Posts Tagged ‘cyber threats’
Edmonton-area youth, 15, arrested for terrorism-related offence
An Edmonton-area youth, linked to a violent online network that targets vulnerable children, has been arrested for a terrorism-related offence, RCMP said Thursday. RCMP Federal Policing Northwest Region’s National Security Enforcement Team arrested the 15-year-old on May 12, police said in a news release. The youth is in custody and police have commenced proceedings “by…
Read MoreIranian man pleads guilty to role in ransomware attack on Baltimore City
An Iranian national pleaded guilty Tuesday to participating in an international ransomware and extortion scheme involving the Robbinhood ransomware that struck U.S. cities, including Baltimore. Baltimore City officials discovered malware in 2019 that prompted email, phones and computers to be shut down, which impacted many city services. Sina Gholinejad, 37, and his co-conspirators compromised the…
Read MoreRussian hackers target Western firms shipping aid to Ukraine, US intelligence says
Hackers working for Russian military intelligence targeted Western technology and logistics companies involved in shipping assistance to Ukraine, the U.S. National Security Agency said. The hackers were trying to obtain details about the type of assistance entering Ukraine and, as part of the effort, sought access to the feeds of internet-connected cameras near Ukrainian border…
Read MoreFBI has opened 250 investigations tied to violent online network ‘764’ that preys on teens, top official says
FBI officials say they are growing increasingly concerned about a loose network of violent predators who befriend teenagers through popular online platforms and then coerce them into escalating sexual and violent behavior — pushing victims to create graphic pornography, harm family pets, cut themselves with sharp objects, or even die by suicide. The online predators,…
Read MoreCyberattack targets thousands of students, staff members at Baltimore City Public Schools
A cyberattack by the criminal group known as Cloak on Baltimore City Public Schools stole sensitive personal information of thousands of students and employees, 11 News Investigates has learned. On Feb. 13, a criminal group gained access to City Schools’ information technology systems. Alison Perkins-Cohen, the district’s chief of staff, told 11 News Investigates that…
Read MoreWestern intelligence agencies warn spyware threat targeting Taiwan, Tibetan rights advocates
Western intelligence agencies warned on Tuesday of an increasing threat from Beijing’s security services to use malicious mobile phone applications to surveil Taiwanese independence activists, Tibetan rights advocates and others opposed by the Chinese government. An advisory issued late on Tuesday warned of “the growing threat” posed by malicious surveillance software deployed by a Chengdu-based…
Read MoreEuropol warns of AI-driven crime threats
Organised crime gangs are turning to AI-powered scams and payment systems to target victims, allowing them to rapidly and more cheaply scale up operations globally and making them harder to detect, Europol warned on Tuesday. The technology means they can craft messages in multiple languages and create highly realistic dupes to impersonate individuals and blackmail…
Read MoreMember of ‘764’ Network Sentenced for Possession of Child Sexual Abuse Material
Jack Rocker, 19, of Tampa, was sentenced to serve 84 months in federal prison for possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) followed by a lifetime of supervised release. The court also ordered Rocker to forfeit an iPhone 12, thumb drive, and Acer Laptop, all of which possessed CSAM. Rocker will also have to register as…
Read MoreCybersecurity officials warn against potentially costly Medusa ransomware attacks
The FBI and the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency are warning against a dangerous ransomware scheme. In an advisory posted earlier this week, government officials warned that a ransomware-as-a-service software called Medusa, which has launched ransomware attacks since 2021, has recently affected hundreds of people. Medusa uses phishing campaigns as its main method for…
Read MoreGoogle reports scale of complaints about AI deepfake terrorism content to Australian regulator
Google has informed Australian authorities it received more than 250 complaints globally over nearly a year that its artificial intelligence software was used to make deepfake terrorism material. The Alphabet-owned tech giant also said it had received dozens of user reports warning that its AI program, Gemini, was being used to create child abuse material,…
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