Phishing is a longstanding danger of the digital world that most people are aware of. Whether it happens via email, text message, social media, or any other means, phishing presents a risk to all users. In recent years, the growing popularity of QR codes for all manner of operations has created an environment ripe for cybercriminals to take...

Tripwire recently held its annual Energy and NERC Compliance Working Group. This year's attendees included more than 200 Tripwire customer utility personnel representing over 80 different registered entities from all across the US and Canada. The company sizes ranged from public utility districts and city municipalities to medium and larger-sized...

In late September 2023, the US-based National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) published its Cybersecurity Framework Profile for Hybrid Satellite Networks, otherwise known as NIST IR 8441. This blog will explore the reasons behind NIST developing the framework, outline its intentions, and summarize its key points. What is a Hybrid...

Amid growing concerns about the integrity of upcoming European elections in 2024, the 11th edition of the Threat Landscape report by the European Union Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA), released on October 19, 2023, reveals alarming findings about the rising threats posed by AI-enabled information manipulation. Key Insights The ENISA Threat...

Server Message Block (SMB) protocol is a communication protocol that allows users to communicate with remote servers and computers, which they can open, share, edit files, and even share and utilize resources. With the expansion of telecommunications, this protocol has been a prime target for threat actors to gain unauthorized access to sensitive...

In the vast and ever-evolving universe of information technology, there's one constant: change (that and cliches about constants!). Servers, systems, and software – they all get updated and modified. But, have you ever stopped to consider how even tiny differences between these digital entities can sometimes lead to unexpected challenges? In the...

What Is Secure Access Control? Secure access control, part of the broader field of user management, is a key concept in the realm of information security, particularly in the business environment. It refers to the process of selectively restricting and allowing access to a place or resource. In the context of information technology, it is a vital...

Today’s VERT Alert addresses Microsoft’s November 2023 Security Updates. VERT is actively working on coverage for these vulnerabilities and expects to ship ASPL-1082 on Wednesday, November 15th. In-The-Wild & Disclosed CVEs CVE-2023-36033 A vulnerability in the Microsoft Desktop Window Manager (DWM) could allow an attacker to gain SYSTEM level...

More decision-makers are investing in grid modernization efforts, knowing that doing so is necessary for keeping pace with modern demands. For example, smart grid fault-detection sensors could warn utility company providers of problems in real time, preventing costly and inconvenient outages. Technologies like the Internet of Things (IoT) can also...

In the world of cybersecurity, have you ever wondered about the inner workings of threat actors as they attempt to breach systems, their methods, tactics, and strategies, and how they seamlessly converge to execute a successful attack? It's not merely about initiating an attack but also the strategies they utilize to remain concealed within the...

It’s 2023, and the landscape of cybercrime in the United Kingdom is evolving unprecedentedly. This year's cyber threat landscape is shaped by many factors, from the continuing effects of the global pandemic to the ever-expanding digital footprint of individuals and organizations. In this article, we delve into the key cybercrime statistics for 2023,...

One of the most important factors in the technology and cybersecurity industries is the inevitable presence of constant change. Technology, business, and industry are always evolving, while cybercriminals are always searching for new and innovative ways to attack. While there is no surefire way to account for future developments, some professionals...

In today's digital landscape, cybersecurity is not just a technical concern; it's a strategic imperative. As we delve into the insights from a recent report from Accenture titled "The Cyber-Resilient CEO," we'll uncover CEOs' critical role in safeguarding their organizations against cyber threats. Discover how a select group of leaders navigates the...

Tripwire's October 2023 Patch Priority Index (PPI) brings together important vulnerabilities for Microsoft. First on the patch priority is a patch for Microsoft Edge (Chromium-based) that resolves a type confusion vulnerability. Next on the patch priority list this month are patches for Microsoft Office that resolve 3 elevation of privilege...

A recent report from RPC has revealed that cybersecurity breaches in UK pension schemes increased by 4,000% from 2021/22 to 2022/23. Understandably, the announcement has raised serious concerns about the efficacy of financial service organization’s cybersecurity programmes. Although the reasons for cyberattacks on financial services are fairly...

Containers offer a streamlined application deployment and management approach. Thanks to their efficiency and portability, platforms like Docker and Kubernetes have become household names in the tech industry. However, a misconception lurks in the shadows as containers gain popularity - the belief that active vulnerability scanning becomes redundant...

The main reasons internet users choose to use a virtual private network (VPN) are to protect their online identity and bypass geo-restrictions. Cybercrime is on the rise and is expected to grow each year – the largest breach of 2023 so far occurred on Twitter. For those who reside in countries where internet freedom is lacking, a VPN is necessary to...

Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) have profoundly transformed the internet's fabric. In the pre-API era, digital interactions were limited by siloed systems functioning in isolation. APIs dismantled these barriers by introducing a universal language that diverse applications could comprehend. This linguistic bridge facilitated an...

In recent years, blockchain technology has garnered significant attention thanks to its remarkable tamper-proof features and robust security. It is also expected that the blockchain technology market will exceed 1.2 billion US dollars by 2030, with an annual growth rate of 82.8 percent. However, recent headlines have exposed numerous...

Footprinting, also known as fingerprinting, is a methodology used by penetration testers, cybersecurity professionals, and even threat actors to gather information about a target organization to identify potential vulnerabilities. Footprinting is the first step in penetration testing. It involves scanning open ports, mapping network topologies, and...