• UK
  • World
    • USA
  • Entertainment
    • Celeb
    • Showbiz
    • Magazine
  • Politics
  • Sports
  • Gaming
  • Tech
  • Science
    • Education
  • Insurance
  • Business
  • Auto
  • ToS/Contact
    • ToS
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact
NewsExplored
  • UK
  • World
    • USA
  • Entertainment
    • Celeb
    • Showbiz
    • Magazine
  • Politics
  • Sports
  • Gaming
  • Tech
  • Science
    • Education
  • Insurance
  • Business
  • Auto
  • ToS/Contact
    • ToS
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact
  • Facebook

  • Twitter

  • LinkedIn

  • Tumblr

  • RSS

Tech

Uber ex-security boss accused of covering up hack attack

Uber ex-security boss accused of covering up hack attack
Newsexplored
21st August 2020
5
SHARES
ShareTweet
SubscribeRedditGoogleWhatsappStumbleuponPinterestDiggLinkedinTumblrTelegram
Views:
3
Uber logo in a car windowImage copyright Reuters

Uber’s former chief security officer Joseph Sullivan has been charged with obstruction of justice in the US.

The 52-year-old is accused of trying to cover up a data breach in 2016 that exposed the details of 57 million Uber drivers and passengers.

The company has previously admitted to paying a group of hackers a $100,000 (£75,000) ransom to delete the data they had stolen.

Mr Sullivan was fired in 2017 when the data breach was revealed.

The charges filed by the US Department of Justice said Mr Sullivan had taken “deliberate steps” to stop the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) from finding out about the hack.

He is accused of approving the $100,000 payment to the hackers, which was made in bitcoin.

The payment was disguised as a “bug bounty” reward, used to pay cyber-security researchers who disclose vulnerabilities so they can be fixed.

The charges allege that he asked the hackers to sign non-disclosure agreements, falsely stating they had not stolen any Uber data.

“Silicon Valley is not the Wild West,” said US lawyer David Anderson. “We expect good corporate citizenship. We expect prompt reporting of criminal conduct. We expect co-operation with our investigations. We will not tolerate corporate cover-ups.”

A spokesman for Mr Sullivan said he denied the charges.

“If not for Mr Sullivan’s and his team’s efforts, it’s likely that the individuals responsible for this incident never would have been identified at all,” said spokesman Brad Williams.

data-ad-format="auto">

Mr Sullivan currently works as chief information security officer at cyber-security firm Cloudflare.

Uber chief executive Dara Khosrowshahi disclosed the data breach in 2017. The company eventually paid $148m to settle legal claims by all 50 US states and Washington DC.

Analysis

By Joe Tidy, Cyber Reporter

When is a breach a breach?


This could be the key question facing the court in this case which will be watched closely by hackers and security experts around the world.

Mr Sullivan says he did nothing wrong and was simply rewarding the hackers a “bug bounty” for discovering a security flaw in Uber’s system.

Many large companies have open bug bounty schemes that invite hackers – under strict conditions – to test their computer systems for flaws.

If they find one, they get paid and the company can fix it without needing to alert the authorities.

But these hackers did not approach Uber as part of a scheme. They broke into the systems anonymously, stole data and held the company to ransom.

Effectively, Mr Sullivan is being accused of turning a serious hack into a routine bug bounty, which was therefore not worth notifying the authorities or his company about.

The fact that the hackers themselves have already pleaded guilty to the cyber-attack may not help Mr Sullivan’s case.

Share this:

  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Google+ (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)
  • Share on Skype (Opens in new window)

Related

Related Itemsaccusedattackcoveringsecurity
Tech
21st August 2020
Newsexplored @newsexploredweb

Related Itemsaccusedattackcoveringsecurity

More in Tech

  • Read More
    Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra: Does stylus spell end of the Note?

    Views:3 By Leo KelionTechnology desk editor image copyrightSamsung image captionThe Galaxy S21 Ultra has hardware built into...

    Newsexplored 21st August 2020
  • Read More
    December Microsoft issue affecting pupils could take ‘weeks’ to fix

    Views:3 image copyrightGetty Images image captionMicrosoft Teams is a key resource for pupils learning at home A...

    Newsexplored 21st August 2020
  • Read More
    Fifa 21 and Frozen 2 top digital sales of 2020

    Views:3 image copyrightEA SPORTS/DISNEY The UK spent a record £9.05bn ($12bn) on home entertainment in 2020, with...

    Newsexplored 21st August 2020
  • Read More
    Elon Musk’s guide to getting ahead in business

    Views:3 By Justin RowlattChief environment correspondent image copyrightReuters image captionWhat are the secrets behind Elon Musk’s astonishing...

    Newsexplored 21st August 2020
  • Read More
    Home-schooling: How to help your child’s online learning

    Views:3 By Jane WakefieldTechnology reporter Published 2 hours ago Related Topics image copyrightGetty Images image captionSchool’s out....

    Newsexplored 21st August 2020
  • Read More
    Cyberpunk 2077: How did the release go so wrong?

    Views:3 image copyrightGetty Images It’s safe to say things haven’t gone smoothly for the makers of Cyberpunk...

    Newsexplored 21st August 2020
  • Read More
    Manchester United hit by cyber attack but say fan data safe

    Views:3 Manchester United host West Brom at Old Trafford in the Premier League on Saturday Manchester United...

    Newsexplored 21st August 2020
  • Read More
    Climate change: Can sending fewer emails really save the planet?

    Views:3 By David MolloyTechnology reporter Related Topics Climate change image copyrightGetty Images Are you the type of...

    Newsexplored 21st August 2020
  • Read More
    PS5 v Xbox Series X: Who will win the next-gen console race?

    Views:3 By Steffan PowellNewsbeat gaming reporter Published 7 November It’s like the excitement just before Christmas, only...

    Newsexplored 21st August 2020
  • Read More
    Five ways the virus has changed Netflix

    Views:3 By Natalie ShermanBusiness reporter, New York image copyrightNetflix image captionComedy series The Good Place has been...

    Newsexplored 21st August 2020
  • Read More
    iPhone 12: Apple makes jump to 5G

    Views:3 By Leo KelionTechnology desk editor Published 7 hours ago image copyrightApple Apple has confirmed its iPhone...

    Newsexplored 21st August 2020
  • Read More
    Ada Lovelace Day: ‘2020 has been a hard slog’

    Views:3 By Zoe KleinmanTechnology reporter From caravans to kitchen tables, and podcast production to pregnancy, I’ve been...

    Newsexplored 21st August 2020
Scroll for more
Tap
data-ad-format="auto">
NewsExplored

NewsExplored - Making sure all the latest news is explored?

Contact us for help

  • Popular

  • Latest

  • Comments

  • Trump pardons two convicted by Russia investigation
    USA23rd December 2020
  • Kieran Trippier suspended for 10 weeks over breaches of betting rules
    Sports23rd December 2020
  • The Papers: UK and EU on ‘verge’ of Brexit trade deal
    UK23rd December 2020
  • Former BBC sports reporter Kevin Gearey dies
    Entertainment23rd December 2020
  • Biden inauguration rehearsal paused amid US Capitol lockdown
    USA18th January 2021
  • Migrant caravan: Guatemala blocks thousands bound for US
    USA18th January 2021
  • Trump impeachment: When will he go on trial in the Senate?
    USA16th January 2021
  • Joe Biden unveils $1.9tn US economic relief package
    USA15th January 2021
  • Les Rehrer says:

    Hello Its me :P and thanks for this post

  • optumrx login says:

    Thank For News.

  • Kent Laatsch says:

    Please let me know if you're looking for a writer…

  • Bob says:

    RT News was where I learned that Erdogan controlled isis.…

Copyright © 2018 Top News Theme. Theme by MVP Themes, powered by Wordpress.

News publishers fight tech giants for better deals
Ofcom broadband compensation scheme in record payout
We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.Ok