Ramyar Daneshgar

SOC 2 vs ISO 27001: Which Compliance Framework Is Right for Your Business

By Ramyar Daneshgar Security Engineer | USC Viterbi School of Engineering Disclaimer: This article is for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Introduction: Why Every Business Needs a Security Framework In today’s digital economy, data protection and cybersecurity are no longer optional - they are operational and

How Sling TV’s $530,000 Privacy Settlement Became a Warning for Every Digital Business

By Ramyar Daneshgar Security Engineer | USC Viterbi School of Engineering Disclaimer: This article is for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. 1) Understanding Sling TV and Why It Matters Sling TV is a major American streaming platform owned by Dish Network, launched in 2015 to capture the

Inside Meta’s $725 Million Facebook Privacy Settlement: The Largest U.S. Class-Action Privacy Payout and What It Means for the Future of Data Governance

By Ramyar Daneshgar Security Engineer | USC Viterbi School of Engineering Disclaimer: This article is for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. 1. Introduction: A Turning Point for U.S. Privacy Enforcement In 2025, Facebook’s parent company Meta Platforms, Inc. began disbursing payments from a $725 million

Google’s Silent Pushback on California’s Browser Privacy Bill: What Counsel & Security Teams Must Know

By Ramyar Daneshgar Security Engineer | USC Viterbi School of Engineering Disclaimer: This article is for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Executive Summary In 2025, the state of California advanced landmark legislation - AB 566 - that would require web browsers (and later mobile OSs) to include

Maryland’s “New Gold Standard” Privacy Law: The Maryland Online Data Privacy Act (MODPA) and Its Implications for Tech Companies

By Ramyar Daneshgar Security Engineer | USC Viterbi School of Engineering Disclaimer: This article is for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Introduction On May 9, 2024, Maryland Online Data Privacy Act (“MODPA” or the “Act”) was signed into law by Wes Moore, Governor of Maryland, thereby positioning

The Cybersecurity Information Sharing (WIMWAG) Act at a Crossroads: Renewal, Revision, and Privacy Concerns

By Ramyar Daneshgar Security Engineer | USC Viterbi School of Engineering Disclaimer: This article is for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Executive Summary The Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act (CISA), originally enacted in 2015, has served as the legal foundation for cybersecurity cooperation between the private sector and

Google’s $425 Million Privacy Verdict: Lessons for Business Owners

By Ramyar Daneshgar Security Engineer | USC Viterbi School of Engineering Disclaimer: This article is for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Executive Summary In September 2025, a federal jury in San Francisco ordered Google to pay $425 million in damages for violating user privacy. The class action,

How the “Foresight Network” Exploited Federal Layoffs - And Why Cybersecurity Attorneys Must Pay Attention

By Ramyar Daneshgar Security Engineer | USC Viterbi School of Engineering Disclaimer: This article is for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Introduction In September 2025, the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD) revealed a coordinated, China-linked operation that masqueraded as a group of consulting firms to lure

How Healthline.com's Privacy Missteps Sparked a Lawsuit - And What Every Company Must Do to Avoid the Same Fate

By Ramyar Daneshgar Security Engineer | USC Viterbi School of Engineering Disclaimer: This article is for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Introduction In July 2025, the California Attorney General filed a complaint against Healthline Media, LLC for violating the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and the Unfair

The Otter.ai Lawsuit: What Went Wrong and How Companies Can Avoid the Same Privacy Mistakes

By Ramyar Daneshgar Security Engineer | USC Viterbi School of Engineering Disclaimer: This article is for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. In August 2025, Otter.ai, the artificial intelligence transcription company, became the target of a major class action lawsuit filed in the United States District Court

One Misconfigured Port Could Void Your SOC 2 and Force a Breach Disclosure

By Ramyar Daneshgar Security Engineer | USC Viterbi School of Engineering Disclaimer: This article is for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Executive Summary In cloud-native environments, a single exposed port on a virtual machine or container can trigger major regulatory consequences. What appears to be a routine

How One Packet Capture Could Sink Your SOC 2 Audit - And Open You to Lawsuits

By Ramyar Daneshgar Security Engineer | USC Viterbi School of Engineering Disclaimer: This article is for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Executive Summary Protocols like Telnet, FTP, and POP3 are still present across many enterprise environments - including cloud-based vendors, managed service providers, and healthcare organizations. These