UK and Allies Dismantle Russia's Primary Espionage Instrument
The UK, in collaboration with the FBI, the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), GCHQ, and security forces from New Zealand, Australia, and Canada, announced the successful dismantling of Russia's top espionage tool, the Snake malware implant. The joint advisory, released on Tuesday, aims to help organisations understand Snake's operations and provide suggested countermeasures to protect against the threat.
A high-ranking FBI official stated that the operation's success and the subsequent sharing of information with network defenders to strengthen their defences would make it extremely difficult for Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) to rebuild the tool.
For almost two decades, the Snake malware and its variants have played a central role in Russian espionage activities led by Centre 16 of the FSB. The international intelligence agencies involved in cracking the code identified Snake infrastructure in over 50 countries, including the US and Russia.
The Cyber security and Infrastructure Security Agency in the US reported that the implant had been utilised to gather sensitive information from specific targets, such as government networks, research institutions, and journalists.
Capita Estimates Cyber Attack Financial Impact at £15-20 Million
UK-based outsourcing company Capita has reported that the financial consequences of a recent cyber-attack will range from £15 million to £20 million as it works to recover the leaked data and strengthen its security measures. According to Capita, data was leaked from less than 0.1% of its servers during the March attack, as revealed by the company's own forensic investigation and third-party providers' analyses.
In a statement on Wednesday, Capita said that it has taken extensive measures to recover and secure the affected customer, supplier, and colleague data and address any issues resulting from the incident. The company expects to incur exceptional costs between £15 million and £20 million, which will cover specialist professional fees, recovery and remediation expenses, and investments to enhance Capita's cyber security environment.
New reports shows Cyber security worries are approaching Pandemic levels as 68% of CISOs Anticipate Attacks
Global cyber security apprehensions are nearing the levels experienced during the pandemic, with 68% of Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs) from 16 countries expressing concerns about a cyberattack within the next 12 months, according to a survey by ProofPoint.
Factors contributing to CISOs feeling more at risk and less prepared this year include an intensified threat landscape, challenges in data protection, strained cyber security budgets, CISO burnout, and concerns about personal liability. The report surveyed 100 CISOs from each of the 16 participating countries: the US, UK, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden, the Netherlands, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Australia, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, and Brazil.
The report also highlighted a significant willingness to pay ransoms, as 62% of CISOs expressed readiness to pay in order to restore systems and prevent data exposure in the event of a ransomware attack over the next 12 months. This may be related to the fact that 61% of respondents have cyber security insurance in place to cover various types of attacks.
