Tag: china
Stoli Announces Bankruptcy after Ransomware – December 3rd
Vodka Manufacturing Group Stoli USA declares bankruptcy after a ransomware attack. In a filing on Nov 29, CEO Chris Caldwell states that the ransomware attack was one factor among several others that led them to the bankruptcy filing, including decades-long legal battles with the Russian government.
$1bn Korean bust is tip of SE Asian cybercrime iceberg
Authorities in Korea and Beijing dismantled a sprawling voice phishing syndicate responsible for financial losses totaling US$ 1.1 billion. But South-East Asian observers believe this to be only the tip of an impenetrable iceberg of cybercrime in South-East Asia that is rapidly starting spread around the globe. The Korean bust was part of an Interpol-co-ordinated global operation involving law enforcement from 40 countries, territories, and regions and has ended with the arrest of over 5,500 financial crime suspects and the seizure of more than US$400 million in virtual assets and government-backed currencies.
China’s Telecom Hack ‘Most Serious’ in US History
US Senator Mark Warner has called the Salt Typhoon hack, conducted by a group that has been linked to Chinese intelligence, “the most serious telecoms hack in our history.” In a recent interview with the NY Times, Warner also said that hackers were able to listen in on telephone calls and access text messages, emphasizing that “every major provider has been broken into.” This follows hard on the FBI releasing a joint statement with the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), in which they announced that “China-affiliated actors have compromised networks at multiple telecommunications companies.”
US water supply threatened by cyber-attacks
The USA’s drinking water is under threat. According to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), 97 drinking water systems serving around 27 million users have critical or high-risk cybersecurity. Although the EPA’s latest report focuses on the potential financial costs of cyber-attacks, there is also strong evidence that such attacks could also result in significant loss of life, with thousands or even millions of people being deliberately poisoned by terrorists or a hostile foreign power. “We estimate that a [California] state-wide water service disruption could potentially cost at least $61 billion in lost revenue per day,” says the EPA report, Cybersecurity Concerns Related to Drinking Water Systems.
The Chinese Communist Party is watching you
Research conducted by Which, the consumer watchdog magazine, has confirmed something the smartphone industry has known for years: Chinese electronic products are routinely used to spy on citizens in countries like the US and the UK. The latest suspects, domestic air fryers, join a long list of products the Chinese are accused of having used to spy on the West, which already ranges from smart watches to automobiles. Which analyzed three air fryers sold in the UK and found that Aigostar, Xiaomi Mi Smart, and Cosori CAF-LI401S knew their customers' precise locations and demanded permission to listen in on users' conversations. The Aigostar air fryer even wanted to know the user's gender and date of birth when setting up an account. Disturbingly, both the Aigostar and Xiaomi air fryers are reported to have sent personal data to servers in China.
Chinese phisher steals top US military secrets
This week, the US Department of Justice (DOJ) announced criminal charges against a Chinese national, Song Wu, accused of wire fraud and aggravated identity theft in an effort to obtain National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) computer software and source code. The DOJ has now revealed that the specialized software allegedly stolen by Song could be used by potentially hostile enemies to attack the US. According to the DOJ, the stolen software could be used for “industrial and military applications, such as development of advanced tactical missiles and aerodynamic design and assessment of weapons.”
America’s enemies strive to sway the US presidential election
Nations hostile to America, primarily Russia and China, are currently doubling down on their efforts to influence the outcome of the upcoming US elections. So far, their efforts appear to be directed at preventing Donald Trump from winning a second term as president, possibly fearing a Republican victory could herald the US taking a tougher stance on international affairs. According to an extensive nine-page Microsoft threat intelligence report: “Foreign malign influence concerning the 2024 US election started off slowly but has steadily picked up pace over the last six months due initially to Russian operations, but more recently from Iranian activity.”
Exclusive: Hostile nations ramp up attacks on US infrastructure
Recent reports that ransomware attacks on industrial organizations increased by over 50 percent in 2023 represent only “the tip of the iceberg.” According to operational technology (OT) cybersecurity company IXDen, critical infrastructure across the US is being attacked at unprecedented levels. “The vast majority of cyber breaches of critical infrastructure such as water and power facilities go unreported, although a precise figure is impossible to gauge. Those that are reported in the media are only the tip of the iceberg. OT attacks on private businesses are not reported at all, and in public organizations, they are rarely reported,” says IXDen CEO and Co-Founder Zion Harel.
US to block use of Chinese semiconductor equipment
The US Congress has introduced a new act to prevent the Chinese and “other foreign entities of concern” from infiltrating the US’s domestic chipmaking industry. The bill, the Chip Equipment Quality, Usefulness, and Integrity Protection Act of 2024 (Chip EQUIP Act), follows on from the CHIPS and Science Act, enacted in 2022, which earmarked roughly $280 billion in new funding to boost US domestic research and manufacturing of semiconductors. It included $39 billion in subsidies plus tax breaks for US chipmakers. However, China has recently matched this with a new $40 billion investment in its own semiconductor industry, which will heavily focus on chip manufacturing equipment. In April, Chinese tech giant Huawei announced investing in new R&D capabilities to rival US, Japanese, and Dutch firms.
It’s official…It definitely IS the Russians
The US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has laid the blame for escalating worldwide ransomware attacks squarely at Russia’s door. Speaking at the 2024 Boston Conference on Cyber Security last week, FBI Cyber Division Assistant Director Bryan Vorndran said: “Almost all of the criminals developing sophisticated malware to enable ransomware attacks are based in Russian-speaking countries and operate as organized crime syndicates, similar to traditional organized crime elements.” He focused on the FBI’s earlier this year disruption of Dark Web ransomware gang LockBit, stressing that organized cybercriminal gangs, particularly Russian ones, are essentially the same as old-school mafia mobsters. They differ only in their methods and avenues of attack.
Ticketmaster Breach Data Posted on New BreachForums – May 31st
The 'ShinyHunters' threat actor group posted data from a Ticketmaster data breach, potentially belonging to 560M users, asking for $500K in exchange for the data. Analysts at Vx-Underground analyzed a sample of the Ticketmaster data and determined that the data was authentic, containing entries dating back to 2011.
Chinese Hackers Using ORB Networks to Evade Detection – May 23rd
Mandiant revealed that Chinese-linked state-backed hackers rely on operational relay box (ORBs) network proxy meshes to avoid detection for cyber espionage campaigns. For example, Mandiant pointed out that these advanced persistent threat actors (APTs) used ORBs for the 'SPACEHOP' critical vulnerability campaign earlier this year.