NIST Issues Revised Guidance for Bolstering Federal Email Security

NIST SP 800-177 Rev. 1 was written with federal email security in mind, but SMBs can also use the guidance to secure their email systems. Email breaches can be just as destructive to organizations as customer data breaches; just ask Sony Pictures and the Democratic National Committee. A breach of a federal government agency’s email… Read More

Hybrid Cloud Security Lags Behind Implementation

Hybrid cloud security survey shows that most organizations are implementing hybrid clouds far faster than their security teams can manage them. For many organizations, particularly those in highly regulated industries such as healthcare, hybrid cloud environments offer the best of both worlds. Companies get to enjoy the easy scalability and other benefits of AWS, Microsoft… Read More

Cyber Attack Costs Can Cripple Small and Medium Sized Businesses

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

Browser Extensions Can Pose Significant Cyber Security Threats

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

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 6 Most Common Cyber Security Mistakes Employees Make

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 Pose a Serious Threat to Military Contractors

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

Common Cyber Security Myths That Hackers Want You to Keep Believing

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

Best Practices for Complying with Data Privacy Laws

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

5 Practical Applications of Blockchain to Cyber Security and Compliance

While digital currencies, particularly bitcoin, are the most common and well-known application of blockchain technology, they are far from being the sole or even the most important use. Blockchain is one of the most important technological advancements of the digital age, and its full potential has barely been tapped. Among the most exciting potential uses… Read More

SEC Cyber Enforcement Action Cites Lack of Internal Controls

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: A Guide for Government Contractors

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

Best Practices for Achieving PCI DSS Compliance

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

Cloud Security: Understanding SOC 2 Type 2 Attestations

An SOC 2 Type 2 report is crucial when selecting a cloud service vendor We are living in a cloud-first world; cloud services, including storage services and SaaS providers, are wildly popular. Unfortunately, third-party vendor breaches are at epidemic levels, and new regulations such as the EU GDPR are seeking to hold organizations accountable if… Read More

Social Media Cyber Security Risks and Best Practices for Businesses

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

Cyber Security Best Practices When Using Public WiFi Networks

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

What Is Multi-Factor Authentication, and Why Is It So Important?

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 Losses Top $12 Billion Globally, Says FBI

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

Nearly 340 Million Records Exposed in Exactis Data Leak

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

Tesla Breach Demonstrates the Importance of Industrial Cyber Security

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

6 Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Use Spreadsheets as GRC Tools

Spreadsheets Are Not GRC Tools Despite the availability of modern GRC tools, many organizations still use spreadsheets to conduct IT compliance audits and other GRC activities. While spreadsheets are highly useful for many business functions, especially accounting, they are not GRC tools. Depending on spreadsheets to manage GRC processes is time-consuming, costly, and inefficient at… 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

GDPR Compliance Issues Could Cause WHOIS Directory to Go Dark

WHOIS service in jeopardy as EU authorities reject ICANN’s interim solution to GDPR compliance for vital “internet phonebook” The deadline for compliance with the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is fast approaching, and an astounding number of organizations are woefully unprepared to meet it. A new survey of IT decision-makers by Crowd Research Partners… Read More