Welcome to your Weekly Sentinel MCB™
Toronto, Canada, January 19, 2024 – This weekly newsletter is the product of manually curated news presented with the expert commentary of Claudiu Popa. As a weekly publication intended for media and information professionals, the objective is simply to outline common threads flowing through current news stories and identify opportunities to ask the questions that matter. Whether you are a professional journalist or a passionate subscriber, here is an opportunity for you to gain insights into the actual harms and what questions matter when it comes to the real impact of cybersecurity.
Theme of the Week
More Money, More Problems. How Corporations and Cybercriminals are Attracted by One Thing: Data (and lots of it)
Claudiu’s Observation: Today’s focus is on the aggregation of information creating a bull’s eye around systems and organizations that collect vast amounts of data. Here are six current stories that prove the point: intangible assets can be converted into tangible value, for better or for worse.
Claudiu’s Top Post
In the aftermath of the MOVEit breach, where an unpatched vulnerability exposed the confidential details of millions, the result serves as a stark reminder of how aggregated data becomes a prime target for cyber attackers. Read More
Vancouver Rape Crisis Centre Faces Privacy Concerns Amidst Stolen Server
The theft of a server highlights significant data privacy risks and points to a concerning interest in the private data collected, emphasizing the need for proactive security measures within organizations serving vulnerable populations. Read More
Eight-Year-Old Botnet Hijacks Smart TVs in Massive DDoS Campaign
A cyber syndicate called Bigpanzi targets smart TVs, using an irresistible appeal to orchestrate cybercrime activities, posing a threat to social order and cybersecurity. Read More
Canada Enhances Cybersecurity with Letter Grades for Critical Infrastructure
The Canadian Centre for Cyber Security (CCS) teams up with SecurityScorecard to assess and enhance cyber resilience in critical infrastructure using letter grades, facilitating targeted improvements based on aggregated data insights. Read More
FTC’s ‘Historic’ Privacy Win: A Superficial Triumph Reveals the Sad Truth
The recent FTC settlement reveals the profitability of harvesting vast amounts of individual data, exposing the limitations of privacy protection and the pressing need for regulatory reform. Read More
23andMe Shifts Blame to Users Amid Data Breach Fallout
Amid a data breach impacting 14,000 accounts, 23andMe blames their users, alleging negligence in password practices, while litigators circle the besieged company facing over 30 lawsuits. Read More
Case in point, this week’s revelation that a 12 TERABYTE trove of personal data has been found to include some 26 BILLION personal records in what has been termed the Mother of All Breaches (#MOAB: https://techmonitor.ai/technology/cybersecurity/mother-of-all-breaches-data). In this case an unnamed individual simply helped themselves to all the data of previous leaks, clumsily piling it all up in one place where it can represent a tripping hazard for entrepreneurial opportunists and curious onlookers.
When interviewing certified professionals with relevant expertise, always ask:
1. What are the real harms in each case?
2. How big can the impact get, beyond this anecdotal scenario?
3. How can the risk be mitigated?
For professional commentary by media analyst Claudiu Popa, click here to request an interview.
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Why Subscribe?
This weekly newsletter is the product of manually curated news presented with the expert commentary of Claudiu Popa. As a weekly publication intended for media and information professionals, the objective is simply to outline common threads flowing through current news stories and identify opportunities to ask the questions that matter. Whether you are a professional journalist or a passionate subscriber, here is an opportunity for you to gain insights into the actual harms when it comes to the real impact of cybersecurity. Don’t miss out on these important topics!
