In this episode of WUKY News, host Clay Wallace sits down with cybersecurity expert Colin to discuss a recent breach affecting AT&T customers. Earlier this year, cybercriminals accessed metadata from AT&T customers, detailing the numbers they interacted with, the frequency of texts, and call durations. Although the breach did not include message content or personal information, it highlights significant vulnerabilities in cloud security.

AT&T recently informed customers that while the data breach occurred, there is no evidence of the data being publicly released or used illegally. The compromised metadata includes phone numbers and interaction records from May 1st to October 31st, 2022.

Colin, a security software developer and host of the Daily Decrypt podcast, explains that this breach is part of a larger issue stemming from increased reliance on cloud storage. He emphasizes that while the cloud is often considered cheaper, more flexible, and more secure, storing data with third-party cloud services shifts the responsibility for data security.

Companies like AT&T, Advanced Auto Parts, and Ticketmaster, which also faced breaches, stored data on the cloud service provider Snowflake. Many organizations created accounts with just usernames and passwords, neglecting additional security measures. Cybercriminals exploited this by purchasing stolen login credentials from the dark web and using them to access Snowflake accounts.

details how phishing attacks can lead to info-stealer malware, which captures login credentials. Without multi-factor authentication (MFA), these credentials can be easily misused. He stresses that if MFA had been enabled, the breaches could have been prevented as unauthorized login attempts would have been flagged.

For over 160 companies using Snowflake, the lack of MFA led to significant data breaches, including customer records from AT&T, Taylor Swift tickets from Ticketmaster, and social security numbers from Advance Auto Parts. Snowflake has since mandated MFA for all new customers.

Colin offers advice on basic data protection steps, such as using end-to-end encrypted messaging services and being cautious about the amount of personal information shared with companies. Ultimately, he advocates for stricter regulations to protect user data, calling for legislative action and involvement from bodies like the SEC to ensure companies implement robust security measures, including multiple forms of authentication and physical encryption keys.

https://www.wuky.org/local-regional-news/2024-07-18/two-factor-authentication-could-have-prevented-at-t-data-breach-affecting-110-million-customers

metadata breach, AT&T data breach, cybersecurity, cloud security, multi-factor authentication, data protection, regulatory measures, Snowflake compromise, data breach prevention

1. AT&T metadata breach 2024
2. Snowflake cloud security breach
3. Multi-factor authentication importance
4. Cybercriminals accessing metadata
5. Cloud storage security risks
6. Protecting user data in the cloud
7. Regulatory measures for data protection
8. Steps to prevent data breaches

In today's episode, we discuss Kaspersky's exit from the U.S. market and their six-month free security software offer amidst regulatory challenges, Trump's allies drafting an AI-focused executive order for potential military tech advancements, and North Korean hackers updating their BeaverTail malware to target macOS users. For more details, visit the original articles at the following links:

1. https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/kaspersky-offers-free-security-software-for-six-months-in-us-goodbye/
2. https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2024/07/trump-allies-want-to-make-america-first-in-ai-with-sweeping-executive-order/
3. https://thehackernews.com/2024/07/north-korean-hackers-update-beavertail.html

00:00 - Intro

01:00 - Kaspersky Exits U.S., Offers Free Security

02:34 - Trump Allies Draft AI 'Manhattan Projects' Order

05:21 - North Korean Hackers Target MacOS with BeaverTail

Video Episode: https://youtu.be/gnlxZhcVIUI

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Thanks to Jered Jones for providing the music for this episode. https://www.jeredjones.com/

Logo Design by https://www.zackgraber.com/

Kaspersky, US market, national security concerns, ban, Trump, AI, military, regulations, North Korean, BeaverTail malware, macOS, hackers

1. What are today's top cybersecurity news stories?
2. Why did Kaspersky exit the US market?
3. National security concerns related to Kaspersky ban
4. How will the Kaspersky ban affect American users?
5. Trump's AI military policy 2025
6. Executive order to boost AI in military
7. North Korean macOS malware threats
8. Protecting macOS from BeaverTail malware
9. New regulations for AI technology under Trump
10. Updates on North Korean hackers targeting the US

In today's episode, we discuss a 20% rise in ransomware activity in Q2 2023, driven primarily by the ransomware group LockBit and impacting U.S.-based businesses most heavily, as reported by Reliaquest. We also explore Void Banshee APT's exploitation of CVE-2024-38112 to spread Atlantida malware via spear-phishing campaigns, and the NullBulge group's data breach of Disney in protest against AI-generated artwork. Finally, we cover Microsoft's announcement of new checkpoint cumulative updates for Windows to improve update efficiency.

URLs: https://www.cybersecuritydive.com/news/ransomware-leak-site-increase/721480/ https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2024/07/16/cve-2024-38112-void-banshee/ https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/microsoft/microsoft-announces-new-windows-checkpoint-cumulative-updates/ https://www.theguardian.com/technology/article/2024/jul/16/hackers-claim-disney-data-theft-in-protest-against-ai-generated-artwork

00:00 - Intro

01:14 - Hackers Leak Disney Data Over AI Art

02:58 - Microsoft Unveils Efficient 'Checkpoint' Updates

04:18 - Void Banshee Exploits Windows Flaw, Microsoft Fumbles

06:05 - LockBit Surge Drives 20% Ransomware Spike

Video Episode: https://youtu.be/lRuQiv-KWnQ

Sign up for digestible cyber news delivered to your inbox: https://news.thedailydecrypt.com

Thanks to Jered Jones for providing the music for this episode. https://www.jeredjones.com/

Logo Design by https://www.zackgraber.com/

Tags: Ransomware, attacks, LockBit, organizations, Void Banshee, APT, MSHTML vulnerability, Trend Micro, Microsoft, Checkpoint, cumulative updates, bandwidth, NullBulge, hacktivists, Disney, AI-generated artwork

Search Phrases:

1. What are today's top cybersecurity news stories?
2. How did ransomware group LockBit contribute to the spike in ransomware attacks during May?
3. Ransomware attacks on organizations in Q2
4. Void Banshee APT exploits CVE-2024-38112 vulnerability
5. Trend Micro's Zero Day Initiative findings on MSHTML vulnerability
6. Microsoft checkpoint cumulative updates for Windows
7. Benefits of Microsoft's new cumulative updates
8. NullBulge hacktivists' breach of Disney's network
9. AI-generated artwork controversy in cybersecurity
10. Latest trends in hacktivism and digital protests