Recently the United States slammed China for one of the biggest hacks of all time. The United States accused China, the Chinese state of stealing emails and data from a Microsoft exchange, but China denied any connection with the incident.

United States: US allies, accuse China of cyberattack

The US government said it would work with industry to hammer out new guidelines to improve the security of the technology supply chain, as President Joe Biden appealed to private sector executives to "raise the bar on cybersecurity."

World Business Watch: US to work with Big Tech, finance sector on new cybersecurity guidelines

South Africa: The outage came on the heels of civil unrest sparked by the jailing of ex-president Jacob Zuma that halted operations for several days.

Cyber attack disrupts major South African port operations

Russian President Vladimir Putin participated in an annual call-in show where he took questions from the citizens. Most of the questions this year were dedicated to the coronavirus pandemic, Moscow’s ties with the West, Ukraine, the black sea spat, jailed Kremlin critic Alexey Navalny and allegations of cyberattacks.

Putin discusses Ukraine, Black Sea, Navalny and vaccines in marathon call-in show

US&nbsp;officials on Sunday ratcheted up pressure on companies and foreign adversaries to fight cybercriminals, and said President Joe Biden is considering all options, including a military response, to counter the growing threat. 
 
The Biden administration is looking at 'all of the options', to defend the country against ransomware criminals, US&nbsp;Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said in an interview on Sunday, when asked if military action was being considered. 
 
Raimondo did not detail what those options could look like, but said the topic will be on the agenda when the president meets with Russian President Vladimir Putin this month. The rising threat of cyberattacks has pushed the Biden administration into a more aggressive stance against Russia, which is thought to be harboring some of the perpetrators. 
 
"We're not taking anything off the table as we think about possible repercussions, consequences or retaliation," Raimondo said. 
 
Last weekend, the world`s largest meatpacker was targeted by cybercriminals and in May, the largest fuel pipeline in the United States was attacked, stoking fears over supply disruptions of food and fuel. 
 
US&nbsp;adversaries have the ability to shut down the country's entire power grid, Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm said separately in an interview with CNN, noting 'thousands of attacks on all aspects of the energy sector'. 
 
The recent high-profile attacks have prompted Biden to put the issue of Russia harboring hackers on the agenda for his meeting with Putin. 
 
The White House plans to use the June 16 summit to deliver a clear message to the Russian leader, officials say. A next step could be destabilisation of the computer servers used to carry out such hacks, some cyber experts say. 
 
US&nbsp;officials are asking private companies to be more vigilant and transparent about attacks. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg on Sunday said the May attack on Colonial Pipeline, which created temporary gasoline shortages, showed the national implications of a hack on a private company. 
 
"Part of our vulnerability on cybersecurity is you're only as strong as your weakest link," he said in an interview with CBS. 
 
Companies need to alert the federal government when they are targeted, Granholm said, and stop paying attackers. "You shouldn't be paying ransomware attacks, because it only encourages the bad guys," she said. 
 
While she opposes ransomware payments, she said she is uncertain whether Biden or Congress is prepared to outlaw them. 
 
Companies should be required to report ransomware attacks, Democratic Senator Mark Warner from Virginia said on Sunday, though he stopped short of saying he supported making such payments illegal. 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

US officials on Sunday ratcheted up pressure on companies and foreign adversaries to fight cybercriminals, and said President Joe Biden is considering all options, including a military response, to counter the growing threat.

US officials on Sunday ratcheted up pressure on companies and foreign adversaries to fight cybercriminals, and said President Joe Biden is considering all options, including a military response, to counter the growing threat. The Biden administration is looking at 'all of the options', to defend the country against ransomware criminals, US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said in an interview on Sunday, when asked if military action was being considered. Raimondo did not detail what those options could look like, but said the topic will be on the agenda when the president meets with Russian President Vladimir Putin this month. The rising threat of cyberattacks has pushed the Biden administration into a more aggressive stance against Russia, which is thought to be harboring some of the perpetrators. "We're not taking anything off the table as we think about possible repercussions, consequences or retaliation," Raimondo said. Last weekend, the world`s largest meatpacker was targeted by cybercriminals and in May, the largest fuel pipeline in the United States was attacked, stoking fears over supply disruptions of food and fuel. US adversaries have the ability to shut down the country's entire power grid, Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm said separately in an interview with CNN, noting 'thousands of attacks on all aspects of the energy sector'. The recent high-profile attacks have prompted Biden to put the issue of Russia harboring hackers on the agenda for his meeting with Putin. The White House plans to use the June 16 summit to deliver a clear message to the Russian leader, officials say. A next step could be destabilisation of the computer servers used to carry out such hacks, some cyber experts say. US officials are asking private companies to be more vigilant and transparent about attacks. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg on Sunday said the May attack on Colonial Pipeline, which created temporary gasoline shortages, showed the national implications of a hack on a private company. "Part of our vulnerability on cybersecurity is you're only as strong as your weakest link," he said in an interview with CBS. Companies need to alert the federal government when they are targeted, Granholm said, and stop paying attackers. "You shouldn't be paying ransomware attacks, because it only encourages the bad guys," she said. While she opposes ransomware payments, she said she is uncertain whether Biden or Congress is prepared to outlaw them. Companies should be required to report ransomware attacks, Democratic Senator Mark Warner from Virginia said on Sunday, though he stopped short of saying he supported making such payments illegal. (With inputs from agencies)

US officials up pressure on firms, foreign adversaries over cyberattacks

The United States officials ratcheted up pressure on companies and foreign adversaries to fight cybercriminals and said President Joe Biden is considering all options, including a military response, to counter the growing threat.

US asks firms, foreign adversaries to be transparent about cyberattacks

Japan police are investigating cyberattacks on about 200 Japanese companies and research organisations, including the country’s space agency JAXA.

Investigators suspect that a group of hackers backed by the Chinese military is behind the cyberattack.

According to the Japan Broadcasting Corporation, police sent papers to prosecutors on a Chinese Communist Party (CCP) member on Tuesday on suspicion of forging digital records related to the cyberattacks.

The Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department said the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, or JAXA, suffered a cyberattack in 2016. The police identified a Chinese man who had leased several servers in Japan that were allegedly used in the attack.

The man, who is no longer in Japan, is said to be a computer engineer in his 30s. He allegedly rented servers five times under false names.

Investigative sources said the servers' ID and other credentials were then passed on to a Chinese hacker group known as "Tick."

Tokyo police suspect that the Chinese People's Liberation Army instructed Tick to stage cyberattacks in Japan. Sources say that about 200 companies and advanced research institutions, including Mitsubishi Electric and Keio University, were targeted.

A JAXA spokesperson told NHK that the space agency did experience unauthorised access, but suffered no data leaks or other damage.

Meanwhile, another Chinese man is also said to have rented several servers in Japan using fake identities. This was allegedly under the instruction of a member of unit 61419 -- a bureau in charge of cyberattacks within China's PLA.

The revelation comes at a time when tensions between China and Japan have escalated amid increased activity by Beijing in the disputed East China Sea.

This comes after Beijing implements a new law that allows the country's quasi-military force to use weapons against foreign ships that China sees as illegally entering its waters.

Last month, Japan said China's coastguard had expanded its presence in the contested waters by entering twice a month and as frequently as twice a week near the Japanese-controlled Senkaku Islands, known by the Chinese as Diaoyu.

Last month, Microsoft, the US company, said a sophisticated group of hackers linked to China has hacked into its popular email service that allowed them to gain access to computers.

The company had said that four vulnerabilities in its software allowed hackers to access servers for Microsoft Exchange, "which enabled access to email accounts, and allowed the installation of additional malware to facilitate long-term access to victim environments," reported CNN.

Last year, in a major breach of security, Australia was hit by a major cyberattack by a "state-based actor".

(With inputs from agencies)

Japan police are investigating cyberattacks on about 200 Japanese companies and research organisations, including the country’s space agency JAXA. Investigators suspect that a group of hackers backed by the Chinese military is behind the cyberattack.

Japan police are investigating cyberattacks on about 200 Japanese companies and research organisations, including the country’s space agency JAXA. Investigators suspect that a group of hackers backed by the Chinese military is behind the cyberattack. According to the Japan Broadcasting Corporation, police sent papers to prosecutors on a Chinese Communist Party (CCP) member on Tuesday on suspicion of forging digital records related to the cyberattacks. The Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department said the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, or JAXA, suffered a cyberattack in 2016. The police identified a Chinese man who had leased several servers in Japan that were allegedly used in the attack. The man, who is no longer in Japan, is said to be a computer engineer in his 30s. He allegedly rented servers five times under false names. Investigative sources said the servers' ID and other credentials were then passed on to a Chinese hacker group known as "Tick." Tokyo police suspect that the Chinese People's Liberation Army instructed Tick to stage cyberattacks in Japan. Sources say that about 200 companies and advanced research institutions, including Mitsubishi Electric and Keio University, were targeted. A JAXA spokesperson told NHK that the space agency did experience unauthorised access, but suffered no data leaks or other damage. Meanwhile, another Chinese man is also said to have rented several servers in Japan using fake identities. This was allegedly under the instruction of a member of unit 61419 -- a bureau in charge of cyberattacks within China's PLA. The revelation comes at a time when tensions between China and Japan have escalated amid increased activity by Beijing in the disputed East China Sea. This comes after Beijing implements a new law that allows the country's quasi-military force to use weapons against foreign ships that China sees as illegally entering its waters. Last month, Japan said China's coastguard had expanded its presence in the contested waters by entering twice a month and as frequently as twice a week near the Japanese-controlled Senkaku Islands, known by the Chinese as Diaoyu. Last month, Microsoft, the US company, said a sophisticated group of hackers linked to China has hacked into its popular email service that allowed them to gain access to computers. The company had said that four vulnerabilities in its software allowed hackers to access servers for Microsoft Exchange, "which enabled access to email accounts, and allowed the installation of additional malware to facilitate long-term access to victim environments," reported CNN. Last year, in a major breach of security, Australia was hit by a major cyberattack by a "state-based actor". (With inputs from agencies)

Chinese military-backed hackers likely behind Japan cyberattacks

A series of cyberattacks is underway aimed at the companies and government organizations that will be distributing coronavirus vaccines around the world, IBM’s cybersecurity division has found, though it is unclear whether the goal is to steal the technology for keeping the vaccines refrigerated in transit or to sabotage the movements.

The findings are alarming enough that the Department of Homeland Security plans to issue its own warning on Thursday to Operation Warp Speed, the Trump administration’s effort to develop and distribute coronavirus vaccines, federal officials said.

Both the IBM researchers and the department’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency said the attacks appear intended to steal the network credentials of corporate executives and officials at global organizations involved in the refrigeration process necessary to protect vaccine doses, or what the industry calls the cold chain.

Josh Corman, a coronavirus strategist at the cybersecurity agency, said in a statement that the IBM report was a reminder of the need for “cybersecurity diligence at each step in the vaccine supply chain.” He urged organizations “involved in vaccine storage and transport to harden attack surfaces, particularly in cold storage operation.”

The cyberattackers “were working to get access to how the vaccine is shipped, stored, kept cold and delivered,” said Nick Rossmann, who heads IBM’s global threat intelligence team. “We think whoever is behind this wanted to be able to understand the entire cold chain process.”

Many of the approaches came in the form of “spear phishing” emails that impersonated an executive at a major Chinese company, Haier Biomedical, which is a legitimate participant in the distribution chain. The email says “we want to place an order with your company,” and includes a draft contract containing malware that would give the attackers access to the network.

Researchers for IBM Security X-Force, the company’s cybersecurity arm, said they believed that the attacks were sophisticated enough that they pointed to a government-sponsored initiative, not a rogue criminal operation aimed purely at monetary gain. But they could not identify which country might be behind them.

Outside experts said they doubted it was China, which has been accused of trying to steal vaccine information from universities, hospitals and medical researchers, because it would be unlike Chinese hackers to impersonate executives at a major Chinese firm.

If they are correct, the lead suspects would be hackers in Russia and North Korea, both of which have also been accused by the United States of conducting attacks to steal information about the process of manufacturing and distributing vaccines. Sometimes it is hard to tell the difference between official hacking operations for the Russian or North Korean governments and those run for private gain.

The motive is also unclear. The attackers may simply be looking to steal technology to move large amounts of vaccine across long distances at extraordinarily low temperatures, which would constitute a classic form of intellectual property theft.

But some cybersecurity experts say they suspect something more nefarious: efforts to interfere with the distribution, or ransomware, in which the vaccines would be essentially held hostage by hackers who have gotten into the system that runs the distribution network and locked it up — and who demand a large payment to unlock it.

“There is no intelligence advantage in spying on a refrigerator,” said James Lewis, who runs the cybersecurity programs at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington. “My suspicion is that they are setting up for a ransomware play. But we won’t know how these stolen credentials will be used until after the vaccine distribution begins.”

The IBM researchers provided an account of their efforts in an interview before the company posted its findings. They said the attackers sent out various requests for price and product information, some purportedly on behalf of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, a public-private partnership that helps provide vaccines to developing countries.

Many of the targets were in Asia, but some were European, including the European Commission’s Directorate General for Taxation and Customs Union. IBM noted that the organization has “direct ties to multiple national government networks,” showing that the attackers had a sophisticated understanding of how to identify targets that could get them into many nations.

But other organizations were also targeted, from Taiwan and South Korea to Germany and Italy. Some were involved in the solar panel-driven cooling systems for the vaccine.

The attackers’ emails were addressed to companies that provide key components of the cold chain process. Those include ice-lined boxes for vaccines and the solar panels that can power refrigerated vaccine containers — an important feature in poor countries where electricity can be scarce.

The researchers said the effort seemed aimed at stealing credentials that could have ultimately led the attackers to a trove of information, including timetables for vaccine distribution, lists of vaccine recipients and where doses are being shipped.

IBM could not determine whether the attacks were successful, the company said. The researchers said the attackers targeted one Gavi program started in 2015, before the advent of the coronavirus, to upgrade cold chain equipment for vaccines in dozen of nations.

UNICEF, which is planning vaccine delivery for poorer countries, appears to have been another target. Najwa Mekki, a spokeswoman for the organization, said the IBM researchers alerted officials to the threat to the cold chain system, and “we notified our supply networks and alerted relevant teams to the need to increase vigilance.”

There is no indication so far that the attackers were aiming at Pfizer or Moderna, whose vaccines are expected to be the first ones approved for emergency use in the United States. A spokeswoman for Pfizer said Wednesday that the company’s cold storage equipment was designed by security-conscious experts and custom-built to match the specific requirements of Pfizer’s vaccine, which must be stored at extremely cold temperatures.

A series of cyberattacks is underway aimed at the companies and government organizations that will be distributing coronavirus vaccines around the world, IBM’s cybersecurity division has found, though it is unclear whether the goal is to steal the technology for keeping the vaccines refrigerated in transit or to sabotage the movements.

A series of cyberattacks is underway aimed at the companies and government organizations that will be distributing coronavirus vaccines around the world, IBM’s cybersecurity division has found, though it is unclear whether the goal is to steal the technology for keeping the vaccines refrigerated in transit or to sabotage the movements. The findings are alarming enough that the Department of Homeland Security plans to issue its own warning on Thursday to Operation Warp Speed, the Trump administration’s effort to develop and distribute coronavirus vaccines, federal officials said. Both the IBM researchers and the department’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency said the attacks appear intended to steal the network credentials of corporate executives and officials at global organizations involved in the refrigeration process necessary to protect vaccine doses, or what the industry calls the cold chain. Josh Corman, a coronavirus strategist at the cybersecurity agency, said in a statement that the IBM report was a reminder of the need for “cybersecurity diligence at each step in the vaccine supply chain.” He urged organizations “involved in vaccine storage and transport to harden attack surfaces, particularly in cold storage operation.” The cyberattackers “were working to get access to how the vaccine is shipped, stored, kept cold and delivered,” said Nick Rossmann, who heads IBM’s global threat intelligence team. “We think whoever is behind this wanted to be able to understand the entire cold chain process.” Many of the approaches came in the form of “spear phishing” emails that impersonated an executive at a major Chinese company, Haier Biomedical, which is a legitimate participant in the distribution chain. The email says “we want to place an order with your company,” and includes a draft contract containing malware that would give the attackers access to the network. Researchers for IBM Security X-Force, the company’s cybersecurity arm, said they believed that the attacks were sophisticated enough that they pointed to a government-sponsored initiative, not a rogue criminal operation aimed purely at monetary gain. But they could not identify which country might be behind them. Outside experts said they doubted it was China, which has been accused of trying to steal vaccine information from universities, hospitals and medical researchers, because it would be unlike Chinese hackers to impersonate executives at a major Chinese firm. If they are correct, the lead suspects would be hackers in Russia and North Korea, both of which have also been accused by the United States of conducting attacks to steal information about the process of manufacturing and distributing vaccines. Sometimes it is hard to tell the difference between official hacking operations for the Russian or North Korean governments and those run for private gain. The motive is also unclear. The attackers may simply be looking to steal technology to move large amounts of vaccine across long distances at extraordinarily low temperatures, which would constitute a classic form of intellectual property theft. But some cybersecurity experts say they suspect something more nefarious: efforts to interfere with the distribution, or ransomware, in which the vaccines would be essentially held hostage by hackers who have gotten into the system that runs the distribution network and locked it up — and who demand a large payment to unlock it. “There is no intelligence advantage in spying on a refrigerator,” said James Lewis, who runs the cybersecurity programs at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington. “My suspicion is that they are setting up for a ransomware play. But we won’t know how these stolen credentials will be used until after the vaccine distribution begins.” The IBM researchers provided an account of their efforts in an interview before the company posted its findings. They said the attackers sent out various requests for price and product information, some purportedly on behalf of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, a public-private partnership that helps provide vaccines to developing countries. Many of the targets were in Asia, but some were European, including the European Commission’s Directorate General for Taxation and Customs Union. IBM noted that the organization has “direct ties to multiple national government networks,” showing that the attackers had a sophisticated understanding of how to identify targets that could get them into many nations. But other organizations were also targeted, from Taiwan and South Korea to Germany and Italy. Some were involved in the solar panel-driven cooling systems for the vaccine. The attackers’ emails were addressed to companies that provide key components of the cold chain process. Those include ice-lined boxes for vaccines and the solar panels that can power refrigerated vaccine containers — an important feature in poor countries where electricity can be scarce. The researchers said the effort seemed aimed at stealing credentials that could have ultimately led the attackers to a trove of information, including timetables for vaccine distribution, lists of vaccine recipients and where doses are being shipped. IBM could not determine whether the attacks were successful, the company said. The researchers said the attackers targeted one Gavi program started in 2015, before the advent of the coronavirus, to upgrade cold chain equipment for vaccines in dozen of nations. UNICEF, which is planning vaccine delivery for poorer countries, appears to have been another target. Najwa Mekki, a spokeswoman for the organization, said the IBM researchers alerted officials to the threat to the cold chain system, and “we notified our supply networks and alerted relevant teams to the need to increase vigilance.” There is no indication so far that the attackers were aiming at Pfizer or Moderna, whose vaccines are expected to be the first ones approved for emergency use in the United States. A spokeswoman for Pfizer said Wednesday that the company’s cold storage equipment was designed by security-conscious experts and custom-built to match the specific requirements of Pfizer’s vaccine, which must be stored at extremely cold temperatures.

Cyberattacks discovered on vaccine distribution operations

Four British athletes have been the victims of cyber attack where their intimate photographs and videos were posted online. This attack has affected hundreds of female sports stars and celebrities.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cybercriminals-target-manchester-uniteds-it-systems-in-sophisticated-hacking-operation-344483">Cybercriminals target Man Utd's IT system in 'sophisticated' hacking operation</a>

The latest attack was on England's female sports stars. One of British athlete had almost 100 private images stolen in the iCloud leak.&nbsp;

These athletes, who have been the victim of this attack, will be taking steps to have the content removed from the dark web.&nbsp;

"It really is difficult to know what to do next," the agent of one victim told The Times. "The people who do this are sick. We have seen some very unpleasant cases, even where people have been blackmailed over [stolen] material."

'But it's not easy to get a grip on the situation and go after them. It can take years to pursue, just to get it taken down from the internet. As a victim you have to decide if you want to go through it.'

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/borussia-dortmund-striker-erling-haaland-2020-golden-boy-award-344705" hreflang="en">Borussia Dortmund striker Erling Haaland 2020 Golden Boy award</a>

According to a spokesman for the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) said: "Accessing and then leaking people's personal data is utterly reprehensible, and we would urge everyone to take steps to secure their online accounts."

"The NCSC recommends people turn on two-factor authentication where it's available. We also recommend a strong password made up of three random words to reduce the likelihood of being hacked, and important accounts should use a unique password. The NCSC's Cyber Aware website has actionable steps to stay secure."

The cybercriminals have targetted iCloud, which is owned by Apple. The tech giant is yet to comment on the issue. This news comes when English club Manchester United confirmed they had been targeted in a cyberattack in what the club described as "a sophisticated operation by organised cyber criminals".

Four British athletes have been the victims of cyber attack where their intimate photographs and videos were posted online. This attack has affected hundreds of female sports stars and celebrities.

Four British athletes have been the victims of cyber attack where their intimate photographs and videos were posted online. This attack has affected hundreds of female sports stars and celebrities. Also read: Cybercriminals target Man Utd's IT system in 'sophisticated' hacking operation The latest attack was on England's female sports stars. One of British athlete had almost 100 private images stolen in the iCloud leak. These athletes, who have been the victim of this attack, will be taking steps to have the content removed from the dark web. "It really is difficult to know what to do next," the agent of one victim told The Times. "The people who do this are sick. We have seen some very unpleasant cases, even where people have been blackmailed over [stolen] material." 'But it's not easy to get a grip on the situation and go after them. It can take years to pursue, just to get it taken down from the internet. As a victim you have to decide if you want to go through it.' Also read: Borussia Dortmund striker Erling Haaland 2020 Golden Boy award According to a spokesman for the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) said: "Accessing and then leaking people's personal data is utterly reprehensible, and we would urge everyone to take steps to secure their online accounts." "The NCSC recommends people turn on two-factor authentication where it's available. We also recommend a strong password made up of three random words to reduce the likelihood of being hacked, and important accounts should use a unique password. The NCSC's Cyber Aware website has actionable steps to stay secure." The cybercriminals have targetted iCloud, which is owned by Apple. The tech giant is yet to comment on the issue. This news comes when English club Manchester United confirmed they had been targeted in a cyberattack in what the club described as "a sophisticated operation by organised cyber criminals".

Private pictures of four female British athletes posted online in widespread cyberattack

Six Russian military intelligence officers have been charged with carrying out cyberattacks on Ukraine's power grid, the 2017 French elections and the 2018 Winter Olympics, the US Justice Department announced on Monday.

The six current or former members of the GRU were also accused of staging a malware attack called "NotPetya" that infected computers of businesses worldwide causing nearly $1 billion in losses.

In addition, they allegedly targeted investigations into the nerve agent poisoning of Russian former double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter and carried out cyberattacks on media outlets and the parliament in Georgia.

Assistant Attorney General John Demers said the six GRU officers were responsible for "the most disruptive and destructive series of computer attacks ever attributed to a single group."

Demers said members of the same GRU unit have been charged previously with seeking to disrupt the 2016 US elections but there were "no election interference allegations" in this indictment.

Six Russian military intelligence officers have been charged with carrying out cyberattacks on Ukraine's power grid, the 2017 French elections and the 2018 Winter Olympics, the US Justice Department announced on Monday.

Six Russian military intelligence officers have been charged with carrying out cyberattacks on Ukraine's power grid, the 2017 French elections and the 2018 Winter Olympics, the US Justice Department announced on Monday. The six current or former members of the GRU were also accused of staging a malware attack called "NotPetya" that infected computers of businesses worldwide causing nearly $1 billion in losses. In addition, they allegedly targeted investigations into the nerve agent poisoning of Russian former double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter and carried out cyberattacks on media outlets and the parliament in Georgia. Assistant Attorney General John Demers said the six GRU officers were responsible for "the most disruptive and destructive series of computer attacks ever attributed to a single group." Demers said members of the same GRU unit have been charged previously with seeking to disrupt the 2016 US elections but there were "no election interference allegations" in this indictment.

US charges six Russian military intelligence officers with cyberattacks

The US charged six current and former members of Russia’s military intelligence agency for allegedly carrying out some of the world’s most destructive hacking attacks from 2015 to 2019.

Your Story: US charges 6 Russian intelligence agents over cyberattacks

The Kremlin on Tuesday dismissed&nbsp;claims by the US and the UK that Russian military intelligence was behind cyber attacks targetting the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo as 'Russophobia'.

The Games were scheduled to take place in July, but were postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Russian intelligence was also accused of hacking Ukraine's power grid, the 2017 French election and the 2018 Winter Olympic Games.

The US Justice Department, which announced the charges against the GRU agents Monday, also said Russian intelligence was behind the "NotPetya" malware attack that infected computers of businesses worldwide, causing nearly $1 billion in losses to three US companies alone.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-charges-six-russian-military-intelligence-officers-with-cyberattacks-336532">Also read |&nbsp;US charges six Russian military intelligence officers with cyberattacks</a>

At the same time, UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab accused Russian military intelligence services of carrying out internet reconnaissance missions against targets linked to the Tokyo Olympics.

President Vladimir Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov described US charges against six Russian intelligence officers as "rampant Russophobia which, of course, have nothing to do with reality."

"The Russian Federation, Russian security services have never undertaken any hacker attacks, especially in connection with the Olympics," Peskov told reporters.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uk-accuses-russia-of-cyberattacks-on-tokyo-2020-olympics-336637">Also read |&nbsp;UK accuses Russia of cyberattacks on Tokyo 2020 Olympics</a>

The Kremlin on Tuesday dismissed claims by the US and the UK that Russian military intelligence was behind cyber attacks targetting the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo as 'Russophobia'.

The Kremlin on Tuesday dismissed claims by the US and the UK that Russian military intelligence was behind cyber attacks targetting the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo as 'Russophobia'. The Games were scheduled to take place in July, but were postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic. Russian intelligence was also accused of hacking Ukraine's power grid, the 2017 French election and the 2018 Winter Olympic Games. The US Justice Department, which announced the charges against the GRU agents Monday, also said Russian intelligence was behind the "NotPetya" malware attack that infected computers of businesses worldwide, causing nearly $1 billion in losses to three US companies alone. Also read | US charges six Russian military intelligence officers with cyberattacks At the same time, UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab accused Russian military intelligence services of carrying out internet reconnaissance missions against targets linked to the Tokyo Olympics. President Vladimir Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov described US charges against six Russian intelligence officers as "rampant Russophobia which, of course, have nothing to do with reality." "The Russian Federation, Russian security services have never undertaken any hacker attacks, especially in connection with the Olympics," Peskov told reporters. Also read | UK accuses Russia of cyberattacks on Tokyo 2020 Olympics

Russia dismisses hacking allegations as 'Russophobia'

The UK has accused Russia of carrying out a series of cyberattacks on the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo -- scheduled to take place in Tokyo in July, 2020 but was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Britain also warned that the postponed Games due to take place next year may also be targetted by Russia.

UK and allied intelligence services discovered that the Russian military intelligence service, GRU, attempted to disguise itself as Chinese and North Korean hackers in “false-flag” operations to disrupt the Games.

The statement by UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab also accused the Russian body of targeting the 2018 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games in South Korea with cyberattacks -- using the malware “Olympic Destroyer”.

The attacks started, according to security officials, in September last year, days before the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) threatened to ban Russian athletes from the Olympics and other major international sporting events.

The UK's National Cyber Security Centre has assessed the attacks and believes they were intended to sabotage the games, as the malware used "was designed to wipe data from and disable computers and networks."

The UK statement comes after major charges were announced in the US on Monday.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-charges-six-russian-military-intelligence-officers-with-cyberattacks-336532">Also read |&nbsp;US charges six Russian military intelligence officers with cyberattacks</a>

Six Russian military intelligence officers have been charged with carrying out cyberattacks on Ukraine's power grid, the 2017 French elections and the 2018 Winter Olympics, the US Justice Department announced on Monday.

To this end, Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato said that Tokyo was in close cooperation with the US and UK on this issue and would not "overlook malicious cyber attacks that could shake the foundations of democracy."

The UK has accused Russia of carrying out a series of cyberattacks on the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo -- scheduled to take place in Tokyo in July, 2020 but was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The UK has accused Russia of carrying out a series of cyberattacks on the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo -- scheduled to take place in Tokyo in July, 2020 but was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic. Britain also warned that the postponed Games due to take place next year may also be targetted by Russia. UK and allied intelligence services discovered that the Russian military intelligence service, GRU, attempted to disguise itself as Chinese and North Korean hackers in “false-flag” operations to disrupt the Games. The statement by UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab also accused the Russian body of targeting the 2018 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games in South Korea with cyberattacks -- using the malware “Olympic Destroyer”. The attacks started, according to security officials, in September last year, days before the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) threatened to ban Russian athletes from the Olympics and other major international sporting events. The UK's National Cyber Security Centre has assessed the attacks and believes they were intended to sabotage the games, as the malware used "was designed to wipe data from and disable computers and networks." The UK statement comes after major charges were announced in the US on Monday. Also read | US charges six Russian military intelligence officers with cyberattacks Six Russian military intelligence officers have been charged with carrying out cyberattacks on Ukraine's power grid, the 2017 French elections and the 2018 Winter Olympics, the US Justice Department announced on Monday. To this end, Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato said that Tokyo was in close cooperation with the US and UK on this issue and would not "overlook malicious cyber attacks that could shake the foundations of democracy."

UK accuses Russia of cyberattacks on Tokyo 2020 Olympics

Norway has accused Russia of launching a cyberattack on the&nbsp;Norwegian parliament in August through which they had targetted the email system of the parliament.

The accusation has been made by&nbsp;the Norwegian foreign minister.&nbsp;“Based on the information available to the government, it is our assessment that Russia stood behind this activity,” Minister of Foreign Affairs Ine Eriksen Soreide said in a statement on Tuesday.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/unacceptable-proposition-says-russia-over-new-nuclear-agreement-with-us-335093">Also read:&nbsp;Unacceptable proposition, says Russia over new nuclear agreement with US</a>

“The fact that we go out with an attribution is a strong signal … from Norwegian authorities,” Soreide added.

Norway had&nbsp;revealed on September 01 that they had sustained an attack on their parliamentary system in the last week of August during which email accounts&nbsp;of several members of the parliament and employees were hacked.

Whle announcing about the attack, Norway had not issued names of any suspects. However, when investigation revealed Russia's involvement, Norway could not accept such attacks on its democratic institutions and had to take the bold step of publically revealing the information.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-and-russia-to-hold-latest-nuclear-arms-talks-in-finland-332528">Also read:&nbsp;US and Russia to hold latest nuclear arms talks in Finland</a>

“We cannot accept that parliament is the subject of such attacks,” Soreide said.

These accusations have been denied by the Russian authorities, as per several reports. However, Russia has not yet officially issued a statement.

The countries share a border in the Arctic and have maintained good relations throughout the years, except for since 2014&nbsp;when the relations became a bit strained due to the&nbsp;the Russian annexation of the Crimean Peninsula.

Norway has accused Russia of launching a cyberattack on the Norwegian parliament in August through which they had targetted the email system of the parliament. The accusation has been made by the Norwegian foreign minister.

Norway has accused Russia of launching a cyberattack on the Norwegian parliament in August through which they had targetted the email system of the parliament. The accusation has been made by the Norwegian foreign minister. “Based on the information available to the government, it is our assessment that Russia stood behind this activity,” Minister of Foreign Affairs Ine Eriksen Soreide said in a statement on Tuesday. Also read: Unacceptable proposition, says Russia over new nuclear agreement with US “The fact that we go out with an attribution is a strong signal … from Norwegian authorities,” Soreide added. Norway had revealed on September 01 that they had sustained an attack on their parliamentary system in the last week of August during which email accounts of several members of the parliament and employees were hacked. Whle announcing about the attack, Norway had not issued names of any suspects. However, when investigation revealed Russia's involvement, Norway could not accept such attacks on its democratic institutions and had to take the bold step of publically revealing the information. Also read: US and Russia to hold latest nuclear arms talks in Finland “We cannot accept that parliament is the subject of such attacks,” Soreide said. These accusations have been denied by the Russian authorities, as per several reports. However, Russia has not yet officially issued a statement. The countries share a border in the Arctic and have maintained good relations throughout the years, except for since 2014 when the relations became a bit strained due to the the Russian annexation of the Crimean Peninsula.

Russia behind cyberattack on parliament: Norway

Iran will retaliate against any country that carries out cyber attacks on its nuclear sites, the head of civilian defence said, after a fire at its Natanz plant which some Iranian officials said may have been caused by cyber sabotage.

The Natanz uranium-enrichment site, much of which is underground, is one of several Iranian facilities monitored by inspectors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the U.N. nuclear watchdog.

Iran`s top security body said on Friday that the cause of the "incident" at the nuclear site had been determined, but "due to security considerations" it would be announced at a convenient time.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/australian-government-boosts-cyber-security-after-state-backed-attacks-309605">Also read:&nbsp;Australian government boosts cyber security after state-backed attacks</a>

Iran`s Atomic Energy Organisation initially reported an "incident" had occurred early on Thursday at Natanz, located in the desert in the central province of Isfahan.

It later published a photo of a one-storey brick building with its roof and walls partly burned. A door hanging off its hinges suggested that there had been an explosion inside the building.

"Responding to cyber attacks is part of the country`s defence might. If it is proven that our country has been targeted by a cyber attack, we will respond," civil defence chief Gholamreza Jalali told state TV late on Thursday.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/australia-sees-china-as-main-suspect-in-state-based-cyberattacks-says-report-307077">Also read:&nbsp;Australia sees China as main suspect in state-based cyberattacks, says report</a>

An article issued on Thursday by state news agency IRNA addressed what it called the possibility of sabotage by enemies such as Israel and the United States, although it stopped short of accusing either directly.

"So far Iran has tried to prevent intensifying crises and the formation of unpredictable conditions and situations," IRNA said. "But the crossing of red lines of the Islamic Republic of Iran by hostile countries, especially the Zionist regime and the U.S., means that strategy...should be revised."

Suspicions

Three Iranian officials who spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity said they believed the fire was the result of a cyber attack, but did not cite any evidence.

One of the officials said the attack had targeted a centrifuge assembly building, referring to the delicate cylindrical machines that enrich uranium, and said Iran`s enemies had carried out similar acts in the past.

Two of the officials said Israel could have been behind the Natanz incident, but offered no evidence.

Asked on Thursday evening about recent incidents reported at strategic Iranian sites, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told reporters: "Clearly we can`t get into that."

The Israeli military and Netanyahu`s office, which oversees Israel`s foreign intelligence service Mossad, did not immediately respond to Reuters queries on Friday.

In 2010, the Stuxnet computer virus, which is widely believed to have been developed by the United States and Israel, was discovered after it was used to attack the Natanz facility.

The IAEA said on Friday the location of the fire did not contain nuclear materials, and that none of its inspectors was present at the time.

"The Agency has been in contact with relevant Iranian authorities to confirm there will be no impact on its safeguards verification activities, which are expected to continue as before," an IAEA statement said, adding that Iran had told it the cause of the fire was not yet known.

Natanz is the centrepiece of Iran`s enrichment programme, which Tehran says is only for peaceful purposes.

Western intelligence agencies and the IAEA believe it had a coordinated, clandestine nuclear arms programme that it halted in 2003.

Tehran denies ever seeking nuclear weapons, saying its atomic programme is only for peaceful purposes.

Iran curbed its nuclear work in exchange for the removal of most global sanctions under an accord reached with six world powers in 2015, but has reduced compliance with the deal`s restrictions since the United States withdrew in 2018.

Iran will retaliate against any country that carries out cyber attacks on its nuclear sites, the head of civilian defence said, after a fire at its Natanz plant which some Iranian officials said may have been caused by cyber sabotage.

Iran will retaliate against any country that carries out cyber attacks on its nuclear sites, the head of civilian defence said, after a fire at its Natanz plant which some Iranian officials said may have been caused by cyber sabotage. The Natanz uranium-enrichment site, much of which is underground, is one of several Iranian facilities monitored by inspectors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the U.N. nuclear watchdog. Iran`s top security body said on Friday that the cause of the "incident" at the nuclear site had been determined, but "due to security considerations" it would be announced at a convenient time. Also read: Australian government boosts cyber security after state-backed attacks Iran`s Atomic Energy Organisation initially reported an "incident" had occurred early on Thursday at Natanz, located in the desert in the central province of Isfahan. It later published a photo of a one-storey brick building with its roof and walls partly burned. A door hanging off its hinges suggested that there had been an explosion inside the building. "Responding to cyber attacks is part of the country`s defence might. If it is proven that our country has been targeted by a cyber attack, we will respond," civil defence chief Gholamreza Jalali told state TV late on Thursday. Also read: Australia sees China as main suspect in state-based cyberattacks, says report An article issued on Thursday by state news agency IRNA addressed what it called the possibility of sabotage by enemies such as Israel and the United States, although it stopped short of accusing either directly. "So far Iran has tried to prevent intensifying crises and the formation of unpredictable conditions and situations," IRNA said. "But the crossing of red lines of the Islamic Republic of Iran by hostile countries, especially the Zionist regime and the U.S., means that strategy...should be revised." Suspicions Three Iranian officials who spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity said they believed the fire was the result of a cyber attack, but did not cite any evidence. One of the officials said the attack had targeted a centrifuge assembly building, referring to the delicate cylindrical machines that enrich uranium, and said Iran`s enemies had carried out similar acts in the past. Two of the officials said Israel could have been behind the Natanz incident, but offered no evidence. Asked on Thursday evening about recent incidents reported at strategic Iranian sites, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told reporters: "Clearly we can`t get into that." The Israeli military and Netanyahu`s office, which oversees Israel`s foreign intelligence service Mossad, did not immediately respond to Reuters queries on Friday. In 2010, the Stuxnet computer virus, which is widely believed to have been developed by the United States and Israel, was discovered after it was used to attack the Natanz facility. The IAEA said on Friday the location of the fire did not contain nuclear materials, and that none of its inspectors was present at the time. "The Agency has been in contact with relevant Iranian authorities to confirm there will be no impact on its safeguards verification activities, which are expected to continue as before," an IAEA statement said, adding that Iran had told it the cause of the fire was not yet known. Natanz is the centrepiece of Iran`s enrichment programme, which Tehran says is only for peaceful purposes. Western intelligence agencies and the IAEA believe it had a coordinated, clandestine nuclear arms programme that it halted in 2003. Tehran denies ever seeking nuclear weapons, saying its atomic programme is only for peaceful purposes. Iran curbed its nuclear work in exchange for the removal of most global sanctions under an accord reached with six world powers in 2015, but has reduced compliance with the deal`s restrictions since the United States withdrew in 2018.

Iran threatens retaliation after what it calls possible cyber attack on nuclear site

North Korea denied on Sunday allegations that it had obtained $2 billion through cyberattacks on banks and cryptocurrency exchanges, and accused the United States for spreading rumours.

North Korea denied on Sunday allegations that it had obtained $2 billion through cyberattacks on banks and cryptocurrency exchanges, and accused the United States for spreading rumours. A United Nations report seen by Reuters last month said North Korea had used "widespread and increasingly sophisticated" cyberattacks to steal from banks and cryptocurrency exchanges, amassing $2 billion which it used to fund weapons of mass destruction programmes. "The United States and other hostile forces are now spreading ill-hearted rumours," North Korea's state-run KCNA news agency reported, citing a statement from the spokesperson for the National Coordination Committee of the DPRK for Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism. "Such a fabrication by the hostile forces is nothing but a sort of a nasty game aimed at tarnishing the image of our Republic and finding justification for sanctions and pressure campaign against the DPRK," the statement said. Washington has made scant progress towards its goal of getting North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons programme, despite three meetings between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. North Korea's vice foreign minister said on Saturday that hopes for talks with Washington were fading, and criticised Mike Pompeo's recent comments about "North Korea's rogue behaviour". Pyongyang has been blamed in recent years for a series of online attacks, mostly on financial networks, in the United States, South Korea and over a dozen other countries, as experts say such cyber activities generate hard currency for the regime. The crux of the allegations against North Korea is its connection to a hacking group called Lazarus that is linked to $81 million cyber heist at the Bangladesh central bank in 2016 and a 2014 attack on Sony's Hollywood studio.

North Korea denies it amassed $2 billion through cyberattacks on banks

The Kremlin on Tuesday said Moscow had been the victim of US cyberattacks "for years" following a New York Times report that Washington is stepping up digital incursions into Russia's power grid.

"We -- I'm talking about several of our financial and media organisations, state institutions and critical infrastructure -- have been under attack for several years," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

The cyberattacks "come from various Western countries, including the US," he added.&nbsp;

Peskov said that President Vladimir Putin had "several times suggested to Washington and his American counterpart to work together in the field of cybersecurity. These suggestions have been rejected by our American colleagues."

The Times at the weekend reported current and former government officials describing the classified deployment of American computer code inside Russia's power grid and other targets.

The action is intended partly as a warning but also to leave the US poised to conduct cyberstrikes in the event of a major conflict with Russia, the newspaper said.&nbsp;

US President Donald Trump reacted with fury to the report, calling it on Twitter a "virtual act of Treason" and rejecting the paper's claims.&nbsp;

The Times report came after an investigation by US special counsel Robert Mueller of alleged hacking by Russia's GRU intelligence agency and social media manipulation by Russia's Internet Research Agency to benefit Trump's election campaign.

The Kremlin on Tuesday said Moscow had been the victim of US cyberattacks "for years" following a New York Times report that Washington is stepping up digital incursions into Russia's power grid.

The Kremlin on Tuesday said Moscow had been the victim of US cyberattacks "for years" following a New York Times report that Washington is stepping up digital incursions into Russia's power grid. "We -- I'm talking about several of our financial and media organisations, state institutions and critical infrastructure -- have been under attack for several years," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. The cyberattacks "come from various Western countries, including the US," he added. Peskov said that President Vladimir Putin had "several times suggested to Washington and his American counterpart to work together in the field of cybersecurity. These suggestions have been rejected by our American colleagues." The Times at the weekend reported current and former government officials describing the classified deployment of American computer code inside Russia's power grid and other targets. The action is intended partly as a warning but also to leave the US poised to conduct cyberstrikes in the event of a major conflict with Russia, the newspaper said. US President Donald Trump reacted with fury to the report, calling it on Twitter a "virtual act of Treason" and rejecting the paper's claims. The Times report came after an investigation by US special counsel Robert Mueller of alleged hacking by Russia's GRU intelligence agency and social media manipulation by Russia's Internet Research Agency to benefit Trump's election campaign.

Russia says victim of US cyberattacks 'for years'

The European Union on Friday adopted powers to punish those outside the bloc who launch cyber attacks that cripple hospitals and banks, sway elections and steal company secrets or funds.

EU ministers meeting in Brussels said the 28-nation group would now, for the first time, be able to impose asset freezes and travel bans on individuals, firms and state bodies implicated in such attacks.

"The Council (of EU countries) established a framework which allows the EU to impose targeted restrictive measures to deter and respond to cyber attacks," it said in a statement.

It said sanctions will be considered if a cyber attack is determined to have had a &nbsp;"significant impact" on its target.

The goal is to bolster the security of EU institutions, firms and individuals against what one diplomat called an increase in the "scale and severity" of cyber attacks globally.

Under the legislation, diplomats said, the 28 EU countries would have to vote unanimously to impose sanctions after meeting a legal threshold of significant impact.

For example, countries would look at the scope and severity of disruption to economic and other activities, essential services, critical state functions, public order or public safety, diplomats said.

They would examine the number of people and EU countries affected and determine how much money, intellectual property and data is stolen.

EU diplomats told reporters it could also cover the hacking of European elections by a third party or country, amid fears that Russia is working to undermine democracy in its western rivals.

They would also study how much the perpetrator has gained through such action.&nbsp;

A Dutch diplomat told reporters that the powers amount to a "big step forward" toward building more secure cyberspace.

"We have seen a seen increase in the scale and severity of cyber attacks globally," an EU diplomat said. "Hostile actors have been threatening EU security."

The new regime "sends a clear message that the EU is willing and able to impose consequences on irresponsible behaviour in cyberspace," he said.

In line with US intelligence assessments, EU officials highlight in particular the threat of disinformation and election hacking from Russia.

European leaders in October had called for a law to impose sanctions against cyber attacks.

The European Union on Friday adopted powers to punish those outside the bloc who launch cyber attacks that cripple hospitals and banks, sway elections and steal company secrets or funds.

The European Union on Friday adopted powers to punish those outside the bloc who launch cyber attacks that cripple hospitals and banks, sway elections and steal company secrets or funds. EU ministers meeting in Brussels said the 28-nation group would now, for the first time, be able to impose asset freezes and travel bans on individuals, firms and state bodies implicated in such attacks. "The Council (of EU countries) established a framework which allows the EU to impose targeted restrictive measures to deter and respond to cyber attacks," it said in a statement. It said sanctions will be considered if a cyber attack is determined to have had a "significant impact" on its target. The goal is to bolster the security of EU institutions, firms and individuals against what one diplomat called an increase in the "scale and severity" of cyber attacks globally. Under the legislation, diplomats said, the 28 EU countries would have to vote unanimously to impose sanctions after meeting a legal threshold of significant impact. For example, countries would look at the scope and severity of disruption to economic and other activities, essential services, critical state functions, public order or public safety, diplomats said. They would examine the number of people and EU countries affected and determine how much money, intellectual property and data is stolen. EU diplomats told reporters it could also cover the hacking of European elections by a third party or country, amid fears that Russia is working to undermine democracy in its western rivals. They would also study how much the perpetrator has gained through such action. A Dutch diplomat told reporters that the powers amount to a "big step forward" toward building more secure cyberspace. "We have seen a seen increase in the scale and severity of cyber attacks globally," an EU diplomat said. "Hostile actors have been threatening EU security." The new regime "sends a clear message that the EU is willing and able to impose consequences on irresponsible behaviour in cyberspace," he said. In line with US intelligence assessments, EU officials highlight in particular the threat of disinformation and election hacking from Russia. European leaders in October had called for a law to impose sanctions against cyber attacks.

European Union adopts powers to respond to cyberattacks

Cyber security experts scrambled Saturday to contain the impact of an unprecedented global cyber-attack that left state agencies and major companies around the world reeling after it forced computer systems to shut down by blocking access to files and demanding ransom money.

The hunt was on for the culprits behind the assault, which was being described as the biggest-ever cyber ransom attack which struck Russia&#39;s banks, British hospitals, FedEx and European car factories.

The attacks used ransomware, which locks users&#39; files unless they pay the attackers a designated sum in the virtual Bitcoin currency. Images appeared on victims&#39; screens demanding payment of $300 (275 euros) in Bitcoin, saying: &quot;Ooops, your files have been &nbsp;encrypted!&quot;

Payment is demanded within three days or the price is doubled, and if none is received within seven days the files will be deleted, according to the screen message.

Europe&#39;s policing agency, the interpol said the attacks were at an &quot;unprecedented level&quot; and will require a complex international investigation to identify the culprits.&quot;

Mikko Hypponen, &nbsp;chief research officer of US cyber security company F-Secure told AFP, the attack was &quot;the biggest 
ransomware outbreak in history&quot;, affecting 130,000 systems in more than 100 countries.

Russia and India were hit particularly hard, largey because tech giant Microsoft&#39;s older Windows XP operating software was still widely used there, Mikko Hypponen said.

Microsoft said the situation was &quot;painful&quot; and that it was taking &quot;all possible actions to protect our customers&quot;.

It issued guidance for people to protect their systems, while taking the &quot;highly unusual step&quot; of providing a security update &quot;for all customers to protect Windows platforms that are in custom support only&quot;, including Windows XP, Windows 8, and Windows Server 2003 operating systems.

In India, computers in 18 police units across police departments of Andhra Pradesh were affected by the global cyber-attack, media reports said. The systems using the Windows operating system were hit. Officials, however, clarified that the day-to-day functioning was not hampered, adding that the police chief&#39;s computer running Apple&#39;s iOS OS was safe.

The districts affected in the southern Indian state included Chittoor, Krishna, Guntur, Visakhatpatnam and Srikakulam.&nbsp;

Ransonware exploits vulnerability in Microsoft Windows

US software firm Symantec said the attack affected systems indiscriminately and the ransomware spread through corporate networks, &quot;without user interaction, by exploiting a known vulnerability in Microsoft Windows&quot;.

The attacks apparently exploited a flaw exposed in documents leaked from the US National Security Agency (NSA).

Laurent Marechal, a cyber security expert at McAfee, said: &quot;We still don&#39;t know if this is worsening or easing. It is too early to tell. We are still in the analysis phase.&quot;

In the United States, package delivery group FedEx acknowledged it had been hit by malware and said it was &quot;implementing remediation steps as quickly as possible.&quot;

Renault stops production at sites in France, Slovenia, Romania

French carmaker Renault was forced to stop production at sites in France, Slovenia and Romania, saying the measure was aimed at stopping the virus from spreading.

Japanese carmaker Nissan&#39;s plant in Sunderland, northeast England, was attacked but production shuts on Saturdays in any case.

Russia&#39;s interior ministry said that some of its computers had been hit by a &quot;virus attack&quot; and that efforts were underway to destroy it.

The country&#39;s central bank said the Russian banking system was attacked, and the railway system also reported attempted breaches. The central bank&#39;s IT attack monitoring centre &quot;detected mass distribution of harmful software&quot; but no &quot;instances of compromise&quot;, it said.

Germany&#39;s Deutsche Bahn computers were also impacted, with the rail operator reporting that station display panels were affected. Some Italian universities were hit.

Cyber security researcher accidentally discovers &#39;kill switch&#39; to prevent spread

On Saturday, a cyber security researcher told AFP he had accidentally discovered a &quot;kill switch&quot; that could prevent the spread of the ransomware.

The researcher, tweeting as @MalwareTechBlog, said registering a domain name used by the malware stops it from spreading, though it cannot help computers already affected.

In a statement, computer security group Kaspersky Labs said it was &quot;trying to determine whether it is possible to decrypt data locked in the attack -- with the aim of developing a decryption tool as soon as possible.&quot;

A hacking group called Shadow Brokers released the malware in April claiming to have discovered the flaw from the NSA, Kaspersky said.

Although Microsoft released a security patch for the flaw earlier this year, many systems have yet to be updated, researchers said.

&quot;Unlike most other attacks, this malware is spreading primarily by direct infection from machine to machine on local networks, rather than purely by email,&quot; said Lance Cottrell, chief scientist at the US technology group Ntrepid.

Some said the attacks highlighted the need for agencies like the NSA to disclose security flaws so they can be patched.

G7 finance ministers meeting in Italy vowed to unite against cyber crime and discuss the matter at the G7 leaders&#39; summit next month.

In Britain, the attack disrupted care at National Health Service facilities, forcing ambulances to divert and hospitals to postpone operations.

Interior minister Amber Rudd chaired a meeting of Britain&#39;s national emergencies committee.

&quot;There will be lessons to learn from what appears to be the biggest criminal cyber attack in history,&quot; she said. &quot;But our immediate priority as a government is to disrupt the attack, restore affected services as soon as possible, and establish 
who was behind it so we can bring them to justice.&quot;

(WION with inputs from AFP) 
&nbsp;

The cyber attacks forced computer systems to shut down by blocking access to files and demanding ransom money

Cyber security experts scrambled Saturday to contain the impact of an unprecedented global cyber-attack that left state agencies and major companies around the world reeling after it forced computer systems to shut down by blocking access to files and demanding ransom money. The hunt was on for the culprits behind the assault, which was being described as the biggest-ever cyber ransom attack which struck Russia's banks, British hospitals, FedEx and European car factories. The attacks used ransomware, which locks users' files unless they pay the attackers a designated sum in the virtual Bitcoin currency. Images appeared on victims' screens demanding payment of $300 (275 euros) in Bitcoin, saying: "Ooops, your files have been encrypted!" Payment is demanded within three days or the price is doubled, and if none is received within seven days the files will be deleted, according to the screen message. Europe's policing agency, the interpol said the attacks were at an "unprecedented level" and will require a complex international investigation to identify the culprits." Mikko Hypponen, chief research officer of US cyber security company F-Secure told AFP, the attack was "the biggest ransomware outbreak in history", affecting 130,000 systems in more than 100 countries. Russia and India were hit particularly hard, largey because tech giant Microsoft's older Windows XP operating software was still widely used there, Mikko Hypponen said. Microsoft said the situation was "painful" and that it was taking "all possible actions to protect our customers". It issued guidance for people to protect their systems, while taking the "highly unusual step" of providing a security update "for all customers to protect Windows platforms that are in custom support only", including Windows XP, Windows 8, and Windows Server 2003 operating systems. In India, computers in 18 police units across police departments of Andhra Pradesh were affected by the global cyber-attack, media reports said. The systems using the Windows operating system were hit. Officials, however, clarified that the day-to-day functioning was not hampered, adding that the police chief's computer running Apple's iOS OS was safe. The districts affected in the southern Indian state included Chittoor, Krishna, Guntur, Visakhatpatnam and Srikakulam. Ransonware exploits vulnerability in Microsoft Windows US software firm Symantec said the attack affected systems indiscriminately and the ransomware spread through corporate networks, "without user interaction, by exploiting a known vulnerability in Microsoft Windows". The attacks apparently exploited a flaw exposed in documents leaked from the US National Security Agency (NSA). Laurent Marechal, a cyber security expert at McAfee, said: "We still don't know if this is worsening or easing. It is too early to tell. We are still in the analysis phase." In the United States, package delivery group FedEx acknowledged it had been hit by malware and said it was "implementing remediation steps as quickly as possible." Renault stops production at sites in France, Slovenia, Romania French carmaker Renault was forced to stop production at sites in France, Slovenia and Romania, saying the measure was aimed at stopping the virus from spreading. Japanese carmaker Nissan's plant in Sunderland, northeast England, was attacked but production shuts on Saturdays in any case. Russia's interior ministry said that some of its computers had been hit by a "virus attack" and that efforts were underway to destroy it. The country's central bank said the Russian banking system was attacked, and the railway system also reported attempted breaches. The central bank's IT attack monitoring centre "detected mass distribution of harmful software" but no "instances of compromise", it said. Germany's Deutsche Bahn computers were also impacted, with the rail operator reporting that station display panels were affected. Some Italian universities were hit. Cyber security researcher accidentally discovers 'kill switch' to prevent spread On Saturday, a cyber security researcher told AFP he had accidentally discovered a "kill switch" that could prevent the spread of the ransomware. The researcher, tweeting as @MalwareTechBlog, said registering a domain name used by the malware stops it from spreading, though it cannot help computers already affected. In a statement, computer security group Kaspersky Labs said it was "trying to determine whether it is possible to decrypt data locked in the attack -- with the aim of developing a decryption tool as soon as possible." A hacking group called Shadow Brokers released the malware in April claiming to have discovered the flaw from the NSA, Kaspersky said. Although Microsoft released a security patch for the flaw earlier this year, many systems have yet to be updated, researchers said. "Unlike most other attacks, this malware is spreading primarily by direct infection from machine to machine on local networks, rather than purely by email," said Lance Cottrell, chief scientist at the US technology group Ntrepid. Some said the attacks highlighted the need for agencies like the NSA to disclose security flaws so they can be patched. G7 finance ministers meeting in Italy vowed to unite against cyber crime and discuss the matter at the G7 leaders' summit next month. In Britain, the attack disrupted care at National Health Service facilities, forcing ambulances to divert and hospitals to postpone operations. Interior minister Amber Rudd chaired a meeting of Britain's national emergencies committee. "There will be lessons to learn from what appears to be the biggest criminal cyber attack in history," she said. "But our immediate priority as a government is to disrupt the attack, restore affected services as soon as possible, and establish who was behind it so we can bring them to justice." (WION with inputs from AFP)

Unprecedented cyberattacks wreak global havoc including in India

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