Australian Cybersecurity Personnel Are On the Verge of Burnout

For companies around the world, the threat of a data breach is becoming ever-present. This reality is especially pronounced in Australia, where cybersecurity professionals are reporting fatigue and burnout as they battle the litany of threats facing their companies. According to the 2019 Asia Pacific CISO Benchmark Study, the burnout rate among Australian organizations is more than double the global average of 30%. 

In total, 69% of Australian organizations are receiving more than 100,000 cybersecurity alerts every day, significantly higher than the global average. At the same time, the survey, which polled 2,000 information-security professionals, found that Australian organizations were slower to respond to data breaches than companies in other countries. Such behavior compounds costs, as 84% of Australian businesses that experienced a data breach admitted that the expenses exceeded $1 million, a significantly higher sum than other countries in the region. 

SMBs are already struggling to hire sufficient cybersecurity personnel, so supporting IT professionals is a critical component of any company’s cybersecurity initiatives. Fortunately, they don't have to do it alone. The supportive services of an MSP can augment capabilities, lightening the load on in-house cybersecurity professionals.
https://www.cso.com.au/article/668151/surging-breach-alert-identity-burdens-fatiguing-security-practitioners-australia-more-than-anywhere-else/

Bit by bit helps client networks run smooth and secure.. visit our website at www.bitxbit.com

Google Has Access to Personal Health Information of Millions of US Patients

Recently Google partnered with Ascension - one of the largest health systems in America - but did so quietly. This partnership allows Google access to all of Ascension's patients' data. Ascension operates 150 hospital 21 states.

The effort was code named "Project Nightingale," and has allowed some Google employees access to data including names, birth dates, addresses, family members, allergies, immunizations, radiology scans, hospitalization records, lab tests, medications, medical conditions, and even some billing records. 

The current agreement does not appear to be a violation of HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act). Google has been looking to expand their health information efforts, including plans to acquire Fitbit. However, Google has responded to the news of the partnership to say the data will not be used other than to assist Ascension medical providers.

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/11/business/google-ascension-health-data.html

Bit by bit helps client networks run smooth and secure.. visit our website at www.bitxbit.com

Italian Precision Engineering Companies Hit with Spear Phishing Campaign

Italian precision engineering companies are the latest victims of spear phishing attacks that trick employees into compromising personally identifiable information, login credentials, or other sensitive data. 

The attacks are arriving in employees’ inboxes disguised as authentic-looking inquiries from potential customers. The emails appear with a seemingly innocuous Microsoft Excel spreadsheet that actually contains a fileless trojan capable of capturing users’ credentials. 

The Excel spreadsheet is filled with lists of spare parts, real catalog codes, and other ordering information, making the attacks especially difficult to identify. In addition, the emails are being sent under the guise of international textile producers, a viable client for precision engineering companies.

Currently, only a fraction of antivirus software detects credential stealing malware, which underscores the importance of cybersecurity best practices for protecting company data. Holistic employee awareness trainingequips employees to spot phishing scams and trains them to follow cybersecurity best practices with a simple, streamlined solution.

https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/phishing-campaign-targets-precision-engineering-company/

Bit by bit helps client networks run smooth and secure.. visit our website at www.bitxbit.com

Dark Web Trends

healthcare data is targeted by cyber criminals, lax account security compromises PII, and Australian cybersecurity specialists are on the verge of burnout.

Dark Web ID Trends:Top Source Hits: ID Theft Forums
Top Compromise Type: Domain 
Top Industry: Finance & Insurance
Top Employee Count: 1 - 10 Employees 

Bit by bit helps client networks run smooth and secure.. visit our website at www.bitxbit.com

3,000 Fort Worth Water Department Customers Victims of Data Breach

About 3,000 Fort Worth residents who used credit cards to pay their water bills online may have had their personal information stolen, the water department said Thursday.

BREAKING NEWS Thursday, December 05, 2019 3,000 Fort Worth Water Department Customers Victims of Data Breach About 3,000 Fort Worth residents who used credit cards to pay their water bills online may have had their personal information stolen, the water department said Thursday. VIEW STORY »

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Data Breaches Are Pushing SMBs Into Bankruptcy

A recent survey by Zogby Analytics confirmed what many people already knew: data breaches are wreaking havoc on SMBs. In particular, the financial implications of a data breach are overwhelming their capacity and forcing them to take drastic action. 

The survey, which questioned more than 1,000 small business leaders, found that 37% of SMBs that experienced a data breach suffered financial loss and 25% filed for bankruptcy. Ultimately, 10% of SMBs went out of business following a data breach. 

At the same time, leaders understand the threat. 88% of respondents indicated that their company was “somewhat likely” to experience a data breach, while nearly half believe that they are “very likely” to be the victim of data loss event. As today’s world continues to grow increasingly aware of the costs and prevalence of data breaches, the responsibility for leaders to defend against them has never been greater.
https://www.smallbusinesscomputing.com/news/25-percent-of-smbs-hit-by-a-data-breach-last-year-went-bankrupt.html

Bit by bit helps client networks run smooth and secure.. visit our website at www.bitxbit.com

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