Content by Mathew J. Schwartz

HSBC Bank Alerts US Customers to Data Breach

Mathew J. Schwartz  •  November 7, 2018

HSBC Bank is warning some of its U.S. customers that their personal data was compromised in a breach, although it says it's detected no signs of fraud following the "unauthorized entry." Security experts say the heist has all the hallmarks of a credential-stuffing attack campaign.

How to Future-Proof the Critical National Infrastructure

Mathew J. Schwartz  •  November 7, 2018

The challenge when designing technology for critical national infrastructure sectors is that it must be securable today and remain resilient to cyberattacks for decades to come, says cybersecurity Professor Prashant Pillai.

Smart Cities Challenge: Real-Time Risk Management

Mathew J. Schwartz  •  November 7, 2018

Many of the devices that go into so-called smart cities and buildings are not built to be secure, making it difficult for security operations centers to manage risk, warns Sarb Sembhi, CTO and CISO of Virtually Informed, who describes what needs to change.

Symantec Buys Javelin Networks and Appthority

Mathew J. Schwartz  •  November 6, 2018

Symantec has announced not one but two acquisitions of private cybersecurity firms: Javelin Networks and Appthority. Meanwhile, a private equity firm announced that it will acquire application security testing firm Veracode from Broadcom for $950 million in cash.

'Trump' Spam Trumps All Other Spam

Mathew J. Schwartz  •  November 6, 2018

With the U.S. midterm elections occurring on Tuesday, the "trump" keyword remains king for spammers. "Spam campaigners understand the value of brands, and for spam as for ballots, and whether for or against, the election is all about Trump," security firm Proofpoint says.

Blockchain: The Good, the Bad and the Legal

Mathew J. Schwartz  •  November 6, 2018

As organizations investigate public and private blockchains to secure transactions and facilitate peer-to-peer transactions, they must ensure they know who's responsible, what the system is doing, what the cybersecurity and legal risks are and who's managing it, says attorney John Salmon.

Ransomware Keeps Ringing in Profits for Cybercrime Rings

Mathew J. Schwartz  •  November 5, 2018

Criminals wielding crypto-locking ransomware - especially Dharma/CrySiS, GandCrab and Global Imposter, but also SamSam - continue to attack. Insurance firm Beazley says cyber claims for ransomware have increased in recent months, with the healthcare sector hardest hit.

Business Email Compromise: Must-Have Defenses

Mathew J. Schwartz  •  November 2, 2018

Want to better block business email compromise - CEO fraud - attacks outright, as well as be able to spot and respond more quickly to any BEC attacks that get through? Incident responder David Stubley details essential defenses all businesses should put in place now.

Radisson Suffers Global Loyalty Program Data Breach

Mathew J. Schwartz  •  November 2, 2018

Radisson Hotel Group has suffered a data breach that resulted in the theft of data for its global loyalty program members. The company, which operates 1,400 hotels, says the breach touched data for "less than 10 percent" of all Radisson Rewards members, but it hasn't released a victim count.

Canada's Mandatory Breach Notification Rules Now in Effect

Mathew J. Schwartz  •  November 1, 2018

Private sector organizations in Canada must now report all serious data breaches to the country's privacy watchdog as a result of new provisions in Canada's PIPEDA privacy law. Violators face fines of up to $100,000 for every breach victim they fail to notify or breach they attempt to hide.

The Business Case for Better 'Cyber Hygiene'

Mathew J. Schwartz  •  November 1, 2018

Don't fear free tools and practices if they can help your organization better block phishing attacks, improve information security posture and help safeguard others, too, says Andy Bates of the Global Cyber Alliance.

Sextortion Scam Wields Stolen Passwords, Demands Bitcoins

Mathew J. Schwartz  •  October 31, 2018

Scammers behind an ongoing "sextortion" campaign have been emailing a legitimate password - likely from a publicly leaked list - to victims with a threat to release a compromising video of the recipient unless they pay up in bitcoins, Barracuda Networks warns.

Satori Botnet's Alleged Developer Rearrested

Mathew J. Schwartz  •  October 30, 2018

Kenneth Schuchman, the alleged author of a supercharged variant of Mirai malware called Satori, has been rearrested for violating his bail conditions. In what may be a coincidence, security researchers say a Satori botnet went dormant following Schuchman's arrest, only to be reawakened later.

Mirai Co-Author Gets House Arrest, $8.6 Million Fine

Mathew J. Schwartz  •  October 29, 2018

One of the co-authors of the devastating Mirai botnet malware has been sentenced to home incarceration and community service, and ordered to pay $8.6 million in restitution, for his role in a series of damaging distributed denial-of-service attacks that disrupted operations at Rutgers University.

IBM to Buy Red Hat for $34 Billion

Mathew J. Schwartz  •  October 29, 2018

IBM plans to acquire enterprise Linux open source software provider Red Hat in a "hybrid cloud" deal valued at $33 billion that IBM CEO Ginni Rometty promises will be a "game changer." Market watchers say IBM has been struggling to find new revenue growth opportunities.