WordPress under Heavy Attack
Attackers are aiming at blogs running poorly-secured WordPress configurations in an attempt to create a powerful botnet that, according to independent security researcher Brian Krebs, already counts some 90,000 IPs.
Spam - More Dangerous than Ever
Though diminished in volume, spam has become more dangerous than ever, according to independent IT security firm AV-TEST. For their study, Spam – More Dangerous than Ever Before, the German researchers collected and analyzed 550,000 spam messages over a year and a half.
Massive Spear Phishing Attack Detected in US Energy Sector
A spear phishing attack carried against 11 US energy companies has been detected and downplayed, according to the US Department of Homeland Security and the ICS-CERT.
Israel Loses $3 billion after Anonymous Cyber-Attack
More than $3 billion have been allegedly lost after Anonymous hacked several Israeli web sites, according to cNET. The attackers claim to have breached a dozen official web sites in protest against treatment of Palestinians.
Carberp Team Arrested in Russia After Three-Year Run
The 21-member team that created and distributed the Carberp banker malware has been arrested in Ukraine.
California Privacy Bill Aims to Tell Users What Companies Know About Them
A new privacy bill aims to empower US citizens to ask for and receive year-long data that’s been collected on them by various companies and corporations.
South Korea and the US to Form Cyber-Partnership
South Korea and the US will draft and sign a joint strategic plan designed to improve their odds against the ever-growing threat of cyber-warfare. Recent cyber-attacks against high-profile websites and banks in South Korea, along with rising tensions from North Korea, contribute to this tactical initiative.
Muslim Group Takes American Express Down for YouTube Movie
A Muslim group took American Express down in a series of attacks against an offensive YouTube trailer, according to Ars Technica. On March 28, hacking group Izz ad-Din al-Qassam put the company’s web site offline for about two hours in a DDoS attack.
Burglary of Surgeon May Expose Patient Data from Oregon Health and Science University
Confidential information of some 4,000 patients may be exposed after an Oregon Health and Science University surgeon’s laptop was stolen in a vacation burglary.
Honeypot Counter-Attack Kneels Secret Agency
Security researcher and DefCon co-founder Russia Alexey Sintsov came up with an experimental honeypot capable of stealing sensitive data from an attacker, including the aggressor’s network adapter settings, trace routes and login names.
Web-Delivered Malware Harder to Detect than E-mail Threats
Web-based threats manage to avoid traditional security solutions easier than spammed malware, according to The Modern Malware Review, a study by Palo Alto Networks.
Chinese University Conducts Security Research with Military ‘Hackers’
An important Chinese university conducted research on network security with an army unit accused of hacking the US, according to Security Week. The AFP linked Shanghai Jiao Tong University with the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Unit 61398, after it discovered several papers on the university’s website.
Android and iOS Screen Lock Bug Deemed Vulnerable
Samsung Android devices were deemed vulnerable by security researcher Terence Eden, as he bypassed the lock screen feature and gained access to the devices’ entire content.
Cybercrime is Flourishing in Europe, EU Law Enforcer Reports
Cybercrime is the second most active criminal activity in Europe after international drug trafficking, Europol says in its 2013 EU Serious and Organised Crime Threat Assessment.