Ransomware DataBreachToday.com

Lawmakers Demand Answers, Security Overhaul After Chinese Hack of Telecom Networks
Congress is demanding answers from AT&T, Verizon, and Lumen after reports revealed that Chinese hackers breached U.S. telecom infrastructure, targeting systems linked to court-authorized wiretaps, as the FBI and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency investigate the Salt Typhoon group.

Texas-Based Gryphon Healthcare Says an Unnamed Third Party Was at Center of Breach
A Texas-based revenue cycle management firm is notifying about 400,000 individuals of a hacking incident it says originated with another third party. The incident is among a growing list of major breaches implicating vendors and cumulatively affecting tens of millions of patients so far this year.

Sector Uses Multifactor, Eschews Cloud, Can't Afford Cyber Insurance
The oil and gas industry has high levels of cyber awareness and low levels of cyber insurance, says a sectoral assessment from credit rating agency Moody's. The sector has experienced a clutch of high-profile attacks including a high-profile 2021 incident at Colonial Pipeline.

Only Six Nations Have Incorporated NIS2 Into National Statute
Most European countries are set to miss a trading bloc deadline for implementing a key cybersecurity regulation that requires measures such as mandatory security auditing for essential services such as hospitals and banks. Just six countries have integrated the NIS2 directive into national law.

AI Mimics Reasoning Without Understanding, Struggles With Irrelevant Data
Cutting-edge large language models would fail eighth grade math, say artificial intelligence researchers at Apple - likely because AI is mimicking the process of reasoning rather than actually engaging in it. Researchers asked LLMs to solve math word problems.

Also: AI Safety Bill Vetoed, Global Ransomware Response Guide Gets Some Revisions
In the latest weekly update, ISMG editors discussed the implications of the U.S. investigation into Chinese hackers targeting telecom wiretap systems, the catastrophic risks of AI and the recent veto of an AI safety bill in the U.S., and the latest global ransomware response guidance.

Ransomware Gang Could Have Axis Health's Mental Health, Drug Abuse Records
Ransomware gang Rhysida is threatening to dump data on the darkweb that belongs to a Colorado provider of mental health, substance abuse and other healthcare services unless it pays nearly $1.5 million. The group is leaking records it claims to have stolen from a Mississippi nursing home.

Agency Says Cookies Could Help Attackers Find Network Assets, Vulnerabilities
Unencrypted cookies tied to a suite of secure gateway technology from F5 are gateways for hackers to reach internal devices on corporate networks, warns the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. BIG-IP uses persistent cookies as a traffic load-balancing convenience.

New Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification Rule Paves Way for Implementation
The Department of Defense is set to implement significant changes to the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification program, effective October 15, streamlining compliance for contractors by introducing a tiered system while enhancing security standards.

AI, Security Experts Discuss Who Defines the Risks, Mitigation Efforts
An attempt by the California statehouse to tame the potential of artificial intelligence catastrophic risks hit a roadblock when Governor Gavin Newsom vetoed the measure late last month. One obstacle is lack of a widely-accepted definition for "catastrophic" AI risks.

GAO: SSA Fails to Meet Industry and Federal Electronic Verification System Goals
The Social Security Administration is facing criticism for failing to update its fraud prevention technology, leaving financial institutions and federal authorities at risk of missing synthetic identity scams, according to a new Government Accountability Office report.

Thomvest Ventures Leads Series B Funding to Support Privacy and Security Compliance
Relyance AI raised $32 million in Series B funding to grow its data governance platform. The funds will be used to scale operations, enhance real-time data visibility, and support enterprises in complying with complex global privacy regulations, ensuring responsible AI adoption across industries.

Impact Is "What We Would Have Hoped For," Says NCSC CTO Ollie Whitehouse
A British cybersecurity official touted Operation Cronos, an international operation against LockBit, saying multiple strikes aimed at the ransomware-as-a-service have disrupted its ability to recruit hackers. The operation has resulted in indictments, sanctions, and server takedowns.

Act Imposes Mandatory Patching for IoT Devices
The European Council on Thursday adopted security-by-design regulation that makes patching and vulnerability updates mandatory for connected devices. The regulation will ensure that "products with digital components are made secure throughout the supply chain and throughout their life cycle."

Critical Infrastructure Firms Are Hiring - and Paying Well
As digital transformation continues to reshape industries, the convergence of operational technology and cybersecurity has emerged as a critical area of focus. But there's a noticeable gap in the workforce. Professionals who truly understand both OT and cybersecurity are in short supply.

Justice Department Aiming to Emphasize Privacy and Security in AI Deployment
The U.S. Department of Justice is drafting new guidelines for law enforcement on the use of artificial intelligence and facial recognition tools to enhance public safety while safeguarding civil rights and ensuring ethical deployment, a senior official said Wednesday.

WestCap-Led Funding to Drive Click-Fraud Protection, Ad Integrity Expansion
Human Security's recent $50 million growth funding, led by WestCap, will drive the development of click-fraud defense and enhance advertising integrity solutions. CEO Stu Solomon aims to leverage the funding for scaling the engineering and data science teams, addressing emerging fraud threats.

Hotel Chain Also Settles with Federal Trade Commission
The world's largest hotel chain agreed Wednesday to pay $52 million and agree to two decades of third-party monitoring of its cybersecurity program to settle a rash of data breaches affecting millions of guests. The multi-million payout is part of a settlement reached with 50 U.S. attorneys general.

Cyber Bill Says the Government Can't Use Information to Prosecute Victims
Ransom payments are typically tightly held secrets between cybercriminals and their victims, but the Australian government has introduced a cybersecurity bill in Parliament that would require require larger businesses to report ransom payments to the government.

Crime Syndicates Too Powerful for Regional Governments to Police, UN Report Warns
Cybercrime syndicates across Southeast Asia have teamed up with human traffickers, money launderers and cryptocurrency services to build an increasingly effective cybercrime ecosystem that can survive law enforcement crackdowns, according to a new United Nations report.