Hackers and cybercrime prevention

No easy fix for vulnerability exploitation, so be prepared

Vulnerability management and disclosure is a tricky business with ethical and business ramifications for software vendors, CISOs and ethical hackers alike – and CISOs sit right in the middle of this Continue Reading

By

• Andrew Morris, Turnkey Consulting

Doing the right thing: How CISOs should approach responsible disclosure

Owen Wright, responsible for penetration testing and adversary simulation at Context, part of Accenture Security, advises how CISOs should approach responsible disclosure Continue Reading

By

• Owen Wright, Accenture Security

Apple scheme to detect child abuse creates serious privacy and security risks, say scientists

Apple’s plan to automatically scan photos to detect child abuse would unduly risk the privacy and security of law-abiding citizens and could open up the way to surveillance, say the world’s top cryptographic experts Continue Reading

By

• Duncan Campbell , 2QQ Ltd, Sussex University

CW APAC, October 2021: Tech Career Guide

Despite marked improvements, tech still faces a diversity problem. In this handbook, focused on cyber security’s gender gap in the Asia-Pacific region, Computer Weekly looks at the mentoring programmes aiming to combat the issue, the career path of IAG’s Elaine Muir, how hacking won Claudean Zheng a job and what else needs to be done to tackle the ongoing gender imbalance Continue Reading

NHS Digital enhances in-house cyber awareness drive

Keep IT Confidential campaign aims to help NHS staff understand more about security threats and learn how to reduce risk Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

FCA warns over future hybrid working security risks

Earlier this week, the Financial Conduct Authority issued fresh guidance to regulated organisations on keeping hybrid workers safe and secure Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Microsoft warns of MysterySnail on October Patch Tuesday

Microsoft has fixed a zero-day that is being actively exploited to deliver a new remote access trojan dubbed MysterySnail to targets Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Former signals intel leader named godfather of UK security

Sixth annual Security Serious Unsung Heroes Awards honours former Royal Corps of Signals colonel and infosec pioneer John Doody Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Australia unveils ransomware action plan

The Australian government has established a task force to address the ransomware menace and is proposing legislation to mandate reporting of ransomware incidents by businesses Continue Reading

By

• Stephen Withers

Microsoft thwarts mega-DDoS attack on Azure platform

2.4Tbps DDoS attack on an undisclosed Microsoft Azure customer may have been the largest ever attempted against a single target Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Malaysia’s highway authority improves DR capabilities

The Malaysian Highway Authority is now more resilient against cyber attacks through a local disaster-recovery-as-a-service offering powered by Veeam software Continue Reading

By

• Edwin Yapp

Covid-19 will loom over cyber strategy for years to come

In remarks delivered to a Chatham House conference, NCSC head Lindy Cameron reflects on the security challenges facing the UK, and sets out some plans for the future Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Singapore refreshes cyber security strategy

The city-state updates its national cyber security strategy to shore up the security of critical infrastructure and enterprises while growing its cyber security industry, among other goals Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, Informa TechTarget

Fast-moving Ryuk campaign targets healthcare organisations

Newly designated FIN12 gang leverages the work of the cyber criminal ecosystem to conduct lightning-fast ransomware attacks Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Addressing the backup dilemma to ransomware recovery

Everyone knows good backups are essential if one is to recover from a ransomware attack, but using them effectively poses challenges that IT teams need to know about Continue Reading

By

• W Curtis Preston

Twitch data breach investigations continue

Investigations are ongoing into a 125GB data breach that hit livestreaming platform Twitch, apparently the work of hacktivists Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

US lawmakers propose ransomware reporting rules

Former presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren lends her support to a bill that would require corporate ransomware victims to disclose more information about their attacks to the authorities Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Gaming service Twitch hacked, data leaked

Users of livestreaming platform Twitch may be at risk after a 125GB torrent of data was leaked Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Apache web server users urged to patch immediately

New zero-day in Apache HTTP Server is already being actively exploited and must be addressed immediately Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Auto-enrolment begins for Google multi-factor authentication

Google has started to turn on multi-factor authentication on consumer accounts by default, and aims to auto-enrol 150 million users by the end of 2021 Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Top women in UK tech, AI on puffin island – Computer Weekly Downtime Upload podcast

In this episode, Caroline Donnelly, Clare McDonald and Brian McKenna discuss CW’s annual programme to choose the most influential women in UK tech, as well as Newham Sparks, and puffin-counting AI Continue Reading

By

• Caroline Donnelly, Senior Editor, UK
• Clare McDonald, Business Editor
• Brian McKenna, Enterprise Applications Editor

New Python-based ransomware attacks unfold in record time

Sophos researchers detail a new variety of Python-based ransomware attack targeting VMware ESXi-hosted VMs Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Mandiant name returns to fore ahead of FireEye sale

Mandiant has completed its corporate rebrand pending the imminent sale of the FireEye products business to a private equity group Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Two arrests made in European ransomware investigation

Unnamed ransomware operation was disrupted last week in Kiev, Ukraine, following a coordinated investigation Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Security Think Tank: Embracing vulnerability management for the greater good

When it comes to vulnerability management, CISOs should define a responsible disclosure policy so that they can receive and manage identified vulnerabilities transparently, practically and collaboratively, says Paul Watts of the ISF Continue Reading

By

• Paul Watts, Information Security Forum

Amnesty International exploited in malware campaign

According to new intelligence from Cisco Talos, Amnesty International’s branding and profile is being used as part of a new malware campaign that exploits people’s fears of the notorious Pegasus spyware app Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

JVCKenwood hit by Conti ransomware attack

Nearly 2TB of data was stolen from Japanese electronics firm in a Conti ransomware hit Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

IR35: Giant Group cyber attack prompts renewed calls for statutory regulation of umbrella companies

As details about the fallout from the cyber attack on the Giant Group umbrella company emerge, stakeholders say the incident should prompt the government to expedite regulating contractor payroll processing firms Continue Reading

By

• Caroline Donnelly, Senior Editor, UK

UK consumers would collectively pay over £1bn a year for control of their data

UK consumers are willing to pay a small fee per month to have control of the data they share with Google and Facebook Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Russia arrests prominent cyber security executive

Founder and CEO of cyber security firm Group-IB detained in Moscow on treason charges Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

FoggyWeb malware latest tool of dangerous Nobelium APT

Microsoft’s threat intelligence team warns of a new strain of malware being used by the Russia-linked Nobelium APT Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Dedicated number for victims of fraud launched amid national security threat

Consumers that suspect they are being targeted by fraudsters can call 159 to be directly linked to their bank, as part of a 12-month pilot Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

The Security Interviews: How SolarWinds came through its darkest hour

In his first major UK press interview, SolarWinds CEO Sudhakar Ramakrishna tells Computer Weekly how a relentless focus on transparency saw the company safely through a nightmare cyber breach scenario Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

UK consumer trust in banks, retailers and telcos declines as scams increase

Consumers are blaming banks, retailers and social media for the huge increase in online scams, survey shows Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

How one red team exercise averted a new SolarWinds-style attack

Palo Alto Networks shares details of how its red teamers found and sealed a customer vulnerability that could have led to another SolarWinds-style supply chain attack Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Women and BAME people bear brunt of cyber crime impact

Cyber crime has a disproportionate impact on women and BAME people, according to a new report Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

What it takes to attract and retain women in cyber security

The narrowing gender gap may be a cause for cheer, but more needs to be done to curb discrimination, and attract and retain women for cyber security roles in Asia-Pacific Continue Reading

By

• Ai Lei Tao

Empowering APAC women on the frontlines of cyber security

In this webinar, we discuss the issues facing women in cyber security, the challenges of breaking into the field and why it’s important to close the gender gap Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, Informa TechTarget

Facial recognition cannot be a standalone authentication method

As more organisations look to facial recognition to improve their digital identity practices, they must remember that it cannot stand in isolation Continue Reading

By

• Amir Nooriala

How Australia punches above its weight in cyber security

Australia is playing to its strengths in niche areas such as governance and deep tech to punch above its weight in the cyber security industry Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, Informa TechTarget

Fresh alert over Conti ransomware surge

Conti ransomware crew appears increasingly active, prompting fresh warnings from the US authorities Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

MoD in second leak of Afghan citizens’ data

A second breach of data relating to Afghan citizens at risk of Taliban reprisals has been reported by the Ministry of Defence Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Threat actors target VMware vCenter Server users

Users of VMware vCenter Server are advised to patch a series of vulnerabilities post haste Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Authorised push payment fraud sees huge increase as criminals switch tactics

Criminals tricking people into making payments through channels such as fake emails and websites have stolen more money than payment card fraudsters Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

US sanctions Suex crypto exchange over ransomware links

US Treasury cracks down on cryptocurrency exchange that supposedly facilitated proceeds from multiple ransomware gangs Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Spanish police bust Mafia-linked phishing gang

A joint operation between European authorities has dismantled a cyber criminal gang with links to the Italian Mafia Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

BlackMatter gang ramps up attacks on multiple victims

A wave of new BlackMatter ransomware attacks is hitting organisations around the world, even as the US authorities mull new sanctions on ransom payment infrastructure Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Dutch education administrators underestimate threat of cyber crime

Research shows educational establishments in the Netherlands are becoming favoured targets of cyber criminals and administrators are underestimating the risks Continue Reading

By

• Kim Loohuis

Bitdefender launches free REvil ransomware decryptor

Working alongside law enforcement partners, Bitdefender has developed and released a tool to help REvil victims recover their data for free Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

shadow password file

A shadow password file, also known as /etc/shadow, is a system file in Linux that stores encrypted user passwords and is accessible only to the root user, preventing unauthorized users or malicious actors from breaking into the system. Continue Reading

By

• Rahul Awati

Travel-themed phishing lures spiked this summer

As people begin to take holidays again after more than a year of restrictions and lockdowns, opportunist cyber criminals have taken note, according to new data from Palo Alto’s Unit 42 Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Microsoft patches 66 vulnerabilities in September update

Another lighter-than-usual Patch Tuesday update includes important fixes for recently disclosed vulnerabilities, including a dangerous zero-day, and an update in the PrintNightmare saga Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Australia and Singapore have higher incidences of insecure databases

Five-year longitudinal study by Imperva shows the proportion of databases with at least one known vulnerability in Australia and Singapore are among the world’s highest Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, Informa TechTarget

Mass health tracker data breach has UK impact

The leak of a database of 61 million users of health-tracking devices includes records on individuals located in the UK Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Cost of ransomware attack in financial sector exceeds $2m

Mid-sized financial services organisations worldwide spend an average of over $2m recovering from ransomware attacks Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Apple patches ForcedEntry vulnerability used by spyware firm NSO

Apple patches ForcedEntry vulnerability that was used to target political activists with spyware Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Smishing attacks up sevenfold in six months

Scam text messages are reaching pandemic proportions, thanks in part to the pandemic Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Olympus likely victim of BlackMatter ransomware

Key IT systems remain shut off at Olympus, five days after what seems to have been a BlackMatter ransomware attack Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Latest Microsoft zero-day being actively exploited

New Microsoft zero-day CVE-2021-40444 affects multiple versions of Windows and is probably being exploited through convincing phishing attacks Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

REvil reappearance may herald new ransom campaigns

The re-emergence of the infamous REvil ransomware gang is a likely sign that more high-profile attacks will unfold over the coming weeks Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Stolen credit card data worth about £13 on dark web, PayPal worth more

The average price of a stolen credit card on a dark web marketplace comes in at around $17.40, or £12.60, according to new data – but the real money for cyber criminals is in hacked PayPal accounts Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Bridging the gender gap in cyber security

Some professional groups and companies in Asia are working hard to improve awareness of the cyber security profession and mentoring talented women in a bid to bridge the gender gap Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, Informa TechTarget

OT security in APAC remains work in progress

Two operational technology security experts shed light on the state of OT security in the region, and what’s being done to address skills, competency and organisational challenges Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, Informa TechTarget

Banking anti-fraud scheme blocks 65% more fraud

Scheme designed to protect vulnerable people against banking fraud has been expanded to include online scams Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

How NZ schools are tapping managed network services

Using managed network services has freed up time and resources for New Zealand school teachers and alleviated the pressure and challenges of maintaining technology infrastructure Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, Informa TechTarget

How do SOAR and SIEM services fare in a rapidly changing cyber threat landscape?

Given that cyber risks are rapidly growing in sophistication and number, we look at whether SIEM and SOAR security tools are still effective Continue Reading

By

• Nicholas Fearn

Berlin court reverses ban on use of EncroChat evidence in criminal trials

Berlin Superior Court allows use of EncroChat evidence in criminal trials but lawyers say the question will ultimately need to be decided by the German Supreme Court Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

Mandiant, Sophos detail dangerous ProxyShell attacks

Threat researchers and incident responders continue to track threat activity around the dangerous ProxyShell Microsoft Exchange vulnerabilities, including impactful ransomware hits Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

China accused of cyber attacks on Norwegian IT systems

China-based cyber attackers have been blamed for multiple assaults on IT systems in Norway Continue Reading

By

• Gerard O'Dwyer

How high can the contactless card limit go without two-factor authentication?

The spending limit for contactless cards has reached an eyebrow-raising triple-digit figure – £100 – raising questions about the need for user authentication Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Twitter tests auto-block feature for accounts at risk of abuse

Latest Twitter feature automatically blocks abusive users, and is intended to help victims regain control of their experience on the platform Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Experts warn on Office 365 phishing attacks

Newly observed campaign is particularly dangerous because it appears to neutralise one of the most widely known anti-phishing techniques Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Making a mark in cyber security

Claudean Zheng’s knack for hacking landed her a career in cyber security, one that has been dotted by stints in both public and private sectors Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, Informa TechTarget

GovTech launches vulnerability rewards programme

Vulnerability rewards programme will offer rewards ranging from $250 to $5,000 to white hat hackers who find vulnerabilities in critical government systems Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, Informa TechTarget

Supply chain cyber security is only as strong as the weakest link

A spate of high-profile cyber attacks has highlighted the criticality of supply chain security and put new pressures on security leaders. How can we ensure that cyber security remains robust down the full length of supply chains? Continue Reading

By

• Martin Smith, SASIG

How the cyber security market is evolving

The cyber security market has gained even greater importance in the post-Covid era and continues to grow and evolve. But what factors are driving trends in that market and what should your organisation consider when making cyber security investments? Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Tech giants commit to Biden's cyber security action plan

Some of the world’s most prominent tech giants have made a series of commitments to enhance the US’ national cyber security posture following a high-profile meeting with president Biden Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

NZ privacy lead John Edwards named new information commissioner

DCMS has named John Edwards, currently New Zealand privacy commissioner, to succeed Elizabeth Denham as UK information commissioner Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

How women can succeed in cyber security

A cyber security professional at Australia’s IAG shares her career journey and insights on how women can succeed in the field Continue Reading

By

• Stephen Withers

Calling the cops for ransomware attacks doesn’t help, say cyber pros

A new study for the #Ransomaware campaign reveals some insight into why so few victims report ransomware attacks Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

UK loses £1.3bn to fraud and cyber crime so far this year

New figures from the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau show a threefold spike in reported financial losses to fraud and cyber crime in the first six months of 2021 Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

13 million malware attacks on Linux seen in wild

Cryptominers, web shells and ransomware are the most common varieties of malwares targeting Linux systems, thanks to its prevalence as the backbone of most public cloud services Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Half of MS Exchange servers at risk in ProxyShell debacle

Up to 50% of MS Exchange users in the UK are exposed to three vulnerabilities that are now being actively exploited Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

The ransomware debate – to pay or not to pay?

The debate around banning ransomware payments is highly nuanced, and we must take care to avoid overt victim-blaming, in favour of an open and honest approach, says SASIG’s Martin Smith Continue Reading

By

• Martin Smith, SASIG

More data breaches in Australia arising from ransomware

The number of data breaches in Australia arising out of ransomware attacks grew by 24% during the first half of 2021, according to OAIC’s latest data breach report Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, Informa TechTarget

How the pandemic transformed IAG’s Hangar 51 accelerator

Businesses of all shapes and sizes have had to take a different approach during the pandemic – Dupsy Abiola, head of global innovation at IAG, explains how IAG transformed its Hangar 51 accelerator during the coronavirus outbreak Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

IT leaders fear ‘trickle-down’ of nation-state cyber attacks

Three-quarters of IT decision-makers are concerned that the tactics, techniques and procedures used by nation-state attackers could be used against them Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

MoD seeks security tech to harden military systems

The Defence and Security Accelerator has launched a programme to root out technology that will reduce the military’s exposure to cyber attacks Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Nearly half of retailers hit by ransomware in 2020

In the face of increasingly prevalent and sophisticated ransomware attacks, retail organisations need to develop alternative ways of restoring lost or encrypted data, as paying the ransom does not guarantee its return in almost a third of cases Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Cyber Runway programme supports new security businesses

The Cyber Runway programme is a government-backed scheme to support entrepreneurs, startups and scaleups in launching and growing new security businesses Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Hospitals see cyber security investment as a low priority

Almost half of hospitals have experienced an IT shutdown as a result of a cyber attack in the past six months, but just over one in 10 hospital executives see cyber security investment as a high priority Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

LGA goes live with Digital Pathfinders Programme

Programme offers £20,000 in funding to councils that come up with ‘pioneering solutions’ for cyber security, digital inclusion and connectivity Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

Openness can protect Dutch companies against ransomware

 Continue Reading

US wins bid to widen grounds of appeal in Julian Assange extradition case

The US government accused medical expert professor Michael Kopelman of misleading the court by failing to disclose details of Assange’s relationship  Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

Hacker makes off with $600m in world’s largest crypto-heist

Despite bagging $600m worth of cryptocurrency in what has been described as the biggest decentralised finance hack, the hacker has already started returning the funds Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

The Netherlands still lacks digital resilience, says report

Report by National Coordinator for Counterterrorism and Security says the Netherlands’ digital resilience has improved, but is still insufficient Continue Reading

By

• Kim Loohuis

Ransomware demands and payments hit new records

Ransomware groups continue to intensify their operations as ransom demands and payments increase alongside use of “quadruple extortion” tactics during first half of 2021 Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

How Grab is using Kafka in fraud detection

Grab is using Apache Kafka in its fraud detection and prevention platform to ingest event streams from its mobile software development kits and client backends to pick up fraudulent activities Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, Informa TechTarget

Possible ransomware attack hits Italian vaccine booking system

It is still unclear who is behind the attack that caused Covid-19 vaccine bookings in Lazio, Italy, to grind to a halt, as despite masses of files being encrypted no specific ransom demands have been made for the decryptor Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Nine security flaws found in critical hospital infrastructure

The ‘PwnedPiper’ vulnerabilities identified in systems used by 80% of US hospitals could be used to launch ransomware attacks Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor