Kevin Routhier

As President of a technology firm, it's crucial for us to stay informed and vigilant about cybersecurity threats, especially in light of recent events like the United Health/Change Healthcare cyberattack. This breach serves as a stark reminder of the importance of implementing robust security measures, including multifactor authentication, to protect sensitive data and prevent unauthorized access. It's concerning to see that such a fundamental security measure as multifactor authentication was lacking on a server handling sensitive healthcare data, highlighting the vulnerabilities that exist within our digital infrastructure. The repercussions of this cyberattack have been significant, with disruptions to payment and claims processing systems nationwide, underscoring the widespread impact that security breaches can have on the healthcare industry and beyond. The $22 million ransom paid in bitcoin and the ongoing investigation by the Office for Civil Rights further emphasize the severity and complexity of the situation. As a company committed to safeguarding our clients' data and infrastructure, we recognize the importance of proactive cybersecurity measures and continuous monitoring to detect and mitigate threats effectively. We stand ready to assist organizations in strengthening their security posture, implementing best practices, and ensuring compliance with data protection regulations. View the cybersecurity services Celera Networks offers and more at our website or feel free to send me a DM, I’m always happy to help. https://lnkd.in/dTNuWTHZ Link to Article on UnitedHealth breach: https://lnkd.in/dxjh2FYh

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Ransomware doesn't have to be a nightmare for your business in Boston, Newton, or Waltham. Learn how to defend your operations with proven best practices and robust IT strategies from CMIT Boston Newton Waltham. Protect your business today by visiting https://buff.ly/3QzPYWl #RansomwareProtection #BostonSMB #NewtonMA #WalthamBiz

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My company has kicked off a "5-Year Price Lock Guarantee" event for qualifying, new Comcast Business Internet and cybersecurity customers. The 5-Year Price Lock Guarantee is available to Comcast Business Internet Advanced (800 Mbps), Gigabit Extra (1.25 Gbps), and 2 Gigabit speed tier customers with Comcast Business SecurityEdge™ and a 1-year term agreement. Learn more here. #internet #cybersecurity #comcastbusiness #iworkforcomcast

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You should read the whole thing, but I'll give you the answer here: "layoffs can create conditions where disgruntled employees, facing stress or job insecurity, are more inclined towards risky behaviors that heighten vulnerability to breaches." Not exactly news, but good confirmation of a gut feeling that we've all known intrinsically for a while. The researchers propose "Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives emphasizing ethical conduct and data security during layoffs could potentially mitigate these risks." I have less faith in that approach - and think the cost effective way to manage this risk is to cut access to employees who are going to be laid off as early as possible. Harsh, sure, but if the goal is to protect the business, it's the right choice. Humans remain the hardest part of cybersecurity.

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AT&T disclosed that nearly all of its 110 million subscribers’ call and text message records that took place between May 1, 2022 and October 31, 2022 were stolen from a “third party cloud platform” (Snowflake). Note that these are records of which number called or texted which number, not the actual call recordings or message contents. Also, this is a new breach. AT&T says they found out in April, but the Department of Justice asked them twice to delay the disclosure. From AT&T's 8-K: On May 9, 2024, and again on June 5, 2024, the U.S. Department of Justice determined that, under Item 1.05(c) of Form 8-K, a delay in providing public disclosure was warranted. AT&T is now timely filing this report. AT&T is working with law enforcement in its efforts to arrest those involved in the incident. Based on information available to AT&T, it understands that at least one person has been apprehended. This smells very bad. 1.05(c) is an exception granted by the Attorney General if a disclosure would pose “significant threat to public safety or national security.” Why would an AT&T breach pose significant threat to public safety or national security that would make the DoJ ask them to sit on this notification? - Was AT&T giving access to these call detail records to the DoJ/FBI? - And as this is Snowflake, whose credentials were breached--an AT&T employee's, or a DoJ employee's? (assuming the FBI/DoJ had access to that data) To be clear, this is speculation on my part. It seems AT&T has gotten almost as bad as T-Mobile when it comes to information protection. #ATT #breach #Snowflake #cybersecurity

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While the extraordinary benefits offered by #AI are undeniable, we cannot forget that the threats related to this technology are anything but artificial. My article in the Boston Business Journal covers some of these risks as well as the best practices to help avoid them. #artificialintelligence #citrincooperman #cybersecurity

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Cybersecurity Alert: Massachusetts Town Loses $445,000 in Email Scam    It’s disheartening to hear that the small town of Arlington, Massachusetts, has fallen victim to a business email compromise (BEC) cyberattack, costing them over $445,000. This unfortunate incident serves as a stark reminder of the ever-present dangers in the digital landscape.   As an IT security expert, I cannot stress enough the importance of robust email security measures. Here are a few key insights to help protect your organization: Education and Training: Regularly educate your employees about the latest phishing tactics and how to recognize suspicious emails. Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): Implement MFA for all email accounts to add an extra layer of security. Regular Audits: Conduct frequent security audits and phishing simulations to ensure your defenses are up to date. Email Filtering: Use advanced email filtering solutions to detect and block malicious emails before they reach your inbox. In today's digital world, vigilance is not optional—it's essential. Let’s stay proactive and protect our businesses from these sophisticated cyber threats. Read more about this incident here: https://lnkd.in/eWere4GK Stay safe and secure! #CyberSecurity #EmailSecurity #Phishing #BusinessContinuity #SandraNetwork #MSP

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Cybersecurity assessments your business can rely on for real answers and real results. Contact Dox at doxnet.com or call (585) 473-7766. #Cybersecurity #Assessments #Dox

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What defines value? After three years of effort, this week marks the start of the federal government's enforcement of new secure software development requirements. Starting with GSA and then shifting to all commercial vendors selling to all agencies, the Office of Management and Budget industry-changing mandate is now in action. For years, vendors commented that they thought this would never happen, but guess what? It did. Attacks on nations' software are skyrocketing, and as a nation, we need to take steps to produce more secure software by design. Before implementing tools such as application security testing (SCA/SAST/DAST), you must ensure your organization has a proper foundation. This is why the NIST 800-218 Secure Software Development Framework (#SSDF) starts with organizations preparing themselves to ensure that their people, processes, and technology are prepared to perform secure software development at the organization level. CodeLock, Inc. received a grant from VIPC | Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation to develop a dashboard to provide companies across the country with the resources they need to get started and comply with these new requirements. Over the last month, we have uploaded templates for policies and procedures that your organizations need to have in order to meet specific practice areas. Rather than you having to create this from scratch, we did the work for you, saving thousands of hours and the finances associated with that work. You can get a CodeLock account today and access all of these resources for only $19/month. Do no wait to take action, get started with the compliance process today. If you made it this far into my post, congratulations! Send me a message, and I will give you a discount code to get started for free. #ZeroTrust, #CyberSecurity, #SoftwareDevelopment, #DepartmentOfDefense, #InfoSec, #NationalSecurity, #DefenseTech, #CyberDefense, #SecureSoftware, #MilitaryTechnology, #DevSecOps, #InformationSecurity, #CyberAwareness, #GovernmentTech, #CyberThreats, #TechInnovation, #DigitalTransformation, #CloudSecurity, #DataProtection, #NetworkSecurity, #SecurityArchitecture, #CyberResilience, #IdentityManagement, #Encryption, #Compliance, #SecureCoding, #CyberRiskManagement, #AIInCybersecurity, #ThreatIntelligence, #CriticalInfrastructure, #CyberLaw, #CyberEthics, #TechnologyLeadership, #PublicSectorInnovation, #TechGovernance, #SecureByDesign, #PrivacyByDesign, #MilitaryInnovation, #DefenseStrategies, #CyberWarfare, #CyberDiplomacy, #GovernmentContracting, #DefenseContractors, #MilitaryTec, #TechPolicy, #SecureInfrastructure, #NationalCybersecurity, #TechForDefense, #SecureDevelopment, #GovernmentIT

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According to a report from Appsbroker CTS nine in 10 IT leaders agree the risk and severity of cyber-attacks have increased over the past year. In an article for Infosecurity Magazine Beth Maundrill explores this report and focuses on the threats causing the most concern among IT leaders. It is undeniable cybercriminals are exploiting the rapid digital transformation businesses are undergoing. As technology advances, so do the methods of cybercriminals. While their motivations may vary, their tactics are constantly evolving. Therefore, it is crucial to stay informed about the various types of cyber-attacks you might encounter and take proactive measures to protect yourself and your organization. At EC-Council we developed comprehensive cybersecurity certification programs to help IT leaders, and their cybersecurity team enhance security. With our expert-designed training on identifying and mitigating security risks, IT leaders can rest assured that their business is safe from the latest cyberthreats. https://lnkd.in/gAwMm7MJ

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It is good to see some progress. I had a GSA schedule many years ago, and it was a paperwork nightmare. "The self-attestation requirements “will obviously add another step in the process, but it’s a very necessary step,” Mistry said. “Will there be a period of confusion where people don’t know exactly what’s required, both on the government side as well as industry side? But I think those things will just shake out over time. I think the net benefit is all positive." #procurement #techsales #vendormanagement #reseller #channelmarketing GSA https://lnkd.in/g3QWhqcJ

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🚨Could This Be Your Organization? Imagine this: Your organization is running smoothly, with ongoing projects and regular communications with vendors. But without even knowing, cybercriminals could already be lurking within your network, silently monitoring your company emails, and waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike. One day, an email arrives from a trusted vendor. It looks legitimate, discusses routine issues, and requests a change in the payment method from check to electronic funds transfer. Unbeknownst to your staff, this email is not from your vendor but from a cybercriminal who has been watching your email exchanges for months. Your team, believing the request is genuine, approves the change and unknowingly sends payments to the fraudster. What would you do if this happened to your organization? This scenario isn't just a hypothetical situation. Recently, a town northwest of Boston experienced this very type of cyberattack. Cybercriminals infiltrated the town's email system by impersonating a vendor involved in a major local construction project. Over four months, they managed to siphon $445,945.73 by redirecting payments intended for the legitimate vendor to their own accounts. This could be your organization in the news. Are you prepared to defend against such sophisticated cyber threats? https://lnkd.in/gs6P6VJX #cybersecurity #emailscam #cybercrime

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Keeping your business secure is more important than ever. Recently, I met with the team at Cambridge Band and shared some of my best security tips with them:  🖥️ Regular Software Updates: Keep all software updated to protect against vulnerabilities. 🖥️ Strong Password Policies: Use complex passwords and change them regularly. 🖥️ Firewall and Antivirus Protection: Install and maintain robust firewall and antivirus software. 🖥️ Employee Training: Educate your team on security best practices and how to spot phishing attempts. 🖥️ Regular Backups: Ensure that data is backed up frequently and securely. Take the first step in securing your business today! Follow this link to Book a FREE cybersecurity consultation with us: https://www.oramca.com/ #OramCybersecurityAdvisors #CyberAttack #SlowComputer #CyberSecurity #ComputerBreach #DataBreach

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NCUA examiners have said that the ACET is no longer a requirement. They are now recommending that organizations choose an internal framework to align with such as NIST CSF 2.0, CIS, or other! They have stated the new NCUA ISE statements are for them to use as an examination tool and not for credit unions. I would recommend aligning with both an internal framework and the ISE by taking an evidence-based approach so you are prepped for your exam, and meet their requirements!

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