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T-Mobile
AI technology CIO cyber resilience Cyber Security Proofpoint Quantum computing T-Mobile

Cyber Resilience: Preparing for the Inevitable in a New Era of Cybersecurity

 

At the TED Conference in Vancouver this year, the Radical Innovators foundation brought together over 60 of the world’s leading CHROs, CIOs, and founders to discuss how emerging technologies like AI and quantum computing can enhance our lives. Despite the positive focus, the forum also addressed a more concerning topic: how these same technologies could amplify cybersecurity threats. Jeff Simon, CISO of T-Mobile, led a session on the future of security, engaging tech executives on the growing risks. 

The urgency of this discussion was underscored by alarming data from Proofpoint, which showed that 94% of cloud customers faced cyberattacks monthly in 2023, with 62% suffering breaches. This illustrates the increased risk posed by emerging technologies in the wrong hands. The sentiment from attendees was clear: successful cyberattacks are now inevitable, and the traditional focus on preventing breaches is no longer sufficient. Ajay Waghray, CIO of PG&E Corporation, emphasized a shift in mindset, suggesting that organizations must operate under the assumption that their systems are already compromised. 

He proposed a new approach centered around “cyber resilience,” which goes beyond stopping breaches to maintaining business continuity and strengthening organizational resilience during and after attacks. The concept of cyber resilience aligns with lessons learned during the pandemic, where resilience was about not just recovery, but coming back stronger. Bipul Sinha, CEO of Rubrik, a leading cyber resilience firm, believes organizations must know where sensitive data resides and evolve security policies to stay ahead of future threats. He argues that preparedness, including preemptive planning and strategic evolution after an attack, is crucial for continued business operations. 

Venture capital firms like Lightspeed Venture Partners are also recognizing this shift towards cyber resilience. Co-founder Ravi Mhatre highlights the firm’s investments in companies like Rubrik, Wiz, and Arctic Wolf, which focus on advanced threat mitigation and containment. Mhatre believes that cybersecurity now requires a more dynamic approach, moving beyond the idea of a strong perimeter to embrace evolutionary thinking. Waghray identifies four core elements of a cyber resilience strategy: planning, practice, proactive detection, and partnerships. 

These components serve as essential starting points for companies looking to adopt a cyber resilience posture, ensuring they are prepared to adapt, respond, and recover from the inevitable cyber threats of the future.
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Security Audit
Bank Security bfsi CIO CISO Cybersecurity PenTesting Security Audit

The Importance of Whitelisting Scanner IPs in Cybersecurity Assessments


In the realm of cybersecurity, ensuring the safety and integrity of a network is a multifaceted endeavor. One crucial aspect of this process is the regular assessment of potential vulnerabilities within the system. As a cybersecurity professional, our work revolves around identifying these vulnerabilities through automated scans and red team exercises, meticulously recording them in a Bugtrack Excel sheet, and collaborating with human analysts to prioritize and address the most critical issues. However, a recurring challenge in this process is the reluctance of some customers to whitelist the IP addresses of our scanning tools.

The Role of Whitelisting in Accurate Assessments

Whitelisting the scanner IP is essential for obtaining accurate and comprehensive results during security assessments. When the IP address of the scanning tool is whitelisted, it allows the scanner to perform a thorough evaluation of the network without being hindered by security measures such as firewalls or intrusion detection systems. This unrestricted access enables the scanner to identify all potential vulnerabilities, providing a realistic picture of the network's security posture.

The Reluctance to Whitelist

Despite the clear benefits, many customers are hesitant to whitelist the IP addresses of cybersecurity vendors. The primary reason for this reluctance is the perception that it could expose the network to potential threats. Customers fear that by allowing unrestricted access to the scanner, they are inadvertently creating a backdoor that could be exploited by malicious actors.

Moreover, there is a prevalent falsity in this approach. By not whitelisting the scanner IP, the results of the security assessments are often incomplete or misleading. The scanners may miss critical vulnerabilities that are hidden behind security measures, resulting in a report that underestimates the actual risks. Consequently, the management and auditors, relying on these reports, task the IT team with addressing only the identified issues, leaving the undetected vulnerabilities unaddressed.

The Illusion of Security

This approach creates an illusion of security. The customer, management, and auditors may feel satisfied with the apparent low number of vulnerabilities, believing that their network is secure. However, this false sense of security can be detrimental. Hackers are relentless and innovative, constantly seeking new ways to infiltrate networks. They are not deterred by the same security measures that hinder our scanners. By not whitelisting the scanner IP, customers are effectively blinding themselves to potential threats that hackers could exploit.

The Hacker's Advantage

Hackers employ manual methods and conduct long-term reconnaissance to find vulnerabilities within a network. They utilize a combination of sophisticated techniques and persistent efforts to bypass security measures. The tools and strategies that block scanner IPs are not effective against a determined hacker's methods. Hackers can slowly and methodically map out the network, identify weaknesses, and exfiltrate data without triggering the same alarms that automated scanners might. This means that even if a scanner is blocked, a hacker can still find and exploit vulnerabilities, leading to potentially catastrophic breaches.

The Need for Continuous and Accurate Scanning

Security scanners need to perform regular assessments—daily or weekly—to keep up with the evolving threat landscape. For these scans to be effective, the scanner IP must be whitelisted to ensure consistent and accurate results. This repetitive scanning is crucial for maintaining a robust security posture, as it allows for the timely identification and remediation of new vulnerabilities.

The Conference Conundrum

Adding to this challenging landscape is the current trend in cybersecurity conferences. Instead of inviting actual security researchers, security engineers, or architects who write defensive software, many conferences are being hosted by OEM vendors or Consulting organizations. These vendors often showcase the users of their security products rather than the experts who develop and understand the intricate details of cybersecurity defense mechanisms. This practice can lead to a superficial understanding of security products and their effectiveness, as the focus shifts from in-depth technical knowledge to user experiences and testimonials.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the reluctance to whitelist scanner IPs stems from a misunderstanding of the importance of comprehensive and accurate security assessments. While it may seem counterintuitive, whitelisting these IP addresses is a necessary step in identifying and addressing all potential vulnerabilities within a network. 

By embracing this practice, customers can move beyond the illusion of security and take proactive measures to protect their networks from the ever-evolving threats posed by cybercriminals. The ultimate goal is to ensure that both the customer and their management are genuinely secure, rather than merely appearing to be so. Security measures that block scanner IPs won't thwart a dedicated hacker who uses manual methods and long-term reconnaissance. Thus, comprehensive vulnerability assessments are essential to safeguarding against real-world threats. Additionally, there needs to be a shift in how cybersecurity conferences are organized, prioritizing the inclusion of true security experts to enhance the industry's collective knowledge and capabilities.

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Suriya Prakash and Sabari Selvan

CySecurity Corp 

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irda
Banks bfsi CIO CISO Cyber Security insurance irda

Enhancing Cybersecurity: Automated Vulnerability Detection and Red Team Exercises with Validation Scans



In today's digital age, cybersecurity has become a top priority for organizations of all sizes. The ever-evolving landscape of cyber threats necessitates robust and comprehensive approaches to identifying and mitigating vulnerabilities.

Two effective methods in this domain are automated vulnerability detection and red team exercises. This article explores how these methods work together, the process of recording identified vulnerabilities, and the crucial role of human analysts in prioritizing them.

Automated Vulnerability Detection:

Automated vulnerability detection tools are designed to scan systems, networks, and applications for known vulnerabilities. These tools leverage databases of known threats and employ various scanning techniques to identify potential security weaknesses. The benefits of automated detection include:

1. Speed and Efficiency: Automated tools can quickly scan large volumes of data, significantly reducing the time needed to identify vulnerabilities.

2. Consistency: Automated processes eliminate the risk of human error, ensuring that every scan is thorough and consistent.

3. Continuous Monitoring: Many automated tools offer continuous monitoring capabilities, allowing organizations to detect vulnerabilities in real time.

However, automated tools are not without their limitations. They may not detect new or complex threats, and false positives can lead to wasted resources and effort.


Red Team Exercises:


Red team exercises involve ethical hackers, known as red teams, who simulate real-world cyber attacks on an organization's systems. These exercises aim to uncover vulnerabilities that automated tools might miss and provide a realistic assessment of the organization's security posture. The advantages of red team exercises include:

1. Real-World Scenarios: Red teams use the same tactics, techniques, and procedures as malicious hackers, providing a realistic assessment of the organization's defenses.

2. Human Ingenuity: Human testers can think creatively and adapt to different situations, identifying complex and hidden vulnerabilities.

3. Comprehensive Assessment: Red team exercises often reveal vulnerabilities in processes, people, and technologies that automated tools might overlook.

Recording and Prioritizing Vulnerabilities:

Once vulnerabilities are identified through automated tools or red team exercises, they need to be meticulously recorded and managed. This is typically done using a bugtrack Excel sheet, which includes details such as the vulnerability description, severity, affected systems, and potential impact.

The recorded vulnerabilities are then reviewed by human analysts who prioritize them based on their severity and potential impact on the organization.

This prioritization is crucial for effective vulnerability management, as it ensures that the most critical issues are addressed first. The analysts categorize vulnerabilities into three main levels:

1. High: These vulnerabilities pose a significant risk and require immediate attention. They could lead to severe data breaches or system compromises if exploited.

2. Medium: These vulnerabilities are less critical but still pose a risk that should be addressed promptly.

3. Low: These vulnerabilities are minor and can be addressed as resources allow.

Machine-Readable Vulnerability Reports and Automated Validation:

Once the vulnerabilities are prioritised and added to the bugtrack, it is essential to provide customers with the information in a machine-readable format. This enables seamless integration with their existing systems and allows for automated processing. The steps involved are:

1. Machine-Readable Format: The bugtrack data is converted into formats such as JSON or XML which can be easily read and processed by machines.

2. Customer Integration: Customers can integrate these machine-readable reports into their security information and event management (SIEM) systems or other security tools to streamline vulnerability management and remediation workflows.

3. Automated Remediation and Validation: After addressing the vulnerabilities, customers can use automated methods to validate the fixes. This involves re-scanning the systems with automated tools to ensure that the vulnerabilities have been effectively mitigated. This is done using YAML scripts specifically added to the vulnerability scanning tool to scan. Output is analyzed to see if a vulnerability is fixed.

Network and Application Vulnerability Revalidation:

For network level vulnerabilities, revalidation can be done using the Security Content Automation Protocol (SCAP) or by automating the process using YAML/Nuclei vulnerability scanners.

These tools can efficiently verify that the identified network vulnerabilities have been patched and no longer pose a risk.

For application level vulnerabilities, SCAP is not suitable. Instead, the bugtrack system should have a feature to revalidate vulnerabilities using YAML/Nuclei scanners or validation scripts via tools like Burp Suite Replicator plugin. These methods are more effective for confirming that application vulnerabilities have been properly addressed.

Conclusion:

Combining automated vulnerability detection with red team exercises provides a comprehensive approach to identifying and mitigating security threats.  Automated tools offer speed and consistency, while red teams bring creativity and real-world testing scenarios. Recording identified vulnerabilities in a bugtrack Excel sheet, providing machine-readable reports, and validating fixes through automated methods ensure that resources are effectively allocated to address the most pressing security issues.

By leveraging these methods, organizations can enhance their cybersecurity posture, protect sensitive data, and mitigate the risk of cyber attacks. As the threat landscape continues to evolve, staying proactive and vigilant in vulnerability management will remain essential for safeguarding digital assets.

The entire vulnerability monitoring with the automated machine-readable format for validating has been implemented in DARWIS VM module.

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Suriya Prakash & Sabari Selvan
CySecurity Corp 
www.cysecuritycorp.com
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Technology
CIO CISO CISOs Cyber Security IT Companies Technology

The Convergence of CIO and CISO Roles in the Digital Age

 


As businesses embrace the cloud, software-as-a-service (SaaS), and remote work, a million-dollar question arises: How will these roles evolve? The answer seems as complex as the myriad factors influencing it – company size, industry, culture, existing organizational charts, and future digital transformation plans, to name a few. Some advocate maintaining the status quo, while others propose a more specialized split between a business-oriented executive focused on risk management and compliance, and a technical executive honing in on threat prevention and response.

Regardless of the path chosen, the crux of the matter remains – the imperative need for collaboration and alignment between CIOs and CISOs. In a world where successful digital transformation is contingent upon the delicate relation between innovation and security, these IT leaders find themselves at the forefront, shaping the future of businesses large and small. The article will delve into the intricacies of this new development, shedding light on the collaborative journey of CIOs and CISOs as they navigate the ever-changing currents of technology and cybersecurity.

About two decades ago, CIOs primarily focused on managing an organization's IT infrastructure and applications. However, with the rise of digital transformation, cloud computing, and remote work, their role has shifted. Today, CIOs act as brokers of IT services, concentrating on how technology can drive innovation and effectively managing resources.

Concurrently, the profile of CISOs has been on the rise, fueled by compliance mandates, data breaches, and emerging cybersecurity threats. Compliance requirements such as HIPAA, PCI DSS, GDPR, and SOC 2 have played a dual role – increasing the visibility and budgets for cybersecurity teams but often falling short in addressing sophisticated threats like phishing and ransomware.

The growing importance of digital security at the board level has prompted CIOs, traditionally the voice of digital matters, to delve deeper into understanding cybersecurity. This trend blurs the lines between the roles of CIOs and CISOs.

Enter digital transformation, offering an opportunity to enhance cybersecurity. Despite some skepticism about its promises, digital transformation has necessitated closer collaboration between CIOs and CISOs. While CIOs continue to guide the ship, CISOs have become proactive partners, deeply involved in operational decision-making from the outset.

As companies embrace the cloud, software-as-a-service (SaaS), and remote work, the question arises – how will these roles evolve? The answer is not straightforward and depends on various factors like company size, industry, culture, and existing IT setup. Some suggest maintaining the status quo, while others propose splitting the roles into a business-oriented executive focusing on risk management and compliance, and a more technical executive concentrating on threat prevention and response.

Regardless of the direction these roles take, the overarching theme is the critical need for collaboration and alignment between CIOs and CISOs for successful digital transformation. This synergy is essential not only during the transformation process but also for navigating the evolving cybersecurity landscape.

In essence, the traditional boundaries between CIOs and CISOs are fading, giving way to a collaborative approach that acknowledges the intertwined nature of technology and cybersecurity. As companies navigate this evolution, the success of their digital transformation hinges on the ability of these IT leaders to work hand-in-hand, ensuring a secure and innovative future for businesses of all sizes.

This transformative shift emphasises the importance of simplifying and strengthening the relationship between CIOs and CISOs, creating a united front against the ever-growing challenges of the digital age.


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Zero Trust
CIO CISO Cyber Security IAM Identity and Access Management ITDR Multi-factor authentication Zero Trust

Things CISOs Need to Know About Identity and Access Management


These days, threat actors are utilizing Generative AI to steal victims’ identities and profiting through deepfakes and pretext based cyberattacks. With the most recent Verizon 2023 Data Breach Investigations Report (DBIR) indicating that pretexting has doubled in only a year, well-planned attacks that prey on victims' trust are becoming more common. Identity and access management (IAM) is a topic that is now being discussed at the board level in many businesses due to the increased danger of compromised identities.

Building IAM on a Foundation of Zero Trust to Increase its Effectiveness

Zero trust is an essential requirement for getting an IAM right, and identity is at the heart of zero trust. CISOs must adopt a zero-trust framework thoroughly and proceed as though a breach has already occurred. (They should be mindful, though, that cybersecurity providers frequently exaggerate the possibilities of zero trust.)

According to CrowdStrike’s George Kurtz, “Identity-first security is critical for zero trust because it enables organizations to implement strong and effective access controls based on their users’ needs. By continuously verifying the identity of users and devices, organizations can reduce the risk of unauthorized access and protect against potential threats.” He says that“80% of the attacks, or the compromises that we see, use some form of identity and credential theft.”

What Must CISO Know About IAM in 2023? 

According to CISO, one of the significant challenges in staying updated with the IAM technology is the pressure that comes with their cybersecurity tech stakes and goals like getting more done with less workforce and budget. 63% percent of CISOs choose extended detection and response (XDR), and 96% plan to combine their security platforms. The majority of CISOs, up from 61% in 2021, have consolidation on their roadmaps, according to Cynet's 2022 CISO study.

As customers combine their IT stacks, cybersecurity providers like CrowdStrike, Palo Alto Networks, Zscaler, and others see new sales prospects. According to Gartner, global investment in IAM will increase by 11.8% year between 2023 and 2027, from $20.7 billion to $32.4 billion. Leading IAM suppliers include IBM, Microsoft Azure Active Directory, Palo Alto Networks, Zscaler, CrowdStrike, Delinea, Ericom, ForgeRock, Google Cloud Identity, and AWS Identity and Access Management.

We are mentioning some of the IAM aspects that CISOs and CIOs must know of in 2023:

Audit all Access Credentials and Rights to Prevent the Growing Credential Epidemic

An Insider attack is a nightmare for CISOs, raising concerns about their jobs that keep them up all night. According to some CISOs, a notorious insider attack that is not caught on time could cost them and their teams their jobs, especially in financial services. Furthermore, internal attacks are as complicated as or harder to identify than exterior attacks, according to 92% of security leaders.

A common error is importing legacy credentials into a new identity management system. Take your time examining and erasing credentials. Over half of the businesses have encountered an insider threat in the previous year, according to 74% of organizations, who also claim that insider attacks have escalated. 20 or more internal attacks have occurred in 8% of people.

According to Ivanti's Press Reset, a 2023 Cybersecurity Status Report, 45% of businesses believe that previous workers and contractors still have active access to the company's systems and files. “Large organizations often fail to account for the huge ecosystem of apps, platforms and third-party services that grant access well past an employee’s termination,” said Dr. Srinivas Mukkamala, chief product officer at Ivanti.

Multifactor Authentication (MFA) can be a Quick Zero-trust Win

Multifactor Authentication (MFA) is essential as a first line of zero-trust security, according to CISOs, CIOs, and SecOps team members interviewed by VentureBeat. MFA is an instant win that CISOs have consistently told VentureBeat they rely on to demonstrate the success of their zero-trust projects.

They advise that MFA should be implemented with as little impact on employees' productivity as possible. The most effective multi-factor authentication (MFA) implementations combine password or PIN code authentication with biometric, behavioral biometric, or what-you-have (token) aspects.

Protect IAM Infrastructure with Identity Threat Detection and Response (ITDR) Tools

ITDR tools could mitigate risks and strengthen security configuration. Additionally, they may identify attacks, offer remedies, and uncover and repair configuration flaws in the IAM system. Enterprises can strengthen their security postures and lower their risk of an IAM infrastructure breach by implementing ITDR to safeguard IAM systems and repositories, including Active Directory (AD).

Some of the popular vendors include Authomize, CrowdStrike, Microsoft, Netwrix, Quest, Semperis, SentinelOne (Attivo Networks), Silverfort, SpecterOps, and Tenable.  

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Software
Chain Security CIO Cyber Attacks Cyber Security CyberCrime Malicious Code Software

How Can Developers Win the Data Security Battle?

 


In IT organizations, chief information officers (CIOs) rank security as their top challenge as being one of their biggest weaknesses. It is estimated that 82% of companies are vulnerable to cyber threats in their own software supply chains. 

Because security threats continue to change and become increasingly sophisticated, developers must work closely with security teams. It is done to ensure the development lifecycle is managed effectively throughout the whole process. This is so that all measures are taken to ensure security is baked in from the ground up. 

Several factors, including this and others, have contributed to the emergence of cybersecurity as an issue that is becoming more expensive. A recently released report by McKinsey & Company predicted that in 2025, cybercrime would be worth approximately $10.5 trillion worldwide, an increase of 300% over today's figure. Meanwhile, governments all over the globe are taking note of the risks associated with the software supply chain by assessing the risks. There have been several cyber performance goals set by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) to protect critical infrastructure across the country as part of its cyber performance goals. It appears, for now, that these guidelines may serve as a foundation for federal regulations if they are voluntary. There is evidence to support this, but for now, they are voluntary. 

It is encouraging to see that a positive trend is brewing, but as of now, there is one group increasingly strengthening its position on the front lines of defense when it comes to data security: software developers. 

Software Supply Chain Security: Four Pillars 

There is a responsibility placed on security teams within their organizations to do whatever they can to protect the data of their company. Software supply chain attacks have been increasing in number and method over the past few years due to the increasing volume and nature of these attacks. Policies need to be enforced across a wide range of operations, in addition, security teams are also expected to implement best practices and compliance standards across these operations. As a result, many organizations have had their supply chain teams overworked, resulting in a "downhill" effect on development teams, who inevitably have been called to resolve and strengthen many of the many supply chain issues that have become backlogs in the process of supply chain integration. 

Unfortunately, most organizations cannot afford to have a person devoted solely to DevSecOps, and there are not enough leaders or engineers who can do so. Due to this fact, it is becoming increasingly common for security and development teams to work together. This is because they include security from the start of the development of applications and processes, thereby ensuring a secure product for users. 

Developers are now playing an increasingly critical role in the fight against data breaches, which means they have four things they need to keep in mind in their efforts to secure the software supply chain in this day and age: 

Increasing the Emphasis on Software Packages

Software packages can simply be described as modules of code that are put together to form a complete application at their most basic level. Among malicious actors today, one of the most common strategies that they employ is to attack compromised packages that include more than just source code - these compromised packages might contain sensitive keys, configuration files, or other aspects that can make a company vulnerable to their attacks. 

To be able to detect issues within packages that cannot be detected solely by source code alone, developers must have both the tools and knowledge required. A full understanding of potential exploits will allow them to be able to determine the full impact of their introduction. 

Knowing the Context in Which Software Operates

In addition to developing software packages, developers must learn and understand the context within which software operates to best protect it from harm. Particularly, they must identify and recognize the misuse of open-source libraries, the ongoing insecurity of services, the exposure of secrets, as well as issues with infrastructure-as-code configurations (IACs). A vulnerability in the application must then be identified to determine whether it is appropriate for them and whether they are likely to exploit it. 

An application's configuration, use of authentication mechanisms, and exposure of keys can all make a difference as to whether common vulnerabilities and exposures (CVEs) can be exploited and exploited successfully. Along with the security team, developers should ensure that the libraries, services, daemons, and IAC they rely on within a software supply chain, such as on-premises, in the cloud, and at the edge, are not misused or misconfigured, regardless of where they are located. 

Assure That all Processes and Tools are Secure

In an ideal situation, all the artifacts and repositories that are needed to support a development project should be managed in one place, creating an all-encompassing point of truth for the organization. The process of securing a product becomes a natural part of the development process when the development team has control over everything in their portfolio - this single source of facts becomes a single source of trust. 

DevOps requirements and tools require and incorporate security as part of their design and implementation when they are managed correctly. It is the goal of the project to unify, accelerate, and secure the delivery of software from the development stage to the deployment stage. Teams involved in the security set policies and strategies, followed by teams involved in development resolving, or managing any codebase issues. A workflow that works for core DevOps teams does not just work for security and developer teams. Instead, it has to work for all teams, whether it is an infrastructure team, an integration team, a release team, or a flow team.

Preventing the Exploitation of Vulnerabilities

To detect vulnerabilities that can be exploited, most organizations should partner with a third-party or open-source community, which has advanced research experience, to assist them in uncovering them before they are exploited by attackers. As a result, businesses can make quick decisions to combat upcoming attacks as they become commonplace in their line of business. This in turn enables them to update databases rapidly with contextual analysis that mimics the work of researchers. 

Innovation Through Facilitation

Security needs to be implemented across the entire development process of an application to allow developers to actually develop. This means that if they follow the strategies above, they won’t spend all their time dealing with security issues that they do not understand. Instead, they can get their work done. In this way, they can solve vulnerabilities easier and faster and make sure that they are fixing everything that is wrong with the vulnerabilities. There is no doubt that security is a real and vital concern. However, to win, organizations must make it a priority throughout the entire software supply chain rather than just in the IT department. This allows developers to develop more innovative software, which in turn allows the business to move forward and innovate.
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