Articles by Raphael Satter

Authentication Firm Okta Says Up to 366 Customers Potentially Hit by Hack

Shares in Okta Inc fell 9% on Wednesday after the U.S. digital authentication firm said hundreds of its customers may have been affected by a security breach involving hacking group Lapsus$. The breach sparked concern as the cyber extortion gang …

Analysis: Russian Ransomware Attacks on Ukraine Muted by Leaks, Insurance Exclusion

Warnings that pro-Russian ransomware gangs would snarl networks in Ukraine and its allies have so far failed to materialize amid disarray among the criminal underworld often behind such attacks and fears insurers would not pay out. Conti, one of the …

Couple Accused of Laundering $4.5B in Bitcoin Tied to 2016 Hack

The U.S. Justice Department said on Tuesday it has unraveled its biggest-ever cryptocurrency theft, seizing a record-shattering $3.6 billion in bitcoin tied to the 2016 hack of digital currency exchange Bitfinex and arresting a husband-and-wife team on money laundering charges. …

Ransomware Gang REvil’s Websites Vanish; Reason Unknown

Websites run by the ransomware gang REvil suddenly became unreachable on Tuesday, sparking widespread speculation that the group had been knocked offline. The Russia-linked cybercrime ring has collected tens of millions of dollars in ransom payments in return for restoring …

Kaysea Ransomware Attack Caused ‘Minimal Damage’ to U.S. Firms, Biden Says

President Joe Biden said on Tuesday the ransomware attack centered on the Florida information technology firm Kaseya seems to have inflicted only “minimal damage” on American businesses. “It appears to have caused minimal damage to U.S. businesses, but we’re still …

Update: Ransomware Attack on Kaseya Affects Up to 1,500 Firms; Hackers Ask $70M

Between 800 and 1,500 businesses around the world have been affected by a ransomware attack centered on U.S. information technology firm Kaseya, its chief executive said on Monday. Fred Voccola, the Florida-based company’s CEO, said in an interview that it …

Lawmakers Urged to Protect Data in Cloud Like Other Personal Data

The United States needs to accord the same legal protections to user data held on tech companies’ servers as it does to physical files stored in personal file cabinets, media attorneys and lawmakers said Wednesday. The witnesses spoke at a …

Colonial Pipeline Ransomware Attackers Say They Seek Cash, Not Chaos

The ransomware gang accused of crippling the leading U.S. fuel pipeline operator said on Monday that it never meant to create havoc, an unusual statement that experts saw as a sign the cybercriminals’ scheme had gone awry. The FBI accused …

Homeland Security Chief Prioritizes Disrupting Ransomware in Cyber Efforts

Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said last Wednesday that dealing with ransomware will be a top priority, highlighting the growing threat of the data-scrambling software. Ransomware – which effectively holds files and networks hostage unless a payment …

Ransom-Seeking Hackers Are Exploiting Flaws in Microsoft Email Software

Ransom-seeking hackers have begun taking advantage of a recently disclosed flaw in Microsoft’s widely used mail server software, the company said early Thursday – a serious escalation that could portend widespread digital disruption. The disclosure, initially made on Twitter by …