Opinion

Opinion

Data breach incident management and recovery

• Ransomware: Is there hope beyond the overhyped?

  Up-and-coming cyber concepts attack surface management and security mesh architectures seem to hold some promise in tackling ransomware, but they are a little way off maturity  Continue Reading

• Think technology, process, human risk to manage ransomware

  Effective ransomware handling boils down to three core areas – technology, process and human risk  Continue Reading

• Your staff are the frontline in your ransomware fight

  As part of a solid cyber defence plan, the CISO must make sure that the frontline within the organisation is prepared for an attack, says Theodore Wiggins of Airbus Protect  Continue Reading

• Security Think Tank: Ransomware defences: An extended to-do list

  Strategies to extend ransomware protection beyond backups and intrusion detection must centre dark web monitoring, among other things  Continue Reading

• Security Think Tank: Let’s be transparent about ransomware

  Greater transparency regarding ransomware attacks, including details about attack methods used and what kinds of assets were compromised, would likely help the community prevent future attacks  Continue Reading

• Cyber insurance: The good, the bad and the ugly

  Most cyber insurance contracts are innately flawed because they exclude losses arising from state-backed cyber attacks, and this will make proper attribution even more important in the future, says Cisco Talos’ Martin Lee  Continue Reading

• Security Think Tank: To stop ransomware, preparation is the best medicine

  You can’t ‘stop’ ransomware, but you can do a lot to keep yourself from becoming ensnared when it strikes  Continue Reading

• All means all when it comes to encryption

  Nigel Thorpe, technical director at SecureAge, makes the case for encrypting everything all of the time when it comes to protecting data  Continue Reading

• To fight ransomware, we must treat digital infrastructure as critical

  Ransomware defence is failing because we don’t view our digital infrastructure in the same way as our physical infrastructure, argues Elastic’s Mandy Andress  Continue Reading

• Security Think Tank: Ransomware and CISOs’ balancing act

  Ransomware has the potential to cause irreversible business damage, so CISOs should consider not only protection but also response and recovery  Continue Reading

• Security Think Tank: Know your networks, know your suppliers

  To combat the ransomware scourge, we must work harder to monitor and learn from the increasingly complex threat environment, keep a closer eye on supply chains, and share our insights  Continue Reading

• The Conservatives are laughing at cyber security pros

  If causing a security breach is a resigning matter, then you shouldn’t expect to get your old job back a week later. Unless you’re a Conservative home secretary, apparently  Continue Reading

• The dangers of the UK’s illogical war on encryption

  The unintended consequences of the Online Safety Bill will have a dramatic effect on our ability to communicate securely, including in Ukraine, where it is needed most  Continue Reading

• Security Think Tank: Don’t rely on insurance alone

  Cyber insurance is a useful addition to the cyber protection toolbox. However, it cannot be regarded as a replacement for the controls that should be in operation, says Turnkey Consulting’s Tom Venables  Continue Reading

• Cyber insurance: An effective use of your scant security budget?

  The ISF’s Paul Watts asks if cyber insurance is a must-have item, an expensive luxury, or the emperor’s new clothes  Continue Reading

• Lots to consider when buying cyber insurance, so do your homework

  When considering implementing a cyber insurance policy, due diligence should be your watchword, says Paddy Francis of Airbus CyberSecurity  Continue Reading

• Security Think Tank: Cyber insurance – A nice safety blanket, but don’t count on it

  In the second instalment of this month’s Security Think Tank, Mike Gillespie argues that cyber insurance should be thought of like car insurance – you don’t start driving recklessly because you’re covered  Continue Reading

• Assessment and knowledge: Your key tools to secure suppliers

  There is no silver bullet that will resolve all the issues arising from today’s interconnected businesses and complex supply chains, but there are some key tools at your disposal  Continue Reading

• Security Think Tank: Supply chain security demands systematic approach

  Supply chain security measures need to be systematic and assessed so as to minimise the complexity and cost to the business  Continue Reading

• Security Think Tank: Balanced approach can detangle supply chain complexity

  Achieving an appropriate balance between people, processes and technology can help to detangle the complexities of the supply chain and create better security practices  Continue Reading

• Supply chain security goes deep – forget this at your peril

  It may have hit the headlines as an IT issue, but supply chain security goes far deeper into an organisation than just technology  Continue Reading

• Consider governance, coordination and risk to secure supply chain

  A recent ISACA study found myriad factors that give good reason to be concerned about supply chain security. Cyber adviser Brian Fletcher recommends three areas to zero in on  Continue Reading

• Security Think Tank: Best practices for boosting supply chain security

  In a highly connected world, managing the supply chain landscape requires an adaptation of the ‘traditional’ approach to managing cyber risk  Continue Reading

• Security Think Tank: Basic steps to secure your supply chain

  When it comes to supply chain security, there are some core things you should be doing – but remember, the devil is in the detail  Continue Reading

• What does the EU’s NIS 2 cyber directive cover?

  We run the rule over the European Union’s updated NIS2 security directive  Continue Reading

• The importance of making information security more accessible

  Robin Smith, CSO of Aston Martin Lagonda, talks about how an accessible approach to cyber is helping him to keep the organisation secure  Continue Reading

• Log4Shell: How friendly hackers rose to the challenge

  HackerOne CISO Chris Evans looks back at how the security community successfully rose to the challenge of Log4Shell, and saved end-user organisations millions  Continue Reading

• Strong internal foundations are key to withstanding external threats

  The modern-day abundance of platforms, apps and IT tools presents malicious actors with a web of interconnection that is easily exploited to move rapidly through the network to compromise critical assets. Security teams need to understand these ...  Continue Reading

• Security Think Tank: Core security processes must adapt in a complex landscape

  The modern-day abundance of platforms, apps and IT tools presents malicious actors with a web of interconnection that is easily exploited to move rapidly through the network to compromise critical assets. Security teams need to understand these ...  Continue Reading

• Security Think Tank: Yes, zero trust can help you understand attack paths

  The modern-day abundance of platforms, apps and IT tools presents malicious actors with a web of interconnection that is easily exploited to move rapidly through the network to compromise critical assets. Security teams need to understand these ...  Continue Reading

• Security Think Tank: Identify, assess and monitor to understand attack paths

  The modern-day abundance of platforms, apps and IT tools presents malicious actors with a web of interconnection that is easily exploited to move rapidly through the network to compromise critical assets. Security teams need to understand these ...  Continue Reading

• Security Think Tank: Solving for complexity in the network

  The modern-day abundance of IT platforms, apps and tools gives the bad guys ample opportunity to move rapidly through the network to hit critical assets. Security teams must understand these attack pathways better in order to fight back  Continue Reading

• Revised scope of UK security strategy reflects digitised society

  The omission of the word ‘security’ from the title of the UK government’s new National Cyber Strategy is a telling one, reflecting our increasingly digitised society, say Maximillian Brook and Arunoshi Singh of the ISF  Continue Reading

• UK Cyber Strategy a welcome injection of progress

  The National Cyber Strategy should be seen as a welcome injection of both focus and investment in bettering cyber defence for everyone, says Turnkey Consulting senior consultant Louise Barber  Continue Reading

• How cyber security teams can conquer the four-day working week

  The four-day week may be an idea whose time has come, but for always-on cyber security professionals, the impact of squeezing more work into fewer days is a tricky proposition  Continue Reading

• National Cyber Strategy misses the mark in one important way

  The National Cyber Strategy is full of fine words, says Petra Wenham, but as the old expression goes, fine words butter no parsnips, and it misses the mark in one very important way  Continue Reading

• When more is too much in security

  The view that more security tools equals better protection still persists, but security researcher Etay Maor argues that success in cyber lies in simplicity  Continue Reading

• When to pull the plug on an ecommerce site

  Distributed denial of service and other attacks on websites have the potential to leak personally identifiable information  Continue Reading

• Universities need better protection from email-based cyber attacks

  The need to educate university staff and students on avoiding email-based cyber attacks is more acute than ever, says Proofpoint’s Adenike Cosgrove  Continue Reading

• The UK’s cyber security sector is thriving, but our work has only just begun

  The government’s Annual Cyber Sector Report painted a positive picture of the UK security industry. CIISec’s Amanda Finch thinks we can go further in developing cyber talent and opening up the sector  Continue Reading

• Security Think Tank: Good training is all about context

  In-house or outsourced? What makes a good security training programme, and what questions should buyers ask when procuring training as a service?  Continue Reading

• Five key tech trends for digital leaders in 2022

  The past two years have seen a surge in investment that will bring new challenges to digital leaders over the next year  Continue Reading

• Security Think Tank: Cyber training is useless without staff empowerment

  In-house or outsourced? What makes a good security training programme, and what questions should buyers ask when procuring training as a service?  Continue Reading

• Security Think Tank: We are failing to get the cyber message across to users

  Security learning is a career-long process, so as 2021 draws to a close, participants in the Computer Weekly Security Think Tank sum up the most important cyber lessons they’ve taken away from the past 12 months  Continue Reading

• Security Think Tank: Good documentation could save your bacon

  Security learning is a career-long process, so as 2021 draws to a close, participants in the Computer Weekly Security Think Tank sum up the most important cyber lessons they’ve taken away from the past 12 months  Continue Reading

• Security Think Tank: Attackers leveraging the supply chain

  Security learning is a career-long process, so as 2021 draws to a close, participants in the Computer Weekly Security Think Tank sum up the most important cyber lessons they have taken away from the past 12 months  Continue Reading

• Security Think Tank: Think people, processes and systems

  Security learning is a career-long process, so as 2021 draws to a close, participants in the Computer Weekly Security Think Tank sum up the most important cyber lessons they’ve taken away from the past 12 months  Continue Reading

• A ‘whole of society’ approach to cyber may be on the horizon

  Nominet Cyber managing director David Carroll reflects on the NCSC’s latest annual review amid 2021’s fast-evolving threat landscape  Continue Reading

• The Secret IR Insider’s Diary – this is not a fashion show

  In the latest pages taken from their diary, the Secret IR Insider reveals why organisations should be worried about every threat, not just the latest and greatest  Continue Reading

• Changing the rules against cyber attacks

  UKRI’s John Goodacre reveals how projects supported by the Digital Security by Design Challenge aim to improve cyber security resilience, beginning with the very fundamentals of computing  Continue Reading

• No easy fix for vulnerability exploitation, so be prepared

  Vulnerability management and disclosure is a tricky business with ethical and business ramifications for software vendors, CISOs and ethical hackers alike – and CISOs sit right in the middle of this  Continue Reading

• Doing the right thing: How CISOs should approach responsible disclosure

  Owen Wright, responsible for penetration testing and adversary simulation at Context, part of Accenture Security, advises how CISOs should approach responsible disclosure  Continue Reading

• Addressing the backup dilemma to ransomware recovery

  Everyone knows good backups are essential if one is to recover from a ransomware attack, but using them effectively poses challenges that IT teams need to know about  Continue Reading

• Security Think Tank: Embracing vulnerability management for the greater good

  When it comes to vulnerability management, CISOs should define a responsible disclosure policy so that they can receive and manage identified vulnerabilities transparently, practically and collaboratively, says Paul Watts of the ISF  Continue Reading

• Facial recognition cannot be a standalone authentication method

  As more organisations look to facial recognition to improve their digital identity practices, they must remember that it cannot stand in isolation  Continue Reading

• Managing cyber risk through integrated supply chains

  High-profile supply chain cyber attacks have caused huge disruption this year. PA Consulting’s Carl Nightingale considers key questions business leaders should be asking of their organisations  Continue Reading

• Security Think Tank: Optimising privacy, post-GDPR

  Airbus CyberSecurity CTO Paddy Francis explores the impact of regulation on data protection, and how it has changed how one goes about optimising data privacy in the enterprise  Continue Reading

• Security Think Tank: A response to planned data protection changes

  The ISF’s Emma Bickerstaffe assesses how organisations might respond to proposed changes to the UK’s data protection regime  Continue Reading

• UK’s new data protection strategy risks costing business more than it gains

  The apparent business benefits of pursuing data adequacy agreements around the world may not be as enticing as they at first appear  Continue Reading

• Security Think Tank: Managing data securely throughout its lifecycle

  Managing data in a secure manner is key to ensuring its integrity and therefore its value to the organisation, as well as reducing risk from breaches and misinformation  Continue Reading

• Supply chain cyber security is only as strong as the weakest link

  A spate of high-profile cyber attacks has highlighted the criticality of supply chain security and put new pressures on security leaders. How can we ensure that cyber security remains robust down the full length of supply chains?  Continue Reading

• How the cyber security market is evolving

  The cyber security market has gained even greater importance in the post-Covid era and continues to grow and evolve. But what factors are driving trends in that market and what should your organisation consider when making cyber security investments?  Continue Reading

• The ransomware debate – to pay or not to pay?

  The debate around banning ransomware payments is highly nuanced, and we must take care to avoid overt victim-blaming, in favour of an open and honest approach, says SASIG’s Martin Smith  Continue Reading

• Security Think Tank: Data privacy not in isolation, but on a spectrum

  The gap between data privacy and data governance is narrowing, and security leaders need to be aware of the implications, says KuppingerCole’s Anne Bailey  Continue Reading

• Five tips to ensure your crisis comms plan is ready for a cyber attack

  Business leaders take note: standard crisis communications plans are inadequate if you have fallen victim to a cyber attack. HPL’s Ted Birkhahn shares five tips to make sure you are ready to face the public  Continue Reading

• The Secret IR Insider’s Diary: It’s all gone quie...

  The ‘Q’ word isn’t one that’s really used in incident response, says the Secret IR Insider, largely because as soon as you use it, something happens  Continue Reading

• Professionals need protection from the Computer Misuse Act

  The UK needs cyber legislation fit for the 21st century, so it is important for the industry to get behind the government’s proposed reform of the Computer Misuse Act  Continue Reading

• Ethical hacking: What, why, and overcoming concerns

  We find out why and how hitting your own business with a cyber attack can help improve security  Continue Reading

• Banking tech fraud: How to trace and recover your money

  Even when stolen assets are sent offshore, the special powers of the English civil court system mean all may not be lost  Continue Reading

• How CIOs can help their organisations accelerate digital transformation

  Companies need to win the trust of their customers to gather the data they need to transform their businesses  Continue Reading

• Long-term thinking is vital to secure UK’s critical infrastructure

  To face down the threat of cyber warfare against UK CNI, the government needs long-term thinking that looks beyond the next general election cycle, says Advent-IM’s Mike Gillespie  Continue Reading

• Security Think Tank: ‘Legitimate interest’ crucial for vaccine passports

  What are the security issues and challenges presented by vaccine passports, and how should they be designed and used with ethics and privacy in mind?  Continue Reading

• The Secret IR Insider’s Diary – from Sunburst to DarkSide

  From dealing with SolarWinds fallout to ransomware attacks, it’s been a busy few weeks for the Secret IR Insider, but they've picked up some new tricks along the way  Continue Reading

• Security Think Tank: Vaccine passports cannot be taken lightly

  What are the security issues and challenges presented by vaccine passports, and how should they be designed and used with ethics and privacy in mind?  Continue Reading

• What has a year of home working meant for the DPO?

  Byron Shirley of The Compliance Space explores how the role of the data protection officer has changed in the past 12 months  Continue Reading

• Security Think Tank: Evolving threats, tech, leaves CNI exposed

  In light of increasing cyber attacks on critical national infrastructure, what are the immediate risks to industrial control systems and other operational technology, and what steps can be taken to address them?  Continue Reading

• Security Think Tank: Attacks on CNI – an evolving frontier in warfare

  In the light of increasing cyber attacks on critical national infrastructure, what are the immediate risks to industrial control systems and other operational technology, and what steps can be taken to address them?  Continue Reading

• Security Think Tank: Back to square one – ground-up CNI protection

  In the light of increasing cyber attacks on critical national infrastructure, what are the immediate risks to industrial control systems and other operational technology, and what steps can be taken to address them?  Continue Reading

• Security Think Tank: Properly protecting CNI demands specificity

  In the light of increasing cyber attacks on critical national infrastructure, what are the immediate risks to industrial control systems and other operational technology, and what steps can be taken to address them?  Continue Reading

• Security Think Tank: Take a realistic perspective on CNI cyber attacks

  In light of increasing cyber attacks on critical national infrastructure, what are the immediate risks to industrial control systems and other operational technology, and what steps can be taken to address them?  Continue Reading

• Security Think Tank: CNI operators must focus on core issues

  In the light of increasing cyber attacks on critical national infrastructure, what are the immediate risks to industrial control systems and other operational technology, and what steps can be taken to address them?  Continue Reading

• EncroChat ruling has ‘far-reaching effects’ for legal role of interception in UK investigations

  The computer forensic experts involved in the review of police use of data hacked from the ultra-secure EncroChat phone network assess the impact of the Appeal Court ruling on future legal use of intercept evidence    Continue Reading

• Security Think Tank: CNI operators are in an unenviable position

  In the light of increasing cyber attacks on critical national infrastructure, what are the immediate risks to industrial control systems and other operational technology, and what steps can be taken to address them?  Continue Reading

• Why the London Data Charter could be a foundation stone in the city’s recovery

  London First’s director of connectivity and competitiveness, David Lutton, explains why data is at the core of the capital’s recovery plan  Continue Reading

• Why your business needs SOC as a service

  Security in the digital era demands that businesses monitor their entire IT estate and resolve all alerts, but for many organisations the most effective way of doing that is SOCaaS  Continue Reading

• Security Think Tank: Biden must address insider security threat first

  As US president Joe Biden sets out his agenda for the next four years, we consider the opportunities for renewed international collaboration on cyber security, what aspects of cyber Biden should focus on, and ask how the industry can make its voice ...  Continue Reading

• The ransomware routine: pages from the Secret IR Insider’s diary

  The Secret Incident Response Insider shares behind-the-scenes stories of what really happens after organisations are hit by cyber attacks – and shows how they could have been avoided  Continue Reading

• Security Think Tank: Cyber effectiveness, efficiency key in 2021

  After a year of unprecedented disruption thanks to Covid-19, it looks like remote working is set to remain with us for now, which means security strategies will change in 2021. What will this change look like, and what tools and services will be ...  Continue Reading

• Security Think Tank: Integration between SIEM/SOAR is critical

  SIEM and SOAR share much in common but there are key differences between the two that may influence the best fit for your organisation. What should security pros consider when making a choice?  Continue Reading

• Security Think Tank: Essential tools to mitigate double extortion attacks

  The threat of identity theft via a data breach is heightened with the rise of attacks where ransomware threat actors both encrypt and ransom, and exfiltrate and leak their victims’ data. How does this evolution in cyber crime heighten risk for the ...  Continue Reading

• Security Think Tank: Safeguarding PII in the current threat landscape

  The threat of identity theft via a data breach is heightened with the rise of attacks where ransomware threat actors both encrypt and ransom, and exfiltrate and leak their victims’ data. How does this evolution in cybercrime heighten risk for the ...  Continue Reading

• Security Think Tank: Essential tools to mitigate data loss and identity theft

  The threat of identity theft via a data breach is heightened with the rise of attacks where ransomware threat actors both encrypt and ransom, and exfiltrate and leak their victims’ data. How does this evolution in cybercrime heighten risk for the ...  Continue Reading

• Security Think Tank: Adapting defences to evolving ransomware and cyber crime

  The threat of identity theft via a data breach is heightened with the rise of attacks where ransomware threat actors both encrypt and ransom, and exfiltrate and leak their victims’ data. How does this evolution in cyber crime heighten risk for the ...  Continue Reading

• Security Think Tank: What you need to know about addressing the doxing threat

  The threat of identity theft via a data breach is heightened with the rise of attacks where ransomware threat actors both encrypt and ransom, and exfiltrate and leak their victims’ data. How does this evolution in cybercrime heighten risk for the ...  Continue Reading

• Security Think Tank: Tighten data and access controls to stop identity theft

  The threat of identity theft via a data breach is heightened with the rise of attacks where ransomware threat actors both encrypt and ransom, and exfiltrate and leak their victims’ data. How does this evolution in cyber crime heighten risk for the ...  Continue Reading

• What are the latest GDPR security breach enforcement trends?

  A cyber breach specialist from Fieldfisher runs the rule over the latest trends in cyber security, data protection and GDPR  Continue Reading

• Security Think Tank: Ignore AI overheads at your peril

  Artificial intelligence and machine learning techniques are said to hold great promise in security, enabling organisations to operate an IT predictive security stance and automate reactive measures when needed. Is this perception accurate, or is the...  Continue Reading

• Australian government has failed on cyber security

  The federal government’s current approach of allowing each agency to make its own cyber decisions is not working and more needs to be done to hunt down adversaries  Continue Reading

• A view from the SOC: Maintaining security capabilities during the pandemic

  What are the challenges of maintaining security event and incident detection capabilities in these challenging times?  Continue Reading

• Australia is painting a big red cyber target on its critical infrastructure

  Australia’s critical infrastructure is particularly vulnerable to cyber attacks right now because of years of under-investment in cyber security and ageing legacy systems  Continue Reading