Due to Covid-19; 88% of business organizations all over the world mandated or encouraged their employees to work from home as the virus started to spread at exponential rates. With our beautiful computers, and state-of-the-art technology that can do our bidding, as well as making us happy and rich. We are tied to our screens. Our reliance on technology has an obvious downside. The same technology that empowers, in the hands of wrong doers can be highly destructive. Crashed computer systems, data hacks, ransomware and phishing, identity theft, fraud and even indirect death are but a few of the results that can happen.  

In a world of uncertainty, cybersecurity is one of the major concerns that we see in the world today. In business globally, (surrounded by the effects of COVID-19, the lockdowns and quarantines we have all have lived through, moving from personal input to digital world) the result has created tension, frustration and irritation all over the world.

Today, people are forced to attend events online, watching and listening to an endless sea of discussions, presentations and conferences, that show us a truly bleak and dark future in cybersecurity. People collectively feel the threat of cyber risk is one that can affect any one of us at any time.  

Some people who are stuck in lockdown have the time to be evil, using the internet and dark web to attack people and companies alike knowing that they can make money through things like ransomware and feeding on people's anguish and loss. Phone scams, phishing attacks, online personal attacks, commercial brand attacks and more are a result leading to increased suicides and random violent attacks against people and targets. These victims are not aware of the trap that waits for them if they act against an online attack and all that they could lose in the process. 

Cyber-attacks today are looked at something we would expect to hear about in films of the US  Wild West with no laws, no controls and no protection from those that want to hurt the vulnerable.  No matter who you are, rich, poor, or those who enforce laws; no one is safe. No-one is immune.  These attackers who simply do not care who you are, you are an unaware pay cheque waiting to happen. 

Our governments, military, cyber experts and global influencers have no real idea how to create sustainable solutions that will help people to protect themselves.  

For example, we have heard on local news, and on occasion, stories found online of teenagers being harassed by someone or a group of kids at their school. These people are known as bullies. This kind of attack is abusive, insulting and demoralizing to everyone they stalk, harass and damage the reputations or their branding. People who use the internet to attack another person are labelled as smart kids, profiled as over achievers, loners and understand the deeper use of computers. In many cases, this can be done by cell phone and the attacks are equally as vicious.  

These attackers, hiding behind a computer screen, create fake news, posts obscene pictures, have little or no empathy and are potentially psychotic, enjoying seeing others in pain and suffering mentally from their attacks. Today, these stalkers and attackers will never serve time in jail and never be punished or anything that will prevent them from doing it again.  

These bullies do not stop at kids. Adults, governments, leaders, athletes, musicians, police officers and military personnel often go through cyber-attacks. There is no safety net and no self help book that teach us awareness and how to avoid these issues. 

Companies are known to pay for ransomware, thinking that their data will be returned safely.  Those that do, have no idea just how wrong that truly is. Most times, their returned data has been copied and sold to the highest bidder on the Dark Web. 

Who defines success in the world of cyber security? Is it the cyber professional that works diligently at cyber threat intelligence and prevention from the cyber horrors we see daily; or is it the cyber student, who is learning about new pathways on how to develop new ideas that will one day lead to the potential preventions? 

What will it take to create change and allow people to see a brighter future that will not threaten companies or individuals just trying to get by? 

Over the last couple of years, we have heard about advancing technologies that have helped us in areas of space exploration, potential planetary expansion and the manufacturing and uses of unmanned and autonomous vehicles. Many fail to realize that when hacked, the same great technology can lead to war or an act of terrorism.  

On the bright side, we have seen artificial intelligence and other technological advancements bring us together during this pandemic. Vaccines were researched and developed at warp speed.  Scientists have been able to show how we can now change the human genome making us smarter, faster and stronger than ever, to weed out and suppress our imperfections allowing us to fix this world around us. Another bright side, there are companies working to find solutions to control cyber-attacks, creating attack prevention on the computers we all use. One such company is Cyber Security Global Alliance (CSGA).  

Cyber Security Global Alliance (#CyberSecurityGlobalAlliance) is a federally incorporated membership-based not-for-profit operating under Terranova Defense NFP in Canada. This organization has brought together subject-matter experts from cyber security, government,  defense, software development, law enforcement and legal representatives, to create its first board of directors. This board is made up of twenty directors with representatives from companies and organizations spanning throughout Canada, United States, United Kingdom, Israel and Spain. Cyber Security Global Alliances mandate is to work with members across the world to create global Cyber Security Defense In-depth programs for Governments, Military and Corporations to protect themselves from malicious threat actors no matter where they are in the world.

CSGA members are leaders in the Cyber Security industry who are focused on cross  collaboration and global cyber security initiatives that are constantly evolving.  

The CGSA’s goals are to: 

• Build global relationships to participate in law development for the cyber security industry.
• Lobby to the government the necessity of such laws and implementation. 
• Establish oversight and taskforce groups to regulate and monitor the cyber security industry. 
• To develop standardization and compliance for consideration in preparation for cyber law and review in a legal system for multi-jurisdictional enforcement. 
• Work with the US Department of Defense in Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification hygiene priorities for global government cross-border legislation.  
• Establish a global think tank working with people, organizations and global governments to find the problems that need solutions. 

The CSGA works with other not-for-profits like the UK Cyber Security Association (#USCSA) and the Cyber Security Valley UK (#CSVUK).  

It is time to allow people to start living without fear or intimidation and building a legal system that works, that will bring cyber attackers and internet service providers before the worlds’ courts and to be held accountable for allowing these atrocities to happen against people globally. 

For more information: https://www.csga-global.org or by email to info@csga-global.org

By James Castle

Keywords: Cybersecurity, Business Strategy, COVID19