CyberWire Daily

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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices