VpnMentor reports that researcher Jeremiah Fowler discovered 13 non-password-protected databases that contained 4.6 million documents, including voter records, ballots, multiple lists, and election-related records. Through his research, Fowler found that the data was owned by Platinum Technology Resource/Platinum Elections Services. Once I was reasonably sure who managed the database, I sent a responsible disclosure notice…
Ring, Ring, it’s the FCC Calling- TracFone to Pay $16M to Settle FCC Investigation
Liisa M. Thomas, Tracy Chau, and Kathryn Smith of SheppardMullin write: TracFone, the pre-paid phone company, recently settled with the FCC over allegations that the company failed to protect customer information during three different data incidents. According to the FCC, in each of the incidents, threat actors gained access to customer information, including names, addresses, and features…
Mandiant Uncovers Threat Group Behind Basta Ransomware
Akshaya Asokan reports: A newly identified financially motivated hacking group is deploying Basta ransomware as part of an ongoing extortion campaign that began early this year. Google Mandiant, which uncovered the campaign, tracks the group as UNC4393. Since Basta is not publically marketed and is available on invitation-only basis, Mandiant researchers believe UNC4393 is likely the “primary…
Release of Russian hackers believed to be first U.S. prisoner swap of international cybercriminals
There was some great news today that some American political prisoners held by Russia were being released as part of a multi-country prisoner swap. Kevin Collier reports: It’s rare for Russian criminal hackers to land in U.S. prisons and even rarer for them to get out early. But two of the eight Russians released in…
Patient frustrated by Woodstock Hospital privacy breach
Lee Griffi reports on a hospital breach in Ontario: Woodstock Hospital officials have now released a few details about a reported privacy breach that occurred between January and May of this year. The hospital released a statement on social media late last week and has also sent letters to 56 patients who reportedly had their…
Ever More Toxic Ransomware Brands Breed Lone Wolf Operators
Mathew J. Schwartz reports: The downfall of previously high-flying ransomware operations Alphv and LockBit has shaken up the criminal underground, turning some former affiliates into lone operators and causing some under-the-radar groups to rack up record extortion payments. Ransomware incident response firm Coveware said in a report that 10% of all ransomware attacks it monitored…