This week, both Apple and Microsoft issued patches to fix serious zero-day vulnerabilities that should be applied as soon as possible. That means that if you have an iPhone or iPad, you may want to plug your phone or iPad in and apply the newest iOS 15.0.2, which is what I just did as I
New Russian Based Ransomware Group Targeting Large Companies and Hospitals
Threat intelligence firm Mandiant released findings about a new Russian based hacking group dubbed FIN12, which is targeting the health care industry and companies with revenue over $300 million. Mandiant said that FIN12 is “very aggressive and brazen in who they target.”
According to Mandiant, FIN12 uses different hacking techniques and tools to infiltrate targets,
Passwords Used by Iranian-Backed Hackers Against Defense Contractors
When you are educating your employees about the importance of maintaining a complex password or passphrase, share this story to show why it is so important and to emphasize not to use same or similar passphrases across multiple platforms. It is not just a matter of getting into the company’s systems, but also one of
Privacy Tip #303 – Russian Hacking Group Targets Gmail Users
If you think the Russians are only targeting U.S. companies and the defense industry, think again. The cyber war between Russia and the U.S. has escalated since the President threw down the gauntlet on Putin, and the retaliation is to attack Gmail users in the U.S. Yes, Gmail users are part of the war.
According
Cyber Criminals Focusing on Clinics + Business Associates
As hospital systems become more hardened to cyber-attacks, cyber criminals are focusing their efforts on smaller providers, such as outpatient clinics, specialty clinics and business associates, according to a report by Critical Insight.
The report states that “Data on cyber-attacks from the first half of 2021 shows criminals are changing targets within the healthcare ecosystem,
Google Chrome Pushes Patches for Zero Day Vulnerabilities
Google Chrome, touted as the world’s most popular browser (you’ve made it when your brand becomes a commonly-used noun), has issued patches for zero-day vulnerabilities that it or external researchers have identified as being exploited in the wild. Kudos to the research team at Google, as well as outside researchers who help identify vulnerabilities before
Trucking Company Discloses Data Breach from Ransomware Attack
Trucking company Forward Air revealed in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission that it suffered a ransomware attack in December 2020 (reportedly by Hades), which caused business disruption as it was forced to “suspend its electronic data interfaces with its customers.” The attack also inhibited its ability to release freight for transport.
Forward
Privacy Tip #302 – A Rough Week for Facebook/Instagram: Seize the Opportunity to Chat with Your Kids
Facebook had a rough week on many fronts, including the publishing of “The Facebook Files” by the Wall Street Journal, segments on CBS Sunday Morning, the revelation of on 60 Minutes of Frances Haugen as the whistleblower, and culminating with the testimony of the whistleblower before Congress.
Haugen alleges that Facebook knew that its
It’s Cybersecurity Awareness Month: Join Us As We Discuss Privacy + Cybersecurity
- October 7 – Linn Freedman virtually presented “Practitioner: How to Mitigate Risk in a Remote Workforce” as part of the Providence Business News 2021 Cybersecurity Summit.
- October 11 – Kathryn Rattigan will present the myLawCLE program “’Bad Practices’ and ‘Cyber Blunders’: How to decrease knowable and preventable cyber mistakes”.
- October 14
FBI, CISA + NSA Issue Conti Ransomware Advisory
On September 22, 2021, the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and the National Security Agency (NSA) issued a cybersecurity advisory alerting companies to the threat of Conti ransomware.
According to the advisory, CISA and the FBI are aware of more than 400 attacks of Conti ransomware against both