“White Hat” Hackers Will No Longer Face Prosecution, DoJ Says

Read also: GM hit by a cyberattack, the Conti ransomware gang shuts down operation, and more cybersecurity news of the week.

US says “white hat” hackers will no longer face charges under CFAA

The US Department of Justice announced a revised version of its enforcement policy regarding charging violations of the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA), which now states that security researchers acting in good-faith shouldn’t face federal charges under the CFAA.

The DoJ describes good-faith security research as an activity aimed at accessing a computer solely for purposes of testing, investigation, and/or correction of a security flaw or vulnerability carried out in such a way as to avoid any damage to individuals or the public, and where the information obtained as part of the research is used primarily to promote the security or safety of devices and online services.

The updated policy also states that “claiming to be conducting security research is not a free pass for those acting in bad faith.”

Conti shuts down ransomware operation, splits into smaller units

Conti, a notorious Russian-speaking cybercrime syndicate behind ransomware attacks on multiple organizations and private businesses worldwide, officially shut down its operation. However, security researchers warn that the gang didn’t disappear for good, but rather split into several small, more novel brands.

On May 19, the admin panel of the Conti’s brand official website and negotiations service site were shut down. According to the cybersecurity firm AdvIntel, over the two past months the group had been creating subdivisions that began operations before the start of the shutdown process. These units used either existing Conti alter egos (like KaraKurt, BlackByte, or BlackBasta) or created new ones.

The researchers say that the shutdown was not a spontaneous decision, but rather calculated move. It appears that the group has not received any ransom payments since February due to the reluctance of victims to pay in fear of being sanctioned by the US government.

Indian airline SpiceJet grounds flights due to ransomware

Low-cost Indian airline SpiceJet has been forced to delay or cancel flights after an attempted ransomware attack on its IT systems leaving hundreds of passengers stranded in airports across the country.

The company has confirmed the incident on Twitter and said that its IT team managed to contain the attack and that SpiceJet has returned to normal operations. However, multiple customers complained via social media about the company’s response to the incident. In some cases customers have encountered flight cancellations or hours-long delays at the airports, while other passengers have been stuck inside their airplanes before departure.

SpiceJet didn’t provide any additional information on the ransomware strain involved in the attack, or how the infection has occurred.

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