Game over? It’s up to your password
My fellow 90s gamers will remember LAN parties — the original connected gaming — and playing Counter-Strike and Half-Life in Internet cafés. For many, Counter-Strike was our introduction to multiplayer gaming. Then, in the early 2000s, a game called World of Warcraft changed everything. I had never seen so many people on the same server before! It was a new world,…
Security Compliance: The Less You Spend the More You Pay
The costs of complying with data protection requirements are steep, but the costs of non-compliance are even higher, a new study shows. Like the old saying about an ounce of prevention being better than a pound of cure, complying with data protection requirements can be expensive, but the financial consequences of non-compliance can hurt a…
12 Threats of Christmas
We’ve all heard the old classic, “The 12 Days of Christmas.” While we all enjoy a good song about a partridge in a pear tree, Trend Micro has updated this seasonal standby, counting down the top threats to be aware of heading into 2018, from least to most pressing. Let’s look at the vulnerabilities and potential…
Database of 1.4 Billion Credentials Found on Dark Web
Researchers have found a database of 1.4 billion clear text credentials in what appears to be the single largest aggregate database yet found on the dark web. These are not from a new breach, but a compilation of 252 previous breaches, including the previous largest combo list, Exploit.in. The database was found by 4iQ on 5…
Internet of Things (IoT) security: what is and what should never be
The Internet has penetrated seemingly all technological advances today, resulting in Internet for ALL THE THINGS. What was once confined to a desktop and a phone jack is now networked and connected in multiple devices, from home heating and cooling systems like the Nest to AI companions such as Alexa. The devices can pass information…
Big Apple Flaw Allows Root Access to Macs without Password
Mac users and administrators need to be on the lookout for compromised machines after a security researcher disclosed late yesterday a big flaw in Apple’s macOS High Sierra platform that allows for password-less logins to root accounts. Publicly disclosed by software engineer Lemi Orhan Ergin via Twitter, the flaw allows someone with physical access to…
Cybersecurity skills shortage creating recruitment chaos
Because of the global cybersecurity skills shortage, nearly half of all cybersecurity professionals are solicited to consider other jobs at least once per week. Here’s a quick review of some of the cybersecurity skills shortage data I’ve cited about in recent blogs: 1. According to ESG research from early 2017, 45 percent of organizations claim…
US charged 3 Chinese security firm hackers with corporate cyber-espionage
The Department of Justice charged three Chinese nationals working for an internet security firm in China with hacking three companies and stealing hundreds of gigabytes of data and trade secrets from Siemens AG, Moody’s Analytics and GPS maker Trimble between early 2011 and May 2017. Both the malware and the organization to which defendants Wu…
Double Whammy: When One Attack Masks Another Attack
In some contexts, a double whammy can mean a good thing: when your favorite team wins two games in a row, when two candy bars fall from the vending machine, etc. However, in the context of cyber security, a double whammy may translate to being attacked while still reeling from the impact of another threat….
Why Smart Devices Need Even Smarter Security
The introduction of a new generation of connected, intelligent devices into the workplace has helped businesses become more productive, serve customers more efficiently and expand into new markets. But as more smart devices join the burgeoning Internet of Things (IoT), the transition has scrambled the historical notion of the corporate endpoint. We’ve moved beyond the…