Hackers Cripple Global French-Language Broadcaster, Hit Linux Event Participants and Run Up Hospital Bills
Computer screens are pictured at TV5 Monde after the French television network was hacked by people claiming allegiance to the Islamic State group, in Paris, France. Christophe Ena/AP
Just another week in ThreatWatch, our regularly updated index of noteworthy data breaches.
In case you missed our coverage this week in ThreatWatch, Nextgov’s regularly updated index of cyber breaches:
Pro-ISIS Hacktivists Take Over French-language TV
Global television network TV5Monde was virtually disabled for hours after Islamic State sympathizers hijacked and defaced the company's 11 channels, websites and social media accounts. The attack by a group calling itself Cyber Caliphate caused screens that would normally show programming to go blank. Normal content was replaced by the message: "Je suIS IS,” NPR reports.
Linux Conference Attendees Hacked
The attacker found an unknown vulnerability in a server housing the names of participants at popular events hosted by Linux Australia, an open-source and free software user group. The breach affects those who registered for the consortium’s Linux conference over the past three years and for the python programming conference Pycon Australia in 2013 and 2014.
Medical ID Theft Costs Victim Creditworthiness & Home Mortgage
Someone using the stolen identity of Manuela Chavez, of California, racked up a $10,000 bill for hospital services in Salina, Kansas. The 45-year-old West Coaster said not only had she never been to the ripped-off hospital, Salina Regional Health Center, but she had never been to Salina.
Florida Elections Division Breached Voter Privacy
Compact discs containing personal data on high-profile individuals such as law enforcement officials, judges and senior state officials accidentally were sent to citizens in response to open records requests. A computer program error appears to be responsible for exposing the sensitive information.