VENTURE CAPITAL POST

Forensics experts hired by Sony Corp to investigate the massive cyber attack at its Hollywood studio said the breach was unprecedented, well-planned and carried out by an "organized group," according to an email obtained by Reuters on Saturday.

Security researchers say they have uncovered a cyber espionage ring focused on stealing corporate secrets for the purpose of gaming the stock market, in an operation that has compromised sensitive data about dozens of publicly held companies.

When popular Chinese handset maker Xiaomi Inc admitted that its devices were sending users' personal information back to a server in China, it prompted howls of protest and an investigation by Taiwan's government.

Startup founders have been looking highly at IPO stock market prices as a guideline towards success, said TechCrunch.

Mountain View, California-based cybersecurity startup Shape Security pocketed $40 million in a venture funding round led by Norwest Ventures and Sierra Ventures to beef up its product offerings and its sales team.

The consolidation of security software companies FireEye and Mandiant was said to have signaled the hesitation of US firms to entrust the federal government the responsibility to protect its computer systems and will turn to private security providers instead, said a New York Times report.

California, US-based security company FireEye purchased Virginia-based firm Mandiant for $1 billion in the biggest security deal of 2013.

Cryptolocker thieves are taking advantage of the $1,000 surge of the Bitcoin value by spreading malware that threatens to encrypt computer data and collecting anonymous Bitcoin ransom from unwitting victims.