social engineering

5 Key Metrics to Enhance Cybersecurity Posture

/ bugejajoseph / Leave a comment

In cybersecurity, the right metrics help assess and improve an organization’s security posture. These five are especially effective at distinguishing strong programs from those at risk:

  1. Mean Time to Respond/Recover (MTTR). Speed matters. Top teams reduce MTTR through automation and regular incident response drills. The faster a threat is contained, the less damage it causes.
  2. Vulnerability Resolution Rate. The question is not how many vulnerabilities you fix — it is whether you are addressing the right ones. Smart security leaders prioritize based on business impact, not just severity scores.
  3. Security Awareness Engagement. When security becomes part of your culture, the metrics shift from “completion rates” to active participation. I have seen organizations transform their security posture when they started tracking how often employees report suspicious activities rather than just training attendance.
  4. Phishing Resilience. The most revealing metric is not your click rate — it is how that rate changes as your simulations become increasingly sophisticated. Organizations making real progress show declining click rates even as attacks grow more convincing.
  5. Patch Management Efficiency. Strong teams balance rapid patching with system stability, achieving high compliance without disrupting operations.

These metrics offer a clearer lens into actual security posture. What key indicators are driving your strategic decisions, and what innovative methods are you using to measure what truly safeguards your organization? I would love to hear your experiences.

Digital Deception: The Rise of AI Voice Cloning Scams

/ bugejajoseph / Leave a comment

Advancements in AI have revolutionized various sectors, but they have also introduced sophisticated tools for scammers. One alarming development is AI voice cloning, where fraudsters replicate voices using minimal audio samples, often sourced from social media. This capability empowers scammers to impersonate trusted contacts, such as family members, and fabricate urgent, emotionally charged scenarios to solicit funds or sensitive personal information.

The efficacy of these scams is deeply rooted in the exploitation of what might be termed an ‘uncanny valley of auditory trust.’ The synthesized voice, while superficially convincing and capable of triggering emotional recognition, may contain subtle inconsistencies perceptible only upon meticulous scrutiny. However, when individuals are subjected to heightened emotional distress — a state often deliberately induced by the scammer — their cognitive defenses are compromised, rendering them more susceptible to manipulation. This interplay of near-perfect replication and emotional vulnerability creates a potent vector for deception, underscoring the insidious nature of AI-enabled fraud.

To protect yourself from such scams, consider the following strategies:

  • Establish Verification Methods: Create a family code word or question known only to close members to verify identities during unexpected calls.
  • Exercise Caution: Be skeptical of unsolicited requests for money or sensitive information, even if they seem to come from trusted sources.
  • Limit Personal Information Sharing: Be mindful of the content you share publicly online, as scammers can use this information for impersonation.

As AI continues to advance, I find myself reflecting on the importance of strengthening genuine human connections — recognizing the unique nuances of communication that only humans share — as one of our strongest defenses against AI-driven deception. Research suggests that humans still possess an intuitive ability to sense when something is “off” in AI-generated content, even if they cannot consciously pinpoint the issue. This “digital intuition” may become an increasingly valuable skill, highlighting that our most effective defense may not only lie in technological safeguards but also in cultivating digital discernment through awareness and practice, especially in an age when our senses can no longer be fully trusted.

References:

https://edition.cnn.com/2024/09/18/tech/ai-voice-cloning-scam-warning/index.html

https://farmonaut.com/usa/wichita-alert-ai-voice-cloning-scams-on-the-rise-how-to-protect-your-personal-information/

https://www.wired.com/story/you-need-to-create-a-secret-passphrase-with-your-family

https://helpcenter.trendmicro.com/en-us/article/tmka-19303

Securing the University: My Information Security Awareness Session

/ bugejajoseph / Leave a comment
Photo by ThisIsEngineering on Pexels.com

As technology continues to advance, so do the risks and threats associated with it. To protect ourselves and our institutions, it is crucial to remain informed and updated with the latest security trends and best practices. This was the main focus of my recent 45-minute security awareness session with the university technical staff.

In addition to discussing fundamental security measures, I also covered the latest threat actors and threats in the cyber security landscape affecting universities and public institutions. This included state-sponsored actors, cybercriminals, hacker-for-hire groups, and hacktivists. I emphasized the potential consequences of a cyber attack, which can be severe and damaging, such as financial losses, reputational harm, and legal liability.

One alarming statistic I shared was that according to estimates from Statista’s Cybersecurity Outlook, the global cost of cybercrime is expected to surge in the next five years, rising from $8.44 trillion in 2022 to $23.84 trillion by 2027. This underscores the importance of taking proactive steps to mitigate potential risks.

While technical measures are essential, we also discussed the human element of security, including social engineering tactics like phishing emails or pretexting phone calls. Information security starts and ends with all of us, and it is crucial that everyone takes responsibility for protecting sensitive information and assets.

Here is a redacted version of the presentation. Additionally, I recently co-authored an article titled “Human Factors for Cybersecurity Awareness in a Remote Work Environment”, which delves into relevant and relatable cyber security aspects for remote employees.”