2024 is almost here, and that means PCI DSS 4.0 will soon go into effect. The newest version will have some mandatory controls on March 31, 2024, for those who store, process, or transmit card payment data. While its predecessor weighed in at 190 pages, PCI DSS 4.0 is 486 pages and includes 63 new security controls.

A common theme we hear from organizations utilizing a cloud delivered web proxy, either standalone or part of an SSE or SASE platform, is the frustration caused by website localization issues, a common trade-off when using services hosted in different geographies to the user. This is more acute the larger the customer is and the wider the distribution of employees beyond their home country or smaller organizations located in countries with no large scale data center (DC) infrastructure.

Ever since the invention of internet browsers for personal computers came about in the 1990s, cybercrime has been on the rise. Almost 30 years after the invention of the Worldwide Web, cybercriminals have a variety of different methodologies and toolkits that they use on a daily basis to leverage vulnerabilities and commit crime. One of the most popular types of attacks that is used by threat actors is a ransomware attack.

We are well aware of the devastating effect insiders can have when using their legitimate access and knowledge to target their own organization. These incidents can result in significant monetary and reputational damages. Entities small and large, across all sectors, can fall victim to insider threats.

A few CCTV cameras and a lock on the door. These used to be the only security measures an organization had to take to keep their business safe. Alas, those days are long gone. Now, having a Cyber Security Incident Response System (CSIRS) in place is critical. The internet is playing a bigger and bigger role in business. This means organizations become more and more vulnerable to cyber threats.

Identity theft is like a thief in the night; it can happen to anyone, anywhere, at any time. It is a real threat to everyone. We live in a time where so much personal information is stored online, which allows cybercriminals to steal it and use it for their gain. A Federal Trade Commission report shows that over 1 million people fell victim to identity theft in 2022. The most common types of identity theft are credit card fraud, bank fraud, and loan or lease fraud.

A cybercriminal group calling itself BlackSuit has claimed responsibility for a series of ransomware attacks, including breaches at schools in central Georgia. And earlier in the year, a zoo in Tampa Bay was targeted by the same hacking gang.

Enterprises in the private sector look to the US federal government for cybersecurity best practices. The US CISA (Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency) issues orders and directives to patch existing products or avoid use of others. The US NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology) publishes important documents providing detailed guidance on various security topics such as its Cybersecurity Framework (CSF).

Atlassian has released software fixes to address four critical flaws in its software that, if successfully exploited, could result in remote code execution. In late October 2023, Atlassian issued a warning about a critical security flaw, CVE-2023-22518 (CVSS score 9.1), impacting all versions of Confluence Data Center and Server. This improper authorization issue poses a significant risk of data loss if exploited by an unauthenticated attacker.

This week, the threat actor group Anonymous Global (AnonGlobal) has introduced a new website designed for user engagement in attacks directed at Israel. Despite the site’s current inaccessibility, the group already claims already facilitated attacks resulting in the takedown of three Israeli websites. This innovative approach marks a departure from traditional threat actor tactics, aiming to involve ordinary individuals in their attacks.