(ISC)² Blog

Logging in: They Shall not Pass

Recently, one of my colleagues forwarded one of those memes currently circulating through social media about the joys of password authentication, with the thought that it might offer a way of mixing advice and humour. In this case, the meme takes the form – slightly exaggerated, but maybe all too close to reality in some cases – of a service user’s attempts to create a password acceptable to the service's authentication mechanism, with the user’s increasing frustration expressed through the increasingly vulgar passwords he tries to create in order to meet the increasingly . As it happens, I have indeed... Read more →

JP Morgan Chase Security Breach Comments from (ISC)² Leadership

Continuous monitoring is the key to thwarting these types of breaches. With cyberattacks becoming commonplace in every sector, companies must continuously protect their most valuable information. Cyber guns fire at us all the time, but the notion of catching and stopping every cybercriminal simply isn’t realistic in today’s burgeoning threat environment. I liken it to aspiring to completely eliminate common street crime. It’s just not realistic. Flaws will always exist, even within the most ideal protective structures. Every company should assume they’ll be breached, and focus efforts on minimizing damage once cybercriminals get in. The need for qualified cybersecurity professionals... Read more →

What Will Ease Healthcare's Heartburn Over 'Heartbleed'?

One of the latest breaches to hit the news took place at Community Health Systems (CHS), affecting an estimated 4.5 million patients. According to principal security consultant and founder of TrustedSec, David Kennedy, the initial attack vector was through the infamous OpenSSL “heartbleed” vulnerability that led to the compromise of the information. What is especially noteworthy about this particular attack is its impact on the healthcare community. Major data breaches such as the one at Target last year put the spotlight on how retailers need to do a better job at guarding our sensitive financial information from cyber criminals. However,... Read more →

Introducing the Automotive Industry to Information Security: I Am The Cavalry Steers Call to Action

The Internet of Things (IoT) is already affecting nearly all aspects of life, and it’s just getting started. Some of the most promising IoT applications occur in the auto industry, but as technological innovation outpaces security, millions of Americans’ physical safety is put at risk. Cars can already parallel park themselves, steer you back into your lane if you start drifting, and automatically slow down if you get too close to the vehicle in front of you. More and more cars are being controlled by computers, not humans. It’s not hard to envision cars of the near-future with the capability... Read more →