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Author Topic: The biggest hacks & data breaches of 2020  (Read 3540 times)

kitz

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The biggest hacks & data breaches of 2020
« on: January 15, 2021, 05:30:18 PM »

The biggest hacks, data breaches of 2020

News article listing some of the largest data breach and hack attempts during 2020.
There's quite a lot that I wasn't aware of and didn't seem to hit the headlines, shows that hackers have been busy last year despite covid.

Quote
Many companies and organizations, too, have yet to practice reasonable security hygiene, and vulnerabilities pose a constant threat to corporate networks. As a result, we've seen a variety of cyberattacks this year, the worst of which we have documented below.

Names which may have escaped notice - many of whom contain millions of records -  include:
US IRS, Microsoft, Estee Lauder, Denmarks Tax Portal, UK Financial Conduct Authority, Clearview (AI facial recognition software) used by law enforcement agencies, GE, T-Mobile, Virgin Media, Marriott UK Home Office, Nintendo,  EasyJet, Mitsubishi, Amtrack, Claires, University of York, LG,Xerox, University of Utah, DoS attacks on Google, Manchester United, HMRC(UK tx office)   :(
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sevenlayermuddle

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Re: The biggest hacks & data breaches of 2020
« Reply #1 on: January 15, 2021, 10:29:06 PM »

 :(

Not strictly hacking as such, but it amazes me that on an average day I might have anything up to three or four people phoning up, trying to scam me.  Typically any combination of....

My washing machine warranty needs renewed.
My computer has a virus.
Somebody has just ordered an iPhone on my Amazon account.
Visa have found a suspicious transaction.
I could save money by switching energy supplier.

I still laugh it off, but what does the future hold?   Far brighter people than me have become vulnerable in old age.  The first time ‘Amazon’ (note quotes) called to discuss my prime renewal, I momentarily thought it was real, before the penny dropped. :-[

I know these are not data hacks as such.   But I’m betting a lot of data breaches begin with conning a human sucker.    :'(

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banger

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Re: The biggest hacks & data breaches of 2020
« Reply #2 on: January 16, 2021, 01:10:29 AM »

I didn't get any Amazon calls until filling in my phone number on Amazon, before it was blank, after a lot of Amazon nagging. Funny that.
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sevenlayermuddle

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Re: The biggest hacks & data breaches of 2020
« Reply #3 on: January 16, 2021, 10:05:09 AM »

I don’t think (?)  this one made it onto the zdnet list, but stumbled on it this morning in my daily trawl for things to worry about...

https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2021/01/hackers-alter-stolen-regulatory-data-to-sow-mistrust-in-covid-19-vaccine/

 :'(
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kitz

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Re: The biggest hacks & data breaches of 2020
« Reply #4 on: January 16, 2021, 01:41:44 PM »

I didn't get any Amazon calls until filling in my phone number on Amazon, before it was blank, after a lot of Amazon nagging. Funny that.

I'm pretty sure they originate from overseas and use random diallers.   

Amazon does not have my landline number, which is ex-directory and I seldom give that phone number out to any organisation other than medical. 
I've had lots of Amazon phishing calls to my landline, at first they were fairly obvious it was a scam, but the latest ones I've been getting have simply been saying something like "Your amazon prime of £x is due for renewal, please press 1 to speak to one of our agents".   They show up on my caller display as International number.   Must admit the first time I got one of those I did slightly think twice before realising that Amazon has my mobile no - not the landline. They are also not averse to calling outside the regulatory cold calling hours of 8am-9pm either.

My mother also gets a lot - drives me nuts because every time she will always ring me afterwards to check if she's done the right thing by putting the phone down.   This is despite the fact that I've put a yellow post it note by the phone of organisations who she is with and then underneath lists companies who she does not have anything with such as BT, Amazon, Barclays etc.    She seems to get a lot of scam calls and has never had anything to do with Amazon.   
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kitz

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Re: The biggest hacks & data breaches of 2020
« Reply #5 on: January 16, 2021, 01:52:20 PM »

I don’t think (?)  this one made it onto the zdnet list, but stumbled on it this morning in my daily trawl for things to worry about...

https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2021/01/hackers-alter-stolen-regulatory-data-to-sow-mistrust-in-covid-19-vaccine/

 :'(

Interesting, but sad to see that just about all the pharma known to be researching into a cure or vaccine have been subjected to hack attempts too even though they may not have been successful.    Reading the link you have me, there's a link in there for more info on the original breach at the EMA last year.    It appears that it may be Russian originated attack and they have changed the data and republished in a way to undermine trust in the vaccine.    :(
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Chrysalis

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Re: The biggest hacks & data breaches of 2020
« Reply #6 on: January 16, 2021, 02:06:45 PM »

I think virgin money have 'possibly' had a incident, they have closed down their web browser access completely, its app only now.
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Ronski

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Re: The biggest hacks & data breaches of 2020
« Reply #7 on: January 16, 2021, 04:26:58 PM »

I had an email some time ago saying that they will be tunring off the  Virgin Money online website.

The FAQ says

Quote
We’ll be switching off Online Service in January 2021. We want to give you the ability to manage your card whenever and wherever you want to. The Virgin Money Credit Card app gives you the ability to do this and will do so even more with the features we are adding over the coming months.

To me this give less functionality, and is less secure, I will have to use my phone to download my statements - which then gives a warning to be careful what I do with my statement, then I have to transfer my statement from my phone to my PC, a right pain. I want to sit in front of my PC, download my statement and once I've finished checking it I then encrypt it. Can't easily do that on my phone.

This I'm sure will cause a lot of problems for people who don't have a decent smart phone, or perhaps struggle to see things on a phone screen.

Do you think this is related to a hack?
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Chrysalis

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Re: The biggest hacks & data breaches of 2020
« Reply #8 on: January 16, 2021, 05:50:58 PM »

I agree ronski, I am thinking of using the app in a sandboxed android emulator.

I have never trusted using my phone for financial stuff.

I think there is a fair chance they have had a security incident yes, otherwise what would motivate them for the change as they know it will cause upset customers.
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sevenlayermuddle

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Re: The biggest hacks & data breaches of 2020
« Reply #9 on: January 16, 2021, 07:08:09 PM »

I suspect one major reason for a transition from websites to Apps is, it relieves the provider of the onerous task of ensuring their service works on the complex matrix of all browsers and all OS’s.

It also makes it easier for them to make changes without worrying about backwards compatibility as the App can just “demand” to be updated, whereas it’s harder for a website to “demand” that you update a browser.  In that regard, there might actually be a security win.

Yes, mandating an App inconveniences people, and specifically makes yours truly very grumpy, to the extent I might refuse use it.   But it’s the majorities that matter and a fair percentage of folks will simply read the blurb “We are doing this to improve services”,  and say “Wow, thanks, you’re great!”.
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kitz

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Re: The biggest hacks & data breaches of 2020
« Reply #10 on: January 17, 2021, 07:42:57 AM »

Quote
We’ll be switching off Online Service in January 2021. We want to give you the ability to manage your card whenever and wherever you want to. The Virgin Money Credit Card app gives you the ability to do this and will do so even more with the features we are adding over the coming months.


Ackk.   One thing I never do on my phone is banking.   In fact I don't like doing anything financial at all on my phone and always use the PC.     This has been a bit of an inconvenience though recently as I've spent a large part of the past 4m in hospital so I'm going to have to reconsider a few things.

Quote
I think there is a fair chance they have had a security incident yes, otherwise what would motivate them for the change as they know it will cause upset customers.

Dunno if you know, but Virgin Money were bought out about 2 years ago.... and as part of the merger have decided to ditch their own name and instead now just use the Virgin brand name.   
It was in one of the staff news bulletins last year that they felt their old name was too regionalised to appeal to customers in other parts of the country.  Apparently rebranding over to VMoney was going to cost somewhere in excess of £50m, but they proudly proclaimed this would be more than offset in staff redundancies  :'( 

iirc work was to commence late last year rebranding and merging the existing online systems into one,  which would be done a step at a time to reduce the likely-hood for errors.  It's a bit weird atm as some of my statements have VM on them, yet my staff account statements still have the old name and logo.  They keep nagging me to download the new VMoney app warning that the old one would be switched off in the next few months. I have been seeing quite a few notifications that online services would not be available during certain times (usually Sat nights through Sunday).  I haven't see any mention though about not being able to use it on the PC any more.   I wont be happy about that as I struggle on the smaller screen. 

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ETA

Just looked at my last email which says

Quote
There’s a new look Virgin Money app and online banking. We’ll let you know when it’s ready for you to use

There's also loads of notifications about various services as well as the longer weekend ones
eg
Monday to Friday
From midnight to 00:30am
Online applications will be unavailable between midnight - 00:30am.
Monday to Friday
From 7:00pm to 7:15pm
Online applications will be unavailable between 7pm - 7:15pm.
Monday to Friday
From 8:10pm to 8:25pm
Online applications will be unavailable between 8:10pm - 8:25pm.

Also just realised its only my CYBG accounts which are the ones which now have Virgin on the statements. Its also the CYBG 'B' account that theyve been nagging at me to get the new app.  My old YB accounts that Ive had since year dot and before even the CYBG came into existance that haven't yet changed.  So it looks like they are doing Clydesdale first?   


>>> Do you think this is related to a hack?

Can't rule it out, but more likely something to do with the merger.

   

« Last Edit: January 17, 2021, 08:25:21 AM by kitz »
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Chrysalis

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Re: The biggest hacks & data breaches of 2020
« Reply #11 on: January 18, 2021, 09:34:22 AM »

Interesting to learn that the company changed hands, same happened with MBNA. 
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