A new survey by security firm Digital Shadows has revealed that more than 15 billion login pairs (usernames and passwords) have been exposed on the dark web. Of these records, 5 billion were unique, with the credentials coming from 100,000 breaches. The most vulnerable logins were those used for financial services and banking passwords, though gaming and file-sharing credentials were also affected.
UK telecoms providers are being banned from purchasing Huawei 5G equipment after 31st December 2020. In addition, the House of Commons has declared that all providers must remove the Chinese firm’s 5G kit from their networks by 2027. Digital Secretary Oliver Dowden said that a review by the National Cyber Security Centre informed the decision, with particular concerns over political tensions, the coronavirus pandemic, and China’s treatment of Hong Kong.
A new report has revealed the intense pressure cybersecurity professionals are facing in 2020. The annual ‘State of the Security Profession’ survey, led by the Chartered Institute of Information Security, had more respondents than ever and revealed that 54% of professionals left their roles due to burnout. In addition, 82% were concerned that company budgets were not high enough for 2020 threat levels.
The National Cyber Security Centre has reported a record number of sign-ups for its summer courses, which aim to teach young people key cybersecurity skills. CyberFirst teaches students how to analyse common attacks, crack codes, and defend their devices or networks. The courses, available for 14 to 17-year-olds, had to be moved online, which has proved fortuitous as 1,700 pupils are due to sign up. The scheme is part of efforts to improve diversity in STEM careers.
Results from a recent password analysis into 1 billion leaked credentials have revealed the world’s most common passwords. Turkish computer engineering student Ata Hakçıl researched records of data breaches, and discovered that there were just 169 million unique passwords in a billion. The most common password, used by more than 7 million users, was “123456”. The study also stated that the average password length was nine characters.
Fortune has surveyed the CEOs of the 2020 Fortune 500 list to get their views on life after COVID-19. While more than a quarter said they would “never return to their usual workplace”, an astonishing three quarters said that the crisis will accelerate the pace of technological transformation. Cybersecurity is one of the biggest considerations, particularly for those working from home at this time.
