Government,
Industry Specific,
Next-Generation Technologies & Secure Development
Also: Implications of the UK’s $7B Bitcoin Case, Vectra’s Acquisition of Netography
In this week’s analysis, ISMG editors evaluate the ramifications of the U.S. government shutdown on federal cybersecurity measures, the simultaneous expiration of the CISA 2015 liability shield, and the recent acquisition of Netography by Vectra AI. Additionally, they discuss a significant British money-laundering case involving a bitcoin cache valued at approximately $7 billion.
Related Resource: For more insights, check out the Compliance Team Guide for Evasion Prevention & Sanction Exposure Detection.
The panel, comprising Chris Riotta, managing editor of GovInfoSecurity; Michael Novinson, executive editor of ISMG Business; and Mathew Schwartz, executive editor, delves into several critical topics. They discuss how the ongoing U.S. government shutdown is revealing vulnerabilities within cyber defenses. Although only 5% of the Department of Homeland Security’s workforce is furloughed, CISA has sent home 65% of its personnel, compounded by the fact that one-third of its workforce has been lost since the beginning of the year.
Moreover, they analyze the precarious timing surrounding a zero-day campaign linked to “ArcaneDoor,” which targets firmware and maintains persistence through system reboots. This comes at a moment when CISA 2015’s liability safeguards have lapsed, stifling indicator sharing and hindering response efficacy. The panel also explores the strategic advantages for Vectra AI following its acquisition of Netography, a move that enhances its multi-cloud observability and equips it with additional leverage via DNS and flow logs as competition intensifies among Network Detection and Response vendors.
The discussion further covers the U.K.’s aggressive pursuit of a significant cryptocurrency case, wherein a Chinese national confessed to money laundering involving roughly 61,000 bitcoins. The British authorities effectively utilized local statutes to target illicit gains, working in coordination with Chinese officials to trace these digital assets.
The ISMG Editors’ Panel convenes weekly, providing timely insights into critical cybersecurity developments. For further reading, listeners may explore past editions, including the September 19 edition on cultural challenges in security acquisitions and the September 26 episode focused on cybersecurity concerns within law firms and small to midsize businesses.