The computer system of one of the nation's largest school districts was hacked by a criminal gang that encrypted district data and demanded $40 million (roughly Rs. 293 crores) in ransom or it would erase the files and post students' and employees' personal information online.Broward County Public Schools said in a statement Thursday that there is no indication that any personal information has been stolen and that it made no extortion payment to the ransomware gang, which as an apparent pressure tactic last week posted screenshots of its online negotiations with the district to its site on the dark web.The Fort Lauderdale-based district said it is working with cybersecurity experts “to investigate the incident and remediate affected systems. Efforts
Tag: us
Global Chip Supply Chain Vulnerable to Massive Disruption: Study
A new study from a US industry group found that the global semiconductor supply chain has become increasingly vulnerable to natural disasters and geopolitical disruptions because suppliers have become more concentrated in distinct regions.The report comes amid a global chip shortage that started with overbooked factories in Taiwan late last year, but has since been exacerbated by a fire at a plant in Japan, a freeze that knocked out electricity in the US state of Texas, and a worsening drought in Taiwan this year. The shortage has idled some production lines at automobile factories in the United States, Europe, and Asia.Modern chipmaking involves more than a thousand steps and requires complex intellectual property, tools and chemicals from around the
SolarWinds Hackers Said to Have Accessed Emails of Top US Security Officials
Suspected Russian hackers gained access to email accounts belonging to the Trump administration's head of the Department of Homeland Security and members of the department's cybersecurity staff whose jobs included hunting threats from foreign countries, The Associated Press has learned.The intelligence value of the hacking of then-acting Secretary Chad Wolf and his staff is not publicly known, but the symbolism is stark. Their accounts were accessed as part of what's known as the SolarWinds intrusion, and it throws into question how the US government can protect individuals, companies, and institutions across the country if it can't protect itself.The short answer for many security experts and federal officials is that it can't — at least not without some significant changes.“The SolarWinds
Microsoft Could Get $150 Million in US Cyber Spending Despite Recent Hacks
Microsoft stands to receive nearly a quarter of Covid relief funds destined for US cybersecurity defenders, sources told Reuters, angering some lawmakers who don't want to increase funding for a company whose software was recently at the heart of two big hacks. Congress allocated the funds at issue in the COVID relief bill signed on Thursday after two enormous cyberattacks leveraged weaknesses in Microsoft products to reach into computer networks at federal and local agencies and tens of thousands of companies. One breach attributed to Russia in December grabbed emails from the Justice Department, Commerce Department, and Treasury Department.The hacks pose a significant national security threat, frustrating lawmakers who say Microsoft's faulty software is making it more profitable."If the
Facebook Asked to Pay $650 Million in US Privacy Lawsuit Settlement
A federal judge on Friday approved a $650 million (roughly Rs. 4,780 crores) settlement of a privacy lawsuit against Facebook for allegedly using photo face-tagging and other biometric data without the permission of its users.US District Judge James Donato approved the deal in a class-action lawsuit that was filed in Illinois in 2015. Nearly 1.6 million Facebook users in Illinois who submitted claims will be affected.Donato called it one of the largest settlements ever for a privacy violation.“It will put at least $345 (roughly Rs. 25,400) into the hands of every class member interested in being compensated,” he wrote, calling it “a major win for consumers in the hotly contested area of digital privacy.”Jay Edelson, a Chicago attorney who filed the lawsuit,
Xiaomi Files Legal Complaint Against US Defence, Treasury Ban
Xiaomi filed a complaint in a Washington district court on Friday against the US Defense and Treasury Departments, seeking to remove the Chinese smartphone maker from an official list of companies with ties to China's military.The US Defense Department, under the Trump administration in mid-January, added Xiaomi and eight other companies to the list, which requires American investors to divest their holdings in the firms by a set deadline.In the complaint, addressed to Biden-appointed Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, Xiaomi called the judgment "unlawful and unconstitutional" and said the company was not controlled by the People's Liberation army.It added that the investment restrictions, which go into effect on March 15, 2020, would cause "immediate and