Cyber Command chief tells Congress chip shortage has national security implications

China’s march toward chip independence is of “great concern” and could have “broader impacts,” he said. It’s an issue that dovetails with the Russia-Ukraine war.

The post Cyber Command chief tells Congress chip shortage has national security implications appeared first on CyberScoop.

Continue reading Cyber Command chief tells Congress chip shortage has national security implications

Ransomware gang Conti has already bounced back from damage caused by chat leaks, experts say

A Twitter account known as ContiLeaks debuted to much fanfare in late February, with people around the globe watching as tens of thousands of leaked chats between members of the Russia-based ransomware gang Conti hit the web. In the days after the leaks, many celebrated what they thought would be a devastating blow to Conti, which a Ukrainian security researcher had apparently punished by leaking the internal chats because the gang threatened to “strike back” at any entities that organized “any war activities against Russia.” But ten days after the leaks began, Conti appears to be thriving. Experts say the notorious ransomware gang has pivoted all too easily, replacing much of the infrastructure that was exposed in the leaks while moving quickly to hit new targets with ransom demands. According to Vitali Kremez, CEO of the cybersecurity firm AdvIntel, by Monday morning Conti had successfully completed two new data breaches at […]

The post Ransomware gang Conti has already bounced back from damage caused by chat leaks, experts say appeared first on CyberScoop.

Continue reading Ransomware gang Conti has already bounced back from damage caused by chat leaks, experts say

Ukraine, looking to fortify itself against Russian attacks, admitted to NATO cyber center

NATO nations voted unanimously on Friday to admit Ukraine to their Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence (CCDCOE), a development which experts said will help Ukraine fight off mounting cyberthreats from Russia. The CCDCOE is a NATO-accredited cyber knowledge hub, research institution and training and exercise facility. “They’re one of the leading if not the leading institution for thinking about cyber warfare,” said James Lewis, director of the strategic technologies program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a Washington think tank. Lewis said the decision to include Ukraine in the CCDCOE will have an immediate impact on its ability to fend off Russian cyberattacks. The center is based in Tallinn, Estonia and is a legacy of the Estonian government’s experience as the target of devastating cyberattacks in 2007. Russia denied being the culprit in those attacks — which disabled everything from cash machines to media outlets — but […]

The post Ukraine, looking to fortify itself against Russian attacks, admitted to NATO cyber center appeared first on CyberScoop.

Continue reading Ukraine, looking to fortify itself against Russian attacks, admitted to NATO cyber center

Treasury Department sanctions alleged Russian cyber-espionage, disinformation sources

The Biden administration on Thursday sanctioned Russian oligarchs and organizations for their role in spreading disinformation and supporting Russian President Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine, among them a news agency the Treasury Department says has ties to a Russian cyber-espionage and offensive unit. The sanctions targeted nine employees of InfoRos, a nominal news agency primarily run by the GRU, which controls the Russian military intelligence service and operates its own special forces units. According to the Treasury Department, the GRU’s 72nd Main Intelligence Information Center, a unit within Russia’s Information Operations Troops, functions as Russia’s “military force for conducting cyber espionage, influence, and offensive cyber operations” and is InfoRos’ operator. In a news release, the Treasury Department said InfoRos is a network of more than 1,000 websites which “spread false conspiracy narratives and disinformation promoted by GRU officials.” For example, in early December, 2021, Treasury officials said one Ukraine-based InfoRos […]

The post Treasury Department sanctions alleged Russian cyber-espionage, disinformation sources appeared first on CyberScoop.

Continue reading Treasury Department sanctions alleged Russian cyber-espionage, disinformation sources