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What's New with the TSA’s Oil and Gas Security Directives?

In recent years, the security of the United States' critical infrastructure has become a pressing concern, particularly in the oil and gas sector, due to its pivotal role in the nation's economy and energy supply. Recognizing this, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) implements several new directives in July each year aimed at enhancing the security and resilience of vital energy...
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Cybersecurity at Ports Gets a Boost with New Bipartisan Bill

Cybersecurity's role in geopolitics is growing more significant by the day. In a world of increasingly sophisticated cyber threats, governments worldwide are recognizing the impact digital attacks can have on national security, trade, and infrastructure.This has never been more evident than with the recent introduction of the Protecting Investments in Our Ports Act by U.S. Senators John Cornyn (R...
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VERT Threat Alert: October 2024 Patch Tuesday Analysis

Today’s VERT Alert addresses Microsoft’s October 2024 Security Updates. VERT is actively working on coverage for these vulnerabilities and expects to ship ASPL-1127 as soon as coverage is completed. In-The-Wild & Disclosed CVEsCVE-2024-43573A vulnerability in the Windows MSHTML Platform has seen active exploitation attacks against a spoofing vulnerability. Based on the CWE that Microsoft selected...
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CISA Warns of Hackers Targeting Industrial Systems with "Unsophisticated Methods" Amid Lebanon Water Hack Claims

The US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has warned that malicious hackers continue to be capable of compromising industrial control systems (ICS) and other operational technology (OT) using "unsophisticated methods" - suggesting that much more still needs to be done to secure them properly.In an advisory posted on CISA's website yesterday, the agency said that internet...
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VERT Threat Alert: September 2024 Patch Tuesday Analysis

Today’s VERT Alert addresses Microsoft’s September 2024 Security Updates. VERT is actively working on coverage for these vulnerabilities and expects to ship ASPL-1123 as soon as coverage is completed. In-The-Wild & Disclosed CVEs CVE-2024-38217Windows uses the Mark of the Web (MoTW) to identify files downloaded from the Internet. This is done by setting the NTFS Zone.Identifier alternate Data...
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Understanding Managed Service Providers (MSPs): Choosing the Right Provider

The demand for robust security, transparency, and accountability is at an all-time high, and many businesses are relying on managed service providers (MSPs) to manage their IT infrastructure, ensure data security, or provide seamless operational support. Concurrently, MSPs must continuously innovate and differentiate their offerings to meet the growing needs of businesses.The wide range of MSPs...
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VERT Threat Alert: August 2024 Patch Tuesday Analysis

Today’s VERT Alert addresses Microsoft’s August 2024 Security Updates. VERT is actively working on coverage for these vulnerabilities and expects to ship ASPL-1119 as soon as coverage is completed.In-The-Wild & Disclosed CVEsCVE-2024-38178CVE-2024-38178 describes a vulnerability in the Microsoft Edge scripting engine when run in Internet Explorer Mode. On top of requiring Edge be running in...
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The Dual Impact of AI on Power Grids: Efficiency and Vulnerability

Artificial intelligence (AI) has emerged as a promising solution to modernize power grids. The technology, alongside other upgrades like Internet of Things (IoT) connectivity, could make energy infrastructure more reliable and sustainable. However, AI power grids also pose significant cybersecurity risks.Attacks against critical infrastructure are becoming more common. As energy authorities ramp...
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VERT Threat Alert: July 2024 Patch Tuesday Analysis

Today’s VERT Alert addresses Microsoft’s July 2024 Security Updates. VERT is actively working on coverage for these vulnerabilities and expects to ship ASPL-1114 as soon as coverage is completed. In-The-Wild & Disclosed CVEsCVE-2024-38112A vulnerability in the Windows MSHTML Platform could allow spoofing to occur. Successful exploitation of this vulnerability requires that the attacker convince...
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How to Spot a Winning NERC CIP Project

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...
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VERT Threat Alert: June 2024 Patch Tuesday Analysis

Today’s VERT Alert addresses Microsoft’s June 2024 Security Updates. VERT is actively working on coverage for these vulnerabilities and expects to ship ASPL-1110 as soon as coverage is completed. In-The-Wild & Disclosed CVEs CVE-2023-50868 The only disclosed vulnerability we have this month, is CVE-2023-50868, a DNSSEC protocol level vulnerability that can lead to denial of service. The...
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EU Is Tightening Cybersecurity for Energy Providers

The energy sector is having a tumultuous decade. During the COVID pandemic, the price of oil plummeted. In 2021, a ransomware attack forced one of the US’s most significant oil pipelines to cease operations for five days, causing a state of emergency in seventeen states. Putin’s war in Ukraine has disrupted natural gas supplies across Europe. And now, it seems, it is the electricity providers’...
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Top 7 Technical Resource Providers for ICS Security Professionals

Attacks against industrial control systems (ICS) are on the rise. Cyberattacks are more prevalent, creative, and faster than ever. So, understanding attackers' tactics is crucial. The IBM Security X-Force Threat Intelligence Index 2023 highlights that backdoor deployments enabling remote access to ICS systems were the most common type of attacker...
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VERT Threat Alert: May 2024 Patch Tuesday Analysis

Today’s VERT Alert addresses Microsoft’s May 2024 Security Updates. VERT is actively working on coverage for these vulnerabilities and expects to ship ASPL-1106 as soon as coverage is completed. In-The-Wild & Disclosed CVEs CVE-2024-30040 Up first this month, we have a security feature bypass in MSHTML. More specifically, we have an Object...
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VERT Threat Alert: April 2024 Patch Tuesday Analysis

Today’s VERT Alert addresses Microsoft’s April 2024 Security Updates. VERT is actively working on coverage for these vulnerabilities and expects to ship ASPL-1101 as soon as coverage is completed. In-The-Wild & Disclosed CVEs CVE-2024-26234 This CVE describes a Proxy Driver Spoofing Vulnerability that, thanks to Microsoft’s new CWE listings, we...
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Managed Cybersecurity Services Secure Modern Environments

In an era characterized by relentless digital transformation and interconnectedness, cybersecurity has evolved into a complex and dynamic battleground. Businesses, governments, and individuals find themselves locked in a perpetual struggle against a relentless flood of evolving threats. From sophisticated cybercriminal syndicates to state-sponsored...
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VERT Threat Alert: March 2024 Patch Tuesday Analysis

Today’s VERT Alert addresses Microsoft’s March 2024 Security Updates. VERT is actively working on coverage for these vulnerabilities and expects to ship ASPL-1097 as soon as coverage is completed. In-The-Wild & Disclosed CVEs There were no in-the-wild or disclosed CVEs included in the March Patch Tuesday release. CVE Breakdown by Tag While...
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So You Want to Achieve NERC CIP-013-1 Compliance...

Energy efficiency and availability is a major concern for all countries and governments. The electric grid is a vital sector, and any malfunctions will create ripple effects on any nation’s economy. As the grid is heavily dependent on cyber-enabled technologies and a vast chain of suppliers, contractors, and partners, the ability to safeguard the...
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What Are the Top 7 DDoS Mitigation Tactics for Energy Grids?

Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks occur when adversaries overwhelm a connected target’s resources, aiming to make it unavailable. Learning the best strategies to protect from DDoS attacks is critical to energy grid cybersecurity. A well-planned DDoS attack on the grid could halt essential services, cause substantial disruptions to...
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Improving OT Security in Industrial Processes

Have you ever considered that even before you enjoy the first sip of your favorite morning beverage, you have probably interacted with at least half of the 16 critical infrastructure sectors that keep a nation running? In one way or another, the simple act of brewing a cup of tea would probably not be possible without interacting with water, energy,...