Google Removes 500 Chrome Extensions Tied to Malvertising

Apurva Venkat • February 17, 2020

Google has removed 500 Chrome extensions from its online store after researchers found that attackers were using them to steal browser data, according to a new report from security firm Duo Security. The thefts were part of a malvertising campaign that had been active for at least a year, the researchers say.

Business Email Compromise (BEC)

NIST Drafts Guidelines for Coping With Ransomware

Latest

Cybercrime

Unpatched VPN Servers Hit by Apparent Iranian APT Groups

Scott Ferguson • February 18, 2020

Unpatched Fortinet, Palo Alto and Pulse Secure VPN servers, as well as Citrix gateways, continue to be targeted by hackers, who are exploiting critical flaws to install backdoors inside corporate networks. Security firm ClearSky warns that apparent Iranian APT attackers are the latest to join the fray.

Application Security

Cybersecurity Plan for 2020 US Election Unveiled

Akshaya Asokan • February 17, 2020

The U.S. Cybersecurity Infrastructure and Security Agency has released its cybersecurity plan for the run-up to the 2020 presidential election, outlining the agency's role as a facilitator that will assist federal, state and local agencies in protecting critical election infrastructure.

Business Continuity Management / Disaster Recovery

IBM Exits RSA Conference 2020 Over Coronavirus Worries

Mathew J. Schwartz • February 17, 2020

With IBM and seven other sponsors withdrawing from next week's RSA Conference 2020 - as worries over the China-centered outbreak of the coronavirus continue - will others follow suit?

Cyberwarfare / Nation-State Attacks

US Charges Huawei With Stealing Trade Secrets

Ishita Chigilli Palli • February 14, 2020

The U.S. Justice Department has filed new charges against Huawei and several of its subsidiaries, plus its CFO, accusing them of engaging in a conspiracy to steal trade secrets from American companies.

Governance

Senator Calls for Creation of Federal Online Privacy Agency

Apurva Venkat • February 14, 2020

U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., is proposing the creation of a new federal agency dedicated to protecting online privacy, taking that task away from the Federal Trade Commission.

Application Security

MIT Researchers: Online Voting App Has Security Flaws

Akshaya Asokan • February 14, 2020

MIT security researchers have published a paper that describes several security flaws in Voatz, a smartphone app used for limited online voting during the 2018 midterm elections. But the maker of the app contends the research is flawed.

Application Security

Analysis: Indictments in Equifax Hack

Nick Holland • February 14, 2020

The latest edition of the ISMG Security Report analyzes the indictments of four Chinese military officers in connection with the 2017 Equifax data breach. Also featured: Advice on implementing NIST's new privacy framework; lessons learned in a breach disclosure.

Events

RSA Conference 2020: ISMG Spotlights Security Leaders

Scott Ferguson • February 14, 2020

Information Security Media Group, a premier media partner at the annual RSA Conference, will conduct over 200 video interviews at this year's event with cybersecurity thought leaders, executives, CISOs and sponsors.

Cyberwarfare / Nation-State Attacks

US Has Evidence of Huawei Backdoor: Report

Ishita Chigilli Palli • February 13, 2020

As the U.S. ramps up pressure on its allies to ban equipment from Chinese manufacturer Huawei from their 5G networks, U.S. officials now say they have evidence that the firm has created a backdoor that allows it to access mobile phone networks around the world, the Wall Street Journal reports.

Events

RSA 2020: The Show Must Go On

Scott Ferguson • February 13, 2020

While public health concerns over the spread of the coronavirus are leading to the cancellation of some international events, the RSA Conference 2020 will proceed as scheduled in San Francisco Feb. 24-28.

Encryption & Key Management

CIA Secretly Owned Swiss Encryption Firm for Years: Reports

Scott Ferguson • February 12, 2020

Intelligence agencies in the United States and West Germany secretly owned a controlling stake in Swiss firm Crypto AG for decades and used their access to the company's encrypted communications equipment to spy on over 100 countries, including friends and foes alike, according to news reports.

Cyberwarfare / Nation-State Attacks

US Counterintelligence Outlines 5 Key Priorities

Ishita Chigilli Palli • February 12, 2020

The agency that leads counterintelligence efforts for the U.S. has listed five key priorities for the year ahead that go far beyond protecting government secrets. Here's what's on the list.