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he Biden administration is reportedly considering a first-ever integrated action plan for global water security, linking global access to clean, reliable water to U.S. national security for the first time. At home, the linkage between national security and security of the water and wastewater sector is self-evident by its very definition as critical infrastructure. Yet decades of chronic underinvestment and under-resourcing of federal support to the industry has left this life-supporting and life-sustaining infrastructure vulnerable to cyber threats.

Seemingly all companies today prioritize cloud security as part of a comprehensive cybersecurity strategy, and for good reason. The proliferation and sophistication of cyberattacks bring endless possibilities for hackers to steal and misuse data at a pace previously unimaginable. Ransomware alone rose more than 100 percent in volume globally in 2021, and the expectation is that with such “success,” the rate of attacks will only grow in 2022.
Yet, too many enterprises and smaller companies still struggle with the transformation to the cloud because of the variables that come along with choosing the best product. Lack of awareness about the complexities with the switch, namely technology-related issues and typical adjustments needed to workflows and processes, also contributes to the confusion. Adding to the quandary is the existence of very few companies that are dedicated to cloud security as opposed to general cybersecurity products.

This is an opinion piece, and an opinion that I am fully aware of, can be controversial in some sectors of the cybersecurity industry. Still, selling the state of the cybersecurity of customers, that most of us are doing our outmost to protect from the nefarious underbelly of the Internet, is actively undermining the security. And yes, I feel that it is actively undermining the security, to sell 0-days to brokers, on the darknet or companies on the Internet, instead of disclosing them to the vendors for patching.

In our increasingly data-driven world, personal data is shared every second – when shopping, at work, travelling, or simply browsing the internet. It is the responsibility of every organisation to make an active commitment to protect the data it holds. After all, it could have serious implications for its reputation if a data breach occurred and its customers’ personal data was stolen and misused. 
Data Protection Day seeks to raise awareness and promote best practices around keeping data safe and secure. In this article, eleven experts in the technology industry give advice on how to best protect your data and maintain trust from your customers.

Ransomware attacks can have major impacts for both companies and their customers if successful, and the rate of attack is only increasing. Tom Madsen argues the need to limit the amount of data that is collected and stored long term to help to minimize the risks of a successful ransomware attack.