Interesting News in Cybersecurity Recently

Some of this is interesting, some of it is downright scary. (I say scary not because it's close to Halloween, but it's really scary)

Here are two links:

Pay attention to the volume of information in the attack and the devices used.

https://www.securityweek.com/record-breaking-ddos-attack-peaked-at-3-8-tbps-2-14-billion-pps/

We still think of quantum computing as something in the future. But it's here now.

https://www.csoonline.com/article/3562701/chinese-researchers-break-rsa-encryption-with-a-quantum-computer.html

National Cyber Director Encourages Adoption of Skill-Based Hiring

Big news yesterday. Read the press release. The new Fed hiring practices will be skills based. Meaning if you don't have a college degree but have the skills you are employable with the feds.

 

 https://www.whitehouse.gov/oncd/briefing-room/2024/04/29/press-release-wh-cyber-workforce-convening/

The State of Cybersecurity - The Duane S. Molnar Speaker Series - October 17th, 2023

Download the presentation here: 

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1mEoW8oVqj1IROTRmGxLRUh-xTM9FB7wC/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=106456896802920877097&rtpof=true&sd=true

     

MGM Grand Ransomware Attack

 https://www.vox.com/technology/2023/9/15/23875113/mgm-hack-casino-vishing-cybersecurity-ransomware

https://blog.bushidotoken.net/2023/08/tracking-adversaries-scattered-spider.html

https://www.mandiant.com/resources/blog/alphv-ransomware-backup

https://www.crowdstrike.com/cybersecurity-101/ransomware/ransomware-as-a-service-raas/

https://cybersecurityventures.com/global-ransomware-damage-costs-predicted-to-reach-250-billion-usd-by-2031/

https://nypost.com/2023/09/14/caesars-entertainment-paid-about-15m-to-hackers-who-stole-customer-social-security-numbers-other-info-report/

https://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory/cyberattack-mgm-resorts-expected-cost-casino-giant-100-103784725

Recent

https://cybernews.com/security/mgm-caesars-ransomware-attack-timeline/

https://www.casino.org/news/mgm-cyberattack-impact-limited-to-q3-says-analyst/

National Cybersecurity Strategy Implementation Plan

 

From the White House briefing Room:

the National Cybersecurity Strategy Implementation Plan

Here is a link to the release:

https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/07/13/fact-sheet-biden-harrisadministration-publishes-thenational-cybersecurity-strategyimplementation-plan/

And here is a link to the plan:

https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/National-Cybersecurity-Strategy-Implementation-Plan-WH.gov_.pdf

Write a blog post to introduce readers to bard and other LLMs (and Bard said)

Sure, here is a blog post to introduce readers to Bard and other LLMs:

What is a Large Language Model (LLM)?

A large language model (LLM) is a type of artificial intelligence (AI) that is trained on a massive dataset of text and code. This training allows the LLM to learn the patterns and relationships between words, which in turn allows it to generate text, translate languages, write different kinds of creative content, and answer your questions in an informative way.

What are some of the benefits of using an LLM?

LLMs can be used for a variety of tasks, including:

• Generating text: LLMs can be used to generate text, such as articles, blog posts, emails, and even creative writing.
• Translating languages: LLMs can be used to translate languages, which can be helpful for businesses that do business internationally or for people who are learning a new language.
• Writing different kinds of creative content: LLMs can be used to write different kinds of creative content, such as poems, scripts, musical pieces, and email.
• Answering your questions in an informative way: LLMs can be used to answer your questions in an informative way, even if they are open ended, challenging, or strange.
• What are some of the limitations of using an LLM?

LLMs are still under development, so they have some limitations. For example, they can sometimes generate text that is factually incorrect or that contains offensive language. Additionally, LLMs can be biased, which means that they may generate text that reflects the biases of the data they were trained on.

What are some of the most popular LLMs?

Some of the most popular LLMs include:

• Bard: Bard is an LLM from Google AI. It is trained on a massive dataset of text and code, and it can generate text, translate languages, write different kinds of creative content, and answer your questions in an informative way.
• ChatGPT: ChatGPT is an LLM from OpenAI. It is trained on a massive dataset of text, and it can generate text, translate languages, and answer your questions in an informative way.
• Offline Alpaca: Offline Alpaca is an LLM that can be run on your own computer. It is trained on a smaller dataset of text than Bard or ChatGPT, but it is more private and secure.

What is the future of LLMs?

LLMs are a rapidly developing field, and it is difficult to say what the future holds for them. However, it is likely that they will become increasingly powerful and versatile tools that can be used for a wide variety of tasks.

I hope this blog post has introduced you to Bard and other LLMs. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask me in the comments.

How much influence or control should big tech have?

This NewsWeek article is scary on a couple of different levels. Who's in control?

https://www.newsweek.com/amazon-smart-home-brandon-jackson-echo-racial-slur-allegation-1806947

Expect more links to be added.