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Spyware firm targeted WhatsApp users in defiance of US court order, Meta says

Tech company says it ‘caught and disrupted’ NSO Group’s attempts to access accounts in Jordan and Lebanon

A spyware firm has been targeting WhatsApp users with malicious links in contravention of a US court order forbidding it from doing so, Meta has said.

In a post, Meta said WhatsApp had “caught and disrupted spear phishing attempts” by NSO Group, which a spokesperson said targeted a handful of users in Jordan and Lebanon. It had also caught the group creating “test accounts and groups” on WhatsApp.

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© Photograph: Martin Meissner/AP

© Photograph: Martin Meissner/AP

© Photograph: Martin Meissner/AP

Canvas hack: is it ever a good idea to pay a ransom, and what happens to the data?

Businesses are advised against paying – but many are prepared to deal to protect users’ privacy

After a week of outages, hundreds of millions of students’ data stolen, delayed assignment due dates and school login pages being defaced by hackers, the US tech firm Instructure – which operates the education platform Canvas, used by education providers worldwide – announced it had “reached an agreement with the unauthorised actor” behind the ransomware attack.

Experts read the careful language as a sign that a ransom has been paid. The company has not confirmed this.

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© Photograph: Boonchai Wedmakawand/Getty Images

© Photograph: Boonchai Wedmakawand/Getty Images

© Photograph: Boonchai Wedmakawand/Getty Images

Booking.com warns customers of hack that exposed their data

Undisclosed number of names and contact and reservation details accessed in latest cybercrime attempt

The accommodation reservation website Booking.com has suffered a data breach with “unauthorised parties” gaining access to customers’ details.

The platform said it “noticed some suspicious activity involving unauthorised third parties being able to access some of our guests’ booking information”.

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© Photograph: CrocusPhotography/Alamy

© Photograph: CrocusPhotography/Alamy

© Photograph: CrocusPhotography/Alamy

Google warns quantum computers could hack encrypted systems by 2029

Banks, governments and tech providers urged to upgrade security because current systems will soon be obsolete

Banks, governments and technology providers need to be prepared for quantum computer hackers capable of breaking most existing encryption systems by 2029, Google has warned.

The tech company said in a blogpost that quantum computers would pose a “significant threat to current cryptographic standards” before the end of the decade and urged other companies to follow its lead.

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© Photograph: Reuters

© Photograph: Reuters

© Photograph: Reuters

A Victorian schoolteacher was applying for ‘heaps of rentals’ online – then someone accessed his bank account

Michael suspects personal information he submitted to rent application platforms was leaked online. And analysis shows millions of documents may also be at risk

Michael* has spent the past two months trying to get his digital identity back.

The 47-year-old Victorian schoolteacher was in the process of moving to a new town and applying for rental properties online. Around this time – and unbeknown to him – his mobile phone number was transferred to someone else.

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© Composite: Getty Images

© Composite: Getty Images

© Composite: Getty Images

Burner phones and lead-lined bags: a history of UK security tactics in China

Starmer’s team is wary of spies but such fears are not new – with Theresa May once warned to get dressed under a duvet

When prime ministers travel to China, heightened security arrangements are a given – as is the quiet game of cat and mouse that takes place behind the scenes as each country tests out each other’s tradecraft and capabilities.

Keir Starmer’s team has been issued with burner phones and fresh sim cards, and is using temporary email addresses, to prevent devices being loaded with spyware or UK government servers being hacked into.

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© Photograph: Simon Dawson/Simon Dawson/10 Downing Street

© Photograph: Simon Dawson/Simon Dawson/10 Downing Street

© Photograph: Simon Dawson/Simon Dawson/10 Downing Street

Six out of 10 UK secondary schools hit by cyber-attack or breach in past year

Hackers are more likely to target educational institutions than private businesses, government survey shows

When hackers attacked UK nurseries last month and published children’s data online, they were accused of hitting a new low.

But the broader education sector is well used to being a target.

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© Photograph: MBI/Alamy

© Photograph: MBI/Alamy

© Photograph: MBI/Alamy

Hackers reportedly steal pictures of 8,000 children from Kido nursery chain

Firm, which has 18 sites around London and more in US, India and China, has received ransom demand, say reports

The names, pictures and addresses of about 8,000 children have reportedly been stolen from the Kido nursery chain by a gang of cybercriminals.

The criminals have demanded a ransom from the company – which has 18 sites around London, with more in the US, India and China – according to the BBC.

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© Photograph: solarseven/Getty Images/iStockphoto

© Photograph: solarseven/Getty Images/iStockphoto

© Photograph: solarseven/Getty Images/iStockphoto

Legal aid cyber-attack has pushed sector towards collapse, say lawyers

Barristers report going unpaid and cases being turned away amid fears firms will desert legal aid work altogether

Lawyers have warned that a cyber-attack on the Legal Aid Agency has pushed the sector into chaos, with barristers going unpaid, cases being turned away and fears a growing number of firms could desert legal aid work altogether.

In May, the legal aid agency announced that the personal data of hundreds of thousands of legal aid applicants in England and Wales dating back to 2010 had been accessed and downloaded in a significant cyber-attack.

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© Photograph: Hesther Ng/SOPA Images/REX/Shutterstock

© Photograph: Hesther Ng/SOPA Images/REX/Shutterstock

© Photograph: Hesther Ng/SOPA Images/REX/Shutterstock

What to do if you can’t get into your Facebook or Instagram account

How to prove your identity after your account gets hacked and how to improve security for the future

Your Facebook or Instagram account can be your link to friends, a profile for your work or a key to other services, so losing access can be very worrying. Here’s what to do if the worst happens.

If you have access to the phone number or email account associated with your Facebook or Instagram account, try to reset your password by clicking on the “Forgot password?” link on the main Facebook or Instagram login screen. Follow the instructions in the email or text message you receive.

If you no longer have access to the email account linked to your Facebook account, use a device with which you have previously logged into Facebook and go to facebook.com/login/identify. Enter any email address or phone number you might have associated with your account, or find your username which is the string of characters after Facebook.com/ on your page. Click on “No longer have access to these?”, “Forgotten account?” or “Recover” and follow the instructions to prove your identity and reset your password.

If your account was hacked, visit facebook.com/hacked or instagram.com/hacked/ on a device you have previously used to log in and follow the instructions. Visit the help with a hacked account page for Facebook or Instagram.

Change the password to something strong, long and unique, such as a combination of random words or a memorable lyric or quote. Avoid simple or guessable combinations. Use a password manager to help you remember it and other important details.

Turn on two-step verification in the “password and security” section of the Accounts Centre. Use an authentication app or security key for this, not SMS codes. Save your recovery codes somewhere safe in case you lose access to your two-step authentication method.

Turn on “unrecognised login” alerts in the “password and security” section of the Accounts Centre, which will alert you to any suspicious login activity.

Remove any suspicious “friends” from your account – these could be fake accounts or scammers.

If you are eligible, turn on “advanced protection for Facebook” in the “password and security” section of the Accounts Centre.

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© Photograph: bigtunaonline/Alamy

© Photograph: bigtunaonline/Alamy

© Photograph: bigtunaonline/Alamy

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