An analysis of a crackdown on criminals' use of encrypted communications leads the latest edition of the ISMG Security Report. Also: a preview of ISMG's Healthcare Security and Legal & Compliance summits, including expert insights on vendor risk management.

As we approach 2019, is it realistic to think the end of our dependency on traditional user names and passwords is in sight? Shane Weeden, and authentication expert with IBM Security, discusses the future of authentication and why he's encouraged by the FIDO2 initiative.

As ransomware and other cyberattacks continues to proliferate, organizations must improve vendor risk management so they have a plan in place in case a business associate falls victim, says Mitch Parker, CISO of Indiana University Health System, who will speak at ISMG's Healthcare Security Summit in New York.

Identity and access management is not about compliance anymore - It's really about security, says Gartner's Felix Gaehtgens. With cloud, virtualization, DevOps and other IT trends, IAM has evolved from being a one-off project to an ongoing initiative.

Malicious bots and botnets are becoming increasingly common and sophisticated, and enterprises need to address them in their risk assessments and security frameworks, says Akamai's Aseem Ahmed.

The latest edition of the ISMG Security Report features Kevin McDonald of the Mayo Clinic discussing how to secure connected medical devices. Plus, updates on the indictments of Chinese agents for hacking and the unveiling of the Financial Services Sector Cybersecurity Profile.

Banks have a new tool available for developing cyber risk management programs. In an interview, architects of the Financial Services Sector Cybersecurity Profile, Denyette DePierro and Josh Magri, describe how to use it. They'll offer more details at ISMG's Legal & Compliance Summit in New York on Nov. 15.

Kevin McDonald, director of clinical information security at Mayo Clinic, spells out several steps for helping to ensure the security of medical devices, stressing there's no "silver bullet" that can do the job. He'll be a speaker at ISMG's Healthcare Security Summit, to be held Nov. 13-14 in New York.

Organizations must carefully monitor that their business associates are adequately addressing data security to help guard against breaches, says Mark Eggleston, CISO at Health Partners Plans, who will speak on vendor risk management at ISMG's Healthcare Security Summit, to be held Nov. 13-14 in New York.

This week's edition of the ISMG Security Report features an analysis of whether the U.K.'s fine of Facebook for the Cambridge Analytica scandal is just the beginning of regulatory enforcement action. Plus: A potential settlement of Yahoo breach lawsuit and tips on securing data in the cloud.