Perhaps the top story this past week involves a sales offering on a popular hacking-related forum. The seller, who first joined the forum in December, has listed information on 400 million Twitter users for sale. No price is specified in the listing. The data, that were allegedly scraped due to a vulnerability, include email, name,…
Cyber attacks set to become ‘uninsurable’, says Zurich chief
Ian Smith reports: The chief executive of one of Europe’s biggest insurance companies has warned that cyber attacks, rather than natural catastrophes, will become “uninsurable” as the disruption from hacks continues to grow. Insurance executives have been increasingly vocal in recent years about systemic risks, such as pandemics and climate change, that test the sector’s…
Vanuatu ransomware attack claimed by RansomHouse
As previously reported, the South Pacific archipelago Vanuatu announced in early November that they had been hit with a ransomware attack that pretty much stranded the islands. Almost one month later, the islands had not recovered. On December 24, RansomHouse threat actors added the government of Vanuatu to their leak site, claiming to have locked…
Cincinnati State data breach possibly exposed Social Security numbers, other information
Quinlan Bentley reports: Cincinnati State Technical Community College says a cybersecurity breach potentially exposed personal information stored on its network. The Clifton-based college detected unauthorized access to the network on Nov. 2 and an investigation was launched in consultation with outside cybersecurity professionals, according to a notice posted to Cincinnati State’s website on Friday. Read more at…
Queensland University of Technology shuts IT systems after being hit by ransomware attack by Royal Team
Lillian Rangiah reports: A cyber attack at Queensland’s second-largest university has caused campus printers to spit out ransomware notes in bulk. The Queensland University of Technology has shut down multiple IT systems as a precaution. QUT Vice-Chancellor Professor Margaret Sheil said her own printer was among those affected this morning. Read more at ABC (AU)
Ca: Doctor’s records improperly disposed
Patient records from a newly closed medical practice were not properly disposed of the privacy commissioner has ruled. Dr. Lalita Malhotra, who retired earlier this year, failed to have all records shredded by a company that deals in secure shredding and some ended up whole in a recycling facility. “Dr. Malhotra states that she accepts…