No Rest for the Cyber-Wicked in 2018, Security Researchers Warn

After an active year in 2017, with some of the biggest hacks in history, businesses shouldn’t expect any relief in 2018 from cybercriminals, according to security experts. In fact, 2018 is likely to result in more advanced attacks than ever.

Research from several cybersecurity firms predict that hackers have no intention of letting up in their lucrative, disruptive cyber campaigns. One report, issued by McAfee Labs, predicted that attackers will leverage connected devices, machine learning, and artificial intelligence in order to disrupt commerce. The firm warned that this would have the effect of making social engineering efforts more difficult to detect and signal a new wave of ransomware-style attacks.

Read more at https://www.advisenltd.com/2017/11/30/no-rest-cyber-wicked-2018-security-researchers-warn/

Erin Ayers, No rest for the cyber-wicked in 2018, security researchers warn (November 30, 2017), available with subscription at Advisen Cyber Front Page News.

Social Engineering Scams Prompt Coverage Litigation, Crime Policy Changes

Recent court decisions have offered conflicting views on whether and how crime insurance policies should respond to social engineering scams, reflecting an ongoing industry discussion on how best to handle this rising tide of crime.

In late July, the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York ruled that the “funds transfer fraud” provision in a crime policy issued to Medidata Solutions by Federal Insurance, a Chubb subsidiary, would cover the loss of funds due to spoof emails directing a wire transfer. In a similar case decided Aug. 1, American Tooling Center v. Travelers, the United States District Court for the Eastern District determined that the “computer fraud” provision of a Travelers policy would not cover a similar social engineering scam.

Read more at https://www.advisenltd.com/2017/08/10/social-engineering-scams-prompt-coverage-litigation-crime-policy-changes/

Erin Ayers, Ransomware attacks jump 50 percent, but accidental breaches a ‘major problem’ (August 3, 2017), available with subscription at Advisen Cyber Front Page News.

With Targets on Their Backs, Healthcare CISOs Fight to Protect Data

Healthcare chief information security officers (CISOs) know their organizations offer an appealing target for cybercriminals – and they’re doing everything they can to avoid being the next victims, according to a panel speaking during Advisen’s Cyber Risk Insights Conference here.

Panelists described the many moving parts to their organizations, with hundreds of healthcare professionals requiring access to sensitive information, cross-border compliance issues, legacy IT systems and medical devices, and vast networks of third-party partners.

“It’s really hard to go to a doctor who’s an expert in his field and say he needs to get rid of his X-ray machine that runs on Windows XP or Windows 98 when he says that’s the system that gives him the image he needs to save the patient,” said Robert Hill, CISO of the Mayo Clinic.”

Read more at http://www.advisenltd.com/2017/05/17/targets-backs-healthcare-cisos-fight-protect-data/

Erin Ayers, With targets on their backs, healthcare CISOs fight to protect data (May 17, 2017), available with subscription at Advisen Professional Front Page News.