Lorenzo Franceschi-Bicchierai, Author at TechCrunch

The TechCrunch Cyber Glossary

Zack Whittaker, Lorenzo Franceschi-Bicchierai, Carly Page — Tue, 05 Nov 2024 20:30:00 +0000

This glossary includes some of the most common terms and expressions we use in our articles, and explanations of how — and why — we use them.

Canadian authorities say they arrested hacker linked to Snowflake data breaches

Lorenzo Franceschi-Bicchierai — Tue, 05 Nov 2024 15:33:36 +0000

Alexander Moucka was arrested in October in Canada. Moucka is suspected of being linked to the series of Snowflake data breaches this year.

How to make open source software more secure

Lorenzo Franceschi-Bicchierai — Fri, 01 Nov 2024 18:15:00 +0000

Earlier this year, a Microsoft developer realized that someone had inserted a backdoor into the code of open source utility XZ Utils, which is used in virtually all Linux operating systems. The operation had started two years earlier when that someone, a person nicknamed JiaT75, started contributing to the XZ Utils repository on GitHub. A […]

Wiz CEO explains why he turned down a $23 billion deal

Lorenzo Franceschi-Bicchierai — Mon, 28 Oct 2024 18:18:54 +0000

Assaf Rappaport, the co-founder and CEO of cloud security startup Wiz, said that turning down a $23 billion offer from Google was “the toughest decision ever,” but justified it by saying the company can get even bigger and reach $100 billion because cloud security is the future. “I think we did the right choice,” Rappaport […]

Prominent crypto critic says someone offered bribes to take down a blog post

Lorenzo Franceschi-Bicchierai — Fri, 25 Oct 2024 17:49:11 +0000

Crypto critic Molly White received emails from a purported lawyer and someone working for a “reputation management company” offering bribes in exchange for the takedown of a blog post about the arrest of an alleged crypto fraudster.

SEC fines four companies $7M for ‘misleading cyber disclosures’ regarding SolarWinds hack

Lorenzo Franceschi-Bicchierai — Tue, 22 Oct 2024 16:46:42 +0000

The SEC concluded that four tech companies misled investors and minimized the damage they suffered from the SolarWinds supply chain hack.

Researchers link Polyfill supply chain attack to huge network of copycat gambling sites

Lorenzo Franceschi-Bicchierai — Tue, 22 Oct 2024 16:07:46 +0000

A supply chain hack targeting 100,000 websites was launched to redirect internet users to a massive online gambling network.

Feds arrest man who allegedly participated in hack of the SEC’s X account, boosting Bitcoin’s price

Lorenzo Franceschi-Bicchierai — Thu, 17 Oct 2024 17:12:46 +0000

Eric Council Jr. and unnamed co-conspirators were allegedly behind the hack of the official @SECGov account on X.

Some Americans are still using Kaspersky’s antivirus despite US government ban

Lorenzo Franceschi-Bicchierai — Tue, 15 Oct 2024 16:07:34 +0000

Not everyone in the U.S. has given up on the Russian-made antivirus. Some Americans have found ways to get around the ban and are still using Kaspersky’s antivirus.

Hackers targeted Android users by exploiting zero-day bug in Qualcomm chips

Lorenzo Franceschi-Bicchierai — Wed, 09 Oct 2024 15:50:32 +0000

Security researchers at Google and Amnesty International discovered hackers exploiting the bug in an active hacking campaign.

Kaspersky says it’s closing down its UK office and laying off dozens

Lorenzo Franceschi-Bicchierai — Tue, 08 Oct 2024 15:59:02 +0000

Russian cybersecurity giant Kaspersky is shutting down its office in the United Kingdom and laying off its staff, just three months after the company started closing down its U.S. operations and laying off dozens of workers, TechCrunch has learned. Kaspersky spokesperson Francesco Tius said in an email to TechCrunch that the company “will commence a […]

Apple fixes bugs in macOS Sequoia that broke some cybersecurity tools

Lorenzo Franceschi-Bicchierai — Mon, 07 Oct 2024 17:20:07 +0000

Apple said the new macOS release "improves compatibility with third-party security software," after the first operating systems release broke several cybersecurity tools.

How the FBI and Mandiant caught a ‘serial hacker’ who tried to fake his own death

Lorenzo Franceschi-Bicchierai — Tue, 01 Oct 2024 15:00:01 +0000

Jesse Kipf was a prolific hacker who sold access to systems he hacked, had contacts with a notorious cybercrime gang, and tried to use his hacking skills to get off the grid for good.

Iranian hackers charged with hacking Trump campaign to ‘stoke discord’

Lorenzo Franceschi-Bicchierai, Zack Whittaker — Fri, 27 Sep 2024 17:55:32 +0000

Three Iranian hackers working for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) targeted the Trump campaign in an attempted hack-and-leak operation, according to the Department of Justice.

Kaspersky defends force-replacing its security software without users’ explicit consent

Lorenzo Franceschi-Bicchierai — Thu, 26 Sep 2024 16:50:34 +0000

That lack of user interaction — or request for consent — is what confused and concerned some former Kaspersky customers.

Some Kaspersky customers receive surprise forced-update to new antivirus software

Lorenzo Franceschi-Bicchierai — Mon, 23 Sep 2024 19:10:04 +0000

After U.S. ban, Kaspersky's American customers were automatically migrated to UltraAV antivirus, in some cases without the customers' knowledge.

Internet surveillance firm Sandvine says it’s leaving 56 ‘non-democratic’ countries

Lorenzo Franceschi-Bicchierai — Fri, 20 Sep 2024 17:57:30 +0000

Sandvine sold its internet surveillance products to authoritarian regimes, including Belarus, Egypt, Eritrea, the United Arab Emirates, and Uzbekistan.

Chipmaker Qualcomm lays off hundreds of workers in San Diego

Zack Whittaker, Lorenzo Franceschi-Bicchierai — Thu, 19 Sep 2024 22:10:58 +0000

This is the chipmaker's second round of layoffs over the past year, while the company recorded billions in revenue.

Apple’s new macOS Sequoia update is breaking some cybersecurity tools

Lorenzo Franceschi-Bicchierai — Thu, 19 Sep 2024 17:08:11 +0000

On Monday, Apple released its latest computer operating system update called macOS 15, or Sequoia. And, somehow, the software update has broken the functionality of several security tools made by CrowdStrike, SentinelOne, Microsoft, and others, according to posts on social media, as well as messages posted in a Mac-focused Slack channel. At this point, it’s […]

US government ‘took control’ of a botnet run by Chinese government hackers, says FBI director

Lorenzo Franceschi-Bicchierai — Wed, 18 Sep 2024 16:27:24 +0000

The FBI, NSA and other U.S. government agencies detailed a Chinese-government operation that used 260,000 of internet-connected devices to launch cyberattacks.