Much more personal data is being held hostage

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From CNBC

The cybersecurity world faces new threats beyond targeted ransomware attacks, according to experts at the recent RSA cybersecurity industry conference in San Francisco.

Joe McMann, head of cybersecurity services at Binary Defense, a cybersecurity solutions provider, said the new battleground is data extortion and companies need to shift gears to face the threat.

Traditionally, ransomware attackers encrypt or delete proprietary data of organizations and ask for ransom before reverting the attack. McMann said hackers are now focusing on stealing customer or employee data and then threatening to leak it publicly.

“By naming, shaming, threatening reputational impact, they force the hands of their targets,” McMann said.

The International Data Corporation predicts firms will spend over $219 billion on cybersecurity this year, and McMann said cybercriminals constantly evolve their exploitations.

Hackers shifted tactics after ransomware attacks brought an unwelcome level of visibility by law enforcement and governments, and cybersecurity professionals became adept at solving decryption. Instead of paralyzing hospitals and pipelines, he said criminals changed gears to collect data and threaten companies with customer dissatisfaction and public outcry.

At the end of March, OpenAI documented a data leak in an open-source data provider that made it possible to see personal AI chat histories, payment information, and addresses. The team patched the leak in hours, but McMann said once data is out there, hackers can use it.

Continues at

https://www.cnbc.com/2023/05/07/in-a-new-hacking-crime-wave-more-personal-data-is-being-held-hostage.html

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From National News Bureau of Thailand

Police warn of New SMS Cyber Scam Links

BANGKOK (NNT) - "Cyber Cop Thailand" has issued a warning to the public about new SMS texts issued by scammers claiming to be from commercial banks. Victims are deceived into downloading a mobile control application by clicking on a link in the message.

According to the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB), also known as Cyber Cop Thailand, scammers use the same name and text field as commercial banks, making their messages appear authentic.

After clicking on the link provided, victims are directed to the scammers’ Line account which resembles that of a real bank. They are then asked to provide personal information before being tricked into downloading a mobile control app.

The CCIB officials said there have been over 3,700 complaints related to mobile control app scams filed via the police website between March 1 of last year and April 30 this year, with total damages estimated at over 233 million baht.

The cyber police bureau has assured the public that banks never send SMS messages with links to follow, adding that any such message should be considered fraudulent. The public is encouraged to be wary of SMS messages and links and to contact organizations directly to confirm their authenticity.