As the United States government, the energy industry, and individual consumers work toward cleaner and more sustainable energy solutions, it is crucial to consider how new and advancing technologies affect, and are affected by, cybersecurity concerns. ­­­­Increasing use of smart energy devices can be useful for consumers to have more control over their...

When did you last have a light-bulb moment? For me, it was very recent. I was working with a client, supporting them in their latest Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) annual compliance assessment, and, in discussion with the Qualified Security Assessor (QSA), I had a sudden urge to challenge something we’ve all, always, believed to...

From its inception, the automotive industry has been shaped by innovation and disruption. In recent years, these transformations have taken shape in rapid digitization, ever-growing Electric Vehicle (EV) infrastructure, and advanced connectivity. These shifts have redirected the automotive industry, meeting and surpassing customer expectations for what...

Legacy gas and coal plants are being aged out – and no one wants to pay enough to keep them going. With increased pressure from green energy laws and added competition from renewable sources, these monsters of Old Power are being shown the door. Considering they've predated and precipitated all Industrial Revolutions (except for this last one – that was...

Today’s VERT Alert addresses Microsoft’s March 2023 Security Updates. VERT is actively working on coverage for these vulnerabilities and expects to ship ASPL-1046 on Wednesday, March 15th. In-The-Wild & Disclosed CVEs CVE-2023-24880 Up first this month is a publicly disclosed and exploited vulnerability impacting Windows SmartScreen. SmartScreen...

If you blinked, you might have missed it… On October 25th 2022, the new standard for the Information Security Management System,  ISO27001 was released. Without fuss, and without fanfare. But, to quote a famous movie, “There was a great disturbance in the force.” ISO27001 is possibly one of the world's best-known standards for Information Security...

When it comes to acronyms, Technology and Cybersecurity often rival various branches of government.  Technology acronyms are usually somewhat bland, amounting to little more than the arcane argot of the profession, such as SOC, SIEM, and DNS.  Government, however, rarely disappoints in its inventiveness, whether it is the acronym of the Puppies...

Today’s VERT Alert addresses Microsoft’s February 2023 Security Updates. VERT is actively working on coverage for these vulnerabilities and expects to ship ASPL-1042 on Wednesday, February 15th. In-The-Wild & Disclosed CVEs CVE-2023-21823 The first vulnerability in the list this week is CVE-2023-21823, a vulnerability in Windows Graphic Component...

Tripwire's January 2023 Patch Priority Index (PPI) brings together important vulnerabilities for Microsoft and Adobe. First on the patch priority list this month are patches for Microsoft Visio and Microsoft Office that resolve 6 vulnerabilities, including remote code execution and information disclosure vulnerabilities. Next are patches for Adobe...

Industrial control systems are fundamental to all industrial processes, from power generation to water treatment and manufacturing. ICS refers to the collection of devices that govern a process to ensure its safe and effective execution. These devices include Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems, Distributed Control Systems (DCS),...

The distribution systems of the U.S. energy grid — the portions of the grid that carry electricity to consumers — are growing more susceptible to cyber-attacks, in part due to the advent of monitoring and control technology and their reliance on them. However, the magnitude of the possible consequences of such attacks is not fully understood. Reports by...

  The healthcare sector has become a popular target for cybercriminals and is one of the most targeted industries by cyber criminals. In 2022, 324 attacks were reported in the first half of the year. As bad actors continue to target the healthcare industry, cybersecurity experts and healthcare administrators should be aware that attacks are frequently...

Today’s VERT Alert addresses Microsoft’s January 2023 Security Updates. VERT is actively working on coverage for these vulnerabilities and expects to ship ASPL-1037 on Wednesday, January 11th.  In-The-Wild & Disclosed CVEs CVE-2023-21549 A vulnerability in the SMB Witness Service was reported by two Akamai researchers, Stiv Kupchik and Ophir Harpaz....

As the cyber threat evolves, adversaries are increasingly targeting non-publicly disclosed vulnerabilities in the software supply chain. Attackers are able to stealthily travel between networks because to a vulnerability in the supply chain. To combat this risk, the cybersecurity community must center its efforts on protecting the software development...

In the language of technology, a sandbox is a safe testing environment that is isolated from the rest of your network or system. Developers use sandboxes to test their code before deployment. In cybersecurity, suspicious and potentially unsafe programs, software, and attachments are executed in sandboxes to detect malware and to avoid any harm...

The popularity of electric vehicles is partly a response to the desire of achieving sustainability and carbon footprint reduction. Automobile manufacturers are making substantial investments to tackle emissions issues, create environment-friendly vehicles, and align with Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) requirements. To achieve brand edge and...

Tripwire's November 2022 Patch Priority Index (PPI) brings together important vulnerabilities for Microsoft. First on the patch priority list this month are patches for Microsoft Office, Word, and Excel that resolve 8 vulnerabilities, including remote code execution, information disclosure, and security feature bypass vulnerabilities. Up next are...

This year marks the release of the first 2022 Vulnerability Management Report from Fortra. The report, which was conducted in September 2022, is based on a comprehensive survey of over 390 cybersecurity professionals with the goal of gaining insights into the latest trends, key challenges, and vulnerability management solution preferences. According...

When we speak of necessary evils, some images readily spring to mind. A dental appointment, automobile insurance, and many others. In cybersecurity, audits fit this image quite well. There are many uncomfortable aspects of audits, including the need to maintain accurate records, as well as finding the time to perform all the work required to satisfy the...

The holiday season has arrived, and cyberattacks are expected to increase with the upcoming celebratory events. According to The Retail & Hospitality Information Sharing and Analysis Center (RH-ISAC) 2022 Holiday Season Threat Trends and summary report, ransomware and phishing attacks are expected to increase in retail. With the FIFA World Cup 2022,...