ReportWire

Tag: Cybercrime

  • Hackers Target Hospitals, Disrupt Ability To Offer Patient Care | Entrepreneur

    Hackers Target Hospitals, Disrupt Ability To Offer Patient Care | Entrepreneur

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    Hospitals have become an increasingly common target for cybercriminals in recent years, and the aftermath can be costly and life-threatening for patients.

    Annual ransomware attacks on hospitals more than doubled from 2016 to 2021, according to a new report published on the JAMA Network. The number of incidences jumped from 43 in 2016 to 91 in 2021. Of the targeted hospitals, 44% said their ability to deliver healthcare was impacted by the breach.

    John Riggi, a senior adviser for cybersecurity and risk at the American Hospital Association, wrote in a report that “a ransomware attack on a hospital crosses the line from an economic crime to a threat-to-life crime.”

    “Not only are cybercriminals more organized than they were in the past, they are often more skilled and sophisticated,” he wrote.

    One affected hospital, Johnson Memorial Health in Franklin, Indiana was targeted by the ransomware group “Hive,” and the hackers demanded $3 million in Bitcoin in October 2021, NPR reported.

    After consulting with cybersecurity experts at the FBI, Johnson Memorial did not pay the ransom and instead disconnected its servers following the attack.

    However, the hospital had to revert to more old-fashioned ways to carry out healthcare — including physically guarding the obstetrics unit where newborns are typically protected from unauthorized parties by security bracelets and nurses using Google translate to communicate with patients after remote translation technology was shut off after the attack.

    The hospital’s chief operating officer, Rick Kester, told NPR that it took nearly six months to “resume normal operations.”

    Related: The Jaw-Dropping Range of Cybercrimes is Due to the Gap in the Cybersecurity Workforce

    According to the Department of Justice, the Hive is responsible for over 1,500 cyberattacks since 2021 and has received more than $100 million in ransom payments. One of the affected hospitals also had to resort to analog methods to treat patients (similar to Johnson Memorial) and was unable to accept new patients immediately following the attack, the Department of Justice added.

    For hospitals, the fear of being hacked isn’t just monetary — it puts patients’ lives at risk by derailing the technology necessary to carry out patient care.

    “You ask many CEOs across the country, ‘What keeps you up at night?’ Of course, [they’re] talking about workforce, financial pressures, and they say, ‘The possibility of a cyberattack,’ Riggi told NPR.

    Related: This Type of Cyber Attack Preys on Your Weakness. Here’s How to Avoid Being a Victim.

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    Madeline Garfinkle

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  • Iran hangs Iranian-Swedish man over 2018 attack killing 25

    Iran hangs Iranian-Swedish man over 2018 attack killing 25

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    DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Iran executed an Iranian-Swedish dual national Saturday accused of masterminding a 2018 attack on a military parade that killed at least 25 people, one of several enemies of Tehran seized abroad in recent years amid tensions with the West.

    Farajollah Cha’ab, also known as Habib Asyoud, had been a leader of the Arab Struggle Movement for the Liberation of Ahwaz, an Arab separatist movement that has conducted oil pipeline bombings and other attacks in Iran’s oil-rich Khuzestan province. That group had claimed the 2018 attack in its immediate aftermath.

    Cha’ab’s execution comes as a Swedish court last year sentenced an Iranian to life in prison over his part in the 1988 mass executions in Iran at the end of its war with Iraq. Tehran, which has used prisoners as bargaining chips in negotiations with the West, reacted angrily to that sentence. Meanwhile, tensions also remain high between Iran and the West over its rapidly advancing nuclear program as well — and at least one more prisoner with Western ties faces a possible execution.

    The Iranian judiciary’s Mizan news agency confirmed Cha’ab’s execution by hanging in a lengthy statement. It identified him as the leader of the militant group and alleged without providing evidence that he had ties to Swedish, Israelis and U.S. intelligence services. It accused his group of killing or wounding 450 people over the years, including multiple attacks on government offices and other sites.

    It also included state television interviews with Cha’ab, a feature of many Iranian trials that activists long have described as coerced confessions.

    It also for the first time clearly identified Iranian intelligence officers as being behind Cha’ab’s abduction, saying that its “unknown soldiers” captured him in Turkey in November 2019. Iran has used similar ruses to capture its enemies abroad, including the exiled journalist Ruhollah Zam who was executed in 2020.

    Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrom condemned Cha’ab’s execution.

    “The death penalty is an inhumane and irrevocable punishment, and Sweden, together with the rest of the (European Union), condemns its use under all circumstances,” he said in a statement.

    The Oslo-based group Iran Human Rights separately condemned the execution, referring to Cha’ab’s closed-door trial as “grossly unfair.”

    “This is an example of the Islamic Republic’s state terrorism,” said Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam, the group’s director. “We expect that the EU and Swedish government show adequate reaction to the murder of their citizen. Killing a hostage must not be tolerated.”

    Tensions already had escalated between Iran and Sweden over the life imprisonment of Hamid Noury, an Iranian convicted of committing grave war crimes and murder during the final phase of the Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s. The end of the war saw mass executions of an estimated 5,000 Iranian prisoners, including those from an exiled opposition group and others.

    The 2018 attack in Iran targeted a military parade in Ahvaz in Khuzestan, the chaos captured live on state television. Militants disguised as soldiers opened fire, killing at least 25 people and wounding over 60 others in the deadliest attack to strike Iran in years. A spokesman for the separatist group claimed the assault shortly after in a televised interview. The Islamic State group also claimed the attack, though it offered factually incorrect details about the assault.

    In recent months, Iran has carried out other executions after the months of unrest over the September death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini following her arrest by the country’s morality police. In January, Iran executed a former high-ranking defense ministry official and dual Iranian-British national accused of spying.

    Also facing a possible execution is an Iranian-German national who lived in California, a man Iran describes as planning a 2008 attack on a mosque that killed 14 people and wounded over 200 others, as well as other assaults through the little-known Kingdom Assembly of Iran and its Tondar militant wing. His family long has said he was captured by Iranian intelligence in Dubai.

    Iran is one of the world’s top executioners.

    ___

    Associated Press writer Nasser Karimi in Tehran, Iran, contributed to this report.

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  • The $8 Trillion Risk: Why Investing in Cybersecurity Will Save You Future Pain and Risk | Entrepreneur

    The $8 Trillion Risk: Why Investing in Cybersecurity Will Save You Future Pain and Risk | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    Today’s cyber threat landscape is elaborate, fast-paced and continuously evolving. The complexity of such threats has raised the predictions that the total cost of cybercrime will exceed $8 trillion by the end of 2023. It includes, for example, the money stolen by cybercriminals, the subsequent investments in security tools and services, and the money spent on ancillary activities such as staffing, remediation, legal fees, fines and more.

    So, why do many organizations still fail to see cyber hygiene or even cybersecurity as a boardroom priority, even in 2023? Many business leaders, especially small to medium-business leaders, fail to perceive themselves as targets. From their perspective, spending more on cybersecurity is a wasted effort, and those resources can be used elsewhere.

    On average, companies worldwide only allocate around 12% of their IT budget to IT security! Thus, persuading the boardroom to invest in cyber hygiene can be challenging. However, while it is hard to implement and even harder to maintain, these habits, security practices and solutions help make the world safer. And that is where every organization needs to start.

    Related: Why Is Cybersecurity Important for Your Business? Neglecting It Could Be Your Downfall.

    Reviewing the numbers

    Looking back at just a year, cyberattacks worldwide have shown a 38% increase in 2022 compared to 2021. The attack on the Australian health insurance provider Medibank, the data breach on the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) or even the social engineering hack on games company Rockstar are just a few of the thousands of data breaches happening all over the world.

    Interestingly, these breaches, like most, could have been prevented with good cyber hygiene. Furthermore, the examples I chose demonstrate that attackers seem unconcerned with a company’s size, location or industry. Yet, even with cyber threats like data breaches, phishing scams and ransomware, cybersecurity investments fall short.

    Over the last few years, we’ve made great strides in security, especially following the global pandemic. Still, a study conducted by Foundry shows that 9 out of 10 security experts still believe their organizations are not prepared to address the risks of a cyber-attack.

    Related: 5 Ways to Protect Your Company From Cybercrime

    Investing in cyber hygiene: a checklist

    So, what can we do? Establishing a strong and resilient cybersecurity architecture demands deploying security measures on multiple fronts such as data, devices, employees and network. Any elementary security architecture must include solutions to enforce strong password policies, protect data in transit and at rest, identify and protect against attacks and regularly back-up mission-critical data. This seems excessive, especially considering how limited the budget is. Yet, acquiring as many tools as possible within your financial limits shouldn’t be your final objective. The most effective strategy results from selecting the appropriate collection of tools after carefully assessing one’s demands and the current level of security precautions. The solutions I’d suggest include the following:

    • Identity and access management (IAM) solutions to ensure the right user is linked to the right resources
    • Unified endpoint management (UEM) solutions for securing endpoints and managing, patching and updating operating systems and applications
    • Extended detection and response (XDR) or Endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions to detect and mitigate new and existing vulnerabilities
    • Remote browser isolation (RBI) for a safer browsing experience
    • Firewall as a service (FWaaS) to protect the perimeter less network border
    • Additionally, a combined implementation of Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) or Software Defined–WAN (SD-WAN) can provide faster connections, improve latency and secure your remote workers.

    Also, it would be wise to select solutions that already have established interconnections among them. This would offer more centralized and seamless access, thereby reducing the workload on your IT administrators and saving you from recruiting larger teams.

    Alternatively, some vendors offer multiple tools in a combined package. For example, Cisco Umbrella offers RBI, SD-WAN, and much more, Hexnode provides IAM and UEM capabilities, and Okta gives you both ZTNA and IAM. Make sure to carefully examine such vendors and the integrations between them before finalizing your architecture. In my experience, customers have always preferred a consolidated approach because, economically or due to staffing, they can’t handle the complexity of multiple solutions.

    Related: The Correlation Between Covid-19 and Cybercrime

    Roadblocks along the way

    We are all aware that the financial facet of any venture will inevitably be difficult. Assuming that the aspects mentioned above identify with your company’s objectives, the following query would most likely be regarding the return on investment. It might be challenging to locate the facts and data needed to identify the advantages of cybersecurity hygiene. I would suggest reviewing the financial implications of previous data breaches and comparing those numbers against the investment cost. You will discover that the latter dwarfs the former sum.

    Another hurdle is the monotony associated with good security hygiene. A robust security architecture requires periodic observation, maintenance and upgrades. This is often a bit boring, especially for non-tech-savvy investors, entrepreneurs and leaders. Additionally, the repetitious nature might cause inaccuracy and personnel exhaustion. The only solution is to clearly communicate the necessities of cyber hygiene and make them understand that security is an ongoing process rather than a one-time stop. Also, using tools to automate tasks and setting reminders can help employees stay on track without it being a bother.

    The recession bound to happen this year will surely put an even tighter hold on the already stretched budget. However, being the victim of a cyberassault during such trying times would be a far scarier reality. As business leaders, we must pay close attention to the hazards and repercussions of a cyberassault in our organization. Thankfully, many businesses are unwilling to face the risks associated with losing client data and having production or operations halted due to a system breach. If they do, it is either out of ignorance or a lack of a thorough understanding of the entire process.

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    Apu Pavithran

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  • Be tough in seizing Iran oil, bipartisan senators urge Biden

    Be tough in seizing Iran oil, bipartisan senators urge Biden

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    A dozen senators are making a bipartisan appeal to President Joe Biden to reinvigorate the power of U.S. authorities to seize Iranian oil assets

    ByCALVIN WOODWARD Associated Press

    WASHINGTON — A dozen senators are making a bipartisan appeal to President Joe Biden to reinvigorate the power of U.S. authorities to seize Iranian oil assets under an enforcement program they say has been allowed to languish.

    Despite existing sanctions, Iranian oil exports jumped 35% last year and proceeds are being used to sponsor attacks on U.S. citizens and service members as well as allies, the senators said in a letter to the president.

    Brinkmanship at sea was on display Thursday when masked Iranian navy commandos seized a U.S.-bound oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman, one of several vessels it has taken as bargaining chips in negotiations with the West. Without providing evidence, Tehran said the tanker had run into an Iranian vessel.

    Specifically, the senators, led by Republican Joni Ernst of Iowa and Democrat Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut — both from the Armed Services Committee — complain that the Homeland Security Department’s security investigations office has been constrained in seizure operations by lack of money.

    Since the enforcement program started in 2019, the office has seized nearly $228 million in Iranian crude and fuel oil linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, designated as a terrorist organization by the U.S., the senators said in the letter sent this past week.

    But they said the office has not recently been given money that is available under the Treasury Forfeiture Fund to conduct seizures of Iranian oil.

    “It is unacceptable that a U.S. government program, which makes the United States and its allies safer, provides funds to remediate the victims of terrorism, and generates income for the United States in a cost-effective manner, has been allowed to languish,” the letter says.

    The push is coming from a diverse group of senators, among them Republicans Ted Cruz of Texas and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, and Democrats Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Ron Wyden of Oregon. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

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  • Global Anti Scam Alliance Launches 10 Recommendations to Turn the Tide on Scams

    Global Anti Scam Alliance Launches 10 Recommendations to Turn the Tide on Scams

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    The Internet can only be made a safer place with increased international cooperation.


    AMSTERDAM, April 20, 2023 (Newswire.com)
    –
    Today, the Global Anti Scam Alliance, APWG and the Global Cyber Alliance officially launched the 10 Recommendations at the CyberSec Event in Brussels with a panel discussion with representatives from the European Commission, Europol and the Financial, Internet and Cybersecurity industries.

    Online scams have become a global epidemic. Consumers worldwide lost an estimated $55 billion as a result of online scams. The social and emotional trauma cannot even be measured. In many countries, online scams are the most reported type of crime, such as in the U.K., where 41% of all reported crimes are now related to online fraud, and 50% in Singapore.

    Further, the loss is likely a gross underestimate, as only 7% of all online scams are even reported. Because a mere 0.05% of all cybercriminals are caught and new technologies like Deep Fakes and ChatGPT are making it increasingly harder for consumers and law enforcement to identify deceit, online scams will continue to grow and thrive.

    Governments and security companies are largely focused on fighting the “Big Cybercrime” that target (large) corporates and national infrastructure. However, this ignores the fact that online scams are also harming consumers and diminishing their trust in the global digital economy, which now represents 15.5% of global GDP. This is unacceptable and more needs to be done to protect consumers worldwide.

    At the 3rd Global Anti Scam Summit last November, 1,300 (virtual and physical) participants collectively formulated 10 recommendations to enhance consumer protection against global scams. The 10 recommendations are:

    1. Raise Consumer Awareness on a National level, Unified & Continuously
    2. Facilitate One National, Easy, Online Reporting Platform
    3. Set up cross-organizational Support for the Fraud Victims
    4. Develop Infrastructural Tools to Protect Consumers
    5. Make Fraud Traceable Cross-Border
    6. Set up a Dedicated National Consumer Cyber Security Center
    7. Establish a Global Scam Data Sharing Hub
    8. Make Service Providers responsible & Liable for Fraud Enablement
    9. Allow Preventive Action (Warn, Block, Stop)         
    10. ​Enact an International Scam Investigation & Prosecution Network

    “GCA has supported the Global Anti Scam Summit from its very first edition,” said Alejandro Fernández-Cernuda, Director of Engagement and moderator of the panel. “The evolution of the initiative, from a gathering of experts to a call to action against online fraud endorsed by key players worldwide, demonstrates the real power of well-coordinated multi-stakeholder collaboration,” he added. 

    Jorij Abraham, General Manager of the GASA and ScamAdviser, comments, “Defining these 10 recommendations has only been a first step. Now, we will focus on getting companies as well as consumers to endorse these recommendations and put pressure on governments that change is not only required but also has to happen fast in order to stop the flood of online scams. At the 4th Global Anti Scam Summit, we will further define each of the Ten Recommendations in order to Turn the Tide on Scams.”

    Foy Shiver, Deputy-Secretary General of APWG, adds: “From my first call with Jorij Abraham, I was excited at the opportunity to work with an organization as passionate as APWG at making the cyber world a safer place for everyone. Collaborating on sharing threat data, producing networking events and now supporting the 10 recommendations presented today show how together we can improve security for every consumer worldwide.”

    Source: Global Anti Scam Alliance

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  • FBI office warns against using public phone charging stations at airports or malls, citing malware risk

    FBI office warns against using public phone charging stations at airports or malls, citing malware risk

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    The FBI’s Denver office is warning the public against using public charging stations, such as ones you might see at an airport or the mall. 

    “Bad actors have figured out ways to use public USB ports to introduce malware and monitoring software onto devices,” the FBI Denver office tweeted in a general alert. “Carry your own charger and USB cord and use an electrical outlet instead.”

    There was no specific incident that caused the public service announcement, FBI Denver told CBS News. Rather, it was meant as a field office warning.

    “Juice jacking” — a term coined in 2011 — remains a concern, according to the U.S. government. FCC officials warn malware installed through a corrupted USB port can lock a device or export personal data and passwords directly to a criminal. The sensitive information can then be used to access online accounts or be sold to other bad actors. In some cases, criminals may have intentionally left infected cables plugged in at charging stations. 

    “The scary part of juice jacking is that you probably won’t even be able to tell that your phone is infected with malware after plugging it into a compromised USB port,” Matt Swinder, editor-in-chief and founder of TheShortcut.com, told CBS News. 

    According to the 2022 USB Threat report by Honeywell Forge, threats designed to propagate over USB or specifically exploit USB for infection rose to 52% over four years. 

    “You’re much more likely to have your credit card skimmed than be juice jacked, based on the lack of hard evidence of widespread cases,” Swinder explained. “As rare as juice jacking is right now, the threats of identity theft have migrated from being purely physical to being primarily digital over the last decade.”

    While “juice jacking” may be still relatively uncommon, says technology journalist Dan Patterson, it’s also “a fairly easy and low-cost hack — especially in airports and other public locations.” 

    He offers simple advice to follow. “Never use a charger that isn’t yours or someone you know,” he said. 

    Experts who spoke to CBS News say there’s always the chance of unreported cases since some may not even be aware of the risks. 

    “The FBI is going to have access to intelligence and information that the public — even the broader cybersecurity public — will not have access to,” NetRise CEO Thomas Pace told CBS News. 

    Their ability to “monitor underground forums, get intelligence from informants and even intelligence from other agencies” provides the FBI with a better understanding into possible threats.

    It generally boils down to the age-old tradeoff between usability and security. 

    “People want [and] need USB ports in airports and restaurants and just general public spaces, Pace said. “So they are going to continue to exist.”

    He compared the charging stations and juice jacking to ATMs and ATM skimmers. 

    “Are ATM skimmers a problem? Do they exist?” Pace asked. “The answer to both of those questions is yes. Did we remove all ATMs because of it? No, we did not.”

    So what can be done? 

    Like the FBI, the FCC recommends that travelers avoid using a public USB charging station and they use a power outlet instead. Travelers should carry a portable charger or external battery. 

    Pace recommends visually inspecting the charger prior to plugging in. If it appears to have been tampered with in some way, don’t use it.

    He added that people can be careful by using a USB data blocker, a small dongle that adds a layer of protection between a device and the charging point — or as they’re unofficially known, “USB condoms.” He carries one around with him all the time. 

    “Pretty much guarantees you are good to go,” he added. 

    Michael Roppolo

    Michael Roppolo is a CBS News reporter. He covers a wide variety of topics, including science and technology, crime and justice, and disability rights.

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  • Cybersquatting a bank security concern post-SVB | Bank Automation News

    Cybersquatting a bank security concern post-SVB | Bank Automation News

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    Cybercriminals never let a good crisis go to waste.   One online security concern that has resurfaced following the recent turmoil in banks like Credit Suisse and Silicon Valley Bank is cybersquatting.  Cybersquatting is the act of registering a domain name similar to that of a reputable financial institution or other company and then emailing […]

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    Brian Stone

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  • How AI Is Shaping the Cybersecurity Landscape | Entrepreneur

    How AI Is Shaping the Cybersecurity Landscape | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    As a CTO with over one and a half decades of expertise in the ever-changing field of cybersecurity, I have been observing the immense impact that artificial intelligence (AI) has had on the wide technological landscape. Also, I have witnessed how AI-based solutions have emerged as a crucial aspect of enhancing processes in various fields and disciplines over the years. And the cybersecurity field is no exception.

    The ability of AI-based machine learning (ML) models to identify patterns and make data-driven decisions and inferences present a highly innovative approach to quickly identifying malware, directing incident response and even predicting potential breaches before they occur.

    Given the significant potential of AI in the field of cybersecurity, this article explores how AI fits into the broader cybersecurity landscape and how it can be effectively leveraged to enhance the security of businesses and their users, along with some of its limitations.

    Related: AI For Cybersecurity: Maximizing Strengths And Limiting Vulnerabilities

    Exploring the intersection of Artificial Intelligence and cybersecurity

    In the modern era of digitization, data is exponentially generated, and a larger amount of metadata is either saved or received online, whether directly or indirectly. Moreover, for the data to attain its intended location or be utilized for specific purposes, it is frequently crucial to transmit it across a network or store it in a specific database or server.

    Here is where cybersecurity practices are implemented to ascertain the ultimate safeguarding of data transmission, storage and access — which is a crucial aspect of the battle against cyberattacks.

    As the technological landscape advances, cybercriminals tend to execute a diverse array of illicit activities, leading to substantial disruption in the online community. However, businesses can harness the power of AI and cybersecurity to mitigate risks and enhance security by detecting fraudulent activities and cyberattacks.

    Having said that, AI serves as a crucial factor in machine-based decision-making. For example, a sophisticated AI system could detect dubious actions on the network and impede access until the requisite authorization is provided. These AI techniques are predicated on machine learning algorithms, empowering programmers to train algorithms using data collected over an extended duration.

    The AI algorithm is designed in such a way that it can recognize and differentiate between legitimate access and fraudulent access. Accordingly, it improves a business’s security by making attacks and irregularities more predictable.

    Furthermore, AI technologies have a computational and analytical speed that surpasses human efforts and can determine abnormalities far more quickly than present techniques. As a result, AI and ML techniques can together help businesses defend against cyberattacks that could cost them millions of dollars.

    Related: How Companies Can Utilize AI and Quantum Technologies to Improve Cybersecurity

    How to leverage AI in the cybersecurity landscape

    As previously discussed, AI has many advantages and applications in various fields, including cybersecurity. Given the rapidly evolving nature of cyberattacks and the development of sophisticated attacking mediums, AI can benefit businesses by staying up-to-date in terms of security.

    AI can improve threat detection through automation and provide a more effective response compared to traditional security systems and manual techniques. This helps businesses optimize their cybersecurity measures and stay ahead of potential threats. Here are some key benefits of leveraging AI in the cyber security landscape.

    Threat detection:

    Businesses can tremendously benefit from AI-based cybersecurity practices in identifying cyber threats and disruptive activities by cyber criminals. In fact, the proliferation of new malware is happening at an alarming rate, making it extremely challenging for traditional software systems to keep up with the evolving threat landscape.

    AI algorithms, however, discover patterns, recognize malware and find any unauthorized activities done before they impact a system. This makes AI a valuable tool for protecting against cybercrime and maintaining the security of business operations.

    In fact, AI and ML-based cybersecurity solutions can significantly shorten the time required for threat identification and incident response, and they can immediately notify the business of unusual behavior.

    Bot defense:

    Another realm where AI is employed to combat digital threats is the defense against bots. In today’s virtual landscape, a considerable volume of web traffic is generated by bots, some of which pose potential security hazards. Bots, also identified as automatic scripts or software, are used by cybercriminals to initiate attacks on websites, networks and systems.

    Furthermore, bots can be utilized for a variety of malicious activities, such as Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks, takeovers of accounts and the scraping of sensitive information.

    AI-based solutions can be used to detect and block bot traffic by analyzing the patterns and behaviors of the incoming traffic. Machine learning algorithms can be trained to identify and flag suspicious activity, such as high volumes of artificial traffic coming from bot networks or abnormal requests.

    With AI, businesses can effectively discover the answers to questions like “what seems like a normal user journey?” and “what would be a potentially harmful atypical experience?” by looking at data-based behavioral patterns.

    Phishing detection:

    AI can greatly benefit the cybersecurity landscape by detecting sophisticated phishing attempts. AI-based machine learning models can analyze and classify incoming emails and messages to identify whether they are legitimate or fraudulent.

    By leveraging natural language processing techniques, AI can scan for keywords, phrases and other indicators that are commonly associated with phishing attacks. This lowers the possibility of a successful phishing attack by enabling security teams to swiftly identify and address possible risks.

    Moreover, AI algorithms can detect and flag suspicious URLs and domains. Phishing attackers often use deceptive URLs to trick users into revealing sensitive information. AI-based cybersecurity systems can analyze URLs and domain names to identify whether they are genuine or fake. These systems can then block access to malicious websites or display warning messages to users before they interact with the site.

    Related: The Rise of Artificial Intelligence in Cyber Defense

    Limitations of AI in cybersecurity

    AI systems, despite their ever-increasing sophistication, remain beholden to limited knowledge. These systems can only function with the aid of their trained data sets, thus making them potentially impotent in the face of novel or intricate threats that lie beyond their recognized realm. Furthermore, such limitations render them susceptible to both false negatives and false positives, thus facilitating both instances of unidentified threats and unnecessary alarms.

    Another crucial risk confronting AI systems is the presence of inherent biases and resultant discrimination. Such biases can emerge as a consequence of unbalanced data sets or faulty algorithms, thus engendering either unfair or inaccurate assessments, potentially leading to serious consequences.

    Finally, there exists the formidable threat of an over-reliance on AI systems, which can lead to risky complacency and, eventually, a false sense of safety. This could then lead to a regrettable lack of focus on other crucial aspects of cybersecurity, such as user education, the enforcement of policies and regular system updates and patches.

    The application of AI in detecting and combating cybercrime is undoubtedly a game-changer, bringing new and improved levels of efficacy to the cybersecurity domain. Also, it goes without saying that incorporating human intelligence along with AI can overcome any possible limitations posed by AI systems.

    There’s presently an extensive acceptance that AI plays an important part in data security, and this acceptance is anticipated to expand over the upcoming years as businesses realize its advantages. In fact, the commercial appraisal of AI in data security is expected to attain $66.22 billion by 2029, growing at a CAGR of 24.2% between 2020 and 2027.

    In order to stay ahead of cyber threats, businesses ought to invest in developing and implementing novel AI-based cybersecurity solutions. The continued breakthrough of AI expertise will doubtlessly influence the prospect of data security, and businesses that leverage AI effectively will be best postured to safeguard themselves against cyber threats and provide exceptional user satisfaction, thereby sustaining a competitive advantage.

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    Deepak Gupta

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  • Finland parliament website targeted ahead of NATO entry

    Finland parliament website targeted ahead of NATO entry

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    HELSINKI — Finland’s parliamentary website was paralyzed by a denial-of-service attack on Tuesday, just before the country made its historic entry into NATO, a move that more than doubles NATO’s border with Russia and has angered Russian President Vladimir Putin.

    The attacks — in which participants flood targets with junk data — made the parliament’s site hard to use, with many pages not loading and some functions not available for a time.

    A pro-Russian hacker group known as NoName057 (16) claimed responsibility, saying the attack was retaliation for Finland joining NATO. The hacker group, which has reportedly acted on Moscow’s orders, has taken part in a slew of cyberattacks on the U.S. and its allies in the past. The claim could not be immediately verified.

    For the most part, Finns went about their business as usual on the bright cold day, belying the historic nature of Finland becoming the 31st member of NATO. Its membership was formalized with a series of steps in Brussels.

    It’s a moment that most Finns had never previously wanted as they balanced friendly ties with both the West and Russia. But all that changed with Russia’s full-scale and brutal invasion of its neighbor Ukraine last year, creating a sudden and strong sense of insecurity that pushed the nation toward membership in the security alliance.

    There were few outward signs of the geopolitical shift aside from the Finnish and NATO flags, both blue and white, fluttering against the backdrop of Helsinki’s deep blue sky.

    The NATO flags were raised alongside the national flags in front of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, a building that was originally built for the military of the Russian Empire in the 19th century. A regular flow of curious onlookers could be seen near the gates of the foreign ministry, trying to catch a glimpse of the flags.

    Aki Luhtanen, a professor of psychiatric nursing who was among those stopping by the Foreign Ministry, said Russia’s war on Ukraine feels very close and NATO membership offers protection now and for the long term.

    “I think we should be aware and afraid of Russia,” Luhtanen said. “And I think in the future (it) is very, very important to belong to NATO.”

    It was on that same ministry building that Finnish authorities projected the colors of the Ukrainian flag after Russia’s invasion last year, in an early sign of strong support for Kyiv.

    Newspapers, leaders and commentators alike agreed that Tuesday was a historic day for the nation of 5.5 million people that shares a a 1,340-kilometer (832-mile) border with Russia.

    “Until now, we have defended our country alone,” Defense Minister Antti Kaikkonen told public broadcaster YLE on arrival in Brussels. “From now on, we can rely on getting outside help should things get tough. And of course, we are ready to help should someone be in trouble.”

    Kaikkonen will join President Sauli Niinisto and Haavisto, the foreign minister, for the events in Brussels.

    “This is historically very significant for Finland. Finland has never been militarily aligned before in its history,” said Juhana Aunesluoma, professor of political history at the University of Helsinki. “Of course, many things changed when Finland joined the European Union in 1995, but Finland remained militarily nonaligned.”

    The ceremony in Brussels falls on NATO’s very own birthday, the 74th anniversary of the signing of its founding Washington Treaty on April 4, 1949. It also coincides with a meeting of the alliance’s foreign ministers.

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  • APWG.EU 2023 Technical Summit and Researchers Sync-Up Builds Bridges of Cooperation Across the Globe — and Across Research Disciplines

    APWG.EU 2023 Technical Summit and Researchers Sync-Up Builds Bridges of Cooperation Across the Globe — and Across Research Disciplines

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    The APWG.EU Technical Summit and Researchers Sync-Up 2023 (Tech 2023) will convene cybercrime researchers and industry responders from across the globe to confront the cybercrime onslaught that today threatens commerce and culture in most every polity on earth


    CAMBRIDGE, Mass., April 3, 2023 (Newswire.com)
    –
    The APWG.EU Technical Summit and Researchers Sync-Up 2023 (Tech 2023) on June 21 & 22, 2023, at Technological University Dublin, will convene cybercrime researchers and industry responders from across the globe to confront the cybercrime onslaught that today threatens commerce and culture in most every polity on earth.

    Conference notes page and registration link here: https://apwg.eu/event/tech2023/

    The APWG.EU’s 2023 program will expand its conference portfolio from peer-reviewed cybercrime-related research papers to include an expanded second-day chalk-talk session – the Researchers Sync-Up – that will review vital, long-horizon research projects in motion and will posit important R&D efforts that need to be mounted to establish the tools, metrics and infrastructure required to forestall the pervasive and, possibly, irreversible criminalization of cyberspace.

    APWG.EU Director of Research Dr. Agusti Solanas said, “Research to fight cybercrime has to be multidisciplinary, and the Sync-Up session will be the agora where researchers from all over the world will share their ideas to foster collaboration amongst a variety of fields.”

    APWG.EU Tech Summit and Researchers Sync-Up will present state-of-the-art research into cybercrime investigations, forensic techniques and infrastructure defense against cyber-attacks and manipulation. The program’s topic spaces will feature innovations in cryptocurrency cybercrime tools and response approaches; research into the technical, legal, political, social and psychological aspects of fraud and fraud prevention; and case studies into new and emerging cybercrime attack methods.

    This year’s Researchers Sync-Up is a moderated session in which leading investigators and interdisciplinary innovators will present their long-term cybercrime research objectives and discuss: Why is this research needed? What is lacking to interrogate this important but as yet unexplored research dimension? Sync-Up enables big ideas to find the investigators with the tools, the will and the data to drive cybercrime research into the future. Interaction, discussion, and multidisciplinary collaborations will be fostered. Focus areas for Sync-Up include but are not limited to: metrics and categorization schema; data exchange and data logistics challenges; and uncharted behavioral questions in cybercrime research.

    Dr. Solanas, recently appointed chair of European Cybersecurity Organization Subworking group 6.2 (Digital Transformation in Verticals) and Subworking group 6.3 (Data & Economy), is reviewing Sync-Up talk proposals personally with APWG.EU program managers and consulting advisors. Investigators with proposals to share can reach Dr. Solanas at: asolanas@apwg.eu

    Tech 2023 will look into the many new and emerging challenges facing cybersecurity, the most common and predictable cyberthreats, and incident responses at any scale. Tech 2023 presenters and delegates will review the development of response paradigms and resources for counter-cybercrime managers and forensic professionals in both the private and public sectors. As always, the program’s managers and presenters will look out for opportunities for building bridges of cooperation and collaboration.

    Presenters will review case studies of national and regional economies that have come under attack, and illustrate some examples of successful transnational forensic investigation cooperation. At the same time, Tech 2023 will explore possible models for consultation and collaboration against e-crime, and examine the available resources for cybercrime response and forensic enterprises in general.

    APWG.EU Tech Summit and Researchers Sync-Up 2023 will take place in Dublin, Ireland, June 21 & 22, 2023, at the campus of Technological University Dublin. (Central Quad – TU Dublin – Grangegorman Lower, Dublin 7, D07 ADY7, Ireland)

    CALL FOR PAPERS

    APWG.EU Technical Summit and Researchers Sync-Up 2023 is a two-day event focused on electronic crime with a research and interdisciplinary programme consisting of invited keynotes, interactive panels, and chalk-talk sessions. The event’s objective is to bring together academic researchers from multiple disciplines, industry security practitioners, government representatives, and law enforcement officials to discuss and exchange ideas, experiences and lessons learned while combating cybercrime from a polyhedric perspective.

    This year’s programme includes a chalk-talk lab session “the Researchers’ Sync-Up”. Sync-Up is a moderated chalk-talk where leading investigators and interdisciplinary innovators discuss their next five years of cybercrime research. Why is this research needed? What is lacking to commit to this direction? Sync-Up enables big ideas to find the investigators with the tools, will and data to drive cybercrime research into the future. Interaction, discussion, and multidisciplinary collaborations will be fostered. Focus areas for Sync-Up include but are not limited to: metrics and categorization schema; data exchange and data logistics challenges; and uncharted behavioral questions in cybercrime research.

    IMPORTANT DATES:

    • Papers submission: May 1, 2023
    • Notification of Acceptance/Rejection: May 21, 2023
    • Authors registration: May 28, 2023
    • Conference data: June 21-22, 2023

    Articles’ topics may include, but are not limited to:

    • Electronic crime research and innovation
    • Cryptocurrency and related cybercrime, tools, and responses
    • Artificial Intelligence in Cybercrime and its prevention
    • Case studies of current attack methods, including phishing, malware, rogue antivirus programs, pharming, crimeware, botnets, and other emerging techniques.
    • Technical, legal, political, social and psychological aspects of electronic crime and its prevention.
    • Malware, botnets, cybercriminal/phishing gangs, or money laundering.
    • Cybersecurity in specific markets: financial services, e-commerce, health, energy & supplies.
    • Techniques to avoid detection, tracking and take-down; proactive ways to counteract such techniques.
    • Designing and evaluating user interfaces with fraud and network security in mind.
    • Behavioral aspects of cybercrime resilience and susceptibility in ICT users.
    • Best practices for detecting and preventing damage to critical internet infrastructure.
    • The economics of online crime.
    • Approaches and/or research to measure the impacts of cybercrime

    AUTHORS’ GUIDANCE

    • Tech Summit has adopted the CEUR publication format. Submissions should be in English, in PDF format with all fonts embedded, formatted using the CEUR template. The CEUR-template for APWG.EU Tech / Researchers can be found here:  CEUR-Template-2col.docx (live.com) The overleaf page can be found here: https://www.overleaf.com/project/5e76702c4acae70001d3bc87
    • Papers should be prepared in two-column format described in the template above
    • Submissions should be anonymized, excluding author names, affiliations and acknowledgements. Authors’ own work should be referred to in the third person.
    • Committee members are not required to read the appendices, and papers should be intelligible without them.
    • Submissions must be original and unpublished.
    • Authors of accepted papers must present them and register at the event.

    Submission Types

    • Regular papers: max 12 pages of practical and/or theoretical content describing advances in the fight against Electronic Crime and any of the topics listed in the CFP.
    • Short papers/Posters: max 6 pages of practical and/or theoretical content describing unfinished, ongoing research with preliminary (not yet conclusive) results.
    • Position papers: max 6 pages with content where authors discuss their opinions on Electronic Crime related fields. Discussion on regulations, policies, draft standards, and similar topics to foster discussion are welcome.
    • Researchers Sync-Up Chalk-talk papers: max 4 pages with research ideas for principal investigators and motivated researchers willing to explore collaborations and looking for synergies in Electronic Crime related fields. Interdisciplinary proposals are particularly welcome. These papers are aimed at fostering collaboration, discussing groundbreaking ideas, and forging lasting research collaborations amongst the attendees.

    For paper submissions, use the New Submission option at https://ecrime2023sync-up.hotcrp.com/

    About the APWG.eu: The APWG.eu, established in 2013 as the Anti-Phishing Working Group European Foundation, is an industry association focused on unifying the global response to cybercrime. The organization provides a forum for responders and managers of cybercrime to discuss phishing and cybercrime issues, to consider potential technology solutions, to access data logistics resources for cybersecurity applications, to cultivate the university research community dedicated to cybercrime research, and to advise government, industry, law enforcement and treaty organizations on the nature of cybercrime.

    Source: APWG.EU

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  • Maine 19-year-old will plead guilty in mosque attack plot

    Maine 19-year-old will plead guilty in mosque attack plot

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    A 19-year-old from Maine who is accused of producing homemade explosive devices and making plans to attack a mosque will plead guilty to providing material support to terrorists

    BANGOR, Maine — A 19-year-old from Maine who the FBI says built homemade explosives and plotted to attack a mosque in the name of the Islamic State group will plead guilty to providing material support to terrorists.

    Xavier Pelkey of Waterville faces a maximum of 15 years in prison under a plea agreement in which a second charge will be dropped, according to court documents filed Wednesday. The change-of-plea hearing is set for next week in U.S. District Court.

    Pelkey’s attorney did not immediately respond to a phone message seeking comment on Thursday.

    Law enforcement officials said Pelkey was in communication with two juveniles — one in Canada, the other in Illinois — about conducting a mass shooting at a Shiite mosque in the Chicago area and possibly other houses of worship. All three alleged plotters believed in a radical form of Sunni Islam that views the Shiite branch of Islam as nonbelievers, officials said.

    Pelkey was 18 when he was arrested last year by FBI agents who found three homemade explosives in his residence. The devices were made of fireworks bundled together with staples, pins and thumb tacks to create shrapnel, the FBI said.

    Investigators also found a handwritten document in Pelkey’s bedroom that appeared to be a draft statement about the planned mosque attack, claiming it in the name of the Islamic State group. In the statement, Pelkey claimed allegiance to the extremist Sunni militant group, and an IS flag was painted on the wall of his bedroom, investigators said.

    Despite their defeat in Syria in March 2019, the militant group’s sleeper cells still carry out deadly attacks in both Syria and Iraq where they once declared a “caliphate.”

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  • Cybersecurity Expansion Doesn’t Have to Be an Uphill Battle. Here’s Why | Entrepreneur

    Cybersecurity Expansion Doesn’t Have to Be an Uphill Battle. Here’s Why | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    How much cybersecurity does a person actually need?

    Well, it depends on who you ask. Cyberattack damage will rise to $10.5 trillion by 2025, and security advocates say you can never be too careful when fortifying your data and devices. Of course, cybersecurity on both home and office devices is essential to navigating any digital space, and it’s vital to keep one’s information and sensitive data protected. But in day-to-day life, trying to keep your devices secured can quickly get convoluted.

    That’s partially because of the disparate state of the cybersecurity industry. Users are spoiled with protection options from multi-factor authentication (MFA) to VPNs, password managers and good old antivirus programs. But the issue doesn’t come from the selection available. Rather, it’s that most of these cybersecurity tools are not in conversation with each other.

    Yes, having your cybersecurity products connected can put them at risk to some extent should one of them become compromised. However, when an individual exclusively uses a password manager, a Google-generated “difficult” password, or MFA on one single account, are they really any safer?

    Related: Amazon Ring Is the Latest Target of Notorious Ransomware Gang

    Likewise, if a cybersecurity feature a consumer uses gets compromised or hacked, it could discourage them from exploring other security products while they cope with being burned by a clever hacker. Of the millions of accounts exposed in the LastPass breach, many of the consumers using the program probably assumed they were properly fortifying their devices and sensitive information.

    Although it’s likely not the best idea to merge every cybersecurity measure under one umbrella, entrepreneurs should see the value in trying to connect the industry’s loose threads.

    Making cybersecurity more seamless could end up keeping more people safe in the long run. Building bridges to improve user experience and creating solutions that cover multiple bases also spreads out the long-term viability of a cybersecurity company by expanding its security reach.

    If an entire security company’s business rests on the stability and success of one product, it will undoubtedly lose revenue and consumer trust should that one product get breached. And they would need plenty of luck to build up that goodwill without the PR artillery that Big Tech companies have.

    Another factor to consider in helping unify cybersecurity lies in its cost. While many programs operate through donations or are free to use in exchange for user data, most serious cybersecurity products come with a price tag.

    Around 61% of users in the U.S. rely on free antivirus software, according to an annual report from Security.org. No surprise there, but the same report states roughly 33 million households pay for some type of security software, albeit with no distinction as to how that is spread across VPNs, secure browsers, and other features. This indicates users are willing to pay for personal protection, but only for certain kinds of products.

    Likewise, while an individual might pay for an antivirus program or a VPN, it can be hard to convince users to pay for multiple security products unless the individual is a business owner or regularly deals with highly sensitive information.

    Related: A Successful Cybersecurity Company Isn’t About Fancy Technology

    Outside of home-bound device security, mobile devices have also pushed privacy and security issues to the forefront of tech conversations as they reach near-universal use. Consumers, in general, have become much wearier about their data privacy and how to secure smartphones from malware and attacks, given how much personal information these devices now hold.

    But most people don’t read the permissions they allow apps and programs to access on devices, and many don’t go the extra mile to secure their phones outside of the built-in safeguards developed by Apple or Android. As more users search for ways to “declutter” their mobile experience, this shows another clear gap in cybersecurity interoperability.

    Companies such as privacy-preserving mobile developer Unplugged are already banking on the need for cybersecurity convergence, offering a multi-pronged app suite to boost mobile and desktop privacy and security. The project operates through a subscription-based model, which creates a new pathway to access high-level security products without having to pay exorbitant fees for each new program.

    Despite the siloing of cybersecurity, changes are clearly on the horizon from both a developer and regulatory level. In March 2023 alone, the U.S. government unveiled a beefed-up National Cybersecurity Strategy to set new regulatory standards and corporate responsibilities surrounding cybersecurity. The extensively-updated strategy outlines key pillars, including support for critical infrastructure, addressing the cybersecurity skills gap, setting regulatory baselines and fostering collaboration between the public and private sectors.

    Although we have yet to see how these new frameworks will affect consumer-level cybersecurity, the U.S. government, echoing collaboration and connection, shows its necessity in building a resilient cybersecurity future.

    Security should be a tenet of any tech product, given how sophisticated attacks can get. As more facets of our daily lives move to the digital realm, there is an imperative to improve security processes before it turns catastrophic. Entrepreneurs should be considering projects in this sector that are working to build common ground and security seamlessness to cut through the general malaise that users might have around protecting their devices.

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    Ariel Shapira

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  • How Phishing Is Threatening the Cybersecurity Landscape | Entrepreneur

    How Phishing Is Threatening the Cybersecurity Landscape | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    In our recent Consumer Cybersecurity Trends report, RAV researchers delved into the threats facing consumers over the last year. It was relatively unsurprising when once again, phishing took the top spot for cybercriminal activity.

    There are various types and various ways for threat actors to pull off a phishing attack. Let’s dive into the most prevalent, and also the sneakiest, of ways that phishing is currently threatening the cybersecurity landscape for consumers today.

    Related: What Is Phishing? Here’s How to Protect Against Attacks.

    Email phishing

    It may sound like old news by now, but phishing attacks by email don’t seem to stop coming — and it’s surprising how many people still fall victim to them.

    This February, Reddit employees were victims of an email phishing campaign that affected hundreds of company contacts and employees. According to a Reddit statement at the time, “the attacker sent out plausible-sounding prompts pointing employees to a website that cloned the behavior of our intranet gateway in an attempt to steal credentials and second-factor tokens.”

    Whether this attack could have been avoided is up for debate. At the very least, the fact that an employee was aware enough to understand what was underway and raise the alarm to their security team is vital. The sooner an attack can be mitigated, the better.

    As well as email phishing via malicious links and attachments, the weaponization of office documents sent via email has also increased. Office documents that hide macro code are still very common, and 2022 saw many files sent as phishing documents to lure users to run the malicious code.

    Related: 4 Things Your Employees Are Doing Right Now That Are Compromising Your Network

    Spear phishing

    Unlike the traditional “spray and pray” approach, whereby mass phishing emails are sent to as many recipients as possible in the hopes they’ll get at least a few hits, “spear phishing” is a targeted phishing attack aimed at a specific individual or organization.

    Cybercriminals will research their target in order to personalize the attack and increase their credibility, with the intent of persuading the target to disclose sensitive information or trick them into making payments.

    While finance teams and executives would seem to be the most likely targets of spear-phishing campaigns, sales departments might also see an increase — mainly because a sales team member is more likely to receive emails from outside an organization. These employees could be a viable entry point for hackers trying to infiltrate an organization.

    Social media is also a factor here, as many employees that use social media, either for personal or professional use, underestimate just how vast their digital footprint may be. In Q1 of 2022, LinkedIn users accounted for 52% of all spear-phishing targets globally, and users were cautioned to be on their guard for a rise in spear-phishing campaigns.

    The biggest takeaway here should be that criminals are looking for the weakest link in a company, no matter who they are trying to target. One wrong click from an unsuspecting employee is all it takes, so they will keep trying again and again to ensnare their next victim.

    And taking spear phishing attacks to the next level, “whale phishing” targets the most senior-level company members, like the CEO or CFO. Whaling phishing techniques may involve impersonating these figureheads, in order to trick an employee into authorizing high-value money transfers to the attacker or disclosing vital company information.

    Related: Is Your Business Prepared for a Cyber Attack? (Infographic)

    Smishing

    In general, users are misguidedly more trusting of text messages than they are of email. In actual fact, as most smartphones can receive text messages from any number in the world, smartphone users aren’t really afforded any SMS privacy at all.

    Phishing conducted via SMS, also known as “smishing,” will entice a victim into revealing personal information via a link through compelling SMS text messages. Unfortunately, not enough users are aware of the dangers of clicking links in text messages.

    These links may lead to credential-phishing sites or inject malware designed to compromise the phone itself. The malware can then be used to spy on the victim’s smartphone data or silently send sensitive data to an attacker-controlled server.

    Compromised privacy

    But what is it that we are afraid of? What can a phishing attack lead to? Once a threat actor has access to data, they can set to work to use it for their own nefarious purposes — be it holding the data ransom, using it for financial theft or creating further disruption for a company (e.g., doxing or cyber espionage).

    For example, Atlassian recently suffered a cybersecurity breach in the form of a phishing attack that compromised customers and business insider information, including company floor plans. The attack is thought to have been achieved through using an employee’s credentials. We see from this that phishing can lead to unwanted and unwarranted prying eyes into a company’s inner sanctums, and it puts both consumers and businesses at risk for further interference. The plethora of phishing techniques is presumably why it ranks as the preferred method of attack for so many cybercriminals.

    To protect against phishing attacks, whether as a consumer, employee or business owner, following some basic guidelines will be invaluable:

    • Be wary of unsolicited mail and unexpected emails, especially those that call for urgency.

    • Double-check transactions or data disclosure through a secondary means of communication (e.g., phone calls or face-to-face).

    • Watch out for telltale signs of phishing attempts, such as the misspelling of words, the incorrect use of URLs and completely irrelevant messaging.

    • Additionally, pay attention to emerging technologies on the market — it remains to be seen whether newly available clever AI chatbots could be used to construct phishing emails.

    Above all, ensure all staff has cybersecurity training. All employees should be aware of basic tactics used in spear phishing emails, such as tax-related scams, CEO fraud and other social engineering tactics via email. Education and awareness are key defense skills as the majority of these phishing techniques will only actually succeed due to human error.

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    Andrew Newman

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  • 29 arrested in Egypt after thousands were swept up in Hoggpool cryptocurrency investment scam

    29 arrested in Egypt after thousands were swept up in Hoggpool cryptocurrency investment scam

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    Cairo — Egyptians who invested in a cryptocurrency mining app were hit last week with the daunting realization that the incredible profits they thought they were making all boiled down to fiction. The platform, called Hoggpool, was launched in August.

    In a promotional video, a man introduced the company with a claim that it was founded in Colorado in
    2019 and was investing in cutting-edge industries, from “life sciences technology” to “space tech and blockchain.” He called it “one of the leading energy providers worldwide” and said it offered “cryptocurrency mining at all levels.”

    A screengrab from a YouTube video shows a man promoting an investment company called Hoggpool to Egyptians. The company was the target of raids by Egyptian police, who arrested 29 individuals in early March 2023 in connection with the cryptocurrency scam.
    A screengrab from a YouTube video shows a man promoting an investment company called Hoggpool to Egyptians. The company was the target of raids by Egyptian police, who arrested 29 individuals in early March 2023 in connection with the cryptocurrency scam.

    Potential investors were offered various plans starting from only about $10, with a fixed profit promised of $1 per day over a specific period. The investment options ranged up to an $800 crypto-mining “machine” with a $55 per-day payout.

    Hoggpool told investors they could withdraw their money daily, minus a 15% tax, or wait until the end of the month and withdraw all their returns tax-free.

    To Tarek Abd El-Barr, who works in medical supplies, it sounded like an incredible opportunity.

    “They said they were ‘workers in mining,’” he told CBS News. “No one in Egypt knows what mining coins is. We don’t know anything about these things. We thought it was electronic investing — that they were like Amazon or Microsoft.”

    Pyramid and Ponzi schemes are nothing new in Egypt, but cryptocurrency scams are. Receptions, parties and meetings held by the people behind Hoggpool, in fancy hotels and other venues, gave users the impression that it was all aboveboard.

    Lawyers and victims told CBS News that ads on social media platforms lured some in, but for many, it was acquaintances who had already been hooked.

    A photo shared with CBS News by Egyptian lawyer Hussein El-Faham shows people attending an event organized by the Hoggpool company in Cairo, Egypt. Egyptian police announced on March 4, 2023, that 29 people had been arrested in connection to the cryptocurrency investment scam.
    A photo shared with CBS News by Egyptian lawyer Hussein El-Faham shows people attending an event organized by the Hoggpool company in Cairo, Egypt. Egyptian police announced on March 4, 2023, that 29 people had been arrested in connection to the cryptocurrency investment scam.

    Courtesy of Hussein El-Faham


    Abd El-Barr’s brother-in-law, who was using the app and seeing consistent profits, convinced him to join. Skeptical at first, he started with an investment of just 6,000 Egyptian pounds (about $200) in February. It seemed to work as promised, as such scams often do, and he got his money back with profits, so he tripled his investment.

    The platform’s biggest and final offer was a new “deposit funds” feature, with which users were told they could earn as much as five times the value of their existing investment in just five days. Abd El-Barr was skeptical again, but as it had worked thus far, he went ahead and took the risk, throwing all of his savings into the app.

    On February 27, when he tried to withdraw his money, it didn’t work. Two days later, on March 1, the app stopped working completely and the website vanished.

    “Many people took loans from banks to invest in it. I used my car instalment money. Now I have missed two installments and the bank is calling me,” he said.

    Dozens of videos of people sharing their stories and crying out for help quickly flooded the internet.

    A photo posted on Facebook by Egypt's Ministry of Interior on March 4, 2023, shows some of the 29 people arrested in connection with a cryptocurrency investment scam that saw unwitting investors robbed of hundreds of thousands of dollars, according to Egyptian police.
    A photo posted on Facebook by Egypt’s Ministry of Interior on March 4, 2023, shows some of the 29 people arrested in connection with a cryptocurrency investment scam that saw unwitting investors robbed of hundreds of thousands of dollars, according to Egyptian police.

    Egyptian Ministry of Interior


    On Saturday, Egyptian authorities announced the arrest of 29 suspects, including 13 foreign nationals, in connection with the scam. Police seized 95 phones, 3,367 SIM cards and about $194,000 worth of Egyptian and foreign currency as they made the arrests, the Ministry of Interior said in a statement. It said the culprits used 88 digital currency wallets to collect the money, then divided it into 9,965 e-wallets and converted it into bitcoin before transferring it into accounts around the world.

    The statement said the suspects had bilked unsuspecting investors of at least 19 million pounds, or about $615,000, but many in Egypt believe the real total was likely much higher.

    Lawyer Abdulaziz Hussein told CBS News he was representing more than 1,000 victims of the scam in Cairo alone, but that as many as 800,000 people around the country may have fallen prey to the scheme, losing as much as 6 billion pounds in total — the equivalent of about $194 million.

    Cryptocurrency trading is illegal in Egypt, and another lawyer representing some of the victims said that had likely kept many from reporting the crime.

    “Some of the victims might turn into suspects if the investigations prove they knew what they were doing was illegal,” said Mahmoud El-Semri.

    It is hard to tell how many of the victims might have continued investing, and recruiting others, with knowledge that the scheme involved banned cryptocurrency, especially as most appear to have joined through recommendations from friends or family — people they trusted and who, in many cases, probably meant well.

    “Most people didn’t look into the details of how this works, we just understood they would invest the money in programing,” Hussein El-Faham, a lawyer who was swept up in the scam himself, told CBS News.

    He said it was an elaborate scam that looked and sounded legitimate, complete with forged documentation.

    A falsified document purporting to show the Hoggpool company’s U.S. business credentials was shared with CBS News by Egyptian lawyer Hussein El-Faham, who was swept up in the cryptocurrency scam himself.

    Courtesy of Hussein El-Faham


    El-Faham said he and others heard warnings about it being a scam, but as the app initially continued paying out money as promised, it was easy to dismiss those reports. The people behind the app even used the warnings of fraud as a marketing tool, he said.

    El-Faham shared a screenshot with CBS News that showed the scammers warning users of “fake” apps, asking them — in poorly written Arabic — to “please be cautious, those scammers have a low-tech level, and they are stupid enough to copy our system layout. Keep your eyes open.”

    El-Faham lost about $6,000 to the scheme.

    Dr. Sarah Zain, a physiotherapist, told CBS News she had her doubts about the app even as she used it, as it appeared to be an unsustainable business model, but she thought it would take longer to fall apart. She didn’t get her money out in time and ended up losing more than $7,000, which she said she needed for an upcoming surgery.

    “A friend of mine and her family invested two million pounds (about $65,000), she is not talking to anyone now,” she said. “I can’t believe we were that stupid! They did brainwash us.”

    Zain also put some blame on the government for allowing the scammers to operate openly for months.

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  • European police, FBI bust international cybercrime gang

    European police, FBI bust international cybercrime gang

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    German police say they have disrupted an international cybercrime gang which has been blackmailing large companies and institutions for years

    BERLIN — German police said Monday that they have disrupted an international cybercrime gang which has been blackmailing large companies and institutions for years, raking in millions of euros.

    Working with law enforcement partners including Europol, the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation and authorities in Ukraine, police in Duesseldorf said they were able to identify 11 individuals linked to a group that has operated in various guises since at least 2010.

    Among its most prominent victims was Duesseldorf University Hospital, whose computers were infected with a type of ransomware known as DoppelPaymer in 2020. A woman who needed urgent treatment died after she had to be taken to another city for treatment.

    Dirk Kunze, who heads the cybercrime department with North Rhine-Westphalia state police, said at least 601 victims have been identified worldwide, including 37 in Germany. Europol said victims in the United States paid out at least 40 million euros ($42.5 million) to the gang between May 2019 and March 2021.

    The group specialized in “big game hunting,” said Kunze, and ran a professional recruitment operation, luring new members with the promise of paid vacation and asking applicants to submit references for past cybercrimes.

    He said police conducted simultaneous raids in Germany and Ukraine on Feb. 28, seizing evidence and detaining several suspects. Three further suspects — two of them Russian citizens — could not be apprehended as they were beyond the reach of European law enforcement, Kunze said.

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  • How AI and Machine Learning Are Improving Fraud Detection in Fintech

    How AI and Machine Learning Are Improving Fraud Detection in Fintech

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    Internet fraud is a menace in our various financial institutes, and many fintech companies have been victims of this fraud game. Detection of these attacks comes in two ways: through inconsistent traditional methods or using ever-growing artificial intelligence mechanisms.

    Traditional methods, such as the rule-based method, are still widely used by most fintech companies in contrast to AI. At the same time, some are adjusting to leverage machine learning and artificial intelligence, improving ways to detect fraud. Hence, bringing us to the question below.

    How have AI and machine learning improved fraud detection in the fintech industry? What specific applications does this technology touch, and what mechanisms complement it? We have compiled key areas where its application has become highly beneficial.

    Related: Fraud Detection In Fintech: How To Detect And Prevent Frauds In the Lending Industry

    Fishing out identity thieves before they penetrate a server

    Identity theft is common, but with the rise of AI, its effect on the fintech industry has been reduced drastically. Users are bound to become more susceptible to fraud in this area when activities like creating accounts, submitting applications or filing tax returns become more computerized. Digitized data is easier to access, giving identity thieves more possibilities to penetrate the server. For instance, identity thieves can create accounts in someone else’s name, get access to that person’s benefits or even steal their tax returns using the stolen identification information. In curbing these anomalies, AI is to the rescue. AI-driven identity theft detection systems such as pattern recognition are pretty good at reducing the danger of such scams and spotting them early on. Depending on the circumstance, the models may be able to identify suspicious transactions, behaviors or information in the supplied documents that do not fit the customer’s usual patterns of behavior, therefore averting a possible danger.

    Quick detection of credit card fraud through identification of unusual transactions

    Customers may secure their credit card and account information in various ways, such as by utilizing virtual private networks or virtual cards or checking the website certifications. However, with fraud tactics becoming more sophisticated, organizations handling credit card transactions and transfers must scan them to avoid any risks. AI methods such as data mining have been provided with a sizable dataset that includes both kinds of transactions (i.e., card transactions and transfers) to be trained to spot fraudulent behavior. By analyzing it, the model can spot fraud red flags. Are there possible ways the illegal transaction can be flagged and detected on time? Yes, for instance, a rapid spike in the customer account’s weekly or monthly transaction values or a purchase made in a store that doesn’t ship to the country where the account holder resides. All these can be swiftly detected with the help of AI, and fraud can be mitigated on time to avoid running losses.

    Related: How Artificial Intelligence Is Changing Cyber Security Landscape and Preventing Cyber Attacks

    Detection of money laundering amidst account activities

    Fintech companies and banks use deep learning AI algorithms such as neural networks to uncover undiscovered connections between criminal conduct and account activity. Money laundering is difficult to identify with traditional approaches since the signs are frequently quite subtle. Still, since the emergence of artificial intelligence, every action is carefully considered because such practice typically involves large sums of money and is carried out by organized criminal organizations or entities that appear to be genuine.

    Despite a thorough mechanism put in place, individuals are undoubtedly susceptible to errors. It gets challenging to spot money laundering-related acts among cover-up activities because they leave no room for suspicion, but AI has been at the forefront of detecting such. For instance, a wrong transfer of funds might be the key to revealing a set of illegal activities. In addition, there are situations when several transactions on an individual’s account come together but don’t appear legitimate when scrutinized. These patterns could be quickly identified by AI systems put in place, and fraudulent activity could be prevented on time.

    Early detection of fraudulent loan and mortgage applications

    In recent times, most fintech companies and banks heavily rely on fraud detection AI technologies to assess loan and mortgage applications by fraudsters. It is a crucial component of their risk assessment and aids the analysts in their day-to-day job. With machine language, they can extract pertinent data from the applications and analyze them using a model developed through a dataset that includes both legitimate applications and those flagged as fraudulent. The essence of AI in this area is to detect trends that can likely lead to fraud so that alarms can be swiftly raised, whether accurate or not. It allows the analyst in charge to scrutinize further, which could either lead to acquittal or fraud prevention. It also helps fintech companies to predict the chance of a customer committing fraud as it can help forecast trends by examining consumer behavior data.

    Related: Digital Twins: AI & ML Transforming the Fintech Landscape

    Banks and fintech companies still occasionally believe that rule-based methods are safer and more straightforward. Traditional rule-based methods and AI tend to support one another but will likely change sooner. This is due to the complexity of rule-based systems having their bounds and the fact that fraud efforts are getting more sophisticated and dynamic than in the past. The rule-based method is a losing struggle since it necessitates the creation of new rules each time new patterns appear. Instead of constantly being one step behind, fintech companies can actively foresee fraud using AI and machine learning techniques to safeguard their financial integrity.

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    Taiwo Sotikare

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  • Minister: 1 in 5 crimes in Spain now committed online

    Minister: 1 in 5 crimes in Spain now committed online

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    MADRID — Spain’s government on Wednesday pledged stronger action against cybercrime, saying it has come to account for about a fifth of all offenses registered in the country.

    Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska said police would be given additional staff, funding and resources to address online crime. He said reported cases of cybercrime were up 72% last year compared to 2019, and 352% compared to 2015.

    “The … decline in conventional crime and the increase in cybercrime has brought us to a turning point: today, one in every five crimes in Spain is committed online,” he told a press conference in Madrid.

    Almost 90% of cybercrimes reported last year involved online fraud schemes, Grande-Marlaska said. “This … has a remarkable and negative impact on national interests, institutions, companies and citizens,” he added.

    On Tuesday, Spain’s defense minister approved the creation of a new military cyberoperations training school to further reinforce national security online.

    Spain is among the countries that suffer the largest numbers of remote online attacks in the world, according to data from antivirus protection specialist ESET. Small businesses are particularly affected.

    José Cano, Research Director at market intelligence firm IDC Spain, said a lack of talent and skills had left Spanish businesses exposed to the increasing sophistication of online criminals, who are innovating to bypass multi-factor authentication and other safeguards.

    “Cyber-resilience is not only about enterprise value and reducing business risk, but also about national economic security,” Cano said. “European companies, especially Spanish companies, will increasingly incorporate cyber-resilience planning into their business and security strategies.”

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  • Ayleen Charlotte (Tinder Swindler Victim) and AA419 Honored as Scam Fighters of the Year 2023

    Ayleen Charlotte (Tinder Swindler Victim) and AA419 Honored as Scam Fighters of the Year 2023

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    The Global Anti-Scam Alliance has awarded the Scam Fighter awards of 2023.

    Press Release
    –

    Feb 2, 2023 14:30 CET


    AMSTERDAM, February 2, 2023 (Newswire.com)
    –
    Ayleen Charlotte, scam victim of the Tinder Swindler, was honored as ‘Scam Fighter Person of the Year’ 2023. AA419, which has been fighting online scams since 2003, received the Scam Fighter Award for ‘Best Scam Fighting Organization of the Year’ 2023.

    The Scam Fighter Awards is organized annually by the Global Anti-Scam Alliance (GASA) together with ScamAdviser, to bring more attention to the importance of fighting online fraud worldwide. According to GASA, last year, more than $55 billion was lost by nearly 300 million consumers worldwide in online scams. As only an estimated 7% of victims report online scams to law enforcement, these numbers are only the tip of the iceberg. 

    Ayleen, Scamming the Scammer

    The independent Jury, consisting of Donna Gregory (Unit Chief of the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center), Mitchel Chang (Trend Micro), and Jayde Richmond (Executive Director, Scamwatch, Australian Competition and Consumer Commission), selected Ayleen based on several dozens of nominations from the law enforcement and scam fighting community as ‘Scam Fighter Person of the Year’ 2023.

    Ayleen was a romance scam victim of Shimon Hayut, who scammed millions of dollars out of women he met through dating apps. Donna Gregory elaborates, “What makes Ayleen unique is that she not only came forward and reported the crime but also participated in the Netflix documentary Tinder Swindler to gain more attention to this horrendous kind of crime. She is a role model for other scam victims. Of course, the fact that she as a victim also scammed the scammer and was able to recover some of the money she lost utters respect, but this is something I would not recommend other scam victims to do.”

    AA419, Fighting Scams for 20 Years

    Artists Against 419 started listing fake banks in 2003 in a public database. Over the years, the database expanded to include other forms fraud. The core AA419 team has always been small but with a large fan base. The AA419 membership also includes members from other anti-abuse groups, working with AA419 to expose advance fee fraudsters in a central database.

    The database allows scam victims to check a website. This list now contains ~157,000 entries will full data and is one of the world’s largest manually collected databases of fraudulent websites, making AA419 recognized for its expertise to identify scams by several law enforcement agencies across the globe.

    Jury member Jayde Richmond commented, “AA419 is a research community that provides a valuable service to help tackle online fraud and scams. Its international group of members emphasizes that online fraud is best combated by cross-border cooperation.” Mitchel Chang added, “Trend Micro recognized AA419 as an excellent source for manually vetted scams. Their work is one of the many pillars many security companies rely on to keep consumers worldwide safe.”

    Source: Global Anti-Scam Alliance

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  • 5 Cybersecurity Predictions Home Users Need to Know for 2023

    5 Cybersecurity Predictions Home Users Need to Know for 2023

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    This time last year, I reviewed the cybersecurity landscape around the world and predicted a year ahead involving advanced threats against home users, the continual growth of ransomware and gaming as a growing attack vector. Looking back over 2022, we indeed saw those predictions play out.

    For 2023, we can expect the continued trends of attacks against consumers and remote employees, like phishing and social engineering attacks, including email and SMS scams, which are commonly used to exploit individuals. Trojan viruses, sophisticated malware and new attack vectors will be highly prevalent in 2023, including novel threats such as the Metaverse Attack vector dubbed “Big Brother” discovered by RAV Researchers.

    With all this in mind, what else can we expect for 2023?

    1. Phishing and social engineering

    Unfortunately, humans are still the weakest link in the cybersecurity chain. Home users remain the easiest targets as AV providers are focused on securing enterprise dollars for their services. Phishing and social engineering scams will become more sophisticated as they continue into 2023, and cyber criminals employ more complex technologies such as deep fakes.

    Continued use of email phishing is to be expected, with Office Documents that hide macro code still being used as vectors to lure users to run the malicious code in emails. Other means of deploying scams, such as SMS and social media platforms — be it affiliate links, clickbait or credentials pages that attempt to steal your password information — are all likely to continue.

    Raising awareness for online users is our best leverage to stop these phishing attempts from being successful. Taking note of simple telltale signs such as misspelling of words, the incorrect use of URLs and completely irrelevant messaging can make all the difference.

    Related: The Emerging Cybersecurity Trends In 2023

    2. RaaS and CaaS

    Ransomware-as-a-Service (RaaS) and overall Cybercrime-as-a-Service (CaaS) are on the rise. Data breaches are to be expected, as data is still seen as profitable barter on the Dark Web. These services are becoming more commonplace as cyber warfare persists. As the motivations behind cybercrime move from profit-related to geopolitical, the nature of the Dark Web is changing. Worryingly, cyber-criminal groups can now use the malware they trade on these platforms to go after more sensitive computing systems connected to critical infrastructure and government services of other nation-states.

    3. Online user demographics

    Cyber victims are becoming increasingly younger. We will see the continued targeting of unsecured consumers such as tweens and teens, who are highly connected, starting to use crypto and buying into the metaverse and other digital assets. Likewise, criminals themselves are getting younger. Cybercrime activity by teens and young adults now covers everything from large-scale attacks on enterprises and governments to low-level crimes that target families, friends and strangers. Hacktivism will also be fueled by cyber use — the younger generation can use their cyber skills to show their discontent in ways the past generation didn’t have access to or the ability to do.

    Related: A Business Leader’s Beginner Guide to Cybersecurity

    4. Bypassing 2FA

    Cracking and bypassing two-factor authentication (2FA) is on the rise and will be exploited more and more in the coming year. It’s likely that in the future, we may move on to three or even four-factor authentication. As the technology to crack multi-factor authentication continues to mount up, more and more companies may opt to use biometric authentication.

    5. Next-generation threats

    As next-generation technologies, such as virtual reality, make it into the mainstream, we will see the continued deployment of next-generation threats. Whether or not the allure of the metaverse and augmented realities makes it into 2023 remains to be seen — but as ever, new vectors offer new opportunities and broader attack surfaces.

    Related: 4 Major Cybersecurity Risks of Working From Home

    What can we do?

    Despite ongoing cybersecurity concerns, there’s sometimes a distinct lack of action. For example, 12 months after the Log4J hack, the CISA and FBI agencies are concerned that many companies have still not applied updates, despite their security alerts warning that if organizations haven’t yet patched or mitigated Log4j vulnerabilities, they should assume their network is compromised and act accordingly.

    Organizations and individuals alike need to shift their cybersecurity strategies to a more holistic approach. Log4J is a great example of why cybersecurity companies shouldn’t rest on their laurels. Experts have warned that threat actors are perfectly capable of playing the long game; even if a disaster hasn’t struck yet. Unless you are fully prepared, it still can.

    As with all aspects of technology, cybersecurity is fast-paced and ever-evolving. Security companies need to constantly mitigate threats, deploying the best cybersecurity available for their users. One thing is certain in 2023: More hacks are coming our way. Cybercriminals will be spending the year ahead fine-tuning their methods. The question is whether the defense can keep up.

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    Andrew Newman

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  • Iran says drone attack targets defense facility in Isfahan

    Iran says drone attack targets defense facility in Isfahan

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    DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Bomb-carrying drones targeted an Iranian defense factory in the central city of Isfahan overnight, authorities said early Sunday, causing some damage at the plant amid heightened regional and international tensions engulfing the Islamic Republic.

    The Iranian Defense Ministry offered no information on who it suspected carried out the attack, which came as a refinery fire separately broke out in the country’s northwest and a 5.9-magnitude earthquake struck nearby, killing two people.

    However, Tehran has been targeted in suspected Israeli drone strikes amid a shadow war with its Mideast rival as its nuclear deal with world powers collapsed. Meanwhile, tensions also remain high with neighboring Azerbaijan after a gunman attacked that country’s embassy in Tehran, killing its security chief and wounding two others.

    Details on the Isfahan attack, which happened around 11:30 p.m. Saturday, remained scarce. A Defense Ministry statement described three drones being launched at the facility, with two of them successfully shot down. A third apparently made it through to strike the building, causing “minor damage” to its roof and wounding no one, the ministry said.

    Iranian state television’s English-language arm, Press TV, aired mobile phone video apparently showing the moment that drone struck along the busy Imam Khomeini Expressway that heads northwest out of Isfahan, one of several ways for drivers to go to the holy city of Qom and Tehran, Iran’s capital. A small crowd stood gathered, drawn by anti-aircraft fire, watching as an explosion and sparks struck a dark building.

    “Oh my God! That was a drone, wasn’t it?” the man filming shouts. “Yeah, it was a drone.”

    Those there fled after the strike.

    That footage of the strike, as well as footage of the aftermath analyzed by The Associated Press, corresponded to a site on Minoo Street in northwestern Isfahan that’s near a shopping center that includes a carpet and an electronics store.

    Iranian defense and nuclear sites increasingly find themselves surrounded by commercial properties and residential neighborhoods as the country’s cities sprawl ever outward. Some locations as well remain incredibly opaque about what they produce, with only a sign bearing a Defense Ministry or paramilitary Revolutionary Guard logo.

    The Defense Ministry only called the site a “workshop,” without elaborating on what it made. Isfahan, some 350 kilometers (215 miles) south of Tehran, is home to both a large air base built for its fleet of American-made F-14 fighter jets and its Nuclear Fuel Research and Production Center.

    Separately, Iran’s state TV said a fire broke out at an oil refinery in an industrial zone near the northwestern city of Tabriz. It said the cause was not yet known, as it showed footage of firefighters trying to extinguish the blaze.

    State TV also said the magnitude-5.9 earthquake killed two people and injured some 580 more in rural areas in West Azerbaijan province, damaging buildings in many villages.

    Iran and Israel have long been engaged in a shadow war that has included covert attacks on Iranian military and nuclear facilities.

    Last year, Iran said an engineer was killed and another employee was wounded in an unexplained incident at the Parchin military and weapons development base east of the capital, Tehran. The ministry called it an accident, without providing further details.

    Parchin is home to a military base where the International Atomic Energy Agency has said it suspected Iran conducted tests of explosive triggers that could be used in nuclear weapons.

    In April 2021, Iran blamed Israel for an attack on its underground Natanz nuclear facility that damaged its centrifuges.

    Israel has not claimed responsibility for the attack, but Israeli media widely reported that the country had orchestrated a devastating cyberattack that caused a blackout at the nuclear facility. Israeli officials rarely acknowledge operations carried out by the country’s secret military units or its Mossad intelligence agency.

    In 2020, Iran blamed Israel for a sophisticated attack that killed its top nuclear scientist.

    Iran has always insisted its nuclear program is for purely peaceful purposes. U.S. intelligence agencies, Western nations and the International Atomic Energy Agency have said Iran ran an organized nuclear weapons program until 2003.

    The United Nations’ top nuclear official, Rafael Mariano Grossi, recently warned that Iran has enough highly enriched uranium to build “several” nuclear weapons if it chooses.

    Efforts to revive a 2015 agreement with world powers that placed limits on Iran’s nuclear activities ground to a halt last year. Both the U.S. and Israel have vowed to prevent Iran from ever acquiring nuclear weapons, and neither has ruled out military action.

    ___

    Associated Press writer Joseph Krauss contributed to this report.

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