Threat Intelligence Blog
Contact us to discuss any insights from our Blog, and how we can support you in a tailored threat intelligence report.
Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing 24 May 2024
Black Arrow Cyber Threat Intelligence Briefing 24 May 2024:
-Human Error and AI Tops Cyber Threats as 70% of CISOs Worry About Risk
-Threat Research Highlights Growing Mobile Security Risks
-The State of Cyber Security: AI and Geopolitics Mean a Bigger Threat Than Ever
-Family Offices Become Prime Targets for Cyber Hacks and Ransomware
-Ransomware Fallout - 94% Experience Downtime, 40% Face Work Stoppage
-Employee Discontent - Insider Threat No. 1
-Report Reveals 341% Rise in Advanced Phishing Attacks
-Ransomware and GenAI Raise Security Challenges, Driving Cyber Investment
-New Rules Prompt 93% of Organisations to Rethink Cyber Security Plans
-HR and IT Related Phishing Scams Still Most Popular According to KnowBe4’s Latest Phishing Report
-80% of Exposures from Misconfigurations, as 15 Vendors Account for 62% of Global Attack Surface
-UK to Propose Mandatory Reporting for Ransomware Attacks and Licensing Regime for all Payments
-UK’s Legal Sector Needs to Improve its Cyber Security, Says Experts
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
Human Error and AI Tops Cyber Threats as 70% of CISOs Worry About Risk
According to a survey of 1,600 CISOs, 70% worry about the risk of a material cyber attack over the next 12 months. Additionally, nearly 31% believe an attack is very likely, compared to 25% in 2023. Amongst the largest concerns were human error, with 75% of CISOs identifying it as their most significant cyber vulnerability, up from 60% in 2023. Furthermore, 80% anticipate that human risk and employee negligence in particular will be major cyber security issues in the next two years. Additionally, artificial intelligence was identified as an emerging concern for 54% of CISOs.
Sources: [The Register] [Infosecurity Magazine] [Cryptopolitan]
The State of Cyber Security: AI and Geopolitics Mean a Bigger Threat Than Ever
A recent report by Check Point reveals that global organisations faced an average of 1,158 weekly cyber attacks in 2023, an increase from 2022. In the UK, 50% of businesses experienced cyber attacks in the past year, with medium and large-sized businesses more affected at 70% and 74%, respectively. A ClubCISO survey found 62% of CISOs believe organisations are ill-equipped for AI-driven attacks, yet 77% haven't increased cyber security spending.
Additionally, a British Foreign Policy Group (BFPG) article highlights cyber threats from geopolitical tensions, with a recent attack on the Ministry of Defence exposing HR and payroll data. The National Cyber Security Centre attributes such attacks to state-affiliated actors like China and Russia. Despite efforts to establish international cyber norms, enforcement remains challenging. Businesses must recognise that cyber security is now deeply intertwined with geopolitics, affecting strategic partnerships and procurement.
Threat Research Highlights Growing Mobile Security Risks
A recent report by a cloud security vendor focusing on the mobile threat landscape found that in the first quarter of 2024, the number of phishing, malicious, denylisted and offensive links delivered to their customers’ mobile devices tripled compared to Q1 2023. The report, which bases its data on 220 million devices, 325 million apps and billions of web items, found that the most common misconfiguration in mobiles was out of date operating systems (37%). When it came to the prevalence of attacks, 75% of organisations reported experiencing mobile phishing attempts targeting their employees.
This comes as a representative from the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency told the Federal Communications Commission earlier this year that there had been “numerous incidents of successful, unauthorised attempts” to steal location data, monitor voice and text messages, and deliver spyware.
Sources: [Economist] [Business Wire]
Family Offices Become Prime Targets for Cyber Hacks and Ransomware
A recent Dentons survey reveals that nearly 80% of family offices perceive a dramatic increase in cyber attack threats, with a quarter experiencing an attack in 2023, up from 17% in 2020. Despite their wealth, family offices often lack the staff and technology to manage these risks effectively. Less than a third report well-developed cyber risk management processes, and only 29% believe their cyber training programs are sufficient. This gap between awareness and action highlights the need for family offices to prioritise comprehensive cyber security measures, including better training, updated policies, and secure communication practices.
Source: [CNBC]
Ransomware Fallout: 94% Experience Downtime, 40% Face Work Stoppage
According to a report by cyber security provider Arctic Wolf, within the last 12 months 48% of organisations identified evidence of a successful breach within their environment and 70% of organisations were the targets of attempted Business Email Compromise (BEC) attacks, with 29% of these targets becoming victims of one or more successful BEC occurrences.
In its survey, the company says “45% of the organizations we spoke with admitted to being the victim of a ransomware attack within the last 12 months”, an increase from the prior year. Of those impacted by ransomware, 86% of attacks including successful data exfiltration and 94% of those impacted by a ransom event experienced a significant downtime and delays. 40% of victims stated they experienced a period of total work stoppage due to ransomware.
Source: [Help Net Security]
Employee Discontent: Insider Threat No. 1
Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs) must integrate human factors into insider risk management (IRM), not just rely on detection technologies. IRM must consider factors such as those raised by recent research where only half of US workers are very satisfied with their jobs, and 28% feel their employers don't care about them. CISOs themselves are affected by job satisfaction; the 2024 IANS/Artico report shows three out of four CISOs are ready to leave their roles. DTEX Systems found 77% of malicious insiders concealed their activities, emphasising the importance of human engagement and feedback in mitigating risks.
Source: [CSO]
Report Reveals 341% Rise in Advanced Phishing Attacks
A recent report has revealed malicious emails increased by 341% over the past 6 months. This included a 217% increase in credential harvesting phishing attacks and a 29% increase in Business Email Compromise (BEC) attacks. The report highlighted the impact of artificial intelligence, noting that since the launch of ChatGPT in November 2022, there has been a 4,151% surge in malicious phishing messages.
Source: [Security Magazine] [ Infosecurity Magazine]
Ransomware and GenAI Raise Security Challenges, Driving Cyber Investment
A recent study by Infosecurity Europe reveals that nearly 40% of cyber security leaders are increasing investments to combat the growing threats of ransomware and AI-generated attacks. A separate survey found 94% of organisations have or plan to implement generative AI use policies, and a third strictly forbid AI tech in their environment. This data highlights the ongoing effort to balance AI benefits with security risks, indicating that there isn’t a one-size-fits-all strategy for formalising AI adoption and usage policies.
Source: [Security Boulevard] [Infosecurity Magazine]
New Rules Prompt 93% of Organisations to Rethink Cyber Security Plans
A recent report reveals that 93% of organisations have re-evaluated their cyber security strategies due to new regulations, with 58% reconsidering their entire approach. The survey, which included 500 cyber security decision-makers from the US and UK, found that 92% reported increased security budgets, with 36% seeing rises of 20-49% and 23% experiencing over 50% increases. Despite this, only 40% feel confident in their resources to comply with regulations, and just one-third believe they can meet all requirements, highlighting significant gaps in preparedness.
Source: [security magazine]
HR and IT Related Phishing Scams Still Most Popular According to KnowBe4’s Latest Phishing Report
A recent KnowBe4 report reveals that HR-related phishing emails account for 42% of top-clicked phishing attempts, followed by IT-related emails at 30%. These phishing tactics exploit employees' trust and evoke immediate responses by mimicking legitimate business communications about dress code changes, tax updates, and training notifications. The report also highlights that nearly a third of users are vulnerable to phishing, emphasising the need for robust security awareness training. A well-trained workforce is essential in defending against increasingly sophisticated phishing attacks that leverage AI and emotional manipulation.
Source: [IT Security Guru]
80% of Exposures from Misconfigurations, as 15 Vendors Account for 62% of Global Attack Surface
A recent XM Cyber report highlights a significant gap in cyber security focus with identity and credential misconfigurations accounting for 80% of security exposures. The study, based on hundreds of thousands of attack path assessments, found that 62% of the global attack surface is concentrated in just 15 vendors. Furthermore, 41% of organisations had at least one compromised device, and 11% experienced ransomware incidents. The report underscores the need for a shift from patching all vulnerabilities to addressing high-impact exposures, especially those around identity management and critical asset protection.
Sources: [Security Magazine] [The Hacker News]
UK to Propose Mandatory Reporting for Ransomware Attacks and Licensing Regime for all Payments
A forthcoming proposal in Britain aims to overhaul the response to ransomware by mandating victims to report incidents and obtain a license before making extortion payments. This initiative, part of a public consultation, includes a ban on ransom payments for critical national infrastructure to deter attacks. The National Cyber Security Centre has highlighted concerns over underreporting, with a 2023 increase in ransomware-related data breaches. The plan’s success hinges on replacing the delayed Action Fraud reporting platform. This proposal marks a significant step in global ransomware policy, with Britain leading international efforts against cyber criminals.
Source: [The Record Media]
UK’s Legal Sector Needs to Improve its Cyber Security, Says Experts
One in ten UK data breaches in 2023 occurred in the legal sector, highlighting that UK law firms are attractive targets for cyber criminals. A recent analysis of the UK’s Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) data found that the legal sector is one of the worst performing sectors for data breaches, with nearly 86 per cent of the incidents within the legal sector involving breaches of personal identifiable information, including instances also affecting sensitive economic and financial data.
Sources [CITY AM]
Governance, Risk and Compliance
UK's legal sector needs to improve its cyber security, say experts (cityam.com)
How to stay on top of evolving cyber security legislation | RSM UK
New rules prompt 93% of organisations to rethink cyber security plans | Security Magazine
One CISO Can’t Fill Your Board’s Cyber Security Gaps (mit.edu)
Security Compliance 101: What It Is and How to Master It - Security Boulevard
Family offices become prime targets for cyber hacks and ransomware (cnbc.com)
Worried about job security, cyber teams hide security incidents - Help Net Security
Law firms warn global risks on the rise (emergingrisks.co.uk)
Financial companies must have data breach incident plans, SEC says | SC Media (scmagazine.com)
Businesses must overcome security communication roadblocks – Channel EYE
Why Culture is the Bedrock of Cyber Security - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)
IT Security Leaders Are Failing to Close a Boardroom Credibility Gap (prnewswire.com)
Effective GRC programs rely on team collaboration - Help Net Security
Understanding cyber risks beyond data breaches - Help Net Security
De-risking the business - how to evolve your approach to security | TechRadar
IT and security data is siloed in most organisations (betanews.com)
Can Cyber Security Be a Unifying Factor in Digital Trade Negotiations? (darkreading.com)
Threats
Ransomware, Extortion and Destructive Attacks
Family offices become prime targets for cyber hacks and ransomware (cnbc.com)
Ransomware fallout: 94% experience downtime, 40% face work stoppage - Help Net Security
Ransomware Attacks Evolve as Average Ransom Demand Tops $1.26 Million - Security Boulevard
Ransomware gang targets Windows admins via PuTTy, WinSCP malvertising (bleepingcomputer.com)
Cyber criminals shift tactics to pressure more victims into paying ransoms - Help Net Security
This wiper malware takes data destruction to a whole new level | TechRadar
A Surge in Ransomware: Insights from Our 2024 Cyber Threat Report | Huntress
Ransomware, BEC, GenAI Raise Security Challenges - Security Boulevard
LockBit takedown taking toll as gang plummets down rankings • The Register
First LockBit, now BreachForums: Are cops winning the war? • The Register
2024 sees continued increase in ransomware activity - Help Net Security
Ransomware Attacks Exploit VMware ESXi Vulnerabilities in Alarming Pattern (thehackernews.com)
What role does an initial access broker play in the RaaS model? | TechTarget
Casino cyber attacks put a bullseye on Scattered Spider • The Register
Ransomware innovation slowdown a product of crims' success • The Register
Ransomware Victims
OmniVision Says Personal Information Stolen in Ransomware Attack - Security Week
LockBit says they stole data in London Drugs ransomware attack (bleepingcomputer.com)
Phishing & Email Based Attacks
Grandoreiro Banking Trojan Resurfaces, Targeting Over 1,500 Banks Worldwide (thehackernews.com)
Phishing statistics that will make you think twice before clicking - Help Net Security
Phishing, BEC, and Beyond: Tackling the Top Cyber Threats to UK Banks (prnewswire.co.uk)
Latrodectus Malware Loader Emerges as IcedID's Successor in Phishing Campaigns (thehackernews.com)
Only 60 percent of brands can protect their customers from digital impersonation (betanews.com)
A phish by any other name should still not be clicked – Computerworld
Active Chinese Cyber espionage Campaign Rifling Email Servers (inforisktoday.com)
YouTube has become a significant channel for cyber crime - Help Net Security
BEC
The last six months shows a 341% increase in malicious emails | Security Magazine
Phishing, BEC, and Beyond: Tackling the Top Cyber Threats to UK Banks (prnewswire.co.uk)
Ransomware, BEC, GenAI Raise Security Challenges - Security Boulevard
10 Years in Prison for $4.5 million BEC Scammer Who Bought Ferrari to Launder Money | Tripwire
Other Social Engineering
Artificial Intelligence
The state of cyber security: AI and geopolitics mean a bigger threat than ever - Verdict
Three Questions Every Leader Needs To Ask About AI Cyber Security (forbes.com)
Ransomware, BEC, GenAI Raise Security Challenges - Security Boulevard
Beware – Your Customer Chatbot is Almost Certainly Insecure: Report - Security Week
Human Error and AI Tops Cyber Security Threats in CISO Survey | Cryptopolitan
Consumers continue to overestimate their ability to spot deepfakes - Help Net Security
CIO’s 2024 Checklist: Generative AI, Digital Transformation And More (forbes.com)
Deepfakes Rank As the Second Most Common Cyber Security Incident for US Businesses (darkreading.com)
Data regulator looking into Microsoft’s AI Recall feature | The Independent
US Intelligence Agencies’ Embrace of Generative AI Is at Once Wary and Urgent - Security Week
User Outcry as Slack Scrapes Customer Data for AI Model Training - Security Week
Balancing generative AI cyber security risks and rewards | TechTarget
AI Is The Past, Present And Future Of Cyber Security (forbes.com)
US AI Experts Targeted in SugarGh0st RAT Campaign (darkreading.com)
Transparency is sorely lacking amid growing AI interest | ZDNET
2FA/MFA
Malware
Grandoreiro Banking Trojan Resurfaces, Targeting Over 1,500 Banks Worldwide (thehackernews.com)
400K Linux Servers Recruited by Resurrected Ebury Botnet (darkreading.com)
Another nasty Mac malware is spoofing legitimate software to target macOS users | TechRadar
Foxit PDF Reader Flaw Exploited by Hackers to Deliver Diverse Malware Arsenal (thehackernews.com)
What Does Malware Look Like? Check Out These Real-World Examples (pcmag.com)
Cyber Criminals Exploit GitHub and FileZilla to Deliver Malware Cocktail (thehackernews.com)
Malware Delivery via Cloud Services Exploits Unicode Trick to Deceive Users (thehackernews.com)
MS Exchange Server Flaws Exploited to Deploy Keylogger in Targeted Attacks (thehackernews.com)
Keylogger Embedded Microsoft Exchange Server Steals Login Credentials (cybersecuritynews.com)
Latrodectus Malware Loader Emerges as IcedID's Successor in Phishing Campaigns (thehackernews.com)
Researchers spot cryptojacking attack that disables endpoint protections | Ars Technica
US AI Experts Targeted in SugarGh0st RAT Campaign (darkreading.com)
New BiBi Wiper version also destroys the disk partition table (bleepingcomputer.com)
Novel EDR-Killing 'GhostEngine' Malware Is Built for Stealth (darkreading.com)
Malicious actors are cat-phishing targets in order to spread malware | Security Magazine
Mobile
It is dangerously easy to hack the world’s phones (economist.com)
How often should you turn off your phone? Here's what the NSA says | PCWorld
North Korea-linked Kimsuky APT attack targets victims via Messenger (securityaffairs.com)
US Official Warns a Cell Network Flaw Is Being Exploited for Spying | WIRED
How to recognise if the security of your work device has been breached (siliconrepublic.com)
Vultur Malware Mimic As Mobile Antivirus Steals Login Credentials (cybersecuritynews.com)
‘Unblockable’ HMRC scam message on iPhones sparks warning (yahoo.com)
Lookout Threat Research Highlights Growing Mobile Security Risks | Business Wire
Internet of Things – IoT
Data Breaches/Leaks
Aon reveals cyber attack/data breach as top risk for financial institutions - Reinsurance News
NYSE parent fined $10M for breach reporting failure • The Register
Were The Ashley Madison Hackers Ever Caught? (screenrant.com)
49 Million Customers Impacted by API Security Flaw - Security Boulevard
Army personnel fear for their jobs after huge MoD cyber attack | The Independent
Criminal record database of millions of Americans dumped online | Malwarebytes
Optus denies claims of ‘cloaking’ Deloitte cyber attack report findings - Lawyers Weekly
Record breaking number of data breaches reported | Bailiwick Express
55,000 Impacted by Cyber Attack on California School Association - Security Week
Organised Crime & Criminal Actors
Were The Ashley Madison Hackers Ever Caught? (screenrant.com)
HP Catches Cyber Criminals 'Cat-Phishing' Users (darkreading.com)
Cyber crime on the rise as account takeovers become leading method (investmentnews.com)
YouTube has become a significant channel for cyber crime - Help Net Security
Ransomware innovation slowdown a product of crims' success • The Register
Cryptocurrency/Cryptomining/Cryptojacking/NFTs/Blockchain
Kinsing Hacker Group Exploits More Flaws to Expand Botnet for Cryptojacking (thehackernews.com)
Researchers spot cryptojacking attack that disables endpoint protections | Ars Technica
Dutch police tracked a crypto theft to one of world’s worst botnets (thenextweb.com)
He Trained Cops to Fight Crypto Crime—and Allegedly Ran a $100M Dark-Web Drug Market | WIRED
Insider Risk and Insider Threats
Human Error and AI Tops Cyber Security Threats in CISO Survey | Cryptopolitan
Can we fix the human error problem in cyber security? (siliconrepublic.com)
Insurance
Should You Buy Cyber Insurance in 2024? Pros & Cons (techopedia.com)
Cyber insurance trends: reshaping the industry - SiliconANGLE
Supply Chain and Third Parties
Implementing Third-Party Risk Management Workflows | UpGuard
JAVS courtroom recording software backdoored in supply chain attack (bleepingcomputer.com)
Cloud/SaaS
Critical Bug Allows DoS, RCE, Data Leaks in All Major Cloud Platforms (darkreading.com)
Security concerns impeding cloud migration | SC Media (scmagazine.com)
Malware Delivery via Cloud Services Exploits Unicode Trick to Deceive Users (thehackernews.com)
Are Your SaaS Backups as Secure as Your Production Data? (thehackernews.com)
Identity and Access Management
Encryption
Linux and Open Source
The economic model that made the internet, and the hack that almost broke it : Planet Money : NPR
400K Linux Servers Recruited by Resurrected Ebury Botnet (darkreading.com)
Are all Linux vendor kernels insecure? A new study says yes, but there's a fix | ZDNET
Passwords, Credential Stuffing & Brute Force Attacks
Social Media
YouTube has become a significant channel for cyber crime - Help Net Security
How Secure Is The Metaverse? (A Look At Cyber Threats And Defences) (forbes.com)
Malvertising
Ransomware gang targets Windows admins via PuTTy, WinSCP malvertising (bleepingcomputer.com)
The mystery of the targeted ad and the library patron • The Register
Windows admins targeted with clever malvertising scam | TechRadar
Training, Education and Awareness
Regulations, Fines and Legislation
NYSE parent fined $10M for breach reporting failure • The Register
Intercontinental Exchange Will Pay $10 Million to Resolve SEC Cyber Probe (wsj.com)
UK considering mandatory reporting for ransomware attacks (computing.co.uk)
How to stay on top of evolving cyber security legislation | RSM UK
Security Compliance 101: What It Is and How to Master It - Security Boulevard
Singapore updates cyber security law to expand regulatory oversight | ZDNET
The Dawn of DORA: Building a Resilient Financial Infrastructure (finextra.com)
What American Enterprises Can Learn From Europe's GDPR Mistakes (darkreading.com)
Preparing Your Organisation for Upcoming Cyber Security Deadlines (darkreading.com)
Backup and Recovery
Data Protection
Careers, Working in Cyber and Information Security
The IT skills shortage situation is not expected to get any better - Help Net Security
UK Government ramps up efforts to bridge cyber security skills gap (holyrood.com)
Persistent Burnout Is Still a Crisis in Cyber Security (darkreading.com)
5 Ways SMBs Can Bridge the Cyber Security Skills Gap | Mimecast
Law Enforcement Action and Take Downs
Dutch police tracked a crypto theft to one of world’s worst botnets (thenextweb.com)
Police caught circumventing city bans on face recognition • The Register
10 Years in Prison for $4.5 million BEC Scammer Who Bought Ferrari to Launder Money | Tripwire
LockBit takedown taking toll as gang plummets down rankings • The Register
He Trained Cops to Fight Crypto Crime—and Allegedly Ran a $100M Dark-Web Drug Market | WIRED
Casino cyber attacks put a bullseye on Scattered Spider • The Register
First LockBit, now BreachForums: Are cops winning the war? • The Register
No time to take eye of the ball despite recent cyber success – report (emergingrisks.co.uk)
Nation State Actors, Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs), Cyber Warfare, Cyber Espionage and Geopolitical Threats/Activity
Cyber Warfare and Cyber Espionage
World War War III May Already Have Started—in the Shadows (reason.com)
The state of cyber security: AI and geopolitics mean a bigger threat than ever - Verdict
Nation State Actors
China
The Security Interviews: What is the real cyber threat from China? | Computer Weekly
UK not heeding warning over China threat, says ex-cyber security chief (yahoo.com)
Newly Detected Chinese Group Targeting Military, Government Entities - Security Week
Spies, trade and tech: China’s relationship with Britain (economist.com)
Google, Meta warned that undersea internet cables at risk for Chinese espionage: report (nypost.com)
UK military in data breach - and other cyber security news | World Economic Forum (weforum.org)
Researchers Warn of Chinese-Aligned Hackers Targeting South China Sea Countries (thehackernews.com)
Active Chinese Cyberespionage Campaign Rifling Email Servers (inforisktoday.com)
State hackers turn to massive ORB proxy networks to evade detection (bleepingcomputer.com)
Stronger critical infrastructure defence aimed by Army Cyber Command | SC Media (scmagazine.com)
Former Royal Marine charged with spying for China found dead (thetimes.co.uk)
Russia
New Star Wars Plan: Pentagon Rushes to Counter Threats in Orbit - The New York Times
British man, 64, charged with assisting Russian intelligence service | The Independent
Iran
North Korea
North Korea-linked Kimsuky APT attack targets victims via Messenger (securityaffairs.com)
US Official Warns a Cell Network Flaw Is Being Exploited for Spying | WIRED
North Korea-linked IT workers infiltrated hundreds of US firms (securityaffairs.com)
High-ranking military officials' e-mail hacked, possibly by N. Korea (koreaherald.com)
Other Nation State Actors, Hacktivism, Extremism, Terrorism and Other Geopolitical Threat Intelligence
Vulnerability Management
93% of vulnerabilities unanalysed by NVD since February | TechTarget
How AI-driven patching could transform cyber security | TechTarget
Vulnerabilities
Microsoft Edge gets fixes for five more security vulnerabilities - Neowin
Critical Bug Allows DoS, RCE, Data Leaks in All Major Cloud Platforms (darkreading.com)
Veeam warns of critical Backup Enterprise Manager auth bypass bug (bleepingcomputer.com)
Microsoft Has Yet to Patch 7 Pwn2Own Zero-Days (darkreading.com)
Critical Flaw in AI Python Package Can Lead to System and Data Compromise - Security Week
This devious Wi-Fi security flaw could let hackers eavesdrop on your network with ease | TechRadar
Foxit PDF Reader Flaw Exploited by Hackers to Deliver Diverse Malware Arsenal (thehackernews.com)
Intel's Max Severity Flaw Affects AI Model Compressor Users (govinfosecurity.com)
15 QNAP NAS bugs and one PoC disclosed, update ASAP! (CVE-2024-27130) - Help Net Security
Keylogger Embedded Microsoft Exchange Server Steals Login Credentials (cybersecuritynews.com)
Chrome 125 Update Patches High-Severity Vulnerabilities - Security Week
Ivanti Patches Critical Code Execution Vulnerabilities in Endpoint Manager - Security Week
Unauthenticated RCE Vulnerability in Fortinet FortiSIEM: PoC Published (cybersecuritynews.com)
Ransomware Attacks Exploit VMware ESXi Vulnerabilities in Alarming Pattern (thehackernews.com)
VMware Abused in Recent MITRE Hack for Persistence, Evasion - Security Week
High-severity GitLab flaw lets attackers take over accounts (bleepingcomputer.com)
CISA Warns of Actively Exploited Apache Flink Security Vulnerability (thehackernews.com)
Tools and Controls
New rules prompt 93% of organisations to rethink cyber security plans | Security Magazine
Microsoft to Mandate Multi-Factor Authentication for All Azure Users (cybersecuritynews.com)
What is a Third-Party Risk Assessment in Cyber Security? | UpGuard
Should You Buy Cyber Insurance in 2024? Pros & Cons (techopedia.com)
The Critical Role Of Web Filtering To Secure A Modern Workplace (forbes.com)
We put too much faith in our web browsers, here's why we shouldn't (xda-developers.com)
Windows 11 to Deprecate NTLM, Add AI-Powered App Controls and Security Defences (thehackernews.com)
Google says Microsoft can’t be trusted after email security blunders | ITPro
Fighting identity fraud? Here's why we need better tech - Help Net Security
77 percent of organisations suffer cyber attacks due to identity issues (betanews.com)
Researchers spot cryptojacking attack that disables endpoint protections | Ars Technica
Microsoft's latest Windows 11 security features aim to make it 'more secure out of the box' | ZDNET
Are Your SaaS Backups as Secure as Your Production Data? (thehackernews.com)
Cyber insurance trends: reshaping the industry - SiliconANGLE
The Evolution of Security Operations Centres in the Past Decade | Information Security Buzz
When to Automate and When Not to Automate Security - Security Boulevard
Critical Capabilities of Cyber Security Risk Assessment Tools (cybersaint.io)
How AI-driven patching could transform cyber security | TechTarget
Reports Published in the Last Week
Other News
Aon reveals cyber attack/data breach as top risk for financial institutions - Reinsurance News
15 companies account for 62% of global attack surface | Security Magazine
Cyber attacks are soaring—treat them as an 'act of war', health care exec warns | Fortune Well
If the Lights Went Out: Exploring a Power Grid Failure (greydynamics.com)
Wars in Ukraine and Gaza raise UK infrastructure cyber threat level | New Civil Engineer
Malware power threat real and growing – researchers (emergingrisks.co.uk)
Microsoft’s President to Testify to House Panel on Cyber Security (bloomberglaw.com)
5 Ways SMBs Can Bridge the Cyber Security Skills Gap | Mimecast
Why cyber security is front and centre for rail - Railway Technology (railway-technology.com)
Mitigating cyber security risks in the technology sector | TechRadar
Cyber attacks on construction firms jump, new report finds | News | Building
FUD: How Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt can ruin your security program - Security Boulevard
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 26 May 2023
Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing 26 May 2023:
-50% of UK CEOs See Cyber as a Bigger Business Risk than the Economy
-Report Finds 78% of Organisations Felt Prepared for Ransomware Attacks, Yet Half Still Fell Victim
-SMBs and Regional MSPs are Increasingly Targeted by State-Sponsored APT Groups
-IT Employee Piggybacked on Cyber Attack for Personal Gain
-Ransomware Threats Are Growing, and Targeting Microsoft Devices More and More
-Microsoft Reports Jump in Business Email Compromise (BEC) Activity
-Forrester Predicts 2023’s Top Cyber security Threats: From Generative AI to Geopolitical Tensions
-Advanced Phishing Attacks Surge 356% in 2022
-Today’s Cyber Defence Challenges: Complexity and a False Sense of Security
-Almost All Ransomware Attacks Target Backups, Says Veeam
-NCSC Warns Against Chinese Cyber Attacks on Critical Infrastructure
-Half of all Companies were Impacted by Spearphishing in 2022
-Google's .zip, .mov Domains Give Social Engineers a Shiny New Tool
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
50% of UK CEOs see Cyber as a Bigger Business Risk than the Economy
Half of UK CEOs consider cyber security as a bigger risk to their organisation than economic uncertainty, a new study by Palo Alto Networks has found. The findings came from a survey of 2500 CEOs from the UK, Germany, France, Brazil and the UAE at large organisations (500+ employees).
Despite the recognition of the business threats posed by cyber attacks, UK CEOs have a lower level of understanding of cyber security risks than their international counterparts, with just 16% saying they have a complete understanding. This compares to 21% in Brazil, 21% in the UAE, 22% in France and 39% in Germany. Additionally, many UK CEOs feel detached from responsibility for cyber security at their organisations, instead leaving it to the responsibility of IT, although IT is only part of the solution.
https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/uk-ceo-cyber-risk-economy/
Report Finds 78% of Organisations Felt Prepared for Ransomware Attacks, Yet Half Still Fell Victim
Fortinet has unveiled its 2023 Global Ransomware Report based on a recent global survey and explores cyber security leaders’ perspectives on ransomware, particularly how it impacted their organisations in the last year and their strategies to mitigate an attack. The report found that the global threat of ransomware remains at peak levels, with half of organisations across all sizes, regions and industries falling victim in the last year.
The top challenges to stopping a ransomware attack were people and process related, with many organisations lacking clarity on how to secure against the threat. Specifically, four out of the five top challenges to stopping ransomware were people or process related. The second largest challenge was a lack of clarity on how to secure against the threat as a result of a lack of user awareness and training and no clear chain-of-command strategy to deal with attacks.
Despite the global macroeconomic environment, security budgets will have to increase in the next year with a focus on AI/ML technologies to speed detection, centralised monitoring tools to speed response and better preparation of people and processes.
https://www.itweb.co.za/content/mYZRX79g8gRqOgA8
SMBs and Regional MSPs are Increasingly Targeted by State-Sponsored APT Groups
Advanced persistent threat (APT) attacks were once mainly a concern for large corporations in industries that presented cyber espionage interest. That's no longer the case and over the past year in particular, the number of such state-sponsored attacks against small- and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) has increased significantly.
Cyber security firm Proofpoint analysed its telemetry data more than 200,000 SMB customers over the past year and saw a rise in phishing campaigns originating from APT groups, particularly those serving Russian, Iranian, and North Korean interests.
SMBs are also targeted by APT groups indirectly, through the managed services providers (MSPs) that maintain their infrastructure. Proofpoint has seen an increase in attacks against regional MSPs because their cyber security defences could be weaker than larger MSPs yet they still serve hundreds of SMBs in local geographies.
IT Employee Piggybacked on Cyber Attack for Personal Gain
A 28-year-old former IT employee of an Oxford-based company has been convicted of blackmailing his employer and unauthorised access to a computer with intent to commit other offences.
The convicted employee was the one who began to investigate the incident and, along with colleagues and the police, tried to mitigate it and its fallout. But he also realized that he could take advantage of the breach to line his own pockets.
“He accessed a board member’s private emails over 300 times as well as altering the original blackmail email and changing the payment address provided by the original attacker. This was in the hope that if payment was made, it would be made to him rather than the original attacker,” the South East Regional Organised Crime Unit (SEROCU) revealed. He went as far as creating an almost identical email address to that of the original attacker, using it to pressure his employer into making the payment.
While some insider threats may stem from negligence or ignorance, this case highlights a more sinister scenario involving a malicious, opportunistic individual. Malicious insiders exploit their authorized access and privileges to engage in harmful, unethical, or illegal activities.
https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2023/05/24/it-employee-blackmailing-company/
Ransomware Threats Are Growing, and Targeting Microsoft Devices More and More
Ransomware attacks have never been this popular, a new report from cyber security researchers Securin, Ivanti, and Cyware has stated. New ransomware groups are emerging constantly, and new vulnerabilities being exploited are being discovered almost daily, but out of all the different hardware and software, Microsoft’s products are being targeted the most.
Attackers are now targeting more than 7,000 products built by 121 vendors, all used by businesses in their day-to-day operations. Most products belong to Microsoft, which has 135 vulnerabilities associated with ransomware. In just March 2023, there had been more breaches reported, than in all three previous years combined. Even though most cyber security incidents never get reported, too. In the first quarter of the year, the researchers discovered 12 new vulnerabilities used in ransomware attacks, three-quarters of which (73%) were trending in the dark web.
Microsoft Reports Jump in Business Email Compromise (BEC) Activity
Thirty-five million business email compromise (BEC) attempts were detected in the last year, according to the latest Microsoft Cyber Signals report. Activity around BEC spiked between April 2022 and April 2023, with over 150,000 daily attempts, on average, detected by Microsoft’s Digital Crimes Unit.
Rather than targeting unpatched devices for vulnerabilities, BEC operators focus on leveraging the vast volume of daily email and other message traffic to trick victims into sharing financial information or unknowingly transferring funds to money mule accounts. Their goal is to exploit the constant flow of communication to carry out fraudulent money transfers.
Using secure email applications, securing identities to block lateral movement, adopting a secure payment platform and training employees are a few effective methods, according to the report.
Forrester Predicts 2023’s Top Cyber security Threats: From Generative AI to Geopolitical Tensions
The nature of cyber attacks is changing fast. Generative AI, cloud complexity and geopolitical tensions are among the latest weapons and facilitators in attackers’ arsenals. Three-quarters (74%) of security decision-makers say their organisations’ sensitive data was “potentially compromised or breached in the past 12 months” alone. Forrester’s Top Cyber security Threats in 2023 report provides a stark warning about the top cyber security threats this year, along with prescriptive advice to CISOs and their teams on countering them. By weaponising generative AI and using ChatGPT, attackers are fine-tuning their ransomware and social engineering techniques.
Perimeter-based legacy systems not designed with an AI-based upgrade path are the most vulnerable. With a new wave of cyber attacks coming that seek to capitalise on any given business’ weakest links, including complex cloud configurations, the gap between reported and actual breaches will grow.
Forrester cites Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and its relentless cyber attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure as examples of geopolitical cyber attacks with immediate global implications. Forrester advises that nation-state actors continue to use cyber attacks on private companies for geopolitical purposes like espionage, negotiation leverage, resource control and intellectual property theft to gain technological superiority.
Advanced Phishing Attacks Surge 356% in 2022
A new report published this week observed a 356% growth in the number of advanced phishing attacks attempted by threat actors in 2022, with the total number of attacks having increased by 87%. Among the reasons behind this growth is the fact that malicious actors continue to gain widespread access to new tools, including artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML)-powered tools. These have automated the process of generating sophisticated attacks, including those characterized by social engineering as well as evasion techniques.
The global threat landscape continues to evolve with a meteoric rise in the number of attacks, combined with increasingly sophisticated attack techniques designed to breach and damage organisations.
Additionally, the report highlighted that the changing threat landscape has resulted from the swift adoption of new cloud collaboration apps, cloud storage and productivity services for external collaboration.
https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/advanced-phishing-attacks-surge/
Today’s Cyber Defence Challenges: Complexity and a False Sense of Security
Organisations can mistakenly believe that deploying more security solutions will result in greater protection against threats. However, the truth of the matter can be very different. Gartner estimates that global spending on IT security and risk management solutions will exceed $189.7 billion annually in 2023, yet the breaches keep on coming. Blindly purchasing more security tools can add to complexity in enterprise environments and creates a false sense of security that contributes to today’s cyber security challenges.
To add to the dilemma, the new work-from-anywhere model is putting a strain on IT and security teams. Employees shifting between corporate and off-corporate networks are creating visibility and control challenges, which are impacting those teams’ ability to diagnose and remediate end user issues and minimize cyber security risks. In addition, they have to deal with a broad mix of networks, hardware, business and security applications, operating system (OS) versions, and patches.
Almost All Ransomware Attacks Target Backups
Data stored in backups is the most common target for ransomware attackers. Almost all intrusions (93%) target backups and in 75% of cases succeed in taking out victims’ ability to recover. In addition, 85% of global organisations suffered at least one cyber attack in the past year according to the Veeam 2023 Ransomware trends report. Only 16% of organisations avoided paying ransom because they were able to recover from backups, down from 19% in last year’s survey.
According to the survey, criminals attempt to attack backup repositories in almost all (93%) cyber events in EMEA, with 75% losing at least some of their backups and more than one-third (39%) of backup repositories being completely lost.
Other key findings included that 21% said ransomware is now specifically excluded from insurance policies; and of those with cyber insurance, 74% saw increased premiums since their last policy renewal.
With most ransomware actors moving to double and triple extortion the days of a backup being all you need to keep you safe are far behind and firms should do more to prevent being the victim of ransomware in the first place.
NCSC Warns Against Chinese Cyber Attacks on Critical Infrastructure
The UK National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) and several other international security agencies have issued a new advisory warning the public against Chinese cyber activity targeting critical national infrastructure networks. According to the document, the People’s Republic of China (PRC)’s associated threat actors employed sophisticated tactics to evade detection while conducting malicious activities against targets in the US and Guam. These tactics are expected to be used on critical infrastructure targets outside the US, including the UK.
The document further added that the threat actors mainly focused on credential access theft via brute force and password spraying techniques. The NCSC advisory provides network defenders with technical indicators and examples of techniques used by the attacker to help identify any malicious activity.
https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/ncsc-warns-chinese-cyber-attacks/
Half of All Companies were Impacted by Spearphishing in 2022
Spearphishing is a sliver of all email exploits but the extent to which it succeeds is revealed in a new study from cyber security firm Barracuda Networks, which analysed 50 billion emails across 3.5 million mailboxes in 2022, unearthing around 30 million spearphishing emails and affecting 50% of all companies.
The report identified the top prevalent spearphishing emails were Scamming (47%) used to trick victims into disclosing sensitive information and the other being brand impersonation (42%) attacks mimicking a brand familiar with the victim to harvest credentials.
The report found that remote work is increasing risks. Users at companies with more than a 50% remote workforce report higher levels of suspicious emails — 12 per day on average, compared to 9 per day for those with less than a 50% remote workforce.
https://www.techrepublic.com/article/barracuda-networks-spearphishing-study/
Google's .zip, .mov Domains Give Social Engineers a Shiny New Tool
Two new top-level domain names (.zip and .mov) have caused concern among security researchers, who say they allow for the construction of malicious URLs that even tech-savvy users are likely to miss. While a top-level domain (TLD) that mimics a file extension is only one component in the lookalike attack, the overall combination is much more effective with the .zip or .mov extension.
There's no question that phishing links that involve these TLDs can be used to lure unsuspecting users into accidentally downloading malware. Unlike other kinds of phishing URLs that are intended to lure the user to enter credentials into a phony login page, the lures with the .zip or .mov domains are more suited to drive-by download types of attacks.
https://www.darkreading.com/endpoint/google-zip-mov-domains-social-engineers-shiny-new-tool
Governance, Risk and Compliance
Security Pros: Before You Do Anything, Understand Your Threat Landscape - SecurityWeek
The Rising Threat of Secrets Sprawl and the Need for Action (thehackernews.com)
Mass resignations, layoffs seen as major threat to corporate cyber security - The Korea Times
Improving Cyber security Requires Building Better Public-Private Cooperation (darkreading.com)
5 Cyber security Woes That Threaten Digital Growth (analyticsinsight.net)
Cyber Warfare Lessons From the Russia-Ukraine Conflict (darkreading.com)
What Security Professionals Need to Know About Aggregate Cyber Risk (darkreading.com)
Where to Focus Your Company’s Limited Cyber security Budget (hbr.org)
Former Uber CSO Joe Sullivan and lessons learned from the infamous 2016 Uber breach | CSO Online
CISO Criminalization, Vague Cyber Disclosure Rules Create Angst for Security Teams (darkreading.com)
Today’s Cyber Defence Challenges: Complexity and a False Sense of Security - SecurityWeek
The biggest threats are always those we fail to predict - Big Think
How continuous security monitoring is changing the compliance game - Help Net Security
Defining CISOs, CTOs, and CIOs' Roles in Cyber security (analyticsinsight.net)
Threats
Ransomware, Extortion and Destructive Attacks
3 Common Initial Attack Vectors Account for Most Ransomware Campaigns (darkreading.com)
12 vulnerabilities newly associated with ransomware - Help Net Security
IT employee impersonates ransomware gang to extort employer (bleepingcomputer.com)
Ransomware threats are growing, and targeting Microsoft devices more and more | TechRadar
Microsoft: Notorious FIN7 hackers return in Clop ransomware attacks (bleepingcomputer.com)
FIN7 gang returned and was spotted delivering Clop ransomware - Security Affairs
Bridgestone CISO: Lessons From Ransomware Attack Include Acting, Not Thinking (darkreading.com)
Cyble — New Ransomware Wave Engulfs over 200 Corporate Victims
Updated 'StopRansomware Guide' warns of shifting tactics | TechTarget
The Week in Ransomware - May 19th 2023 - A Shifting Landscape (bleepingcomputer.com)
US saw 45% fewer ransomware victims posted on the dark web | Security Magazine
Judge Throws Out Ransomware Class-Action Suit Against Rackspace - MSSP Alert
Ransomware tales: The MitM attack that really had a Man in the Middle – Naked Security (sophos.com)
Here's another great reason to make sure your enterprises is safeguarded from ransomware | TechRadar
Inside Qilin Ransomware: Affiliates Take Home 85% of Ransom Payouts (thehackernews.com)
Buhti Ransomware Gang Switches Tactics, Utilizes Leaked LockBit and Babuk Code (thehackernews.com)
Ransomware Victims
Food Distributor Sysco Says Cyber Attack Exposed 126,000 Individuals - SecurityWeek
Suzuki motorcycle plant shut down by cyber attack (bitdefender.com)
Iowa hospital discloses breach following Royal ransomware leak | TechTarget
Arms maker Rheinmetall confirms BlackBasta ransomware attack (bleepingcomputer.com)
Dish Network says February ransomware attack impacted +300K - Security Affairs
Philly Inquirer disputes Cuba ransomware gang's leak claims • The Register
Dorchester school IT system held to ransom in cyber attack - BBC News
BlackByte lists city of Augusta after cyber 'incident' • The Register
Phishing & Email Based Attacks
Advanced Phishing Attacks Surge 356% in 2022 - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)
50% of companies had spearphishing puncture wounds in 2022 (techrepublic.com)
Microsoft 365 phishing attacks use encrypted RPMSG messages (bleepingcomputer.com)
Threat actors exploit new channels for advanced phishing attacks - Help Net Security
Malicious links and misaddressed emails slip past security controls - Help Net Security
CopperStealer Malware Crew Resurfaces with New Rootkit and Phishing Kit Modules (thehackernews.com)
Crypto phishing service Inferno Drainer defrauds thousands of victims (bleepingcomputer.com)
BEC – Business Email Compromise
Cyber Signals: Shifting tactics show surge in business email compromise | Microsoft Security Blog
Microsoft reports jump in business email compromise activity | CSO Online
Other Social Engineering; Smishing, Vishing, etc
Artificial Intelligence
Employees are banned from using ChatGPT at these companies | Fortune
BatLoader campaign impersonates ChatGPT and Midjourney to deliver Redline Stealer - Security Affairs
6 ChatGPT risks for legal and compliance leaders - Help Net Security
5 Ways Hackers Will Use ChatGPT For Cyber attacks (informationsecuritybuzz.com)
Simple OSINT techniques to spot AI-fueled disinformation, fake reviews - Help Net Security
Microsoft urges lawmakers to adopt new guidelines for responsible AI | CyberScoop
AI Used to Create Malware, WithSecure Observes - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)
The Security Hole at the Heart of ChatGPT and Bing | WIRED UK
2FA/MFA
Malware
New PowerExchange malware backdoors Microsoft Exchange servers (bleepingcomputer.com)
Hackers Use Weaponised DOCX File to Deploy Stealthy Malware (gbhackers.com)
Meet 'Jack' from Romania! Mastermind Behind Golden Chickens Malware (thehackernews.com)
Developer Alert: NPM Packages for Node.js Hiding Dangerous TurkoRat Malware (thehackernews.com)
CopperStealer Malware Crew Resurfaces with New Rootkit and Phishing Kit Modules (thehackernews.com)
Threat actors leverage kernel drivers in new attacks | TechTarget
BatLoader campaign impersonates ChatGPT and Midjourney to deliver Redline Stealer - Security Affairs
Malicious links and misaddressed emails slip past security controls - Help Net Security
Potentially millions of Android TVs and phones come with malware preinstalled | Ars Technica
New AhRat Android malware hidden in app with 50,000 installs (bleepingcomputer.com)
Malware turns home routers into proxies for Chinese state-sponsored hackers | Ars Technica
PyPI open-source code repository deals with manic malware maelstrom – Naked Security (sophos.com)
Legion Malware Upgraded to Target SSH Servers and AWS Credentials (thehackernews.com)
AI Used to Create Malware, WithSecure Observes - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)
Mobile
Warning: Samsung Devices Under Attack! New Security Flaw Exposed (thehackernews.com)
Android phones are vulnerable to fingerprint brute-force attacks (bleepingcomputer.com)
New AhRat Android malware hidden in app with 50,000 installs (bleepingcomputer.com)
Predator: Looking under the hood of Intellexa’s Android spyware (bleepingcomputer.com)
Botnets
How smart bots are infecting and exploiting the internet - Help Net Security
The Dark Frost Enigma: An Unexpectedly Prevalent Botnet Author Profile | Akamai
Denial of Service/DoS/DDOS
Internet of Things – IoT
Potentially millions of Android TVs and phones come with malware preinstalled | Ars Technica
Malware turns home routers into proxies for Chinese state-sponsored hackers | Ars Technica
Data Breaches/Leaks
Capita under fire after ‘confidential’ files published online (thetimes.co.uk)
Luxottica confirms 2021 data breach after info of 70M leaks online (bleepingcomputer.com)
Hackers steal the SSN of nearly 6 million people (pandasecurity.com)
Food Distributor Sysco Says Cyber attack Exposed 126,000 Individuals - SecurityWeek
Organised Crime & Criminal Actors
IT employee piggybacked on cyber attack for personal gain - Help Net Security
Child hackers: How are kids becoming sophisticated cyber criminals? | Euronews
UK Fraudster Behind iSpoof Scam Receives 13-Year Jail Term for Cyber Crimes (thehackernews.com)
The Strange Story of the Teens Behind the Mirai Botnet - IEEE Spectrum
FBI: Human Trafficking Rings Force Job Seekers Into Cryptojacking Schemes (darkreading.com)
'Operation Magalenha' Attacks Gives Window Into Brazil's Cyber crime Ecosystem (darkreading.com)
Cyber criminals masquerading as MFA vendors - Help Net Security
The Dark Frost Enigma: An Unexpectedly Prevalent Botnet Author Profile | Akamai
Cryptocurrency/Cryptomining/Cryptojacking/NFTs/Blockchain
Crypto phishing service Inferno Drainer defrauds thousands of victims (bleepingcomputer.com)
Forex boss Anthony Constantinou guilty of £70m ‘Ponzi’ fraud (thetimes.co.uk)
FBI: Human Trafficking Rings Force Job Seekers Into Cryptojacking Schemes (darkreading.com)
Insider Risk and Insider Threats
How to prevent against the 5 main types of insider threats - IT Security Guru
IT employee impersonates ransomware gang to extort employer (bleepingcomputer.com)
Fraud, Scams & Financial Crime
Get-rich-quick schemes, pyramids and ponzis: five signs you're being scammed (theconversation.com)
Scammers Using ChatGPT "Fleeceware" Apps to Cash In on AI Hype, Sophos Report - MSSP Alert
Online scams target bargain-hunting holiday travelers - Help Net Security
Ads for lucrative jobs in Asia may be tech slavery scams • The Register
Crypto phishing service Inferno Drainer defrauds thousands of victims (bleepingcomputer.com)
79-year-old woman tricks German scammers into getting arrested (iamexpat.de)
Forex boss Anthony Constantinou guilty of £70m ‘Ponzi’ fraud (thetimes.co.uk)
IT employee impersonates ransomware gang to extort employer (bleepingcomputer.com)
Supply Chain and Third Parties
Capita under fire after ‘confidential’ files published online (thetimes.co.uk)
UK councils caught in Capita unsecured AWS bucket data leak • The Register
New Cyber Security Training Packages Launched to Manage Supply Chain Risk - NCSC
Software Supply Chain
GUAC 0.1 Beta: Google's Breakthrough Framework for Secure Software Supply Chains (thehackernews.com)
Cloud/SaaS
UK councils caught in Capita unsecured AWS bucket data leak • The Register
CISO-level tips for securing corporate data in the cloud - Help Net Security
Google Cloud Bug Allows Server Takeover From CloudSQL Service (darkreading.com)
Attack Surface Management
Identity and Access Management
7 access management challenges during M&A - Help Net Security
Think security first when switching from traditional Active Directory to Azure AD | CSO Online
Encryption
API
API bug in OAuth dev tool opened websites, apps to account hijacking | SC Media (scmagazine.com)
The fragmented nature of API security ownership - Help Net Security
Open Source
Passwords, Credential Stuffing & Brute Force Attacks
Inactive accounts pose significant account takeover security risks | CSO Online
What’s a Double-Blind Password Strategy and When Should It Be Used (bleepingcomputer.com)
Netflix's Password-Sharing Ban Offers Security Upsides (darkreading.com)
Biometrics
Social Media
Meta Hit With $1.3B Record-Breaking Fine for GDPR Violations (darkreading.com)
Pentagon explosion hoax goes viral after verified Twitter accounts push (bleepingcomputer.com)
Training, Education and Awareness
Travel
Online scams target bargain-hunting holiday travelers - Help Net Security
Four ways your devices can be hacked in hotels and how to stay safe | This is Money
Tips to Protect Against Holiday and Airline Scams - IT Security Guru
Parental Controls and Child Safety
Regulations, Fines and Legislation
Meta Hit With $1.3B Record-Breaking Fine for GDPR Violations (darkreading.com)
Microsoft urges lawmakers to adopt new guidelines for responsible AI | CyberScoop
Models, Frameworks and Standards
NIST Launches Cyber security Initiative for Small Businesses (securityintelligence.com)
New security model launched to eliminate 95% of cyber breaches - IT Security Guru
Backup and Recovery
Almost all ransomware attacks target backups, says Veeam | Computer Weekly
'Operation Magalenha' Attacks Gives Window Into Brazil's Cyber crime Ecosystem (darkreading.com)
Here's another great reason to make sure your enterprises is safeguarded from ransomware | TechRadar
Data Protection
Careers, Working in Cyber and Information Security
Law Enforcement Action and Take Downs
UK Fraudster Behind iSpoof Scam Receives 13-Year Jail Term for Cyber Crimes (thehackernews.com)
79-year-old woman tricks German scammers into getting arrested (iamexpat.de)
Privacy, Surveillance and Mass Monitoring
UK police to 'embed' facial recog but oversight is at risk • The Register
Abuse of government spying powers: What's to worry about? • The Register
Reflections on Ten Years Past The Snowden Revelations (ietf.org)
Misinformation, Disinformation and Propaganda
Spyware, Cyber Espionage & Cyber Warfare, including Russian Invasion of Ukraine
Cyber Warfare Lessons From the Russia-Ukraine Conflict (darkreading.com)
Russia's War in Ukraine Shows Cyber attacks Can Be War Crimes (darkreading.com)
The Underground History of Turla, Russia's Most Ingenious Hacker Group | WIRED
Bad Magic's Extended Reign in Cyber Espionage Goes Back Over a Decade (thehackernews.com)
North Korean Kimsuky Hackers Strike Again with Advanced Reconnaissance Malware (thehackernews.com)
Cyber Attacks Strike Ukraine's State Bodies in Espionage Operation (thehackernews.com)
Mysterious malware designed to cripple industrial systems linked to Russia | CyberScoop
New Russian-linked CosmicEnergy malware targets industrial systems (bleepingcomputer.com)
United Nations official and others in Armenia hacked by NSO Group spyware | Hacking | The Guardian
Predator: Looking under the hood of Intellexa’s Android spyware (bleepingcomputer.com)
Nation State Actors
APT attacks: Exploring Advanced Persistent Threats and their evasive techniques (malwarebytes.com)
SMBs and regional MSPs are increasingly targeted by state-sponsored APT groups | CSO Online
The Underground History of Turla, Russia's Most Ingenious Hacker Group | WIRED
Malware turns home routers into proxies for Chinese state-sponsored hackers | Ars Technica
North Korean Kimsuky Hackers Strike Again with Advanced Reconnaissance Malware (thehackernews.com)
Five Eyes and Microsoft accuse China US infrastructure raids • The Register
Iranian hackers use new Moneybird ransomware to attack Israeli orgs (bleepingcomputer.com)
Mysterious malware designed to cripple industrial systems linked to Russia | CyberScoop
GCHQ warns of fresh threat from Chinese state-sponsored hackers | Hacking | The Guardian
New Russian-linked CosmicEnergy malware targets industrial systems (bleepingcomputer.com)
Five Eyes agencies detail how Chinese hackers breached US infrastructure - Help Net Security
Lazarus Group Striking Vulnerable Windows IIS Web Servers (darkreading.com)
'Volt Typhoon' Breaks Fresh Ground for China-Backed Cyber Campaigns (darkreading.com)
Vulnerability Management
12 vulnerabilities newly associated with ransomware - Help Net Security
Fresh perspectives needed to manage growing vulnerabilities - Help Net Security
Judge Throws Out Ransomware Class-Action Suit Against Rackspace - MSSP Alert
How to check for new exploits in real time? VulnCheck has an answer | CSO Online
Vulnerabilities
12 vulnerabilities newly associated with ransomware - Help Net Security
Hackers target 1.5M WordPress sites with cookie consent plugin exploit (bleepingcomputer.com)
Barracuda Alerts Of Breaches In Email Gateways From Zero-Day Flaws (informationsecuritybuzz.com)
Threat Actors Compromise Barracuda Email Security Appliances (darkreading.com)
Microsoft: Windows issue causes file copying, saving failures (bleepingcomputer.com)
GitLab 'strongly recommends' patching max severity flaw ASAP (bleepingcomputer.com)
83C0000B: The error code that means a software update bricked your HP printer (bitdefender.com)
CISA adds iPhone bugs to Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog - Security Affairs
Vulnerability in Zyxel firewalls may soon be widely exploited (CVE-2023-28771) - Help Net Security
Zyxel warns of critical vulnerabilities in firewall and VPN devices (bleepingcomputer.com)
Warning: Samsung Devices Under Attack! New Security Flaw Exposed (thehackernews.com)
Tools and Controls
Security Pros: Before You Do Anything, Understand Your Threat Landscape - SecurityWeek
Malicious links and misaddressed emails slip past security controls - Help Net Security
Making The Most Of A Penetration Test: The Organisational Perspective (forbes.com)
Against the Clock: Cyber Incident Response Plan (trendmicro.com)
Investigating Risks Through Threat Hunting Capability Guide (informationsecuritybuzz.com)
Almost all ransomware attacks target backups, says Veeam | Computer Weekly
How continuous security monitoring is changing the compliance game - Help Net Security
Blacklist untrustworthy apps that peek behind your firewall - Help Net Security
How generative AI is reshaping the identity verification landscape - Help Net Security
The fragmented nature of API security ownership - Help Net Security
Enterprises Must Prepare Now for Shorter TLS Certificate Lifespans (darkreading.com)
Cutting Through the Noise: What is Zero Trust Security? - SecurityWeek
CISO-level tips for securing corporate data in the cloud - Help Net Security
6 ways generative AI chatbots and LLMs can enhance cyber security | CSO Online
'Operation Magalenha' Attacks Gives Window Into Brazil's Cyber crime Ecosystem (darkreading.com)
Here's another great reason to make sure your enterprises is safeguarded from ransomware | TechRadar
Attributes of a mature cyber-threat intelligence program | CSO Online
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.