The U.S. Department of Homeland Security says there was a huge rise in the number of public utilities and nuclear energy companies reporting cyber attacks last year. A new department study says authorities received 198 reports of cyber security threats in 2011, compared to just nine in 2009. Many of the threats were carried out […]
Homeland Security Officials Report Huge Jump in Reports of Cyber Attacks
FBI Smashes Global Credit Card Fraud Ring
The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation says it has smashed a global Internet credit card fraud ring. The FBI’s New York office calls it the biggest such operation in history, lasting more than two years and involving undercover law enforcement agents in 13 countries. Officials said Tuesday the operation protected 400,000 people from falling victim […]
Russian Computer Experts Find “Most Malicious Program Ever”
A Russian Internet security company says it has discovered what it calls the most malicious cyber menace known to date. Kaspersky Labs says the computer program known as “Flame” is the most complex and sophisticated malware program it has ever seen, avoiding detection by security software. It says Flame has been active for more than […]
US Says Natural Gas Pipelines Under Cyber Attack
U.S. security officials say that the country’s natural gas pipeline operators have been targeted in a series of cyber attacks over the last several months. The country’s Homeland Security agency said Tuesday the attacks involve “sophisticated spear-phishing” — fake emails that appear to be legitimate to employees at the natural gas companies –designed to try […]
Media Watchdog Names ‘Enemies of the Internet’
A global media watchdog group has released its “Enemies of the Internet” list for 2012, citing countries that inhibit freedom of expression on, or access to, the Internet. In the report released Monday, Reporters Without Borders said the Arab Spring is changing the face of Internet freedom, noting countries like Bahrain that have successfully caused […]
Cyber Attacks on Chemical Firms Traced to Chinese Computers
An American company says at least 48 chemical and military-related companies have been targeted in cyber attacks traced to computers owned by a man in central China. U.S.-based Symantec Corporation said the attacks targeted 29 chemical companies and 19 other companies, most of them based in the United States and Britain. It said the purpose […]
Japanese Computers Linked to South Korean Cyber Attack
Japanese police say they have identified two computer servers and a personal computer in Japan that were used in a massive cyber attack on South Korean government offices six months ago. The National Police Agency said Thursday it was the first known instance of a personal computer in Japan being used for cyber terrorism. They […]
US, Australia to Announce Cyber Warfare Cooperation Pact
U.S. and Australian officials will announce Thursday that a mutual defense treaty will be expanded to include cooperation on cyber warfare. The announcement, at a meeting of the two countries’ foreign and defense ministers in San Francisco, marks the first time Washington has established a cyber warfare partnership outside of NATO. Speaking to reporters Wednesday […]
Pentagon: Foreign Spies Stole 24,000 Classified Documents
The U.S. Defense Department has revealed a foreign government accessed 24,000 classified files in a cyberattack earlier this year, highlighting the need for its newly unveiled strategy to counter cyberthreats. Deputy Defense Secretary William Lynn said Thursday the attack in March was just one of a number of security breaches to U.S. defense computer networks. […]
Britain Fends Off More Than 1,000 Cyber Attacks a Year
Britain’s defense minister says his agency’s computer systems fended off more than a thousand cyber attacks in the past year. Liam Fox said late Tuesday in a speech that his agency fights “a continuous battle” to keep hostile forces out of computer networks. He said criminals, some foreign intelligence services, and other malicious elements are […]