HSBC Sites Downed Briefly After Cyber Attack
Earlier this week, it was reported that HSBC had been the victim of a cyber attack and both it’s US and UK sites had been taken offline. The messages remaining on both sites announced that an organization called OurMine had found a vulnerability and would only stop the attack once an HSBC employee contacted them. Seemingly as promised, the attack ceased and the sites were brought back online early Wednesday morning.
Malicious Pokemon Go Look-alike Apps On the Rise
With the recent popularity of the Pokemon Go app, it comes as no surprise that a massive influx of third-party apps claiming to be related have hit the appstore. While many of these are seemingly harmless, some offer cheats and other Pokemon-related info to attract users and then require permission to view personal information stored on the phones. With nearly 200 unofficial apps found so far, it is likely that more will replace the ones that are being removed.
Ransomware’s Latest Scam Skips Encryption
Recently, researchers have discovered a new variant of ransomware that operates with significantly less sophistication than normally seen. Ranscam, the variant in question, lives up to it’s name by simply deleting the files once the ransom message is displayed, while stating the usual encryption and bitcoin payment instructions. Regardless of the victims payment status, the files are completely removed, leaving nothing to decrypt if/when a payment is made.
https://threatpost.com/ranscam-ransomware-deletes-victims-files-outright/119197/
Omni Hotels Face Data Breach
This week, Omni Hotels & Resorts made a statement that they had suffered a security breach over the past 6 months on it’s point-of-sale systems. The attack follows the long string of hotel security infractions that have occurred in the last year, as they make for highly profitable targets in an industry with out-of-date cyber protection. Fortunately for Omni, their recently appointed CIO has already begun implementing new solutions to protect against similar attacks in the future.
Stampado Ransomware Available On Dark Web For Low Price
In an unusual move by malware authors, the creators of the Stampado ransomware variant have released a lifetime license for a measly $39 USD. The variant itself is similar to Cryptolocker, but with the additional function of not requiring administrator privileges when launching. While it’s currently not widespread, the price point removes a major barrier for cyber criminals who may be deterred by a high upfront cost.
http://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/brand-new-stampado-ransomware/
