Identity is Security: Hacking is in the Air

Love may have been in the air this week, but hackers managed to find a way to hack that this Valentine’s Day. In perhaps the most perfectly-timed cyberattack, OKCupid was found to have been hit with a credential stuffing attack. And then just a couple of days later, a major flaw was found in their Android app that would allow hackers to take over user accounts.

But those are not all the Valentine’s Day related hacking attempts that occurred. The Nigerian Prince was at it again, only this time he wasn’t offering the promise of a large inheritance. The fraud group Scarlet Widow is thought to be behind fake profiles meant to scam people out of money. Whether it’s a Hallmark holiday, a large sporting event or natural disasters – where many people flock, the attack surface grows and hackers follow.

As the privacy conversation rages on, Facebook continues to be the poster child for privacy here in the states. The situation this week dwarfs any GDPR violation. Essentially, Facebook and the FTC are in negotiations as Facebook faces a fine that could reach into the billions for not protecting consumer privacy.

As for the latest in the U.S. government, there’s some good news. In the latest spending bill following the recent government shutdown, $19.5 billion was set aside for information technology and cybersecurity projects at federal agencies.

Let us know what you’re reading this week in cybersecurity below or over on Twitter and LinkedIn.