It's easy to rest on our laurels. Prevent a few breaches – or go long enough without one – and you start to feel invincible. While our efforts are certainly laudable, we can't get too comfortable. As defenders, we always need to be on the hunt for what we've missed and ways to do better. Here are ten common cybersecurity mistakes that crop up (and how to avoid them).

Before the revolution of Information Technology (IT), the world experienced the revolution of Operational Technology (OT). Operational Technology is the combination of hardware and software that controls and operates the physical mechanisms of industry. OT systems play an important role in the water, manufacturing, power, and distribution systems that transformed the industry into the modern age. All of these systems function to operate, automate, and manage industrial machines.

A Texas court has heard how last month a gang of men used a Raspberry Pi device to steal thousands of dollars from ATMs. According to local media reports, three men were arrested in Lubbock, Texas, after attempting to steal "large sums of US currency" from ATMs. The men - 38-year-old Abel Valdes, 41-year-old Yordanesz Sanchez, and 33-year-old Carlos Jordano Herrera-Ruiz - were arrested on August 3 in a hotel room, where a number of Raspberry Pis and other evidence was recovered.

One thing is becoming evident as ransomware attacks increase in frequency and impact: businesses can take additional precautions. Unfortunately, many companies are failing to do so. Most victims are sufficiently warned about potential weaknesses yet unprepared to recover when hit. Robust ransomware prevention is more important than ever. This becomes very clear when you consider what causes the majority of ransomware attacks nowadays. Some are caused by errors that are easily avoidable.

The basic parameters that control how hardware, software, and even entire networks operate are configurations, whether they take the form of a single configuration file or a collection of connected configurations. For instance, the default properties a firewall uses to control traffic to and from a company's network, such as block lists, port forwarding, virtual LANs, and VPN information, are stored in the firewall's configuration file.

In a digital-first world, safeguarding sensitive data and ensuring compliance with industry regulations are paramount. Enter "Continuous Compliance" – a dynamic approach reshaping the cybersecurity paradigm. As a key part of an effective compliance strategy, continuous compliance is pivotal in fortifying security measures. This modern strategy empowers organizations to stay one step ahead of cyber criminals by fostering real-time monitoring and rapid response to potential threats.

2023 Cost of a Data Breach: Key Takeaways It’s that time of year - IBM has released its “Cost of a Data Breach Report.” This year’s report is jam-packed with some new research and findings that highlight how organizations are implementing security and risk mitigation techniques to help identify and contain data breaches.

South Africa's Protection of Personal Information Act (PoPIA), also known as the PoPI Act, is a comprehensive data protection legislation designed to safeguard the privacy and information of South African citizens. While Jacob Zuma assented to PoPIA in November 2013, the act took effect in July 2020. Parliament granted all South African entities a one-year grace period, expecting them to comply by June 30th, 2020.

Technology companies are often seen as revolving doors of constantly shifting personnel. Whether they are seeking a better work environment or chasing a higher paycheck, these staff changes can hurt an organization’s progress. Worse yet, the customers are often negatively impacted by these changes in the continuity of established relationships.

A firewall is a security device that controls the flow of traffic across a network. A firewall may be a hardware appliance, or it may be a piece of software that runs on a third-party operating system. Firewalls operate based on a set of pre-defined, as well as customizable security rules that inspect network traffic to block or permit access to a network.