CloudCast Cybersecurity Headlines for December 4, 2024
From the CloudCast Studios at Skyhigh Security, I’m your host Scott Schlee and these are your Cybersecurity Headlines for the week of Wednesday, December 4, 2024. Headlines this week: The White House Struggles to Contain Massive Chinese Telco Hacks Americans to Receive Up to $5,000 from $1.6 Million Data Breach Settlement New York State Fines Geico and Travelers $11.3 Million for Data Breaches Britain Now Worse at Dealing with Cyberattackers, GCHQ Says CrowdStrike Raises Annual Forecast on Steady Cybersecurity Demand Google Chrome Users Warned to Avoid Scam Websites Smartphone Users Urged to Delete 15 Malicious 'SpyLoan' Apps Netflix Subscribers Targeted by Phishing Scam Interpol takes down over 1,000 cybercrime suspects in Africa Thank you for listening to Skyhigh CloudCast. If you’ve enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe on your favorite podcast platform so you never miss an update. If you like the show, please leave us a review. It helps others find the podcast. For more information about Skyhigh Security or CloudCast, please visit skyhighsecurity.com. Sources: Politico · The Sun · Wall Street Journal · The Times · Reuters · New York Post · New York Post · New York Post · Reuters · AP News ----------- CloudCast is hosted by Skyhigh Security’s very own Digital Experience Manager, Scott Schlee. Scott’s engaging demeanor and wit, backed by over 20 years in digital media production and web development, has led to successful collaborations with top-tier brands. His experience includes hosting and producing a wide range of podcasts and videos. Scott has been recognized for his outstanding work, including an award-winning digital short and a Webby Awards nomination for Viral Marketing (Branded). Beyond his professional achievements, Scott’s personal journey as a decade-long pancreatic cancer survivor has led him to share his story with the U.S. Congress and other organizations as an advocate for increased cancer research funding. Transcript From the Skyhigh Studios at Skyhigh Security, I’m Scott Schlee, it’s Wednesday, December 4th, 2024, and these are your cybersecurity headlines. President Joe Biden's administration is intensively addressing breaches of multiple U.S. telecommunications providers by the China-backed hacking group, Salt Typhoon. Despite daily meetings of a special White House response group and collaboration with affected telecoms, the hackers remain entrenched, leaving many Americans vulnerable to surveillance. The intrusion, which began in the spring and was publicly acknowledged in October, has targeted high-profile individuals and accessed extensive communications data. The administration emphasizes the need for collaboration between telecoms, cybersecurity firms, and international partners to mitigate further damage and suggests that new security mandates may be necessary to prevent future breaches. Individuals affected by a data breach at Hilb Group can claim up to $5,000 from a $1.6 million settlement by providing proof of losses, such as receipts. The breach, occurring between December 1, 2022, and January 12, 2023, exposed sensitive information, including Social Security numbers and financial data. Hilb Group denies wrongdoing but agreed to the settlement. Claimants must file by December 13, 2024. New York State imposed fines totaling $11.3 million on auto insurers Geico and Travelers Indemnity for cybersecurity lapses that led to data breaches affecting 120,000 individuals during the COVID-19 pandemic. Hackers accessed Geico's online quoting tool, stealing personal data of approximately 116,000 people starting in 2020. In a separate incident, hackers infiltrated Travelers' quoting tool,
