Bruno Soares reports: Companhia Paranaense de Energia (Copel) suffered cyber attacks last night that caused instability in part of its systems. According to the company, the operation and protection systems detected the attacks and the security protocols were followed, with the suspension of the operation of its computerized environment to protect the integrity of the…
OH: Baldwin Wallace University target of cyber attack
WJW reports: Classes have resumed at Baldwin Wallace University after a cyber attack affected the university last Friday, canceling classes and closing their offices. The university has worked with the FBI and cybersecurity experts to restore their network and systems. Read more on Fox8. There is no statement currently on the university’s web site to explain what…
TX: Friendswood ISD students’ Social Security numbers mistakenly sent to school photographer
One of those “human error” incidents… Typically, when a child’s school photo is taken, all the picture-taker needs is the student’s name and nice, big smile. But, as it was revealed Monday to parents in Friendswood ISD, students’ Social Security numbers were sent to a photographer responsible for taking their pictures every school year. Read…
Marketing Company Agrees to Pay $150 Million for Facilitating Elder Fraud Schemes
January 27 — Epsilon Data Management LLC (Epsilon), one of the largest marketing companies in the world, has entered into a settlement with the Department of Justice to resolve a criminal charge for selling millions of Americans’ information to perpetrators of elder fraud schemes. Epsilon entered into a deferred prosecution agreement (DPA) with the Consumer…
Unemployment fraud in one state and a breach while investigating unemployment fraud in another state
Unemployment fraud is a rampant problem these days. Even investigating it can increase the risk of fraud, it seems. Betty Lin-Fisher reports that hundreds of thousands of Ohioans have become victims, and they generally are first finding out because the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS) started sending out 1099 tax statements showing…
Ransomware payments are going down as more victims decide not to pay up
Danny Palmer reports: The average ransom paid to cyber criminals following a ransomware attack is falling as more companies become reluctant to give into extortion demands. Analysis by cybersecurity company Coveware has found that the average ransom payment paid following a ransomware attack decreased by a third in the final quarter of 2020, dropping to $154,108 from $233,817…