Latest news with #Mandiant
Yahoo
12 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Prolific cybercrime gang now targeting airlines and the transportation sector
Cybersecurity firms are warning that the prolific hacking group known as Scattered Spider is now targeting airlines and the transportation sector. Executives from Google's cybersecurity unit Mandiant and Palo Alto Networks' security research division Unit 42 say they have observed cyberattacks targeting the aviation industry resembling Scattered Spider. Scattered Spider is a collective of mostly English-speaking hackers, typically teenagers and young adults, who are financially motivated to steal and extort sensitive data from company networks. The hackers are also known for their deception tactics, which often rely on social engineering, phishing, and sometimes threats of violence toward company help desks and call centers to gain access to their networks. The warning comes as at least two airlines have reported intrusions this month. Hawaiian Airlines said late Thursday that it was working to secure its systems following a cyberattack. Canada's second largest airline, WestJet, reported a cyberattack on June 13 that remains ongoing and unresolved. Media reports have linked the WestJet incident to Scattered Spider. This fresh wave of Scattered Spider attacks comes soon after the cybercriminal gang targeted the U.K. retail sector and the insurance industry. The hackers have previously broken into hotel chains, casinos, and technology giants.
TechCrunch
18 hours ago
- Business
- TechCrunch
Prolific cybercrime gang now targeting airlines and the transportation sector
Cybersecurity firms are warning that the prolific hacking group known as Scattered Spider is now targeting airlines and the transportation sector. Executives from Google's cybersecurity unit Mandiant and Palo Alto Networks' security research division Unit 42 say they have observed cyberattacks targeting the aviation industry resembling Scattered Spider. Scattered Spider is a collective of mostly English-speaking hackers, typically teenagers and young adults, who are financially motivated to steal and extort sensitive data from company networks. The hackers are also known for their deception tactics, which often rely on social engineering, phishing, and sometimes threats of violence toward company help desks and call centers to gain access to their networks. The warning comes as at least two airlines have reported intrusions this month. Hawaiian Airlines said late Thursday that it was working to secure its systems following a cyberattack. Canada's second largest airline, WestJet, reported a cyberattack on June 13 that remains ongoing and unresolved. Media reports have linked the WestJet incident to Scattered Spider. This fresh wave of Scattered Spider attacks comes soon after the cybercriminal gang targeted the U.K. retail sector and the insurance industry. The hackers have previously broken into hotel chains, casinos, and technology giants.
Business Wire
17-06-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
N-able Accelerates Security Transformation with Appointment of Cybersecurity Leader Vikram Ramesh as Chief Marketing Officer
BURLINGTON, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- N-able, Inc. (NYSE: NABL), a global software company delivering a unified cyber resiliency platform, today announced Vikram Ramesh has been appointed Chief Marketing Officer (CMO). With more than two decades of cybersecurity marketing and business leadership, Ramesh will be instrumental in accelerating the company's growth and evolution into a globally recognized leader of cybersecurity solutions. Ramesh previously served as Chief Strategy Officer (CSO) at N-able, where he architected the strategic vision that is now driving the company's security transformation and prior to that, as CMO of Adlumin, he spearheaded efforts to transform the company's messaging and market positioning, leading to its successful acquisition by N-able in November 2024. Before that, he served as Head of Global Marketing at Google Cloud Security, following Google's $5.4 billion acquisition of Mandiant, where he built the global marketing organization from the ground up as CMO. 'Vikram's appointment represents a pivotal moment in N-able's transformation journey," said John Pagliuca, CEO at N-able. "His deep cybersecurity expertise across Fortune 500 enterprises and high-growth security innovators makes him uniquely qualified to lead our marketing evolution as we shift from IT management to becoming the midmarket's most trusted cyber resiliency partner. His proven ability to redefine market categories and drive explosive growth will be instrumental as we establish N-able as a security-first brand.' In his new role, Ramesh will lead the global marketing organization to elevate brand awareness and accelerate the company's growth in the cybersecurity space. Drawing on his experience at industry leaders like Google and Mandiant, he will play a key role in advancing the N-able mission to protect worldwide businesses against evolving cyberthreats. 'I'm thrilled to support N-able's mission and help elevate its brand as a global force in security innovation,' said Ramesh. 'As cyberattacks grow more frequent, targeted, and sophisticated, the need for accessible protection has never been greater. The company's commitment to level the cybersecurity playing field with a unified best-of-breed cyber resilience platform aligns with my passion for ensuring enterprise-grade security is available to organizations of all sizes. I look forward to working with the team to continue strengthening N-able's position as a trusted security partner and market leader.' About N-able At N-able, our mission is to protect businesses against evolving cyberthreats with a unified cyber resiliency platform to manage, secure, and recover. Our scalable technology infrastructure includes AI-powered capabilities, market-leading third-party integrations, and the flexibility to employ technologies of choice—to transform workflows and deliver critical security outcomes. Our partner-first approach combines our products with experts, training, and peer-led events that empower our customers to be secure, resilient, and successful. © 2025 N-able Solutions ULC and N-able Technologies Ltd. All rights reserved. The N-able trademarks, service marks, and logos are the exclusive property of N-able Solutions ULC and N-able Technologies Ltd. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Category: Company
Globe and Mail
16-06-2025
- Business
- Globe and Mail
Google's (GOOG) $32B Wiz Acquisition Faces DOJ Antitrust Hurdle
Alphabet's (GOOG) (GOOGL) $32 billion acquisition of cloud security startup Wiz is under antitrust review by the U.S. Department of Justice. The investigation is still in early stages, but it signals that regulators are taking a close look at how big tech companies are expanding into new markets. Confident Investing Starts Here: Easily unpack a company's performance with TipRanks' new KPI Data for smart investment decisions Receive undervalued, market resilient stocks right to your inbox with TipRanks' Smart Value Newsletter Wiz provides tools to detect and block cybersecurity threats across cloud environments. The company collaborates with major platforms, including Amazon Web Services (AMZN), Microsoft Azure (MSFT), and Oracle (ORCL). Google says the deal will boost its cloud security offerings, an area where it's still trailing top competitors. Deal or No Deal? The DOJ's concern is whether this move could limit competition. Google already bought Mandiant for $5.4 billion in 2022. That deal went through, but the Wiz deal is much larger and comes at a time when the DOJ is more aggressive on tech mergers. The risk is that Google could start bundling key security features into its own cloud stack, potentially locking out competitors. Regulators are already pushing back on Alphabet's dominance in online search and advertising. In two recent court rulings, judges found that the company operated illegal monopolies in both areas. The company now faces the threat of forced divestitures, including parts of its ad tech business and the Chrome browser. This adds pressure to the Wiz deal. If blocked, Wiz stands to collect a $3.2 billion breakup fee, or 10% of the deal value. That size indicates the level of regulatory risk and how strongly Google wants to close. The outcome could shape the future of tech M&A. If regulators succeed in stopping one of the largest cybersecurity deals ever, it may raise the bar for any future acquisitions by Alphabet, Amazon, or Microsoft. Procedure Could Take Months Under the Biden administration, regulators took a hard stance on mergers and monopolies. The FTC, led by Lina Khan, became known for aggressively challenging big tech deals. That changed after President Trump returned to office and removed Khan earlier this year. Many expected a slowdown in antitrust enforcement. The DOJ's decision to probe the Wiz deal defies those expectations, signaling that cloud-related consolidation may still draw scrutiny. Investors should closely monitor the development of this case. A green light could boost confidence in Google Cloud's expansion strategy. A block could trigger more scrutiny on other big tech players trying to grow by acquisition, not just innovation. The deal is expected to face months of review. Whether it closes or not may hinge less on market logic and more on how Washington defines fair competition in the cloud era. Is GOOG a Strong Buy? an average GOOG stock price target of $200.46. This implies a 13.98% upside. See more GOOG analyst ratings
Los Angeles Times
14-06-2025
- Business
- Los Angeles Times
Google's plan to buy security firm Wiz gets antitrust review
Justice Department antitrust enforcers are reviewing whether Google's planned $32 billion acquisition of cybersecurity company Wiz Inc. would illegally limit competition in the marketplace, according to people with knowledge of the matter. Officials in the department's antitrust division, who are probing the deal, have been examining the contours of the Alphabet Inc. unit's plan following its announcement in March, said the people, who asked not to be identified discussing a confidential matter. Such inquiries include discussions with the merging companies as well as competitors and customers. The review, which is in its early stages, could last months more. It will ultimately determine whether US officials let the deal proceed. Although full-scale antitrust merger reviews are relatively rare compared to the number of deals announced each year, there are signs that the firms were bracing for scrutiny. Google agreed to pay Wiz a breakup fee of about $3.2 billion, or about 10% of the deal value, if it doesn't close, Bloomberg previously reported. Spokespeople for Google and the DOJ declined to comment on the review. A spokesperson for Wiz didn't respond to a request for comment. Meanwhile, Google has been facing intense antitrust scrutiny from Washington. In the past year, the search engine firm was found by federal judges to have illegal monopolies in online search and some advertising technology markets. Following those two rulings, it is facing a potential breakup of large parts of its business, including its Chrome web browser and some advertising tools used to place display ads around the web. Wiz, which provides cloud security, wouldn't be Google's first purchase of a large cybersecurity firm. In 2022, it bought Mandiant for $5.4 billion. Both deals are meant to bulk up the company's cloud computing business, which has historically lagged its peers, including Microsoft Corp. The DOJ also reviewed the Mandiant deal, but never challenged the transaction. Mandiant and Wiz provide complimentary services, with the former specializing in threat intelligence and cyber breaches. Wiz offers similar capabilities but its tools also work to identify and block threats across organizations' often-complex cloud environments. Wiz also works with competing services from Inc., Oracle Corp. and Microsoft. When announcing the deal, Google said the Wiz acquisition was a way to beef up its cloud security offerings and provide customers with new ways to keep their systems secure in a new era of AI. The companies said Wiz's products will continue to work on major cloud platforms, including competing services. Sisco writes for Bloomberg.
