Chinese Router Controversy, Toyota Data Breach, Iran’s Trump Involvement
Are you feeling too overwhelmed because of the increasing incidents of cyberattacks? If yes, then we have the perfect solution for you- cyber education. With our weekly dose of cybernews, we aim to enlighten our audience and keep them updated about the Hows, Whats and Whys of cybercrime. Staying up to date about these cyber incidents will help you prevent any kind of attack and scam.
In this edition, you will learn about a shocking data breach worth 240 GB at Toyota. Also, we will talk about Iran’s involvement in the Trump campaign hack. Also, the US Congress has been extremely unhappy with a Chinese router company.
Let’s get started with our weekly cyber bulletin!
Chinese Wifi router draws flak from 2 US Congressmen!
Two Congressional representatives are highly dissatisfied with the Chinese Wi-Fi routers manufactured by TP-Link Technologies, the world’s largest Wi-Fi router manufacturer. They have demanded a thorough investigation by the US Commerce Department in this case. Rep. John Moolenaar and Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi want the authority to investigate and verify the scope of the threat.
TP-Link Wi-Fi routers are made in China, and that’s exactly why the US Congress is concerned. They believe that these PRC-made Wi-Fi routers make it convenient for state-sponsored threat actors to make the most out of these routers and intrude on the US security systems. Also, TP-Link is required to submit sensitive data to PRC intelligence officials. All these add up to the suspicion of US Congress.
The two Congressmen are looking forward to a detailed threat assessment as well as an immediate mitigation plan by the month’s end.
Shocking data breach at Toyota- 240GB worth of data got stolen!
Toyota has acknowledged the data breach that compromised 240 GB worth of employee and customer data. ZeroSevenGroup has taken responsibility for the data breach. They claimed to have gained access to a US-based branch of Toyota and extracted data worth 240 GB.
This data includes the personal information and details of customer and employee records, network infrastructure data, financial records, and so much more. ZeroSevenGroup has mentioned the ADRecon tool’s involvement in gathering passwords and other sensitive details.
Toyota has not yet shared the exact date for the data breach. However, experts believe that the data breach took place around December 2022. As per the investigation timeline, it is highly likely that the hacker accessed a backup server where Toyota stored all the vital employee and customer data.
A spokesperson from Toyota said that the automobile company was completely aware of the data breach. Also, they believe that the attack is not that widespread and is still under control. Toyota is taking necessary steps to mitigate the crisis. Later, Toyota stated that a third-party entity, and not its North American branch, was attacked by the hacker. However, the automobile company has maintained radio silence when asked about the third-party entity.
The US Intelligence claims Iran’s involvement in the Trump campaign!
The FBI has confirmed Iran’s involvement in former President Donald Trump’s campaign. Roger Stone, Donald Trump’s advisor, recently reported that his email got hacked. The hacker infiltrated Stone’s account and impersonated Stone to dismantle Trump’s entire presidential campaign.
Iran’s aggressive attempts to disrupt the upcoming US elections, plus the thorough investigation by the FBI, have hinted towards Iran’s involvement in this recent cyberattack.
The Feds believe that Iran-based threat actors have managed to gain access to individuals who are closely associated with the presidential campaigns. Iran’s involvement in the cyberattack does not come as a surprise, as Google and Microsoft have also hinted at it in their individual research.
Experts believe that Iran will continue to attempt cyberattacks in order to disrupt the US elections. Federals still remember Russia’s attacks in the Presidential elections in 2016 and want to stop Iran from doing the same in 2024. Their current priority is to protect the integrity of the US elections from any kind of foreign influence and interference. Also, the Federals are working closely with both public and private sectors to gather vital information, enhance security, intercept and eliminate any kind of threat.
Experts believe that Iran-based threat actors will leverage artificial intelligence to facilitate these cyberattacks in the 2024 US elections.
Authorities are amping up their security systems by using proven tactics. Experts have suggested using strong passwords that are hard to crack. Also, members have been instructed to use only official email accounts. Apart from these, it has also been advised to avoid clicking on malicious links and downloading suspicious attachments.
In addition to staying informed on cyber threats, it’s crucial to implement security measures like SPF, DKIM, and DMARC to protect your email systems from phishing and spoofing attacks, ensuring that your communications remain secure and trusted. Experts believe that the ultimate goal should be to enhance the security setup and facilitate a seamless election campaign to uphold the integrity of democracy.
