Author: Discerning Data Editorial Board

Non-Techies – Protect Your Digital Data by Securing Your Home and Business Wi-Fi

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I spent over 22 years in the FBI performing criminal cyber and forensics investigations. Many of these investigations led us to people who were innocent of the alleged crimes but who were guilty of unknowingly allowing criminals to hijack their home or business Wi-Fi networks. These cyber-criminals were committing crimes while leaving a digital fingerprint that pointed at people guilty only of poor Wi-Fi security.

If you do not encrypt your Wi-Fi settings, you may get an early morning visit from my former FBI colleagues investigating federal crimes such as child pornography or terrorist threats. Why? You might be the victim of a nefarious behavior known as “War Driving,” which occurs when cyber-criminals drive through your neighborhood, identify unencrypted Wi-Fi signals, and do their evil bidding using your Internet Protocol or IP address. When law enforcement checks the IP address associated with the criminal behavior, it is your name and address that surfaces. Often this connection can be the basis for a criminal search warrant with your name on it. Many a front door has knocked down as a result of this kind of search warrant.

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Faegre Drinker on Law and Technology Podcast: Cybersecurity and Incident Response — A Battle Plan

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You’ve been hacked! What happens next? In the latest episode of the Faegre Drinker on Law and Technology Podcast, host Jason G. Weiss talks with guests Serge Jorgensen, founding partner and chief technology officer at Sylint Cybersecurity, and Faegre Drinker’s Jay Brudz about the legal and technical aspects of a cybersecurity incident, action items leaders should be prepared to take in the immediate aftermath of a breach, and other critical decisions that will make or break your incident response.

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Disruptionware V: Malicious Cyber Actors Attack a Florida Water Treatment Facility

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We have posted four previous articles discussing the foundation and structure of what a disruptionware attack is, how their attack matrix works, possible defenses to disruptionware attacks and industries that are very susceptible to these attacks. Disruptionware has proven over the last year that it is a growing and dangerous cyber threat to our data, our businesses and possibly our lives.

Disruptionware attacks typically involve ransomware and they aim to encrypt and hold the victim’s data hostage. Such attacks are usually financially motivated, and, to date, there have fortunately been only a few known examples where the disruptionware attack has resulted in threats to health and safety or caused loss of life. When such significant collateral damage has occurred, it typically appears to have been inadvertently caused.

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Fifth Circuit Decision Motivates Covered Entities to Appeal Unreasonable Enforcement Outcomes

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The United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit (the “Court”) vacated a $4,348,000 civil monetary penalty (“CMP”) imposed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office for Civil Rights (“HHS-OCR”) in 2017 against the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center (“MD Anderson”) for alleged violations of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (“HIPAA”) Privacy Rule and HIPAA Security Rule. The Court held that OCR’s actions were “arbitrary, capricious, and otherwise unlawful” and remanded the case for further proceedings. While the case is not binding precedent outside the Fifth Circuit, MD Anderson is the first HIPAA Covered Entity to appeal its fine to a Circuit Court since the HIPAA Privacy Rule and the HIPAA Security Rule took effect. The ruling likely will motivate future HIPAA settlement negotiations with HHS-OCR and encourage HIPAA Covered Entities to appeal enforcement outcomes they consider unreasonable.

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Faegre Drinker on Law and Technology Podcast: Evolving U.S. and International Privacy Laws in 2021 and Beyond

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Privacy laws continue to proliferate both across U.S. states and at the international level, making it imperative for businesses to implement strong and adaptive data governance programs. In the latest episode of the Faegre Drinker on Law and Technology Podcast, host Jason G. Weiss and guests Mary Devlin Capizzi and Peter Blenkinsop look back on the evolution of privacy laws over the last 20 years, evaluate the impact of recent laws and how they may shape the future of privacy regulations, and provide some helpful guidance for companies working to stay on top of this evolving regulatory landscape.

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Buyer Beware: The Internet of Things Comes Under New Cyber Attack from Multiple Fronts

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It is estimated that by the end of 2020, there will be more than 50,000,000,000 (yes, billion) connected devices that are part of the Internet of Things (IoT). This is a five million percent increase in IoT devices over the last 20 years. Most of these devices are designed and manufactured for use in homes and vehicles or are wearable devices. These devices include everything from home security cameras to baby monitors, thermostats, car ignition starters, smart watches and even medical devices, such as pacemakers. There are literally thousands of different types of IoT devices that integrate into almost every aspect of your home and work life.

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