Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing 25 August 2023

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

Top Cyber Stories of the Last Week

Cloud Hosting Firm Loses All Customer Data After Ransomware Attack

CloudNordic, a Danish cloud hosting provider, has told customers to consider all of their data as having been lost following a ransomware infection that encrypted the large Danish cloud provider. The threat actors had destroyed the organisation’s backups, which prevented the firm from recovering effectively. The attack also impacted AzeroCloud, which is owned by the same company.

Worryingly, many organisations believe that having backups and using the cloud is enough for them to be able to recover from any cyber incident; unfortunately, as shown in the CloudNordic and AzeroCloud attacks, it is not enough. Organisations need to have a recovery plan in place which is tested and improved, to best strengthen themselves in the event of a cyber incident.

Sources: [The Register] [Bleeping Computer] [Help Net Security]

Would You Infect Others to Rid Yourself of Ransomware?

Hackers continually develop ransomware with new and creative attack methods that keep internet security professionals on their toes and pose challenges for people trying to detect threats. Victims of ransomware usually see messages asking them to pay for file access restoration; however, the Popcorn Time ransomware group takes a different approach to getting victims involved.

The Popcorn Time ransomware approach works via the referral method. The ransomware group is willing to give victims access to their files if they send the referral link to two other people, extending the attacker’s reach. Most people would hesitate to distribute a ransomware link through email, WhatsApp, or another method that is easy for victims to identify them as the perpetrators. Law enforcement bodies categorise ransomware attacks as crimes that come with hefty fines and prison time. Even those choosing to send the links to people they know face disastrous consequences beyond law enforcement, including the loss of jobs and relationships.

Source: [CyberNews]

Artificial Intelligence and USBs Drive 8% Rise in Cyber Attacks

Checkpoint’s 2023 Mid-Year Security Report shows an 8% surge in global weekly cyber attacks during Q2, marking the most significant increase in two years. The report highlights the fusion of advanced artificial intelligence (AI) technology with traditional tools like USB devices used for disruptive cyber attacks.

Other significant findings include the evolution of ransomware tactics. The report found that ransomware groups are exploiting vulnerabilities in common corporate software and shifting focus from encrypting data to stealing it. USB devices have resurfaced as threats, employed by both state-affiliated groups and cyber-criminals to distribute malware globally. The misuse of AI has escalated, as attackers use generative AI tools for phishing emails, keystroke monitoring malware and basic ransomware code.

Source: [InfoSecurity Magazine]

Ransomware Attacks Broke Records in July, Mainly Driven By One Group

A number of ransomware actors are utilising the threat of releasing sensitive data to get organisations to pay ransoms; in some cases this is combined with encryption to give the actor two avenues of payment. A report has found there were over 500 attacks last month, an increase of 153% compared to one year ago, and a 16% increase compared to June. Within Europe, there was a 59% increase in ransomware attacks from June to July.

Part of the significant rise is due to the ransomware group called Cl0p, whose attack on the MOVEit software has accounted for hundreds of victims this year. The Cl0p ransomware group has kept its promise to publish files on the clearweb of all its victims if contact was not made. The clearweb is simply what we know as the internet; anyone can access it. As such, there will be many organisations who are now having their sensitive data published and readily viewable for anyone who has access to the internet.

Sources: [Gov Info Seccurity] [Security Week] [ZDNET] [Cyber News]

Cyber Risk in The Boardroom

The relationship between the CISO and the wider boardroom has become increasingly cooperative, with 77% of CEO’s seeing cyber as a strategic function and a potential source of competitive advantage. While it is ultimately up to the board to take steps to keep cybersecurity high on the agenda, the CISO also has a responsibility to press the message and bridge any gaps.

CISOs must deliver concerns, strategies and recommendations in a business-first manner, while avoiding jargon and overly technical language. Attracting and retaining good quality senior security professionals is very challenging in the current market and Black Arrow offer a fractional CISO service, giving access to a whole team of specialists with wider expertise, experience and backgrounds, for less than the cost of hiring one individual.

Sources: [Security Week] [TechRadar]

Malware-Infected Advertising Grows Ever More Sophisticated, And More Damaging

The malware exploits known as malware-infected ads, or malvertising, have been around for decades, but new reports point to a steady rise in efficacy. With malvertising, the infected ads are typically placed on legitimate ad networks, which makes them more difficult to spot and remove. The technique continues to use more and more sophisticated mechanisms for getting their infections spread throughout the web and keeping them running for a long time. The exploits can operate in one of several ways, including intercepting a user’s clickstream on random hyperlinks and substituting them with redirects to advertising websites.

Adblockers either on endpoints or at the network level can also help to prevent malvertising from causing harm.

Source: [SiliconAngle]

Cyber Security is Everyone’s Responsibility

A recent survey found that 41% of respondents said that poor quality training, or a lack of training altogether, and insider threats were impacting their organisation’s security. Cyber security involves everyone as any employee can be an entry point for a cyber incident, but they also have the power to prevent one. It is important to make sure all employees are provided adequate training. Not every role requires the same training however, so it is important for organisations to identify and provide training that is appropriate to employees. Black Arrow provide live in person and online instructor lead cyber security training, both through Cyber Risk and Governance Workshops for Senior Leadership and Awareness, Behaviour and Culture Training for employees and contractors.

Source: [IT Pro Today]

QR Code Hacks Are Another Thing to Worry About Now

One of the upcoming technologies thrust upon us is QR codes. At this point, you can find them at most restaurants and parking sites. You simply scan the code and you are taken to the relevant site, for example, the menu for the restaurant. Attackers have cottoned on to this and started to use QR codes in phishing attacks; the idea being that the victim will scan the code without scrutinising it and be taken to a malicious website instead.

Source: [Bloomberg]

Security Basics Aren’t So Basic Anymore

The basics of cyber security, it turns out, aren’t so basic anymore. What was considered basic has moved way beyond just having firewalls and antivirus, and the most basic controls nowadays include more advanced controls such as robust identity and access management, multi-factor authentication (MFA) and patching and vulnerability management. Many of these now basic controls are lacking or non-existent across the economy according to cyber security experts. A report found that only 28% of Microsoft users had MFA enabled as 2022 closed.

You can’t solve all the problems at once. However, progress on these fronts also relies heavily on the need for a cultural shift. Organisations need to get to the point where they view cyber security in the same light as locks on doors and seatbelts in cars.

Source: [CioDive]

Apple MacOS Security Myths

Apple has maintained a reputation as being more secure than other manufacturers, and whilst Apple has put many different security mechanisms into its operating system, no technology is bulletproof. Assuming an Apple device is invulnerable can lead users to believe that their Mac will not get viruses or be subject to a plethora of other cyber threats. As a result, this can lead to poor cyber hygiene from the individual, as they assume they are safe regardless of what they do. Apple users need to remain every bit as aware of risks, social engineering, keeping devices up to date, and having appropriate security controls.

Source: [Huntress]

Security Leaders Report Misalignment of Investments and Risk Reduction

The cyber risk landscape was analysed in a recent report that examined the amount of risk that organisations are willing to accept, their resource constraints and key priorities for approaching cyber risk in the future. The report found 66% of respondents indicating that they have limited visibility and insight into their cyber risk profiles, hindering their ability to prioritise investments and allocate resources effectively. 67% of organisations experienced a breach requiring attention within the last two years despite having traditional threat-based security measures in place. Further, 61% of security executives expressed concerns over the current misalignment between cyber security investments and their organisation's risk reduction priorities.

Source: [InfoSecurity Magazine]

Many CISOs Tout SaaS (Cloud) Cyber Security Confidence, but 79% Admit to Incidents

Cyber security, IT, and business leaders alike recognise SaaS (cloud) cyber security as an increasingly important part of the cyber threat landscape. And at first glance, respondents appear generally optimistic about their SaaS cyber security as 85% answered that they are confident or very confident in their company's or customer's data security in sanctioned SaaS apps.

Despite the confidence, 79% of respondents confirmed that their organisation had identified SaaS cyber security incidents over the past 12 months. Many of those incidents occurred in environments with cyber security policies in place and enforced, as 66% of respondents claimed in their responses.

Source: [The Hacker News]

If You Ever Used Duolingo, Watch Out for Phishing Email

Users of Duolingo, past and present, should be wary of phishing emails as data on about 2.6 million accounts were scraped through an exposed application programming interface (API), and then offered on a hacking forum back in January. Login and real names, email addresses, phone numbers, and courses studied were part of the collection, which went for $1,500. Now that data has resurfaced on a different forum, and at a substantially lower cost of just a few dollars, users of the service can expect this data to be used in fresh phishing campaigns.

Source: [PCWorld]

91% of Security and IT Professionals: Criminals are Already Using AI in Email Attacks

Recent research found that 91% of security and IT professionals are noticing cyber criminals already using AI as part of email attack campaigns, with 74% indicating they have experienced an increase in the use of AI by cyber criminals in the past six months. This is worrying as 52% reported that email security is among one of their top three concerns.

Organisations need to make sure that their technologies, procedures and policies are updated to factor in AI-enabled email attacks to help reduce the risk they pose to the organisation. Such improvements should also include employees.

Source: [PR Newswire]

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Governance, Risk and Compliance

• Cyber security 'number one on the agenda in boardrooms,' Cramer says (cnbc.com)

• Firms have mere hours to deflect cyber attacks, warns cyber security CEO (cointelegraph.com)

• The End of “Groundhog Day” for the Security in the Boardroom Discussion? - SecurityWeek

• Cyber risk: the view across the boardroom table | TechRadar

• Too many businesses struggling to hire and retain talent, amplifying security risks – Digital Journal

• How Cyber Security Leaders Can Help Lower Expenses While Reducing Risk (informationweek.com)

• Who’s Your Next Cyber Chief? Good Question. (wsj.com)

• Cyber crime: A Multi-Billion-Dollar Industry (thecyberwire.com)

• How the downmarket impacted enterprise cyber security budgets - Help Net Security

• What is Risk Analysis? | Definition from TechTarget

• When Leadership Style Is a Security Risk (darkreading.com)

• The Changing Landscape of Cyber Security Education (inforisktoday.com)

• Protect Your Cyber Security Budget and Your Organisation | Dell USA

• Rapid cyber attacks demand modernised security, says Palo Alto CEO (crypto.news)

• Cyber security Is Everyone’s Responsibility | ITPro Today: IT News, How-Tos, Trends, Case Studies, Career Tips, More

• The Cost of 'Good Enough' Security - GovInfoSecurity

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Threats

Ransomware, Extortion and Destructive Attacks

• Cl0p dumps all MOVEit victim data on clearnet, threat insiders talk ransom strategy | Cybernews

• Cuba ransomware gang looking for unpatched Veeam installations: Report | IT Business

• Ransomware attacks broke records in July, mainly driven by this one group | ZDNET

• Hosting firm says it lost all customer data after ransomware attack (bleepingcomputer.com)

• FE News | 70% of secondary schools have experienced a cyber incident. BIP shares three ways they can protect against attacks ahead of results day

• Cyber Attacks have left some hospital computers offline for 2 weeks, closing ERs and postponing surgeries

• Continued MOVEit Exploitation Drives Record Ransomware Attacks - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Would You Infect Others to Rid Yourself of Ransomware? (makeuseof.com)

• How Application Allowlisting Combats Ransomware Attacks (securityintelligence.com)

• Akira ransomware gang spotted targeting Cisco VPN products to hack organisations-Security Affairs

• Scarab Ransomware Deployed Worldwide Via Spacecolon Toolset - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Why Ransomware Gangs Opt for Encryption-Less Attacks (govinfosecurity.com)

• MOVEit Health Data Breach Tally Keeps Growing (inforisktoday.com)

• British intelligence is tipping off ransomware targets to disrupt attacks (therecord.media)

• What the Hive Ransomware Case Says About RaaS and Cryptocurrency (darkreading.com)

• 6 Ransomware Trends & Evolutions For 2023 (trendmicro.com)

• New Study Sheds Light on ADHUBLLKA Ransomware Network - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• North Korea ready to cash out more than $40 million in Bitcoin after summer of attacks, warns FBI | Tripwire

• Ransomware dwell time hits new low - Help Net Security

• Three trends to watch in the growing threat landscape (betanews.com)

Ransomware Victims

• Cl0p dumps all MOVEit victim data on clearnet, threat insiders talk ransom strategy | Cybernews

• Hosting firm says it lost all customer data after ransomware attack (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Cyber attacks have left some hospital computers offline for 2 weeks, closing ERs and postponing surgeries

• BlackCat ransomware group claims the hack of Seiko network -Security Affairs

• Ransomware gang threatens Raleigh Housing Authority months after devastating attack (therecord.media)

• The Estée Lauder Cos. Addresses Cyber security Attack – WWD

• Mysterious Cyber Attack Shuts Down Yet More Telescopes For Weeks | IFLScience

• St Helens Council hit by suspected Ransomware cyber attack | St Helens Star

Phishing & Email Based Attacks

• 91% of security pros say cyber criminals are using AI in email attacks | Security Magazine

• Insurer Denies Coverage Under Professional Liability Policy for Lawyer’s Email Compromise | Robinson+Cole Data Privacy + Security Insider - JDSupra

• Cyber criminals turn to AI to bypass modern email security measures - Help Net Security

• New Generation of Phishing Hides Behind Trusted Services (securityintelligence.com)

• New phishing campaign recognised in Europe and South America | Security Magazine

• If you ever used Duolingo, watch out for phishing emails | PCWorld

• Open redirect flaws increasingly exploited by phishers - Help Net Security

• How to spot phishing on a hacked WordPress website | Kaspersky official blog

• The Dual Role of AI in Email Security - GovInfoSecurity

• New Telegram Bot "Telekopye" Powering Large-scale Phishing Scams from Russia (thehackernews.com)

• eBay Users Beware Russian 'Telekopye' Telegram Phishing Bot (darkreading.com)

• Phish in a Barrel: Real-World Cyber Attack Examples (govinfosecurity.com)

• Email Security: Top 5 Threats and How to Protect Your Business - ReadWrite

BEC – Business Email Compromise

• 91% of security pros say cyber criminals are using AI in email attacks | Security Magazine

• Breaking Down BEC: The Modern CISO’s Framework for Identifying, Classifying and Stopping Email Fraud (govinfosecurity.com)

Other Social Engineering; Smishing, Vishing, etc

• Blockchain Capital’s Bart Stephens Lost $6.3 Million In SIM-Swap Hack (forbes.com)

• What Is Virtual Kidnapping and How Can You Fight It? (makeuseof.com)

Artificial Intelligence

• 91% of Security and IT Professionals Agree Cyber Criminals are Already Using AI in Email Attacks, per Report from SlashNext and Osterman Research (prnewswire.com)

• Artificial Intelligence and USBs Drive 8% Rise in Cyber-Attacks - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Deceptive AI Bots Spread Malware, Raise Security Concerns - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Cyber criminals turn to AI to bypass modern email security measures - Help Net Security

• Compliance, Risk Management and Security Are Being Impact by Generative AI... But How? | The Fintech Times

• Tricks for making AI chatbots break rules are freely available online | New Scientist

• What Is Virtual Kidnapping and How Can You Fight It? (makeuseof.com)

• Generative AI Is Scraping Your Data. So, Now What? (darkreading.com)

• Fake versions of Google Bard are spreading malware | TechRadar

• AI and the evolution of surveillance systems - Help Net Security

• The Dual Role of AI in Email Security - GovInfoSecurity

• Thinking of Deploying Generative AI? You May Already Have (govinfosecurity.com)

• Three trends to watch in the growing threat landscape (betanews.com)

• Careful -- Hackers are targeting Google Bard ads for malware | Digital Trends

Malware

• Deceptive AI Bots Spread Malware, Raise Security Concerns - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Serious WinRAR Flaw Can Be Exploited to Launch Malware (pcmag.com)

• Hackers use VPN provider's code certificate to sign malware (bleepingcomputer.com)

• HiatusRAT Malware Resurfaces: Taiwan Firms and US Military Under Attack (thehackernews.com) Ask the Mac Guy: macOS Security Myths (huntress.com)

• New Variant of XLoader macOS Malware Disguised as 'OfficeNote' Productivity App (thehackernews.com)

• New "Whiffy Recon" Malware Triangulates Infected Device Location via Wi-Fi Every Minute (thehackernews.com)

• Researchers Uncover New Lazarus Group Malware Details | Decipher (duo.com)

Mobile

• New stealthy Android malware stumps antivirus, poses huge threat to phones, study reveals | Tech News (hindustantimes.com)

• Thousands of Android Malware Apps Using Stealthy APK Compression to Evade Detection (thehackernews.com)

• “Snakes in airplane mode” – what if your phone says it’s offline but isn’t? – Naked Security (sophos.com)

• Google wants to fight pre-installed Android malware | TechSpot

• Children and smartphones: How to protect and guide them from bullying, phishing and grooming – The Irish Times

Denial of Service/DoS/DDOS

• DDoS Attacks in H1 2023 Up 200% from 2022 According to New Zayo Data | Business Wire

Internet of Things – IoT

• TP-Link smart bulbs can let hackers steal your WiFi password (bleepingcomputer.com)

• When Your Home Security System Turns the Camera on You | The Epoch Times

• Anticipating the next wave of IoT cyber security challenges - Help Net Security

• The Physical Impact of Cyber Attacks on Cities (darkreading.com)

• Smart Cities: Utopian Dream, Security Nightmare, or Political Gimmick? - SecurityWeek

• Yes, Your Electric Vehicle Could Be Hacked - IEEE Spectrum

Data Breaches/Leaks

• Insurer Denies Coverage Under Professional Liability Policy for Lawyer’s Email Compromise | Robinson+Cole Data Privacy + Security Insider - JDSupra

• Tesla Data Breach Investigation Reveals Inside Job (darkreading.com)

• Leak of 75k staff records was insiders' fault, Tesla claims • The Register

• Guernsey CCTV investigation widened after more footage leaked | Bailiwick Express Jersey

• Scraped data of 2.6 million Duolingo users released on hacking forum (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Thousands of Charity Donors Have Details Leaked Onto Dark Web | The Epoch Times

• How a Christie’s website revealed where people kept their art | The Seattle Times

• Defence contractor Belcan leaks admin password with a list of flaws-Security Affairs

• Critical Insight Report: 15% Drop in Breaches, 31% Surge in Victims - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• What lessons must be learned from the Electoral Register cyber attack? | theHRD (thehrdirector.com)

• 5 Early Warning Indicators That Are Key to Protecting National Secrets (darkreading.com)

• Sensitive Data of 10m at Risk After French Employment Agency Breach - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• University of Minnesota Confirms Data Breach, Says Ransomware Not Involved - SecurityWeek

Organised Crime & Criminal Actors

• Check Point reveals 8% spike in global cyber attacks by mid-2023 (securitybrief.co.nz)

• Attack Dwell Times Fall but Threat Actors Are Moving Faster - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• UK Court Convicts Lapsus$ Hacker for Breaching ISP BT and EE UPDATE - ISPreview UK

• Cyber crime: A Multi-Billion-Dollar Industry (thecyberwire.com)

• Bruce Schneier gets inside the hacker's mind | CyberScoop

• Hacking group KittenSec claims to 'pwn anything we see' to expose corruption | CyberScoop

• Ransomware dwell time hits new low - Help Net Security

Cryptocurrency/Cryptomining/Cryptojacking/NFTs/Blockchain

• Blockchain Capital’s Bart Stephens Lost $6.3 Million In SIM-Swap Hack (forbes.com)

• What the Hive Ransomware Case Says About RaaS and Cryptocurrency (darkreading.com)

• North Korea ready to cash out more than $40 million in Bitcoin after summer of attacks, warns FBI | Tripwire

Insider Risk and Insider Threats

• Leak of 75k staff records was insiders' fault, Tesla claims • The Register

• Police Insider Tipped Off Criminal Friend About EncroChat Bust - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Three trends to watch in the growing threat landscape (betanews.com)

• Phish in a Barrel: Real-World Cyber Attack Examples (govinfosecurity.com)

Fraud, Scams & Financial Crime

• Interpol arrest 14 who allegedly scammed $40m from victims • The Register

• Germany Hunts for Cyber Criminals Amid Billion-Euro Scams - Bloomberg

• Billion Dollar Heist: The simple typo that stopped the Bangladesh bank robbers from stealing $1 billion (ladbible.com)

• Sneaky Amazon Google ad leads to Microsoft support scam (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Blockchain Capital’s Bart Stephens Lost $6.3 Million In SIM-Swap Hack (forbes.com)

• Surge in identity crime victims reporting suicidal thoughts - Help Net Security

Impersonation Attacks

• How to spot phishing on a hacked WordPress website | Kaspersky official blog

Deepfakes

• What Is Virtual Kidnapping and How Can You Fight It? (makeuseof.com)

Insurance

• Insurer Denies Coverage Under Professional Liability Policy for Lawyer’s Email Compromise | Robinson+Cole Data Privacy + Security Insider - JDSupra

• Cyber security insurance is missing the risk - Help Net Security

• Cyber Security Insurance Market worth $17.6 billion by 2028 - Exclusive Report by MarketsandMarkets™ (prnewswire.com)

• Cyber Security Insurance Market Size & Share Analysis - (globenewswire.com)

• The Shifting Dynamics of Cyber Insurance - BankInfoSecurity

• Global Cyber Security Insurance Market to Reach USD 33.4 Billion by 2028, Driven by Rising Cyber Threats and Regulatory Compliance (prnewswire.com)

Dark Web

• Thousands of Charity Donors Have Details Leaked Onto Dark Web | The Epoch Times

Supply Chain and Third Parties

• New Chinese APT Group Launches Supply Chain Attacks - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• New Supply Chain Attack Hit Close to 100 Victims—and Clues Point to China | WIRED

• Supply chain as kill chain | ITPro

Cloud/SaaS

• The Importance Of SaaS Backup And Disaster Recovery: Reasons To Consider (informationsecuritybuzz.com)

• Cloud hosting firms hit by devastating ransomware attack - Help Net Security

• Warning: Attackers Abusing Legitimate Internet Services (inforisktoday.com)

• How to conduct a cloud security assessment | TechTarget

• Maintaining consistent security in diverse cloud infrastructures - Help Net Security

• How API authentication vulnerabilities are at the center of cloud security concerns | CSO Online

• CISOs Tout SaaS Cyber Security Confidence, But 79% Admit to SaaS Incidents, New Report Finds (thehackernews.com)

• Lack of visibility into cloud access policies leaves enterprises flying blind - Help Net Security

• Cloud services are creating more cyber-risks for telcos   - Mobile Europe

Identity and Access Management

• Ongoing Duo outage causes Azure Auth authentication errors (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Cisco's Duo Security suffers major authentication outage • The Register

Encryption

• Apple security updates could be banned by British government (9to5mac.com)

API

• Understanding how attackers exploit APIs is more important than ever - Help Net Security

• How API authentication vulnerabilities are at the centre of cloud security concerns | CSO Online

Biometrics

• ICO publishes guidance on use of biometric data in the UK - Tech Monitor

• Is Facial Recognition Technology Becoming a Privacy Risk? (makeuseof.com)

• Facial Recognition Technology (FRT) Statistics for 2023 (techreport.com)

• Biometric payment systems raise privacy concerns (iapp.org)

Social Media

• Global warning issued on social media data scraping (iapp.org)

Malvertising

• Sneaky Amazon Google ad leads to Microsoft support scam (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Malware-infected advertising grows ever more sophisticated, and lethal - SiliconANGLE

• Careful -- Hackers are targeting Google Bard ads for malware | Digital Trends

Training, Education and Awareness

• 2023 Cyber Security Awareness Month Appeal: Make Online Security Easier (govtech.com)

• The Changing Landscape of Cyber Security Education (inforisktoday.com)

Parental Controls and Child Safety

• Report reveals insights on cyber security conversations with children | Security Magazine

• Children and smartphones: How to protect and guide them from bullying, phishing and grooming – The Irish Times

Cyber Bullying, Cyber Stalking and Sextortion

• Nearly a third of young people preyed on by "text pest" delivery drivers (bitdefender.com)

Regulations, Fines and Legislation

• Apple security updates could be banned by British government (9to5mac.com)

• How EU lawmakers can make mandatory vulnerability disclosure responsible - Help Net Security

• Cyber Security Laws and Regulations in Germany | UpGuard

• Morgan Stanley Fined for UK Energy Trading WhatsApp Breach (yahoo.com)

• New NCUA Rule Requires Swift Cyber Incident Reporting - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• SEC Cyber Security Rules: Considerations for Incident Response Planning | Holland & Knight LLP - JDSupra

• Controversial Cyber crime Law Passes in Jordan (darkreading.com)

• Experian Pays $650,000 to Settle Spam Claims - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Strengthening Cyber Security In Finance: A Look At EU DORA Regulations (forbes.com)

• Proposed bill would require vulnerability disclosure policies for all federal contractors (therecord.media)

Backup and Recovery

• The Importance Of SaaS Backup And Disaster Recovery: Reasons To Consider (informationsecuritybuzz.com)

Data Protection

• ICO publishes guidance on use of biometric data in the UK - Tech Monitor

• Experian Pays $650,000 to Settle Spam Claims - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

Careers, Working in Cyber and Information Security

• Too many businesses struggling to hire and retain talent, amplifying security risks – Digital Journal

• Unrealistic expectations exacerbate the cyber security talent shortage - Help Net Security

• It's Time to Approach The Cyber Security Skills Gap Differently - IT Security Guru

• How To Become Chief Information Security Officer - The Economic Times (indiatimes.com)

• 4 ways simulation training alleviates team burnout - Help Net Security

• Government Urges More Students to Be Cyber Explorers - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Tens of thousands of students receive free training to build cyber skills - The Business Magazine

• 90% of Consumers Worry Cyber Security’s Future Is in Jeopardy if Students Aren’t Exposed to the Field at an Earlier Age - IT Security Guru

• 5 Ways SMBs Can Bridge the Cyber Security Skills Gap | Mimecast

• The Importance of Accessible and Inclusive Cyber Security (securityintelligence.com)

Law Enforcement Action and Take Downs

• Interpol arrest 14 who allegedly scammed $40m from victims • The Register

• UK Court Convicts Lapsus$ Hacker for Breaching ISP BT and EE UPDATE - ISPreview UK

• Two dozen arrested, hundreds of malicious IPs taken down in African cyber crime operation | CyberScoop

• Germany Hunts for Cyber Criminals Amid Billion-Euro Scams - Bloomberg

• Police Insider Tipped Off Criminal Friend About EncroChat Bust - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

Privacy, Surveillance and Mass Monitoring

• Is Facial Recognition Technology Becoming a Privacy Risk? (makeuseof.com)

• When Your Home Security System Turns the Camera on You | The Epoch Times

• Biometric payment systems raise privacy concerns (iapp.org)

• AI and the evolution of surveillance systems - Help Net Security

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

Russia

• Intelligence agencies warn foreign spies are targeting US space companies - Times of India (indiatimes.com)

• Incident response lessons learned from the Russian attack on Viasat | CSO Online

• Ukrainian hackers claim to leak emails of Russian parliament deputy chief (therecord.media)

• New Telegram Bot "Telekopye" Powering Large-scale Phishing Scams from Russia (thehackernews.com)

China

• Mounting Cyber Espionage and Hacking Threat from China - Modern Diplomacy

• Cyberespionage campaign by China's Ministry of State Security. CSRB will look into cyberespionage against Microsoft Exchange. Attacks against industrial systems. Threats to satellite communications. (thecyberwire.com)

• HiatusRAT Malware Resurfaces: Taiwan Firms and US Military Under Attack (thehackernews.com)

• New Chinese APT Group Launches Supply Chain Attacks - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• New Supply Chain Attack Hit Close to 100 Victims—and Clues Point to China | WIRED

• Exposed: the Chinese spy using LinkedIn to hunt UK secrets (thetimes.co.uk)

• FBI: Suspected Chinese actors continue Barracuda ESG attacks | TechTarget

• Microsoft says Chinese hacking crew is targeting Taiwan | CyberScoop

• US space companies face foreign spy threat, intelligence agencies say (usatoday.com) 

North Korea

• N. Korean Kimsuky APT targets S. Korea-US military exercises-Security Affairs

• Researchers Uncover New Lazarus Group Malware Details | Decipher (duo.com)

• North Korea ready to cash out more than $40 million in Bitcoin after summer of attacks, warns FBI | Tripwire

Misc/Other/Unknown

• Syrian Threat Actor EVLF Unmasked as Creator of CypherRAT and CraxsRAT Android Malware (thehackernews.com)

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Vulnerability Management

• NCSC issues warning on cyber vulnerabilities (ukdefencejournal.org.uk)

• How EU lawmakers can make mandatory vulnerability disclosure responsible - Help Net Security

Vulnerabilities

• Juniper Networks fixes flaws leading to RCE in firewalls and switches - Help Net Security

• Serious WinRAR Flaw Can Be Exploited to Launch Malware (pcmag.com)

• Ivanti issues fix for third zero-day flaw exploited in the wild | TechTarget

• Ivanti Ships Urgent Patch for API Authentication Bypass Vulnerability - SecurityWeek

• FBI: Patches for Recent Barracuda ESG Zero-Day Ineffective - SecurityWeek

• GDS: Microsoft, Intel confirm "Downfall" of 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th Gen CPUs, firmware out - Neowin

• Critical Adobe ColdFusion Flaw Added to CISA's Exploited Vulnerability Catalog (thehackernews.com)

• 3,000 Openfire Servers Exposed to Attacks Targeting Recent Vulnerability - SecurityWeek

• Western Digital patches potentially dangerous security flaw, so update now | TechRadar

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Tools and Controls

• The Importance Of SaaS Backup And Disaster Recovery: Reasons To Consider (informationsecuritybuzz.com)

• How Cyber Security Leaders Can Help Lower Expenses While Reducing Risk (informationweek.com)

• Security leaders report misalignment of investments and risk reduction | Security Magazine

• Cyber security insurance is missing the risk - Help Net Security

• Cyber security Insurance Market worth $17.6 billion by 2028

• Bolstering Cyber Security: Why Browser Security Is Crucial (inforisktoday.com)

• How Application Allowlisting Combats Ransomware Attacks (securityintelligence.com)

• The Vanishing Data Loss Prevention (DLP) Category - IT Security Guru

• Cyber Security: CASB vs SASE-Security Affairs

• Unveiling the Hidden Risks of Routing Protocols (darkreading.com)

• Hackers use VPN provider's code certificate to sign malware (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Network detection and response in the modern era - Help Net Security

• What’s Beyond SASE? The Next Steps (informationsecuritybuzz.com)

• Prevention First: Don’t Neglect Endpoint Security | CSO Online

• More Than Half of Browser Extensions Pose Security Risks (darkreading.com)

• Protect Your Cyber Security Budget and Your Organisation | Dell USA

• How the downmarket impacted enterprise cyber security budgets - Help Net Security

• Compliance, Risk Management and Security Are Being Impact by Generative AI... But How? | The Fintech Times

• SEC Cyber Security Rules: Considerations for Incident Response Planning

• How to conduct a cloud security assessment | TechTarget

• Maintaining consistent security in diverse cloud infrastructures - Help Net Security

• How API authentication vulnerabilities are at the centre of cloud security concerns | CSO Online

• The Needs of a Modernized SOC for Hybrid Cloud (securityintelligence.com)

• 2023 Cyber Security Awareness Month Appeal: Make Online Security Easier (govtech.com)

• The MOVEit hack and what it taught us about application security (bleepingcomputer.com)

• The Changing Landscape of Cyber Security Education (inforisktoday.com)

• The Dual Role of AI in Email Security - GovInfoSecurity

• Akamai Survey Finds Third-Party Defences Help Reduce Risk from Online Threats (prnewswire.com)

• The Shifting Dynamics of Cyber Insurance - BankInfoSecurity

• Global Cyber Security Insurance Market to Reach USD 33.4 Billion by 2028, Driven by Rising Cyber Threats and Regulatory Compliance (prnewswire.com)

• 5 Best Practices for Implementing Risk-First Cyber Security (darkreading.com)

• What's Going on With LastPass, and is it Safe to Use? (securityintelligence.com)

• Malicious web application transactions skyrocket 500% (securitybrief.co.nz)

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Other News

• Our health care system may soon receive a much-needed cyber security boost | Ars Technica

• Swan Retail cyber attack: 300 retailers crippled by breach (techmonitor.ai)

• Cyber Attackers lie in wait as federal tech agencies brace for a mass exit of top officials - Washington Times

• Cyber Attack on Energy One affects corporate systems in Australia and the UK | CSO Online

• Vendors criticize Microsoft for repeated security failings | TechTarget

• Microsoft's become a cyber security titan. That could be a problem - Tech Monitor

• Global Naval Communication Market Research Report (globenewswire.com)

• The CSO guide to top security conferences | CSO Online

• IT's rising role in physical security technology - Help Net Security

• Construction businesses are at risk as nation-state attacks are on the rise - Construction & Civil Engineering magazine (ccemagazine.com)

• Hackers knocked out San Francisco's main real estate database | Fortune

• Microsoft's 6 Biggest Hacks: Is Better Security Needed? (makeuseof.com)

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Sector Specific

Industry specific threat intelligence reports are available.

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

·         Automotive

·         Construction

·         Critical National Infrastructure (CNI)

·         Defence & Space

·         Education & Academia

·         Energy & Utilities

·         Estate Agencies

·         Financial Services

·         FinTech

·         Food & Agriculture

·         Gaming & Gambling

·         Government & Public Sector (including Law Enforcement)

·         Health/Medical/Pharma

·         Hotels & Hospitality

·         Insurance

·         Legal

·         Manufacturing

·         Maritime

·         Oil, Gas & Mining

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

·         Retail & eCommerce

·         Small and Medium Sized Businesses (SMBs)

·         Startups

·         Telecoms

·         Third Sector & Charities

·         Transport & Aviation

·         Web3

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

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

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

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

Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing 11 November 2022

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

Top Cyber Stories of the Last Week

• Research Finds Organisations Lack Tools and Teams to Address Cyber Security Threats

In research conducted in the summer of 2022 by BlackBerry, the findings describe the situation facing organisations regardless of size or vertical.

The survey of 405 senior IT, networking, and security decision-makers in the US, Canada, and the UK revealed 83% of organisations agreed building cyber security programs is expensive due to required tools, licenses, and personnel, and 80% agreed it’s challenging to fill specialised security roles. Most organisations (78%) have an incident management process, but about half (49%) agree they lack the teams and tools to be effective 24x7x365. Evolving security threats (53%) and the task of integrating new technology (53%) are cited as top challenges in maintaining security posture.

While it’s likely these findings surprise no one, they do reveal the challenges facing organisations who are caught between limited resources and increased risk. The urgency increases if we look at the critical infrastructure that keeps things running–like utilities, banks, transportation, key suppliers, industrial controls, and more.

https://www.msspalert.com/cybersecurity-guests/research-finds-organizations-lack-tools-and-teams-to-address-cybersecurity-threats/

• Some 98% of Global Firms Suffer Supply Chain Breach in 2021

Just 2% of global organisations didn’t suffer a supply chain breach last year, with visibility into cyber risk getting harder as these ecosystems expand, according to BlueVoyant.

The security firm polled 2100 C-level execs with responsibility for supply chain and cyber risk management from companies with 1000+ employees to compile its study, The State of Supply Chain Defense: Annual Global Insights Report 2022.

It found the top challenges listed by respondents were:

• Awareness internally that third-party suppliers are part of their cyber security posture

• Meeting regulatory requirements and ensuring third-party cyber security compliance

• Working with third-party suppliers to improve their posture.

Supply chains are growing: the number of firms with over 1000 suppliers increased from 38% in 2021’s report to 50%. Although 53% of organisations audited or reported on supplier security more than twice annually, 40% still rely on suppliers to ensure security levels are sufficient. That means they have no way of knowing if an issue arises with a supplier.

Worse, 42% admitted that if they do discover an issue in their supply chain and inform their supplier, they cannot verify that the issue was resolved. Just 3% monitor their supply chain daily, although the number of respondents using security ratings services to enhance visibility and reduce cyber risk increased from 36% last year to 39% in this year’s report.

With the escalating threat landscape and number of high-profile incidents being reported, firms should focus more strategically on addressing supply chain cyber security risk. In the current volatile economic climate, the last thing any business needs is any further disruption to their operations, any unexpected costs, or negative impact on their brand.

https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/98-global-firms-supply-chain/

• Only 30% of Cyber Insurance Holders Say Ransomware is Covered

Cyber insurance providers appear to be limiting policy coverage due to surging costs from claimants, according to a new study from Delinea.

The security vendor polled 300 US-based IT decision makers to compile its latest report, Cyber insurance: if you get it be ready to use it.

Although 93% were approved for specialised cyber insurance cover by their provider, just 30% said their policy covered “critical risks” including ransomware, ransom negotiations and payments. Around half (48%) said their policy covers data recovery, while just a third indicated it covers incident response, regulatory fines and third-party damages.

That may be because many organisations are regularly being breached and look to their providers for pay-outs, driving up costs for carriers. Some 80% of those surveyed said they’ve had to call on their insurance, and half of these have submitted claims multiple times, the study noted.

As a result, many insurers are demanding that prospective policyholders implement more comprehensive security controls before they’re allowed to sign up.

Half (51%) of respondents said that security awareness training was a requirement, while (47%) said the same about malware protection, AV software, multi-factor authentication (MFA) and data backups.

However, high-level checks may not be enough to protect insurers from surging losses, as they can’t guarantee customers are properly deploying security controls.

Cyber insurance providers need to start advancing beyond simple checklists for security controls. They must require their customers to validate that their security controls work as designed and expected. They need their customers to simulate their adversaries to ensure that when they are attacked, the attack will not result in a breach. In fact, we're already starting to see government regulations and guidance that includes adversary simulation as part of their proactive response to threats.

https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/cyberinsurance-ransomware-cover/

• Companies Hit by Ransomware Often Targeted Again, Research Says

It has been reported that more than a third of companies who paid a ransom to cyber criminals after being hit by a ransomware attack went on to be targeted for a second time, according to a new report.

The Hiscox Cyber Readiness Report found that 36% of companies that made the ransom payment were hit again, while 41% who paid failed to recover all of their data.

The head of the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), Lindy Cameron, said last year that ransomware attacks were the “most immediate danger” to the UK and urged companies to take more steps to protect themselves and their data.

The NCSC urges firms not to pay ransoms as it not only helps fund further crime but offers no guarantee that criminals will return the stolen or locked data. The Hiscox report appeared to back up the NCSC’s warnings, with 43% of the businesses who paid a ransom saying they still had to rebuild their systems while 29% said that despite making the payment their stolen data was still leaked. A further 26% said a ransomware attack had had a significant financial impact on their business.

https://informationsecuritybuzz.com/companies-hit-by-ransomware-often-targeted-again-research-says-and-expert-comments/

• Ransomware Remains Top Cyber Risk for Organisations Globally, Says Allianz

According to an Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty cyber report, ransomware remains a top cyber risk for organisations globally, while the threat of state-sponsored cyber attacks grows.

There were a record 623 million attacks in 2021, which was double that of 2020, says Allianz.

It also notes that despite the frequency reducing 23% globally during H1 of 2022, the year-to-date total still exceeds that of the full years of 2017, 2018 and 2019, while Europe saw attacks surge over this period. Allianz suggests that ransomware is forecast to cause $30bn in damages to organisations globally by 2023.

It adds that from an Allianz perspective, the value of ransomware claims the company was involved in together with other insurers, accounted for well over 50% of all cyber claims costs during 2020 and 2021.

The cyber risk landscape doesn’t allow for any resting on laurels. Ransomware and phishing scams are as active as ever and on top of that there is the prospect of a hybrid cyber war.

Most companies will not be able to evade a cyber threat. However, it is clear that organisations with good cyber maturity are better equipped to deal with incidents. Even when they are attacked, losses are typically less severe due to established identification and response mechanisms.

Many companies still need to strengthen their cyber controls, particularly around IT security trainings, better network segmentation for critical environments and cyber incident response plans and security governance.

Allianz observes that geopolitical tensions, such as the war in Ukraine, are a major factor reshaping the cyber threat landscape as the risks of espionage, sabotage, and destructive cyber-attacks against companies with ties to Russia and Ukraine increase, as well as allies and those in neighbouring countries.

https://www.reinsurancene.ws/ransomware-remains-top-cyber-risk-for-organisations-globally-says-allianz/

• How Geopolitical Turmoil Changed the Cyber Security Threat Landscape

ENISA, EU’s Agency for Cybersecurity, released its annual Threat Landscape report, covering the period from July 2021 up to July 2022.

With more than 10 terabytes of data stolen monthly, ransomware still fares as one of the prime threats in the new report with phishing now identified as the most common initial vector of such attacks. The other threats to rank highest along ransomware are attacks against availability also called Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks.

However, the geopolitical situations particularly the Russian invasion of Ukraine have acted as a game changer over the reporting period for the global cyber domain. While we still observe an increase of the number of threats, we also see a wider range of vectors emerge such as zero-day exploits and AI-enabled disinformation and deepfakes. As a result, more malicious and widespread attacks emerge having more damaging impact.

EU Agency for Cybersecurity Executive Director, Juhan Lepassaar stated that “Today’s global context is inevitably driving major changes in the cyber security threat landscape. The new paradigm is shaped by the growing range of threat actors. We enter a phase which will need appropriate mitigation strategies to protect all our critical sectors, our industry partners and therefore all EU citizens.”

State sponsored, cyber crime, hacker-for-hire actors and hacktivists remain the prominent threat actors during the reporting period of July 2021 to July 2022.

ENISA sorted threats into 8 groups. Frequency and impact determine how prominent all of these threats still are.

• Ransomware: 60% of affected organisations may have paid ransom demands

• Malware: 66 disclosures of zero-day vulnerabilities observed in 2021

• Social engineering: Phishing remains a popular technique but we see new forms of phishing arising such as spear-phishing, whaling, smishing and vishing

• Threats against data: Increasing in proportionally to the total of data produced

• Disinformation – misinformation: Escalating AI-enabled disinformation, deepfakes and disinformation-as-a-service

• Supply chain targeting: Third-party incidents account for 17% of the intrusions in 2021 compared to less than 1% in 2020

• Threats against availability:

  • Largest denial of service (DDoS) attack ever was launched in Europe in July 2022

  • Internet: destruction of infrastructure, outages and rerouting of internet traffic.

https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2022/11/08/cybersecurity-threat-landscape-2022/

• Swiss Re Wants Government Bail Out as Cyber Crime Insurance Costs Spike

As insurance companies struggle to stay afloat amid rising cyber claims, Swiss Re has recommended a public-private partnership insurance scheme with one option being a government-backed fund to help fill the coverage gap.

Global cyber insurance premiums hit $10 billion in 2021, according to Swiss Re's estimates. In a study published this week, the insurance giant forecasted 20 percent annual growth to 2025, with premiums rising to $23 billion over the next few years.

Meanwhile, annual cyber attack-related losses total about $945 billion globally, and about 90% of that risk remains uninsured, according to insurance researchers at the Geneva Association.

While Forrester estimates a typical data breach costs an average $2.4 million for investigation and recovery, only 55 percent of companies currently have cyber insurance policies. Additionally, less than 20 percent have coverage limits in excess of $600,000, which the analyst firm cites as the median ransomware demand in 2021.

https://www.theregister.com/2022/11/08/government_cyber_insurance/

• Extortion Economics: Ransomware's New Business Model

Ransomware-as-a-service lowers the barriers to entry, hides attackers’ identities, and creates multitier, specialised roles in service of ill-gotten gains.

Did you know that more than 80% of ransomware attacks can be traced to common configuration errors in software and devices? This ease of access is one of many reasons why cyber criminals have become emboldened by the underground ransomware economy.

And yet many threat actors work within a relatively small and interconnected ecosystem of players. This pool of cyber criminals has created specialised roles and consolidated the cyber crime economy, fuelling ransomware-as-a-service (RaaS) to become the dominant business model. In doing so, they've enabled a wider range of criminals to deploy ransomware regardless of their technical expertise and forced all of us to become cyber security defenders in the process.

Ransomware takes advantage of existing security compromises to gain access to internal networks. In the same way businesses hire gig workers to cut costs, cyber criminals have turned to renting or selling their ransomware tools for a portion of the profits rather than performing the attacks themselves.

This flourishing RaaS economy allows cyber criminals to purchase access to ransomware payloads and data leakage, as well as payment infrastructure. What we think of as ransomware gangs are actually RaaS programs like Conti or REvil, used by the many different actors who switch between RaaS programs and payloads.

RaaS lowers the barrier to entry and obfuscates the identity of the attackers behind the ransoming. Some programs can have 50 or more "affiliates," as they refer to their users, with varying tools, tradecraft, and objectives. Anyone with a laptop and credit card who is willing to search the Dark Web for penetration-testing tools or out-of-the-box malware can join this maximum efficiency economy.

https://www.darkreading.com/microsoft/extortion-economics-ransomware-s-new-business-model

• Confidence in Data Recovery Tools Low

A recent IDC and Druva survey asked 505 respondents across 10 industries about their ransomware experiences and found that many organisations struggle to recover after an attack. In the survey, 85% of the respondents said their organisations had a ransomware recovery plan. The challenge seems to lie in effectively executing that plan.

"A majority of organisations suffered significant consequences from ransomware attacks including long recoveries and unrecoverable data despite paying a ransom," states the "You Think Ransomware Is Your Only Problem? Think Again" report.

Data resiliency is such an important element of cyber security that 96% of respondents considered it a top priority for their organisations, with a full 77% placing it in the top 3. What's striking about the survey results is that only 14% of respondents said they were "extremely confident" in their tools, even though 92% called their data resiliency tools "efficient" or "highly efficient."

When data is spread across hybrid, cloud, and edge environments, data resiliency becomes much more complicated. A plan might seem to cover everything, but then you realise that you lost your backup or can't find the latest restore point.

The ability to recover from an attack is vital, since the growth in ransomware makes it likely that your organisation will get hit. This is why agencies like NIST recommend preparing for when an attacker pierces your defences rather than trying to keep out every intruder. That mindset also shifts the priority to preparation and planning; you need to create a disaster recovery plan that includes policy on restore points and recovery tools — and you need to practice implementing that plan before disaster strikes.

The report lists three key performance indicators that reveal the success of an organisation's recovery from a cyber attack:

• The ability to fully recover encrypted or deleted data without paying a ransom.

• Zero data loss in the process of recovering the data.

• Rapid recovery as defined by applicable service-level requirements.

When a recovery fails to meet these criteria, then the organisation may suffer financial loss, loss of reputation, permanently lost customers, and reduced employee productivity.

https://www.darkreading.com/tech-trends/confidence-in-data-recovery-tools-low

• Russia’s Sway Over Criminal Ransomware Gangs Is Coming into Focus

Russia-based ransomware gangs are some of the most prolific and aggressive, in part thanks to an apparent safe harbour the Russian government extends to them. The Kremlin doesn't cooperate with international ransomware investigations and typically declines to prosecute cyber criminals operating in the country so long as they don't attack domestic targets. A long-standing question, though, is whether these financially motivated hackers ever receive directives from the Russian government and to what extent the gangs are connected to the Kremlin's offensive hacking. The answer is starting to become clearer.

New research presented at the Cyberwarcon security conference in Arlington, Virginia, this week looked at the frequency and targeting of ransomware attacks against organisations based in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, and France in the lead-up to these countries' national elections. The findings suggest a loose but visible alignment between Russian government priorities and activities and ransomware attacks leading up to elections in the six countries.

The project analysed a data set of over 4,000 ransomware attacks perpetrated against victims in 102 countries between May 2019 and May 2022. The analysis showed a statistically significant increase in ransomware attacks from Russia-based gangs against organisations in the six victim countries ahead of their national elections. These nations suffered the most total ransomware attacks per year in the data set, about three-quarters of all the attacks.

The data was used to compare the timing of attacks for groups believed to be based out of Russia and groups based everywhere else. They looked at the number of attacks on any given day, and what they found was an interesting relationship where for these Russia-based groups, there was an increase in the number of attacks starting four months before an election and moving three, two, one month in, up to the event.

The findings showed broadly that non-Russian ransomware gangs didn't have a statistically significant increase in attacks in the lead-up to elections. Whereas two months out from a national election, for example, the researchers found that organisations in the six top victim countries were at a 41 percent greater chance of having a ransomware attack from a Russia-based gang on a given day, compared to the baseline.

https://www.wired.com/story/russia-ransomware-gang-connections/

• Insider Risk on the Rise: 12% of Employees Take IP When Leaving Jobs

Twelve percent of all employees take sensitive intellectual property (IP) with them when they leave an organisation.

The data comes from workforce cyber intelligence and security company Dtex, which published a report about top insider risk trends for 2022. “Customer data, employee data, health records, sales contacts, and the list goes on,” reads the document. “More and more applications are providing new features that make data exfiltration easier. For example, many now provide the ability to maintain clipboard history and sync across multiple devices.”

Case in point, the report also suggests a 55% increase in unsanctioned application usage, including those making data exfiltration easier by allowing users to maintain clipboard history and sync IP across multiple devices. “Bring Your Own Applications (BYOA) or Shadow IT can be a source of intelligence for business innovation,” Dtex wrote. “Still, they pose a major risk if the security team has not tested these tools thoroughly.”

Further, the new data highlight a 20% increase in resignation letter research and creation from employees taking advantage of the tight labour market to switch positions for higher wages.

“In most cases, an individual planning to leave the business is not pleased with the company’s product, co-workers, work environment, or compensation,” reads the report. “Disgruntled employees are usually jaded by a business that has not shown any steps to alleviate concerns, even after communication attempts.”

Finally, the Dtex report says the industry has witnessed a 200% increase in unsanctioned third-party work on corporate devices from a high prevalence of employees engaged in side gigs.

https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/12-of-employees-take-ip-when/

• Why a Clear Cyber Policy is Critical for Companies

In October, Joe Sullivan, Uber’s former head of security, was convicted of covering up a 2016 data breach at the ride hailing giant by hiding details from US regulators and then paying off the hackers.

It was a trial followed nervously by cyber security professionals around the world — coming eight years after an incident that had compromised the personal information of more than 57mn people.

“Any news about another company dealing with a data security incident can strike a bit of fear across industries,” notes Mary Pothos, chief privacy officer at digital travel company Booking.com. She adds that incidents like these cause “many companies to pause, rethink or revisit their internal processes to make sure that they are operating effectively”.

These incidents, and threats, are growing at lightning speed, too. War in Ukraine is now being played out as much in cyber space as on the battlefield. The Covid pandemic has forced businesses to rethink where their employees work, and handle or access data. At the same time, the sheer number of web-connected devices is multiplying.

“We need to be people who can predict what is coming along the line, predict the future, almost” said Victor Shadare, head of cyber security at media company Condé Nast, at a recent FT event on cyber security.

Palo Alto Networks, a specialist security company, found that cyber extortion grew rapidly in 2021. Some 35 new ransomware gangs emerged, the average ransom demand increasing 144 per cent that year to $2.2mn, and the average payment rose by 78 per cent to $541,010.

Meanwhile, cyber security personnel have found themselves hemmed in by increasingly onerous regulations. These include threats of legal action if the right people are not informed about breaches, or if products come to market that are not safe enough. On September 15, for example, the European Commission presented a proposal for a new Cyber Resilience Act to protect consumers from products with inadequate security features.

“New domains of security have sprung up over the past years, so it’s not just an information technology problem any more, it’s really a full company risk issue,” says Kevin Tierney, vice-president of global cyber security at automotive group General Motors. He warns that automated and connected vehicles have thrown up additional threats to be addressed.

“You have to start out with the right governance structure and the right policies and procedures — that’s step one of really getting the company to understand what it needs to do,” he says. These include clear rules on how to disable access to tech equipment, on data protection and storage, on transferring and disposing of data, on using corporate networks, and on reporting any data breaches.

Security experts also tend to agree that there need to be robust systems of governance and accountability, to prevent the sort of trouble that befell Sullivan at Uber. Perhaps most crucially, staff across the organisation, from C-suite to assistants, need to know how to spot and manage a threat.

https://www.ft.com/content/0bb6df09-7d77-4605-aac3-89443ed65a18

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Threats

Ransomware and Extortion

• Medibank: Hackers release abortion data after stealing Australian medical records - BBC News

• Medical data hacked from 10m Australians begins to appear on dark web | World news | The Guardian

• HSE cyber attack: More than 100,000 people whose personal data stolen to be contacted – The Irish Times

• How ransomware gangs and malware campaigns are changing - Help Net Security

• Thales confirms hackers have released its data on the dark web | Reuters

• More NHS dentists could be forced to close after major cyber attack leaves some nearing financial ruin (inews.co.uk)

• Most SMBs Fear Ransomware Attack Amid Heightened Geopolitical Tensions - MSSP Alert

• Australia to consider banning paying of ransoms to cyber criminals | Reuters

• LockBit gang claims to have stolen data from Kearney & Company - Security Affairs

• Azov Ransomware is a wiper, destroying data 666 bytes at a time (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Ransomware Gang Offers to Sell Files Stolen From Continental for $50 Million | SecurityWeek.Com

• Canadian food retail giant Sobeys hit by Black Basta ransomware (bleepingcomputer.com)

• LockBit affiliate uses Amadey Bot malware to deploy ransomware (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Man Arrested in Ontario For Alleged LockBit Ransomware Involvement - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Russia-linked IRIDIUM APT linked to Prestige ransomware attacks against Ukraine - Security Affairs

• Conti Affiliates Black Basta, BlackByte Continue to Attack Critical Infrastructure - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• US Health Dept warns of Venus ransomware targeting healthcare orgs (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Ransomware attacks on hospitals take toll on patients (nbcnews.com)

• Hackers post Hereford schoolchildren's data records on dark web | Hereford Times

• CISA and Spain Partnership to Develop Tool to Help Countries Combat Ransomware - MSSP Alert

Phishing & Email Based Attacks

• What is no-hook phishing? | IT PRO

• Phishing threats are increasingly convincing and evasive - Help Net Security

• Robin Banks phishing-as-a-service platform continues to evolve - Security Affairs

• Phishing drops IceXLoader malware on thousands of home, corporate devices (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Massive Phishing Campaigns Target India Banks’ Clients (trendmicro.com)

BEC – Business Email Compromise

• Instagram star gets 11 years for $300m BEC conspiracy • The Register

Malware

• Advanced RAT AgentTesla Most Prolific Malware in October - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Phishing drops IceXLoader malware on thousands of home, corporate devices (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Cloud9 Malware Offers a Paradise of Cyber attack Methods (darkreading.com)

• More malware is being hidden in PNG images, so watch out | TechRadar

• Attackers Using IPFS for Distributed, Bulletproof Malware Hosting | SecurityWeek.Com

• Malicious extension lets attackers control Google Chrome remotely (bleepingcomputer.com)

• New hacking group uses custom 'Symatic' Cobalt Strike loaders (bleepingcomputer.com)

• New StrelaStealer malware steals your Outlook, Thunderbird accounts (bleepingcomputer.com)

Mobile

• 5 Common Smartphone Security Myths, Debunked (makeuseof.com)

• Oh, look: More malware in the Google Play store • The Register

• Malicious app in the Play Store spotted distributing Xenomorph Banking Trojan - Security Affairs

• Malicious droppers on Google Play deliver banking malware to victims - Help Net Security

• Samsung phones are being targeted by some seriously shady zero-days | TechRadar

• Vultur Android Banking Trojan Reaches 100,000+ Downloads on Google Play Store - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• New BadBazaar Android malware linked to Chinese cyber spies (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Worok hackers hide new malware in PNGs using steganography (bleepingcomputer.com)

Internet of Things – IoT

• Cyber security 'Nutrition' Labels Still a Work in Progress (darkreading.com)

• Knock, Knock: Aiphone Bug Allows Cyber attackers to Literally Open (Physical) Doors (darkreading.com)

Organised Crime & Criminal Actors

• Cyberwar and Cyber crime Go Hand in Hand (darkreading.com)

• An initial access broker claims to have hacked Deutsche Bank - Security Affairs

• Cyber crime costs to hit $10.5tn by 2025 hears Saudi forum - Arabian Business

• 4 Types of Cyber Crime Groups (trendmicro.com)

• Cyber crime Group OPERA1ER Stole $11M From 16 African Businesses (darkreading.com)

• Instagram star gets 11 years for $300m BEC conspiracy • The Register

Cryptocurrency/Cryptomining/Cryptojacking/NFTs/Blockchain

• FTX says it is probing ‘abnormal transactions’ after potential hack | Financial Times

• Kraken's CSO Claims To Have Identified The $600 Million FTX Hacker (coingape.com)

Insider Risk and Insider Threats

• The 'Great Resignation' Caused Insider Threats to Peak in Q3 2022, Kroll Finds - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

Fraud, Scams & Financial Crime

• Fifth Of 18 To 34-year-olds Have Fallen Victim To Financial Scams – Information Security Buzz

• Ukrainian Cyber Cops Bust $200m Fraud Ring - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Retail Sector Prepares for Annual Holiday Cyber crime Onslaught (darkreading.com)

• Online payment fraud is evolving - Help Net Security

• US seized 18 web domains used for recruiting money mules (bleepingcomputer.com)

Insurance

• Rising cost of cyber attacks sends insurance policy charges soaring | Financial Times (ft.com)

• Just 25% of businesses are insured against cyber attacks. Here's why (theconversation.com)

• Re-Focusing Cyber Insurance with Security Validation (thehackernews.com)

• Swiss Re: Cyber-Insurance Industry Must Reform - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

Dark Web

• DoJ seizes $3.36B Bitcoin from Silk Road hacker - Security Affairs

• Silk Road drugs market hacker pleads guilty, faces 20 years inside – Naked Security (sophos.com)

Supply Chain and Third Parties

• Evolving From Third-Party Risk Management To The Extended Enterprise – Information Security Buzz

Hybrid Working

• Remote work pushes video conferencing security to the fore - Help Net Security

Attack Surface Management

• Managing and Mitigating Risk From Unknown Unknowns (darkreading.com)

Identity and Access Management

• A Better Way to Resist Identity-Based Cyber Threats (darkreading.com)

API

• Top 5 API Security Myths That Are Crushing Your Business (thehackernews.com)

Passwords, Credential Stuffing & Brute Force Attacks

• Microsoft Password Hacking Increase – Information Security Buzz

• False sense of safety undermines good password hygiene - Help Net Security

• Password-hacking attacks are on the rise. Here's how to stop your accounts from being stolen | ZDNET

Social Media

• Twitter C-Level Resignations Continue As Blue Program Creates New Cyber-Risks - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Twitter blue check unavailable after impostor accounts erupt on platform | Twitter | The Guardian

• Twitter chief information security officer Lea Kissner departs | TechCrunch

Privacy, Surveillance and Mass Monitoring

• World Cup apps pose a data security and privacy nightmare • The Register

• Surveillance 'Existential' Danger of Tech: Signal Boss | SecurityWeek.Com

Regulations, Fines and Legislation

• SEC Announces 'Enforcement Action' For SolarWinds Over 2020 Hack - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Experian, T-Mobile fined $16m for spilling 18m people's data • The Register

Careers, Working in Cyber and Information Security

• Three million empty seats: What can we do about the cyber skills shortage? (computerweekly.com)

• Cyber security, cloud and coding: Why these three skills will lead demand in 2023 | ZDNET

• Cyber security leaders want to quit. Here's what is pushing them to leave | ZDNET

Law Enforcement Action and Take Downs

• DoJ seizes $3.36B Bitcoin from Silk Road hacker - Security Affairs

Spyware, Cyber Espionage & Cyber Warfare, including Russian Invasion of Ukraine

• Cyberwar and Cyber crime Go Hand in Hand (darkreading.com)

• Red Cross seeks digital equivalent of its emblems • The Register

• Russia’s New Cyberwarfare in Ukraine Is Fast, Dirty, and Relentless | WIRED

• EU calls for joint cyber defence in response to Russia • The Register

• Nation-State Hacker Attacks on Critical Infrastructure Soar: Microsoft | SecurityWeek.Com

• What Ukraine’s cyber defence tactics can teach other nations | Financial Times (ft.com)

• Russia-linked IRIDIUM APT linked to Prestige ransomware attacks against Ukraine - Security Affairs

• APT29 abused Windows Credential Roaming in attacks - Security Affairs

• Android RAT Group Targets Indian Defence Personnel - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Dutch MEP says illegal spyware ‘a grave threat to democracy’ | European Commission | The Guardian

• Greece Is Banning Spyware After Predator Phone-Tapping Scandal (gizmodo.com)

• British embassy security guard David Smith admits spying for Russia - BBC News

Nation State Actors

Nation State Actors – Russia

• EU calls for joint cyber defence in response to Russia • The Register

• Ukraine war: Russians kept in the dark by internet search - BBC News

• Microsoft links Russia’s military to cyber attacks in Poland and Ukraine | Ars Technica

• Putin ally Yevgeny Prigozhin admits interfering in US elections | Russia | The Guardian

• Russia-linked IRIDIUM APT linked to Prestige ransomware attacks against Ukraine - Security Affairs

Nation State Actors – China

• New BadBazaar Android malware linked to Chinese cyber spies (bleepingcomputer.com)

Nation State Actors – Misc

• Microsoft: Nation-state threats, zero-day attacks increasing (techtarget.com)

Vulnerability Management

• Why CVE Management as a Primary Strategy Doesn't Work (darkreading.com)

• Why it's time to review your Microsoft patch management options | CSO Online

• Risk-Based Vulnerability Management: Understanding the RBVM Trend (darkreading.com)

• How can CISOs catch up with the security demands of their ever-growing networks? - Help Net Security

• Microsoft: Nation-state threats, zero-day attacks increasing (techtarget.com)

• Types of vulnerability scanning and when to use each (techtarget.com)

Vulnerabilities

• Microsoft November 2022 Patch Tuesday fixes 6 exploited zero-days, 68 flaws (bleepingcomputer.com)

• VMware fixes three critical auth bypass bugs in remote access tool (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Citrix ADC and Citrix Gateway are affected by a critical auth bypass - Security Affairs

• Cisco Patches 33 Vulnerabilities in Enterprise Firewall Products | SecurityWeek.Com

• Microsoft Patches MotW Zero-Day Exploited for Malware Delivery | SecurityWeek.Com

• Apple out-of-band patches fix RCE bugs in iOS and macOS - Security Affairs

• Microsoft fixes ProxyNotShell Exchange zero-days exploited in attacks (bleepingcomputer.com)

• SAP Patches Critical Vulnerabilities in BusinessObjects, SAPUI5 | SecurityWeek.Com

• Lenovo driver goof poses security risk for users of 25 notebook models | Ars Technica

• Foxit Patches Several Code Execution Vulnerabilities in PDF Reader | SecurityWeek.Com

• LiteSpeed Vulnerabilities Can Lead to Complete Web Server Takeover | SecurityWeek.Com

Reports Published in the Last Week

• 2022 Cloud Data Security Report - Help Net Security

• Report on DDoS attacks in Q3 2022 | Securelist

• Cyber security Trends Report: Check Point Software Predicts Hikes in Hacking and Exploits - MSSP Alert

• Data Security Trust is Down, Anxiety is Up, Rubrik Zero Labs Reports - MSSP Alert

Other News

• Majority of Security Managers Lack Threat Intelligence Skills - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• What Is Threat Hunting? A Definition for MSPs and Channel Partners - MSSP Alert

• Cyber security: These are the new things to worry about in 2023 | ZDNET

• Cyber Professionals Now Tasked with Securing Society, Says Mikko Hyppönen - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Corporations Confident in Data Protection Programs but Scrutiny is Lacking, New Report Finds - MSSP Alert

• What We Really Mean When We Talk About ‘Cyber security’ (darkreading.com)

• Personal cyber security is now a company problem - Help Net Security

• History of Computer Viruses & Malware | What Was Their Impact? (esecurityplanet.com)

• 5 Reasons to Consolidate Your Tech Stack (thehackernews.com)

• Attacks on Microsoft SQL have seen a huge rise | TechRadar

• Cookies for MFA Bypass Gain Traction Among Cyber attackers (darkreading.com)

• 2FA, 3FA, MFA… What does it all mean? - Help Net Security

• Qatar World Cup Firms Urged to Upgrade Cyber-Threat Model - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Common lateral movement techniques and how to prevent them (techtarget.com)

• Beyond the Pen Test: How to Protect Against Sophisticated Cyber criminals (darkreading.com)

• Red, purple, or blue? When it comes to offensive security operations, it’s not just about picking one colour - Help Net Security

• 5 ways to overcome multifactor authentication vulnerabilities (techtarget.com)

• The security dilemma of data sprawl - Help Net Security

• 15,000 sites hacked for massive Google SEO poisoning campaign (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Unencrypted Traffic Still Undermining Wi-Fi Security (darkreading.com)

• Researchers Devise Wi-Peep Drone That Can 'See Through Walls' (gizmodo.com)

Sector Specific

Industry specific threat intelligence reports are available.

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

·       Automotive

·       Construction

·       Critical National Infrastructure (CNI)

·       Defence & Space

·       Education & Academia

·       Energy & Utilities

·       Estate Agencies

·       Financial Services

·       FinTech

·       Food & Agriculture

·       Gaming & Gambling

·       Government & Public Sector (including Law Enforcement)

·       Health/Medical/Pharma

·       Hotels & Hospitality

·       Insurance

·       Legal

·       Manufacturing

·       Maritime

·       Oil, Gas & Mining

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

·       Retail & eCommerce

·       Small and Medium Sized Businesses (SMBs)

·       Startups

·       Telecoms

·       Third Sector & Charities

·       Transport & Aviation

·       Web3

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

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

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

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

Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing 04 November 2022

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

Top Cyber Stories of the Last Week

• NCSC Looks Back on Year Of ‘Profound Change’ for Cyber

The UK’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) provided support for 18 nationally significant ransomware attacks; removed 2.1 million cyber-enabled commodity campaigns; issued 34 million early warning alerts about attacks, compromises, vulnerabilities or open ports; and received 6.5 million reports of suspicious emails in the past 12 months – but in a year of “profound change” in the cyber security landscape, it was Russia’s invasion of Ukraine that dominated the agenda.

Reflecting on the past 12 months as she launched the NCSC’s latest annual report on 1 November at an event in London, NCSC CEO Lindy Cameron said that the return of war to Europe with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine presented a unique set of challenges in cyber space for the NCSC and its partners and allies.

Cameron added that while the cyber threat from Russia has perhaps been the most visible security issue of 2022, it was also important not to forget that when it comes to nation-state actors, it will likely be the technical development and evolution of China that ultimately has the more lasting impact on the UK’s national cyber security.

https://www.computerweekly.com/news/252526766/NCSC-looks-back-on-year-of-profound-change-for-cyber

• LastPass Research Finds False Sense of Cyber Security Running Rampant

LastPass released findings from its fifth annual Psychology of Password findings, which revealed even with cyber security education on the rise, password hygiene has not improved. Regardless of generational differences across Boomers, Millennials and Gen Z, the research shows a false sense of password security given current behaviours across the board. In addition, LastPass found that while 65% of all respondents have some form of cyber security education — through school, work, social media, books or via online courses — the reality is that 62% almost always or mostly use the same or variation of a password.

The survey, which explored the password security behaviours of 3,750 professionals across seven countries, asked about respondents’ mindset and behaviours surrounding their online security. The findings highlighted a clear disconnect between high confidence when it comes to their password management and their unsafe actions. While the majority of professionals surveyed claimed to be confident in their current password management, this doesn’t translate to safer online behaviour and can create a detrimental false sense of safety.

Key findings from the research include:

• Gen Z is confident when it comes to their password management, while also being the biggest offenders of poor password hygiene.

• Cyber security education doesn’t necessarily translate to action.

• Confidence creates a false sense of password security.

The latest research showcases that even in the face of a pandemic, where we spent more time online amid rising cyber attacks, there continues to be a disconnect for people when it comes to protecting their digital lives. Even though nearly two-thirds of respondents had some form of cyber security education, it is not being put into practice for varying reasons.

https://www.darkreading.com/vulnerabilities-threats/untitled

• Insurance Giant Settles NotPetya ‘Act of War’ Lawsuit, Signaling Cyber Insurance Shakeup

The settlement last week in a $100 million lawsuit over whether insurance giant Zurich should cover losses Mondelez International suffered from NotPetya may very well reshape the entire cyber insurance marketplace.

Zurich initially denied claims from Mondelez after the malware, which experts estimate caused some $10 billion in damages globally, wreaked havoc on its computer networks. The insurance provider claimed an act of war exemption since it’s widely believed Russian military hackers unleashed NotPetya on a Ukrainian company before it spread around the world.

Now, however, it’s increasingly clear insurers aren’t off the hook for NotPetya payouts or from covering losses from other attacks with clear links to nation-state hackers.

That’s because in this case, what Mondelez and many other corporations endured was not an act of war, but “collateral damage” in a much larger cyber conflict that had nothing to do with them, said the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

There needs to be a rethink what act of war means in cyber space when it comes to insurance. The current definitions come out of the 19th century when we had pirates, navies and privateers.

Last week’s ruling in favour of Mondelez follows a January ruling in a New Jersey court that sided with global pharmaceutical company Merck in a similar case. Its insurance companies initially refused to pay for damages from NotPetya. Merck claimed losses that amounted to $1.4 billion. The insurers are appealing the ruling.

Insurers seized on the NotPetya episode to test how courts would rule on cyber coverage questions, particularly when there’s so much evidence pointing to one particular nation-state actor. Since NotPetya was widely attributed to the Russian government it gave the industry a “really strong opportunity” to set legal precedent limiting their responsibility in these instances.

Insurers will start to be much more upfront about the fact that they aren’t going to cover acts of cyber war or limit payouts for NotPetya type incidents in the future.

https://www.cyberscoop.com/insurance-giant-settles-notpetya-lawsuit/

• Microsoft Warns of Uptick in Hackers Leveraging Publicly-Disclosed 0-Day Vulnerabilities

Microsoft is warning of an uptick among nation-state and criminal actors increasingly leveraging publicly-disclosed zero-day vulnerabilities for breaching target environments.

The tech giant, in its 114-page Digital Defense Report, said it has "observed a reduction in the time between the announcement of a vulnerability and the commoditisation of that vulnerability," making it imperative that organisations patch such exploits in a timely manner.

This also corroborates with an April 2022 advisory from the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), which found that bad actors are "aggressively" targeting newly disclosed software bugs against broad targets globally.

Microsoft noted that it only takes 14 days on average for an exploit to be available in the wild after public disclosure of a flaw, stating that while zero-day attacks are initially limited in scope, they tend to be swiftly adopted by other threat actors, leading to indiscriminate probing events before the patches are installed.

It further accused Chinese state-sponsored groups of being "particularly proficient" at discovering and developing zero-day exploits. This has been compounded by the fact that the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) enacted a new vulnerability reporting regulation in September 2021 that requires security flaws to be reported to the government prior to them being shared with the product developers.

Redmond further said the law could enable government-backed elements to stockpile and weaponise the reported bugs, resulting in the increased use of zero-days for espionage activities designed to advance China's economic and military interests.

https://thehackernews.com/2022/11/microsoft-warns-of-uptick-in-hackers.html

• Chinese Mob Has 100K Slaves Working in Cambodian Cyber Crime Mills

Up to 100,000 people from across Asia have been lured to Cambodia by Chinese crime syndicates with the promise of good jobs. When they arrive, their passports are seized and they are put to work in modern-day sweatshops, running cyber crime campaigns.

The Los Angeles Times reported that Cambodia, which was hit hard economically by the pandemic, has allowed Chinese mobsters to set up enormous cyber crime operations using human trafficked labour without consequence, because of the revenue it generates for the country. The campaigns they carry out run the gamut from romance scams to fake sports betting.

Although the Cambodian government acknowledges that as many as 100,000 workers are involved in these activities, it denies anyone is being held against their will. However, the stories from traumatised victims rescued from cyber crime mills include tales of beatings and torture for failing to meet quotas, and of being sold and passed around from gang to gang.

https://www.darkreading.com/attacks-breaches/chinese-mob-100k-slaves-cambodian-cybercrime-mills

• Ransomware Research: 17 Leaked Databases Operated by Threat Actors Threaten Third Party Organisations

Ransomware remains a serious threat to organisations, Deep Instinct, a New York-based deep learning cyber security specialist, said in its recently released 2022 Interim Cyber Threat Report.

It’s no surprise, the company said, as there are currently 17 leaked databases operated by threat actors who are leveraging the data for attacks on third-party companies, most notably social engineering, credential theft, and triple-extortion attacks.

Here are the report’s key findings:

• Changes in ransomware gangs, including LockBit, Hive, BlackCat, and Conti. The latter has spawned “Conti Splinters” made up of former affiliates Quantum, BlackBasta, and BlackByte.

• Significant changes to tactics by Emotet, Agent Tesla, NanoCore, and others. For example, Emotet uses highly obfuscated VBA macros to avoid detection.

• The use of documents for malware has decreased as the top attack vector, following Microsoft’s move to disable macros by default in Microsoft Office files. Threat actors have already pivoted to other methods such as LNK, HTML, and archive email attachments.

• Vulnerabilities such as SpoolFool, Follina and DirtyPipe highlighted the exploitability of both Windows and Linux systems despite efforts to enhance their security.

• The number of exploited in-the-wild vulnerabilities spikes every 3-4 months. The next spike is expected to occur by the end of the year.

• Threat actor groups are extending data exfiltration attacks to demand ransoms from third-party companies if the leaked data contains their sensitive information.

The report also makes three predictions:

• More inside jobs. Malicious threat actors look for the weakest link, which is often in the supply chain. Groups like Lapsus$ do not rely on exploits but instead look for insiders who are willing to sell access to data within their organisation.

• Rise of protestware. Look for a spike in protestware, which is self-sabotaging one’s software and weaponising it with malware capabilities in an effort to harm all or some of its users. The war between Russia and Ukraine has caused a surge in protestware.

• End of year attacks. While no major vulnerability in 2022 has emerged similar to the Log4J or the Exchange cases in 2021, there is an increase year-over-year in the number of publicly assigned CVEs for reported vulnerabilities. For now, threat actors are still exploiting old vulnerabilities during 2022 simply because there is a plethora of unpatched systems for 2021 CVEs but that will change.

Organisations are warned to be on their guard. 2022 has been another record year for cyber criminals and ransomware gangs. It’s no secret that these threat actors are constantly upping their game with new and improved tactics designed to evade traditional cyber defences. Defenders must continue to be vigilant and find new approaches to prevent these attacks from happening.

https://www.msspalert.com/cybersecurity-research/ransomware-research-17-leaked-databases-operated-by-threat-actors-threaten-third-party-organizations/

• Ransomware: Not Enough Victims Are Reporting Attacks, And That's a Problem for Everyone

Ransomware continues to be a significant cyber threat to businesses and the general public – but it's difficult to know the true impact of attacks because many victims aren't coming forward to report them.

The warning comes in the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) Annual Review for 2022, which looks back at key developments and incidents in cyber crime over the last year, with ransomware described as an "ever present" threat and a "major challenge" to businesses and public services.

That's demonstrated by how the review details how in the 12-month period between 1 September 2021 and 31 August 2022 there were 18 ransomware incidents that needed a "nationally coordinated" response. These included attacks on a supplier to the National Health Service (NHS) and a ransomware attack against South Staffordshire Water.

However, the true impact of ransomware remains unclear, because the NCSC says that many organisations that fall prey to ransomware attacks aren't disclosing them.

That lack of reporting is despite the significant and disruptive consequences ransomware attacks can have, not only for organisations that fall victim, but for wider society – which is why it's vital that cyber security is taken seriously and incidents are reported.

https://www.zdnet.com/article/ransomware-not-enough-victims-are-reporting-attacks-and-that-increases-the-threat-for-everyone/

• Hackers Selling Access to 576 Corporate Networks for $4 Million

A new report shows that hackers are selling access to 576 corporate networks worldwide for a total cumulative sales price of $4,000,000, fuelling attacks on the enterprise.

The research comes from Israeli cyber-intelligence firm KELA which published its Q3 2022 ransomware report, reflecting stable activity in the sector of initial access sales but a steep rise in the value of the offerings.

Although the number of sales for network access remained about the same as in the previous two quarters, the cumulative requested price has now reached $4,000,000. For comparison, the total value of initial access listings in Q2 2022 was $660,000, recording a drop in value that coincided with the summer ransomware hiatus that hurt demand.

Initial access brokers (IABs) are hackers who sell access to corporate networks, usually achieved through credential theft, webshells, or exploiting vulnerabilities in publicly exposed hardware. After establishing a foothold on the network, the threat actors sell this corporate access to other hackers who use it to steal valuable data, deploy ransomware, or conduct other malicious activity. The reasons IABs choose not to leverage network access vary, ranging from lacking diverse intrusion skills to preferring not to risk increased legal trouble.

IABs still play a crucial role in the ransomware infection chain, even if they got sidelined last year when big ransomware gangs that operated as crime syndicates operated their own IAB departments.

https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/hackers-selling-access-to-576-corporate-networks-for-4-million/

• Cyber Security Recovery is a Process That Starts Long Before a Cyber Attack Occurs

Organisations are racing to stay ahead of cyber criminals, and as a result, we see businesses investing a lot of money on identifying and detecting attacks, on preventing attacks in the first place, and in responding to live attacks. But they are not spending the same amounts on attack recovery. They may have followed all the relevant guidelines, and even implemented the ISO 27000 standard, but none of that helps them to understand how to build the business back after a serious cyber attack.

Until recent years, this cyber security recovery investment would be spent on an annual tabletop exercise or disaster recovery test and auditing recovery plans. While this should be done, it isn’t enough on its own.

Cyber security insurance is also critical, of course, but it only covers some of the losses. It won’t cover future loss. The reality is most organisations find it very difficult to fully recover from an attack. Those that invest more in disaster recovery and business continuity recover from these attacks far more swiftly than their less-prepared competitors.

The four core components of an effective cyber security recovery program

1. Pre-emptive action

2. Responsibilities and accountability

3. Having the right IT architecture, security and recovery process in place

4. Learning lessons and implementing changes.

Once these factors are understood, and any weak spots identified, the organisation can focus on re-designing or updating architecture and procedures, and on retraining employees (something that should happen regularly).

Recovery is a process that starts long before a cyber attack occurs. It concludes not when the data is secured, but when the organisation can say that it’s learned everything it can from the event and has made the changes necessary to avoid it happening again.

https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2022/11/03/cybersecurity-recovery/

• Geopolitics Plays Major Role in Cyber Attacks, Says EU Cyber Security Agency

The ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict has resulted in an increase in hacktivist activity in the past year, with state-sponsored threat actors targeting 128 governmental organisations in 42 countries that support Ukraine, according to the European Union Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA).

In addition, some threat actors targeted Ukrainian and Russian entities during the early days of the conflict, likely for the collection of intelligence, according to the 10th edition of the ENISA threat landscape report. The report, this year titled Volatile Geopolitics Shake the Trends of the 2022 Cybersecurity Threat Landscape, notes that in general geopolitical situations continue to have a high impact on cyber security.

This year's report identified several attack types frequently used by state-sponsored attackers. These include zero-day and critical vulnerability exploitation; attacks on operational technology (OT) networks; wiper attacks to destroy and disrupt networks of governmental agencies and critical infrastructure entities; and supply chain attacks. Attacks also featured social engineering, disinformation, and threats against data.

State-sponsored threat actors have also been observed targeting entities from countries in Southeast Asia, Japan, Australia, and Taiwan. Due to increased tensions between specific countries in Asia, state-sponsored threat actors have targeted countries (including EU member states) that had established closer ties with Taiwan.

Ransomware remains the top cyber crime attack type this year as well. More than 10 terabytes of data were stolen monthly during the period studied, with phishing identified as the most common initial vector of such attacks. The report also noted that 60% of affected organisations likely have paid the ransom demanded.

The second most used form of attack was DDoS. The largest DDoS attack ever was launched in Europe in July 2022 against a European customer of Akamai. The attack hit a peak at 853.7Gbps and 659.6Mpps (megapackets per second) over 14 hours.

While all sectors fell victim to attacks, public administration and government entities were the most affected, making up 24% of all cyber attack victims. This was followed by digital service providers at 13% and the general public at 12%. These three sectors alone accounted for 50% of all the attacks during this year.

https://www.csoonline.com/article/3678771/geopolitics-plays-major-role-in-cyberattacks-says-eu-cybersecurity-agency.html#tk.rss_news

• Russian Hackers Account for Most 2021 Ransomware Schemes, US Says

Payment-seeking software made by Russian hackers was used in three quarters of all the ransomware schemes reported to a US financial crime agency in the second half of 2021, a Treasury Department analysis released on Tuesday showed.

In an analysis issued in response to the increase in number and severity of ransomware attacks against critical infrastructure in the United States since late 2020, the US Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) said it had received 1,489 ransomware-related filings worth nearly $1.2 billion in 2021, a 188% jump from the year before.

Out of 793 ransomware incidents reported to FinCEN in the second half of 2021, 75% "had a nexus to Russia, its proxies, or persons acting on its behalf," the report said.

Washington last week hosted a meeting with officials from 36 countries and the European Union, as well as 13 global companies to address the growing threat of ransomware and other cyber crime, including the illicit use of cryptocurrencies.

https://www.reuters.com/technology/us-says-many-ransomware-attacks-late-2021-were-connected-russian-actors-2022-11-01/

• Exposed: The Global Hacking Network That Targets VIPs

Private investigators linked to the City of London are using an India-based computer hacking gang to target British businesses, government officials and journalists.

The Sunday Times and the Bureau of Investigative Journalism have been given access to the gang’s database, which reveals the extraordinary scale of the attacks. It shows the criminals targeted the private email accounts of more than 100 victims on behalf of investigators working for autocratic states, British lawyers and their wealthy clients. Critics of Qatar who threatened to expose wrongdoing by the Gulf state in the run-up to this month’s World Cup were among those hacked.

It is the first time the inner workings of a major “hack-for-hire” gang have been leaked to the media and it reveals multiple criminal conspiracies. Some of the hackers’ clients are private investigators used by major law firms with bases in the City of London.

The investigation — based on the leaked documents and undercover work in India — reveals:

• Orders went out to the gang to target the BBC’s political editor Chris Mason in May, three weeks after his appointment was announced.

• The president of Switzerland and his deputy were targeted just days after he met Boris Johnson and Liz Truss in Downing Street to discuss Russian sanctions.

• Philip Hammond, then chancellor, was hacked as he was dealing with the fallout of Russia’s novichok poisonings in Salisbury.

• A private investigator hired by a London law firm acting for the Russian state ordered the gang to target a British-based oligarch fleeing President Putin.

• Michel Platini, the former head of European football, was hacked shortly before he was due to talk to French police about corruption allegations relating to this year’s World Cup.

• The hackers broke into the email inboxes of the Formula One motor racing bosses Ruth Buscombe, the British head of race strategy at the Alfa Romeo team, and Otmar Szafnauer, who was chief executive of the Aston Martin team.

• The gang seized control of computers owned by Pakistan’s politicians, generals and diplomats and eavesdropped on their private conversations apparently at the behest of the Indian secret services.

The commissioning of hacking is a criminal offence punishable with a maximum sentence of ten years in jail in Britain. The Metropolitan Police was tipped off about the allegations regarding Qatar in October last year, yet chose not to take any action. David Davis, the former cabinet minister, said that the force should reopen its investigation into the cyber attacks against British citizens. Davis said the investigation exposed how London has become “the global centre of hacking”.

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/exposed-the-global-hacking-network-that-targets-vips-nff67j67z

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Threats

Ransomware and Extortion

• Wannacry, the hybrid malware that brought the world to its knees. Let’s not forget! - Security Affairs

• International Counter Ransomware Initiative 2022 Joint Statement | The White House

• Oreo Giant Mondelez Settles NotPetya 'Act of War' Insurance Suit (darkreading.com)

• Extortion fears after hacker stole patient files from Dutch mental health clinics (bitdefender.com)

• Ransomware activity and network access sales in Q3 2022 - Security Affairs

• Ransomware costs top $1 billion as White House inks new threat-sharing initiative - CyberScoop

• Stopping C2 communications in human-operated ransomware through network protection - Microsoft Security Blog

• FIN7 Cyber crime Group Likely Behind Black Basta Ransomware Campaign (darkreading.com)

• Everything You Need to Know About LockBit (darkreading.com)

• Yanluowang ransomware gang goes dark after leaks (techtarget.com)

• LockBit 3.0 gang claims to have stolen data from Thales - Security Affairs

• Ransomware cost US banks $1.2 billion last year • The Register

• Australia sees rise in cyber crimes on back of 'destructive' ransomware, state actors | ZDNET

• Listed car dealer Pendragon has ‘contained’ cyber attack – but new deadline for data release issued by hackers – Car Dealer Magazine

• Hackers Target Australian Defense Communications Platform With Ransomware - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• LockBit Dominates Ransomware Campaigns in 2022: Deep Instinct - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• BlackByte ransomware group hit Asahi Group Holdings, a precision metal manufacturing and metal solution provider - Security Affairs

• Australian Defence Department Impacted In Ransomware Attack (informationsecuritybuzz.com)

• LockBit ransomware gang claims the hack of the Continental automotive group - Security Affairs

• Cyber attack Strikes Global Copper Conglomerate (darkreading.com)

• ALMA Observatory shuts down operations due to a cyber attack (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Osaka Hospital Halts Services After Ransomware Attack - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

Phishing & Email Based Attacks

• Outmanoeuvring cyber criminals by recognizing mobile phishing threats’ telltale markers - Help Net Security

• Robin Banks phishing service returns to steal banking accounts (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Attackers leverage Microsoft Dynamics 365 to phish users - Help Net Security

• Phishers Abuse Microsoft Voicemail Service to Trick Users - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• CISA Urges Organisations to Implement Phishing-Resistant MFA | SecurityWeek.Com

• 130 private Dropbox GitHub repos copied after phish attack • The Register

• As Twitter brings on $8 fee, phishing emails target verified accounts (bleepingcomputer.com)

BEC – Business Email Compromise

• New Crimson Kingsnake gang impersonates law firms in BEC attacks (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Double-check those demand-payment emails from law firms • The Register

Malware

• RomCom RAT malware campaign impersonates KeePass, SolarWinds NPM, Veeam (bleepingcomputer.com)

• The Emotet botnet has returned with a vengeance | TechRadar

• Emotet botnet starts blasting malware again after 4 month break (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Drinik banking malware returns: Things you can do to keep your data safe | Mint (livemint.com)

• Hacking group abuses antivirus software to launch LODEINFO malware (bleepingcomputer.com)

• This stealthy hacking campaign uses a new trick to deliver its malware | ZDNET

• Cranefly threat group uses innocent-looking info-stealer • The Register

• 250+ US news sites spotted spreading FakeUpdates malware in a supply-chain attack - Security Affairs

• New Azov data wiper tries to frame researchers and BleepingComputer

• Dozens of PyPI packages caught dropping 'W4SP' info-stealing malware (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Inside Raccoon Stealer V2 (thehackernews.com)

Mobile

• Android Apps With a Million Downloads Led Users to Phishing Sites - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• US govt employees exposed to mobile attacks from outdated Android, iOS (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Samsung Galaxy Bug Secretly Let Hackers Install Apps on Targeted Devices (informationsecuritybuzz.com)

• Cyber-Threat Actor Uses Booby-Trapped VPN App to Deploy Android Spyware (darkreading.com)

• Malicious dropper apps on Play Store totaled 30.000+ installations - Security Affairs

• New SandStrike spyware infects Android devices via malicious VPN app (bleepingcomputer.com)

Internet of Things – IoT

• IoT devices can undermine your security. Here are four ways to boost your defences | ZDNET

• Understanding The Importance Of Cyber Resilience In Smart Buildings - IT Security Guru

Data Breaches/Leaks

• Royal Mail customer data leak shutters online Click and Drop • The Register

• Vodafone Italy discloses data breach after reseller hacked (bleepingcomputer.com)

• LockBit 3.0 gang claims to have stolen data from Thales - Security Affairs

• Dropbox discloses breach after hacker stole 130 GitHub repositories (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Data Breach of Missile Maker MBDA May Have Been Real: CloudSEK - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Experian tool exposed partial Social Security numbers, putting customers at risk - CyberScoop

• Label Giant Multi-Color Corporation Discloses Data Breach | SecurityWeek.Com

• Bed Bath & Beyond Discloses Data Breach to SEC (darkreading.com)

Organised Crime & Criminal Actors

• US Hacker Group Indicted For Million-Dollar RICO Conspiracy - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Four-year cyber crime campaign targeting African banks netted $30 million - CyberScoop

• French-speaking crooks stole $30m in bank cyber-heist spree • The Register

Cryptocurrency/Cryptomining/Cryptojacking/NFTs/Blockchain

• New clipboard hijacker replaces crypto wallet addresses with lookalikes (bleepingcomputer.com)

Fraud, Scams & Financial Crime

• Fraudulent Instruction Losses Spike in 2022 - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Former Apple worker pleads guilty to $17m fraud charges • The Register

Insurance

• Mondelez, Zurich settle $100m+ NotPetya insurance lawsuit • The Register

Dark Web

• German cops arrest student in dark-web marketplace bust • The Register

Supply Chain and Third Parties

• NCSC issues fresh guidance following recent rise in supply chain cyber attacks – Intelligent CISO

• Hundreds of US news sites push malware in supply-chain attack (bleepingcomputer.com)

Software Supply Chain

• You can up software supply chain security by implementing these measures - Help Net Security

• W4SP Stealer Stings Python Developers in Supply Chain Attack (darkreading.com)

Denial of Service DoS/DDoS

• FBI: Hacktivist DDoS attacks had minor impact on critical orgs (bleepingcomputer.com)

• CISA, FBI, MS-ISAC Publish Guidelines For Federal Agencies on DDoS Attacks - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• DDoS Attacks are Upgrading 70% with The Help of CLDAP (analyticsinsight.net)

Cloud/SaaS

• Why Identity & Access Management Governance is a Core Part of Your SaaS Security (thehackernews.com)

• Top 4 priorities for cloud data protection - Help Net Security

• Zscaler's Cloud-Based Cyber security Outages Showcase Redundancy Problem (darkreading.com)

API

• Why Are Zombie APIs and Shadow APIs So Scary? (darkreading.com)

Open Source

• Last Years Open Source - Tomorrow's Vulnerabilities (thehackernews.com)

Passwords, Credential Stuffing & Brute Force Attacks

• Air New Zealand warns of an ongoing credential stuffing attack - Security Affairs

Social Media

• As Twitter brings on $8 fee, phishing emails target verified accounts (bleepingcomputer.com)

Training, Education and Awareness

• Can You Nudge Employees Toward Better Cyber security? New Research Says Yes (darkreading.com)

Travel

• Data capture by border agencies can and will happen – are your on-the-road employees prepared? | CSO Online

Regulations, Fines and Legislation

• ICO Slashes Government Data Breach Fine - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• SolarWinds reaches $26m settlement, expects SEC action • The Register

• How to Prepare for New SEC Cyber security Disclosure Requirements | SecurityWeek.Com

Careers, Working in Cyber and Information Security

• How Microsoft works to grow the next generation of cyber defenders - Microsoft Security Blog

• Economic Uncertainty Isn't Stopping Cyber crime Recruitment — It's Fueling It (darkreading.com)

• How to Narrow the Talent Gap in Cyber security (darkreading.com)

• Is there a problem with stress and burnout in cyber security? - IT Security Guru

• A Third of Security Leaders Considering Quitting Their Current Role - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

Law Enforcement Action and Take Downs

• German cops arrest student in dark-web marketplace bust • The Register

Spyware, Cyber Espionage & Cyber Warfare, including Russian Invasion of Ukraine

• Russia has declared hybrid war on Britain (telegraph.co.uk)

• Will cyber saber-rattling drive us to destruction? - Help Net Security

• British cyber warriors defend Ukraine | News | The Times

• No.10 WhatsApp Use Is Critical Danger To Security (informationsecuritybuzz.com)

• Oreo Giant Mondelez Settles NotPetya 'Act of War' Insurance Suit (darkreading.com)

• Cyber Threat Actor Uses Booby-Trapped VPN App to Deploy Android Spyware (darkreading.com)

• New SandStrike spyware infects Android devices via malicious VPN app (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Russian missile strikes overshadow cyber attacks as Ukraine reels from blackouts | CNN Politics

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Nation State Actors

Nation State Actors – Russia

• Liz Truss 's phone was allegedly hacked by Russian spies - Security Affairs

• MPs 'constantly' warned their phones are national security risk (telegraph.co.uk)

• US Treasury thwarted attack by Russian hacker group last month-official | Reuters

• Russia tries to impose switch to Linux from Windows (freethink.com)

• Ukraine war: British spies playing key role in defending Kyiv from Russian cyber attacks | UK News | Sky News

Nation State Actors – China

• China-Backed APT10 Supercharges Spy Game With Custom Fileless Backdoor (darkreading.com)

• Chinese Hackers Using New Stealthy Infection Chain to Deploy LODEINFO Malware (thehackernews.com)

Nation State Actors – Misc

• Microsoft Warns on Zero-Day Spike as Nation-State Groups Shift Tactics (darkreading.com)

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Vulnerability Management

• The most frequently reported vulnerability types and severities - Help Net Security

• Last Years Open Source - Tomorrow's Vulnerabilities (thehackernews.com)

• Microsoft Warns on Zero-Day Spike as Nation-State Groups Shift Tactics (darkreading.com)

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Vulnerabilities

• The OpenSSL security update story – how can you tell what needs fixing? – Naked Security (sophos.com)

• Critical ConnectWise Vulnerability Affects Thousands of Internet-Exposed Servers | SecurityWeek.Com

• Fortinet fixed 16 vulnerabilities, 6 rated as high severity - Security Affairs

• Cisco Patches High-Severity Bugs in Email, Identity, Web Security Products | SecurityWeek.Com

• You Need to Update Google Chrome, Windows, and Zoom Right Now | WIRED UK

• The Sky Is Not Falling: Disclosed OpenSSL Bugs Are Serious but Not Critical (darkreading.com)

• Splunk Patches 9 High-Severity Vulnerabilities in Enterprise Product | SecurityWeek.Com

• OpenSSL downgrades horror bug after week of speculation • The Register

• Follina Exploit Leads to Domain Compromise (thedfirreport.com)

• Patch Now: Dangerous RCE Bug Lays Open ConnectWise Server Backup Managers (darkreading.com)

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Reports Published in the Last Week

• NCSC Annual Review 2022 - NCSC.GOV.UK

• Microsoft Digital Defense Report 2022 | Microsoft Security

• Psychology of Passwords 2022: Proactive Cyber security - LastPass

• APT trends report Q3 2022 | Securelist

• Attack Surface Management 2022 Midyear Review Part 3 (trendmicro.com)

• 2022 Cyber Threat Report Details Growing Trends | TechRepublic

• Volatile Geopolitics Shake the Trends of the 2022 Cyber security Threat Landscape — ENISA (europa.eu)

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Other News

• Meet fundamental cyber security needs before aiming for more - Help Net Security

• NCSC Issued 34 Million Cyber Alerts in Past Year - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Multi-factor authentication fatigue can blow open security • The Register

• WiFi security flaw lets a drone track devices through walls | Engadget

• Now That EDR Is Obvious, What Comes Next? (darkreading.com)

• The Art of Calculating the Cost of Risk (darkreading.com)

• Build Security Around Users: A Human-First Approach to Cyber Resilience (darkreading.com)

• The Role of Ethical Hacking in Cyber security (bolton.ac.uk)

• Top 10 Ethical Hacking Trends and Predictions for 2023 (analyticsinsight.net)

• British govt is scanning all Internet devices hosted in UK (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Red Cross Eyes Digital Emblem for Cyber space Protection | SecurityWeek.Com

• CISA releases cyber security performance goals to reduce risk and impact of adversarial threats | CSO Online

• Security hygiene and posture management requires new tools (techtarget.com)

• Most Online Shoppers Would Leave Retailer Following Breach - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Offense Gets the Glory, but Defence Wins the Game | SecurityWeek.Com

• The 7 Core Pillars of a Zero-Trust Architecture (techtarget.com)

Sector Specific

Industry specific threat intelligence reports are available.

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

·       Automotive

·       Construction

·       Critical National Infrastructure (CNI)

·       Defence & Space

·       Education & Academia

·       Energy & Utilities

·       Estate Agencies

·       Financial Services

·       FinTech

·       Food & Agriculture

·       Gaming & Gambling

·       Government & Public Sector (including Law Enforcement)

·       Health/Medical/Pharma

·       Hotels & Hospitality

·       Insurance

·       Legal

·       Manufacturing

·       Maritime

·       Oil, Gas & Mining

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

·       Retail & eCommerce

·       Small and Medium Sized Businesses (SMBs)

·       Startups

·       Telecoms

·       Third Sector & Charities

·       Transport & Aviation

·       Web3

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

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

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

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

Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing 28 January 2022

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

Top Cyber Stories of the Last Week

UK Warned To Bolster Defences Against Cyber Attacks As Russia Threatens Ukraine - BBC News

UK organisations are being urged to bolster their defences amid fears cyber attacks linked to the conflict in Ukraine could move beyond its borders.

The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) has issued new guidance, saying it is vital companies stay ahead of a potential threat.

The centre said it was unaware of any specific threats to UK organisations.

It follows a series of cyber attacks in Ukraine which are suspected to have involved Russia, which Moscow denies.

In December 2015, engineers in Ukrainian power stations saw cursors on their computer screens moving by themselves. They had been hacked. Hundreds of thousands of people lost power for hours.

It was the first time a power station had been taken offline, a sign that cyber intrusions were moving beyond stealing information into disrupting the infrastructure on which everyday life depends. Russia was blamed.

"It was a complex operation," says John Hultquist, an expert on Russian cyber operations at the US security firm Mandiant. "They even disrupted the telephone lines so that the engineers couldn't make calls."

Ukraine has been on the front line of a cyber conflict for years. But if Russia does invade the country soon, tanks and troops will still be at the forefront.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-60158874

Cyber Attacks And Ransomware Hit A New Record In 2021, Says Report

Ransomware attacks have doubled for the past two years, says a new report—but a lot of people aren’t bothering to change their passwords.

Hackers made up for some lost time last year.

After seeing the number of data breaches decline in 2020, the Identity Theft Resource Center’s 16th Annual Data Breach Report says the number of security compromises was up more than 68% in 2021. That tops the all-time high by a shocking 23%.

All told, there were 1,862 breaches last year, says the ITRC, 356 more than in 2017, the previous busiest year on record.

“Many of the cyber attacks committed were highly sophisticated and complex, requiring aggressive defences to prevent them,” Eva Velasquez, ITRC president and CEO, said in a statement. “If those defences failed, too often we saw an inadequate level of transparency for consumers to protect themselves from identity fraud.”

https://www.fastcompany.com/90715622/cyberattacks-ransomware-data-breach-new-record-2021

Ransomware Families Becoming More Sophisticated With Newer Attack Methods

Ivanti, Cyber Security Works and Cyware announced a report which identified 32 new ransomware families in 2021, bringing the total to 157 and representing a 26% increase over the previous year.

The report also found that these ransomware groups are continuing to target unpatched vulnerabilities and weaponize zero-day vulnerabilities in record time to instigate crippling attacks. At the same time, they are broadening their attack spheres and finding newer ways to compromise organisational networks and fearlessly trigger high-impact assaults.

https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2022/01/28/new-ransomware-families/

More Than 90% Of Enterprises Surveyed Have Been Hit By Successful Cyber Attacks

Cyber attacks can impact any organisation, big or small. But large enterprises are often more tempting targets due to the vast amount of lucrative data they hold. A new report from cyber security firm Anomali reveals an increase in successful cyber attacks and offers ideas on how organisations can better protect themselves.

Published on Thursday, the "2022 Anomali Cyber security Insights Report" is based on a survey of 800 cyber security decision makers commissioned by Anomali and conducted by Harris between September 9 and October 13 of 2021. The survey elicited responses from professionals in the US, UK, Canada and other countries who work full time in such industries as manufacturing, telecommunications and financial services.

Among the respondents, 87% said that their organisations were victims of successful cyber attacks sometime over the past three years. In this case, a successful attack is one that caused damage, disruption or a data breach. Since the pandemic started almost two years ago, 83% of those polled have experienced an increase in attempted cyber attacks, while 87% have been hit with a rise in phishing emails, many of them exploiting coronavirus-related themes.

https://www.techrepublic.com/article/more-than-90-of-enterprises-surveyed-have-been-hit-by-successful-cyberattacks/

Ransomware Gangs Increase Efforts To Enlist Insiders For Attacks

A recent survey of 100 large (over 5,000 employees) North American IT firms shows that ransomware actors are making greater effort to recruit insiders in targeted firms to aid in attacks.

The survey was conducted by Hitachi ID, which performed a similar study in November 2021. Compared to the previous survey, there has been a 17% rise in the number of employees offered money to aid in ransomware attacks against their employer.

Most specifically, 65% of the survey respondents say that they or their employees were approached between December 7, 2021, and January 4, 2022, to help hackers establish initial access.

https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/ransomware-gangs-increase-efforts-to-enlist-insiders-for-attacks/

Shipment-Delivery Scams Become the Favoured Way to Spread Malware

Attackers increasingly are spoofing the courier DHL and using socially engineered messages related to packages to trick users into downloading Trickbot and other malicious payloads.

Threat actors are increasingly using scams that spoof package couriers like DHL or the U.S. Postal Service in authentic-looking phishing emails that attempt to dupe victims into downloading credential-stealing or other malicious payloads, researchers have found.

Researchers from Avanan, a Check Point company, and Cofense have discovered recent phishing campaigns that include malicious links or attachments aimed at infecting devices with Trickbot and other dangerous malware, they reported separately on Thursday.

The campaigns separately relied on trust in widely used methods for shipping and employees’ comfort with receiving emailed documents related to shipments to try to elicit further action to compromise corporate systems, researchers said.

https://threatpost.com/shipment-delivery-scams-a-fav-way-to-spread-malware/178050/

Most Ransomware Infections Are Self-Installed

New research from managed detection and response (MDR) provider Expel found that most ransomware attacks in 2021 were self-installed.

The finding was included in the company’s inaugural annual report on cyber security trends and predictions, Great eXpeltations, published on Thursday.

Researchers found eight out of ten ransomware infections occurred after victims unwittingly opened a zipped file containing malicious code. Abuse of third-party access accounted for 3% of all ransomware incidents, and 4% were caused by exploiting a software vulnerability on the perimeter.

The report was based on the analysis of data aggregated from Expel’s security operations center (SOC) concerning incidents spanning January 1 2021 to December 31 2021.

Other key findings were that 50% of incidents were BEC (business email compromise) attempts, with SaaS apps a top target.

https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/most-ransomware-infections-self/

Staff Negligence Is Now A Major Reason For Insider Security Incidents

Insider threats cost organisations approximately $15.4 million every year, with negligence a common reason for security incidents, new research suggests.

Enterprise players today are facing cyber security challenges from every angle. Weak endpoint security, unsecured cloud systems, vulnerabilities -- whether unpatched or zero-days -- the introduction of unregulated internet of things (IoT) devices to corporate networks and remote work systems can all become conduits for a cyber attack to take place.

When it comes to the human element of security, a lack of training or cyber security awareness, mistakes, or deliberate, malicious actions also needs to be acknowledged in managing threat detection and response.

https://www.zdnet.com/article/employee-contractor-negligence-is-now-a-major-reason-for-insider-security-incidents/

22 Cyber Security Myths Organisations Need To Stop Believing In 2022

Security teams trying to defend their organisations need to adapt quickly to new challenges. Yesterday’s buzzwords and best practices have become today’s myths.

The past few years have seen a dramatic shift in how organisations protect themselves against attackers. The hybrid working model, fast-paced digitalization, and increased number of ransomware incidents have changed the security landscape, making CISOs' jobs more complex than ever.

This convoluted environment requires a new mindset to defend, and things that might have held true in the past might no longer be useful. Can digital certificates' expiration dates still be managed in a spreadsheet? Is encryption 'magic dust'? And are humans actually the weakest link?

Security experts weigh in the 22 cyber security myths that we finally need to retire in 2022.

https://www.csoonline.com/article/3648048/22-cybersecurity-myths-organisations-need-to-stop-believing-in-2022.html

Android Malware Can Factory-Reset Phones After Draining Bank Accounts

A banking-fraud trojan that has been targeting Android users for three years has been updated to create even more grief. Besides draining bank accounts, the trojan can now activate a kill switch that performs a factory reset and wipes infected devices clean.

Brata was first documented in a post from security firm Kaspersky, which reported that the Android malware had been circulating since at least January 2019. The malware spread primarily through Google Play but also through third-party marketplaces, push notifications on compromised websites, sponsored links on Google, and messages delivered by WhatsApp or SMS. At the time, Brata targeted people with accounts from Brazil-based banks.

https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2022/01/android-malware-can-factory-reset-phones-after-draining-bank-accounts/

GDPR Fines Surged Sevenfold to $1.25 Billion in 2021: Study

Fines issued for GDPR non-compliance increased sevenfold from 2020 to 2021, analysis shows

In its latest annual GDPR summary, international law firm DLA Piper focuses attention in two areas: fines imposed and the evolving effect of the Schrems II ruling of 2020. Fines are increasing and Schrems II issues are becoming more complex.

Fines issued for GDPR non-compliance increased significantly (sevenfold) in 2021, from €158.5 million (approximately $180 million) in 2020 to just under €1.1 billion (approximately $1.25 billion) in 2021. The largest fines came from Luxembourg against Amazon (€746 million / $846 million), and Ireland against WhatsApp (€225 million / $255 million). Both are currently being appealed.

The WhatsApp fine is interesting. The original fine proposed by the Irish Data Protection Commission (DPC) was for €30 million to €50 million. However, other European regulators objected, and the European Data Processing Board (EDPB) adjudicated – instructing Ireland to increase the fine by 350%.

https://www.securityweek.com/gdpr-fines-surged-sevenfold-125-billion-2021-study

Cyber Security In 2022 – A Fresh Look At Some Very Alarming Stats

Last year Forbes wrote a couple of articles  that highlighted some of the more significant cyber statistics associated with our expanding digital ecosystem.  In retrospect, 2021 was a very trying year for cyber security in so many areas. There were high profile breaches such as Solar Winds, Colonial Pipeline and dozens of others that had major economic and security related impact.  Ransomware came on with a vengeance targeting many small and medium businesses.  

Perhaps most worrisome was how critical infrastructure and supply chains security weaknesses were targeted and exploited by adversaries at higher rates than in the past.  Since it is only January, we are just starting to learn of some of the statistics that certainly will trend in 2022.  By reviewing the topics below, we can learn what we need to fortify and bolster in terms of cyber security throughout the coming year.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/chuckbrooks/2022/01/21/cybersecurity-in-2022--a-fresh-look-at-some-very-alarming-stats/

Buy now, pay later fraud, romance and cryptocurrency schemes top the list of threats this year

Experian released its annual forecast, which reveals five fraud threats for the new year. With consumers continuing to take a digital-first approach to everything from shopping, dating and investing, fraudsters are finding new and innovative ways to commit fraud.

The main areas they are predicting seeing rises in fraud are:

-Buy now, pay never

-Cryptocurrency scams

-Doubling ransomware attacks

-More increases in romance fraud

-Digital elder abuse will rise

https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2022/01/26/fraud-threats-this-year/

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Threats

Ransomware

• Ransomware: More Families, More Vulnerabilities, More Weaponry Dominate 2021 - MSSP Alert

• Linux Version Of LockBit Ransomware Targets VMware ESXi Servers (bleepingcomputer.com)

• BlackCat Ransomware Targeting US, European Retail, Construction And Transportation Orgs | ZDNet

• Conti Ransomware Hits Apple, Tesla Supplier - The Record by Recorded Future

Phishing

• There's Been A Big Rise In Phishing Attacks Using Microsoft Excel XLL Add-Ins | ZDNet

• Microsoft warns of multi-stage phishing campaign leveraging Azure AD (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Evolved phishing: Device Registration Trick Adds To Phishers’ Toolbox For Victims Without MFA - Microsoft Security Blog

Other Social Engineering

• Coronavirus SMS Scam Offers Home PCR Testing Devices – Don’t Fall For It! – Naked Security (sophos.com)

Malware

• Trickbot Injections Get Harder to Detect & Analyze (darkreading.com)

• Log4j: Mirai Botnet Found Targeting ZyXEL Networking Devices | ZDNet

• Hackers Infect macOS with New DazzleSpy Backdoor in Watering-Hole Attacks (thehackernews.com)

• TrickBot Malware Using New Techniques to Evade Web Injection Attacks (thehackernews.com)

Mobile

• 105 Million Android Users Targeted By Subscription Fraud Campaign (bleepingcomputer.com)

• 2FA App With 10,000 Google Play Downloads Loaded Well-Known Banking Trojan | Ars Technica

• New FluBot And TeaBot Campaigns Target Android Devices Worldwide (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Latest Version Of Android RAT BRATA Wipes Devices After Stealing Data - Security Affairs

• Is Google Tracking Your Location Even When You Think You’ve Turned It Off? US States Sue Over “Deception” • Graham Cluley

IoT

• As IoT Attacks Increase, Experts Fear More Serious Threats (darkreading.com)

• Mirai Splinter Botnets Dominate IoT Attack Scene | ZDNet

• Millions of Routers, IoT Devices at Risk as Malware Source Code Surfaces on GitHub (darkreading.com)

• 19-Year-Old Describes How He Remotely Hacked 25+ Teslas (businessinsider.com)

Data Breaches/Leaks

• 'We're Losing Control Of Our Data' As Breaches Reach An All-Time High | ZDNet

• Personal Identifying Information For 1.5 Billion Users Was Stolen In 2021, But From Where? - TechRepublic

Organised Crime & Criminal Actors

• Russia Makes More Arrests, But Cyber Crime-Harbouring Reputation Hard To Shake (scmagazine.com)

Cryptocurrency/Cryptomining/Cryptojacking

• People Are Still Getting Pwned a Week After a Crypto Hack Was ‘Contained’ (vice.com)

Supply Chain

• Aqua Security Reports Large Increase in Supply Chain Attacks (infoq.com)

DoS/DDoS

• Microsoft Mitigates Largest DDoS Attack 'Ever Reported In History' (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Nobel Foundation Site Hit By DDoS Attack On Award Day (bleepingcomputer.com)

CNI, OT, ICS, IIoT and SCADA

• Over 20,000 Data Center Management Systems Exposed To Hackers (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Energy Sector Still Needs to Shut the Barn Door (darkreading.com)

Nation State Actors

• North Korean Hackers Using Windows Update Service to Infect PCs with Malware (thehackernews.com)

• Russian APT29 Hackers' Stealthy Malware Undetected For Years (bleepingcomputer.com)

• North Korean Hackers Return with Stealthier Variant of KONNI RAT Malware (thehackernews.com)

• German Intel Warns Of APT27 Targeting Commercial Organisations - Security Affairs

• Threat Actors Use Microsoft OneDrive for Command-and-Control in Attack Campaign (darkreading.com)

• APTs Quiet Ahead Of Beijing Games, But Financially Motivated Hackers Are Still Lurking, Research Says - CyberScoop

Cloud

• Top 5 Cloud Security Data Breaches in Recent Years (makeuseof.com)

• Molerats Group Uses Public Cloud Services As Attack Infrastructure - Security Affairs

Privacy

• UK’s Privacy Tsar Mounts Fierce Defence of End-to-End Encryption - Infosecurity Magazine

Passwords & Credential Stuffing

• 65% Of Organisations Continue To Rely On Shared Logins - Help Net Security

• Strong Security Starts With The Strengthening Of The Weakest Link: Passwords - Help Net Security

• Has That Password Been Compromised? - IT Security Guru

Spyware, Espionage & Cyber Warfare

• DazzleSpy: Pro-Democracy Org Hijacked To Become macOS Spyware Distributor | ZDNet

Vulnerabilities

• Ubiquitous Linux Bug: ‘An Attacker’s Dream Come True’ | Threatpost

• Outlook Security Feature Bypass Allowed Sending Malicious Links | SecurityWeek.Com

• Attackers Now Actively Targeting Critical SonicWall RCE Bug (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Patching the CentOS 8 Encryption Bug is Urgent – What Are Your Plans? (thehackernews.com)

• Apple Fixes New Zero-Day Exploited To Hack macOS, iOS Devices (bleepingcomputer.com)

• F5 Fixes 25 Flaws In BIG-IP, BIG-IQ, and NGINX Products - Security Affairs

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Sector Specific

Health/Medical/Pharma Sector

• Healthcare Industry Most Common Victim Of Third-Party Breaches Last Year - Help Net Security

Education and Academia

• Education Sector Hounded By Cyber Attacks In 2021 | CSO Online

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• Reports Published in the Last Week

• Identity Theft Resource Center’s 2021 Annual Data Breach Report Sets New Record for Number of Compromises - ITRC (idtheftcenter.org)

• Experian plc - Experian’s Annual Future of Fraud Forecast Predicts Five Key Threats for Businesses and Consumers in 2022

• Aqua Security Reports Large Increase in Supply Chain Attacks (infoq.com)

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Other News

• Cyber Security: 11 Steps To Take As Threat Levels Increase | ZDNet

• Right of Boom: Can Your MSP Really Survive A Cyber Attack? - MSSP Alert

• Are You Prepared to Defend Against a USB Attack? (darkreading.com)

• Prioritizing And Remediating Vulnerabilities In The Wake Of Log4J and Microsoft's Patch Tuesday Blunder | CSO Online

• VW Fired Senior Employee After They Raised Cyber Security Concerns | Financial Times

• Microsoft Outlook RCE Zero-Day Exploits Now Selling For $400,000 (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Hackers Are Taking Over CEO Accounts With Rogue OAuth Apps (bleepingcomputer.com)

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 12 February 2021

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.

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Top Cyber Stories of the Last Week

2020 Sees Ransomware Increase By Over 400 Percent

A new study from Cyber Security company, finds that last year malware increased by 358 percent overall and ransomware increased by 435 percent as compared with 2019. The report which analyzes millions of attacks taking place across the year finds distribution of the Emotet malware skyrocketed by 4,000 percent, while malware threats attacking Android phones increased by 263 percent. July saw the largest increase in malicious activity, up by 653 percent compared with the previous year. Microsoft Office documents are the most manipulated document attack vector and these attacks were up by 112 percent.

https://betanews.com/2021/02/10/ransomware-increase-400-percent/

Remote Desktop Protocol Attacks Surge By 768%

Remote desktop protocol (RDP) attacks increase by 768% between Q1 and Q4 last year, fuelled by the shift to remote working. However, a slower rate of growth was observed in the final quarter of the year, indicating that organizations have enhanced their security for remote users.

https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/remote-desktop-protocol-attacks/

Even Minor Phishing Operations Can Distribute Millions Of Malicious Emails Per Week

Even small-scale phishing campaigns are capable of distributing millions and millions of malicious emails to victims around the world, according to a new report. Describing the most popular styles of phishing attack, criminal today rely on fast-churning campaigns. They create a single phishing email template (usually in English) and send it out to anywhere between 100 and 1,000 targets.

https://www.itproportal.com/news/even-small-phishing-operations-can-distribute-millions-of-malicious-emails-per-week/

With One Update, This Malicious Android App Hijacked Millions Of Devices

With a single update, a popular barcode scanner app on Google Play transformed into malware and was able to hijack up to 10 million devices. Lavabird Ltd.'s Barcode Scanner was an Android app that had been available on Google's official app repository for years. The app, accounting for over 10 million installs, offered a QR code reader and a barcode generator -- a useful utility for mobile devices.

https://www.zdnet.com/article/with-one-update-this-malicious-android-app-hijacked-10-million-devices/

Cd Projekt Hit By Ransomware Attack, Refused To Pay Ransom, Data Reportedly Sold Off By Hackers

Polish video game maker CD Projekt, which makes Cyberpunk 2077 and The Witcher, has confirmed it was hit by a ransomware attack. In a statement posted to its Twitter account, the company said it will “not give in nor negotiate” with the hackers, saying it has backups in place. “We have already secured our IT infrastructure and begun restoring data,” the company said.

https://techcrunch.com/2021/02/09/cd-projekt-red-hit-by-ransomware-attack-refuses-to-pay-ransom/

Hacked Florida Water Plant Used Shared Passwords And Windows 7 PCs

The Oldsmar, Florida water plant hacked earlier this week used outdated Windows 7 PCs and shared passwords, the Associated Press has reported. A government advisory also revealed that the relatively unsophisticated attack used the remote-access program TeamViewer. However, officials also said that the hacker’s attempt to boost chemicals to dangerous levels was stopped almost immediately after it started.

https://www.engadget.com/hacked-water-plant-computer-had-shared-passwords-andofdate-windows-os-082552973.html

Top Web Hosting Provider Shuts Down Following Cyber Attack

Cybercriminals often attack websites in order to extort a ransom from their victims but a recent cyberattack against the web hosting company No Support Linux Hosting took quite a different turn. After a hacker managed to breach the company's internal systems and compromise its entire operation, No Support Linux Hosting has announced that it is shutting down. The company alerted its customers to the situation before shutting down its website in a message.

https://www.techradar.com/news/top-web-hosting-provider-shuts-down-following-cyberattack

High Demand For Hacker Services On Dark Web Forums

Nine in 10 (90%) users of dark web forums are searching for a hacker who can provide them with a particular resource or who can download a user database. This is according to new research by Positive Technologies, which analyzed activity on the 10 most prominent forums on the dark web, which offer services such as website hacking and the buying/selling of databases. The study highlights the growing demand for hackers’ services and stolen data, exacerbated by the increased internet usage by both organizations and individuals since the start of COVID-19.

https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/demand-hacker-services-dark-web/

Facebook Phishing Campaign Tricked Nearly 500,000 Users In Two Weeks

A recent investigation uncovered a large scale phishing operation on Facebook. The Facebook phishing campaign is dangerous and targets user personal information. The phishing scam “Is that you” currently on Facebook has been around in multiple forms for years. The whole trouble starts with a “friend” sending you a message claiming to have found a video or image with you in it. The message is usually a video and after clicking, it takes you through a series of websites. These websites have malicious scripts that get your location, device type, and operating system.

https://www.gizchina.com/2021/02/09/facebook-phishing-campaign-tricked-nearly-500000-users-in-two-weeks/

Hackers Are Tweaking Their Approach To Phishing Attacks In 2021

Cyber criminals are a creative bunch, constantly coming up with new ways to avoid detection and advance their sinister goals. A new report from cyber security experts at BitDam describes a few fresh techniques used in the wild so far in 2021. According to the report, email protection solutions tend to trust newly created email domains that are yet to be flagged as dangerous. Criminals are now increasingly exploiting this fact to increase the chances that phishing, and malware emails make it into victims' inboxes.

https://www.itproportal.com/news/hackers-are-tweaking-their-approach-to-phishing-attacks-in-2021/

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Threats

 Ransomware

• Researchers identify 223 vulnerabilities used in recent ransomware attacks (Potential headline)

• CD Projekt hit by ransomware attack, refuses to pay ransom

• This old form of ransomware has returned with new tricks and new targets

Phishing

• This phishing attack uses some very retro technology to hide its payload

Malware

• Malicious Code Injected via Google Chrome Extension Highlights App Risks

Mobile

• Android devices caught in Matryosh botnet

• Military, Nuclear Entities Under Target By Novel Android Malware

IOT

• This old security vulnerability left millions of Internet of Things devices vulnerable to attacks

Vulnerabilities

• Zero-Day and Six Publicly Disclosed CVEs Fixed

• Swarm of Palo Alto PAN-OS vulnerabilities

• Actively Exploited Windows Kernel EoP Bug Allows Takeover

• Apple fixes serious sudo vulnerability in macOS

• Attackers Exploit Critical Adobe Flaw to Target Windows Users

• Microsoft issues emergency fix for Wi-Fi foul-up delivered hot and fresh on Patch Tuesday

Data Breaches

• The Accellion Data Breach Seems to Be Getting Bigger

• Billions of Passwords Offered for $2 in Cyber-Underground

• Experian to investigate possible data leak

Organised Crime

• Europol takes down hackers who allegedly stole over $100 million in crypto from celebs

Supply Chain

• Supply-chain Hack Breaches 35 Companies, Including Paypal, Microsoft, Apple 

Nation-State Actors

• Android spyware strains linked to state-sponsored Confucius threat group

• 'BendyBear' APT malware linked to Chinese government hackers

• Microsoft to alert Office 365 users of nation-state hacking activity

• Probable Iranian Cyber Actors, Static Kitten, Conducting Cyberespionage Campaign Targeting UAE and Kuwait Government Agencies

• Big Russian hack used a technique experts had warned about for years. Why wasn’t the U.S. government ready?

Privacy

• Browser ‘Favicons’ Can Be Used as Undeletable ‘Supercookies’ to Track You Online

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Reports Published in the Last Week

• The Global Risks Report Highlights The Onslaught Of Cyberattacks And A Failure Of Governments To Stop Them. 

• ESET Threat Report Q4 2020

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Other News

• Google launches Open Source Vulnerabilities (OSV) database

• Quantum computing could make encryption algorithms obsolete

• UK’s enemies trying to ‘tear society apart’ via social media

• 91% of enterprise pros experienced an API security incident in 2020

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

Look out for our weekly ‘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 11 December 2020

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 Headlines of the Week

Cyber crime costs the world more than $1 trillion, a 50% increase from 2018

Cyber crime costs the world economy more than $1 trillion, or just more than one percent of global GDP, which is up more than 50 percent from a 2018 study that put global losses at close to $600 billion. Beyond the global figure, the report also explored the damage reported beyond financial losses, finding 92 percent of companies felt effects beyond monetary losses.

https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2020/12/07/cybercrime-costs-world/

FireEye, one of the world's largest security firms, discloses security breach

FireEye, one of the world largest security firms, said today it was hacked and that a "highly sophisticated threat actor" accessed its internal network and stole hacking tools FireEye uses to test the networks of its customers.

The firm said the threat actor also searched for information related to some of the company's government customers.

The attacker was described as a "highly sophisticated threat actor, one whose discipline, operational security, and techniques lead us to believe it was a state-sponsored attack."

https://www.zdnet.com/article/fireeye-one-of-the-worlds-largest-security-firms-discloses-security-breach/

Chinese Breakthrough in Quantum Computing a Warning for Security Teams

China’s top quantum-computer researchers have reported that they have achieved quantum supremacy, i.e., the ability to perform tasks a traditional supercomputer cannot. And while it’s a thrilling development, the inevitable rise of quantum computing means security teams are one step closer to facing a threat more formidable than anything before.

https://threatpost.com/chinese-quantum-computing-warning-security/161935/

Ransom payouts hit record-highs, surging 178% in a year

Average ransom payouts increased by 178% in the third quarter of this year, from $84,000 (£63,000) to almost £234,000, compared with the year before. Ransomware payments reached record-highs in 2020 as employees shifted to remote working to curb the spread of the coronavirus pandemic, creating more attack vectors for hackers.

https://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/ransomware-payouts-hacking-computers-hit-record-highs-surging-134527988.html

Ransomware Set for Evolution in Attack Capabilities in 2021

Ransomware is set to evolve into a greater threat in 2021 as service offerings and collaborations increase. The year turned out “different than predicted” and the shift to working from home also impacted the e-crime landscape. “This created an industrialization of e-crime groups and their abilities to extend from single groups into business pipelines”

https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/ransomware-evolution-capabilities/

How Organisations Can Prevent Users from Using Breached Passwords

There is no question that attackers are going after your sensitive account data. Passwords have long been a target of those looking to compromise your environment. Why would an attacker take the long, complicated way if they have the keys to the front door?

https://thehackernews.com/2020/12/how-organizations-can-prevent-users.html

Threats

Ransomware

• Hackers demand $34.7 million in Bitcoin after ransomware attack on Foxconn

• Ransomware forces hosting provider Netgain to take down data centers

• Ransomware-struck schools reject £1m demand from crims in timely reminder to always mind the air-gap

• 'Malwareless' ransomware campaign operators pwned 83k victims' MySQL servers, 250k databases up for sale

• Ransomware hits helicopter maker Kopter

Phishing

• Spearphishing Attack Spoofs Microsoft.com to Target 200M Office 365 Users

• Adobe users targeted in dangerous new phishing campaign

IOT

• Millions of IoT devices could be vulnerable to these unfixable security bugs

Malware

• Qbot malware switched to stealthy new Windows autostart method

• Microsoft exposes Adrozek, malware that hijacks Chrome, Edge, and Firefox

• Social media sharing icons could harbor info-stealing malware

• All-new Windows 10 malware is excellent at evading detection

• Rana Android Malware Updates Allow WhatsApp, Telegram IM Snooping

Vulnerabilities

• Critical, Unpatched Bugs Open GE Radiological Devices to Remote Code Execution

• Amnesia:33 vulnerabilities impact millions of smart and industrial devices

• Microsoft December 2020 Patch Tuesday security update address 58 vulnerabilities, 22 of them are remote code execution vulnerabilities.

• Expert discloses zero-click, wormable flaw in Microsoft Teams

• NSA Warns: Patched VMware Bug Under Active Attack

Data Breaches

• FireEye, one of the world's largest security firms, discloses security breach

• HMRC admits to 26 data breaches during 2019-20

• Hackers leak data from Embraer, world's third-largest airplane maker

• Payment service PayPay hacked

Threat Actors

• Norway says Russian hacking group APT28 is behind August 2020 Parliament hack

Insider Threats

• Bank Employee Sells Personal Data of 200,000 Clients

Other News

• Experian predicts 5 key data breach targets for 2021

• 6 new ways threat actors will attack in 2021

• Research: Millions of smart devices vulnerable to hacking

• Finland passes new 5G security law to ban risky equipment

• Ransomware attacks target backup systems, compromising the company ‘insurance policy’

Reports Published in the Last Week

• Sophos 2021 Threat Report

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 weekly ‘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.