The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), along with its partners, released a Cybersecurity Advisory (CSA) on Sept. 14 to warn agencies about continued malicious cyber activity from actors affiliated with the Iranian Government’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). […]

The Department of Justice (DoJ) is targeting increased efforts to fight ransomware-driven cyber attacks – amid a host of other improved cybersecurity approaches – as one of a number of new agency priority goals in DoJ’s 2022-2026 Strategic Plan published on July 1. […]

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), FBI, Treasury Department, and the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) have released a joint cybersecurity advisory warning of MedusaLocker targeting vulnerabilities in Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) to conduct ransomware attacks. […]

As the Federal government works through the rulemaking process for the recently signed Incident Reporting legislation that originated in the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, witnesses for that same committee today stressed the need for unity among both reporting avenues and standardization of data to help operationalize the data. […]

Ransomware attacks have increased by 80 percent year-over-year, with a “nearly 120 percent” increase in double-extortion ransomware attacks this year, according to a new report put out by Zscaler entitled ThreatLabz 2022 Ransomware Report. […]

Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee Chairman Gary Peters, D-Mich., along with the committee’s Democratic staffers, released a report today taking the Federal government to task for gathering insufficient data on ransomware attacks, and the use of cryptocurrencies as payments in those attacks where a ransom has been paid. […]

National Cyber Director Chris Inglis said he views the current cybersecurity threat landscape as an evolution that is increasingly impacting confidence in systems, rather than just focusing on critical functions or data. […]

The Department of Transportation’s (DoT) Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) has proposed nearly $1 million in fines against Colonial Pipeline Company for multiple alleged “probable violations” of Federal pipeline safety regulations, PHMSA announced May 5. […]

One year ago, the Colonial Pipeline ransomware attack set off a chain reaction of cyber initiatives that would forever impact the private and public sectors. […]

As ransomware attacks become more sophisticated and damaging, resources from the Federal government are providing guidance  on how to combat attacks, reduce attack surfaces, and speed recovery – government and private sector experts said during a May 3 webinar organized by MeriTalk and Cohesity. […]

The Department of Treasury announced that, in collaboration with domestic Federal law enforcement partners, its Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) levied sanctions against Hydra, the world’s largest darknet market, and Garantex, a virtual currency exchange. […]

Organizations of all sizes are susceptible to ransomware attacks, and the best set of defenses against those kinds of destructive cyberattacks rely on implementing multifactor authentication, network segmentation, and other zero trust security principles, Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, said in a new report released today. […]

The FBI announced the launch of its Virtual Assets Unit (VAU), a new unit designed to be able to go after criminals looking to use cryptocurrency to aid in their crimes, the FBI announced March 15. […]

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and FBI are warning United States-based organizations of two destructive malware programs used by Russia against Ukrainian organizations in the leadup to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and the threat vectors seen in those attacks. […]

Iranian government-sponsored hackers are conducting active cyber operations against global commercial and government networks, according to a warning issued earlier this week by United States and United Kingdom intelligence agencies. […]

Just over a week after announcing the agency’s largest-ever financial seizure – $3.6 billion in Bitcoin – Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco said today that Eun Young Choi will serve as the first director of the Department of Justice’s National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team (NCET). […]

After reviewing the cyberattack trends from 2021, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) issued a joint advisory with the FBI and other international security partners warning of the rising global threat of ransomware and gave mitigation and remediation advice. […]

The House of Representatives is set to begin floor debate on Wednesday on its own version of innovation and competition legislation that may pair up with the Senate’s existing United States Innovation and Competition Act (USICA). […]

Data compromises in 2021 hit an all-time high with a total of 1,826 incidents reported, according to a recent report released by Identity Theft Resource Center (ITRC).  […]

As a very busy 2021 comes to a close, it’s time to reflect on the past year and look forward with optimism to the possibilities of the new one that’s about to begin. Rounding the corner to 2022, MeriTalk asked several experts on the industry side of Federal IT for their predictions of what the next year will bring. […]

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and the FBI issued a cybersecurity advisory today, warning public and private sector organizations to stay vigilant for ransomware attacks and other cyberattacks leading up to and during the holiday season. […]

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) issued a report detailing security compromises associated with Ranzy Locker ransomware, which has targeted victims in the U.S. since late 2020. […]

In addition to facing cyber threats from nation-states, both government and private organizations have been the victims of an increased volume of ransomware attacks from criminal organizations over the last two years. A Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) official emphasized this week that organizations need to be on the lookout for any suspicious activity on their systems in order to guard against the uptick in ransomware attacks. […]

The Treasury Department released a new report that found ransomware victims paid $590 million during the first six months of 2021, which is more than the value reported for the entirety of 2020 ($416 million). […]

The Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) released a joint advisory on Oct. 18 warning organizations that the BlackMatter ransomware group is targeting U.S. critical infrastructure entities. […]

The White House charted progress today following the conclusion of its two-day virtual Ministers and Representatives from the Counter Ransomware Initiative Meeting, and outlined several priority efforts to reduce the risk of ransomware attacks globally. […]

Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) Executive Director Brandon Wales said today that the private sector needs to do more to help the government combat ransomware attacks, and expressed hope that the recently formed Joint Cyber Defense Collaborative (JCDC) effort between government and industry will go a long way toward providing a coordinated approach to deal with those and other cybersecurity threats. […]

Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and Rep. Deborah Ross, D-N.C., introduced a bicameral bill this week that would require ransomware victims to report to the government when they have paid a ransom, with an aim of bolstering the flow of critical cybersecurity data. […]

The White House will host an international ransomware gathering next week aimed at improving international cooperation among governments in the fight against ransomware-driven cyberattacks, said Jeff Greene, chief of cyber response and policy for the White House’s National Security Council. […]

Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco said today the Department of Justice (DoJ) is launching two new initiatives to combat cyber threats, including the creation of a National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team, and a civil cyber fraud initiative that will fine Federal contractors who don’t follow required cybersecurity standards. […]