DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ LockBit: FBI and allies seize dark-web site of world’s most prolific ransomware gang
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-19 | by ( Sean Lyngaas | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —The FBI and its international allies have seized a dark-web site that the world’s most prolific ransomware gang has used to extort its victims, according to a message on the website viewed by CNN. The hackers claimed credit for a November ransomware attack that forced New Jersey-based Capital Health to cancel some patient appointments. LockBit also claimed responsibility for ransomware attacks on the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China and Fulton County, Georgia, in recent months. The US Justice Department also announced the indictment of two Russian men for deploying LockBit ransomware against victim organizations throughout the US, including against unnamed manufacturing firms. While there have been notable arrests and law enforcement seizures of millions of dollars’ worth of ransom payments, the ransomware economy continues to thrive.

Persons: LockBit, ”, cybercriminals, LockBit’s ransomware, Don Smith, Cybercriminals, ” Allan Liska, ” Liska, “ LockBit Organizations: CNN, FBI, Health, Industrial, Commercial Bank of China, National Crime Agency, LockBit, US Justice Department, Justice Department, Government Locations: New Jersey, Fulton County , Georgia, Australia, Germany, Eastern Europe, Russia, China, Secureworks

☆ Chinese hackers' cyberattacks are reaching a 'fever pitch': FBI director
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-16 | by ( Kwan Wei Kevin Tan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

FBI chief Christopher Wray says Chinese cyberattacks are becoming a serious problem. Wray told Congress in January that China's hackers outnumber FBI cyber agents by at least 50 to 1. AdvertisementCyberattacks that Chinese hackers orchestrate on the US are reaching a "fever pitch," says FBI director Christopher Wray. Wray was speaking at the Munich Security Conference on Thursday, where he flagged the massive cyber threat posed by China. AdvertisementLast month, Wray told Congress that the US needed to invest in its cyber capabilities to manage the Chinese cyber threat better.

Persons: Christopher Wray, It's, Wray, —, it's, Richard Moore, Moore, Politico's Anne McElvoy Organizations: Munich Security, Service, Munich, FBI, US Locations: China

☆ How to avoid the top scam of 2023: The internet has 'really supercharged' it, expert says
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-15 | by ( Greg Iacurci | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Vasily Pindyurin | fStop | Getty ImagesConsumers lost a record $10 billion to fraud in 2023, and imposter scams were the most prevalent swindle, according to the Federal Trade Commission. Nearly 854,000 people filed complaints to the FTC about imposter scams in 2023. Consumers lost $2.7 billion to such scams in 2023, according to FTC data. In addition to financial loss, "we know fraud causes significant emotional and psychological harm," he added. Fraud victims lost $1.9 billion and $1.4 billion via these payment channels, respectively, in 2023.

Persons: Vasily Pindyurin, Hardeep Rai, Rai, —, fraudsters, Breyault Organizations: fStop, Getty, Federal Trade Commission, Consumers, FBI

☆ US and allies disrupt Russian cyber espionage operation against US and Europe, FBI chief says
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-15 | by ( Sean Lyngaas | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —The FBI and its international allies disrupted a network of over 1,000 hacked internet routers that Russia’s military intelligence agency was using for cyber espionage operations against the United States and its European allies, FBI Director Christopher Wray said Thursday. The US has new intelligence on Russian military capabilities related to its efforts to deploy a nuclear anti-satellite system in space, CNN reported Wednesday. Wray’s announcement is the latest move by the FBI to use court orders to try to stifle complex hacking operations from Russian spy agencies. US intelligence agencies also use hacking operations to try to thwart Russia, China and other rival governments. But unlike the FBI’s court-authorized work, details of those US cyber operations rarely, if ever, are made public.

Persons: Christopher Wray, ” Wray, Wray, “ we’ve, Weeks, Russia’s Organizations: CNN, FBI, Munich Security Conference, Justice Department, Russian Embassy, US, “ Locations: United States, Russian, Washington , DC, Munich, Russia, China, Beijing, Ukraine, “ Russia

But the blog does offer insight into how U.S. geopolitical rivals have been using large-language models to expand their ability to more effectively breach networks and conduct influence operations. But criminals and offensive hackers use it as well, and the introduction of large-language models led by OpenAI's ChatGPT upped that game of cat-and-mouse. — Iran's Revolutionary Guard has used large-language models to assist in social engineering, in troubleshooting software errors, and even in studying how intruders might evade detection in a compromised network. “Of course bad actors are using large-language models — that decision was made when Pandora’s Box was opened," said Amit Yoran, CEO of the cybersecurity firm Tenable. Some cybersecurity professionals complain about Microsoft's creation and hawking of tools to address vulnerabilities in large-language models when it might more responsibly focus on making them more secure.

Persons: —, OpenAI, ”, OpenAI's ChatGPT, Malaysia —, Amit Yoran, Gary McGraw, Edward Amoroso Organizations: BOSTON, — Microsoft, Microsoft, Korean, Guard, Cybersecurity, Infrastructure Security Agency, Google, Meta, Berryville Institute of Machine Learning, NYU, T Locations: Iran, North Korea, Russia, China, Redmond, Washington, OpenAI, Russian, Ukraine, France, Malaysia

☆ Everyone needs an editor. Lyft just learned it the hard way
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-14 | by ( Allison Morrow | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

That goes for MBAs as much as MFAs, and it’s a lesson Lyft executives learned the hard way on Tuesday, when an errant zero sent its stock (briefly) to the stratosphere. The Lyft typo came in an earnings report that stated, incorrectly, that the company’s estimated gross margin would expand by 500 basis points, which would amount to a stunning five-percentage-point bump. The stock shot up more than 60% before Lyft’s CFO corrected the error on a call with analysts, bringing the stock back to Earth. With the error in the rear view, Lyft shares were up up 30% Wednesday, bolstered by stronger-than-expected earnings and a rosy outlook for future cash flows. “Look, it was a bad error, and that’s on me,” Lyft CEO David Risher told CNBC on Wednesday.

Persons: CNN Business ’, History’s, —, Arthur C, Clarke, Galena Biopharma, King Charles I, ”, David Risher Organizations: CNN Business, New York CNN, MBAs, Citibank, Citi, Mizuho Securities, NASA, New York Times, Bangladesh Bank, Reuters, Maine, SEC, CNBC Locations: New York, Mizuho, Galena

☆ AI is changing the cybersecurity industry. Why these two stocks look best positioned to capitalize
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-14 | by ( Samantha Subin | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

"As we move to cloud and generative AI, it opens up massive total addressable markets, where security just has to be done a different way." Palo Alto Networks and CrowdStrike have already surged more than 25% each only six weeks into the new year after proving among the best performers in the Nasdaq-100 in 2023. But arguably, companies offering all-in-one solutions to mounting cybersecurity threats are viewed as sitting in the most advantageous position. PANW YTD mountain Palo Alto Networks in 2024. This leading position is one reason Deepwater Asset Management's Doug Clinton retains a stake in Crowdstrike, along with Palo Alto Networks, in the core fund that he manages.

Persons: Ted Mortonson, Baird, Mortonson, Peter Weed, Bernstein, Morgan Stanley, Hamza Fodderwala, Hendi Susanto, Doug Clinton, JPMorgan's Brian Essex, CRWD, Essex, Michael Bloom Organizations: MGM Resorts, Caesars Entertainment, Microsoft, Palo Alto Networks, Nasdaq, Gamco Locations: cyberattacks, Palo, Crowdstrike

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol’s office said Wednesday that presumed North Korean hackers breached the personal emails of one of his staff members ahead of Yoon's trip to Europe in November. Yoon’s office said the cyberattack only affected the personal account of the unidentified employee, who violated security protocols by partially using commercial email services to handle official duties. “We detected the case in advance of (Yoon’s) visit and took necessary measures,” Yoon’s office said in a statement to reporters. North Korea-backed hackers have also been accused of stealing information from outside governments, businesses and think tanks. While the country has denied involvement, North Korea has been linked to major cyberattacks in past years, including a 2013 campaign that paralyzed the servers of South Korean financial institutions, the 2014 hacking of Sony Pictures, and the WannaCry malware attack of 2017.

Persons: Yoon Suk, Yoon’s, “, ” Yoon, King Charles III, Rishi Sunak Organizations: The Associated Press, Sony Pictures Locations: SEOUL, South Korea, Europe, North Korea, Britain, France, U.S, Korean

☆ Fulton County faces ransomware attack by ‘financially motivated actors,’ but county elections still on track
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-14 | by ( Sean Lyngaas | Alta Spells | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —Officials in Georgia’s Fulton County, which includes parts of Atlanta, said Wednesday that “financially motivated” hackers appeared to be behind a ransomware attack that has disrupted key county services for weeks. The leak will only up the stakes for Fulton County to get a handle on a cyberattack that has hobbled services for weeks. The group that claimed Fulton County as a victim is a prolific group known as LockBit. It’s unclear if there has been any communication between Fulton County and the hackers. Fulton County’s ransomware attack comes amid a years-long effort by the US government to limit the damage of ransomware attacks on local governments, hospitals and other critical infrastructure.

Persons: “, Robb Pitts, Pitts, Fani Willis, Donald Trump, ” Pitts, LockBit, Fulton County’s, Cybercriminals, ” Alexander Leslie Organizations: CNN, Fulton, LockBit, Commercial Bank of China Locations: Georgia’s Fulton County, Atlanta, Fulton County, ” Fulton County, Fulton, Fulton County , Georgia

☆ Hackers for China, Russia and Others Used OpenAI Systems, Report Says
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-14 | by ( Karen Weise | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

Hackers working for nation-states have used OpenAI’s systems in the creation of their cyberattacks, according to research released Wednesday by OpenAI and Microsoft. The companies believe their research, published on their websites, documents for the first time how hackers with ties to foreign governments are using generative artificial intelligence in their attacks. But instead of using A.I. to generate exotic attacks, as some in the tech industry feared, the hackers have used it in mundane ways, like drafting emails, translating documents and debugging computer code, the companies said. “They’re just using it like everyone else is, to try to be more productive in what they’re doing,” said Tom Burt, who oversees Microsoft’s efforts to track and disrupt major cyberattacks.

Persons: “, ”, Tom Burt Organizations: OpenAI, Microsoft

☆ Meta removes Facebook and Instagram accounts of Iran’s Supreme Leader
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-09 | by ( Rosa Rahimi | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Meta has removed the Facebook and Instagram accounts of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. According to Meta, the accounts have been disabled, which means they are permanently removed. “We have removed these accounts for repeatedly violating our Dangerous Organizations & Individuals policy,” a Meta spokesperson told CNN. Meta did not give a specific reason as to why Khamenei’s account fell under the Dangerous Organizations and Individuals Policy. “We expect the threat posed by Iran’s cyber and influence operations will grow as the conflict persists,” the Microsoft Threat Intelligence report said.

Persons: Ali Khamenei, Biden, ”, Mahsa Alimardani, Meta, “ Organizations: CNN, Meta, Facebook, Iran’s, Organizations, US State Department, Foreign Terrorist Organization, Microsoft, ” Microsoft, Intelligence Locations: Iran, Yemen, Israel, Tehran, “, Iranian, UAE, Canada

☆ Biden officials confront limits of federal response in exercise preparing for 2024 election threats
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-09 | by ( Sean Lyngaas | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

Carolyn Kaster/AP/FileUS national security officials have to weigh whether publicly calling attention to disinformation might inadvertently amplify the very message they’re trying to bat down. In both scenarios, federal officials favored a muted public response, largely choosing to let state and local governments take the lead. State and local officials run elections and are more trusted voices in their communities, but how can federal officials act decisively to support them? “It’s a trick box,” said Adam Hickey, who worked on election security issues for the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “[W]e prioritize tabletop exercises that integrate the range of cyber, physical, and operational threats election officials may encounter,” Conley said in a statement to CNN.

Persons: “, ”, —, Carolyn Kaster, there’s, Biden, Xi Jinping, Kevin Lamarque, Joe Biden, deepfakes, ” Sen, Mark Warner, Kevin Dietsch, Francisco Aguilar, ” Aguilar, Donald Trump’s, Adam Hickey, Hickey, Cait Conley, DHS’s, ” Conley, –, ” CNN’s Evan Perez, Natasha Bertrand, Donie O’Sullivan, Katie Bo Lillis Organizations: Washington CNN, CNN, FBI, CIA, Homeland Security, Biden White, Jeffersonville Masonic, New Hampshire, Foreign Ministry, ”, Senate, Committee, White, Senate Intelligence, Virginia Democrat, Republican, Trump, Capitol, Justice Department’s National Security, “, Justice Department, Department of Homeland, National Security Council, US Army, DHS’s Cybersecurity, Infrastructure Security Agency Locations: China, Jeffersonville, Jeffersonville , Ohio, American, Woodside , California, Nevada, Russia, Iran, Russian, Iranian

☆ 23andMe considers splitting up company to revive stock price
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-08 | by ( Ashley Capoot | In | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Shares of 23andMe sank 21% on Thursday, a day after the genetic testing company reported dismal fiscal third-quarter results and discussed splitting itself in two to help juice its stock price. 23andMe reported revenue of $45 million for the quarter, down from the $67 million it reported in the same period last year. The five-time CNBC Disruptor 50 company went public in 2021 via a merger with a special purpose acquisition company, a deal that valued the company at around $3.5 billion. The company has launched additional therapeutics and research businesses, but its share price has tumbled more than 95% from its peak. They lowered their target price for the stock to 85 cents from 90 cents.

Persons: 23andMe, Anne Wojcicki, Sergey Brin, Forbes, Joe Selsavage, Selsavage Organizations: TechCrunch, 23andMe, Nasdaq, U.S . Securities, Exchange Commission, CNBC Disruptor, Citi, CNBC PRO Locations: San Francisco , California, 23andMe

(AP) — One state lawmaker wants Nebraska to take measures to protect it from cyberattacks. State Sen. Loren Lippincott presented a bill Thursday to the Legislature's government committee that would give the Nebraska State Patrol $200,000 to hire “an ethical hacker.” The hacker would spend his or her days trying to break into the state’s computer network, as well as election equipment and software, to find any vulnerabilities in those systems. His bill also would allow hiring a security company that provide hackers to find weaknesses in the state's system. Lippincott presented the bill on the heels of FBI Director Christopher Wray's warning that Chinese government hackers are targeting critical U.S. infrastructure, including water treatment plants, the electrical grid and transportation systems. If advanced, they would have to survive three rounds of debate to be passed in Nebraska's unique one-chamber Legislature.

Persons: LINCOLN, cyberattacks, Sen, Loren Lippincott, Lippincott, ” Lippincott, Christopher Wray's, “ Organizations: Nebraska State Patrol, Security, Cybersecurity, Infrastructure Security Agency, cybersecurity Locations: Neb, Nebraska, Missouri, Georgia

☆ Here's another sign our go-to cybersecurity stock should climb even higher in 2024
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-08 | by ( Morgan Chittum | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Investors just received another reason to like Palo Alto Networks — the Club's favorite cybersecurity stock, which has been on fire. As these threats intensify for businesses, more customers are seeking out products and services like those offered by Palo Alto. "If the worst cybersecurity stock does well, what does it say about the best? Buy Palo Alto Networks," he said. Palo Alto Networks became the first cybersecurity stock to top a $100 billion market value late last year — a long-held goal by management.

Persons: there's, Nikesh Arora, Jim Cramer, Wall, Wednesday's Homestretch, Jim, hasn't, Jim Cramer's Organizations: Palo Alto Networks, Palo, Palo Alto, CNBC, Microsoft, Wall Street, JPMorgan, Alto Networks Locations: Palo Alto's, Palo, Russian

☆ Shadow AI in the 'dark corners' of work is becoming a big problem for companies
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-07 | by ( Rachel Curry | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Known as shadow AI, this is the AI usage within a company that occurs "in dark corners," said Jay Upchurch, CIO of data analytics platform SAS. Shadow IT is nothing new, and shadow AI is the latest iteration of the phenomenon. The problem is that shadow AI is more complex, and more dangerous, than shadow IT was in the past. Remote users and cloud-based concernsEducation on the risks of shadow AI and the best ways to procure approval help, but they only go so far. Ultimately, Upchurch emphasizes that while shadow AI is very real, so is AI itself.

Persons: Jay Upchurch, Tim Morris, Tanium, Ameer Karim, Morris, Mike Scott, CISO, Scott, Karim, Upchurch, it's Organizations: SAS, Companies, Samsung, Microsoft

☆ Chinese hackers have lurked in some US infrastructure systems for ‘at least five years’
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-07 | by ( Sean Lyngaas | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

The report would be the most detailed disclosure yet by the US government of the hackers’ stealthy techniques, one aimed at helping private owners of critical infrastructure spot the Chinese hackers in their networks. The hackers’ presence in critical US networks has sparked a monthslong effort by US national security officials to kick the hackers out. The report, which US officials are set to release this week, makes clear that the Chinese hackers’ activity began much earlier than previously known, with the hackers scoping and accessing IT systems years ago. The Beijing-backed hackers have been probing systems that control heating, cooling and water, access that, if exploited, could allow them to manipulate those systems and cause “significant infrastructure failures,” the report says. Canada’s cybersecurity agency “assesses that the direct threat to Canada’s critical infrastructure” from the Chinese hackers “is likely lower” than that to US infrastructure, but that Canada would still likely still be affected by a disruption to US infrastructure due to “cross-border integration,” the document says.

Persons: Christopher Wray, Canada’s, “ Organizations: CNN, FBI, US, Embassy, National Security Agency, Cybersecurity, Infrastructure Security Agency Locations: Beijing, China, Taiwan, Washington ,, Guam, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, United Kingdom, Pacific

☆ Cybercriminals raked in record $1.1 billion in ransom payments in 2023
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-07 | by ( Sean Lyngaas | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Washington CNN —Cybercriminals extorted a record $1.1 billion in ransom payments from victim organizations around the world last year despite US government efforts to cut off their money flows, crypto-tracking firm Chainalysis said in a report released Wednesday. The surge in ransom payments, which nearly doubled the $567 million by Chainalysis in 2022, coincided with a “major escalation in the frequency, scope, and volume of attacks,” the New York based-firm said. After the FBI announced an operation that thwarted $130 million in ransom payments for several months in 2022, a variety of cybercriminal groups have struck US casinos, hospitals and schools in 2023, and have sometimes collected big payouts. MGM Resorts has estimated its recovery costs from a major ransomware attack last year at $100 million. Multiple US government agencies themselves were hacked by a Russian-speaking ransomware gang, as CNN first reported in July, though there were no reports of ransom payments made by those victims.

Persons: Washington CNN — Cybercriminals, Chainalysis, Jackie Burns Koven, Biden Organizations: Washington CNN, FBI, CNN, MGM Resorts, Colonial Pipeline, US Treasury, White, Justice Locations: York

That's where our Private Internet Access review comes in, to help you decide whether or not to pay for and download it. On mobile, it's as simple as finding the Private Internet Access app on the App Store or Play Store, downloading and creating a new account, or entering your login details. Performance and SpeedAs mentioned above, the entire Private Internet Access server network runs on 10Gbps connectors. Business Insider / PIAPrivacy and SecurityFor a company called Private Internet Access, you'd be pretty disappointed if its security smarts weren't tip-top. But at this price and with the 30-day money-back guarantee in play, Private Internet Access is well worth a go.

Persons: It's, ExpressVPN, we'd Organizations: Business, Private, PIA, Smart, Apple, US, Netflix, Internet, PIA doesn't, Amazon Prime, Down, Africa, Nations, SABC, CBC, BBC, pCloud, Deloitte, NSA, National Security Agency Locations: Canada, Australia, India, China, Saudi Arabia, Greenland, France, South Africa, Luxembourg, New York, 150Mbps, West, Japan, Italy, 9Now, United States

☆ Chinese Embassy in Netherlands Says China Would Never Allow Cyberattacks
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-06 | by ( Feb. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

BEIJING (Reuters) -China would never allow any Chinese entities or individuals to conduct illegal activities such as cyberattacks or use Chinese facilities for such attacks, the Chinese embassy in the Netherlands said in a statement on Wednesday. The embassy was responding to a report by Dutch intelligence agencies that said Chinese state-backed cyber spies gained access to a Dutch military network last year. "China opposes any malicious speculation and groundless accusations, and advocates joint efforts to safeguard cybersecurity through dialogue and cooperation," an embassy spokesperson was quoted as saying in the statement. According to a Reuters report, the U.S. government in recent months launched an operation to fight a pervasive Chinese hacking operation that compromised thousands of internet-connected devices. The Netherlands embassy spokesperson said the "Chinese government has always resolutely opposed and cracked down on all forms of cyberattacks in accordance with the law."

Persons: Bernard Orr, Tom Hogue Locations: BEIJING, China, Netherlands, Dutch, Philippines, U.S

☆ China Says It Opposes and Cracks Down on All Forms of Cyberattacks
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-05 | by ( Feb. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

MANILA (Reuters) - The Chinese government does not tolerate any form of cyberattacks and will not allow any country or individual to engage in such illegal activities using Chinese infrastructure, its embassy in the Philippines said. It made the assurances after the Philippines on Monday said that hackers from China last month attempted to break into government websites, including President Ferdinand Marcos Jr's personal website, but failed. Manila did not say the hackers were linked to any state, but said they were found to be using the services of Chinese state-owned company Unicom. "The Chinese government all along firmly opposes and cracks down on all forms of cyber attack in accordance with law, allows no country or individual to engage in cyber attack and other illegal activities on Chinese soil or using Chinese infrastructure," a spokesperson at the Chinese Embassy in Manila said late on Monday. The Philippines is currently working on a five-year cybersecurity strategy to beef up its cyber defences.

Persons: Ferdinand Marcos Jr's, Unicom, Neil Jerome Morales, Raju Gopalakrishnan Organizations: Embassy Locations: MANILA, Philippines, China, Manila

☆ Philippines Wards off Cyber Attacks From China-Based Hackers
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-05 | by ( Feb. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

MANILA (Reuters) - Hackers operating in China attempted to break into websites and e-mail systems of the Philippine's president and government agencies, one promoting maritime security, but failed, an information and communications ministry official said on Monday. But using the internet protocol addresses, we pinpointed it to China," Paraiso said, adding the hackers were traced to be using the services of Chinese state-owned Unicom. "We are appealing to the Chinese government to help us prevent further attacks." The thwarted cyber attacks came at a time of heightened tensions with China, largely over disputed territory in the South China Sea. The Philippines is currently working on a five-year cybersecurity strategy to beef up its cyber defences to combat attacks and digital crimes.

Persons: Ferdinand Marcos Jr, DICT, Renato Paraiso, Paraiso, Neil Jerome Morales, Michael Perry Organizations: Department of Information, Communications Technology, National Coast Watch, Philippine Locations: MANILA, China, China's, Manila, South China, Philippines

☆ Trump suggests he would consider a tariff upward of 60% on all Chinese imports if reelected
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-04 | by ( Kate Sullivan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Former President Donald Trump said Sunday he would consider imposing a tariff upward of 60% on all Chinese imports if he regains the presidency. His remarks come at a time of high economic and other tensions between the US and China. “No, I would say maybe it’s going to be more than that,” Trump said when asked by Fox News’ Maria Bartiromo whether he would consider imposing a 60% tariff, as The Washington Post has reported. As president, Trump slapped tariffs of 25% on $50 billion of Chinese goods in June 2018. But FBI Director Christopher Wray warned Wednesday that Chinese hackers are preparing to “wreak havoc and cause real-world harm” to the US.

Persons: Donald Trump, ” Trump, Maria Bartiromo, Trump, Biden, “, Xi Jinping, Joe Biden, Christopher Wray, Xi, ” China’s, reunify, CNN’s Jack Forrest, Brad Lendon Organizations: CNN, Fox News, Washington Post, Trump, Party, Taiwan, Taiwan Relations Locations: China, Beijing, Taiwan

☆ U.S. Hits Back at Iran With More Than Just Airstrikes
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-02 | by ( Eileen Sullivan | David E. Sanger | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

In the hours before the United States carried out strikes against Iran-backed militants on Friday, Washington hit Tehran with more familiar weapons: sanctions and criminal charges. The Biden administration sanctioned officers and officials of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, Iran’s premier military force, for threatening the integrity of water utilities and for helping manufacture Iranian drones. And it unsealed charges against nine people for selling oil to finance the militant groups Hamas and Hezbollah. The timing seemed designed to pressure the Revolutionary Guards and its most elite unit, the Quds Force, at a moment of extraordinary tension in the Middle East. In the 15 years since the United States mounted a major cyberattack on Iran’s nuclear facilities, the country has trained a generation of hackers and struck back at Israel, Saudi Arabia and the United States, among others.

Persons: Biden Organizations: Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, Revolutionary Guards, Quds Force Locations: United States, Iran, Washington, Tehran, Israel, Saudi Arabia

☆ Wray’s stunning warning points to a new age of US vulnerability
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-01 | by ( Stephen Collinson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

“The CCP’s dangerous actions, China’s multi-pronged assault on our national and economic security, make it the defining threat of our generation,” Wray said. Xi promised Biden China wouldn’t interfere in the 2024 presidential election at that meeting, CNN reported exclusively this week. The high-level diplomatic contacts continued last week when national security adviser Jake Sullivan met Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Bangkok. “This is the cyberspace equivalent of placing bombs on American bridges, water treatment facilities and power plants,” he said. “If you have a cyberattack on that sort of technology, it could affect all signals at once,” Geddes said.

Persons: Christopher Wray, Rick Geddes, ”, Wray, Xi, ” Wray, Joe Biden, Biden, Biden China wouldn’t, Jake Sullivan, Wang Yi, Donald Trump, Kevin McCarthy, Mike Gallagher of, Raja Krishnamoorthi, Paul Nakasone, Gallagher, Geddes, ” Geddes Organizations: CNN, Cornell, Chinese Communist Party, Communist Party, CCP, South China, –, Capitol, Republican, Democrat, US Cyber Command, “ Locations: Washington, Beijing, United States, China, Taiwan, South, Xi Jinping’s China, California, Biden China, Bangkok, Mike Gallagher of Wisconsin, Illinois

Search resuls for: "Hackers"

25 mentions found