Capable cybersecurity professionals can expect to be spoiled for choice in the job market today and well compensated for their in-demand skillsets. For those considering entering the field, I’d like to lay out the state of security today, explore potential career paths, and provide some guidance on the steps you can take, including skills you can develop to make it happen.
Lack of visibility (39%) is the biggest challenge for security leaders who aim to maintain security and compliance across all business communications, according to a new SafeGuard Cyber study.
CISA has published a new Malware Analysis Report (MAR) on DarkSide Ransomware and updated Alert AA21-131A: DarkSide Ransomware: Best Practices for Preventing Business Disruption from Ransomware Attacks, originally released May 11, 2021.
With most of the world still anxious about COVID-19 and demand for vaccines high, new McAfee research sheds light on how hackers are targeting these fears with bogus apps, text messages, and social media invitations.
USB-based threats that can severely impact business operations increased significantly during a disruptive year when the usage of removable media and network connectivity also grew, according to a report by Honeywell.
Sophos researchers have discovered a malware campaign whose primary purpose appears to stray from the more common malware motives. Instead, say the researchers, it appears to steal passwords or to extort a computer's owner for ransom, blocking infected users' computers from being able to visit a large number of websites dedicated to software piracy by modifying the HOSTS file on the infected system.
Microsoft has warned that Nobelium is currently conducting a phishing campaign after the Russian-backed group managed to take control of the account used by USAID on the email marketing platform Constant Contact. The phishing campaign has targeted around 3,000 accounts linked to government agencies, think tanks, consultants, and non-governmental organizations.
The recent ransomware attack of the Colonial Pipeline has reinvigorated calls from legislators to strengthen the defenses of U.S. pipelines and the electric power grid. Over the last several years, a repeatable pattern is becoming apparent with each major cyber-attack. A critical cyberattack occurs that is followed by outrage that result in statements from government leaders with calls for action - all followed by proposed ideas on how to better mitigate the risk of cyberattacks in the future. Yet, it seems that time goes by and with the next major attack the cycle starts all over again. This time, government is taking a more rigorous approach to proposing solutions to end the vicious cycle.
Conti ransomware gang appears to be behind Ireland's Health Service Executive (HSE) ransomware attack, according to reports. HSE, a $25 billion public health system, shut down its IT systems to protect the service from further damage, switching to a paper-based system. Though life-saving equipment and COVID-19 vaccine programs were still operating, several healthcare practices across Ireland were forced to cancel low priority appointments.
Ransomware is nothing new. But the tactics, techniques and procedures (TTPs) leveraged by threat actors have reached new levels of sophistication over the last few years. And with that growth has come an increased difficulty in protecting networks against costly attacks such as the recent DarkSide one on the Colonial Pipeline.