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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.
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 24 February 2023
Black Arrow Cyber Briefing 24 February 2023:
-Employees Bypass Cyber Security Guidance to Achieve Business Objectives
-Three Quarters of Businesses Braced for Serious Email Attack this Year
-The Cost of Living Crisis is Triggering a Wave of Workplace Crime
-Fighting Ransomware with Cyber Security Audits
-Record Levels of Fraud Impacting 90% of Payment Compliance Teams
-CISOs Struggle with Stress and Limited Resources
-Cyber Threats and Regulations Mount for Financial Industry
-HardBit Ransomware Wants Insurance Details to Set the Perfect Price
-Social Engineering is Becoming Increasingly Sophisticated
-A Fifth of Brits Have Fallen Victim to Online Scammers
-Cyber Attacks Hit Data Centres to Steal Information From Companies
-Phishing Fears Ramp Up on Email, Collaboration Platforms
-The War in Ukraine has Shaken up the Cyber Criminal Eco-system
-Police Bust €41m Email Scam Gang
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
Employees Bypass Cyber Security Guidance to Achieve Business Objectives
Researcher Gartner predicts that by 2025, lack of talent or human failure will be responsible for over half of significant cyber incidents. In a survey conducted by Gartner it was found that 69% of employees had bypassed their organisations cyber security guidance in the previous 12 months and 74% said they would bypass cyber security guidance if it helped them or their team achieve a business objective.
https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2023/02/24/bypass-cybersecurity-guidance/
Three Quarters of Businesses Braced for Serious Email Attack this Year
According to a survey conducted by security provider Vanson Bourne, 76% of cyber security professionals predict that an email related attack will have serious consequences for their organisation in the coming year. The survey found that 82% of companies reported a higher volume of email in 2022 compared with 2021 and 2020 and 74% had said email-based threats had risen over the last 12 months. In addition, a worrying 91% had seen attempts to steal or use their email domain in an attack.
The Cost of Living Crisis is Triggering a Wave of Workplace Crime
Almost 6,000 people were caught stealing from their employer in 2022 according to insurance provider Zurich with the firms facing an average loss of £140,000. Zurich have said “As cost of living pressures mount, employee theft has significantly increased, suggesting some workers could be turning to desperate measures to make ends meet”.
Fighting Ransomware with Cyber Security Audits
With the ever increasing number of devices and distributed environments, it’s easy for organisations to lose track of open IP addresses, administrator accounts and infrastructure configurations; all of this creates an increase in opportunities for threat actors to deploy ransomware. By conducting audits of IT assets, organisations can identify the data they hold and reduce the risk of forgotten devices. The need for auditing of an organisations assets is reinforced where a survey conducted by research provider Enterprise Strategy Group found that nearly 70% of respondents had suffered at least one exploit that started with an unknown, unmanaged, or poorly managed Internet-facing IT asset.
https://www.trendmicro.com/en_us/ciso/23/b/cybersecurity-audit.html
Record Levels of Fraud Impacting 90% of Payment Compliance Teams
New research from research provider VIXIO has found that 90% of payment company compliance teams are frequently overwhelmed and increased fraud was a particular concern for teams in the UK.
CISOs Struggle with Stress and Limited Resources
A survey from security provider Cynet has found that 94% of CISOs report being stressed at work, with 65% admitting that this work stress has compromised their ability to protect their organisation. Furthermore, the survey found all respondents said they needed additional resources to adequately cope with current cyber challenges. Amongst some of the key findings were 77% of CISOs believing that a lack of resources had led to important security initiatives falling to the wayside.
https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2023/02/23/cisos-work-related-stress/
Cyber Threats and Regulations Mount for Financial Industry
Nation-state adversaries, new reporting regulations, and a fast-paced threat landscape mean that financial services and technology firms need to bolster their security posture. For example, last year a report conducted by the Financial Services Information Sharing and Analysis Center (FS-ISAC) and security provider Akamai found that distributed denial-of-service attacks (DDoS) attacks rose 73% more for European financial institutions compared to the previous year. This combination of attacks is followed by an increase in regulations such as the requirement to report breaches to the European Authorities to satisfy the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Such increase has caused financial institutions to bolster their security, with a survey conducted by security provider Contrast finding 72% of financial organisations plan to increase their investment in the security of their applications and 64% mandated cyber security requirements for their vendors.
https://www.darkreading.com/risk/cyberthreats-regulations-mount-for-financial-industry
HardBit Ransomware Wants Insurance Details to Set the Perfect Price
Operators of a ransomware threat known as Hardbit are trying to negotiate ransom payments so that they would be covered by victim’s insurance companies. Typically, the threat actor tries to convince the victim that it is in their interest to disclose their insurance details so that the threat actor can adjust their demands so that insurance would cover it.
Social Engineering is Becoming Increasingly Sophisticated
The rapid development of deepfake technology is providing an increase in the sophistication of social engineering attacks. Deepfake technology refers to products created through artificial intelligence, which could allow an individual to impersonate another with likeness and voice during a video conversation. The accessibility of such technology has allowed threat actors to conduct more sophisticated campaigns, including the replication of the voice of a company executive.
https://securityaffairs.com/142487/hacking/social-engineering-increasingly-sophisticated.html
A Fifth of Brits Have Fallen Victim to Online Scammers
Security founder F-Secure have found that a fifth of Brits had fallen victim to digital scammers in the past, yet a quarter had no security controls to protect themselves. When providing a reason for the lack of security, 60% said they found cyber security too complex. This is worrying for organisations who need to ensure these low levels of security awareness are not displayed in the corporate environment.
https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/fifth-brits-have-victim-online/
Cyber Attacks Hit Data Centres to Steal Information from Companies
Cyber attacks targeting multiple data centres globally have resulted in the exfiltration of information relating to companies who used them. In addition, attackers have been seen to publish access credentials relating to these attacks on the dark web. This malicious activity reinforces the need for organisations to be aware of and properly manage their supply chain.
Phishing Fears Ramp Up on Email, Collaboration Platforms
Three quarters of organisations are expecting a serious impact from an email-based attack and with the rapid growth and expansion of collaboration tools such as Microsoft Teams, it’s expected that these will also be used as a vector for threat actors. Combined with the emergence of Chat-GPT, the landscape provides an increasing amount of opportunities for threat actors.
The War in Ukraine has Shaken up the Cyber Criminal Eco-System
One year after Russia invaded Ukraine, the war continues -- including an ever-evolving digital component that has implications for the future of cyber security around the world. Among other things, the war in Ukraine has upended the Eastern European cyber criminal ecosystem, according to cyber security experts from Google, shaking up the way ransomware attacks are playing out. Google later explained that “Lines are blurring between financially motivated and government-backed attackers in Eastern Europe”.
Police Bust €41m Email Scam Gang
A coordinated police operation spanning multiple countries led to the dismantling of a criminal network which was responsible for tens of millions in Business Email Compromise (BEC) losses. In one of the attacks the gang used social engineering to target the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of a real estate developer, defrauding them of 38 million euros.
https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/police-bust-41m-bec-gang/
Threats
Ransomware, Extortion and Destructive Attacks
HardBit ransomware wants insurance details to set the perfect price (bleepingcomputer.com)
An Overview of the Global Impact of Ransomware Attacks (bleepingcomputer.com)
Fight Ransomware with a Cyber security Audit (trendmicro.com)
Time to Deploy Ransomware Drops 94% - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)
Majority of Ransomware Attacks Last Year Exploited Old Bugs (darkreading.com)
A Deep Dive into the Evolution of Ransomware Part 1 (trendmicro.com)
A Deep Dive into the Evolution of Ransomware Part 2 (trendmicro.com)
Guardian staff forced to work out of former brewery after ransomware attack (telegraph.co.uk)
Royal Ransomware Expands Attacks by Targeting Linux ESXi Servers (trendmicro.com)
Chip company loses $250m after ransomware hits supply chain (malwarebytes.com)
GoAnywhere zero-day opened door to Clop ransomware (malwarebytes.com)
Derivatives market still hit by fallout from Ion Markets cyber attack | Financial Times (ft.com)
Dutch Police arrest three ransomware actors extorting €2.5 million (bleepingcomputer.com)
IBM: Ransomware defenders showing signs of improvement | TechTarget
ESXiArgs Ransomware Has Spread to 500 New Targets in Europe. Will there be More? - MSSP Alert
Ukraine Suffered More Wiper Malware in 2022 Than Anywhere, Ever | WIRED
Food giant Dole hit by ransomware, halts North American production temporarily (bitdefender.com)
Wiper Malware Surges Ahead, Spiking 53% in 3 Months (darkreading.com)
Trellix Report: LockBit 3.0 Ransomware "Most Aggressive" with Demands - MSSP Alert
Israel's Top Tech University Targeted by DarkBit Ransomware (darkreading.com)
Lockbit gang hit Portuguese municipal water utility Aguas do Porto-Security Affairs
Student Medical Records Exposed After LAUSD Breach (darkreading.com)
Phishing & Email Based Attacks
Three-quarters of businesses braced for ‘serious’ email attack this year | CSO Online
Phishing Fears Ramp Up on Email, Collaboration Platforms (darkreading.com)
Big rise in 'email thread hijacking' by cyber criminals (rte.ie)
Smishing, vishing and whaling: How phishing scams are evolving | The Star
Microsoft Outlook flooded with spam due to broken email filters (bleepingcomputer.com)
Coinbase Attack Linked to Group Behind Last Year's Twilio, Cloudflare Hacks - SecurityWeek
BEC – Business Email Compromise
Google Translate Helps BEC Groups Scam Companies in Any Language (darkreading.com)
Police Bust €38m BEC Gang - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)
Other Social Engineering; Smishing, Vishing, etc
Social engineering, deception becomes increasingly sophisticated-Security Affairs
Smishing, vishing and whaling: How phishing scams are evolving | The Star
Coinbase cyber attack targeted employees with fake SMS alert (bleepingcomputer.com)
2FA/MFA
Malware
Google Ads Spreads FatalRAT Malware, Disguised As Popular Apps (informationsecuritybuzz.com)
Researchers unearth Windows backdoor that’s unusually stealthy | Ars Technica
Researchers warn of 'Havoc' command and control tool • The Register
New WhiskerSpy malware delivered via trojanized codec installer (bleepingcomputer.com)
Frebniis malware abuses Microsoft IIS feature to create a backdoor-Security Affairs
New Stealc malware emerges with a wide set of stealing capabilities (bleepingcomputer.com)
Experts Warn of RambleOn Android Malware Targeting South Korean Journalists (thehackernews.com)
Hackers use fake ChatGPT apps to push Windows, Android malware (bleepingcomputer.com)
Unanswered Questions Cloud the Recent Targeting of an Asian Research Org (darkreading.com)
Hydrochasma Threat Group Bombards Targets with Slew of Commodity Malware, Tools (darkreading.com)
Wiper Malware Surges Ahead, Spiking 53% in 3 Months (darkreading.com)
Russian national accused of developing, selling malware appears in US. court | CyberScoop
Defenders on high alert as backdoor attacks become more common - Help Net Security
Mobile
Five easy steps to keep your smartphone safe from hackers | ZDNET
Apple Updates Advisories as Security Firm Discloses New Class of Vulnerabilities - SecurityWeek
Accidental WhatsApp account takeovers? It's a thing • The Register
Google will boost Android security through firmware hardening (bleepingcomputer.com)
Denial of Service/DoS/DDOS
Internet of Things – IoT
Data Breaches/Leaks
Sensitive US military emails exposed by unsecured Azure server • The Register
DNA testing firm inks settlement after forgotten DB break-in • The Register
Activision did not notify employees of data breach for months | TechCrunch
GoDaddy blasted for breach response | SC Media (scmagazine.com)
TELUS investigating leak of stolen source code, employee data (bleepingcomputer.com)
Organised Crime & Criminal Actors
The war in Ukraine has shaken up the cyber criminal ecosystem, Google says | ZDNET
Russian cyber crime alliances upended by Ukraine invasion • The Register
Spain Orders Extradition of British Alleged Hacker to US. - SecurityWeek
Cryptocurrency/Cryptomining/Cryptojacking/NFTs/Blockchain
Norwegian police recover $5.9m crypto stolen by North Korea • The Register
Coinbase Attack Linked to Group Behind Last Year's Twilio, Cloudflare Hacks - SecurityWeek
Coinbase breached by social engineers, employee data stolen – Naked Security (sophos.com)
‘Nevada Group’ hackers target thousands of computer networks | Financial Times (ft.com)
Pirated Final Cut Pro infects your Mac with cryptomining malware (bleepingcomputer.com)
SBF faces four additional charges in FTX collapse case • The Register
Insider Risk and Insider Threats
Employees bypass cyber security guidance to achieve business objectives - Help Net Security
Insider Threats Don't Mean Insiders Are Threatening (darkreading.com)
Insider threats must be top-of-mind for organisations facing layoffs - Help Net Security
Fraud, Scams & Financial Crime
The cost of living crisis is triggering a wave of workplace crime - here's how | UK News | Sky News
FTC: Americans lost $8.8 billion to fraud in 2022 after 30% surge (bleepingcomputer.com)
Europol busts ‘CEO fraud’ gang that stole €38M in a few days (bleepingcomputer.com)
Criminals are flooding the internet with fake advice scams and adware, so watch out | TechRadar
City Fund Managers Jailed for £8m Fraud - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)
Scammers Mimic ChatGPT to Steal Business Credentials (darkreading.com)
SBF faces four additional charges in FTX collapse case • The Register
Insurance
Supply Chain and Third Parties
Chip company loses $250m after ransomware hits supply chain (malwarebytes.com)
3 Steps to Automate Your Third-Party Risk Management Program (thehackernews.com)
Software Supply Chain
Cloud/SaaS
Google Cloud CISO Phil Venables: Zero trust ‘essential’ to protect the cloud | VentureBeat
Four steps SMBs can take to close SaaS security gaps - Help Net Security
Why Are My Employees Integrating With So Many Unsanctioned SaaS Apps? (darkreading.com)
Four Reasons Why Web Security is as Important as Endpoint Security for MSSP Clients - MSSP Alert
Containers
Encryption
Encrypted Traffic, Once Thought Safe, Now Responsible For Most Cyberthreats (darkreading.com)
AI Helps Crack NIST-Recommended Post-Quantum Encryption Algorithm - SecurityWeek
API
Open Source
Passwords, Credential Stuffing & Brute Force Attacks
Social Media
Twitter Limits SMS-Based 2-Factor Authentication to Blue Subscribers Only (thehackernews.com)
7 Tips for Mitigating Cyber-Risks to Your Corporate Social Media (darkreading.com)
Russia's information war against Ukraine went stealth after Meta crackdown | CyberScoop
Malvertising
Training, Education and Awareness
Parental Controls and Child Safety
Regulations, Fines and Legislation
Governance, Risk and Compliance
Employees bypass cyber security guidance to achieve business objectives - Help Net Security
The financial system is alarmingly vulnerable to cyber attack | Financial Times (ft.com)
Cyber threats, Regulations Mount for Financial Industry (darkreading.com)
Fight Ransomware with a Cyber security Audit (trendmicro.com)
Evolving Threat Landscape Leading to Cyber security Pro “Burnout,” Study Says - MSSP Alert
Benchmarking your cyber security budget in 2023 | VentureBeat
7 reasons to avoid investing in cyber insurance | CSO Online
5 top threats from 2022 most likely to strike in 2023 | CSO Online
Cyber arms race, economic headwinds among top macro cyber security risks for 2023 | CSO Online
Malicious actors push the limits of attack vectors - Help Net Security
Data Protection
Careers, Working in Cyber and Information Security
CISOs struggle with stress and limited resources - Help Net Security
Complexity, volume of cyber attacks lead to burnout in security teams - Help Net Security
Law Enforcement Action and Take Downs
Police Bust €38m BEC Gang - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)
Spain Orders Extradition of British Alleged Hacker to US. - SecurityWeek
Russian national accused of developing, selling malware appears in US. court | CyberScoop
Dutch Police arrest three ransomware actors extorting €2.5 million (bleepingcomputer.com)
Privacy, Surveillance and Mass Monitoring
Artificial Intelligence
MLOps Security AI power analysis breaks post-quantum security algorithm ... (eenewseurope.com)
AI Helps Crack NIST-Recommended Post-Quantum Encryption Algorithm - SecurityWeek
Hackers use fake ChatGPT apps to push Windows, Android malware (bleepingcomputer.com)
Misinformation, Disinformation and Propaganda
Spyware, Cyber Espionage & Cyber Warfare, including Russian Invasion of Ukraine
ENISA and CERT-EU warns Chinese APTs targeting EU organisations-Security Affairs
Russian cybercrime alliances upended by Ukraine invasion • The Register
Musk restricts Starlink for Ukraine, cites World War III | Fortune
America Loves Spying by Balloon, Just Like China (gizmodo.com)
How Ukraine War Has Shaped US Planning for a China Conflict - SecurityWeek
Russia blames 'hackers' for fake missile strike alerts • The Register
Ukraine says Russian hackers backdoored govt websites in 2021 (bleepingcomputer.com)
Russia's information war against Ukraine went stealth after Meta crackdown | CyberScoop
British Army leads Western Europe’s largest cyber warfare exercise | The British Army (mod.uk)
Nation State Actors
ENISA and CERT-EU warns Chinese APTs targeting EU organisations-Security Affairs
The war in Ukraine has shaken up the cybercriminal ecosystem, Google says | ZDNET
Russian cybercrime alliances upended by Ukraine invasion • The Register
Norwegian police recover $5.9m crypto stolen by North Korea • The Register
America Loves Spying by Balloon, Just Like China (gizmodo.com)
EU Organisations Warned of Chinese APT Attacks - SecurityWeek
How Ukraine War Has Shaped US Planning for a China Conflict - SecurityWeek
Earth Zhulong Familiar Patterns Target Southeast Asian Firms (trendmicro.com)
Earth Kitsune Delivers New WhiskerSpy Backdoor via Watering Hole Attack (trendmicro.com)
Putin Speech Broadcast Temporarily Stopped By DDoS Attack (informationsecuritybuzz.com)
Ukraine Suffered More Wiper Malware in 2022 Than Anywhere, Ever | WIRED
Lazarus Group Likely Using New WinorDLL64 Backdoor to Exfiltrate Sensitive Data (thehackernews.com)
Ukraine says Russian hackers backdoored govt websites in 2021 (bleepingcomputer.com)
Russia's information war against Ukraine went stealth after Meta crackdown | CyberScoop
Vulnerability Management
CVSS system criticized for failure to address real-world impact | The Daily Swig (portswigger.net)
Majority of Ransomware Attacks Last Year Exploited Old Bugs (darkreading.com)
At least one open source vulnerability found in 84% of code bases: Report | CSO Online
Vulnerabilities
US Cybersecurity Agency CISA Adds Three New Vulnerabilities in KEV Catalog (thehackernews.com)
SolarWinds Announces Upcoming Patches for High-Severity Vulnerabilities - SecurityWeek
A New Kind of Bug Spells Trouble for iOS and macOS Security | WIRED
VMware Patches Critical Vulnerability in Carbon Black App Control Product (thehackernews.com)
PoC exploit code for critical Fortinet FortiNAC bug released online-Security Affairs
Newly Disclosed Vulnerability Exposes EOL Arris Routers to Attacks - SecurityWeek
Emergency VMware ESXi update fixes Windows Server 2022 VM boot issues (bleepingcomputer.com)
Exploitation attempts observed against Fortinet FortiNAC flaw | TechTarget
Researchers find hidden vulnerabilities in hundreds of Docker containers - Help Net Security
Tools and Controls
Despite Breach, LastPass Demonstrates the Power of Password Management (darkreading.com)
Google Cloud CISO Phil Venables: Zero trust ‘essential’ to protect the cloud | VentureBeat
10 Best Network Security Solutions & Providers - 2023 (cybersecuritynews.com)
Why privileged access management should be critical to your security strategy | VentureBeat
The battle for data security now falls on developers; here’s how they can win | VentureBeat
Zero trust, XDR prominent in Gartner’s Hype Cycle for Endpoint Security | VentureBeat
Advantages of the AWS Security Maturity Model (trendmicro.com)
Other News
Army leads Western Europe’s largest cyber warfare exercise | The British Army (mod.uk)
NSA shares guidance on how to secure your home network (bleepingcomputer.com)
Encrypted Traffic, Once Thought Safe, Now Responsible For Most Cyberthreats (darkreading.com)
Malicious actors push the limits of attack vectors - Help Net Security
Researchers Hijack Popular NPM Package with Millions of Downloads (thehackernews.com)
Justice Department Debuts 'Disruptive Technology Strike Force' (gizmodo.com)
How to Detect New Threats via Suspicious Activities (thehackernews.com)
At least one open source vulnerability found in 84% of code bases: Report | CSO Online
Microsoft urges Exchange admins to remove some antivirus exclusions (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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Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing 17 February 2023
Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing 17 February 2023:
-High Risk Users May be Few, but the Threat They Pose is Huge
-The Cost of Cyber Security Insurance is Soaring so Firms Need to Take Prevention More Seriously
-Cyber Attacks Worldwide Increased to an All-Time Record Breaking High
-Most Organisations Make Cyber Security Decisions Without Insights
-Ransomware Attackers Finding New Ways to Weaponise Old Vulnerabilities
-Are Executives Fluent in IT Security Speak? 5 Reasons Why the Communication Gap is Wider Than You Think
-Business Email Compromise Groups Target Firms with Multilingual Impersonation Attacks
-EU Countries Told to Step up Defence Against State Hackers
-Cyber Criminals Exploit Fear and Urgency to Trick Consumers
-How to Manage Third Party and Supply Chain Cyber Security Risks that are Too Costly to Ignore
-Russian Spear Phishing Campaign Escalates Efforts Towards Critical UK, US and European Targets
-5 Biggest Risks of Using Third Party Managed Service Providers
-Cyber Crime as a Service: A Subscription Based Model in the Wrong Hands
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
High Risk Users May be Few, but the Threat They Pose is Huge
High risk users represent approximately 10% of the worker population according to research provider, Elevate Security research. The research found that high risk users were responsible for 41% of all simulated phishing clicks, 30% of all real-world phishing clicks, 54% of all secure-browsing incidents and 42% of all malware events. This is worrying, considering the rise in sophisticated targeted phishing campaigns.
https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2023/02/16/high-risk-behavior/
The Cost of Cyber Security Insurance is Soaring so Firms Need to Take Prevention More Seriously
State-backed cyber attacks are on the rise, but they are not raising the level of alarm that they should in the corporate world. Unfortunately, this is not a productive way of thinking. Come the end of March, insurance provider Lloyds will no longer cover damage from cyber attacks carried out by state or state-backed groups. In the worst cases, this reduced insurance coverage could exacerbate the trend of companies taking a passive approach toward state-backed attacks as they feel there is now really nothing they can do to protect themselves. The uncertainty however, could be the motivation for companies to take the threat of state-backed attacks more seriously.
Cyber Attacks Worldwide Increased to an All-Time Record-Breaking High, Report Shows
According to a report by security provider Check Point, cyber attacks rose 38% in 2022 compared to the previous year. Some of the key trends in the report included an increase in the number of cloud-based networking attacks, with a 48% rise and non-state affiliated hacktivist groups becoming more organised and effective than ever before. Additionally, ransomware is becoming more difficult to attribute and track and extra focus should be placed on exfiltration detection.
Most Organisations Make Cyber Security Decisions Without Insights
A report by security provider Mandiant found some worrying results when it came to organisational understanding of threat actors. Some of the key findings include, 79% of respondents stating that most of their cyber security decisions are made without insight into the treat actors targeting them, 79% believing their organisation could focus more time and energy on identifying critical security trends, 67% believing senior leadership teams underestimate the cyber threats posed to their organisation and finally, 47% of respondents felt that they could not prove to senior leadership that their organisation has a highly effective cyber security program.
Ransomware Attackers Finding New Ways to Weaponise Old Vulnerabilities
Ransomware attackers are finding new ways to exploit organisations’ security weaknesses by weaponising old vulnerabilities. A report by security provider Cyber Security Works had found that 76% of the vulnerabilities currently being exploited were first discovered between 2010-2019.
Are Executives Fluent in IT Security Speak? 5 Reasons Why the Communication Gap is Wider Than You Think
Using data from two different reports conducted by security provider Kaspersky, the combined data showed some worrying results. Some of the results include 98% of respondents revealing they faced at least one IT security miscommunication that regularly leads to bad consequences, 62% of managers revealing miscommunication led to at least one cyber security incident, 42% of business leaders wanting their IT security team to better communicate and 34% of C-level executives struggle to speak about adopting new security solutions.
Business Email Compromise Groups Target Firms with Multilingual Impersonation Attacks
Security providers Abnormal Security have identified two Business Email Compromise (BEC) groups “Midnight Hedgehog” and “Mandarin Capybara” which are conducting impersonation attacks in at least 13 different languages. Like many payment fraud attacks, finance managers or other executives are often targeted. In a separate report by Abnormal Security, it was found that business email compromise (BEC) attacks increased by more than 81% during 2022.
https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/bec-groups-multilingual/
EU Countries Told to Step up Defence Against State Hackers
European states have raced to protect their energy infrastructure from physical attacks but the European Systemic Risk Board (ESRB) said more needed to be done against cyber warfare against financial institutions and the telecommunications networks and power grids they rely on. "The war in Ukraine, the broader geopolitical landscape and the increasing use of cyber attacks have significantly heightened the cyber threat environment," the ESRB said in a report. In addition, the ESRB highlight an increased risk of cyber attacks on the EU financial system, suggesting that stress tests and impact analyses should be carried out to identify weaknesses and measure resilience.
Cyber Criminals Exploit Fear and Urgency to Trick Consumers
Threats using social engineering to steal money, such as refund and invoice fraud and tech support scams, increased during Q4 of 2022 according to a report by software provider Avast. “At the end of 2022, we have seen an increase in human-centred threats, such as scams tricking people into thinking their computer is infected, or that they have been charged for goods they didn’t order. It’s human nature to react to urgency, fear and try to regain control of issues, and that’s where cyber criminals succeed” Avast commented.
https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2023/02/13/cybercriminals-exploit-fear-urgency-trick-consumers/
How to Manage Third Party and Supply Chain Cyber Security Risks that are Too Costly to Ignore
Many organisations have experienced that “after the breach” feeling — the moment they realise they have to tell customers their personal information may have been compromised because one of the organisations’ vendors had a data breach. Such situations involve spending significant amount of money and time to fix a problem caused by a third party. An organisation’s ability to handle third-party cyber risk proactively depends on its risk management strategies.
https://techcrunch.com/2023/02/10/why-third-party-cybersecurity-risks-are-too-costly-to-ignore/
Russian Spear Phishing Campaign Escalates Efforts Towards Critical UK, US and European Targets
Following the advisory from the NCSC, it is clear that Russian state-sponsored hackers have become increasingly sophisticated at launching phishing attacks against critical targets in the UK, US and Europe over the last 12 months. The attacks included the creation of fake personas, supported by social media accounts, fake profiles and academic papers, to lure targets into replying to sophisticated phishing emails. In some cases, the bad actor may never leverage the account to send emails from and only use it to make decisions based on intelligence collection.
5 Biggest Risks of Using Third Party Managed Service Providers
As business processes become more complex, companies are turning to third parties to boost their ability to provide critical services from cloud storage to data management to security. It’s often more efficient and less expensive to contract out work. But it does present risks. 5 of the biggest risks to be considered are: indirect cyber attacks, financial risks from incident costs, reputational damage, geopolitical risk and regulatory compliance risk.
Cyber Crime as a Service: A Subscription Based Model in the Wrong Hands
Arguably nothing in tech has changes the landscape more than ‘as a Service’ offerings, the subscription-based IT service delivery model, in fact, the ‘as a Service’ offering has made its way into the cyber crime landscape. And cyber crime, for its part, has evolved beyond a nefarious hobby; today it’s a means of earning for cyber criminals. Organised cyber crime services are available for hire, particularly to those lacking resources and hacking expertise but willing to buy their way into cyber criminal activities. Underground cyber crime markets have thus emerged, selling cyber attack tools and services ranging from malware injection to botnet tools, Denial of Service and targeted spyware services.
https://www.splunk.com/en_us/blog/learn/cybercrime-as-a-service.html
Threats
Ransomware, Extortion and Destructive Attacks
Ransomware attackers finding new ways to weaponize old vulnerabilities | VentureBeat
US, UK slap sanctions on Russians linked to Conti and more • The Register
Clop ransomware claims it breached 130 orgs using GoAnywhere zero-day (bleepingcomputer.com)
Members of Russian cyber crime network unmasked by US and UK authorities - The Verge
Over 500 ESXiArgs Ransomware infections in one day in Europe-Security Affairs
New ESXi ransomware strain spreads, foils decryption tools | TechTarget
North Korea Using Healthcare Ransomware To Fund More Hacking (informationsecuritybuzz.com)
Cisco Talos spots new MortalKombat ransomware attacks | TechTarget
Hackers Target Israel’s Technion Demanding Huge Sum In Bitcoin - I24NEWS
City of Oakland systems offline after ransomware attack (bleepingcomputer.com)
MTU cyber breach: Probe after ransomware attacks 'like a murder investigation' (irishexaminer.com)
MTU data appears on dark web after cyber attack – The Irish Times
Oakland City Services Struggle to Recover From Ransomware Attack (darkreading.com)
Ransomware gang uses new zero-day to steal data on 1 million patients | TechCrunch
City of Oakland issued state of emergency after ransomware attack-Security Affairs
Glasgow Arnold Clark customers at risk after major cyber attack | HeraldScotland
No relief in sight for ransomware attacks on hospitals | TechTarget
Burton Snowboards cancels online orders after 'cyber incident' (bleepingcomputer.com)
Dallas Central Appraisal District paid $170,000 to ransomware attackers (bitdefender.com)
Phishing & Email Based Attacks
NameCheap's email hacked to send Metamask, DHL phishing emails (bleepingcomputer.com)
Spain, US dismantle phishing gang that stole $5 million in a year (bleepingcomputer.com)
BEC – Business Email Compromise
2FA/MFA
Malware
Experts Warn of Surge in Multipurpose Malware - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)
Microsoft OneNote Abuse for Malware Delivery Surges - Security Week
New TA886 group targets companies with Screenshotter malware-Security Affairs
Novel phishing campaign takes screenshots ahead of payload delivery | SC Media (scmagazine.com)
Great, hackers are now using ChatGPT to generate malware | Digital Trends
Devs targeted by W4SP Stealer malware in malicious PyPi packages (bleepingcomputer.com)
Pepsi distributor blames info-stealing malware for breach • The Register
Malware that can do anything and everything is on the rise - Help Net Security
New stealthy 'Beep' malware focuses heavily on evading detection (bleepingcomputer.com)
Thousands of WordPress sites have been infected by a mystery malware | TechRadar
Beep: New Evasive Malware That Can Escape Under The Radar (informationsecuritybuzz.com)
Hackers start using Havoc post-exploitation framework in attacks (bleepingcomputer.com)
Malware authors leverage more attack techniques that enable lateral movement | CSO Online
Mobile
Botnets
Denial of Service/DoS/DDOS
Cloudflare blocks record-breaking 71 million RPS DDoS attack (bleepingcomputer.com)
87% of largest DDoS attacks in Q4 targeted telecoms: Lumen (fiercetelecom.com)
The Tor network hit by wave of DDoS attacks for at least 7 months-Security Affairs
Internet of Things – IoT
Digital burglaries: The threat from your smart home devices | Fox News
Mirai V3G4 botnet exploits 13 flaws to target IoT devices-Security Affairs
New Mirai malware variant infects Linux devices to build DDoS botnet (bleepingcomputer.com)
Data Breaches
MP’s laptop and iPad stolen from pub in 'worrying' security breach | Metro News
Reddit was hit with a phishing attack. How it responded is a lesson for everyone | ZDNET
Reddit Hack Shows Limits of MFA, Strengths of Security Training (darkreading.com)
Highmark data breach affecting about 300,000 members exposed personal information to hackers – WPXI
Gulp! Pepsi hack sees personal information stolen by data-stealing malware (bitdefender.com)
Nearly 50 million Americans impacted by health data breaches in 2022 (chiefhealthcareexecutive.com)
My Password Manager was Hacked! How to Prevent a Catastrophe (bleepingcomputer.com)
After apparent hack, data from Australian tech giant Atlassian dumped online | CyberScoop
Atlassian: Leaked Data Stolen via Third-Party App (darkreading.com)
Health info for 1 million patients stolen using critical GoAnywhere vulnerability | Ars Technica
Scandinavian Airlines says cyber attack caused passenger data leak (bleepingcomputer.com)
Organised Crime & Criminal Actors
Cyber crime as a Service: A Subscription-based Model in The Wrong Hands | Splunk
A Hacker’s Mind — how the elites exploit the system | Financial Times (ft.com)
Dark Web Revenue Down Dramatically After Hydra's Demise (darkreading.com)
Russian hacker convicted of $90 million hack-to-trade charges (bleepingcomputer.com)
Cryptocurrency/Cryptomining/Cryptojacking/NFTs/Blockchain
Enigma, Vector, and TgToxic: The New Threats to Cryptocurrency Users (thehackernews.com)
Lazarus hackers use new mixer to hide $100 million in stolen crypto (bleepingcomputer.com)
451 PyPI packages install Chrome extensions to steal crypto (bleepingcomputer.com)
Insider Risk and Insider Threats
Fraud, Scams & Financial Crime
Russian IT biz owner made $90M from stolen financial info • The Register
Refund and Invoice Scams Surge in Q4 - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)
Russian Hackers Disrupt NATO Earthquake Relief Operations (darkreading.com)
Romance scam targets security researcher, hilarity ensues • The Register
10 signs that scammers have you in their sights | WeLiveSecurity
AML/CFT/Sanctions
Insurance
Dark Web
Supply Chain and Third Parties
How to manage third-party cyber security risks that are too costly to ignore | TechCrunch
5 biggest risks of using third-party services providers | CSO Online
Cloud/SaaS
Cloud security: Where do CSP and client responsibilities begin and end? | VentureBeat
Application and cloud security is a shared responsibility - Help Net Security
Attack Surface Management
Open Source
Configuration Issues in SaltStack IT Tool Put Enterprises at Risk (darkreading.com)
Solving open-source security — from Alpha to Omega | SC Media (scmagazine.com)
New Mirai malware variant infects Linux devices to build DDoS botnet (bleepingcomputer.com)
Passwords, Credential Stuffing & Brute Force Attacks
Eek! You Can Steal Passwords From This Password Manager Using the Notepad App | PCMag
Eurostar forces 'password resets' — then fails and locks users out (bleepingcomputer.com)
My Password Manager was Hacked! How to Prevent a Catastrophe (bleepingcomputer.com)
Social Media
Metaverse Adds New Dimensions to Web 3.0 Cyber security | TechRepublic
Elon Musk Seems to Think His Own Employees Are Shadowbanning Him (gizmodo.com)
Malvertising
Training, Education and Awareness
High-risk users may be few, but the threat they pose is huge - Help Net Security
Reddit Hack Shows Limits of MFA, Strengths of Security Training (darkreading.com)
Regulations, Fines and Legislation
The Online Safety Bill: An attack on encryption (element.io)
As regulations skyrocket, is compliance even possible anymore? - Help Net Security
Governance, Risk and Compliance
Security buyers lack insight into threats, attackers, report finds | Computer Weekly
Cyber attacks Worldwide Increased to an All-Time High, Check Point Research Reveals - MSSP Alert
Actionable intelligence is the key to better security outcomes - Help Net Security
Build Cyber Resiliency With These Security Threat-Mitigation Considerations (darkreading.com)
Evolving cyber attacks, alert fatigue creating DFIR burnout, regulatory risk | CSO Online
As regulations skyrocket, is compliance even possible anymore? - Help Net Security
Storage security for compliance and cyberwar in 2023 • The Register
Backup and Recovery
Careers, Working in Cyber and Information Security
Get hired in cyber security: Expert tips for job seekers - Help Net Security
3 Ways CISOs Can Lead Effectively and Avoid Burnout (darkreading.com)
Cyber security Jobs Remain Secure Despite Recession Fears (darkreading.com)
Law Enforcement Action and Take Downs
Members of Russian cyber crime network unmasked by US and UK authorities - The Verge
Spain, US dismantle phishing gang that stole $5 million in a year (bleepingcomputer.com)
Privacy, Surveillance and Mass Monitoring
Artificial Intelligence
Russian hackers are trying to break into ChatGPT, says Check Point | ZDNET
Cyber criminals Bypass ChatGPT Restrictions to Generate Malicious Content - Check Point Software
Great, hackers are now using ChatGPT to generate malware | Digital Trends
Eric Schmidt Is Building the Perfect AI War-Fighting Machine | WIRED
A.I. in the military could be a game changer in warfare | Fortune US issues declaration on responsible use of AI in the military | Reuters
Misinformation, Disinformation and Propaganda
Spyware, Cyber Espionage & Cyber Warfare, including Russian Invasion of Ukraine
EU countries told to step up defence against state hackers | Reuters
Britain must ‘wake up’ to China security challenges, ex-MI6 head says | The Independent
Hacks, leaks and wipers: Google analyses a year of Russian cyber attacks on Ukraine | Cyber scoop
Google: Russia continues to set cyber sights on NATO nations | TechTarget
US shoots down ‘high-altitude object’ above Alaska | Financial Times (ft.com)
Military Organizations in Pakistan Targeted With Sophisticated Espionage Tool - security Week
SpaceX curbed Ukraine's use of Starlink terminals - Militarnyi
US shoots down ‘octagonal’ flying object near military sites in Michigan | US news | The Guardian
Six companies join US entity list after Chinese spy balloon • The Register
How Alan Turing still casts his genius in the age of cyberwar | Metro News
US warns its citizens in Russia to get out immediately over security fears | Euronews
Russian Hackers Disrupt NATO Earthquake Relief Operations (darkreading.com)
Ukraine’s use of SpaceX satellites risks starting World War Three, says Elon Musk (telegraph.co.uk)
Eric Schmidt Is Building the Perfect AI War-Fighting Machine | WIRED
Albanian gangs set up hundreds of spy cameras to keep ahead of police | Financial Times (ft.com)
A.I. in the military could be a game changer in warfare | Fortune
Chinese cameras leave British police vulnerable to spying, says watchdog | Espionage | The Guardian
China-based cyber espionage actor seen targeting South America | CSO Online
The Lessons From Cyberwar, Cyber-in-War and Ukraine - security Week
Storage security for compliance and cyberwar in 2023 • The Register
Nation State Actors
EU countries told to step up defence against state hackers | Reuters
Britain must ‘wake up’ to China security challenges, ex-MI6 head says | The Independent
Hacks, leaks and wipers: Google analyses a year of Russian cyber attacks on Ukraine | CyberScoop
Google: Russia continues to set cyber sights on NATO nations | TechTarget
Military Organizations in Pakistan Targeted With Sophisticated Espionage Tool - Security Week
MagicWeb Mystery Highlights Nobelium Attacker's Sophistication (darkreading.com)
Russian hackers are trying to break into ChatGPT, says Check Point | ZDNET
Six companies join US entity list after Chinese spy balloon • The Register
Lazarus hackers use new mixer to hide $100 million in stolen crypto (bleepingcomputer.com)
Russian Hackers Disrupt NATO Earthquake Relief Operations (darkreading.com)
Chinese Hackers Targeting South American Diplomatic Entities with ShadowPad (thehackernews.com)
Ukraine’s use of SpaceX satellites risks starting World War Three, says Elon Musk (telegraph.co.uk)
Chinese cameras leave British police vulnerable to spying, says watchdog | Espionage | The Guardian
China-based cyber espionage actor seen targeting South America | CSO Online
UK Policing Riddled with Chinese CCTV Cameras - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)
A new operating system has been released in Russia! (gizchina.com)
Vulnerability Management
Vulnerabilities
Microsoft Patch Tuesday: 36 RCE bugs, 3 zero-days, 75 CVEs – Naked Security (sophos.com)
Citrix Patches High-Severity Vulnerabilities in Windows, Linux Apps - Security Week
Adobe Plugs Critical Security Holes in Illustrator, After Effects Software - Security Week
Apple releases new fix for iPhone zero-day exploited by hackers | TechCrunch
Firefox Updates Patch 10 High-Severity Vulnerabilities - Security Week
Critical RCE Vulnerability Discovered in ClamAV Open-Source Antivirus Software (thehackernews.com)
Microsoft says Intel driver bug crashes apps on Windows PCs (bleepingcomputer.com)
Serious Security: GnuTLS follows OpenSSL, fixes timing attack bug – Naked Security (sophos.com)
Splunk Enterprise Updates Patch High-Severity Vulnerabilities - Security Week
Dozens of Vulnerabilities Patched in Intel Products - Security Week
High-severity DLP flaw impacts Trellix for Windows | SC Media (scmagazine.com)
Critical Vulnerability Patched in Cisco Security Products - Security Week
Health info for 1 million patients stolen using critical GoAnywhere vulnerability | Ars Technica
Tools and Controls
A CISOs Practical Guide to Storage and Backup Ransomware Resiliency (thehackernews.com)
Combining identity and security strategies to mitigate risks - Help Net Security
Defending against attacks on Azure AD: Goodbye firewall, hello identity protection | CSO Online
Regular Pen Testing Is Key to Resolving Conflict Between SecOps and DevOps (thehackernews.com)
Attack surface management (ASM) is not limited to the surface - Help Net Security
How to filter Security log events for signs of trouble | TechTarget
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
Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing 10 February 2023
Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing 10 February 2023:
-Companies Banned from Paying Hackers After Attacks on Royal Mail and Guardian
-Fraud Set to Be Upgraded as a Threat to National Security
-98% of Attacks are Not Reported by Employees to their Employers
-UK Second Most Targeted Nation Behind America for Ransomware
-Financial Institutions are Suffering from Increasingly Sophisticated Cyber Attacks
-An Email Attack Can End Up Costing You Over $1 Million
-Cyber Crime Shows No Signs of Slowing Down
-Surge of Swatting Attacks Targets Corporate Executive and Board Members
-Phishing Surges Ahead, as ChatGPT and Artificial Intelligence Loom
-Pro-Russian Hacktivist Group is Only Getting Started, Experts Warn
-Crypto Investors Lost Nearly $4 Billion to Hackers in 2022
-PayPal and Twitter Abused in Turkey Relief Donation Scams
-Mysterious Leak of Booking.com Reservation Data is Being Used to Scam Customers
Welcome to this week’s Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing – a weekly digest, collated and curated by our cyber experts to provide senior and middle management with an easy to digest round up of the most notable threats, vulnerabilities, and cyber related news from the last week.
Top Cyber Stories of the Last Week
UK Companies Banned from Paying Ransomware Hackers After Attacks on Royal Mail and Guardian
British companies have been banned from paying ransomware hackers after a spate of attacks on businesses including Royal Mail and the Guardian newspaper.
UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly on Thursday unveiled sanctions on seven Russian hackers linked to a gang called Conti, effectively banning any payments to the group.
Thursday’s sanctions are the first of their kind to be specifically targeted against Russian ransomware gang members.
The actions follow a spate of high-profile attacks on businesses and amid warnings from GCHQ that Russian and Iranian hackers are stepping up actions in Britain.
Fraud Set to Be Upgraded as a Threat to National Security
Fraud is to be reclassified as a threat to national security under UK government plans that will force police chiefs to devote more officers to solving the crime.
It will be elevated to the same status as terrorism, with chief constables mandated to increase resources and combine capabilities in a new effort to combat a fraud epidemic that now accounts for 30 per cent of all crime.
It will be added to the strategic policing requirement, which means that forces will be required by ministers to treat fraud as a major priority alongside not only terrorism, but also public disorder, civil emergencies, serious and organised crime, cyber attacks and child sexual abuse.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/02/04/fraud-set-upgraded-threat-national-security/
98% of Attacks are Not Reported by Employees to their Employers
Cyber attackers are increasingly using social engineering tactics to lure employees into opening malicious emails in an attempt to trick them into providing login credentials, updating bank account information and paying fraudulent invoices. Worryingly, research conducted by security provider Abnormal has found that 98% of attacks on organisations are not reported to the organisation’s security team. In addition to this, the report found that the volume of business email compromise attacks are spiking, growing by 175% over the past two years. The report also found that nearly two-thirds of large enterprises experiencing a supply chain compromise attack in the second half of 2022.
UK Second Most Targeted Nation Behind America for Ransomware
Security research team Kraken Labs released their report earlier this week, which found that of the 101 different countries that registered victims of ransomware, the UK had registered the second highest number of victims behind the US. Currently, there are over 60 ransomware groups, with the top 3 accounting for a third of all ransomware attacks.
Financial Institutions are Suffering from Increasingly Sophisticated Cyber Attacks
This week security provider Contrast Security released its Cyber Bank Heists report, an annual report that exposes cyber security threats facing the financial sector. The report warns financial institutions that security must be a top-of-mind issue amid rising geopolitical tensions, increased destructive attacks utilising wipers and a record-breaking year of zero-day exploits. The report involved a series of interviews with financial sector security leaders and found some notable results. Some of the results include 64% of leaders seeing an increase in application attacks, 72% of respondents planning to increase investment in application security in 2023, 60% of respondents falling victim to destructive attacks and 50% of organisations detecting campaigns which aimed to steal non-public market information.
An Email Attack Can End Up Costing You Over $1 Million
According to a report by security provider Barracuda Network, 75% of organisations had fallen victim to at least one successful email attack in the last 12 months, with those affected facing potential costs of over $1 million for their most expensive attack. The fallout from an email security attack can be significant, with the report finding 44% of those hit had faced significant downtime and business disruption. Additionally financial services greatly impacted by the loss of valuable data (59%) and payments made to attackers (51%). When it came to organisations preparation, 30% felt underprepared when dealing with account takeover and 28% felt unprepared for dealing with business email compromise.
https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2023/02/10/email-attack-damage-1-million/
Cyber Crime Shows No Signs of Slowing Down
Global risks from population pressures and climate change to political conflicts and industrial supply chain challenges characterised 2022. Cyber criminals used this turmoil to exploit these trending topics, including significant events, public affairs, social causes, and anywhere else opportunity appeared. According to security researchers at Zscaler TheatLabz, 2023 will see a rise in Crime-as-a-service (CaaS), supply chains will be bigger targets than ever, there will be a greater need for defence in depth as endpoint protection will not be enough and finally, there will be a decrease in the time between initial compromise and the final stage of an attack.
https://www.darkreading.com/zscaler/cybercrime-shows-no-signs-of-slowing-down
Surge of Swatting Attacks Targets Corporate Executive and Board Members
Swatting is the act of deceiving an emergency service with the purpose of the service then sending an emergency response, often armed, to a targeted persons address. Security provider Black Cloak has found that swatting incidents are now beginning to target C-suite executives and corporate board members, with the number of incidents increasing over the last few months. Malicious actors are using information from the dark web, company websites and property records to construct their swatting attacks.
Phishing Surges Ahead, as ChatGPT and Artificial Intelligence Loom
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is making it easier for threat actors to create sophisticated and malicious email campaigns. In their report, security provider Vade found that Q4 of 2022 saw a 36% volume increase in phishing campaigns compared to the previous quarter, with over 278.3 million unique phishing emails in that period. The researchers found in particular, new AI tools such as ChatGPT had made it easy for anyone, including those with limited skills, to conduct a sophisticated phishing campaign. Furthermore, the ability of ChatGPT to tailor phishing to different languages is an area for concern.
https://www.darkreading.com/vulnerabilities-threats/bolstered-chatgpt-tools-phishing-surged-ahead
Pro-Russian Hacktivist Group is Only Getting Started, Experts Warn
A pro-Russian hacktivist group's low-level distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks on US critical infrastructure could be a precursor to more serious cyber attacks, health care and security officials warned this week. A DDoS attack involves overwhelming a targeted service, service or network with traffic in an attempt to disrupt it. Earlier this week Killnet, a politically motivated Russian hacking group, overloaded and took down some US healthcare organisations. The attack came after threatening western healthcare organisations for the continued NATO support of Ukraine.
https://www.axios.com/2023/02/03/killnet-russian-hackers-attacks
Crypto Investors Lost Nearly $4 Billion to Hackers in 2022
Last year marked the worst year on record for cryptocurrency hacks, according to analytic firm Chainalysis’ latest report. According to the report, hackers stole $3.8 billion in 2022, up from $3.3 billion the previous year. De-centralised finance products, which are products that have no requirement for an intermediary or middle-man accounted for about 82% of all crypto stolen.
PayPal and Twitter Abused in Turkey Relief Donation Scams
Scammers are now exploiting the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Turkey and Syria. This time, stealing donations by abusing legitimate platforms such as PayPal and Twitter. It has been identified that multiple scams are running which call for fundraising, linking the victim to a legitimate PayPal site. The money however, is kept by the scammer.
Mysterious Leak of Booking.com Reservation Data is Being Used to Scam Customers
For almost 5 years, Booking.com customers have been on the receiving end of a continuous series of scams that demonstrate criminals have obtained travel plans amongst other personally identifiable information that were provided to Booking.com. The scams have involved users receiving fake emails purporting to be from Booking.com with genuine travel details that victims had provided. These emails contain links to malicious URL’s that look nearly identical to the Booking.com website. These then display the victim’s expected travel information, requiring them to input their card details. Some of the scams have developed and involve scammers sending WhatsApp messages after payment has been made, purporting to be from hotels which have been booked by the victims.
Threats
Ransomware, Extortion and Destructive Attacks
UK/US cyber crime crackdown sees 7 ransomware criminals sanctioned | CSO Online
US, UK Slap Sanctions on Trickbot Cyber crime Gang - SecurityWeek
UK second most targeted nation behind America for Ransomware - IT Security Guru
Hackers who breached ION say ransom paid; company declines comment | Reuters
New Wave of Ransomware Attacks Exploiting VMware Bug to Target ESXi Servers (thehackernews.com)
Massive ESXiArgs ransomware attack targets VMware ESXi servers worldwide (bleepingcomputer.com)
Royal Ransomware adds support for encrypting Linux, VMware ESXi systems-security affairs
Ongoing VMware ESXi Ransomware Attack Highlights Inherent Virtualisation Risks (darkreading.com)
Lessons Learned on Ransomware Prevention from the Rackspace Attack (bleepingcomputer.com)
ESXiArgs Ransomware Hits Over 3,800 Servers as Hackers Continue Improving Malware - SecurityWeek
Ransomware Revolution: 4 Types of Cyber Risks in 2023 (trendmicro.com)
Hypervisor patching struggles exacerbate ESXiArgs attacks | TechTarget
Linux version of Royal Ransomware targets VMware ESXi servers (bleepingcomputer.com)
Nevada Ransomware has released upgraded locker - Help Net Security
Italy, France and Singapore Warn of a Spike in ESXI Ransomware-security affairs
Massive ransomware attack targets VMware ESXi servers worldwide | CSO Online
LockBit ransomware gang claims Royal Mail cyber ttack (bleepingcomputer.com)
Medusa botnet returns as a Mirai-based variant with ransomware sting (bleepingcomputer.com)
New Linux variant of Clop Ransomware uses a flawed encryption-security affairs
After Hive takedown, could the LockBit ransomware crew be the next to fall? | CyberScoop
Russia-Linked Ransomware Gang Claims Responsibility for Royal Mail Attack (gizmodo.com)
Largest Canadian bookstore Indigo shuts down site after cyber ttack (bleepingcomputer.com)
Hackers hit Vesuvius, UK engineering company shuts down affected systems • Graham Cluley
MKS Instruments falls victim to ransomware attack | CSO Online
North Korea ransomware targets hospitals to fund digital spycraft, US agencies warn | CyberScoop
Phishing & Email Based Attacks
Phishing Surges Ahead, as ChatGPT & AI Loom (darkreading.com)
Employees Fail to Report 98% of Email Cyber Hacks To Security Teams, Study Finds - MSSP Alert
An email attack can end up costing you over $1 million - Help Net Security
What SOCs Need to Know About Water Dybbuk A BEC Actor Using Open-Source Toolkits (trendmicro.com)
How Can ChatGPT Make It Easier to Boost Phishing Scams? (analyticsinsight.net)
Cyber criminals exploit volatile job market for targeted email attacks - Help Net Security
'Phishing-as-a-service' kits drive uptick in theft: One business owner's story (cnbc.com)
Malicious Google ads sneak AWS phishing sites into search results (bleepingcomputer.com)
NewsPenguin Goes Phishing for Maritime & Military Secrets (darkreading.com)
BEC – Business Email Compromise
Malware
Hacker develops new 'Screenshotter' malware to find high-value targets (bleepingcomputer.com)
Threat group targets over 1,000 companies with screenshotting and infostealing malware | CSO Online
ESXiArgs Ransomware Hits Over 3,800 Servers as Hackers Continue Improving Malware - SecurityWeek
Android mobile devices from top vendors in China have pre-installed malware-security affairs
Hackers backdoor Windows devices in Sliver and BYOVD attacks (bleepingcomputer.com)
GuLoader Malware Using Malicious NSIS Executables to Target E-Commerce Industry (thehackernews.com)
Novel Banking Trojan 'PixPirate' Targets Brazil - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)
New QakNote attacks push QBot malware via Microsoft OneNote files (bleepingcomputer.com)
Gootkit Malware Adopts New Tactics to Attack Healthcare and Finance Firms (thehackernews.com)
Mobile
Android mobile devices from top vendors in China have pre-installed malware-security affairs
Fraudulent "CryptoRom" Apps Slip Through Apple and Google App Store Review Process - SecurityWeek
Android phones from Chinese vendors share private data • The Register
'Money Lover' Finance App Exposes User Data (darkreading.com)
Xiaomi, OnePlus, Top Android Phones in China Spy on You: Study (gizmodo.com)
Android 14 to block malware from abusing sensitive permissions (bleepingcomputer.com)
UK Proposes Making the Sale and Possession of Encrypted Phones Illegal (vice.com)
Android's February 2023 Updates Patch 40 Vulnerabilities - SecurityWeek
Denial of Service/DoS/DDOS
Here's a list of proxy IPs to help block KillNet's DDoS bots • The Register
Tor and I2P networks hit by wave of ongoing DDoS attacks (bleepingcomputer.com)
Experts published a list of proxy IPs used by the group Killnet-security affairs
Internet of Things – IoT
Medusa botnet returns as a Mirai-based variant with ransomware sting (bleepingcomputer.com)
Security manufacturer’s smart cameras went dark for two hours (mybroadband.co.za)
Vulnerability Allows Hackers to Remotely Tamper With Dahua Security Cameras - SecurityWeek
NIST Picks IoT Standard for Small Electronics Cyber security (darkreading.com)
Data Breaches/Leaks
Swiss authorities open criminal probe into bank data breaches | Financial Times (ft.com)
Mysterious leak of Booking.com reservation data is being used to scam customers | Ars Technica
TruthFinder, Instant Checkmate confirm data breach affecting 20M customers (bleepingcomputer.com)
20 Million Users Impacted by Data Breach at Instant Checkmate, TruthFinder - SecurityWeek
Over 12% of analysed online stores expose private data, backups (bleepingcomputer.com)
'Money Lover' Finance App Exposes User Data (darkreading.com)
Reddit Suffers Security Breach Exposing Internal Documents and Source Code (thehackernews.com)
Organised Crime & Criminal Actors
Tracers in the Dark: The Global Hunt for the Crime Lords of Crypto – Naked Security (sophos.com)
Minister: Cyber crimes Now 20% of Spain’s Registered Offenses - SecurityWeek
Finland’s Most-Wanted Hacker Nabbed in France – Krebs on Security
Australian Man Sentenced for Scam Related to Optus Hack - SecurityWeek
Bungling Optus scammer was no criminal mastermind • Graham Cluley
Dark Web Market Revenues Sink 50% in 2022 - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)
Cryptocurrency/Cryptomining/Cryptojacking/NFTs/Blockchain
Crypto investors lost nearly $4 billion to hackers in 2022 (cnbc.com)
Tracers in the Dark: The Global Hunt for the Crime Lords of Crypto – Naked Security (sophos.com)
Avraham Eisenberg in court accused of crypto exchange crash • The Register
Crypto Drainers Are Ready to Ransack Investor Wallets (darkreading.com)
How Cyber criminals Are Operationalising Money Laundering and What to Do About It (darkreading.com)
FTX Being Advised by Cyber security Firm Sygnia on Hack Inquiry, CEO Ray Says (coindesk.com)
Scammers steal $4 million in crypto during in-person meeting • The Register
Enigma Stealer Targets Cryptocurrency Industry with Fake Jobs (trendmicro.com)
Insider Risk and Insider Threats
Another RAC staffer nabbed for sharing road accident data • The Register
Ex-Ubiquiti worker pleads guilty to data theft, extortion, and smear plot (bitdefender.com)
Cyber Hygiene: How to get buy-in from employees (trendmicro.com)
Fraud, Scams & Financial Crime
PayPal and Twitter abused in Turkey relief donation scams (bleepingcomputer.com)
Working from home is fuelling fraud epidemic, warn managers (telegraph.co.uk)
Mysterious leak of Booking.com reservation data is being used to scam customers | Ars Technica
As V-Day nears: Romance scams cost victims $1.3B last year • The Register
What CISOs Can Do About Brand Impersonation Scam Sites (darkreading.com)
Father killed himself after falling victim to romance scam | News | The Times
'Brushing' scams send people free items, but could be a warning sign about a data breach - ABC News
Fraudulent "CryptoRom" Apps Slip Through Apple and Google App Store Review Process - SecurityWeek
How Cyber criminals Are Operationalising Money Laundering and What to Do About It (darkreading.com)
Banks leave doors open for scammers with flaws in online security | This is Money
Trio Arrested in COVID PPE Fraud Probe - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)
Twitter restricted in Turkey after the earthquake amid disinformation fear-security affairs
Impersonation Attacks
What CISOs Can Do About Brand Impersonation Scam Sites (darkreading.com)
HTML smuggling campaigns impersonate well-known brands to deliver malware | CSO Online
AML/CFT/Sanctions
How Cyber criminals Are Operationalising Money Laundering and What to Do About It (darkreading.com)
UK/US cyber crime crackdown sees 7 ransomware criminals sanctioned | CSO Online
US, UK Slap Sanctions on Trickbot Cyber crime Gang - SecurityWeek
Insurance
Tackling the New Cyber Insurance Requirements: Can Your Organisation Comply? (thehackernews.com)
How to Optimise Your Cyber Insurance Coverage (darkreading.com)
Dark Web
BlackSprut: Darknet Drug Market Advertises On Billboards In Moscow (informationsecuritybuzz.com)
Dark Web Market Revenues Sink 50% in 2022 - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)
Supply Chain and Third Parties
Have we learnt nothing from SolarWinds supply chain attacks? • The Register
Vulnerability Provided Access to Toyota Supplier Management Network - SecurityWeek
Software Supply Chain
Cloud/SaaS
Cloud Apps Still Demand Way More Privileges Than They Use (darkreading.com)
Amazon S3 to apply security best practices for all new buckets - Help Net Security
Why Some Cloud Services Vulnerabilities Are So Hard to Fix (darkreading.com)
Malicious Google ads sneak AWS phishing sites into search results (bleepingcomputer.com)
7 Critical Cloud Threats Facing the Enterprise in 2023 (darkreading.com)
Hybrid/Remote Working
Working from home is fuelling fraud epidemic, warn managers (telegraph.co.uk)
Predictions For Securing Today's Hybrid Workforce (darkreading.com)
Identity and Access Management
Encryption
It Isn't Time to Worry About Quantum Computing Just Yet (darkreading.com)
UK Proposes Making the Sale and Possession of Encrypted Phones Illegal (vice.com)
API
Passwords, Credential Stuffing & Brute Force Attacks
Biometrics
Social Media
Twitter Implements API Paywall, but Will That Solve Its Enormous Bot Crisis? (darkreading.com)
Twitter restricted in Turkey after the earthquake amid disinformation fear-security affairs
Malvertising
Training, Education and Awareness
Cyber Hygiene: How to get buy-in from employees (trendmicro.com)
Infosec Launches New Office Comedy Themed Security Awareness Training Series (darkreading.com)
Parental Controls and Child Safety
Regulations, Fines and Legislation
Corporate ‘privacy’ concerns must not derail Europe’s Data Act | Financial Times (ft.com)
While governments pass privacy laws, companies struggle to change - Help Net Security
Prioritising Cyber security Regulation Harmonisation (darkreading.com)
Governance, Risk and Compliance
Quarter of CFOs Have Suffered $1m+ Breaches - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)
Swiss authorities open criminal probe into bank data breaches | Financial Times (ft.com)
Trends that impact on organisations' 2023 security priorities - Help Net Security
With TikTok Bans, the Time for Operational Governance Is Now (darkreading.com)
Optimising Cyber security Investments in a Constrained Spending Environment (darkreading.com)
Surge of swatting attacks targets corporate executives and board members | CSO Online
Lessons From the Cold War: How Quality Trumps Quantity in Cyber security (darkreading.com)
Cyber Hygiene: How to get buy-in from employees (trendmicro.com)
Models, Frameworks and Standards
Data Protection
Corporate ‘privacy’ concerns must not derail Europe’s Data Act | Financial Times (ft.com)
While governments pass privacy laws, companies struggle to change - Help Net Security
Regulator Halts AI Chatbot Over GDPR Concerns - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)
Law Enforcement Action and Take Downs
European Police Arrest 42 After Cracking Covert App - SecurityWeek
Eurocops shut down Exclu encrypted messaging app • The Register
Finnish psychotherapy extortion suspect arrested in France – Naked Security (sophos.com)
Privacy, Surveillance and Mass Monitoring
Xiaomi, OnePlus, Top Android Phones in China Spy on You: Study (gizmodo.com)
Steps To Planning And Implementation Of Data Privacy (informationsecuritybuzz.com)
ChatGPT is a data privacy nightmare, and we ought to be concerned | Ars Technica
Artificial Intelligence
Adversaries Using OpenAI’s ChatGPT Chatbot for Cyber Attacks? Here are Some Clues - MSSP Alert
Phishing Surges Ahead, as ChatGPT & AI Loom (darkreading.com)
IT Leaders Reveal Cyber Fears Around ChatGPT - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)
How Can ChatGPT Make It Easier to Boost Phishing Scams? (analyticsinsight.net)
ChatGPT's potential to aid attackers puts IT pros on high alert - Help Net Security
Hackers are selling a service that bypasses ChatGPT restrictions on malware | Ars Technica
ChatGPT is a data privacy nightmare, and we ought to be concerned | Ars Technica
Jailbreak Trick Breaks ChatGPT Content Safeguards (darkreading.com)
Regulator Halts AI Chatbot Over GDPR Concerns - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)
Google's Bard AI bot mistake wipes $100bn off shares - BBC News
$120bn wiped off Google after Bard AI chatbot gives wrong answer (telegraph.co.uk)
Why ChatGPT Isn't a Death Sentence for Cyber Defenders (darkreading.com)
Spyware, Cyber Espionage & Cyber Warfare, including Russian Invasion of Ukraine
Pro-Russian hacktivist group Killnet could just be getting started (axios.com)
Yes, CISOs should be concerned about the types of data spy balloons can intercept | CSO Online
Android mobile devices from top vendors in China have pre-installed malware-security affairs
China sharply rebukes US over decision to shoot down spy balloon | Financial Times (ft.com)
Here's a list of proxy IPs to help block KillNet's DDoS bots • The Register
What is hybrid warfare? Inside the centre dealing with modern threats - BBC News
DPRK Using Unpatched Zimbra Devices to Spy on Researchers (darkreading.com)
Russian hackers using new Graphiron information stealer in Ukraine (bleepingcomputer.com)
The impact of Russia's Ukraine invasion on digital threats - Help Net Security
Russian Hackers Steal Data In Ukraine With New Graphiron Malware (informationsecuritybuzz.com)
Spies, Hackers, Informants: How China Snoops on the US - SecurityWeek
US teases new China tech sanctions to deflate balloon-makers • The Register
Nation State Actors
Pro-Russian hacktivist group Killnet could just be getting started (axios.com)
With TikTok Bans, the Time for Operational Governance Is Now (darkreading.com)
Yes, CISOs should be concerned about the types of data spy balloons can intercept | CSO Online
Android mobile devices from top vendors in China have pre-installed malware-security affairs
China sharply rebukes US over decision to shoot down spy balloon | Financial Times (ft.com)
Microsoft: Iran Unit Behind Charlie Hebdo Hack-and-Leak Op - SecurityWeek
Here's a list of proxy IPs to help block KillNet's DDoS bots • The Register
Android phones from Chinese vendors share private data • The Register
DPRK Using Unpatched Zimbra Devices to Spy on Researchers (darkreading.com)
SNP MP Stewart McDonald's emails hacked by Russian group - BBC News
Australia to remove Chinese surveillance cameras amid security fears - BBC News
Russian hackers using new Graphiron information stealer in Ukraine (bleepingcomputer.com)
Xiaomi, OnePlus, Top Android Phones in China Spy on You: Study (gizmodo.com)
UN Experts: North Korean Hackers Stole Record Virtual Assets - SecurityWeek
Mysterious Russian satellites are now breaking apart in low-Earth orbit | Ars Technica
The impact of Russia's Ukraine invasion on digital threats - Help Net Security
Russian Hackers Steal Data In Ukraine With New Graphiron Malware (informationsecuritybuzz.com)
Experts published a list of proxy IPs used by the group Killnet-security affairs
NewsPenguin Goes Phishing for Maritime & Military Secrets (darkreading.com)
US teases new China tech sanctions to deflate balloon-makers • The Register
North Korea ransomware targets hospitals to fund digital spycraft, US agencies warn | Cyber scoop
Vulnerability Management
Vulnerabilities and exposures to rise to 1,900 a month in 2023: Coalition | CSO Online
Patching & Passwords Lead the Problem Pack for Cyber-Teams (darkreading.com)
Hypervisor patching struggles exacerbate ESXiArgs attacks | TechTarget
How to fix the top 5 cyber security vulnerabilities | TechTarget
20 Powerful Vulnerability Scanning Tools In 2023 (informationsecuritybuzz.com)
Vulnerabilities
High-Severity Privilege Escalation Vulnerability Patched in VMware Workstation - SecurityWeek
New Wave of Ransomware Attacks Exploiting VMware Bug to Target ESXi Servers (thehackernews.com)
GoAnywhere MFT Users Warned of Zero-Day Exploit - SecurityWeek
Serious security hole plugged in infosec tool binwalk | The Daily Swig (portswigger.net)
Cisco fixed command injection bug in IOx Application Hosting Environment-security affairs
Vulnerability In F5 BIG-IP May Cause DoS And Code Execution (informationsecuritybuzz.com)
GoAnywhere MFT zero-day flaw actively exploited-security affairs
Exploitation attempts for Oracle E-Business Suite flaw observed after PoC release-security affairs
Critical vulnerability patched in Jira Service Management Server and Data Center | CSO Online
Warning: Hackers Actively Exploiting Zero-Day in Fortra's GoAnywhere MFT (thehackernews.com)
Exploit released for actively exploited GoAnywhere MFT zero-day (bleepingcomputer.com)
Patch Released for Actively Exploited GoAnywhere MFT Zero-Day - SecurityWeek
Unpatched Security Flaws Disclosed in Multiple Document Management Systems (thehackernews.com)
SonicWall warns web content filtering is broken on Windows 11 22H2 (bleepingcomputer.com)
OpenSSL Fixes Multiple New Security Flaws with Latest Update (thehackernews.com)
Android's February 2023 Updates Patch 40 Vulnerabilities - SecurityWeek
Tools and Controls
Other News
Yes, CISOs should be concerned about the types of data spy balloons can intercept | CSO Online
How to Think Like a Hacker and Stay Ahead of Threats (thehackernews.com)
Surge of swatting a attacks targets corporate executives and board members | CSO Online
Bermuda: Major Internet And Power Outage Strikes (informationsecuritybuzz.com)
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.
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· 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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