With political polarization, unrest, and violence escalating in many regions of the world, 2023 was fraught with uncertainty and tragedy. In digital security, though, the year felt more like a Groundhog Day of incidents caused by classic types of attacks, like phishing and ransomware, rather than a roller coaster of offensive hacking innovation. The cybersecurity … Read more
For yet another year, hackers stole billions of dollars in crypto. But for the first time since 2020, the trend is downwards, according to crypto security firms. This year, hackers stole around $2 billion dollars in crypto across dozens of cyberattacks and thefts, according to De.FI, the web3 security firm that runs the REKT database. … Read more
Hey, folks, welcome to Week in Review (WiR), TechCrunch’s regular newsletter that recaps the top tech — and tech-related — stories over the past several days. With the holiday around the corner, this reporter expected a quieter week. But the opposite happened — there’s been no shortage of stories to write about. In this edition … Read more
“Law enforcement is moving a lot faster, but it is still not fast enough,” says Allan Liska, an analyst for the security firm Recorded Future who specializes in ransomware. “It takes a while to build a case, and in the meantime these groups wreak havoc.” Part of the reason for law enforcement’s delay in attempting … Read more
Around 70% of Iran’s petrol stations have seen their services disrupted Monday after a massive cyber attack was carried out by the hacker group Gonjeshke Darande, which translates to “Predatory Sparrow” in Farsi. The group has also claimed responsibility for attacks against Iranian petrol stations, rail networks and steel factories, according to Iranian state media. … Read more
The DCU’s hybrid technical and legal approach to chipping away at cybercrime is still unusual, but as the cybercriminal ecosystem has evolved—alongside its overlaps with state-backed hacking campaigns—the idea of employing creative legal strategies in cyberspace has become more mainstream. In recent years, for example, Meta-owned WhatsApp and Apple both took on the notorious spyware … Read more
A little over three years have passed since McDonald’s sent out an email to thousands of its restaurant owners around the world that abruptly cut short the future of a three-person startup called Kytch—and with it, perhaps one of McDonald’s best chances for fixing its famously out-of-order ice cream machines. Until then, Kytch had been … Read more
Three hackers in Poland were hired to fix the software of a broken train, and they were successful, but now the train company, Newag, is threatening to sue them, according to Polish outlet Rynek Kolejowy. The hackers allege that the trains were deliberately outfitted with software that would ensure they couldn’t operate if they were … Read more
Kentucky-based non-profit healthcare system Norton Healthcare has confirmed that hackers accessed the personal data of millions of patients and employees during an earlier ransomware attack. Norton operates more than 40 clinics and hospitals in and around Louisville, Kentucky, and is the city’s third-largest private employer. The organization has more than 20,000 employees, and more than … Read more
More details are emerging about a data breach the genetic testing company 23andMe first reported in October. But as the company shares more information, the situation is becoming even murkier and creating greater uncertainty for users attempting to understand the fallout. 23andMe said at the beginning of October that attackers had infiltrated some of its … Read more