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According to the 2023 Thales Data Threat Report, 49% of IT professionals reported an increase in ransomware attacks with 22% of organisations having experienced a ransomware attack in past 12 months. Ransomware attacks can bring business operations to a grinding halt by blocking access to critical data until the attack is resolved a major threat to organizations concerning cost and reputation. In addition to existing perimeter controls, a data-centric approach is needed to safeguard critical data from being encrypted by unauthorized processes.

With CTE-RWP, the CipherTrust Data Security Platform brings a new level of protection to the fight against ransomware. CTE-RWP helps protect against ransomware attacks by monitoring the file system and detecting, flagging, or blocking unwanted encryption and data exfiltration. Specifically, CTE-RWP enables setting trusted lists for critical applications and designating guardpoints to flag or block processes attempting data exfiltration or encryption. CTE-RWP offers real-time behavioral analysis for user system applications and processes, so customers may use and engage with their files and folders securely and seamlessly.

Todd Moore, vice president of data security products at Thales: CISOs and cybersecurity teams are devoting more time than ever to protecting against ransomware. The release of this new Ransomware Protection helps bring an industry-leading solution to market, strengthening the Thales CipherTrust Data Security Platform and offering further protection against an ever-increasing threat to data. Organizations must come to terms with the fact that ransomware will continue to proliferate and put multiple measures in place to safeguard their valuable data against inevitable attacks in the future.

Learn more about Thales CTE-RWP here.

About Thales

Thales (Euronext Paris: HO) is a global leader in advanced technologies within three domains: Defence & Security, Aeronautics & Space, and Digital Identity & Security. It develops products and solutions that help make the world safer, greener and more inclusive.

The Group invests close to 4 billion a year in Research & Development, particularly in key areas such as quantum technologies, Edge computing, 6G and cybersecurity.

Thales has 77,000 employees in 68 countries. In 2022, the Group generated sales of 17.6 billion.

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Thales Unveils CipherTrust Ransomware Protection to Safeguard ... - Thales

BitLocker is a powerful encryption tool designed to safeguard data on Windows systems. However, there are instances when BitLocker may not be readily accessible or visible to users. This can occur due to various reasons, such as system or hardware limitations.

In this article, we will explore the potential causes of this issue and discuss solutions that can help you address the problem effectively.

If you are unable to find BitLocker in Windows, it might be because of one or more of the following reasons:

Now that we know about the potential causes, let's focus on the troubleshooting methods that can help you fix the problem in no time.

As we mentioned earlier, BitLocker is not supported by all editions and versions of Windows.

To get started, check the edition of Windows you are using. BitLocker is available in Pro, Enterprise, and Education editions in Windows 10 and 11. In Windows 8, Pro, and Enterprise editions support it.

You can check your edition by navigating to Settings > System > About. This information will be available under the Windows specifications section.

We also recommend making sure that the version of the edition you are using supports BitLocker. Versions refer to the specific releases of Windows and are typically identified by a number or name.

If your Windows edition supports BitLocker, then the next thing you should do is check if the minimum requirements for this utility are met. Here is what your system should have:

If your system meets all the minimum requirements for BitLocker encryption, but you are still unable to find BitLocker in Windows, the issue may be related to other factors. In such cases, you can move on to the next troubleshooting method.

To access and use BitLocker, the BitLocker Driver Encryption Service must be up and running in Windows. If this service is either disabled or has gotten corrupt, you are likely to run into the problem at hand.

Here is how you enable/restart this service:

Once done, you can close the Services windows and check if you can now locate and access BitLocker without any issues.

There is also a chance that an administrator or another user has disabled BitLocker via the Group Policy Editor. You can undo these changes by enabling the relevant policy in GPE. However, to proceed with this method, you will need administrative access to the system.

If you do not already have it, you can switch to an administrator account or seek assistance from your administrator.

Here is all that you need to do:

Not being able to locate BitLocker in Windows can be frustrating but fortunately, there are several solutions that you can try to fix this issue once and for all. We hope that the solutions listed above helped you identify the root cause of the problem and resolve it.

If you continue to experience issues with BitLocker in the future, we recommend getting in touch with Microsoft support for further assistance.

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4 Solutions to Try If You Cannot Find BitLocker in Windows - MUO - MakeUseOf

It's a general consensus in the computer world that Apple's Macs are more secure than Windows computers. But how did this come to be, and why?

Here, we've explored the various reasons focusing not just on malware but on other fundamental security points like privacy and unauthorized breach. This will give you a general scope of Mac's security and help you make an informed decision.

Apple has put into cognizance that some of its users might be targets of highly sophisticated, concerted cyberattacks. Knowing this, the company created a mode that users can turn on to stop or at least mitigate such attacks.

When a Mac is in Lockdown Mode, most message attachments won't work, web browsing becomes restricted, and FaceTime calls from people you haven't called before get blocked. It also includes other protective measures, such as restricted access to accessories and certain applications.

You can activate this mode on a Mac from the Privacy & Security menu in System Settings. Apple also offers Lockdown Mode on iPhones and iPads running iOS 16/iPadOS 16 and later.

Unfortunately, Windows PCs don't have a feature that works as conveniently as Lockdown Mode to stop concerted cyberattacks.

Apple's Mail app in macOS has a few features that make it more private than third-party email clients.

One of the best privacy features is the Mail Privacy Protection feature. It tries to hide your mail activity by masking your IP address and loading content in the background so that email trackers find it harder to see your activity. Otherwise, they may be able to see when you viewed the message, how many times you viewed it, and if you forwarded it; they may also be able to see your IP address.

Another useful privacy-oriented Mail feature is Hide My Email. It's an iCloud+ feature that hides your email when you register online, fill out an online form, or create accounts. It generates a random email address that forwards information to your main email address. This can help prevent third parties from selling your information.

This combination of email privacy features makes it far safer to conduct email activities on a Mac than on a Windows computer. You can find Hide My Email in the iCloud section of System Settings.

Among the conventional ways of preventing malware, macOS has two features that make it safer against suspicious programs and processes.

The most apparent one of the two is Gatekeeper. When you download and attempt to install an app from the internet, Gatekeeper quarantines the app and uses Xprotect to scan for malware. It also reads the digital signature of the app, and it will block the installation attempt if it's not from a verified source.

You can choose to bypass Gatekeeper in the Privacy & Security section of System Settings since there are many good apps out there that are classified as "unverified." But it does a good job of ensuring you really want software that could be dangerous. If you'd rather not use it at all, there's a way to completely disable Gatekeeper with Terminal.

The second feature is SIP (System Integrity Protection), a hidden feature that stops unauthorized processes from modifying system files and directories. System files store vital information macOS needs to run smoothly.

You can also disable SIP. However, most modern macOS-supported apps don't need you to disable SIP to work, and if it does, then it most likely is some kind of malware or unoptimized software.

As an extension of its robust anti-malware build, macOS uses a virtual sandbox technology to limit what installed apps can access. Therefore, applications can only use limited system files and resources expressly granted by the system administrator or user.

For example, if an app requests location information and it wasn't previously granted to the said app, macOS will block such a request. This will stop malware that manages to get past Gatekeeper from causing serious damage.

This sandboxing makes macOS less versatile than Windows, but it's worth sacrificing for more security. Apple also has sandbox technology integrated into the Messages app on iOS devices.

In 2011, Apple introduced a feature that encrypts all the information on the Mac's hard drive so that only authorized users can access it. This feature is called FileVault full-disk encryption, and when you turn it on, you must input a password after you close or sign out of your computer; otherwise, any information on the drive will be unreadable.

FileVault works using XTS-AES 128 block cipher technology, which many consider military-grade level encryption. No one can access data from your Mac without the linked recovery key and your chosen password.

If you use your Mac to store sensitive information like financial information or sensitive work documents, then you can really benefit from the extra security that FileVault offers. Windows has no built-in disk encryption like FileVault, even though there might be third-party or unconventional workarounds to protect your data.

Windows and macOS aren't built on the same software infrastructure. Early versions of Windows were made with Microsoft's own MS-DOS platform, whereas Apple built macOS with the open-source Unix platform.

While Microsoft no longer uses MS-DOS for newer versions of Windows, a lot of its architecture and build are from those days. However, Unix is versatile and has been used in various other operating systems like PlayStation system software and Linux.

Thanks to how much it's used, there's a joint effort to keep Unix secure. On the other hand, Microsoft has to do all the security work by itself, leaving more room for vulnerabilities.

Based on everything we discussed, it seems practical to opt for a Mac if you would like a computer that's already secure by default. And while Windows PCs are more flexible, you could pay for that with less security.

Apple puts security and user privacy at the forefront, which is evident from the various security features that macOS offers. So, until Microsoft catches up in the security department, macOS will continue to be the more secure platform.

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6 Reasons Macs Are More Secure Than Windows PCs - MUO - MakeUseOf

In the mid-2010s, the Islamic State was rapidly advancing through Iraq and Syria, conquering territory and terrifying residents. However, one group of Kurds in Northern Syria representing the de facto autonomous Democratic Federation of Northern Syria, in an area known as Rojava, successfully fought back the Islamic State and captured the attention of the world.

Many people from around the world went to Rojava to fight, but one lesser-known story made ripples in the crypto world: Some volunteers traveled there to help build blockchain and technological literacy and experiment with the potential of cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin (BTC) to serve as a tool for revolutionary change. After all, Rojava promotes decentralization, autonomy and self-empowerment sound familiar?

On Episode 10 of The Agenda, hosts Ray Salmond and Jonathan DeYoung were joined by DarkFi co-founder Rachel Rose-OLeary and community member Kato, who discussed their work volunteering in Rojava and how those experiences inspired and relate to their current involvement in DarkFi, an anonymous blockchain protocol.

OLeary traveled to Rojava in late 2018 after feeling disillusioned with the crypto space and how far it had seemingly strayed from its early cypherpunk roots. I was convinced at that time that Rojava was a place where the ideals of crypto were being fielded and tested, she said. OLeary was inspired by Amir Taaki, an early Bitcoin pioneer who himself traveled to the region to volunteer.

Meanwhile, Kato first discovered crypto while already in Rojava. I basically got interested in crypto and in privacy technologies because of the actual need of the people, he shared. I saw the actual use cases, and a lot of people at that time already around the world started using crypto for practical means, like for sending money around.

OLeary spent much of her time volunteering very much with building educational infrastructure, especially in terms of technology including introducing people to crypto and blockchain. Its a very interesting environment for crypto because of the fact that there are no banks, she shared. Also, there is no state. So, cryptocurrency is a really interesting like financial paradigm for that kind of a context.

Related: Privacy has become a taboo, says crypto-anarchist project DarkFi

When asked about whether crypto education is continuing in Rojava in 2023, Kato responded, There are technical academies and education centers in Rojava, and even new ones have been opened over the last years. However, the work remains difficult, as the war is a huge pressure, not just on technical education but on all social fields.

OLeary went on to co-found DarkFi, an anonymous layer-1 blockchain protocol of which Kato is also an active community member. For OLeary, privacy is essential for the ability of communities to operate freely and autonomously, and the anonymity provided by encryption represents a 21st-century tool for people to express themselves fully:

When asked about the future of privacy and whether its possible to break free from the mass surveillance paradigm, Kato said that were going to have that struggle for a long time, and for much longer than decades, adding: Its maybe the most fundamental struggle of human society.

But is there light at the end of the tunnel? Kato believes that through decentralized tools like blockchain, we have this technology to be able to develop our own financial and economic systems that are actually democratically managed by the people who use them according to what they actually need.

There are moments in history where technology reconfigures the nature of power, and the printing press is a very common example, added OLeary. I think we have a similar situation now happening in cryptocurrency, where its hard to see now because were just at the onset of it. But the basis of power is in the process of being reconfigured by virtue of these technologies.

To hear more from Kato and OLearys conversation with The Agenda including their takes on venture capital funding, decentralized finance, and solarpunk vs. lunarpunk listen to the full episode on Cointelegraphs Podcasts page, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. And dont forget to check out Cointelegraphs full lineup of other shows!

Magazine: Bitcoin in Senegal: Why is this African country using BTC?

This article is for general information purposes and is not intended to be and should not be taken as legal or investment advice. The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed here are the authors alone and do not necessarily reflect or represent the views and opinions of Cointelegraph.

Update (April 28 at 1:23 pm UTC): This article has been updated to reflect that Kato is an active community member of DarkFi but not a developer

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Why anonymity is key to self-autonomy And how crypto helps freedom movements win - Cointelegraph