Insights

During an economic downturn, many businesses focus on cutting costs and streamlining operations to stay afloat. This often leads to budget cuts in areas that are not deemed essential for the immediate survival of the business, and unfortunately, cybersecurity is often one of the first areas to be hit. However, this can be a dangerous move for a few reasons. First, cyber threats are not limited to prosperous economic times. In fact, cybercriminals may view economic downturns as an opportunity to target vulnerable businesses. For example, phishing attacks that attempt to steal sensitive information from unsuspecting employees can increase during times of financial stress as people may be more likely to fall for these scams when they are concerned about their job security or financial stability. A key example being the recent uptick in phishing emails with the titles of "Layoff Notification" and "Sorry, you've been let go". Second, the…

In an increasingly digital world, security is paramount. We rely on technology for everything from communication and entertainment to finance and healthcare. However, the convenience of technology comes at a cost - the risk of cyberattacks. Cybercriminals are always looking for ways to access sensitive information, and the stakes are high. This is why physical and biometric security keys are becoming increasingly important. Physical security keys are hardware devices that are used to secure digital assets, such as online accounts or sensitive information. They provide an extra layer of protection beyond traditional passwords or PINs, making it more difficult for attackers to gain access to your accounts. Biometric security keys are a type of physical security key that use unique physical characteristics, such as fingerprints or facial recognition, to authenticate the user. They are considered to be more secure than non-biometric keys as they use unique identifiers that are difficult…

In this post, we will discuss Control Three, Data Protection and while our focus is on Electric Membership Cooperatives (EMCs), this control applies to every organization of every size and discipline. The Importance of Data Protection - this is a big one. Traditionally, organizations have stored data on their own servers in-house, out of convenience, necessity, or because that is how their managed IT partner designed the network. In addition, employees use the convenience of external memory devices to be able to take work with them to their homes, to coffee shops, to clients' offices, etc. These habits mean that data lives locally, somewhat controlled, and in some cases, in cloud-based environments for productivity and business operations. What we described, seems normal, right? Under this scenario, if you think about data management, it seems that a couple policies would be enough to care for and maintain the data. However, in…

NASCAR is one of the most popular and exciting sports in the world. The adrenaline-pumping races, the speed, and the technical mastery of the drivers and their teams have captivated fans for decades. However, with the increasing reliance on technology in NASCAR, cybersecurity has become a crucial aspect of the sport. As technology continues to advance, NASCAR has become increasingly reliant on electronic systems in many aspects, including electronic gauges, fuel management, monitoring car performance, track telemetry, and efforts to improve race performance and fan interaction. These systems provide crucial information to the teams, including real-time telemetry, engine performance metrics, fuel efficiency, tire pressures, and the G-forces experienced by the driver. However, this reliance on technology comes with risks, and cyber-attacks can pose significant threats to the sport. In recent years, NASCAR has experienced cyber-attacks ranging from website defacement to the theft of confidential data. For example, in 2020, a…