Regulation and its role in protecting critical infrastructure [Q&A]
Protecting critical national infrastructure (CNI) against attack is a huge undertaking for governments and for those organizations that deliver CNI services.
New regulation in Europe -- the NIS2 Directive -- includes an increased focus on resilience for CNI, covering traditional critical services like banking, utilities, transport and public safety as well as new provisions for digital service providers. In 2025, the Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA) will enforce more stringent resilience and security requirements on the financial sector. And in the UK, the forthcoming Cyber Security and Resilience Bill will demand more investment in security too.
Data integrity and complexity are seen as top challenge for DBAs
A new survey looking at the challenges faced by database administrators (DBAs) shows 35 percent of organizations cite data integration as a top challenge.
Additionally, the study from Quest Software shows 42 percent of organizations report that data migrations are a significant obstacle to overcome, with complications in ensuring database reliability and performance.
70 percent of leaked credentials remain active two years on
A new report shows 70 percent of secrets leaked in 2022 remain active today, creating an expanding attack surface that grows more dangerous with each passing day.
The study from GitGuardian also reveals a 25 percent increase in leaked secrets year-on-year, with 23.8 million new credentials detected on public GitHub in 2024 alone.
New cybersecurity product seeks to safeguard executives and their families
You might not often feel sorry for executives and entrepreneurs but research from Deloitte shows that their 'family offices' are prime targets for cybercriminals looking to exploit their personal networks, private data, and home devices which represent a weak security link.
This is why BlackCloak is launching Digital Executive Protection, an enhanced family office cybersecurity bundle designed to protect high-net-worth individuals, and corporate leaders.
Most ransomware incidents start with compromised perimeter security
A new report from cyber insurance provider Coalition shows 58 percent of ransomware claims in 2024 started with threat actors compromising perimeter security appliances like virtual private networks (VPNs) or firewalls.
Remote desktop products are the second-most exploited for ransomware attacks at 18 percent. The most common initial access vectors (IAVs) being stolen credentials (47 percent) and software exploits (29 percent). Vendors including Fortinet, Cisco, SonicWall, Palo Alto Networks, and Microsoft build the most commonly compromised products.
False confidence leaves businesses at risk of phishing scams
While 86 percent of employees believe they can confidently identify phishing emails, nearly half have fallen for scams according to new research from security awareness training company KnowBe4.
The study, which surveyed professionals across the UK, USA, Germany, France, Netherlands, and South Africa, reveals a growing gap between confidence and competence in identifying cyber threats.
Businesses are interested in using AI to hit sustainability goals
A new report shows 76 percent of companies across Asia, Europe and the Middle East are intrigued by the potential of digital technologies, including AI and cloud computing, in driving sustainable development.
But the study from Alibaba Cloud also reveals that 59 percent of businesses acknowledge a gap in understanding how digital technology can assist in achieving sustainability goals.
The risks and rewards of shadow AI [Q&A]
As with other forms of 'off the books' shadow tech, used by employees without company approval, shadow AI is a double-edged sword.
Cyberhaven Labs recently reported a sharp 485 percent increase in corporate data flowing to AI systems, with much of it going to risky shadow AI apps.
Manufacturing firms worry their data isn't suitable for AI
A new study finds that 92 percent of those surveyed in the manufacturing industry say AI is a top C-Suite priority and the same percentage agree it provides a competitive advantage.
But the report from Riverbed also shows that 69 percent are concerned about the suitability of their organization's data for AI usage, and only 42 percent rated their data as excellent for completeness and accuracy. It's notable too that 42 percent say their data quality is a barrier to further AI investment.
How businesses are adapting to the challenges of AI [Q&A]
A recent survey found that only 37 percent of businesses are prepared for AI. This means they risk being left behind as competitors embrace the technology.
We spoke to Richard Tworek, CTO at Riverbed about how organizations can embrace AI and how they can succeed in today's rapidly evolving landscape.
Complex regulations and sophisticated cyber risks worry compliance professionals
New research from governance, risk, and compliance (GRC) specialist MetricStream, in collaboration with GRC Report, looks at risk practitioners' priorities for 2025.
Navigating the complex regulatory landscape is among their top challenges this year, named by 51 percent, with new guidelines, evolving requirements, and unexpected policy shifts occurring almost weekly.
Cybercriminals try to cash in with sophisticated tax scams
It's that time again, as we approach the end of the tax year scammers are seeking to cash in with a raft of phishing emails, deepfake phone calls, and fake tax prep websites.
New research from McAfee shows 23 percent of Americans say they or someone they know has lost money to a tax scam and 61 percent of victims have lost more than $1,000.
Leaders confident about AI training while employees struggle
A new report reveals a growing disconnect between leaders and employees in their perceptions of their AI preparedness.
Corndel's 2025 Workplace Training Report finds HR leaders are confident about their organization's AI readiness, with 88 percent confident in leadership's ability to guide AI adoption and 60 percent very confident that training programs are equipping employees with the necessary skills for digital transformation.
Ransomware attacks up 30 percent driven by AI and RaaS
The latest threat report from Deep Instinct shows ransomware attacks increasing by 30 percent, driven by AI-powered phishing and Ransomware-as-a-Service offerings.
The findings reveal that AI-generated phishing campaigns have grown in efficacy with advancements in reconnaissance and video and voice generation tools.
IT faces a demographic timebomb as older employees approach retirement
A new report shows that more senior employees are bearing a heavy burden, with IT professionals who have more than 10 years of experience and the Baby Boomer generation experiencing the longest work weeks.
The study from Auvik also shows a generational disparity in the workload is rapidly exacerbating issues around burnout, since as many as 10,000 Baby Boomers will turn 65 and retire every single day between now and 2030, leaving even more work for remaining IT employees.
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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