Lockbit cybercrime gang says it is back online following global police bust
Lockbit, the cybercrime gang that was knocked offline by a comprehensive international police operation earlier this month, says it has restored its servers and is back in business. The group, notorious on the internet’s criminal underground for using malicious software called ransomware to digitally extort its victims, was the target of an unprecedented international law enforcement operation last week which saw its members arrested and indicted. Lockbit’s own website was used by police to taunt its ringleaders, and last Friday police said its leader “LockbitSupp” was cooperating with law enforcement, without elaborating.
US supreme court hears arguments in social media content moderation cases
The United States supreme court heard arguments on Monday morning in the first of two cases on its docket for the day that pertain to social media platforms and content moderation – the results of which could have big implications for freedom of speech online. Filed by NetChoice, an association representing the world’s largest social media firms, both cases challenge state laws blocking social media platforms from moderating certain user content or banning users.
Russian hackers shift to cloud attacks, US and allies warn
Members of the Five Eyes (FVEY) intelligence alliance warned today that APT29 Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) hackers are now switching to attacks targeting their victims’ cloud services. APT29 (also tracked as Cozy Bear, Midnight Blizzard, The Dukes) breached multiple U.S. federal agencies following the SolarWinds supply-chain attack they orchestrated more than three years ago. The Russian cyberspies also compromised Microsoft 365 accounts belonging to various entities within NATO nations to obtain foreign policy-related data and targeted governments, embassies, and senior officials throughout Europe associated in a string of phishing attacks.
NIST Releases Version 2.0 of Landmark Cybersecurity Framework
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has updated the widely used Cybersecurity Framework (CSF), its landmark guidance document for reducing cybersecurity risk. The new 2.0 edition is designed for all audiences, industry sectors and organization types, from the smallest schools and nonprofits to the largest agencies and corporations — regardless of their degree of cybersecurity sophistication. In response to the numerous comments received on the draft version, NIST has expanded the CSF’s core guidance and developed related resources to help users get the most out of the framework. These resources are designed to provide different audiences with tailored pathways into the CSF and make the framework easier to put into action.
Can your robot lawnmower run Doom? This one can
Did you think you’ve seen the last of Doom running on random stuff? Think again. Landscaping technology company Husqvarna just announced that the game will run on some of its robot lawn mowers. So you can mow down hellspawn just ahead of mowing down errant blades of grass. Here’s the deal. It’ll only be available on the company’s Automower Nera robotic lawn mower models, beginning this April. Once downloaded, you play the game via the lawn mower’s onboard display. Rotating the control knob turns Doomguy left and right and pressing the knob makes you shoot. Holding down the start button initiates forward movement. It’s Doom. You know the drill.
Steel giant ThyssenKrupp confirms cyberattack on automotive division
Steel giant ThyssenKrupp confirms that hackers breached systems in its Automotive division last week, forcing them to shut down IT systems as part of its response and containment effort. ThyssenKrupp AG is one of the world’s largest steel producers, employing over 100,000 personnel and having an annual revenue of over $44.4 billion (2022). The firm is a crucial component of the global supply chain of products that use steel as a material across various sectors, including machinery, automotive, elevators and escalators, industrial engineering, renewable energy, and construction.
Kagan: Florida social media law seems like “classic First Amendment violation“
The US Supreme Court today heard oral arguments on Florida and Texas state laws that impose limits on how social media companies can moderate user-generated content. The Florida law prohibits large social media sites like Facebook and Twitter (aka X) from banning politicians, and says they must “apply censorship, deplatforming, and shadow banning standards in a consistent manner among its users on the platform.” The Texas statute prohibits large social media companies from moderating posts based on a user’s “viewpoint.” The laws were supported by Republican officials from 20 other states.
