Experts expose solutions to mitigate cyberattacks
- Phishing is one of the most common methods hackers use to steal information.
- Artificial intelligence is being used to control groups of computers that are used to attack other computers.
- The endpoint detection and response (EDR) application is indispensable for defending individuals and organizations from cyberattacks.
In view of the growing cyberattacks worldwide, leaders and security experts from government, academia and technology companies will meet on October 6 and 7 at Harrisburg University’s annual Cybersecurity Summit, which will have a virtual modality for Latin Americans.
According to the technology company Fortinet, a world leader in cybersecurity solutions, Colombia had 3.7 billion cyberattack attempts in the first half of 2021, ranking fourth after Mexico, Brazil and Peru; in Latin America there were more than 91 billion attempts related to cybersecurity attacks.
“Cyberattacks have skyrocketed by 700 percent since the start of the pandemic. This has caused more organizations to adopt preventive measures, through training and awareness about security; Threat protection is the ability to detect incidents of risk or malware,” says Bruce Young, Cybersecurity and Information Assurance Instructor at Harrisburg University.
Cybercriminals have taken advantage, in the midst of the pandemic, of the weaknesses of cybersecurity in remote work environments, as many of the organizations were not prepared and did not have adequate protection.
One of the most common methods of deception is known as phishing, with which criminals manage to share passwords, credit card numbers and confidential information through the false image of trusted institutions, with emails or phone calls.
In this regard, Young adds that, “Artificial Intelligence can also be used to automatically collect a person’s information (from bank, doctor, driver’s license), formulate a sophisticated phishing attempt and deliver to a user an email that seems legitimate.”
McAfee reported that hackers have come to access the information of training bikes in enclosed spaces, with which they can control the camera and microphone, steal personal information stored on the device and monitor users without their knowledge.
“When it comes to these smart devices, there’s so much competition in the market, that product cybersecurity analysis often takes a back seat, to get to the customer soon,” says Brandon Keath, a cybersecurity expert and professor at Harrisburg University. In this sense, companies and brands must continue with efforts to prevent the information of people and organizations from being violated.
The identification plan in organizations is essential to mitigate risks, so experts recommend an incident response plan (IRP) that identifies the roles and responsibilities of people responding to a cyberattack, which include proper communication with collaborators, interest groups, dialogue with criminals and reporting to the authorities. There are also several cybersecurity frameworks available, such as the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s (NIST) Cybersecurity (CSF) or the International Organization for Standardization(ISO) Series 27000, which provide guidance on how to defend against cyberattacks.
The first step in getting ahead of criminals is to assess the environment, identify information assets and determine security breaches that need to be addressed, as well as having the appropriate security controls in place to detect, prevent and defend against security breaches. A critical component to ensuring security is an endpoint detection and response (EDR) application.
The annual Cybersecurity Summit, led by experts from Harrisburg University’s Center for Security and Excellence, is an excellent opportunity to work on making digital security at the forefront of security risks related to sensitive systems, so you know how to mitigate them.
Analyzing public sector trust in cybersecurity, innovations that address threats, attackers’ perspectives on social engineering techniques, and effective mitigation or cyber strategies, among many others, are the topics that experts will address to strengthen the protection of systems and data in organizations and governments around the world.
Knowledge is the fundamental tool that serves as a barrier to mitigate criminal actions and protect cybersecurity. One of the most frequent recommendations is to validate the characters of email addresses and links that reach the mail. Organizations can also turn to research bodies such as Harrisburg University’s security center that supports government or private sector security leaders with collaborative schemes and awareness initiatives.
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About the Security Summit
Latin American public interested in participating in the annual Cybersecurity Summit (October 6 and 7)can access for free through the code: CSS21LATAM at the following link: https://bit.ly/3AIAMws
ABOUT HARRISBURG UNIVERSITY
Accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, Harrisburg University is a private nonprofit university offering bachelor and graduate degree programs in science, technology, and math fields. For more information on the University’s affordable demand-driven undergraduate and graduate programs, call 717-901-5146 or email, Connect@HarrisburgU.edu. Follow on Twitter (@HarrisburgU) and Facebook (Facebook.com/HarrisburgU).
