Twitter Hack: Suspects Left Easy Trail for Investigators

Doug Olenick • August 3, 2020

Suspects in the epic attack against Twitter were uncovered in part by the use of their real photo identification for cryptocurrency accounts they used to broker the sale of stolen usernames. The mistakes proved crucial to their identification, according to court documents.

Cyberwarfare / Nation-State Attacks

How Criminals Are Using PPE as a Money-Laundering Tool

Latest

Cybercrime

Top Cybersecurity Challenge: 'More Capable Threat Actors'

Mathew J. Schwartz • August 3, 2020

The pace of online crime hasn't been flagging, as "more capable threat actors" - criminals and nation-states alike - have been bringing more advanced tools and tactics to bear on victims, says Raj Samani, chief scientist at McAfee.

Cybercrime

Secret Service Agent Offers Cybercrime-Fighting Insights

Anna Delaney • August 3, 2020

Christopher Leone, assistant special agent in charge, United States Secret Service, offers advice to organizations on forging relationships with law enforcement as part of their cybersecurity incident preparedness plans.

Cybercrime

FastPOS Malware Creator Pleads Guilty

Akshaya Asokan • August 1, 2020

A member of the infamous Infraud Organization who was the creator of a malware strain called FastPOS has pleaded guilty to a federal conspiracy charge. Valerian Chiochiu assisted other cybercriminals through the Infraud site before authorities shuttered it in 2018, prosecutors say.

COVID-19

FBI: COVID-19-Themed Phishing Spreads Netwalker Ransomware

Prajeet Nair • July 31, 2020

The FBI is warning that attacks using a ransomware variant called Netwalker have increased since June, targeting government organizations, educational entities, healthcare firms and private companies in the U.S. and elsewhere. Phishing campaigns spreading the malware are using COVID-19 themes as a lure.

Endpoint Security

Boot-Loading Flaw Affects Linux, Windows Devices

Akshaya Asokan • July 31, 2020

A vulnerability that can impede the boot-loading process of an operating system could potentially affect billions of Linux and Windows machines, according to Eclypsium. The flaw, called "BootHole," could enable an attacker to gain near total control of an infected device.

Account Takeover

Analysis: The Hacking of Mobile Banking App Dave

Nick Holland • July 31, 2020

The latest edition of the ISMG Security Report analyzes the hacking of Dave, a mobile banking app. Plus: Sizing up the impact of GDPR after two years of enforcement and an assessment of IIoT vulnerabilities.

Breach Notification

Blackbaud's Bizarre Ransomware Attack Notification

Mathew J. Schwartz • July 31, 2020

How many different shades of bizarre is the data breach notification issued by software vendor Blackbaud? Over the course of three paragraphs, Blackbaud normalizes hacking, congratulates its amazing cybersecurity team, and says it cares so much for its customers that it paid a ransom to attackers.

Breach Notification

Questions Persist About Ransomware Attack on Blackbaud

Mathew J. Schwartz • July 30, 2020

Numerous unanswered questions persist concerning a ransomware outbreak at Blackbaud, which provides cloud-based marketing, fundraising and customer relationship management software used by thousands of charities, universities, healthcare organizations and others.

Fraud Management & Cybercrime

Lazarus Group Reportedly Now Wielding Ransomware

Akshaya Asokan • July 30, 2020

The Lazarus Group, the North Korean hacking group behind the WannaCry worm, the theft of $81 million from a Bangladesh bank and the attacks on Sony Pictures, apparently is expanding into ransomware, according to the security firm Kaspersky.

Cybercrime

An Attacker's IoT Paradise: Billions of Insecure Devices

Steve King • July 30, 2020

The speed at which IoT is enabling innovation is far outpacing the ability of the security custodians to implement appropriate controls before these devices hit the market. That creates a classic target-rich environment for the bad guys - one that will require vigorous defense and oversight.

General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)

GDPR Two Years On: Compliance Lessons Learned

Anna Delaney • July 29, 2020

Now that it's been two years since enforcement of the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation began, three attorneys - Kelsey Finch, Jonathan Armstrong and David Dumont - reflect on the lessons learned so far and the compliance gaps that still need to be addressed.

Governance & Risk Management

How Open Source Intelligence Tools Are Evolving

Suparna Goswami • July 29, 2020

Changes in the privacy policies of social media companies have rendered many free open source intelligence tools unworkable, says Mason Wilder, senior research specialist at the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners. He describes the evolution of these tools and offers tips on how to apply them.