FBI Director Christopher Wray, appearing before a Senate committee last month, confirmed that the bureau and law enforcement partners had obtained a universal decryption key for REvil.

REvil Revelations: Law Enforcement Behind Disruptions

Mathew J. Schwartz • October 22, 2021

The outages of the notorious REvil - aka Sodinokibi - ransomware operation have been due to a coordinated law enforcement effort involving the U.S. and foreign partners, aimed at disrupting the group's attack capabilities, Reuters reports.

Breach Notification

Accenture: Ransomware Attack Breached Proprietary Data

Cybercrime

BlackByte: Free Decryptor Released for Ransomware Strain

Neiman Marcus Says 4.6 Million Affected by Data Breach

Latest

Cryptocurrency Fraud

CoinMarketCap: No Breach Despite 3.1M Email Address Leak

Jeremy Kirk • October 25, 2021

CoinMarketCap says it has found no evidence of a data beach despite the circulation of a list of 3.1 million email addresses that correlates with accounts on its service. Regardless of the source, the list would be useful for attackers to launch phishing attacks against those interested in cryptocurrency.

Endpoint Detection & Response (EDR)

Forrester Report: Key Questions to Ask XDR Vendors

Anna Delaney • October 22, 2021

The current state of the XDR market is a "chaotic jumble of different features," according to Forrester analyst Allie Mellon, who has authored a new study to identify the top XDR providers in the industry: The Forrester New Wave: Extended Detection And Response (XDR) Providers, Q4 2021.

Blockchain & Cryptocurrency

ISMG Editors’ Panel: Regulators Get Tough on Crypto Firms?

Anna Delaney • October 22, 2021

In the latest weekly update, four ISMG editors discuss: a federal judge imposing the maximum sentences on a hacker who pleaded guilty to conspiracy and aggravated identity theft, regulators getting tougher on cryptocurrency lending platforms and the return to in-person roundtables.

3rd Party Risk Management

Ransomware Warning: Are Businesses Stepping Up?

Anna Delaney • October 22, 2021

The latest edition of the ISMG Security Report features an analysis of whether businesses are stepping up their ransomware defenses in response to several warnings released by the U.S. and U.K. governments highlighting the threat posed to infrastructure. Also featured are the Thingiverse data breach and airline fraud...

3rd Party Risk Management

Ransomware: Average Ransom Payment Stays Steady at $140,000

Mathew J. Schwartz • October 21, 2021

When a business, government agency or other organization hit by ransomware opted to pay a ransom to its attacker in Q3, the average payment was $140,000, reports ransomware incident response firm Coveware. It says the attack landscape has seen some notable shifts since the Colonial Pipeline attack.

Endpoint Security

Why Reporting Security Bugs Can Be Fraught With Tension

Jeremy Kirk • October 20, 2021

Reporting security vulnerabilities to organizations with no disclosure policies can be fraught with tension. In the worst conflicts, security researchers could face lawsuits or even prosecution. Some experts say laws should provide a safe harbor for responsible security research.

Business Continuity Management / Disaster Recovery

BlackMatter Ransomware Defense: Just-In-Time Admin Access

Mathew J. Schwartz • October 19, 2021

How many ways do U.S. businesses need to be told to lock down their systems to safeguard themselves from ransomware? That's the focus of a new, joint cybersecurity advisory from the U.S. government pertaining to BlackMatter, following an advisory issued last month about Conti.

Breach Notification

Thingiverse Breach: 50,000 3D Printers Faced Hijacking Risk

Jeremy Kirk • October 18, 2021

A data breach affecting MakerBot's Thingiverse 3D printing repository website is far bigger than what the company has acknowledged, a former employee claims. Upwards of 2 million users may have been affected by the breach, which left their 3D printers at risk of being hijacked.

3rd Party Risk Management

ISMG Editors' Panel: Are Our Systems Too Complex to Secure?

Anna Delaney • October 15, 2021

In this update, four editors discuss key cybersecurity issues, including addressing the complexity of security, the rising number of victims targeted by double extortion ransomware and the Information Commissioner's Office's recent consultation on creating an international data transfer agreement.

Access Management

Missouri Refers Coordinated Bug Disclosure to Prosecutors

Jeremy Kirk • October 15, 2021

A newspaper reporter in Missouri who responsibly reported the exposure of Social Security numbers on a state government website has been accused of malicious hacking by the state's governor. The governor alleged the publication of the vulnerability after it was fixed was part of a "political vendetta."

Account Takeover Fraud

Teenage Cybercrime: Giving Young Hackers A Second Chance

Anna Delaney • October 15, 2021

The latest edition of the ISMG Security Report features an analysis of attempts made by European law enforcement to encourage young cybercriminals to channel their skills in more ethical ways. Also featured: Fraud detection and response; inspiring behavioral change.

Endpoint Security

Australia Plans Ransomware Attack Reporting Requirement

Jeremy Kirk • October 14, 2021

Australia plans to require businesses with more than $10 million in revenue to report ransomware attacks to the government, part of a comprehensive strategy to fight the attacks that also includes new criminal penalties and assistance to victims. The plan would need to be passed by Parliament.