For one week, cybersecurity experts from around the world are gathering in Las Vegas for the Black Hat conference to learn, educate, and discuss technology that is increasingly part of daily life — and the threats that come with it.
Bill Keeler of Semperis warned that the nation’s digital infrastructure can be “very fragile,” raising the possibility that large numbers of people could suddenly lose access to everyday services and communications.
“Imagine for a moment that half of the country at any given warning can’t access their TikToks or their Instagrams, or they can’t get that work update, or they can’t send a text message to a loved one,” Keeler said.
Keeler said online threats often extend beyond the screen, pointing to hospitals as a frequent target.
“Thousands and thousands of cyber attacks a day on hospitals, not only in North America but around the world,” he said.
Those attacks can leave providers without crucial patient information and tools.
“You are dealing with life and death issues,” Keeler said.
Keeler co-directed a documentary, “Midnight in the War Room,” aimed at exposing the threats faced every day and the people behind them.
“Their goal every single day is to find weaknesses in the critical infrastructure in our country and try to hack into that infrastructure,” he said.
As an example, Keeler referenced a recent hack in Minnesota that targeted the state’s water utilities.
“When you don’t have access to water, you can disrupt our way of life really, really quickly,” he said.
Keeler said ransoms can follow elaborate hacks, and that the public reaction can be part of what adversaries seek.
“Panic sets in, anxiety sets in, and in a way, our most ardent adversaries enjoy seeing that in the headlines here in the U.S.,” he said.
Jon France, chief information security officer with ISC2, said the threat landscape is evolving rapidly, and that new technology has enhanced threats over the past two years.
“It’s AI in everything, and everything is AI,” France said.
France said Black Hat brings together top cybersecurity professionals to use artificial intelligence defensively.
“At the end of the day, it’s a system like any other that can be secured like any other system,” he said.
Both France and Keeler urged people to take basic steps to protect themselves online, including updating software, changing passwords and thinking before clicking.
“The adversaries out there or the hackers, the criminals, the terrorists, will take advantage of our curiosity, and they know that the average person is quick to open an attachment,” he said.
Keeler’s documentary “Midnight in the War Room” is premiering on Wednesday at Mandalay Bay.
