The radical transformation of digital crime has forced corporations to abandon static security schemes. In response to this situation, the fifteenth edition of ESET Security Day, one of the most significant annual technology events held in the Venezuelan capital, took place to showcase the new cybersecurity paradigm, where attacks have ceased to be isolated incidents and have become automated operations enhanced by Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools.

Michele Flammia, General Manager of ESET Venezuela, highlighted the value of these informative forums for protecting the region’s business ecosystem. During the event, the brand’s specialists demonstrated, through a live simulation, how modern groups operate and how technologies such as XDR (Extended Detection and Response) and threat intelligence allow for action before the impact materializes.

Innovation in response and strategic advantages

Camila Oliveira, Channel Manager of ESET LATAM (currently based in the regional office in Argentina), addressed cybersecurity as a competitive advantage, inspired by Stephen Covey’s bestseller, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. During his presentation, he detailed the capabilities of the continuous training programs (AARNES) and the value of the managed detection service:

“We want companies to understand that technology and cybersecurity are not an expense, but an investment. ESET’s Managed Detection and Response (MDR) service has the shortest detection time on the market. Competitors use this technology differently, as they don’t offer 24/7 support and their response times are longer,” Oliveira emphasized.

The democratization of attacks through Artificial Intelligence

David González, Security Researcher at ESET Mexico, delivered a keynote address on the impact of generative AI models since the arrival of ChatGPT, a platform that has already reached 400 million users. The expert warned that this widespread adoption has led to a dangerous reduction in the technical barrier for criminals:

“In the cybercriminal world, we are witnessing a democratization of capabilities. It is no longer necessary to possess advanced technical knowledge to carry out an attack; AI allows for the generation of malicious code or the compromise of organizations in a matter of minutes. Time is working against the defenders,” González warned. Given this, he urged organizations to adopt the Diamond Model to dynamically analyze four key aspects of the adversary: ​​infrastructure, capabilities (such as zero-day exploits), victims, and the attacker’s motivations.

An unprotected market against autonomous attacks

For his part, José Luis Rangel, Commercial Manager of  ESET Venezuela warned about the growing interest of digital criminal organizations in targeting critical sectors such as healthcare, energy, and telecommunications using autonomous AI agents. Rangel posed a direct question to the companies and attendees: “What are you doing? It is important that we consider what the organization is doing to prepare before an attack occurs.”

Finally, Carlos López, Pre-Sales Manager at ESET Venezuela, provided critical metrics on corporate neglect in the face of technological evolution over the last 15 years. He explained that between 35 % and 37 % of companies lack basic defenses, and only 41 % have proactive detection and response capabilities.

In addition, 39 % of firms do not have a defined policy for the use of artificial intelligence, which facilitates data breaches. The regional situation reflects that one in four organizations in Latin America does not implement basic security measures, 51 % report having suffered incidents, and it is estimated that an attack occurs every 39 seconds globally.

The speakers emphasized that companies can no longer rely on reactive solutions, which compels corporate leaders to become directly involved in cyber defense and adopt advanced visibility tools to neutralize threats before suffering irreversible financial impacts.

For more information, visit the ESET website: https://www.eset.com/ve/. You can also follow them on social media: Instagram (@esetla) and Facebook (ESET).

Thanks to on-site coverage, more information from ESET and Comstat Rowland Comunicaciones Estratégicas Integrales.

Audiovisual production: Jesús Ramírez

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La entrada ESET Security Day Venezuela: Experts reveal that one-third of companies lack basic protection apareció primero en Bitfinance.

In a digital environment where threats are relentless, national productive sectors face a critical scenario: an attempted cyber intrusion every minute. Given this reality, analyzed by ESET Venezuela experts during their 7th Technology Breakfast for Journalists, data protection has ceased to be a technical option and has become a priority for economic survival.

Today, efficient risk management and the adoption of global standards are the only barriers capable of preventing a complete business shutdown.

During this high-level meeting, emerging trends that are redefining the protection of digital assets were explored. Special emphasis was placed on how local organizations must adapt their infrastructures in the face of the increase in sophisticated attacks that jeopardize operations and data integrity in an increasingly interconnected and demanding ecosystem.

Michele Flammia, General Manager of ESET Venezuela, welcomed attendees, highlighting the brand’s commitment to digital education and protecting strategic assets against current challenges.

Alarming figures that drive proactive action

Carlos López Rodríguez, the company’s Support and Training Manager, emphasized that cybersecurity must be viewed as an ongoing process: “Prevention and training cost less than stopping an attack once it has begun.” He also emphasized that certifications and work on control frameworks provide a real guarantee to third parties and clients.

For his part, José Luis Rangel, Commercial Manager of ESET, warned about the lack of visibility in the market: “Almost 40 % of companies don’t know if they are currently being compromised or if they were in the past.”

According to experts, a cyberattack occurs worldwide every 39 seconds, making it a statistically more likely threat than a fire. The economic impact of this operational paralysis can be reduced by up to 97% with adequate investment in training and frameworks such as ISO 27001 or NIST.

The human factor and social engineering

Martina López, a cybersecurity researcher at ESET Latin America, highlighted that social engineering remains the primary entry point for criminals. Using techniques like quishing (QR phishing) and dynamic phishing, attackers exploit the sense of urgency and trust of employees. In the country, the most frequently impersonated entities include DocuSign, MetaMask, and the Telegram platform, taking advantage of peak interest in AI tools and the current national situation.

Key recommendations for resilience

To strengthen defenses, specialists suggest three fundamental pillars:

• Tabletop Drills: Practicing crisis scenarios allows for the identification of weaknesses in response protocols before a real disaster occurs.
• Real Certification: Obtaining third-party endorsements that validate international standards provides real trust and security to clients.
• Device Security: Disable notifications on the lock screen to prevent the theft of passwords or credentials and always enable two-factor authentication (2FA).

Cybersecurity requires operational maturity; it is contradictory to fear quantum computing while working with obsolete systems. As López concluded, “training and practicing will always cost less than stopping a cyber intruder’s operation once it has begun.”

Video coverage with more details

For more information, visit the ESET website: https://www.eset.com/ve/. Also, follow them on social media: Instagram (@esetla) and Facebook (ESET).

Through on-site coverage and information from ESET and Comstat Rowland Comunicaciones Estratégicas Integrales

Audiovisual production: Ida Febres

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La entrada ESET Venezuela: A cyberattack occurs every 39 seconds; prevention reduces downtime costs by up to 97 % apareció primero en Bitfinance.

ESET Venezuela successfully held its 9th Technology Breakfast with media outlets and journalists specializing in cybersecurity, an essential meeting to analyze digital risks and redefine corporate protection in the era of Artificial Intelligence (AI).

The event focused on dismantling misconceptions, highlighting the need for a comprehensive protection strategy, and addressing social responsibility.

Demystifying digital defense

Michele Flammia, General Manager of ESET Venezuela, began the discussion by refuting common myths. He warned that the belief that only computers require protection, ignoring mobile phones, exposes users to serious risks, especially when downloading applications from unofficial sources or granting excessive permissions.

Flammia emphasized that cybersecurity is not the sole responsibility of the company’s IT (Information Technology) department, but rather a culture that must permeate the entire organization. He also dismissed the idea that users and SMEs “have nothing of value,” pointing out that intellectual property and personal information are prized assets for attackers.

Therefore, he recommended maintaining strong passwords and using multi-factor authentication as basic and mandatory measures.

The high cost of corporate vulnerability

Carlos López Rodríguez, Support and Training Manager at ESET Venezuela, presented compelling figures. The specialist revealed that the average global cost of a security breach is $4.44 million, a figure that increases to $4.9 million if the incident is caused by malicious insiders.

López emphasized the need to address reported vulnerabilities, citing cases where security flaws remained uncorrected for years, even in large corporations like Telefónica (affected by the WannaCry ransomware in 2017). He warned that one in six attacks is now powered by Artificial Intelligence, making prevention more critical than ever.

“If an organization has a vulnerability that was reported seven years ago and does nothing to fix it, something is happening at every level,” López stated, arguing that inaction is a global risk.

The expert highlighted that modern AI-based tools can save companies up to $1.9 million in costs after a breach, although only 49 % of organizations invest in security after being attacked.

The average recovery time from an attack, for those companies or institutions that manage to recover, is 276 days, a period of high operational vulnerability.

Sustainability and global responsibility

José Luis Rangel, marketing manager, who oversees sustainability matters in Venezuela, closed the day by speaking on “ESET’s Sustainable Management – ​​Experiences in Latin America.” Rangel highlighted that the company is one of the few in the sector that aligns its strategy with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Global Compact.

This management approach seeks a balance between environmental, social, and economic factors. It involves promoting gender equality, effective human talent management, and responsibility throughout the value chain, demonstrating that digital security is integrated with a global commitment to sustainability.

Rangel shared some of the sustainability initiatives they have implemented in Latin America and Venezuela in recent years, which are aligned with ESET’s four pillars of action in the region: environment, value chain, employees, and community.

For more information, visit the ESET website:  https://www.eset.com/ve/. You can also follow them on social media: Instagram (@esetla, @eset_ve) and Facebook (ESET).

Through on-site coverage by DOBLE LLAVE and El Sumario, as well as with information and main image provided by Comstat Rowland

Audiovisual production and general photography: Jesús Ramírez

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La entrada ESET analyzes how cybersecurity is the new strategic pillar of business success apareció primero en Bitfinance.

Data is the most valuable asset for companies and organizations, as it contains privileged information about customers, business strategies, research, technological developments and much more. Hence, the loss or unauthorized access to this information can have devastating consequences for companies.

In the business arena, data leaks can lead to loss of customer trust, costly litigation, reputational damage, and significant financial losses.

All these topics were the center of the analysis during the fourteenth edition of ESET Security Day Venezuela 2024, which had a wide participation of professionals, companies and users interested in cybersecurity, who were received by Michele Flammia, general director of ESET Venezuela (Logintel), and they highlighted the quality of the presentations, the relevance of the topics addressed and the opportunity to interact with experts in the area.

The event, organized by ESET, a leading computer security company, has become a regional reference in terms of updating and analyzing the latest threats and trends in the digital field.

Held on May 30 in Caracas, the event brought together cybersecurity experts and industry professionals, thus reaffirming ESET’s commitment to education and awareness in this matter.

Secure data

During the event, three prominent speakers presented presentations on four topics of utmost relevance in the field of cybersecurity. The first of them was Martina López, from Argentina, Security Researcher at ESET Latin America, who referred to Data Protection as “The new gold of the 21st century”, underlining the great importance that data protection has acquired in a world where Information has become a highly coveted asset, both by entities and cybercriminals, hence the protection of information becomes vital for corporations.

During his presentation, López detailed key aspects of this problem, from the evolution of data breaches and sophisticated espionage attacks, to the threats that organizations face today. He presented a practical example of how a person, not necessarily very computer expert, can gain remote access to a company’s data and use it for illegal purposes.

Legislation

Carlos López Rodríguez, Support and Training Manager at ESET Venezuela, spoke on the topic “Data Protection: Safeguarding corporate gold” and How to prevent cybercriminals from accessing the infrastructure of organizations and mitigate the impact of security incidents ?

He shared strategies and solutions to protect against the most common cyber threats facing organizations and users today. Among these threats are malware, ransomware, phishing and attacks on the supply chain, in constant and accelerated evolution due to the use of artificial intelligence. It recommended the implementation of appropriate security measures, staff training and constant updating of software and systems.

In another talk, Carlos López referred to “Data protection laws: an ally more than an enemy”, the reality of legislation in Latin America related to data protection and its application in organizations. He explained that in Venezuela there is no updated legislation on this matter.

Cybersecurity culture

Finally, José Luis Rangel, Commercial Manager of ESET Venezuela, closed the event’s presentations with his presentation on the topic: “We build the cybersecurity culture together,” in which he indicated that organizations face a primary challenge such as is the ability to adjust to regional labor and regulatory developments, “it is crucial that each team member has access to the necessary information while ensuring their security against cyber threats. This paradigm shift urges us to rethink the ways of communicating, adapting methods and habits that build a culture of collaborative cybersecurity.”

In addition to the conferences, ESET Security Day Venezuela 2024 also offered a space for exchange and collaboration between participants, with a Table of Experts, moderated by journalist Edgar Rincón and in which specialists in the area of ​​cybersecurity participated: Milthon Chávez, Rafael Núñez, Martina López and Aníbal Vera, who answered questions to the attendees to share other experiences in the area.

Video

We invite you to listen and watch, as well as share and comment on the following video coverage:

For more information, visit the ESET website: https://www.logintel.com/ve/.

You can also visit their social networks: X (@eset_ve) Instagram (@eset_ve).

Audiovisual production: Ida Febres

Source of information and reference images: In-person audiovisual coverage of El Sumario and DOBLE LLAVE, as well as texts from Comstat Rowland Comunicaciones Estratégicas Integrales

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La entrada Data loss or unauthorized access has devastating effects apareció primero en Bitfinance.

Cyberattacks, data privacy and the real possibility of creating Deep Fakes are major concerns today for both companies and individuals. Artificial Intelligence (AI), which helps advance so quickly in various subjects and areas, also has its dark side, because it also implies risks to computer security.

At a breakfast with the national press, Michele Flammia, general manager of Logintel, exclusive distributor of ESET for Venezuela, a leading company in proactive detection of technological threats, pointed out that the question every business leader must ask himself is: can the company survive if the most critical data was suddenly encrypted by cybercriminals?

Three copies

He indicated that this leads to considering why companies should have, not one, but up to three encrypted backup copies of all their data systems; two should be in different places in the company and the third would be outside, which is also valid for natural persons.

He also advised updating those backups at regular intervals, as he ensures that a backup has limited usefulness if its update is done at a very distant point in time. Cell phones and tablets or personal computers must also be backed up frequently, given the certain possibility that unforeseen events of any kind may occur.

Flammia indicated that “there are many cloud services that offer backing up the company’s valuable data or information, in the event of power outages, among others. But, who are these providers? Are they reliable? It is very important to check if this copy is really being made, if it contains the data from the last 6 months or from the most recent ones.”

He noted that for a company it is important to evaluate that while it stops providing service due to any contingency, it is losing not only money but also reputation and reliability among its clients and users. Hence, it must be understood that “data is your most important asset.”

He added that the backup must be triple because the two servers that contain the data can be damaged, for example. “That has happened in some companies, and they have understood the need of having another backup.”

For all these reasons, he pointed out that “the technology that allows us to predict, prevent, respond and detect these technological threats is increasingly important.”

Extreme Security

For his part, Carlos López Rodríguez, Support and Training Manager at Logintel, highlighted that banking in Latin America is one of the most susceptible to cybercrime attacks, and especially the users of its services, who could be victims of impersonation of web pages and fake offers of online services or updating of bank pages, in order to obtain personal and financial data from clients to commit banking fraud.

Due to the above, López Rodríguez recommended that companies and individuals should pay attention to taking care of these attacks by having up-to-date cybersecurity protections such as the use and updating of different passwords with a certain degree of difficulty. “It is surprising how the most used password in the world during 2023, for everything, is still 123456”, which gives easy access to electronic devices and all types of services, including banking.

He indicated that it is necessary to use resources such as the token and double authentication, among others, as well as not responding to all types of emails or offers of services and gifts, which are clearly suspicious.

Accurate verification

On the other hand, José Luis Rangel, commercial manager of Logintel, advised not to reveal too much information on the professional social network LinkedIn, because cybercriminals can use it to steal and impersonate identities, with the aim of committing crimes. “As for obtaining more and more followers on social networks, it is advisable to verify carefully who wants to follow us, because behind any unknown name there may be a cybercriminal.”

He added that, contrary to what the branding strategy recommends, it is not necessary to offer so much personal information on this social network in order to get jobs. Basic information is enough, it is not advisable to place personal telephone numbers or specific employment information there, and for this network users should create a specific email, different from the one for more personal social networks.”

For more information, visit the ESET website: https://www.eset.com/ve/ and www.logintel.com.ve. Also, their social networks: Instagram (@eset_ve) and X @eset_ve Facebook: (ESET).

Bitfinance.News

With information and image provided by Comstat Rowland Comprehensive Strategic Communications

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La entrada Prevention: Having multiple backups of your data should be a priority for companies apareció primero en Bitfinance.

The digital world in which we currently live has given rise to interconnection scenarios that have allowed us not only to be more connected, but also exposed to various attacks and threats that could endanger our physical and emotional integrity. Aware of this reality, the British-Venezuelan Chamber of Commerce (britcham.com.ve) addressed the issue this Tuesday afternoon with three specialists, who, based on their experiences, shared valuable data with the participants.

Rafael Eladio Núñez Aponte, director of MásQueDigital and MásQueSeguridad, was one of the invited speakers and presented the paper Computer Risks 2022.

Rafa began his speech by recalling that he has been working in the computer security area since 1998 and that since that year, until now, not many things have changed. He stated that the topic of social engineering (which is the art of deceiving cognitive biases in the human factor as the weakest link) continues as a trend, but added that currently the pandemic has been added, which has brought with it the implementation of telecommuting and the use of sensitive company assets at home.

Hybrid working model and phishing

In this sense, he referred to four factors that he considered relevant to explain in detail and have to do mainly with The hybrid work model and the challenges for the company. He recommended as fundamental to have the antivirus updated, as well as the operating system with its patch also updated and legal.

He then talked about phishing and the human factor as a key model. “We have seen in the news how millions of dollars have been stolen from people, simply pretending to be any link that you have of an affective nature, or other patterns of behavior, of how you can be looking for information on the Internet and the phisher goes and sends you a fools trap,” he expressed.

He mentioned Instagram’s privacy and image safety policies. He explained that when the user publishes a photo or music, and they ask him to fill out a form so that his account is not closed, people practically end up giving away the password.

He also mentioned the case of a journalist who recently had his Telegram hacked.

He explained that this person received a text message from a company offering him a promotional code and ended up delivering his download and validation code from the aforementioned network. “We helped report him, he recovered his Telegram, he activated two-step verification, but at the end of the day the criminal kept his entire contact list. What does the criminal do? He impersonates him from another number and begins to say that he has financial problems, that they send him a Zelle and he scammed about 5. Imagine the reputational damage that this can also cause to a public figure.

The next factor he alluded to was that of the technological challenges for the company: “The biggest challenge is that you expand the surface of the attack, which means greater risk,” he said while recommending having all the prevention mechanisms with this work hybrid, “up to a VPN that not even companies implement to encrypt information between home and office.”

Future of cybersecurity

Rafael Núñez Aponte also addressed the future of cybersecurity and suggested:

• That the organizations of the region improve their security policies, migrating towards Zero Trust management.
• Use Blockchain to guarantee the integrity and availability of information.
• Implement powerful technologies such as Blockchain and Machine learning, since it is what is being used a lot at the server level.

Finally, he referred to the 2022 cyberattack forecasts, among which he mentioned: development of remote access banking Trojans, QR code attacks and Skimmers or card cloning devices that are used with the aim of stealing payment data. of customers.

Ransomware, to pay or not to pay?

Carlos López Rodríguez, a specialist in information security with more than 15 years of experience in the area, was also present at the event organized by Britcham Venezuela, through the presentation Ransomware, Pay or not pay?

During his presentation, López, who has also been a panelist and lecturer at different events on cybersecurity, told the audience that ransomware is a malicious code, “a virus, which is dedicated to hijacking information from our files, from our computers, servers, mobile devices, with the intention that we cannot access our data and the attackers ask us for a ransom for returning said data.”

He stressed that it has been evolving and that it is becoming more and more destructive. Each time it is about extorting in as many ways as possible. “In the beginning, only these victims suffered from the blocking of their devices, then it evolved to encryption of their data, then so that they had a double extortion, not only did they encrypt the data, but they also indicated that the encrypted data they were stolen and that they were going to be exposed.”

He also spoke of a third transformation of this crime where the victim is not only the organization that has been attacked, but also the suppliers who are also being extorted.

Smart Contracts

The meeting concluded with the presentation Blockchain Smart Contracts and Impact on Commerce, by Lawyer Jesús Rodríguez. The specialist in Public Management, Criminal Law and Computer Law, made reference during his 25 minutes of exposure to smart contracts and how these, through a Blockchain digital platform, can have viability and security.

“What we are clear about as far as lawyers are concerned and their participation in support for organizations and corporations, is that it has a relevant reflection at the moment, if that lawyer manages to see a little more than what he has traditionally attended. That is, to have a multidisciplinary vision of realities, to have a greater breadth of what the world today means and contains… and see how it can now be translated into software so that this can have a safe digital dimension or scope,” he shared.

Source: doblellave

La entrada Preventive analysis: Specialists spoke about the risks posed by information technologies apareció primero en Bitfinance.