This episode is also available on SoundCloud, Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Amazon Music!!

It has been about 15 years since cybersecurity experts began to warn Caribbean governments and businesses about the importance of securing their computer networks. However, our systems are still underdeveloped. Some countries have not established any national cybersecurity framework, and for those that have, its implementation has been extremely slow. There thus increasing concerns that the region is in the crosshairs of ransomware threat actors, in particular, as we are more inclined to pay the sums demanded.  

In summary, the effort to improve the security and resilience of our digital systems is far from over. Cybersecurity has become more complex and requires vigilance, expertise and resources to limit the impact should a breach or an incident occur.

We are thus continuing our Expert Insights series on cyber threats and security in the Caribbean, and our guest shared several gems during our conversation.

Introducing our guest

David Gittens is an independent cybersecurity consultant and a seasoned cybersecurity professional with a wealth of experience. In 2021 he was voted one of the top ten security and resilience professionals in the entire Caribbean region by ISJ – Information Security Journal. He has spent several years providing cybersecurity services to global and regional banks, including working in the area of cybersecurity risk assessments.

For about four years David sat on a national cybersecurity working group which provided advisory services to the Government of Barbados. He also worked with the Organisation of American States and other cybersecurity experts to create Barbados’ first National Cybersecurity Strategy. Other national roles included heading up the Anti-fraud Committee of the Barbados Bankers Association, which is the committee responsible for fighting fraud in the local banking and credit union arena. He also founded the first Chapter of the Information Systems Security Association (ISSA) in this part of the world – the ISSA Barbados Chapter.

David has a passion for developing and promoting the cybersecurity profession. To this end, he has spent many years involved in the development of both cybersecurity associations and cybersecurity credentials. In 2021, David was contracted by the UN’s educational agency to design and deliver a nationwide programme to educate school children, their teachers and their parents, on cyber safety. He has also sat on a committee established by the Barbados Ministry of Education to address the matter of curriculum reform for Computer Science in schools. Additionally, he was part of the group of global experts who helped to develop the world’s first cloud security auditing credential – the CSA’s Certified Cloud Security Auditing (CCAK).

David attained a Bachelor of Science degree (Honours) in Electronic and Electrical Engineering from Loughborough University of Technology in the United Kingdom (UK). He received his Master’s degree in Information Systems Management from the University of Liverpool (UK). Additionally, he has attained numerous professional information security certifications and certificates from various organisations in the UK and North America. Security certifications currently held include the CISSP, CRISC, CISA, CISM, CCSP, CCSK, AC|CISO, CSX-P, HISP, Security+, eCPPT, CHFI, and CDPSE.

Insights into our conversations

Having multiple conversations with various experts may seem superfluous, but there are considerable benefits to having different insights and perspectives. A fact that most of us have not fully grappled with is that cybersecurity, as a field or profession, is expanding and deepening. It is no longer possible to be an expert in all areas. Many of the segments are becoming their own specialist areas; so to have a ‘big picture view’ it is becoming increasingly important to engage multiple experts.

Without a doubt, David’s qualifications are extensive and his involvement in the field is impressive. Accordingly, our conversation touched on several issues, from ransomware and artificial intelligence (AI) to privacy, cyber insurance and multifactor authentication. However, perhaps the most important topic we discussed is how expensive and complicated it can be to address cybersecurity: an issue that is rarely acknowledged, but which we continually circled back to during our conversation.

Below are key questions that guided this interview.

1. What has been going on regarding cybersecurity and cybercrime in Barbados, and in the wider Caribbean region?
2. Over the past several months, there seems to have been an uptick in ransomware. Have you observed any new developments or trends on that front?
3. Although countries have set out clear frameworks for data protection and privacy, the same has not been done regarding cybersecurity. What are your thoughts?
4. How would you advise the Average Joe to be able to distinguish between a true cybersecurity expert and a novice or enthusiast?
5. What has been the impact of AI on security?
6. In speaking with clients what do they think of AI? Do they have concerns? How are they addressing the possible risks?
7. What are the most pressing security threats facing individuals and organisations today?
8. In what area or areas should organisations be prioritising their security investment?
9. What might be three (3) key things organisations should be doing in 2024 into 2025 to improve their network/IT security?

We would love to hear your thoughts!

Do leave us a comment either here beneath this article, or on our Facebook or LinkedIn pages, or via Twitter, @ICTPulse.

Also, if you or a member of your network is interested in joining us for an episode, do get in touch.

Let’s make it happen!

Select links

Below are links to some of the organisations and resources that either were mentioned during the episode, or otherwise, might be useful:

• David Gittens
• ICT Pulse Podcast episode, ICTP 208: 2022 Expert Insights update on cyber threats and security in the Caribbean, with David Gittens, of ISSA Barbados Chapter
• The National Cyber Security Centre (UK)
• The National Cyber Security Centre (UK) Free Cyber Action Plan
• National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) – USA
• IT Governance USA
• International Social Security Association (ISSA)
• ISACA   

Images credit:  D Gittens;  Freepik;  Biljana Jovanovic (Pixabay);  DC Studio (Freepik)

Music credit: The Last Word (Oui Ma Chérie), by Andy Narrell

Podcast editing support:  Mayra Bonilla Lopez

This episode is also available on SoundCloud, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and Amazon Music!!

The day this podcast episode is released, Wednesday, 3 July 2024, Jamaica will be bracing for Hurricane Beryl, a Category 4 hurricane that decimated the islands of Carriacou and Petit Martinique, which are part of Grenada and caused extensive property damage in several other Eastern Caribbean countries. Since we cannot prevent a hurricane, the typical focus of the disaster management strategies we have for our homes and organisations is ensuring our resilience. In other words, having prepared as best as we can in anticipation of the disaster, during and in its aftermath, how well can we survive? And how well and how quickly can we recover?

The same is true in the digital security space. Though we need to invest in prevention and protection, with the increasing sophistication of the threats and the threat actors, it is almost inevitable that our networks or systems will experience some kind of intrusion. However, having been compromised, can quickly can we recover to limit downtime and loss?

In the third update of our 2024 Expert Insights series, we are joined once again by Edward Millington of CariSec Global Inc., who shares his thoughts and perspective on cyber threats and security in the Caribbean region.

Introducing our guest

Edward Millington is the Founder and Managing Director of CariSec Global Inc., a Caribbean (Barbados) based company, strategically focused on providing security and ICT governance and services to organisations operating in the following sectors: financial, government, health, manufacturing, private, retail, and energy and utilities.

Edward is an Information Systems Security/ICT/Telecommunications veteran spanning two decades, where he directed organisations, leading them in the achievement of further financial goals through strategic planning, designing, and solutions direction. His specialities are Policy Development, IT and Security Governance, Information and Cyber Security Risk Management, Enterprise Defence and Security, Cybersecurity Incident Management, Malware and Attack Technologies and Security Operations. His complex skills, knowledge and experience assisted many organisations such as Internet Services Providers, ICT Service Providers, telcos, banking, government and governmental organisations in their development and services evolution. One key highlight of his veteran career was his instrumental service to the Government of Barbados, developing and enhancing its information and cyber security posture.

Insights into our conversation

As much as we have been conducting regular updates on the state of cyber threats and security in the Caribbean region over the past 12 years(!), there was an ‘a-ha moment’ in this conversation with Edward. Though we may all appreciate the vigilance required to keep our systems and networks safe, there are similarities with the role and effort a Ministry or Department of Defence plays for a government or a country.

Within the Ministry or Department of Defence construct, the overarching objective is ensuring that a country is prepared for all kinds of threats. As a result, these entities tend to operate in a hyper-vigilant state: to identify existing and potential threats as early as possible to best manage or mitigate the worst possible outcomes. However, if situations cannot be avoided, they are also prepared to manage them to limit the loss of life and property.

We ought to adopt a similar mindset for digital security: vigilance, but also being proactive about managing, containing and quickly recovering from incidents when they occur.

Below are questions posed to Edward that helped to guide the conversation.

1. What has been going on regarding cybersecurity and cybercrime in Barbados? What have been the most prevalent types of incidents? And perhaps what is going on in the wider Caribbean region?
2. Noting that data protection and cybersecurity support and complement each other, and Barbados’s Data Protection Act has been in force since March 2021 and there is also a Data Protection Commissioner, how is the data protection aspect working?
3. Barbados has been in the process of promulgating cybercrime legislation. The Bill was passed in the House of Assembly but then sent back to a Joint Select Committee. What were some of the reasons behind that move, and where do things stand now?
4. Recently, Barbados Today published a notice about a fraudulent article that was being circulated imitating its website. Though Barbados Today sought to distance itself from the article and warn users about it, what are your thoughts on this situation?
5. What are your thoughts regarding the use of AI to facilitate threats and in security?
6. In the past, you were especially vocal about the state of cybersecurity in the Caribbean region. What are your current observations and do you have any specific concerns?
7. What are the most pressing security threats facing individuals and organisations today?
8. In what area or areas should organisations be prioritising their security investment?

We would love to hear your thoughts!

Do leave us a comment either here beneath this article, or on our Facebook or LinkedIn pages, or via Twitter, @ICTPulse.

Also, if you or a member of your network is interested in joining us for an episode, do get in touch.

Let’s make it happen!

Select links

Below are links to some of the organisations and resources that either were mentioned during the episode, or otherwise, might be useful:

• Edward Millington
• CariSec Global Inc.
• ICT Pulse Podcast episode, ICTP 250: 2023 Expert Insight update on cyber threats and security in the Caribbean, with Edward Millington of CariSec Global
• ICT Pulse Podcast episode, ICTP 272: Expert insights update on cyber threats and security in the Caribbean, with Dale Joseph of CARICOM IMPACS
• Barbados Cybercrime Bill, 2024
• Barbados Today article, Expert says Cybercrime Bill not in touch with progressive jurisprudence
• The Barbados Bar Association Report to Joint Select Committee of Parliament on Cybercrime Bill, 2024
• Niel Harper blog post, Comments on the Barbados Cybercrime Bill (2023)
• Barbados Today article, A NOTICE TO OUR READERS
• UWI Five Islands AI Conference
• ISO/IEC 27001:2022, Information security, cybersecurity and privacy protection — Information security management systems — Requirements

Images credit:  CariSec Global;  Tima Miroshnichenko (Pexels);  Amrulqays Maarof (Pixabay);  Elchinator (Pixabay)

Music credit: The Last Word (Oui Ma Chérie), by Andy Narrell

Podcast Editing Support: Mayra Bonilla Lopez

This episode is also available on SoundCloud, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and Amazon Music!!

Across the Caribbean region, cybersecurity appears to be growing in visibility, as major organisations have been targeted in recent years and the consequences from those breaches have not only persisted but are being reported in the public domain. Of recent note is the breach and data leak at the Telecommunications Services of Trinidad and Tobago (TSTT) that was initially reported in the latter half of 2023 and at the time of writing, was still in the news six months later.

This podcast episode is the first update of 2024 in our longstanding Expert Insight series on cyber threats and security. As has been the practice, we invite security experts to share their views and knowledge – their insights – on network intrusion and security, generally and in the Caribbean region. Throughout this year, and to offer a broad range of views and perspectives on the state of cyber threats and security in the Caribbean, we will be speaking with a few other security experts from across the region.

Introducing our guest

Sean Slattery is the Founder and Chief Technology Officer of Caribbean Solutions Lab (CSL), a cybersecurity service provider, based in the Cayman Islands. He has deep experience in IT, having started with a background in Computer Science, and working his way across a broad range of IT roles.

Sean has spent over fifteen years focusing primarily on cybersecurity. His specialities include firewall enterprise; web gateway; e-policy orchestration; enterprise mobility management; and application control.

Established in 2007, CSL has clients throughout the Caribbean region and in North America and offers comprehensive IT security, training and professional services.

Insights into our conversation

In having Sean back on the Podcast and part of our Expert Insights series, we have a thread of continuity in our discourse on cyber threats and security. A lot has happened since our last conversation with Sean in March 2023. The Caribbean region is increasingly under threat and a variety of infiltration methods are being used.

An issue that emerged in chatting with Sean is the fact that as our environments become smarter and more connected, they also become increasingly vulnerable. Further, the onus is often being put on solely users to keep all of their devices and accounts secure and up to date with the latest security patches and upgrades, which arguably, is a way of shifting liability from device manufacturers, software companies and service providers to consumers.

Below are several of the questions posed to Sean during our conversation.

1. To start, can you give us a quick recap of what has been going on in the Caribbean region, with regard to cybersecurity threats and incidents?
2. Following last year’s conversation, have there been any specific developments in cloud security? What about remote work and hybrid work?
3. With the growing integration of AI in our everyday lives, have there been any developments regarding AI in the security space?
4. What are the ethical considerations surrounding cybersecurity, particularly in areas like privacy and surveillance?
5. What are the implications of nation-state-sponsored cyberattacks?
6. We have known for years that demand for security experts far exceeded supply. But there now seems to be a concern, especially in a world of AI and social media, that people are claiming to be security/cybersecurity experts but the Average Joe might not be able to distinguish between a true expert and a novice or enthusiast. What would you advise?
7. After all of what we have discussed, are there any new and emerging threats of which we should be more aware?
8. What might be three (3) key things organisations should be doing in 2024 to improve their network/IT security?

We would love to hear your thoughts!

Do leave us a comment either here beneath this article, or on our Facebook or LinkedIn pages, or via Twitter, @ICTPulse.

Also, if you or a member of your network is interested in joining us for an episode, do get in touch.

Let’s make it happen!

Select links

Below are links to some of the organisations and resources that either were mentioned during the episode, or otherwise, might be useful:

• Sean Slattery
• Caribbean Solutions Lab
• Pulitzer Center article, How We Investigated Mass Surveillance in Argentina
• Wired article, The Twisted Eye in the Sky Over Buenos Aires
• Guardian article, Hackers got nearly 7 million people’s data from 23andMe. The firm blamed users in ‘very dumb’ move
• Tech Crunch article, 23andMe confirms hackers stole ancestry data on 6.9 million users

Images credit:  S Slattery;  Tima Miroshnichenko (Pexels); Pete Linforth (Pixabay);  Gerd Altmann (Pixabay)

Music credit: The Last Word (Oui Ma Chérie), by Andy Narrell

Podcast editing support: Mayra Bonilla Lopez

This episode is also available on SoundCloud, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and Amazon Music!!

It seems to be becoming even more rampant. Almost every week, a new cyber security incident is being reported at major organisations across the Caribbean region. Although over the past several years, there has been a growing awareness of cybercrimes, how breaches can occur and correspondingly, the need for even greater vigilance, it is unclear whether the recent incidents are due to the sophistication of the perpetrators or the still laidback posture of organisations.

Nevertheless, it emphasises the fact that work still needs to be done in getting both private and public sector organisations to improve their security posture. Ultimately, security should become part of their DNA. It should not be an activity that is grudgingly done or just to be struck off a checklist.

With October being recognised as Cyber Security Awareness Month, we thought it opportune to have a new instalment of our Expert Insights series on cyber threats and security. However, in this episode, we will be getting a true regional perspective on this important subject.

Introducing our guest

Dale Joseph is the Cybercrime Policy Specialist at The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (IMPACS). He has responsibility for several Cybercrime Investigation and Cybersecurity capacity building initiatives currently being executed by CARICOM IMPACS.

Dale is a Digital Forensic Expert with over 12 years of experience in High Technology Investigations in Trinidad and Tobago. He has over 25 years of law enforcement investigative experience and has been involved in numerous technology-based investigative projects.

Dale holds a bachelor’s degree in computer science from the University of Hertfordshire, London, England, a Master of Science degree in Forensic Computing and Cybercrime Investigations from the University College, Dublin, Ireland and several certifications in Cybersecurity, Digital Forensics, Online intelligence, and analytics. He is also a certified Digital Forensics Trainer and has conducted several workshops/seminars which have trained members of law enforcement, the private sector and Government entities.

Insights into our conversation

Off the bat, it was eye-opening the types of cyber incidents that are experienced in the region. In past Expert Insights instalments, our guests typically highlighted ransomware and malware as the main types of cyberattacks – which might be true, especially in organisations. However, Dale broadened the conversation, which in turn highlighted the types of attacks individuals have been experiencing and the type of vigilance that is now needed.

It was also interesting to learn about long-in-the-works projects that are coming to fruition, such as the Regional Intelligence Fusion Centre and the Digital Forensic Management Platform. When successfully in operation such initiatives have the potential to improve sector intelligence and collaboration across the region, which are areas covered in our conversation, in addition to the following:

1. Please explain what CARICOM IMPACS is, and the role it plays in the Caribbean.
2. To start, tell us a little more about yourself and how you got into cyber and information security.
3. Give us a quick recap of what has been going on in the wider Caribbean region, with regard to cybersecurity threats and incidents.
4. To a considerable degree, the CARICOM Cyber Security and Cybercrime Action Plan guides the work of CARICOM IMPACS. What are the priority areas for intervention?
5. The Action Plan has been in place since about 2016, how is progress being measured? And when is the Action Plan likely to be revised to ensure that it remains aligned with how cyber security and cybercrime have evolved?
6. To what degree does CARICOM IMPACS engage the private sector?
7. A common view seems to be that there is not a lot of intelligence-sharing and by extension, collaboration in countries. What have been your observations and is there anything CARICOM IMPACS can do to help address that issue?
8. Within the next 12 to 18 months, will there be any milestones or initiatives at CARICOM IMPACS of which we should be aware?

We would love to hear your thoughts!

Do leave us a comment either here beneath this article, or on our Facebook or LinkedIn pages, or via Twitter, @ICTPulse.

Also, if you or a member of your network is interested in joining us for an episode, do get in touch.

Let’s make it happen!

Select Links

Below are links to some of the organisations and resources that either were mentioned during the episode, or otherwise, might be useful:

• Dale Joseph
• CARICOM IMPACS
• CARICOM Cyber Security and Cybercrime Action Plan
• Regional Intelligence Fusion Centre (RIFC)
•  The Joint Regional Communications Centre (JRCC) 

Images credit: CARICOM IMPACS; Pete Linforth (Pixabay);  PhotoMIX Company (Pexels);  Mati Mango (Pexels); CARICOM IMPACS

Music credit: The Last Word (Oui Ma Chérie), by Andy Narrell

Podcast editing support: Mayra Bonilla Lopez

This episode is also available in Apple iTunes, Google Play Music, Spotify and on Stitcher!

If one thinks about it, there is a sense that we live on a knife’s edge when it comes to IT security. The threats are all around and are continually trying to breach whatever protection we might have. However, one wrong move from us – such as not keeping our systems up to date, poor password hygiene, or just not being vigilant – can lead to disaster and our information, devices and networks being exposed or stolen.

It is thus not surprising if at some point, many of us suffered security fatigue. For years, security experts had been rambling about the threats, trying to highlight how vulnerable we are, how cunning the attackers are, and the urgency to act. However, we may have just felt overwhelmed by how insurmountable the situation seemed to be, or that we, as individuals or organisations in the Caribbean, were just too small to be on an attacker’s radar. But noting that the list of serious incidents in the region is in fact growing, we now know better.

This episode is our second update of 2021 in our longstanding Expert Insight series on cyber threats and security. Similar to previous editions, we have invited a security expert, to share his views and knowledge – his insights – on network intrusion and security, generally and in the Caribbean region.

Introducing our guest

David Gittens is an independent Cybersecurity Consultant with over 20 years of combined experience in Cybersecurity, Project Management, Information Systems, and Business Management. He has had extensive training and hands-on experience in several areas of Cybersecurity, Management and Information Technology, working primarily in the finance industry for Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean, as well as for North America and Europe. Security roles he has performed include disaster recovery, business continuity, threat management, security awareness, access security, security scanning, and evaluating the cybersecurity posture of projects, systems and organisations.

David has held senior positions in information security organisations and is the founding president of the Information Systems Security Association (ISSA), Barbados Chapter, which was the first chapter of this international security association to be set up in that part of the world. David has also headed the Anti-Fraud Committee of the Barbados Bankers Association, which is the committee responsible for fighting fraud in the local banking and credit union arena. He has also provided volunteer services to international security associations.

Currently, David is the holder of several international information security and privacy designations, including Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP), Certified Information Security Manager (CISM), Holistic Information Security Practitioner (HISP), Certified in Risk & Information Systems Control (CRISC), Certified Cloud Security Professional (CCSP), Certified Hacking Forensic Investigator (CHFI), Certified Data Privacy Solutions Engineer (CDPSE), and Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA). He sits on various boards and committees dealing with Information Security, and does a lot of volunteer work for government entities and various other reputable organisations. This work includes dealing with security threats and incidents, and improving the security posture of projects and organisations.

Insights into our conversation

Talking with David is always interesting and fun – with a healthy dose of pragmatism. He Is respected in the industry, and so can draw on a broad range of real-world situations to illustrate the points he is trying to make. He also understands some of the constraints Caribbean organisations and small businesses are experiencing, and consequently, the countervailing imperatives that need to be balanced.  Below are key questions that were posed to David during the course of our conversation:

1. What has been going on with respect to cybersecurity and cybercrime in Barbados, and perhaps what has been going on in the wider Caribbean region?
2. How has the threat landscape changed over the years? Are there any trends, or particular areas of concern, to which we in the Caribbean should be paying attention?
3. A few weeks ago, IT company, Kaseya, which provides software tools to IT outsourcing firms, experienced a massive ransomware attack that paralyze hundreds of businesses on all five continents. Are you aware of any Caribbean businesses that were affected?
4. Continuing along the ransomware vein, what are your thoughts on whether individuals or organisations should pay the ransom demanded?
5. With governments leveraging technology in light of the pandemic, have you observed any improved posture and action as it relates to security?
6. What do you think about cybersecurity insurance? Is it a worthwhile investment?
7. Are there any circumstances under which you would recommend cybersecurity insurance?
8. As a security professional and contractor, did you observe any changes in the role or functions of IT/cybersecurity personnel over the past year (during the pandemic)?
9. What are important skills cybersecurity applicants ought to possess to better ensure their marketability and suitability for security-related roles?
10. For organisations that are trying to be conscientious about security, what might be three (3) questions they should ask when looking to hire a security expert?
11. What might be three (3) key things organisations should be doing in 2021 to improve their network/IT security?

We would love to hear from you!

Do leave us a comment either here beneath this article, or on our Facebook or LinkedIn pages, or via Twitter, @ICTPulse.

Select links

Below are links to some of the organisations and resources that either were mentioned during the episode, or otherwise, might be useful:

• David Gittens
• Information Systems Security Association – ISSA International
• Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (IMPACS)
• Convention on Cybercrime (also called the Budapest Convention)  |  Details of Treaty No.185
• ZDNET article, Wi-Fi hack caused TK Maxx security breach
• ZDNET article, TJX’s failure to secure Wi-Fi could cost $1B

Image credits: D Gittens; Darwin Laganzon (Pixabay); Piqsels; Mati Mango (Pexels)

Music credit: Ray Holman

Podcast editing support: Mayra Bonilla Lopez

This episode is also available in Apple iTunes, Google Play Music and on Stitcher!

With the fallout due to the security lapses of Jamaica’s JamCOVID19 website still occurring and still a hot topic, we are continually reminded of the importance of data protection and of security in all of its forms, such as network security, IT security, information security and cybersecurity. 

In 2020, due to the pandemic, there was a marked shift from in-person communication and transactions to a reliance on digital channels, and correspondingly, a surge in cyberattacks and incidents was also experienced. Some of the incidents were due to security vulnerabilities in software applications and online platforms, whilst many others occurred thanks to the poor security practices of organisations and individuals.

If there is anything 2020 highlighted – especially since we are all spending more time online and interfacing with digital tools – is the need for all of us to become even more vigilant and to take security seriously. Many government ministries, departments and agencies, along with prominent private sector organisations here in the Caribbean, have experienced some sort of network breach or incident, but frequently, these occurrences are kept private. However, besides the embarrassment and fear of loss of public confidence (among other things) that could occur when incidences are made public, we all may be experiencing a false sense of security, since we may have a very limited sense of the scale and frequency of the attacks that are being experienced in the region.

Over the years, we, at ICT Pulse, have tried to provide yearly updates on cyberthreats and security in the Caribbean region, whilst also paying attention to the global landscape, which no doubt, has an impact on what occurs in the region. We keep the tradition going with the first instalment for 2021 of our Expert Insights series on cyberthreats and security.

Introducing our guest

Sean Slattery is back. Sean is the Founder and Chief Technology Officer of Caribbean Solutions Lab, a cybersecurity service provider, based in the Cayman Islands, with clients throughout the Caribbean and North America, which offers comprehensive IT security, training and professional services. 

Sean has deep experience in IT, having started with a background in Computer Science, and working his way across a gamut of IT roles. He has spent over a decade focusing primarily on cybersecurity, and has been closely affiliated with global computer security software company, McAfee. His specialities include:  firewall enterprise; web gateway; e-policy orchestration;  enterprise mobility management;  and application control.

Insights into our conversation

Sean is enthusiastic about security, and he always imparts numerous gems, along with some sobering statistics, which really make you pay attention. Our conversation was recorded just a few days before TechCrunch published its article on the JamCOVID19 website security lapses; and so there are no references to that development in our discussion. However, in listening to Sean’s advice and insights, the JamCOVID19 website may frequently came to mind – especially to highlight ‘what not to do’, and the fact that just because an individual’s or an organisation’s focus is IT, it does not automatically mean that they are security experts. 

Security has become a specialist field, with several disciplines. More importantly, the field is continually evolving, and so requires continually learning and skills development.

Below are some of the questions posed to Sean during the course of our conversation:

1. Give us a quick recap of what has been going on in the Caribbean region, with regard to cybersecurity threats and incidents?
2. With so many of us working from home, or in some kind of remote working arrangement, what are some of the threats to which we could be subject?
3. How might users, and even their employers, reduce the chance of a successful breach?
4. There seems to be a growing concern about the security of the cloud. What could be the nature or form of the threat?
5. As a security professional and contractor, did you observe any changes in the role or functions of IT/cybersecurity personnel over the past year (during the pandemic)?
6. What are important skills cybersecurity applicants ought to possess to better ensure their marketability and suitability for security-related roles?
7. After all of what we have discussed, are there any new and emerging threats of which we should be more aware?
8. What might be three key things organisations should be doing in 2021 to improve their network/IT security?

We would love to hear from you!

Do leave us a comment either here beneath this article, or on our Facebook or LinkedIn pages, or via Twitter, @ICTPulse.

Select links

Below are links to some of the organisations and resources that either were mentioned during the episode, or otherwise, might be useful:

• Sean Slattery
• Caribbean Solutions Lab
• Reuters article,  SolarWinds hack was ‘largest and most sophisticated attack’ ever: Microsoft president
• New Yoker article, After the SolarWinds Hack, We Have No Idea What Cyber Dangers We Face
• Orange Matter article, New Findings From Our Investigation of SUNBURST
• ICT Pulse Podcast episode, ICTP 095: Expert insights on cyber threats and security – trends, advice and the importance of the fundamentals, with Sean Slattery

Image credits: S Slattery; Darwin Laganzon (Pixabay); Pete Linforth (Pixabay)

Music credit: Ray Holman

This episode is also available in Apple iTunes, Google Play Music and on Stitcher!

Over the past few week, vigilance with respect to cyberthreats and cybersecurity has become even crucial as countries tries to manage the rate of infections of the COVID-19, also known as the novel coronavirus. Increasingly, organisations have been relying on ICT in order to implement work at home and telework arrangements for their staff, which essentially, may open up their networks up to broad vulnerabilities, to which they have not been previously subject.

In addition to the challenges of securing a network that might not have been initially configured to be accessed remotely, and/or the threats posed by employees accessing an organisation’s resources on unsecured devices, such as their home computer, one begins to get an idea of the nightmare that could be occurring, thanks to the current dispensation. Further, the network monitoring capability, which would usually be the remit of the organisation’s IT department, may need to be revisited – both in terms of function and resources.

Hence, although we might not be able to speak to the specific threats that could be experienced or recommendations that could be implemented, we still thought it opportune for us to continue our longstanding conversation on cybercrime and cybersecurity, and to secure additional views and insights from an expert.

Our podcast guest

Niel Harper

Our guest is no stranger to our Expert Insight series, but this is first time being interviewed via our podcast format. Niel Harper, who hails from Barbados, is an internationally-recognised subject matter expert in cybersecurity, information assurance, IT risk management, cyber law and policy.  He is also the Founder and Chairman of the Octave Consulting Group, which works in the areas of  ICT policy, telecoms regulation, cybersecurity risks and IT-enabled business issues.

In addition to all of this, currently, Niel is the Chief Information Security Officer of the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS). UNOPS is one of the operational arm of the United Nations, which through the programmes and projects its supports, aim to foster peace and security, along with humanitarian and development solutions.

As has been past experience, Niel does not disappoint in the insights and advice he shared, and we covered topics for which practical recommendations could be considered. Moreover, it is important for organisations to disabuse themselves of the notion that all cyberattacks can be prevented, or that all cyber incidents can be avoided. It is only a matter of time before an attack is successful; and so it perhaps even more important for organisations to be proactive in not only detailing their recovery plans, but also ensuring that they are adequately resourced to implement them. Hence key questions that were posed to Niel during the course of our conversation included the following:

1. What have been the most prevalent types of threats and incidents you have been observing and/or experiencing?
2. For a few years now, mobile devices have been seen as a major security risk. What steps could users take to better manage that risk?
3. What might be some of the best anti-virus/malware removal software products on the market today?
4. What is the top cybersecurity concern businesses face today?
5. In broad terms, what do Cybersecurity Incident Response Plans should they entail?
6. Is cyber insurance a good idea, and what should an organisation look out for if they need to buy cyber insurance?
7. Reportedly, there is a growing demand for cyber security professionals. What have been your observations? Do you agree? And how might that gap be closed?
8. Finally, what might be some key things organisations should be doing in 2020 to improve their network/IT security?

We would love to hear from you!

Do leave us a comment either here beneath this article, or on our Facebook or LinkedIn pages, or via Twitter, @ICTPulse.

Select links

Below are links to some of the organisations and resources that either were mentioned during the episode, or otherwise, might be useful:

• Niel Harper
• United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS)
• Octave Consulting Group
• Organisation of American States (OAS), State of Cybersecurity in the Banking Sector in Latin America and the Caribbean
• New York Times article, A Cyberattack Hobbles Atlanta, and Security Experts Shudder

Image credits:  Pete Linforth (Pixabay) ;  N Harper

Music credit: Ray Holman

—————

This episode is also available in Apple iTunes and on Stitcher!

If you have been paying attention, almost every week, there is a new report of a network being hacked, personal data being stolen, or some other incident that might cause you to be concerned about the safety and security of the numerous online accounts you have and need to manage. In this day and age, we cannot completely avoid being digital,  so it is prudent to try to be as informed as possible on some of latest cybersecurity developments.

To that end, this episode is our first update of 2019 in our longstanding Expert Insight on cyber threats and security series. In this series, we invite cyber/IT security experts based in the Caribbean, to share their views and knowledge – their insights – on cybersecurity, along with the various threats that have been evident in the region.

Today’s guest is no stranger to our Expert Insight series, but this is first time being interviewed via our podcast format. Sean Slattery is the Founder and Chief Technology Officer of cybersecurity service provider, Caribbean Solutions Lab. Although headquartered in the Cayman Islands, Caribbean Solutions Lab’s customer base is not limited to that territory, but extends across the Caribbean and North America.

Sean is a 20-plus year IT veteran, and has spent the last 10-plus years focusing almost exclusively on cybersecurity. He has also been closely affiliated with global computer security software company, McAfee, and for several years was a McAfee instructor. In summary, Sean has had a front row seat to the continuing evolution of cyber threats and cybersecurity worldwide, and so is very well placed to provide some insight into the developments that have been occurring.

Consistent with our approach to the Expert Insight series, but taking advantage of the immediacy of a podcast format, we asked Sean a lot of questions, including those listed below:

1. What have been the most prevalent types of incidents in the Caribbean region?
2. How has the threat landscape changed over the years? Are there any trends, or particular areas of concern, to which we in the Caribbean should be paying attention?
3. How frequent are ransomware incidents? Are they still as huge a threat?
4. How Sean become involved in cybersecurity.
5. What is the top cybersecurity concern businesses today face?
6. How is social media affecting the threat landscape?
7. Does Sean have any advice about how businesses can better manage the security risk posed by employees?
8. What is the best anti-virus/malware removal software?
9. ..why should we bother?
10. What some key things organisations should be doing in 2019 to improve their network/IT security?

We would love to hear your thoughts!

Do leave us a comment either here beneath this article, or on our Facebook or LinkedIn pages, or via Twitter, @ICTPulse

Select links

Below are links to some of the organisations and resources that either were mentioned during the episode, or otherwise, might be useful:

• Caribbean Solutions Lab
• Sean Slattery
• McAfee
• Cylance
• CylancePROTECT

Image credits:  geralt (Pixabay); S Slattery

Music credit:  Ray Holman

This episode is also available in Apple iTunes and on Stitcher!

If you have been paying attention to global news, and on an all too regular basis, there are reports of major computer network breaches occurring, along with the theft of personal data from hundreds of thousands, or even millions, of user accounts. Frequently, the breaches took placw several weeks or months prior, leaving the affected organisations scrambling to investigate what happened, and to manage the fallout.

Although such scenarios in the Caribbean region are not as widely reported, they are happening. Over the past two to three years in particular, many public and private sector organisations, along with individuals, have experienced ransomware attacks, and we have all had to become increasingly vigilant about spam and malicious email.  As a result, regional policymakers seem to be more aware and concerned about the state of cybersecurity in their respective countries, and there has been some effort to strengthen the needed frameworks and to secure expert assistance.

We, at ICT Pulse, thus thought it appropriate to continue our discussion on cybercrime and cybersecurity in the region.

For our regular readers, and every year since 2012, we have had an Expert Insight series on cybersecurity in the Caribbean, in which we pose a series of questions to network/IT security professionals based in the region. Today, and on this podcast episode, we will be interviewing one of those experts.

Garfield Gordon, is a Senior Systems Engineer at Cisco, and works out of the firm’s  Miami/Fort Lauderdale office, which covers the Caribbean region. Garfield, has over 25 years’ experience in the IT/ICT space. His areas of expertise include: systems integration, networking, internet, security, wireless, mobile, application development and business enablement.

Garfield Gordon

Our conversation with Garfield touched on a broad range of issues, including:

1. The most prevalent types of incidents in the Caribbean region
2. How the threat landscape has changed over the years
3. Trends, or particular areas of concern, to which we in the Caribbean should be paying attention
4. Practices or behaviour that Caribbean organisations engage in, that in the past would have been okay, but now open them to threats
5. Garfield’s background, and how you become involved in network security
6. Advice Garfield would give someone who might want to get into network security
7. New and emerging threats of which we should be more aware
8. Three key things organisations should be doing to improve their network/IT security.

We would love to hear from you!

Do leave us a comment either here beneath this article, or on our Facebook or LinkedIn pages, or via Twitter, @ICTPulse

Select links

Below are links to some of the organisations and resources that either were mentioned during the episode, or otherwise, might be useful:

• Garfield Gordon
• Cisco
• Report on Equifax hack
• Penetration testing – Penetration Testing for IT Infrastructure
• Purdue model – What was that Purdue Model stuff, anyway?
• Internet of Things (IoT)
• Managed services
• Malware (malicious software)
• Ransomware
• Structured Query Language (SQL) injection
• Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS)
• University of Technology

Image credits:  Fotocitizen (Pixabay);  G Gordon

Music credit:  Ray Holman

Our Expert Insight series on cybersecurity has been a way for us to pick the brains of Caribbean network security specialists to secure firsthand, their thoughts and views about the state of network security in the region. Last week, we heard from Niel Harper, who is based in Barbados. This week, we are delighted to feature, once again, Sean Slattery.

Sean Slattery is founder and CTO of Caribbean Solutions Lab – a cybersecurity service provider that helps businesses throughout the Caribbean and North America to defend and protect themselves from cyber threats. Based in Cayman for nearly 20 years, Sean has spent the last 10-plus years focused purely on cybersecurity, and was also a McAfee instructor for over five years. He holds US Government secret security clearance, is an FBI Infragard member, and regularly delivers cybersecurity presentations.

ICT Pulse:  Sean, thank you again for taking the time to share your insights with us. To start, give us a quick recap of what have been the most prevalent types of incidents in the Cayman Islands, and/or in the wider Caribbean region, over the past year or so?

Sean Slattery:  Regionally, things have been on par with last year’s trends. We continue to see systematic probing from the Far East along with the usual email phishing campaigns. Of note is that we have started to see more SMS based phishing usually targeting social media credentials. With a marked increase in smartphone adoption it makes sense to target these devices for credential and identity theft.

ICTP:  Has the threat landscape changed over the past year? Are there any particular areas of concern that you have for Caribbean organisations, or the region as a whole?

SS:  The “bad guys” will continue to use any tool at their disposition that is successful. The evidence shows that targeting small and medium businesses with phishing, credential and identity theft, ransomware and other malware works.

ICTP:  Over the past year, ransomware incidents still appeared to be occurring across the region. Are they still as huge a threat?

SS:  Ransomware is still a significant threat but there has also been a subtle shift towards a longer game. While ransomware has an end game, credential and identity theft and system compromise can yield dividends for much longer periods. Quite often, credential and identity theft does not involve any malware – only requiring a user to let their guard down for but a moment.

ICTP:  Bitcoin (cryptocurrencies) and blockchain are concepts of which mass consumers are becoming increasingly aware. Are you excited or concerned about these technologies?

SS:  While I am particularly interested in how blockchain could be used other than for cryptocurrencies, a friend recently penned an article describing how blockchain could be used to rationalize web advertising platforms and reduce fraud. That said, the market will decide what will be successful, and so far, the market is undecided. Did you know that blockchain was invented ten years ago, but as of yet, only a handful of organizations have active blockchain implementations – interestingly, mostly with logistics? And while blockchain is inherently secure, there will be weaker links in implementation which will be exploited. It is only a matter of time.

ICTP:  Towards the end of 2017, we became aware of some new threats: Meltdown and Spectre, which seem to be shaking the computing and tech industry to its core. In layman’s terms, can you briefly give us a sense of what Meltdown and Spectre are about, what harm they do, and what steps (if any) we can take to better protect ourselves?

SS:  News outlets have indeed been quick to sensationalize these vulnerabilities. In a nutshell, Spectre and Meltdown refer to three hardware vulnerabilities in CPUs that, in the right scenario, can be exploited to obtain privileged data. The operative phrase there is “in the right scenario” meaning it is far from the end of the world. In order to exploit these vulnerabilities, an attacker would need to have the system run an application or script in order to access the interesting data. So regardless of the vulnerability, you simply need to prevent said execution. This is not to say that these vulnerabilities are trivial, far from it, but when prioritizing concerns, these would not be at the top of my list.

ICTP:  After all of what we have discussed so far, are there still new and emerging threats of which we should be more aware?

SS:  The largest two areas of threats involve malicious code and identity. Regardless of the specific techniques or exploits used, new or old, as long as we can secure these two areas at the endpoints, network and cloud, we are in good shape. Also, with the increase in cybersecurity awareness, we’re also seeing client and compliance driven increased scrutiny of data protection measures. Data protection is perhaps one of the most challenging domains of cybersecurity. Successful organizations approach this challenge by first working on the business and technical processes for data classification. Once it is understood how the data is created and manipulated, then the protection is trivial.

ICTP:  Finally, what are the top three (3) things businesses should be doing this year, 2018, to improve their network/IT security?

SS:  Picking only three is always a challenge! Let’s go beyond the traditional mantras of obtaining board-level buy-in, security awareness training for users or regular software updating/patching.

1. We continue to recommend investing in tools beyond the traditional firewall, antivirus, web and email filtering.  Technology that leverage AI and machine learning to automatically prevent or detect threats are ideal. Remember to look at how these can be applied at endpoints, network and the cloud.
2. Credential theft is still all too common. Two easy ways to improve credential security are password management systems and multifactor authentication. These two measures apply to both corporate environments and users’ personal lives. We all know that one of corporate IT’s functions is to help users with their home computers!  An organization with users that practice safe cybersecurity at home and at work is less likely to have issues.
3. Lastly there is compliance. Playing the compliance game isn’t always fun but it is useful. The risk of non-compliance and penalties are often a good source of funding for cybersecurity investments. Regularly performing internal reviews are good practice and preparation for audits. Nothing is worse than an auditor claiming that you have failed some check but won’t disclose why. Having the tools in place to confirm or deny these claims and the data to back it up builds confidence in your processes and investments. Simplicity, automation and good reporting are key here. Your staff already have a lot on their plates, so any tool that is easy to use and understand while providing readable reports is essential. Our most common implementation of compliance tools is from the cloud but that leverages local agents for internal scanning. It checks all of the boxes and is cost effective too.

Remember that cybersecurity isn’t a project or tool, it’s a lifestyle. Stay safe everyone.

Thank you.

Do you have any questions for Sean? Do you agree with his views? Let us know in the Comments section below. 

Image credit:  typographyimages (Pixabay);  S Slattery