Lawyers demand answers after artist forced to unlock his phone

From Sophos Naked Security:

Lawyers demand answers after artist forced to unlock his phone

"In February, artist Aaron Gach flew home to San Francisco after putting on a gallery installation in Brussels.

The show, titled Center for Tactical Magic, focused on “mass incarceration, government control, and political dissent”."

Law Firm Sues Insurer Over Income Loss in Ransomware Attack

From Dark Reading:

Law Firm Sues Insurer Over Income Loss in Ransomware Attack

"A Rhode Island law firm sued its insurer over failing to pay for lost income following a ransomware attack on the firm.

A small Rhode Island law firm filed a lawsuit against its insurance company after the insurer refused to pay $700,000 in lost billings following a ransomware attack on the firm, according to a report in the Providence Journal."

FBI's James Comey on Insider Threat, Other Cyber Challenges

From DataBreach Today:

FBI's James Comey on Insider Threat, Other Cyber Challenges

The latest ISMG Security Report leads with an account of FBI Director James Comey's testimony before the U.S. Congress on insiders posing a cyberthreat to the American law enforcement bureau.

In the Security Report, you'll also hear (click on player beneath image to listen):

• ISMG Security and Technology Editor Jeremy Kirk report on initiatives in Australia to get businesses to share cyberthreat intelligence, and;
• An explanation why the oft-repeated claim is likely false that most startup go out of business six months after a security breach.

Authorities Take Down Darknet Marketplace

From SecurityWeek:

Authorities Take Down Darknet Marketplace

"Europol announced Thursday that it had assisted the Slovak NAKA crime unit in the arrest of a Slovak national believed to operate a small darknet marketplace dealing in drugs and arms. The individual is in police custody, and several of his premises have been searched.

"In one of the locations searched," says the Europol statement, "Slovak authorities discovered and seized five firearms and approximately 600 rounds of ammunition of different calibres. The investigators also found a sophisticated indoor cannabis plantation, 58 cannabis plants and a Bitcoin wallet containing bitcoins worth EUR 203 000, which is thought to have been obtained from illegal online activities."

How to Stop a Hacker: Disincentivizing Cybercriminals

From SecurityWeek:

How to Stop a Hacker: Disincentivizing Cybercriminals

"As long as computers have been in existence, there have been people trying to hack them. As technology has evolved and improved, so has the advancements for keeping cyberattacks at bay. But of course, as technology gets smarter, so do the hackers. For years, there has been a ceaseless cycle of organizations finding new ways to secure their data, while hackers continue to find ways to break in and access it.

Cybercriminals, or the “bad” hackers, hack because it’s profitable. A recent report showed that 72 percent of hackers are financially motivated. That means that if the economic incentives were minimized, many may find that it is no longer worthwhile to attempt a cyberattack. Of course, there are many nation state attackers and “hacktivists” who choose to hack for other, non-financial reasons. But for the large majority of cybercriminals attempting to make a buck, it’s important to find ways to deter these criminals from putting forth the effort to attack in the first place."

Consent Control and eDiscovery: Devils in GDPR Detail

From SecurityWeek:

Consent Control and eDiscovery: Devils in GDPR Detail

"The European General Data Protection Regulation will be in force in just over 12 months: May 25, 2018. This is the date by which all EU nations must have enacted the regulation. Gartner predicts that "by the end of 2018, more than 50 percent of companies affected by the GDPR will not be in full compliance with its requirements."

GDPR will affect all EU-based companies, and all US companies that have any trade with the EU. Despite the threat of hefty non-compliance fines, Gartner is not alone in finding a lack of preparatory urgency among organizations."

FBI: Business- and Email Account Compromise Attack Losses Hit $5 Billion

From Dark Reading:

FBI: Business- and Email Account Compromise Attack Losses Hit $5 Billion

"The FBI's IC3 division reports a 2,370% spike in exposed losses resulting from BEC and EAC between January 2015 and December 2016.

The FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) reports business email compromise (BEC) and email account compromise (EAC) attacks caused $5.3 billion in exposed loss for global and domestic companies between October 2013 and December 2016. Victims, which come from 50 states and 131 countries, reported a total of 40,203 incidents in the same time period."

Celebrity ‘extortion’: judge orders reality star to unlock her iPhone

From Sophos Naked Security:

Celebrity ‘extortion’: judge orders reality star to unlock her iPhone

"A Miami judge on Wednesday ordered a reality TV star to unlock her iPhone in a case that’s yet again firing up the legal debate around when we can be compelled to give up our passcodes.

The star, Hencha Voigt, has been charged with conspiracy to extort a social-media celebrity known as the “Queen of Snapchat”. The target of the alleged extortion was South Beach socialite YesJulz (pictured), whose real name is Julieanne Goddard. She’s a party promoter and online marketer who hangs with rappers and athletes and boasts hundreds of thousands of followers, according to her publicist."

NSA collected records of 151m Americans – but wait, didn’t bulk collection stop three years ago?

From Sophos Naked Security:

NSA collected records of 151m Americans – but wait, didn’t bulk collection stop three years ago?

"You remember the NSA’s bulk phone data collection program, right?

As in, the one that Congress cut the funding for in 2014? The one that wasn’t authorized by Section 215 of the Patriot Act after all, as a court unanimously ruled in 2015? … but which got extended anyway?

Boy, did it get extended, and how. It’s still chugging along just fine."

Infographic: 7 Ways Hackers Look To Exploit Your State & Local Governments

PDF format infographic from CoreSecurity:

7 Ways Hackers Look To Exploit Your State & Local Governments

FCC: net neutrality is ‘politically motivated government overreach’

From Sophos Naked Security:

FCC: net neutrality is ‘politically motivated government overreach’

"The push to weaken net neutrality that began shortly after President Trump took office took another step forward this week, with Federal Communications Commission chairman Ajit Pai announcing plans to demolish the 2015 rules former President Obama used to implement net neutrality with Title II classification."

Lawmaker calls on ISPs to stop customers being hit by viruses

From Sophos Naked Security:

Lawmaker calls on ISPs to stop customers being hit by viruses

"Should your ISP play a greater role in keeping you safe from malware, viruses and other web threats? One of Australia’s senior politicians seems to think so. In a column in The West Australian, Dan Tehan, Australia’s cybersecurity minister, wrote: “Just as we trust banks to hold our money, just as we trust doctors with our health, in a digital age we need to be able to trust telecommunications companies to protect our information from threats.”

HHS Hits CardioNet with $2.5M HIPAA Settlement Fee

From Dark Reading:

HHS Hits CardioNet with $2.5M HIPAA Settlement Fee

"The US Department of Health and Human Services slapped the mobile cardiac monitoring service with fee after breach of customer health data."

FCC Chief Sparks Clash With Call to Repeal Net Neutrality

'Bout time. From Bloomberg:

FCC Chief Sparks Clash With Call to Repeal Net Neutrality

"FCC's Pai Says Net Neutrality Rules Cause Uncertainty

The chairman of the U.S. Federal Communications Commission proposed rolling back the Obama-era net-neutrality rule, prompting the regulation’s defenders to vow a “tsunami” of resistance.

FCC Chairman Ajit Pai said he would ask the agency next month to begin considering removing the strong legal authority that underpins the rules, and to take suggestions for replacement regulations."

What Role Should ISPs Play in Cybersecurity?

From DarkReading:

What Role Should ISPs Play in Cybersecurity?

"There are many actions ISPs could do to make browsing the Web safer, but one thing stands out.

For well over a decade, the security industry has debated what role Internet service providers (ISPs) should take in cybersecurity. Should they proactively protect their customers with upstream security controls and filters (e.g., intrusion prevention systems, IP/URL blacklists, malware detection, etc.), or are customers responsible for their own security?"

New computers could delete thoughts without your knowledge, experts warn

From The Independent:

New computers could delete thoughts without your knowledge, experts warn

“Thou canst not touch the freedom of my mind,” wrote the playwright John Milton in 1634.

But, nearly 400 years later, technological advances in machines that can read our thoughts mean the privacy of our brain is under threat.

Now two biomedical ethicists are calling for the creation of new human rights laws to ensure people are protected, including “the right to cognitive liberty” and “the right to mental integrity”.

Trump’s promise on cybersecurity: what’s been happening?

From Sophos Naked Security:

Trump’s promise on cybersecurity: what’s been happening?

"As US President Donald Trump closes in on his 100th day in office, he faces plenty of scrutiny over things that didn’t get done in that all-important period of any new administration. One big criticism in the media last week was that he’d blown his self-imposed 90-day deadline to unveil a tough new cybersecurity plan for the federal government."

Kelihos Botnet Author Indicted in U.S.

You. Will. Get. Caught.  From SecurityWeek:

Kelihos Botnet Author Indicted in U.S.

"The alleged author of the Kelihos botnet has been charged in an eight-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Bridgeport, Connecticut, after being arrested in Spain earlier this month.

Peter Yuryevich Levashov, 36, a Russian national also known as Petr Levashov, Peter Severa, Petr Severa and Sergey Astakhov, was charged last week with one count of causing intentional damage to a protected computer, one count of conspiracy, one count of accessing protected computers in furtherance of fraud, one count of wire fraud, one count of threatening to damage a protected computer, two counts of fraud in connection with email, and one count of aggravated identity theft."

Cyber Shield Act: A New Legislative Approach to Improving Cyber Security

From SecurityWeek:

Cyber Shield Act: A New Legislative Approach to Improving Cyber Security

"The Cyber Shield Act is a legislative proposal designed to cut "to the core of critical infrastructure cyber defense." It is proposed by Senator Edward J. Markey, Massachusetts -- but you won't find a draft bill anywhere yet."

Facebook can't say 'No' to New York, says New York

From Sophos Naked Security:

Facebook can't say 'No' to New York, says New York

Here's the story so far.

Back in 2013, New York (the state, not just the city) decided to take on a bunch of public servants it said were fraudsters.

The state alleged that close to 400 employees, including police officers, were benefits cheats, claiming illnesses and disabilities they didn't have.