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Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing 31 March 2023
Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing 31 March 2023:
-Phishing Emails Up a Whopping 569% in 2022
-The End User Password Mistakes Putting Your Organisation at Risk
-Millions of Penetration Tests Show Companies’ Security Postures are Getting Worse
-71% of Employees Keep Work Passwords on Personal Devices
-Cyber Crime Frontlines in Russia-Ukraine War Move to Eastern and Northern Europe
-Security Flaws Cost Fifth of Executive’s Businesses
-Companies Struggle to Build and Run Effective Programs to Protect Data from Insider Threats
-Only 10% of Workers Remember All Their Cyber Security Training
-Silence Gets You Nowhere in a Data Breach
-Just 1% of Cloud Permissions are Actively Used
-Dangerous Misconceptions About Emerging Cyber Threats
-‘Grim’ Criminal Abuse of ChatGPT is Coming, Europol Warns
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
Phishing Emails Up a Whopping 569% in 2022
The volume of phishing emails sent in 2022 spiked by a jaw-dropping 569% according to a new report. Based on data from 35 million users, the report details the astronomical rise of email phishing as a tactic among threat actors in 2022. Key findings from the report include the number of credential phishing emails sent spiked by 478% and, for the eighth consecutive year, business email compromise (BEC) ranked as the top cyber crime.
https://www.darkreading.com/attacks-breaches/phishing-emails-up-whopping-569-percent-2022
The End User Password Mistakes Putting Your Organisation at Risk
Businesses rely on their end users, but those same users often don't follow the best security practices. Without the right password security policies, a single end user password mistake can be a costly breach of your organisation's defences. End users want to do their work quickly and efficiently, but sharing, reusing and weak passwords can put your organisation at risk so having the right policies in place is essential for security.
Millions of Penetration Tests Show Companies’ Security Postures are Getting Worse
The risk score for the average company worsened in the past year as companies fail to adapt to data exfiltration techniques and adequately protect web applications. Companies' effective data-exfiltration risk increased to 44 out of 100 (with 100 indicating the riskiest posture) in 2022, from an average score of 30 in the previous year, indicating that the overall risk of data being compromised has increased. That's according to rankings by Cymulate, who crunched data on 1.7 million hours of offensive cyber security testing. The research noted that while many companies are improving the adoption of strict network and group policies, attackers are adapting to sidestep such protections. They also found that four of the top-10 CVEs (known vulnerabilities) identified in customer environments were more than two years old.
https://www.darkreading.com/cloud/millions-pen-tests-companies-security-posture-getting-worse
71% of Employees Keep Work Passwords on Personal Devices
71% of employees store sensitive work passwords on their personal phones, and 66% use their personal texting apps for work, according to a new mobile bring your own device (BYOD) security report this week, with the report also suggesting 95% of security leaders are increasingly concerned about phishing attacks via private messaging apps. With the widespread use of personal mobile devices in the workplace, it is increasingly difficult for employers to ensure the security of sensitive information. The use of personal devices and personal apps was the direct cause of many high-profile corporate breaches and this is a trend that will surely continue, as employees often use corporate and personal devices for work, effectively doubling the attack surface for cyber criminals as threat actors know there are fewer security controls on personal mobile devices than on corporate ones.
https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/70-employees-keep-work-passwords/
Cyber Frontlines in Russia-Ukraine War Move to Eastern and Northern Europe
More than a year into the war in Ukraine, hackers have extended the cyber battleground to Eastern and Northern Europe with the number of incidents in those geographies spiking noticeably. A new report shows that cyber warfare inside the conflict has “clearly moved on” from the beginnings of the war. Over the last 12 months, the research reports that the majority of incidents only affecting Ukraine in the first quarter of 2022 (50.4%) sank to 28.6% in the third period. But European Union countries have seen a spike in incidents related to the war in the past six months from 9.8% to 46.5%. Indeed, the number of attacks on EU countries in the third quarter of 2022 totalled just slightly less than those in the Ukraine. And, in the first quarter of this year, more than 80% of incidents occurred inside the European Union. Cyber is now a crucial weapon in the arsenal of new instruments of war, alongside disinformation, manipulation of public opinion, economic warfare, sabotage and guerrilla tactics. With the lateralisation of the conflict from Ukraine to the rest of Europe, Western Europe should be wary of possible attacks on critical infrastructure in the short term if the conflict continues to accelerate.
Security Flaws Cost Fifth of Executives New Business
Boards continue to under-appreciate the value of cyber security to the business, despite acknowledging its critical role in winning new business and talent, according to Trend Micro. The security giant polled 2,718 business decision makers globally to compile its Risky Rewards study and it found that half (51%) believe cyber security is a necessary cost but not a revenue contributor. 48% argue that its value is limited to threat prevention and two-fifths (38%) see security as a barrier rather than a business enabler. That’s despite a fifth (19%) acknowledging that poor security posture has already impacted their ability to win new business, and 57% thinking there is a strong connection between cyber and client acquisition.
https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/fifth-execs-security-flaws-cost/
Companies Struggle to Build and Run Effective Programs to Protect Data from Insider Threats
Insider risk is emerging as one of the most challenging threats for organisations to detect, mitigate and manage, Code42 Software said in its annual Data Exposure Report for 2023. To compile data for the study they surveyed some 700 cyber security leaders, managers and practitioners and whilst more than 72% of companies indicated they have an insider risk management (IRM) program in place, the same companies experienced a year-over-year increase in data loss incidents of 32%. 71% of respondees expect data loss from insider events to increase in the next 12 months. Insider incidents are costing organisations $16 million per incident on average, and chief information security officers (CISOs) say that insider risks are the most challenging type of threat to detect. Data loss from insiders is not a new problem but it has become more complex with workforce turnover and cloud adoption.
Only 10% of Workers Remember All Their Cyber Security Training
New research has found that only 10% of workers remember all their cyber security training. Furthermore, only half of employees are undergoing regular training, and a quarter aren’t receiving any training at all. Organisations should look to carry out effective and regular training that is tailored to their employees to increase the chance of training content being retained, with a programme of ongoing continual reinforcement.
Silence Gets You Nowhere in a Data Breach
In cyber security, the phrase “what they don’t know won’t hurt them” is not only wrong, it’s dangerous. Despite this, it’s a motto that remains in many organisations’ PR playbooks, as demonstrated by the recent LastPass and Fortra data breaches. Smaller companies, too, are employing a silent-treatment approach to data breaches, and cyber attacks are now a fact of doing business with almost half of US organisations having suffered a cyber attack in 2022. Attackers are increasingly targeting smaller businesses due to the fact they are seen as easier targets than large companies.
https://techcrunch.com/2023/03/29/silence-gets-you-nowhere-in-a-data-breach/
Just 1% of Cloud Permissions are Actively Used
According to Microsoft, a surge in workload identities, super admins and “over-permissioning” is driving the increase in cyber risk for organisations. Just 1% of users are using the permissions granted to them for day-to-day work. Worryingly, this leaves a significant number of unnecessary permissions which could be used by an attacker to elevate their privileges.
https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/just-1-of-cloud-permissions-used/
Dangerous Misconceptions About Emerging Cyber Threats
Organisations are leaving common attack paths exposed in their quest to combat emergent threats, according to a new report that delves into the efficacy of different security controls, the most concerning threats as tested by organisations worldwide, and top cyber security best practices for 2023. One of the key findings of the report is that many organisations are actively testing against threats seen in the news, likely from pressure to report on their exposure risk to emergent threats, and whilst this is good, it should not take away from assessing threats and exposures that are more likely actively targeting the business.
https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2023/03/30/misconceptions-emerging-cyber-threats/
‘Grim’ Criminal Abuse of ChatGPT is Coming, Europol Warns
Europol has warned that criminals are set to take advantage of artificial intelligence to commit fraud and other crimes. Europol highlighted that ChatGPT could be used to speed up criminal research, impersonate speech styles for phishing and write code. Furthermore, despite ChatGPT having safeguards, Europol note that these can be circumvented.
https://www.securityweek.com/grim-criminal-abuse-of-chatgpt-is-coming-europol-warns/
Threats
Ransomware, Extortion and Destructive Attacks
Why CISOs Are Looking to Lateral Security to Mitigate Ransomware | CIO
Clop Keeps Racking Up Ransomware Victims With GoAnywhere Flaw (darkreading.com)
New IcedID malware variants shift from banking trojans to ransomware | SC Media (scmagazine.com)
Publicly disclosed US ransomware attacks in 2023 | TechTarget
Virgin Group added to Cl0p gang’s victim leak site | Cybernews
New York law firm coughs up $200k after hospital data stolen • The Register
Telecom giant Lumen suffered a ransomware attack-Security Affairs
Ransomware crooks are exploiting IBM file exchange bug with a 9.8 severity | Ars Technica
DarkBit puts data from Israel’s Technion university on sale | CSO Online
Crown Resorts investigating potential data breach after being contacted by hacking group - ABC News
Children’s data feared stolen in Fortra ransomware attack | TechCrunch
Phishing & Email Based Attacks
Phishing Emails Up a Whopping 569% in 2022 (darkreading.com)
IRS Phishing Emails Used to Distribute Emotet - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)
These next-level phishing scams use PayPal or Google Docs to steal your data | TechRadar
Winter Vivern hackers exploit Zimbra flaw to steal NATO emails (bleepingcomputer.com)
BEC – Business Email Compromise
BEC scammers are after physical goods, the FBI warns - Help Net Security
Australian police arrest four BEC actors who stole $1.7 million (bleepingcomputer.com)
New BEC Tactics Enable Fake Asset Purchases - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)
FBI: Business email compromise tactics used to defraud US vendors (bleepingcomputer.com)
Other Social Engineering; Smishing, Vishing, etc
2FA/MFA
Malware
New IcedID malware variants shift from banking trojans to ransomware | SC Media (scmagazine.com)
MacStealer macOS malware appears in cyber crime underground--Security Affairs
Cyber Scammers Using Decentralized File Distribution System to Spread Malware - MSSP Alert
Microsoft confirms Defender has gone rogue as it's flagging legit links as malware - Neowin
North Korean malware-spreading, crypto-stealing gang named • The Register
Malware disguised as Tor browser steals $400k in cryptocash • The Register
NullMixer Polymorphic Malware Variant Infects 8K Targets in Just a Month (darkreading.com)
Chinese Cyber spies Use 'Melofee' Linux Malware for Stealthy Attacks - SecurityWeek
Chinese RedGolf Group Targeting Windows and Linux Systems with KEYPLUG Backdoor (thehackernews.com)
Realtek and Cacti flaws now actively exploited by malware botnets (bleepingcomputer.com)
AlienFox malware caught in the cloud hen house • The Register
Microsoft OneNote will block 120 dangerous file extensions (bleepingcomputer.com)
IRS Phishing Emails Used to Distribute Emotet - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)
Mobile
Android-based banking Trojan Nexus now available as malware-as-a-service | CSO Online
Inaudible ultrasound attack can stealthily control your phone, smart speaker (bleepingcomputer.com)
Russia’s Rostec allegedly can de-anonymize Telegram users (bleepingcomputer.com)
Android app from China executed 0-day exploit on millions of devices | Ars Technica
Google again accused of destroying evidence in Android case • The Register
Google finds more Android, iOS zero-days used to install spyware (bleepingcomputer.com)
Samsung keeps ignoring a huge security flaw in millions of Galaxy phones - SamMobile
iOS Vs. Android – Which Is The More Secure Platform? (informationsecuritybuzz.com)
Botnets
Denial of Service/DoS/DDOS
Internet of Things – IoT
Inaudible ultrasound attack can stealthily control your phone, smart speaker (bleepingcomputer.com)
This devious cyber attack can target all your smart speakers without you realizing | TechRadar
Gone in 120 seconds: Tesla Model 3 child's play for hackers • The Register
Data Breaches/Leaks
Fortra told breached companies their data was safe | TechCrunch
Procter & Gamble confirms data theft via GoAnywhere zero-day (bleepingcomputer.com)
New York law firm coughs up $200k after hospital data stolen • The Register
Toyota scrambles to patch customer data leak-Security Affairs
500k Impacted by Data Breach at Debt Buyer NCB - SecurityWeek
Cryptocurrency/Cryptomining/Cryptojacking/NFTs/Blockchain
Malware disguised as Tor browser steals $400k in cryptocash • The Register
NullMixer Polymorphic Malware Variant Infects 8K Targets in Just a Month (darkreading.com)
Insider Risk and Insider Threats
Only 10% of workers remember all their cyber security training - IT Security Guru
Data loss from insider events increase despite IRM programs, says study | CSO Online
Stop Blaming the End User for Security Risk (darkreading.com)
Fraud, Scams & Financial Crime
Visa fraud expert outlines the many faces of payment ecosystem fraud - Help Net Security
Cyber Scammers Using Decentralized File Distribution System to Spread Malware - MSSP Alert
Deepfakes
AML/CFT/Sanctions
Insurance
Beazley working on standalone cyber war product in market first (insuranceinsider.com)
Organisations Reassess Cyber Insurance as Self-Insurance Strategies Emerge (darkreading.com)
Supply Chain and Third Parties
Hackers compromise 3CX desktop app in a supply chain attack (bleepingcomputer.com)
Winter Vivern hackers exploit Zimbra flaw to steal NATO emails (bleepingcomputer.com)
Cloud/SaaS
Just 1% of Cloud Permissions Are Actively Used - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)
Where SSO Falls Short in Protecting SaaS (thehackernews.com)
CISA Releases Hunt Tool for Microsoft's Cloud Services (darkreading.com)
Balancing security risks and innovation potential of shadow IT teams - Help Net Security
AlienFox malware caught in the cloud hen house • The Register
Hybrid/Remote Working
Cyber security focus in second Digital Europe work programme – EURACTIV.com
More companies are watching their remote workers WFH on camera | Fortune
Shadow IT
Identity and Access Management
Encryption
API
Passwords, Credential Stuffing & Brute Force Attacks
The End-User Password Mistakes Putting Your Organisation at Risk (bleepingcomputer.com)
New Research Examines Traffers and the Business of Stolen Credentials - IT Security Guru
Social Media
Training, Education and Awareness
The era of passive cyber security awareness training is over - Help Net Security
Only 10% of workers remember all their cyber security training - IT Security Guru
Parental Controls and Child Safety
Regulations, Fines and Legislation
Governance, Risk and Compliance
Beazley working on standalone cyber war product in market first (insuranceinsider.com)
Cyber security vs. Everyone: From Conflict to Collaboration (darkreading.com)
Using Observability to Power a Smarter Cyber security Strategy (darkreading.com)
How cyber security decision-makers perceive cyber resilience - Help Net Security
NCSC issues revised security Board Toolkit for business leaders | Computer Weekly
The CISO Mantra: Get Ready to Do More With Less (darkreading.com)
Models, Frameworks and Standards
Backup and Recovery
Law Enforcement Action and Take Downs
FBI confirms access to Breached cyber crime forum database (bleepingcomputer.com)
UK creates fake DDoS-for-hire sites to identify cyber criminals (bleepingcomputer.com)
Australian police arrest four BEC actors who stole $1.7 million (bleepingcomputer.com)
20-Year-Old BreachForums Founder Faces Up to 5 Years in Prison (thehackernews.com)
Privacy, Surveillance and Mass Monitoring
UK Introduces Mass Surveillance With Online Safety Bill - SecurityWeek
FBI Spent Tens of Thousands of Dollars on Bulk Data Collection (gizmodo.com)
Clearview AI used nearly 1m times by US police, it tells the BBC - BBC News
More companies are watching their remote workers WFH on camera | Fortune
Artificial Intelligence
'Grim' Criminal Abuse of ChatGPT is Coming, Europol Warns - SecurityWeek
In Sudden Alarm, Tech Doyens Call for a Pause on ChatGPT | WIRED
Musk, Scientists Call for Halt to AI Race Sparked by ChatGPT - SecurityWeek
AI-fuelled search gives more power to the bad guys | CSO Online
Hacker demonstrates security flaws in GPT-4 just one day after launch | VentureBeat
Godfather of AI Says There's a Minor Risk It'll Eliminate Humanity (futurism.com)
Clearview AI used nearly 1m times by US police, it tells the BBC - BBC News
AI has figured out how to draw deepfake hands | The Independent
Spyware, Cyber Espionage & Cyber Warfare, including Russian Invasion of Ukraine
Putin and Xi’s plot to control the internet will leave the West in the dust (telegraph.co.uk)
In A Surprise, China-Linked TikTok Grabs Power Norway Needs To Make Ammo (forbes.com)
Cyber crime Front Lines in Russia-Ukraine War Move to Eastern and Northern Europe - MSSP Alert
Beazley working on standalone cyber war product in market first (insuranceinsider.com)
'Bitter' espionage hackers target Chinese nuclear energy orgs (bleepingcomputer.com)
Earth Preta’s Cyber Espionage Campaign Hits Over 200 (trendmicro.com)
Biden White House Issues Executive Order on Commercial Spyware (gizmodo.com)
North Korean APT43 Group Uses Cybercrime to Fund Espionage Operations (thehackernews.com)
Google finds more Android, iOS zero-days used to install spyware (bleepingcomputer.com)
Over 200 Organisations Targeted in Chinese Cyber Espionage Campaign - SecurityWeek
Google: Commercial Spyware Used by Governments Laden With Zero-Day Exploits (darkreading.com)
Chinese Cyber spies Use 'Melofee' Linux Malware for Stealthy Attacks - SecurityWeek
Chinese RedGolf Group Targeting Windows and Linux Systems with KEYPLUG Backdoor (thehackernews.com)
Pro-Russian hackers target elected US officials supporting Ukraine | Ars Technica
Russian spies more effective than army, say experts - BBC News
Cyber warfare leaks show Russian army is adopting mindset of secret police | Cyberwar | The Guardian
Nation State Actors
Uncle Sam sent cyber-soldiers to Albania to combat Iran • The Register
Russia’s Rostec allegedly can de-anonymize Telegram users (bleepingcomputer.com)
Android app from China executed 0-day exploit on millions of devices | Ars Technica
China urges Apple to improve security and privacy • The Register
North Korean malware-spreading, crypto-stealing gang named • The Register
Chinese RedGolf Group Targeting Windows and Linux Systems with KEYPLUG Backdoor (thehackernews.com)
Vulnerability Management
What you need before the next vulnerability hits - Help Net Security
Vulnerability management vs. risk management, compared | TechTarget
Most Weaponized Vulnerabilities of 2022 and 5 Key Risks: Report - SecurityWeek
Microsoft shares tips on detecting Outlook zero-day exploitation (bleepingcomputer.com)
Ignoring network automation is a ticking time bomb for security - Help Net Security
Vulnerabilities
Microsoft: No-Interaction Outlook Zero Day Exploited Since Last April - SecurityWeek
Microsoft shares tips on detecting Outlook zero-day exploitation (bleepingcomputer.com)
Apple patches everything, including a zero-day fix for iOS 15 users – Naked Security (sophos.com)
QNAP fixed Sudo privilege escalation bug in NAS devices-Security Affairs
Patch Now: Cyber criminals Set Sights on Critical IBM File Transfer Bug (darkreading.com)
Super FabriXss flaw in Microsoft Azure SFX could lead to RCE-Security Affairs
OpenAI quickly fixed account takeover bugs in ChatGPT-Security Affairs
Tools and Controls
Even with defence tools, CISOs say cyber attacks are ‘inevitable’ (techrepublic.com)
The era of passive cyber security awareness training is over - Help Net Security
Only 10% of workers remember all their cyber security training - IT Security Guru
Prioritizing data security amid workforce disruptions - Help Net Security
Using Observability to Power a Smarter Cyber security Strategy (darkreading.com)
For database security it's down to people, not tech fixes • The Register
Known unknowns: Refining your approach to uncategorized web traffic - Help Net Security
Understanding adversaries through dark web intelligence - Help Net Security
Where SSO Falls Short in Protecting SaaS (thehackernews.com)
How Does Data Literacy Enhance Data Security? (darkreading.com)
CISA Releases Hunt Tool for Microsoft's Cloud Services (darkreading.com)
With Security Copilot, Microsoft brings the power of AI to cyber defence - Stories
Compare breach and attack simulation vs. penetration testing | TechTarget
Ignoring network automation is a ticking time bomb for security - Help Net Security
Microsoft's ‘Security Copilot’ Sics ChatGPT on Security Breaches | WIRED
Breaking the Mold: Pen Testing Solutions That Challenge the Status Quo (thehackernews.com)
Diagnose your SME’s Cyber security and Scan for Recommendations — ENISA (europa.eu)
Protect your entire business with the right authentication method - Help Net Security
Microsoft Defender is flagging legit URLs as malicious • The Register
Managing security in the cloud through Microsoft Intune | CSO Online
Top 5 SD-WAN Challenges and How to Prepare for Them | TechTarget
Organisations Reassess Cyber Insurance as Self-Insurance Strategies Emerge (darkreading.com)
The best defence against cyber threats for lean security teams - Help Net Security
Overcoming obstacles to introduce zero-trust security in established systems - Help Net Security
The foundation of a holistic identity security strategy - Help Net Security
The CISO Mantra: Get Ready to Do More With Less (darkreading.com)
Other News
Hackers changed tactics, went cross-platform in 2022, says Trend Micro | CSO Online
WiFi protocol flaw allows attackers to hijack network traffic (bleepingcomputer.com)
Microsoft OneNote will block 120 dangerous file extensions (bleepingcomputer.com)
How CISOs Can Reduce the Danger of Using Data Brokers (darkreading.com)
How Does Data Literacy Enhance Data Security? (darkreading.com)
Microsoft uses carrot and stick with Exchange Online admins • 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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