Tag Archive for: Homeland

Four Chinese Nationals Working With the Ministry of State Security Charged With Global Computer Intrusion Campaign – Homeland Security Today

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A federal grand jury in San Diego, California, returned an indictment in May charging four nationals and residents of the People’s Republic of China with a campaign to hack into the computer systems of dozens of victim companies, universities, and government entities in the United States and abroad between 2011 and 2018. The indictment, which was unsealed on Friday, alleges that much of the conspiracy’s theft was focused on information that was of significant economic benefit to China’s companies and commercial sectors, including information that would allow the circumvention of lengthy and resource-intensive research and development processes. The defendants and their Hainan State Security Department (HSSD) conspirators sought to obfuscate the Chinese government’s role in such theft by establishing a front company, Hainan Xiandun Technology Development Co., Ltd. (海南仙盾) (Hainan Xiandun), since disbanded, to operate out of Haikou, Hainan Province.

The two-count indictment alleges that Ding Xiaoyang (丁晓阳), Cheng Qingmin (程庆民) and Zhu Yunmin (朱允敏), were HSSD officers responsible for coordinating, facilitating and managing computer hackers and linguists at Hainan Xiandun and other MSS front companies to conduct hacking for the benefit of China and its state-owned and sponsored instrumentalities. The indictment alleges that Wu Shurong (吴淑荣) was a computer hacker who, as part of his job duties at Hainan Xiandun, created malware, hacked into computer systems operated by foreign governments, companies and universities, and supervised other Hainan Xiandun hackers.

The conspiracy’s hacking campaign targeted victims in the United States, Austria, Cambodia, Canada, Germany, Indonesia, Malaysia, Norway, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. Targeted industries included, among others, aviation, defense, education, government, health care, biopharmaceutical and maritime. Stolen trade secrets and confidential business information included, among other things, sensitive technologies used for submersibles and autonomous vehicles, specialty chemical formulas, commercial aircraft servicing, proprietary genetic-sequencing technology…

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NSU’s cyber, homeland security programs top in nation | News

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Northeastern State University’s cyber security and homeland security degrees have been ranked as top programs in the United States by Study.com.

NSU’s cyber security program has been ranked as No. 25 as part of the Best Bachelor’s Degrees in Computer Forensics list and homeland security has been ranked as No. 36 on the Best Bachelor’s Degrees in Security Management list.

The cyber security program at NSU combines course subjects from information systems, criminal justice and computer science disciplines to provide students with the skills to deter, detect, contain and investigate illegal activity on the internet.

NSU’s homeland security program provides students with the skills and knowledge necessary to improve the outcomes of emergency situations. It is also the only homeland security and/or emergency management bachelor’s degree program in the state of Oklahoma.

Faculty in the NSU Department of Criminology, Justice studies and Global Security said that the possibilities are endless when it comes to using one of their degree programs after graduation.

Both degree programs prepare students for employment in government and private sector positions such as law enforcement officers, cyber security threat analysts and incident response officials.

“It does open doors for the degree holder, but it is up to them to step through the door, wherever it may lead,” James Hall, associate professor said. “Our job is to prepare all of our students to think critically and analytically, to be able to work collaboratively, to communicate well, both written and spoken. If we do that, we have done our part. And when our students succeed, we succeed.”

For more information on NSU’s cyber security and homeland security programs, visit https://academics.nsuok.edu/criminaljustice/DegreePrograms/default.aspx#cs.

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NIST Releases Tips and Tactics for Dealing With Ransomware – Homeland Security Today

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Used in cyberattacks that can paralyze organizations, ransomware is malicious software that encrypts a computer system’s data and demands payment to restore access. To help organizations protect against ransomware attacks and recover from them if they happen, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has published an infographic offering a series of simple tips and tactics.

NIST’s advice includes:

  • Use antivirus software at all times — and make sure it’s set up to automatically scan your emails and removable media (e.g., flash drives) for ransomware and other malware.
  • Keep all computers fully patched with security updates.
  • Use security products or services that block access to known ransomware sites on the internet.
  • Configure operating systems or use third-party software to allow only authorized applications to run on computers, thus preventing ransomware from working.
  • Restrict or prohibit use of personally owned devices on your organization’s networks and for telework or remote access unless you’re taking extra steps to assure security.

NIST also advises users to follow these tips for their work computers:

  • Use standard user accounts instead of accounts with administrative privileges whenever possible.
  • Avoid using personal applications and websites, such as email, chat and social media, on work computers.
  • Avoid opening files, clicking on links, etc. from unknown sources without first checking them for suspicious content. For example, you can run an antivirus scan on a file, and inspect links carefully.

Unfortunately, even with protective measures in place, eventually a ransomware attack may still succeed. Organizations can prepare for this by taking steps to ensure that their information will not be corrupted or lost, and that normal operations can resume quickly.

NIST recommends that organizations follow these steps to accelerate their recovery:

  • Develop and implement an incident recovery plan with defined roles and strategies for decision making.
  • Carefully plan, implement and test a data backup and restoration strategy. It’s important not only to have secure backups of all your important data, but also to make sure that backups are kept…

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Kansas Man Indicted for Hacking, Tampering with a Public Water System – Homeland Security Today

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A Kansas man has been indicted on a federal charge accusing him of tampering with a public water system, Acting U.S. Attorney Duston Slinkard said Wednesday.

Wyatt A. Travnichek, 22, of Ellsworth County, Kansas is charged with one count of tampering with a public water system and one count of reckless damage to a protected computer during unauthorized access.

“Our office is committed to maintaining and improving its partnership with the state of Kansas in the administration and implementation of the Safe Drinking Water Act of 1974,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Duston Slinkard. “Drinking water that is considered safe is essential to the protection of the public’s health.”

The indictment alleges that on or about March 27, 2019, in the District of Kansas, Travnichek knowingly accessed the Ellsworth County Rural Water District’s protected computer system without authorization. During this unauthorized access, it is alleged Travnichek performed activities that shut down the processes at the facility which affect the facilities cleaning and disinfecting procedures with the intention of harming the Ellsworth Rural Water District No. 1, also known as Post Rock Rural Water District.

“By illegally tampering with a public drinking water system, the defendant threatened the safety and health of an entire community,” said Lance Ehrig, Special Agent in Charge of EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division in Kansas. “EPA and its law enforcement partners are committed to upholding the laws designed to protect our drinking water systems from harm or threat of harm. Today’s indictment sends a clear message that individuals who intentionally violate these laws will be vigorously prosecuted.”

Upon conviction, the alleged crimes carry the following penalties:

Tampering with a Public Water System: Up to 20 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000.
Reckless Damage to a Protected Computer During Unauthorized Access: Up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000.

Read more at the Justice Department

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