Aaron Mackey and Kurt Opsahl of EFF write: The Supreme Court’s Van Buren decision today overturned a dangerous precedent and clarified the notoriously ambiguous meaning of “exceeding authorized access” in the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, the federal computer crime law that’s been misused to prosecute beneficial and important online activity. The decision is a victory for all Internet…
Category: Of Note
Hackers Breached Colonial Pipeline Using Compromised Password
William Turton and Kartikay Mehrotra report: The hack that took down the largest fuel pipeline in the U.S. and led to shortages across the East Coast was the result of a single compromised password, according to a cybersecurity consultant who responded to the attack. Hackers gained entry into the networks of Colonial Pipeline Co. on…
11th Circuit Upholds Historic $380 Million Equifax Data-Breach Settlement
Izzy Kapnick reports: A three-judge panel for the 11th Circuit on Thursday upheld the largest-ever U.S. class action settlement over a consumer data breach, rejecting a bevy of challenges to the $380 million deal. Finalized in January 2020, the settlement compensates U.S. consumers whose personal information was exposed in a cyberattack on the credit bureau Equifax. The…
Diverse six-justice majority rejects broad reading of computer-fraud law
Ronald Mann writes: The Supreme Court’s decision on Thursday in Van Buren v. United States provides the court’s first serious look at one of the most important criminal statutes involving computer-related crime, the federal Computer Fraud and Abuse Act. Justice Amy Coney Barrett’s opinion for a majority 0f six firmly rejected the broad reading of that statute that the…
AU: National Disability Insurance Agency accidentally leaked private information to abusive father
Sometimes the most impactful breaches don’t involve large numbers of people but can be life-altering for just one person or family. Jade Gailberger reports: A Victorian mum claims her family’s lives have been endangered after the National Disability Insurance Agency accidentally gave their private details to her abusive ex-partner. The woman, who can’t be named…
IBM gives grants to some k-12 districts to harden security against ransomware attacks
Charlie Osborne reports: All United States public K-12 school districts were eligible to apply for the grants, designed to help school officials “proactively prepare for and respond to cyberattacks.” The grants, worth $500,000 each, have been awarded to school districts in Florida (Brevard Public Schools), New York (Poughkeepsie City School District), Georgia (KIPP Metro Atlanta Schools),…