President Biden extended last week the national emergency previously signed on April 1, 2015, focused on sanctioning the individuals coordinating or contributing to cyberattacks against the US.
In coordination with international law enforcement partners, the FBI has disrupted a business email compromise scheme, arresting 65 suspects in 5 countries. BEC actors are high-level scammers who trick employees of real companies into making payments to bank accounts under their control, pretending to be a business partner or a firm submitting a legitimate payment order. The Bureau also warned local governments about the increasing risks of ransomware disrupting public services, including utilities, emergency services, and education.
And if you thought Lapsus$ was gone… they hit Globant, a software consultancy with global reach. It seems the arrests haven’t stopped them.
Why do we care?
A national emergency means additional funds and resources, so we care as defenders on this front. I’m generally impressed with this administration’s focus, and clear actions are being taken.
That said, the opponents are continuing. I maintain that “terrorist” accurately describes these hacking groups.