IT Pro 20/20: Does cyber security's public image need a makeover?
Issue 18 of IT Pro 20/20 looks at recent efforts to retire the 'hacker' stereotype, and how the threat landscape has changed over the past 20 years
Welcome to issue 18 of IT Pro 20/20, distilling the most important themes of the previous month into an easy-to-read package.
In this cyber-security-themed issue, we highlight some of the most pressing challenges facing the industry. Our lead feature looks at the role of white hat hackers across the industry, the challenges they have faced in proving their value to companies, and whether media depictions of the traditional ‘hacker’ are creating unhelpful stereotypes.
We also look at the evolution of the security threat landscape from the 1990s until now, as well as consider whether the sudden appearance of social conscience among hackers may spell the end of the ransomware industry as we know it.
Also in this issue, you’ll find an overview of the most exciting features coming with Windows 11, as well as a look at the motivations fuelling the war against end-to-end encryption.
The next IT Pro 20/20 will be available on 30 July – previous issues can be found here. If you would like to receive each issue in your inbox as they release, you can subscribe to our mailing list here.
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Dale Walker is a contributor specializing in cybersecurity, data protection, and IT regulations. He was the former managing editor at ITPro, as well as its sibling sites CloudPro and ChannelPro. He spent a number of years reporting for ITPro from numerous domestic and international events, including IBM, Red Hat, Google, and has been a regular reporter for Microsoft's various yearly showcases, including Ignite.
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Threat actors ditch ‘spray and pray’ attacks in shift to targeted exploitationNews A dip in ransomware volumes points to a more targeted approach focused on vulnerability exploitation
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Security leaders overconfident about ransomware recoveryNews Few manage to recover all their data, and many experience business disruption
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German authorities want your help finding the hackers behind GandCrab and REvilNews Daniil Maksimovich Shchukin and Anatoly Sergeevitsch Kravchuk are believed to have made millions from ransomware as a service schemes
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The rise of teen hackers ‘makes for a good headline’, but cyber crime activities peak later in lifeNews With family responsibilities and mortgages to pay, it's not teenagers dishing out malware or carrying out cyber extortion
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Ransomware gangs are using employee monitoring software as a springboard for cyber attacksNews Two attempted attacks aimed to exploit Net Monitor for Employees Professional and SimpleHelp
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Ransomware gangs are sharing virtual machines to wage cyber attacks on the cheap – but it could be their undoingNews Thousands of attacker servers all had the same autogenerated Windows hostnames, according to Sophos
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Google issues warning over ShinyHunters-branded vishing campaignsNews Related groups are stealing data through voice phishing and fake credential harvesting websites
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The FBI has seized the RAMP hacking forum, but will the takedown stick? History tells us otherwiseNews Billing itself as the “only place ransomware allowed", RAMP catered mainly for Russian-speaking cyber criminals

