Russian and Iranian hackers increase spear-phishing attacks

The UK’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) – a part of GCHQ – has warned that hackers based in Russia and Iran are conducting increased spear-phishing attacks.

Spear-phishing involves sending a malicious electronic communication to get someone to download malware or hand over sensitive information.

The attacks are often highly targeted to make it appear like the communication is from a loved one, friend, colleague, or business that the target knows and...

27 January 2023 | Security

Ukraine signs NATO cybersecurity centre accession

Ukraine has formally signed its accession to the NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence (CCDCOE).

The country applied for CCDCOE membership in August 2021. On 4 March 2022, existing CCDCOE members voted unanimously to accept Ukraine into the organisation.

“We have been actively cooperating with the NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence for the last year,” said Yurii Shchyhol, Head of the State Special Communications Service of...

24 January 2023 | Legislation & Government

Japan joins NATO cyber defense centre

Japan has become the latest member of the NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence (CCDCOE).

While there have been thankfully few cases of conventional warfare on Western territories for decades, in no small part thanks to NATO, the planet has remained locked in a cyber World War.

In April, members of the Five Eyes intelligence alliance issued a joint cybersecurity advisory warning of increased attacks on critical infrastructure from Russia. These attacks...

9 November 2022 | Security

FCC: China Mobile, China Telecom, and Kaspersky ‘pose a threat to national security’

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has deemed China Mobile, China Telecom, and cybersecurity firm Kaspersky “a threat to national security”.

All three entities have been added to the FCC’s list of communications equipment and services that have been deemed a threat to national security.

Jessica Rosenworcel, Chairwoman of the FCC, said:

“Last year, for the first time, the FCC published a list of communications equipment and services that pose an...

28 March 2022 | Legislation & Government

China: Attacks from US IP addresses are using resources to target Russia

According to the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC), a large number of cyberattacks the country has received from US IP addresses are now using compromised resources to target Russia.

In a post on the CAC’s website, the agency wrote:

“Since late February, my country’s internet has been continuously attacked by overseas cyberattacks.

Overseas organizations controlled computers in China through attacks, and then carried out cyberattacks on Russia,...

14 March 2022 | Security

Giving telecoms businesses a competitive advantage through greater cybersecurity

As we hit the 18-month mark of the COVID-19 pandemic, the unprecedented effects of this health crisis have been well-documented. However, a different kind of pandemic has also emerged during this period, causing digital damage on a truly destructive scale.

$945 million (mn) was lost to cyberattacks in 2020 – a figure that has risen almost 50% since 2018. Malware attacks rose by 358%, while next-generation supply chain attacks grew 420%, and a new ransomware victim emerged every...

4 February 2022 | Security

UK-Australia ‘network of liberty’ to combat malign cyber actors

The UK and Australia have agreed to develop a “network of liberty” to combat malign cyber actors.

Western alliances are being renewed in the face of increasing aggression from countries like Russia and China. Few alliances have as much history as the one between the UK and Australia.

“Britain and Australia share one of the oldest and strongest defence and security alliances,” said UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace.

“Operating and exercising side by...

21 January 2022 | Legislation & Government

ETSI releases a global standard for securing smartphones

ETSI (European Telecommunications Standards Institute) has released a new global standard for securing smartphones.

The standard – TS 103 732, or, more catchingly, “Consumer Mobile Device Protection Profile” – claims to identify key security and privacy risks for user data and provides appropriate protection.

Alex Leadbeater, Cybersecurity Chair at ETSI, said:

“Following the excellent improvement in security achieved with ETSI EN 303 645 for consumer...

25 November 2021 | Security

Hacker calls T-Mobile’s security ‘awful’ after stealing 54M customers’ data

A hacker who stole the data of 54 million T-Mobile customers has called the carrier’s security “awful”.

John Binns, a 21-year-old American who now lives in Turkey, claimed responsibility for the hack on Thursday to the Wall Street Journal.

Binns claims he was able to gain access to the data of customers through a publicly exposed router.

"I was panicking because I had access to something big," he said. "Their security is awful."

Binns probed...

27 August 2021 | Security

FCC is re-establishing its 5G security council which disbanded in March

The FCC is re-establishing its Communications Security, Reliability, and Interoperability Council (CSRIC), with a primary focus on improving 5G network security.

CSRIC VII was disbanded in March. Recent cyberattacks such as the high-profile SolarWinds breach have demonstrated the need for CSRIC to re-establish and continue its crucial work.

Jessica Rosenworcel, Acting Chairwoman of the FCC, said:

“I am committed to working with our federal partners and the...

16 April 2021 | Legislation & Government