21/04/2021: Cybersecurity & Tech News Roundup

Beware InMail Espionage: MI5 has recently warned that spies may be using LinkedIn to trick users into spilling secrets

Gone are the days when a suspicious figure in a trench approaches an unsuspecting target for a shady proposition - like everything, spying has gone digital. Cyber-espionage is nothing new, and is usually done via nefarious hacking groups, but sometimes the spies come at you via your LinkedIn inbox, so you've got to expect the unexpected.

M15 recently issued a warning over the large number of UK nationals that have been targeted via LinkedIn with fake profiles linked to hostile states. There have been over 10,000 cases over the past five years, and that number is growing. Threat actors have targeted government workers, offering bribes in exchange for secrets, as well as private sector staff working in several key industries. Read more here.

Portsmouth University is still feeling the effects of last week's data breach

Once an organisation has been breached, the negative consequences are felt long after the story has faded from the headlines. In this instance, Portsmouth university still has its key IT systems offline and has had to delay the start of the new term, due to a cyber incident it recently faced. Countless institutes of education have been targeted over the past year and a half, often using ransomware and following it up with publishing the organisation's data - the latest go-to for cyber-criminals. Not only does the university's reputation suffer, but students also feel the effects too. In Portsmouth's case, that's 25,000 students having their education delayed.

The university had this to say: “We are working with an experienced cybersecurity forensic firm to address the issue and to investigate and remedy the incident as quickly as we can. This is a complex issue and we appreciate your patience while we resolve this matter.” Read more here.

The former children's commissioner is suing TikTok for allegedly breaching GDPR

Anne Longfield - former children's commissioner for England is taking on TikTok and its parent company ByteDance on behalf of millions of under 13s. The lawsuit accuses TikTok of illegally collecting personal data belonging to as many as 3.5 million UK children since 2018 - when GDPR was introduced. GDPR states that taking children's personal info without adequate warning, transparency, or necessary consent - without parents and children knowing what their data could be used for - which is what TikTok is accused of breaching. Read more here.

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