The hottest Information Security Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
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Top Technology Topics

How security teams fail

lcamtuf’s thing • 8774 implied HN points • 12 Feb 25
🕹 Technology Information Security
  1. Many companies don't prioritize hiring security teams until after a major security incident happens. This means their first security personnel often lack experience to build strong security programs.
  2. Over time, security teams can become rigid and focused on their own tasks rather than aligning with broader business goals. This may lead to them missing urgent risks.
  3. When a major breach occurs, it can finally highlight the weaknesses in security strategies. This often leads to a change in team structure and a chance to improve communication within the company.

Security Is A Useless Controls Problem

Security Is • 59 implied HN points • 29 May 24
🕹 Technology Information Security
  1. Many security controls are useless, wasting resources and time. It's crucial to understand why you're implementing a control to avoid just following the crowd.
  2. If you can't explain why a security control is needed in a simple way, it's likely not very useful. Good controls should have clear reasons behind them.
  3. Wasting time on unnecessary controls can harm everyone in the industry. Focus on meaningful security measures to make better use of limited resources.

Making Sense of the Verizon Data Breach Investigation Report

Security Is • 39 implied HN points • 19 Jun 24
🕹 Technology Information Security
  1. Most breaches are due to simple mistakes, like employees accidentally sending confidential info to the wrong place. Security teams need to focus on basic issues before tackling more complex problems.
  2. A large portion of breaches starts with phishing or stolen credentials. Companies should invest more in security measures like multi-factor authentication and employee training to lessen these risks.
  3. Generative AI hasn't impacted security breaches significantly yet. Most attackers are still using traditional methods, and no one seems to be targeting AI systems directly.

Signs and Portents

One Useful Thing • 1227 implied HN points • 06 Jan 24
🕹 Technology Information Security
  1. AI development is happening faster than expected, with estimates of AI beating humans at all tasks shifting to 2047 from 2060 in just one year.
  2. AI is already impacting work by boosting performance, particularly for lower performers, and excelling in some tasks while struggling in others.
  3. AI is altering the truth through deepfakes, convincing AI-generated images, and advancements in completing CAPTCHAs and sending convincing emails.

Software Supply Chain Security in DevSecOps & CI/CD

Resilient Cyber • 259 implied HN points • 27 Sep 23
🕹 Technology Information Security
  1. Software supply chain attacks are increasing, making it essential for organizations to protect their software development processes. Companies are looking for ways to secure their software from these attacks.
  2. NIST has issued guidance to help organizations improve software supply chain security, especially in DevSecOps and CI/CD environments. Following NIST's recommendations can help mitigate risks and ensure safer software delivery.
  3. The complexity of modern software environments makes security challenging. It's important for organizations to implement strict security measures throughout the development lifecycle to prevent attacks and ensure the integrity of their software.
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Security is Not an SBOM Problem

Security Is • 39 implied HN points • 15 May 24
🕹 Technology Information Security
  1. A Software Bill of Materials (SBOM) lists all the components in software, which can help in understanding security risks but isn't a magic fix for vulnerabilities.
  2. The real issue with fixing vulnerabilities isn't about having information; it's about how hard and complicated it is to apply patches to software.
  3. While SBOMs are getting a lot of hype, they mostly offer a new format for existing information and may not change how organizations manage security vulnerabilities.

Defending CI/CD Environments - The NSA/CISA Way

Resilient Cyber • 299 implied HN points • 29 Jun 23
🕹 Technology Information Security
  1. CI/CD environments are crucial for the development and delivery of software, but they can also be targeted by hackers. It's important to secure these systems to prevent attacks.
  2. The NSA and CISA have released guidelines that offer best practices for protecting CI/CD pipelines. Using existing frameworks and tools can help improve security effectively.
  3. Transitioning to a Zero Trust model is recommended to enhance security in software development. This approach minimizes risks by ensuring that all access is restricted and monitored.

AI SOC Automation isn't the right problem to solve

Frankly Speaking • 152 implied HN points • 14 Jan 25
🕹 Technology Information Security
  1. Focusing on better detection engineering is key in security operations. It helps identify threats more effectively rather than just automating processes.
  2. Many traditional security operations centers (SOCs) may not be necessary for most companies. Smaller, more efficient models or managed detection services can be better alternatives.
  3. The future of SOCs is likely to involve fewer human analysts and more automation, emphasizing custom detections that fit the specific needs of a business.

The Combined Power of SAST and Threat Modeling

Resilient Cyber • 99 implied HN points • 07 Mar 23
🕹 Technology Information Security
  1. Using SAST tools helps find security problems in an app's code. It's important to have tools that are easy to use and can be customized based on your needs.
  2. Threat modeling is about figuring out what security risks exist and how likely they are to happen. It helps you focus on the most important threats to your applications.
  3. Combining SAST and threat modeling makes both methods stronger. By knowing your threats, you can use SAST better to fix specific vulnerabilities in your software.

Hurry up

davidj.substack • 23 implied HN points • 21 Jun 25
🕹 Technology Information Security
  1. Information security teams should be proactive instead of reactive. Companies need to adapt quickly as many vendors are now offering AI features that can affect data security.
  2. It's inefficient to have separate security evaluations for vendors that offer AI. Organizations should streamline the approval process as more tools will incorporate AI.
  3. Companies should provide approved AI tools for employees to use instead of denying access to popular non-corporate solutions. This way, they can maintain security while still allowing employees to leverage AI effectively.

TechLetters Insights: information security in the new Russian doctrine

Lukasz Olejnik on Cyber, Privacy and Tech Policy Critique • 39 implied HN points • 03 Apr 23
🌍 World Politics Information Security
  1. The new Russian doctrine emphasizes the role of artificial intelligence and information security.
  2. Russia views cyber/information operations as tools that can provoke coups or wars.
  3. Russia aims to protect its society from external influence and is prepared to retaliate against threats using various means.

Defender for Cloud Learn Doc Gets Its Own RSS Feed

Rod’s Blog • 39 implied HN points • 08 Jun 23
🕹 Technology Information Security
  1. The Defender for Cloud Learn Doc now has its own RSS feed, granting users the ability to get notified about updates easily.
  2. Despite this improvement, not all pages on learn.microsoft.com have RSS feeds yet, so users still have to monitor some sections manually.
  3. Other Microsoft pages also have their own RSS feeds, showing an effort to provide users with up-to-date information through various channels.

#18: The little Indian internet corner of database sellers

Pea Bee • 3 HN points • 28 May 23
🕹 Technology Information Security
  1. Data theft incidents in India involved large-scale theft of data from major companies like Facebook, Amazon, Big Basket, and others.
  2. Social media marketing experts in India were found selling personal user data of millions of Indians through Google Drive links.
  3. There is a widespread network of individuals reselling databases in India, with concerns about the security and confidentiality of personal information.

Chữ A đầu tiên: authentication

Thái | Hacker | Kỹ sư tin tặc • 19 implied HN points • 17 Jul 07
🕹 Technology Information Security
  1. Authentication is the first step in the security realm, involving proving if you are who you claim to be through factors like something you have, something you are, something you know, or something you trust.
  2. Using multi-factor authentication, especially two or three factors, enhances security by requiring multiple types of proof for identity verification.
  3. Security measures in authentication should balance safety and convenience, as perfect security doesn't exist. Implementing n-factor authentication beyond three can become too inconvenient.

hacking stuff again

Thái | Hacker | Kỹ sư tin tặc • 0 implied HN points • 23 Sep 08
🕹 Technology Information Security
  1. Finding a way to do what you like and earn money is ideal but sometimes difficult due to real-world necessities.
  2. Success can be subjective, but having success may involve balancing personal interests with career achievements.
  3. Choosing a career based on personal passion and interests can lead to high motivation and satisfaction.

Tội phạm tin học Việt Nam dễ bắt, khó xử

Thái | Hacker | Kỹ sư tin tặc • 0 implied HN points • 17 Jul 07
🕹 Technology Information Security
  1. Cyber criminals in Vietnam are easy to catch and difficult to handle due to their use of basic tools and techniques.
  2. Law enforcement agencies can recover deleted data from hard drives, even after common operations like formatting or partitioning.
  3. Many Vietnamese hackers are young and inexperienced, often underestimating the consequences of their actions.

When Our Digital World Fades, Will We Too?

The Digital Anthropologist • 0 implied HN points • 16 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Information Security
  1. Stone and paper may endure longer than digital storage. Our digital memories are fragile and could be lost in the future.
  2. Our current Digital Age might leave a gap in history for future historians and archaeologists to wonder about.
  3. Technological advancements may lead to storing information in DNA, potentially changing how future generations understand humanity.

Cyber Security Firm Discloses Four Critical Vulnerabilities That Affect Millions of Apps on the Apple Platform

Apple Wire • 0 implied HN points • 03 Jul 24
🕹 Technology Information Security
  1. CocoaPods, a tool used by many Apple apps, has serious security flaws that could let hackers inject harmful code into millions of apps. This is a big issue because it affects about 3 million applications.
  2. The vulnerabilities allow attackers to access sensitive information on users' devices, like private messages and medical info. This shows how valuable open-source code can be when it's not properly secured.
  3. It's important for developers to be cautious about third-party code and regularly check their dependencies. They should make sure they're using well-maintained libraries and avoid unclaimed or orphaned code to keep their apps safe.

Vụ lộ 160 triệu tài khoản của VNG

Thái | Hacker | Kỹ sư tin tặc • 0 implied HN points • 01 May 18
🕹 Technology Information Security
  1. A data breach of VNG exposed around 160 million accounts, including sensitive information like passwords and personally identifiable information (PII) like names, birthdates, emails, phone numbers, and more.
  2. The breached data was poorly protected, with passwords stored in an easily crackable format, allowing for over 124 million accounts to be decrypted in just two days using basic software on a standard laptop.
  3. The impact of such breaches can be severe, as many individuals use the same password across multiple accounts, making them vulnerable to further security risks if exposed in one breach.

Antira Technology Raised a A+ Round | China Cybersecurity

CyberSecurityMew • 0 implied HN points • 18 Apr 23
🕹 Technology Information Security
  1. Antira Technology raised a A+ round of funding from Everest.VC and Glory Ventures, indicating confidence in the company and its growth potential.
  2. The company, founded in 2011 in Beijing, focuses on providing professional security services with offensive and defensive capabilities in the evolving information security landscape.
  3. Antira Technology's innovative approach to security, beyond 'attack surface management,' includes a new concept of being 'a risk manager in the digital world' based on measuring changes in defense targets.

Hangzhou PQCTech complete Series A financing of tens of millions of yuan

CyberSecurityMew • 0 implied HN points • 11 Sep 23
🕹 Technology Information Security
  1. Hangzhou PQCTech completed a Series A financing round worth tens of millions of yuan, led by Haiyue Asset Management and with participation from other investors like Yuhang Guotou and Gingko Capital.
  2. The company focuses on post-quantum cryptography and high-performance national cryptographic libraries, aiming to advance new cryptographic products.
  3. Hangzhou PQCTech develops quantum-resistant cryptographic services for various sectors like national defense, government, finance, and energy, ensuring cybersecurity in the quantum era.