Tag Archive for: offering

These Hackers Are Offering People $1 Million To Download Ransomware On Their Company Computers

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We are living in an exceptionally technologically advanced era. Everything is now done online. The transactions and operations can all be performed in a contactless manner. Our information is stored on the internet and systems. This has made it more accessible and distributable. However, convenience and ease are not the only things brought forth by the advent of technology.

There is a downside to this blessing as well. All this information is susceptible to a cyberattack. One such hacking incident can jeopardize all the security of this personal and confidential data. Recently, researchers at Abnormal Security have identified the attempt of hackers in luring the employees of companies to download DemonWare ransomware for $1 million in bitcoin.

After $610 Million Crypto Heist, Hacker Has Job Offer From His Victim

The people who are coming with the offer and the threat appear to be related to the DemonWare ransomware group, also known as the Black Kingdom or DEMON. The emails were distributed to the employees where they were asked to install a ransomware file in the company’s computer systems. The amount that was being offered adds up to be approximately 40% of the total $2.5 million demanded ransom.

In those emails, it was also added that the ransomware can be installed with the help of two ways. It can be installed through the computer electronically and physically. The email asked the interested employees to get back to them or communicate with them through Outlook or Telegram.

A man's hands at computer

DemonWare is based in Nigeria, and it was recently in the hype when it attacked the Microsoft Exchange’s ProxyLogon set of vulnerabilities. It stays popular and in the headlines by attacking popular companies and organizations. Recently, it also attacked companies in 17differecnt countries.

After research was carried out, it was found out that most, over half of ransomware victims end up paying them. However, in this regard, the attack was thwarted before it could get worse and the money was saved.

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Augusta Tech offering new opportunity for students interested in cyber careers

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AUGUSTA, Ga. (WJBF) – Students at Augusta Technical College earn a two-year associates degree upon graduation, but thanks to a new partnership, students are now offered a pathway to a four-year degree through Augusta University’s IT bachelors program.

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The program is called Cybersecurity to Information Technology Pathway, and it all happens at the Georgia Cyber Center.

“Students who graduate from our cyber security degree can now transfer some of those credits toward the Bachelor of Science in Information Technology degree at Augusta University,” School of Cyber and Design Media at Augusta Tech, Dean Tammy O’Brien said.

Augusta Tech students are encouraged to complete their associates before applying to the program, or at least be in their second semester.

“To get the most advantage of their two year degree, they should complete as much of it as possible, so that when they graduate after two years, nominally they will join us for the third year,” School of Computer and Cyber Sciences at AU Dean Dr. Alexander Schwarzmann said.

Augusta Technical College President Dr. Jermaine Whirl calls the program “a seamless transfer pathway.” Augusta Tech graduates have commonly enrolled at AU after earning their associates degrees, but Dean O’Brien says what’s new are the challenge exams.

“As far as testing, at the end of the semester we offer these tests to Augusta Tech students and they can just take the test, which is a regular test that our students take as well at the end of each course and they get full credit for that,” Dean Dr. Schwarzmann said.

They believe this program will open doors for students aspiring to be in the cybersecurity field while making them more competitive down the line.

“Education in the field of cyber security is going to guarantee a student a job somewhere,” Dean O’Brien said.

To apply, students must complete the Augusta Technical College transient application.

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Yes, The World Does Need Another Consumer Digital Security Offering

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Last month, Digital Security Company Aura launched its new consumer security and identity theft protection service to the public. Over the past 25 years of consumer technology, the general public has had its fair share of computer security and virus protection services. Grudgingly you might be thinking of Norton or McAfee software services that are downloaded on your device, probably not by choice, and despising the need for another security service to squeeze itself into the problem, not as the solution. 

I believe Aura is a modern digital security platform that steps into the modern digital problems we have today and away from services like Norton and McAfee that still sell virus protection in a box. I think Aura’s offerings to the consumer could change much of the way consumers view security on the internet and the way we do security on the internet in unique ways. Let’s take a look at who Aura is, what it offers, and many of the problems that it is trying to solve.

The need for a digital security platform for consumers 

The internet is the most unique and to many the greatest human inventions ever. I doubt I must tell you that, as you, the reader, experience this every day. We live in the digital era where the average consumer spends 6+ hours online a day, has ten connected devices in the home, and has at least 90 accounts online. It is quite honestly amazing. But just as you can be on the top of a mountain in Colorado and see the incredible God-given view while being surrounded by life-threatening dangers, the internet is full of dangers. 

The sad reality is that many of these dangers are not obvious to the average consumer. The degree to which a bad actor can steal your identity or financial information online is always changing. Security is a moving target, and the creativity and new schemes that keep emerging are always changing. Another factor that plays into this is the sheer fact that bad actors do it for financial gain. If you have ever watched the YouTuber Kitboga, the scammer’s methods are always about the money, and the scammers always target older and less-tech savvy consumers. 

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JFrog to acquire Vdoo to expand its end-to-end DevOps platform offering

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JFrog announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Vdoo Connected Trust in a cash and stock-based deal valued at approximately $300 million.

JFrog has accelerated its efforts to provide security offering to support DevOps users as they respond to the disruption in the market for continuous software delivery. As part of the JFrog Platform, Vdoo will accelerate JFrog’s vision of becoming the company behind all software updates and creating a world of Liquid Software by expanding its end-to-end DevOps Platform offering, providing holistic security from the development environment all the way to edges, IoT and devices.

Vdoo’s security experts and vulnerability researchers will join the JFrog team to continue to develop advanced security solutions for developers and security engineers. With years of extensive experience in software architecture and vulnerability research, reverse engineering, and binary code analysis, Vdoo’s team and JFrog will seek to deliver a complete DevSecOps solution to secure the full software packages lifecycle.

Holistic approach to security meets market demand

Many of today’s DevOps solutions are missing proper security capabilities that are fully integrated into the software lifecycle. Security tools are disparate, each with its own data set, which creates friction between development and security teams, slowing the releases of software updates – especially when continuously delivering to the edge or across a large fleet of devices. As a result, many of these security tools are not delivering on the promise of fast, automated, and secure releases.

The market demands a holistic process that secures software components all the way to the edge, consolidates security data for efficient decision-making, saves time and resources, and blesses an end-to-end delivery system with the highest integrity for security-certified releases — from any source to any endpoint.

“We are excited to have Vdoo join the JFrog family,” said Shlomi Ben Haim, co-founder and CEO of JFrog. “It is clear to us that the joint vision of changing the way software is being created, released, and updated to the edge will be our compass as we…

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