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Swatting
Cybercime Data Breach Healthcare cybersecurity Medical Security Swatting

Swatting: Cyber Attacks on Healthcare

 


In a concerning trend, cybercriminals are using a tactic called "swatting" to target medical institutions via their patients, aiming to coerce hospitals into paying ransoms. Swatting involves making repeated false reports to the police about individuals, leading armed authorities to unsuspecting victims' homes. 

What's Happening

Threat actors are pressuring US hospitals by threatening patients with swatting incidents unless a ransom is paid. This extreme form of prank-calling has escalated to involve bomb threats and other serious allegations, forcing authorities to intervene in patients' homes.

The Motive 

The attackers believe that by applying this pressure on hospitals, they can secure a ransom payment. A recent incident at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center in Seattle involved stolen medical records, and the threat actors escalated by targeting patients with the swatting technique. 

The Impact

This disturbing tactic not only puts patients at risk but also adds an extra layer of urgency for hospitals to meet ransom demands. It highlights the high-stakes nature of cyber threats against medical institutions. 

When faced with cybercriminals making swatting threats, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center took immediate action. They alerted the FBI and local police, who collaborated on investigating these threats as part of the broader cybersecurity incident. This highlights the seriousness of the situation and the coordinated effort to address the issue. 

In a parallel incident, Integris Health in Oklahoma encountered a cyber-attack that potentially exposed patients' personal data. Shockingly, some individuals received emails from threat actors, signalling an intention to sell their information if specific demands were not met. This underscores the direct impact on individuals and the concerning methods employed by cybercriminals. 

Recent events highlight the shifting nature of cyber threats targeting healthcare. Experts notice a change in tactics, where criminals are getting more extreme. It's important to note that how institutions deal with these tactics can differ widely. Stay aware, as the scenario keeps evolving. 

 Healthcare Cybersecurity: What You Need to Know

In the latest updates on cybersecurity in healthcare, a lot is happening that affects us all. Not only are there weird swatting and ransom tactics, but now there's a new worry – sneaky phishing attacks targeting our hospitals. Cybercriminals are using trickier methods to get their hands on private patient info. This means it's super important for hospitals to step up their online security game. 

Understanding these tactics is crucial for both hospitals and the public. Cybersecurity in healthcare affects individuals directly, putting personal information at risk. Staying informed empowers us to collectively contribute to the protection of healthcare systems and personal data.



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Technology
AI Copycots Artificial Intelliigence Cybercime Cybersecurity Digital Battlefields Technology

Digital Battlefields: Artists Employ Technological Arsenal to Combat AI Copycats

 


Technology is always evolving, and the art field has been on the frontline of a new battle as a result - the war against artificial intelligence copycats. In the fast-paced world of artificial intelligence, it is becoming more and more important that artists ensure that their unique creations do not get replicated by algorithms as artificial intelligence advances. 

It is becoming increasingly possible through the advancement of technology to generate artworks that closely resemble the style of renowned artists, thereby putting an end to the unique service that artists provide for their clients. Although this may seem fascinating, the threat to originality and livelihood that this presents poses a significant threat to artists cannot be dismissed easily. 

Artists are not sitting by in silence. They are battling back with their own tech weapons to protect their artistic creations. Watermarking is one such technique that they are using to ensure that their work remains protected. 

A digital watermark embedding is a method of establishing ownership for artists to prevent artificial intelligence algorithms from replicating their work without their permission by ensuring that their work is unique. The truth is that in the current digital arms race, artists are not passively surrendering their creative territories; rather, they are making use of a variety of technological weapons to defend themselves against the devastation that AI copycat artists are bringing. 

AI-generated art has been viewed by the creative community both as a blessing and a curse, as in the case of the blessing, it has allowed artists to experiment with new possibilities and tools for exploring, pushing their creative boundaries to the limit. 

However, these same tools can also be a double-edged sword, as they can be used to replicate and imitate the styles and forms of artists, thereby raising serious concerns about intellectual property rights and the authenticity of original works as well as the authenticity of this technology. 

Some of the big names in the field of artificial intelligence (AI) have agreements with data providers to be able to use data for training, but many of the digital images, sounds, and text that are used to construct the way intelligent software thinks are scraped from the internet without the permission of the data provider. 

A Glaze update called Nightshade, which is expected to be released sometime later this spring, will provide added protection against AI confusion, such as getting it to understand a dog as a cat and in the same way confuse what colour the dog is. Zhao's team is in the early stages of developing this enhancement.

In some cases, Alphabet, Amazon, Google, Microsoft, and others have agreed to use data from public sources such as the Internet for training purposes, however, the majority of images, audio, and text that are scraped from the Internet to shape the way supersmart software thinks is gathered without the consent of the subject.

There has been an attempt by Spawning to detect attempts to harvest large quantities of images from an online venue with its Kudurru software generated by Spawning. Spawning cofounder Jordan Meyer explained that artists can block access or send images that don't match the one requested, which taints the pool of data that is intended to teach artificial intelligence what is what, according to Meyer. 

Kudurru is already an integrated network with more than a thousand websites, and it has been growing every day. Furthermore, Spawning recently launched haveibeentrained.com, which can be accessed from a user-friendly interface and also allows artists the option to opt out of having their works fed into AI models in the future if the work has already been fed into such a model. 

There has been a surge of investments in image defense and now Washington University in Missouri has developed AntiFake software to stop artificial intelligence from copying voices and other sounds. Zhiyuan Yu, the PhD student behind AntiFake, to say it in an interview with The Telegraph, describes the way the software augments digital recordings by adding noises that are not audible to people but that make it nearly impossible to synthesize a human voice.

In addition to simply preventing the misuse of artificial intelligence by unauthorized individuals, the program is also designed to prevent the production of bogus soundtracks or video recordings of celebrities, politicians, relatives, or other individuals causing them to appear to be doing or saying what they are not doing. 

Zhiyuan Yu, a senior program officer at the AntiFake team, said he was recently contacted by a popular podcast asking for help in protecting its productions from being hijacked by fake content. Researchers have used free software to record people's voices, but the researcher pointed out that there is also potential to use it to record songs.

Collaborative endeavours within the artistic community constitute a potent strategy. Artists are actively engaging in partnerships to establish alliances dedicated to endorsing ethical AI utilization and advocating for responsible practices within the technology industry. Through the cultivation of a cohesive and unified stance, artists aim to exert influence over policies and standards that safeguard their creative rights, simultaneously encouraging ethical innovation.

While technology emerges as an indispensable ally in the ongoing battle against AI copycats, the significance of education cannot be overstated. Artists are proactively undertaking measures to comprehend the capabilities and limitations inherent in AI tools. By remaining well-versed in the latest advancements in AI, artists equip themselves to foresee potential threats and formulate strategic approaches to consistently stay ahead of AI copycats.
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Shimano
Canyon Bicycles Cyber Attacks Cybercime Cybersecurity LockBit ransomware attacks Shimano

Shimano's Cyber Siege: A Saga of Resistance Against Ransomware

 


Shimano Industries, a prominent Japanese multinational manufacturing company specializing in cycling components, fishing tackle, and rowing equipment, seems to have been hit by a massive data breach by the ransomware attacker LockBit, who has threatened to release confidential data, including information such as factory inspection results, lab tests and financial documents by 5 November if their demands are not met. 

The group stole 4.5 terabytes of sensitive company data.  The company had previously been involved in the production of golf supplies until 2005 and snowboarding gear until 2008. Situated in Sakai, Osaka Prefecture, the corporation operates with 32 consolidated and 11 unconsolidated subsidiaries. 

Its primary manufacturing facilities are strategically located in Kunshan (China), as well as in Malaysia and Singapore.  LockBit is a major international cybercrime group that uses malware to breach global corporations' security protocols and attempts to extort money in exchange. Its previous targets have included Royal Mail, with the British postal company's international services severely disrupted in January 2023 due to the attack. 

American aeroplane and missiles manufacturer Boeing is the latest victim of the group, with the company officially confirming the attack yesterday. Another major brand hit recently by a similar cybersecurity threat includes Canyon Bicycles. 

A victim who does not make a ransom payment within a few days will have their data posted on the dark web in addition to being threatened with posting their data on the dark web if a ransom payment is not made. 

Shimano Industries Ltd, a Japanese manufacturer of bicycle parts, was recently targeted by a ransomware attack that demanded payment of a ransom. Shimano was unwilling to pay the ransom and the blackmail gang offered to put stolen data online, which is what they did. Now the stolen data is probably widely available online. 

Escape Collective updated their report late last week and said, upon contacting an industry-leading cyber-security firm, it was said that the delay in publishing could be an indication that Shimano was in negotiations. This has been the case until recently.

Several attempts to contact LockBit itself via Sonar, a web messenger that can be used in the Tor darknet browser, have not been successful. In a recent report from LockBit, cybercriminals claim to have successfully penetrated the Japanese manufacturer's network and obtained access to several terabytes of data. It was announced by the attackers that Shimano would publish the stolen data after they ignored their ultimatum. 

The Russian ransomware group LockBit appears to have released much of the company data on its darknet page after the ransom has expired. The company has been releasing 4.5 terabytes of various company data. Now that LockBit has expired, much of the data has been released, however. Shimano did not respond to a request for comment on the matter. 

Experts have yet to clarify who made them. Several financial records and personal information, including financials of employees and customers, have been revealed to have been leaked in the current case. Drawings, diagrams, test evaluations, development material, etc., have also reportedly been reported to have been exposed, as well as contracts and non-disclosure agreements. 

Recently, the Russian-speaking ransomware gang LockBit caused a sensation by attacking the US aircraft manufacturer Boeing. They were one of the most active ransomware gangs at the time. Shimano has yet to release a statement regarding the attack, and it is also not mentioned on the Shimano homepage of any kind regarding the cyberattack. 

It seems that Shimano was hacked by hackers and that cash was not paid to them for this backdoor. It's also clear from the report that sensitive information was leaked. However, the company has not elaborated on its original statements following the hack. A Shimano spokesperson has been contacted by Cycling News and has replied to their inquiry by saying, "This is an internal matter at Shimano and is under investigation. 

For the time being, we cannot address the situation." According to the original ransom note issued by the LockBit group, the following threats were made: “If you do not pay the ransom, we will attack your company again in the future.” 

A researcher in cyber security at the University of Warwick, Dr Harjinder Lallie, explained to Cycling Weekly earlier this month that the leak may lead to intellectual property being transferred to competitors if it is not paid for.
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