Catalin Cimpanu reports: A sophisticated threat actor has gained access and has backdoored the internal network of a US federal government agency, antivirus maker Avast reported this week. The security firm did not name the agency in its report, but The Record understands that the target of the attack was the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF)….
Category: U.S.
White House Policy Gives Agencies 24 Hours to Report Attacks
Devon Warren-Kachelein reports: A new memo issued by the U.S. National Security Council within the Biden White House requires critical cybersecurity agencies to relay cyber incidents rising to national security threats to the council within 24 hours. The move is reportedly an effort to get cybersecurity advisers close to the president to assess incidents targeting…
Former Baltimore County police officer pleads guilty to identity theft, sentenced to 18 months in prison
Darcy Costello reports: A former Baltimore County police officer accused of stealing a dead woman’s identity entered a guilty plea Wednesday to one count of identity theft. Deandre Ross, 27, who worked for the Baltimore County Police for four years, was sentenced to three years in prison, all but 18 months suspended, followed by 18…
McMenamins hit by ransomware attack; chain says customer data appears secure but employee info at risk
Mike Rogoway reports: Portland hotel and brewpub chain McMenamins has been hit by a ransomware attack that left many of its computer systems inoperable. Intruders may have accessed some of its employee records, the company said Wednesday night, but appear to have left customer data untouched. McMenamins said it identified and blocked the attack on…
Transamerica sued by 401(k) participant over data breach
Emile Hallez reports: A breach of 401(k) participant data earlier this year prompted a class action lawsuit this month against Transamerica Retirement Solutions. In June, the company became aware of a change within one of its websites that let employer customers view compromising data about participants in other retirement plans, according to a notice posted by the…
Growing Cyberthreats, Surging Insurance Costs
Suzanne Smalley reports: Higher education institutions seeking cybersecurity insurance today are not unlike homeowners living on the water in a hurricane-prone coastal community: the riskier the environment, the harder it is to get insured. For both community colleges and four-year institutions, cyberthreats are now very pronounced, and that reality has led to more institutions facing…