Industry experts are providing valuable advice on how to stay safe during the Fourth of July weekend, emphasizing the need for continuous vigilance and proactive measures to counter cyber threats. Theresa Lanowitz, Head of Cybersecurity Evangelism at AT&T Business, recommends that organizations focus on actively monitoring key web applications and prioritize aligning application defects with development teams. She emphasizes the importance of protection tools that comply with customer experience (CX) and governance requirements.
Lanowitz highlights the need for extensive testing with the organization’s applications and the services of a 24x7x365 end-user facing expert response team. To achieve success, Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs) must apply rigorous tests to their security operations models, similar to their software design. Additionally, Lanowitz suggests building a compelling business case for an adequate security budget and empowering the security team to write code objects that manipulate application behavior and eliminate threats and risks. She also recommends exploring the benefits of edge compute and considering outsourcing to specialist teams or augmenting internal teams with AI for risk elimination and threat containment.
Max Vetter, VP of Cyber at Immersive Labs, cautions against solely ramping up defensive measures ahead of holiday weekends. He believes that organizations should instead focus on building a cybersecurity culture that sets the expectation of potential cyber attacks at any time. Vetter suggests integrating regular crisis exercising, real-life cyber simulations, and labs to enhance preparedness for cyber threats. By practicing various scenarios, business leaders can improve their teams’ ability to respond effectively and rapidly.
Matt Fulmer, Cyber Intelligence Engineering Manager at Deep Instinct, draws attention to the fact that cybercriminals often take advantage of holiday weekends, when user vigilance is generally low, and cyber defense teams are short-staffed. He cites the cyber attack on Kaseya during the previous Independence Day weekend and predicts similar activity this year. Fulmer urges organizations to change their mindset and increase their vigilance over holiday breaks. He emphasizes the importance of preparing for potential threats, denying cybercriminals access to critical infrastructure and sensitive data. Fulmer believes that predictive and preventative security tools can play a crucial role in mitigating risks during high-travel times and holidays.
Jon Check, Executive Director of Cyber Protection Solutions at Raytheon Intelligence & Space, highlights the significance of having an incident response plan in place. Breaches can happen at any given time, especially when security teams are expected to be off the clock during holiday weekends. Check suggests that incident response plans can prevent security teams from making hasty decisions and alleviate the pressure of quick reporting that may not necessarily contribute to efficient mitigation. He also notes the growing emphasis on automation and tabletop exercises to prepare for security incidents, advocating for tools that augment defenders’ capabilities.
Mark Ruchie, CISO at Entrust, points out that historical data shows an increased level of cyber threats during holiday weekends. He advises organizations to increase training and awareness efforts around cybersecurity, particularly during holiday periods. Ruchie recommends warning employees about potential holiday-themed phishing threats, encouraging direct website access instead of clicking links in emails, and implementing multifactor authentication whenever possible. He emphasizes the importance of maintaining strong cybersecurity foundations year-round, such as implementing a Zero Trust architecture to reduce the risk of cyberattacks.
Peter Barker, Chief Product Officer at ForgeRock, advises organizations to be aware that cybercriminals see holiday weekends as an opportunity to conduct targeted attacks. He recommends closely monitoring unusual password activity and considering the elimination of passwords altogether. Barker suggests adopting passwordless authentication methods, such as biometrics, authenticator apps, and certificates, which offer improved security and do not hinder productivity and efficiency.
As the Fourth of July weekend approaches, it is crucial for organizations to take these expert recommendations into account to enhance their cybersecurity posture. By adopting a proactive mindset, building a cybersecurity culture, and implementing necessary security measures, organizations can minimize the risks posed by cyber threats not only during holidays but throughout the year.