Millions of dollars have been stolen from healthcare companies after fraudsters gained access to customer accounts and redirected payments. In a newly-published advisory directed at the healthcare payment industry, the FBI warns that cybercriminals are using a cocktail of publicly-available Personally Identifiable Information (PII) and social engineering techniques to impersonate victims and obtain access to files, healthcare portals, payment information, and websites.

Authentication as a baseline security control is essential for organizations to know who and what is accessing corporate resources and assets. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) states that authentication is the process of verifying that a user’s identity is genuine.

In an increasingly digital world, cybersecurity is a significant – and relevant – threat to individuals and companies alike. Cybercriminals are constantly devising new ways to steal information for personal gain through exploitation or ransom demands. It’s become unfortunately commonplace to hear tales of drained checking accounts, leaked photos, and private documents being published to the masses.

With business and technology becoming increasingly intertwined, organizations are being forced to rethink how they look at digital security. Once overlooked or viewed as a mere afterthought, today it has become a business-critical necessity. As a result, organizations across industry lines are racing to improve their security postures.

Data classification can feel like an overwhelming task, especially for organizations without a strong practice in place. As with any security approach, data classification is both crucial and tempting to avoid. Regardless of whether the value is recognized, there’s a chance that it gets pushed further and further down the priority list in favor of items that are easier to address.

A ransomware gang that has been increasingly disproportionately targeting the education sector is the subject of a joint warning issued by the FBI, CISA, and MS-ISAC. The Vice Society ransomware group has been breaking into schools and colleges, exfiltrating sensitive data, and demanding ransom payments. The threat? If the extortionists aren’t paid, you may not be able to unlock your encrypted files, and the attackers may leak the information they have stolen from your servers online.

The world is becoming a smaller place. The prospect of working in another country becomes increasingly realistic and even promising as businesses migrate toward the cloud and collaborate more closely with international partners. Amid this shift, cybersecurity professionals may wonder if they can work abroad. Cybersecurity is a worldwide concern, creating plenty of global opportunities for security professionals.

It is hard to believe, but ransomware is more than three decades old. While many would think that the ransomware mayhem started with the WannaCry attack of 2017, that is simply the most publicized example. Since then, dozens of ransomware strains have been utilized in a variety of cyberattacks.

File integrity monitoring (FIM) started back in 1997 when Gene Kim launched Tripwire and its “Change Audit” solution. Just a few years later, Change Audit became FIM; this rebranded tool worked with the 12 security controls identified in Visa’s Cardholder Information Security Program (CISP). CISP became PCI DSS 1.0, and things continued to evolve after that. Which brings us to the present day.

What are the most important areas for a CISO to focus on? When speaking to Aman Sood, it becomes clear that the job of a CISO encompasses every aspect of a business. Aman is the Head of Cyber Security with Jimdo, a website building platform that helps small businesses start, grow, and ultimately thrive online. Aman is also the Cyber Security Group Chairman for ISITC Europe CIC, a non-profit industry body and a catalyst for collaborative innovation within the capital markets.