Cybersecurity Expert

Article by  Beau Peters As a freelancer in any industry, you are likely more susceptible to hackers and cybercrime than many other professions. Not only are you pulling in a constant stream of customer data, but as a worker on the go, you likely work exclusively in the digital realm with all of your information in the online space. That means that you are basically presenting data on a silver platter for cybercriminals to find and use for malicious purposes. If you take your business seriously, then cybersecurity needs to be your top priority , not only for your clients but also for the stability of your own enterprise. Luckily, you can stay out of the way of cybercriminals by implementing a few basic security features along with an understanding of common threats. We’ll explain both solutions below. Protect Client Data It is important to remember that just about any piece of client data can be used by cybercriminals to cause havoc. Credit card and social security numbers are espec...

From everyday transactions to transport planning, as our world becomes more dependent on technology, cybersecurity risks are becoming more common, and more dangerous.  Luckily, there’s a range of cybersecurity businesses and start-ups attempting to solve this issue through innovative new technologies. We look at some recent projects and partnering opportunities tackling cybersecurity challenges.  Antivirus Software From Japan Established in 2007, a Japanese company has developed security software to detect unknown threats. They have developed a heuristic application consisting of five engines to detect malware and protect users. These engines include ; Static analyses Sandbox runs programs on a virtual environment Dynamic analyses (monitors the behaviour of currently running programs) Machine learnings Vulnerability attack protection The advantage of this technology is that it does not depend on pattern files. So far, the programs have detected several major threa...

The 2019 Verizon Data Breach Investigations Report (DBIR ) was released today, and I was lucky enough to be handed a hot off the press physical copy while at the Global Cyber Alliance Cyber Trends 2019 event at Mansion House, London. For me, the DBIR provides the most insightful view on the evolving threat landscape, and is the most valuable annual “state of the nation” report in the security industry. Global Cyber Alliance Cyber Trends 2019 The DBIR has evolved since its initial release in 2008, when it was payment card data breach and Verizon breach investigations data focused. This year’s DBIR involved the analysis of 41,686 security incidents from 66 global data sources in addition to Verizon. The analysed findings are expertly presented over 77 pages, using simple charts supported by ‘plain English’ astute explanations, reason why then, the DBIR is one of the most quoted reports in presentations and within industry sales collateral. DBIR 2019 Key Takeaways Financial g...

Guest article by Damon Culbert of Cyber Security Jobs Cyber criminals are a part of modern life, from Uber account hacks to major business data breaches, our online identities are rarely safe. And, while big-name companies under threat often make the news, it’s small and medium-sized enterprises who are actually their biggest targets. Large businesses and government departments may seem like more obvious hacking targets with bigger payoffs, but these organisations can afford much more robust, well-kept and successful IT security measures and cyber security professionals working round the clock. Due to this, cyber criminals are much more likely to swing for easy targets like family businesses. With the introduction of GDPR across Europe, all businesses are now much more responsible for the personal data they keep, meaning companies of all size can’t really afford to not have at least the basic security measures in place. The UK National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) have created a list ...

It’s no secret that cybersecurity is an epidemic problem that affects online businesses on a global scale. E-commerce businesses are especially affected by data breaches because it weakens the consumer’s trust in online businesses to protect their personal data. In response to the growing number of breaches, governments and enterprises alike are stepping up to the plate to provide sustainable solutions to the problem. The UK is aiming to become a world leader in cybersecurity by investing a substantial amount of money (to the tune of £70 million) in the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund . The fund represents the government’s commitment to increase funding in research and development by £4.7 billion over a four year period. One of the primary goals of the investment will be to supply the industry with the money necessary to design and develop state-of-the-art hardware that’s more secure and resilient to common cyber threats. The logic stems from the fact that cybercriminals are constan...

Cybercrimes cost UK small companies an average of £894 in the year ending February of 2018. Small businesses are an easy target for cybercrooks, so its little surprise that around about 43% of cybercrime is committed against small businesses. According to research conducted by EveryCloud , there is much more at stake than a £900 annual loss, with six out of ten small businesses closing within six months of a data breach. Damage to a small company’s reputation can be difficult to repair and recover from following a data breach. Since the GDPR data privacy law came in force in May 2018, companies face significant financial sanctions from regulators if found negligent in safeguarding personal information. Add in the potential for civil suits the potential costs start mounting up fast, which could even turn into a business killer.  Case in point is political consulting and data-mining firm Cambridge Analytica, which went under in May 2018 after being implicated with data privacy is...