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Category: Cyber Security

Ransomware Attacks Can Spoil Your Day

Posted on by Bob
Anyone who reads the news knows that Ransomware attacks have become very popular among hackers, and very unpopular among victims. In a Ransomware attack, the hacker penetrates your system and encrypts all of your files.  So, you still have all your data; you simply have no way to access that data.  You may just as […]

Anyone who reads the news knows that Ransomware attacks have become very popular among hackers, and very unpopular among victims.

In a Ransomware attack, the hacker penetrates your system and encrypts all of your files.  So, you still have all your data; you simply have no way to access that data.  You may just as well not even have your data.  The hacker is looking for a ransom, and will only provide the encryption key if you pay him the money he demands.  As seen in graphic below from “Information is Beautiful”, these attacks slowed down in 2018 and 2019, but are once again popular in 2020 and 2021.

Unfortunately, when dealing with ransomware hackers, you run the risk that he will take your money and not provide the key.  Additionally, you run the risk that he will provide a key that works, but will repenetrate your system and demand a new ransom in the future.  For the sake of your business, it is best to not get attacked in this manner.  That’s easy to say, but how do you do that? 

Protecting against Ransomware attacks is just one of the many things you will learn at an upcoming ATI course Cybersecurity Foundations in November 2022.  This three-day course provides an overview of cybersecurity principles and mechanisms and highlights the challenges of protecting computing systems from determined adversaries. The course provides an understanding of the foundational elements of information security. It also gives the student an awareness of the current threat environment and architectures, mechanisms and technologies used to contain constrain, and control adversarial actions.

Take a look at the course description here, and if it looks like a course you may be interested in, please register for the class at that same site. 

And, as always, if you want to see the full set of courses offered at ATI, please visit us at www.aticourses.com.

Bombers and Subs and Missiles, oh my!

Posted on by Bob
Speaking for myself, I always considered the nuclear triad to include bombers, submarines, and missiles, but, I was wrong. Sandra Erwin points out in her Space News article, we really need to remember that these three components of the triad could not be effective without two other complimentary components, a competent work force to operate […]

Speaking for myself, I always considered the nuclear triad to include bombers, submarines, and missiles, but, I was wrong. Sandra Erwin points out in her Space News article, we really need to remember that these three components of the triad could not be effective without two other complimentary components, a competent work force to operate them, and a modern and reliable Nuclear Command, Control and Communications ( NC3 ) network.

Lt. Gen Jack Weinstein, Air Force Deputy Chief of Staff for Strategic Deterrence and Nuclear Integration recently pointed out that nuclear modernization efforts cannot be strictly focused on subs, bombers, and missiles, but must also be concerned about modernizing the NC3 system, causing him to remark “The Triad also means space capability.” The Nuclear Posture Review reported that many of the components of the current NC3 system are antiquated technology which has not been modernized in almost 30 years. 

Sandra Erwin reports that the Air Force does have programs under way to modernize communications and early-warning satellites, but integration of these new systems will be very complex, and highly trained work force will be needed to build the systems.

Interestingly, Lt. Gen Weinstein has confidence in the military’s ability to train their people to operate these systems, but he expresses concern about educating the civilian workforce which will also need to be involved.

Applied Technology Institute (ATI) can play an important role in preparing the workforce which will support the future nuclear Triad since it offers a diverse collection of courses which cover all of the domains where the Triad will need to operate; air, sea, and space. Please consider looking at the current set of course offerings at ATI and consider taking some of our courses to better position yourself to make significant contributions to solving the complex problems associated with Strategic Deterrence in the future.  

 

Cyber Warfare Is Bigger and Scarier Than You Think, Security Expert Says

Posted on by admin
 Applied Technology Institute (ATIcourses) offers a variety of courses on Cyber Security.  We thought the information below would be of interest to our readers. Cyber Leader Course (CLC) Cyber Security – Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) Cyber Warfare – Global Trends- D131 Of all the keynotes at this year’s t3 Enterprise conference in Las Vegas, the […]

 

170121-N-FI568-020 PENSACOLA, Fla. (Jan. 21, 2016) Cryptologic Technician (Networks) 1st Class Brandon Janice, a Joint Cyber Analysis Course instructor at Information Warfare Training Command (IWTC) Corry Station, helps a high school student, complete cybersecurity challenges during the third annual CyberThon event at Naval Air Station Pensacola. CyberThon provides northwest Florida high school and college students an opportunity to gain experience in cyber defense and engagement procedures under the instruction of active industry experts. IWTC Corry Station staff members volunteered to act as mentors for participating students. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Taylor L. Jackson/Released)
U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Taylor L. Jackson/Released

Applied Technology Institute (ATIcourses) offers a variety of courses on Cyber Security.  We thought the information below would be of interest to our readers. Cyber Leader Course (CLC) Cyber Security – Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) Cyber Warfare – Global Trends- D131 Of all the keynotes at this year’s t3 Enterprise conference in Las Vegas, the one most illuminating and alarming was delivered by Isaac Ben-Israel, the chairman of the Israel Space Agency and head of the Israeli Ministry of Science, Technology and Space. A military scientist who is also a retired general of the Israel Defense Forces and former member of parliament, Ben-Israel presented his views on the development of artificial intelligence and the impact it has on the cyber threats that can lead to ransomware attacks or breaches such as the one Equifax experienced this year. Using the Stuxnet virus, which took an Iranian uranium facility offline, Ben-Israel noted that real physical effects — in this case the collapse of the centrifuge machines — can result from “virtual” information such as the computer virus. This led him to propose four false dogmas relating to cyber warfare. First, cyber warfare is not only about information, as evidenced by the Stuxnet virus. Second, cyber warfare is not only about the internet — the Iranian facility wasn’t even connected to the internet. Third, cyber warfare is not only about computers, as there was not a computer to be seen in the Iranian nuclear facility. Stuxnet attacked the centrifuge machine controllers instead of computers. Finally, as mentioned at  security awareness training materials, cybersecurity is not only about technology, as without taking into account the psychology of individuals and social behavior, legal problems or business considerations, one would not be able to choose the right technology to develop in the first place. Ben-Israel says cyber security is simply the dark side of computing, and our industry is tasked with minimizing that dark side by taking preventative steps. Enter artificial intelligence based on machine learning algorithms, now known as deep learning. AI plays two distinct roles in the financial advisor community, first as intelligence to drive trading — Ben Israel estimates 95% of all trades in the exchanges are now computer-driven — and AI also is the underpinning of modern robo software that is increasing in popularity. However, AI may play a bigger role in the future, as the engine in cybersecurity tools that help prevent socially engineered phishing attacks and viruses from impacting the machines and networks that increasingly are the lifeblood of businesses. He left the audience with some points to ponder. “When we make a biological virus, we have to check that it won’t cause a pandemic,” said Ben-Israel. “But, we don’t have to do that for computer viruses.” His final, echoing thought: “You have to run very fast to be one step ahead with cybersecurity … if you want to survive.”    

Cyberwarfare: US Launched DDoS Attacks Against North Korean Spy Agency

Posted on by admin
Applied Technology Institute offers a variety of courses on Cyber warfare and Cyber Security. Cyber Leader Course (CLC) Cyber Security – Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH)- D124 Cyber Warfare – Global Trends- D131 We think the news below would be of interested to our readers. The United States has reportedly been engaged in offensive cyber attacks against North […]
Applied Technology Institute offers a variety of courses on Cyber warfare and Cyber Security.
  1. Cyber Leader Course (CLC)
  2. Cyber Security – Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH)- D124
  3. Cyber Warfare – Global Trends- D131
We think the news below would be of interested to our readers. The United States has reportedly been engaged in offensive cyber attacks against North Korea, but with no destructive results. According to a report by the Washington Post, President Donald Trump signed a directive earlier this year of putting pressure on North Korea that involved several diplomatic and cyber-military actions, including using cyber activities against the country. The United States Cyber Command, which was elevated to a Unified Combatant Command by the President earlier this year, targeted North Korea’s military spy agency, the Reconnaissance General Bureau. The attack was a distributed denial of service (DDoS) campaign with an aim to flood North Korean spy agency’s servers with traffic, crippling its access to the internet. “The elevation of United States Cyber Command demonstrates our increased resolve against cyberspace threats and will help reassure our allies and partners and deter our adversaries,” the White House had said when the President had elevated its status to a combatant unit. “Through United States Cyber Command, we will tackle our cyberspace challenges in coordination with like-minded allies and partners as we strive to respond rapidly to evolving cyberspace security threats and opportunities globally.” It is unclear when exactly the DDoS attack was launched and how long it lasted, but the Post said that the operation “was due to end” on September 30. The overall campaign – that included a diplomatic campaign to push other countries to sever all ties with Pyongyang – was started in March, this year. The officials in the US believe that the campaign wasn’t destructive and was merely designed to put pressure on the country. “Nonetheless, some North Korean hackers griped that lack of access to the Internet was interfering with their work,” WaPo reported citing an official. While North Korea isn’t going to find any vocal allies, the latest DDoS attack does make a point that the United States is capable of crippling an adversary’s cyberwar capabilities, even if temporarily. Russia started providing a second internet route for North Korea, that showed up on Dyn Research according to Security Week. “In effect, it went live with a stable link between Russia and North Korea shortly after the US Cyber Command action finished,” the report adds. Analysts believe that with the DDoS attacks, the US could have had two goals: send a warning to the country and push it to reveal its other channels of internet access or use those that are potentially being monitored. Some, however, worry that the operation – while not destructive when looked through the US officials’ eyes – might be taken as an act of war by the North Korean administration that could retaliate against the United States using its critical infrastructure that some believe has already been compromised.

Russian hacker group ‘CyberBerkut’ returns to public light with allegations against Clinton

Posted on by admin
A Twitter account tied to a group that the Defense Intelligence Agency recently described as “Russian hackers … supporting Russia’s military operations” returned to the spotlight Wednesday by posting a message that alleges Ukrainian government officials and businessmen laundered money and sent it to Hillary Clinton by making donations to the Clinton Foundation. These allegations, a vague […]
CyberBerkutCyberBerkutA Twitter account tied to a group that the Defense Intelligence Agency recently described as “Russian hackers … supporting Russia’s military operations” returned to the spotlight Wednesday by posting a message that alleges Ukrainian government officials and businessmen laundered money and sent it to Hillary Clinton by making donations to the Clinton Foundation. These allegations, a vague and loosely defined set of financial connections described in a single graphic and related blog post, could not be confirmed. The blog post alludes to an inappropriate relationship between Ukrainian billionaire Victor Pinchuk and the Clinton family. But emails that were supposedly stolen and posted in this blog post do not prove that such a conspiracy occurred. An attempt to contact the group went unanswered.
The Tweet posted Wednesday by this “CyberBerkut” group is the first such message posted publicly since January after the account shared an image of a redacted email it claims revealed plans by the U.S. government to doctor evidence to suggest that Russian hackers had interfered in the 2016 U.S. election. Read More Here.

Russian hacker group ‘CyberBerkut’ returns to public light with allegations against Clinton

Posted on by admin
  A Twitter account tied to a group that the Defense Intelligence Agency recently described as “Russian hackers … supporting Russia’s military operations” returned to the spotlight Wednesday by posting a message that alleges Ukrainian government officials and businessmen laundered money and sent it to Hillary Clinton by making donations to the Clinton Foundation. These allegations, a […]
CyberBerkut   A Twitter account tied to a group that the Defense Intelligence Agency recently described as “Russian hackers … supporting Russia’s military operations” returned to the spotlight Wednesday by posting a message that alleges Ukrainian government officials and businessmen laundered money and sent it to Hillary Clinton by making donations to the Clinton Foundation. These allegations, a vague and loosely defined set of financial connections described in a single graphic and related blog post, could not be confirmed. The blog post alludes to an inappropriate relationship between Ukrainian billionaire Victor Pinchuk and the Clinton family. But emails that were supposedly stolen and posted in this blog post do not prove that such a conspiracy occurred. An attempt to contact the group went unanswered.
The Tweet posted Wednesday by this “CyberBerkut” group is the first such message posted publicly since January after the account shared an image of a redacted email it claims revealed plans by the U.S. government to doctor evidence to suggest that Russian hackers had interfered in the 2016 U.S. election.