Stay informed on the latest hacking trends, threats, and prevention strategies in cyber security with insightful articles and updates.
Search across headline titles and summaries.
Background for this topic.
Hacking is the use of technical methods to access, alter, disrupt, or examine computer systems and data, either with authorization or without it. In security reporting, the term usually covers unauthorized exploitation of software flaws, exposed services, weak credentials, misconfigurations, and sometimes human trust through phishing or other social engineering.
Its security significance depends on the attacker’s access and objective: a compromised internet-facing system may enable data theft, unauthorized changes, or movement into other systems, while a benign penetration test can reveal the same weaknesses before they are abused. Defenders reduce exposure through timely vulnerability management, secure configuration, strong authentication, network and endpoint monitoring, and tested incident-response procedures. Useful reporting distinguishes confirmed compromise from attempted or suspected activity and identifies the exploited entry point, affected assets, and whether access was contained.
Concerns Grow Over F5 Hacking Amid Stalled Government ShutdownFederal officials are scrambling to contain nation-state hackers exploiting stolen source code from networking devices and software maker F5 amid staffing pressures created by the ongoing government shutdown. Stolen files reportedly include undisclosed vulnerabilities F5 had been researching.
2022 Ransomware Attack, Data Theft Affected 3.4 Million PatientsA California-based network of nine affiliated physician practices will pay nearly $50 million to settle consolidated class action litigation involving a 2022 ransomware and data theft attack that affected more than 3.4 million patients. Plaintiffs claimed their data was leaked on the darkweb.
Also, Internet-Exposed Call Center Software Under Attack and Patch TuesdayThis week: Chinese hackers exploited ArcGIS, Internet-exposed call center software under attack, October patch Tuesday, Massachusetts student sentenced for $3 million extortion hack, New York fined eight insurers $14.2M over data breaches, more than 100 VS Code extensions leak secrets.
State, Criminal Hackers Use Blockchain Technique to Evade TakedownsGoogle's Threat Intelligence Group found hacking groups like North Korea's UNC5342 and criminal group UNC5142 using a public blockchain technique called EtherHiding to distribute malware. The method makes attacks tougher to trace, block or dismantle.
Symantec Says It Spotted Likely Supply Chain HackSuspected Chinese state-linked hackers reportedly breached a Russian IT service provider in an espionage campaign targeting government-related networks. Symantec uncovered Chinese hackers they named Jewelbug, infiltrating a Russian company between January and May.
Capita Ignored EDR Alert for 58 Hours, Say InvestigatorsBritish outsourcing giant Capita must pay 14 million pounds to British data regulators for privacy violations tied to a 2023 hack that impacted 6 million individuals. An EDR system caught the malicious file within 10 minutes but the company didn't respond to the alert until 58 hours later.
Federal Agencies Ordered to Patch or Decommission F5 Devices Amid Imminent RiskAn advanced nation-state threat actor stole sensitive F5 source code and vulnerability data to craft tailored exploits, prompting an emergency directive amid a U.S. government shutdown that has left cyber defenses strained and federal networks at "imminent risk."
Cybercriminals Demanded Ransom Payments Directly From Some Affected PatientsAn Oklahoma health system will pay $30 million to settle class action litigation involving a 2023 data theft hack that affected 2.4 million people. Some of the patients - including minors - have received blackmail demands directly from cybercriminals threatening to sell their data on the darkweb.
Medusa Group Tied to Attack on SimonMed and Threats to Leak Stolen DataTwo radiology practices are notifying nearly 1.5 million people of separate hacking incidents compromising their sensitive health information. Cybercrime gang Medusa claimed credit for attacking Arizona-based SimonMed Imaging in January and threatened to leak the stolen data of nearly 1.3 million patients on the darkweb.
Medusa Group Tied to Attack on SimonMed and Threats to Leak Stolen DataTwo radiology practices are notifying nearly 1.5 million people of separate hacking incidents compromising their sensitive health information. Cybercrime gang Medusa claimed credit for attacking Arizona-based SimonMed Imaging in January and threatened to leak the stolen data of nearly 1.3 million patients on the darkweb.