Category Archives: Encryption
Combating Ransomware: 3 Growing Trends That Security Teams Must Watch – TechSpective
For organizations around the world, ransomware continues to be a growing problem, with many well-known companies and institutions falling victim. Within the last year, the Medusa ransomware group breached Minneapolis Public Schools and leaked the personal identifiable information (PII) including medical records of children. Additionally, the attack conducted by an individual associated with the REvil ransomware group on the Colonial Pipeline demonstrated the vulnerability of critical infrastructure. Amid increasing risks of ransomware attacks and data theft, global leaders created the Joint Ransomware Task Force in 2022 and recently held a summit at the White House to unveil additional cybersecurity funding for K-12 educational institutions.
Unfortunately, there is no immediate end in sight to the problem. A recent WatchGuard Internet Security Report found that endpoint ransomware detections increased 627% in Q4 last year. Attacks came in various styles, including IcedID infections, phishing campaigns, data exfiltration, pseudo-ransomware, and more.
As ransomware attacks continue to evolve, its clear that more work is needed from security teams to protect against these threats. Vigilance is key, and security teams must monitor the strategies and tactics of ransomware operations to better defend their organizations. Below, we walk through three emerging ransomware trends that every security team must monitor and tips on how teams should respond to maintain and protect network security.
Ransomware attacks appear to be growing more frequent, as a recent report by Chainalysis, an analysis firm that monitors the blockchain, observed ransomware extortion payments increasing in frequency and amounts. In tracking the inflow of cryptocurrency wallets owned by ransomware groups, Chainalysis found a pattern of increasing payments from victims ranging from thousands of dollars to millions. They also found that ransomware attackers extorted at least $449.1 million in payments in the first half of 2023, an increase of approximately $175 million over the same period in 2022.
However, the number of known victims and cryptocurrency payments dont cover the total number of victims and extortion cases. Some of the wallets ransomware operators use are unknown and difficult to track, especially if operators use cryptocurrency mixers that make tracking cryptocurrency on the public ledger significantly more difficult. As a result, the total number of payments is likely higher than $449.1 million, and the total number of victims is likely higher as well.
Another recent trend is the emergence of attacks that target VMware ESXi, which is a hypervisor that manages and deploys virtual machines within networks. Many active ransomware groups have a VMware ESXi encryptor, which allows them to target virtual machines as well as endpoints and servers. Some active groups using this tactic include Abyss, Akira, Black Basta, LockBit, RansomExx, and Royal. This trend illustrates how modern ransomware groups adapt and evolve to bypass defenses and target the machines that organizations use. It also shows why ransomware groups began to use programming languages like Rust and GoLang more frequently to avoid defenses.
Attacks on VMware ESXi servers made headlines when ransomware dubbed ESXiArgs breached thousands of servers worldwide in a few days. The servers were unpatched instances of VMware, and the attack was automated. This trend underscores why organizations must keep their systems updated and patched and avoid unnecessary internet exposure, as taking these steps can help mitigate such attacks and keep them from getting out of hand.
Ransomware operators can employ various blackmail and extortion tactics to coerce victims into delivering payment. Recently, theres been an increase in cases of data theft without file encryption. Ransomware operators are foregoing data encryption on a victims machine, instead choosing to exfiltrate data to perform a double-extortion attack. Presumably, some groups dont want to bother with deploying an encryptor and know they can use sensitive PII as a bargaining chip. Organizations can combat these double-extortion tactics by having a solid data backup and incident response plan.
Some notorious examples of ransomware data theft include the recent acts of the CL0P ransomware group. In early 2023, the GoAnywhere MFT file transfer software contained a zero-day vulnerability that the CL0P group exploited. Researchers found that after exploiting the software, the group exfiltrated data from dozens of companies that used it, subsequently extorting their victims on the groups double extortion page. Whether the group used an encryptor in its efforts is unknown. Additionally, the group exploited a zero-day vulnerability with MOVEit software, a secure file transfer service. As MOVEit is trusted software for major organizations and governments, hundreds of these entities were exposed to this zero-day vulnerability, and the number continues to grow.
Security teams looking to combat ransomware threats should focus on strengthening their network perimeters, endpoints, and incident response plans. They should also implement regular social engineering training, as more than 90% of all malware attempts begin with a social engineering attack.
Bolstering network perimeters and using technologies such as zero-trust networks are vital steps in ensuring protection. Additionally, ransomware attacks can be thwarted by a well-trained employee or heuristic-based anti-virus that detects abnormal behavior on the endpoint. If those initial security layers fail, an effective incident response plan can stop attacks from becoming too damaging. Combining these layers in a defense-in-depth approach delivers more effective security. Other preemptive steps that organizations should take to protect against ransomware include:
Also, the Joint Ransomware Task Force offers a detailed Blueprint for Ransomware Defense, which provides scores of actionable tips that security professionals can leverage to combat ransomware. Its tips cover a range of categories, including knowing your environment, secure configurations, account and access management, vulnerability management planning, malware defense, security awareness and skills training, and data recovery and incident response.
Ultimately, ransomware is similar to malware, as threat actors in both instances look to gain unauthorized access to your network. Therefore, many tried-and-true security practices apply. Its important to protect your network perimeter, monitor your endpoints for anomalous behavior, back up your systems regularly, and keep all systems up to date. If your organization adopts a broader focus on stopping malware and security breaches in general, deterrence to ransomware will follow suit.
To stay ahead of ransomware threats, security teams must focus on the tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) employed by threat actors that lead to ransomware. Utilizing a defense-in-depth strategy can deter malware from touching your network. If an attack gets through, security teams must have protections in place to neutralize it as soon as possible. Although ransomware threats continue to increase in complexity, adopting a multi-layered security approach will serve as your best defense and help keep out the bad guys.
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Combating Ransomware: 3 Growing Trends That Security Teams Must Watch - TechSpective
IT experts issue new warnings over Online Safety Bill plans to weaken end-to-end encryption – ComputerWeekly.com
Plans by the government in the Online Safety Bill to require tech companies to scan encrypted messages will damage the UKs reputation for data security, the UKs professional body for IT has warned.
BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT, which has 70,000 members, said that government proposals in the new laws to compromise end-to-end encryption are not possible without creating systemic security risks and in effect bugging millions of phone users.
The warning, in a study by the BCS Fellows Technical Advisory Group, comes as the controversial bill introducing new powers to monitor encrypted communications for child abuse and other illegal content returns for its third reading in the House of Lords.
The BCS argues in The Online Safety Bill and the role of technology in child protection, produced by a panel of 21 technology experts, that the government is seeking to impose a technical solution on a problem that can only be solved by broader interventions from police, social workers, and educators.
Some 70% of BCS members say they are not confident that it is possible to have both truly secure encryption and the ability to check encrypted messages for criminal material.
The chair of the BCS Fellows Technical Advisory Group, Adam Leon Smith, told Computer Weekly that the government cannot rely on untested technology to meet the objectives of the Online Safety Bill, which aims to protect internet users from illegal or harmful content.
The government is trying to legislate technology into existence. Rather than looking at broader approaches such as education, training and public awareness, it is looking for technology to solve the problems, he said.
The Online Safety Bill (OSB) gives the regulator Ofcom powers to require communications services to install accredited technology to inspect the contents of messages sent by end-to-end encrypted services for child abuse or terrorism content.
Ofcom will have powers to impose scanning technology without requiring authorisation from a court or an independent judicial commissioner, in effect bypassing the existing safeguards governing surveillance in the UKs Investigatory Powers Act 2016.
The proposals have led to a backlash from encrypted messaging providers, including WhatsApp, Signal and Element, which have threatened to withdraw their services from the UK if the bill becomes law.
The BCSs expert group said the proposed legislation is likely to damage the UKs international reputation on data security and its reputation as an effective regulator of technology.
As well as undermining the market for products developed in the UK, the OSB would make the UK an insecure link in cross-border communications, it said.
My fear for individuals is they will be forced to use technologies which do not protect privacy but claim that they do. My fear for businesses in the UK is they will become second-class citizens compared to their trading partners in terms of data adequacy, said Smith.
In Australia, a 2021 study by the Internet Society found that the Australian Telecommunications and Other Legislation Amendment (Assistance and Access) Act 2018, better known as TOLA - which gave the state powers to require communications company to assist in providing access to encrypted data - had the potential to cost the Australian economy multiple billions of dollars and to undermine trust in digital services and the internet.
Ofcom is expected to mandate technology known as client-side scanning to inspect the contents of communications sent by secure messaging services and mobile phones before they are encrypted.
This would require communications service providers to install software capable of analysing messages and to send reports back either to a government agency or a technology provider.
The BCS argues that client-side scanning would introduce a systemic vulnerability that could be exploited by criminals or hostile nation states that is likely to outweigh any benefit to law enforcement.
Another scanning technology under consideration, homomorphic encryption, which makes it possible to perform calculations on encrypted data to identify its content, would also weaken encryption.
BCS experts are divided over how long it will take to develop a useable version of homomorphic encryption, with estimates ranging from a few years to 20 years, said Smith.
But it wouldnt be end-to-end encryption. It would be a weakened version of it, he added.
The trade-off proposed by the Online Safety Bill, which will weaken the privacy of all citizens, including children, according to the BCS report, should be evidence based and proportionate to the problem.
Although end-to-end encryption has grown significantly since 2015, it has not lead to a decrease in UK prosecutions for images of abuse.
And in Germany a study by the Max Planck Institute showed that increased digital surveillance did not lead to an increase in criminal convictions.
At the same time police have shown that they have been able to penetrate fully encrypted communications systems following a series of cross-border operations to harvest messages from the EncroChat and Sky ECC phone networks and other encrypted services.
Research published by Imperial College London in May found that the risks of using client-side scanning are not yet well enough understood to justify its deployment on hundreds of millions of devices.
The university researchers warned that government agencies, including intelligence and law enforcement, could embed hidden features such as facial recognition or other surveillance capabilities in client-side scanning technology.
The UKs National Research Centre on Privacy, Harm Reduction and Adversarial Influence Online (REPHRAIN) has called on politicians to consider an independent scientific evaluation of scanning technology before voting through the bill.
And in July some 70 UK information security and cryptography researchers warned in an open letter that the proposals for mandating technology to monitor encrypted messaging services in the OSB could be exploited by hostile governments or hackers for malicious purposes if they were introduced.
Their Open Letter from Security and Privacy Researchers in relation to the Online Safety Bill, also argued that reliable solutions for detecting child sexual abuse images do not yet exist and risked generating false positives.
That could lead to private, intimate or sensitive messages being wrongly passed on to reviewers in technology companies or law enforcement, the letter stated.
It could also inundate police and intelligence services with large quantities of data, including false positives, that would be difficult to process.
The House of Lords introduced an amendment to the Online Safety Bill in July, which will require the regulator to commission a report by a skilled person before giving tech companies technical notices to require them to install technology to scan encrypted messages.
It is not clear what qualifications the person would need or what assessment would be required before permitting scanning.
However politicians have been wary of criticising provisions in the Online Safety Bill that would damage privacy as it is being presented as a bill to combat child abuse and terrorism, causes that it is difficult to argue against.
It can be incredibly difficult for politicians to speak out about it, and it is unfortunate that there does not seem to be a political appetite to block this bill, Smith said.
Labour dropped a proposed amendment that would have required an independent judicial commissioner to review whether the measures were proportionate and that appropriate regard had been given to freedom of expression and privacy rights.
The Lords also dropped a proposed amendment by conservative peer Lord Moylan, which would prohibit Ofcom from imposing any requirement on technology companies that would weaken or remove end-to-end encryption.
Matthew Hodgson, CEO of the encrypted messaging and collaboration platform Element, and technical co-founder at Matrix.org told Computer Weekly that scanning technology would create vulnerabilities that could be exploited by hackers and rouge states.
He said that the UK was in danger of setting a precedent for less democratic nations to introduce similar surveillance on communications.
"Detecting illegal content means all content must be scanned in the first place. By adding the ability to use scanning technology at all, you open the floodgates to those who would exploit and abuse it. You put the mechanism in place for mass surveillance on UK citizens by the good guys and the bad," he said.
Bad actors dont play by the rules. Rogue nation states, terrorists and criminals will target that access with every resource they have. OSB is outright dangerous," he added.
Commenting on the BCS report, Robin Wilton, director of internet trust at the Internet Society, said the government should increase its support for policies with less dangerous consequences, including public awareness campaigns, professional training, and conventional police work.
The trust that the government places in emerging technologies to solve societal problems is unproven. Technologies that compromise encryption through circumvention or backdoor access would expose UK residents to a new array of online harms, including blackmail and scams
BCS chief executive Rashik Parmar said that those responsible for creating the technology mandated by the Online Safety Bill must ensure it meets the highest standards of competence, inclusivity, ethics and accountability.
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IT experts issue new warnings over Online Safety Bill plans to weaken end-to-end encryption - ComputerWeekly.com
How to verify encryption in Google Messages – ZDNet
Olemedia/Getty Images
Security should be a top concern for you. To that end, you've probably secured all of your accounts with multi-factor authentication and started enabling end-to-end encryption (E2E) on every service that offers the feature.
What does E2E mean? In simplest terms, it means any message you send from Google Messages is encrypted the second it leaves your phone and isn't decrypted until it reaches the recipient's device. That means no one in the middle (even your ISP) can read the message. This is especially important for anyone who might be transmitting text messages of a sensitive nature.
Also: The best VPN services: Expert tested and reviewed
Even if you're not sending data that might be of significance, it's still wise to maintain your security and privacy. To that end, E2E should be a priority for your messages.
Google rolled out E2E to its Messages app some time ago. With this feature, anyone you communicate with who has Chat features enabled within the app will enjoy end-to-end encryption for your chats. Every time you send a message to that person, you'll notice a small lock icon at the bottom right of the Send button to indicate the message is encrypted.
The lock icon attached to the send button indicates E2E is enabled for that chat.
But how can you be certain the E2E is working as expected?
Fortunately, the developers added a handy little feature for that very reason. This verification relies on both parties, so you'll have to share these instructions with the person with whom you want to verify.
Also: How to set up Google Alerts to keep tabs on topics that interest you
Let me show you how this is done.
What you'll need:The only things you'll need are the Google Messages app (with Chat features enabled) and another person who has the same app with the same feature switched on. Unless both parties have the feature enabled, this won't work.
The first step is to unlock your phone and open the Messages app. Once the app is open, locate and open a conversation with a contact that also has Chat features enabled.
From within that chat, tap the three-dot menu in the upper right corner and then tap Details.
Accessing the Details page from the main menu.
From the Details window, tap Verify encryption.
From this same menu, you can also block and report a message as spam.
In the Verify encryption window, you'll see a collection of 12 strings of random numbers. What you have to do is compare those numbers to the person you're chatting with.
Also: How to encrypt your email (and why you should)
If every number matches, the encryption is valid and verified.
Your string of numbers will not be blurred out.
Do yourself a favor and don't take a screenshot or copy/paste the numbers and send them to the recipient. Your best option is to compare the numbers in person or over the phone. You don't want those numbers to get in the wrong hands because there could be a way to use those numbers and create a false account where a malicious actor could pose as the original recipient.
Better safe than sorry.
And that's how you verify the encryption of your Google Messages chats. Chances are very slim that E2E won't check out, but having it verified is a handy way to ensure it's working as it should.
Read more here:
How to verify encryption in Google Messages - ZDNet
Crackdowns on Encrypted Messaging Don’t ‘Help the Children’ – The Daily Beast
Returning from their summer recess, United Kingdom politicians are poised to enact a deeply misguided and flawed law that will make the internet less safe for everyone on Earthand the United States and European Union arent far behind.
The House of Lords this summer squandered a key opportunity to amend the Online Safety Bill truly a misnomer for the agesso that it wont erode vital protections for all digital communications. Amendments could still be offered until Sept. 6, but this seems less likely with each passing hour.
U.K. government officials, for years, have voiced concerns that online services dont do enough to tackle illegal content, particularly child sexual abuse material. The solution was the Online Safety Bill, ostensibly seeking to make the U.K. the worlds safest place to use the internet.
But the bill in its current form would achieve the oppositeby requiring websites and apps to proactively prevent harmful content from appearing on messaging services. That necessarily must lead to universal scanning of all user content: All users text messages, images, and videos would be checked and monitored before being posted.
Its a 21st-century form of prior restraint, violating the very essence of free speech. Its a death knell for end-to-end encryption, and with it, every internet users right to privacy.
Private communication is a fundamental human right, and in the online world, the best tool we have to defend this right is end-to-end encryption. It ensures that governments, tech companies, social media platforms, and other groups cannot view or access our private messages, the pictures we share with family and friends, or our bank account details. This is a particularly vital protection for the most vulnerable in society, such as children seeking relief from abuse or human rights defenders working in hostile environments.
Yes, indeed, lets think of the children: This bill badly erodes their rights to privacy, agency, and safety.
Civil society organizations, security experts, and tech companies have clearly and unequivocally asked for this bills anti-encryption sections to be withdrawn; Apple in June joined the chorus of voices warning that the bill could put U.K. citizens at greater risk. Secure communications providers, including Signal and WhatsApp, have said they will halt all U.K. service if the law is passed as written.
The consensus is that theres no backdoor to encryption that wont be exploited by bad actors such as cyber criminals, rogue employees, domestic abusers, and authoritarian governments.
But think of the children! the bills supporters might exclaim.
Yes, indeed, lets think of the children: This bill badly erodes their rights to privacy, agency, and safety.
Children, like adults, rely on encrypted communication apps like WhatsApp or Signal, and have legitimate expectations to not be subjected to mandatory identity verification, arbitrary filtering, and surveillance. More specifically, abused children need private and secure channels to report what is happening to them. Yet the bill, while intending to protect children, fails to respect their privacy and disregards internationally recognized principles on children's rights.
Make no mistake, this awful bill wont just affect the U.K.it will be a blueprint for repression around the world. The bills defenders are quick to highlight the worst content that exists online, like pro-terrorism posts and child abuse material, but the surveillance clearly wont end there. Companies will be pushed to monitor wider categories of content, and to share information about users between jurisdictions. Journalists and human rights workers inevitably will become targets. And users will never be certain of whether their private messages are being read and intercepted by private companies.
Yet Parliament has taken no heed. Worse yet, the U.K. is not alone in this effort: Unable to build public support for the idea of police scanning every digital message, lawmakers in other liberal democracies also have turned to work-arounds, claiming encryption backdoors are needed to inspect files for the worst crimes. Theyve claimed falsely that certain methods of inspecting user files and messages, like client-side scanning, dont break encryption at all.
In the United States, its the EARN IT Act; in the European Union, its the draft Regulation to Prevent and Combat Child Sex Abuse. Government agencies also triedand, thank goodness, failedto pressure Apple into adopting a system of software scanners on every device, constantly checking for child abuse images and reporting back to authorities.
Signal president Meredith Whittaker put it succinctly: Encryption is either protecting everyone or it is broken for everyone."
There is no middle ground, no safe backdoor if the internet is to remain free and private. It may now be too late to stop the Online Safety Billto which the only solution now might be litigationbut its still-nascent American and European counterparts must be either substantially reworked or abandoned entirely.
Paige Collings is Senior Speech and Privacy Activist at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a nonprofit digital civil liberties organization headquartered in San Francisco.
More:
Crackdowns on Encrypted Messaging Don't 'Help the Children' - The Daily Beast
X users to get audio and video calling, but no encryption initially – SiliconRepublic.com
In response to a question under his post about new calling features on X, Musk said most of the time, encryption isnt important.
Elon Musk has said that X, formerly Twitter, is set to add audio and video calling features as part of the companys broader effort to turn the platform into an everything app.
In a post yesterday (31 August), Musk said that the new audio and video calling features will work on both iOS and Android, as well as on the web version of the app on PCs and Macs.
Describing X as a global address book, Musk said that users will not need a phone number to call other people through the platform. That set of factors is unique, he added.
This comes just days after Musk introduced a new job posting feature on X for verified organisations. It will allow companies and organisations to feature critical roles and reach millions of relevant candidates, similar to LinkedIns job posting feature.
While there is no indication of when the audio and video calling features will roll out, or who it will be available to, Musk clarified in response to a question in the replies that the functionality will not come with encryption like WhatsApp or Signal initially.
We will add the ability to turn encryption on or off dynamically. There is necessarily a slight lag for encryption, he wrote. Most of the time, encryption isnt important, and quality of call is better.
Competitors in the audio and video calling space such as WhatsApp and Signal highlight end-to-end encryption as one of their most important features. Even Messenger, Metas messaging app connected to Facebook, is getting an encryption upgrade by the end of this year.
Meanwhile, X updated its privacy policy this week, seeking permission to start collecting users biometric information and employment history.
Based on your consent, we may collect and use your biometric information for safety, security and identification purposes, the privacy policy reads, adding that X may also collect employment and educational history, skills and abilities, and even job search activity.
The controversial platform has been facing renewed competition from Metas Threads, which revealed a web version of its applast week to boostdwindlinguser uptake.
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X users to get audio and video calling, but no encryption initially - SiliconRepublic.com
Security cameras with end-to-end encryption not cheap – Boing Boing
Philips has new wired indoor/outdoor security cameras outfitted with end-to-end encryption, all part of its new Hue Secure system, with the basic model costing $200, a battery-equipped model $250, and one with a floodlight costing an ooftastic $350. The Verge posted an in-person preview and found them attractive and easily-mounted, but disliked the pricing given the otherwise unremarkable specifications, inability to work with other systems, and ongoing subscription fees.
At launch, there is no compatibility with Amazon Alexa or Google Home, although George Yianni, head of technology at Philips Hue, said that they are working on an integration to view live footage on those companies' smart displays.
The cameras will not work with Apple Home until cameras are supported in Matter, he said. There are no plans to support HomeKit Secure Video. Instead, you'll need to pay a subscription fee starting at $3.99 per month / $39.99 a year, per camera to view recorded footage.
They do look great, and that's a big plus for normal folks who want more than a junky doorbell camera but don't want their home to end up covered in big, ugly plastic domes. If you're already in on the Hue system you're used to spending money, too.
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Security cameras with end-to-end encryption not cheap - Boing Boing
Encryption Software Market Size, Key Segments, Share, Trends, Growth, and Forecast 2031 – Benzinga
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Our comprehensive research on the Global Encryption Software Market (2023-2031) provides insights for businesses. It covers trends, investments, tech advancements, and major players. The report uses qualitative and statistical data from 2017-2031, including SWOT, BCG, PESTLE analysis, and visuals. It offers a full market landscape with stakeholder insights, regional outlooks, and financial considerations.
The global encryption software market size was US$ 9.7 billion in 2021. The global encryption software market size is forecast to reach US$ 47.51 billion by 2030, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 19.3% during the forecast period from 2022 to 2030.
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The primary purpose of the encryption software is to protect the confidentiality of data stored in files, folders, and disks and data traveling over wireless networks or data in transit, depending on an organizations security and compliance requirements. It involves converting a message or plain text into a coded message called an encrypted message so that only authorized parties can read it. Software encryption uses software to encrypt and decrypt resting and transiting data. Thus, by making the data unreadable by unauthorized people, encryption software ensures the security of confidential data.
Factors Influencing Market Growth
Leading Competitors
The leading prominent companies profiled in the global encryption software market are:
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The report furnishes an intricate comprehension of each segment, delivering potential estimations for principal applications and insights into emerging prospects. Every regional market is meticulously scrutinized to ascertain its potential for growth, development, and demand in the forthcoming years.
As of the end of 2022, the Encryption Software industry experienced notable growth in its workforce. Starting in January, employment within the Encryption Software sector exceeded its pre-COVID levels, resulting in an expansion of payrolls by over 15,000 employees throughout the course of the year. The global Encryption Software output demonstrated a remarkable increase of 5.2% during 2021, primarily attributed to a widespread economic upswing and a surge in demand for commodities. However, the momentum shifted in 2022, with the global industrial sectors production contracting. This reversal followed a robust expansion in 2021, fueled by altered consumer spending patterns and substantial fiscal support.
Forecasts indicate that the global Encryption Software output is set to rise by approximately 2.9% in 2023. This projection is underpinned by the gradual recovery of production in Western Europe from its previous troughs, as well as a rebound in output across the Asia/Pacific region. Maintaining its dominant position, China, accounting for nearly 45% of the global Encryption Software market, remains both its largest producer and consumer. Remarkably, Chinas market share has surged since 2010, when it stood at around 26%. This ascent has led to a substantial contribution to the nations GDP. Notably excelling as a top exporter, China leads in various sectors, including silicon, PVC, and several specific segments of the Encryption Software market.
Scope of the Report
The global encryption software market segmentation focuses on Organization Size, Component, Deployment Model, Industry Vertical, Function, and Region.
Segmentation based on Organization Size
Segmentation based on Component
Segmentation based on Deployment Model
Segmentation based on Industry Vertical
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Segmentation based on Function
Segmentation based on Region
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Table of Contents:
Chapter 1: Introduction to the Global Encryption Software Industry
Chapter 3: Dynamics of the Market
Chapter 4: Profiles of Leading Companies
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Chapter 5: Competition in the Global Encryption Software Market among Players
Chapter 6: Market Size across Global Regions
Chapter 7: Application Segments in the Global Market
Chapter 8: Segment Analysis of the Global Encryption Software Industry
Chapter 9: Market Chain, Sourcing Strategies, and Downstream Buyers
Chapter 10: Strategies and Key Policies by Distributors/Suppliers/Traders
Chapter 11: In-depth Analysis of Key Marketing Strategies by Market Vendors
Chapter 12: Evaluation of Market Impact Factors
Chapter 13: Forecasted Global Encryption Software Market Size (2023-2031)
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(B) The report delivers a comprehensive analysis of global, regional, and country-level Encryption Software market revenues, extending projections until 2030. This dataset empowers companies to gauge their market presence, recognize avenues for growth, and explore emerging markets.
(C) Through meticulous segmentation of the Encryption Software market encompassing types, applications, technologies, and end-uses, this study empowers leaders to blueprint their products and allocate resources based on the projected growth trajectories of each segment.
(D) Investors stand to gain from the market analysis by gaining insights into market scope, positioning, key drivers, challenges, limitations, expansion prospects, and potential risks. Armed with this knowledge, they can make well-considered investment choices.
(E) The report conducts an intricate analysis of competitors, unraveling their pivotal strategies and market positioning. This intelligence equips businesses with a profound understanding of the competitive landscape, enabling them to chart their own strategies accordingly.
(F) The study facilitates the assessment of Encryption Software business projections delineated by region, key countries, and prominent companies, bestowing invaluable information for investment strategizing and decision-making.
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? Enhancing the overall efficacy of marketing, advertising, and promotional initiatives.
? Analyzing market trends to aid businesses in devising adaptive strategies.
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Encryption Software Market Size, Key Segments, Share, Trends, Growth, and Forecast 2031 - Benzinga
Encryption: defending businesses against modern threats – TechCentral
Delegates at a recent Altron Systems Integration and TechCentral round table
An organisations data is its most valuable asset, with publications, including the Economist, stating that it now outstrips oil as the most precious resource. Moreover, unlike in the past, data is no longer the exclusive purview of the IT department it is incorporated into every business department.
Bad actors know this and are continuously honing their tools and techniques to find ways to evade the security nets and get their hands on this data. When this happens, the consequences can be catastrophic, both financially and in terms of loss of market and customer confidence.
This is why many entities are turning to data encryption to prevent the abuse and misuse of their data. But while this may sound simple, many are finding it challenging to manage encryption on all devices, across distributed workforces, cloud providers, local folders, and of course, networks.
With this in mind, Altron Systems Integration, in conjunction with TechCentral, recently hosted a round-table event, themed Encryption: Defending the business against modern threats.
During the session, it emerged that encryption, although a well-accepted technology used to secure and protect critical data, is not at the maturity level one would expect in many of the organisations represented around the room. Although encryption was incorporated into most strategies, the overall management of the keys, as well as the classification of the data, was revealed to be a common concern among these entities.
Representatives from Altron Systems Integration (ASI) kicked off the discussion by sharing their insight on what the company has been seeing in the data encryption space. They unpacked the basics of encryption and discussed what modern encryption tools are now capable of and why they remain a critical tool.
There were several data-focused attendees, who said they have noticed that encryption is often tacked on as an afterthought instead of being implemented from the start, which can complicate the launch of systems when compliance insists upon it.
In fact, the mix of compliance versus data or technology experts at the table fuelled an interesting debate on how often the two areas are quite far apart, and how it would be worthwhile for the tech experts to incorporate compliance in their planning, and for compliance teams to better understand technology in order to close the gap between the two. It also became clear that many companies are not being proactive about compliance, and that even some of the largest corporations have too few compliance officers, which stifles innovation. This is because regulation around compliance is evolving rapidly and creeping more and more into the day-to-day running of businesses, as well as the management of business data.
While many believe encryption is a complex process, ASI shared some input on how it could simplify it. The company described encryption as a silver bullet, but not in the usual way the metaphor is understood: as an all-encompassing weapon, but rather as a highly targeted weapon for a specific task. After all, encryption is one of the many weapons that organisations should have in their arsenal.
The conversation shifted to modern, targeted threats, and how these can linger, undetected, on a companys network for months, moving laterally, performing reconnaissance and exfiltrating data. Encryption is key to preventing this, and attendees said the more complex threats become, the more complex encryption strategies need to be.
The topic of AI and quantum computing came up and was raised as a concern. Would quantum computers eventually be able to crack todays encryption. However, this doesnt negate encryption as an effective part of the security strategy, as not only are encryption tools evolving too, but having layers of encryption should provide enough complexity to ensure its effectiveness.
All agreed that encryption is a valuable and important tool that needs to be applied with care to avoid overcomplicating business practices or impacting usability. South African businesses are accustomed to having a multi-layered security approach, and encryption is a critical part of any companys security posture.
About Altron Systems IntegrationA specialist provider leveraging world-class technology and leading practices to build, implement and support sustainable ICT based business solutions which are strategically aligned, fit for purpose, cost-effective and optimised for performance. We have highly skilled, experienced professionals directed at solving business-critical customer problems through a consultative approach. We also bring our collective knowledge to every deployment engagement. From legacy integration to digital transformation, our solutions catalogue includes the full spectrum of ICT services. Few other organisations can claim the depth and breadth of the capabilities and experience we provide. For more information, visitwww.altronsystemsintegration.co.za, or follow us onFacebook,LinkedInandTwitter.
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Encryption: defending businesses against modern threats - TechCentral
Data Encryption Tools Market 2023: Comprehensive Study by Top … – The Knox Student
Data Encryption Tools Market research is an intelligence report with meticulous efforts undertaken to study the right and valuable information. The data which has been looked upon is done considering both, the existing top players and the upcoming competitors. Business strategies of the key players and the new entering market industries are studied in detail. Well-explained SWOT analysis, revenue share, and contact information are shared in this report analysis.
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Some of the Top companies Influencing this Market include:
Dell, Eset, Gemalto, IBM, Mcafee, Microsoft, Pkware, Sophos, Broadcom, Thales, Trend Micro, Cryptomathic, Stormshield
This report provides a detailed and analytical look at the various companies that are working to achieve a high market share in the global Data Encryption Tools market. Data is provided for the top and fastest-growing segments. This report implements a balanced mix of primary and secondary research methodologies for analysis. Markets are categorized according to key criteria. To this end, the report includes a section dedicated to the company profile. This report will help you identify your needs, discover problem areas, discover better opportunities, and help all your organizations primary leadership processes. You can ensure the performance of your public relations efforts and monitor customer objections to stay one step ahead and limit losses.
The report provides insights on the following pointers:
Market Penetration:Comprehensive information on the product portfolios of the top players in the Data Encryption Tools market.
Product Development/Innovation: Detailed insights on upcoming technologies, R&D activities, and product launches in the market.
Competitive Assessment: In-depth assessment of the market strategies, geographic and business segments of the leading players in the market.
Market Development:Comprehensive information about emerging markets. This report analyzes the market for various segments across geographies.
Market Diversification:Exhaustive information about new products, untapped geographies, recent developments, and investments in the Data Encryption Tools market.
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The cost analysis of the Global Data Encryption Tools Market has been performed while keeping in view manufacturing expenses, labor cost, and raw materials and their market concentration rate, suppliers, and price trend. Other factors such as Supply chain, downstream buyers, and sourcing strategy have been assessed to provide a complete and in-depth view of the market. Buyers of the report will also be exposed to a study on market positioning with factors such as target client, brand strategy, and price strategy taken into consideration.
GlobalData Encryption Toolsmarket segmentation:
Market Segmentation: By Type
Cloud-BasedOn-Premises
Market Segmentation: By Application
Disk EncryptionFile/folder EncryptionDatabase EncryptionCommunication EncryptionCloud Encryption
Key questions answered in this report:
Table of Contents
Global Data Encryption Tools Market Research Report 2023-2030
Chapter 1 Data Encryption Tools Market Overview
Chapter 2 Global Economic Impact on Industry
Chapter 3 Global Market Competition by Manufacturers
Chapter 4 Global Production, Revenue (Value) by Region
Chapter 5 Global Supply (Production), Consumption, Export, Import by Regions
Chapter 6 Global Production, Revenue (Value), Price Trend by Type
Chapter 7 Global Market Analysis by Application
Chapter 8 Manufacturing Cost Analysis
Chapter 9 Industrial Chain, Sourcing Strategy, and Downstream Buyers
Chapter 10 Marketing Strategy Analysis, Distributors/Traders
Chapter 11 Market Effect Factors Analysis
Chapter 12 Global Data Encryption Tools Market Forecast
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Data Encryption Tools Market 2023: Comprehensive Study by Top ... - The Knox Student
Ransomware Groups are Accelerating Their Attacks with Dwell Time … – HIPAA Journal
Posted By Steve Alder on Aug 28, 2023
Ransomware groups have accelerated their attacks and are now spending less time inside victims networks before triggering file encryption, according to the 2023 Active Adversary Report from Sophos. The data for the report came from the first 6 months of 2023 and was gathered and analyzed by the Sophos X-Ops team.
The median dwell time for ransomware groups fell from 9 days to 5 days in the first half of 2023, which the researchers believe is close to the limit of what is possible for hackers. They do not expect the median dwell time to fall below 5 days due to the time it typically takes for the hackers to achieve their objectives. On average, it took 16 hours from initial access for attackers to gain access to Microsoft Active Directory and escalate privileges to allow broad access to internal systems. The majority of ransomware groups do not rely on encryption alone and also exfiltrate data so they can apply pressure to get victims to pay up. Oftentimes, backups of data exist so recovery is possible without paying the ransom, but if there is a threat of data exposure, ransoms are often paid. On average, it takes around 2 days for ransomware gangs to exfiltrate data.
The reduction in dwell time is understandable. The longer hackers remain in networks, the greater the probability that their presence will be detected, especially since intrusion detection systems are getting better at detecting intrusions and malicious activity. One of the ways ransomware groups have accelerated their attacks is by opting for intermittent encryption, where only parts of files are encrypted. The encryption process is far quicker, which means there is less time to detect and stop an attack in progress, but the encryption is still sufficient to prevent access to files.
Ransomware gangs often time their attacks to reduce the risk of detection. In 81% of attacks analyzed by the researchers, the encryption process was triggered outside normal business hours such as at the weekend or during holidays when staffing levels are lower. 43% of ransomware attacks were detected on a Friday or Saturday. While the dwell time for ransomware actors has reduced, there was a slight increase in the dwell time for non-ransomware incidents, which increased from an average of 11 days to 13 days in H1 2023.
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In many cyberattacks, a vulnerability was exploited that allowed hackers to use a remote service for initial access, such as vulnerabilities in firewalls or VPN gateways. The exploitation of vulnerabilities in public-facing applications has been the leading root cause of attacks for some time followed by external remote services; however, in H1, 2023, these were reversed and compromised credentials were the root cause in 50% of attacks, with vulnerability exploitation the root cause of 23% of attacks.
Compromised credentials make attacks easy for hackers especially when there is no multi-factor authentication. Implementing and enforcing phishing-resistant MFA should be a priority for all organizations, but the researchers found that in 39% of cases investigated, MFA was not configured. Prompt patching should also be a goal as this reduces the window of opportunity for hackers. The researchers suggest following CISAs timeline for patching in its Binding Operational Directive 19-02 of 15 days for critical vulnerabilities and 30 days for high-severity vulnerabilities as it will force attackers into a narrower set of techniques by removing the low-hanging fruit.
Previous reports have highlighted the extent to which Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) is abused. in H1, 2023, RDP was used in 95% of attacks, up from 88% in 2022. In 77% of attacks involving RDP, the tool was used for internal access and lateral movement, up from 65% in 2022. Only 1% of attacks involved RDP for external access. Due to the extent to which RDP is abused, securing RDP should be a priority for security teams. If attackers are forced to break MFA or import their own tools for lateral movement, it will cause attackers to expend more time and effort, which provides defenders with more time to detect intrusions and increases the probability of malicious activity being detected.
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Ransomware Groups are Accelerating Their Attacks with Dwell Time ... - HIPAA Journal