Cyber Security
After hours, and a person no one recognized sat in the conference room of Medrobotics, a Boston-based medical device company’s offices. And not just any conference room, but one reserved for vendors in the lobby and a single door away from the company’s secure area. Plus, it looked like he had three laptop computers going at the same time.
Best of all, the company CEO, while on his way out the door for the evening, was the one who spotted the mystery man.
Police were summoned immediately, the intruder arrested and turned over to the FBI. But how much damage had been done? Turns out the uninvited visitor was allegedly conducting industrial espionage on behalf of a foreign-based entity, working to steal trade secrets about Medrobotics’ highly valuable IP and technology that it of course wants to protect. The alleged spy now awaits trial in U.S. District Court in Massachusetts.
How 007 can you get, right? If elements of this tale sound implausible, that’s understandable. How brazen must you be to show up in person, in full view of anyone, and just start mining for information illegally? This story can’t be true, right?
But oh yes, it is 100 percent true. The alleged spy entered the U.S. via Canada to lessen the chances of being detected and detained at Customs. The CEO from Medrobotics told the FBI that companies from overseas had been attempting to infiltrate the company for about 10 years. The extent to which those intent on stealing cyber information can be alarming and chilling – and the resulting damage even more so, should they succeed.
All of which makes cyber security such an essential concern and should make it a top priority. No one is immune. Everyone, from the most major presence to the smallest startup, needs effective protection and recovery systems in place. Now. Today.
Mark Bursic, Founder and President of Critical Syntax, has worked developing and securing sites for more than 13 years. As a cyber security expert, Bursic has seen first hand the hacking attempts targeted at both high-profile and low-traffic web sites. His expertise in understanding the weak spots, how hackers go about exploiting them, and most important, preventing that from happening, promises to bring a greater understanding and appreciation for cyber security strategies and techniques. Specifically, Bursic will be giving concrete advice on how to protect WordPress sites.
To learn how to protect your organization and its vital information, register for our next Life Sciences B2B Speakers Series on cyber security, scheduled for 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 21, at PLSG’s offices, 2425 Sydney Street on the South Side.
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