1. Flaws in Cryptocurrency Infrastructure pose Bitcoin Risks
Bitcoin, the world’s most popular cryptocurrency, hits a record high of $17,428.42 recently. Despite it falling to below $16,000 again experts say that bitcoin is going to break the $20,000 mark. This massive rise in value and hype has brought hackers, scammers, and cyber criminals calling.
2. Private schools targeted by hackers in U.K.
The cyber crooks took advantage of poorly secured systems at private UK schools, trying to steal data, through phishing attacks. With this, the parents are targeted with fake invoices and any other means of cybercrime. The Information Commissioner’s Office noted a case of a private school attack, and the Independent Schools’ Bursars Association’s chief said that cyber-attacks have become sophisticated.
3. HP Laptops shipped with Hidden Keylogger
Some HP laptop users came across a preinstalled program to track their keystrokes, recently discovered. Mr. Michael Myng aka “ZwClose,” the researcher found this out while trying to solve a keyboard problem for a friend. The software is turned off by default. After Myng contacted HP about the program, it quickly released a patch to get rid of it.
4. Wi-Fi at Starbucks outlet made computers mine crypto-currency
Recently Starbucks admitted that visitors in one of its branches were recruited into a crypto-currency mining operation unintentionally. The Wi-Fi service provided by one of the coffee chain’s Buenos Aires outlets hijacked few connected computers to use their processing power to create digital cash. However, Starbucks said that they have taken quick action to resolve the problem.
5. 19-year-old TLS vulnerability weakens modern website crypto
ROBOT, a vulnerability, was identified way back in 1998, has reappeared and impacted largely on leading websites like Facebook or Paypal. These are vulnerable to attacks that could decrypt encrypted data and sign communications using the sites’ own private encryption key. The vulnerability is found in the transport layer security protocol used for Web encryption.
6. Austrian hotel hacked four times
The internet of things (IoT) promises multiple advantages like smart cities with integrated transport systems. Simultaneously there is a significant increase in cybersecurity risks too. Thus tackling this new threat is a newer challenge. The managing director of the four-star Seehotel, Jagerwirt, in Austria’s Alps said his hotel’s electronic door locks and other systems were hacked four times between December 2016 and January 2017 and demanded ransom.
