Data Security & Privacy
Top Stories
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Tip
29 Jun 2026
Beyond the perimeter: The shift to data-centric protection
Traditional network boundaries have all but disappeared. Enterprises must find new ways to protect their digital assets in a world where SaaS and multi-cloud deployments dominate. Continue Reading
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Tip
08 Jun 2026
CISO's guide to data minimization
Excessive data retention expands attack surfaces and breach impact. Learn why data minimization has become a foundational cybersecurity and compliance strategy. Continue Reading
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Feature
03 Jun 2026
How to secure data at rest, in use and in motion
Data is the lifeblood of modern commerce; securing it properly requires a top-level, strategic commitment that dovetails with risk management and competitive advantage. Continue Reading
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Feature
11 May 2026
Data after the breach: Economics of the dark web
A breach is just the beginning. Once extracted, data moves through a sophisticated supply chain. Peek inside the dark web economy that turns stolen credentials into billions of dollars in profit. Continue Reading
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Tip
19 Mar 2026
Secure file transfer services: Types, tools and selection tips
With so many options, finding the best secure file transfer service can feel daunting. Discover top tools and what you need to make the right decision for your business. Continue Reading
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Tip
09 Dec 2025
Top data loss prevention tools for 2026
Discover essential features of enterprise DLP tools and explore six top offerings to protect sensitive data across endpoints, networks, and cloud services. Continue Reading
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Tutorial
25 Nov 2025
How to use GPG to encrypt and decrypt files
Learn how GPG encryption protects your data through authenticity, integrity and nonrepudiation. This guide covers installation and symmetric and asymmetric cryptography basics. Continue Reading
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Tip
12 Nov 2025
U.S. data privacy protection laws: 2026 guide
Privacy laws aim to prevent unauthorized data access, ensure owner consent for collection and provide rights to review and delete personal info. Continue Reading
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Definition
22 Oct 2025
What is data masking?
Data masking is a security technique that modifies sensitive data in a data set so it can be used safely in a non-production environment. Continue Reading
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Definition
16 Oct 2025
What is antivirus software?
Antivirus software (antivirus program) is a security program designed to prevent, detect, search and remove viruses and other types of malware from computers, networks and other devices. Continue Reading
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Tip
03 Oct 2025
6 confidential computing use cases that secure data in use
Confidential computing bridges a critical security gap by encrypting data in use. Learn about its enterprise use cases, from AI protection to data sovereignty. Continue Reading
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News
12 Sep 2025
News brief: Salesloft Drift breach update and timeline
Check out the latest security news from the Informa TechTarget team. Continue Reading
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Definition
03 Sep 2025
What is file integrity monitoring (FIM)?
File Integrity Monitoring (FIM) is a security process that continuously monitors and analyzes the integrity of an organization's assets by comparing them against a trusted baseline to detect unauthorized changes or suspicious activity. Continue Reading
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Tip
15 Aug 2025
How to write a data classification policy, with template
Data classification policies help organizations categorize, secure and manage sensitive information while maintaining regulatory compliance and reducing breach risks. Continue Reading
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Tip
07 Aug 2025
Prevent and manage cloud shadow AI with policies and tools
Unmanaged cloud-based AI tool use can result in data loss and reputational harm, among other risks. The time to stop and prevent cloud-based shadow AI use is now. Continue Reading
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Video
06 Aug 2025
An explanation of quantum cryptography
Quantum cryptography uses photons to transmit keys securely through quantum properties, creating an unhackable system that outperforms traditional math-based encryption methods. Continue Reading
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Video
01 Aug 2025
An explanation of encryption
Encryption converts data into code that is only decipherable with the right key. This can be used to protect sensitive information in messages, payments and records. Continue Reading
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Opinion
30 Jul 2025
Is post-quantum cryptography the next Y2K?
Quantum computing threatens public-key encryption, which organizations use to secure communications and data. Migrating to quantum-safe cryptography harkens back to the Y2K threat. Continue Reading
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Video
21 Jul 2025
An explanation of data breaches
Data breaches can be intentional or accidental and come in various forms, but all types have the potential to cause considerable harm to individuals and organizations. Continue Reading
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Answer
10 Jun 2025
Symmetric vs. asymmetric encryption: Understand key differences
Explore the differences between symmetric vs. asymmetric encryption, including how they work and common algorithms, as well as their pros and cons. Continue Reading
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Feature
20 May 2025
What is data risk management? Key risks and best practices
Data risk management identifies, assesses and mitigates threats to organizational data, safeguarding sensitive information from unauthorized access. Continue Reading
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Definition
20 May 2025
What is data security posture management (DSPM)?
Data security posture management, or DSPM, is an approach that combines technologies and processes to provide a holistic view of a company's sensitive data, including where the data is, who has access to it, how it has been used and its security posture. Continue Reading
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Opinion
14 May 2025
DLP in the GenAI Era: Shadow data and DLP product churn
Recent Enterprise Strategy Group research found data loss prevention product churn combined with undiscovered data and shadow IT are changing the DLP landscape. Continue Reading
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Tip
24 Apr 2025
DLP vs. DSPM: What's the difference?
Data loss prevention and data security posture management tools give organizations powerful features to protect data in the cloud and on-premises. Continue Reading
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Definition
16 Apr 2025
What is Pretty Good Privacy and how does it work?
Pretty Good Privacy, or PGP, was a popular program used to encrypt and decrypt email over the internet, as well as authenticate messages with digital signatures and encrypted stored files. Continue Reading
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Tip
08 Apr 2025
Ransomware payments: Considerations before paying
To pay or not to pay -- that's the question after a ransomware attack. Law enforcement recommends against it, but that doesn't stop some companies from paying up. Continue Reading
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Tip
31 Mar 2025
How to prevent a data breach: 11 best practices and tactics
When it comes to data breach prevention, the stakes are high. While it's impossible to eliminate the risk, organizations can minimize it by following these best practices. Continue Reading
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Definition
17 Mar 2025
What is elliptical curve cryptography (ECC)?
Elliptical curve cryptography (ECC) is a public key encryption technique based on elliptic curve theory that can be used to create faster, smaller and more efficient cryptographic keys. Continue Reading
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Definition
11 Mar 2025
What is a copyright?
Copyright is a legal term describing ownership or control of the rights to use and distribute certain works of creative expression, including books, video, motion pictures, musical compositions and computer programs. Continue Reading
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Feature
06 Mar 2025
How to create a data security policy, with template
When it comes to data security, the devil is in the details. One critical detail organizations shouldn't overlook is a succinct yet detailed data security policy. Continue Reading
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Definition
06 Mar 2025
What is the Twofish encryption algorithm?
Twofish is a symmetric-key block cipher with a block size of 128 bits and variable-length key of size 128, 192 or 256 bits. Continue Reading
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News
24 Feb 2025
Apple pulls Advanced Data Protection in UK, sparking concerns
Privacy and security concerns mount, as Apple pulls the end-to-end encryption feature for users located in the U.K. following pressures from the government. Continue Reading
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Definition
20 Feb 2025
What is a checksum?
A checksum is a value that represents the number of bits in a transmission message. IT professionals use it to detect high-level errors within data transmissions. Continue Reading
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Definition
31 Jan 2025
What is cryptology?
Cryptology is the mathematics, such as number theory and the application of formulas and algorithms, that underpin cryptography and cryptanalysis. Continue Reading
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Definition
28 Jan 2025
What is a hardware security module?
A hardware security module (HSM) is a physical device that provides extra security for sensitive data. Continue Reading
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Tip
24 Jan 2025
Data sovereignty compliance challenges and best practices
Organizations that use the cloud face stiff challenges in complying with data sovereignty laws and regulations. The first step: Understand which laws apply. Continue Reading
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Definition
23 Jan 2025
What is SSL (Secure Sockets Layer)?
SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) is a networking protocol that secures connections between web clients and web servers over internal networks or the internet by encrypting the data sent between those clients and servers. Continue Reading
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Definition
21 Jan 2025
What is a private key?
A private key, also known as a secret key, is a variable in cryptography used with an algorithm to encrypt or decrypt data. Continue Reading
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News
17 Jan 2025
Treasury Department sanctions company tied to Salt Typhoon
The sanctions were in response to significant cyberattacks by Chinese nation-state threat groups against the U.S. government and critical infrastructure in recent months. Continue Reading
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Feature
14 Jan 2025
Symmetric key encryption algorithms and security: A guide
Scrambling plaintext into ciphertext is essential to ensure data cannot be read or used by the wrong people. Learn the basics of symmetric key encryption algorithms here. Continue Reading
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Opinion
08 Jan 2025
Data security spending in 2025: Up and to the right
Cybersecurity investments are set to increase in 2025, according to Enterprise Strategy Group's annual spending survey, and data loss prevention is leading the priority pack. Continue Reading
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News
07 Jan 2025
CISA: BeyondTrust breach affected Treasury Department only
The government cybersecurity agency says fallout from a breach against BeyondTrust last month has not affected other federal agencies, although the investigation is ongoing. Continue Reading
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News
31 Dec 2024
Treasury Department breached through BeyondTrust service
The Treasury Department said Chinese government hackers gained access to a key for BeyondTrust's Remote Support service and used it to breach the federal agency. Continue Reading
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Definition
23 Dec 2024
What is a public key and how does it work?
In cryptography, a public key is a large numerical value that is used to encrypt data. Continue Reading
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News
19 Dec 2024
BeyondTrust SaaS instances breached in cyberattack
BeyondTrust, a privileged access management vendor, patched two vulnerabilities this week after attackers compromised SaaS instances for a 'limited number' of customers. Continue Reading
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Definition
10 Dec 2024
What is a block cipher?
A block cipher is a method of encrypting data in blocks to produce ciphertext using a cryptographic key and algorithm. Continue Reading
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Definition
09 Dec 2024
What is cipher block chaining (CBC)?
Cipher block chaining (CBC) is a mode of operation for a block cipher -- one in which a sequence of bits are encrypted as a single unit, or block, with a cipher key applied to the entire block. Continue Reading
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Tip
19 Nov 2024
Biometric privacy and security challenges to know
Fingerprints and facial scans can make identity access more convenient than passwords, but biometric tools present significant ethical and legal challenges. Continue Reading
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News
14 Nov 2024
CISA, FBI confirm China breached telecommunication providers
The government agencies confirmed Wall Street Journal reports that China-backed threat actors breached telecommunication providers and access data for law enforcement requests. Continue Reading
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Opinion
08 Nov 2024
Address skills shortages with third-party data discovery tools
Homegrown might be best in some scenarios, but resource-constrained security teams should consider third-party tools for data discovery and resilience. Continue Reading
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Tip
08 Nov 2024
3 key generative AI data privacy and security concerns
Those charged with protecting and ensuring the privacy of user data are facing new challenges in the age of generative AI. Continue Reading
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Guide
24 Oct 2024
SolarWinds breach news center
The massive SolarWinds supply chain attack continues to invade networks. Here's the latest news on the breach, how the malware infiltrates systems and the IT industry response. Continue Reading
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Definition
09 Oct 2024
What is user behavior analytics (UBA)?
User behavior analytics (UBA) is the tracking, collecting and assessing of user data and activities using monitoring systems. Continue Reading
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Podcast
08 Oct 2024
Risk & Repeat: Is Microsoft security back on track?
Microsoft has made significant changes to its cybersecurity practices and policies under the Secure Future Initiative. Are they enough to right the ship? Continue Reading
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News
03 Oct 2024
Microsoft SFI progress report elicits cautious optimism
Infosec experts say the Secure Future Initiative progress report shows Microsoft has made important changes to its policies, practices and accountability structures. Continue Reading
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News
01 Oct 2024
T-Mobile reaches $31.5M breach settlement with FCC
After suffering several breaches, T-Mobile agreed to pay a $15.75 million civil penalty and make a $15.75 million investment to bolster its security over the next two years. Continue Reading
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News
13 Sep 2024
Fortinet confirms data breach, extortion demand
Fortinet confirmed that a threat actor stole data from a third-party cloud-based shared file drive, which affected a small number of customers, but many questions remain. Continue Reading
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News
28 Aug 2024
Infosec experts applaud DOJ lawsuit against Georgia Tech
The Department of Justice joined a whistleblower lawsuit against Georgia Tech for allegedly misleading the Department of Defense about its cybersecurity posture. Continue Reading
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Opinion
14 Aug 2024
Black Hat USA 2024 takeaways for data security and IAM
Black Hat USA 2024 showcased recurring themes of data security and IAM, encompassing the platform vs. point product debate, cleaning identity data and GenAI security. Continue Reading
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News
07 Aug 2024
CrowdStrike details errors that led to mass IT outage
CrowdStrike's investigation into the recent defective update found that a 'confluence' of issues led to the release of the channel file last month, causing a mass IT outage. Continue Reading
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News
18 Jul 2024
Judge tosses most of SEC's lawsuit against SolarWinds
A judge dismissed many of the charges in the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's lawsuit against SolarWinds and its CISO, Timothy Brown, though some charges remain. Continue Reading
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News
12 Jul 2024
AT&T breach affects 'nearly all' customers' call, text records
Fallout from the attacks on Snowflake customers continues as AT&T is the latest victim organization to disclose a data breach stemming from a compromised cloud instance. Continue Reading
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Definition
21 Jun 2024
personally identifiable information (PII)
Personally identifiable information (PII) is any data that could potentially identify a specific individual. Continue Reading
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Podcast
18 Jun 2024
Risk & Repeat: Microsoft under fire again over Recall
Microsoft made changes to its AI-driven Recall feature, but that didn't stop Congress from grilling company president Brad Smith during a House committee hearing. Continue Reading
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Definition
12 Jun 2024
privacy impact assessment (PIA)
A privacy impact assessment (PIA) is a method for identifying and assessing privacy risks throughout the development lifecycle of a program or system. Continue Reading
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News
02 May 2024
Dropbox discloses data breach involving Dropbox Sign
A threat actor accessed Dropbox Sign customer names, emails, hashed passwords, API keys, OAuth tokens, multifactor authentication information and other data. Continue Reading
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Definition
02 May 2024
What is PCI DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard)?
The Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) is a widely accepted set of policies and procedures intended to optimize the security of credit, debit and cash card transactions and protect cardholders against misuse of their personal information. Continue Reading
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Definition
02 May 2024
What is Data Encryption Standard (DES)?
Data Encryption Standard (DES) is an outdated symmetric key method of data encryption. Continue Reading
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Definition
01 May 2024
Federal Information Security Modernization Act (FISMA)
): The Federal Information Security Modernization Act (FISMA) is United States legislation that defines a framework of guidelines and security standards to protect government information technology operations from cyberthreats. Continue Reading
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News
30 Apr 2024
Change Healthcare breached via Citrix portal with no MFA
UnitedHealth Group CEO Andrew Witty's opening statement for Wednesday's congressional hearing shed more light on the ransomware attack against Change Healthcare. Continue Reading
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News
11 Apr 2024
CISA discloses Sisense breach, customer data compromised
CISA is investigating a breach of data analytics vendor Sisense that may have exposed customers' credentials and secrets and could impact critical infrastructure organizations. Continue Reading
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Definition
10 Apr 2024
cryptanalysis
Cryptanalysis is the study of ciphertext, ciphers and cryptosystems to understand how they work and to find and improve techniques for defeating or weakening them. Continue Reading
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Tip
10 Apr 2024
Cloud database security: Best practices, challenges and threats
If your company is using a cloud database, it's critical to stay on top of security. Review the security features offered by top cloud providers, plus some best practices. Continue Reading
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Opinion
26 Mar 2024
Top 6 data security posture management use cases
Data security posture management is a top 10 security issue for 2024, according to research. Check out the top six use cases for DSPM and weigh in on other possibilities. Continue Reading
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Tip
22 Mar 2024
Data protection impact assessment template and tips
Conducting a data protection impact assessment is key to evaluating potential risk factors that could pose a serious threat to individuals and their personal information. Continue Reading
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Definition
13 Mar 2024
What is cryptography?
Cryptography is a method of protecting information and communications using codes, so that only those for whom the information is intended can read and process it. Continue Reading
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Definition
12 Mar 2024
asymmetric cryptography
Asymmetric cryptography, also known as public key cryptography, is a process that uses a pair of related keys -- one public key and one private key -- to encrypt and decrypt a message and protect it from unauthorized access or use. Continue Reading
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Definition
20 Feb 2024
Advanced Encryption Standard (AES)
The Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) is a symmetric block cipher chosen by the U.S. government to protect classified information. Continue Reading
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Definition
07 Feb 2024
encryption
Encryption is the method by which information is converted into secret code that hides the information's true meaning. Continue Reading
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News
02 Feb 2024
Cloudflare discloses breach related to stolen Okta data
Cloudflare initially believed it contained an attempted cyberattack last October by a threat actor using an access token stolen in a breach of Okta's customer support system. Continue Reading
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Definition
18 Jan 2024
information assurance (IA)
Information assurance (IA) is the practice of protecting physical and digital information and the systems that support the information. Continue Reading
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News
29 Nov 2023
Okta: Support system breach affected all customers
Okta warned customers that they face an 'increased risk of phishing and social engineering attacks' after new details emerged from a breach that occurred earlier this year. Continue Reading
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Definition
14 Nov 2023
cardholder data environment (CDE)
A cardholder data environment (CDE) is a computer system or networked group of IT systems that processes, stores or transmits cardholder data or sensitive payment authentication data. Continue Reading
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News
03 Nov 2023
Okta breach led to hijacked sessions for 5 customers
Okta provided a detailed timeline of the events surrounding the breach against its customer support case management systems and said five customers had sessions hijacked. Continue Reading
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Tutorial
24 Oct 2023
How to use SDelete to ensure deleted data is gone for good
When data is deleted from a disk, is it gone? One way to make sure file info is permanently erased is to use SDelete, a utility specifically tailored to remove key data. Continue Reading
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Definition
21 Sep 2023
DNS over HTTPS (DoH)
DNS over HTTPS (DoH) is a relatively new protocol that encrypts domain name system traffic by passing DNS queries through a Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure encrypted session. Continue Reading
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Definition
18 Sep 2023
steganography
Steganography is the technique of hiding data within an ordinary, nonsecret file or message to avoid detection; the hidden data is then extracted at its destination. Continue Reading
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Podcast
30 Aug 2023
Risk & Repeat: Digging into Microsoft security criticisms
Executives, researchers and former employees told TechTarget Editorial about issues with Microsoft security practices, including patch bypasses, poor transparency and more. Continue Reading
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News
25 Aug 2023
CloudNordic loses most customer data after ransomware attack
The Danish cloud host said the ransomware attack it suffered last week 'has paralyzed CloudNordic completely' and that 'it has proved impossible' to recover more customer data. Continue Reading
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News
23 Aug 2023
Google launches AI-powered data classification for Workspace
Available now in preview, the new capability can automatically label files across a customer's Drive environment to protect data from exposure and exfiltration. Continue Reading
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Definition
07 Aug 2023
cryptosystem
A cryptosystem is a structure or scheme consisting of a set of algorithms that converts plaintext to ciphertext to encode or decode messages securely. Continue Reading
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Definition
03 Aug 2023
SOC 2 (System and Organization Controls 2)
SOC 2 (System and Organization Controls 2), pronounced "sock two," is a voluntary compliance standard for ensuring that service providers properly manage and protect the sensitive data in their care. Continue Reading
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Feature
01 Aug 2023
Infosec experts divided on SEC four-day reporting rule
Professionals in the cybersecurity industry voiced concerns and praises of new incident disclosure rules that allow companies four days to report a "material" cyber attack. Continue Reading
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Definition
01 Aug 2023
Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA)
The Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA) of 1986 is United States legislation that imposes criminal penalties on individuals who intentionally access a protected computer without proper authorization or whose access exceeds their authorization. Continue Reading
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News
24 Jul 2023
Mandiant: JumpCloud breach led to supply chain attack
Mandiant researchers attribute the supply chain attack to a North Korean threat actor that abused JumpCloud's commands framework to gain access to a downstream customer. Continue Reading
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Opinion
11 Jul 2023
For stronger public cloud data security, use defense in depth
The amount of cloud-resident data is increasing -- and so are the number of challenges to sufficiently secure it, especially within multi-cloud environments. Continue Reading
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News
16 Jun 2023
U.S. government agencies breached via MoveIt Transfer flaw
CISA Director Jen Easterly said 'several' U.S. agencies suffered intrusions via their MoveIt Transfer instances, but have not seen significant effects from the attacks. Continue Reading
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News
14 Jun 2023
State governments among victims of MoveIT Transfer breach
The Clop ransomware gang, which claimed responsibility for multiple data breaches tied to the MoveIT Transfer flaw, said it would delete data stolen from government agencies. Continue Reading
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News
08 Jun 2023
MoveIt Transfer flaw leads to wave of data breach disclosures
Organizations that have confirmed a data breach tied to the critical MoveIt flaw disclosed in May include the government of Nova Scotia, the BBC and HR software firm Zellis. Continue Reading
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Podcast
25 May 2023
Risk & Repeat: A troubling trend of poor breach disclosures
This Risk & Repeat episode covers three data breach disclosures from Dish Network, Gentex Corporation and Clarke County Hospital and the troubling trends that connect all three. Continue Reading
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News
22 May 2023
Iowa hospital discloses breach following Royal ransomware leak
Clarke County Hospital revealed that it took network services offline after an attack in April, but did not address the reported data leak by the Royal ransomware gang. Continue Reading