Mastercard has announced its intention to acquire Seattle-based digital identity verification company Ekata in a deal valued at $850m. The payment processor publicized the planned purchase on Monday morning and said that they expect to close the deal within the next six months. Ekata works with over 2,000 companies worldwide to help them combat fraud and counts among its clients Sage, American Airlines, Equifax, and Lyft. It was founded in July 2019 when Seattle-based background checking company Whitepages split into two separate…

The United States has brought federal charges against a Maryland resident in connection with a social media scam that victimized elderly Americans. Oluwaseyi Akinyemi, also known as “Paddy Linkin” and “Joseph Kadin,” is accused of conning more than a dozen seniors out of nearly half a million dollars.  A criminal complaint was filed against the 34-year-old Nigerian native on April 16 charging him with mail fraud, attempted mail fraud, and mail and wire fraud conspiracy. Akinyemi is suspected…

The Center for Internet Security recently launched a free tool for private U.S. hospitals to block malicious activity. Wavebreakmedia, Getty Images/iStockphoto In spite of how critical they have become during the COVID-19 pandemic, hospitals have been forced to deal with a barrage of ransomware attacks over the last year. A Comparitech report found that there were 92 separate ransomware attacks in 2020 that had an effect on more than 600 US clinics, hospitals and organizations….

Security experts said the recent upheaval in the job market makes it imperative to bolster separation protocols further. Image: iStockphoto/RyanKing999 The COVID-19 pandemic has caused unprecedented turmoil in the job market over the last year, with millions across the world losing or leaving jobs due to economic disruption. An unfortunate byproduct of the employee turnover is the cybersecurity threat that comes with having a significant number of former employees.  Darren Guccione, CEO and co-founder of…

Google is shouting about a new standard designed to enhance baseline security across mobile applications. The Mobile Application Profile is the work of the Internet of Secure Things Alliance (ioXt), a consortium of over 300 members including Google, Facebook, T-Mobile, Zigbee Alliance, Schneider Electric and many others. “With so many companies involved, ioXt covers a wide range of device types, including smart lighting, smart speakers, and webcams, and since most smart devices are managed through…

The systems administrator for a notorious organized cybercrime group has been handed a 10-year jail sentence for his part in financial crimes that cost firms and consumers billions. Ukrainian national Fedir Hladyr, 35, was manager and sysadmin for FIN7 (aka Carbanak), which is believed to have made a fortune from targeting banks, restaurants, gambling and hospitality firms. The campaign which Hladyr has been linked to involved the compromise of thousands of computer systems internationally, including…