This week we will be focusing on preventing, detecting, and recovering from the many variants of the crypto-ransomware exploit. Ransomware attacks, such as CryptoLocker, CyrptoWall, Locky, Chimera, Zepto, and the like, have become one of the best money-making exploits for cyber-criminals, with new variants appearing on the scene every month. These attacks usually start with a phishing email and a ZIP file attachment or a malicious link, so email vigilance can help. ...
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Sometimes in the maelstrom of cybersecurity battles, it is helpful to step back and see where we came from, where we are, and where we are going. This year, in addition to studying for and passing the CISSP exam, I have been to a bunch of security conferences. I’ve been to MISC.conf, Secure360, B-Sides, and the Tech Security Conference. Here are some highlights and ...
One of the easiest ways for an intruder to learn about you is through a compromised email account. And since most email is transmitted in the clear or in plain text, it is a simple thing for a bad actor to read intercepted email traffic. Encrypting your email makes it harder for criminals, competitors, law enforcement, and government spy agencies to read your email messages.
Happy Friday the 13th. In honor of all the governmental and law enforcement agencies that want to deny the privacy and security of encrypted communications to the general public, today we will be looking at encrypted messaging apps for your smart phone.

Some of the nastiest exploits going around are the many variants of the CryptoLocker and CryptoWall malware that encrypt all your personal files and hold them for ransom. Payment in bitcoin is required, in amounts starting at $200 and ranging upward to the $17,000 (400 BTC) that Hollywood Presbyterian Hospital just paid to unlock their files. Or even more. The amount will be whatever the attackers think they can extract from the victim.
How would you feel if, in order to gain access to a known terrorist’s house, the government passed a law that required every lock manufacturer to create a master key that would unlock every locked door anywhere? What if the police promised that they would only use the key on the one house? What if they promised to keep the key safe and secure so it could never get into the ...