Technology Enablement White Paper

A year of devastating natural disasters – $145 billion in weather-related damages in 2021 – tested public safety agencies like never before. Technology proved essential to preparedness, response and recovery. 

June marks the official start of the 2022 hurricane season, which forecasters predict will be another above average season, making it the seventh season in a row with higher-than-normal activity. The forecast for the current wildfire season follows suit, with predictions of high intensity. Already this year, Southeast Florida was hit with severe rain showers following the landfall of Tropical Storm Alex, and New Mexico has battled its largest fire in state history. As this trend of increasingly severe natural disasters continues, the need for resilient and reliable technology solutions has never been more imperative. 

As public safety agencies across the nation prepare for not only the current season but those ahead, technology continues to cement its role as

“Denial is not a river in Egypt”

 We start this week’s summary with a famous quote from Mark Twain, and our theme is “denial.”

We know that the majority of companies have experienced some form of ransomware attack. According to a Telus survey published in 2022, “cyber-attacks are on the rise in Canada, with 98 per cent of Canadian organizations reporting a cyberattack in the last 12 months.”

Who do we trust when attackers claim to have had a successful ransomware attack, but the company denies that the attack was successful?

This week, two major companies both issued denials in the face of ransomware gangs claiming they have successfully attacked the company, and who post evidence of stolen data to prove their claim?

Walmart denies attack by Yanluowang gang

Walmart has denied being attacked with ransomware by the Yanluowang gang, although the gang claimed to have encrypted thousands of computers.