Peter Williams, a former general manager at U.S. defense contractor L3Harris Trenchant, has pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to stealing and selling confidential cybersecurity information to a Russian vulnerability exploit broker. […]
Category: Government
Global Security News, Government, Security
Canada says hacktivists breached water and energy facilities
The Canadian Centre for Cyber Security warned today that hacktivists have breached critical infrastructure systems multiple times across the country, allowing them to modify industrial controls that could have led to dangerous conditions. […]
Cybersecurity, Department of Justice (DOJ), Exploits, Geopolitics, Global Security News, Government, Technology
Ex-L3Harris exec pleads guilty to selling zero-day exploits to Russian broker
An ex-L3 Harris executive pleaded guilty to two counts of theft of trade secrets Wednesday, admitting to selling eight zero-day exploits to a Russian broker in exchange for millions of dollars. Peter Williams, 39, pleaded guilty in the District Court of the District of Columbia to two counts of theft of trade secrets. Court records…
Cybersecurity, DEI, Global Security News, Government, grants, privacy
Open-source security group pulls out of U.S. grant, citing DEI restrictions
The Trump administration’s zeal to stamp out diversity, equity and inclusion programs is affecting national cybersecurity research, as a key open-source security foundation announced it would reject federal grant funding. The Python Software Foundation (PSF), which promotes safe and secure Python coding practices and helps oversee PyPI, the world’s largest open-source code repository for Python,…
Global Security News, Government, Software
Python rejects $1.5M grant from U.S. govt. fearing ethical compromise
The Python Software Foundation (PSF) has withdrawn its $1.5 million grant proposal to the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) due to funding terms forcing a compromise on its commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.. […]
china, Geopolitics, Global Security News, Government, North America, Policy
National cyber director says U.S. needs to counter Chinese surveillance, push American tech
The United States needs to counter China’s “attempt to export a surveillance state across planet Earth,” and instead push a “clean American tech stack” globally, National Cyber Director Sean Cairncross said Friday. “It’s important that we send that message and engage with not only partners that we have now, but potential partners who are looking…
Cybersecurity, Global Security News, Government, Policy
F5 vulnerability highlights weak points in DHS’s CDM program
Last week, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency officials spoke candidly about the challenges they faced tracking the use of F5 products across the civilian federal government. While CISA knows there are thousands of instances of F5 currently in use, it admitted it wasn’t certain where each instance was deployed. The uncertainty came as the agency…
Congress, Cybersecurity, Global Security News, Government, North America, Policy, Technology
Robocalling task force bill advances in Senate
The federal government is shut down and the House remains out of session, but work in the Senate continues, as a bipartisan bill designed to crack down on overseas robocalls advanced through a key committee Tuesday. The Foreign Robocall Elimination Act, sponsored by Sens. Ted Budd, R-N.C., and Peter Welch, D-Vt., would create a new…
Exploits, Global Security News, Government, Policy, privacy, Technology
Apple and Google challenged by parents’ rights coalition on youth privacy protections
A nonprofit organization has filed a formal complaint with the Federal Trade Commission, claiming Google’s business practices around children and teenagers violates U.S. privacy laws and constitutes unfair and deceptive practices. The complaint, filed by the Digital Childhood Institute, lays out five core claims against the tech giant: that it “knowingly” markets adult-themed or age-restricted…
Asia Pacific, china, Cybersecurity, Geopolitics, Global Security News, Government, Threats
China’s spy agency accuses NSA of yearslong attack on the country’s timekeeping service
China’s Ministry of State Security accused the National Security Agency of conducting a yearslong attack on China’s national timekeeping infrastructure to steal sensitive data and infiltrate the service for potential sabotage. The NSA gained initial access to China’s National Time Service Center systems in April 2023 by using credentials lifted from employees’ mobile devices that…
CVE, Cybersecurity, Global Security News, Government, Research
Behind the struggle for control of the CVE program
On April 16, less than a month after nonprofit R&D organization MITRE celebrated the 25th anniversary of the Common Vulnerability and Exposures (CVE) effort, the program narrowly escaped a sudden demise when a last-minute, 11-month contract extension averted a shutdown. That near-miss put vulnerability experts and cybersecurity defenders on edge, most of whom still fear…
Department of Justice (DOJ), email, Geopolitics, Global Security News, Government, Threats
John Bolton indictment says suspected Iranian hackers accessed his emails, issued threats
Suspected Iranian hackers infiltrated former national security adviser John Bolton’s email account and threatened to release sensitive materials, his indictment alleges. The indictment on charges that Bolton mishandled classified information, released Thursday, comes after President Donald Trump’s unprecedented public call for the Justice Department to prosecute his enemies. Bolton served under Trump in his first…
Cybercrime, Cybersecurity, Exploits, Global Security News, Government, Ransomware
PowerSchool hacker sentenced to 4 years in prison
A Massachusetts man who previously pleaded guilty to a cyberattack on PowerSchool, exposing data on tens of millions of students and teachers, was sentenced to four years in prison Tuesday — half the amount federal prosecutors sought in sentencing recommendations submitted to the court. Matthew Lane, 20, stole data from PowerSchool belonging to nearly 70…
cyberattack, Cybersecurity, Global Security News, Government, Threats
CISA warns of imminent risk posed by thousands of F5 products in federal agencies
Federal cyber authorities issued an emergency directive Wednesday requiring federal agencies to identify and apply security updates to F5 devices after the cybersecurity vendor said a nation-state attacker had long-term, persistent access to its systems. The order, which mandates federal civilian executive branch agencies take action by Oct. 22, marked the second emergency directive issued…
Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), Global Security News, Government, Workforce
Swalwell seeks answers from CISA on workforce cuts
Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., sent a letter Tuesday to acting CISA Director Madhu Gottumukkala raising concerns about staffing levels and the direction of the nation’s primary cybersecurity agency, writing that the “Trump Administration has undertaken multiple efforts to decimate CISA’s workforce, undermining our nation’s cybersecurity.” Swalwell, the ranking member on the House Homeland Security Subcommittee…
Cybersecurity, Geopolitics, Global Security News, Government, privacy
Researchers find a startlingly cheap way to steal your secrets from space
How much private and sensitive data can you get by pointing $600 worth of satellite equipment at the sky? Quite a bit, it turns out. Researchers from the University of Maryland and the University of California, San Diego say they were able to intercept sensitive data from the U.S. military, telecommunications firms, major businesses and…
Cybercrime, Cybersecurity, Financial, Global Security News, Government
Officials crack down on Southeast Asia cybercrime networks, seize $15B
Federal authorities seized 127,271 Bitcoin, valued at approximately $15 billion, from Chen Zhi, the alleged leader of a sprawling cybercrime network based in Cambodia, the Justice Department said Tuesday. Officials said it’s the largest financial seizure on record. “Today’s action represents one of the most significant strikes ever against the global scourge of human trafficking…
APT, china, Cybersecurity, Exploits, Global Security News, Government, Research
Flax Typhoon can turn your own software against you
By Derek B. Johnson For more than a year, hackers from a Chinese state-backed espionage group maintained backdoor access to a popular software mapping tool by turning one of its own features into a webshell, according to new research from ReliaQuest. In a report published Tuesday, researchers said that Flax Typhoon — a group that…
Congress, Election Security, Global Security News, Government, Policy, Uncategorized
Dems introduce bill to halt mass voter roll purges
The Trump administration wants your voter data. Since President Donald Trump took office in January, the Department of Justice has made an ambitious effort to collect sensitive voter data from all 50 states, including information that one election expert described as “the holy trinity” of identity theft: Social Security numbers, driver’s license numbers and dates…
Congress, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), Global Security News, Government, Policy
Sen. Peters tries another approach to extend expired cyber threat information-sharing law
A top Senate Democrat introduced legislation Thursday to extend and rename an expired information-sharing law, and make it retroactive to cover the lapse that began Oct. 1. Michigan Sen. Gary Peters, the ranking member of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, introduced the Protecting America from Cyber Threats (PACT) Act, to replace the expired…
Congress, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), Global Security News, Government, Policy
Sen. Peters tries another approach to extend expired cyber threat information-sharing law
A top Senate Democrat introduced legislation Thursday to extend and rename an expired information-sharing law, and make it retroactive to cover the lapse that began Oct. 1. Michigan Sen. Gary Peters, the ranking member of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, introduced the Protecting America from Cyber Threats (PACT) Act, to replace the expired…
Congress, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), Global Security News, Government, Policy
Sen. Peters tries another approach to extend expired cyber threat information-sharing law
A top Senate Democrat introduced legislation Thursday to extend and rename an expired information-sharing law, and make it retroactive to cover the lapse that began Oct. 1. Michigan Sen. Gary Peters, the ranking member of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, introduced the Protecting America from Cyber Threats (PACT) Act, to replace the expired…
Congress, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), Global Security News, Government, Policy
Sen. Peters tries another approach to extend expired cyber threat information-sharing law
A top Senate Democrat introduced legislation Thursday to extend and rename an expired information-sharing law, and make it retroactive to cover the lapse that began Oct. 1. Michigan Sen. Gary Peters, the ranking member of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, introduced the Protecting America from Cyber Threats (PACT) Act, to replace the expired…
Congress, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), Global Security News, Government, Policy
Sen. Peters tries another approach to extend expired cyber threat information-sharing law
A top Senate Democrat introduced legislation Thursday to extend and rename an expired information-sharing law, and make it retroactive to cover the lapse that began Oct. 1. Michigan Sen. Gary Peters, the ranking member of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, introduced the Protecting America from Cyber Threats (PACT) Act, to replace the expired…
Cybersecurity, Department of Justice, Election Security, Global Security News, Government, privacy
Voting groups ask court for immediate halt to Trump admin’s SAVE database overhaul
Voting rights groups are asking a court to block an ongoing Trump administration effort to merge disparate federal and state voter data into a massive citizenship and voter fraud database. Last week, the League of Women Voters, the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) and five individuals sued the federal government in D.C. District Court, saying…
Cybersecurity, Department of Justice, Election Security, Global Security News, Government, privacy
Voting groups ask court for immediate halt to Trump admin’s SAVE database overhaul
Voting rights groups are asking a court to block an ongoing Trump administration effort to merge disparate federal and state voter data into a massive citizenship and voter fraud database. Last week, the League of Women Voters, the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) and five individuals sued the federal government in D.C. District Court, saying…
Cybersecurity, Department of Justice, Election Security, Global Security News, Government, privacy
Voting groups ask court for immediate halt to Trump admin’s SAVE database overhaul
Voting rights groups are asking a court to block an ongoing Trump administration effort to merge disparate federal and state voter data into a massive citizenship and voter fraud database. Last week, the League of Women Voters, the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) and five individuals sued the federal government in D.C. District Court, saying…
Cybersecurity, Department of Justice, Election Security, Global Security News, Government, privacy
Voting groups ask court for immediate halt to Trump admin’s SAVE database overhaul
Voting rights groups are asking a court to block an ongoing Trump administration effort to merge disparate federal and state voter data into a massive citizenship and voter fraud database. Last week, the League of Women Voters, the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) and five individuals sued the federal government in D.C. District Court, saying…
Cybersecurity, Department of Justice, Election Security, Global Security News, Government, privacy
Voting groups ask court for immediate halt to Trump admin’s SAVE database overhaul
Voting rights groups are asking a court to block an ongoing Trump administration effort to merge disparate federal and state voter data into a massive citizenship and voter fraud database. Last week, the League of Women Voters, the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) and five individuals sued the federal government in D.C. District Court, saying…
Election Security, Europe, Geopolitics, Global Security News, Government, privacy
German government says it will oppose EU mass-scanning proposal
Encryption lives on in Europe. For now. The German government has said it will oppose a piece of European Union legislation later this month that would subject phones and other devices to mass scanning — prior to encryption — by the government for evidence of child sexual abuse material. Federal Minister of Justice Stefanie Hubig…
Election Security, Europe, Geopolitics, Global Security News, Government, privacy
German government says it will oppose EU mass-scanning proposal
Encryption lives on in Europe. For now. The German government has said it will oppose a piece of European Union legislation later this month that would subject phones and other devices to mass scanning — prior to encryption — by the government for evidence of child sexual abuse material. Federal Minister of Justice Stefanie Hubig…
Election Security, Europe, Geopolitics, Global Security News, Government, privacy
German government says it will oppose EU mass-scanning proposal
Encryption lives on in Europe. For now. The German government has said it will oppose a piece of European Union legislation later this month that would subject phones and other devices to mass scanning — prior to encryption — by the government for evidence of child sexual abuse material. Federal Minister of Justice Stefanie Hubig…
Election Security, Europe, Geopolitics, Global Security News, Government, privacy
German government says it will oppose EU mass-scanning proposal
Encryption lives on in Europe. For now. The German government has said it will oppose a piece of European Union legislation later this month that would subject phones and other devices to mass scanning — prior to encryption — by the government for evidence of child sexual abuse material. Federal Minister of Justice Stefanie Hubig…
Election Security, Europe, Geopolitics, Global Security News, Government, privacy
German government says it will oppose EU mass-scanning proposal
Encryption lives on in Europe. For now. The German government has said it will oppose a piece of European Union legislation later this month that would subject phones and other devices to mass scanning — prior to encryption — by the government for evidence of child sexual abuse material. Federal Minister of Justice Stefanie Hubig…
AI, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Asia Pacific, Cybersecurity, Global Security News, Government, Technology
OpenAI: Threat actors use us to be efficient, not make new tools
A long-running theme in the use of adversarial AI since the advent of large language models has been the automation and enhancement of well-established hacking methods, rather than the creation of new ones. That remains the case for much of OpenAI’s October threat report, which highlights how government agencies and the cybercriminal underground are opting…
AI, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Asia Pacific, Cybersecurity, Global Security News, Government, Technology
OpenAI: Threat actors use us to be efficient, not make new tools
A long-running theme in the use of adversarial AI since the advent of large language models has been the automation and enhancement of well-established hacking methods, rather than the creation of new ones. That remains the case for much of OpenAI’s October threat report, which highlights how government agencies and the cybercriminal underground are opting…
AI, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Asia Pacific, Cybersecurity, Global Security News, Government, Technology
OpenAI: Threat actors use us to be efficient, not make new tools
A long-running theme in the use of adversarial AI since the advent of large language models has been the automation and enhancement of well-established hacking methods, rather than the creation of new ones. That remains the case for much of OpenAI’s October threat report, which highlights how government agencies and the cybercriminal underground are opting…
AI, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Asia Pacific, Cybersecurity, Global Security News, Government, Technology
OpenAI: Threat actors use us to be efficient, not make new tools
A long-running theme in the use of adversarial AI since the advent of large language models has been the automation and enhancement of well-established hacking methods, rather than the creation of new ones. That remains the case for much of OpenAI’s October threat report, which highlights how government agencies and the cybercriminal underground are opting…
AI, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Asia Pacific, Cybersecurity, Global Security News, Government, Technology
OpenAI: Threat actors use us to be efficient, not make new tools
A long-running theme in the use of adversarial AI since the advent of large language models has been the automation and enhancement of well-established hacking methods, rather than the creation of new ones. That remains the case for much of OpenAI’s October threat report, which highlights how government agencies and the cybercriminal underground are opting…
Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Global Security News, Government, North America, Summer Lee, Technology, Yassamin Ansari
House Dems seek info about ICE spyware contract, wary of potential abuses
Three House Democrats questioned the Department of Homeland Security on Monday over a reported Immigration and Customs Enforcement contract with a spyware provider that they warn potentially “threatens Americans’ freedom of movement and freedom of speech.” Their letter follows publication of a notice that ICE had lifted a stop-work order on a $2 million deal…
Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Global Security News, Government, North America, Summer Lee, Technology, Yassamin Ansari
House Dems seek info about ICE spyware contract, wary of potential abuses
Three House Democrats questioned the Department of Homeland Security on Monday over a reported Immigration and Customs Enforcement contract with a spyware provider that they warn potentially “threatens Americans’ freedom of movement and freedom of speech.” Their letter follows publication of a notice that ICE had lifted a stop-work order on a $2 million deal…
Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Global Security News, Government, North America, Summer Lee, Technology, Yassamin Ansari
House Dems seek info about ICE spyware contract, wary of potential abuses
Three House Democrats questioned the Department of Homeland Security on Monday over a reported Immigration and Customs Enforcement contract with a spyware provider that they warn potentially “threatens Americans’ freedom of movement and freedom of speech.” Their letter follows publication of a notice that ICE had lifted a stop-work order on a $2 million deal…
Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Global Security News, Government, North America, Summer Lee, Technology, Yassamin Ansari
House Dems seek info about ICE spyware contract, wary of potential abuses
Three House Democrats questioned the Department of Homeland Security on Monday over a reported Immigration and Customs Enforcement contract with a spyware provider that they warn potentially “threatens Americans’ freedom of movement and freedom of speech.” Their letter follows publication of a notice that ICE had lifted a stop-work order on a $2 million deal…
Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Global Security News, Government, North America, Summer Lee, Technology, Yassamin Ansari
House Dems seek info about ICE spyware contract, wary of potential abuses
Three House Democrats questioned the Department of Homeland Security on Monday over a reported Immigration and Customs Enforcement contract with a spyware provider that they warn potentially “threatens Americans’ freedom of movement and freedom of speech.” Their letter follows publication of a notice that ICE had lifted a stop-work order on a $2 million deal…
Global Security News, Government, Have I Been Pwned
Welcoming CERN to Have I Been Pwned
It’s hard to explain the significance of CERN. It’s the birthplace of the World Wide Web and the home of the largest machine ever built, the Large Hadron Collider. The bit that’s hard to explain is, well, I mean, look at it! Charlotte and I visited CERN in 2019, nestled in there between Switzerland and…
Global Security News, Government
DHS watchdog finds mismanagement in critical cyber talent program
The post DHS watchdog finds mismanagement in critical cyber talent program appeared first on CyberScoop.
Asia Pacific, budget, Global Security News, Government, Money, Policy, Workforce
CISA work not ‘degraded’ by Trump administration cuts, top agency official says
A top official at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency on Thursday rejected concerns that personnel and program cuts at CISA have hindered its work. Nick Andersen, who just began serving as executive assistant director of cybersecurity at CISA this month, said he’s seen the agency function at a high level from both the outside…
Global Security News, Government, Security
Panama Ministry of Economy discloses breach claimed by INC ransomware
Panama’s Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF) has disclosed that one of its computers may have been compromised in a cyberattack.. […]
Cybersecurity, encryption, Exploits, Global Security News, Government, Ransomware, Technology
Wyden calls on FTC to investigate Microsoft for ‘gross cybersecurity negligence’ in protecting critical infrastructure
Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., on Wednesday called for the Federal Trade Commission to investigate Microsoft, saying the company’s default configurations are leaving customers vulnerable and contributing to ransomware, hacking and other threats. That includes the 2024 Ascension hospital ransomware attack, which resulted in the theft of personal data, medical data, payment information, insurance information and…
Asia Pacific, china, Cloud, Geopolitics, Global Security News, Government, Threats
China’s ‘Typhoons’ changing the way FBI hunts sophisticated threats
Major cyber intrusions by the Chinese hacking groups known as Salt Typhoon and Volt Typhoon have forced the FBI to change its methods of hunting sophisticated threats, a top FBI cyber official said Wednesday. U.S. officials, allied governments and threat researchers have identified Salt Typhoon as the group behind the massive telecommunications hack revealed last…
california, Global Security News, Government, privacy
Three states team up in investigative sweep of companies flouting data opt-out laws
A joint investigative sweep across three states kicked off this week aimed at identifying companies that aren’t following opt-out laws for collecting consumer data. The efforts, led by the state attorneys general, the California Privacy Protection Agency and other state regulators, will involve contacting businesses across all three states who may not be processing opt-out…
critical infrastructure, Geopolitics, Global Security News, Government, North America, Policy
Critical infrastructure security tech needs to be as good as our smartphones, top NSC cyber official says
The top cyber official at the National Security Council said Tuesday that he’s dismayed by the lag in security technology embedded in critical infrastructure, saying it pales in comparison to the tech in modern smartphones. “I worry a lot about critical infrastructure cybersecurity,” Alexei Bulazel said at the Billington Cybersecurity Summit. “I also think about…
Asia Pacific, china, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act, Global Security News, Government, Policy
National cyber director: U.S. strategy needs to shift cyber risk from Americans to its adversaries
The United States needs a “new, coordinated strategy” to counter its cyber adversaries and “shift the burden of risk in cyberspace from Americans to them,” National Cyber Director Sean Cairncross said Tuesday. “Collectively, we’ve made great progress in identifying, responding to and remediating threats, but we still lack strategic coherence and direction,” he said at…
Andrew Garbarino, Financial, Global Security News, Government, Policy, Threats
CISA pushes final cyber incident reporting rule to May 2026
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Agency is delaying finalization of a rule until May of next year that will require critical infrastructure owners and operators to swiftly report major cyber incidents to the federal government, according to a recent regulatory notice. Under the Cyber Incident Reporting for Critical Infrastructure Act (CIRCIA) of 2022, CISA was supposed…
FTC, Global Security News, Government, North America, supreme court, Trump Administration
Supreme Court blocks FTC commissioner Slaughter’s reinstatement
Rebecca Slaughter’s return-to-work orders have been put on hold for the second time this year, after the U.S. Supreme Court stepped in to block a lower court ruling that ordered her reinstatement at the Federal Trade Commission. Last week a lower court ruled that Slaughter had been illegally fired by President Donald Trump, citing a…
Asia Pacific, Global Security News, Government, Security
Czech cyber agency warns against Chinese tech in critical infrastructure
The Czech Republic’s National Cyber and Information Security Agency (NUKIB) is instructing critical infrastructure organizations in the country to avoid using Chinese technology or transferring user data to servers located in China. […]
AI, Cybersecurity, Exploits, Global Security News, Government, Policy, Technology
AI can help track an ever-growing body of vulnerabilities, CISA official says
Artificial intelligence could be a key tool for helping organizations keep track of an ever-expanding catalog of identified software flaws, a top official at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency said Thursday. CISA sponsors the Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE) program, which publishes standardized data about known cyber vulnerabilities. The number of vulnerabilities the CVE…
Cybercrime, Cybersecurity, Egypt, Global Security News, Government
Streameast, world’s largest pirated live sports network, shut down by Egyptian authorities
Streameast, the most popular and largest illicit live sports streaming network, was shut down following a coordinated law enforcement action conducted by Egyptian authorities last month, an antipiracy coalition of entertainment companies announced Wednesday. Egyptian authorities seized infrastructure powering Streameast and arrested two operators at their residences in El-Sheik Zaid, Egypt, a spokesperson for the…
Asia Pacific, Australia, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), Global Security News, Government, Policy, Technology
CISA guide seeks a unified approach to software ‘ingredients lists’
Compiling an “ingredients list” for software can help organizations reduce cyber risks, avoid fines and save time, among other benefits, a Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency-led guide published Wednesday advises. The CISA document, produced with the National Security Agency and cyber agencies from 14 other countries, aims to produce a shared vision on advancing the…
AI, Andrew Garbarino, Asia Pacific, Global Security News, Government, Policy, Technology
House panel approves cyber information sharing, grant legislation as expiration deadlines loom
A House panel advanced legislation Wednesday that would reauthorize a major cyber threat information sharing law and a big-dollar state and local cyber grant program before they’re set to expire at the end of this month. Trump administration officials and nominees, as well as cybersecurity organizations and experts, have voiced support for renewing them both…
FTC, Global Security News, Government, humphrey's executor, North America, Trump Administration, U.S. Supreme Court
Court rules ‘fired’ FTC commissioners be reinstated — again
For the second time, a court has ruled that President Donald Trump’s attempted firing of Federal Trade Commission members Rebecca Slaughter and Alvaro Bedoya was illegal and ordered the agency to reinstate the commissioners. By law, the FTC governs by a bipartisan 3-2 split, with the president’s party getting an extra seat and controlling the…
Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), Eric Goldstein, Global Security News, Government, Workforce
CISA taps Nicholas Andersen for executive assistant director of cybersecurity
Nicholas Andersen is taking over a top leadership role at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, CISA announced Tuesday. He will become executive assistant director of cybersecurity at the agency in a role that’s seen swift turnover in the past year. It’s a position that has, in the past, led CISA efforts on protecting federal…
Global Security News, Government, Security
Pennsylvania AG Office says ransomware attack behind recent outage
The Office of the Pennsylvania Attorney General announced that a ransomware attack is behind the ongoing two-week service outage. […]
Cybercrime, Cybersecurity, Exclusive, Global Security News, Government, Money
Prolific Russian ransomware operator living in California enjoys rare leniency awaiting trial
Authorities and threat intelligence analysts alike relish taking ransomware operators off the board. Holding cybercriminals accountable through arrest, imprisonment, or genuine reform creates a powerful deterrent and advances the ultimate goal of a safer internet for everyone. Getting to that point is a remarkably tough task for defenders. Ransomware attacks are often initiated by people…
AI, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Global Security News, Government, Technology
Workado settles with FTC over allegations it inflated its AI detectors’ capabilities
The Federal Trade Commission thinks AI detectors might be BS. The agency announced a consent order this week with Workado, an Arizona-based company that makes an AI content detector tool. The order forces the company to retract its public claims about the tool’s effectiveness and to notify its customers. The settlement follows an investigation by…
Asia Pacific, china, Cybersecurity, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Geopolitics, Global Security News, Government
Top FBI official says Chinese reliance on domestic firms for hacking is a weakness
China’s reliance on domestic technology companies to carry out large-scale hacking operations—as highlighted by the U.S. government and its allies this week—is a weakness that poses risks for Beijing, a top FBI official told CyberScoop. Cyber agencies from around the world published an alert Wednesday about what officials have described as an indiscriminate cyberespionage campaign…
Election Assistance Commission, Election Security, Global Security News, Government, North America, Uncategorized
Trump administration setting the stage for elections power grab, voting rights group warns
Election officials should brace for direct attacks from the Trump administration and its state GOP allies on the integrity of U.S. elections — and plan for the possibility that federal agencies once charged with protecting elections will leverage their authorities to interfere in the process, a voting rights nonprofit warned. In a report released Wednesday,…
Cybercrime, Cybersecurity, Financial, Global Security News, Government, North America, Threats
Treasury sanctions North Korea IT worker scheme facilitators and front organizations
The Treasury Department on Wednesday expanded efforts to disrupt the pervasive North Korean technical worker scheme by imposing sanctions on people and organizations serving as facilitators and fronts for the country’s years-long conspiracy effort to defraud businesses and earn money despite international sanctions. Vitaly Sergeyevich Andreyev, Kim Ung Sun, Shenyang Geumpungri Network Technology and Korea…
Asia Pacific, Australia, Canada, Geopolitics, Global Security News, Government, Threats
Salt Typhoon hacking campaign goes beyond previously disclosed targets, world cyber agencies say
A notorious Chinese hacking campaign against telecommunications companies has now reached into a variety of additional sectors across the globe, including government, transportation, lodging and military targets, according to an alert U.S. and world cybersecurity agencies published Wednesday. The alert is an effort to give technical details to potential victims of the campaign from the…
Global Security News, Government
DOGE employees uploaded Social Security database to ‘vulnerable’ cloud, agency whistleblower says
The post DOGE employees uploaded Social Security database to ‘vulnerable’ cloud, agency whistleblower says appeared first on CyberScoop.
Global Security News, Government
DOGE employees uploaded Social Security database to ‘vulnerable’ cloud, agency whistleblower says
The post DOGE employees uploaded Social Security database to ‘vulnerable’ cloud, agency whistleblower says appeared first on CyberScoop.
Asia Pacific, Biden administration, china, Geopolitics, Global Security News, Government, Threats
Feds still trying to crack Volt Typhoon hackers’ intentions, goals
Federal analysts are still sizing up what the Chinese hackers known as Volt Typhoon, who penetrated U.S. critical infrastructure to maintain access within those networks, might have intended by setting up shop there, a Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency official said Thursday. “We still don’t actually know what the result of that is going to…
Asia Pacific, china, Gary Peters, Global Security News, Government, Technology, Threats
Senate legislation would direct federal agencies to fortify against quantum computing cyber threats
A bipartisan pair of senators are introducing legislation Thursday that would direct a White House office to develop a strategy for reckoning with the cybersecurity ramifications of quantum computers, and require agencies to begin pilot programs on quantum-safe encryption. Sens. Gary Peters, D-Mich., and Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., say the National Quantum Cybersecurity Migration Strategy Act…
Congress, Election Security, Global Security News, Government, SAVE Act
Senate Democrats call Trump admin’s focus on state voter rolls a pretext for disenfranchisement
As the Trump administration has sought to muscle through changes to election laws and rules across the country, Democrats in Congress have steadily escalated their concerns about the potential for disenfranchisement. At a public forum Wednesday held by Democratic lawmakers focused on elections and voter suppression, Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Calif., ranking member on the Senate…
Global Security News, Government, North America, West Point
Army Secretary forces West Point to rescind appointment given to Easterly
The United States Military Academy abruptly ended the appointment of Jen Easterly to a high-profile academic position in West Point’s Department of Social Sciences, according to a memorandum issued Wednesday by the Secretary of the Army. On Tuesday, the academy announced that Easterly was named as the next Robert F. McDermott Distinguished Chair, a department…
Asia Pacific, Commentary, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), Global Security News, Government, Uncategorized
CISA is facing a tight CIRCIA deadline. Here’s how Sean Plankey can attempt to meet it
During a Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee hearing earlier this month in which lawmakers considered if Sean Plankey is fit to become director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, ranking member Gary Peters asked the CISA nominee how he would ensure the agency meets all of its statutory requirements, including those in…
Asia Pacific, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), Global Security News, Government, Policy, Ron Wyden, Workforce
CISA says it will release telecom security report sought by Sen. Wyden to lift hold on Plankey nomination
Sean Plankey’s path to leading the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency might have one obstacle set to be cleared for removal. With the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee scheduled to hold a vote on his nomination for CISA director Wednesday, the next and final step for Plankey pending approval from the panel would…
Geopolitics, Global Security News, Government, Technology, Threats
Sen. Hassan wants to hear from SpaceX about scammers abusing Starlink
It’s time for SpaceX to take strong action against scammers abusing the company’s Starlink internet service, Sen. Maggie Hassan said in a letter to CEO Elon Musk on Monday. The New Hampshire Democrat cited evidence accumulating over the past two years that some Southeast Asian fraudsters scamming billions of dollars from U.S. citizens have leaned…
california, Global Security News, Government, privacy
Hundreds of registered data brokers ignore user requests around personal data
There are few laws at the state or federal level to constrain data brokerage, the process by which companies collect and sell bulk data on people they’ve never met or done business with. States at the forefront of regulating the industry, like California, currently require hundreds of companies to register with the government and provide…
Department of Justice (DOJ), Geopolitics, Global Security News, Government, North Korea, North Korean IT workers
US offers $15 million reward for info on North Korean nationals involved in global criminal network
The State Department announced Thursday it will pay up to $15 million for information leading to the arrest of seven North Korean nationals accused of operating criminal schemes that generate revenue for Pyongyang’s weapons programs, marking the latest effort to disrupt financing networks that have funneled money around sanctions. The coordinated action that also involved…
Cybercrime, Cybersecurity, Exploits, Global Security News, Government, Ransomware, Research
Microsoft SharePoint attacks ensnare 400 victims, including federal agencies
The fallout from an attack spree targeting defects in on-premises Microsoft SharePoint servers continues to spread nearly a week after zero-day exploits were discovered, setting off alarms across the globe. More than 400 organizations have been actively compromised across four waves of attacks, according to Eye Security. Multiple government agencies, including the Departments of Energy,…
Asia Pacific, budget, china, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), Global Security News, Government, Workforce
Plankey vows to boot China from U.S. supply chain, advocate for CISA budget
President Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Cybersecurity and Information Security Agency told senators Thursday that he would prioritize evicting China from the U.S. supply chain, and wouldn’t hesitate to ask for more money for the shrunken agency if he thought it needed it. “If confirmed it will be a priority of mine to remove…
AI, Exploits, Global Security News, Government, privacy, Technology
Trump AI plan pushes critical infrastructure to use AI for cyber defense
The Trump administration’s new AI Action Plan calls for companies and governments to lean into the technology when protecting critical infrastructure from cyberattacks. But it also recognizes that these systems are themselves vulnerable to hacking and manipulation, and calls for industry adoption of “secure by design” technology design standards to limit their attack surfaces. The…
Geopolitics, Global Security News, Government, Money, Policy, Technology
Contract lapse leaves critical infrastructure cybersecurity sensor data unanalyzed at national lab
Data from sensors that detect threats in critical infrastructure networks is sitting unanalyzed after a government contract expired this weekend, raising risks for operational technology, a program leader at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory told lawmakers Tuesday. That news arrived at a hearing of a House Homeland Security subcommittee on Stuxnet, the malware that was discovered…
Global Security News, Government, Ransomware, Uncategorized, United Kingdom (U.K.)
UK moves to ban public sector organizations from making ransom payments
The British government announced plans to prohibit public sector organizations and critical infrastructure operators from paying ransoms to cybercriminals, marking a significant shift in the nation’s approach to combating ransomware attacks that have disrupted essential services and cost the economy millions of pounds annually. The proposed measures would prevent the National Health Service, local councils,…
Asia Pacific, CISA, Cybersecurity, Election Security, Global Security News, Government
After website hack, Arizona election officials unload on Trump’s CISA
Arizona election officials say a hack targeting a statewide online portal for political candidates resulted in the defacement and replacement of multiple candidate photos with the late Iranian Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. While officials say the threat is contained and the vulnerability has been fixed, they also blasted the lack of support they’ve received from the…
Asia Pacific, Commentary, Geopolitics, Global Security News, Government, Technology, Threats
Why it’s time for the US to go on offense in cyberspace
The U.S. is stepping into a new cyber era, and it comes not a moment too soon. With the Trump administration’s sweeping $1 billion cyber initiative in the “Big Beautiful Bill” and growing congressional momentum under the 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) to strengthen cyber deterrence, we’re seeing a shift in posture that many…
Cybercrime, Cybersecurity, Global Security News, Government, Ransomware, Threats
Ryuk ransomware operator extradited to US, faces five years in federal prison
An Armenian national is in federal custody and faces charges stemming from their alleged involvement in a spree of attacks in 2019 and 2020 involving Ryuk ransomware, the Justice Department said Wednesday. Karen Serobovich Vardanyan, 33, was extradited from Ukraine to the United States on June 18 and pleaded not guilty to the charges in…
Andrew Garbarino, critical infrastructure, Cybersecurity, Geopolitics, Global Security News, Government, North America
House hearing will use Stuxnet to search for novel ways to confront OT cyberthreats
Congress is set to revisit Stuxnet — the malware that wreaked havoc on Iran’s nuclear program 15 years ago — next week in the hopes that the pioneering attack can guide today’s critical infrastructure policy debate, CyberScoop has learned. The House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Protection will hold a hearing July 22…
Congress, Cybersecurity, Election Security, Global Security News, Government, Uncategorized
Senate Democrats seek answers on Trump overhaul of immigrant database to find noncitizen voters
As the Department of Homeland Security seeks to transform a federal database for immigrant benefits into a supercharged database to search for noncitizen voters, a trio of Democratic senators are pressing the department for more information. Sens. Gary Peters, D-Mich., Alex Padilla, D-Calif., and Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., wrote to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on…
Cybercrime, Cybersecurity, Global Security News, Government, North America, Research
Former Army soldier pleads guilty to widespread attack spree linked to AT&T, Snowflake and others
A 21-year-old former Army soldier pleaded guilty Tuesday to charges stemming from a series of attacks and extortion attempts last year on telecommunications companies, including AT&T. Cameron John Wagenius, who identified himself as “kiberphant0m” and “cyb3rph4nt0m” on online criminal forums, conducted extensive malicious activity for years, including while he was on active duty, the Justice…
Congress, Cybersecurity, encryption, Global Security News, Government, signal
Waltz brushes off SignalGate questions, points finger at CISA
Former White House national security adviser Mike Waltz brushed aside criticisms Tuesday that he put sensitive military operations at risk by holding discussions about military strikes in a Signal group chat, claiming the app’s use was authorized by the federal government’s top civilian cyber agency. In a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing, Waltz — who…
AI, ai safety, Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity, Global Security News, Government
Why skipping security prompting on Grok’s newest model is a huge mistake
On the same day xAI announced that its new Grok 4 tool will now be available to the federal government, cybersecurity researchers at SplxAI released new research that subjected the large language model to more than 1,000 different attack scenarios. The good news? Smart system prompting on the front end can make a difference in…
CISA, Congress, Cybersecurity, Global Security News, Government, Healthcare
Trump bill will have major impact on health care cybersecurity, experts warn Congress
At the outset of a Senate hearing Wednesday on cybersecurity in the health care sector, Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., took a moment to implore lawmakers and witnesses to stay focused on the topic at hand — and not veer off into discussions about the impact of cuts to the sector from Republicans’ One Big Beautiful…
Asia Pacific, Financial, Global Security News, Government, Threats
Treasury slaps sanctions on people, companies tied to North Korean IT worker schemes
The Treasury Department on Tuesday announced it has sanctioned a North Korean man participating in the widespread IT worker scheme, as well as others in a Russia-based IT worker operation that allegedly benefits the government of North Korea. It’s the second time in as many weeks that feds have taken action against people it says…
Asia Pacific, budget, china, Global Security News, Government, Policy, Workforce
GOP domestic policy bill includes hundreds of millions for military cyber
The tax and spending bill Congress sent to President Donald Trump and that he signed into law over the holiday weekend contains hundreds of millions of dollars for cybersecurity, with a heavy emphasis on military-related spending. The biggest single pot of money under the “One Big Beautiful Bill” would be for Cyber Command, a $250…
Global Security News, Government, Security
Spain arrests hackers who targeted politicians and journalists
The Spanish police have arrested two individuals in the province of Las Palmas for their alleged involvement in cybercriminal activity, including data theft from the country’s government. […]
Geopolitics, Global Security News, Government, North America, Threats, Workforce
Top FBI cyber official: Salt Typhoon ‘largely contained’ in telecom networks
The Chinese hackers behind the massive telecommunications sector breach are “largely contained” and “dormant” in the networks, “locked into the location they’re in” and “not actively infiltrating information,” the top FBI cyber official told CyberScoop. But Brett Leatherman, new leader of the FBI Cyber division, said in a recent interview that doesn’t mean the hackers,…
Cybercrime, Financial, Global Security News, Government, Technology, Threats
Arrest, seizures in latest U.S. operation against North Korean IT workers
U.S. authorities unsealed indictments, seized financial accounts and made an arrest in the latest attempt to crack down on North Korean remote IT workers as part of a coordinated action that the Justice Department announced Monday. The workers obtained employment at more than 100 U.S. companies using stolen and fake identities, costing them millions in…
Global Security News, Government, Security
Switzerland says government data stolen in ransomware attack
The government in Switzerland is informing that sensitive information from various federal offices has been impacted by a ransomware attack at the third-party organization Radix. […]