COVID 19 ROUNDUP - PANDEMIC DELIVERS AN EXTRAORDINARY ARRAY OF SECURITY CHALLENGES
THIS PAST WEEK: 100+ Articles on aspects of Cyber Security / Cyber Breach from around the world that have occurred since Covid 19 became a “thing” , with short summary links; Warner Music sings the blues after a skimming attack surfaces; Data breach cost (and risks) are soaring for businesses in every sector; The state of phishing in 2020 shows you why it's today's biggest risk and major data breaches occur in UNITED STATES, UNITED KINGDOM, ARGENTINA and AUSTRALIA.
Top Dark Web ID Trends:
Top Source Hits: ID Theft Forums
Top Compromise Type: Domain
Top Industry: Education & Research
Top Employee Count: 1 - 10
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COVID CYBERCRIME: TEN DISTURBING STATISTICS TO KEEP YOU AWAKE TONIGHT
Nine out of 10 coronavirus domains are scams. Half a million Zoom accounts are for sale on the Dark Web. Brute-force attacks are up 400 percent. And there's more. So much more.
BRUTE-FORCE CYBERATTACKS ON THE RISE IN BRAZIL
The widespread adoption of remote working is the main driver behind the increase, according to a new report.
WORKING FROM HOME CAUSES SURGE IN SECURITY BREACHES, STAFF 'OBLIVIOUS' TO BEST PRACTICES
The coronavirus pandemic is thought to be at the heart of a rise in security incidents this year.
FAKE NEWS ON COVID-19 GOVERNMENT INITIATIVES BOOST PHISHING
About one in eight Internet users have accessed a website with malicious content during the first months of the pandemic, research suggests.
NHS HIT WITH WAVE OF SCAM EMAILS AT HEIGHT OF COVID-19 PANDEMIC
NHS Digital said its cybersecurity teams were working hard to keep patient data secure as attackers continued to target under-pressure services.
HOW CORONAVIRUS HAS EXPOSED MIDDLE EAST'S GAPING DIGITAL DIVIDE
The problems facing the region's tech have-nots were bad enough before the pandemic struck.
ZDNet Security Update: Danny Palmer talks to George Kurtz, co-founder and CEO of Crowd-strike, about how cybersecurity has had to adapt to unique circumstances in 2020 -- and what it means going forward.
SONICWALL REPORT: COVID-19 HAS CREATED 'BOON' FOR CRIMINALS
Hackers have adapted their strategies to take advantage of the pandemic and vulnerable work-from-home IT connections.
DOJ INDICTS TWO CHINESE HACKERS FOR ATTEMPTED IP THEFT OF COVID-19 RESEARCH
The DOJ suggests in the indictment that the hackers were working for both themselves and for the benefit the Chinese government's Ministry of State Security.
Jim Alkove, Chief Trust Officer at Salesforce, talks security in the new normal of remote work, cybersecurity best practices, and how security jobs can be a way to increase diversity in IT.
RUSSIAN HACKERS ARE TARGETING CORONAVIRUS SCIENTISTS WITH PHISHING AND MALWARE ATTACKS
Advisory from the UK's National Cyber Security Centre warns of an active spear-phishing campaign by APT 29 - a hacking group associated with Russian intelligence services - in an effort to steal research data.
REMOTE WORKING: THIS FREE TOOL TESTS HOW GOOD YOUR SECURITY REALLY IS
The NCSC's Exercise in a Box toolset has been updated to help organisations keep their employees safe while working from home.
RANSOMWARE ATTACKS JUMP AS CROOKS TARGET REMOTE WORKING
Ransomware attacks are getting bigger and bolder - at a time where many organisations don't have the resources to fight them off.
COVID-19 FUELS CYBER ATTACKS, EXPOSES GAPS IN BUSINESS RECOVERY
Some 91% of businesses reported an increase in cyber attacks with employees working from home, including 93% in Singapore, where 89% and 86% also noted gaps in their business recovery planning and IT operations, respectively, as a result of the global pandemic.
NEW RANSOMWARE MASQUERADES AS COVID-19 CONTACT-TRACING APP ON YOUR ANDROID DEVICE
The malware surfaced just days after health officials in Canada announced the launch of a tracing app in the fight against COVID-19.
WORKING FROM HOME ON YOUR OWN PC? SECURITY IS STILL A CONFUSING MESS FOR MANY
Staff lack the tools and support to maintain security when using their own PCs at home, especially if they are new to remote working.
THERE'S BEEN A HUGE SPIKE IN ONLINE SHOPPING. NOW SCAMMERS ARE CASHING IN, TOO
Lockdown closed shops and people turned to the internet to buy things - and many found that if an offer is too good to be true, it probably is.
Singapore, Japan, and the US are amongst six nations targeted in a COVID-19 themed phishing campaign that is reportedly scheduled for June 21, during which 8,000 businesses in Singapore may receive email messages from a spoofed Ministry of Manpower account.
DTA FIXED COVIDSAFE BLUETOOTH VULNERABILITY 21 DAYS AFTER IT WAS NOTIFIED
Researchers detail Android vulnerability in COVIDSafe that allowed the Bluetooth connection of any untrusted device that happened to be in range.
MICROSOFT: COVID-19 MALWARE ATTACKS WERE BARELY A BLIP IN TOTAL MALWARE VOLUME
COVID-19-themed malware attacks began in February, peaked in March, and are slowly dying out.
SOUTH KOREA TO USE QR CODES FOR ENTERING 'HIGH-RISK AREAS' TO CONTAIN COVID-19
The QR codes will be available on Naver's smartphone app.
SINGAPORE LOOKS TO EASE PRIVACY FEARS WITH 'NO INTERNET' WEARABLE DEVICE
Slated to be ready for rollout later this month, wearable devices the country is developing for COVID-19 contact tracing will not have GPS, internet, or cellular connectivity, so data can only be extracted when the device is physically handed over to the Healthy Ministry.
WHEN IT COMES TO SAVING LIVES, CYBERSECURITY PROS EMERGE AS INFLUENCERS
As individuals debated whether or not to download contact-tracing apps in the fight against COVID-19, more and more have been engaging with and listening carefully to security and privacy professionals. Cybersecurity pros are now very clearly influencers, helping society in its quest to save lives.
AUSTRALIA HAS A NEW BIOMETRIC BORDER PROCESSING SYSTEM
Unisys and Idemia to provide the Department of Home Affairs with a solution to conduct biometric matching on people entering Australia.
CROWDSTRIKE POSTS SOLID Q1 AS CUSTOMERS SEEK TO PROTECT REMOTE WORKERS
The cybersecurity firm achieved non-GAAP operating profitability for the first time and beat Wall Street expectations.
MORE THAN HALF OF TWITTER'S 'REOPEN AMERICA' CALLS FROM BOTS, STUDY FINDS
Fear is a familiar political weapon, and it appears to be just as effective as it's always been.
CONTACT-TRACING APP: HOW MUCH DIFFERENCE WILL IT REALLY MAKE?
After a much-hyped debut, the excitement around the UK's coronavirus contact-tracing app has dipped. What happened?
CYBERATTACKS AGAINST HOSPITALS MUST STOP, SAYS RED CROSS
International rules needed to clamp down on hackers who are targeting healthcare – and risking lives during the COVID-19 pandemic.
AS LOCKDOWNS EASE, A NEW SURVEILLANCE REALITY AWAITS
Expect a surge in development of surveillance and crowd monitoring technologies post-pandemic
FACE MASKS PROMPT LONDON POLICE TO CONSIDER PAUSE IN ROLLOUT OF FACIAL RECOGNITION CAMERAS
The controversial scheme may be halted due to the widespread adoption of face coverings.
HACKERS PREPARING TO LAUNCH RANSOMWARE ATTACKS AGAINST HOSPITALS ARRESTED IN ROMANIA
Hackers were planning to use COVID-19-themed emails to infect Romanian hospitals with ransomware and disrupt operations.
SECURITY WARNING: STATE-BACKED HACKERS ARE TRYING TO STEAL CORONAVIRUS RESEARCH
Joint warning from UK National Cyber Security Centre and US Department of Homeland Security warns cyber attackers are actively targeting healthcare with a variety of hacking tricks.
THE UK'S CORONAVIRUS TRACING APP: EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW
The UK government hopes the app will provide some of the necessary data for accurately tracking COVID-19.
HACKERS ARE TARGETING UK UNIVERSITIES TO STEAL CORONAVIRUS RESEARCH, NCSC WARNS
State-sponsored hackers from Russia, Iran, and China are suspected.
INDIA ORDERS MANDATORY USE OF COVID-19 CONTACT TRACING APP FOR ALL WORKERS
The heads of organisations will be responsible for ensuring that employees install the app.
AUSTRALIA'S COVIDSAFE CONTACT TRACING STORY IS FULL OF HOLES AND WE SHOULD WORRY
The government's c
KASPERSKY: RDP BRUTE-FORCE ATTACKS HAVE GONE UP SINCE START OF COVID-19
RDP brute-force attack numbers rose in mid-March as quarantines were being imposed over the globe. Coronavirus strategy bets heavily on an unproven COVID-19 tracing app, but the lack of a working back end and ham-fisted messaging risks the loss of the public's trust.
CYBERSECURITY, INTERNET INFRASTRUCTURE COMPANIES HOLD UP RELATIVELY WELL AMID COVID-19 PANDEMIC
FireEye, Akamai and Juniper Networks delivered earnings reports that were far from perfect, but show demand amid an economic slowdown.
CONTACT-TRACING APP COULD BE READY IN TWO TO THREE WEEKS
Health service says technology to be ready for deployment in two to three weeks. The next challenge will be getting people to use it.
SECURITY EXPERTS WARN: DON'T LET CONTACT-TRACING APP LEAD TO SURVEILLANCE
Joint letter by over 170 of the UK's top researchers and scientists voices privacy and security concerns over 'mission creep' on government plans for using smartphones to trace and combat coronavirus.
GERMANY PIVOTS FROM CENTRALIZED CORONAVIRUS TRACING APP TO PRIVACY-PROTECTING ALTERNATIVE
The move will likely be applauded by privacy and civil rights groups.
CONTACT TRACING APPS UNSAFE IF BLUETOOTH VULNERABILITIES NOT FIXED
With governments increasingly looking to use contact tracing apps to help contain COVID-19, such initiatives are likely to spark renewed interest in Bluetooth attacks which means there is a need for assurance that these apps are regularly tested and vulnerabilities patched.
THE CORONAVIRUS CRISIS PUTS TELCOS BACK ON THE MAP AS STRATEGIC PROVIDERS
The coronavirus crisis offers telcos an opportunity to reposition themselves. Over the medium and longer term, the stronger telcos will benefit from the crisis.
SECURITY ALERT: 'DRAMATIC' INCREASE IN CYBER ATTACKS SAYS WHO, AFTER PASSWORDS LEAKED ONLINE
Five times as many attacks against the World Health Organisation as hackers look to exploit the coronavirus outbreak.
SBA REVEALS POTENTIAL DATA BREACH IMPACTING 8,000 EMERGENCY BUSINESS LOAN APPLICANTS
A US Senator says that the White House has "got to get it together."
GOOGLE: US GOVERNMENT TARGETED WITH 'FREE FAST FOOD' CORONAVIRUS PHISHING
Government-backed attackers targeted US government and healthcare workers, says Google's Threat Analysis Group.
SCAMMERS ARE NOW TAKING ADVANTAGE OF US SMALL BUSINESS RELIEF FUND IN PHISHING EMAILS
New campaigns are capitalizing not just on coronavirus fears but also on the outbreak's financial ramifications.
FRANCE ASKS APPLE TO RELAX IPHONE SECURITY FOR CORONAVIRUS TRACKING APP DEVELOPMENT
A technical issue is stymying the development of a government app for tracing COVID-19.
2,000 CORONAVIRUS SCAMMERS TAKEN OFFLINE IN MAJOR PHISHING CRACKDOWN
And now cybersecurity authorities want your help with spotting fake and fraud emails.
GOOGLE ROLLS OUT BEYONDCORP REMOTE ACCESS FOR BROWSER-BASED APPS
Google is rolling out the product now as organizations figure out how to accommodate remote workforces through the Covid-19 pandemic.
TRICKBOT MALWARE IS USING THESE UNIQUE 'MACRO-LACED' DOCUMENT ATTACHMENTS WITH A CORONAVIRUS THEME
Microsoft Security Intelligence warns that there's been a large uptick in Covid-19 themed lures in phishing attacks by this one malware operation in recent days.
STUDENTS, UNIVERSITY CLASH OVER FORCED INSTALLATION OF REMOTE EXAM MONITORING SOFTWARE ON HOME PCS
The use of remote spying software to prevent cheating has raised an outcry from students.
PROPOSED GOVERNMENT CORONAVIRUS TRACKING APP FALLS AT THE FIRST HURDLE DUE TO DATA BREACH
The source code of a proposed app for tracing COVID-19 exposed user data after being published online.
FBI SAYS CYBERCRIME REPORTS QUADRUPLED DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC
FBI official says foreign hackers targeted COVID-19 research centers.
GERMAN GOVERNMENT MIGHT HAVE LOST TENS OF MILLIONS OF EUROS IN COVID-19 PHISHING ATTACK
German state of North Rhine-Westphalia failed to put in place a citizen verification procedure and allowed fraudsters to steal millions of euros.
CORONAVIRUS SCAMS: THIS IS HOW MUCH PEOPLE HAVE LOST TO ONLINE FRAUDSTERS SO FAR
Action Fraud details the latest figures - and warns people to be mindful of fraudsters and scammers.
POETRAT TROJAN TARGETS ENERGY SECTOR USING CORONAVIRUS LURES
Wind turbine operators are the focus of a new data-stealing campaign.
FACEBOOK WILL NOW WARN YOU IF YOU'VE INTERACTED WITH FAKE, DANGEROUS CORONAVIRUS POSTS
The fight against COVID-19 scams, misinformation, and fake cures continues.
GOOGLE TO GMAIL USERS: CORONAVIRUS PHISHING IS TARGETING YOU. THIS IS HOW WE HIT BACK
But pandemic means you now can't enroll in Google's Gmail anti-phishing program using a smartphone's security key.
HOSPITALS MUST SECURE VITAL BACKEND NETWORKS BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE
A conversation about the challenges and vulnerabilities facing some of the world's most critical network infrastructure.
MICROSOFT OPENS ACCOUNTGUARD TO HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS ON THE COVID-19 FRONT LINES
Microsoft says the service will remain free for all healthcare organizations "until the COVID-19 pandemic subsides."
CORONAVIRUS CONTACT TRACING APPS: WHAT ARE THE PRIVACY CONCERNS?
Special smartphone apps could help to reduce the spread of COVID-19, but such moves could also have profound implications for individual privacy in the long term.
BRAZILIAN PRESIDENT SHELVES PLANS FOR SURVEILLANCE IN FIGHT AGAINST CORONAVIRUS
Jair Bolsonaro puts breaks on the introduction of a tracking system aimed at supporting policies around social distancing.
HOW REMOTE WORK IS CHANGING CIO PRIORITIES AMID THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC
A new survey from Adobe highlights the biggest priorities and challenges facing technology leaders and where they plan to invest in the future.
TELEHEALTH: WHAT'S AT STAKE FROM A SECURITY STANDPOINT?
Many remote devices lack even basic network security.
MICROSOFT: UNDER 2% OF ALL DAILY MALSPAM USES COVID-19 LURES
Malicious email campaigns have not increased due to COVID-19. Attackers merely changed lures.
US SENATE, GERMAN GOVERNMENT TELL STAFF NOT TO USE ZOOM
The two organizations now join a list that also includes the Taiwanese government, the Australian government, SpaceX, Google, and New York state area schools.
CORONAVIRUS HOME WORK: ZOOM SUED OVER SECURITY LAPSES AS STOCK SLIDES
Zoom faces class action, as security criticisms hit its share price, which has skyrocketed in the coronavirus pandemic.
DOMAIN NAME REGISTRAR SUSPENDS 600 SUSPICIOUS CORONAVIRUS WEBSITES
Web domain name registrars are stepping up their efforts to tackle scammers, and it starts even before their websites go live.
TAIWAN INSTRUCTS GOVERNMENT AGENCIES NOT TO USE ZOOM
Citing security and privacy concerns, Taiwan's Department of Cyber Security has issued an advisory to all government agencies prohibiting the use of certain video software, such as Zoom.
Frequently forwarded messages will now be harder to pass on as the messaging giant tries to curb COVID-19 rumors and misinformation.
EUROPOL ARRESTS MAN FOR CORONAVIRUS BUSINESS EMAIL SCAM PEDDLING MASKS, SANITIZER
European police continue to fight criminal activity linked to the spread of COVID-19
THE REMOTE-WORKING RUSH IS CREATING A PLAYGROUND FOR SPIES AND CYBERCROOKS
Gaps in security and new ways of working will lead to data breaches and security problems over the coming weeks and months.
UK GOVERNMENT SLAMS 'CRACKPOT' 5G-CORONAVIRUS THEORIES FOLLOWING MAST ARSON ATTACKS
Suspected arson attacks have been connected to theories spreading online of 5G as a cause of coronavirus.
GOOGLE ROLLS BACK CHROME PRIVACY FEATURE DUE TO COVID-19
Google disables SameSite cookie support to prevent any unforeseen breakage to sites during the coronavirus outbreak.
WEB SKIMMING ATTACKS NOT EXPECTED TO INTENSIFY DURING COVID-19 QUARANTINES
Contrary to popular belief.
Crooks are taking advantage of this 'surreal situation' to increase pressure warns law enforcement agency.
HUMAN RIGHTS GROUPS WARN GOVERNMENTS OF PRIVACY LAWS WHEN TRACKING COVID-19
110 organisations have set out eight conditions proposed for governments worldwide to adhere to if they are using surveillance technology to combat the pandemic.
RESEARCHERS PROPOSE METHOD TO TRACK CORONAVIRUS THROUGH SMARTPHONES WHILE PROTECTING PRIVACY
The concept itself is quite simple but could be invaluable in shielding the general public from privacy violations.
VICIOUS COVID-19 MALWARE DESTROYS YOUR PC FOR SPORT, NOT PROFIT
Security researchers have discovered coronavirus-themed malware created to destroy users' computers.
HACKERS ARE NOW LAUNCHING DOZENS OF EMAIL SCAMS EACH DAY
Waves of phishing and malware attacks try to take advantage of working from home and worries about COVID-19.
FBI RE-SENDS ALERT ABOUT SUPPLY CHAIN ATTACKS FOR THE THIRD TIME IN THREE MONTHS
The FBI says some attacks have also targeted the healthcare industry, currently grappling with the coronavirus outbreak.
CORONAVIRUS: NOW COVID-19 PHISHING SCAMMERS FACE 'RAPID-RESPONSE' CRACKDOWN
'Don't feed the beast' says government as it aims to clamp down on criminals, fraudsters - and nation-states - exploiting the pandemic to spread false narratives.
RDP AND VPN USE SKYROCKETED SINCE CORONAVIRUS ONSET
RDP use is up by 41%, enterprise VPN use is up by 33%.
CORONAVIRUS AND HOME WORKING: CYBER CRIMINALS SHIFT FOCUS TO TARGET REMOTE WORKERS
Hackers will look to exploit the increase in remote working - and healthcare facilities could be targeted with cyberattacks, warns police agency.
THIS TINY COUNTRY IS POSTING THE NAMES AND LOCATIONS OF QUARANTINED CITIZENS
Balkan authorities resort to publishing personal data online to stem the coronavirus outbreak.
D-LINK AND LINKSYS ROUTERS HACKED TO POINT USERS TO CORONAVIRUS-THEMED MALWARE
Hackers hijack routers' DNS settings to point users to malware-infected downloads.
VPN USE SURGES AS CORONAVIRUS OUTBREAK PROMPTS HUGE RISE IN REMOTE WORKING
The rise in working from home in the last few weeks has seen VPN usage rise rapidly in many countries.
EUROPOL ERADICATES CRIMINAL GANGS FLOGGING FAKE CORONAVIRUS MEDICINE, SURGICAL MASKS
€13 million in potentially dangerous drugs, touted as coronavirus cures or immune system boosters, have been seized so far.
WHO CHIEF EMAILS CLAIMING TO OFFER CORONAVIRUS DRUG ADVICE PLANT KEYLOGGERS ON YOUR PC
Fraudsters are trying to capitalize on fears surrounding the illness in new phishing campaigns.
US, ISRAEL, SOUTH KOREA, AND CHINA LOOK AT INTRUSIVE SURVEILLANCE SOLUTIONS FOR TRACKING COVID-19
As the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak spreads across the world, some governments are deploying or exploring the idea of deploying privacy-intrusive solutions for tracking the disease's spread.
DOJ SAYS IT WILL PRIORITIZE THE PROSECUTION OF CORONAVIRUS CRIMES
Attorney General William P. Barr urged the American public to report all cases of COVID-19 scams and fraud.
WITH EVERYONE WORKING FROM HOME, VPN SECURITY HAS NOW BECOME PARAMOUNT
DHS, SANS, NJCCIC, and Radware warn companies about securing enterprise VPN servers in the midst of the coronavirus outbreak.
THOUSANDS OF COVID-19 SCAM AND MALWARE SITES ARE BEING CREATED ON A DAILY BASIS
Malware authors and fraudsters aren't letting a tragedy go to waste.
INTERNET'S LARGEST SOCIAL NETWORKS ISSUE JOINT STATEMENT ON COVID-19 MISINFORMATION
Facebook, Google, LinkedIn, Microsoft, Reddit, Twitter, and YouTube put out joint statement promising to fight COVID-19 fraud and curb misinformation.
HOW CYBER CRIMINALS ARE TRYING TO EXPLOIT CORONAVIRUS FEARS
Hackers are trying to take advantage of the COVID-19 outbreak to deliver malware, steal bank details and more -- but there are ways to stay safe from these attacks.
HHS TARGETED BY HACKERS AS IT RESPONDS TO NOVEL CORONAVIRUS, COVID-19 PANDEMIC
The number of cyberattacks looking to draft off the novel coronavirus pandemic are ramping.
CORONAVIRUS-THEMED PHISHING ATTACKS AND HACKING CAMPAIGNS ARE ON THE RISE
Opportunist crooks are exploiting coronavirus as part of their phishing attacks, malware, ransomware and more.
CZECH HOSPITAL HIT BY CYBERATTACK WHILE IN THE MIDST OF A COVID-19 OUTBREAK
One of the Czech Republic's biggest COVID-19 testing laboratories hit by mysterious cyberattack.
STATE-SPONSORED HACKERS ARE NOW USING CORONAVIRUS LURES TO INFECT THEIR TARGETS
Chinese, North Korean, and Russian government cyberspies caught using COVID-19-themed emails to infect victims with malware.
New data shows employees have strong trust in their employers as a source of information about COVID-19, but infrequent employer communication can leave employees vulnerable to disinformation.
COVID-19 CORONAVIRUS OUTBREAK AND A SECURITY CONFERENCE TRIES TO PLAY IT DOWN
If two attendees of your security conference were diagnosed with the novel coronavirus, how would you let everyone know? Perhaps not quite in the way the RSA conference did.
SNAKE OIL SALESMEN WARNING: DOJ, FTC ARE CRACKING DOWN ON FAKE CORONAVIRUS PRODUCTS
Don't even think about marketing 'coronavirus-curing' goods, the agencies have warned.
SPYING CONCERNS RAISED OVER IRAN'S OFFICIAL COVID-19 DETECTION APP
Google removes Iran's official COVID-19 detection app from the Play Store.
NASTY PHISHING SCAMS AIM TO EXPLOIT CORONAVIRUS FEARS
Phoney emails about health advice and more are being used to steal login credentials and financial details.
Content engagement on false and misleading news about the COVID-19 virus illness is over 142 times that of legitimate and expert sources such as the CDC and WHO, according to NewsGuard.
CORONAVIRUS: HOW HACKERS ARE EXPLOITING THE EPIDEMIC TO STEAL YOUR INFORMATION
Karen Roby interviewed a cybersecurity expert about a different threat than COVID-19 brings.
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THREAT FOCUS:United States – Telmate - UNITED STATES
Exploit: Unsecured Database
Telmate: Correctional Facility Communications
Risk to Business: 2.014 = Severe - An a misconfigured Amazon S3 Bucket is to blame for a nasty data breach involving Telnet, makers of the Getting Out app used for inmate communications. The app, (which charges an exorbitant fee of up to $0.50 per minute for families to communicate with their incarcerated loved ones), is commonly monitored by prison officials, but the data that has been leaked is the kind of highly sensitive personal information like whether an inmate identifies as transgender, their relationship status, prescription medication they take, and their religion. The company, part of the Global Tel Link family, blames a third party vendor for the incident. Experts say that 11,210,948 inmate records and 227,770,157 messages were exposed.
Individual Risk: 2.314 = Severe - While Telnet maintains that no medical data, passwords, or consumer payment information were affected, the information that has been widely available through this unsecured bucket is potentially personally damaging and opens prisoners and their families up to identity theft and blackmail risks, as well as targeting for hate crime.
Customers Impacted: 2.3 million inmates and their families
How it Could Affect Your Business: Failing to secure simple data storage tools like this is indicative of a lax attitude toward security throughout a company, and can turn off customers and potential partners. This is Telnet’s second security incident this year.
Breach Risk Levels 1 – 1.5 = Extreme Risk 1.51 – 2.49 = Severe Risk 2.5 – 3 = Moderate Risk Risk scores are calculated using a formula that considers a wide range of factors related to the assessed breach.
Avantia Corporate Services & ID Agent to the Rescue: Simple, effective secure identity and access management for any company is just a step away – Passly packs essential features like single sign-on, multifactor authentication, and shared password storage vaults into one affordable package.Learn More by phoning Avantia on 07 30109711 or Email info@avantiacorp.com.au
THREAT FOCUS: Cygilant - UNITED STATES
https://techcrunch.com/2020/09/03/cygilant-ransomware/?web_view=true
Exploit: Ransomware
Cygilant: Information Security Firm
Risk to Business: 1.337 = Extreme - Cybersecurity startup Cygilant finds itself in hot water after falling victim to a ranasomware attack. Cygilant is believed to be the latest victim of NetWalker ransomware. A site on the Dark Web associated with the NetWalker ransomware group posted screenshots of internal network files and directories believed to be associated with Cygilant. It is unknown if they paid the ransom, but the Dark Web listing has disappeared.
Individual Risk: No personal information was disclosed as compromised in this incident.
Customers Impacted: Unknown
How it Could Affect Your Business: Ransomware is most commonly delivered through a phishing email, today’s most common vector for cyberattacks. Preventing phishing email from landing in employee inboxes is a strong defense against ransomware.
Breach Risk Levels 1 – 1.5 = Extreme Risk 1.51 – 2.49 = Severe Risk 2.5 – 3 = Moderate Risk Risk scores are calculated using a formula that considers a wide range of factors related to the assessed breach.
Avantia Cyber Security & ID Agent to the Rescue: Get Graphus. Our smart AI-driven automated phishing defense solution uses a patented algorithm to learn how businesses communicate, putting 3 layers of defense between a phishing email and an employee inbox. Learn More by calling Avantia on 07 30109711 or Email info@avantiacorp.com.au
THREAT FOCUS:Roper St. Francis Hospital - UNITED STATES
Exploit: Unauthorized Database Access (Phishing)
Roper St. Francis Hospital: Medical Center
Risk to Business: 2.354 = Severe - A newly-announced security breach occurred at Roper St. Francis Hospital between June 13 and June 17. An attacker was able to gain access to a treasure trove of healthcare data by compromising an an employee’s email in a suspected phishing incident at the Charleston, SC hospital. The patient information that was compromised contained names, birth dates, detailed medical records, insurance information, and Social Security numbers. Individual Risk: 2.004 = Severe - Patients and former patients can determine if attackers got their data by calling a toll-free call center.
Customers Impacted: 6,000
How it Could Affect Your Business: Health care information is at a premium right now because it is a hot seller on the Dark Web – and with an exponential increase in phishing, every healthcare sector organization is high on the hit list for bad actors.
Breach Risk Levels 1 – 1.5 = Extreme Risk 1.51 – 2.49 = Severe Risk 2.5 – 3 = Moderate Risk Risk scores are calculated using a formula that considers a wide range of factors related to the assessed breach.
Avantia Cyber Security & ID Agent to the Rescue: This information will likely end up in a Dark Web data dump, serving as ammunition for Cyber Criminals to exploit by future spear phishing attempts. BullPhish ID helps train staffers to spot and stop spear phishing. The find out more call Avantia on 07 30109711 or Email info@avantiacorp.com.au
THREAT FOCUS: The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington - UNITED STATES
Exploit: Hacking Intrusion
The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington: Non-Profit
Risk to Business: 1.211 = Extreme - A cyberattack at The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington gave cybercriminals a solid payday. Bad actors were able to hack in through an employee’s home WiFi to a privileged user account and snatch an estimated $7.5 million.The hack was discovered on August 4 by a security contractor who noticed unusual activity in an employee’s email account. That assessment indicates that the hacker had access to the system long before stealing the money, as early as the first months of summer. The organization has 52 employees.
Individual Risk: No personal information or donor financial data was reported as compromised in this incident.
Customers Impacted: Unknown
How it Could Affect Your Business: This is an enormous blow to any business, but especially a non-profit that needs funding to continue doing good work in hard times. Notoriously unsafe home WiFi and device or network sharing between parents and children creates opportunities for hackers to slip through.
Breach Risk Levels 1 – 1.5 = Extreme Risk 1.51 – 2.49 = Severe Risk 2.5 – 3 = Moderate Risk Risk scores are calculated using a formula that considers a wide range of factors related to the assessed breach.
Avantia Cyber Security & ID Agent to the Rescue: Passly is the solution to prevent unauthorized access to important things. Our affordable secure identity and access management tool includes single sign on launchpads for every user, making it easy for IT staff to remove privileged access if a user account is compromised. To learn more call Avantia on 07 30109711 or Email info@avantiacorp.com.au
THREAT FOCUS: View Media - UNITED STATES
Exploit: Unsecured Database
View Media: Online Marketing Firm
Risk to Business: 2.201 = Severe - A publicly accessible Amazon Web Services (AWS) server that belongs to View Media was discovered by cybersecurity researchers, overflowing with more than 38 million US user records, including their full names, email and street addresses, phone numbers, and ZIP codes. The data included 700 statement of work documents for targeted email and direct mail advertising campaigns stored in PDF files, and 59 CSV and XLS files that contained 38,765,297 records of US citizens in total, of which 23,511,441 records were unique. The bucket also contained thousands of files for various marketing materials, such as banner advertisements, newsletters, and promotional flyers sorted by locations and ZIP codes that the marketing company’s campaigns targeted.
Individual Risk: 2.919 = Moderate - While this is a huge trove of information, no financial or protected personal information was involved, although this information will make its way into Dark Web data dumps.
Customers Impacted: 38 million +
How it Could Affect Your Business: Failing to undertake a simple bit of maintenance like this doesn’t look good in front of potential partners, who may become concerned that your business is a third party security risk and reconsider hiring you. Breach Risk Levels 1 – 1.5 = Extreme Risk 1.51 – 2.49 = Severe Risk 2.5 – 3 = Moderate Risk Risk scores are calculated using a formula that considers a wide range of factors related to the assessed breach.
Avantia Cyber Security & ID Agent to the Rescue: Data like this lives on in Dark Web markets, providing fuel for cyberattacks like phishing and credential stuffing. By choosing a strong digital risk protection platform, you can reduce your risk of cyberattacks. Find Out More by phoning Avantia at 07 30109711 or Email info @avantiacorp.com.au
THREAT FOCUS: Warner Music - UNITED STATES
Exploit: Malware (Magecart)
Warner Music: Entertainment Company
Risk to Business: 2.307 = Severe - In a just disclosed breach, Magecart skimming was in action at Warner Music from April 25 and August 5. Warner Music said hackers compromised “a number of US-based e-commerce sites” that were “hosted and supported by an external service provider.” The details that the cybercriminals checked out with include names, email addresses, telephone numbers, billing addresses, shipping addresses, and payment card details (card number, CVC/CVV and expiration date) for account holders and guests who placed items into shopping carts or made purchases in that timeframe.
Individual Risk: 2.297 = Severe - The company did not specify in it’s filing exactly which parts of it’s retail operations were impacted. Warner Music is offering free credit monitoring through Kroll for victims.
Customers Impacted: Unknown
How it Could Affect Your Business: Skimmers like Magecart are a result of hackers gaining access to parts of a website, often by compromising the weak credentials of a privileged account. Improving credential security is a must for strong cybersecurity. Breach Risk Levels 1 – 1.5 = Extreme Risk 1.51 – 2.49 = Severe Risk 2.5 – 3 = Moderate Risk Risk scores are calculated using a formula that considers a wide range of factors related to the assessed breach.
Avantia Cyber Security & ID Agent to the Rescue: Dark Web ID provides 24/7/365 protection to user credentials including especially privileged accounts, alerting you if their credentials appear in Dark Web markets to allow you to take action before cybercriminals do. For a FREE Real Time Demo please call 07 30109711
THREAT FOCUS: United Kingdom – Northumbria University
https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/northumbria-uni-campus-closed/?&web_view=true
Exploit: Ransomware
Northumbria University: Institution of Higher Learning
Risk to Business: 2.717 = Severe - Northumbria University was sent reeling by a suspected ransomware attack which forced it to reschedule exams and close its entire campus. The college announced that it is undertaking a restoration and recovery operation, but that students would not have access to the student portal, blackboard and potentially other university platforms for some time during a particularly important part of the educational year.
Individual Risk: No information has been released about the type of data that may have been impacted, if any.
Customers Impacted: 26,675 students
How it Could Affect Your Business: Ransomware typically comes calling as part of a phishing attack. Adding strong protection from phishing attacks and improving phishing resistance training for every user can lower ransomware risks. Breach Risk Levels 1 – 1.5 = Extreme Risk 1.51 – 2.49 = Severe Risk 2.5 – 3 = Moderate Risk Risk scores are calculated using a formula that considers a wide range of factors related to the assessed breach.
Avantia Cyber Security & ID Agent to the Rescue: Graphus and BullPhish ID are a 1-2 punch in the fight against ransomware and cybercrime. Graphus features seamless integration with Office 365 and G Suite. BullPhish ID trains staffers to be aware of today’s constantly changing phishing threats, including COVID-19 threats. To find out more Call Avantia on 07 30109711 or email info@avantiacorp.com.au
THREAT FOCUS: Services New South Wales - AUSTRALIA
Exploit: Unauthorized Database Access (Phishing)
Service New South Wales: Government Entity
Risk to Business: 2.077 = Severe - Australian Government agency Service New South Wales (NSW) confirmed that a recent attack resulted in the personal details of 186,000 customers being compromised. Hackers were able to gain access to 47 staff email accounts, giving them a pass into a huge amount of information. 738GB of data comprised of 3.8 million documents was stolen from the email accounts in April 2020.
Individual Risk: 2.776 = Moderate - Service New South Wales says that the stolen data is made up of internal documents such as handwritten notes and forms, scans, and records of transaction applications. There was no evidence that individual MyServiceNSW account data or Service NSW databases were compromised during the cyber attack.
Customers Impacted: 186,000
How it Could Affect Your Business: Tricking a staffer into giving up a password can be easy, especially at large companies like Twitter. That password can be the key to the kingdom for cybercriminals, giving them access to all sorts of systems and data – and you a new headache.
Breach Risk Levels 1 – 1.5 = Extreme Risk 1.51 – 2.49 = Severe Risk 2.5 – 3 = Moderate Risk Risk scores are calculated using a formula that considers a wide range of factors related to the assessed breach.
Avantia Cyber Security & ID Agent to the Rescue: Take the power out of a stolen password by adding multifactor authentication to your cybersecurity tool belt with Passly, with a multiple options for identifier code delivery. For more information call Avantia on 07 30109711 or email info@avantiacorp.com.au
THREAT FOCUS: Dirección Nacional de Migraciones - ARGENTINA
Exploit: Ransomware
Dirección Nacional de Migraciones: Government Agency
Risk to Business: 2.341 = Severe - Dirección Nacional de Migraciones, Argentina’s border control agency, was hit by a Netwalker ransomware attack that caused the interruption of the border crossing into and out of the country for four hours on August 27th. Systems were shut down after the agency’s tech support began receiving a suspiciously large amount of requests for assistance with irretrievable Office files. Government officials indicated that they will not pay the ransom and will not negotiate with Netwalker ransomware operators, who are currently demanding a $4 million ransom (up from $2 million after the expiration of the cybercriminals’ first deadline).
Individual Risk: No individual data has been reported as compromised in this incident.
Customers Impacted: Unknown
How it Could Affect Your Business: Ransomware has a devastating impact on any organization, causing service disruptions and lost business plus an expensive recovery even if no information is stolen or it can be retrieved from backups.
Breach Risk Levels 1 – 1.5 = Extreme Risk 1.51 – 2.49 = Severe Risk 2.5 – 3 = Moderate Risk Risk scores are calculated using a formula that considers a wide range of factors related to the assessed breach.
Avantia Cyber Security & ID Agent to the Rescue: Stop ransomware from shutting you down by adding a new team member just to stop phishing attacks from reaching your staff – Graphus. Call Avantia on 07 30109711 or email info@avantiacorp.com.au
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POSTSCRIPT:
A Ransomware Attack Attempt at Tesla is a Wild Ride That Leaves Questions for Business Owners
In a story with so many twist and turns that it seems like an action movie, Tesla dodged a bullet this week when FBI investigators revealed that it was the target of an audacious insider threat/ransomware/nation state attack . According to reports, a potentially state-backed Russian cybercrime gang attempted to bribe a Tesla employee $1 million to install malicious ransomware code designed to steal corporate secrets and lock down Tesla’s operations at its Gigafactory near Reno, Nevada. So, what’s the big takeaway from this sensational cybersecurity incident? Every company must consider insider threats in its cybersecurity plan. Money talks, and there is always a danger that someone could fall prey to the siren song of a bribe. A malicious insider can have many motivators. Sometimes it’s simple greed, sometimes its extortion – and sometimes it’s just a staffer in a bad spot trying to pay for something their family needs. No matter why that employee is willing to take a cybercrime gang’s money, it’s your business that suffers. These staffers were specifically recruited to do this job by bad actors that were trying to steal Tesla’s proprietary secrets, disrupt their business, score a big payday, and make a splash in the hacking world. While the company was fortunate that its staffers weren’t taken in by the cybercriminals’ sales pitch, relying on employee satisfaction to prevent insider threats isn’t a strong defensive strategy – you need to do a little bit more.
Cyberattack Risks and Data Breach Costs are on the Rise in 2020
There’s no doubt that 2020 has been an expensive year for businesses in every way – and 2021 is just around the corner. What can you expect to need to consider in your 2021 cybersecurity budget? How about a few cost-effective upgrades, since both cyberattack risks and data breach costs are climbing (especially for government entities and healthcare providers), with no end in sight. Reviewing the annual Ponemon Institute “Cost of a Data Breach” report, one figure sticks out: 70% of respondents expect remote working could increase the cost (and danger) of a data breach. We’re finding that this is the case. From this week’s hacking attack on an employee’s home WiFi network that led to the theft of $7.5 million to intrusions enabled by IoT gadgets or parents and children sharing networks and devices at home, data breaches will rise from the sheer increase in opportunity afforded to cybercriminals by a remote workforce. In today’s world, remote working isn’t going anywhere, especially as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to cause worldwide disruptions. But there are a few actions that businesses can take to reduce their risk of a cybersecurity disaster in these circumstances. First and foremost, adopt a secure identity and access management solution like Passly that offers solid protection against unauthorized access to systems and data with essential security features like multifactor authentication, easy remote management, and single sign on Launchpads for every user It pays review your cybersecurity stack before you have an incident to ensure that it’s got all of the right tools to create a strong digital risk protection platform to guard your company from potential risk when supporting a remote workforce.
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AVANTIA CYBER SECURITY - PARTNER FOCUS
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FOR MORE INFORMATION ON GRAPHUS AI DEFENSE GRADE CYBER SECURITY, PLEASE CONTACT AVANTIA CYBER SECURITY ON +61 7 30109711 / info@avantiacorp.com.au
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DISCLAIMER*
Avantia Corporate Services Pty Ltd T/A Avantia Cyber Security provides the content in this publication to the reader for general information purposes only and has compiled the content from a number of sources in Australia, the USA, other members of the 5 Eyes Alliance, the Australian Cyber Security Centers, and other sources in 56 countries who provide cyber breach and cyber security information in real time. Given their international focus and experience in the cyberspace arena we believe their data to be accurate and reliable, however, we give no warranty (implied or otherwise), as to the contents accuracy or fitness for use. No validation or investigation has been performed by Avantia Corporate Services or the Author as to its accuracy or reliability. Readers should conduct their own investigation and come to their own conclusions before taking any action.
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