Industry Defenders

High-Profile X Accounts Hijacked in One-Click Phishing Scam A recent phishing campaign is targeting influential X users, including journalists and political figures. Attackers send deceptive messages via email containing malicious links and a single click allows them to seize control of the account. Once hijacked, these accounts are used to promote fraudulent cryptocurrency schemes, exploiting their wide reach to deceive more users. Check out the article below ⬇️ https://lnkd.in/eTuqdRXv

Join us for our next Security Insights! Scott Klososky is sitting down with Ryan Christian to discuss the legal side of cybersecurity and incident response. Don't miss this opportunity to learn: -How attorney’s navigate breaches  -Stories from the front lines of cybersecurity law -How businesses can better prepare for cyber incidents Register Below! ⬇️ (The information provided in this webinar is for general informational and educational purposes only. It does not constitute legal advice.)

Imagine being "cancelled" by a hacker. A recent investigation uncovered an alleged cyber-espionage campaign from a major oil company targeting climate activists. Hacker utilized a simple phishing campaign to infiltrated inboxes, leaked sensitive documents, and worked to discredit environmental efforts. Allegedly, these hackers were linked to a lobbying firm representing the major oil company. Corporate espionage isn’t new, but the tactics are evolving. Targeted hacking campaigns against advocacy groups signal a new frontier in cyber warfare. Just another example of how no organization is immune to social engineering.

A great article from one of our members, Dr. Ryan Aung, CIO/CISO at Slavic401k. Dr. Ryan discusses the devastating impact a successful cyber attack could pose to Small to Medium size businesses. He walks through... -How SMB's can kickstart their cyber defenses -What's next to protect their data once the strategy is in place -Importance of strong remote work policies and procedures Check out the article below! ⬇️

Reply "Y" for nothing, ever. Apple’s iMessage has a built-in security feature that disables links from unknown senders, but scammers have figured out a loophole. It starts with a simple message claiming you need to reply to see its contents. Maybe it says something urgent about your Apple account or a missed delivery. All it asks is for you to send a quick “Y” to continue. The moment you reply, even with a single letter, iMessage recognizes that sender as “trusted” and now the walls are down. And since you already engaged, scammers now know your number is active, making you a prime target for future attacks. If an unknown sender asks for a response before you can see a message, silence is the best response. Always verify through official channels before engaging. Scammers are getting smarter. What are you doing to stay ahead?

Only the paranoid survive right? Phishing tests are a routine drill for most security teams in high-stakes environments. This keeps employees sharp and aware of any potential threat. But what happens when your own HR team inadvertently becomes the source of your biggest “attack”? Two weeks before Christmas, all employees of an organization received a "gift certificate" email. Over 2,000 Yes, 2,000 employees flagged it as phishing to the security team. Panic spread through the security team, including the CISO. Phones ringing off the hook. All projects halted. An absolute monster phishing scam had just deployed in their ecosystem and it was all hands on deck to stop any damage being done. After five hours of full fledged Incident Response actions, it was discovered the "attacker" was no threat at all. It was the HR team. Sending all employees a gift certificate for Christmas.... False alarm. How would your team have handled the situation?

Agriculture is Under Attack! As the Ag Industry evolves, the supply chain now depends on IoT devices, AI-powered systems, and massive data flows to boost efficiency and productivity. But we've put the cart before the horse. Security of these systems has been put on the back burner at best. In 2024, over 40 successful cyberattacks hit the agri-food sector in Q1 alone. From small dairy farms to global food manufacturers... Ransomware, supply chain breaches, and not to mention fraud happening daily. So, what’s the solution? At Ag Defender, we specialize in protecting the Agriculture industry. -We understand the specific challenges of the Ag sector. -We identify vulnerabilities across the supply chain. -We equip businesses with tailored solutions to make your operation resilient against digital threats. The future of Agriculture depends on digital security. Is your organization ready to protect its systems? 📩 Contact us today to learn how we can help.

Ransomware gangs know where the money is… and it’s CNI. Critical National Infrastructure (CNI) providers have become top targets for ransomware gangs, hacktivists, and nation-state actors. Many systems within CNI are decades old and this makes updating and patching these systems extremely difficult. This is how threat actors exploit these organizations. In one case, the Qilin ransomware group exploited security gaps in a healthcare provider’s systems. Imagine the impact... Active surgeries halted. Delayed operation. 6,000 appointments cancelled. This scale of impact is what these malicious groups want. This gives them the highest chance of a payday. CNI organizations have to change the way they think about securing these systems today and into the future.

Security Insights recap 👀 Check out Hart S. Brown sharing the general profile of a hacker from our last live event for our members!

Google is going back to their old ways... Starting February 2025, Google will allow device fingerprinting for advertising, marking a significant shift from its longstanding ban. This move has raised alarms, including a recent critique from the UK's Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), which warns of diminished user control and transparency in how personal data is collected and used. Device fingerprinting collects data like... -IP addresses -browser details -device configurations to uniquely identify users This data is often collected without knowledge or consent of the user. Unlike cookies, these identifiers can’t be reset or easily cleared, making this practice particularly invasive. This development underscores the need for ongoing investment in privacy-preserving technologies and transparent data practices.