From HHS/OCR, this record-setting announcement: Anthem, Inc. has agreed to pay $16 million to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights (OCR) and take substantial corrective action to settle potential violations of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Privacy and Security Rules after a series of cyberattacks led…
Category: U.S.
Latvian National Sentenced To Prison For “Scareware” Hacking Scheme That Targeted Minneapolis Star Tribune Website
There’s an update to a case previously reported in February that I missed last month. From the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Minnesota: A Latvian man was sentenced today in Minneapolis for participating in a lucrative “scareware” hacking scheme that targeted visitors to the Minneapolis Star Tribune’s website. Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of…
Hackers hit Onslow County utility with ransomware attack
WNCT reports: The Onslow Water and Sewer Authority‘s internal computer system, including servers and personal computers, was hit by a ransomware attack Saturday. […] ONWASA began experiencing persistent virus attacks from a polymorphic malware known as EMOTET on October 4…….. At what ONWASA officials said may have been a timed event, the malware launched a…
Henderson ISD falls victim to fraud in a business email compromise scheme
David Chenault reports: Financial scammers stole more than $600,000 from Henderson ISD through a sophisticated, yet common, fraud scheme. According to HISD’s financial records, on Sept. 26, the district initiated a $609,615.24 direct electronic bank payment (known as an Automated Clearing House or ACH) to RPR Construction Company Inc. The firm is overseeing the construction…
Former Hassan staffer accused of breaking into office, leaking info
Breanna Edelstein reports: Sen. Maggie Hassan’s former staffer Jackson Cosko is facing up to 50 years in federal prison amid accusations that he recently broke into the New Hampshire Democrat’s Washington office, leaked lawmakers’ personal information and threatened to do the same to others. Investigators said they were alerted to the 27-year-old’s alleged criminal activity after he used…
NY: Rep. Peter King campaign website hacked
Scott Eidler recently reported that Rep. Pete King’s campaign website was attacked by a group that calls itself “Tim’s Army” (also known as “Ayyildiz Tim Siber Army”). The group has taken over the Twitter accounts of national political journalists, including Fox News’ Brit Hume and NBC’s Peter Alexander, posting Turkish propaganda, according to news media…