CyberSecurity news
FlagThis - #insiderthreat
|
Dissent@DataBreaches.Net
//
Coinbase confirmed a significant data breach affecting 69,461 customers, revealing that overseas support staff were bribed to hand over sensitive user data to criminals. The breach, which began on December 26, 2024, went undetected until May 11, 2025, leaving customers vulnerable to potential phishing attacks and extortion schemes. Coinbase acknowledged the incident in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on May 15, further detailing that the perpetrators attempted to extort the company for $20 million. The company has since confirmed the support staff involved have been fired.
The compromised data included a wide range of personal information, such as names, addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, the last four digits of Social Security numbers, masked bank account numbers, images of government IDs (passports and driver's licenses), and Coinbase account data, including balance snapshots and transaction histories. Coinbase emphasized that passwords, seed phrases, and private keys were not compromised, ensuring direct access to accounts and funds remained secure. The company is offering affected users free one-year credit monitoring and identity protection services to mitigate the potential fallout. In response to the breach, Coinbase is bolstering its cybersecurity measures and has issued a $20 million bounty for information leading to the arrest of those responsible. The company estimates spending between $180 million and $400 million to cover reimbursements to affected users and enhance security infrastructure. While Coinbase intends to reimburse customers who may have fallen victim to phishing scams stemming from the stolen data, concerns remain regarding the potential for continued targeting of Coinbase customers, prompting some legal professionals to consider class-action lawsuits against the cryptocurrency exchange. Recommended read:
References :
Dissent@DataBreaches.Net
//
Coinbase recently disclosed a significant data breach resulting from a bribery scheme targeting overseas customer support agents. The breach, which came to light after a $20 million ransom demand, involved rogue contractors who abused their access to exfiltrate customer data. Coinbase has confirmed that these contractors, located outside the United States, were successfully bribed by cybercriminals to access internal systems and steal sensitive information. Upon discovering the unauthorized activity, Coinbase terminated the involved personnel and initiated a thorough internal investigation.
The compromised data, affecting less than 1% of Coinbase's monthly transacting users, includes names, addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, and the last four digits of Social Security numbers. Additionally, masked bank account numbers, some banking identifiers, government-issued ID images such as driver's licenses and passports, and account data including balance snapshots and transaction histories were exposed. Importantly, Coinbase has stated that no passwords, private keys, or access to customer funds were compromised, and Coinbase Prime accounts and wallets were unaffected. In response to the breach, Coinbase refused to pay the $20 million ransom and instead offered a $20 million reward for information leading to the identification and prosecution of those responsible. The company is also reimbursing customers who mistakenly sent funds to the scammers due to phishing attempts. Furthermore, Coinbase is taking several steps to enhance security, including stricter identity verification, scam-awareness prompts, relocating support functions to a U.S.-based hub, and improving fraud monitoring and insider threat detection capabilities. This incident could potentially cost Coinbase between $180 million and $400 million for remediation and customer reimbursement. Recommended read:
References :
Lawrence Abrams@BleepingComputer
//
Ryan Kramer, a 25-year-old from California, has pleaded guilty to two criminal charges related to a significant data breach at Disney. Kramer, operating under the alias "NullBulge," admitted to illegally accessing Disney's internal Slack channels and stealing over 1.1 terabytes of confidential data. The stolen data included internal communications, sensitive information, images, source code, and credentials. The breach led Disney to switch from Slack to Microsoft Teams following the incident, which impacted over 10,000 Slack channels.
He distributed a malicious program, disguised as an AI-powered image generation tool, on platforms like GitHub. This program contained a backdoor that allowed him to access the computers of those who downloaded and executed it. According to prosecutors, a Disney employee fell victim to this poisoned project between April and May of 2024, inadvertently granting Kramer access to their network and online credentials. This initial breach then allowed Kramer to move laterally within Disney's systems, compromising various platforms and confidential data storage areas. Armed with the stolen data, Kramer, falsely claiming affiliation with the Russian hacking group NullBulge, attempted to extort the victim. When the victim did not respond, Kramer proceeded to release their personal information, including bank, medical, and other sensitive details, across multiple platforms. While Kramer awaits sentencing, he faces a maximum of five years in federal prison for each felony count of accessing a computer to obtain information and threatening to damage a protected computer. The FBI is also investigating the extent to which data from at least two other victims who downloaded Kramer's malicious GitHub project may have been compromised. Recommended read:
References :
Pierluigi Paganini@Security Affairs
//
Jeffrey Bowie, the CEO of cybersecurity firm Veritaco, has been arrested and charged with two counts of violating Oklahoma's Computer Crimes Act. The charges stem from an incident on August 6, 2024, where Bowie allegedly installed malware on employee computers at St. Anthony Hospital in Oklahoma City. Security footage captured Bowie accessing multiple offices within the hospital before installing the malicious software, which was designed to capture screenshots every 20 minutes and transmit them to an external IP address.
Following the discovery of the unauthorized installation by a vigilant hospital employee, St. Anthony Hospital conducted a forensic review confirming the presence of malware. When confronted, Bowie claimed he needed to use the computer for a family member undergoing surgery, but authorities found his explanation unconvincing. SSM Health, the hospital's parent organization, issued a statement assuring the public that immediate action was taken and that no patient information was compromised due to the security measures in place. The hospital has since increased monitoring and employee training to further protect their systems. Bowie's arrest has sent shockwaves through the cybersecurity community, particularly given his position as the head of a firm specializing in protecting businesses from cyber threats. Veritaco, described on Bowie's LinkedIn profile as a company focused on "cybersecurity, digital forensics, and private intelligence," employed between two and ten individuals. The incident underscores the potential for insider threats, even from individuals entrusted with security responsibilities, and has led to renewed calls for robust internal controls and employee vigilance. Recommended read:
References :
|