Security

These are the cybersecurity stories we were jealous of in 2024

Since 2018, along with colleagues first at VICE Motherboard, and now at TechCrunch, I have been publishing a list at the end of the year highlighting the best cybersecurity stories reported by other outlets. Cybersecurity, surveillance, and privacy are huge topics that no one single publication can cover effectively on its own. Journalism is by […]

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WhatsApp scores historic victory against NSO Group in long-running spyware hacking case

A U.S. judge had ruled that Israeli spyware maker NSO Group breached hacking laws by using WhatsApp to stealthily infect devices with its Pegasus spyware. In a historic ruling on Friday, a Northern California federal judge held NSO Group liable for targeting the devices of 1,400 WhatsApp users, violating state and federal hacking laws as

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Third member of LockBit ransomware gang has been arrested

U.S. prosecutors in New Jersey on Friday publicly announced charges against Rostislav Panev, 51, a dual Russian-Israeli national accused of being a key developer in the LockBit ransomware gang. Panev is currently in Israeli custody and faces extradition to the United States. LockBit is one of the most prolific ransomware gangs, accused of launching crippling

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Ransomware attack on health giant Ascension hits 5.6 million patients

A May ransomware attack on Ascension, a U.S. healthcare giant with more than 140 hospitals and dozens of senior living facilities, allowed hackers to steal personal and sensitive health information on 5.6 million patients, according to a new filing with Maine’s attorney general. The cyberattack caused widespread disruption across its hospital system, with some staff

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Why Apple sends spyware victims to this nonprofit security lab

Before the elections, the cybersecurity team of U.S. vice president and then-presidential candidate Kamala Harris reached out to Apple asking for help, according to Forbes, after a tool that’s designed to detect spyware on iPhones flagged anomalies on two devices belonging to campaign staffers. Apple declined to forensically analyze the phones, per Forbes.  The company’s

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India’s Rapido exposed user and driver data through leaky website feedback form

Rapido, a popular ride-hailing platform in India, has fixed a security issue that exposed personal information associated with its users and drivers, TechCrunch has exclusively learned. The flaw, discovered by security researcher Renganathan P, was related to a website form meant to collect feedback from Rapido auto-rickshaw users and drivers. The form exposed the full

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US government urges high-ranking officials to lock down mobile devices following telecom breaches

The U.S. government is urging senior politicians and high-ranking officials to lock down their devices amid the ongoing Chinese breaches of at least eight major telecom providers. In an advisory on Wednesday, U.S. cybersecurity agency CISA said that “highly-targeted officials,” including those in government, should enable advanced security features, such as Apple’s Lockdown Mode, which

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North Korea-linked hackers accounted for 61% of all crypto stolen in 2024

Alongside the rising adoption and value of crypto assets, theft is also on the rise. This year, the total value of cryptocurrency stolen surged 21%, reaching a substantial $2.2 billion. And according to a Chainalysis report released on Thursday, more than half of this amount was stolen by North Korea-affiliated hacking groups. Earlier this year,

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Bugs in a major McDonald’s India delivery system exposed sensitive customer data

A major McDonald’s delivery system in India exposed the personal information of its customers and drivers due to several simple security flaws, TechCrunch has exclusively learned. The flaws, discovered by security researcher Eaton Zveare, were found in the APIs of the delivery system associated with McDonald’s India (West & South), which is owned by Hardcastle

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