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Thrive Capital, Microsoft, SoftBank, Nvidia Reportedly Lead OpenAI's Latest Funding
OpenAI’s new $6.6 billion round of funding has nearly doubled its valuation to $157 billion. With investments from Thrive Capital, Microsoft, SoftBank and Nvidia, OpenAI plans to expand its AI research while facing pressures around executive turnover and its transition away from a nonprofit model.

Justice Department Releases Cybercrime Plan, Focusing on Global Partnerships
The United States Justice Department is coordinating its cybercrime defense mission under a new strategic approach released Wednesday that aims to enhance the collection of electronic evidence, bolster international collaboration and focus on disrupting significant cybercrime actors.

Counter Ransomware Group Focuses on Timely Reporting, Avoiding Paying the Ransom
New voluntary ransomware guidance released during the International Counter Ransomware Initiative meeting this week calls for victims to report attacks to law enforcement on a more timely basis - and involve more advisors in deciding whether to pay a ransom.

"Shark Tank" Star on Decision to Leave Cyderes CEO Post and Future of Cybersecurity
Robert Herjavec, outgoing CEO of Cyderes, details why he stepped down and how cybersecurity has evolved over his tenure. From identity management to the compliance role, Herjavec explains how managed services can address today’s cyber challenges and why Chris Schueler was picked as his successor.

Attackers Embrace Dating Sites and Encrypted Messaging Apps for Social Engineering
Russian military and intelligence hacking teams continue to refine their Ukrainian targeting, lately shifting to online attacks designed to support and help Moscow's military operations succeed, including social engineering schemes launched via dating portals and encrypted messaging apps.

Nearby College's Health Sciences Center Is Also Experiencing an IT Outage
University Medical Center, a Lubbock, Texas-based public health system that includes a level-one trauma center and a children's hospital, is diverting ambulances and working to restore an IT outage affecting some patient services in the wake of a ransomware attack late last week.

International Counter Ransomware Initiative to Unveil New Efforts to Combat Threats
The International Counter Ransomware Initiative is kicking off a four-day summit Monday in Washington that aims to coordinate the group’s 68 member nations around a series of global efforts designed to enhance information sharing and develop strategies to deter ransomware attacks.

Newsom Says Bill Not 'Flexible' Solution to Curb Catastrophic Risks
California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Sunday vetoed a hotly-debated AI safety bill that would have pushed developers to implement measures to prevent "critical harms." The bill "falls short of providing a flexible, comprehensive solution to curbing the potential catastrophic risks," Newsom said.

Senate Bill Would Mean Cyber Funding for Hospitals, Prison Time for Lying CEOs
Two U.S. senators are proposing stricter cyber mandates for the healthcare sector. The bill provides funding to help hospitals adopt enhanced requirements, but lifts HIPAA enforcement fine caps and threatens executives with prison time for falsely attesting their organizations' compliance in audits.

Feds: 3 Defendants Acted on Behalf of Iran’s Military to Interfere With US Election
The United States indicted three Iranian hackers, alleging they stole sensitive data from government officials and the campaign of President Donald Trump. The hackers reportedly worked with the Iranian Revolutionary Guard to spread disinformation and manipulate the 2024 U.S. elections.

Exploitation Requires Victim to Print On Rogue Printer
Attackers can exploit a series of vulnerabilities in the OpenPrinting Common Unix Printing System utility to remotely execute arbitrary code on certain machines. Major Linux distributions reacted Friday by releasing patches. Exploitation requires a victim to attempt to print from a malicious device.

Fine Is For 2019 Disclosure That Meta Stored User Passwords In Plaintext
The Irish data regulator fined social media giant Meta 91 million euros after an investigation found the company insecurely stored passwords of millions of European Facebook and Instagram users. A Meta spokesperson said the company identified the problem in 2019 and took "immediate action."

Google Says Rust Language Initiative Eliminates Cross-Site Scripting, Other Flaws
Google says switching to a memory-safe language such as Rust under its Safe Coding program has helped significantly reduce the number of vulnerabilities in Android systems. The number of vulnerabilities uncovered in Android devices has fallen from over 200 in 2019 to fewer than 50 by 2024.

Also: Ransomware Surged in 2023, MoneyGram Back in Service After Cyberattack
This week, advice on spotting North Korean staff; ransomware attacks rose; MoneyGram back online; FCC fined political operative; CISA warned of water system attacks; Ukraine restricted Telegram use; North Korean hackers used new malware; U.K. arrested alleged hacker; PSNI is in data leak talks.

Draft Guidelines Call for Longer, Randomized Passwords Instead of Memorized Phrases
The National Institute of Standards and Technology is calling for longer, randomized passwords instead of memorized phrases containing combinations of upper and lowercase letters in new guidance that aims to modernize current password practices across the public and private sectors.

Featurespace's AI Expertise Will Enhance Visa's Fraud, Risk and Payments Technology
Visa has signed a definitive agreement to acquire AI-driven fraud prevention leader Featurespace. This acquisition will reinforce Visa's fraud detection capabilities, integrating advanced machine learning technology to strengthen financial crime prevention and protect global transactions.

Survey Finds 37% of Providers Take Over a Month to Recover From Ransomware
Ransomware attacks are declining across many sectors - but not in healthcare, where an ongoing surge is reaching a four-year high in incidents, according to new research from security firm Sophos, which surveyed 5,000 IT leaders across 15 sectors and 14 countries between January and February.

How Curiosity and Gamification Drive Cybersecurity Excellence
Curiosity is one of the most important traits for success in cybersecurity. Professionals in this field regularly face complex problems that require an inquisitive mind, and gamified, hands-on learning is one of the best ways to develop an inquisitive mindset.

How to Safeguard Critical Infrastructure
Neglecting network security can lead to serious consequences for organizations. Here are the essential practices for managing network security, along with real-world examples that reinforce the importance of comprehensive protection. The time to secure your network is now - before it's too late.

Meta, Apple, Mistral, Nvidia Not Among AI Pact's Signatories
More than 100 tech companies including OpenAI, Microsoft and Amazon on Wednesday made voluntary commitments to conduct trustworthy and safe development of artificial intelligence in the European Union, with a few notable exceptions, including Meta, Apple, Nvidia and Mistral.