This year was rife with ransomware. 2021 witnessed the attack on IT software company Kaseya that knocked 1,500 organizations offline, the CD Projekt Red hack that saw threat actors make off with source code for games including Cyberpunk 2077 and The Witcher 3, and several high-profile attacks targeting big-name tech companies, from Olympus to Fujitsu and […]
China’s AI giant SenseTime postpones IPO after US blacklisting
SenseTime, one of China’s most valuable AI solution providers, is putting its $767 million public listing on hold, the company said Monday. The announcement came three weeks after the Hong Kong Stock Exchange gave the go-ahead to SenseTime’s IPO. On December 10, the U.S. Department of Treasury added the firm to a list of “Chinese […]
USAID should let for-profit companies help it build a better world
If USAID’s NPI expands to work with tech companies, they can provide USAID with existing tools and solutions. Opening up NPI to for-profit businesses is the first step in doing so.
Congress must clarify how the infrastructure bill will impact cryptocurrency
The crypto tax element of the $1 trillion U.S. infrastructure bill is not clearly written, and the government risks squashing a burgeoning part of the economy.
US says Iran-backed hackers are now targeting organizations with ransomware
The U.S. government, along with counterparts in Australia and the U.K, have warned that Iranian state-backed hackers are targeting U.S. organizations in critical infrastructure sectors — in some cases with ransomware. The rare warning linking Iran with ransomware landed in a joint advisory Wednesday, issued by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), the Federal […]
Olympus US hack tied to sanctioned Russian ransomware group
An “ongoing” cyberattack against the Japanese technology giant Olympus was caused by a Russian ransomware group sanctioned by the U.S. government, according to two people with knowledge of the incident. A new malware variant known as Macaw was used in the attack that began on October 10, which encrypted Olympus’ systems in the U.S., Canada […]
Russian authorities arrest cybersecurity giant Group-IB’s CEO on treason charges
Russian authorities have arrested and detained Ilya Sachkov, the co-founder and chief executive of Group-IB — one of the biggest cybersecurity companies in the country — on charges of treason. Details about Sachkov’s detention remain unclear but it was reported by Russian media as authorities searched the company’s offices, reports Reuters. State news agency Tass […]
New Treasury sanctions take aim at blocking ransomware groups from cashing out
The U.S. Treasury is wading into the fight against ransomware by sanctioning virtual cryptocurrency exchange Suex for its role in facilitating ransomware payments. The sanctions are the first of its kind against a cryptocurrency exchange, and prohibit Americans from doing business with the company. It’s the latest action as part of a U.S. government-wide effort […]
Technology giant Olympus hit by BlackMatter ransomware
Olympus said in a brief statement Sunday that it is “currently investigating a potential cybersecurity incident” affecting its European, Middle East and Africa computer network. “Upon detection of suspicious activity, we immediately mobilized a specialized response team including forensics experts, and we are currently working with the highest priority to resolve this issue. As part […]
Big Tech pledges billions to bolster U.S. cybersecurity defenses
Tech giants Apple, Google and Microsoft have pledged billions to bolster U.S. cybersecurity following a meeting with President Joe Biden at the White House on Wednesday. The meeting, which also included attendees from the financial and education sectors, was held following months of high-profile cyberattacks against critical infrastructure and several U.S. government agencies, along with a […]