Independent – Page 3 – Computer Security Articles

The European Commission (EC) has violated several key data protection rules in its use of Microsoft 365 regarding the transfer of people’s personal data from Europe to other regions not covered by EU data-protection laws, a key European privacy watchdog found.

The European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS) on Tuesday chastized the EC after finding it did not take proper protective measures when sending personal data outside the EU and European Economic Area (EEA) when using the cloud-based app.

To read this article in full, please click here

Independent Krebs

Incognito Darknet Market Mass-Extorts Buyers, Sellers

March 11, 2024 admin A Little Sunshine, brett johnson, double extortion, exit scam, incognito market, Ne'er-Do-Well News, shadowcrew, The Coming Storm

Credit to Author: BrianKrebs| Date: Mon, 11 Mar 2024 16:19:36 +0000

Borrowing from the playbook of ransomware purveyors, the darknet narcotics bazaar Incognito Market has begun extorting all of its vendors and buyers, threatening to publish cryptocurrency transaction and chat records of users who refuse to pay a fee ranging from $100 to $20,000. The bold mass extortion attempt comes just days after Incognito Market administrators reportedly pulled an “exit scam” that left users unable to withdraw millions of dollars worth of funds from the platform.

Independent Krebs

A Close Up Look at the Consumer Data Broker Radaris

March 8, 2024 admin affiliate.ru, american russian media inc., arrestfacts.com, atlas data privacy corp., bitseller expert ltd, bizstanding.com, Breadcrumbs, centeda.com, channel one, clubset.com, consumer reporting agencies, daniel's law, dating factory, difive.com, dmitry lybarsky, epop@comby.com, fact magazine, fair credit reporting act, gary nard, gary norden, gary@barksy.com, gary1@eprofit.com, homeflock.com, homemetry.com, igor lybarsky, instantcheckmate.com, kworld.com, newenglandfacts.com, ntv, persontrust.com, projectlab.com, pub360.com, publicreports.com, radaris.com, radaris.ru, rehold.com, rosconcert.com, trustoria.com, truthfinder, u.s. department of justice, U.S. Federal Communications Commission, u.s. federal trade commission, unipoint technology inc., virtory.com

Credit to Author: BrianKrebs| Date: Fri, 08 Mar 2024 13:02:48 +0000

If you live in the United States, the data broker Radaris likely knows a great deal about you, and they are happy to sell what they know to anyone. But how much do we know about Radaris? Publicly available data indicates that in addition to running a dizzying array of people-search websites, the co-founders of Radaris operate multiple Russian-language dating services and affiliate programs. It also appears many of their businesses have ties to a California marketing firm that works with a Russian state-run media conglomerate currently sanctioned by the U.S. government.

Independent Krebs

BlackCat Ransomware Group Implodes After Apparent $22M Payment by Change Healthcare

March 5, 2024 admin A Little Sunshine, alphv ransomware, blackcat ransomware, change healthcare, data breaches, dmitry smilyanets, emsisoft, fabian wosar, FBI, lockbit, NCA, optum, ramp, ransomware, Recorded Future, wired.com

Credit to Author: BrianKrebs| Date: Wed, 06 Mar 2024 00:22:56 +0000

There are indications that U.S. healthcare giant Change Healthcare has made a $22 million extortion payment to the infamous BlackCat ransomware group (a.k.a. “ALPHV”) as the company struggles to bring services back online amid a cyberattack that has disrupted prescription drug services nationwide for weeks. However, the cybercriminal who claims to have given BlackCat access to Change’s network says the crime gang cheated them out of their share of the ransom, and that they still have the sensitive data that Change reportedly paid the group to destroy. Meanwhile, the affiliate’s disclosure appears to have prompted BlackCat to cease operations entirely.

ComputerWorld Independent

Researchers, legal experts want AI firms to open up for safety checks

March 5, 2024 admin Artificial Intelligence, chatbots, Data Privacy, Emerging Technology, generative ai, Security

More than 150 leading artificial intelligence (AI) researchers, ethicists and others have signed an open letter calling on generative AI (genAI) companies to submit to independent evaluations of their systems, the lack of which has led to concerns about basic protections.

The letter, drafted by researchers from MIT, Princeton, and Stanford University, called for legal and technical protections for good-faith research on genAI models, which they said is hampering safety measures that could help protect the public.

To read this article in full, please click here

ComputerWorld Independent

EC to grill Meta on Facebook ‘subscription for no ads’ plan

March 1, 2024 admin Data Privacy, privacy, Regulation

The European Commission (EC) on Friday said it needs more information from Facebook and Instagram parent company Meta to assess its compliance with applicable privacy and security laws in the European Union (EU).

The EC, in a statement, said Meta also needs to speed up its responses to requests in December for information, which centered on election information, terrorism and the protection of minors. The company has until March 15 to provide that information, with the new info about Meta’s pay-to-opt-out-of-tracking program due March 22.

To read this article in full, please click here

ComputerWorld Independent

Apple warns of increased iPhone security risks

March 1, 2024 admin apple, iOS, Mobile, Mobile Apps, Security, small and medium business

Apple is telling European customers that new EU competition laws will make iPhones less safe once the company is forced to open up its platforms to third-party App Stores. The company, not exactly happy about this, has published a 32-page white paper where it spells out the risks arising from the EU’s big experiment.

The EU’s formal adoption of the Digital Markets Act (DMA) means Apple must make several changes to its App Store and business models. Changes include the introduction of support for third-party app stores, opening up to payment systems other than Apple Pay, and more.

To read this article in full, please click here

Independent Krebs

Fulton County, Security Experts Call LockBit’s Bluff

February 29, 2024 admin A Little Sunshine, brett callow, data breaches, emsisoft, FBI, fulton county hack, lockbit, lockbitsupp, NCA, ransomware, redsense, robb pitts

Credit to Author: BrianKrebs| Date: Thu, 29 Feb 2024 22:18:54 +0000

The ransomware group LockBit told officials with Fulton County, Ga. they could expect to see their internal documents published online this morning unless the county paid a ransom demand. Instead, LockBit removed Fulton County’s listing from its victim shaming website this morning, claiming county officials had paid. But county officials said they did not pay, nor did anyone make payment on their behalf. Security experts say LockBit was likely bluffing and probably lost most of the data when the gang’s servers were seized this month by U.S. and U.K. law enforcement.