https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-07-31/justice-department-says-emails-hacked-by-russia/100340650
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Comment by tonytran2015: Was there any cyber-war ?
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https://www.rt.com/news/530697-amazon-fine-eu-gdpr/
Harrisburg, PA – Department of Labor & Industry (L&I) Secretary Jennifer Berrier, Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) Bureau of Criminal Investigation Director Major Jeremy Richard, and Department of Banking and Securities Deputy Secretary for Financial Services Tim Arthun today reminded Pennsylvanians to be vigilant of fraud and the warning signs and steps to take if they become a victim.
“Fraud is an unfortunate byproduct of any disaster, and we are seeing the proof of that during the global COVID-19 pandemic,” said Secretary Berrier. “It’s frustrating that thousands of data breaches that occurred outside of L&I – and outside of the control of consumers who often had no choice but to give companies their personal data – are now resulting in widespread unemployment fraud attempts. We strongly urge everyone to remain vigilant about fraud and to notify authorities of any suspected fraud activity.”…
WASHINGTON—Chinese spies used code first developed by the U.S. National Security Agency to support their hacking operations, Israeli researchers said on Feb. 22, in another indication of how malicious software developed by governments can boomerang against their creators.
Tel Aviv-based Check Point Software Technologies issued a report noting that some features in a piece of China-linked malware it dubs “Jian” were so similar they could only have been stolen from some of the National Security Agency break-in tools leaked to the internet in 2017.
Yaniv Balmas, Checkpoint’s head of research, called Jian “kind of a copycat, a Chinese replica.”
Full Story: https://www.theepochtimes.com/chinese-spyware-code-was-copied
…The (relatively) easy way to determine this is to use the Amnesty International Mobile Verification Toolkit (MVT).
This tool can run under either Linux or MacOS and can examine the files
and configuration of your mobile device by analysing a backup taken
from the phone…
https://www.nationandstate.com/2021/07/22/pegasus-spyware-targeted-french-president-macron-extremely-serious-breach-under-investigation/
Pegasus Spyware Targeted French President Macron – “Extremely Serious” Breach Under Investigation The latest victim who was targeted using the phone hacking spyware Pegasus has been revealed to French President Emmanual Macron – part of a growing list that’s said to include some 600 government officials and politicians from over 30 countries. Israeli tech firm and Pegasus-developer NSO…
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-57910355
… Former
US intelligence contractor Edward Snowden revealed the power of US and
UK intelligence agencies to tap into global communications in 2013…
His revelations, however, prompted other nations to consider what was
possible. Many became eager for the same kinds of capabilities and a
select group of companies – most of which have kept a low profile – have
increasingly sought to sell it to them.
https://ukrainetoday.org/2021/07/21/u-s-judge-sentences-notorious-russian-spammer-to-time-served/
July 21, 2021 01:41 GMT – RFE/FL
A Russian hacker considered to be one of the world’s most notorious spammers was sentenced by a U.S. judge on July 20 to time already served in pretrial detention.
Pyotr Levashov has already served 33 months in custody on federal charges he operated a network of hijacked computers – known as botnets – to steal computer credentials, distribute spam, and install malicious software.
The 40-year-old pleaded guilty in 2018 to causing intentional damage to a protected computer, conspiracy, wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft.
U.S. District Judge Robert Chatigny said the financial harm caused by the spamming was overstated in a presentencing report that recommended a sentence of at least 12 years.
But the judge acknowledged that the crimes developed into something serious and sophisticated.
“It goes without saying that somebody that builds and operates botnets, as you did, and profits from making them available for use by cybercriminals, should expect to be prosecuted and punished,” he said. “Because indeed this is significant criminal conduct that is harmful to the public.”
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https://www.bbc.com/news/av/technology-57894917
…video…
The BBC’s cyber reporter, Joe Tidy, explains what spyware is, and agrees to be spied on by his producer to show how it works.
