Security News
Acer sent out the same statement to multiple news outlets, refusing to confirm or deny the attack and only saying companies like it "Are constantly under attack, and we have reported recent abnormal situations observed to the relevant law enforcement and data protection authorities in multiple countries." Bleeping Computer also reported that there are some indications showing the people behind REvil used a Microsoft Exchange server on Acer's domain, potentially making it one of the first times a ransomware group leveraged a heavily publicized vulnerability to complete an attack.
By distributing malware-ridden laptops to the most vulnerable and needy schoolkids, the Department for Education is guilty of an astonishing breach of responsibility. It turns out that "We want to run our software on your kids phones and teach them cybersecurity through surprising stuff" is a fun thing to say to educators, governments, and funding bodies.
A shipment of laptops supplied to British schools by the Department for Education to help kids learn under lockdown came preloaded with malware, The Register can reveal. The affected laptops, distributed to schools under the UK government's Get Help With Technology scheme, which started last year, came bundled with Gamarue - an old remote-access worm from the 2010s.
Some of the laptops distributed by the UK Department for Education to vulnerable students have been found to be infected with malware as reported by the BBC. The devices are given out for free by the government to support disadvantaged students unable to access remote education during the COVID-19 pandemic, including children and young people who have no digital devices, have only a smartphone, or share a single device with other family members. Infection is not widespread. However, as revealed by Bradford Schools teachers, some of the files found on the government-provided Windows laptops were infected with malware as discovered while preparing the devices for delivery to students.
The world's second-largest white-label laptop manufacturer, has been hit by the file-scrambling DoppelPaymer ransomware gang - and the hackers want $17m in cryptocurrency before they'll hand over the decryption key. Compal staff say they arrived at work on Monday to be told of the outbreak, and that they needed to back up their files.
Taiwanese laptop maker Compal Electronics suffered a DoppelPaymer ransomware attack over the weekend, with the attackers demanding an almost $17 million ransom. Over the weekend, Taiwanese media reported that Compal suffered a cyberattack, but the laptop maker claimed it was just an "Abnormality" in their office automation system.
Motorola will push ThinkShield onto the business end of its smartphone portfolio, as an extension of the security and management programme on Lenovo's laptop and desktop line. ThinkShield for mobile devices consists of four components, with the first being a "Clean OS". In practice, this means Motorola will avoid loading up devices with unnecessary non-stock software, from additional bloatware to UI overlays.
Microsoft has released a new Windows 10 update that forcibly enables the Battery Health Manager UEFI option in HP business laptops to prevent battery swelling. HP Battery Health Manager is a BIOS battery management feature in specific HP business laptops that modifies how a battery is charged to increase its longevity.
Nearly a quarter of work computers provided by employers lack any additional security software, research from Kaspersky reveals. With more employees than ever working from home, making sure that devices connected to the corporate network are secure has become a key priority for businesses.
A 2019 study found that most companies allow mobile devices to access between 1/3 and 3/4 of their most business-critical information. Cybercriminals know that mobile devices are less secure, so it's no surprise that last year Verizon found that 4 in 10 companies were breached through a mobile device.