DataBreachToday.com

Prosecutors Accuse Yin Kecheng of 2024 Department of Treasury Hacking
U.S. federal authorities Tuesday seized digital infrastructure traced to two Shanghai hackers operating on behalf of the Chinese government as "Silk Typhoon," responsible for a late 2024 incursion into the Department of Treasury.

The Health Sector Coordinating Council is kicking off a health sector mapping initiative aimed at helping the ecosystem avoid massive disruptions in the event of major cyber incidents, said Greg Garcia, executive director for cybersecurity at the Health Sector Coordinating Council.

The majority of significant attacks hitting the health sector involve unpatched vulnerabilities dating back years, a situation cybercriminals are more easily and swiftly able to exploit using AI-based tools, said Health Information Sharing and Analysis Center President and CEO Denise Anderson.

As clinicians move to a model of working anywhere - on many types of devices and under a variety of different internet environments - web browser security is a heightened concern, said John Frushour, vice president and CISO at New York-Presbyterian Hospital, and CyberEdBoard member.

RansomHub, Play, Akira and Clop Among the Groups Claiming the Most Victims
Ransomware operations have collectively claimed what amounts to a surge in new victims. Researchers trace much of this activity to RansomHub, Play and Akira, as well as Clop, which continues to drip-feed details about its attack on users of Cleo Communications' managed file-transfer software.

Fake Error Messages Trick Users Into Deploying a C2 Framework Via PowerShell
A newly discovered phishing campaign is using social engineering to dupe victims into copying, pasting and running the Havoc command-and-control framework on their computers, warn researchers from Fortinet. "ClickFix" displays a fake error message and instructions for its supposed resolution.

Hiatus Could Embolden Moscow
Reports suggesting that the U.S. federal government is going soft on Russia in cyberspace sent shockwaves through the cybersecurity community. Resuming computer network attacks and other exploitation efforts after a pause isn't as simple as flipping a switch.

Code of Practice for Software Vendors Sets Baseline Security Expectations
A British government proposal to strengthen software supply chain security received positive feedback from vendors who said voluntary best practices could strengthen cyber defenses. The guidelines suggest requiring multifactor authentication for developers and timely vulnerability patching.

Cybercriminals Use Artificial Intelligence and Physical Threats to Maximize Impact
One-dimensional data encryption threats have morphed into more dangerous, multi-layered ransomware attacks that are expanding in scope and impact, creating an urgent need for organizations to fortify their defenses.

Focus on Cyber Hygiene, Advanced Tools and Rapid Response to Outsmart Attackers
Modern cyberthreats require modern defense tactics. Ransomware now employs multilayered extortion tactics that target operations and reputations. With 68% of breaches involving human error, CISOs and leaders must focus on cyber hygiene, advanced security tools and rapid response strategies.

The adoption of privacy enhancing technologies, including fully homomorphic encryption, can help secure data as it is collected, integrated and shared for detecting and responding to public health emergencies such as bird flu, said Kurt Rohloff, co-founder and CTO of Duality Technologies.

Reports: Cyber Command Ordered to Halt Offensive Operations Against Russia
Russia won't have the United States to worry about in cyberspace in an apparent concession to Moscow meant to grease talks between the two capitals over the fate of Ukraine. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered U.S. Cyber Command to halt offensive cyber operations against Russia.

AI-Driven Incident Response, Observability Boost SolarWinds' Operational Efficiency
SolarWinds' acquisition of Squadcast strengthens its IT management portfolio with AI-powered incident response. Customers report faster remediation, reduced noise and improved resilience. The integration promises a smarter, more efficient approach to IT operations.

Committee Witnesses Favor Resilience Over Bans
The British government should focus on building operational resilience rather than imposing ransom payment bans, security experts told a parliamentary committee. The British government in January floated a ban on the public sector and critical infrastructure owners paying digital extortion.

Gartner MQ for Cyber-Physical Security Details Pros, Cons of Pure-Play Approach
Pure-play OT specialists Claroty, Nozomi and Dragos were joined by asset management expert Armis and behemoth Microsoft atop Gartner's first-ever ranking of cyber-physical systems vendors. Historically, a wide range of vendors were grouped together under the broad umbrella of OT security.

After Disrupting Ascension Health, Black Basta Forecast Reprisals From FBI, Moscow
"We are pentesters, not murderers," ransomware group Black Basta claimed in its negotiations with victim Ascension Healthcare in May 2024, after its attack led to widespread disruptions and patient safety alerts. Leaked chat logs reveal the group feared resulting reprisals from the FBI and Moscow.