Scott Ikeda, Senior Correspondent at CPO Magazine

Businessman with tablet and earth globe hologram showing cybersecurity predictions

Cybersecurity Predictions for 2025: Mesh Architectures, Ransomware Regulations and the Specter of Human Casualties

December 24, 2021

This year's set of Gartner cybersecurity predictions touches on the expected growth of privacy laws and ransomware regulations, changes to corporate security structures, and even a warning of the first uses of operational technology to cause human casualties.

Digital data flow on road showing data transfers and surveillance

Data Privacy News

Can EU-US Data Transfers be Restored? Research on Surveillance Reforms Offer a Potential Path Forward

December 23, 2021

Restoration of simple EU-US data transfers hinges on assurances from the US that these communications will not be subject to government surveillance. A new research paper looks to untangle this problem and provide some sort of a path forward.

Hacker coding at night showing ransomware groups

Cyber Security News

Ransomware Groups Able to Rebrand and Reform Before Regulations Catch Up, Small Businesses May Be Next in the Crosshairs

December 22, 2021

Report from security firm Analyst1 illustrates how agile ransomware groups have become, to the point that they are backing off and regrouping with new tactics before slow-moving legislation and enforcement can catch up with them.

Data Privacy News

Apple App Tracking Transparency Framework Faces Antitrust Investigation in Poland; Regulator Examining Connection to Apple Search Ads

December 21, 2021

Polish antitrust investigation is interested in Apple's plans for its own limited targeted advertising product, but apparently will also be examining the real world effectiveness of the App Tracking Transparency framework.

Woman using smartphone and Facebook showing surveillance companies banned

Data Privacy News

Seven “Cyber Mercenary” Surveillance Companies Banned by Facebook/Meta for Digging Up Information on Users

December 20, 2021

Meta is taking aim at private surveillance companies that it says act as "cyber mercenaries" for hire. The Facebook parent company has banned seven of these companies from the platform, citing the targeting of users in over 100 countries.

Cloud computing technology with locks showing ransomware attack on payroll provider

Cyber Security News

Widely-Used Kronos Payroll Provider Down for “Weeks” Due to Ransomware Attack; Was Log4Shell Involved?

December 17, 2021

Kronos, a payroll provider known to be used by several thousand companies ranging from Tesla to National Public Radio (NPR), had its Private Cloud service go offline due to a ransomware attack. There is speculation that the Log4Shell vulnerability was involved.

Men fishing in sunset and relaxing showing phishing test

Cyber Security News

One in Five Employees Fail the Gone Phishin’ Test as Security Hygiene Remains a Chronic Problem

December 17, 2021

The latest Gone Phishin' event, finds that about 20% of the subjects were compromised by a simulated phishing email; almost 15% did not recognize a malicious download site. Larger organizations, or those that would be expected to have more robust security training programs, tended to fare the worst.

Man typing keyboard with virus warning on screen showing cryptojacking botnet

Cyber Security News

Google Disrupts Glupteba Cryptojacking Botnet With Removal of Hosted Ads, Documents and Accounts, & Notifications to Web Hosts

December 15, 2021

Pernicious botnet used for cryptojacking has taken a major blow thanks to Google. Glupteba has been operating for some months and was thought to be compromising thousands of people per day at its peak.

Moscow city business complex at evening showing Tor network ban and internet control

Data Privacy News

Russia Prevents Access to Tor Network at Federal Level as Kremlin Ramps Up Campaign of Internet Control

December 14, 2021

The Tor network will no longer be officially available to residents of Russia after a government ban. Taking a path that somewhat resembles China's program of internet control, the Russian government has made a series of moves to restrict access to websites.

Woman holds iPhone with Facebook app on the screen showing Apple privacy rules

Data Privacy News

Apple Loosens Privacy Rules to Allow User-Level “Signals” That Are Anonymized

December 14, 2021

Apple's privacy rules will still block developers from the convenience of using each device's unique identifying number without permission, but it appears a number of anonymized device-level "signals" will now be fair game for ad tracking purposes.

Cybersecurity Predictions for 2025: Mesh Architectures, Ransomware Regulations and the Specter of Human Casualties

Can EU-US Data Transfers be Restored? Research on Surveillance Reforms Offer a Potential Path Forward

Ransomware Groups Able to Rebrand and Reform Before Regulations Catch Up, Small Businesses May Be Next in the Crosshairs

Apple App Tracking Transparency Framework Faces Antitrust Investigation in Poland; Regulator Examining Connection to Apple Search Ads

Seven “Cyber Mercenary” Surveillance Companies Banned by Facebook/Meta for Digging Up Information on Users

Widely-Used Kronos Payroll Provider Down for “Weeks” Due to Ransomware Attack; Was Log4Shell Involved?

One in Five Employees Fail the Gone Phishin’ Test as Security Hygiene Remains a Chronic Problem

Google Disrupts Glupteba Cryptojacking Botnet With Removal of Hosted Ads, Documents and Accounts, & Notifications to Web Hosts

Russia Prevents Access to Tor Network at Federal Level as Kremlin Ramps Up Campaign of Internet Control

Apple Loosens Privacy Rules to Allow User-Level “Signals” That Are Anonymized

String of Ransomware Cyber Attacks Prompts First “Cybersecurity State of Emergency” Declaration From Japan

Oracle Health Data Breach Impacted Over 20 Million Patients

Data Breach at Denmark’s Central Population Registry Impacts 8.8 Million People

ASOS Data Breach Led to Customers Receiving Unauthorized Push Notifications