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“Are You Eating a Rotten Apple?” – Personal Data May have Been Exposed in Global Payments Breach July 9, 2012

Posted by Chris Mark in cybersecurity, Data Breach, Industry News, InfoSec & Privacy, PCI DSS, Risk & Risk Management.
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Let me preface this post by saying this is not intended to take shots at either Global Payments or the PCI DSS.  Rather, this post is intended to generate discussion and discourse on the topic of compliance and risk management.

According to reports, it seems that the Global Payments data breach may have exposed more than payment card data.  n a June 12 update posted to its breach microsite, Global says hackers may have gained access to servers containing personal information collected from a subset of merchant customers.

“The company will notify potentially affected individuals in the coming days with helpful information and make available credit monitoring and identity protection insurance at no cost,” Global says. “The notifications are unrelated to cardholder data and pertain to individuals associated with a subset of the company’s U.S. merchant applicants.”

Based upon this statement it seems fair to assume that Personally Identifiable Information (PII) such as Social Security number and Bank Account information may have been exposed, as well.

This situation exposes the danger of using a narrowly focused, static standard as a baseline of security management rather than adopting a risk based approach to data security.   I have personally conducted over 100 PCI DSS audits and have seen first hand the resources consumed by the standard.  Companies often appear so laser focused upon protecting payment card data that other systems and data may take a back seat in the pursuit of “PCI DSS compliance.”  As there are significant penalties associated with non-compliance that it is difficult to blame the merchant or service provider. The penalties are designed to compel compliance with the standard.  As such, companies are going to give precedent to the PCI DSS over any other standard that does not have equivalent penalties associated with non compliance.

As a reminder, the PCI DSS is ONLY focused protection of Cardholder Data.  Surely some are going to say that the PCI should be applied across all systems etc.etc.  This is great in theory but does not happen in practice.  Companies take great pains to minimize their cardholder data environment specifically to lessen the compliance burden.

I am sure we will continue to see breaches of payment card companies having PII exposed as companies focus on PCI to the exclusion of risk based security management.

“I can neither confirm nor deny”; NSA + Google = Glomar Response May 12, 2012

Posted by Chris Mark in News, Risk & Risk Management, terrorism.
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In a story on Foxnews it is revealed that a US Federal Appeals court has turned down a request under the Freedom of Information Act that would have forced the National Security Agency to disclose what, if any, relationship it has with Google and specifically a cyberattack against Google which originated in China.  According to the story: “The Electronic Privacy Information Center, which focuses on privacy and civil liberties, sought communications between Google and the NSA, which conducts worldwide electronic surveillance and protects the U.S. government from such spying. But the NSA refused to confirm or deny whether it had any relationship with Google. The NSA argued that doing so could make U.S. government information systems vulnerable to attack.”

Now for some history- In April 1968, the Soviet Union’s K129 nuclear submarine sank.  Seeing an opportunity to get some intelligence, the US CIA’s Special Activities Division came up with a plan known as Project Azorian.  Using Howard Hughes’ company as a front, they commissioned the Hughes Glomar Explorer.  Hughes claimed the ship was designed to extract minerals from the ocean floor.  The HGE was sent to pick up the remains of the submarine and return them to the US.  When the project came to light and the US Government was asked about the project, the response was: “I can neither confirm nor deny” the existence of such a project.  Thus was born the Glomar Response or Glomar Denial…

“The Weakest Link”- Insider Foils Underwear Bomb Plot May 8, 2012

Posted by Chris Mark in Risk & Risk Management, terrorism, Uncategorized.
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I have written extensively about the weakest link in any security program being the actual people responsible.  While we understand this point from a “good guys” perspective, it is just as true for our adversaries.   MSNBC reported today that the underwear bomber who was supposed to blow up a jet liner this month had been working for US and our Allies since day one and was a paid informant.  As stated on MSNBC: “An insider who worked with the United States and an allied security service to thwart an al-Qaida bomb plot hatched in Yemen was the man picked to carry out the suicide attack on a U.S.-bound airliner, U.S. and Yemeni officials tell NBC News. An unidentified Yemeni  government official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the supposed suicide bomber was working for Western intelligence “from day one.”

The interesting point of this story is that it does not matter whether we are talking about nuclear facilities, cybersecurity, or counter terrorism, the human element always plays a role and is always the most unpredictable.  While the group that sent the man on his suicide mission clearly believed he was a ‘true believer’ willing to give his life for their cause, it appears that he had another agenda.  This is the challenge with security.  Trust but verify is a mantra that rings true in all aspects of security.  Thank goodness the group that tried to blow up the airliner acted on faith and not solid security principles.

Airstrike Kills Al Qaeda Leader wanted in USS Cole Bombing May 6, 2012

Posted by Chris Mark in Industry News, Risk & Risk Management, terrorism.
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Foxnews reported that an airstrike on Sunday killed an Al Qaeda leader on the FBI’s most wanted list for the 2000 bombing of the USS Cole.  According to Foxnews: ” Fahd al-Quso was hit by a missile as he stepped out of his vehicle, along with another Al Qaeda operative in the southern Shabwa province, Yemeni military officials said. They were speaking on condition of anonymity in accordance with military regulations.” 

“Al-Quso, 37, was on the FBI’s most wanted list, with a $5 million reward for information leading to his capture. He was indicted in the U.S. for his role in the 2000 bombing in the USS Cole in Aden, Yemen, in which 17 American sailors were killed and 39 injured. (more…)

ALERT: CyberAttack Underway Against US Gas Piplines May 6, 2012

Posted by Chris Mark in cybersecurity, Industry News, InfoSec & Privacy, Risk & Risk Management, terrorism.
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According to stories on MSNBC, CNN, and other major outlets, “A major cyber attack is currently under way aimed squarely at computer networks belonging to US natural gas pipeline companies, according to alerts issued to the industry by the US Department of Homeland Security.”   On March 29th, 2012 the US Department of Homeland Security issued 3 confidential Amber Alerts warning that the US was facing a: “gas pipeline sector cyber intrusion campaign” against multiple pipeline companies.  The attacks, which began 4 months ago, are ongoing today.  The Industrial Control Systems Cyber Emergency Response Team (ICS CERT), which is responsible for helping secure the nation’s industrial control systems said: (more…)