While essential functions of community colleges remain constant, the ever-changing digital landscape presents unique cybersecurity challenges. From talent retention to securing a diversifying data landscape, colleges must adapt their strategies to keep pace.
Topics: Cybersecurity, Data Breach, Data Security, vulerability assessment, hacking, community colleges
The manufacturing industry faces a continuously evolving threat landscape, demanding constant vigilance and proactive security measures. As technology advances and attackers refine their tactics, here are some of the most critical risks manufacturers need to be aware of in 2024:
Topics: Intellectual Property Protection, cybersecurity plan, Manufacturing
Cybersecurity: Not Just for Techies Anymore
Topics: Cybersecurity, Vulnerability Assessment, Penetration Testing, Incident Response, Security Awareness Training
Any time we log in to socials, we should be cognizant of the information we're willing to reveal and how for-profit actors could use that personal data. Sharing our time, tastes, and feedback with online communities is what draws us to the apps, but it’s easy to “overspend” your seemingly limitless personal data in exchange for entertainment. The TikTok application is unlike its contemporaries because its information-gathering technology is steps ahead and much more powerful. That information is primarily used to tailor the user’s feed and promote engagement with targeted advertisements.
Topics: Cybersecurity, Data Security, risk, Social Media
As clients begin to recognize and prepare against the threat of ransomware attacks, one tricky question keeps coming up. Is paying a ransom “illegal yet?”. No company is champing at the bit to make unplanned payments, especially not to potential terrorists on the OFAC list, but the legality of the matter depends on a few factors. *Please note that ProCircular does not provide legal advice, rather, we disseminate guidance from the top legal authorities.
As a cybersecurity professional and business owner, I keep a close eye on the everchanging recommendations surrounding ransomware attacks and incident management. I found the following document to be one of the more up-to-date (at least by government standards) and straightforward pieces available on the topic. Here's the short version:
“In the context of hostage-taking, for example, DOJ clarified in 2015 that it “has never used the material support statute to prosecute a hostage’s family or friends for paying a ransom for the safe return of their loved one.”67
Basically, there is a low likelihood of prosecution for making ransom payments, even when it is paid to a known threat actor on the OFAC denied persons list. I would only expect to see legal action taken if a very large company went through with the payment while it was expressly illegal. Even then, the punishment would be intended to make an example rather than punish the victim.
Topics: Incident Response, Ransomware