Tag: Cybercrime
DOJ seizes $2.3 million in cryptocurrency paid by Colonial Pipeline to hackers
June 8, 2021SSN Staff
WASHINGTON—The Department of Justice (DOJ) announced on June 7, 2021, that it seized 63.7 bitcoins currently valued at approximately $2.3 million, allegedly representing the proceeds of a May 8 ransom payment made by Colonial Pipeline to cybercriminal group DarkSide.
The DOJ’s announcement of the seizure of funds came just one month after Colonial Pipeline suffered a devastating ransomware attack on May 6 at the hands of DarkSide in what was arguably the largest cyberattack against...
Cyberattacks skyrocket, U.S. companies targeted
August 18, 2020Ginger Hill, Managing Editor
When I hear the word “skyrocket,” it always reminds me of fireworks bursting overhead, spraying beautiful, illuminating dots and sparkles of color across a black nature canvas. However, when it comes to cyberattacks, there’s nothing beautiful at all about them; they’re detrimental.
Take a moment to really think about these malicious assaults that gain unauthorized access to a victim’s device. Sensitive data can be stolen, computers completely taken over and harmful...
Zoom “zooms” up its lax security
July 1, 2020Ginger Hill, Managing Editor
COVID has taken the physical world virtual. As stay-at-home orders abounded, and quite frankly, should still be observed, along with wearing masks, social distancing and washing of hands, colleagues, family, friends, clubs and other groups hit the virtual world to do business, stay connected and attempt to have some sort of calmness amid pure chaos. At the same time, threat actors and cybercriminals were at the ready, armed with a playbook of schemes to run interference.
The platform of choice...
Cybercriminals target remote workers during pandemic
April 1, 2020Ginger Hill, Managing Editor
YARMOUTH, Maine—As the COVID-19 pandemic rages on, the current cybercrime landscape is focused on businesses of all sizes as more and more employees are working from home per government protocols to contain, control and remedy the virus. Cybercriminals are actively phishing, and vishing and smishing, too, and the hyper risk presented right now to small businesses — such as some security manufacturers, integrators and consultants — as they are the entities that cannot afford to purchase...
Weak passwords and ransomware infections go hand-in-hand
January 22, 2020Ginger Hill, Managing Editor
Did you know the first ransomware attack happened in 1989 by Joseph L. Popp, a Harvard-trained evolutionary biologist? As history tells us, Popp created the AIDS Trojan, known as the PC Cyborg, and sent 22,000 infected diskettes, labeled “AIDS Information - Introductory Diskettes,” to an international AIDS conference.
Unsuspiciously, the diskette did educate the user, but it also infected the user's computer. After approximately 90 reboots, the virus would encrypt files on the hard...
100 Women in 100 Days Cybersecurity Career Accelerator announces next class
November 21, 2019SSN Staff
SACRAMENTO, Calif.—The free cybersecurity training and accreditation program, 100 Women in 100 Days (100w100d), founded and managed by Sacramento-based cyber risk consulting firm, Inteligenca, will help another 100 students reboot their careers at Japan's Saya University.“The opportunity with Saya shows that people around the world recognize the need to get more women into the cybersecurity field,” Inteligenca CEO Carmen Marsh said in the announcement. “We are witnessing a...
What images and color(s) represent the word 'cybersecurity'?
November 19, 2019Ginger Hill, Managing Editor
Some studies have found that the human brain actually processes words by recognizing each word heard through the ears and seen with the eyes as an individual picture. I know when I'm listening to a podcast or lecture, the radio, reading something, etc. and I hear or see a word that is delightful to me, my mind engages, blooming a series of images that represent that word. In other words, I see pictures in my mind related to what I heard or saw.
Let's say, for example, you just heard the word 'cybersecurity.”...
Are you and your company ready for a cyberattack or data breach?
November 6, 2019Ginger Hill, Managing Editor
Kind of like the once elusive sound of a car alarm in a packed parking lot in the 80s to the flooded number of parked cars with car alarms today, as is the discussion of cyberattacks, cybercrimes, data breaches and such.
I remember being around seven years old and in our local K-Mart parking lot with my mom, when a sound emerged from somewhere among the parked cars. That's the first time I had ever heard a car alarm. Today, a car alarm is an annoyance at best and not really “heard” by...
Cybersecurity pledge signed by over 20 countries
September 27, 2019Ginger Hill, Managing Editor
YARMOUTH, Maine—As ink was flying and signatures made on Monday, September 23, on the Joint Statement on Advancing Responsible State Behavior in Cyberspace, representing the 27 countries committed to upholding this international rules-based order, an evolving framework that guides responsible state behavior in cyberspace, memories resurfaced of my dad and grandmother, both of whom never got to see, much less interact with, the Web. My dad was a “hunt-and-peck” type of man, and as...
5 important facts you need to know about the Texas-based ransomware attacks
August 21, 2019Ginger Hill, Managing Editor
Whomever is the culprit for all these ransomware attacks on local U.S. government entities sure is getting a ton of notoriety in the media. With 22 reported and known public-sector attacks so far this year, and none tracked by the federal government or FBI, according to CNN, I say, the more information available the better for those needing to protect themselves.
The most recent ransomware attack happened in my home state of Texas against 22 small-town governments, and while our “Don't mess...