In the premiere episode of CYBER24, we discussed some of the top cybersecurity threats of 2017 with Matt Sorensen, chief information security officer (CISO) with Secuvant, and Sgt. Jeff Plank, a member of the state Cyber Task Force.
First, it’s important to know who the bad guys are and what they are after.
“With the ability to anonymize your self, it’s really difficult to find out who these bad guys are,” says Sgt. Plank. “It could be different foreign governments, it could be different gangs, anyone who is wanting to make a quick buck will probably turn to the internet to try to scam people.”
“They want data they can turn into cash,” says Sorensen. “Identity data – things that are used in credit applications are very popular. Healthcare information is valuable because you can sell identity and receive healthcare as someone else. If you don’t have insurance, if you don’t have money but you need a procedure you can assume someone’s identity and get the work done. That’s real. That happens.”
Sgt. Plank and Sorensen list ransomware, phishing schemes, the proliferation of hacking tools, challenges associated with the internet of things (IoT) and mobile security as some of the most pressing concerns for businesses and government today.
Ransomeware
This is when a hacker gains control of your data or device and holds it hostage, promising to put everything back where he found it once you pay up. Sgt. Plank says ransomeware has tripled in the past two years jumping from one incident approximately every two minutes to one every 40 seconds.
“For a small business to be hit with ransomeware,” says Sorensen, “They might be facing a complete shutdown.”
Phishing
An unsolicited email disguised to look like it comes from a known or legitimate source that entices the user to click it. The message will deliver ransomware or another form of malware. These attacks make your business only as secure as your most gullible employee.
“Typically, what we see is [the business] identifies a phish several days after it’s too late,” says Sgt. Plank. These attacks usually come with the sender masquerading as someone with authority to authorize a payment. By the time they figure out what has happened – if they ever do at all -the funds have already been transferred.
“One of the statistics that is alarming is the speed at which these attacks [can be effective],” says Sorensen. “It is often in the seconds and minutes but the speed to detect the compromise or infection can be in the months. It’s a big advantage for the attackers.”
Hacking tools
Cybercriminals are smart and they continually hone their skills and tools. They are also quite capitalistic. Some have developed products – hacking tools – think of these as took kits they sell on the dark web to less skillful hackers.
“It really has created a more dangerous environment,” says Sorensen, citing the WannaCry attack from earlier this year as one where the attackers used hacking tools likely purchased and put to nefarious purposes.
Internet of Things
Web connected devices are no longer limited to just our computers, tablets and phones. In your home alone your refrigerator, your thermostat and other devices like Amazon buttons used to order specific products when you are running low – are all built more for your convenience than your security. Since they are connected to the internet, they are potential weaknesses for hackers to exploit.
“If a criminal could take over one of those devices he could conceivably see and abuse other devices where I do have sensitive information,” says Sorensen.
Mobile Security
Cellphone are with us everywhere we go and more and more they are tracking our every move. That data can make for a better user experience, but it is also important to know how to keep the data on them secure. That can begin with putting a passcode on the device and, in some cases, may require some antivirus software just like on a computer.
For more insight on the simple steps you can take to protect against these threats and what to do if you fall victim to a cybercrime, listen to the full episode above.
Our Guests
Sergeant Jeff Plank began his career with the Utah Highway Patrol in 1998. He transferred to the Utah State Bureau of Investigation in 2001 and worked on the Methamphetamine Precursor Unit, Narcotics Unit and the Utah County Major Crimes Task Force. In 2006 he was promoted to Sergeant and supervised a Major Crimes Unit, which was responsible for narcotics, fraud and violent crime investigations. In 2013 Sergeant Plank was assigned to supervise the Utah State Bureau of Investigation’s Cyber Crime Unit, which is embedded with the FBI’s Cyber Task Force in Salt Lake City. Sergeant Plank investigates various kinds of Internet fraud and financially motivated computer intrusions. He is currently enrolled in the Cyber Security and Information Assurance Master’s program at Southern Utah University.
Matt Sorensen helps companies strengthen their cybersecurity defenses. He has seventeen years of experience as an information security professional, and six years as an attorney. He currently leads the Cyber Risk Program Management service at Secuvant, a Utah-based provider cybersecurity threat detection and risk management. Mr. Sorensen is an active member of the Utah state bar, and past-Chair of its Cyberlaw section. He is also a member of the Utah chapters of ISSA and ISACA, is a member and contributor to several American Bar Association’s committees, has been published by the ABA, the ISSA Journal, and Inside Counsel magazine, and holds sixteen industry certifications. He regularly appears on local media outlets to comment on cybersecurity issues.