BOULDER — Hackers are trying to extort the University of Colorado after a cyberattack that potentially compromised personal information from more than 310,000 files, including student data, medical information and several Social Security numbers, university officials said Friday. The attackers have posted small amounts of data on the internet and are threatening to post more […]
hacking
Posted inOpinion, Opinion Columns
Opinion: Huge cyberattack shows it’s time to fix our failing cybersecurity infrastructure
The recent cyberattacks on the U.S. government and select companies that security agencies say is “likely Russian in origin” should be ringing alarm bells across the capital and across the nation. By compromising a software vendor and manipulating their updates, hackers infiltrated the sensitive networks of many of our institutions. Now I fear we’ll repeat […]
Posted inUncategorized
After a small Colorado city paid cyber attackers a ransom, there’s concern about the rest of the state
If Debbie Wilmot could turn back time, the city of Lafayette would have scanned its computer network regularly. It would have hunted down and plugged holes that tempt cyber prowlers. And there would have been more training sessions to keep cybersecurity awareness high among the town’s 200 employees. The town of about 30,000 people is […]
Posted inNews, Politics and Government
The public, election officials may be kept in the dark on hacks around the U.S. But not in Colorado.
By Colleen Long and Christina A. Cassidy, The Associated Press WASHINGTON — If the FBI discovers that foreign hackers have infiltrated the networks of your county election office, you may not find out about it until after voting is over. And your governor and other state officials may be kept in the dark, too. There’s […]
Posted inColoradans, News
How a Colorado family launched a Christmas toy hack-a-thon for children with disabilities that has gone global
Five years ago, a silly toy inspired an enduring tradition of Christmas magic. Fart Blaster, a whimsical gadget spun off the popular “Despicable Me” movie franchise, emits the sound you’d expect, along with flashing lights, when a child pulls the trigger. For Steve and Deana Watson’s then-9-year-old son, Max, who has severe disabilities, it held […]
Posted inBusiness, Crime and Courts, News, Politics and Government, Transportation
Two Iranians indicted in hacking scheme that held CDOT computers hostage and cost Colorado up to $2 million
A federal grand jury has indicted two Iranian men accused of holding the Colorado Department of Transportation’s computer system hostage earlier this year as part of a wide-reaching international computer hacking and extortion scheme. The malware infected critical systems nationwide, including hospitals, and extorted more than 200 victims who paid the attackers $6 million, according […]