Security News

IBM Research releases differential privacy library that works with machine learning
2020-06-29 13:20

The library "Boasts a suite of tools for machine learning and data analytics tasks, all with built-in privacy guarantees," according to Naoise Holohan, a research staff member on IBM Research Europe's privacy and security team. Differential privacy allows data collectors to use mathematical noise to anonymize information, and IBM's library is special because it's machine learning functionality enables organizations to publish and share their data with rigorous guarantees on user privacy.

Week in review: The economics of security research, SOC teams battle with burnout
2020-06-28 07:00

SOC team members battle with burnout, overload and chaosWhile some organizations have increased security operations center funding, the overall gains have been meager, and the most significant issues have not only persisted, but worsened, according to Devo Technology. Privacy and security concerns related to patient data in the cloudThe Cloud Security Alliance has released a report examining privacy and security of patient data in the cloud.

Study of global hackers and the economics of security research
2020-06-25 03:30

Remarkably, the report uncovered that 13% of hackers are neurodiverse and possess neurological advantages that help them provide extraordinary depth and dimension in security testing. 6% of neurodiverse hackers experience Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and thrive in environments of rapid change, such as security research, where creativity and out-of-the-box thinking are rewarded generously.

Honda Ransomware Confirms Findings of Industrial Honeypot Research
2020-06-11 12:52

Multistage targeted ransomware attacks against critical infrastructure, designed to maximize damage and recovery costs, are increasingly common. The attack was captured by Cybereason's 2020 honeypot research.

New Research: "Privacy Threats in Intimate Relationships"
2020-06-05 11:13

I just published a new paper with Karen Levy of Cornell: "Privacy Threats in Intimate Relationships." Abstract: This article provides an overview of intimate threats: a class of privacy threats that can arise within our families, romantic partnerships, close friendships, and caregiving relationships.

US Says China Trying to Steal COVID-19 Vaccine Research
2020-05-13 16:06

US authorities warned healthcare and scientific researchers Wednesday that Chinese-backed hackers were attempting to steal research and intellectual property related to treatments and vaccines for COVID-19. "We are leading the world in COVID-19 treatment and vaccine research. It is immoral to target China with rumors and slanders in the absence of any evidence," Zhao said.

Danger zone! Brit research supercomputer ARCHER's login nodes exploited in cyber-attack, admins reset passwords and SSH keys
2020-05-13 15:45

One of Britain's most powerful academic supercomputers has fallen victim to a "Security exploitation" of its login nodes, forcing the rewriting of all user passwords and SSH keys. Sysadmins warned ARCHER users that their SSH keys may have been compromised as a result of the apparent attack, advising them to "Change passwords and SSH keys on any other systems which you share your ARCHER credentials with".

Danger zone! Brit research supercomputer ARCHER hit with SSH-nixing cyber attack
2020-05-13 15:45

One of Britain's most powerful academic supercomputers has fallen victim to a "Security exploitation" of its login nodes, forcing the rewriting of all user passwords and SSH keys. Sysadmins warned ARCHER users that their SSH keys may have been compromised as a result of the apparent attack, advising them to "Change passwords and SSH keys on any other systems which you share your ARCHER credentials with".

US Says Chinese Hacking Vaccine Research: Reports
2020-05-11 15:16

The US Federal Bureau of Investigation and cybersecurity experts believe Chinese hackers are trying to steal research on developing a vaccine against coronavirus, two newspapers reported Monday. The FBI and Department of Homeland Security are planning to release a warning about the Chinese hacking as governments and private firms race to develop a vaccine for COVID-19, the Wall Street Journal and New York Times reported.

Surprise surprise! Hostile states are hacking coronavirus vaccine research, warn UK and USA intelligence
2020-05-05 19:01

Foreign state hackers are trying to brute-force their way into pharmaceutical and medical research agencies hunting for a COVID-19 vaccine, British and American infosec agencies are warning. The National Cyber Security Centre and America's Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency cautioned of a "Password spraying" campaign targeting healthcare and medical research organisations.