Dark Web IQ: Disrupting Cybercrime with Kevin Sherry

image of Kevin Sherry and Marc Schein

Summary

In this episode Marc Schein is chattin’ with Kevin Sherry, the founder of DarkWeb IQ, a pioneering offensive cybercrime prevention firm. Kevin shares his unconventional journey from a hedge fund trader and entrepreneur to a leader in the cyber insurance industry, eventually leading to the inception of DarkWeb IQ. Kevin’s entrepreneurial spirit and proactive approach to spotting opportunities in the evolving insurance landscape laid the foundation for his innovative venture.
Kevin details the origins of DarkWeb IQ, emphasizing his belief in the necessity for a new approach to cybersecurity. In 2020, amid the chaos of the pandemic, the cyber insurance market faced unprecedented challenges due to a surge in ransomware attacks. As market panic ensued, Kevin, leading a team at Everest, realized the need for a radical solution to protect against mounting losses. His sleepless nights and relentless pursuit of answers culminated in the idea of infiltrating and disrupting the cybercriminal supply chain, a concept that formed the core of DarkWeb IQ’s mission.

DarkWeb IQ’s approach diverges from traditional defensive security measures. Instead of merely implementing preventive controls, the firm actively engages with the criminal underground to disrupt cybercrime operations. Kevin recounts how the cybercriminal ecosystem, similar to a supply chain, can be infiltrated and dismantled by targeting its vulnerable links. Despite initial assumptions that such methods were already in use, Kevin was surprised to find significant gaps in the existing threat intelligence efforts, paving the way for DarkWeb IQ’s unique offensive strategy.

Kevin’s firm has intercepted over 800 attacks in two years, employing various methods from direct interventions to collaborations with vendors and government agencies. These interventions range from alerting companies about immediate threats to helping software vendors secure their tools against misuse. Kevin explains how his team’s efforts not only protect individual clients but also contribute to broader societal benefits, such as safeguarding critical infrastructure like hospitals and water treatment facilities.

Reflecting on lessons learned, Kevin highlights the importance of focusing on the basics of cybersecurity. Many attacks exploit simple vulnerabilities, often overlooked despite significant investments in security tools. He advocates for a pragmatic approach where companies prioritize understanding and addressing the most common attack vectors rather than being overwhelmed by compliance checklists. Kevin also stresses the value of proactive vulnerability scanning for insurers, while cautioning against the pitfalls of alert fatigue caused by overemphasis on less critical vulnerabilities.

As the conversation concludes, Kevin expresses his pride in the public-private partnership model that DarkWeb IQ embodies, working closely with law enforcement and the insurance industry to create impactful solutions. He reflects on his journey and the collaborative spirit of their mission, looking forward to continued innovation and progress in the fight against cybercrime.

Key Takeaways

  1. Kevin Sherry started DarkWeb IQ due to his frustration with the rise in ransomware attacks and wanted to find an innovative way to combat cybercrime.
  2. DarkWeb IQ works to infiltrate the cybercriminal ecosystem and supply chain to gain visibility into potential attacks. They intercept attacks and work with law enforcement to build cases against criminals.
  3. DarkWeb IQ has directly intercepted over 800 attacks in their 2 years of existence by infiltrating criminal operations.
  4. Most cyber attacks utilize basic methods, even though security has become very complicated. Focusing on how real-world attacks occur can improve security programs.
  5. Proactive vulnerability scanning by insurers provides value, but alert fatigue is a problem. Focusing alerts on key vulnerabilities that are likely to be exploited is important.

Key Quotes

  1. “By late Q3 of 2020, there was panic in the marketplace and it was noticeable. People were scared.”
  2. “I was angry at the idea that these a**hole ransomware criminals in eastern Europe and Russia were going to potentially undo five years worth of blood, sweat, and tears I put into building this business.”
  3. “What we were proposing was essentially we felt that we had a good legal argument that could allow us to go in on a consistent and scalable way to engage with all sorts of criminals that are in that ecosystem in a way that just wasn’t being done.”
  4. “We’ve had over 800 of those so far in our two year existence.” (Referring to direct attack interceptions)
  5. “Most vulnerabilities don’t matter. 98% of vulnerabilities are literally never going to have a weaponized exploit. They don’t matter. You shouldn’t be patching them. You’re wasting and depleting resources.”

ABOUT OUR GUEST:

Kevin Sherry is a highly accomplished professional with a strong focus on cybersecurity and public-private partnerships. Currently, he leads a prominent public-private partnership aimed at safeguarding U.S.-based companies against imminent ransomware attacks. With a proven track record of success, Kevin has built a market-leading and best-in-class cyber insurance business from the ground up at a top-tier carrier. Additionally, he played a pivotal role in establishing Prime International Trading’s first high-frequency trading team, which generated over $4 million in profit for the firm and laid the foundation for the firm’s success during times of disruption. Kevin’s passion for making a positive impact extends beyond the business world. He co-drafted a blueprint and secured funding for an initiative to break the cycle of poverty for coffee farmers in Flores, Indonesia, in collaboration with Noble Coffee, local political leaders, and NGOs. Today, parts of the plan are being executed, bringing tangible benefits to the community. Kevin holds a Master of Science in Finance from the Simon School of Business, where he was a member of the prestigious Beta Gamma Sigma honor society. With his expertise and dedication, Kevin Sherry continues to make significant contributions in the fields of cybersecurity, finance, and social impact.

FOLLOW OUR GUEST:

WEBSITE | LINKEDIN

ABOUT OUR HOST:

National co-chair of the Cyber Center for Excellence, Marc Schein, CIC,CLCS is also a Risk Management Consultant at Marsh McLennan. He assists clients by customizing comprehensive commercial insurance programs that minimize the burden of financial loss through cost effective transfer of risk. By conducting a Total Cost of Risk (TCoR) assessment, he can determine any gaps in coverage. As part of an effective risk management insurance team, Marc collaborates with senior risk consultants, certified insurance counselors, and expert underwriters to examine the adequacy of existing client programs and develop customized solutions to transfer risk, improve coverage and minimize premiums.

FOLLOW OUR HOST:

WEBSITE | LINKEDIN

“Best Practices: How to Protect Your Business Against Bad Actors & Cyber Threat”

Tech-related business insurance is evolving fast and Anthony Dolce, our guest on this episode of Chattinn Cyber, is a thought leader at the forefront. As head of Professional Liability & Cyber Underwriting at The Hartford, he brings 25 years of industry expertise to the myriad issues shaping policy development and recommended coverages for businesses – whether tech giants or third-party users of technology. Anthony explains the differences between Cyber and Tech Errors & Omissions (E&O) policies – as well as who needs which and in what combination. He also highlights for Host March Schein, National Co-Chair of the Cyber Center for Excellence, the confluence of factors that make tech companies such attractive targets for threat actors. You’ll learn about the most common – and damaging – cyber liabilities out there; things like network attacks, ransom ware assaults, data breaches, business interruption, data restoration costs and third-party vulnerabilities. And don’t miss our guest’s comprehensive list of best practices to control risk for companies of all kinds, whatever their core business. “Nothing’s a silver bullet, but you can help mitigate potential exposure,” says Anthony, whose Connecticut-based career began in claims before migrating to underwriting. Find out what differentiates The Hartford’s Tech E&O and Cyber insurance solutions and how their team of experts guarantee insureds the best possible outcomes when privacy breaches, data hacks or other negative events occur. (Hint: specialized expertise and preparedness are key!)

Key Takeaways:

  • Why taking a leap and moving to the business side at The Hartford was one of those pivotal choices that changed the course of Anthony’s career – and all too the good!
  • From claims to underwriting: How Anthony made the jump and why it has shifted his focus.
  • About the collaborative, social elements that define much of the underwriter’s process and goals.
  • What’s a Cyber Policy? If you’re doing business of any kind on the internet, then you probably need some form of coverage.
  • What’s a Tech E&O Policy? If you providing a tech service of some kind, then you probably need some form of coverage.
  • At the intersection: A look at insurance policies that simultaneously cover exposures in the realms of both Cyber and Tech C&E exposure.
  • About the evolution of Tech E&O + Cyber and coverages required in an internet economy full of data transmittal, management and risk exposures.
  • Why large technology companies are such high-value targets for threat actors eager to double-dip by accessing downstream secondary client information.
  • How The Hartford differentiates itself as an established carrier with a wide array of solutions for any business eventuality:
    • Stand-alone Tech E&O coverage.
    • Tech E&O coverage + cyber coverage.
    • A wide variety of mix-and-match options.
    • Specialized tech expertise to ensure optimal insurance outcomes.
  • About potential cyber liabilities unique to technology firms:
    • Network cyber-attacks.
    • Ransom ware attacks.
    • Data breaches (and related extortion).
    • Business interruption.
    • Data restoration costs.
    • Professional/product exposure due to third-party contractual, regulatory or subrogation issues.
  • Supply chain and systemic risk: A closer look at the variety of vulnerabilities passed down to companies impacted by global industry events.
  • Recommended best practices to note:
    • Perform regular software composition analyses.
    • Deploy tools to track vulnerabilities.
    • Undertake regular code reviews, including both static and dynamic scans.
    • Implement regular in-house or third-party security and resiliency testing.
    • Develop a solid IRP (Incident Response Plan).
    • Ensure that your cyber insurance carrier is an integral part of your IRP.
    • Stage incident response table-top exercises to align all stakeholders.
    • Establish a roll-back plan to close vulnerabilities and limit negative events.
    • Monitor your product and its resiliency.
  • Remember: There are no silver bullets; only solid preparation maximizes risk mitigation and rapid recovery.
  • Key Quotes:
  • “You only get so many pivots in your career, as I tell junior folks, and so I jumped at the challenge to be on the business side (at The Hartford) and I’m happy I did.” – Anthony (01:50)
  • “With underwriting, everyone is generally trying to get to a point where there’s agreement, a deal, a win. And that’s one of the things I really like about it.” – Anthony (02:54)
  • “When breach and notification laws came into existence when California passed its first law around 2000, you started to have the need for a number of different coverages both for first-party and third-party.” – Anthony (05:49)
  • “Tech companies accounted for nearly a quarter of ransom ware attacks within the last few years … and part of that is that they’re just a very attractive target by virtue of their interaction with clients and what they do.” – Anthony (08:32)
  • “You really do need specialized tech expertise (to) get the best result for your insureds and guide them through what can sometimes be a complicated scenario with both first-party and third-party coverages, depending on what’s happened.” – Anthony (10:34)
  • “One of the biggest areas of concern when I speak to general folks in the cyber marketplace is supply chain and systemic risk.” – Marc (12:42)
  • “Make sure you’re making your cyber carrier an integral part of (your) IRP. Utilize their resources and their claims folks, because they’re in-house experts at what they do.” – Anthony (15:46)
  • “For an incident response plan to be good, you need to test it and make sure that the decision-makers are in the loop.” – Anthony (16:03)
  • “Nothing’s a silver bullet but you can help mitigate potential exposure.” -Anthony (16:50)

 

ABOUT OUR GUEST:

An insurance professional with 25 years of experience in law and a wide variety of insurance-related positions in North America, Anthony has handled thousands of cyber and privacy matters and frequently speaks and writes on legal/insurance related issues. He has also managed teams handling a variety of lines of business including Cyber, Healthcare, Technology, Media, Employment Practices Liability, Errors & Omissions and Directors & Officers liability. Anthony is a graduate of UCONN Law School and a member of the Connecticut bar.

 

“Is Your Cyber Underwriting Solid? Why You Need the Three-Legged Stool.”

Our guest on this episode of Chatting Cyber is at the forefront of Insurtech innovation, deploying new approaches to cyber underwriting (with a ripple effect on traditional insurance). Peter Hedberg, VP for Cyber Underwriting at Corvus Insurance, shares with Host Marc Schein the many ways tech-enabled strategies are transforming the landscape. Says our guest: Heightened engagement among both cyber insurance brokers and policy-holders is yielding a “virtuous cycle” of better bottom-line results! Find out how brokers can help foster alignment and build trust between insurance policy purchasers (often CFOs) and their IT executives (often CIOs, CTOs). You’ll also learn how Corvus offers financial incentives to those who proactively undertake risk self-assessments to reduce liability – a major plus for all concerned. Peter also underscores why it’s so important to put in place a solid three-legged stool: Application, Exposure, Technology. When these elements are in sync, he explains, vulnerability is minimized to everyone’s benefit. Find out where cyber insurers are with developments related to third-party and systemic risk (works in progress!) and how a Minneapolis-born guy who originally got licensed as a traditional insurance broker became one of the most well-respected cyber specialists out there. “The feedback we’re getting from policy-holders is that we are creating an eco-system and environment that is improving their stance,” says Peter. “And I’m just really happy that as an Insurtech I can point to those numbers and that value.”

Key Takeaways:

 

  • Check your complementary skill sets. You may be positioned for a niche specialty!
  • How does Insurtech differ from traditional insurance? The focus is on driving down losses through technology-enabled underwriting.
  • The Three-Legged Stool of Underwriting: Application, Exposure and Technology.
  • Putting the right underwriting elements together creates a profitable “virtuous cycle.”
  • Insurtech adds value by generating tech-enabled approaches that drive down losses.
  • Corvus Differentiator: It incents policy-holders to engage with proactive risk assessment.
  • How can brokers help?
    • By proselytizing the idea of cyber policy-holder engagement.
    • By fostering alignment between the insured’s buyer (typically a CFO) and their IT leadership (typically a CIO or CTO).
  • Third-party wrongful collection of information has surged but ramifications are still actuarially unclear and still being litigated.
  • Assessing systemic risk requires nuance and working through unknown liabilities.
  • On the horizon for 2024? More frontlines information about how well policy-holder controls are working to control risk.
  • Key Quotes:
  • “When cyber (insurance) slowly became more of a mainstream product offering they just pointed to me and said: You’re the cyber guy!” – Peter (02:10)
  • “The value proposition with Insurtech is just so fundamentally different from insurance.” – Peter (04:20)
  • “Insurtech is leveraging technology to create a better policy-holder experience, better value and more profit left over at the end of the year.” – Peter (05:24)
  • “Insurtechs have proven that they can grow really fast, but that doesn’t mean they can make money.” – Peter (05:49)
  • “Engagement brings dividends to you as a policy-holder. It makes you a safer policy-holder.” – Peter (09:15)
  • “We in the cyber market really demanded much better controls on our policy-holders over the last couple of years and a lot of that has been delivered to us.” – Peter (14:25)
  • “The feedback we’re getting from policy-holders is that we are creating an eco-system and environment that is improving their stance. And I’m just really happy that as an Insurtech I can point to those numbers and that value.” – Peter (15:58)

 

ABOUT OUR GUEST:

With more than 15 years of insurance industry experience, Peter Hedberg is Vice President for Cyber Underwriting at Corvus Insurance. He has a specialty in Cyber and Tech E&O lines. A Minnesota native, Peter started his career working his way from IT intern to the position of cyber broker at Hays Companies over the course of ten years. He has spent the past six years based in New York City, first growing Hiscox USA’s business in the Northeast region as Assistant Vice President and, more recently, managing the tech and cyber side of NAS Insurance Services (now Tokio Marine) HCC as Vice President.

 

FOLLOW OUR GUEST:

WEBSITE | LINKEDIN

 

ABOUT OUR HOST:

National co-chair of the Cyber Center for Excellence, Marc Schein, CIC,CLCS is also a Risk Management Consultant at Marsh McLennan. He assists clients by customizing comprehensive commercial insurance programs that minimize the burden of financial loss through cost effective transfer of risk. By conducting a Total Cost of Risk (TCoR) assessment, he can determine any gaps in coverage. As part of an effective risk management insurance team, Marc collaborates with senior risk consultants, certified insurance counselors, and expert underwriters to examine the adequacy of existing client programs and develop customized solutions to transfer risk, improve coverage and minimize premiums.

 

FOLLOW OUR HOST:

WEBSITE | LINKEDIN

 

Cybersecurity In M&A Transactions And The Three-Layer Chocolate Cake Approach With Justin Daniels

In this episode of CHATTINN CYBER, Marc Schein interviews Justin Daniels, an equity partner at Baker Donelson, an AM law 60 firm. Justin worked as a corporate M&A attorney and started doing technology work, before eventually narrowing down to cybersecurity. In today’s episode, he talks about cybersecurity in M&A transactions, explaining in depth his three-layer cake approach to cybersecurity in M&A and the importance of cybersecurity and privacy in all aspects of technology, from individual to business transactions.

Justin begins by discussing the importance of cybersecurity and privacy for individuals and businesses, particularly in the context of smart contracts and digital wallets used in the crypto space. He emphasizes the need for individuals to shift their mindset and make intelligent choices about sharing their data. He also suggests that individuals take advantage of privacy and security settings on their phones and consider multi-factor authentication.

He then shifts to cybersecurity in M&A transactions. Justin explains his “three-layer cake” approach to cybersecurity in M&A, which includes asking the right questions, having proper representations and warranties in the purchase agreement, and not integrating the target’s network too quickly after the acquisition. He also discusses liability caps and super caps in technology contract negotiations.

Overall, this conversation stresses the importance and relevance of cybersecurity in all technology business transactions today.

 

Highlights:

 

“You have to have a certain period where cybersecurity lasts after the closing. In fact, I make it a fundamental rep where it could last through the statute of limitations, it can get negotiated.”

 

“Once you own a network, you can send in your security people and try to find any intrusions. And if you can do that, while the network is isolated, that doesn’t give the threat actor the opportunity to move laterally onto your network and probably cause a lot more damage.”

 

Time-Stamps:

 

[01:06] Justin’s journey into cybersecurity

[03:17] The importance of smart contracts and digital wallets.

[05:12] How businesses and individuals can manage privacy and security concerns.

[07:33] The pros and cons of using private browsers

[09:35] How important is cybersecurity in M&A?

[11:27] The three-step approach to cyber security.

[13:43] Liability caps helpful in M&A negotiations

[15:17] About Justin’s book, Data Reimagined, and how to connect with him online

 

Connect with Justin:

 

LinkedIn: https://www.iansresearch.com/our-faculty/faculty/detail/justin-daniels

 

 

 

 

 

Cyber Insurance Risks And How To Mitigate Them With Trent Cooksley

In this episode of CHATTINN CYBER, Marc Schein interviews Trent Cooksley, the co-founder and CEO of Cowbell Cyber about his journey into cybersecurity and how he founded one of the most successful cyber insurance companies to date.

Starting his career as a bond trader on the Chicago Board of Trade, Trent quickly realized that he wasn’t cut out for that type of work and decided to learn the ropes of becoming an entrepreneur. After serving Markel Corporation in a variety of different roles for a decade and gaining experience in international insurance business, property lines, professional lines, and acquisitions, Trent decided to build his own company, something he had been putting off for some time. He watched what was happening in the insurtech space and found an opportunity in cyberspace, and ventured in.

Trent developed proprietary technology that allowed his newly formed company to evaluate the cybersecurity health and hygiene of every business in the United States, which gave it an opportunity to really understand risks when they come in at a much more granular and better level.

Aside from his journey, Trent also talks about the biggest challenge facing the cyber insurance industry: the rapid and continuous evolution of cyber risks, which requires companies to be proactive and reactive at a rapid pace. He shares that this uncertainty also presents opportunities for those who put themselves in a position to take advantage of them. Cowbell, his company, is working towards finding a long-term solution for their policyholders by continuing to be experts in the space and how they’re modeling the risk and understanding the risk.

Listen to this episode to learn more.

 

Highlights:

 

“One of the little things that we do that I think accentuates our culture, we have a really transparent organization. So we like to be transparent. We encourage resiliency, urgency and empowerment.”

 

“We’re continually evaluating the cybersecurity health and hygiene of every business in the United States, the entire market. And that gives us an opportunity to really understand risks when they come in, at a much more granular and better level.”

 

Time-Stamps:

 

[01:43] Trent’s business milestones

[03:42] Challenges with the rapid growth of Trent’s company.

[06:25] Deep market penetration in the cyber insurance marketplace.

[08:14] Taking a cross-disciplinary approach.

[10:18] Understanding risks at a more granular and better level.

[12:39] How it looks like being the CEO of Cowbell Cyber for a day and the process behind it.

 

Connect with Trent:

 

LinkedIn: https://cowbell.insure/team/

 

 

How to Prevent Ransomware Attacks in 2023 with Jason Rebholiz

2023 is a totally different year from 2022 when it comes to ransom attacks. Based on the activities on the dark web associated with ransom actors, the numbers are going up. Last year, Russia-Ukraine had the numbers go down, but this year, we have a 102 % increase.

In this episode of the Chattinn Cyber podcast, we have the pleasure of hosting Jason Rebholiz. He is the chief information security officer at Convus Insurance and owns a YouTube Channel called Teach Me Cyber. Jason’s passion for data security is peerless, and his knowledge of the industry is something we should all want to hear. His career started at Mandiant, where he tried different things and came to learn his passion was in data security.

Jason and Marc Schein have an in-depth conversation on Ransomware and data security. Jason brings us up to speed with the current ransomware trends in 2023, the groups that are giving data security experts sleepless nights, the effects of AI on data security, and how organizations can keep their data safe.

Would you like to learn more on how to prevent ransomware attacks? Listen to this episode.

Key Talking Points of the Episode:

[02:20] How Jason got into security

[07:31] Jason’s advice to people who want to join the cybersecurity industry

[10:22] Ransomware trends in 2023?

[13:34] Most common ransomware groups

[16:48] How safe is MFA?

[20:04] How can organizations beef up their data security?

[22:01] How is AI impacting data security?

Standout Quotes from the Episode:

“Understanding the type of MFA is going to become critically important in the future.”

“When companies can go in and create this baseline of the security controls, they are going to be more protected against ransomware and other attacks than somebody that does not have that.”

Connect With Jason Rebholiz:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jrebholz/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@teachmecyber

 

 

Cybersecurity Risks And The Rising Demand For Chief Information Security Officers With James Kim

In this episode of CHATTINN CYBER, Marc Schein interviews James Kim, the Vice President and Director of Cybersecurity Strategies and Programs at City National Bank in Florida, about the roles and responsibilities of a cybersecurity professional, leveling up into a CISO (Chief Information Security Officer) role, and managing cybersecurity risks in an organization.

James begins by discussing his path to his current position, attributing his success to luck, ambition, and grit. He started as a help desk technician at a bank and worked his way up over the years, focusing on risk management and developing business acumen. He realized that there was a gap between the technical aspects of cybersecurity and business, which led him to focus on improving the relationship between the two areas. He believes that this focus on developing relationships and maintaining partnerships is critical to his role and cybersecurity more broadly.

James’s day-to-day responsibilities involve incident reviews, working with governance, risk and compliance teams, reviewing policies and controls, managing projects, and tracking various initiatives. He enjoys the variety of tasks and the opportunity to work across the entire spectrum of cybersecurity, including governance, risk and compliance, security architecture, identity and access management, and business continuity and vendor risk management.

James discusses the future of the CISO role and where he sees himself in five years. He believes that the CISO role will continue to expand in prominence, with more emphasis on managing cybersecurity risks for the organization.

He concludes the conversation by advising young professionals interested in cybersecurity to know the many different aspects of the field, including governance, risk and compliance programs, cybersecurity auditing, and security engineering and analysis. He also stresses the importance of work-life balance, given the challenging and stressful nature of the work.

 

Highlights:

 

“We all have similar responsibilities around maintaining a robust information security or cybersecurity program, ensuring that we have proper processes, procedures in place to report incidents; and at the end of the day, having the appropriate safeguards in place to protect client information or patient information.”

 

“If you’ve been kind of following along with current events, I feel that within the next five years, the CISO role will continue to expand and gain more prevalence with management and the board.”

 

Time-Stamps:

 

[00:50] How did James get into cybersecurity?

[02:38] James’s day-to-day responsibilities as a security operations manager.

[04:04] Working across the entire spectrum of cybersecurity.

[06:06] Where do you see the Ceo role in five years?

[08:07] How to promote awareness internally and externally within the organization.

[10:13] Advice for young professionals trying to enter cybersecurity.

[12:14] Challenges in the future of cybersecurity.

 

Connect with James:

 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james7kim/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Rise Of AI And AI Cybersecurity: How To Future-Proof The Technology of Tomorrow With Vickram Kooblall

In this episode of CHATTINN CYBER, Marc Schein interviews Vickram Kooblall, CIO and CISO at Scahill Law Group. Vickram is in charge of managing the firm’s operations and directing its technology infrastructure. He investigates and analyzes the firm’s digital transformation and cybersecurity resilience initiatives.

Vickram tells us about his upbringing and what led him to a career in cybersecurity. He reveals that the internet was never designed with security in mind, but as it grew, we realized how important it is to manage, secure, and protect data.

Vickram also describes how artificial intelligence has become the digital transformation means of law firms and many other organizations. AI and ML have greatly aided attorneys in many areas, including contract management, document management, due diligence, legal research, behavioral prediction, and so on, allowing them to become better litigators. According to Vickram, law firms deal with sensitive data daily, so data security is critical. He also shared some basic hygiene tips, like, using a strong password and multi-factor authentication.

Internal and external threats are treated equally by law firms. Internal threats are prevented/curbed with utmost employee care, especially during times like the great resignation or big quit, because data is the most important threat then. To ensure data security, many organizations today use zero trust. Encryption is also critical.

Towards the close of the episode, Vikram emphasizes the importance of focusing on AI security because of the numerous native adversarial attacks specific to AI. So, it is important that organizations using data and developing an AI model must also ensure its security.

Listen to the conversation for more details!

Highlights:

“Well, certainly in terms of zero trust is becoming, you know, one of those big, you know, big things that we’re seeing organizations do more and more, we are certainly seeing user rights and access management, being something that is looked at very closely and monitored, you know, who should have access to what and when. Also, I think the timing is very important when you’re working on a large case or a particular matter. Those individuals that don’t need access should not have access to those specific cases. During that time. And, you know, it’s going to come back to encryption.”

“You know, in terms of some basic hygiene, one of the biggest things it comes back to is also employee training. That has been one of my focuses, you know, in the last two years ensuring that the employees themselves are very well versed and understand threats that come their way. You know, in terms of strong passwords, that’s been some of the basic hygiene that every organization should implement, and more so many law firms. I have seen at least, maybe once or twice during a week of some law firm email being compromised due to exactly that not having a strong password, we have multi-factor authentication, which is certainly a must-have for any organization, especially, you know, law firms in this space..”

“I think, AI has become the digital transformation that we’ve been looking for. Look, law firms are very slow in adopting new technology and trying to, you know, get a, you know, trying to, it’s always been such a labor-intensive type of practice.”

Time-Stamps: 

[00:29] – How Vickram became executive director of the most prestigious law firm in the Northeast

[03:38] – Why is Artificial Intelligence important for law firms?

[05:38] – The best practices in law firms to secure data

[07:12] – Is Vickram concerned more about internal threats or external threats?

[08:49] – How to mitigate some of the internal threats inside an organization?

[10:15] – How is AI security important?

Connect with Vickram:

 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vickramk/

 

 

 

 

Investing in Internal Infrastructure To Mitigate Cyber Risks with Nadav Aharon-Nov

In this episode of CHATTINN CYBER, Marc Schein interviews Nadav Aharon-Nov, VP of Cybersecurity at R-MOR, Israel. He is experienced in Organizational and Regulatory Compliance, Information Security Management, Auditing and Governance, among many other areas of cyber risk management. During the conversation, Nadav shares getting into cybersecurity, leading a cybersecurity firm in Israel, the differences and similarities of the threats observed in Israel and America, the importance of investing in internal systems for any company, and how to mitigate cyber risks by thinking from the point of view of the attacker.

Nadav explains that due to the constant cyber-attacks faced by Israel, the country has learned to be creative on the cybersecurity front. They’re always thinking outside the box to figure out ways to keep their civilian life safe. The majority of the threats faced by the companies in Israel is due to ransomware attacks. Cybersecurity firms like his’ continually level up their attempts to study the attacking group’s moves and intelligence and try to get them from the inside without them knowing.

He also talks about the importance of assessing a business’ infrastructure from the outside – from the viewpoint of the attackers or hackers. While internal assessments are fairly common, external assessments could give a firm a competitive edge. Another critical piece of information shared is about automation. Attacking groups tend to use more manpower and less automation to analyze issues and make decisions quickly.

The present times have highlighted the importance of cybersecurity more than ever. Working from home, with not more than a VPN connection as security, the security offered by office spaces is quashed. Nadav explains that his company offers two unique departments – web analytics and cybersecurity to create a strategic platform that collects information from all three layers of the web to understand the hacker’s perspective, security gaps in the existing technologies and products, and to assess a company’s internal infrastructure thoroughly. A company must invest in their internal systems more than anything else, especially in today’s times.

Tune in to the episode now!

Highlights:

“There’s a big blind spot when it comes to businesses, seeing their infrastructure from the outside in. So they’re usually looking from the inside out, doing internal assessments,  (…) they’re forgetting about the other point of view. And that is the external point of view – how a criminal or a hacker or someone with malicious intent looks from the outside-in.”

“The problem is you have nothing to secure yourself at home other than a VPN connection. And most of the infrastructure at your house is either a simple modem, no firewalls, no true security on your endpoints, and everything is very exposed. So the comfort that you had in your infrastructure back at the office is literally smashed and you have nothing to get home.”

“(Every company) needs to invest in internal systems, because the criminal could be either from the outside (or) from the inside. Everyone could have criminal intentions when it comes to manipulating data, stealing data.”

Time-Stamps:

 

[02:19] – The threats faced by Israel vs. America in cybersecurity

[03:23] – How Nadav got into cybersecurity

[05:24] – How COVID has caused a rise in the need for cybersecurity

[10:19] – Where should a company invest more to mitigate cyber risks (other than cybersecurity teams)? 

Connect with Nadav

Website: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nadav-aharon-nov-62a8b5a/?originalSubdomain=il

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Layered Security And Protection Against Ransomware Attacks With Greg Edwards

In this episode of CHATTINN CYBER, Marc Schein interviews Greg Edwards, the Founder of Canauri, a well-known cybersecurity firm, to discuss the growing threat of ransomware attacks and how businesses can safeguard against them.

Greg has been involved in the backup and disaster recovery industry since 2007. In 2012, as ransomware attacks rose, he observed that many of his off-site backup clients were affected and needed full recovery. Recognizing that this could escalate into a greater issue, he founded Canauri and decided to address this threat using deception technology.

According to Greg, the rise of ransomware coincides with the increased use of cryptocurrency. He believes that cybercrime, in general, gained momentum in 2012 when Bitcoin became mainstream. He emphasizes the significance of layered security and recommends that businesses configure and manage all layers of defense effectively.

During this discussion, Greg also talked about how MSPs (Managed Service Providers) can fall prey to ransomware, and the devastating impact it can have on their clients. Greg narrated an incident where an MSP’s RMM (Remote Monitoring and Management) was hit by ransomware, causing 80 of their clients to be affected simultaneously.

With the shift towards remote work, Greg suggests that businesses must secure all endpoints, including laptops, desktops, and mobile devices, and ensure that the networks they use are secure. He also stresses the importance of patching systems as the most crucial action people can take to defend themselves against ransomware.

In conclusion, Greg shares valuable insights into the increasing prevalence of ransomware, the importance of layered security, and the measures businesses can take to protect themselves from ransomware attacks.

 

Highlights:

 

“If you look back again to 2012, the rise of ransomware coincides with the use of cryptocurrency. So not (that) I’m a fan of cryptocurrency, personally, but the rise of ransomware and cybercrime in general, all started to take off around that 2012 mark. And that’s when that’s when Bitcoin became really big and started to become mainstream.”

 

“In the pandemic, everyone said, go home, go work from home, here’s your laptop, or even people were carrying desktops in their monitors out of the office to go work from home, and then connecting remotely in any fashion that they could. And so that inherently just opens up lots of additional vulnerabilities and attack surfaces for the attackers. So what has to be done is all of those endpoints, laptops, desktops, even mobile devices, need to be properly locked down, and then also need to make sure that the networks that they’re on got to have the proper security now, across all of those remote workers, and manage them, just like you would if it were in an old corporate network environment.”

 

Time-Stamps:

 

[00:50] Greg’s experience starting an off-site backup company in 2007.

[02:37] The rise of ransomware coincided with the rise of cryptocurrency.

[03:56] Layman’s understanding of layered security.

[06:01] Ransomware attack on remote monitoring and management.

[07:16] Advice on how to better protect yourself.

[08:41] What to do to protect yourself from ransomware?

 

Connect with Greg:

 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gedwardswpd/