More Cybercrime and Hacking News

Is cloud-based security really less expensive?

Businesses in new study were five times more likely to have decreased spending on managing security over three years as a percentage of their overall IT budget.

Mac-based Flashback click fraud campaign was a bust

The hackers in charge of the Flashback botnet managed to generate $14,000 from their click fraud campaign, but have not been paid, Symantec said today.

Android hackers hone skills in Russia

The malware business growing around Google Android -- now the leading smartphone operating system -- is still in its infancy. Today, many of the apps built to steal money from Android users originate from Russia and China, so criminal gangs there have become cyber-trailblazers.

Utah CTO takes fall for data breach

The executive director of Utah's Department of Technology Services has resigned over a data breach two months ago that exposed the Social Security numbers of about 280,000 Medicaid recipients.

UNC Charlotte: 350,000 SSNs exposed in decade-long breach

Two issues exposed financial data and Social Security numbers for 350,000 people, although it is thought the information has not been abused, the University of North Carolina at Charlotte said.

Megaupload files motion to delay civil suit

Megaupload filed a motion in federal court on Thursday asking to delay a civil suit filed against the file-sharing site while it prepares a defense for its criminal case.

Twitter says many leaked passwords inaccurate, duplicates

Many of the Twitter logins and passwords leaked on the web this week are either inaccurate or belong to accounts already suspended for spamming, the company said late Tuesday.

Cisco offers API to fight call fraud

Cisco this week at Interop 2012 released an API for its branch routers designed to enable third-party developers to write applications to enhance the security of phone calls over the router network.

CERT warns of targeted phishing attacks against gas pipeline firms

The United States Industrial Control Systems Cyber Emergency Response Team (ICS-CERT) has issued a warning about an active "spear phishing" campaign targeting companies in the natural gas pipeline sector.

Hackers blackmail Belgian bank with threats to publish customer data

Hackers claimed to have breached the systems of the Belgian credit provider Elantis and threatened to publish confidential customer information if the bank does not pay $197,000 before Friday.

Iran admits expanded cyberattacks, claims it's identified hackers

The Iranian government acknowledged today that authorities have found evidence of recent cyberattacks against several agencies, according to reports by state-sponsored media outlets.

FAQ: What you need to know about CISPA

The U.S. House of Representatives last week passed the controversial Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act (CISPA) despite opposition from privacy advocates, lawmakers and the White House, which threatened to veto the bill if it lands on the president's desk in its current form.

VMware downplays leaks of source code

Virtualization software vendor VMware today downplayed the seriousness of a source code leak involving the companys ESX hypervisor technology.

Russian cybercriminals earned $4.5 billion in 2011

Russian-speaking hackers earned an estimated $4.5 billion globally using various online criminal tactics, Russian security analyst firm Group-IB said in a report published on Tuesday.

Iran confirms cyberattacks against oil facilities

Iran's oil ministry today confirmed that it was the target of malware attacks over the weekend, adding to reports by state-run media that the country's oil industry was hit by hackers.

Most IT, security pros see Anonymous as serious threat

The majority of IT and security professionals believe that Anonymous and hacktivists are among the groups that are most likely to attack their organizations during the next six months, according to the results of a survey sponsored by security vendor Bit9.

Weak Passwords Still Subvert IT Security

A recent breach that exposed the Social Security numbers of more than 280,000 people in Utah to hackers has once again highlighted the well-recognized, but often discounted, risks posed to organizations by weak and default passwords.

Negotiations over Megaupload data to start this week

Negotiations over how to preserve 28 petabytes of data from Megaupload are set to begin on Thursday, according to the file-sharing site's attorney.

Android malware writers exploit Instagram craze to distribute SMS Trojan horse

Malware writers have created fake Instagram websites to distribute Android Trojan horses, according to security researchers from antivirus firms Sophos and Trend Micro.

Russian charged with hacking into brokerage accounts

A Russian national has been charged in the U.S. with allegedly hacking into brokerage accounts and executing fraudulent trades, which several brokerage houses claim caused $1 million in losses.