The FBI is investigating hackers whom seemed to have fully focused their direction on small small electricity providers. A cybersecurity company located in Silicon Valley noted the suspicious activity back in August. They targeted solely electricity companies that were in close proximation to crucial infrastructure. The FBI completely believes that the hacking could still be ongoing. The utilities were provided with help when it came to scanning their computer networks and monitor their firewalls. The hackers took a “phishing” approach tricking recipients in to opening the emails. The nation’s electricity grid has grown to become one of the favorites in regards to overseas hackers. Most utility companies have started to block themselves from receiving emails from Hong Kong.
In my opinion, cybersecurity is a huge part of our classroom discussion. It was one of the first topics I learned in IST 110. Therefore, I chose this article. Hackers have been a thing since I was born and I have first-hand experience with being “hacked.” Although security has improved tremendously over decades of time, people still find ways to hack into systems and computers and disrupt the functionality of multiple networks. I am confused as to why these hackers targeted electricity providers. However, cybersecurity teams seem to have improved in detecting hacking and other signs of malware.
Reference: wsj.com/articles/utilities-targeted-in-cyberattacks-identified-11574611200
Definitely cyber security field is going to witness an increase for demand especially since data is being used throughout all areas ranging from engineering cars to medicine. With the increase of the need for data, and with data producing meaningful outcomes and predictions, hackers can ruin these findings by duplicating, or removing them and will not make accurate predictions. This can end up becoming a very crucial issue and can lead to false predictions if what was modified by the hacker was not figured out. This is why data science is a growing major since the need for people to use the data available and making meaningful predictions will be necessary in the future, and this will probably be the same for cybersecurity. There will be a need for more people to be able to protect the data from hackers.
A cyber attack usually does not happen in an instant, it could take several months to years from its beginning to end. Authorities claim that the biggest cyber-attack of 2020 has already started. 2019 has seen no deficiency of feature snatching information breaks. Maybe one of the most harming to a brand was that of Capital One, whose server break uncovered individual data having a place with nearly 106 million of the bank’s clients and candidates in the US and Canada. Among the individual information uncovered were names, addresses, dates of birth, financial assessments, exchange information, Social Security numbers, and connected ledger numbers. This year has likewise observed a flood in ransomware focusing on metropolitan unfortunate casualties. The assaults, which have occurred crosswise over urban communities in US states, for example, New York, Florida, Texas, and Maryland have crippled fundamental city foundation and interchanges—the pace of assaults exacerbated consistently, aggressors likely delighted by certain unfortunate casualties’ readiness to hand over the multimillion-dollar payouts requested.
https://techhq.com/2019/12/the-biggest-cyber-attack-of-2020-has-already-happened/
In the information age, crimes have gradually spread to high technology and spread rapidly, and there are more and more cases of using computers to commit crimes. Therefore, computer security has become an important issue that has drawn more and more attention from countries around the world, but it is also a very complex subject. With the widespread application of computers in various fields of human life, computer viruses are constantly being generated and spread, computer networks are constantly being illegally hacked by hackers, important information and materials are stolen, and even network systems are paralyzed. Many companies have caused huge economic losses and even endangered national and regional security, the potential harm to society caused by attacks on public facilities is huge. In fact, the US Department of Homeland Security is working with various industries, especially the power, nuclear, water, and chemical industries, to strengthen their cybersecurity.
https://www2.deloitte.com/us/en/insights/industry/power-and-utilities/cyber-risk-electric-power-sector.html
That’s really scary that these hackers are targeting electric companies, since these companies can hold such big impacts on the lives of those who inhabit their areas. Cybersecurity should be a huge topic of dicussion nowadays with most of our personal information being online. If we cannot protect this valuable data, then we are all at risk of being vulnurable to cyber attacks, which could potentiall harm our country. I was actually never taught about the dangers of security on the internet until IST 110, but since hearing about it, I think it should be taken way more seriously in the workplace, schools and our own homes. I think that with the holidays coming around, everyone is anxious to get all of the new technological toys like Amazon Alexas and Echos. However, most people don’t even realize that these gadgets are suceptible to hackings, which ultimately put your home and families as targets. I just think, in general, people need to take cybersecurity threats more seriously to avoid any extreme risks.
https://www.cnbc.com/2019/11/30/how-to-defend-your-smart-home-from-hackers-after-black-friday-buys.html
It’s pretty much a fact that China has been trying and succeeding in the cyber war between the world. In fact, China has hacked the United States dozens of times that can be confirmed, and likely hundreds that cannot. Unfortunately, it seems like Cybersecurity in the means of firewalls and encryption would not have helped against some if not most of these hacks. China successfully phished(s) the citizens of the US, sending emails with proxy domains and fraudulent contents with the purpose of obtaining vital and personal information. So, in the end, I agree wholeheartedly with the importance of Cybersecurity in this emerging world. The part that I do not agree with, is an enhanced understanding of Cybersecurity by those who protect us will simply solve the issue. It will not. It will take some degree of education on these phishing emails (honeypots) and other various types of social engineering techniques in order to fully stop the problem. We now also know from various reports that China was able to obtain the technology used by the NSA to watch over US citizens. Definitely unsettling to know that the next war could very likely be entirely through computers.
https://www.wearethemighty.com/history/3-times-china-hacked-us
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/06/us/politics/china-hacking-cyber.html
This is pretty frightening as electric companies are such an important part of our country. Thankfully the FBI and other groups are looking into this as an attack on our power grid would wreak havoc on our country. People in such important fields definitely need to be trained on cybersecurity. With so many different companies and groups to target it’s important they stay ahead of hackers for the sake of their companies and the country as well.
The prevalence of everyday devices and the Internet of Things brings so many more opportunities for those with bad intentions. This article brings up a lot on just how easy digital assistants are to take over. As these grow more common and more powerful it raises a whole new worry about home security.
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/04/technology/digital-assistant-laser-hack.html
In my opinion, cybersecurity is going to be one of the most important topics that every person needs to be taught in the future. As more and more of our lives become digital, the need for protecting our data will become even more important. Although my major has nothing to do with cybersecurity it is a topic that fascinates me. During my internship over the summer I had the chance to learn more about the ins and outs of why cybersecurity is so important. I was able to sit in on a seminar that was presented to a group of around 50 C-suite level people. I learned that people in these high up positions don’t even know much about all of the different cyber insurances and strategies to defend their companies against attacks. When I realized this, it made me consider how important it should be for employees at the lower levels in companies large and small to be educated on this topic. It would be best if college students were required to attend a cybersecurity seminar. This way every job position would know the red flags of a cyber attack. According to the article I read by Security First, the estimated global cost of cybercrime in 2017 was around $600 billion and by 2021 it could reach up to $6 trillion per year. Another statistic they highlighted was that in 2018, 54% of firms had their network or data compromised. I think those statistics speak for themselves in showing why being educated on cybersecurity and cyber crime is so important for people of all ages and professional levels.
Source: https://securityfirstcorp.com/why-is-cyber-security-important/