Content by Mathew J. Schwartz

9 Cybersecurity Takeaways as COVID-19 Outbreak Grows

Mathew J. Schwartz  •  March 18, 2020

As a result of the COVID-19 outbreak, cybercriminals increasingly are targeting organizations that now have more remote workers and fewer IT and security staff at the ready to mitigate hacker attacks and intrusions, security experts say.

Fighting Coronavirus-Themed Ransomware and Malware

Mathew J. Schwartz  •  March 18, 2020

Attackers are continuing to use concerns over COVID-19 to distribute ransomware and malware, including for smartphones. The healthcare sector is perhaps at the greatest risk from these attacks because it's serving as the front-line defense against the disease.

COVID-19 Complication: Ransomware Keeps Hitting Healthcare

Mathew J. Schwartz  •  March 16, 2020

As the COVID-19 pandemic intensifies, public health efforts are being complicated by ransomware attacks continuing to hit healthcare facilities that are not only handling cases but also running frontline virus-testing labs.

Microsoft Patches Wormable SMBv3 Flaw

Mathew J. Schwartz  •  March 13, 2020

Microsoft has released an "out of band" security update to fix a flaw in SMBv3 that was accidentally disclosed publicly before a full fix had been prepared. Security experts warn that the flaw could be exploited to crash vulnerable systems and potentially execute arbitrary code.

Visual Journal: RSA 2020 Conference

Mathew J. Schwartz  •  March 12, 2020

The RSA cybersecurity conference once again this year gathered tens of thousands of individuals to network and attend keynotes and briefings on topics ranging from election security and genomics to privacy and cybercrime. Here are 20 visual highlights from this year's event.

Windows Alert: Critical SMB_v3 Flaw Requires Workaround

Mathew J. Schwartz  •  March 11, 2020

Microsoft has confirmed that a serious flaw in Windows SMB_v3 exists that could be exploited by attackers to remotely seize control of vulnerable systems. While no attacks have been seen in the wild, no patch for the wormable flaw is yet available. A workaround exists for servers, but not clients.

State of Privacy: California Takes the Lead With CCPA

Mathew J. Schwartz  •  March 11, 2020

Organizations have been scrambling to comply with the California Consumer Privacy Act before enforcement begins in July, say Caitlin Fennessy, research director of the International Association of Privacy Professionals, and Dominique Shelton Leipzig, a partner at Perkins Coie LLP.

Reducing Security Complexity a Top Challenge for CISOs

Mathew J. Schwartz  •  March 11, 2020

Reducing security complexity remains one of the toughest challenges facing CISOs, driven by the non-stop increase in threats, says Jeff Reed senior vice president of product at Cisco Security Business. Creating a sustainable solution will require advances in vendor interoperability, as well as automation and...

PwndLocker: Free Decryptor Frees Crypto-Locked Data

Mathew J. Schwartz  •  March 10, 2020

Security firm Emsisoft is offering free, customized decryptors to victims of PwndLocker ransomware, which first surfaced in late 2019 and has been tied to attacks against Lasalle County in Illinois and the Serbian city of Novi Sad, with the gang demanding up to $660,000 or more in bitcoins from its victims.

Careless and Malicious Insiders: The Threat Persists

Mathew J. Schwartz  •  March 10, 2020

Careless and malicious insiders, overly complex IT infrastructure and having an excess of privileged users continue to pose serious risks to the integrity of corporate cybersecurity practices, says Timothy Brown of SolarWinds.

The State of Endpoint Resilience: Improvement Required

Mathew J. Schwartz  •  March 10, 2020

The state of endpoint security might appear good at first glance, but look below the surface and the situation may not be as rosy as it seems, says Christy Wyatt, CEO of Absolute, based on her company's new "2020 Endpoint Resilience Report."

Ransomware Gangs Hit Larger Targets, Seeking Bigger Paydays

Mathew J. Schwartz  •  March 9, 2020

Targeted ransomware attacks continue to increase as gangs seek to obtain bigger ransom payoffs by hitting larger targets, aided by a cybercrime services economy that provides access to tools and tactics that were previously the domain of APT groups, security experts warn.

Security-as-a-Service Imperative: Predictive, Not Reactive

Mathew J. Schwartz  •  March 9, 2020

For maximum effectiveness, security-as-a-service solutions can no longer simply be reactive, but must instead be predictive, says Mat Gyde, CEO Security Division, NTT Ltd., and Palo Alto Network's Karl Soderlund, as they describe their companies' new partnership.

Why Risk Literacy Is Essential for Digital Transformation

Mathew J. Schwartz  •  March 9, 2020

Want to maximize your digital transformation project success and impact? Start by ensuring that you correctly explain risk to stakeholders, as well as continually benchmark your organization's risk management maturity, says ServiceNow's Barbara Kay.

How Technical Do CISOs Need To Be?

Mathew J. Schwartz  •  March 6, 2020

Do CISOs need to have deep technical proficiency? Many information security professionals will say: "Of course." Ask them which skills rank highest, however, and you'll hear words such as "communication" and "building trust," says Thom Langford, director of (TL)2 Security.