Facebook Papers: A trove of insider documents from Facebook has been unveiled after journalists spent weeks pouring over the information from a noted whistleblower. The so-called “Facebook Papers” detail how the social media site is still grabbing with misinformation around the COVID-19 vaccine and gaps in support for non-English-speaking users. Frances Haugen, the former employee who provided the documents to journalists, also testified before British parliament this week. She detailed how Facebook’s algorithm prioritizes engagement, which can sometimes lead to the promotion of fake news articles.
REvil takedown: Security researchers from multiple countries teamed up to take down the REvil ransomware group last week. The group’s major victims in the past include the Colonial Pipeline in the U.S. and meatpacker JBS.
‘Trickbot’ group hacker faces charges in the US: A Russian national had his initial appearance in federal court last week after his extradition from the Republic of Korea to the US to face charges for his alleged role in a transnational, cybercriminal organization. According to court documents, Vladimir Dunaev, 38, was a member of a transnational, cybercriminal organization that deployed a computer banking trojan and ransomware suite of malware known as “Trickbot.”
Hacks from Turkey: Hackers reportedly hailing from Turkey compromised a portion of former President Donald Trump’s website. A portion of the site briefly displayed positive messages regarding Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
Disinformation in Sudan: Two distinct Sudanese networks, recently removed by Facebookfor coordinated inauthentic behavior, posed as credible media outlets to rally support for state security services and former regime loyalists and undermine the ongoing civilian-led democratic transition.
Disinformation during the 2016 US Elections: A well-known ethical hacker in the security community recently unveiled himself as being part of a massive fake news operation that influenced the outcome of the 2016 presidential election. The previously undercover “Hacker X” detailed how a company recruited him into developing a large operation to spread disinformation on Facebook and other social media platforms.
Crypto transactions linked to cyberattacks: The Biden Administration took several steps over the past week to crack down on illegal cryptocurrency transactions, especially those linked to cyber attacks. This included a warning to private companies that they could face the consequences of sanctions if they deal with virtual currencies that facilitate ransomware payment.