Kirk was executive editor for security and technology for Information Security Media Group. Reporting from Sydney, Australia, he created "The Ransomware Files" podcast, which tells the harrowing stories of IT pros who have fought back against ransomware.
The FBI has shared 4.3 million email addresses stolen by the Emotet malware with the Have I Been Pwned breach notification site. The entry of those addresses into the site increases the chance that those infected with Emotet can take remediation actions, such as changing passwords.
In an unprecedented action, the FBI is removing web shells from on-premises Microsoft Exchange servers at organizations in at least eight states that were infected in a wave of attacks earlier this year. Security experts offer an analysis of the bold move that the FBI took without notifying the organizations.
Criminals love to amass and sell vast quantities of user data, but not all data leaks necessarily pose a risk to users. Even so, the ease with which would-be attackers can amass user data is a reminder to organizations to lock down inappropriate access as much as possible.
Microsoft says ransomware activity against compromised on-premises Exchange servers remains limited, but it warns that organizations are far from out of the woods.
A Swiss national who recently highlighted flaws in Verkada surveillance cameras has been charged with criminal hacking by a U.S. federal grand jury and accused of illegally accessing and leaking data from numerous organizations, apparently including Intel, Nissan and the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office.
It has been an open question as to how a half-dozen hacking groups began exploiting Exchange servers in an automated fashion in the days leading up to Microsoft's patches. But there are strong signs that the exploit code leaked, and the question now is: Who leaked it?
Computer security researchers have acquired an enormous list of compromised email servers from the perpetrators of the mass Microsoft Exchange compromises. But a big question looms: How bad is this situation going to get?
Just days after Microsoft disclosed four serious flaws in Microsoft Exchange email servers, attackers are going on a wide hunt for vulnerable machines, some security experts say. The flaws could be exploited for creating backdoors for email accounts or installing ransomware and cryptominers.
Microsoft issued emergency software patches on Tuesday for four zero-day vulnerabilities in its Exchange email server. The alarming vulnerabilities could allow a remote attacker into Exchange and possibly enable further lateral movement.
Older ATMs across Latin America are being struck by a new version of "jackpotting" malware, which can cause the machines to dispense cash. The malware, called Ploutus, can cause ATMs made by Itautec, a Brazilian company, to discharge up to $1,700.
SonicWall was recently attacked via a zero-day flaw in one of its own products. Curiously, SonicWall hasn't said much about the extent and damage of the breach since its announcement. But there are strong indications it may have been targeted by an extortion attempt.
Software company Accellion has released preliminary findings around the security incident that stung customers using its 20-year-old File Transfer Appliance. The attackers swiftly stole data from compromised systems, and some of those organizations have subsequently been extorted.
The Florida city that experienced a breach of its water treatment system used now-unsupported Windows 7 machines, shared the same password for remote access and had no firewall. The incident is likely to raise questions about the vulnerability of critical infrastructure in small towns on slim IT security budgets.
A hacker breached a Florida city's water treatment network, increasing the amount of lye that would be added to the water to a dangerous level. Officials say they caught the change immediately and reversed it. Reuters reports that the system was accessed via the city's TeamViewer remote access software.
The SolarWinds supply chain compromise has raised questions over how to detect software that has been tainted during the vendor's development and build process. A concept called verified reproducible builds could help, says David Wheeler of the Linux Foundation.
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