Global Security, Privacy, & Risk Management

“NSA Says – Largest Transfer of Wealth…EVER”; CyberAttacks rose 44% in 2011 July 10, 2012

Parroting what many in the payments industry have known for years, the NSA released a statement about the dire state of cybersecurity.  According to the head of the National Security Agency cyberattacks increased 44% in 2011 and now account for the largest “transfer of wealth in history”.    According to FoxNews: 

“NSA chief Keith Alexander was speaking Monday at an American Enterprise Institute event in Washington, D.C.  He said that for every company that knows it has been hacked, another 100 do not know their systems have been breached. (emphasis added) The warning came on the same day that thousands of computer users were at risk of losing Internet access, due to malware that spread more than a year ago. Citing public and unclassified statistics, Alexander said Monday there are now 75 million unique pieces of malware on the loose.”

Those of use who have been in the industry for years have said that we are ‘losing the war’. I have personally been chastised for making such doom and gloom statements.  The facts are the facts however.  Hiding our head in the sand will not change the fact that “The criminals are absolutely ripping us to shreds,” and that “We’re losing the battle…That’s the reality of it.” (Chris Mark quoted in Salt Lake Tribune...pic at top).  In yet another push at self promotion..you can read one reason we are losing the battle in the IDGA research brief: “A Failed State of Security”.