Hacking & Cyberwarfare News and Discussions

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caltrek
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Reuters Reports That Denmark's Central Bank Exposed in SolarWinds Hack
June 29, 2021

https://news.yahoo.com/denmarks-central ... 12110.html

Introduction:
COPENHAGEN (Reuters via Yahoo) - Denmark's central bank was compromised in last year's global SolarWinds hacking operation, leaving a "backdoor" to its network open for seven months, IT media Version2 reported on Tuesday, citing documents related to the case.

The hackers, accused by the United States of working for Russian intelligence, were unusually sophisticated and modified code in SolarWinds network management software that was downloaded by 18,000 customers around the globe.

The attackers could use SolarWinds to get inside a network and then create a backdoor for potential continued access.

Such a backdoor stood open at the Danish central bank for seven months until it was discovered by U.S. security firm Fire Eye, Version2 said, citing various documents it obtained under a freedom of information request, such as SolarWinds emails.

The central bank, which manages transactions worth billions of dollars each day, said in an emailed comment to Reuters that there were "no signs that the attack had any real consequences".
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US companies hit by 'colossal' cyber-attack

6 hours ago

About 200 US businesses have been hit by a "colossal" ransomware attack, according to a cyber-security firm.

Huntress Labs said the hack targeted Florida-based IT company Kaseya before spreading through corporate networks that use its software.

Kaseya said in a statement on its own website that it was investigating a "potential attack".

Huntress Labs said it believed the Russia-linked REvil ransomware gang was responsible.

The US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Agency, a federal agency, said in a statement that it was taking action to address the attack.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-57703836
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Widespread ransomware attack is affecting hundreds of businesses
Source: Washington Post
A supply-chain ransomware attack that hit hours before the beginning of a holiday weekend has already affected more than 200 businesses, researchers said.

On Friday, information technology company Kaseya sent out a warning of a “potential attack” on its VSA tool, which is used by IT to manage and monitor computers remotely. Kaseya urged customers to shut down their servers running the service.

“Its critical that you do this immediately, because one of the first things the attacker does is shutoff administrative access to the VSA,” the company said.

It was unclear late Friday how disruptive the attack might be on U.S. businesses. More than 40,000 organizations use Kaseya products, the company says, which includes VSA and other IT tools.
Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/technolo ... re-attack/
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Apex Legends Hackers Interrupt Games
by Richard Lawler
July 4, 2021

https://www.theverge.com/2021/7/4/22563 ... ea-respawn

Introduction:
(The Verge) Respawn Entertainment’s battle royale shooter Apex Legends has proven to be a hit, with over 100 million unique players, and counted over 300,000 people playing on Steam at one time in May. But an issue bubbling over from its earlier Titanfall games is now having an impact on Apex, as reports across social media show players running into messages from people hacking the game with a “Save Titanfall” message.

Respawn acknowledged the issues on Twitter, saying “We are aware of and actively investigating issues impacting @PlayApex playlists that are preventing players from getting into matches.” In a follow-up tweet at 7PM, the developer said these attacks don’t put the personal information of players at risk, and that the team is testing a fix. As of 10:15PM, the developer appeared confident that problems for Apex Legends are resolved
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Hackers demand $70 mn after Kaseya ransomware attack
https://techxplore.com/news/2021-07-hac ... mware.html
by Katy Lee With Nioucha Zakavati In Stockholm
A Coop supermarket in Sweden has a sign reading "Temporarliy closed - We have an IT-disturbance and our systems are not functioning" posted in the window following a cyberattack that targeted a US provider of IT services.

Hackers were on Monday demanding $70 million in bitcoin in exchange for data stolen during an attack on a US IT company that has shuttered hundreds of Swedish supermarkets.

Researchers believe more than 1,000 companies could have been affected by the attack on Miami-based firm Kaseya, which provides IT services to some 40,000 businesses around the world.

The FBI warned Sunday that the scale of the "ransomware" attack—a form of digital hostage-taking where hackers encrypt victims' data and then demand money for restored access—is so large that it may be "unable to respond to each victim individually".

Sweden's Coop supermarket chain was among the most high-profile victims. Most of their 800 stores were still closed three days after the hack paralysed its cash registers, spokesman Kevin Bell told AFP.
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Russian Hackers Breach Republican National Committee
by Oriana Gonzalez
July 6, 2021

https://www.axios.com/russian-hackers-b ... 52938.html

Introduction:
(Axios) A hacker group associated with the Russian government breached the computer systems of the Republican National Committee last week in a massive ransomware attack, Bloomberg first reported.

The big picture: The attack follows a separate Russia-based criminal group unleashing an attack that compromised the computer systems of at least 1,000 businesses. No connection has been established between the attacks.

What they're saying: It is unclear what, if any, information the Cozy Bear hackers found. Danielle Alvarez, the GOP communications director, released a statement saying that while it was informed by Microsoft that their systems may had been exposed, "no RNC data was accessed."

Alvarez added that it "will continued to work with Microsoft, as well as federal law enforcement officials on this matter."
An RNC spokesperson told Bloomberg it is investigating the situation and has already informed the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security.
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White House Issues Threat to Russia Over Hacking
Source: Political Wire

White House press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters that a “high level” of U.S. national security has been in touch with top Russian officials about $70 million ransomware attack by a Russia-linked hacking group.

She added that if Russia doesn’t take action against cyber criminals residing there, “we will.”
https://politicalwire.com/2021/07/06/wh ... r-hacking/
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An international investigation has revealed that Israel's NSO Group is using spyware to target heads of state, along with thousands of activists, journalists and dissidents around the world.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/ ... up-pegasus

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-57881364
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Russian Hacker Known as 'Bot Master' to be Sentenced in U.S.
Pat Eaton Robb
July 2021

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/russi ... ar-AAMm9Xn

Introduction:
(AP Via MSN) Federal prosecutors are seeking a lengthy prison sentence for a Russian hacker known internationally as the “bot master" on charges he operated a network of devices used to steal computer credentials, distribute spam emails and install malicious software.

Peter Levashov, 40, pleaded guilty in 2018 to conspiracy, wire fraud, identity theft and other charges that he operated several networks of hijacked computers, known as botnets, that were capable of pumping out billions of spam emails.

Prosecutors are asking that he be sentenced Tuesday to between 12 and 14 1/2 years in prison when he appears via teleconference before U.S. District Judge Robert Chatigny in Connecticut.

In their written presentencing arguments, prosecutors said Levashov spent more than a decade controlling the botnets — including one that may have infected 200,000 computers — to harvest email addresses, logins and passwords from infected computers and also distributed malware and other malicious software.

“Levashov used those botnets to send billions of spam messages, messages which ranged in destructive potential from relatively harmless advertisements, to email messages used to conduct 'pump and dump' schemes, to email messages containing malicious links that spread malware such as viruses or ransomware,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward Chang wrote.
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House passes host of bills to strengthen cybersecurity in wake of attacks
Source: The Hill
The House on Tuesday approved five bipartisan measures designed to enhance various aspects of the nation's cybersecurity following recent major cyberattacks.

The cyber-related package passed in a 319-105 vote. It included measures to fund cybersecurity at the state and local level, bolster reporting requirements and test critical infrastructure.

One bill, the State and Local Cybersecurity Act, would establish a grant program to provide $500 million annually to state and local governments over the next five years for cybersecurity needs. Rep. Yvette Clarke (D-N.Y.), chair of the House Homeland Security Committee's cyber panel, is the lead sponsor of that bill.

Also included in the package was the Cybersecurity Vulnerability Remediation Act, which would improve the reporting of cybersecurity vulnerabilities. The bill, primarily sponsored by Rep. Sheila Jackson-Lee (D-Texas), was previously passed by the House in 2019, but failed to get a vote in the Senate.
Read more: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics ... id=DELLDHP
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