Think your company “can’t afford” cyber security? How much will a cyber attack cost? Cost is arguably the biggest impediment to robust, proactive cyber security at small and medium sized businesses (SMBs). SMBs are aware of the need to secure their systems and data, but when presented with a solution, the costs may give them… Read More

Malicious browser extensions can steal credentials, cryptocurrency, and more From blocking ads and coin miners to saving news stories for later reading, browser extensions allow users to customize their web browsers for convenience, efficiency, and even privacy and security – usually for free. However, browser extensions need a wealth of access permissions to operate, including… Read More

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

These common cyber security mistakes could get your company hacked. With an estimated 90% of cyber attacks caused by human error or behavior, it’s important to understand the most common cyber security mistakes your employees are probably making and know how to mitigate them. Becoming victims of phishing schemes Stolen login credentials are the most… Read More

Chinese hackers have successfully breached contractors for the U.S. Navy, according to WSJ report. The years-long Marriott Starwood database breach was almost certainly the work of nation-state hackers sponsored by China, likely as part of a larger campaign by Chinese hackers to breach health insurers and government security clearance files, The New York Times reports.… Read More

Hackers love it when businesses believe in these common cyber security myths. Let’s debunk them. Like other criminals, hackers take advantage of people’s misconceptions regarding their risk of being victimized. Here are six common cyber security myths that could be putting your enterprise at risk. Security Myth #1: Compliance Equals Cyber Security Compliance with regulatory… Read More

The California Consumer Privacy Act may not be the “American GDPR,” but it’s a harbinger of data privacy laws to come. As California goes, so does the rest of the country. While the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), which was passed this summer and goes into effect in 2020, falls short of being an “American… Read More

SEC cyber enforcement action charges Iowa broker-dealer with “deficient cybersecurity procedures” Des Moines-based Voya Financial Advisors (VFA) has agreed to pay the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission a $1 million penalty in the wake of an April 2016 breach that affected several thousand VFA customers. The SEC cyber enforcement action charged VFA with not having… Read More

NIST 800-171 Compliance Explained If your company is part of the federal supply chain, you likely need to comply with NIST 800-171. NIST 800-171 compliance applies to contractors for the DoD, GSA, NASA, and other federal and state agencies; universities and research institutions that accept federal grants; consulting firms with federal contracts; manufacturers who supply… Read More

Not only is PCI DSS compliance mandatory, it’s also the starting point for solid payment system cyber security PCI DSS compliance is mandatory for any organization that accepts or processes payment cards, yet shockingly, a recent study by SecurityScorecard found that over 90% of U.S. retailers fail to meet four or more PCI DSS requirements.… Read More

The biggest social media cyber security risks businesses face and how to avoid them Businesses tend to gloss over social media cyber security, thinking that it’s more of an issue in their employees’ personal lives than a threat to workplace cyber security. However, one in eight enterprises have suffered a security breach that was traced… Read More

How to Protect Yourself on Public WiFi Networks Once a luxury item, free public WiFi has morphed into a standard service that consumers expect when patronizing everything from restaurants and retail stores to airports and hotels. Free WiFi users aren’t just checking Facebook or posting vacation photos to Instagram, either; all of us have sat… Read More

Passwords are no longer enough; your business needs multi-factor authentication  Organizations can no longer depend on passwords alone to protect their systems and data, especially since 25% of employees admit to using the same password for all of their accounts, at home and at work, and stolen account credentials are hackers’ preferred way to break… Read More

Business email compromise scams have been reported in all 50 states and in 150 countries Global losses from business email compromise scams, a highly sophisticated form of phishing, grew by 136% between December 2016 and May 2018 and now exceed $12 billion, according to a public service announcement released by the FBI. What Is a… Read More

Size of Exactis Data Leak Could Surpass Equifax Last week’s data leak at Exactis, a Florida-based marketing and data aggregation firm, has cyber security experts and data privacy advocates up in arms. WIRED reports: Earlier this month, security researcher Vinny Troia discovered that Exactis, a data broker based in Palm Coast, Florida, had exposed a… Read More

Industrial Cyber Security is Just as Important as Securing Information Systems Massive data breaches are what grab headlines, but industrial cyber security attacks can be devastating in the real world. Tesla has just learned this lesson the hard way. CEO Elon Musk has accused a malicious company insider of altering product code, stealing data and… Read More

Air gapping is no longer a viable solution for ICS security. There has never been a power outage in the U.S. due to a cyber attack, but it happened in Ukraine over the Christmas holidays in 2015, and there have been attempts to breach U.S. power companies and hack the power grid. In March, the… Read More

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