VNC is the hacker's favorite remote desktop tool
Virtual Network Computing (VNC) is the remote desktop tool most targeted by attacks, accounting for 98 percent of the traffic across all remote desktop-specific ports.
This finding comes from Barracuda which has released a new Threat Spotlight report looking at the most common tools, associated ports, and the ways in which attackers can, and do, gain access.
The human challenges of dealing with security alert backlogs [Q&A]
Most security teams experience some level of alert overload, struggling to prioritize the issues demanding immediate attention from those that are less pressing. This can lead to a backlog of problems to be dealt with and consequent stress on team members.
We talked to Yoav Nathaniel, CEO and co-founder of Silk Security, about why alert backlog is a people problem rather than a technological problem and how IT and security teams can overcome this challenge.
Nearly 1 in 5 ransomware attacks results in a lawsuit
A new study from Comparitech finds that around a fifth of ransomware attacks in the US led to a lawsuit in 2023.
It shows that 355 lawsuits were filed following 3,002 ransomware attacks. Of these 228 have been completed and 134 were successful -- that is they led to a data breach settlement, resulted in the company being fined for failing to safeguard systems and/or data, or were settled out of court.
New platform allows fast creation of secure AI apps
Everyone is keen to embrace AI, but turning an idea into a workable application isn't that easy. B2B commerce platform AppDirect is launching a new marketplace and creation studio that boosts organizations’ ability to create, adopt, and benefit from AI apps.
AppDirect AI allows users to easily transform AI app ideas into reality without needing any coding skills, while also giving them the freedom to choose the most suitable large language model (LLM) provider for their business needs.
Businesses turn to generative AI but many don't have policies on it
According to a new report, 93 percent of security leaders say public gen AI is in use across their respective organizations, and 91 percent report using gen AI specifically for cybersecurity operations.
But the study of more than 1,600 security leaders, from Splunk and Enterprise Strategy Group, shows that despite this high adoption 34 percent of surveyed organizations say they don't have a gen AI policy in place, and 65 percent of respondents admit to not fully understanding the implications of the tech.
New threats and regulations lead companies to update security strategies
A new report from LogRhythm, based on a survey from Dimensional Research, reveals that 95 percent of enterprises have changed their cybersecurity strategies in the last 12 months.
Drivers of this change include keeping pace with the shifting regulatory landscape (98 percent), the need to meet customer expectations for data protection and privacy (89 percent) and the rise of AI-driven threats and solutions (65 percent).
Human factor is significant cyber risk for smaller businesses
Human factors, including lack of awareness, training and inconsistent policy adherence, are getting in the way of cybersecurity for smaller businesses.
A new survey of more than 600 business and IT security managers conducted by LastPass and survey research firm InnovateMR shows that cyberattacks targeting smaller organizations have increased significantly in recent years, as cyber criminals have learned these organizations are relatively easy targets.
UK rolls out new consumer safeguards for smart devices
From today all new internet connected smart devices sold in the UK will be required by law to meet minimum-security standards.
The UK becomes the first country in the world to legally require manufacturers to protect consumers from hackers and cyber criminals accessing devices with internet or network connectivity.
Understanding the good and bad of no-code solutions [Q&A]
In an era where accessibility is key, companies are increasingly turning to no-code platforms to simplify complex technical processes.
But what fundamental principles should organizations adopt when striving to make intricate technical workflows accessible to a broader audience via no-code? To find out we spoke to Michal Koor, CEO and co-founder of of no-code platform Vectary.
Addressing digital transformation needs in the public sector [Q&A]
Many organizations are embracing the benefits of digital transformation to improve efficiency and customer experience.
Historically the public sector has often lagged behind when it comes to new technology, but digital transformation can have a significant effect in delivering better value and services. We spoke to Praveen Karadiguddi, CEO at Scrumconnect Consulting, to find out more about how transformation projects can work in the public sector.
New tool lets enterprises build their own secure gen AI chatbots
Many companies have blocked access to public LLMs like ChatGPT due to security and compliance risks, preventing employees from taking advantage of the benefits of generative AI for day-to-day use.
Even when employees do have access, mainstream LLMs lack the ability to query an organization’s internal data, making insights unreliable and considerably limiting enterprise value for chat applications.
Younger women are going into cybersecurity but more needs to be done
New research from ISC2 shows improved representation of women under 30 in cybersecurity roles but concludes that more need to be done to improve diversity.
The study gathered responses from 14,865 people who participated in the latest ISC2 Workforce Study finds 36 percent of those under 30 were women compared to only 13 percent of those 65 or over and 17 percent overall.
Politically motivated DDoS attacks on the rise
This year has already seen several warnings of attacks targeting elections that are happening around the world.
A new report from NETSCOUT has identified a rise in politically motivated DDoS attacks. Peru experienced a 30 percent increase in attacks tied to protests about former Peruvian President Fujimori’s release from prison in December.
Free test lets you check how websites measure up to privacy rules
Governments around the world have been busily introducing privacy rules over the last few years and only this month the US Congress introduced a draft of a new federal law, the American Privacy Rights Act (APRA).
But how do you know if the websites you use are following the rules? ImmuniWeb is launching a new free website privacy test with checks and verifications that cover specific requirements of the majority of modern privacy, data protection and consumer protection laws in the US, UK, Europe and other regions.
CISOs worry about gen AI leading to security breaches
A new survey of more than 400 CISOs in the US and UK reveals that 72 percent are concerned about security breaches related to generative AI.
The study from Metomic finds that CISOs from both the US and UK rank data breaches as their top security concern. Data breaches are continuing to surge across industries, but particularly for healthcare, finance, and manufacturing organizations. According to industry reports, US companies experienced 3,205 data breaches last year (up from 1,802 in 2022), with the average cost of a data breach in the US climbing to $9.48 million in 2023.
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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