Amid a surge in cryptocurrency investment - particularly across DeFi - blockchain experts warn that lax security was a main factor in $1.3 billion in cryptoassets being lost to hacks, exploits and scams in 2021. The losses, according to CertiK, rose from $500 million in 2020.
In the latest update, four ISMG editors discuss key cybersecurity issues, including myth busting from the founder of Zero Trust, the reason behind the surge in high-profile cryptocurrency scams in India and how ransomware attackers routinely lie about their inclinations, motivations and tactics.
The latest edition of the ISMG Security Report features an analysis of the recent surge in Russian cyber interference in Ukrainian government and civilian networks, the impact of China's privacy law, and the battle against cryptocurrency cybercrime.
Arbix Finance, a yield-farming protocol that runs on Binance Smart Chain, has reportedly siphoned user funds in what blockchain security firm CertiK labeled a "rug pull." This follows a Library of Congress report indicating that the number of nations banning cryptocurrency has doubled since 2018.
To crack down on the criminal use of cryptocurrency, including for ransomware, authorities are increasingly targeting "cryptocurrency businesses that do not have the compliance controls in place necessary to mitigate the risks of illicit activity," says Ari Redbord of TRM Labs.
A top U.S. Department of the Treasury official said financial regulators are prepared to extend existing authorities to rein in stablecoins, although Treasury officials hope instead that Congress will move on key legislation to regulate the space.
Cryptocurrency-using criminals continue to rely on services designed to launder their virtual currency to give them "clean coins" that are tougher for law enforcement to trace. Experts say such services are widely marketed on cybercrime forums, and sometimes provided directly to ransomware groups' affiliates.
Dutch police have detained Moscow businessman Denis Dubnikov after the U.S. accused him of receiving bitcoins worth $400,000 paid to Ryuk as ransoms by its victims. The U.S. is seeking to extradite the suspect, as the Biden administration's crackdown on ransomware continues.
The U.S. Department of the Treasury has blacklisted cryptocurrency exchange Chatex, along with a network of entities the department says support it, for allegedly facilitating ransomware-related financial transactions. This action effectively bars Americans from doing business with the company.
The U.S. deputy attorney general said this week that the nation is ramping up efforts to cripple ransomware operations and other cybercrime through arrests and seizures of ransom payments. The Biden administration has called ransomware a threat to national security and an economic threat.
A new report from the U.S. Treasury Department urges Congress to "act promptly" to issue legislation that brings additional oversight to stablecoins, or crypto tokens pegged to fiat currencies. Federal officials say regulation should match that of traditional financial institutions - as a way to mitigate investor,...
While overregulating the cryptocurrency space is not advisable, it is important for the Biden administration to look into the areas in which cryptocurrencies pose the greatest risks, says Nichole Dennis, director and government relations specialist with Cybercrime Support Network.
The U.S. Department of the Treasury unveiled additional steps to curb the illicit use of cryptocurrencies on Friday, warning enterprises not to engage with sanctioned entities exploiting the financial system - particularly to launder ransomware proceeds.
The latest edition of the ISMG Security Report features an analysis of the arrest of two suspects tied to a major ransomware group in Ukraine. Also featured: Introducing "The Ransomware Files" and defining the next-gen CISO.
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