Amanda Bronstad reports: AshleyMadison.com’s parent company is hoping to knock out more than 20 class actions filed over its 2015 data breach by invoking online arbitration agreements the plaintiffs signed when they subscribed to its matchmaking services. The move to arbitrate comes after Avid Life Media Inc., which has been rebranded as Ruby Corp., agreed…
Category: Hack
Instances of new and destructive ransomware grow rapidly
If you are following what’s happening with hackers attacking misconfigured MongoDB databases, wiping the data, and then demanding ransom for its return, then you’ll know that although this problem seemed to start on or around December 21 with an actor known as “Harak1r1,” within days of it garnering media attention, we saw almost identical warning…
Emory Healthcare patient data hijacked and held for ransom? (UPDATED)
Yesterday, I noted a somewhat alarming report that misconfigured MongoDB installations are being wiped by a hacker who steals the databases and then holds them for ransom of .2 BTC (approximately $200 at yesterday’s rate or $220 at today’s rate). This latest threat was reported yesterday by Catalin Cimpanu of Bleeping Computer after an ethical hacker, Victor Gevers, disclosed the discovery he had made as part of Project 366. On…
TX: Letter notifies 23,000 NISD employees, students of email breach
Katrina Webber reports: The Northside Independent School District has sent letters to about 23,000 former and current students and employees regarding a security breach that might have put their personal information at risk. NISD spokesman Barry Perez said school district officials first got a hint about the trouble in August when it was discovered that…
NH DHHS commissioner apologizes to families receiving breach notifications for deceased relatives
AP reports that New Hampshire’s health commissioner is offering an extra apology as his agency deals with a data breach that led to personal information of up to 15,000 people being posted online. The extra apology follows recent media coverage describing the emotional reaction of a woman who received a letter addressed to her son…
OH: Hilliard Bradley High School hacked, students’ information exposed
Tyler Carter reports: Officials say students’ private information was exposed at Hilliard Bradley High School. Authorities say two students are to blame. Court documents state that a student at Hilliard Bradley High School hacked into a school computer and stole other students’ login information. Read more on NBC4. The report cites the police as saying…