Data tracking and the role that big tech companies play online has become one of the most concerning issues for parents in the U.S. — at 24% — yet is one of the least concerning for parents in
the U.K. at 6%, according to data released Thursday.
The issue centers …
During an emergency City Council meeting Dec. 30, Tomball City Council unanimously authorized City Manager David Esquivel to spend the necessary funds for the recovery of city systems and data following a ransomware attack.
Esquivel said the cost for the recovery of city systems and data is projected to be over $50,000.
“That’s why the authorization was asked for today because we know it’s going to be over $50,000,” Esquivel said in an interview following the emergency meeting.
The ransomware attack took place on the morning of Dec. 20 and affected a majority of the city’s networks, according to a Dec. 30 news release provided by the city.
Esquivel said the interruption in certain services was first noticed by the police department.
“Trying to reestablish some of those things that were not working [is when] we noticed that there was an issue,” Esquivel said.
Emergency services such as 9-1-1, dispatch, police, fire and public works are still operational but there are ongoing issues with the city’s online payment systems. The city is waiving all late fees for utility bills due Dec. 30 as a result, according to the news release.
The city is working with outside law enforcement, including the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Bureau of Investigation to investigate the attack, according to the news release.
“That was the next step,” Esquivel said about notifying outside agencies. “Once we saw that it was that type of issue that we were dealing with, that was the first response because, at that point, it’s an outside attack into our systems so that’s standard protocol.”
The city does not have a timeline for when services and systems will be fully restored, according to the news release.
“It’s going to be one of those [things] where not everything comes back all at once,” Esquivel said. “It’s going to come in stages.”
Esquivel said he cannot comment on whether utility customers’ passwords or credit card information was compromised.
“Getting the network back up is going to be the crucial piece to get that connectivity,” Esquivel said. “Once we have that, getting the software back up and running and different servers and stuff like…
Australia’s future is getting decidedly spooky. China is engaging in influence and interference attacks on our way of life. Now we’re investing billions of dollars into returning the favour.
Tucked away in a quiet corner of the federal budget was an unexpectedly large number: $1.3 billion.
Alongside were ominous names: ASIO and Signals Directorate.
And the reason was vague: Technological capabilities.
Little else was said. It is, after all, the very heart of Australia’s international espionage operations.
But Flinders University lecturer in international relations, Dr Michael Sullivan, told news.com.au the clues are in Canberra’s strategic, diplomatic and domestic posturing.
“Improved technical capabilities is the wording in the budget papers,” he says.
“That relates clearly to expanded and upgraded ‘grey zone’ activities. And that means both offensive and defensive.”
The grey zone is the murky space between international law and war. It’s where plausible deniability is at play. It’s where confusion reigns supreme.
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Evidence of this activity is everywhere.
There is an ongoing attack on US fuel supply pipelines. The blackout of an Indian city during its border dispute with China. Data thefts from Parliament House, universities and businesses.
And that’s barely even a taste.
Avast cybersecurity expert Stephen Kho says the $1.3 billion figure may sound like a significant amount. But once spread over its 10-year term, it is relatively modest compared to our Five Eyes international intelligence-sharing partners (the US, Britain, Canada and New Zealand).
“This investment is definitely a step in the right direction,” the antivirus and digital security provider adds, saying benefits from this and related cybersecurity projects will “funnel down from national security to everyday consumer security”.
Dr Sullivan says Australia already has its own established digital grey zone capabilities: “They’re operating every day. They’re focused on – but not limited to – cyber warfare. And their particular focus is the Indo-Pacific”.
It’s just that they’re now getting extra emphasis.
Threat perception
Alongside increased…
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