CyberScoop

We're thrilled to announce the nominees for the 2024 #CyberScoop50 Awards! These cybersecurity trailblazers are not just combating today's threats but are also innovating to safeguard our future. Their dedication keeps our global networks secure and resilient. Show your support by voting for your top cybersecurity leader. Cast your vote now: https://lnkd.in/dGV3HvSi

U.S. energy services titan Halliburton proactively took certain systems offline “to help protect them” after a cyberattack this week, the company said Friday in a filing with federal regulators. The company learned Wednesday that “an unauthorized third party gained access to certain parts of its systems” and that it was working with external advisers to assess and remediate the situation, the company said in a Securities and Exchange Commission filing. “The Company’s response efforts included proactively taking certain systems offline to help protect them and notifying law enforcement. The Company’s ongoing investigation and response include restoration of its systems and assessment of materiality.” https://hubs.li/Q02MJFVj0

Deadbeat parents across America are responsible for more than $113 billion in unpaid child support payments, according to the Department of Health and Human Services. Few of those offenders likely spent as much effort to get out their obligations as Kentucky resident Jesse Kipf. According to the Department of Justice and court documents, Kipf starting in January 2023 began using stolen online credentials of multiple physicians living in other states to access state death registry systems for Hawaii, Arizona and Vermont and create death certificates for himself. https://hubs.li/Q02MJD8F0

Federal prosecutors this week charged a Latvian national who was living in Russia for his alleged role in extorting companies targeted by the Karakurt ransomware operation. Deniss Zolotarjovs, 33, was arrested in the country of Georgia in December and extradited to the U.S. in August, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Southern District of Ohio said in a statement Tuesday. Zolotarjovs is facing charges of money laundering conspiracy, wire fraud conspiracy, extortion conspiracy and extortion, according to court documents. He appeared in a federal court in Cincinnati on Tuesday. https://hubs.ly/Q02MJFRl0

Israeli cybersecurity firm Check Point Software Technologies has announced it will acquire threat intelligence firm Cyberint, its third startup acquisition in approximately a year. Cyberint specializes in threat intelligence and attack surface management products, as well as a services team that provides cybersecurity analysis and threat assessments for its enterprise customers. Check Point said in a press release that it will fold Cyberint into its “Security Operations Center (SOC) capabilities and expand its managed threat intelligence offerings.” https://lnkd.in/dnnT4qWF

🔒 Join us at #CyberTalks on 10/30 in Washington, D.C.! This event is your gateway to understanding the latest strategies to combat cyber threats and AI-driven attacks. Hear from top experts on how to protect your organization against nation-state and criminal hackers. Don’t wait—register today: https://hubs.li/Q02Jfd1c0

A former Verizon employee pleaded guilty Friday to conspiring to serve as an agent of the People’s Republic of China, namely by using his job to send information about Chinese enemies to a spy agency there, as well as details related to cyber incidents. Ping Li faces up to five years in prison for his contacts with the Ministry of State Security. He provided information on Chinese dissidents, pro-democracy advocates and members of the Falun Gong religious movement, as well as U.S.-based nonprofit organizations. https://hubs.ly/Q02MJD-W0

Network security company SonicWall has identified a critical vulnerability in its SonicOS platform that can be exploited to gain unauthorized access, and in certain conditions, cause the company’s firewalls to crash. In a security advisory issued Thursday, the company gives the vulnerability (tracked as CVE-2024-40766) a CVSS score of 9.3. The related entry in the National Vulnerability Database does not have a score assigned as of this article’s publication. https://hubs.ly/Q02MJFq10

📊 Foreign hackers, data breaches, ransomware – learn how to defend against them at #CyberWeek! Join cybersecurity professionals for a week of insights and innovation. Hear from top government officials, influential private sector executives, and security researchers. It’s an event you can’t miss. Get your pass: https://lnkd.in/eaM3jzQA

Commentary: In a world where critical infrastructure networks are increasingly digitalized and interconnected, cyber risk is growing as a significant threat to our nation’s security, safety. https://hubs.li/Q02MJ4t60