On October 24, 2024, President Biden signed the first-ever National Security Memorandum (“NSM”) focused on artificial intelligence (“AI”), pursuant to subsection 4.8 of Executive Order 14110. The NSM provides guidance on developing, employing, and strengthening AI usage within the federal government. The NSM outlines three main objectives which serve as guideposts in directing the U.S. […]
National Security & Digital Crimes
Forthcoming UK Cyber Security and Resilience Bill to Boost the UK’s Cyber Defenses
In the July 2024 King’s Speech, the UK government announced its intention to introduce a Cyber Security and Resilience Bill (the “Bill”) to improve the UK’s cyber defenses and protect essential public services. The announcement comes as companies and countries increasingly face attacks by cyber criminals and state actors, sometimes disrupting public services and infrastructure. […]
DOJ Unseals Indictment of Evil Corp Member, While OFAC Announces New Evil Corp Sanctions
On October 1, 2024, the Department of Justice (“DOJ”) unsealed an indictment against Aleksandr Viktorovich Ryzhenkov (Александр Викторович Рыженков), a member of the ransomware group Evil Corp. The indictment charges Ryzhenkov with several violations of the Computer Fraud & Abuse Act, as well as conspiring to commit money laundering, arising from his use of a […]
Ransomware Activity Trends in Q2 2024
Ransomware attacks are hitting record highs in 2024 and show no sign of slowing down as new criminal groups enter the scene and employ a variety of evolving tactics. This post identifies key highlights of ransomware activity in 2024 so far. Multiple recent security reports have reported a significant increase in ransomware attacks claimed by […]
DOJ Continues to Investigate and Prosecute North Korean IT Worker Fraud Scheme
On Thursday, August 8, 2024, the United States Department of Justice (“DOJ”) announced that it had charged a Nashville man for his alleged role in assisting the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (“DPRK” or “North Korea”) with a scheme designed to funnel money from legitimate U.S. based businesses through fraudulently hired remote IT workers. The […]