High-Profile Ransomware Attacks Highlight Risk to Everyday Activities

The recent spate of high-profile ransomware incidents is exactly what cybersecurity professionals have been warning about for years. But it’s partially the impact on everyday people — far from the executive suites, cybersecurity companies, or government agencies that regularly fret about the criminal enterprise — that has made the risk more visible.

Nigeria Suspends Twitter After Company Deletes President's Tweet

Nigeria's government said it was suspending Twitter indefinitely in Africa's most populous nation, a day after the company deleted a controversial tweet President Muhammadu Buhari made about a secessionist movement. It was not immediately clear when the suspension would go into effect as users could still access Twitter late Friday, and many said they would simply use VPNs to maintain access to the platform.

Chinese Social Media Startup Shut Down After Post About Tiananmen Square

A buzzy Chinese Instagram-like startup backed by the country’s two biggest technology giants had its domestic social-media account shut down amid an investigation by Beijing’s cyber watchdog into a post it shared on the anniversary of the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown, according to people familiar with the situation. Shanghai-based Xiaohongshu — which means “Little Red Book” in Chinese and is backed by Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. and Tencent Holdings Ltd. — wrote in a post on China’s Twitter -like Weibo platform on June 4, “Tell me loudly, what is the date today?”

EU, UK Launch New Antitrust Probes Against Facebook Over Ads

The European Union and the United Kingdom hit Facebook with new antitrust probes over the platform’s use of data from advertisers. The European Commission said in a statement that it was looking into whether Facebook violated competition rules by using data gathered from advertisers to compete with them in markets where Facebook is active — particularly classified ads.

Facebook Says Trump's Suspension to Last at Least Two Years

Facebook said that Donald J. Trump’s suspension from the service would last at least two years, keeping the former president off mainstream social media for the 2022 midterm elections, as the company also said it would end a policy of treating posts from politicians differently from those of other users. The social network said Mr. Trump would be eligible for reinstatement in January 2023, before the next presidential election.

U.S. Cybersecurity Adviser Urges Businesses to Increase Security Measures

The White House warned corporate executives and business leaders to step up security measures to protect against ransomware attacks after intrusions disrupted operations at a major meatpacking company and the biggest U.S. fuel pipeline. There has been a significant hike in the frequency and size of ransomware attacks, Anne Neuberger, cybersecurity adviser at the National Security Council, said in a letter.

Biden Executive Order Expands Ban on U.S. Investment in Chinese Companies

The Biden administration is expanding a Trump-era order that banned U.S. investment in Chinese companies that support China’s military to include those selling surveillance technology, calling the entities a threat to U.S. interests and values. A new executive order broadens prohibitions that Donald Trump’s administration enacted and moves authority for the ban to the Treasury Department from the Defense Department, to give it stronger legal grounding, senior administration officials said.

Apple Updates AirTags to Address Some Privacy Concerns

Apple said it's adjusting its approach to its AirTags sensors, changing the time they play an alert when separated from their owner, and also creating new ways to warn people an unexpected AirTag or Find My network-enabled device is nearby. The tech giant said it's begun sending out updates to its AirTags, changing the window of time they'll make noises when potentially being used to track another person.

  • Read the article: CNET

Google Removes Head of Diversity Strategy After Anti-Semitic Remarks

Google removed a senior member of its diversity team over anti-Semitic remarks in a 2007 blog post, marking the second time in a month that a big tech company has been forced to make a staffing change in the wake of public outcry over an executive’s previous writing. The subsidiary of Alphabet Inc. hired Kamau Bobb in 2018 as global lead of diversity strategy and research, a decade after he published a blog post titled “If I Were a Jew.”

Facebook to End Policy Shielding Politicians from Content Moderation Rules

Facebook plans to end its controversial policy that mostly shields politicians from the content moderation rules that apply to other users, a sharp reversal that could have global ramifications for how elected officials use the social network. The change comes after the Oversight Board — an independent group funded by Facebook to review its thorniest content rulings — affirmed its decision to suspend former President Donald Trump but critiqued the special treatment it gives politicians, stating that the “same rules should apply to all users.”

Justice Department to Elevate Investigations of Ransomware Attacks

The U.S. Department of Justice is elevating investigations of ransomware attacks to a similar priority as terrorism in the wake of the Colonial Pipeline hack and mounting damage caused by cyber criminals, a senior department official told Reuters. Internal guidance sent to U.S. attorney’s offices across the country said information about ransomware investigations in the field should be centrally coordinated with a recently created task force in Washington.

U.S. to Impose Tariffs on Five Countries in Technology Tax Dispute

The U.S. said it will impose tariffs on the U.K. and five other countries in response to their taxes on U.S. technology companies, but will suspend the levies for six months as it seeks to negotiate an international resolution. U.S. trade representative Katherine Tai said investigations determined that tariffs were justified because of digital-services taxes imposed on U.S. companies by the U.K., Austria, India, Italy, Spain and Turkey.

Amazon Reaches Agreement to License E-Books to Libraries

Amazon reached a deal to license its e-books to libraries nationwide shortly before a Maryland state bill became law that would force the e-commerce giant to make that material available to libraries in the state. “The fact that Amazon is working with libraries at all is to be celebrated. They've been holding out, and now they are. Are there things that could be better, yes,” Michael Blackwell, director of St. Mary’s County Library in Maryland, told The Hill.

Advocacy Group Wants Review of Facebook Actions Before Capitol Siege

A nonprofit advocacy group with close ties to President Joe Biden joined calls for Facebook to review whether its actions contributed to the spread of unfounded election fraud claims leading up to the Jan. 6 siege on the Capitol. Building Back Together, an outside coalition formed by top Biden allies and campaign advisers, urged Facebook in a letter reviewed by Politico to commit to an internal probe of the matter, something the company's oversight board recommended last month.

Massachusetts Ferry Service in Cape Cod Affected by Ransomware Attack

The Steamship Authority of Massachusetts ferry service fell victim to a ransomware attack, the latest cyber assault affecting logistics and services in the United States. The Steamship Authority is the largest ferry service offering daily fares from Cape Cod to neighboring islands Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard off the coast of Massachusetts, according to the company’s website.

  • Read the article: CNBC

Hacking Group Linked to Chinese Government Accessed MTA's Computers

A hacking group believed to have links to the Chinese government penetrated the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s computer systems in April, exposing vulnerabilities in a vast transportation network that carries millions of people every day, according to an M.T.A. document that outlined the breach. The hackers did not gain access to systems that control train cars and rider safety was not at risk, transit officials said, adding that the intrusion appeared to have done little, if any, damage.

U.S. Says Ransomware Attack on Meat Processor 'Likely Based in Russia'

A ransomware attack hitting the world’s largest meat processing company, JBS, was from a “criminal organization likely based in Russia,” the company has told the White House. “The White House is engaging directly with the Russian government on this matter and delivering the message that responsible states do not harbor ransomware criminals,” Karine Jean-Pierre, the White House principal deputy press secretary, said.

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The GigaLaw Firm helps companies of all sizes protect their brands online, using domain name dispute policies – such as the Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (UDRP) – and other legal tools available to copyright and trademark owners on the Internet.