CBC News reports: The University of Calgary paid a demanded $20,000 after a “ransomware” cyberattack on its computer systems. The university announced the ransom payment Tuesday, a week after the initial attack. “As part of efforts to maintain all options to address these systems issues, the university has paid a ransom totalling about $20,000 Cdn that was…
Category: Malware
Hackers target Bermuda police computer network
The Royal Gazette reports: Malicious hackers have made an unsuccessful attempt to break into the Bermuda Police Service’s computer network. According to Michael DeSilva, the Commissioner of Police, the system was “recently targeted in a ransomware attack” — referring to software that blocks access until a sum of money is paid. “Although the attack was…
Russian Police Arrests 50 Hackers in Its Largest Cybercrime Bust
Catalin Cimpanu reports: Russian authorities have conducted a large-scale raid that resulted in the arrest of 50 people suspected of being part of a cyber-criminal group that has stolen more than $45 million (3 billion rubles) from banks and other financial companies since 2011. Russia’s FSB (Federal Security Service, formerly KGB) reported yesterday that 18 of the…
National Network of Abortion Funds reports hack
I suppose some would consider this hacktivism… The National Network of Abortion Funds reports that its Bowl-A-Thon site was attacked on or about April 7. Fake comments were posted, fake donations were submitted, and fake donation activity threatened to disrupt the functionality of the site. Some registered users received offensive emails. Forensic investigation determined that as part of…
Researchers say Bangladeshi bank hacking may relate to N. Korea
AP reports: Cybersecurity researchers say North Korea might be connected to a recent attack that resulted in the theft of over $100 million from the Bangladeshi central bank and the attempted thefts of millions more from other Asian banks. If the finding holds up, the attacks would amount to a new strategy for the rogue…
OPM discovered last year’s massive data breach, not contractor
An investigation by the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee into the massive Office of Personnel Management (OPM) breach confirms that it was OPM who first discovered the breach, and not a contractor during the course of demonstrating its product days later. According to documents reviewed by the committee and described in a May 26 letter from Ranking Member Elijah Cummings, Brendan Saulsbury, an…