Cybersecurity analysts protect computer networks from cyberattacks and unauthorized access. They do this by trying to anticipate and defend against cyber threats, and responding to security breaches when they do happen. In this job, you play a key role in protecting your organization's valuable data.
Why is cybersecurity important?
With an increasing number of users, devices and programs in the modern enterprise, combined with the increased deluge of data -- much of which is sensitive or confidential -- the importance of cybersecurity continues to grow. The growing volume and sophistication of cyberattackers and attack techniques compound the problem even further.
The cybersecurity field can be broken down into several different sections, the coordination of which within the organization is crucial to the success of a cybersecurity program. These sections include the following
Maintaining cybersecurity in a constantly evolving threat landscape is a challenge for all organizations. Traditional reactive approaches, in which resources were put toward protecting systems against the biggest known threats, while lesser known threats were undefended, is no longer a sufficient tactic.
“Our system helps determine in near real-time whether a fault was triggered by a cyberattack or induced by natural events,” said Borges, Oak Ridge National Laboratory team leader. “This is the first implementation of blockchain enabling this kind of data validation between a substation and control center.”
Using DLT has the added benefit of preventing hackers from targeting devices through changes to their settings. Storing a digital fingerprint of the settings on the blockchain and monitoring it for unusual changes has the potential to thwart the activities of bad actors on the electricity grid.
Oak Ridge National Laboratory notes that the experiments with distributed ledgers are coming at the appropriate time, given the spike in security vulnerabilities of the country’s electricity grid. A report by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GOA) observed “several points of vulnerability” in the system, like an attacker compromising high-wattage networked consumer devices.
DLT has made a previous foray into energy grid cybersecurity, collaborating with the DOE on several projects. Furthermore, Blockchain for Optimized Security and Energy Management, a coalition of over five energy labs, has also dabbled in DLT and energy grid security. A rise in daring attacks. Malware attacks involving digital assets have been on an upward trajectory in 2022 and show little to no signs of slowing down. In May 2021, Colonial Pipeline suffered the largest publicly disclosed cyberattack in the U.S., costing the firm millions of dollars in ransom payments.
In response, law enforcement agencies told residents to brace themselves for an increase in ransomware attacks in the coming days, with the main targets being hospitals and institutions of learning.
North Korea has been identified as playing a lead role in the activities of ransomware gangs. Groups operating out of the country have obtained nearly $400 million worth of digital assets in the last 12 months, using mixers to launder the funds.
“From 2020 to 2021, the number of North Korean-linked hacks jumped from four to seven, and the value extracted from these hacks grew by 40%,” said a Chainalysis report on the matter.
Watch : BSV Global Blockchain Convention presentation, Sentinel Node partners with IBM to improve cybersecurity
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