July 2020
Beware of the Dragon
By Peter Aggus
The controversy surrounding Huawei is often front-page news these days. The US wants them removed from all networks on security grounds. The UK has just mandated that no new Huawei kit will be installed and all existing kit must be removed over the next few years. This will have a massive impact on 5G rollout as well as costs from pulling out perfectly good equipment. Time for a closer non-political look at what this all means to operators and customers.
The History of Ransomware
By Elleni Koskinen
Ransomware attacks have posed a considerable threat to individuals and organizations alike since the mid- 2000s. However, the first attack actually occurred much earlier, in 1989. Since then, attacks have gotten much more sophisticated and prevalent. Let’s take a look at how ransomware has evolved over the years, how it attacks and who it targets, and what the future of ransomware looks like.
Before the Security Scan
By Ellen Koskinen-Dodgson
Many IT departments run vulnerability scans or pen tests, then fail to take action. After a major data breach an IT Director will be asked “Did you know about this risk?” Far too commonly, the answer is “Yes but we haven’t had time to deal with it—our scan report made so many recommendations!” Best practice is to focus security efforts on sensitive and critical data. So before you scan, decide what data needs protecting and where it can be found.
Understanding Natural Risks
By Guy Robertson
Natural risks affect every environment on Earth. No space is free from natural phenomena that human beings consider negative: high winds, floods, storms, epidemics and pandemics, earthquakes, tsunamis, wildfires, landslides, volcanic eruptions, and heat waves. Given the current state of affairs in our world, more organizations than ever are coming face-to-face with the reality of their preparedness (or lack thereof) for natural risks.