Hello and welcome to this week’s edition of In the News. As always, we’re looking at the issues that affect us all - cybersecurity and privacy in the modern age.
We’ve selected some of the most interesting articles we’ve seen this week and hope you enjoy them. This week we cover a massive crypto theft, TSA facial recognition, a 13-year-old college graduate and more. Read on to catch up with the latest in cybersecurity. 
TSA is testing facial recognition at more airports, raising privacy concerns
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is embarking on a pilot programme testing facial recognition technology for airport screening. The goal is to improve the security process by replacing traditional identification methods. Privacy advocates are sounding the alarm, raising concerns about misuse and the mishandling of sensitive information.
| Date: | May 15, 2023 |
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| Source: | AP News |
| Author: | Rebecca Santana & Rick Gentilo |
| Tag: | Data Privacy, Tech |
North Korean crypto thefts target Japan, Vietnam, Hong Kong
North Korean hackers are focusing their cryptocurrency theft operations on Japan, Vietnam and Hong Kong. The aim is to obtain funds for weapons programmes. Over $721 million in cryptocurrency has been stolen by the hackers. All with phishing and malware attacks, targeting exchanges and individuals. This underscores the ongoing fight against cybercrime and the need for strong security measures in the cryptocurrency industry.
| Date: | May 15, 2023 |
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| Source: | Reuters |
| Author: | Akinobu Iwasawa & Rei Kobayashi |
| Tag: | Hack, Malware |
New trends in ransomware attacks shape the future of cybersecurity
Ryan Bell, Threat Intelligence Manager at Corvus Insurance shares insights from researchers. Corvus Insurance looked at data from leak sites and the dark web, uncovering a 60% increase in ransomware victims in March 2023. This is the largest monthly count in over two years. Bell also shares cautionary measures.
| Date: | May 16, 2023 |
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| Source: | HelpNet Security |
| Author: | Ryan Bell |
| Tag: | Ransomware, Cyber Crime |
New ZIP domains spark debate among cybersecurity experts
Google recently allowed top-level domains with .zip and .move to be purchased and it’s created a debate. These TLDs could been seen as risky as .zip and .mov are commonly used as file extensions when these filetypes are shared… The change allows for threat actors to manufacture phishing scams or cause unsuspecting people to download malware. Microsoft has already fallen victim with a phishing website at microsoft-office[.]zip that is identical to the Microsoft sign-in page.
| Date: | May 17, 2023 |
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| Source: | Bleeping Computer |
| Author: | Lawrence Abrams |
| Tag: | Social Engineering, Tech |
Lawmakers advance cyber bills aimed at open-source, satellite vulnerabilities
Committees in the House of Representatives and the Senate have approved cyber bills that target vulnerabilities in open-source satellite systems. The purpose of the bills is to address the potential security risks associated with the use of open source software in satellite operations.
| Date: | May 18, 2023 |
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| Source: | The Record. |
| Author: | Martin Matishak |
| Tag: | Politics, Tech |
In Battle Over A.I., Meta Decides to Give Away Its Crown Jewels
Meta is made their AI technology open source, hoping to address the reproducibility crisis in AI and promote collaboration. Concerns have been raised regarding data privacy and the presence of data biases in the open source datasets. As the Meta AI gains momentum, it does have the power to push the ethical AI development and collaborative AI forward.
| Date: | May 18, 2023 |
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| Source: | The New York Times |
| Author: | Cade Metz & Mike Isaac |
| Tag: | Open Source, AI |
Apple reportedly limits internal use of AI-powered tools like ChatGPT and GitHub Copilot
Apple has reportedly restricted the internal use of popular AI-powered tools including ChatGPT and GitHub’s Copilot. This restriction comes following concerns over privacy and potential risks of sensitive user data leaks. Apple will continue to use AI in it’s products and services, but is taking a cautious approach when utilizing third-party tools internally.
| Date: | May 19, 2023 |
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| Source: | TechCrunch |
| Author: | Ivan Mehta |
| Tag: | AI, Tech |
13 Y.O. Makes History With Computer Science And Cybersecurity Degrees
At age 13, Elijah Muhammed is the youngest African-American to earn a college degree in both computer science and cybersecurity. In addition, Elijah holds 10 IBM certs, a Google IT certificate and four Oklahoma City Community College degrees. His older sister, Shania, 15, graduated from college a week earlier.
| Date: | May 19, 2023 |
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| Source: | Vibe |
| Author: | Amber Corrine |
| Tag: | Tech, Education |
Conclusion
Thanks for tuning in and reading this weeks roundup. Let us know if you found these brief summaries interesting or if you’d like to see something else. The goal of ‘This Week in Cybersecurity’ is to keep you informed and encourage the growth of security in the ever-evolving digital realm.
Please share any interesting news you’ve come across in the communities ‘In The News’ category. We appreciate any contributions to keeping people informed. 