The Benefits of Sock Puppets in Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT)
A Sock Puppet is fake persona, or an alternative online identity used to collect and investigate open-source information on a target.
Author Archive for: kellepc
Entries by Kellep Charles
The Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT) Cycle
Open-source intelligence, or OSINT, refers to the process of collecting information from public and legal data sources to serve a specific function. Some open sources components might include social media, videos, blogs, news, and the web (surface, Deep and Dark Web).
Benefits of STEM Summer Camps
STEM summer camps can make summer learning fun and exciting by teaching kids about science, technology, engineering, and math. The camps can give children an opportunity to continue learning more about a concept they were introduced to during the school year or event explore different STEM concepts they may not learn about in their classrooms.
U.S. Can Expect to see more Ransomware Attacks
In the cybersecurity space, there are many things we do not all agree on, but one thing I have noticed in the past year is that we all agree that the U.S. can expect to see more ransomware attacks as the nation recover from recent attacks which included the District of Columbia Police Department, The Colonial Pipeline and now the JBS meat plant. These will continue to increase, especially in the state, local environment, as well as in the critical infrastructure and manufacturing space.
There are two main reasons for this trend:
1. Organizations are not implementing the basic security controls thus allowing attackers to take advantage of easy attack vectors. A major of the critical infrastructure in the U.S. are operated by private organizations with very little IT and security regulations.
2. Many organizations are frequently deciding to pay the ransom after they have been attacked. Security researchers and law enforcement often recommend organizations not to pay the ransoms, but when stakeholders and the media are applying pressure, organizational leader must do what is best for the organization. This validates the ransomware industry and their frequency and tactics become more sophisticated.
This recent attack seems to have a Russian’s group fingerprint associated to it just like the pipeline event. Many security researchers, law enforcement officials and politicians are recommending in conjunction to increasing regulations on U.S. based organizations, the U.S. must also impose sanctions against countries that allow these types of activities to occur inside their borders.
Bad Ending for Washington, D.C.’s Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) after a Ransomware Attack
A group of ransomware hackers known as “Babuk” leaked internal police files from the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). The information was stolen in late April.
Colonial Pipeline Ransomware Attack
One of the nation’s largest fuel pipelines has been forced to shut down after being affected by a ransomware cyberattack. Ransomware is a form of malware that encrypts a victim’s files. The attacker then demands a ransom from the victim to restore access to the data upon payment.
Ransomware attack leads to shutdown of major U.S. pipeline system
By: David E. Sanger A cyberattack forced the shutdown of one of the largest pipelines in the United States, in what appeared to be a significant attempt to disrupt vulnerable energy infrastructure. The pipeline carries refined gasoline and jet fuel up the East Coast from Texas to New York. The operator of the system, Colonial Pipeline, […]
The Cybersecurity Job Gap and How Getting Women in STEM can Help [Video]
As previously stated, Researchers at Cybersecurity Ventures detailed in a 2019 post there would be 3.5 million unfilled cybersecurity positions globally in 2021, but with the addition of 700,000 additional skilled practitioners according to a Cybersecurity Workforce Study that entered the field this year, the projected number has dropped to approximately 3,21 million.
Social Media Safety Awareness Tips
Social media provides a way to stay connected and share with others, but did you know that the cyber criminals will also use social media as another technique to conduct their attacks. It is important to protect yourself as well as know the common signs of someone trying to trick or scam you.
Internet Safety Tips for Parent and Kids [Video]
In a recent interview on the BNC network, I provided a few tips to keep kids safe while online on the Internet.
