Cybersecurity agencies issue warning over Chinese hacking group

Government cybersecurity authorities in the US and allied nations are sounding the alarm bell again over the Chinese hacking group known as Volt Typhoon.

In a joint advisory issued on Tuesday, the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), National Security Agency (NSA), FBI, and eight international partners warned that the Beijing-backed Volt Typhoon gang may be gearing up for disruptive or destructive cyber strikes targeting critical infrastructure...

20 March 2024 | Legislation & Government

French government cyber crisis teams ‘useless’ against DDoS

Several French government websites and networks have been crippled by an intense and ongoing series of cyberattacks over the past day, with pro-Russian hacker group Anonymous Sudan mocking the government's cyber defense capabilities as "useless" against the onslaught.

The French prime minister's office confirmed the disruptive attacks on Monday, stating that "since [Sunday], several government departments have been the subject of cyberattacks whose technical methods are...

12 March 2024 | Security

Viavi to acquire Spirent in $1.2B deal

Viavi Solutions has agreed to acquire Spirent Communications in an all-cash deal valuing Spirent at around $1.2 billion.

Under the terms of the acquisition, Spirent shareholders will receive 175 pence per share—comprising 172.5 pence in cash and a 2.5 pence special dividend. This represents a premium of 61.4 percent over Spirent's closing share price of 108.4 pence on March 4th.

The acquisition will create a combined company that aims to be a global leader in test,...

5 March 2024 | Networks

ASIO chief warns of critical infrastructure sabotage threat

Mike Burgess, Director General of Security at Australia's Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO), has raised concerns over the potential for sabotage targeting critical infrastructure.

Speaking at ASIO's annual threat assessment, Burgess emphasised the persistent efforts of adversaries to exploit vulnerabilities in digital infrastructure—with a specific focus on disrupting essential services during critical moments.

"The sabotage threat has receded in recent...

29 February 2024 | Networks

GSMA Open Gateway unlocks mobile network capabilities for developers

A new collaboration between the world's leading mobile operators will accelerate innovation across industries from finance and retail to transportation, healthcare, and beyond. The GSMA Open Gateway initiative provides developers simplified access to core network capabilities via open application programming interfaces (APIs).

Initially focused on security, new APIs for number verification and SIM swap detection are being implemented by operator groups across 42 countries so far....

23 February 2024 | 5G

Toshiba and Orange demo quantum-secure fibre data transmission

Toshiba and Orange have achieved significant milestones in quantum-secure data transmission. Through a meticulous series of evaluations, the two companies have showcased the practicality of Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) technology in safeguarding data transmitted over fibre optic networks.

The evaluations, which were carried out in laboratory settings, encompassed several key achievements. 

Initially, the tests demonstrated the co-existence of QKD alongside a high...

22 February 2024 | Broadband

IBM reveals surge in cyberattacks leveraging compromised accounts

Cybercriminals are increasingly exploiting valid user accounts to gain access to corporate networks, making this tactic a preferred weapon of choice for threat actors.

The findings come from IBM's 2024 X-Force Threat Intelligence Index released today. The report, based on insights from monitoring over 150 billion security events per day across more than 130 countries, reveals that cybercriminals are generating more opportunities to "log in" to enterprise systems through...

21 February 2024 | Networks

BT misses Huawei equipment ban deadline

The deadline set by the UK government for telecoms operators to remove Huawei equipment from their core networks has elapsed, with BT falling a bit short.

In November 2022, the government issued formal legal notices to telecoms operators – including BT – outlining their obligations to eliminate Huawei kit due to security concerns. 

The initial deadline of 28 January 2023 was later extended to 31 December 2023 as several operators expressed difficulties in...

2 January 2024 | 5G

CISA urges manufacturers to end default passwords

The US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has urged manufacturers to end default passwords on internet-exposed systems due to the severe risks posed by malicious actors.

In a recent alert, CISA highlighted the exploitation of operational technology devices by Iranian threat actors affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) who used default passwords to gain access to critical infrastructure systems in the US.

“IRGC-affiliated...

18 December 2023 | IoT

Ukrainians grapple with telecoms outages following cyberattack

Ukrainian civilians grappled with a second day of extensive cellular phone and internet outages following a devastating cyberattack on Tuesday.

The attack – orchestrated by Kremlin-backed hackers – targeted Kyivstar, the country's largest mobile phone and Internet provider, affecting 24.3 million mobile subscribers and over 1.1 million home Internet users.

Two hacking groups, Killnet and Solntsepek – both linked to the Russian government – claimed responsibility...

14 December 2023 | Networks