By Ernie Smith

Security experts say that cyberattackers are more likely to get experimental when distributing malware or attacking businesses in the new year. They may even rely on social engineering rather than a technical payload.
If you’re going to fight the threats that the internet has to offer in 2020, you’re going to have to get a little more creative.

That’s because attackers are getting more clever and trying some weird tactics.

According to security experts at firms such as Trend Micro and Avast, bad actors are trying unconventional things to stay a step ahead of IT staffs.

Speaking to IT World Canada, Trend Micro’s director of technology marketing, Myla Pilao, said that attackers are increasingly targeting areas that they might have previously avoided, including malware on the Linux platform and malware that aims to steal information rather than money. She also says that attackers will become harder to detect as they use more nontraditional methods to distribute or spread malware.

“These are the ones that probably would stay in our network, would stay in our devices, for a long time unattended,” Pilao told the outlet. “They would have a nontraditional way to evade detection. They will probably be using more blacklisting techniques. They might be doing more in the evasion techniques.”

One example of this is the PureLocker ransomware attack, which gained notice in November. What was weird about it? Rather than being written in a more traditional programming language like Java, JavaScript, or C++, PureLocker was written in PureBasic, a fairly obscure programming language based on the old-school BASIC language.

Additionally, malware is increasingly moving away from trying to infiltrate the App Store and instead toward trying to game the ad systems many free apps use.

“Getting malicious apps onto the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store is not an easy task, which is why cybercriminals are shifting towards subscription scams and fake apps integrated with aggressive adware to make money,” noted Nikolaos Chrysaidos, the head of mobile threat intelligence and security at Avast, in a recent news release.

Another nontraditional method that experts expect to see, according to MediaPost, is the rise of less-technical cyberattacks that rely on social engineering and attempt to compromise vendors that organizations rely on. Agari CMO and Chief Identity Officer Armen Najarian said that the attacks will involve “low-tech and social-engineered attacks at scale,” which tend to be more effective than more automated approaches.

“We fully expect cybergangs and cybercriminal organizations will organize and attempt fewer technical cyberattacks, like malware, starting early in 2020,” Najarian told the outlet.

To put it all another way: Stay on your toes in 2020. You’re going to need it.

“This article originally appeared on AssociationsNow.com. Reprinted with permission. Copyright ASAE: The Center for Association Leadership (January 2020), Washington, DC.”

IAVM member Neil McMullin, Senior Vice President, Shared Services, with Fern Exposition & Event Services, has been elected to serve as president of the Exhibition Service & Contractors Association (ESCA) following the organization’s most recent Winter Meeting in Las Vegas.

“Neil brings a level of expertise, passion, and insight to ESCA that will help continue our mission and support the exhibitions industry,” said Larry Arnaudet, Executive Director of ESCA.

McMullin has worked in the meetings and events industry as a general manager of convention centers, conference centers, arenas, and performing arts venues in various locations throughout the U.S., working for a private-venue management firm. He graduated with a degree in facility and business management from BYU. He is responsible for Fern’s field operations including quality control and the implementation of best practices in order to ensure a consistent delivery of high-quality services and products. McMullin also oversees all graphic design and production as well as technology services and carpet operations.

“I look forward to continuing to advance ESCA’s contributions to the industry while serving with the board and staff as President this year,” McMullin said. “We are a dedicated group that is passionate about the industry and the impact we create for our members.”

IAVM congratulates Neil on this deserved appointment!

By Michelle Riehle-Ludtke

The Los Angeles Convention Center (LACC) and in-house caterer Taste of LA by Levy Restaurants recently repurposed more than 800 meals from two GRAMMY® Week events, hosted by the Recording Academy®, to serve several Los Angeles-based nonprofit organizations.

The LACC Levy team partnered with Musically Fed to donate unused meals from the 2020 MusiCares® Person of the Year benefit gala and the GRAMMY Celebration® to the Los Angeles Mission, The Midnight Mission and Good Shepherd Center for Homeless Women & Children.

“We are thrilled to share the success of this initiative,” said Ellen Schwartz, General Manager, LACC. “As a facility committed to sustainability and community service, Musically Fed was a perfect partner to further our goals to reduce our environmental footprint while serving those in need.”

In the United States alone, nearly 40 percent of food is wasted per year and Musically Fed is working with the music industry to change that. The Phoenix-based nonprofit mobilizes artists, promoters, managers and venues to donate unused meals to local organizations.

“Our goal is to equip artists and their teams to leave each city with a lasting positive impact,” said Maria Brunner, Founder & Director, Musically Fed. “We are grateful to the Recording Academy and Levy for making this tremendous opportunity possible. We hope it serves as an example – and a challenge – for the rest of the music industry to get involved in the fight against hunger.”

Taste of LA by Levy worked alongside Musically Fed to ensure every bit of food was upcycled to local organizations in need after the conclusion of the GRAMMY Week events. This initiative builds on the LACC Levy team’s commitment to waste diversion. Since 2014, the LACC and Levy have worked together to donate 221 tons of food.

“At Levy, we are continuously looking for new ways to repurpose leftover food and create less waste,” said Patrick Smart, General Manager, Taste of LA by Levy, LACC. “Utilizing Musically Fed’s services during GRAMMY Week was a very positive experience and we hope to inspire our peers to join us in making a difference.”

Michelle Riehle-Ludtke is Marketing & Community Relations Specialist at the Los Angeles Convention Center.

Pictured: Musically Fed employees drop off repurposed meals from GRAMMY Celebration® at The Midnight Mission, Los Angeles on January 26, 2020.

IAVM members should plan to join us this Friday, February 7, at 4 PM EST, for a very important webinar with major stakeholders concerning the Coronavirus outbreak.

Among those participating in the approximate 45-minute webinar include the Center For Disease Control, American Red Cross, US Travel, and Department of Homeland Security.

Joe Bresee, Associate Deputy Incident Manager with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), will speak on Friday’s panel, as will Brad Keiserman representing the American Red Cross, and Tori Barnes, Executive Vice President, Public Affairs & Policy with the U.S. Travel Association.

“This webinar will also be inclusive of other associations involving meeting planners, organizers, and service contractors,” said Mark Herrera, IAVM Director of Education/Life Safety. “All those working within environments involving mass crowds from small to large where all types of events are held will benefit greatly from the webinar.”

The webinar will provide participants an update on the current emerging Coronavirus threat, which has sickened more than 20,000 people and killed almost 500 people in China. Plan to learn about the current travel restriction and precautionary measures to take when traveling. The webinar will also provide insight on how the government, health officials, and American Red Cross are working to prepare for and halt the spread of the Coronavirus.

IAVM looks forward to providing information and resources that can assist members and those from other associations to better prepare for this emerging threat.

CLICK HERE to register for the webinar!

By Delaware North Communications

Adina Erwin, CVE, has joined Delaware North as senior vice president for business operations at TD Garden in Boston. Erwin will report to Amy Latimer, president of TD Garden.

In her new role, Erwin will develop strategies to support and drive business results for operational excellence, including facility management, capital projects and guest service; maximizing the event schedule; leveraging innovative technology initiatives; and positioning the business as an industry leader. She will be responsible for developing and managing all operational functions and personnel related to client satisfaction, retention and maximization of guest experience, and will serve as a key contact for both Delaware North Sportservice at TD Garden and for The Hub on Causeway development.

Erwin brings more than 20 years of operational and managerial experience in sports and entertainment to Delaware North. She most recently served as vice president and chief operating officer of Fox Theatre in Atlanta, where she developed and led a master plan that enhanced existing revenue streams, introduced new revenue opportunities, and improved guest and premium experience assets. She has also held leadership roles with SMG Jacksonville, which manages six sports, entertainment, and convention venues on behalf of the City of Jacksonville, FL, and Center Operating Company in Dallas.

Erwin is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and holds a master’s in sport management from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. Her numerous awards and honors include a Woman of Influence Award from VenuesNow Magazine, the Ray Ward Award for extraordinary contributions to IAVM’s Venue Management School, and serving as the chair of the Board of Trustees for the IAVM Foundation.