Atlanta: the latest from the ICS Security Conference
ICS Security: Safety and Availability (The CyberWire) Industrial control system security has distinctive features that set it apart from other regions of cybersecurity. Here as nowhere else concerns are dominated by safety and availability.
What do you do when you can't patch? (The CyberWire) Patching software is a fundamental part of sound digital hygiene. Unfortunately, with industrial control systems, patching is seldom as straightforward as it is with IT systems generally considered (and even there it's not always an easy or unproblematic process). So where patching is impractical or impossible, what alternatives do ICS operators have?
Automated Indicator Sharing (The CyberWire) The US Department of Homeland Security's National Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Center (NCCIC) manages the Automated Indicator Sharing (AIS) system to facilitate sharing of cybersecurity indicators. An overview from NCCIC Project Manager Omar Cruz discussed how industry can benefit from AIS.
Thinking like an attacker (The CyberWire) To move beyond compliance to risk management in industrial control systems, CyberArk's Brandon Traffanstedt said you should think like an attacker. This becomes especially clear when one considers that, according to Traffanstedt, fifty-three of one hundred-fifty-nine successfully intrusions the US Department of Energy sustained between October 2010 and October 2015 were root compromises in which the attackers gained administrative privileges in Energy Department systems. He offered a framework for reducing the attacker's ability to access systems, establish persistence, move laterally, and escalate privilege.
Mocana Joins Leading Silicon Vendors to Protect the Internet of Things (GlobeNewswire News Room) Industrial IoT Security Leader to Support Platform Security Architecture from Arm
Nozomi Networks Answers the Call for Advanced ICS Threat Detection and IT/OT integration with Latest Release (Nozomi Networks) Delivers the industry’s first hybrid ICS threat detection. Advances solutions for IT/OT integration; and offers industry’s only solution to support MSSPs with multitenant architecture.
Skybox Security and SecurityMatters Join Forces to Secure Industrial Networks (GlobeNewswire News Room) Seamless visibility and analysis of hybrid IT and OT networks will help critical infrastructure protect against the increased cyberthreat
Canada worried about infrastructure hacks: intelligence official (Reuters) The Canadian government is "really worried" about cyber attacks that have targeted critical infrastructure and has helped companies improve their defenses without disclosing hacks to the public, a senior intelligence official said on Monday.
US Critical Infrastructure Target of Russia-Linked Cyberattacks (Dark Reading) Attacks have been under way since May, targeting energy, nuclear, aviation, water, and manufacturing, FBI and DHS say.
DHS Alert on Dragonfly APT Contains IOCs, Rules Likely to Trigger False Positives (Threatpost) A DHS/FBI alert TA17–293A, describing the activities of a Russian APT may contain signatures and rules likely to trigger false positives in some security systems
Cyber Attacks, Threats, and Vulnerabilities
DDoS attack takes down two Czech Parliamentary Election Websites (TEISS) The two Czech Parliamentary Election websites were temporarily down followed the DDoS attack but the overall progress of the elections was not affected.
New digital ‘hurricane’ churns, gathering strength to land blow on the internet (Kansas City Star) At least a million organizations have devices enslaved into a zombie botnet army, awaiting orders on where on the internet to strike, cybersecurity firm says.
Reaper malware outshines Mirai; hits millions of IoT devices worldwide (HackRead) Last year the world was startled when Mirai malware managed to infect a whopping 500,000 IoT devices and formed a massive army of botnets and then disrupte
Reaper: Calm Before the IoT Security Storm? (KrebsOnSecurity) It’s been just over a year since the world witnessed some of the world’s top online Web sites being taken down for much of the day by “Mirai,” a zombie malware strain that enslaved “Internet of Things” (IoT) devices such as wireless routers, security cameras and digital video recorders for use in large-scale online attacks.
Reaper Botnet Malware - What Is It and How to Protect IoT Devices (How to, Technology and PC Security Forum | SensorsTechForum.com) What is Reaper Botnet Malware? Which IoT (Internet-of-things) devices does the Reaper Botnet malware affect? How to protect yourself from Reaper malware?
Russian Cyberspies Carry Out the Silliest Cyber-Espionage Campaign of the Year (BleepingComputer) A Russian cyber-espionage group has tried to infect security researchers with malware via a spear-phishing campaign that can easily receive a Pwnie Awards nomination for one of the year's biggest epic fails.
Russia-Backed Hackers Use US Cyber Conflict Conference as a Bait (Wccftech) Russia Backed Hackers Use Cyber Conflict Conference in Washington to Infect High Profile Targets in US Military & Intelligence
Cyber security 1: Satellite constellations' mass markets come with vulnerability (Space Intel Report) Cyber security experts said the arrival of multiple satellite constellations threatens to make satellite networks just as vulnerable as terrestrial systems, with potentially disastrous consequences. The democratization of the satellite sector — many players, off-the-shelf technologies and a “build your own satellite” approach — is likely to wipe out the advantage …
Beware fake Android cryptocurrency trading apps on Google Play (Help Net Security) Cybercriminals are increasingly targeting users by placing fake Android cryptocurrency trading apps for download on Google Play.
Office DDE attack works in Outlook too – here’s what to do (Naked Security) DDE attacks can be run from within Outlook emails and calendar invites
Banking smart cards vulnerable to cryptographic attack (Computing) Gemalto smartcards widely used by banks are being targeted by cyber criminals,Hacking ,Roca,cyber attack,Security,Infineon,Gemalto
Why Cryptojacking Is The Next Big Cybersecurity Threat (Fortune) The cybercrime trend is more common than you might think.
Proud to keep on protecting – no matter the false allegations in the U.S. media. (Nota Bene) I doubt you’ll have missed the unrelenting negative news coverage about KL of late. The most recent accusation is that alleged Russian hackers and the hidden hand of the Kremlin have somehow used our products to spy on American users and pilfer their secrets.
Kaspersky: security firm tries to win back trust after Russian spying scandal (Guardian) New transparency initiative aims to open up software and security practices to independent auditors to prove firm’s antivirus program is safe
Kaspersky to open security code, but will it restore trust? (ABC News) Moscow-based cybersecurity firm Kaspersky Lab, battered by suspicion of Russian government influence, wants to reassure customers by opening up its software's underlying code for outside review. But security experts and some U.S. politicians say the move is mostly meaningless. In September,...
Kaspersky code review doesn’t solve the spying problem (CSO Online) Earlier this month, a report in The Wall Street Journal says that hackers working for the Russian government used Kaspersky's Anti-Virus software to steal documents from a contractor's computer. The company denies any involvement, and plans to open their software up to review in order to prove it's safe. But the former Deputy Director of the National Security Agency says this doesn't address the underlying issue.
Unpatched Bugs Rampant on Mobile Devices in Financial Services Firms (Dark Reading) More than a quarter of mobile devices used by financial services employees carry known vulnerabilities, according to a recent report.
Crime keeps pace with rise in cryptocurrency prices (Financial Times) Technical advances play into extortionists’ hands, warns cyber security group
How much do you know about impostor email scams? (Silicon Republic) With cybercrime on the rise for businesses, it’s wise to be aware of the different varieties of impostor email threats.
Facebook security chief stands by “college campus” comments (Naked Security) Stamos took to Twitter to clarify his leaked remarks
London Plastic Surgeon to the Stars Victim of Cyber Attack (E! Online) London Bridge Plastic Surgery says police have launched an investigation
Security Patches, Mitigations, and Software Updates
Windows 10's "Controlled Folder Access" Anti-Ransomware Feature Is Now Live (BleepingComputer) With the release of Windows 10 Fall Creators Update last week, the "Controlled Folder Access" that Microsoft touted in June is now live for millions of users.
Microsoft tears into Chrome security as patching feud continues (Naked Security) Everybody wins as Google and Microsoft’s security one-upmanship continues
Cyber Trends
Young Adults More Likely to Fall for Phishing Scams (Infosecurity Magazine) Young Adults More Likely to Fall for Phishing Scams. Get Safe Online finds over-55s are more cautious online
Exclusive interview: Sailpoint talk about the evolution of identity (Security Brief) Identity and Access Management (IAM) is becoming increasingly important for a number of reasons within large organisations and IT departments.
Marketplace
KnowBe4 Expands Its Security Vision With the Acquisition of Securable.io (PRWeb) The addition allows for a more personalized approach to security awareness training.
Cisco buys BroadSoft for $1.71 bln in software push (Reuters) Cisco Systems Inc (CSCO.O) will buy software company BroadSoft Inc (BSFT.O) for $1.71 billion, it said on Monday, in a deal that boosts Cisco's collaboration tools and helps the company diversify its offerings away from switching and routing.
Cisco's BroadSoft Purchase Could Be Followed By Other Surprising Software Deals (Real Money) The networking giant's $1.9 billion deal to buy BroadSoft was eyebrow-raising in multiple respects. Here are some other names Cisco could target if it's willing to think big.
Rubica start-up targets wealthy with personal cyber insurance (Financial Times) Service offered to individuals not companies promises $1m protection
Two-year DHS DOMino contract protest saga concludes (Defense News) GAO has denied Northrup Grumman’s third protest of the DOMino contract award, allowing Raytheon and DHS to begin work under the contract.
Guardtime and Intrinsic ID Awarded Dutch Government Contract for Distributed Energy Marketplace via a Decentralized Trading Platform (PRWeb) Joint development will deliver secure distributed trading platform, enabling consumers to trade excess energy
Tech Firms Seek Washington’s Prized Asset: Top-Secret Clearances (Bloomberg) Under siege for letting their platforms be co-opted by Russian hackers during the 2016 election, Silicon Valley companies are learning what many businesses with interests in Washington have long known: It pays to have staff with government security clearances.
Need a Cybersecurity Job? Indiana Has Plenty of Those (93.1 WIBC) The state's first cyber-security job fair is set for Oct. 26 at the Indiana Government Center.
ClearedJobs.Net and CyberSecJobs.com Announce 2017 Best Recruiters (Business Insider) ClearedJobs.Net and CyberSecJobs.com, veteran-owned defense, intelligence and cyber security career sites and job fair companies, announce their ninth annual Best Recruiters.
Products, Services, and Solutions
Netskope Context-Aware Information Rights Management Program Provides Protection That Follows the Data (PRNewswire) Netskope, the leader in cloud security, today announced the Netskope...
GuardiCore Announces Availability of Centra Security Platform on AWS Marketplace - GuardiCore - Data Center and Cloud Security (GuardiCore - Data Center and Cloud Security) Provides Enterprise Customers with a Simple, Flexible Approach to Securing Hybrid Cloud Environments as Part of its Broader Cloud Service Through AWS Marketplace San Francisco, CA and Tel Aviv, Israel – GuardiCore, a leader in internal data center and cloud security, today announced the availability of its award-winning data center and cloud security solution on AWS …
Samsung SDS America Adds BioCatch Behavioral Biometrics to Nexsign™ Platform to Enable Secure, Frictionless Mobile Experiences (PRNewswire) BioCatch, the global leader in behavioral biometrics, announced today that it...
Securing the Nation's Water: WaterISAC and Perch Security Partner to Improve Water/Wastewater Utility Cybersecurity (PRNewswire) The Water Information Sharing and Analysis Center...
Cytellix provides NIST SP 800-171 compliance-based cybersecurity services (SecurityInfoWatch.com) DOD manufacturers must be compliant by December 31, 2017
The Cloud Native Computing Foundation adds two security projects to its open source stable (TechCrunch) The Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF) is probably best known for being the home of the Kubernetes container orchestration project, but there plenty of..
BrainChip Ships First BrainChip Accelerator To a Major European Car Maker for Evaluation in ADAS and AV Systems (Design And Reuse) BrainChip, a leading developer of software and hardware accelerated solutions for advanced artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning applications, today announced that it has shipped its first BrainChip Accelerator card to a major European automobile manufacturer.
Technologies, Techniques, and Standards
A Second Bitcoin Fork Is Looming and Battle Lines Are Being Drawn (Motherboard) Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, and soon... Bitcoin Gold.
Cloud security: How CIOs deal with the risks (Computing) A panel of CIOs at a recent Computing event discuss their strategies for mitigating risks to their data in the cloud,Cloud and Infrastructure,Services and Outsourcing,Security ,Cloud,I,CIO,Cyber security,Forcepoint
The 10 misconceptions of using a policy-based approach for access control (Help Net Security) Attribute Based Access Control is the evolution from simple access control lists and role-based access control, to a highly flexible system.
Two-star: Every soldier must be a cyber defender (Army Times) Maj. Gen. Patricia Frost talks about priorities and what's ahead for the growing Army cyber force.
Arm isn't saying IoT firmware sucks but it's writing a free secure BIOS for device makers (Register) Take the hint, manufacturers of weak kit
Design and Innovation
Facebook downplays test banishing all Pages to buried Explore Feed (TechCrunch) Facebook has caused a 60-80 percent drop in referral traffic to news outlets in six countries due to a test that removed Page posts from the News Feed and..
Representative asks internet CEOs to explain ‘absurd’ content policies (TechCrunch) Facebook, Google and Twitter are under great scrutiny lately for their rather inconsistent approaches to moderating content on their platforms, and..
How You Swipe and Hold Your Phone Could Be a Clue to Stop Fraudsters (Fortune) Meet "behavioral biometrics."
A Decentralized Dispute Resolution Platform Emerges on the Blockchain (Cointelegraph) Jury.Online is creating a protocol for interaction between judges and parties, as well as a transparent, secure and convenient platform for making deals using Blockchain and modern cryptographic systems
Research and Development
How to quantum secure optical networks (Fibre Systems) Will quantum-resistant encryption be enabled by quantum technology or mathematics? Helmut Griesser examines technologies for the post-quantum world
Academia
New cybersecurity master's program approved at Hood College (The Frederick News-Post) Hood College has gained approval from the Maryland Higher Education Commission for a new master’s degree program in cybersecurity.
CyberPatriot Breaks Registration Record Again (Business Insider) The Air Force Association’s (AFA) CyberPatriot program announced today that it has registered 5,584 teams for its tenth season of the National Youth Cyber Defense Competition, a 26 percent increase from the 2016-2017 competition year.
Legislation, Policy, and Regulation
Call to tighten UK law over data breaches (TechCrunch) Consumer group Which? is unhappy with the U.K. data protection bill and has called on the government to amend the draft legislation to allow third-party..
Deputy CTO Rob Palmer leaving DHS (Fedscoop) Department of Homeland Security Deputy CTO Rob Palmer is leaving this week, after more than eight years of federal service, FedScoop has learned. His last day will be Oct. 28, he confirmed. He told FedScoop he will be joining a new cybersecurity services firm, ShorePoint, adding he would have more to share about those plans when it …
Litigation, Investigation, and Law Enforcement
Kenya Braces for a Disaster of an Election (Foreign Policy) Amid unprecedented uncertainty, this week’s rerun presidential vote could get very ugly.
Mueller now investigating Democratic lobbyist Tony Podesta (NBC News) The probe of Tony Podesta, brother of Hillary Clinton's campaign chair, grew out of Mueller's look into the finances of ex-Trump campaign chair Paul Manafort.
Hopes Dim for Congressional Russia Inquiries as Parties Clash (New York Times) Three congressional investigations into Russian interference in the 2016 election have run into serious obstacles, and definitive conclusions are now unlikely.
Germany terrorism prosecution cases soar: report (Deutsche Welle) A nearly four-fold increase in terrorism-related cases is stretching the manpower of federal prosecutors. So far this year nearly 900 terrorism cases have been opened.
Generation ISIS: Syrian parents deal with children brainwashed by ISIS (NBC News) Families grapple with the effect the ISIS school system has had on their children and the reality of what could be a generation of radicals.
FBI director: Unbreakable encryption is a “huge, huge problem” (Ars Technica) “I get it, there’s a balance that needs to be struck,” Christopher Wray said.
FBI couldn't access nearly 7K devices because of encryption (Fifth Domain) The FBI hasn’t been able to retrieve data from more than half of the mobile devices it tried to access in less than a year, FBI Director Christopher Wray said Sunday, turning up the heat on a debate between technology companies and law enforcement officials trying to recover encrypted communications.
BAE Systems says it lost 1,000-page Parliament House security manual (Guardian) Defence contractor, which is on shortlist to win a $35bn navy frigates contract, says mistake will not be repeated
What In-House Counsel Are Doing to Prepare for the GDPR (Corporate Counsel) With the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation set to go into effect in less than a year companies and in-house counsel have been considering the implications—and the massive potential fines—for some time now. The May 2018 date is looming so what are legal departments doing to prepare?
Third Man Pleads Guilty to “Celebgate” iCloud Attacks (Infosecurity Magazine) Third Man Pleads Guilty to “Celebgate” iCloud Attacks. Scores of celebs fell for simple phishing campaign