Hackers and cybercrime prevention

French Supreme Court rejects EncroChat verdict after lawyers question secrecy over hacking operation

France’s Supreme Court has sent a case back to the court of appeal after police failed to disclose technical details of EncroChat hacking operation Continue Reading

Ukraine and EU explore deeper cyber collaboration

A Ukrainian delegation has met with officials from the EU’s ENISA cyber agency to explore deeper cooperation on cyber security issues Continue Reading

Australia to amend telecoms regulations following Optus breach

Amendments to Australia’s telecoms regulations are in the works to temporarily allow sharing of individuals’ identifier information between telcos and financial institutions Continue Reading

Air gaps for backup and how they help against ransomware

The air gap is a basic of backups and storage. We look at what’s meant by an air gap, the rise of the logical air gap, and its place in the fight against ransomware Continue Reading

Italian Supreme Court calls for prosecutors to disclose information on Sky ECC hacking operation

Italy’s Supreme Court says Italian prosecutors and police should disclose information on how they obtained intercepted messages from the Sky ECC cryptophone network Continue Reading

Inside Dell Technologies’ zero-trust approach

Dell Technologies’ zero-trust reference model starts with defining business controls and having a central control plane that manages all the security aspects of an organisation’s infrastructure Continue Reading

Tories to replace GDPR

IT industry reacts to the government’s plan to replace the pan-European data protection regulation Continue Reading

France extradites Spanish EncroChat cryptophone distributors for complicity with organised crime

Three phone sellers have been extradited from Spain to France to face charges that they were complicit in the activities of criminal EncroChat phone users   Continue Reading

How to protect against SMS mobile security weakness

The simple messaging service provides two-factor authentication in banking and e-commerce, but what happens if your SIM card is stolen? Continue Reading

Security regulation cuts online payment fraud at 73% of retailers

New online payments security standard, Strong Customer Authentication (SCA), sees immediate fall in fraudulent payments to retailers Continue Reading

Dutch PhD project aims to automate discovery and deciphering of steganography

Meike Kombrink, a PhD student in the Netherlands, is focused on detecting hidden messages on the internet Continue Reading

Five startups to join NCSC for Startups initiative

The NCSC has invited five startups to join its NCSC for Startups programme to help the government with pressing cyber challenges facing the UK Continue Reading

Failure of Russia’s cyber attacks on Ukraine is most important lesson for NCSC

Russia has so far failed in its attempts to destabilise Ukraine through cyber attacks due to strength of Ukrainian, security industry and international efforts Continue Reading

Optus breach casts spotlight on cyber resilience

The massive data breach that affected more than 10 million Optus customers has cast the spotlight on API security and other factors that contribute to the cyber resilience of organisations in Australia Continue Reading

UK suffers third highest number of ransomware attacks globally

Based on an analysis of around 5,000 ransomware incidents, NordLocker has found that UK businesses, and small businesses in particular, are a priority target for ransomware gangs Continue Reading

Data protection in Finland, four years after GDPR came into force

Data privacy has always been a big concern in Finland, so the country naturally has a lot to say about the General Data Protection Regulation four years on Continue Reading

Most hackers exfiltrate data within five hours of gaining access

Insights from more than 300 sanctioned adversaries, otherwise known as ‘ethical’ hackers, reveal that around two-thirds are able to collect and exfiltrate data within just five hours of gaining access Continue Reading

Fraudsters adapt phishing scams to exploit cost-of-living crisis

Around 80,000 Brits a month are falling victim to phishing attacks as fraudsters switch up tactics to take advantage of cost-of-living crisis and behavioural changes prompted by pandemic Continue Reading

Bank warns of spike in online cost-of-living scams

Fraudsters are exploiting the cost-of-living crisis by tricking people into sending money to help friends and relatives pay bills, TSB has warned Continue Reading

How Russian intelligence hacked the encrypted emails of former MI6 boss Richard Dearlove

Hack by Russian-linked ColdRiver group exposed former MI6 chief Richard Dearlove’s contacts and email communications with government, military, intelligence and political officials Continue Reading

Conversation between two police officers formed basis of EncroChat warrant, court hears

The National Crime Agency did not seek a written explanation of a French hacking technique before applying for a surveillance warrant to use French “intercept” in the UK, a court heard Continue Reading

NCA ‘deliberately concealed’ information when it applied for EncroChat warrants, tribunal hears

Investigatory Powers Tribunal hears that the National Crime Agency made ‘serious and fundamental errors’ Continue Reading

Nordic private equity firms pursue cyber security acquisitions

Increasing interest in the security sector from Nordic private equity firms is a reflection of growing threats and increasing enterprise security budgets Continue Reading

ALPHV/BlackCat ransomware family becoming more dangerous

Researchers from Symantec share fresh insight into the ongoing development of the ransomware-as-a-service family known variously as ALPHV, BlackCat and Noberus Continue Reading

NCSC publishes cyber guidance for retailers

The NCSC has published tailored advice to support online retailers, hospitality providers and utility services in protecting themselves and their customers from cyber crime Continue Reading

ANZ organisations using antiquated backup and recovery systems

Nearly half of ANZ organisations are still using backup and recovery systems from over a decade ago, hampering their ability to protect their data assets and recover from ransomware attacks Continue Reading

Thousands of customers affected in Revolut data breach

Digital challenger bank has warned its customers to be vigilant after their data was exposed in a cyber attack Continue Reading

IHG attackers phished employee to deploy destructive wiper

A couple from Vietnam who claim to be behind a destructive wiper cyber attack on hotel operator IHG told the BBC how they orchestrated their operation Continue Reading

Reports Uber and Rockstar incidents work of same attacker

Rockstar Games was hit over the weekend by an attacker who claimed to have accessed its Slack channel to steal data on an upcoming release, and may be the same person who compromised Uber Continue Reading

A gold medal performance for networking

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we find out how the IT team behind the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham delivered a winning performance. We also look at how the centuries-old London insurance market is going digital, thanks to Lloyd’s of London. And we find out how low-cost high street stores succumbed to the inevitable and are going online. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Uber suffers major cyber attack

Details are trickling out of an apparent ‘near total’ compromise of ride-sharing service Uber by an alleged teenage hacktivist Continue Reading

Nominations closing soon for annual cyber awards

Nominations for the annual Security Serious Unsung Heroes Awards closes 16 September Continue Reading

US charges three Iranians over CNI cyber attacks

Three Iranian nationals have been indicted over a spate of ransomware attacks against organisations in the US, UK, Israel and Iran Continue Reading

FormBook knocks Emotet off top of malware chart

FormBook emerged as the most widely seen malware in August, according to Check Point’s latest data Continue Reading

Ex-CISA head Krebs: Disrupt ransomware support networks to win the war

Speaking at an event hosted by data protection specialist Rubrik, former CISA director Chris Krebs calls for the security community to work collectively to kick out the supports from under ransomware gangs Continue Reading

NCSC warns public of potential Queen-related phishing attacks

The National Cyber Security Centre is urging users to be on guard against phishing attacks during the period of national mourning for the Queen Continue Reading

DDoS attacks on UK financial sector surged during Ukraine war

A quarter of cyber security incidents reported to the Financial Conduct Authority in the first six months of 2022 involved DDoS, with a likely link to events in Ukraine Continue Reading

Cisco confirms leaked data was stolen in Yanluowang ransomware hit

Cisco has confirmed that data leaked last week by the Yanluowang ransomware gang was that stolen during a May 2022 cyber attack Continue Reading

Multi-persona impersonation adds new dimension to phishing

Iranian APT used multiple personas on a single email thread to convince targets of the legitimacy of its phishing lures Continue Reading

Source responsibly: Tech sector efforts to root out forced labour are failing

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we analyse the technology industry’s failure to extirpate forced labour and slavery from its supply chains. We find out how cyber security firm Okta is rebuilding customer trust after a major security incident. And we discover how Caterpillar is modernising its data management to offer better customer service. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Mandiant floats off into Google Cloud

As planned, the acquisition of Mandiant will see the threat intel and incident response giant become a part of Google’s Cloud business Continue Reading

CISOs should spend on critical apps, cloud, zero-trust, in 2023

Faced with a global recession next year, security buyers should try to direct investment towards technology that protects customer-facing and revenue-generating workloads, say analysts Continue Reading

NCSC CyberUK event heads to Belfast in 2023

National Cyber Security Centre’s annual CyberUK roadshow is crossing the Irish Sea to Belfast in April 2023 Continue Reading

Chinese APT using PlugX malware on espionage targets

China’s Bronze President APT is once again targeting government officials of interest to its paymasters, this time using forged diplomatic correspondence, according to the Secureworks Counter Threat Unit Continue Reading

Dutch cyber security organisations to join forces

Cyber security organisations in the Netherlands are going to merge into a single central expertise centre and information hub, which all organisations in the country will soon be able to tap into Continue Reading

India’s wake-up call on health data privacy

Health app developers and industry watchers in India are keeping an eye on data privacy following the reversal of the Roe vs Wade ruling in the US Continue Reading

Albania cuts diplomatic ties with Iran after cyber attack

In a global geopolitical first, the Albanian government has severed diplomatic ties with Iran and expelled its ambassador after it was targeted by an APT backed by Tehran Continue Reading

August ’22 a bumper month for high-impact vulnerabilities

Bugs in products from Apple, Google, Microsoft and VMware dominated the threat landscape in August, says Recorded Future Continue Reading

Prince’s Trust teams with threat management specialist in skills push

Prince’s Trust hopes to address shortfall in cyber professionals and improve diversity in the industry Continue Reading

Hotel group IHG confirms cyber attack after two-day outage

IHG, the operator of hotel chains Crowne Plaza, Holiday Inn, Intercontinental and Kimpton, says it has been targeted by an unknown threat actor Continue Reading

Cyber threats to Europe’s grid: Utilities rethink strategy

The separation of operational and information technology at utilities across Europe is opening doors for cyber criminals Continue Reading

Campaigners call on Truss to change UK’s archaic hacking laws

The CyberUp coalition, a campaign to reform the Computer Misuse Act, has called on Liz Truss to push ahead with needed changes to protect cyber pros from potential prosecution Continue Reading

Bus company Go-Ahead fighting off cyber attack

Go-Ahead Group, which operates bus companies around the UK, says it is in the process of dealing with a cyber attack that may cause disruption to services Continue Reading

Saudi Arabian organisations choose to outsource to improve cyber security posture

Overwhelmed by rising threats and a growing number of government mandates, many organisations in Saudi Arabia are looking for outside help to take care of cyber security Continue Reading

Out with the old at Asda

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we talk to Asda’s CIO, Carl Dawson, about the supermarket’s cloud-oriented renovation of its technology stack. We narrate the security woes at Twitter. And we examine best practices for data backup. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Russian-speaking cyber criminals feel economic pinch

Russian-speaking cyber criminals are being forced to refine and adapt their techniques as Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine makes current methods redundant Continue Reading

How Okta is regaining customer trust after a cyber attack

In early 2022, cyber firm Okta was among several tech companies hit by the Lapsus$ gang. Vice-president of customer trust Ben King talks about how he has been working behind the scenes to rebuild confidence after the incident Continue Reading

Space nerds beware: James Webb images used to spread malware

Astronomy and space aficionados are being targeted by cyber criminals exploiting some of the now-famous images captured by Nasa’s James Webb Space Telescope to distribute malware Continue Reading

Local authorities experience 10,000 attempted cyber attacks every day

Local authorities across the UK face a daily deluge of cyber incidents, with phishing and DDoS attacks the most prevalent, according to an insurance broker Continue Reading

Swedish Electronics Protection Act coincides with major cyber spend

Swedish cyber security law comes at a time of heavy government investment Continue Reading

New (ISC)² cyber careers schemes go live

(ISC)² has opened up two new global cyber careers schemes to applicants to try to help organisations fill 2.7 million vacant roles worldwide Continue Reading

Google debuts open source bug bounty programme

Google is calling on hackers to take pot-shots at its open source projects for the first time through a new vulnerability research programme Continue Reading

Norway has NOK200m plan to bolster cyber defences

Norway is investing heavily in its cyber defences amid heightened threat from Russia Continue Reading

NHS staff fall further behind amid ransomware attack

While some NHS bodies are now recovering their services after the ransomware attack on a crucial software supplier, others are still being forced to rely on pen and paper, and some will be waiting months to recover Continue Reading

Four years into GDPR, Norway hopes for safer data transfer to US

Much of the data on the internet ends up on US servers at some point, and that is not always compatible with the General Data Protection Regulation, says Norwegian data protection authority Continue Reading

IAM house Okta confirms 0ktapus/Scatter Swine attack

Following last week’s disclosureby Group-IB researchers of a major phishing campaign, Okta has warned its customers to be on their guard Continue Reading

LastPass breach limited in scale and well-managed, say experts

A breach of LastPass’s developer environment does not seem to have affected users of the password management service, but it may still be time for a credential reset Continue Reading

Criminal 0ktapus spoofed IAM firm in massive phishing attack

Researchers at Group-IB have published research on a major phishing campaign that ensnared victims at the likes of Cloudflare and Twilio Continue Reading

Adaptive RedAlert, Monster ransomwares go cross-platform

Kaspersky researchers have shared new intelligence on two emergent cyber criminal groups that have adapted their ransomwares to target different operating systems at the same time Continue Reading

CW Nordics: Norway struggles to keep up with demand for tech specialists

The growing importance of IT in all industries, along with a shortage in skills, make for an excellent high-tech job market for candidates in Norway. Read how recruiters are struggling to keep up with demand. Also read how the Danish government encourages research in strategic fields to attract tech companies. Continue Reading

Millions of Plex users may be at risk in password breach

Up to half of Plex’s 30 million users may have had their personal data stolen by an unknown threat actor Continue Reading

LockBit 3.0 cements dominance of ransomware ecosystem

Ransomware attacks were up 47% in July compared with the previous month, according to the latest threat data from NCC Group, with the LockBit family largely to blame Continue Reading

Most CISOs think they’ve been attacked by a nation state

Most organisations have made changes to their cyber strategies and policies following Russia’s invasion, and almost two-thirds suspect they have been directly targeted or impacted by a nation-state cyber attack Continue Reading

How digital technology rescued Merlin

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we talk to the CTO of Merlin Entertainments – operator of Legoland, Sea Life and Alton Towers – to find out how digital saved the company when Covid shut all its theme parks. We look at how software and data analytics can help to track – and reduce – greenhouse gas emissions. And Southern Water explains how data helps to support its most vulnerable customers. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Cozy Bear targets MS 365 environments with new tactics

Cozy Bear, or APT29, is trying out new tricks as it seeks access to its targets’ Microsoft 365 environments Continue Reading

Apple patches two zero-days in macOs, iOS

Mac users should urgently apply new patches addressing vulnerabilities in its desktop and mobile operating systems Continue Reading

How do cybercriminals steal credit card information?

Cybercriminals have several methods at their disposal to hack and exploit credit card information. Learn about these, how to prevent them and what to do when hacked. Continue Reading

Amazon Ring vulnerability could have been used to spy on users

A now-patched vulnerability in the Amazon Ring mobile app could have been exploited to expose users’ video recordings, but was complex to exploit, according to the researchers who stumbled upon it Continue Reading

Ukraine war drives DDoS attack volumes ever higher

There has been a boom in distributed denial-of-service attacks in the first six months of 2022, according to a report, with Russia’s war on Ukraine helping to drive activity Continue Reading

Cyber security accelerator launches in Greater Manchester

Accelerator will add to Manchester’s growing cyber security ecosystem, which already includes several tech unicorns, arms companies and the offices of GCHQ Continue Reading

South Staffs Water is victim of botched Clop attack

South Staffordshire Water moves to reassure customers that their supplies remain safe after its attackers screw up their initial assault Continue Reading

Broadband reaches for the stars – the new space race

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we look at the latest space race, as satellite firms compete to provide high-speed connectivity. Is the datacentre sector hindering house building in the UK? We find out what’s really going on. And we talk to the IT director of the Mercedes Formula One team about how data helps to win races. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Lawyers and journalists sue CIA and Mike Pompeo over Assange surveillance claims

CIA and its former director sued over allegations that they authorised unlawful spying on US citizens when they visited WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange at the Ecuadorian Embassy in London Continue Reading

Report reveals consensus around Computer Misuse Act reform

A study produced by the CyberUp campaign reveals broad alignment among security professionals on questions around the Computer Misuse Act, which it hopes will give confidence to policymakers as they explore its reform Continue Reading

Cyber criminal forum targets only Russia

The Digital Shadows Photon Research Team has been investigating a pro-Ukraine cyber criminal forum called Dumps, which appears to be one of a kind Continue Reading

Microsoft doles out $13.7m in bug bounties

Microsoft’s Bug Bounty programme has paid a total of $13.7m to more than 300 researchers in almost 50 countries Continue Reading

How critical infrastructure operators can secure OT data

Cohesity’s CISO discusses the challenges of securing data in operational technology systems and what can be done to mitigate security threats Continue Reading

Cisco averts cyber disaster after successful phishing attack

A potentially serious cyber attack on Cisco’s systems that began after a threat actor successfully exploited an employee’s carelessly secured credentials was thwarted without major damage Continue Reading

NHS may take a month to recover from supply chain attack

Ransomware attack victim Advanced warns its NHS customers they could be waiting until early September to fully recover their operations Continue Reading

‘Coopetition’ a growing trend among ransomware gangs

Sophos shares data from its new X-Ops unit at Black Hat in Las Vegas, revealing a growing number of ransomware victims being attacked by multiple gangs at the same time Continue Reading

NHS recovering key services after attack on supplier

Incident at software provider Advanced took out multiple NHS services before the weekend, including the 111 advice service Continue Reading

Reliance on PSN may have exacerbated cyber attack impact

As it seeks a new supplier to reinvigorate the migration away from the Public Services Network, the Cabinet Office says relying on the legacy network may be putting public sector bodies at heightened risk in cyber attacks Continue Reading

The dangers of the UK’s illogical war on encryption

The unintended consequences of the Online Safety Bill will have a dramatic effect on our ability to communicate securely, including in Ukraine, where it is needed most Continue Reading

UK has biggest card fraud problem in Europe

Social Market Foundation calls on the UK to get a grip on its huge problem with bank card fraud in Europe Continue Reading

SBRC to administer NCSC training across Scotland

The Scottish Business Resilience Centre has been awarded a £500,000 contract to extend cyber resilience training across more than 250 at-risk organisations Continue Reading

Financial services regulator opens digital delivery centre in Leeds

The Financial Conduct Authority is increasing the number of tech experts in its workforce through a new digital delivery centre in Leeds Continue Reading

Spyware activity particularly impactful in July

After a quiet June, vulnerability exploitation ramped up in July, with intrusions linked to spyware seeing unusually high volumes of activity, according to a report Continue Reading

DrayTek patches SOHO router bug that left thousands exposed

Network hardware supplier has fixed an unauthenticated RCE vulnerability in multiple routers in its Vigor line, after being alerted by Trellix researchers Continue Reading

Austrian data firm accused of selling malware, conducting cyber attacks

Microsoft has accused DSIRF, an Austrian data services firm, of involvement in a string of cyber attacks Continue Reading

Ex-youth footballers kick-start cyber careers

New programme aims to find fresh careers for former youth footballers in cyber security Continue Reading