IOActive's Mike Ridpath and Matias Brutti to Present at WSCPA Seattle Chapter

IOActive's Security Consultants to be featured speakers for WSCPA Seattle Chapter

Seattle, Wash—September 22, 2011. IOActive, a leading provider of application security, compliance, and smart grid security services, today announced that Mike Ridpath and Matias Brutti, two of their security consultants, will be speaking for WSCPA’s Seattle Chapter. Ridpath will present Social Engineering and the Cold Call, while Brutti will present TASH: Targeted Social Engineering. With more than 10,000 members, the Washington Society of Certified Public Accountains is the only organization in the State of Washington dedicated to serving the professional needs of CPAs, educating consumers about CPAs and the services they provide, and encouraging students to study accounting and enter the profession. Their focus on technology and emerging threats encourages their members to be more competitive and adaptable in their professional lives.

Social Engineering and the Cold Call- Mike Ridpath will review the psychology and sociology of social engineering through a “cold call” and share personal techniques that have worked for him in over 100 engagements. He will present his findings on the difference between male and female targets, and play sanitized examples of successful calls to highlight the challenges and advantages of social engineering over a phone, instructing the audience on ways to prevent these attacks on themselves and their companies.

TASH: Targeted Social Hacking- Given the current ubiquity of social networks in recreational as well as corporate environments, we can absolutely expect criminals and hackers to develop attacks and exploits that will abuse both the people and organizations that utilize this form of networking. Using a sample attack Matias Brutti walk through the steps an attacker likely will take a target a specific entity based on its social network presence and information. He will discuss the process of gathering employee information, creating fake identities, and launching social ruses, as well as the results of such attacks. Brutti will further review possibilities and plans for how to protect not only our own private data, but that of the corporate environments where we work.

WHAT Social Engineering and the Cold Call

TASH: Targeted Social Hacking

WHERE Women's University Club, Seattle WA

WHEN October 18, 2011.

HOW For more information, visit the WSCPA’s Seattle Chapter website.

About IOActive
Established in 1998, IOActive is an industry leader that offers comprehensive computer security services with specializations in smart grid technologies, software assurance, and compliance. Boasting a well-rounded and diverse clientele, IOActive works with a majority of Global 500 companies including power and utility, hardware, retail, financial, media, aerospace, high-tech, and software development organizations. As a home for highly skilled and experienced professionals, IOActive attracts the likes of talented consultants who contribute to the growing body of security knowledge by speaking at such elite conferences as Black Hat, Ruxcon, Defcon, BlueHat, CanSec, and WhatTheHack. For more information, visit www.ioactive.com.

About Mike Ridpath
Mike Ridpath is has worked for IOActive only two years, but during that time his talent has lead him to become experienced security consultant, working with platinum-level clients on network and application penetration tests, PCI compliance, and general consulting engagements. Prior to working for IOActive, Ridpath was in senior management as a product developer and on governing boards for multiple training and process improvement companies where he worked with risk analysis and various process improvement methodologies. He most recently presented talks at Black Hat USA 2011 and ToorCon Seattle 2011.

About Matias Brutti
Matias Brutti is a Senior Security Consultant at IOActive, where he deploys his deep experience in enterprise-level application and network assessment/consultation. At IOActive he performs penetration testing, identifies system vulnerabilities, and designs custom security solutions for clients in software development, telecommunications, financial services, and professional services. Mr. Brutti has performed security assessments and PCI DSS security support services for companies in the Fortune 100, and has five years' experience working on all manner of compliance projects.

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