News Briefs

The Rising Cost of Digital Theft and Espionage in Germany

The German digital association, Bitkom, recently announced that the cost of IT equipment theft, data breaches, digital and industrial espionage, and sabotage is expected to reach a staggering 206 billion euros ($224 billion) in 2023.  more

Hospitals Advised to Prepare for a Month of Downtime Following Cyberattacks

The Joint Commission, a healthcare accreditation agency, has advised hospitals and health systems to brace for at least a month of downtime following a cyberattack, according to The Wall Street Journal. This recommendation is part of new guidelines released by the agency for handling IT security events. more

U.N.‘s Global Digital Compact Faces Criticism for Overlooking Technical Experts in Internet Governance

ICANN, APNIC and ARIN recently voiced concerns about comments made by the United Nations (UN) Office of the Secretary-General's Envoy on Technology (OSET), Ambassador Amandeep Gill. These remarks seem to conflate the roles of the technical community and civil society in the Internet ecosystem. more

Belarus-Linked Hackers Target Diplomats, Likely With State Support

Foreign diplomats based in Belarus have been under the digital crosshairs of hackers with suspected ties to the Belarusian government for nearly a decade, security researchers revealed on Thursday. more

U.S. Schools Targeted in Ransomware Attacks: White House Responds

In response to increasing ransomware attacks targeting U.S. educational institutions, the White House convened an inaugural cybersecurity summit this Tuesday. The malicious cyber onslaughts have led to the online leakage of confidential student data, ranging from medical files to reports on sexual assaults. more

British Researchers Discover AI-Powered Technique That Can Extract Data Through Typing Sounds

A new study conducted by British researchers has unveiled a potentially concerning form of cyber threat where hackers can extract personal data just by listening to someone type. more

GoDaddy Lists Controversial ‘.sucks’ Domain: Brands Advised to Bolster Monitoring

The '.sucks Top Level Domain (TLD), by Vox Populi, which initially faced criticism from brands due to its launch fee of $2,499 is now listed on the world's largest domain registrar, GoDaddy. more

Widespread Cyberattack Paralyzes US Hospital Systems, Interrupting Critical Healthcare Services

US hospitals have been severely affected by a substantial cyberattack, leading to the closure of emergency rooms in multiple states and the redirection of ambulances.  more

ICANN Sets the Stage for Next Round of New Generic Top-Level Domains, Anticipates Q2 2026 Launch

The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) Board of Directors has green-lighted the next phase of implementing new generic top-level domains (gTLDs), per a resolution approved on July 27, 2023. more

Amazon Web Services to Charge for IPv4 Addresses Amidst Rising Costs and Scarcity; Urges Shift to IPv6

Amazon Web Services (AWS) will charge customers for public IPv4 addresses effective February 1, 2024. The charge will be $0.005 per IP per hour for all public IPv4 addresses, irrespective of whether they're attached to a service. more

Ukraine’s Increasing Dependence on Starlink Sparks Concern Over Musk’s Unilateral Control

Elon Musk's satellite internet technology, Starlink, has become an essential component of Ukraine's communication infrastructure, causing rising concerns among officials regarding their heavy reliance on this single source. Starlink, a product of Musk's SpaceX, has been instrumental in Ukraine's battle decision-making process amid the Russian invasion.  more

SEC Now Giving Companies a 4-Day Deadline to Reveal Cyberattacks

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has introduced new regulations requiring companies to disclose substantial cybersecurity incidents. These rules also mandate yearly disclosure of key information regarding cybersecurity risk management, strategy, and governance. The mandate applies to foreign private issuers as well. more

FCC Chairwoman Wants Broadband Standard Boosted to 100Mbps Across the United States

FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel has proposed that the US standard for broadband be redefined to a minimum of 100Mbps download and 20Mbps upload speeds, up from the current 25Mbps/3Mbps. more

SpaceX Set to Launch Jupiter 3, the World’s Largest Commercial Communications Satellite, on Falcon Heavy Rocket

SpaceX is set to make history this Wednesday, July 26, by launching the largest commercial communications satellite to date, the Jupiter 3, using its Falcon Heavy rocket. more

China’s Top Diplomat Calls for Global Cyberspace Fairness, Urges Resistance to Technological Dominance

In a call for "fairness and justice" in cyberspace, China's top diplomat, Wang Yi, has encouraged emerging economies to collectively resist any attempts at dominance in science, technology, or the internet. more