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Brian Grayk, a cybersecurity expert: “Companies play Russian roulette every day and bet they won’t get attacked” | technology



Todd Davis, CEO of LifeLock, had his identity stolen at least 13 times after he posted his Social Security number on several billboards in 2010. His goal was to show how safe his company was, which specifically promised to protect users from identity theft. This is the example Brian Grayek, a cybersecurity expert with over 40 years of experience, uses to explain why his age and place of birth are not specified—not even in interviews.

“With just four pieces of information on me, they can impersonate me,” says Grayek, REDW’s director of information and cybersecurity who was part of the security incident investigation teams that involved the FBI and the Secret Service. United State. It indicates your name, date and place of birth and place of residence. Immediately after, he pulled his wallet out of his pocket and took out his credit card: “If someone stole it from me, I could only use it a few times because I’ve been calling my bank to cancel it. But I can’t change my driver’s license or my social security number.” With this and other personal information, “they can impersonate me and apply for a credit card or bank loan.”

The number of cyberattacks never stops increasing, Grayek points out in an interview conducted at CyberFit Summit 2022, an event organized in Miami and invited by cybersecurity firm Acronis EL PAÍS. He asks “How many doors do you see here?” , pointing to a corridor with about 20 doors. Imagine that some go to Spain and others to the United States, Brazil or France. Hackers don’t care about that, and it doesn’t matter where you are because what they’re looking for is just an open door.” With the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic and the advent of remote work, “there are more open doors than ever before”: “I don’t know if people are using Technology is more, or if we become more blind to how things happen or whether they are getting more advanced ways of getting our information.”

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Ransomware attack every 11 seconds

The ransomware It is the main threat organizations face, according to cybersecurity firm Acronis. It is a malicious computer program that blocks access to files hosted on the server until the ransom is paid. Cybercriminals use this type of attack to extort money from companies, governments, and organizations. “It’s the worst problem we have today,” says Grayke, who has also spoken at many security events around the world, including at the White House.

An attack of this type occurs every 11 seconds, as noted by Acronis. In May 2021, one of the largest oil pipelines in the United States suspended operations after being exposed to a virus. In Spain, the victims were the Superior Council for Scientific Research (CSIC), the Moisès Brogg Hospital in Barcelona, ​​or the Navarre Municipal Information Technology Association, a public company that runs online services for 179 entities in the Foral community. In any of these cases, is it advisable to pay the attackers online? “It’s complicated,” Grayk replies. The expert stresses that it depends on where you are and whether you have a backup copy of the files. In the US, “If I pay hackers and they are connected to a terrorist organization, my company can be sued and they get arrested.”

Risks of paying the ransom

“I’ve worked with the FBI on several occasions and they always say it’s best to consult with them before doing anything, because they have a list of hackers and they know which ones they can trust,” he says. When companies decide to pay a ransom for files, sometimes their plans don’t go as planned. Almost 40% of victims who pay a ransom never get their data back, and 73% are hit again later, according to Acronis.

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This kind of situation can be avoided if you have a backup. “Companies know that the number one way to get hurt is ransomware, but how many people are backing up their files properly? Very little,” says the expert. He compares this to “playing Russian roulette betting you won’t get hurt”: “Would you point a gun to your head without knowing if there was a bullet in it? This is what companies do every day.”

although ransomware It is the biggest threat to a business, and there are other attacks that can have serious consequences. “What do all our cell phones have in common with computers? Lithium batteries, which can explode if they get too hot.” ​​In fact, he claims to have witnessed demonstrations that this could be done through a cyberattack, So “it will happen sooner or later”. If they can set a computer on fire at night, when no one is working, they can burn down an entire building. In other words, not only will they hack the computer and get the information, but they can also blow up the company afterwards “.

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