Marcel Brown:  November 19th, 2006. Nintendo releases the Wii game console to compete with the Sony PlayStation 3 and Microsoft Xbox 360. By foregoing raw computing power for increased player interaction, utilizing the innovative motion-sensitive “Wiimote” controller, the Wii defied expectations and became the best selling 7th generation game console.

Edwin Kwan: Australia’s first cybersecurity coordinator has been recalled to Defence after just four months into the role. The two-star general was working on delivering on the Home Affairs and Cybersecurity Minister’s commitment to building a more coordinated approach to preparing for and managing the consequences of cybersecurity incidents.

Katy Craig: A new breed of cybercrime has emerged targeting teen boys. Law enforcement and child protection experts describe a growing wave of online predators targeting teens through a sophisticated nude-photo scam. These new scammers focus mostly on monetary gain.

Hillary Coover: The US Securities and Exchange Commission, SEC, has charged SolarWinds Corporation and its Chief Information Security Officer, Timothy G. Brown, with misleading investors about significant cybersecurity vulnerabilities. The SEC’s complaint highlights instances where Brown and other employees were aware of, but failed to adequately address vulnerabilities in SolarWinds’ systems.

 

The Stories Behind the Cybersecurity Headlines

 

Edwin Kwan
Australia’s First Cybersecurity Coordinator Recalled

Australia’s first cybersecurity coordinator has been recalled to Defence after just four months into the role.

This is Edwin Kwan from Sydney, Australia.

Air Commander Darren Goldie from the Royal Australian Air Force is Australia’s first cybersecurity coordinator and is responsible for synchronizing multiple Commonwealth agencies responses and protections against cyber incidents.

The two-star general was working on delivering on the Home Affairs and Cybersecurity Minister’s commitment to building a more coordinated approach to preparing for and managing the consequences of cybersecurity incidents. He’s just four months into the role and has been recalled by Defence to deal with an unspecified workplace matter related to his time in Defence. The statement said that the two-star general is currently on leave and that while the matter is under consideration, it would be inappropriate to comment further. The Home Affairs Minister said that the department’s Deputy Secretary of Cyber and Infrastructure Security, Hamish Hansford, will act as coordinator in the interim.

This recall has come at a time when the government is preparing to release a long-awaited revamp of its cybersecurity strategy.

Resources
– Gov.AU: https://www.defence.gov.au/news-events/releases/2023-11-15/statement-national-cyber-security-coordinator
– Gov.AU: https://minister.homeaffairs.gov.au/ClareONeil/Pages/national-cyber-security-coordinator.aspx
– IR News: https://www.itnews.com.au/news/australias-cyber-security-coordinator-recalled-after-four-months-602374

 

Katy Craig
SEC Sues SolarWinds for Misleading Investors

The US Securities and Exchange Commission, SEC, has charged SolarWinds Corporation and its Chief Information Security Officer, Timothy G. Brown, with misleading investors about significant cybersecurity vulnerabilities. From their 2018 Initial Public Offering to the 2020 revelation of the SUNBURST cyber attack, the company is accused of understating known risks while presenting a false image of robust cybersecurity measures.

This is Katy Craig in San Diego, California.

Internal reports from 2018 and 2019, including presentations by Brown, acknowledged critical security weaknesses, contradicting public assurances. The SEC’s complaint highlights instances where Brown and other employees were aware of, but failed to adequately address vulnerabilities in SolarWinds’ systems.

This neglect led to an incomplete disclosure about the SUNBURST attack in December 2020, resulting in a significant drop in SolarWinds’ stock price. The SEC seeks injunctive relief, penalties, and a ban on Brown holding officer or director positions, emphasizing the necessity of honest communication about cybersecurity risks in protecting investor interests and digital assets.

This is Katy Craig. Stay safe out there.

Resources
– NYTimes: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/11/18/business/dealbook/solarwinds-sec-lawsuit.html
– SEC: https://www.sec.gov/news/press-release/2023-227

 

Hillary Coover
A New Breed of Cybercrime Targeting Teenage Boys

Are your kids on Snapchat? Probably. A new breed of cybercrime has emerged targeting teen boys.

Hi, this is Hillary Coover in Washington, DC.

Law enforcement and child protection experts describe a growing wave of online predators targeting teens through a sophisticated nude-photo scam. Previously, online sextortion mainly involved pedophiles, but these new scammers focus mostly on monetary gain. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children has seen a significant rise in reports, from fewer than 10 cases three years ago, to over 12,500 this year.

Scammers typically pose as teen girls, befriend boys online, share explicit photos, and demand nude photos in return. Once the victim complies, the scammer demands money through peer-to-peer payment apps, threatening to expose the photos to social media if not paid. Boys, easily lured, face emotional distress with some tragic cases resulting in suicides.

The issue extends internationally with scammers often based in West Africa, beyond US legal jurisdiction. However, some arrests have been made, highlighting the need for awareness and preventative measures.

In the case of an incident, parents should stay calm, explain the situation to the child, and avoid paying extortionists. Instead, report the incident to tech companies and organizations like the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, which can coordinate with law enforcement and remove explicit content from online platforms. Teenagers can also use the “Take It Down” program to anonymously report explicit photos, creating a digital fingerprint for removal without compromising privacy.

Overall, proactive measures in education are crucial for combating this alarming trend. A link to the article with details on what to do if your teen falls for this scam is in the show notes.

Resources
– WSJ: https://www.wsj.com/tech/personal-tech/teen-boys-are-falling-for-a-snapchat-nude-photo-scam-heres-how-to-avoid-it-97a830c8

 

Marcel Brown
This Day, November 20, in Tech History

This is Marcel Brown coming at you with some technology history for November 19th and 20th.

November 19th, 2006. Nintendo releases the Wii game console to compete with the Sony PlayStation 3 and Microsoft Xbox 360. By foregoing raw computing power for increased player interaction, utilizing the innovative motion-sensitive “Wiimote” controller, the Wii defied expectations and became the best selling 7th generation game console.

November 19, 2007. Amazon introduces their Kindle e-book reader. Where other companies had released e-book readers in previous years with limited success, the Kindle’s integration with Amazon’s industry-leading book distribution system helped catapult the e-reader into the mainstream consciousness. The Kindle sold out within five hours of its debut.

November 20th, 1985. Two years after initially being announced, Microsoft finally ships the first version of Windows. Originally slated to be shipped in April of 1984, the long delay caused skeptics to begin to accuse Windows of being “vaporware.” Due to the relatively high demands of the then-current PC technology, Windows 1.0 was generally considered too slow to be usable. It wasn’t until Windows 3 that the operating system began to generate significant sales.

That’s your technology history for today. For more, tune in tomorrow and visit my website, thisdayintechhistory.com.

Resources
– https://thisdayintechhistory.com/11/20