Payment fraud is going mainstream, and anyone with an internet connection can join in.

You can begin intelligence-driven investigation and evaluation much earlier without needing network access or information sharing.

Astrix Security, an Israeli cybersecurity startup that provides access management for third-party app integrations, has emerged from stealth with $15 million in funding. The startup was co-founded in 2021 by CEO Alon Jackson and CTO Idan Gour, both former members of Israel’s famed intelligence division Unit 8200, to help organizations monitor and control the complex […]

Threat intelligence company Recorded Future is launching a $20 million fund for early-stage startups developing novel data intelligence tools. The Intelligence Fund will provide seed and Series A funding to startups that already have venture capital funding, Recorded Future says, as well as equip them with resources to help with the development and integration of intelligence […]

Cygilant, a threat detection cybersecurity company, has confirmed a ransomware attack.

Christina Lattuca, Cygilant’s chief financial officer, said in a statement that the company was “aware of a ransomware attack impacting a portion of Cygilant’s technology environment.”

“Our Cyber Defense and Response Center team took immediate and decisive action to stop the progression of the attack. We are working closely with third-party forensic investigators and law enforcement to understand the full nature and impact of the attack. Cygilant is committed to the ongoing security of our network and to continuously strengthening all aspects of our security program,” the statement said.

Cygilant is believed to be the latest victim of NetWalker, a ransomware-as-a-service group, which lets threat groups rent access to its infrastructure to launch their own attacks, according to Brett Callow, a ransomware expert and threat analyst at security firm Emsisoft.

The file-encrypting malware itself not only scrambles a victim’s files but also exfiltrates the data to the hacker’s servers. The hackers typically threaten to publish the victim’s files if the ransom isn’t paid.

A site on the dark web associated with the NetWalker ransomware group posted screenshots of internal network files and directories believed to be associated with Cygilant.

Cygilant did not say if it paid the ransom. But at the time of writing, the dark web listing with Cygilant’s data had disappeared.

“Groups permanently delist companies when they’ve paid or, in some cases, temporarily delist them once they’ve agreed to come to the negotiating table,” said Callow. “NetWalker has temporarily delisted pending negotiations in at least one other case.”

Cyber threat startup Cygilant hit by ransomware by Zack Whittaker originally published on TechCrunch

It was a busy week in security.

Newly released documents shown exclusively to TechCrunch show that U.S. immigration authorities used a controversial cell phone snooping technology known as a “stingray” hundreds of times in the past three years. Also, if you haven’t updated your Android phone in a while, now would be a good time to check. That’s because a brand-new security vulnerability was found — and patched. The bug, if exploited, could let a malicious app trick a user into thinking they’re using a legitimate app that can be used to steal passwords.

Here’s more from the week.

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THE BIG PICTURE

Every iPhone now has a working jailbreak

Decrypted: iOS 13.5 jailbreak, FBI slams Apple, VCs talk cybersecurity by Zack Whittaker originally published on TechCrunch