A slow week for security news, with news and reports taking over as organisations take a break during the Autumn conference season.
Alation unveiled its AI Governance solution. It claims it will help companies realise value from their data and AI initiatives. The core of this solution is about ensuring AI models are built using secure, compliant and well-documented data.
Xalient issued a report looking at the adoption of Secure Access Service Edge (SASE). The report is titled “Why SASE is the Blueprint for Future-Proofing Your Network in 2025 and Beyond” (registration required). It draws on research conducted by Opinion Matters who talked to 700 people in the UK, US and Benelux at companies with more than 2,000 employees.
Europol
Cybercrime conference
Held from 16 to 17 October, Europol’s European Cybercrime Conference provided a platform for discussing the latest trends and challenges in cybercrime. This year’s conference featured five key thematic blocks:
- Impactful operations
- Accessing data for early disruption
- Future cybercrime challenges
- J-CAT’s 10 years of operational achievements
- Leveraging technology for successful investigations
Anonymous Sudan
Europol coordinated the European dimension of an investigation carried out by US authorities that has seen two Sudanese nationals involved in a significant Distributed-Denial-of-Service (DDoS) cybercrime network. The investigation exposed the activities of Anonymous Sudan, a prolific cybercrime group conducting destructive DDoS attacks to support their ideologically-motivated agenda.
Anonymous Sudan’s DDoS tool was used to launch over 35 000 DDoS attacks in approximately one year, causing more than USD 10 million (EUR 9 145 000) in damages to victims in the USA alone.
FBI
SEC X (Twitter) hack
FBI arrested Eric Council Jr, 25, of Athens, Alabama for hacking into the SEC X (formerly Twitter account) to spike the value of Bitcoin. The fake message caused the value of Bitcoin to spike by $1,000. The indictment charges Council with conspiracy to commit aggravated identity theft and access device fraud.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Argentieri, said, “The indictment alleges that Eric Council, Jr. unlawfully accessed the SEC’s account on X by using the stolen identity of a person who had access to the account to take over their cellphone number.
“Council, Jr.’s co-conspirators then allegedly used this unauthorized access to the X account to falsely announce that the SEC had approved listing Bitcoin ETFs, which caused the price of Bitcoin to rise by $1,000 and then fall by $2,000. Council’s indictment underscores the Criminal Division’s commitment to countering cybercrime, especially when it threatens the integrity of financial markets.”
Influencer accounts hijacked
The FBI Atlanta Division says that cybercriminals are hijacking verified social media accounts. The accounts are then used to spread scams and malicious software. Cybercriminals are targeting established social media accounts with large followings.
Account takeover of these accounts through targeted phishing or social engineering techniques, the cybercriminals broaden the reach of their fraudulent campaigns to vast amounts of followers.
Cybercriminals use the hijacked accounts to spread cryptocurrency scams, stealing wallet information. They also post links to free software downloads, which ultimately link to malware. This malware takes the victim’s usernames, passwords, and cookies, enabling the cybercriminals to compromise other accounts.
Forescout
Forescout announces deal with Keysight
Forescout has announced the integration of Forescout sensors with select Keysight network visibility solutions. It claims this will deliver a powerful solution for enhancing network security and operational efficiency. Integrating Forescout eyeInspect sensors with the Vision Series network packet brokers marks a significant advancement in network security and operational efficiency.
Robert McNutt, SVP of Network Security, Forescout, said, “In today’s rapidly evolving digital landscape, our customers are now able to leverage the combined strengths of both Forescout and Keysight to achieve a higher level of security and operational excellence, safeguarding their digital transformation initiatives.”
Forescout achieves IRAP certification
Forescout Technologies, Inc. has completed the Information Security Registered Assessors Program (IRAP) assessment at the Protected level for its cloud security platform. This underscores Forescout’s commitment to delivering industry-leading cybersecurity solutions designed to meet the highest standards of data protection and compliance in Australia.
Barry Mainz, CEO of Forescout, said, “Receiving IRAP accreditation reinforces our ability and commitment to achieving the highest security and compliance standards in Australia, as we already do as the partner of choice, trusted to secure the world’s largest organisations.”
National Cyber Security Centre
Gap widens between cyber threats and defence
The UK’s cyber security chief is urging allies and partners to join forces and close the widening gap between escalating cyber threats and our collective ability to defend against them.
Speaking at Singapore International Cyber Week, Dr Richard Horne, the newly appointed head of GCHQ’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), called for greater global resilience in the face of increasingly complex and aggressive online security threats. He said:
“Increased dependence on technology is driving growth and transforming societies, creating exciting new opportunities. It also exposes us to greater cyber risks. Without collective action, we risk widening the gap between the escalating threats to our societies, critical services, and businesses, and our ability to defend and be resilient.”
Schools offered free cyber service
Schools are being encouraged to sign up for a free cyber defence service from the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) – a part of GCHQ – which helps block online threats such as malware, ransomware and phishing attacks.
Following a successful initial rollout of the PDNS (Protective Domain Name System) for Schools, the service has now been extended to more educational settings across the UK, with multi-academy trusts, academies, independent schools and school internet service providers encouraged to sign up.
US Department of Justice
Deepak Jain, 49, of Potomac, has been indicted for major fraud against the United States. He also made false statements to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) over claims his data center was certified at the highest rating level for reliability, availability, and security when it was not.
The SEC bought data center services from Jain’s company, paying it approximately $10.7 million for the use of Company A’s data center in Beltsville, Maryland. Jain created an entity called Uptime Council, which purported to inspect and audit data centers.
Jain allegedly drafted Uptime Council certification letters, falsely claiming Uptime Council had certified Company A’s data center as a Tier IV data center, the highest possible rating for reliability, availability, and security.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, said, “As alleged in the indictment, Jain orchestrated a years-long scheme to defraud the SEC by falsely certifying that his company’s data center met the highest rating level, when the actual rating did not satisfy the SEC contract.
“Jain allegedly sought to enrich himself and his company at the expense of the reliability, availability, and security of the SEC’s electronic data. Yesterday’s charges make clear that the Criminal Division will not tolerate fraud schemes that threaten the security of the government’s electronic data.”
