*{box-sizing:border-box}body{margin:0;padding:0}a[x-apple-data-detectors]{color:inherit!important;text-decoration:inherit!important}#MessageViewBody a{color:inherit;text-decoration:none}p{line-height:inherit}.desktop_hide,.desktop_hide table{mso-hide:all;display:none;max-height:0;overflow:hidden}.image_block img+div{display:none} @media (max-width:620px){.image_block div.fullWidth{max-width:100%!important}.mobile_hide{display:none}.row-content{width:100%!important}.stack .column{width:100%;display:block}.mobile_hide{min-height:0;max-height:0;max-width:0;overflow:hidden;font-size:0}.desktop_hide,.desktop_hide table{display:table!important;max-height:none!important}.reverse{display:table;width:100%}.reverse .column.first{display:table-footer-group!important}.reverse .column.last{display:table-header-group!important}.row-10 td.column.first .border,.row-8 td.column.first .border{padding:5px 5px 15px 25px;border-top:0;border-right:0;border-bottom:0;border-left:0}.row-10 td.column.last .border,.row-12 td.column.last .border,.row-8 td.column.last .border{padding:5px 20px 25px 5px;border-top:0;border-right:0;border-bottom:0;border-left:0}.row-12 td.column.first .border{padding:5px 5px 15px 25px;border-top:0;border-right:0;border-bottom:15px solid transparent;border-left:0}}
Welcome to The Hill's Technology newsletter {beacon}
Technology
Technology
The Big Story
State Department offers bounty for hack information
The State Department said it would provide a $10 million reward for information about the Blackcat ransomware group that hacked UnitedHealthcare in February.
© AP Photo/Jim Mone
The agency is offering the reward for information that would lead to the identification or location of anyone who engaged in the “malicious cyber activities” against U.S. infrastructure on behalf of a foreign government, our colleague Lauren Irwin reported.
“The ALPHV BlackCat ransomware-as-a-service group compromised computer networks of critical infrastructure sectors in the United States and worldwide, deploying ransomware on the targeted systems, disabling security features within the victim’s network, stealing sensitive confidential information, demanding payment to restore access, and threatening to publicize the stolen data if victims do not pay a ransom,” the State Department said in a statement.
The group ALPHV, or Blackcat, was first deployed in 2021. Its members have “developed and maintained” ransomware and recruited affiliates to deploy it, according to the State Department.
Change Healthcare, a subsidiary of UnitedHealth Group that manages payment systems for most of the hospitals in the U.S., was hit by a cyberattack on Feb. 21. Many patients had to pay out-of-pocket for medicines and health care services due to the effects of the attack.
As of mid-March, the health care giant said that it was testing software it must restore from the attack but has no date yet for finishing the recovery. The company restored nearly all its systems for processing prescriptions, bills and payments, The Associated Press reported.
Read more in a full report at TheHill.com.
Welcome to The Hill’s Technology newsletter, we're Rebecca Klar and Julia Shapero — tracking the latest moves from Capitol Hill to Silicon Valley.
Did someone forward you this newsletter? Subscribe here.
Essential Reads
How policy will be impacting the tech sector now and in the future:
China’s Xi holds all-male meeting with US business leaders
Several U.S. business leaders met with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday, when he made his case calling for closer ties between the two largest economies in the world. The all-male meeting was held in Beijing and came as the U.S. and China have had a steady improvement in relations in the past several years. Xi expressed that the relationship is mutually beneficial, despite U.S. pushback on the influence of the Chinese …
Full Story Arizona becomes ground zero for 2024 election misinformation fears
Law enforcement officials are taking steps to put up guardrails ahead of the 2024 elections, where long-festering misinformation from 2020 is expected to heighten tensions — especially in the battleground state of Arizona. Election workers and public officials in Arizona have been plagued by incessant threats and harassment, while candidates with a penchant for conspiracy theories have made the state a hotbed of misinformation. …
Full Story Lego asks police department to stop using toy heads on suspect photos
A California police department said it would no longer use Lego heads to obscure suspects’ faces in social media posts, after the Lego Group requested the department cease the practice, citing intellectual property concerns. “The Lego Group reached out to me on March 19th and respectfully asked us to refrain from using their intellectual property in our social media content,” Murrieta Police Department Lt. Jeremy Durrant said …
Full Story The Refresh
News we've flagged from the intersection of tech and other topics:
Amazon invests another $2.75B in Anthropic
Amazon has invested another $2.75 billion in Anthropic on top of its initial $1.25 billion investment in the artificial intelligence (AI) startup, The Wall Street Journal reported.
Princess Kate video spurs new AI conspiracies
A video of Kate, the Princess of Wales, revealing her cancer diagnosis has spurred new conspiracy theories that it was generated with AI, despite no evidence of manipulation, The Washington Post reported.
In Other News
Branch out with other reads on The Hill:
Trump Media, Reddit surge despite questionable profit prospects, taking on the ‘meme stock’ mantle
NEW YORK (AP) — Reddit and Trump Media are the first notable social media companies to begin trading publicly in the last five years. They’re also, thanks to the rabid reception among investors coupled with the companies’ fuzzy profit outlooks, the latest meme stocks. Meme stocks are …
Full Story Kansas moves to join Texas and other states in requiring porn sites to verify people’s ages
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas is poised to require pornography websites to verify visitors are adults, a move that would follow Texas and a handful of other states despite concerns about privacy and how broadly the law could be applied. The Republican-controlled Kansas Legislature passed the proposal …
Full Story What Others are Reading
Two key stories on The Hill right now:
Trump says RFK Jr. ‘great for MAGA’ after VP announcement
Former President Trump called Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s campaign “great for MAGA” in a post early Wednesday. … Read more
Chair says Libertarians are ‘confused’ by RFK Jr.’s VP pick
The chair of the Libertarian National Committee said its members are “confused” by Robert F. Kennedy’s Jr. vice presidential pick, which he announced … Read more
What Others are Reading
Opinions related to tech submitted to The Hill:
- China’s surging innovation investments are a wake-up call to Congress
- On chip self-sufficiency, Washinton must put up or shut up
You're all caught up. See you tomorrow!
Check out The Hill's Technology page for the latest coverage.
Like this newsletter? Take a moment to view our other topical products here 📩
Privacy Policy | Manage Subscriptions | Unsubscribe
1625 K Street NW, 9th Floor, Washington, DC 20006
Copyright © 1998 - 2024 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved.
Close Thank you for signing up!
Subscribe to more newsletters here
The latest in politics and policy. Direct to your inbox. Sign up for the Technology newsletter Subscribe