Because Security Gives Us Freedom.
Strong Cyber Policy Can Protect Your Organization’s Biggest Vulnerabilities
Strong Cyber Policy Can Protect Your Organization’s Biggest Vulnerabilities
– Stel Valavanis
Three Ways Biden Must Ensure Our Cybersecurity During His First 100 Days in Office
Three Ways Biden Must Ensure Our Cybersecurity During His First 100 Days in Office
– Stel Valavanis
Security Practices State Capitols Should Put in Place Today
Security Practices State Capitols
Should Put in Place Today
– Stel Valavanis
Our Holiday Mission to Fight Hunger
Thank you for helping us fight hunger this holiday!
Detecting the SolarWinds Hack
Detecting the SolarWinds Hack –
Stel Valavanis
Open Source, High Security Collaboration
“As COVID-19 continues to change the way we work, and where we work, businesses are reconsidering decisions made in a crisis mitigation mindset, and planning for the future we now live (and work) in.” Open Source, High Security Collaboration As COVID-19 continues to change the way we work, and where we work, businesses are reconsidering decisions made in a crisis mitigation mindset, and planning for the future we now live (and work) in. At the outset of the pandemic, teams were sent home and often directed to do what they needed to do to stay operational as fully (and quickly)…
Offering a 401(k) Could Leave Your Organization More Vulnerable to Cybercrime
“Any business large enough to offer retirement benefits can be considered a target with financial information worth stealing, especially as attackers know that employers and plan sponsors are usually not required to have sophisticated cybersecurity measures in place, and are new vectors of vulnerability.”
Offering a 401(k) Could Leave Your Organization More Vulnerable to Cybercrime
-Stel Valavanis
It’s no surprise to those in the financial services industry that they are required and expected to have a certain layer of cybersecurity. The information they work with on a daily basis can easily be used for cybercrime, should it fall into the wrong hands, and so financial institutions protect their data against hackers and cybercrime. What may be a surprise, however, is the threshold for what could rightfully be considered a financial institution. Any business large enough to offer retirement benefits can be considered a target with financial information worth stealing, especially as attackers know that employers and plan sponsors are usually not required to have sophisticated cybersecurity measures in place, and are new vectors of vulnerability. Organizations that have not planned for high-level cybersecurity attacks, not seeing themselves as potential victims, are frequent targets of experienced hacking groups. Organizations that are involved with 401(k), either as employer or plan sponsor, should consider that the data they retain may require the kind of security measures that self-identified financial institutions consider part of their daily operations.
Chicago’s Tech Future
As October is Cybersecurity Awareness month, it seems more relevant than ever to highlight the role that cybersecurity can play in a company’s ability to retain the startup spirit, expand into new opportunities, and continue their digital transformation. This is why we say “Security gives us freedom”. Staying “cyber smart” goes beyond following a list of simple tips, however. As we say at onShore, security is a process, not a product. It is a challenge that must be answered every day. Our chances are better, our energies better spent, our initiatives are more likely to succeed when we work together….
To Pay or Not To Pay Ransomware, That Is the Question…
“As long as there exists the false perception that ransomware can be waved away quickly by paying criminals’ demands, there will be organizations that see it as their best practice. In order to defeat it as a threat, the entire cybersecurity world, and the business world at large, must stand together and declare their complete unwillingness to negotiate with criminals.”
To Pay or Not To Pay Ransomware, That Is the Question…
By Stel Valavanis, CEO onShore Security
I’m beginning to think we should ban ransom payments to criminals or at least disallow insurance to cover them. I know that sounds extreme, but hear me out. It’s very worth exploring at this time, as the scope of the problem is exponentially growing in the wake of COVID-19. According to a new report by Emisoft, ransomware demand costs could reach new highs this year exceeding $1.4B in the U.S. in 2020.
Opportunities for Change: How Boomers are Re-inventing Business During COVID-19
“Boomers are in a different life stage that can offer them exciting new opportunities like pursuing lifelong dreams of entrepreneurship.”
The world of business changes at a blistering pace, and even under the best of circumstances, it can be difficult to keep up. In 2020, with COVID-19, remote working becoming the norm, and all the vulnerability that goes along with unexpected change, it is more important than ever to make smart choices, turning potential threats into opportunities.
Stelios Valavanis, founder and CEO of onShore Security, sat down recently with Hanh Brown of the Boomer Living podcast to talk about entrepreneurship, digital transformation, and cybersecurity in this new business landscape. Listen to the full interview with the player below.
The Unseen Cybersecurity Threats COVID-19 is Posing to Business Now
onShore Security CEO Stelios Valavanis sat down recently with Barry Moltz, host of The Small Business Radio Show, to talk about cybersecurity for small businesses in the future. Barry and Stel touched on many emerging threats and new best practices that are already having a major impact on business.
The pandemic has changed everything, including igniting an explosive increase in the risks small businesses are facing on the cyber security front as workers are doing their jobs everywhere but the office. Stel gets real with Barry in this episode of The Small Business Show about what SMBs need to know now to protect their assets.
Cloud Vendor Breach Harms Philanthropists
“Data privacy laws may differ across the country and across industry, but as far as liability is concerned, there is a consensus: your organization is responsible for private data it holds and is liable for any breach of that data’s security, regardless of whether it was the result of failure by third party vendor or outsourced party.”
Stelios Valavanis on Becker Group Business Leadership Podcast
Stelios Valavanis, founder and CEO of onShore Security, sat down recently with Scott Becker of the Becker Group to talk about cybercrime, startups, and empowering people with technology on the Business Leadership podcast. To listen to the interview, please click here or click on the image above.
New Decision Provides Reminder Of Privacy Law Before The Pandemic – Guest Blog
Over the last few months, cyber security issues may have taken a backseat to health and economic issues. Thankfully, there has not been a major cyber incident during the coronavirus pandemic.
This Summer Provides A Unique Opportunity For Student Data Privacy – Guest Blog
“Illinois schools must comply with the Student Online Personal Protection Act by July 1, 2021.”
The following is a guest blog by Todd M. Rowe, published with the author’s permission. Click here to read the original post at Tressler LLP.
The Next Wave Of Biometric Cases: BIPA Customer Lawsuits – Guest Blog
“…[T]he vast majority of the recent cases are limited to allegations brought by employees against their employers rather than by customers. That is, the case law is developing into two distinct branches: BIPA customer cases and BIPA employment cases.”
The following is a guest blog, published with the author’s permission. Click here to read the original post at Tressler LLP.
Illinois Schools Should Immediately Take Steps To Comply With New Privacy Laws Related To Student Data
Illinois Schools Should Immediately Take Steps To Comply With New Privacy Laws Related To Student Data Todd Rowe – Partner, Tressler LLP While protecting data is always important, there is a heightened effort to protect private data belonging to children and young adults. Unfortunately, there has also been a recent uptick in the number of recent breach incidents involving data from schools and vendors entrusted with data by schools. Of course, this data held by schools inevitably includes information belonging to children and young adults. Perhaps the worst incident involving students’ data was seen this summer when it was discovered…
District Court Punts On Threshold Questions In BIPA Workplace Claims – Guest Blog
“The Illinois Biometric Information Protection Act (“BIPA”) has had a significant impact on how employers use timekeeping systems to track employees’ hours at work.”
The following is a guest blog, published with the author’s permission. Click here to read the original post at Tressler LLP.
Courts Are Still Picking Over The Bones From The 2013 Target Data Breach – Guest Blog
“It was a quaint, innocent time before social engineering scams, ransomware or any of the other threats had evolved to hassle both large and small data collectors. In 2014 and 2015, large-scale data breaches at Home Depot, Best Buy and Target roamed the Earth.”
The following is a guest blog, published with the author’s permission. Click here to read the original post at Tressler LLP.
The Adoption Of SOPPA May Provide A Tough Lesson For Schools That Fail To Comply
“Recently, the Chicago Tribune reported on a data breach involving student data stored by Pearson Clinical Assessment that may have involved a number of students at Illinois schools.”
The following is a guest blog, published with the author’s permission. Click here to read the original post at Tressler LLP.
Ransomware: Stop the Spread NOW!
Ransomware, one of the most prevalent cybersecurity threats, has been making big news by crippling governmental organizations and large corporations with household names, but the story has started to change. Hackers have turned their low-effort but highly successful scams on minor municipalities and small business. Almost half of all breaches last year targeted small businesses. Prevention is essential in helping organizations avoid having their data held hostage by ransomware attackers, but your organization, your team, and your network need to be prepared for post-breach possibilities. Ransomware infections rapidly spread laterally from host to host in an attempt to bring…
GirlCon Chicago 2019
Last week, onShore Security’s Caron Grantham attended GirlCon Chicago, which we were proud to sponsor. GirlCon Chicago “was a really engaging event for the teen students”, says Caron, after the event at Google Chicago. Students attending the event ate lunch with cybersecurity practitioners and their peers, encouraged to ask questions of the professionals in attendance. Caron met some students from her high school alma mater; Kenwood Academy College Prep, as well as students from Lindbloom, King College Prep, and Walter Payton College Prep. Caron engaged with the students and discussed their interest in computer science and cybersecurity. After lunch, Caron…
Illinois’ Biometric Information Protection Act Gets More Tangled With Employment Law – Guest Blog
“Biometric data is playing a larger role in employment law as more employers begin using equipment to scan employees’ fingerprints to clock in for work.”
The following is a guest blog, published with the author’s permission. Click here to read the original post at Tressler LLP.
Biometric data is playing a larger role in employment law as more employers begin using equipment to scan employees’ fingerprints to clock in for work.
Modernize Your Network and Security Simultaneously
If you’ve modernized your network or are considering it, you know that security should be your top concern. Even if you’re using or are considering SD-WAN, there are security risks and challenges that you must consider: Egressing of traffic may not be inspected with critical advanced firewall capabilities. Internal traffic between sites may not be adequately protected. Network modernization solutions, including SD-WAN, may provide a false sense of security. No matter where you are in your network modernization journey, onShore Security provides a fully integrated, cloud-based network and security service that closes critical security vulnerabilities. We’d like to invite you to a live…