U.S. defense contractor L3Harris has reportedly ended its bid to buy spyware and hacking tools from Israeli tech company NSO Group. According to news reports, L3Harris ended the talks following security concerns raised by the Biden administration last month that the acquisition of the spyware would “pose a serious counterintelligence and security risk to U.S….
Author: Ines Kagubare
Federal agencies warn health sector against North Korean ransomware
U.S. federal agencies issued a joint advisory on Wednesday regarding North Korean state-sponsored cyber actors using Maui ransomware to target the health sector. The FBI, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and the Department of the Treasury said that particular ransomware has been used by North Korean government-backed hackers since at least last spring to target…
Rising threats spark US scramble for cyber workers
The federal government and private sector are facing increasing pressure to fill key cyber roles as high-profile attacks and international threats rattle various U.S. sectors. Workforce shortages have been a long-running issue in cyber, but they have taken on renewed importance amid rising Russian threats stemming from the war in Ukraine. “It’s an issue that…
Norway hit with cyberattack, temporarily suspending service
Norway’s public and private sector websites were temporarily down on Wednesday following a cyberattack that targeted the country’s national data network, forcing it to suspend online services for several hours. Sofie Nystrøm, head of the Norwegian National Security Authority (NSM), said a criminal pro-Russian group seemed to be behind the hacks, adding the attacks “give…
Russian-backed hackers target Lithuanian websites
Several public and private sector websites in Lithuania were temporarily down on Monday following a cyberattack reportedly carried out by a Russian-backed hacking group. Lithuania’s acting director of the National Cyber Security Centre, Jonas Skardinskas, said the disruption was an ongoing distributed denial of service (DDoS) attack that targeted the country’s Secure National Data Transfer as…
Hillicon Valley — Roe reversal renews data privacy calls
The Supreme Court’s decision to strike down Roe v. Wade has led Democrats to push for action on proposals to protect Americans seeking abortions from being targeted with their personal data. In other news, a California-based crypto firm announced on Thursday night that hackers stole $100 million worth of cryptocurrency. This is Hillicon Valley, detailing…
Hackers stole $100 million in latest crypto theft
Harmony, a California-based crypto firm, announced on Thursday night that hackers have stolen $100 million worth of cryptocurrency from one of its blockchain bridges. The company said on Twitter that it has partnered up with law enforcement and forensic specialists to try to identify the hackers and retrieve the stolen funds. “Harmony is working around…
Tech executives urge government to share cyber threat intel
Tech leaders testifying on Wednesday before a House subcommittee on cyber told lawmakers that more coordination is needed between the public and the private sector to identify security threats, including cyber, that stem from emerging technologies like quantum computing and artificial intelligence. Ron Green, executive vice president and chief security officer at Mastercard, said that…
Hillicon Valley — Ukraine war spotlights cyber operations
Cyber strategies in Russia’s war against Ukraine show how increasingly complex cyber warfare may be used in future conflicts. And in tech news, Facebook has removed a video from a Missouri Republican senatorial candidate, saying it violates its policy against inciting violence. This is Hillicon Valley, detailing all you need to know about tech and cyber news from Capitol Hill to…
Hillicon Valley — Harris takes on online harassment
Vice President Harris launched a new White House task force that aims to combat online harassment and abuse, kicking off its first meeting Thursday with administration officials and a visit from tennis champion Sloane Stephens. In cyber news, the House Appropriations Committee approved a budget hike for the nation’s cyber defense agency. This is Hillicon…