4 Bulletproof Hosting Provider Admins Getting Sentenced

Mathew J. Schwartz • October 21, 2021

Four extradited Eastern European men have pleaded guilty in U.S. court to one count of conspiring to serve as administrators of a bulletproof hosting service that facilitated online attacks using the Zeus, SpyEye and Citadel Trojans and the Blackhole exploit kit, says the U.S. Department of Justice.

3rd Party Risk Management

3 Men Charged by US DOJ With Laundering BEC Proceeds

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3rd Party Risk Management

CISA Leader Backs 24-Hour Timeline for Incident Reporting

Dan Gunderman • October 20, 2021

A top leader of the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency has voiced support for a 24-hour timeline for cyber incident reporting involving critical infrastructure, signaling a push by the Biden administration to implement a rapid mechanism for federal response.

Business Continuity Management / Disaster Recovery

BlackMatter Ransomware Defense: Just-In-Time Admin Access

Mathew J. Schwartz • October 19, 2021

How many ways do U.S. businesses need to be told to lock down their systems to safeguard themselves from ransomware? That's the focus of a new, joint cybersecurity advisory from the U.S. government pertaining to BlackMatter, following an advisory issued last month about Conti.

Breach Notification

Sinclair TV Stations Targeted in Weekend Ransomware Attack

Dan Gunderman • October 18, 2021

Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc., which owns or operates 186 television stations across 87 U.S. markets, has been hit with a ransomware attack that has disrupted operations. The company says the attack has impacted its ability to deliver advertisements and certain programming.

Breach Notification

Thingiverse Breach: 50,000 3D Printers Faced Hijacking Risk

Jeremy Kirk • October 18, 2021

A data breach affecting MakerBot's Thingiverse 3D printing repository website is far bigger than what the company has acknowledged, a former employee claims. Upwards of 2 million users may have been affected by the breach, which left their 3D printers at risk of being hijacked.

Anti-Money Laundering (AML)

Treasury Dept. to Crypto Companies: Comply with Sanctions

Dan Gunderman • October 16, 2021

The U.S. Department of the Treasury unveiled additional steps to curb the illicit use of cryptocurrencies on Friday, warning enterprises not to engage with sanctioned entities exploiting the financial system - particularly to launder ransomware proceeds.

3rd Party Risk Management

ISMG Editors' Panel: Are Our Systems Too Complex to Secure?

Anna Delaney • October 15, 2021

In this update, four editors discuss key cybersecurity issues, including addressing the complexity of security, the rising number of victims targeted by double extortion ransomware and the Information Commissioner's Office's recent consultation on creating an international data transfer agreement.

Access Management

Missouri Refers Coordinated Bug Disclosure to Prosecutors

Jeremy Kirk • October 15, 2021

A newspaper reporter in Missouri who responsibly reported the exposure of Social Security numbers on a state government website has been accused of malicious hacking by the state's governor. The governor alleged the publication of the vulnerability after it was fixed was part of a "political vendetta."

Account Takeover Fraud

Teenage Cybercrime: Giving Young Hackers A Second Chance

Anna Delaney • October 15, 2021

The latest edition of the ISMG Security Report features an analysis of attempts made by European law enforcement to encourage young cybercriminals to channel their skills in more ethical ways. Also featured: Fraud detection and response; inspiring behavioral change.

Endpoint Security

Australia Plans Ransomware Attack Reporting Requirement

Jeremy Kirk • October 14, 2021

Australia plans to require businesses with more than $10 million in revenue to report ransomware attacks to the government, part of a comprehensive strategy to fight the attacks that also includes new criminal penalties and assistance to victims. The plan would need to be passed by Parliament.

3rd Party Risk Management

Profiles in Leadership: John O'Driscoll, State of Victoria

Jeremy Kirk • October 14, 2021

John O'Driscoll is the first CISO for the Australian state of Victoria, a job that has purview over 1,900 entities with 340,000 public servants. He's an expert in risk and audit, and that has subsequently lead to interesting conversations about who is accountable for risk and how to manage risk.

3rd Party Risk Management

To Repel Supply Chain Attacks, Better Incentives Needed

Mathew J. Schwartz • October 14, 2021

The breach of text message routing giant Syniverse revealed yet another supply chain attack involving a key supplier, exacerbated by outdated communications protocols desperately in need of a security revamp and better incentives for improvement, says mobile telephony security expert Karsten Nohl.

Critical Infrastructure Security

CISA to Access Agencies' Endpoints, Help Enhance Security

Dan Gunderman • October 12, 2021

In an effort to bolster endpoint protection within the U.S. government, the White House is ordering federal agencies to allow CISA to access existing deployments. It is also setting timelines for improving the protection of workstations, mobile phones and servers.