Author: esimantiras

CIA Leveraging Digital Transformation Tools in HUMINT Missions

Posted on by esimantiras

CIA Leveraging Digital Transformation Tools in HUMINT Missions

source: executivegov.com (contributed by FAN, Steve Page)  |  Image: pixabay.com

 

One of the United States’ most secretive agencies is using digital transformation tools such as AI and human-machine teaming as it tries to solve the nation’s toughest national security problems.

Since the CIA established the Directorate of Digital Innovation, or DDI, in 2015, the agency has increasingly encouraged entwining digital technology into its core human intelligence, or HUMINT, mission, where intelligence is obtained from human sources. Juliane Gallina, the CIA’s deputy director for digital innovation, said every DDI mission is guided by human-machine teaming, which starts with data and is improved with AI before being put to use by CIA agents. Continue reading “CIA Leveraging Digital Transformation Tools in HUMINT Missions” →

No Small Business Is Too Small For Hackers…

Posted on by esimantiras

Why no small business is too small for hackers – and 8 security best practices for SMBs

source: zdnet.com  |  image: pixabay.com

 

Don’t fall victim to the ‘small target illusion.’ Learn how cybercriminals exploit SMBs so you can fix your security gaps before it’s too late.

have given hundreds of cybersecurity-related webcasts and presentations, written hundreds of cybersecurity-related articles, and been involved in hundreds of one-on-one cybersecurity-related meetings with clients.

Someone will always respond, comment, or protest that their business is too small for a hacker’s attention.

Small target illusion

But none of these folks understand the economics of a hack when it comes to small businesses. There isn’t a random guy out there who’s decided to target your business. Continue reading “No Small Business Is Too Small For Hackers…” →

Critical Vulnerability Found in Canon Printer Drivers

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Critical Vulnerability Found in Canon Printer Drivers

source: securityweek.com  |  image: pixabay.com

Microsoft’s offensive security team has warned Canon about a critical vulnerability affecting some printer drivers. 

According to an advisory published last week by Canon, drivers associated with several production printers, office multifunction printers, and laser printers are affected by an out-of-bounds vulnerability. Continue reading “Critical Vulnerability Found in Canon Printer Drivers” →

Meet the AI Fraud Fighters: A Deepfake Granny+

Posted on by esimantiras

Meet the AI Fraud Fighters: A Deepfake Granny, Digital Bots and a YouTube Star

source: cnet.com  |  image: pexels.com

 

It was almost an hour into our Google Meet call. I was interviewing Kitboga, a popular YouTube scam baiter with nearly 3.7 million subscribers, known for humorously entrapping fraudsters in common scams while livestreaming.

“I assume I’m talking to Evan Zimmer,” he says with a mischievous glance, his eyes exposed without his trademark aviator sunglasses on. We were close to the end of our conversation when he realized that my image and audio could have been digitally altered to impersonate me this whole time. “If I’m completely honest with you, there was not a single moment where I thought you could be deepfaking,” he says.

Continue reading “Meet the AI Fraud Fighters: A Deepfake Granny+” →

A New Era of Attacks on Encryption Is Starting to Heat Up

Posted on by esimantiras

A New Era of Attacks on Encryption Is Starting to Heat Up

source: wired.com  |  image: pixabay.com

 

The UK, France, Sweden, and EU have made fresh attacks on end-to-end encryption. Some of the attacks are more “crude” than those in recent years, experts say.

OVER THE PAST decade, encrypted communication has become the norm for billions of people. Every day, Signal, iMessage, and WhatsApp keep billions of messages, photos, videos, and calls private by using end-to-end encryption by default—while Zoom, Discord, and various other services all have options to enable the protection. But despite the technology’s mainstream rise, long-standing threats to weaken encryption keep piling up.

Over the past few months, there has been a surge in government and law enforcement efforts that would effectively undermine encryption, privacy advocates and experts say, with some of the emerging threats being the most “blunt” and aggressive of those in recent memory. Officials in the UK, France, and Sweden have all made moves since the start of 2025 that could undermine or eliminate the protections of end-to-end encryption, adding to a multiyear European Union plan to scan private chats and Indian efforts that could damage encryption. Continue reading “A New Era of Attacks on Encryption Is Starting to Heat Up” →

Cybersecurity officials warn…

Posted on by esimantiras

Cybersecurity officials warn against potentially costly Medusa ransomware attacks

source: apnews.com  |  image: pexels.com

 

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The FBI and the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency are warning against a dangerous ransomware scheme.

In an advisory posted earlier this week, government officials warned that a ransomware-as-a-service software called Medusa, which has launched ransomware attacks since 2021, has recently affected hundreds of people. Medusa uses phishing campaigns as its main method for stealing victims’ credentials, according to CISA. Continue reading “Cybersecurity officials warn…” →

1 big thing: Malware’s AI time bomb

Posted on by esimantiras

1 big thing: Malware’s AI time bomb

source: axios.com (contributed by Bill Amshey)  | image: pexels.com

 

Hackers already have the AI tools needed to create the adaptable, destructive malware that security experts fear. But as long as their basic tactics — phishing, scams and ransomware — continue to work, they have little reason to use them.

Why it matters: Adversaries can flip that switch anytime, and companies need to prepare now. Continue reading “1 big thing: Malware’s AI time bomb” →

AI Can Crack Your Passwords Fast…

Posted on by esimantiras

AI Can Crack Your Passwords Fast—6 Tips To Stay Secure

 

source: forbes.com (contributed by Steve Page)  |  image: pexels.com

 

Do you think your trusty 8-character password is safe? In the age of AI, that might be wishful thinking. Recent advances in artificial intelligence are giving hackers superpowers to crack and steal account credentials. Researchers have demonstrated that AI can accurately guess passwords just by listening to your keystrokes. By analyzing the sound of typing over Zoom, the system achieved over 90% accuracy in some cases.

And AI-driven password cracking tools can run millions of guess attempts lightning-fast, often defeating weak passwords in minutes. It is no surprise, then, that stolen or weak passwords contribute to about 80% of breaches​.

The old password model has outlived its usefulness. As cyber threats get smarter, it is time for consumers to do the same.

AI Makes Cracking Passwords Easier Than Ever

Gone are the days when a hacker had to manually try “password123” or use basic tools to brute-force your account. Now, AI algorithms can crack passwords with frightening speed and sophistication. For example, according to Security Hero, AI-powered tools like PassGAN can crack 51% of common passwords in less than a minute.

Machine learning models can also automate “credential stuffing” attacks (trying breached passwords on other sites) much faster and more intelligently. Continue reading “AI Can Crack Your Passwords Fast…” →

ClickFix: How to Infect Your PC in Three Easy Steps

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Clickfix:  How to Infect Your PC in 3 Easy Steps

source: krebsonsecurity.com  |  image: pexels.com

 

A clever malware deployment scheme first spotted in targeted attacks last year has now gone mainstream. In this scam, dubbed “ClickFix,” the visitor to a hacked or malicious website is asked to distinguish themselves from bots by pressing a combination of keyboard keys that causes Microsoft Windows to download password-stealing malware. Continue reading “ClickFix: How to Infect Your PC in Three Easy Steps” →

Belgium probes if Chinese hackers breached its intelligence service

Posted on by esimantiras

Belgium probes if Chinese hackers breached its intelligence service

source: bleepingcomputer.com (contributed by Steve Page)  |  image: pexels.com

 

​The Belgian federal prosecutor’s office is investigating whether Chinese hackers were behind a breach of the country’s State Security Service (VSSE).

Chinese state-backed attackers reportedly gained access to VSSE’s external email server between 2021 and May 2023, siphoning around 10% of all emails sent and received by the agency’s staff.

The compromised server was only used for exchanging emails with public prosecutors, government ministries, law enforcement, and other public Belgian administration bodies, as Belgian news outlet Le Soir reported on Wednesday. Continue reading “Belgium probes if Chinese hackers breached its intelligence service” →