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Third-party breach
America Data Breach Fidelity IMS Third-party breach

Fidelity Faces Second Data Breach Linked to Third-Party Provider: Infosys McCamish

 

Fidelity Investments Life Insurance Company (FILI) faces another data breach challenge as it discloses a breach affecting a significant number of individuals. The breach, linked to third-party service provider Infosys McCamish (IMS), heightens worries over data security in today's digital landscape. 

Approximately 28,268 individuals have been notified by Fidelity regarding the breach. Although IMS could not pinpoint the exact data accessed, it is suspected to include sensitive information like names, Social Security numbers, states of residence, bank account and routing numbers, and dates of birth. 

This unfortunate incident marks the second instance this year alone where Fidelity has had to inform customers of data compromise due to a third-party breach involving IMS. Last month, Bank of America faced a similar ordeal following a ransomware attack on IMS, affecting over 57,000 customers. 

Remarkably, the data accessed in both breaches appears to be of a similar nature, prompting concerns over the underlying vulnerability in IMS's systems. As investigations into the breach continue, questions loom over whether IMS's woes are linked to the same cyber incident. 

What exactly is a third-party data breach? 

Essentially, it occurs when a vendor or supplier's system is compromised, resulting in the theft of data belonging to you or your organization. This means that even though you may have entrusted your data to a third party for various services or goods, their system becomes a target for cybercriminals. 

But who exactly are these third parties? 

They are organizations with which your company has established a business relationship to provide goods, access, or services for your use. These critical third parties often require access to sensitive data to fulfil their services, thereby increasing your company's attack surface. 

Why is this a cause for concern? 

Well, when a critical third party experiences a breach, it can have severe repercussions for your organization. Not only does it compromise the security of your data, but it also exposes you to significant risks. This underscores the importance of thoroughly vetting and monitoring third-party vendors to mitigate potential security threats. 

In essence, understanding third-party data breaches is crucial for safeguarding your organization's data and reputation. By implementing robust security measures and carefully managing your business relationships, you can better protect yourself against the risks posed by third-party breaches. 

Now Little Information Regarding Fidelity Company 

Fidelity Investments, headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, has been a powerhouse in the financial services sector since its founding in 1946. Boasting $4.3 trillion in assets under management and $10.3 trillion under administration as of December 2022, Fidelity is globally recognized as one of the largest asset managers. Offering a comprehensive suite of financial solutions, including brokerage services, mutual funds management, investment advice, retirement planning, wealth management, and life insurance, Fidelity caters to a wide range of clients, from individual investors to institutional entities. 

Despite its robust security measures, the company has encountered cybersecurity challenges in the form of occasional breaches, impacting its operations and raising concerns about the security of customer data.
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Technology
AI America Artificial Intelligence Automation Job Search Technology

AI Revolutionizes Job Searching, Promotions, and Workplace Success in America

 

The impact of artificial intelligence on our careers is becoming more apparent, even if we are not fully aware of it. Various factors, such as advancements in human capital management systems, the adoption of data-driven practices in human resource and talent management, and a growing focus on addressing bias, are reshaping the way individuals are recruited, trained, promoted, and terminated. 

The current market for artificial intelligence and related systems is already substantial, generating a revenue of over US$38 billion in 2021. Undoubtedly, AI-powered software holds significant potential to rapidly progress and revolutionize how organizations approach strategic decision-making concerning their workforce.

Consider a scenario where you apply for a job in the near future. As you submit your well-crafted résumé through the company's website, you can't help but notice the striking resemblance between the platform and others you've used in the past for job applications. After saving your résumé, you are then required to provide demographic information and fill in numerous fields with the same data from your résumé. Finally, you hit the "submit" button, hoping for a follow-up email from a human.

At this point, your data becomes part of the company's human capital management system. Nowadays, only a handful of companies actually examine résumés; instead, they focus on the information you enter into those small boxes to compare you with dozens or even hundreds of other candidates against the job requirements. Even if your résumé clearly demonstrates that you are the most qualified applicant, it's unlikely to catch the attention of the recruiter since their focus lies elsewhere.

Let's say you receive a call, ace the interview, and secure the job. Your information now enters a new stage within the company's database or HCM: active employee. Your performance ratings and other employment-related data will now be linked to your profile, providing more information for the HCM and human resources to monitor and evaluate.

Advancements in AI, technology, and HCMs enable HR to delve deeper into employee data. The insights gained help identify talented employees who could assume key leadership positions when others leave and guide decisions regarding promotions. This data can also reveal favoritism and bias in hiring and promotion processes.

As you continue in your role, your performance is continuously tracked and analyzed. This includes factors such as your performance ratings, feedback from your supervisor, and your participation in professional development activities. Accumulating a substantial amount of data about you and others over time allows HR to consider how employees can better contribute to the organization's growth.

For instance, HR may employ data to determine the likelihood of specific employees leaving and assess the impact of such losses.

Popular platforms used on a daily basis already aggregate productivity data from sign-in to sign-off. Common Microsoft tools like Teams, Outlook, and SharePoint offer managers insights through workplace analytics. The Microsoft productivity score monitors overall platform usage.

Even the metrics and behaviors that define "good" or "bad" performance may undergo changes, relying less on subjective manager assessments. With the expansion of data, even professionals such as consultants, doctors, and marketers will be evaluated quantitatively and objectively. An investigation conducted by The New York Times in 2022 revealed that these systems, intended to enhance productivity and accountability, had the unintended consequence of damaging morale and instilling fear.

It is evident that American employees need to contemplate how their data is utilized, the narrative it portrays, and how it may shape their futures.

Not all companies have a Human Capital Management (HCM) system or possess advanced capabilities in utilizing talent data for decision-making. However, there is a growing number of companies that are becoming more knowledgeable in this area, and some have reached a remarkable level of advancement.  

While some researchers argue that AI could enhance fairness by eliminating implicit biases in hiring and promotions, many others see a potential danger in human-built AI merely repackaging existing issues. Amazon learned this lesson the hard way in 2018 when it had to abandon an AI system for sorting résumés, as it exhibited a bias in favor of male candidates for programming roles.

Furthermore, the increased collection and analysis of data can leave employees uncertain about their standing within the organization, while the organization itself may possess a clear view. It is crucial to comprehend how AI is reshaping the workplace and to demand transparency from your employer. These are some key points that employees should consider inquiring about during their next performance review:
  • Do you perceive me as a high-potential employee?
  • How does my performance compare to that of others?
  • Do you see me as a potential successor to your role or the roles of others?
Similar to the need to master traditional aspects of workplace culture, politics, and relationships, it is essential to learn how to navigate these platforms, understand the evaluation criteria being used, and take ownership of your career in a new, more data-driven manner.
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User Privacy
airline industry America Credentials Hack Data Breach Email Attacks Phishing Attacks User Privacy

Email Phishing Attack Revealed by American Airlines

Several passengers of American Airlines are being warned that their personal information might have been compromised as a result of threat actors getting access to employee email accounts. 

The airline said that a phishing attempt led to hackers gaining access to the mailboxes of a limited number of employees. The stolen email accounts held some consumers' personal data. The airline noted in notice letters distributed on Friday, September 16th, that there is no proof that the disclosed data was misused.

The hack was detected on July 5th by American Airlines, which then swiftly protected the affected email accounts and recruited a cybersecurity forensics company to look into the security incident.

American Airlines had hired a cybersecurity forensics company to look into the incident. The inquiry revealed that unauthorized actors had obtained the personal information of both customers and workers. Although they did not say how many consumers were impacted, they did say that names, dates of birth, addresses, emails, phone numbers, passport numbers, and even certain medical information could have been exposed.

American Airlines issued the following statement to BleepingComputer by the Manager for Corporate Communications. "American Airlines is aware of a phishing campaign that resulted in a small number of team members' mailboxes being improperly accessed."

A very small amount of customers' and workers' personal information was found in those email accounts, according to American Airlines, which also provided a two-year membership to Experian's IdentityWorks.

With regard to the incident, the company stated "data security is of the utmost importance and we provided customers and team members with precautionary support. We also are actively developing additional technical safeguards to avoid a similar incident from happening in the future, even though we have no proof that any personal information has been misused."

In March 2021, the Passenger Service System (PSS), which is used by many airlines worldwide, including American Airlines, was infiltrated. SITA, a leading provider of air information technology, revealed that hackers broke into its systems.

To help employees recognize targeted phishing attacks, firms must ensure that staff receives adequate security training. Organizations' IT and security departments should explain to staff how communications will be handled. It is crucial to always inform people about how to recognize phishing emails. 












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Ukraine
America Anonymous Cyber Security CyberWar Government websites hacked Killnet Russia Russian Hackers russian media Ukraine

The Russian Hacker Group Killnet Took Down the Anonymous Website

 

The Russian hacker group Killnet said that they took down the Anonymous website "anonymoushackers[.]net" and called on Russians not to believe the Internet fakes and to stay calm. Killnet's appeal was published on one of its Telegram channels on Tuesday, March 1. 

According to the hacker group, "the Internet is full of fake information about hacking Russian banks, attacks on the servers of Russian media and much more. All this has no danger to people. This "information bomb" carries only text. And no more harm. Don't give in to fake information on the Internet. Do not doubt your country". 

Hackers blamed the events in Ukraine on the country's President, Vladimir Zelensky, as well as American leader Joe Biden. The leaders of the EU countries, as they say in the appeal, are following the lead of the United States. 

 According to independent verification done by CySecurity News, there is no official website for Anonymous Group. 

Russian hackers said that they had already disabled the website of the Anonymous group, along with the website of the Right Sector banned in the Russian Federation. The Anonymous hacker group declared a cyberwar on Russia and claimed responsibility for a hacker attack, for example, on the RT website. 

On February 28, the websites of Izvestia, TASS, Kommersant, Forbes, Fontanka, Mela, E1, Buro 24/7, RBC, Znak.Com and other Russian media were hacked. On the same day, massive DDoS attacks were launched against websites of the Crimean government and authorities. Hackers used a botnet with IP addresses mostly located in North and South America, Taiwan, and a number of other countries. 

On February 26, the Ministry of Information reported that users of the public services portal may face difficulties when working with the services of the site due to cyberattacks. At the same time, the department clarified that the personal data and information of citizens are reliably protected. On the same day, the administration of the President of the Russian Federation reported regular cyberattacks on the Kremlin's website. Moreover, Russian Railways reported that the company's website is subject to regular serious DDoS attacks. 

Earlier, Information security expert Nenakhov told what danger Anonymous hackers pose to Russia. According to him, DDoS attacks are the easiest thing that can happen. Government websites, government online services such as Gosuslugi, email, social media accounts of politicians, websites, and the IT infrastructure of state banks and defense companies are relatively more vulnerable to attacks.


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West
America CNN Cyber Security CyberWar Government Information Security Poland Russia Ukraine US West

The United States and the West are Afraid of Possible Cyber Attacks by Russian Hackers

 

According to CNN, the FBI has warned American businessmen about the growth of possible cyberattacks using ransomware by Russian hackers against the background of sanctions that US President Joe Biden imposed against Russia in connection with the situation around Ukraine. 

Earlier, Jen Easterly, head of the U.S. Agency for Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Protection, said that Russia might consider taking measures that could affect critical U.S. infrastructure in response to U.S. sanctions. She urged all organizations to familiarize themselves with the steps the agency has developed to mitigate cybersecurity risks. In addition, David Ring, head of cybersecurity at the FBI, said that Russia is allegedly a favorable environment for cybercriminals, which will not become less against the background of the confrontation between Russia and the West over the situation around Ukraine. According to CNN, briefings on such topics have been held by the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security for the past two months. 

It is important to note that Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki decided to introduce a special high-level security regime for telecommunications and information technology in the country. 

On February 21, he signed a decree introducing the third level of the Charlie– CRP warning throughout the country. This level is introduced if there is an event confirming the probable purpose of a terrorist attack in cyberspace or if there is reliable information about a planned event. 

The Polish Law on Anti-terrorist actions provides that in the event of a terrorist attack or its threat, the head of government may introduce one of four threat levels: Alfa, Bravo, Charlie, and Delta. The highest level, Delta, can be announced if a terrorist attack occurs or incoming information indicates its high probability in Poland. 

Similar levels marked with CRP relate to threats in cyberspace. They are introduced to strengthen the control of the security level of information systems in order to monitor the possible occurrence of violations in their work. 

The Russian Federation has repeatedly rejected the accusations of Western countries in cyberattacks, calling them unfounded, and also stated that it is ready to cooperate on cybersecurity. 

Earlier, CySecurity News reported that CNN reported citing US administration sources that representatives of the White House, US intelligence, the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and other agencies have discussed preparations to repel cyber attacks that could be carried out in the United States and Ukraine.
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Ukraine
America CNN Cyber Security Cyber War Cyberattack Russia Ukraine

The USA will Continue to Support Ukraine in Ensuring Cybersecurity

 

The U.S. authorities will continue to support Ukraine aimed at improving its cybersecurity. U.S. Undersecretary of Homeland Security Robert Silvers said Thursday. 

He claimed at an online cybersecurity conference that they have been warning publicly and privately for months that cyberattacks could be part of a large-scale Russian effort to destabilize and invade Ukraine. “Of course, we offer support to Ukraine to help Ukraine strengthen its cyber defenses. We will continue to do so in the days ahead." 

According to Silvers, the American side also works closely with other international partners and strengthens its own security. "At the moment, there are no specific and credible threats [from the Russian Federation] to the United States [in cyberspace], however, we, of course, are attentive to the fact that Russia may consider [options] for escalation in ways that may have an impact on other [countries] outside Ukraine. So we are actively working here in the US with industry representatives, with owners and operators of critical infrastructure to strengthen protection," he added. 

The Washington Post newspaper in its article reported on hackers associated with Russia, who, if necessary, will bring down many networks of Ukraine. At the same time, the publication refers to American intelligence data. "We don't know if they intend to do this. But we are working with Ukraine to strengthen their cyber defense," the unnamed official's words are quoted in the article. 

On Tuesday, the Information Security Center of Ukraine announced a DDoS attack on the websites of the Ministry of Defense, the Armed Forces, state Privatbank and Oschadbank. White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki noted at a briefing on Wednesday that Washington is not yet ready to say who the US authorities consider responsible for these cyberattacks. The press secretary of the President of the Russian Federation Dmitry Peskov said earlier that Russia has nothing to do with cyberattacks in Ukraine. 

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Ukraine
America CNN cyber attack Cyber Security Cyber War Russia Ukraine

CNN Learned About the Preparation of the US Authorities to Repel Cyber Attacks from Russia

 

CNN reported citing US administration sources that representatives of the White House, US intelligence, the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and other agencies have discussed preparations to repel cyber attacks that could be carried out in the United States and Ukraine. 

According to the interlocutors of the TV channel, the meeting at the interdepartmental level took place on Friday, February 11, in the format of a videoconference. It discussed the measures that the U.S. leadership in cooperation with private companies could take in various areas of the economy in case of "a potential attack by cybercriminals or government-linked" hackers. 

In addition, there was a discussion of the "possible increase in ransomware attacks on U.S. companies" that "Russian-speaking hackers" allegedly might carry out. The issue of providing cybersecurity support to Ukraine was also raised, where, according to sources, there is a "concrete, credible threat" of attacks on infrastructure facilities. No such threat currently exists in the United States. A CNN source stressed that the administration was working on steps in case the situation changed for the worse. 

In mid-January, unknown hackers attacked at least 70 state websites of Ukraine, including portals of the Cabinet of Ministers, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Sports, and other departments An appeal in Ukrainian, Russian and Polish appeared on them, the authors of which urged Ukrainian citizens "to fear and wait for the worst. In Ukraine, they believe that Russia is involved in the incident. The US said that the attack was carried out "according to the Russian scheme." On January 16, Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Moscow had nothing to do with the incidents. He noted that no evidence of Moscow's culpability has been provided. 

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki noted that the United States is in contact with Ukraine regarding the incident, and also offered its assistance in the investigation. According to her, Washington, their allies, and partners are "concerned about this cyberattack." 

Western media and officials have been speculating about an impending Russian invasion of Ukraine since the fall of 2021. Washington and Brussels threaten Moscow with new sanctions in case of an invasion. On February 9, Politico newspaper reported that U.S. senators suggested adding to the bill on sanctions against Russia the possibility of imposing restrictions "for cyberattacks" on Ukraine.
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Scams
America Cyber Crime Fraudsters FTC gift cards Scams

Scam Spotter Warns the American Public of a Gift Card Scam

 

A cyber-security platform has come up with a humorous approach to alert Americans about gift card scams ahead of the Christmas season. With its new awareness campaign geared at thwarting scammers' complicated con efforts, Scam Spotter, a platform established by Cybercrime Support Network (CSN) with support from Google, is sounding the warning to consumers ahead of the busy shopping season. 

A grandma steals a helicopter and breaks into a jail in a foreign country to set her granddaughter free using gift cards as a bail payment in one Hollywood blockbuster-style dramatization. In another, a man narrowly avoids an armed police raid on his home after paying his tax debt with gift cards over the phone. "Your computer has been hacked," "you've been pre-approved for a loan," and "it's your boss – I need you to buy gift cards ASAP" are among the fraud tactics used in other commercials. 

A spokesperson for the Scam Spotter platform said: “This comprehensive campaign highlights the most common gift card scam scenarios in a series of absurd and hyperbolic videos to show that if the stories scammers use sound unbelievable, it’s because they are.” 

Scams are more common than many people know, and they've progressed far beyond the unlikely "Nigerian Prince" call, with the fraud industry being worth more than $3.3 billion every year. Scammers feed on people's fears and catch them off guard by using more personal methods of communication, such as a direct message on social media. They accomplish by creating "urgent" situations and instilling terror in their victims, making them feel compelled to act immediately without a chance to think. People are typically overwhelmed with embarrassment after being cheated, and they don't report or talk about it, leaving others vulnerable to fall for the same fraud. 

Gift cards have topped the list of reported fraud payment methods every year since 2018, according to the Federal Trade Commission. People reported losing roughly $245 million during that time, with a median individual loss of $840. 

Scams involving gift cards target people of all ages. “While baby boomers tend to lose more money per scam on average, younger generations are far from safe, with millennials reporting losses of around $300m in 2020,” said a Scam Spotter spokesperson. In its 2021 Holiday Shopping Forecast, global branded payments provider Blackhawk Network anticipated that gift card spending will rise by 27% this year.
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