Why are virtual CISOs becoming so popular? Because organizations need them [Q&A]
It's becoming common in the cybersecurity industry to encounter two situations that are equally untenable.
On the one hand, the job of a typical chief information security officer (CISO) has become overburdened with the high stress of constantly evolving risks, talent shortages, budget constraints, board disconnects and more, leading to burnout. On the other, many organizations, particularly small to midmarket ones, don't have the resources to afford a full-time security executive, despite facing the same cybersecurity and compliance challenges as everyone else.
Mobile-first phishing attacks surge as specific capabilities are targeted
As organizations increasingly rely on mobile devices for business operations, including multi-factor authentication and mobile-first applications, mobile phishing poses a severe risk to enterprise security.
New research from Zimperium's zLabs shows a surge in mobile-focused attacks, dubbed 'mishing', activity peaking in August 2024 with over 1,000 daily attack records. These attacks are specifically designed to evade desktop security measures, executing only on mobile devices.
Cybersecurity professionals not happy in their jobs
Only a third of cybersecurity professionals would recommend their employer according to a new study carried out by IANS Research in collaboration with Artico Search.
It finds low satisfaction coincides with perceptions of limited career growth, with fewer than 40 percent of respondents satisfied with their advancement opportunities and more than 45 percent expressing frustration over slow progression. While compensation remains a factor, the ability to develop new skills and advance within an organization has a greater impact on retention.
Public sector professionals worried about the security risks of AI
AI adoption is gaining momentum in the public sector as elsewhere, with benefits like predictive analytics and issue detection, but concerns still linger.
Around four in 10 respondents to a new study by SolarWinds, focused on public sector staff, say they are extremely or very concerned about potential risks associated with adopting AI, such as data privacy and compliance, making full-scale implementation a cautious process.
New Connectivity Guru uses AI to streamline Wi-Fi troubleshooting
The average home now has multiple devices reliant on Wi-Fi connections and businesses have many times more. Users expect fast, consistent speeds, but troubleshooting problems can be complicated, leading to frustration, while service teams lack the visibility to diagnose issues beyond the router.
With the launch of its Connectivity Guru, TechSee is harnessing Agentic AI to transform the way Wi-Fi issues are diagnosed and resolved.
Malware-as-a-Service accounts for 57 percent of all threats
A new report from Darktrace reveals that Malware-as-a-Service (MaaS) is now responsible for 57 percent of all cyber threats to organizations, a 17 percent increase from the first half of 2024.
The use of remote access trojans (RATs) has also seen a significant increase in the latter half of last year, representing 46 percent of campaign activity identified, compared to only 12 percent in the first half.
Software supply chain attacks and how to deal with them [Q&A]
Increased use of open source and third-party code leaves organizations open to more attacks on the software supply chain.
Open source vulnerabilities have become a prime target for attackers and organizations need to strengthen their defenses. We spoke to Richard Clark, senior solutions architect at JFrog, to discuss the importance of proactive measures in protecting against these threats.
Companies block GenAI but workers still use it
A new report from Fortanix finds that 97 percent of companies block or restrict GenAI usage, and 89 percent of the respondents believe that such controls on usage are successful.
However, the same report -- based on a survey of 1,000 executives -- reveals that 95 percent of professionals use some form of AI, and 66 percent of respondents use GenAI for work, with 64 percent using personal email accounts to access the tools.
New platform helps enterprises take control of AI
Artificial intelligence is finding its way into more and more areas and that presents a challenge for businesses who need to keep things secure. Add in shadow use of AI and the problem becomes worse.
Californian start up Singulr.ai is launching a new enterprise AI governance and security platform to help organizations stay on top of AI adoption.
A third of people would like to delete themselves from the internet
Around a third of web users say they would like to delete themselves from the internet, with people in the US and Canada being at the top of the list.
Research from cybersecurity company NordVPN and personal data removal service Incogni, finds that worldwide 45 percent of people are worried about being hacked, one of the key reasons for wanting to take themselves off the web.
Opening up AI access to unlock decision making [Q&A]
More and more businesses are turning to generative AI in the hope of gaining greater value from their data. But there are issues around governance, access to data and lack of appropriate skills that mean projects can either stall or not deliver as expected.
We spoke to Srujan Akula, CEO of The Modern Data Company, about why he believes that giving 'power to the people' and democratizing AI by putting it in the hands of non-technical users can deliver real business value.
Enterprise tech buyers reveal their 2025 spending priorities
A new report from Crane Venture Partners looks at the priorities of senior executives who collectively influence $3–$4 billion in annual technology spending.
Respondents include leaders from major companies such as Microsoft, Bloomberg, Procter & Gamble, Kohl's, Arm, Comerica Bank, and NBC Universal. The report finds that while 100 percent of surveyed executives believe AI will shape enterprise operations, only 10 percent have so far fully integrated AI into their workflows.
The security threats organizations are most concerned about [Q&A]
The cybersecurity landscape is constantly evolving and organizations need to stay up to date if they're to adequately protect themselves.
At the end of last year, O'Reilly released its 2024 State of Security survey, which analyzes the threats that concern frontline practitioners most, the projects they're implementing to safeguard systems and infrastructure, the skills companies are hiring for, and more.
Ransomware up fourfold as threats get more complex
Analysis of data logged by the Barracuda Managed XDR Security Operations Center shows ransomware threats have increased by four times over the last year.
In 2024, Barracuda Managed XDR logged 11 trillion IT events -- 350,000 per second. Just over a million were flagged as a potential risk and of these, 16,812 were identified as high-severity threats that required immediate defensive action. That’s a small percentage but highlights the need for powerful engines, analysis tools and human expertise to detect them.
Nearly half of organizations suffer third-party security incidents
New research finds that 47 percent of organizations have experienced a data breach or cyberattack over the past 12 months that involved a third-party accessing their network.
The study, carried out by the Ponemon Institute for Imprivata, also shows 64 percent of respondents believe these types of third-party data breaches will either increase or remain at alarmingly high levels over the next 12-24 months.
Ian's Bio
Ian spent almost 20 years working with computers before he discovered that writing about them was easier than fixing them. Since then he's written for a number of computer magazines and is a former editor of PC Utilities. Follow him on Mastodon
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