united states
US court finds spyware maker NSO liable for WhatsApp hacks
A U.S. federal judge has ruled that Israeli spyware maker NSO Group violated U.S. hacking laws by using WhatsApp zero-days to deploy Pegasus spyware on at least 1,400 devices. NSO Group markets Pegasus as surveillance software for governments that enables clients to monitor victims’ activities and extract data from compromised devices. “This ruling is a […]
US charges Russian-Israeli as suspected LockBit ransomware coder
The US Department of Justice has charged a Russian-Israeli dual-national for his suspected role in developing malware and managing the infrastructure for the notorious LockBit ransomware group. According to a criminal complaint unsealed today in the District of New Jersey, Rostislav Panev, 51, a dual Russian and Israeli national, allegedly helped develop LockBit ransomware encryptors and a custom […]
US considers banning TP-Link routers over cybersecurity risks
The U.S. government is considering banning TP-Link routers starting next year if ongoing investigations find that their use in cyberattacks poses a national security risk. According to a Wall Street Journal report, the U.S. Departments of Justice, Commerce, and Defense are looking into the issue, with at least one Commerce Department office having already subpoenaed the […]
Auto parts giant LKQ says cyberattack disrupted Canadian business unit
Automobile parts giant LKQ Corporation disclosed that one of its business units in Canada was hacked, allowing threat actors to steal data from the company. LKQ is a public American company specializing in automotive replacement parts, components, and services to repair and maintain vehicles. The company has 45,000 employees in 25 countries and operates numerous […]
CISA warns water facilities to secure HMI systems exposed online
CISA and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) warned water facilities today to secure Internet-exposed Human Machine Interfaces (HMIs) from cyberattacks. HMIs are dashboards or user interfaces that help human operators connect to, monitor, and control industrial machines and devices via tablets, portable computers, or built-in displays. “In the absence of cybersecurity controls, threat actors can […]
US offers $5 million for info on North Korean IT worker farms
The U.S. State Department is offering a reward of up to $5 million for information that could help disrupt the activities of North Korean front companies and employees who generated over $88 million via illegal remote IT work schemes in six years. The two companies, Chinese-based Yanbian Silverstar and Volasys Silverstar from Russia, tricked businesses worldwide […]
US arrests Scattered Spider suspect linked to telecom hacks
U.S. authorities have arrested a 19-year-old teenager linked to the notorious Scattered Spider cybercrime gang who is now charged with breaching a U.S. financial institution and two unnamed telecommunications firms. Remington Goy Ogletree (also known online as “remi”) breached the three companies’ networks using credentials stolen in text and voice phishing messages targeting their employees. […]
White House: Salt Typhoon hacked telcos in dozens of countries
Chinese state hackers, known as Salt Typhoon, have breached telecommunications companies in dozens of countries, President Biden’s deputy national security adviser Anne Neuberger said today. During a Wednesday press briefing, the White House official told reporters that these breaches include a total of eight telecom firms in the United States, with only four previously known. […]
Vodka maker Stoli files for bankruptcy in US after ransomware attack
Stoli Group’s U.S. companies have filed for bankruptcy following an August ransomware attack and Russian authorities seizing the company’s remaining distilleries in the country. As Chris Caldwell, the President and Global Chief Executive Officer of Stoli USA and Kentucky Owl, the two Stoli Group subsidiaries, said in a Friday filing, this comes after the August attack […]
US charges five linked to Scattered Spider cybercrime gang
The U.S. Justice Department has charged five suspects believed to be part of the financially motivated Scattered Spider cybercrime gang with conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Between September 2021 and April 2023, they were able to steal millions from cryptocurrency wallets using victims’ credentials stolen in SMS phishing attacks targeting dozens of targets, including both individuals […]