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The US is at risk of a "catastrophic cyber attack" and the government needs to adopt sweeping structural changes to address cyber security challenges, according to a report from the US Cyberspace Solarium Commission following a year-long investigation. "Our country is at risk, not only from a catastrophic cyber attack but from millions of daily intrusions disrupting everything from financial transactions to the inner workings of our electoral system" the report warns . Source: Computing.com

 People copy all sorts of information to their clipboard. It's something that we've been doing for decades, and it's a practice that's deeply ingrained. While most of that information is likely to be mundane and boring, there are times when we copy important information, such as passwords, telephone numbers, or financial details. When it comes to iOS and iPadOS, Apple has given apps unrestricted access to the system clipboard -- called Pasteboard on the iPhone...

While ransomware is a serious problem, it is also one that can be handled with proper preparation. An organization that fully backs up its systems at regular intervals can usually avoid a payment simply by restoring files. Cyber crime is a world of constant adaptation and escalation, however, and there has been a dangerous mutation. The new DoppelPaymer ransomware doesn’t just lock up data, but also threatens to post the victim’s data to a public...

As the COVID-19 virus spreads around the world and we invest in hand sanitiser to protect our physical hygiene, many are falling victim to coronavirus phishing scams and failing to protect their cybersecurity hygiene. In the face of this pandemic and the growing climate of fear and misinformation, leading information security professionals have given their advice on what steps to take to ensure online security is preserved despite emerging cyber threats…   Eric Howes, KnowBe4...

  Nearly 76,000 unique fingerprints were exposed online in an unprotected database bellowing to a Brazilian firm that develops fingerprint identification systems for corporations. Also in the bucket were email addresses and telephone numbers of the employees whose prints were being stored by the company Anteus Tecnolgia. The fingerprint data included ridge bifurcation and ridge ending data, both of which describe characteristics used to tell fingerprints apart. Source: Daily Mail

  Aviation giant Cathay Pacific has been slapped with a US$650,000 fine by the UK’s Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) for failing to protect customer personal data. According to a statement issued by the regulator, approximately 9.4 million customers had their personal data compromised. The breach encompasses, in varying quantities, details such as names, nationalities, passport details, and historical travel information. Source: Tech Wire Asia

  Security researchers have uncovered a new phishing scam which lures users into opening a malicious Excel document by pretending to offer their HIV test results. Phishing campaigns have seen a huge increase over the past year as the scammers behind them have begun employing new tactics to trick users into falling for their schemes. Source: TechRadar

I’ve already reported on the dangers online, as hackers hide behind our coronavirus obsession to target us with malicious malware. Well, here’s another variation on that theme, with a warning that tempting “Coronavirus Maps” are now being used to plant malware on victims’ computers. Reason Labs delved into this particular threat, albeit warnings about the map’s website had been issued before, cautioning users that such downloads will “steal credentials such as user names, passwords, credit...

Private details of around 900 million people have been exposed after an online database containing information of Whisper app users was left online without password protection. Whisper's core focus is to allow users to anonymously share secrets and has around 30 million monthly active users. Since it was launched in 2012, people have used it to post confessions and discuss private matters like sexuality, unwanted pregnancies and domestic abuse. Source: Independent

By Elad Shapira, Head of Research at Panorays In the wake of coronavirus, companies are shifting their workforce to remote locations to keep businesses underway. This is an attempt to keep workers healthy and semi-quarantined to protect against the spread of a world pandemic that is not only a threat to health, but also to the world’s economies. The list of global organizations mandating work-from-home policies includes Microsoft, Apple, Google and Amazon, and that list...