Excerpt from a Ryuk ransom note. (Source: McAfee/Coveware)

11 Takeaways: Targeted Ryuk Attacks Pummel Businesses

Mathew J. Schwartz • February 21, 2019

A rush by some media outlets to attribute a late-2018 alleged Ryuk ransomware infection at Tribune Publishing to North Korean attackers appears to have been erroneous, as many security experts warned at the time. Rather, multiple cybercrime gangs appear to be using Ryuk, say researchers at McAfee and Coveware.

Fraud Management & Cybercrime

Report: Facebook Faces Multibillion Dollar US Privacy Fine

Latest

Application Security

WhatsApp Flaw Could Enable iOS Message Snooping

Jeremy Kirk • February 21, 2019

Facebook says it will soon issue a patch for a bug in its WhatsApp messenger application that can circumvent a security feature launched just last month for Apple devices. The flaw could let someone with physical access to a device bypass Face ID and Touch ID.

Authentication

Password Managers Leave Crumbs in Memory, Researchers Warn

Jeremy Kirk • February 20, 2019

A security audit of popular password managers has revealed some concerning weaknesses. Luckily, none of the problems are showstoppers that should put people off using such applications. But the research shows that some password managers need to more thoroughly scrub data left in memory.

Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning

Key Security Considerations for AI and Robotics

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee • February 18, 2019

As the use of artificial intelligence tools and robotics continues to grow, it's crucial for organizations to assess the potential security risks posed, says attorney Stephen Wu, who reviews key issues in an interview.

Application Security

WannaCry Hero Loses Key Motions in Hacking Case

Jeremy Kirk • February 15, 2019

A famed British computer security researcher has lost several key motions in a federal hacking case that stems from his alleged contribution to two types of banking malware. The rulings could complicate the challenges for the defense team of Marcus Hutchins, who remains in the U.S.

Blockchain & Cryptocurrency

Protecting Cryptocurrency in the Era of 'Deep Fakes'

Nick Holland • February 15, 2019

The latest edition of the ISMG Security Report highlights how thieves can use "deep fake" photos in an attempt to steal cryptocurrency. Also featured: A discussion of the implications of "data gravity" and an analysis of whether the era of mega-breaches is ending.

Cybercrime

US Air Force Veteran Charged in Iran Hacking Scheme

Jeremy Kirk • February 14, 2019

A former U.S. Air Force counterintelligence agent was indicted for disclosing classified information and helping Iran compromise the computers of other U.S. intelligence agents. The case marks another damaging leak for the American government.

Anti-Fraud

Roses Are Red, Romance Scammers Make You Blue

Mathew J. Schwartz • February 14, 2019

This Valentine's Day, authorities are once again warning individuals to watch out for anyone perpetrating romance scams. The FTC says Americans lost $143 million to romance scams in 2017, while in the U.K., Action Fraud says reported romance scam losses in 2018 topped $64 million.

Cybercrime

Japan's Credit Card Fraud Debacle

Jeremy Kirk • February 13, 2019

A convergence of events in December in Japan led to an unprecedented spike in card-not-present fraud. New statistics from a dark web monitoring firm explain how a promotion by PayPay, a third-party payments service, slid sideways.

Cloud Security

Data Gravity: Will It Weigh Down Cloud Security?

Nick Holland • February 13, 2019

The 2019 RSA Conference offers an opportunity to learn about new concepts across all aspects of cybersecurity. One such area is "data gravity," which will be the topic of a session featuring Microsoft's Diana Kelley and Sian John. They discuss the concept in a joint interview.

Breach Preparedness

Battling Big Breaches: Are We Getting Better?

Mathew J. Schwartz • February 13, 2019

What if organizations' information security practices have gotten so good that they're finally repelling cybercriminals and nation-state attackers alike? Unfortunately, the five biggest corporate breaches of the past five years - including Yahoo, Marriott and Equifax - suggest otherwise.

Cybercrime

No-Deal Brexit Threatens British Crime Fighting

Mathew J. Schwartz • February 12, 2019

British police say they're doing their best to cope with the possibility that the U.K. will crash out of the EU in 45 days and lose access to joint policing resources. But Richard Martin of the Met Police says replacements "will not be as efficient or effective as the tools we currently use."

Governance

Keeping Incident Response Plans Current

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee • February 12, 2019

Many healthcare organizations are falling short in their incident response plans, says Mark Dill, principal consultant at tw-Security. The former director of information security at the Cleveland Clinic discusses best practices for keeping those programs current in an interview at the HIMSS19 conference.