Last week, the Department of Justice (“DOJ”) announced the launch of its Civil Cyber-Fraud Initiative (“the Initiative”) aimed at combating “new and emerging cyber threats to the security of sensitive information and critical systems” specifically targeting accountability of cybersecurity obligations for federal contractors and federal grant recipients, by way of the False Claims Act. The
Bitcoin
New Ransomware Tactics and Strains Emerge, Including Public Auctions of Stolen Data
As many have learned over the last several years, ransomware is a type of malware that denies affected users access to critical data by encrypting it. Attackers profit handsomely by requiring victims to pay substantial sums, typically tendered in a cryptocurrency such as Bitcoin. A look at some of the numbers over the past two…
FTC Joins Other Agencies In Warning Organizations About Ransomware
Earlier this month, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) blogged about How to defend against ransomware, and published Ransomware – A Closer Look in the “Tips and Advice” section of its website. This follows warnings from other federal agencies and law enforcement concerning this serious online threat to organizations, such as Dept. of Health and…
IRS Guidance for Bitcoin in Time for Tax Season
In an earlier post, we discussed the basics behind how Bitcoin operates and how it might create unique issues for employers. In the span of just a little over a month, the Bitcoin community has had its share of stories in the news cycle. One of the largest exchanges, Mt. Gox, has filed for…
What Employers Need to Know About Bitcoin
Ask the average person what they know about Bitcoin and they might be able to tell you that it is a digital currency. Most have probably heard the name mentioned in articles about its giant fluctuations in value or in connection with black market internet transactions. Beyond that, how Bitcoin actually operates remains relatively unknown…