Treasury Takes Robust Actions to Counter Ransomware WASHINGTON — As part of the whole-of-government effort to counter ransomware, the U.S. Department of the Treasury today announced a set of actions focused on disrupting criminal networks and virtual currency exchanges responsible for laundering ransoms, encouraging improved cyber security across the private sector, and increasing incident and…
Category: Of Note
Ransomware Resources for HIPAA Regulated Entities
The HHS Office for Civil Rights (OCR) is sharing the following information to ensure that HIPAA regulated entities are aware of the resources available to assist in preventing, detecting, and mitigating breaches of unsecured protected health information caused by hacking and ransomware. HHS Health Sector Cybersecurity Coordination Center Threat Briefs: https://www.hhs.gov/about/agencies/asa/ocio/hc3/products/index.html#sector-alerts January 28, 2021 –…
Adventures in Notification, Ethical Dilemma Edition
Long-time readers know that this blogger has encountered some interesting situations over the years in response to trying to engage in responsible disclosure of leaks or incidents. As just a few examples (apart from all the lawsuit threats for exposing leaks or incidents), this blogger was: — threatened with being infected with HIV by angry…
Afghanistan: Investigation launched into interpreter data breach
Today’s reminder that even the leak of an email address can put someone’s life at risk. Phil Kemp, Lucy Manning, and Ed Campbell report: Defence Secretary Ben Wallace has ordered an investigation into a data breach involving the email addresses of dozens of Afghan interpreters who worked for British forces. More than 250 people seeking…
BlackMatter Hits Grain Cooperative With Ransomware Attack
William Turton reports: Iowa-based grain cooperative New Cooperative Inc. was struck by ransomware in recent days and has shut down its computer systems as it tries to mitigate the attack. The attack occurred on or around Friday, according to Allan Liska, senior threat analyst at the cybersecurity firm Recorded Future Inc. The ransomware gang, which goes by the name…
ALTDOS claims to have hacked one of Malaysia’s biggest conglomerates
Threat actors known as ALTDOS continue to romp their way through attacks on ASEAN entities, garnering very little media attention as they acquire and dump millions of consumer records and proprietary information on businesses. The majority of the victims whose data they have dumped appear to be from Singapore and Thailand, but they do have…