Top News - Security Breaches at Microsoft Raise Questions About U.S. Government Response; New Legislation to Address TikTok Concerns and More
New Legislation to Address TikTok Concerns Alongside Foreign Aid
The House has proposed new legislation demanding TikTok's sale by ByteDance to mitigate national security concerns or face a ban. This bill, modifying previous ones, extends potential sale deadlines and will be packaged with foreign aid for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan to encourage Senate approval. This strategy aims for a swift Senate vote and Presidential endorsement. Meanwhile, TikTok disputes the national security accusations, asserting robust data protection plans are in place. If enacted, this legislation might provoke legal challenges and international reactions. Read more
Security Breach at Change Healthcare Leads to Data Sale by RansomHub Gang
Following a February ransomware attack by BlackCat, another group, RansomHub, is now claiming to sell sensitive data stolen from Change Healthcare. This data reportedly includes medical, dental, and payment records, along with personal information like Social Security numbers and details on active-duty US military personnel. Change Healthcare is investigating these claims and has previously paid $22 million to stop further data leaks. This breach has significant repercussions, affecting operations and prompting investigations by federal agencies. Read more
Colorado Implements Landmark Neural Data Privacy Law
Governor Jared Polis of Colorado signed a new law on Wednesday that establishes privacy protections for neural data, marking a first in the United States. The legislation expands the definition of "sensitive data" under the state's personal privacy law to include biological and neural data, which encompass brain-generated signals and other neural activities. This change aims to regulate the use of data by consumer neurotechnologies, which previously fell outside strict regulatory frameworks. The law grants consumers rights such as accessing, deleting, and correcting their data and opting out of data sales for targeted advertising. It also imposes stringent regulations on companies regarding data handling and disclosure. The law passed with significant support in both the Colorado House and Senate amidst fierce external opposition. Read more
Cape Secures $61M to Develop Privacy-Focused Mobile Services
Cape, a Washington, D.C.-based startup, has announced $61 million in funding from a16z and others to develop mobile services that enhance user privacy by minimizing personal data usage. Founded by a former Palantir executive and ex-special forces sergeant, the company emerged from stealth mode four months ago. Cape focuses on securing user identity and location data without storing sensitive personal information such as names and Social Security numbers. This funding, collected across three rounds, aims to launch a consumer service in June and currently includes a pilot project with the U.S. government. The company's approach does not extend to encrypting communication contents but focuses on protecting data related to cellular network connections. Read more
Security Breaches at Microsoft Raise Questions About U.S. Government Response
In recent months, Microsoft has faced two significant security breaches involving sophisticated hacking techniques, including AI, that accessed confidential information. Despite these breaches and concerns about its security culture needing an overhaul, the U.S. government has not acted against Microsoft, potentially due to its reliance on Microsoft's broad array of services, including cloud computing and cybersecurity. These incidents included attacks by the groups Midnight Blizzard and Nobelium, compromising the privacy of both the company and top government officials. Additionally, Microsoft’s focus has increasingly shifted towards AI, reallocating resources from other departments to advance this technology. Read more
