Threats and vulnerabilities
Keeping up with the latest threats and vulnerabilities is a battle for any security pro. Get up-to-date information on email threats, nation-state attacks, phishing techniques, ransomware and malware, DDoS attacks, APTs, application vulnerabilities, zero-day exploits, malicious insiders and more.
Top Stories
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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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Conference Coverage
28 Jul 2025
The latest from Black Hat USA 2025
This is your guide to the breaking news, trending topics and more from Black Hat USA 2025, one of the world's top cybersecurity conferences. Continue Reading
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News
22 Apr 2020
New spear phishing campaign targets oil and gas industry
Bitdefender researchers identified new spear phishing campaigns against the oil and gas industry that include emails with no typos and perfect usage of industry terminology. Continue Reading
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Tip
22 Apr 2020
How to prepare for ransomware and phishing attacks
Follow these best practices to properly prepare for ransomware and phishing attacks, as well as further steps to stay secure in the face of a pandemic or widespread health event. Continue Reading
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News
22 Apr 2020
Ransomware, cloud attacks more than doubled in 2019
New research by Trustwave shows 2019 saw huge increases in ransomware and cloud services attacks, as well as a big shift from spam toward business email compromise. Continue Reading
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News
20 Apr 2020
Cognizant discloses Maze ransomware attack
Cognizant was attacked by the Maze ransomware gang, the company confirmed Saturday. It's unclear whether Cognizant clients were also breached or infected with ransomware. Continue Reading
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News
17 Apr 2020
Ransomware attacks see 148% surge amid COVID-19
VMware Carbon Black saw a 148% increase in ransomware attacks in March over baseline levels in February, plus a massive spike in attacks on financial institutions. Continue Reading
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News
16 Apr 2020
Hackers embrace cryptocurrency laundering to evade the law
Cybercriminals are turning to cryptocurrency laundering methods to hide illicit proceeds as law enforcement agencies find success in tracing bitcoin transactions. Continue Reading
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News
15 Apr 2020
Malware found on 45 percent of home office networks
New research by BitSight compared malware infections on home office networks versus corporate networks, and the results were unsettling for remote enterprise users. Continue Reading
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News
14 Apr 2020
Russian threat group suspected of hacking SFO
San Francisco International Airport disclosed a data breach affected employees and third-party contractors, and ESET researchers said a Russian APT was likely behind the attack. Continue Reading
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News
09 Apr 2020
APTs infiltrated Linux servers undetected for nearly 10 years
New BlackBerry research shows how five APT groups operating on behalf of the Chinese government infiltrated enterprise Linux environments undetected for nearly a decade. Continue Reading
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News
03 Apr 2020
Microsoft warns hospitals of impending ransomware attacks
Microsoft warned "dozens" of hospitals with vulnerable gateway and VPN software that an infamous ransomware group known as REvil is scanning the internet for such flaws. Continue Reading
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News
02 Apr 2020
Beazley: Ransomware attacks on clients 'skyrocketed' in 2019
The 2020 Beazley Breach Briefing reported a 131% increase in reported attacks against clients last year, and the insurance giant isn't expecting the trend to slow down. Continue Reading
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News
30 Mar 2020
Coronavirus phishing lures continue to dominate threat landscape
Overall cybercrime activity isn't necessarily going up amid COVID-19, experts say. However, coronavirus-themed emails are becoming the dominant form of phishing attacks. Continue Reading
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News
27 Mar 2020
Cyberinsurance carrier Chubb investigating possible data breach
Insurance giant Chubb confirmed it is investigating an incident that may involve the Maze ransomware group, which claims to have stolen sensitive data from the company. Continue Reading
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Podcast
27 Mar 2020
Risk & Repeat: COVID-19 boosting social engineering attacks
This episode of the Risk & Repeat podcast looks at how social engineering attacks have become more successful by taking advantage of the coronavirus pandemic. Continue Reading
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Feature
26 Mar 2020
Coronavirus phishing scams increase amid pandemic's spread
Organizations must account for a sharp uptick of coronavirus phishing scams in their pandemic and business continuity plans. Learn about the trend here, with steps for mitigation. Continue Reading
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News
25 Mar 2020
China's APT41 attacks Citrix ADC flaws in cyberespionage campaign
A dual cyberespionage and cybercrime group known as APT41 exploited vulnerabilities in Citrix NetScaler/ADC and other products in an extensive, global threat campaign. Continue Reading
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News
19 Mar 2020
Deepfakes: Security experts undecided on the threat level
Deepfakes may seem like a scary new threat in today's world, but should the world be worried? SearchSecurity asked numerous experts to weigh in at RSA Conference 2020. Continue Reading
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News
19 Mar 2020
Maze ransomware gang pledges to stop attacking hospitals
The infamous Maze gang announced it has stopped ransomware attacks on healthcare and medical facilities because of the seriousness of the coronavirus pandemic. Continue Reading
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Podcast
19 Mar 2020
Risk & Repeat: Coronavirus-themed threats on the rise
This week's Risk & Repeat podcast looks at the disruption caused by COVID-19, as well as the sharp increase in cyberthreats designed to exploit the pandemic. Continue Reading
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News
17 Mar 2020
Ransomware attacks poised to disrupt coronavirus response efforts
Experts fear that coronavirus-themed threats will escalate to ransomware attacks, and such attacks will disrupt response efforts at hospitals and city, state and local governments. Continue Reading
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News
13 Mar 2020
Ransomware attack hits Champaign-Urbana Public Health District
A ransomware attack shut down Champaign-Urbana's public health website, hindering the city's ability to provide information and updates on the Coronavirus pandemic. Continue Reading
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News
11 Mar 2020
Microsoft leads takedown of Necurs botnet
Microsoft, BitSight and other partners used legal and technical steps to take control of one of largest botnets in the world that infected more than 9 million systems. Continue Reading
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Tip
10 Mar 2020
How nation-state cyberattacks affect the future of infosec
Any company can be a nation-state cyberattack victim. Brush up on the latest and most common nation-state techniques and their implications on the threat landscape of tomorrow. Continue Reading
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Tip
10 Mar 2020
5G network slicing security benefits IoT, mobile
The fifth generation of mobile cellular technology offers a unique benefit its predecessors don't: network slicing. Learn more about these virtual slices and their security benefits. Continue Reading
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News
09 Mar 2020
Researchers develop new side channel attacks on AMD chips
Security researchers behind the Meltdown and Spectre flaws discovered new side channel attacks on AMD processors, but the chipmaker has opted not to patch them. Continue Reading
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News
06 Mar 2020
Intel CSME flaw deemed 'unfixable' by Positive Technologies
Positive Technologies researchers discovered a previously disclosed vulnerability in the Intel Converged Security and Management Engine is worse than originally reported. Continue Reading
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News
05 Mar 2020
Risky ransomware payments on the rise, attacks increasing
Making payments to threat actors to retrieve data was once viewed in black-and-white terms. But RSA Conference attendees say attitudes about paying up have changed drastically. Continue Reading
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News
05 Mar 2020
With BEC/EAC threats rising, Proofpoint offers a new approach
Business email compromise and email account compromise attacks are increasing and evolving. To keep up with threat actors, Proofpoint says a new approach is required. Continue Reading
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News
28 Feb 2020
RSA Conference panel tackles Huawei security risks
Four panelists discussed the ban on the world's largest telecommunications equipment manufacturer in relation to to supply chain risk. Continue Reading
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News
27 Feb 2020
CrowdStrike founder: China hacking indictments are working
During his RSA Conference keynote, CrowdStrike co-founder Dmitri Alperovitch explains why the U.S. Department of Justice's indictments against Chinese hackers has been effective. Continue Reading
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Tip
26 Feb 2020
Stop business email compromise with three key approaches
Why is BEC such a popular attack? Because it works, unfortunately, tempting hackers with huge potential payouts. Learn how to keep them from lining their pockets with your assets. Continue Reading
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News
25 Feb 2020
FBI: $144 million in ransomware payments made over 6 years
In an RSA Conference 2020 session, FBI agent Joel DeCapua revealed how much money has been paid in ransoms, what the most pervasive ransomware variants are and more. Continue Reading
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Tip
12 Feb 2020
How to handle nation-state cyberattacks on the enterprise
It's only a matter of time before nation-state cyberattacks that threaten government entities today target the enterprise. Follow our expert's tips to prepare in time. Continue Reading
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Feature
10 Feb 2020
Beat common types of cyberfraud with security awareness
Hackers are taking deception to a new level, but security awareness programs are instrumental in helping employees detect various types of cyberfraud. Continue Reading
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News
10 Feb 2020
Chinese military personnel charged in Equifax breach
Four members of China's military have been charged for hacking Equifax following a 2017 breach that compromised nearly 150 million Americans' personal information. Continue Reading
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Quiz
06 Feb 2020
Try this cybersecurity quiz to test your (threat) intelligence
Check out our latest issue, and then test your understanding of the material. By passing this quiz, you'll solidify your knowledge and earn CPE credit, too. Continue Reading
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News
05 Feb 2020
Threat actors combining data exposure with ransomware attacks
New Cisco Talos research shows an increase in ransomware attacks that double the pressure on victims by threatening them with the exposure of their sensitive data. Continue Reading
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Feature
03 Feb 2020
CISOs face a range of cybersecurity challenges in 2020
Every company is unique, of course, but certain challenges are widely shared. Learn what security concerns other CISOs and security leaders are focused on in 2020. Continue Reading
- 03 Feb 2020
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Opinion
03 Feb 2020
Fresh thinking on cybersecurity threats for 2020
It's a good time to take a clear-eyed view of the likely security threats facing your organization. But then what? Experts suggest getting creative with your threat responses. Continue Reading
- E-Zine 03 Feb 2020
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News
28 Jan 2020
'CacheOut': Researchers unveil new attack on Intel chips
Researchers unveiled a new speculative execution attack that leaks data from most Intel microprocessors and gives attackers greater control over what data is leaked. Continue Reading
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News
28 Jan 2020
3 Magecart suspects arrested in Interpol operation
Three alleged cybercriminals suspected of being associated with Magecart were arrested in Indonesia via an Interpol-assisted operation called Operation Night Fury. Continue Reading
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Feature
28 Jan 2020
'Computer Security Fundamentals:' Quantum security to certifications
New topics, from security engineering to quantum computing, are covered in 'Computer Security Fundamentals,' but the book's author suggests readers review some basic topics, too. Continue Reading
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Tip
27 Jan 2020
Protect against evolving data security threats
As data security threats evolve, knowing how to protect your data is more important than ever. Learn about the latest security threats and how to ward them off. Continue Reading
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Tip
27 Jan 2020
How does antimalware software work and what are the detection types?
Virus detection techniques used by antimalware tools can be a huge boost to enterprise cybersecurity programs. Learn how antimalware software works and its benefits in this tip. Continue Reading
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News
24 Jan 2020
Proofpoint: Ransomware payments made in half of U.S. attacks
According to Proofpoint's 2020 'State of the Phish' report, 51% of U.S. organizations surveyed opted to pay threat actors after being hit with a successful ransomware attack. Continue Reading
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News
08 Jan 2020
Experts weigh in on risk of Iranian cyberattacks against U.S.
Cybersecurity experts weigh in on the risks of potential nation-state cyberattacks from Iran following a DHS warning and heightened tensions between the country and the U.S. Continue Reading
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News
07 Jan 2020
Pulse Secure VPN vulnerability targeted with ransomware
Threat actors appear to be exploiting vulnerable Pulse Secure VPN servers to hit enterprises with ransomware attacks, even though a patch has been available since April 2019. Continue Reading
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News
19 Dec 2019
Two attacks on Maze ransomware list confirmed
Another confirmed ransomware attack, this time against Busch's Fresh Food Markets, was added to the Maze gang's ransomware shaming list after the company refused to pay the ransom. Continue Reading
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News
17 Dec 2019
Maze gang outs ransomware victims in shame campaign
The threat actors behind Maze ransomware started a campaign to pressure victims into paying ransom by publicly listing successful attacks and threatening to leak data. Continue Reading
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News
16 Dec 2019
Latest city ransomware attack: New Orleans
The city of New Orleans declared a state of emergency as the government tries to get systems back online following a ransomware attack Friday morning. Continue Reading
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News
10 Dec 2019
Ryuk ransomware change breaks decryption tool
The threat actors behind Ryuk ransomware made changes to their code that have made the official decryption tool unreliable, according to security researchers. Continue Reading
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News
19 Nov 2019
Louisiana ransomware attack hits government systems
A ransomware attack on Louisiana government systems has been contained, according to Governor John Bel Edwards, and experts are praising the state's response. Continue Reading
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Feature
19 Nov 2019
Rise in ransomware attacks prompts new prevention priorities
Officials predict that already widespread ransomware attacks will only grow in scale and influence, while urging organizations to act now to guard against them. Continue Reading
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News
12 Nov 2019
Application Guard to block malicious attachments in Office 365
Microsoft is bringing the Application Guard security container to Office 365 ProPlus this year, which could limit the threat of malicious Office documents for subscribers. Continue Reading
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News
08 Nov 2019
ConnectWise ransomware attacks affecting Automate customers
ConnectWise warned that ransomware attacks are targeting open ports for its Automate on-premises application, but the company has offered few details about the nature of the attacks. Continue Reading
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News
07 Nov 2019
Trend Micro insider threat steals, sells customer data
A Trend Micro employee stole and sold customer support data, which was used by a malicious third-party actor to scam consumer customers of the cybersecurity company. Continue Reading
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Quiz
04 Nov 2019
Test your grasp of AI threats, privacy regulations and more
Test your grasp of current security topics like AI in cybersecurity and what privacy regulations require. Then receive CPE credit by passing this quiz. Continue Reading
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Opinion
01 Nov 2019
When cyberthreats are nebulous, how can you plan?
Security planning is tough when you're short-staffed and hackers have smart tech too. You'll need solid skills and, most of all, a willingness to use your imagination. Continue Reading
- 01 Nov 2019
- E-Zine 01 Nov 2019
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News
21 Oct 2019
Malware detection methods struggle to keep up with evolving threats
Experts discuss the increasingly complex methods of malware detection needed when dealing with everything from low-level attackers to advanced persistent threat groups. Continue Reading
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News
16 Oct 2019
Exposed Docker hosts open the door for cryptojacking
Security researchers discovered a new Docker worm that has been targeting exposed hosts in order to spread cryptojacking malware to other containers. Continue Reading
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News
08 Oct 2019
Experts expect hospital ransomware attacks to continue
One week after being hit by a ransomware attack, hospitals in Alabama are turning away patients while working on recovery, and experts warn of similar attacks in the future. Continue Reading
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Podcast
04 Oct 2019
Risk & Repeat: Trump takes aim at DNC hack and CrowdStrike
This week's Risk & Repeat podcast looks at President Trump's recent comments about CrowdStrike and the DNC 'server' and the misinformation around Russian election interference. Continue Reading
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News
02 Oct 2019
Hospital ransomware attacks lead to patients being turned away
Ransomware attacks hit seven hospitals in Australia and three in Alabama, with the Alabaman hospitals being forced to turn away patients because of the attacks. Continue Reading
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News
25 Sep 2019
Trump pushes debunked DNC hack conspiracy in call with Ukraine
In a call with the Ukrainian president that is now the focus of an impeachment inquiry, President Trump discussed CrowdStrike and asked for help with finding a 'server.' Continue Reading
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Tip
23 Sep 2019
How to shore up your third-party risk management program
A third-party risk management program has to go beyond questionnaires and poorly designed policies. Learn what you should do to protect yourself against vendor security flaws and core risks. Continue Reading
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News
20 Sep 2019
Broken WannaCry variants continuing to spread
Researchers are still seeing surprisingly high WannaCry detection rates and they worry this points to high risks because systems still aren't being patched against threats. Continue Reading
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News
18 Sep 2019
Global cryptomining attacks use NSA exploits to earn Monero
Security researchers tracked a very active threat group launching cryptomining attacks around the world against organizations in banking, IT services, healthcare and more. Continue Reading
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Feature
18 Sep 2019
New evasive spear phishing attacks bypass email security measures
Researchers identified a new email security threat: evasive spear phishing attacks, which take months of investigation and social engineering to coordinate. Continue Reading
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Tip
17 Sep 2019
RPA security best practices include access control, system integration
Robotic process automation can revolutionize enterprise workflows, but if RPA security risks aren't controlled, bots could end up doing more harm than good. Continue Reading
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News
11 Sep 2019
FBI says $26B lost to business email compromise over last 3 years
On the same day that 281 suspects were arrested in business email compromise stings, the FBI said worldwide losses from BEC attacks reached $26 billion over the last three years. Continue Reading
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News
05 Sep 2019
Insecure Android provisioning could lead to phishing attacks
Researchers say many -- if not most -- Android smartphones are at risk of SMS-based phishing attacks that trick users into installing malicious OTA provisioning settings. Continue Reading
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News
05 Sep 2019
Chronicle: Crimeware group takedowns 'increasingly ineffectual'
Law enforcement takedowns of cybercrime operations may not be producing the desired results, according to an extensive, five-year study from Alphabet Inc.'s Chronicle. Continue Reading
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Answer
21 Aug 2019
The difference between zero-day vulnerability and zero-day exploit
A zero-day vulnerability isn't the same as a zero-day exploit. Learn the difference between these two zero-day terms, as well as why they should be high priority on any CISO's patching list. Continue Reading
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News
20 Aug 2019
KNOB attack puts all Bluetooth devices at risk
Security researchers discovered a way to force Bluetooth devices to use easy-to-crack encryption keys, which could lead to man-in-the-middle attacks and information leaks. Continue Reading
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News
19 Aug 2019
2020 election security to face same vulnerabilities as in 2016
Confidence in the security of the 2020 election spanned the gamut, depending on who you asked at DEF CON's Voting Village, with local officials more optimistic than technologists. Continue Reading
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News
14 Aug 2019
Microsoft discovers BlueKeep-like flaws in Remote Desktop Services
Microsoft disclosed four remote code execution flaws in Remote Desktop Services that are similar to BlueKeep, as well as other vulnerabilities in RDP. Continue Reading
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Conference Coverage
14 Aug 2019
Latest news from the Black Hat 2019 conference
Learn the latest from this year's Black Hat conference, Aug. 3 to 8. Our team is in Las Vegas to report on what's new in information security risks, trends and defense tactics. Continue Reading
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News
09 Aug 2019
ICS security threats rising, targeting oil and gas facilities
In its latest report on industrial control system threats, Dragos said it believes the first major 'destructive' ICS attack will likely occur at an oil and gas facility. Continue Reading
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News
08 Aug 2019
Check Point finds RDP vulnerability jeopardizes Microsoft's Hyper-V
Check Point revealed research at Black Hat that showed a previously disclosed vulnerability in Microsoft's remote desktop protocol affects the company's virtualization platform. Continue Reading
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Feature
05 Aug 2019
5 email security appliance comparison criteria to consider
Identifying the best email security appliance on the market can be hard. This article discusses the criteria to consider when choosing one for your organization. Continue Reading
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News
01 Aug 2019
SafeBreach launches new platform to prioritize, mitigate security gaps
SafeBreach has launched SafeBreach GRID, a breach and attack simulation application that helps security teams decide which security gaps to address first. Continue Reading
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News
31 Jul 2019
Project Zero drops six iOS vulnerabilities ahead of Black Hat
Google Project Zero researchers disclosed six iOS vulnerabilities, including proof-of-concept code that could allow for attacks requiring no user interaction. Continue Reading
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Feature
26 Jul 2019
Quantum computers mean cryptography needs to change, and soon
As quantum computing gains momentum with practical quantum computers due to come online as early as next year, concerns about post-quantum cryptography are pushed to the forefront. Continue Reading
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News
25 Jul 2019
Immunity selling new BlueKeep exploit, defends decision
Immunity CEO Dave Aitel defended his company's decision to sell a full RCE BlueKeep exploit as part of a pen testing tool, saying the exploit is necessary to demonstrate risk. Continue Reading
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News
23 Jul 2019
Slide deck brings BlueKeep exploit closer to the wild
After a description for building a remote BlueKeep exploit is posted on GitHub, experts warn that attacks in the wild are becoming more likely and users need to patch. Continue Reading
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News
18 Jul 2019
New ransomware threat takes GandCrab's place
Researchers released GandCrab master decryption keys, and in the wake of GandCrab's shutdown, a new ransomware threat -- called Sodin or Sodinokibi -- has emerged. Continue Reading
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Feature
18 Jul 2019
5 best practices to choose the right email security software
Examine the five best practices and most important criteria for evaluating email security software products and deploying them in your enterprise. Continue Reading
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Feature
10 Jul 2019
How does an island hopping attack work?
Hackers know better than to directly attack a well-defended target; learn how they use island hopping attack strategies to elude defenders -- and how best to repel them. Continue Reading
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Opinion
08 Jul 2019
Who's to blame for ransomware attacks -- beyond the attackers?
Cyberattackers are to blame for ransomware attacks, but what about companies that release flawed software or don't install patches? Our expert looks at where the buck stops. Continue Reading
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Tip
08 Jul 2019
Office 365 security challenges and how to solve them
To understand the Office 365 threat landscape, take stock of the application features and programs available based on the organization's license level of the subscription. Continue Reading
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News
03 Jul 2019
U.S. Cybercom warns Outlook vulnerability under attack
U.S. Cybercom issued an alert about active exploitation of a 2-year-old Microsoft Outlook flaw, and experts say an Iranian threat group is behind the attacks. Continue Reading
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News
02 Jul 2019
Phishing-as-a-service threats abusing cloud services
According to new research, phishing kit providers are increasingly using popular cloud services to host their malicious links in an effort to conceal them from detection. Continue Reading
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Tip
28 Jun 2019
How to beef up Office 365 email security features
Companies looking to fortify their Office 365 email security can assess options from a variety of third-party vendors. Find out which features are the most important. Continue Reading
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News
28 Jun 2019
AI-enabled malware is coming, Malwarebytes warns
AI-driven threats may not be here yet, but a new report from Malwarebytes predicts they will be here soon and could potentially change the cybersecurity game for good. Continue Reading
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News
26 Jun 2019
Stellar Cyber launches Starlight 3.1 for AI threat detection
Stellar Cyber, a security analytics vendor, launched Starlight 3.1 as its first unified security analytics platform, using AI and machine learning to detect and thwart attacks. Continue Reading
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News
24 Jun 2019
DHS warns of increased Iranian cyberattacks on enterprises
The cyberthreat warning from Christopher Krebs, director of the DHS Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, follows escalating tension between Iran and the U.S. Continue Reading
