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Deputy Director Reflects on Term and Offers Advice to Successors
From application security to zero trust, it's been a busy four years for the current leaders of the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. Deputy Director Nitin Natarajan discusses the agency's accomplishments and the threats that await the next administration's cyber leaders.

Also: Penalty on Illegal Cryptomining in Siberia
This week's roundup includes Do Kwon's trial, penalty on a Siberian firm over illegal cryptomining, 2024 drainer attack statistics, U.S. bank regulator's crypto stance, Gemini's CFTC settlement, China's blockchain plans and Hong Kong's push for DLT in banks.

ActZero Purchase Adds Artificial Intelligence, Open Platform and Process Maturity
With its acquisition of ActZero, WatchGuard gains advanced machine learning capabilities and expertise to improve its MDR service. ActZero's mature processes and open platform enable seamless integration of WatchGuard products as well as third-party tools like Microsoft Defender.

Also, Alleged Gravy Analytics Breach Exposes Location Data
This week, a Russian tanker linked to cable sabotage detained in Finland, a claimed Gravy Analytics breach exposed location data, a Mirai-based botnet exploited zero-day flaws, Dell updated framework flaws and a court sentenced a Florida woman for laundering millions in romance scams.

Facebook Unveils Community Notes Program But Has Done Little to Curb Fraud
Meta has decided to end its fact-checking program. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced significant changes to the company's moderation policies and practices on Tuesday, attributing the shift to a renewed commitment to free speech. Some fear the move will embolden financial scammers.

Transfer of German Man's IP Address Wins Him 400 Euros
European privacy regulation - bane of American technology companies and a favorite cudgel of activists - came to haunt no less an organization than the European Commission, which must pay 400 euros to aggrieved German national Thomas Bindl, peeved that Facebook obtained his IP address.

US Senate Unlikely to Ratify Contentious Cybercrime Treaty Amid Mounting Concerns
Experts tell Information Security Media Group that a controversial United Nations cybercrime convention is unlikely to be ratified in the U.S. Senate due to mounting concerns from technology, human rights and privacy advocates over its potential impact on internet security and privacy protections.

Suspected Chinese Attackers Again Tied to Active Exploitation of VPN Appliances
VPN appliance maker Ivanti has begun releasing updates to patch a zero-day vulnerability being actively exploited by suspected nation-state attackers. Experts are warning users to immediately update their devices, after factory resetting them to flush any malware attackers may have installed.

Studying Backdoors in Web Shells, Researchers Find 4,000 Infected Systems
How many servers are infected by web shells designed to give attackers remote access to systems, but now "phone home" to malicious infrastructure that's now abandoned or expired? Security researchers who posed that question have counted 4,000 such systems, including in government and education.

Facebook Unveils Community Notes Program But Has Done Little to Curb Fraud
Meta has decided to end its fact-checking program. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced significant changes to the company's moderation policies and practices on Tuesday, attributing the shift to a renewed commitment to free speech. Some fear the move will embolden financial scammers.

Know the Challenges and Opportunities of Working as a CISO, Architect or Pen Tester
Cybersecurity jobs typically pay well and they can be personally rewarding because they merge advanced technical challenges with a vital mission - protecting critical systems, data and people. In this post, we'll focus on the highest-paying jobs and the challenges and opportunities they offer.

Cync Acquisition Bolsters Exposure Validation Through Advanced Offensive Expertise
Cymulate’s acquisition of Cync Secure enhances its ability to bridge vulnerability identification and resolution. The deal integrates Cync offensive capabilities, creating a next-gen exposure prioritization platform to tackle vulnerabilities effectively and address unmet market demands.

Transfer of German Man's IP Address Wins Him 400 Euros
European privacy regulation - bane of American technology companies and a favorite cudgel of activists - came to haunt no less an organization than the European Commission, which must pay 400 euros to aggrieved German national Thomas Bindl, peeved that Facebook obtained his IP address.

US Senate Unlikely to Ratify Contentious Cybercrime Treaty Amid Mounting Concerns
Experts tell Information Security Media Group that a controversial United Nations cybercrime convention is unlikely to be ratified in the U.S. Senate due to mounting concerns from technology, human rights, and privacy advocates over its potential impact on internet security and privacy protections.

Biden Administration Hopes Good Cybersecurity Is Also Good Marketing
The Biden administration Tuesday launched a cybersecurity labeling program for IoT devices aimed to help consumers choose smart devices that offer enhanced protections against hacking. Eligible products include wireless IoT devices such as fitness trackers, smart appliances and garage door openers.

Phylum's Product Delivers Real-Time Detection of Malicious Open-Source Packages
To combat the rise in software supply chain attacks, Veracode has acquired Denver-area startup Phylum and its advanced tools to detect malicious open-source packages. The acquisition strengthens Veracode's software composition analysis offering and enables faster, more reliable threat mitigation.

New Non-Binding Recommendations Target Medical Device Makers, Software Developers
Manufacturers are eager to incorporate AI into a wide range of medical devices, from cardiac monitors that can spot developing heart problems to medical imaging systems that can find malignancies a radiologist might miss. The FDA released a new guidance this week on how to secure these devices.