With the 2024 presidential election in the United States just days away, documents obtained by the national security transparency nonprofit Property of the People have revealed concerning assessments about election security and stability. One report from the US Department of Homeland Security warned of the potential for financially motivated cybercriminals and ideologically motivated hacktivists to attack US election infrastructure. Another memo highlighted the risk of insider threats to the election process.
In a highly polarized and tense political climate, US elections have become increasingly militarized, with heightened security measures and officials preparing for potential violent attacks. A recent investigation by WIRED also uncovered a successful CIA hack of Venezuela’s military payroll system, part of a covert effort by the Trump administration to overthrow the country’s president.
In other cybersecurity news, WIRED delved into the ongoing turf war between firewall vendor Sophos and Chinese hackers, and researchers warned of a critical vulnerability in a default photo app on Synology network-attached storage devices.
But that’s not all. Here are some other security and privacy news stories you may have missed this week:
– A former Disney employee has been accused of hacking into the company’s restaurant software and changing menus to display symbols instead of text. The alleged hacker also attempted to log into employees’ accounts and locked some out of their accounts.
– A new report from the cybersecurity firm FireEye has revealed that Chinese hackers have been targeting US defense contractors and government agencies with a new malware strain called “SourMint.”
– The US Department of Justice has charged a Russian national with conspiring to steal millions of dollars from US banks using malware and other hacking techniques.
– A security researcher has discovered a vulnerability in the popular messaging app WhatsApp that could allow hackers to manipulate messages and spread misinformation.
– The US Department of Homeland Security has issued a warning about a new ransomware strain called “Hive” that has been targeting US organizations.
– A new report from the cybersecurity firm Check Point has revealed that cybercriminals are increasingly targeting the healthcare sector, with a 45% increase in attacks in the past two months.
– The US Department of Justice has announced the seizure of 27 websites used by Iranian hackers to spread disinformation and propaganda.
– A new study has found that the majority of Android apps are sending user data to third-party trackers, raising concerns about privacy and data security.
– The US Department of Justice has charged a former Microsoft employee with stealing $10 million in digital currency from the company.
– A security researcher has discovered a vulnerability in the popular password manager LastPass that could allow hackers to steal user credentials.
