Crossroads Blog | Institute National Security and Counterterrorism

bitcoin, Cybersecurity, Kaspersky, North Korea

Cyber Round Up: Extortion is Hackers’ Latest Weapon; Kaspersky Making Changes in U.S.?; North Korea and Bitcoin

  • Hackers’ Latest Weapon: Cyber Extortion (WSJ):  Nefarious actors in cyber space have another tool in their toolbox. Hackers are not just stealing information or holding it ransom, an article in the Wall Street Journal says, but are now digging for sensitive information that could be used to extort companies and their executives.  The article explains that exposing intellectual property or embarrassing emails can be much more damaging than other forms of attacks.  Victims of extortion from hackers include HBO, Netflix, medical clinics, casinos, and energy companies. The full article can be read here.
  • Under scrutiny, Kaspersky Lab considers changes to U.S. subsidiary (Reuters):  The Russian company is considering making changes to its subsidiary in the United States after repeated allegations that it is subject to the influence of the Russian government.  A bill that the Senate is scheduled to vote on this week includes language that would ban U.S. government agencies from using Kaspersky software, the article said.  Conflicting reports have emerged as to whether the company will be expanding in North America or completely shutting down, the article points out.  The full report can be read here.
  • North Korea is trying to amass a bitcoin war chest (CNN):  North Korea is attempting to circumvent recently imposed sanctions by building up its stock of cryptocurrencies, recent reports suggest.   A CNN report quotes one FireEye officer who explains that “Attacks on cryptocurrency exchanges can be a great vehicle to obtain what is ultimately hard currency.”  FireEye, according to the article, has linked several attacks on cryptocurrency exchanges to North Korean hackers in the months since the U.S. announced it would be taking a stronger stance against the nation. The full article can be read here.

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