Ep. 113 MGM, CISA, and non-human entities

Josh Brodbent has an amazing technical background. When he was still in his teens, he started a company that managed services. For the past twenty years, he has immersed himself in the world of technology with a particular focus on ICAM and cyber security.

During today’s interview, we tapped his technical expertise to comment on some trends in cybersecurity that can impact the federal government:  the MGM hack and CISA updates.

The MGM attack was a curious combination of old-school methods and artificial intelligence. According to reports, a malicious actor used a telephone call to gain access to a system. The telephone number was easy to find; the rest of the pieces of the puzzle were available through social media. This new vector launches a new portmanteau. It combines voice with phishing to yield “Vishing.” 

The real talent in this attack was the convincing phone manner, with doses of urgency, which allowed the hackers to get into the MGM system. They set up some ransomware and walked away with an estimated 100 million dollars.

Josh Brodbent looks at the recent announcement from CISA. To use securely developed software, they a. mandating that a higher level of officers at software companies attest to the security of the code. This may grab the attention of leaders in the “C” suite to actively comply with federal regulations.

The interview ends with an examination of the complex issues federal leaders face. Josh observes that many in the commercial and federal world chase after “bright shiny objects” a can take they are off the goal. He observes that complexity does not always mean effectiveness.

Listen for the MGM details and lessons to streamline your federal agency.

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