The scourge of ransomware is the inevitable result of decades of schizophrenia about our relationship with information technology and security. Treating this problem in the same fashion as we have those that came before it will only prolong our suffering. Clarity, creativity, and will are required if we are to have any hope of a…
A recent report has revealed that an Iranian threat actor group dubbed “Agrius” has been operating in Israel since 2020. The group has been linked to cyber espionage activity and has quickly evolved into conducting destructive wiper malware attacks against Israeli targets. What’ more, these attacks have been posing as ransomware attacks in order to…
The technology of ransomware has evolved in sophistication and the business models of the criminal groups behind it have as well. The result: The threat from ransomware has reached pandemic proportions. This post provides an executive level overview of the nature of this threat. This post is part of the OODA Cybersecurity Sensemaking series and…
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has published expectations for corporate board level oversight of cybersecurity. They advise every member of every board: “Don’t underestimate your role in data security oversight”. This post provides insights for OODA members on what this new guidance may mean for the future of board operations.
The ransomware attack against Colonial Pipeline revealed how disruptive this malware can be when it impacts civilian critical infrastructure. The successful shutdown of 5,500 miles of pipeline created concern among gas-strapped populations and a government wondering if this attack was the work of cyber criminals or a foreign adversary looking for retribution.
President Biden declared his support for a cease-fire between Israel and Palestine during a call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Israel claims to be targeting Hamas locations and a tunnel network used by the terrorist organization via airstrikes, however, the moves have caused rising civilian casualties as well as power outages and resource shortages.…
Several governments including the United States recognize the criticality of protecting critical infrastructure as a national security priority. But there is little headway in determining what, if any, operations against critical infrastructure are acceptable. Without such consensus, nation states are left to their own devices, opting to use sanctions or retaliatory cyber strikes to register…
One of the critical factors which needs to be evaluated in any technical due diligence is the concept of Technology Debt. This report provides insights into technology debt from the perspective of an enterprise CTO turned due diligence professional. These lessons can help companies preparing for a future transaction to better position themselves for optimal…
In early April 2021, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas granted the Department of Justice the authority to disrupt the exploitation of Microsoft Exchange server vulnerabilities. This authority empowered the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to “hack” into private sector computers without having to notify those organizations. The intent was to…
The business environment in China has changed over the last year. Changes in China’s behaviors include new approaches to diplomacy, new aggressive moves by the Chinese military, new compliance requirements for companies seeking to do business with China, and increased punishment of corporations that are seen to be behaving in ways not supportive of China’s…
OODA CTO Bob Gourley is joined by technologist and national security expert Dan Gerstein from Rand Corporation. Dan is also the author of the recently released book entitled “The Story of Technology”.