ATG Hosts First Monthly Cybersecurity Meetup
We recently hosted our first monthly Cybersecurity Meetup — these events are an opportunity to come together and chat about the latest cybercrime news, have questions answered by a panel of experts, and more. Check out the full recording below.
Did you miss our first monthly Cybersecurity Meetup?
ATG President and CEO Luis Alvarez, Chief Security Officer Jeff Dicks, and Chief Technology Advisor Elliott Frutkin got together for a 30-minute panel discussion and Q&A period for attendees.
If you missed it, don’t worry — keep an eye on our newsletter so you can join our August meetup next month. In the meantime, you can watch the full recording on demand:
What Did We Cover In Our July Cybersecurity Meetup?
Kaseya Ransomware Attack
Earlier this month, a ransomware attack on Kaseya’s remote monitoring VSA platform infected hundreds of businesses. Kaseya VSA is a cloud-based management and monitoring solution that is used by many MSPs to remotely monitor and maintain their clients’ IT environments. It’s a tool that allows them to carry out a range of key support tasks without having to visit onsite.
Please note: Alvarez Technology Group clients are not affected by this ransomware attack. We do not use Kaseya VSA products, and so, our client base is unaffected.
Notorious cybercrime group REvil managed to exploit a flaw in Kaseya’s software and infect dozens of MSPs and hundreds of end-user businesses with ransomware. As a result of the infection, REvil was able to:
- Remotely breach workstations and servers
- Steal confidential and sensitive information
- Install malware
- Add new accounts
- Delete valuable data
- Remove administrative access for key users
- Hold businesses hostage
“The reality is we’re all targets of opportunity,” says Luis. “They’re just trying to make money.”
Zero Trust Cybersecurity
The zero-trust approach to cybercrime assumes that every aspect is a potential vulnerability until it can be confirmed otherwise. That means instead of simply investing in a strong firewall and antivirus, and assuming you’re protected, every part of your IT environment and every user trying to access it is assessed for its security.
It’s important for business owners to understand that every potential part of their network is a target. Given the overall connected nature of the systems, comprising one part can give the cybercriminals control over the entire environment.
This is a critical part of modern cybersecurity, which is why ATG has recently added ThreatLocker, an application control product that follows zero-trust methodology.
Cyber Insurance
Cyber insurance is a relatively new type of protection designed specifically to help cover the potentially massive expenses associated with an unavoidable data breach. Often referred to as cyber liability or data breach liability insurance, cyber insurance is a type of stand-alone coverage.
“It’s like life insurance,” says Luis. “You never want to have to use it.”
You may not be required by law to invest in cyber insurance, although certain compliance regulations, depending on the industry, do recommend it. But otherwise, the decision is up to you, and it’s a type of decision you’ve made before.
Just as you, in theory, don’t have to go to the dentist, you know it’s smart to do so anyway, right? It’s possible that you could take care of your teeth so well on your own that you never need help from a professional. But in reality? You’ll probably get a cavity or two, so it’s wise to get a checkup now and then.
The same reasoning applies to cyber insurance. While it’s possible that you may never get hit with a data breach, or have an employee mistakenly send sensitive info to the wrong contact, etc.
Don’t Miss Our August Cybersecurity Meetup
Awareness plays a big role in effective modern cybersecurity. That means you have to stay up to date with recent developments in both cybercrime tactics, and emergency cybersecurity defenses. That’s precisely what this monthly Cybersecurity Meetup series will help you do. Register by clicking here.
“Part of our efforts with our clients is to provide as many educational opportunities as possible,” says Luis.
If you have any questions about cybersecurity best practices, don’t hesitate to get in touch with the ATG team.
