DataBreachToday.com

Chinese Nation-State Hackers Used a Custom Utility to Capture Packets
Chinese hackers who infiltrated U.S. telecoms likely only used one, known Cisco vulnerability, says Cisco's threat analysis unit. Otherwise, the Chinese nation-state cyberespionage operation known as Salt Typhoon used stolen login credentials living-off-the-land techniques, says Cisco Talos.

Computing Giant Warns Against Future Decryption of Secure Communications
Google adopted quantum-safe digital signatures for its cloud environment designed to help users combat the next phase of adversarial attacks. The announcement from the company comes days after Microsoft unveiled its latest quantum chip. NIST formalized the algorithms in August 2024.

Ransomware Attack Taught Lessons on Health Sector Resiliency, Vendor Redundancy
It's been one year since hackers attacked IT services provider Change Healthcare, quickly shutting down critical processes for thousands healthcare entities, triggering a data breach affecting 190 million people. So what top lessons are emerging from that massive disruption and data compromise?

Vendors Consolidate Endpoint, Managed Offerings to Combat Major Industry Players
Rising competition from CrowdStrike and Microsoft is driving MDR and EDR providers to consolidate. Companies such as Sophos and Arctic Wolf are acquiring endpoint or managing security technology to enhance detection and response capabilities, signaling a shift toward full-stack security solutions.

'He Is an Idiot,' Dissatisfied Hacker Writes of Boss
Two hundred thousand internal chat messages from the Russian ransomware group Black Basta have been leaked online, supposedly in reprisal for the operation targeting Russian banks. The partial logs, spanning 13 months, detail negotiations with victims, ransoms paid, internal disagreements and more.

US Technology Giant Reportedly Received UK Government Demand for Global Backdoor
Amidst the ever-rising tide of cyberattacks and data breaches, Apple is deactivating a key data security feature for all U.K. users, rather than accede to a reported demand from the British government that the technology giant give it on-demand backdoor access to any user's data in the world.

It's critical for healthcare providers that offer telehealth and remote patient monitoring services to incorporate these systems into their organizational risk programs, including how they plan to address issues such as patch management from afar, said attorney Betsy Hodge of the law firm Akerman.

Experts Say Consumers Gain Little as Implementation Challenges Loom for Framework
Australia's new scams framework bill sets the foundation for industry action but leaves consumers with limited protection. Experts warn that enforcement and reimbursement mechanisms are unclear, forcing victims to navigate a complex system with little guarantee of compensation.

Also: Lee Enterprises Recovering From Ransomware Attack, an Ivanti POC
This week, a FBI warning on Ghost ransomware, Lee Enterprises confirmed its ransomware attack, a proof of concept for Ivanti EPM flaws and a cybersecurity flaw in a Xerox machine. Also, a Chinese cyberespionage hacker apparently moonlighted as a ransomware attacker and NioCorp hit by a cyber heist.

Longtime Leader Dino DiMarino to Expand Non-Human Identity, Quantum-Ready Solutions
Dino DiMarino, the new CEO of AppViewX, is steering the company toward growth by expanding its presence in cybersecurity and cloud infrastructure. His strategic focus includes scaling operations, strengthening non-human identity security and safeguarding post-quantum cryptography advancements.

Credential Stuffing Breaches Affected Nearly 200,000 Warby Parker Customers
Federal regulators have levied a $1.5 million HIPAA civil monetary penalty against eyeglass maker and retailer Warby Parker over credential stuffing hacks that affected about 200,000 people. The HIPAA enforcement action is the first disclosed in the second Trump administration.

EIT Oxford's Dr. Laura Gilbert on AI Accountability and Responsible AI Adoption
AI adoption demands a balance between ethics, regulation and compliance. Dr. Laura Gilbert, head of AI for government at EIT Oxford and Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, and AI expert advisor for the British government, discusses how AI can enhance decision-making in public and private sectors.

Both Ransomware Operations Remain Active and Pose a Threat, Experts Warn
Ransomware business moves: Attacks tied to BlackLock have been surging, likely bolstered by the group's custom-built malware, while the long-running Black Basta operation remains a threat, even as it looks set to disband due to core members facing "fatigue," report cybercrime experts.

Demand for Cloud Security Skills Is Growing, Offering Good Pay and New Challenges
Cloud services support a wide range of applications from finance to healthcare systems and have become prime targets for cybercriminals, making cloud security a major concern for cybersecurity organizations. The need to secure the cloud is driving demand for skilled cloud security specialists.

New Pentagon CISO Appointed as Pentagon Budget Cuts Loom
The White House appointed a Trump ally and former Department of Defense cybersecurity official as DOD CISO, an unexpected return to the Pentagon for an official previously removed under a cloud of security concerns. Arrington returns to the Pentagon just as it faces budget cuts.

DOJ Says Contractor Falsely Claimed to Meet Critical Cyber Requirements
A military health benefits administrator has agreed to pay $11.2 million to settle allegations that the company falsely certified compliance with cybersecurity requirements - including patch management - for three years in a contract with the U.S. Department of Defense.

Regulators Cite Privacy Concerns Over DeepSeek's Data Collection Practices
The Personal Information Protection Commission, South Korea's data protection regulator, has directed Chinese artificial intelligence company DeepSeek AI to withdraw its chatbot application from official app stores pending an inquiry into the chatbot's compliance with data protection rules.

Private Equity Firm Says It'll Take Several Weeks to Pinpoint Scope of Jan. 16 Hack
An unauthorized third-party accessed certain information systems last month from Insight Partners through a sophisticated social engineering attack. Insight said it'll take the next several weeks to determine the scope of the Jan. 16 incident with the support of third-party cybersecurity experts.

Thinking Machines Lab Looks to Build Multimodal, Safe AI
Former OpenAI CTO Mira Murati launched a new artificial intelligence startup with an aim to bridge the gap between rapidly advancing AI technologies and the public's understanding of them. The startup is an attempt to create AI systems that can adapt to individual user needs.