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Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing 21 July 2023
Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing 21 July 2023:
-Cyber Attacks Reach Two-Year High Amid Ransomware Resurgence as Financial Service Firms Lose $32 Billion in 5 Years
-MOVEit Body Count Closes in on 400 orgs, 20M+ Individuals
-IT Worker Jailed for Impersonating Ransomware Gang to Extort Employer
-Stabilising the Cyber Security Landscape: The CISO Exodus and the Rise of vCISOs
-Risk is Driving Medium-Sized Business Decisions
-Talent and Governance, Not Technology, are Key to Drive Change around Cyber Security
-Hybrid Work, Digital Transformation can Exploit Security Gaps
-Human Cyber-Risk Can Be Demonstrably Mitigated by Behaviour Changing Training
-AI Tool WormGPT Enables Convincing Fake Emails For BEC Attacks
-Pro-Russian Hacktivists Increase Focus on Western Targets
-Infosec Doesn't Know What AI Tools Orgs Are Using
-Google Restricting Internet Access to Some Employees to Reduce Cyber Attack Risk
-Unlocking Business Potential: How CISOs are Transforming Cyber Security into a Strategic Asset
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
Cyber Attacks Reach Two-Year High Amid Ransomware Resurgence as Financial Service Firms Lose $32 Billion in 5 Years
The average weekly volume of cyber attacks reached a two-year high in the second quarter of 2023 amid a spike in activity among ransomware groups according to Check Point Research, with healthcare in particular facing a significant year-on-year increase. The impact of ransomware hits every organisation, with separate research finding global financial services organisations having lost over $32bn in downtime since 2018 due to ransomware breaches.
A recent report found that the ransomware gangs LockBit and Cl0p alone accounted for nearly 40% of all recorded ransomware attacks across June 2023. The impact from Cl0p’s MOVEit attack alone has been felt by over 400 organisations since May 2023. One of the key takeaways from the MOVEit attack is that no matter the sector, any organisation can be a victim and as such it is essential to have effective controls in place, incorporating defence-in-depth. It’s worth considering how many organisations are still running vulnerable instances of MOVEit, or have someone in their supply chain who is.
https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/ransomware-costs-financial-32bn/
MOVEit Body Count Closes in on 400 Organisations, 20M+ Individuals
The number of victims and the costs tied to the MOVEit file transfer hack continues to climb as the fallout from the massive supply chain attack enters week seven. In late May 2023, Russian ransomware gang Cl0p exploited a security hole in Progress Software's MOVEit product suite to steal documents from vulnerable networks. As of last week, the number of affected organisations was closing in on 400 and individual victims exceed 20 million.
The attack highlights the need for organisations to have policies and procedures in place for third parties, and to be aware of the data which a third party supplier has on them. It will be the organisation who will need to let their customers know in the event of a breach.
https://www.theregister.com/2023/07/20/moveit_victim_count/
IT Worker Jailed for Impersonating Ransomware Gang to Extort Employer
28-year-old Ashley Liles, a former IT employee, has been sentenced to over three years in prison for attempting to blackmail his employer during a ransomware attack. Liles, an IT security analyst at an Oxford-based company in the UK, exploited his position to intercept a ransomware payment following an attack suffered by his employer. To deceive the company, he impersonated the ransomware gang extorting them. He tried to redirect the ransomware payments by switching the cyber criminals' cryptocurrency wallet to one under his control. He also accessed a board member's private emails over 300 times.
Insider threat is a risk that organisations need to be aware of and, although it was malicious in this case, it can also come from employee negligence. Organisations looking to achieve a strong level of cyber resilience should incorporate insider risk into their training and controls.
Stabilising the Cyber Security Landscape: The CISO Exodus and the Rise of vCISOs
In today's evolving digital landscape, the role of a chief information security officer (CISO) is critical. These professionals defend against the rising tide of daily cyber threats. Yet many CISOs are leaving or considering leaving their jobs; this trend seems to reflect the intense pressure CISOs endure. They face a constant stream of complex cyber threats, manage compliance issues and struggle with a talent deficit in cyber security. Paired with high expectations, many reconsider their roles which can lead to a leadership gap.
A virtual CISO (vCISO) is an outsourced security practitioner who offers their expertise to businesses on a part-time or contractual basis. These professionals provide many of the same services as a traditional CISO, such as developing and implementing security strategies, ensuring compliance with regulations, training staff and managing a company's cyber security posture. vCISOs, such as from Black Arrow, are often part of a larger team and can bring a wide range of experiences and skills. They are exposed to diverse security landscapes across industries, and can provide a fresh perspective and innovative solutions to your security challenges. The vCISO model may not replace the need for a full-time CISO in all cases, but it can certainly add a flexible and cost-effective tool to the arsenal of businesses looking to bolster their cyber security posture.
Risk is Driving Medium-Sized Business Decisions
Small and medium sized businesses (SMBs) have long lacked the tools, expertise, staff and budget to make major cyber security investments. However, as threats become more mainstream and more advanced, the focus is shifting, so SMBs need to take the threats seriously and evaluate their cyber security controls.
In a survey of 140 SMBs, it was found that 40% of respondents believe they are very likely or extremely likely to experience a cyber security attack target in the next 12 months. That fear is founded, as 34% of organisations stated they experienced a malware attack in the past year, and 29% experienced a phishing or spear phishing incident. SMBs are putting their time, energy, and budget toward risk management. When it came to budgeting, 67% list their primary budgeting method as “risk-based”, and only 32% as “ad hoc/following an attack or breach”. It was found that over two-thirds of businesses would rather spend money now than pay a ransom later.
Talent and Governance, Not Technology, are Key to Drive Change Around Cyber Security
For the last 20 years, large organisations have been spending significant amounts of money on cyber security products and solutions, on managed services, or with consultancies large and small. Yet maturity levels remain elusive: a report found that 70% of firms surveyed had yet to fully advance to a mature-based approach. Cyber security good practices have been well established for the best part of the last 20 years and continue to provide, in most industries, an acceptable level of protection against most threats and an acceptable level of compliance against most regulations.
However cyber security is often viewed as something external to the business. This perspective leads to talent alienation and execution failures because the employees who should be invested in maintaining and improving cyber security may feel disconnected from these efforts. To make genuine progress, cyber security needs to be intrinsically linked to business values as a visible priority, owned and directed from the highest levels of an organisation.
This approach underlines the importance of governance in setting effective cyber security policies and procedures. It also highlights the crucial role of nurturing talent within the organisation to ensure active involvement in maintaining and improving cyber security measures. While technology is undoubtedly an essential element of cyber security, prioritising talent and governance can lead to lasting progress.
Hybrid Work, Digital Transformation can Exploit Security Gaps
A new study showed that larger organisations generally recognise malware threats but they lack protection against malicious actors and ways to properly remediate infections. The report revealed security leaders are concerned about attacks that leverage malware-exfiltrated authentication data. 53% say they are extremely concerned about attacks, with 1% of security leaders saying they weren’t concerned at all. 98% said that better visibility into at-risk applications would significantly improve their security posture.
The most overlooked entry points for malware include 57% of organisations allowing employees to sync browser data between personal and corporate devices. 54% of organisations struggle with shadow IT, due to employees’ unsanctioned adoption of applications and systems, creating gaps not only in visibility but also in basic security controls and corporate policies.
Human Cyber Risk Can Be Demonstrably Mitigated by Behaviour Changing Training
The process of encouraging secure cyber habits in end users is evolving from traditional awareness training toward changing end user behaviour. It reflects a growing acceptance that traditional methods haven’t worked. While traditional security awareness teaches users how to recognise social engineering, new behaviour changing trains the brain – almost pre-programs it – on the correct recognition and response to phishing.
What is considered a standard phishing email today may not be tomorrow, and changes in user behaviour will help to combat this. It is simply not enough to be shown one phishing email and be told to follow procedures. Training should instead be focused on going beyond; this should look to change how the user approaches things such as phishing, and gamifying the recognition and reporting of it.
AI Tool WormGPT Enables Convincing Fake Emails For BEC Attacks
A generative AI tool, WormGPT, has emerged as a powerful weapon in the hands of cyber criminals, specifically for launching business email compromise (BEC) attacks, according to new findings. The tool is designed for malicious purposes and has no restrictions on what a user can request. Such a tool allows for impeccable grammar in emails to reduce suspicion and allows sophistication with no restrictions on prompts. The lowered entry threshold enables cyber criminals with limited skills to execute sophisticated attacks, democratising the use of this technology.
https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/wormgpt-fake-emails-bec-attacks/
https://www.independent.co.uk/tech/chatgpt-dark-web-wormgpt-hack-b2376627.html
Pro-Russian Hacktivists Increase Focus on Western Targets
‘Anonymous Sudan’, apparent pro-Russian hacktivists, claimed a one-hour distributed denial of service attack on the social platform OnlyFans last week. This was the latest in a string of operations aimed at targets in the US and Europe. The group’s digital assaults coincide with attacks coming from a broader network of hackers aligned with Moscow that seek attention by taking down high-profile victims and strategic targets; many of the targets support Ukraine in its ongoing war against Russia.
The pro-Russian group appears to be affiliated with Killnet, a pro-Russian hacktivist group that emerged in late 2021 or early 2022 and has claimed distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks, data theft and leaks on perceived adversaries of the Russian government, according to an analysis from Google’s Mandiant released earlier this week. The collective’s apparent significant growth in capabilities, demonstrated by Microsoft’s confirmation that Anonymous Sudan was responsible for the outages they experienced, potentially indicates a significant increase in outside investment in the collective, further suggesting a potential tie to the Russian state.
https://cyberscoop.com/anonymous-sudan-killnet-russia-onlyfans/
Infosec Doesn't Know What AI Tools Organisations Are Using
With the marketplace awash in new artificial intelligence (AI) tools and new AI features being added to existing tools, organisations are finding themselves lacking visibility into what AI tools are in use, how they are used, who has access, and what data is being shared. As businesses try, adopt, and abandon new generative AI tools, it falls on enterprise IT, risk, and security leaders to govern and secure their use without hindering innovation. While developing security policies to govern AI use is important, it is not possible without knowing what tools are being used in the first place.
Enterprise security teams have to consider how to handle discovery, learning which generative AI tools have been introduced into the environment and by whom, as well as risk assessment.
https://www.darkreading.com/tech-trends/infosec-doesnt-know-what-ai-tools-orgs-are-using
Google Restricting Internet Access to Some Employees to Reduce Cyber Attack Risk
In a bid to shrink the attack surface of its employees, and thus boost security, Google is taking an experimental, and some might say extreme, approach: cutting some of their workstations off from the internet. The company originally selected more than 2,500 employees to participate and will disable internet access on the selected desktops, except for internal web-based tools and Google owned websites like Google Drive and Gmail. Some workers who need the internet to do their job will get exceptions, the company stated in materials.
Google is running the programme to reduce the risk of cyber attacks, according to internal materials. If a Google employee’s device is compromised, the attackers may have access to user data and infrastructure code, which could result in a major incident and undermine user trust. The program comes as companies face increasingly sophisticated cyber attacks. Just last week, Microsoft said Chinese intelligence hacked into company email accounts belonging to two dozen government agencies in the US and Western Europe, including the US State Department, in a “significant” breach.
https://www.theregister.com/2023/07/19/google_cuts_internet/
Unlocking Business Potential: How CISOs are Transforming Cyber Security into a Strategic Asset
Enterprises are responding to growing cyber security threats by working to make the best use of tools and services to ensure business resilience, according to a recent report. Chief information security officers (CISOs) and virtual CISOs (vCISOS) in particular, want more solutions and services that help them align security measures with enterprise objectives and C-level executives have become more aware of the need for cyber resilience. As a result, security investments have expanded beyond detection and response to include rapid recovery and business continuity.
The report found that amongst other things, enterprises are investing in risk assessments and outsourcing more services. In some cases, where a CISO cannot be hired, organisations may look to hire a vCISO. It is important that the vCISO is able to understand cyber in context to the business and help to align security objectives with the organisations objectives. Black Arrow supports clients as their vCISO with specialist experience in cyber security risk management in a business context.
https://www.blackarrowcyber.com/blog/threat-briefing-14-july-2023
Governance, Risk and Compliance
Risk is Driving Small and Medium-Sized Businesses (SMB) Decisions - MSSP Alert
Stabilising The Cyber security Landscape: The Rise Of vCISOs (forbes.com)
Talent and Governance, not Technology, are Key to Drive Change around Cyber Security - TechNative
Hybrid Work, Digital Transformation Can Exploit Security Gaps, Study Finds - MSSP Alert
Stress, data privacy, zero trust to shape cyber security trends | SC Media (scmagazine.com)
Network, IAM, cloud are 2023's top cyber security spend priorities | VentureBeat
CISOs are making cyber security a business problem - Help Net Security
Top Information Security Threats for Businesses 2023 (cybersecuritynews.com)
Best practices for an effective cyber security strategy | CSO Online
Exploring the macro shifts in enterprise security - Help Net Security
Google Cloud CISO Phil Venables On Cyber security, Cloud Adoption And The Boardroom (forbes.com)
Threats
Ransomware, Extortion and Destructive Attacks
MOVEit victim count closes in on 400 orgs, 20M+ individuals • The Register
Weekly cyber attacks reach two-year high amid ransomware resurgence | ITPro
Ransomware attacks are on the rise—and so are ransom payments (fastcompany.com)
IT worker jailed for impersonating ransomware gang to extort employer (bleepingcomputer.com)
Security Patch Management Strengthens Ransomware Defence (trendmicro.com)
The rise in ransomware attacks this year may be related to Russia's war in Ukraine : NPR
Cyber security firm Sophos impersonated by new SophosEncrypt ransomware (bleepingcomputer.com)
Trends in ransomware-as-a-service and cryptocurrency to monitor - Help Net SecurityFIN8 deploys ALPHV ransomware using Sardonic malware variant (bleepingcomputer.com)
Linux Ransomware Poses Significant Threat to Critical Infrastructure (darkreading.com)
Financial cyber crime syndicate deploys reworked backdoor malware | CyberScoop
Ransomware attackers getting more sophisticated: Canadian Centre for Cyber Security (yahoo.com)
SophosEncrypt Ransomware Fools Security Researchers (darkreading.com)
Mallox Ransomware Exploits Weak MS-SQL Servers to Breach Networks (thehackernews.com)
New Ransomware With RAT Capabilities Impersonating Sophos - SecurityWeek
Google’s Bard poses ransomware risk, say researchers | Cybernews
FIN8 Group spotted delivering the BlackCat Ransomware - Security Affairs
Cyber insurers adapting to data-centric ransomware threats | TechTarget
Shutterfly says Clop ransomware attack did not impact customer data (bleepingcomputer.com)
Ransomware Victims
MOVEit victim count closes in on 400 orgs, 20M+ individuals • The Register
Ofcom says it won’t pay ransom, as new MOVEit hack victims come forward | TechCrunch
MOVEit Transfer vulnerability: New Cl0p 'victims' include Discovery (techmonitor.ai)
BlackCat and Clop gangs both claim cyber attack on Estée Lauder | Computer Weekly
Iron ore giant Fortescue Metals targeted by Russian ransomware group | Cybercrime | The Guardian
Russian medical lab suspends some services after ransomware attack (therecord.media)
Recycling Giant Tomra Takes Systems Offline Following Cyber attack - SecurityWeek
Shutterfly says Clop ransomware attack did not impact customer data (bleepingcomputer.com)
Phishing & Email Based Attacks
Typo leaks millions of US military emails to Mali web operator | Financial Times (ft.com)
Microsoft Exchange servers compromised by Turla APT - Help Net Security
Microsoft takes pains to obscure role in 0-days that caused email breach | Ars Technica
Analysis of Storm-0558 techniques for unauthorised email access | Microsoft Security Blog
Only a handful of hackers are responsible for all email extortion attacks | TechRadar
Microsoft Tops List of the Most Impersonated Brand for Phishing Scams in Q2 2023 - MSSP Alert
Enhanced Monitoring to Detect APT Activity Targeting Outlook Online | CISA
Gmail encouraging users to enable Enhanced Safe Browsing (9to5google.com)
BEC – Business Email Compromise
Only a handful of hackers are responsible for all email extortion attacks | TechRadar
Nigerian Man Sentenced to 8 Years in US Prison for $8 Million BEC Scheme - SecurityWeek
Other Social Engineering; Smishing, Vishing, etc
Artificial Intelligence
ChatGPT rival WormGPT with ‘no ethical boundaries’ sold to hackers on dark web | The Independent
Infosec Doesn't Know What AI Tools Orgs Are Using (darkreading.com)
AI models must be reconciled with data protection laws • The Register
1 in 4 Brits play with generative AI and some believe it too • The Register
OpenAI credentials stolen by the thousands for sale on the dark web (bleepingcomputer.com)
AI must have better security, says top cyber official - BBC News
Google Categorises 6 Real-World AI Attacks to Prepare for Now (darkreading.com)
How to Use Generative AI Tools While Still Protecting Your Privacy | WIRED
Google’s Bard poses ransomware risk, say researchers | Cybernews
Malware
Microsoft: Hackers turn Exchange servers into malware control centers (bleepingcomputer.com)
Malicious USB Drives Targeting Global Targets with SOGU and SNOWYDRIVE Malware (thehackernews.com)
Financial cyber crime syndicate deploys reworked backdoor malware | CyberScoop
New SOHO Router Botnet AVrecon Spreads to 70,000 Devices Across 20 Countries (thehackernews.com)
Hackers Target Gamers With Microsoft-Signed Rootkit (darkreading.com)
Source code of the BlackLotus UEFI Bootkit was leaked on GitHub - Security Affairs
Are Viruses Still a Threat to Cyber security? (makeuseof.com)
Black Hat Hacker Exposes Real Identity After Infecting Own Computer With Malware - SecurityWeek
Pernicious Rootkits Pose Growing Blight On Threat Landscape (darkreading.com)
Mobile
Hackers Exploit WebAPK to Deceive Android Users into Installing Malicious Apps (thehackernews.com)
Meta confirms WhatsApp is down worldwide (bleepingcomputer.com)
Botnets
New SOHO Router Botnet AVrecon Spreads to 70,000 Devices Across 20 Countries (thehackernews.com)
Ukraine's cyber police dismantled a massive bot farm - Security Affairs
Denial of Service/DoS/DDOS
Cloudflare reports 'alarming surge' in DDoS sophistication, escalation in recent months | CyberScoop
Attackers intensify DDoS attacks with new tactics - Help Net Security
Internet of Things – IoT
How your internet-connected domestic devices can be a critical tool of cyber attack (mid-day.com)
US preparing Cyber Trust Mark for more secure smart devices (bleepingcomputer.com)
Seven new gadgets added to riskiest connected devices list | SC Media (scmagazine.com)
Data Breaches/Leaks
MOVEit Hack: Number of Impacted Organisations Exceeds 340 - SecurityWeek
Data compromises on track to set a new record - Help Net Security
Virustotal data leak exposed data of some registered customers - Security Affairs
What to do (and what not to do) after a data breach - Help Net Security
Thousands of images on Docker Hub leak auth secrets, private keys (bleepingcomputer.com)
Met Police ‘passed victims’ data to Facebook via online tracking tool’ | Evening Standard
LastPass: The lessons we learnt from our devastating breach | TechRadar
JumpCloud, an IT firm serving 200,000 orgs, says it was hacked by nation-state | Ars Technica
Rogue Azure AD Guests Can Steal Data via Power Apps (darkreading.com)
FIA World Endurance Championship driver passports leaked - Security Affairs
Typo leaks millions of US military emails to Mali web operator | Financial Times (ft.com)
Colorado State University says data breach impacts students, staff (bleepingcomputer.com)
Organised Crime & Criminal Actors
Only a handful of hackers are responsible for all email extortion attacks | TechRadar
Nigerian Man Sentenced to 8 Years in US Prison for $8 Million BEC Scheme - SecurityWeek
Owner of BreachForums Pleads Guilty to Cyber crime and Child Pornography Charges (thehackernews.com)
Genesis Market infrastructure and inventory sold on hacker forum (bleepingcomputer.com)
Black Hat Hacker Exposes Real Identity After Infecting Own Computer With Malware - SecurityWeek
Police arrests Ukrainian scareware developer after 10-year hunt (bleepingcomputer.com)
Extremist-friendly tech company closes after fine for securities fraud | Technology | The Guardian
Hacker Conversations: Inside the Mind of Daniel Kelley, ex-Blackhat - SecurityWeek
Go Beyond the Headlines for Deeper Dives into the Cyber criminal Underground (thehackernews.com)
Cryptocurrency/Cryptomining/Cryptojacking/NFTs/Blockchain
Insider Risk and Insider Threats
IT worker jailed for impersonating ransomware gang to extort employer (bleepingcomputer.com)
Former contractor accused of remotely accessing town's water treatment facility | Tripwire
Insider Risk Management Starts With SaaS Security (darkreading.com)
Fraud, Scams & Financial Crime
Growing scam activity linked to social media and automation - Help Net Security
A fresh look at the current state of financial fraud - Help Net Security
Tech support scammers now accepting cash via snail mail • The Register
Extremist-friendly tech company closes after fine for securities fraud | Technology | The Guardian
The cruel new holiday scams you need to know about | This is Money
Airbnb-Related Scams Surge: Beware Of ‘Too Good To Be True’ Offers (forbes.com)
AML/CFT/Sanctions
Insurance
Cyber insurers adapting to data-centric ransomware threats | TechTarget
Strengthening Password Security may Lower Cyber Insurance Premiums (bleepingcomputer.com)
Dark Web
Genesis Market infrastructure and inventory sold on hacker forum (bleepingcomputer.com)
OpenAI credentials stolen by the thousands for sale on the dark web (bleepingcomputer.com)
Supply Chain and Third Parties
JumpCloud, an IT firm serving 200,000 orgs, says it was hacked by nation-state | Ars Technica
Google Cloud Build bug lets hackers launch supply chain attacks (bleepingcomputer.com)
Supply chain executives unaware of growing customer trust issues - Help Net Security
Possible Supply Chain Attack Targeting Pakistani Government Delivers Shadowpad (trendmicro.com)
Cloud/SaaS
Microsoft makes cloud security logs available for free • The Register
Microsoft Expands Cloud Logging to Counter Rising Nation-State Cyber Threats (thehackernews.com)
Network, IAM, cloud are 2023's top cyber security spend priorities | VentureBeat
Google Cloud Build bug lets hackers launch supply chain attacks (bleepingcomputer.com)
Three key unanswered questions about the Chinese breach of Microsoft cloud services | CyberScoop
TeamTNT's Cloud Credential Stealing Campaign Now Targets Azure and Google Cloud (thehackernews.com)
Hybrid/Remote Working
Hybrid Work, Digital Transformation Can Exploit Security Gaps, Study Finds - MSSP Alert
Securing The Hybrid Workforce Begins With Browsing (forbes.com)
Attack Surface Management
Identity and Access Management
Network, IAM, cloud are 2023's top cyber security spend priorities | VentureBeat
The rise of hassle-free and secure authentication | CyberScoop
Encryption
Real-world examples of quantum-based attacks - Help Net Security
EU Urged to Prepare for Quantum Cyber Attacks - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)
Signal president rejects ‘mass surveillance’ UK law | Fortune
API
Docker Leaks API Secrets & Private Keys, as Cyber criminals Pounce (darkreading.com)
API keys: Weaknesses and security best practices | TechTarget
Open Source
Passwords, Credential Stuffing & Brute Force Attacks
LastPass: The lessons we learnt from our devastating breach | TechRadar
Millions of Keyboard Walk Patterns Found in Compromised Passwords - IT Security Guru
TeamTNT's Cloud Credential Stealing Campaign Now Targets Azure and Google Cloud (thehackernews.com)
Strengthening Password Security may Lower Cyber Insurance Premiums (bleepingcomputer.com)
Social Media
Growing scam activity linked to social media and automation - Help Net Security
Met Police ‘passed victims’ data to Facebook via online tracking tool’ | Evening Standard
Training, Education and Awareness
Security Awareness Training Isn’t Working - How Can We Improve It? - SecurityWeek
Companywide Cyber security Training: 20 Tips To Make It ‘Stick’ (forbes.com)
Digital Transformation
Travel
The cruel new holiday scams you need to know about | This is Money
Airbnb-Related Scams Surge: Beware Of ‘Too Good To Be True’ Offers (forbes.com)
Regulations, Fines and Legislation
AI models must be reconciled with data protection laws • The Register
Online Safety Bill Last chance for Lords to stop surveillance | Evening Standard
Models, Frameworks and Standards
Data Protection
Careers, Working in Cyber and Information Security
Career Benefits of Learning Ethical Hacking (analyticsinsight.net)
Should You Be Using a Cyber security Careers Framework? (darkreading.com)
Law Enforcement Action and Take Downs
Nigerian Man Sentenced to 8 Years in US Prison for $8 Million BEC Scheme - SecurityWeek
Owner of BreachForums Pleads Guilty to Cyber crime and Child Pornography Charges (thehackernews.com)
Police arrests Ukrainian scareware developer after 10-year hunt (bleepingcomputer.com)
Ukraine's cyber police dismantled a massive bot farm - Security Affairs
Privacy, Surveillance and Mass Monitoring
Online Safety Bill Last chance for Lords to stop surveillance | Evening Standard
Stress, data privacy, zero trust to shape cyber security trends | SC Media (scmagazine.com)
How to Use Generative AI Tools While Still Protecting Your Privacy | WIRED
Misinformation, Disinformation and Propaganda
Nation State Actors, Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs), Cyber Warfare and Cyber Espionage
Russia
The rise in ransomware attacks this year may be related to Russia's war in Ukraine : NPR
Gamaredon hackers start stealing data 30 minutes after a breach (bleepingcomputer.com)
Analysis of Storm-0558 techniques for unauthorised email access | Microsoft Security Blog
Microsoft Exchange servers compromised by Turla APT - Help Net Security
Pro-Russian hacktivists increase focus on Western targets. The latest is OnlyFans. | CyberScoop
Elon Musk’s Starlink is putting our soldiers at risk, Ukraine warns (telegraph.co.uk)
Thousands of Russian officials to give up iPhones over US spying fears | Financial Times (ft.com)
Ukraine innovates on cyber defence | Financial Times (ft.com)
China
Three key unanswered questions about the Chinese breach of Microsoft cloud services | CyberScoop
China Espionage Operatives Left Empty Handed in Email Heist, White House Official Says - MSSP Alert
Xi wants to make the Great Firewall of China even greater • The Register
North Korea
JumpCloud breach traced back to North Korean state hackers (bleepingcomputer.com)
North Korean hackers breached a US tech company to steal crypto | Reuters
Misc/Other/Unknown
JumpCloud, an IT firm serving 200,000 orgs, says it was hacked by nation-state | Ars Technica
APT Protection: The Key to Safeguarding Your Business (ts2.space)
How to Secure Your OT Network Against Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs) (ts2.space)
Microsoft Expands Cloud Logging to Counter Rising Nation-State Cyber Threats (thehackernews.com)
Vulnerability Management
CVSS 4.0 released, to help assess real-time threat and impact of vulnerabilities - Help Net Security
Security Patch Management Strengthens Ransomware Defence (trendmicro.com)
What is Vulnerability Assessment In Cyber security? (gbhackers.com)
Vulnerabilities
Windows Users Urged To Update As Microsoft Confirms New Zero-Day Exploits (forbes.com)
Microsoft still unsure how hackers stole Azure AD signing key (bleepingcomputer.com)
Microsoft takes pains to obscure role in 0-days that caused email breach | Ars Technica
CVE-2023-38408: Remote Code Execution in OpenSSH’s forwarded ssh-agent | Qualys Security Blog
New critical Citrix ADC and Gateway flaw exploited as zero-day (bleepingcomputer.com)
OpenSSH Addresses Remote Code Execution Vulnerability: CVE-2023-38408 - VULNERA
Adobe Rolls Out New Patches for Actively Exploited ColdFusion Vulnerability (thehackernews.com)
Cisco fixed a critical flaw in SD-WAN vManage - Security Affairs
Hacking campaign targets sites using WordPress WooCommerce Payments Plugin - Security Affairs
Microsoft hit by Storm season – a tale of two semi-zero days – Naked Security (sophos.com)
5 Major Takeaways From Microsoft's July Patch Tuesday (darkreading.com)
Two Jira Plugin Vulnerabilities in Attacker Crosshairs - SecurityWeek
Google says Apple employee found a zero-day but did not report it | TechCrunch
Tools and Controls
Network, IAM, cloud are 2023's top cyber security spend priorities | VentureBeat
Stress, data privacy, zero trust to shape cyber security trends | SC Media (scmagazine.com)
Leverage Threat Intelligence, AI, and Data at Scale to Boost Cyber Defences (darkreading.com)
A Few More Reasons Why RDP is Insecure (Surprise!) (thehackernews.com)
Enterprise communication security a growing risk, priority | TechTarget
MIT’s Cyber security Metior: A Secret Weapon Against Side-Channel Attacks (scitechdaily.com)
NCSC Shares Alternatives to Using a SOC - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)
Microsoft's security roadmap: Protect Azure DevOps secrets • The Register
CISA shares free tools to help secure data in the cloud (bleepingcomputer.com)
What is the new Enhanced Safe Browsing for Gmail (and should you enable it)? | ZDNET
Insider Risk Management Starts With SaaS Security (darkreading.com)
67% of daily security alerts overwhelm SOC analysts - Help Net Security
Gmail encouraging users to enable Enhanced Safe Browsing (9to5google.com)
Microsoft Expands Cloud Logging to Counter Rising Nation-State Cyber Threats (thehackernews.com)
Microsoft makes cloud security logs available for free • The Register
Security Awareness Training Isn’t Working - How Can We Improve It? - SecurityWeek
API keys: Weaknesses and security best practices | TechTarget
Other News
Google restricting internet access to some employees for security (cnbc.com)
Enterprise communication security a growing risk, priority | TechTarget
Healthcare organisations in the crosshairs of cyber attackers - Help Net Security
Broadband consumers demand security and sustainability - Help Net Security
Microsoft Exchange Online hit by new outage blocking emails (bleepingcomputer.com)
Cyber security measures SMBs should implement - Help Net Security
Sector Specific
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· Startups
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Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing 14 July 2023
Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing 14 July 2023:
-Cyber Attacks Are a War We'll Never Win, but We Can Defend Ourselves
-Helping Boards Understand Cyber Risks
-Enterprise Risk Management Should Inform Cyber Risk Strategies
-Law Firms at High Risk of Attack as Ransomware Groups Begin to Focus Attention
-20% of Malware Attacks Bypass Antivirus Protection
-Ransomware Payments and Extortion Spiked Compared to 2022
-AI, Trust, and Data Security are Key Issues for Finance Firms and Their Customers
-Caution: Microsoft Warns of Office Zero-Day Attacks with No Patch Available
-Scam Page Volumes Surge 304% Annually
-Financial Industry Faces Soaring Ransomware Threat
-The Need for Risk-Based Vulnerability Management to Combat Threats
-Government Agencies Breached in Microsoft 365 Email Attacks
-Concerns Raised as Report Questions UK’s “Completely Inadequate” Defence to Threats from China
-Hackers Backed by North Korea have Stolen Billions of Dollars Over the Last Five Years
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
Cyber Attacks Are a War We'll Never Win, But We Can Defend Ourselves
The cyber threat landscape is constantly evolving, with hackers becoming more creative in their exploitation of businesses and personal data. As the frequency and sophistication of cyber attacks increase, it's clear that the cyber security war is an endless series of battles that demand constant innovation and vigilance. Recognising the necessity of having built-in security, organisations should integrate security measures into their systems and foster a culture of security awareness.
Acknowledging that breaches are an inevitable risk, an orchestrated team response, well-practiced recovery plan, and effective communication strategy are key to managing crises. Organisations must also invest in proactive security measures, including emerging technologies to spot intrusions early. Ultimately, cyber security isn't just a technical concern, it's a cultural and organisational imperative, requiring the incorporation of security measures into every aspect of an organisation's operations and philosophy.
Helping Boards Understand Cyber Risks
A difference in perspective is a fundamental reason board members and the cyber security team are not always aligned. Board members typically have a much broader view of the organisation’s goals, strategies, and overall risk landscape, where CISOs are responsible for assessing and mitigating cyber security risk.
It’s often a result of the board lacking cyber security expertise among its members, the complexity with understanding the topic and CISOs who focus too heavily on technical language during their discussions with the board which can cause a differing perspective. For organisations to be most effective in their approach to cyber security, they should hire CISOs or vCISOs who wear more than one hat and are able to understand cyber in context to the business. In addition, having cyber expertise on the board will pay dividends; this can be achieved by direct hiring or upskilling of board members.
Black Arrow supports clients as their vCISO or Non-Executive Director (NED) with specialist experience in cyber security risk management in a business context.
https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2023/07/11/david-christensen-plansource-board-ciso-communication/
Enterprise Risk Management Should Inform Cyber Risk Strategies
While executives and boards once viewed cyber security as a primarily technical concern, many now recognise it as a major business issue. A single serious data breach could result in debilitating operational disruptions, financial losses, reputational damage, and regulatory penalties.
Cyber security focuses on protecting digital assets from threats, while enterprise risk management adopts a wider approach, mitigating diverse risks across several domains beyond the digital sphere. Rather than existing in siloes, enterprise risk management and cyber risk management strategies should complement and inform each other. By integrating cyber security into their risk management frameworks, organisations can more efficiently and effectively protect their most valuable digital assets.
Law Firms at High Risk of Attack as Ransomware Groups Begin to Focus Attention
Three of the largest US law firms have been newly hit by the Cl0p cyber syndicate as part of dozens of ransomware attacks across industries that so far have affected more than 16 million people. All three law firms feature on Cl0p’s leak site, which lists organisations who Cl0p have breached.
This comes as the UK National Cyber Security (NCSC) noted in a report the threat to the legal sector. Law firms are a particularly attractive target for the depth of sensitive personal information they hold from individuals and companies, plus the dual threat of publishing it publicly should a ransom demand go unmet. In Australia, law firm HWL Ebsworth confirmed several documents relating to its work with several Victorian Government departments and agencies had been released by cyber criminals to the dark web following a data breach announced in April 2023.
The extortion of law firms allows extra opportunities for an attacker, including exploiting opportunities for insider trading, gaining the upper hand in negotiations and litigation, or subverting the course of justice. Based on the above, it is no wonder the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) in the UK found that 75% of the law firms they visited has been a victim of a cyber attack.
https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2023/07/10/law-firm-cyberattack/
20% of Malware Attacks Bypass Antivirus Protection
In the first half of 2023, researchers found that 20% of all recaptured malware logs had an antivirus program installed at the time of successful malware execution. Not only did these solutions not prevent the attack, they also lack the automated ability to protect against any stolen data that can be used in the aftermath.
The researchers found that the common entry points for malware are permitting employees to sync browser data between personal and professional devices (57%), struggling with shadow IT due to employees' unauthorised use of applications and systems (54%), and allowing unmanaged personal or shared devices to access business applications (36%).
Such practices expose organisations to subsequent attacks, like ransomware, resulting from stolen access credentials. Malware detection and quick action on exposures are critical; however, many organisations struggle with response and recovery with many firms failing to have robust incident response plans.
https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2023/07/13/malware-infections-responses/
Ransomware Payments and Extortion Spiked Compared to 2022
A recent report from Chainalysis found that ransomware activity is on track to break previous records, having extorted at least $449.1 million through June. For all of 2022, that number didn’t even reach $500 million. Similarly, a separate report using research statistics from Action Fraud UK, the UK’s national reporting centre for fraud, found cyber extortion cases surged 39% annually.
It’s no wonder both are on the rise, as the commonly used method of encrypting data behind a ransom is being combined with threatening to leak data; this gives bad actors two opportunities to gain payment. With this, the worry about the availability of your data now extends to the confidentiality and integrity of it.
https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/cyber-extortion-cases-surge-39/
AI, Trust, and Data Security are Key Issues for Finance Firms and Their Customers
Business leaders have been warned to expect more instability and uncertainly following on from the unpredictable nature of events during the past few years, from COVID-19 to business restructurings, the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the rise of generative artificial intelligence (AI). A recent report found that customers feel they lack appropriate guidance from their financial providers during times of economic uncertainty; the lack of satisfactory experience and a desire for a better digital experience is causing 25% of customers to switch banks.
The report also found that 23% of customers do not trust AI and 56% are neutral. This deficit in trust can swing in either direction based on how Financial Services Institutions (FSIs) use and deliver AI-powered services. While the benefits of AI are unclear, an increased awareness of personal data security has made trust between providers and customers more crucial than ever. In fact, 78% of customers say they would switch financial service providers if they felt their data was mishandled.
Caution: Microsoft Warns of Office Zero-Day Attacks with No Patch Available
Russian spies and cyber criminals are actively exploiting still-unpatched security flaws in Microsoft Windows and Office products, according to an urgent warning from Microsoft. While Microsoft recently released patches for 130 vulnerabilities, including 9 criticals, 6 which are actively being exploited (see our advisory here), a series of remote code execution vulnerabilities were not addressed, and attackers have been actively exploiting them because the patches are not yet available.
An attacker could create a specially crafted Microsoft Office document that enables them to perform remote code execution in the context of the victim. All an attacker would have to do is to convince the victim to open the malicious file. Microsoft have stated that a security update may be released out of cycle to address these flaws.
https://www.securityweek.com/microsoft-warns-of-office-zero-day-attacks-no-patch-available/
Scam Page Volumes Surge 304% Annually
Security researchers have recorded a 62% year-on-year increase in phishing websites and a 304% surge in scam pages in 2022. The Digital Risk Trends 2023 report classifies phishing as a threat resulting in the theft of personal information and a scam as any attempt to trick a victim into voluntarily handing over money or sensitive information.
It found that the average number of instances in which a brand’s image and logo was appropriated for use in scam campaigns increased 162% YoY, rising to 211% in APAC. Scams are also becoming more automated, as the ever-increasing number of new tools available to would-be cyber criminals has lowered the barrier of entry. We expect to see AI also play a greater role in scams in the future.
https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/scam-page-volumes-surge-304/
Financial Industry Faces Soaring Ransomware Threat
The financial industry has been facing a surge in ransomware attacks over the past few years, said cyber security provider SOCRadar in a threat analysis post. This trend started in the first half of 2021, when Trend Micro saw a staggering 1,318% increase in ransomware attacks targeting banks and financial institutions compared to the same period in 2020. Sophos also found that over half (55%) of financial service firms fell victim to at least one ransomware attack in 2021, a 62% increase from 2020.
https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/financial-industry-faces-soaring/
The Need for Risk-Based Vulnerability Management to Combat Threats
Cyber attacks are increasing as the number of vulnerabilities found in software has increased by over 50% in the last 5 years. This is a result of unpatched and poorly configured systems as 75% of organisations believe they are vulnerable to a cyber attack due to unpatched software. As vulnerabilities continue to rise and security evolves, it is becoming increasingly apparent that conventional vulnerability management programs are inadequate for managing the expanding attack surface. In comparison, a risk-based strategy enables organisations to assess the level of risk posed by vulnerabilities. This approach allows teams to prioritise vulnerabilities based on their assessed risk levels and remediate those with higher risks, minimising potential attacks in a way that is continuous, and automated.
By enhancing your vulnerability risk management process, you will be able to proactively address potential issues before they escalate and maintain a proactive stance in managing vulnerabilities and cloud security. Through the incorporation of automated threat intelligence risk monitoring, you will be able to identify significant risks before they become exploitable.
Government Agencies Breached in Microsoft 365 Email Attacks
Microsoft disclosed an attack against customer email accounts that affected US government agencies and led to stolen data. While questions remain about the attacks, Microsoft provided some details in two blog posts on Tuesday, including attribution to a China-based threat actor it tracks as Storm-0558. The month long intrusion began on 15 May and was first reported to Microsoft by a federal civilian executive branch (FCEB) agency in June.
Microsoft said attackers gained access to approximately 25 organisations, including government agencies. While Microsoft has mitigated the attack vector, the US Government Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) was first to initially detect the suspicious activity. The government agency published an advisory that included an attack timeline, technical details and mitigation recommendations. CISA said an FCEB agency discovered suspicious activity in its Microsoft 365 (M365) environment sometime last month.
Concerns Raised as Report Questions UK’s “Completely Inadequate” Defence to Threats from China
Britain’s spy watchdog has slammed the UK Government for a “completely inadequate” response to Chinese espionage and interference which risked an “existential threat to liberal democratic systems”. In a bombshell 207 page report, Parliament’s Intelligence and Security Committee issued a series of alarming warnings about how British universities, the nuclear sector, Government and organisations alike were being targeted by China.
Hackers Backed by North Korea have Stolen Billions of Dollars Over the Last Five Years
Hackers have developed a list of sophisticated tricks that allow them to weasel their way into the networks of possible targets, including organisations. Sometimes a North Korean hacker would pose as a recruitment officer to get an employee’s attention. The cyber criminal would then share an infected file with the unsuspecting company employee. This was the case of the famous 2021’s Axie Infinity hack that allowed the North Koreans to steal more than $600 million after one of the game developers was offered a fake job by the hackers.
https://www.pandasecurity.com/en/mediacenter/security/north-korea-stolen-crypto/
Governance, Risk and Compliance
CISO perspective on why boards don't fully grasp cyber attack risks - Help Net Security
Top Takeaways From Table Talks With Fortune 100 CISOs (darkreading.com)
AI, trust, and data security are key issues for finance firms and their customers | ZDNET
Cyber Attacks Are a War We'll Never Win, but We Can Defend Ourselves (darkreading.com)
Exposure Management Looks to Attack Paths, Identity to Better Measure Risk (darkreading.com)
Enterprise risk management should inform cyber-risk strategies | TechTarget
Threats
Ransomware, Extortion and Destructive Attacks
Cl0p Hackers Hit Three of the Biggest US Law Firms in Large Ransomware Attack - MSSP Alert
UK battles hacking wave as ransomware gang claims ‘biggest ever’ NHS breach | TechCrunch
Cl0p has yet to deploy ransomware while exploiting MOVEit zero-day | SC Media (scmagazine.com)
Banks, hotels and hospitals among latest MOVEit mass-hack victims | TechCrunch
Cyber Extortion Cases Surge 39% Annually - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)
Ransomware payments on record-breaking trajectory for 2023 (bleepingcomputer.com)
Beware of Big Head Ransomware: Spreading Through Fake Windows Updates (thehackernews.com)
Deutsche Bank confirms provider breach exposed customer data (bleepingcomputer.com)
BigHead and RedEnergy ransomware, more MOVEIt problems (cisoseries.com)
Cl0p hacker operating from Russia-Ukraine war front line-Security Affairs
Same code, different ransomware? Leaks kick-start myriad of new variants - Help Net Security
Rogue IT security worker who impersonated ransomware gang is sentenced to jail • Graham Cluley
BlackByte 2.0 Ransomware: Infiltrate, Encrypt, and Extort in Just 5 Days (thehackernews.com)
Ransomware Victims
Capita admits hackers also stole staff’s personal details (thetimes.co.uk)
Banks, hotels and hospitals among latest MOVEit mass-hack victims | TechCrunch
Royal Navy contractor forced to pay off cyber criminals (telegraph.co.uk)
Barts NHS hack leaves folks on tenterhooks over extortion • The Register
Scottish university cyber attack under investigation | The National
Phishing & Email Based Attacks
New Phishing Attack Spoofs Microsoft 365 Authentication System (hackread.com)
Number of email-based phishing attacks surges 464% - Help Net Security
Chinese hackers compromised emails of US Government agencies- -Security Affairs
Microsoft: Government agencies breached in email attacks | TechTarget
RomCom hackers target NATO Summit attendees in phishing attacks (bleepingcomputer.com)Facebook and Microsoft remain prime targets for spoofing - Help Net Security
Top 10 Email Security Best Practices in 2023 (gbhackers.com)
Other Social Engineering; Smishing, Vishing, etc
Vishing Goes High-Tech: New 'Letscall' Malware Employs Voice Traffic Routing (thehackernews.com)
Evil QR - A new QR Jacking Attack to Take Over User Accounts (cybersecuritynews.com)
How hackers are now targeting your voice and how to protect yourself | Fox News
Artificial Intelligence
How the EU AI Act Will Affect Businesses, Cyber Security (darkreading.com)
Vishing Goes High-Tech: New 'Letscall' Malware Employs Voice Traffic Routing (thehackernews.com)
ChatGPT and Cyber Security : 5 Cyber Security Risks of ChatGPT (gbhackers.com)
WormGPT Cyber Crime Tool Heralds an Era of AI Malware vs. AI Defences (darkreading.com)
How to Safely Architect AI in Your Cyber Security Programs (darkreading.com)
ChatGPT users drop for the first time as people turn to uncensored chatbots | Ars Technica
Secretaries of State brace for wave of AI-fueled disinformation during 2024 campaign | CyberScoop
Civil society, labor and rights groups express concerns about AI at White House meeting | CyberScoop
2FA/MFA
Malware
20% of malware attacks bypass antivirus protection - Help Net Security
Malware delivery to Microsoft Teams users made easy - Help Net Security
WormGPT Cyber Crime Tool Heralds an Era of AI Malware vs. AI Defences (darkreading.com)
Truebot Malware Variants Abound, According to CISA Advisory (darkreading.com)
Hackers Exploit Windows Policy Loophole to Forge Kernel-Mode Driver Signatures (thehackernews.com)
USB drive malware attacks spiking again in first half of 2023 (bleepingcomputer.com)
Charming Kitten hackers use new ‘NokNok’ malware for macOS (bleepingcomputer.com)
Banking Firms Under Attack by Sophisticated 'Toitoin' Campaign (darkreading.com)
Over 100 malicious signed Windows drivers blocked by Microsoft - NotebookCheck.net News
New 'ShadowVault' macOS malware steals passwords, crypto, credit card data | Macworld
BlackLotus UEFI Bootkit Source Code Leaked on GitHub - SecurityWeek
PicassoLoader Malware Used in Ongoing Attacks on Ukraine and Poland (thehackernews.com)
AVrecon malware infects 70,0000 Linux routers to build botnet (bleepingcomputer.com)
Serious Security: Rowhammer returns to gaslight your computer – Naked Security (sophos.com)
Linux Hacker Exploits Researchers With Fake PoCs Posted to GitHub (darkreading.com)
Mobile
Crooks Evolve Antidetect Tooling for Mobile OS-Based Fraud-Security Affairs
The FCC aims to stop SIM swappers with new rules - The Verge
Google Play will enforce business checks to curb malware submissions (bleepingcomputer.com)
Clever Letscall vishing malware targets Android phones | SC Media (scmagazine.com)
Denial of Service/DoS/DDOS
Industry responses and strategies for navigating the tides of DDoS attacks - Help Net Security
Archive Of Our Own Down: AO3 DDoS Attack Explained - Dataconomy
Internet of Things – IoT
Data Breaches/Leaks
So you gave personal info to a company caught in a data breach. Now what? | CBC News
HCA confirms breach after hacker steals data of 11 million patients (bleepingcomputer.com)
US on Track For Record Number of Data Breaches - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)
Twitter User Exposes Nickelodeon Data Leak - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)
Capita attackers reportedly stole data from pension fund • The Register
Twenty Manx public authorities reprimanded for data breach - BBC News
Bangladesh government website leaked data of millions of citizens-Security Affairs
Organised Crime & Criminal Actors
Cryptocurrency/Cryptomining/Cryptojacking/NFTs/Blockchain
Cyber security professional accused of stealing $9M in crypto | TechCrunch
SCARLETEEL Cryptojacking Campaign Exploiting AWS Fargate in Ongoing Campaign (thehackernews.com)
Insider Risk and Insider Threats
How To Protect Your Business From The Security Risks Freelancers Pose (forbes.com)
Former employee charged for attacking water treatment plant (bleepingcomputer.com)
Rogue IT security worker who impersonated ransomware gang is sentenced to jail • Graham Cluley
Fraud, Scams & Financial Crime
E-commerce Fraud Surges By Over 50% Annually - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)
Scam Page Volumes Surge 304% Annually - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)
The FCC aims to stop SIM swappers with new rules - The Verge
Insurance
Dark Web
Supply Chain and Third Parties
Royal Navy contractor forced to pay off cyber criminals (telegraph.co.uk)
Capita attackers reportedly stole data from pension fund • The Register
MOVEit: Testing the Limits of Supply Chain Security - SecurityWeek
Cloud/SaaS
Only 45% of cloud data is currently encrypted - Help Net Security
Microsoft alleges China behind attack on Exchange Online • The Register
For stronger public cloud data security, use defence in depth | TechTarget
Silentbob Campaign: Cloud-Native Environments Under Attack (thehackernews.com)
Global Retailers Must Keep an Eye on Their SaaS Stack (thehackernews.com)
SCARLETEEL Cryptojacking Campaign Exploiting AWS Fargate in Ongoing Campaign (thehackernews.com)
Decentralized storage emerging as solution to cloud-based attacks | Cybernews
Hybrid/Remote Working
Attack Surface Management
Identity and Access Management
Why Hybrid Work Has Made Secure Access So Complicated (darkreading.com)
less than half of SMBs use Privileged Access Management- IT Security Guru
Encryption
API
Cisco SD-WAN vManage impacted by unauthenticated REST API access (bleepingcomputer.com)
API Flaw in QuickBlox Framework Exposed PII of Millions of Users - SecurityWeek
Open Source
Novel Linux kernel vulnerability exploitable for elevated privileges | SC Media (scmagazine.com)
The EU’s Product Liability Directive could kill open source | TechRadar
Linux Hacker Exploits Researchers With Fake PoCs Posted to GitHub (darkreading.com)
AVrecon malware infects 70,0000 Linux routers to build botnet (bleepingcomputer.com)
Passwords, Credential Stuffing & Brute Force Attacks
Social Media
Critical Vulnerability Can Allow Takeover of Mastodon Servers - SecurityWeek
Mastodon Patches 4 Bugs, but Is the Twitter Killer Safe to Use? (darkreading.com)
Travel
Regulations, Fines and Legislation
How the EU AI Act Will Affect Businesses, Cyber security (darkreading.com)
A Cyber Security Wish List Ahead of NATO Summit - SecurityWeek
The EU’s Product Liability Directive could kill open source | TechRadar
Microsoft and AWS caution Ofcom against referring UK cloud market over to CMA | Computer Weekly
Models, Frameworks and Standards
How to map security gaps to the Mitre ATT&CK framework | TechTarget
Get started: Threat modeling with the Mitre ATT&CK framework | TechTarget
Data Protection
Careers, Working in Cyber and Information Security
Law Enforcement Action and Take Downs
Privacy, Surveillance and Mass Monitoring
Misinformation, Disinformation and Propaganda
Nation State Actors, Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs), Cyber Warfare and Cyber Espionage
Russia
Storm-0978 attacks reveal financial and espionage motives | Microsoft Security Blog
Russia-based actor exploited unpatched Office zero day | TechTarget
SolarWinds Attackers Dangle BMWs to Spy on Diplomats (darkreading.com)
Russian state hackers lure Western diplomats with BMW car ads (bleepingcomputer.com)
Killnet Tries Building Russian Hacktivist Clout With Media Stunts (darkreading.com)
Cl0p hacker operating from Russia-Ukraine war front line-Security Affairs
Killer ‘tracked Russian sub commander using Strava jogging app’ (thetimes.co.uk)
Inside the murky world accelerating Russia’s economic meltdown (telegraph.co.uk)
Cyber attacks Against Ukrainians Adjoin NATO Summit in Lithuania - MSSP Alert
Russian Hackers Find Sneaky Way to Infiltrate Embassy Networks in Kyiv (kyivpost.com)
PicassoLoader Malware Used in Ongoing Attacks on Ukraine and Poland (thehackernews.com)
China
Chinese hackers compromised emails of US Government agencies-Security Affairs
UK has ‘no strategy’ to tackle China threat as spies target Britain, report warns | The Independent
Cabinet tensions emerge over labelling China a threat to UK national security (inews.co.uk)
Iran
North Korea
Vulnerability Management
CVSS 4.0 released, to help assess real-time threat and impact of vulnerabilities - Help Net Security
The Need for Risk-Based Vulnerability Management to Combat Threats (bleepingcomputer.com)
Creating a Patch Management Playbook: 6 Key Questions (darkreading.com)
Close Security Gaps with Continuous Threat Exposure Management (thehackernews.com)
Vulnerabilities
MOVEit Transfer customers warned to patch new critical flaw (bleepingcomputer.com)
After Zero-Day Attacks, MOVEit Turns to Security Service Packs - SecurityWeek
Microsoft Warns of Office Zero-Day Attacks, No Patch Available - SecurityWeek
Juniper Networks Patches High-Severity Vulnerabilities in Junos OS - SecurityWeek
Cisco SD-WAN vManage impacted by unauthenticated REST API access (bleepingcomputer.com)
SonicWall warns admins to patch critical auth bypass bugs immediately (bleepingcomputer.com)
Fortinet warns of critical RCE flaw in FortiOS, FortiProxy devices (bleepingcomputer.com)
Russia-based actor exploited unpatched Office zero day | TechTarget
Hackers Steal $20 Million by Exploiting Flaw in Revolut's Payment Systems (thehackernews.com)
Raising concerns over Google Authenticator’s new features | TechRadar
Novel Linux kernel vulnerability exploitable for elevated privileges | SC Media (scmagazine.com)
Hackers Exploit Windows Policy Loophole to Forge Kernel-Mode Driver Signatures (thehackernews.com)
VMware warns of exploit available for critical vRealize RCE bug (bleepingcomputer.com)
Adobe Patch Tuesday: Critical Flaws Haunt InDesign, ColdFusion - SecurityWeek
Zimbra urges customers to manually fix actively exploited zero-day-Security Affairs
Critical Vulnerability Can Allow Takeover of Mastodon Servers - SecurityWeek
New StackRot Linux kernel flaw allows privilege escalation (bleepingcomputer.com)
Exploit Code Published for Remote Root Flaw in VMware Logging Software - SecurityWeek
API Flaw in QuickBlox Framework Exposed PII of Millions of Users - SecurityWeek
Experts released PoC exploit for Ubiquiti EdgeRouter flaw-Security Affairs
Critical RCE found in popular Ghostscript open-source PDF library (bleepingcomputer.com)
Citrix fixed a critical flaw in Secure Access Client for Ubuntu-Security Affairs
OT/ICS Vulnerabilities
Tools and Controls
The Need for Risk-Based Vulnerability Management to Combat Threats (bleepingcomputer.com)
less than half of SMBs use Privileged Access Management- IT Security Guru
Exposure Management Looks to Attack Paths, Identity to Better Measure Risk (darkreading.com)
Enterprise risk management should inform cyber-risk strategies | TechTarget
Infrastructure upgrades alone won't guarantee strong security - Help Net Security
What is a Network Intrusion Protection System (NIPS)? | Definition from TechTarget
Overcoming user resistance to passwordless authentication - Help Net Security
Zero Trust Keeps Digital Attacks From Entering the Real World (darkreading.com)
3 Strategies For Simplifying And Strengthening Your Data Security (forbes.com)
The history, evolution and current state of SIEM | TechTarget
Attack Surface Management: Identify and protect the unknown - Help Net Security
How to Put Generative AI to Work in Your Security Operations Center (darkreading.com)
Close Security Gaps with Continuous Threat Exposure Management (thehackernews.com)
Platform Approach to Cyber Security: The New Paradigm (trendmicro.com)
Intrusion Detection & Prevention Systems Guide (trendmicro.com)
Decentralized storage emerging as solution to cloud-based attacks | Cybernews
Wi-Fi AP placement best practices and security policies | TechTarget
For stronger public cloud data security, use defence in depth | TechTarget
Other News
White House Urged to Quickly Nominate National Cyber Director (darkreading.com)
The rise of cyber threats in a digital dystopia | Mint #AskBetterQuestions (livemint.com)
Building the right collective defence against cyber attacks for critical infrastructure | CyberScoop
Satellites lack standard security mechanisms found in mobile phones and laptops - Help Net Security
White House publishes National Cyber Security Strategy Implementation Plan - Help Net Security
Cyber attacks through Browser Extensions – the Importance of MFA (bleepingcomputer.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.
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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
Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing 30 June 2023:
-Zurich Insurance Group Secures Data Leak After Leaving Sensitive Data Publicly Accessible
-Employees Worry Less About Cyber Security Best Practices in the Summer
-Businesses are Ignoring Third-Party Security Risks
-Fear Trumps Anger When It Comes to Data Breaches – Angry Customers Vent, But Fearful Customers Don’t Come Back
-Over 130 Organisations and Millions of Individuals Believed to Be Impacted by MOVEit Hack, it Keeps Growing
-Widespread BEC Attacks Threaten European Organisations
-Lloyd’s Syndicates Sued Over Cyber Insurance
-95% Fear Inadequate Cloud Security Detection and Response
-The Growing Use of Generative AI and the Security Risks They Pose
-The CISO’s Toolkit Must Include Political Capital Within The C-Suite
-Microsoft Warns of Widescale Credential Stealing Attacks by Russian Hackers as War Ministers Reliant on Cyber Crime
-SMBs Plagued by Exploits, Trojans and Backdoors
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.scmagazine.com/news/malware/smbs-plagued-by-exploits-trojans-and-backdoors
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)
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)
Threats
Ransomware, Extortion and Destructive Attacks
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
Cl0p in Your Network? Here's How to Find Out (darkreading.com)
July is Ransomware Month: Reminder to Prepare, Defend Against Hijackers - MSSP Alert
The Trickbot/Conti Crypters: Where Are They Now? (securityintelligence.com)
Linux version of Akira ransomware targets VMware ESXi servers (bleepingcomputer.com)
Ransomware Victims
Casualties keep growing in this month’s mass exploitation of MOVEit 0-day | Ars Technica
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
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
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
Unmasking Pig-Butchering Scams and Protecting Your Financial Future - Security News (trendmicro.com)
Artificial Intelligence
Sharing Your Business’ Data With ChatGPT: How Risky Is It? - MSSP Alert
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
Malware
SMBs plagued by exploits, trojans and backdoors | SC Media (scmagazine.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)
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)
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)
Internet of Things – IoT
Someone sent mysterious smartwatches to US Military personnel - Security Affairs
The tech flaw that lets hackers control surveillance cameras - BBC News
Data Breaches/Leaks
Latitude hit with $1 million lawsuit over data breach (9news.com.au)
Recruitment portal exposes data of US pilot candidates • The Register
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
Fraud, Scams & Financial Crime
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)
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
Insurance
University of California Sues Lloyd’s Syndicates Over Cyber Insurance - WSJ
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
Cloud/SaaS
95% fear inadequate cloud security detection and response - Help Net Security
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
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
Passwords, Credential Stuffing & Brute Force Attacks
Social Media
Travel
Cyber Bullying, Cyber Stalking and Sextortion
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
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)
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
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)
Pro-Russia DDoSia hacktivist project sees 2,400% membership increase (bleepingcomputer.com)
Microsoft hackers say they work for Sudan, not Russia | Fortune
'Chinese spy balloon' was 'crammed' with US hardware • The Register
Hackers attack Russian satellite telecom provider, claim affiliation with Wagner Group | CyberScoop
China
China's 'Volt Typhoon' APT Now Exploits Zoho ManageEngine (darkreading.com)
'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)
Iran finally admits its 'quantum processor' was in fact not quantum at all | PC Gamer
North Korea
Misc/Other/Unknown
Vulnerability Management
SMBs plagued by exploits, trojans and backdoors | SC Media (scmagazine.com)
Remediation Ballet Is a Pas de Deux of Patch and Performance (darkreading.com)
Micropatches: What they are and how they work - Help Net Security
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
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)
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)
Uncovering attacker tactics through cloud honeypots - Help Net Security
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)
Other News
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)
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 23rd June 2023
Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing 23 June 2023:
-How the MOVEit Breach Shows Hackers' Interest in Corporate File Transfer Tools
-Attackers Discovering Exposed Cloud Assets Within Minutes
-Majority of Users Neglect Best Password Practices
-One in Three Workers Susceptible to Phishing
-Ransomware Misconceptions Abound, to the Benefit of Attackers
-Threat Actors Scale and Commoditise Uncommon Tools and Techniques
-Goodbyes are Difficult, IT Offboarding Processes Make Them Harder
-Security Budget Hikes are Missing the Mark, CISOs Say
-Understanding Cyber Resilience: Building a Holistic Approach to Cyber Security
-Emerging Ransomware Group 8Base Releasing Data on SMBs Globally
-Cyber Security Industry Still Fighting to Recruit and Retain Talent
-Financial Firms to Build Resilience in Face of Growing Cyber-Threats
-Fulfilling Expected SEC Requirements for Cyber Security Expertise at Board Level
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
Cyber Security Industry Still Fighting to Recruit and Retain Talent
Cyber security teams are struggling to find the right talent, with the right skills, and to retain experienced employees. The situation is only likely to worsen, as inflation and a tight labour market push up wages. Universities produce graduates with a strong focus on technical knowledge, but not always the broader skills they need to operate in a business environment. This includes the lack of communications skills, understanding of how businesses operate and even emotional intelligence. One solution is to outsource to a corporate cyber security provider or outsource to infill shortages whilst trying to recruit permanent staff.
https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/cybersecurity-industry-recruit/
How the MOVEit Breach Shows Hackers' Interest in Corporate File Transfer Tools
The world of managed file transfer (MFT) software has become a lucrative target for ransom-seeking hackers, with significant breaches including those of Accellion Inc's File Transfer Appliance in 2021 and Fortra's GoAnywhere MFT earlier this year. These MFT programs, corporate versions of popular file sharing programs like Dropbox or WeTransfer, are highly desirable to hackers for the sensitive data they often transfer between organisations and partners. The recent mass compromise tied to Progress Software Corp's MOVEit transfer product has prompted governments and companies worldwide to scramble in response.
Hackers are shifting their tactics, with an increasing focus on MFT programs which typically face the open internet, making them more vulnerable to breaches. Once inside these file transfer points, hackers have direct access to a wealth of data. In addition, there's a noticeable shift from ransomware groups encrypting a company's network and demanding payment to unscramble it, to a simpler tactic of pure extortion by threatening to leak the data.
Attackers Discovering Exposed Cloud Assets within Minutes
The shift to cloud services, increased remote work, and reliance on third-parties has led to widespread use of Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) applications. This has also opened avenues for attackers to exploit weak security configurations and identities. Over the past year, attackers have intercepted authorisation tokens, bypassed multifactor authentication, and exploited misconfigured systems, targeting critical applications like GitHub, Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, Slack, and Okta. A study revealed alarmingly fast rates of breach discovery and compromise of exposed cloud assets, with assets being discovered within as little as two minutes for some and others within an hour.
https://www.darkreading.com/dr-tech/growing-saas-usage-means-larger-attack-surface
Majority of Users Neglect Best Password Practices
The latest Password Management Report by Keeper Security has shed light on the concerning state of password security practices. The survey found that only 25% of respondents used solid and unique passwords. In comparison, 34% admitted to using repeat variations of passwords, and 30% still relied on simple and easily guessable passwords. The survey also found that 44% of individuals who claimed to have well-managed passwords still admitted to using repeated variations, while 20% acknowledged having had at least one password involved in a data breach or available on the dark web. The document also revealed that 35% of respondents feel overwhelmed when it comes to improving their cyber security. Furthermore, 10% admitted to neglecting password management altogether. More generally, Keeper Security said the survey’s findings highlight a significant gap between perception and reality regarding password security.
https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/users-neglect-best-password/
One in Three Workers Susceptible to Phishing
More than one in three workers in the UK and Ireland are susceptible to falling for phishing attacks, according to the new 2023 Phishing by Industry Benchmarking Report by KnowBe4. The study found that 35% of users who had received no security training were prone to clicking on suspicious links or engaging in fraudulent actions. Regular training and continual reinforcement can get this figure down but even with training very few organisations ever get click rates down to zero, and you only need one person to click to cause potentially devastating consequences.
Globally, ransomware was responsible for 24% of all data breaches in 2023, with human error accounting for 74% of these incidents. Phishing attacks can often lead to significant reputational damage, financial loss and disruption to business operations.
https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/one-in-three-phishing/
Ransomware Misconceptions Abound, to the Benefit of Attackers
There is a common ransomware misperception that there's no capability to fight this all too common hostage taking of business data. This is not true. Proactive organisations are increasingly making more strategic use of threat intelligence to prevent or disrupt attacks.
Ransomware has evolved into a massive, often state-sponsored, industry where operators buy, develop, and resell ransomware code, infiltrate networks, and collect ransoms. The perception that a speedy response is critical to prevent data encryption and loss is outdated; attackers now focus on data exfiltration, using ransomware as a distraction. They often target smaller organisations that are linked to larger ones through supply chains, using them as stepping stones. It is important to use in-depth defence measures, including email security to prevent phishing and efficient detection and response systems to identify and recover from changes.
Threat Actors Scale and Commoditise Uncommon Tools and Techniques
Proofpoint’s 2023 Human Factor report highlights significant developments in the cyber attack landscape in 2022. Following two years of pandemic-induced disruption, cyber criminals returned to their usual operations, honing their social engineering skills and commoditising once sophisticated attack techniques. There was a noticeable increase in brute-force and targeted attacks on cloud tenants, conversational smishing attacks, and multifactor authentication (MFA) bypasses. Microsoft 365 formed a large part of organisations' attack surfaces and faced broad abuse, from Office macros to OneNote documents.
Despite some advances in security controls, threat actors continue to innovate and scale their bypasses. Techniques like MFA bypass and telephone-oriented attack delivery are now commonplace. Attackers consistently exploit people, who remain the most critical variable in the attack chain.
Goodbyes are Difficult, IT Offboarding Processes Make Them Harder
A recent survey found that 68% of organisations recognise the offboarding process as a major cyber security risk, but only 36% have adequate controls in place to secure data access when employees depart. The study revealed that 60% of organisations have discovered former employees still had access to corporate applications after leaving, and 52% have had security incidents linked to former employees. Interestingly, IT professionals are not always alerted when employees leave, leading to access not being revoked and IT assets being mishandled 34% of the time.
https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2023/06/19/it-offboarding-processes/
Security Budget Hikes are Missing the Mark, CISOs Say
Misguided expectations on security spend are causing problems for CISOs despite notable budget increases. A recent report found that while most CISOs are experiencing noteworthy increases in security funding, impractical expectations of budget holders are leading to significant amounts being spent on what’s hitting the headlines instead of strategic, business-centric investment in security defences. This lack of understanding shows that a lot of work needs to be done to ensure that information security receives the attention it deserves, especially in the boardroom.
The report found that just 9% of CISOs said information security is always in the top three priorities on the boardroom’s meeting agenda, and less than a quarter (22%) of CISOs are actively participating in business strategy and decision-making processes. Talking to the board about cyber security in a way that is productive can be a significant challenge for CISOs, and failing to do so effectively can result in confusion, disillusionment, and a lack of cohesion among directors, the security function, and the rest of the organisation.
https://www.csoonline.com/article/3700073/security-budget-hikes-are-missing-the-mark-cisos-say.html
https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2023/06/22/average-cybersecurity-budget-increase/
Understanding Cyber Resilience: Building a Holistic Approach to Cyber Security
In today’s interconnected world, the threat of cyber attacks is a constant concern for organisations of all sizes and across all industries. Cyber resilience entails not only making it difficult for attackers to infiltrate your systems but also ensuring that your organisation can bounce back quickly and continue operations successfully.
Cyber resilience offers a holistic approach to cyber security, emphasising the ability to withstand and recover from cyber attacks. By adopting the right mindset, leveraging advanced technology, addressing cyber hygiene, and measuring key metrics, organisations can enhance their cyber resilience. Additionally, collaboration within industries and proactive board engagement are crucial for effective risk management. As cyber threats continue to evolve, organisations must prioritise cyber resilience as an ongoing journey, continuously adapting and refining their strategies to stay ahead of malicious actors.
Emerging Ransomware Group 8Base Releasing Confidential Data from SMBs Globally
A ransomware group that operated under the radar for over a year has come to light in recent weeks, thanks to a series of business data leaks on the Dark Web. Since at least April 2022, 8base has been conducting double-extortion attacks against small and midsized businesses (SMBs). It all came to a head in May, when the group dumped data belonging to 67 organisations on the cyber underground.
Not much is known yet about the group's tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs), likely due to the low profile of their victims. The victims span science and technology, manufacturing, retail, construction, healthcare, and more, with victims from as far afield as India, Peru, Madagascar and Brazil, amongst others.
https://www.darkreading.com/vulnerabilities-threats/emerging-ransomware-8base-doxxes-smbs-globally
Financial Firms to Build Resilience in Face of Growing Cyber-Threats
Cyber resilience is now a key component of operational resilience for the UK’s financial markets, according to a Bank of England official. Cyber attacks have increased by 38% in 2022, and the range of firms and organisations being impacted seems to grow broader and broader.
Regulators want to see how financial firms will cope with an attack, and its impact on the wider financial services ecosystem. Similar work is being done at an international level by the G7, which has its own cyber expert group. In the UK, the main tools for improving resilience are threat intelligence sharing, better coordination between firms, regulators, the Bank and the Treasury, and penetration testing including CBEST. Financial services firms should have scenario specific playbooks, to set out how to contain intruders and stop them spreading to clients and counterparties. In the past, simulation exercises have been used to model terrorist incidents and pandemics and they are now being used to model cyber attacks.
https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/financial-firms-to-build-resilience/
Fulfilling Expected SEC Requirements for Cyber Security Expertise at Board Level
The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is expected to introduce a rule requiring demonstration of cyber security expertise at the board level for public companies. A recent study found that currently up to 90% of companies in the Russell 3000 lack even a single director with the necessary cyber expertise. The simplest and speediest solution would be to promote the existing CISO, provided they have the appropriate qualities and experience, to the board but that would require transplanting a focused operational executive into a strategic business advisory role. A credible alternative is to bring in a cyber focused Non-Executive Director with the appropriate skills and experience.
Governance, Risk and Compliance
Why assessing third parties for security risk is still an unsolved problem | CSO Online
Navigating the Complex World of Cyber security Compliance - MSSP Alert
Security budget hikes are missing the mark, CISOs say | CSO Online
How to Weather the Coming Cyber security Storm - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)
Certifications are no guarantee of security - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)
Increased spending doesn't translate to improved cyber security posture - Help Net Security
Placing People & Realism at the Center of Your Cyber security Strategy (darkreading.com)
CISOs’ New Stressors Brought on by Digitalization: Report - SecurityWeek
Fulfilling Expected SEC Requirements for Cyber security Expertise at Board Level - SecurityWeek
From details to big picture: how to improve security effectiveness | CIO
IT Staff Increasingly Saddled with Data Protection Compliance (darkreading.com)
Threats
Ransomware, Extortion and Destructive Attacks
Explainer: How MOVEit breach shows hackers' interest in corporate file transfer tools | Reuters
Ransomware Misconceptions Abound, to the Benefit of Attackers (darkreading.com)
US Offers $10m Reward For MOVEit Attackers - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)
Data leak at Australian law firm spooks government, business • The Register
Fresh Ransomware Gangs Emerge As Market Leaders Decline (darkreading.com)
Emerging Ransomware Group 8Base Doxxes SMBs Globally (darkreading.com)
A Russian national charged for committing LockBit Ransomware attacks - Security Affairs
Rorschach Ransomware: What You Need to Know (darkreading.com)
Ransomware is only getting faster: Six steps to a stronger defence (bleepingcomputer.com)
Ransomware gang preys on cancer centers, triggers alert | SC Media (scmagazine.com)
Ransomware attacks pose communications dilemmas for local governments | CSO Online
LockBit Developing Ransomware for Apple M1 Chips, Embedded Systems (darkreading.com)
Ransomware Victims
Australian Government Says Its Data Was Stolen in Law Firm Ransomware Attack - SecurityWeek
Hackers threaten to release photos of Beverly Hills plastic surgery patients (bitdefender.com)
Norton Parent Says Employee Data Stolen in MOVEit Ransomware Attack - SecurityWeek
BlackCat gang threatens to leak plastic surgery photos • The Register
Reddit confirms BlackCat ransomware gang stole its data • The Register
Adur and Worthing Councils investigating after contractor data breach | The Argus
Iowa’s largest school district confirms ransomware attack, data theft (bleepingcomputer.com)
Hackers warn University of Manchester students’ of imminent data leak (bleepingcomputer.com)
USDA is investigating a 'possible data breach' related to global Russian cyber criminal hack | CNN
Avast, Norton Parent Latest Victim of MOVEit Ransomware Attacks (darkreading.com)
MOVEit Vulnerability Breaches Targeted Fed Agencies (trendmicro.com)
Phishing & Email Based Attacks
Cyber crime: what does psychology have to do with phishing? – podcast | Science | The Guardian
Hackers Will Be Quick to Bypass Gmail's Blue Check Verification System (darkreading.com)
UPS discloses data breach after exposed customer info used in SMS phishing (bleepingcomputer.com)
Insurance companies neglect basic email security - Help Net Security
Other Social Engineering; Smishing, Vishing, etc
Artificial Intelligence
How generative AI is creating new classes of security threats | VentureBeat
Over 100,000 Stolen ChatGPT Account Credentials Sold on Dark Web Marketplaces (thehackernews.com)
‘With hackers adopting AI, it’s a cat-and-mouse game’ | Mint (livemint.com)
ChatGPT and data protection laws: Compliance challenges for businesses - Help Net Security
Google Tells Employees to Stay Away from Its Bard Chatbot (gizmodo.com)
Malware
Attacker seizes abandoned S3 bucket to launch malicious payloads | SC Media (scmagazine.com)
Hackers use fake OnlyFans pics to drop info-stealing malware (bleepingcomputer.com)
Researchers Discover New Sophisticated Toolkit Targeting Apple macOS Systems (thehackernews.com)
Mysterious Mystic Stealer Spreads Like Wildfire in Mere Months (darkreading.com)
Hackers infect Linux SSH servers with Tsunami botnet malware (bleepingcomputer.com)
To kill BlackLotus malware, patching is a good start, but... • The Register
Microsoft Teams bug allows malware delivery from external accounts (bleepingcomputer.com)
APT37 hackers deploy new FadeStealer eavesdropping malware (bleepingcomputer.com)
ScarCruft Hackers Exploit Ably Service for Stealthy Wiretapping Attacks (thehackernews.com)
Chinese Hacker Group 'Flea' Targets American Ministries with Graphican Backdoor (thehackernews.com)
USB Drives Spread Spyware as China's Mustang Panda APT Goes Global (darkreading.com)
NSA shares tips on blocking BlackLotus UEFI malware attacks (bleepingcomputer.com)
Chinese malware accidentally infects networked storage • The Register
ChamelDoH: New Linux Backdoor Utilising DNS-over-HTTPS Tunneling for Covert CnC (thehackernews.com)
Mobile
SMS delivery reports can be used to infer recipient's location (bleepingcomputer.com)
Apple fixes zero-days used to deploy Triangulation spyware via iMessage (bleepingcomputer.com)
Android spyware camouflaged as VPN, chat apps on Google Play (bleepingcomputer.com)
Botnets
Romanian cyber crime gang Diicot builds DDoS botnet with Mirai variant | CSO Online
New Condi malware builds DDoS botnet out of TP-Link AX21 routers (bleepingcomputer.com)
Hackers infect Linux SSH servers with Tsunami botnet malware (bleepingcomputer.com)
Mirai botnet targets 22 flaws in D-Link, Zyxel, Netgear devices (bleepingcomputer.com)
Denial of Service/DoS/DDOS
Police crack down on DDoS-for-hire service active since 2013 (bleepingcomputer.com)
New Condi malware builds DDoS botnet out of TP-Link AX21 routers (bleepingcomputer.com)
Zeeland port website hit by DDOS attack, possibly by Russian hackers | NL Times
From Cryptojacking to DDoS Attacks: Diicot Expands Tactics with Cayosin Botnet (thehackernews.com)
Internet of Things – IoT
Romanian cyber crime gang Diicot builds DDoS botnet with Mirai variant | CSO Online
Smart Pet Feeders Expose Personal Data - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)
Security for embedded devices is ignored by too many companies, expert says | Fierce Electronics
Our cities are becoming increasingly automated—and we’re not ready (fastcompany.com)
US Military Personnel Receiving Unsolicited, Suspicious Smartwatches - SecurityWeek
Mirai botnet targets 22 flaws in D-Link, Zyxel, Netgear devices (bleepingcomputer.com)
Data Breaches/Leaks
Data leak at Australian law firm spooks government, business • The Register
Australian Government Says Its Data Was Stolen in Law Firm Ransomware Attack - SecurityWeek
Mondelez says crooks stole staff data in security breach • The Register
UPS discloses data breach after exposed customer info used in SMS phishing (bleepingcomputer.com)
Reddit hackers threaten to leak data stolen in February breach (bleepingcomputer.com)
Australia Inc roiled by raft of cyber attacks since late 2022 - The Economic Times (indiatimes.com)
SSD missing from SAP datacenter turns up on eBay • The Register
Smart Pet Feeders Expose Personal Data - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)
Hackers warn University of Manchester students’ of imminent data leak (bleepingcomputer.com)
Organised Crime & Criminal Actors
Crypto and Cyber Security: A Complex Relationship (analyticsinsight.net)
Cyber attackers Got More Creative Post-Pandemic, Proofpoint Study Finds - MSSP Alert
The Great Exodus to Telegram: A Tour of the New Cyber crime Underground (bleepingcomputer.com)
Cryptocurrency/Cryptomining/Cryptojacking/NFTs/Blockchain
Crypto and Cyber Security: A Complex Relationship (analyticsinsight.net)
Blockchain security: Everything you should know for safe use | TechTarget
From Cryptojacking to DDoS Attacks: Diicot Expands Tactics with Cayosin Botnet (thehackernews.com)
Insider Risk and Insider Threats
Fraud, Scams & Financial Crime
Influencers in firing line as France tackles scams - BBC News
Keep Job Scams From Hurting Your Organisation (darkreading.com)
Impersonation Attacks
AML/CFT/Sanctions
Dark Web
Supply Chain and Third Parties
Capita faces first legal Letter of Claim over mega breach • The Register
Why assessing third parties for security risk is still an unsolved problem | CSO Online
Mondelez says crooks stole staff data in security breach • The Register
Untangling the web of supply chain security with Tony Turner - Help Net Security
Software Supply Chain
Cloud/SaaS
Growing SaaS Usage Means Larger Attack Surface (darkreading.com)
Explainer: How MOVEit breach shows hackers' interest in corporate file transfer tools | Reuters
A new threat to financial stability lurks in the cloud | Financial Times (ft.com)
Cloud CISO Perspectives: Early June 2023 | Google Cloud Blog
Western Digital Blocks Unpatched Devices From Cloud Services - SecurityWeek
Attacker seizes abandoned S3 bucket to launch malicious payloads | SC Media (scmagazine.com)
Attackers discovering exposed cloud assets within minutes | TechTarget
Cloud-native security hinges on open source - Help Net Security
Hybrid Microsoft network/cloud legacy settings may impact your future security posture | CSO Online
US cyber ambassador says China can win on AI, cloud • The Register
Hybrid/Remote Working
Shadow IT
Identity and Access Management
Encryption
Quantum hacking alert: Critical vulnerabilities found in quantum key distribution (techxplore.com)
The US Navy, NATO, and NASA are using a shady Chinese company’s encryption chips | Ars Technica
Physics - Long-Range Quantum Cryptography Gets Simpler (aps.org)
API
Open Source
Hackers infect Linux SSH servers with Tsunami botnet malware (bleepingcomputer.com)
Cloud-native security hinges on open source - Help Net Security
ChamelDoH: New Linux Backdoor Utilising DNS-over-HTTPS Tunneling for Covert CnC (thehackernews.com)
Passwords, Credential Stuffing & Brute Force Attacks
The future of passwords and authentication - Help Net Security
These are the most hacked passwords. Is yours on the list? | ZDNET
Social Media
Influencers in firing line as France tackles scams - BBC News
Reddit hackers threaten to leak data stolen in February breach (bleepingcomputer.com)
Training, Education and Awareness
Digital Transformation
Regulations, Fines and Legislation
ChatGPT and data protection laws: Compliance challenges for businesses - Help Net Security
Bill allowing CISA to assist foreign governments passes Senate committee | SC Media (scmagazine.com)
Fulfilling Expected SEC Requirements for Cyber security Expertise at Board Level - SecurityWeek
Models, Frameworks and Standards
The significance of CIS Control mapping in the 2023 Verizon DBIR - Help Net Security
What is PCI Compliance? 12 Requirements and More Explained | Definition from TechTarget
Secure Disposal
Data Protection
ChatGPT and data protection laws: Compliance challenges for businesses - Help Net Security
Consumer Data: The Risk and Reward for Manufacturing Companies (darkreading.com)
IT Staff Increasingly Saddled with Data Protection Compliance (darkreading.com)
Careers, Working in Cyber and Information Security
8 notable entry-level cyber security career and skills initiatives in 2023 | CSO Online
UK military is struggling to recruit tech experts, says report | Financial Times (ft.com)
Certifications are no guarantee of security - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)
Google announces $20 million investment for cyber clinics | CyberScoop
Law Enforcement Action and Take Downs
Police crack down on DDoS-for-hire service active since 2013 (bleepingcomputer.com)
Megaupload duo will go to prison at last, but Kim Dotcom fights on… – Naked Security (sophos.com)
A Russian national charged for committing LockBit Ransomware attacks - Security Affairs
Privacy, Surveillance and Mass Monitoring
Spyware, Cyber Espionage & Cyber Warfare, including Russian Invasion of Ukraine
Killnet Threatens Imminent SWIFT, World Banking Attacks (darkreading.com)
A Newly Named Group of GRU Hackers is Wreaking Havoc in Ukraine | WIRED
Russia sent its reserve team to wipe Ukrainian hard drives • The Register
Russian APT Group Caught Hacking Roundcube Email Servers - SecurityWeek
Hacktivist group Anonymous Sudan a ‘bear in wolf’s clothing’ | SC Media (scmagazine.com)
Russian APT28 hackers breach Ukrainian govt email servers (bleepingcomputer.com)
Strategies for staying ahead of modern cyber warfare - CyberTalk
German intelligence services point to increased hybrid security threats – EURACTIV.com
Nation State Actors
Microsoft Pins Early June DDoS Attacks on Russian-linked Cyber Crew - MSSP Alert
US DOJ Launches Cyber Unit to Prosecute Nation-State Threat Actors - SecurityWeek
US Military Personnel Receiving Unsolicited, Suspicious Smartwatches - SecurityWeek
USB Drives Spread Spyware as China's Mustang Panda APT Goes Global (darkreading.com)
CISA orders govt agencies to patch bugs exploited by Russian hackers (bleepingcomputer.com)
US Cyber Ambassador says China can win on AI, cloud • The Register
Cadet Blizzard emerges as a novel and distinct Russian threat actor | Microsoft Security Blog
The Israeli weapons and spyware falling into the hands of despots | Financial Times (ft.com)
The US Navy, NATO, and NASA are using a shady Chinese company’s encryption chips | Ars Technica
Zeeland port website hit by DDOS attack, possibly by Russian hackers | NL Times
A Russian national charged for committing LockBit Ransomware attacks - Security Affairs
Hacktivist group Anonymous Sudan a ‘bear in wolf’s clothing’ | SC Media (scmagazine.com)
APT37 hackers deploy new FadeStealer eavesdropping malware (bleepingcomputer.com)
ScarCruft Hackers Exploit Ably Service for Stealthy Wiretapping Attacks (thehackernews.com)
20-Year-Old Chinese APT15 Finds New Life in Foreign Ministry Attacks (darkreading.com)
Chinese Hacker Group 'Flea' Targets American Ministries with Graphican Backdoor (thehackernews.com)
North Korean APT targets defectors, activists with infostealer malware | SC Media (scmagazine.com)
China-sponsored APT group targets government ministries in the Americas | CSO Online
Chinese malware accidentally infects networked storage • The Register
Trellix Detects Leading Threat Actor Countries Behind Nation-State Activity - MSSP Alert
Vulnerability Management
Guess what happened to this US agency that didn't patch? • The Register
EU Council mulls pan-European platform to handle cyber vulnerabilities – EURACTIV.com
Vulnerabilities
VMware warns of critical vRealize flaw exploited in attacks (bleepingcomputer.com)
Microsoft Teams Vulnerability: The GIFShell Attack (latesthackingnews.com)
Patch Now: Cisco AnyConnect Bug Exploit Released in the Wild (darkreading.com)
Zyxel addressed critical flaw CVE-2023-27992 in NAS Devices - Security Affairs
Microsoft Teams bug allows malware delivery from external accounts (bleepingcomputer.com)
Chrome and Its Vulnerabilities - Is the Web Browser Safe to Use? - SecurityWeek
Critical WordPress Plugin Vulnerabilities Impact Thousands of Sites - SecurityWeek
SMB Edge Devices Walloped With Asus, Zyxel Patch Warnings (darkreading.com)
VMware fixes vCenter Server bugs allowing code execution, auth bypass (bleepingcomputer.com)
Azure AD 'Log in With Microsoft' Authentication Bypass Affects Thousands (darkreading.com)
Western Digital Blocks Unpatched Devices From Cloud Services - SecurityWeek
Risk & Repeat: Mandiant sheds light on Barracuda ESG attacks | TechTarget
ASUS warns router customers: Patch now, or block all inbound requests – Naked Security (sophos.com)
Firmware Backdoor Discovered in Gigabyte Motherboards, Hundreds of Models Affected - CPO Magazine
Apple fixes zero-days used to deploy Triangulation spyware via iMessage (bleepingcomputer.com)
A (cautionary) tale of two patched bugs, both under exploit • The Register
Millions of GitHub repos likely vulnerable to RepoJacking, researchers say (bleepingcomputer.com)
Windows 11 KB5027231 also breaks Chrome for Cisco, WatchGuard EDR users (bleepingcomputer.com)
Gaps in Azure Service Fabric’s Security Call for User Vigilance (trendmicro.com)
Tools and Controls
Getting Over the DNS Security Awareness Gap (darkreading.com)
Zscaler CEO: Firewalls Are Going The Way Of The Mainframe | CRN
The future of passwords and authentication - Help Net Security
Increased spending doesn't translate to improved cyber security posture - Help Net Security
Placing People & Realism at the Center of Your Cyber security Strategy (darkreading.com)
Security investments that help companies navigate the macroeconomic climate - Help Net Security
Reports Published in the Last Week
Other News
Boris Johnson’s notebooks cause national security alarm (thetimes.co.uk)
Keep it, Tweak it, Trash it – What to do with Aging Tech in an Era of Consolidation - SecurityWeek
Cyber attacks on OT, ICS Lay Groundwork for Kinetic Warfare (darkreading.com)
Why CISOs should be concerned about space-based attacks | CSO Online
Legal firms urged to strengthen cyber defences with latest... - NCSC.GOV.UK
GCHQ’s top hacker James Babbage quits to join NCA in blow to UK cyber force (telegraph.co.uk)
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.
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Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing 14 April 2023
Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing 14 April 2023:
-Almost Half of Former Employees Say Their Passwords Still Work
-Efficient Risk Based Patch Management Means Eliminating Just 2% of Exposures Could Protect 90% of Critical Assets
-Printers Pose Persistent Yet Overlooked Threat
-Employees Are as Likely as Cyber Criminals to Cause Cyber Incidents
-Over 90% of Organisations Find Threat Hunting a Challenge
-75% of Organisations Have Suffered a Cyber Security Breach
-Leak Shows Evolving Russian Cyber War Capabilities
-Outsourced Payroll and HR Services Firm Forced to Shut Down After Cyber Attack
-When a Cyber Criminal Steals Personal Data from Your Organisation What Do You Do and Who Do You Need to Inform?
-Insider Threat and Ransomware: A Growing Issue
-How LockBit Changed Cyber Security Forever
-Hybrid Work Environments Are Stressing CISOs
-Protect Your Data with a USB Condom
-Strategising Cyber Security: Why a Risk-based Approach is Key
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
Almost Half of Former Employees Say Their Passwords Still Work
An alarming number of organisations are not properly offboarding employees when they leave, especially in regard to passwords. In a new survey of 1,000 workers who had access to company passwords at their previous jobs, 47% admitted to using them after leaving the company.
According to the survey one in three respondents said they had been using the passwords for upwards of two years, which is a distressingly long time for organisations not to be aware of who is accessing those accounts and services.
When asked what they use the passwords for, 64% said to access their former email accounts and 44% to access company data. A concerning 10% of respondents said they were trying to disrupt company activities.
Efficient Risk Based Patch Management Means Eliminating Just 2% of Exposures Could Protect 90% of Critical Assets
A recent cyber security report analysed over 60 million security exposures, or weaknesses that could give an attacker access to systems. The report found that only 2% enabled attackers access to critical assets, while 75% of exposures along attack paths lead to “dead ends”. Further, the report shows that average organisations have 11,000 exploitable security exposures monthly, with techniques targeting credentials and permissions affecting 82% of organisations and exploits accounting for over 70% of all identified security exposures.
The report found that most security alerts were benign and did not lead to critical assets. By applying efficient risk based patch management and reducing unnecessary access to critical assets, organisations can mitigate a significant amount of risk. This isn’t a simple task however, for an organisation to be able to employ efficient risk based patch management it must have a sufficient level of cyber maturity and internal vulnerability scanning accompanied by a dynamic threat intelligence component.
https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/eliminating-2-exposures-protect-90/
Printers Pose Persistent Yet Overlooked Threat
A rash of printer-related vulnerabilities in 2023 have punctuated security expert warnings that printers continue to be a significant vulnerability within companies — especially as remote workers require printing resources or access to corporate printers. So far in 2023, Lexmark advised that a publicly available remote exploit had already targeted a code execution flaw in its printers, HP warned of a vulnerable firmware version on some of its enterprise printers, and Microsoft fixed three remote code execution vulnerabilities in its printer drivers.
Printers remain a likely soft spot in most companies’ attack surface area, particularly because they are not always part of a company’s asset management process and are often left out of security assessments and risk registers. Many organisations don’t know where their printers are, their security status, configuration, monitoring or logging activity. Research has shown that 67% of companies are worried about the risk home printers may pose and only 26% of information technology and cyber security professionals are confident in their organisation’s printing infrastructure security.
https://www.darkreading.com/vulnerabilities-threats/printers-pose-persistent-yet-overlooked-threat
Employees Are as Likely as Cyber Criminals to Cause Cyber Incidents
Employees and cyber criminals cause similar numbers of data leakages. Kaspersky’s 2022 IT Security Economics survey found cyber-attacks caused 23% of data leakages, while employees caused a similar proportion, at 22%. The rise in employees causing leakages may be linked with more remote working since the pandemic, with new staff laptops, tablets, and virtual private networks (VPNs) featuring among the extra endpoints and systems needing security. Although innocent mistakes or ignoring cyber-security policy were behind most leakages, security managers reported 36% of employee-triggered leakages were deliberate acts of sabotage or espionage. The high number of cyber-incidents stemming from employee action shows all organisations need thorough cyber-security awareness training to teach all staff how to avoid common security mistakes.
Over 90% of Organisations Find Threat Hunting a Challenge
Executing essential cyber security operations tasks during the threat hunting process is an increasingly challenging proposition to the vast majority of organisations, with 93% of those polled for a Sophos report saying they find basic security operations a chore.
In the report, “The state of cybersecurity 2023: The business impact of adversaries on defenders”, Sophos said these findings were likely the result of the ongoing cyber security skills shortage, which is creating a domino effect in security operations: a lack of skilled personnel makes investigating alerts take longer, which reduces the security team’s capacity and increases the organisation’s exposure to higher levels of risk.
Organisations that suffer the most are those with revenues of less than $10m (£8m), which are more likely to lack the necessary skillsets, followed by organisations with revenues of more than $5bn, where organisational and system complexity likely play a more prominent role.
75% of Organisations Have Suffered a Cyber Security Breach
Most organisations need stronger security controls to stop cyber security breaches and cyber attacks, according to “The Data Dilemma: Cloud Adoption and Risk Report” from security service edge (SSE) company Skyhigh Security. Key takeaways from the report include:
97% of organisations indicated they are experiencing private cloud problems.
75% have experienced a cyber security breach, threat and/or theft of data.
75% said shadow IT “impairs their ability to keep data secure.”
60% allow employees to download sensitive data to their personal devices.
52% noted their employees are using SaaS services that are commissioned by departments outside of IT and without direct involvement of their IT department.
37% said they do not trust the public cloud to secure their sensitive data.
Leak Shows Evolving Russian Cyber War Capabilities
The leak of thousands of pages of secret documentation related to the development of Moscow’s cyber and information operations capabilities paint a picture of a government obsessed with social control and committed to scaling their capacity for non-kinetic interference.
The leaked documents detail methods and training simulations intended to prepare an operator workforce for offensive operations against critical infrastructure targets. Tools revealed by these recent leaks suggest a desire and an ability to extensively map foreign vulnerabilities and make the job of Russia’s cyber conflict operators as accessible and scalable as possible.
This leak reinforces the significant concern regarding the threat posed by Russian cyber forces to firms across the globe.
Outsourced Payroll and HR Services Firm Forced to Shut Down After Cyber Attack
Belgian headquartered HR and payroll giant SD Worx has suffered a cyber attack causing them to shut down all IT systems for their UK and Ireland services. While the login portals for other European countries are working correctly, the company's UK customer portal was not accessible. As a full-service human resources and payroll company, SD Worx manages a large amount of sensitive data for their client's employees.
According to the company's general conditions agreement, this data may include tax information, government ID numbers, addresses, full names, birth dates, phone numbers, bank account numbers, employee evaluations, and more.
When a Cyber Criminal Steals Personal Data from Your Organisation What Do You Do and Who Do You Need to Inform?
If that happens it might be time for your management to clear their desks. The prospect of financial penalties and reputational damage is very real. You need to know your obligations — for instance, reporting the breach to applicable authorities and regulators within strict timeframes — understand the breach, and prioritise. Then you communicate and remedy. If you haven’t planned well, it’s going to be tough.
You need to understand the data breach. Who is affected — is it staff or customer data? What exactly have the cyber criminals accessed? Consider the type of information: salary details and passport copies, or customer payment information.
If personal data has been lost or compromised, you will likely have an obligation under data protection regulations to report the breach to your applicable data protection authority within 72 hours, and if you are a regulated business there will likely be similar requirements to report to your regulator within a similar timeframe. Knowing your obligations — ideally before any hack takes place — will guide how well you respond.
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/who-should-i-inform-after-a-data-hack-dcrzvgp2x
Insider Threat and Ransomware: A Growing Issue
Ransomware is a growing epidemic. 2022 saw a slew of high-profile attacks leading to massive paydays for cyber criminals. Cyber criminals work just as hard to conceal their identities and location as they do to exploit weaknesses and capture valuable data to hold hostage. Organisations not only stand to lose money in this scenario, but the damage to their reputation and trustworthiness in the market can be challenging to recover from. Customers place high trust in the safety of their personal information, and it’s the company they hold accountable – not the thieves – if it slips into the wrong hands.
Even if you have good technical controls, the low-hanging fruit is capitalising on the human element and gaining entrance through a person within your organisation. Insider threats come in all shapes and sizes and roles, including employees, executives, former employees, board members, contractors, and service providers. Insider threats, by their very nature, pose a unique challenge for organisations.
https://informationsecuritybuzz.com/insider-threat-and-ransomware-a-growing-issue/
How LockBit Changed Cyber Security Forever
LockBit are one of the most prolific ransomware gangs globally, accounting for almost half of ransomware attacks in 2022. They not only maintain a high profile, but they’ve also turned ransom monetisation upside down. Thanks to their innovative approach, the group has claimed 44% of total ransomware attacks launched in 2022. LockBit made history by launching the industry’s first bug bounty program initiated by a ransomware group. The operation invites security experts to uncover vulnerabilities and report them for rewards ranging from $1,000 to a staggering $1 million. This has since been expanded and now offers bounties for creative ways to enhance ransomware operations.
https://securityintelligence.com/articles/how-lockbit-changed-cybersecurity/
Hybrid Work Environments Are Stressing CISOs
The impact of the hybrid workforce on security posture, as well as the risks introduced by this way of working, are posing concerns for CISOs and driving them to develop new strategies for hybrid work security, according to a new report.
Among the report’s most critical findings is the revelation that browsing-based threats ranked as CISOs’ number one concern, regardless of whether their organisation was operating primarily in an in-office, hybrid, or remote setting.
And as for the risks posed by hybrid and remote workers specifically, insecure browsing also topped the list of CISOs’ concerns.
https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2023/04/12/hybrid-work-environments-stressing-cisos/
Protect Your Data with a USB Condom
USB isn't just a charging protocol, it also allows data to flow back and forth, and while most of the time this data flow is safe, it is possible to create a malicious charging port that can do bad things, such as plant malware on your device or steal your data. Equally, an employee plugging their personal phone into a corporate USB port may present a danger to the corporate network through the phone. A USB condom is a small dongle that adds a layer of protection between your device and the charging point you're attaching it to by blocking the data being transferred through the port. If you must use a charger, cable, or charging port that isn't under your control, it makes sense to use a USB condom.
https://www.zdnet.com/article/protect-your-data-with-a-usb-condom/
Strategising Cyber Security: Why a Risk-based Approach is Key
By 2027, cyber crime could cost the global economy nearly $24 trillion. Businesses often find themselves at the sharp end of this challenge, and, as such, cyber security is a critical aspect of the modern business landscape. Cyber threats are multiplying and pose serious financial, legal and reputational challenges to organisations.
Modern and effective cyber security management entails more than managing technology risk; it encompasses managing business risk. Organisations must recognise cyber security as a strategic imperative integrated into their overall risk management framework — and this starts at the board level. In some cases, board members may find it beneficial to seek help in assessing appropriate levels of control.
https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2023/04/strategizing-cybersecurity-why-a-risk-based-approach-is-key/
Threats
Ransomware, Extortion and Destructive Attacks
Microsoft Issues Patches for 97 Flaws, Including Active Ransomware Exploit (thehackernews.com)
Microsoft patches vulnerability used in Nokoyawa ransomware attacks | CSO Online
How LockBit Changed Cyber security Forever (securityintelligence.com)
Insider Threat And Ransomware: A Growing Issue (informationsecuritybuzz.com)
Rorschach ransomware deployed by misusing a security tool - Help Net Security
Medusa ransomware claims attack on Open University of Cyprus (bleepingcomputer.com)
Cyble — New Cylance Ransomware with Power-Packed CommandLine Options
Taiwanese PC Company MSI Falls Victim to Ransomware Attack (thehackernews.com)
KFC, Pizza Hut owner discloses data breach after ransomware attack (bleepingcomputer.com)
7 Things Your Ransomware Response Playbook Is Likely Missing (darkreading.com)
Cyber crime group exploits Windows zero-day in ransomware attacks-Security Affairs
Windows zero-day vulnerability exploited in ransomware attacks (bleepingcomputer.com)
Ransomware gangs increasingly deploy zero-days to maximize attacks | CyberScoop
Latitude Financial Refuses to Pay Ransom - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)
Superyacht-Maker Hit by Easter Ransomware Attack - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)
Phishing & Email Based Attacks
Microsoft: Phishing attack targets accountants as Tax Day approaches (bleepingcomputer.com)
Researchers Uncover Thriving Phishing Kit Market on Telegram Channels (thehackernews.com)
Phishing Campaign Targeting YouTube Content Creators, Malware Hitting Charging Stations - MSSP Alert
BEC – Business Email Compromise
Other Social Engineering; Smishing, Vishing, etc
2FA/MFA
Comparing enabled and enforced MFA in Microsoft 365 | TechTarget
Rilide browser extension steals MFA codes - Help Net Security
Malware
New Mirai Variant Employs Uncommon Tactics to Distribute Malware (darkreading.com)
Typhon Reborn Stealer Malware Resurfaces with Advanced Evasion Techniques (thehackernews.com)
BlackGuard Stealer Extends its Capabilities in New Variant - MSSP Alert
Check Point Software Technologies: Qbot Top Malware in March 2023 - MSSP Alert
Cryptocurrency Stealer Malware Distributed via 13 NuGet Packages (thehackernews.com)
Attackers Hide RedLine Stealer Behind ChatGPT, Google Bard Facebook Ads (darkreading.com)
Microsoft shares guidance to detect BlackLotus UEFI bootkit attacks (bleepingcomputer.com)
Microsoft, Fortra Gains Legal Rights Against Cobalt Strike Abuse (informationsecuritybuzz.com)
Legion Malware Marches onto Web Servers to Steal Credentials, Spam Mobile Users (darkreading.com)
WhatsApp boosts defence against account takeover via malware (bleepingcomputer.com)
Mobile
FBI warns about dangers of public USB charging ports | Popular Science (popsci.com)
Researchers Uncover Thriving Phishing Kit Market on Telegram Channels (thehackernews.com)
Android phones vulnerable to remote hacking — update right now | Tom's Guide (tomsguide.com)
Burglars tunnel through Apple Store’s neighbour, allegedly steal $500K in iPhones | Ars Technica
5G connections set to rise past 5.9 billion by 2027 - Help Net Security
Cyber criminals To Add Android Malware On Google Play Up To $20,000 (informationsecuritybuzz.com)
WhatsApp boosts defence against account takeover via malware (bleepingcomputer.com)
Denial of Service/DoS/DDOS
Hackers Flood NPM with Bogus Packages Causing a DoS Attack (thehackernews.com)
DDoS attacks shifting to VPS infrastructure for increased power (bleepingcomputer.com)
DDoS alert traffic reaches record-breaking level of 436 petabits in one day - Help Net Security
DDoS attacks rise as pro-Russia groups attack Finland, Israel (techrepublic.com)
Internet of Things – IoT
Printers Pose Persistent Yet Overlooked Threat (darkreading.com)
There’s a new form of keyless car theft that works in under 2 minutes | Ars Technica
Special Report: Tesla workers shared sensitive images recorded by customer cars | Reuters
Default static key in ThingsBoard IoT platform can give attackers admin access | CSO Online
5G connections set to rise past 5.9 billion by 2027 - Help Net Security
Zigbee PRO 2023 introduces new security mechanisms, feature enhancements - Help Net Security
Critical Vulnerability in Hikvision Storage Solutions Exposes Video Security Data - SecurityWeek
Data Breaches/Leaks
Samsung employees unwittingly leaked company secret data by using ChatGPT-Security Affairs
Cloud accounting firm in a pickle after researchers find admin login data | TechRadar
Service NSW breach exposes personal data affecting thousands of customers | 7NEWS
Military Intel Leak Investigated By US Officials (informationsecuritybuzz.com)
Hyundai data breach exposes owner details in France and Italy (bleepingcomputer.com)
Organised Crime & Criminal Actors
Criminal businesses adopt corporate behaviour as they grow - Help Net Security
Seized Genesis malware market's infostealers infected 1.5 million computers | CSO Online
Breached shutdown sparks migration to ARES data leak forums (bleepingcomputer.com)
FBI: Crooks posing as PRC agents prey on Chinese in the US • The Register
Cryptocurrency/Cryptomining/Cryptojacking/NFTs/Blockchain
Sentiment DeFi Hacker Makes Amends by Returning 90% of Funds (beincrypto.com)
Cryptocurrency Stealer Malware Distributed via 13 NuGet Packages (thehackernews.com)
Insider Risk and Insider Threats
Employees are as likely as cyber-criminals to cause cyber-incidents | The Independent
Cyber criminals use simple trick to obtain personal data - Help Net Security
Insider Threat And Ransomware: A Growing Issue (informationsecuritybuzz.com)
Fraud, Scams & Financial Crime
FBI warns of companies exploiting sextortion victims for profit (bleepingcomputer.com)
Cambodia deports 19 Japanese cyber crime scam suspects | News | Al Jazeera
‘Overemployed’ Hustlers Exploit ChatGPT To Take On Even More Full-Time Jobs (vice.com)
When Banking Laws Don't Protect Consumers From Cybertheft (darkreading.com)
AI clones child’s voice in fake kidnapping scam | The Independent
Five arrested after 33,000 victims lose $98M to online investment fraud (bleepingcomputer.com)
Stolen Card Numbers Plummet 94% Globally - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)
Supply Chain and Third Parties
3CX confirms North Korean hackers behind supply chain attack (bleepingcomputer.com)
Capita: IT outsourcer reels from being locked out of its own IT (thetimes.co.uk)
Cloud/SaaS
Western Digital struggles to fix massive My Cloud outage, offers workaround (bleepingcomputer.com)
Microsoft Azure Users Warned of Potential Shared Key Authorization Abuse - SecurityWeek
Iranian APT group launches destructive attacks in hybrid Azure AD environments | CSO Online
Cloud accounting firm in a pickle after researchers find admin login data | TechRadar
Securing the Chaos – Harnessing Dispersed Multi-Cloud, Hybrid Environments - SecurityWeek
Hybrid/Remote Working
Hybrid work environments are stressing CISOs - Help Net Security
‘Overemployed’ Hustlers Exploit ChatGPT To Take On Even More Full-Time Jobs (vice.com)
Attack Surface Management
How to Secure Web Applications in a Growing Digital Attack Surface (bleepingcomputer.com)
The new weakest link in the cyber security chain - Help Net Security
Shadow IT
Identity and Access Management
Identity Management Day: 3 Things MSSPs Need to Know - MSSP Alert
Centralized vs. decentralized identity management explained | TechTarget
The Service Accounts Challenge: Can't See or Secure Them Until It's Too Late (thehackernews.com)
Encryption
API
Google launches dependency API and curated package repository with security metadata | CSO Online
Why Shadow APIs are More Dangerous than You Think (thehackernews.com)
Open Source
Passwords, Credential Stuffing & Brute Force Attacks
Almost Half of Former Employees Say Their Passwords Still Work (darkreading.com)
Why it's time to move towards a passwordless future - Help Net Security
AI can crack most password in less than a minute | TechRadar
How an AI tool could crack your passwords in seconds | ZDNET
Meet PassGAN, the supposedly “terrifying” AI password cracker that’s mostly hype | Ars Technica
Social Media
Malvertising
Training, Education and Awareness
Regulations, Fines and Legislation
Lagging regulations frustrate protecting data from cyber attacks (themandarin.com.au)
Battle could be brewing over new FCC data breach reporting rules | CSO Online
When Banking Laws Don't Protect Consumers From Cyber Theft (darkreading.com)
Governance, Risk and Compliance
Employees are as likely as cyber-criminals to cause cyber-incidents | The Independent
Skyhigh Security Report: 75% of Organizations Have Suffered a Cyber security Breach - MSSP Alert
Strategising cyber security: Why a risk-based approach is key | World Economic Forum (weforum.org)
Outcome-based cyber security paves way for organizational goals - Help Net Security
Why reporting an incident only makes the cyber security community stronger | CSO Online
6 common challenges facing cyber security teams and how to overcome them | TechCrunch
Top 10 Cyber security Trends for 2023: From Zero Trust to Cyber Insurance (thehackernews.com)
Most Security Exposures Do Not Put Organizations' Critical Assets At Risk, Study Shows - MSSP Alert
Threat hunting programs can save organizations from costly security breaches - Help Net Security
Gartner: Human-Centric Design Is Top Cyber Security Trend for 2023 (darkreading.com)
Law Enforcement Action and Take Downs
Seized Genesis malware market's infostealers infected 1.5 million computers | CSO Online
Spanish cops arrest teenage 'Robin Hood hacker' • The Register
Australia Is Scouring the Earth for Cyber criminals — the US Should Too (darkreading.com)
Cambodia deports 19 Japanese cyber crime scam suspects | News | Al Jazeera
Dutch Police mails RaidForums members to warn they’re being watched (bleepingcomputer.com)
Five arrested after 33,000 victims lose $98M to online investment fraud (bleepingcomputer.com)
Privacy, Surveillance and Mass Monitoring
Tesla Sued Over Workers' Alleged Access to Car Video Imagery - SecurityWeek
Consumers take data control into their own hands amid rising privacy concerns - Help Net Security
Artificial Intelligence
Samsung employees unwittingly leaked company secret data by using ChatGPT - Security Affairs
Cyber crime: be careful what you tell your chatbot helper… | Chatbots | The Guardian
US cyber chiefs warn of threats from China and AI • The Register
When you're talking to a chatbot, who's listening? | CNN Business
Bad Actors Will Use Large Language Models — but Defenders Can, Too (darkreading.com)
AI can crack most password in less than a minute | TechRadar
‘Overemployed’ Hustlers Exploit ChatGPT To Take On Even More Full-Time Jobs (vice.com)
AI clones child’s voice in fake kidnapping scam | The Independent
European privacy watchdog creates ChatGPT task force | Reuters
Spyware, Cyber Espionage & Cyber Warfare, including Russian Invasion of Ukraine
Russian hackers linked to widespread attacks targeting NATO and EU (bleepingcomputer.com)
NTC Vulkan leak shows evolving Russian cyberwar capabilities | CSO Online
The Discord servers at the center of a massive US intelligence leak | CyberScoop
Cisco trashed offices and destroyed spares as it quit Russia • The Register
Another zero-click Apple spyware biz shows up in town again • The Register
Ukrainian hackers spend $25,000 of pro-Russian blogger's money on sex toys (bitdefender.com)
DDoS attacks rise as pro-Russia groups attack Finland, Israel (techrepublic.com)
Russian Hacker Group Zarya Hit Canadian Pipeline—Leaked Docs (gizmodo.com)
Russia's Joker DPR Claims Access to Ukraine Troop Movement Data (darkreading.com)
Spyware Offered to Cyber attackers via PyPI Python Repository (darkreading.com)
Russian hackers ‘target security cameras inside Ukraine coffee shops’ | Ukraine | The Guardian
Nation State Actors
Russia-linked APT29 is behind recent attacks targeting NATO and EU-Security Affairs
North Korean Hackers Uncovered as Mastermind in 3CX Supply Chain Attack (thehackernews.com)
US cyber chiefs warn of threats from China and AI • The Register
Ukrainian hackers spend $25,000 of pro-Russian blogger's money on sex toys (bitdefender.com)
Google is on a crusade against cyber security threats from North Korea | TechRadar
Russian Hacker Group Zarya Hit Canadian Pipeline—Leaked Docs (gizmodo.com)
Iranian APT group launches destructive attacks in hybrid Azure AD environments | CSO Online
FBI: Crooks posing as PRC agents prey on Chinese in the US • The Register
Vulnerability Management
Most Security Exposures Do Not Put Organizations' Critical Assets At Risk, Study Shows - MSSP Alert
Ransomware gangs increasingly deploy zero-days to maximize attacks | CyberScoop
Vulnerabilities
Microsoft Issues Patches for 97 Flaws, Including Active Ransomware Exploit (thehackernews.com)
Windows admins warned to patch critical MSMQ QueueJumper bug (bleepingcomputer.com)
Nokoyawa ransomware attacks with Windows zero-day | Securelist
Thousands at risk from critical RCE bug in legacy MS service | Computer Weekly
1M+ WordPress Sites Hacked via Zero-Day Plug-in Bugs (darkreading.com)
Sophos Patches Critical Code Execution Vulnerability in Web Security Appliance - SecurityWeek
Cisco Patches Code and Command Execution Vulnerabilities in Several Products - SecurityWeek
CISA orders agencies to patch Backup Exec bugs used by ransomware gang (bleepingcomputer.com)
CISA Adds Two Known Exploited Vulnerabilities to Catalog | CISA
Data-leak flaw in Qualcomm, HiSilicon-based Wi-Fi AP chips • The Register
Twitter 'Shadow Ban' Bug Gets Official CVE (darkreading.com)
Exploit available for critical bug in VM2 JavaScript sandbox library (bleepingcomputer.com)
Microsoft finally gets around to fixing half-decade-old Firefox CPU bug | TechRadar
SAP releases security updates for two critical-severity flaws (bleepingcomputer.com)
Adobe Plugs Gaping Security Holes in Reader, Acrobat - SecurityWeek
Limit Login Attempts Plugin Patches Severe Unauthenticated Stored XSS Vulnerability – WP Tavern
Fortinet Patches Critical Vulnerability in Data Analytics Solution - SecurityWeek
How Microsoft’s Shared Key authorization can be abused and how to fix it | CSO Online
Microsoft shares fix for Outlook issue blocking access to emails (bleepingcomputer.com)
Critical Vulnerability in Hikvision Storage Solutions Exposes Video Security Data - SecurityWeek
Tools and Controls
Threat hunting programs can save organizations from costly security breaches - Help Net Security
Stopping criminals from abusing security tools - Microsoft On the Issues
Most Security Exposures Do Not Put Organizations' Critical Assets At Risk, Study Shows - MSSP Alert
The Pope's Security Gets a Boost With Vatican's MDM Move (darkreading.com)
Bad Actors Will Use Large Language Models — but Defenders Can, Too (darkreading.com)
Cyber crime: be careful what you tell your chatbot helper… | Chatbots | The Guardian
Detailed Analysis Of The Best Password Managers In 2023 (informationsecuritybuzz.com)
How CIEM Can Improve Identity, Permissions Management for Multicloud Deployments (darkreading.com)
Centralized vs. decentralized identity management explained | TechTarget
The Service Accounts Challenge: Can't See or Secure Them Until It's Too Late (thehackernews.com)
What is an Intrusion Prevention System (IPS)? (techtarget.com)
Securing the Chaos – Harnessing Dispersed Multi-Cloud, Hybrid Environments - SecurityWeek
How to Secure Web Applications in a Growing Digital Attack Surface (bleepingcomputer.com)
4 strategies to help reduce the risk of DNS tunnelling | CSO Online
Reports Published in the Last Week
Other News
MSI Confirms Cyber Attack, Issues Firmware Download Guidance - SecurityWeek
1M+ WordPress Sites Hacked via Zero-Day Plug-in Bugs (darkreading.com)
Western Digital restores service; attack details remain unclear | TechTarget
Rapid7 Has Good News for UK Security Posture - 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
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· 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
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· 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.
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Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing 03 March 2023
Black Arrow Cyber Briefing 03 March 2023:
-It’s Time to Evaluate Your Security Education Plan Amongst the Rise in Social Engineering Attacks
-Mobile Users are More Susceptible to Phishing Attacks
-Phishing as a Service Stimulates Cyber Crime
-Attacker Breakout Time Drops to Just 84 Minutes
-Attackers are Developing and Deploying Exploits Faster Than Ever
-Old Vulnerabilities are Haunting Organisations and Aiding Attackers
-Scams Drive Nearly $9bn Fraud Surge in 2022
-Economic Pressure are Increasing Cyber Security Risks and a Recession Would Only Further This
-Cyber Security in This Era of Polycrisis
-Russian Ransomware Projects Rebranded to Avoid Western Sanctions
-Ransomware Attacks Ravaged Big Names in February
-Firms Who Pay Ransom Subsidise New Attacks
-How the Ukraine War Opened a Fault Line in Cyber Crime
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
It’s Time to Evaluate Your Security Education Plan with the Rise in Social Engineering Attacks
Security provider Purplesec found 98% of attacks in 2022 involved an element of social engineering. Social engineering attacks can take many forms including phishing, smishing, vishing and quishing and it’s vital to educate your organisation on how to best prepare for these. Education plans should focusing on educating all levels of users, including those at the top. These plans should also be tested to allow organisations to assess where they are at and identify where they can improve.
Mobile Users are More Susceptible to Phishing Attacks
A report conducted by mobile security provider Lookout focused on the impact of mobile phishing. Some of the key findings from the report included that more than 50% of personal devices were exposed to a mobile phishing attack every quarter, the percentage of users falling for multiple mobile phishing links increasing and an increased targeting of highly regulated industries such as insurance, banking and financial services. It is likely that this has resulted from the increase in relaxed bring your own device (BYOD) policies.
Phishing as a Service Stimulates Cyber Crime
Phishing attacks are at an all-time high and the usage of Phishing as a Service (PaaS) opens this attack technique to virtually anyone. The sale of “phishing kits” and usage of artificial intelligence has further increased the availability of this attack technique. In response, organisations should look to improve their email security, cloud security and education programs for employees.
https://www.trendmicro.com/en_us/ciso/23/c/phishing-as-a-service-phaas.html
Attacker Breakout Time Drops to Just 84 Minutes
The average time it takes for a threat actor to move laterally from a compromised host within an organisation dropped 14% between 2012 and 2022 down to 84 minutes, according to a report by security provider Crowdstrike. With the reduction in time it takes a threat actor to move across systems, organisations have even less time to enact their incident response plans and contain breaches effectively, putting further pressure on the incident response team. By responding quickly, organisations can minimise the cost and damage of a breach. The report from Crowdstrike found that organisations were facing increasing difficulty in detecting suspicious activity as attackers are choosing to use valid organisation credentials rather than malware, to gain access to an organisation’s systems.
https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/attacker-breakout-time-drops-just/
Attackers are Developing and Deploying Exploits Faster Than Ever
A report from security provider Rapid7 found that over 56% of vulnerabilities were exploited within seven days of public disclosure. Worryingly, the median time for exploitation in 2022 was just one day. The finding from the report highlights the need for organisations to not only conduct threat intelligence to be aware of vulnerabilities but to also look to employ patches where possible in a timely manner.
https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2023/03/03/attackers-developing-deploying-exploits/
Old Vulnerabilities are Haunting Organisations and Aiding Attackers
Known vulnerabilities, vulnerabilities for which patches have already been made available, are one of the primary attack vectors for threat actors. Vulnerability management vendor Tenable found that the top exploited vulnerabilities were originally disclosed as far back as 2017 and organisations that had not applied these patches were at increased risks of attack.
https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2023/03/03/known-exploitable-vulnerabilities/
Scams Drive Nearly $9bn Fraud Surge in 2022
Americans lost $8.8 billion to fraud last year, with imposter scams responsible for $2.8 billion of that amount, according to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Losses to business imposters were particularly damaging, climbing to $660 million from the previous year. Interestingly, the FTC found that younger people reported losing money to fraud the most often.
https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/investment-scams-drive-9bn-in/
Economic Pressure are Increasing Cyber Security Risks and a Recession Would Only Further This
The World Economic Forum’s recent report found that 93% of cyber security leaders and 86% of business leaders think it is moderately or very likely that global geopolitical instability will lead to a catastrophic cyber event in the next two years. Reinforcing this, a report from (ISC)² found that 80% of business executives believe a weakening economy will increase cyber threats and a recession will only amplify this.
Cyber Security in this Era of Polycrisis
A year since Russia invaded Ukraine, the geopolitical context is increasingly tense and volatile. The world faces several major crises in what has been coined a 'polycrisis,' a cluster of global shocks with compounding effects. This, along with increasing geopolitical tensions causes a rise in risk from cyber attacks. In fact, the European Union Agency for Cyber Security (ENISA) recently issued an alert regarding actors conducting malicious cyber activities against businesses and governments in the European Union and findings from Google show a 300% increase in state-sponsored cyber attacks targeting users in NATO countries.
https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2023/02/cybersecurity-in-an-era-of-polycrisis/
Russian Ransomware Projects Rebranded to Avoid Western Sanctions
Research provider TRM labs found that some major Russian-linked ransomware crime gangs have rebranded their activities in 2022 to avoid sanctions. To strengthen their anonymity, two major ransomware crime gangs LockBit and Conti restructured their activities. Conti is reported to have restructured into three smaller groups named Black Besta, BlackByte, Karakurt. LockBit on the other hand launched LockBit 3.0, which is focused on monetary gain. Additionally, the report found that Russian-speaking darknet markets had amassed over $130 million in sales.
https://cryptopotato.com/russian-ransomware-projects-rebranded-to-avoid-western-sanctions-report/
Ransomware Attacks Ravaged Big Names in February
Despite the apparent slight drop in ransomware activity last month, several high profile targets of various industries were hit; this ranges from the likes of the US Marshal Service, retailer WH Smith, satellite provider Dish and many more. These attacks reinforce the concept that any organisation can be a victim, regardless of industry.
Firms Who Pay Ransoms Subsidise New Attacks
A report from security provider Trend Micro found that whilst only a relatively small number of ransomware victims pay their extorters, those that do pay are effectively funding 6-10 new attacks. The report also found that attackers are aware of which industries and countries pay ransoms more often, so organisations belonging to those industries and countries may find themselves an even more attractive target.
https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/firms-pay-ransom-subsidise-10/
How the Ukraine War Opened a Fault Line in Cyber Crime
A report from threat intelligence provider Recorded Future has highlighted the impact that the Russian invasion of Ukraine has had on cyber. Recorded Future explain how a number of threat actor groups fled during the war and in addition to differing political views between groups, there has been a disruption to the cyber environment. In fact, Recorded Future found that Russian-language dark web marketplaces have taken a major hit and the prediction is that the epicentre of cyber crime may shift to English-speaking dark web forums, shops and marketplaces.
https://www.darkreading.com/analytics/ukraine-war-fault-line-cybercrime-forever
Threats
Ransomware, Extortion and Destructive Attacks
Well-funded security systems fail to prevent cyber attacks in US and Europe: Report | CSO Online
Russian Ransomware Projects Rebranded to Avoid Western Sanctions: Report (cryptopotato.com)
New cyber attack tactics rise up as ransomware payouts increase | CSO Online
Ransomware Attacks: Don’t Let Your Guard Down - SecurityWeek
Ransomware attacks ravaged big names in February | TechTarget
Cyber Insurance Market Back From Brink After Onslaught of Ransomware Attacks (insurancejournal.com)
Royal Mail schools LockBit in leaked negotiation (malwarebytes.com)
'Ethical hacker' among ransomware suspects arrested • The Register
Wiper malware goes global, destructive attacks surge - Help Net Security
A Deep Dive into the Evolution of Ransomware Part 3 (trendmicro.com)
New Exfiltrator-22 post-exploitation kit linked to LockBit ransomware (bleepingcomputer.com)
PureCrypter malware hits govt orgs with ransomware, info-stealers (bleepingcomputer.com)
Bitdefender Releases Free Decryptor for MortalKombat Ransomware Strain (thehackernews.com)
Dish Network confirms ransomware attack behind multi-day outage (bleepingcomputer.com)
US Marshals Ransomware Hit Is 'Major' Incident (darkreading.com)
The DoJ Disruption of the Hive Ransomware Group Is a Short-Lived Win (darkreading.com)
Vice Society publishes data stolen during Vesuvius ransomware attack • Graham Cluley
US Cybersecurity Agency Raises Alarm Over Royal Ransomware's Deadly Capabilities (thehackernews.com)
Phishing & Email Based Attacks
New cyber attack tactics rise up as ransomware payouts increase | CSO Online
Mobile Users More Susceptible to Phishing Attacks than Two Years Ago - MSSP Alert
Phishing as a Service Stimulates Cyber crime (trendmicro.com)
BEC – Business Email Compromise
New cyber attack tactics rise up as ransomware payouts increase | CSO Online
Expert strategies for defending against multilingual email-based attacks - Help Net Security
Hackers Target Young Gamers: How Your Child Can Cause Business Compromise (darkreading.com)
Other Social Engineering; Smishing, Vishing, etc
As Social Engineering Attacks Skyrocket, Evaluate Your Security Education Plan (darkreading.com)
The Top 5 New Social Engineering Attacks in 2023 - (ISC)² Blog (isc2.org)
How to Prevent Callback Phishing Attacks on Your Organization (bleepingcomputer.com)
2FA/MFA
Malware
RIG Exploit Kit still infects enterprise users via Internet Explorer (bleepingcomputer.com)
Exfiltrator-22 Post-Exploitation Toolkit Nips At Cobalt Strike's Heels (darkreading.com)
Malicious package flood on PyPI might be sign of new attacks to come | CSO Online
Iron Tiger hackers create Linux version of their custom malware (bleepingcomputer.com)
It's official: BlackLotus malware can bypass secure boot • The Register
Threat actors target law firms with GootLoader and SocGholish--Security Affairs
Mobile
Mobile Users More Susceptible to Phishing Attacks than Two Years Ago - MSSP Alert
Mobile Banking Trojans Surge, Doubling in Volume (darkreading.com)
Signal would 'walk' from UK if Online Safety Bill undermined encryption - BBC News
Don't be fooled by a pretty icon, malicious apps hide in plain sight - Help Net Security
Denial of Service/DoS/DDOS
Data Breaches/Leaks
LastPass Says DevOps Engineer Home Computer Hacked - SecurityWeek
LastPass Reveals Second Attack Resulting in Breach of Encrypted Password Vaults (thehackernews.com)
Stanford University discloses data breach affecting PhD applicants (bleepingcomputer.com)
Threat actors leak Activision employee data on hacking forum--Security Affairs
10 US states that suffered the most devastating data breaches in 2022 - Help Net Security
Australian orgs lodged 497 data breach notices in back half of 2022 - Security - iTnews
Hatch Bank discloses data breach after GoAnywhere MFT hack (bleepingcomputer.com)
GunAuction site was hacked and data of 565k accounts were exposed--Security Affairs
Chick-fil-A confirms accounts hacked in months-long "automated" attack (bleepingcomputer.com)
What GoDaddy's Years-Long Breach Means for Millions of Clients (darkreading.com)
Organised Crime & Criminal Actors
Cryptocurrency/Cryptomining/Cryptojacking/NFTs/Blockchain
Cryptocurrency Bitcoin mining rig found in school crawlspace • The Register
Highly evasive cryptocurrency miner targets macOS--Security Affairs
Insider Risk and Insider Threats
Fraud, Scams & Financial Crime
Investment Scams Drive $9bn Fraud Surge in 2022 - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)
How I Broke Into a Bank Account With an AI-Generated Voice (vice.com)
FTC reveals alarming increase in scam activity, costing consumers billions - Help Net Security
Resecurity identified the investment scam network Digital Smoke - Help Net Security
Pig butchering scam explained: Everything you need to know (techtarget.com)
AML/CFT/Sanctions
Insurance
Dark Web
Supply Chain and Third Parties
Third-party risks overwhelm traditional ERM setups - Help Net Security
Third-Party Risks: Challenges for MSSPs and How to Overcome Them - MSSP Alert
Shocking Findings from the 2023 Third-Party App Access Report (thehackernews.com)
Software Supply Chain
Shocking Findings from the 2023 Third-Party App Access Report (thehackernews.com)
SBOM is a 'massive galaxy of mess' for supply chain security • The Register
IBM Contributes Supply Chain Security Tools to OWASP (darkreading.com)
Cloud/SaaS
How to Tackle the Top SaaS Challenges of 2023 (thehackernews.com)
Cloud incident response: Frameworks and best practices | TechTarget
Security teams have no control over risky SaaS-to-SaaS connections - Help Net Security
It only takes one over-privileged identity to do major damage to a cloud - Help Net Security
SCARLETEEL hackers use advanced cloud skills to steal source code, data (bleepingcomputer.com)
Shocking Findings from the 2023 Third-Party App Access Report (thehackernews.com)
Google Cloud Platform allows data exfiltration without a (forensic) trace - Help Net Security
What Happened in That Cyber attack? With Some Cloud Services, You May Never Know (darkreading.com)
New Report: Inside the High Risk of Third-Party SaaS Apps (darkreading.com)
Containers
Hybrid/Remote Working
Work-From-Home Regulations Are Coming. Companies Aren’t Ready. (mit.edu)
How to work from home securely, the NSA way (malwarebytes.com)
Encryption
API
Open Source
Iron Tiger hackers create Linux version of their custom malware (bleepingcomputer.com)
Should organisations swear off open-source software altogether? | VentureBeat
IBM Contributes Supply Chain Security Tools to OWASP (darkreading.com)
Passwords, Credential Stuffing & Brute Force Attacks
LastPass Says DevOps Engineer Home Computer Hacked - SecurityWeek
Critical Vulnerabilities Allowed Booking.com Account Takeover - SecurityWeek
Sale of Stolen Credentials and Initial Access Dominate Dark Web Markets (darkreading.com)
Social Media
White House: No More TikTok on Gov't Devices Within 30 Days - SecurityWeek
EU Parliament bans staff from using TikTok over ‘cybersecurity concerns’ – POLITICO
TikTok answers three big cyber-security fears about the app - BBC News
Meta says $725M deal ends all Cambridge Analytica claims; one state disagrees | Ars Technica
Training, Education and Awareness
Parental Controls and Child Safety
Regulations, Fines and Legislation
UK seeks to ‘focus’ espionage bill to head off Lords rebellion | Financial Times (ft.com)
Cyber resilience in focus: EU act to set strict standards - Help Net Security
Work-From-Home Regulations Are Coming. Companies Aren’t Ready. (mit.edu)
ML practitioners push for mandatory AI Bill of Rights - Help Net Security
Governance, Risk and Compliance
Third-party risks overwhelm traditional ERM setups - Help Net Security
CISOs Share Their 3 Top Challenges for Cybersecurity Management (darkreading.com)
The Importance of Recession-Proofing Security Operations (darkreading.com)
Third-Party Risks: Challenges for MSSPs and How to Overcome Them - MSSP Alert
CISO Conversations: Code42, BreachQuest Leaders Discuss Combining CISO and CIO Roles - SecurityWeek
Models, Frameworks and Standards
Careers, Working in Cyber and Information Security
Gartner Prediction: Nearly Half of Cybersecurity Pros Will Change Jobs by 2025 - MSSP Alert
Growing Demand For Skilled Cybersecurity Workforce In Digital Age (informationsecuritybuzz.com)
Partnering With a Cybersecurity Vendor Can Help You Recruit Top Talent - MSSP Alert
CISOs Are Stressed Out and It's Putting Companies at Risk (thehackernews.com)
Law Enforcement Action and Take Downs
'Ethical hacker' among ransomware suspects arrested • The Register
The DoJ Disruption of the Hive Ransomware Group Is a Short-Lived Win (darkreading.com)
Privacy, Surveillance and Mass Monitoring
UK seeks to ‘focus’ espionage bill to head off Lords rebellion | Financial Times (ft.com)
Press greets Home Office redraft of national security bill with scepticism | Media | The Guardian
The Air Force Is Now Using Facial Recognition Drones (gizmodo.com)
How dog tracker apps are snooping on humans, according to cyber security experts (telegraph.co.uk)
Artificial Intelligence
Generative AI Changes Everything We Know About Cyber attacks (darkreading.com)
ChatGPT is bringing advancements and challenges for cybersecurity - Help Net Security
How I Broke Into a Bank Account With an AI-Generated Voice (vice.com)
ML practitioners push for mandatory AI Bill of Rights - Help Net Security
Misinformation, Disinformation and Propaganda
Spyware, Cyber Espionage & Cyber Warfare, including Russian Invasion of Ukraine
Cyber security must be tightened up in this era of polycrisis | World Economic Forum (weforum.org)
How the Ukraine War Opened a Fault Line in Cyber crime, Possibly Forever (darkreading.com)
Russia-Ukraine War: A Year of Cyber Shortfalls (foreignpolicy.com)
Evaluating the Cyberwar Set Off by Russian Invasion of Ukraine (darkreading.com)
CERT of Ukraine: Russia-linked APT backdoored multiple govt sites-Security Affairs
White House: No More TikTok on Gov't Devices Within 30 Days - SecurityWeek
Russian charged with smuggling US counterintel tech • The Register
Cyber security in wartime: how Ukraine's infosec community is coping | CSO Online
China's BlackFly Targets Materials Sector in 'Relentless' Quest for IP (darkreading.com)
'Hackers' Behind Air Raid Alerts Across Russia: Official - SecurityWeek
China spends billions on pro-Russia disinformation, US special envoy says | China | The Guardian
Nation State Actors
Cyber security must be tightened up in this era of polycrisis | World Economic Forum (weforum.org)
How the Ukraine War Opened a Fault Line in Cyber crime, Possibly Forever (darkreading.com)
Hacker group defaces Russian websites to display the Kremlin on fire | TechCrunch
Russia-Ukraine War: A Year of Cyber Shortfalls (foreignpolicy.com)
CERT of Ukraine: Russia-linked APT backdoored multiple govt sites-Security Affairs
Evaluating the Cyberwar Set Off by Russian Invasion of Ukraine (darkreading.com)
White House: No More TikTok on Gov't Devices Within 30 Days - SecurityWeek
Russian charged with smuggling US counterintel tech • The Register
Cyber security in wartime: how Ukraine's infosec community is coping | CSO Online
EU Parliament bans staff from using TikTok over ‘cybersecurity concerns’ – POLITICO
China's BlackFly Targets Materials Sector in 'Relentless' Quest for IP (darkreading.com)
'Hackers' Behind Air Raid Alerts Across Russia: Official - SecurityWeek
China spends billions on pro-Russia disinformation, US special envoy says | China | The Guardian
TikTok answers three big cyber-security fears about the app - BBC News
Russia bans foreign messaging apps in government organisations (bleepingcomputer.com)
Chinese hackers use new custom backdoor to evade detection (bleepingcomputer.com)
Vulnerability Management
Vulnerabilities
A world of hurt for Fortinet and ManageEngine after users fail to install patches | Ars Technica
Hackers are actively exploiting Zoho ManageEngine flaw-Security Affairs
All In One SEO WordPress Plugin Vulnerability Affects Up To 3+ Million (searchenginejournal.com)
CISA warns of hackers exploiting ZK Java Framework RCE flaw (bleepingcomputer.com)
Cisco patches critical Web UI RCE flaw in multiple IP phones (bleepingcomputer.com)
Aruba Networks fixes six critical vulnerabilities in ArubaOS (bleepingcomputer.com)
Microsoft releases Windows security updates for Intel CPU flaws (bleepingcomputer.com)
Tools and Controls
LastPass Reveals Second Attack Resulting in Breach of Encrypted Password Vaults (thehackernews.com)
Well-funded security systems fail to prevent cyber attacks in US and Europe: Report | CSO Online
The Future of Network Security: Predictive Analytics and ML-Driven Solutions (thehackernews.com)
Microsoft announces automatic BEC, ransomware attack disruption capabilities - Help Net Security
How to use zero trust and IAM to defend against cyber attacks in an economic downturn | VentureBeat
Pentesting No Longer Driven by Regulatory Compliance, New Study Finds - MSSP Alert
Application Security vs. API Security: What is the difference? (thehackernews.com)
Accurately assessing the success of zero-trust initiatives | TechTarget
Other News
Attackers are developing and deploying exploits faster than ever - Help Net Security
Attacker Breakout Time Drops to Just 84 Minutes - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)
Moving target defence must keep cyber attackers guessing - Help Net Security
Covert cyber attacks on the rise as attackers shift tactics for maximum impact - Help Net Security
Dormant accounts are a low-hanging fruit for attackers - Help Net Security
Dish Network goes offline after likely cyber attack, employees cut off (bleepingcomputer.com)
News Corp says state hackers were on its network for two years (bleepingcomputer.com)
UK won the Military Cyberwarfare exercise Defence Cyber Marvel-Security Affairs
To Safeguard Critical Infrastructure, Go Back to Basics (darkreading.com)
Feds accuse Google of destroying evidence in antitrust case • The Register
Microsoft recommending you scan more Exchange server files • The Register
CISA director urges tech sector to stop shipping unsafe products | CyberScoop
Developers can make a great extension of your security team - Help Net Security
2023 Browser Security Report Uncovers Major Browsing Risks and Blind Spots (thehackernews.com)
Uncovering the most pressing cybersecurity concerns for SMBs - Help Net Security
Wiz execs: Most overhyped security tool is technology itself • The Register
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.
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