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The Internet of Things – Looming Security Nightmare?

Internet Concept The Internet of Things (IoT) is a term that describes a new paradigm emerging in our cyber world. It has been described as “uniquely identifiable objects and their virtual representations in an Internet-like structure”.1 Essentially this means an interconnected network of pretty much anything we can think of (refrigerators, televisions, highway sensors, tracking personal activity, monitoring groundwater runoff, etc.). If you haven’t heard of IoT before, you will hear a lot about it from now on. Our global world is shrinking, and an inherently human trait is finding ways of doing things smarter, faster, and more efficiently.

What does this have to do with Cyber Risk?

There are two sides to the coin. As we strive to do things smarter, there are always unintended consequences. Bringing a smart TV into our homes means having it automatically connect to our home network so we can enjoy movies when we want. But that also means cybersecurity becomes an issue. For example, if someone manages to get inside of our network, finds all of the devices connected to that network, and starts using that computer power as part of their BotNet, then society at large has a big problem. And that is exactly what is happening.

 What is the solution?

The Internet of Things, just like the public Internet, is now growing extremely fast. It is estimated that in just six years (2020), there will be more than 30 billion things interconnected via the Internet.2 Being aware of the growing cyber security problem, and learning what it means to each of us, is a critical first step. And as we develop these new things, and decide to connect them to our networks, we must keep the risk in mind. When deciding to use technology in our lives we must always consider, Is the risk worth the benefit?

Is the risk worth the benefit?

In our highly interconnected global village of people and things, our interdependencies with each other is undeniable. Like it or not, the IoT will continue to grow and affect our lives. It is up to each of us to make sure we understand and manage the risks, so that we realize a net benefit in this new world, the world of IoT.

1 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_of_Things

2 https://www.abiresearch.com/press/more-than-30-billion-devices-will-wirelessly-conne


Senior Management Poses Greatest Security Risk

Executive with laptopAccording to security firm Stroz Friedberg’s poll of 764 information workers who regularly use a computer for their jobs, senior management shows the highest risk of leaking sensitive information. Fifty-eight per cent of the polled senior managers said they have mistakenly sent sensitive information, and 51 per cent said they have taken sensitive data with them after leaving a job—twice as many as lower-level workers.

Other statistics from the poll:

  • Nearly 75 per cent of workers upload work files to a personal email or cloud account.

The reason for this potentially risky behavior? Thirty-seven per cent say they simply prefer using their personal computers, and 14 per cent say it’s too much work to bring their work computer home.

  • Only 37 per cent of workers say they’ve received mobile device security training.

Cyber security isn’t just IT’s problem—it takes a company-wide effort to ensure your sensitive data remains safe.  Contact us today to find out what else you can be doing to enhance your security efforts.

 

© 2014 Zywave, Inc. All rights reserved.


Apple’s Security Breach Should Scare You More thanTarget’s Did

Source: The Blaze
Published: 02/24/14

hand holding appleApple’s security protocol breach is nearly as bad as handing your credit card straight to a hacker rather than making them steal the information through the magnetic stripe readers.

The flaw in Apple’s iOs and OS X platforms essentially allows a hacker to get in between the initial verification “handshake” connection between the user and the destination server, enabling the adversary to masquerade as a trusted endpoint. This means the connection which is supposed to be encrypted between you and your bank, email server, healthcare provider and more is open to attack.

Secure Sockets Layers, and more recently, Transport Layer Security protocols have protected web users for years by creating a digital secure handshake to identify and encrypt data from the browser to the secure end site. The Apple flaw puts hackers in the middle of that handshake, by allowing the SSL/TSL routines to be bypassed. 

Security experts across the web recommend updating iPhones and iPads with the available iOS patches now, and using browsers other than Safari for OS X systems without an available Apple fix.   Read more >>


ABEX Proudly Supports David Foster Foundation to Help Children with Transplants

DFF Gala 2013Jim McGregor of ABEX and his wife Alix are proud supporters of the David Foster Foundation.  The couple attended the Foundation’s Miracle Concert in Toronto on December 5th that featured performances by classical singer Andrea Bocelli, iconic group Earth, Wind & Fire, stand-up comedian Sinbad, and Canadian singing ensemble The Tenors, among others. The event raised $4.2 million and helped raise awareness of importance of life-saving organ transplants.

4.2 millionThe David Foster Foundation Miracle Concert has become a national tradition for music lovers as it draws many critically acclaimed musicians who have worked with Foster over his 40 year career as one of the world’s top music composers and producers.  A winner of 16 Grammy Awards, the Victoria native has been a producer for such successful musical artists as Bryan Adams, Michael Bublé, Mariah Carey, Céline Dion, Josh Groban, Beyoncé Knowles, Shania Twain, and many more.

David Foster Foundation SignThe David Foster Foundation is a non-profit charitable organization dedicated to providing financial support for non-medical expenses to Canadian families with children in need of life-saving organ transplants. In the past 26 years, the David Foster Foundation has assisted more than 800 families with children in need of major organ transplants, providing millions of dollars in direct family support, with its financial commitment to families ranging from $200 up to $100,000.  To learn more about the Foundation, click here to visit their website.


Cyberattack surge may be the new normal

Publication Date: 02/03/15
Source: TheStar.com

Best Internet Concept of global business from concepts seriesOur growing connectedness — along with “simple cluelessness” — giving hackers an edge that’s only likely to get worse.

Bell Canada, French mobile operator Orange and U.S. hotel management firm White Lodging are among the latest targets of cyber attacks that are growing exponentially in an ever more connected world.

Experts say breaches of corporate data bases have ramped up thanks to factors such as the rise of third-party or cloud storage, the proliferation of open-source smartphones, and the advance of banking and other financial transactions across mobile platforms.

Add in increasingly sophisticated hacking tools and more brute computing power and the result is an easier road for criminals aiming to breach protected data, said Queen’s University professor David Skillicorn.

While the average business or consumer is more capable of countering cyber attacks today compared to a decade ago, Skillicorn said the hackers remain a few steps ahead.

He also blamed the “simple cluelessness” of such practices as maintaining default password settings for many data compromises, although Kaan Yigit, president of Toronto-based consulting firm Solutions Research Group, said more breaches are happening “because more and more of our lives and money is online”.  Read more >>


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