Tag Archives: cybersecurity

Treadstone 71 Releases Intelligence Advisory on Confirmed Iranian Influence Operations

HALF MOON BAY, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- Treadstone 71, LLC, the cyber intelligence and counterintelligence company, today released details of an Iranian intelligence-backed influence operation.

"The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and Ministry of Intelligence and Security (MOIS) joint operation targeted Iranian dissident groups using a timely and coordinated campaign of disinformation. The IRGC Cyber Units triggered core team members with military precision aimed at the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) annual online conference," said Jeff Bardin, Chief Intelligence Officer at Treadstone 71.

"The IRGC, MOIS, and low-level Basij Cyber Units flooded Twitter with nearly one hundred twelve thousand tweets over sixty hours using hashtags and content intent on controlling the social media narrative."

Treadstone 71 observed IRGC Cyber Unit members playing an essential role in managing the campaign, ensuring specific hashtags trended in Iran and globally. At least nine other accounts belonging to IRGC Cyber Units helped expand the movement in different social environments. Core campaign members portrayed themselves as "monarchist," "reformist," or "regime change advocates" on various social media platforms.

Key features of the disguised social media accounts include young women personas attracting unsuspecting users for messaging expansion and potential collaboration.

Tactics shared by campaign members:

* Limited postings by campaign leadership designed to protect IRGC and MOIS social media accounts.

* Keywords used to trigger the influence operation.

* Hashtag repetition and cloning by nearly 25,000 Twitter users

* The use of bots and fake accounts with low followership.

* Core members using Twitter for a "Dunbar's Number" style net call notification to trigger the campaign.

* Anonymous Telegram bots for confidential communications.

Iranian Influence Operations Resources:

* Read blog post: https://cybershafarat.com/?p=21665

* Download full report: https://www.treadstone71.com/index.php/intel-briefs/irgcinfluenceops

Interested in speaking with Treadstone 71 about cyber intelligence and counterintelligence, trends, programs, training, and strategic analysis? Drop us an email at osint@treadstone71.com.

About Treadstone 71, LLC

Treadstone 71's Certified Threat Intelligence and CounterIntelligence Analyst Certifications and the Intelligence Roadmap are the industry's gold standards derived from academia, the intelligence community, and Treadstone 71's experience in building cyber and threat intelligence programs at Fortune 500 organizations worldwide. Treadstone 71 seamlessly extends your cyber threat intelligence teams using targeted adversary research and analysis as a service eliminating the risk and burden of internal organizations seeking to forecast and prevent malicious cyber activity against your assets.

Information: https://www.treadstone71.com/

Media Inquiries: info@treadstone71.com

*LOGO link for media: https://www.send2press.com/300dpi/19-0610s2p-treadstone71-300dpi.jpg

Treadstone 71, LLC, the cyber intelligence and counterintelligence company, today released details of an Iranian intelligence-backed influence operation. Treadstone 71 observed IRGC Cyber Unit members playing an essential role in managing the campaign.

Related link: https://www.treadstone71.com/

Smart Hive is providing its premium HIVE platform free to State and Local Governments allowing them to defend as one

BOSTON, Mass. /ScoopCloud/ -- Smart Hive has announced that it will be offering the premium version of its platform for free, allowing state and local government to team up and defend as one. What Waze does for traffic Smart Hive does for cybersecurity.

While local governments are busy with COVID-19 response, cyber attacks on their infrastructure have gone up dramatically. Threat actors have realized that resources have been stretched thin during these challenging times. Smart Hive is seeing attacks on local governments as high as 20x compared to before COVID-19.

Everyone is doing their part to help in these challenging times, and Smart Hive wants to contribute by allowing any local or State government or agency to join its HIVE platform for free to start defending against threat actors together. In the HIVE, an attack on one is defense for all.

Join the HIVE for free to defend as one. Local and State governments can signup at https://www.govsecure.io/together.

"While you secure our friends and family from COVID-19. Let us work with you and your peers to secure America," said Sanjay Patel, CEO of Smart Hive.

More Information: https://www.govsecure.io/together

About Smart Hive:

The HIVE platform enables members to learn from each other in realtime. An attack on one is a defense for all in the HIVE. In less than 90 seconds, State and local governments can learn about attacks their peers have stopped and apply the appropriate defense before the attack reaches them. Protection against what's happening now and not what happened yesterday, we call this "The Power of Now." The entire process is fully automated, and it takes less than 15 minutes to join the HIVE.

Join the HIVE for free to defend as one. Access to Smart Hive's premium platform will be available for qualified organizations for at least six months or as long as the crisis last.

Local and State governments can signup at https://www.govsecure.io/together

MEDIA CONTACT:
Public Relations
Of Smart Hive
pr@smarthive.io

*LOGO link for media: https://www.Send2Press.com/300dpi/20-0403s2p-smart-hive-300dpi.jpg

Smart Hive has announced that it will be offering the premium version of its platform for free, allowing state and local government to team up and defend as one. What Waze does for traffic Smart Hive does for cybersecurity.

Related link: https://www.smarthive.io/

Aligned Technology Solutions Acquires New Office Space for Their Expanding Business

ALEXANDRIA, Va. /ScoopCloud/ -- Aligned Technology Solutions, an award-winning technology service provider, announces the relocation of their headquarters to a new, larger office space to accommodate rapid growth and expansion of their business.

The new office is strategically positioned around the capital beltway, allowing for even faster on-site responses. In addition to the new space, Aligned Technology Solutions will also continue to maintain a mobile component to their team.

"We are delighted to announce the opening of our new office. Our growth required more space and we were fortunate to find and design a space that better serves our team's needs," said Gar Whaley, Co-founder, Aligned Technology Solutions. "Our new location with enhanced operational efficiencies will help us continue to grow and develop while supporting our client's needs, allowing us to provide exceptional value and superior service along the way."

Aligned Technology Solutions was recently named to the 2019 Inc 5000 annual list of America's fastest-growing private companies, signifying its continued business growth as a managed service provider.

About Aligned Technology Solutions:
Since 2010 ATS has been helping organizations leverage and manage technology to grow and secure their businesses. Aligned Technology Solutions is an award-winning technology service provider delivering customized and comprehensive IT solutions for IT Outsourcing, Cybersecurity, Cloud, VoIP & Broadband. ATS is committed to providing world class customer service and best-of-breed technology solutions that provide our clients competitive advantage in their marketplace.

Learn more at https://www.myalignedit.com/.

Media Contact:
Brittany Watson, Marketing Specialist
brittany@myalignedit.com
(703) 740-8797

*LOGO link for media: Send2Press.com/300dpi/19-0924s2p-aligned-tech-300dpi.jpg

SOCIAL:
Twitter: @AlignedTech
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alignedtechnologysolutions/

Aligned Technology Solutions, an award-winning technology service provider, announces the relocation of their headquarters to a new, larger office space to accommodate rapid growth and expansion of their business.

Related link: https://www.myalignedit.com/

CyberTexas Foundation will host 2019 San Antonio Cyber Hall of Honor Induction Ceremony

SAN ANTONIO, Texas /ScoopCloud/ -- The CyberTexas Foundation will host the 2019 San Antonio Cyber Hall of Honor Induction Ceremony on Tuesday, August 20, 2019 at 5 p.m. at the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) Downtown Campus, Buena Vista Building. The Hall of Honor recognizes cyber pioneers who innovatively forged new paths across the city of San Antonio, the state of Texas, the nation and abroad.

Inductees are recognized for their efforts to understand and accept the pronounced risks and challenges and profoundly lead the way in creating one of the preeminent cyber ecosystems in the country.

The CyberTexas Foundation is proud to announce the 2019 Inductees:

PIONEERS

J. Michael Kretzer, Technical Director, 688th Cyberspace Wing, Joint Base San Antonio
* Program manager for the first Air Force Information Warfare (IW) focused planning and targeting tool initiative in 1996-2002;
* Program manager for the first DoD Advanced IW Concept for IO Planning 1997-2002;
* Established Cooperative Research Agreement between UTSA and Air Force that assisted in early development of the Center for Infrastructure Assurance and Security as well as the Dark Screen metropolitan-based exercises;
* First Technical Director for the Air Force Information Operations Center, 688th Information Operations Wing, and 688th Cyberspace Wing;
* Provided cyber expertise to several Air Force Chief Scientist studies to include CyberVision 2025, Air Force Technology Horizons, and Science and Technology Strategy 2030.

Daniel M. Teal, Principal Engineer, Sophos, Austin
* Co-Founder and Chief Scientist of WheelGroup Corporation;
* Created NetRanger - the first commercial network intrusion detection system;
* Senior technical engineer and architect for the Distributed Intrusion Detection System (DIDS);
* Designed architecture for the first Automated Security Incident Measurement (ASIM) site;
* Co-Founder and CTO of CoreTrace Corporation;
* Researched and developed Bouncer, the first commercial application control whitelisting product;
* Awarded patents in many areas of cyber security.

Kevin J. Ziese, (Posthumously), Senior Computer Scientist, Cisco Systems, Dripping Springs
* Owner of numerous U.S. Patents: Method and system for dynamically distributing updates in a network (2008); Method and system for providing tamper-resistant executable software (2003); Method and system for dynamically distributing updates in a network (2002); System and Method for rules-driven multi-phase network vulnerability assessment (2001); Method and System for adaptive network security using network vulnerability assessment (2001);
* Senior Computer Scientist, Cisco Systems; Co-Founder and Senior Scientist at WheelGroup Corporation; Air Force Engineer and United Nations Peacekeeping Inspector Computer Expert-United States.

ALL-STAR

Josh Beck, Networking Engineering Instructor, Roosevelt High School, San Antonio
* Developer and instructor of one of the best CyberPatriot programs in the city at the Engineering and Technology Academy (ETA) at Roosevelt High School;
* Lead one of his 13 teams to the CyberPatriot National Competition where the Army JROTC team placed 3rd in Service Division;
* Army JROTC team won the All-Service Cisco Networking Challenge;
* Developed a program resulting in nearly 30 students earning industry recognized IT and security certifications.

"Members of this year's Pioneer inductees soundly represent the Air Force's foundation and technological advancements in what we now call cybersecurity," said Joe Sanchez, Executive Director, CyberTexas Foundation and Founder of the SA Hall of Honor.

The Pioneer Category was established for an individual who devoted an extended period (20+ years) or a career to the field. The All-Star Category was established for an individual (or team) who has made substantial contributions over the course of the past year or more. The All-Star Category has three segments: Workforce/Education, Government/Operations and Industry/Technology.

Sanchez offered insight into the work of pioneer Mike Kretzer by highlighting his ability to "carry forward in the Air Force tradition of advancing the mission by helping shape the cyber tools, tactics and techniques into weapon systems." Sanchez continued: "Mike has a superb eye for finding golden nuggets in national labs, startups and academic institutions and turning them into tools used by our cyber warriors."

In describing why Dan Teal and Kevin Ziese were selected, Lee Sutterfield, CEO and co-founder of SecureLogix, and inaugural Hall of Honor inductee stated that "the innovative technology and processes developed by Dan Teal and Kevin Ziese were groundbreaking in the field of detection and defense, which are widely found today in military and commercial devices and software. Their work brilliantly continued into the collective standup of WheelGroup, into Cisco Systems and into the development of numerous patents."

Chris Cook, Senior Advisor at CyberTexas Foundation described Josh Beck as the "developer of one of the more prominent and successful high school CyberPatriot programs in the region at Roosevelt High School's Engineering and Technology Academy." Cook stated that, "Beck's drive to teach students led to an Army JROTC team placing third in the country in the CyberPatriot National Competition Service Division. They also won the All-Service Cisco Networking Challenge."

The induction ceremony will start at 5 PM. It will be followed by a reception. To learn more or to attend, contact Victor Malloy, General Manager, CyberTexas Foundation at vmalloy@cybertexas.org.

More information: https://www.cybertexas.org/

The CyberTexas Foundation will host the 2019 San Antonio Cyber Hall of Honor Induction Ceremony on Tuesday, August 20, 2019 at 5 p.m. at the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) Downtown Campus, Buena Vista Building. The Hall of Honor recognizes cyber pioneers who innovatively forged new paths across the city of San Antonio, the state of Texas, the nation and abroad.

Related link: https://www.cybertexas.org/

Top 5 Reasons Not to Miss CyberTexas 2019

SAN ANTONIO, Texas /ScoopCloud/ -- Cybersecurity leaders are set to convene at the annual CyberTexas conference, cyber job fair and Hall of Honor Induction Ceremony in San Antonio, August 20 and 21, 2019, produced by the CyberTexas Foundation.

Defend, protect, secure - three words we often use to define the state of engagement on the battlefield. But in an age of heighten cybersecurity threats, physical warfare isn't the only battle worthy of preparation. Cybersecurity has become a critical issue for all private industries, on every level of local, state and federal government, military and academia which leaves public and private institutions on the front line of defense for protecting critical infrastructure.

Texas, a state known for its big, and often, non-traditional approaches to problem solving, has been on the forefront of cybersecurity dating back to the early 1980s when computer networks were just starting to develop. In the years that followed, cities like San Antonio, Houston and Austin became leaders in building the cybersecurity ecosystem in the region, which led to not only the development of a strong cybersecurity workforce, but the creation of innovative cyber products and services, and the installation of the world-class U.S. Air Force Cyber Command at Joint Base San Antonio (JBSA).

The Lone Star state is a hotbed for network security, cyber risk mitigation and threat intelligence. It is this reality alone that opens the doors to cybersecurity events like the CyberTexas Conference. Now in its ninth year, the conference is a platform for industry thought leaders from across the state and abroad to collaborate, problem solve, retool and prepare for the next wave of cyber threats. During the two-day event, August 20th - 21st at the University of Texas at San Antonio's (UTSA) downtown campus, cyber leaders will gather to hear from speakers, learn about products and services during an exhibitor's showcase, participate in a cyber job fair hosted by Cleared Jobs, and witness the 2019 San Antonio Cyber Hall of Honor induction ceremony. However, if industry enthusiasts are still uncertain about attending this year's conference, here are five reasons not to miss CyberTexas 2019:

1 - Two is better than one

Unlike the past eight years, CyberTexas is being held in collaboration with UTSA's International Information Sharing Conference (IISC). The back-to-back events will draw hundreds of cybersecurity and information sharing leaders and offer attendees the opportunity to experience three high-impact days of networking and collaborating with cyber professionals from across the state. CyberTexas will take place on August 20th and 21st and IISC will start on August 21st and conclude on August 22nd.

2 - It's more than a cyber conference

San Antonio has nurtured the cybersecurity industry's most renowned leaders, educated thousands of cyber warriors at world-class institutions, like UTSA, trained mission-ready military cyber warriors at Air Force Cyber Command, and inspired the development of high-growth information technology companies. In recognition of these efforts, CyberTexas brings a unique opportunity for cyber professionals to learn from the expertise of the city's most recognized IT leaders.

3 - It's all about Texas

With over 40 speakers, the event will bring industry, government, military and academia leaders to the main stage, including keynote speakers: Steve Povolny, Head of Advanced Threat Research, McAfee; Joe Sanchez, Director and Executive Director, CyberTexas Foundation; Maj. Gen. Robert J. Skinner, Commander, 24th Air Force; Commander, Air Forces Cyber and Commander, Joint Force Headquarters-Cyber, JBSA-Lackland, Texas; Brig. Gen. George M. Reynolds, Vice Commander, 25th Air Force, JBSA-Lackland, Texas; Umesh Verma, Founder, Cyber Houston and CEO, BLUE LANCE and Jim Perschbach, President & CEO, Port San Antonio. This year's theme, Cybersecurity Communities Throughout Texas, illustrates the event's focus on educating attendees about Texas' growing cyber ecosystem.

4 - Network security can't wait

No matter if your interests are machine learning, cyber threat intelligence, risk mitigation, or smart cities, or if your most immediate cyber concerns are security issues regarding elections, maritime, or cloud security, the importance of preparing for the next cyber threat could be the difference between total business disruption and network resiliency. Therefore, there's no time like the present when it comes to building a better cyber defense toolbox to combat new threats.

5 - Texas' cyber communities are trailblazers

This year's CyberTexas will provide opportunities to learn about new policies and programs across the region including, Cyber Houston, UTSA National Security Collaboration Center, Cybersecurity Pathways for Texas High Schools legislative initiatives, the New Horizons Learning Center, and CyberPatriots National Youth Cyber Education program.

"Texas is more than a Lone Star State," said Victor Malloy, CyberTexas Foundation's general manager. "The people here are leaders pioneering to the north star in cyberspace. Our solution for securing our community when the next cyber incident occurs, is to build relationships from the interactions during conferences like ours that helps to reduce the level of complexity in how we manage risks."

The conference will kick-off on Tuesday, August 20 at UTSA downtown campus located at 501 W. Cesar E. Chavez Blvd., San Antonio, TX 78207. The opening plenary sessions will start at 8:45 a.m. followed by breakout sessions that will continue until 4:15 p.m. The following day activities will start at 8 a.m. and end at 12 p.m. The Hall of Honor Ceremony will take place at 5 p.m. on August 20, 2019.

To register for the speaking sessions and Hall of Honor Ceremony, visit https://www.cybertexas.org/iisc-cybertexas-combined-conference-2019/.

Discounts are offered to attendees of both the CyberTexas and IIS Conferences, InfraGard members, students, and educators. DOD civilians and military with a valid ID can attend at no charge. Space is limited. To participate, DOD civilians and military should email Victor Malloy at vmalloy@cybertexas.org.

The cyber job fair will take place from 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. on Tuesday August 20 in the Durango Building on UTSA's campus. Registration is free. Attending companies include, Abacus Technology Corporation, Accenture Federal Services, AECOM, Air Force Civilian Service, Applied Research Solutions, Def-Logix, IPSecure, Naval Information Warfare Center (NIWC) Pacific - C2E2 Department, Raytheon and USAA.

To learn more about exhibiting and sponsorship opportunities, email mjackson@cybertexas.org.

Learn more about CyberTexas at: https://www.cybertexas.org

Cybersecurity leaders are set to convene at the annual CyberTexas conference, cyber job fair and Hall of Honor Induction Ceremony in San Antonio, August 20 and 21, 2019, produced by the CyberTexas Foundation.

Related link: https://www.cybertexas.org/

IMPACT Group Launches SecureNow, a Professional Cybersecurity Offering Businesses and Non-Profits of All Sizes Can Afford

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. /ScoopCloud/ -- IMPACT Group, Inc., a recognized Twin Cities-based management consulting firm and Managed Service Provider specializing in large scale IT and supply chain strategy, project delivery, cybersecurity and enterprise program management, announced today the launch of SecureNow - professional cybersecurity your organization can afford!

According to Ginni Rometty of IBM "cybercrime, by definition, is the greatest threat to every profession, every industry, every company in the world." Insurance giant Lloyds of London has said that cyber-attacks cost businesses as much as $400B a year or more while the World Economic Forum puts that number at over $3 trillion worldwide.

And according to a recent Data Breach Investigation Report done by Verizon: "61 percent of breaches target small and medium businesses, up from the previous year's 53 percent. These cyberattacks cost small businesses anywhere between $84,000 and $148,000. And 60 percent of small businesses go out of business within six months of such an attack."

IMPACT Group, through its Technology Services Business Unit, has been helping organizations of all sizes to meet the security challenges of Twin Cities based businesses and non-profit organizations for over 25 years. Relying on its expertise as a successful Managed Service Provider, IMPACT Group is now launching SecureNow as an affordable way for organizations of all sizes to discover existing internal and external vulnerabilities in their IT environment within 5-7 days of ordering the service and to take immediate action to reduce significantly their risk level.

Having helped organizations with ransomware and other security breaches, IMPACT Group has seen firsthand the damage cyber-attacks can wreak on its victims.

IMPACT has designed SecureNow as a quick and affordable, professional-grade cybersecurity package, an alternative to other high-cost offerings available on the market.

Says Jeff O'Donnell, CEO of IMPACT Group: "Many organizations know they have to do something about cybersecurity, but they may not know where to begin and what's the quickest way to getting better security at an affordable price. There are tools and experts available but smaller organizations may not be able to afford either. SecureNow is a great way for anyone to access such tools and experts within existing budgets. I invite you to visit us at http://GetSecureNow.org and to allow us to help you protect your assets, your data, your reputation and your peace of mind."

About IMPACT Group:

IMPACT Group has been rated by Clutch as a Twin Cities Top 20 Managed Service Provider, and as a Top 20 Most Promising Project Management firm by CIO Review. IMPACT has been delivering value successfully in the past with leading Fortune 1000 companies, as well as small and medium business, churches and non-profits.

MEDIA CONTACT:
For more information contact Jeff O'Donnell at info@getsecurenow.org or call him at 651.415.2290

Twitter: @ImpactGroupMN #SecureNow #Cybersecurity #SmallBusiness #SmallBusinessSolutions

IMPACT Group, Inc., a recognized Twin Cities-based management consulting firm and Managed Service Provider specializing in large scale IT and supply chain strategy, project delivery, cybersecurity and enterprise program management, announced today the launch of SecureNow - professional cybersecurity your organization can afford.

Related link: https://www.impactgroupmn.com/

Virginia Startup CounterFlow AI closes $2.7M Seed Round

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. /ScoopCloud/ -- Cybersecurity startup CounterFlow AI announced last week that it has raised $2.7 million in seed funding from Osage University Partners, the Charlottesville Angel Network, and a number of individual investors who also supported the founders' previous venture, nPulse Technologies (acquired by FireEye in 2014).

CounterFlow AI is using streaming machine learning technology at the network edge to help cyber defenders more quickly find and remove network threats.

"The traditional perimeter defense approach to securing networks is still necessary," said Randy Caldejon, CounterFlow AI's CEO. "But it is no longer sufficient. The fact is that data breaches occur daily. Consequently, security analysts have turned to threat hunting as the best form of defense. Our mission is to arm them with the next generation of tools so that they can scale their hunting operations and win the day."

Network security analysts may face hundreds or even thousands of alerts every day, generated by the perimeter defense tools already in place. Many of these will be false positives, some will be trivial issues that could be resolved with automated responses, and a critical few will be real intrusion events that need to be addressed rapidly.

Dr. Andrew Fast, CounterFlow AI's Chief Data Scientist, said, "By applying machine learning to data in motion, we can draw the security analysts' attention to the most dangerous threats, allowing them to begin incident response in real time."

John Lee, a principal at Osage University Partners who oversaw the Philadelphia-based fund's investment in CounterFlow AI, said reliable security solutions still require human expertise.

"Putting a human in the loop and empowering the analyst to hunt within their network at scale is the right place for CounterFlow AI to be," Lee said.

About CounterFlow AI:

CounterFlow AI, Inc., a Virginia-based company, designs and builds threat-hunting solutions for world-class security operation centers (SOC). The company is redefining the art of threat hunting by utilizing machine learning and sensing at the edge of the network to drive targeting operations in real time. CounterFlow AI's flagship product, Dragonfly Threat Sensor, is more than a traditional intrusion detection and prevention system (IDPS). It is a cybersecurity platform that integrates signature inspection, machine learning, and adaptive packet capture, enabling security analysts to significantly reduce time to detection and response.

For more information, visit https://counterflow.ai/.

About Osage University Partners:

Osage University Partners (OUP) is a venture capital firm focused on investing in startups that are commercializing pioneering university technologies. OUP partners with top research universities to invest in their most innovative startups, and OUP shares its investment profit with its partner institutions. The firm invests in software, hardware, and life science companies at all stages of company development. OUP has partnered with over 90 universities, including 39 of the top 50 U.S. institutions by research expenditures, and has invested in over 75 of their spinouts. OUP is part of a family of investment funds within Osage Partners, which is based in Philadelphia, PA and manages in excess of $500 million.

For more information, visit: http://osagepartners.com/osage-university-partners/

Twitter: @counterflowai @OUP_VC #Cybersecurity

Cybersecurity startup CounterFlow AI, Inc. announced last week that it has raised $2.7 million in seed funding from Osage University Partners, the Charlottesville Angel Network, and a number of individual investors who also supported the founders' previous venture, nPulse Technologies (acquired by FireEye in 2014).

Related link: https://counterflow.ai/

Internet of Things (IoT) Presents Threat to Aviation Safety, According to Cybersecurity Expert

ALEXANDRIA, Va., April 14, 2015 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- The emerging Internet of Things (IoT) will expose the global aviation industry to vulnerabilities at a level never before seen and will have a transformative impact on the industry, according to George M. Schu, a cybersecurity strategist with Stangarone & Associates, a Washington D.C.-based consultancy.

According to Schu, "While the IoT promises to introduce enormous efficiencies and enhancements to aviation just as it is to other market segments, malware, or malicious software, is used by hackers with intent to disrupt operations, steal proprietary information, or compromise privacy."

"The aviation industry is five times more likely to be exposed to malware. Theft of customer data, intellectual property, and airfreight data are likely top motivations for targeting users in the aviation industry," he said.

The IoT enables automated communications between machines. The term IoT can include the type of Radio Frequency Identification tags that businesses place on products in stores to monitor inventory; the Smart Grid, which modernizes the electrical grid by harnessing digital technologies; and Internet-connected jet engines and drills on oil rigs.

"Indeed, there are great benefits to be realized for aviation with IoT -- more efficient aircraft routing, enhanced traveller experience, leveraging the sharing economy and an increased number of aircraft in a more connected ecosystem of aviation," he said, "but aviation leaders need to be cautious about how it is implemented."

A report released this January by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) addresses the security and privacy issues related to the IoT. Though this report is primarily focused on the impact of the IoT on the security and privacy in the consumer market, it raises issues that pertain to other markets such as transportation and aviation.

"We are at the beginning of the IoT era. The FTC reports that six years ago, for the first time, the number of things connected to the Internet surpassed the number of people. Estimates are that there will be 25 billion connected devices this year, and by 2020 there will be 50 billion. Related to the IoT phenomenon is the growth of Machine-to-Machine (M2M) connections," he said.

Three and one-half billion sensors are already in the marketplace, and the expectation is that number will increase to trillions within the next decade. Schu said the confluence of IoT and M2M connections is staggering to contemplate. Both will drive new innovation and economies across market verticals.

In the current Annual Security Report issued by CISCO, aviation is cited in the top five market verticals most vulnerable to malware exposure.

Schu believes that aviation leaders need to ensure that standards for IoT implementation and security are adopted and strictly used, not just for the aviation industry itself, but for its partners and suppliers as well. "Your suppliers can become your weakest link," he said.

About George M. Schu:

George Schu is a cybersecurity strategist with Stangarone & Associates, an aerospace and aviation consultancy based in Washington D.C. Schu served as a Booz Allen Hamilton Partner and Senior Vice President for seven years. He provided data integrity solutions for a large multinational financial services company and delivered regular in-person reports to the Board of Directors. He led an initiative to help the electrical utilities industry understand cyber vulnerabilities to the electric grid. He also led multiple businesses supporting Departments of Homeland Security, Justice and other U.S. civilian agencies' cybersecurity missions.

Before joining Booz Allen, Schu was at VeriSign where he was Vice President, Public Sector, responsible for building a new sales group from the ground up. He led sales, consulting services and business development teams that accounted for substantial growth of VeriSign's information security business. He was also responsible for M&A efforts at VeriSign aimed at growing the government market business. He conducted search and due diligence of technology companies to take VeriSign business to the next level. Prior to VeriSign, Schu worked for Oracle Corporation where he led a team focused on growing Oracle Information Security solutions in various enterprises. He had a track record of successfully creating demand for Oracle products through innovative marketing, solution selling and thought leadership.

More information: http://www.stangaroneandassociates.com/ .

*PHOTO (web): Send2Press.com/mediaboom/15-0414-schu-500x375.jpg

CONTACT:
Robert Stangarone
Managing Director
Stangarone & Associates LLC
+1 (202) 650-7657
rstangarone@stangarone.com

To view the original version on Send2Press Newswire, visit: https://www.send2press.com/newswire/internet-of-things-iot-presents-threat-to-aviation-safety-according-to-cybersecurity-expert-2015-0414-03.shtml.

NEWS SOURCE Stangarone and Associates LLC :: This press release was issued on behalf of the news source (who is solely responsible for its accuracy) by and Copr. © 2015 Send2Press® Newswire, a service of Neotrope®.

Save the Date: 2015 HTCIA International Conference and Training Expo This Year in Florida

ROSEVILLE, Calif., Feb. 4, 2015 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- The High Technology Crime Investigation Association (HTCIA) will unveil its 29th Annual International Conference and Training Expo on August 30, 2015, at the Rosen Shingle Creek Resort in beautiful Orlando, Florida. This International Conference brings together groups including law enforcement, private industry, government and academia from the United States and from around the world.

Peter Morin, HTCIA 1st Vice President and Conference Chair, is proud to present track based training to ensure an equal presentation of topics. "Some of our past training topics have included lectures and hands-on labs with numerous sessions related to penetration testing, malware analysis, memory analysis and computer forensics," said Morin.

Keynote speakers scheduled to present include Brandon Webb and Howard Schmidt. Webb is a former US Navy SEAL and Head Sniper Instructor who trained Chris Kyle, the main character of the record breaking film "American Sniper." He is also a writer and digital media entrepreneur. Schmidt is the former Cyber Advisor to Presidents Obama and G. W. Bush as well as the former CISO and CSO at Microsoft.

HTCIA has a special offer for those interested in attending the International Conference & Training Expo. Registrants applying to the conference pay $395 (members) and $595 for non-members until April 1. For more information on registration for the event and non-member or student options please visit the HTCIA Conference Registration page: http://www.htciaconference.org/ .

For additional information about this Conference, please visit the event site or contact Peter Morin at info@htciaconference.org. For information concerning sponsorships or media coverage opportunities please contact Carol Hutchings at carol@htcia.org or by phone at (916) 408-1751.

About HTCIA:

HTCIA is a 501(c)3 non-profit professional organization founded over 29 years ago for the purpose of educating individuals involved with high technology investigations.

HTCIA continues to solidify its position as the leader in professional organizations devoted to the prevention, investigation and prosecution of crimes involving advanced technologies.

Contact:
- General event inquiries - info@htciaconference.org
- Sponsorship inquiries - sponsorship@htciaconference.org
- Speaker inquiries - speakers@htciaconference.org

Twitter: @HTCIA - https://twitter.com/HTCIA

To view the original version on Send2Press Newswire, visit: https://www.send2press.com/newswire/save-date-2015-htcia-international-conference-training-expo-this-year-florida-2015-0204-004.shtml.

NEWS SOURCE High Technology Crime Investigation Association :: This press release was issued on behalf of the news source (who is solely responsible for its accuracy) by and Copr. © 2015 Send2Press® Newswire, a service of Neotrope®.