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Yahoo Hacker Pleads Guilty to Russian-Backed Breach

Posted: November 29, 2017 to News.

Tags: Data Breach, Malware, Compliance

Karim Baratov has pleaded guilty to the massive Yahoo hack that compromised billions of Yahoo accounts in 2014. Baratov, a Canadian citizen born in Kazakhstan, was arrested at his home in Toronto. Baratov has revealed details of his operation. He generally gained access to accounts by spearphishing. Specifically, he would send emails that appeared to come from the email provider used by a victim. The emails would contain links to fake webpages he set up that had login forms on them. People would log into them, thinking they were logging into a legit website, giving Baratov their login credentials. From there, he would send screenshots from inside a victim's account to the FSB (Russia's Federal Security Service, previously known as the KGB). Once the FSB sent him money, Baratov would send the stolen login information. Baratov is facing twenty years in prison on various charges. Spearphishing is a popular way to steal information, but it's actually pretty easy to avoid if you know what to look for. To make sure you or your employees don't fall victim to spearphishing attacks, sign up for Security Awareness Training before it's too late.

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About the Author

Craig Petronella, CEO and Founder of Petronella Technology Group
CEO, Founder & AI Architect, Petronella Technology Group

Craig Petronella founded Petronella Technology Group in 2002 and has spent more than 30 years working at the intersection of cybersecurity, AI, compliance, and digital forensics. He holds the CMMC Registered Practitioner credential (RP-1372) issued by the Cyber AB, is an NC Licensed Digital Forensics Examiner (License #604180-DFE), and completed MIT Professional Education programs in AI, Blockchain, and Cybersecurity. Craig also holds CompTIA Security+, CCNA, and Hyperledger certifications.

He is an Amazon #1 Best-Selling Author of 15+ books on cybersecurity and compliance, host of the Encrypted Ambition podcast (95+ episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Amazon), and a cybersecurity keynote speaker with 200+ engagements at conferences, law firms, and corporate boardrooms. Craig serves as Contributing Editor for Cybersecurity at NC Triangle Attorney at Law Magazine and is a guest lecturer at NCCU School of Law. He has served as a digital forensics expert witness in federal and state court cases involving cybercrime, cryptocurrency fraud, SIM-swap attacks, and data breaches.

Under his leadership, Petronella Technology Group has served 2,500+ clients, maintained a zero-breach record among compliant clients, earned a BBB A+ rating every year since 2003, and been featured as a cybersecurity authority on CBS, ABC, NBC, FOX, and WRAL. The company leverages SOC 2 Type II certified platforms and specializes in AI implementation, managed cybersecurity, CMMC/HIPAA/SOC 2 compliance, and digital forensics for businesses across the United States.

CMMC-RP NC Licensed DFE MIT Certified CompTIA Security+ Expert Witness 15+ Books
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