Tag: Security

Cyber security is not a solved problem. As technology continues to advance, so do the methods and techniques used by cyber criminals to breach security systems and steal sensitive information. I love new technology and love solving new cyber challenges that come with new technology. So I asked GPT-4 what kind of security challenges we need to manage in the near future. I was surprised by the accuracy of the answer:

“GPT-4 could be used to generate highly convincing phishing emails, fake news articles, deepfake videos which could be used to deceive individuals and organizations into divulging sensitive information or taking harmful actions. This could result in data breaches, financial losses, or reputational damage. Most cybersecurity issues with GPT-4 are not yet known.”

So think if a good cyber awareness course is on your agenda for this year. GPT-4 generated hacks and content will harm you sooner or later. Be prepared!

Complexity has become a significant issue for cyber security. Senior engineers and experts in the cyber domain with years of experience have developed a troubled sight on what is simple and what is complex. My personal core believe is that hard to solve security problems should be fixed through simple solutions. But remember: Simple is not easy. But finding a simple solution is one of my core principles when solving problems. Elegantly simple designs don’t happen by accident. They’re the result of difficult decisions and discussion. A good cyber simple solution does not reinvent the wheel.

Threats develop constantly as criminals advance their techniques and new vulnerabilities are discovered every day. Therefore, mitigation measures should be continuously developed and updated. However many organisations are depending too much on vulnerable vendor solutions that over promise but under deliver. Taking simple measures at scale, such as applying a security by design approach for all new projects is often lacking. There are no silver bullets when it comes to cyber security. It’s just doing the hard work. Daily.

This is an unusual post. This time, I want to emphasize the urgent need for reducing cybersecurity risks. We are on a tipping point. Security is required for safety and privacy. We are increasingly dependent on IT: Cars, trains, hospitals, medicines, energy, transportation are not possible today without IT. Without digital technology our world stops. But cyber security has become complex and is poisoned with solutions were transparency is lacking. It is time to stop reinventing the wheel. Simple solutions are often still the best. Make use of solid solutions that do work. There is no magic tool.

We are all humans. For severe cyber security problems we fall in love with so called ‘Holy Grail’ products. The product capabilities of these product are outlined with vague and difficult marketing buzz. So perfect for managers who lack a solid technical background. But deploying these products can be compared with deliberately installing a large backdoor in your trusted environment. Security by obscurity is a bad security principle. Demand openness and full transparency.

Today all software is under continuous attack. So focus on practical simple steps to improve cybersecurity. Increase the effectiveness of your current cybersecurity measurements and tools. Do not fall in the trap of buying another security defense application that promise to reduce cyber risks with lower costs and lower effort. A magic solution to reduce your cyber security threads does not exist.

Our lives heavily depend on software. So software should be open, secure and safe. But the reality is, unfortunately, that most software is malware and steals your private data. That is why I advocate FOSS and love to share cyber security knowledge and lessons learned so we can our world a bit nicer.

Zero-trust security principles could protect against insider threat by treating every component, service, and user of a system as continuously exposed to and potentially compromised by a malicious actor. But is zero-trust really a good name for this concept? Naming things is hard and a bad name is fuel for confusion.

Reducing complexity for information security means following key proven principles. Some key principles for simplifying security are e.g. prevention of security risks is easier for maintenance and good simple up-to-date documentation always helps. Bring it down to the crucial things.

Cyber offences, such as hacking, malware creation and distribution, and online fraud, present a substantial threat to organizations attempting to safeguard their data and information. Open and simple cyber security solutions always help.