NSA Chief Says DNC Email Leak Was Deliberate Act
In some of the most unequivocal comments on the issue so far, the director of the National Security Agency (NSA) Michael Rogers this week labeled the leak of emails belonging to the Democratic National Committee in July as a deliberate action by a state actor with specific motives. Rogers, who also heads the US Cyber…
Attacks to make Ask.com Toolbar a conduit for malware are nipped in the bud
Attackers who were trying to turn the Ask.com Toolbar into a malware dispensary got caught early on when their scheme was picked up by security services that were looking for anomalies. The malicious actors are unknown but they managed to get the legitimate Ask.com toolbar update feature to place a dropper/uploader into the browsers of…
IDG Contributor Network: If you are a KDE neon user, reinstall your distro now!
The lead KDE neon developer Jonathan Riddell released a security advisory in which he urged KDE neon users to upgrade their systems or reinstall it. The package archive of KDE neon was misconfigured, which allowed anyone to upload a package to the archive. It’s not known whether anyone uploaded any packages, but as a security…
US lawmakers introduce bill to delay enhanced government hacking powers
U.S. lawmakers have introduced legislation to delay the coming into force on Dec. 1 of a rule change that aims to expand the government’s ability to search computers and other digital devices across many jurisdictions with a single warrant. The new Review the Rule Act aims to delay for discussion proposed amendments to rule 41…
As Deadline Looms, 35 Percent Of Web Sites Still Rely On SHA-1
Over 60 million web sites are relying on a hashing algorithm that will be blocked by major browsers starting Jan 1. A surprising 35 percent of websites around the world are still using SHA-1 though barely 45 days remain before some of the major browsers stop trusting certificates signed with the hash algorithm altogether.
Firefox Focus: Private iOS browsing made easy
Mozilla has released Firefox Focus, an iOS app that lets you browse the Internet without having to worry who’s tracking your online activity. The app can be used independently, or can be integrated with the existing (installed) Firefox and Safari apps (more details about the usage can be found here).
Encryption ransomware hits record levels
The amount of phishing emails containing a form of ransomware grew to 97.25 percent during the third quarter of 2016 up from 92 percent in Q1. PhishMe’s Q3 2016 Malware Review identified three major trends previously recorded throughout 2016, but have come to full fruition in the last few months:
Carbanak Hackers Hit Hospitality Firms With New Tactics
The prolific Carbanak crime group has recently zoned in on the hospitality sector and adopted a new attack methodology, Trustwave security researchers warn. The security firm analyzed three separate attacks, two targeting hospitality clients and one aimed at a restaurant chain, and found that all three featured the modus operandi of the infamous hacking group….
Cyber risk in advanced manufacturing: How to be secure and resilient
Nearly half of surveyed manufacturing executives lack confidence their assets are protected from external threats, according to a new study from Deloitte and the Manufacturers Alliance for Productivity and Innovation (MAPI). Study results indicate nearly 40 percent of surveyed manufacturing companies were affected by cyber incidents in the past 12 months, and 38 percent of…
Crisis Leadership: The Missing Link in Cyberattack Defense
You are driving in your car with your 10-year-old son in the passenger’s seat. A ball bounces in front of your car and you hit the brakes hard while simultaneously throwing your arm in front of the child, acting almost automatically. That’s called muscle memory, and it is a big part of what organizations need…