Japanese crypto-exchange platform Liquid has announced that some of its crypto wallets have been compromised, due to which the exchange has suspended all deposit and withdrawal operations.

They announced this suspension via a tweet that said, "We are sorry to announce that #LiquidGlobal warm wallets were compromised, we are moving assets into the cold wallet.

We are currently investigating and will provide regular updates. In the meantime, deposits and withdrawals will be suspended."

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Important Notice: 
We are sorry to announce that <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LiquidGlobal?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LiquidGlobal</a> warm wallets were compromised, we are moving assets into the cold wallet. 
 
We are currently investigating and will provide regular updates. In the meantime deposits and withdrawals will be suspended.
— Liquid Global Official (@Liquid_Global) <a href="https://twitter.com/Liquid_Global/status/1428176357515612165?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 19, 2021</a></blockquote>
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A cold wallet is kept offline and is more secure, whereas a warm wallet is available online and enables customers to access their crypto-assets instantly.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/expect-us-hacktivist-group-anonymous-targets-elon-musk-over-his-crypto-market-hold-389832">'Expect us': Hacktivist group Anonymous targets Elon Musk over his crypto market hold</a>

This latest attack on Liquid follows a similar attack last month on crypto platform Poly Network, in which over $600m in major cryptocurrencies was stolen.

Elliptic, a blockchain analytics firm, reported that&nbsp;in this latest attack on Liquid, the&nbsp;hacker escaped with cryptocurrencies worth $94 million.&nbsp;This includes $30.9 million in ether, 12.9 million in XRP, $4.8 million in bitcoin, $7.7 million in stablecoins and $37.4 million in other tokens.

Interestingly, the Poly attack hacker&nbsp;returned some of the assets they stole and received a 'bug bounty' from Poly of $478,000 in return. However, Elliptic is concerned, that crypto-related ransom attacks could become more commonplace.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/hackers-return-260-million-to-crypto-platform-poly-network-after-massive-theft-404728">Hackers return $260 million to crypto platform Poly Network after massive theft</a>

This isn't the first time Liquid has been breached; in November 2020, the exchange acknowledged a user data leak.&nbsp;

Japanese crypto-exchange platform Liquid has announced that some of its crypto wallets have been compromised, due to which the exchange has suspended all deposit and withdrawal operations.

Japanese crypto-exchange platform Liquid has announced that some of its crypto wallets have been compromised, due to which the exchange has suspended all deposit and withdrawal operations. They announced this suspension via a tweet that said, "We are sorry to announce that #LiquidGlobal warm wallets were compromised, we are moving assets into the cold wallet. We are currently investigating and will provide regular updates. In the meantime, deposits and withdrawals will be suspended." Important Notice: We are sorry to announce that #LiquidGlobal warm wallets were compromised, we are moving assets into the cold wallet. We are currently investigating and will provide regular updates. In the meantime deposits and withdrawals will be suspended. — Liquid Global Official (@Liquid_Global) August 19, 2021 × A cold wallet is kept offline and is more secure, whereas a warm wallet is available online and enables customers to access their crypto-assets instantly. Also read | 'Expect us': Hacktivist group Anonymous targets Elon Musk over his crypto market hold This latest attack on Liquid follows a similar attack last month on crypto platform Poly Network, in which over $600m in major cryptocurrencies was stolen. Elliptic, a blockchain analytics firm, reported that in this latest attack on Liquid, the hacker escaped with cryptocurrencies worth $94 million. This includes $30.9 million in ether, 12.9 million in XRP, $4.8 million in bitcoin, $7.7 million in stablecoins and $37.4 million in other tokens. Interestingly, the Poly attack hacker returned some of the assets they stole and received a 'bug bounty' from Poly of $478,000 in return. However, Elliptic is concerned, that crypto-related ransom attacks could become more commonplace. Also read | Hackers return $260 million to crypto platform Poly Network after massive theft This isn't the first time Liquid has been breached; in November 2020, the exchange acknowledged a user data leak.

Japanese crypto-exchange 'Liquid' hacked, millions in crypto-currencies stolen

In what is believed to be one of the largest cryptocurrency thefts ever, hackers have returned roughly half of the $600 million they took.

A loophole in Poly Network, a platform that aims to connect multiple blockchains so that they may operate together, was exploited by cybercriminals.

Poly Network informed the hackers of the incident and requested that they communicate with them, encouraging them to return compromised assets.&nbsp;

A blockchain is a digital record that serves as the foundation for numerous cryptocurrencies.Each digital coin has its own blockchain, which is distinct from the rest. 
 
Poly Network promises to be able to connect all of these different blockchains.&nbsp;

Poly Network is a platform for decentralised money.DeFi is a wide word that refers to a range of financial applications based on blockchain technology that aim to eliminate middlemen like brokerages and&nbsp;exchanges. It's known as decentralised. &nbsp;

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— Poly Network (@PolyNetwork2) <a href="https://twitter.com/PolyNetwork2/status/1425123153009803267?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 10, 2021</a></blockquote>
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"There`s so much public attention on this, and exchanges will be on the lookout for customer deposits linked to this theft," Elliptic's Robinson said.

"This demonstrates that even if you can steal cryptoassets, laundering them and cashing out is extremely difficult, due to the transparency of the blockchain and the broad use of blockchain analytics by financial institutions."

The hacker or hackers sent a message with some of the returned coins appearing to ask for donations, Robinson added.

The stolen funds amount to more than the criminal losses registered by the entire DeFi sector from January to July of a record $474 million, according to a report from crypto intelligence company CipherTrace.

Proponents of DeFi say it offers people and businesses free access to financial services, arguing that the technology will cut costs and boost economic activity.

Yet it is mostly unregulated, with technical flaws and weaknesses in the code many platforms use, leaving it vulnerable to hacks and heists.

An executive from Tether - a stablecoin or type of cryptocurrency usually backed by real-world world assets - said on Twitter the company had frozen $33 million connected with the hack, and top management at large crypto exchanges responded to Poly Network saying they would also try to help.

(With inputs from agencies)

In what is believed to be one of the largest cryptocurrency thefts ever, hackers have returned roughly half of the $600 million they took. A loophole in Poly Network, a platform that aims to connect multiple blockchains so that they may operate together, was exploited by cybercriminals.

In what is believed to be one of the largest cryptocurrency thefts ever, hackers have returned roughly half of the $600 million they took. A loophole in Poly Network, a platform that aims to connect multiple blockchains so that they may operate together, was exploited by cybercriminals. Poly Network informed the hackers of the incident and requested that they communicate with them, encouraging them to return compromised assets. A blockchain is a digital record that serves as the foundation for numerous cryptocurrencies.Each digital coin has its own blockchain, which is distinct from the rest. Poly Network promises to be able to connect all of these different blockchains. Poly Network is a platform for decentralised money.DeFi is a wide word that refers to a range of financial applications based on blockchain technology that aim to eliminate middlemen like brokerages and exchanges. It's known as decentralised. pic.twitter.com/Yzw4oDenjC — Poly Network (@PolyNetwork2) August 10, 2021 × "There`s so much public attention on this, and exchanges will be on the lookout for customer deposits linked to this theft," Elliptic's Robinson said. "This demonstrates that even if you can steal cryptoassets, laundering them and cashing out is extremely difficult, due to the transparency of the blockchain and the broad use of blockchain analytics by financial institutions." The hacker or hackers sent a message with some of the returned coins appearing to ask for donations, Robinson added. The stolen funds amount to more than the criminal losses registered by the entire DeFi sector from January to July of a record $474 million, according to a report from crypto intelligence company CipherTrace. Proponents of DeFi say it offers people and businesses free access to financial services, arguing that the technology will cut costs and boost economic activity. Yet it is mostly unregulated, with technical flaws and weaknesses in the code many platforms use, leaving it vulnerable to hacks and heists. An executive from Tether - a stablecoin or type of cryptocurrency usually backed by real-world world assets - said on Twitter the company had frozen $33 million connected with the hack, and top management at large crypto exchanges responded to Poly Network saying they would also try to help. (With inputs from agencies)

Hackers return $260 million to crypto platform Poly Network after massive theft

Hackers have started returning some of the $600 million they stole in what's likely to be one of the biggest cryptocurrency thefts ever. Poly Network had disclosed the attack on Tuesday and urged the hackers to return the assets.

Hackers return $600 million in one of the biggest cryptocurrency thefts ever

The ransomware attack focused on Kaseya, a US information technology corporation, has hit between 800 and 1,500 firms throughout the world, according to its CEO.

In an interview, Fred Voccola, the CEO of the Florida-based company, said it was difficult to determine the actual impact of Friday's attack because those affected were mostly Kaseya clients.&nbsp; 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/hackers-linked-to-russia-reportedly-demand-70-million-from-companies-hit-by-cyberattack-395947">Also read | Hackers linked to Russia reportedly demand $70 million from companies hit by cyberattack</a> 
 
Kaseya is a software firm that provides solutions to IT outsourcing agencies, which often undertake back-office work for businesses that are too small or under-resourced to establish their own IT departments.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

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On Friday, the hacking group broke into Kaseya, an information technology firm based out of Miami. They used the firm’s access to breach some of its clients’ clients. Quickly, a chain reaction was set off which paralysed hundreds of firms worldwide.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/cyberattack-targets-200-businesses-before-independence-day-weekend-395457" hreflang="en">Cyberattack targets 200 businesses before Independence Day weekend</a>

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A Kaseya executive told Reuters that they were aware of the ransom demand, but did not add more. According to cybersecurity firm ESET, at least 12 different countries were affected by the hack.

One known case of this hack’s disruption spilling into the public domain was recorded in Sweden when grocery store chain Coop was forced to shut hundreds of its stores on Saturday after its cash registers were knocked offline after the attack.

The White House on Sunday said that it was reaching out to the victims of the hack in hopes of "providing assistance based upon an assessment of national risk". The intrusion’s impact is still being assessed.

Most organisations that were hit include schools, small public-sector bodies, credit unions, accountants, travel organisations etc, as reported by Reuters.

Last month, REvil attacked the systems of Brazilian meatpacker JBS, whose production was disrupted last month. Most hackers seeking ransom have favoured more focused takedowns against sole high-value targets. JBS claims that it ended up paying $11 million to the hackers.

(With inputs from agencies)

The ransomware attack focused on Kaseya, a US information technology corporation, has hit between 800 and 1,500 firms throughout the world, according to its CEO.

The ransomware attack focused on Kaseya, a US information technology corporation, has hit between 800 and 1,500 firms throughout the world, according to its CEO. In an interview, Fred Voccola, the CEO of the Florida-based company, said it was difficult to determine the actual impact of Friday's attack because those affected were mostly Kaseya clients. Also read | Hackers linked to Russia reportedly demand $70 million from companies hit by cyberattack Kaseya is a software firm that provides solutions to IT outsourcing agencies, which often undertake back-office work for businesses that are too small or under-resourced to establish their own IT departments. On Friday, the hacking group broke into Kaseya, an information technology firm based out of Miami. They used the firm’s access to breach some of its clients’ clients. Quickly, a chain reaction was set off which paralysed hundreds of firms worldwide. Also read: Cyberattack targets 200 businesses before Independence Day weekend Also read: Pubg Battlegrounds Mobile India officially launched for Android A Kaseya executive told Reuters that they were aware of the ransom demand, but did not add more. According to cybersecurity firm ESET, at least 12 different countries were affected by the hack. One known case of this hack’s disruption spilling into the public domain was recorded in Sweden when grocery store chain Coop was forced to shut hundreds of its stores on Saturday after its cash registers were knocked offline after the attack. The White House on Sunday said that it was reaching out to the victims of the hack in hopes of "providing assistance based upon an assessment of national risk". The intrusion’s impact is still being assessed. Most organisations that were hit include schools, small public-sector bodies, credit unions, accountants, travel organisations etc, as reported by Reuters. Last month, REvil attacked the systems of Brazilian meatpacker JBS, whose production was disrupted last month. Most hackers seeking ransom have favoured more focused takedowns against sole high-value targets. JBS claims that it ended up paying $11 million to the hackers. (With inputs from agencies)

Globally, 1,500 businesses affected by ransomware attacks using Kaseya software

Hackers behind the mass attack which affected hundreds of companies on Friday have reportedly demanded $70 million to restore the data, according to a dark web posting.

Currently, the hacker groups is holding the data ransom and the demand was posted on a blog commonly used by REvil, a cybercrime gang linked to Russia.

REvil gang is considered one of the world’s most prolific extortionists. According to Reuters, the gang runs on an affiliate structure, which makes it difficult for analysts to decipher who represents the group.

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According to Allan Liska from a&nbsp;cybersecurity firm called Recorded Future, the message “almost certainly” emerged from REvil.&nbsp;

On Friday, the hacking group broke into Kaseya, an information technology firm based out of Miami. They used the firm’s access to breach some of its clients’ clients. Quickly, a chain reaction was set off which paralysed hundreds of firms worldwide.

A Kaseya executive told Reuters that they were aware of the ransom demand, but did not add more. According to cybersecurity firm ESET, at least 12 different countries were affected by the hack.

One known case of this hack’s disruption spilling into the public domain was recorded in Sweden when grocery store chain Coop was forced to shut hundreds of its stories on Saturday after its cash registers were knocked offline after the attack.

The White House on Sunday said that it was reaching out the victims of the hack in hopes of “providing assistance based upon an assessment of national risk”. The intrusion’s impact is still being assessed.

Most organisations that were hit include schools, small public-sector bodies, credit unions, accountants, travel organisations etc, as reported by Reuters.

Last month, REvil attacked the systems of Brazilian meatpacker JBS, whose production was disrupted last month. Most hackers seeking ransom have favoured more focused takedowns against sole high-value targets. JBS claims that it ended up paying $11 million to the hackers.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/cyberattack-targets-200-businesses-before-independence-day-weekend-395457" hreflang="en">Cyberattack targets 200 businesses before Independence Day weekend</a>

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/pubg-battlegrounds-mobile-india-officially-launched-for-android-395353" hreflang="en">Pubg Battlegrounds Mobile India officially launched for Android</a>

Hackers behind the mass attack which affected hundreds of companies on Friday have reportedly demanded $70 million to restore the data, according to a dark web posting.

Hackers behind the mass attack which affected hundreds of companies on Friday have reportedly demanded $70 million to restore the data, according to a dark web posting. Currently, the hacker groups is holding the data ransom and the demand was posted on a blog commonly used by REvil, a cybercrime gang linked to Russia. REvil gang is considered one of the world’s most prolific extortionists. According to Reuters, the gang runs on an affiliate structure, which makes it difficult for analysts to decipher who represents the group. According to Allan Liska from a cybersecurity firm called Recorded Future, the message “almost certainly” emerged from REvil. On Friday, the hacking group broke into Kaseya, an information technology firm based out of Miami. They used the firm’s access to breach some of its clients’ clients. Quickly, a chain reaction was set off which paralysed hundreds of firms worldwide. A Kaseya executive told Reuters that they were aware of the ransom demand, but did not add more. According to cybersecurity firm ESET, at least 12 different countries were affected by the hack. One known case of this hack’s disruption spilling into the public domain was recorded in Sweden when grocery store chain Coop was forced to shut hundreds of its stories on Saturday after its cash registers were knocked offline after the attack. The White House on Sunday said that it was reaching out the victims of the hack in hopes of “providing assistance based upon an assessment of national risk”. The intrusion’s impact is still being assessed. Most organisations that were hit include schools, small public-sector bodies, credit unions, accountants, travel organisations etc, as reported by Reuters. Last month, REvil attacked the systems of Brazilian meatpacker JBS, whose production was disrupted last month. Most hackers seeking ransom have favoured more focused takedowns against sole high-value targets. JBS claims that it ended up paying $11 million to the hackers. Also read: Cyberattack targets 200 businesses before Independence Day weekend Also read: Pubg Battlegrounds Mobile India officially launched for Android

Hackers linked to Russia reportedly demand $70 million from companies hit by cyberattack

Today's wars are fought in cyberspace rather than on the battlefield. Malware serves as ammunition, hackers and cybersecurity specialists serve as soldiers, and the battle is for data.&nbsp;

According to the latest research from an American cybersecurity firm, a Chinese state-backed hacker group is targeting Indian defence research and other Indian organisations. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/massive-online-outages-in-recent-internet-history-392336">Also read | Massive online outages in recent internet history</a> 
&nbsp; 
On Thursday, Recorded Future, the world's largest provider of enterprise security intelligence, disclosed cyber espionage activity linked to a suspected Chinese state-sponsored threat activity organisation known as RedFoxtrot. This was revealed by&nbsp;Recorded Future's threat research subsidiary Insikt Group.&nbsp;

RedFoxtrot has been active in India since 2014, primarily targeting aerospace and defence, government, telecommunications, mining, and research firms. 
 
Watch | Gravitas: Chinese hackers are 'actively targeting' an Indian Port

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Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan are the other nations, all of its operations fall under the operational remit of PLA Unit 69010.&nbsp;

Recorded Future`s large-scale, automated network traffic analytics and expert analysis detected intrusions targeting sectors across bordering Asian countries.

RedFoxtrot activity overlaps with threat groups tracked by other security vendors such as Temp. Trident and Nomad Panda.

It is assessed with high confidence that RedFoxtrot is a Chinese state-sponsored threat activity group based on identified links to a specific PLA unit and the use of shared custom capabilities considered unique to Chinese cyberespionage groups.

"The recent activity of the People`s Liberation Army has largely been a black box for the intelligence community. Being able to provide this rare end-to-end glimpse into PLA activity and Chinese military tactics and motivations provides invaluable insight into the global threat landscape. The persistent and pervasive monitoring and collection of intelligence is crucial in order to disrupt adversaries and inform an organization or government`s security posture", said Christopher Ahlberg, CEO and Co-Founder, Recorded Future.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Today's wars are fought in cyberspace rather than on the battlefield. Malware serves as ammunition, hackers and cybersecurity specialists serve as soldiers, and the battle is for data.

Today's wars are fought in cyberspace rather than on the battlefield. Malware serves as ammunition, hackers and cybersecurity specialists serve as soldiers, and the battle is for data. According to the latest research from an American cybersecurity firm, a Chinese state-backed hacker group is targeting Indian defence research and other Indian organisations. Also read | Massive online outages in recent internet history On Thursday, Recorded Future, the world's largest provider of enterprise security intelligence, disclosed cyber espionage activity linked to a suspected Chinese state-sponsored threat activity organisation known as RedFoxtrot. This was revealed by Recorded Future's threat research subsidiary Insikt Group. RedFoxtrot has been active in India since 2014, primarily targeting aerospace and defence, government, telecommunications, mining, and research firms. Watch | Gravitas: Chinese hackers are 'actively targeting' an Indian Port Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan are the other nations, all of its operations fall under the operational remit of PLA Unit 69010. Recorded Future`s large-scale, automated network traffic analytics and expert analysis detected intrusions targeting sectors across bordering Asian countries. RedFoxtrot activity overlaps with threat groups tracked by other security vendors such as Temp. Trident and Nomad Panda. It is assessed with high confidence that RedFoxtrot is a Chinese state-sponsored threat activity group based on identified links to a specific PLA unit and the use of shared custom capabilities considered unique to Chinese cyberespionage groups. "The recent activity of the People`s Liberation Army has largely been a black box for the intelligence community. Being able to provide this rare end-to-end glimpse into PLA activity and Chinese military tactics and motivations provides invaluable insight into the global threat landscape. The persistent and pervasive monitoring and collection of intelligence is crucial in order to disrupt adversaries and inform an organization or government`s security posture", said Christopher Ahlberg, CEO and Co-Founder, Recorded Future. (With inputs from agencies)

Chinese cyber threat: Dragon is targeting Indian telecom and defence

The White House says it believes US government agencies largely fended off the latest cyberespionage onslaught blamed on Russian intelligence operatives, saying the spear-phishing campaign should not further damage relations with Moscow ahead of next month's planned presidential summit.&nbsp;

Officials downplayed the cyber assault as 'basic phishing' in which hackers used malware-laden emails to target the computer systems of US and foreign government agencies, think tanks and humanitarian groups. Microsoft, which disclosed the effort on Friday, said it believed most of the e-mails were blocked by automated systems that marked them as spam.&nbsp;

As of Friday, the company said it was "not seeing evidence of any significant number of compromised organisations at this time?”&nbsp;

Even so, the revelation of a new spy campaign so close to the June 16 summit between President Joe Biden and Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin adds to the urgency of White House efforts to confront the Kremlin over aggressive cyber activity that criminal indictments and diplomatic sanctions have done little to deter.&nbsp;

"I don't think it'll create a new point of tension because the point of tension is already so big," said James Lewis, a senior vice president at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.&nbsp;

"This clearly has to be on the summit agenda. The president has to lay down some markers ‘to make clear’ that the days when you people could do whatever you want are over."&nbsp;

The summit comes amid simmering tensions driven in part by election interference by Moscow and by a massive breach of US government agencies and private corporations by Russian elite cyber spies, who infected the software supply chain with malicious code. The US responded with sanctions last month, prompting the Kremlin to warn of retribution.&nbsp;

Asked on Friday whether the latest hacking effort would affect the Biden-Putin summit, principal deputy press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said, "We're going to move forward with that."&nbsp;

The US, which has previously called out Russia or criminal groups based there for hacking operations, did not blame anyone for the latest incident.&nbsp;

In this case, hackers gained access to an email marketing account of the US Agency for International Development, and masquerading as the government body, targeted about 3,000 email accounts at more than 150 different organizations. At least a quarter of them involved in international development, humanitarian and human rights work, Microsoft Vice President Tom Burt said in a blog post late on Thursday.&nbsp;

The company did not say what portion of the attempts may have led to successful intrusions but said in a separate technical blog post that most were blocked by automated systems that marked them as spam. The White House said even if an email eluded those systems, a user would still have to click on the link to activate the malicious payload.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

The White House says it believes US government agencies largely fended off the latest cyberespionage onslaught blamed on Russian intelligence operatives, saying the spear-phishing campaign should not further damage relations with Moscow ahead of next month's planned presidential summit.

The White House says it believes US government agencies largely fended off the latest cyberespionage onslaught blamed on Russian intelligence operatives, saying the spear-phishing campaign should not further damage relations with Moscow ahead of next month's planned presidential summit. Officials downplayed the cyber assault as 'basic phishing' in which hackers used malware-laden emails to target the computer systems of US and foreign government agencies, think tanks and humanitarian groups. Microsoft, which disclosed the effort on Friday, said it believed most of the e-mails were blocked by automated systems that marked them as spam. As of Friday, the company said it was "not seeing evidence of any significant number of compromised organisations at this time?” Even so, the revelation of a new spy campaign so close to the June 16 summit between President Joe Biden and Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin adds to the urgency of White House efforts to confront the Kremlin over aggressive cyber activity that criminal indictments and diplomatic sanctions have done little to deter. "I don't think it'll create a new point of tension because the point of tension is already so big," said James Lewis, a senior vice president at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. "This clearly has to be on the summit agenda. The president has to lay down some markers ‘to make clear’ that the days when you people could do whatever you want are over." The summit comes amid simmering tensions driven in part by election interference by Moscow and by a massive breach of US government agencies and private corporations by Russian elite cyber spies, who infected the software supply chain with malicious code. The US responded with sanctions last month, prompting the Kremlin to warn of retribution. Asked on Friday whether the latest hacking effort would affect the Biden-Putin summit, principal deputy press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said, "We're going to move forward with that." The US, which has previously called out Russia or criminal groups based there for hacking operations, did not blame anyone for the latest incident. In this case, hackers gained access to an email marketing account of the US Agency for International Development, and masquerading as the government body, targeted about 3,000 email accounts at more than 150 different organizations. At least a quarter of them involved in international development, humanitarian and human rights work, Microsoft Vice President Tom Burt said in a blog post late on Thursday. The company did not say what portion of the attempts may have led to successful intrusions but said in a separate technical blog post that most were blocked by automated systems that marked them as spam. The White House said even if an email eluded those systems, a user would still have to click on the link to activate the malicious payload. (With inputs from agencies)

US says agencies largely fended off latest Russian hack 

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency of United States has confirmed that several federal agencies were compromised by a threat actor last year through vulnerabilities found in virtual private networking software made by Pulse Connect Secure.

Ivanti, the parent company of the Pulse Connect Secure product line, said in a security update that they are working with CISA, FireEye, and Stroz Friedberg to investigate and respond to the exploit. In addition, the company is offering a tool for customers to use to test their appliances. Customers can also reach out to Ivanti for testing help and support.

Ivanti Inc said in a statement the hackers took advantage of the flaw in its Pulse Connect Secure suite to break into the systems of "a very limited number of customers."

Ivanti said that while mitigations were in place, a fix for the issue would be unavailable until early May.

Ivanti provided no detail about who might be responsible for the espionage campaign but, in a report timed to Ivanti's announcement, cybersecurity company FireEye Inc said it suspected that at least one of the hacking groups operates on behalf of the Chinese government.

"The other one we suspect is aligned with China-based initiatives and collections," said Charles Carmakal, a senior vice president of Mandiant, an arm of Fireye, ahead of the report's release.

Tying hackers to a specific country are fraught with uncertainty, but Carmakal said his analysts' judgment was based on a review of the hackers' tactics, tools, infrastructure and targets - many of which echoed past China-linked intrusions.

Chinese Embassy spokesperson Liu Pengyu said China "firmly opposes and cracks down on all forms of cyberattacks," describing FireEye's allegations as "irresponsible and ill-intentioned."

FireEye declined to name the hackers' targets, identifying them only as "defence, government, and financial organizations around the world." It said the group of hackers suspected of working on Beijing's behalf were particularly focused on the U.S. defence industry.

In a statement, the cyber arm of the Department of Homeland Security said it was working with Ivanti "to better understand the vulnerability in Pulse Secure VPN devices and mitigate potential risks to federal civilian and private sector networks."

The US National Security Agency declined to comment. U.S. officials have repeatedly accused Chinese hackers of stealing American military secrets over the years through various means.

Lately, networking devices, which can be hard for companies to monitor, have emerged as a favoured avenue for digital spies.

In 2020 FireEye warned that Beijing-aligned hackers were targeting devices manufactured by Citrix Systems Inc and Cisco Systems Inc to break into a host of companies in what it described as one of the broadest campaigns by a Chinese actor that it had seen in years.

The timing of the latest series of hacks was not made explicit, although FireEye's report said it investigated them "early this year."

Carmakal added that the hackers were operating from U.S. digital infrastructure and borrowing the naming conventions of their victims to camouflage their activity so they would look like any other employee logging in from home.

"We are seeing pretty advanced tradecraft," he said.

(With inputs from agencies)

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency of United States has confirmed that several federal agencies were compromised by a threat actor last year through vulnerabilities found in virtual private networking software made by Pulse Connect Secure.

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency of United States has confirmed that several federal agencies were compromised by a threat actor last year through vulnerabilities found in virtual private networking software made by Pulse Connect Secure. Ivanti, the parent company of the Pulse Connect Secure product line, said in a security update that they are working with CISA, FireEye, and Stroz Friedberg to investigate and respond to the exploit. In addition, the company is offering a tool for customers to use to test their appliances. Customers can also reach out to Ivanti for testing help and support. Ivanti Inc said in a statement the hackers took advantage of the flaw in its Pulse Connect Secure suite to break into the systems of "a very limited number of customers." Ivanti said that while mitigations were in place, a fix for the issue would be unavailable until early May. Ivanti provided no detail about who might be responsible for the espionage campaign but, in a report timed to Ivanti's announcement, cybersecurity company FireEye Inc said it suspected that at least one of the hacking groups operates on behalf of the Chinese government. "The other one we suspect is aligned with China-based initiatives and collections," said Charles Carmakal, a senior vice president of Mandiant, an arm of Fireye, ahead of the report's release. Tying hackers to a specific country are fraught with uncertainty, but Carmakal said his analysts' judgment was based on a review of the hackers' tactics, tools, infrastructure and targets - many of which echoed past China-linked intrusions. Chinese Embassy spokesperson Liu Pengyu said China "firmly opposes and cracks down on all forms of cyberattacks," describing FireEye's allegations as "irresponsible and ill-intentioned." FireEye declined to name the hackers' targets, identifying them only as "defence, government, and financial organizations around the world." It said the group of hackers suspected of working on Beijing's behalf were particularly focused on the U.S. defence industry. In a statement, the cyber arm of the Department of Homeland Security said it was working with Ivanti "to better understand the vulnerability in Pulse Secure VPN devices and mitigate potential risks to federal civilian and private sector networks." The US National Security Agency declined to comment. U.S. officials have repeatedly accused Chinese hackers of stealing American military secrets over the years through various means. Lately, networking devices, which can be hard for companies to monitor, have emerged as a favoured avenue for digital spies. In 2020 FireEye warned that Beijing-aligned hackers were targeting devices manufactured by Citrix Systems Inc and Cisco Systems Inc to break into a host of companies in what it described as one of the broadest campaigns by a Chinese actor that it had seen in years. The timing of the latest series of hacks was not made explicit, although FireEye's report said it investigated them "early this year." Carmakal added that the hackers were operating from U.S. digital infrastructure and borrowing the naming conventions of their victims to camouflage their activity so they would look like any other employee logging in from home. "We are seeing pretty advanced tradecraft," he said. (With inputs from agencies)

China-linked hackers used software flaws to target US federal 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.

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 US court has authorised Federal Bureau of Investigation to directly investigate backdoors into hundreds of Microsoft Exchange email servers across the US. Four months ago, hackers had used vulnerabilities in the server&nbsp;to attack multiple networks.

As part of this move, the FBI will be allowed to copy and remove backdoors, as announced by the Justice Department on Tuesday, TechCrunch first reported.

Microsoft had discovered a new hacking group from China in March called “Hafnium” which targeted Exchange servers on company networks. Clubbed together, the four vulnerabilities allowed hackers to get access to a vulnerable Exchange server and successfully steal its contents.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/putins-chef-urges-fbi-to-remove-his-name-from-wanted-list-of-criminals-372814" hreflang="en">'Putin's chef' urges FBI to remove his name from wanted list of criminals</a>

Even though Microsoft claimed that the vulnerabilities were patched, but the patches from backdoors did not close. After the loopholes became public, multiple hacking groups began capitalising on servers and installing ransomware.

According to a Justice Department statement, hundreds of Microsoft Exchange servers continue to remain vulnerable as backdoors remain difficult to identify and to get rid of.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/fbi-releases-new-footage-of-washington-pipe-bomb-suspect-369262" hreflang="en">FBI releases new footage of Washington pipe bomb suspect</a>

The FBI is attempting to inform owners of servers via email after removal of backdoors. According to the Justice Department, the operation only removed the backdoors, but failed to fix the loopholes in place. In addition, the malware installed by hackers has not been removed. This marks the first FBI intervening in private networks after a cyberattack.&nbsp;

A US court has authorised Federal Bureau of Investigation to directly investigate backdoors into hundreds of Microsoft Exchange email servers across the US. Four months ago, hackers had used vulnerabilities in the server to attack multiple networks.

A US court has authorised Federal Bureau of Investigation to directly investigate backdoors into hundreds of Microsoft Exchange email servers across the US. Four months ago, hackers had used vulnerabilities in the server to attack multiple networks. As part of this move, the FBI will be allowed to copy and remove backdoors, as announced by the Justice Department on Tuesday, TechCrunch first reported. Microsoft had discovered a new hacking group from China in March called “Hafnium” which targeted Exchange servers on company networks. Clubbed together, the four vulnerabilities allowed hackers to get access to a vulnerable Exchange server and successfully steal its contents. Also read: 'Putin's chef' urges FBI to remove his name from wanted list of criminals Even though Microsoft claimed that the vulnerabilities were patched, but the patches from backdoors did not close. After the loopholes became public, multiple hacking groups began capitalising on servers and installing ransomware. According to a Justice Department statement, hundreds of Microsoft Exchange servers continue to remain vulnerable as backdoors remain difficult to identify and to get rid of. Also read: FBI releases new footage of Washington pipe bomb suspect The FBI is attempting to inform owners of servers via email after removal of backdoors. According to the Justice Department, the operation only removed the backdoors, but failed to fix the loopholes in place. In addition, the malware installed by hackers has not been removed. This marks the first FBI intervening in private networks after a cyberattack.

FBI to remove backdoors from hacked Microsoft Exchange servers, in a first for federal agency

A new attack is affecting SMS messaging with the users never finding out. The attack, uncovered by Motherboard, uses text-messaging management services to redirect messages to hackers from the user.

These services are&nbsp;used by businesses, but now hackers are capitalising on the service’s loopholes. The service essentially provides the hackers access to everything in your texts, ranging from two-factor authentication codes, login links, and one-time passwords that are usually delivered via SMS.

As if that was not enough to scare users, the hackers can also respond to messages on your behalf without you even finding out.

It is common for companies to not tell the user that their messages are being redirected to someone else. And the worst part of it all? Anybody can deploy the attack, and it costs less than $16, as uncovered by a Motherboard reporter, Joseph Cox, who was able to successfully hack his own phone using the exploits already in place within the industry.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/just-111-facebook-users-spread-half-of-covid-vaccine-doubts-370729" hreflang="en">Just 111 Facebook users spread half of Covid vaccine doubts&nbsp;</a>

Not many companies are doing anything, or worse - lack awareness about the loophole which allows such attacks to continue unabated.

It’s not the attack which could compromise one’s data, but the content of our private SMSs - a service now largely used just for authentication purposes, as users have moved on to app-based messaging like WhatsApp and Telegram.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/twitter-users-experiencing-bizarre-bug-banning-users-for-mentioning-memphis-370619" hreflang="en">Twitter users experiencing bizarre bug banning users for mentioning 'Memphis'</a>

SMSing has become largely obsolete for private conversations, but could still be exploited to access important links, for companies still using SMSs to send password reset links - ranging from banks to social media companies. In addition, many also send login links on SMS.

The attacker can easily click on these links to change passwords of your important accounts and services. Easiest way to avoid being hacked? Stop using SMS services for anything security-related.

A new attack is affecting SMS messaging with the users never finding out. The attack, uncovered by Motherboard, uses text-messaging management services to redirect messages to hackers from the user.

A new attack is affecting SMS messaging with the users never finding out. The attack, uncovered by Motherboard, uses text-messaging management services to redirect messages to hackers from the user. These services are used by businesses, but now hackers are capitalising on the service’s loopholes. The service essentially provides the hackers access to everything in your texts, ranging from two-factor authentication codes, login links, and one-time passwords that are usually delivered via SMS. As if that was not enough to scare users, the hackers can also respond to messages on your behalf without you even finding out. It is common for companies to not tell the user that their messages are being redirected to someone else. And the worst part of it all? Anybody can deploy the attack, and it costs less than $16, as uncovered by a Motherboard reporter, Joseph Cox, who was able to successfully hack his own phone using the exploits already in place within the industry. Also read: Just 111 Facebook users spread half of Covid vaccine doubts Not many companies are doing anything, or worse - lack awareness about the loophole which allows such attacks to continue unabated. It’s not the attack which could compromise one’s data, but the content of our private SMSs - a service now largely used just for authentication purposes, as users have moved on to app-based messaging like WhatsApp and Telegram. Also read: Twitter users experiencing bizarre bug banning users for mentioning 'Memphis' SMSing has become largely obsolete for private conversations, but could still be exploited to access important links, for companies still using SMSs to send password reset links - ranging from banks to social media companies. In addition, many also send login links on SMS. The attacker can easily click on these links to change passwords of your important accounts and services. Easiest way to avoid being hacked? Stop using SMS services for anything security-related.

Telecom companies may be redirecting your SMSs to hackers for less than $16!

At least 10 different hacking groups are using recently discovered flaws in Microsoft Corp`s mail server software to break in to targets around the world, cybersecurity company ESET said in a blog post on Wednesday.

The breadth of the exploitation adds to the urgency of the warnings being issued by authorities in the United States and Europe about the weaknesses found in Microsoft`s Exchange software.

The security holes in the widely used mail and calendaring solution leave the door open to industrial-scale cyber espionage, allowing malicious actors to steal emails virtually at will from vulnerable servers or move elsewhere in the network. Tens of thousands of organizations have already been compromised, Reuters reported last week, and new victims are being made public daily.

Earlier on Wednesday, for example, Norway`s parliament announced data had been "extracted" in a breach linked to the Microsoft flaws. Germany`s cybersecurity watchdog agency also said on Wednesday two federal authorities had been affected by the hack, although it declined to identify them.

While Microsoft has issued fixes, the sluggish pace of many customers` updates - which experts attribute in part to the complexity of Exchange`s architecture - means the field remains at least partially open to hackers of all stripes. The patches do not remove any back door access that has already been left on the machines.

In addition, some of the back doors left on compromised machines have passwords that are easily guessed, so that newcomers can take them over.

Microsoft declined comment on the pace of customers` updates. In previous announcements pertaining to the flaws, the company has emphasized the importance of "patching all affected systems immediately."

Although the hacking has appeared to be focused on cyber espionage, experts are concerned about the prospect of ransom-seeking cybercriminals taking advantage of the flaws because it could lead to widespread disruption.

ESET`s blog post said there were already signs of cybercriminal exploitation, with one group that specializes in stealing computer resources to mine cryptocurrency breaking in to previously vulnerable Exchange servers to spread its malicious software.

ESET named nine other espionage-focused groups it said were taking advantage of the flaws to break in to targeted networks - several of which other researchers have tied to China. Microsoft has blamed the hack on China. The Chinese government denies any role.

Intriguingly, several of the groups appeared to know about the vulnerability before it was announced by Microsoft on March 2.

Ben Read, a director with cybersecurity company FireEye Inc , said he could not confirm the exact details in the ESET post but said his company had also seen "multiple likely-China groups" using the Microsoft flaws in different waves.

ESET researcher Matthieu Faou said in an email it was "very uncommon" for so many different cyber espionage groups to have access to the same information before it is made public.

He speculated that either the information "somehow leaked" ahead of the Microsoft announcement or it was found by a third party that supplies vulnerability information to cyber spies.

Taiwan-based researchers reported to Microsoft on Jan. 5 that they had found two new flaws which need patching. Those two were among those that began being used by the attackers shortly before or after the friendly report.

They said were investigating whether there had been a theft or leak on their side, since exploitation was discovered in the wild the same week later. So far, the group called Devcore said, they had found no evidence.

Top-flight hackers are also commonly targeted by other hackers. Just this week, Microsoft patched one of the flaws used by suspected North Koreans in attempts to steal information from Western researchers.

But simultaneous discovery happens fairly often, in part because researchers use the same or similar tools to hunt for serious flaws, and many eyes are looking at the same high-value targets.

"It is very likely that some actor groups may have being using these vulnerabilities and led to the result of the attacks being observed by other information security vendors," Devcore member Bowen Hsu told Reuters.

But the security industry has been abuzz with other theories, including a hack of Microsoft`s systems for tracking bugs, which has happened in the past.

At least 10 different hacking groups are using recently discovered flaws in Microsoft Corp`s mail server software to break in to targets around the world, cybersecurity company ESET said in a blog post on Wednesday.

At least 10 different hacking groups are using recently discovered flaws in Microsoft Corp`s mail server software to break in to targets around the world, cybersecurity company ESET said in a blog post on Wednesday. The breadth of the exploitation adds to the urgency of the warnings being issued by authorities in the United States and Europe about the weaknesses found in Microsoft`s Exchange software. The security holes in the widely used mail and calendaring solution leave the door open to industrial-scale cyber espionage, allowing malicious actors to steal emails virtually at will from vulnerable servers or move elsewhere in the network. Tens of thousands of organizations have already been compromised, Reuters reported last week, and new victims are being made public daily. Earlier on Wednesday, for example, Norway`s parliament announced data had been "extracted" in a breach linked to the Microsoft flaws. Germany`s cybersecurity watchdog agency also said on Wednesday two federal authorities had been affected by the hack, although it declined to identify them. While Microsoft has issued fixes, the sluggish pace of many customers` updates - which experts attribute in part to the complexity of Exchange`s architecture - means the field remains at least partially open to hackers of all stripes. The patches do not remove any back door access that has already been left on the machines. In addition, some of the back doors left on compromised machines have passwords that are easily guessed, so that newcomers can take them over. Microsoft declined comment on the pace of customers` updates. In previous announcements pertaining to the flaws, the company has emphasized the importance of "patching all affected systems immediately." Although the hacking has appeared to be focused on cyber espionage, experts are concerned about the prospect of ransom-seeking cybercriminals taking advantage of the flaws because it could lead to widespread disruption. ESET`s blog post said there were already signs of cybercriminal exploitation, with one group that specializes in stealing computer resources to mine cryptocurrency breaking in to previously vulnerable Exchange servers to spread its malicious software. ESET named nine other espionage-focused groups it said were taking advantage of the flaws to break in to targeted networks - several of which other researchers have tied to China. Microsoft has blamed the hack on China. The Chinese government denies any role. Intriguingly, several of the groups appeared to know about the vulnerability before it was announced by Microsoft on March 2. Ben Read, a director with cybersecurity company FireEye Inc , said he could not confirm the exact details in the ESET post but said his company had also seen "multiple likely-China groups" using the Microsoft flaws in different waves. ESET researcher Matthieu Faou said in an email it was "very uncommon" for so many different cyber espionage groups to have access to the same information before it is made public. He speculated that either the information "somehow leaked" ahead of the Microsoft announcement or it was found by a third party that supplies vulnerability information to cyber spies. Taiwan-based researchers reported to Microsoft on Jan. 5 that they had found two new flaws which need patching. Those two were among those that began being used by the attackers shortly before or after the friendly report. They said were investigating whether there had been a theft or leak on their side, since exploitation was discovered in the wild the same week later. So far, the group called Devcore said, they had found no evidence. Top-flight hackers are also commonly targeted by other hackers. Just this week, Microsoft patched one of the flaws used by suspected North Koreans in attempts to steal information from Western researchers. But simultaneous discovery happens fairly often, in part because researchers use the same or similar tools to hunt for serious flaws, and many eyes are looking at the same high-value targets. "It is very likely that some actor groups may have being using these vulnerabilities and led to the result of the attacks being observed by other information security vendors," Devcore member Bowen Hsu told Reuters. But the security industry has been abuzz with other theories, including a hack of Microsoft`s systems for tracking bugs, which has happened in the past.

At least 10 hacking groups using Microsoft software flaw

Microsoft on Tuesday said that a cyber espionage group linked to China has been exploiting newly found flaws in the company's mail server software.

On Tuesday, the company claimed that the hacking group infiltrated the email inboxes. Microsoft claimed in a blog post that hackers took advantage of vulnerabilities that were previously unknown. Reportedly, four vulnerabilities were found in Microsoft's email software. The group which hacked the company is being referred to as HAFNIUM, which Microsoft claims is linked to China. 
 
In another post, Volexity - a cybersecurity firm - claimed that it observed hackers using one of the four software loopholes to steal "full contents of several user mailboxes". The hackers only required details of an exchange&nbsp;server, and information about the account they intended to hack.

Over the years, many countries including the United States have accused China of overseeing cyber espionage activities, something Chinese authorities continue to deny.&nbsp; Even before Microsoft officially acknowledged the hack, the activities of hackers had begun to garner attention from analysts in the cybersecurity community.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/solarwinds-hack-was-work-of-more-than-1000-engineers-microsoft-365845" hreflang="en">SolarWinds hack was work of more than 1,000 engineers: Microsoft</a>

Mike McLellan, the director of intelligence for Dell Technologies Inc's Secureworks, was cited by Reuters as saying that they witnessed a spike in activity on Exchange servers over Sunday. Even at that firm, 10 customers have been affected. According to McLellan, hacking activity had gone up with focus on seeding malicious software, which could also highlight potential intrusions that could infect Microsoft's networks.

"We haven't seen any follow-on activity yet," he said.&nbsp; "We're going to find a lot of companies affected but a smaller number of companies actually exploited", Reuters quoted him as saying.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/us-intel-agencies-say-russia-likely-behind-hacking-of-govt-agencies-354752" hreflang="en">US intel agencies say Russia likely behind hacking of govt agencies</a>

According to Microsoft, the targets of the Chinese hackers included researchers for infectious diseases, education institutions, defense contractors, policy think tanks, and NGOs. 
&nbsp;

Microsoft on Tuesday said that a cyber espionage group linked to China has been exploiting newly found flaws in the company's mail server software. On Tuesday, the company claimed that the hacking group infiltrated the email inboxes.

Microsoft on Tuesday said that a cyber espionage group linked to China has been exploiting newly found flaws in the company's mail server software. On Tuesday, the company claimed that the hacking group infiltrated the email inboxes. Microsoft claimed in a blog post that hackers took advantage of vulnerabilities that were previously unknown. Reportedly, four vulnerabilities were found in Microsoft's email software. The group which hacked the company is being referred to as HAFNIUM, which Microsoft claims is linked to China. In another post, Volexity - a cybersecurity firm - claimed that it observed hackers using one of the four software loopholes to steal "full contents of several user mailboxes". The hackers only required details of an exchange server, and information about the account they intended to hack. Over the years, many countries including the United States have accused China of overseeing cyber espionage activities, something Chinese authorities continue to deny. Even before Microsoft officially acknowledged the hack, the activities of hackers had begun to garner attention from analysts in the cybersecurity community. Also read: SolarWinds hack was work of more than 1,000 engineers: Microsoft Mike McLellan, the director of intelligence for Dell Technologies Inc's Secureworks, was cited by Reuters as saying that they witnessed a spike in activity on Exchange servers over Sunday. Even at that firm, 10 customers have been affected. According to McLellan, hacking activity had gone up with focus on seeding malicious software, which could also highlight potential intrusions that could infect Microsoft's networks. "We haven't seen any follow-on activity yet," he said. "We're going to find a lot of companies affected but a smaller number of companies actually exploited", Reuters quoted him as saying. Also read: US intel agencies say Russia likely behind hacking of govt agencies According to Microsoft, the targets of the Chinese hackers included researchers for infectious diseases, education institutions, defense contractors, policy think tanks, and NGOs.

Hackers linked to China attack Microsoft's email server, exploit new vulnerabilities

From India's power grid to vaccine makers, Chinese hackers are allegedly targeting critical Indian infrastructure and assets, according to reports.&nbsp;

Two reports hint at potential cyber warfare by China but no breach has been detected by India till now. &nbsp;

India's power ministry said on Monday, it suffered no data breach or loss while no breach has been reported by the vaccine makers too. But the prospect of a cyber-attack from Chinese territory looks real.&nbsp;

The first attempt was allegedly made last year when Chinese troops hadn't de-escalated. In a study, Recorded Future, an US cybersecurity company, has found that while the Indian and Chinese soldiers remained locked in an eyeball-to-eyeball conflict, Chinese hackers launched a cyber campaign against India's power grid, according to this report.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-is-china-engaging-in-cyber-warfare-against-india-367262">WATCH |</a>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-is-china-engaging-in-cyber-warfare-against-india-367262/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Chinese malware entered control systems that manage the supply of electricity across India. A high-voltage transmission substation was also targeted alongside a coal-fired thermal power plant. Perhaps, the biggest claim is around a power outage that happened in Mumbai last year in October 2020. There was a widespread power outage in Mumbai. It lasted several hours, disrupted train services and threw life out of gear. Was China behind the blackout in Mumbai?&nbsp;

According to Recorded Future, this remains unsubstantiated but there is evidence to suggest that there was a coordinated effort to target Indian load dispatch centres. These centres reportedly serve as a link between power generation and transmission to consumers.&nbsp;

Recorded Future shared its findings with the Indian government. India's power ministry said in its statement on Monday, there wasn't any impact in functionality. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Along with this, news agency Reuters says Chinese hackers backed by the state targeted two Indian vaccine makers, Bharat Biotech and the Serum Institute of India, whose shots are being used for India's coronavirus vaccine programme. Cyber intelligence firm Cyfirma has come out with this finding.&nbsp;

Chinese hacking group 'Apt10' is said to be behind this. It is also known as 'Stone Panda'. It identified gaps and vulnerabilities in two areas i.e. IT infrastructure of the vaccine makers and their supply chain software.&nbsp;

The purpose behind the hack according to experts was quite clear. They wanted to steal intellectual property. This could possibly mean the recipe to make the vaccines. Reportedly, Apt10 was actively targeting the Serum Institute of India, which has the license to produce the Oxford vaccine. The same shot is being used in India and supplied around the world under commercial contracts or grants.&nbsp;

Leading tech giants and their apps were banned by India after the clashes at Galwan but if these claims are indeed true. They are a proof of how China is weaponising its tech know-how and how it is conducting cyber warfare.&nbsp;

From India's power grid to vaccine makers, Chinese hackers are allegedly targeting critical Indian infrastructure and assets, according to reports. Two reports hint at potential cyber warfare by China but no breach has been detected by India till now.

From India's power grid to vaccine makers, Chinese hackers are allegedly targeting critical Indian infrastructure and assets, according to reports. Two reports hint at potential cyber warfare by China but no breach has been detected by India till now. India's power ministry said on Monday, it suffered no data breach or loss while no breach has been reported by the vaccine makers too. But the prospect of a cyber-attack from Chinese territory looks real. The first attempt was allegedly made last year when Chinese troops hadn't de-escalated. In a study, Recorded Future, an US cybersecurity company, has found that while the Indian and Chinese soldiers remained locked in an eyeball-to-eyeball conflict, Chinese hackers launched a cyber campaign against India's power grid, according to this report. WATCH | Chinese malware entered control systems that manage the supply of electricity across India. A high-voltage transmission substation was also targeted alongside a coal-fired thermal power plant. Perhaps, the biggest claim is around a power outage that happened in Mumbai last year in October 2020. There was a widespread power outage in Mumbai. It lasted several hours, disrupted train services and threw life out of gear. Was China behind the blackout in Mumbai? According to Recorded Future, this remains unsubstantiated but there is evidence to suggest that there was a coordinated effort to target Indian load dispatch centres. These centres reportedly serve as a link between power generation and transmission to consumers. Recorded Future shared its findings with the Indian government. India's power ministry said in its statement on Monday, there wasn't any impact in functionality. Along with this, news agency Reuters says Chinese hackers backed by the state targeted two Indian vaccine makers, Bharat Biotech and the Serum Institute of India, whose shots are being used for India's coronavirus vaccine programme. Cyber intelligence firm Cyfirma has come out with this finding. Chinese hacking group 'Apt10' is said to be behind this. It is also known as 'Stone Panda'. It identified gaps and vulnerabilities in two areas i.e. IT infrastructure of the vaccine makers and their supply chain software. The purpose behind the hack according to experts was quite clear. They wanted to steal intellectual property. This could possibly mean the recipe to make the vaccines. Reportedly, Apt10 was actively targeting the Serum Institute of India, which has the license to produce the Oxford vaccine. The same shot is being used in India and supplied around the world under commercial contracts or grants. Leading tech giants and their apps were banned by India after the clashes at Galwan but if these claims are indeed true. They are a proof of how China is weaponising its tech know-how and how it is conducting cyber warfare.

Chinese hackers target critical Indian infrastructure 

The Federal Bureau of Investigation on Wednesday said pranksters are hijacking weakly-secured smart devices to live-stream swatting incidents.

The&nbsp;domestic intelligence and security service of the United States issued a statement saying&nbsp;"Recently, offenders have been using victims' smart devices, including video and audio capable home surveillance devices, to carry out swatting attacks.''

FBI authorities state pranksters are assuming control over gadgets on which proprietors made records yet reused accreditations that previously leaked online during data breaches at other companies.

Pranksters then place calls to law enforcement and report a fake crime at the victims' residence.

"As law authorization reacts to the home, the wrongdoer watches the live stream film and draws in with the reacting police through the camera and speakers," the FBI said.&nbsp;

"At times, the wrongdoer additionally live streams the occurrence on shared online network stages."&nbsp;

These kinds of episodes, called smacking, have expanded across the US as of late and have even brought about individuals' demises through unplanned shootings.&nbsp;

The originally known instances of a smacking episode being live-streamed online go back to the mid-2010s. The distinction between the thing the FBI is announcing now and those underlying occurrences is that gadgets weren't being hacked.&nbsp;

Clowns would distinguish get-togethers that were being streamed on the web and would organize the occasion to be smacked, for example, weddings, church gatherings, and that's just the beginning.&nbsp;

A considerable lot of these smacking calls are being put through online administrations that give unknown calling abilities -, for example, Discord bots and dull web administrations.&nbsp;

To balance with this new rising hack&amp;swat cases, authority authorities said they are currently working with gadget sellers to prompt clients on how they could choose better passwords for their gadgets.&nbsp;

Moreover, the FBI said it's likewise attempting to alarm law requirement specialists on the call about this new swatting variation, so they may respond accordingly.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation on Wednesday said pranksters are hijacking weakly-secured smart devices to live-stream swatting incidents. The domestic intelligence and security service of the United States issued a statement saying "Recently, offenders have been using victims' smart devices, including video and audio capable home surveillance devices, to carry out swatting attacks.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation on Wednesday said pranksters are hijacking weakly-secured smart devices to live-stream swatting incidents. The domestic intelligence and security service of the United States issued a statement saying "Recently, offenders have been using victims' smart devices, including video and audio capable home surveillance devices, to carry out swatting attacks.'' FBI authorities state pranksters are assuming control over gadgets on which proprietors made records yet reused accreditations that previously leaked online during data breaches at other companies. Pranksters then place calls to law enforcement and report a fake crime at the victims' residence. "As law authorization reacts to the home, the wrongdoer watches the live stream film and draws in with the reacting police through the camera and speakers," the FBI said. "At times, the wrongdoer additionally live streams the occurrence on shared online network stages." These kinds of episodes, called smacking, have expanded across the US as of late and have even brought about individuals' demises through unplanned shootings. The originally known instances of a smacking episode being live-streamed online go back to the mid-2010s. The distinction between the thing the FBI is announcing now and those underlying occurrences is that gadgets weren't being hacked. Clowns would distinguish get-togethers that were being streamed on the web and would organize the occasion to be smacked, for example, weddings, church gatherings, and that's just the beginning. A considerable lot of these smacking calls are being put through online administrations that give unknown calling abilities -, for example, Discord bots and dull web administrations. To balance with this new rising hack&swat cases, authority authorities said they are currently working with gadget sellers to prompt clients on how they could choose better passwords for their gadgets. Moreover, the FBI said it's likewise attempting to alarm law requirement specialists on the call about this new swatting variation, so they may respond accordingly.

Pranksters are hijacking smart devices to live-stream swatting, says FBI

Hackers believed to be working for Russia have been monitoring internal email traffic at the U.S. Treasury and Commerce departments, according to people familiar with the matter, adding they feared the hacks uncovered so far may be the tip of the iceberg.

Suspected Russian hackers spied on US Treasury emails

A Google hacker, who finally acquired some success in weaponising the iPhone's remote network to gain access to the device, took six months to tell the world. The attack could not only read the contents of the phone, but also snoop through the camera and mic.

Ian Beer, a member of Google’s Project Zero hacking team, revealed on Monday that iPhones and other Apple devices could be remotely hijacked and turned into surveillance tools until May. He said Apple later patched the vulnerability.

Beer was able to remotely hijack the iPhone using the iPhone’s Apple Wireless Direct Link, and was able to read messages, page through photos, download data, and even watch and listen to the user by activating the phone’s microphone and camera from a distance.

In a video to demonstrate the attack, Beer hacked an iPhone 11 Pro in another room, stealing the most recently-taken photo on the device.

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The weaknesses were patched by Apple earlier this year, but this is the first time Google has demonstrated how the attacks would work on unpatched iPhones.

Apple’s sketchy record on privacy has put the company in the hot seat again over the last few weeks. Such experiments, notably, are not currently being carried out on Android phones.

A Google hacker, who finally acquired some success in weaponising the iPhone's remote network to gain access to the device, took six months to tell the world. The attack could not only read the contents of the phone, but also snoop through the camera and mic.

A Google hacker, who finally acquired some success in weaponising the iPhone's remote network to gain access to the device, took six months to tell the world. The attack could not only read the contents of the phone, but also snoop through the camera and mic. Ian Beer, a member of Google’s Project Zero hacking team, revealed on Monday that iPhones and other Apple devices could be remotely hijacked and turned into surveillance tools until May. He said Apple later patched the vulnerability. Beer was able to remotely hijack the iPhone using the iPhone’s Apple Wireless Direct Link, and was able to read messages, page through photos, download data, and even watch and listen to the user by activating the phone’s microphone and camera from a distance. In a video to demonstrate the attack, Beer hacked an iPhone 11 Pro in another room, stealing the most recently-taken photo on the device. × The weaknesses were patched by Apple earlier this year, but this is the first time Google has demonstrated how the attacks would work on unpatched iPhones. Apple’s sketchy record on privacy has put the company in the hot seat again over the last few weeks. Such experiments, notably, are not currently being carried out on Android phones.

Someone hacked the iPhone. But waited 6 months to tell the world

The US Treasury has said that facilitating ransomware payments to sanctioned hackers may be illegal. It signaled a crackdown on the fast-growing market for consultants who help organizations pay off cybercriminals.

US Treasury: Ransoms to hackers may be illegal

Almost 10 universities in the United Kingdom, the United States of America and Canada have been hit by a malware in their cloud computing provider, Blackbaud.

Blackbaud is one of the largest providers of&nbsp;education administration, fundraising, and financial management software in the world.

The hackers focused on information about&nbsp;students and/or alumni. Sensitive information such as&nbsp;phone numbers, donation history and events attended were stolen. However, payment details such as credit card numbers were not exposed, according to BBC.

Mails asking for donation for the universities were sent out to alumni. However, in few of the cases, the threat was extended to&nbsp;staff, existing students and other supporters.

The company, Blackbaud, is being criticised for the way the whole whole situation&nbsp;as handled in their end. The hackers targeted the company in May, but the universities were informed in July.

"In May of 2020, we discovered and stopped a ransomware attack. Prior to our locking the cyber-criminal out, the cyber-criminal removed a copy of a subset of data from our self-hosted environment," Blackbaud said in a statement on their website.

It was further criticised for paying off the hackers ransom amount that has not been disclosed, without talking to the universities or the authorities.&nbsp;Blackbaud claims that paying off the ransom helped them get a&nbsp;"confirmation that the copy [of data] they removed had been destroyed".

While this is not illegal, the universities have not appreciated this step as they claim to have been kept in the dark about this whole situation.

Blackbaud has also claimed that majority of its customers were not affected. However, it has declined to give a complete list of affected universities, claiming that it wants to respect the privacy of its customers.

As of now the aconfirmed list of affected universities is:&nbsp;University of York, Oxford Brookes University, Loughborough University, University of Leeds, University of London, University of Reading, University College&nbsp;(Oxford), Ambrose University in Alberta (Canada), Human Rights Watch Young Minds, Rhode Island School of Design in the US and the University of Exeter.

The universities have now sent out an email apologising to the students and the alumni who were affected by the hacking activity.

"My main concern is how reassuring - impossibly so, in my opinion - Blackbaud were to the university about what the hackers have obtained," commented Rhys Morgan, a cyber-security specialist and former student at Oxford Brookes University, whose data was involved.

"They told my university that there is 'no reason to believe that the stolen data was or will be misused'. I can't feel reassured by this at all. How can they possibly know what the attackers will do with that information?"

"I doubt that my university has many details that aren't pretty easily available, but I am more concerned about giving in to the blackmail and blithely accepting the word of the blackmailer that all the data has now been destroyed," Matthew Scott, one of the recipients who received the email&nbsp;told the BBC.

After the whole situation was revealed to the universities,&nbsp;Leeds University said, in a statement: "We want to reassure our alumni that, since being informed by Blackbaud of this incident, we have been working tirelessly to investigate what has happened, in order to accurately inform those affected. No action is required by our alumni community at this time, although, as ever, we recommend that everyone remains vigilant."

Blackbaud will have to participate in investigations for the UK and Canada data authorities&nbsp;as the concernned authorities were informed last weekend, which is weeks after the company noticed the breach in the systems.

UK's Information Commissioner's Office [ICO] said, "Blackbaud has reported an incident affecting multiple data controllers to the ICO. We will be making enquiries to both Blackbaud and the respective controllers, and encourage all affected controllers to evaluate whether they need to report the incident to the ICO individually."

Almost 10 universities in the United Kingdom, the United States of America and Canada have been hit by a malware in their cloud computing provider, Blackbaud. Blackbaud is one of the largest providers of education administration, fundraising, and financial management software in the world.

Almost 10 universities in the United Kingdom, the United States of America and Canada have been hit by a malware in their cloud computing provider, Blackbaud. Blackbaud is one of the largest providers of education administration, fundraising, and financial management software in the world. The hackers focused on information about students and/or alumni. Sensitive information such as phone numbers, donation history and events attended were stolen. However, payment details such as credit card numbers were not exposed, according to BBC. Mails asking for donation for the universities were sent out to alumni. However, in few of the cases, the threat was extended to staff, existing students and other supporters. The company, Blackbaud, is being criticised for the way the whole whole situation as handled in their end. The hackers targeted the company in May, but the universities were informed in July. "In May of 2020, we discovered and stopped a ransomware attack. Prior to our locking the cyber-criminal out, the cyber-criminal removed a copy of a subset of data from our self-hosted environment," Blackbaud said in a statement on their website. It was further criticised for paying off the hackers ransom amount that has not been disclosed, without talking to the universities or the authorities. Blackbaud claims that paying off the ransom helped them get a "confirmation that the copy [of data] they removed had been destroyed". While this is not illegal, the universities have not appreciated this step as they claim to have been kept in the dark about this whole situation. Blackbaud has also claimed that majority of its customers were not affected. However, it has declined to give a complete list of affected universities, claiming that it wants to respect the privacy of its customers. As of now the aconfirmed list of affected universities is: University of York, Oxford Brookes University, Loughborough University, University of Leeds, University of London, University of Reading, University College (Oxford), Ambrose University in Alberta (Canada), Human Rights Watch Young Minds, Rhode Island School of Design in the US and the University of Exeter. The universities have now sent out an email apologising to the students and the alumni who were affected by the hacking activity. "My main concern is how reassuring - impossibly so, in my opinion - Blackbaud were to the university about what the hackers have obtained," commented Rhys Morgan, a cyber-security specialist and former student at Oxford Brookes University, whose data was involved. "They told my university that there is 'no reason to believe that the stolen data was or will be misused'. I can't feel reassured by this at all. How can they possibly know what the attackers will do with that information?" "I doubt that my university has many details that aren't pretty easily available, but I am more concerned about giving in to the blackmail and blithely accepting the word of the blackmailer that all the data has now been destroyed," Matthew Scott, one of the recipients who received the email told the BBC. After the whole situation was revealed to the universities, Leeds University said, in a statement: "We want to reassure our alumni that, since being informed by Blackbaud of this incident, we have been working tirelessly to investigate what has happened, in order to accurately inform those affected. No action is required by our alumni community at this time, although, as ever, we recommend that everyone remains vigilant." Blackbaud will have to participate in investigations for the UK and Canada data authorities as the concernned authorities were informed last weekend, which is weeks after the company noticed the breach in the systems. UK's Information Commissioner's Office [ICO] said, "Blackbaud has reported an incident affecting multiple data controllers to the ICO. We will be making enquiries to both Blackbaud and the respective controllers, and encourage all affected controllers to evaluate whether they need to report the incident to the ICO individually."

Several universities in UK, US and Canada hit by malware attack; data lost

Hackers and activists have once again taken to protests but this time after the brutal death of George Floyd due to police brutality. An online collective group by the name of 'Anonymous' has surged once again as protests are spreading across US.

Who are the 'Anonymous' and what have they done so far?

Kaspersky recently discovered two new Android malware modifications that are capable of stealing cookies that are stored by the internet browser and social media applications. Consequentially, the attacker can then control the victim's social media accounts without the user ever finding out. 
&nbsp; 
Websites use cookies to primarily deliver a personalised experience to users. This is achieved by tracking the user's activity online. However, if this information lands in the possession of a hacker, it automatically becomes a security risk.

The hackers, once they have the requisite information, can use the unique session ID which is generated by cookies to bypass the need to login into a portal.

If the user ID is compromised, attackers can easily assume the identity of the user and trick websites and applications. Through this, they can take control of the accounts. This is the model that allows sensitive information to be shared by hackers. The two new Trojans responsible for this can then leak any information.

The make-up of one of the Trojans allows it to acquire ''root rights'' which essentially allows the cookies to be transferred from Facebook or any other social media website to the servers of the hackers.

<h6><img alt="p" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="ec79d5a0-e91d-4d8b-8a53-44b1686377b1" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%281%29_102.jpg" /> 
Image courtesy: AFP 
&nbsp;</h6>

However, it's not that simple to gain control of someone's account, for some websites have measures in place that disallow suspicious log-in attempts.

This can be bypassed through the second Trojan, which runs as an app on the victim's device and circumvents security measures to gain access to personal data without the user finding out. In essence, the attacker then assumes the identity of the user and then may be able to use the personal accounts of people to post whatever they please.

There's no clarity on why attackers want access to the social media accounts of random users. However, as reported by TechRadar, these accounts may be used to launch spam and phishing attacks across social media.

Igor Golovin, a malware analyst at Kaspersky, suggested that this threat is expected to grow.

“By combining two attacks, the cookie thieves discovered a way to gain control over their victims’ accounts without arousing suspicions. While this is a relatively new threat, so far, only about 1000 individuals have been targeted, that number is growing and will most likely continue to do so, particularly since it’s so hard for websites to detect. Even though we typically don’t pay attention to cookies when we’re surfing the web, they’re still another means of processing our personal information, and anytime data about us is collected online, we need to pay attention”, Golovin said.

<h6><img alt="-" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="2bb64d9e-2f0d-4704-bfcb-019c89859330" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%282%29_83.jpg" /> 
Image courtesy: AFP 
&nbsp;</h6>

Earlier in January, Kaspersky had also reported the existence of a malware app called Shopper, which was primarily used to improve the ratings of shopping apps across platforms. The app was able to spread advertisements and install apps without requiring the consent of the user. This particular malware affected almost 15 per cent, Indian users.

Golovin highlighted the security gap embedded into the mechanism of cookies, and how it continues to leave millions of users and their data vulnerable.

The Data Security Council of India (DSCI) reported that India registers the second-highest cyberattacks in the world during the period between 2016-18.

Kaspersky recently discovered two new Android malware modifications that are capable of stealing cookies that are stored by the internet browser and social media applications.

Kaspersky recently discovered two new Android malware modifications that are capable of stealing cookies that are stored by the internet browser and social media applications. Consequentially, the attacker can then control the victim's social media accounts without the user ever finding out. Websites use cookies to primarily deliver a personalised experience to users. This is achieved by tracking the user's activity online. However, if this information lands in the possession of a hacker, it automatically becomes a security risk. The hackers, once they have the requisite information, can use the unique session ID which is generated by cookies to bypass the need to login into a portal. If the user ID is compromised, attackers can easily assume the identity of the user and trick websites and applications. Through this, they can take control of the accounts. This is the model that allows sensitive information to be shared by hackers. The two new Trojans responsible for this can then leak any information. The make-up of one of the Trojans allows it to acquire ''root rights'' which essentially allows the cookies to be transferred from Facebook or any other social media website to the servers of the hackers. Image courtesy: AFP However, it's not that simple to gain control of someone's account, for some websites have measures in place that disallow suspicious log-in attempts. This can be bypassed through the second Trojan, which runs as an app on the victim's device and circumvents security measures to gain access to personal data without the user finding out. In essence, the attacker then assumes the identity of the user and then may be able to use the personal accounts of people to post whatever they please. There's no clarity on why attackers want access to the social media accounts of random users. However, as reported by TechRadar, these accounts may be used to launch spam and phishing attacks across social media. Igor Golovin, a malware analyst at Kaspersky, suggested that this threat is expected to grow. “By combining two attacks, the cookie thieves discovered a way to gain control over their victims’ accounts without arousing suspicions. While this is a relatively new threat, so far, only about 1000 individuals have been targeted, that number is growing and will most likely continue to do so, particularly since it’s so hard for websites to detect. Even though we typically don’t pay attention to cookies when we’re surfing the web, they’re still another means of processing our personal information, and anytime data about us is collected online, we need to pay attention”, Golovin said. Image courtesy: AFP Earlier in January, Kaspersky had also reported the existence of a malware app called Shopper, which was primarily used to improve the ratings of shopping apps across platforms. The app was able to spread advertisements and install apps without requiring the consent of the user. This particular malware affected almost 15 per cent, Indian users. Golovin highlighted the security gap embedded into the mechanism of cookies, and how it continues to leave millions of users and their data vulnerable. The Data Security Council of India (DSCI) reported that India registers the second-highest cyberattacks in the world during the period between 2016-18.

Combination of Android malware may compromise user's social media accounts

Coronavirus, after sending shock waves in China, is now causing an alarming situation in many countries, including Italy, Iran, South Korea and the United States. And hackers are taking a considerable advantage of this pandemic by targetting not just individuals, but industries of hospitality, insurance, transport and manufacturing, among others.&nbsp;

A look at the tricks used by hackers globally to cash in on COVID-19 fears.&nbsp;

1. Fake maps

Since people are seeking constant information of the pandemic, hackers are sharing fake maps illustrating the spread of the novel virus. Once a user opens this map, their system gets infected by the malware. Hackers are spreading malicious websites which contain coronavirus maps that seem authentic, as per findings from cybersecurity firm Reason Labs, reported Tech Radar.&nbsp;

Once people open these malicious websites, the malware steals data, including banking information.&nbsp;

2. Spreading misinformation by quoting official channels

A group of Chinese hackers, dubbed Vicious Panda by cybersecurity officials at Check Point, an Israel-based technological organisation, are using sophisticated techniques to lure people. Recently, Washington Post reported that Vicous Panda created fake documents by the name of Mongolian health ministry which asked users to share sensitive personal information for gaining access to their devices.

Last month, researchers working with IBM revealed a spam email campaign in Japan that intended to steal data once the attachments are opened. On Thursday, cybersecurity company FireEye informed how hackers in China, North Korea and Russia are trying to take advantage of widespread fears of the outbreak

3. Coronavirus tax refund

Researchers from cyber-security firm Mimecast shed lights on this scam a few weeks ago, reported BBC. They discovered the scam in the morning and in a few hours, over 200 such cases were found, where internet users were told that they are eligible to get coronavirus refund.&nbsp;

Once a user clicks on "access your funds now", they are taken to a fake government website which asks the users to share their financial and tax information.

4. Donation to fight&nbsp;

Malware experts at Kaspersky first detected this where hackers send emails citing Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The mail asks users to donate in bitcoins for developing COVID-19 vaccine. Kaspersky said it detected 513 different files mentioning coronavirus that contain malware.&nbsp;

Coronavirus, after sending shock waves in China, is now causing an alarming situation in many countries, including Italy, Iran, South Korea and the United States.

Coronavirus, after sending shock waves in China, is now causing an alarming situation in many countries, including Italy, Iran, South Korea and the United States. And hackers are taking a considerable advantage of this pandemic by targetting not just individuals, but industries of hospitality, insurance, transport and manufacturing, among others. A look at the tricks used by hackers globally to cash in on COVID-19 fears. 1. Fake maps Since people are seeking constant information of the pandemic, hackers are sharing fake maps illustrating the spread of the novel virus. Once a user opens this map, their system gets infected by the malware. Hackers are spreading malicious websites which contain coronavirus maps that seem authentic, as per findings from cybersecurity firm Reason Labs, reported Tech Radar. Once people open these malicious websites, the malware steals data, including banking information. 2. Spreading misinformation by quoting official channels A group of Chinese hackers, dubbed Vicious Panda by cybersecurity officials at Check Point, an Israel-based technological organisation, are using sophisticated techniques to lure people. Recently, Washington Post reported that Vicous Panda created fake documents by the name of Mongolian health ministry which asked users to share sensitive personal information for gaining access to their devices. Last month, researchers working with IBM revealed a spam email campaign in Japan that intended to steal data once the attachments are opened. On Thursday, cybersecurity company FireEye informed how hackers in China, North Korea and Russia are trying to take advantage of widespread fears of the outbreak 3. Coronavirus tax refund Researchers from cyber-security firm Mimecast shed lights on this scam a few weeks ago, reported BBC. They discovered the scam in the morning and in a few hours, over 200 such cases were found, where internet users were told that they are eligible to get coronavirus refund. Once a user clicks on "access your funds now", they are taken to a fake government website which asks the users to share their financial and tax information. 4. Donation to fight Malware experts at Kaspersky first detected this where hackers send emails citing Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The mail asks users to donate in bitcoins for developing COVID-19 vaccine. Kaspersky said it detected 513 different files mentioning coronavirus that contain malware.

How hackers are cashing in on coronavirus fears

one of the most powerful leaders in the world today.

The Amazon CEO had hired private investigators to probe the phone hack. So if Jeff Bezos has evidence to prove is the shocking claim, he must put it out.

And this brings us to the question of security, we live in the digital age and government services are moving online. People in Estonia can vote and register companies online. Brazilians can file their taxes online, citizens of Buenos Aires interact with city administrators through Mobile Apps. In India, more than 140 government services are online and it won't be long when every interaction we have with our governments will be through the internet as it saves time and it is cost-effective.&nbsp;

The government will move online too. There is merit to the argument that the day-to-day business of a government can be done online, but the question here is - is it safe? Even major technology companies would hesitate a little before they reply with a yes because technology is not fool-proof.&nbsp;

In the last 10 years, we have witnessed the many ways by which technology can disrupt lives - disinformation campaigns, the Cambridge Analytica scandal and several data breaches.

Cyberattack is now a legitimate weapon to target government institutions. Last year, different local governments in America were attacked by ransomware. Ransomware is malicious software that locks an entire computer and then the attacker demands a ransom from the victim to restore access.

In 2019, government officials in the city of Baltimore, a group of cities in Florida, and several local agencies in Texas found themselves locked out of their computers. Officials in Florida paid more than one million dollars in ransom. Others had to shell out much more to rebuild their infrastructure.

India is not immune to cyberattacks, between January and October last year, 48 government websites were hacked. The most alarming attack was on the Kudankulam nuclear power plant.

The time has come to take cybersecurity seriously, indigenous solutions are the need of the hour. For instance, the Israeli defence forces have built their own smartphone to securely communicate on the battleground.&nbsp; 
 
WATCH: India Needs Indigenous Tools for Cybersecurity

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&nbsp;

The internet is here to stay, but the growing breaches show that the silicon valley alone cannot be trusted to secure data. As a growing tech power - &nbsp;India must promote indigenous expertise in cybersecurity.

And leaders with access to sensitive information will need safeguards. Former US President Barack Obama was perhaps one of the most tech-savvy American Presidents. For the longest time, he was allowed to only carry a Blackberry which was developed by the American national security agency.

They stripped the phone of practically every built-in feature. It had no games, no selfie camera, texting was not allowed. 
The phone could only call 10 phone numbers - the calls were routed through a special network.

Most world leaders have similar arrangements - a stripped-down, but a secure smartphone with a secure line.&nbsp;

India lacks a comprehensive cybersecurity strategy, but plans are in place to fill the gaps. According to a report, India is planning an umbrella body - a unified command that will advice and support public and private sectors against cyber threats.

(Disclaimer: WION Edit is the channel's take on the big events of the world)

one of the most powerful leaders in the world today. The Amazon CEO had hired private investigators to probe the phone hack. So if Jeff Bezos has evidence to prove is the shocking claim, he must put it out.

one of the most powerful leaders in the world today. The Amazon CEO had hired private investigators to probe the phone hack. So if Jeff Bezos has evidence to prove is the shocking claim, he must put it out. And this brings us to the question of security, we live in the digital age and government services are moving online. People in Estonia can vote and register companies online. Brazilians can file their taxes online, citizens of Buenos Aires interact with city administrators through Mobile Apps. In India, more than 140 government services are online and it won't be long when every interaction we have with our governments will be through the internet as it saves time and it is cost-effective. The government will move online too. There is merit to the argument that the day-to-day business of a government can be done online, but the question here is - is it safe? Even major technology companies would hesitate a little before they reply with a yes because technology is not fool-proof. In the last 10 years, we have witnessed the many ways by which technology can disrupt lives - disinformation campaigns, the Cambridge Analytica scandal and several data breaches. Cyberattack is now a legitimate weapon to target government institutions. Last year, different local governments in America were attacked by ransomware. Ransomware is malicious software that locks an entire computer and then the attacker demands a ransom from the victim to restore access. In 2019, government officials in the city of Baltimore, a group of cities in Florida, and several local agencies in Texas found themselves locked out of their computers. Officials in Florida paid more than one million dollars in ransom. Others had to shell out much more to rebuild their infrastructure. India is not immune to cyberattacks, between January and October last year, 48 government websites were hacked. The most alarming attack was on the Kudankulam nuclear power plant. The time has come to take cybersecurity seriously, indigenous solutions are the need of the hour. For instance, the Israeli defence forces have built their own smartphone to securely communicate on the battleground. WATCH: India Needs Indigenous Tools for Cybersecurity × The internet is here to stay, but the growing breaches show that the silicon valley alone cannot be trusted to secure data. As a growing tech power - India must promote indigenous expertise in cybersecurity. And leaders with access to sensitive information will need safeguards. Former US President Barack Obama was perhaps one of the most tech-savvy American Presidents. For the longest time, he was allowed to only carry a Blackberry which was developed by the American national security agency. They stripped the phone of practically every built-in feature. It had no games, no selfie camera, texting was not allowed. The phone could only call 10 phone numbers - the calls were routed through a special network. Most world leaders have similar arrangements - a stripped-down, but a secure smartphone with a secure line. India lacks a comprehensive cybersecurity strategy, but plans are in place to fill the gaps. According to a report, India is planning an umbrella body - a unified command that will advice and support public and private sectors against cyber threats. (Disclaimer: WION Edit is the channel's take on the big events of the world)

Wion Edit: Cybersecurity - are governments around the world safe?

Soon after hacking Amitabh Bachchan's Twitter page, Turkish hacker group going by the name ‘Ayyildiz Tim cyber army’ reportedly posted details of his account including his password on the Darknet, a section of the internet which is not accessible using traditional search engines or web browsers.

According to media reports, the pro-Pakistan Turkish hacker group established in 2002, claimed responsibility hacking the megastar's account and bragged about it on the Dark Net. A few hours later, they also claimed responsibility for hacking the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/after-amitabh-bachchan-adnan-samis-twitter-account-hacked-and-display-changed-to-pak-pms-pic-226338">Twitter account of singer Adnan Sami.</a>

While <a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/amitabh-bachchans-twitter-account-gets-hacked-profile-picture-changed-to-pak-pms-226100">Bachchan`s Twitter account was hacked late on Monday,</a> the hackers took control of Sami`s Twitter account on Tuesday.

“They (the group) also posted the actor’s Twitter password. However, it did not have any bearing as the account was restored within an hour after we wrote to Twitter India,” said a senior police officer to a daily.&nbsp;

The senior actor is yet to submit an official complaint and the Police so far have not registered a complaint.&nbsp;

The hacker group changed the display picture of Bachchan’s account to that of Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan and wrote ‘Love Pakistan’ in the bio.

The cover photo of Bachchan's account, which was subsequently deleted, showed the promo picture of the group with an eagle in flight.

"This is an important call to the whole world! We do condemn the irrespective behaviors of Iceland republic towards Turkish footballers. We speak softly but carry a big stick and inform you about the big Cyber attack here. As Ayyildiz Tim Turkish Cyber Army," read the first tweet after the cyber attack, which occurred around 11.40 pm on Monday.

Soon after hacking Amitabh Bachchan's Twitter page, Turkish hacker group going by the name ‘Ayyildiz Tim cyber army’ reportedly posted details of his account including his password on the Darknet, a section of the internet which is not accessible using traditional search engines or web browsers.

Soon after hacking Amitabh Bachchan's Twitter page, Turkish hacker group going by the name ‘Ayyildiz Tim cyber army’ reportedly posted details of his account including his password on the Darknet, a section of the internet which is not accessible using traditional search engines or web browsers. According to media reports, the pro-Pakistan Turkish hacker group established in 2002, claimed responsibility hacking the megastar's account and bragged about it on the Dark Net. A few hours later, they also claimed responsibility for hacking the Twitter account of singer Adnan Sami. While Bachchan`s Twitter account was hacked late on Monday, the hackers took control of Sami`s Twitter account on Tuesday. “They (the group) also posted the actor’s Twitter password. However, it did not have any bearing as the account was restored within an hour after we wrote to Twitter India,” said a senior police officer to a daily. The senior actor is yet to submit an official complaint and the Police so far have not registered a complaint. The hacker group changed the display picture of Bachchan’s account to that of Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan and wrote ‘Love Pakistan’ in the bio. The cover photo of Bachchan's account, which was subsequently deleted, showed the promo picture of the group with an eagle in flight. "This is an important call to the whole world! We do condemn the irrespective behaviors of Iceland republic towards Turkish footballers. We speak softly but carry a big stick and inform you about the big Cyber attack here. As Ayyildiz Tim Turkish Cyber Army," read the first tweet after the cyber attack, which occurred around 11.40 pm on Monday.

After hacking Amitabh Bachchan's Twitter account, the hacker group posted his password on Darknet

The personal information of nearly 1,000 North Koreans who defected to South Korea has been leaked after unknown hackers got access to a resettlement agency's database, the South Korean Unification Ministry said on Friday.

The ministry said it discovered last week that the names, birth dates and addresses of 997 defectors had been stolen through a computer infected with malicious software at an agency called the Hana centre, in the southern city of Gumi.

"The malware was planted through emails sent by an internal address," a ministry official told reporters on condition of anonymity, due to the sensitivity of the issue, referring to a Hana centre email account.

The Hana centre is among 25 institutes the ministry runs around the country to help some 32,000 defectors adjust to life in the richer, democratic South by providing jobs, medical and legal support.

Defectors, most of whom risked their lives to flee poverty and political oppression, are a source of shame for North Korea. Its state media often denounces them as "human scum" and accuses South Korean spies of kidnapping some of them.

The ministry official declined to say if North Korea was believed to have been behind the hack, or what the motive might have been, saying a police investigation was under way to determine who did it.

Also read: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-fabricating-facts-on-hacking-should-stop-smearing-china-on-cyber-security-foreign-ministry-185574">US</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-fabricating-facts-on-hacking-should-stop-smearing-china-on-cyber-security-foreign-ministry-185574"> fabricating facts on hacking, should stop smearing China on </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-fabricating-facts-on-hacking-should-stop-smearing-china-on-cyber-security-foreign-ministry-185574">cyber security</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-fabricating-facts-on-hacking-should-stop-smearing-china-on-cyber-security-foreign-ministry-185574">, says Foreign </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-fabricating-facts-on-hacking-should-stop-smearing-china-on-cyber-security-foreign-ministry-185574">ministry</a>

North Korean hackers have in the past been accused of cyberattacks on South Korean state agencies and businesses.

North Korea stole classified documents from the South's defence ministry and a shipbuilder last year, while a cryptocurrency exchange filed for bankruptcy following a cyberattack linked to the North.

North Korean state media has denied those cyberattacks.

The latest data breach comes at a delicate time for the two Koreas which have been rapidly improving their relations after years of confrontation.

The Unification Ministry said it was notifying the affected defectors and there were no reports of any negative impact of the data breach.

"We're sorry this has happened and will make efforts to prevent it from recurring," the ministry official said.

Several defectors, including one who became a South Korean television celebrity, have disappeared in recent years only to turn up later in North Korean state media, criticising South Korea and the fate of defectors.

The personal information of nearly 1,000 North Koreans who defected to South Korea has been leaked after unknown hackers got access to a resettlement agency's database, the South Korean Unification Ministry said on Friday.

The personal information of nearly 1,000 North Koreans who defected to South Korea has been leaked after unknown hackers got access to a resettlement agency's database, the South Korean Unification Ministry said on Friday. The ministry said it discovered last week that the names, birth dates and addresses of 997 defectors had been stolen through a computer infected with malicious software at an agency called the Hana centre, in the southern city of Gumi. "The malware was planted through emails sent by an internal address," a ministry official told reporters on condition of anonymity, due to the sensitivity of the issue, referring to a Hana centre email account. The Hana centre is among 25 institutes the ministry runs around the country to help some 32,000 defectors adjust to life in the richer, democratic South by providing jobs, medical and legal support. Defectors, most of whom risked their lives to flee poverty and political oppression, are a source of shame for North Korea. Its state media often denounces them as "human scum" and accuses South Korean spies of kidnapping some of them. The ministry official declined to say if North Korea was believed to have been behind the hack, or what the motive might have been, saying a police investigation was under way to determine who did it. Also read: US fabricating facts on hacking, should stop smearing China on cyber security, says Foreign ministry North Korean hackers have in the past been accused of cyberattacks on South Korean state agencies and businesses. North Korea stole classified documents from the South's defence ministry and a shipbuilder last year, while a cryptocurrency exchange filed for bankruptcy following a cyberattack linked to the North. North Korean state media has denied those cyberattacks. The latest data breach comes at a delicate time for the two Koreas which have been rapidly improving their relations after years of confrontation. The Unification Ministry said it was notifying the affected defectors and there were no reports of any negative impact of the data breach. "We're sorry this has happened and will make efforts to prevent it from recurring," the ministry official said. Several defectors, including one who became a South Korean television celebrity, have disappeared in recent years only to turn up later in North Korean state media, criticising South Korea and the fate of defectors.

Hacker steals data of nearly 1,000 North Korean defectors in South Korea

The US Justice Department on Thursday<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/cyber-hackers-using-stolen-apple-ids-to-steal-cash-from-chinas-alipay-wechat-users-171116"> indicted two Chinese hackers</a> tied to Beijing's security services who allegedly targeted companies and agencies in a dozen countries, which US officials said showed President Xi Jinping had not fulfilled his pledge to stop cybercrime.

Deputy Attorney General<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/facebook-fixes-bug-that-lets-hackers-hijack-users-application-170727"> Rod Rosenstein said the move </a>was being made to rebuff "China's economic aggression."

The Justice Department said the hackers had targeted numerous managed service providers (MSPs), specialist firms which help other companies manage their information technology systems - potentially giving hackers entry into the computer networks of dozens of companies.

Companies who were hacked were not named, but 45 victims in the United States included key government agencies - the NASA Goddard Space Center and Jet Propulsion Laboratory, the Department of Energy's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, and the US Navy, where the personal information of more than 100,000 personnel was stolen.

Internationally, the hackers accessed the computers of a major bank, three telecommunications or consumer electronics companies, mining and health care companies, and business consultancies.

Rosenstein slammed Beijing for repeatedly violating a pledge made by Xi to then-president Barack Obama in 2015 to halt cyber-attacks on US companies and commercial infrastructure.

"These defendants allegedly compromised MSP clients in at least a dozen countries," Rosenstein said. "It is unacceptable that we continue to uncover cybercrime committed by China against other nations."

"We want China to cease its illegal cyber activities and honour its commitment to the international community," he said. "But the evidence suggests that China may not intend to live up to its promises."

In London, the Foreign Office likewise accused China of not living up to their bilateral agreement against hacking driven by commercial and economic motives.

"These activities must stop. They go against the commitments made to the UK in 2015, and, as part of the G20, not to conduct or support cyber-enabled theft of intellectual property or trade secrets," Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said in a statement.

The Justice Department said the two hackers, Zhu Hua and Zhang Shilong, worked for the so-called APT10 group which Washington, London and other allies say is backed by China's Ministry of State Security.

From at least 2006 to 2018, the APT10 Group "conducted extensive campaigns of intrusions into computer systems around the world," the US Justice Department said.&nbsp;

APT10 stole "hundreds of gigabytes" of sensitive data and information from its targets, invading their systems through the hacked MSPs.

The indictments of the two hackers came less than two months after US indicted 10 Chinese also linked to APT10, including two intelligence officers, over a five-year scheme to steal aircraft engine technology from US and French aerospace firms.

Those cases involved both hacking and recruiting insiders to steal data and IT system passwords.

Relations between Washington and Beijing are already frayed over trade, hacking and geopolitical issues.

In October, the Department of Justice obtained the unprecedented extradition of a senior Chinese intelligence official from Belgium to stand trial in the United States for running the effort to steal US aviation industry secrets.

In early December, Canada arrested an executive of China's leading Huawei telecommunications company at Washington's request.

The US plans to charge her with fraud charges related to sanctions-breaking business dealings with Iran.

Since then, China has detained three Canadians, in an apparent bid to pressure Ottawa into fully releasing the Huawei executive, who is now out on bail.

And, according to reports, US officials believe Chinese government-linked hackers were behind the theft of data on some 500 million guests of hotel giant Marriott, first reported on November 30.

Last week, Bill Priestap, head of the FBI's counterintelligence division, told Congress that China's cyber-attacks are part of a broad campaign to demote the United States from its leadership position in the world.

"The Chinese government is attempting to acquire or steal not only the plans and intentions of the United States government, but also the ideas and innovations of the very people that make our economy so incredibly successful," he said.

The indictment drew strong support in Congress where Beijing has less and less support.

"For years, China has stomped on international law and has used its cyber capabilities to steal American technology, intellectual property, and private information," said senior Republican Representative Michael McCaul, chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee.

"It sends a clear and direct message that we will punch back when attacked."

The US Justice Department on Thursday indicted two Chinese hackers tied to Beijing's security services who allegedly targeted companies and agencies in a dozen countries, which US officials said showed President Xi Jinping had not fulfilled his pledge to stop cybercrime.

The US Justice Department on Thursday indicted two Chinese hackers tied to Beijing's security services who allegedly targeted companies and agencies in a dozen countries, which US officials said showed President Xi Jinping had not fulfilled his pledge to stop cybercrime. Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein said the move was being made to rebuff "China's economic aggression." The Justice Department said the hackers had targeted numerous managed service providers (MSPs), specialist firms which help other companies manage their information technology systems - potentially giving hackers entry into the computer networks of dozens of companies. Companies who were hacked were not named, but 45 victims in the United States included key government agencies - the NASA Goddard Space Center and Jet Propulsion Laboratory, the Department of Energy's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, and the US Navy, where the personal information of more than 100,000 personnel was stolen. Internationally, the hackers accessed the computers of a major bank, three telecommunications or consumer electronics companies, mining and health care companies, and business consultancies. Rosenstein slammed Beijing for repeatedly violating a pledge made by Xi to then-president Barack Obama in 2015 to halt cyber-attacks on US companies and commercial infrastructure. "These defendants allegedly compromised MSP clients in at least a dozen countries," Rosenstein said. "It is unacceptable that we continue to uncover cybercrime committed by China against other nations." "We want China to cease its illegal cyber activities and honour its commitment to the international community," he said. "But the evidence suggests that China may not intend to live up to its promises." In London, the Foreign Office likewise accused China of not living up to their bilateral agreement against hacking driven by commercial and economic motives. "These activities must stop. They go against the commitments made to the UK in 2015, and, as part of the G20, not to conduct or support cyber-enabled theft of intellectual property or trade secrets," Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said in a statement. The Justice Department said the two hackers, Zhu Hua and Zhang Shilong, worked for the so-called APT10 group which Washington, London and other allies say is backed by China's Ministry of State Security. From at least 2006 to 2018, the APT10 Group "conducted extensive campaigns of intrusions into computer systems around the world," the US Justice Department said. APT10 stole "hundreds of gigabytes" of sensitive data and information from its targets, invading their systems through the hacked MSPs. The indictments of the two hackers came less than two months after US indicted 10 Chinese also linked to APT10, including two intelligence officers, over a five-year scheme to steal aircraft engine technology from US and French aerospace firms. Those cases involved both hacking and recruiting insiders to steal data and IT system passwords. Relations between Washington and Beijing are already frayed over trade, hacking and geopolitical issues. In October, the Department of Justice obtained the unprecedented extradition of a senior Chinese intelligence official from Belgium to stand trial in the United States for running the effort to steal US aviation industry secrets. In early December, Canada arrested an executive of China's leading Huawei telecommunications company at Washington's request. The US plans to charge her with fraud charges related to sanctions-breaking business dealings with Iran. Since then, China has detained three Canadians, in an apparent bid to pressure Ottawa into fully releasing the Huawei executive, who is now out on bail. And, according to reports, US officials believe Chinese government-linked hackers were behind the theft of data on some 500 million guests of hotel giant Marriott, first reported on November 30. Last week, Bill Priestap, head of the FBI's counterintelligence division, told Congress that China's cyber-attacks are part of a broad campaign to demote the United States from its leadership position in the world. "The Chinese government is attempting to acquire or steal not only the plans and intentions of the United States government, but also the ideas and innovations of the very people that make our economy so incredibly successful," he said. The indictment drew strong support in Congress where Beijing has less and less support. "For years, China has stomped on international law and has used its cyber capabilities to steal American technology, intellectual property, and private information," said senior Republican Representative Michael McCaul, chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee. "It sends a clear and direct message that we will punch back when attacked."

US indicts two Chinese hackers for targeting companies in 12 countries

The EU has announced an urgent investigation after suspected Chinese military <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/chinese-intelligence-behind-marriott-data-hack-us-183707">hackers</a> accessed thousands of sensitive diplomatic cables.

Area 1 Security, a US cybersecurity firm, said a unit of China's People's Liberation Army, acting on government orders, breached a secure communications network used by the EU to coordinate foreign policy.

The New York Times published some of the cables, which are from European Union diplomatic missions around the world and reveal anxiety about how to handle US President Donald Trump as well as concerns about the behaviour of China, Russia and Iran.

The breach recalls the publication by WikiLeaks of a vast haul of US State Department cables in 2010, though in the EU case the trove is much smaller and consists of less secret communications.

Area 1, which was able to see the documents, said the attack targeted the EU, the United Nations and the AFL-CIO labour union in the US.

EU officials said Wednesday they have begun a probe into the leak, which comes with Europe on high alert for malign online activity in the run-up to key parliamentary elections in May next year.

"The Council Secretariat is aware of allegations regarding a potential leak of sensitive information and is actively investigating the issue," the EU Council, which represents member states, said.

"The Council Secretariat does not comment on allegations nor on matters relating to operational security. The Council Secretariat takes the security of its facilities, including its IT systems, extremely seriously."

European Commission Vice-President Valdis Dombrovskis said the bloc took any report of hacking its systems "extremely seriously" but refused to comment on the detail of the leak.

"What is clear is that no institution or country is immune to these kinds of hacks all communications systems have vulnerabilities," he told reporters. 
"We're constantly dealing with this challenge, upgrading our communication systems to respond to the threats."

Entry via Cyprus

Area 1 said the hackers gained access to the diplomatic communications network after a simple "phishing" campaign targeting the foreign ministry in Cyprus with mails designed to trick them into downloading hacking tools. Diplomatic sources said Cyprus has begun its own investigation and asked other EU countries for technical help.

Once inside the EU system, the hackers extracted thousands of diplomatic cables, most of which have a low-security classification according to the New York Times, which was given 1,100 by Area 1 and published a selection.

Many of the cables are run-of-the-mill weekly reports from missions around the world, detailing conversations with leaders and officials, the NYT said.

But there is also analysis of trends in global politics and trade, particularly on China's changing role under President Xi Jinping and relations with Russia and the US, and tantalising glimpses into closed-door meetings.

In one cable, the EU's diplomatic mission in Moscow describes the controversial summit in Helsinki in July between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin as "successful (at least for Putin)".

Another gives a detailed account of a meeting with President Xi in which he rails against Trump's trade tactics, saying the US was "behaving as if it was fighting in a no-rules freestyle boxing match" and vowing not to give in to "bullying".

In a somewhat ironic turn, the account describes Chinese Premier Li Keqiang assuring <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/eus-tusk-said-no-more-brexit-negotiations-184119">EU President Donald Tusk</a> of Beijing's "steadfast opposition to cyber-attacks and hacking".

The EU has announced an urgent investigation after suspected Chinese military hackers accessed thousands of sensitive diplomatic cables. Area 1 Security, a US cybersecurity firm, said a unit of China's People's Liberation Army, acting on government orders, breached a secure communications network used by the EU to coordinate foreign policy.

The EU has announced an urgent investigation after suspected Chinese military hackers accessed thousands of sensitive diplomatic cables. Area 1 Security, a US cybersecurity firm, said a unit of China's People's Liberation Army, acting on government orders, breached a secure communications network used by the EU to coordinate foreign policy. The New York Times published some of the cables, which are from European Union diplomatic missions around the world and reveal anxiety about how to handle US President Donald Trump as well as concerns about the behaviour of China, Russia and Iran. The breach recalls the publication by WikiLeaks of a vast haul of US State Department cables in 2010, though in the EU case the trove is much smaller and consists of less secret communications. Area 1, which was able to see the documents, said the attack targeted the EU, the United Nations and the AFL-CIO labour union in the US. EU officials said Wednesday they have begun a probe into the leak, which comes with Europe on high alert for malign online activity in the run-up to key parliamentary elections in May next year. "The Council Secretariat is aware of allegations regarding a potential leak of sensitive information and is actively investigating the issue," the EU Council, which represents member states, said. "The Council Secretariat does not comment on allegations nor on matters relating to operational security. The Council Secretariat takes the security of its facilities, including its IT systems, extremely seriously." European Commission Vice-President Valdis Dombrovskis said the bloc took any report of hacking its systems "extremely seriously" but refused to comment on the detail of the leak. "What is clear is that no institution or country is immune to these kinds of hacks all communications systems have vulnerabilities," he told reporters. "We're constantly dealing with this challenge, upgrading our communication systems to respond to the threats." Entry via Cyprus Area 1 said the hackers gained access to the diplomatic communications network after a simple "phishing" campaign targeting the foreign ministry in Cyprus with mails designed to trick them into downloading hacking tools. Diplomatic sources said Cyprus has begun its own investigation and asked other EU countries for technical help. Once inside the EU system, the hackers extracted thousands of diplomatic cables, most of which have a low-security classification according to the New York Times, which was given 1,100 by Area 1 and published a selection. Many of the cables are run-of-the-mill weekly reports from missions around the world, detailing conversations with leaders and officials, the NYT said. But there is also analysis of trends in global politics and trade, particularly on China's changing role under President Xi Jinping and relations with Russia and the US, and tantalising glimpses into closed-door meetings. In one cable, the EU's diplomatic mission in Moscow describes the controversial summit in Helsinki in July between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin as "successful (at least for Putin)". Another gives a detailed account of a meeting with President Xi in which he rails against Trump's trade tactics, saying the US was "behaving as if it was fighting in a no-rules freestyle boxing match" and vowing not to give in to "bullying". In a somewhat ironic turn, the account describes Chinese Premier Li Keqiang assuring EU President Donald Tusk of Beijing's "steadfast opposition to cyber-attacks and hacking".

EU orders probe into hacking of diplomatic cables; suspects China

Several users' details have been compromised after hackers gained access to their private messages, the BBC reported.&nbsp;

Most of the users are based in Ukraine and Russia but some were also from the UK, US, Brazil and elsewhere, the report said on Friday.

Nearly 120 million Facebook accounts have been hacked and they published messages from 81,000 accounts for generating money.

The breach was first discovered in September and the messages were reportedly obtained through unnamed rogue browser extensions.

Facebook, however, commented that its systems were not breached as part of the hack.

"We have contacted browser-makers to ensure that known malicious extensions are no longer available to download in their stores," Guy Rose, Vice President of Product Management at Facebook, was quoted as saying.

"We have also contacted law enforcement and have worked with local authorities to remove the website that displayed information from Facebook accounts."

Ireland's Data Protection Commission (DPC), which is Facebook's lead privacy regulator in Europe, has opened a formal investigation into this data breach that could result in a fine of $1.63 billion.

Several users' details have been compromised after hackers gained access to their private messages, the BBC reported. Most of the users are based in Ukraine and Russia but some were also from the UK, US, Brazil and elsewhere, the report said on Friday.

Several users' details have been compromised after hackers gained access to their private messages, the BBC reported. Most of the users are based in Ukraine and Russia but some were also from the UK, US, Brazil and elsewhere, the report said on Friday. Nearly 120 million Facebook accounts have been hacked and they published messages from 81,000 accounts for generating money. The breach was first discovered in September and the messages were reportedly obtained through unnamed rogue browser extensions. Facebook, however, commented that its systems were not breached as part of the hack. "We have contacted browser-makers to ensure that known malicious extensions are no longer available to download in their stores," Guy Rose, Vice President of Product Management at Facebook, was quoted as saying. "We have also contacted law enforcement and have worked with local authorities to remove the website that displayed information from Facebook accounts." Ireland's Data Protection Commission (DPC), which is Facebook's lead privacy regulator in Europe, has opened a formal investigation into this data breach that could result in a fine of $1.63 billion.

Hackers gain access to 120 miilion Facebook users' private messages: Report

Several cyber attackers have now found a new way to break into customers accounts in China and swipe off unknown amounts of cash - through their Apple IDs - Ant Financial’s Alipay,&nbsp;the operator of one of China's top two mobile payment apps, and Tencent Holdings Ltd. warned on Thursday.&nbsp;

As per reports by Bloomberg, in this rare security breach for China's digital payment providers, Alipay said on its Weibo blog that it has since contacted Apple and looking to resolve the issue as soon as possible.&nbsp;

'Alipay has contacted Apple many times...and the issue has not been resolved,' the post said.

It warned users who have linked their Apple identities to any payment services, including Tencent Holdings' WePay, to lower transaction limits to prevent further losses.

The breach has affected users of both Alipay and Tencent Holdings Ltd's WeChat and some users lost up to $288, state media outlet Xinhua said on Thursday.

The two companies have also told users to take safety steps to further prevent their Apple accounts like changing their passwords.&nbsp;

It’s unclear how the attackers goth their hands on the Apple IDs, which are required for iPhone users that buy content such as music from iTunes or the app store. Apple representatives haven’t clarified&nbsp;yet.&nbsp;

Apple was chastised by Chinese state media in July for the amount of spam being sent on iMessage, with media saying with the company's strict stance on privacy was hindering its ability to crack down on illegal behaviour

Several cyber attackers have now found a new way to break into customers accounts in China and swipe off unknown amounts of cash - through their Apple IDs - Ant Financial’s Alipay, the operator of one of China's top two mobile payment apps, and Tencent Holdings Ltd.

Several cyber attackers have now found a new way to break into customers accounts in China and swipe off unknown amounts of cash - through their Apple IDs - Ant Financial’s Alipay, the operator of one of China's top two mobile payment apps, and Tencent Holdings Ltd. warned on Thursday. As per reports by Bloomberg, in this rare security breach for China's digital payment providers, Alipay said on its Weibo blog that it has since contacted Apple and looking to resolve the issue as soon as possible. 'Alipay has contacted Apple many times...and the issue has not been resolved,' the post said. It warned users who have linked their Apple identities to any payment services, including Tencent Holdings' WePay, to lower transaction limits to prevent further losses. The breach has affected users of both Alipay and Tencent Holdings Ltd's WeChat and some users lost up to $288, state media outlet Xinhua said on Thursday. The two companies have also told users to take safety steps to further prevent their Apple accounts like changing their passwords. It’s unclear how the attackers goth their hands on the Apple IDs, which are required for iPhone users that buy content such as music from iTunes or the app store. Apple representatives haven’t clarified yet. Apple was chastised by Chinese state media in July for the amount of spam being sent on iMessage, with media saying with the company's strict stance on privacy was hindering its ability to crack down on illegal behaviour

Cyber hackers using stolen Apple ID's to steal cash from China's Alipay: Report

Cyber crimes are increasing and devices are becoming more vulnerable than ever before. But there are a few things that you can do all by yourself to stay digitally safe. On Safer Internet Day, we bring you some of those simple tips that can reduce your chances of being hacked.

Tip 1: Be cautious of who you share your phone with

It can take less than a minute for someone to hack into your phone. So, be a little careful when you give your phone to someone - in an emergency or in any other situation. Take it back if you find that someone is unnecessary fiddling with your phone.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Tip 2: Don&rsquo;t click on every link that you receive

We receive a lot of links on the WhatsApp, Facebook, or in emails. But don&rsquo;t click on any link as you spot it. Hold on, and verify the link first. See if the link starts with https.

&nbsp;

Tip 3: Never change your password on public wifi networks

Never change your password to online services on open wifi networks. Because this is one trick that hackers use to steal your online details. They come on the same wifi network and create a situation that you would be forced to generate a new password. And as you change your password, they get an access too. Also, we suggest you not to make online transactions on public wifis.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Tip 4: Keep your phone light

Avoid sensitive information on your phone. Keep taking frequent backups of your data and keep removing the same from your phone. So God forbid, if someday a hacker broke into your phone, there would be fewer chances for him to steal your confidential data.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Tip 5: Be wary of attachments in e-mails

Never download an attachment if you are not confident about it. Most of the times, your Gmail auto scans those attachments, but some viruses manage to bypass even those security measures.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Tip 6: Disable mobile data if not in use

If your phone is always connected to the Internet, it increases chances for hackers to get through your phone and install an app remotely. So if your mobile data is not in use, we advise you to disable it.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Tip 7: Read app permissions before downloading an app

Some of you may be in the habit of reading app permissions before downloading an app,&nbsp; but a majority of smartphone users actually accept the permissions without giving it a read. We advise you to always read them so that you know what all developers are getting access to on your phone. If you find that you are not comfortable in sharing some details with a third party developer, take a call to not install that particular app. It&rsquo;s better to not use an app than increasing your chances of falling for a cybercrime.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Tip 8: Increase security layers on your phone

Lock code for your phone is fine but that provides you with only one level of security. And, therefore, you are advised to use app locks and protect apps that include sensitive information.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Tip 9: Turn off Bluetooth when not in use

If the Bluetooth on your phone or laptop is not in use, turn it off. Because an always-on Bluetooth increases chances for hackers to break into your devices.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Tip 10: Never install an app from unverified sources

If you want to download a new app, visit official app sources and install them from there. Avoid installations from unverified sources.

&nbsp;

Security is never foolproof. But these simple tips can definitely help you protect better.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)&nbsp;&nbsp;

&nbsp;

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Hackers have found new ways to break into your devices. But if you keep your digital doors locked, it reduces your chances of becoming a cybercrime victim.

Cyber crimes are increasing and devices are becoming more vulnerable than ever before. But there are a few things that you can do all by yourself to stay digitally safe. On Safer Internet Day, we bring you some of those simple tips that can reduce your chances of being hacked. Tip 1: Be cautious of who you share your phone with It can take less than a minute for someone to hack into your phone. So, be a little careful when you give your phone to someone - in an emergency or in any other situation. Take it back if you find that someone is unnecessary fiddling with your phone. Tip 2: Don’t click on every link that you receive We receive a lot of links on the WhatsApp, Facebook, or in emails. But don’t click on any link as you spot it. Hold on, and verify the link first. See if the link starts with https. Tip 3: Never change your password on public wifi networks Never change your password to online services on open wifi networks. Because this is one trick that hackers use to steal your online details. They come on the same wifi network and create a situation that you would be forced to generate a new password. And as you change your password, they get an access too. Also, we suggest you not to make online transactions on public wifis. Tip 4: Keep your phone light Avoid sensitive information on your phone. Keep taking frequent backups of your data and keep removing the same from your phone. So God forbid, if someday a hacker broke into your phone, there would be fewer chances for him to steal your confidential data. Tip 5: Be wary of attachments in e-mails Never download an attachment if you are not confident about it. Most of the times, your Gmail auto scans those attachments, but some viruses manage to bypass even those security measures. Tip 6: Disable mobile data if not in use If your phone is always connected to the Internet, it increases chances for hackers to get through your phone and install an app remotely. So if your mobile data is not in use, we advise you to disable it. Tip 7: Read app permissions before downloading an app Some of you may be in the habit of reading app permissions before downloading an app, but a majority of smartphone users actually accept the permissions without giving it a read. We advise you to always read them so that you know what all developers are getting access to on your phone. If you find that you are not comfortable in sharing some details with a third party developer, take a call to not install that particular app. It’s better to not use an app than increasing your chances of falling for a cybercrime. Tip 8: Increase security layers on your phone Lock code for your phone is fine but that provides you with only one level of security. And, therefore, you are advised to use app locks and protect apps that include sensitive information. Tip 9: Turn off Bluetooth when not in use If the Bluetooth on your phone or laptop is not in use, turn it off. Because an always-on Bluetooth increases chances for hackers to break into your devices. Tip 10: Never install an app from unverified sources If you want to download a new app, visit official app sources and install them from there. Avoid installations from unverified sources. Security is never foolproof. But these simple tips can definitely help you protect better. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Opinion: On Safer Internet Day, 10 tips to prevent hacking

Hackers have released more unaired episodes of popular HBO shows but the latest leak did not include anything on the hit series &quot;Game of Thrones,&quot; the Associated Press reported on Sunday.

The hackers, who broke into HBO&#39;s computer network and have released stolen information for several weeks, provided more unaired episodes, including the popular show &quot;Curb Your Enthusiasm, &quot; which returns in October.

They also leaked episodes of &quot;Insecure,&quot; &quot;Ballers&quot; and &quot;The Deuce,&quot; according to the Associated Press.

Time Warner&#39;s HBO said Sunday that it was &quot;not in communication with the hacker, and we&#39;re not going to comment every time a new piece of information is released.&quot;

&quot;It has been widely reported that there was a cyber incident at HBO,&quot; it said. &quot;The hacker may continue to drop bits and pieces of stolen information in an attempt to generate media attention. That&rsquo;s a game we&rsquo;re not going to participate in.&quot;

HBO acknowledged the hack earlier this summer. It said the thieves had been leaking stolen materials and asking for a multi-million-dollar ransom.

The hack came at a sensitive time for HBO parent Time Warner as it awaits regulatory approval to sell itself to AT&amp;T in a $85.4 billion deal announced in October.

The latest leak did not include anything on the hit series "Game of Thrones," the Associated Press reported

Hackers have released more unaired episodes of popular HBO shows but the latest leak did not include anything on the hit series "Game of Thrones," the Associated Press reported on Sunday. The hackers, who broke into HBO's computer network and have released stolen information for several weeks, provided more unaired episodes, including the popular show "Curb Your Enthusiasm, " which returns in October. They also leaked episodes of "Insecure," "Ballers" and "The Deuce," according to the Associated Press. Time Warner's HBO said Sunday that it was "not in communication with the hacker, and we're not going to comment every time a new piece of information is released." "It has been widely reported that there was a cyber incident at HBO," it said. "The hacker may continue to drop bits and pieces of stolen information in an attempt to generate media attention. That’s a game we’re not going to participate in." HBO acknowledged the hack earlier this summer. It said the thieves had been leaking stolen materials and asking for a multi-million-dollar ransom. The hack came at a sensitive time for HBO parent Time Warner as it awaits regulatory approval to sell itself to AT&T in a $85.4 billion deal announced in October.

Hackers release more HBO episode shows: report

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