The New Social Security: When Social Media Meets Social Engineering

The convergence is upon us all; this influx of technology intermingled with information infused now in every possible facet of our business and personal lives. We live in the presence of infinite possibilities through technology. Business is being propelled into new trajectories never before possible. Out social spheres and human interpersonal interactions have all been… Read More

Retail Execs – Social Media: The Argument For and Against!

An interesting discussion was initiated on the Linkedin.com Retail Execs group concerning social media and business value. I couldn’t resist jumping into the fray with this comment: “Paradigm shifts always make a segment of the population uncomfortable. This resistance to change intrigues me. Every advancement collectively we make in thought, in process, in technology, in… Read More

Understanding API Security

One of the fastest-growing security attack surfaces is the Application Programming Interface (API). These functions allow programmers to tap into distributed services like data retrieval or social media broadcasting, vastly expanding the interoperability of different software tools. Accordingly, because API access often requires connecting to or using sensitive data, this presents significant security risks.  We’re… Read More

HIPAA and the Use of Online Tracking for Marketing Purposes

Due to some recent actions against online medical providers like BetterHealth and GoodRX, the Department of Health and Human Services has released a new warning for covered entities regarding the tracking methods they use on their websites.  While web tracking has become a typical technology for most businesses, it’s not a cut-and-dry proposition for healthcare… Read More

Business Email Compromise Attacks Increase by Nearly 500%

Business email compromise attacks are designed to bypass traditional email security measures, such as spam filters. Last year, the FBI reported that incidents of business email compromise (BEC), also known as spear phishing, CEO fraud, and invoice fraud, had been reported in all 50 states and 150 countries, with global losses exceeding $12 billion. BEC… Read More

Are You Protected Against the 5 Top Healthcare Cyber Threats?

The 5 top healthcare cyber threats, according to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services’ new guide The financial impact of healthcare cyber attacks can be devastating, especially to small organizations. The HHS points out that the healthcare industry has the highest data breach cost of any industry, at an average of $408 per… Read More

The Top Cyber Security Threats Facing Enterprises in 2019

The top cyber security threats your organization may encounter in 2019  The cyber threat environment is becoming more dangerous every day. A recent survey by the World Economic Forum revealed that cyber-attacks were the number-one concern of executives in Europe and other advanced economies. As we approach the winter holidays and the end of the… Read More

5 Things to Know About Email Marketing and the EU GDPR

Before you send out that next email marketing blast, make sure you’re compliant with the EU GDPR Email marketing is big business. MarTech Advisor reports that it is the best-performing channel for a company’s ROI, and 61% of consumers prefer to receive offers via email, as opposed to only 5% who prefer social media offers.… Read More

Cyber Security Lesson Brief from the Under Armour Breach

The Under Armour breach provides lessons in the do’s and don’ts of enterprise cyber security and compliance with the EU GDPR Last week, athletic apparel manufacturer Under Armour announced that its popular MyFitnessPal weight loss and fitness tracking app had been hacked, compromising 150 million accounts. The Under Armour breach is the largest data breach… Read More

States Worry About Election Hacking as Midterms Approach

Mueller indictments of Russian cyber criminals put election hacking at top of mind State officials expressed grave concerns about election hacking the day after Special Counsel Robert Mueller handed down indictments of 13 Russian nationals on charges of interfering with the 2016 presidential election. The Washington Post reports: At a conference of state secretaries of… Read More

Cyber Forensics Protect the Innocent

Cyber Forensics Protect the Innocent It is always rewarding when cyber security and cyber forensics protect the innocent.  Monique Vivien Macias of KPNX 12 News Phoenix discusses with Lazarus Alliance and Continuum GRC’s CEO Michael Peters how cyber forensics has become such a vital resource in law enforcement’s toolkit. Christopher Thomas McKenna, the former Chaparral High School… Read More

What the Biggest Data Breaches in Retail Have Taught Us about Cybersecurity

2014 Data Breaches by Industry With the holiday season upon us, much attention turns to the retail sector, which is expected to see unprecedented activity as shoppers in a strengthening economy take advantage of seasonal deals and yet-further-expanded shopping hours. However, overshadowing the energy of the holiday shopping season, the specter of data breaches past… Read More

The Death of Privacy: A Tale of Collusion and Corruption

In our technically advancing world, our personal privacy expectations must be reconsidered, re-conceived and redefined. We all expose ourselves through swipes, transactions, likes and tweets. Through handsets, television sets and mindsets, we voluntarily add our behavioral attributes to the associated handlers of our digital DNA almost entirely without consideration for personal privacy. We will review… Read More

Privacy Piracy Host, Mari Frank, Esq. Interviews Michael Peters

PRIVACY PIRACY HOST, MARI FRANK, ESQ. INTERVIEWS MICHAEL PETERS MONDAY AUGUST 25TH, 2014, AT 8AM PACIFIC TIME ON KUCI 88.9 FM IN IRVINE AND STREAMING ON WWW.KUCI.ORG   MICHAEL PETERS will discuss the following topics and more! Lazarus Alliance Information Security Biggest Threat to our Global Community Don’t miss this fascinating interview with MICHAEL PETERS !   Here’s some background information about this… Read More

Devil’s Due Diligence: Why your ignorance is not bliss!

  Congratulations! Felicitaciones! Mazel Tov! Gratulerer! You have been offered a new job! What a relief it’s been since your prospective employer has been putting you through the meat grinder for months. You’ve had a string of interviews that have left you exhausted and nearly breathless given you’ve been nearly holding your breath and sitting ridged… Read More

Re-post: Your Employee Is an Online Celebrity. Now What Do You Do?

Mixing social media and on-the-job duties can be a win-win. Or not. I wanted to share an excellent article concerning an emerging issue in the workplace concerning employees with strong personal brands and potential conflicts with corporate needs and expectations. The original article is here: Personally, I considered it an excellent thought-provoking article! It points… Read More

Dichotomy

  As we approach retail’s favorite season, I have the unique perspective of being concerned about information security as both the Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) for a commerce software company and as a customer to a plethora of retailers — some who are clients and others who are not. In effect, I’m wearing two… Read More

Meet the Candidate for Your ISSA International Board of Directors – Michael Peters

Elections for the 2012 International Board of Directors are now going on! I am a candidate for the two-year term and I would appreciate your vote as an ISSA member in good standing. There are 13 candidates vying for 5 director positions. About Me I have been an independent information security consultant, executive, researcher, author, and… Read More

Juris Doctor 134 of 161 – AKA Citizen Journalists … Not!

There has been an interesting ruling this week issued by the New Jersey’s Supreme Court concerning journalist source protections and the delineation between who may be able to claim the protections granted journalists. The Court ruled that bloggers and online posters don’t have the same protections for sources as mainstream journalists do. While I certainly… Read More

The Weakest Link

I recently ran across a memorandum by the U.S. Citizen and Immigration Services (USCIS) that states: “Narcissistic tendencies in many people fuels a need to have a large group of ‘friends’ link to their pages and many of these people accept cyber-friends that they don’t even know. This provides an excellent vantage point for the… Read More