SANS Institute returns to Brussels for delivery of “vital” training and education on information security

SANS Institute, the world’s largest cyber security training provider, will be returning to Belgium in early 2016 to host five essential information security training courses.

Entitled ‘SANS Brussels Winter 2016’, the training event offers security, penetration testing and forensics tracks including the popular SEC401: Security Essentials Bootcamp taught by Dr Eric Cole, a SANS faculty Fellow, course author and member of the Commission on Cyber Security for the 44th President.

“Demand for security expertise is outstripping supply, making this a great time for both individuals and organisations to benefit from strengthening and gaining new skills,” urged Cole, “Events like ‘SANS Brussels Winter 2016’ and other SANS training opportunities around Europe are vital to help combat what’s now an increasingly complex threat landscape.”

‘SANS Brussels Winter 2016’ takes place from Monday 18 January-Saturday 23 January at the Radisson Blu Royal Hotel in the heart of Brussels, and includes a programme of evening talks and networking opportunities.

Training courses scheduled to run at the event are as follows:

• SEC542: Web App Penetration Testing and Ethical Hacking (Tutor: Raul Siles)
• SEC401: Security Essentials Bootcamp Style (Tutor: Dr Eric Cole)
• SEC504: Hacker Tools, Techniques, Exploits and Incident Handling (Tutor: Steve Armstrong)
• FOR572: Advanced Network Forensics and Analysis (Tutor: George Bakos)
• FOR408: Windows Forensic Analysis (Tutor: TBC)

Each course has an associated GIAC certification. Discounted rates for the certification attempt are available when purchased with a training course.

*For more information on ‘SANS Brussels Winter 2016’ visit: https://www.sans.org/event/belgium-2016/

Tavcom’s Education Information Day proves popular with security professionals

Leading security professionals recently attended an Education Information Day held at Tavcom’s dedicated Training Centre in Bishops Waltham. The 50-plus delegates representing industry associations, institutions, local authorities, the police service and principle industry employers were treated to a series of presentations on a diverse range of subjects, among them analytics, forensics, cyber security and the importance of new international standards.

“Our Education Information Day has become an annual event, and we know from the feedback provided by delegates that they highly value the overview provided by our expert speakers on how to best capitalise on the latest generation of electronic security solutions, as well as the insight provided on future trends,” explained Paul Tennent, managing director at Tavcom.

Among the speakers was Jon Laws. With the market for IP network-based video surveillance systems growing almost exponentially, Laws shared his knowledge on how to extend the life of an existing analogue system by introducing hybrid solutions while starting on the process of migrating to an IP network-based solution.

Laws also provided a forward-looking and realistic view of the technologies which are likely to be integrated into tomorrow’s security systems.

CCTV expert Jon Laws speaking at Tavcom’s recent Education Information Day

Cyber security and data breaches

Daren Wildgoose delivered an up-to-date fact file on cyber security and data breaches with the objective of equipping the audience with some valuable tools to understand and combat the very real and active risk that can threaten a business’ resources and reputation. For his part, Paul Fletcher offered an Alarm Receiving Centre ‘insider’s’ picture of the most effective way of providing a technical ‘fit for purpose’ solution.

Peter Mason, one of the UK’s top IP/networking specialists, shared his vision on the future of the optical world and what’s on the horizon for Video-over-IP, with a section of his presentation addressing the threat of cyber crime to IP Version 6.

Paul Tennent: Tavcom’s managing director

Update on the latest CCTV standards

It’s now two decades since Mike Tennent founded Tavcom. During that time he has not only built up the reputation of Tavcom to be the leading supplier of security systems training but, through wide and extensive experience, he has also earned a more than justifiable reputation as a leading expert across the spectrum that is CCTV.

Having witnessed and kept pace with the many industry changes over the years, Tennent provided an update on the latest CCTV/VSS standards. In the process, he addressed some key questions including why the ‘face’ of CCTV is changing, why the new international standards are so important and who needs to know about them.

Eneo sponsored this year’s Education Information Day. As part of the event, delegates had the opportunity to take a tour of the Tavcom CCTV Control Room operators’ testing area and state-of-the-art workshop facilities, as well as witness practical demonstrations of the latest CCTV, intruder alarm, access control and IP technologies.

MITIE TSM and SmartWater Technology unveil strategic crime-fighting partnership

MITIE’s Total Security Management business division has orchestrated a strategic partnership with SmartWater Technology, the company famed for its cutting-edge forensics-based security solutions.

In what is the first partnership of its kind to be realised within the security sector, the initiative will see MITIE’s Total Security Management (TSM) arm and SmartWater Technology working in unison across a number of different business areas in order to reduce clients’ risks in the data theft arena.

MITIE TSM will add SmartWater’s services and products to its mobile and void property security offerings, including the business division’s key holding and alarm response services. In addition, MITIE TSM personnel will undergo training with a view to creating an elite team of specialist forensic technicians within the mobile and technology services teams.

This addition will render MITIE TSM’s offering unique to the marketplace and, at the same time, afford additional support to both new and existing customers.

SmartWater Technology’s cutting-edge security solution will now benefit clients of MITIE TSM

SmartWater has proven to be the most powerful crime deterrent in the UK thanks to ongoing partnerships with police services. SmartWater Technology’s forensic products are deployed on a strategic basis to maximise the traceability of assets and the accountability of criminals. The use of SmartWater has been crucial in hundreds of criminal convictions, with the technology maintaining a 100% conviction rate.

Darren Gamage, managing director of technology services at MITIE TSM, said: “Part of our investment in innovation is forming high value strategic partnerships with new and effective product and service providers such as SmartWater Technology. The potential of introducing SmartWater into our customer base is huge. This is a pivotal opportunity for our key holding customers to better protect their estates and critical infrastructures.”

Phil Cleary, CEO of SmartWater Technology, added: “We believe that enhancing the skills of MITIE’s security officers such that they’re able to use SmartWater and deliver the deterrence strategy that we’ve created adds real value to the TSM business offer. This will ultimately be of benefit to MITIE’s clients. Indeed, we’re confident that our proven success will encourage even more customers to come on board.”

‘Invisible criminals’ set to replace people as biggest perpetrators of fraud

Computers, rather than conmen, are set to be the future face of fraud as criminals turn to robotics in an effort to avoid detection.

According to the latest report from KPMG, organisations are set to battle against so-called ‘seeker bots’ defined as self-learning and self-replicating Artificial Intelligence that will render the faces of criminals invisible.

KPMG’s Profile of a Fraudster report is based on the analysis of 596 fraudsters investigated by the firm between 2011 and 2013. Based on the modus operandi of fraudsters’ crimes, the report predicts that traditional fraudsters (identified by KPMG as 36–45 years of age, acting against his/her own organisation and in executive positions) will be replaced by ‘seeker bots’.

Infographic produced by KPMG KPMGInfographicFraudsters

These ‘bots’ will be designed to continuously test a company’s cyber defences in an attempt to find a ‘hole in the fence’, meaning that attempts to second guess or pre-empt tactics used by real people will not always be worthwhile.

The KPMG report warns that, on finding a gap, the bots will analyse the potential for fraud and then launch a highly specialised ‘attack bot’ uniquely designed to suit the type of business, size, infrastructure and data set-up of the victim. The ultimate aim will be to remove assets to a virtual delivery location which can then be accessed by the fraudsters.

Taste of things to come

Hitesh Patel, UK head of forensics at KPMG, commented: “This is not science fiction, but a taste of things to come. We are already seeing highly trained hackers link up with the organised crime network. The ‘faceless’ criminal is not far away. Cyber crime is already on the rise and we expect cyber attacks and high-tech fraud to grow exponentially.”

Hitesh Patel: UK head of forensics at KPMG

KPMG’s report argues that, to unravel the frauds of the future, the best investigators will be those who are able to reduce large amounts of data to identifiable events. Yet some skills will remain as current tomorrow as they are today, with successful defence requiring an ability to operate seamlessly across borders, sharing corporate intelligence to ensure quick historical and geographical reach enables organisations to track ‘bot behavioural patterns’ as swiftly as they happen.

At the same time, the report reveals that the criminal(s) behind the changing face of fraud are by nature collaborative, preferring to collude with others instead of following the perceived stereotype of a reclusive loner.

The data shows that the proportion of cases involving collusion rose from 32% in the 2007 survey to 61% in 2011 and 70% this year. In many cases, perpetrators were highly respected (39% of all cases analysed), regarded as sociable (35%) and/or an extrovert (33%).

Patel added: “A few years ago, hackers were motivated by political objectives and seen as disruptive influences targeting computer networks to make an ideological point. Most were seen as individuals trying to make a name for themselves. However, with an ability to master Artificial Intelligence, it’s only a matter of time until the fraudsters harness the full power of technology to enrich themselves and criminal organisations. That is unless legitimate businesses take steps to defend themselves.”

He concluded: “A plausible person is no longer needed to present a stolen cheque to a bank teller. All that’s needed is a hacker who can access a protected computer network. Perhaps human features and emotions will no longer be a significant part of the profile. Instead, electronic features, signatures and behaviours may be all that a victim organisation will know of the cyber fraudster.”

Copy of the full report
KPMGGlobalProfilesoftheFraudsterFinalReport