In February's blog, we delve deep into the core values of Total Digital Security, encapsulated in our commitment to provide an ecosystem ensuring optimal privacy and security across all devices, anytime, anywhere.
At the heart of our mission lie 'the fundamentals' — essential principles akin to the legs of a sturdy stool, without which our vision for a robust privacy and cybersecurity environment would be unattainable.
Let's embark on a journey through the key elements of our "Cybersecurity for Life" approach:
✓ First, here's a reader's guide to what follows next:
Outline - How We Create an Ecosystem of Privacy and Cybersecurity
The qualifying principals:
- Protection must be optimized in real-time, all the time.
- Defenses must work across all devices.
- Security must be effective on any network, public or private.
Step #1 - Find where the risk resides - "The Three Primary Attack Surfaces."
Step #2 - Determine a strategy to protect the 'Attack Surfaces' from cybercrime, ID theft, and loss of personal information - "The Four Fundamentals."
Step #3 - Identify best-in-class solutions for provisioning 'The Four Fundamentals' and implementing strategy with real-time tactical optimization 24/7.
✓ Before we explore the fundamentals in depth, let's first trace the path that led us here. With this, we aspire to construct a vivid 'mind-eye' view, enriching the reader's context and sharpening their critical thinking skills.
Building an Ecosystem of Privacy and Cybersecurity
Step-by-Step Guide:
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Step #1 - Identifying Vulnerabilities, or what we call:
"The Three Primary Attack Surfaces for Cybercrime and Online Fraud."
Our journey began with a user-centric approach, pinpointing three core areas of vulnerability:
- Email: The primary entry point for cyber threats.
- Devices: Computers, phones, and other gadgets vulnerable to various attacks.
- Networks: Both home and public Wi-Fi are increasingly targeted by hackers.
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Step #2 - Crafting the Strategy, or what we call:
"The Four Fundamentals of Cybersecurity for Life."
To combat these vulnerabilities, we developed four indispensable pillars:
- Privatize Your Email: Utilizing secure email services and domain registration.
- Protect Your Devices: Implementing enterprise-level endpoint protection for comprehensive defense.
- Secure Networks: Employ internet network security solutions to safeguard connections, including all internet-connected "things."
- VPN Usage: Use a VPN every day.
✓ We will detail the solutions and their benefits for each of the Four Fundamentals below.
Discovering the Fundamentals of Cybersecurity and Privacy
Our approach is rooted in understanding the user's interaction with the digital world. By focusing on critical junctures of vulnerability, we identified '"The Three Primary Attack Surfaces" — the epicenters of cyber threats. This insight laid the foundation for 'The Four Fundamentals,' essential for constructing a universal privacy and security ecosystem.
Our identification of the fundamentals began with an 'outside-in' approach, starting from the user's interaction with the internet. This perspective enabled us to pinpoint cyber risk at its core, and we found it in three distinct areas. By concentrating on these critical junctures of digital vulnerability, we've articulated the essential fundamentals required to realize the vision of a comprehensive ecosystem of privacy and cybersecurity.
✓ Our analysis and insights reveal three primary vulnerabilities critical for anyone navigating the internet. These vulnerabilities are the epicenters of cyber threats, underpinning most successful hacks and cyberattacks. We've termed these critical points "The Three Primary Attack Surfaces."
The Three Primary Attack Surfaces for Cybercrime
It's simple, if not intuitive, but flagging these three culprits focuses our attention and creates a vivid visual in one's mind, which is essential for abstract issues like cyber. With this intelligence, we can effectively meet the risk where it lives.
1) EMAIL –
The #1 point of entry for cybercriminals and online fraudsters is email. Phishing, ransomware, spying, key-logging, and many other exploits start with an email. AI in cybercrime is increasing the risks inherent in email, and we need to be vigilant and on our toes with our inboxes more than ever.
2) DEVICES –
Computers, laptops, phones, pads, and tablets are vulnerable to viruses, data loss, malicious intruders, and much more.
3) NETWORKS –
More and more, home and office Wi-Fi and public Wi-Fi like cafes, hotels, and airports are considered "honeypots" by hackers.
✓ Understanding the risks inherent in "The Three Primary Attack Surfaces" guided us in developing "The Four Fundamentals," which constitute the indispensable pillars of a universally effective privacy and digital security ecosystem—seamlessly operational across all devices and networks, ensuring protection at every moment and location.
So, finally, here are "The Four Fundamentals of Cybersecurity for Life."
The Four Fundamentals of "Cybersecurity for Life"
How to mitigate cyber risk and ID theft to the margin by creating an ecosystem of privacy and cybersecurity.
The Four Fundamentals -
- Privatize your personal email.
- Protect your internet-connected devices.
- Secure your network.
- Use a VPN every day.
✓ More details follow below and illustrate how TDS solves these four fundamentals for our clients using advanced cybersecurity solutions.
1) EMAIL – Privatize Email
- Microsoft 365 tenant with MS Entra security controls.
- Private Domain Name Registration and Domain Name Servers – GoDaddy.
- Email Boxes – Microsoft 365.
- Modest one-time setup fee.
- We act as Admin, and TDS is your first contact, not Microsoft.
* Benefits – email activities are off the grid of "free" email and embolden "digital identity." Security controls and intelligence with AI via Microsoft's email security platform.
2) DEVICES – Protect Your Devices
- For Windows and Mac Computers
- Enterprise-level EPP by WithSecure – Endpoint protection - $89/yr. per device
- Antivirus
- Data Loss Protection
- Intruder Protection, etc.
- Real-time optimization
* Benefits – a comprehensive, unified "full-stack" of endpoint protection to provide protection 24/7 with real-time optimization.
3) NETWORKS – Secure Your Network
- This solution represents a generational leap in cybersecurity technology and reflects today's "state-of-the-science" in IT security.
- Managed Network Security service by TDS via ControlOne SD-WAN / SASE Zero-trust Network Platform.
- For fixed networks (home, office, etc.) - the ControlOne "security appliance" for onsite complete network, Wi-Fi, all connected devices, and "things" - $2,550/yr.
- Remote networks and public Wi-Fi - ControlOne "agent software" for Windows and Mac laptops and iOS - $249/yr. for customers with the onsite fixed-network protection above, or $419/yr. for "agent only" customers.
* Benefits – a comprehensive and unified platform for network security including firewall and VPN "as-a-service," off the public internet via a private "Point of Presence" or "POP," also called the "Gateway." Always on zero-trust state of security, identity-based access controls, AV at the gateway, DDoS protection, content and DNS filtering, and more.
See the illustration below:
Managed Network Security
Security 'appliance' for homes and offices, and software 'agent' for securing laptops and iOS devices.
✓ The image above is a schematic of how the Managed Network Security by TDS works. On the left is a fixed-site network, and on the right is a user with mobile devices connected to a remote network, like public Wi-Fi, Starbucks, etc.
- The illustration represents how SD-WAN / SASE Zero-trust Network Protection is comprehensive, location independent, and yet unified for a holistic solution that is seamless to the user. This technology represents a generational leap in IT security systems.
My view - The Cyber Plague and a world of new risks
As we step into 2024 and beyond, it's clear that we've crossed a pivotal threshold in cyber vulnerabilities.
The fusion of artificial intelligence and escalating geopolitical tensions is not just increasing the number of cyber-attacks; it's also enhancing their complexity. This evolution in cyber threats is set to revolutionize our understanding of risk management, challenging its foundations.
The repercussions of this shift will be widespread, affecting individuals and large corporations alike, leaving no demographic untouched. The most alarming aspect? Our adversaries are exceptionally well-prepared and equipped. Backed by substantial investments over recent years, a spectrum of threats—from nation-states like China and Russia to criminal networks and lone wolves—stands on the brink, eager to exploit these vulnerabilities for disruption and gain.
Finally, we're excited to observe a pivotal change: approximately 50% of our new clients are now actively and preemptively crafting their internet security ecosystems.
- This represents a notable shift from previous trends, where most reached out for our help only after experiencing cyber incidents. T
- To us, this reflects a growing awareness and concern regarding cyber risks.
- Furthermore, it signifies a rising aspiration among individuals and organizations to harness the wonders of digital technology and the internet securely and with confidence, just as it ought to be.
Thanks for reading,
Total Digital Security
Post Script:
"Is our technology greater than our humanity?"
Senator Kennedy, R-LA questioning Big Tech social media titans, including Mark Zuckerberg, at a Senate hearing on January 31st.
"The Nexus of Disruption: In an era where rapid technological advancements intersect with geopolitical complexities, understanding the intricacies of emerging threats is paramount."
Kris Coleman, on the "Nexus of Disruption." Kris is the founder and CEO of our strategic partner, Red5. The firm's latest white paper: "2024 Global Security Outlook: A Nexus of Disruption," is a worthy read for security-related insights. Red5 has as much experience in the field as anyone, and the white paper brings insights into understanding emerging threats and the fast-evolving face of risk.
"We expect a twister of disinformation that with AI will make discerning fact from fiction increasingly difficult without the right tools and individual critical thinking skills."
Yours truly, on a webinar with a multi-family office group of executives and family members in January 2024. In the face of AI and its reach on daily life, discerning fact from fiction is a life-skill for survival and success today.
Computer Coaching and Tutoring
Our approach is learning new life skills for increased satisfaction, privacy, and security with personal technology.
- Clean and optimize your computer or set up a new one.
- Learn to use a password manager and backup files.
- Set up your browsers for convenience and privacy.
- Learn to use AI via ChatGPT and incorporate it as a "knowledge companion" for every day, personally and professionally.
- And much more.
