We have seen a massive ramp up in cyberattacks – SolarWinds, Colonial Pipeline, the world’s largest meat processing company JBS, giant gaming publisher Electronic Arts (EA), and the entire Irish health care system. That’s just the tip of the iceberg – statistics show about 91% of attacks are launched with a phishing email. The world is being hit by a Tsunami of cyberattacks and the winds are only going to get stronger with the fast-approaching quantum computing era.

The SolarWinds hack alone have exposed the databases of literally hundreds of government agencies and huge corporations. According to The Wall Street Journal, several U.S. agencies, including parts of the Pentagon, the Department of Homeland Security, the State Department, the Department of Energy, and the Treasury had all been breached.

Let me quote the U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman, Jerome Powell, “Cyberattacks are now the foremost risk to the global financial system, even more so than the lending and liquidity risks that led to the 2008 financial crisis.”

On June 1st 2021, the Biden administration proposed to commit $10 billion on cybersecurity.  Is that enough? What will cybersecurity look like in the quantum future?

With big nations and global tech firms investing billions of dollars in quantum computing research every year, the technology has advanced rapidly in the past two years. Forbes reported that the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the Department of Energy (DOE) had announced the investment of more than $1 billion over five years for quantum information science (QIS) centers. Quantum encryption and quantum hacking are a significant subset of that.

When cyber threats meet quantum computing, it’s a recipe for disaster.  The arrival of quantum computers which have excessive processing power will render current encryption systems, such as RSA, obsolete and leave data unprotected. Business leaders and government agencies must make cybersecurity a front and center issue and act NOW. And IronCAP™, the first-to-market quantum-safe encryption, can help you implement cyber preparedness.

To safeguard your data today and in the quantum future, please learn more at www.ironcap.ca.

Cryptographic technologies are utilized by all government bodies and industries to authenticate, as well as to secure their data and communications ensuring only those intended can access or receive the information. With the advancement of quantum computing, we should be aware that our widely deployed cryptographic algorithms that are used to protect our data privacy and communications today will be threatened.

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) whose mission is to promote U.S. innovation and is responsible for establishing technology, standards and metrics to be applied to the science and technology industries, gave this guideline in their Cybersecurity White paper published in April, 2021, “Continued progress in the development of quantum computing foreshadows a particularly disruptive cryptographic transition…We cannot accurately predict when a quantum computer capable of executing Shor’s algorithm will be available to adversaries, but we need to be prepared for it as many years in advance as is practical.”

Cambridge Quantum Computing (CQC)’s senior research scientist, Steven Herbert said, “We are now capable of achieving what was previously only a theoretical quantum speed-up. That’s something that none of the existing quantum Monte Carlo integration (QMCI) algorithms can do without substantial overhead that renders current methods unusable.”

Andrew Cheung and his team of crypto scientists at 01 Communique recognized this quantum threat 6 years ago. They are now one of the first-to-market, enterprise level cybersecurity providers for the quantum computing era. They have already released their post-quantum cryptography encryption API, IronCAP™ as well as developed a quantum-safe email encryption product called IronCAP X™. IronCAP™ quantum-safe cryptography can keep digital assets, digital infrastructure, trade secrets and customer data safe from hackers, whether they use traditional computers or quantum machines.

Cryptographic algorithm transitions take time and involve massive coordination effort across many stakeholders in different industries. By preparing now and adopting post-quantum cryptography solutions like IronCAP™ can ensure a more orderly, less costly, and modestly disruptive changeover.

To learn more, visit www.ironcap.ca

References:
NIST Cybersecurity White paper
Quantum Computing

On May 7th, 2021, Colonial Pipeline, the largest American oil pipeline system that carries 2.5 million barrels of fuel a day delivering 45% of what is consumed on the East Coast of the United States, was shut down by a ransomware attack.

The only surprise – is that anyone is surprised! First the SolarWinds and now this blatantly demonstrates the weak cybersecurity of critical national infrastructure. One thing is certain that we need a more advanced approach towards cybersecurity.

Ever since the Colonial Pipeline ransomware attack has become public knowledge, there has been panic fuel buying in the East Coast of the United States.  Fuel prices have creeped up across the country, and 17 US States and Washington DC have declared states of emergency. CTV news quoted U.S. President, Joe Biden, “We need to invest to safeguard our critical infrastructure.” And Energy Secretary, Jennifer Granholm, said the attack “tells you how utterly vulnerable we are” to cyberattacks on the U.S. infrastructure.

Cyber threats are real and can turn catastrophic with the arrival of quantum computing.  We can prevent these crippling cyberattacks by updating our approach to cybersecurity – becoming quantum-safe.

YES…we are sure that you need IronCAP’s quantum-safe encryption.  It is proven secure, approved by many industry leaders, provides seamless integration and MOST IMPORTANTLY it is IMMUNE to all current attack methodologies used against existing encryption systems such as RSA.

IronCAP’s cryptography can keep your digital assets, digital infrastructure, trade secrets and customer data safe from hackers today and in the post-quantum era.

To learn more visit www.ironcap.ca

References:
BBC
CTV news

A massive number of people around the globe have fallen prey to phishing scams in the last year or so.  Even computer savvy people fall victim to such scams.

Two recent phishing campaigns aimed at the JP Morgan Chase Bank customers claimed to include credit card statements and warned recipients that their account access had been restricted due to unusual activities.  The motive was clear: to lure victims to click on a malicious link and obtain their account credentials.

The nature of both attacks was to convince the recipients that the JP Morgan Chase bank was reaching out to them for suspicious activities on their accounts. Sneaky cybercriminals know how to press the right buttons, and use social engineering tactics to make their assaults successful. The subject lines, sender names, and content of the email all convey a sense of legitimacy as well as urgency, encouraging recipients to act quickly. Another important aspect is brand impersonation. These emails use the same branding, style, and layout as that of the legitimate emails creating the perfect phishing scam.

Now the question is how to protect yourself from these scams? The answer is simple – strengthen your email security with IronCAP X. Organizations should enhance their email security with end-to-end, quantum-safe email encryption and digital signatures to better detect malicious activities.

IronCAP X, is a proven secure, end-to-end, quantum-safe email encryption software that will let you authenticate and digitally sign your email.  Recipients will know it’s a legitimate email if it’s coming from an IronCAP X user in their contacts.  For added security, the email is encrypted and can only be decrypted by the designated recipient.  It is time we educate ourselves on email security and take measures to prevent data loss.

So why are you waiting? Don’t fall prey to the next phishing scam. To download the IronCAP X FREE personal version, visit https://www.ironcap.ca/ironcap-x/.

Have questions about email security? Reach out to us on Twitter, LinkedIn or Facebook. We are here to help.

Reference:
TechRepublic article

According to the Hiscox Cyber Readiness Report 2021, the proportion of businesses targeted by cyber criminals in the past year has increased from 38% to 43%, with over a quarter of those targeted (28%) experiencing five attacks or more.  Additionally, one in six businesses attacked (17%) said that the financial impact had materially threatened the company’s future.

In 2020 and 2021 we have seen some large-scale data breaches at major global corporations as well as government agencies. These cyber-attacks don’t just expose your data but can also cause severe financial losses, hammer your customer trust and tarnish your company’s reputation.

Gareth Wharton, CEO of Hiscox Cyber said, “One of the big takeaways of this report is the worrying range of financial impacts that cyber-attacks can have…. The risk of inaction is that the next attack could be enough to sink the business.”

How to defend against these out-of-control cyberattacks?  The answer is to implement quantum cryptography.  It is a foolproof way to help preventing not only cyber threats today but also in the fast-approaching quantum era.  And IronCAP’s quantum-safe encryption is the best-in-class quantum cryptography available today.  It has passed the due diligence of its global partners, ascertained secure at 2 global hackathons and most importantly proven IMMUNE to attack methodologies used against traditional encryption systems such as RSA.

Cyber threats are real and ever increasing, and can turn catastrophic with the arrival of quantum computing.  Businesses and government agencies should not just “sit and wait”.  They need to act now to implement IronCAP’s cryptography to protect their data today and in the quantum future.

At IronCAP we strive to create a cyber smart community.  Be cyber smart with us.  To learn more, visit www.ironcap.ca.

Reference:
Insurance Journal
Hiscox Cyber Readiness Report 2021

On April 12^th, 2021, Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell said, “Cyberattacks are now the foremost risk to the global financial system, even more so than the lending and liquidity risks that led to the 2008 financial crisis.”

If this isn’t a wake-up call to our cybersecurity, then what else is?

Powell also told CBS, “I would say that the risk that we keep our eyes on the most now is cyber risk.” This isn’t just a financial system risk but instead a global risk to all industries. The most recent leak of 533 million Facebook users’ personal information on a hacking forum was another wake-up call for the entire ecosystem. Is your encryption system better than Facebook?  Better than Microsoft?  Better than top government agencies?  If the answer is NO then you’ve got to hurry and do something about your cybersecurity strategy NOW!

IronCAP is the obvious choice for your cybersecurity for many reasons and here are the top TWO:

1. Our unique, quantum-safe encryption technology is IMMUNE to attack methodologies used for traditional encryption systems such as RSA. Therefore, IronCAP can protect you from cyber-attacks TODAY and in the post-quantum era. This is not just us saying it but in fact PROVEN in 2 global hackathons (2019 and 2021). The IronCAP cryptography is unscathed, and the choice of many powerful industry leaders.
2. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has been studying encryption for the post-quantum era and has settled on a group of 15 finalists with two favorable approaches: one is the code-based cryptosystem, and two is the lattice-based cryptosystem. The code-based approach is time tested and powerful whereas the lattice-based approach is less time-tested than the code-based.  AND you will need to wait for 2-3 years for NIST to release the final result, which is to choose one winner from each category. Interestingly out of these 15 finalists there is just ONE candidate standing strong on the code-based approach, making it the obvious winner in this category.  IronCAP is based on the same 40-year-old, time tested, Goppa code-based methodology that’s recognized by NIST.

IronCAP’s quantum-safe cryptography keeps digital assets, digital infrastructure, trade secrets and customer data safe from hackers, whether they use traditional computers or quantum computing technology.

It is a no-brainer choice to have IronCAP to safeguard your data against cyber-attacks today, and in the post-quantum era.

Reference:
CNN article
Business Insider article

You have private conversations online? Confidential documents to share via email? We are saving all data!!! Right now, they are at risk so read on and you will thank us later.

We live in a new digital age where any transaction, big or small, can possibly take place ONLINE. We don’t mean only financial transactions, we mean all transactions – your name, email, birthday, government-issued IDs, conversations with friends, partners, colleagues and the list goes on.

Even before the COVID-19 pandemic hit, we witnessed a fast-paced digital transformation BUT the pandemic accelerated this transformation and forced everyone to go online for work, learning, shopping, meeting, communicating, etc.  This massive burst of online activities has triggered a new wave of online scams and frauds.  Hackers can now easily gain access to any of your data including, but not limited to, login credentials, private email conversations, banking details, etc. Hackers gain access to all these by using just one simple, inexpensive social engineering tool called “phishing”.

Fraudulent Phishers send billions of fake “security alert” or “need urgent action” emails and set up fake websites with false COVID-19 information luring individuals into clicking malicious links and/or entering their personal information.

Want to thrive and worry free from phishing scams?  Well, we got good news! IronCAP X is your solution and the end to phishing.

IronCAP X is a proven secure, end-to-end, quantum-safe email encryption software that will let you authenticate and digitally sign your email.  Recipients will know it’s a legitimate email if it’s coming from an IronCAP X user in their contacts.  For added security, the email is encrypted and can only be decrypted by the designated recipient.  In short, your email communication is safe, end-to-end encrypted, quantum-safe and digitally authenticated.

So why are you waiting?

Bonus! IronCAP X is free for personal usage. Sign up here: IronCAP X to save your private data from malicious actors.

You can also check us out on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook.

The Economic Times reported on March 14th, 2021 that Boris Johnson, the UK Prime Minister said, “Britain needs to boost its capacity to conduct cyber-attacks on foreign enemies…Cyber power is revolutionizing the way we live our lives and fight our wars, just as air power did 100 years ago.” This statement coupled with the recent SolarWinds and Microsoft hacks indicates how damaging cyberattacks can be and how weak our cybersecurity systems are at the moment.

Cyberattacks will catastrophically amplify in the post-quantum world which is not far from now. It is evident that countries like the USA, Germany, Russia and China are investing billions of dollars in researches to race to achieve quantum supremacy. Tech giants such as IBM, Google, Amazon and Honeywell are significantly multiplying their quantum power each year. In December 2020, China reported massive progress in its quantum research; claimed quantum supremacy and will continue to invest in the future of quantum computing. Current encryption systems such as RSA will fail in the quantum era.

IronCAP has foreseen these cyber threats from the quantum sector. It has therefore developed a unique, quantum-safe cryptographic encryption to secure conventional computer systems and protect against attacks from quantum computers as well as conventional computers. It is built on a 40-year-old time-tested Goppa code-based methodology and has been rigorously tested time and again. IronCAP has been reviewed by leading researchers in the field, passed the due diligence of its big-name business partners and has also survived a global hackathon in 2019. Another CAD 100K Bounty Contest, sponsored by one of its global partners is now underway. Over 700 participants from around the world are currently trying diligently to challenge IronCAP’s encryption and so far, IronCAP remains UNCRACKED. Final results will be announced on March 22nd, 2021. We are confident that IronCAP will show the world again it’s the best-in- class cryptography and will be the cyber security of the future.

IronCAP is the armor for your data!

Learn more: www.ironcap.ca

Reference:
Economic Times

Cyberattacks are not new to our world but disturbingly they have skyrocketed in the last year. To a certain extent, COVID-19 has forced everybody to work remotely and hence exposed the vulnerabilities of our existing security systems which resulted in heavy data plus financial losses. The damages that cyberattacks can do to a company have awaken investors. They realize the value of good cybersecurity and want companies to make it their top priority. This is no longer just a tech department issue. Investors need to demand companies to adopt the best cybersecurity solutions.

A company’s future can be evaluated on the Environmental, Social, and Corporate Governance (ESG) factors. These factors help to measure the sustainability as well as better predict the financial performance of a company.

In the past year cybersecurity threats have brought social and governance chaos around the globe. In fact, reports from McAfee suggested that cyberattacks could cost the global economy around USD 400 billion annually. This data should have alerted CEOs, policymakers and investors to put cybersecurity as their top priority. Let me explain why cyberattacks are a significant risk factor that investors should consider:

1. A cyberattack leads to significant amount of data loss or files corrupted which disrupts day-to-day functions of a business.

2. A company that suffers a cyberattack will likely have its customer data compromised leading to the downgrade or total loss of customer trust.

3. With constant regulatory changes, a company could be subjected to heavy lawsuits.

We believe it is crucial that an investor be fully aware of these risks and be involved in ways to mitigate them.

Having foreseen this catastrophic problem, IronCAP has built the perfect solution to prevent cyberattacks today and in the quantum future. IronCAP’s unique, patent-pending cryptography is based on the 40-year-old, time tested Goppa code-based system. With an improvement in the cryptographic process, IronCAP is faster and most importantly, quantum-safe. It can be used to secure email/file encryption, blockchain, 5G/IoT, remote access/VPN, cloud storage and many other verticals. IronCAP’s cryptography will safeguard your data today and in the quantum future.

The future of your company is in your hands. Adopt the same solution – IronCAP – as top cyber consultants NOW. Learn more: www.ironcap.ca

References:
Article 1

If a cyber war happened TODAY can we survive? We have come so far with technological advancements but yet cannot survive a cyber war today. Hackers in the shadowy world armed with viruses and tools can possibly disrupt the computer systems that manage real-world infrastructure, such as electricity, water supply, transportation, banking systems, hospitals, airports, and the list goes on.

Absolutely nothing is off limits. A few weeks ago, hackers breached a water treatment plant in Florida with failed attempts to increase the toxic level of the water supply. Fortunately there was no catastrophic damage. But will you always be that lucky? In the past one year, we saw an array of ransomware attacks on hospitals, travel agencies, WHO, tech firms and cyber consultants. The most “famous” one is perhaps the large-scale Solar Winds cyberattack in December 2020. At least nine federal agencies and over 100 companies in the US were compromised. Government agencies and top cyber consultants are still uncovering the extent of the attack, the damage caused and the potential lingering risks. It is believed that more victims would be identified.

Solar Winds was a real eye opener! Proof that nothing is off limits for hackers. They can and they will reach you! 2020 showed us a glimpse of the power hackers hold or shall I say, a reality check on our weak security systems.

Government agencies, CEO’s and policymakers are rattled by security vulnerabilities today. How much worse the situation will become when quantum computing arrives is beyond imagination. Therefore, we need to strengthen our security systems and prepare for the quantum future, which is just around the corner. A quantum hack will be nothing less of a catastrophic event unless we are quantum-safe TODAY. IronCAP has built a unique quantum-safe encryption solution for individuals and businesses. Its unique, patent-pending cryptographic technology is designed to operate on conventional computer systems while at the same time safeguard attacks from quantum computers. It is proven secure at a hackathon, vetted by industry experts and is low-cost.

Prevention is better than cure! Adopting quantum-safe encryption NOW is the ultimate prevention. Act today to build a powerful cybersecurity strategy with IronCAP.

Reference:
Article 1