Content by Dan Gunderman

Pro-China Operatives Push Protests, Pandemic Conspiracies

Dan Gunderman  •  September 8, 2021

Researchers say a pro-China influence operation leveraging a network of fake social media accounts has expanded, promoting in-person protests and narratives around COVID-19 and U.S. domestic policy, according to Mandiant, which does not definitively attribute the activity to the Chinese government.

Howard University Hit With Ransomware Attack

Dan Gunderman  •  September 7, 2021

Howard University canceled classes Tuesday in the wake of a ransomware attack it first detected on Friday, the university has announced. There is no evidence the attackers accessed or exfiltrated personal information, the school says.

SEC Warns of Fraudulent Cryptocurrency Schemes

Dan Gunderman  •  September 7, 2021

The U.S. SEC in a new advisory warns against schemes targeting digital assets. Security experts say that with social engineering attempts on the rise, individuals and organizations must defend against related scams and other "get rich quick" schemes.

SEC Charges BitConnect on $2 Billion Fraud Scheme

Dan Gunderman  •  September 3, 2021

The U.S. SEC announced civil action against defunct cryptocurrency lending platform BitConnect for allegedly defrauding investors out of $2 billion. In response, experts say cryptocurrency markets will face continued scrutiny over investor protections, fraud and security.

125,000 Coinbase Users Get False Security Alerts

Dan Gunderman  •  September 2, 2021

Cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase faces potential user trust challenges after a system error led it to send out false automated security alerts to about 125,000 customers indicating their two-factor authentication settings had been changed.

SEC Sanctions 8 Firms for 'Deficient Cybersecurity Procedures'

Dan Gunderman  •  September 1, 2021

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission sanctioned eight financial firms for alleged failures related to cybersecurity policies and procedures, each stemming from email account takeovers and related incident response, the regulator announced this week.

SEC to Monitor Illicit Activity on DeFi Platforms

Dan Gunderman  •  August 30, 2021

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission will monitor decentralized finance transactions, after contracting with the blockchain cybersecurity firm AnChain.AI. Legal experts suggest this and other recent moves preview increased regulation of the decentralized finance space.

Senator Seeks Input on Securing Crypto, Blockchain

Dan Gunderman  •  August 30, 2021

Sen. Pat Toomey of the Senate Banking Committee is requesting input from the cryptocurrency and blockchain community to inform future legislation on its security and privacy. Several experts praise efforts to regulate the space, but cite its complexities.

Financial Execs Say Security a Top Cryptocurrency Barrier

Dan Gunderman  •  August 26, 2021

Although a majority of financial services executives predict that cryptocurrency will replace or rival fiat currency within the next five to 10 years, they say cybersecurity, regulatory and privacy issues are among the biggest obstacles to its adoption, according to a survey by Deloitte.

Google Removes Fake Cryptomining Apps

Dan Gunderman  •  August 24, 2021

Google has removed eight fake cryptomining apps from its Play Store, but researchers at security firm Trend Micro have flagged 120 other apps on users' phones purporting to also be cryptomining. Users paid for services the eight apps never delivered.

US, Singapore Sign Cybersecurity Agreements

Dan Gunderman  •  August 23, 2021

The U.S. and Singapore have announced three agreements to expand their collaborative efforts - including shoring up information sharing, research and training - to address global cybersecurity issues.

World Bank Launches Global Cybersecurity Fund

Dan Gunderman  •  August 20, 2021

The World Bank has launched a cybersecurity fund for low- and middle-income nations to support public sector efforts to conduct cybersecurity maturity assessments, offer technical assistance and support training and staff development.

Hacker Steals $97 Million From Crypto Exchange 'Liquid'

Dan Gunderman  •  August 19, 2021

A hacker stole $97 million in cryptoassets from the Japan-based cryptocurrency exchange Liquid. The attack came just days after a hacker stole $612 million from the crypto platform Poly Network.

Ransomware Hits Brazilian National Treasury

Dan Gunderman  •  August 18, 2021

The Brazilian government has confirmed that its National Treasury fell victim to a ransomware attack on Aug. 13. The scope of the incident remains unclear, although officials say it did not damage structural systems.

Poly Network Hacker Reportedly Returns Most of Stolen Funds

Dan Gunderman  •  August 13, 2021

The hacker behind the $612 million breach of the blockchain-based Poly Network system has reportedly returned all stolen assets. Security experts have highlighted a critical vulnerability and a need for further DeFi security regulations.