Adrian Johnson
TLDR:
Key points:
- Top 10 countries hosting cybercriminal threats identified
- eScan antivirus product vulnerability exploited by threat actor
Summary:
In the Week in Review for the week ending Friday, April 26, 2024, Cyber Security Today highlighted several key events in the cybersecurity landscape:
The Top 10 countries hosting the greatest cybercriminal threats were identified, with Russia, Ukraine, and China leading the list. A threat actor targeted the software update mechanism of the eScan antivirus product, exploiting a vulnerability to install backdoors and coinminers on corporate IT networks. Meanwhile, the city of Leicester faced continued issues from a ransomware attack, affecting the operation of street lights.
Pressure from police to block end-to-end encryption on common apps continued, with European police chiefs urging governments and industry to stop allowing end-to-end encryption for law enforcement access. Data breaches were also reported, with a veterinary clinic in Kansas and the public school board of Buffalo, New York notifying customers of stolen data. Additionally, the Catholic Diocese of Cleveland disclosed a data breach affecting almost 10,000 individuals.
Discussion with David Shipley, CEO of Beauceron Security, centered around the recent ransomware attack on Change Healthcare, where data stolen included protected health information and personally identifiable information. The ransom payment made by UnitedHealth Group to the hackers, and the subsequent disbanding of the AlphV/BlackCat gang, raised concerns about cybersecurity practices and the need for better cyber hygiene in critical infrastructure.
Overall, the week highlighted the ongoing threats and challenges in the cybersecurity landscape, underscoring the importance of proactive security measures and the potential consequences of cyber attacks.
