Super Micro: Audit Didn't Find Chinese Spying Chip

Jeremy Kirk • December 14, 2018

Super Micro Computer says a third-party audit of its recent and older motherboards has not turned up evidence of a spying chip as alleged in an explosive report two months ago by Bloomberg BusinessWeek. Bloomberg, however, has stood by its story despite no physical example of the malicious chip turning up.

Breach Response

After Mega-Breach, Marriott May Pay for New Passports

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Breach Response

Did China Hack Marriott, Or Is This Fake News?

Nick Holland • December 14, 2018

The latest edition of the ISMG Security Report features an analysis of the validity of reports that China is behind the massive Marriott data breach. Also: Fascinating details in a Congressional report on the Equifax breach, and a clear explanation of "self-sovereign identity."

Anti-Fraud

Face Off: Researchers Battle AI-Generated Deep Fake Videos

Mathew J. Schwartz • December 7, 2018

The easy availability of tools for designing face-swapping deep-fake videos drove Symantec security researchers Vijay Thaware and Niranjan Agnihotri to design a tool for spotting deep fakes, which they described in a briefing at the Black Hat Europe 2018 conference in London.

Cybercrime

Australia Passes Encryption-Busting Law

Jeremy Kirk • December 7, 2018

Australia's Parliament has passed new laws enabling it to compel technology companies to break their own encryption. Although the government argued the laws are needed to combat criminal activity and terrorism, opponents argued the powers could creep beyond their scope and weaken the security of all software.

Cybercrime

GOP Hacking Incident: What Happened?

Nick Holland • December 7, 2018

An update on the hacking of email accounts of four senior aides within the National Republican Congressional Committee leads the latest edition of the ISMG Security Report. Also featured: An analysis of when the first major fines for violations of the EU's GDPR could be issued.

3rd Party Risk Management

Emails Expose Sensitive Internal Facebook Discussions

Jeremy Kirk • December 6, 2018

A batch of documents meant to be kept under court seal lays bare Facebook's strategic brokering of access to user data to reward partners and punish potential rivals. The material also demonstrates Facebook's views at the time on privacy and the risks of leaking data.

Compliance

Legal and Compliance: 3 Questions for CISOs

Tom Field • December 6, 2018

What are three burning questions regarding legal and compliance issues that enterprise security leaders should ponder as they head into 2019? Ed Amoroso, former CISO of AT&T and current CEO of TAG Cyber, outlines the questions and possible answers.

General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)

GDPR and You: What's Changed?

Tom Field • December 6, 2018

Enforcement of the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation began May 25. What has happened since then? And how has the privacy dialogue evolved in the U.S.? Attorney Jay Kramer shares insights on how organizations are now approaching privacy.

3rd Party Risk Management

Applying Secure Multiparty Computation Technology

Geetha Nandikotkur • December 6, 2018

Israel-based Yehuda Lindell, a cryptography professor, describes how to use secure multiparty computation technology to protect cryptographic keys and describes other potential security applications.

Cyberwarfare / Nation-state attacks

Top Republican Email Accounts Compromised

Jeremy Kirk • December 5, 2018

Thousands of emails from four senior aides within the National Republican Congressional Committee were exposed after their accounts were compromised for several months earlier this year, Politico reports. Few details have been released about the incident, which was investigated by Crowdstrike.

Cybercrime

Black Hat Europe: The Power of Attribution

Mathew J. Schwartz • December 5, 2018

To combat cyberattacks, more nations must not only hold nation-state attackers accountable, but also better cooperate by backing each other's attribution, said Estonian politician Marina Kaljurand, who chairs the Global Commission on the Stability of Cyberspace, in her opening keynote speech at Black Hat Europe 2018.

Cloud Security

Kubernetes Alert: Security Flaw Could Enable Remote Hacking

Jeremy Kirk • December 4, 2018

A severe vulnerability in Kubernetes, the popular open-source software for managing Linux applications deployed within containers, could allow an attacker to remotely steal data or crash production applications. Microsoft and Red Hat have issued guidance and patches; they recommend immediate updating.

3rd Party Risk Management

GDPR Compliance: The Role of Vendor Risk Management

Tom Field • December 4, 2018

Why is ramping up vendor risk management such a critical component of compliance with the EU's General Data Protection Regulation? Attorney Steven Teppler provides insights.