In-brief: A crippling cyber attack that could damage and destroy equipment needed to keep the lights on in major US cities is already possible. The only thing that’s lacking is a motive to carry out such an attack, according to our guest on this week’s podcast: Joe Weiss, a Managing Partner at Applied Control Solutions, LLC and a persistent, if lonely, voice calling for an overhaul of cyber security for the U.S. electric grid.
In-brief: the Petya outbreak has prompted a string of profit and earnings warnings from major firms, with more likely in the days and weeks ahead, as companies struggle to regain their footing after the damaging wiper attack.
In-brief: In the hours before the Petya malware began circulating, two high level Trump Administration officials called for a tougher stand against online actors who sow chaos. The question now is how the Administration will react.
In-brief: On Tuesday, a ransomware infection spread across Europe and even affected companies and systems as far away as the United States and Brazil. Iain Thomson at The Register breaks down the malware used in the attack, dubbed NotPetya because it disguises itself as the Petya ransomware, although in the end it seems it was designed to wreak havoc, not collect money.
Fast spreading ransomware dubbed Petya has crippled parts of Ukraine and hit companies in The Netherlands, France, Russia and Spain. It appears to be spreading using a combination of software exploit and stolen passwords.
