Nonprofit Cyber

Today is the 2nd edition of #MoreThanAPasswordDay ! With cyberattacks on the rise, it’s clear: relying on passwords alone is no longer enough to protect our digital identities. Today, we release an updated version of the Common Guidance on Passwords with 132 signatories worldwide. Beyond the dissemination of good practices, this year we welcome the enforcement of MFA on new platforms. Visit Nonprofit Cyber’s updated guidance to get started on better protection today: https://lnkd.in/ef3mhw6j.

We're excited to announce that Nonprofit Cyber is growing! Today, we welcome five new members: 1?? ISMS Forum— Advancing information security across lusophone- and Spanish-speaking regions. 2?? National Cybersecurity Center (NCC) — Transforming U.S. national cybersecurity with an interdisciplinary approach. 3?? SecurityForCommunity — Providing critical cyber defense resources to vulnerable communities. 4?? Netsafe New Zealand — Leading online safety efforts across New Zealand and beyond. 5?? Quad9 DNS — Enhancing global online security by blocking threats at the DNS level. Each of these members brings unique expertise and a shared dedication to protecting individuals and organizations worldwide. As Philip Reitinger, Co-Chair of Nonprofit Cyber, said: “Together, we work to create a safer, more resilient digital ecosystem worldwide.” Read our news release: https://lnkd.in/eVC_u685 Welcome to our coalition! #Cybersecurity #DigitalSafety #NonprofitCyber #OnlineSafety #GlobalPartnership #CyberAwareness

Advances in AI present key #cybersecurity opportunities, but how might malicious actors utilize the same tech? IST’s latest report investigates the state of existing and potential integrations of AI in cybersecurity based on our research and interviews with industry stakeholders. In “The Implications of Artificial Intelligence in Cybersecurity,” authors Jennifer Tang, Tiffany Saade, and Steven M. Kelly, CISSP argue that while the near-term advantage? goes to the defender, AI presents numerous opportunities for bad actors, including the use of LLMs to analyze, summarize, and generate content for use in the attack cycle. To stay ahead, the report puts forward 7 priority recommendations to address both realized and prospective implications of AI in cybersecurity, including with regard to content analysis, user authentication, software security, security operations, and adversarial reconnaissance and targeting: Recommendations:? 1?? Protect sensitive data from malicious AI-enabled content analysis.? 2?? Supplement watermarking with alternative deepfake detection approaches.? 3?? Modernize authentication approaches to account for AI. 4?? Educate society to navigate the challenges brought by AI deepfakes. 5?? Optimize both human and AI resources to achieve efficiency and software quality. 6?? Integrate AI into security operations workflows, but protect your model.? 7?? Minimize external attack surface; for critical systems, strive for invisibility. In the near-term, the report concludes that “the ‘home field’ advantage…will be difficult for an adversary to overcome. Furthermore, first-mover advantage seems to be squarely with western and likeminded governments and technology firms.” “Additionally, the cyber workforce is already realizing the benefits of AI across numerous arduous tasks that have not traditionally scaled well,” such as writing secure code, finding and fixing bugs and flaws, and re-writing software in memory safe languages. Despite opportunities for bad actors, as of right now, “only the most sophisticated state actors are likely keeping pace.” However, “Generative AI’s application in personalized, context-rich phishing and impersonation is…available to actors of all stripes, from the lowliest ransomware gang to the ‘pacing threat’ state actor.” Ultimately, “Staying ahead will require continued investment, innovation, and integration, as this is an arms race that is just getting started.” ?? Read “The Implications of Artificial Intelligence in Cybersecurity: Shifting the Offense-Defense Balance:” https://lnkd.in/eRzeBgX4

According to the #RansomwareTaskForce’s fourth Global Ransomware Incident Map, #ransomware attacks increased 73% in 2023. Using eCrime.ch data, the map analyzes incidents across 117 countries originating from 66 ransomware groups. Map authors Deputy Director for Digital Security Taylor Grossman and Future of Digital Security Associate Trevaughn Smith attribute this significant rise to the evolving methods of ransomware groups, including an increase in “big game hunting,” or the targeting of high-value orgs. The same six sectors saw the most incidents in 2022 and 2023: construction, hospitals and health care, government, IT services and consulting, and financial services. “While ransomware gangs are increasing the frequency of their attacks, their targets remain largely unchanged,” the report notes. Rises across sectors “suggest that cyber criminals still stand to profit from the Ransomware-as-a-Service (RaaS) model.” The ransomware group CL0P, for instance, exploited a zero-day vulnerability in a file transfer software, leading to a surge in activity in June and July 2023. LockBit, meanwhile, stood out as a “stable” player, launching continual attacks throughout the year. In 2023, eCrime.ch data identified a 49% increase in ransomware incidents in Latin America, as well as a 58% increase in Southeast Asia. In both regions, the group LockBit was responsible for the majority of attacks, progressively targeting governments and state-owned enterprises. Looking ahead to 2024, IST and the RTF anticipate an increase in “big game hunting” attacks as cyber criminals adapt & create new ways to further extort victims. We also note the execution of Operation Chronos, a major global disruptive operation targeting LockBit, and look forward to unpacking its long-term effects. As articulated in the RTF’s April 2024 progress report, 24 of the RTF’s original 48 recommendations have seen little to no action since 2021. Continued & coordinated efforts from both industry and government are essential for strategic, global disruption of ransomware activity. ???Read the Ransomware Task Force’s Doubling Down: https://lnkd.in/enXextNr ???Read the 2023 Ransomware Task Force Global Ransomware Incident Map:?https://lnkd.in/eD4XzCUV

Nearly half of consumers have experienced cyberattacks or digital scams, with Black and Hispanic Americans disproportionately harmed by these threats. Read the new Consumer Reports 2024 Consumer Cyber Readiness Report, released in partnership with Aspen Digital and the Global Cyber Alliance. Special thanks to Craig Newmark, leader of the #CyberCivilDefense initiative, whose support was crucial in making this report possible. #CybersecurityAwarenessMonth

Stories of the heroes safeguarding those who safeguard us. ? NGOs—feeding the hungry, treating the sick, driving global peace—are often the victims of #cyber threats. ? Did you know an ecosystem of nonprofits like OpenSecurityTraining2 work tirelessly to shield them? Beyond125 will gather the community to build support for this ecosystem. About the event: https://www.beyond125.org/ Xeno Kovah

Stories of the heroes safeguarding those who safeguard us. ? NGOs—feeding the hungry, treating the sick, driving global peace—are often the victims of #cyber threats. ? Did you know an ecosystem of nonprofits like Cloud Security Alliance work tirelessly to shield them? Beyond125 will gather the community to build support for this ecosystem. About the event: https://www.beyond125.org/ Jim Reavis Courtney Stiven Troy Leach Kurt Seifried Illena Armstrong

Stories of the heroes safeguarding those who safeguard us. ? NGOs—feeding the hungry, treating the sick, driving global peace—are often the victims of #cyber threats. ? Did you know an ecosystem of nonprofits like FIRST work tirelessly to shield them? Beyond125 will gather the community to build support for this ecosystem. About the event: https://www.beyond125.org/ Chris Gibson Klée Aiken

Stories of the heroes safeguarding those who safeguard us. ? NGOs—feeding the hungry, treating the sick, driving global peace—are often the victims of #cyber threats. ? Did you know an ecosystem of nonprofits like MITRE ATT&CK work tirelessly to shield them? Beyond125 will gather the community to build support for this ecosystem. About the event: https://www.beyond125.org/ Jonathan Baker Denise Davenport

We just updated Top ATT&CK Techniques with: ? Support for the most recent version of MITRE ATT&CK ? Improved user experience ? Expanded and refreshed telemetry data from Sightings 2.0 Top ATT&CK Techniques is one of our most widely used projects because it is applicable to any team that uses ATT&CK. Both highly sophisticated teams and those that are just getting started with ATT&CK use it to systematically prioritize ATT&CK techniques to focus on next. ?“Where should I start with ATT&CK?” - > Top ATT&CK Techniques is an easy entry point for all teams. Top ATT&CK Techniques https://lnkd.in/ejhURpXH Sightings 2.0 https://lnkd.in/ebHgjmXT #threatinformeddefense Center for Threat-Informed Defense