There's some possibly good news on the ransomware front. Companies are becoming more resilient to attacks, and the ransom payments extorted from businesses by hackers are on a downward trend. That's one of the findings of insurance broker Marsh, which conducted an analysis of the more than 1800 cyber claims it received during 2023 from its clients in the United States and Canada. According to Marsh, ransomware attacks were linked to less than 20% of all claims made to the firm during the last year.

As the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris approach, organizers are intensifying cybersecurity measures in response to warnings from experts and law enforcement agencies about a likely surge in cyberattacks. The Games, set to start on 26 July this year, are projected to sell over 13 million tickets and attract more than 15 million visitors to Paris, generating around 11 billion euros in economic activity.

As we pass the halfway mark of 2024, data breaches remain on the rise. Cybercriminals are finding more and more inventive ways to infiltrate organizations, exploiting vulnerabilities in networks, software, and human behavior. From phishing schemes and ransomware attacks to insider threats and supply chain compromises, the threat of cyber attacks continues. This is bad news, especially for certain industries. The consequences of these breaches extend far beyond financial losses.

Zero Trust maturity might be one of the least understood security buzzwords of our era. The term “Zero Trust” was originally coined over a decade ago and described the principle of not assigning digital trust to any entity, ever, for free. It represented a fundamental paradigm shift from the trust-happy early internet days to the threat-filled cyber landscape we now know. Since then, companies have been striving to make all their systems Zero-Trust mature. As right they should.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is now integrated into almost every available technology. It powers numerous real-world applications, from facial recognition to language translators and virtual assistants. AI offers significant benefits for businesses and economies by boosting productivity and creativity. However, it still faces practical challenges. Machine learning often requires substantial human effort to label training data for supervised learning.

I recently came across the "Johari Window Model" and thought this would be a good way to gain inspiration to explain the conundrum faced by many cybersecurity customers. The table below shows us the breakdown of the stages that are applicable not just to IT and OT environments but also to other facets of our daily lives. This model can be applied to asset discovery and Fortra's Security Configuration Management (SCM) system.

In the past four years, cyberattacks have more than doubled. Cybercriminals are leveraging emerging technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) to facilitate more sophisticated attacks. Geopolitical tumult has increased cyber risk. Couple these factors with a near-ubiquitous desire for businesses to expand their operations, and it’s easy to understand the need for scaling Security Operations Center (SOC) operations.

Qilin (also known as Agenda) is a ransomware-as-a-service criminal operation that works with affiliates, encrypting and exfiltrating the data of hacked organisations and then demanding a ransom be paid.

The North American Electric Reliability Corporation Critical Infrastructure Protection (NERC CIP) regulations often make exacting demands of Fortra Tripwire's customers, requiring them to update or create new change processes and document those processes in order to comply. In any NERC CIP-centered IT\OT project, there are always crucial indicators of success - even before the project gets underway.

The successful implementation of new tools and processes hinges not just on the technology itself but on meticulous project management. From ensuring secure access to the underlying infrastructure, a new tool will be implemented upon defining clear goals and understanding the security footprint of the service. Even the earliest steps of your rollout can be important in the long run.

As summer approaches, many of us are eagerly planning our much-awaited vacations. Whether you're jetting off to exotic destinations or embarking on a road trip closer to home, it's important to remember that cybersecurity should be a part of your travel checklist. From safeguarding your devices to protecting your personal information, here are some easy-to-follow tips to ensure a cyber-safe summer getaway... And most importantly, enjoy your trip! Don't let cybersecurity concerns overshadow your vacation.

Integrity is a vital component of any cybersecurity policy, making up one-third of the CIA Triad. However, until recently, the industry has had a limited understanding of the term, using it primarily in the context of data security. Integrity means so much more than this principle alone: it impacts every facet of an information system and can drive an organization's entire security program. Fundamentally, integrity ensures that no one tampers with your assets, whatever and wherever they may be.

Security-Enhanced Linux (SELinux), initially known for its perceived complexity in configuration and maintenance, has evolved into an indispensable security architecture across most Linux distributions. It empowers administrators to finely control the actions permitted to individual users, processes, and system daemons, thereby bolstering defense against potential security breaches.

With 86% of UK adults using a form of online or remote banking and high street banks closing in record numbers, banking websites have become an integral part of our daily lives. They have changed how we manage our money, allowing us to send and receive money from anywhere in the world, open or close accounts at the click of a button (or tap or a screen), and avoid queuing in physical banks. They have also transformed the UK's criminal landscape.

The US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has warned that scammers are impersonating its employees in an attempt to commit fraud. In an alert posted on the CISA website, the organisation warned that so-called impersonation scams are on the rise. An impersonation scam is any type of fraud where a criminal pretends to be a trusted individual or organisation to dupe a victim into handing over personal information or money or taking an unwise action.

The Verizon 2024 Data Breach Investigations Report noted a 180% increase in exploited vulnerabilities over the previous year’s figures. The importance of keeping an up-to-date vulnerability management policy for remediating and controlling security vulnerabilities cannot be understated.

Many companies strive to achieve the best security possible. Along the path to improved security, many companies are also required to meet various compliance standards. In some cases, compliance is also a regulatory requirement. This crossroad between security and compliance can sometimes seem at odds with the organization’s goals. Compliance does not always equal security.

Exploring the intricate relationship between people and cybersecurity opens up a dynamic landscape where individuals' decisions, habits, and intentions significantly impact the safety and integrity of digital systems. Cybercriminals are savvy opportunists, and like pickpockets, they go where the crowds are. They scan the virtual world, identifying weaknesses in the popular sites and systems people use.

The ISF (Information Security Forum) Standard of Good Practice (SoGP) is a comprehensive set of best practices designed to help organizations effectively manage their information security risks. Covering various topics, including governance, risk management, compliance, incident management, and technical security controls, it helps establish and maintain a robust information security program tailored to an organization's specific needs and risks.

Threats to sensitive data are everywhere. From sophisticated cybercriminal syndicates to accidental exposure to nation-state-backed advanced persistent threat (APT) groups and everything in between, it's never been more critical for organizations to have the correct data protection tools.

Did your company fall victim to the LockBit ransomware? Have cybercriminals left gigabytes of your data encrypted, with no easy route for recovery that doesn't involve paying a ransom? Well, don't fear. The FBI announced this week that it had obtained over 7,000 decryption keys for the LockBit ransomware and is urging victims to come forward for free assistance.

Anyone remotely wired into technology newsfeeds – or any newsfeeds for that matter – will know that AI (artificial intelligence) is the topic of the moment. In the past 18 months alone, we’ve borne witness to the world’s first AI Safety Summit, a bizarre and highly public leadership drama at one of the world’s top AI companies, and countless prophecies of doom. And yet, even after all that, it seems businesses have largely failed to take meaningful action on AI.

Have you ever wondered how Artificial Intelligence (AI) could mimic consciousness and autonomously control various tasks? It sounds rather daunting. However, it may not be as intimidating as it seems under the right conditions. Moreover, Would AI perform tasks independently in the same manner as humans? And what implications does this hold for cybersecurity? In the present day, we are observing the rise of self-driving cars that operate with minimal human input.

Vulnerability management and patch management are often confused. However, it's crucial to recognize that, while complementary, they are distinct processes. Understanding the differences between vulnerability management and patch management is essential for a solid security posture. Let's delve into the concepts to understand better what they are, how they differ, and how they work together.

An insider threat is someone inside an organization – including current and former employees, partners, and contractors – who, intentionally or otherwise, put their organization at risk. They typically abuse their access to private information and privileged accounts to steal or sabotage sensitive data, often for financial gain or even revenge. Organizations today must have effective security solutions in place to identify and respond to insider threats.