DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ The US government owns $5.5 billion worth of bitcoin. Whether it holds or sells its stash could have a big impact on the token's price.
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-21 | by ( George Glover | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The US government has seized at least $5.5 billion worth of bitcoin since 2020, according to analysts. Its stake makes it one of the world's largest crypto "whales". Whether it holds or sells its bitcoin stash could have a huge impact on the token's price. AdvertisementAdvertisementThe US government owns billions of dollars worth of bitcoin – and whether it decides to hold or sell could have a big impact on the cryptocurrency's price. Lower volatility means that whales can drive big swings all by themselves – so what the government decides to do with its $5.5 billion stash could have a major impact on bitcoin's price.

Persons: —, James Zhong, Sam Bankman Organizations: Service, Washington, Wall Street Locations: Washington, Coinbase

☆ Casino giant MGM expects $100 mln hit from hack that led to data breach
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-05 | by ( ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

One of the world’s largest gambling firms, MGM shut down its systems after detecting the attack to contain damage, it said. It expects to also incur less than $10 million as a related one-time cost in the quarter ended on Sept. 30. After the attack last month, customers posted social media images showing slot machines with error messages and queues at hotels in Las Vegas. The private data of customers who used MGM services before March 2019, including contact information, gender, date of birth and driver’s license numbers, was breached, the company said. The MGM data breach, which the FBI is investigating, is a vivid example of how large organizations remain vulnerable to cybercrime.

Persons: “, ” Organizations: MGM Resorts, MGM, Social Security, FBI, Las, ” MGM, Las Vegas Strip, Formula Locations: Las Vegas

BRUSSELS, Oct 4 (Reuters) - European Union antitrust regulators have commissioned a study into mobile ecosystems to help them counter any pushback from Apple (AAPL.O) and Alphabet's (GOOGL.O) Google in complying with new tech rules. They will also have to let users install apps from outside their app stores, a move which Apple said would make phones the target of malware or hijacking by cybercriminals. A tender for the study, worth 300,000 euros ($315,200), will run until Oct. 17, according to an announcement on the European Commission website. "The aim of the study is to support the supervision and enforcement of the DMA vis-a-vis the gatekeepers," the tender document said. ($1 = 0.9517 euros)Reporting by Foo Yun Chee; Editing by Kirsten DonovanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Apple, Foo Yun Chee, Kirsten Donovan Organizations: Union, Apple, Google, Markets, cybercriminals, European Commission, Thomson Locations: BRUSSELS

☆ The Great Zelle Pool Scam
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-01 | by ( Devin Friedman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +38 min

When I asked Chase to discuss Zelle fraud, I received an email saying, "Unfortunately, we don't have anyone available for an interview." The way the email messages from Gary were subliterate in a completely different way from the way a classic Gary email is subliterate. When Gary Kruglitz told us to Zelle him, he didn't really tell us to Zelle him. Out of all the kinds of money, money to build a pool is probably the very best kind of money for the world to suffer the loss of. It's possible that the government will eventually be moved to safeguard consumers against Zelle fraud.

Persons: Madison Ketcham, Gary Kruglitz, Gary, couldn't, he'll, Gary —, —, Cheryl, Sheryl, Sheryl —, we'd, Jeff Allen's, didn't, Jeff, Krystal, we'll, He'd, you've, Karen, I'm, she'd, Yellllow, Zelle, Chase, Sen, Elizabeth Warren, there's, That's, It's, Jesus, who'd, Donald Trump, Gary Kruglitzes, Cheryls —, Yasmine48, Nixon, Evan Kohlmann, cybercrime, we've, I've, Kohlmann, Guess, Let's, that's, Elizabeth Warren's, it's, they're, Warren's, Warren, I'd, they'd, blinked Organizations: Boston Pops, The New York Times, New York Times, Chase, Bank of America, PNC, US Bank, PayPal, Disney, NBC, Warner Bros, Netflix, JPMorgan Chase, Bank —, of, Professionals, Justice Department, Northeast . Contractors, Cloudburst Technologies, Facebook, FBI, Mafia, Massachusetts State Police, Monterey Police Department, Police Locations: Massachusetts, Lyme, Tennessee, Wells Fargo, Truist, Silicon Valley, Amsterdam, Northeast, what's, Paxful, Estonia, Korea, Monterey , Massachusetts, Monterey

☆ Zelle Fraud: I Got Scammed Out of $31,000 and My Bank Didn't Care
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-01 | by ( Devin Friedman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +38 min

Because a lot of bank branches were still closed, and the crew wanted their money, he requested that we transfer the money via Zelle. When I asked Chase to discuss Zelle fraud, I received an email saying, "Unfortunately, we don't have anyone available for an interview." The way the email messages from Gary were subliterate in a completely different way from the way a classic Gary email is subliterate. When Gary Kruglitz told us to Zelle him, he didn't really tell us to Zelle him. It's possible that the government will eventually be moved to safeguard consumers against Zelle fraud.

The FBI is investigating the MGM and Caesars breaches, and the companies did not comment on who may be behind them. In some cases - Mandia did not say which ones - hackers tied to Scattered Spider placed bogus emergency calls to summon heavily armed police units to the homes of executives of targeted companies. ALPHV, which according to Mandiant is a "ransomware-as-a-service", would provide services such as a helpdesk, webpage and branding, and in turn get a cut of whatever Scattered Spider would make from the hack. While many ransomware attacks go unpublicised, the MGM hack was a vivid example of the real-world impact of such incidents. Ransomware gangs often function like large organizations, and continue to evolve their methods to adapt to the latest security measures organizations use.

Persons: Bridget Bennett, helpdesk, they’d, Wendi Whitmore, Adam Meyers, it's, Kevin Mandia, Mandiant, Reuters couldn't, CrowdStrike's Meyers, helpdesks, David Bradbury, they've, Bradbury, ALPHV, Okta's Bradbury, Whitmore, Zeba Siddiqui, Raphael Satter, Chris Sanders, Claudia Parsons Organizations: MGM, MGM Resorts, REUTERS, FRANCISCO, Alto Networks, Caesars Entertainment, FBI, Caesars, Google, Reuters, Microsoft, British, Thomson Locations: Las Vegas , Nevada, U.S, WASHINGTON, Canada, Japan, United States, reassign, Las Vegas, San Francisco, New York

☆ FBI director urges private sector to lend government more support in cyber intelligence
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-18 | by ( Rohan Goswami | In Rohangoswamicnbc | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

FBI Director Christopher Wray testifies during a Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies hearing on Capitol Hill May 10, 2023 in Washington, DC. WASHINGTON, D.C. – FBI Director Christopher Wray said Monday that the federal government is relying more than ever on private sector support to ensure that U.S. infrastructure remains secure. Wray said that artificial intelligence may help China's cyber intelligence operations in their efforts to overpower U.S. defenses, and reiterated that Chinese hackers outnumber the FBI's cyber and intelligence agents by at least 50 to 1. China is poised to "use the fruits of their widespread hacking to power, with AI, even-more-powerful hacking efforts," he added. North Korean hacking groups, for example, often seek to generate revenue for the government while gathering espionage for the state.

Persons: Christopher Wray, Wray, it's, Colonial's Organizations: Commerce, Justice, Science, Capitol, WASHINGTON , D.C, Mandiant's mWise Conference, Google, FBI, Cybersecurity Infrastructure Agency, Colonial Pipeline Locations: Washington , DC, WASHINGTON ,, Washington, China, Korean, Ukraine, Eastern Europe, U.S, East

That's odd, she thought, then toggled over to Facebook to search for clues about the issue on a group for MGM Resorts International loyalty members. There, she learned that the largest casino owner in Las Vegas had fallen victim to a cybersecurity breach. The situation entered its sixth day on Friday, with booking capabilities still down and MGM Resorts offering penalty-free room cancelations through Sept. 17. The security attacks that triggered an FBI probe shatter a public perception that casino security requires an “Oceans 11”-level effort to defeat it. It's true, Kim said, that casino giants like MGM Resorts and Caesars are protected by sophisticated — and expensive — security operations.

Persons: Dulce Martinez, Martinez, “ It’s, ”, Brian Ahern, Yoohwan Kim, Kim, ” Kim, Tony Anscombe, ESET, cybercriminals, ” Anscombe, “, ” ___ Parry, Ty O'Neil Organizations: LAS VEGAS, Facebook, MGM Resorts International, MGM Resorts, Associated Press, Entertainment, University of Nevada, Caesars, San, Las, MGM, UNLV, Associated Locations: Las Vegas, Los Angeles, San Diego, Atlantic City

☆ Okta CEO on MGM breach: Companies are under 'massive attack from cybercriminals'
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-15 | by ( Julie Coleman | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Okta CEO Todd McKinnon told CNBC's Jim Cramer on Friday that all companies are under attack from cybercriminals. McKinnon explained he would not comment publicly on the ongoing issue, but said the company is working with MGM. "Okta customer or not," he said, "they're all under massive attack from cybercriminals. The amount that cybercriminals can gain from attacking companies and organizations and governments is super high. So one of the things that we pride ourselves at Okta is working very closely, collaborating with everyone in the ecosystem," he said.

Persons: Todd McKinnon, CNBC's Jim Cramer, McKinnon Organizations: MGM Resorts, MGM Locations: cybercriminals

☆ Caesars and MGM grapple with cybeattacks as their security in Vegas falls under scrutiny
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-14 | by ( Sean Lyngaas | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Hackers stole Social Security numbers and driver’s license numbers from a “significant number” of loyalty program customers of Caesars Entertainment, the hospitality and casino giant said Thursday. The hackers broke into computer systems via “a social engineering attack” on an IT support contractor, according to the filing. “We have taken steps to ensure that the stolen data is deleted by the unauthorized actor, although we cannot guarantee this result,” Caesars Entertainment said. The company said on Monday, when news of the incident broke, that it had shut down certain computer systems to protect its data. Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday that Scattered Spider was responsible for the pair of cyberattacks on Caesars Entertainment and MGM Resorts.

Persons: “, ”, Charles Carmakal, Mandiant, Rachel Tobac Organizations: CNN, Caesars Entertainment, MGM Resorts, Securities and Exchange Commission, FBI, Mandiant Consulting, Google, Bloomberg, SocialProof Locations: Vegas, Las Vegas, United States, United Kingdom

BOSTON (AP) — A wealthy Russian businessman with ties to the Kremlin was sentenced Thursday to nine years in prison for his role in a nearly $100 million stock market cheating scheme that relied on secret earnings information stolen through the hacking of U.S. computer networks. Prosecutors had sought 14 years in prison, saying a stiff punishment was crucial to send a message to overseas cybercriminals. They then broke into the vendors’ computer systems to get filings before they became public, prosecutors said. Klyushin owned a Moscow-based information technology company that purported to provide services to detect vulnerabilities in computer systems. It counted among its clients the administration of Russian President Vladimir Putin and the Ministry of Defense, according to prosecutors.

Persons: —, Vladislav Klyushin, Tesla, he's, Klyushin, who’s, ”, Prosecutors, Seth Kosto, ” Kosto, Maksim Nemtsev, Vladimir Putin, Klyushin's, Ivan Ermakov, Hilary Clinton’s, John Podesta, Ermakov Organizations: BOSTON, Kremlin, Authorities, Microsoft, U.S, Prosecutors, Securities and Exchange Commission, Ministry of Defense, Democratic Party, Democratic National Committee, Democratic Congressional Locations: Russian, Moscow, Boston, U.S, Switzerland, Russia

☆ US indicts nine alleged members of Russian cybercrime gang that targeted hospitals
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-07 | by ( Sean Lyngaas | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

“The offer has been proven to be highly valuable to us and our operations against cybercriminals,” a senior FBI official told CNN. US officials have considered alleged Russian hackers in US custody as potential candidates in prisoner swap negotiations for Americans detained in Russia. The Conti ransomware has been used on hundreds of organizations worldwide, including almost 300 in the US, according to the senior FBI official. “Conti went away, but the actors didn’t necessarily,” the senior FBI official conceded. The FBI official declined to comment on the current whereabouts of the nine newly indicted men, or how the FBI tracks them.

Persons: Alexey Navalny, “, ”, Conti, Conti ransomware, hasn’t, “ Conti, didn’t, We’re Organizations: CNN, US Justice Department, State Department, cybercriminals, FBI, Treasury Department, US, Western, TrickBot Locations: Russian, Russia, Ukraine, Eastern Europe, Tennessee, Ukrainian

☆ North Korean hackers have allegedly stolen hundreds of millions in crypto to fund nuclear programs
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-06 | by ( Sheila Chiang | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

The FBI claims North Korea-linked hackers were behind a $100 million crypto heist on the so-called Horizon bridge in 2022. Budrul Chukrut | Sopa Images | Lightrocket | Getty ImagesNorth Korea-linked hackers have stolen hundreds of millions of crypto to fund the regime's nuclear weapons programs, research shows. "In recent years, there has been a marked rise in the size and scale of cyber attacks against cryptocurrency-related businesses by North Korea. And this is just obviously a much more efficient way for North Korea to make money. North Korean hackers' exploitsNorth Korea-affiliated hackers exploit vulnerabilities in the crypto ecosystem in a variety of ways.

Persons: Budrul Chukrut, TRM, Chainalysis, Nick Carlsen, Carlsen, cybercriminals, Mavis Organizations: FBI, Getty, TRM Labs, cryptocurrency, Labs, North, United Nations, UN, Democratic People's, CNBC, Korean, Street Journal, Sky Locations: North Korea, North, New York, Democratic People's Republic, Korea, Chainalysis

☆ US says it has disrupted notorious 'Qakbot' hacking network
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

A computer keyboard lit by a displayed cyber code is seen in this illustration picture taken on March 1, 2017. REUTERS/Kacper Pempel/Illustration/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsAug 29 (Reuters) - U.S. authorities on Tuesday announced an international law enforcement operation to disrupt the notorious "Qakbot" malware platform used extensively used by cybercriminals involved in financial crime. The operation also involved France, Germany, the Netherlands, and Britain, it said. First discovered more than a decade ago, Qakbot is commonly spread through malicious, boobytrapped emails sent to unsuspecting victims. Security researchers say they believe the hacking network originates in Russia and has attacked organizations around the world from Germany to Argentina.

Persons: Kacper, cybercriminals, Christopher Bing, David Ljunggren Organizations: REUTERS, U.S . Department of Justice, Thomson Locations: France, Germany, Netherlands, Britain, Russia, Argentina

☆ FBI announces it has dismantled global network of hacked computers used in major fraud scheme
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-29 | by ( Sean Lyngaas | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —The FBI and European law enforcement agencies dismantled a massive network of hacked computers that had been used to defraud victims of hundreds of millions of dollars, agencies announced Tuesday. The department said law enforcement agencies in France, Germany, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom helped with the takedown. “This is a concerted effort to target the services that other cybercriminals are leveraging across the globe,” a senior FBI official said in an interview. The tool the FBI targeted in this case, known as a botnet, is an army of infected computers that hackers often use for a variety of fraud as well as potentially disruptive hacks. The hackers can rebuild their computer infrastructure after the takedown, but FBI officials are hoping that will take a while.

Persons: Qakbot “, ”, Qakbot Organizations: CNN, FBI, Justice Department Locations: cryptocurrency, France, Germany, Netherlands, United Kingdom

☆ A.I. use rising in influence campaigns online, but impact limited - US cyber firm
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-17 | by ( Zeba Siddiqui | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

An AI (Artificial Intelligence) sign is seen at the World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) in Shanghai, China July 6, 2023. Researchers at the Virginia-based company found "numerous instances" since 2019 in which AI-generated content, such as fabricated profile pictures, had been used in politically-motivated online influence campaigns. Generative AI would enable groups with limited resources to produce higher quality content at scale, Mandiant researchers said. Yet, the impact of such campaigns was limited. "Thus far, we haven't seen a single incident response where AI played a role," said Joyce.

Persons: Aly, Mandiant, Sandra Joyce, Joyce, Zeba Siddiqui, Alexandra Hudson Organizations: Artificial Intelligence, REUTERS, FRANCISCO, Google, Security, targetting, Mandiant Intelligence, Alexandra Hudson Our, Thomson Locations: Shanghai, China, Virginia, Russia, Iran, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Cuba, Argentina, Mexico, Ecuador, El Salvador, Hong Kong, North Korea, San Francisco

☆ Latin Americans fall prey to more online scams as cybersecurity lags
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-15 | by ( Carolina Pulice | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Online scams in Brazil jumped 65% last year to over 200,000, according to data from the Brazilian Public Security Yearbook published last month. And across Latin America, online frauds and cyberattacks are at an "all-time high," says cybersecurity company Tenable, posing an urgent problem for a well-connected region. "Latin America is a priority target because it has a very connected population, which means that they are always exposed," said Claudio Martinelli, managing director for Latin America for Kaspersky. In a ranking of 93 countries on cyberthreat risks compiled by fraud prevention software SEON, nine of the 10 Latin American countries were ranked in the bottom half. Three Latin American countries - Honduras, Nicaragua and Venezuela - were seen among the 10 countries with the highest risks for cyberthreats.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Gabriella Batalha didn't, Batalha, Kerry, Ann Barrett, Barrett, Claudio Martinelli, SEON, Tenable, Ransomware, Marcos Simplicio, Carolina Pulice, Brendan O'Boyle, Nick Macfie Organizations: REUTERS, MEXICO CITY, YouTube, Brazilian Public Security, International Telecommunication Union, Organization of American States, America, Kaspersky, Costa, University of Sao, Thomson Locations: MEXICO, Instagram, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, America, Latin America, Caribbean, Peru, Mexico, Honduras, Nicaragua, Venezuela, University of Sao Paulo

☆ Phishing scams targeting small business on social media including Meta are a 'gold mine' for criminals
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-15 | by ( Ellen Sheng | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

CNBC quarterly surveys of small business owners in recent years have indicated that many do not rate the risk of cyberattack highly, yet the FBI says that in recent years a wave of hacks has targeted small business. Small business owners say social media giants such as Meta have done little to help them address the problem. Malware can target victims through email phishing, browser extensions, ads and mobile apps and various social media platforms. According to SCORE, a nonprofit partly funded by the U.S. Small Business Administration, nearly half of small business owners cited social media as their preferred digital marketing channel. And social media accounts of small businesses are like a gold mine," said Joseph Steinberg, a cyber security privacy and AI expert, who sees small business social media accounts as "low hanging fruit."

Persons: it's, Pat Bennett, Pat's Granola, Bennett, hasn't, Pat Bennett Bennett's, Joseph Steinberg, Bryan Palma, Europol, Palma, Cai Dixon, Dixon Organizations: Facebook, Meta, CNBC, FBI, SCORE, U.S . Small Business Administration, YouTube Locations: Cleveland, Europe

☆ Judge Revokes Bail, Sends FTX’S Sam Bankman-Fried to Jail
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-11 | by ( ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

AI Makes Hacking Easier, Even for Non-HackersGenerative artificial intelligence tools, like ChatGPT, are opening up new avenues for cybercriminals, even ones without traditional hacking skills. WSJ reporter Robert McMillan joins host Zoe Thomas from Las Vegas, where those new techniques are on display. Plus, why more people are using celebrities to deliver bad news. Photo Illustration By Emil Lendof

Persons: Robert McMillan, Zoe Thomas, Emil Lendof Locations: Las Vegas

☆ Attorney General Appoints Special Counsel for Hunter Biden Probe
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-11 | by ( ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Persons: Robert McMillan, Zoe Thomas, Emil Lendof Locations: Las Vegas

☆ Russia Launches First Moon Mission in 50 Years to Lunar South Pole
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-11 | by ( ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Persons: Robert McMillan, Zoe Thomas, Emil Lendof Locations: Las Vegas

☆ Inflation Rises 3.2% in July as Underlying Price Pressures Remain Modest
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-10 | by ( ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Persons: Robert McMillan, Zoe Thomas, Emil Lendof Locations: Las Vegas

☆ New York State to Debut First Cybersecurity Strategy
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-09 | by ( James Rundle | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +6 min

The state of New York will debut its first cybersecurity strategy, including plans to modernize government networks, provide digital defenses at the county level and regulate critical infrastructure. In addition, the state plans to focus on developing its cybersecurity workforce and educating New York residents and companies about cybersecurity. In March, the White House published the National Cybersecurity Strategy, which touches on several of the themes in New York’s own document. The U.S. Office of the National Cyber Director coordinated with the New York state government during the drafting process, said acting National Cyber Director Kemba Walden. Kemba Walden, acting National Cyber Director Photo: U.S. OFFICE OF THE NATIONAL CYBER DIRECTOR“Certainly we appreciate points of alignment, where appropriate, between state cyber strategies and the National Cybersecurity Strategy.

Persons: Kathy Hochul, Kathryn Garcia, Lev Radin, ”, Garcia, Colin Ahern, Kemba Walden, ” Walden, ” Garcia, James Rundle Organizations: state’s, of Homeland Security, Emergency Services, New York, cybersecurity, Aging, U.S . Office, National Cyber, New, New York State Department of Financial Services, New York State Intelligence Center, Joint Security Operations Center Locations: New York, Suffolk County, Iowa, Michigan, West Virginia, New York’s Suffolk County, New, New York City, Albany, Telecommuting, Brooklyn, Albany , Rochester, Syracuse, Albany , New York City, Yonkers, james.rundle

☆ New York State Debuts First Cybersecurity Strategy
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-09 | by ( James Rundle | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +6 min

The state of New York debuted its first cybersecurity strategy, including plans to modernize government networks, provide digital defenses at the county level and regulate critical infrastructure. In addition, the state plans to focus on developing its cybersecurity workforce and educating New York residents and companies about cybersecurity. In March, the White House published the National Cybersecurity Strategy, which touches on several of the themes in New York’s own document. The U.S. Office of the National Cyber Director coordinated with the New York state government during the drafting process, said acting National Cyber Director Kemba Walden. Photo: U.S. OFFICE OF THE NATIONAL CYBER DIRECTOR“Certainly we appreciate points of alignment, where appropriate, between state cyber strategies and the National Cybersecurity Strategy.

Persons: Kathy Hochul, Kathryn Garcia, Lev Radin, ”, Garcia, Colin Ahern, Kemba Walden, ” Walden, ” Garcia, James Rundle Organizations: New York, state’s, of Homeland Security, Emergency Services, cybersecurity, Aging, U.S . Office, National Cyber, New, New York State Department of Financial Services, New York State Intelligence Center, Joint Security Operations Center Locations: New, New York, Suffolk County, Iowa, Michigan, West Virginia, New York’s Suffolk County, New York City, Albany, Telecommuting, Brooklyn, Albany , Rochester, Syracuse, Albany , New York City, Yonkers, james.rundle

☆ ‘Barbie’ Hits $1 Billion in Ticket Sales, Breaks Record for Female Director
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-07 | by ( ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Persons: Robert McMillan, Zoe Thomas, Emil Lendof Locations: Las Vegas

Search resuls for: "Cybercriminals"

25 mentions found