Hackers Conquer Security Firm, Hijack iPhones and Trawl a Supercomputer

In case you missed our coverage this week in ThreatWatch, Nextgov’s regularly updated index of cyber breaches:

Spotify Android users must upgrade apps after hack

The streaming music service says an investigation shows only one user’s data was compromised but, as a precaution, it will be asking certain users to re-enter their passwords and download new software.

Hackers expose IDs of 400,000 people using security firm Avast’s support forum

The provider of free antivirus software took its message board offline after the breach.

iPhones and iPads in Australia remotely held hostage by attackers

The attackers are demanding PayPal payments from owners of Apple devices, including Macs, before they will relinquish control.

Chinese hackers accused of trawling New Zealand supercomputer

The National Institute for Water and Atmospheric Research machine is used for weather forecasting but hackers could have seen it as a gateway to access sensitive Western intelligence.

ThreatWatch is a regularly updated catalog of data breaches successfully striking every sector of the globe, as reported by journalists, researchers and the victims themselves.

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