion of Ukraine. The cyber

With geo-political events evolving minute by minute regarding the Russian/Ukraine conflict, cyber security has been pushed to one of the top concerns relating to baniking and business enterprises.  Almost every aspect of life, commerce, governments, and military operations are tied directly to cyber activity.  Insert the added dimension of private hacking groups getting involved with this new ‘cyber-war,’ only makes the situation even more volatile. 

It is common knowledge in the cyber security

Cybersecurity is more than meets the eye.  Proper security contains several layers, including adequate training and technology, to meet HIPAA compliance guidelines. Healthcare organizations are responsible for implementing robust cybersecurity strategies to prevent cyberattacks.  The healthcare industry claims to prioritize cybersecurity efforts, yet 18% of organizations allocate only 1-2% of their IT budgets to cybersecurity.  Covered entities who choose not to prioritize proper cybersecurity l

Wall Street, especially the insurance markets, is very concerned about the cyber security risks that state and local governments are facing, including a cascade of ransomware attacks targeting a public sector which is still struggling with how to manage more and more on-line services during the never ending COVID-19 pandemic. 

“The landscape is changing quite rapidly right now, from the cybersecurity insurance and the threat landscape side, which leaves local governments in the middle dealing wi

The Port of Rotterdam in the Netherlands has launched its Secure Data Sharing Program through its Port Community System (PCS) PortBase.  The Port of Rotterdam is the largest seaport in Europe, and the world's largest seaport outside of East Asia.  From 1962 until 2004, it was the world's busiest port by annual cargo tonnage.  This port will serve as a leader in Port Cyber Security. 

With worldwide calls for better cybersecurity on the rise following reports that the cybercrime underground is rip

Area Maritime Security Committees 2020 Annual Report – Challenges, Suggestions, Accomplishments, and Best Practices.  The Office of Port and Facility Compliance is pleased to announce the publication of a consolidated report[1] on the status and work completed in 2020 by Area Maritime Security Committees.  Area Maritime Security Committees 2020 Annual ReportArea Maritime Security Committees 2020 Annual Report.[2]

Area Maritime Security Committees (AMSCs) provide a valuable forum to discuss and a

Auto manufacturers cannot afford to penny-pinch on cyber security and should manage risk from the very beginning of the design process and across the software development lifecycle and supply chain.  Cyber security affects our everyday lives, from the small-scale phishing emails you receive in your inbox to the ransomware attack that shut down the Colonial Pipeline earlier this year and caused panic and a run on fuel.  And it’s not just fuel that can be affected by cybersecurity attacks, but als

Outer space and cyberspace have something in common, they are both new frontiers for national security.  This confuses what has been traditional ideas of defense strategy, borders, and sovereignty.  These two areas are national critical infrastructure and are essential for any country to be secure and able to defend itself.  This ‘use’ means cyber and space can both be utilized for civilian and military purposes.

As a political and legal concept, sovereignty defines as a country’s authority to c

Working from home is a new work environment that will be with many employees and companies for years.  Since 2020 when the COVID-19 lockdowns began, cybercrime has increased drastically, and remote working has presented huge challenges and higher risks for many organizations. The surge of COVID-19 cases driven by new variants has challenged many companies to quickly devise long-term hybrid work models that meet the needs of their businesses and employees.  The term hybrid has been coined as ther

Since early in 2020, when the COVID-19 lockdowns began, cybercrime has increased significantly and remote working has produced major cyber security challenges and higher risks for many businesses and organizations.  The surge of CV-19 cases driven by new variants has challenged many companies to quickly devise long-term hybrid work models that meet the needs of their businesses and employees.  The term hybrid has been coined as there are many degrees from total office attendance to total at home

Security professionals have long wrestled with properly identifying rogue employees bent on crippling a company.  This was once evident in identifying stolen proprietary or classified paper documents for personal or professional gains – or some were just plain focused on outright revenge and destruction.  Now ‘everything’ is cyber related, yes everything, and thus cyber security meets with physical security, human resources (HR) and company management teams.  This lateral cooperation is a must i

US Government Cyber Warning Summary:

Immediate Actions You Can Take Now to Protect Against Ransomware

• Make an offline backup of your data.
• Do not click on suspicious links.
• If you use RDP, secure and monitor it.
• Update your OS and software.
• Use strong passwords.
• Use multi-factor authentication.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) have observed an increase in highly impactful ransomware attacks occurring on US holidays and we

A recent report by Ponemon Institute[1] and commissioned by Team Cymru found that half of the organizations surveyed experienced disruptive cyber-attacks from repeat sophisticated threat actors, the majority of whose exploits were unresolved.  Although organizations acknowledged experiencing disruptive attacks and from repeat offenders, total remediation was not possible.  According to the report, this situation left personal data and organizations’ infrastructure at risk of more attacks.  Last

Dr. Alireza Jolfaei is a Lecturer in the Department of Computing at Macquarie University and provides a great view of cyber security and the use of white hat hackers from an Australian perspective.  “Beneath our streets and above our heads, in the power lines and the satellite links that crisscross our cities, a constant war is being waged between the forces of malicious hacking and the cyber-security defense systems that must stay one step ahead to keep society running.  Targets everywhere: Aus

US Lawmakers and security experts have expressed disappointment that US President Joe Biden’s $2.25 trillion infrastructure plan does not include funding to protect vital facilities against the growing threat of cyberattacks.  This infrastructure package failed to provide money to defend critical systems, such as the US power grid, against hackers, according to media sources last week.  “Any critical infrastructure modernization must take cybersecurity into account from the start,” said the OT d

Many countries are investing seriously in their 5G network, especially in Asia – China leading the way.  But beware: more connectivity through 5G networks also comes with increased cybersecurity threats.  As new technology links both the physical (OT) and virtual world (IT), 5G security risks will have wide security impacts.   To overcome these security challenges, researchers need to build security regimes that protect not only 5G infrastructure and services, but the applications and IoT device

Physical security concepts and practices has been around for centuries.  Cyber security, not so long.  We all are painfully more aware than ever of the need for strong cybersecurity.  Network security should be in most business systems, yet the Internet of Things (IoT) has opened the realm of malicious cyber-attacks to a height unseen in recent times.  IoT in any open space creates the potential for various cyber-attacks that can disrupt system operation and negatively impact a customer’s busine

With the new incoming US government and other international countries looking seriously at renewable energy sources; so are hackers, who are no fools and are researching ways to compromise the future of energy.  The ‘rush’ to renewable energy technology may open multiple cybersecurity threats and vulnerabilities if caution is not placed on cyber security and these energy source developments. 

Quick developing solar and wind technologies present new risks to power grid security, especially as sma

“There is a strong need to balance the benefits of new technologies with safety and security concerns, in particular cyber-security," Heike Deggim, director of maritime safety at the United Nations sponsored International Maritime Organization (IMO), told the International Safety@Sea webinar series organized by the Maritime & Port Authority of Singapore (MPA).  “Many people tend to have a very outdated view of what modern shipping looks like.  Modern ships are technologically advanced workplaces

Remember Mad magazine’s spokesman, Alfred E. Newman and his catch phrase, “What me Worry?’  This attitude is has taken root in many organizations’ views of cybersecurity and shows little improvement.  Cyber security experts estimate that only one in three small medium sized businesses (SMB) and small municipalities, with 50 or fewer employees rely on free or consumer-grade cybersecurity products.  Additional research indicated that one in five companies do not use any endpoint security either. A