CyberWire Daily

Yesterday’s antitrust hearings in the US House of Representatives focus on Big Tech’s big data as something open to use in restraint of trade. And there are questions about community standards as well. The BootHole vulnerability may not represent an emergency, but it will be tough to fix. Android malware masquerades as COVID-19 contact-tracers. The FBI warns against Netwalker ransomware. China says it didn’t hack the Vatican. Justin Harvey from Accenture demystifies red teaming. Our guest is Christopher Ahlberg from Recorded Future on trends in threat intelligence. And somebody’s spoofing a British MP: he’s looking at you, Peoples Liberation Army.

For links to all of today's stories check out our CyberWire daily news brief:

https://www.thecyberwire.com/newsletters/daily-briefing/9/147

Alleged Russian influence operations described by US intelligence services. “Ghostwriter” targets the Baltic region with anti-NATO false narratives. Chinese intelligence is said to have compromised Vatican networks. Loss of customer PII seems the costliest kind of data breach. VPN bugs represent a risk to OT networks. Big Tech comes to Capitol Hill, virtually. Michigan’s online bar exam knocked offline, briefly, by a cyber attack. Joe Carrigan on password stealers targeting gaming. Our guests are Troy Smith and Mike Koontz from Raytheon on defending communications operations across cloud platforms. And a superseding indictment for two ex-Twitterati charged with snooping for Saudi Arabia.

For links to all of today's stories check out our CyberWire daily news brief:

https://www.thecyberwire.com/newsletters/daily-briefing/9/146

Cloudflare says that reported Ukrainian breaches aren’t its issue. Trend Micro describes a new and unusually capable strain of malware. Garmin is reported to have obtained a decryptor for WastedLocker ransomware. Third-party risk continues in the news, as do misconfigured databases that expose personal information. Huawei’s CFO alleges misconduct by Canadian police and intelligence agencies. Ben Yelin examines the EFF's online Atlas of Surveillance. Dave DeWalt with SafeGuard Cyber on the evolving threat landscape as folks return to the workplace. And the Twitter incident seems to have been a problem waiting to appear.

For links to all of today's stories check out our CyberWire daily news brief:

https://www.thecyberwire.com/newsletters/daily-briefing/9/145

A vigilante appears to be interfering with Emotet’s payloads. A fintech breach is blamed on a third-party service provider. A list of Cloudflare users is dumped online. There’s a going-out-of-business sale over at the Cerberus cybergang. Malek ben Salem from Accenture Labs on DeepFake detection. Our own Rick Howard gathers the Hash Table to sort some SOCs. And Garmin, restoring its services after last week’s attack, may have been the victim of Evil Corp’s WastedLocker ransomware.

For links to all of today's stories check out our CyberWire daily news brief:

https://www.thecyberwire.com/newsletters/daily-briefing/9/144

Privacy and data security lawyer, Dominique Shelton Leipzig shares that she has always wanted to be a lawyer, ever since she was a little girl. She talks about what her role is with clients in protecting and managing their data, sometimes adhering to up to 134 different data protection laws for global companies. Learn that not a lot has changed for an African-American woman partner at an Amlaw 100 firm as far as diversity during Dominique's career, and how Dominique suggests young lawyers should address those odds. Our thanks to Dominque for sharing her story with us. 

On April 29, 2020, the Salt management framework, authored by the IT automation company SaltStack, received a patch concerning two CVEs; CVE-2020-11651, an authentication bypass vulnerability, and CVE-2020-11652, a directory-traversal vulnerability.

On April 30, 2020, researchers at F-Secure disclosed their vulnerability findings to the public, with an urgent warning for Salt users - patch now. Before the weekend was out, criminals were deploying malware and targeting vulnerable Salt installations, successfully affecting operations at Ghost, DigiCert, and LineageOS. The malware is a cryptominer, but there is an additional component, a Remote Access Tool written in Go called nspps. Researchers at Akamai have also observed in-the-wild attacks on Salt vulnerabilities. 

Joining us on this week's Research Saturday is Larry Cashdollar, Senior Security Response Engineer at Akamai, to discuss this issue. 

The research can be found here: 

SaltStack Vulnerabilities Actively Exploited in the Wild

CISA and NSA warn of a foreign threat to US critical infrastructure. A look at what the Bears have been up to lately. The Blackbaud extortion incident shows its ripple effects. An awful lot of Twitter employees had access to powerful admin tools. China orders a US consulate closed in a tit-for-tat response to the closure of China’s consulate in Houston. Andrea Little Limbago on cyber in a re-globalized world system. Our guest is Dominique Shelton Leipzig from Perkins Coie LLP on the CA Consumer Privacy Act. And DJI drones may be a bit nosey.

For links to all of today's stories check out our CyberWire daily news brief:

https://www.thecyberwire.com/newsletters/daily-briefing/9/143

Twitter updates the news of last week’s incident: the attackers seem to have accessed some direct messages. France’s partial permission for Huawei to operate in that country now looks like a ban with a 2028 deadline. A quiet cryptominer. The cyber threat to British sport. Awais Rashid from the University of Bristol on cyber security and remote working. John Ford from IronNet Cybersecurity with updated 2020 predictions and cyber priorities. And bosses and employees see things differently, cyberwise.

For links to all of today's stories check out our CyberWire daily news brief:

https://www.thecyberwire.com/newsletters/daily-briefing/9/142

“Meowing” is now a thing: the automated discovery and wiping of exposed and unprotected databases. The US indicts two Chinese nationals on eleven counts of hacking and reports evidence that Chinese intelligence services are now using cybercriminals as contractors. Mike Schaub from CloudCheckr on why COVID-19 has ignited modernization projects for government agencies. Joe Carrigan on counterfeit Cisco routers. The US State Department tells China to close its consulate in Houston.

For links to all of today's stories check out our CyberWire daily news brief:

https://www.thecyberwire.com/newsletters/daily-briefing/9/141

The Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament has rendered its report on the Russian cyber threat. Trend Micro reports on the workings of the cyber criminal underground economy. Ben Yelin on U.S. Customs and Border Protection collecting license plate data. Our guest is Kevin O'Brien from GreatHorn on the role of business policies in security to keep users safe during high-risk events. And it turns out that Russia has no hackers whatsoever: Moscow’s Finance Minister says so, so you can take that to the bank.

For links to all of today's stories check out our CyberWire daily news brief:

https://www.thecyberwire.com/newsletters/daily-briefing/9/140

Notes on last week’s Twitter hack, and on the allure of original gangster and other celebrity usernames. Using marketing databases for intelligence collection. The US Government mulls a ban on TikTok. Johannes Ullrich from SANS on Google Cloud storage becoming a more popular phishing platform. Our own Rick Howard on security operations centers, and a preview of the latest episode of his CSO Perspectives podcast. And more reaction to alleged Russian and Chinese attempts to hack COVID-19 biomedical research.

For links to all of today's stories check out our CyberWire daily news brief:

https://www.thecyberwire.com/newsletters/daily-briefing/9/139

Computer security writer, podcaster and public speaker Graham Cluley describes learning to program on his own from magazines, creating text adventure games for donations, and his journey from programming to presenting and writing with a bit of tap dancing on the side. Along the way, Graham collaborated with others and learned to communicate so that all could understand, not just techies. Our thanks to Graham for sharing his story with us. 

Researchers at Symantec spotted a Sodinokibi targeted ransomware campaign in which the attackers are also scanning the networks of some victims for credit card or point of sale (PoS) software.

It is not clear if the attackers are targeting this software for encryption or because they want to scrape this information as a way to make even more money from this attack.

Joining us in this week's Research Saturday to discuss the report is Jon DiMaggio of Symantec. 

The research can be found here: 

Sodinokibi: Ransomware Attackers also Scanning for PoS Software, Leveraging Cobalt Strike

The Twitter hack is looking more like high-grade, low-end crime. It also worries people over the disinformation potential it suggests. People care, they really do, that someone hacked COVID-19 biomedical research (we’ll explain). Australia joins the UK, Canada, and the US in blaming Russia for Cozy Bear’s capers. Russia says it didn’t do nothin’. Rob Lee from Dragos with thoughts on the Ripple 20 vulnerabilities on industrial control systems. Our guest is Sal Aurigemma from University of Tulsa on fake ANTIFA twitter accounts. And CISA’s serious about getting the Feds to apply Tuesday’s Windows patch.

For links to all of today's stories check out our CyberWire daily news brief:

https://www.thecyberwire.com/newsletters/daily-briefing/9/138

Twitter sustained a major incident in which celebrity accounts were hijacked yesterday. It seems to have been a social engineering caper, but it’s motivation, nominally financial, remains unclear. British authorities call out Russia for an influence campaign mounted during last year’s elections. Cozy Bear is back, and sniffing for COVID-19 biomedical intelligence. Craig Williams from Cisco Talos on Dynamic Data Resolver, a plugin that makes reverse-engineering malware easier. Our guest is Ashlee Benge, formerly from ZeroFox, on emerging and persistent digital attack tactics facing the financial services industry. And Chinese intelligence services are spearphishing Hong Kong Catholics.

For links to all of today's stories check out our CyberWire daily news brief:

https://www.thecyberwire.com/newsletters/daily-briefing/9/137

A 2018 Presidential finding authorized extensive CIA cyber operations against Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea. Wattpad may have been breached. The SEC asks its registrants to take steps to protect themselves against ransomware. Free VPNs’ databases found exposed. Joe Carrigan on privacy vs. security on Android devices. Our guest is Chris Deluzio from Pitt Cyber on election security. And Beijing woofs in the direction of London over the UK’s Huawei ban.

For links to all of today's stories check out our CyberWire daily news brief:

https://www.thecyberwire.com/newsletters/daily-briefing/9/136

The British Government decides to ban Huawei. More on the malware associated with Golden Tax software package. The Molerats appear to be behind some spyware misrepresenting itself as a secure chat app. The Porphiex botnet is back distributing a new ransomware strain. The odd case of the Data Viper breach. Ben Yelin tracks a ruling from the DC circuit court on the release of electronic surveillance records. Our guest is Ann Johnson from Microsoft discussing her keynote at RSA APJ, The Rise of Digital Empathy. And SAP has a patch out--if you’re a user, CISA advises you to take this one seriously.

For links to all of today's stories check out our CyberWire daily news brief:

https://www.thecyberwire.com/newsletters/daily-briefing/9/135

President Trump says he authorized US Cyber Command’s retaliation against Russia’s Internet Research Agency for midterm election meddling. North Korean financially motivated hacking as a sign of internal power dynamics. TrickBot accidentally deploys a new module. TikTok, privacy, and security. LinkedIn hacker convicted. Justin Harvey from Accenture on what should and shouldn’t go in emails. Our guest is Matt Davey from 1password on the under-celebrated role of IT in the work from home transition. And advice to alleged criminals on the lam: give ‘em a low silhouette.

For links to all of today's stories check out our CyberWire daily news brief:

https://www.thecyberwire.com/newsletters/daily-briefing/9/134

Cybersecurity and disinformation researcher Bilyana Lilly shares her career path from studying where she was always a foreigner to an expert on the Russian perspective. While studying international law in Kosovo, Bilyana realized there are no winners in war. Through her work, she hopes to bring a greater understanding of Russia's strategic thinking. Our thanks to Bilyana for sharing her story with us. 

Built into virtually every hardware device, firmware is lower-level software that is programmed to ensure that hardware functions properly.

As software security has been significantly hardened over the past two decades, hackers have responded by moving down the stack to focus on firmware entry points. Firmware offers a target that basic security controls can’t access or scan as easily as software, while allowing them to persist and continue leveraging many of their tried and true attack techniques.

Joining us on this week's Research Saturday is Maggie Jauregui, security researcher at Dell, to discuss this issue. 

The research can be found here: 

Three firmware blind spots impacting security

Unpatched and beyond-end-of-life systems are (again) at risk. Conti ransomware appears to be steadily displacing its ancestor Ryuk in criminal markets. Are privacy laws as consumer friendly as they’re often taken to be? There may be some grounds for doubt. German security services warn of the espionage potential of Chinese companies’ data collection. Huawei skepticism grows in Germany, Canada, and the UK. Zully Ramzan from RSA on zero trust. Our guest is Conan Ward from QOMPLX on the unfortunate reality of cyber insurance in light of the 3rd anniversary of NotPetya. And Ray Hushpuppi says the Feds didn’t extradite him; they kidnapped him.

For links to all of today's stories check out our CyberWire daily news brief:

https://www.thecyberwire.com/newsletters/daily-briefing/9/133

Facebook takes down more coordinated inauthenticity. Preinstalled malware is found in discount phones available under the FCC’s Lifeline program. The Evilnum APT continues its attacks against fintech platforms and services. Joker Android malware adapts and overcomes its way back into the Play store. FreddieMac discloses a third-party databreach. Johannes Ullrich from SANS on defending against Evil Maids with glitter. Our guest is Rohit Ghai from RSA with a preview of his keynote, Reality Check: Cybersecurity’s Story. And the Royal Military College of Canada’s hack attack remains under investigation.

For links to all of today's stories check out our CyberWire daily news brief:

https://www.thecyberwire.com/newsletters/daily-briefing/9/132

The Natanz blast looks like traditional sabotage. CISA releases its strategy for securing industrial control systems. Authorities in Germany seize DDoSecrets’ server pursuant to a US request. Microsoft takes down COVID-19-themed BEC and phishing infrastructure. FBI Director denounces China’s cyberespionage. Joe Carrigan helps review personal privacy measures for ios and Android. Rick Howard speaks with Steve Moore from Exabeam with insights from a year spent interviewing CISOs. And some DDoS and ransomware attempts.

For links to all of today's stories check out our CyberWire daily news brief:

https://www.thecyberwire.com/newsletters/daily-briefing/9/131

Explosions at Iranian nuclear sites remain unexplained, but look increasingly like conventional sabotage as opposed to cyberattacks. The Cosmic Lynx gang sets a high bar for business email compromise. The Purple Fox exploit kit gets an upgrade. Ben Yelin describes a 5th amendment compelled decryption case that may be headed to the Supreme Court. Our guest is Hugh Thompson, Chairman of the RSA Conference Program, on the human element of cyber security and lessons learned shifting a conference online. And a network of coordinated inauthenticity and fictitious personae is found pushing an Emirati official line.

For links to all of today's stories check out our CyberWire daily news brief:

https://www.thecyberwire.com/newsletters/daily-briefing/9/130

An Iranian nuclear installation may have been hacked. Or maybe not, but in any case it was damaged. Huawei gets more skeptical looks. European police round up hundreds of online contraband dealers. Thomas Etheridge from CrowdStrike on the increased need for speed, scale, and remote investigative and recovery services. Our guest is Tobias Whitney from Fortress Information Security on the Asset to Vendor Network (A2V). And an accused Nigerian money-launderer (and an admitted influencer) is now in US custody, facing Federal charges.

For links to all of today's stories check out our CyberWire daily news brief:

https://www.thecyberwire.com/newsletters/daily-briefing/9/129

CEO, Matt Devost, describes many firsts in his career including hacking into systems on an aircraft carrier at sea. He shares how he enjoys solving hard problems and the red teamer perspective, and how he was able to translate those into a career. For those interested in cybersecurity, Matt advises opportunities for self-directed learning including heading down to your basement and building your own lab. Our thanks to Matt for sharing his story with us. 

Evil Corp seems to have been shuffling through some newspaper sites. Don’t take the gangs’ communiqués at face value, but some appear to be trolling for unprotected MongoDB databases. A look at Taurus, an information-stealer being sold in criminal-to-criminal markets. Chinese law and online security. The EARN-IT Act is being debated. Justin Harvey on “Smishing”. Our guest is Jeff Styles from FireMon on COVID-19 increasing misconfiguration risks. And there’s trouble in Tilted Towers.

For links to all of today's stories check out our CyberWire daily news brief:

https://www.thecyberwire.com/newsletters/daily-briefing/9/128

EvilQuest ransomware found in pirated versions of Little Snitch app. Out-of-band patches from Microsoft and Oracle. Extensive Chinese surveillance of Uighurs described. Hong Kong and the world react to China’s new National Security Law. The US FCC finds both Huawei and ZTE are threats to national security. Joe Carrigan on password stealers that target gaming. Our guest is Kiersten Todt from the Cyber Readiness Institute on how COVID-19 has changed small business security and what to expect going forward. And Britain rethinks its position on Huawei and 5G infrastructure.

For links to all of today's stories check out our CyberWire daily news brief:

https://www.thecyberwire.com/newsletters/daily-briefing/9/127

NSA and CISA agree: take Palo Alto’s advisory about its PAN-OS operating system seriously. StrongPity is back and active against targets in Turkey and Syria. A big Bitcoin scam is using spoofed news outlets and bogus celebrity endorsements to lure victims. A large trove of PII has appeared in the dark web. Ben Yelin from UMD CHHS on whether or not the EARN IT Act violates the constitution, our guest is Brad Stone with Booz Allen Hamilton on how technology is changing the battlefield and why cyber is becoming so important in the DoD space. Finally, both Australia and India look to shore up their defenses against cyber threats from China.

For links to all of today's stories check out our CyberWire daily news brief:

https://www.thecyberwire.com/newsletters/daily-briefing/9/126

The University of California San Francisco pays Netwalker extortionists nearly a million and a half to recover its data. A Kashmir utility restores business systems after last week’s cyberattack. The website defacements in Ethiopia continue to look more like hacktivism than state-sponsored activity. Our own Rick Howard talks about wrapping up his first season of CSO Perspectives. Our guest is Sanjay Gupta from Mitek discussing how online marketplaces can balance security with biometrics. Data are exposed at an e-learning platform. Three prominent cyber-hoods go down in US Federal courts. And Lion says the beer is flowing, post ransomware.

For links to all of today's stories check out our CyberWire daily news brief:

https://www.thecyberwire.com/newsletters/daily-briefing/9/125

Vice President of Marketing, Kathleen Booth, shares her career path from political science and international development to marketing for a cybersecurity company. Early dreams of acting morphed into goals of making the world a better place. Chief marketer and podcaster Kathleen is doing just that. She shares how proving your worth can lead to success. Listen for Kathleen's advice on getting your foot in the door. Our thanks to Kathleen for sharing her story with us. 

A new report examines how five related APT groups operating in the interest of the Chinese government have systematically targeted Linux servers, Windows systems and Android mobile devices while remaining undetected for nearly a decade.

The report comes on the heels of the U.S. Department of Justice announcing several high-profile indictments from over 1,000 open FBI investigations into economic espionage as part of the DOJ’s China Initiative.

Joining us in this week's Research Saturday to discuss the report is Eric Cornelius of Blackberry. 

The research can be found here: 

Decade of the RATs: Novel APT Attacks Targeting Linux, Windows and Android

Microsoft urges Exchange server patching. Sure it does your taxes, but it’s got another agenda, too: the GoldenSpy backdoor may be in your tax software if you do business in China. Magecart ups its game. DDoSecrets says they’re not going to roll over for Twitter’s “Nixonian” schtick. Camille Stewart from Google and Lauren Zabierek from Harvard’s Belfer Center on the #Sharethemicincyber event and why systemic racism is a threat to cybersecurity. Rick Howard wraps up cybersecurity canon week with guests Richard Clarke and Robert Knake, authors of The Fifth Domain. And there’s another unsecured Amazon S3 bucket, and this exposure could present a serious risk to some people who already have trouble enough.

For links to all of today's stories check out our CyberWire daily news brief:

https://www.thecyberwire.com/newsletters/daily-briefing/9/124

- More info on the #Sharethemicincyber event.

- Camille Stewart's essay on systemic racism in cyber.

Akamai’s report on the record-setting DDoS attack it stopped this week. Glupteba GLOOP-tib-yeh and Lucifer malware strains described. Apple and Google move their defaults in the direction of greater privacy. The US designates Huawei and Hikvision as controlled by China’s military. A superseding indictment in Julian Assange’s case. The EU looks at GDPR and likes what it sees. REvil gets ready to sell stolen data. David Dufour from Webroot with tips on navigating new workplace realities. Our guest is David Sanger, author of The Perfect Weapon - War, Sabotage, and Fear in the Cyber Age. And the Navy recruiting campaign that wasn’t.

For links to all of today's stories check out our CyberWire daily news brief:

https://www.thecyberwire.com/newsletters/daily-briefing/9/123

Twitter permanently suspends DDoSecrets for violating its policy with respect to hacked material. DDoSecrets explains its thinking with respect to BlueLeaks. A quick look at a Hidden Cobra hunt. Sino-Australian dispute over hacking may be moving into a trade war phase. Lessons on election management. What do cybercriminals watch when they binge-watch? Joe Carrigan explains the Ripple 20 vulnerabilities. Cybersecurity Canon week continues with Joseph Menn, author of Cult of the Dead Cow: How the Original Hacking Supergroup Might Just Save the World. And some notes on the most malware-infested movie and television fan communities.

For links to all of today's stories check out our CyberWire daily news brief:

https://www.thecyberwire.com/newsletters/daily-briefing/9/122

International conflicts and disputes are attended by hacking in South Asia, Australia, and Africa. The US designates four Chinese media outlets as foreign missions, that is, propaganda outfits. Sodinokibi ransomware sniffs at paycard and point-of-sale systems. Ben Yelin on TSA’s facial recognition program. Cybersecurity Canon Week continues with our guest is Bill Bonney, Co-Author of CISO Desk Reference Guide. And Evil Corp is back, apparently because you just can’t keep a bad man down.

For links to all of today's stories check out our CyberWire daily news brief:

https://www.thecyberwire.com/newsletters/daily-briefing/9/121

BlueLeaks dumps stolen police files online. A report of spyware delivered via network injection. COVID-19 apps and databases are reported to have indifferent privacy safeguards, and there’s been one big recent leak. India and Australia both on alert for Chinese cyberattacks. Our own Rick Howard on intelligence operations. It’s cybersecurity Canon Week, our guest is Todd Fitzgerald, author of CISO Compass. And New Zealand piles on in the case of a Russian alt-coin baron.

For links to all of today's stories check out our CyberWire daily news brief:

https://www.thecyberwire.com/newsletters/daily-briefing/9/120

Dean of Research, Johannes Ullrich, relays his experiences from studying the hard sciences to his career shift to cybersecurity. Basic principles, superhero origin stories, physics labs and radiation all figure in. And there’s a lot in common with network security best practices. Have a listen to what Johannes has learned and what he hopes to impart on his students. Our thanks to Johannes for sharing his story with us. 

Slack is a cloud-based messaging platform that is commonly used in workplace communications. Slack Incoming Webhooks allow you to post messages from your applications to Slack. Generally, Slack webhooks are considered a low risk integration. A deeper dive into webhooks shows that this is not entirely accurate. 

Joining us in this week's Research Saturday is Ashley Graves from AT&T Cybersecurity's Alien Labs to discuss her research. 

The research can be found here: 

Slack phishing attacks using webhooks

A look at the “state-based cyber actor” the Australian government is concerned about. Some signs of Chinese retaliation for Five Eyes’ skepticism of Huawei. Johannes Ullrich explains malware triggering multiple signatures in anti-malware products. Our guest is Geoff White, author of Crime Dot Com, on how he tracked down the creator of the Love Bug. And an alert about the possibility of some COVID-19-themed fraud from the Lazarus Group.

For links to all of today's stories check out our CyberWire daily news brief:

https://www.thecyberwire.com/newsletters/daily-briefing/9/119

Sino-Indian conflict extends to cyberspace. InvisiMole connected to Gamaredon. Spyware found in Chrome extensions. Phishing around technical defenses (and some criminal use of captchas). The US Justice Department releases its study of Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act. Zully Ramzan from RSA on privacy and security in a post-COVID world. Our guest is Michael Powell from NCTA on the importance of the UK cybersecurity sector. And Zoom decides to make end-to-end encryption generally available.

For links to all of today's stories check out our CyberWire daily news brief:

https://www.thecyberwire.com/newsletters/daily-briefing/9/118

Ripple20 vulnerabilities are reported in the IoT software supply chain. North Korean operators go for intelligence, but also for cash, and they’re phishing in LinkedIn’s pond. Sino-Indian tensions find expression in cyberspace. A long look at the Russian influence operation, Secondary Infektion. Joe Carrigan from JHU ISI on why older adults share more misinformation online. Our guest Will LaSala from OneSpan tracks the increase in online banking fraud during COVID-19. And the strange case of the bloggers who angered eBay may have more indictments on the way.

For links to all of today's stories check out our CyberWire daily news brief:

https://www.thecyberwire.com/newsletters/daily-briefing/9/117

What does Beijing want to know about US Presidential campaigns? Position papers, mostly. A redacted version of the CIA’s inquiry into the WikiLeaks Vault 7 material is out. That DDoS attack you read about on Twitter? Never happened. Former eBay employees face Federal charges of conspiracy to commit cyberstalking and witness tampering. Ben Yelin explains a judge refusing to sign off on a potential Facebook facial recognition settlement. Our guest is Randy Vanderhoof from the Secure Technology Alliance on mobile drivers licenses. And where would you store “niche” dating app material? In a misconfigured AWS S3 bucket. Where else?

For links to all of today's stories check out our CyberWire daily news brief:

https://www.thecyberwire.com/newsletters/daily-briefing/9/116

A new Android spyware tool is deployed against China’s Uyghur minority. Anonymous claims it disrupted the Atlanta Police Department’s website yesterday to protest a police shooting. An apparently legitimate security firm has apparently been selling malware to criminals. Breachstortion joins sextortion as a criminal tactic. Craig Williams from Cisco Talos on Astaroth, an information-stealer that has been targeting Brazil, Our own Rick Howard on risk assessments. And why spelling always counts.

For links to all of today's stories check out our CyberWire daily news brief:

https://www.thecyberwire.com/newsletters/daily-briefing/9/115

Financial firm CISO, Tom Quinn, takes us from his first experience with modern computers in the military to his current role as a Chief Information Security Officer. It's important to understand how the technology works, but it's also important to understand how people work. And, to make a difference. Our thanks to Tom for sharing his story with us. 

Proactive, efficient threat mitigation and risk management require understanding adversaries’ fundamental thought processes, not just their tools and methods. Cyber threat intelligence analysts combed through 15 years (2004 to 2019) of public sources that have documented the activities of one prolific threat actor, Russia’s military intelligence agency, the GRU. Analysis shows that the timing, targets, and impacts of this activity mirrored Russian strategic concerns about specific events and developments. 

Joining us in this week's Research Saturday are Brad Stone & Nate Beach-Westmoreland from Booz Allen Hamilton to discuss their report and some of the 33 case studies presented in it.

The research can be found here: 

Bearing Witness: Uncovering the Logic Behind Russian Military Cyber Operations

Twitter’s transparency efforts see through accounts being run by Chinese, Russian, and Turkish actors. Zoom is working to both comply with Chinese law and contain the reputational damage involved in doing so. Industrial firms recover from Ekans infestations. Caleb Barlow from CynergisTek on how hospital CISOs are dealing with the COVID-19 situation. Our guest is Ronald Eddings from Palo Alto Networks and the Hacker Valley Studio Podcast on strategies for finding and managing security architects. And it’s not Posh Spice who’s got the attention of Maze; it’s just her M&A advisors.

For links to all of today's stories check out our CyberWire daily news brief:

https://www.thecyberwire.com/newsletters/daily-briefing/9/114

The Gamaredon Group is back, and what’s their secret? Like Crazy Eddie’s, it’s volume! Doxing during times of unrest. Phoney contact-tracing apps are snooping on personal information in at least ten countries. Thanos is a criminal favorite in the ransomware-as-a-service market. Another skirmish in the Crypto Wars is brewing up on Capitol Hill. David Dufour from Webroot on how organizations can successfully navigate their new workplace realities. Our guest is Chester Wisniewski from Sophos on fleeceware apps found in the Apple app store. And no, really, Elon Musk is not on YouTube offering you Bitcoin.

For links to all of today's stories check out our CyberWire daily news brief:

https://www.thecyberwire.com/newsletters/daily-briefing/9/113

Notes on Patch Tuesday--it was a fairly big one this time. Honda continues its investigation of the incident it sustained over the weekend, and outsiders see it as a ransomware attack. Facebook is said to have developed a Tails zero-day to help the FBI with a notorious case. Crooks are turning to search engine optimization. IBM and Google cloud services recovered quickly from outages. You’re unlikely to get rich from a breach settlement. Joe Carrigan describes free online courseware aimed at Community College students. Our guest is Dennis Toomey from BAE on how financial institutions need to enact stronger cyber protocols as employees migrate to working from home. And BellTroX says, hey, it was just helping some private eyes.

For links to all of today's stories check out our CyberWire daily news brief:

https://www.thecyberwire.com/newsletters/daily-briefing/9/112

Commercialized hacking-for-hire is traced to an Indian firm, but it’s probably not an isolated problem. Ransomware shuts down Honda production lines in three continents. Criminals develop and distribute an anti-DDoS tool to help keep the dark web souks responsive and available. Ben Yelin revisits Twitter’s flagging or removing the U.S. President’s tweets. Our guest is Jeremy Oddo from The Third Floor to discuss cybersecurity in Hollywood during COVID-19. And researchers compile a menu of cyber contraband.

For links to all of today's stories check out our CyberWire daily news brief:

https://www.thecyberwire.com/newsletters/daily-briefing/9/111