Following the publication of their Annual Review for 2018, the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) has warned that a a life-threatening incident will almost inevitably strike the UK in the coming future.
Author Archives: Editor
Number of people searching cyber security recruitment increases 93%
It has been revealed that there has been a 93% increase in the number of people searching for cyber security recruitment and related terms in Google, according to the latest figures by technology recruitment company Finlay James. The news comes after the ISC anticipated a worldwide shortage of 1.8 million cyber security professionals by 2022 but the lack of skills to tackle cybercrime is already causing problems.
Police body cameras could be hacked to access confidential data
The Telegraph has reported that body cameras worn by British police to fight crime could become a “back door” for hackers enabling them to access police databases. The camera technology, which is connected to other police systems, could allow hackers to access live images of crime scenes as well as information from police databases.
Tens of Millions of U.S. Voter Records for Sale
It has been reported that an advertisement on a forum that sells data breach information is also offering the personally identifiable details and voting history of millions of US residents. The estimated size of the cache is in excess of 35 million records. The announcement says that the data sold is from updated state-wide voter lists, and includes millions of phone numbers, full addresses, and names.
NCSC 2nd Annual Report is a leap in the right direction, but collaboration between industry and government must continue
The NCSC’s Annual Review comes at a perfect time: cybersecurity is front of mind, with recent high-profile incidents at Facebook, Google+ and Reddit demonstrating both the far-reaching consequences of poor cyber hygiene and the subsequent impact a hack or breach can have on us all. In the 2018 Annual Review, it is extremely encouraging to see the NCSC discharging its responsibility of helping to protect the civilian Internet. Ciaran Martin’s comments regarding civilians and businesses being caught in the crossfire, becoming collateral damage to nation states acting against each other, are accurate and relevant to tackling the dangers of cyber today.
OceanLotus White Paper – A Deep Dive Analysis on APT32
During an incident response investigation in the final quarter of 2017, Cylance® incident responders and threat researchers uncovered several bespoke backdoors deployed by OceanLotus Group (a.k.a. APT32, Cobalt Kitty), as well as evidence of the threat actor using obfuscated CobaltStrike Beacon payloads to perform C2.
Wärtsilä opens the first International Maritime Cyber Centre of Excellence in the world
Wärtsilä Corporation, Press release, 16 October 2018 at 2.30 pm EEST
The technology group Wärtsilä opens an International Maritime Cyber Centre of Excellence (IMCCE) today in Singapore. The IMCCE consists of a Maritime Cyber Emergency Response Team (MCERT) and a cyber academy. The IMCCE is a world’s first industry solution for the marine industry, founded by Wärtsilä together with its strategic partner in cyber security, Templar Executives. The IMCCE will provide a focal point for the industry to help drive the cyber awareness and response to cyber incidents.
Surfshark rolls out split tunneling feature on its Android app
- Split tunneling empowers VPN users to gain more control over their online privacy by allowing to whitelist apps which do not work while connected to VPN
- The feature significantly improves user experience as users no longer have to turn off the VPN app to be able to use other applications which need a cellular connection or only work in specific locations
- Surfshark becomes one of the very few virtual private network (VPN) providers who offer split tunneling functionality for Android users
October 14, 2018 – In response to high demand for more privacy control options from smartphone users Surfshark has introduced a premium split tunneling functionality to its Android app. The feature, which is rare in the Android market, will enhance the user experience by allowing selected apps and services to bypass VPN encryption without the need to turn the VPN service off.
The primary purpose of a virtual private network is to protect user’s privacy. However, not everything people do online can be private as some services, such as banking apps, do not work when VPN is enabled or can trigger alerts do to unexpected location change.
“Android is the most popular operating system in the world, but most of the VPN providers fail to respond to the needs of Android users. By launching split tunneling for Android, we solved a frustrating problem when some apps don’t work with VPN. Such apps include those which require cellular connection or work only in specific locations, for instance, car parking or instant payment apps,” says Olivia Anderson, Chief Android Developer at Surfshark.
With split tunneling feature Surfshark users will no longer have to compromise their privacy by turning off the VPN when in need of some specific apps. They will be able to choose apps which do not need to be routed through VPN service.
Unusual feature among VPNs for Android
The feature allowing to whitelist applications which do not need additional encryption is unconventional in VPN market. Several providers offer split tunneling on Windows platforms, but close to none do it on Android.
“Today, Surfshark’s split tunneling is available for our Windows and Android users, and we plan to launch it on other platforms in the upcoming months,” says Olivia Anderson.
Other recent developments
This functionality is the newest of the recent developments of Surfshark. Last month the company announced that it had obfuscated all its servers so that even internet service providers would not know that the VPN service is being used.
Also, earlier this year the company introduced an advanced CleanWeb™ feature which allows users to block malware, trackers, and ads, as well as protects them from a growing number of phishing attacks.
Surfshark is the only VPN provider which allows unlimited simultaneous connections, meaning that one subscription can be used to protect many devices.
All the internet traffic sent to and from any devices using Surfshark is strongly encrypted and protected from tracking. The ever-expanding location selection list allows users to choose from hundreds of servers in 50 different countries, including the United States, Russia, Hong Kong, Germany, Israel, Vietnam, Singapore, Japan, and others.
Kaspersky Lab’s David Emm on the Gvt introducing a code of practice to safeguard IOT devices
In light of the news today that the UK Government devising a code of practice for manufacturers to ensure IOT devices are secure and protected, comment from David Emm, principal security researcher at Kaspersky Lab.
Next generation networks — It’s not all software and bots
Next generation networks — It’s not all software and bots
Now is not an easy time to be a communications service provider (CSP). On one side there’s pressure to expand infrastructure to deal with growing customer demands for data and on the other, an increasing level of competition and constant pressure to provide customers with new, innovative services.