Tech and Cybersecurity: A Closer Look at This Week’s News. 18/02/2024.
defence
1. Election security tops CISA's 2024 joint cyber defence priorities
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) is a component of the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) responsible for cybersecurity and infrastructure protection across all levels of government. CISA announced its joint cyber defence priorities for 2024, with election security being the top one. CISA said it will work with federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial partners to protect the integrity and availability of election systems and data. CISA also identified other priorities, such as critical infrastructure protection, ransomware response, supply chain security, and cloud security.
2. US judge orders Elon Musk to testify in SEC's Twitter probe
A US judge ordered Tesla CEO Elon Musk to testify in a Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) investigation into his tweets about the company's finances and operations. The SEC accused Musk of violating a 2018 settlement agreement that required him to get approval from Tesla's lawyers before tweeting about material information. Musk argued that his tweets were not material and that the SEC was infringing on his free speech rights.
3. Rhysida Ransomware cracked: researchers release free decryptor
Researchers from Emsisoft released a free decryptor for Rhysida Ransomware, a new strain of ransomware that emerged in late 2023. Rhysida Ransomware encrypts files on infected computers and demands a ransom of $500 to $1,000 in Bitcoin for the decryption key. The researchers found a flaw in the encryption algorithm that allowed them to recover the original files without paying the ransom.
4. Waymo self-driving car set on fire in San Francisco
A Waymo self-driving car was set on fire by an unknown assailant in San Francisco on Friday night. The car was parked on a street when it was doused with gasoline and ignited. No one was injured in the incident, but the car was severely damaged. Waymo said it was cooperating with the police investigation and that it was unclear if the attack was motivated by anti-technology sentiment or vandalism.
5. Cyberattack hits Swedish cloud provider Advania, healthcare services impacted
A cyberattack hit Advania, a Swedish cloud provider that hosts data for several healthcare organizations, on Tuesday. The attack disrupted the access to patient records, appointments, and prescriptions for thousands of people across Sweden. Advania said it was working to restore its services as soon as possible and that it had notified the relevant authorities. The identity and motive of the attackers are unknown.
That’s all for this week’s Tech and Cybersecurity News Roundup. Stay tuned for more updates and analysis on these topics and more.
