Latest news with #Childs
Time of India
4 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Microsoft looking at ‘internal leak' after Chinese hackers exploit SharePoint flaw
Microsoft is reportedly investigating whether a leak within its Microsoft Active Protections Program (MAPP), an early alert system for cybersecurity companies, allowed alleged Chinese state-backed hackers to exploit vulnerabilities in its SharePoint service before patches were widely available. The development comes after a security fix released by the tech giant earlier this month reportedly failed to fully address a critical flaw in the server software, leading to widespread cyber espionage attempts. 'As part of our standard process, we'll review this incident, find areas to improve, and apply those improvements broadly,' a Microsoft spokesperson was quoted by Bloomberg as saying. Meanwhile, Microsoft told news agency Reuters that it continually evaluates 'the efficacy and security of all of our partner programs and makes the necessary improvements as needed.' How Microsoft SharePoint was hacked Last week, Microsoft acknowledged that at least two alleged Chinese hacking groups, identified as " Linen Typhoon " and " Violet Typhoon ," along with a third China-based entity, were actively exploiting these weaknesses. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like AirSense 11 – Smart tech for deep sleep ResMed Buy Now Undo The vulnerability in question was first publicly demonstrated in May by Dinh Ho Anh Khoa, a researcher with Vietnamese cybersecurity firm Viettel, at the Pwn2Own cybersecurity conference in Berlin. Khoa was awarded $100,000 for his discovery, prompting Microsoft to release an initial patch in July. However, members of the MAPP program had already been notified of these vulnerabilities on June 24, July 3, and July 7, according to Dustin Childs, head of threat awareness for Trend Micro's Zero Day Initiative, which organises Pwn2Own. Microsoft observed exploit attempts beginning July 7. Childs told Reuters that "the likeliest scenario is that someone in the MAPP program used that information to create the exploits." While the specific vendor responsible for a potential leak remains unclear, Childs speculated, "since many of the exploit attempts come from China, it seems reasonable to speculate it was a company in that region." Nvidia Makes History: First Company to Hit $4 Trillion Market Cap AI Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now
Indian Express
4 days ago
- Business
- Indian Express
Microsoft probing if Chinese hackers learned SharePoint flaws through alert: Reports
Microsoft is investigating whether a leak from its early alert system for cybersecurity companies allowed Chinese hackers to exploit flaws in its SharePoint service before they were patched, Bloomberg News reported on Friday. A security patch Microsoft released this month failed to fully fix a critical flaw in the U.S. tech giant's SharePoint server software, opening the door to a sweeping global cyber espionage effort. In a blog post on Tuesday, Microsoft said two allegedly Chinese hacking groups, dubbed 'Linen Typhoon' and 'Violet Typhoon,' were exploiting the weaknesses, along with a third, also based in China. The tech giant is probing if a leak from the Microsoft Active Protections Program (MAPP) led to the widespread exploitation of vulnerabilities in its SharePoint software globally over the past several days, the report said. Microsoft said in a statement provided to Reuters that the company continually evaluates 'the efficacy and security of all of our partner programs and makes the necessary improvements as needed.' A researcher with Vietnamese cybersecurity firm Viettel demonstrated the SharePoint vulnerability in May at the Pwn2Own cybersecurity conference in Berlin. The conference, put on by cybersecurity company Trend Micro's Zero Day Initiative, rewards researchers in the pursuit of ethically disclosing software vulnerabilities. The researcher, Dinh Ho Anh Khoa, was awarded $100,000 and Microsoft issued an initial patch for the vulnerability in July, but members of the MAPP program were notified of the vulnerabilities on June 24, July 3 and July 7, Dustin Childs, head of threat awareness for the Zero Day Initiative at Trend Micro, told Reuters Friday. Microsoft first observed exploit attempts on July 7, the company said in the Tuesday blog post. Childs told Reuters that 'the likeliest scenario is that someone in the MAPP program used that information to create the exploits.' It's not clear which vendor was responsible, Childs said, 'but since many of the exploit attempts come from China, it seems reasonable to speculate it was a company in that region.' It would not be the first time that a leak from the MAPP program led to a security breach. More than a decade ago, Microsoft accused a Chinese firm, Hangzhou DPTech Technologies Co., Ltd., of breaching its non-disclosure agreement and expelled it from the program. 'We recognize that there is the potential for vulnerability information to be misused,' Microsoft said in a 2012 blog post, around the time that information first leaked from the program. 'In order to limit this as much as possible, we have strong non-disclosure agreements (NDA) with our partners. Microsoft takes breaches of its NDAs very seriously.' Any confirmed leak from MAPP would be a blow to the program, which is meant to give cyber defenders the upper hand against hackers who race to parse Microsoft updates for clues on how to develop malicious software that can be used against still-vulnerable users. Launched in 2008, MAPP was meant to give trusted security vendors a head start against the hackers, for example, by supplying them with detailed technical information and, in some cases, 'proof of concept' software that mimics the operation of genuine malware.
Economic Times
4 days ago
- Business
- Economic Times
Microsoft probing if Chinese hackers learned SharePoint flaws through alert: Report
Reuters Microsoft is investigating whether a leak from its early alert system for cybersecurity companies allowed Chinese hackers to exploit flaws in its SharePoint service before they were patched, Bloomberg News reported on Friday. A security patch Microsoft released this month failed to fully fix a critical flaw in the U.S. tech giant's SharePoint server software, opening the door to a sweeping global cyber espionage effort. In a blog post on Tuesday, Microsoft said two allegedly Chinese hacking groups, dubbed "Linen Typhoon" and "Violet Typhoon," were exploiting the weaknesses, along with a third, also based in China. The tech giant is probing if a leak from the Microsoft Active Protections Program (MAPP) led to the widespread exploitation of vulnerabilities in its SharePoint software globally over the past several days, the report said. Microsoft said in a statement provided to Reuters that the company continually evaluates "the efficacy and security of all of our partner programs and makes the necessary improvements as needed." A researcher with Vietnamese cybersecurity firm Viettel demonstrated the SharePoint vulnerability in May at the Pwn2Own cybersecurity conference in Berlin. The conference, put on by cybersecurity company Trend Micro's Zero Day Initiative, rewards researchers in the pursuit of ethically disclosing software vulnerabilities. The researcher, Dinh Ho Anh Khoa, was awarded $100,000 and Microsoft issued an initial patch for the vulnerability in July, but members of the MAPP program were notified of the vulnerabilities on June 24, July 3 and July 7, Dustin Childs, head of threat awareness for the Zero Day Initiative at Trend Micro, told Reuters Friday. Microsoft first observed exploit attempts on July 7, the company said in the Tuesday blog post. Childs told Reuters that "the likeliest scenario is that someone in the MAPP program used that information to create the exploits." It's not clear which vendor was responsible, Childs said, "but since many of the exploit attempts come from China, it seems reasonable to speculate it was a company in that region." It would not be the first time that a leak from the MAPP program led to a security breach. More than a decade ago, Microsoft accused a Chinese firm, Hangzhou DPTech Technologies Co., Ltd., of breaching its non-disclosure agreement and expelled it from the program. "We recognize that there is the potential for vulnerability information to be misused," Microsoft said in a 2012 blog post, around the time that information first leaked from the program. "In order to limit this as much as possible, we have strong non-disclosure agreements (NDA) with our partners. Microsoft takes breaches of its NDAs very seriously." Any confirmed leak from MAPP would be a blow to the program, which is meant to give cyber defenders the upper hand against hackers who race to parse Microsoft updates for clues on how to develop malicious software that can be used against still-vulnerable users. Launched in 2008, MAPP was meant to give trusted security vendors a head start against the hackers, for example, by supplying them with detailed technical information and, in some cases, "proof of concept" software that mimics the operation of genuine malware. Elevate your knowledge and leadership skills at a cost cheaper than your daily tea. Paid less than plumbers? The real story of freshers' salaries at Infy, TCS. Can medicines inject the vitamins Amazon is missing? Can victims of Jane Street scam be compensated by investor protection funds? We prefer to have idle pilots than grounded planes: Akasa CFO on losses, funding hiccups, Boeing What if Tata Motors buys Iveco's truck unit? Will it propel or drag like JLR? How private ARCs are losing out to a govt-backed firm dealing in bad loans Stock picks of the week: 5 stocks with consistent score improvement and return potential of 13 to 45% in 1 year Short-term valuation headwinds? Yes. Long-term growth potential intact? Yes. Which 'Yes' is more relevant? F&O Radar| Deploy Bull Call Spread in Nifty to gain from a 'buy-on-dips' stance
Time Business News
20-07-2025
- Time Business News
The Shady Web of Ken Childs: How an LA Private Investigator Allegedly Enabled Terrorists, Corrupt Cops, and Crypto Crimes
But beneath that, the walls don't stay up forever. Some men hide behind a badge. Others prefer a license. In Los Angeles, that license belongs to Ken Childs, a private investigator with a business card that says 'Paramount Investigative Services.' But the tidy title doesn't square with what's surfacing in federal court records. The allegations surrounding Childs aren't just rumors whispered on the streets. They're woven into a criminal case already stacked with guilty pleas, dirty cops, and criminals with ties that stretch well beyond the county line. Childs' proximity to danger isn't just bad luck or a PI chasing the wrong leads. His alleged partners have faces and names already booked, convicted, and in some cases, on their way to federal prison. Adam Iza, once Ahmed Faiq, is the standout—prior robbery convictions, ties to ISIS, and now the centerpiece in an expansive investigation that pulled the rug out from under the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department. Next to Iza, you'll find Iris Au, his girlfriend, who's already pleaded guilty. There's Eric Chase Saavedra, too, a disgraced LASD deputy whose badge became his backstage pass to corruption along with other deputies. And who kept showing up before things got ugly? Allegedly, that would be Childs. The film Checkmate didn't come from nowhere. Reports like this one from TechBullion connect the dots between Hollywood dramatization and the real-world rot just beneath it. Childs appears in these reports as the 'supportive unit'—a man with a PI's license stationed near the crime but somehow never in the crosshairs. His reach didn't stop at ex-cops and terrorists either. Mir Islam, a name that sends up red flags in any conversation about the dark web, circles close to this orbit. Childs wasn't sloppy. He covered his tracks the professional way—contracts, service agreements, and, of course, insurance. Every surveillance mission was boxed up in paperwork, signed, sealed, and sanitized. On paper, just another job. Behind the curtain, according to investigators, a functional playbook for keeping his hands clean while others did the dirty work. Insurance wasn't just a business necessity—it was a shield. The sophistication didn't stop with legal gymnastics. The tools? Military-grade in nature. StingRay devices to spoof cell towers, tower dump requests that quietly traced a person's movements, and bogus warrants that tricked judges into opening doors that should've stayed shut. Spielberg. Robbie. Zelocchi. Not just names on a marquee—allegedly victims monitored like marks in a spy thriller, only no script, no director, just real lives pried open. And still, Childs is working on his exit strategy. Online, he plays the expert witness, the seasoned professional. Behind the scenes, he's shopping around Paramount Investigative Services. A conveniently timed press release talks up acquisition plans. If that feels like a man trying to cash out before the headlines get worse, it probably is. This is what makes men like Childs dangerous. Not the headline crimes—the surveillance, the tech, the shadowy clients—but the insulation. The paperwork. The plausible deniability. As his associates fold, he stays above water, license intact, image intact. TIME BUSINESS NEWS
Yahoo
07-07-2025
- General
- Yahoo
My husband asked me to change my last name to his when we got married. Years later, he apologized.
After getting engaged, I joked to my husband that we should both change our last names together. He didn't find it funny and really wanted me to take his last name. A few years ago, he apologized for suggesting that I take his name over mine. In the early days of our engagement, one of my favorite ways to tease my husband was to come up with new last names we could take when we got married. I would joke that rather than taking his last name, we could both go through the identity change together. We could start fresh with something cool, something that was just ours. But my future husband, whose extended family throws reunions that are essentially small festivals, didn't find it funny. It wasn't that I was emotionally tied to my previous last name. Saying and spelling "Childs" for the rest of my life was just easier than "Nieslanik". Not to mention, it feels weird to think of yourself as one person with one name for so many years, only to change that. My name was a fundamental part of who I was. To change it in my mid-thirties felt strange. Plus, there is the bureaucratic red tape that comes with changing your name. Birth certificate, driver's license, passport, and bills. Changing your name is like updating your entire identity one tedious form at a time. At the end of the day, though, I knew how much it would mean to my husband if I took his last name. And part of that was because I had already changed my name once. My last name when I met my husband wasn't the one I was born with. Ironically, in my late teens, I'd already gone through a name change after a short-lived first marriage. My maiden name had been a mouthful that people always messed up, so adopting a simpler one was a relief. Plus, no one in my immediate family shared my last name. My mom had given me her maiden name, but she remarried and took my stepfather's last name, as did my half-brother, whom they had together. I was the only one left with a hard name no one else seemed to want. The fact that I had changed my name before, no matter the reason, didn't sit well with my soon-to-be husband. If I had changed it before, he argued, why wouldn't I be willing to change it again? This time, for him. It felt like a personal slight, which I understood. Beyond that, my husband comes from a large, close-knit family who do all share the same last name. Every summer, they gather in the hundreds for a family reunion and have streets named after them in towns sprinkled across the Western Slope of Colorado. As an only child, he felt we needed to carry on the name for his family branch by having me take his name. He had a strong internal belief that members of the same family should have the same name. Although his family is relatively liberal, they shared the cultural expectation that a woman takes her husband's name when they marry. And he had some pride wrapped up in the idea that I would carry his name—that when people met us, they would know that we belonged together. Since I had no strong objections, I did end up changing my name, and I never really looked back. I used a service that helped me change all my accounts, IDs, and paperwork in one (mostly) easy go, so the hassle was more minimal than expected. Now, more than a decade later, I see several upsides to having changed my last name. For example, it's uncommon, so I rarely get confused with anyone else. As a writer, I find that beneficial. I like having the same last name as our children, and I'm glad I didn't have to think about whose name we should give them or if we should hyphenate. And I've realized that my last name has a lot of personality. If that means I have to spell it an extra time or two, the trade-off is now worth it in my opinion. A few years ago, my husband apologized to me for "making" me change my name. He mentioned how silly he thought his reasonings were now, that he understood having the same last name is kind of arbitrary. He pointed out that it affects literally no part of our lives together in a substantial way. My favorite realization that he mentioned was how our love is so much greater than a shared last name. Then, he asked if I'd like to change my name back. The thought of returning to the ease of "Childs" as a last name has its appeal, but I couldn't help but laugh. I have zero desire to go through that paperwork again. Not unless he wants to revisit that original idea of picking a brand-new name together. And he's willing to file the forms himself this time. Read the original article on Business Insider
