Social Engineering

Millennials and Gen Z less likely to observe cybersecurity protocols than their elders

Millennials and Gen Z employees in the US are much less likely to prioritize or adhere to cybersecurity protocols than their older Gen X and Baby Boomer counterparts, according to a recent survey by EY Consulting. The survey suggests that despite understanding the need for security measures, younger, digitally native workers were significantly more likely to disregard mandatory IT updates for as long as possible (58% for Gen Z and 42% for millennials vs. 31%…

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GitGuardian adds IaC scanning to code security platform to protect SDLC

GitGuardian has added infrastructure-as-code (IaC) scanning to its code security platform to enhance the security of software development. The firm said the new feature will help security and development teams write, maintain, and run secure code, protecting the software development lifecycle (SDLC) against risks like tampering, code leakage and hardcoded credentials. The release reflects a growing industry focus on improving the cybersecurity of software development processes to help better protect widely used resources and supply…

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Election security, misinformation threats loom large ahead of the US midterms

As the United States nears the 2022 mid-term elections, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) issued two back-to-back public service announcements (PSAs) that address the state of play when it comes to election integrity. The first announcement, seemingly designed to enhance voters’ faith in the election process, said the two agencies “assess that any attempts by cyber actors to compromise election infrastructure are unlikely to result in…

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Altruism under attack: why cybersecurity has become essential to humanitarian nonprofits

Humanitarian initiatives have always been of huge global importance, but perhaps never more so than over the past few years. The impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, unprecedented shifts in weather patterns limiting resource availability and triggering mass migration, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and some of the largest rises in living costs for decades have all brought new urgency to the vital support humanitarian work (often led by nonprofits) provides those in need. However, nonprofits engaging…

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Top skill-building resources and advice for CISOs

The role of the CISO has evolved, and so have the responsibilities. Some believe a CISO must have technical knowledge and experience as a cybersecurity professional, others think leadership skills such as being able to communicate with boards are what matters most. Ultimately, the hiring organisations will define what it needs in terms of cybersecurity to find the right person. In finance and insurance, for example, there will be specific rules that must be followed…

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Security startups to watch for 2022

The problems cybersecurity startups attempt to solve are often a bit ahead of the mainstream. They can move faster than most established companies to fill gaps or emerging needs. Startups can often innovative faster because they are unfettered by an installed base. The downside, of course, is that startups often lack resources and maturity. It’s a risk for a company to commit to a startup’s product or platform, and it requires a different kind of customer/vendor…

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New Chinese attack framework Alchimist serves Windows, Linux, and macOS implants

Researchers have discovered a new attack framework of Chinese origin that they believe is being used in the wild. The framework is made up of a command-and-control (C2) backend dubbed Alchimist and an accompanying customizable remote access Trojan (RAT) for Windows and Linux machines. The framework can also be used to generate PowerShell-based attack shellcode or distribute malicious implants for other platforms such as macOS. “Our discovery of Alchimist is yet another indication that threat…

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What the Uber verdict means to CISOs: You’re (probably) not going to jail

There seem to be two reactions to the verdict in the Sullivan case. One reaction, often from CISOs already stressed by being outside the room where it happens, is to decide that being a CISO isn’t worth the risk – it already wasn’t worth the stress. If the title is really Chief Scapegoat Officer, it’s one thing to lose your job, but your freedom? That’s across the line. The second reaction seems to be nonchalant.…

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