KnowBe4 Supports FBI Tips Against RNC
Cybercrime
With the Republican National Convention around
the corner, Stu Sjouwerman, Founder and CEO of KnowBe4, is stressing how
important the FBI cybercrime safety tactics are.
(Clearwater, FL) August 22, 2012 – With the
Republican National Convention quickly approaching, security in the Tampa Bay
area is higher than ever, but KnowBe4,
a security awareness training firm, is particularly concerned about cybercrime
security. $50 million dollars is being spent in security for the Republican
National Convention, but it is unknown what the percentage is that is allotted
to cyber security.
Stu Sjouwerman, (pronounced “shower-man”) Founder
and CEO of KnowBe4, has made it his mission to stay up-to-date with the
increasingly sophisticated tactics used by the latest generation of
cybercriminals, in order to educate small and medium enterprises (SMEs) on how
to recognize and avoid cyber-attacks. He is stressing how important the FBI
cybercrime safety measures are during the convention.
FBI tips on protecting yourself from
cybercrime (1)
- Keep Your Operating System Up to Date:
- Computer operating systems are periodically updated to stay in tune with technology requirements and to fix security holes.
- Be sure to install any updates before you leave to ensure your computer has the latest protection.
- Be Careful What You Download and Open
- Carelessly downloading and opening e-mail attachments can circumvent even the most vigilant anti-virus software.
- Never open an e-mail attachment from someone you don't know, and be wary of forwarded attachments from people you do know. They may have unwittingly advanced malicious code.
The second FBI tip is what KnowBe4.com helps
businesses accomplish on a human level, by running phishing security tests for
small and medium sized businesses in order to track how many employees click on
links in malicious emails that they may think are safe.
Cyber security’s secret weapon
In 2011, HP published cybercrime statistics
revealing that the cost of cyber attacks had risen more than 50% since 2010 (2).
At the same time IT security expert Stu Sjouwerman cautioned that number was
likely to grow.
With that knowledge, KnowBe4 developed its own
unique weapon that other security awareness training companies do not have:
Kevin Mitnick. Once listed as the world’s “most wanted” hacker by the FBI,
Mitnick now applies his 30-plus year expertise to help organizations defend
against network security breaches. Mitnick and Sjouwerman collaborated to
develop a next-generation Security Awareness Training product.
Kevin
Mitnick Security Awareness Training specializes in making sure employees understand the
mechanisms of spam, phishing, spear-phishing, malware and social engineering,
and are able to apply this knowledge in their day-to-day job.
Protection during the Republican National
Convention
Especially during the RNC, when many delegates and
journalists are on computers and in public places, it is vital to be aware of
the ramifications of cyber attacks.
Organized efforts from hactivist groups such as
Anonymous, which have coordinated online attacks against businesses and
government agencies in the past, are apparently a real threat. Anonymous has
already announced its intent to protest against the RNC and promote its
‘Operation Cannabis’ campaign during the convention. (3)
“Those who disagree with Republican politics may use
cyber attacks to disrupt the event or make a public statement”, Sjouwerman
warned. “This can range from website takedowns or takeovers, to hacking into
confidential databases and publishing the data.”
More cyber safety tips from
KnowBe4:
More of KnowBe4’s tips that
align with the FBI can be found on CBS.com: Top
hacker details how to avoid cybercrime.
For more information on how KnowBe4 and Kevin
Mitnick can protect businesses against cybercrime at any time, visit http://www.knowbe4.com/products/kevin-mitnick-security-awareness-training/.
About Stu Sjouwerman and
KnowBe4
Stu Sjouwerman is the founder and CEO of KnowBe4, LLC, which
provides web-based Security Awareness Training to small and medium-sized
enterprises. A data security expert with more than 30 years in the IT industry,
Sjouwerman was the co-founder of Inc. 500 company Sunbelt Software, an
award-winning anti-malware software company that he and his partner sold to GFI
Software in 2010. Realizing that the human element of security was being
seriously neglected, Sjouwerman decided to help entrepreneurs tackle cybercrime
tactics through advanced Security
Awareness Training. He and his colleagues work with companies in
many different industries, including highly regulated fields such as healthcare,
finance and insurance. Sjouwerman is the author of four books; his latest is Cyberheist:
The Biggest Financial Threat Facing American Businesses Since the Meltdown of
2008.
- 2012 FBI. “How to Protect Your Computer”. Accessed August 17, 2012. www.fbi.gov/scams-safety/computer_protect
- “HP Research Reveals 56 Percent Rise in Cost of Cybercrime”; published on HP.com, August 2, 2011. www.hp.com/hpinfo/newsroom/press/2011/110802xa.html
- Anonymous Pushes Pot Legalization with ‘Operation Cannabis’ MSNBC www.msnbc.msn.com/id/47090083/ns/technology_and_science-security/t/anonymous-pushes-pot-legalization-operation-cannabis/#.UDOzy6O8gbs
No comments:
Post a Comment