Authored by Sai Huda, Next Level Cybersecurity: Detect the Signals, Stop the Hack reveals signals of and methods to detect early evidence of hacker activity and stop cyberattacks before they become costly.
Next Level Cybersecurity explains the cyber attack chain (a series of steps that almost all hackers use) and cyber attack signals (15 signs that indicate the presence of hackers in the cyber attack chain). The book imparts in plain language an understanding of cyber attack signals that cybersecurity programs tend to overlook. It also describes the cybersecurity risks associated with the supply chain and newer digital technologies such as cloud storage and the Internet of Things. Furthermore, the book provides a complete cybersecurity self-assessment checklist and guidance on mapping, analyzing, and protecting sensitive and valuable data assets, which it terms “crown jewels.” Informed by these efforts, readers can implement an early detection system by following seven steps. It provides practical learning for the readers, no matter who they are ranging from board members, executives, professionals, students to the every day reader.
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In business digital transformations, cybersecurity is becoming increasingly critical, as commerce today is mostly driven by the Internet. But with the transition of businesses onto digital platforms for transactions, communications, and data storage, their exposure to cyber threats grows.
Most importantly, commercial activity deals with sensitive information, including data about finance, customers, and company secrets. Any leak in cybersecurity can allow for the information to get out and threaten the security of this sensitive data. This poses tremendous threats to businesses and consumers alike. "However, downtime due to a cyber-incident can have ripple effects on commercial activity, disrupt operations, and bring losses. While nothing can be done about the presence of cybercriminals, the only solution is to create strong cyber defenses to keep businesses moving," said Sai Huda, author of the best-seller, Next Level Cybersecurity. Apart from suffering direct financial losses, companies can also be exposed to legal liability and related fines as well as costs to control damage to reputation. Therefore, taking solid cybersecurity precautions is an investment in economic stability, allowing businesses to avoid the prospect of a crash due to security issues. An internationally recognized cybersecurity expert, Sai Huda has served large corporations in senior risk management and online security positions. Sai Huda is also an experienced writer who published Next Level Cybersecurity in 2019.
Subtitled “Detect the Signals, Stop the Hack,” Next Level Cybersecurity details ways to prevent cyberattacks or at least respond to them swiftly by identifying their telltale signs. The book outlines five sequential steps that most hackers take when mounting a digital attack on an individual or organization. The first step in this cyber attack chain is external reconnaissance, during which attackers source targets and identify their vulnerabilities. Attackers then move on to the intrusion phase, when they actually exploit vulnerabilities to hack into a targeted computer system. Once they are in, they make lateral movements to find the most vital and potentially profitable information and assets within that system. Command and control, the next stage of the cyber attack chain, involves solidifying remote command and control to prepare to extract valuable assets or perform another cyberattack goal. Finally, attackers will actually execute the planned asset extraction or other final objective during the execution phase. For over two decades, Sai Huda has been an accomplished cybersecurity expert on an international scale. He is also the author of the best-selling book, Next Level Cybersecurity: Detect The Signals, Stop The Hack. Sai Huda advises boards and CEOs on risk management and cybersecurity strategies. He also regularly gives keynote speeches at industry conventions.
Risk assessment involves identifying vulnerabilities within an organization's IT infrastructure and assessing their likelihood of being exploited. This aids in pinpointing vulnerable spots so that they can be secured to lessen the blow of any attack. Ransomware is malicious software that will encrypt the victim's private information and computer systems and prevent access if not paid a ransom. Users become victims of ransomware attacks when they unwittingly download or open malicious software such as a Trojan virus disguised as a seemingly harmless file from an email sent to them. Once activated, the ransomware will encrypt the victim's files and systems using an encryption key only the attacker knows. The victim will then be presented with a ransom demand to receive the decryption key and regain access to their files. Ransomware attacks have been rising recently, with business email compromise scams and phishing emails being used to deliver the virus. These attacks can be very costly for businesses, as they may result in the loss of essential data, disruption to operations, and damage to reputation. Cyber security is more important than ever, and businesses must understand how ransomware works to protect themselves against these attacks. Ransomware attackers constantly evolve their methods to evade detection and infect as many victims as possible. By staying up-to-date on the latest cyber security threat intelligence, businesses can arm themselves with the knowledge they need to defend against these threats. Additionally, a table-top exercise of a ransomware simulation is a key risk management tool to identify preparedness and resiliency to ransomware. The author of Next Level Cybersecurity: Detect the Signals, Stop the Hack, Sai Huda is recognized as an expert on cybersecurity worldwide. Recently, Sai Huda had the honor and privilege to help author CAN/CIOSC 104, Canada's National Cyber Security Standard for Small and Medium Organizations (SMOs).
It was issued to prescribe 55 cybersecurity controls that SMOs need to implement to attain a baseline cyber risk mitigation level and be safe from cyber threats. Canada has recognized that SMOs are the majority of the supply chain and the growth engine of the economy and now increasingly being targeted by threat actors. Sai Huda was consulted and he helped author the new Cyber Security Standard and provided various cyber security controls that are effective to incorporate into the Standard. In August of 2022, the Harvard Business Review joined several other respected publications to discuss a dramatic shift and trend towards cybersecurity regulations worldwide. Writing that cybersecurity has reached a “tipping point,” Harvard Business Review contributor Stuart Madnick reports that more and more governments are feeling the urgent need to “do something.” In many cases, this impetus is taking the form of new laws and regulations. In the United States in 2021, 32 states passed new cybersecurity laws. The U.S. President also issued Executive Order 14028 requiring all federal agencies and federal contractors and supply chain to comply with Zero Trust within next two years, and DHS's CISA will be issuing new Zero Trust Maturity Model to provide the compliance method. Sai Huda comments that Zero Trust will become the universal cybersecurity de-facto regulation in the United States. He states that it is time for universal baseline of cybersecurity controls that organizations needs to implement in order to adequately mitigate cyber risk. Sai Huda authored the best-selling book, Next Level Cybersecurity: Detect the Signals, Stop the Hack, and is an advisory board member at the Cyber Center of Excellence.
As a cybersecurity expert, Sai Huda served in an executive role at Fidelity National Information Services, Inc., a Fortune 500 company, leading the risk, information security and compliance business to attain number one ranking in RiskTech 100. Sai Huda is alerting consumers and businesses to the threat from zombies. One of the methods hackers use to steal information is a “zombie” computer infected with malware that is remotely controlled and linked to a network manipulated by hackers. Zombies have earned their name because the computer owners are not aware that their systems are being manipulated. Zombies are frequently used to launch attacks or to send phishing emails to other targeted computers. Sometimes hackers will create a large group of these zombies to launch attacks, this is known as a botnet attack. Sai Huda says if computers start showing slow performance, this could be a signal that the computers have become zombies. He says consumers and businesses should also monitor for other anomalies or unusual behavior of the computers, such as running more than normal because hackers can remotely turn them on. Sai Huda, author of the best-seller, Next Level Cybersecurity, is a globally recognized expert with extensive cybersecurity knowledge. As a founding advisory board member of Cyber Center of Excellence (CCOE), Sai Huda is called upon frequently to guide businesses on how best to mitigate cyber risk and respond to cyberattacks
On July 2nd, Kaseya, a digital security and IT solutions company, was attacked by hackers using ransomware technology. The attack lasted less than an hour, as the company shut down all access to the software the hackers were using to get in, but even this limited impact was enough to negatively affect over a thousand businesses worldwide, with 1,500 small businesses being impacted. The only reason the attack was not more successful was the rapid response of the Kaseya team. Doing business in the information age requires every single organization to have an incident response plan in place and have every single person be prepared to do their part to promptly respond to a cyberattack. A large-scale ransomware attack’s success is often predicated on the lack of preparedness of the staff to react - training covering critical topics such as phishing red flags in emails, ransomware red flags or early indicators, suspicious activities in the network, is crucial to make sure businesses can take certain steps immediately and shut down cyberattacks before they lead to disaster. Sai Huda is recognized globally as a risk and cybersecurity expert. In his book on cybersecurity “Next Level Security; Detect the Signals, Stop the Hack,” he reveals the early signals of a cyberattack and teaches how to detect them.
Unusual login or password activity with privileged users is usually a sign of a cyberattack or an impending one. The privileged users are a main target since they have the "keys to the kingdom" and stealing their credentials will allow the attackers to get to the "crown jewels" quicker and easier. If a privileged user's login attempts are suspicious (e.g. at an abnormal time or from an impossible location, etc.) or the privileged user's behavior is unusual (e.g. change of a password, then data download or transfer, then change of password again, etc.) are signals of an attacker at work. Companies need to understand the common signals of a cyberattack and where in the cyber attack chain the signals will exist, then implement the seven step method described in the book to detect the signals in time to stop the attack and prevent any loss or damage. The book reveals the top 15 signals and teaches how to detect them to stay safe. Cybersecurity expert Sai Huda has extensive experience in helping companies detect and stop cyberattacks of all types. Sai Huda is also a best-selling author who has written a comprehensive work on the subject. His best-selling book, “Next Level Cybersecurity: Detect the Signals, Stop the Hack,” aims to make cybersecurity everyone’s business.
The book discusses how everyone is at risk, whether an individual or the head of a large corporation. In the book, the author analyzes the largest cyberattacks committed in history and teaches the audience how to detect the attackers early and stop them in their tracks. Also, with the increasing usage of the Cloud and Internet of Things (IoT), the book discusses its potential vulnerabilities, signals to look out for and how to beef up its security. Specifically, the book reveals 15 signals to look out for that will detect the attackers in the network. It outlines seven steps to implement the early warning and detection system to prevent costly data breaches. With over $100 billion spent each year on cybersecurity, the book is a timely resource for organizations of all types with the know-how to stay one step ahead of cyber criminals. Sai Huda is the author of the best-selling book, Next Level Cybersecurity: Detect the Signals, Stop the Hack, which reveals a seven step method to detect the cyber attackers in time to prevent loss or damage. In the book, he describes a scenario in which cybercriminals worked through suppliers to plan an attack that could cost as much as $243 billion in lost lives, and disrupted business on the East Coast. Previously, as the general manager of risk, information security and compliance solutions for FIS, a Fortune 500 company, he led a team of risk management and cybersecurity experts that assisted clients in various critical sectors with attacker detection software and consulting services to detect and prevent cyber attacks.
Recently, the nonprofit North American Electric Reliability Corporation fined one utility $10 million for numerous cybersecurity deficiencies that compromised the integrity of its infrastructure. In addition, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has recently issued new standards for protecting utilities’ supply chains and upgrading their risk management procedures. Fines and audits cost utilities money, but successful cyberattacks are far more expensive. What can be done? Solutions range from a detailed cybersecurity assessment to simulate cybersecurity audits by regulators to identify any deficiencies proactively. Performing a "crown jewels" or "cyber assets" analysis to make sure signals of attackers can be detected in time, following the seven step method in Sai Huda's ground-breaking book, Next Level Cybersecurity. |
AuthorSai Huda - Bestselling Author Focused on Cybersecurity and Risk. ArchivesCategories |