Category: Cybersecurity

Survey Finds One in Five Firms in Ireland Experienced a Cyber Attack Last Year

Aon plc, a leading global professional services firm, today released figures that reveal that most senior business leaders in Ireland plan to increase investment in cyber security and resilience in the coming years amid the evolving cyber risks facing Irish firms.  

The survey of 228 senior business leaders from companies across Ireland reveals that 18 percent of Irish firms experienced a cyber-attack or data breach in 2022. Large companies with more than 250 employees are more at risk, with 21 percent of firms facing an attack last year compared to 9 percent of SMEs.

Companies have taken steps in the past year to strengthen their cyber resilience and preparedness, with 38 percent having enhanced their data recovery and back-up systems and 35 percent having provided cyber security training to employees. This represents a slight decrease from levels seen in 2021, when 40 percent of employees were provided with cyber security training.  

Given the ever-changing cyber landscape, over two thirds of Irish firms (67 percent) plan to invest more in cyber security and resilience in the coming years. Seventy-two percent of firms with more than 250 employees are due to increase their spending on cyber security measures.

The survey also points to the growing dominance of cyber threats on an organisation’s risk register. According to the findings, cyber is now the fourth biggest business risk facing Irish organisations today.

Karl Curran, Head of Aon’s Cyber Solutions Ireland and Nordics, said: “Our figures show that cyber resilience is very much front and centre of Irish business leaders’ concerns. As the fourth biggest risk facing Irish organisations today, and with one in five firms being disrupted by a cyber-attack last year, business leaders are acutely aware of the enormity of the risk that cyber-attacks present and the need to plan accordingly. However, far too often, successfully managing cyber risk only becomes a priority after a cyber incident has occurred. Despite the majority of Irish firms planning to invest more in cyber security and resilience in the coming years, more than a quarter of Irish business leaders don’t have any plans to invest more in cyber security and resilience in the near future.

“Amidst an increasingly complex business environment, business and IT leaders are under increasing pressure to make smart security investments. And the truth is there is no one straight line approach to cyber security. It is a continuous journey focused on building resilience.

“At Aon Ireland, we encourage leaders to review their cyber security posture and take a strategic approach to managing cyber risk that is informed by data. This begins by assessing the cyber risk landscape, identifying the ways in which your IT team can mitigate challenges, transferring risk out of the business and, when faced with a crisis, recovering with speed. By taking a data-driven, circular approach to cyber resilience, business and IT leaders can come together to make better decisions that protect the future of their organisation and its people.”

To help business leaders on this journey, Aon’s Cyber Loop is a model for sustained cyber resilience that recognises the growing concern around cyber threats and supports businesses on their journey of investment. Comprising four main stages – assess, mitigate, transfer and recover – the Cyber Loop supports business leaders to maximise return on cyber security investment and become an informed participant in managing risk.

The four main stages of Aon’s Cyber Loop are:

  1. Assess

A thorough assessment of an organisation’s cyber risks will ensure that they are better informed and in a better position to agree on an appropriate risk strategy.

  1. Mitigate

Bridge the gap between understanding the technical risk of an identified vulnerability and the related financial exposure to inform decisions that can enhance security maturity and maximise return on security investment.

  1. Transfer

Despite a rising tide in cyber governance, losses still emanate from human error, system failure or security failure. Aon’s experts help businesses to identify, quantify and transfer cyber risk into the insurance market.

  1. Recover

Aon’s team of experts are experienced in maximising possible recovery of costs and working towards a cashflow neutral position.

To learn more about Aon’s Cyber Loop, visit https://www.aon.com/cyber-solutions/thinking/the-cyber-loop-a-model-for-sustained-cyber-resilience/.

Cyber Security And Business Protocols: How Do They Work?

In the modern world, cyber-security and business protocols have become major concerns for many organizations. As technology continues to evolve, businesses are increasingly relying on online resources and connected systems to improve their operations, making them vulnerable to malicious attacks. Cyber security is therefore essential for protecting companies from external threats and maintaining a secure environment for their data and systems.

 

1. Understanding the Basics of Cyber Security and Business Protocols

So, what are cyber security and business protocols? Cyber security refers to the range of technologies, processes, and practices designed to protect networks, devices, programs, and data from attack, damage, or unauthorized access.For instance, the ping monitoring tool, which involves regularly checking the availability and responsiveness of network devices or servers, is a crucial component of network security. Business protocols are the rules governing how businesses should interact with each other in a variety of situations.

 

2. Types of CyberSecurity

The three main types of cyber security are computer security, network security, and application security. Computer security involves protecting physical devices, such as laptops and desktops, from unauthorized access or viruses. Network security is designed to protect a business’ networks from outside attacks, while application security focuses on protecting applications from malicious threats.

 

3. Cyber Security Practices

Cyber security best practices include regularly patching software and systems, using strong passwords, configuring firewalls to block unauthorized access, encrypting data stored on networks or devices, monitoring for suspicious activity, and developing incident response plans. For instance, if you find out how XDR works you can use it to better protect your business from cyber-attacks. That way, you can detect and respond to threats before they cause serious damage.

 

4. Types of Business Protocols

Business protocols are a set of rules or guidelines that companies follow when interacting with each other, such as during negotiations or mergers & acquisitions. They help ensure smoother transactions and minimize misunderstandings between businesses. The types of business protocols include conflict resolution, communication protocols, ethical guidelines, and legal compliance.

 

5. Benefits of Adhering to Business Protocols

Adhering to business protocols can help businesses ensure that all employees are held accountable for their actions and that they follow the same standards of conduct. This helps establish trust between companies, which is essential for successful collaborations. Additionally, it can save businesses time and money by preventing costly disputes and misunderstandings.

 

6. Common Business Protocols

Common business protocols include the use of formal communication, maintaining customer confidentiality, responding promptly to requests and inquiries, adhering to industry standards, abiding by data protection laws, and acting in the best interest of the company’s clients. For example, if an employee receives a customer inquiry via email, they should respond promptly and follow the company’s guidelines for responding to customer inquiries. 

Companies should also ensure that customer data is kept secure by implementing appropriate cyber-security measures such as encryption and two-factor authentication. Companies must also take steps to protect their intellectual property and comply with industry standards for protecting confidential information. Finally, businesses should ensure that they follow all relevant laws and regulations pertaining to data protection and privacy. 

 

7. Education Is Key

It is essential for companies to ensure that their employees are educated on cybersecurity protocols and the implications of not following them. A good way to do this is through employee training programs and a phishing simulation, which can help staff better understand how to protect confidential information and company systems from malicious attacks. 

Additionally, businesses should consider implementing a comprehensive corporate cyber-security policy that outlines proper procedures for accessing and using digital assets, as well as the consequences of not following those procedures. All employees should be held accountable for their actions and an appropriate level of enforcement should be provided in order to ensure that protocols are followed. Finally, companies should invest in technology solutions such as firewalls, anti-virus software, malware protection, and data encryption to protect against cyber threats.

 

8. Identifying Potential Threats and Protecting Against Them

As businesses become increasingly reliant on digital technology, it is essential to understand the potential threats posed by cyber-attacks. Businesses need to identify these threats and take steps to protect themselves against them.

The first step in protecting a business from cyber-attacks is to understand what types of attacks are most likely to occur. Common types of cyber-attacks include phishing, malware, ransomware, DDoS attacks, and data breaches. Businesses should be aware of these threats and take steps to protect themselves from them.

Investing in professional LLM security evaluation services can provide businesses with the insights needed to strengthen their defenses against evolving threats. This approach ensures that vulnerabilities are identified early and addressed before they can be exploited.

Once the threats have been identified, businesses can begin to put measures in place to protect against them. This includes establishing protocols for accessing sensitive information, such as passwords or customer data; implementing security measures such as firewalls and antivirus programs; regularly updating software to protect against known threats; and training employees on cyber-security best practices.

 

9. Implementing Robust Access Controls

One of the most important elements of cyber-security is controlling access to sensitive data. Access control protocols can be put in place to ensure that only authorized individuals are able to access and manipulate sensitive data. This usually involves implementing multi-factor authentication, such as requiring a password as well as a physical key or biometric identifier (such as fingerprint scanning).

Two methods of access control that can be employed are role-based access and least privilege. Role-based access involves assigning different privileges (such as read, write, edit, etc) to each user based on their job role or requirement. Least privilege is a security principle that means only granting users the exact amount of access they need to do their job, as opposed to unrestricted access.

It is also important to ensure that all users are authenticated before they can gain access, and this usually involves a combination of protocols such as passwords, encryption keys, and biometric scans. Finally, it is essential to regularly monitor the system for any suspicious activity or unauthorized access attempts. This can be done through various techniques such as audit logs, intrusion detection systems, and activity alerts.

 

10. Keeping Systems Up-To-Date with Security Patches

It is essential to keep all systems up-to-date with the latest security patches and updates in order to prevent them from becoming vulnerable to attack. Security patches are released regularly for both operating systems and applications, and it is important that these are applied as soon as possible. In addition, software should be kept up-to-date by ensuring that new versions are installed whenever they become available. 

It is also important to ensure that any outdated or unsecured versions of applications and software are removed from the system. Regularly checking for updates using an automated process can help make sure that systems remain secure and up-to-date.

Cyber-security and business protocols are essential for any organization. They help protect data and ensure that information is secure from malicious actors, which can prevent financial losses or damage to the company’s reputation. Cyber-security protocols also protect customer information, ensuring that it remains private and inaccessible to unauthorized personnel. Business protocols define policies, procedures, processes, and standards that must be followed in order to ensure operational efficiency. Thanks for reading!

Employee burnout is cybersecurity professionals’ greatest fear amidst rising cyber threats

Integrity360, the UK and Ireland’s largest cyber security services specialist, together with its partner and leading vendor in AI-driven threat detection and response, Vectra, today announced new findings from a Twitter poll exploring critical cyber security threats. The poll found that 35% of cyber security professionals cited employee burnout as the most concerning issue amongst increasing cyber threats.

This comes as cyber security teams are put under mounting pressure to tackle the complexity of the modern hybrid enterprise and the necessity to protect corporate data wherever it resides. In fact, almost 63% of respondents highlighted security of data as being most important to their organisation when establishing the need for effective cyber security services. Of lesser concern was securing reputation (19%), productivity (12%) and saving money (7%).

The good news is that organisations are looking to implement critical security measures to ensure greater threat detection and response in 2023, with identity and access management (29.9%) and cloud security (29.7%) on top of the agenda, followed by network (19.6%) and endpoint security (20.6%).

As businesses look to new ways to detect and contain threats that have bypassed preventative security controls, Integrity360 and Vectra have partnered to extend its existing threat detection and response service portfolio, delivering network detection and response and critically, cloud, SaaS and identity detection and response capabilities with the launch of the Vectra Managed Detection and Response Services.

Richard Ford, CTO at Integrity360, said: “Analysts are facing severe burnout from alert fatigue and Security Operations Centre (SOC) overwhelm, and organisations are lacking the experience, skills and bandwidth needed to detect and manage security incidents and data – quickly and effectively. The integration of Vectra into our MDR service is a game changer. It allows us to provide a full end to end capability to monitor and proactively hunt threats across the entire hybrid enterprise, delivering advanced Threat Detection and Threat Response services and relieving SOC teams overwhelmed by noise.”

When questioned on the best approaches to future-proof the security of their organisation, 52% of respondents to the poll pointed to Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) as the best means.

The new Vectra Managed Detection and Response Service (MDR) augments the SOC with AI and ML capabilities, adopting behavioural based detection instead of reliance on static or signature-based detection alone. AI combines an understanding of the environment with threat models, and human threat intelligence, to automatically surface the threats, allowing for an 85% increase in efficiency of threat identification and a 2x rise in security operations productivity.

The service enables organisations to detect and respond to threats across Cloud, SaaS, Identity and Network, removing critical blind spots and stopping cyber-attacks before they become breaches through Vectra’s Attack Signal Intelligence, which continuously monitors for use of attacker methods and learns the customers unique environment.

Garry Veale, Regional Director UKI, Vectra, commented: “The partnership sets us apart from the ‘catch and dispatch’, ‘detect and notify’ type providers, by enabling us to proactively hunt threats within the customer environment, integrating with enforcement points, identity, perimeter, and endpoint for effective and rapid response in the event of an active threat. This approach signifies a huge breakthrough in MDR services, and we are excited to see how the partnership evolves.”

How can you improve the cyber security of your business?

In the digital age we live in, most of the work produced by businesses is online which leaves them susceptible to cyber-attacks. In September 2022, there were more than 35 million compromised records as a result of cyber-attacks and data breaches which puts people’s personal information at risk of falling into the wrong hands. 

To combat this, businesses will need to improve their cyber security to keep their information, their employee’s information and their customer’s data safe. Failure to do this may lead to a lack of trust in the company.

What is cyber security?

Cyber security is the level of protection your online systems have. If this is weak then you could be compromised and lose valuable and sensitive data to cyber criminals. This is why it’s important to take every step against this. This starts with looking over your entire system to find potential weak points that attackers could exploit. Once a team of experts finishes an IT security audit and identifies these risks, you can take steps to improve your cyber security and protect your business. Taking the right measures greatly reduces the risk of being attacked and is a vital part of running a business in today’s digital world.

How can companies bolster their cyber security?

There are numerous ways for business owners to increase their security depending on their budget. This includes:

Antivirus software

Your first line of defence is good antivirus software to protect your devices from malware attacks. It will detect potential attacks and remove any threats to your computer or laptop. There are many types of malware that can affect your laptop and antivirus software can often protect you from them all.

Training staff

The main weakness of your cyber security as a business is the people within the business. They may be the ones to allow malware to get into your business because they don’t know how to spot it. That’s why you should make sure to train all staff on how to spot phishing attempts and cyber-criminal activity. Consider partnering with experts like SupercityOS out of Dartmouth, NS, an IT company specializing in cyber security training, to provide comprehensive training programs for your staff. This proactive approach ensures that your team is well-equipped to identify and mitigate potential cyber threats, enhancing the overall security posture of your business in today’s digital world.

Using password software

Using a password generator and storage software will help you and your employees to generate high-strength passwords that are very difficult to guess. This is much better than allowing employees to create their own passwords which may be easier to guess and breach. Most people reuse passwords, so if your employee’s personal devices are hacked then the cyber criminal may then target their work devices.

Don’t forget about physical security

Similarly, your business’ data can’t just be compromised online through hacking but it can also be obtained physically through a breach of property. You can protect your office using a drill to secure locks to doors so they cannot be opened whilst the office is not in use. It is also recommended for employees to have lanyards to pass through security gates so that only employees can enter the office.

Don’t leave your company’s data to chance and allow hackers to steal it all. Implement the strategies above so you don’t have a cyber-attack down the line.

 

Irish Girl Guides Develop their Cyber Powers During Cyber Security Awareness Month

The Irish Girl Guides (IGG) have partnered with Bank of America to promote cyber safety, with the launch of a new Cybersecurity Badge for their Ladybird, Brownie, and Guide branches. At a time when cybercrime is costing the Irish economy c.€9.6bn per annum and over half of children have confirmed that they have been cyberbullied, the new partnership between the Irish Girl Guides and Bank of America that this year alone will benefit over 2,300 girls, age 5-17 yrs and support them in developing cybersecurity skills.

The launch of the new Cybersecurity Badge programme, created by Dublin based cyber security and technology experts is designed to promote the responsible use of technology and teach the Girl Guides how to stay safe online while also showing the girls and young women the exciting uses and opportunities within the technology industry.

Partnering with Bank of America and its highly skilled team of technology experts enabled IGG to develop a bespoke age-appropriate curriculum that encourages girls and young women to explore different aspects of technology in a responsible, fun and educational way. The women within the technology sector of Bank of America represent great models for the Girl Guides to follow as they show the girls what hard work and determination achieves. Ultimately, this partnership is an amazing opportunity that further supports IGG mission in enabling girls to discover their full potential and become responsible, savvy users of technology.

Roisin Mills, the Brownie Branch Chairperson of Irish Girl Guides, is especially enthusiastic about this partnership saying, “Working in the IT industry as I do, I feel it is really important for all to know how to stay safe online. This badge programme developed by IGG with support from Bank of America will help our girls develop knowledge about how to practice safety and precaution online in a fun and memorable way. This is only the first step in building a foundation and interest in STEM; inspiring girls to uncover their potential and introduce them to the possibility of a career in the STEM field. I cannot wait for my Brownies and Guides to complete the badge!”

It is no coincidence that the Irish Girl Guides chose the month of October in which to launch this badge. October is globally known as International Cybersecurity Awareness Month (ICSAM); a month-long public awareness campaign between governments and industry, which aims to raise public awareness about cyber security best practices, and how to stay safe online wherever you are in the world. To celebrate the launch of the badge programme coinciding with ICSAM, the Irish Girl Guides have released a very special cyber edition of their seasonal magazine, Trefoil News.

Michelle Garrigan, Cyber Threat Intelligence Lead for Europe, Middle East and Africa at Bank of America said: “Bank of America is delighted to support the development of IGG’s new Cybersecurity Badge. Educating young women and girls on cybersecurity and staying safe online has become increasingly important in today’s technology driven world, and our team of technology experts are proud to have supported the development of this new and modern badge to the Irish Girl Guides curriculum which will benefit over 2,300 members.”

The Cybersecurity Badge programme offers a unique opportunity to learn about personal security from an early age and develop good practices that will serve them well for years to come. Each badge is comprised of activities and games that teach girls and young women taking part the foundations to prevent cyber risks and the appropriate protocol when encountering them. This badge programme which supports each of the Girl Guide branches, covers important topics such as the basics of technology and the internet, password security, risks associated with information sharing, and teaches the girls how to spot online scams.

Claire Barkey, CEO of Irish Girl Guides, believes the awareness of cybersecurity is crucial for young girls and women; “Thanks to the support of Bank of America, IGG have been able to revitalise badges that support an awareness of cyber safety at a time when it is  important for young girls and parents to be familiar with the opportunities and challenges online.  IGG take great pride in ensuring our programme is relevant and contemporary for our members and supporting young girls to understand different aspects of the IT industry will promote opportunities in STEM moving forward.  We are excited to partner with BOA and look forward to more opportunities for collaboration!”

Skills Shortage Threatens Cybersecurity of Companies

With increasing digitization, the threat of cyber attacks is also rising and so is the demand for IT security experts. According to the latest Risk & Cybersecurity Study by IT business Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), companies see the biggest challenge in cybersecurity not in the budget, but in the lack of professionals with relevant expertise. According to the study, half of European companies (49 percent) plan to hire professionals with cybersecurity skills in the future, with that figure rising to two-thirds (65 percent) in the US.

Skills shortage among top challenges for cybersecurity

Chief risk officers (CROs) and chief information security officers (CISOs) report in the survey that they have already had difficulty attracting (44 percent) and retaining (42 percent) talent with cyber risk and security skills in the past year.

The second biggest challenge according to the CROs and CISOs is a changing work environment with increased possibilities for remote work and the associated risks. For example, innumerable employees had to be given remote access to their employer’s systems and databases at short notice due to the pandemic and the resulting move to remote work. This opens up new points of attack for cybercriminals. Assessing security risks and quantifying their costs is the third biggest obstacle for the respondents.

Cybersecurity not a budget issue

Only tenth place in the ranking are budget constraints. The fact that the latter are affecting fewer and fewer companies is shown by the high level of willingness to invest: 52 percent of European companies and 62 percent of North American companies stated that they had increased their budgets for IT security since last year.

Commenting on the study’s findings, Gerard Grant, Director, Strategic Initiatives at TCS Ireland said “Keeping abreast of the most advanced tactics of cyber criminals is not a question of cost. Rather, the challenge lies in finding and retaining the right professionals with the required know-how.”

TCS employs over 1,100 people in Ireland across a range of high-skilled tech related roles. TCS operates a state-of-the-art Global Delivery Centre based in Letterkenny which includes an innovation lab and plans are now in place for building further business units, together with centres of excellence in cyber security and cloud services.

How companies ensure they have a recruiting edge

One measure alone can’t solve the skills shortage. “However, companies can help fill the skills gap by using external service providers for harder-to-staff work, such as 24/7 network monitoring, while growing talent internally by giving them exposure to not only the technical but the business aspects of cybersecurity,” says Gerard Grant. In addition, the study shows that the more frequently the board of directors engages in cybersecurity, the more successful the company is in finding and holding onto their top talent with cyber risk and security skills.

TCS’ study also finds that talent retention directly correlates with how a company stores its information. Cloud-positive organizations were found to have a slight advantage in retaining and recruiting talent with notoriously hard-to-find cyber skills, compared to those companies who think that on-premises or traditional data centre security is preferable to what is available via the cloud. In fact, embracing cloud platforms gives companies a five-point advantage in recruiting and retaining talent with cyber risk and security skills.

“As businesses look to keep up with rapidly evolving complexities in cybersecurity, the talent gap is widening,” said Bob Scalise, Managing Partner, Risk and Cyber Strategy, TCS. “Demonstrating a serious commitment to cybersecurity by sustained attention from senior leadership, funding, and process changes will be vital to recruiting and retaining top talent.”

The TCS Risk & Cybersecurity Study, published by the TCS Thought Leadership Institute, highlights the most pressing cybersecurity issues facing senior business leaders across Europe and North America. The study is based on the results of a survey of more than 600 CISOs and CROs, from companies with at least $1 billion in annual revenue, across banking & financial services, utilities, media & information services, and manufacturing. Topics include global risk, cybersecurity, resilience, and ecosystem/cloud security.  The survey took place in February and March 2022.

To view the full report and receive more information, visit on.tcs.com/risk-cybersecurity.

New Study Reveals, Cyber Threats Within Digital Ecosystems May Be an Enterprise Blind Spot

Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) has today announced findings from its TCS Risk & Cybersecurity Study, which reveals that cyber executives may not be sufficiently prioritizing threats from vulnerabilities within the value chain, beyond the immediate boundaries of their own organizations.

When asked to rank where companies will see the greatest number of cyberattacks between now and 2025, ecosystem partners came in last place (10th). At a time when enterprises are increasingly banking on digital ecosystems for their growth strategies, TCS’ survey shows that only 16% of chief risk officers (CROs) and chief information security officers (CISOs) ranked digital ecosystems as a concern when assessing expected cyber targets, and only 14% listed the risks from such ecosystems as the top priority arising out of board-level discussions.

“Companies across the globe are increasingly turning to digital ecosystems of partners, vendors, and even competitors to reimagine and grow their business. Ignoring the threats originating from these ecosystems represents a blind spot which needs to be addressed urgently,” said Santha Subramoni, Global Head, Cybersecurity, TCS. “One way of reducing the probability of an attack within digital supply chains is to implement a ‘zero trust’ policy—a framework based on the principle of ‘never trust, always verify,’ applied not only to humans but also machines.”

When mapping out priorities between now and 2025, CISOs rank governance, strategy, and talent acquisition highly. Ranking highest is the prioritization of the security posture of the company and defining the controls and standards. Ranked second is establishing a more robust cybersecurity strategy, followed by investing in security talent acquisition and development.

TCS’ study also finds that talent retention directly correlates with how a company stores its information. Cloud-positive organizations were found to have a slight advantage in retaining and recruiting talent with the notoriously hard-to-find cyber skills, compared to those companies who think that on-premises or traditional data center security is preferable to what is available via the cloud. In fact, embracing cloud platforms gives companies a five-point advantage in recruiting and retaining talent with cyber risk and security skills.

“As businesses look to keep up with rapidly evolving complexities in cybersecurity, the talent gap is widening,” said Bob Scalise, Managing Partner, Risk and Cyber Strategy, TCS. “Demonstrating a serious commitment to cybersecurity by sustained attention from senior leadership, funding, and process changes will be vital to recruiting and retaining top talent.” 

Among other findings, the study also highlights:

Some corporate boards may not be sufficiently focused on cyber risks.

One in six respondents reported that their corporate board of directors considers issues related to cyber risk and security only “occasionally, as necessary, or never.” Companies with higher-than-average revenue and profit growth are more likely to discuss cybersecurity at every board meeting.

Cloud platforms are considered more secure than on-premises and traditional data centers.

Sixty-two percent of companies are now as or more comfortable with the security provided by cloud platforms than that of on-premises and traditional data centers—suggesting that the common concern about the cloud in its early days is fading.

The TCS Risk & Cybersecurity Study, published by the TCS Thought Leadership Institute, highlights the most pressing cybersecurity issues facing senior business leaders across Europe and North America. The study is based on results of a survey of more than 600 CISOs and CROs, from companies with at least $1 billion in annual revenue, across banking & financial services, utilities, media & information services, and manufacturing. Topics include global risk, cybersecurity, resilience, and ecosystem/cloud security.  The survey took place in February and March 2022.

To view the full report and receive more information, visit on.tcs.com/risk-cybersecurity.

Leading Computer Security Experts In Irish First As World-Renowned Conference Heads To Dublin #FIRSTCON22

The Forum of Incident Response and Security Teams (FIRST) has chosen the island of Ireland for the first time as the destination for its 34th Annual Conference, entitled ‘Neart Le Chéile: Strength Together’ in the Convention Centre, Dublin, from June 26 to July 1, 2022.

Over 1,000 people from six continents will participate, as the not-for-profit aims to deliver worldwide coordination and cooperation among computer security and incident response teams.

From Tonga to Tanzania, Greece to Guatemala, Australia to America, the participants from nearly 80 countries are the leading lights in their field. From governments, academia, and businesses, all have a critical agenda as cyber security issues continue to rapidly increase worldwide, and global coordination is now vital to make the internet safe for everyone.

Google’s Maddie Stone delves into the unknown during the conference, focusing on 0-day exploits used in-the-wild. A security researcher on Google Project Zero, she will disclose crucial insights and learnings from previously detected 0-day attacks – which occur when a cyber attacker abuses a vulnerability that was totally unknown – to help delegates defend organisations and society in future incidents.

The five-day event will explore various themes with contributors from industry and academia, from notable organisations such as the World Economic Forum, National Police Agency from Japan, Amnesty International, the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, and the European Union Agency for Cybersecurity.

Other notable discussions on the agenda include the preparation for the Tokyo 2020 Games, analysis of the SolarWinds supply chain compromise, and lessons learned from supporting national responses to COVID-19.

Brian Honan, CEO, BH Consulting and FIRST Annual Conference Programme Chair, commented: “Dublin, and Ireland, is a perfect setting to host leading experts in this area with the cyber security sector on a significant growth trajectory on the island. The recent State of Cyber Security Sector in Ireland 2022 report states that by 2030 the industry will be worth €2.5 bn GVA – an increase of €1.4 bn from 2021 – employing over 17,000 people.

“This conference is critical for the global community of incident responders and security teams. After two years of pandemic uncertainty, we can all come together in person once more to tackle cyber security issues in a united fashion to create a fix and ensure organisations can continue to operate with limited disruption. Our theme, ‘Neart Le Chéile: Strength Together’, is exactly how we, as experts, will beat the criminals and keep people safe from cyber security attacks going forward.”

Chris Gibson, CEO, FIRST added: “The conference program this year is both intuitive and timely, with our keynoters’ covering topics across the full spectrum of computer security – from the practical to the emotional.

“As a membership organisation, we work to ensure that our Annual Conference brings as much value as possible. Over the five days, our goal is to inspire and empower participants to take new thinking and tools back with them to their everyday roles as they continue to defend people across the globe against cyber-attacks.”

Cyber specialists must work together to tackle online crime, as many instances do not occur in isolation, or just in one geographical area. FIRST provides the unique platform for everyone to unite and work towards a safer cyber community for all.

At the FIRST Conference participants will share goals, ideas, and information on how to improve global computer security, with delegates learning the latest security strategies in incident management, increasing their knowledge and technical insight about security problems and solutions, and gaining insights into analysing network vulnerabilities.

Alongside numerous talks and panel discussions, the conference also features Lightning Talks, a Vendor Showcase and Exhibits, and networking opportunities. The full program can be accessed here https://www.first.org/conference/2022/program.

Featured sponsors of the 2022 event include: AWS, SentinelOne, Uptycs, ENISA, Torq, Palo Alto Networks, Tines, LinkedIn, Amazon, Ericsson, OTRS, Mandiant, Group-IB, Conceal, Joe Security, Fortinet, DomainTools, ThreatRay, Intezer, Recorded Future, Cybereason and Google.

Also in attendance are many exhibitors including Arctic Security, Bank of America, CTM360, Thinkst Canary, NRD Cyber Security, EclecticIQ, Intel 471, Semperis, VMRay, Quarkslab and Mitiga.

Complimentary media spaces are available at the conference, please contact us for further details and with any interview requests.

How does cybersecurity work?

Today’s generation lives on the internet, and the information that reaches securely to our computer without any misinterpretation has been made possible by cyber security. Through cyber security, programs systems, networks are protected from digital attacks which target sensitive information such as personal information. Extortion of money or disrupting business functioning is done through cyber attacks. 

Why is cybersecurity needed?

Living in a digital world, most of the transactions including, hotel room booking, ordering dinner, or booking a cab, is constantly performed using the internet. This generates data stored in a huge data center termed as cloud and can be accessed online. 

Due to the availability of various access points, constant traffic flow, public IP addresses, and tons of data to exploit, hackers stand an excellent chance to exploit the vulnerability and steal the data. To achieve this, they use different malware which can bypass virus scans and firewalls. For stopping these malicious digital attacks, cyber security is an essential requirement. 

Common types of cyber-attacks:

  1. General malware- It includes a variety of cyber threats like trojans and viruses. It is a code with malicious content that has the potential to destroy the data on the computer.
  2. Phishing- This is sent by email as a request for data from a trusted third party. Users are asked to click on a link sent in the email. It isn’t easy to recognize if the sender is from a legitimate or false source most of the time. This is similar to spam but is more harmful comparatively as it involves compromising confidential information.
  3. Password attack- A third party trying to gain access to the system by tracking a user’s password.
  4. DDOS- Distributed denial of service or DDOS refers to an attack whose focus is on stopping the network’s service. The high volume of data is sent on the network, resulting in overloading and finally preventing functioning.
  5. Man-in-the-middle- This refers to online information exchange. MIM attack is used to obtain information from the end-user as well as the entity. For example, in banking online, the man in the middle will communicate with you, impersonating a person from Bank and communicate with the bank, impersonating you, thus collecting information from both parties. 
  6. Drive-by downloads- Using malware, a program is downloaded to a user’s system. This program is used to steal the data.
  7. Mal-advertising- On clicking on an affected AD, a malicious code gets downloaded on the computer. 
  8. Rogue Software- This malware looks like legitimate security software required to keep the system safe but acts otherwise.

In profit-driven environments, enterprise security is one of the top pillars of business stability and trustworthiness, especially in industries that store users’ data or other sensitive information. In a holistic system, cyber security is one of the main components, along with physical security, leak prevention, and risk management.

Hence, the internet is not a safe place for individuals as well as large organizations. Big companies such as eBay, Adobe, and Evernote have undergone critical cyber-attacks despite having high-level security measures to protect their data. More prominent organizations are a victim of cyber-attack and are constantly targeted.

To safeguard our data, there should be a protocol to protect us from cyber-attacks. This is called cyber security. In a computing context, security comprises physical security and cyber security. Both are used by organizations to protect from unauthorized access to their data and critical systems. Information security in an organization is designed to maintain the confidentiality, availability, and integrity of data. This forms the subset of cyber security.  

How does cybersecurity work?

Cyber security works on protecting the data against the below three activities:

  1. Unauthorized modification
  2. Unauthorized deletion
  3. Unauthorized access

The three main principles that act as a security pillar for both small and big organizations are confidentiality, integrity, and data availability.

Confidentiality– Same as privacy. It is designed to safeguard information from reaching the wrong people. Access is restricted to users who are not supposed to view the data. It is common for data to be categorized depending on the type of damage that can occur if it gets in the hand of unintended people and stringent measures to be taken to safeguard the same. Training is given to employees to safeguard these documents. This includes training on security risks associated with the confidential document, risk factors, password-related threats, password-related best practices, and social engineering methods to educate the users on how to prevent confidential data.

Integrity– Integrity refers to maintaining the accuracy and trustworthiness of data in its complete life cycle. Data must not be changed during transit, and steps must be taken to ensure that it remains unaltered by unauthorized people, something PAM for cybersecurity can do.

File permissions, user access controls, and version controls are taken care of to prevent erroneous changes or accidental deletion of legitimate users. Using checksums or cryptographic checksums are steps to detect any changes in the data, and verification of integrity due to unforeseen events is set in place. We must also ensure that backup is available to restore the data to its original state.

Availability– Availability is ensured by regularly maintaining the hardware with periodic hardware checks and taking care of the operating system, which is free of any software-related issues. It is up to date with all the current features. Communication bandwidth should be adequate to prevent bottlenecks. Redundancy, backup availability, and failover cluster availability are essential to safeguard the system from serious hardware issues. Disaster recovery is essential during worst-case scenarios. Thus, safeguarding from data loss or interruption in the connection. A backup copy can be stored in a geographically isolated location, having fire and waterproofing. Firewalls and proxy servers will be used to help protect data from malicious attacks due to DDOS attacks or network intrusions. 

Steps to take to protect data when attacked by cyber:

  1. Identify– Identify the kind of attack our organization has been subjected to.
  2. Analyze and Evaluate– Analyse and evaluate the type and amount of data that has been compromised. 
  3. Treat– Work on resolving the issue by using the correct treatment so that the organization can come back to its original state with the least data loss or breach.

The above steps are taken by calculating the below three factors:

Vulnerability– It is a weakness or a known issue of an asset or data that an attacker can exploit. In terms of Cyber security, it is referred to as a hardware or a software defect that has been delayed in fixing and thus prone to getting damaged due to cyber-attack. For example, delay in renewing system license, delay in erasing user access who has left the organization. A regular vulnerability test is required to safeguard the systems and data. By this, weak points can be identified, and strategies are placed to fix them promptly. Organizations can also have a checklist with periodic follow-ups. Another option often discussed is privileged access management (PAM).

Threat– It is an event that can harm the data. Threats can be natural like floods or tornados, intentional like spyware, malware, and unintentional threats to employees, accessing wrong information by mistake. Threat assessment techniques are used to understand the severity of the threat. Though most threats are not in human control to suppress, it is essential to take appropriate steps to assess the threats regularly. Employees should be educated on cyber security to be prepared for any upcoming threats by providing cyber security training for employees. They should keep in touch with the current update on cyber security by subscribing to related blogs and podcasts. Regular threat assessment must be performed to protect the system and data. A penetration test can be conducted at periodic intervals. This involves creating a model of real-world threats, discovering vulnerabilities, and documenting the steps to resolve them.

Risk– Risk refers to the potential loss due to a threat caused by the vulnerability. Examples of risks include financial loss, loss of privacy, company reputation, legal implications, etc. Risk management is an essential part of cyber security. The risk assessment framework is designed and assessed at periodic frequencies, keeping in mind the important points to be addressed and prioritized during the data breaches. Stakeholders and business partners must be kept in mind during this process.

Final Thought:

Cybercrime is a global problem posing a threat to security, including banks, government, and private organizations. It is essential to understand and follow the steps mentioned above and also use advanced cyber security protocols to prevent individuals and organizations from huge data loss and renowned multinational companies from the negative headlines. To further understand cybersecurity and get certified in this profession, you can enroll in cyber security  program offered by platforms such as Great Learning.