Security News
The US Department of Homeland Security said that unknown threat actors have targeted the US Census network during the last year in its first-ever Homeland Threat Assessment report released earlier this week. The US Census Bureau is the largest US federal government statistical agency responsible for collecting statistical data about the US economy and population.
An unsealed warrant in a case involving alleged pedophile R&B star R. Kelly has shown how the Feds can get Google to hand over the details of people who make specific web search queries. Fast forward to this week, and Robert Snell of Detroit News uncovered the aforementioned search warrant [PDF] showing how Homeland Security investigators in June enlisted Google and Verizon Wireless to connect Williams, who lives in the state of Georgia, to the scene of the crime in Florida.
In its report, "The Future Enterprise: The Next Normal Priorities Driving Technology Investments," IDC found that largely due to cloud and remote work support, actual market performance, especially in the US, has been stronger than survey and market indicators had previously predicted. A stronger PC volume and focus on security were strengthened thanks to stabilized cloud and digital services driven by service-provider investments.
A computer hacker who gave the Islamic State group personal data of more than 1,300 U.S. government and military personnel will remain in a federal prison after a judge rejected his request for compassionate release. He is currently held at a federal prison in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, and is scheduled for release in 2032 if he gets credit for good behavior.
The US Air Force is deploying Kubernetes containerisation tech aboard some of its spyplanes - as UK-based Britten-Norman teams up to make one of its flagship aircraft semi-autonomous. The USAF has tested Kubernetes aboard a U-2 Dragon Lady spyplane.
The U.S. Financial Industry Regulatory Authority has issued a notice warning member brokerage firms of widespread phishing attacks using surveys to harvest information. FINRA is a non-profit organization and self-regulatory body authorized by the U.S. government to regulate exchange markets and brokerage firms.
Emotet attacks have targeted multiple state and local governments in the U.S. as part of potentially targeted campaigns that have been ramping up since August, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency said in an alert published today. Since August, the two organizations "Have seen a significant increase in malicious cyber actors targeting state and local governments with Emotet phishing emails."
Companies that ransomware-hit US organizations hire to facilitate the paying of the ransom are at risk of breaking US sanctions, falling afoul of the US Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control regulations and may end up paying millions in fines. "Ransomware payments made to sanctioned persons or to comprehensively sanctioned jurisdictions could be used to fund activities adverse to the national security and foreign policy objectives of the United States. Ransomware payments may also embolden cyber actors to engage in future attacks. In addition, paying a ransom to cyber actors does not guarantee that the victim will regain access to its stolen data," the OFAC explained.
The hospital chain Universal Health Services said Thursday that computer services at all 250 of its U.S. facilities were hobbled in last weekend's malware attack and efforts to restore hospital networks were continuing. Doctors and nurses at affected hospitals and clinics, many already burdened with coronavirus care, have had to rely on manual record-keeping, with lab work slowed.
The US government's Department of Justice has won its multi-million-dollar claim to Edward Snowden's Permanent Record book royalties as well as any future related earnings. A federal district court in eastern Virginia this week ruled that Uncle Sam was entitled to the proceeds of Snowden's bestseller, an estimated $5.2m, and "Any further monies, royalties, or other financial advantages derived by Snowden from Permanent Record." It can also grab Snowden's appearance fees from 56 speeches, thought to exceed $1m. The court came to this conclusion after deciding Snowden broke his non-disclosure agreements with the NSA and CIA. It noted the super-leaker did not offer up his book for a review by official censors nor did he clear speeches on intelligence matters with the US government as required by his employment contract from the time he worked for Uncle Sam.