Tag Archive for: forum

FBI and international partners seize control of popular hacking forum

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By Sean Lyngaas, CNN

US and international law enforcement agencies have seized control of a popular website where hackers have advertised data stolen from American consumers and corporations — the latest in a long-running effort to crack down on forums where cybercriminals congregate.

“This domain has been seized” by the FBI, US Secret Service and Justice Department, read a notice Tuesday on the home page of RaidForums, a website known more for advertising hacked data in English rather than in Russian, the preferred language of other criminal forums. Law enforcement agencies from the United Kingdom, Sweden and elsewhere were involved in the seizure, according to the statement.

With over 530,000 registered members, according to threat intelligence firm Recorded Future, RaidForums had great reach and influence among low to mid-level cybercriminals.

RaidForums’ 21-year-old alleged founder, Diogo Santos Coelho, was arrested in the United Kingdom on January 31, and remains in custody pending “the resolution of his extradition proceedings,” the Justice Department said.

It’s the latest move in a sustained international law enforcement effort to upend the marketplaces where cybercrime flourishes. German police last week seized the computer servers of Hydra, a popular Russian dark web market connected to $5 billion in transactions since 2015.

“The takedown of this online market for the resale of hacked or stolen data disrupts one of the major ways cybercriminals profit from the large-scale theft of sensitive personal and financial information,” Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division in a written statement.

US authorities had access to RaidForums’ computer infrastructure for several months before the seizure was announced, according to a law enforcement official familiar with the matter. That likely gave authorities valuable insight into who bought and sold hacked data during that time.

The seizure of RaidForums is a blow to crooks looking for an easy way to profit from data breaches. But the underground market for stolen financial and personal data will likely continue to flourish,…

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Password Stealing BlackGuard Malware Sold In Russian Hacking Forum Targets A Ton Of Apps

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blackguard stealer grabs data from chrome and cryptowallets

In the past year, the increase of malware-as-a-service has spurred significant growth of ransomware, phishing, and information theft attacks. Recently, Zscaler ThreatLabz researchers came across “BlackGuard,” a sophisticated information stealer advertised for sale on Russian hacking forums with a lifetime price of $700 and a monthly price of $200. This low price and ease of access could allow a thrifty threat actor to loot thousands of cryptocurrency wallets, bank accounts, and much with little to no work.

Researchers on the Zscaler ThreatLabz team were surfing hacking forums during research activities and happened to stumble upon the rising BlackGuard stealer.  Of course, the popular – yet relatively new – software warranted investigation, and what was found is quite impressive.  The researchers explain that BlackGuard first looks for and kills processes related to antivirus and sandboxing, which could partially prevent researchers from investigating the malware. After this, the malware checks to see if it is on a computer in the Commonwealth of Independent States, including countries like Russia and Ukraine. If that is not the case, the malware collects information from hardcoded installation paths of browsers like Chrome and Firefox, crypto-wallets and crypto-wallet extensions, email clients, and other applications like Discord.

bg dashboard blackguard stealer grabs data from chrome and cryptowallets

Despite its capabilities, the Zscaler team also reports that BlackGuard is not as broad as other stealers but has grown as a threat because “it continues to be improved and is developing a strong reputation in the underground community.” However, administrators and security teams can combat the risks by implementing good password hygiene, multi-factor authentication, and instructing users not to visit or open unknown sites or files.

bg forum blackguard stealer grabs data from chrome and cryptowallets

In any event, the rise in malware-as-a-service and the ease with which a threat actor can target people is quite concerning. However, there are some recognized weaknesses in BlackGuard which will hopefully help defenders and antivirus programs detect and nuke the malware before it becomes a larger problem.

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UK signs series of international digital agreements at first Future Tech Forum

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  • UK and Singapore sign deals to speed up trade, on digital identity and on cyber security
  • Comes as UK also endorses Prague Proposals on telecommunications supplier diversity

A series of agreements have been signed during the first Future Tech Forum in London to help create new digital trade opportunities, remove barriers to cross-border trade and reduce costs for businesses.

Three Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) were signed by UK Digital Secretary Nadine Dorries and her Singaporean counterpart, Minister for Communications and Information Josephine Teo.

The agreements will underpin the UK-Singapore Digital Economy Agreement (DEA), currently being negotiated, which seeks to enhance the trade relationship and boost digital trade for businesses and benefits for consumers.

An agreement on ‘digital trade facilitation’ aims to reduce barriers to digitally led trade by encouraging businesses to use electronic invoicing. It will establish a pilot project for the transfer of electronic bills of lading – the main commercial document of the shipment of goods – between the UK and Singapore.

By removing expensive and antiquated paper record keeping, the move will not only help reduce costs for businesses and help drive more competitive pricing for consumers, but it will also reduce the carbon footprint of trade.

A further agreement marks an important step in achieving the smooth operation of digital identity systems between different jurisdictions. It will help reduce barriers in cross-border trade and enable businesses and individuals to use the international digital economy with more confidence and security.

An agreement on cyber security acknowledges the common interest between the UK and Singapore in addressing the international challenges of protecting the countries’ interests online, and a shared vision of maintaining the economic and social benefits of a free, open, peaceful and secure cyberspace.

Digital Secretary Nadine Dorries said:

The Future Tech Forum is bringing global leaders together to discuss how we can use tech to create a greener, healthier and safer world.

The deals signed today will reduce costs for businesses and make it easier for our thriving…

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Military experts discuss the future of warfare in Thursday night forum hosted by The Gazette and KKTV | Subscriber-Only Content

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Now that America’s longest war has come to an end, what does the future of warfare look like?

That was the focus of many questions put to a panel of former and current military officers Thursday night at the Southeast Armed Services YMCA during a community conversation hosted by The Gazette and KKTV.

But as many of the roughly 50 in attendance arrived at the facility, a group of about two dozen stood on the sidewalk singing and holding signs.

Amy Zimbelman, a conference minister – something like a bishop – with Mountain States Mennonite Conference, which represents 17 churches in Colorado and New Mexico, stood next to fellow church members, peace and justice activists and Colorado College students.

The Colorado Springs resident had issue with the forum’s title: After Afghanistan: The Future of Warfare.

“The way the conversation is framed makes it sound as though warfare is just a foregone conclusion,” she said. “We need to look at other alternatives. We need to take seriously, active, non-violent resistance in our world.”



Community Conversation - After Afghanistan: The Future of Warfare

Amy Zimbelman, a conference minister with Mountain States Mennonite Conference, stands with a few dozen others outside the Southeast Armed Services YMCA before a community conversation with a panel of military experts discussing the future of warfare that was presented by The Gazette and KKTV on Thursday

. “We need to take seriously, active, nonviolent resistance in our world,” she said.




Colorado College freshman Wiley Holbrooke, 19, of Telluride, and…

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