Cybercriminals Hacked PNC Database
In the United Kingdom, a Police National Computer system, also known as PNC, a private database to track individuals was under attack. There was news surrounding the PNC last week that the database, unfortunately, lost many contacts from the list. According to sources, 200,000 DNA records were lost and most probably deleted from the police database.
The police described the situation as a technical issue, which is a pretty lame way to say that they screwed up. No one is speaking about the real problem. Maybe there was a ransomware attack or a phishing attack, but they are covering up something. If the police decide not to pursue the attack, it’s entirely up to them.
But the scary part is that this UK-wide database contains DNA records, and someone wiped out those fingerprints. The police told the press that they need twelve weeks to restore the database because it is not completely lost, and there is a backup to all records.
Technically speaking, when you delete something, you delete a reference to it, and there is always a backup of the original data. There is still hope for data recovery even though it is a red flag indicating a crack in the PNC system.
Can Data Recovery Help UK Citizens Get Back Their Privacy?
Imagine your stolen or lost data is still out there even after the police recover it! DNA. Fingerprints. Phone numbers. Your data can then be used as a proxy or false identity in different parts of the world. So, the recovery part is one side of the solution.
Encrypting the database and information is an excellent solution to make sure future attacks are harmless. Like we said earlier, even if the police successfully traces back all lost records and retrieves data, it’s still out there somewhere.
Moreover, Piers Morgan has also called the Home Secretary, Priti Patel, and asked for her resignation over this technical issue. But how did the data suddenly disappear? The police said there was a coding error and a programmer coded this incorrectly that led to this screw up.
We call it the PICNIC (Problem in Chair Not the Computer) issue because the police are calling it a pure human error.
SolarWinds Attack Crippled Microsoft’s Reputation
SolarWinds was a software that ran in popular government corporations, and no one knew that it had backdoor access and a fault in the source code. There was an update in March where SolarWinds fixed a few bugs, but somebody injected a malicious script into the code, and no one spotted the error. There were no background checks that picked up the malicious code or unusual activity.
After a few weeks or months, the bug started to make trouble for governments and organizations using SolarWinds. According to sources, the biggest hit was on Microsoft Office 365, from where the code slips into SolarWinds and then into organizations.
The whole attack seems like tradecraft, an old sneaky way to manipulate the employees to make a mistake and spread malicious code into sophisticated software.
This SolarWinds attack aimed to suck out information from major government organizations. After the attack, the United States decided to rip out the software from large government organizations, but in the United Kingdom, everyone followed a different and more measured approach. They dealt the problem this way:
- Check whether or not you are a victim of the SolarWinds attack.
- Trace all the systems that were infiltrated or compromised.
- Close those compromised systems to get rid of the malicious code.
The UK doesn’t believe in ripping out systems because it is never easy.
Romance Scams Are on the Rise
If you are looking for true love online, all we can say is good luck, but you must be wary of scammers who will try to play with your emotions and victimize you.
Recently, Interpol released a purple notice to 194 countries warning them about dating apps and how a cybercriminal can take advantage of emotional vulnerabilities.
Let us explain how romance scams work in general: A user starts up using a dating app, Tinder or Bumble, and they end up connecting to a scammer who leads him/her to a financial or trading app. A scammer tries to lure a user into investing in a fake trading app.
Scammers don’t speak directly about a fake app but start giving investment tips on making more money to appear genuine. The scam artist pulls a lonely and desperate user into a multi-level marketing pyramid, and as soon as someone sends money, the scammers disappear. Poof!
The most common scams that you should be wary of are something like:
- I am working on an oil rug and have lots of money
- I am a doctor working at an international organization
- I am in the military
The worst part? People are still falling for these brainless online scams.
There is another common scam related to COVID-19 vaccination certificates. You might receive a message requesting $1000 from a person stuck at the airport who needs money to enter the country. You should avoid it because cybercriminals are manipulative and cunning, and know how to pull you into their trap!
The best solution to avoid romance scams is to double-check the profile because a scammer wouldn’t dare start a video call and avoid voice messages. Most scammers are targeting desperate lonely people because they are more likely to fall victim to such scams.
Fun-fact: A guy named Andrew Marvin lost $38,000 from three different dating accounts, so both men and women are victims of scams.
Do share your thoughts with us as we bring you the latest and most buzzed-about cybersecurity news from around the world. Our mission at PureVPN is to make internet users aware of the dangers, cyberattacks, online scams, and how to combat cyberattacks. We want to help you get back your online privacy no matter where you are living in the world right now.
Sameed Ajax
November 24, 2022
1 year ago
