Attack

Cobo and Bitmap Tech Join Forces to Establish Merlin Chain, a Bitcoin Layer 2 Network with MPC Custody Technology

Retrieved on: 
Friday, February 2, 2024

SINGAPORE, Feb. 02, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Cobo, a leading provider of digital asset custody solutions, has announced a strategic partnership with Merlin Chain, an innovative Bitcoin Layer 2 solution.

Key Points: 
  • Merlin Chain is a subsidiary product line from Bitmap Tech (formerly RCSV), a premier team boasting an overall market cap exceeding $500 million.
  • Merlin Chain will bridge multiple native assets from Bitcoin Layer 1 to Layer 2, utilizing Cobo’s cutting-edge MPC wallet solution - Cobo MPC Co-Managed Custody, to ensure all funds remain non-custodial and secure.
  • Cobo MPC Co-Managed Custody solution employs advanced Multi-Party Computation technology to implement a Threshold Signature Scheme.
  • Our pioneering Layer 2 solution, Merlin Chain, fueled by the power of Cobo’s MPC Co-managed Custody, is set to redefine user experience, security, and accessibility of the Bitcoin network.”

Global Ransomware Attacks Reach Record High for 2023, According to Corvus Insurance Q4 Ransomware Report

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, January 30, 2024

Corvus Insurance , the leading cyber underwriter powered by a proprietary AI-driven cyber risk platform, today released its Q4 2023 Ransomware Report.

Key Points: 
  • Corvus Insurance , the leading cyber underwriter powered by a proprietary AI-driven cyber risk platform, today released its Q4 2023 Ransomware Report.
  • Corvus Insurance closely monitored ransomware activity during 2023 and recognized early that attacks were occurring at a record-setting pace.
  • As a result of law enforcement’s actions, Q4 attacks dropped by 7 percent from Q3, with 1,278 victims observed on ransomware leak sites.
  • Corvus Insurance, Corvus London Markets, and Corvus Germany are the marketing names used to refer to Corvus Insurance Agency, LLC; Corvus Agency Limited; and Corvus Underwriting GmbH.

WPP Capital Markets Day 2024

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, January 30, 2024

Structural savings to deliver annualised net cost savings of c.£125m in 2025, with 40-50% of that saving expected to be achieved in 2024.

Key Points: 
  • Structural savings to deliver annualised net cost savings of c.£125m in 2025, with 40-50% of that saving expected to be achieved in 2024.
  • Previous medium-term targets, outlined at WPP’s Capital Markets Day in December 2020, were for 3-4% growth in revenue less pass-through costs including an M&A benefit of 0.5-1.0% annually; with a headline operating profit margin of 15.5-16.0%.
  • WPP will report 2023 results on February 22nd.
  • An ongoing annual investment of £250m in data and technology to support our AI strategy is included in our 2024 financial plans.

Microsoft Defender for Office 365 Delivers Powerful, Integrated Email Security

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, February 1, 2024

HOBOKEN, N.J., Feb. 1, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Messaging Architects, an eMazzanti Technologies Company and email solutions expert, warns that while email plays a critical role in business communication, it also opens the door for dangerous cyber threats.

Key Points: 
  • This informative article outlines capabilities of Microsoft Defender for Office 365 that users and organizations may not realize they have at their disposal.
  • Below are a few excerpts from the article, " Microsoft Defender for Office 365 Delivers Powerful, Integrated Email Security ."
  • "In addition to preventing and detecting attacks, Defender for Office 365 assists security teams with prioritizing and investigating possible threats.
  • Depending on their subscription, Microsoft 365 customers may already have Microsoft Defender for Office 365.

Kaspersky's ICS CERT predictions for 2024: ransomware rampage, cosmopolitical hacktivism, and beyond

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, January 31, 2024

The predictions highlight the persistence of ransomware threats, the rise of cosmopolitical hacktivism, an outlook on the state of "offensive cybersecurity", and the transformative shifts in logistics and transport threats.

Key Points: 
  • The predictions highlight the persistence of ransomware threats, the rise of cosmopolitical hacktivism, an outlook on the state of "offensive cybersecurity", and the transformative shifts in logistics and transport threats.
  • Looking back at 2023 , Kaspersky predicted the industrial cybersecurity landscape would continue to evolve, with several key trends emerging.
  • In addition to country-specific protest movements, the rise of cosmopolitical hacktivism is expected, driven by socio-cultural and macro-economic agendas such as eco-hacktivism.
  • ICS predictions are part of Kaspersky's Vertical Threat Predictions for 2024, one of the segments of the Kaspersky Security Bulletin , an annual series of predictions and analytical reports on key shifts in the cybersecurity world.

Perception Point Highlights Record ARR Year-End Results, Increasing Its Customer Base by 120%, Driven Significantly by Global Partnerships Expansion

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, January 31, 2024

TEL AVIV, Israel, Jan. 31, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Perception Point, a leading provider of advanced threat prevention across digital communication channels, announced today record year-on-year ARR growth for 2023 as it expanded its customer base by 120%. This surge in clientele was boosted by strategic partnerships worldwide, underscoring Perception Point's commitment to global expansion and continuous innovation to deliver advanced protection against today's and tomorrow's cyber threats.

Key Points: 
  • This surge in clientele was boosted by strategic partnerships worldwide, underscoring Perception Point's commitment to global expansion and continuous innovation to deliver advanced protection against today's and tomorrow's cyber threats.
  • Perception Point is at the forefront of preventing modern and emerging threats as the user's workspace continues to evolve.
  • "Organizations' users are faced with increasingly advanced attacks, spanning the modern workspace and its expanding attack surface," said Yoram Salinger, CEO of Perception Point.
  • KuppingerCole ranked Perception Point as an overall leader in the email security market in its Leadership Compass Report for Email Security , highlighting the company's innovation and product leadership.

Drone attack on American troops risks widening Middle East conflict – and drawing in Iran-US tensions

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, January 30, 2024

A drone attack that killed three American troops and wounded at least 34 more at a base in Jordan has increased fears of a widening conflict in the Middle East – and the possibility that the U.S. may be further drawn into the fighting.

Key Points: 
  • A drone attack that killed three American troops and wounded at least 34 more at a base in Jordan has increased fears of a widening conflict in the Middle East – and the possibility that the U.S. may be further drawn into the fighting.
  • President Joe Biden vowed to respond to the assault, blaming Iran-backed militias for the first U.S. military casualties in months of such strikes in the region.
  • The Conversation turned to Sara Harmouch, an expert on asymmetric warfare and militant groups in the Middle East, to answer these and other questions.

What do we know about the group that claimed responsibility?

  • Al-Muqawama al-Islamiyah fi al-Iraq, which translates as the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, has claimed responsibility for the drone attack.
  • However, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq is not a single group per se.
  • Rather, it is a term used to describe an umbrella organization, which, since around 2020, has included various Iran-backed militias in the region.
  • This deliberate strategy hinders direct attribution and poses challenges for countries attempting to identify and retaliate against the precise culprits.

What do they hope to achieve in attacking a US target?

  • Since the beginning of the conflict in October 2023, Iranian-backed militias have repeatedly struck American military bases in Iraq and Syria, recently expanding their attacks to include northeastern Jordan near the Syrian border.
  • The attack in Jordan forms part of a strategy by Iranian-backed militias to counter Washington’s support for Israel in the Gaza conflict.
  • But it is also aimed at advancing a wider goal of pushing U.S. forces out of the Middle East entirely.

What role did Iran have in the attack?

  • But the Islamic Resistance in Iraq is known to be part of the networks of militia groups that Tehran supports.
  • Iran, through the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ Quds Force, has provided such militias with money, weapons and training.
  • By doing so, Iran maintains plausible deniability when it comes to attacks carried out by its proxies.

What options does the US have to respond?

  • The Biden administration faces complex dynamics when it comes to responding to attacks linked to Iranian-backed militias.
  • This strategy has been employed in the past, yet it has not significantly curbed Iran’s or its proxies’ aggressive actions.
  • The concern is that while such strikes are precise, they may not be enough to deter ongoing or future attacks.
  • The Biden administration’s need to balance a strong response with the geopolitical consequences highlights the difficulties of navigating a tense and evolving situation.

How might the attack affect the wider Middle East conflict?

  • How the U.S. responds could reshape the Middle East’s geopolitical landscape and influence the dynamics of proxy warfare in the region.
  • A strong military response from Washington might deter Iranian-backed militias from future attacks, but it could also provoke them into taking more aggressive actions.
  • In the short term, any U.S. retaliation – especially if it targets Iranian interests directly – could escalate tensions in the region.


Sara Harmouch does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

Marquette National Corporation Declares a Dividend of $0.28 per Share and Announces a New Common Stock Repurchase Program

Retrieved on: 
Monday, January 29, 2024

CHICAGO, Jan. 29, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Marquette National Corporation (OTCQX: MNAT) today announced that its Board of Directors declared a cash dividend of $0.28 per share.

Key Points: 
  • CHICAGO, Jan. 29, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Marquette National Corporation (OTCQX: MNAT) today announced that its Board of Directors declared a cash dividend of $0.28 per share.
  • The dividend will be payable on April 1, 2024 to shareholders of record on March 15, 2024.
  • The Company also announced that its Board of Directors authorized the repurchase of up to $1,000,000 of its outstanding common stock at prevailing market prices through open market or negotiated transactions.
  • Marquette National Corporation is a diversified bank holding company with total assets of approximately $2.14 billion.

Global Ethical Hacking Report: 83% of Ethical Hackers Experience AI-Driven Attacks

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, January 24, 2024

The EC-Council C|EH Threat Report 2024 is based on insights from 1,066 professionals across 112 countries from 14 different industries.

Key Points: 
  • The EC-Council C|EH Threat Report 2024 is based on insights from 1,066 professionals across 112 countries from 14 different industries.
  • Over 50% of the respondents have over a decade of experience in cybersecurity.
  • A substantial portion of attacks can be addressed within the first hour, yet merely 10% were resolved within this timeframe.
  • For a comprehensive overview of the EC-Council C|EH Threat Report 2024 and to access the full report, Click Here.

Cork Doubles Down on Providing Financial Protection to SMBs through the MSP Ecosystem

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, January 23, 2024

“Cork is laser-focused on our commitment to fix the broken cyber insurance market, and we firmly believe that MSPs should be a part of the solution,” said Carlson Choi, CEO, Cork.

Key Points: 
  • “Cork is laser-focused on our commitment to fix the broken cyber insurance market, and we firmly believe that MSPs should be a part of the solution,” said Carlson Choi, CEO, Cork.
  • The growing risk and cost associated with a cyberattack means more and more financial protection solutions are being developed to protect businesses.
  • “Often, financial protection solutions don't integrate with the SMB’s existing technology stack, making it harder to apply for and onboard.
  • Providing SMBs with instant funding relief and fast claim payouts in days rather than months, as with traditional cyber insurance providers.