January 2017

Tuesday, 31 January 2017

Digital Divide: Cyber Alerts Worldwide - January 31, 2017

Policy

their legislation today could be yours tomorrow

South Africa’s new Cybercrimes and Cybersecurity Bill is on its way to Parliament; Michalsons law firm is amongst those concerned: “The Cybercrimes and Cybersecurity Bill gives the South African Police and the State Security Agency extensive powers to investigate, search, access, and seize just about anything.”

Draft regulations look to further crackdown on internet freedom in China: “Any overseas connections that are not approved will be blocked. Once the communication is cut off, it is the equivalent of a wall; there will be no holes for VPN to drill through,” reported the Hong Kong Internet Society.

Research and Initiatives

making your world a more cybersecure place

United States-based encrypted email service Lavabit was relaunched last week, offering three levels of security: Trustful, Cautious and Paranoid. In 2013, when faced with a government request for access to Edward Snowden’s account, Lavabit shut down rather than compromise its users’ security.

Indian companies such as Innefu have begun to shift from using human intelligence to using artificial intelligence to analyze data. “Cyber warfare isn’t a movie, it’s happening right now…We lost out on the industrial revolution, we lost out on the defence revolution – let’s not lose out in the cyber revolution,” argued Innefu’s Tarun Wig.

The Canadian Institute for Cybersecurity, a partnership between the University of New Brunswick and IBM, opened last week. The institute will serve as a center for research and to develop cybersecurity professionals.

Cyberattacks

the threats we all face

Indian horse racing website, Racingpulse.in, was recently hacked with the Dharma Ransomware Trojan in an attack that seized all of the website’s files. Website editor Sharan Kumar plans to move the website’s servers, currently located in the United States, elsewhere.

A December power outage in Ukraine has been determined to be a cyber attack. Hackers worked undetected in power supplier Ukregergo’s IT network for six months before launching an attack considered to be one of the first to affect civilian access to heat and light.

Looking Back

a new glimpse at past alerts

United States-based WhatsApp has denied the security vulnerability reported by Tobias Boelter, but Steffen Tor Jensen of the European-Bahraini Organisation for Human Rights disagrees: “WhatsApp can effectively continue flipping the security keys when devices are offline and re-sending the message, without letting users know of the change [until] after it has been made, providing an extremely insecure platform.”

All images credit of BOLDG/Shutterstock.com.

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Sunday, 29 January 2017

SumRando Statement on US Refugee Ban

Mapou, Mauritius- International privacy advocate and Virtual Private Network (VPN) provider, SumRando, reiterated its commitment to offering assistance to people living under oppressive conditions in the wake of U.S. president Donald Trump's decision to ban 134,000,000 people from entering the United States. SumRando’s CEO, Jonathan de Wolff, released the following statement:

“SumRando was founded on the principle that privacy is a fundamental human right. Any effort to prevent marginalized groups from seeking recourse, either through online tools or safe harbour as a refugee, is a step backwards and worrying in a landscape with fewer and fewer options. Turning one's back on people in need is a surefire way to embolden the autocratic regimes they are attempting to flee. If people cannot seek refuge in the United States, generally seen as a beacon for freedom and a leader in human rights for the world, millions of people will suffer.”

"Providing safe access to the internet is one small, but critical way we can assist people in such environments, allowing them to access vital information, organize human rights efforts, and communicate with loved ones. At this time, we ask that those who are willing and able to show their support, to sign up for a year-long subscription to SumRando VPN. In so doing, we can continue to provide safe internet access to those living in affected regions. You can sign up here.

We thank you in advance for your conscientiousness and willingness to promote a free and democratic internet for everyone."

SumRando, based out of Mauritius, provides safe internet access to hundreds of thousands of people in emerging economies around the world, including many who fear for their lives as they live under the threat of terrorism, war, and systematic oppression.

Friday, 27 January 2017

SumTips: 4 Countries Concerned with Cybersecurity in 2017

As 2017 begins to take shape, one thing is clear: this year will not be the year of the massive, unexpected data breach. Rather, it very well could be the year of accepting cybersecurity weaknesses and looking to enact much-needed protective measures. In just the past week, four countries worldwide have highlighted areas in need of cyber attention:

Australia: Intelligence officials fear Australian political party leaders will be the next victims of cyberespionage. Cyber Security Minister Dan Tehan acknowledged, “The use of cyber to maliciously influence the democratic process is a recent development in statecraft and we need the proper protections in place in Australia to prevent it happening here.”

Canada: increased opposition to pipelines has only heightened the Canadian Security Intelligence Service’s warning to domestic energy companies about the risk of cyber espionage and attacks. “You should expect your networks to be hit if you are involved in any significant financial interactions with certain foreign states,” stated a CSIS briefing.

India: A turn to digital payments has brought scrutiny to India’s lack of cybersecurity: “While India does have an early warning system and a national computer emergency response team, there is no clear national incident management structure for responding to cyber-security incidents,” reported the Software Alliance (BSA).

United Kingdom: a shortage of cybersecurity experts has the potential to put businesses in the UK at cyber risk. Reported Mariano Mamertino, “Sadly the supply of skilled workers isn’t keeping up with employer demand, and Britain’s cyber security skills gap, already the second worst in the world, is getting worse. The problem is fast approaching crisis point, and British businesses will inevitably be put at risk if they can’t find the expertise they need to mitigate the threat.”

Know your risks, surf secure and stay Rando!

Image credit of BOLDG/Shutterstock.com.

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Monday, 23 January 2017

Digital Divide: Emerging Economy Cyber Alerts - January 23, 2017

Policy

their legislation today could be yours tomorrow

Bhim, India’s new mobile-phone-payment app, attracted 10 million users in its first 10 days and also much cause for concern: “India urgently needs a new digital payment law that regulates all these mobile payment apps that have sprung up overnight. We are right now in a completely uncharted and unsupervised territory legally,” reported cyber-law expert Pavan Duggal.

Privacy, Surveillance and Censorship

government isn't always on your side

Lebanon has arrested Ramzi Al-Kadi for tweets that insulted three Lebanese nationals killed on New Year’s Eve in Istanbul. Only a month prior, authorities similarly arrested Bassel Al-Amin for insulting the state of Lebanon in a tweet.

Tobias Boelter recently found a security vulnerability in United States-based messaging app, WhatsApp. In his words, “The problem here is that the WhatsApp server could potentially lie about the public keys. Instead of giving you your friend’s key, it could give you a public key belonging to a third party, such as the government.”

Research and Initiatives

making your world a more cybersecure place

The 27th France-Africa Summit took place last week in Mali. At the conference, African heads of state agreed to increase cybersecurity cooperation and established a continent-wide partnership for digital security.

With government approval, Mauritius will build a cybercity in Ghana. The city will include innovation towers, conference centers, bank and finance towers, an ICT plaza and regional headquarters of ICT companies.

All images credit of BOLDG/Shutterstock.com.

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SumRando Cybersecurity is a Mauritius-based VPN, Web Proxy and Secure Messenger provider. Surf secure and stay Rando!

Thursday, 19 January 2017

SumTips: Davos’ 2017 Guide to Business Cybersecurity

The annual World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, is underway. While the election of Donald Trump to the American presidency has attendees questioning what else 2017 will bring, one concern remains clear: cybersecurity.

In conjunction with the live event, the Forum offers a host of suggestions for making the coming year cybersecure, for businesses and individuals alike:

From “Why being a responsible leader means being cyber-resilient”:

Cyber risk is a systemic challenge and cyber-resilience a public good. Without security and resilience in our networks, it will be impossible to safely take advantage of the innumerable opportunities that the Fourth Industrial Revolution is poised to offer. Responsible and innovative leaders, therefore, are seeking ways to deal with these risks. In order to meet these challenges and be truly responsive to and responsible for the challenges of digitalization, leaders need tools and partnerships.

From “Defending against cybercrime: how to make a business cyber-resilient”:

Cyberattacks, cyber-breaches and cybercrime are not new problems and are universally acknowledged to be costly, pervasive and increasingly sophisticated. The best defence against such intrusions is cyber-resilience: building capabilities to protect yourself and your business from cyber threats, and building the ability to rebound from attacks, should they happen.

From “Four steps to protect your business against cybercrime”:

Ask yourself these questions:

Is the board on board? Security has to be on the board’s agenda. They need to be constantly thinking about the worst case scenario: what would happen if your information were stolen? How badly would your business be damaged if one individual were bribed or blackmailed? What are all the possible ways someone could attack?

Is security part of your culture? The board members can’t do everything themselves. You need to build security awareness into your organization’s culture by making it part of everyone’s role. Give them responsibility, and encourage them to speak up.

Have you separated your data? The trick is to make sure you have layers between your systems. If your customer data is behind another wall, it’s safer. You want to make sure your most valuable information is hidden – even from your own employees. You don’t see bank vaults out on the street. They’re behind checkpoints, cameras and closed doors. Do the same with your data.

Do you have all the basics sorted? Start with making sure passwords are strong and long and ensuring that all the right policies are in place. Encryption should be used across the board and you need a response team ready to deal with attacks and minimize the damage. Spare a moment to think about whether your partners are keeping your data safe. Most importantly, think from a criminal’s perspective: try hacking back into your own business to identify vulnerabilities and then fix them.

Protect yourself, surf secure and stay Rando!

Image credit of Shutterstock.com.

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SumRando Cybersecurity is a Mauritius-based VPN, Web Proxy and Secure Messenger provider. Surf secure and stay Rando!

Monday, 16 January 2017

Digital Divide: Emerging Economy Cyber Alerts - January 16, 2017

Research and Initiatives

making your world a more cybersecure place

The Nigerian government is unprepared for cybercrime in 2017, reports the Cyber Security Experts Association of Nigeria (CSEAN). Concerns for the coming year include CEO email scams, ransomware, assisted online kidnapping, cyber bullying and impersonation.

Top cybersecurity officials in China have pledged their loyalty to President Xi Jinping’s leadership. Priorities for 2017 include cleaning up cyberspace, strengthening cybersecurity, promoting IT and creating tighter overall internet controls for China.

Looking Back

a new glimpse at past alerts

December’s cyberattacks against the Thai government in response to an unfavorable computer crime law amendment have now been met with a response of its own: Thailand’s government has begun to recruit civilian “cyber warriors” to protect against future attacks.

All images credit of BOLDG/Shutterstock.com.

Want more emerging economy cyber alerts? Read on!

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SumRando Cybersecurity is a Mauritius-based VPN, Web Proxy and Secure Messenger provider. Surf secure and stay Rando!

Friday, 13 January 2017

SumTips: 7 Ways to #StandWithStreep

Earlier this week, American actress Meryl Streep won the Golden Globes’ 2017 Cecil B. DeMille Award for her “outstanding contributions to the world of entertainment.” In accepting the award, Streep turned the audience’s attention to an event unrelated to Hollywood: she referred to American President-Elect Donald Trump’s decision to mock a disabled reporter as an act that “sank hooks in [her] heart.”

In response, she asked for a “principled press to hold power to account” and specifically requested that Hollywood support the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), a nonprofit in support of press freedom worldwide.

SumRando has been a longtime fan of CPJ, as well as of the organizations below that support a free and fact-finding press:

IFEX: a global network of organizations connected by a shared commitment to defend and promote freedom of expression as a fundamental human right.
International Press Institute: a global network of journalists, editors and media executives, working to defend media freedom and the free flow of news wherever they are threatened.
Afghanistan Journalists Center: a nongovernmental body that works to defend rights of Afghan journalists and ensure freedom of expression in Afghanistan and a member of IFEX.
Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility: a Philippine nonprofit working to build up the press and news media as pillars of democratic society through programs that uphold press freedom, promote responsible journalism and encourage journalistic excellence.
Southeast Asian Press Alliance (SEAPA): a nonprofit campaigning for genuine press freedom in Southeast Asia.
Instituto Prensa y Sociedad Venezuela: a Venezuelan organization working for the right to freedom of expression, the right to information and a freedom of the press that allows for the scrutiny of power.
Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA): an organization working to achieve media freedom and free expression for all as an essential part of strengthening democracy in southern Africa.

Support the press, surf secure and stay Rando!

Image credit of BOLDG/Shutterstock.com.

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SumRando Cybersecurity is a Mauritius-based VPN, Web Proxy and Secure Messenger provider. Surf secure and stay Rando!

Monday, 9 January 2017

Emerging Economy Cyber Alerts - January 9, 2017

Research and Initiatives

making your world a more cybersecure place

Comando de Defesa Cibernetica (ComDCiber), has been approved by the Brazilian Army as the country’s new cyber defense command. ComDCiber is tasked with protecting Brazil’s online infrastructure.

The Turkish government has plans to recruit hundreds of cybersecurity professionals from universities. In 2016 alone, Turkey experienced 90 million cyberattacks.

Ravi Shankar Prasad, minister of telecom, IT and law for India, has asked Google to support the country’s cybersecurity efforts: “I want Google to be involved in a more meaningful way. The more digital India becomes, there would be challenges. I would appeal to Google to work more to ensure digital security.”

Cyberattacks

the threats we all face

Last February’s theft of $81 million from Bangladesh’s central bank is now thought to have been an inside job. Bangladesh Police Deputy Inspector General, Mohammad Shah Alam, believes bank IT technicians created the conditions that provided access to hackers.

SumTips

Make 2017 Your Most Cybersecure Year Yet

In 2016, news worldwide shifted from headlines of massive security breaches to those of initiatives taken by countries, companies and consumers to prevent future disruptions. Start the new year off right by joining the security bandwagon. If you haven't found a lasting new years resolution yet, here's one: commit to logging into SumRando VPN every time you use the internet in 2017.

All images credit of BOLDG/Shutterstock.com.

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SumRando Cybersecurity is a Mauritius-based VPN, Web Proxy and Secure Messenger provider. Surf secure and stay Rando!

Monday, 2 January 2017

Emerging Economy Cyber Alerts - January 2, 2017

Privacy, Surveillance and Censorship

government isn't always on your side

Messaging app Signal is currently inaccessible in Egypt. Users looking for a workaround have turned to VPNs and Tor; the government has not offered a reason for the ban.

Research and Initiatives

making your world a more cybersecure place

The Cyberspace Administration of China has released a 15-page cybersecurity strategy. “The government will firmly safeguard cyberspace sovereignty and national security, protect key information infrastructure and crack down on cyber terror and crimes.”

President Barack Obama has signed the United States-Israel Advanced Research Partnership Act of 2016. American Representative Jim Langevin reported, “Cybersecurity is the national and economic security challenge of our time, and we must use every resource at our disposal to support research, foster innovation, and fortify our cyber defenses.”

More than 50 Thai government officials were recently trained in cyber defense by the NEC Corporation. The training aimed to improve the ability of systems administrators to respond to cyberattacks.

Looking Back

a new glimpse at past alerts

6 Thai government websites were taken offline by an attack carried out in response to the passage of a cybercrime law amendment that will only worsen freedom of expression; to date, 9 individuals have been detained.

All images credit of BOLDG/Shutterstock.com.

Want more emerging economy cyber alerts? Read on!

Want Emerging Economy Cyber Alerts sent to your inbox? Sign up for our weekly newsletter ("Security Tips and News" at bottom of page).

Have valuable insight to share from your part of the world? Write for us!

SumRando Cybersecurity is a Mauritius-based VPN, Web Proxy and Secure Messenger provider. Surf secure and stay Rando!