Ace offers $100 million cyber policies with added services, scrutiny

By Jim Finkle BOSTON (Reuters) – Insurer Ace Ltd plans to start offering cyber security policies providing up to $100 million in coverage at a time when experts say it is hard for businesses to obtain such large coverage following the surge in high-profile breaches. The plan comes with services from firms that help identify cybersecurity vulnerabilities and respond to cyber attacks.

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Apple’s iOS App Store suffers first major attack

By Jim Finkle BOSTON (Reuters) – Apple Inc said on Sunday it is cleaning up its iOS App Store to remove malicious iPhone and iPad programs identified in the first large-scale attack on the popular mobile software outlet. It is the first reported case of large numbers of malicious software programs making their way past Apple's stringent app review process. Prior to this attack, a total of just five malicious apps had ever been found in the App Store, according to cyber security firm Palo Alto Networks Inc

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Chinese computer hack attacks slow ahead of Obama summit: experts

By Joseph Menn and Doina Chiacu WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Major intrusions by Chinese hackers of U.S. companies' computer systems appear to have slowed in recent months, private-sector experts say, ahead of a meeting between China's president and President Barack Obama with cyber security on the agenda. “The pace of new breaches feels like it’s tempering,” said Kevin Mandia, founder of Mandiant, a prominent company that investigates sophisticated corporate breaches

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China tells U.S. to stop ‘groundless’ hacking accusations

China reacted angrily on Friday following a call by America’s top intelligence official for cyber security against China to be stepped up, and said the United States should stop “groundless accusations”. Director of National Intelligence James Clapper said the United States must beef up cyber security against Chinese hackers targeting a range of U.S. interests to raise the cost to China of engaging in such activities.

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Exclusive: At White House, 30-day sprint kicks off cyber marathon to stop intrusions

It's not unique to the federal government,” said Tony Scott, who spent 35 years in the private sector running systems at companies such as Microsoft Corp, Walt Disney Co and General Motors Co. Scott was named as the federal CIO in February and knew from the start that stepping up cyber defenses would be a focus

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Cyber security measure blocked in Senate

The Senate failed on Thursday to advance legislation to strengthen protections against cyber attacks, as Democrats banded together to oppose the measure's inclusion in a defense policy bill President Barack Obama has threatened to veto. By a 56-40 vote, lawmakers decided largely along party lines not to move ahead with the measure as an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act. It was the third time in three years that the Senate has failed to advance bipartisan cyber security legislation.

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Europol Director: hackers target banks, not customers

By Toby Sterling THE HAGUE (Reuters) – Banks, rather than their customers, are increasingly the main target of online thieves, Europol director Rob Wainwright said on Friday in an interview. “That has been an important change,” Wainwright told Reuters after a conference on cyber security in The Hague.

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Exclusive: Iran hackers may target U.S. energy, defense firms, FBI warns

By Jim Finkle BOSTON (Reuters) – The Federal Bureau of Investigation has warned U.S. businesses to be on the alert for a sophisticated Iranian hacking operation whose targets include defense contractors, energy firms and educational institutions, according to a confidential agency document. The operation is the same as one flagged last week by cyber security firm Cylance Inc as targeting critical infrastructure organizations worldwide, cyber security experts said.

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