Category Archives: Internet Security
Pirates of the cyber seas: How ransomware gangs have become securitys biggest threat – Sydney Morning Herald
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Cyber security experts, ex-military officials and some politicians are pushing for ransomware gangs to be treated not as hackers but like pirates of the past, in a rethink of how to best counter their growing threat to businesses, industries and society.
The shift recognises the way ransomware gangs are used by authoritarian nations to mount sustained attacks on Western businesses and sectors, a new dimension in the ongoing contest between strongmen and democracies.
Tim Watts, shadow assistant minister for communications and cyber security, calls ransomware gangs modern-day pirates. He wants aggressive coordination between international law enforcement, targeted sanctions, even cyber operations aimed to disrupt the gangs, in an effort to close the gaps being exploited by cyber criminals.
The bulk of the solution here is not technological, but instead policy, regulation, law enforcement, diplomacy and then a bit of offensive cyber, says Watts.
Labors assistant spokesman for communications and cybersecurity Tim Watts likened ransomware crews to pirates.Credit:Dominic Lorrimer
For years, ransomware attacks were treated as a subset of hacking. The liability of such intrusions was considered a cost of doing business one whose responsibility sat squarely on the businesss shoulders.
But things have changed.
In a decade, ransomware software has grown from a tool by hackers to extort individuals for hundreds of dollars, to an underworld service-for-hire among criminals to shakedown entire industries for hundreds of millions. Cryptocurrency, meanwhile, has proven an ideal means of paying ransom to shadowy gangs across borders.
JBS food processor in Australia and the US was hit by ransomware gang DarkSide in May, leaving about 7000 meat workers out of work until the company could develop a workaround. In the US, a DarkSide ransomware attack halted petrol to the east coast. The Clop ransomware group was reportedly behind the December attack Transport for NSW.
All of the gangs are based in Eastern Europe but the Kremlin wont extradite or prosecute these gangs as long as they dont attack Russian interests. The political protection they enjoy allows the growing industry of cyber criminals to operate with impunity, costing businesses as much as $3.4 billion in ransom and downtime in Australia in 2020, cyber security company Emsisoft reports.
Meanwhile, the frequency of attacks has increased during the pandemic with hospitals, most recently finding themselves under attack during COVID-19.
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To date, the most common designation for a hacking group is advanced persistent threat - a term that denotes a sophisticated team, often linked to a government. The famed Russian hacking group Fancy Bear is also known as APT 28.
Because of the changing nature of ransomware, now even information security researchers are reconsidering how to view the problem. Cisco Talos Intelligence Group has proposed a new classification for the groups, a term that is taken directly from the pirate days: privateer.
We believe its time to recognise that a new category can be defined, one where the ransomware syndicates enjoy some kind of protection from governments, even if not intentionally.
Talos proposes the term privateers to describe actors who benefit either from government decisions to turn a blind eye toward their activities or from more material support, but where the government doesnt necessarily exert direct control over their actions.
Watts agrees with privateer designation.
A privateer, or a pirate with papers, in the 18th Century worked similarly. They were commissioned by governments to carry out quasi-military activities, according to Britannica, robbing and pillaging all who they crossed as long as they werent from their sponsoring country.
Theres political history too.
In the 1700s the Spanish navy dominated the seas until a poorer and weaker Britain came along and overwhelmed it by giving pirates the protection to act on its behalf without official sanction.
The use of privateers allowed states to project maritime power beyond the capabilities of their regular navies, Britannica writes.
Russias President Vladimir Putin, right, and US President Joe Biden have ramped up rhetoric over allegations of cyber attacks.Credit:
Today ransomware gangs in Eastern Europe or North Korea extend the power of those countries deep into targeted democracies. With political cover at home, the gangs are free to go after Western business which also serve the political goal of Moscow or Pyongyang, which see themselves at war with democracies and their economic dominance.
As technology advances and the cost to business spirals, the economics of the threat become more favourable to the criminals.
Robert Potter of Canberra-based cyber security company Internet 2.0 says approaching ransomware gangs as privateers is a good idea especially if it involves intelligence sharing and working directly with law enforcement.
His company has already been working with law enforcement to break up ransomware gangs through intelligence sharing.
The Australian Federal Polices Cybercrime Operations is expected to form a ransomware taskforce to co-ordinate efforts against the gangs. The Australian Cyber Security Centre and the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission will likely have a role in the effort.
Some experts think Western governments should recast their relationships with business in a way that essentially mirrors the wider links between ransomware gangs and their governments.
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Retired US Army major general Thomas Ayres wrote last month that todays pirates sail the cyber seas in their search for riches by ransom or theft.
Recent destructive hacks have proved that federal action alone cant protect the cyber infrastructure Ayres wrote.
He calls for the US government to give companies targeted by ransomware immunity to lawsuits for data loss in exchange for helping mount a rapid response.
He wrote last month that the time has come to ...enlist and arm private corporations to defend their interests and those of a country.
Such a bold move would essentially convert companies into a fleet to fight off ransomware gangs.
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Americas chief cyber agency, the National Security Agency, this week opened a Cyber security Collaboration Centre to develop deeper ties with private sector and learn about active hacking campaigns from US companies that are continuously under attack.
As the politics around ransomware attacks evolve, the innovative use of technology to wreak havoc on Western industries by strongmen nations is poised to accelerate.
US FBI Director Christopher Wray in recent testimony warned the scale of this is something I dont think the country has ever seen anything quite like it, and its going to get much worse.
Thats already proving true in Australia.
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Meet the Consulting Firm Staffing the Biden Administration – The Intercept
From its headquarters just blocks from the White House, a small, high-powered team of former ambassadors, lawyers, and Obama appointees has spent the past few years solving problems for the worlds biggest companies.
Less than six months into the Biden administration, more than 15 consultants from the firm WestExec Advisors have fanned out across the White House, its foreign policy apparatus, and its law enforcement institutions. Five, some of whom already have jobs with the administration, have been nominated for high-ranking posts, and four others served on the Biden-Harris transition team. Even by Washington standards, its a remarkable march through the revolving door, especially for a firm that only launched in 2017. The pipeline has produced a dominance of WestExec alums throughout the administration, installed in senior roles as influential as director of national intelligence and secretary of state. WestExec clients, meanwhile, have controversial interests in tech and defense that intersect with the policies their former consultants are now in a position to set and execute.
The arrival of each new WestExec adviser at the administration has been met with varying degrees of press coverage headlines for the secretary of state, blurbs in trade publications for the head of cybersecurity but the creeping monopolization of foreign policymaking by a single boutique consulting firm has gone largely unnoticed. The insularity of this network of policymakers poses concerns about the potential for groupthink, conflicts of interest, and what can only be called, however oxymoronically, legalized corruption.
The private sector can in essence co-opt the public sector.
WestExec does not affirmatively share its clients, and public financial disclosure forms only offer broad outlines. Kathleen Clark, a law professor at Washington University in St. Louis, says that government ethics laws written decades ago arent equipped to handle a situation in which a single firm launches 15 senior officials. Yes, theyre employed by the government, Ill grant you that. But are they actually working for the American people or not? Where does their loyalty lie? said Clark. The private sector can in essence co-opt the public sector.
These White House officials are experienced government leaders whose prior private sector experience is part of a broad and diverse skill set they bring to government service, said a White House spokespersonin a statement. WestExec did not reply to a detailedlist of questions for this story.
The firm describes one of its chief selling points as its unparalleled geopolitical risk analysis, now confirmed by the saturation of its employees in positions of power. WestExec has also succeeded in getting tech startups into defense contracts and helped defense corporations modernize with tech; it worked to help multinational companies break into China. One of its collaborators is the defense-centered investment group Pine Island Capital Partners, which launched a SPAC, or blank check company, last year. Tony Blinken advised Pine Island and was a part owner. (Michle Flournoy, another WestExec co-founder, had her nomination to be secretary of defense nixed. President Joe Biden instead nominated Lloyd Austin, himself a former Pine Island partner but not a WestExec consultant.)
What makes WestExec boutique is the promise that its executives would have face time with its seasoned policymakers. We felt other firms brought people in for big names and never got to see the big names, said one WestExec co-founder in 2020. Tony is on client calls.
The WestExec to Biden administration pipeline, part one.
Graphic: Soohee Cho/The Intercept
Blinken, now secretary of state, advised household names like telecommunications giant AT&T, defense contractor Boeing, shipping magnate FedEx, and the media company Discovery as a WestExec founding partner. He worked for Big Tech pillars Facebook, LinkedIn, Microsoft, and Uber. He helped niche companies like speakers bureau GLG, art seller Sothebys, and biopharmaceutical company Gilead Sciences. Blinken also lists clients that are global investment firms and asset managers, like Blackstone, Lazard, Royal Bank of Canada, and the multinational conglomerate SoftBank which does extensive business with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. He even advised the consulting group McKinsey & Company. Though Blinken left WestExec in July 2020 after The American Prospect inquired about the relationship each of these businesses has an international profile that may impact his calculations as he implements Bidens foreign policy.
Blinken also brought several of his key staff members at the State Department with him from WestExec. His senior adviser Julianne Smith, who listed Boeing and SoftBank as clients, earned $34,000 as a WestExec consultant while holding down a full-time role at the think tank German Marshall Fund. Smith has been nominated to be permanent representative to NATO. (Blinken also brought WestExec executive assistantSarah McCoolto the State Department as his director of scheduling.) Barbara Leaf, a former ambassador to the United Arab Emirates, worked for the firm and advised the National Basketball Association. She went on to serve as Bidenssenior director for the Middle East at the National Security Council. Leaf awaits a vote to be the State Departments assistant secretary for Near Eastern affairs. Meanwhile, consultant Daniel B. Shapiro, Obamasambassador to Israeland a very busy early member of the firm, according to his colleague, is being floated as a Middle East envoy. The Prospect revealed last summer that one of WestExecs clients was Windward, an Israeli artificial intelligence company that specializes in ship tracking.
The firm also provided a comfortable place for Bidens most powerful intelligence chiefs to wait out the Trump administration. Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines had her name scrubbed from WestExecs website early on, but she worked with the firm from October 2017 to July 2020, when she joined Bidens transition team as foreign policy lead. According to a questionnaire completed before her confirmation hearing, she delivered strategic advice on cyber norms; national security threats; and testing, evaluation, validation and verification of machine learning systems by the Department of Defense to clients like Facebook, JPMorgan Chase, Microsoft, and Open Philanthropy. Deputy Director of the CIA David S. Cohen was an early member of WestExecs core team alongside Haines and Blinken. But its impossible to know who his clients were, because an exemption for the spy agencies officials means that his disclosure is not publicly available.
That exempts them from public accountability, said Clark, the ethics expert at Washington University, and thats a problem because we cant necessarily rely on internal controls and external, public disclosure. A CIA spokesperson declined to share the companies Cohen worked for at WestExec.
Then theres Chris Inglis, who the Senate recently approved as national cyber director. He earned $15,000 from the firm and worked for internet security outfit CrowdStrike and email encryption company Virtru.
Since its founding in 2017, WestExecs focus has been to enhance the capabilities of defense, intelligence, and law enforcement agencies. It partners with the Silicon Valley venture firm Ridgeline, which describes itself as mission-driven meaning that unlike some tech investors, which avoid working with the military, Ridgeline seeks out military products. Both Cohen and Inglis appeared on Ridgelines website, and through that partnership, Blinken invested in the venture groups many portfolio companies. The obscure startups have kooky names (Agolo, Doodle, Wallaroo, etc.) but are innovating advanced technologies like drones, artificial intelligence, and robots. The alumni of WestExec are deeply engaged in emerging tech, which could lead to conflicts of interest as they take on policymaking roles that affect the contracts the government greenlights.
One of the administrations most visible faces also worked at the firm. Jen Psaki, now the White House press secretary, was a senior adviser to WestExec, where she did crisis communications for the Israeli facial recognition software company AnyVision and advised the nonprofit Spirit of America.
The WestExec to Biden administration pipeline, part two.Not pictured: senior adviser to the domestic policy adviser Erin Pelton; director of scheduling for the secretary of state Sarah McCool; nominee for assistant secretary of defense Celeste Wallander; Biden-Harris transition team advisers Andrea Kendall-Taylor, Cristina Killingsworth, Jay Shambaugh, and Puneet Talwar; deputy director for the U.S. Cyberspace Solarium Commission John Costello; and vice chair of the National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence Robert O. Work.
Graphic: Soohee Cho/The Intercept
As companies faced the Covid-19 pandemics massive challenges, Lisa Monaco joined Blinken on client calls. As a WestExec adviser, she worked for Boeing and SoftBank. Now Monaco is the U.S. deputy attorney general. Before Matt Olsen earned millions of dollars as a senior official at Uber, he worked early on as a principal for the firm. Biden has nominated Olsen to be assistant attorney general in the National Security Division.
Ely Ratner is developing China policy for the Defense Department as assistant secretary for Indo-Pacific security affairs. At WestExec, according to his Office of Government Ethics forms, Billable hours were for background white papers without identified clients and most income was passive retainer. Though he only earned $11,450 at WestExec, he did so while making more than $400,000 at the think tank Center for a New American Security.
Gabrielle Chefitz, a senior associate of WestExec, joined the Pentagon as special assistant to the under secretary of defense for policy. In June, Biden nominated WestExec senior adviser Celeste Wallander to be assistant secretary of defense for international security affairs.
WestExecs consultants are so connected and pedigreed that they often hold down multiple jobs, appointments, and titles. Thats how someone like Elizabeth Rosenberg, a former WestExec senior adviser, can join the Treasury Department as a senior official without much notice. At the end of May, Biden nominated Rosenberg to be Treasurys assistant secretary for terrorism financing. In her LinkedIn profile, she says she has managed federal initiatives to promote financial transparency. Her role at WestExec fell off the bio that the White House released publicizing the nomination.
The U.S. Agency for International Development administrators office is also full of the firms consultants. Colin Thomas-Jensen advised WestExec and its clients on due diligence and navigating political risk in Sub-Saharan Africa, and those clients included Boeing, SoftBank, and Delta Capital Management, a venture capital firm that specializes in financing litigation. In April, Thomas-Jensen joined USAID as national security director. That month, WestExecs Latin America expert Michael Camilleri began serving as senior adviser to Administrator Samantha Power and as executive director of the agencys Northern Triangle Task Force. As a WestExec consultant, he advised Blackstone, SoftBank, the Intel founders multibillion-dollar nonprofit Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, and the mineral extraction company Rio Tinto.
And its not just international policy that will be shaped by the firm. Erin Pelton, who works in the White House as a senior adviser on domestic policy, provided advisory services to WestExec. And the nominee to be the Department of Commerces assistant secretary for industry and analysis, Grant Harris, has a connection to the firm. His personal consulting firm Connect Frontier, which advises companies and organizations working in developing markets, hired WestExec.
Even Bidenworlds backbenchers are entangled in the firm. The Biden-Harris transition team was advised by WestExec consultants Andrea Kendall-Taylor, Puneet Talwar, Jay Shambaugh, and Cristina Killingsworth. Further, the firms members oversee influential nonpartisan federal commissions: Robert O. Work at the National Security Commission for Artificial Intelligence and John Costello at the Cyberspace Solarium Commission.
West Execs advisors have worked together at the highest levels of government, navigating and anticipating the impact of international crises on decision making we can provide the same insights and strategies to business leaders around the world, Blinken said in an early pamphlet advertising the firm.
A half-year after Blinkens return to government, the pamphlet is still featured on WestExec co-founder and managing partner Nitin Chaddas LinkedIn profile. Its a reminder to potential clients about the firms enduring proximity to power.
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Meet the Consulting Firm Staffing the Biden Administration - The Intercept
‘Hard Platforms’ vs ‘Friendly Platforms’: Understanding Jihadist Activism on the Internet Homeland Security Today – HSToday
Our understanding of how the Internet has fostered terrorist activism is conditioned by an important bias that affects the robustness of our conclusions: the assumption that the Internet offers a series of traits that intrinsically aid the attainment of the goals of terrorist groups. Such analysis makes the mistake of describing the Internet as it is at present and extrapolating the traits to past and future contexts. In fact, since its inception, the Internet has mutated constantly as a result of different technological innovations and the way in which new uses have been internalised by society.
A large number ofworksexplore the historical evolution of terrorist activism on the Internet as if the different generations of radicals had been operating with the same kind of tool. In reality, for much of its existence the technology has lacked functions ease of use, connectivity, adding individuals, and personalisation that are an integral part of present-day social media. These functions are often considered to be a basic feature of the Internet but are, in fact, relatively new within its short lifespan.
Read more at the Global Network on Extremism & Technology
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'Hard Platforms' vs 'Friendly Platforms': Understanding Jihadist Activism on the Internet Homeland Security Today - HSToday
5+ best antivirus options for Windows 11 to try out today – WindowsReport.com
by Vladimir Popescu
Managing Editor
Windows 11 is capable of far more security and privacy than any of the previous releases from Microsoft, having as one important requirement the need for a TPM 2.0 chip.
The TPM chip, also known as Trusted Platform Module, enables your newly installed Windows 11 OS to manage all encryption policies and other security features more effectively and productively.
If youre interested, or simply curious, you can always find out more information about the TPM chip.
This in turn enables you more freedom to explore the web without feeling insecure about third-parties getting access to your data, or following your activity online.
Even though there are mentions about Windows 11 being installed on systems without this security module, if you want to upgrade to the new OS and dont have the required capabilities, you can always invest in a TPM-enabled motherboard, or buy a laptop with these elements built-in.
All of these elements being considered dont subtract from the fact that your Windows 11, much as any other OS before it, will need additional security elements.
To improve your security even further you can try a variety of methods, including getting a stable and efficient VPN software running.
The other way in which you can perform this important task is to install a powerful antivirus on your Windows 11 system.
In todays guide, we will discuss the latter element in its entirety, and we will also explore some of the best options found on the market this year.
As in the case of any other software, no matter if its related to your systems security or not, will have specific targets to achieve to be worthy of its presence on a list comprised of the best options.
Our team of testers, which accumulate over 15 years of experience in the field, have tested more than 10.000 devices and software options ranging from monitors to KVM switches, and from image editing software to the best coding platforms.
Their experience, combined with an objective and thorough approach, allows us to be extremely confident about recommending software and hardware, thus enabling you to make a fast and efficient choice depending on a variety of personal factors.
Below you will find some of the most important factors that our team of testers considered when scouring for the best antivirus software for Windows 11.
To understand what elements have been considered by our testing team when creating the list for the best antivirus software for Windows 11, here is a shortlist:
Compatibility Scanning capabilities Script blocking Malware and virus databases Ransomware protection Firewall availability File removal capability
Because mentioning these factors is not enough for you to understand the implications of each of the above-mentioned wanted features, further, were going to break each of them down and discuss them shortly.
As you might assume, having antivirus software installed that doesnt work optimally, or doesnt work at all on your OS is not a good idea.
Besides the fact that you wont be able to get the full protection offered by an antivirus, it might even cause system instabilities and de-activate whenever you need it to protect you from third parties, phishing attacks, etc issues.
As our subject in this article covers only antivirus software that will run optimally on Windows 11, you dont need to worry about this aspect. Weve got you covered with this list.
A good antivirus will need to have the capability to analyze every attempt of connecting or intrusions from third parties, no matter if it comes in the form of data packets from the network or files from your browser.
This type of scanning is called reactive scanning, and it is extremely important to ensure the protection of your system.
Another aspect of scanning that is worth considering is the antiviruss capability to deal with threats that have already passed the aforementioned barrier, and are now on your system.
This type of scanning is called in-depth scanning or most commonly known as a full system scan. This element allows you to scan your system in-depth and ensures the ability to identify threats, and then isolate or remove the script, file, or program thats causing the issue.
The antivirus options well explore in this list provide full reactive scanning features and full system scans with a high degree of thoroughness, so you wont need to keep an eye out for this detail.
One other important element of powerful antivirus software is the capability to stop any scripts from running without permission.
As many ActiveX or Java scripts can infiltrate your system with ease, a good antivirus will have the ability to identify the attempt and stop it before the actual infestation takes place.
Plugins that use either ActiveX or Java as their platform can inject a variety of harmful elements inside your system, some of the most common being botnets, inject codes, and drive-by downloads.
As no antivirus software can be efficient if it doesnt have an updated list of the recent malware and virus databases, this element ends up being one of the most important of them all.
The databases of good antivirus software will need to be constantly updated by the softwares providers and offer easily accessible database packages containing new iterations of viruses and malware information, to allow a thorough and exact identification process.
Ransomware protection
As the name already suggests, besides having the capability to identify viruses and malignant scripts, a good antivirus will ensure that no ransomware could be used against you.
The amount of ransomware appearing online has been increased over time, so owning an antivirus capable of protection from this element is a sure plus.
Firewall
Even though most antivirus software has some sort of firewall built into its structure, not all firewalls are built the same.
Considering this idea, your choice of antivirus must have a capable and thorough firewall included, which will ensure that the entire process of reactive scanning will take place optimally.
File Shredder
To ensure that the files you want to remove from your system are actually removed without any traces left behind, having a good file shredder incorporated inside your antivirus choice is a big plus as well.
Because your antivirus choice will constantly run in the background, it is also extremely important to know that it wont interfere too much with your everyday usage.
To ensure that thats the case, a good antivirus will be optimized in such a way that it will offer great protection levels, while also not hogging too much of your systems resources.
This applies both to the background operations, but even more when it comes down to the scanning process.
The NOD32antivirus from Eset is one of the most powerful and versatile antivirus options found on the market this year.
Ensuring amazing security and privacy features, and wrapped into a beautiful and easy-to-use UI, it is not hard to understand why this antivirus software has been chosen as one of the best options for Windows 11.
This antivirus software offers great firewall protection, spam filter, and some useful parental control features that will enable you to manage what your children are able or are not able to explore on the web.
The parental control feature has been upgraded constantly across time, now being a reliable and useful tool that not only offers you peace of mind but also protects your childrens development by eliminating any violent content from their browsing experience.
Even though it would be helpful for the parent controls to extend further than the browsing experience, the scores obtained at this level by Eset NOD32 are still impressive.
To ensure that your privacy is protected at all times, NOD32 deploys state-of-the-art webcam security, thus blocking any unwanted attempts of spying or remote camera activation while exploring the web, and while your computer is in standby mode.
Because the developers at Eset understand how important your financial privacy is, they also enable you to protect your online banking transactions with high-grade encryption, thus eliminating the possibility that a third party could use your credit card details in any way.
As you can see from the image below, Eset NOD32 stats have improved considerably over time, offering great protection levels, great performance, and usability levels are also very good.
To round up this powerful antivirus and protection service, NOD32 also comes with a useful network analyzer, that not only protects the network itself from intrusions but also ensures that the data transferred through it is protected and managed at all times.
Other useful features:
Powerful protection bundled into an easy-to-understand user interface for your new Windows 11 OS.
Bitdefender is also a force to be reckoned with in the field of antivirus software for Windows 11, offering a wide range of useful features, and full compatibility with the new Microsoft OS.
As the developers of Bitdefender focus primarily on the security of its users, the app itself shows this element by offering a great set of extra features besides protection from viruses.
The password management system contained by this antivirus software enables you to rest assured that all your private credentials are stored securely and privately, without any risk of the data being stolen and used against you.
To cover the online transactions section of security, Bitdefender offers enhanced security in this department as well, allowing you to manage any data by clicking your mouse a couple of times.
No all-around security application would be complete without powerful ransomware protection services, and a VPN. Bitdefender doesnt lack in these departments either, offering top-of-the-range ransomware identification and protection, and a VPN that can rival some of the best stand-alone VPNs on the market.
Where BitDefender truly shines is the phishing protection level, which protects your system from being attacked with this modality, and thus protecting your user data, and eliminating any risks involving fake websites and applications.
As you can see from the graph below, BitDefender not only performs well but offers users constant protection without lacking in usability.
The entire series of Network Threat protection components work perfectly with the Online Threat Protection, covering the entire spectrum of possible threats, while also covering the duties of a firewall, and adds the Anti-Tracker component which installs in your browser for an extra layer of security.
Other useful features:
Compiling an amazing array of useful features that not only protect your privacy but also offer great security, Bitdefender also works great on Windows 11.
Bullguard is another great contender for the list of the best antivirus software to use on Windows 11, offering amazing threat identification features, and at the same time protecting your system from phishing, malware, and network data collection.
This antivirus software enables you to easily clean any malware infestation, while also preventing you from being exposed to any other new attacks, and to top it off, it stops you from accessing fraudulent websites by displaying a message whenever it detects a problem.
Added to this, as soon as you complete the installation process, Bullguard automatically updates all the virus definition packets, to ensure that its ready to tackle any threat, no matter how current it is.
Besides the modern UI that offers you an easy-to-understand installer, Bullguard uses a set of multiple elements to protect you from the biggest threats in the online world.
The multi-layered protection Bullguard has to offer include 6 total levels:
Its modern user interface not only looks good but also offers you quick access to the entire set of features you need to keep your system protected.
To do so, Bullguard keeps all the relevant information bundled in the main menu, thus whenever youre starting a scan and checking for system vulnerabilities, everything is presented in the respective box.
Below you can see the results of testing for the level of protection, performance, and also usability for this powerful antivirus.
As you can see, the protection level has stayed consistent, and the performance as well, while usability has been increased exponentially over the last year, making Bullguard one of the best options on the market.
Other useful features:
With BullGuard, you can rest assured that your system is protected entirely, and focus entirely on using your newly installed Windows 11.
Kaspersky Internet Security is another powerful application that enables you to easily protect both your local and online security, with a list of amazing features.
Even though it is only in the 4th position in this list, this doesnt make it any less capable of solving your security issues and does it with a beautiful and slick user interface, which enables quick access and quick control of all the aspects of your PCs security level.
After youve installed the application, once you open it, you will see the window presented below, which enables you to type in your email address and connect your account to automatically activate the license.
Making the setup process so easy to complete says a lot about the entire utilizability level of this powerful software, the same principles applying to all aspects of the program.
When it comes to the main focus of Kaspersky security this software proves to be a great contender for the software found in the first positions on this list.
Other useful features:
As you can see from the image below, added to the amazing set of features presented above, you also get access to a powerful Webcam Protection service which ensures that your privacy will always be protected.
These also include Account Check and Private Browsing to round it up nicely and offer protection in all departments.
Below, you can also observe the stats regarding how the services have evolved across time with Kaspersky:
As you can see from the data above, the stability of usability in the last year is absolutely spotless, while in terms of protection and performance, even though things have been shaky from time to time, it offers great overall results.
Make sure that you are always protected while using the Internet on Windows 11 with this powerful software.
Norton Antivirus Plus is very close to the first positions presented in this list in terms of security, optimization, and privacy features.
This powerful antivirus software offers full tech support no matter what your problem is, so in the case that Norton will fail when trying to remove malware from your system, experts from the company will help you by logging into your PC remotely and resolving the problem.
This service makes you feel like you have a full team of experts ready to tackle any sort of problems with the software, which makes it an incredible addition both for common users, but especially for enterprises and companies.
Besides this incredible customer service, Norton Antivirus Plus also includes a variety of other systems that allow you peace of mind no matter what your issues are.
The scanning array on Norton Antivirus Plus is absolutely amazing, offering a wide array of options, added to a Power Eraser, Norton Insight, and the capability to create Diagnostic Reports.
To get started, you get an Online Banking Protection feature, which, as described by the name itself protects your online payment processing at all times.
No antivirus would be complete without a Data Protector, which Norton does flawlessly, having an incredible rate of ransomware detection.
while also using Script Control and Wi-Fi security detectors to cover this area of your experience with the software.
My Norton is a central hub that gathers data from all the Norton elements you use across your devices.
This element can prove extremely useful if you want to manage the entire set of security systems with just a few clicks of the mouse.
Now lets see how Norton Antivirus Plus ranks when it comes to stability over time, in terms of protection, performance, and also usability.
As you can see, the results are extremely promising, and even though there were some issues here and there, Norton Antivirus Plus doesnt disappoint in any department.
Other useful features:
Explore the web on Windows 11 without any worries about phishing, malware, or attempts on your privacy, with this amazing software.
McAfee also deserves to be part of our best antivirus software list for Windows 11 as it ticks all the required boxes without any issues.
Continue reading here:
5+ best antivirus options for Windows 11 to try out today - WindowsReport.com
India will be engine of global growth after 2nd Covid wave: Jaishankar – Hindustan Times
Indias strong economic recovery after it emerges from the second wave of Covid-19 infections will be an engine of growth for the global economy, external affairs minister S Jaishankar said on Tuesday.
Jaishankar made the remarks while addressing the maiden edition of the Indo-Pacific Business Summit organised by the external affairs ministry and Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) as part of efforts to drive post-pandemic economic growth.
The Indo-Pacific concept reflects the reality of globalisation, the emergence of multi-polarity and the benefits of rebalancing, and means the overcoming of the Cold War and a rejection of bipolarity and dominance, he said. It is also an expression of the collective interest in promoting global prosperity and securing the global commons, he added.
India is coming out of the second wave and will witness a strong economic recovery. It will be a more dynamic and friendlier business destination. We will contribute to being an engine of growth for the global economy, Jaishankar said.
And we will be very much a part of more reliable and resilient supply chains that the post-Covid world requires. International cooperation...will be very much a key to the better world that we all seek. The Indo-Pacific a region in which we are so deeply invested historically will be an arena of particular activity and energy, he said.
Several sessions of the business summit on Tuesday were addressed by envoys of key countries, including Singapore high commissioner Simon Wong, Vietnam ambassador Pham Sahn Chau and United Arab Emirates ambassador Ahmed Al-Banna.
Jaishankar noted that the transformation of the past decade has been overshadowed by the impact of Covid-19, which disrupted supply chains, negatively impacted manufacturing, made international trade unpredictable and ruined many services sectors.
Globalised production networks remain vulnerable and fragile, with global merchandise trade falling by 5.6% in 2020, compared to 2019, and the predicted trade in services declining by as much as 15.4% in the same duration...The hit taken by travel, transport and tourism activities is alarming and really moves us into unchartered territory, he said.
Three factors the salience of health, the power of digital, and the importance of re-building greener will be crucial as countries chart a course towards recovery, he said.
Covid-19 had brought out many inadequacies in the global health system and the resulting debates are taking place elsewhere. What is relevant for us here is to recognise that in every society, the expectation of our public with regard to health has gone up, he said.
Whether it is the next wave, the next pandemic or indeed something quite different, part of the answer lies in greater international collaboration. By that I mean the working together not just of governments, but of businesses and the medical and scientific professions, he added.
High-speed internet, cyber security, enhanced digital literacy, regional e-commerce and efficient e-governance will become more important and the strengthening of digital connectivity within and between countries of the Indo-Pacific is essential for economic prosperity, Jaishankar said.
Collective efforts are also needed to re-define infrastructure and urbanisation, and can make agriculture more sustainable. Physical and digital connectivity remain important for supporting shorter, efficient and diversified supply-chains, risk mitigation, enhanced trade facilitation, and reduction in the costs of intra-regional trade, he remarked.
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India will be engine of global growth after 2nd Covid wave: Jaishankar - Hindustan Times
The one big threat when it comes to cyber-security has nothing to do with software – Florida Trend
Established in 2015 under the Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering at the University of Florida, FICS mission is to research all aspects of cyber-security, including hardware, network, mobile, big data, internet, applied crypto, social sciences and law. The organizations research supports industry and government partners, but is also used to enhance the educational experience for graduate and undergraduate students at the college.
For several years,Tehranipoorsays FICS has been watching the trend of companies moving the production of semi-conductor chips overseas. Most of the chips (the brains of a computer/phone/electronic device) are now produced in East Asia. Since these countries are not always strong allies,Tehranipoorsays experts have been concerned for some time that the chips made overseas could be manipulated or tampered with.
Imagine your cell phone comes to you and it has something extra in it that captures all of your personal information, he says.
This story also features expert opinions, business briefs and people in the news: MarkTehranipoor; Florida Institute for Cybersecurity Research;
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Tags:Technology/Innovation, Feature
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The one big threat when it comes to cyber-security has nothing to do with software - Florida Trend
[PDF] Who are the key players in Internet Security Software market? The Manomet Current – The Manomet Current
Internet Security SoftwareMarketPerspective 2021
Internet Security Softwaremarket report is the major research for those who look for an entire analysis of markets. The report covers all information on the Global and regional markets including old and future trends formarket demand, size, trading, supply, competitors, and pricesas well as Global predominant vendors information. We have providedvalue, volume, sales,CAGR, production, revenue, and other estimationsfor the global as well as regional markets. The market is designed to serve as a ready-to-use guide for developing correct pandemic management programs allowing market players to successfullyappear from the emergency and withdraw countless gains and profits. The players included in this report are chosen in terms of their market share, brand value, product portfolio, and the well-being of the organizations. Our reportbased on current condition across the globe.
The latest research report, titled Internet Security Software Marketsystematically compiles the principal components of the Internet Security Software research study. The report include a global studyunderlining the fresh growth trends and dynamics. The report is deliberate to help readers make anprecise assessment of the future and present scenarios.
The major manufacturers in this industryinclude:Juniper Networks, Inc., Trend Micro Inc., Symantec Corporation, IBM Corporation, Kaspersky Lab, McAfee Inc., Cipher Cloud, CA Technologies, Cisco system Inc., Websense, Inc.( Forcepoint), Fortinet, Inc., Sophos Ltd., Dell, Check Point Software Technologies Ltd., SafeNet, Inc., and Cyren Ltd
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The study processe laborate the research of several factors influencing the industry, including the government policy, situation,historical data, competitive landscape, latest trends ,upcoming technologies, technological innovation and the technical progress in related industry, and risks, opportunities,challenges and barriers.
Scope of the Internet Security Software Market Report:-
1.The report offers PEST analysis, SWOT analysis, and Porters five force analysis of key players and markets that offer key insight into these companies strengths and fragility.
2.The report coverssub-regional and regional analyses and various factors influencing the growth of the market.
3.The report provides insights about key players along with a thorough survey of their growth strategies, manufacturing plant and capacity, product portfolio and geographical presence,.
Research Methodology:
TheInternet Security Software market analysis follows a four-step procedure which includes primary research, secondary research, final presentations and market estimation. In the primary research, data is composed through self-conducted analysis methods, whereas in secondary research, data iscomposed from previously conducted analysis.The market approximation involves data processed in primary and secondary research. The final step is a holistic description of theanalysis and data made, in order to make the report highly digestible for the reader.
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This report also provide particular consumerexpectations and preferences to gain insights into changingbehavior and needs of the consumer. Thus, we provide more accurate,reliable, and actionable information specifically customize to suit your business needs. If you have any special demand, please let us know and we will provide you the report as you want.
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Is Internet Security Software Market Booming In Near Future?
Yes, Market Will Boom In Near Future
Which are the prominent Internet Security Software market players across the globe? Can i Add Specific Company?
Yes, You can addSpecific Companyupto 3 Companies.
Companies Covered as part of this study include: Juniper Networks, Inc., Trend Micro Inc., Symantec Corporation, IBM Corporation, Kaspersky Lab, McAfee Inc., Cipher Cloud, CA Technologies, Cisco system Inc., Websense, Inc.( Forcepoint), Fortinet, Inc., Sophos Ltd., Dell, Check Point Software Technologies Ltd., SafeNet, Inc., and Cyren Ltd,
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HSE secures orders to get details of those who downloaded cyber attack information – TheJournal.ie
THE HIGH COURT has ordered that the HSE be provided with details of people who uploaded and downloaded confidential material taken in the recent cyber attack onto a internet securitys firms web-service.
The orders were secured against Chronicle Security Ireland Ltd and its US-based parent Chronicle LLC, in respect of material downloaded onto its malware analysis service VirusTotal. Both companies are owned by Google.
The order was made today by Mr Justice Senan Allen. The judge said he was satisfied from the evidence put before the court to grant the orders sought by the HSE.
The judge noted that was no opposition from the defendants to the making of order, which is known as a Norwich Pharmacal order.
The order requires the defendants to provide information about subscribers who uploaded or downloaded the material onto VirusTotal which is a service designed to screen documents to ensure they are virus-free.
The information includes subscriber details including email addresses, phone numbers, IP addresses or physical addresses.
Through their lawyers Chronicle said they were neither opposing nor objecting to the making of the order sought by the HSE.
Chronicle said while it wanted to assist the HSE as much as they can. For data protection reasons it could not hand over any subscriber details in the absence of a court order.
Seeking the order, Jonathan Newman SC, with Michael Binchy BL for the HSE, submitted that the orders sought could be made.
Such orders counsel said should be made sparingly, but in this instance, there has been a clear breach of the HSEs confidentiality and rights.
Previously the High Court heard that sometime in May approximately 27 files stolen from the HSE were downloaded onto VirusTotal.
The material included sensitive patient information including correspondence, minutes of meetings, and corporate documents, the HSE claims.
That material was downloaded 23 times by VirusTotal subscribers before it was removed by Chronicle on 25 May.
In a sworn statement to the court, the HSEs National Director for Operation Performance and Integration Joe Ryan said it became aware of an article published by the Financial Times last month, which referred to some stolen data, and a link used to access the stolen data online.
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The HSE sought the return of the data referred to in the article and an explanation as to the location of the link referred to in the article.
Ryan said the FT indicated it had obtained the stolen data from a confidential source which it refused to reveal.
Following the cyber attack, the HSE obtained a High Court order on 20 May that restraining any sharing, processing, selling or publishing of data stolen from its computer systems.
When the FT received a copy of the order the HSE obtained on 20 May it handed over the information obtained from the source to the HSEs cyber security advisors, Ryan said.
Ryan said that following an analysis of the material received from the FT it was discovered that the stolen documents were uploaded on VirusTotal
After contacting the defendants, Ryan said the stolen material was deleted from the VirusTotal platform.
Comments are closed for legal reasons.
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HSE secures orders to get details of those who downloaded cyber attack information - TheJournal.ie
74 Percent of Q1 Malware Undetectable to Signature-Based Tools – Solutions Review
WatchGuard Technologies recently released its Internet Security Report for Q1 2021.
The report covers new threat intelligence on rising network attack rates, new malware attacks, and malware disguises. Among its key findings, WatchGuard discovered that 74 percent of malware were zero-day malware, which cant be detected by signature-based tools; this signifies that enterprises must invest in more advanced detection solutions for their businesses.
ALERT: Our Buyers Guide for SIEM helps you evaluate the best solutions for your business use case and features profiles of the leading profiles, as well as a category overview of the marketplace and a Bottom Line Analysis for each vendor profile.
WatchGuard Technologies offers organizations capabilities in network security, secure Wi-Fi, multi-factor authentication, advanced endpoint protection, and network intelligence. Additionally, it works to provide cybersecurity solutions for businesses of all sizes.
Other key findings from the Internet Security Report for Q1 2021 include discovering a fileless malware variant, XML.JSLoader, exploding in popularity. Also, the report outlined how ransomware loaders can disguise themselves as PDFs with trick file names, and that hackers continue to target IoT devices, especially for botnet attacks. According to the findings, network attacks surged more than 20 percent. Simultaneously, attackers are co-opting legitimate domains for cryptocurrency mining campaigns.
Corey Nachreiner, Chief Security Officer at WatchGuard, made a statement with the release of the report. Last quarter saw the highest level of zero-day malware detections weve ever recorded. Evasive malware rates have actually eclipsed those of traditional threats, which is yet another sign that organizations need to evolve their defenses to stay ahead of increasingly sophisticated threat actors. Traditional anti-malware solutions alone are simply insufficient for todays threat environment. Every organization needs a layered, proactive security strategy that involves machine learning and behavioral analysis to detect and block new and advanced threats.
Learn more about Watchguard Technologies here.
Ben Canner is an enterprise technology writer and analyst covering Identity Management, SIEM, Endpoint Protection, and Cybersecurity writ large. He holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in English from Clark University in Worcester, MA. He previously worked as a corporate blogger and ghost writer. You can reach him via Twitter and LinkedIn.
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74 Percent of Q1 Malware Undetectable to Signature-Based Tools - Solutions Review
Insights on the Cloud Security Global Market to 2025 – Featuring Microsoft, Cisco Systems, Proofpoint and McAfee – GlobeNewswire
Dublin, June 25, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Global Cloud Security Market: Size & Forecast with Impact Analysis of COVID-19 (2021-2025)" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.
This report provides an in-depth analysis of the global cloud security market by value, by service model, by organization size, by application, by region, etc. The report presents a regional analysis of the cloud security market, including the following regions: North America (The US, and Rest of North America); Europe; Asia Pacific; Middle East & Africa; and Latin America.
The report also provides a detailed analysis of the COVID-19 impact on the cloud security market.
The report also assesses the key opportunities in the market and outlines the factors that are and will be driving the growth of the industry. Growth of the overall global cloud security market has also been forecasted for the period 2021-2025, taking into consideration the previous growth patterns, the growth drivers and the current and future trends.
The global cloud security market is highly fragmented with many major market players operating worldwide. The key players of the cloud security market - Microsoft Corporation, Cisco Systems, Inc., Proofpoint, Inc., and McAfee Corp. - are also profiled with their financial information and respective business strategies.
Regional Coverage
With the rapid evolution of the internet, privacy is considered to be the crucial element for each and every individual. As more and more people using internet, the vulnerability to cyber attacks has increased manifolds. Therefore, the use of cloud security has become extremely essential for everyone in order to protect the sensitive data.
Cloud security refers to the set of technologies, policies, controls, and services that secure cloud computing environments, applications, and infrastructure from cyber security threats. Cloud security is a form of cyber security.
The cloud security market can be segmented on the basis of security type, solution type, service model, deployment model, organization type, and application.
The global cloud security market has increased significantly during the years 2018-2020 and projections are made that the market would rise in the next four years i.e. 2021-2025 tremendously.
The cloud security market is expected to increase due to the growing prevalence of cyber attacks, rising deployment of cloud-based platforms, increasing adoption of Internet of Things (IoT), surging government initiatives to support smart infrastructure projects, growing adoption of cloud-based in government departments, etc. Yet the market faces some challenges such as complexity of network infrastructure, shortage of quality workforce, dependence of outdated security solutions, lack of compliance, etc.
Key Topics Covered:
1. Executive Summary
2. Introduction
3. Global Market Analysis3.1 Global Cloud Security Market: An Analysis 3.1.1 Global Cloud Security Market by Value3.1.2 Global Cloud Security Market by Service Model (Software-as-a-Service (SaaS), Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS), and Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) 3.1.3 Global Cloud Security Market by Organization Size (Large Enterprises, and Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) 3.1.4 Global Cloud Security Market by Application (BFSI, IT & Telecom, Government, Healthcare, Media & Entertainment, Education, and Others)3.1.5 Global Cloud Security Market by Region (North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa, and Latin America)3.2 Global Cloud Security Market: Service Model Analysis 3.2.1 Global Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) Cloud Security Market by Value3.2.2 Global Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) Cloud Security Market by Value3.2.3 Global Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) Cloud Security Market by Value3.3 Global Cloud Security Market: Organization Size Analysis 3.3.1 Global Large Enterprises Cloud Security Market by Value3.3.2 Global Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) Cloud Security Market by Value3.4 Global Cloud Security Market: Application Analysis 3.4.1 Global Banking, Financial Services, and Insurance (BFSI) Cloud Security Market by Value3.4.2 Global IT & Telecom Cloud Security Market by Value3.4.3 Global Government Cloud Security Market by Value3.4.4 Global Healthcare Cloud Security Market by Value3.4.5 Global Media & Entertainment Cloud Security Market by Value3.4.6 Global Education Cloud Security Market by Value3.4.7 Global Others Cloud Security Market by Value
4. Regional Market Analysis4.1 North America Cloud Security Market: An Analysis 4.1.1 North America Cloud Security Market by Value4.1.2 North America Cloud Security Market by Region (The US and Rest of North America)4.1.3 The US Cloud Security Market by Value4.1.4 The US Cloud Security Market by Application (BFSI, IT & Telecom, Government, Healthcare, Media & Entertainment, Education, and Others)4.1.5 The US Cloud Security Application Market by Value4.1.6 Rest of North America Cloud Security Market by Value4.2 Europe Cloud Security Market: An Analysis 4.2.1 Europe Cloud Security Market by Value4.3 Asia Pacific Cloud Security Market: An Analysis 4.3.1 Asia Pacific Cloud Security Market by Value4.4 Middle East & Africa Cloud Security Market: An Analysis 4.4.1 Middle East & Africa Cloud Security Market by Value 4.5 Latin America Cloud Security Market: An Analysis 4.5.1 Latin America Cloud Security Market by Value
5. Impact of COVID-195.1 Impact of COVID-195.1.1 Impact of COVID-19 on IT Security5.1.2 The Pandemic Necessitates Remote Work Norm, Accelerating Digital Transformation5.1.3 Impact of COVID-19 on Cloud Security5.1.4 Ways COVID-19 is Affecting Cloud Security5.1.5 IT's Response to Challenges/Opportunities Created by COVID
6. Market Dynamics6.1 Growth Driver6.1.1 Growing Prevalence of Cyber Attacks6.1.2 Rising Deployment of Cloud-based Platforms6.1.3 Increasing Adoption of Internet of Things (IoT)6.1.4 Surging Government Initiatives to Support Smart Infrastructure Projects6.1.5 Growing Adoption of Cloud-based in Government Departments6.2 Challenges6.2.1 Complexity of Network Infrastructure6.2.2 Shortage of qualified workforce6.2.3 Dependence on Outdated Security Solutions6.2.4 Lack of Compliance6.3 Market Trends6.3.1 Leveraging Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning in Cloud Security6.3.2 Increasing Use of Big Data in Cyber Security6.3.3 Growing Organizations Interest in Secure Access Service Edge (SASE)6.3.4 Introduction of Firewall-as-a-Service (Cloud Firewalls) 6.3.5 Surge in Adoption of Hybrid Security Models6.3.6 Rising Popularity of Remote work
7. Competitive Landscape7.1 Global Cloud Security Players by Market Share7.2 Global Cloud Security Market Players by R&D Expenditure7.3 Global Network Security Players by Market Share
8. Company Profiles8.1 Microsoft Corporation8.1.1 Business Overview8.1.2 Financial Overview8.1.3 Business Strategy8.2 Cisco Systems, Inc.8.2.1 Business Overview8.2.2 Financial Overview8.2.3 Business Strategy8.3 Proofpoint, Inc.8.3.1 Business Overview8.3.2 Financial Overview8.3.3 Business Strategy8.4 McAfee Corp.8.4.1 Business Overview8.4.2 Financial Overview8.4.3 Business Strategy
For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/2wi5q8
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Insights on the Cloud Security Global Market to 2025 - Featuring Microsoft, Cisco Systems, Proofpoint and McAfee - GlobeNewswire