Latest news with #NationalCyberSecurityCentre
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
The simple security setting everyone should switch on to avoid being hacked
Online hacking, cyberattacks and fraud are booming, with research from Britain's National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) suggesting that 80% of fraud is now 'cyber-enabled'. But what can you do yourself to protect your devices and accounts from attacks? The protections on online accounts such as email and social media are often the only thing standing between people and a dangerous cyber attack – and these are often too weak to be effective Analysis by the NCSC of passwords leaked in previous data breaches (when criminals leak data online) found that 232 million accounts had used the password '123456', while the password 'Chelsea' was used 216,677 times and 'Liverpool' 280,723 times. The National Fraud Intelligence Bureau (NFIB) said that there was a 46% increase in offences referred by Action Fraud for the year ending 2024, due to rises in social media and email hacking offences and virus and hacking offences. So how can you stay safe from hackers? Setting up two-factor authentication, or 2FA – also known as multi-factor authentication, or MFA – on your accounts is an important first step, explains Darren Guccione, CEO and co-founder at Keeper Security. The UK's NCSC advises all individuals to use 2FA, particularly on important accounts such as banking and email. Indeed, research by Microsoft suggests that using 2FA can block 99.9% of 'account compromise' attacks where criminals steal passwords. Two-factor authentication is where you secure your account with another layer, such as having to receive a code via text message. This is significantly more secure than relying on a password alone, as it means that (for example) if your password is leaked, or someone guesses it, they still can't access your account. "2FA works by providing a critical second layer of security before someone can access an account," says Guccione. "This can be done through an authenticator app, SMS message, hardware security key or biometric verification (using facial scans, eye scans or fingerprints). These factors are often time-sensitive, losing validity after a set amount of time to ensure that they cannot be reused. "By reducing reliance on passwords alone, 2FA helps protect against phishing and other common cyber threats, making it a simple yet powerful tool for enhancing online security." Platforms such as email and social media will always offer an option to set up 2FA on accounts – look for it under Settings, Security or Privacy, says Guccione. It can work via either email, SMS or a dedicated app, so pick an option that will be easily accessible when you need to log in. 'Users may register their phone number or email address, which will receive an 2FA code when login is attempted, or link their account to an authenticator app to generate a code," he says. This means that users will receive a text or email to check who they are, or alternatively an alert where they may have to enter a code. This locks out attackers who may have access to someone's email, and thus deters many automated or mass attacks. It is much harder for cybercriminals to get into accounts protected with 2FA, Guccione explains, but not all 2FA methods are 100% secure. Text message codes are weaker than other protection methods, as criminals can sometimes intercept codes or create a SIM card with the same number by fooling phone network employees. "While 2FA offers an important layer of protection against credential theft and breaches, not all 2FA methods are equally secure – SMS-based codes can be intercepted by bad actors, so authentication apps offer stronger protection," says Guccione. It's still worth ensuring that all passwords are strong, secure and unique – particularly for your email account, as criminals can use this to reset other passwords. Guccione advises using a password manager app to store passwords, which makes it easier to use unique passwords for each account. And even if you use 2FA, stay alert, Guccione advises. "2FA alerts on a smartphone can serve as a critical warning sign that your account's credentials have been compromised, providing an opportunity to update your password before the account is breached." While some organisations like Google are moving to make 2FA mandatory across all accounts for services such as Gmail, many lag behind. Just 40% of British businesses had applied mandatory two-factor authentication, according to the latest NCSC Cyber Breaches Survey, published April 2025.
Observer
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Observer
232 drones force Moscow airports to halt flights
MOSCOW: Russia said on Wednesday that its air defences had shot down at least 232 Ukrainian drones over various Russian regions, including some approaching Moscow where the capital's airports were briefly shut down to ensure the safety of flights. While Russia, Ukraine, the United States and European powers consider the sequencing of a possible end to the more than three-year conflict in Ukraine, the drone war continues and fighting is intensifying in some areas of the front. Russia's Defence Ministry said it had destroyed at least 232 Ukrainian drones, mostly over Russia's western regions bordering Ukraine, but also some approaching Moscow, a city which along with the surrounding area has a population of 21 million people. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said three drones had been downed en route to the capital where three major airports briefly stopped flights before resuming operations. There were no reports of casualties, but Ukraine's military said that its drones had hit the Bolkhovsky Semiconductor Devices Plant, a semiconductor devices plant in the Oryol region that it said supplied Russian fighter jet and missile producers. The war in Ukraine, which has left hundreds of thousands of people dead, has become a crucible of drone innovation with both sides fielding swarms of drones far behind the front lines in an attempt to disrupt production facilities. Moscow and Kyiv have both sought to buy and develop new drones, deploy them in innovative ways, and seek new ways to destroy them - from farmers' shotguns to electronic jamming. Soldiers have reported a visceral fear of drones and both sides have used macabre footage of fatal strikes in their propaganda, with soldiers shown being blown apart in toilets or running from burning vehicles. Russia's Defence Ministry said its forces were advancing at key points along the front and pro-Russian war bloggers said Russia had pierced the Ukrainian lines between Pokrovsk and Kostiantynivka in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine. President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday visited the western Kursk region for the first time since Russian forces ejected Ukrainian troops from the area last month. Putin sent tens of thousands of soldiers into Ukraine in February 2022 and Russia now controls just under one fifth of the country. Meanwhile, Britain and allies including the United States issued an advisory on Wednesday warning of a Russian state-sponsored cyber campaign targeting the delivery of support to Ukraine and Western logistics entities and technology companies. "This malicious campaign by Russia's military intelligence service presents a serious risk to targeted organisations, including those involved in the delivery of assistance to Ukraine," Paul Chichester, Director of Operations at Britain's National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), said. The campaign has also targeted defence, IT services, maritime, airports, ports and air traffic management systems sectors in multiple North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) members, the NCSC statement said. Wednesday's advisory was issued in conjunction with the United States, France, Germany and other allies, warning organisations of the elevated threat and urging immediate action to protect themselves. "We strongly encourage organisations to familiarise themselves with the threat and mitigation advice included in the advisory to help defend their networks," Chichester said. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Wednesday he had spoken by telephone to Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte, and that they had discussed joint steps and the need to put pressure on Russia to secure "a just peace". "It is important that all decisions are coordinated. Then the sanctions will work. Without pressure on Moscow, a just peace cannot be achieved. Everyone understands this," Zelensky said on the Telegram messaging app. Ukraine will ask the EU next week to consider big new steps to isolate Moscow, including seizing Russian assets and bringing in sanctions for some buyers of Russian oil. A previously unreported Ukrainian white paper to be presented to the EU calls for the 27-member bloc to take a more aggressive and independent position on sanctions as uncertainty hangs over Washington's future role. Among 40 pages of recommendations were calls to adopt legislation that would speed up the EU's seizure of assets from sanctioned individuals, and send them to Ukraine. Those under sanctions could then seek compensation from Russia. — Reuters
West Australian
21-05-2025
- Politics
- West Australian
UK, Australia warn of Russian cyber moves over Ukraine
The United Kingdom and allies including Australia have issued an advisory warning of a Russian state-sponsored cyber campaign targeting the delivery of support to Ukraine and international logistics entities and technology companies. "This malicious campaign by Russia's military intelligence service presents a serious risk to targeted organisations, including those involved in the delivery of assistance to Ukraine," Paul Chichester, Director of Operations at the UK's National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), said. The campaign has also targeted defence, IT services, maritime, airports, ports and air traffic management systems sectors in several members of the NATO military alliance, the NCSC statement said. GRU Unit 26165 - also known as APT 28 or Fancy Bear - is said to have gained access to some networks using a range of techniques, including guessing log-in credentials and spear-phishing - where specific individuals or organisations are targeted in an effort to gain access to a network. Wednesday's advisory was issued in conjunction with Australia, the United States, Germany, the Czech Republic, Poland, Canada, Denmark, Estonia, France and the Netherlands, warning organisations of the elevated threat and urging immediate action to protect themselves. "We strongly encourage organisations to familiarise themselves with the threat and mitigation advice included in the advisory to help defend their networks," Chichester said. with PA
The Advertiser
21-05-2025
- Politics
- The Advertiser
UK, Australia warn of Russian cyber moves over Ukraine
The United Kingdom and allies including Australia have issued an advisory warning of a Russian state-sponsored cyber campaign targeting the delivery of support to Ukraine and international logistics entities and technology companies. "This malicious campaign by Russia's military intelligence service presents a serious risk to targeted organisations, including those involved in the delivery of assistance to Ukraine," Paul Chichester, Director of Operations at the UK's National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), said. The campaign has also targeted defence, IT services, maritime, airports, ports and air traffic management systems sectors in several members of the NATO military alliance, the NCSC statement said. GRU Unit 26165 - also known as APT 28 or Fancy Bear - is said to have gained access to some networks using a range of techniques, including guessing log-in credentials and spear-phishing - where specific individuals or organisations are targeted in an effort to gain access to a network. Wednesday's advisory was issued in conjunction with Australia, the United States, Germany, the Czech Republic, Poland, Canada, Denmark, Estonia, France and the Netherlands, warning organisations of the elevated threat and urging immediate action to protect themselves. "We strongly encourage organisations to familiarise themselves with the threat and mitigation advice included in the advisory to help defend their networks," Chichester said. with PA The United Kingdom and allies including Australia have issued an advisory warning of a Russian state-sponsored cyber campaign targeting the delivery of support to Ukraine and international logistics entities and technology companies. "This malicious campaign by Russia's military intelligence service presents a serious risk to targeted organisations, including those involved in the delivery of assistance to Ukraine," Paul Chichester, Director of Operations at the UK's National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), said. The campaign has also targeted defence, IT services, maritime, airports, ports and air traffic management systems sectors in several members of the NATO military alliance, the NCSC statement said. GRU Unit 26165 - also known as APT 28 or Fancy Bear - is said to have gained access to some networks using a range of techniques, including guessing log-in credentials and spear-phishing - where specific individuals or organisations are targeted in an effort to gain access to a network. Wednesday's advisory was issued in conjunction with Australia, the United States, Germany, the Czech Republic, Poland, Canada, Denmark, Estonia, France and the Netherlands, warning organisations of the elevated threat and urging immediate action to protect themselves. "We strongly encourage organisations to familiarise themselves with the threat and mitigation advice included in the advisory to help defend their networks," Chichester said. with PA The United Kingdom and allies including Australia have issued an advisory warning of a Russian state-sponsored cyber campaign targeting the delivery of support to Ukraine and international logistics entities and technology companies. "This malicious campaign by Russia's military intelligence service presents a serious risk to targeted organisations, including those involved in the delivery of assistance to Ukraine," Paul Chichester, Director of Operations at the UK's National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), said. The campaign has also targeted defence, IT services, maritime, airports, ports and air traffic management systems sectors in several members of the NATO military alliance, the NCSC statement said. GRU Unit 26165 - also known as APT 28 or Fancy Bear - is said to have gained access to some networks using a range of techniques, including guessing log-in credentials and spear-phishing - where specific individuals or organisations are targeted in an effort to gain access to a network. Wednesday's advisory was issued in conjunction with Australia, the United States, Germany, the Czech Republic, Poland, Canada, Denmark, Estonia, France and the Netherlands, warning organisations of the elevated threat and urging immediate action to protect themselves. "We strongly encourage organisations to familiarise themselves with the threat and mitigation advice included in the advisory to help defend their networks," Chichester said. with PA The United Kingdom and allies including Australia have issued an advisory warning of a Russian state-sponsored cyber campaign targeting the delivery of support to Ukraine and international logistics entities and technology companies. "This malicious campaign by Russia's military intelligence service presents a serious risk to targeted organisations, including those involved in the delivery of assistance to Ukraine," Paul Chichester, Director of Operations at the UK's National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), said. The campaign has also targeted defence, IT services, maritime, airports, ports and air traffic management systems sectors in several members of the NATO military alliance, the NCSC statement said. GRU Unit 26165 - also known as APT 28 or Fancy Bear - is said to have gained access to some networks using a range of techniques, including guessing log-in credentials and spear-phishing - where specific individuals or organisations are targeted in an effort to gain access to a network. Wednesday's advisory was issued in conjunction with Australia, the United States, Germany, the Czech Republic, Poland, Canada, Denmark, Estonia, France and the Netherlands, warning organisations of the elevated threat and urging immediate action to protect themselves. "We strongly encourage organisations to familiarise themselves with the threat and mitigation advice included in the advisory to help defend their networks," Chichester said. with PA
Perth Now
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Perth Now
UK, Australia warn of Russian cyber moves over Ukraine
The United Kingdom and allies including Australia have issued an advisory warning of a Russian state-sponsored cyber campaign targeting the delivery of support to Ukraine and international logistics entities and technology companies. "This malicious campaign by Russia's military intelligence service presents a serious risk to targeted organisations, including those involved in the delivery of assistance to Ukraine," Paul Chichester, Director of Operations at the UK's National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), said. The campaign has also targeted defence, IT services, maritime, airports, ports and air traffic management systems sectors in several members of the NATO military alliance, the NCSC statement said. GRU Unit 26165 - also known as APT 28 or Fancy Bear - is said to have gained access to some networks using a range of techniques, including guessing log-in credentials and spear-phishing - where specific individuals or organisations are targeted in an effort to gain access to a network. Wednesday's advisory was issued in conjunction with Australia, the United States, Germany, the Czech Republic, Poland, Canada, Denmark, Estonia, France and the Netherlands, warning organisations of the elevated threat and urging immediate action to protect themselves. "We strongly encourage organisations to familiarise themselves with the threat and mitigation advice included in the advisory to help defend their networks," Chichester said. with PA
