2017 has been a very eventful year for cyber security, especially when we consider the adventures of Kaspersky lab in the media.
During the second half of 2017, Kaspersky Lab was subject to heavy public criticism by US media outlets and US Government agencies alleging that the firm was involved with Russian intelligence services and that its anti-virus software used for espionage purposes.
Subsequently, the US government banned their software from federal use and Best Buy pulled the product from retail sale.
Kaspersky lab has denied these allegations claiming they were “baseless paranoia” and a “witch hunt”
These allegations further developed via WikiLeaks disclosure in November where it was claimed the CIA was using Kaspersky Lab as a scapegoat for covert cyber activities. In addition, at the same time MI6 raised suspicions as to why Kaspersky software was targeted to specific banking customers.
In a world of fake news, stories like these are a daily occurrence on the web and we have to take the good and the bad, analysing them based on merit and fact.
First-hand information and reporting on the party/company concerned can go some way to evaluating such claims.
Kaspersky lab CEO/Founder Eugene Kaspersky visited Sydney, Australia in May 2017 to give the keynote address at the CeBIT expo. Eugene’s talk focused on Key cyber security issues for critical infrastructure, covering operating systems, banks, IoT, SCADA, Power Grids, Transportation and financial services
Eugene himself and regional executives from Kaspersky Lab also participated in a press conference with Australian technology media addressing current security topics and developments at Kaspersky. Topics covered in this Q&A session range from IoT/Critical Infrastructure, AI, US Election Hacks, Ransomware, Government Regulation, State Sponsored/Professional Cyber-attacks, Cyber weapons and gangs, human factors in security and Australian government's attention to Critical Infrastructure security.
00:05 Defining Critical Infrastructure, IoT and Smart Grids
01:20 Future AI threat defence
02:40 Alleged Russian interference with US Election
04:30 Wannacry prevention and rise of Ransomware business
08:30 Government licensing and regulation for cyber security
10:40 Achieving immunity against cyber risks & Kaspersky OS for Network Devices
14:20 What mobile phone does Eugene Use/Phone OS Security
16:10 Government struggles with Cyber Security despite investments
17:15 business/industry vulnerability to state sponsored & professional cyber-attacks and attacks on Australia
23:00 Social issues of Cyber Gangs poaching young engineering talent and Industrial Hacking
26:00 Cyber Weapons and Government Cyber Divisions
26:50 Humans versus consumer product security
29:50 Aust. Govt on critical infrastructure security