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TECHNOLOGY

Kaspersky study reveals basic cybersecurity terms unfamiliar to C-level executives in SEA

February 20, 2023 3:05 p.m.

Every fourth business executive in Southeast Asia (SEA) prefers not to flag lack of understanding when discussing cybersecurity issues. A recent Kaspersky study also reveals one in ten C-level managers have never heard of threats such as Botnet, APT and Zero-Day exploit.

The same proportion appeared to be unfamiliar with cyber security concepts like DecSecOps, ZeroTrust, SOC and Pentesting.

According to a PwC’s study, while backing cybersecurity in every business decision has already become the norm in every other company, more than half of executives lack confidence that their cyber spending is being allocated to the most significant risks their organization is facing. Kaspersky conducted their own research to help IT and C-level find common ground and explore the root of their misunderstandings, where a total of 300 executives from the SEA region were surveyed.

The Kaspersky poll indicates that C-suite sometimes struggle to understand their IT security peers and are not always ready to show their confusion. Thus, 26% of non-IT executives here say they would not feel comfortable flagging that they don’t understand something during a meeting with IT and IT security. 

Although most of them hide their confusion because they prefer to clarify everything after the meeting or choose to figure everything out by themselves, more than half (55%) don’t ask additional questions because they don’t believe the IT peers will be able to explain it in a clear way. Almost two-in-five also feel embarrassed revealing they don’t understand the topic and 42% don’t want to look ignorant in front of their IT colleagues.

Also, even though all surveyed top-managers from SEA regularly discuss security related issues with IT security managers more than one-in-ten respondents have never heard of threats such as Zero-Day exploit (11%), Botnet (9%), and APT (9%). At the same time Spyware, Malware, Trojan and Phishing appeared to be more familiar for top-managers.

More than one-in-ten top managers here admit they have never heard of cybersecurity terms like DecSecOps (10%), SOC (10%), Pentesting (10%), and ZeroTrust (6%). 

“Non-IT top management do not have to be experts in complex cybersecurity terminology and concepts and IT security executives should keep this in mind when communicating with the board,” comments Sergey Zhuykov, Solution Architect at Kaspersky. 

“To establish efficient cooperation CISO should be able to focus C-level attention precisely on meaningful details and clearly explain what exactly the company is doing to minimize cybersecurity risks. In addition to communicating clear metrics to stakeholders, this approach requires offering solutions instead of problems,” says Zhuykov.

“On the other end of the communications spectrum, only 6% of IT security professionals in SEA admit facing difficulty in discussing aspects of their work to the C-level. This means the majority of our technical workforce deem that their updates are understood by the decision makers. To bridge this dangerous gap, security teams should also incorporate effective tools – real life examples and use of reports and numbers – to ensure that discussions are done effectively,” adds Chris Connell, Managing Director for Asia Pacific at Kaspersky. 

To ease the communication between IT security and business functions within the company, Kaspersky recommends the following: 

  • IT security should be positioned as a driver for growth and innovation in the organization. To achieve this the IT security team should move away from prohibitive tactics and rather explain how the business can achieve its goals while mitigating cybersecurity risks.
  • CISO should actively engage in operational activities and build relationships with the company’s stakeholders. While fewer than 20% of CISOs have established partnerships with key executives in sales, finance, and marketing, it is hard for them to stay abreast of the needs of the business. 
  • When communicating with the board, use arguments based on an overview of threats by experts, your company’s attack status and best practices
  • Explain to the board what the main responsibilities of the IT security team are. If possible, provide them with an opportunity to walk in a CISO’s shoes to get insights on the most relevant IT security challenges. 
  • Allocate cybersecurity investments in tools with proven efficacy and ROI. This means tools that lower the level of false positives, and reduce times of attack detection, the time spent per case and other metrics are important to any IT security team.

Kaspersky in Southeast Asia also has launched a Buy 1 Free 1 promo to help SMBs and midrange enterprises in beefing their cybersecurity capabilities. Businesses can now enjoy two years of enterprise-grade endpoint protection for the price of 1 with Kaspersky Endpoint Security for Business or Cloud or Kaspersky Endpoint Detection and Response Optimum, with 24×7 phone support. Interested customers can reach out to sea.sales@kaspersky.com.  

The full report and more insights on communications issues between C-level and IT security managers are available via the link.

TECHNOLOGY

SEA 2023: Cybercriminals clog business networks with financial phishing

6:36 p.m. March 18, 2024

In 2023, Kaspersky anti-phishing technologies detected nearly 500,000 attempts to follow a phishing link on businesses’ devices in Southeast Asia (SEA). Interestingly, this number only refers to phishing links related to finance matters – e-commerce, banking, and payment systems.

Phishing persuades users to take action which gives a scammer access to your device, accounts, or personal information. By pretending to be a person or organization the users trust, they can more easily infect the victim with malware or steal their information.

These social engineering schemes “bait” with trust to get valuable information. This could be anything from a social media login, to your entire identity via your social security number. These schemes may urge the user to open an attachment, follow a link, fill out a form, or reply with personal information.

“Financial phishing” is a type of phishing which refers to fraudulent resources related to banking, payment systems and digital shops. Payment system phishing includes pages impersonating well-known payment brands.

From January to December last year, Kaspersky solutions detected and blocked a total of 455,708 financial phishing attempts targeting companies of various sizes in the region. The statistics reflect clicks on phishing links placed in various communication channels, including emails, fraudulent web sites, messengers, social media, etc. 

“Phishing is a trusted technique for cybercriminals when it comes to infiltrating business networks because they usually work. The rise of generative AI helps cybercriminals to make phishing messages or scam resources more convincing. As a result, it becomes challenging for people to distinguish between a scam and a legitimate communication. That’s why the role of robust security solutions increases,” comments Yeo Siang Tiong, General Manager for Southeast Asia at Kaspersky. 

The Philippines logged the highest number of financial phishing at 163,279 attempts in 2023, followed by Malaysia with 124,105. Indonesia chalked up 97,465 incidents while Vietnam experienced 36,130 phishing attacks related to financial matters. Thailand and Singapore registered the least number of this threat at 25,227 and 9,502 respectively.

“Cybercriminals employ various tactics, including financial-related phishing, to deceive employees and trick them into falling victim to an attack Our recent study showed employee security violations can be as damaging as external hacking for companies in Asia Pacific which means the human factor continues to play a role in making businesses vulnerable. Tools to help safeguard against human error are a vital step forward, but they can’t exclude employee education, skills development, and overall strengthening of the company’s ability to detect and respond to cyberattacks,” adds Yeo.

To help companies protect their systems against the damages of a successful phishing attack, Kaspersky experts recommend:

  • To advance decision-makers’ understanding of the importance of cybersecurity and how best to distribute budgets to stay ahead of threats, engage them with Kaspersky Interactive Protection Simulation for enhanced C-level professional education.
  • Consider experts’ help. For example, Kaspersky Assessments family of professional services identifies security gaps in your system’s configuration, and the Security Architecture Design helps create an IT security infrastructure that’s a perfect fit for a particular company. Every step of implementation is grounded in real security needs, giving decision-makers convincing arguments to allocate budgets.
  • Install and use enterprise security solutions with anti-phishing software: The Advanced Anomaly Control feature within Kaspersky Endpoint Security for Business Advanced, Kaspersky Total Security for Business and Kaspersky Endpoint Detection and Response Optimum help prevent potentially dangerous activities that are ‘out of the norm’, both undertaken by the user and initiated by the attacker who has already seized control of the system.  
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TECHNOLOGY

Revolutionizing social networking: Rili, groundbreaking AI-powered platform

6:11 p.m. March 9, 2024

Rili.ai officially launches its AI-powered app to redefine how individuals connect, interact, create, and communicate in the digital age. Thanks to voice cloning and lip-syncing, anyone can create their own digital twin (Rili) and interact with anyone, anytime, and anywhere.

Users can cultivate their digital twin, training it with content in over 100 languages to break down communication barriers and foster worldwide friendships. Whether you’re looking to expand your knowledge, gain insights and information from other individuals, or delve deeper into meaningful conversations with other users, Rili.ai is the app to do so effortlessly.

To train Rili, users can share knowledge and information through chat (written messages or voice audios) or by speaking into a microphone. Moreover, it is possible to integrate the digital print of anyone into Rili profiles with their existing accounts on platforms such as Twitch, X, and YouTube. Leveraging this integration, Rili.ai gathers personalized information from users’ public profiles on these platforms, ensuring a tailored experience based on their interests and preferences.

Features for Enhanced Social Engagement

The app offers various features designed to enhance users’ digital interactions. The explore feature allows users to effortlessly search for their favorite Rili users and discover others who share similar interests and preferences, fostering meaningful connections in a virtual community. With profile customization, users can tailor their Rili to reflect their unique personality and interests. The chat functionality allows users to initiate conversations with other “Rilis” and review their past chats, promoting seamless interaction and boosting engagement. Other features include creating favorite Rili lists, scoring conversations, adding likes to conversations or phrases, and sharing messages with anyone through different channels.

Through Rili, users have the unique ability to deeply connect with others, gaining valuable insights and understanding into their perspectives, experiences, and expertise. Rili.ai facilitates meaningful connections that transcend geographical boundaries and time constraints. With its advanced capabilities, Rili.ai offers an app for preserving digital heritage, allowing users to capture and preserve their memories, stories, and experiences for future generations.

“Rili is the new generation of social media platforms. Powered by AI and using the most relevant state-of-the-art technologies, its development will be a turning point for the history of communication. The creation of digital twins will give the opportunity to the society to expand their knowledge, connections and share of voice beyond boundaries”, highlighted Antonio Camacho, Rili Co-founder. “Rili’s mission is to fight against isolation, allowing people to connect with others you would not be able to reach”.  

Join Rili’s white list

The Rili alpha version is already live for anyone interested in joining the community. You can sign up for the white list and will be notified once you have access to create your own Rili. The app is available for iOS and Android.

Revolutionizing Social Networking: Introducing Rili, the Groundbreaking AI-Powered Platform for Sharing and Expanding Your Legacy

Rili.ai officially launches its AI-powered app to redefine how individuals connect, interact, create, and communicate in the digital age. Thanks to voice cloning and lip-syncing, anyone can create their own digital twin (Rili) and interact with anyone, anytime, and anywhere.

Users can cultivate their digital twin, training it with content in over 100 languages to break down communication barriers and foster worldwide friendships. Whether you’re looking to expand your knowledge, gain insights and information from other individuals, or delve deeper into meaningful conversations with other users, Rili.ai is the app to do so effortlessly.

To train Rili, users can share knowledge and information through chat (written messages or voice audios) or by speaking into a microphone. Moreover, it is possible to integrate the digital print of anyone into Rili profiles with their existing accounts on platforms such as Twitch, X, and YouTube. Leveraging this integration, Rili.ai gathers personalized information from users’ public profiles on these platforms, ensuring a tailored experience based on their interests and preferences.

Features for Enhanced Social Engagement

The app offers various features designed to enhance users’ digital interactions. The explore feature allows users to effortlessly search for their favorite Rili users and discover others who share similar interests and preferences, fostering meaningful connections in a virtual community. With profile customization, users can tailor their Rili to reflect their unique personality and interests. The chat functionality allows users to initiate conversations with other “Rilis” and review their past chats, promoting seamless interaction and boosting engagement. Other features include creating favorite Rili lists, scoring conversations, adding likes to conversations or phrases, and sharing messages with anyone through different channels.

Through Rili, users have the unique ability to deeply connect with others, gaining valuable insights and understanding into their perspectives, experiences, and expertise. Rili.ai facilitates meaningful connections that transcend geographical boundaries and time constraints. With its advanced capabilities, Rili.ai offers an app for preserving digital heritage, allowing users to capture and preserve their memories, stories, and experiences for future generations.

“Rili is the new generation of social media platforms. Powered by AI and using the most relevant state-of-the-art technologies, its development will be a turning point for the history of communication. The creation of digital twins will give the opportunity to the society to expand their knowledge, connections and share of voice beyond boundaries”, highlighted Antonio Camacho, Rili Co-founder. “Rili’s mission is to fight against isolation, allowing people to connect with others you would not be able to reach”.  

Join Rili’s white list

The Rili alpha version is already live for anyone interested in joining the community. You can sign up for the white list and will be notified once you have access to create your own Rili. The app is available for iOS and Android.

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TECHNOLOGY

The lightest smartphone with massive 6000mAh battery HONOR X7b coming to PH on March 9

4:34 p.m. March 7, 2024

HONOR Philippines never stops! After the successful launches of HONOR X9b 5G, HONOR Magic V2, and HONOR X8b, the leading global smart devices provider is expected to launch the HONOR X7b in the Philippines on March 9!  

“We, at HONOR, believe that technology is very inclusive, there is technology that caters to even the most unique requirement there is. We had HONOR X9b 5G that is ultra tough that can withstand harsh drops. HONOR X8b was recently introduced with a massive storage and great camera quality for those who value design and photography. Now, we are welcoming a new addition to our X Series, the HONOR X7b,” said HONOR Philippines Vice President Stephen Cheng. 

Welcoming the HONOR X7b 

HONOR X7b is the latest addition to HONOR’s X Series line-up, offering consumers a reliable, well-rounded device available to consumers at an affordable price. Delivering upgrades in hardware performance, battery performance, and photography capabilities, the new device promises an exceptional, uninterrupted user experience. 

Equipped with a 6,000mAh ultra-large battery, the HONOR X7b delivers the best battery life among all HONOR X Series smartphones to date. It can support various activities for up to 3 days  on a single charge, making it a reliable companion for users on the go. Thanks to HONOR’s innovative battery technologies, the HONOR X7b is the thinnest and lightest smartphone with a 6000mAh battery. The device’s battery maintains over 80% of its health even after three years of usage, ensuring exceptional longevity and reducing the need for constant recharging. 

The HONOR X7b boasts a 108MP Main Camera  with a 1/1.67-inch sensor. To enable the camera to capture bright and vivid shots even in challenging low-light conditions, the HONOR X7b supports 9-in-1 pixel binning, achieving a pixel  size measuring 1.92µm that ensures night colors are faithfully reproduced in images. 

For more information and announcements, you may visit HONOR’s website www.hihonor.com or social media platforms: Facebook (Facebook.com/HonorPhilippines), Instagram (Instagram.com/honorph/) and TikTok Shop: (Tiktok.com/@honorphilippines). To check out HONOR’s complete list of retail stores, go to https://www.hihonor.com/ph/retailers/

In the meantime, check out HONOR’s wide array of mobile phones, tablets, and laptops at any HONOR Experience and Partner Stores nationwide or online via Shopee (https://bit.ly/HONORPHShopee), Lazada (https://bit.ly/HONORPHLaz) and TikTok Shop (https://bit.ly/HONORTikTokShop)

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