Ross Bingham

The more I read about the extensive PII leak from NPD the more I’m frustrated. At this point in time countless companies want your PII but there are no laws, incentives, regulations etc in place to ensure they are doing right with their cybersecurity to ensure your data is safe. NPD managed to leak 237 million individuals PII because they had a clear text zipped up document hanging on their website that listed usernames and passwords (many using the same default password issued across the board that was only 6 characters). This is 100% unacceptable and people shouldn’t continue to be victims to companies that can’t or won’t pay for proper cybersecurity.  What has to take place for companies to take this seriously? Is it immense fines per individuals data? Jail time? What are your thoughts? https://lnkd.in/eTG_ksWq

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Having a 27001 certificate doesn't necessarily mean you are 'more secure' than a company who hasn't certified. It simply means you are managing information security risk to a level which is deemed sufficient by a certification body. Take this in to consideration when you're completing supplier due diligence and the only question you ask is 'are you 27001 certified?' If you're not sure what questions you should ask as part of your supplier due diligence process, drop me a PM and I'll see if I can give you some pointers.

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The Nikki-Universal ransomware attack shows how quickly things can spiral when cybercriminals strike—and why the stakes are higher than ever for businesses worldwide. Attacks like these aren’t just about encrypted files; they’re about leaked secrets, operational chaos, and reputation damage. With hackers using tactics like double and triple extortion, it’s clear: defense strategies must evolve. For more insights and analysis, check out the detailed post on Matisoft’s LinkedIn page. Follow Matisoft Cyber Security Labs for more insights and updates on this and related topics. #MatisoftLabs #Cybersecurity #RansomwareAttack #DataSecurity #RiskManagement #IncidentResponse #CyberResilience

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New regulations that came into effect on April 29, 2024 (#1007) aim to improve consumer protection by requiring stricter security measures for internet-connected products like smart TVs, speakers, air-friers, coffee machines and wearables. ❓What you need to know: - Applies to any business producing, selling, or distributing these products in the UK. - Requires risk assessments, security measures, and clear communication of those measures. - Regular security updates and a point of contact for reporting vulnerabilities are mandatory. 💸Non-compliance can be costly: Fines up to £10 million or 4% of global turnover. Product removals and potential liability for damages.

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Compliance doesn't have to be a painpoint! We've recently closed out and delivered a handful of ISO 27001 internal audits and vCISO support for ISO 27001 and the feedback is in! Below is an example of some awesome Trustpilot feedback from an awesome customer we helped get ready for their ISO 27001 audit. 👇🏼 Each business is a unique rubiks cube of challenges and opportunities. Getting to understand them in a finite amount of time to advise on the effectiveness and efficiency of security controls is an art as much as a science. At Steel FYI we pride ourselves in giving practical, friendly, and commercially-minded advice on how to achieve compliance and prevent material breach, without tying the business up in red-tape. If you want some support in making ISO 27001 work for your business, not the other way around, drop me a message 📨

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Our Threat Intelligence Team has reported a GitHub phishing campaign that targets GitHub users, tricking them into downloading infostealer malware. This week, GitHub users have been getting email notifications telling them to address a fake "security vulnerability" in a project repository to which they have contributed or subscribed. The emails advise users to visit "github-scanner[.]com" to learn more about the supposed security issue. The domain github-scanner[.]com is not affiliated with GitHub and is being used to distribute malware to visitors. BleepingComputer has confirmed that the Lumma Stealer malware is an information-stealing malware used to steal credentials, authentication cookies, and browsing history from installed web browsers. The malware can also steal cryptocurrency wallets or files containing sensitive information from the infected device. These campaigns are likely targeting developers' credentials in order to access source code or projects, which can then be modified with malicious code to conduct supply chain attacks. If you'd like to know more about this threat or want to find out how you can help better protect your clients from cyber attacks, get in touch or visit www.dynarisk.com #Phishing #Infostealers #CyberSecurity 

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Learn how VFC has improved and assisted Cyber/Digital/Incident Response investigations

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#tsatuesday Today we go into something wider than just the 258 Measures. We have a look at the Code Of Practice, and take a specific section to analyse. Because I had an internal home failure on my Unraid server this week, I thought why not have a look at Backups and Recovery... Because if my personal home was being audited against the measures. I would have absolutely come unstuck. The Thomson household motto of, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" didn't work for me here! Thankfully the consequence of me is my Child lost access to his mission critical Minecraft server. Now, given the above scenario. Its crucial we look at our organisations subject to the Telecommunications Security Act and ask ourselves if we're prepared for a failure - malicious or otherwise. #tsa #tsr #backups #recovery

Are roles being open for 6 months+ putting candidates off applying to your company? 🤔 I spoke to candidate I am working with last week who was approached by a company for a Cyber Security Manager role - one he would be a really good fit for. I’ve seen so many roles readvertised this year that seem to have 100s of applicants and have also spoken to candiates who have been contacted about roles they’ve seen open for 6 months+. The candiates I speak to are out off these roles as they feel the companies aren’t serious about hiring or don’t know what they are looking for. Companies with job postings open for 6 months+ who aren't willing to change strategy or work with specialist agencies like Cyber Spring will miss out on the best candidates. Over the last 5 years, I have helped companies reduce their average time to hire great security talent to 27 days. If you want to make sure your brand is viewed positively in the industry and don't want to miss out on the best candidates - it may be time to rethink your hiring strategy.

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Where is your data? Who hosts that data? What contracts are in force to protect your data being "handed over" to third parties at a whim? If Police Scotland struggle to get their head around the implications of their actions, how are SMEs supposed to cope? Do SMEs have the legal wherewithal to understand the Cloud Act? (Do SMEs even know where their data is? Much of it is likely lurking in the shadows, after all). I know I'm asking questions rather than answering them. Cloud services were meant to make our lives easier, but do they? #cloudsecurity #ico #shadowdata https://lnkd.in/eetuxeQZ

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So, one of the things I have seen people routinely ignore when implementing Security defences according to Defence in Depth principles is what I like to call “Assumed Failure”. When designing security Architecture, we must visualise the failure of any of the layers or barriers. The compensating layers should further impede any objectives the Threat Actor tries to achieve. The blast radius of any intrusion should be limited by the scope of the layer that the intruder is actively exploring. 🛡 Secure the Perimeter. We need to ensure that all entry points are secured. Critical Exploitable vulnerabilities, especially RCE (Remote Code Execution, Unauthenticated Access or Privilege Escalation on public-facing systems should be patched ASAP. Anything with a login interface should have MFA enabled and if possible additional Adaptive Policies to ensure Zero Trust is rigorously applied. 🛡 Network Segmentation and Micro-Segmentation are important, this includes Remote access methods like VPN! Modern Remote access models and products such as SASE solutions can assist. You should only have access to those resources you require to do your job, even after connecting via VPN. This is especially important for Privileged users such as IT and Sys Admins, they are not exempt. 🛡 Identity Segmentation and ringfencing can also assist. If the network layer fails, we must ensure that identity authentication is restricted. Once Authentication is restricted, Authorizations should be strict and follow PoLP (Principle of Least Privilege). PAM and PIM solutions can also assist here. 🛡 Endpoint Protection that includes behavioural analytics and visibility via an EDR-capable solution is essential. Endpoints should also be hardened and managed securely. Automated actions should be applied to critical alerts. For example, if anything related to ransomware is detected the device should be automatically isolated. There are further layers such as E-mail security, Cloud apps security, Data Security etc. The point is that if any of these controls should fail, there should be another barrier to overcome. Once the castle moat is breached the walls should be breached, once they are breached there should be an outer keep to breach, once the outer keep is breached the inner keep should be breached. Once the Inner keep is breached every room should be locked... The attacker will eventually lose momentum and the defensive side will win. #defenceindepth #assumefailure #NECXON #theweakestlink #security

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#Crowdstrike has released its Root Cause Analysis - 12 pages of details which ultimately boils down to inadequate testing, in other words a systemic issue. Perhaps not surprising, but we can't depend on our service providers putting in place adequate quality assurance processes, we need to consider doing more testing prior to deployment - or consider alternative solutions. #testing #qualityassurance #cyber

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As is so often the case “simple to implement procedures could have prevented the serious breach” While the PSNI were impacted by this breach, similar breaches are happening on a daily basis, where simple procedures could prevent such breaches. Reach out to NexGen Cyber Limited to protect your business from having a serious data breach.

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🚨 Attention Business Owners! 🚨 A recent cybersecurity breach has exposed the personal data of nearly 70,000 Welsh Rugby Union supporters' club members. Names, addresses, phone numbers, emails, and payment details were all leaked. 😱 This incident highlights the critical importance of robust cybersecurity measures. Here are a few takeaways: 🔒 Secure Your Data: Ensure your data protection strategies are up-to-date. Encrypt sensitive information and regularly update your security protocols. 🛡️ Employee Training: Educate your team about cyber threats and safe practices. Human error is often the weakest link in security chains. 📈 Regular Audits: Conduct frequent security audits to identify and address vulnerabilities before they can be exploited. 📞 Incident Response Plan: Have a clear action plan for potential breaches to minimise damage and restore trust swiftly. Cybersecurity isn't just an IT issue—it's a business imperative. Protect your business, your data, and your reputation. Don't wait for a breach to take action! #CyberSecurity #DataProtection #BusinessSafety #TechNews #StaySecure https://lnkd.in/egW_i32Z

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Great article here by Ella Jennings

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https://lnkd.in/eZfp59HD Schools need greater support and funding for protection and mitigation against such attacks. If a school is run as an academy can they face an ICO fine? There were 347 cyber incidents reported in the education and childcare sector in 2023, a BBC report revealed. It represented a 55% increase on 2022.

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I had the pleasure of being invited onto Robert Wall's podcast last week to talk about "The Psychology of Cyber Security". Some very interesting and, sometimes, controversial points were made. It was great to meet Paul Baird - FCIIS, Martin Simpson and Adam McCaig. Thanks for letting me take part Robert Wall. 🙏🙏🙏 #cybersecurity #psychology #podcast

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