Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing 17 May 2024

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

Social Engineering is the Biggest Cyber Threat, as Study Finds Most Workers Have Clicked on a Suspicious Email Link

According to a recent report, half of office workers have clicked on a link or attachment within a suspicious email sent to their work address within the last 12 months, and of those that interacted with the email, half of them claimed to be confident in their ability to identify phishing emails.

With 68% of breaches involving the human element, your organisation must be cognisant of its employees. Hackers know that no matter what your tech stack is, you will always have employees and where there is an employee, there is a way into your organisation. It is far cheaper to exploit an employee who already has the access you require, than to develop a new exploit. It only takes one human to make a mistake by granting access to an attacker.  

When it came to training, only 41% of respondents said their employer had provided formal cyber security awareness training and 79% said their previous training is not sufficient to keep pace with modern cyber threats.

Source: [HackerNoon] [BusinessPlus]

Business Leaders are Stressing Out Over Pace of Technological Change, as Cyber Security Incidents Seen as Main Business Disruptor

A recent report commissioned by BT reveals that 86% of UK business leaders suffer from 'tech-related stress,' particularly concerning AI and cyber security, a phenomenon they have termed as 'Bytmares.' The report found that 59% of business leaders worry about the rapid and relentless pace of tech advancement, and whether appropriate controls are in place to protect it.

According to a different survey, 74% of business leaders view cyber security incidents as the main disruptive threat to their organisations either currently or over the next twelve months. This was followed by cloud computing, internet of things and artificial intelligence.

These findings highlight the critical importance of robust cyber security measures in today’s interconnected world. As organisations increasingly rely on digital infrastructure, safeguarding sensitive data and systems becomes paramount. Cyber threats can disrupt operations, compromise customer trust, and result in financial losses. Remember, cyber security is not just an IT concern; it is a strategic imperative for every organisation.

Sources: [Beta News] [Telecoms] [Verdict]

ICO Warns That Many UK Businesses Neglect Basic Cyber Security: More Ransomware and Cyber Attacks Last Year Than Ever Before

A recent update from the UK’s Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has revealed that ransomware attacks in the UK have surpassed all previous years, up 52% from the previous year. The report found that finance, retail and education sectors are suffering the most incidents.

The leading causes of breaches include phishing, brute force attacks, errors and supply chain attacks. The ICO noted that many organisations still neglect basic cyber security measures and has called for enhanced efforts to combat the escalating threat, emphasising the importance of foundational controls.

Sources: [Tech Monitor] [Government Business] [The Record Media] [Tech Monitor]

Data Breaches are Getting Worse, Many are Employee Errors or Social Engineering Attacks

The latest Verizon Business Data Breach Investigations Report (DBIR) highlights that employee error is the leading cause of cyber security incidents in the EMEA region, accounting for 49% of cases. The top reasons for these incidents are “miscellaneous errors, system intrusion, and social engineering,” making up 87% of all breaches. Hackers primarily target personal information (64%), internal data (33%), and login credentials (20%). Despite zero-day vulnerabilities being a significant threat, with exploitation rising to 14% of breaches, the report emphasises the critical need for ongoing employee training and awareness to mitigate these risks.

Source: [TechRadar]

Why Cyber Insurance isn’t a Substitute for Cyber Risk Management

While cyber insurance can be beneficial in mitigating financial loss from cyber attacks, it is not a substitute for comprehensive cyber risk management. Many firms with cyber insurance have still fallen victim to attacks, highlighting that cyber insurance primarily transfers residual risk. Effective cyber risk management includes conducting proper risk assessments and implementing robust cyber security controls. Cyber insurance cannot resolve issues like business disruption, breach of client confidentiality, and compliance with legal obligations; this stresses the need for proactive measures and independent assurance to protect against cyber threats.

Source: [ Law Society of Scotland]

China Presents Defining Challenge to Global Cyber Security, Says GCHQ

A recent speech by the new director of the UK’s GCHQ highlighted China's growing cyber threat, describing it as an "epoch-defining challenge." She warned that China's destabilising actions undermine global internet security. The current head of the UKs’ NCSC echoed these concerns, pointing to the Chinese state-sponsored hacking group Volt Typhoon which has infiltrated critical sectors like energy and transportation. The National Cyber Director at the White House added that China’s cyber capabilities pose a significant threat to global infrastructure, particularly in crisis scenarios, as Chinese hackers increasingly use sophisticated techniques to pre-position within networks.

Source: [Infosecurity Magazine]

Botnet Sent Millions of Emails in LockBit Black Ransomware Campaign

Since April, millions of phishing emails have been sent through a botnet known as “Phorpiex” to conduct a large-scale LockBit Black ransomware campaign. In a warning from New Jersey’s Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Cell, it was explained that the attackers use ZIP attachments containing an executable that deploys the LockBit Black payload, which encrypts the recipients' systems if launched. The emails are sent from 1,500 unique IP addresses worldwide.

Sources: [Bleeping Computer]

Global Financial Stability at Risk Due to Cyber Threats, IMF warns

A new International Monetary Fund (IMF) report highlights the severe threat cyber attacks pose to global financial stability, revealing that nearly 20% of reported cyber incidents in the past two decades targeted the financial sector, causing $12 billion in direct losses. Since 2020, these attacks have led to an estimated $2.5 billion in direct losses. The report underscores that cyber incidents threaten financial institutions' operational resilience, potentially leading to funding challenges and reputational damage. The IMF calls for bolstered cyber security measures, including stress testing, information-sharing arrangements, and enhanced national cyber security strategies to mitigate these growing risks.

Source: [World Economic Forum]

Ongoing Campaign Bombards Enterprises with Spam Emails and Phone Calls

An ongoing social engineering campaign that is bombarding enterprises with spam calls and emails has been uncovered. The campaign involves a threat actor overwhelming a user’s email with junk, followed by a call offering to assist in removing the junk. From here, the threat actor aims to convince the victim to download remote monitoring and management software such as AnyDesk or Microsoft’s built in Quick Assist feature to allow the attacker remote access to the victim’s machine.

Source: [The Hacker News]

Santander Data Breach via Third-Party Provider Impacted Customers and Employees

A recent disclosure by the Spanish bank Santander revealed a data breach at a third-party provider affecting customers in Chile, Spain, and Uruguay. Unauthorised access to a database hosted by the provider compromised information on all current and some former employees, but did not include transactional data, online banking details, or passwords. Santander said they swiftly implemented measures to contain the incident, blocking access to the compromised database and enhancing fraud prevention controls. The bank assured that its operations and systems remain unaffected, allowing customers to continue transacting securely. The number of impacted individuals remains unspecified.

There is a continued trend in third party providers being used as the soft underbelly to attack larger and better defended organisations, requiring all organisations to consider the security controls of their third parties.

Source: [securityaffairs.com]

40% of Cyber Teams Have Held Back from Reporting Cyber Attacks Over Fear of Losing Jobs

Recent research has revealed that 40% of cyber teams have not reported a cyber attack due to the fear of losing their job. Unfortunately, this leaves businesses at risk of being non-compliant, without even knowing so. When it came to challenges faced by organisations, it was found that nearly 20% of companies say a lack of qualified talent is a key challenge to overcoming cyber attacks and 32% did not have the resources to hire new staff. This is not to say however, they are unable to outsource some of their cyber function to cyber specialists. This lack of allocated resources prevents the organisation from being confident that any incidents have been appropriately remediated.

Source: [Business Wire]

Digital Resilience – a Step Up from Cyber Security

In an increasingly digital world, many organisations are unaware of how truly reliant they are on digital technology, and the accompanying risks. As we move toward an even more digitally dependent future, the need for digital resilience is more critical than ever. Digital resilience refers to the ability to maintain, change, or recover technology-dependent operations. Organisations should begin with an internal audit to assess their digital resilience, involving all departments and ensuring senior management oversight, as board involvement is essential for effective cyber security programmes.

Digital resilience goes beyond cyber security to encompass change management, business resilience, and operational risk. Implementing digital resilience strategies requires continuous adaptation, cross-functional collaboration, and embedding resilience thinking throughout the organisation. Businesses must integrate digital resilience into their strategic planning to ensure ongoing competitiveness and adaptability in an ever-evolving digital landscape.

Sources: [CSO Online] [CSO Online]

UK Lags Europe on Exploited Vulnerability Remediation

A new report by Bitsight reveals that UK organisations lag behind their European counterparts in remediating software flaws listed in the US ‘Known Exploited Vulnerability’ (KEV) catalogue. UK organisations take an average of 225 days to address KEVs, compared to 220 days for European entities and just 21 days for German organisations. Non-KEV vulnerabilities are patched at an even slower rate, with UK entities taking over two years (736 days) to patch. Globally, the average time to resolve KEVs is around six months (180 days). Despite fewer KEVs detected in UK environments (30% versus 43% in Europe), the slow remediation poses significant risks, emphasising the need for faster and more proactive cyber security measures, specifically robust vulnerability scanning and patching.

Source: [Infosecurity Magazine]

Cyber Threats Demand More Focus Says Zurich, as UK Insurance And NCSC Join Forces to Fight Ransomware Payments

A recent discussion at the British Insurance Brokers' Association (BIBA) conference highlighted the increasing importance of cyber security for businesses, driven by the surge in cyber attacks and the use of AI by criminal gangs. Zurich Resilience Solutions UK noted that businesses face greater scrutiny from underwriters over their cyber exposures.

BIBA, together with the Association of British Insurers (ABI), and the International Underwriting Association (IUA), have united with the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) in a joint effort to tackle ransom payments. As a result of their collaboration, they have published new best practice guidance, which aims to reduce the number of payments being made by UK victims as well as the disruption businesses face.

Source: [Emerging Risks] [NCSC] [Infosecurity Magazine]

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Governance, Risk and Compliance

• ICO calls on all organisations to boost their cyber security amid growing threat of cyber attacks | Practical Law (thomsonreuters.com)

• Firms neglecting cyber security basics - ICO - CIR Magazine

• Why cyber insurance isn’t a substitute for cyber risk management. | Law Society of Scotland (lawscot.org.uk)

• Business leaders consider cyber security main disruptor – Q1 2024 survey - Verdict

• 40% of Cyber Teams Have Not Reported Cyber Attacks Over Fear of Losing Jobs, According to New VikingCloud Research | Business Wire

• The Growing Cyber Security Disconnect Leaves Enterprises Exposed (forbes.com)

• Cyber Security Is a Top Investor Concern | HackerNoon

• Cyber threats demand more focus – Zurich (emergingrisks.co.uk)

• Digital resilience – a step up from cyber security | CSO Online

• Keep it secret, keep it safe: the essential role of cyber security in document management | CSO Online

• Cyber anxiety on the rise in the UK (betanews.com)

• UK business leaders are stressing out over pace of technological change (telecoms.com)

• Dancing on the Head of a Pin: Corporate Boards, Committees and Cyber Security Risk Management | The Volkov Law Group - JDSupra

• 44% of Cyber Security Professionals Struggle with Regulatory Compliance - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Cyber attacks threaten global financial stability, IMF warns | World Economic Forum (weforum.org)

• BISO: Enhancing cyber security in modern enterprises - SiliconANGLE

• Dell Data Breach Underscores Cost of Cyber Security Complacency (pymnts.com)

• What Is Cyber Risk Quantification? | HackerNoon

• Cyber and Financial Crime, Through the FBI Lens (govinfosecurity.com)

• A Third of CISOs Have Been Dismissed “Out of Hand” By the Board - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Maximizing cyber security ROI: A strategic approach | TechRadar

• Many CISOs don't feel they get the right respect from their board | TechRadar

• Cyber high on agenda at BIBA amid concerns over threats (emergingrisks.co.uk)

• Lloyd’s updates cyber war wordings - Reinsurance News

• Are you meeting your cyber insurance requirements? - Help Net Security

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Threats

Ransomware, Extortion and Destructive Attacks

• Botnet sent millions of emails in LockBit Black ransomware campaign (bleepingcomputer.com)

• UK hit by more ransomware and cyber attacks last year than ever before (therecord.media)

• The ups and downs (and ups again) of the ransomware risk - Digital Journal

• Hackers Target Children of Corporate Executives in Ransomware Attacks (businessinsider.com)

• CISA: Black Basta ransomware breached over 500 orgs worldwide (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Cyber attacks leave significant financial impact on hacked organisations (kwch.com)

• As the FBI Closes In, Scattered Spider Attacks Finance, Insurance Orgs (darkreading.com)

• UK Insurance and NCSC Join Forces to Fight Ransomware Payments - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• UK insurance industry begins to acknowledge role in tackling ransomware (therecord.media)

• The UK may not have a choice on a ransomware payment ban | Computer Weekly

• 64% Jump in Ransomware Claims on Remote Access Tools, Report Shows (claimsjournal.com)

• Cyber Criminals Exploiting Microsoft's Quick Assist Feature in Ransomware Attacks (thehackernews.com)

• Organisations struggle to defend against ransomware - Help Net Security

• Ransomware statistics that reveal alarming rate of cyber extortion - Help Net Security

• Most ransomware-hit enterprises report to authorities, but level of support varies | ZDNET

• Ransomware negotiator weighs in on the payment debate • The Register

• OODA Loop - The Social Engineering Tactics of Ransomware-as-a-Service Operator Black Basta

• INC ransomware source code selling on hacking forums for $300,000 (bleepingcomputer.com)

• What is ransomware recovery? | Definition from TechTarget

• Ransomware Defence Strategies: Never Trust a Criminal (inforisktoday.com)

Ransomware Victims

• More than 470 legal actions against HSE over cyber attack (rte.ie)

• It's been a bad week for public cyber security | TechRadar

• Christie's Just Postponed the Rare Watches Auction Due to Cyber Attack (robbreport.com)

• Singing River Health System: Data of 895,000 stolen in ransomware attack (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Repeat Offenders: Black Basta’s Latest Healthcare Cyber Attack (informationweek.com)

• E-prescription provider MediSecure impacted by a ransomware attack (securityaffairs.com)

Phishing & Email Based Attacks

• Social Engineering is the Biggest Cyber Threat | HackerNoon

• Most Workers Have Clicked on a Suspicious Email Link (businessplus.ie)

• Botnet sent millions of emails in LockBit Black ransomware campaign (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Stay In The Loop On Emerging And Evolving Email Threat Trends (informationsecuritybuzz.com)

• Collaboration tools are now at the frontline in the battle against phishing (securitybrief.co.nz)

• 5 Common Phishing Vectors and Examples - 2024 (cybersecuritynews.com)

BEC

• Visualizing Global Losses from Financial Scams (visualcapitalist.com)

Other Social Engineering

• Social Engineering is the Biggest Cyber Threat | HackerNoon

• Low-tech tactics still top the IT security risk chart | CSO Online

• Ongoing Campaign Bombards Enterprises with Spam Emails and Phone Calls (thehackernews.com)

• What is vishing and quishing, and how do you protect yourself? | PCWorld

• Beware of fake calls, ward off cyber criminals: Govt - The Statesman

• OODA Loop - The Social Engineering Tactics of Ransomware-as-a-Service Operator Black Basta

Artificial Intelligence

• UK Government Unveils New AI Cyber Security Measures as ICO Details Importance of Data Protection | The Fintech Times

• UK agency releases tools to test AI model safety | TechCrunch

• Security industry struggles to consolidate against AI threats - SiliconANGLE

• Cyber Security Races to Unmask New Wave of AI Deepfakes (darkreading.com)

• Only one-third of firms deploy safeguards against generative AI threats, report finds | CIO Dive

• CISOs Reconsider Their Roles in Response to GenAI Integration - Security Boulevard

• AI's rapid growth puts pressure on CISOs to adapt to new security risks - Help Net Security

• Insider Risk in the Generative AI Era - InfoRiskToday

• AI-driven attacks seen as chief cloud security threat | TechTarget

• Concern over AI cyber threats among UK infrastructure organisations | Security News (sourcesecurity.com)

• The Cyber Security Survival Guide For Generative AI (forbes.com)

2FA/MFA

• How to Prevent Attacks that Bypass MFA - InfoRiskToday

Malware

• Malware was almost 50% of threat detections in Q1 2024 | Security Magazine

• North Korean Hackers Deploy New Golang Malware 'Durian' Against Crypto Firms (thehackernews.com)

• FIN7 Hacker Group Leverages Malicious Google Ads to Deliver NetSupport RAT (thehackernews.com)

• Microsoft fixes Windows zero-day exploited in QakBot malware attacks (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Ebury botnet malware infected 400,000 Linux servers since 2009 (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Kimsuky hackers deploy new Linux backdoor via trojanized installers (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Man destroys his laptop after downloading 1,000 viruses to see which anti-virus software works the best (unilad.com)

Mobile

• Malicious Android Apps Pose as Google, Instagram, WhatsApp to Steal Credentials (thehackernews.com)

• Google Issues Critical Update For Millions Of Pixel Users (forbes.com)

• Apple Patch Day: Code Execution Flaws in iPhones, iPads, macOS - Security Week

• Threat actors may have exploited a zero-day in older iPhones, Apple warns (securityaffairs.com)

• Apple warns of increased iPhone security risks – Computerworld

• Apple and Google agree on standard to alert people when unknown Bluetooth devices may be tracking them | TechCrunch

• Protect against iPhone trojan GoldPickaxe: How-to - 9to5Mac

• Unwanted Tracking Alerts Rolling Out to iOS, Android - Security Week

• Apple blocked $7 billion in fraudulent App Store purchases in 4 years (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Android boosting security with Theft Detection Lock, factory reset protection  (9to5google.com)

• Data Privacy: All the Ways Your Cellphone Carrier Tracks You and How to Stop It

• Your Android phone could have stalkerware — here’s how to remove it | TechCrunch

Internet of Things – IoT

• Attack makes autonomous vehicle tech ignore road signs • The Register

• Millions of IoT Devices at Risk From Integrated Modem (darkreading.com)

• Prison for cyber security expert selling private videos from inside 400,000 homes (bitdefender.com)

• IoT Vulnerabilities and BotNet Infections: A Risk for Executives - Security Boulevard

Data Breaches/Leaks

• Over 5.3 billion data records exposed in April 2024 | Computer Weekly

• MoD contractor hacked by China failed to report breach for months | Hacking | The Guardian

• Data breaches are getting worse - and many are coming from a familiar source | TechRadar

• Notorious threat actor IntelBroker claims the hack of the Europol (securityaffairs.com)

• Hacker claims another breach into Dell systems | SC Media (scmagazine.com)

• Dell Data Breach Underscores Cost of Cyber Security Complacency (pymnts.com)

• Hacker claims to have stolen Dell customer data, twice. Here's how to protect yourself | ZDNET

• Santander Data Breach Impacts Customers, Employees - Security Week

• Employee data breaches up 41% - Personnel Today

• The legal sector's data breach conundrum: insights from ICO's latest report - Solicitors Journal

• JPMorgan Chase Suffers Data Breach Affecting Personal Information of 451,809 Customers - The Daily Hodl

• JPMorgan Fixes Security Flaw, Affects 450K Retirement Plans | Entrepreneur

• Europol confirms incident after data break-in claims • The Register

• Largest non-bank lender in Australia warns of a data breach (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Guernsey data breaches: More than 1,000 people affected - BBC News

• Up to 120,000 affected by data breach at City of Helsinki (helsinkitimes.fi)

• Billion-Dollar Bank Sued After Revealing Massive Data Breach Affecting Thousands of Customers, Exposing Account Details, Social Security Numbers and Medical Information: Report - The Daily Hodl

• Okta’s security chief on the company’s own cyber attack and how the ‘battleground’ has shifted (therecord.media)

• Camden Council cyber attack warning after NRS Healthcare cyber attack | Ham & High (hamhigh.co.uk)

• Lessons learned from high-profile data breaches | TechTarget

• Zscaler Confirms Only Isolated Test Server Was Hacked - Security Week

• Nissan North America data breach impacts over 53,000 employees (bleepingcomputer.com)

Organised Crime & Criminal Actors

• FBI, DoJ Shut Down BreachForums, Launch Investigation (darkreading.com)

• Cyber and Financial Crime, Through the FBI Lens (govinfosecurity.com)

• FBI working towards nabbing Scattered Spider hackers, official says | Reuters

• Low-tech tactics still top the IT security risk chart | CSO Online

• The Growing Cyber Threat Landscape: Insights into State-Sponsored and Criminal Cyber Activities | HackerNoon

• Top 5 Most Dangerous Cyber Threats in 2024 (darkreading.com)

• Cryptocurrency/Cryptomining/Cryptojacking/NFTs/Blockchain

• North Korean Hackers Deploy New Golang Malware 'Durian' Against Crypto Firms (thehackernews.com)

• Tornado Cash cryptomixer dev gets 64 months for laundering $2 billion (bleepingcomputer.com)

• US brothers arrested for stealing $25m in crypto in just 12 seconds - BBC News

Insider Risk and Insider Threats

• Low-tech tactics still top the IT security risk chart | CSO Online

• Data breaches are getting worse - and many are coming from a familiar source | TechRadar

• Insider Risk in the Generative AI Era - InfoRiskToday

• The Human Element in Cyber Security: Safeguarding your organisation (thebusinessmagazine.co.uk)

• CISOs call to ditch the 'stigma of blame' in cyber security (computing.co.uk)

Insurance

• Why cyber insurance isn’t a substitute for cyber risk management. | Law Society of Scotland (lawscot.org.uk)

• NCSC guide to help businesses facing ransomware demands (biba.org.uk)

• UK insurance industry begins to acknowledge role in tackling ransomware (therecord.media)

• UK Insurance and NCSC Join Forces to Fight Ransomware Payments - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Lloyd’s provides tighter guidance on cyber war wordings | Insurance Insider

• Cyber high on agenda at BIBA amid concerns over threats (emergingrisks.co.uk)

• Are you meeting your cyber insurance requirements? - Help Net Security

Supply Chain and Third Parties

• Most Companies Affected by Software Supply Chain Attacks in the Last Year, Struggling to Detect and React Effectively - IT Security Guru

• Santander: a data breach at a third-party provider impacted customers and employees (securityaffairs.com)

• MoD contractor hacked by China failed to report breach for months | Hacking | The Guardian

• Okta’s security chief on the company’s own cyber attack and how the ‘battleground’ has shifted (therecord.media)

Cloud/SaaS

• How to create a cloud security policy, step by step | TechTarget

• AI-driven attacks seen as chief cloud security threat | TechTarget

• Singapore Cyber Security Update Puts Cloud Providers on Notice (darkreading.com)

• Secrecy Concerns Mount Over Spy Powers Targeting US Data Centres | WIRED

Encryption

• You want us to think of the children? Couldn't agree more • The Register

Linux and Open Source

• Ebury botnet malware infected 400,000 Linux servers since 2009 (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Kimsuky hackers deploy new Linux backdoor via trojanized installers (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Establishing a security baseline for open source projects - Help Net Security

Passwords, Credential Stuffing & Brute Force Attacks

• The 10 most common 4-digit PIN numbers — are you at risk of a cyber attack? (nypost.com)

Social Media

• It’s time to ban TikTok for the sake of our democracy and security (politicshome.com)

Training, Education and Awareness

• The Future of Security Awareness - GovInfoSecurity

• The Human Element in Cyber Security: Safeguarding your organisation (thebusinessmagazine.co.uk)

Regulations, Fines and Legislation

• Singapore Cyber Security Update Puts Cloud Providers on Notice (darkreading.com)

• Clock is ticking for companies to prepare for EU NIS2 Directive | CSO Online

• Nigeria Halts Cyber Security Tax After Public Outrage (darkreading.com)

Models, Frameworks and Standards

• Clock is ticking for companies to prepare for EU NIS2 Directive | CSO Online

Careers, Working in Cyber and Information Security

• The cyber security skills shortage: A CISO perspective | CSO Online

• Why cyber security staff burn out, and what to do about it (computing.co.uk)

Law Enforcement Action and Take Downs

• As the FBI Closes In, Scattered Spider Attacks Finance, Insurance Orgs (darkreading.com)

• FBI, DoJ Shut Down BreachForums, Launch Investigation (darkreading.com)

• Most ransomware-hit enterprises report to authorities, but level of support varies | ZDNET

• Prison for cyber security expert selling private videos from inside 400,000 homes (bitdefender.com)

• Tornado Cash cryptomixer dev gets 64 months for laundering $2 billion (bleepingcomputer.com)

• US brothers arrested for stealing $25m in crypto in just 12 seconds - BBC News

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

Cyber Warfare and Cyber Espionage

• Lloyd’s updates cyber war wordings - Reinsurance News

• Civil society under increasing threats from ‘malicious’ state cyber actors, US (therecord.media)

Nation State Actors

China

• Cyber threat landscape permanently altered by Chinese operations, US officials say (therecord.media)

• GCHQ boss says China's 'genuine' cyber threat 'weakens security of internet for all' | Science & Tech News | Sky News

• Tracking the Progression of Earth Hundun's Cyber espionage Campaign in 2024 | Trend Micro (US)

• When Chinese Nationalist Hackers Go Rogue (globelynews.com)

• Can't blame all Chinese cyber attacks on the government - Asia Times

• How the West has struggled to keep up with China’s spy threat - BBC News

• Stifling Beijing in cyber space big focus for UK operatives • The Register

• China focuses on non-military ways to take Taiwan, reports warn - Washington Times

• It’s time to ban TikTok for the sake of our democracy and security (politicshome.com)

• Asian Threat Actors Use New Techniques to Attack Familiar Targets (darkreading.com)

• Chinese Crime Ring Uses Franchise Model to Grow Fake Online Shops (businessinsider.com)

• Three men charged with aiding Hong Kong intelligence service, says Met | UK news | The Guardian

Russia

• Russia is ramping up sabotage across Europe (economist.com)

• File Not Found: Russia Is Hacking Evidence of Its War Crimes - War on the Rocks

• NATO Draws a Cyber Red Line in Tensions With Russia - Security Week

• Pro-Russia hackers targeted Kosovo government websites (securityaffairs.com)

• Russian Actors Weaponize Legitimate Services in Multi-Malware Attack - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• UK 'increasingly concerned' about Russian intelligence links to hacktivists (therecord.media)

• To the Moon and back(doors): Lunar landing in diplomatic missions (welivesecurity.com)

• New backdoors on a European government's network appear to be Russian (therecord.media)

• 'Russian' hackers deface potentially hundreds of local British news sites (therecord.media)

• Investigation: How Russia's Warplanes Get Their 'Brain Power' From The West, Despite Sanctions

• The Three Seas Initiative: A Vanguard in Digitization and Cyber Security | Warsaw Institute

Iran

• Iran most likely to launch destructive cyber attack on US • The Register

North Korea

• Asian Threat Actors Use New Techniques to Attack Familiar Targets (darkreading.com)

• North Korean Hackers Deploy New Golang Malware 'Durian' Against Crypto Firms (thehackernews.com)

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Vulnerability Management

• Not Just MOVEit: 2023 Was a Banner Year for Zero-Days (inforisktoday.com)

• (Cyber) Risk = Probability of Occurrence x Damage (thehackernews.com)

• Critical vulnerabilities take 4.5 months on average to remediate - Help Net Security

• The Fall of the National Vulnerability Database (darkreading.com)

• Backlogs at National Vulnerability Database prompt action from NIST and CISA | CSO Online

• UK Lags Europe on Exploited Vulnerability Remediation - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Log4J shows no sign of fading, spotted in 30% of CVE exploits - Help Net Security

• NIST Confusion Continues as Cyber Pros Complain CVE Uploads Stopped - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Heartbleed: When Is It Good to Name a Vulnerability? (darkreading.com)

Vulnerabilities

• Google Chrome emergency update fixes 6th zero-day exploited in 2024 (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Google patches third exploited Chrome zero-day in a week (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Threat actors may have exploited a zero-day in older iPhones, Apple warns (securityaffairs.com) 

• Microsoft Patches 61 Flaws, Including Two Actively Exploited Zero-Days (thehackernews.com)

• Cyber Criminals Exploiting Microsoft's Quick Assist Feature in Ransomware Attacks (thehackernews.com)

• Microsoft fixes Windows zero-day exploited in QakBot malware attacks (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Log4J shows no sign of fading, spotted in 30% of CVE exploits - Help Net Security

• D-Link Routers Vulnerable to Takeover Via Exploit for Zero-Day (darkreading.com)

• New Wi-Fi Vulnerability Enables Network Eavesdropping via Downgrade Attacks (thehackernews.com)

• Intel Publishes 41 Security Advisories for Over 90 Vulnerabilities  - Security Week

• Google Issues Critical Update For Millions Of Pixel Users (forbes.com)

• Apple Patch Day: Code Execution Flaws in iPhones, iPads, macOS - Security Week

• CISA and FBI Issue Alert on Path Traversal Vulnerabilities - Security Boulevard

• VMware Patches Severe Security Flaws in Workstation and Fusion Products (thehackernews.com)

• Firefox 126: Telemetry, privacy feature, and security fixes - gHacks Tech News

• SAP Patches Critical Vulnerabilities in CX Commerce, NetWeaver - Security Week

• Adobe Patches Critical Flaws in Reader, Acrobat - Security Week

• Cisco Releases Security Updates for Multiple Products | CISA

• Microsoft shares temp fix for Outlook encrypted email reply issues (bleepingcomputer.com)

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Tools and Controls

• Why cyber insurance isn’t a substitute for cyber risk management. | Law Society of Scotland (lawscot.org.uk)

• Digital resilience – a step up from cyber security | CSO Online

• Dancing on the Head of a Pin: Corporate Boards, Committees and Cyber Security Risk Management | The Volkov Law Group - JDSupra

• How To Implement Threat Modeling To Protect Your Business - Minutehack

• How to create a cloud security policy, step by step | TechTarget

• Hackers use DNS tunneling for network scanning, tracking victims (bleepingcomputer.com)

• AWS CISO: In AI gold rush, folks forget application security • The Register

• What Is Cyber Risk Quantification? | HackerNoon

• Best Practices for Preparing for a Cyber Breach | ITPro Today: IT News, How-Tos, Trends, Case Studies, Career Tips, More

• Ridding your network of NTLM | CSO Online

• Maximizing cyber security ROI: A strategic approach | TechRadar

• What is ransomware recovery? | Definition from TechTarget

• The Human Element in Cyber Security: Safeguarding your organisation (thebusinessmagazine.co.uk)

• Addressing the Cyber Security Vendor Ecosystem Disconnect (darkreading.com)

• The Future of Security Awareness - GovInfoSecurity

• Microsoft Deploys Generative AI for US Spies | WIRED

• How to Think About Foundation Models for Cyber Security | Andreessen Horowitz (a16z.com)

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Reports Published in the Last Week

• Learning from the mistakes of others – A retrospective review | ICO

• 2024 Browser Security Report (layerxsecurity.com)

• At-Bay's 2024 InsurSec Report [Download Now]

• Kaspersky’s Incident Response Analyst report 2023 (kasperskycontenthub.com)

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Other News

• Microsoft president summoned to House over security blunders • The Register

• National Cyber Security Centre: Tech market not working - The Business Magazine

• Critical infrastructure security needs everyone's help • The Register

• Your Hospital Is Under Cyber Attack. Now What? (newsweek.com)

• BT, TalkTalk, Virgin Media and Vodafone on UK Router Security and Upgrades - ISPreview UK

• Hackers use DNS tunnelling for network scanning, tracking victims (bleepingcomputer.com)

• NCSC CTO: Broken market must be fixed to usher in new tech • The Register

• Public Sector IT is Broken: Turning the System Back On - IT Security Guru

• The Cyber Security Implications Of Gen Z’s Tech-Savvy Lifestyle (forbes.com)

• Fortify Your Digital Defences: Top Home Cyber Security Strategies for Personal Protection | HackerNoon

• Classes cancelled as 'sinister' school cyber attacks rise - BBC News

• Irony abounds as UK NCSC’s simple door codes revealed • The Register

• Candidates to get cyber security support amid general election interference fears (nation.cymru)

• NCSC launches Share and Defend capability | UKAuthority

• Too many ICS assets are exposed to the public internet - Help Net Security

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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 24 March 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

• Majority of SMBs Lack Dedicated Cyber Experts and Cyber Incident Response Plans

A recent report conducted by security provider Huntress found some worrying results regarding SMBs lack of dedicated cyber experts and lack of cyber incident response plans. Some of the reports key findings were 24% of SMBs suffering a cyber attack or unsure if they had suffered a cyber attack in the last 12 months, 61% of SMBs not having a dedicated cyber security expert and 47% having no incident response plan. The report found that SMBs struggled to implement basic training and only 9% of employees adhered to security best practices, potentially due to the previously mentioned training struggles. The report highlights a clear need for SMBs to increase their cyber resilience and conduct effective user education and awareness training.

https://www.msspalert.com/cybersecurity-research/majority-of-smbs-lack-dedicated-cyber-experts-incident-response-plan/

• Controlling Third-Party Data Risk Should be a Top Cyber Security Priority

Nearly 60% of all data breaches are initiated via third-party vendors and this is often hard to detect. The ever-increasing use of third party services has led to the average organisation sharing sensitive data with 583 third parties, a worrying number of attack vectors. Due to the impact a third party breach can have on an organisation it is imperative that organisations assess and risk manage their supply chains to increase the organisations cyber resilience.

https://www.darkreading.com/attacks-breaches/controlling-third-party-data-risk-should-be-a-top-cybersecurity-priority-

• IT Security Spending to Reach Nearly $300 Billion by 2026

Worldwide spending on security is forecast to be $219 billion in 2023, an increase of 12.1% compared to 2022. This figure is expected to continually rise, reaching nearly $300 billion by 2026. In Europe, it is predicted that the biggest portion of spending will still be represented by services, which will be increasingly leveraged by organisations with limited cyber security experience. Additionally the finance sector, which will have to constantly ensure regulatory adherence, is predicted to be the largest spending sector. Organisations should perform due diligence and ensure that they are using reputable services.

https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2023/03/20/it-security-spending-2026/

• 2023 Cyber Security Maturity Report Reveals Organisational Unpreparedness for Cyber Attacks

In 2022 alone cyber attacks increased by 38%, highlighting the need for organisations to have a high level of cyber maturity; despite this, a recent cyber security maturity report ranked UK organisations as 12th  globally. Some of the findings from the report included that 32% of organisations were found to have weak passwords and 23% had weak authentication systems.

https://thehackernews.com/2023/03/2023-cybersecurity-maturity-report.html

• Board Cyber Shortage: Don’t Get Caught Swimming Naked

The Securities and Exchange Commission recently released their rules on cyber security risk management, strategy governance and incident disclosure by public companies. As part of the rules, the public disclosure of board directors’ cyber risk biographies is mandated. Worryingly, recent research has found that there is a drastic gap in cyber expertise at the board director level, with 90% of companies not having a single director with cyber security expertise. Board directors are able to address this issue by retaining outside expert advisors, upskilling board members or hiring new cyber security board directors. 

https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestechcouncil/2023/03/20/board-cyber-shortage-dont-get-caught-swimming-naked/?sh=6ea732895af8

• Should your Organisation be Worried about Insider Threats?

Cyber crime is predicted to reach $10.5 trillion worth, making it a lucrative business venture for opportunist criminals. One of the threats companies face is insider threat; this is where the threat comes from within the organisation. Insider threat can include third-party vendors, business partners and others with access to an organisations systems and networks. The threat an insider poses is commonly thought of as malicious but it can also be negligent, where insiders haven’t received proper user education and awareness training. Worryingly, insider threat is rising and research has shown a significant amount of under-reporting; over 70% of insider attacks never reach the headlines. As such, it is difficult for organisations to gauge the risk of insider threats.

https://www.itsecurityguru.org/2023/03/17/should-your-organization-be-worried-about-insider-threats/

• UK Ransomware Incident Volumes Surge 17% in 2022

According to recent research, attacker-reported ransomware incidents increased by 17% annually in the UK last year and 2023 is showing signs of a continual rise. With this continual rise, it is important for organisations to assess and build upon their cyber resilience.

https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/uk-ransomware-incident-surge-17/

• Financial Industry Hit by Rising Ransomware Attacks and BEC

According to a recent report by the Financial Services Information Sharing and Analysis Center (FS-ISAC) ransomware remained the biggest concern for the financial industry with an increase in attacks due to ransomware-as-a-service. Furthermore, FS-ISAC found a 300% increase in the number of business email compromise attacks from 2021 to 2022. Artificial intelligence was identified as an upcoming area of concern due to its ability to obfuscate detection.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-03-21/banks-financial-industry-buffeted-by-rising-ransomware-attacks?

• 55 zero-day Flaws Exploited Last Year Show the Importance of Security Risk Management

According to a report from intelligence provider Mandiant 55 zero-days were exploited in 2022 and 13 of those were used in cyber espionage attacks. Of the espionage attacks, 7 related to Chinese threat actors and 2 related to Russian threat actors. The report found that effective security management and patching remained the best protections for organisations.

https://www.csoonline.com/article/3691609/55-zero-day-flaws-exploited-last-year-show-the-importance-of-security-risk-management.html#tk.rss_news

• Security Researchers Spot $36m BEC Attack

Security experts recently identified a single business email compromise attack which amounted to $36.4m. The attack in question contained an invoice, payment instructions, a forged letterhead and even cc’d a legitimate and well known company. The attacker also changed “.com” to “.cam” to imitate a domain. The total cost of BEC based on reported incidents is around $2.7 billion and this is excluding unreported incidents. Organisations should ensure that staff are adequately trained in identifying and reporting such attacks.

https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/security-researchers-spot-36m-bec/

• New Victims Come Forward After Mass Ransomware Attack

Russia-linked Ransomware gang “Clop” has claimed a mass hack of 130 organisations via the vendor GoAnywhere, with more victims coming forward. Clop adds names of victims to its dark web site, which is used to extort companies further by threatening to publish the stolen files unless a ransom is paid.

https://techcrunch.com/2023/03/22/fortra-goanywhere-ransomware-attack/

• Ransomware Gangs’ Harassment of Victims is Increasing

Analysis by Palo Alto Networks found that harassment was a factor in 20% of ransomware cases, a significant jump from less than 1% in mid 2021. The harassment campaign by threat attackers is intended to make sure that ransom payments are met. This adds to the stress that organisations already face with ransomware incidents.

https://www.techrepublic.com/article/ransomware-gangs-harassment-victims-increasing/

• Wartime Hacktivism is Spilling Over into the Financial Services Industry

The Financial Services Information Sharing and Analysis Center (FS-ISAC) has identified that financial firms in countries that Russia considers hostile have been singled out for attacks and these attacks are going to continue if the Russia and Ukraine war persists.

https://www.scmagazine.com/analysis/risk-management/report-wartime-hacktivism-is-spilling-over-into-the-financial-services-industry

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Threats

Ransomware, Extortion and Destructive Attacks

• LockBit 3.0 Ransomware: Inside the Cyberthreat That's Costing Millions (thehackernews.com)

• UK Ransomware Incident Volumes Surge 17% in 2022 - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Banks, Financial Sector Hit By Rising Ransomware Attacks - Bloomberg

• BianLian ransomware crew swaps encryption for extortion • The Register

• New victims come forward after mass-ransomware attack | TechCrunch

• Ransomware Gangs' Harassment of Victims Is Increasing (techrepublic.com)

• LockBit ransomware gang now also claims City of Oakland breach (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Free decryptor released for Conti-based ransomware following data leak | Tripwire

• New 'Trigona' Ransomware Targets US, Europe, Australia - SecurityWeek

• Ransomware Strongly Influencing SOC Modernization Strategies, Cybereason Research Shows - MSSP Alert

• US govt agencies released an alert on the Lockbit 3.0 ransomware- Security Affairs

• Security News This Week: Ring Is in a Standoff With Hackers | WIRED UK

• CISA kicks off ransomware vulnerability pilot to help spot ransomware-exploitable flaws | CSO Online

• Clop ransomware claims Saks Fifth Avenue, retailer says mock data stolen (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Researchers Shed Light on CatB Ransomware's Evasion Techniques (thehackernews.com)

• Why CISOs Are Looking to Lateral Security to Mitigate Ransomware | CIO

• Dole discloses employee data breach after ransomware attack (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Ransomware Attacks Double in Europe's Transport Sector - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Prevent Ransomware with Cyber security Monitoring (trendmicro.com)

• Getting Ahead of the Ransomware Epidemic: CISA’s Pre-Ransomware Notifications Help Organisations Stop Attacks Before Damage Occurs | CISA

• Ferrari in a spin as crims steal customer data • The Register

• Play ransomware gang hit Dutch shipping firm Royal Dirkzwager- Security Affairs

• Hitachi Energy confirms data breach after Clop GoAnywhere attacks (bleepingcomputer.com)

• City of Toronto confirms data theft, Clop claims responsibility (bleepingcomputer.com)

Phishing & Email Based Attacks

• 7 guidelines for identifying and mitigating AI-enabled phishing campaigns | CSO Online

• Just 1% of Dot-Org Domains Are Fully DMARC Protected - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

BEC – Business Email Compromise

• Security Researchers Spot $36m BEC Attack - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

Other Social Engineering; Smishing, Vishing, etc

• Vishing Campaign Targets Social Security Administration - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Threat actors are experimenting with QR codes - Help Net Security

• Over 2400 Fake Pages Found Targeting Job Seekers in Middle East, Africa - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

2FA/MFA

• Massive Phishing Campaign Bypasses MFA and Mimics Microsoft Office (techrepublic.com)

• How Cyber-Criminals are Circumventing Multifactor Authentication - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

Malware

• Emotet malware now distributed in Microsoft OneNote files to evade defences (bleepingcomputer.com)

• ChatGPT Polymorphic Malware Bypasses Endpoint Detection Filters (cybersecuritynews.com)

• RAT developer arrested for infecting 10,000 PCs with malware (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Google flags apps made by popular Chinese e-commerce giant as malware | TechCrunch

• Mispadu Banking Trojan Targets Latin America: 90,000+ Credentials Stolen (thehackernews.com)

• Custom 'Naplistener' Malware a Nightmare for Network-Based Detection (darkreading.com)

• New ShellBot DDoS Malware Variants Targeting Poorly Managed Linux Servers (thehackernews.com)

• ScarCruft's Evolving Arsenal: Researchers Reveal New Malware Distribution Techniques (thehackernews.com)

• Python info-stealing malware uses Unicode to evade detection (bleepingcomputer.com)

Mobile

• Nexus: A New Rising Android Banking Trojan Targeting 450 Financial Apps (thehackernews.com)

• The FBI Warns SIM Swapping Attacks Are Rising. What's That? - ReHack

• Android apps are spying on you — with no easy way to stop them | Digital Trends

• Your Samsung phone may have a big security flaw – here's how to stay safe | TechRadar

• UK emergency alert system launched to warn of life-threatening events - with test set for next month | UK News | Sky News

• Google Pixel phones had a serious data leakage bug – here’s what to do! – Naked Security (sophos.com)

• How to keep your phone safe from the scary Exynos modem vulnerability (androidpolice.com)

Botnets

• New GoLang-Based HinataBot Exploiting Router and Server Flaws for DDoS Attacks (thehackernews.com)

Denial of Service/DoS/DDOS

• New ‘HinataBot’ botnet could launch massive 3.3 Tbps DDoS attacks (bleepingcomputer.com)

• KillNet Group Uses DDoS Attacks Against Azure-Based Healthcare Apps - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Mirai Hackers Use Golang to Create a Bigger, Badder DDoS Botnet (darkreading.com)

• New ShellBot DDoS Malware Variants Targeting Poorly Managed Linux Servers (thehackernews.com)

Internet of Things – IoT

• Eufy security cam 'stored unique ID' of everyone filmed • The Register

• Google sounds alarm on Samsung modem bugs in Android devices • The Register

• EU Council extends product lifetime, clarifies scope in cyber security law – EURACTIV.com

• Tesco to ditch Chinese-made CCTV cameras over security and human rights fears (telegraph.co.uk)

Data Breaches/Leaks

• Complacency of staff to blame for data breaches (thesundaily.my)

• Hitachi Energy confirms data breach after Clop GoAnywhere attacks (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Latitude customers are furious: some have had data hacked before through Medibank and Optus - ABC News

• Data breaches cost businesses nearly $6M on average: Mastercard | CTV News

• Healthcare provider ILS warns 4.2 million people of data breach (bleepingcomputer.com)

• NBA is warning fans of a data breach after a third-party newsletter service hack- Security Affairs

• Lowe’s Market chain leaves client data up for grabs- Security Affairs

• Ferrari discloses data breach after receiving ransom demand (bleepingcomputer.com)

• South Korea fines McDonalds for data leak from raw SMB share • The Register

• A million at risk from user data leak at Korean beauty platform PowderRoom- Security Affairs

Organised Crime & Criminal Actors

• New York Man Arrested for Running BreachForums Cyber crime Website - SecurityWeek

Cryptocurrency/Cryptomining/Cryptojacking/NFTs/Blockchain

• Fireblocks Discloses Critical Vulnerability in BitGo Ethereum Wallets - Decrypt

• General Bytes Bitcoin ATMs hacked using zero-day, $1.5M stolen (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Linus Tech Tips' YouTube Channel has been hacked by Crypto Scammers | OC3D News (overclock3d.net)

Insider Risk and Insider Threats

• Should Your Organisation Be Worried About Insider Threats? - IT Security Guru

• Top 5 Insider Threats to Look Out For in 2023- Security Affairs

• Preventing Insider Threats in Your Active Directory (thehackernews.com)

Fraud, Scams & Financial Crime

• Voice deepfakes are calling – here's what they are and how to avoid getting scammed (theconversation.com)

• Detecting face morphing: A simple guide to countering complex identity fraud - Help Net Security

• ‘My bank did not stop £6,500 payment to holiday scammers despite my pleas’ | Scams | The Guardian

• The FBI Warns SIM Swapping Attacks Are Rising. What's That? - ReHack

• Hackers inject credit card stealers into payment processing modules (bleepingcomputer.com)

Deepfakes

• Voice deepfakes are calling – here's what they are and how to avoid getting scammed (theconversation.com)

• Detecting face morphing: A simple guide to countering complex identity fraud - Help Net Security

Insurance

• SMBs don't see need for cyber insurance since they won't experience security incidents | ZDNET

• Cyber insurance carriers expanding role in incident response | TechTarget

Supply Chain and Third Parties

• Controlling Third-Party Data Risk Should Be a Top Cyber security Priority (darkreading.com)

• Companies vulnerable to cyber-attack via suppliers - research | RNZ News

• Why you should treat ChatGPT like any other vendor service - Help Net Security

• MITRE Rolls Out Supply Chain Security Prototype (darkreading.com)

Software Supply Chain

• Why Business Software Buyers Are Demanding Baked-in Security - MSSP Alert

Cloud/SaaS

• How access management helps protect identities in the cloud | VentureBeat

• Bitcoin ATM maker shuts cloud service after user hot wallets compromised (cointelegraph.com)

• The cloud backlash has begun: Why big data is pulling compute back on premises | TechCrunch

• Shouldering the Increasingly Heavy Cloud Shared-Responsibility Model (darkreading.com)

• 4 cloud API security best practices | TechTarget

• 8 cloud detection and response use cases | TechTarget

• How to Transfer Data Securely When Moving to the Cloud - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• The hidden danger to zero trust: Excessive cloud permissions • Graham Cluley

• New CISA tool detects hacking activity in Microsoft cloud services (bleepingcomputer.com)

• 4 Tips for Better AWS Cloud Workload Security (trendmicro.com)

Hybrid/Remote Working

• Bridging the cyber security readiness gap in a hybrid world - Help Net Security

Identity and Access Management

• How access management helps protect identities in the cloud | VentureBeat

• The impact of AI on the future of ID verification - Help Net Security

• Preventing Insider Threats in Your Active Directory (thehackernews.com)

• CISA, NSA push identity and access management framework as risks grow | SC Media (scmagazine.com)

API

• 4 cloud API security best practices | TechTarget

Open Source

• New ShellBot DDoS Malware Variants Targeting Poorly Managed Linux Servers (thehackernews.com)

• Open Source Vulnerabilities Still Pose a Big Challenge for Security Teams (darkreading.com)

Passwords, Credential Stuffing & Brute Force Attacks

• Okta Post-Exploitation Method Exposes User Passwords (darkreading.com)

Social Media

• BBC presses staff to uninstall TikTok from corporate kit • The Register

• TikTok cannot be considered a private company: report • The Register

• TikTok CEO plans rigorous defences in Congress against claims the app is a US security threat | CyberScoop

• Five brutal hours for TikTok: CEO raked over coals amid privacy, security concerns | CyberScoop

• Linus Tech Tips' YouTube Channel has been hacked by Crypto Scammers | OC3D News (overclock3d.net)

Training, Education and Awareness

• Complacency of staff to blame for data breaches (thesundaily.my)

Regulations, Fines and Legislation

• Board Cyber Shortage: Don’t Get Caught Swimming Naked (forbes.com)

• ICO Reprimands Metropolitan Police for Data Snafu - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• EU Council extends product lifetime, clarifies scope in cyber security law – EURACTIV.com

• India’s infosec reporting rules observed by just 15 orgs • The Register

• Why Organisations Need To Go Beyond Federal Cyber security Compliance Standards (forbes.com)

Governance, Risk and Compliance

• How CISOs Can Work With the CFO to Get the Best Security Budget (darkreading.com)

• CIOs Build New Bonds With CISOs - WSJ

• How to best allocate IT and cyber security budgets in 2023 - Help Net Security

• IT security spending to reach nearly $300 billion by 2026 - Help Net Security

• Board Cyber Shortage: Don’t Get Caught Swimming Naked (forbes.com)

• How Your Cyber security Strategy Enables Better Business (trendmicro.com)

• 55 zero-day flaws exploited last year show the importance of security risk management | CSO Online

• How Can CISOs Connect With the Board of Directors? (darkreading.com)

• Achieving The Five Levels Of Information Security Governance (forbes.com)

• Enhance security while lowering IT overhead in times of recession - Help Net Security

• Why organisations shouldn't fold to cyber criminal requests - Help Net Security

Models, Frameworks and Standards

• Meta Proposes Revamped Approach to Online Kill Chain Frameworks (darkreading.com)

• MITRE Rolls Out Supply Chain Security Prototype (darkreading.com)

Backup and Recovery

• Data backup, security alerts, and encryption viewed as top security features - Help Net Security

• Top 5 security risks for enterprise storage, backup devices - Help Net Security

Data Protection

• Use of Meta tracking tools found to breach EU rules on data transfers | TechCrunch

• ICO Reprimands Metropolitan Police for Data Snafu - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

Careers, Working in Cyber and Information Security

• How training and recognition can reduce cyber security stress and burnout | CSO Online

Law Enforcement Action and Take Downs

• RAT developer arrested for infecting 10,000 PCs with malware (bleepingcomputer.com)

• New York Man Arrested for Running BreachForums Cyber crime Website - SecurityWeek

Privacy, Surveillance and Mass Monitoring

• Eufy security cam 'stored unique ID' of everyone filmed • The Register

• Use of Meta tracking tools found to breach EU rules on data transfers | TechCrunch

• How to protect online privacy in the age of pixel trackers - Help Net Security

• Windows 11 Snipping Tool privacy bug exposes cropped image content (bleepingcomputer.com)

• French govt clears AI facial scans for Paris Olympics • The Register

Artificial Intelligence

• EU's AI regulation vote looms. We’re still not sure how unrestrained AI should be | Euronews

• ChatGPT Leaves Governments Scrambling for AI Regulations - Bloomberg

• ‘We are a little bit scared’: OpenAI CEO warns of risks of artificial intelligence | Artificial intelligence (AI) | The Guardian

• ChatGPT Polymorphic Malware Bypasses Endpoint Detection Filters (cybersecuritynews.com)

• Detecting face morphing: A simple guide to countering complex identity fraud - Help Net Security

• We need to create guardrails for AI | Financial Times (ft.com)

• GPT-4 devises plan to ‘escape’ by gaining control of a user's computer | Mint (livemint.com)

• Mastercard strengthens customer security with new AI ‘Cyber Shield’ | Mastercard Newsroom

• The impact of AI on the future of ID verification - Help Net Security

• 7 guidelines for identifying and mitigating AI-enabled phishing campaigns | CSO Online

• AI news latest: Google lets people talk to ‘Bard’ bot as ChatGPT taken offline after it goes haywire | The Independent

• Why you should treat ChatGPT like any other vendor service - Help Net Security

• Mozilla launches a new startup focused on ‘trustworthy’ AI | TechCrunch

• French govt clears AI facial scans for Paris Olympics • The Register

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

• Financial cyber threats heightened by ideologically motivated hacktivism amidst geopolitical tension | SC Media (scmagazine.com)

• Threat actors linked to nation-states exploited zero-days the most in 2022 | SC Media (scmagazine.com)

• New Espionage Group 'YoroTrooper' Targeting Entities in European, CIS Countries - SecurityWeek

• Pro-Russian Winter Vivern APT Targets Governments and Telecom Firm - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Palantir: NHS trusts ordered to share patient data with US ‘spy-tech’ firm | openDemocracy

• Tesco to ditch Chinese-made CCTV cameras over security and human rights fears (telegraph.co.uk)

• Purported Chinese warships interfering with passenger planes • The Register

• Putin to staffers: throw out your iPhones over security • The Register

• Russia-backed Iridium Hackers Set to Launch Attacks on Ukrainian Government Sites - MSSP Alert

• Facebook Security Exec Seaford Hacked by Greek Predator Spyware (gizmodo.com)

• BBC presses staff to uninstall TikTok from corporate kit • The Register

• New 'Bad Magic' Cyber Threat Disrupt Ukraine's Key Sectors Amid War (thehackernews.com)

• Hacker tied to DC Health Link breach says attack 'born out of Russian patriotism' | CyberScoop

• Unknown actors target orgs in Russia-occupied Ukraine • The Register

• Xi, Putin, declare intent to rule the world of AI, infosec • The Register

• North Korean hackers using Chrome extensions to steal Gmail emails (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Fact or fiction, hacktivists' claims of industrial sabotage in Russia or Ukraine get attention online | CyberScoop

• Stealthy hacks show advancements in China's cyberespionage operations, researchers say | CyberScoop

• China-Aligned "Operation Tainted Love" Targets Middle East Telecom Providers - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

Nation State Actors

• Financial cyber threats heightened by ideologically motivated hacktivism amidst geopolitical tension | SC Media (scmagazine.com)

• Threat actors linked to nation-states exploited zero-days the most in 2022 | SC Media (scmagazine.com)

• New Espionage Group 'YoroTrooper' Targeting Entities in European, CIS Countries - SecurityWeek

• Pro-Russian Winter Vivern APT Targets Governments and Telecom Firm - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Huawei Has Replaced Thousands of US-Banned Parts With Chinese Versions: Founder - SecurityWeek

• Tesco to ditch Chinese-made CCTV cameras over security and human rights fears (telegraph.co.uk)

• Purported Chinese warships interfering with passenger planes • The Register

• TikTok cannot be considered a private company: report • The Register

• Five brutal hours for TikTok: CEO raked over coals amid privacy, security concerns | CyberScoop

• BBC presses staff to uninstall TikTok from corporate kit • The Register

• Google flags apps made by popular Chinese e-commerce giant as malware | TechCrunch

• Putin to staffers: throw out your iPhones over security • The Register

• Russia-backed Iridium Hackers Set to Launch Attacks on Ukrainian Government Sites - MSSP Alert

• New 'Bad Magic' Cyber Threat Disrupt Ukraine's Key Sectors Amid War (thehackernews.com)

• Hacker tied to D.C. Health Link breach says attack 'born out of Russian patriotism' | CyberScoop

• Unknown actors target orgs in Russia-occupied Ukraine • The Register

• Xi, Putin, declare intent to rule the world of AI, infosec • The Register

• Chinese-linked hackers deployed the most zero-day vulnerabilities in 2022, researchers say | CyberScoop

• Fact or fiction, hacktivists' claims of industrial sabotage in Russia or Ukraine get attention online | CyberScoop

• The pressing threat of Chinese-made drones flying above US critical infrastructure  | CyberScoop

• Stealthy hacks show advancements in China's cyberespionage operations, researchers say | CyberScoop

• China-Aligned "Operation Tainted Love" Targets Middle East Telecom Providers - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Russian hacktivists deploy new AresLoader malware via decoy installers | CSO Online

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Vulnerability Management

• 55 zero-day flaws exploited last year show the importance of security risk management | CSO Online

• Hackers mostly targeted Microsoft, Google, Apple zero-days in 2022 (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Move, Patch, Get Out the Way: 2022 Zero-Day Exploitation Continues at an Elevated Pace | Mandiant

• From Ransomware to Cyber Espionage: 55 Zero-Day Vulnerabilities Weaponized in 2022 (thehackernews.com)

• Threat actors linked to nation-states exploited zero-days the most in 2022 | SC Media (scmagazine.com)

• 10 Vulnerabilities Types to Focus On This Year (darkreading.com)

• Vulnerability vs. Risk: How MSSPs Can Prioritize Remediating Cyber security Vulnerabilities - MSSP Alert

• What Is the Microsoft Print Spooler Vulnerability? - ReHack

• Chinese-linked hackers deployed the most zero-day vulnerabilities in 2022, researchers say | CyberScoop

• Windows 11, Tesla, Ubuntu, and macOS hacked at Pwn2Own 2023 (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Top 5 security risks for enterprise storage, backup devices - Help Net Security

• Open Source Vulnerabilities Still Pose a Big Challenge for Security Teams (darkreading.com)

Vulnerabilities

• Microsoft Outlook Vulnerability Could Be 2023's 'It' Bug (darkreading.com)

• CVE-2023-23397 Outlook exploit: "A proliferation event" (thestack.technology)

• Patch CVE-2023-23397 Immediately: What You Need To Know and Do (trendmicro.com)

• Cisco fixed severe vulnerabilities in its IOS and IOS XE software- Security Affairs

• Exploit released for Veeam bug allowing cleartext credential theft (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Experts published PoC exploit code for Veeam Backup & Replication bug- Security Affairs

• WordPress force patching WooCommerce plugin with 500K installs (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Windows 11 bug warns Local Security Authority protection is off (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Bitwarden addresses autofill issue that could be exploited to steal logins - gHacks Tech News

• Hackers mostly targeted Microsoft, Google, Apple zero-days in 2022 (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Microsoft’s blunders with new Windows 10 update are causing serious headaches | TechRadar

• Microsoft: Defender update behind Windows LSA protection warnings (bleepingcomputer.com)

• ZenGo uncovers 'red pill attack' vulnerability in popular Web3 apps (cointelegraph.com)

• Windows 11 Snipping Tool privacy bug exposes cropped image content (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Patch Tuesday -> Exploit Wednesday: Pwning Windows Ancillary Function Driver for WinSock (afd.sys) in 24 Hours (securityintelligence.com)

• If your Netgear Orbi router isn’t patched, you’ll want to change that pronto | Ars Technica

• Attackers Are Probing for Zero-Day Vulns in Edge Infrastructure Products (darkreading.com)

• Chinese-linked hackers deployed the most zero-day vulnerabilities in 2022, researchers say | CyberScoop

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Tools and Controls

• Data backup, security alerts, and encryption viewed as top security features - Help Net Security

• Majority of SMBs Lack Dedicated Cyber Experts, Incident Response Plan - MSSP Alert

• 55 zero-day flaws exploited last year show the importance of security risk management | CSO Online

• Complacency of staff to blame for data breaches (thesundaily.my)

• How access management helps protect identities in the cloud | VentureBeat

• Why CISOs Should Prioritize Extended Detection & Response (XDR) - VMware Security Blog - VMware

• The Ethics of Network and Security Monitoring (darkreading.com)

• Fighting VPN criminalization should be Big Tech’s top priority, activists say | Ars Technica

• Just 1% of Dot-Org Domains Are Fully DMARC Protected - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• How network perimeters secure enterprise networks | TechTarget

• Top 5 security risks for enterprise storage, backup devices - Help Net Security

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Reports Published in the Last Week

• State of Cybersecurity for Mid-Sized Businesses in 2023 | Huntress

• Move, Patch, Get Out the Way: 2022 Zero-Day Exploitation Continues at an Elevated Pace | Mandiant

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Other News

• Web Fingerprinting gets frighteningly good: sees through VPNs and Incognito Mode - gHacks Tech News

• Journalist plugs in unknown USB drive mailed to him—it exploded in his face | Ars Technica

• What Is Shoulder Surfing? How Does It Affect Cyber security (informationsecuritybuzz.com)

• Inside the DEA Tool Hackers Allegedly Used to Extort Targets (vice.com)

• Top ways attackers are targeting your endpoints - Help Net Security

• What Is a Dirty IP Address and How Does It Affect Your Security? (makeuseof.com)

• 5 rules to make security user-friendly - Help Net Security

• Techno-nationalism explained: What you need to know (techtarget.com)

• How Emerging Trends in Virtual Reality Impact Cyber security - IT Security Guru

• Pipeline Cyber security Rules Show the Need for Public-Private Partnerships (darkreading.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 27 January 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

• Supply Chain Attacks Caused More Data Compromises Than Malware

According to the Identity Theft Resource Center, data compromises steadily increased in the second half of 2022 and cyber attacks remained the primary source of data breaches.

The number of data breaches resulting from supply chain attacks exceeded malware related compromises in 2022 by 40%. According to the report, more than 10 million people were impacted by supply chain attacks targeting 1,743 entities. By comparison, 70 malware-based cyber attacks affected 4.3 million people.

https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2023/01/26/data-compromises-2022/

• What Makes Small and Medium-Sized Businesses Vulnerable to BEC Attacks

According to the United States’ FBI’s 2021 Internet Crime Report, business email compromise (BEC) accounted for almost a third of the country’s $6.9 billion in cyber losses that year – around $2.4 billion. In surprisingly sharp contrast, ransomware attacks accounted for only $50 million of those losses.

Small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) are especially vulnerable to this form of attack and BEC’s contribution to annual cyber losses not only makes sense but is also likely underreported.

In stark contrast to highly disruptive ransomware attacks, BEC is subversive and is neither technically complicated nor expensive to deploy. In the case of large organisations, the financial fallout of BEC is almost negligible. That’s not the case for small and medium-sized businesses, which often lack the means to absorb similar financial losses.

BEC’s simplicity gives more credence for attackers to target smaller organisations, and because of that, it’s doubly essential for SMBs to be vigilant.

https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2023/01/25/what-makes-small-medium-sized-businesses-vulnerable-bec-attacks-video/

• Understanding Your Attack Surface Makes It Easier to Prioritise Technologies and Systems

It has been observed that attackers will attempt to start exploiting vulnerabilities within the first fifteen minutes of their disclosure. As the time to patch gets shorter, organisations need to be more pragmatic when it comes to remediating vulnerabilities, particularly when it comes to prioritisation.

Attack surfaces constantly evolve and change as new applications are developed, old systems are decommissioned, and new assets are registered. Also, more and more organisations are moving towards cloud-hosted infrastructure, which changes the risk and responsibility for securing those assets. Therefore, it is essential to carry out continuous or regular assessments to understand what systems are at risk, instead of just taking a point-in-time snapshot of how the attack surface looks at that moment.

The first step would be to map “traditional” asset types – those easily associated with an organisation and easy to monitor, such as domains and IP addresses. Ownership of these assets can be easily identified through available information (e.g., WHOIS data). The less traditional asset types (such as GitHub repositories) aren’t directly owned by the organisation but can also provide high-value targets or information for attackers.

It’s also important to understand which technologies are in use to make sound judgements based on the vulnerabilities relevant to the organisation. For example, out of one hundred vulnerabilities released within one month only 20% might affect the organisation’s technologies.

Once organisations have a good understanding of which assets might be at risk, context and prioritisation can be applied to the vulnerabilities affecting those assets. Threat intelligence can be utilised to determine which vulnerabilities are already being exploited in the wild.

What is then the correct answer for this conundrum? The answer is that there is no answer! Instead, organisations should consider a mindset shift and look towards preventing issues whilst adopting a defence-in-depth approach; focus on minimising impact and risk by prioritising assets that matter the most and reducing time spent on addressing those that don’t. This can be achieved by understanding your organisation’s attack surface and prioritising issues based on context and relevance.

https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2023/01/24/understanding-your-attack-surface/

• Cyber Security Pros Sound Alarm Over Insider Threats

Gurucul, a security information and event management (SIEM) solution provider, and Cyber security Insiders, a 600,000-plus member online community for information security professionals, found in their annual 2023 Insider Threat Report that only 3% of respondents surveyed are not concerned with insider risk.

Among all potential insiders, cyber security professionals are most concerned about IT users and admins with far-reaching access privileges (60%). This is followed by third-party contractors (such as MSPs and MSSPs) and service providers (57%), regular employees (55%), and privileged business users (53%).

The research also found that more than half of organisations in the study had been victimised by an insider threat in the past year. According to the data, 75% of the respondents believe they are moderately to extremely vulnerable to insider threats, an 8% spike from last year. That coincided with a similar percentage who said attacks have become more frequent, with 60% experiencing at least one attack and 25% getting hit by more than six attacks.

https://www.msspalert.com/cybersecurity-research/research-report-cybersecurity-pros-sound-alarm-over-insider-threats/

• Ransomware Attack Hit KFC and Pizza Hut Stores in the UK

Nearly 300 fast food restaurants, including branches of KFC and Pizza Hut, were forced to close following a ransomware attack against parent company Yum! Brands. In a statement dated 18 January 2023, Yum! confirmed that unnamed ransomware had impacted some of its IT infrastructure, and that data had been exfiltrated by hackers from its servers. However, although an investigation into the security breach continues, the company said that it had seen no evidence that customer details had been exposed.

What has not yet been made public, and may not even be known to those investigating the breach, is how long hackers might have had access to the company's IT infrastructure, and how they might have been able to gain access to what should have been a secure system. Yum! has also not shared whether it has received a ransom demand from its attackers, and if it did how much ransom was demanded, and whether it would be prepared to negotiate with its extortionists.

https://www.bitdefender.com/blog/hotforsecurity/ransomware-attack-hit-kfc-and-pizza-hut-stores-in-the-uk/

• Forthcoming SEC Rules Will Trigger ‘Tectonic Shift’ in How Corporate Boards Treat Cyber Security

Under rules first proposed in 2022 but expected to be finalised as soon as April 2023, publicly traded companies in the US that determine a cyber incident has become “material”, meaning it could have a significant impact on the business, must disclose details to the SEC and investors within four business days. That requirement would also apply “when a series of previously undisclosed, individually immaterial cyber security incidents has become material in the aggregate.

The SEC’s rules will also require the boards of those companies to disclose significant information on their security governance, such as how and when it exercises oversight on cyber risks. That info includes identifying who on the board (or which subcommittee) is responsible for cyber security and their relevant expertise. Required disclosures will also include how often and by which processes board members are informed and discuss cyber risk. The former cyber adviser to the SEC commented that “The problem we have with the current cyber security ecosystem is that it’s very focused on technical mitigation measures and does not contemplate these business, operational, [or] financial factors.”

Whilst this only impacts US firms, we can expect other jurisdictions to follow suit.

https://www.itbrew.com/stories/2023/01/20/forthcoming-sec-rules-will-trigger-tectonic-shift-in-how-corporate-boards-treat-cybersecurity

• Why CISOs Make Great Board Members

Cyber security-related risk is a top concern, so boards need to know they have the proper oversight in place. The past three years created a perfect storm situation with lasting consequences for how we think about cyber security, and as a result cyber security technologies and teams have shifted from being viewed as a cost centre to a business enabler.

Gartner predicts that by 2025, 40% of companies will have a dedicated cyber security committee. Who is better suited than a CISO to lead that conversation? Cyber security-related risk is a top concern, so boards need to know they have the proper oversight in place. CISOs can provide advice on moving forward with digital change initiatives and help companies prepare for the future. They can explain the organisation’s risk posture, including exposure related to geopolitical conflict as well as to new business initiatives and emerging threats, and what can be done to mitigate risk.

Lastly, the role of the CISO has evolved from being a risk metrics presenter to a translator of risk to the business. Therefore, the expertise CISOs have developed in recent years in how to explain risk to the board makes them valuable contributors to these conversations. They can elevate the discussion to ensure deep understanding of the trade-offs between growth and risk, enable more informed decision-making, and serve as guardrails for total business alignment.

https://www.securityweek.com/why-cisos-make-great-board-members/

• View From Davos: The Changing Economics of Cyber Crime

Cyber crime is a risk created by humans, driven by the economic conditions of high profit and easy opportunity. Ransomware is the most recent monetisation of these motives and opportunities, and it has evolved from simple malware to advanced exploits and double or triple extortion models.

The motive for cyber crime is clear: to steal money, but the digital nature of cyber crime makes the opportunity uniquely attractive, due to the following:

·       Cryptocurrency makes online extortion, trading illicit goods and services, and laundering fraudulent funds highly anonymous and usually beyond the reach of financial regulators or inspection

·       There isn't enough fear of getting caught for cyber crime.

·       With the explosion in spending on digital transformation, data is the new gold and it is incredibly easy to steal, due to lapses in basic hygiene like encrypting data-at-rest and in-transit or limiting access to only authorised users.

·       Paying extortion through extensive cyber insurance policies only feeds the ransomware epidemic by incentivising further crime, as noted by the FBI.

Fighting cyber crime is a team sport, and to succeed, we must adopt this framework of cyber resilience that integrates the technical, policy, behavioural, and economic elements necessary to manage the reality of ever-growing cyber crime as a predictable and manageable cyber risk.

https://www.darkreading.com/edge-articles/view-from-davos-the-changing-economics-of-cybercrime

• Cloud Based Networks Under Increasing Attack, Report Finds

As enterprises around the world continue to move to the cloud, cyber criminals are following right behind them. There was a 48 percent year-over-year jump in 2022 in cyber attacks on cloud-based networks, and it comes at a time when 98 percent of global organisations use cloud services, according to Check Point. The increases in cyber attacks were experienced in various regions, including Asia (with a 60 percent jump), Europe (50 percent), and North America (28 percent) according to a report by Checkpoint last week.

Check Point explained that "The rise in attacks on the cloud was driven both by an overall increase in cyber attacks globally (38 percent overall in 2022, compared to 48 percent in the cloud) and also by the fact that it holds much more data and incorporates infrastructure and services from large amounts of potential victims, so when exploited the attacks could have a larger impact,". Later, Checkpoint highlighted that human error is a significant factor in the vulnerability of cloud-based networks.

The report highlighted the need for defence capabilities in the cloud to improve. According to Check Point, this means adopting zero-trust cloud network security controls, incorporating security and compliance earlier in the development lifecycle, avoiding misconfigurations, and using tools such as an intrusion detection and prevention systems and next-generation web application firewalls. As  commented by Check Point “it is still up to the network and security admins to make sure all their infrastructure is not vulnerable.

https://www.theregister.com/2023/01/20/cloud_networks_under_attack/

• GoTo Admits: Customer Cloud Backups Stolen Together with Decryption Key

On 2022-11-30, GoTo informed customers that it had suffered “a security incident”, summarising the situation as follows:

“Based on the investigation to date, we have detected unusual activity within our development environment and third-party cloud storage service. The third-party cloud storage service is currently shared by both GoTo and its affiliate, LastPass.”

Two months later, GoTo has come back with an update, and the news isn’t great:

“[A] threat actor exfiltrated encrypted backups from a third-party cloud storage service related to the following products: Central, Pro, join.me, Hamachi, and RemotelyAnywhere. We also have evidence that a threat actor exfiltrated an encryption key for a portion of the encrypted backups. The affected information, which varies by product, may include account usernames, salted and hashed passwords, a portion of Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) settings, as well as some product settings and licensing information.”

The company also noted that although MFA settings for some Rescue and GoToMyPC customers were stolen, their encrypted databases were not.

https://nakedsecurity.sophos.com/2023/01/25/goto-admits-customer-cloud-backups-stolen-together-with-decryption-key/

• State-Linked Hackers in Russia and Iran are Targeting UK Groups, NCSC Warns

Russian and Iranian state-linked hackers are increasingly targeting British politicians, journalists and researchers with sophisticated campaigns aimed at gaining access to a person’s email, Britain’s online security agency warned on Thursday. The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) issued an alert about two groups from Russia and Iran, warning those in government, defence, thinktanks and the media against clicking on malicious links from people posing as conference hosts, journalists or even colleagues.

Both groups have been active for some years, but it is understood they have recently stepped up their activities in the UK as the war in Ukraine continues, as well as operating in the US and other NATO countries.

The hackers typically seek to gain confidence of a target by impersonating somebody likely to make contact with them, such as by falsely impersonating a journalist, and ultimately luring them to click on a malicious link, sometimes over the course of several emails and other online interactions.

NCSC encourages people to use strong email passwords. One technique is to use three random words, and not replicate it as a login credential on other websites. It recommends people use two-factor authentication, using a mobile phone as part of the log on process, ideally by using a special authenticator app.

The cyber agency also advises people exercise particular caution when receiving plausible sounding messages from strangers who rely on Gmail, Yahoo, Outlook or other webmail accounts, sometimes impersonating “known contacts” of the target culled from social media.

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2023/jan/26/state-linked-hackers-in-russia-and-iran-are-targeting-uk-groups-ncsc-warns

• 3.7 Million Customers’ Data of Hilton Hotels Put Up For Sale

A member of a hacker forum going by the name IntelBroker, has offered a database allegedly containing the personal information of 3.7 million people participating in the Hilton Hotels Honors program. According to the actor, the data in question includes personally identifying information such as name, address and Honors IDs. According to the Hilton Hotel, no guest login credentials, contacts, or financial information have been leaked.

https://informationsecuritybuzz.com/3-7-millions-customers-data-hilton-hotel-up-for-sale/

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Threats

Ransomware, Extortion and Destructive Attacks

• Rebranded Ransomware Crews Spike Number of Hijacking Incidents in Q4 2022 - MSSP Alert

• The Unrelenting Menace of the LockBit Ransomware Gang | WIRED

• Ransomware access brokers use Google ads to breach your network (bleepingcomputer.com)

• FBI hacked into Hive ransomware gang, disrupted operations | TechTarget

• "Workarounds" Helped Royal Mail Resume Shipping After Ransomware Attack - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Ransomware victims are refusing to pay, tanking attackers’ profits | Ars Technica

• Vice Society Ransomware Group Targets Manufacturing Companies (trendmicro.com)

• New Mimic ransomware abuses ‘Everything’ Windows search tool (bleepingcomputer.com)

• BlackCat Ransomware gang stole secret military data from industrial explosives manufacturer - Security Affairs

• Contractor error led to Baltimore schools ransomware attack | TechTarget

• LAUSD says Vice Society ransomware gang stole contractors’ SSNs (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Riot Games receives ransom demand from hackers, refuses to pay (bleepingcomputer.com)

Phishing & Email Based Attacks

• State-linked hackers in Russia and Iran are targeting UK groups, NCSC warns | Hacking | The Guardian

• ChatGPT is a bigger threat to cyber security than most realize - Help Net Security

• Phishers Use Blank Images to Disguise Malicious Attachments - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Hackers often use this clever trick to take you to phishing sites — can you spot it? | Tom's Guide (tomsguide.com)

• Yahoo Most Faked Brand Name in Phishing Attempts by Threat Actors in Q4 2022 - MSSP Alert

• Yahoo Overtakes DHL As Most Impersonated Brand in Q4 2022 - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• ChatGPT could boost phishing scams | TechTarget

• SEABORGIUM and TA453 continue their respective... - NCSC.GOV.UK

• Bitwarden password vaults targeted in Google ads phishing attack (bleepingcomputer.com)

• New 'Blank Image' attack hides phishing scripts in SVG files (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Hackers now use Microsoft OneNote attachments to spread malware (bleepingcomputer.com)

BEC – Business Email Compromise

• What makes small and medium-sized businesses vulnerable to BEC attacks - Help Net Security

Other Social Engineering; Smishing, Vishing, etc

• Social Engineering Tactics are Changing. Awareness Training Must Change Too.| CSA (cloudsecurityalliance.org)

Malware                                                                                   

• BlackBerry: Threat Actors Launch A Unique Malware Sample Every Minute - MSSP Alert

• Linux malware hit a new high in 2022 | TechRadar

• Phishers Use Blank Images to Disguise Malicious Attachments - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Consumers Face Greater Risks from Malware but Many are Unprepared and Vulnerable - MSSP Alert

• New 'Blank Image' attack hides phishing scripts in SVG files (bleepingcomputer.com)

• ChatGPT Could Create Polymorphic Malware Wave, Researchers Warn (darkreading.com)

• Hackers now use Microsoft OneNote attachments to spread malware (bleepingcomputer.com)

• ChatGPT Can Write Polymorphic Malware to Infect Your Computer (gizmodo.com)

• Microsoft plans to kill malware delivery via Excel XLL add-ins (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Hackers use Golang source code interpreter to evade detection (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Hackers Deploy Open-Source Tool Sliver C2, Replacing Cobalt Strike, Metasploit - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Emotet Malware Makes a Comeback with New Evasion Techniques (thehackernews.com)

• 'DragonSpark' Malware: East Asian Cyber Attackers Create an OSS Frankenstein (darkreading.com)

• Malware exploited critical Realtek SDK bug in millions of attacks (bleepingcomputer.com)

• ‘DragonSpark’ threat actor leverages open-source RAT, other Chinese-language tools | SC Media (scmagazine.com)

Mobile

• Massive Ad Fraud Scheme Targeted Over 11 Million Devices with 1,700 Spoofed Apps (thehackernews.com)

• New 'Hook' Android malware lets hackers remotely control your phone (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Pair of Galaxy App Store Bugs Offer Cyber Attackers Mobile Device Access (darkreading.com)

• Google to phase out legacy apps with Android 14 to improve security - GSMArena.com news

Botnets

• How Does a Botnet Attack Work? - Cyber Defense Magazine

Denial of Service/DoS/DDOS

• Why a hybrid approach can help mitigate DDoS attacks | SC Media

• Russia’s largest ISP says 2022 broke all DDoS attack records (bleepingcomputer.com)

Internet of Things – IoT

• Nice smart device – how long does it get software updates? • The Register

• Why British homes are at risk from ‘Trojan Horse’ smart devices (telegraph.co.uk)

• Why most IoT cyber security strategies give zero hope for zero trust - Help Net Security

Data Breaches/Leaks

• Companies impacted by Mailchimp breach warn their customers - Security Affairs

• LastPass owner GoTo says hackers stole customers’ backups | TechCrunch

• GoTo admits: Customer cloud backups stolen together with decryption key – Naked Security (sophos.com)

• GoTo warns customers of crypto key and backup heist • The Register

• 3.7 Million Customers Data Of Hilton Hotels Put Up For Sale (informationsecuritybuzz.com)

• QUT confirms personal data of thousands of staff compromised in cyber attack - ABC News

• Riot Games hacked, now it faces problems to release content - Security Affairs

• ICE releases asylum seekers after exposing their data • The Register

• Hacker Gets Hands on No-Fly List of Alleged Terrorist Suspects (gizmodo.com)

• Risk & Repeat: Breaking down the LastPass breach | TechTarget

• After data breach put their lives at risk, US releases 3000 immigrants seeking asylum (bitdefender.com)

• TSA No-Fly List Snafu Highlights Risk of Keeping Sensitive Data in Dev Environments (darkreading.com)

• T-Mobile Cyber Attack Spurs Law Firm Investigation - MSSP Alert

• Risk & Repeat: Another T-Mobile data breach disclosed | TechTarget

• Entire US "No Fly List" Exposed Online Via Unsecured Server (informationsecuritybuzz.com)

• Near-Record Year for US Data Breaches in 2022 - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Zacks data breach impacted hundreds of thousands of customers - Security Affairs

• French rugby club Stade Français leaks source code - Security Affairs

Organised Crime & Criminal Actors

• View from Davos: The Changing Economics of Cyber crime (darkreading.com)

Cryptocurrency/Cryptomining/Cryptojacking/NFTs/Blockchain

• Inside the crypto ‘prisons’ scamming Britons out of their life savings (telegraph.co.uk)

• FBI Confirms Lazarus Group Was Behind $100m Harmony Hack - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Hackers Take Over Robinhood Twitter Account To Promote Scam - Decrypt

Insider Risk and Insider Threats

• Research Report: Cyber Security Pros Sound Alarm Over Insider Threats - MSSP Alert

• Hunting Insider Threats on the Dark Web (darkreading.com)

Fraud, Scams & Financial Crime

• Inside the crypto ‘prisons’ scamming Britons out of their life savings (telegraph.co.uk)

• P-to-P fraud most concerning cyber threat in 2023: CSI | CSO Online

• Lloyds Bank Warns of 80% Surge in Advance Fee Scams - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Dark Web Posts Advertising Counterfeit Cash Surge 90% - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Hackers Take Over Robinhood Twitter Account To Promote Scam - Decrypt

Insurance

• Regulator Stress Test Highlights Cyber Insurance Concerns - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• 4 tips to find cyber insurance coverage in 2023 | TechTarget

• Insurers in talks on adding state-backed cyber to UK reinsurance scheme | Financial Times (ft.com)

• Cyber Security Posture & Insurance Outlook with Advisen (trendmicro.com)

Dark Web

• Hunting Insider Threats on the Dark Web (darkreading.com)

• Dark Web Posts Advertising Counterfeit Cash Surge 90% - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

Software Supply Chain

• Attacking The Supply Chain: Developer (trendmicro.com)

Cloud/SaaS

• Report: Cloud-based networks under growing attack • The Register

• Chinese 8220 Gang Aims For Public Clouds And Vulnerable Apps (informationsecuritybuzz.com)

• Microsoft Azure-Based Kerberos Attacks Crack Open Cloud Accounts (darkreading.com)

Attack Surface Management

• Understanding your attack surface makes it easier to prioritize technologies and systems - Help Net Security

Encryption

• Bitwarden responds to encryption design flaw criticism | The Daily Swig (portswigger.net)

API

• 9 API security tools on the frontlines of cyber security | CSO Online

Passwords, Credential Stuffing & Brute Force Attacks

• Bitwarden password vaults targeted in Google ads phishing attack (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Popular password managers auto-filled credentials on untrusted websites | The Daily Swig (portswigger.net)

• Bitwarden responds to encryption design flaw criticism | The Daily Swig (portswigger.net)

• Password Dependency: How to Break the Cycle - SecurityWeek

Social Media

• The metaverse brings a new breed of threats to challenge privacy and security gatekeepers | CSO Online

Malvertising

• Massive Ad Fraud Scheme Targeted Over 11 Million Devices with 1,700 Spoofed Apps (thehackernews.com)

• Ad Fraud Scheme Tops 12 Billion Daily Bid Requests - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Google Ads invites being abused to push spam, adult sites (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Ransomware access brokers use Google ads to breach your network (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Over 4,500 WordPress Sites Hacked to Redirect Visitors to Sketchy Ad Pages (thehackernews.com)

Training, Education and Awareness

• Social Engineering Tactics are Changing. Awareness Training Must Too.| CSA (cloudsecurityalliance.org)

Regulations, Fines and Legislation

• Ireland’s data protection watchdog fines WhatsApp €5.5m • The Register

Governance, Risk and Compliance

• Forthcoming SEC rules will trigger ‘tectonic shift’ in how corporate boards treat cyber security (itbrew.com)

• Just Half of Firms Have Sufficient Cyber Security Budget - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• View from Davos: The Changing Economics of Cyber Crime (darkreading.com)

• Why CISOs Make Great Board Members - SecurityWeek

• Awareness Training Must Change | CSA (cloudsecurityalliance.org)

• Despite Slowing Economy, Demand for Cyber Security Workers Remains Strong (darkreading.com)

• Organisations Must Brace for Privacy Impacts This Year (darkreading.com)

• The Business Imperative of Cyber Information Sharing for Our Collective Defence | World Economic Forum (weforum.org)

Data Protection

• Ireland’s data protection watchdog fines WhatsApp €5.5m • The Register

• ICO Offers Data Protection Advice to SMBs - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

Careers, Working in Cyber and Information Security

• Why CISOs Make Great Board Members - SecurityWeek

• Davos Debrief: Critical Shortage of Cyber Security Talent Requires Action on Several Fronts, CompTIA Executive Says (darkreading.com)

• Despite Slowing Economy, Demand for Cyber Security Workers Remains Strong (darkreading.com)

• 8 cyber security roles to consider | TechTarget

• How To Safeguard Your Business From Cyber Security Stress And Prevent IT Burnout (informationsecuritybuzz.com)

• Can't Fill Open Positions? Rewrite Your Minimum Requirements (darkreading.com)

• Veterans bring high-value, real-life experience as potential cyber security employees | CSO Online

• US is Short Nearly 530,000 Skilled Cyber Security Workers, IT Layoffs Not Slowing Demand - MSSP Alert

• Dozens of Cyber Security Companies Announced Layoffs in Past Year - SecurityWeek

Law Enforcement Action and Take Downs

• FBI hacked into Hive ransomware gang, disrupted operations | TechTarget

• Dutchman Detained for Dealing Details of Tens of Millions of People (darkreading.com)

• Dutch suspect locked up for alleged personal data megathefts – Naked Security (sophos.com)

Privacy, Surveillance and Mass Monitoring

• Organisations Must Brace for Privacy Impacts This Year (darkreading.com)

• The metaverse brings a new breed of threats to challenge privacy and security gatekeepers | CSO Online

• Scientists use Wi-Fi routers to see humans through walls | ZDNET

• Most consumers would share anonymised personal data to improve AI products - Help Net Security

Artificial Intelligence

• ChatGPT is a bigger threat to cyber security than most realize - Help Net Security

• Learning to Lie: AI Tools Adept at Creating Disinformation - SecurityWeek

• Rogue AI ‘could kill everyone’ | News | The Times

• ChatGPT could boost phishing scams | TechTarget

• FBI Chief Says He's 'Deeply concerned' by China's AI Program | SecurityWeek.Com

• ChatGPT Can Write Polymorphic Malware to Infect Your Computer (gizmodo.com)

• Chat Cyber Security: AI Promises a Lot, but Can It Deliver? (darkreading.com)

Misinformation, Disinformation and Propaganda

• Learning to Lie: AI Tools Adept at Creating Disinformation - SecurityWeek

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

• State-linked hackers in Russia and Iran are targeting UK groups, NCSC warns | Hacking | The Guardian

• UK authorities warn of phishing from Iran, Russia • The Register

• Armis State of Cyberwarfare and Trends Report - IT Security Guru

• North Korean Hackers Turn to Credential Harvesting in Latest Wave of Cyber Attacks (thehackernews.com)

• SEABORGIUM and TA453 continue their respective... - NCSC.GOV.UK

• Gamaredon Group Launches Cyber Attacks Against Ukraine Using Telegram (thehackernews.com)

• Chinese 8220 Gang Aims For Public Clouds And Vulnerable Apps (informationsecuritybuzz.com)

• FBI Chief Says He's 'Deeply concerned' by China's AI Program | SecurityWeek.Com

• “Pegasus” lifts the lid on a sophisticated piece of spyware | The Economist

• North Korean Group TA444 Shows 'Startup' Culture, Tries Numerous Infection Methods - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• North Korea-linked TA444 turns to credential harvesting activity - Security Affairs

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Nation State Actors

Nation State Actors – Russia

• State-linked hackers in Russia and Iran are targeting UK groups, NCSC warns | Hacking | The Guardian

• UK authorities warn of phishing from Iran, Russia • The Register

• SEABORGIUM and TA453 continue their respective... - NCSC.GOV.UK

• Gamaredon Group Launches Cyber Attacks Against Ukraine Using Telegram (thehackernews.com)

• Russia’s largest ISP says 2022 broke all DDoS attack records (bleepingcomputer.com)

Nation State Actors – China

• Chinese 8220 Gang Aims For Public Clouds And Vulnerable Apps (informationsecuritybuzz.com)

• FBI Chief Says He's 'Deeply concerned' by China's AI Program | SecurityWeek.Com

Nation State Actors – North Korea

• North Korean Hackers Turn to Credential Harvesting in Latest Wave of Cyber Attacks (thehackernews.com)

• FBI Confirms Lazarus Group Was Behind $100m Harmony Hack - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• North Korean Group TA444 Shows 'Startup' Culture, Tries Numerous Infection Methods - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• North Korea-linked TA444 turns to credential harvesting activity - Security Affairs

Nation State Actors – Iran

• State-linked hackers in Russia and Iran are targeting UK groups, NCSC warns | Hacking | The Guardian

• UK authorities warn of phishing from Iran, Russia • The Register

• SEABORGIUM and TA453 continue their respective... - NCSC.GOV.UK

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Vulnerability Management

• Extent of reported CVEs overwhelms critical infrastructure asset owners - Help Net Security

• Security Navigator Research: Some Vulnerabilities Date Back to the Last Millennium (thehackernews.com)

• Log4j Vulnerabilities Are Here to Stay — Are You Prepared? (darkreading.com)

• Trained developers get rid of more vulnerabilities than code scanning tools - Help Net Security

• New Open Source OT Security Tool Helps Address Impact of Upcoming Microsoft Patch  - SecurityWeek

• Halo Security unveils KEV feature to improve attack surface visibility - Help Net Security

Vulnerabilities

• Crims can still exploit this NSA-discovered Microsoft bug • The Register

• 75k WordPress sites impacted by critical online course plugin flaws (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Security Navigator Research: Some Vulnerabilities Date Back to the Last Millennium (thehackernews.com)

• Log4j Vulnerabilities Are Here to Stay — Are You Prepared? (darkreading.com)

• Chrome 109 update addresses six security vulnerabilities - Security Affairs

• Microsoft urges admins to patch on-premises Exchange servers (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Drupal Patches Vulnerabilities Leading to Information Disclosure | SecurityWeek.Com

• Critical Vulnerabilities Patched in OpenText Enterprise Content Management System | SecurityWeek.Com

• Around 19,500 end-of-life Cisco routers exposed to hack - Security Affairs

• In-the-Wild Exploitation of Recent ManageEngine Vulnerability Commences | SecurityWeek.Com

• Apple patches are out – old iPhones get an old zero-day fix at last! – Naked Security (sophos.com)

• Apple Patches WebKit Code Execution in iPhones, MacBooks - SecurityWeek

• VMware Releases Patches for Critical vRealize Log Insight Software Vulnerabilities (thehackernews.com)

• Crooks are already exploiting this bug in old iPhones • The Register

• Logfile nightmare deepens thanks to critical VMware flaws • The Register

• Malware exploited critical Realtek SDK bug in millions of attacks (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Realtek SDK flaw CVE-2021-35394 actively exploited in the wild- Security Affairs

• Lexmark warns of RCE bug affecting 100 printer models, PoC released (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Crims can still exploit this NSA-discovered Microsoft bug • The Register

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Tools and Controls

• Is Once-Yearly Pen Testing Enough for Your Organisation? (thehackernews.com)

• Just Half of Firms Have Sufficient Cyber Security Budget - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• LastPass owner GoTo says hackers stole customers’ backups | TechCrunch

• Bitwarden password vaults targeted in Google ads phishing attack (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Bitwarden responds to encryption design flaw criticism | The Daily Swig (portswigger.net)

• Understanding your attack surface makes it easier to prioritize technologies and systems - Help Net Security

• Companies Struggle With Zero Trust as Attackers Adapt to Get Around It (darkreading.com)

• Federal Agencies Infested by Cyber Attackers via Legit Remote Management Systems (darkreading.com)

• Why a hybrid approach can help mitigate DDoS attacks | SC Media

• CISA Warns Against Malicious Use of Legitimate RMM Software - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Gartner Predicts 10% of Large Enterprises Will Have a Mature and Measurable Zero-Trust Program in Place by 2026 (darkreading.com)

• Steps To Planning And Implementation Of Endpoint Protection (informationsecuritybuzz.com)

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Other News

• Hackers can make computers destroy their own chips with electricity | New Scientist

• Scientists use Wi-Fi routers to see humans through walls | ZDNET

• Microsoft 365 outage takes down Teams, Exchange Online, Outlook (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Lessons Learned from the Windows Remote Desktop Honeypot Report (bleepingcomputer.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 02 September 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

• 79% Of Companies Only Invest in Cyber Security After Hacking Incidents

The British cyber security company Tanium published a survey on investments in digital protection in UK companies with alarming results: 79% of them only approve investments in cyber security after suffering a data breach; 92% experienced a data attack or breach, of which 74% occurred in 2021. Leadership reticence is also high, with 63% of leaders convinced cyber security is only a concern after an attack.

The complexity of the situation has grown with the digital transformation of work. If it streamlines many processes, it can also open up serious security gaps. A sensitive point is the “home office”: companies need effective solutions to eliminate gaps that may appear between employees’ computers (often shared devices) and the company’s internal network.

Putting in solutions is just the beginning of a necessary strategy and investment effort in virtual protection. Complex scams based on phishing, reverse engineering, and backdoor-type malicious programs (“planted” discreetly on a device and sometimes inactive for months) often combine real-world and virtual-world fraud.

The escalation of corporate data hijacking appears in this scenario. The most notorious case at a global level of such an incident, with a million-dollar ransom demand, was launched in 2021 on Colonial Pipeline. This US company paid $40 million to regain control over strategic data after fuel supplies through its pipelines to several states were threatened for days.

https://informationsecuritybuzz.com/infosec-news/79-of-the-companies-only-invest-in-cybersecurity-after-hacking-incidents/

• Nearly Half of Breaches During First Half of 2022 Involved Stolen Credentials

According to a new report by Acronis, a Switzerland-based cyber security company, nearly half of breaches during the first six months of 2022 involved stolen credentials.

The goal of stealing credentials is to launch ransomware attacks. According to the report, these “continue to be the number one threat to large and medium-sized businesses, including government organisations.”

Attackers usually use phishing techniques to extract these credentials. In the first half of the year, over 600 malicious email campaigns made their way across the internet, of which 58% were phishing attempts and 28% featured malware.

Acronis also added that “as reliance on the cloud increases, attackers have homed in on different entryways to cloud-based networks.”

Additionally, cyber criminals now also target unpatched or software vulnerabilities to extract data, with a recent increase on Linux operating systems and managed service providers (MSPs) and their network of SMB customers.

The third vector spotted by Acronis was “non-traditional entry avenues” such as cryptocurrencies and decentralised finance (DeFi) systems.

https://www.itsecurityguru.org/2022/08/30/nearly-half-of-breaches-during-first-half-of-2022-involved-stolen-credentials/

• Outdated Infrastructure Not Up to Today’s Ransomware Challenges

A global research commissioned by Cohesity reveals that nearly half of respondents say their company depends on outdated, legacy backup and recovery infrastructure to manage and protect their data. In some cases, this technology is more than 20 years old and was designed long before today’s multicloud era and onslaught of sophisticated cyber attacks plaguing enterprises globally.

Challenges pertaining to outdated infrastructure could easily be compounded by the fact that many IT and security teams don’t seem to have a plan in place to mobilise if and when a cyber attack occurs. Nearly 60% of respondents expressed some level of concern that their IT and security teams would be able to mobilise efficiently to respond to the attack.

These are just some of the findings from an April 2022 survey, conducted by Censuswide, of more than 2,000 IT and SecOps professionals (split nearly 50/50 between the two groups) in the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand. All respondents play a role in the decision-making process for IT or security within their organisations.

IT and security teams should raise the alarm bell if their organisation continues to use antiquated technology to manage and secure their most critical digital asset – their data.

Cyber criminals are actively preying on this outdated infrastructure as they know it was not built for today’s dispersed, multicloud environments, nor was it built to help companies protect and rapidly recover from sophisticated cyber attacks.

https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2022/08/30/outdated-infrastructure-manage-data/

• Ghost Data Increases Enterprise Business Risk

IT has to get its hands around cloud data sprawl. Another area of focus should be on ghost data, as it expands the organisation's cloud attack surface.

Cloud sprawl is a big issue for organisations, with business teams spinning up cloud systems and services on their own, often without IT oversight. That leads to cloud data sprawl as data is scattered across different environments. If IT doesn’t know about the cloud systems and services, then IT is also not managing the data being collected, processed, and stored there.

We all know about shadow IT, the systems and network devices in the organisation’s environment that IT is not managing. Similarly, shadow data refers to unmanaged data store copies and snapshots or log data that are not part of IT’s backup and recovery strategy. Researchers at Cyera estimate that 60% of the data security posture issues that are present in cloud accounts stem from unsecured sensitive data.

Then there is the problem of ghost data. When data gets deleted from cloud systems, it isn’t fully gone. Copies linger in backups or snapshots of data stores. Ghost data refers to those copies left behind after the original has been deleted, and Cyera’s recent analysis show that enterprises have quite a lot of it.

After scanning the three major cloud providers (Amazon Web Services, Azure, and Google Cloud), Cyera researchers found that over 30% of scanned customer cloud data stores are ghost data and more than 58% contain sensitive, or very sensitive, data. For example, researchers found unsecured database snapshots in non-production environments that contained sensitive customer data where the original database had been destroyed. Researchers also uncovered sensitive personal and authentication data in plain text where the production data and application were no longer in use.

Ghost data usually has no business value - the data was deleted for a reason - and having it around unnecessarily increases business risk. Attackers don’t care if they get their hands on the original sensitive information or the copy because to them, all data has value, regardless of the form it takes.

https://www.darkreading.com/edge-threat-monitor/ghost-data-increases-enterprise-business-risk

• Detected Cyber Threats Surge 52% in 1H 2022

A leading cyber security vendor blocked 63 billion threats in the first half of 2022 alone, over 50% more than the same period a year ago.

The findings come from the Trend Micro 2022 Midyear Cybersecurity Report and illustrate the scale of the challenge facing network defenders.

Trend Micro highlighted the persistent threat posed by ransomware-as-a-service (RaaS) groups as one that will continue to cause major challenges for organisations in the years to come.

It said detections of prolific groups such as LockBit and Conti increased by 500% year-on-year in 1H 2022. Such groups will continue to adapt their tactics, techniques and procedures (TTPs) in the race for profits.

The report warned of a surge in threats targeting Linux systems, for example. It said detections of attacks on Linux servers and embedded systems grew 75% year-on-year in the first half of 2022. Both SMBs and larger organisations are now a target, it claimed.

Many RaaS groups exploit vulnerabilities as a primary attack vector. Their job is getting easier as the number of published common vulnerabilities and exposures (CVEs) continues to grow strongly.

Trend Micro’s Zero Day Initiative published advisories on 944 vulnerabilities in the first half of 2021, a 23% year-on-year increase. The number of critical bug advisories it published soared by 400% over the same period.

https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/detected-cyberthreats-surge-52-in/

• An Interview with Initial Access Broker Wazawaka: ‘There Is No Such Money Anywhere as There is in Ransomware’

Last April, a ransomware group threatened to expose police informants and other sensitive information if the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Police Department did not pay a demand.

The brazen attack was the work of a gang known as Babuk, which in early 2021 gained a reputation for posting stolen databases on its website from victims that refused to pay a ransom. Just days after it tried to extort the Metropolitan Police Department, Babuk announced it was closing its ransomware affiliate program, and would focus on data theft and extortion instead.

Earlier this year, cyber security journalist Brian Krebs uncovered details about one man behind the operation named Mikhail Matveev, who was also connected to a number of other groups and identities, including the handle ‘Wazawaka.’ According to Krebs, Matveev had become more unhinged than usual, “publishing bizarre selfie videos” and creating a Twitter account to share exploit code.

Matveev talked to Recorded Future about his interaction with other hackers, details about ransomware attacks he’s been involved in, and how he settled on the name Babuk.

Click the link below for the full interview but the long and short is ransomware has created a criminal ecosystem the likes of which the world has never seen.

https://therecord.media/an-interview-with-initial-access-broker-wazawaka-there-is-no-such-money-anywhere-as-there-is-in-ransomware/

• Cyber Crime Underground More Dangerous Than Organisations Realise

Kela, a cyber threat intelligence specialist, found in a new study of some 400 security pros in the US that organisations are more at risk from the “cyber crime underground” than they realise.

The Israel-based company surveyed security team members responsible for gathering cyber crime threat intelligence daily to better understand if they’re proactively scanning the dark web and other cyber crime sources, what tools they’re using and the gaps they see in their cyber crime threat intelligence approach. Nearly 60% of the respondents do not believe their current cyber crime prevention is effective, the results showed.

Here are the study’s key findings:

• 69% are concerned about threats from the cyber crime underground.

• 54% wouldn’t be surprised to find their organisation’s data on the cyber crime underground.

• Only 38% believe that they’re very likely to detect it if it was released.

• 48% have no documented cyber crime threat intelligence policy in place.

• Only 41% believe their current security program is very effective.

• 49% are not satisfied with the visibility they have of the cyber crime underground.

• Of the 51% who were satisfied with their visibility into the cyber crime underground, 39% were still unable to prevent an attack.

• Additional training and proficiency in cyber crime intelligence investigations is the most needed capability.

https://www.msspalert.com/cybersecurity-research/cybercrime-underground-more-dangerous-than-organizations-realize-threat-intelligence-firm-warns/

• New Ransomware Group BianLian Activity Exploding

A new ransomware group operating under the name BianLian emerged in late 2021 and has become increasingly active since.

The threat actor already has twenty alleged victims across several industries (insurance, medicine, law and engineering), according to a research paper from US cyber security firm Redacted, published on September 1, 2022. The majority of the victim organisations have been based in Australia, North America and the UK.

The research team has given no attribution yet but believes the threat actor “represents a group of individuals who are very skilled in network penetration but are relatively new to the extortion/ransomware business.”

BianLian uses a custom toolkit, including homemade encryptors and encryption backdoors. Both, as well as the command-and-control (C&C) software the hackers use, are written in Go, an increasingly popular programming language among ransomware threat actors.

Troublingly, the Redacted team of researchers has found evidence that BianLian is likely now trying to up their game.

https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/new-ransomware-group-bianlian/

• Can Your Passwords Withstand Threat Actors’ Dirty Tricks?

Password security hinges on the answer to that seemingly simple question. Unfortunately, you can’t know the answer until you’ve engaged a ruthless penetration tester to find out if your environment can stand up to the frighteningly good password cracking skills of today’s most nefarious hackers.

The whole purpose of hiring skilled penetration testers (“pentesters”) is to find out if your environment is truly impenetrable — and if it’s not, exactly how you should shore up your defences. Good pentesters and red teamers spend their time trying to simulate and emulate the real bad actors. After all, what’s the point of pressure-testing your IT infrastructure if you don’t use the same pressure that you’ll face in the real world?

You should “train like you fight.” Without sparring, how can you expect to jump into a boxing ring and go a few rounds with a skilled boxer? That’s the entire point of goal-based penetration testing and red/purple team engagements that simulate real-world threat actors.

Password cracking will continue to evolve – and so should your penetration testing tactics and plans. By the time you get to your fourth or fifth round with a quality pentesting consultancy, your risk mitigation will have dramatically improved — which means you’ll be able to move on to the next stage of security maturity.

https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2022/08/30/stand-up-to-password-cracking/

• Ransomware Gangs’ Favourite Targets

Barracuda released its fourth-annual threat research report which looks at ransomware attack patterns that occurred between August 2021 and July 2022.

For the 106 highly publicised attacks our researchers analysed, the dominant targets are still five key industries: education (15%), municipalities (12%), healthcare (12%), infrastructure (8%), and financial (6%). The number of ransomware attacks increased year-over-year across each of these five industry verticals, and attacks against other industries more than doubled compared to last year’s report.

While attacks on municipalities increased only slightly, the analysis over the past 12 months showed that ransomware attacks on educational institutions more than doubled, and attacks on the healthcare and financial verticals tripled. Many choose not to disclose when they get hit.

This year, researchers dug in deeper on these highly publicised attacks to see which other industries are starting to be targeted. Service providers were hit the most, and ransomware attacks on automobile, hospitality, media, retail, software, and technology organisations all increased as well.

Most ransomware attacks don’t make headlines, though. Many victims choose not to disclose when they get hit, and the attacks are often sophisticated and extremely hard to handle for small businesses.

As ransomware and other cyber threats continue to evolve, the need for adequate security solutions has never been greater. Many cyber criminals target small businesses in an attempt to gain access to larger organisations. As a result, it is essential for security providers to create products that are easy to use and implement, regardless of a company’s size.

Additionally, sophisticated security technologies should be available as services, so that businesses of all sizes can protect themselves against these ever-changing threats. By making security solutions more accessible and user-friendly, the entire industry can help to better defend against ransomware and other cyber attacks.

https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2022/08/31/ransomware-attack-patterns/

• Tentacles of ‘0ktapus’ Threat Group Victimise 130 Firms

Over 130 companies were tangled in sprawling phishing campaign that spoofed a multi-factor authentication system.

Targeted attacks on Twilio and Cloudflare employees are tied to a massive phishing campaign that resulted in 9,931 accounts at over 130 organisations being compromised. The campaigns are tied to focused abuse of identity and access management firm Okta, which gained the threat actors the 0ktapus moniker, by researchers.

The primary goal of the threat actors was to obtain Okta identity credentials and multi-factor authentication (MFA) codes from users of the targeted organisations. These users received text messages containing links to phishing sites that mimicked the Okta authentication page of their organisation.

114 US-based firms were impacted, with additional victims of sprinkled across 68 additional countries. The full scope of the attack is still unknown but the 0ktapus campaign has been incredibly effective, and the full scale of it may not be known for some time.

The 0ktapus attackers are believed to have begun their campaign by targeting telecommunications companies in hopes of winning access to potential targets’ phone numbers.

While unsure exactly how threat actors obtained a list of phone numbers used in MFA-related attacks, one theory researchers posit is that 0ktapus attackers began their campaign targeting telecommunications companies.

https://threatpost.com/0ktapus-victimize-130-firms/180487/

• Organisations Are Spending Billions on Malware Defence That’s Easy to Bypass

Last year, organisations spent $2 billion on products that provide Endpoint Detection and Response, a relatively new type of security protection for detecting and blocking malware targeting network-connected devices. EDRs, as they're commonly called, represent a newer approach to malware detection. Static analysis, one of two more traditional methods, searches for suspicious signs in the DNA of a file itself. Dynamic analysis, the other more established method, runs untrusted code inside a secured "sandbox" to analyse what it does to confirm it's safe before allowing it to have full system access.

EDRs—which are forecasted to generate revenue of $18 billion by 2031 and are sold by dozens of security companies—take an entirely different approach. Rather than analyse the structure or execution of the code ahead of time, EDRs monitor the code's behaviour as it runs inside a machine or network. In theory, it can shut down a ransomware attack in progress by detecting that a process executed on hundreds of machines in the past 15 minutes is encrypting files en masse. Unlike static and dynamic analyses, EDR is akin to a security guard that uses machine learning to keep tabs in real time on the activities inside a machine or network.

Despite the buzz surrounding EDRs, new research suggests that the protection they provide isn't all that hard for skilled malware developers to circumvent. In fact, the researchers behind the study estimate EDR evasion adds only one additional week of development time to the typical infection of a large organisational network. That's because two fairly basic bypass techniques, particularly when combined, appear to work on most EDRs available in the industry.

https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2022/08/newfangled-edr-malware-detection-generates-billions-but-is-easy-to-bypass/

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Threats

Ransomware

• Global Ransomware Damages to Exceed $30bn by 2023 - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Ransomware Research: 10 Key Findings, Five Ways to Defend Against Hijackers - MSSP Alert

• Cyber Attack: Spike in Ransomware Threat to More Than 1.2 Million Per Month Between January-June, Says Report | LatestLY

• LockBit ransomware gang gets aggressive with triple-extortion tactic (bleepingcomputer.com)

• New Golang-based 'Agenda Ransomware' Can Be Customized For Each Victim (thehackernews.com)

• Chile and Montenegro Floored by Ransomware - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Researchers Detail Emerging Cross-Platform BianLian Ransomware Attacks (thehackernews.com)

• Ragnar Locker Brags About TAP Air Portugal Breach (darkreading.com)

• Police ‘negotiating with hackers’ who hit Paris hospital computer system | World | The Times

• Advanced cyber-attack: NHS doctors' paperwork piles up - BBC News

• Another Ransomware For Linux Likely In Development - Security Affairs

• Montenegro hit by ransomware attack, hackers demand $10 million (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Should ransomware payments be banned? A few considerations - Help Net Security

• Researchers Spot Snowballing BianLian Ransomware Gang Activity (darkreading.com)

• Ragnar Locker continues trend of ransomware targeting energy sector | CSO Online

• BlackCat ransomware claims attack on Italian energy agency (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Italian Oil Major Becomes Victim Of Ransomware Attack | OilPrice.com

• Damart clothing store hit by Hive ransomware, $2 million demanded (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Baker & Taylor's Systems Remain Offline a Week After Ransomware Attack - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Gloucester Council planning site still disrupted from cyber attack - BBC News

BEC – Business Email Compromise

• How BEC attacks on human capital management systems are increasing - Help Net Security

Malware

• Malicious Cookie Stuffing Chrome Extensions with 1.4 Million Users | McAfee Blog

• A study on malicious plugins in WordPress Marketplaces - Security Affairs

• Prynt Stealer Contains a Backdoor to Steal Victims' Data Stolen by Other Cyber criminals (thehackernews.com)

• New Evidence Links Raspberry Robin Malware to Dridex and Russian Evil Corp Hackers (thehackernews.com)

• BumbleBee a New Modular Backdoor Evolved From BookWorm (trendmicro.com)

• Malicious Chrome Extensions Plague 1.4M Users (darkreading.com)

Mobile

• Mobile banking apps put 300,000 digital fingerprints at risk • The Register

• Researcher unveils smart lock hack for fingerprint theft (techtarget.com)

• Source Code of Over 1800 Android and iOS Apps Gives Access to AWS Credentials - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

Internet of Things – IoT

• Skyrocketing IoT Bug Disclosures Put Pressure on Security Teams (darkreading.com)

• Singapore clocks higher ransomware attacks, warns of IoT risks | ZDNET

• Standards Body Publishes Guidelines for IoT Security Testing - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• ieGeek Vulnerabilities still prevalent in 2022 - Amazon Ft. IG20 (realinfosec.net)

Data Breaches/Leaks

• Evil Corp and Conti Linked to Cisco Data Breach, eSentire Suggests - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Okta Says Customer Data Compromised in Twilio Hack | SecurityWeek.Com

• Password Manager With 25 Million Users Confirms Breach, Expert Weighs In (informationsecuritybuzz.com)

• Neopets says hackers had access to its systems for 18 months (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Akasa Air Suffers Data Leak on First Day of Operation- IT Security Guru

• Samsung says hackers obtained some customer data in newly disclosed breach | Engadget

• Millions of student loan accounts exposed in data breach | TechRadar

• Russian streaming platform confirms data breach affecting 7.5M users (bleepingcomputer.com)

Cryptocurrency/Cryptomining/Cryptojacking/NFTs/Blockchain

• FBI: Crooks stole $1b+ in cryptocurrency already this year • The Register

• Ukraine takes down cyber crime group hitting crypto fraud victims (bleepingcomputer.com)

• FBI: Crooks are using these DeFi flaws to steal your money | ZDNET

• Windows malware delays coinminer install by a month to evade detection (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Cryptominer Disguised as Google Translate Targeted 11 Countries - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Crypto-Crooks Spread Trojanized Google Translate App in Watering-Hole Attack (darkreading.com)

• Hackers Use ModernLoader to Infect Systems with Stealers and Cryptominers (thehackernews.com)

Insider Risk and Insider Threats

• West Yorkshire PC due in court over police computer searches - BBC News

Fraud, Scams & Financial Crime

• Big Banks vs. Big Tech: Who Is Liable For Online Fraud? (informationsecuritybuzz.com)

Insurance

• Cyber insurance has been around for 25 years. It’s still a bit of a mess. (slate.com)

• Who Pays for an Act of Cyber War? | WIRED

• Travelers, Policyholder Agree to Void Current Cyber Policy (insurancejournal.com)

• Cyber Frauds Skyrocket: Can Cyber Insurance Protect You in Real World? Experts Explain (news18.com)

• Google Cloud, Microsoft and AWS dive into cyber insurance - Protocol

• Cyber Insurance Price Hike Hits Local Governments Hard (insurancejournal.com)

• Insurers must rethink handling of cyber attacks on states | Financial Times (ft.com)

• Cyber insurance on rise as attacks surge | Mint (livemint.com)

Dark Web

• German man charged for trying to hire fake contract killer on darkweb | Euronews

• COVID-19 data put for sale on Dark Web - Security Affairs

• NATO Investigates Dark Web Leak of Data Stolen From Missile Vendor (darkreading.com)

Supply Chain and Third Parties

• PyPI Phishing Campaign | JuiceLedger Threat Actor Pivots From Fake Apps to Supply Chain Attacks - SentinelOne

Software Supply Chain

• NSA and CISA share tips to secure the software supply chain (bleepingcomputer.com)

Denial of Service DoS/DDoS

• DDoS activity launched by patriotic hacktivists is on the rise - Help Net Security

Cloud/SaaS

• 1 in 3 organisations don't know if their public cloud data was exfiltrated - Help Net Security

• Real-World Cloud Attacks: The True Tasks of Cloud Ransomware Mitigation (darkreading.com)

Encryption

• CISA: Prepare now for quantum computers, not when hackers use them (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Homomorphic encryption: a holy grail for privacy, explained (fastcompany.com)

API

• The 4 Most Common OWASP API Security - IT Security Guru

Open Source

• Linux devices 'increasingly' under attack from hackers, warn security researchers | ZDNET

Passwords, Credential Stuffing & Brute Force Attacks

• LastPass source code breach – do we still recommend password managers? – Naked Security (sophos.com)

Social Media

• Social media is ruining our lives and the public are finally waking up (telegraph.co.uk)

• LinkedIn New Hacking Scam (informationsecuritybuzz.com)

• Thousands lured with blue badges in Instagram phishing attack (bleepingcomputer.com)

Training, Education and Awareness

• (ISC)² Launches 'Certified in Cybersecurity' Entry-Level Certification to Address Global Workforce Gap (darkreading.com)

Privacy

• Trident Royal Navy staff reveal sensitive data on fitness app | News | The Times

• Cops wanted to keep mass surveillance app secret; privacy advocates refused | Ars Technica

• US telcos admit to storing, handing over location data • The Register

• Facebook moves to settle Cambridge Analytica lawsuit | TechCrunch

• Homomorphic encryption: a holy grail for privacy, explained (fastcompany.com)

• Nobody’s special to the WFH software spies | Comment | The Times

Travel

• Cyber Safety for Summer Vacation | SecurityWeek.Com

Parental Controls and Child Safety

• Scammers Targeting Thousands Of Children As Young As Six, Figures Show (informationsecuritybuzz.com)

• Over a Third of Parents Do Not Know What Online Accounts Their Children Use - IT Security Guru

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

• Why Russia's cyber war in Ukraine hasn't played out as predicted (newatlas.com)

• Ukraine's army of hackers failed to thwart Russia and quickly gave up | New Scientist

• Cyber criminals Apparently Involved in Russia-Linked Attack on Montenegro Government | SecurityWeek.Com

• Who Pays for an Act of Cyber War? | WIRED

• Moscow gridlock as hackers send dozens of taxis to Hotel Ukraine (telegraph.co.uk)

• Finland To Offer Businesses Cybersec Vouchers In Wake Of Nato-related (informationsecuritybuzz.com)

• China-linked APT40 used ScanBox Framework in a long-running espionage campaign - Security Affairs

• Montenegro says Russian cyber attacks threaten key state functions (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Google says it cut off Russian disinformation sites from its vast ad display network - CyberScoop

• Ex-spies banned from arms exports for UAE hack-for-hire work • The Register

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Nation State Actors

Nation State Actors – Russia

• Third-party hacking groups lose interest in Russia-Ukraine conflict, study claims | SC Media (scmagazine.com)

• FBI deploys cyber team to Montenegro following massive cyber attack | The Hill

• New Evidence Links Raspberry Robin Malware to Dridex and Russian Evil Corp Hackers (thehackernews.com)

• Montenegro Sent Back to Analog by Unprecedented Cyber Attacks | Balkan Insight

Nation State Actors – China

• Chinese Hackers Target Energy Firms in South China Sea | SecurityWeek.Com

• China-linked APT40 targets wind turbines, Aust. government • The Register

Nation State Actors – Misc

• Insurers must rethink handling of cyber attacks on states | Financial Times (ft.com)

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Vulnerabilities

• Apple Quietly Releases Another Patch for Zero-Day RCE Bug (darkreading.com)

• Google Chrome emergency update fixes new zero-day used in attacks (bleepingcomputer.com)

• URGENT! Apple slips out zero-day update for older iPhones and iPads – Naked Security (sophos.com)

• WordPress 6.0.2 Patches Vulnerability That Could Impact Millions of Legacy Sites | SecurityWeek.Com

• Critical hole in Atlassian Bitbucket needs patching now • The Register

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Reports Published in the Last Week

• Tackling the Growing and Evolving Digital Attack Surface 2022 Midyear Cybersecurity Report (trendmicro.com)

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Other News

• Former Cyber criminal: These Are the Biggest Threats on the Internet (businessinsider.com)

• Stuxnet explained: The first known cyber weapon | CSO Online

• Infra Used in Cisco Hack Also Targeted Workforce Management Solution (thehackernews.com)

• Flicking the kill switch: governments embrace internet shutdowns as a form of control | Internet | The Guardian

• Okta Impersonation Technique Could be Utilized by Attackers | SecurityWeek.Com

• Remote Work Cyber Security: 12 Risks and How to Prevent Them (techtarget.com)

• Does your cyber crime prevention program work? - Help Net Security

• Does Blockchain really offer Better Digital Security? - IT Security Guru

• IT and Employees Don’t Always See Eye to Eye on Cyber Security - IT Security Guru

• New Cyber Security Regulations Are Coming. Here’s How to Prepare. (hbr.org)

• 3 Cyber Security Trends for 2022 - IT Security Guru

• Cyber security budget breakdown and best practices (techtarget.com)

• How Just-in-Time privilege elevation prevents data breaches and lateral movement - Help Net Security

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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

---

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 25 February 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

Britain Warns of Cyber Attacks as Russia-Ukraine Crisis Escalates

Britain warned of potential cyber attacks with "international consequences" this week after Russian President Vladimir Puitin ordered troops to two breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine.

Britain's National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), a part of the GCHQ eavesdropping intelligence agency, called on British organisations to "bolster their online defences" following the developments.

"While the NCSC is not aware of any current specific threats to UK organisations in relation to events in and around Ukraine, there has been an historical pattern of cyber attacks on Ukraine with international consequences," it said in a statement.

Last week, Ukranian banking and government websites were briefly knocked offline by a spate of distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks which the United States and Britain said were carried out by Russian military hackers.

https://www.reuters.com/technology/britain-warns-cyberattacks-russia-ukraine-crisis-escalates-2022-02-22/

Ransomware Extortion Doesn't Stop After Paying The Ransom

A global survey that looked into the experience of ransomware victims highlights the lack of trustworthiness of ransomware actors, as in most cases of paying the ransom, the extortion simply continues.

This is not a surprising or new discovery, but when seeing it reflected in actual statistics, one can appreciate the scale of the problem in full.

The survey was conducted by cyber security specialist Venafi, and the most important findings that emerge from the respondents are the following:

• 18% of victims who paid the ransom still had their data exposed on the dark web.

• 8% refused to pay the ransom, and the attackers tried to extort their customers.

• 35% of victims paid the ransom but were still unable to retrieve their data.

As for the ransomware actor extortion tactics, these are summarized as follows:

• 83% of all successful ransomware attacks featured double and triple extortion.

• 38% of ransomware attacks threatened to use stolen data to extort customers.

• 35% of ransomware attacks threatened to expose stolen data on the dark web.

• 32% of attacks threatened to directly inform the victim's customers of the data breach incident.

https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/ransomware-extortion-doesnt-stop-after-paying-the-ransom/

Ukraine Calls For Volunteer Hackers To Protect Its Critical Infrastructure And Spy On Russian Forces

The government of Ukraine is calling on the hacking community to volunteer its expertise and capabilities, following the invasion of the country by Russian forces.

Reuters reports that Yegor Aushev, the CEO of Kyiv-based Cyber Unit Technologies which has worked with Ukraine's government on the defence of critical infrastructure, claims to have been asked to post a digital call-to-arms after being asked by "a senior Defence Ministry official."

The message, which was posted on hacking forums by Aushev on Thursday, begins "Ukrainian cybercommunity! It’s time to get involved in the cyber defense of our country," and calls for cybersecurity experts and hackers to apply as a volunteer via a Google Docs link.  The page volunteers are directed to asks applicants to list their specialities, such as if they have developed malware, and professional references.

According to Aushev, volunteers will be divided into two groups - tasked with offensive and defensive cyber operations.

https://www.bitdefender.com/blog/hotforsecurity/ukraine-calls-for-volunteer-hackers-to-protect-its-critical-infrastructure-and-spy-on-russian-forces/

Study: UK Firms Most Likely To Pay Ransomware Hackers

Some 82% of British firms which have been victims of ransomware attacks paid the hackers in order to get back their data, a new report suggests.

The global average was 58%, making the UK the most likely country to pay cyber-criminals.

Security firm Proofpoint's research also found that more than three-quarters of UK businesses were affected by ransomware in 2021.

Phishing attacks remain the key way criminals access networks, it found.

Phishing happens when someone in a firm is lured into clicking on a link in an email that contains malware, which in turn can help cyber-criminals access company networks.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-60478725

Conti Ransomware Group Announces Support of Russia, Threatens Retaliatory Attacks

An infamous ransomware group with potential ties to Russian intelligence and known for attacking health care providers and hundreds of other targets posted a warning Friday saying it was “officially announcing a full support of Russian government.”

The gang said that it would use “all possible resources to strike back at the critical infrastructures” of any entity that organises a cyberattack “or any war activities against Russia.” The message appeared Friday on the dark-web site used by ransomware group Conti to post threats and its victims’ data. Security researchers believe the gang to be Russia-based.

Conti ransomware was part of more than 400 attacks against mostly U.S. targets between spring 2020 and spring 2021, the Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and the FBI reported in September.

https://www.cyberscoop.com/conti-ransomware-russia-ukraine-critical-infrastructure/

91% of UK Organisations Compromised by an Email Phishing Attack in 2021

More than nine in 10 (91%) UK organizations were successfully compromised by an email phishing attack last year, according to Proofpoint’s 2022 State of the Phish report.

The study observed a significant rise in email-based attacks globally in 2021 compared to 2020. Over three-quarters (78%) of organizations were targeted by email-based ransomware attacks last year and 77% faced business email compromise (BEC) attacks, the latter an 18% year-on-year increase from 2020.

The survey of 600 information and IT security professionals and 3500 workers in the US, Australia, France, Germany, Japan, Spain and the UK also found that attacks in 2021 were more likely to be successful than in 2020. More than four in five (83%) respondents said their organization experienced at least one successful email-based phishing attack last year, up from 57% in 2020. In addition, 68% of organizations admitted they had to deal with at least one ransomware infection stemming from a direct email payload, second-stage malware delivery or other exploit.

Worryingly, 60% of organizations infected with ransomware admitted to paying a ransom, with around a third (32%) paying additional sums to regain access to data and systems.

https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/uk-organizations-email-phishing/

Almost 100,000 New Mobile Banking Trojan Strains Detected In 2021

Researchers have found almost 100,000 new variants of mobile banking Trojans in just a year.

As our digital lives have begun to centre more on handsets rather than just desktop PCs, many malware developers have shifted part of their focus to the creation of mobile threats.

Many of the traditional infection routes are still workable -- including phishing and the download and execution of suspicious software -- but cyber attackers are also known to infiltrate official app stores, including Google Play, to lure handset owners into downloading software that appears to be trustworthy.

This technique is often associated with the distribution of Remote Access Trojans (RATs). While Google maintains security barriers to stop malicious apps from being hosted in its store, there are methods to circumvent these controls quietly.

https://www.zdnet.com/article/almost-100000-new-mobile-banking-trojans-detected-in-2021/

Anonymous Collective Has Hacked The Russian Defence Ministry And Leaked The Data Of Its Employees In Response To The Ukraine Invasion

A few hours after the Anonymous collective has called to action against Russia following the illegitimate invasion of Ukraine its members have taken down the website of the Russian propaganda station RT News and news of the day is the attack against the servers of the Russian Defense Ministry.

“Anonymous, a group of hacktivists, successfully hacked and leaked the database of the website of the Ministry of Defense of Russia.” reported the Pravda agency.

The website of the Kremlin (Kremlin.ru) is also unreachable, but it is unclear if it is the result of the Anonymous attack or if the government has taken offline it to prevent disruptive attacks.

The Russian Government’s portal, and the websites of other ministries are running very slow.

The collective is also threatening the Russian Federation and private organizations of attacks, it is a retaliation against Putin’s tyranny.

Anonymous pointed out that it is not targeting Russian citizens, but only their government.

“We want the Russian people to understand that we know it’s hard for them to speak out against their dictator for fear of reprisals.”

https://securityaffairs.co/wordpress/128428/hacking/anonymous-russian-defense-ministry.html

Email Remains Go-To Method for Cyber Attacks, Phishing Research Report Finds

If you don’t know what it is, if you can’t identify it and if you can’t make sure you don’t topple into its traps, then you can’t fight it, suggests a new report by security provider Proofpoint in its eighth annual State of the Phish report.

The “it” is email-based malware attacks, the kingpin of all hacking methods, that victims often fall for out of a lack of awareness, inadequate training or risky behaviours, such as using a company mobile device for home use.

Proofpoint’s report takes an in-depth look at user phishing awareness, vulnerability and resilience and comes away with some startling numbers: More than three-quarters of organizations associated with the 4,100 IT security professionals and staffers in the worldwide study were hit by email-based ransomware attacks in 2021 and an equal number were victimized by business email compromise attacks, an 18 percent spike from 2020.

What explains the year-over-year climb? Answer: Cyber criminals continue to focus on compromising people, not necessarily systems, Proofpoint said. Email remains cyber criminals’ go-to attack strategy, said Alan Lefort, Proofpoint security awareness training senior vice president and general manager. “Infosec and IT survey participants experienced an increase in targeted attacks in 2021 compared to 2020, yet our analysis showed the recognition of key security terminology such as phishing, malware, smishing (text-based ruse), and vishing (telephone trickery) dropped significantly,” said Lefort. “The awareness gaps and lax security behaviors demonstrated by workers creates substantial risk for organizations and their bottom line.”

https://www.msspalert.com/cybersecurity-news/email-remains-go-to-method-for-cyberattacks-phishing-research-report-finds/

The Future of Cyber Insurance

In 2016, just 26% of insurance clients had cyber coverage. That number rose to 47% in 2020, according to a US Government Accountability Office (GAO) report. But the demand for cyber coverage isn't the only thing soaring.

At the end of 2020, insurance prices jumped anywhere from 10% to 30%. In the third quarter of 2021, the average cost of cyber insurance premiums climbed a record 27.6%.

If the rates continue to rise, companies might decide it's not worth the cost. That is, if insurers continue to cover their industry.

https://www.darkreading.com/risk/the-future-of-cyber-insurance

Businesses Are at Significant Risk of Cyber Security Breaches Due to Immature Security Hygiene and Posture Management Practices

Enterprise Strategy Group (ESG), a leading IT analyst, research, and strategy firm, and a division of TechTarget, Inc., today announced new research into security hygiene and posture management – a foundational part of a strong security program. The study reveals that many aspects of cyber security are managed independently and with antiquated tools, leaving organisations with limited visibility and weak defenses against an ever-evolving threat landscape. Since strong cybersecurity starts with the basics, like knowing about all IT assets deployed, this situation makes organisations vulnerable to advanced threats among strategic, yet often hurried, cloud and digital transformation initiatives.

The new report, Security Hygiene and Posture Management, summarizes a survey of 398 IT and cyber security professionals responsible for evaluating, purchasing, and utilizing products and services for security hygiene and posture management, including vulnerability management, asset management, attack surface management, and security testing tools. The data reveals that organisations must aim to further assess security posture management processes, examine vendor risk management requirements, and test security tool and processes more frequently.

https://www.darkreading.com/risk/businesses-are-at-significant-risk-of-cybersecurity-breaches-due-to-immature-security-hygiene-and-posture-management-practices

Microsoft Teams Is The New Frontier For Phishing Attacks

Even with email-based phishing attacks proving to be more successful than ever, cyberattackers are ramping up their efforts to target employees on additional platforms, such as Microsoft Teams and Slack.

One advantage is that in those applications, most employees still assume that they’re actually talking to their boss or coworker when they receive a message.

“The scary part is that we trust these programs implicitly — unlike our email inboxes, where we’ve learned to be suspicious of messages where we don’t recognize the sender’s address,” said anti-fraud technology firm Outseer.

Notably, traditional phishing has seen no slowdown: Proofpoint reported that 83% of organizations experienced a successful email-based phishing attack in 2021 — a massive jump from 57% in 2020. And outside of email, SMS attacks (smishing) and voice-based attacks (vishing) both grew in 2021, as well, according to the email security vendor.

However, it appears that attackers now view widely used collaboration platforms, such as Microsoft Teams and Slack, as another growing opportunity for targeting workers, security researchers and executives say. For some threat actors, it’s also a chance to leverage the additional capabilities of collaboration apps as part of the trickery.

https://venturebeat.com/2022/02/23/microsoft-teams-is-the-new-frontier-for-phishing-attacks/

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Threats

Ransomware

• Russia-Based Ransomware Group Conti Issues Warning To Kremlin Foes | Reuters

• Conti Ransomware 'Acquires' TrickBot as It Thrives Amid Crackdowns | SecurityWeek.Com

• Ransomware Is Top Attack Vector On Critical Infrastructure | CSO Online

• TrickBot Malware Operation Shuts Down, Devs Move To Stealthier Malware (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Microsoft Exchange Servers Hacked To Deploy Cuba Ransomware (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Attackers Used Dridex To Deliver Entropy Ransomware, Code Resemblance Uncovered - Help Net Security

• Expeditors Shuts Down Global Operations After Likely Ransomware Attack (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Chipmaker Giant Nvidia Hit By A Ransomware Attack - Security Affairs

• Backups ‘No Longer Effective’ For Stopping Ransomware Attacks (computerweekly.com)

BEC – Business Email Compromise

• BEC-as-a-Service Campaigns Drive Surge in Email Fraud - Infosecurity Magazine

Phishing & Email

• Cyber Attackers Leverage DocuSign to Steal Microsoft Outlook Logins | Threatpost

• New Phishing Campaign Targets Monzo Online-Banking Customers (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Devious Phishing Method Bypasses MFA Using Remote Access Software (bleepingcomputer.com)

Other Social Engineering

• Social Media Attacks Surged In 2021, Financial Institutions Targeted The Most - Help Net Security

Malware

• Over 2.7 Million Cases Of Emotet Malware Detected Globally - Japan Today

• Jester Stealer Malware Adds More Capabilities To Entice Hackers (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Beware: New Kraken Botnet Easily Fools Windows Defender And Steals Crypto Wallet Data - Neowin

• Threat Actors Target Poorly Protected Microsoft SQL Servers - Security Affairs

• New Golang Botnet Empties Windows Users’ Cryptocurrency Wallets (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Revamped CryptBot Malware Spread By Pirated Software Sites (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Social Media Hijacking Malware Spreading Through Gaming Apps on Microsoft Store (thehackernews.com)

Mobile

• New Xenomorph Android Malware Targets Customers Of 56 Banks (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Gaming, Banking Trojans Dominate Mobile Malware Scene | Threatpost

• Beware of ‘Zero-Click’ Hacks That Exploit Security Flaws in Phones’ Operating Systems (insurancejournal.com)

• Samsung Shipped '100m' Android Phones With Flawed Encryption • The Register

Data Breaches/Leaks

• Revealed: Credit Suisse Leak Unmasks Criminals, Fraudsters And Corrupt Politicians | Credit Suisse | The Guardian

Organised Crime & Criminal Actors

• Police Dismantled Gang That Used Phishing Sites To Steal Credit Cards - Security Affairs

• Nigerian Hacker Pleads Guilty To Stealing Payroll Deposits (bleepingcomputer.com)

Cryptocurrency/Cryptomining/Cryptojacking

• North Korean Hackers Launder Crypto Using Sophisticated Techniques: Report (cryptopotato.com)

Insider Risk and Insider Threats

• Employees Are Often Using Devices In Seriously Risky Ways - Help Net Security

• Insider Threats Are More Than Just Malicious Employees (darkreading.com)

• 83% Of Employees Continue Accessing Old Employer's Accounts - Help Net Security

• Motorola Case Shows Importance Of Detecting Insider IP Theft Quickly | CSO Online

Fraud, Scams & Financial Crime

• Think You Couldn't Be Duped By a Con Artist? Think Again | Psychology Today

• Sextortion Rears Its Ugly Head Again | Threatpost

• French Speakers Blasted By Sextortion Scams With No Text Or Links – Naked Security (sophos.com)

• Digital Ad Fraud Set to Hit $68bn in 2022 - Infosecurity Magazine

Supply Chain

• Hackers Tried To Shatter The Spine Of Global Supply Chains In 2021 | ZDNet

Nation State Actors

• NCSC Advises Organisations to Act Following Russia’s Further Violation of Ukraine’s Territorial Integrity - NCSC.GOV.UK

• Russia-Backed Hackers Behind Powerful New Malware, UK and US Say | Russia | The Guardian

• Ransomware Used as Decoy in Destructive Cyber Attacks on Ukraine | SecurityWeek.Com

• Data Wiper Attacks On Ukraine Were Planned At Least In November - Security Affairs

• Russia’s Sandworm Hackers Have Built a Botnet of Firewalls | WIRED

• China-linked APT10 Target Taiwan's Financial Trading Industry - Security Affairs

• Iran's Hackers Are Using These Tools To Steal Passwords And Deliver Ransomware, say FBI and CISA | ZDNet

• US and UK Details a New Python Backdoor Used by MuddyWater APT - Security Affairs

Privacy

• What Is Browser Fingerprinting and How Does It Track You? | WIRED

Spyware, Espionage & Cyber Warfare

• CISOs, Beware Of Spyware Tools For Illicit Competitive Intelligence | CSO Online

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Vulnerabilities

• Cisco Firewall Customers Warned Of Need For Rapid Updates • The Register

• New Flaws Discovered in Cisco's Network Operating System for Switches (thehackernews.com)

• CISA Alerts on Actively Exploited Flaws in Zabbix Network Monitoring Platform (thehackernews.com)

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Sector Specific

Financial Services Sector

• CrowdStrike CEO: Bank Execs ‘Very Concerned’ About Russia Cyber Attacks (cnbc.com)

Defence

• New "SockDetour" Fileless, Socketless Backdoor Targets US Defense Contractors (thehackernews.com)

Health/Medical/Pharma Sector

• Massive Ransomware Attack Could Cost Irish Health Exec €100m - Infosecurity Magazine

Construction

• Construction Companies Receive Cyber Security Guidance - IT Security Guru

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Reports Published in the Last Week

• 2022 State of the Phish Report - Stats, Trends & More | Proofpoint

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Other News

• The Threat of Cyber War Has Finally Arrived - The Atlantic

• War in Ukraine Risks Scrambling the Logic of Cyber Security | Financial Times (ft.com)

• Russia-Ukraine War: Phishing, Malware and Hacker Groups Taking Sides (thehackernews.com)

• 22 Very Bad Stats On The Growth Of Phishing, Ransomware | VentureBeat

• Data Leaks And Shadow Assets Greatly Exposing Organisations To Cyber Attacks - Help Net Security

• 50% of Websites Vulnerable to Hacking All Year in 2021, New Report Says - MSSP Alert

• ‘Betamax’ Police Forces Failing To Recognise The Digital ‘Crime Challenges Of Today’ (telegraph.co.uk)

• How Much Can You Trust Your Printer? - Help Net Security

• Is Multifactor Authentication Less Effective Than It Used To Be? (slate.com)

• How To Keep Pace With Rising Data Protection Demands - Help Net Security

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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 13 August 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.

Top Cyber Stories of the Last Week

SMBs Increasingly Vulnerable To Ransomware, Despite The Perception They Are Too Small To Target

A new report this week warns that small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) are at particular risk based on the attack trends seen during the first six months of the year. The report revealed that during the first half of 2021, 4 out of 5 organisations experienced a cyber security breach originating from a vulnerability in their third-party vendor ecosystem. That’s at a time when the average cost of a data breach rose to around $3.56 million, with the average ransomware payment jumping 33% to more than $100,000.

https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2021/08/10/smbs-ransomware/

May 2021 Saw A 440% Increase In Phishing, The Single Largest Phishing Spike On Record

In May 2021, a report revealed a 440% increase in phishing, holding the record for the single largest phishing spike in a single month. It also showed that industries such as oil, gas and mining saw a 47% increase in the same six-month period, with manufacturing and wholesale traders seeing a 32% increase. The report extends its yearly threat intelligence report, with updated metrics between January 1 and June 30 2021. It also investigates the latest trends in malware, phishing and crypto exchanges.

https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/may-phishing-increase-webroot/

Users Can Be Just As Dangerous As Hackers

Most organisations should be at least as worried about user management as they are about Bond villain-type hackers launching compromises from abroad. Most organisations have deployed single sign-on and modern identity-management solutions. These generally allow easy on-boarding, user management, and off-boarding. However, on mobile devices, these solutions have been less effective. Examples include mobile applications such as WhatsApp, Signal, Telegram, or even SMS-which are common in the workforce. All these tools allow for low-friction, agile communication in an increasingly mobile business environment. Today, many of these tools offer end-to-end encryption (e2ee), which is a boon when viewed through the lens of protecting against outside attackers. However, e2ee also resists internal governance and compliance programs.

https://thehackernews.com/2021/08/users-can-be-just-as-dangerous-as.html?m=1

With Crime-As-A-Service, Anyone Can Be An Attacker

Crime-as-a-Service (CaaS) is the practice of experienced cybercriminals selling access to the tools and knowledge needed to execute cyber crime – in particular, it’s often used to create phishing attacks. For hackers, phishing is one of the easiest ways to steal your organisation’s data. Traditionally, executing a successful phishing campaign required a seasoned cyber criminal with technical expertise and knowledge of social engineering. However, with the emergence of CaaS, just about anyone can become a master of phishing for a small fee.

https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2021/08/03/crime-as-a-service/

The Rise Of Cloud Is Creating Security Blindspots

Businesses are growing increasingly reliant on cloud services, but with all the good, businesses must also face the bad, according to a new report which says that the rise of cloud means greater complexity and more security blind spots.

Increased expansion into the cloud has led to new risks. All of the respondents in the report had suffered at least one incident in their public cloud environment in the last year, with 30 percent saying they had no formal sign-off before pushing to production.

https://www.itproportal.com/news/the-rise-of-cloud-is-creating-security-blindspots/

Connected Devices Increasingly At Risk As New Ransomware Attacks Are Reported Almost Daily

A report has been released on the state of connected devices. The 2021 study addresses pandemic-related cyber security challenges, including the growth of connected devices and related increase of security risks from these devices as threat actors took advantage of chaos to launch attacks. The study incorporates security risk and trend analysis of anonymized data for the past 12 months (June 2020 through June 2021) across the company’s 500+ deployments in healthcare, life sciences, retail, and manufacturing verticals. The number of agentless and un-agentable devices increased to 42% in this year’s report (compared to 32% of agentless or un-agentable devices in 2020).

https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2021/08/12/connected-devices-risks/

The Value Of PII And How It Still Fuels Malign Activities In The Digital Ecosystem

The COVID-19 pandemic engendered new vulnerabilities in the digital ecosystem for threat actors to exploit, resulting in items like vaccines, fraudulent vaccine certificates, and other COVID-19 related items being sold in dark marketplaces and underground forums, an Intelligence report reveals. The research analysed the value of personally identifiable information (PII), drawing links between the breach economy, PII, and a range of emerging digital threats to executives and brands.

https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2021/08/10/pii-value-digital-ecosystem/

Ransomware Payments Explode Amid ‘Quadruple Extortion’

Two reports slap hard figures on what’s already crystal clear: Ransomware attacks have skyrocketed, and ransomware payments are the comet trails that have followed them skyward. The average ransomware payment spiked 82 percent year over year: It’s now over half a million dollars, according to the first-half 2021 update report. As far as the sheer multitude of attacks goes, researchers on Thursday reported that they’ve identified and analysed 121 ransomware incidents so far in 2021, a 64 percent increase in attacks, year-over-year.

https://threatpost.com/ransomware-payments-quadruple-extortion/168622/

Hackers Netting Average Of Nearly $10,000 For Stolen Network Access

A new report from a cyber security company has spotlighted the thriving market on the dark web for network access that nets cyber criminals thousands of dollars. Researchers have examined network access sales on underground Russian and English-language forums before compiling a study on why criminals sell their network access and how criminals transfer their network access to buyers. More than 37% of all victims in a sample of the data were based in North America while there was an average price of $9,640 and a median price of $3,000.

https://www.zdnet.com/article/hackers-netting-average-of-nearly-10000-for-stolen-network-access/

1M Stolen Credit Cards Hit Dark Web For Free

Threat actors have leaked 1 million stolen credit cards for free online as a way to promote a fairly new and increasingly popular cyber criminal site dedicated to…selling payment-card credentials. Researchers noticed the leak of the payment-card data during a “routine monitoring of cyber crime and Dark Web marketplaces,” researchers said in a post published over the weekend. The cards were published on an underground card-selling market, AllWorld.Cards, and stolen between 2018 and 2019, according to info posted on the forum.

https://threatpost.com/1m-stolen-credit-cards-dark-web/168514/

Ransomware Group Demanding $50M In Accenture Security Breach

The hacker group behind a ransomware attack on global solution provider giant Accenture has made a ransom demand for $50 million, according to a cyber security firm that reports seeing the demand. The threat actor is demanding the $50 million in exchange for more than 6 TB of data, according to a tweet.

https://www.crn.com/news/security/ransomware-group-demanding-50m-in-accenture-security-breach-cyber-firm

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Threats

Ransomware

• Top 5 Ransomware Operators By Income

• Ransomware Gangs Exploiting Windows Print Spooler Vulnerabilities

• Hackers Reportedly Threaten To Leak Data From Gigabyte Ransomware Attack

• Bitcoin Ransomware Hackers Hit Accenture

• Why Ransomware Is Such A Threat To Critical Infrastructure

• Ransomware Demands And Payments Hit New Records

• Synology Warns Of Malware Infecting NAS Devices With Ransomware

Phishing

• AI Wrote Better Phishing Emails Than Humans In A Recent Test

Other Social Engineering

• Cyber Fraud Shifts To Gaming, Travel And Leisure, Report Finds

Malware

• Discord Malware Is A Persistent And Growing Threat Warns Sophos

• Microsoft Warning: This Unusual Malware Attack Has Just Added Some New Tricks

• Experts Shed Light On New Russian Malware-As-A-Service Written In Rust

• IISpy: A Complex Server‑Side Backdoor With Anti‑Forensic Features

• Anatomy Of Native IIS Malware

Mobile

• A 5G Shortcut Leaves Phones Exposed to Stingray Surveillance

• Beware! New Android Malware Hacks Thousands of Facebook Accounts

IOT

• A Critical Random Number Generator Flaw Affects Billions Of IoT Devices

Vulnerabilities

• Microsoft's August 2021 Patch Tuesday: 44 Flaws Fixed, Seven Critical Including Print Spooler Vulnerability

• Microsoft Confirms There's Yet Another New Windows Print Spooler Security Bug

• Microsoft Exchange Server: Threat Actors Actively Scanning For Proxyshell Vulnerability, Researchers Warn

• Magento Update Released To Fix Critical Flaws Affecting E-Commerce Sites

• Vulnerability Found In Kindle E-Reader

• Got A Cheap Cisco Router In Your Home Office? If It's One Of These, There's An Exposed RCE Hole You Need To Plug

Organised Crime & Criminal Actors

• Attackers Started Exploiting a Router Vulnerability Just 2 Days After Its Disclosure

• Hackers Steal $600 Million In Crypto From DeFi Site Poly Network

Dark Web

• 1M Stolen Credit Cards Hit Dark Web For Free

Supply Chain

• MSSPs Particularly Vulnerable To Cisco FDM Flaw

DoS/DDoS

• Attackers Increasingly Turning to DDoS As A Ransom Vector

Nation State Actors

• Briton Suspected Of Spying For Russia Arrested In Germany

• Putin Is Crushing Biden’s Room To Negotiate On Ransomware

Cloud

• Data Of Three Million Elderly Citizens Exposed In Cloud Security Oversight

• AWS S3 Can Be A Security Risk For Your Business

Privacy

• UN Human Rights Experts Call For Spyware Crackdown

• Apple Says ‘Screeching Minority” Who Object Against Their Photos Being Scanned For The Police ‘Have Misunderstanding’

• Is Your Router Giving Away Your Location?

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Other News

• The Challenges Healthcare CISOs Face In An Evolving Threat Landscape

• Hacker Shares The Scariest Things He's Seen On The Dark Web

• Researchers Develop RISC-V Chip for Quantum-Resistant Encryption

• Quantum Computers Could Threaten Blockchain Security. These New Defenses Might Be The Answer

• Saving Money By Holding Onto Old Tech Is Costing Us All Billions

• Unwanted Bot Traffic Costs Businesses $250 Million A Year

• Attacks Against Industrial Networks Will Become A Bigger Problem. We Need To Fix Security Now

• Kaseya's Universal Revil Decryption Key Leaked On A Hacking Forum

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