MCP Has a Lot Going On at Next Week’s NENA Conference

Things are starting to feel more normal, if not completely normal, as the COVID-19 pandemic seems to be winding down and various restrictions are being lifted, or at least lessened. Strong evidence of this can be found next week in Columbus, Ohio, where the National Emergency Number Association (NENA) will host its annual trade show and conference. This is the first brick-and-mortar event to be staged in the public safety communications sector in roughly a year and a half.

The Need for Cybersecurity in the Justice Sector Is Real

Travelling back from the National for Court Management annual conference, I am reflecting on a meeting of national court leaders from across the country that I attended. Of the dozen or so representatives at the table, five reported cyberattacks. For three of the jurisdictions, the attacks were debilitating.

Cybersecurity Threat Advisory: 'PrintNightmare' Zero-Day Vulnerability in Windows Print Spooler

As part of our effort to inform our clients about potential and serious cybersecurity issues, MCP provides advisories about vulnerabilities and exploits that could threaten the operations of their critical communications networks. Sign up to receive these advisories in your inbox as soon as they are released.

This week there is a new alert that requires the mission-critical community’s immediate attention.

Advisory Overview

Last week, security researchers mistakenly published proof-of-concept (PoC) exploit code, which has since been dubbed “PrintNightmare.” The vulnerability exploits a critical flaw in Microsoft’s print spooler service. Microsoft has issued out-of-band security updates to address the flaw and has rated it as critical as attackers can remotely execute code with system-level privileges on affected machines.

Data Integration Infographic Brings a Vast Technology Ecosystem Into Perspective

The technology ecosystem that exists in the public-safety/justice community is vast, complex and powerful. Because of its vastness and complexity, we developed an infographic to help clients more easily grasp it. Here’s what it looks like:

This Month’s Cyberchat Shines a Light on the Rise of Ransomware

Earlier this year, we ramped up our cybersecurity efforts by launching a series of monthly video chats in which we summarize the most recent threats, share information from entities such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Cybersecurity Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), and offer tips for preventing cyberattacks and mitigating them if they occur. This month’s Cyberchat video, which can be viewed below, contains some important information that public-sector and critical infrastructure agencies need to have.

Double the Attack, Double the Fees

Double-encryption ransomware attacks, which typically include cyberattackers encrypting a target’s data twice, at the same time or shortly after each other, are on the rise. In this month’s video, we explore how agencies can mitigate the risk of a double-encryption attack and begin the rebuilding process if one occurs.

MCP Helps Story County Replace Obsolete Public-Safety Radio System

Steady, reliable communications are a necessity for public-safety agencies. From having reliable coverage in an area to always being able to relay important messages and information to emergency responders and/or the citizens they protect, agencies need up-to-date, functional communications systems.

Now Is the Time to Get Ready for the Arrival of Z-Axis Data

There is cause for rejoicing in the public-safety community due to the recent consent decree issued by the Federal Communications Commission regarding the Z-axis, which is a vital third element of 911 caller location that has been missing. But a closer read of the order indicates that the real celebration is probably months away.

Cybersecurity Threat Advisory: Nobelium Spear Phishing Activity

As part of our effort to inform our clients about potential and serious cybersecurity issues, MCP provides advisories about vulnerabilities and exploits that could threaten the operations of their critical communications networks. Sign up to receive these advisories in your inbox as soon as they are released.

Next Week’s CAPS Explores Public-Safety Opportunities & Challenges

Having attended dozens of educational conferences over the decade that I served as editor-in-chief of Urgent Communications and Fire Chief magazines, I know an excellent one when I see it—and I can report without fear of contradiction that the second-annual Conference for Advancing Public Safety (CAPS)—being presented by Mission Critical Partners (MCP) on June 15-16—is shaping up to be an excellent educational event.

Learn More About How Drones Are Being Used in Public Safety

Over the last two decades, I have written now and then about a relative who was a career firefighter for the city of Chicago. I am writing about him again today because he’s the reason I’m so excited about a panel discussion that I’ll be moderating in a couple of weeks during MCP’s second-annual Conference for Advancing Public Safety (CAPS).

Liability Is Another Critical Reason to Be Prudent About Cybersecurity

Cyberattacks should be on the radar of every agency in the public-safety/justice community. One of the most prevalent attacks involves ransomware, which is a specific type of malware that cyberattackers use to exploit a system vulnerability and then launch a program that encrypts the organization’s data files, essentially locking them and rendering them unusable. The cyberattacker then demands a ransom—hence the name—to provide the key that unlocks the files.

Endpoint Protection is MCP's Latest Weapon in the Battle Against Cyberattacks

Network and system endpoints, i.e., workstations and servers, are the most vulnerable network and system elements because they directly interface with the applications that we use. Those applications act as gateways into those endpoints and thus are used by cyberattackers to deliver the malware that will enable them to carry out their nefarious missions. This is especially true of ransomware, which targets files and data that are accessible on or from those endpoints. The cyberattacker’s goal is to gain access and control of as many endpoints as possible.