Bitdefender describes a new Internet-of-things (IoT) botnet, "Hide 'N' Seek" (or simply HNS). HNS is marked by its rapid spread, growing from twenty-seven-hundred to more than twenty-four-thousand devices over the last two days. Its infection mechanism is the same as Reaper's, but researchers discern no other connection between the two botnets.

HNS's rapid spread is enabled by a decentralized peer-to-peer mechanism that will complicate any takedowns. Other botnets have used P2P communications, but they've relied upon an existing BitTorrent protocol. HNS uses a custom system. Once installed, HNS's capabilities include code execution, data exfiltration, and interference with device operation. Effectively every infected device serves as a command-and-control server, a file server, and a jumping-off point for further infection. Bitdefender thinks HNS has the hallmarks of an attack prepared by an unusually sophisticated threat actor.

Initial coin offerings (ICOs) appear to be losing about ten percent of their value to hacking and fraud.

Bell Canada disclosed a data breach affecting about one-hundred-thousand customers.

Observers would like to see evidence from Ontario transit outfit Metrolinx that it was hit by North Korean hackers.

At Davos, British Prime Minister May doubles down on her crypto-skeptic position in the cryptowars.

Olympic-related hacking didn't end with the first doxing wave earlier this month. Fancy Bear has released documents stolen from the International Luge Federation. The hackers claim the documents reveal doping violations. Fancy Bear, generally identified with Russia's GRU military intelligence organization, has been upset over the International Olympic Committee's sanctioning of the Russian team.