Indian Startup Accused of Hacking Whistleblowers, Activists, and Celebrities
In a shocking revelation, Reuters has exposed the activities of an Indian startup called Appin that has been accused of enabling customers worldwide to hack whistleblowers, activists, corporate competitors, lawyers, and celebrities on a massive scale from its New Delhi offices. The company’s actions came to light following a sprawling investigation, with Reuters speaking to former Appin staff and hundreds of its hacking victims.
The investigation also uncovered thousands of internal documents, including 17 pitch documents advertising its “cyber spying” and “cyber warfare” offerings. According to Reuters, the company sold its hacking abilities to the highest bidders through an online portal called My Commando. The victims of Appin and its copycat companies have included prominent figures like Russian oligarch Boris Berezovsky, Malaysian politician Mohamed Azmin Ali, and a member of a Native American tribe involved in a casino development.
Scattered Spider Cybercriminal Group Causes $100 Million in Damage
The ransomware group known as Scattered Spider has emerged as one of the most ruthless in the digital extortion industry, inflicting approximately $100 million in damage to MGM Casinos. A damning new report by Reuters suggests that some members of the cybercriminal group may be based in the West, within reach of US law enforcement. Despite this, no arrests have been made.
Denmark’s Power Utilities Hit by Cyberattacks
On Sunday, Denmark’s critical infrastructure Computer Emergency Response Team, known as SektorCERT, issued a report warning that hackers had breached the networks of 22 Danish power utilities by exploiting a bug in their firewall appliances. The report revealed that the campaign was the most extensive cyberattack ever to target the Danish power grid and suggested that the group behind the intrusions was the notorious Sandworm, also known as Unit 74455 of Russia’s GRU military intelligence agency.
Unciphered Startup Reveals Flaw in Cryptocurrency Wallets
Following its efforts to unlock valuable cryptocurrency wallets, the whitehat hacker startup, Unciphered, has revealed a significant flaw in a random number generator widely used in cryptocurrency wallets created before 2016. The flaw leaves many of these wallets prone to theft, potentially putting up to $1 billion in vulnerable funds at risk. Unciphered found the flaw while attempting to unlock a client’s wallet containing $600,000 worth of cryptocurrency. This discovery calls into question the security of cryptocurrency wallets and raises concerns about potential vulnerabilities.
I have been a full-time professional writer for over 10 years, and have written for some of the biggest publications in the world. My work revolves around cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology, and I am widely considered to be one of the leading experts in these fields.I have written two books on the subject matter, and my articles have been featured in major news outlets such as The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, and Huffington Post. In addition to writing, I also give talks and seminars on cryptocurrency investing, and am a regular commentator on CNBC, Bloomberg, and other financial news networks.
