Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing 23 February 2024

Welcome to this week’s Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing – a weekly digest, collated and curated by our cyber experts to provide senior and middle management with an easy to digest round up of the most notable threats, vulnerabilities, and cyber related news from the last week.

Top Cyber Stories of the Last Week

Despite Recent NCA and FBI Disruptions, a Rise in Ransomware Means 2024 Will be a Volatile Year for Cyber Security

There has been a lot of high profile coverage this week of the infamous and prolific LockBit gang’s infrastructure having been seized by law enforcement following an international Police operation led by the UK’s National Crime Agency. Whilst the international operation shows the seriousness of the matter, and the success of the operation should be celebrated, those celebrations should be muted and organisations should not become lax. Like the Hydra of Greek mythology, when one head disappears, a few more appear in its place. Ransomware really is a case of if, not when, and your organisation needs to be prepared.

Further, a recent threat report has found that the median ransom demand rose by 20% year on year, hitting an average of $600,000 and it is expected that 2024 will be even more volatile. Ransomware groups are expanding their target lists and exploring new pressure tactics in response to increasingly effective law enforcement efforts, and this is coupled with the increasing regulatory impact on organisations.

Sources: [Sky News] [GOV Infosecurity] [Bleeping Computer] [Infosecurity Magazine] [Cyber Reason]

The Old, Not the New: Basic Security Issues Still the Biggest Threat to Enterprises

In the latest IBM X-Force Threat Intelligence Index, it was revealed that basic security issues remain the most significant threat to enterprises. Cyber criminals are increasingly turning to credential stuffing, using and exploiting valid accounts harvested from the darkweb and previous breaches, with a 266% uptick in info-stealing malware. This tactic is harder to detect and elicits a costly response from enterprises. On the other hand, it is also important to adopt an attacker mindset for effective security. Understanding the attacker’s tools, motives, and efforts can help in limiting access, compartmentalising the impact of any successful attack, and minimising the time to attack detection. In essence, while organisations continue to grapple with complex cyber threats, the biggest security problem boils down to the basic and the already known. Therefore, it is crucial to focus on strengthening basic security measures and thinking like an attacker to proactively mitigate the risk for a more secure attack surface.

Source: [Help Net Security] [Forbes]

Reevaluating Your Cyber Security Priorities

Both technology and cyber criminals are evolving, yet many companies and organisations are not. For many corporate leaders, they may not know where to begin. Organisations looking to evolve their cyber security posture should look to elevate cyber to the C-suite and board, conduct audits of their sensitive information, create or update and test their incident response plan and finally, revisit their cyber hygiene training to ensure it is doing more than just ticking boxes. Organisations doing the above will find themselves improving their cyber security posture, and mitigating their risk to threats.

Source: [Dark Reading]

Cyber Threat Environment at its Most Dangerous for SMBs, as Geopolitical Tenison, Extortion and Attacks Present Biggest Risks

A new study has found that extortion campaigns, geopolitical threats, and attacks on small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) are amongst the greatest threats to cyber security defences currently. The report, conducted by Mimecast, highlights how individual ransom groups have claimed over 1,000 victims and over $300 million in payments. Regarding SMBs, the report found that these businesses encountered twice the normal number of threats, at over 30 threats per user, as compared to larger companies who saw approximately 15. Not only are SMBs at more risk, but they also do not have the same resources a large company would have to mitigate such threats. SMBs must be efficient in the way they prioritise and address their cyber risk as part of their larger risk management strategy.

Sources: [Emerging Risks] [The HR Director]

Legal Sector Grows as a Target, with Cyber Attacks on Law Firms Surging by Over a Third

A new report has found that the number of reported cyber breaches on UK law firms has increased 30% from the previous year, as attackers increasingly target the profession. As a note, this does not include firms who may be unaware that they have been breached. Law firms are an attractive target to attackers due to the sensitive information such as M&A activity, divorce information and big ticket litigation; many attackers believe that law firms will pay handsomely to have this data back.

Sources: [Emerging Risks] [Legal Cheek]

It’s Not Only Ransomware Seeing Huge Rises: Business Email Compromise (BEC) Attacks are Also Seeing a Huge Rise. Is Your Business Prepared?

A recent report found that business email compromise (BEC) saw a staggering increase of 10 time the amount compared to the previous year. BEC involves a genuine business email account being compromised by a threat actor; this could be your supplier, a client, or anyone you have legitimate contact with. With such an increase, organisations must consider if they would be able to spot and mitigate BEC in their corporate environment through robust operational controls such as callback procedures for example. Due to the rise in deep fake fraud with voice cloning and video, the efficacy of traditional safeguards such as callbacks are not providing the assurance they once did. Firms and employees need to be on their guard to these changing tactics to safeguard the business.

Source: [TechRadar]

Deepfake Phishing Grew by 3,000% in 2023, and it’s Just the Beginning

Phishing remains one of the most prevalent cyber security threats, and with the emergence of artificial intelligence it is only going to carry on getting worse. According to a recent report, the number of deepfake fraud attempts rose by 3,000%. In one instance, the CEO of an energy enterprise sent €220,000 to a supplier after getting a call from the parent company’s leader requesting the exchange; the call was a deepfake.

Source: [HackerNoon]

Cyber Attacks are Getting Faster, More Common and More Successful, Although Detection is More Advanced Than Ever. New Report Signals the Threats to Businesses, Supply Chains, and Democracy

A recent report from CrowdStrike sheds light on the increasing speed and sophistication of cyber attacks. Breakout times have plummeted to an average of 62 minutes, with a record time of just two minutes and seven seconds observed. Hackers are now targeting the cloud, exploiting its vulnerabilities and leveraging AI assistance to escalate attacks. The human factor remains a primary entry point for threat actors, with social engineering and phishing campaigns on the rise. As organisations transition to the cloud, threat actors follow suit, with cloud intrusions soaring by 75%. CrowdStrike warns of state-sponsored adversaries targeting critical elections, emphasising the need for a platform-based approach bolstered by threat intelligence to safeguard against evolving threats.

Source: [TechRadar]

Report Finds Malicious Emails Bypassing Secure Email Gateways Rose by 105%

A report by Cofense has found a 105% increase in malicious emails that successfully bypassed Secure Email Gateways (SEGs), with approximately one malicious email navigating their way past SEGs every 57 seconds. The report suggests that phishing efforts are outpacing that of SEGs, and such phishing efforts are responsible for 90% of data breaches. Whilst SEGs may be filtering out a number of malicious emails, they, like everything in cyber security, are not a silver bullet. Organisations should not fall foul of believing that they are impenetrable because they have a SEG.

Sources: [SiliconANGLE] [Security Magazine] [Help Net Security]

Rising Cyber Threats Identified as Major Business Risk for 2024

In the latest Allianz risk barometer, cyber incidents have been identified as the most significant concern for companies globally in 2024. This is particularly true for remote desktop connections, which have become a prime target for cyber attacks since the shift to a work-from-home environment. The report also highlights that the risk landscape is being shaped by digitalisation, climate change, and geopolitical uncertainties. Meanwhile, a report from Coalition reveals that the cyber attack surface has expanded due to new ways of working. The report found that smaller businesses often lack the resources to prepare for a wide range of risk scenarios, which can lead to longer recovery times after an unexpected incident. These findings underscore the importance of robust cyber security measures and the need for continuous monitoring and improvement of an organisation’s digital defences.

Sources: [Reinsurance News] [Allianz]

Huge Cyber Security Leak Lifts the Lid on China’s Hackers for Hire

A huge leak of data from a Chinese cyber security firm, iSoon, has revealed state security agents paying tens of thousands of pounds to harvest data on targets, including the likes of foreign governments, and the leak shows this has been going on for years. Since the release, CrowdStrike has drawn overlaps between the firm and multiple known Chinese threat actors who are well resourced and conduct attacks over an extended period (referred to as advanced persistent threats, APTs). Among some of the 500 leaked documents are product manuals, lists of clients and employees, and WeChat instant messages. The leaks show over 14 governments have been attacked, as well as gambling and telecommunications companies.

Sources: [Dark Reading] [The Guardian]

Fifth of British Kids Have Broken the Law Online

In a recent study by the UK National Crime Agency (NCA), one in five children aged 10 to 16 have engaged in online offences with the figure rising to 25% among online gamers. These "low-level" cyber crimes, such as attempting to access protected servers or launching distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks, may not be perceived by young individuals as violating the Computer Misuse Act. The consequences, however, are severe, including potential arrest, criminal records, and restrictions on future opportunities. The NCA stresses the importance of educating both children and adults about the legal and ethical implications of such actions, highlighting the transition from minor offences to more serious cyber crimes. With a significant shortage of cyber security professionals globally, fostering positive digital skills among young individuals is crucial for meeting industry demands and deterring cyber crime. Parents, teachers, and children are encouraged to explore resources provided by the NCA's Cyber Choices website to prevent inadvertent involvement in illegal online activities.

Source: [Infosecurity Magazine]

Over 40% of Firms Struggle with Cyber Security Talent Shortage

A recent report from Kaspersky has unveiled a critical global challenge: over 40% of companies are struggling to fill essential cyber security roles, with information security research and malware analysis roles particularly affected. This scarcity is felt most acutely in Europe and Latin America. Roles within security operations centres (SOCs) and network security are also understaffed, with figures around 35% and 33% respectively. The government sector faces the most significant demand for cyber security experts, followed closely by the telecoms and media sectors. While efforts like offering competitive salaries and enhanced training are underway, the gap persists due to the rapid pace of technological advancement outstripping educational initiatives. The report emphasises the need for innovative solutions to bridge this shortfall, highlighting recruitment, training, and technological advancements as key components of a comprehensive strategy to bolster cyber security resilience in the face of evolving threats.

Source: [Infosecurity Magazine]

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Governance, Risk and Compliance

• Cyber attacks are getting faster, more common and more successful, even though detection is more advanced than ever | TechRadar

• 7 Ways Companies’ Cyber Related Governance Disclosures Will Evolve Post-SEC Rule Change (harvard.edu)

• Cyber security professionals admit “knowledge gaps” have led to serious security blunders | ITPro

• The old, not the new: Basic security issues still biggest threat to enterprises - Help Net Security

• Cyber threat environment more dangerous then ever - Mimecast (emergingrisks.co.uk)

• Over two-thirds of IT security decision-makers report an increase in cyber security budgets for 2024 | IT Reseller Magazine (itrportal.com)

• Geopolitical tension, extortion and attacks present biggest cyber security risks | theHRD (thehrdirector.com)

• 2024 CrowdStrike Global Threat Report: From Breakout to Breach in Under Three Minutes; Cloud Infrastructure Under Attack | Business Wire

• Gartner: Three top trends in cyber security for 2024 | Computer Weekly

• Barracuda report highlights rise of high-risk business security threats in 2023 (securitybrief.co.nz)

• Coalition report reveals rising cyber threats amidst business vulnerabilities - Reinsurance News

• Over 40% of Firms Struggle With Cyber Security Talent Shortage - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Thinking Like An Attacker—Another Look At Enterprise Security (forbes.com)

• Hackers using stolen credentials to launch attacks as info-stealing peaks | CSO Online

• The evolution of the CISO - Compare the Cloud

• How CISOs Balance Business Growth, Security in Cyber Threat Landscape (darkreading.com)

• Allianz Risk Barometer: Identifying the major business risks for 2024

• How to mitigate C-Suite cyber risks | Professional Security

• Why cyber security can boost organisational innovation | TechRadar

• 4 Key Steps to Reevaluate Your Cyber Security Priorities (darkreading.com)

• Cyber security success -- elevate your defence against cyber threats (betanews.com)

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Threats

Ransomware, Extortion and Destructive Attacks

• Ransom demands surge by 20% in 2023, hitting key industries hardest - SiliconANGLE

• Police arrests LockBit ransomware members, release decryptor in global crackdown (bleepingcomputer.com)

• LockBit takedown is a “huge win for law enforcement”, but let’s not celebrate too soon, security experts warn | ITPro

• LockBit Attempts to Stay Afloat with a New Version (trendmicro.com)

• LockBit registered nearly 200 "affiliates" over the past two years | TechRadar

• 2024 will be a volatile year for cyber security as ransomware groups evolve - Help Net Security

• Ransomware Experts See Problems With Banning Ransom Payments (govinfosecurity.com)

• Initial Ransomware Demands Jump 20% to $600,000 in 2023 - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Ransomware: True Cost to Business 2024 (cybereason.com)

• Ransomware and BEC are seeing a huge rise — is your business ready? | TechRadar

• ConnectWise exploit could spur ‘ransomware free-for-all,’ expert warns | SC Media (scmagazine.com)

• 3 trends set to drive cyber attacks and ransomware in 2024 | World Economic Forum (weforum.org)

• Year-over-year, the median initial ransom has risen by 20% | Security Magazine

• Alpha ransomware linked to NetWalker operation dismantled in 2021 (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Why are ransomware gangs making so much money? | TechCrunch

• Akira Ransomware Exploiting Cisco Anyconnect Vulnerability (gbhackers.com)

• Knight ransomware source code for sale after leak site shuts down (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Exclusive: eSentire Confirms Rhysida Ransomware Victims - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Stuck in cyber attack nightmare? Call the negotiators (techxplore.com)

• Why some cyber attacks hit harder than others - BBC News

• Report: Manufacturing bears the brunt of industrial ransomware | CyberScoop

Ransomware Victims

• eSentire Confirms Rhysida Ransomware Victims - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Why some cyber attacks hit harder than others - BBC News

• ALPHV ransomware claims loanDepot, Prudential Financial breaches (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Cactus ransomware gang claims the theft of 1.5TB of data from Energy management and industrial automation firm Schneider Electric (securityaffairs.com)

• Dead Man's Fingers maker cuts over 500 jobs and enters the red after cyber attack hits sales (cityam.com)

• 147 ransomware attacks on large Dutch companies, institutions last year; 18% paid ransom | NL Times

• Pharmacy Delays Across US Blamed on Nation-State Hackers (darkreading.com)

Phishing & Email Based Attacks

• New report warns of ongoing rise of malicious emails bypassing secure email gateways - SiliconANGLE

• Secure email gateways struggle to keep pace with sophisticated phishing campaigns - Help Net Security

• The phishing bait you're most likely to take (betanews.com)

• Deepfake Phishing Grew by 3,000% in 2023 — And It's Just Beginning | HackerNoon

• SMBs at Risk From SendGrid-Focused Phishing Tactics - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

Other Social Engineering

• What ‘psychological warfare’ tactics do scammers use, and how can you protect yourself? (theconversation.com)

• North Koreans using ChatGPT to scam LinkedIn users; "attacks are getting very sophisticated" - MSPoweruser

• What Is Social Engineering? Types Of Attacks To Beware Of (forbes.com)

Artificial Intelligence

• AI models can be weaponized to hack websites on their own • The Register

• North Koreans using ChatGPT to scam LinkedIn users; "attacks are getting very sophisticated" - MSPoweruser

• Deepfake Phishing Grew by 3,000% in 2023 — And It's Just Beginning | HackerNoon

• Generative AI and elections are key focus for hackers in 2024, report warns | Evening Standard

• As adversaries harness AI, tech firms peer through chat logs to catch them - Defense One

• Here Comes the Flood of AI-Generated Clickbait | WIRED

• Air Canada Has to Honor a Refund Policy Its Chatbot Made Up | WIRED

• 36% of code generated by GitHub CoPilot contains security flaws - Help Net Security

• Employees input sensitive data into generative AI tools despite the risks | ZDNET

• Ransomware Declines as InfoStealers and AI Threats Gain Ground: IBM X-Force - SecurityWeek

• Gartner: Three top trends in cyber security for 2024 | Computer Weekly

• Global AI Regulatory Update - Lexology

Malware

• PDF Malware on the Rise, Used to Spread WikiLoader, Ursnif and DarkGat - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• FBI's Most-Wanted Zeus and IcedID Malware Mastermind Pleads Guilty (thehackernews.com)

• Iranian Hackers Target Middle East Policy Experts with New BASICSTAR Backdoor (thehackernews.com)

• VIPRE report predicts 276% rise in malware in 2024 (securitybrief.co.nz)

• Anatsa Android malware downloaded 150,000 times via Google Play (bleepingcomputer.com)

• 'Lucifer' Botnet Turns Up the Heat on Apache Hadoop Servers (darkreading.com)

• What are Botnets and Why are MSSPs So Concerned? | MSSP Alert

• New SSH-Snake malware steals SSH keys to spread across the network (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Ransomware Declines as InfoStealers and AI Threats Gain Ground: IBM X-Force - SecurityWeek

• Your Mac Is Not Virus Proof. It Never Has Been. (gizmodo.com)

• Click: Your innocent mouse could be a cyber criminal's silent weapon - Digital Journal

• Vibrator virus steals your personal information | Malwarebytes

Mobile

• Meta Warns of 8 Spyware Firms Targeting iOS, Android, and Windows Devices (thehackernews.com)

• New Wave of 'Anatsa' Banking Trojans Targets Android Users in Europe (darkreading.com)

• Your fingerprints can be recreated from the sounds made when you swipe on a touchscreen — Chinese and US researchers show new side channel can reproduce fingerprints to enable attacks | Tom's Hardware (tomshardware.com)

• VoltSchemer attacks use wireless chargers to inject voice commands, fry phones (bleepingcomputer.com)

• New Wi-Fi Vulnerabilities Expose Android and Linux Devices to Hackers (thehackernews.com)

• Zero-Click Apple Shortcuts Vulnerability Allows Silent Data Theft (darkreading.com)

Denial of Service/DoS/DDOS

• Cyber attacks in Malta, Hungary, Ukraine, Bosnia are a 'wake-up call', IPI warns (timesofmalta.com)

• Average DDoS attack cost businesses £325,000 in 2023, according to new Zayo data | IT Reseller Magazine (itrportal.com)

• Top UK Universities Recovering Following Targeted DDoS Attack - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

Internet of Things – IoT

• 'Anywhere there's a camera, now there's a risk': Billions of users at risk of Peeping Toms — scientists devise incredibly simple eavesdropping system costing only a few hundred dollars | TechRadar

• Wyze camera glitch gave 13,000 users a peek into other homes (bleepingcomputer.com)

• As Cyber attacks Ramp Up, Electric Vehicles Are Vulnerable (autoweek.com)

• Wi-Fi jamming to knock out cameras suspected in nine Minnesota burglaries -- smart security systems vulnerable as tech becomes cheaper and easier to acquire | Tom's Hardware (tomshardware.com)

• Is new technology making cars less secure? - Verdict

Data Breaches/Leaks

• Bank of America Suffers Massive Data Breach, Exposing Social Security Numbers, Addresses and Additional Sensitive Data To Hackers - The Daily Hodl

• Infosys subsidiary named as source of Bank of America leak • The Register

• Why Data Breaches Spiked in 2023 (hbr.org)

• Massive Cloud Database Leak Exposes 380 Million Records (hackread.com)

• UK council's sneaky insider steals 79k email addresses • The Register

• Eye Care Services Firm Faces Lawsuit Over Data Breach Impacting 2.3 Million - SecurityWeek

Cyber Crime General & Criminal Actors

• Fifth of British Kids Have Broken the Law Online - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Despite Knowing Risks, Brits Continue to Expose Themselves to Cyber Criminals Finds IDnow | The Fintech Times

Cryptocurrency/Cryptomining/Cryptojacking/NFTs/Blockchain

• Cyber Criminals Are Employing New Tactics To Launder Money, Warns Report - Benzinga

Insider Risk and Insider Threats

• UK council's sneaky insider steals 79k email addresses • The Register

Insurance

• Personal cyber insurance nascent but growing in demand as digital crimes increase - Victoria Times Colonist

• Insurers Use Claims Data to Recommend Cyber Security Technologies (darkreading.com)

• Cyber Insurance Needs to Evolve to Ensure Greater Benefit (darkreading.com)

• What is Cyber Insurance and Does Your Small Business Need It? (smallbiztrends.com)

Supply Chain and Third Parties

• Infosys subsidiary named as source of Bank of America leak • The Register

• North Korean hackers linked to defence sector supply-chain attack (bleepingcomputer.com)

Cloud/SaaS

• 2024 CrowdStrike Global Threat Report: From Breakout to Breach in Under Three Minutes; Cloud Infrastructure Under Attack | Business Wire

• Cyber security report reveals 75% spike in cloud attacks (securitybrief.co.nz)

• Cyber security fears drive a return to on-premise infrastructure from cloud computing - Help Net Security

• Massive Cloud Database Leak Exposes 380 Million Records (hackread.com)

• How Nation-State Actors Target Your Business: New Research Exposes Major SaaS Vulnerabilities (thehackernews.com)

• Cyber attacks follow businesses to the cloud (betanews.com)

• Six steps for stronger cloud security | SC Media (scmagazine.com)

Identity and Access Management

• Why identity fraud costs organisations millions - Help Net Security

• Orgs are having a major identity crisis • The Register

• Active Directory outages can cost organisations $100,000 per day - Help Net Security

Encryption

• European Court of Human Rights rules against government backdoors in end-to-end encryption - Neowin

Linux and Open Source

• New Wi-Fi Vulnerabilities Expose Android and Linux Devices to Hackers (thehackernews.com)

Passwords, Credential Stuffing & Brute Force Attacks

• Hackers using stolen credentials to launch attacks as info-stealing peaks | CSO Online

• How to proactively prevent password-spray attacks on legacy email accounts | CSO Online

Social Media

• EU Watchdog Urged to Reject Meta 'Pay for Privacy' Scheme - SecurityWeek

• Social Media Platforms Are in an ‘Information Trafficking Business’: Cyber Security Adviser | NTD

• ChatGPT Used by North Korean Hackers to Scam LinkedIn Users (tech.co)

• 76% of Super Bowl Traffic From Elon Musk's X to Advertisers Could Be Fake (thewrap.com)

• Elon Musk’s X allows China-based propaganda banned on other platforms | Ars Technica

• European Union deepens its investigation of TikTok • The Register

Training, Education and Awareness

• People cannot be patched (betanews.com)

Regulations, Fines and Legislation

• European Court of Human Rights rules against government backdoors in end-to-end encryption - Neowin

• Hedge Funds Warn SEC Cyber Lapses Risk Exposing Trading Secrets (bloomberglaw.com)

• One Year After the Colonial Pipeline Attack, Regulation Is Still a Problem (securityintelligence.com)

• 7 Ways Companies’ Cyber Related Governance Disclosures Will Evolve Post-SEC Rule Change (harvard.edu)

• European Union deepens its investigation of TikTok • The Register

• Decoding DORA: Navigating the digital regulatory landscape | World Finance

• 81 Percent of Security Leaders Say SEC Cyber Security Rules Will Substantially Impact Their Business | Business Wire

• FTC Fines Avast $16.5 Million For Selling Browsing Data Harvested by Antivirus (404media.co)

• Avast settles claims of customer data peddling for $17M • The Register

• Global AI Regulatory Update - Lexology

Careers, Working in Cyber and Information Security

• Over 40% of Firms Struggle With Cyber Security Talent Shortage - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• The Psychology of Cyber Security Burnout (informationweek.com)

• How can we adapt work practices to protect CISO mental health? | Computer Weekly

Misinformation, Disinformation and Propaganda

• Feds deliver stark warnings to state election officials ahead of November - Iowa Capital Dispatch

• UK election cyber attack warning after Putin's hackers target US (inews.co.uk)

• Social Media Platforms Are in an ‘Information Trafficking Business’: Cyber Security Adviser | NTD

• Elon Musk’s X allows China-based propaganda banned on other platforms | Ars Technica

• Election security threats in 2024 range from AI to … anthrax • The Register

• 76 percent of Super Bowl LVIII traffic from Twitter dubbed 'fake' (awfulannouncing.com)

• Iran and Hezbollah Hackers Launch Attacks to Influence Israel-Hamas Narrative (thehackernews.com)

• Russian Hackers Target Ukraine with Disinformation and Credential-Harvesting Attacks (thehackernews.com)

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Nation State Actors, Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs), Cyber Warfare, Cyber Espionage and Geopolitical Threats/Activity

Cyber Warfare and Cyber Espionage

• Countries fear state-sponsored cyber war | The World from PRX

• Cyberwar: What Is It Good For? - GovInfoSecurity

Nation State Actors

• Cyber attacks are getting faster, more common and more successful, even though detection is more advanced than ever — new report signals the threats to businesses, supply chains, and democracy | TechRadar

• Countries fear state-sponsored cyber war | The World from PRX

• How Nation-State Actors Target Your Business: New Research Exposes Major SaaS Vulnerabilities (thehackernews.com)

• Generative AI and elections are key focus for hackers in 2024, report warns | Evening Standard

• Pharmacy Delays Across US Blamed on Nation-State Hackers (darkreading.com)

China

• In the evolving cyberwar, China aims to take down our critical infrastructure | SC Media (scmagazine.com)

• 'Major Chinese hack' on Foreign Office urgently investigated by UK spies (inews.co.uk)

• Leaked Chinese Hacking Files Reveal How Compromised the US Could Be (businessinsider.com)

• iSoon's Secret APT Status Exposes China's Foreign Hacking Machination (darkreading.com)

• Generative AI and elections are key focus for hackers in 2024, report warns | Evening Standard

• China’s Cyber Security and Statecraft – The Diplomat

• Elon Musk’s X allows China-based propaganda banned on other platforms | Ars Technica

• China’s Spy Agency Sees Threats Everywhere in Data Security Push - Bloomberg

Russia

• FBI disrupts hacking network 'linked to Russian intelligence services' | US News | Sky News

• Russian APT 'Winter Vivern' Targets European Governments, Military (darkreading.com)

• Russian Cyber attackers Launch Multiphase PsyOps Campaign (darkreading.com)

• Russian-Linked Hackers Target 80+ Organisations via Roundcube Flaws (thehackernews.com)

• Russian military botnet discovered on 1000+ compromised routers — FBI deactivated Moobot by taking control of impacted routers | Tom's Hardware (tomshardware.com)

• NHS hospitals ‘easy targets’ for Russian hackers (thetimes.co.uk)

• Russia-Aligned TAG-70 Targets European Government and Military Mail Servers in New Espionage Campaign (recordedfuture.com)

• Generative AI and elections are key focus for hackers in 2024, report warns | Evening Standard

• Russian Turla Cyber Spies Target Polish NGOs With New Backdoor - SecurityWeek

• Russian-Aligned Network Doppelgänger Targets German Elections - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Russian Hackers Target Ukraine with Disinformation and Credential-Harvesting Attacks (thehackernews.com)

• NATO's chief information officer on what Ukraine did right in its cyberwar with Russia (therecord.media)

• Russian Government Software Backdoored to Deploy Konni RAT Malware (thehackernews.com)

• Three terms sure to grab attention: Russia, nuclear, anti-satellite weapon | Ars Technica

Iran

• Iranian Hackers Target Middle East Policy Experts with New BASICSTAR Backdoor (thehackernews.com)

• Iranian APTs Dress Up As Hacktivists for Disruption, Influence Ops (darkreading.com)

• Iran and Hezbollah Hackers Launch Attacks to Influence Israel-Hamas Narrative (thehackernews.com)

• Iran-Backed Charming Kitten Stages Fake Webinar Platform to Ensnare Targets (darkreading.com)

• Israeli Aircraft Survive “Cyber Hijacking” Attempts - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

North Korea

• ChatGPT Used by North Korean Hackers to Scam LinkedIn Users (tech.co)

• North Korean hackers linked to defence sector supply-chain attack (bleepingcomputer.com)

• North Koreans using ChatGPT to scam LinkedIn users; "attacks are getting very sophisticated" - MSPoweruser

• Russian Government Software Backdoored to Deploy North Korean Konni RAT Malware (thehackernews.com)

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Vulnerability Management

• CVEs expected to increase 25% in 2024 | Security Magazine

• Coalition: Vulnerability scoring systems falling short | TechTarget

Vulnerabilities

• Ransomware Warning as CVSS 10.0 ConnectWise ScreenConnect Bug is Exploited - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• ConnectWise exploit could spur ‘ransomware free-for-all,’ expert warns | SC Media (scmagazine.com)

• Exploiting critical ConnectWise bug is 'embarrassingly easy' • The Register

• Akira Ransomware Exploiting Cisco AnyConnect Vulnerability (gbhackers.com)

• New Ivanti Vulnerability Observed as Widespread Security Concerns Grow - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Microsoft Exchange flaw CVE-2024-21410 could impact up to 97,000 servers (securityaffairs.com)

• VMware Alert: Uninstall EAP Now - Critical Flaw Puts Active Directory at Risk (thehackernews.com)

• VMware issues no-patch advisory for critical flaw in old SSO plugin | SC Media (scmagazine.com)

• Russian-Linked Hackers Target 80+ Organisations via Roundcube Flaws (thehackernews.com)

• ESET fixed high-severity local privilege escalation bug in Windows products (securityaffairs.com)

• SolarWinds addressed critical RCEs in Access Rights Manager (securityaffairs.com)

• Chrome 122, Firefox 123 Patch High-Severity Vulnerabilities - SecurityWeek

• Critical Vulnerability in VMware vSphere Plug-in Allows Session Hijacking (darkreading.com)

• Joomla XSS Bugs Open Millions of Websites to RCE (darkreading.com)

• Zero-Click Apple Shortcuts Vulnerability Allows Silent Data Theft (darkreading.com)

• Urgent patches available for QNAP vulnerabilities, one 0-day • The Register

• Hackers exploit critical RCE flaw in Bricks WordPress site builder (bleepingcomputer.com)

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Tools and Controls

• Secure email gateways struggle to keep pace with sophisticated phishing campaigns - Help Net Security

• NCSC Sounds Alarm Over Private Branch Exchange Attacks - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Stuck in cyber attack nightmare? Call the negotiators (techxplore.com)

• New Google Chrome feature blocks attacks against home networks (bleepingcomputer.com)

• How Businesses Can Safeguard Their Communication Channels Against Hackers (thehackernews.com)

• Limiting remote access exposure in hybrid work environments | CSO Online

• Cyber Insurance Needs to Evolve to Ensure Greater Benefit (darkreading.com)

• The double-edged sword of zero trust - Help Net Security

• Orgs are having a major identity crisis • The Register

• Active Directory outages can cost organisations $100,000 per day - Help Net Security

• SOC Landscapes: Insights from SANS' 2023 SOC Report (trendmicro.com)

• 36% of code generated by GitHub CoPilot contains security flaws - Help Net Security

• Microsoft expands free logging capabilities after May breach (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Why ransomware gangs love using RMM tools—and how to stop them | Malwarebytes

• People cannot be patched (betanews.com)

• “Ruthlessly prioritize what’s critical”: Check Point expert on CISOs and the evolving attack surface | ITPro

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Reports Published in the Last Week

• VIPRE report predicts 276% rise in malware in 2024 (securitybrief.co.nz)

• CrowdStrike 2024 Global Threat Report | CrowdStrike

• IBM XForce Threat Intelligence Index 2024.pdf

• Cyber Threat Index 2024: Scans, Honeypots, and CVEs  (coalitioninc.com)

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Other News

• Israeli Aircraft Survive “Cyber-Hijacking” Attempts - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• The Power Sector’s High-Stakes Battle for Cyber-Resiliency (powermag.com)

• Ways to elevate public sector cyber security | Professional Security

• Increasing Europe's cyber resilience - government.lu (gouvernement.lu)

• Industries most targeted by active adversaries | SC Media (scmagazine.com)

• Library Cyber Defences Are Falling Down (darkreading.com)

• How conveyancers can protect themselves against a cyber attack | Today's Conveyancer (todaysconveyancer.co.uk)

• US govt shares cyber attack defence tips for water utilities (bleepingcomputer.com)

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Sector Specific

Industry specific threat intelligence reports are available.

Contact us to receive tailored reports specific to the industry/sector and geographies you operate in.

·         Automotive

·         Construction

·         Critical National Infrastructure (CNI)

·         Defence & Space

·         Education & Academia

·         Energy & Utilities

·         Estate Agencies

·         Financial Services

·         FinTech

·         Food & Agriculture

·         Gaming & Gambling

·         Government & Public Sector (including Law Enforcement)

·         Health/Medical/Pharma

·         Hotels & Hospitality

·         Insurance

·         Legal

·         Manufacturing

·         Maritime

·         Oil, Gas & Mining

·         OT, ICS, IIoT, SCADA & Cyber-Physical Systems

·         Retail & eCommerce

·         Small and Medium Sized Businesses (SMBs)

·         Startups

·         Telecoms

·         Third Sector & Charities

·         Transport & Aviation

·         Web3

As usual, contact us to help assess where your risks lie and to ensure you are doing all you can do to keep you and your business secure.

Look out for our ‘Cyber Tip Tuesday’ video blog and on our YouTube channel.

You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

Links to articles are for interest and awareness and linking to or reposting external content does not endorse any service or product, likewise we are not responsible for the security of external links.

Black Arrow Cyber Threat Intelligence Briefing 26 January 2024

Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing 26 January 2024

Welcome to this week’s Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing – a weekly digest, collated and curated by our cyber experts to provide senior and middle management with an easy to digest round up of the most notable threats, vulnerabilities, and cyber related news from the last week.

Top Cyber Stories of the Last Week

Russian Hackers’ Breach of Microsoft and Hewlett Packard Corporate Mailboxes is an Identity Threat Detection Wake-up Call

Just recently, it was publicly disclosed that Microsoft and Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) had their corporate mailboxes breached by threat actors. In the Microsoft breach, a hacking group had used a password spray attack to compromise a non-production test account, and leverage that to access corporate accounts. In the HPE breach, corporate access was gained through unauthorised access to SharePoint files. Both attacks highlight the need for identity threat detection: the ability to identify malicious activity from trusted identities before more sophisticated damage is caused. Cyber incidents are a matter of when, not if, and it is important to have detection capabilities, even for trusted accounts.

Sources: [Help Net Security] [Security Boulevard]

94% of CISOs are Concerned About Third-Party Cyber Threats, Yet Only 3% Have Started Implementing Security Measures

A recent study found that while 94% of CISOs are concerned with third-party cyber security threats,  including 17% who view it as a top priority, only 3% have implemented a third -party cyber risk management solution and 33% have noted plans to implement this year. Small and medium sized businesses may not have the resources of a larger organisation yet will have a similar level of third-party risk. This makes the need for an effective solution even more important, and in some cases this may include outsourcing to cyber experts.

Sources: [Dark Reading]

Cyber Risks Needs to be Prioritised as a Key Business Risk, Says UK Government, as New Cyber Security Governance Code Puts Cyber Risks on Boardroom Agenda

The UK Government has proposed a new Code of Practice on cyber security governance, aimed at directors and senior business leaders. The draft document emphasises the need to prioritise cyber security on par with financial and legal risks. It outlines several key areas for focus, including risk management, cyber strategy, fostering a cyber security culture among employees, incident planning and response, and establishing clear governance structures. With digital technologies playing a crucial role in business resilience, the code calls for greater involvement of executive and non-executive directors in technology governance strategies. The UK Minister for AI and Intellectual Property has highlighted that cyber attacks are as damaging to organisations as financial and legal pitfalls. It is crucial that directors take a firm grip of their organisation’s cyber security regimes to protect their customers, workforce, business operations and the wider economy. This initiative reinforces the importance of a holistic approach to cyber security, including robust incident response plans and regular practice to enhance cyber resilience. It’s a timely reminder that cyber threats are as detrimental to organisations as financial and legal challenges, and this code aims to empower leaders to navigate these threats effectively.

Sources: [Computer Weekly] [Electronics Specifier] [GOV UK] [TechRadar] [Infosecurity Magazine]

81% of Security Professionals Say Phishing Is Top Threat

A recent study found 81% of organisations anticipated phishing as their top security risk over the coming months. In a separate report, it was found that 94% of organisations globally had experienced an email security incident in the past 12 months, with a 10% rise in phishing. It is not just emails where phishing attacks are occurring: in another report, the second half of 2023 saw a 198% increase in browser based phishing attacks. It is clear that phishing is a threat to organisations, and it is important to be prepared.

Sources: [ITPro] [Beta News] [Security Magazine]

Ransomware Attacks Cause Significant Psychological Harm

One area of ransomware that often gets overlooked, is the psychological impact. A recent report by the Royal United Services Institute found that some attacks had caused so much impact that organisations hired post-traumatic stress disorder support teams. A significant number of respondents experienced sleep deprivation, resulting in them developing extreme fatigue and falling asleep at work. Various levels of stress were experienced by security workers, with one interviewee citing the stress of a ransomware attack as a potential cause for a heart attack that required surgery. This highlights that, as with the wider subject of cyber and information security, consideration needs to be given to more than just IT and IT controls: it shows the need for a holistic approach to include people, operations and technology.

Sources: [The Record Media] [TechRadar]

Breached Password Report Reveals Two Million Compromised Cloud Credentials Used '123456' as Password

A recent report has revealed that two million compromised cloud credentials used ‘123456’ as a password. This alarming trend underscores the ongoing issue of weak passwords, which are easily exploited by hackers. Despite the availability of advanced password creation and storage tools, a significant number of individuals and organisations continue to use weak passwords. Furthermore, the report found that 88% of organisations still rely on passwords as their primary authentication method. Despite the focus on password security, nearly every organisation has had risk management lapses. The report highlights the urgent need for stronger password policies and the adoption of more secure authentication methods. Equally, the attacks highlight that simply moving to the cloud does not solve security challenges, and poor cyber hygiene in the cloud will lead to problems.

Sources: [ITPro] [Business Wire] [Security Magazine]

NCSC: UK Intelligence Fears AI will Fuel Ransomware and Exacerbate Cyber Crime

An article published by the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) states that AI is already being used to increase the efficacy of cyber attacks, and that AI will continue to significantly increase the odds of a successful attack. AI models will build capability as they are informed by data describing previous successful attacks. The NCSC noted that “It is likely that highly capable unfriendly nation states have repositories of malware that are large enough to effectively train an AI model for this purpose”. The message from the NCSC is clear: AI will propel cyber incidents and organisation must take this into consideration as part of their wider cyber risk management strategy.

Sources: [The Register] [PC Mag] [The Messenger ] [Silicon UK]

Cyber Attacks More than Doubled in 2023, so Why Are So Many Firms Still Not Taking Security Seriously, or Why Firms Ignore Vulnerabilities at Their Own Risk

Cyber attacks soared again last year, and attackers are increasingly taking advantage of software vulnerabilities to breach organisations. This is due to the continuous discovery of new vulnerabilities, and with that, a constant challenge for firms to apply patches. A report found many organisations lack an effective vulnerability management programme and are leaving themselves open to attacks; and in some cases they are left vulnerable for years.

One key hindrance found by the report is the sheer volume of vulnerabilities identified and patched by vendors, leaving organisations with the perpetual challenge of timely patching. This complication is made worse for small and medium sized businesses where they have less resources. The report found that legacy systems are a large risk for many organisations;  in fact, older Windows server OS versions - 2012 and earlier – were found to be 77% more likely to experience attack attempts than newer versions. Many firms are still not taking this danger seriously enough and as a result, blind spots and critical vulnerabilities are worsening, creating more opportunities for attackers.

Sources: [ITPro] [Help Net Security] [ITPro]

Historic Data Leak Reveals 26 billion Records: Check What is Exposed

In what has been described as the ‘mother of all breaches’, 26 billion records have been exposed. These aren’t all new, as a lot of the records are from numerous breaches, however they are all in one location, compiled and index for use. With the emergence of this, there is will likely be a surge in attacks and if you haven’t changed your credentials, or are reusing these same credentials, you may find yourself a victim. To check if your email has been compromised in a breach, you can check on the website www.HaveIBeenPwned.com

Source: [Security Affairs]

Boardroom Cyber Expertise Comes Under Scrutiny

Cyber security concerns continue to be a critical issue for organisations, driven by factors such as data protection, compliance, risk management, and business continuity. However, a recent report reveals a concerning trend where only 5% of Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs) report directly to the CEO, down from 11% in 2021. This gap between cyber security leadership and board-level involvement is a challenge. A report emphasises that many board members lack the technical expertise to understand cyber security, while CISOs often communicate in technical jargon, making it difficult for boards to grasp the significance of security issues. To bridge this gap, it's crucial to educate board members on the real-world risks and costs associated with cyber incidents. Sharing simple metrics like the global average cost of a data breach, which is $4.45 million, can help them understand the financial impact. Moreover, CISOs should learn to convey cyber security matters in business terms and quantify the organisation's cyber risk exposure. By providing boards with information to understand and engaging in informed discussions, they can enhance their cyber security strategy and ensure that these vital issues are prioritised appropriately.

Source: [Security Intelligence]

“It is a whole new bar”: Months Left for Applicable Firms to Prepare for New EU Cyber Security Rules

The landscape of cyber security is evolving rapidly, with two significant EU regulations: the Network and Information Security Directive (NIS2) and the Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA), set to take effect in the coming months. NIS2 expands cyber security standards to include critical services like transportation, water services, and health services, while DORA focuses on the financial services sector and aims to ensure resilience against cyber threats.

These regulations necessitate strong cyber security testing, incident reporting processes, and comprehensive assessments of third-party providers' security. Compliance with these regulations will introduce complexity and costs, requiring organisations to prepare comprehensively for the evolving cyber security landscape, including the implications of artificial intelligence. Transparency and understanding are key, as boards must fully comprehend data processing and technology usage within their organisations, ushering in a new era of cyber security governance.

Source: [The Currency]

Ransomware Attacks Break Records In 2023: The Number of Victims Rose By 128%

In 2023, there was a significant surge in ransomware attacks globally. The number of attack attempts more than doubled, increasing by 104%. A report shows that there were 1,900 total ransomware attacks within just four countries: the US, UK, Germany, and France. The use of double extortion techniques, where hackers not only encrypt the data but also steal confidential data beforehand and threaten to release it if their demands are not fulfilled, are becoming increasingly common, with now triple and quadruple extortion techniques also being increasingly deployed. It was also found that data exfiltration was present in approximately 91% of all publicly recorded ransomware attacks in 2023. These figures underscore the growing threat of ransomware and the need for robust cyber security measures.

Sources: [Security Boulevard] [Security Affairs] [Security Brief] [Business Wire]

Governance, Risk and Compliance

• Treat cyber risk like financial or legal issue, says UK government | Computer Weekly

• New Cyber Security Governance Code Puts Cyber Risks on Boardroom Agenda - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Business leaders urged to toughen up cyber attack protections - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

• Organisations face devastating financial consequences from cyber attacks (betanews.com)

• Cyber attacks more than doubled in 2023, so why are so many firms still not taking security seriously? | ITPro

• Cyber Security Attack Attempts More Than Doubled, Increasing 104% in 2023 | Business Wire

• “It is a whole new bar”: Months left to prepare for new EU cyber security rules - The Currency :The Currency

• The growing role of CISOs in cyber security governance - APDR (asiapacificdefencereporter.com)

• Boardroom cyber expertise comes under scrutiny (securityintelligence.com)

• Resilience: The New Priority for Your Security Model (inforisktoday.com)

• 10 must-have security tips for digital nomads | Computerworld

• Top 3 Priorities for CISOs in 2024 (darkreading.com)

• CISOs Struggle for C-Suite Status Even as Expectations Skyrocket (darkreading.com)

• Navigating The 'Fog Of A Cyber Attack' (forbes.com)

• The cost of cyber crime to reach over $12tn by 2025

• Why cyber attacks mustn’t be kept secret - Help Net Security

• Business continuity vs. disaster recovery vs. incident response | TechTarget

• Why resilience leaders must prepare for polycrises - Help Net Security

• The best cyber defence needs more than tech - eCampus News

• The CISO Role Undergoes a Major Evolution (darkreading.com)

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Threats

Ransomware, Extortion and Destructive Attacks

• Ransomware attacks break records in 2023: the number of victims rose by 128% (securityaffairs.com)

• Impact of Ransomware attacks take mental health toll on small business owners, report says (therecord.media)

• UK Intelligence Fears AI Will Fuel Ransomware, Exacerbate Cyber Crime (pcmag.com)

• Britons must 'strengthen defences' against growing threat of AI-assisted ransomware, cyber security chief warns | UK News | Sky News

• The rise of cyber extortion and 'Hacktivism' - Verdict

• Ransomware recovery – the need for speed | TechRadar

• Medibank hack: Russian sanctioned over Australia's worst data breach - BBC News

• UK gov tells SMBs to get better at protecting themselves from cyber attacks | TechRadar

• Researchers link 3AM ransomware to Conti, Royal cyber crime gangs (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Kasseika ransomware uses antivirus driver to kill other antiviruses (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Akira ransomware attack on Tietoevry disrupted the services of many Swedish organisations (securityaffairs.com)

• Organisations invest more in data protection but recover less - Help Net Security

• Evolving BianLian ransomware attack strategies detailed | SC Media (scmagazine.com)

• Hackers target TeamViewer to try and get access to your company's network | TechRadar

• Ransomware Victims

• Major US, UK Water Companies Hit by Ransomware - SecurityWeek

• Sweden’s Riksbank Turns to Police as Cyber Attack Hits IT Firm - BNN Bloomberg

• Owner of The North Face, Supreme, Vans, Reports Breach Affecting 35M Users (pcmag.com)

• Primary Health & Wellness Center, LLC’s public notice of ransomware incident (databreaches.net)

• Akira ransomware attack on Tietoevry disrupted the services of many Swedish organisations (securityaffairs.com)

• LockBit gang claims the attack on the sandwich chain Subway (securityaffairs.com)

• loanDepot says ransomware gang stole data of 16.6 million people (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Aviation Leasing Giant AerCap Hit by Ransomware Attack - SecurityWeek

• Global fintech firm EquiLend offline after recent cyber attack (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Ransomware Group Offers Hacked Serbian Electricity Provider's Data For Download (rferl.org)

• Cyber attack in Merseyside as 'immediate steps taken' (msn.com)

• Housing association confirms 'cyber security incident' but can't confirm if tenants' data was lost | Shropshire Star

Phishing & Email Based Attacks

• Four-in-ten employees sacked over email security breaches as firms tackle “truly staggering” increase in attacks | ITPro

• 81 percent of security pros say phishing is the top threat (betanews.com)

• Browser Phishing Threats Grew 198% Last Year - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Invoice Phishing Alert: TA866 Deploys WasabiSeed & Screenshotter Malware (thehackernews.com)

• Organisations need to switch gears in their approach to email security - Help Net Security

• HPE Says Russian Government Hackers Had Access to Emails for 6 Months - SecurityWeek

• Russian hackers breached Microsoft, HPE corporate maliboxes - Help Net Security

• Don’t Take The Bait: How To Prevent A Phishing Attack | Kohrman Jackson & Krantz LLP - JDSupra

• Trezor reveals 66,000 users could face phishing attack (coinjournal.net)

• Is This a Phishing Email? 8 Warning Signs to Look Out For

• PHP-less phishing kits that can run on any website | Netcraft

• New KnowBe4 Report Shows Major Spike in Public Sector Attacks in 2023 | Business Wire

Artificial Intelligence

• AI Will ‘Almost Certainly’ Turbocharge Cyber attacks, UK Warns - The Messenger

• The near-term impact of AI on the cyber threat - NCSC.GOV.UK

• NCSC: AI to boost nation-states’ malware potency • The Register

• AI’s Efficacy is Limitless in Cyber Crime | MSSP Alert

• Top 4 LLM threats to the enterprise | CSO Online

• The rise of cyber extortion and 'Hacktivism' - Verdict

• Battling Misinformation During Election Season (darkreading.com)

• Unmasking Deceptive Behaviour: Risks and Challenges in Large Language Models (azoai.com)

• AI-driven cyber attacks and defences to create a battle of algorithms in 2024 (securitybrief.co.nz)

• Researchers Map AI Threat Landscape, Risks (darkreading.com)

• Misinformation and irresponsible AI: Experts forecast how technology may shape our near future (techxplore.com)

• ChatGPT Cyber Crime Surge Revealed in 3000 Dark Web Posts - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• More than 1 in 4 Organisations Banned Use of GenAI Over Privacy and Data Security Risks - New Cisco Study (prnewswire.com)

• The Cyber Security Horizon: AI, Resilience and Collaboration in 2024 - Security Boulevard

Malware

• NCSC: AI to boost nation-states’ malware potency • The Register

• MacOS devices are being targeted by pirated apps that want to hijack your machine | TechRadar

• Invoice Phishing Alert: TA866 Deploys WasabiSeed & Screenshotter Malware (thehackernews.com)

• 'Inhospitality' malspam campaign targets hotel industry | SC Media (scmagazine.com)

• Blackwood APT delivers malware by hijacking legitimate software update requests - Help Net Security

• SystemBC Malware's C2 Server Analysis Exposes Payload Delivery Tricks (thehackernews.com)

• HP CEO justifies blocking third-party ink cartridges by claiming they can inject malware | Tom's Hardware (tomshardware.com)

Mobile

• Apple Issues Patch for Critical Zero-Day in iPhones, Macs - Update Now (thehackernews.com)

• iPhone, Android Ambient Light Sensors Allow Stealthy Spying (darkreading.com)

• New method to safeguard against mobile account takeovers - Help Net Security

• Bluetooth Flaw Let Hackers Takeover of iOS & Android Devices (cybersecuritynews.com)

• SEC confirms X account was hacked in SIM swapping attack (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Zero-Click Bluetooth Attack: A Growing Threat for Unpatched Android Phones - gHacks Tech News

Denial of Service/DoS/DDOS

• Ukrainian mobile bank sees a spike in ‘non-stop’ DDoS pressure (therecord.media)

Internet of Things – IoT

• Ring Will No Longer Allow Police to Request Doorbell Camera Footage From Users - SecurityWeek

• HP CEO justifies blocking third-party ink cartridges by claiming they can inject malware | Tom's Hardware (tomshardware.com)

Data Breaches/Leaks

• Historic data leak reveals 26 billion records: check what's exposed (securityaffairs.com)

• Data of 15 million Trello users scraped and offered for sale - Help Net Security

• Personal details of 6,000 people leaked in Greater Manchester council data breach (msn.com)

• BreachForums hacking forum admin sentenced to 20 years supervised release (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Healthtech firm's cyber attack victim list keeps growing - Digital Journal

• VF Corp Says Data Breach Resulting From Ransomware Attack Impacts 35 Million - SecurityWeek

• Class Actions Filed Over Builders Mutual, Progressive’s Own Data Breaches (claimsjournal.com)

• loanDepot cyber attack causes data breach for 16.6 million people (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Jason’s Deli says customer data exposed in credential stuffing attack (bleepingcomputer.com)

• The growing threat of data breaches in the age of AI and data privacy | TechRadar

• Data Privacy Week: US Data Breaches Surge, 2023 Sees 78% Increase - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• 23andMe data breach: Hackers stole raw genotype data, health reports (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Coventry school reprimanded for data breach after IT system 'hacked three times' - CoventryLive (coventrytelegraph.net)

Organised Crime & Criminal Actors

• Winter is coming and so are the hackers (betanews.com)

• Grooming, radicalization and cyber attacks: INTERPOL warns of ‘Metacrime’

• Bulletproof Hosting: A Critical Cyber Criminal Service | Intel471

• 'VexTrio' TDS: The Biggest Cyber Crime Operation on the Web? (darkreading.com)

• The cost of cyber crime to reach over $12tn by 2025

• Researchers link 3AM ransomware to Conti, Royal cyber crime gangs (bleepingcomputer.com)

• ChatGPT Cyber Crime Surge Revealed in 3000 Dark Web Posts - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Cyber criminal malice shifts away from Russia and Ukraine | Insurance Times

• The sophistication of cyber criminals intensifies with emerging strategies for cashing in or causing chaos - IT Security Guru

• Barracuda's new Cybernomics 101 report uncovers the financial forces driving cyber attacks (prnewswire.com)

Cryptocurrency/Cryptomining/Cryptojacking/NFTs/Blockchain

• Cyber criminals stole $1.7 billion from crypto funds in 2023 as attacks proliferated (therecord.media)

• US regulator admits cyber security lapse before rogue Bitcoin post - BBC News

• Trezor reveals 66,000 users could face phishing attack (coinjournal.net)

Insider Risk and Insider Threats

• Majority of companies not prepared for insider threats (betanews.com)

• Amid Rising Insider Threats, Most Companies are Vulnerable and Lack the Strategies to Protect Themselves, New Research Finds | Business Wire

• Fighting insider threats is tricky but essential work - Help Net Security

Insurance

• Insurance industry responds to evolving risks with innovation and collaboration: Allianz - Reinsurance News

• Cyber Insurance Industry Suggests Cyber Security Best Practices (networkcomputing.com)

Supply Chain and Third Parties

• Panorays Study Finds 94% of CISOs Are Concerned About Third-party Cyber Threats, Yet Only 3% Have Implemented Security Measures (darkreading.com)

• From vulnerability to vigilance: strategies for ensuring supply chain security (techuk.org)

• Bolstering global supply chains: Enhancing resilience, digital logistics, and national security harmony (techuk.org)

• Supply chain security: Responding to emerging cyber threats (techuk.org)

• CISOs' role in identifying tech components and managing supply chains - Help Net Security

• Rethinking supply chain resilience as cyber attacks get more disruptive (techuk.org)

Cloud/SaaS

• On premises vs. cloud pros and cons, key differences | TechTarget

• The 2024 Specops Breached Password Report Reveals Two Million Compromised Cloud Credentials Used ‘123456’ as Password | Business Wire

• The biggest cloud security risk in 2024 will be stolen and exposed credentials | ITPro

Identity and Access Management

• Why Microsoft’s Latest Breach is an Identity Threat Detection Wake-Up Call - Security Boulevard

Encryption

• Cryptographers Are Getting Closer to Enabling Fully Private Internet Searches | WIRED

Passwords, Credential Stuffing & Brute Force Attacks

• Why Microsoft’s Latest Breach is an Identity Threat Detection Wake-Up Call - Security Boulevard

• Accepting a calendar invite in Outlook could leak your password | SC Media (scmagazine.com)

• There's no excuse for having a weak password in 2024

• The 2024 Specops Breached Password Report Reveals Two Million Compromised Cloud Credentials Used ‘123456’ as Password | Business Wire

• Jason’s Deli says customer data exposed in credential stuffing attack (bleepingcomputer.com)

• 88% of organisations use passwords as primary authentication method | Security Magazine

• The biggest cloud security risk in 2024 will be stolen and exposed credentials | ITPro

Social Media

• Meta won't remove fake Instagram profiles that are clearly catfishing (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Watch out for "I can't believe he is gone" Facebook phishing posts (bleepingcomputer.com)

• SEC confirms X account was hacked in SIM swapping attack (bleepingcomputer.com)

Malvertising

• Intro to Digital Fingerprints: Understanding, Manipulating, and Defending Against Online Tracking | HackerNoon

• Google Updates Chrome's Incognito Warning to Admit It Tracks Users in ‘Private’ Mode | WIRED

• Cryptographers Are Getting Closer to Enabling Fully Private Internet Searches | WIRED

Regulations, Fines and Legislation

• “It is a whole new bar”: Months left to prepare for new EU cyber security rules - The Currency :The Currency

• Without clear guidance, SEC’s new rule on incident reporting may be detrimental - Help Net Security

• SEC confirms X account was hacked in SIM swapping attack (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Navigating The 'Fog Of A Cyber Attack' (forbes.com)

• US regulator admits cyber security lapse before rogue Bitcoin post - BBC News

• The CISO Role Undergoes a Major Evolution (darkreading.com)

• Coventry school reprimanded for data breach after IT system 'hacked three times' - CoventryLive (coventrytelegraph.net)

• Countdown for businesses to comply with leaked EU AI Act draft begins | Biometric Update

Models, Frameworks and Standards

• “It is a whole new bar”: Months left to prepare for new EU cyber security rules - The Currency :The Currency

• Prioritising CIS Controls for effective cyber security across organisations - Help Net Security

Careers, Working in Cyber and Information Security

• Top 3 Priorities for CISOs in 2024 (darkreading.com)

• CISOs Struggle for C-Suite Status Even as Expectations Skyrocket (darkreading.com)

• Why we need more continuous hands-on training and fewer cyber security certifications | SC Media (scmagazine.com)

Law Enforcement Action and Take Downs

• BreachForums hacking forum admin sentenced to 20 years supervised release (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Ring Will No Longer Allow Police to Request Doorbell Camera Footage From Users - SecurityWeek

• Secret Service to revive the Cyber Investigations Advisory Board | CyberScoop

• Court charges dev with hacking after cyber security issue disclosure (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Ukrainian Security Service Nabs Russian Hacker Planning Cyber Attacks on Government Websites - Militarnyi

Misinformation, Disinformation and Propaganda

• Battling Misinformation During Election Season (darkreading.com)

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Nation State Actors, Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs), Cyber Warfare, Cyber Espionage and Geopolitical Threats/Activity

Nation State Actors

• NCSC: AI to boost nation-states’ malware potency • The Register

China

• Chinese Spies Exploited VMware vCenter Server Vulnerability Since 2021 - SecurityWeek

• The small print leaving UK plc exposed to ‘nuclear level’ cyber attacks (telegraph.co.uk)

• Michael Rogers on China's Cyber Threat - The Wire China

• China’s feared spy agency steps out of the shadows

• Cyber criminal malice shifts away from Russia and Ukraine | Insurance Times

Russia

• Microsoft's Top Execs' Emails Breached in Sophisticated Russia-Linked APT Attack (thehackernews.com)

• Why Microsoft’s Latest Breach is an Identity Threat Detection Wake-Up Call - Security Boulevard

• Microsoft Says Russians Hacked It to Find Information About Themselves (businessinsider.com)

• Sneak-and-peek Midnight Blizzard attack highlights “worrying flaws” in Microsoft security processes | ITPro

• Microsoft Warns of Widening APT29 Espionage Attacks Targeting Global Orgs (thehackernews.com)

• HP Enterprise was hacked by the same Russian state-sponsored group that targeted Microsoft (engadget.com)

• HPE Says Russian Government Hackers Had Access to Emails for 6 Months - SecurityWeek

• Russian hackers shift to new malware tactics, Google says (siliconrepublic.com)

• Massive cyber attack targets Ukrainian online bank (kyivindependent.com)

• Learning From Ukraine's Pioneering Approaches to Cyber Security (darkreading.com)

• Cyber criminal malice shifts away from Russia and Ukraine | Insurance Times

• Ukrainian energy giant, postal service, transportation agencies hit by cyber attacks (therecord.media)

• Ukraine’s Largest Gas and Oil Company Under Cyber Attack (kyivpost.com)

• Ukrainian Security Service Nabs Russian Hacker Planning Cyber Attacks on Government Websites - Militarnyi

• Medibank hack: Russian sanctioned over Australia's worst data breach - BBC News

• Hundreds of Russian sites breached by Ukrainian hackers | SC Media (scmagazine.com)

• Akira ransomware attack on Tietoevry disrupted the services of many Swedish organisations (securityaffairs.com)

• Apple Pays $13 Million Russian Fine, Goes Directly Into Federal Budget (businessinsider.com)

Iran

• Microsoft: Iran's Mint Sandstorm APT Blasts Educators, Researchers (darkreading.com)

• With Iran's cyber attacks on rise since Gaza war, Israel looks to private industry - Al-Monitor: Independent, trusted coverage of the Middle East

North Korea

• North Korea's ScarCruft Attackers Gear Up to Target Cyber Security Pros (darkreading.com)

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Vulnerability Management

• 45% of critical CVEs left unpatched in 2023 - Help Net Security

• Patch management: Why firms ignore vulnerabilities at their own risk | ITPro

• What Is Vulnerability Management? Definition, Process Steps, Benefits and More - Security Boulevard

• Security vendors are accused of bending CVE assignment rules • The Register

• German IT Consultant Fined Thousands for Reporting Security Failing (darkreading.com)

• The effect of omission bias on vulnerability management - Help Net Security

• 52% of Serious Vulnerabilities We Find are Related to Windows 10 (thehackernews.com)

Vulnerabilities

• Cisco warns of critical RCE flaw in communications software (bleepingcomputer.com)

• CISA emergency directive: Mitigate Ivanti zero-days immediately (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Third Ivanti Vulnerability Exploited in the Wild, CISA Reports (darkreading.com)

• Ivanti: VPN appliances vulnerable if pushing configs after mitigation (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Chrome 121 ships with security updates and new AI tools - gHacks Tech News

• Apple Issues Patch for Critical Zero-Day in iPhones, Macs - Update Now (thehackernews.com)

• Accepting a calendar invite in Outlook could leak your password | SC Media (scmagazine.com)

• Hackers Targeting Critical Atlassian Confluence Vulnerability Days After Disclosure - SecurityWeek

• Chinese Spies Exploited VMware vCenter Server Vulnerability Since 2021 - SecurityWeek

• Critical Vulnerabilities Found in Open Source AI/ML Platforms - SecurityWeek

• Threat actors exploit Apache ActiveMQ flaw to deliver the Godzilla Web Shell (securityaffairs.com)

• Bluetooth Flaw Let Hackers Takeover of iOS & Android Devices (cybersecuritynews.com)

• High-Severity Vulnerability Patched in Splunk Enterprise - SecurityWeek

• Patch Your Fortra GoAnywhere MFT Immediately - Critical Flaw Lets Anyone Be Admin (thehackernews.com)

• Millions at Risk As 'Parrot' Web Server Compromises Take Flight (darkreading.com)

• Security vendors are accused of bending CVE assignment rules • The Register

• Mozilla Releases Security Updates for Thunderbird and Firefox | CISA

• 5379 GitLab servers vulnerable to zero-click account takeover attacks (securityaffairs.com)

• Hackers target WordPress database plugin active on 1 million sites (bleepingcomputer.com)

---

Tools and Controls

• Why Microsoft’s Latest Breach is an Identity Threat Detection Wake-Up Call - Security Boulevard

• Ransomware recovery – the need for speed | TechRadar

• Resilience: The New Priority for Your Security Model (inforisktoday.com)

• With so much data at hand, should cyber defences be more effective? | TechRadar

• Password Manager Statistics 2024 (coolest-gadgets.com)

• How to Shine in Your Next Cyber Security Audit - Security Boulevard

• AI-driven cyber attacks and defences to create a battle of algorithms in 2024 (securitybrief.co.nz)

• Business continuity vs. disaster recovery vs. incident response | TechTarget

• Why resilience leaders must prepare for polycrises - Help Net Security

• Court charges dev with hacking after cyber security issue disclosure (bleepingcomputer.com)

• German IT Consultant Fined Thousands for Reporting Security Failing (darkreading.com)

• The 9 best incident response metrics and how to use them | TechTarget

• The Cyber Security Horizon: AI, Resilience and Collaboration in 2024 - Security Boulevard

• We Must Consider Software Developers a Key Part of the Cyber Security Workforce | CISA

• Cyber Insurance Industry Suggests Cyber Security Best Practices (networkcomputing.com)

• Emerging trends and strategies in digital forensics - Help Net Security

• Cyber Security Risk Management: Frameworks, Plans, & Best Practices - Security Boulevard

• IT and Security Teams Increasingly United in Battle Against Sophisticated Cyberthreats, Research Finds (prnewswire.com)

• HP CEO justifies blocking third-party ink cartridges by claiming they can inject malware | Tom's Hardware (tomshardware.com)

---

Reports Published in the Last Week

• Cloudflare Releases 2024 API Security and Management Report (infoq.com)

• The 2024 Specops Breached Password Report Reveals Two Million Compromised Cloud Credentials Used ‘123456’ as Password | Business Wire

• Barracuda's new Cybernomics 101 report uncovers the financial forces driving cyber attacks (prnewswire.com)

---

Other News

• With so much data at hand, should cyber defences be more effective? | TechRadar

• Threat actors are exploiting web applications - Security Boulevard

• Public Sector Cyber Attacks Rise By 40% in 2023 - IT Security Guru

• Cyber Security Challenges at the World Economic Forum (govtech.com)

• Much-Needed Cyber Security Help for Hospitals May Have Strings Attached | Corporate Counsel (law.com)

• The Threat Landscape Is Always Changing: What to Expect in 2024  | Proofpoint US

• What is Lateral Movement in Cyber Security? - Security Boulevard

• Cyber Security and Trends in 2024 Based on WEF 2024 Outcomes | HackerNoon

• IT and Security Teams Increasingly United in Battle Against Sophisticated Cyberthreats, Research Finds (prnewswire.com)

• US suffered cyber attacks from 168 threat actors in 2023 | Security Magazine

• US continues to be leading cyber threat target | SC Media (scmagazine.com)

• Rise in cyber crime attacks against Industrial IoT sparks alarm (securitybrief.co.nz)

• Offshore wind farms are vulnerable to cyber attacks, study shows (techxplore.com)

• Government Security Vulnerabilities Surge By 151%, Report Finds - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

---

Sector Specific

Industry specific threat intelligence reports are available.

Contact us to receive tailored reports specific to the industry/sector and geographies you operate in.

·         Automotive

·         Construction

·         Critical National Infrastructure (CNI)

·         Defence & Space

·         Education & Academia

·         Energy & Utilities

·         Estate Agencies

·         Financial Services

·         FinTech

·         Food & Agriculture

·         Gaming & Gambling

·         Government & Public Sector (including Law Enforcement)

·         Health/Medical/Pharma

·         Hotels & Hospitality

·         Insurance

·         Legal

·         Manufacturing

·         Maritime

·         Oil, Gas & Mining

·         OT, ICS, IIoT, SCADA & Cyber-Physical Systems

·         Retail & eCommerce

·         Small and Medium Sized Businesses (SMBs)

·         Startups

·         Telecoms

·         Third Sector & Charities

·         Transport & Aviation

·         Web3

---

As usual, contact us to help assess where your risks lie and to ensure you are doing all you can do to keep you and your business secure.

Look out for our ‘Cyber Tip Tuesday’ video blog and on our YouTube channel.

You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

Links to articles are for interest and awareness and linking to or reposting external content does not endorse any service or product, likewise we are not responsible for the security of external links.

Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing 29 December 2023

Welcome to this week’s Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing – a weekly digest, collated and curated by our cyber experts to provide senior and middle management with an easy to digest round up of the most notable threats, vulnerabilities, and cyber related news from the last week.

Top Cyber Stories of the Last Week

UK Ministers Publicly State Fears of Potential Widescale Power Grid Disruptions

The UK’s power network has long been an attractive target for enemies of the state and that remains true today. In fact, according to the UK Government, the risk of the whole country’s electricity system being shut down is growing. So are the dangers to citizens if it happens.

The UK’s National Risk Register, the official document assessing 89 different possible threats to the country, explains that a cyber attack on the National Grid could be launched by culprits “encrypting, stealing or destroying data upon which critical systems depend, or via disruption to operational systems”.

Source: [iNews]

Countries Brace for Influence Operations, AI and Hacking Campaigns Ahead of Historic 2024 Election Year, Could Upset World Balance

Billions of people around the world are expected to go to the polls and vote in 2024, in what will be the most significant election year in recent memory, and cyber security and government officials have already warned about countries using technology to influence operations. This includes disinformation campaigns and hacking attempts. Officials have further warned that artificial intelligence will likely be used to fuel such campaigns.

Sources: [The Record] [Security Affairs]

The Most Popular Passwords of 2023 are Easy to Guess and Crack

NordPass released a list of the top 200 common passwords recently, which included “123456” and “admin” as the top two. Of particular note, the top 40 passwords were all deemed to take less than 12 seconds to crack, or could be determined by an actor with no knowledge of the password. Many people would argue that there are so many passwords needed these days that it becomes hard to remember, hence their choice of easier passwords, and often reusing or recycling them across multiple sites and services. The use of a password manager can greatly reduce this need, requiring the user to only remember one password whilst also allowing for more complex and harder to crack passwords.

Source: [gHacks]

Dangerous Malware Pretends to be Some of Your Most Used Business Software

Hackers are using an old form of banking malware, known as Carbanak, to launch damaging ransomware attacks. Hackers are using compromised websites to host the malware, impersonating popular business-related software such as HubSpot, Veeam, or Xero.

Source: [TechRadar]

MFA Helps You Stay Resilient, But Nothing is a Silver Bullet

Multi-factor authentication (MFA) is a great resource for improving your organisation’s cyber resilience, but no technology is 100% secure and the human element will nearly always remain. With notable security breaches bypassing MFA to compromise organisations including Uber, games company EA, and authentication business Okta, organisations need to be aware that it is a possibility. As such, organisations need to ensure they implement MFA effectively and educate their users in their implementation; even the strongest of controls are rendered useless if they can be bypassed with one social engineering phone call.

Source: [Help Net Security]

Ransomware Leak Site Victims Reached Record-High in November

Corvus Threat Intel observed 484 new ransomware victims posted to leak sites in November. This represents a 39% increase from October and a 110% increase compared with November 2022. Further, this is the eleventh consecutive month in which there has been a year-on-year increase in ransomware victims, and the ninth with a victim count over 300.

Source: [Infosecurity Magazine]

MOVEit, Capita, CitrixBleed and More: The Biggest Data Breaches of 2023

2023 was a colossal year for data breaches, with the likes of MOVEit, Capita, Citrix, Royal Mail, MGM resorts and 3CX among some of the most significant victims. Such attacks have involved a number of vectors, such as file transfer vulnerabilities, social engineering, supply chain attacks and zero-day exploits. The result? Millions of people’s data compromised, and hundreds of millions paid out to attackers; the attack on MGM resorts alone is reported to have costed upwards of $100 million.

Source: [TechCrunch]

Europol Warns 443 Online Shops Infected with Credit Card Stealers

Europol has notified over 400 websites that their online shop had been hacked, with malicious scripts that steal card information from paying customers. The scripts are designed to intercept and steal payment card numbers, expiration dates, verification numbers, names, and shipping addresses, which are then uploaded to an attacker. This information is then used, or sold on the dark web to be used. Unfortunately, some of these attacks can go undetected for weeks or even several months.

Source: [Bleeping Computer]

Physical Access Systems Open Door to IT Networks

Cyber attackers can exploit access control measures installed on supposedly secure facility doors to gain unauthorised building access to sensitive locations, as well as breach internal IP networks directly from these systems, research has shown. At a recent leading security conference, analysts demonstrated this is an attack. Assets such as these can often be forgotten about and therefore omitted from protections, highlighting the need for organisations to have an up to date and accurate asset register.

Source: [Dark Reading]

Simple Hacking Techniques Prove Successful in 2023 Cyber Attacks

Hacking can be sophisticated, but often it is not sophisticated at all. Some of the biggest hacks this year started with what seemed like an innocent phone call, but which in fact were fairly simple social engineering attacks. Additionally, hackers continued to target companies that failed to promptly update their systems, even after patches were released to fix critical vulnerabilities. The best first step to protect an organisation is to establish a culture of good cyber security hygiene across people, operations and technology.

Source: [Pymnts]

Daily Malicious Files Rise to 411,000 a day in 2023

Cyber criminals unleashed an average of 411,000 malicious files every day in 2023, representing a 3% increase from the previous year, according to Kaspersky. Malicious desktop files in particular rose by 53%. Cyber criminals favoured Microsoft Office services’ vulnerabilities, which represented 69% of all exploited vulnerabilities.

Source: [Infosecurity Magazine]

Android Malware Actively Infecting Devices to Take Full Control

Android Malware is actively being used to take control of devices for illicit purposes, such as stealing sensitive information and enabling remote attacks, and least 327,000 devices are reported to have been infected with such malware. Research has found that amongst the most targeted countries are the UK and US. Often, for the malware to work, users need to allow it access to information such as contacts, email. In some cases, the user would only be aware they have consented if they were to manually check the apps settings. For organisations, this can mean employees bringing personal or work phones into the corporate environment, with malware potentially along for the ride.

Source: [GBhackers]

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Governance, Risk and Compliance

• Third-party issues disrupt 45% of firms despite cyber security spends (securitybrief.co.nz)

• Strengthening Resilience: Navigating the Cyber Security Landscape (darkreading.com)

• 8 big IT failures of 2023 | CIO

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Threats

Ransomware, Extortion and Destructive Attacks

• Ransomware Leak Site Victims Reached Record-High in November - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Rethinking data security in the age of ransomware and AI - SiliconANGLE

• Carbanak Banking Malware Resurfaces with New Ransomware Tactics (thehackernews.com)

• Do the casino ransomware attacks make the case to pay? • The Register

• Windows CLFS and five exploits used by ransomware operators | Securelist

• Cyber crime experts reveal how to infiltrate ransomware gangs • The Register

• How ransomware operators try to stay under the radar | Malwarebytes

• How many times are you going to think about ransomware in 2024? (betanews.com)

• The Most Dangerous People on the Internet in 2023 | WIRED

Ransomware Victims

• MOVEit, Capita, CitrixBleed and more: The biggest data breaches of 2023 | TechCrunch

• Lockbit ransomware disrupts emergency care at German hospitals (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Integris Health patients get extortion emails after cyber attack (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Ransomware Group Claims 100 Gb of Data Stolen From Nissan Australia - Security Week

• Indian IT services giant HCL Technologies hit by ransomware | TechRadar

• LockBit gang claims to have breached accountancy firm Xeinadin (securityaffairs.com)

• Rockstar Employee Details Reportedly Leaked By Hackers (thegamer.com)

• Australia’s Largest Auto Dealer Group Hit By Massive Cyber Attack | Carscoops

• After cyber attack, New York hospitals find stolen patient info stored in Massachusetts, look for its return (databreaches.net)

Artificial Intelligence

• Elections 2024, Artificial Intelligence could upset world balances (securityaffairs.com)

• Justice Secretary in Deepfake General Election Warning - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• H2 2023 Threat Landscape Dominated by AI and Android Spyware - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Malicious GPT Can Phish Credentials, Exfiltrate Them to External Server: Researcher - Security Week

• Rethinking data security in the age of ransomware and AI - SiliconANGLE

• Largest Dataset Powering AI Images Removed After Discovery of Child Sexual Abuse Material (404media.co)

• GenAI Tools Will Permeate All Areas of the Enterprise (darkreading.com)

• Why data, AI, and regulations top the threat list for 2024 - Help Net Security

• 5 Ways that AI Is Set To Transform Cyber Security (informationweek.com)

• The Emerging Landscape of AI-Driven Cyber Security Threats: A Look Ahead - Security Week

• Skynet Ahoy? What to Expect for Next-Gen AI Security Risks (darkreading.com)

• Ethical Implications of AI in Cyber Security | HackerNoon

2FA/MFA

• 3 main tactics attackers use to bypass MFA - Help Net Security

Malware

• Carbanak Banking Malware Resurfaces with New Ransomware Tactics (thehackernews.com)

• This dangerous malware pretends to be some of your most-used business software tools, so watch out | TechRadar

• Iran's 'Peach Sandstorm' Cyber Attackers Target Global Defence Network (darkreading.com)

• Decoy Microsoft Word Documents Used to Deliver Nim-Based Malware (thehackernews.com)

• This growing malware threat actor is set to unleash a surge of attacks, experts warn | TechRadar

• 'BattleRoyal' Hackers Deliver DarkGate RAT Using Every Trick (darkreading.com)

• Microsoft disables MSIX protocol handler abused in malware attacks (bleepingcomputer.com)

• UAC-0099 Using WinRAR Exploit to Target Ukrainian Firms with LONEPAGE Malware (thehackernews.com)

• New Sneaky Xamalicious Android Malware Hits Over 327,000 Devices (thehackernews.com)

• Russian military hackers target Ukraine with new MASEPIE malware (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Fake VPN Chrome extensions force-installed 1.5 million times (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Chinese Hackers Deliver Malware to Barracuda Email Security Appliances via New Zero-Day - Security Week

• Daily Malicious Files Soar 3% in 2023, Kaspersky Finds - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Kimsuky Group Using Weaponized file Deploy AppleSeed Malware (cybersecuritynews.com)

• New Rugmi Malware Loader Surges with Hundreds of Daily Detections (thehackernews.com)

• Game mod on Steam breached to push password-stealing malware (bleepingcomputer.com)

• How the new Instegogram threat creates liability for organisations | CSO Online

Mobile

• TikTok makes users give iPhone passwords, reasons unclear (nypost.com)

• 'Most sophisticated' iPhone attack chain 'ever seen' used four 0-days to create a 0-click exploit - 9to5Mac

• Android Malware Actively Infecting Devices to Take Full Control (gbhackers.com)

• Chameleon Android Malware Can Bypass Biometric Security - Security Week

• H2 2023 Threat Landscape Dominated by AI and Android Spyware - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Apple reportedly faces pressure in India after sending out warnings of state-sponsored hacking (engadget.com)

• SMS Scams Set to Peak on Saturday in UK - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

Denial of Service/DoS/DDOS

• Essential DDoS statistics for understanding attack impact - Help Net Security

• How to Prepare for DDoS Attacks During Peak Business Times (darkreading.com)

• In Cyber Security and Fashion, What's Old Is New Again (darkreading.com)

Internet of Things – IoT

• Tech gifts you shouldn’t buy your family and friends for the holidays | TechCrunch

• Physical Access Systems Open Door to IT Networks (darkreading.com)

• Ho Ho Home For Christmas? Tips For Avoiding Tech Terrors This Festive Season - IT Security Guru

Data Breaches/Leaks

• MOVEit, Capita, CitrixBleed and more: The biggest data breaches of 2023 | TechCrunch

• Mortgage firm LoanCare warns 1.3 million people of data breach (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Real estate agency exposes details of 690k customers (securityaffairs.com)

• First, Rockstar Games Got Hacked, Then Sony's Insomniac, and now Ubisoft… Who's Next? - autoevolution

• Insomniac Games Releases Statement Over Recent Cyber Attack - Gameranx

• Ubisoft says it's investigating reports of a new security breach (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Rockstar Employee Details Reportedly Leaked By Hackers (thegamer.com)

• Inmate, Staff Information Stolen in Rhode Island Prison Data Breach - Security Week

• Mint Mobile discloses new data breach exposing customer data (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Hackers steal customer data from Europe’s largest parking app operator | Hacking | The Guardian

• Yakult Australia confirms 'cyber incident' after 95 GB data leak (bleepingcomputer.com)

• CBS, Paramount owner National Amusements says it was hacked | TechCrunch

• Panasonic discloses data breach after December 2022 cyber attack (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Customers warned after major car dealership group Eagers Automotive hacked | The West Australian

• Cyber Attacks Impacts Two Major Australian Companies Including Leaked Passports | The Epoch Times

• After cyber attack, New York hospitals find stolen patient info stored in Massachusetts, look for its return (databreaches.net)

Organised Crime & Criminal Actors

• Simple Hacking Techniques Prove Successful in Cyber Attacks (pymnts.com)

• Hackers stole $2 billion in crypto in 2023, data shows | TechCrunch

• Convicted Thief Reveals Cyber Crime Tactics - DevX

• The Most Dangerous People on the Internet in 2023 | WIRED

• Meet the cyber criminals of 2023 | TechCrunch

• Hacking or Social Engineering? What You Need to Know to Keep Yourself Safe | HackerNoon

• 3 Clues That Hackers May Know More About Your Business Than You Do | Inc.com

Cryptocurrency/Cryptomining/Cryptojacking/NFTs/Blockchain

• Hackers stole $2 billion in crypto in 2023, data shows | TechCrunch

• Biggest Crypto Exploits and Hacks of 2023 - Decrypt

• Kyber Network Forced to Slash Staff by 50% After $46,500,000 Exploit, According to CEO - The Daily Hodl

• Warning: Poorly Secured Linux SSH Servers Under Attack for Cryptocurrency Mining (thehackernews.com)

• Hacking group Pink Drainer strikes again, pilfering $4.4M from just 1 victim (cointelegraph.com)

Supply Chain and Third Parties

• Third-party issues disrupt 45% of firms despite cyber security spends (securitybrief.co.nz)

• MOVEit, Capita, CitrixBleed and more: The biggest data breaches of 2023 | TechCrunch

Cloud/SaaS

• Researchers uncover major security issue in Microsoft Azure - here's what we know | TechRadar

• Data security and cost are key cloud adoption challenges for financial industry - Help Net Security

• The Future of Hybrid Cloud: What to Expect in 2024 and Beyond (techtarget.com)

Encryption

• Warning: Poorly Secured Linux SSH Servers Under Attack for Cryptocurrency Mining (thehackernews.com)

Linux and Open Source

• Warning: Poorly Secured Linux SSH Servers Under Attack for Cryptocurrency Mining (thehackernews.com)

Passwords, Credential Stuffing & Brute Force Attacks

• US water utilities were hacked after leaving their default passwords set to ‘1111,’ cyber security officials say (databreaches.net)

• The most popular passwords of 2023 are easy to guess and crack - gHacks Tech News

• Malicious GPT Can Phish Credentials, Exfiltrate Them to External Server: Researcher - Security Week

Social Media

• The Most Dangerous People on the Internet in 2023 | WIRED

• How the new Instegogram threat creates liability for organisations | CSO Online

Regulations, Fines and Legislation

• Europe Sees More Hacktivism, GDPR Echoes, and New Security Laws Ahead for 2024 (darkreading.com)

• Why data, AI, and regulations top the threat list for 2024 - Help Net Security

• Europe classifies three adult sites as worthy of its toughest internet regulations • The Register

• Countering Cyber Mercenaries | directions blog

• 5 US cyber security compliance deadlines in 2024 | SC Media (scmagazine.com)

• EU updates product liability regime to include software, Artificial Intelligence – EURACTIV.com

Models, Frameworks and Standards

• The US Department of Defence Releases Proposed CMMC Rule | Blank Rome LLP - JDSupra

Backup and Recovery

• 8 big IT failures of 2023 | CIO

Data Protection

• Europe Sees More Hacktivism, GDPR Echoes, and New Security Laws Ahead for 2024 (darkreading.com)

Careers, Working in Cyber and Information Security

• Cyber Employment 2024: Sky-High Expectations Fail Businesses & Job Seekers (darkreading.com)

• Top Tips from CISOs for CISOs - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• How leaders can look after information security professionals | ITPro

• Building Mental Resilience: A CISO's Journey - GovInfoSecurity

• What Does the Future Hold for Today’s Cyber Security Leaders? (huntress.com)

• Will the Cyber Skills Gap Continue to Grow in 2024? - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

Law Enforcement Action and Take Downs

• Countering Cyber Mercenaries | directions blog

• Cyber crime experts reveal how to infiltrate ransomware gangs • The Register

Misinformation, Disinformation and Propaganda

• Countries brace for influence operations, hacking campaigns ahead of historic 2024 election cycle (therecord.media)

• Justice Secretary in Deepfake General Election Warning - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

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Nation State Actors, Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs), Cyber Warfare, Cyber Espionage and Geopolitical Threats/Activity

Cyber Warfare and Cyber Espionage

• Ministers fear a cyber attack cutting all our electricity – this is why (inews.co.uk)

• Countries brace for influence operations, hacking campaigns ahead of historic 2024 election cycle (therecord.media)

• How Cyber Criminals Will Sway 2024 US Elections, Or Try To (darkreading.com)

• Justice Secretary in Deepfake General Election Warning - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

Nation State Actors

China

• Chinese Hackers Deliver Malware to Barracuda Email Security Appliances via New Zero-Day - Security Week

• Chinese Spy Agency Rising to Challenge the CIA - The New York Times (nytimes.com)

Russia

• Ukrainian remote workers targeted in new espionage campaign (therecord.media)

• UAC-0099 Using WinRAR Exploit to Target Ukrainian Firms with LONEPAGE Malware (thehackernews.com)

• Russian firms subjected to new cyber espionage campaign | SC Media (scmagazine.com)

• Cloud Atlas' Spear-Phishing Attacks Target Russian Agro and Research Companies (thehackernews.com)

• Moldova establishes National Cyber Security Agency with help of Estonia's e-Governance Academy (baltictimes.com)

• Inside the World of Deep-Cover Russian Spies Who Are Infiltrating the West (businessinsider.com)

• Russian military hackers target Ukraine with new MASEPIE malware (bleepingcomputer.com)

Iran

• Iran's 'Peach Sandstorm' Cyber Attackers Target Global Defence Network (darkreading.com)

• Israel and Iran are waging a cyber war in the shadows - opinion - The Jerusalem Post (jpost.com)

• A cyber attack targets Albanian Parliament’s data system, halting its work | Stars and Stripes

North Korea

• Kimsuky Group Using Weaponized file Deploy AppleSeed Malware (cybersecuritynews.com)

• Kim Jong Un Expected To Conduct Military, Cyber Attacks During US Elections - Benzinga

Other Nation State Actors, Hacktivism, Extremism, Terrorism and Other Geopolitical Threat Intelligence

• Apple reportedly faces pressure in India after sending out warnings of state-sponsored hacking (engadget.com)

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Vulnerability Management

• 'Tis the Season to Secure: How CVEs Are the Grinch for Cyber Security | HackerNoon

Vulnerabilities

• Researchers uncover major security issue in Microsoft Azure - here's what we know | TechRadar

• Barracuda fixed a new ESG zero-day exploited by Chinese group UNC4841 (securityaffairs.com)

• CISA Warns of FXC Router, QNAP NVR Vulnerabilities Exploited in the Wild - Security Week

• 'Most sophisticated' iPhone attack chain 'ever seen' used four 0-days to create a 0-click exploit - 9to5Mac

• Google Releases Eighth Zero-Day Patch of 2023 for Chrome (darkreading.com)

• Windows CLFS and five exploits used by ransomware operators | Securelist

• Apache OFBiz RCE flaw exploited to find vulnerable Confluence servers (bleepingcomputer.com)

---

Tools and Controls

• Physical Access Systems Open Door to IT Networks (darkreading.com)

• Even cyber security pros don't fully trust AI just yet | TechRadar

• GenAI Tools Will Permeate All Areas of the Enterprise (darkreading.com)

• Verification roadblocks cause frustration for digital nomads - Help Net Security

• Can AI Protect Against Modern Cyber Attacks? | MSSP Alert

• Strengthening Resilience: Navigating the Cyber Security Landscape (darkreading.com)

• API security in 2024: Predictions and trends - Help Net Security

---

Other News

• Domain Name Security Challenges - DataBreachToday

• 5 Things You Can Do Today to Prepare for 2024’s Security Threats (informationweek.com)

• 8 big IT failures of 2023 | CIO

• Pensions Regulator publishes updated cyber security guidance for trustees | Mayer Brown - JDSupra

• All I really need to know about cyber security, I learned in kindergarten (venturebeat.com)

• New insights into the global industrial cyber security landscape - Help Net Security

• NASA Releases First Space Cyber Security Best Practices Guide (inforisktoday.com)

• Unveiling the true cost of healthcare cyber security incidents - Help Net Security

• NCSC highlights cyber risk to cultural sector | UKAuthority

• Hackers see wealth of information to steal in kids' school records (cnbc.com)

• A cyber attack targets Albanian Parliament’s data system, halting its work | Stars and Stripes

• How Cyber Criminals Will Sway 2024 US Elections, Or Try To (darkreading.com)

• Post-pandemic Cyber Security: Lessons from the global health crisis (att.com)

---

Sector Specific

Industry specific threat intelligence reports are available.

Contact us to receive tailored reports specific to the industry/sector and geographies you operate in.

·         Automotive

·         Construction

·         Critical National Infrastructure (CNI)

·         Defence & Space

·         Education & Academia

·         Energy & Utilities

·         Estate Agencies

·         Financial Services

·         FinTech

·         Food & Agriculture

·         Gaming & Gambling

·         Government & Public Sector (including Law Enforcement)

·         Health/Medical/Pharma

·         Hotels & Hospitality

·         Insurance

·         Legal

·         Manufacturing

·         Maritime

·         Oil, Gas & Mining

·         OT, ICS, IIoT, SCADA & Cyber-Physical Systems

·         Retail & eCommerce

·         Small and Medium Sized Businesses (SMBs)

·         Startups

·         Telecoms

·         Third Sector & Charities

·         Transport & Aviation

·         Web3

---

As usual, contact us to help assess where your risks lie and to ensure you are doing all you can do to keep you and your business secure.

Look out for our ‘Cyber Tip Tuesday’ video blog and on our YouTube channel.

You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

Links to articles are for interest and awareness and linking to or reposting external content does not endorse any service or product, likewise we are not responsible for the security of external links.

Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing 01 September 2023

Welcome to this week’s Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing – a weekly digest, collated and curated by our cyber experts to provide senior and middle management with an easy to digest round up of the most notable threats, vulnerabilities, and cyber related news from the last week.

Top Cyber Stories of the Last Week

66 Percent of Businesses Don't Understand Their Cyber Risks

A survey has found that 67% of organisations have experienced a breach requiring attention within the last two years, despite having traditional security measures in place. Worryingly, 66% self-reported having limited visibility and insight into their cyber risk profiles.

83% of organisations agreed that a comprehensive cyber risk reduction strategy would yield a reduction in the likelihood of a significant cyber incident occurring, yet a number of organisations are finding it difficult to implement this and as a result are looking for outside assistance too. The report found that 93 percent of organisations plan to offload specific segments of cyber risk reduction workstreams or projects to security service providers within the next two years.

Source: [Beta News]

Massive Supplier Cyber Breach Puts London’s Metropolitan Police on Red Alert After Officer and Staff Details Hacked

All 47,000 personnel working for the Met Police were warned of the risk their photos, names and ranks having been stolen when cyber crooks penetrated the IT systems of a contractor printing warrant cards and staff passes. The supplier had access to names, ranks, photos, vetting levels and pay numbers of officers and staff, but did not hold information such as addresses, phone numbers or financial details.

The attack shows the importance of understanding the supply chain, and what access your supplier has access to. Without knowing who has your data, and what data, you will be left clueless if a breach on a supplier occurs.

Sources [Data Breaches] [UKAuthority]

Pay our Ransom Instead of a GDPR Fine, Cyber Crime Gang Tells Targets, as Attacks Against Small Businesses Ramp Up

Ransomware actors are always evolving their tactics, with gangs now telling victims if they don’t pay, then they will face fines under data protection laws. Additionally, small businesses are on the radar, partially due to them being easier targets for actors; some gangs have shifted from asking for millions from a large organisation, to requesting small ransoms from multiple small businesses.

As a result in both the number and sophistication of ransomware attacks, 80% of organisations expect their spending to increase. Not every organisation has an unlimited budget and so it is important that organisations are able to prioritise and allocate their budget effectively, to give them the most protection that their budget allows, especially small to medium-sized businesses.

Sources [Dark Reading] [The Record] [Security Magazine]

Survey Finds In-house Counsel Cyber Anxiety Skyrocketing

In a recent report, only 25% of legal professionals said they felt fully prepared to deal with a cyber attack, with 78% ranking the task of shielding their organisation from cyber attacks as the greatest regulatory concern over the next 12 months; previously, this figure was only 30% in 2021.

There has been a growing number of attacks, due to the sensitive data that is held and the number of attacks will continue to rise. With regulatory concerns adding to this, in-house counsel should be looking to have their concerns heard and drive the organisation to bolster their defences, and this may include outsourcing expert advice to make sure it is done correctly.

Source: [Law.com]

58% of Malicious Emails Contained Spoofed Content

According to a recent report, 58% of malicious emails contained spoof content and spam emails had increased by 30% from Q1 to Q2 2023. The report identified a surge in the number of uses of QR codes as a primary attack method, showing that attack methods are evolving, and in some cases, choosing not to use traditional methods.

The report reinforces the need for constant user education training, to reduce the risk of an employee falling for a phishing email. With this training, new evolving techniques such as that with QR codes, should also be addressed.

Source: [Security Magazine]

Cyber Attacks Remain a Top Concern for Organisations Across All Industries

Cyber attacks remain a top threat to organisations’ ability to do business across all industries. When asked in a recent report, 18% of respondents reported that cyber attacks threatened or disrupted their business.

With cyber attacks being a huge concern, many organisations have an incident response plan in place; yet despite this, nearly one quarter (23%) of companies surveyed have either never conducted tests or are unsure if their teams have tested. Cyber incidents are a matter of when, not if, and a strong incident response plan is always needed and can prevent a bad situation from being made worse by doing the wrong things in the immediate aftermath of an attack.

Source: [Business Wire]

BYOD Security Gap: Survey Finds 49% of European Firms Unprotected

A recent survey found that a concerning 49% of European businesses are operating without having a formal bring-your-own-device (BYOD) policy, highlighting a lack of visibility and control over such devices. The report found that organisations are concerned about compliance-based issues, with 43% noting increased worries.

The benefits of BYOD are clear, allowing organisations to save money and eliminate the need for multiple devices. But without a formal BYOD policy, organisations are risking having employees bring in devices that are effectively invisible to IT. This means that the vulnerabilities that come with it, and the risks it can bring, also go unnoticed. To mitigate the risk, a formalised BYOD policy is required.

Source: [Infosecurity Magazine]

13% of Employees Admit to Falling for Phishing Attacks Working at Home, 9% Would Wait to Report After the Weekend

In a recent report, it was found that 13% of employees admitted they had fallen for a phishing attack whilst working from home. Rather worryingly, 21% said they would continue working business as usual in the event of falling victim to a phishing attack whilst working remotely on a Friday, with 9% indicating they’d wait until after the weekend to report it, effectively, giving the attacker a 48 hour period in which they go unnoticed, if the employee even remembers to report it on the Monday.

It is important that users are educated, both on spotting phishing attacks and the reporting process, so that organisations can be best protected. By providing regular and effective user training, employees will be at less risk of falling victim to a phishing attack, even from home. Additionally, by understanding the reporting process and why there is a need to report as soon as possible, organisations will shorten their detection time.

Source: [Security Magazine]

Numbers Don't Lie: Exposing the Harsh Truths of Cyber Attacks in New Report

In their most recent quarterly report, BlackBerry focused on a 90-day window, identifying over 1.5 million malware-based attacks, over 200,000 unique attacks, 17,000 attacks per day and 12 per minute to name a few. The report found that financial institutions were amongst the most targeted.

Source: [The Hacker News]

Kroll’s Breach Highlights SIM-Swapping Risk

A recent supply chain breach at Kroll, the risk and financial advisory firm, affected downstream customers and exposed personal information on hundreds of claimants in bankruptcy proceedings. The breach occurred when a threat actor had transferred an employee’s phone number to a device in the attackers possession, which was then subsequently used to access sensitive information.

In this attack, the actor had convinced T-Mobile to port the employee’s number over, allowing the actor to access files containing bankruptcy details. A mitigation recommended for this is to ask your network provider if they offer port freeze or number lock, to protect it from unauthorised transfer.

Source [Dark Reading]

Reducing The Risk of AI, What Can You Do?

Threat actors' use of generative AI has fuelled a significant rise in attacks worldwide during the last 12 months according to a recent report. Yet despite this, AI is still seen as a positive thing for organisations, with the power of generative AI quickly realised.

Certainly, AI can be used in the organisation to increase efficiency and automate tasks, but it must be used with vigilance. Organisations implementing AI should have governance over the usage of AI to eliminate the chance of data leaking. This governance may include policies, procedures and approved AI software.

Sources: [CSO Online] [UKTech News]

Debunking Popular Cyber Security Myths

At a time when cyber security is a constant feature in the news and our daily lives, it is important to debunk a few myths surrounding it. One of the biggest, is the assumption that cyber defence is all about the technical controls; in fact, 89% of cyber attacks involved social engineering. The prevalence of social engineering further shows that strong passwords, firewalls and antivirus are not enough; what’s the use in having a password that takes years to crack if you hand it over to someone?

When we think cyber security, we often think of external threat actors, but insider risk is a real threat: whether by malicious actions, negligence or misunderstanding, those inside your organisation can be a real risk to your organisation.

So what’s the take home? Cyber is more than just technology, and it is not just an outside attacker. Organisations’ cyber efforts should focus on more than just the technical requirements; by having things such as user education training, organisations can mitigate their cyber risk.

Sources: [Forbes] [Trend Micro]

3 Malware Loaders Responsible for 80% of Intrusions

Three malware loaders, QBot, SocGholish, and Raspberry Robin, are responsible for 80 percent of observed attacks on computers and networks so far this year. The malware are all distributed differently; Qbot is typically deployed through a phishing email, SocGholish is downloaded without user interaction, and Raspberry Robin is through USB devices.

Sources: [The Register] [Infosecurity Magazine]

MOVEit Hack Shows Attackers Still Use Old Tricks

SQL injection has been around for a quarter of a century, yet it still features amongst the top 10 list of security vulnerabilities. In fact, SQL injection was the method of attack for the infamous MOVEit hacks, which has impacted over 700 organisations, with the number still growing.

The MOVEit attack highlights just how easily old, over-looked vulnerabilities can be used to target an organisation. Consider your organisation now: are there any legacy systems or software in place?

Source: [Dark Reading]

Barracuda Thought it Drove 0-day Hackers out of Customers’ Networks. It was Wrong.

In late May, security vendor Barracuda had released a patch for their email security gateway (ESG), which was being actively exploited. Having already accounted for this, the threat actors utilised a new attack, which meant infected devices would reinfect themselves, effectively negating Barracuda’s patch. Unfortunately, this meant that for a while, Barracuda thought it was in the clear, when it was still under attack.

Upon realising this, Barracuda’s security advisory changed from recommending a patch to requiring an immediate replacement of compromised ESG appliances, regardless of the patch level. This shows the need for organisations to keep up to date with the latest threat intelligence, as missing the second update could mean infected devices are still in the wild, with organisations under the false perception that they were safe.

Source: [Ars Technica]

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Governance, Risk and Compliance

• Cyber Attacks and Other Threats Remain a Top Concern for Organisations Across All Industries, Finds InformationWeek’s State of Cyber Risk and Resiliency Report | Business Wire

• 66 percent of businesses don't understand their cyber risks (betanews.com)

• Survey of In-House Counsel Finds Cyber Anxiety Skyrocketing | Law.com

• Numbers Don't Lie: Exposing the Harsh Truths of Cyber Attacks in New Report (thehackernews.com)

• SEC Probe Targets SolarWinds Executives - DevX

• Cyber Security Enters Conversation About Executive Pay - WSJ

• Cyber defence makes up majority of cyber security budgets | Security Magazine

• How international cyber security frameworks can help CISOs | CSO Online

• Balancing risk and compliance: implications of the SEC’s new cyber security regulations | CSO Online

• SEC cyber attack regulations prompt 10 questions for CISOs | TechTarget

• Should Senior IT Professionals Be Accountable for Professional Decisions? (darkreading.com)

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Threats

Ransomware, Extortion and Destructive Attacks

• 80% of organisations expect ransomware spending to increase | Security Magazine

• Akira Ransomware gang targets Cisco ASA without Multi-Factor Auth (securityaffairs.com)

• Citrix NetScaler Alert: Ransomware Hackers Exploiting Critical Vulnerability (thehackernews.com)

• MOVEit Was a SQL Injection Accident Waiting to Happen (darkreading.com)

• Nearly 1,000 Organisations, 60 Million Individuals Impacted by MOVEit Hack - SecurityWeek

• Ransomware With an Identity Crisis Targets Small Businesses, Individuals (darkreading.com)

• Pay our ransom instead of a GDPR fine, cyber crime gang tells its targets (therecord.media)

• Ransomware Attack Cleanup Costs: $11M So Far for Rackspace (govinfosecurity.com)

• LogicMonitor customers who didn’t change default passwords were hit by hackers (databreaches.net)

• LockBit 3.0 Ransomware Builder Leak Gives Rise to Hundreds of New Variants (thehackernews.com)

• Deconstructing ransomware, cyber criminals and their modus operandi | TechRadar

• Ransomware Evolution: Smaller Actors, Bigger Impact (govinfosecurity.com)

• Ransomware hackers dwell time drops to 5 days, RDP still widely used (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Making Sense of Ransomware Attack Statistics in 2023 | ITPro Today: IT News, How-Tos, Trends, Case Studies, Career Tips, More

• Financial Firms Breached in MOVEit Cyber Attacks Now Face Lawsuits (darkreading.com)

• Should Companies Pay After Ransomware Attacks? Is It Illegal? (techtarget.com)

• How Ransomware Groups Respond to External Pressure (inforisktoday.com)

• Decoding the DNA of Ransomware Attacks: Unveiling the Anatomy Behind the Threat (trellix.com)

• Rackspace Faces Massive Cleanup Costs After Ransomware Attack (darkreading.com)

• EDITORIAL | Time to Cut Off North Korea from Funding Sources for its Missiles | JAPAN Forward (japan-forward.com)

• International ransomware gangs are evolving their techniques. The next generation of hackers will target weaknesses in cryptocurrencies (theconversation.com)

• 8 Types of Ransomware: Examples of Past and Current Attacks (techtarget.com)

• Black Basta Besting Your Network? (securityintelligence.com)

Ransomware Victims

• Financial Firms Breached in MOVEit Cyber Attacks Now Face Lawsuits (darkreading.com)

• Ransomware Attack Cleanup Costs: $11M So Far for Rackspace (govinfosecurity.com)

• St Helens Council still dealing with suspected cyber-attack - BBC News

• Rhysida claims ransomware attack on Prospect Medical, threatens to sell data (bleepingcomputer.com)

• University of Michigan shuts down network after cyber attack (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Social Security Numbers leaked in ransomware attack on Ohio History Connection (malwarebytes.com)

Phishing & Email Based Attacks

• Phishing as a service continues to plague business users - SiliconANGLE

• 58% of malicious emails contained spoof content | Security Magazine

• 13% of employees admit to falling for phishing attacks working at home | Security Magazine

• Top 5 most abused brands by hackers

• New phishing attacks target FTX users following Kroll data breach – Cryptopolitan

• Phishing-as-a-Service Gets Smarter: Microsoft Sounds Alarm on AiTM Attacks (thehackernews.com)

• Spain warns of LockBit Locker ransomware phishing attacks (bleepingcomputer.com)

• US govt email servers hacked in Barracuda zero-day attacks (bleepingcomputer.com)

• QR Code' Surge in Popularity Brings Along a Rise in QR-Linked Phishing Scams | Metaverse Post (mpost.io)

• Rising Phishing Scams Impact Small Businesses Relying on Social Media (smallbiztrends.com)

• Can You Spot Phishing Emails? Test Your Awareness With These Quizzes (makeuseof.com)

• How to Spot Phishing Emails & Tips to Avoid Them | Proofpoint US

Other Social Engineering; Smishing, Vishing, etc

• Kroll Suffers Data Breach: Employee Falls Victim to SIM Swapping Attack (thehackernews.com)

• New phishing attacks target FTX users following Kroll data breach – Cryptopolitan

• 3 Cryptocurrency Firms Suffer Data Breach After Kroll SIM Swapping Attack - SecurityWeek

Artificial Intelligence

• Cyber security agency gives AI chatbot warning (uktech.news)

• Why generative AI is a double-edged sword for the cyber security sector | VentureBeat

• IT leaders alarmed by generative AI's SaaS security implications - Help Net Security

• Is Bias in AI Algorithms a Threat to Cloud Security? (darkreading.com)

• Shifting Cyber Security: The Impact and Implications of LLMs (inforisktoday.com)

• Vendors Training AI With Customer Data is an Enterprise Risk (darkreading.com)

• Advanced Malware: Why AI Can't Help All Hackers (inforisktoday.com)

• Hacking the future: Notes from DEF CON’s Generative Red Team Challenge | CSO Online

• Building cyber resilience in an age of AI (betanews.com)

• How to minimize data risk for generative AI and LLMs in the enterprise | VentureBeat

• Google launches tool to identify AI-generated images - Help Net Security

2FA/MFA

• Akira Ransomware gang targets Cisco ASA without Multi-Factor Auth (securityaffairs.com)

AITM/MITM

• Microsoft Warns of Adversary-in-the-Middle Uptick on Phishing Platform - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

Malware

• These 3 loaders were behind 80% of intrusions this year • The Register

• 20+ Malware Statistics You Need to Know in 2023 (techreport.com)

• Cisco Talos Research: New Lazarus Group Attack Malware Campaign Hits UK & US Businesses (techrepublic.com)

• 'Whiffy Recon' Malware Transmits Device Location Every 60 Seconds (darkreading.com)

• Infamous Raccoon Stealer Malware Returns - DevX

• Top 3 Malware Threatening Businesses in Q2 2023 (cybersecuritynews.com)

• Malware Unleashed: Public Sector Hit in Sudden Surge, Reveals New Research (darkreading.com)

• KmsdBot Malware Gets an Upgrade: Now Targets IoT Devices with Enhanced Capabilities (thehackernews.com)

• Japan's JPCERT warns of new 'MalDoc in PDF' attack technique (securityaffairs.com)

• Advanced Malware: Why AI Can't Help All Hackers (inforisktoday.com)

• DarkGate Malware Activity Spikes as Developer Rents Out Malware to Affiliates (thehackernews.com)

• Hackers are now hiding malicious Word documents in PDFs — how to stay safe | Tom's Guide (tomsguide.com)

• DreamBus malware exploits RocketMQ flaw to infect servers (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Kaspersky malware report for Q2 2023 | Securelist

• Microsoft is using malware-like pop-ups in Windows 11 to get people to ditch Google - The Verge

• APT Attacks From 'Earth Estries' Hit Gov't, Tech With Custom Malware (darkreading.com)

• CISA and International Partners Release Malware Analysis Report on Infamous Chisel Mobile Malware | CISA

• SapphireStealer Malware: A Gateway to Espionage and Ransomware Operations (thehackernews.com)

• Battling malware in the industrial supply chain

Mobile

• Kroll's Crypto Breach Highlights SIM-Swapping Risk (darkreading.com)

• This new Android malware can unlock your phone and drain your bank accounts | Tom's Guide (tomsguide.com)

• Privacy Regulator Warns of Surging Number of “Text Pest” Cases - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Is Mobile Hacking Still a Big Threat in 2023? (makeuseof.com)

• New Android MMRat malware uses Protobuf protocol to steal your data (bleepingcomputer.com)

• What Are Overlay Attacks? How Do You Protect Against Them? (makeuseof.com)

• New Android Banking Trojan Targets Southeast Asia Region (inforisktoday.com)

• China-Linked BadBazaar Android Spyware Targeting Signal and Telegram Users (thehackernews.com)

• Five Eyes Report: New Russian Malware Targeting Ukrainian Military Android Devices - Security Week

• Chinese APT Uses Fake Messenger Apps to Spy on Android Users (inforisktoday.com)

• 8 Ways To Boost Your Android Phone's Security (slashgear.com)

Botnets

• Online exclusive: Rise of the botnets (securitymiddleeastmag.com)

Denial of Service/DoS/DDOS

• DDoS attacks rise 40% in Q2 2023, affecting banks, gaming & e-commerce | Security Magazine

BYOD

• BYOD Security Gap: Survey Finds 49% of European Firms Unprotected - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

Internet of Things – IoT

• KmsdBot Malware Gets an Upgrade: Now Targets IoT Devices with Enhanced Capabilities (thehackernews.com)

• The power of passive OS fingerprinting for accurate IoT device identification - Help Net Security

Data Breaches/Leaks

• Metropolitan Police reports supplier cyber breach | UKAuthority

• UK: Metropolitan Police on red alert after details of officers and staff hacked in massive security breach (databreaches.net)

• Kroll Suffers Data Breach: Employee Falls Victim to SIM Swapping Attack (thehackernews.com)

• American Express admits APAC employees' data leak, blames a third-party payroll service

• National Safety Council data leak: Credentials of NASA, Tesla, DoJ, Verizon, and 2K others leaked by workplace safety organisation (securityaffairs.com)

• Leaseweb is restoring ‘critical’ systems after security breach (bleepingcomputer.com)

• French employment agency Pôle emploi data breach impacted 10M peopleSecurity Affairs

• Mom’s Meals discloses data breach impacting 1.2 million people (bleepingcomputer.com)

• 3 Cryptocurrency Firms Suffer Data Breach After Kroll SIM Swapping Attack - Security Week

• Paramount discloses data breach following security incident (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Another data breach at Forever 21 leaks details of 500,000 current and former employees (bitdefender.com)

• Cost of a data breach 2023: Financial industry impacts (securityintelligence.com)

Organised Crime & Criminal Actors

• Moscow helping cyber criminals operate with 'near impunity': report | The Province

• Hacking gangs launch cyber crime syndicate the Five Families (techmonitor.ai)

• Microsoft weighs in on Russian-led UN cyber crime treaty • The Register

• ‘Billion Dollar Heist’: The Wild Story That Should Have Us All Petrified (thedailybeast.com)

• New Research Exposes Airbnb as Breeding Ground For Cyber Crime - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Microsoft: UN treaty creates 'ideal conditions' for cyber crime (telecomstechnews.com)

• Cyber Criminals use research contests to create new attack methods - Help Net Security

Cryptocurrency/Cryptomining/Cryptojacking/NFTs/Blockchain

• Kroll data breach exposes info of FTX, BlockFi, Genesis creditors (bleepingcomputer.com)

• International ransomware gangs are evolving their techniques. The next generation of hackers will target weaknesses in cryptocurrencies (theconversation.com)

Fraud, Scams & Financial Crime

• New Research Exposes Airbnb as Breeding Ground For Cyber Crime - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Classiscam Spreads: $64.5M Scheme Targets 79 Countries - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

Impersonation Attacks

• Top 5 most abused brands by hackers

• New York Times Spoofed to Hide Russian Disinformation Campaign (darkreading.com)

Deepfakes

• 4 Strategies to Safeguard the Finance Industry Against Deepfake Onslaught (darkreading.com)

Insurance

• Insurers End Tussle Over Ransomware Attack Coverage - Law360 UK

• Delinea Research Reveals a Cyber Insurance Gap (darkreading.com)

• Understand the fine print of your cyber insurance policies - Help Net Security

Supply Chain and Third Parties

• American Express admits APAC employees' data leak, blames a third-party payroll service

• Met should thoroughly investigate cyber security practices, say experts | Evening Standard

Cloud/SaaS

• CrowdStrike CTO: 'Rookie mistakes' are hurting cloud security | TechTarget

• Better SaaS Security Goes Beyond Procurement (darkreading.com)

• How to secure your cloud-based business without cloud-security expertise - Partner Content - Security - iTnews

• Experts Uncover How Cyber Criminals Could Exploit Microsoft Entra ID for Elevated Privilege (thehackernews.com)

• Considerations for Reducing Risk When Migrating to the Cloud (darkreading.com)

Hybrid/Remote Working

• 13% of employees admit to falling for phishing attacks working at home | Security Magazine

Identity and Access Management

• The Rising Tide of Identity-Based Attacks - GovInfoSecurity

Encryption

• Quantum threats loom in Gartner's 2023 Hype Cycle for data security | VentureBeat

• How Quantum Computing Will Impact Cyber Security - Security Week

Passwords, Credential Stuffing & Brute Force Attacks

• National Safety Council data leak: Credentials of NASA, Tesla, DoJ, Verizon, and 2K others leaked by workplace safety organisation (securityaffairs.com)

• Four common password mistakes hackers love to exploit (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Hackers Launch Brute-Force Attack Cisco ASA SSL VPNs (cybersecuritynews.com)

• 3 out of 4 cyber attacks in the education sector are associated with a compromised on premises user or admin account - IT Security Guru

• LogicMonitor customers who didn’t change default passwords were hit by hackers (databreaches.net)

Biometrics

• Police Scotland digital strategy seeks real-time biometrics within 5 years | Biometric Update

• Elon Musk's X to collect biometric data, work and school history - The Japan Times

• Home Office and MoD seeking new facial-recognition tech | Computer Weekly

Social Media

• ICO calls social media firms to protect people's data from scraping (bleepingcomputer.com)

• EU safety laws start to bite for TikTok, Instagram and others - BBC News

• How the EU Digital Services Act affects Facebook, Google and others | Technology sector | The Guardian

• Rising Phishing Scams Impact Small Businesses Relying on Social Media (smallbiztrends.com)

• X Plans to Collect Biometric Data, Job and School History (1) (bloomberglaw.com)

• Anonymous Sudan hacks X to put pressure on Elon Musk over Starlink - BBC News

• Hackers Are Selling Hacked Police Emails to Try to Grab Personal Data From TikTok, Facebook (404media.co)

Training, Education and Awareness

• Can You Spot Phishing Emails? Test Your Awareness With These Quizzes (makeuseof.com)

• Cyber awareness education is a change-management initiative | CSO Online

Cyber Bullying, Cyber Stalking and Sextortion

• Privacy Regulator Warns of Surging Number of “Text Pest” Cases - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

Regulations, Fines and Legislation

• Pay our ransom instead of a GDPR fine, cyber crime gang tells its targets (therecord.media)

• SEC Probe Targets SolarWinds Executives - DevX

• New law could turn UK into a hacker's playground | Computerworld

• Changes to UK Surveillance Regime May Violate International Law (justsecurity.org)

• EU safety laws start to bite for TikTok, Instagram and others - BBC News

• Draft Cyber Security Audit and Risk Assessment Regulations Issued by CPPA | Mintz - JDSupra

• SEC’s New Cyber Security Rule—Including Key Disclosure Requirements | Smith Gambrell Russell - JDSupra

• Balancing risk and compliance: implications of the SEC’s new cyber security regulations | CSO Online

• Legal Liability for Insecure Software Might Work, but It's Dangerous (darkreading.com)

Models, Frameworks and Standards

• What are the Cyber Security Standards of Basel III? | UpGuard

• Best practices for MITRE ATT&CK(R) mapping. (thecyberwire.com)

• Is the new OWASP API Top 10 helpful to defenders? - Help Net Security

• How international cyber security frameworks can help CISOs | CSO Online

Data Protection

• ICO calls social media firms to protect people's data from scraping (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Are you properly protecting your employees' personal information? | Burr & Forman - JDSupra

• Data Protection: One of These Incidents Is Not Like the Other | Troutman Pepper - JDSupra

• Draft Cyber Security Audit and Risk Assessment Regulations Issued by CPPA | Mintz - JDSupra

Careers, Working in Cyber and Information Security

• Addressing Cyber Security's Talent Shortage & Its Impact on CISOs (darkreading.com)

• Unfilled Cyber Security Positions Threaten the Future of Businesses Everywhere | Inc.com

• How the Talent Shortage Impacts Cyber Security Leadership (securityintelligence.com)

Law Enforcement Action and Take Downs

• Two Men Arrested Following Poland Railway Hacking - Security Week

Privacy, Surveillance and Mass Monitoring

• Police Scotland digital strategy seeks real-time biometrics within 5 years | Biometric Update

• Privacy Regulator Warns of Surging Number of “Text Pest” Cases - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Expert shares stark safety warning over Twitter updates | Tech News | Metro News

Misinformation, Disinformation and Propaganda

• New York Times Spoofed to Hide Russian Disinformation Campaign (darkreading.com)

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Nation State Actors, Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs), Cyber Warfare and Cyber Espionage

Russia

• 'Five Eyes' nations release technical details of Sandworm malware 'Infamous Chisel' | CyberScoop

• New York Times Spoofed to Hide Russian Disinformation Campaign (darkreading.com)

• NCSC, SBU reveal overt Russian cyber campaign as cyber war continues to evolve | ITPro

• Czech banks hit by Russian cyber attacks – EURACTIV.com

• Cyber security experts lament west’s failure to learn lessons from Ukraine | Financial Times (ft.com)

• Russian 'hybrid' war threatens NATO's eastern flank, Poles warn - Washington Times

• Microsoft weighs in on Russian-led UN cyber crime treaty • The Register

• Five Eyes Report: New Russian Malware Targeting Ukrainian Military Android Devices - Security Week

• Anonymous Sudan hacks X to put pressure on Elon Musk over Starlink - BBC News

• Russian APT Intensifies Cyber Espionage Activities - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• CISA and International Partners Release Malware Analysis Report on Infamous Chisel Mobile Malware | CISA

China

• Microsoft signing keys keep getting hijacked, to the delight of Chinese threat actors | Ars Technica

• China-Based APT Flies Under Radar in Espionage Attacks | Decipher (duo.com)

• China-Linked Flax Typhoon Cyber Espionage Targets Taiwan's Key Sectors (thehackernews.com)

• Barracuda flaw: FBI warns customers over ineffective patch | ITPro

• Almost a third of compromised Barracuda ESGs were govt owned • The Register

• James Cleverly's China cyber security talks unlikely to spur change (techmonitor.ai)

• Japan’s cyber security agency suffers months-long breach | Financial Times (ft.com)

• China-Linked BadBazaar Android Spyware Targeting Signal and Telegram Users (thehackernews.com)

• APT Attacks From 'Earth Estries' Hit Gov't, Tech With Custom Malware (darkreading.com)

• Chinese APT Uses Fake Messenger Apps to Spy on Android Users (inforisktoday.com)

North Korea

• Cisco Talos Research: New Lazarus Group Attack Malware Campaign Hits UK & US Businesses (techrepublic.com)

• North Korea’s Lazarus Group hits organisations with two new RATs | CSO Online

• Lazarus Group Debuts Tiny Trojan for Espionage Attacks (databreachtoday.co.uk)

• Cyber Scams Keep North Korean Missiles Flying – Analysis – Eurasia Review

• North Korea’s Lazarus hackers behind recent crypto heists: FBI (therecord.media)

• North Korean hackers behind malicious VMConnect PyPI campaign (bleepingcomputer.com)

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Vulnerability Management

• New law could turn UK into a hacker's playground | Computerworld

• 40% of Log4j Downloads Still Vulnerable (securityintelligence.com)

• How did Clop get its hands on the MOVEit zero day? (therecord.media)

Vulnerabilities

• Cisco fixes 3 high-severity DoS flaws in NX-OS and FXOS software (securityaffairs.com)

• Citrix NetScaler Alert: Ransomware Hackers Exploiting Critical Vulnerability (thehackernews.com)

• Critical Vulnerability Alert: VMware Aria Operations Networks at Risk from Remote Attacks (thehackernews.com)

• Microsoft Teams attack exposes collab platform security gaps | TechTarget

• Barracuda flaw: FBI warns customers over ineffective patch | ITPro

• Barracuda thought it drove 0-day hackers out of customers’ networks. It was wrong. | Ars Technica

• CISA Adds Two Known Exploited Vulnerabilities to Catalog | CISA

• Exploit released for Juniper firewall bugs allowing RCE attacks (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Google Chrome 116's second point update addresses a security issue - gHacks Tech News

• Forminator WordPress Plugin Vulnerability Affects Up To 400,000+ Websites (searchenginejournal.com)

• Threat actors started exploiting Juniper flaws shortly after PoC release (securityaffairs.com)

• Hackers Launch Brute-Force Attack Cisco ASA SSL VPNs (cybersecuritynews.com)

• Splunk Patches High-Severity Flaws in Enterprise, IT Service Intelligence - Security Week

• This WordPress plugin with 5 million users could have a serious security flaw | TechRadar

• Cyber Attackers Swarm OpenFire Cloud Servers With Takeover Barrage (darkreading.com)

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Tools and Controls

• BYOD Security Gap: Survey Finds 49% of European Firms Unprotected - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Why generative AI is a double-edged sword for the cyber security sector | VentureBeat

• Cyber defence makes up majority of cyber security budgets | Security Magazine

• Ransomware hackers dwell time drops to 5 days, RDP still widely used (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Think twice before accepting notifications on Chrome: threats on the rise | Cybernews

• Considerations for Reducing Risk When Migrating to the Cloud (darkreading.com)

• Enterprise dark web monitoring: Why it's worth the investment | TechTarget

• Phishing Simulations Boost Cyber Awareness and Defences | Mimecast

• Is the new OWASP API Top 10 helpful to defenders? - Help Net Security

• Here's What Your Breach Response Plan Might Be Missing (darkreading.com)

• The Middleware Threats to Microsoft's Monopoly | HackerNoon

• Why Traditional Firewalls Are Not Adequate for Your Network Security (makeuseof.com)

• Combining EPP and EDR tools can boost your endpoint security (securityintelligence.com)

• Automated Threat Hunting: AI Helps Spot Shady Network Activity (readwrite.com)

• Detecting the Undetected: The Risk to Your Info (securityintelligence.com)

• National Grid plots ‘honeypots’ to catch hackers as cyber attacks ramp up (telegraph.co.uk)

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Other News

• Cyber attacks reveal threat to democracy (ukdefencejournal.org.uk)

• Hackers Use $30 Gear To Bring Poland's Railways To A Grinding Halt

• When lives rely on equipment, cyber security is essential | Healthcare IT News

• Think twice before accepting notifications on Chrome: threats on the rise | Cybernews

• Rising cyber incidents challenge healthcare organisations - Help Net Security

• Updated Best Practice Playbook for Healthcare Cyber Threats (inforisktoday.com)

• Navigating Legacy Infrastructure: A CISO's Actionable Strategy for Success (thehackernews.com)

• Legal Liability for Insecure Software Might Work, but It's Dangerous (darkreading.com)

• 3 out of 4 cyber attacks in the education sector are associated with a compromised on premises user or admin account - IT Security Guru

• 69% of educational organisations suffered cyber attack in the past year - Netwrix survey

• Claroty's 2023 Global Healthcare Cyber Security Study Exposes Widespread Vulnerabilities And Impact (informationsecuritybuzz.com)

• Out-Of-Office: How To Ensure Cyber Security During Vulnerable Periods (forbes.com)

• Debunking The Top Five Cyber Security Myths (forbes.com)

• Manufacturing firms hit by the worst encryption rate in three years (manufacturing-today.com)

• Cyber Attacks Targeting E-commerce Applications (thehackernews.com)

• Industrial networks need better security as attacks gain scale | ZDNET

• National Grid plots ‘honeypots’ to catch hackers as cyber attacks ramp up (telegraph.co.uk)

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Sector Specific

Industry specific threat intelligence reports are available.

Contact us to receive tailored reports specific to the industry/sector and geographies you operate in.

·         Automotive

·         Construction

·         Critical National Infrastructure (CNI)

·         Defence & Space

·         Education & Academia

·         Energy & Utilities

·         Estate Agencies

·         Financial Services

·         FinTech

·         Food & Agriculture

·         Gaming & Gambling

·         Government & Public Sector (including Law Enforcement)

·         Health/Medical/Pharma

·         Hotels & Hospitality

·         Insurance

·         Legal

·         Manufacturing

·         Maritime

·         Oil, Gas & Mining

·         OT, ICS, IIoT, SCADA & Cyber-Physical Systems

·         Retail & eCommerce

·         Small and Medium Sized Businesses (SMBs)

·         Startups

·         Telecoms

·         Third Sector & Charities

·         Transport & Aviation

·         Web3

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As usual, contact us to help assess where your risks lie and to ensure you are doing all you can do to keep you and your business secure.

Look out for our ‘Cyber Tip Tuesday’ video blog and on our YouTube channel.

You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

Links to articles are for interest and awareness and linking to or reposting external content does not endorse any service or product, likewise we are not responsible for the security of external links.

Black Arrow Cyber Threat Intelligence Briefing 4th August 2023

Welcome to this week’s Black Arrow Cyber Threat Intelligence Briefing – a weekly digest, collated and curated by our cyber experts to provide senior and middle management with an easy to digest round up of the most notable threats, vulnerabilities, and cyber related news from the last week.

Top Cyber Stories of the Last Week

Top 12 Exploited Vulnerabilities List Highlights Troubling Reality That Many Organisations Are Still Not Patching

A joint advisory from US and allied cyber security agencies highlights the top routinely exploited vulnerabilities. This is a list that includes old and well-known bugs that many organisations still have not patched, including some vulnerabilities that have been known for more than five years. The list underscores how exploiting years-old vulnerabilities in unpatched systems continues to dominate the threat landscape. Organisations are more likely to be compromised by a bug found in 2021 or 2020 than they are by ones discovered over the past year.

This report emphasises that a vulnerability management strategy relying solely on CVSS for vulnerability prioritisation is proving to be insufficient at best; CVSS is an established method for assigning criticality scores to known vulnerabilities based on different scoring criteria. Additional context is required to allow for a more scalable and effective prioritisation strategy. This context should stem from internal sources, for example, the target environment (asset criticality, mitigating controls, reachability), as well as from external sources, which will permit a better assessment of the likelihood and feasibility of exploitation. Most organisations have a limited patching capacity, affected by the tooling, processes, and skills at their disposal. The challenge is to direct that limited patching capacity towards vulnerabilities that matter most in terms of risk reduction. Therefore, the task of sifting the signal through the noise is becoming increasingly more important.

Sources: [HelpNetSecurity] [NSA.gov] [SCMagazine]

67% of Data Breaches Start with a Single Click, with 1 in 100 Emails Being Malicious

In a report that leveraged data from 23.5 billion cyber security attacks, spanning 500 threat types and 900 distinct infrastructure and software vulnerabilities it was found that approximately 67% of all breaches start with someone clicking on a seemingly safe link, which explains why adversaries begin 80-95% of all attacks with a phishing email.

A separate report found that there was a 36% rise in cyber attacks in the first half of 2023. Email continued to be the main vector for delivering malicious content, with as many as 1 in every 100 emails sent in the first half of 2023 found to be malicious. In addition, malware accounted for 20% of attacks, and business email compromise (BEC) constituted 8%.

The findings reinforce the need for organisations to employ effective and regular security awareness training for users to better help them to not only identify, but also report such attacks to help strengthen the cyber resilience of the organisation. Black Arrow offers bespoke training to all roles within the organisation as well as upskilling tailored to those at the board level.

Source: [Security Intelligence]

Ransomware Attacks Hit All Time High. Attackers’ Motives Change, So Should Your Defence

Cases of straight-up data theft and extortion now appear to be more widespread a threat than ransomware, becoming the single most observed threat in the second calendar quarter of 2023, according to new data released by researchers. 1,378 organisations have been named as victims on ransomware data-leak websites in Q2 2023. This was a 64.4% increase from the record-breaking number of victims named in Q1 2023.

Despite both the rise in threats and the high percentage of respondents whose organisations suffered recent attacks, there hasn’t been a corresponding uptick in strategic measures to shore up cyber resilience. In fact, close to four in five survey respondents don’t have complete confidence that their company has a cyber resilience strategy designed to address today’s escalating cyber challenges and threats.

Sources: [Forbes] [HelpNetSecurity] [ComputerWeekly] [SecurityBrief.co.nz] [Malwarebytes]

The Generative AI War Between Companies and Hackers is Starting

To no one’s surprise, criminals are tapping open-source generative AI programs for all kinds of heinous acts, including developing malware and phishing attacks, according to the FBI. This comes as the UK National Risk Register officially classes AI as a long-term security threat. It’s safe to say AI is certainly a controversial field right now, with the battle between companies and hackers really starting to take place; only recently had technology giants such as Amazon, Google, Meta and Microsoft met with the US President Joe Biden to pledge to follow safeguards.

A recent report from security firm Barracuda has found that between August 2022 and July 2023, ransomware attacks had doubled and this surge has largely been driven by the breaching of networks via AI-crafted phishing campaigns, as well as automating attacks to increase reach, again using AI.

Despite the controversy, AI can be of tremendous value to organisations, helping to streamline and automate tasks. Organisations employing or looking to employ AI in the workplace should also have effective governance and identification procedures over the usage of said AI. Equally, when it comes to defending against AI attacks, organisations need to have a clear picture of their attack landscape, with layers of defence.

Sources: [CSO Online] [PC MAG] [CNBC] [Tech Radar]

Spend to Save: The CFO’s Guide to Cyber Security Investment

As a CFO, you need to make smart choices about cyber security investments. The increasing impact of data breaches creates a paradox: While more spending is necessary to combat these challenges, this spending isn’t directly tied to profit. Instead, cyber security spending should be seen an investment in the future of your business.

The impact of a cyber event extends beyond quantifiable currency loss. Further impacts include those of reputation and customer retention. CFOs should look to identify weak spots, understand the effect these can have, pick the right solution that mitigates these and finally, advocate cyber security and robust governance at the board level.

It is important to remember, cyber security is not just a technical issue, but also a business one, and you have a key role in ensuring the security and resilience of your organisation.

Source: [Security Intelligence]

Corporate Boards Take Heed: Give CISOs the Cold Shoulder at your Peril

The debate over whether the CISO should, by the very nature of the position, be considered a member of the C-suite has been raging for some time and seems likely to continue for a good while to come. CISOs should not only have a seat among the uppermost echelon at the big table but also be recognised as a foundational element in the success of any business.

There is a danger that, without an effective CISO, organisations can end up in a perilous situation in which there's no one driving the cyber security bus at a time when vulnerabilities and incidents are ever on the rise. When the CISO has a seat at the big table, everybody wins.

Source [CSO Online]

How the Talent Shortage Impacts Cyber Security Leadership

The lack of a skilled cyber security workforce hampers the effectiveness of an organisation’s security program. While technologies like AI and machine learning can provide some support, they are not sufficient, especially for small and medium sized businesses (SMBs). The cyber security workforce shortage affects not just current security but the future of leadership roles, including CISOs and CSOs.

Today’s CISOs require a blend of technology and business understanding. According to the (ISC)2 2022 Workforce Study, the global cyber security workforce is nearly 5 million and growing at 26% yearly. However, more than 3 million jobs still need to be filled, including specialised roles in cloud security, data protection, and incident response. This gap jeopardises functions like risk assessment, oversight, and systems patching.

The greatest talent shortage is found in soft skills, leading to a trend of looking outside the traditional security talent pool. The future of CISOs will likely require a solid security background, but as the talent gap widens, finding leadership candidates from the existing pool may remain challenging.

Source: [Security Intelligence]

Salesforce, Meta Suffer Phishing Campaign that Evades Typical Detection Methods

A recent report by cyber security company identified a sophisticated email phishing campaign exploiting a zero-day vulnerability in Salesforce's legitimate email services. The vulnerability allowed threat actors to craft targeted phishing emails, cleverly evading conventional detection methods by leveraging Salesforce's domain and reputation and exploiting legacy quirks in Facebook's web games platform.

Whilst Facebook and Salesforce have now addressed the issue, it goes to show that technology alone is not enough to stop phishing; operational and people controls are still necessary and should form part of an effective organisational response.

Source: [Security Brief]

Cyber Insurance and the Ransomware Challenge

The cyber insurance industry has been heavily criticised for providing coverage for ransom payments. A frequent accusation, which has become close to perceived wisdom in policymaking and cyber security discussions on ransomware, is that cyber insurance has incentivised victims to pay a ransom following a cyber incident, rather than seek alternative remediation options. However, the insurance industry could do much more to instil discipline in both insureds and the ransomware response ecosystem in relation to ransom payments to reduce cyber criminals’ profits. Insurers’ role as convenors of incident response services gives them considerable power to reward firms that drive best practices and only guide victims towards payment as a last resort.

While the insurance industry has the power to do this, there are still challenges that need to be addressed in the underwriting process. Offering expensive policies that exclude common risks such as ransomware or nation-state attacks is simply not a sustainable approach. This has helped insurers become more profitable for now, but these are only short-term fixes to the real problem at hand. Namely, that the underwriting process for cyber insurance policies is still not that sophisticated. Most underwriters are poorly equipped to effectively measure the cyber risk exposure of new or renewing customers.

Sources: [RUSI] [Dark Reading]

Microsoft Exposes Russian Hackers' Sneaky Phishing Tactics via Microsoft Teams Chats

Microsoft on Wednesday disclosed that it identified a set of highly targeted social engineering attacks mounted by a Russian nation-state threat actor using credential theft phishing lures sent as Microsoft Teams chats. The tech giant attributed the attacks to a group it tracks as Midnight Blizzard.

"In this latest activity, the threat actor uses previously compromised Microsoft 365 tenants owned by small businesses to create new domains that appear as technical support entities" Microsoft said. "Using these domains from compromised tenants, Midnight Blizzard leverages Teams messages to send lures that attempt to steal credentials from a targeted organisation by engaging a user and eliciting approval of multi-factor authentication (MFA) prompts."

Source: [TheHackerNews]

66% of Cyber security Leaders Don’t Trust Their Current Cyber Risk Mitigation Strategies

A recent report found that 66% of cyber security leaders don’t trust their current cyber risk mitigation strategies. It was also found that while 90% of respondents say their organisation has dedicated resources responsible for managing and reducing cyber risk, in almost half of situations (46%) this consists of just one person.

In some cases, it can be hard to get the necessary talent to build out the cyber security arm of an organisation; this is where organisations can look towards outsourcing to fulfil positions with expertise. At Black Arrow we offer many services to help you to govern your cyber security, including as virtual CISO that leverages our diverse team with backgrounds from British intelligence, board governance, IT and finance.

Source: [ITSecurityWire]

UK legal Sector at Risk, National Cyber Security Centre Warns

Over the past three years more than 200 ransomware attacks worldwide have been inflicted on companies in the legal industry. The UK was the second most-attacked country constituting 2.3% of all ransomware attacks across various sectors. The legal sector was the fourth most-attacked industry in the UK in 2022. Ransomware groups are indiscriminate in their targeting, attacking companies of all sizes, from small law firms with only ten employees to large firms with 1,000+ employees, and ranging in revenue from companies generating £100 million to those with under £3 million. No single kind of company is immune to these attacks.

The International Bar Association (IBA) has released a report to guide senior executives and boards in protecting their organisations from cyber risk. Entitled "Global perspectives on protecting against cyber risks: best governance practices for senior executives and boards of directors," the report aims to provide leaders with insight into the primary elements of a robust cyber risk management programme. Its recommendations for senior executives and boards encompass understanding the organisation's cyber risk profile, knowing what information assets to safeguard, being aware of significant regulatory requirements, and recognising the security standards utilised by the organisation.

Sources: [Todays Conveyancer] [Infosecurity Magazine]

Startups Should Move Fast and Remember Cyber Security

The importance of cyber security for startups, which can often be overlooked in the pursuit of fast-paced growth, cannot be overstated. However, cyber attacks can have devastating consequences for businesses of all sizes. The percentage of micro-businesses in the UK that consider cyber security a high priority has dropped from 80% to 68% in the past year, possibly due to wider economic pressures. Cyber criminals target businesses of all sizes, often initially using automated software to find weak spots. Startups can be particularly vulnerable due to their fast-paced environments and new or less familiar supply chains. The use of shared office spaces can also increase risk.

The UK DCMS/DSIT 2023 Cyber Security Breaches survey reported that almost a third of businesses (32%) and a quarter of charities (24%) reported breaches or attacks in the past 12 months alone, with the average victim losing £15,300. Startups have the unique advantage of being able to implement cyber security best practices from the outset and embed them into company culture. It is recommended that startups prioritise cyber security from the get-go to protect their business and ensure long-term growth.

Source: [UKTech] [Cyber security breaches survey 2023 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)]

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Governance, Risk and Compliance

• Corporate boards take heed: Give CISOs the cold shoulder at your peril | CSO Online

• How to lead your organisation through a ransomware attack | World Economic Forum (weforum.org)

• New SEC Rules Require US Companies To Reveal Cyber Attacks Within 4 Days (informationsecuritybuzz.com)

• 66% of Cyber security Leaders Don't Trust Their Current Cyber Risk Mitigation Strategies - ITSecurityWire

• How the Talent Shortage Impacts Cyber security Leadership (securityintelligence.com)

• Global Lawyers Unveil Cyber Best Practices for Execs - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• From tech expertise to leadership: Unpacking the role of a CISO - Help Net Security

• Cyber Insurance and the Ransomware Challenge | Royal United Services Institute (rusi.org)

• Companies make strides in cyber defence and resilience amid escalating cyber threats: Aon - Reinsurance News

• Data Security Can Make Or Break Your Business (forbes.com)

• Cyber Risk and Resiliency Report: Dueling Disaster in 2023 (informationweek.com)

• Spend to save: The CFO’s guide to cyber security investment (securityintelligence.com)

• CISOs Need Backing to Take Charge of Security (darkreading.com)

• Create a ‘win-win’ scenario for security teams and cyber insurers | SC Media (scmagazine.com)

• The State Of Cyber security – Outlook And Challenges For 2023 And Beyond (informationsecuritybuzz.com)

• Risk Appetite vs. Risk Tolerance: How are They Different? (techtarget.com)

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Threats

Ransomware, Extortion and Destructive Attacks

• 67% of data breaches start with a single click - Help Net Security

• 1 in 100 emails is malicious - Help Net Security

• AI-Enhanced Phishing Driving Ransomware Surge - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Ransomware attacks have doubled thanks to AI | TechRadar

• The race against time in ransomware attacks - Help Net Security

• As Ransomware Attackers’ Motives Changes, So Should Your Defence (forbes.com)

• Global ransomware attacks at an all-time high, shows latest 2023 State of Ransomware report (malwarebytes.com)

• Ransomware gang increases attacks on insecure MSSQL servers | CSO Online

• MOVEit Campaign Claims Millions More Victims - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• How to lead your organisation through a ransomware attack | World Economic Forum (weforum.org)

• Ransomware Attacks on Industrial Organisations Doubled in Past Year: Report - SecurityWeek

• In new ransomware model, cloud provider acts as front for bad actors: report | CSO Online

• Researchers claim US-registered cloud host facilitated state-backed cyber attacks | TechCrunch

• Cyber Insurance and the Ransomware Challenge | Royal United Services Institute (rusi.org)

• Cyber criminals pivot away from ransomware encryption | Computer Weekly

• Food manufacturers top three for ransomware attacks

• Ransomware on manufacturing industry caused $46bn in losses - IT Security Guru

• How Ransomware Gangs Enlist Insiders (And How to Stop Them) (makeuseof.com)

• 2023 State of Ransomware | Malwarebytes

• Linux version of Abyss Locker ransomware targets VMware ESXi servers (bleepingcomputer.com)

• The Trickbot/Conti Crypters: Where Are They Now? (securityintelligence.com)

Ransomware Victims

• MOVEit Campaign Claims Millions More Victims - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Hawai'i Community College pays ransomware gang to prevent data leak (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Scottish university UWS targeted by cyber attackers - BBC News

• Tempur Sealy isolated tech system to contain cyber burglary • The Register

• US govt contractor Serco discloses data breach after MoveIT attacks (bleepingcomputer.com)

Phishing & Email Based Attacks

• 1 in 100 emails is malicious - Help Net Security

• 67% of data breaches start with a single click - Help Net Security

• Russian Hackers Are Conducting Phishing Attacks via Microsoft Teams - MySmartPrice

• Salesforce, Meta suffer phishing campaign that evades typical detection methods (securitybrief.co.nz)

• Beware: Tricky phishing email targeting Twitter Blue subscribers with X rebranding confusion - 9to5Mac

• UK MoD Error Sends Emails to Russia’s Ally Instead of US - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Microsoft downplays damaging report on Chinese hacking its own engineers vetted | CyberScoop

• Threat actors abuse Google AMP for evasive phishing attacks (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Emerging Cyber security Threat: How Google AMP Phishing Attacks Are Bypassing Email Security Measures (informationsecuritybuzz.com)

BEC – Business Email Compromise

• 1 in 100 emails is malicious - Help Net Security

Other Social Engineering; Smishing, Vishing, etc

• Humans Unable to Reliably Detect Deepfake Speech - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

Artificial Intelligence

• AI-Enhanced Phishing Driving Ransomware Surge - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Ransomware attacks have doubled thanks to AI | TechRadar

• UK calls artificial intelligence a “chronic risk” to its national security | CSO Online

• FBI warns of broad AI threats facing tech companies and the public | CyberScoop

• As Artificial Intelligence Accelerates, Cyber crime Innovates (darkreading.com)

• Another AI Pitfall: Digital Mirroring Opens New Cyber attack Vector (darkreading.com)

• Intersection of generative AI, cyber security and digital trust | TechTarget

• Hackers are using AI to create vicious malware, says FBI | Digital Trends

• The generative A.I. war between companies and hackers is starting (cnbc.com)

• Generative AI and cloud have created gaps in cyber security: Wipro report - BusinessToday

• 'DarkBERT' GPT-Based Malware Trains Up on the Entire Dark Web (darkreading.com)

• A New Attack Impacts ChatGPT—and No One Knows How to Stop It | WIRED

• Humans Unable to Reliably Detect Deepfake Speech - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• OWASP Top 10 for LLM applications is out! - Security Affairs

• Think tank wants monitoring of China's AI-enabled products • The Register

• UK spy agencies want to relax ‘burdensome’ laws on AI data use | Data protection | The Guardian

• Deputy National Security Advisor Anne Neuberger on addressing the security threats of AI | CyberScoop

• Researchers figure out how to make AI misbehave, serve up prohibited content | Ars Technica

• Organisations want stronger AI regulation amid growing concerns - Help Net Security

• AI-enhanced images a ‘threat to democratic processes’, experts warn | Artificial intelligence (AI) | The Guardian

Malware

• Hackers Abusing Windows Search Feature to Install Remote Access Trojans (thehackernews.com)

• Hackers can abuse Microsoft Office executables to download malware (bleepingcomputer.com)

• IcedID Malware Adapts and Expands Threat with Updated BackConnect Module (thehackernews.com)

• Hackers continue to distribute malware through hacked verified pages on Facebook - Neowin

• 'DarkBERT' GPT-Based Malware Trains Up on the Entire Dark Web (darkreading.com)

• Attackers can turn AWS SSM agents into remote access trojans - Help Net Security

• Hackers are infecting Modern Warfare 2 players with a self-spreading malware | TechSpot

• Chinese Malware Could Cut Power To US Military Bases, Businesses And Homes, Report Claims (forbes.com)

• Fruity Trojan Uses Deceptive Software Installers to Spread Remcos RAT (thehackernews.com)

• Experts link AVRecon bot to malware proxy service SocksEscort - Security Affairs

• New P2PInfect Worm Targets Redis Servers with Undocumented Breach Methods (thehackernews.com)

• New persistent backdoor used in attacks on Barracuda ESG appliances - Help Net Security

• Cyber criminals Renting WikiLoader to Target Italian Organisations with Banking Trojan (thehackernews.com)

• MacOS malware discovered on Russian dark web forum | Security Magazine

• Apple Users Open to Remote Control via Tricky macOS Malware (darkreading.com)

• Hackers can gain complete control over your Mac with this new dark web hacking tool | Tom's Guide (tomsguide.com)

• Threat Actors Use AWS SSM Agent as a Remote Access Trojan - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• NodeStealer 2.0 takes over Facebook Business accounts - Security Affairs

• Chrome malware Rilide targets enterprise users via PowerPoint guides (bleepingcomputer.com)

• BlackBerry Discovers Crypto-Centric Malware Amid Stopping 1.5 Million Cyber a ttacks (ethnews.com)

• Kaspersky crimeware report: Emotet, DarkGate and LokiBot | Securelist

• OT/IoT Malware Surges Tenfold in First Half of the Year - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• CISA: New Submarine malware found on hacked Barracuda ESG appliances (bleepingcomputer.com)

Mobile

• New Android malware uses OCR to steal credentials from images (bleepingcomputer.com)

• CherryBlos Malware Uses OCR to Pluck Android Users' Cryptocurrency (darkreading.com)

• Apple Sets New Rules for Developers to Prevent Fingerprinting and Data Misuse (thehackernews.com)

• Google: Android patch gap makes n-days as dangerous as zero-days (bleepingcomputer.com)

• New smartphone vulnerability could allow hackers to track user location (techxplore.com)

• Hackers steal Signal, WhatsApp user data with fake Android chat app (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Ukrainian hackers viciously troll Russian navy, send malware to their phones (tvpworld.com)

• SpyNote Android Spyware Strikes Financial Institutions - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Malicious Apps Use Sneaky Versioning Technique to Bypass Google Play Store Scanners (thehackernews.com)

Botnets

• Experts link AVRecon bot to malware proxy service SocksEscort - Security Affairs

Denial of Service/DoS/DDOS

• Navigating The Landscape Of Hacktivist DDoS Attacks (forbes.com)

• Israel's largest oil refinery website offline amid cyber attack claims (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Russian hackers crash Italian bank websites, cyber agency says | Reuters

• "Mysterious Team Bangladesh" Targeting India with DDoS Attacks and Data Breaches (thehackernews.com)

Internet of Things – IoT

• Canon warns of Wi-Fi security risks when discarding inkjet printers (bleepingcomputer.com)

Data Breaches/Leaks

• Cyber security breaches exposed 146 million records - ITSecurityWire

• Hack Crew Responsible for Stolen Data, NATO Investigates Claims (darkreading.com)

• Pentagon hit by ‘critical compromise’ of US air force communications – report | US military | The Guardian

• Doctors sign up to legal case against Capita over GP data breach - Pulse Today

• UK MoD Error Sends Emails to Russia’s Ally Instead of US - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Been Hacked? These are Your Next Steps | Entrepreneur

• Cyber attack on B.C. health websites may have taken workers’ personal information (thestar.com)

• NI Executive Office and Patient and Client Council rapped for data breach risks | BelfastTelegraph.co.uk

• Cyber security Recovery Guide: How to Recover from a Data Breach (thelondoneconomic.com)

Organised Crime & Criminal Actors

• As Artificial Intelligence Accelerates, Cyber crime Innovates (darkreading.com)

• How Hackers Trick You With Basic Sales Techniques (makeuseof.com)

• Iranian Company Cloudzy Accused of Aiding Cyber criminals and Nation-State Hackers (thehackernews.com)

• Space Pirates Turn Cyber Sabers on Russian, Serbian Organisations (darkreading.com)

• Kaspersky crimeware report: Emotet, DarkGate and LokiBot | Securelist

• Hacktivists fund their operations using common cyber crime tactics (bleepingcomputer.com)

Cryptocurrency/Cryptomining/Cryptojacking/NFTs/Blockchain

• Crypto Hacks in July Resulted in $165 Million in Losses (beincrypto.com)

• New Android malware uses OCR to steal credentials from images (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Millions stolen from crypto platforms through exploited ‘Vyper’ vulnerability (therecord.media)

• BlackBerry Discovers Crypto-Centric Malware Amid Stopping 1.5 Million Cyber a ttacks (ethnews.com)

• Couple admit laundering $4B of stolen Bitfinex Bitcoins • The Register

Insider Risk and Insider Threats

• How Ransomware Gangs Enlist Insiders (And How to Stop Them) (makeuseof.com)

• US military battling cyber threats from within and without • The Register

Deepfakes

• Humans Unable to Reliably Detect Deepfake Speech - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

AML/CFT/Sanctions

• US Tech Sanctions Against China Are Starting to Bite Hard | Tom's Hardware (tomshardware.com)

Insurance

• Cyber Insurance and the Ransomware Challenge | Royal United Services Institute (rusi.org)

• Cyber Insurance Underwriting Is Still Stuck in the Dark Ages (darkreading.com)

• Create a ‘win-win’ scenario for security teams and cyber insurers | SC Media (scmagazine.com)

Dark Web

• 'DarkBERT' GPT-Based Malware Trains Up on the Entire Dark Web (darkreading.com)

• MacOS malware discovered on Russian dark web forum | Security Magazine

Supply Chain and Third Parties

• Doctors sign up to legal case against Capita over GP data breach - Pulse Today

• Capita boss quits as potential fine looms for huge hack of confidential data | Capita | The Guardian

• Iran's APT34 Hits UAE With Supply Chain Attack (darkreading.com)

Software Supply Chain

• Lessons Not Learned From Software Supply Chain Attacks (darkreading.com)

Cloud/SaaS

• Attackers can turn AWS SSM agents into remote access trojans - Help Net Security

• New Microsoft Azure AD CTS feature can be abused for lateral movement (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Generative AI and cloud have created gaps in cyber security: Wipro report - BusinessToday

• In new ransomware model, cloud provider acts as front for bad actors: report | CSO Online

• Researchers claim US-registered cloud host facilitated state-backed cyber attacks | TechCrunch

• These Are the Top Five Cloud Security Risks, Qualys Says - SecurityWeek

• North Korean hackers targeting JumpCloud mistakenly exposed their IP addresses, researchers say | TechCrunch

• Google warns companies about keeping hackers out of cloud infrastructure | CyberScoop

Identity and Access Management

• The gap in users' identity security knowledge gives cyber criminals an opening - Help Net Security

Encryption

• Braverman fights Meta encryption plans ‘that aid paedophiles’ (thetimes.co.uk)

• SCARF cipher sets new standards in protecting sensitive data - Help Net Security

• Cult of Dead Cow hacktivists design encryption system for mobile apps - The Washington Post

Open Source

• Open-source security challenges and complexities - Help Net Security

• Linux version of Abyss Locker ransomware targets VMware ESXi servers (bleepingcomputer.com)

Passwords, Credential Stuffing & Brute Force Attacks

• Retail chain Hot Topic discloses wave of credential-stuffing attacks (bleepingcomputer.com)

Biometrics

• Bar for UK crimes prosecuted with live facial recognition could get much lower | Biometric Update

Social Media

• Hackers continue to distribute malware through hacked verified pages on Facebook - Neowin

• Salesforce, Meta suffer phishing campaign that evades typical detection methods (securitybrief.co.nz)

• Beware: Tricky phishing email targeting Twitter Blue subscribers with X rebranding confusion - 9to5Mac

• Social media giants on notice over foreign cyber threat (themandarin.com.au)

• NodeStealer 2.0 takes over Facebook Business accounts - Security Affairs

• Instagram Flags AI-Generated Content (darkreading.com)

Travel

• Never share boarding passes online, cyber security experts warn travellers - NZ Herald

Regulations, Fines and Legislation

• New SEC Rules Require US Companies To Reveal Cyber Attacks Within 4 Days (informationsecuritybuzz.com)

• Strengthening Cyber security: Can The SEC’s New Rules Be Enforced? (forbes.com)

• CISA’s security-by-design initiative is at risk: Here’s a path forward | TechCrunch

• What is the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA)? | Definition from TechTarget

• Why the California Delete Act Matters (darkreading.com)

• Organizations want stronger AI regulation amid growing concerns - Help Net Security

• Materiality Definition Seen as Tough Task in New SEC Cyber Rules | Mint (livemint.com)

• Cyber security Implementation Plan Offers a Roadmap for Cyber Priorities | Perkins Coie - JDSupra

Models, Frameworks and Standards

• OWASP Top 10 for LLM applications is out! - Security Affairs

• Security professionals unaware of NCSC Cyber Essentials framework - Lookout - IT Security Guru

• What is SOC 2 (System and Organization Controls 2)? | Definition from TechTarget

Careers, Working in Cyber and Information Security

• How the Talent Shortage Impacts Cyber security Leadership (securityintelligence.com)

• US Gov Rolls Out National Cyber Workforce, Education Strategy - SecurityWeek

• Women two-thirds more likely to fear losing CNI security jobs than men - IT Security Guru

• White House Cyber Workforce Strategy: No Quick Fix for Skills Shortage (darkreading.com)

• Cyber workforce strategy requires buy-in across sectors, experts say - Nextgov/FCW

Law Enforcement Action and Take Downs

• Bar for UK crimes prosecuted with live facial recognition could get much lower | Biometric Update

• FBI: Without Section 702, we can't ID cyber criminals • The Register

Privacy, Surveillance and Mass Monitoring

• Home Office plans new national police ‘facial-matching’ service after signing £50m deal for biometrics platform – PublicTechnology

• UK spy agencies want to relax ‘burdensome’ laws on AI data use | Data protection | The Guardian

• Apple Sets New Rules for Developers to Prevent Fingerprinting and Data Misuse (thehackernews.com)

• Instead of obtaining a warrant, the NSA would like to keep buying your data | Ars Technica

• Tor’s shadowy reputation will only end if we all use it | Engadget

• Delivering privacy in a world of pervasive digital surveillance: Tor Project's Executive Director speaks out - Help Net Security

• After talking to security expert, I deleted all Chrome extensions: they see everything | Cybernews

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Nation State Actors, Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs), Cyber Warfare and Cyber Espionage

Russia

• Microsoft Exposes Russian Hackers' Sneaky Phishing Tactics via Microsoft Teams Chats (thehackernews.com)

• BlueBravo Deploys GraphicalProton Backdoor Against European Diplomatic Entities (thehackernews.com)

• Russian Cyber Adversary BlueCharlie Alters Infrastructure in Response to Disclosures (thehackernews.com)

• Russian spies posed as Microsoft tech support in bid to hack governments (telegraph.co.uk)

• Elon Musk ‘stopped Ukraine military using Starlink for military operation’ | The Independent

• Researchers Expose Space Pirates' Cyber Campaign Across Russia and Serbia (thehackernews.com)

• MacOS malware discovered on Russian dark web forum | Security Magazine

• Kazakhstan Rebuffs US Extradition Request for Russian Cyber security Expert - The Moscow Times

• Russian hackers crash Italian bank websites, cyber agency says | Reuters

• Ukrainian hackers viciously troll Russian navy, send malware to their phones (tvpworld.com)

China

• FBI warns of broad AI threats facing tech companies and the public | CyberScoop

• Chinese Malware Could Cut Power To US Military Bases, Businesses And Homes, Report Claims (forbes.com)

• Multiple Chinese APTs establish major beachheads inside sensitive infrastructure | Ars Technica

• US senator victim-blames Microsoft for Chinese hack • The Register

• Patchwork Hackers Target Chinese Research Organizations Using EyeShell Backdoor (thehackernews.com)

• US Tech Sanctions Against China Are Starting to Bite Hard | Tom's Hardware (tomshardware.com)

• Think tank wants monitoring of China's AI-enabled products • The Register

• Microsoft downplays damaging report on Chinese hacking its own engineers vetted | CyberScoop

• US military battling cyber threats from within and without • The Register

Iran

• Iranian Company Cloudzy Accused of Aiding Cyber criminals and Nation-State Hackers (thehackernews.com)

• Iran's APT34 Hits UAE With Supply Chain Attack (darkreading.com)

• Iranian Company Plays Host to Reams of Ransomware, APT Groups (darkreading.com)

North Korea

• STARK#MULE Targets Koreans with US Military-themed Document Lures (thehackernews.com)

• North Korean hackers targeting JumpCloud mistakenly exposed their IP addresses, researchers say | TechCrunch

Misc/Other/Unknown

• Researchers claim US-registered cloud host facilitated state-backed cyber attacks | TechCrunch

• Kaspersky unveils latest APT trends for Q2 | Media OutReach Newswire (media-outreach.com)

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Vulnerability Management

• Relying on CVSS alone is risky for vulnerability management - Help Net Security

• Top 12 vulnerabilities list highlights troubling reality: many organizations still aren't patching | CyberScoop

• Old vulnerabilities, major vendors dominate list of most-exploited flaws of 2022 | SC Media (scmagazine.com)

• In 2022, more than 40% of zero-day exploits used in the wild were variations of previous issues - Security Affairs

• 40% of Log4j Downloads Still Vulnerable (securityintelligence.com)

• CISA, NSA, FBI and International Partners Issue Advisory on the Top Routinely Exploited Vulnerabilities in 2022 > National Security Agency/Central Security Service > Press Release View

• What Causes a Rise or Fall in Fresh Zero-Day Exploits? (govinfosecurity.com)

• Piles of Unpatched IoT, OT Devices Attract ICS Cyber attacks (darkreading.com)

• Microsoft comes under blistering criticism for “grossly irresponsible” security | Ars Technica

Vulnerabilities

• Exploitation of Recent Citrix ShareFile RCE Vulnerability Begins - SecurityWeek

• Over 640 Citrix servers backdoored with web shells in ongoing attacks (bleepingcomputer.com)

• New flaw in Ivanti Endpoint Manager Mobile actively exploited in the wild - Security Affairs

• Second Ivanti EPMM Zero-Day Vulnerability Exploited in Targeted Attacks - SecurityWeek

• Apple iOS, Google Android Patch Zero-Days in July Security Updates | WIRED UK

• US fears attacks will continue against Ivanti MDM installs • The Register

• Cisco Talos Discusses Flaws in SOHO Routers Post-VPNFilter - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Microsoft fixes WSUS servers not pushing Windows 11 22H2 updates (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Hackers exploit BleedingPipe RCE to target Minecraft servers, players (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Firefox 116: improved upload performance and security fixes - gHacks Tech News

• Oracle Critical Patch Update Advisory - July 2023

• Tenable CEO accuses Microsoft of negligence in addressing security flaw | CyberScoop

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Tools and Controls

• Data Loss Prevention for Small and Medium-Sized Businesses - IT Security Guru

• Cyber Insurance Underwriting Is Still Stuck in the Dark Ages (darkreading.com)

• Spend to save: The CFO’s guide to cyber security investment (securityintelligence.com)

• 66% of Cyber security Leaders Don't Trust Their Current Cyber Risk Mitigation Strategies - ITSecurityWire

• US, Australia Issue Warning Over Access Control Vulnerabilities in Web Applications - SecurityWeek

• Data stolen from millions via missing web app access checks • The Register

• Keeping the cloud secure with a mindset shift - Help Net Security

• Strengthening security in a multi-SaaS cloud environment | TechCrunch

• 5 Essential Tips For Data Security On The Cloud (informationsecuritybuzz.com)

• AI has a place in cyber, but needs effective evaluation | Computer Weekly

• Top 5 benefits of SASE to enhance network security | TechTarget

• MDR 40-Plus: Top Managed Detection and Response (MDR) Companies: 2023 Edition - MSSP Alert

• 4 Generative AI Security Benefits (trendmicro.com)

• What is Data Security Posture Management (DSPM)? (thehackernews.com)

• Unified XDR and SIEM Alleviate Security Alert Fatigue (darkreading.com)

• What is an ISMS (Information Security Management System)? | UpGuard

• VPNs remain a risky gamble for remote access - Help Net Security

• Insider Threat Protection And Modern DLP (informationsecuritybuzz.com)

• Risk Appetite vs. Risk Tolerance: How are They Different? (techtarget.com)

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Reports Published in the Last Week

• 2023 State of Ransomware | Malwarebytes

• Cyber Risk and Resiliency Report: Dueling Disaster in 2023 (informationweek.com)

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Other News

• The top 6 cyber security incidents in July 2023 (cshub.com)

• UK legal sector at risk, National Cyber Security Centre warns | Today's Conveyancer (todaysconveyancer.co.uk)

• UK Military Embraces Security by Design - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Cyber criminals targeting medical info warns FBI | KSNV (news3lv.com)

• How local governments can combat cyber crime - Help Net Security

• Governments and public services facing 40% more cyber attacks (securitybrief.co.nz)

• Utilities Face Security Challenges as They Embrace Data in New Ways (darkreading.com)

• Cyber Attacks Targeting Government Agencies Increase 40% - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• BPP targeted in cyber attack - Legal Cheek

• Microsoft Flags Growing Cyber security Concerns for Major Sporting Events (thehackernews.com)

• Nearly All Modern CPUs Leak Data to New Collide+Power Side-Channel Attack - SecurityWeek

• New Study Reveals Forged Certificate Attack Risks - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• 80 percent of digital certificates vulnerable to man-in-the-middle attacks (betanews.com)

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Sector Specific

Industry specific threat intelligence reports are available.

Contact us to receive tailored reports specific to the industry/sector and geographies you operate in.

·       Automotive

·       Construction

·       Critical National Infrastructure (CNI)

·       Defence & Space

·       Education & Academia

·       Energy & Utilities

·       Estate Agencies

·       Financial Services

·       FinTech

·       Food & Agriculture

·       Gaming & Gambling

·       Government & Public Sector (including Law Enforcement)

·       Health/Medical/Pharma

·       Hotels & Hospitality

·       Insurance

·       Legal

·       Manufacturing

·       Maritime

·       Oil, Gas & Mining

·       OT, ICS, IIoT, SCADA & Cyber-Physical Systems

·       Retail & eCommerce

·       Small and Medium Sized Businesses (SMBs)

·       Startups

·       Telecoms

·       Third Sector & Charities

·       Transport & Aviation

·       Web3

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As usual, contact us to help assess where your risks lie and to ensure you are doing all you can do to keep you and your business secure.

Look out for our ‘Cyber Tip Tuesday’ video blog and on our YouTube channel.

You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

Links to articles are for interest and awareness and linking to or reposting external content does not endorse any service or product, likewise we are not responsible for the security of external links.

Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing 30 June 2023

Welcome to this week’s Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing – a weekly digest, collated and curated by our cyber experts to provide senior and middle management with an easy to digest round up of the most notable threats, vulnerabilities, and cyber related news from the last week.

Top Cyber Stories of the Last Week

• Zurich Insurance Group Secures Data Leak After Leaving Sensitive Data Publicly Accessible

Zurich Insurance Group is a major player in the insurance game, with over 55 million clients. They have recently just fixed a sensitive file that they had left publicly accessible. The file in question contained a range of credentials including database credentials, admin credentials, credentials for the actively exploited MOVEit software, credentials for their HR system and more. All of which could be utilised by threat actors to inflict serious damage. This was not the only vulnerability stemming from the insurance group; researchers found that Zurich were also running an outdated website, which contained a large number of vulnerabilities.

The case is alarming as Zurich Insurance Group provides cyber insurance and the instance above reinforces the need for organisations to be proactive in identifying cyber risks in their environment; it is simply not enough to rely on having insurance or meeting insurance requirements.

https://cybernews.com/zurich-insurance-data-leak/

• Employees Worry Less About Cyber Security Best Practices in the Summer

IT teams are struggling to monitor and enforce BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) policies during summer months according to a new report. The report found that 55% of employees admitted to relying solely on their mobile devices while working remotely in the summer. 25% of all respondents claim that they aren’t concerned about ensuring network connections are secure when accessing their company’s data.

In the same report, 45% of employees in the US and UK said no specific measures to educate and remind employees on security best practices are taken during the summer, with only 24% of UK respondents receiving access to online cyber security training and guides and even less (17%) in the US. This comes as a separate report found that the number of phishing sites targeting mobile devices increased from 75% to 80% year-on-year in 2022, and this is likely to continue rising. Worryingly, it was also found that the average user is between six and ten times more likely to fall for an SMS phishing attack than email.

https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2023/06/30/summer-byod-policies/

https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/mobile-malware-and-phishing-surge/

• Businesses are Ignoring Third-Party Security Risks

With 58% of companies managing over 100 vendors, 8% of which manage over 1,000, the need for a robust Third-Party Security Risk Management process becomes abundantly clear. Despite this, only 13% of organisations continuously monitor the security risks of their third parties. This is worrying, when considering the knock-on effects of third party breaches from the likes of Capita, SolarWinds and 3CX, and the recent MOVEit attack, impacting organisations whose only relationship with MOVEit was that their supplier used it.

https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2023/06/30/third-party-relationships-risks/

• Fear Trumps Anger When It Comes to Data Breaches – Angry Customers Vent, But Fearful Customers Don’t Come Back

When a person is notified of a data breach involving their personal information, if they react with a feeling of fear, as opposed to anger, they’re more likely to stop using the site. A report found that positive attitudes toward the website before the breach did not meaningfully affect whether consumers reengaged with the website after the breach, as some prior research has indicated. Instead, the emotional response of fear weighed heavily on customers and outweighed any earlier positive sentiment towards the organisation.

When a company has been breached in the past they have dealt with angry customers and negative press. To do so, companies may engage crisis managers to contain the damage, partner with identity protection services, pay fines or settlements, or try to lure back customers with free services. However, the study shows that companies need to address fearful customers differently after a data breach has occurred if they want to avoid customer loss. To do this, companies can work with their IT departments to identify customers who are no longer active after a breach and then reach out to them directly to assuage their fears.

https://theconversation.com/fear-trumps-anger-when-it-comes-to-data-breaches-angry-customers-vent-but-fearful-customers-dont-come-back-203109

• Over 130 Organisations and Millions of Individuals Believed to be Impacted by MOVEit Hack, it Keeps Growing

The dramatic fallout continues in the mass exploitation of a critical vulnerability in a widely used file-transfer program, with at least three new victims coming to light in the past few days. They include the New York City Department of Education and energy companies Schneider Electric and Siemens Electric. These join others, including PwC, Sony and EY. If the attack has shown us one thing, it’s that any organisation can be a victim.

https://www.securityweek.com/over-130-organizations-millions-of-individuals-believed-to-be-impacted-by-moveit-hack/

https://arstechnica.com/security/2023/06/casualties-keep-growing-in-this-months-mass-exploitation-of-moveit-0-day/

• Widespread BEC Attacks Threaten European Organisations

Based on an analysis of email attack trends between June 2022 and May 2023, total email attacks in Europe increased by 7 times and the US 5 times. For business email compromise (BEC) specifically, Europe saw an alarming 10 times the amount it had previously and the US saw a 2 times increase.

BEC continues to remain a high priority threat for many organisations and if someone already has a legitimate business email which they have compromised to use for BEC attacks on your organisation, it is very likely that your technical processes will be ineffective, leaving your people and operational processes to stop an attack. Is your organisation cyber aware? Are they undergoing regular awareness training?

This is one of many areas that Black Arrow can help improve your organisation’s security through robust employee cyber security Awareness Behaviour and Culture training.

https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2023/06/27/bec-attacks-frequency/

• Lloyd’s Syndicates Sued Over Cyber Insurance

The University of California (UCLA) is suing a number of insurance firms for refusing to pay out on cyber policies nearly 10 years after hackers breached data on millions of patients at its health system. The dispute is over a cyber attack from 2014 through 2015 that exposed personal information of patients at UCLA Health.

UCLA Health allege that the syndicates refused to engage in dispute resolution by asserting that the statue of limitations applying to the claims had expired. The insurers, who could not be named, are said to have refused every claim saying that UCLA Health failed to satisfy cyber security requirements under the contract terms. It’s important for organisations with cyber insurance to understand their insurance in detail and to know where they stand in the event of a cyber incident.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/university-of-california-sues-lloyds-syndicates-over-cyber-insurance-da4675f5

• 95% Fear Inadequate Cloud Security Detection and Response

A recent report found 95% of respondents expressed concern in their organisation’s ability to detect and respond to a security event in their cloud environment. The same study also found that 50% of total respondents had reported a data breach due to unauthorised access to their cloud environment.

It is often the case that issues in the cloud come from the perception of the responsibility of the cloud environment. Organisations must realise that they share responsibility for securing their cloud environment, including its configuration. The report found that, despite the number of breaches and concerns in their organisation’s ability, more than 80% of respondents still felt their existing tooling and configuration would sufficiently cover their organisation from an attack. Organisations must ask themselves what they are doing to protect their cloud environment.

https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2023/06/27/cloud-environment-security/

• The Growing Use of Generative AI and the Security Risks They Pose

A recent survey by Malwarebytes revealed 81% of people are concerned about the security risks posed by ChatGPT and generative AI, and 52% of respondents are calling for a pause on ChatGPT for regulations to catch up, while 7% think it will improve internet security. A key concern about the data produced by generative AI platforms is the risk of "hallucinations" whereby machine learning models produce untruths. This becomes a serious issue for organisations if its content is heavily relied upon to make decisions, particularly those relating to threat detection and response.

Another recent report on the risks brought by Large Language Model AIs showed that the rise in opensource AI adoption is developed insecurely; this results in an increased threat with substantial security risks to organisation.

https://www.csoonline.com/article/643516/survey-reveals-mass-concern-over-generative-ai-security-risks.html

https://www.darkreading.com/operations/malwarebytes-chatgpt-survey-reveals-81-are-concerned-by-generative-ai-security-risks

https://www.darkreading.com/vulnerabilities-threats/generative-ai-projects-cybersecurity-risks-enterprises

• The CISO’s Toolkit Must Include Political Capital Within The C-Suite

Over the past 18 months, there has been a sea change in the chief information security officer (CISO) role. Fundamentally, the CISO is responsible for the protection of an entity's information. The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has issued a proposed rule change on cyber security risk management, strategy, governance, and incident response disclosure by public companies that requires publicly traded companies to provide evidence of the board's oversight of cyber security risk. Couple this with the former CISO of Uber being found guilty on charges of "obstruction of the proceedings of the Federal Trade Commission" and it is clear that the hand at the helm must be able to navigate all types of seas in their entity's political milieu. In this regard, the CISO needs to acquire political capital. CISO’s should have the capability to talk in understandable terms and clearly demonstrate value to the other board members.

https://www.csoonline.com/article/643199/the-cisos-toolkit-must-include-political-capital-within-the-c-suite.html

• Microsoft Warns of Widescale Credential Stealing Attacks by Russian Hackers as War Ministers Reliant on Cyber Crime

Russia's diminishing position on the world stage has limited its physical options on the ground, leaving Putin's regime increasingly reliant on cyber crime to carry out its oppositional activities against Ukraine and Europe. Microsoft has disclosed that it has detected a spike in credential-stealing attacks conducted by the Russian state-affiliated hacker group known as Midnight Blizzard.

This comes as Switzerland's Federal Intelligence Service (FIS) released its 2023 security assessment, predicting that Russia will increasingly launch cyber attacks as part of its war strategy not just in Ukraine, but against NATO member states as well.

https://www.darkreading.com/threat-intelligence/russia-reliant-on-cybercrime-as-international-pariah

https://thehackernews.com/2023/06/microsoft-warns-of-widescale-credential.html

• SMB’s Plagued as Cyber Attackers Still Rely on Decades Old Security Weaknesses and Tactics

Despite best cyber security efforts, small and mid-sized businesses (SMBs) continue to struggle to thwart attacks and harden defences in response to remote working and other newer challenges.

This future focus can lead to a neglection of older weaknesses. Cyber attackers are typically relying on tried-and-tested tactics and old security weaknesses to target organisations, a recent Barracuda threat spotlight found. Hackers are returning to proven methods to gain remote control of systems, install malware, steal information and disrupt or disable business operations through denial-of-service attacks, Barracuda reports. The report found that between February to April 2023, the top malicious tactics found to be used were vulnerabilities from 2008.

The report highlights the fact that there are no cutoff dates for vulnerabilities and attackers will use whatever is at their disposal to try and infiltrate your organisation. This can be protected by having strong policies and controls in place alongside frequent penetration testing to ensure these vulnerabilities are being patched.

https://www.msspalert.com/cybersecurity-research/cyberattackers-still-rely-on-decades-old-security-weaknesses-tactics-barracuda-reports/

https://www.scmagazine.com/news/malware/smbs-plagued-by-exploits-trojans-and-backdoors

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Governance, Risk and Compliance

• Businesses are ignoring third-party security risks - Help Net Security

• Employees worry less about cyber security best practices in the summer - Help Net Security

• Digital-First Economy Has Transformed Role of CISO- IT Security Guru

• SEC Alleges SolarWinds CFO, CISO Violated US Securities Laws (bankinfosecurity.com)

• Companies Call for Changes to UK’s Cyber Essentials Scheme - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Fear trumps anger when it comes to data breaches – angry customers vent, but fearful customers don't come back (theconversation.com)

• The CISO’s toolkit must include political capital within the C-suite | CSO Online

• NCSC Launches Cyber Risk Management Toolbox - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

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Threats

Ransomware, Extortion and Destructive Attacks

• Over 130 Organisations, Millions of Individuals Believed to Be Impacted by MOVEit Hack - SecurityWeek

• MOVEit hackers may have found simpler business model beyond ransomware | SC Media (scmagazine.com)

• Dozens of Businesses Hit Recently by '8Base' Ransomware Gang - SecurityWeek

• UK cyber spies warn ransomware criminals targeting law firms • The Register

• How Dangerous Is Smartphone Ransomware? (makeuseof.com)

• Cl0p in Your Network? Here's How to Find Out (darkreading.com)

• Sixth anniversary of NotPetya - IT Security Guru

• July is Ransomware Month: Reminder to Prepare, Defend Against Hijackers - MSSP Alert

• LockBit Dominates Ransomware World, New Report Finds - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• The Trickbot/Conti Crypters: Where Are They Now? (securityintelligence.com)

• Linux version of Akira ransomware targets VMware ESXi servers (bleepingcomputer.com)

• 'Wagner' Ransomware Targets Computers in Russia | PCMag

Ransomware Victims

• Casualties keep growing in this month’s mass exploitation of MOVEit 0-day | Ars Technica

• Manchester University Breach Victims Hit with Triple Extortion - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• 8 Tech And IT Companies Targeted In The MOVEit Attacks | CRN

• MOVEIt breach impacts Genworth, CalPERS as data for 3.2 million exposed (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Clop names PWC, Ernst & Young, and Sony in MOVEit hack | Cybernews

• UCLA, Siemens Among Latest Victims of Relentless MOVEit Attacks (darkreading.com)

• Siemens Energy, Schneider Electric Targeted by Ransomware Group in MOVEit Attack - SecurityWeek

• Clop ransomware gang obtained personal data of 45,000 New York City students in MOVEit hack | Engadget

• 10 banks alleged victims of ransomware attacks on file transfer software | American Banker

• Almost 770,000 Calpers members hit by cyber attack | Financial Times (ft.com)

• Ransomware and phishing attacks continue to plague businesses in Singapore | ZDNET

• K-12 schools are revisiting their cyber strategies after year of ransomware attacks (axios.com)

Phishing & Email Based Attacks

• Mobile Malware and Phishing Surge in 2022 - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• How a Layered Security Approach Can Minimise Email Threats - MSSP Alert

• Less than half of UK banks implement most secure DMARC level | CSO Online

• Over Half of UK Banks Are Exposing Customers to Email Fraud - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

BEC – Business Email Compromise

• Widespread BEC attacks threaten European organisations - Help Net Security

• The Current State of Business Email Compromise Attacks (bleepingcomputer.com)

Other Social Engineering; Smishing, Vishing, etc

• Cyber Crime Group 'Muddled Libra' Targets BPO Sector with Advanced Social Engineering (thehackernews.com)

• How scammers use psychology to create some of the most convincing internet cons – and what to watch out for (theconversation.com)

• Unmasking Pig-Butchering Scams and Protecting Your Financial Future - Security News (trendmicro.com)

Artificial Intelligence

• Malwarebytes ChatGPT Survey Reveals 81% are Concerned by Generative AI Security Risks (darkreading.com)

• Sharing Your Business’ Data With ChatGPT: How Risky Is It? - MSSP Alert

• ChatGPT users at risk for credential theft | TechTarget

• OpenAI lawsuit: Maker of ChatGPT sued over alleged data usage | CNN Business

• Lawyers who cited fake cases invented by ChatGPT must pay • The Register

• Generative AI Projects Pose Major Cyber security Risk to Enterprises (darkreading.com)

• How to Deploy Generative AI Safely and Responsibly (trendmicro.com)

• Generative-AI apps & ChatGPT: Potential risks and mitigation strategies (thehackernews.com)

• Does the world need an arms control treaty for AI? | CyberScoop

• When It Comes to Secure Coding, ChatGPT Is Quintessentially Human (darkreading.com)

• AI-Enabled Voice Cloning Anchors Deepfaked Kidnapping (darkreading.com)

2FA/MFA

• LastPass users furious after being locked out due to MFA resets (bleepingcomputer.com)

Malware

• SMBs plagued by exploits, trojans and backdoors | SC Media (scmagazine.com)

• OpenSSH Trojan Campaign Targets IoT and Linux Systems - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Hackers Use Weaponized PDF Files to Attack Organisations (cybersecuritynews.com)

• New Mockingjay Process Injection Technique Could Let Malware Evade Detection (thehackernews.com)

• Fileless attacks surge as cyber Criminals evade cloud security defences | CSO Online

• NSA warns of ‘false sense of security’ against BlackLotus malware (therecord.media)

• Chinese state-backed hackers accidentally infected a European hospital with malware (therecord.media)

• Trojanized Super Mario Bros game spreads malware- - Security Affairs

• New PindOS JavaScript dropper deploys Bumblebee, IcedID malware (bleepingcomputer.com)

• NPM Plagued with ‘Manifest Confusion’ Malware-Hiding Weakness (darkreading.com)

• Newly Uncovered ThirdEye Windows-Based Malware Steals Sensitive Data (thehackernews.com)

• North Korean Andariel APT used a new malware named EarlyRat - Security Affairs

Mobile

• Mobile Malware and Phishing Surge in 2022 - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Apple says proposed UK law ‘poses a serious threat’ to end-to-end encryption - The Verge

• Anatsa Android trojan now steals banking info from users in US, UK (bleepingcomputer.com)

• How Dangerous Is Smartphone Ransomware? (makeuseof.com)

• Aussie PM says, “Shut down your phone every 24 hours for 5 mins” – but that’s not enough on its own – Naked Security (sophos.com)

• Fluhorse: Flutter-Based Android Malware Targets Credit Cards and 2FA Codes (thehackernews.com)

Denial of Service/DoS/DDOS

• Global rise in DDoS attacks threatens digital infrastructure - Help Net Security

• Pro-Russia DDoSia hacktivist project sees 2,400% membership increase (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Diablo IV video game hit by DDoS attacks • Graham Cluley

Internet of Things – IoT

• OpenSSH Trojan Campaign Targets IoT and Linux Systems - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Someone sent mysterious smartwatches to US Military personnel - Security Affairs

• The tech flaw that lets hackers control surveillance cameras - BBC News

Data Breaches/Leaks

• Fear trumps anger when it comes to data breaches – angry customers vent, but fearful customers don't come back (theconversation.com)

• Latitude hit with $1 million lawsuit over data breach (9news.com.au)

• Recruitment portal exposes data of US pilot candidates • The Register

• Genworth Financial Reports Data Breach Leaking SSNs Belonging to 2.7M Policyholders and Customers (darkreading.com)

• 3 Steps to Successfully & Ethically Navigate a Data Breach (darkreading.com)

• Sensitive Information Stolen in LetMeSpy Stalkerware Hack - SecurityWeek

• US Patent Office Data Spill Exposes Trademark Applications (darkreading.com)

Organised Crime & Criminal Actors

• 2,700 People Tricked Into Working for Cyber Crime Syndicates Rescued in Philippines - SecurityWeek

• Security analyst wanted by both Russia and the US • The Register

• Former Group-IB manager has been arrested in Kazahstan - Security Affairs

Cryptocurrency/Cryptomining/Cryptojacking/NFTs/Blockchain

• Twitter Hacker Sentenced to 5 Years in Prison for $120,000 Crypto Scam (thehackernews.com)

• JOKERSPY used to target a cryptocurrency exchange in Japan - Security Affairs

• Japanese Cryptocurrency Exchange Falls Victim to JokerSpy macOS Backdoor Attack (thehackernews.com)

Insider Risk and Insider Threats

• Employees worry less about cyber security best practices in the summer - Help Net Security

Fraud, Scams & Financial Crime

• How scammers use psychology to create some of the most convincing internet cons – and what to watch out for (theconversation.com)

• Twitter Hacker Sentenced to 5 Years in Prison for $120,000 Crypto Scam (thehackernews.com)

• Unmasking Pig-Butchering Scams and Protecting Your Financial Future - Security News (trendmicro.com)

• Safety checks run down and boom time for criminals: this is why the UK is becoming the ‘dustbin of Europe’ | Polly Toynbee | The Guardian

• This Chatbot Gives Phone Call Scammers a Taste of Their Own Medicine (pcmag.com)

• The robotic falcon maker who was targeted by cyber criminals - BBC News

Deepfakes

• AI-Enabled Voice Cloning Anchors Deepfaked Kidnapping (darkreading.com)

Insurance

• University of California Sues Lloyd’s Syndicates Over Cyber Insurance - WSJ

• Second Wave of Cyber Insurance | Arctic Wolf

• Insurance companies using AI for underwriting and due diligence amid cyber threats | Fox Business

• How Big Is the Cyber Insurance Market? Can It Keep Growing? | Lawfare (lawfaremedia.org)

Dark Web

• Citizen of Croatia charged with running the Monopoly Market drug marketplace - Security Affairs

• Inside Threat Actors: Dark Web Forums vs. Illicit Telegram Communities (bleepingcomputer.com)

Supply Chain and Third Parties

• Businesses are ignoring third-party security risks - Help Net Security

Cloud/SaaS

• 95% fear inadequate cloud security detection and response - Help Net Security

• The unhappy reality of cloud security in 2023 | InfoWorld

• Fileless attacks surge as cyber Criminals evade cloud security defences | CSO Online

• 5 Pitfalls in Cloud Cyber security’s Shared Responsibility Model - MSSP Alert

• Uncovering attacker tactics through cloud honeypots - Help Net Security

• How hardening Microsoft 365 tenants mitigates potential cloud attacks - Help Net Security

• Outlook for the web outage impacts users across America (bleepingcomputer.com)

• 3 Tips to Increase Hybrid and Multicloud Security (darkreading.com)

Identity and Access Management

• 10 things every CISO needs to know about identity and access management (IAM) | VentureBeat

• Human vs Machine Identity Risk Management (trendmicro.com)

Encryption

• Apple says proposed UK law ‘poses a serious threat’ to end-to-end encryption - The Verge

• Iran finally admits its 'quantum processor' was in fact not quantum at all | PC Gamer

• How to stop quantum computers from breaking the internet’s encryption (sciencenews.org)

Open Source

• Linux version of Akira ransomware targets VMware ESXi servers (bleepingcomputer.com)

• OpenSSH Trojan Campaign Targets IoT and Linux Systems - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Exploring The Anatomy Of A Linux Kernel Exploit | Hackaday

Passwords, Credential Stuffing & Brute Force Attacks

• A New Era Of Security: Are Passwords No Longer Fit For Purpose? (informationsecuritybuzz.com)

Social Media

• Twitter Hacker Sentenced to 5 Years in Prison for $120,000 Crypto Scam (thehackernews.com)

Travel

• Employees worry less about cyber security best practices in the summer - Help Net Security

Cyber Bullying, Cyber Stalking and Sextortion

• Sensitive Information Stolen in LetMeSpy Stalkerware Hack - SecurityWeek

Regulations, Fines and Legislation

• SEC Alleges SolarWinds CFO, CISO Violated US Securities Laws (bankinfosecurity.com)

• US firm 'breached GDPR' by reputation-scoring EU citizens • The Register

• JP Morgan accidentally deletes 47 million comms records • The Register

Models, Frameworks and Standards

• Companies Call for Changes to UK’s Cyber Essentials Scheme - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• How to Reach Compliance with HIPAA (trendmicro.com)

Careers, Working in Cyber and Information Security

• SEC notice to SolarWinds CISO and CFO roils cyber security industry | CSO Online

• Skill gap plagues cyber security industry as jobs go unfilled | Mint (livemint.com)

• Experts Unconvinced by Upskill in UK Cyber Program - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

Law Enforcement Action and Take Downs

• Hacker responsible for 2020 Twitter breach sentenced to prison | TechCrunch

• Citizen of Croatia charged with running the Monopoly Market drug marketplace - Security Affairs

• 2,700 People Tricked Into Working for Cyber Crime Syndicates Rescued in Philippines - SecurityWeek

Privacy, Surveillance and Mass Monitoring

• Someone sent mysterious smartwatches to US Military personnel - Security Affairs

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Nation State Actors, Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs), Cyber Warfare and Cyber Espionage

Russia

• Microsoft Warns of Widescale Credential Stealing Attacks by Russian Hackers (thehackernews.com)

• Russian Spies, War Ministers Reliant on Cyber Crime in Pariah State (darkreading.com)

• What is Cyberwar? - SecurityWeek

• Pro-Russia DDoSia hacktivist project sees 2,400% membership increase (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Sachkov's Revenge: Jailed On Treason Charges, A Russian Cyber security Exec Goes On The Offensive (rferl.org)

• Microsoft hackers say they work for Sudan, not Russia | Fortune

• 'Chinese spy balloon' was 'crammed' with US hardware • The Register

• 'Wagner' Ransomware Targets Computers in Russia | PCMag

• Hackers attack Russian satellite telecom provider, claim affiliation with Wagner Group | CyberScoop

China

• Chinese Hackers Using Never-Before-Seen Tactics for Critical Infrastructure Attacks (thehackernews.com)

• China's 'Volt Typhoon' APT Now Exploits Zoho ManageEngine (darkreading.com)

• Ministers accused of ‘letting Huawei off the hook’ after scrapping release of security report (telegraph.co.uk)

• Chinese state-backed hackers accidentally infected a European hospital with malware (therecord.media)

• 'Chinese spy balloon' was 'crammed' with US hardware • The Register

Iran

• The potent cyber adversary threatening to further inflame Iranian politics | CyberScoop

• From MuddyC3 to PhonyC2: Iran's MuddyWater Evolves with a New Cyber Weapon (thehackernews.com)

• Charming Kitten’s PowerStar Malware Evolves with Advanced Techniques - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Iran finally admits its 'quantum processor' was in fact not quantum at all | PC Gamer

North Korea

• New EarlyRAT malware linked to North Korean Andariel hacking group (bleepingcomputer.com)

Misc/Other/Unknown

• Someone sent mysterious smartwatches to US Military personnel - Security Affairs

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Vulnerability Management

• SMBs plagued by exploits, trojans and backdoors | SC Media (scmagazine.com)

• Cyber attackers Still Rely on Decades-Old Security Weaknesses & Tactics, Barracuda Reports - MSSP Alert

• Remediation Ballet Is a Pas de Deux of Patch and Performance (darkreading.com)

• Micropatches: What they are and how they work - Help Net Security

• MITRE Unveils Top 25 Most Dangerous Software Weaknesses of 2023: Are You at Risk? (thehackernews.com)

• When It Comes to Secure Coding, ChatGPT Is Quintessentially Human (darkreading.com)

• It's 2023 and out-of-bounds write bugs are still number one • The Register

Vulnerabilities

• VMware fixed five memory corruption issues in vCenter Server - Security Affairs

• US Cyber security Agency Adds 6 Flaws to Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog (thehackernews.com)

• CISA Says Critical Zyxel NAS Vulnerability Exploited in Attacks - SecurityWeek

• Serious IDOR Vulnerability Found In Microsoft Teams (latesthackingnews.com)

• Fortinet fixes critical FortiNAC RCE, install updates asap - Security Affairs

• Details Disclosed for Critical SAP Vulnerabilities, Including Wormable Exploit Chain - SecurityWeek

• Critical flaw in VMware Aria Operations for Networks sees mass exploitation | CSO Online

• Internet Systems Consortium (ISC) fixed three DoS flaw in BIND - Security Affairs

• Chrome 114 Update Patches High-Severity Vulnerabilities - SecurityWeek

• Critical Security Flaw in Social Login Plugin for WordPress Exposes Users' Accounts (thehackernews.com)

• Grafana warns of critical auth bypass due to Azure AD integration (bleepingcomputer.com)

• The tech flaw that lets hackers control surveillance cameras - BBC News

• Exploit released for new Arcserve UDP auth bypass vulnerability (bleepingcomputer.com)

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Tools and Controls

• 95% fear inadequate cloud security detection and response - Help Net Security

• How a Layered Security Approach Can Minimize Email Threats - MSSP Alert

• ITDR Combines and Refines Familiar Cyber security Approaches (darkreading.com)

• How API gateways improve API security | TechTarget

• Uncovering attacker tactics through cloud honeypots - Help Net Security

• How Active Directory Bridging Extends Security Automation to Hybrid IT Environments (darkreading.com)

• Are GPT-Based Models the Right Fit for AI-Powered Cyber security? - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• 10 things every CISO needs to know about identity and access management (IAM) | VentureBeat

• FIDO Alliance Publishes Guidance for Deploying Passkeys in the Enterprise (darkreading.com)

• 3 Tips to Increase Hybrid and Multicloud Security (darkreading.com)

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Other News

• Submarine Cables at Growing Risk of Cyber-Attacks - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Businesses count the cost of network downtime - Help Net Security

• Exploring the persistent threat of cyber attacks on healthcare - Help Net Security

• How Can Manufacturers Stop Being The Top Target For Cyber Crime? (informationsecuritybuzz.com)

• Ex-FBI employee jailed for mishandling classified material • The Register

• Rapid7: Japan Threat Landscape Takes on Global Significance - SecurityWeek

• Over 1500 gas stations disrupted in Canada, after energy giant hacked (bitdefender.com)

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Sector Specific

Industry specific threat intelligence reports are available.

Contact us to receive tailored reports specific to the industry/sector and geographies you operate in.

·       Automotive

·       Construction

·       Critical National Infrastructure (CNI)

·       Defence & Space

·       Education & Academia

·       Energy & Utilities

·       Estate Agencies

·       Financial Services

·       FinTech

·       Food & Agriculture

·       Gaming & Gambling

·       Government & Public Sector (including Law Enforcement)

·       Health/Medical/Pharma

·       Hotels & Hospitality

·       Insurance

·       Legal

·       Manufacturing

·       Maritime

·       Oil, Gas & Mining

·       OT, ICS, IIoT, SCADA & Cyber-Physical Systems

·       Retail & eCommerce

·       Small and Medium Sized Businesses (SMBs)

·       Startups

·       Telecoms

·       Third Sector & Charities

·       Transport & Aviation

·       Web3

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As usual, contact us to help assess where your risks lie and to ensure you are doing all you can do to keep you and your business secure.

Look out for our ‘Cyber Tip Tuesday’ video blog and on our YouTube channel.

You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

Links to articles are for interest and awareness and linking to or reposting external content does not endorse any service or product, likewise we are not responsible for the security of external links.

Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing 16 June 2023

Welcome to this week’s Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing – a weekly digest, collated and curated by our cyber experts to provide senior and middle management with an easy to digest round up of the most notable threats, vulnerabilities, and cyber related news from the last week.

Top Cyber Stories of the Last Week

• Hacker Gang Clop Deploys Extortion Tactics Against Global Companies

The Russian-speaking gang of hackers that compromised UK groups such as British Airways and the BBC has claimed it has siphoned off sensitive data from more institutions including US-based investment firms, European manufacturers and US universities. Eight other companies this week made it onto Clop’s list on the dark web. That adds to the news last week that UK groups, including Walgreens-owned Boots, informed employees that their data had been compromised. The issue also targeted customers of Zellis, a UK-based payroll provider that about half of the companies on the FTSE 100 use.

The hacking group is pushing for contact with the companies on the list, according to a post on Clop’s dark web site, as the gang demands a ransom that cyber security experts and negotiators said could be as much as several million dollars.

https://www.ft.com/content/c1db9c5c-cdf1-48bc-8e6b-2c2444b66dc9

• Social Engineering Drives BEC Losses to $50B Globally

Business email compromise (BEC) continues to evolve on the back of sophisticated targeting and social engineering, costing businesses worldwide more than $50 billion in the last 10 years - a figure that reflected a growth in business losses to BEC of 17% year-over-year in 2022, according to the FBI.

Security professionals attribute BEC's continued dominance in the cyber threat landscape to several reasons. A key one is that attackers have become increasingly savvy in how to socially-engineer messages so that they appear authentic to users, which is the key to being successful at this scam. And with the increase in availability of artificial intelligence, the continued success of BEC means these attacks are here to stay. Organisations will be forced to respond with even stronger security measures, security experts say.

https://www.darkreading.com/threat-intelligence/social-engineering-drives-bec-losses-to-50b-globally

• Creating A Cyber Conscious Culture—It Must Be Driven from the Top

Businesses are facing more frequent and sophisticated cyber threats and they must continuously learn new ways to protect their revenues, reputation and maintain regulatory compliance. With hybrid and remote working blurring traditional security perimeters and expanding the attack surface, the high volumes of sensitive information held by organisations are at increased risk of cyber attacks.

The increase had led to cyber elevating to the board level; after all the board is responsible for cyber security. It doesn’t stop there however, as everyone in an organisation has responsibility for upholding cyber security. The board must aim to create a cyber-conscious culture, where users are aware of their role in cyber security. One important way such a culture can be achieved is through providing regular education and training to all users.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestechcouncil/2023/06/12/creating-a-cyber-conscious-culture-it-must-be-driven-from-the-top/sh=6a0bb36426cc

• Artificial Intelligence is Coming to Windows: Are Your Security Policy Settings Ready?

What’s in your Windows security policy? Do you review your settings on an annual basis or more often? Do you provide education and training regarding the topics in the policy? Does it get revised when the impact of an incident showcases that an internal policy violation led to the root cause of the issue? And, importantly, do you have a security policy that includes your firm’s overall policies around the increasing race towards artificial intelligence, which is seemingly in nearly every application released these days?

From word processing documents to the upcoming enhancements to Windows 11, which will include AI prompting in the Explorer platform, organisations should review how they want their employees to treat customer data or other confidential information when using AI platforms. Many will want to build limits and guidelines into their security plans that specify what is allowed to be entered into platforms and websites that may store or share the information online. However, confidential information should not be included in any application that doesn’t have clearly defined protections around the handling of such data. The bottom line is that AI is coming to your network and your desktop sooner than you think. Build your policies now and review your processes to determine if you are ready for it today.

https://www.csoonline.com/article/3698517/artificial-intelligence-is-coming-to-windows-are-your-security-policy-settings-ready.html

• Cyber Crooks Targeting Employees, Organisations Fight Back with Training Programs

Cyber criminals are increasingly targeting an organisation’s employees, figuring to trick an untrained staffer to click on a malicious link that starts a malware attack, Fortinet said in a newly released study of security awareness and training.

More than 80% of organisations faced malware, phishing and password attacks last year, which were mainly targeted at users. This underscores that employees can be an organisation’s weakest point or one of its most powerful defences.

Fortinet’s research revealed that more than 90% of the survey’s respondents believe that increased employee cyber security awareness would help decrease the occurrence of cyber attacks. As organisations face increasing cyber risks, employees serving as an organisation’s first line of defence in protecting their organisation from cyber crime becomes of paramount importance.

https://www.msspalert.com/cybersecurity-research/cyber-crooks-targeting-employees-organizations-fight-back-with-training-programs/

• Massive Phishing Campaign Uses 6,000 Sites to Impersonate 100 Brands

A widespread brand impersonation campaign targeting over a hundred popular apparel, footwear, and clothing brands has been underway since June 2022, tricking people into entering their account credentials and financial information on fake websites. The brands impersonated by the phony sites include Nike, Puma, Asics, Vans, Adidas, Columbia, Superdry, Converse, Casio, Timberland, Salomon, Crocs, Sketchers, The North Face and others.

A recent report found the campaign relies on at least 3,000 domains and roughly 6,000 sites, including inactive ones. The campaign had a significant activity spike between January and February 2023, adding 300 new fake sites monthly. The domain names follow a pattern of using the brand name together with a city or country, followed by a generic TLD such as ".com." Additionally, any details entered on the checkout pages, most notably the credit card details, may be stored by the website operators and resold to cyber criminals.

https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/massive-phishing-campaign-uses-6-000-sites-to-impersonate-100-brands/

• Over One in Ten Brits are Willing to Engage in ‘Illegal or Illicit’ Online Behaviour

A recent study found that 11% of Brits were tempted to engage in ‘illegal or illicit online behaviour’ in order to help manage the fallout from the cost of living crisis. This statistic becomes even more concerning when focused on younger people, with almost a quarter of 25–35 year old respondents (23%) willing to consider illegal or illicit online activity. Of those willing to engage in this kind of behaviour, 56% suggested it was because they are desperate and struggling to get by, and need to find alternative means of supporting their families.

Nearly half (47%) of UK business leaders believe their organisation has been at a greater risk of attack since the start of the cost-of-living crisis. Against this backdrop, many SME business leaders are understandably worried about the impact on employees. Of those who think their organisation is more exposed to attack, 38% believe it’s due to malicious insiders and 35% to overworked and distracted staff making mistakes. Organisations not doing so already, should look to incorporate insider threat into their security plans. Insider threat should focus on areas such as regular education and monitoring and detection.

The report found that 44% of respondents have also noticed an uptick in online scams hitting their inboxes since the cost of living crisis began in late 2021/early 2022. Another worrying finding is that this uptick is proving devastatingly effective for scammers: over one in ten (13%) of UK respondents have already been scammed since the cost of living crisis began. This rises to a quarter (26%) of respondents in the 18-25 age range, reflecting a hyper-online lifestyle and culture that scammers can work to exploit effectively.

https://www.itsecurityguru.org/2023/06/15/it-security-guru-study-shows-over-one-in-ten-brits-are-willing-to-engage-in-illegal-or-illicit-online-behaviour-as-the-cost-of-living-crisis-worsens 

https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/costofliving-crisis-drives-insider/

• Microsoft Office 365 Phishing Reveals Signs of Much Larger BEC Campaign

Recently, Microsoft discovered multi-stage adversary-in-the-middle (AitM) phishing and business email compromise (BEC) attacks against banking and financial services organisations. The attackers are successfully phishing employees’ accounts with fake Office 365 domains. This allows them to bypass authentication, exfiltrate data and send further phishing emails against other employees and several targeted external organisations. In some cases, threat actors have registered their own device to the employee’s account, to evade MFA defences and achieve persistent access.

https://securityaffairs.com/147327/hacking/aitm-bec-attacks.html

https://thehackernews.com/2023/06/adversary-in-middle-attack-campaign.html

https://www.csoonline.com/article/3699122/microsoft-office-365-aitm-phishing-reveals-signs-of-much-larger-bec-campaign.html

• Europol Warns of Metaverse and AI Terror Threat

New and emerging technologies like conversational AI, deepfakes and the metaverse could be utilised by terrorists and extremists to radicalise and recruit converts to their cause, Europol has warned. The report stated that the online environment lowers the bar for entering the world of terrorism and extremism, broadens the range of people that can become exposed to radicalisation and increases the unpredictability of terrorism and extremism.

Europol also pointed to the potential use of deepfakes, augmented reality and conversational AI to enhance the efficiency of terrorist propaganda. Both these technologies and internet of things (IoT) tools can also be deployed in more practical tasks such as the remote operation of vehicles and weapons used in attacks or setting up virtual training camps. Digital currencies are also playing a role in helping to finance such groups while maintaining the anonymity of those contributing the funding, Europol said.

https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/europol-warns-metaverse-and-ai/

• What is AI, and is it Dangerous?

Recently, we saw the release of the first piece of EU regulation on AI. This comes after a significant rise in the usage of tools such as ChatGPT. Such tools allow for even those with limited technical ability to perform sophisticated actions. In fact, usage has risen 44% over the last three months alone, according to a report.

Rather worryingly, there is a lack of governance on the usage of AI, and this extends to how AI is used within your own organisation. Whilst the usage can greatly improve actions performed within an organisation, the report found that 6% of employees using AI had pasted sensitive company data into an AI tool. Would your organisation know if this happened, and how damaging could it be to your organisation if this data was to be leaked? Continuous monitoring, risk analysis and real-time governance can help aid an organisation in having an overview of the usage of AI.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-65855333

https://thehackernews.com/2023/06/new-research-6-of-employees-paste.html

• Cyber Liability Insurance Vs. Data Breach Insurance: What's the Difference?

With an ever-increasing number of cyber security threats and attacks, companies are becoming motivated to protect their businesses and customer data both technically and financially. Finding the right insurance has become a key part of the security equation.

Companies looking to protect themselves have most likely heard the terms “cyber liability insurance” and “data breach insurance.” Put simply, cyber liability insurance refers to coverage for third-party claims asserted against a company stemming from a network security event or data breach. Data breach insurance, on the other hand, refers to coverage for first-party losses incurred by the insured organisation that has suffered a loss of data.

https://www.csoonline.com/article/3698297/cyber-liability-insurance-vs-data-breach-insurance-whats-the-difference.html

• Exploring the Dark Web: Hitmen for Hire and the Realities of Online Activities

The dark web makes up a significant portion of the internet. Access can be gained through special browser, TOR, also known as the onion Router. The service bounces around IP addresses, constantly changing to protect the anonymity of the user.

This dark web contains an array of activities and sites, which include hitmen for hire, drugs for sale, and stolen credit card databases amongst others. Sometimes these aren’t real however, and are actually a trap to steal money from users on the basis that these users are unlikely to report it to law enforcement when the victim was trying to break the law in the first place. What we do know however, is that the dark web contains a plethora of information, and this could include data from your organisation.

https://news.clearancejobs.com/2023/06/07/exploring-the-dark-web-hitman-for-hire-and-the-realities-of-online-activities/

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Governance, Risk and Compliance

• Creating A Cyber-Conscious Culture—It Must Be Driven From The Top (forbes.com)

• Most businesses vulnerable to attacks on the cyber battlefield - The Globe and Mail

• 10 Important Security Tasks You Shouldn't Skip (darkreading.com)

• Just 14% of CISOs possess desired traits for cyber security-expert board positions: Report  | VentureBeat

• Enhancing security team capabilities in tough economic times - Help Net Security

• Ignoring digital transformation is more dangerous than a recession - Help Net Security

• Ransomware Insurance: Security Strategies to Obtain Coverage (trendmicro.com)

• How the modern CIO grapples with legacy IT | CIO

• Cyber debt levels reach tipping point - Help Net Security

• Over Half of Security Leaders Lack Confidence in Protecting App Secrets, Study Reveals (thehackernews.com)

• Lax security measures, sophisticated hackers reason for rise in cyber breaches (ewn.co.za)

• Cyber Crooks Targeting Employees, Organisations Fight Back with Training Programs - MSSP Alert

• Cyber liability insurance vs. data breach insurance: What's the difference? | CSO Online

• Red teaming can be the ground truth for CISOs and execs - Help Net Security

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Threats

Ransomware, Extortion and Destructive Attacks

• CL0P Ransomware Gang Hits Multiple Governments, Businesses in Wide-Scale Attack - MSSP Alert

• Ransomware gang lists first victims of MOVEit mass-hacks, including US banks and universities | TechCrunch

• Cyber extortion hits all-time high - Help Net Security

• How Continuous Monitoring and Threat Intel Can Help Prevent Ransomware (darkreading.com)

• Researchers Report First Instance of Automated SaaS Ransomware Extortion (darkreading.com)

• Why Critical Infrastructure Remains a Ransomware Target (darkreading.com)

• Ransomware Insurance: Security Strategies to Obtain Coverage (trendmicro.com)

• CISA: LockBit ransomware extorted $91 million in 1,700 US attacks (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Microsoft links data wiping attacks to new Russian GRU hacking group (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Microsoft Warns of New Russian State-Sponsored Hacker Group with Destructive Intent (thehackernews.com)

• To Fight Cyber Extortion and Ransomware, Shift Left (trendmicro.com)

• Ransomware Hackers and Scammers Utilizing Cloud Mining to Launder Cryptocurrency (thehackernews.com)

• Russian ransomware hacker extorted tens of millions, says DOJ (cnbc.com)

• Ransomware review: June 2023 (malwarebytes.com)

Ransomware Victims

• Ofcom, Minnesota Dept of Ed among latest MOVEit victims • The Register

• Confidential data downloaded from UK regulator Ofcom in cyber attack (therecord.media)

• Oil and gas giant Shell confirms it was impacted by Clop ransomware attacks (therecord.media)TfL warns 13,000 staff that it was raided by Russian hackers (telegraph.co.uk)

• Russian hackers steal data on thousands of Ulez drivers (telegraph.co.uk)

• JBS’s cyber security was poor prior to 2021 ransomware attack, homeland security records show | Successful Farming (agriculture.com)

• An Illinois hospital links closure to ransomware attack (nbcnews.com)

• US energy department, other agencies hit in global hacking spree | Reuters

• iTWire - Financial services firm FIIG hit by cyber attack, ALPHV claims credit

• The University of Manchester hit by cyber security breach after detecting 'unauthorised activity' - Manchester Evening News

• Xplain data breach also impacted national Swiss railway FSS - Security Affairs

• Rhysida ransomware leaks documents stolen from Chilean Army (bleepingcomputer.com)

Phishing & Email Based Attacks

• Microsoft Office 365 AitM phishing reveals signs of much larger BEC campaign | CSO Online

• Adversary-in-the-Middle Attack Campaign Hits Dozens of Global Organisations (thehackernews.com)

• Younger, more extroverted, and more agreeable individuals are more vulnerable to email phishing scams (psypost.org)

• Log4J exploits may rise further as Microsoft continues war on phishing | ITPro

• Popular Apparel, Clothing Brands Being Used in Massive Phishing Scam (darkreading.com)

• Massive phishing campaign uses 6,000 sites to impersonate 100 brands (bleepingcomputer.com)

BEC – Business Email Compromise

• Microsoft Uncovers Banking AitM Phishing and BEC Attacks Targeting Financial Giants (thehackernews.com)

• Microsoft warns of multi-stage AiTM phishing and BEC attacks - Security Affairs

• Analysis: Social Engineering Drives BEC Losses to $50B Globally (darkreading.com)

Other Social Engineering; Smishing, Vishing, etc

• Analysis: Social Engineering Drives BEC Losses to $50B Globally (darkreading.com)

Artificial Intelligence

• New Research: 6% of Employees Paste Sensitive Data into GenAI tools as ChatGPT (thehackernews.com)

• Artificial intelligence is coming to Windows: Are your security policy settings ready? | CSO Online

• Europol Warns of Metaverse and AI Terror Threat - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• How Europe is Leading the World in the Push to Regulate AI - SecurityWeek

• AI is moving too fast to regulate, security minister warns (telegraph.co.uk)

• AI to render humans 'second most intelligent creations' | ITWeb

• LLM meets Malware: Starting the Era of Autonomous Threat - Security Affairs

• What is AI, is it dangerous and what jobs are at risk? - BBC News

• The perils of open-source AI | Financial Times (ft.com)

• Calculations Suggest It'll Be Impossible to Control a Super-Intelligent AI : ScienceAlert

2FA/MFA

• Multi-Factor Authentication Usage Nearly Doubles Since 2020, New Okta Report Finds - MSSP Alert

• Small organisations outpace large enterprises in MFA adoption - Help Net Security

Malware

• New SPECTRALVIPER Backdoor Targeting Vietnamese Public Companies (thehackernews.com)

• Cyber criminals Using Powerful BatCloak Engine to Make Malware Fully Undetectable (thehackernews.com)

• New Loader Delivering Spyware via Image Steals Cryptocurrency Info (darkreading.com)

• Pirated Windows 10 ISOs install clipper malware via EFI partitions (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Chinese hackers use DNS-over-HTTPS for Linux malware communication (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Fake zero-day PoC exploits on GitHub push Windows, Linux malware (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Gozi banking malware “IT chief” finally jailed after more than 10 years – Naked Security (sophos.com)

• LLM meets Malware: Starting the Era of Autonomous Threat - Security Affairs

• New ‘Shampoo’ Chromeloader malware pushed via fake warez sites (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Russian hackers use PowerShell USB malware to drop backdoors (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Fake Security Researcher Accounts Pushing Malware Disguised as Zero-Day Exploits - SecurityWeek

• Vidar Malware Using New Tactics to Evade Detection and Anonymize Activities (thehackernews.com)

Mobile

• How Popular Messaging Tools Instill a False Sense of Security (darkreading.com)

Denial of Service/DoS/DDOS

• Microsoft’s Azure portal down following new claims of DDoS attacks (bleepingcomputer.com)

• DOS Attacks Dominate, but System Intrusions Cause Most Pain (darkreading.com)

• Swiss government warns of ongoing DDoS attacks, data leak (bleepingcomputer.com)

• IoT Botnet DDoS Attacks Threaten Global Telecom Networks, Nokia (hackread.com)

• 10 Different Types of DDoS Attacks and How to Prevent Them (geekflare.com)

• Exclusive: Inside FXStreet's DDoS Attack (financemagnates.com)

Internet of Things – IoT

• Why attackers love to target IoT devices | VentureBeat

• IoT Botnet DDoS Attacks Threaten Global Telecom Networks, Nokia (hackread.com)

• How secure is your vehicle with digital key technology? - Help Net Security

• Flipper Zero “Smoking” A Smart Meter Is A Bad Look For Hardware Hackers | Hackaday

Data Breaches/Leaks

• Another huge US medical data breach confirmed after Fortra mass-hack | TechCrunch

• HSE hit by second 'international scale criminal' cyber attack as they monitor dark web for stolen data - Irish Mirror Online

• New Research: 6% of Employees Paste Sensitive Data into GenAI tools as ChatGPT (thehackernews.com)

• Top 10 cyber security findings from Verizon's 2023 data breach report | VentureBeat

• Xplain data breach also impacted national Swiss railway FSS - Security Affairs

• Examining the long-term effects of data privacy violations - Help Net Security

• A Massive Vaccine Database Leak Exposes IDs of Millions of Indians | WIRED

• Swiss Fear Government Data Stolen in Cyber attack - SecurityWeek

• Ofcom, Minnesota Dept of Ed among latest MOVEit victims • The Register

• Have I Been Pwned warns of new Zacks data breach impacting 8 million (bleepingcomputer.com)

Organised Crime & Criminal Actors

• The Complexities of Hacking: Exploring the thin line between cyber crime and ethical hacking | Euronews

• When It Comes to Cyber crime, the Medium Makes Us Vulnerable - Centre for International Governance Innovation (cigionline.org)

• Cyber criminals return to business as usual in a post-pandemic world - Help Net Security

Cryptocurrency/Cryptomining/Cryptojacking/NFTs/Blockchain

• Hackers steal $3 million by impersonating crypto news journalists (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Beware: 1,000+ Fake Cryptocurrency Sites Trap Users in Bogus Rewards Scheme (thehackernews.com)

• New Loader Delivering Spyware via Image Steals Cryptocurrency Info (darkreading.com)

• Cryptocurrency Attacks Quadrupled as Cyber criminals Cash In (darkreading.com)

• Ransomware Hackers and Scammers Utilizing Cloud Mining to Launder Cryptocurrency (thehackernews.com)

Insider Risk and Insider Threats

• Cyber Crooks Targeting Employees, Organisations Fight Back with Training Programs - MSSP Alert

• Top 10 Risky Behaviours of Employees - IT Security Guru

• Insider Threat Vs Outsider Threat: Which Is Worse? (informationsecuritybuzz.com)

• Study shows over one in ten Brits are willing to engage in ‘illegal or illicit’ online behaviour as the Cost of Living crisis worsens - IT Security Guru

Fraud, Scams & Financial Crime

• Yet more direct calling fiends fined by UK's data watchdog • The Register

• Cost-of-Living Crisis Drives Insider Threat Concerns - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

Impersonation Attacks

• New Study Takes a Deep Dive Into Lookalike Attacks - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

Insurance

• After Important Cyber Insurance Victory for Policyholders, Focus Turns to Insurers' Proposed Changes to War Exclusions | HUB | K&L Gates (klgates.com)

• Ransomware Insurance: Security Strategies to Obtain Coverage (trendmicro.com)

• The insurance industry cyber crime report: recent attacks on insurance businesses | Insurance Business America (insurancebusinessmag.com)

• Cyber liability insurance vs. data breach insurance: What's the difference? | CSO Online

Dark Web

• Exploring the Dark Web: Hitman for Hire and the Realities of Online Activities - ClearanceJobs

Supply Chain and Third Parties

• New Supply Chain Attack Exploits Abandoned S3 Buckets to Distribute Malicious Binaries (thehackernews.com)

Cloud/SaaS

• SaaS Ransomware Attack Hit Sharepoint Online Without Using a Compromised Endpoint - SecurityWeek

• New MOVEit Transfer critical flaws found after security audit, patch now (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Seven steps for using zero trust to protect your multicloud • The Register

• New cloud security guidance: it's all about the config - NCSC.GOV.UK

• Microsoft keeps quiet on talk of possible Azure DDoS attack • The Register

• New Supply Chain Attack Exploits Abandoned S3 Buckets to Distribute Malicious Binaries (thehackernews.com)

Encryption

• Hackers can steal cryptographic keys by video-recording power LEDs 60 feet away | Ars Technica

Open Source

• Chinese hackers use DNS-over-HTTPS for Linux malware communication (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Fake zero-day PoC exploits on GitHub push Windows, Linux malware (bleepingcomputer.com)

Passwords, Credential Stuffing & Brute Force Attacks

• Thoughts on scheduled password changes (don’t call them rotations!) – Naked Security (sophos.com)

• Microsoft misused our dark web data, says security vendor • The Register

• RDP honeypot targeted 3.5 million times in brute-force attacks (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Want to be hacked? Just make these password mistakes | Tom's Guide (tomsguide.com)

Training, Education and Awareness

• Top 10 Risky Behaviours of Employees - IT Security Guru

• Cyber Crooks Targeting Employees, Organisations Fight Back with Training Programs - MSSP Alert

Digital Transformation

• Ignoring digital transformation is more dangerous than a recession - Help Net Security

Regulations, Fines and Legislation

• AI is moving too fast to regulate, security minister warns (telegraph.co.uk)

• Ofcom, Minnesota Dept of Ed among latest MOVEit victims • The Register

• Confidential data downloaded from UK regulator Ofcom in cyber attack (therecord.media)

• Yet more direct calling fiends fined by UK's data watchdog • The Register

• How Europe is Leading the World in the Push to Regulate AI - SecurityWeek

• Feds extend deadline for software security attestations • The Register

Models, Frameworks and Standards

• 3 ways we've made the CIS Controls more automation-friendly - Help Net Security

• Use PCI DSS Checklist with Automation (trendmicro.com)

Data Protection

• UK and US Agree Deal to Facilitate Personal Data Flows - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

Careers, Working in Cyber and Information Security

• #InfosecurityEurope: Cyber Leaders’ Plea to Tackle the Industry’s Mental Health Crisis - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

Law Enforcement Action and Take Downs

• Gozi banking malware “IT chief” finally jailed after more than 10 years – Naked Security (sophos.com)

• LockBit Affiliate Arrested, as Extortion Totals Reach $91M Since 2020 (darkreading.com)

Privacy, Surveillance and Mass Monitoring

• Examining the long-term effects of data privacy violations - Help Net Security

• FBI: FISA Section 702 'absolutely critical' • The Register

• Strava heatmap feature can be abused to find home addresses (bleepingcomputer.com)

• US Intelligence Has Admitted Amassed Data on 'Nearly Everyone' (gizmodo.com)

• Feds Say Facial Recognition IDed Bosnian War Criminal Miljkovic (gizmodo.com)

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Spyware, Cyber Espionage & Cyber Warfare, including Russian Invasion of Ukraine

• Putin’s little cyber helpers turn their sights on the UK (telegraph.co.uk)

• Russia-Ukraine war sending shockwaves into cyber-ecosystem • The Register

• Ukrainian hackers take down service provider for Russian banks (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Pro-Ukraine Cyber Anarchy Squad claims the hack of the Russian telecom provider Infotel JSC - Security Affairs

• 'Stealth Soldier' Attacks Target Libyan Government Entities With Surveillance Malware (darkreading.com)

• RomCom Threat Actor Targets Ukrainian Politicians, US Healthcare (darkreading.com)

• Pro-Russian hackers step up attacks against Swiss targets, authorities say | Reuters

• Russian hackers steal data on thousands of Ulez drivers (telegraph.co.uk)

• Microsoft links data wiping attacks to new Russian GRU hacking group (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Russian hackers use PowerShell USB malware to drop backdoors (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Pro-Russian Hackers Target Website of Europe’s Largest Port in Rotterdam - Bloomberg

• Russia-linked APT Gamaredon update TTPs in recent attacks against Ukraine - Security Affairs

• Microsoft Warns of New Russian State-Sponsored Hacker Group with Destructive Intent (thehackernews.com)

• New Report Reveals Shuckworm's Long-Running Intrusions on Ukrainian Organisations (thehackernews.com)

• Russia-backed hackers unleash new USB-based malware on Ukraine’s military | Ars Technica

• Microsoft Names Russian Threat Actor "Cadet Blizzard" - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

Nation State Actors

• Chinese hackers use DNS-over-HTTPS for Linux malware communication (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Iran's 'quantum processor' turned out to be a $600 dev board | PC Gamer

• China-based threat actors target UIDAI, AIIMS, ICMR: Govt advisory (moneycontrol.com)

• Subsea cables: how the US is pushing China out of the internet’s plumbing

• China's cyber now aimed at infrastructure, warns CISA boss

• Cyber security: Americans should prepare for cyber sabotage from Chinese hackers, US official warns - The Economic Times (indiatimes.com)

• Ukraine information sharing a model for countering China, top cyber official says | CyberScoop

• Chinese Threat Actor Abused ESXi Zero-Day to Pilfer Files From Guest VMs (darkreading.com)

• North Korea created evil twin of South Korea's Naver.com • The Register

• Behind the Scenes Unveiling the Hidden Workings of Earth Preta (trendmicro.com)

• Gloucester: Russian hackers behind cyber-attack on council - BBC News

• Critical Barracuda ESG Zero-Day Linked to Novel Chinese APT (darkreading.com)

• Barracuda ESG Zero-Day Vulnerability (CVE-2023-2868) Exploited Globally by Aggressive and Skilled Actor, Suspected Links to China | Mandiant

• Russian ransomware hacker extorted tens of millions, says DOJ (cnbc.com)

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Vulnerability Management

• Why Detecting Behaviors Beats Zero-Days | Blumira

Vulnerabilities

• Third Flaw Uncovered in MOVEit Transfer App Amidst Cl0p Ransomware Mass Attack (thehackernews.com)

• Bitwarden update corrects password manager access vulnerability on Windows - gHacks Tech News

• Fortinet: Patched Critical Flaw May Have Been Exploited (darkreading.com)

• Bitwarden update corrects password manager access vulnerability on Windows - gHacks Tech News

• CISA orders federal agencies to secure Internet-exposed network devices (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Microsoft June 2023 Patch Tuesday fixes 78 flaws, 38 RCE bugs (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Log4J exploits may rise further as Microsoft continues war on phishing | ITPro

• Severe Vulnerabilities Reported in Microsoft Azure Bastion and Container Registry (thehackernews.com)

• New Critical Google Chrome Payments Security Issue Confirmed (forbes.com)

• Critical Security Vulnerability Discovered in WooCommerce Stripe Gateway Plugin (thehackernews.com)

• VMware fixes critical flaws in Aria Operations for Networks (CVE-2023-20887) - Help Net Security

• Barracuda ESG Zero-Day Vulnerability (CVE-2023-2868) Exploited Globally by Aggressive and Skilled Actor, Suspected Links to China | Mandiant

• US energy department, other agencies hit in global hacking spree | Reuters

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Tools and Controls

• The Complexities of Hacking: Exploring the thin line between cyber crime and ethical hacking | Euronews

• Use of Multifactor Authentication (MFA) Nearly Doubles Since 2020, Okta Secure Sign-in Trends Reports Finds (darkreading.com)

• Ignoring digital transformation is more dangerous than a recession - Help Net Security

• Cyber Crooks Targeting Employees, Organisations Fight Back with Training Programs - MSSP Alert

• Cyber liability insurance vs. data breach insurance: What's the difference? | CSO Online

• Red teaming can be the ground truth for CISOs and execs - Help Net Security

• How Continuous Monitoring and Threat Intel Can Help Prevent Ransomware (darkreading.com)

• Secure Sign-in Trends Report | Okta

• What is Dark Web Monitoring and How Does It Work? | Trend Micro News

• New cloud security guidance: it's all about the config - NCSC.GOV.UK

• Why Now? The Rise of Attack Surface Management (thehackernews.com)

• Why Detecting Behaviours Beats Zero-Days | Blumira

• What Is Red Teaming and How Does It Work? (howtogeek.com)

• Exploring the All-Time Best Book for Ethical Hacking – Codelivly

• Beyond MFA: 3 steps to improve security and reduce customer authentication friction - Help Net Security

• Enhancing security team capabilities in tough economic times - Help Net Security

• Small organisations outpace large enterprises in MFA adoption - Help Net Security

• Cyber debt levels reach tipping point - Help Net Security

• MSSQL makes up 93% of all activity on honeypots tracking 10 databases | SC Media (scmagazine.com)

• Attack Surface Management Strategies (trendmicro.com)

• 5 best practices to ensure the security of third-party APIs | CSO Online

• Multi-Factor Authentication Usage Nearly Doubles Since 2020, New Okta Report Finds - MSSP Alert

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Reports Published in the Last Week

• Secure Sign-in Trends Report | Okta

• Top 10 cyber security findings from Verizon's 2023 data breach report | VentureBeat

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Other News

• #InfosecurityEurope: What TechUK's New Plan Means for Cyber security - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• A Tech Plan to "Build a Better Britain" - IT Security Guru

• German National Security Strategy leaves out cyber counter-attacks – EURACTIV.com

• Moving the Cyber Industry Forward Requires a Novel Approach (darkreading.com)

• (ISC)² and CIISec Release Guide to Inclusive Language in Cyber security - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

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Sector Specific

Industry specific threat intelligence reports are available.

Contact us to receive tailored reports specific to the industry/sector and geographies you operate in.

·       Automotive

·       Construction

·       Critical National Infrastructure (CNI)

·       Defence & Space

·       Education & Academia

·       Energy & Utilities

·       Estate Agencies

·       Financial Services

·       FinTech

·       Food & Agriculture

·       Gaming & Gambling

·       Government & Public Sector (including Law Enforcement)

·       Health/Medical/Pharma

·       Hotels & Hospitality

·       Insurance

·       Legal

·       Manufacturing

·       Maritime

·       Oil, Gas & Mining

·       OT, ICS, IIoT, SCADA & Cyber-Physical Systems

·       Retail & eCommerce

·       Small and Medium Sized Businesses (SMBs)

·       Startups

·       Telecoms

·       Third Sector & Charities

·       Transport & Aviation

·       Web3

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As usual, contact us to help assess where your risks lie and to ensure you are doing all you can do to keep you and your business secure.

Look out for our ‘Cyber Tip Tuesday’ video blog and on our YouTube channel.

You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

Links to articles are for interest and awareness and linking to or reposting external content does not endorse any service or product, likewise we are not responsible for the security of external links.

Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing 9th June 2023

Welcome to this week’s Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing – a weekly digest, collated and curated by our cyber experts to provide senior and middle management with an easy to digest round up of the most notable threats, vulnerabilities, and cyber related news from the last week.

Top Cyber Stories of the Last Week

• 74% of Breaches Involve Human Element- Make Employees Your Best Asset

Verizon’s recent data breach report analysed 16,312 security incidents and 5,199 breaches. A total of 74% of breaches involved a human element, highlighting the role of employees in achieving good cyber resilience. Organisations looking to improve their resilience should therefore consider how well and how frequently they train their users. In a recent report, Fortinet found that 90% of leaders believed that increasing their employee cyber security awareness would help decrease the occurrence of cyber attacks. Worryingly, despite 85% of leaders having an awareness and training programme in place, 50% believed their employees still lacked cyber security knowledge.

With an effective training programme, organisations can increase their employees’ cyber risk awareness and empower them in defending the organisation, laying the foundation for a strong cyber security culture.

https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2023/06/06/verizon-data-breach-investigations-report-2023-dbir/

https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2023/06/09/employees-cybersecurity-knowledge/

• Cyber Security Agency Urges Vigilance as MOVEit Attack Impacts Major Companies Including British Airways, Boots and the BBC

The recent cyber attacks on file transfer software MOVEit have impacted a number of major companies through their supply chain. The attack, which hit UK-based HR and payroll provider Zellis has had a huge knock-on effect, with major companies such as British Airways, Boots and the BBC suffering as a result of using Zellis in their supply chain. The UK’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) has emphasised the need for organisations to exercise heightened vigilance.

Organisations must be aware of supply chain risks, and how an attack on a supplier or service provider can impact their own organisation. It is important for organisations to manage supply chain security, assess third party risks, communicate with suppliers and keep on top of emerging threats; it’s no simple task.

https://www.securityweek.com/several-major-organizations-confirm-being-impacted-by-moveit-attack/

https://www.ibtimes.co.uk/british-cybersecurity-agency-urges-vigilance-major-companies-fall-victim-software-hack-1716493

• CISOs and IT Lack Confidence in Executives’ Cyber Defence Knowledge as the Spotlight Falls on the Boardroom

Nearly three-quarters of data breaches include an element of human failure, and senior business leaders were particularly at risk, according to a recent report. Not only do business leaders possess the most sensitive information, but they are often the least protected, with many organisations making security protocol exemptions for them. Such factors have pushed the boardroom into the spotlight more.

In another report, it was found that only 28% of IT professionals were confident in their executives’ ability to recognise a phishing email. The report found that as many as 71% of executives were reusing compromised passwords from personal accounts inside the company. Technology alone won’t solve the problem: user awareness training is required and this includes the boardroom.

https://www.csoonline.com/article/3698708/cisos-it-lack-confidence-in-executives-cyber-defense-knowledge.html

https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366539293/Cyber-spotlight-falls-on-boardroom-privilege-as-incidents-soar

• Only 1 in 10 CISOs are Board-ready as Nearly Half of Boards Lack Cyber Expertise

A recent study has found that only 1 in 10 chief information security officers (CISOs) have all the key traits thought to be crucial for success on a corporate board, with many lacking governance skills and experience and other attributes needed for board readiness. Worryingly, nearly half of the 1,000 companies in the study lacked at least one director with cyber security expertise. This is concerning as good cyber security starts from the board: the board is responsible for understanding the business risks of a cyber incident and for endorsing whether the cyber controls in place have reduced those risks to a level that the board is happy with. Similarly, the board would not sign off financial risks without ensuring they had someone with financial experience and qualifications present. The Black Arrow vCISO service is ideal for organisations that need expertise in assessing and managing cyber risks, underpinned by governance reporting and metrics presented to enable the board to make educated and informed decisions.

https://www.csoonline.com/article/3698291/only-one-in-10-cisos-today-are-board-ready-study-says

• BEC Volumes and Ransomware Costs Double in a Year

The number of recorded business email compromise (BEC) attacks doubled over the past year, with the threat comprising nearly 60% of social engineering incidents studied by Verizon for its 2023 Data Breach Investigations Report. The report this year was based on analysis of 16,312 security incidents and 5,199 breaches over the past year.

Pretexting, which is commonly using in BEC attacks, is now more common than phishing in social engineering incidents, although the latter is still more prevalent in breaches, the report noted. The median amount stolen in pretexting attacks now stands at $50,000. The vast majority of attacks (97%) over the past year were motivated by financial gain rather than espionage.

https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/bec-volumes-ransomware-costs/

• Hackers are Targeting C-Suite Executives Through Their Personal Email

As companies rely on chief financial officers (CFOs) to mitigate risk, cyber attacks and the costs associated with them are a major concern. Now there is also a growing trend of cyber criminals targeting C-suite executives in their personal lives, where it is easier to pull off a breach as there are fewer, if any, protections, instead of targeting them through their business accounts. Once attackers have access, they then try to use this to gain entry to the corporate systems. The report found that 42% of companies have experienced cyber criminal attacks on their senior-level corporate executives, which can compromise sensitive business data. The report found that 58% of respondents stated that cyber threat prevention for executives and their digital assets are not covered in their cyber, IT and physical securities strategies and budgets.

https://fortune.com/2023/06/08/hackers-targeting-c-suite-executives-personal-email-cybersecurity

• Proactive Detection is Crucial as Organisations Lack Effective Threat Research

In a recent study, it was found that CISOs are spending significantly less time on threat research and awareness, despite 58% having an increase in their budget for cyber security; the same number reported that their team is so busy, they may not detect an attack. In a different report, keeping up with threat intelligence was identified as one of the biggest challenges faced.

https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2023/06/06/cisos-cybersecurity-spending/

• Number of Vulnerabilities Exploited Rose by 55%

A recent report from Palo Alto Networks’ Unit 42 found that the number of vulnerabilities that attackers are exploiting has grown by 55% compared to 2021, with most of the increase resulting from supply chain vulnerabilities; along with this was a 25% rise in the number of CVE’s, the term used for identified vulnerabilities. Worryingly ChatGPT scams saw a 910% increase in monthly domain registrations, pointing to an exponential growth in fraudulent activities taking advantage of the widespread usage and popularity of AI-powered chatbots.

Such growth puts further strain on cyber security staff, making it even harder for organisations to keep up. A strong threat management programme is needed, to help organisations prioritise threats and use organisational resources effectively to address said threats.

https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/exploitation-vulnerabilities-grew/

https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/cves-surge-25-2022-another-record/

• Ransomware Behind Most Cyber Attacks, with Record-breaking May

2022 saw ransomware account for nearly one in four (24%) cyber attacks, with 95% of events resulting in a loss costing upwards of $2.25 million during 2021-2022. Ransomware remains a significant threat as evidenced by a different report, which stated that May 2023 saw a 154% spike in ransomware compared to May 2022. Other key findings include unreported attacks being five times more likely than reported attacks.

https://www.msspalert.com/cybersecurity-research/ransomware-hit-new-attack-highs-in-may-2023-blackfog-report-says/

https://www.scmagazine.com/analysis/ransomware/ransomware-attacks-have-room-to-grow-verizon-data-breach-report-shows

• 4 Areas of Cyber Risk That Boards Need to Address

As technological innovations such as cloud computing, the Internet of Things, robotic process automation, and predictive analytics are integrated into organisations, it makes them increasingly susceptible to cyber threats. This means that governing and assessing cyber risks becomes a prerequisite for successful business performance. This need for transparency has been recognised by the regulators and facilitated by the new cyber security rules to ensure companies maintain adequate cyber security controls and appropriately disclose cyber-related risks and incidents.

To ensure they fulfil the requirements, organisations should focus on the following areas: position security as a strategic business enabler; continuously monitor the cyber risk capability performance; align cyber risk management with business needs through policies and standards; and proactively anticipate the changing threat landscape by utilising threat intelligence sources for emerging threats.

https://hbr.org/2023/06/4-areas-of-cyber-risk-that-boards-need-to-address

• North Korea Makes 50% of Income from Cyber Attacks

The North Korean regime makes around half of its income from cyber attacks on cryptocurrency and other targets. A 2019 UN estimate claimed North Korea had amassed as much as $2bn through historic attacks on crypto firms and traditional banks.

North Korean hackers have been blamed for some of the biggest ever heists of cryptocurrency, including the $620m stolen from Sky Mavis’ Ronin Network last year and the $281m taken from KuCoin in 2020 and $35m from Atomic Wallet just this last weekend.

They are using increasingly sophisticated techniques to get what they want. The 3CX supply chain attacks, in which backdoor malware was implanted into a legitimate-looking software update from the eponymous comms provider, is thought to have been a targeted attempt at hitting crypto exchanges.

https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/north-korea-makes-50-income/

• Going Beyond “Next Generation” Network Security

Over a decade ago, the phrase “next generation” was used in the network security space to describe the introduction of application-layer controls with firewalls. It was a pivotal moment for the space, setting a new standard for how we protected the perimeter. A lot has happened in the last decade though, most notably, the rapid adoption of cloud and multicloud architectures and the loss of the “perimeter.” Today, 82% of IT leaders have adopted hybrid cloud architectures, and 58% of organisations use between two and three public Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) clouds. On top of that, 95% of web traffic is encrypted which limits visibility. Applications are everywhere, access privileges are unstructured, increasing the attack surface, and businesses expect near-perfect availability and resilience. To make things more complicated, enterprises have tried to solve these challenges with disparate solutions, leading to vendor sprawl among security stacks and operational inefficiency. What was once considered “next-generation” network security no longer cuts it.

https://blogs.cisco.com/security/going-beyond-next-generation-network-security-cisco-platform-approach

• Worldwide 2022 Email Phishing Statistics and Examples

Remote and hybrid work environments have become the new norm. The fact that email has become increasingly integral to business operations, has led malicious actors to favour email as an attack vector. According to a report by security company Egress, 92% of organisations have fallen victim to phishing attacks in 2022, a 29% increase in phishing incidents from 2021. Phishing attacks aimed at stealing info and data, also known as credential phishing, saw a 4% growth in 2022, with nearly 7 million detections. Rather worryingly, there was a 35% increase in the number of detections that related to business email compromise (BEC); these attacks mostly impersonated executives or high-ranking management personnel. With the increase in AI tools, it is expected that cyber criminals will be better able to create and deploy more sophisticated phishing attacks.

https://www.trendmicro.com/en_us/ciso/23/e/worldwide-email-phishing-stats-examples-2023.html

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Governance, Risk and Compliance

• Insurers Predict $33bn Bill for Catastrophic "Cyber Event" - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Verizon 2023 Data Breach Investigations Report: 74% of breaches involve human element - Help Net Security

• 4 Areas of Cyber Risk That Boards Need to Address (hbr.org)

• CISOs, IT lack confidence in executives’ cyber-defence knowledge | CSO Online

• Cyber spotlight falls on boardroom ‘privilege’ as incidents soar | Computer Weekly

• CISOs focus more on business strategy than threat research - Help Net Security

• With SEC Rule Changes on the Horizon, Research Reveals Only 14% of CISOs Have Traits Desired for Cyber Expert Board Positions (darkreading.com)

• Only one in 10 CISOs today are board-ready, study says | CSO Online

• Employee cyber security awareness takes centre stage in defence strategies - Help Net Security

• The Importance of Managing Your Data Security Posture (thehackernews.com)

• How CISOs Can Manage the Intersection of Security, Privacy, And Trust (darkreading.com)

• Why Companies Should Consider Developing A Chief Security Officer Position (forbes.com)

• Want Sustainable Security? Find Middle Ground Between Tech & Education (darkreading.com)

• VeeamON 2023: When Your Nightmare Comes True - The New Stack

• Make Your Employees Your Best Asset in Combating Cyber crime | CISO Collective (fortinet.com)

• UK Organisations lack clear path to achieve threat intelligence - IT Security Guru

• CIOs prioritize new technologies over tech stack optimization - Help Net Security

• Top factors driving enterprise demand for new cyber security technology - Help Net Security

• Why a proactive detection and incident response plan is crucial for your organisation | Microsoft Security Blog

• Factors influencing IT security spending - Help Net Security

• How to Boost Cyber Security Through Better Communication (securityintelligence.com)

• Generative AI's influence on data governance and compliance - Help Net Security

• Essential Cyber security Compliance Standards (trendmicro.com)

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Threats

Ransomware, Extortion and Destructive Attacks

• Verizon DBIR: Social Engineering Gains Lead to Spiraling Breach Costs (darkreading.com)

• Ransomware Behind Most Cyber Attacks, Verizon Business Reports - MSSP Alert

• Ransomware Hit New Attack Highs in May 2023, BlackFog Report Says - MSSP Alert

• Hacking Spree Feared After Breach of File-Sharing Software - Bloomberg

• Clop ransomware likely testing MOVEit zero-day since 2021 (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Clop extortion gang gives MOVEit exploit victims one week to reach out | CSO Online

• New Linux Ransomware Strain BlackSuit Shows Striking Similarities to Royal (thehackernews.com)

• Cyclops Ransomware group offers a multiplatform Info StealerSecurity Affairs

• 0mega ransomware gang changes tactics - Help Net Security

• Firms warned not to give in to blackmail threats after Russia-linked payroll data hack | Evening Standard

• Royal ransomware gang adds BlackSuit encryptor to their arsenal (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Cyber Extortionists Seek Out Fresh Victims in LatAm and Asia - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

Ransomware Victims

• BA, BBC and Boots staff data hit by Russia-linked cyber attack (telegraph.co.uk)

• Ransomware takes down multiple municipalities in May | TechTarget

• Several Major Organisations Confirm Being Impacted by MOVEit Attack - SecurityWeek

• Spanish Bank Globalcaja Hit By Ransomware Attack - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• 2.5M Impacted by Enzo Biochem Data Leak After Ransomware Attack (darkreading.com)

• Burton Snowboards discloses data breach after February attack (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Pharmaceutical Giant Eisai Hit By Ransomware Incident - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• City of Dallas Still Clawing Back Weeks After Cyber Incident (darkreading.com)

• Caribbean Island Suffers Cyber Attack, MSSP Expert Recommends Low-Code Automation - MSSP Alert

Phishing & Email Based Attacks

• Fixing email security: It's still a rocky road ahead - SiliconANGLE

• Worldwide 2022 Email Phishing Statistics and Examples (trendmicro.com)

• New Security Warning Issued For Google's 1.8 Billion Gmail Users (forbes.com)

• New Horabot campaign takes over victim's Gmail, Outlook accounts (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Chinese Phishing Gang "PostalFurious" Expands Campaign - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Phishing Attack Prevention Checklist - A Detailed Guide (gbhackers.com)

• Gmail spoofing vulnerability sparks Google ‘Priority 1’ probe | SC Media (scmagazine.com)

BEC – Business Email Compromise

• BEC Volumes and Ransomware Costs Double in a Year - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

Other Social Engineering; Smishing, Vishing, etc

• Verizon DBIR: Social Engineering Gains Lead to Spiraling Breach Costs (darkreading.com)

Artificial Intelligence

• AI poses national security threat, warns terror watchdog | Artificial intelligence (AI) | The Guardian

• ChatGPT creates mutating malware that evades detection by EDR | CSO Online

• The Growing Cyber Threats of Generative AI: Who's Accountable? (darkreading.com)

• Consumers overestimate their deepfake detection skills - Help Net Security

• Department of Defence AI principles have a place in the CISO’s playbook | CSO Online

• Generative AI's influence on data governance and compliance - Help Net Security

• Traditional malware increasingly takes advantage of ChatGPT for attacks | CSO Online

• AI drone 'kills' human operator during 'simulation' - which US Air Force says didn't take place | Science & Tech News | Sky News

• OWASP lists 10 most critical large language model vulnerabilities | CSO Online

• Japan privacy watchdog warns ChatGPT-maker OpenAI on user data | Reuters

• New ChatGPT Attack Technique Spreads Malicious Packages - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Sextortionists are making AI nudes from your social media images (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Cyber crooks Scrape OpenAI API Keys to Pirate GPT-4 (darkreading.com)

2FA/MFA

• PyPI's 2FA Requirements Don't Go Far Enough, Researchers Say (darkreading.com)

• How fraudsters undermine text passcodes - Help Net Security

Malware

• High-profile malware and targeted attacks in Q1 2023 | Securelist

• ChatGPT creates mutating malware that evades detection by EDR | CSO Online

• Malicious Chrome extensions with 75M installs removed from Web Store (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Qakbot: The trojan that just won't go away - Help Net Security

• Qbot malware adapts to live another day … and another … • The Register

• Alarming Surge in TrueBot Activity Revealed with New Delivery Vectors (thehackernews.com)

• New ChatGPT Attack Technique Spreads Malicious Packages - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• New PowerDrop Malware Targeting US Aerospace Industry (thehackernews.com)

• Dissecting the Dark Web Supply Chain: Stealer Logs in Context (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Minecraft Malware Spreading Through Mods, Plug-ins (darkreading.com)

• Online sellers targeted by new information-stealing malware campaign (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Google puts $1M behind its mining-malware detection promise • The Register

Mobile

• Over 60,000 Android apps secretly installed adware for past six months (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Android security update fixes Mali GPU flaw exploited by spyware (bleepingcomputer.com)

• New tool scans iPhones for 'Triangulation' malware infection (bleepingcomputer.com)

• New Android feature drop will scan the dark web for your Gmail address | Trusted Reviews

• Apple announces next-level privacy and security innovations - Help Net Security

• How Does Android Stack Up Vs IOS? (informationsecuritybuzz.com)

Botnets

• New Horabot campaign takes over victim's Gmail, Outlook accounts (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Alarming Surge in TrueBot Activity Revealed with New Delivery Vectors (thehackernews.com)

Denial of Service/DoS/DDOS

• Outlook.com hit by outages as hacktivists claim DDoS attacks (bleepingcomputer.com)

• The evolution of DDoS attacks in 2023 - Help Net Security

• Microsoft OneDrive down worldwide following claims of DDoS attacks (bleepingcomputer.com)

Internet of Things – IoT             

• Britain to remove Chinese surveillance gear from government sites | Surveillance | The Guardian

• Morrisons and Tesco ban Chinese CCTV cameras over security fears (telegraph.co.uk)

• Amazon’s Ring doorbell employees spied on users’ bathrooms (telegraph.co.uk)

• High-risk vulnerabilities patched in ABB Aspect building management system - Help Net Security

• New York City sues Hyundai, Kia claiming cars easy to steal • The Register

Data Breaches/Leaks

• Verizon DBIR: Social Engineering Gains Lead to Spiraling Breach Costs (darkreading.com)

• BA, BBC and Boots staff data hit by Russia-linked cyber attack (telegraph.co.uk)

• This Google Workspace security flaw could let hackers quietly steal your Drive files | TechRadar

• Microsoft: Lace Tempest Hackers Behind Active Exploitation of MOVEit Transfer App (thehackernews.com)

• Hackers launch another wave of mass-hacks targeting company file transfer tools | TechCrunch

• Massive free VPN data breach exposes 360M records | Fox News

• 2.5M Impacted by Enzo Biochem Data Leak After Ransomware Attack (darkreading.com)

• Cloud misconfiguration causes massive data breach at Toyota Motor | CSO Online

• Honda API flaws exposed customer data, dealer panels, internal docs (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Every Netherlands resident affected by data leak: watchdog | NL Times

• German recruiter Pflegia leaks sensitive job seeker info- Security Affairs

• What’s really changed 10 years after the Snowden revelations? | Edward Snowden | The Guardian

Organised Crime & Criminal Actors

• RaidForums: The child hacker facing extradition to the US | Euronews

Cryptocurrency/Cryptomining/Cryptojacking/NFTs/Blockchain

• North Korean Hackers Blamed for $35 Million Atomic Wallet Crypto Theft – Security Week

• Google puts $1M behind its mining-malware detection promise • The Register

Insider Risk and Insider Threats

• Verizon 2023 Data Breach Investigations Report: 74% of breaches involve human element - Help Net Security

• How to Boost Cyber Security Through Better Communication (securityintelligence.com)

Fraud, Scams & Financial Crime

• Scammers publish ads for hacking services on government websites | TechCrunch

• Hackers hijack legitimate sites to host credit card stealer scripts (bleepingcomputer.com)

• A new wave of sophisticated digital fraud hits Europe - Help Net Security

• ID fraud a possibility forever, claims data breach lawsuit • The Register

• How fraudsters undermine text passcodes - Help Net Security

• Magento, WooCommerce, WordPress, and Shopify Exploited in Web Skimmer Attack (thehackernews.com)

• Brazilian Cyber criminals Using LOLBaS and CMD Scripts to Drain Bank Accounts (thehackernews.com)

• Virtual claims raise alarms among insurance carriers and customers - Help Net Security

• UK banks to reimburse fraud victims under new rules, regulator confirms | Scams | The Guardian

• Interpol: Human Trafficking is Fueling Fraud Epidemic - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

Impersonation Attacks

• 'Picture-in-Picture' Obfuscation Spoofs Delta, Kohl's for Credential Harvesting (darkreading.com)

• Gmail spoofing vulnerability sparks Google ‘Priority 1’ probe | SC Media (scmagazine.com)

Deepfakes

• Sextortionists are making AI nudes from your social media images (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Deepfakes being used in ‘sextortion’ scams, FBI warns • The Register

• Consumers overestimate their deepfake detection skills - Help Net Security

• Defenders Buckle Up for a Future of Detecting Deepfakes (darkreading.com)

Insurance

• Insurers Predict $33bn Bill for Catastrophic "Cyber Event" - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Virtual claims raise alarms among insurance carriers and customers - Help Net Security

Dark Web

• New Android feature drop will scan the dark web for your Gmail address | Trusted Reviews

• Dissecting the Dark Web Supply Chain: Stealer Logs in Context (bleepingcomputer.com)

• What is the dark web and how do you access it? (androidpolice.com)

Supply Chain and Third Parties

• Firms warned not to give in to blackmail threats after Russia-linked payroll data hack | Evening Standard

• Capita data breach ‘may affect millions’ (thetimes.co.uk)

• BA, BBC and Boots staff data hit by Russia-linked cyber attack (telegraph.co.uk)

• Microsoft: Lace Tempest Hackers Behind Active Exploitation of MOVEit Transfer App (thehackernews.com)

• Clop extortion gang gives MOVEit exploit victims one week to reach out | CSO Online

• Clop Ransomware Gang Likely Aware of MOVEit Transfer Vulnerability Since 2021 (thehackernews.com)

• Hacking Spree Feared After Breach of File-Sharing Software - Bloomberg

• data privacy: Swiss administration hit by cyber attack - The Economic Times (indiatimes.com)

Software Supply Chain

• SBOMs - Software Supply Chain Security’s Future or Fantasy? - SecurityWeek

• 10 security tool categories needed to shore up software supply chain security | CSO Online

Cloud/SaaS

• Cloud Security Tops Concerns for Cyber Security Leaders: EC-Council's Certified CISO Hall of Fame Report 2023 (thehackernews.com)

• The Annual Report: 2024 Plans and Priorities for SaaS Security (thehackernews.com)

• Cloud misconfiguration causes massive data breach at Toyota Motor | CSO Online

• This Google Workspace security flaw could let hackers quietly steal your Drive files | TechRadar

• Current SaaS security strategies don't go far enough - Help Net Security

Hybrid/Remote Working

• Filling the Gaps: How to Secure the Future of Hybrid Work (darkreading.com)

• Thought of Going Into Office Gives Quarter of Employees Sunday Scaries - IT Security Guru

• Surveilling your employees? You could be putting your company at risk of attack - Help Net Security

Shadow IT

• Shadow IT is increasing and so are the associated security risks | CSO Online

Encryption

• UK Government Official Offers Up Nonsensical Defence Of Criminalizing End-To-End Encryption | Techdirt

API

• Honda API flaws exposed customer data, dealer panels, internal docs (bleepingcomputer.com)

• OWASP's 2023 API Security Top 10 Refines View of API Risks - SecurityWeek

Passwords, Credential Stuffing & Brute Force Attacks

• Watch brute force hacking attempts fail in realtime | Boing Boing

Social Media

• UK mental health charities handed sensitive data to Facebook for targeted ads | Mental health | The Guardian

• Microsoft Preps $425M Payment for LinkedIn GDPR Violations (darkreading.com)

• Hate speech is driving advertisers away from Twitter • Graham Cluley

• US government's TikTok ban extended to include contractors • The Register

Training, Education and Awareness

• Employee cyber security awareness takes center stage in defense strategies - Help Net Security

• Want Sustainable Security? Find Middle Ground Between Tech & Education (darkreading.com)

• Make Your Employees Your Best Asset in Combating Cyber crime | CISO Collective (fortinet.com)

• How to Boost Cyber security Through Better Communication (securityintelligence.com)

• Embracing realistic simulations in cyber security training programs - Help Net Security

Data Protection

• SEC drops 42 cases after staff bungle data protection • The Register

• Japan privacy watchdog warns ChatGPT-maker OpenAI on user data | Reuters

• Microsoft Preps $425M Payment for LinkedIn GDPR Violations (darkreading.com)

• Microsoft Fined $20M For Xbox Child Data Collection (darkreading.com)

Careers, Working in Cyber and Information Security

• Governments Need a Cyber Blueprint to Hire, Retain Cyber security Talent, Report Says - MSSP Alert

Privacy, Surveillance and Mass Monitoring

• UK mental health charities handed sensitive data to Facebook for targeted ads | Mental health | The Guardian

• Amazon’s Ring doorbell employees spied on users’ bathrooms (telegraph.co.uk)

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Spyware, Cyber Espionage & Cyber Warfare, including Russian Invasion of Ukraine

• British Army organises major Western European cyber warfare exercise (ibtimes.co.uk)

• Still standing after 260m attacks: inside Ukraine’s cyber warfare squad (thetimes.co.uk)

• Hacks Against Ukraine's Emergency Response Services Rise During Bombings | WIRED

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Nation State Actors

• North Korea Makes 50% of Income from Cyber-Attacks: Report - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• A Peek Behind the Curtain: Examining the Dimensions of a National-level Cyber Program | Mandiant

• Chinese Phishing Gang "PostalFurious" Expands Campaign - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• North Korean APT group targets email credentials in social engineering campaign | CSO Online

• UK to strip Chinese surveillance cameras from sensitive government sites | Financial Times (ft.com)

• Morrisons and Tesco ban Chinese CCTV cameras over security fears (telegraph.co.uk)

• US government's TikTok ban extended to include contractors • The Register

• Camaro Dragon Strikes with New TinyNote Backdoor for Intelligence Gathering (thehackernews.com)

• Kimsuky APT poses as journalists and broadcast writers in attacks- Security Affairs

• Meet TeamT5, the Taiwanese infosec outfit taking on Beijing • The Register

• China has closed unofficial ‘police stations’ in Britain, UK minister says | China | The Guardian

• Lazarus hackers linked to the $35 million Atomic Wallet heist (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Kimsuky Targets Think Tanks and News Media with Social Engineering Attacks (thehackernews.com)

• Hostile states face contract ban amid security concerns (thetimes.co.uk)

• North Korean Hackers Blamed for $35 Million Atomic Wallet Crypto Theft - SecurityWeek

• Espionage Attacks in North Africa Linked to "Stealth Soldier" Backdoor - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

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Vulnerability Management

• Exploitation of Vulnerabilities Soared By 55% in 2022 - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• New vulnerabilities increase by 25 percent (betanews.com)

• OWASP lists 10 most critical large language model vulnerabilities | CSO Online

• Public sector apps show higher rates of security flaws - Help Net Security

Vulnerabilities

• CISA adds Progress MOVEit Transfer zero-day to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog- Security Affairs

• Zyxel vulnerability under 'widespread exploitation' | TechTarget

• Barracuda Urges Immediate Replacement of Hacked ESG Appliances (thehackernews.com)

• Experts Unveil Exploit for Recent Windows Vulnerability Under Active Exploitation (thehackernews.com)

• Urgent Security Updates: Cisco and VMware Address Critical Vulnerabilities (thehackernews.com)

• High-Severity Vulnerabilities Patched in Splunk Enterprise - SecurityWeek

• Zero Day Initiative — CVE-2023-24941: Microsoft Network File System Remote Code Execution

• Gigabyte Slams Backdoor Shut With Attack-Killing BIOS Update (darkreading.com)

• Zero-Day Alert: Google Issues Patch for New Chrome Vulnerability - Update Now! (thehackernews.com)

• Android security update fixes Mali GPU flaw exploited by spyware (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Three Vulnerabilities Discovered in Game Dev Tool RenderDoc - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Firefox 114 is out: No 0-days, but one fascinating “teachable moment” bug – Naked Security (sophos.com)

• High-risk vulnerabilities patched in ABB Aspect building management system - Help Net Security

• Easily Exploitable Microsoft Visual Studio Bug Opens Developers to Takeover (darkreading.com)

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Tools and Controls

• CISOs focus more on business strategy than threat research - Help Net Security

• CIOs prioritize new technologies over tech stack optimization - Help Net Security

• Going Beyond “Next Generation” Network Security - Cisco Blogs

• Make Your Employees Your Best Asset in Combating Cybercrime | CISO Collective (fortinet.com)

• UK Organisations lack clear path to achieve threat intelligence - IT Security Guru

• Why a proactive detection and incident response plan is crucial for your organisation | Microsoft Security Blog

• Employee cybersecurity awareness takes center stage in defence strategies - Help Net Security

• Want Sustainable Security? Find Middle Ground Between Tech & Education (darkreading.com)

• Factors influencing IT security spending - Help Net Security

• Top factors driving enterprise demand for new cyber security technology - Help Net Security

• How to Boost Cyber security Through Better Communication (securityintelligence.com)

• MoD adopts ‘secure by design’ for cyber security | UKAuthority

• Everyone is selling VPNs, and that's a problem for security | Engadget

• ISMG Editors: Why Communications Skills Matter for CISOs (inforisktoday.com)

• Network Security Checklist - 2023 (cybersecuritynews.com)

• Phishing Attack Prevention Checklist - A Detailed Guide (gbhackers.com)

• Ransomware Attack Prevention Checklist - 2023 (cybersecuritynews.com)

• OWASP lists 10 most critical large language model vulnerabilities | CSO Online

• This Google Workspace security flaw could let hackers quietly steal your Drive files | TechRadar

• How to make developers love security - Help Net Security

• Embracing realistic simulations in cyber security training programs - Help Net Security

• The Key to Zero Trust Identity Is Automation (darkreading.com)

• What generative AI's rise means for the cyber security industry | TechTarget

• Cisco spotlights generative AI in security, collaboration | Network World

• 10 security tool categories needed to shore up software supply chain security | CSO Online

• How to Improve Your API Security Posture (thehackernews.com)

• Consolidate Vendors and Products for Better Security - SecurityWeek

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Reports Published in the Last Week

• Verizon 2023 DBIR: Ransomware remains steady but complicated | TechTarget

• The Annual Report: 2024 Plans and Priorities for SaaS Security (thehackernews.com)

• Threat Intelligence report 2023 | Nokia

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Other News

• The country with the best cyber security skills may surprise you | TechRadar

• CEO guilty of selling counterfeit Cisco devices to military, govt orgs (bleepingcomputer.com)

• NASA website flaw jeopardizes astrobiology fans- Security Affairs

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Sector Specific

Industry specific threat intelligence reports are available.

Contact us to receive tailored reports specific to the industry/sector and geographies you operate in.

·       Automotive

·       Construction

·       Critical National Infrastructure (CNI)

·       Defence & Space

·       Education & Academia

·       Energy & Utilities

·       Estate Agencies

·       Financial Services

·       FinTech

·       Food & Agriculture

·       Gaming & Gambling

·       Government & Public Sector (including Law Enforcement)

·       Health/Medical/Pharma

·       Hotels & Hospitality

·       Insurance

·       Legal

·       Manufacturing

·       Maritime

·       Oil, Gas & Mining

·       OT, ICS, IIoT, SCADA & Cyber-Physical Systems

·       Retail & eCommerce

·       Small and Medium Sized Businesses (SMBs)

·       Startups

·       Telecoms

·       Third Sector & Charities

·       Transport & Aviation

·       Web3

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As usual, contact us to help assess where your risks lie and to ensure you are doing all you can do to keep you and your business secure.

Look out for our ‘Cyber Tip Tuesday’ video blog and on our YouTube channel.

You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

Links to articles are for interest and awareness and linking to or reposting external content does not endorse any service or product, likewise we are not responsible for the security of external links.

Black Arrow Cyber Advisory 08 June 2023 – Barracuda, Cisco, and VMware Address Critical Security Flaws

Executive summary

This week, Barracuda, Cisco, and VMware have all addressed vulnerabilities in their products. The vulnerabilities allow an attacker to elevate privileges to the highest available and remotely execute. Both Cisco and VMware have applied patches, whilst Barracuda have urged users to immediately replace appliances impacted by the vulnerability.

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Barracuda

CVE-2023-2868: This is a remote code injection vulnerability which has been exploited for at least seven months, allowing a successful attacker to steal information from Barracuda Email Security Gateway (ESG) devices.

Impacted versions include:

• ESG devices on version 5.1.3.001 through 9.2.0.006

What can I do?

Barracuda have stated that regardless of the patch version level, customers must immediately replace impacted ESG appliances. If you are unsure, Black Arrow recommend to check with your MSP.

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CISCO

CVE-2023-20178: This vulnerability, if exploited, can allow an attacker to execute code with SYSTEM privileges, the highest available.

 Impacted versions include:

• Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client Software for Windows (version 4.10 and earlier)

• Cisco Secure Client Software for Windows (version 5.0). For releases earlier than 5.0, this is known as Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client for Windows.

CVE-2023-20105: A vulnerability which allows an administrator with read-only access to elevate to have the ability to write to files.

CVE-2023-20192: A vulnerability which allows an authenticated local user to execute commands and modify configuration files. For this to be successful, the vulnerable version must have granted command line interface access (CLI) to a read-only administrator of the system.

Impacted versions include:

Cisco Express Series and Cisco TelePresence VCS version 14.0 and earlier.

What can I do?

Patches are available in AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client for Windows 4.10MR7 and Cisco Secure Client for Windows 5.0MR2 should be applied. No workarounds are available.

For Cisco Express Series and Cisco TelePresence VCS version 14.0 and earlier, the first fixed releases are 14.2.1. for CVE-2023-20105 and 14.3.0 for CVE-2023-20192. As a mitigation for CVE-2023-20192, Cisco have recommended ensure CLI access is disabled for read-only users; this should be disabled by default.

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VMware

CVE-2023-20887: A command injection vulnerability, allowing an attacker to execute code remotely.

CVE-2023-20888: An authentication deserialization vulnerability, allowing remote code execution.

CVE-2023-20889: An information disclosure vulnerability, where an attacker with network access can inject commands to force information out.

Impacted versions include:

• VMware Aria Operations Networks version 6.x.

What can I do?

VMware have recommended applying patches available for versions: 6.2 / 6.3 / 6.4 / 6.5.1 / 6.6 / 6.7 / 6.8 / 6.9 / 6.10.

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Further details on the Barracuda ESG vulnerabilities can be found here: https://www.barracuda.com/company/legal/esg-vulnerability

Further details on the Cisco vulnerability can be found here: https://sec.cloudapps.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-ac-csc-privesc-wx4U4Kw

Further details on the VMware vulnerabilities can be found here: https://www.vmware.com/security/advisories/VMSA-2023-0012.html

Further details of the patches available for VMware can be found here: https://kb.vmware.com/s/article/92684

Need help understanding your gaps, or just want some advice? Get in touch with us

#threatadvisory #threatintelligence #cybersecurity

Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing 10 February 2023

Welcome to this week’s Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing – a weekly digest, collated and curated by our cyber experts to provide senior and middle management with an easy to digest round up of the most notable threats, vulnerabilities, and cyber related news from the last week.

Top Cyber Stories of the Last Week

• UK Companies Banned from Paying Ransomware Hackers After Attacks on Royal Mail and Guardian

British companies have been banned from paying ransomware hackers after a spate of attacks on businesses including Royal Mail and the Guardian newspaper.

UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly on Thursday unveiled sanctions on seven Russian hackers linked to a gang called Conti, effectively banning any payments to the group.

Thursday’s sanctions are the first of their kind to be specifically targeted against Russian ransomware gang members.

The actions follow a spate of high-profile attacks on businesses and amid warnings from GCHQ that Russian and Iranian hackers are stepping up actions in Britain.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2023/02/09/companies-banned-paying-hackers-attacks-royal-mail-guardian/

• Fraud Set to Be Upgraded as a Threat to National Security

Fraud is to be reclassified as a threat to national security under UK government plans that will force police chiefs to devote more officers to solving the crime.

It will be elevated to the same status as terrorism, with chief constables mandated to increase resources and combine capabilities in a new effort to combat a fraud epidemic that now accounts for 30 per cent of all crime.

It will be added to the strategic policing requirement, which means that forces will be required by ministers to treat fraud as a major priority alongside not only terrorism, but also public disorder, civil emergencies, serious and organised crime, cyber attacks and child sexual abuse.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/02/04/fraud-set-upgraded-threat-national-security/

• 98% of Attacks are Not Reported by Employees to their Employers

Cyber attackers are increasingly using social engineering tactics to lure employees into opening malicious emails in an attempt to trick them into providing login credentials, updating bank account information and paying fraudulent invoices. Worryingly, research conducted by security provider Abnormal has found that 98% of attacks on organisations are not reported to the organisation’s security team. In addition to this, the report found that the volume of business email compromise attacks are spiking, growing by 175% over the past two years. The report also found that nearly two-thirds of large enterprises experiencing a supply chain compromise attack in the second half of 2022.

https://www.msspalert.com/cybersecurity-research/employees-fail-to-report-98-of-email-cyber-hacks-to-security-teams-study-finds/

• UK Second Most Targeted Nation Behind America for Ransomware

Security research team Kraken Labs released their report earlier this week, which found that of the 101 different countries that registered victims of ransomware, the UK had registered the second highest number of victims behind the US. Currently, there are over 60 ransomware groups, with the top 3 accounting for a third of all ransomware attacks.

https://www.itsecurityguru.org/2023/02/07/uk-second-most-targeted-nation-behind-america-for-ransomware/

• Financial Institutions are Suffering from Increasingly Sophisticated Cyber Attacks

This week security provider Contrast Security released its Cyber Bank Heists report, an annual report that exposes cyber security threats facing the financial sector. The report warns financial institutions that security must be a top-of-mind issue amid rising geopolitical tensions, increased destructive attacks utilising wipers and a record-breaking year of zero-day exploits. The report involved a series of interviews with financial sector security leaders and found some notable results. Some of the results include 64% of leaders seeing an increase in application attacks, 72% of respondents planning to increase investment in application security in 2023, 60% of respondents falling victim to destructive attacks and 50% of organisations detecting campaigns which aimed to steal non-public market information.

https://www.darkreading.com/attacks-breaches/financial-institutions-are-suffering-from-increasingly-sophisticated-cyberattacks-according-to-contrast-security

• An Email Attack Can End Up Costing You Over $1 Million

According to a report by security provider Barracuda Network, 75% of organisations had fallen victim to at least one successful email attack in the last 12 months, with those affected facing potential costs of over $1 million for their most expensive attack. The fallout from an email security attack can be significant, with the report finding 44% of those hit had faced significant downtime and business disruption. Additionally financial services greatly impacted by the loss of valuable data (59%) and payments made to attackers (51%). When it came to organisations preparation, 30% felt underprepared when dealing with account takeover and 28% felt unprepared for dealing with business email compromise.

https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2023/02/10/email-attack-damage-1-million/

• Cyber Crime Shows No Signs of Slowing Down

Global risks from population pressures and climate change to political conflicts and industrial supply chain challenges characterised 2022. Cyber criminals used this turmoil to exploit these trending topics, including significant events, public affairs, social causes, and anywhere else opportunity appeared. According to security researchers at Zscaler TheatLabz, 2023 will see a rise in Crime-as-a-service (CaaS), supply chains will be bigger targets than ever, there will be a greater need for defence in depth as endpoint protection will not be enough and finally, there will be a decrease in the time between initial compromise and the final stage of an attack.

https://www.darkreading.com/zscaler/cybercrime-shows-no-signs-of-slowing-down

• Surge of Swatting Attacks Targets Corporate Executive and Board Members

Swatting is the act of deceiving an emergency service with the purpose of the service then sending an emergency response, often armed, to a targeted persons address. Security provider Black Cloak has found that swatting incidents are now beginning to target C-suite executives and corporate board members, with the number of incidents increasing over the last few months. Malicious actors are using information from the dark web, company websites and property records to construct their swatting attacks.

https://www.csoonline.com/article/3687177/surge-of-swatting-attacks-targets-corporate-executives-and-board-members.html#tk.rss_news

• Phishing Surges Ahead, as ChatGPT and Artificial Intelligence Loom

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is making it easier for threat actors to create sophisticated and malicious email campaigns. In their report, security provider Vade found that Q4 of 2022 saw a 36% volume increase in phishing campaigns compared to the previous quarter, with over 278.3 million unique phishing emails in that period. The researchers found in particular, new AI tools such as ChatGPT had made it easy for anyone, including those with limited skills, to conduct a sophisticated phishing campaign. Furthermore, the ability of ChatGPT to tailor phishing to different languages is an area for concern.

https://www.darkreading.com/vulnerabilities-threats/bolstered-chatgpt-tools-phishing-surged-ahead

• Pro-Russian Hacktivist Group is Only Getting Started, Experts Warn

A pro-Russian hacktivist group's low-level distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks on US critical infrastructure could be a precursor to more serious cyber attacks, health care and security officials warned this week. A DDoS attack involves overwhelming a targeted service, service or network with traffic in an attempt to disrupt it. Earlier this week Killnet, a politically motivated Russian hacking group, overloaded and took down some US healthcare organisations. The attack came after threatening western healthcare organisations for the continued NATO support of Ukraine.

https://www.axios.com/2023/02/03/killnet-russian-hackers-attacks

• Crypto Investors Lost Nearly $4 Billion to Hackers in 2022

Last year marked the worst year on record for cryptocurrency hacks, according to analytic firm Chainalysis’ latest report. According to the report, hackers stole $3.8 billion in 2022, up from $3.3 billion the previous year. De-centralised finance products, which are products that have no requirement for an intermediary or middle-man accounted for about 82% of all crypto stolen.

https://www.cnbc.com/2023/02/04/crypto-investors-lost-nearly-4-billion-dollars-to-hackers-in-2022.html

• PayPal and Twitter Abused in Turkey Relief Donation Scams

Scammers are now exploiting the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Turkey and Syria. This time, stealing donations by abusing legitimate platforms such as PayPal and Twitter. It has been identified that multiple scams are running which call for fundraising, linking the victim to a legitimate PayPal site. The money however, is kept by the scammer.

https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/paypal-and-twitter-abused-in-turkey-relief-donation-scams/

• Mysterious Leak of Booking.com Reservation Data is Being Used to Scam Customers

For almost 5 years, Booking.com customers have been on the receiving end of a continuous series of scams that demonstrate criminals have obtained travel plans amongst other personally identifiable information that were provided to Booking.com. The scams have involved users receiving fake emails purporting to be from Booking.com with genuine travel details that victims had provided. These emails contain links to malicious URL’s that look nearly identical to the Booking.com website. These then display the victim’s expected travel information, requiring them to input their card details. Some of the scams have developed and involve scammers sending WhatsApp messages after payment has been made, purporting to be from hotels which have been booked by the victims.

https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2023/02/mysterious-leak-of-booking-com-reservation-data-is-being-used-to-scam-customers/

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Threats

Ransomware, Extortion and Destructive Attacks

• UK/US cyber crime crackdown sees 7 ransomware criminals sanctioned | CSO Online

• US, UK Slap Sanctions on Trickbot Cyber crime Gang - SecurityWeek

• Bitcoin-demanding cyber criminals use bug from 2021 to initiate global ransomware attack  | TechCrunch

• UK second most targeted nation behind America for Ransomware - IT Security Guru

• Hackers who breached ION say ransom paid; company declines comment | Reuters

• New Wave of Ransomware Attacks Exploiting VMware Bug to Target ESXi Servers (thehackernews.com)

• Massive ESXiArgs ransomware attack targets VMware ESXi servers worldwide (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Royal Ransomware adds support for encrypting Linux, VMware ESXi systems-security affairs

• Ongoing VMware ESXi Ransomware Attack Highlights Inherent Virtualisation Risks (darkreading.com)

• Lessons Learned on Ransomware Prevention from the Rackspace Attack (bleepingcomputer.com)

• ESXiArgs Ransomware Hits Over 3,800 Servers as Hackers Continue Improving Malware - SecurityWeek

• Ransomware Revolution: 4 Types of Cyber Risks in 2023 (trendmicro.com)

• Hypervisor patching struggles exacerbate ESXiArgs attacks | TechTarget

• Linux version of Royal Ransomware targets VMware ESXi servers (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Nevada Ransomware has released upgraded locker - Help Net Security

• Italy, France and Singapore Warn of a Spike in ESXI Ransomware-security affairs

• Massive ransomware attack targets VMware ESXi servers worldwide | CSO Online

• Major Florida Hospital Shuts Down Networks, Ransomware Attack Suspected - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• LockBit ransomware gang claims Royal Mail cyber ttack (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Medusa botnet returns as a Mirai-based variant with ransomware sting (bleepingcomputer.com)

• New Linux variant of Clop Ransomware uses a flawed encryption-security affairs

• After Hive takedown, could the LockBit ransomware crew be the next to fall? | CyberScoop

• Russia-Linked Ransomware Gang Claims Responsibility for Royal Mail Attack (gizmodo.com)

• #StopRansomware - Ransomware Attacks on Critical Infrastructure Fund DPRK Espionage Activities | CISA

• Largest Canadian bookstore Indigo shuts down site after cyber ttack (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Kaspersky Finds Growing Number of Parents Experiencing Ransomware Attacks on Children's Schools (darkreading.com)

• Hackers hit Vesuvius, UK engineering company shuts down affected systems • Graham Cluley

• MKS Instruments falls victim to ransomware attack | CSO Online

• North Korea ransomware targets hospitals to fund digital spycraft, US agencies warn | CyberScoop

Phishing & Email Based Attacks

• Phishing Surges Ahead, as ChatGPT & AI Loom (darkreading.com)

• Employees Fail to Report 98% of Email Cyber Hacks To Security Teams, Study Finds - MSSP Alert

• An email attack can end up costing you over $1 million - Help Net Security

• What SOCs Need to Know About Water Dybbuk A BEC Actor Using Open-Source Toolkits (trendmicro.com)

• How Can ChatGPT Make It Easier to Boost Phishing Scams? (analyticsinsight.net)

• Cyber criminals exploit volatile job market for targeted email attacks - Help Net Security

• Hong Kong police and Interpol uncover servers and apps used by global phishing syndicate | South China Morning Post (scmp.com)

• 'Phishing-as-a-service' kits drive uptick in theft: One business owner's story (cnbc.com)

• Malicious Google ads sneak AWS phishing sites into search results (bleepingcomputer.com)

• NewsPenguin Goes Phishing for Maritime & Military Secrets (darkreading.com)

BEC – Business Email Compromise

• What SOCs Need to Know About Water Dybbuk A BEC Actor Using Open-Source Toolkits (trendmicro.com)

Malware

• Hacker develops new 'Screenshotter' malware to find high-value targets (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Threat group targets over 1,000 companies with screenshotting and infostealing malware | CSO Online

• ESXiArgs Ransomware Hits Over 3,800 Servers as Hackers Continue Improving Malware - SecurityWeek

• Android mobile devices from top vendors in China have pre-installed malware-security affairs

• FormBook Malware Spreads via Malvertising Using MalVirt Loader to Evade Detection (thehackernews.com)

• Hackers backdoor Windows devices in Sliver and BYOVD attacks (bleepingcomputer.com)

• GuLoader Malware Using Malicious NSIS Executables to Target E-Commerce Industry (thehackernews.com)

• Novel Banking Trojan 'PixPirate' Targets Brazil - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• New QakNote attacks push QBot malware via Microsoft OneNote files (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Gootkit Malware Adopts New Tactics to Attack Healthcare and Finance Firms (thehackernews.com)

Mobile

• Android mobile devices from top vendors in China have pre-installed malware-security affairs

• Fraudulent "CryptoRom" Apps Slip Through Apple and Google App Store Review Process - SecurityWeek

• Android phones from Chinese vendors share private data • The Register

• 'Money Lover' Finance App Exposes User Data (darkreading.com)

• Xiaomi, OnePlus, Top Android Phones in China Spy on You: Study (gizmodo.com)

• Android 14 to block malware from abusing sensitive permissions (bleepingcomputer.com)

• UK Proposes Making the Sale and Possession of Encrypted Phones Illegal (vice.com)

• Android's February 2023 Updates Patch 40 Vulnerabilities - SecurityWeek

Denial of Service/DoS/DDOS

• Passion botnet cyber  Attacks hit healthcare, as actors offer threat as DDoS-as-a-service  | SC Media (scmagazine.com)

• Here's a list of proxy IPs to help block KillNet's DDoS bots • The Register

• Tor and I2P networks hit by wave of ongoing DDoS attacks (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Experts published a list of proxy IPs used by the group Killnet-security affairs

Internet of Things – IoT

• Medusa botnet returns as a Mirai-based variant with ransomware sting (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Security manufacturer’s smart cameras went dark for two hours (mybroadband.co.za)

• Vulnerability Allows Hackers to Remotely Tamper With Dahua Security Cameras - SecurityWeek

• NIST Picks IoT Standard for Small Electronics Cyber security (darkreading.com)

Data Breaches/Leaks

• Swiss authorities open criminal probe into bank data breaches | Financial Times (ft.com)

• Mysterious leak of Booking.com reservation data is being used to scam customers | Ars Technica

• TruthFinder, Instant Checkmate confirm data breach affecting 20M customers (bleepingcomputer.com)

• 20 Million Users Impacted by Data Breach at Instant Checkmate, TruthFinder - SecurityWeek

• US Cyber Ambassador's Twitter account hacked • The Register

• Over 12% of analysed online stores expose private data, backups (bleepingcomputer.com)

• 'Money Lover' Finance App Exposes User Data (darkreading.com)

• Reddit reveals security incident • The Register

• Reddit Suffers Security Breach Exposing Internal Documents and Source Code (thehackernews.com)

Organised Crime & Criminal Actors

• Tracers in the Dark: The Global Hunt for the Crime Lords of Crypto – Naked Security (sophos.com)

• Minister: Cyber crimes Now 20% of Spain’s Registered Offenses - SecurityWeek

• Finland’s Most-Wanted Hacker Nabbed in France – Krebs on Security

• Australian Man Sentenced for Scam Related to Optus Hack  - SecurityWeek

• Bungling Optus scammer was no criminal mastermind • Graham Cluley

• Dark Web Market Revenues Sink 50% in 2022 - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

Cryptocurrency/Cryptomining/Cryptojacking/NFTs/Blockchain

• Crypto investors lost nearly $4 billion to hackers in 2022 (cnbc.com)

• Tracers in the Dark: The Global Hunt for the Crime Lords of Crypto – Naked Security (sophos.com)

• Avraham Eisenberg in court accused of crypto exchange crash • The Register

• Crypto Drainers Are Ready to Ransack Investor Wallets (darkreading.com)

• How Cyber criminals Are Operationalising Money Laundering and What to Do About It (darkreading.com)

• FTX Being Advised by Cyber security Firm Sygnia on Hack Inquiry, CEO Ray Says (coindesk.com)

• Scammers steal $4 million in crypto during in-person meeting • The Register

• Enigma Stealer Targets Cryptocurrency Industry with Fake Jobs (trendmicro.com)

Insider Risk and Insider Threats

• Another RAC staffer nabbed for sharing road accident data • The Register

• Ex-Ubiquiti worker pleads guilty to data theft, extortion, and smear plot (bitdefender.com)

• Cyber Hygiene: How to get buy-in from employees (trendmicro.com)

Fraud, Scams & Financial Crime

• PayPal and Twitter abused in Turkey relief donation scams (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Working from home is fuelling fraud epidemic, warn managers (telegraph.co.uk)

• Mysterious leak of Booking.com reservation data is being used to scam customers | Ars Technica

• Avast Threat Report: Consumers Plagued With Refund Fraud, Tech Support Scams, and Adware (darkreading.com)

• As V-Day nears: Romance scams cost victims $1.3B last year • The Register

• What CISOs Can Do About Brand Impersonation Scam Sites (darkreading.com)

• Father killed himself after falling victim to romance scam | News | The Times

• 'Brushing' scams send people free items, but could be a warning sign about a data breach - ABC News

• Fraudulent "CryptoRom" Apps Slip Through Apple and Google App Store Review Process - SecurityWeek

• From ‘hi mum’ to crypto fraud: five of the latest scams to watch out for | Cyber crime | The Guardian

• Criminals use Telegram to recruit 'walkers' as America's big banks see an 84% increase in check fraud (cnbc.com)

• 5 Financial Scams To Watch Out For In 2023 (cnbc.com)

• How Cyber criminals Are Operationalising Money Laundering and What to Do About It (darkreading.com)

• Banks leave doors open for scammers with flaws in online security | This is Money

• Trio Arrested in COVID PPE Fraud Probe - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Twitter restricted in Turkey after the earthquake amid disinformation fear-security affairs

Impersonation Attacks

• What CISOs Can Do About Brand Impersonation Scam Sites (darkreading.com)

• HTML smuggling campaigns impersonate well-known brands to deliver malware | CSO Online

AML/CFT/Sanctions

• How Cyber criminals Are Operationalising Money Laundering and What to Do About It (darkreading.com)

• UK/US cyber crime crackdown sees 7 ransomware criminals sanctioned | CSO Online

• US, UK Slap Sanctions on Trickbot Cyber crime Gang - SecurityWeek

Insurance

• Tackling the New Cyber Insurance Requirements: Can Your Organisation Comply? (thehackernews.com)

• Cyber Insurance, A Must-Have for Small Businesses - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• How to Optimise Your Cyber Insurance Coverage (darkreading.com)

Dark Web

• BlackSprut: Darknet Drug Market Advertises On Billboards In Moscow (informationsecuritybuzz.com)

• Dark Web Market Revenues Sink 50% in 2022 - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

Supply Chain and Third Parties

• Have we learnt nothing from SolarWinds supply chain attacks? • The Register

• Vulnerability Provided Access to Toyota Supplier Management Network - SecurityWeek

Software Supply Chain

• Security pros say third parties are increasingly the cause of cyber security incidents | SC Media (scmagazine.com)

Cloud/SaaS

• How the Cloud Is Shifting CISO Priorities (darkreading.com)

• Cloud Apps Still Demand Way More Privileges Than They Use (darkreading.com)

• Amazon S3 to apply security best practices for all new buckets - Help Net Security

• Why Some Cloud Services Vulnerabilities Are So Hard to Fix (darkreading.com)

• Malicious Google ads sneak AWS phishing sites into search results (bleepingcomputer.com)

• 7 Critical Cloud Threats Facing the Enterprise in 2023 (darkreading.com)

Hybrid/Remote Working

• Working from home is fuelling fraud epidemic, warn managers (telegraph.co.uk)

• Predictions For Securing Today's Hybrid Workforce (darkreading.com)

Identity and Access Management

• 4 identity predictions for 2023 | TechTarget

Encryption

• It Isn't Time to Worry About Quantum Computing Just Yet (darkreading.com)

• UK Proposes Making the Sale and Possession of Encrypted Phones Illegal (vice.com)

API

• 10 API Security Best Practices To Protect Your Organisation (informationsecuritybuzz.com)

Passwords, Credential Stuffing & Brute Force Attacks

• Patching & Passwords Lead the Problem Pack for Cyber-Teams (darkreading.com)

Biometrics

• Novel face swaps emerge as a major threat to biometric security - Help Net Security

Social Media

• Twitter Implements API Paywall, but Will That Solve Its Enormous Bot Crisis? (darkreading.com)

• Twitter restricted in Turkey after the earthquake amid disinformation fear-security affairs

Malvertising

• FormBook Malware Spreads via Malvertising Using MalVirt Loader to Evade Detection (thehackernews.com)

• Malicious Google ads sneak AWS phishing sites into search results (bleepingcomputer.com)

Training, Education and Awareness

• Cyber Hygiene: How to get buy-in from employees (trendmicro.com)

• Infosec Launches New Office Comedy Themed Security Awareness Training Series (darkreading.com)

Parental Controls and Child Safety

• It’s never too early to chat to your kids about online safety | Sarah Ayoub | The Guardian

Regulations, Fines and Legislation

• Corporate ‘privacy’ concerns must not derail Europe’s Data Act | Financial Times (ft.com)

• While governments pass privacy laws, companies struggle to change - Help Net Security

• Prioritising Cyber security Regulation Harmonisation (darkreading.com)

Governance, Risk and Compliance

• Quarter of CFOs Have Suffered $1m+ Breaches - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• A Hackers Pot of Gold: Your MSP's Data (thehackernews.com)

• The dangers of unsupported applications - Help Net Security

• Swiss authorities open criminal probe into bank data breaches | Financial Times (ft.com)

• Trends that impact on organisations' 2023 security priorities - Help Net Security

• With TikTok Bans, the Time for Operational Governance Is Now (darkreading.com)

• Optimising Cyber security Investments in a Constrained Spending Environment (darkreading.com)

• Surge of swatting attacks targets corporate executives and board members | CSO Online

• Lessons From the Cold War: How Quality Trumps Quantity in Cyber security (darkreading.com)

• Cyber Hygiene: How to get buy-in from employees (trendmicro.com)

Models, Frameworks and Standards

• NIST Picks IoT Standard for Small Electronics Cyber security (darkreading.com)

Data Protection

• Corporate ‘privacy’ concerns must not derail Europe’s Data Act | Financial Times (ft.com)

• While governments pass privacy laws, companies struggle to change - Help Net Security

• Regulator Halts AI Chatbot Over GDPR Concerns - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

Law Enforcement Action and Take Downs

• Hong Kong police and Interpol uncover servers and apps used by global phishing syndicate | South China Morning Post (scmp.com)

• European Police Arrest 42 After Cracking Covert App - SecurityWeek

• Eurocops shut down Exclu encrypted messaging app • The Register

• Vastaamo hacking suspect arrested in France | TechTarget

• Finnish psychotherapy extortion suspect arrested in France – Naked Security (sophos.com)

Privacy, Surveillance and Mass Monitoring

• Xiaomi, OnePlus, Top Android Phones in China Spy on You: Study (gizmodo.com)

• Steps To Planning And Implementation Of Data Privacy (informationsecuritybuzz.com)

• ChatGPT is a data privacy nightmare, and we ought to be concerned | Ars Technica

Artificial Intelligence

• Adversaries Using OpenAI’s ChatGPT Chatbot for Cyber  Attacks? Here are Some Clues - MSSP Alert

• Phishing Surges Ahead, as ChatGPT & AI Loom (darkreading.com)

• IT Leaders Reveal Cyber Fears Around ChatGPT - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• How Can ChatGPT Make It Easier to Boost Phishing Scams? (analyticsinsight.net)

• ChatGPT's potential to aid attackers puts IT pros on high alert - Help Net Security

• Hackers are selling a service that bypasses ChatGPT restrictions on malware | Ars Technica

• ChatGPT is a data privacy nightmare, and we ought to be concerned | Ars Technica

• Jailbreak Trick Breaks ChatGPT Content Safeguards (darkreading.com)

• Generative AI: A benefit and a hazard - Help Net Security

• Regulator Halts AI Chatbot Over GDPR Concerns - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Google's Bard AI bot mistake wipes $100bn off shares - BBC News

• $120bn wiped off Google after Bard AI chatbot gives wrong answer (telegraph.co.uk)

• Why ChatGPT Isn't a Death Sentence for Cyber Defenders (darkreading.com)

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Spyware, Cyber Espionage & Cyber Warfare, including Russian Invasion of Ukraine

• Pro-Russian hacktivist group Killnet could just be getting started (axios.com)

• Yes, CISOs should be concerned about the types of data spy balloons can intercept | CSO Online

• Android mobile devices from top vendors in China have pre-installed malware-security affairs

• China sharply rebukes US over decision to shoot down spy balloon | Financial Times (ft.com)

• Here's a list of proxy IPs to help block KillNet's DDoS bots • The Register

• What is hybrid warfare? Inside the centre dealing with modern threats - BBC News

• Anonymous leaked 128GB of data stolen from Russian ISP Convex revealing FSB's warrantless surveillance-security affairs

• DPRK Using Unpatched Zimbra Devices to Spy on Researchers (darkreading.com)

• Russian hackers using new Graphiron information stealer in Ukraine (bleepingcomputer.com)

• New Info-Stealer Discovered as Russia Prepares for New Offensive - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• The impact of Russia's Ukraine invasion on digital threats - Help Net Security

• Russian Hackers Steal Data In Ukraine With New Graphiron Malware (informationsecuritybuzz.com)

• Spies, Hackers, Informants: How China Snoops on the US - SecurityWeek

• US teases new China tech sanctions to deflate balloon-makers • The Register

Nation State Actors

• Pro-Russian hacktivist group Killnet could just be getting started (axios.com)

• With TikTok Bans, the Time for Operational Governance Is Now (darkreading.com)

• Yes, CISOs should be concerned about the types of data spy balloons can intercept | CSO Online

• Android mobile devices from top vendors in China have pre-installed malware-security affairs

• China sharply rebukes US over decision to shoot down spy balloon | Financial Times (ft.com)

• Microsoft: Iran Unit Behind Charlie Hebdo Hack-and-Leak Op - SecurityWeek

• US Downs Chinese Balloon Off Carolina Coast - SecurityWeek

• How did the US successfully shoot down China's 'spy balloon' with a single missile - and what was on it? | US News | Sky News

• Here's a list of proxy IPs to help block KillNet's DDoS bots • The Register

• Android phones from Chinese vendors share private data • The Register

• US sources insist Chinese balloon was military - BBC News

• DPRK Using Unpatched Zimbra Devices to Spy on Researchers (darkreading.com)

• SNP MP Stewart McDonald's emails hacked by Russian group - BBC News

• Australia to remove Chinese surveillance cameras amid security fears - BBC News

• Russian hackers using new Graphiron information stealer in Ukraine (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Xiaomi, OnePlus, Top Android Phones in China Spy on You: Study (gizmodo.com)

• UN Experts: North Korean Hackers Stole Record Virtual Assets - SecurityWeek

• Mysterious Russian satellites are now breaking apart in low-Earth orbit | Ars Technica

• New Info-Stealer Discovered as Russia Prepares for New Offensive - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Downed balloon one of a ‘fleet’ of Chinese surveillance devices, US alleges | Surveillance | The Guardian

• #StopRansomware - Ransomware Attacks on Critical Infrastructure Fund DPRK Espionage Activities | CISA

• The impact of Russia's Ukraine invasion on digital threats - Help Net Security

• Russian Hackers Steal Data In Ukraine With New Graphiron Malware (informationsecuritybuzz.com)

• Experts published a list of proxy IPs used by the group Killnet-security affairs

• NewsPenguin Threat Actor Emerges with Malicious Campaign Targeting Pakistani Entities (thehackernews.com)

• NewsPenguin Goes Phishing for Maritime & Military Secrets (darkreading.com)

• US teases new China tech sanctions to deflate balloon-makers • The Register

• North Korea ransomware targets hospitals to fund digital spycraft, US agencies warn | Cyber scoop

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Vulnerability Management

• Vulnerabilities and exposures to rise to 1,900 a month in 2023: Coalition | CSO Online

• The dangers of unsupported applications - Help Net Security

• Patching & Passwords Lead the Problem Pack for Cyber-Teams (darkreading.com)

• Hypervisor patching struggles exacerbate ESXiArgs attacks | TechTarget

• How to fix the top 5 cyber security vulnerabilities | TechTarget

• 20 Powerful Vulnerability Scanning Tools In 2023 (informationsecuritybuzz.com)

Vulnerabilities

• High-Severity Privilege Escalation Vulnerability Patched in VMware Workstation - SecurityWeek

• New Wave of Ransomware Attacks Exploiting VMware Bug to Target ESXi Servers (thehackernews.com)

• GoAnywhere MFT Users Warned of Zero-Day Exploit - SecurityWeek

• Serious security hole plugged in infosec tool binwalk | The Daily Swig (portswigger.net)

• Cisco fixed command injection bug in IOx Application Hosting Environment-security affairs

• Vulnerability In F5 BIG-IP May Cause DoS And Code Execution (informationsecuritybuzz.com)

• GoAnywhere MFT zero-day flaw actively exploited-security affairs

• Exploitation attempts for Oracle E-Business Suite flaw observed after PoC release-security affairs

• Critical vulnerability patched in Jira Service Management Server and Data Center | CSO Online

• Warning: Hackers Actively Exploiting Zero-Day in Fortra's GoAnywhere MFT (thehackernews.com)

• Exploit released for actively exploited GoAnywhere MFT zero-day (bleepingcomputer.com)

• OpenSSL Ships Patch for High-Severity Flaws - SecurityWeek

• Patch Released for Actively Exploited GoAnywhere MFT Zero-Day - SecurityWeek

• Unpatched Security Flaws Disclosed in Multiple Document Management Systems (thehackernews.com)

• SonicWall warns web content filtering is broken on Windows 11 22H2 (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Chrome 110 Patches 15 Vulnerabilities - SecurityWeek

• OpenSSL Fixes Multiple New Security Flaws with Latest Update (thehackernews.com)

• Android's February 2023 Updates Patch 40 Vulnerabilities - SecurityWeek

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Tools and Controls

• Growing number of endpoint security tools overwhelm users, leaving devices unprotected | CSO Online

• Poor Endpoint Device Management Trigger Cyber  Attacks, New Report Finds - MSSP Alert

• Implementing Digital Rights Management Systems to Safeguard Against Unauthorised Access Of Protected Content (informationsecuritybuzz.com)

• Endpoint security getting easier, but most organisations lack tool consolidation - Help Net Security

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Other News

• A Hackers Pot of Gold: Your MSP's Data (thehackernews.com)

• Yes, CISOs should be concerned about the types of data spy balloons can intercept | CSO Online

• How to Think Like a Hacker and Stay Ahead of Threats (thehackernews.com)

• Surge of swatting a attacks targets corporate executives and board members | CSO Online

• Bermuda: Major Internet And Power Outage Strikes (informationsecuritybuzz.com)

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Sector Specific

Industry specific threat intelligence reports are available.

Contact us to receive tailored reports specific to the industry/sector and geographies you operate in.

·       Automotive

·       Construction

·       Critical National Infrastructure (CNI)

·       Defence & Space

·       Education & Academia

·       Energy & Utilities

·       Estate Agencies

·       Financial Services

·       FinTech

·       Food & Agriculture

·       Gaming & Gambling

·       Government & Public Sector (including Law Enforcement)

·       Health/Medical/Pharma

·       Hotels & Hospitality

·       Insurance

·       Legal

·       Manufacturing

·       Maritime

·       Oil, Gas & Mining

·       OT, ICS, IIoT, SCADA & Cyber-Physical Systems

·       Retail & eCommerce

·       Small and Medium Sized Businesses (SMBs)

·       Startups

·       Telecoms

·       Third Sector & Charities

·       Transport & Aviation

·       Web3

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As usual, contact us to help assess where your risks lie and to ensure you are doing all you can do to keep you and your business secure.

Look out for our ‘Cyber Tip Tuesday’ video blog and on our YouTube channel.

You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

Links to articles are for interest and awareness and linking to or reposting external content does not endorse any service or product, likewise we are not responsible for the security of external links.

Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing 26 August 2022

Welcome to this week’s Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing – a weekly digest, collated and curated by our cyber experts to provide senior and middle management with an easy to digest round up of the most notable threats, vulnerabilities, and cyber related news from the last week.

Top Cyber Stories of the Last Week

• Lloyd's to Exclude Certain Nation-State Attacks from Cyber Insurance Policies

Lloyd's of London insurance policies will stop covering losses from certain nation-state cyber attacks and those that happen during wars, beginning in seven months' time.

In a memo sent to the company's 76-plus insurance syndicates, underwriting director Tony Chaudhry said Lloyd's remains "strongly supportive" of cyber attack coverage. However, as these threats continue to grow, they may "expose the market to systemic risks that syndicates could struggle to manage," he added, noting that nation-state-sponsored attacks are particularly costly to cover.

Because of this, all standalone cyber attack policies must include "a suitable clause excluding liability for losses arising from any state-backed cyber attack," Chaudhry wrote. These changes will take effect beginning March 31, 2023 at the inception or renewal of each policy.

At a minimum (key word: minimum) these policies must exclude losses arising from a war, whether declared or not, if the policy doesn't already have a separate war exclusion. They must also at least exclude losses from nation-state cyber attacks that "significantly impair the ability of a state to function or that significantly impair the security capabilities of a state."

Policies must also "set out a robust basis" on which to attribute state-sponsored cyber attacks, according to Chaudhry – and therein lies the rub.

Attributing a cyber attack to a particular crime group or nation-state with 100 percent confidence "is absolutely hard," NSA director of cybersecurity Rob Joyce said at this year's RSA Conference.

Threat analysts typically attribute an attack to a nation-state from its level of sophistication, but as advanced persistent crime groups become more sophisticated – and have more resources at their disposal to buy zero-day exploits and employ specialists for each stage of an attack – differentiating between nation-states and cyber crime gangs becomes increasingly difficult, he explained.

There are times when nation-states will act like criminals, using their tools and infrastructure, and sometimes vice versa. The clear line of sophistication and stealth that many have used as a common sense delineation has blurred. Yet, If you are going to pay out money you are likely going to look for something that is more ironclad and likely related to forensic evidence.

https://www.theregister.com/2022/08/24/lloyds_cybersecurity_insurance/

• Cyber Security Top Risk for Enterprise C-Suite Leaders, PwC Study Says

Cyber security is now firmly on the agenda of the entire C-suite, consultancy PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) reports in a new survey of more than 700 business leaders across a variety of industries.

Of key enterprise issues, cyber security ranks at the top of business risks, with nearly 80% of the respondents considering it a moderate to serious risk. The warning isn’t confined to just chief information security officers, but ranges from chief executives to chief financial officers, chief operating officers, chief technology officers, chief marketing officers and includes corporate board members. Virtually all roles ranked cyber attacks high on their list of risks, PwC said.

Overall, 40% of business leaders ranked cyber security as the top serious risk facing their companies, and 38% ranked it a moderate risk.

Here are six steps businesses can take to address cyber security concerns:

1. View cyber security as a broad business concern and not just an IT issue.

2. Build cyber security and data privacy into agendas across the C-suite and board.

3. Increase investment to improve security.

4. Educate employees on effective cyber security practices.

5. For each new business initiative or transformation, make sure there’s a cyber plan in place.

6. Use data and intelligence to regularly measure cyber risks. Proactively look for blind spots in third-party relationships and supply chains.

https://www.msspalert.com/cybersecurity-research/cybersecurity-top-risk-for-enterprise-c-suite-leaders-pwc-study-says/

• Apathy Is Your Company's Biggest Cyber Security Vulnerability — Here's How to Combat It

Human error continues to be the leading cause of a cyber security breach. Nearly 60% of organisations experienced a data loss due to an employee's mistake on email in the last year, while one in four employees fell for a phishing attack.

Employee apathy, while it may not seem like a major cyber security issue, can leave an organisation vulnerable to both malicious attacks and accidental data loss. Equipping employees with the tools and knowledge they need to prevent these risks has never been more important to keep organisations safe.

A new report from Tessian sheds light on the full extent of employee apathy and its impact on cyber security posture. The report found that a significant number of employees aren't engaged in their organisation's cyber security efforts and don't understand the role they play. One in three employees say they don't understand the importance of cyber security at work. What's more, only 39% say they're very likely to report a cyber security incident. Why? A quarter of employees say they don't care enough about cyber security to mention it.

This is a serious problem. IT and security teams can't investigate or remediate a threat they don't know about.

Employees play an important role in flagging incidents or suspicious activity early on to prevent them from escalating to a costly breach. Building a strong cyber security culture can mitigate apathy by engaging employees as part of the solution and providing the tools and training they need to work productively and securely.

https://www.darkreading.com/attacks-breaches/apathy-is-your-company-s-biggest-cybersecurity-vulnerability-here-s-how-to-combat-it

• The World’s Largest Sovereign Wealth Fund Warns Cyber Security Is Top Concern, as Attacks on Banks and Financial Service Double

Cyber security has eclipsed tumultuous financial markets as the biggest concern for the world’s largest sovereign wealth fund, as it faces an average of three “serious” cyber attacks each day.

The number of significant hacking attempts against Norway’s $1.2tn oil fund, Norges Bank Investment Management, has doubled in the past two to three years.

The fund, which reported its biggest half-year dollar loss last week after inflation and recession fears shook markets, suffers about 100,000 cyber attacks a year, of which it classifies more than 1,000 as serious, according to its top executives.

“I’m worried about cyber more than I am about markets,” their CEO told the Financial Times. “We’re seeing many more attempts, more attacks [that are] increasingly sophisticated.”

The fund’s top executives are even concerned that concerted cyber attacks are becoming a systemic financial risk as markets become increasingly digitised.

Their deputy CEO pointed to the 2020 attack on SolarWinds, a software provider, by Russian state-backed hackers that allowed them to breach several US government agencies, including the Treasury and Pentagon, and a number of Fortune 500 companies including Microsoft, Intel and Deloitte.

“They estimate there were 1,000 Russians [involved] in that one attack, working in a co-ordinated fashion. I mean, Jesus, that’s our whole building on one attack, so you’re up against some formidable forces there,” he said.

Cyber attacks targeting the financial industry have risen sharply in recent months. Malware attacks globally rose 11 per cent in the first half of 2022, but they doubled at banks and financial institutions, according to cyber security specialist SonicWall. Ransomware attacks dropped 23 per cent worldwide, but increased 243 per cent against financial targets in the same period.

https://www.ft.com/content/1aa6f92a-078b-4e1a-81ca-65298b8310b2

Configuration Errors to Blame for 80% of Ransomware

The vast majority (80%) of ransomware attacks can be traced back to common configuration errors in software and devices, according to Microsoft.

The tech giant’s latest Cyber Signals report focuses on the ransomware as a service (RaaS) model, which it claims has democratised the ability to launch attacks to groups “without sophistication or advanced skills.” Some RaaS programs now have over 50 affiliate groups on their books.

For defenders, a key challenge is ensuring they don’t leave systems misconfigured, it added.

“Ransomware attacks involve decisions based on configurations of networks and differ for each victim even if the ransomware payload is the same,” the report argued. “Ransomware culminates an attack that can include data exfiltration and other impacts. Because of the interconnected nature of the cyber-criminal economy, seemingly unrelated intrusions can build upon each other.”

Although each attack is different, Microsoft pointed to missing or misconfigured security products and legacy configurations in enterprise apps as two key areas of risk exposure.

“Like smoke alarms, security products must be installed in the correct spaces and tested frequently. Verify that security tools are operating in their most secure configuration, and that no part of a network is unprotected,” it urged. “Consider deleting duplicative or unused apps to eliminate risky, unused services. Be mindful of where you permit remote helpdesk apps like TeamViewer. These are notoriously targeted by threat actors to gain express access to laptops.”

Although not named in the report, another system regularly misconfigured and hijacked by ransomware actors is the remote desktop protocol (RDP), which often is not protected by a strong password or two-factor authentication. It’s widely believed to be one of the top three vectors for attack.

The bad news for network defenders is they don’t have much time after initial compromise to contain an attack. Microsoft claimed the median time for an attacker to begin moving laterally inside the network after device compromise is one hour, 42 minutes. The median time for an attacker to access private data following a phishing email is one hour, 12 minutes, the firm added.

https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/configuration-errors-blame-80/

• Ransomware Surges to 1.2 Million Attacks Per Month

Ransomware threat detections have risen to over one million per month this year, with a French hospital the latest to suffer a major outage.

The 1000-bed Center Hospitalier Sud Francilien (CHSF) near Paris revealed it was hit on Sunday morning, in an attack which has knocked out all the hospital's business software, storage systems including medical imaging, and patient admissions. This has led to all but the most urgent emergency patients being diverted to other facilities in the region.

France24 cited figures claiming cyber-attacks against French hospitals surged 70% year-on-year in 2021. "Each day we need to rewrite patients' medications, all the prescriptions, the discharge prescriptions," Valerie Caudwell, president of the medical commission at CHSF hospital, reportedly said. "For the nurses, instead of putting in all the patients' data on the computer, they now need to file it manually from scratch."

Reports suggest Lockbit 3.0 may be to blame for the $10m ransom demand, which the hospital is refusing to pay.

Barracuda Networks claimed in a new report out today that education, municipalities, healthcare, infrastructure and finance have remained the top five targets for ransomware over the past 12 months. However, while attacks on local government increased only slightly, those targeting educational institutions more than doubled, and attacks on the healthcare and financial verticals tripled. Overall, Barracuda claimed that ransomware detections between January and June of this year climbed to more than 1.2 million per month.

https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/ransomware-surges-to-12-million/

• A Massive Hacking Campaign Stole 10,000 Login Credentials From 130 Different Organisations

A phishing campaign targeted Okta users at multiple companies, successfully swiping passwords from staffers and then using them to steal company secrets.

Researchers say that a mysterious “threat actor” (a fancy term for a hacker or hacker group) has managed to steal nearly 10,000 login credentials from the employees of 130 organisations, in the latest far-reaching supply chain attack on corporate America. Many of the victims are prominent software companies, including firms like Twilio, MailChimp, and Cloudflare, among many others.

The news comes from research conducted by cyber security firm Group-IB, which began looking into the hacking campaign after a client was phished and reached out for help. The research shows that the threat actor behind the campaign, which researchers have dubbed “0ktapus,” used basic tactics to target staff from droves of well-known companies. The hacker(s) would use stolen login information to gain access to corporate networks before going on to steal data and then break into another company’s network.

“This case is of interest because despite using low-skill methods it was able to compromise a large number of well-known organisations,” researchers wrote in their blog. “Furthermore, once the attackers compromised an organisation they were quickly able to pivot and launch subsequent supply chain attacks, indicating that the attack was planned carefully in advance.”

https://gizmodo.com/oktapus-okta-hack-twilio-10000-logins-130-companies-1849457420

• This Company Paid a Ransom Demand. Hackers Leaked Its Data Anyway

A victim of a ransomware attack paid to restore access to their network – but the cyber criminals didn't hold up their end of the deal.

The real-life incident, as detailed by cyber security researchers at Barracuda Networks, took place in August 2021, when hackers from BlackMatter ransomware group used a phishing email to compromise the account of a single victim at an undisclosed company.

From that initial entry point, the attackers were able to expand their access to the network by moving laterally around the infrastructure, ultimately leading to the point where they were able to install hacking tools and steal sensitive data. Stealing sensitive data has become a common part of ransomware attacks. Criminals leverage it as part of their extortion attempts, threatening to release it if a ransom isn't received. 

The attackers appear to have had access to the network for at least a few weeks, seemingly going undetected before systems were encrypted and a ransom was demanded, to be paid in Bitcoin.

Cyber security agencies warn that despite networks being encrypted, victims shouldn't pay ransom demands for a decryption key because this only shows hackers that such attacks are effective.

https://www.zdnet.com/article/this-company-paid-a-ransom-demand-hackers-leaked-its-data-anyway/

• Sophisticated BEC Scammers Bypass Microsoft 365 Multi-Factor Authentication

A Business Email Compromise (BEC) attack recently analysed by cloud incident response company Mitiga used an adversary-in-the-middle (AitM) phishing attack to bypass Microsoft Office 365 MFA and gain access to a business executive's account, and then managed to add a second authenticator device to the account for persistent access. According to the researchers, the campaign they analysed is widespread and targets large transactions of up to several million dollars each.

The attack started with a well-crafted phishing email masquerading as a notification from DocuSign, a widely used cloud-based electronic document signing service. The email was crafted to the targeted business executive, suggesting that attackers have done reconnaissance work. The link in the phishing email led to an attacker-controlled website which then redirects to a Microsoft 365 single sign-on login page.

This fake login page uses an AitM technique, where the attackers run a reverse proxy to authentication requests back and forth between the victim and the real Microsoft 365 website. The victim has the same experience as they would have on the real Microsoft login page, complete with the legitimate MFA request that they must complete using their authenticator app. Once the authentication process is completed successfully, the Microsoft service creates a session token which gets flagged in its systems that it fulfilled MFA. The difference is that since the attackers acted as a proxy, they now have this session token too and can use it to access the account.

This reverse proxy technique is not new and has been used to bypass MFA for several years. In fact, easy-to-use open-source attack frameworks have been created for this purpose.

https://www.csoonline.com/article/3670575/sophisticated-bec-scammers-bypass-microsoft-365-multi-factor-authentication.html

• 77% Of Security Leaders Fear We’re in Perpetual Cyber War from Now On

A survey of cyber security decision makers found 77 percent think the world is now in a perpetual state of cyber warfare.

In addition, 82 percent believe geopolitics and cyber security are "intrinsically linked," and two-thirds of polled organisations reported changing their security posture in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Of those asked, 64 percent believe they may have already been the target of a nation-state-directed cyber attack. Unfortunately, 63 percent of surveyed security leaders also believe that they'd never even know if a nation-state level actor pwned them.

The survey, organised by security shop Venafi, questioned 1,100 security leaders. They said the results show cyber warfare is here, and that it's completely different to many would have imagined. "Any business can be damaged by nation-states," they stated.

It's been common knowledge for some time that government-backed advanced persistent threat (APT) crews are being used to further online geopolitical goals. Unlike conventional warfare, everyone is a target and there's no military or government method for protecting everyone.

Nor is there going to be much financial redress available. Earlier this week Lloyd's of London announced it would no longer recompense policy holders for certain nation-state attacks.

https://www.theregister.com/2022/08/27/in-brief-security/

• Cyber Security Governance: A Path to Cyber Maturity

Organisations need cyber security governance programs that make every employee aware of the cyber security mitigation efforts required to reduce cyber-risks.

In an increasingly challenging threat landscape, many organisations struggle with developing and implementing effective cyber security governance. The "Managing Cybersecurity Risk: A Crisis of Confidence" infographic by the CMMI Institute and ISACA stated: "While enterprise leaders recognise that mature cyber security is essential to thriving in today's digital economy, they often lack the insights and data to have peace of mind that their organisations are efficiently and effectively managing cyber risk."

Indeed, damages from cyber crime are projected to cost the world $7 trillion in 2022, according to the "Boardroom Cybersecurity 2022 Report" from Cybersecurity Ventures. As a result, "board members and chief executives are more interested in cyber security now than ever before," the report stated, adding that the time is ripe for turning awareness into action.

How, then, can board leaders have confidence that their organisations are prepared against cyber attacks? The first order of business for most organisations is to enable a strong cyber security governance program.

Cyber security governance refers to the component of governance that addresses an organisation's dependence on cyber space in the presence of adversaries. The ISO/IEC 27001 standard defines cyber security governance as the following: “The system by which an organisation directs and controls security governance, specifies the accountability framework and provides oversight to ensure that risks are adequately mitigated, while management ensures that controls are implemented to mitigate risks”.

Traditionally, cyber security is viewed through the lens of a technical or operational issue to be handled in the technology space. Cyber security planning needs to fully transition from a back-office operational function to its own area aligned with law, privacy and enterprise risk. The CISO should have a seat at the table alongside the CIO, COO, CFO and CEO. This helps the C-suite understand cyber security as an enterprise-wide risk management issue, along with the legal implications of cyber-risks, and not solely a technology issue.

https://www.techtarget.com/searchsecurity/post/Cybersecurity-governance-A-path-to-cyber-maturity

• The Rise of Data Exfiltration and Why It Is a Greater Risk Than Ransomware

Ransomware is the de facto threat organisations have faced over the past few years. Threat actors were making easy money by exploiting the high valuation of cryptocurrencies and their victims' lack of adequate preparation.

Think about bad security policies, untested backups, patch management practices not up-to-par, and so forth. It resulted in easy growth for ransomware extortion, a crime that multiple threat actors around the world perpetrate.

Something's changed, though. Crypto valuations have dropped, reducing the monetary appeal of ransomware attacks due to organisations mounting better defence against ransomware.

Threat actors have been searching for another opportunity – and found one. It's called data exfiltration, or exfil, a type of espionage causing headaches at organisations worldwide.

Information exfiltration is rapidly becoming more prevalent. Earlier this year, incidents at Nvidia, Microsoft, and several other companies have highlighted how big of a problem it's become – and how, for some organisations, it may be a threat that's even bigger than ransomware.

Nvidia, for example, became entangled in a complex tit-for-tat exchange with hacker group Lapsus$. One of the biggest chipmakers in the world was faced with the public exposure of the source code for invaluable technology, as Lapsus$ leaked the source code for the company's Deep Learning Super Sampling (DLSS) research.

When it comes to exfil extortion, attackers do not enter with the primary aim of encrypting a system and causing disruption the way that a ransomware attacker does. Though, yes, attackers may still use encryption to cover their tracks.

Instead, attackers on an information exfiltration mission will move vast amounts of proprietary data to systems that they control. And here's the game: attackers will proceed to extort the victim, threatening to release that confidential information into the wild or to sell it to unscrupulous third parties.

https://thehackernews.com/2022/08/the-rise-of-data-exfiltration-and-why.html

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Threats

Ransomware

• Ransomware Groups Can Adapt Malware Code to Different Operating Systems Simultaneously, Kaspersky Research Finds - MSSP Alert

• [Whoa] Ransomware Strains Almost Double in Six Months from 5,400 to 10,666 (knowbe4.com)

• Ransomware: Most attacks exploit these common cyber security mistakes - so fix them now, warns Microsoft | ZDNET

• Ransomware dominates the threat landscape - Help Net Security

• We need to think about ransomware differently - Help Net Security

• Disk wiping malware knows no borders - Help Net Security

• NATO investigates hacker sale of missile firm data - BBC News           

• Cyber attackers disrupt services at French hospital, demand $10 million ransom (france24.com)

• New 'Agenda' Ransomware Customized for Each Victim | SecurityWeek.Com

• LockBit gang hit by DDoS attack after Entrust leaks • The Register

• New ransomware HavanaCrypt poses as Google software update | CSO Online

• WannaCry explained: A perfect ransomware storm | CSO Online

• LockBit Ransomware Site Hit by DDoS Attack as Hackers Start Leaking Entrust Data | SecurityWeek.Com

• New Golang Ransomware Agenda Customizes Attacks (trendmicro.com)

• New 'BianLian' Ransomware Variant on the Rise (darkreading.com)

• New 'Donut Leaks' extortion gang linked to recent ransomware attacks (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Ransomware Attacks are on the Rise | Threatpost

• Quantum ransomware attack disrupts govt agency in Dominican Republic (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Car Dealership Hit by Major Ransomware Attack - Infosecurity Magazine

• Ransomware Gang Leaks Data Allegedly Stolen from Greek Gas Supplier | SecurityWeek.Com

• Major airline technology provider Accelya attacked by ransomware group - The Record by Recorded Future

• Businesses expect the government to increase its financial assistance for all ransomware incidents - Help Net Security

BEC – Business Email Compromise

• Before Portland lost $1.4 million in cyber breach, city treasurer raised red flag - OPB

Phishing & Email Based Attacks

• Phishing attacks abusing SaaS platforms see a massive 1,100% growth (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Researchers Warn of AiTM Attack Targeting Google G-Suite Enterprise Users (thehackernews.com)

• Unusual Microsoft 365 Phishing Campaign Spoofs eFax Via Compromised Dynamics Voice Account (darkreading.com)

• Hiding a phishing attack behind the AWS cloud • The Register

• 10 key facts about callback phishing attacks - CyberTalk 2022

Other Social Engineering; Smishing, Vishing, etc

• New social engineering tactics discovered in the wild - Help Net Security

Malware

• Threat actor abuses Genshin Impact Anti-Cheat driver to disable antivirus - Security Affairs

• Fake DDoS Protection Alerts Distribute Dangerous RAT (darkreading.com)

• Meet Borat RAT, a New Unique Triple Threat (thehackernews.com)

• Donot Team group updates its Windows malware framework - Security Affairs

• How 'Kimsuky' hackers ensure their malware only reach valid targets (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Grandoreiro banking malware targets Mexico and Spain - Security Affairs

• Fake Chrome extension 'Internet Download Manager' has 200,000 installs (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Threat actors are using the Tox P2P messenger as C2 server - Security Affairs

Mobile

• Google Play Store Serving Up Chameleon-like Apps (informationsecuritybuzz.com)

• We can make our phones harder to hack but complete security is a pipe dream | John Naughton | The Guardian

Internet of Things – IoT

• Cyber criminals Are Selling Access to Chinese Surveillance Cameras | Threatpost

• IoT Vulnerability Disclosures Up 57% in Six Months, Claroty Reveals - Infosecurity Magazine

• Thousands of Organisations Remain at Risk from Critical Zero-Click IP Camera Bug (darkreading.com)

Data Breaches/Leaks

• LastPass data breach: threat actors stole portion of source code - Security Affairs

• Plex discloses data breach and urges password reset - Security Affairs

• Why the Twilio Breach Cuts So Deep | WIRED

• Plex was compromised, exposing usernames, emails, and passwords - The Verge

• DoorDash discloses new data breach tied to Twilio hackers (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Data on California Prisons' Visitors, Staff, Inmates Exposed | SecurityWeek.Com

• Expert Commentary On The Plex Data Breach (informationsecuritybuzz.com)

• Textile Company Sferra Discloses Data Breach | SecurityWeek.Com

• Novant Health: Oops, we leaked 1.3m patients' info to Meta • The Register

Organised Crime & Criminal Actors

• RaaS Kits Are Hiding Who The Attackers Really Are – Expert Comments (informationsecuritybuzz.com)

• Researchers warn of darkverse emerging from the metaverse | CSO Online

 Cryptocurrency/Cryptomining/Cryptojacking/NFTs/Blockchain

• An anatomy of crypto-enabled cyber crime | Financial Times (ft.com)

• Cryptojackers Spread Across Computers Globally- IT Security Guru

• Hackers Are Breaking Into and Emptying Cash App Accounts (vice.com)

• Threat actors are stealing funds from General Bytes Bitcoin ATMSecurity Affairs

• How Economic Changes and Crypto's Rise Are Fuelling the use of "Cyber Mules" | SecurityWeek.Com

Fraud, Scams & Financial Crime

• Scammers Create “AI Hologram” of C-Suite Crypto Exec - Infosecurity Magazine

• Employee fraud: Beware of deepfake job applicants - Protocol

• A closer look at identity crimes committed against individuals - Help Net Security

• What type of fraud enables attackers to make a living? - Help Net Security

Insurance

• Lloyds Of London Ends Insurance Coverage For State Cyber Attacks, Expert (informationsecuritybuzz.com)

Software Supply Chain

• Why SBOMs alone aren’t enough for software supply chain security | CSO Online

Denial of Service DoS/DDoS

• DDoS attacks jump 203%, patriotic hacktivism surges - Help Net Security

• Threat Actor Deploys Raven Storm Tool to Perform DDoS Attacks - Infosecurity Magazine

• LockBit gang hit by DDoS attack after Entrust leaks • The Register

• Gambling sites are losing significant amounts of revenue due to raising DDoS attacks - Help Net Security

Cloud/SaaS

• Mitiga: Attackers evade Microsoft MFA to lurk inside M365 (techtarget.com)

• Phishing attacks abusing SaaS platforms see a massive 1,100% growth (bleepingcomputer.com)

• How complicated access management protocols have impacted cloud security - Help Net Security

Identity and Access Management

• IT leaders struggling to address identity sprawl - Help Net Security

• Identity Security Pain Points and What Can Be Done (darkreading.com)

• Thoma Bravo: Securing digital identities has become a major priority - Help Net Security

Encryption

• CISA: Action required now to prepare for quantum computing cyber threats | ZDNET

• Encrypted Traffic Analysis: Mitigating Against The Risk Of Encryption (informationsecuritybuzz.com)

• US Government: Stop Dickering and Prepare for Post-Quantum Encryption Now - CNET

API

• API security incidents occur at least once a month - Help Net Security

Passwords, Credential Stuffing & Brute Force Attacks

• Credential phishing attacks rise and represent a huge threat to businesses - Help Net Security

• Twilio hackers breached over 130 organisations during months-long hacking spree | TechCrunch

• FBI: Beware Residential IPs Hiding Credential Stuffing - Infosecurity Magazine

Social Media

• Experts Reaction to Poor Security At Twitter (informationsecuritybuzz.com)

Privacy

• Oracle sued over ‘worldwide surveillance machine’ by privacy rights activists | CSO Online

• Most top mobile carriers retain geolocation data for two years on average, FCC findings show - CyberScoop

Travel

• Hackers target hotel and travel companies with fake reservations (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Fake Reservation Links Prey on Weary Travelers | Threatpost

• British Airways passengers targeted in baggage scam using Twitter | The Independent

Models, Frameworks and Standards

• PCI DSS v4.0 is coming, here's how to prepare to comply (techtarget.com)

Spyware, Cyber Espionage & Cyber Warfare, including Russian Invasion of Ukraine

• Lloyd's of London Introduces New War Exclusion Insurance Clauses | SecurityWeek.Com

• The (Nation) State of Cyber: 64% of Businesses Suspect They've Been Targeted or Impacted by Nation-State Attacks (darkreading.com)

• EU Outlines Critical Cyber Response to Ukraine War - Infosecurity Magazine

• Unprecedented cyber attack hit State Infrastructure of Montenegro - Security Affairs

• Suspected Iranian Hackers Targeted Several Israeli Organisations for Espionage (thehackernews.com)

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Nation State Actors

Nation State Actors – Russia

• Microsoft: Russian hackers gain powerful 'MagicWeb' authentication bypass | ZDNET

• Microsoft Attributes New Post-Compromise Capability to Nobelium - Infosecurity Magazine

Nation State Actors – Iran

• Google Uncovers Tool Used by Iranian Hackers to Steal Data from Email Accounts (thehackernews.com)

• Iranian Hackers Exploiting Unpatched Log4j 2 Bugs to Target Israeli Organisations (thehackernews.com)

Nation State Actors – Misc APT

• Donot Team group updates its Windows malware framework - Security Affairs

• Cyber crime Groups Increasingly Adopting Sliver Command-and-Control Framework (thehackernews.com)

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Vulnerability Management

• Up to 35% more CVEs published so far this year compared to 2021 | CSO Online

• Why patching quality, vendor info on vulnerabilities are declining | CSO Online

• How fast is the financial industry fixing its software security flaws? - Help Net Security

• Highlighting What should be Patched First at the Endpoint (bleepingcomputer.com)

Vulnerabilities

• Cisco Patches High-Severity Vulnerabilities in Business Switches | SecurityWeek.Com

• CISA Warns of Active Exploitation of Palo Alto Networks' PAN-OS Vulnerability (thehackernews.com)

• Critical flaw impacts Atlassian Bitbucket Server and Data Center - Security Affairs

• VMware fixes privilege escalation vulnerabilities in VMware Tools - Infosecurity Magazine

• VMware LPE Bug Allows Cyber attackers to Feast on Virtual Machine Data (darkreading.com)

• Critical RCE bug in GitLab patched, update ASAP! (CVE-2022-2884) - Help Net Security

• Mac users urged to update Zoom, after security patch released for previously-flawed security patch (bitdefender.com)

• Zoom patches root exploit, patches patch due to root exploit • The Register

• US government really hopes you've patched your Zimbra server • The Register

• Apple security flaw ‘actively exploited’ by hackers to fully control devices | Apple | The Guardian

• Microsoft publicly discloses details on critical ChromeOS flaw - Security Affairs

• Mozilla Patches High-Severity Vulnerabilities in Firefox, Thunderbird | SecurityWeek.Com

• 'DirtyCred' Vulnerability Haunting Linux Kernel for 8 Years | SecurityWeek.Com

• Privilege Escalation Flaw Haunts VMware Tools | SecurityWeek.Com

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Reports Published in the Last Week

• Cyber Signals: Defend against the new ransomware landscape - Microsoft

• Threat Spotlight: The untold stories of ransomware - Journey Notes (barracuda.com)

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Other News

• How attackers use and abuse Microsoft MFA - Help Net Security

• There is an urgent need to reduce systemic cyber risks | Financial Times (ft.com)

• Critical infrastructure is under attack from hackers. Securing it needs to be a priority - before it's too late | ZDNET

• We Need to Talk About How Good A.I. Is Getting - The New York Times (nytimes.com)

• A lack of endpoint security strategy is leaving enterprises open to attack - Help Net Security

• NIST Weighs in on AI Risk (darkreading.com)

• Twitter whistleblower report holds security lessons (techtarget.com)

• Nearly 3 Years Later, SolarWinds CISO Shares 3 Lessons From the Infamous Attack (darkreading.com)

• Data governance: 5 tips for holistic data protection - Microsoft Security Blog

• US Government Spending Billions on Cyber security (thehackernews.com)

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Sector Specific

Industry specific threat intelligence reports are available.

Contact us to receive tailored reports specific to the industry/sector and geographies you operate in.

·       Automotive

·       Construction

·       Critical National Infrastructure (CNI)

·       Defence & Space

·       Education & Academia

·       Energy & Utilities

·       Estate Agencies

·       Financial Services

·       FinTech

·       Food & Agriculture

·       Gaming & Gambling

·       Government & Public Sector (including Law Enforcement)

·       Health/Medical/Pharma

·       Hotels & Hospitality

·       Insurance

·       Legal

·       Manufacturing

·       Maritime

·       Oil, Gas & Mining

·       OT, ICS, IIoT, SCADA & Cyber-Physical Systems

·       Retail & eCommerce

·       Small and Medium Sized Businesses (SMBs)

·       Startups

·       Telecoms

·       Third Sector & Charities

·       Transport & Aviation

·       Web3

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