Mathew J. Schwartz reports: “You Hacked, ALL Data Encrypted.” That was part of a message that reportedly appeared on thousands of Windows systems used by the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency, better known as Muni, in recent days, after they were locked by ransomware and 100 bitcoins – currently worth $73,000 – demanded in exchange for a…
Category: U.S.
MT: Bigfork school computers breached
Hilary Matheson reports: Bigfork School District will not submit to ransom demands after the district’s computer network was compromised over the weekend by ransomware. Information technology staff have been working to recover computer files and remove the malicious software, which encrypted and locked files from being opened. It’s often the case that ransomware is not…
18-Year-Old “Computer Genius” Charged with Launching DDoS Attacks
Catalin Cimpanu reports: US authorities charged Michaela Gabriella King, 18, of Murrysville, Pennsylvania with launching multiple DDoS attacks against Franklin Regional High School, the school she was attending. According to investigators, King used the BetaBooter DDoS stressor to launch DDoS attacks on her’s school’s network, from her home computer, her mobile phone, but most of…
Victoria Gardens Verizon Wireless store focus of ID theft ring investigation
Doug Saunders reports: A domestic violence investigation uncovered a large ID Theft ring working out of the Victoria Gardens Verizon Wireless store, sheriff’s officials announced Wednesday. Chino Hills deputies responded to a domestic violence incident Sept. 27 involving Daniel Henry Mitchell, 39, of Chino Hills. As deputies searched Mitchell’s car they found blank credit cards,…
“KYAnonymous” pleads guilty in Steubenville case
Bill Estep reports: A computer hacker who lived in Clark County and used the online name KYAnonymous has admitted he illegally accessed a computer to get involved in a notorious 2012 rape case in Steubenville, Ohio. Deric Lostutter, 29, pleaded guilty Wednesday to conspiring to hack a website associated with Steubenville High School athletics and…
FINRA Fines Lincoln Financial Subsidiary $650,000 For Cybersecurity Shortcomings
Glen A. Kopp and Laura Preback Hang of Bracewell LLP write: A Lincoln Financial Group subsidiary agreed to pay $650,000 to the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) to resolve allegations that it failed to implement sufficient security policies to protect confidential customer information after its web-based customer account database was hacked in 2012. The 2012…