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10 Top Cyber Monday Deals for Web Designers

Whether you’re skipping Black Friday to concentrate on Cyber Monday or planning for a shopping spree during both days doesn’t matter. The subject here is Cyber Monday Deals, and there are some great ones indeed. Some Cyber Monday deals expire at midnight on Monday December 2nd, others are valid a day or two longer, and […]

The post 10 Top Cyber Monday Deals for Web Designers appeared first on WebAppers.




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Constrained Restless Bandits for Dynamic Scheduling in Cyber-Physical Systems. (arXiv:1904.08962v3 [cs.SY] UPDATED)

Restless multi-armed bandits are a class of discrete-time stochastic control problems which involve sequential decision making with a finite set of actions (set of arms). This paper studies a class of constrained restless multi-armed bandits (CRMAB). The constraints are in the form of time varying set of actions (set of available arms). This variation can be either stochastic or semi-deterministic. Given a set of arms, a fixed number of them can be chosen to be played in each decision interval. The play of each arm yields a state dependent reward. The current states of arms are partially observable through binary feedback signals from arms that are played. The current availability of arms is fully observable. The objective is to maximize long term cumulative reward. The uncertainty about future availability of arms along with partial state information makes this objective challenging. Applications for CRMAB abound in the domain of cyber-physical systems. This optimization problem is analyzed using Whittle's index policy. To this end, a constrained restless single-armed bandit is studied. It is shown to admit a threshold-type optimal policy, and is also indexable. An algorithm to compute Whittle's index is presented. Further, upper bounds on the value function are derived in order to estimate the degree of sub-optimality of various solutions. The simulation study compares the performance of Whittle's index, modified Whittle's index and myopic policies.




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Immerse Yourself in the Deep Web to Investigate Cyber Crime in GoldGun for iOS

In this podcast, Thomas Domville introduces us to GoldGun, a recently released audio game for iOS where you play the adventures of Soren, a police officer investigating cybercriminal activity in the deep web.

Description from the App Store:

The game is presented in a cinematic like experience and it is delivered through seven episodes, in a format similar to TV series. Each episode is launched every two or three months. The first episode (launch date 31st January 2019) is completely free, so everybody can play and enjoy it. The sounds in the game are implemented using 3D-audio in order to provide an immersive experience and playing with headphones is highly recommended. The game mechanics include the use of the gyroscope (tilt the phone to move) and tactile interface (swipe and tap actions to interact with objects).

The story is presented like a single-player narrative, with extensive voice acting and no use of voice-over software. Each episode includes a series of minigames, which grow in length and complexity as the story deepens and progresses in the future episodes.

GoldGun is available as a free download from the App Store.



  • Gaming
  • iOS & iPadOS Apps

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Resonate Sound Design releases Cyber soundset for Xfer Serum

Resonate Sound Design has announced the release of a new preset expansion pack for the popular Serum wavetable synthesizer by Xfer Records. Cyber delivers over 120 fresh presets. If you create trailer, cyberpunk, dark synthwave, darkwave or similar genre music, then this is the preset pack for you…not that you can’t use these for a […]

The post Resonate Sound Design releases Cyber soundset for Xfer Serum appeared first on rekkerd.org.




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Take Note: Peter Forster On Cybersecurity And Practicing "Cyber Hygiene"

Peter Forster is an associate professor who teaches security and risk analysis at Penn State’s College of Information Sciences and Technology. His research focuses on cybersecurity, counter-terrorism and social networks. Forster has worked on improving law enforcement’s situational awareness of issues such as drug and human trafficking. He also oversees a research project on better understanding of how extremist organizations recruit Americans in cyberspace. He talks with WPSU about why cybersecurity shouldn’t be an afterthought in today’s world and how the cyber world and the physical world are inseparable. Plus, how to practice “cyber hygiene.” Transcript: Min Xian: Welcome to Take Note on WPSU. I’m Min Xian. Peter Forster is an associate teaching professor who teaches security and risk analysis at Penn State's College of Information Sciences and Technology. His research focuses on cybersecurity, counterterrorism and social networks. Forster has worked on improving law enforcement’s




cyb

Coaxing Cops To Tackle Cybercrime? There's An App For That

Cybercrime is booming, and victims are often at a loss about where to get help. In theory, Americans should report the crimes to the FBI, via its Internet Crime Complaint Center . In practice, the feds get hundreds of thousands of complaints a year, and have to focus on the biggest cases. But the other option, calling the police, can seem even less promising. "They didn't even respond," says Gregg Bennett, whose loss of 100 Bitcoin was described in an earlier NPR story about SIM-swap scams . He says he called his city's police department soon after discovering the theft, but concluded it was a dead end. "They have no ability to look up something like this," Bennett says. "It certainly is not local — this is not a local issue." It's conventional wisdom that cybercrime is too technical and too international for local police to handle. But as daily life becomes more digital, so does everyday crime, and some police say they can no longer avoid wading into the world of phone spoofers,




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China’s military is tied to debilitating new cyberattack tool


China’s cyberespionage efforts have shown no sign of relenting globally and may be intensifying as tensions with Australia, the United States and other countries have risen over trade, technology, and disputes over the coronavirus pandemic.



  • Nation & World
  • Nation & World Politics
  • Technology

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Securing Data on Threat Detection Using IBM Spectrum Scale and IBM QRadar: An Enhanced Cyber Resiliency Solution

Draft Redpaper, last updated: Wed, 29 Apr 2020

Having appropriate storage for hosting business-critical data and advanced Security Information and Event Management software for deep inspection, detection, and prioritization of threats has become a necessity of any business.




cyb

Feb 1: Understanding the coronavirus, cyborg jellyfish, judging cat pain and more...

An AI knows how you dance and Canada’s newest and youngest astronaut



  • Radio/Quirks & Quarks

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Monash IVF patients receive bogus emails after 'malicious cyber attack' on fertility company

A national fertility business attached to clinics in six Australian states and territories says its email system has been subjected to a "malicious cyber attack", with patients reporting receiving bogus messages that appear to be from the company.




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School children's data exposed to cyber security threats due to education department oversight

The records of children and teachers have been left vulnerable to cyber security attacks due to an oversight from the Northern Territory Government, a report from the auditor general's Office has revealed.




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Inside a massive cyber hack that risks compromising leaders across the globe

One email was all it took for hackers to steal some of the most personal information from people potentially now in high-ranking roles across the globe. The cyber attack was so sophisticated it didn't even need the person to click on a link or open a document for the hackers to get in.




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Network Detective helps organisations secure work-at-home devices to mitigate cybersecurity threats and vulnerabilities caused by remote workforces

What was once considered a luxury – the ability to work from home – is now a necessity in today’s unprecedented time.




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In the Matter of State of Maetreum of Cybele, Magna Mater, Inc. v. McCoy

(Court of Appeals of New York) - In this case, petitioner, a not-for-profit religious corporation that owns real property, commenced proceedings pursuant to CPLR article 78 and RPTL article 7 after respondent Board of Assessment and Review for the Town of Catskill refused petitioner's applications for tax-exempt status pursuant to RPTL 420-a. The Appellate Division's grant of the petitions is affirmed, where petitioner adequately established its entitled to the RPTL 420-a exemption, as the proof at trial established that petitioner "exclusively" utilized the property in furtherance of its religious and charitable purposes.



  • Property Law & Real Estate
  • Tax Law
  • Tax-exempt Organizations

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Cyber Top Cops Is Back!

We would like to announce that we are back on track. And we kick off with a review of Kaspersky Internet Security.




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Saltus Students Tackle Cyberbullying With Video

Three Saltus Grammar School students have produced a music video designed to combat cyber-bullying, with secondary 8 students Kalia Michelle Steede, Sedona-Sky Duffy, and Selah Zyah Tuzo creating “The Bullying Movie” as an Information Communications Technology class assignment. The project has since become a resource at cybertips.bm, a Department of E-Commerce website that promotes the […]

(Click to read the full article)




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Identifying Unintended Harms of Cybersecurity Countermeasures

In this paper (winner of the eCrime 2019 Best Paper award), we consider the types of things that can go wrong when you intend to make things better and more secure. Consider this scenario. You are browsing through Internet and see a news headline on one of the presidential candidates. You are unsure if the … Continue reading Identifying Unintended Harms of Cybersecurity Countermeasures




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Senior MP tells UK Defence Committee on 5G security: Russia could become China's cyber-attack dog

One has the vulns, the other has the brass neck to pull off heists. Right?

Russia might begin carrying out cyber attacks against Britain's 5G networks "at the behest of China", the chairman of a Parliamentary Select Committee has ventured.…




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Anthro and Cyberpunk merge in music video - Magnum Bullets

Dan Avidan, after years of dancing around topic of being a furry and which he would be, seems to have settled on his fursona of a cyberpunk wolf in a recently released music video. The video features animal characters with trans-humanist enhancements. The coloration has a signature bleed of 80s style animation.

The story portrays a pack of wolves seeking vengeance against a stag mogul after having their kin slaughtered at his hand. The style of animation and situation has some striking similarities to that of Caravan Palace's music video for Lone Digger.

This was brought to my attention by Majira Strawberry who asked why know one was talking about it. The answer to that in my case is object pertinence.

For those who are fans of cyberpunk and animation this is certainly worth the watch.




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Are accountants the future anthropologists of the cyber era?

Are accountants destined to be the anthropologists of the cyber era? Gillian Tett appears to suspect such. Continue reading




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IBM, Packet Clearing House and Global Cyber Alliance Collaborate to Protect Businesses and Consumers from Internet Threats

IBM Security, Packet Clearing House (PCH) and The Global Cyber Alliance (GCA) today launched a free service designed to give consumers and businesses added privacy and security protection as they access the internet. The new Quad9 Domain Name System (DNS) service helps protect users from accessing millions of malicious internet sites known to steal personal information, infect users with ransomware and malware, or conduct fraudulent activity.




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IBM Study: Responding to Cybersecurity Incidents Still a Major Challenge for Businesses

IBM Security today announced the results of a global study exploring the factors and challenges of being a Cyber Resilient organization. The study was conducted by Ponemon Institute and sponsored by IBM Resilient and found that 77 percent of respondents admit they do not have a formal cyber security incident response plan (CSIRP) applied consistently across their organization. Nearly half of the 2800 respondents reported that their incident response plan is either informal/ad hoc or completely non-existent.




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Virtual City For Kids Founded In Cyberspace

From 1 August young New Zealanders will have a safe virtual city, SciCity, in which they can explore, create and discover thanks to Otago Museum's Discovery World, IBM New Zealand, and ZeDDD Technology.



  • Media & Entertainment

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Selon IBM, les acheteurs du monde entier ont doublé le taux de croissance des ventes en ligne pendant le Cyber Monday

Les revendeurs internationaux observent une croissance significative pendant Thanksgiving et le Black Friday. IBM enregistre un engagement record dans son rapport annuel Holiday Readiness Clients




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IBM annonce une plateforme communautaire basée sur le Cloud pour les applications de cybersécurité

IBM (NYSE: IBM) a annoncé aujourd'hui une nouvelle plateforme communautaire basée sur le Cloud pour les applications de cybersécurité. IBM Security Connect est la première plateforme Cloud de sécurité reposant sur des technologies fédérées ouvertes, avec l'IA en son centre, pour analyser les données de sécurité sur des outils et des environnements non connectés auparavant.




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IBM QRadar Advisor with Watson étend ses connaissances sur les techniques cybercriminelles

IBM Security annonce le lancement de QRadar Advisor with Watson, avec de nouvelles fonctionnalités pour les plateformes sécurisées par IA : elles bénéficient désormais d'une meilleure compréhension des comportements cybercriminels et peuvent tirer des leçons des mesures de sécurité mises en place au sein d'une entreprise. IBM Security a également adopté le modèle Open Source MITRE ATT&CK, une base de données qui s'appuie sur les constats concrets de la communauté de sécurité pour soutenir les analystes dans leur compréhension de l'évolution des attaques et de leurs possibles conséquences.




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Rapport IBM X-Force : le ransomware ne s’est pas révélé payant en 2018 pour les cybercriminels - Il faut se tourner vers le cryptojacking pour faire du profit

IBM Security a annoncé aujourd'hui les résultats de l'IBM X-Force Threat Intelligence Index annuel 2019, qui a révélé que les mesures de sécurité et la prise de conscience accrues poussent les cybercriminels à modifier leurs techniques en quête d'un meilleur retour sur investissement. En conséquence, le rapport détaille deux changements majeurs, à savoir un détournement surprenant des attaques de type ransomware et une diminution du recours aux logiciels malveillants.




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Étude IBM : Plus de la moitié des organisations disposant de plans de réponse aux incidents de cybersécurité omettent de les mettre à l'essai

L’entité sécurité d’IBM a annoncé aujourd'hui les résultats d'une étude mondiale sondant le niveau de préparation des organisations en matière de résistance à une cyberattaque et de récupération ensuite. L'étude, menée par le Ponemon Institute et sponsorisée par IBM Resilient, a révélé qu'une grande majorité des organisations interrogées ne sont toujours pas prêtes à répondre de façon adéquate aux incidents de cybersécurité, 77% des personne interrogées indiquant qu'ils n'ont pas de plan de réponse aux incidents de cybersécurité appliqué de manière cohérente dans l’ensemble de l'organisation.




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IBM lance une technologie ouverte pour accélérer la réponse aux cybermenaces à travers les Clouds

IBM (NYSE: IBM) a annoncé aujourd'hui le Cloud Pak for Security, qui présente des innovations révolutionnaires qui lui permettent de se connecter à n’importe quel outil de sécurité, Cloud ou système en local sans avoir à déplacer des données de leur source d'origine. Disponible dès aujourd'hui, la plateforme inclut une technologie open source pour rechercher les menaces, des capacités d'automatisation pour aider à accélérer les réponses aux cyberattaques et la possibilité de fonctionner dans n'importe quel environnement.




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IBM Announces New National Cyber Security Centre In Canberra

IBM (NYSE: IBM) today announced the IBM National Cyber Security Centre in Canberra (NCSC). The NCSC aims to foster greater collaboration with government and business aligned to Australia’s new national Cyber Security Strategy. IBM has appointed Kevin Zuccato, one of Australia’s most experienced cyber security experts to lead the NCSC, where he will oversee a team of cyber security specialists. The team will work within Australia’s cyber security eco-system to ensure a strategic and proactive approach to cyber resilience.




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IBM SECURITY HELPS STOP CYBERCRIMINALS FROM OPENING FRAUDULENT ACCOUNTS

IBM Security today announced a new capability from IBM Trusteer that helps banks identify fraudulent accounts before they are opened. The technology also protects consumers even if they are not a customer of the bank being targeted with the fake account.



  • Banking and Financial Services

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NEWS: LEt's cYbeR

Our first sale ever is happening right now at the online shop ~ please enjoy, my friends!

Click on this link to apply it instantlyor use LETSCYBER code at checkout! 15% off the entire Starfighter shop with any $25 and up purchase until 12/25! -Hamlet




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NEWS: LEt's cYbeR 2018

Our second annual holiday sale is happening right now at the online shop ~ please enjoy, my friends!

Click on this link to apply it instantlyor use LETSCYBER code at checkout! 15% off the entire Starfighter shop with any $25 and up purchase until 12/31! -Hamlet




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[ВИДЕО] В Австралии видеоигре Cyberpunk 2077 присвоили рейтинг "18+": есть однополый секс, проститутки и фаллоимитаторы


Вслед за бразильским регулятором, австралийские чиновники присвоили видеоигре Cyberpunk 2077, выходящей в сентябре, возрастной рейтинг R (18+). В сопроводительных документах указано, что геймеров ждет много секса на любой вкус. Австралийские чиновники отмечают, что хотя в Cyberpunk 2077 нет явной демонстрации секса...
Читать подробнее...




cyb

Open Request for Proposals for “Cybersecurity of Fire Protection Systems”

  Fire protection systems are increasingly networked to Building Control Systems (BCS), Internet of Things (IoT), and other platforms that are, by design or oversight, exposed to the public-facing Internet. This emerging environment could lead to




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Download: 'Coronavirus Cyber Security for Management' Template for CISOs

The Coronavirus crisis introduces critical operational challenges to business continuity, placing high stress on organizations' management. As a result, CIOs and CISOs face a double challenge on the cyber risk front – apart from the new risks that the mass transfer of employees working remotely brings, capturing the management mindshare for further investments in security becomes harder than




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This Asia-Pacific Cyber Espionage Campaign Went Undetected for 5 Years

An advanced group of Chinese hackers has recently been spotted to be behind a sustained cyber espionage campaign targeting government entities in Australia, Indonesia, Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand, Myanmar, and Brunei—which went undetected for at least five years and is still an ongoing threat. The group, named 'Naikon APT,' once known as one of the most active APTs in Asia until 2015,




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China's Military Is Tied to Debilitating New Cyberattack Tool




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German Cybersecurity Chief: Threats Posed by Huawei Are Manageable

In an interview, Arne Schönbohm, 49, the head of Germany's Federal Office for Information Security, discusses the potential danger posed by Huawei, why he thinks it is "manageable" and the general state of IT threats in Germany.




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Try your hand at becoming a cybersecurity superhero for just $40

TL;DR: Get trained in cybersecurity with The Ultimate 2020 White Hat Hacker Certification Bundle for $39.90, a 97% as of May 9.


When you think of superheroes, you probably picture capes and some sort of otherworldly powers. But in the digital world, superheroes are actually normal people like you and me. They just happen to know a thing or two about stopping cybercriminals in their tracks.

These superheroes are in short supply across the world. In fact, there are over half a million cybersecurity job openings in the U.S. alone. That just means this could be your chance to swoop in, superhero style, and save the day. But first things first, you need to learn the ropes and the Ultimate 2020 White Hat Hacker Certification Bundle is a great place to start. Read more...

More about Cybersecurity, Online Learning, Mashable Shopping, Tech, and Consumer Tech




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How Backup And Storage Led To Cybercrime

Technology has come a long way, and cyber protection is the most crucial factor in advancing the future of digital defense. Interestingly enough, cybersecurity was not always an issue in backup and storage; but as technology advances, so do the methods of hackers. Saying this, let’s take a walk down memory lane. The 1900s: Where […]

The post How Backup And Storage Led To Cybercrime appeared first on Dumb Little Man.




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Is the GCC Cyber Resilient?

9 March 2020

How would the states of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) respond to a serious cyber incident? This could be a global ransomware event, a critical infrastructure incident targeted at the energy sector, or an attack on government departments. This paper examines cyber resilience in the states of the GCC. 

Joyce Hakmeh

Senior Research Fellow, International Security Programme; Co-Editor, Journal of Cyber Policy

James Shires

Assistant Professor at the Institute for Security and Global Affairs, University of Leiden

GettyImages-1052280468.jpg

Saudi nationals attend the Gitex 2018 exhibition at the Dubai World Trade Center in Dubai on 16 October 2018. Photo: Getty Images.

Summary

  • GCC states seek to be leaders in digital innovation, but this leaves them vulnerable to an increasing range of cyberthreats. Governments have invested significantly in cybersecurity but these measures have been unevenly implemented, makingit difficult for these states to be resilient against a large-scale cyber incident.
  • Strategies, structures and processes (‘approaches’) for achieving cyber resilience can be conceptualized along a scale from centralized to distributed: centralized approaches maintain decision-making power in a single body, while distributed ones disperse power over many sites.
  • Centralized approaches provide more resilience against unwanted influence, while distributed approaches provide more resilience against intrusions into infrastructure. The GCC states have so far prioritized centralized over distributed cyber resilience, seeking internet and social media control over sustainable network recovery.
  • GCC governments should make a sustainable commitment to cyber resilience that provides clear guidance to organizations and makes best use of emerging cybersecurity structures. This may involve further engagement with international initiatives and partners to increase cyber resilience.
  • Given limited resources, GCC governments should rebalance their efforts from centralized towards distributed approaches to resilience.
  • GCC governments should examine the impact of relevant new technologies, discussing openly the risks of these technologies and appropriate solutions.




cyb

Connecting the digital divides: Technology and cyber policy experts launch new journal

30 June 2015

Chatham House and Routledge, Taylor & Francis are launching the Journal of Cyber Policy on 2 July.

Fifteen years ago it would be unthinkable for cyber security to top the list of priorities at the annual US-China Security and Economic Dialogue, as it did last week. But, in the intervening years, cyber technologies and the internet have become fundamental tools for everything from running critical infrastructure such as energy grids and satellite systems, to political, economic and social interactions. Given the pace of change, it should not surprise us that we have barely started to understand how to govern this new order and manage the global internet in ways that both empower and protect us.

In response, Chatham House and Routledge (part of the Taylor & Francis Group) are launching the Journal of Cyber Policy, addressing a rapidly changing situation and connecting creative, technical and policy experts.

Informing the growing security challenges of an interconnected digital world, this new peer-reviewed journal will provide a valuable resource to decision-makers in the public and private sectors grappling with the challenges of cyber security, online privacy, surveillance and internet access. The journal will offer informed and rigorous thinking, supported by the journal’s internationally renowned editorial board.

'The Journal of Cyber Policy will empower experts with new thinking and diverse ideas delivered in a way which is practically relevant as well as academically rigorous,' Dr Patricia Lewis, research director, International Security Department at Chatham House and co-editor of the journal, said. 'It will change the game for those working on cyber issues.' 

'As the preferred publisher for think tanks around the world, we are proud to be Chatham House’s partner on this new journal, which seeks to address issues that touch upon all our lives on a daily basis,' said Leon Heward-Mills, Global Publishing Director (Journals) at Taylor & Francis Group.

The Journal of Cyber Policy launches on the evening of 2 July at a reception at Chatham House.

Editor's notes

Patricia Lewis, research director, International Security, Chatham House, is available for interview on cyber issues. To request an interview, please contact the press office.

Reflecting the global nature of cyber issues, the Journal of Cyber Policy is intent on drawing upon a geographically and culturally diverse set of contributors.

The editorial board includes:

  • Subimal Bhattacharjee, independent consultant on defense and cyber security issues, New Delhi (India)
  • Pablo Bello, secretary general, Asociación Iberoamericana de Centros de Investigación y Empresas de Telecomunicaciones (AHCIET) [and former vice minister of telecommunications] (Chile)
  • Dr Myriam Dunn Cavelty, lecturer for security studies and senior researcher in the field of risk and resilience at the Center for Security Studies, Zurich (Switzerland)
  • Prof Richard Dasher, director, US-Asia Technology Management Center, Stanford University (USA)
  • Dorothy Gordon, director-general, Ghana-India Kofi Annan Centre of Excellence in ICT (Ghana)
  • Alexandra Kulikova, programme coordinator, Global Internet Governance and International Information Security, PIR Center (Russia)
  • Dr Victoria Nash, deputy director, Oxford Internet Institute (UK)
  • Prof Motohiro Tsuchiya, professor, Graduate School of Media and Governance, Keio University (Japan)

Editor, the Journal of Cyber Policy: Caroline Baylon, Chatham House
Co-editors, the Journal of Cyber Policy: Dr Patricia Lewis and Emily Taylor, Chatham House

Topics for the first edition are as follows:

  • How did we get here?
  • Cyber crime – the impact so far
  • How does the internet run and who owns it?
  • Privacy vs security
  • Vulnerability and resilience of critical infrastructure
  • Cyber war is already underway
  • The next billion online
  • ​Cyber security awareness: Are politicians fit for purpose?
  • Internet of Things

The first two issues of the Journal on Cyber Policy will be published in 2016 and subscriptions to the journal can be placed in August 2015.

Chatham House 

Chatham House, the Royal Institute of International Affairs, is an independent policy institute based in London. It is renowned for open debate, independent analysis and new ideas. Chatham House experts develop new ideas on how best to confront critical international challenges and take advantage of opportunities from the near- to the long-term. Policy recommendations are developed in collaboration with policy-makers, experts and stakeholders in each area. Chatham House staff regularly brief government officials, legislators and other decision-makers on their conclusions.

Taylor & Francis Group

Taylor & Francis Group partners with researchers, scholarly societies, universities and libraries worldwide to bring knowledge to life.  As one of the world’s leading publishers of scholarly journals, books, ebooks and reference works our content spans all areas of Humanities, Social Sciences, Behavioural Sciences, Science, and Technology and Medicine.

From our network of offices in Oxford, New York, Philadelphia, Boca Raton, Boston, Melbourne, Singapore, Beijing, Tokyo, Stockholm, New Delhi and Johannesburg, Taylor & Francis staff provide local expertise and support to our editors, societies and authors and tailored, efficient customer service to our library colleagues.

Contacts

Press Office

+44 (0)20 7957 5739




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Risk of serious cyber attacks on nuclear facilities underestimated, says new report

2 October 2015

20150930CyberSecurity.jpg

Workers at the Wolsong nuclear power plant participate in an anti-cyber attack exercise, Gyeongju, South Korea. Photo: Getty Images.

The risk of a serious cyber attack on civil nuclear infrastructure is growing, as facilities become ever more reliant on digital systems and make increasing use of commercial ‘off-the-shelf’ software, according to a major new report from Chatham House.

Cyber Security at Civil Nuclear Facilities: Understanding the Risks is the result of an 18-month study that draws on in-depth interviews with 30 leading industry practitioners based in more than eight countries. It found that the trend to digitization, when combined with a lack of executive-level awareness of the risks involved, means that nuclear plant personnel may not realize the full extent of their cyber vulnerability and are thus inadequately prepared to deal with potential attacks. 

Specific findings include:                

  • The conventional belief that all nuclear facilities are ‘air gapped’ (isolated from the public internet) is a myth. The commercial benefits of internet connectivity mean that a number of nuclear facilities now have VPN connections installed, which facility operators are sometimes unaware of.
  • Search engines can readily identify critical infrastructure components with such connections.
  • Even where facilities are air gapped, this safeguard can be breached with nothing more than a flash drive.
  • Supply chain vulnerabilities mean that equipment used at a nuclear facility risks compromise at any stage.
  • A lack of training, combined with communication breakdowns between engineers and security personnel, means that nuclear plant personnel often lack an understanding of key cyber security procedures.
  • Reactive rather than proactive approaches to cyber security contribute to the possibility that a nuclear facility might not know of a cyber attack until it is already substantially under way.

In the light of these risks, the report outlines a blend of policy and technical measures that will be required to counter the threats and meet the challenges. 

Recommendations include:

  • Developing guidelines to measure cyber security risk in the nuclear industry, including an integrated risk assessment that takes both security and safety measures into account.
  • Engaging in robust dialogue with engineers and contractors to raise awareness of the cyber security risk, including the dangers of setting up unauthorized internet connections.
  • Implementing rules, where not already in place, to promote good IT hygiene in nuclear facilities (for example to forbid the use of personal devices) and enforcing rules where they do exist.
  • Improving disclosure by encouraging anonymous information sharing and the establishment of industrial CERTs (Computer Emergency Response Team).
  • Encouraging universal adoption of regulatory standards.

Editor's notes

Cyber Security at Civil Nuclear Facilities: Understanding the Risks, written by Caroline Baylon with Roger Brunt and David Livingstone, is embargoed until Monday 5 October 2015.

Caroline Baylon is the research associate in science, technology and cyber security at Chatham House. Roger Brunt was appointed the UK government's regulator for security in the civil nuclear industry as the director of the Office for Civil Nuclear Security after retiring from the British Army in 2004. David Livingstone is an associate fellow at Chatham House, where he has participated in a broad range of projects on national-level risk management, cyber security, counterterrorism, serious organized crime, nuclear security and space security.

Fore more information, or to request an interview with the authors, contact the press office

Contacts

Press Office

+44 (0)20 7957 5739




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Webinar: Coronavirus Crisis – Implications for an Evolving Cybersecurity Landscape

Corporate Members Event Webinar

7 May 2020 - 1:00pm to 2:00pm

Event participants

Neil Walsh, Chief, Cybercrime and Anti-Money Laundering Department, UN Office of Drugs and Crime

Lisa Quest, Head, Public Sector, UK & Ireland, Oliver Wyman

Chair: Joyce Hakmeh, Senior Research Fellow, International Security Programme; Co-Editor, Journal of Cyber Policy, Chatham House

Further speakers to be announced.

The COVID-19 pandemic is having a profound impact on the cybersecurity landscape - both amplifying already-existing cyber threats and creating new vulnerabilities for state and non-state actors. The crisis has highlighted the importance of protecting key national and international infrastructures, with the World Health Organization, US Department of Health and Human Services and hospitals across Europe suffering cyber-attacks, undermining their ability to tackle the coronavirus outbreak. Changing patterns of work resulting from widespread lockdowns are also creating new vulnerabilities for organizations with many employees now working from home and using personal devices to work remotely.

In light of these developments, the panellists will discuss the evolving cyber threats resulting from the pandemic. How are they impacting ongoing conversations around cybersecurity? How can governments, private sector and civil society organizations work together to effectively mitigate and respond to them? And what could the implications of such cooperation be beyond the crisis? 

This event is part of a fortnightly series of 'Business in Focus' webinars reflecting on the impact of COVID-19 on areas of particular professional interest for our corporate members and giving circles.

Not a corporate member? Find out more.




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The Commonwealth Cyber Declaration: Achievements and Way Forward

Invitation Only Research Event

4 February 2020 - 9:15am to 5:30pm

Chatham House, London

In April 2018, the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), held in London, saw the creation and the adoption of the Commonwealth Cyber Declaration. The declaration outlines the framework for a concerted effort to advance cybersecurity practices to promote a safe and prosperous cyberspace for Commonwealth citizens, businesses and societies. 

The conference will aim to provide an overview on the progress made on cybersecurity in the Commonwealth since the declaration was announced in 2018. In addition, it will examine future challenges and potential solutions going forward.

This conference is part of the International Security Programme's project on Implementing the Commonwealth Cybersecurity Agenda and will convene a range of senior Commonwealth representatives as well as a selection of civil society and industry stakeholders. This project aims to develop a pan-Commonwealth platform to take the Commonwealth Cyber Declaration forward by means of a holistic, inclusive and representative approach.

Please see below meeting summaries from previous events on Cybersecurity in the Commonwealth:  

Attendance at this event is by invitation only. 

Esther Naylor

Research Assistant, International Security Programme
+44 (0)20 7314 3628




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POSTPONED: Working Towards Cyber Resilience in the GCC: Opportunities and Challenges

Invitation Only Research Event

12 March 2020 - 9:00am to 5:00pm

Muscat, Oman

The GCC states have invested significantly in cybersecurity and have made large strides in protecting governments, businesses and individuals from cyber threats, with the aim of delivering on their ambitious national strategies and future visions. However, several challenges to cybersecurity and cyber resilience in the region persist, putting those ambitious plans at risk.

These challenges include the uneven nature of cybersecurity protections, the incomplete implementation of cybersecurity strategies and regulations, and the issues around international cooperation. Such challenges mean that GCC states need to focus on the more difficult task of cyber resilience, in addition to the simpler initial stages of cybersecurity capacity-building, to ensure they harness the true potential of digital technologies and mitigate associated threats.

Set against this background, this workshop will explore opportunities and challenges to cyber resilience in the GCC focusing on four main pillars:

1. Cyber resilience: in concept and in practice
2. Building an effective cybersecurity capacity
3. The potential of regional and international cooperation to cyber resilience
4. Deterrence and disruption: different approaches

This event will be held in collaboration with the Arab Regional Cybersecurity Centre (ARCC) and OMAN CERT.

PLEASE NOTE THIS EVENT IS POSTPONED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE. 

Event attributes

Chatham House Rule

Esther Naylor

Research Assistant, International Security Programme
+44 (0)20 7314 3628




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Supporting NHS Cybersecurity During COVID-19 is Vital

2 April 2020

Joyce Hakmeh

Senior Research Fellow, International Security Programme; Co-Editor, Journal of Cyber Policy
The current crisis is an opportunity for the UK government to show agility in how it deals with cyber threats and how it cooperates with the private sector in creating cyber resilience.

2020-04-02-NHS-nurse-tech-cyber

Nurse uses a wireless electronic tablet to order medicines from the pharmacy at The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham, England. Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images.

The World Health Organization, US Department of Health and Human Services, and hospitals in Spain, France and the Czech Republic have all suffered cyberattacks during the ongoing COVID-19 crisis.

In the Czech Republic, a successful attack targeted a hospital with one of the country’s biggest COVID-19 testing laboratories, forcing its entire IT network to shut down, urgent surgical operations to be rescheduled, and patients to be moved to nearby hospitals. The attack also delayed dozens of COVID-19 test results and affected the hospital’s data transfer and storage, affecting the healthcare the hospital could provide.

In the UK, the National Health Service (NHS) is already in crisis mode, focused on providing beds and ventilators to respond to one of the largest peacetime threats ever faced. But supporting the health sector goes beyond increasing human resources and equipment capacity.

Health services ill-prepared

Cybersecurity support, both at organizational and individual level, is critical so health professionals can carry on saving lives, safely and securely. Yet this support is currently missing and the health services may be ill-prepared to deal with the aftermath of potential cyberattacks.

When the NHS was hit by the Wannacry ransomware attack in 2017 - one of the largest cyberattacks the UK has witnessed to date – it caused massive disruption, with at least 80 of the 236 trusts across England affected and thousands of appointments and operations cancelled. Fortunately, a ‘kill-switch’ activated by a cybersecurity researcher quickly brought it to a halt.

But the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), has been warning for some time against a cyber attack targeting national critical infrastructure sectors, including the health sector. A similar attack, known as category one (C1) attack, could cripple the UK with devastating consequences. It could happen and we should be prepared.

Although the NHS has taken measures since Wannacry to improve cybersecurity, its enormous IT networks, legacy equipment and the overlap between the operational and information technology (OT/IT) does mean mitigating current potential threats are beyond its ability.

And the threats have radically increased. More NHS staff with access to critical systems and patient health records are increasingly working remotely. The NHS has also extended its physical presence with new premises, such as the Nightingale hospital, potentially the largest temporary hospital in the world.

Radical change frequently means proper cybersecurity protocols are not put in place. Even existing cybersecurity processes had to be side-stepped because of the outbreak, such as the decision by NHS Digital to delay its annual cybersecurity audit until September. During this audit, health and care organizations submit data security and protection toolkits to regulators setting out their cybersecurity and cyber resilience levels.

The decision to delay was made to allow the NHS organizations to focus capacity on responding to COVID-19, but cybersecurity was highlighted as a high risk, and the importance of NHS and Social Care remaining resilient to cyberattacks was stressed.

The NHS is stretched to breaking point. Expecting it to be on top of its cybersecurity during these exceptionally challenging times is unrealistic, and could actually add to the existing risk.

Now is the time where new partnerships and support models should be emerging to support the NHS and help build its resilience. Now is the time where innovative public-private partnerships on cybersecurity should be formed.

Similar to the economic package from the UK chancellor and innovative thinking on ventilator production, the government should oversee a scheme calling on the large cybersecurity capacity within the private sector to step in and assist the NHS. This support can be delivered in many different ways, but it must be mobilized swiftly.

The NCSC for instance has led the formation of the Cyber Security Information Sharing Partnership (CiSP)— a joint industry and UK government initiative to exchange cyber threat information confidentially in real time with the aim of reducing the impact of cyberattacks on UK businesses.

CiSP comprises organizations vetted by NCSC which go through a membership process before being able to join. These members could conduct cybersecurity assessment and penetration testing for NHS organizations, retrospectively assisting in implementing key security controls which may have been overlooked.

They can also help by making sure NHS remote access systems are fully patched and advising on sensible security systems and approved solutions. They can identify critical OT and legacy systems and advise on their security.

The NCSC should continue working with the NHS to enhance provision of public comprehensive guidance on cyber defence and response to potential attack. This would show they are on top of the situation, projecting confidence and reassurance.

It is often said in every crisis lies an opportunity. This is an opportunity for the UK government to show agility in how it deals with cyber threats and how it cooperates with the private sector in creating cyber resilience.

It is an opportunity to lead a much-needed cultural change showing cybersecurity should never be an afterthought.




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Webinar: Coronavirus Crisis – Implications for an Evolving Cybersecurity Landscape

Corporate Members Event Webinar

7 May 2020 - 1:00pm to 2:00pm

Event participants

Neil Walsh, Chief, Cybercrime and Anti-Money Laundering Department, UN Office of Drugs and Crime

Lisa Quest, Head, Public Sector, UK & Ireland, Oliver Wyman

Chair: Joyce Hakmeh, Senior Research Fellow, International Security Programme; Co-Editor, Journal of Cyber Policy, Chatham House

Further speakers to be announced.

The COVID-19 pandemic is having a profound impact on the cybersecurity landscape - both amplifying already-existing cyber threats and creating new vulnerabilities for state and non-state actors. The crisis has highlighted the importance of protecting key national and international infrastructures, with the World Health Organization, US Department of Health and Human Services and hospitals across Europe suffering cyber-attacks, undermining their ability to tackle the coronavirus outbreak. Changing patterns of work resulting from widespread lockdowns are also creating new vulnerabilities for organizations with many employees now working from home and using personal devices to work remotely.

In light of these developments, the panellists will discuss the evolving cyber threats resulting from the pandemic. How are they impacting ongoing conversations around cybersecurity? How can governments, private sector and civil society organizations work together to effectively mitigate and respond to them? And what could the implications of such cooperation be beyond the crisis? 

This event is part of a fortnightly series of 'Business in Focus' webinars reflecting on the impact of COVID-19 on areas of particular professional interest for our corporate members and giving circles.

Not a corporate member? Find out more.




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Webinar: Can Responsible Behaviour in Cyberspace Be Achieved?

Members Event Webinar

26 May 2020 - 5:00pm to 6:00pm
Add to Calendar

Online

Carmen Gonsalves, Head, International Cyber Policy, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Netherlands
Suzanne Spaulding, Senior Adviser for Homeland Security, Center for Strategic and International Studies
Chair: Joyce Hakmeh, Senior Research Fellow, International Security Programme and Co-Editor, Journal of Cyber Policy, Chatham House

Over the past couple of decades, cyberspace has evolved to become a truly global digital communication space. Managed by a multitude of state and non-state actors, it has enabled a huge range of positive innovations and developments. However, it has also become an arena of intense international competition and rivalry – a reflection of its increasing economic and political importance and broader geopolitical tensions. Despite a number of efforts and some progress in the United Nations and other forums, there are still disagreements on key issues between major powers on how to achieve responsible behaviour in cyberspace.

In light of this, the panel will explore how state and non-state actors can work together to encourage responsible behaviour in cyberspace. What challenges do various actors face in implementing agreed upon norms and principles? Is the existing global model for reaching an agreement a non-starter? What are the remaining challenges around attribution, accountability and enforcement? And what is the role for civil society, the private sector and NGOs in this debate?

This event is for Chatham House members only. Not a member? Find out more.