February 9, 2024 at 05:59PM
CISO Corner is Dark Reading’s weekly digest featuring tailored articles for security operations readers and leaders. This week’s issue covers topics such as exploiting SEC rules, the shift to managed security services, cyber defenses in the Tel Aviv railway project, government and tech giants’ pledge against spyware, and the importance of CMMC in cybersecurity. Other articles delve into neurodiversity in the cybersecurity workforce, growing demand for tabletop exercises, and the surge in QR code phishing attacks targeting executives.
The key takeaways from the meeting notes are as follows:
1. There is a growing emphasis on managing complex security capabilities, such as through managed detection and response (MDR) services, to address the shortage of cybersecurity professionals and improve threat detection and response.
2. The introduction of new rules by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for publicly traded companies to report cyberattacks with a material impact has led to extortion opportunities by threat actors, highlighting the importance of cyber hygiene and proactive cybersecurity strategies.
3. Initiatives are being taken to combat the use of commercial spyware that violate human rights, with a coalition of countries and tech giants signing a joint agreement to establish guidelines for the responsible use of such tools.
4. The significance of the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) for protecting defense and critical infrastructure companies is emphasized, with a focus on adopting a “harden-detect-respond” (HDR) mindset to go beyond compliance.
5. The growing demand for tabletop exercises as an effective and affordable way to test organizations’ defense and response capabilities against cyberattacks, driven by compliance issues, board directives, and cyber-insurance mandates.
6. The potential of neurodiversity in contributing to filling the cybersecurity workforce shortage, with a focus on recruiting a more diverse population, including individuals with ADHD, autism, dyslexia, and other neurodiverse conditions.
7. The rising use of QR codes to deliver malicious payloads, particularly targeting executives, and the challenges it poses for security teams in addressing these “quishing” attacks that bypass user suspicions and some email security products.
These clear takeaways summarize the main themes and insights discussed during the meeting.