The Wolf Howl July 2024 Edition –? Blue Screen Blues.? A Wakeup call for Cybersecurity Industry

Greetings Cyberwolves,

Welcome to our July edition of "The Wolf Howl".

July has been a month of chaos, from local water interruptions to global blue screen disruptions, that have prompted countries, companies and communities to reassess their resilience and ensure that robust cybersecurity measures are in place.?

Millions of Microsoft Windows devices were affected a few weeks ago. This global shutdown triggered widespread disturbance and chaos for airlines, banks, broadcasters, healthcare providers, retail payment terminals and cash machines. Data and technology fuel every facet of our lives, and this IT outage was a massive wake-up call for cybersecurity specialists to ensure their fortress is well defended.?

This interruption has sparked talks about organisational and third-party accountability and how disrupted services emphasise the vulnerabilities that even leading cybersecurity firms can face. Businesses of all sizes need to reassess and evaluate their own cyber defences that extend beyond inconvenience, posing significant risks to data integrity, operational continuity, and, ultimately, organisational reputation.?

This recent global outage is a glaring reminder for organisations to look at lessons learned and how to move forward:?

Understand Cyber Resilience: Discover how it encompasses the ability to prepare for, respond to, and recover from cyber threats.?

Key Takeaways and Lessons Learnt: Analyse the contributing factors and understand the steps CrowdStrike took to mitigate the impact. Learn from their experience to strengthen your own cybersecurity posture.?

Strategies for Enhancing Cyber Resilience: Gain insights into practical measures your organisation can implement. From robust incident response plans to advanced threat detection and employee training, we cover actionable steps to fortify your defences.?

Expert Insights and Best Practices: Hear from cybersecurity experts on the latest trends and best practices in cyber resilience. Their advice can help you navigate the complex landscape of cyber threats.?

As we continue to rely on digital infrastructure, information and solutions for our everyday operations, it's imperative to stay ahead of potential threats. By building a resilient and strong cyber framework and foundation, we protect our crown jewels and ensure the continuity and trust that our stakeholders depend on.?

Stay safe and vigilant.

Yours Securely

#protectioninthepack

Thank you to all who joined the "Cybersecurity and Resilience Requirements Joint Standard, " webinar.?

Those who missed it or wish to revisit the discussion can access the webinar on-demand by clicking HERE .?

Register for the next webinar, African Cybersecurity and Privacy Compliance which will be held on the 22nd of August 2024 at 09:00 am.?

Last week, one of the largest IT outages in history disrupted businesses and governments worldwide. The outage was a stark reminder of the importance of cyber resilience in an increasingly digital world.

From Global Impact: CyberCube, a specialist modelling firm for cyber risks and exposures, has estimated that insurance industry losses from the CrowdStrike-linked global IT outage for the standalone cyber insurance market will be between $400 million and $1.5 billion.

?According to CyberCube, last week's IT outage represents a loss ratio impact of somewhere between 3% and 10% on global cyber premiums of $15 billion.

A massive IT outage is currently?affecting computer systems worldwide.

Across the globe, reports indicate computers at banks, media organisations, hospitals, transport services, shop checkouts, airports and more have all been impacted. In South Africa, the biggest bank by customers, Capitec, was hit.

Leidos, an IT provider to high-security government agencies, suffered a data breach linked to a third-party provider.

Hackers leaked internal documents stolen from Leidos Holdings Inc., a major U.S. government IT services provider, according to a source familiar with the situation. The company recently discovered the issue and believes the documents were taken during a previously disclosed breach of a third-party system it used.

A popular hacking forum leaked the largest password compilation with nearly ten billion unique passwords. The Cybernews research team believes the leak poses severe dangers to users prone to reusing passwords.?

Cybernews researchers discovered what appears to be the largest password compilation with a staggering 9,948,575,739 unique plaintext passwords. The file with the data, titled rockyou2024.txt, was posted on July 4th by forum user ObamaCare.

Data privacy law in Africa: Emerging perspectives delves into the profound impact of data privacy on individuals, businesses, and governments across the continent. Experts from diverse African nations provide a comprehensive view of the evolving regulatory frameworks guiding data privacy, exploring its legal, social, economic, and cultural implications.?

?Examining emerging contexts such as Artificial Intelligence, vulnerable groups, and the challenges presented by COVID-19, the book sheds light on the present and envisions future trajectories in data governance. A valuable resource for those navigating the intricate intersection of law and technology in Africa, covering innovative solutions and best practices for enhanced data privacy.

Wolfpack Information Risk, a specialist in cybersecurity, privacy, and resilience solutions, proudly announces the "Protection in the Pack Series" launch. A comprehensive guide designed to equip individuals, families, and organisations with essential digital survival skills.?

The "Protection in the Pack Series" stands out by using real-world examples and practical tools to help readers relate to the material and apply the concepts to their personal and professional lives. Visual aids are incorporated throughout the series to enhance understanding and retention of key concepts.?

Social Engineering exploits human psychology rather than technical hacking techniques to gain access to systems, networks, or data.?

Attackers deceive individuals into breaking standard security procedures, often by manipulating them into making security mistakes or giving away sensitive information.?

Follow our weekly awareness posts to delve deeper into taking responsibility for your online safety.?

#wolfpack #cybersecurityawareness #protectioninthepack #socialengineering #familyandsocialrelationships #redflags #worklifebalance #cybercrimeselfdefence

Fraud Risk Assessment: 5 Essentials Every Plan Must Have!?

How Can Companies Protect Their Supply Chains from Cyber Threats??

Explore essential strategies to protect supply chains from cyber threats, including risk assessment and employee training.

How Can Companies Protect Their Supply Chains from Cyber Threats?

This blog post explores supply chain cyber security, highlighting best practices for effective cyber supply chain risk management. Learn how to protect your supply chain from cyber threats, ensuring smooth operations and safeguarding sensitive information.

South African literacy is shockingly low. Our partners are doing their best to teach the children in their programmes, but they are often hindered by lack of resources. Often when we visit a new school we see that their “library corner” that has only 5 books which are tattered or missing pages. We would love to share the love of reading (and do our bit to combat the literacy crisis in South Africa) by donating fun books to each one of our partners.

Our focus for this book drive is on preschool books and early readers (think board books, picture books, and books with simple sentences). These will be shared among the preschools that we support.

?Books for older children are also welcome and will be shared with the kids in our Vulnerable Families programme. Through regularly distributing books according to their preferences we have managed to create a few young readers who routinely ask their mentors for new reading material!

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Start Sponsoring and be the change you wish to see in the world. Together, we can make a lasting impact.

At Africa Food for Thought, we are committed to making a difference in the lives of children and families in need. Through our sponsorship programmes, you can be a beacon of hope and transformation for the less fortunate.