Smart Buildings Need Joined-Up Security

Today, much discussion in the technology world revolves around the Internet of Things (IoT), where billions of things will be interconnected over IP networks. Gartner estimates that, as of 2015, smart homes and commercial buildings made up 45% of the IoT.

Smart Buildings are often run using building automation systems that are used to centrally control areas such as heating, ventilation, air conditioning, lighting and lifts.

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Blackmail for a digital age

Ransomware is a particularly malicious form of malware that gains access to a user’s system and then proceeds to prevent them from accessing their own data. In some cases, the files on the system are encrypted so as to be irretrievable without the key and, in others, access is simply denied to the device’s owner. In both situations the hacker will demand a ransom is paid to un-encrypt the files or have access given back to the user. You could say it is traditional blackmail revolutionised for a digital age. Read more

The Threat of Ex-employees in Digital Security

When we talk about the insider threat, and it is a topic that is very prominent in the digital security world at the moment, we tend to think of it in terms of rogue employees. People inside your business who are either actively looking to damage your organisation, or are simply naive to the risks of what they are doing. At Digital Pathways, we would like to talk about the equal threat that ex-employees pose, or at least, how the accounts they leave behind can still cause damage. Read more

How Ransomware Attacks Might Affect Smart Buildings

Ransomware has become a decidedly ‘trendy’ cyber-attack topic for the media to cover. We looked at it ourselves earlier this year too, in our post on ‘how to deal with ransomware’. In it, we discussed how this particular form of cybercrime can affect people, and what is at risk. We touched on the turmoil that hackers have caused in hospitals and schools, as well as how businesses should look to educate their staff on preventative measures. Read more

The Potential Risks of the Internet of Things in our Homes

The emergence of the Internet of Things (IoT), and the dawning of the ‘Interconnected Home’, is set to revolutionise the way we live our lives.

Connectivity between Internet-enabled devices will allow for previously unthought-of communication, as physical objects perform actions that see them interact with their environment. The possibilities are vast, with electronic appliances in the home embedded with the same technology you would likely find in your phone, or even your car. Read more