Disruption IV: The New Threat Disruptionware Poses to the American Energy Sector

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Over the past few months, I have written about the threat first identified by the Institute for Critical Infrastructure Technology (ICIT) called disruptionware. We have previously described what disruptionware is, how it works, and outlined some of the defenses that can be used to defend against a multitude of disruptionware attacks. Many may have thought the immediate notifications of the threat posed by this new concept of disruptionware had been adequately made public and sufficiently identified. Unfortunately, disruptionware continues to impact new sectors.

According to ICIT, disruptionware is an evolving category of malware designed to “suspend operations within the victim organization through the compromise of the availability, integrity and confidentiality of the data, systems, and networks belonging to the target.” Recently, ICIT identified a new threat from disruptionware that will likely have a seriously adverse effect on the American energy sector. ICIT goes so far as to refer to disruptionware in the context of an attack on the U.S. energy grid as a “weapon of mass destruction.”

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DoD’s Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification Is Here: What Your Business Needs to Do to Prepare

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On September 1, 2020, Department of Defense (DoD) contractors will be required to comply with the recently released Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) requirements. The CMMC requirements are designed to ensure that suppliers, contractors and subcontractors working with the DoD’s Office of Acquisition and Sustainment have cybersecurity frameworks in place “to assess and enhance the cybersecurity posture of the Defense Industrial Base (DIB).” Through the creation of the CMMC, DoD appears to be enhancing the requirements of NIST 800-171, ISO 27001 and other cybersecurity-related frameworks.

The CMMC model delineates five “maturity” levels, with level 1 being the least secure and level 5 being the most secure. Once the CMMC takes effect, DoD will assign all solicitations an appropriate maturity level that bidders must be able to meet if they wish to bid on the solicitation.

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New York Department of Financial Services Issues New Guidance Regarding COVID-19 Cybersecurity Risks

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On April 13, 2020, the New York Department of Financial Services (NYDFS) issued new guidance to all New York State Regulated Entities to highlight “a significant increase in cybercrime” related to the COVID-19 epidemic. NYDFS’s guidance identified “several areas of heightened cybersecurity risk as a result of the crisis.” These risks include:

  • Remote Working – The mass shift to remote working forced by COVID-19 has created new security threats which are being exploited by hackers. Regulated entities should take proactive steps to address these new security threats. Among other things, regulated entities should take steps to make their remote access as secure as possible by using multi-factor authentication and VPNs. Companies also should ensure that devices used to access networks are properly secured and/or controlled. Regulated entities also must take steps to ensure the security of remote working communications, like video conferencing applications. Finally, companies should ensure that employees are not accessing or sending sensitive or non-public information through personal email accounts or devices.

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COVID-19 and Cybersecurity: Combating “Zoombombing” and Securing Your Remote Working Videoconferences

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As COVID-19 has prompted a massive shift by organizations to the implementation and use of remote working solutions for their employees, there has been an unfortunate, but not surprising, corresponding rise in malicious actors seeking to exploit remote working solutions.

Over the past few weeks, the most notable and prevalent “digital hijacking” has occurred on the Zoom teleconferencing application. Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been an explosion in the number of individuals using the Zoom application. Prior to the pandemic, Zoom averaged approximately 10 million users per day. However, Zoom now estimates that approximately 200 million users per day utilize its videoconferencing application. These users not only include remote workers, but also many school children and teachers who utilize the Zoom application for remote learning.

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COVID-19 & Cybersecurity: What Companies and Employees Should Know About Remote Working

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The spread of COVID-19 has prompted an enormous shift by organizations to the use and implementation of remote working solutions for a wide range and number of employees. Unfortunately – but perhaps not surprisingly – this shift has provided malicious cyber actors with additional ways to infiltrate remote use networks. The spread of COVID-19 has brought with it a huge surge in data security incidents, as hackers look to exploit new organizational vulnerabilities and distracted and overburdened IT security personnel.

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