Tag: business | SpinSafe

Carpetright is latest British business to be hit by cyber attack as hackers target company HQ to affect hundreds of customer orders

April 20, 2024/in Computer Security

Hackers targeted the company HQ in Purfleet, Essex on Tuesday

Flooring chain Carpetright is the latest British business to be hit by a cyber attack affecting hundreds of customer orders.

Hackers targeted the company HQ in Purfleet, Essex on Tuesday, sending malware to gain unauthorised access.

Carpetright’s network was taken offline due to the cyber attack but bosses insist that the virus was isolated before any data was swiped.

However phone lines are still down with callers met with the automated message ‘Thank you for your patience while we work on a solution’.

Staff and hundreds of customers were affected by the malicious virus with employees reportedly unable access their payroll information.

Flooring chain Carpetright is the latest British business to be hit by a cyber attack affecting hundreds of customer orders (file pic)

Hackers targeted the company HQ in Purfleet, Essex on Tuesday, sending malware to gain unauthorised access (stock photo)

A source told The Sun: ‘Some staff networks were taken down including the portals that workers use to book time off and look at payslips.

‘It happened abruptly and was worrying because customers couldn’t get through to helplines.

READ MORE: Hackers publish NHS patients’ data after cyber attack including names, addresses and medical conditions – as they vow to post thousands more unless ransom is paid

‘Everything at HQ was taken offline as that was the best way to stop the attack spreading to customer data.’

A spokesperson for Carpetright said: ‘We would like to apologise for any inconvenience caused.

‘We are not aware of any customer or colleague data being impacted by this incident and are testing and resetting systems, with investigations ongoing.’

The cyber attack at the flooring chain comes after hackers managed to access a ‘small number’ of patients’ data last month.

Ransomware group – INC Ransom – targeted NHS Dumfries and Galloway and claimed it was in possession of three terabytes of data from NHS Scotland.

A post on its dark web blog included a ‘proof pack’ of some of the data, which was…

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The Hangzhou Internet Security Institute released an AI industry report., Business News

March 16, 2024/in Internet Security

The Hangzhou Internet Security Institute released an AI industry report.

Zhejiang, China – March 15, 2024 —

The Hangzhou Internet Security Institute published an AI industry report, systematically elucidating the prospects of the AI industry. It also offers an in-depth analysis of the latest developments and technological breakthroughs of leading AI institutions, while exploring the challenges and opportunities of AI technology in practical applications. The institute believes that, despite the significant progress made in AI technology, there are still issues related to data security and privacy protection in its practical applications, which merit global caution and attention.

On February 15, 2024(EST), OpenAI officially released the Sora video model, along with 48 generative video cases and a technical report. Users can simply input text to generate a 60-second video. The launch of Sora undoubtedly represents another significant breakthrough following the introduction of ChatGPT in 2023. Sora is considered the pinnacle of achievement in the field of artificial intelligence to date, with the AI competition seen as the forefront of the current Sino-American rivalry. Currently, the institute has heard two perspectives: Firstly, the development of AI technology will determine the future rise or fall of China and the United States. The rise and fall of great powers usually begin during periods of major technological change, and ultimately, this continuous growth advantage will translate into geopolitical and military influence. Secondly, China has already come very close to the United States in this cutting-edge technology field, even surpassing the United States in aspects such as electronic payments, 5G, and the quantity of papers and patents.

The institute believes that the launch of ChatGPT and Sora indicates that the United States holds a leading advantage in the foundational areas necessary for the development of artificial intelligence, including hardware, research and development, and talent, while China still lags behind the US in deep learning, core algorithms, and large language models. However, the institute also recognizes that China’s vast population size…

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Leaked documents expose Chinese hacking company for shady business practices

March 8, 2024/in Internet Security

The hotel was spacious. It was upscale. It had a karaoke bar. The perfect venue, the CEO of the Chinese hacking company thought, to hold a Lunar New Year banquet currying favor with government officials. There was just one drawback, his top deputy said.

“Who goes there?” the deputy wrote. “The girls are so ugly.”

So goes the sordid wheeling and dealing that takes place behind the scenes in China’s hacking industry, as revealed in a highly unusual leak last month of internal documents from a private contractor linked to China’s government and police. China’s hacking industry, the documents reveal, suffers from shady business practices, disgruntlement over pay and work quality, and poor security protocols.

GOP REP SOUNDS ALARM ON GROWING CHINESE INFLUENCE IN CENTRAL AND SOUTH AMERICA

Private hacking contractors are companies that steal data from other countries to sell to the Chinese authorities. Over the past two decades, Chinese state security’s demand for overseas intelligence has soared, giving rise to a vast network of these private hackers-for-hire companies that have infiltrated hundreds of systems outside China.

The interior of the I-Soon office is shown as the company faces allegations over shady business practices, disgruntled employees, and poor security protocols. (AP Photo/Dake Kang)

Though the existence of these hacking contractors is an open secret in China, little was known about how they operate. But the leaked documents from a firm called I-Soon have pulled back the curtain, revealing a seedy, sprawling industry where corners are cut and rules are murky and poorly enforced in the quest to make money.

Leaked chat records show I-Soon executives wooing officials over lavish dinners and late night binge drinking. They collude with competitors to rig bidding for government contracts. They pay thousands of dollars in “introduction fees” to contacts who bring them lucrative projects. I-Soon has not commented on the documents.

CHINA’S BELT AND ROAD INITIATIVE PLAGUED BY CORRUPTION AND POLITICAL BACKLASH: REPORT

Mei Danowski, a cybersecurity analyst who wrote about I-Soon on her blog, Natto Thoughts, said the documents show that China’s hackers for hire work much like any…

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