Archive for January, 2024

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Uber Reveals Canadians’ Commitment To Dry January Ahead Of Fall Off February

Posted in Commentary with tags on January 31, 2024 by itnerd

Following a busy holiday season, many health-conscious Canadians embraced the modern tradition of Dry January, starting the year off right with an alcohol-free month. With January ending and Fall Off February on the horizon, Uber is sharing a snapshot of how Canadians observed the dry challenge to provide some inspiration for maintaining the momentum. 

Uber data trends highlight the Canadian cities that consumed the least amount of alcohol, the cities most inclined to swap their nights out for nights in and the “types” of alcohol drinkers who cut back the most. Uber is also identifying the cities that embraced their wellness era this January, trading those December sweet treats for some healthy eats in 2024.

Check out the healthy highlights:

  • 😴Protecting our peace – (Top 10 cities that took the least amount of late-night Uber rides): After the clock struck midnight on January 1, many Canadians traded in their dancing shoes for slippers, taking a break from the late-night partying. Ottawa residents were in bed nice and early in January, with the fewest late night rides, followed by Edmonton and Toronto.
  • 🤩No hangover, no problem – (Top 10 cities that ordered the least amount of alcohol and Top 10 cities that ordered the most mocktails): Taking a break from booze seems to be at the top of everyone’s resolution list this year. The city that stayed the driest in January was Winnipeg and the city that ordered the most mocktails was Regina.
  • 🚰You’re fine without wine – (Type of alcohol drinkers who commit the most to Dry-January): Wine Moms, Beer Bros and Liquor Connoisseurs went head-to-head this month over who could cut back the most. Wine drinkers came out on top, with the greatest decrease from December 2023 to January 2024, followed by beer and then liquor.
  • 🧃Blame it on the juice – (Top 10 cities that ordered the most juice cleanses or smoothies): Who said liquid courage had to be alcoholic? This year many Canadians turned to juice cleanses and smoothies to give them a boost of confidence with that healthy glow. Vancouver, Toronto and Saskatoon ordered the most smoothies and juice cleanses of any other Canadian cities in January.
  • 🫀It’s giving health – (Top 10 cities ordering the most from the “healthy” category): The post-holiday turkey tummy hits hard in the new year, but many Canadians were determined to go from turkeyed-out to toned with healthier food choices. This January Niagara Region residents got right to work, with the most orders of food from the healthy category.
  • 🥗January? More like Veganuary – (Top 10 cities that ordered the most from vegan restaurants): Meat is OUT and veggies are IN for 2024. Canadians leaned into the Veganuary trend this year, ditching the meat and doubling down on the fruits, veggies and meat alternatives. Edmonton, Victoria and Ottawa lead the pack, with the most orders from vegan restaurants. 
  • 🏋️Let’s get physical – (Top 10 cities that ordered the most fitness items): To avoid the January gym crowd, Canadians stocked up on fitness items for their at-home workouts. Saskatoon, Edmonton and Winnipeg got their sweat on the most, with the most amount of fitness orders.

See below for the full Dry January data insights. Starting with a graphic illustrating the volume of alcohol orders on Uber Eats from July 2023 to January 2024, highlighting the rise of orders over the holidays and decline in the New Year. 

*** Data is weighted to control for population differences between cities. 

Top 10 cities that ordered the least amount of alcohol in January 2024 

  1. Winnipeg
  2. Victoria
  3. Windsor
  4. Toronto
  5. Calgary
  6. Hamilton
  7. Vancouver
  8. Kitchener-Waterloo
  9. Ottawa
  10. Niagara Region

Top 10 cities that ordered the most mocktails in January 2024

  1. Regina
  2. Edmonton
  3. Red Deer
  4. Calgary 
  5. North Bay 
  6. Vancouver 
  7. Toronto
  8. Belleville
  9. Hamilton
  10. Winnipeg

Type of alcohol drinkers commit the most to Dry-January (Beer, vs Wine, vs Liquor, which category saw the biggest declines)

  1. Wine
  2. Beer 
  3. Liquor

Top 10 cities that ordered the most juice cleanses or smoothies in January 2024 

  1. Vancouver
  2. Toronto
  3. Saskatoon
  4. Hamilton
  5. London, Ont
  6. Edmonton
  7. Ottawa
  8. Thunder Bay
  9. Calgary
  10. Kitchener-Waterloo

Top 10 cities that ordered the most from vegan restaurants in January 2024

  1. Edmonton
  2. Victoria
  3. Ottawa
  4. Calgary
  5. Vancouver
  6. Toronto
  7. Hamilton
  8. Halifax
  9. Kelowna
  10. Niagara Region

Top 10 cities that took the least amount of late night Uber rides (between 9pm and 2 am) in January 2024

  1. Ottawa
  2. Edmonton
  3. Toronto
  4. Calgary
  5. Regina
  6. Hamilton
  7. Winnipeg
  8. Vancouver
  9. Saskatoon
  10. Montreal

Top 10 cities ordering the most from the “healthy” category in January 2024

  1. Niagara Region
  2. London
  3. Kitchener/Waterloo
  4. Halifax
  5. Hamilton
  6. Winnipeg
  7. Ottawa
  8. Calgary
  9. Toronto
  10. Vancouver

Top 10 cities ordering the most fitness items in January 2024

  1. Saskatoon
  2. Edmonton
  3. Winnipeg
  4. Calgary
  5. Vancouver
  6. London, Ont.
  7. Ottawa
  8. Hamilton
  9. Toronto
  10. Kitchener-Waterloo

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US Government Still Not Clear On MFA Usage

Posted in Commentary with tags on January 31, 2024 by itnerd

No one in the government seems to know whether agencies must use MFA (Multi Factor Authentication) on social media.

Even after the SEC “X” account was hacked and it was found to be the result of a sim-swapping attack, made possible because the SEC had disabled multi factor authentication, “policy makers” still have no clear guidance on MFA.

Scoop News Group asked multiple federal agencies and experts if the government required the use MFA for social media and not one could give a definitive answer:

  • Office of Management and Budget
  • Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency
  • Former White House cybersecurity officials
  • cybersecurity policy lawyers
  • congressional staffers and federal identity experts

This should not be a hard question, as it’s been almost three years since the White House issued their “Executive Order on Improving the Nation’s Cybersecurity.” A key directive of that Order required the adoption of Zero Trust and more specifically, allowed just 180 days to implement MFA:

“Within 60 days of the date of this order (5/12/21), the head of each agency shall… develop a plan to implement Zero Trust Architecture”
“Within 180 days of the date of this order, agencies shall adopt multi-factor authentication and encryption for data at rest and in transit”

Apparently, there is widespread use of MFA throughout the government, but with no unified approach, where some agencies require it, some use 3rd party security methods and others do not.

John Benkert , CEO, Cigent had this comment:

   “I think there is a trust issue that the government has an obligation to uphold by protecting the authenticity of the channels our government uses to communicate with the public, hence the need to better monitor, standardize, and secure the social media accounts – including the use of social media.

   “The extension of Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) policies to media tools used by government agencies is a pertinent although complex issue. The diversity in the missions and operational frameworks of various government entities complicates the implementation of a unified security protocol, such as MFA. For instance, the Department of Defense (DoD) employs Common Access Cards (CAC), which offer a high level of security by tying access to a specific individual with designated permissions. This system is effective in maintaining security within the DoD’s operational scope but for some reason is not universally adopted across all government branches.

   “The disparity in security measures across different government organizations highlights the need for a top-down approach to standardize security protocols. The implementation of MFA across all media tools used by government agencies could serve as a robust barrier against the dissemination of fake news and misinformation. MFA, by requiring multiple forms of verification before granting access, significantly reduces the risk of unauthorized or malicious entities infiltrating government communication channels.

   “However, the challenge lies in harmonizing these security measures across diverse agencies, each with its own set of tools, sensitivities, and operational requirements. A one-size-fits-all approach might not be feasible given the varied nature of government operations. Therefore, the development of a flexible yet rigorous MFA policy, overseen by a central governing body, could offer a solution. This policy would need to accommodate the specific needs of different agencies while upholding a high standard of security to guard against the risks associated with digital media tools. Such a centralized strategy would not only enhance security across the board but also facilitate a more cohesive and coordinated response to the threats posed by misinformation and fake news within government channels.”

The bigger issue for me is this. Where else is MFA not used? By not using that or a password less solution, you are simply asking to get pwned. Just ask the SEC.

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New Samsung Galaxy S24 Series now available in Canada

Posted in Commentary with tags on January 31, 2024 by itnerd

Samsung Electronics Canada today announced that the new Samsung Galaxy S24 Series, including the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, Samsung Galaxy S24+ and Samsung Galaxy S24 are now available for purchase at Samsung Experience Stores, online at samsung.com/ca, on the Samsung Shop App, and at select national retail and carrier partners across Canada.

New Ways To Connect: Breaking Down Barriers
Live Translate on the Galaxy S24 Series enable seamless communication with two-way, real-time voice and text translations of phone calls within the native phone app. This means users can chat with a student or colleague in various languages or book a reservation while on vacation in another country – no third-party apps required. In addition, the new Note Assist feature in Samsung Notes creates a brief preview of your note with AI-generated summaries making it easier to find what you’re looking for. And, for voice recordings, Transcript Assist uses AI and Speech-to-Text technology to transcribe, summarize and even translate recordings even when there are multiple speakers.

New Ways To Search: Partnering To Revolutionize the Mobile Search Framework
Circle to Search with Google on the Galaxy S24 Series marks a milestone in the history of search as Samsung’s first phone to debut intuitive, gesture-driven search functionality. With a long press on the home button, you can circle, highlight, scribble on, or tap anything on the screen of your Galaxy S24 Series device to see helpful search results.

New Ways To Create: Boosting Content Creation With Enhanced Camera Features
Powered by an all-new ProVisual Engine, the Galaxy S24 Series maximizes creative freedom with a wide-ranging suite of AI tools. Users can now take advantage of Galaxy’s native camera experiences on their favorite social media apps. The power of AI also extends to video, where users can create and watch videos in Instant Slow-mo, even if they didn’t film it that way. Or, they can use Dual Recording to create 4K vlogs utilizing the front and rear cameras at the same time. And thanks to upgraded Nightography capabilities, photos and videos are brilliant in low light conditions, even when zoomed in. After great shots are captured, innovative Galaxy AI editing tools enable users to make simple edits like erase, re-compose, and remaster photos. Now, Galaxy S24 Series users can produce pro-quality content without additional equipment.

New Ways To Play: Optimal Mobile Gaming Experiences Through Powerful Performance
The latest AI features call for innovative chip technology. That’s why the Galaxy S24 series is equipped with Qualcomm Snapdragon® 8 Gen 3 Mobile Platform for Galaxy. With this, the Galaxy S24 Series offers superior usability and faster and smoother gameplay alongside Ray Tracing for a more immersive gaming experience. And, thanks to Galaxy AI, the Galaxy S24 series’ battery performance is optimized for extra-long gaming sessions.

Sustainability and More: Samsung’s Vision for a Sustainable Future
For the first time in a Galaxy device, the Galaxy S24 Ultra’s battery features a minimum of 50% recycled cobalt, while all the magnets in the speaker are made from 100% recycled neodymium. Additionally, every Galaxy S24 Series device is packaged in 100% recycled paper. Looking forward, Samsung aims to incorporate at least one recycled material in every module of all mobile products by 2030, as part of ongoing sustainability efforts.

Empowering User Choice and Trust With Advanced Security and Privacy
Secured by Samsung Knox, Galaxy’s defense-grade, multi-layer security platform, the Galaxy S24 Series safeguards critical information and protects against vulnerabilities with end-to-end secure hardware, real-time threat detection and collaborative protection. Galaxy S24 Series users have full control over how much they allow their data to enhance AI experiences, through Advanced Intelligence settings which can disable online processing of data for AI features.

Canadian Availability
The Samsung Galaxy S24 Series is now available in earth mineral-inspired colour tones at samsung.com/ca, on the Samsung Shop App, at Samsung Experience Stores, and at major carrier and retail partner locations across Canada.

Galaxy S24 Ultra is the first-ever Galaxy phone to feature a titanium frame, for device durability. Available in Titanium Gray, Titanium Black, Titanium Violet and Titanium Yellow in addition to samsung.com/ca exclusive colours, Titanium Green, Titanium Blue and Titanium Orange.

  • 256GB model: Available for $1,799.99 (Our regular price).
  • 512GB model: Available for $1,959.99 (Our regular price).
  • 1TB model: Available for $2,279.99 (our regular price).

For more information about the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, please visit: https://www.samsung.com/ca/smartphones/galaxy-s24-ultra

On Galaxy S24+ and Galaxy S24, a new design satisfies a more aesthetic look with seamless connection between the device’s rear cover and side frame. Available in Onyx Black, Marble Gray, Cobalt Violet and Amber Yellow in addition to samsung.com/ca exclusive colours, Jade Green, Sapphire Blue and Sandstone Orange.

Galaxy S24+ :

  • 256GB model: Available for $1,399.99
  • 512GB model: Available for $1,559.99

Galaxy S24:

  • 128GB model: Available for $1,099.99
  • 256GB model: Available for $1,179.99

For more information about the Samsung Galaxy S24+ and Galaxy S24, please visit: https://www.samsung.com/ca/smartphones/galaxy-s24/

Promotional Offers

Financing
Canadians who purchase an eligible Galaxy S24 Series device at samsung.com/ca or at a Samsung Experience Store can pay as low as $9.79 per month with financing on approved credit through Affirm previously PayBright. 12 or 24 month plans at 0 percent APR are available with purchase.

Trade-In offers
Canadians who purchase an eligible Galaxy S24 Series before February 12, 2024, can receive a trade-in promotional credit of up to $450, in addition to the trade-in value of their eligible old smartphone. The trade-in program is available for purchases made at samsung.com/ca, Samsung Experience Stores, and participating authorized Canadian retailers and carriers in Canada.

Peace of Mind with Samsung Care+
With a Samsung Care+ Plan, Canadians can experience total care service for their new Galaxy Smartphone, Laptop, Tablet or Wearable device. Users will be protected for up to two years against physical or liquid damage and mechanical malfunction or defects, with a team of dedicated Galaxy experts available to help them get back on track.

Canadians who purchase a Galaxy S24 Series device before February 12, 2024, can get:

  • One Samsung Care+ 1 Year Plan at 30% off regular price (before taxes) for your selected Galaxy E1 or E2 device for $97.30 (1-Yr SC+ Smartphone Tier3 P-GT-NXXCS0GV – CANADA regular price – $139); or
  • One Samsung Care+ 2 Year Plan at 30% off regular price (before taxes) for your selected Galaxy E1 or E2 device for $160.30 (2-Yr SC+ Smartphone Tier3 P-GT-AXXCS0GV – CANADA regular price – $229); or
  • One Samsung Care+ 1 Year Plan at 50% off regular price (before taxes) for your selected Galaxy E3 device for $69.50 (1-Yr SC+ Smartphone Tier3 P-GT-NXXCS0GV – CANADA regular price – $139); or
  • One Samsung Care+ 2 Year Plan at 50% off regular price (before taxes) for your selected Galaxy E3 device for $114.50 (2-Yr SC+ Smartphone Tier3 P-GT-AXXCS0GV – CANADA regular price – $229)

This offer can be redeemed online at samsung.com/ca for purchases made at samsung.com/ca and in-store at point of sale for purchases made at Samsung Experience Stores. For purchases made at participating retailers and carriers, please visit https://shop.samsung.com/ca/samsung-care-plus.

Premium Care Service
The Galaxy S24 Series device comes with dedicated customer care services designed specifically to deliver a great customer service experience to our valued customers. Our experts are available by phone 9am-9pm EST at 1-888-970-3653 and available 24/7 via Live Chat. To know more, visit samsung.com/ca/support/.

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Guest Post: Personal data of over a third of the U.S. patients affected in breaches in 2023

Posted in Commentary with tags on January 31, 2024 by itnerd

A recent analysis by the Healthnews team, based on the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services data, reveals that 2023 set a new record for healthcare data breaches.

Last year, the personal information of 135.2 million patients was compromised, affecting over a third of Americans — more than in 2022 and 2021 combined.

Although the number of reported breaches also rose in 2023, it only saw a slight uptick of 2% from the year before, climbing from 720 in 2022 to 734 in 2023. This suggests that the scale of individual breaches has grown larger.

Despite 734 data breaches in U.S. healthcare organizations last year, just five were responsible for almost a third of all affected patients. The largest healthcare breach of the year occurred at HCA Healthcare, one of the nation’s leading healthcare providers, which affected nearly 11.3 million Americans.

Patient data has long been a prime target for cybercriminals due to its inclusion of highly sensitive information. 

Safeguarding this information demands rigorous data protection, an area where the healthcare sector has consistently fallen short. As the industry continues to digitize, the healthcare sector will become an even more lucrative source of information for cybercriminals. 

Indeed, even the start of the new year has not been immune to cyberattacks. As of 2024, 35 breaches have been reported to the Secretary of Health and Human Services, affecting 5.5 million patients.

To read the full article, head over to: https://healthnews.com/research/personal-data-of-over-a-third-of-u-s-patients-affected-in-breaches-in-2023/

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New Cradlepoint AI Functionality Advances 5G for Business

Posted in Commentary with tags on January 30, 2024 by itnerd

Cradlepoint today announced new comprehensive AI functionality to make 5G networks smarter, simpler, and more secure. Cradlepoint is the first enterprise 5G router vendor to adopt an AI model uniquely focused on cellular networking. Organizations are also able to embrace the productivity benefits of generative AI tools without the risk of data leakage through a security service acquired from Ericom. 

Cradlepoint’s AI capabilities include:

  • NetCloud AIOps Dashboard – Simplifies the ongoing operations of enterprise networks leveraging 5G SASE capabilities. The NetCloud AI model aggregates learning into a single dashboard that identifies areas of performance degradation, isolates the cause of the issue, and pinpoints the affected sites, users and applications. With a unique focus on cellular networking, NetCloud AIOps will turn cellular signal quality indicators, such as proximity to cell tower, signal quality and signal strength into actionable insights to enhance performance. 
  • AI-based NetCloud Assistant (ANA) – Uses natural language processing to assist NetCloud users with everyday queries about the operation of their network. From providing recommendations on cellular endpoints for specific use cases, to effectively troubleshooting network performance issues, ANA will be an invaluable assistant to simplify day-to-day operations.
  • Network Traffic Analysis – Provides centralized flow-level visibility for traffic analysis and forensics. This service will evolve later this year to leverage AI to establish a baseline of normal traffic patterns for the most common 5G use cases (distributed IoT, vehicles, sites) and flag any anomalies indicating the signs of a breach. 
  • GenAI Data Loss Prevention – With 79 per cent of organizations reporting generative AI adoption without established policies, this solution applies access policies to block confidential data, personally identifiable information, or other sensitive data from being submitted to the generative AI site which can be potentially exposed in future responses. Ericom’s remote browser isolation technology also protects against weaponized responses infecting employee assets.  

For more information on Cradlepoint’s AI strategy and new offerings, please read more about NetCloud’s AI enhancements here or Ericom’s Gen AI Data Loss Prevention solution here. 

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GuidePoint Security Announces Portfolio of Data Security Governance Services

Posted in Commentary with tags on January 30, 2024 by itnerd

GuidePoint Security today announced the availability of its Data Security Governance services, which are designed to help customers address the challenges of unstructured data and data sprawl through a proven process and program to meet their unique needs.

GuidePoint’s Data Security Governance services consist of policies, standards, and processes leveraging the newest technologies to meet organizations’ data governance goals in both on-prem and cloud environments. Once the right strategy is determined with the customer, GuidePoint Security consultants will review program requirements, assess current policies and controls, perform gap analysis, design and develop/enhance the program, recommend and implement supporting technologies, and create operational processes and metrics.

GuidePoint’s Data Security Governance Services include:

  • Sensitive Data Cataloging: For organizations just getting started in the process of protecting their sensitive data, GuidePoint offers Data Identification workshops to identify sensitive data types in the environment, including trade secrets, intellectual property, and sensitive business communications.
  • Data Security Governance Program Assessment: For organizations with existing Data Security Governance or Data Protection programs, GuidePoint Security experts will assess the program to identify policy non-compliance, gaps in data protection requirements—whether legal, regulatory, contractual, or business—and program maturity levels.
  • Data Security Governance Program Strategy Development: The GuidePoint team will work with an organization’s key stakeholders to design a program strategy aligned with relevant requirements. The outputs of this effort include delivering ongoing sensitive data discovery, automated classification and labeling, the application of required sensitive data protections, restrictions on where sensitive data can be stored and sent, and data retention policy enforcement.
  • Merger and Acquisition Data Identification: This offering provides the ability to identify sensitive data within an M&A target or recent acquisition (including locations, amounts, and access rights) and then perform penetration testing on the storage repositories where that sensitive data exists to determine the risk of data compromise.

For more information on GuidePoint Security’s Data Security Governance services:

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Horizon3.ai Assesses The Impact Of The Jenkins Arbitrary File Leak Vulnerability

Posted in Commentary with tags on January 30, 2024 by itnerd

Naveen Sunkavally, chief architect at Horizon3.ai, has just published “CVE-2024-23897: Assessing the Impact of the Jenkins Arbitrary File Leak Vulnerability,” an analysis of the vulnerability for which Jenkins issued a security advisory on January 24, 2024 re CVE-2024-23897, affecting the Jenkins continuous integration/continuous development (CI/CD) software development tool. 

Naveen notes that the advisory set off alarm bells among the infosec community because the potential impact is huge: Jenkins is widely deployed, with tens of thousands of public-facing installs, and the Jenkins advisory was clear that this vulnerability could lead to remote code execution. Jenkins is a common target for attackers, and, as of this writing, there are four prior Jenkins-related vulnerabilities in CISA’s catalog of Known Exploited Vulnerabilities.

His analysis and advice, issued today for users of Jenkins is: “Don’t panic… unless you need to. This is a textbook example of a vulnerability whose true impact can only be accurately assessed within the context of your environment. The typical Jenkins install will not be exploitable by unauthenticated attackers. However, there are a few factors that could significantly increase the potential for damage, elevating this to a truly critical vulnerability.” 

His post discusses those factors and how to gain an accurate assessment of risk.

Links:

Horizon3.ai Red Team Blog  – CVE-2024-23897: Assessing the Impact of the Jenkins Arbitrary File Leak Vulnerability: https://www.horizon3.ai/cve-2024-23897-assessing-the-impact-of-the-jenkins-arbitrary-file-leak-vulnerability/

Jenkins Security Advisory 2024-01-24 – Arbitrary file read vulnerability through the CLI can lead to RCE – CVE-2024-23897: https://www.jenkins.io/security/advisory/2024-01-24/

NIST National Vulnerability Database – CVE-2024-23897 Detail: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-23897

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Ransomware The Most Pressing Security Issue Worldwide: Cisco Talos

Posted in Commentary with tags on January 30, 2024 by itnerd

According to the latest quarterly Trends report by Cisco Talos, ransomware was back on top as the #1 cyber threat in 2023, with education and manufacturing tied as the most targeted verticals, “accounting for nearly 50% … of incident response engagements, closely followed by healthcare and public administration.”

The company’s findings say ransomware rose significantly in Q4 2023, with the education sector now one of the biggest targets.

Ransomware and pre-ransomware activity together accounted for more than 28% of all Cisco Talos Incident Response engagements, a rise of 17%, compared to the third quarter of the year.

Initial access:
Compromised credentials on valid accounts and exploiting public-facing applications accounted for 28% of access methods, with phishing running a close second place. Phishing attacks using malicious links and QR codes leading to fake login sites were the most widely seen.

Security Weaknesses:
Researchers report “a lack of MFA or proper MFA implementation” and “misconfigured or unpatched systems” accounted for fully 36% of all attacks responded to.

“attacks that could have been prevented if MFA was enabled on critical services, such as RDP.”

Stephen Gates, Principal Security SME, Horizon3.ai:

   “From what I observe, (and due to no fault of their own,) when journalists hear that someone got ransomed, the community tends to jump on the “it must have been some super-special malware” bandwagon. However, the vast majority of human-operated, ransom-based attacks have little if anything to do with “malware”. Instead, the real cause of the problem is due to easily compromised and reused credentials, effortlessly discovered, and unprotected data, software and hardware misconfigurations, unpatched yet fully known software vulnerabilities, poorly implemented security controls, and weak and/or unenforceable security policies. These issues are the primary cause of attackers gaining access and maintaining footholds in someone’s networks.

   “Once attackers gain a foothold, administrative access is next obtained (think domain admin). Then attackers proceed with their objectives of exfiltrating your data, encrypting your data, proving they have your data, sabotaging your backup/recovery processes, and telling you to pay up to get your data back. If you don’t pay their initial ransom demands, they effectively take your entire enterprise offline by either crashing your systems (since they have admin access) or they make it impossible to recover your data on your own. This is Big Game hunting that can generate extremely high payouts. That is why it is the most pressing security issue worldwide – and rightfully so.

For those in education who want to learn more about what human-operated ransom-based attacks are all about, they should consider reading this paper.


Steve Hahn, Executive VP, BullWall had this comment:

   “Companies must keep their systems up to date with the latest security patches, use strong and complex passwords, implement MFA, maintain regular backups of critical data and also consider implementing a rapid containment strategy. Ransomware Containment tools are becoming a critical part of this overall strategy.”

Mark Campbell, Sr. Director, Cigent adds this comment:

   “It is not surprising to see Education and Manufacturing at the top of the list for ransomware targets. Both verticals often operate legacy operational infrastructure and lack adequate cybersecurity controls. The combination of their interconnected systems and a general lack of cybersecurity awareness among staff make them ideal targets for attackers.

   “Once inside, the attackers can move laterally to gain additional access to strategic systems to exfiltrate data and execute ransomware. Stopping initial access is the single most effective cybersecurity measure and MFA is a proven, cost-effective control to thwart initial access. And, in most cases, can be implemented on top of existing systems using their users’ phones.”


Troy Batterberry, CEO and Founder, EchoMark follows with this:

   “Threats to our critical infrastructure and attacks on education, manufacturing, healthcare, and public administration sectors emphasize the need for greater attention to cybersecurity. The fact that nearly one-third of successful adversary access methods were through compromised credentials and the exploitation of public-facing applications is a clear call for organizations to reinforce their frontline defenses and enforce strict security measures such as MFA and other password policies.

   “However, these security changes aren’t enough on their own. Employees must be trained to recognize and respond appropriately to threats, especially as it relates to their roles and responsibilities within their organization. These are not just technical measures but fundamental aspects of an organization’s security culture. If companies desire to empower their people to work effectively, there must be protective measures in place to safeguard intellectual property, devices, accounts, and any other areas that employees can access and manage, to enable the secure flow of information.”

MFA or better yet a passwordless solution is a great way to secure your network. Not having one of these systems, or ensuring that it is properly configured is a sure route to getting pwned.

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NSA Admits To Buying User Browsing Data

Posted in Commentary with tags , on January 29, 2024 by itnerd

The NSA has recently admitted to buying user browsing data. Here’s what Senator Ron Wyden had to say on this:

U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., released documents confirming the National Security Agency buys Americans’ internet records, which can reveal which websites they visit and what apps they use. In response to the revelation, today Wyden called on the administration to ensure intelligence agencies stop buying personal data from Americans that has been obtained illegally by data brokers. A recent FTC order held that data brokers must obtain Americans’ informed consent before selling their data. 

“The U.S. government should not be funding and legitimizing a shady industry whose flagrant violations of Americans’ privacy are not just unethical, but illegal,” Wyden wrote in a letter to Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Avril Haines today. “To that end, I request that you adopt a policy that, going forward, IC elements may only purchase data about Americans that meets the standard for legal data sales established by the FTC.”

 John Gunn, CEO, Token had this comment:

Senator Wyden’s efforts are misguided. Instead of working to hinder the critical work of law enforcement agencies that keep everyone safe, he should focus his efforts on the data aggregators. Data purchased by the NSA, marketers, and others is out there in regular commercial markets for anyone to purchase. Nothing is gained by excluding law enforcement from doing their jobs, and people’s privacy is not any more protected by excluding law enforcement from public markets for information. If some of the data being used is obtained illegally, then stop the illegal collection.

I can see a different view on this issue. I am all for law enforcement having access to the data that they need to fight crime. But there needs to be clear limits on how they access that data. It cannot be a free for all where the NSA or any law enforcement agency can get anything that they want with little or no oversight. I’m free to be convinced otherwise as this is a complex issue.

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Twitter Blocks Searches For Taylor Swift After Deepfake Nudes Appear On The Site

Posted in Commentary with tags on January 29, 2024 by itnerd

Most of the time when I write about Twitter, I usually talk about what a dumpster fire that this social media platform is. But today, I’m doing something different. I’m going to give it some praise. Twitter has stopped searches for Taylor Swift after deepfake nudes, meaning fake nude pictures, started to flood the site. The BBC has the details:

In a statement to the BBC, X’s head of business operations Joe Benarroch said it was a “temporary action” to prioritise safety.

When searching for Swift on the site, a message appears that says: “Something went wrong. Try reloading.” 

Fake graphic images of the singer appeared on the site earlier this week.

Some went viral and were viewed millions of times, prompting alarm from US officials and fans of the singer.

Posts and accounts sharing the fake images were flagged by her fans, who populated the platform with real images and videos of her, using the words “protect Taylor Swift”. 

The photos prompted X, formerly Twitter, to release a statement on Friday, saying that posting non-consensual nudity on the platform is “strictly prohibited”.

While this is one of the few good moves that Twitter has made lately, one wonders what would have happened if these images were not of Taylor Swift, and were instead a woman who doesn’t have millions of fans to flag images on her behalf so that Twitter could take action. Would Twitter have acted to deal with the issue? I don’t know. But it’s a question worth asking. In any case, this highlights why strict laws need to be enacted everywhere to stop this sort of thing from happening.

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