Stories by Steve Ragan

Inside the thriving ransomware market

Researchers at Carbon Black examined the Ransomware market and discovered some interesting facts about the booming criminal economy. Mirroring some of the legal technology markets, such as those for software development, the market for Ransomware is dominated by unique custom solutions and turnkey offerings.

Steve Ragan | 20 Oct | Read more

KRACK: Researcher discovers flaws in WPA2 authentication

A researcher has released details on vulnerabilities in the Wi-Fi Protected Access II (WPA2) protocol, which he calls KRACK. Attacks taking advantage of the issues will work against all modern protected Wi-Fi networks. To put it another way, if a given device supports Wi-Fi it is likely impacted by the KRACK vulnerabilities.

Steve Ragan | 16 Oct | Read more

8 top cyber-attack maps and how to use them

Cyber-attack maps can be fun to look at, but are they useful? As usual, when it comes to security context is key, so CSO looked at eight of the web's most popular cyber-attack maps. While the maps themselves are mostly eye candy with limited context, there are some creative ways they can be used.

Steve Ragan | 22 Aug | Read more

3 Tips to Get the Most Out of Black Hat/Defcon

Las Vegas. Hate it or love it, for seven days each year Sin City is the gathering place for BSides Las Vegas, Black Hat, and DEF CON. Combined, these events are arguably the largest security gathering in North America, with professionals and enthusiasts both in attendance. Here's how to get the most out of your trip to the desert this summer.

Steve Ragan | 07 Jul | Read more

Q&A: The myths and realities of hacking an election

Election hacking has become a key topic during this year's presidential elections, more so now that candidates and voters are being actively targeted by actors that are assumed to be acting with Russian support. In this modified edition of CSO Online's Hacked Opinions series, we explore the myths and realities of hacking an election, by speaking with a number of security experts.

Steve Ragan | 05 Oct | Read more