Tag: hackers

Trump’s chief of staff is caught in sinister impersonation plot exposing America’s most powerful players… until fatal slip reveals truth

Donald Trump‘s top advisor has fallen victim to a sinister scheme by hackers who infiltrated her phone and used artificial intelligence to impersonate her voice.

The nefarious plot involved stolen data from the personal cellphone of White House chief of staff Susie Wiles that was then used to call some of American’s most powerful people. 

Over the course of several weeks, high profile senators, governors and American business executives have received voicemails or messages from an unknown number claiming to be Wiles, Wall Street Journal reported. 

The hackers came undone when they made the fatal mistake of asking questions that the president’s closest aide would already know the answer to. 

Wiles – who has been nicknamed ‘Ice Maiden’ – has been contacting associates urging them to disregard any unusual messages or calls from unknown numbers purporting to be her.

In a terrifying twist, some of the phone calls used a voice that mimicked Wiles. Authorities suspect the impersonator used artificial intelligence to replicate it.

The FBI is now investigating the unusual situation, but do not believe that a foreign nation is behind it, sources told the publication.

‘The FBI takes all threats against the president, his staff, and our cybersecurity with the utmost seriousness,’ FBI Director Kash Patel said in a statement. 

‘Safeguarding our administration officials’ ability to securely communicate to accomplish the president’s mission is a top priority.’ 

Authorities are reportedly scrambling to figure out what the goal of the plot is.

In at least one case the impersonator asked for a cash transfer, while in another they asked a lawmaker for a list of people who the president could consider pardoning.

But many of the texts which came through appeared to be legitimate and fooled some of Wiles’ contacts. There are allegedly no suggestions that any sensitive information was handed over.

Some of her associates became suspicious when the impersonator began asking questions – sometimes about Trump – that Wiles as his closest advisor would have known the answers to.

Others said some messages were sent with poor grammar, and in a more formal manner than Wiles generally communicates. 

These messages were not sent from Wiles’ phone number.

Her personal cellphone contacts list was reportedly hacked, giving the impersonator access to a long list of numbers she has amassed over the years as one of Washington’s most formidable political players.

The breach comes after a series of embarrassing data leaks during Trump’s second term.

In one instance, the editor-in-chief of The Atlantic, Jeffrey Goldberg, was accidentally included in a Signal group chat where Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth discussed planned military strikes in Yemen. 

Trump’s former national security adviser, Mike Waltz, took responsibility for the error and was reassigned to a different role. 

Keep reading

Coinbase Customers’ Personal Data Stolen in Hack, Stock Drops

The cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase was recently targeted in a hacking incident that led to the personal data of thousands of customers being stolen, the company said in a May 15 statement.

According to a March 31 filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Coinbase had 9.7 million monthly transaction users (MTU) by the end of that month.

Since the company claims that less than 1 percent of MTUs have been impacted by the hack, the number of affected individuals could be around 97,000.

Hackers got access to names, addresses, phone numbers, emails, last four digits of Social Security numbers, masked bank account numbers and identifiers, government ID images such as driver’s licenses and passports, and account data such as balance snapshots and transaction history.

Hackers did not get access to login credentials or 2FA codes, private keys, customer funds and the ability to move these funds, Coinbase Prime accounts, Coinbase or Coinbase customer hot or cold wallets.

Following the revelation, Coinbase shares crashed by 7.2 percent on Thursday.

Keep reading

Data of thousands of Israel soldiers leaked

A security breach on an external Israeli ticketing website led to sensitive data belonging to soldiers in the Israeli occupation army, including Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir and high-ranking officers, being made available online, Haaretz reported yesterday.

According to the report, the breach allowed access to personal information, including their full names, ID numbers and phone numbers, through the TickChak website, which is used by army units to offer recreational benefits to their employees.

The breach, coupled with the weak security of the website, allows anyone to access soldiers’ data simply by entering their ID number, without going through any additional verification. This allowed for the extraction and collection of personal information belonging to tens of thousands of soldiers.

The breach occurred using simple software tools created by an anonymous user identifying themselves as the “Persian Prince”. The user was able to run a programme that tested potential ID numbers and extracted the details of their owners.

Keep reading

Elon Musk says X was knocked offline by ‘massive cyberattack’ that originated in ‘Ukraine area’

Billionaire entrepreneur and DOGE chief Elon Musk claimed Monday that X went dark as the result of a “massive cyberattack” that originated in the “Ukraine area.”

“We’re not sure exactly what happened,” Musk told Fox Business Network host Larry Kudlow about the apparent operation targeting his social media platform.

“But there was a massive cyberattack to try to bring down the X system, with IP addresses originating in the Ukraine area,” the world’s richest man added.

Musk, 53, did not immediately provide additional evidence of who may have been responsible.

Cybercriminals have been known to create false IP addresses to impersonate computer systems from different parts of the world, a practice known as “spoofing.”

Keep reading

U.S. Indicts 12 Chinese Nationals in ‘Hackers-for-Hire’ Conspiracy

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) on Wednesday announced 12 Chinese nationals have been indicted in a global “hackers-for-hire” scheme to “inflict digital harm on Americans who criticize the Chinese Communist Party.”

Court documents unsealed on Wednesday accused China’s Ministry of Public Security (MPS) and Ministry of State Security (MSS) of directing and financing the hackers to “conduct computer intrusions against high-value targets in the United States and elsewhere.”

“Victims include U.S.-based critics and dissidents of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), a large religious organization in the United States, the foreign ministries of multiple governments in Asia, and U.S. federal and state government agencies, including most recently in 2024,” DOJ said.

“By employing these hackers-for-hire, the PRC government further allowed these same hackers to profit by committing additional computer intrusions around the world with impunity, and then to sell stolen data through Chinese data brokers,” DOJ added.

The first two Chinese nationals indicted in the case, Yin “YKC” Kecheng and Zhou “Coldface” Shuai, were allegedly linked to a state-sponsored Chinese hacking group known as APT27, “LuckyMouse,” or “Emissary Panda.” 

The group has been active since 2010, with an early emphasis on cyber-espionage attacks against corporate and government systems in the Western world, the Middle East, and Taiwan. APT27’s later exploits included profitable cyber-crimes.

DOJ charged Yin and Zhou with “sophisticated computer hacking conspiracies that successfully targeted a wide variety of US.-based victims from 2011 to the present day,” inflicting “millions of dollars worth of damages.” Both Yin and Zhou have previously been named in multiple-count indictments for fraud, identity theft, and money laundering.

A second announcement from DOJ on Wednesday added indictments for two MPS officers and eight employees of an “ostensibly private” company called Anxun Information Technology Col. Ltd., also known as i-Soon.

Keep reading

Feds ID hacker who played AI video of Trump kissing Musk’s feet – and warn that ‘legal ramifications are being explored’

The feds have ID’d the cyberpunk who broadcast an AI-powered video of President Trump kissing the feet of Elon Musk on public TVs at HUD on Monday and are threatening to take legal action against them.

Officials at the Department of Housing and Urban Development said the individual has been identified, although they didn’t name them or reveal how the hacker managed to infiltrate the government television system in the cafeteria at the agency’s headquarters.

“Yesterday, an individual was escorted off the property,” a HUD rep told The Post on Tuesday. “Legal ramifications are being explored. Additionally, termination or suspension of certain services are being explored as it relates to the department.”

Workers at HUD were caught off guard when the disturbing rogue video was broadcast at department headquarters with the message: “LONG LIVE THE REAL KING.”

Keep reading

U.S. Sanctions Chinese Cybersecurity Firm Over Cyberattacks

US sanctions Beijing-based Integrity Technology Group for aiding “Flax Typhoon” hackers in cyberattacks on American infrastructure, freezing assets and banning US dealings.

The US Treasury Department has sanctioned Integrity Technology Group, a Beijing-based company, accusing it of involvement in cyberattacks against American infrastructure. The decision, announced on January 3, 2025, has escalated tensions between the US and China over cybersecurity issues.

What’s Behind the Sanctions?

Integrity Technology Group, also known as Yongxin Zhicheng Technology Group, is alleged to have worked closely with the Chinese state-sponsored hacking group “Flax Typhoon.” US officials claim the company played a key role in cyber activities targeting government systems, businesses, and critical infrastructure. Over 250,000 devices worldwide were reportedly compromised in these incidents.

The sanctions freeze the company’s assets in the US and prohibit American entities from doing business with it. By cutting off financial ties, the US aims to limit the group’s resources for continuing cyber operations.

Official Statements and Responses

The US government has stated that these actions are part of ongoing efforts to protect national security and hold cyber offenders accountable. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen commented, “This sends a clear message to entities enabling malicious cyber activity: we will not tolerate these actions.”

China, however, has rejected the accusations. A spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry called the sanctions “baseless” and accused the US of deflecting blame for its own cybersecurity issues. Integrity Technology Group has denied the allegations, claiming it operates within legal bounds and condemning the sanctions as damaging to its reputation.

Keep reading

Massive healthcare breaches prompt US cybersecurity rules overhaul

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has proposed updates to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) to secure patients’ health data following a surge in massive healthcare data leaks.

These stricter cybersecurity rules, proposed by the HHS’ Office for Civil Rights (OCR) and expected to be published as a final rule within 60 days, would require healthcare organizations to encrypt protected health information (PHI), implement multifactor authentication, and segment their networks to make it harder for attackers to move laterally through them.

“In recent years, there has been an alarming growth in the number of breaches affecting 500 or more individuals reported to the Department, the overall number of individuals affected by such breaches, and the rampant escalation of cyberattacks using hacking and ransomware,” the HHS’ proposal says.

“The Department is concerned by the increasing numbers of breaches and other cybersecurity incidents experienced by regulated entities. We are also increasingly concerned by the upward trend in the numbers of individuals affected by such incidents and the magnitude of the potential harms from such incidents.”

Reuters reports that Anne Neuberger, the White House’s deputy national security adviser for cyber and emerging technologies, also told reporters that the HIPAA cybersecurity rule updates were prompted by the ransomware attacks and massive breaches that have affected hospitals and Americans in recent years.

Neuberger added that implementing these rules would cost roughly $9 billion in the first year and over $6 billion during the following four years.

Keep reading

U.S. Army Soldier Arrested for Allegedly Hacking Trump and Kamala Harris’s Phones, Selling “Confidential Phone Records” Online

U.S. Army soldier Cameron John Wagenius, 20, has been arrested and charged with unlawfully transferring confidential phone records.

Federal authorities accuse the young soldier of participating in a cybercriminal ring that sold sensitive data, including alleged phone records of President-elect Donald Trump and Kamala Harris, on the black market.

The indictment, unsealed this week, reveals two counts of unlawful transfer of confidential phone records filed against Wagenius, according to KrebsonSecurity.

The charges follow a December 20 arrest near Fort Hood, Texas, a base associated with Fort Cavazos where Wagenius was stationed.

Wagenius, described by his mother as a tech-savvy soldier, worked on network communications at an Army base in South Korea before returning stateside.

His mother, Alicia Roen, told cybersecurity journalist Brian Krebs, “I never was aware he was into hacking. It was definitely a shock to me when we found this stuff out.”

In a comment to Krebs website, Mrs. Roen wrote, “I am his mother and I am not an open book, I was asked general questions about my sons age and if he was a solider! That is all I said and Krebs already had this information. I never knew my son was involved in any of this or involved with others until I read Krebs 1st article following my sons arrest, which was all new news to me! Do you really think a child would ever tell his parents he was involved in criminal activity?”

Operating under the online alias “Kiberphant0m,” Wagenius is accused of participating in multiple high-profile data breaches. He allegedly sold confidential phone records on online forums in November, claiming to have hacked 15 telecommunications firms, including AT&T and Verizon.

In November, “Kiberphant0m” posted what were purported to be AT&T call logs for President-elect Trump and Vice President Harris, though the authenticity of these records has not been confirmed.

The arrest follows an investigation into a series of data breaches affecting numerous organizations. Wagenius’s alleged accomplices include Canadian national Connor Riley Moucka, known online as “Judische,” who was arrested in late October, and John Binns, currently detained in Turkey.

These individuals are suspected of involvement in the theft and extortion of data from customers of the cloud service Snowflake, among other targets.

Keep reading

Concerns over the Security of Electronic Personal Health Information Intensifies

On Friday, an attorney for Ascension Health, a major U.S. hospital operator, wrote to Maine’s attorney general to tell him the electronic personal health information (e-PHI) of Ascension patients and employees were compromised during the ransomware attack that occurred in May that affected nearly 5.6 million people.

The attack significantly disrupted Ascension’s operations across its extensive network, encompassing 134,000 associates, 35,000 affiliated providers, and 140 hospitals in 19 states and the District of Columbia. Immediate consequences included the diversion of ambulances, closure of pharmacies, and a reversion to manual record-keeping methods as critical IT systems had to be taken offline.

Ascension attorney Sunil Shenoi said in his December 19 letter to the Maine Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division that the company “will begin notifying applicable Maine residents of the security incident” through the U.S. Postal Service.

Despite the growing scale of cyber threats against the healthcare industry, a Congressional Research Service (CRS) report earlier this month emphasized that “there is no comprehensive digital data protection law in the United States.” Variable state data privacy and security laws compound this problem. Furthermore, while many data protection guidance documents are available, they are voluntary.

The attack on Ascension is the latest cyber-attack targeting the healthcare sector, which is particularly vulnerable due to the sensitive nature of patient data and the critical importance of uninterrupted medical services. Earlier this year there was a similar ransomware attack on Change Healthcare, a subsidiary of UnitedHealth Group that affected the personal health information of 100 million people, underscoring once again the escalating cybersecurity challenges healthcare providers face.

The February ransomware attack on Change Healthcare – attributed to the BlackCat cybercrime group – disrupted electronic payments and medical claims processing affecting healthcare providers and patients nationwide.

Keep reading