Nation-state

CISA, FBI Warn of Foreign Cyberattacks Targeting U.S. Think Tanks
- By Adam Janofsky
- . December 2, 2020
The FBI and the Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency on Tuesday alerted U.S. think tanks of “persistent continued cyber intrusions” from advanced persistent threat groups. Several individuals who work at think tanks, including Neera Tanden, the president of the Center for American Progress who was recently announced to be Joe Biden’s pick to lead the Office of Management and Budget, have already been tapped to join the new administration….

Cyber-Espionage Attacks Disproportionately Target These Industries
- By Adam Janofsky
- . November 20, 2020
Industries frequently targeted by financially-motivated cybercriminals, such as banks and healthcare organizations, are a low priority for attackers engaged in espionage, a new report from Verizon suggests. These attackers, typically linked to nation states, instead focus their efforts on industries that hold data like trade secrets, blueprints and classified government documents…

Ukraine’s Top Cyber Cop on Defending Against Disinformation and Russian Hackers
- By Dmitry Smilyanets
- . November 17, 2020
In recent years, Ukraine has become an involuntary testing ground for some of the most dangerous cyberweapons in the world. Serhii Demediuk has perhaps played the most prominent role in defending Ukraine against digital intrusions, investigating cyberattacks and the groups behind them, and strengthening the country’s capabilities in cyberspace….

Researchers Identify New Malware Campaigns Linked to Vietnamese Hacking Group
- By Adam Janofsky
- . November 10, 2020
When it comes to state-sponsored hacking groups, big players such as China and Russia tend to get the most attention. But smaller nations are also continuously expanding their capabilities in cyberspace, often with regional goals in mind. Two studies published in recent days have shown that one of these groups—the Vietnamese state-sponsored threat group APT32, also known as OceanLotus—has expanded its efforts by targeting the country’s Southeast Asian neighbors with malware campaigns….

Harvard Researchers Say These Countries Have the Greatest Cybersecurity Skills
- By Adam Janofsky
- . September 21, 2020
When it comes to cybersecurity, countries like North Korea, Iran, and Israel garner plenty of headlines. But according to a study released this month from a Harvard University research center, the United States reigns supreme in terms of cyber capabilities, followed by China, the United Kingdom, and Russia…

U.S. Ramps Up Pressure on Chinese Hackers With New Charges Against 5 Chinese Nationals
- By Adam Janofsky
- . September 16, 2020
Federal law enforcement officials on Wednesday announced that five alleged members of a Chinese hacking group known as APT41 had been charged for their role in “unprecedented” efforts to compromise and siphon sensitive data from more than 100 companies…

Chinese State-Backed Hackers Target the Vatican, Again
- By Adam Janofsky
- . September 15, 2020
Hackers sometimes come back for seconds — even if they’re caught. Just days after being exposed for targeting the Vatican and the Catholic Diocese of Hong Kong with malware, the suspected Chinese-state sponsored threat group known as RedDelta resumed cyberoperations against Catholic Church-related organizations…

Why Election Interference Attempts Are Getting Harder to Detect
- By Adam Janofsky
- . September 3, 2020
When Facebook disclosed earlier this week that a Kremlin-backed group was running a disinformation campaign that hired real journalists to

Election Security Official Warns of Emerging Nation-State Threats
- By Adam Janofsky
- . August 19, 2020
A top U.S. counterintelligence official warned Wednesday that Americans should be prepared for a “rocky” election season with possible interference