Administration Promotes $1 Billion in Grants to Fight Cybercrime

cyber risk management

The Biden administration has called on states and local governments to apply for new cybersecurity grants worth $1 billion over four years. The move is part of US efforts to beat back attacks from criminal hackers, who have successfully targeted everything from gas pipelines and meat factories to schools and hospitals. “Cyberattacks have emerged as… Continue reading Administration Promotes $1 Billion in Grants to Fight Cybercrime

FBI Fake Hack Alert A ‘Tipping Point’ in Fight Against Cybercrime

Hackers using laptop computers to penetrate security systems to steal big data from the server room

The sabotage of an FBI server, which resulted in a fake alert purportedly distributed by the Department of Homeland Security, should be considered a “tipping point” in the nation’s fight against cybercrime, according to Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney (D-NY), chair of the House Oversight and Reform Committee. Maloney’s remarks came as the committee began hearings… Continue reading FBI Fake Hack Alert A ‘Tipping Point’ in Fight Against Cybercrime

White House Plans 30-Country Meeting on Cyber Crime and Ransomware

Worried Businessman Looking At Laptop With Ransomware Word On The Screen At The Workplace

Top U.S. national security advisers will gather officials from 30 countries this month with plans to combat the growing threat of ransomware and other cyber crime, President Joe Biden said on Friday. An online session hosted by the White House National Security Council will also be aimed at “improving law enforcement collaboration” on issues like… Continue reading White House Plans 30-Country Meeting on Cyber Crime and Ransomware

Like ‘Terminator,’ High-Tech Cyber Crime to ‘Keep Coming’

Hacker using laptop. Hacking the Internet.

Businesses worldwide are fighting sophisticated data scientists as they battle to protect their data-rich computers from cyber crime —and the costly attacks are not going to stop, a top expert at insurer Sompo Holdings Inc. said on Tuesday. “It’s like the Terminator: They’re just going to keep coming at you” because it is profitable, Brad… Continue reading Like ‘Terminator,’ High-Tech Cyber Crime to ‘Keep Coming’

Cybercrime Costs to Top $1 Trillion This Year: Researchers

Hackers using laptop computers to penetrate security systems to steal big data from the server room

Cybercrime is expected to cost the global economy more than $1 trillion this year, up more than 50 percent since 2018, a research report said Monday. The report by McAfee Corp. with the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) concluded that the cost of online criminal activity is more than one percent of global… Continue reading Cybercrime Costs to Top $1 Trillion This Year: Researchers

Hacking Against Corporations Surges as Workers Take Computers Home

BEC attacks

Hacking activity against corporations in the United States and other countries more than doubled by some measures last month as digital thieves took advantage of security weakened by pandemic work-from-home policies, researchers said. Corporate security teams have a harder time protecting data when it is dispersed on home computers with widely varying setups and on… Continue reading Hacking Against Corporations Surges as Workers Take Computers Home

Email Scammers Savvier and More Successful than Ever

Thief hacking and stealing information by using computers late night

Email scams—often riddled with typos and written by non-native English speakers in Africa—were once crude attempts to steal money from inexperienced computer users. No more. Federal investigators say these scams have become sophisticated frauds that are costing American businesses and individuals billions of dollars a year. Estimated losses have soared in the past five years… Continue reading Email Scammers Savvier and More Successful than Ever

Zurich Teams Up with Global Security Specialist to Expand Cyber Protection Offering

cyber risk management

Zurich Insurance Group (Zurich) has created a new offering together with cybersecurity company CYE to shield businesses against the growing risks of cyber-crime. Zurich Cyber Security Services addresses the full spectrum of cyber-risks by helping businesses define and deploy effective cyber risk management programs. It combines Zurich’s specialist cyber insurance and risk engineering capabilities with… Continue reading Zurich Teams Up with Global Security Specialist to Expand Cyber Protection Offering

Merck Cyberattack’s $1.3 Billion Question: Was It an Act of War?

BEC attacks

By the time Deb Dellapena arrived for work at Merck & Co.’s 90-acre campus north of Philadelphia, there was a handwritten sign on the door: The computers are down. It was worse than it seemed. Some employees who were already at their desks at Merck offices across the U.S. were greeted by an even more… Continue reading Merck Cyberattack’s $1.3 Billion Question: Was It an Act of War?

Social Engineering Drives Cybercrime Against Businesses

BEC attacks

The cybercriminal who steals information or money from a small business is probably a master of deception and manipulation as well as a techno-expert. When Nancy Butler got a call from someone claiming to be from her information technology service two years ago, she assumed it was a routine checkup by a legitimate staffer. So,… Continue reading Social Engineering Drives Cybercrime Against Businesses