Now that vacation time is over in the Northern Hemisphere. Did you relax? Unwind? Clear your mind?

Well I sure hope so because the cyber predators have been setting new clickable traps, and sending devious emails to greet you on your return. Also, in your absence cyber predators continued to launch millions of attacks daily across the globe. And many involve ransomware.

The emergence of ransomware is simple to explain. It can be obtained free or easily made. It has a high success rate and generates handsome profits for hackers. Ransomware also tends to be used indiscriminately. While targeted attacks do happen, ransomware is typically blasted out en masse to infect susceptible computer system. The bad guys have learned they do not have to labor to work out how to target specific organizations since 66% of malware gets installed via malicious email attachments. So they send out innocuous looking emails and the naïve and unwary click on the email and WHAMMO they are now infected.

I strongly suggest you consider our Cyber Exposure Analysis available from the Global Risk Academy at

http://globalriskacademy.com/p/cyber-toolkit



Additionally there are several guides now being published regarding how to deal with ransomware. One of the best is the IBM Ransomware Response Guide.

However, ransomware is only one part of the issue. It appears that the cyber predators are increasing their activity in many areas. If you want to stay secure you better up your game or become easy prey. I strongly recommend you remain vigilant and keep your technical cyber defenses up to date, and monitor their activity and if you are unsure of how to proceed try our Cyber Exposure Analysis mentioned above.

Why you ask? Because good technical security is not enough. You need to become aware of all your cyber exposures and manage them. I am talking about cyber exposures that arise from how you use cloud computing services and social media, how you address the multiple jurisdictional compliance issues your face, how you secure the exploding Internet of Things (IoT) – the myriad of intelligent, interconnected devices being installed in many organizations with little input from security professionals, how you manage and protect sensitive information in your care, and maybe most importantly your organizations cyber security culture.

These cyber exposures arise easily in the areas just mentioned and are as dangerous to your cyber security as an open port on your network.

To better understand this and offer a different approach I have created a short presentation (just over 13 minutes) entitled ‘Managing Cyber Exposures – one bite at a time’[1]. I strongly recommend you spend the 13 minutes it takes to view as you will at the very least gain a different perspective on how to address your cyber exposures.

But if you are still unsure of how to proceed use our Cyber Exposure Analysis as a first step towards cyber exposure security.

Be safe and be secure!

Another option is to join the online Cyber Exposure Management Course Series.

Here are the options:



Option 1. Understanding Cyber Exposure - For Beginners



Option 2. Advanced Cyber Exposure Management



– Part 1 - Identifying Cyber Exposures

– Part 2 – Cyber Exposure Program Management

Option 3. A Bundle of all 3 courses - 35% off the original price - ...

(most cost effective option)