The FBI is adding more cyber-focused agents to U.S. embassies
Cyber Scoop: The FBI is bolstering its fight against cybercrime by increasing the number of agents stationed at U.S. embassies abroad. With six new cyber assistant legal attachés (ALATs) added, bringing the total to 22, the focus is on enhancing global cooperation in cybercrime investigations. These agents, part of the FBI’s legal attaché program, will be posted in key locations including New Delhi, Rome, and Brasilia, marking a nearly 40% increase in cyber-focused personnel. This expansion reflects a strategic shift towards proactive disruption of cybercriminal networks and infrastructure, rather than just post-incident investigations. Key operations like the Genesis Market disruption, which involved 17 countries and led to significant arrests and actions, underscore the necessity of international collaboration. The FBI’s efforts are increasingly concentrated on combating ransomware and cyber threats to critical infrastructure, relying on strong partnerships with global law enforcement and intelligence agencies.
SEC X Account Hack Draws Senate Outrage
Dark Reading: Two U.S. Senators have criticized the SEC for its inadequate cybersecurity measures following the January 9 compromise of its Twitter account. They described the lack of multifactor authentication (MFA) on the account as “inexcusable” and are urging an investigation into the SEC’s cybersecurity practices, particularly its use of phishing-resistant MFA. The Senators highlighted the risks of such breaches, including potential market manipulation and loss of public trust. Since Twitter’s policy change in March 2020, which limits text-based two-factor authentication to premium subscribers, other organizations have also suffered breaches. The Senators are questioning why the SEC did not adopt alternative MFA methods, such as third-party apps or security keys, after Twitter’s policy change. They emphasized that the SEC’s failure to secure its accounts, especially with phishing-resistant hardware tokens, contradicts its own rigorous standards for enterprise cybersecurity.
Museum World Hit by Cyberattack on Widely Used Software
NY Times ($): Several museums, including the Museum of Fine Arts Boston and the Rubin Museum of Art in New York, experienced disruptions in displaying their collections online due to a cyberattack on Gallery Systems, a provider of digital display and document management for cultural organizations. The attack, detected on December 28, led to encrypted and inoperative systems, affecting tools like eMuseum for online collection searches and TMS for internal data management. Some museums have restored partial functionality, but issues persist. This incident is part of a growing trend of cyberattacks targeting cultural institutions. While the full extent and impact of this cyberattack are still unknown, the incident highlights the significant value of digital information in the art world, as it can contain irreplaceable research and documentation about artifacts.
Cybersecurity is a rapidly growing market, and it is projected to surge in value globally from $153.6bn in 2022 to $424.9bn by 2030. (source)
A recent report identified a lack of knowledgeable personnel, inadequate resources, and poor company culture as the top three obstacles to a team’s confidence in addressing compliance risks. (source)
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Charlies is a 14 year cyber security expert. He started his career in the U.S. armed forces and then transitioned into commercial roles. A security engineer by training, he's well-versed in tool deployment and administration.
Ellen bring a decade of GRC expertise to the TalPoint community. She's knowledgeable on a variety of frameworks and employs a methodical approach to compliance. She's available for needs assessments, gap assessments, internal audits, and for certain frameworks running independent 3rd party audits.
Zachary bring a 20+ year career in risk management to the TalPoint community. He's worked across healthcare, finance, and supply chain manufacturing. His broad experience offers both a holistic view of risk as well as a common sense approach to risk management.