Week 11

Facebook announced a whole lot of new features at its 2018 Facebook F8 developers conference, along with the keynote by its CEO Mark Zuckerberg addressing concerns from app developers after Facebook paused 3rd-party app review in the wake of the Cambridge Analytica scandal.

Here are some big takeaways from Zuckerberg’s keynote on Day 1 of Facebook F8, held for two days, May 1 and 2, at the McEnery Convention Center in San Jose, California

 

https://thehackernews.com/2018/05/facebook-f8-features.html

A cyber-attack on a shared data network forced four of the nation’s natural gas pipeline operators to temporarily shutdown computer communications with the customers for over a week. No gas service was interrupted, but it was unclear if any customer data was stolen. Aside from consumer and business data, energy companies possess proprietary information about their holdings, trading strategies and much exploration and production technologies. The dependence of pipeline infrastructure on digital systems makes them a target. Control valves, pressure monitors and other equipment connected to wireless networks are vital to daily functions. With almost 2.5 million miles of oil, gas and chemical pipelines all over the country, intrusions into control systems could do more than disrupt deliveries. Risks could include explosions, spills, or fires.

Click here for article.

 

http://spectrumlocalnews.com/nc/charlotte/news/2018/04/15/businesses-facing-increase-in–brute-force–cyber-attacks

Brute force attacks have become quite common in Carolina. The way a brute force works is by identifying the IP address of the system and then attempts to take control of the system by using a virtual dictionary of probable usernames and passwords. Small business as we know have been particularly vulnerable to such attacks because of lack of resources and efficient security systems to prevent cyber-attacks. Tom Blanchard, CEO of Sterling Technology Solutions says that Small to medium size business can often choose their own security policy and they may have chosen to have password requirements reduced for convenience purposes so they can remember their password more easily.

Companies, be it large or small, essentially should have long and complex passwords to ensure that it is not easily attacked.

https://www.smh.com.au/world/europe/russia-bombards-western-allies-with-cyber-attacks-in-syria-defence-20180416-p4z9yk.html

Russia has been increasingly involved in cyber-crimes especially towards its western allies i.e. the United States. Some of the supporters of Russia and bots were involved in spreading false information on the internet that there was no chemical attack on Duoma. Despite confirmation from the WTO (World Trade Organization), medics, independent journalists regarding the chemical attacks in Duoma, Russia constantly denied any chemical attacks. NATO’s East Stratcom Task Force said that ‘Immediately after the reports of a suspected chemical attack in Syrian Douma appeared, Russia reignited its disinformation campaign on the use of chemical weapons in Syria’

Kremlin tried to mislead the users and repeatedly flooded the internet with false information. Surprisingly, it was found that Russian disinformation accounted for two out of every three articles about the Skripal case shared on social media. Cyber-attacks needs to be controlled and regulated through information disclosure and boundaries forming the protocols.