Millions of devices are vulnerable to cyberthreats due to a bug in the software tool known as Log4j. The flaw was made public two weeks ago on Dec. 9, and allows hackers to remotely execute code on an organization’s systems, giving them an open door to steal data, mine cryptocurrency or launch ransomware attacks. Log4j […]
The information technology agency serving the Virginia Legislature was hit by a ransomware attack Friday that has caused significant damage, the Associated Press reports. The malware damaged “all of the agency’s internal servers, including those for bill drafting, the budget system and the General Assembly voicemail system,” according to an email from the executive director of the […]
The Business Record began releasing results from the 2021 Leader’s Survey in the Nov. 26 print edition. Our annual survey asks business leaders to share what they feel are some of the top issues affecting business in Central Iowa, and in particular the Greater Des Moines region. The following is a selection of responses from leaders who […]
DeltaV Code School, an Iowa-based initiative offering technical education in coding, digital marketing and computer operations, announced Oct. 26 it will launch a 14-week cybersecurity training program. The inaugural cohort will begin classes Nov. 29. Introductory topics, including networks and cloud computing, will be covered briefly before progressing to cryptography, forensics, AI and more. The program […]
The Identity Theft Resource Center released Wednesday a report showing the difficulties small businesses and entrepreneurs face after experiencing a cyber incident. The results of a survey of 417 business leaders and IT professionals in companies of 500 people or fewer revealed that about 60% of the small businesses surveyed have experienced at least one data breach, […]
Sinclair Broadcast Group said Monday that a ransomware attack disabled multiple servers and workstations and resulted in stolen data. The parent company for 185 U.S. television stations, including KDSM-TV in Des Moines, said in a release that what data was taken and the full extent of the attack is unknown, but law enforcement and U.S. […]
Neiman Marcus said its systems were breached in May 2020, in which the personal information of about 4.6 million customers could have been compromised, Ars Technica reports. Payment, login and contact information were all at risk. The retailer said it became aware of the incident in September 2021 and prompted customers to reset their passwords to […]
Ahead of the Secure Iowa Conference in West Des Moines on Oct. 6, the Business Record spoke with the event’s keynote speaker Dustin Carmack, a technology fellow at the Heritage Foundation, about the changing cybersecurity landscape, the need for better information sharing between the public and private sectors, and how the state of Iowa and its businesses […]
Ransomware group BlackMatter is demanding $5.9 million from New Cooperative Inc., a Fort Dodge-based grain cooperative, following a ransomware attack around Sept. 17, Bloomberg reports. It is unclear how extensive the damage to New Cooperative’s systems is, but a post on BlackMatter’s website said the group stole financial information, human resources data, research and development information and […]
Chief executives of companies in insurance, finance and big tech pledged to commit billions of dollars and resources in a public-private partnership at a White House meeting convened to address the emerging national security threat of cyberattacks, BestWire reported. Top executives of tech and finance companies such as Amazon, Microsoft, Google and JP Morgan Chase made big-dollar […]