FIVE SUMMER GIFTS #6 – Cybersecurity device Fingbox

Cybersecurity in the home is as weak as a cokehead’s nostril, but the Fingbox is an excellent device that protects the domestic environment from web prowlers, snoopers and black hats.

finbox

There’s a 1960s pulp Sci-Fi film that terrified me as a kid; my trauma must have been so complete that I can’t (or won’t) remember its name. The terror it engendered was because of a TV that monitored people’s homes, even in the bedroom.

It was like a rubbish 1984, but it was still horrifying, the only good news being that it was impossible to happen in my lifetime. Ha! Thank God I didn’t know at the time that n 2018 everybody with a decent broadband connection has opened their doors, TVs or devices to anybody who wants to watch.

The ignorance and fragility of IoT devices, especially those in the home, are staggering. Easy-to-read passwords, an internet this is rarely switched off and bad people looking for a way in have it easy.

So step forward the Fingbox, a physical device that works with a downloadable app that warns of any external infringements and works somewhat better than a tripwire and a can in the back garden.

The Fingbox is not cheap, but what price piece of mind? Retailing at £125 from THAT website that also constantly monitors you, it connects to the home router and offers a range of services to protect the home.

Technical Specifications

* Monitoring of all wired and wireless devices on a network
* Two-year warranty
* No subscription fees
* 1 GB/s Ethernet port
* ARM 7 processor
* 4GB home board storage

For somebody like me, and you too I would suspect, it takes time to set up the Fingbox and to connect it with the app, but for those who know their tech (not least the bullet-points above) it should be easy.

When I had finally got it working, I really felt safer and, more worryingly, it has already flagged up attempts to tap into my home network. Those people REALLY are watching, it’s not Sci-Fi, it’s here and cannot be ignored.

Take your home security seriously. There are other products out there that offer the same type of protection, but I would look at the Fingbox first, it could be your friend in the future.

New workmates are searched by co-workers on social media

A new report says that one in four employees search social media for information on new workmates


workmates The first day in a new job is always daunting, not least relationships with co-workers. In 2017, it appears that nosey parkers are turning to social media to find out who’s new at the company.

According to cybersecurity company Online Spy Shop, on a study into workplace social media snooping, as many as 24% of new workmates may search personal social media accounts for information.

In the first week of a new job, 1 in 4 workmates will search for you on social media. On the first day, only 5% will search for information, but that increases throughout the week as people get nosier. There can be no hidden skeletons because there is no place to hide them.

The report also goes on to say that 19% of respondents waited at least one day, but searched within the space of a week, with Twitter (bizarrely) being the most common platform for snooping on new colleagues, followed by Instagram and Facebook.

On the plus side, the report also says 34% of respondents said they will wait until they’ve got to know a colleague before searching for them, while 21% said they’ve never searched for a new colleague on social media.

As ever, pictures are more important than words. More than 25% of people who did admit to snooping, 25% did so to look at pictures, 22% wanted to find out relationship status, while only 3% said they did it just for ‘general nosiness’.

“Social media has put people’s private lives within tempting reach of anyone who cares to view it, so it’s perhaps unsurprising that so many people look up new colleagues as soon as they meet them, and in some cases, before they meet them.

“While most of it is undoubtedly innocent curiosity, this does raise genuine privacy concerns. I’d urge anyone to do two things. Firstly, make sure their privacy settings are how they want them to be and secondly, consider removing any posts they’d be uncomfortable with new colleagues seeing,” said Steve Roberts, cybersecurity consultant at Online Spy Shop.

BullGuard’s Dojo IoT cybersecurity pebble set for CES domination

A new IoT pebbled-shaped security device is expected to take this year’s CES by storm.

IoT

BullGuard, the consumer security company that recently acquired IoT security pioneer Dojo Labs, will unveil Dojo by BullGuard at CES 2017 next week as cybersecurity products are set to dominate the conference.

Dojo by BullGuard is the only integrated smart home IoT security solution that seamlessly protects the privacy and security of a consumer’s data, devices, home and family by monitoring the home network 24/7 against cyber threats.

Dojo discovers devices connected to the home network, secures them and continuously analyses their IoT network activity for any suspicious behaviour. The Dojo by BullGuard smart home security solution includes:

* Dojo (hardware): a sleekly designed ‘pebble’ that is easy to set up and free to move about the home while its dock is tucked away with the router. Rings of light on the Dojo pebble illuminate when activity is detected on the user’s network

* Dojo smartphone app: allows users to interact with the Dojo pebble via an intuitive messaging interface that prompts them to allow or block network activity and informs them of potential cyber threats

* Dojo Intelligence: a cybersecurity engine powered by AI and machine learning technology. As its cloud-based platform familiarises itself with a home’s smart devices, the smarter it becomes in detecting, defending and mitigating against cyber threats and privacy breaches

Smart home devices are notoriously insecure and it is easy to exploit the vulnerabilities of millions of them – from smart alarms, thermostats, baby monitors, lighting, locks and more.

According to Gartner, the number of connected devices is forecast to reach more than 21 billion by 2020. Research firm Statista also projects the household penetration of connected smart home devices is expected to hit 60.7% in 2021, up from 24.9% in 2016.

BullGuard will offer CES attendees a live demo of Dojo by BullGuard in a meeting room with the most popular smart home devices connected to one WiFi network simulating a smart home environment.

The demo will show how multiple connected devices are discovered, protected and managed by the Dojo application, and will also include a scenario where the infamous Mirai botnet is detected and mitigated by the Dojo intelligent system.

“The smart home market is growing at an exponential pace, and we’ve recently seen major privacy breaches caused by compromised devices. Our product makes it easy to safeguard your privacy and family by constantly monitoring and protecting all smart home devices,” said Yossi Atias, General Manager IoT Security of BullGuard.

Dojo by BullGuard will begin shipping in April 2017 and will retail for $199 USD, including 12-months of service and can be pre-ordered here.

BOOK REVIEW: CISO – Desk Reference Guide

If you are a new Chief Information Security Officer (CISO), then this easy-to-use guide is for you.

cisoEvery week seems to bring another huge cybersecurity crime or leak of personal data by hackers. The challenge for CISOs is a huge one, but one this book helps to assuage.

This guide is essential for those who have been recently promoted or hired to be CISOs and has been co-written by three of the most experienced experts in the business; three men who work out of US city San Diego.

Bill Bonney, Matt Stamper and Gary Hayslip are the authors and I went Gary in the city this year when looking for stories in San Diego. Not only does he adore his subject, but he is passionate about keeping the hackers out of his city and out of his cybersecurity face.

These three amigos met three years ago after appearing on several panels together at industry trade shows and events and with a century’s worth of experience between them, it seemed increasingly clear they should collaborate on a book for CISOs, particularly those at medium-sized companies.

This book is certainly not for the layperson and I found it hard to understand, but I’m not a CISO, just somebody who is attempting to write about this crucial subject and to encourage people to take cybersecurity seriously. For individuals, sometimes all it takes is to change passwords and add two-tier authentication to protect emails and data.

The CISO – Desk Reference Guide is one for those at the aforesaid mid-size companies and also in academic- and City Hall-based CISO jobs, the latter of which are sometimes the most vulnerable gateways to those who would steal our souls, be they governments, IP-rustlers or blackmailers.

Recommended reading for those who would protect us, especially as attacks are expected to accelerate in 2017.

EXCLUSIVE Q&A: Paul Lipman, CEO BullGuard

CEO Paul Lipman talks exclusively about how consumer security company BullGuard is shaking up the IoT market.


lipmanBullGuard appears to be undergoing a renaissance after being around for a while. Why the sudden surge?

BullGuard’s promise to our customers is ‘we keep you safe and we keep it simple’. This promise of providing the very best, easiest to use, security products to our customers is what has made us the #1 rated consumer security company in Europe. On the back of this product strength we are rapidly expanding into new markets around the world, including India, Latin America and the Middle East.

However, our vision for keeping our customers secure is much broader than just Anti-Virus. An AV product was perfectly OK in the days when the only connected devices we had in the home were PCs. However, the devices in our homes are proliferating both in number and form such as smart TVs, internet-enabled surveillance cameras, door locks, garage door openers… the list goes on. 

Traditional Anti-Virus solutions can’t protect these devices. Today’s connected home needs enterprise-grade network security to protect against the very real attacks that threaten IoT devices. This is a major transition point for the industry, and BullGuard is at the forefront of this new wave of innovation.

You recently made an interesting acquisition in Israel. What is the strategy behind this?

More than four billion consumer non-PC devices are connected to the internet and this number is growing exponentially. Until now, the security and privacy of these devices has been essentially non-existent, leaving our most precious data and possessions exposed.

That’s why we bought Dojo-Labs. BullGuard and Dojo share a common vision for solving this critical market problem, and for delivering the products our customers need to keep them safe. Dojo has developed a world-class intelligent security device that connects to the home network and acts as the essential layer between connected devices and any threats to their security or privacy. Their team comprises of cybersecurity experts with the highest level of hacking and security-related big data analytics experience.

Why are you focusing on IoT?

Successful hacks against IoT devices are in the news literally every day. The problem is real, significant and growing. Nobody is solving this problem today. BullGuard has the technology, channels and capital to lead this new market.

Isn’t IoT just another hyped-up buzzword?

Absolutely not. IoT is a huge tech trend that will transform consumers’ lives. However, the security aspect is a nightmare. It’s poorly thought out and loosely implemented, if at all. It’s probably the major impediment to growth of this industry.

BullGuard is intently focused on solving this problem. We launched the world’s first IoT scanner, and after the Dojo-Labs acquisition we will be at the forefront of the next wave of consumer security services and innovation.

What is the problem BullGuard is solving?

Our homes contain our most precious possessions and intimate data The promise of Smart homes can only be truly realised once this security problem has been solved. We like to call it SoT, the Security of Things.

How many customers and partners do you have?

We have millions of consumer customers around the world. Our products are sold by more than 2,500 partners in North America, Europe, the Middle East, Asia and Australia.

How big is the market? 
The consumer security market is worth more than $8 billion. The IoT security market is at least another $7.5 billion today (comprising both consumer and enterprise markets).

How much have you raised in funding to date?

$20 million

Where is the BullGuard team based?

The team is located in Silicon Valley, London, Bucharest and Herzliya.

What are the challenges with separate teams in four locations?

On the contrary, BullGuard’s office locations provide us with some important advantages. Being a globally distributed company not only enables us to serve customers and partners wherever they are around the world, but lets us tap into the varied and deep talent pools that each region provides. Our main office is located in Bucharest, where we have close ties to the major technical universities and the city’s broad base of software development and anti-virus talent.

We recently opened an office in Silicon Valley and now, with the acquisition of Dojo-Labs, we get to tap into Israel’s renowned cyber security expertise. Simply put, uniquely positioned in terms of talent and market access.