EncroChat shut itself down on June 13 when it discovered that the police had penetrated its network. The company then sent a warning to all users telling them to throw away their phones. (Source: Europol)

European Police Hack Encrypted Communication System

Doug Olenick • July 2, 2020

European police gained access to messages sent via the encrypted cellular service EncroChat, leading to the arrest of hundreds of alleged organized crime members across the Netherlands, France, Norway, Sweden and the U.K., the EU's law enforcement intelligence agency Europol reports.

Cybercrime

Ransomware Gangs Go (Lady) Gaga for Data Breaches

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Fraud Management & Cybercrime

How Ekans Ransomware Targets Industrial Control Systems

Akshaya Asokan • July 4, 2020

Researchers with FortiGuard Labs have uncovered two samples of the Ekans ransomware strain that offer some additional insight into how the crypto-locking malware targets industrial control systems, according to a new report. Ekans, also known as Snake, was first spotted earlier this year.

Cyberwarfare / Nation-State Attacks

NASA Still Struggling With Agency-Wide Cybersecurity Program

Prajeet Nair • July 4, 2020

A recent Inspector General's report finds that NASA still struggles with implementing an agency-wide cybersecurity policy despite spending approximately $2.3 billion on IT, networking and security technology in 2019. The oversite report offers a series of improvements that NASA should make.

Cybercrime

Operators Behind Valak Malware Expand Malicious Campaign

Ishita Chigilli Palli • July 3, 2020

The operators behind the Valak malware strain have expanded their malicious campaigns to other parts of the world, targeting financial, manufacturing, healthcare and insurance firms, according to Cisco Talos. Attackers are now using existing email threads and ZIP files to spread the information stealer.

Application Security

Apache Guacamole Vulnerable to Reverse RDP Vulnerabilities

Akshaya Asokan • July 3, 2020

Apache Guacamole, an open-source application that allows for remote connections to devices, contains several vulnerabilities that could allow attackers to steal data or run remote code execution, Check Point Research found. These bugs come at a time when many employees are still working remotely.

Account Takeover

Digital IDs: A Progress Report

Nick Holland • July 3, 2020

The latest edition of the ISMG Security Report discusses global progress on adopting standard digital identifiers. Plus, a former cybercriminal discusses emerging fraud trends, and an update on the evolution of e-signatures.

Electronic Healthcare Records

HHS Hopes to Tackle Long-Stalled Regulatory Tasks

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee • July 2, 2020

The Department of Health and Human Services' privacy and security regulatory priorities for the rest of this year include tackling some long-stalled projects. Here's a rundown of the to-do list.

Account Takeover

POS Malware Using DNS to Steal Payment Card Data

Ishita Chigilli Palli • July 2, 2020

Fraudsters are using a revamped version of the Alina Trojan to target Windows-based POS devices to steal payment card data, according to Century Link's Black Lotus Labs. The malware operators are using unsecured DNS protocols to exfiltrate the data.

Fraud Management & Cybercrime

Ex-Fraudster Brett Johnson: 'There Are Going to Be a Lot of Victims'

Tom Field • July 2, 2020

Tens of millions of Americans have lost jobs because of COVID-19. As a result, former 'most wanted" fraudster Brett Johnson predicts a surge in fraud, saying bluntly: "There are going to be a lot of victims."

Cybercrime

WastedLocker Ransomware Targets US Newspaper Company

Akshaya Asokan • July 2, 2020

The gang behind the WastedLocker ransomware strain recently targeted dozens of newspaper websites operated by a U.S. media company, according to the security firm Symantec.

Identity & Access Management

Building Trust in Digital Identities

Anna Delaney • July 1, 2020

Implementing trusted digital IDs will create benefits for end users as well as service providers, says Nick Mothershaw, chair and executive director at the Open Identity Exchange. But widespread international adoption of such IDs will take time to achieve, he acknowledges.

Cybercrime

FakeSpy Android Malware Disguised as Postal Service Messages

Akshaya Asokan • July 1, 2020

The operators behind an updated version of the FakeSpy malware are targeting Android devices using SMS phishing messages to spread the info stealer, according to Cybereason. The messages are designed to appear to come from postal and delivery services.

Cyberwarfare / Nation-State Attacks

FCC: Huawei, ZTE Are 'National Security Threats'

Ishita Chigilli Palli • July 1, 2020

The U.S. Federal Communications Commission has officially designated China's Huawei Technologies and ZTE Corp. as "national security threats," barring American telecommunications firms from using certain federal funds to buy their equipment, such as for building 5G networks.