Tag Archive for: provider

‘Wagner’ Hackers Say They Shut Down Russian Satellite Internet Provider

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Hackers who claim to be affiliated with Russia’s Wagner group say they’ve breached a Russian satellite internet provider and forced it offline. 

The mysterious group posted their claims in a Telegram channel as the Russian satellite communications provider Dozor-Teleport became unreachable on Thursday morning.

“Confirmed: Metrics show a disruption to satellite internet provider Dozor-Teleport which supplies Russia’s FSB (Federal Security Service), Gazprom, Rosatom and military installations,” internet traffic monitor NetBlocks reported. Others, including Kentik and Internet Outage Alerts, also confirmed Dozor-Teleport remains offline.  

In a Telegram message, the hacking group claims “part of the satellite terminals” failed at Dozor-Teleport, and information was wiped from the Russian company’s servers. As proof, the group posted apparent internal documents from Dozor-Teleport, suggesting they successfully compromised the company’s network. 

The group says it also defaced four Russian websites with a message titled: “Who are the Wagners? Everyone saw them on June 24th.”

“The whole world watched our actions, listened to our every word. We showed how easily we can reach Moscow in a day without meeting any resistance,” the message adds. 

A translated version of the message over the defaced websites.

A translated version of the message on the defaced websites.

The disruption occurs days after security researchers spotted a piece of ransomware that was also promoting the Wagner group. When it infects, the ransomware will drop a note written in the Russian language that encourages users to sign up with the paramilitary organization. 

But it remains unclear if the ransomware or the breach of Dozor-Teleport are connected to the real Wagner group. So far, the official Telegram channel for the Russian military organization has yet to comment on any of the cyberattacks. 

This past weekend, Wagner’s leader Yevgeny Prigozhin briefly rebelled against the Russian military by marching his troops toward Moscow while accusing the country’s defense ministry of incompetence. However, the rebellion was short-lived; Prigozhin called off his troops a day later and has since agreed to live in exile in Belarus. 

So it’s possible that…

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Ukrainian Forces Shutter Bot Farms and Illicit VPN Provider

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Cybercrime
,
Fraud Management & Cybercrime

Arrests Made and Computer Equipment Seized

Mihir Bagwe (MihirBagwe) •
May 5, 2023    

Ukrainian Forces Shutter Bot Farms and Illicit VPN Provider
[7:17 PM] David Perera Security Service of Ukraine officials conduct a raid on botnet operators. (Image: Security Service of Ukraine) like 1

Ukrainian law enforcement dismantled more than half a dozen bot farms and a virtual private network infrastructure spreading disinformation and fake Russian propaganda.

See Also: Live Webinar | Education Cybersecurity Best Practices: Devices, Ransomware, Budgets and Resources

The cyber specialists of the Security Service of Ukraine and the National Police seized thousands of SIM cards, bank cards, GSM gateways and other specialized equipment used to support a network of 5,000 anonymous social media accounts on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. The accounts had almost 200,000 users. Police did not disclose the exact number of arrests, which took place in nine separate regions of Ukraine.

This takedown is the latest in a string of raids on botnet operators, including the December 2022 dismantling of more than a dozen bot farms, the September 2022 takedown of two bot farms and the August 2022 dismantling of a group that operated more than 1 million bots.

The SBU on Monday also seized operations of an illicit VPN the agency said had been used by Russians to conduct disinformation operations.

The police arrested two persons from Poltava and one from the Kharkiv region of Ukraine in association with the illegal activity.

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Online Protection Provider McAfee Announces Regional HQ at The Star in Frisco » Dallas Innovates

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Rendering of the new Business and Innovation Hub at The Star in Frisco. [Rendering: HKS]

Rendering of the new Business and Innovation Hub at The Star in Frisco. [Rendering: HKS]

Global online protection provider McAfee announced that it will have a new regional headquarters located at The Star in Frisco starting in starting mid-2023.

“We’re looking forward to partnering closely with the city of Frisco and Frisco EDC, as we become one of Frisco’s newest corporate citizens,” Benni Bueckert, vice president of workplace and engagement, said in a statement. “At McAfee, our commitment to protecting all that matters extends beyond the digital world. We believe we all have a responsibility to help shape our local communities and to make a difference. With a shared vision and passion for supporting our local community, we see endless possibilities with this partnership.”

McAfee is the latest corporate addition to the city, and McAfee said it is committed to partnering with the community, local students, and local tech startups to expand awareness around STEM through programs such as McAfee’s Online Safety Program for Kids. The program seeks to educate children about online protection and inspire them to pursue careers in STEM and cybersecurity.

“Our decision to choose Frisco for our regional HQ was also based on the diverse cultural destination the city has become, and the many opportunities our team members will have to be immersed in the community and to give back to the many nonprofit organizations here,” Bueckert said.

Another win for ‘Smart City’

Mayor Jeff Cheney called the announcement another win for the city.

“As an innovation-focused Smart City, we know how important online protection is. We’re proud to have a global leader like McAfee regionally headquartered in Frisco,” Cheney said.

Earlier this month, Universal Studios theme park for kids on 97 acres off the Dallas North Tollway in Frisco. And, Credit Bureau Connection, the Fresno, California-based provider of credit-focused lead generation, credit report and compliance solutions, has moved its headquarters to Frisco and rebranded as Informativ.

McAfee’s North Texas connections

A recent merger between McAfee…

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Apple Lets Consumers BYOK; Is Your Cloud Provider Following Suit?

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Consumers are used to having their messages encrypted end-to-end so that only those with whom they are communicating can see their messages. But, what about their pictures and documents that are stored in the mobile service provider’s environment? Now, Apple has launched its Advanced Data Protection feature for iCloud’s 850 million users and their 1.8 billion connected devices. Apple’s new opt-in offering will provide consumers with end-to-end encryption for their assets and not just messages, ensuring that only the owner of that iCloud account can access that data, giving them unprecedented control. In the event of a breach or insider threat, Apple users’ data will remain safely encrypted, with keys that they control — even law enforcement officers with a warrant won’t be able to access iMessage archives, photo galleries, or anything backed up to iCloud.

This move comes as Apple implements a suite of other modern security measures, including offering users the ability to verify their identity in iMessage and to use hardware keys such as YubiKeys for two-factor authentication. Security professionals have campaigned for Apple to implement the feature—which is analogous to Bring Your Own Key (BYOK) encryption in the enterprise space—after a host of iCloud breaches have leaked the unencrypted private data of politicians, celebrities, and private citizens. Apple announced that it sees the feature as central to its mission of protecting users’ privacy. The company also stated that as data threats become more sophisticated, the security options made available to consumers must keep pace.

Additionally, Apple’s implementation of end-to-end encryption sends a strong message that it prioritizes customers’ right to privacy and security.

Encryption Key Control is Non-negotiable

By offering end-to-end encryption to nearly a billion users, Apple sets a precedent for the industry at large. If Apple is relinquishing control over encryption keys for consumers, it should also be non-negotiable for enterprise-grade cloud providers to do the same. Data breaches can be highly damaging and embarrassing for individuals. The same is true for companies, many of which are legally…

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