A federal grand jury has indicted a former employee of a contractor operating a California town's wastewater treatment facility , alleging that he remotely turned off critical systems and could have endangered public health and safety. 53-year-old Rambler Gallor of Tracy, California, held a full-time position at a Massachusetts company that was contracted by the town of Discovery Bay to operate...

With the evolution of technology, network activities have increased excessively. Many day-to-day tasks are intertwined with the internet to function. On one level of the infamous OSI model , the data exchanged between devices is broken down into smaller units and transmitted in the network in the form of packets. These packets contain information that is useful for investigators and network...

There’s nothing that makes you feel older than realizing how much of your life you have dedicated to a single topic. At what point do you consider yourself an expert? After more than 17 years in vulnerability management, I’m starting to come around to the idea that I might be an expert in the field. Although, the main reason I feel that way is because, at this point, I’ve seen pretty much...

Cybersecurity liability insurance has progressed dramatically since the first bona fide policies emerged in the late 1990s. Some of the greatest changes that have occurred in recent years include insurance companies no longer insuring against state-sponsored attacks or ransomware events. The insurers do not want to become part of a cyber-war. In some cases of ransomware, the attackers have figured...

Today’s VERT Alert addresses Microsoft’s July 2023 Security Updates , which include a new release notes format. VERT is actively working on coverage for these vulnerabilities and expects to ship ASPL-1064 on Wednesday, July 12th. In-The-Wild & Disclosed CVEs CVE-2023-32046 A vulnerability in MSHTML could allow an attacker to execute code in the context of the logged in user providing the attacker...

Have you heard of the NIS Directive? The full name is quite a mouthful, "DIRECTIVE (EU) 2022/2555 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 14 December 2022 on measures for a high common level of cybersecurity across the Union". The informal name has been shortened to the Network and Information Security (NIS) Directive. The aim of the directive was to develop a common level of...

It’s no secret that we’re (still) in an international cyber talent crisis, and that skilled workers are in high demand. We conducted research into the top ten highest paying jobs in cybersecurity to find out just what kind of opportunities awaited those who entered the field. Here are the types of jobs companies are willing to pay (the most) for and what they entail for those looking to upskill...

Technology has supercharged marketing. The vast data at marketers' disposal provides unparalleled insight into what customers want, why they want it, and how they use products and services. Behavioral analytics benefits businesses and consumers; it allows companies to drive sales and increase conversion rates while providing customers services tailored to their wants and needs. Behavioral...

There's good news for any business which has fallen victim to the Akira ransomware . Security researchers at anti-virus company Avast have developed a free decryption tool for files that have been encrypted since the Akira ransomware first emerged in March 2023. The ransomware has been blamed for a number of high profile attacks - including ones against universities, financial institutions, and...

Hey, did you get that sketchy email? You know, the one from that malicious hacker always trying to fool us into clicking on some malware? Boy, these criminals are relentless. Wait, what? You clicked on it? Uh-oh... A hypothetical scenario, but one that plays out every day in organizations across the globe. The truth is that it is a very real scenario that offers a good opportunity to dive deeper...

In the world of cybersecurity, there are a few constants, one of the big ones being the fact that news, innovation, and threats move fast and are constantly evolving. It is important for security professionals to stay in the loop about major developments in cybercriminal activity and the cybersecurity industry. Fortra’s PhishLabs offer resources to learn about a variety of cybersecurity-related...

The Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) has always been a massive security undertaking for any organization that has worked to fully implement its recommendations. One interesting aspect that seems to be overlooked is the focus on the Requirements, and while minimizing the testing necessities. Not only is testing part of the full title of the Standard, but it is formally...

Over the following years, the costs associated with cybercrime, projected at $10.5 trillion annually by 2025 , will exceed the estimated worldwide cybersecurity spending— $267.3 billion annually by 2026 . Leadership needs to change its perspective on managing cyber risks instead of just spending more money to match the losses incurred. Cyber risk management as a business enabler The cyber economy...

Tripwire's June 2023 Patch Priority Index (PPI) brings together important vulnerabilities for Microsoft and Progress MOVEit. First on the patch priority list this month are patches for the Progress MOVEit Transfer application. An exploit targeting the MOVEit vulnerability CVE-2023-34362 has been recently added to the Metasploit Exploit Framework. Next on the patch priority list this month are...

If you’re looking for job security, look no further: The cybersecurity sector can keep you gainfully employed for a very, very long time. There are an ever-growing number of ways in which someone with cybersecurity prowess can contribute, and as digital assets continue to develop and diversify, it’s safe to say they’ll always be kept on their toes. From software security engineers to CISOs, each...

The past few years have been among the most challenging for most businesses. Lockdowns, staff reductions, and reduced revenues resulted in the demise of many businesses. For those who remained, the new onuses brought about by supply chain concerns and inflation present even greater reasons for maximum resilience in order to survive. With all the physical challenges of running a business, it is...

The FFIEC Cybersecurity Assessment Tool (CAT) is a diagnostic test designed to help institutions identify risks and gauge cybersecurity preparedness. The tool is primarily for financial and non-depository institutions, enabling organizations to make risk-driven security decisions informed by regular cybersecurity assessments and standardized risk measurement criteria. While it is voluntary...

Most data crimes are the result of online compromises. This makes sense, as the criminals don’t need to know any of the old, dirty, hands-on techniques such as lock-picking, dumpster diving, or any other evasive maneuvers to carry out a successful attack. However, this doesn’t mean that the old methods are completely defunct. Physical security is still an important facet of a complete security...