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"Ed the Fed" Gibson
Some beleaguered businesses have had it up to
here with an increasingly toxic internet that threatens to cripple if
not all but bring an enterprise down. They're seriously considering
quitting the Internet for good.
Confronted endlessly by an ever-rising risk of being assaulted by a
combination of commercial bullying along with malicious phishing scams.
Also witnessing an endless sowing of dissent and spreading propaganda
along with copies of key products illegally sold on the market hurting
commercial ambitions.
No one is immune from cyber-attack. Even Tesla's Elon Musk couldn't stop
a major data leakage of salaries of his 140,000 employees.
Ex-FBI and Microsoft UK global cyber expert Edward Gibson issued a
timely cybersecurity warning from across the Pond.
Well known to Scottish business conference delegates, he would adopt his
"G-man" alter ego, donning dark glasses and morphing into "Ed the Fed".
Then he would urge extreme caution always in cybersecurity activities
asking pointed and often unsettling questions of his audience.
Ed was federal bureau chief in charge of UK investigations out of
Grosvenor Square. He was then headhunted by Microsoft for the post of
chief cyber security adviser.
He has given more than 250 presentations ranging from Riyadh, Saudi
Arabia, Shirahama, Japan, and Ukraine and Russia well before the current
war.
Ed told me from Washington DC, where he operates as a licensed private
investigator in the State of Virginia: "Cyber defenses? I could give the
same presentation today that I gave twenty years ago. It's all about
people."
Over the last two decades we've all been involved in unprecedented
technological advances currently led by generative artificial
intelligence (genAI)
Virtual gangs are nowadays often organised on a cellular basis with no
real knowledge of each other. Rather than the common perception of a
detached teenager in a darkened bedroom.
Ed: "Most of these people know what they're doing...and if we don't get
on top of the problem they are going to take the internet to the point
where people may fear to venture into it."
One energy sector executive, who asked not to be named to avoid
trolling, told me on their reaction on discovering a recent phishing
campaign attempted to snare nuclear waste management workers.
"You know, I wonder if such constant online aggro is worth it."
Ed, who was a financial regulatory public arbitrator and CEO of Embassy
Attache Groups plus a DC special inspector general for pandemic recovery
2020-2021, emphasises how a simple mistake at work can result in costly
implications.
It can all but bring about the complete shutdown of an organisation.
Threats and attacks can come from any location at any time. Posing
challenges with incident involving victims, suspects and crimes spanning
multiple countries.
Virtual gangs are nowadays often organised on a cellular basis with no
real knowledge of each other. Rather than the common perception of a
detached teenage in a darkened bedroom.
Increasingly such gangs have the power and often ambition to take down
an organisation.
During his five-year stint with Microsoft Ed persuaded the software
giant to provide forensic training in the UK and Ireland involving law
enforcement officers.
A short sharp three-day program was attended by nearly all designated
constables including select officials from other European countries.
Food for thought as regards duplicating a private or private sector
employee - and employer - cyber training course to help ensure survival
of an organisation. |
