Companies that hire freelance IT teleworkers could inadvertently be employing North Koreans who have been dispatched to generate revenue for the country’s authoritarian regime or gain access to corporate networks, the U.S. government said Monday. The workers “take advantage of existing demands for specific IT skills, such as software and mobile application development,” according to […]
Cyber security
[TheRecord] House okays cybersecurity bills, tees up more
The House on Monday easily passed a pair of cybersecurity measures, including a bill that would require the Homeland Security Department to review its incident response plans and submit a report outline the specific roles of federal agencies. Lawmakers approved the DHS Roles and Responsibilities in Cyber Space Act, 313-105. The measure, introduced by Rep. […]
[TheRecord] At war with facial recognition: Clearview AI in Ukraine
Hoan Ton-That, CEO of Clearview AI sat down with Click Here to discuss his company’s operations in Ukraine and the controversies that have dogged what has emerged as the world’s largest facial recognition network. (He wants 100 billion images in the database within a year. That’s 14 photographs for everyone on earth.) Among other things, […]
[TheRecord] Clearview AI CEO: Settlement could be a template for others, won’t materially change business
The founder and CEO of facial recognition company Clearview AI said that last week’s landmark settlement that reins in use of its technology “doesn’t change anything that we’re doing on a material level” and could be a template for settling other lawsuits the company faces. “We’re very happy to reach a settlement and then move […]
[TheRecord] ‘Multi-tasking doctor’ was mastermind behind ‘Thanos’ ransomware builder, DOJ says
A French-Venezuelan physician created the “Thanos” ransomware builder and other tools used by cybercriminals, according charges unveiled Monday by the Department of Justice. The criminal complaint, unsealed in a Brooklyn federal court, said 55-year-old Moises Luis Zagala Gonzalez designed several tools to help those interested in creating and propagating ransomware, including software he named Thanos. […]
[TheRecord] UK updates strategy to harden nuclear sector from cyberattacks
The UK on Friday released new plans to address the cyber risks to the country’s civil nuclear sector as the government helps orchestrate a shift towards net-zero carbon emissions. In October 2021, the UK government published a lengthy policy paper outlining the critical strategies needed to remove carbon from energy sources by 2050. According to […]
[TheRecord] ‘Facestealer’ malware remains a quiet scourge in Google Play Store apps
Malware designed to steal an Android device user’s Facebook credentials continues to pop up on the Google Play Store, researchers said Monday. Known as Facestealer, the malware is typically hidden in apps that otherwise look harmless. Researchers at Trend Micro said they recently identified more than 200 variants in the store, and Google took them […]
[TheRecord] EU lawmakers reach agreement on stronger cyber rules for critical sectors
The European Parliament and EU member states on Friday announced an agreement on setting a higher baseline for cybersecurity standards in key sectors, including energy, transportation, and healthcare. Once adopted, the revised directive — called NIS2 — would replace the first EU-wide law on cybersecurity that was set in 2016. NIS2 was introduced by the EU’s […]
[TheRecord] As Lincoln College closes doors, president looks back on crippling ransomware attack
It was the morning of Sunday, December 19, 2021, when employees of Lincoln College came in to wrap up the semester before the school went on a two-week holiday break. As they walked in and turned to their printers, they found multiple poorly worded ransom notes already printed out, waiting to be found. The notes […]
[TheRecord] Collapse of Luna cryptocurrency leads to $11 million exploit on Venus Protocol
Venus Protocol, a decentralized money market, announced on Thursday evening that about $11 million had been lost due to people exploiting the historic collapse of the Luna cryptocurrency and its sister stablecoin UST. The team behind the Venus Protocol released a statement confirming suspicions that had been floating around for hours about the potential mishandling […]