Legal
FBI disrupts massive AI-powered phishing service using a million URLs
In a coordinated effort, the FBI, working with Google and Black Lotus Labs, has dismantled a massive Chinese phishing-as-a-service operation called Outsider Enterprise with thousands of phishing websites used to steal credit card data and passwords. The cybercrime operation used AI and distributed phishing kits for campaigns impersonating various trusted brands in texts sent through […]
CISA tells govt agencies to patch critical exploited flaws in 3 days
The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) announced a new Binding Operational Directive, 26-04, that prioritizes security updates for Federal Civilian Executive Branch (FCEB) agencies. The directive aims to reduce the threat of cyberattacks targeting the public sector by requiring agencies to remediate high-risk vulnerabilities within accelerated timeframes, in some cases as little as […]
WhatsApp says it disrupted new NSO spyware phishing attacks
WhatsApp has detected and stopped spear-phishing campaigns allegedly conducted by the NSO Group after investigating user reports of social engineering attacks. The NSO Group is an Israeli commercial spyware vendor known for its advanced “Pegasus” tool that has been deployed against politicians, activists, journalists, academics, and other “high-interest” individuals. The firm has been on the […]
U.S. sanctions Nobitex crypto exchange used by Iranian ransomware actors
The U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has announced sanctions against Nobitex, Iran’s largest cryptocurrency exchange, for facilitating payments related to terrorist activities. Nobitex is believed to have helped evade economic sanctions and also facilitated transactions linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Among the transactions, the U.S. authorities found wallets associated […]
California AG sues 23andMe over 2023 breach exposing health data
California Attorney General Rob Bonta filed a lawsuit against 23andMe, now Chrome Holding Co., over the company’s failure to protect sensitive customer genetic and personal information. Improper security led to a high-profile data breach in 2023 that exposed the sensitive information of nearly 7 million customers, including 855,541 Californians. The incident came to light that […]
Dutch govt disrupts malware botnet with 17 million infected devices
Dutch authorities have taken offline a massive botnet of 17 million devices and seized more than 200 servers at a local provider that supported the operation. The action was carried out following an investigation from the Police in collaboration with the country’s cybersecurity agency, the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC). According to the authorities, the […]
Italy disrupts CINEMAGOAL piracy app that stole streaming auth codes
Italian authorities have dismantled a piracy ecosystem centered around the CINEMAGOAL app that provided access to various streaming platforms, including Netflix, Disney+, and Spotify. Unlike typical IPTV service providers that openly market themselves online and expose their operations, CINEMAGOAL’s approach was stealthier, as it used an app that customers installed on their devices. During the […]
Netherlands seizes 800 servers of hosting firm enabling cyberattacks
Financial crime investigators in the Netherlands (FIOD) arrested two men and seized 800 servers linked to a web hosting company that enabled cyberattacks, interference operations, and disinformation campaigns. FIOD arrested a 57-year-old suspect, who was the company director, and a 39-year-old who headed a separate firm that provided internet connectivity. According to the authorities, the […]
Police seize “First VPN” service used in ransomware, data theft attacks
A virtual private network service called ‘First VPN,’ used in ransomware and data theft attacks, has been taken offline in a joint international law enforcement operation. Authorities have seized dozens of First VPN servers located in 27 countries, arrested the administrator, and conducted a house search in Ukraine. The VPN service was advertised on various […]
INTERPOL ‘Operation Ramz’ seizes 53 malware, phishing servers
More than 200 individuals were arrested for cybercrime activities during INTERPOL’s Operation Ramz, which focused on the Middle East and North Africa. Law enforcement also identified another 382 suspects across 13 countries (Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Tunisia, and the UAE). In addition to the arrests, authorities seized 53 […]