US Cyber Attacks
APPLE BUG BOUNTY
With Apple’s new lockdown mode feature, the company decided to launch a security bug bounty. The lockdown mode feature provided extra security against spyware attacks on Apply customers. The feature available on the updated software, IOS 16, iPadOS16, and macOS Ventura plans to inhibit attacks from private spyware companies. The $2 million bug bounty amount ranks as one of the highest bug bounty payouts the industry has seen. The bug bounty payout is set out for researchers who can aid in finding the bypasses in lockdown mode and make any substantial improvements. At the moment, it is said that Lockdown mode will offer features such as disabling just-in-time JIT Javascript compilations for sketchy websites and blocking uninitiated facetime calls.
by Marcia Cooke, Jr. Analyst
bounty hunters steal data
An organization by the name of HackerOne has discovered that there was an employee accessing internal data from the company for financial gains. HackerOne hasn’t disclosed the name of the individual but explained that they were able to detect the issue from a customer who received duplications of bug reports from HackerOne and the employee. Despite the skepticism from HackerOne that the duplicated bugs could be due to vulnerabilities, the customer gave detailed reasoning to explain that the duplications were genuine collisions. In under 24 hours, HackerOne was able to identify and fire the employee, and they contemplated whether criminal charges against them would be necessary.
by Marcia Cooke, Jr. Analyst
cia agent leaks data to wikileaks
One of the most prominent CIA thefts in history has taken place. Joshua Schulte, a former CIA software engineer, has been convicted on eight counts of espionage and an obstruction charge from the Vault 7 leak. The materials that Joshua Schulte leaked concerned Central Intelligence Agency software tools that were used to surveil threats via smartphones and internet connected tvs outside of the United States. WikiLeaks published this information in March of 2017, shortly after Schulte resigned in November of the previous year. Schulte was motivated to leak the information due to feeling mistreated by CIA management. The Founder of WikiLeaks, Julian Asange, was extradited by Britain’s interior minister for unrelated federal criminal charges due to publishing secret military documents in 2010.
by Marcia Cooke, Jr. Analyst
Fraudulent Crypto
Cyber Criminals within the US have been defrauding people by creating apps for investors to download to invest into and then stealing their cryptocurrency. According to the article, there have been about 244 victims and a loss of approximately $42.7 million. Cybercriminals have successfully been able to defraud their victims by taking advantage of the mobile banking option financial institutions offer. They have also made fake websites and used logos of
USBUSs to steal from investors. The FBI has been encouraging investors and financial institutions to contact the Internet Crime Complaint Center if they’ve been defrauded. They also suggest that financial institutions be more transparent about whether they offer cryptocurrency services and warn investors of cyber criminals and their tactics.
by Marcia Cooke, Jr. Analyst
The Growth of Artificial Intelligence
From here until 2029, Artificial Intelligence (AI) in cybersecurity is predicted to reach $66.22 billion with a CAGR of 24.2%. This massive growth in the market is attested to cyber-security platforms in the bank system, increased frequency of cyber threats, and increased demand for cyber security resolutions. Some significant players already using AI are Amazon, Microsoft, and Palo Alto.
by Marcia Cooke, Jr. Analyst
Source: https://www.yahoo.com/now/worldwide-artificial-intelligence-cybersecurity-industry-110800403.html
CHIPS ACT
Within the next decade, China will be the largest semiconductor chip manufacturer. According to China Tech Threat, America doesn’t produce enough chips. As a result of America falling behind, US President, Joe Biden has funded $50 Billion into the US chip industry due to the threat of America’s hegemony. The CHIPS Act is predicted to have an even bigger government intervention than the Operation Warp Speed for COVID vaccines. Funding the chip industry protects the US military and digital economy.
by Marcia Cooke, Jr. Analyst
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/georgecalhoun/2021/11/23/semiconductors--the-chips-act-why-it-is-what-it-is-part-1/?sh=b49dca74a8e5
t-Mobile Hacking
A former owner of a California T-Mobile retail store by the name of Argishti Khudaverdyan, ran a profitable scheme of unlocking and unblocking cellular devices from August 2014 to June 2019. Khudaverdyan unlocking the phones under T-Mobile’s network would allow people to sell the phones within the black market and profit off of them. The unlocking of the phones also prevented T-mobile from receiving revenue from the phone plans people signed a contract for. He would sometimes promote his criminal acts as an official paid service offered by T-mobile, which made people oblivious to the crimes he committed. Khudaverdyan is facing up to 62 years in prison for wire fraud, money laundering, unauthorized computer access, and aggravated identity theft, and his sentence will be decided in mid-October of 2022.
Source: https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/mobile-store-owner-hacked-t-mobile-employees-to-unlock-phones/
iPhone security updates
Apple is encouraging owners of Macbooks, iPhones, and iPads to download emergency software updates onto their mobile devices to prevent hacking. Some vulnerabilities that hackers know about within hacker systems allow hackers to access data and functions and control Apple’s operating systems. Apple stated that the Apple devices at risk are all iPhones dating back to the iPhone 6S. Also, all iPads, including the iPad Pro, iPad Air 2, iPad 5th Generation, iPad mini 4, and even the iPod touch 7th generation, are at risk. Cyber security experts claim that the updates are critical to Apple users because if people procrastinate, hackers may be able to identify what the specific vulnerabilities are and hack into devices that have not been updated.
by Marcia Cooke, Jr. Analyst
Source: https://www.straitstimes.com/world/united-states/apple-warns-of-flaw-that-lets-hackers-into-iphones-macs
public transit cyberattacks
From research at Mineta Transportation Institute,” the hardware and software lifecycles in public transport are ‘out of sync’.” This causes the hardware and software to become vulnerable due to a lack of security updates. Scott Belcher, a San Jose University professor, believes that public transport agencies can improve their infrastructure by having a designated Chief Security Officer. He believes they should also “integrate their cyber risk management program with their existing physical security risk management organization.” Within the past few years, some transit systems that have fallen victim to ransomware attacks and data breaches are New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority, The Bay Area Rapid Transit System, and Vancouver’s Translink. It is essential for transit agencies to have a recovery plan to ensure a speedy recovery after a ransomware attack.
Source: https://cities-today.com/public-transit-agencies-face-increasing-risk-of-cyberattacks/
healthcare ransonware attacks
Lawmakers want the Biden Administration to double down on the healthcare sector’s cyber defense due to a spike in cyberattacks. Over the past couple of years, ransomware attacks have increased due to hospitals paying patients quickly. Cyber attacks within the health industry also rapidly increased during the Covid-19 pandemic. The American Hospital Association’s national adviser for cybersecurity and risk, John Riggi, states that the health care sector is especially vulnerable to cyber-attacks because hospitals prioritizing saving and helping lives enables them to pay off ransoms quickly to resume their operations. Cybercriminals also hack into the healthcare sector to steal identities and essential information about patients. In March, a bipartisan bill, the Healthcare Cybersecurity Act, was created to combat these attacks and protect patients. The act specifically requires “...that the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) collaborate with U.S. Department of Health & Human Services to improve cybersecurity standards in the health care and public health sector.”
by Marcia Cooke, Jr. Analyst
Source: https://thehill.com/policy/cybersecurity/overnights/3607397-hillicon-valley-lawmakers-urge-cyber-updates-in-health/
Microsoft warns about RANSOMWARE attacks
Microsoft claims that ransomware attacks can be prevented if common configuration errors in software and devices are adequately monitored. When applications are left in their default state, cloud applications aren’t being kept private enough, and organizations fail to follow Microsoft’s attack surface reduction rules, ransomware becomes a bigger threat. To prevent ransomware and double extortion, Microsoft recommends “...closing security blindspots by verifying that cybersecurity tools and procedures are configured correctly in a way that protects systems, along with disabling macros and other scripts…” Microsoft also recommends the use of multi-factor authentication, which adds an extra layer of account protection.
by Marcia Cooke, Jr. Analyst
ai in cybersecurity
Globally, billions of dollars are being spent on artificial intelligence for cybersecurity advancement. The global market for cybersecurity in 2020 was $14.9 Billion, but it will be roughly $133.8 Billion by year 2030. Data breaches and denial-of-service has caused this major increase of investment in artificial intelligence. Another reason for the major investment in artificial intelligence was the Covid-19 pandemic which caused companies to move to remote work for its employees. Ransomware attackers. Artificial intelligence is not only used to prevent viruses and attacks but also to detect the strategies that attackers use when inside systems.
by Marcia Cooke, Jr. Analyst
Source: https://www.cnbc.com/2022/09/13/ai-has-bigger-role-in-cybersecurity-but-hackers-may-benefit-the-most.html