Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing 19 April 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

94% of Ransomware Victims Have Their Backups Targeted by Attackers

Organisations that have backed up sensitive data may believe they are safe from the effects of ransomware attacks; however a new study by Sophos reported that cyber criminals attempted to compromise the backups of 94% of companies hit by ransomware in the past year. The research found that criminals can demand a higher ransom when they compromise an organisation’s backup data, and those victims are twice as likely to pay. The median ransom demand is $2.3 million when backups are compromised, compared to $1 million otherwise.

Additionally, sectors like state and local governments, along with media and entertainment, are particularly vulnerable with nearly all affected organisations experiencing backup compromises.

Source: [Tech Republic]

Sharing IT Providers Is a Risk for Financial Services, Says IMF, as Rising Cyber Threats Pose Serious Concerns for Financial Stability

The International Monetary Fund has found that with greater digitalisation and heightened geopolitical tensions comes a greater risk of cyber attack with systemic consequences. The IMF noted that losses more than quadrupled since 2017 to $2.5 billion.

The push for technology has led to a number of financial services institutions relying on third-party IT firms, increasing their susceptibility to cyber disruption on a wider scale and a potential ripple effect were a third party to be hit. Whilst such third parties can increase the cyber resilience of a financial services institution, they also expose the industry to systemwide shocks, the IMF reports.

The IMF recommend institutions should identify potential systematic risks in their third-party IT firms. If the organisation is unable to perform such risk assessments, they should seek the expert support of an independent cyber security specialist.

Sources: [The Banker] [IMF]

Hackers are Threatening to Publish a Huge Stolen Sanctions and Financial Crimes Watchlist

A cyber crime group named GhostR has claimed responsibility for stealing 5.3 million records from the World-Check database, which companies use for "know your customer" (KYC) checks to screen potential clients for financial crime risks. The data theft occurred in March and originated from a Singapore-based firm with access to World-Check. The London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG), which owns World-Check, confirmed that the breach involved a third-party's dataset and not their systems directly. The stolen data includes sensitive information on individuals identified as high-risk, such as government-sanctioned figures and those linked to organised crime. LSEG is coordinating with the affected third party and authorities to protect the compromised data and prevent its dissemination.

Source: [TechCrunch]

Your Annual Cyber Security Is Not Working, But There is a Solution

Most organisations utilise annual security training in an attempt to ensure every department develops their cyber awareness skills and is able to spot and report a threat. However, this training is often out of date. Additionally, often training has limited interactivity, failing to capture and maintain employees’ attention and retention. On top of this, many training courses fail to connect employees to real-world scenarios that could occur in their specific job.

To get the most return on investment, organisations need to have more regular education, with the aim of long-term behavioural shifts in the work place, nudging employees towards greater cyber hygiene.

Source: [TechRadar]

73% of Security Professionals Say They’ve Missed, Ignored or Failed to Act on a High Priority Security Alert

A new survey from Coro, targeting small medium enterprises (SME) cyber security professionals, reveals that 73% have missed or ignored high priority security alerts due to overwhelming workloads and managing multiple security tools. The 2024 SME Security Workload Impact Report highlights that SMEs are inundated with alerts and responsibilities, which dilute their focus from critical security threats. On average, these professionals manage over 11 security tools and spend nearly five hours daily on tasks like monitoring and patching vulnerabilities. Respondents handle an average of over 2,000 endpoint security agents across 656 devices, more than half dealing with frequent vendor updates.

Source: [Business Wire]

Russia and Ukraine Top Inaugural World Cyber Crime Index

The inaugural World Cybercrime Index (WCI) identifies Russia, Ukraine, and China as the top sources of global cyber crime. This index, the first of its kind, was developed over four years by an international team from the University of Oxford and the University of New South Wales, with input from 92 cyber crime experts. These experts ranked countries based on the impact, professionalism, and technical skills of their cyber criminals across five cyber crime categories, including data theft, scams, and money laundering. Russia topped the list, followed by Ukraine and China, highlighting their significant roles in high-tech cyber criminal activities. The index, expected to be updated regularly, aims to provide a clearer understanding of cyber crime's global geography and its correlation with national characteristics like internet penetration and GDP. Of note the UK and US also made the top ten list, so it is not just other countries we need to worry about.

Top ten Countries in full:

1.       Russia

2.       Ukraine

3.       China

4.       United States

5.       Nigeria

6.       Romania

7.       North Korea

8.       United Kingdom

9.       Brazil

10.   India

Source: [Infosecurity Magazine]

Police Takedown Major Cyber Fraud Superstore: Will the Cyber Crime Industry Become More Fragmented?

The London Metropolitan Police takedown of online fraud service LabHost serves as a reminder of the industrial scale on which cyber crimes are being performed, with the service amassing 480,000 debit or credit card numbers and 64,000 PINs: all for the subscription price of £300 a month. The site even included tutorial videos on how to commit crime and offered customer service.

Such takedowns can lead to fragmentation. The 2,000 individuals subscribed to LabHost may have lost access but where there is demand, supply will be found. The takedown of one service allows other, small services to fill the gap. As the saying goes ‘nature abhors a vacuum’ and it is especially true when it comes to cyber crime; there is too much business for empty spaces not to be filled.

Sources: [ITPro] [The Guardian]

Small Businesses See Stable Business Climate; Cite Cyber Security as Top Threat

Small businesses are experiencing a stable business climate, as reflected by the Small Business Index, indicating an increasing optimism about the economy. However, the recent surge in cyber attacks, including major assaults on UnitedHealth Group and MGM Resorts, has underscored the growing vulnerability of these businesses to cyber crime. Despite 80% of small to medium-sized enterprises feeling well-protected by their IT defences, a Devolutions survey reveals that 69% of them still fell victim to cyber attacks last year. This has led to cyber security being viewed as the greatest threat by 60% of small businesses, even surpassing concerns over supply chain disruptions and the potential for another pandemic.

The average cost of these attacks ranges from $120,000 to $1.24 million, leading to 60% of affected businesses closing within six months. This vulnerability is further compounded by a common underestimation of the ransomware threat. While 71% of businesses feel prepared for future threats, the depth of this preparedness varies, with only 23% feeling very prepared for cyber security challenges.

Sources: [Claims Journal] [Inc.com]

The Threat from Inside: Insider Threats Surge 14% Annually as Cost-of-Living Crisis Bites

Employee fraud grew significantly last year thanks to the opportunities afforded by remote working and the pressures of a cost-of-living crisis in the UK, according to Cifas, an anti-fraud non-profit. The number of individuals recorded in its cross-sector Insider Threat Database (ITD) increased 14% year-on-year (YoY) in 2023, with the most common reason being “dishonest action to obtain benefit by theft or deception” (49%).

Insider threats – both by accident or with malicious intent – by their own employees are overlooked, despite accounting for 58% of cybersecurity breaches in recent years. As a result, a large proportion of businesses may lack any strategy to address insider risks, leaving them vulnerable to financial, operational and reputational harm.

Source: [Infosecurity Magazine] [TechRadar]

Dark Web Sales Driving Major Rise in Credential Attacks as Attackers Pummel Networks with Millions of Login Attempts

Dark web sales are driving a major rise in credential attacks, with a surge in infostealer malware attacks over the last three years significantly heightening the cyber crime landscape. Kaspersky reports a sevenfold increase in data theft attacks, leading to the compromise of over 26 million devices since 2022. Cyber criminals stole roughly 400 million login credentials last year alone, often sold on dark web markets for as low as $10 per log file. These stolen credentials have become a lucrative commodity, fostering a complex economy of initial access brokers who facilitate broader corporate network infiltrations. The Asia-Pacific and Latin America regions have been particularly affected, with millions of credentials stolen annually.

Simultaneously, Cisco’s Talos team warns of a current credential compromise campaign targeting networks via mass login attempts to VPN, SSH, and web apps. Attackers use a mix of generic and specific usernames with nearly 100 passwords from about 4,000 IP addresses, likely routed through anonymising services (such as TOR). These attacks pose risks like unauthorised access, account lockouts, and potential denial-of-service. The attack volume has increased since 18 March this year mirroring a previous alert by Cisco about a similar campaign affecting VPNs. Despite method and infrastructure similarities, a direct link between these campaigns is yet to be confirmed.

Sources: [Ars Technica] [Data Breach Today]

Large Enterprises Experience Breaches, Despite Large Security Stacks; Report Finds 93% of Breaches Lead to Downtime and Data Loss

93% of enterprises admitting to having had a breach have suffered significant consequences, ranging from unplanned downtime to data exposure or financial loss, according to a recent report. 73% of organisations made changes to their IT environment at least quarterly, however only 40% tested their security at the same frequency. Unfortunately, this means that many organisations are facing a significant gap in which changes in the IT environment are untested, and therefore their risk unknown.

Security tools can aid this, however as the report finds, despite having a large number of security stacks, 51% still reported a breach in the past 24 months. Organisations must keep in mind that security extends beyond the technical realm, and it needs to include people and operations.

Sources: [Infosecurity Magazine] [Help Net Security]

Charities Doing Worse than Private Sector in Staving off Cyber Attacks

Recent UK Government data reveals a significant cyber security challenge for charities, with about a third experiencing breaches this past year, equating to nearly 924,000 cyber crimes. Notably, 83% of these incidents involved phishing, with other prevalent threats including fraud emails and malware. The data found that 63% of charities said cyber security was a high priority for senior management, however, charities lag behind the private sector in adopting security monitoring tools and conducting risk assessments.

Additionally, while half of the charities implement basic cyber hygiene defences like malware protection and password policies, only about 40% seek external cyber security guidance.

Source: [TFN]

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Governance, Risk and Compliance

• Cyber attack volumes peak in first quarter | SC Media (scmagazine.com)

• Annual cyber security training isn’t working, so what’s the alternative? | TechRadar

• Russia and Ukraine Top Inaugural World Cyber Crime Index - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Insider Threats Surge 14% Annually as Cost-of-Living Crisis Bites - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Security breaches are causing more damage than ever before | TechRadar

• 73% of Security Professionals Say They’ve Missed, Ignored or Failed to Act on a High Priority Security Alert | Business Wire

• Small Businesses See Stable Business Climate; Cite Cyber Security as Top Threat (claimsjournal.com)

• Where Are You on the Cyber Security Readiness Index? Cisco Thinks You’re Probably Overconfident | Network Computing

• Experts say shocking level of cyber security breaches revealed in new government report “are avoidable” | LawNews.co.uk

• Report Suggests 93% of Breaches Lead to Downtime and Data Loss - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Hackers are threatening to publish a huge stolen sanctions and financial crimes watchlist | TechCrunch

• 51% of enterprises experienced a breach despite large security stacks - Help Net Security

• Rising Cyber Threats Pose Serious Concerns for Financial Stability (imf.org)

• Ex-Uber security exec Joe Sullivan is advising CISOs on how to avoid his legal fate (axios.com)

• Cyber Security Tips for Small Businesses Now Considered Big Hacking Targets | Inc.com

• The Five Main Steps In A Compliance Risk Assessment Plan (forbes.com)

• Pentesting accounts for an average of 13% of total IT security budgets | Security Magazine

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Threats

Ransomware, Extortion and Destructive Attacks

• Sophos Study: 94% of Ransomware Victims Have Their Backups Targeted (techrepublic.com)

• New LockBit Variant Exploits Self-Spreading Features - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Cheap ransomware for sale on dark web marketplaces is changing the way hackers operate - Help Net Security

• FBI: Akira ransomware raked in $42 million from 250+ victims (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Infiltrating ransomware gangs on the dark web - CBS News

• What if we made ransomware payments illegal? | SC Media (scmagazine.com)

• Critical Atlassian Flaw Exploited to Deploy Linux Variant of Cerber Ransomware (thehackernews.com)

• Moldovan charged for operating botnet used to push ransomware (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Report Reveals Healthcare Industry is Disillusioned in its Preparedness for Cyber Attacks - IT Security Guru

• Ransomware, meet DRaaS: The future of disaster mitigation (betanews.com)

• A whole new generation of ransomware makers are attempting to shake up the market | TechRadar

• Security Think Tank: Approaches to ransomware need a course correction | Computer Weekly

• Ransomware Victims Who Pay a Ransom Drops to Record Low (databreachtoday.co.uk)

Ransomware Victims

• Change Healthcare’s ransomware attack costs reach nearly $1B • The Register

• Ransomware group Dark Angels claims the theft of 1TB of data from chipmaker Nexperia  (securityaffairs.com)

• Ransomware attacks against food, agriculture industry examined | SC Media (scmagazine.com)

• Ransomware attack compromises UN agency data | SC Media (scmagazine.com)

• 840-bed hospital in France postpones procedures after cyber attack (bleepingcomputer.com)

• US think tank Heritage Foundation hit by cyber attack | TechCrunch

• Daixin ransomware gang claims attack on Omni Hotels (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Ransomware feared as Octapharma Plasma closes 150+ centers • The Register

• Cyber Attack Takes Frontier Communications Offline (darkreading.com)

Phishing & Email Based Attacks

• Students turning to cyberfraud as huge phishing site infiltrated, police reveal | Cybercrime | The Guardian

• Microsoft Most Impersonated Brand in Phishing Scams - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• North Korean Group Kimsuky Exploits DMARC and Web Beacons - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• FBI warns of massive wave of road toll SMS phishing attacks (bleepingcomputer.com)

• FIN7 targets American automaker’s IT staff in phishing attacks (bleepingcomputer.com)

Other Social Engineering

• Quishing: The New Cyber Threat to the Cleared Workplace - ClearanceJobs

• FBI warns of massive wave of road toll SMS phishing attacks (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Countering Voice Fraud in the Age of AI (darkreading.com)

• Cyber criminals pose as LastPass staff to hack password vaults (bleepingcomputer.com)

Artificial Intelligence

• CISOs not changing priorities in response to AI threats (betanews.com)

• 92% of enterprises unprepared for AI security challenges - Help Net Security

• AI Copilot: Launching Innovation Rockets, But Beware of the Darkness Ahead (thehackernews.com)

• Enterprise Endpoints Aren't Ready for AI (darkreading.com)

• Best Practices & Guidance For AI Security Deployment 2024 (gbhackers.com)

• Countering Voice Fraud in the Age of AI (darkreading.com)

• C-suite weighs in on generative AI and security (securityintelligence.com)

2FA/MFA

• Cisco Duo warns third-party data breach exposed SMS MFA logs (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Roku Mandates 2FA for Customers After Credential-Stuffing Compromise (darkreading.com)

Malware

• LockBit 3.0 Variant Generates Custom, Self-Propagating Malware (darkreading.com)

• TA558 Hackers Weaponize Images for Wide-Scale Malware Attacks (thehackernews.com)

• A sneaky new steganography malware is exploiting Microsoft Word — hundreds of firms around the world hit by attack | TechRadar

• Evil XDR: Researcher Turns Palo Alto Software Into Perfect Malware (darkreading.com)

• Firebird RAT creator and seller arrested in the US and Australia (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Destructive ICS Malware 'Fuxnet' Used by Ukraine Against Russian Infrastructure - Security Week

• New SteganoAmor attacks use steganography to target 320 orgs globally (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Russian APT Deploys New 'Kapeka' Backdoor in Eastern European Attacks (thehackernews.com)

• Malicious Google Ads Pushing Fake IP Scanner Software with Hidden Backdoor (thehackernews.com)

• New Cyber Threat MadMxShell Exploits Typosquatting and Google Ads - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Fake cheat lures gamers into spreading infostealer malware (bleepingcomputer.com)

Mobile

• Government spyware is another reason to use an ad blocker | TechCrunch

• iPhone users warned to disable iMessage temporarily to avoid getting hacked - PhoneArena

• Enterprises face significant losses from mobile fraud - Help Net Security

• SoumniBot malware exploits Android bugs to evade detection (bleepingcomputer.com)

Denial of Service/DoS/DDOS

• DDoS attacks saw a huge surge in the first part of 2024, with one particular country badly hit | TechRadar

• 68% of Companies are More Vulnerable to DDoS Than They Think - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• DDoS attacks are still growing and there are new threats on the horizon | ITPro

Internet of Things – IoT

• How to protect IP surveillance cameras from Wi-Fi jamming - Help Net Security

• CISA warns of critical vulnerability in Chirp smart locks • The Register

• New rules for security of connected products in the UK and EU - Lexology

Data Breaches/Leaks

• CISA orders agencies impacted by Microsoft hack to mitigate risks (bleepingcomputer.com)

• US Government on High Alert as Russian Hackers Steal Critical Correspondence From Microsoft - Security Week

• Report Suggests 93% of Breaches Lead to Downtime and Data Loss - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Microsoft's 'cascade of security failures' allowed hackers to access US government employee emails | Windows Central

• Hackers are threatening to publish a huge stolen sanctions and financial crimes watchlist | TechCrunch

• Panama Papers: Money laundering trial of 27 defendants begins

• Over half a million Roku subscribers are the victims of the latest cyber security attack - PhoneArena

• Giant Tiger data breach may have impacted millions of customers (securityaffairs.com)

• Wells Fargo Says It Has Suffered Data Breach, Blames Employee for Exposing Personal Information on Pair of Customers - The Daily Hodl

• 5 Ways Your Personal Information May End Up On The Dark Web (slashgear.com)

• Law Firm to Pay $8M to Settle Health Data Hack Lawsuit (databreachtoday.co.uk)

Organised Crime & Criminal Actors

• After a string of high profile cyber gang takedowns, is the cyber crime industry about to get a lot more fragmented? | ITPro

• Students turning to cyberfraud as huge phishing site infiltrated, police reveal | Cybercrime | The Guardian

• Russia and Ukraine Top Inaugural World Cyber Crime Index - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

Cryptocurrency/Cryptomining/Cryptojacking/NFTs/Blockchain

• Chinese fraud victims seek return of £3bn in bitcoin seized in UK (ft.com)

• Ex-Amazon engineer gets 3 years for hacking crypto exchanges (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Security engineer jailed for 3 years for $12M crypto hacks | TechCrunch

• Hackers hijack OpenMetadata apps in Kubernetes cryptomining attacks (bleepingcomputer.com)

Insider Risk and Insider Threats

• Insider Threats Surge 14% Annually as Cost-of-Living Crisis Bites - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Underestimating the dangers within: mitigating the insider cyber threat | TechRadar

Insurance

• Cyber threats increase as insurance costs fall - report (emergingrisks.co.uk)

Cloud/SaaS

• Exposing the top cloud security threats - Help Net Security

• What Is Microsoft's Role in the Shared Responsibility Model for Data Security? (prweb.com)

• For Service Accounts, Accountability Is Key to Security (darkreading.com)

• The cloud is benefiting IT, but not business | InfoWorld

Identity and Access Management

• Identity in the Shadows: Shedding Light on Cyber Security's Unseen Threats (thehackernews.com)

Linux and Open Source

• Open source groups say more software projects may have been targeted for sabotage (yahoo.com)

• Critical Atlassian Flaw Exploited to Deploy Linux Variant of Cerber Ransomware (thehackernews.com)

Passwords, Credential Stuffing & Brute Force Attacks

• Attackers are pummelling networks around the world with millions of login attempts | Ars Technica

• Roku Mandates 2FA for Customers After Credential-Stuffing Compromise (darkreading.com)

• Threat actors look to stolen credentials | Computer Weekly

• Cisco warns of large-scale brute-force attacks against VPN and SSH services (securityaffairs.com)

• Bad Bots Drive 10% Annual Surge in Account Takeover Attacks - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• For Service Accounts, Accountability Is Key to Security (darkreading.com)

• Dark Web Sales Driving Major Rise in Credential Attacks (databreachtoday.co.uk)

Social Media

• Pro-Russian Campaign Exploits Meta’s Failure to Moderate Political Ads - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• EU tells Meta it can't paywall privacy • The Register

• Google to crack down on third-party YouTube apps that block ads (bleepingcomputer.com)

Malvertising

• Government spyware is another reason to use an ad blocker | TechCrunch

• New Cyber Threat MadMxShell Exploits Typosquatting and Google Ads - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Google to crack down on third-party YouTube apps that block ads (bleepingcomputer.com)

Training, Education and Awareness

• Annual cyber security training isn’t working, so what’s the alternative? | TechRadar

• Cyber security training: How to make it more motivating (hrexecutive.com)

Regulations, Fines and Legislation

• US Supreme Court ruling suggests change in cyber security disclosure process | CSO Online

• New rules for security of connected products in the UK and EU - Lexology

• Congress votes to kick Uncle Sam’s data broker habit • The Register

• Cops can force suspect to unlock phone with thumbprint, US court rules | Ars Technica

Models, Frameworks and Standards

• Rebalancing NIST: Why 'Recovery' Can't Stand Alone (darkreading.com)

Backup and Recovery

• Sophos Study: 94% of Ransomware Victims Have Their Backups Targeted (techrepublic.com)

Data Protection

• 5 Common Data Protection Challenges That Businesses Face (techtarget.com)

Careers, Working in Cyber and Information Security

• IT and security professionals demand more workplace flexibility - Help Net Security

• National Security at Risk as Essential Cyber Security Roles Face Sharp Decline (prnewswire.com)

• Break Security Burnout: Combining Leadership With Neuroscience (darkreading.com)

Law Enforcement Action and Take Downs

• UK Police Lead Disruption of £1m Phishing-as-a-Service Site LabHost - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• After a string of high profile cyber gang takedowns, is the cyber crime industry about to get a lot more fragmented? | ITPro

• Firebird RAT creator and seller arrested in the US and Australia (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Moldovan charged for operating botnet used to push ransomware (bleepingcomputer.com)

Misinformation, Disinformation and Propaganda

• Pro-Russian Campaign Exploits Meta’s Failure to Moderate Political Ads - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• US Election Officials Told to Prepare for Nation-State Influence Campa - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

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

Cyber Warfare and Cyber Espionage

• Preparing for Cyber Warfare: 6 Key Lessons From Ukraine (darkreading.com)

• State-sponsored cyber attacks: The new frontier | ITPro

China

• Chinese, Russian Hackers Keep Getting Past Microsoft's Security (businessinsider.com)

• Leaked FBI document shows MPs were kept in dark over China hack for two years (inews.co.uk)

• US Election Officials Told to Prepare for Nation-State Influence Campa - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Risks are higher than ever for US- China cyber war | Responsible Statecraft

• State-Sponsored Hackers Exploit Zero-Day to Backdoor Palo Alto Networks Firewalls - Security Week

• Singapore infosec boss: splinternet hinders interoperability • The Register

• FBI says Chinese hackers preparing to attack US infrastructure | Reuters

• Chinese fraud victims seek return of £3bn in bitcoin seized in UK (ft.com)

Russia

• Chinese, Russian Hackers Keep Getting Past Microsoft's Security (businessinsider.com)

• CISA orders agencies impacted by Microsoft hack to mitigate risks (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Microsoft's 'cascade of security failures' allowed hackers to access US government employee emails | Windows Central

• US Government on High Alert as Russian Hackers Steal Critical Correspondence From Microsoft - Security Week

• Microsoft breach allowed Russia to steal Feds' emails • The Register

• State-Sponsored Hackers Exploit Zero-Day to Backdoor Palo Alto Networks Firewalls - Security Week

• How Ukraine’s cyber police fights back against Russia’s hackers | TechCrunch

• Russian 'Cyber Sabotage' A Global Threat: Security Firm | IBTimes

• Mandiant upgrades Sandworm to APT44 due to increasing threat | TechTarget

• Russia's Sandworm 'cyber attacked US, EU water utilities' • The Register

• Sandworm Group Shifts to Espionage Attacks, Hacktivist Personas | Decipher (duo.com)

• Russia and Ukraine Top Inaugural World Cyber Crime Index - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Russia is trying to sabotage European railways, Czech minister said (securityaffairs.com)

• Pro-Russian Campaign Exploits Meta’s Failure to Moderate Political Ads - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Singapore infosec boss: splinternet hinders interoperability • The Register

• US Election Officials Told to Prepare for Nation-State Influence Campa - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Russian APT Deploys New 'Kapeka' Backdoor in Eastern European Attacks (thehackernews.com)

• Destructive ICS Malware 'Fuxnet' Used by Ukraine Against Russian Infrastructure - Security Week

Iran

• Iranian MuddyWater Hackers Adopt New C2 Tool 'DarkBeatC2' in Latest Campaign (thehackernews.com)

• Middle East Cyber Ops Intensify, With Israel the Main Target (darkreading.com)

• Iran-Backed Hackers Blast Out Threatening Texts to Israelis (darkreading.com)

• Israel Holds Hybrid Cyber & Military Readiness Drills (darkreading.com)

North Korea

• DPRK Exploits 2 MITRE Sub-Techniques: Phantom DLL Hijacking, TCC Abuse (darkreading.com)

• North Korean Group Kimsuky Exploits DMARC and Web Beacons - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

Other Nation State Actors, Hacktivism, Extremism, Terrorism and Other Geopolitical Threat Intelligence

• Geopolitical tensions escalate OT cyber attacks - Help Net Security

• “There are no borders in cyber space. We have to fight global terrorism together.” | Ctech (calcalistech.com)

• Furry Hackers Target Far-Right Outlet 'Real America's Voice' (dailydot.com)

• Government spyware is another reason to use an ad blocker | TechCrunch

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Vulnerability Management

• Cyber Security Pros Urge US Congress to Help NIST Restore NVD Operation - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• How to conduct security patch validation and verification | TechTarget

• Zero-Day Vulnerabilities: A Beginner’s Guide - The New Stack

• The importance of the Vulnerability Operations Centre for cyber security | TechRadar

Vulnerabilities

• State-Sponsored Hackers Exploit Zero-Day to Backdoor Palo Alto Networks Firewalls - Security Week

• “Highly capable” hackers root corporate networks by exploiting firewall 0-day | Ars Technica

• Cisco discloses root escalation flaw with public exploit code (bleepingcomputer.com)

• PuTTY SSH client flaw allows recovery of cryptographic private keys (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Citrix Releases Security Updates for XenServer and Citrix Hypervisor | CISA

• Yubico Issues YubiKey Security Alert For Windows Users (forbes.com)

• Samsung Issues Update Now Warning For Millions Of Galaxy Users (forbes.com)

• Juniper Networks Publishes Dozens of New Security Advisories - Security Week

• Ivanti warns of critical flaws in its Avalanche MDM solution (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Oracle Patches 230 Vulnerabilities With April 2024 CPU - Security Week

• iPhone users warned to disable iMessage temporarily to avoid getting hacked - PhoneArena

• Delinea Fixes Flaw After Analyst Goes Public With Disclosure First (darkreading.com)

• Critical Atlassian Flaw Exploited to Deploy Linux Variant of Cerber Ransomware (thehackernews.com)

• Telegram fixes Windows app zero-day used to launch Python scripts (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Critical RCE Vulnerability in 92,000 D-Link NAS Devices - Security Boulevard

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Tools and Controls

• Sophos Study: 94% of Ransomware Victims Have Their Backups Targeted (techrepublic.com)

• Evil XDR: Researcher Turns Palo Alto Software Into Perfect Malware (darkreading.com)

• CISA's Malware Analysis Platform Could Foster Better Threat Intel (darkreading.com)

• Pentesting accounts for an average of 13% of total IT security budgets | Security Magazine

• Annual cyber security training isn’t working, so what’s the alternative? | TechRadar

• 6 Ways Businesses Can Boost Their Cloud Security Resilience - Compare the Cloud

• North Korean Group Kimsuky Exploits DMARC and Web Beacons - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Dark Web Monitoring: What's the Value? (bleepingcomputer.com)

• 5 Steps Toward Military-Grade API Security - The New Stack

• Ransomware, meet DRaaS: The future of disaster mitigation (betanews.com)

• Cyber security training: How to make it more motivating (hrexecutive.com)

• The Five Main Steps In A Compliance Risk Assessment Plan (forbes.com)

• AI set to enhance cyber security roles, not replace them - Help Net Security

• Why You Still Shouldn't Trust Zero Trust (forbes.com)

• Stateful vs. stateless firewalls: Understanding the differences | TechTarget

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Reports Published in the Last Week

• Rising Cyber Threats Pose Serious Concerns for Financial Stability (imf.org)

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Other News

• Why home cyber security is important (xda-developers.com)

• Microsoft remains in the US government's good graces despite its high susceptibility to attacks | Windows Central

• Charities doing worse than private sector in staving off cyber attacks - TFN

• Private companies operating critical infrastructure are not taking cyber security threats seriously enough. | USAPP (lse.ac.uk)

• The US counterintelligence head says the list of threats is long and getting longer (cfpublic.org)

• Critical Infrastructure Security: Observations From the Front Lines (darkreading.com)

• Geopolitical tensions escalate OT cyber attacks - Help Net Security

• Microsoft, Beset by Hacks, Grapples With Problem Years in the Making - BNN Bloomberg

• The invisible seafaring industry that keeps the internet afloat (theverge.com)

• Do we have a plan on how to deal with subsea cables sabotage? | Euronews

• Ex-GCHQ chief: Cyber attacks could target fragile trust in utilities - Utility Week

• Trust in Cyber Takes a Knock as CNI Budgets Flatline - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• University chiefs to get security service Cobra briefing on hostile states | The Argus

• SAP Applications Increasingly in Attacker Crosshairs, Report Shows - Security Week

• Emergency services a likely target for cyber attacks, warns DHS - ABC News (go.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 05 January 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

A “Ridiculously Weak“ Password Causes Disaster for Spain’s Number 2 Mobile Carrier

Spain’s second largest mobile operator, Orange España, suffered a major outage after an unknown party obtained a “ridiculously weak” password and used it to access an account for managing the network that delivers the company’s internet traffic. The attacker had posted the account they had compromised, and researchers found that the associated system had been infected with a Raccoon type infostealer back in September of 2023. The compromised account was Orange’s RIPE administrator account, with the password “ripeadmin”. The incident led to a 50% drop in connections for a 4 hour period, and  underscores the critical importance of robust cyber security measures, including strong passwords, and serves as a stark reminder that even seemingly minor oversights can lead to significant disruptions.

Source: [Ars Technica]

Russia Kyivstar Hack Should Alarm the West, Ukraine Security Chief Warns

If Ukraine's core telephone network can be taken out, organisations in the West could easily be next, Ukraine's SBU chief says. December's cyber attack on Ukrainian telecommunications operator Kyivstar by Russian-backed threat actor ‘Sandworm’ dealt a catastrophic blow to the telecoms provider, according to Illia Vitiuk, head of the Security Service of Ukraine's (SBU) cyber security department. It is believed that although the attack took place in December 2023, the threat actors likely had access to Kyivstar systems since May 2023.

Source: [Dark Reading]

23andMe Tells Victims It’s Their Fault Their Data Was Breached

A cyber incident at DNA data firm 23andMe started with credential stuffing 14,000 user accounts. Credential stuffing is the process by which a malicious actor uses previously harvested usernames and passwords from earlier unrelated breaches to break into other sites and services. Many of the 14,000 accounts had opted-in for a feature whereby information is shared with relatives, which meant that once compromised, attackers had access to 6.9 million users: nearly half of the user base.

Facing over 30 lawsuits from victims, 23andMe is now blaming victims, according to letters seen by victims. 23andMe stated “users negligently recycled and failed to update their passwords following these past security incidents, which are unrelated to 23andMe”. This has caused divide in the cyber world; on one side, recycling and failing to update passwords is poor cyber hygiene and on the other hand, there are technical controls that could have better prevented this type of well known and common attack.

Source: [TechCrunch] [The Register]

Financial Sector Faces More Cyber Attacks Than Other Sectors

A recent study found that more than three-quarters (77%) of financial organisations detected an attack on their infrastructures in 2023, compared with around two-thirds (68%) of other sectors. In particular, the study found that financial workers were at a higher than average risk of phishing compared to other workers. Despite their target attractiveness, only three-quarters (73%) of the financial sector respondents said that they have a cyber security policy in place or will do so within the next year. A separate report from Kaspersky stated that the financial sector is poised to experience an influx of artificial intelligence based attacks 2024, adding to the fire.

Sources: [SC Media] [TechRadar ]

An Innocent-Looking Instagram Trend Could Be a Gift to Hackers

A recent trend that has picked up traction at the end of December on social media apps such as Instagram and TikTok, encourages their followers to “get to know them better”. This trend gets people to answer a popular template, freely giving away personal information such as their height, date of birth, and various details that they feel strongly about including favourite food and phobias. While these questions may seem harmless, these sorts of personal details are used by companies for security questions, for example when a person wants to reset their password. Hackers can use this information to easily social engineer victims or impersonate them to get access to their accounts.

Source: [Business Insider]

Cyber Criminals Shared Millions of Stolen Records During Holiday Break

While many people unwind and enjoy their time off during the festive season, cyber criminals remain active. In fact, they leaked approximately 50 million records containing sensitive personal information during this period. These data breaches were not limited to the West; they had a global impact, affecting individuals in various countries such as Peru, Australia, South Africa, and more. It is important to note that not all the data leaks were recent; some appeared to be remnants of older incidents. For instance, some of the leaked data belonged to customers of the credit company Klarna, which was rumoured to have experienced a breach back in 2022, although it was never publicly confirmed. This ‘Free Leaksmas’ event, as it’s been dubbed, underscores the extensive global reach and serious consequences of these cyber criminal activities.

Sources: [Security Affairs] [Dark Reading]

Law Firm that Handles Data Breaches was Itself Hit by Data Breach

Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe, a law firm specialising in managing security incidents for other companies, has disclosed more details of the cyber attack it itself experienced in March 2023. The breach compromised the sensitive health and personal information of over 637,000 individuals. The stolen data was linked to client organisations and included the names of individuals alongside their social security numbers, medical details, and financial information. Despite the firm's expertise in cyber security, the attack highlights the pervasive risk of data breaches, even among those who advise on such matters. Orrick's delayed response and subsequent legal settlements underscore the importance of proactive security measures and swift action in the wake of a breach. This incident serves as a stark reminder to all organisations of the need for robust cyber defences and transparent communication strategies in today's digital landscape. The law firm has recently settled in principle to resolve four class action lawsuits that accused Orrick of failing to inform victims of the breach until months after the incident.

Source: [TechCrunch]

Nigerian Hacker Arrested for Stealing Millions from Charities

A Nigerian national, Olusegun Samson Adejorin, has been arrested for charges relating to business email compromise attacks that caused a charitable organisation in the US to lose more than $7.5 million. Adejorin had purchased a credential harvesting tool to steal login credentials, which were used to send emails to the charity’s financial service provider. The emails requested and authorised a transfer of $7.5 million, which the investment services provider believed it was paying to the charity whereas it was paying into a bank account controlled by the attacker.

Source: [Bleeping Computer]

Cyber Criminals Implemented Artificial Intelligence for Invoice Fraud

A cyber criminal gang known as GXC Team has been seen selling an artificial intelligence tool for creating fraudulent invoices. The tool, known as Business Invoice Swapper, scrutinises compromised emails that are fed to it, looking for emails which mention invoices or include invoice attachments. It then alters the details of the intended recipient to details specified by the perpetrator. This altered invoice then either replaces the compromised one, or is sent to a predetermined set of contacts.

Source: [Security Affairs]

Shadow IT Threatens Corporate Cyber Security, Study Reveals

With remote working becoming more and more prevalent, organisations are finding themselves at risk of cyber threats due to what is known as shadow IT; this is any software, hardware or IT resource used without the IT department’s approval, knowledge or oversight. A study by Kaspersky found of the 77% of companies that had suffered from cyber incidents over the past two years, 11% of these were directly caused by the unauthorised use of shadow IT.

Source: [Security Brief]

Escalating Cyber Threats: Bots, Fraud Farms, and Cryptojacking Surge

In the constantly evolving cyber threat landscape, 2023 has witnessed a notable surge in the use of bots, fraud farms, and cryptojacking. A new report found that 73% of web and app traffic this year has been attributed to malicious bots and fraud farms, indicating a significant shift towards automated cyber attacks. This trend poses a heightened risk to the ecommerce sector, where cyber criminals exploit API connections and third-party dependencies.

Furthermore, the surge in cryptojacking, marked by a 399% increase, reveals a diversifying strategy among cyber criminals, targeting critical infrastructure with sophisticated methods. These developments serve as a crucial reminder for organisations to bolster their cyber defences and adopt a proactive stance against these emerging and increasingly automated threats.

Source: [Help Net Security]

Putin has Declared a Cyber War on Britain

This year over 2 billion people will vote for new governments across the world, and it is crucial to be aware of upcoming threats to these elections from foreign powers. In particular, Russia is notorious for deploying bots, trolls, and deepfakes, which are techniques used to manipulate information and influence public opinion. These malicious actors are adept at spreading misinformation and disinformation, often with the goal of interfering in elections. With the upcoming UK General Election in 2024 and the US Presidential Election also falling this year, it is imperative to exercise caution and discernment when consuming online content. Not everything we see can be taken at face value.

Source: [Telegraph]

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Governance, Risk and Compliance

• Thoughts for Boards: Key Issues in Corporate Governance for 2024 (harvard.edu)

• Escalating cyber threats: Bots, fraud farms, and cryptojacking surge, urgently requiring attention - Help Net Security

• Legal, compliance and privacy leaders anxious about rapid GenAI adoption - Help Net Security

• Navigating the New Age of Cyber Security Enforcement (darkreading.com)

• Facts and misconceptions about cyber security budgets - Help Net Security

• Budget cuts take a toll on IT decision makers' mental health - Help Net Security

• Consumers prepared to ditch brands after cyber security issues - Help Net Security

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Threats

Ransomware, Extortion and Destructive Attacks

• Firms urged to stop ransomware payments as attacks become “astronomical” (emergingrisks.co.uk)

• How ransomware could cripple countries, not just companies (economist.com)

• New Black Basta decryptor exploits ransomware flaw to recover files (bleepingcomputer.com)

• ChatGPT-aided ransomware in China results in four arrests as AI raises cyber security concerns | South China Morning Post (scmp.com)

• Sophos reports spike in ransomware groups using remote encryption (securitybrief.co.nz)

• Cactus RANSOMWARE gang hit the Swedish retail and grocery provider Coop (securityaffairs.com)

• Police locate missing Chinese student who was victim of ‘cyber kidnapping’ (msn.com)

• Kai Zhuang: Cyber kidnapping in US illustrates growing crime trend - BBC News

• Ban on ransomware payments? The alternative isn't working • The Register

• December ransomware attacks disrupt healthcare organisations | TechTarget

• Ransomware's deadly toll: Hacking is killing patient as errors and delays plague healthcare systems, as 2,200 hospitals, schools and government entities were hit in 2023 | Daily Mail Online

• Study: Ransomware Is Actually Killing One American Per Month (tech.co)

• Zeppelin ransomware source code sold for $500 on hacking forum (bleepingcomputer.com)

Ransomware Victims

• Cyber attack on Massachusetts hospital disrupted records system, emergency services (therecord.media)

• Hospitals ask courts to force cloud storage firm to return stolen data (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Ransomware's deadly toll: Hacking is killing patients as errors and delays plague healthcare systems, as 2,200 hospitals, schools and government entities were hit in 2023 | Daily Mail Online

• Software Used by Hundreds of Museums Taken Down by Ransomware Attack (pcmag.com)

• CTS cyber attack: Disruption to home sales now over - BBC News

• Xerox says subsidiary XBS US breached after ransomware gang leaks data (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Cyber attackers breach trove of Victoria court recordings • The Register

• Bitter Pill: Third-Party Pharmaceutical Vendor Linked to Pharmacy and Health Clinic Cyber Attack (huntress.com)

• Estes refuses to pay off ransomware crew, says data stolen • The Register

Phishing & Email Based Attacks

• Numerous backdoors deployed in new Kimsuky spear-phishing attacks | SC Media (scmagazine.com)

• Russia's APT28 used new malware in a recent phishing campaign (securityaffairs.com)

• SMTP Smuggling: New Flaw Lets Attackers Bypass Security and Spoof Emails (thehackernews.com)

• CERT-UA Uncovers New Malware Wave Distributing OCEANMAP, MASEPIE, STEELHOOK (thehackernews.com)

• UAC-0050 Group Using New Phishing Tactics to Distribute Remcos RAT (thehackernews.com)

• Crypto phishing scams took almost $300M from 324K victims in 2023: Report (cointelegraph.com)

Artificial Intelligence

• Cyber Criminals Implemented Artificial Intelligence (AI) for Invoice Fraud (securityaffairs.com)

• The Imperative of Cyber Security in the Era of AI (thefastmode.com)

• Finance orgs to face increasingly prevalent AI cyber attacks | SC Media (scmagazine.com)

• Enterprise cyber security in 2024: The AI play comes to the fore - Verdict

• Law Firms Taken Aback By The Impact Of AI And The Rise Of Exclusions On Their Cyber Insurance Policies - Above the Law

• NIST Identifies Types of Cyber Attacks That Manipulate Behaviour of AI Systems | NIST

• AI watermarking could be exploited by bad actors to spread misinformation. But experts say the tech still must be adopted quickly | FedScoop

• Use of generative AI in the legal profession accelerating despite accuracy concerns | ITPro

• A New Kind of AI Copy Can Fully Replicate Famous People. The Law Is Powerless. - POLITICO

• ChatGPT-aided ransomware in China results in four arrests as AI raises cyber security concerns | South China Morning Post (scmp.com)

• CISO Planning for 2024 May Struggle When It Comes to AI (darkreading.com)

• Reflecting on Defence and Security Strategies in the AI Era: A New Perspective for Modern Nations - Modern Diplomacy

• Cyber resilience in the age of AI | TechRadar

• Legal, compliance and privacy leaders anxious about rapid GenAI adoption - Help Net Security

• AI Is Driving a Silent Cyber Security Arms Race (govtech.com)

Malware

• Google accounts may be vulnerable to new hack, changing password won’t help | Cybernews

• Malware abuses Google OAuth endpoint to ‘revive’ cookies, hijack accounts (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Microsoft patches critical vulnerability used to install malware on Windows PCs - MSPoweruser

• Microsoft disables Windows app installation, again • The Register

• CISA warns of a nasty flaw abusing Excel | TechRadar

• New Version of Meduza Stealer Released in Dark Web (securityaffairs.com)

• Weak password and infostealer blamed for Orange Spain outage • The Register

• Russia's APT28 used new malware in a recent phishing campaign (securityaffairs.com)

• Russian Military Intelligence Blamed for Blitzkrieg Hacks (inforisktoday.com)

• CERT-UA Uncovers New Malware Wave Distributing OCEANMAP, MASEPIE, STEELHOOK (thehackernews.com)

• Kimsuky Hackers Deploying AppleSeed, Meterpreter, and TinyNuke in Latest Attacks (thehackernews.com)

• Activity of Rugmi malware loader spikes | SC Media (scmagazine.com)

• Kronos Malware Reemerges with Increased Functionality (securityintelligence.com)

• Malware attacks exploiting app installation protocol prompt deactivation | SC Media (scmagazine.com)

• New Variant of DLL Search Order Hijacking Bypasses Windows 10 and 11 Protections (thehackernews.com)

• 29 malware families target 1,800 banking apps worldwide - Help Net Security

• Google password resets not enough to stop this malware • The Register

• 21 New Mac Malware Families Emerged in 2023 - Security Week

• UAC-0050 Group Using New Phishing Tactics to Distribute Remcos RAT (thehackernews.com)

• New Bandook RAT Variant Resurfaces, Targeting Windows Machines (thehackernews.com)

Mobile

• Europe's Largest Parking App Provider Informs Customers of Data Breach - Security Week

• How to prevent hackers from breaking into your Android, stealing bank info (nypost.com)

• QR code hacking: How to protect yourself from rogue QR codes (androidpolice.com)

• 29 malware families target 1,800 banking apps worldwide - Help Net Security

Denial of Service/DoS/DDOS

• Guarding against DDoS attacks during high-traffic periods | CSO Online

• Busting three common DDoS myths (betanews.com)

Internet of Things – IoT

• Study Finds IoT Cyber Security Risk Increased 400 Percent Last Year - RFID JOURNAL

• 4 essential smart home cameras tips to protect your sensitive data

• Ukraine says Russia hacked web cameras to spy on targets in Kyiv (therecord.media)

Data Breaches/Leaks

• Cyber Criminals launched 'Leaksmas' event in the Dark Web exposing massive volumes of leaked PII and compromised data (securityaffairs.com)

• 23andMe tells victims it’s their fault that their data was breached | TechCrunch

• Law firm that handles data breaches was hit by data breach | TechCrunch

• Europe's Largest Parking App Provider Informs Customers of Data Breach - Security Week

• Here we go again: 2023’s badly handled data breaches | TechCrunch

• Over 900k Impacted by Data Breach at Defunct Boston Ambulance Service - Security Week

• Data breach at healthcare tech firm impacts 4.5 million patients (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Highlands Oncology Group Notifies Patients of September 2023 Data Breach | Console and Associates, P.C. - JDSupra

• 'Cyber Toufan' Hacktivists Leaked 100-Plus Israeli Orgs in One Month (darkreading.com)

• Cyber Attacks Are Back in Hollywood. Did Sony Hack Teach Us Nothing? (variety.com)

• Accounting Firm Battling Cyber Security Lawsuit Seeks Dismissal (bloomberglaw.com)

Organised Crime & Criminal Actors

• Nigerian hacker arrested for stealing $7.5M from charities (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Hackers employ nuanced tactics to evade detection - Help Net Security

• The law enforcement operations targeting cyber crime in 2023 (bleepingcomputer.com)

• What’s It Like to Be the Victim of Cyber Crimes? (govtech.com)

Cryptocurrency/Cryptomining/Cryptojacking/NFTs/Blockchain

• Escalating cyber threats: Bots, fraud farms, and cryptojacking surge, urgently requiring attention - Help Net Security

• Beware: Scam-as-a-Service Aiding Cyber Criminals in Crypto Wallet-Draining Attacks (thehackernews.com)

• Crypto phishing scams took almost $300M from 324K victims in 2023: Report (cointelegraph.com)

• Cryptocurrency wallet CEO loses $125,000 in wallet-draining scam | Tripwire

• Cyber criminals set their sights on crypto markets - Help Net Security

• Orbit Chain loses $86 million in the last fintech hack of 2023 (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Crypto-crook Sam Bankman-Fried spared a second trial • The Register

• Bitconned review — Netflix documentary about a fortune built on brazen lies

• Hackers hijack govt and business accounts on X for crypto scams (bleepingcomputer.com)

Insurance

• 6 Cyber Security Insurance Requirements | Proofpoint US

• Cyber insurance should go hand in hand with cyber resilience | Insurance Business America (insurancebusinessmag.com)

• Law Firms Taken Aback By The Impact Of AI And The Rise Of Exclusions On Their Cyber Insurance Policies - Above the Law

Supply Chain and Third Parties

• Online museum collections down after cyber attack on service provider (bleepingcomputer.com)

• A new framework for third-party risk in the European Union | ITPro

Cloud/SaaS

• This company made a significant Google Drive security error that could put a million users at risk | TechRadar

• 5 Ways to Reduce SaaS Security Risks (thehackernews.com)

• 8 Hybrid Cloud Security Challenges and How to Manage Them (techtarget.com)

Identity and Access Management

• The password identity crisis: Evolving authentication methods in 2024 and beyond | VentureBeat

• Active Directory Infiltration Methods Employed by Cyber Criminals (gbhackers.com)

Encryption

• Quantum Risks and Rewards: Forward-Defending Cyber Security (govinfosecurity.com)

• Saving Schrödinger’s Cat: Getting serious about post-quantum encryption in 2024 - Breaking Defence

• Nearly 11 million SSH servers vulnerable to new Terrapin attacks (bleepingcomputer.com)

Linux and Open Source

• 2023: The Year Open Source Security Supply Chain Grew Up - The New Stack

Passwords, Credential Stuffing & Brute Force Attacks

• A “ridiculously weak“ password causes disaster for Spain’s No. 2 mobile carrier | Ars Technica

• 23andMe tells victims it’s their fault that their data was breached | TechCrunch

• The password identity crisis: Evolving authentication methods in 2024 and beyond | VentureBeat

• Using Stronger Passwords Among Top 2024 Digital Resolutions - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

Social Media

• Instagram Trend Could Be a Gift to Hackers (businessinsider.com)

• Social media made $11 billion in US ad sales from minors and therefore has 'overwhelming financial incentives' to avoid protecting children, study finds | Fortune

• Cyber Attackers Target Nuclear Waste Company via LinkedIn (darkreading.com)

• Cyber Criminals Flood Dark Web with X (Twitter) Gold Accounts (darkreading.com)

• Hackers hijack govt and business accounts on X for crypto scams (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Mandiant's Twitter Account Restored After Six-Hour Crypto Scam Hack (thehackernews.com)

Malvertising

• Google Settles $5 Billion Privacy Lawsuit Over Tracking People Using ‘Incognito Mode’ - Security Week

• Google Just Disabled Cookies for 30 Million Chrome Users. Here’s How to Tell If You’re One of Them. (gizmodo.com)

• Social media made $11 billion in US ad sales from minors and therefore has 'overwhelming financial incentives' to avoid protecting children, study finds | Fortune

Regulations, Fines and Legislation

• New risk management framework helps with SEC mandate compliance | CSO Online

• A new framework for third-party risk in the European Union | ITPro

• Finding The Silver Lining In Cyber Regulations (forbes.com)

• Navigating the New Age of Cyber Security Enforcement (darkreading.com)

Models, Frameworks and Standards

• An Overview Of The Defence Department’s Long-awaited Proposed Regulations For Its Cyber Security Maturity Model Certification Program | Morrison & Foerster LLP - Government Contracts Insights - JDSupra

Careers, Working in Cyber and Information Security

• Cyber security skills gap poses threat to business protection measures (securitybrief.co.nz)

• Many cyber security workers feel burnt out and worry about understaffing | TechRadar

Law Enforcement Action and Take Downs

• Police investigate virtual sex assault on girl's avatar - BBC News

• The law enforcement operations targeting cyber crime in 2023 (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Additional cyber agents to be deployed by FBI | SC Media (scmagazine.com)

Misinformation, Disinformation and Propaganda

• Vladimir Putin has declared a cyber war on Britain (telegraph.co.uk)

• AI watermarking could be exploited by bad actors to spread misinformation. But experts say the tech still must be adopted quickly | FedScoop

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

Cyber Warfare and Cyber Espionage

• The FBI is adding more cyber focused agents to US embassies | CyberScoop

Nation State Actors

China

• CISA warns of a nasty flaw abusing Excel | TechRadar

• BT Miss Deadline to Remove All Huawei Kit from UK Core Network UPDATE - ISPreview UK

• ChatGPT-aided ransomware in China results in four arrests as AI raises cyber security concerns | South China Morning Post (scmp.com)

• Three Chinese balloons float near Taiwanese airbase • The Register

Russia

• Russia Kyivstar Hack Should Alarm West, Ukraine Security Chief Warns (darkreading.com)

• Russian hackers were inside Ukraine telecoms giant for months – cyber spy chief – Euractiv

• Ukraine says Russia hacked web cameras to spy on targets in Kyiv (therecord.media)

• UK exposes Russia for attempted political interference (ukdefencejournal.org.uk)

• Vladimir Putin has declared a cyber war on Britain (telegraph.co.uk)

• Russia's APT28 used new malware in a recent phishing campaign (securityaffairs.com)

• Russian Military Intelligence Blamed for Blitzkrieg Hacks (inforisktoday.com)

• CERT-UA Uncovers New Malware Wave Distributing OCEANMAP, MASEPIE, STEELHOOK (thehackernews.com)

• Massive missile strike disrupts Kyiv's internet and power supply (therecord.media)

• The "Tallinn Mechanism" is Designed to Enhance Civilian Cyber Assistance to Ukraine

• UAC-0050 Group Using New Phishing Tactics to Distribute Remcos RAT (thehackernews.com)

Iran

• Cyber attacks hit the Assembly of the Republic of Albania and telecom company One Albania (securityaffairs.com)

• Multiple organisations in Iran breached by a mysterious hacker (securityaffairs.com)

• Israel Battles Spike in Wartime Hacktivist, OT Cyber Attacks (darkreading.com)

• Pilfered Data From Iranian Insurance and Food Delivery Firms Leaked Online (darkreading.com)

North Korea

• Kimsuky Hackers Deploying AppleSeed, Meterpreter, and TinyNuke in Latest Attacks (thehackernews.com)

• Numerous backdoors deployed in new Kimsuky spear-phishing attacks | SC Media (scmagazine.com)

• Analysing DPRK's SpectralBlur

Other Nation State Actors, Hacktivism, Extremism, Terrorism and Other Geopolitical Threat Intelligence

• 'Everything on the internet is monitored': Israel's cyber security head - The Week

• 'Cyber Toufan' Hacktivists Leaked 100-Plus Israeli Orgs in One Month (darkreading.com)

• Israel Battles Spike in Wartime Hacktivist, OT Cyber Attacks (darkreading.com)

• Field spy or electronic espionage: Lebanon’s cyber security challenge against Israeli security breach - Lebanon News (lbcgroup.tv)

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Vulnerability Management

• Apache ERP Zero-Day Underscores Dangers of Incomplete Patches (darkreading.com)

• 10 of the biggest zero-day attacks of 2023 | TechTarget

• Vulnerability management remains a moving target | SC Media (scmagazine.com)

Vulnerabilities

• Microsoft patches critical vulnerability used to install malware on Windows PCs - MSPoweruser

• CISA warns of a nasty flaw abusing Excel | TechRadar

• Google Patches Six Vulnerabilities With First Chrome Update of 2024 - Security Week

• Apache ERP Zero-Day Underscores Dangers of Incomplete Patches (darkreading.com)

• Ivanti warns critical EPM bug lets hackers hijack enrolled devices (bleepingcomputer.com)

• 10 of the biggest zero-day attacks of 2023 | TechTarget

• Vulnerabilities in Google Kubernetes Engine Could Allow Cluster Takeover - Security Week

• Malware attacks exploiting app installation protocol prompt deactivation | SC Media (scmagazine.com)

• Qualcomm chip vulnerability enables remote attack by voice call | SC Media (scmagazine.com)

• Nearly 11 million SSH servers vulnerable to new Terrapin attacks (bleepingcomputer.com)

• WordPress Google Fonts Plugin Vulnerability Affects Up To +300,000 Sites (searchenginejournal.com)

• January Android Security Bulletin Arrives, So Does Pixel Update (droid-life.com)

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Tools and Controls

• Why training LLMs with endpoint data will strengthen cyber security | VentureBeat

• Cyber security challenges emerge in the wake of API expansion - Help Net Security

• 6 Cyber Security Insurance Requirements | Proofpoint US

• Are Security Appliances fit for Purpose in a Decentralized Workplace? - Security Week

• Guarding against DDoS attacks during high-traffic periods | CSO Online

• Cyber resilience in the age of AI | TechRadar

• 8 Hybrid Cloud Security Challenges and How to Manage Them (techtarget.com)

• Active Directory Infiltration Methods Employed by Cyber Criminals (gbhackers.com)

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Other News

• Over 100 European Banks Face Cyber Resilience Test - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Can We Protect the Ballot Box? Global Guide to Election Cyber Threats - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• ‘Lazy’ broadband engineers blamed for exposing hospitals and banks to cyber attacks (telegraph.co.uk)

• IT and OT cyber security: A holistic approach (securityintelligence.com)

• The FBI is adding more cyber focused agents to US embassies | CyberScoop

• Hackers hit Australian state's court recording database | Reuters

• Cyber Attacks Are Back in Hollywood. Did Sony Hack Teach Us Nothing? (variety.com)

• Healthcare breach costs soar requiring new thinking for safeguarding data (securityintelligence.com)

• Firm responsible for burying the UK’s nuclear waste faces repeated cyber attacks | Engineering and Technology Magazine (theiet.org)

• Securing the Defence Industrial Base | AFCEA International

• Reflecting on Defence and Security Strategies in the AI Era: A New Perspective for Modern Nations - Modern Diplomacy

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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 01 December 2023

Welcome to this week’s Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing – a weekly digest, collated and curated by our cyber threat intelligence 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 Strategic Cyber Stories of the Last Week

Law Firms Face Surge in Targeted Attacks as Hundreds Impacted by Single Attack

An estimated 80 to 200 law firms across the UK were impacted by a cyber attack on a third party firm in their supply chain. The attack was on managed service supplier CTS, who provide services to hundreds of law firms across the UK, especially those with conveyancing departments, and many property sales were impacted nationwide as a result of the attack.

This is against a sharp increase in the number of law firms being singled out by cyber threat actors; only recently, magic circle firm Allen & Overy confirmed themselves as a victim of ransomware.

Sources: [SC Media] [Lawyer Monthly] [Scottish Legal News] [Law Gazette] [Dark Reading]

Approach Cyber Security Awareness Training by Engaging People at All Levels

In the cyber security landscape, human-related factors like social engineering, compromised credentials, and errors are the top causes of breaches. Increased investment in threat detection doesn't guarantee foolproof security. Organisations need a proactive strategy focusing on human risks, a security mindset in employees, and a security culture. According to IBM’s latest data security report, high levels of security training can significantly reduce the impact, cost, and frequency of data breaches.

However, most employee training programmes fail due to staff resistance and lack of management support. The key is convincing leadership of its value. To achieve a successful and impactful security awareness programme, it is important that security teams understand their audiences (leaders, managers, and employees), address their requirements, and effectively communicate the benefits of security training.

Source: [CPO Magazine]

Board Support Remains Critical as Majority of CISOs Experience Repeat Cyber Attacks

A recent report found that despite 95% of Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs) receiving budgetary and other support from their organisation after a cyber attack, this largely fails to prevent future incidents, with over half admitting they have experienced multiple “major cyber security incidents” in the last five years.

The report revealed that after an attack 46% of CISOs were given a bigger tech budget, 42% revised their security strategy, 41% adopted new frameworks, and 38% created new roles. However, incidents come with hidden consequences such as revenue loss, rising insurance premiums and declining reputation. CISOs need to have support from the board and executives from the start so that investments can be made in the right technology, processes, and tools. In doing so, a culture of security and vigilance can be instilled from the top down to help protect organisations against evolving threats.

Sources: [Business Wire] [Silicon UK]

Ransomware Attacks Surge 81% in October as New Threat Actors Emerge

The NCC Group revealed that ransomware attacks have surged by 81% in October 2023, compared to the same period in the previous year. Ransomware gangs have already victimised over 50% more individuals and enterprises in 2023 than during the entirety of 2022. As artificial intelligence, phishing kits and ransomware-as-a-service has improved, so too has the number of threat actors; those who were previously stunted by their technical know-how are now able to gain access to sophisticated attacks.

Source: [Security Brief]

Hacked Microsoft Word Documents Being Used to Trick Windows Users

Active campaigns carried out by cyber criminals are again using macros within Word documents to deploy malware, in spite of Microsoft’s efforts to stop these types of attacks. Most of the time the actor delivers the Word document via phishing emails, with the aim of convincing the user to click and run the macro. Once run, the malware has then achieved its goal of establishing itself on the victims’ machine and executing its malicious payload.

Source: [TechRadar]

Mitigating Deepfake Threats in The Corporate World

Deepfakes are synthetic media that are created or manipulated with the desired outcome of convincing the recipient of their legitimacy; and it’s entering the corporate world. Deepfake technology has already been used to impersonate Presidents and financial experts, however there has been an uprise in the number of these attacks. This has left the corporate world questioning existing operational procedures such as callbacks and how they will need to adjust to encompass the changing landscape.

Some of the ways a corporation can mitigate this, is to promote awareness within the workplace, adjust operational procedures to reflect the current landscape, and utilise advanced detection tools.

Source: [MSSP Alert]

Black Basta Ransomware Made Over $100 Million From Extortion Alone

The cyber crime operator “Black Basta” has raked in at least $100 million in ransom payments from more than 90 victims since it first surfaced in April 2022. In total, 329 victims worldwide were targeted and research has estimated that at least 35% paid a ransom, with multiple payments over $1 million. Black Basta uses double extortion techniques, where data is both ransomed and exfiltrated. This way, victims are forced to pay to get their data back and not have it published online; the latter itself can lead to regulatory fines.

Source: [Bleeping Computer]

Long Recovery Times After Cyber Attacks Could Annihilate Your Organisation

In the evolving cyber security landscape, organisations are increasingly investing in detection and prevention measures. However, there's a growing trend of neglecting post-attack recovery. While advanced security tools and technologies are crucial, recent ransomware incidents have shown that recovery is equally vital. Organisations have faced substantial downtime and financial losses due to attacks. Cyber resilience, the ability to bounce back quickly after an attack, is crucial, especially with the rise of remote work.

Budgets often prioritise prevention, leaving organisations ill-prepared for recovery. In 2023, a significant number of companies paid ransoms to regain data. To achieve true cyber resilience, a rebalance in approach is essential, focusing on preparation, response, and recovery alongside detection and prevention, ensuring rapid recovery and safeguarding of valuable assets.

Source: [TechRadar]

Booking.com Customers Scammed in Novel Social Engineering Campaign

According to new research by SecureWorks, Booking.com customers are being targeted by a novel social engineering campaign that is “paying serious dividends” for cyber criminals. Researchers believe the campaign has gone on for at least a year and it begins by deploying the Vidar infostealer to gain access partner hotels’ Booking.com credentials. This information is then used to send phishing emails to Booking.com customers and trick them into handing over their payment details, in many cases leading to money being stolen. The scam is proving so fruitful that sales of Booking.com portal credentials are commanding sale prices of up to $2,000 in two cyber crime forums.

Source: [Infosecurity Magazine]

Stop Panic Buying Your Security Products and Start Prioritising

In the cyber security landscape, impulse buying can lead to costly mistakes. Breaches are now more expensive than ever, underscoring the need to assess cyber security investments. Fear-driven tactics and the quest for a "silver bullet" solution can push organisations, especially smaller ones, into impulsive investments. These decisions may introduce even more risk by failing to integrate with existing systems, or buying systems but failing to configure them properly or utilising them to the fullest extent, leading to a false sense of security. The consequences can be severe, with breaches now costing organisations millions. To navigate this landscape, organisations must assess the real value of cyber security investments. Calculating risk by evaluating likelihood and impact can guide us in making informed decisions. Instead of impulse buying, assign a monetary value to cyber risks for strategic budget decisions in these economic times, ensuring investments align with security and business goals.

Source: [Help Net Security]

A Fifth of UK SMBs Unable to Spot Scams

New data from UK Finance reveals that 17% of UK small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) struggle to identify online fraud and scam indicators. This is particularly alarming given the rise in authorised push payment (APP) scams in the UK, where fraudsters impersonate trusted entities to deceive victims into transferring money to controlled accounts. In the first half of 2023 alone, criminals stole a reported £42.6 million through such scams, with total losses including consumer impacts reaching £239 million. SMBs are increasingly targeted due to typically fewer anti-fraud and other countermeasures and controls, compared to larger and better protected larger firms. It is important for SMBs to be vigilant and verify payment details directly with suppliers to help avoid these types of scams.

Source: [Infosecurity Magazine]

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Governance, Risk and Compliance

• Approach Cyber Security Awareness Training by Engaging People at All Levels - CPO Magazine

• 40% of Cyber Security Departments Want More Budget to Upskill Employees - IT Security Guru

• Cyber Security Spend Among UK Top 10 Legal Firms Jumps 21% as Threats Become Priority | Law.com International

• Board Support Remains Critical as Majority of CISOs Experience Repeat Cyber Attacks | Business Wire

• When does it make sense to pay the ransom? | SC Media (scmagazine.com)

• Former Uber CISO Speaks Out, After 6 Years, on Data Breach, SolarWinds (darkreading.com)

• Enterprises prepare for the inevitable cyber attack - Help Net Security

• Board Support Critical For Cyber Security Defence | Silicon UK

• 3 Simple Ways to Teach Your Teammates to Have a Security-First Mindset Today | Inc.com

• Long recovery times after cyber attacks could annihilate your organisation | TechRadar

• The Role of the CISO in Digital Transformation (darkreading.com)

• Stop panic buying your security products and start prioritizing - Help Net Security

• Cyber Security—Do We See Risks Increasing? | ETF Trends

• Bridging the risk exposure gap with strategies for internal auditors - Help Net Security

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Threats

Ransomware, Extortion and Destructive Attacks

• The rise of Ransomware attacks within the Legal Industry (lawyer-monthly.com)

• Ransomware attacks surge 81% in October, new threat actors emerge (securitybrief.co.nz)

• Allianz cyber head warns ransomware is "back with a vengeance" | Insurance Business America (insurancebusinessmag.com)

• Black Basta ransomware made over $100 million from extortion (bleepingcomputer.com)

• International collaboration leads to dismantlement of ransomware group in Ukraine amidst ongoing war | Europol (europa.eu)

• Why the MOVEit breach still lives rent free in the minds of IT leaders | ITPro

• North Korean Hackers Amass $3bn in Cryptocurrency Heists - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• The crazy world of ransomware • Graham Cluley

• More councils at risk from hackers, warns boss as 'it's a case of when not if' cyber attacks land - Gloucestershire Live

• International collaboration leads to dismantlement of ransomware group in Ukraine amidst ongoing war (databreaches.net)

• DJVU Ransomware's Latest Variant 'Xaro' Disguised as Cracked Software (thehackernews.com)

• How a Teenage Saudi Hacker Went From Lockpicking to Ransomware (darkreading.com)

• When does it make sense to pay the ransom? | SC Media (scmagazine.com)

• CACTUS Ransomware Exploits Qlik Sense Vulnerabilities in Targeted Attacks (thehackernews.com)

• Only 4% of UK housing associations feel sector is fully prepared for ransomware attack | Scottish Housing News

• Ransomware Attacks Strike South Africa, Decline in UAE (darkreading.com)

Ransomware Victims

• Law firm A&O silent on whether it paid ransom to cyber criminals | Law Gazette

• Allen & Overy Removed From Ransomware Website With One Day Remaining | Law.com International

• Potentially hundreds of UK law firms affected by cyber attack on IT provider CTS (therecord.media)

• Cyber Attack Disrupts UK Property Deals - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• London & Zurich ransomware attack sparks financial crisis for businesses (computing.co.uk)

• British Library contacts users after Rhysida leaks data • The Register

• Ransomware attacks hit Stanford University and Nassau Bay in Texas - NotebookCheck.net News

• Notorious ransomware gang takes credit for cyber attack on Fidelity National Financial (therecord.media)

• University of Manchester CISO Speaks Out on Summer Cyber Attack - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Slovenia's largest power provider HSE hit by ransomware attack (bleepingcomputer.com)

• GCHQ investigates cyber attack on hospital to the royals after data stolen (telegraph.co.uk)

• English council spent £1.1 million recovering from ransomware attack (therecord.media)

• More councils at risk from hackers, warns boss as 'it's a case of when not if' cyber attacks land - Gloucestershire Live

• Healthcare giant Henry Schein hit twice by BlackCat ransomware (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Qilin ransomware claims attack on automotive giant Yanfeng (bleepingcomputer.com)

• New cyber criminal group outed after British Library attack - Emerging Risks Media Ltd

• Cyber attack closes hospital emergency rooms in three US states | US healthcare | The Guardian

• Medical test company’s ‘serious and systemic failures’ led to cyber attack, watchdog says | Business | The Guardian

• Two Hackensack Meridian hospital ERs diverting patients after a ransomware attack (msn.com)

• Ardent Health Services Grapples With Ransomware Disruption - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• DP World confirms data stolen in cyber attack, no ransomware used (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Top instant money provider service hacked, over a million users possibly affected | TechRadar

• Staples confirms cyber attack behind service outages, delivery issues (bleepingcomputer.com)

Phishing & Email Based Attacks

• Black Friday: Phishing Emails Soar 237% - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Phishing makes up 43% of email attacks | Security Magazine

• AI like ChatGPT is creating huge increase in malicious phishing email (cnbc.com)

• Organisations can't ignore the surge in malicious web links - Help Net Security

• How Hackers Phish for Your Users' Credentials and Sell Them (thehackernews.com)

• Booking.com Customers Scammed in Novel Social Engineering Campaign - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Cyber Criminals Using Telekopye Telegram Bot to Craft Phishing Scams on a Grand Scale (thehackernews.com)

• ThreatLabz 2023 Phishing Report | ITPro

• What custom GPTs mean for the future of phishing - Help Net Security

• A reality check on email security threats in healthcare (securitybrief.co.nz)

Artificial Intelligence

• Released: AI security guidelines backed by 18 countries - Help Net Security

• 4 key takeaways from new global AI security guidelines | SC Media (scmagazine.com)

• CISA and NCSC lead efforts to raise AI security standards • The Register

• Security leaders on high alert as GenAI poses privacy and security risks - Help Net Security

• AI like ChatGPT is creating huge increase in malicious phishing email (cnbc.com)

• A year after ChatGPT’s debut, is GenAI a boon or the bane of the CISO’s existence? | CSO Online

• Unpatched Critical Vulnerabilities Open AI Models to Takeover (darkreading.com)

• Guidance for Securing AI Issued by NSA, NCSC-UK, CISA, and Partners > National Security Agency/Central Security Service > Press Release View

• Mitigating Deepfake Threats in the Corporate World | MSSP Alert

• 4 key takeaways from new global AI security guidelines | SC Media (scmagazine.com)

• Securing generative AI across the technology stack | TechCrunch

• Critical Vulns Found in Ray Open Source Framework for AI/ML Workloads (darkreading.com)

• What custom GPTs mean for the future of phishing - Help Net Security

• 8 Tips on Leveraging AI Tools Without Compromising Security (darkreading.com)

Malware

• Implications of “malware free” attacks on SMBs (databreaches.net)

• SysJoker Malware Attacking Windows, Linux and Mac Users Abusing OneDrive - Cyber Security News

• Hacked Microsoft Word documents being used to trick Windows users | TechRadar

• N. Korean Hackers 'Mixing' macOS Malware Tactics to Evade Detection (thehackernews.com)

• Volume of unique malware samples threatens to overwhelm defenders | Computer Weekly

• RedLine Stealer Malware Deployed Via ScrubCrypt Evasion Tool - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• A New, Spookier Gh0st RAT Malware Haunts Global Cyber Targets (darkreading.com)

• LogoFAIL bugs in UEFI code allow planting bootkits via images (bleepingcomputer.com)

Mobile

• Busting 6 Myths About Mobile Device Security | MSSP Alert

• Surge in counterfeit app risk as cyber crime exploits rising digital consumption (securitybrief.co.nz)

• NameDrop in iOS 17 is not a privacy nightmare – here’s how to control it (msn.com)

• 200+ Malicious Android Apps Targeting Iranian Banks: Experts Warn (thehackernews.com)

Denial of Service/DoS/DDOS

• Same threat, new stakes: DDoS in an evolving telecoms sector

Internet of Things – IoT

• Cyber pros avoid smart devices: there is a good reason | Cybernews

• Navigating IoT security in a connected world - EDN

• IoT Security Labeling Improving, But More Collaboration Needed - EE Times

Data Breaches/Leaks

• Okta security breach much worse than originally disclosed – all customers' data potentially affected | Mashable

• Nuclear lab faces niche cyber threat (computing.co.uk)

• App used by hundreds of schools leaking children's data (securityaffairs.com)

• Warning: 3 Critical Vulnerabilities Expose ownCloud Users to Data Breaches (thehackernews.com)

• Gulf Air exposed to data breach, 'vital operations not affected' | Reuters

• General Electric investigates claims of cyber attack, data theft (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Data dump from Radware hack raises cyber eyebrows for the future of warfare | Ctech (calcalistech.com)

• Hackers spent 2+ years looting secrets of chipmaker NXP before being detected | Ars Technica

• Medical test company’s ‘serious and systemic failures’ led to cyber attack, watchdog says | Business | The Guardian

• DP World confirms data stolen in cyber attack, no ransomware used (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Former Uber CISO Speaks Out, After 6 Years, on Data Breach, SolarWinds (darkreading.com)

• Security flaws in court record systems used in five US states exposed sensitive legal documents | TechCrunch

• Dollar Tree hit by third-party data breach impacting 2 million people (bleepingcomputer.com)

Organised Crime & Criminal Actors

• Leader of Killnet 'unmasked' by Russian state media • The Register

• A Fifth of UK SMBs Can’t Spot Scams - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Ex-Motorola tech pleads guilty to cyber crime, passport fraud • The Register

• Security official: Romania is an exporter of cyber security in its part of the word (stiripesurse.ro)

• I'm a hacker who was jailed for a decade for heading up a cyber criminal organisation - I started the group to fight back against bullies but got hooked on the power | Daily Mail Online

• How a Teenage Saudi Hacker Went From Lockpicking to Ransomware (darkreading.com)

• Founder of spyware maker Hacking Team arrested for attempted murder: local media | TechCrunch

• US imprisons Ukrainian SSNDOB administrator for 8 years • The Register

Cryptocurrency/Cryptomining/Cryptojacking/NFTs/Blockchain

• North Korean Hackers Amass $3bn in Cryptocurrency Heists - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• KyberSwap Says Hackers Stole $55m in Crypto - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• US Treasury Sanctions Sinbad Cryptocurrency Mixer Used by North Korean Hackers (thehackernews.com)

Insurance

• Global Cyber Security Insurance Market Size To Exceed USD (globenewswire.com)

• Is cyber insurance worth the effort? | SC Media UK (scmagazineuk.com)

Supply Chain and Third Parties

• Cyber attack on managed service provider potentially affects hundreds of law firms | Scottish Legal News

• Cyber Attack Disrupts UK Property Deals - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Telecom Industry Association Advances Supply Chain Security | MSSP Alert

Cloud/SaaS

• SysJoker Malware Attacking Windows, Linux and Mac Users Abusing OneDrive - Cyber Security News

• Top file-sharing service hit with embarrassing security bug that reveals admin passwords | TechRadar

• Kubernetes Secrets of Fortune 500 Companies Exposed in Public Repositories (thehackernews.com)

• Warning: 3 Critical Vulnerabilities Expose ownCloud Users to Data Breaches (thehackernews.com)

Passwords, Credential Stuffing & Brute Force Attacks

• How Hackers Phish for Your Users' Credentials and Sell Them (thehackernews.com)

• Top file-sharing service hit with embarrassing security bug that reveals admin passwords | TechRadar

• Weak & Strong Password Examples: Study Reveals Most Hackable Words (tech.co)

• Despite Hype, the Password-Free Workplace Is Still a Long Way Off (darkreading.com)

• Navigating the Stormy Seas of Cyber security: The Power of High-Entropy Passwords | HackerNoon

• 90+ Key Password Breach Statistics in 2023 (techreport.com)

Social Media

• Google, Meta, allege China cyber attacks • The Register

Training, Education and Awareness

• Approach Cyber Security Awareness Training by Engaging People at All Levels - CPO Magazine

• 8 Cyber Security Topics to Include in Your Training Program | Proofpoint US

• 40% of Cyber Security Departments Want More Budget to Upskill Employees - IT Security Guru

• 3 Simple Ways to Teach Your Teammates to Have a Security-First Mindset Today | Inc.com

Regulations, Fines and Legislation

• European Commission Failing to Tackle Spyware, Lawmakers Say (inforisktoday.com)

• Released: AI security guidelines backed by 18 countries - Help Net Security

• Guidance for Securing AI Issued by NSA, NCSC-UK, CISA, and Partners > National Security Agency/Central Security Service > Press Release View

• EU considers widening scope of cyber security regulation (finextra.com)

• Newly-proposed cyber security rules could affect cloud banking services in the EU - PaymentExpert.com

• Thought GDPR Compliance Was Hard? Buckle Up (darkreading.com)

• 5 resolutions to prepare for SEC's new cyber disclosure rules - Help Net Security

• The SEC’s Fraud Suit Against SolarWinds: 3 Cyber security Action Items for Companies to Consider | Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP - JDSupra

• False Claims Act Meets Cyber security Compliance in Government Contracting - ClearanceJobs

Models, Frameworks and Standards

• CISA Launches Project to Assess Effectiveness of Security Controls - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• The challenge of adding governance as a pillar of cyber security (c4isrnet.com)

Data Protection

• Thought GDPR Compliance Was Hard? Buckle Up (darkreading.com)

Careers, Working in Cyber and Information Security

• Information overload puts cyber security at risk (betanews.com)

• Volume of unique malware samples threatens to overwhelm defenders | Computer Weekly

• More than half admit to ignoring cyber security alerts (itsecuritywire.com)

• Fewer cyber pros are getting fired immediately after an incident: Trellix survey (axios.com)

• Unhappy network professionals juggling more with less - Help Net Security

Law Enforcement Action and Take Downs

• International collaboration leads to dismantlement of ransomware group in Ukraine amidst ongoing war | Europol (europa.eu)

• Police dismantle ransomware group behind attacks in 71 countries (bleepingcomputer.com)

• CoLP launches strategy for fraud, economic and cyber crime | UK Police News - Police Oracle

• Los Angeles SIM Swapper Sentenced to 8 Years in Prison - Security Week

• New York Fines First American $1 Million for Cyber Breach (1) (bloomberglaw.com)

• Ex-Motorola tech pleads guilty to cyber crime, passport fraud • The Register

Misinformation, Disinformation and Propaganda

• Ahead of 2024 election, Meta worries about lack of information on top-tier nation-state covert operations | CyberScoop

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

Cyber Warfare and Cyber Espionage

• Data dump from Radware hack raises cyber eyebrows for the future of warfare | Ctech (calcalistech.com)

• Ahead of 2024 election, Meta worries about lack of information on top-tier nation-state covert operations | CyberScoop

Nation State Actors

China

• Deloitte and KPMG ask staff to use burner phones for Hong Kong trips

• Google, Meta, allege China cyber attacks • The Register

Russia

• Russian hackers pose ‘high’ threat level to EU, bloc’s cyber team warns – POLITICO

• North Korea-linked Konni APT uses Russian-language documents (securityaffairs.com)

• Ukraine says it hacked Russian aviation agency, leaks data (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Leader of Killnet 'unmasked' by Russian state media • The Register

Iran

• Pennsylvania water facility hit by Iran-linked hackers | CyberScoop

• North Texas water utility serving 2 million hit with cyber attack (therecord.media)

• Iranian Mobile Banking Malware Campaign Threat Continues | Zimperium

North Korea

• North Korean hackers are carrying out even more cyber attacks than previously thought | TechRadar

• North Korean Hackers Amass $3bn in Cryptocurrency Heists - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• North Korea-linked Konni APT uses Russian-language documents (securityaffairs.com)

• N. Korean Hackers 'Mixing' macOS Malware Tactics to Evade Detection (thehackernews.com)

• US Treasury Sanctions Sinbad Cryptocurrency Mixer Used by North Korean Hackers (thehackernews.com)

Other Nation State Actors, Hacktivism, Extremism, Terrorism and Other Geopolitical Threat Intelligence

• Hamas-linked APT uses Rust-based SysJoker backdoor against Israel (securityaffairs.com)

• Shadowy hacking group targeting Israel shows outsized capabilities | CyberScoop

• SysJoker Malware: Hamas-Related Threat Expands With Rust Variant - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Data dump from Radware hack raises cyber eyebrows for the future of warfare | Ctech (calcalistech.com)

• Israel’s national water company sees increase in cyber attacks since beginning of war | Ctech (calcalistech.com)

• Hacktivism: What’s in a Name… It May be More Than You Expect - Security Week

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Vulnerability Management

• Why it’s the perfect time to reflect on your software update policy - Help Net Security

Vulnerabilities

• Apple fixes two new iOS zero-days in emergency updates (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Zero-Day Alert: Google Chrome Under Active Attack, Exploiting New Vulnerability (thehackernews.com)

• Design flaw leaves Google Workspace vulnerable for takeover - Help Net Security

• Major Security Flaws in Zyxel Firewalls, Access Points, NAS Devices - Security Week

• Zoom Vulnerability Allowed Hackers to Take Over Meetings, Steal Data (hackread.com)

• Why the MOVEit breach still lives rent free in the minds of IT leaders | ITPro

• Hackers start exploiting critical ownCloud flaw, patch now (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Warning: 3 Critical Vulnerabilities Expose ownCloud Users to Data Breaches (thehackernews.com)

• Security flaws in court record systems used in five US states exposed sensitive legal documents | TechCrunch

• OpenSSL 3.2.0 released: New cryptographic algorithms, support for TCP fast open, and more! - Help Net Security

• PoC for Splunk Enterprise RCE flaw released (CVE-2023-46214) - Help Net Security

• Unpatched Critical Vulnerabilities Open AI Models to Takeover (darkreading.com)

• Critical Vulns Found in Ray Open Source Framework for AI/ML Workloads (darkreading.com)

• CACTUS Ransomware Exploits Qlik Sense Vulnerabilities in Targeted Attacks (thehackernews.com)

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Tools and Controls

• Approach Cyber Security Awareness Training by Engaging People at All Levels - CPO Magazine

• 8 Cyber Security Topics to Include in Your Training Program | Proofpoint US

• 40% of Cyber Security Departments Want More Budget to Upskill Employees - IT Security Guru

• 3 Simple Ways to Teach Your Teammates to Have a Security-First Mindset Today | Inc.com

• Long recovery times after cyber attacks could annihilate your organisation | TechRadar

• Stop panic buying your security products and start prioritizing - Help Net Security

• Cyber Security Spend Among UK Top 10 Legal Firms Jumps 21% as Threats Become Priority | Law.com International

• Enable 256-bit Bitlocker encryption on Windows 11 to boost security - gHacks Tech News

• Building cyber resilience for tomorrow’s threats - Help Net Security

• Volume of unique malware samples threatens to overwhelm defenders | Computer Weekly

• Global Cyber Security Insurance Market Size To Exceed USD (globenewswire.com)

• AI Boosts Malware Detection Rates by 70% - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Is cyber insurance worth the effort? | SC Media UK (scmagazineuk.com)

• What cyber security pros can learn from first responders (securityintelligence.com)

• Why are Organisations Failing to Detect Cyber security Threats? | MSSP Alert

• Vulnerability disclosure: Legal risks and ethical considerations for researchers - Help Net Security

• Researcher flags OpenCart security issue, founder rages • The Register

• Bridging the risk exposure gap with strategies for internal auditors - Help Net Security

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Reports Published in the Last Week

• 2023 Zscaler ThreatLabz State of Phishing Report | Zscaler

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Other News

• Cyber attack On A&O Highlights Perils Of Law Firm Mergers - Law360

• Law Firms & Legal Departments Singled Out for Cyber attacks (darkreading.com)

• Hacktivism: What’s in a Name… It May be More Than You Expect - Security Week

• Microsoft is at the Heart of US National Security Systems and It’s Vulnerable: Cyber Security Expert | NTD

• Implications of “malware free” attacks on SMBs (databreaches.net)

• Reading Borough Council apologises for dodgy infosec advice • The Register

• Holiday Season Increases Cyber security Risks (forbes.com)

• Only 1 in 6 Brits are concerned about cyberthreats at home - Home of Direct Commerce

• Security flaws in court record systems used in five US states exposed sensitive legal documents | TechCrunch

• Paris water agency targeted in cyber attack - Emerging Risks Media Ltd

• Why Utilities Need to Supercharge Their Approach to Cyber security (powermag.com)

• No plain sailing: modern pirates hack superyachts' cyber security | Euronews

• Hackers Hijack Industrial Control System at US Water Utility  - Security Week

• How to Keep Cyber attacks From Taking Off (darkreading.com)

• Estate agents warned to have measures in place to prevent cyber attacks (thenegotiator.co.uk)

• Japan’s space agency suffers cyber attack • The Register

• CISA to Congress: US Under Threat of Chemical Attacks (darkreading.com)

• New BLUFFS attack lets attackers hijack Bluetooth connections (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.

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Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing 15 September 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

Overconfident Organisations Prone to Cyber Breaches

A study found that 95% of UK enterprises were very confident or somewhat confident that they do not have gaps in their security controls, yet despite this, 69% have fallen victim to a cyber attack in the last two years. One of the reasons given for this false sense of confidence was the belief that more tools meant more security; worryingly, 45% of organisations struggled with the implementation of tools due to the need for expertise. Attackers are constantly adapting their tactics to bypass the security controls that most organisations implement. It is difficult for IT teams and business leaders to maintain an objective assessment of how effective their chosen security controls are against today’s attackers. Black Arrow provides the impartial and expert advice that businesses require, including a free initial assessment, with no vested interest other than helping our clients achieve pragmatic and proportionate security.

Source: [IT Security Guru]

Board Members Struggling to Understand Cyber Risks

Board members frequently struggle to understand cyber risks, putting businesses at higher risk of attacks, a new report has found. The report noted that Board interest is being piqued as a result of growing media reporting of cyber incidents, a heightened Board focus on operational resilience post-pandemic, investor pressure and a tightening regulatory environment.

Worryingly, despite the increase in interest and increased internal and external focus on cyber risk, a number of Board-level respondents reported that they felt scared or embarrassed to ask their CISO for fear of exposing their lack of understanding.

Source: [Infosecurity Magazine]

Cyber Criminals are Targeting Top Executives and Could be Using Sensitive Information to Extort Them

Senior executives in today's evolving work landscape face growing cyber security threats, including extortion and device theft. The rise of ‘workcations’, which blend work and leisure, has blurred professional and personal boundaries, exposing leaders to heightened risks, and necessitating a strong focus on cyber security.

These executives are particularly attractive targets due to their access to critical information and decision-making authority. To protect their organisations, they must prioritise robust security measures, such as stronger passwords, anti-theft safeguards for devices, multi factor authentication, and, where appropriate or necessary, the use of virtual private networks. As guardians of their businesses' well-being, executives carry the responsibility of upholding stringent cyber security practices, ensuring that the benefits of remote work do not compromise their organisations' security.

Source: [Fortune]

Cyber Attacks Reach Fever Pitch in Q2 2023

A report has found the global landscape of increasing digitisation, political unrest, the emergence of AI and the widespread adoption of work from home, have all contributed to an increase in attacks, which have increased 314% in the first half of this year compared the first half of 2022.  Rather worryingly, between the first and second quarter this year, there was a 387% increase in activity.

Source: [Data Centre & Network News]

Ransomware Attacks Hit Record Levels in UK as More Companies Fail to Tackle Growing Threats

A report from the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) in the UK found ransomware attacks on UK organisations reached record levels last year, impacting over 700 organisations. This isn’t the true count though, as it does not factor the overwhelming majority of victims who do not report attacks, so the true number will be many times this. This increase comes as reports are finding that UK companies are struggling to address the growing threats, and this includes a lack of understanding at the Board level. In fact, 59% of directors say their Board is not very effective in understanding the drivers and impacts of cyber risks for their organisation.

Sources: [The Record] [The Fintech Times] [Financial Times]

Microsoft Warns of More Attacks as Ransomware Spreads Through Teams Phishing

Microsoft says an initial access broker known for working with ransomware groups has recently switched to Microsoft Teams phishing attacks to breach corporate networks. Referring to one of the groups, Microsoft said “In July 2023, Storm-0324 began using phishing lures sent over Teams with malicious links leading to a malicious SharePoint-hosted file,". This tactic has also been used by Russian Nation State Actors.

Source: [Bleeping Computer]

Europol - Financial Crime Makes “Billions” and Impacts “Millions”

The European policing alliance’s first ever European Financial and Economic Crime Threat Assessment was compiled from “operational insights and strategic intelligence” contributed by member states and Europol partners. The assessment highlighted a criminal economy worth billions of euros and that impacts millions of victims each year.

Source: [Infosecurity Magazine]

Almost One in Three Parents Have Never Spoken to Their Children About Cyber Security

A recent report found that 30% of parents have never spoken to their children about cyber security. Additionally, over 40% of parents, who themselves admitted that they didn’t know how to create strong passwords, still give their child access to their mobile phones and almost a third (32%) give them access to their computers. By doing so, parents are not only putting their children at risk, but inadvertently, themselves and the organisations they work for as well.

Black Arrow offers a range of training, including formal and informal training, for individuals, employees and business leaders. Contact us today for a free initial conversation.

Source: [IT Security Guru]

Hackers are Dropping USB Drives Outside Buildings to Target Networks

A mid-year cyber security report found that along with the explosive growth in AI, bad actors are still using tried and tested, but unfortunately still very effective, tactics such as dropping USB drives outside target buildings in the hope that an employee will pick them up and plug them into devices connected to the corporate network. Many times, these actors are banking on their targets lacking protections against these attacks. Think about your organisation, would someone plug a device they found in the street into their work computer out of curiosity? Does your organisation have controls in place to prevent this type of attack?

Source: [Tech Republic]

Data Theft is Now the No. 1 Cyber Security Threat Keeping Execs Awake at Night

According to a recent survey, 55% of IT decision-makers cited data theft as their main concern, with ransomware placed third, after phishing. This comes as ransomware attackers are moving towards more exfiltration-based techniques. Exfiltration creates a significant number of issues for an organisation including the regulatory requirements of telling customers, to not knowing what data has been exfiltrated.

Source: [Information Security Buzz]

If You Didn’t Change Your Passwords After the LastPass Data Breach, Do It Now

Criminals have had plenty of time to use encryption keys stolen in the 2022 LastPass hack to open vaults, and there has been a reported increase in the number of vaults that have been cracked. For those attackers that haven’t been able to crack your password, they're under no time constraints.

Whilst successful attackers may not directly target your email accounts, PayPal wallets, or banks, these assets can be packaged and sold to other criminal third parties. If any of the passwords stored in a LastPass vault prior to 2022 are still in use, you should change them immediately.

Source: [Make Use Of]

Cloud Vulnerabilities Surge Nearly 200% as Cloud Credentials Become the New Hot Ticket on the Dark Web

IBM tracked 632 new cloud-related vulnerabilities (CVEs) between June 2022 and June 2023, a 194% increase from the previous year, according to a new report. The latest haul of new CVEs brings the total number tracked by the vendor to 3,900; a number that has doubled since 2019. Similarly, a separate report from Palo Alto Networks found that 80% of security exposures exist in the cloud.

IBM highlighted that this has led to a number of cloud credentials being actively sold on the dark web, in some cases for the same price as a dozen doughnuts. These credentials are believed to account for almost 90% of goods and services for sale on the dark web.

Sources: [Infosecurity Magazine] [The Register] [TechTarget]

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Governance, Risk and Compliance

• More UK companies failing to tackle cyber security, reveals new report - The Intermediary - Latest UK mortgage news

• Deputy PM urges UK plc not to lose focus on cyber | Computer Weekly

• Cyber criminals are now targeting top executives–and could be using sensitive information to extort them | Fortune

• Why Data Theft Is Now The #1 Cyber Security Threat Keeping IT Pros Awake At Night (informationsecuritybuzz.com)

• Overconfident Organisations Prone to Cyber Breaches, Study Finds - IT Security Guru

• Global companies to hike security spending as threats rise - survey | Reuters

• CISOs need to be forceful to gain leverage in the boardroom - Help Net Security

• Board Members Struggling to Understand Cyber Risks - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Board And CISO Disconnect On Cyber Security Preparedness 'Rings Alarm Bells'– Expert Comments (informationsecuritybuzz.com)

• Don't Leave Cyber Security to Chance, the Hidden Risk when Staff Depart - IT Security Guru

• Evaluating & Managing Service Provider Security Risks (in 2023) | UpGuard

• Cyber Security risks dampen corporate enthusiasm for tech investments - Help Net Security

• CISOs and Board Reporting – an Ongoing Problem - SecurityWeek

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Threats

Ransomware, Extortion and Destructive Attacks

• Ransomware attacks hit record level in UK, according to neglected official data (therecord.media)

• Ransomware tracker: The latest figures [September 2023] (therecord.media)

• Ransomware access broker steals accounts via Microsoft Teams phishing (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Ransomware thrives as cyber security remains lax, says UK report | Financial Times (ft.com)

• Rust-Written 3AM Ransomware: A Sneak Peek into a New Malware Family (thehackernews.com)

• Ransomware and the cyber crime ecosystem - NCSC.GOV.UK

• Ransomware in top three threats for 65% of organisations | Security Magazine

• The 10 biggest ransomware attacks in history | TechTarget

• Sophos on the State of Ransomware - GovInfoSecurity

• TrickBot & Conti Sanctions for CISOs & Board Members (trendmicro.com)

• Don’t focus on ransomware variants, say UK’s national cyber and crime agencies (therecord.media)

• Cuba Ransomware Gang Continues to Evolve With Dangerous Backdoor (darkreading.com)

• Recent Rhysida Attacks Show Focus on Healthcare By Ransomware Actors (darkreading.com)

Ransomware Victims

• Greater Manchester Police officers' details targeted in 'ransomware attack' | Breaking News News | Sky News

• A phone call to helpdesk was likely all it took to hack MGM | Ars Technica

• MGM Resorts cyber attack: Casinos warned to be on 'high alert' as £11bn firm remains crippled | Science & Tech News | Sky News

• MGM, Caesars File SEC Disclosures on Cyber Security Incidents (darkreading.com)

• Caesars paid millions in ransom to cybercrime group prior to MGM hack – NECN

• Group in Casino Hacks Skilled at Duping Workers for Access (1) (bloomberglaw.com)

• Ransomware tracker: The latest figures [September 2023] (therecord.media)

• IT Systems Encrypted After UK School Hit By Ransomware - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Ransomware Attack Wipes Out Four Months of Sri Lankan Government Data - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Rhysida gang claims to have hacked three more US hospitals (securityaffairs.com)

• Ransomware crew claims to have hit Save The Children • The Register

• Shell says Australian unit BG Group hit by MOVEit cyber security breach | Reuters

• Dutch football association pays ransom to Russian cyber criminals – EURACTIV.com

• Cyber security incident affects services at The Weather Network | CFJC Today Kamloops

Phishing & Email Based Attacks

• New Microsoft Teams Phishing Campaign Targets Corporate Employees - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Email forwarding flaws enable attackers to impersonate high-profile domains - Help Net Security

• Attackers Abuse Google Looker Studio to Evade DMARC, Email Security (darkreading.com)

• Sophisticated Phishing Campaign Deploying Agent Tesla, OriginBotnet, and RedLine Clipper (thehackernews.com)

• $24 Million Worth of Crypto Wiped out Overnight in Massive Phishing Attack

• Thousands of Microsoft 365 accounts under threat from W3LL phishing kit | TechRadar

• Ransomware access broker steals accounts via Microsoft Teams phishing (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Facebook Messenger phishing wave targets 100K business accounts per week (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Journalists, authors, and other writers targeted by phishing emails | TechRadar

• Associated Press Stylebook Users Targeted in Phishing Attack Following Data Breach - SecurityWeek

• Windows Systems Targeted in Multi-Stage Malware Attack - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• How should SMBs navigate the phishing minefield? - Help Net Security

Other Social Engineering; Smishing, Vishing, etc

• Understanding the dangers of social engineering - Help Net Security

• How to Avoid Smishing Attacks Targeting Subscription Service Users (securityintelligence.com)

Artificial Intelligence

• Cyber Criminals Feasting On Artificial Intelligence (forbes.com)

• Jen Easterly and Sami Khoury: Threats From China, Russia, AI Top US, Canada Cyber Agenda (foreignpolicy.com)

• ChatGPT Jailbreaking Forums Proliferate in Dark Web Communities (darkreading.com)

• Cloud security in the era of artificial intelligence (securityintelligence.com)

• Deepfake cyberthreats keep rising. Here's how to prevent them - SiliconANGLE

2FA/MFA

• Organisation Still Aren't Adopting Enterprisewide Multifactor Authentication — What's the Holdup? (securityintelligence.com)

Malware

• Microsoft Teams phishing attack pushes DarkGate malware (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Millions of Facebook Business Accounts Bitten by Python Malware (darkreading.com)

• Sophisticated Phishing Campaign Deploying Agent Tesla, OriginBotnet, and RedLine Clipper (thehackernews.com)

• Free Download Manager site redirected Linux users to malware for years (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Windows Systems Targeted in Multi-Stage Malware Attack - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Intel-based Macs under attack from new MetaStealer malware — how to stay safe | Tom's Guide (tomsguide.com)

• Protecting Your Microsoft IIS Servers Against Malware Attacks (thehackernews.com)

• 3 Strategies to Defend Against Resurging Infostealers (darkreading.com)

• New HijackLoader Modular Malware Loader Making Waves in the Cybercrime World (thehackernews.com)

• Iranian hackers backdoor 34 orgs with new Sponsor malware (bleepingcomputer.com)

• 'Steal-It' Campaign Uses OnlyFans Models as Lures (darkreading.com)

• Sponsor with batch-filed whiskers: Ballistic Bobcat’s scan and strike backdoor (welivesecurity.com)

• Cybersecurity alert: Malware hidden in Microsoft Teams messages targeting users - OnMSFT.com

• Iranian Cyberspies Deployed New Backdoor to 34 Organizations - SecurityWeek

Mobile

• 'Evil Telegram' Spyware Campaign Infects 60K+ Mobile Users (darkreading.com)

• France halts iPhone 12 sales over radiation levels - BBC News

Denial of Service/DoS/DDOS

• Massive DDoS attack on US financial company thwarted by cyber firm (therecord.media)

• Akamai prevented largest DDoS attack on a US financial company (securityaffairs.com)

• After Microsoft and X, Hackers Launch DDoS Attack on Telegram - SecurityWeek

• Yukon gov't website back after cyber attack, Nunavut gov't site still down | CBC News

Internet of Things – IoT

• Co-op to ban Chinese CCTV after security risk warnings (telegraph.co.uk)

• Wyze security camera owners report seeing strangers' camera feeds | Mashable

• Hackers Are Salivating Over Electric Cars - The Atlantic

• Hackers will hack anything — including your sex toys - The Hustle

Data Breaches/Leaks

• Overconfident Organisations Prone to Cyber Breaches, Study Finds - IT Security Guru

• LastPass Hackers Cracking Password Vaults - Experts Warns - Cyber Kendra

• Dymocks Booksellers suffers data breach impacting 836k customers (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Lessons from the DuoLingo data breach – Digital Journal

• How Do Hackers Sell and Trade Your Data in the Metaverse? (makeuseof.com)

• Capita class action: 2,000 sign up in wake of data theft • The Register

• Airbus data leaked via infected customer computer • The Register

• Threat actor leaks sensitive data belonging to Airbus (securityaffairs.com)

• UK businesses could escape data breach fines if they engage with NCSC over cyber incidents (therecord.media)

Organised Crime & Criminal Actors

• Cyber criminals are now targeting top executives–and could be using sensitive information to extort them | Fortune

• Europol: Financial Crime Makes “Billions” and Impacts “Million" - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• How Next-Gen Threats Are Taking a Page From APTs - SecurityWeek

• How Do Hackers Sell and Trade Your Data in the Metaverse? (makeuseof.com)

• Influx of Russian fraudsters gives Turkish cyber crime hub new lease of life | Financial Times (ft.com)

• Europol's spotlight report sheds light on evolving cyber attacks (amlintelligence.com)

• Ransomware in the underworld. (thecyberwire.com)

• Cyber criminals Use Webex Brand to Target Corporate Users (darkreading.com)

Cryptocurrency/Cryptomining/Cryptojacking/NFTs/Blockchain

• Cyber Criminals Weaponizing Legitimate Advanced Installer Tool in Crypto-Mining Attacks (thehackernews.com)

• Top blockchain Cyber security threats to watch out for (att.com)

• $24 Million Worth of Crypto Wiped out Overnight in Massive Phishing Attack

• Blockchain Security Firm Unveils APT Attack by Lazarus Group - DailyCoin

• Hackers steal $53 million worth of cryptocurrency from CoinEx (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Cryptoqueen: Accomplice jailed for 20 years for OneCoin financial scam - BBC News

Insider Risk and Insider Threats

• Human behaviour as both threat and defence | Professional Security

Fraud, Scams & Financial Crime

• Latest fraud schemes targeting the payments ecosystem - Help Net Security

• Cryptoqueen: Accomplice jailed for 20 years for OneCoin financial scam - BBC News

• Glasgow firm issues warning following recent cyber attack | Glasgow Times

Impersonation Attacks

• Email forwarding flaws enable attackers to impersonate high-profile domains - Help Net Security

• Cyber criminals Use Webex Brand to Target Corporate Users (darkreading.com)

Deepfakes

• Deepfake cyber threats keep rising. Here's how to prevent them - SiliconANGLE

AML/CFT/Sanctions

• TrickBot & Conti Sanctions for CISOs & Board Members (trendmicro.com)

Insurance

• Insurance industry grapples with rising cyber crime threat, climate change concerns: PwC - Reinsurance News

• Cyber security is top insurance concern as global attacks increase - Insurance Post (postonline.co.uk)

Dark Web

• Dark Web Threats to Businesses - DevX

• ChatGPT Jailbreaking Forums Proliferate in Dark Web Communities (darkreading.com)

• Cloud credentials are the hot ticket item on the dark web • The Register

Supply Chain and Third Parties

• Evaluating & Managing Service Provider Security Risks (in 2023) | UpGuard

• Lazarus Group Targets macOS in Supply Chain Assault - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Airbus Cyber Attack: Over 3,200 Vendor Data Accessed by Hackers (cybersecuritynews.com)

• Capita class action: 2,000 sign up in wake of data theft • The Register

• The rise and evolution of supply chain attacks - Help Net Security

• A 2-Week Prescription for Eliminating Supply Chain Threats (darkreading.com)

Cloud/SaaS

• New Microsoft Teams Phishing Campaign Targets Corporate Employees - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Thousands of Microsoft 365 accounts under threat from W3LL phishing kit | TechRadar

• Finding Your Way in Cloud Security - SecurityWeek

• 7 Steps to Kickstart Your SaaS Security Program (thehackernews.com)

• Cloud storage security: What's new in the threat matrix | Microsoft Security Blog

• Cloud CVEs Surge 200% in a Year - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Cloud credentials are the hot ticket item on the dark web • The Register

• Palo Alto Networks: 80% of security exposures exist in cloud | TechTarget

• Cloud security in the era of artificial intelligence (securityintelligence.com)

Containers

• Kubernetes Admins Warned to Patch Clusters Against New RCE Vulns (darkreading.com)

• Alert: New Kubernetes Vulnerabilities Enable Remote Attacks on Windows Endpoints (thehackernews.com)

Identity and Access Management

• Root Admin User: When Do Common Usernames Pose a Threat? (databreachtoday.co.uk)

• Companies need to rethink how they implement identity security - Help Net Security

• Enterprises persist with outdated authentication strategies - Help Net Security

• Why Identity Management Is the Key to Stopping APT Cyber Attacks (darkreading.com)

Encryption

• OpenSSL 1.1.1 reaches end of life... unless you can pay up • The Register

• When a Quantum Computer Is Able to Break Our Encryption, It Won’t Be a Secret | Lawfare (lawfaremedia.org)

API

• API Expanding Attack Surfaces: 74% Reporting Multiple Breaches – Approov Comments (informationsecuritybuzz.com)

• How to Prevent API Breaches: A Guide to Robust Security (thehackernews.com)

• Elevating API security to reinforce cyber defence - Help Net Security

• Machine Learning is a Must for API Security - IT Security Guru

Open Source

• Free Download Manager site redirected Linux users to malware for years (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Linux Malware! Read This If You Use Free Download Manager (itsfoss.com)

Passwords, Credential Stuffing & Brute Force Attacks

• If You Didn’t Change Your Passwords After the LastPass Data Breach, Do It Now (makeuseof.com)

• Root Admin User: When Do Common Usernames Pose a Threat? (databreachtoday.co.uk)

• New WiKI-Eve attack can steal numerical passwords over WiFi (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Wi-Fi radio signal data can be used 'to predict passwords' • The Register

• Cloud credentials are the hot ticket item on the dark web • The Register

• Iranian hackers breach defence orgs in password spray attacks (bleepingcomputer.com)

Social Media

• Facebook Messenger phishing wave targets 100K business accounts per week (bleepingcomputer.com)

• After Microsoft and X, Hackers Launch DDoS Attack on Telegram - SecurityWeek

• How Do Hackers Sell and Trade Your Data in the Metaverse? (makeuseof.com)

• Millions of Facebook Business Accounts Bitten by Python Malware (darkreading.com)

Training, Education and Awareness

• How to Transform Security Awareness Into Security Culture (darkreading.com)

• Elevating Cyber Awareness: A Strategic Approach (informationweek.com)

• How end-user phishing training works (and why it doesn’t) (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Great security training is a real challenge - Help Net Security

Digital Transformation

• Was the digital transformation worth it security-wise? (securityintelligence.com)

Parental Controls and Child Safety

• Almost One in Three Parents Have Never Spoken to Their Children About Cyber Security- IT Security Guru

• Parents, children and cyber security: Time for a big conversation – Digital Journal

Cyber Bullying, Cyber Stalking and Sextortion

• How To Answer The General Counsel’s Questions After A Cyber Incident (forbes.com)

Regulations, Fines and Legislation

• SEC Issues Final Rules on Cyber Security Disclosures | Kelley Drye & Warren LLP - JDSupra

• Cyber risk is business risk, and the SEC knows it (fdd.org)

• What Makes an Incident ‘Material’? | Calloquy, PBC - JDSupra

• The International Criminal Court will now prosecute cyberwar crimes | Ars Technica

• Preparing For Cyber Security Disclosures Set For Public Companies (forbes.com)

• UK ICO and NCSC Set to Share Anonymized Threat Intelligence - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• One Year After the Colonial Pipeline Attack, Regulation Is Still a Problem (securityintelligence.com)

• UK businesses could escape data breach fines if they engage with NCSC over cyber incidents (therecord.media)

Models, Frameworks and Standards

• Understanding the HITRUST CSF and its Benefits | UpGuard

Backup and Recovery

• How to develop a cloud backup ransomware protection strategy | TechTarget

• How To Backup Data From NAS: A Complete Guide (informationsecuritybuzz.com)

Data Protection

• UK businesses could escape data breach fines if they engage with NCSC over cyber incidents (therecord.media)

Careers, Working in Cyber and Information Security

• Cyber Security Skills Gap: Roadies & Gamers Are Untapped Talent (darkreading.com)

• Three ways to overcome cyber security staff shortages (securitybrief.co.nz)

Privacy, Surveillance and Mass Monitoring

• Wyze security camera owners report seeing strangers' camera feeds | Mashable

• Your Car Is Spying On You, From Your Sex Life To How Fast You Go | Carscoops

• Google Chrome just rolled out a new way to track you and serve ads. Here's what you need to know (theconversation.com)

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

Russia

• Jen Easterly and Sami Khoury: Threats From China, Russia, AI Top US, Canada Cyber Agenda (foreignpolicy.com)

China

• Risk & Repeat: Big questions remain on Storm-0558 attacks | TechTarget

• Parliamentary researcher ‘who spied for China’ arrested | UK news | The Guardian

• Arrest of alleged spy raises questions around UK’s China policy | Financial Times (ft.com)

• Microsoft, Apple versus China, spyware actors (techrepublic.com)

• Co-op to ban Chinese CCTV after security risk warnings (telegraph.co.uk)

• Powerful Ethnic Militia in Myanmar Repatriates 1,200 Chinese Suspected of Involvement in Cyber Crime - SecurityWeek

• Spies, Hackers, Informants: How China Snoops on the West - SecurityWeek

• Jen Easterly and Sami Khoury: Threats From China, Russia, AI Top US, Canada Cyber Agenda (foreignpolicy.com)

• China caught with its malware in another nation's power grid • The Register

• China Threat Recap: A Deeper Insight (informationsecuritybuzz.com)

• As China steps up cyber security enforcement, smaller businesses are feeling the heat | South China Morning Post (scmp.com)

• British and Chinese academic research collaborations quadruple despite security fears (telegraph.co.uk)

Iran

• Iranian hackers backdoor 34 orgs with new Sponsor malware (bleepingcomputer.com)

• ‘Scan-and-exploit’ campaign snares unpatched Exchange servers | SC Media (scmagazine.com)

• Iranian Nation-State Actors Employ Password Spray Attacks Targeting Multiple Sectors (thehackernews.com)

North Korea

• Lazarus Group Targets macOS in Supply Chain Assault - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Blockchain Security Firm Unveils APT Attack by Lazarus Group - DailyCoin

Misc Nation State/Cyber Warfare

• ‘Cyber attacks lower warfare bar, rules key’ | Mint (livemint.com)

• Polish election questioned after Pegasus spyware used to smear opposition, investigation finds | Computer Weekly

• How Next-Gen Threats Are Taking a Page From APTs - SecurityWeek

• How Cyber Attacks Are Transforming Warfare (thehackernews.com)

• OODA Loop - The ICC Will Now Investigate Cyber War Crimes

• The Double-Edged Sword of Cyber Espionage (darkreading.com)

• Why Identity Management Is the Key to Stopping APT Cyber Attacks (darkreading.com)

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Vulnerability Management

• Severe vulnerability found in all browsers, and it's being attacked | PCWorldOvercoming the Rising Threat of Session Hijacking (darkreading.com)

• Cloud CVEs Surge 200% in a Year - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• With 0-days hitting Chrome, iOS, and dozens more this month, is no software safe? | Ars Technica

Vulnerabilities

• Microsoft September 2023 Patch Tuesday fixes 2 zero-days, 59 flaws (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Unpatched Cisco ASA flaw exploited by attackers (CVE-2023-20269) - Help Net Security

• Severe vulnerability found in all browsers, and it's being attacked | PCWorld

• Google Rushes to Patch Critical Chrome Vulnerability Exploited in the Wild - Update Now (thehackernews.com)

• After Apple and Google, Mozilla Also Patches Zero-Day Exploited for Spyware Delivery - SecurityWeek

• CISA Adds Critical RocketMQ Bug to Must-Patch List - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Notepad++ 8.5.7 released with fixes for four security vulnerabilities (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Adobe warns of critical Acrobat and Reader zero-day exploited in attacks (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Alert: New Kubernetes Vulnerabilities Enable Remote Attacks on Windows Endpoints (thehackernews.com)

• Cisco warns of VPN zero-day exploited by ransomware gangs (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Cloud CVEs Surge 200% in a Year - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

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Tools and Controls

• Global companies to hike security spending as threats rise - survey | Reuters

• Don't Leave Cyber Security to Chance, the Hidden Risk when Staff Depart - IT Security Guru

• What Is XDR and Why It's Changing the Security Industry - ReadWrite

• Organisations Still Aren't Adopting Enterprisewide Multifactor Authentication — What's the Holdup? (securityintelligence.com)

• Remote Desktop Protocol exposures leave 85% of organisations vulnerable to attack - SiliconANGLE

• How CISOs Can Effectively Manage Firewall Vulnerabilities | ITPro Today: IT News, How-Tos, Trends, Case Studies, Career Tips, More

• The Dark Web Is Expanding (As Is the Value of Monitoring It) (darkreading.com)

• How to Prevent API Breaches: A Guide to Robust Security (thehackernews.com)

• Elevating Cyber Awareness: A Strategic Approach (informationweek.com)

• Great security training is a real challenge - Help Net Security

• Companies need to rethink how they implement identity security - Help Net Security

• Enterprises persist with outdated authentication strategies - Help Net Security

• Why Identity Management Is the Key to Stopping APT Cyber Attacks (darkreading.com)

• Easy Configuration Fixes Can Protect Your Server from Attack (securityintelligence.com)

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Reports Published in the Last Week

• Ransomware and the Cyber Crime ecosystem - NCSC.GOV.UK

• Sophos on the State of Ransomware - GovInfoSecurity

• The State of Pentesting 2023 Report | Cobalt

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Other News

• Record number of cyber attacks targeting critical IT infrastructure reported to UK gov’t this year (therecord.media)

• The Weaponization of Operational Technology (securityintelligence.com)

• ICS Computers in Western Countries See Increasing Attacks: Report - SecurityWeek

• Cyber Trends: The Gunpowder of the Twenty-First Century (e-ir.info)

• The 9 Top Technology Trends That Are Shaping the Future of Cyber Security (makeuseof.com)

• Some of TOP universities wouldn’t pass cyber security exam: left websites vulnerable - Security Affairs

• The Cyber Security Risks In Education Cannot Be Ignored (forbes.com)

• A new Repojacking attack exposed over 4,000 GitHub repositories to hack (securityaffairs.com)

• Cyber attacks reach fever pitch in Q2 2023 - Data Centre & Network News (dcnnmagazine.com)

• Rising OT/ICS cyber security incidents reveal alarming trend - Help Net Security

• Building cyber resiliency in public services | UKAuthority

• Brits happy to break cyber law if the price is right | Computer Weekly

• Chilling Lack of Cyber Experts in UK Government: Parliamentary Inquiry - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• British Military Hit by Six Million Cyber Attacks in 2022 (thedefensepost.com)

• Trustwave report on hospitality industry security threats | Cyber Magazine

• Cyber security impact on construction, engineering projects (csemag.com)

• Cyber criminals come for schools — and schools aren’t ready (hechingerreport.org)

• Professional Sports: The Next Frontier of Cyber Security? (darkreading.com)

• How Dangerous Is the Cyber Attack Risk to Transportation? (securityintelligence.com)

• Poison in the Water: The Physical Repercussions of IoT Security Threats (securityintelligence.com)

• Australia Inc roiled by raft of cyber attacks since late 2022 | Reuters

• Death by digital: attacks on healthcare put people at risk (synack.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 18th August 2023

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

Top Cyber Stories of the Last Week

Ransomware Group Targeting MSPs Worldwide in New Campaign

Russia-based cyber attackers called Play are evolving, with the ransomware group now using remote monitoring and management (RMM) tools at outsourced IT providers or managed service providers (MSPs) to gain access and hit downstream customers. A significant number of eventual targets are medium sized business. The group is also utilising intermittent encryption, where files are only partly encrypted, to avoid detection.

The attacks highlight the need for organisations to be aware of where they are in the supply chain and how they can be targeted through their supplier. It is not enough for an organisation to focus on its own security in isolation; organisations also need to have a way of effectively assessing their supply chain risk which includes their MSP.

Source [Dark Reading]

As Ransomware Surges, A lack of Resources Makes SMBs Most Vulnerable

Ransomware attacks continue to increase, with 1500 victims confirmed this year. It is likely this figure will continue to rise. In parallel, criminals are evolving and with that comes a rise in triple extortion; attackers are not just encrypting and exfiltrating an organisation’s data, but also using this data to blackmail employees and target third parties, hitting the supply chain.

Unfortunately for SMBs, they do not have the resources to keep up with such attacks, making them the most vulnerable. A report found that organisations that had 51 to 200 employees were the most targeted, followed by organisations with 11 to 50 employees. When it came to the types of organisations, the Financial Services sector placed first.

This should not mean SMBs should just accept this and wait to be attacked; on the contrary, their increased vulnerability means that SMBs need to effectively prioritise and allocate resources, and if necessary getting in specialist external help, to ensure their protections are the best that resources allow.

Sources [WWD] [InfoSecurity Magazine] [CRN]

Business Email Compromise Attack Costs Far Exceeding Ransomware Losses

Cloudflare's 2023 Phishing Threats Report recorded a 17% spike in business email compromise (BEC) related financial losses between December 2021 and 2022, noting that threat actors are increasingly leaning on this attack method to target organisations. Additionally, across 2022 nearly three-quarters (71%) of respondents to the study said they experienced an attempted or successful BEC attack. The Cloudflare report found that the financial impact of BEC led to organisations suffering losses in excess of $2.7 billion, whereas ransomware caused losses of $34.3 million during the same period.

Source [ITPro]

Email Phishing Remains the Main Entry for Cyber Criminals; People with Six Personality Traits are More Susceptible

According to a report, phishing attacks were found to be the initial attack vector for nine in ten cyber attacks. The report found that the focus of a cyber criminal tended to be two objectives: achieving authenticity and getting victims to click. Worryingly, 89% of unwanted messages were found to have bypassed authentication checks, leaving people and procedures as the last line of defence in an organisation.

A separate study found that having the following traits made a user more susceptible to phishing: extroverted, agreeable, people-pleasing, quick to trust, fearful or respectful of authority, and poor self-control.

With employees playing such an important role in preventing phishing, organisations need to ensure that employees are aware of what to look for in a phishing email with regular training to account for evolving tactics. This training should be carried out by experts with experience of conducting phishing simulations, accompanied with the ability to educate users on how they can protect themselves from falling victim.

Sources [Tech Radar] [Makeuseof]

Gartner Study Finds Generative AI to be a Top Emerging Risk for Organisations

In a recent survey, Gartner found that generative AI models such as ChatGPT were the second greatest emerging risk, with concerns around data privacy. This has led to organisations looking to ban such AI, with a separate report by Blackberry finding that ChatGPT faced banning from 75% of organisations.

Banning AI in the organisation is a short-term solution. The benefits of AI are clear and its usefulness in an organisation is significant, with reports finding 75% of IT leaders in favour. Organisations should instead look at how they can govern the usage of AI in their organisation, to reduce the risk of AI-related incidents and improve the effectiveness of work.

Sources [Security Magazine] [Analytics Insight] [IT Security Guru] [Decrypt]

LinkedIn Suffers Significant Wave of Account Hacks

LinkedIn users are reporting losing access to their accounts, with some being pressured into paying a ransom to get back in or else face permanent account deletion. LinkedIn is no stranger to being a target of cyber criminals; last year, the platform was deemed the most abused brand in phishing attempts likely due to its recognisability and widespread use in the corporate world. This extended as far as threat actors using fake LinkedIn profiles.

With the number of accounts being compromised, users need to be vigilant in their use of LinkedIn and be on the lookout for suspicious messages. Black Arrow recommends that users ensure they are using strong and unique passwords, combined with multi-factor authentication (MFA) to protect themselves.

Source [Dark Reading]

High Net-Worth Families are at Risk of Cyber Crime

A report found that high net-worth families have prioritised cyber security with a notable 77% of respondents stating they had a cyber security plan; however, 55% said their plan “could be better”.

A cyber security plan is not optional anymore. High net-worth families are at increased risk, with criminals cottoning on to the amount of information that is out there and the financial gain that can be made if that information is used effectively. Social media is just one of the things increasing the risk of cyber crime; unbeknownst to some families, their social media may be providing criminals a treasure trove of insight into a family’s wealth, real-time location and habits. Such information can be used by a cyber criminal to employ attacks.

Source [Campdenfb]

Cyber Attack Rule Raises Insurance Risks for Corporate Officers

The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) recently issued rules that formally outlined directors’ responsibilities in cyber security governance for the first time, laying the groundwork for potential enforcement actions. The recently issued rules bring potential regulatory probes and shareholder legal class action alleging senior executives failed to supervise their businesses’ cyber security practices.

Although the practice is not yet universal, a growing number of director and officer (D&O) policies are being drafted with cyber related exclusions. Meanwhile, most cyber insurance policies exempt SEC enforcement actions and investor claims, but some cover allegations against a company’s executives over their cyber security roles.

Whilst this is only in the US at the moment, other developed nations are likely to follow suit.

Source [Bloomberg Law]

PSNI and UK Voter Breaches Show Data Security Should be Taken More Seriously

The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) and the UK Electoral Commission both suffered cyber incidents on the same day. Whilst both incidents were different in how they happened, the result was the same: sensitive information had been leaked. In the case of the PSNI, the data was leaked through a response to a freedom of information (FOI) request, in which an Excel sheet was accidentally included by the PSNI. The Electoral Commission incident resulted from a cyber attack.

The incidents are a wake-up call for organisations. If you have not already done so, you need to put things in place to help protect your data from ending up online. The PSNI incident in particular highlights the need to ensure that data does not leave the organisation by accident.

Source [The Guardian]

The Imperative of Cyber Preparedness: The Power of Tabletop Exercises

Cyber security has become an inescapable concern for organisations across industries. With cyber threats ranging from data breaches to ransomware attacks, it is paramount that companies remain vigilant and prepared.

A key way to be prepared is through a tabletop exercise that simulates a hypothetical cyber security incident and helps organisations to practice and evaluate their response. One example scenario can be responding to a ransomware attack blocking access to the organisation's computers for a ransom. These exercises serve as a practical, engaging, and low-risk way for teams to identify vulnerabilities in current plans, improve coordination, and evaluate the decision-making process during a crisis and this is something that we do with our clients on a regular basis.

Source [JDSupra]

Why Are Phones a Cyber Security Weak Spot?

Mobile phones are more interconnected than ever, with their usage extending to the workplace. Despite this, they often enter the corporate environment with a lack of protection and oversight. When laptops are in the corporate environment they are often secured through methods such as encryption and often the organisation has a clear oversight of the applications and activity on the laptop. Mobile phones on the other hand, are often left unmonitored, despite the fact they can and often do carry sensitive information.

Mobile phones also carry additional risks; for a start, they are easier to lose, due to their size difference and the fact they are often out more. In addition, they may have more entry points. Internet of things (IoT) devices, such as smart appliances, are often controlled by phones, making them another entry point for an attacker.

Source [Tech Shout]

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Governance, Risk and Compliance

• Hedge Fund Cyber security Trends Report says Majority Firms Report a Surge in Cyber Attacks - ITSecurityWire

• Lack of Resources Makes SMBs Most Vulnerable to Ransomware Attacks – WWD

• 1 in 5 CIOs Believe Cyber Security Ops Are Not An Immediate Priority - IT Security Guru

• Cyber threat risks reach three-year high – Avast (securitybrief.co.nz)

• Cyber Attack Rule Raises Insurance Risks for Corporate Officers (bloomberglaw.com)

• The Imperative of Cyber Preparedness: The Power of Tabletop Exercises | Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP - JDSupra

• Why Finance Leaders In Midsize Businesses Are Stepping Up Cyber security Efforts (forbes.com)

• Why are ultra-high-net-worth families at increased risk of cyber crime? | Campden FB

• Traditional vs. Enterprise Risk Management: How Do They Differ? (techtarget.com)

• 4 reasons to understand technology risks when buying a business (businessplus.ie)

• What did you say? Boards tackle corporate jargon | Fortune

• Boards Don't Want Security Promises — They Want Action (darkreading.com)

• Cyber attacks and data protection worries loom large | Natasha Doris | CDR Article (cdr-news.com)

• How threats to mid-sized businesses impact us all - Help Net Security

• 7 Reasons People Don't Understand What You Tell Them (darkreading.com)

• 6 Cyber Threat Areas for Companies and Organisations to Prioritize (forbes.com)

• How poor cyber security policies disrupt business continuity - IT Security Guru

• Cyber Prevention, Training Attract More Spend Than Remediation, Recovery, Execs Say - | MSSP Alert

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Threats

Ransomware, Extortion and Destructive Attacks

• Lack of Resources Makes SMBs Most Vulnerable to Ransomware Attacks – WWD

• Business email compromise attack costs far exceeding ransomware losses | ITPro

• Reported ransomware attacks doubled in key sectors (securitybrief.co.nz)

• Ransomware Surges With 1500 Confirmed Victims This Year - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• 'Play' Ransomware Group Targeting MSPs Worldwide in New Campaign (darkreading.com)

• As Ransomware Gangs Shift To Data Extortion, Some Adopt A New Tactic: ‘Customer Service’ | CRN

• Triple Extortion Ransomware and the Cyber Crime Supply Chain (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Companies are finding it harder to detect ransomware | TechRadar

• Top 3 Ransomware Attack Vectors And How To Avoid Them (techtarget.com)

• Ransomware: To pay or not to pay - Help Net Security

• Knight ransomware distributed in fake Tripadvisor complaint emails (bleepingcomputer.com)

• 'DoubleDrive' attack turns Microsoft OneDrive into ransomware | SC Media (scmagazine.com)

• Why Hospitals Are Being Increasingly Targeted by Cyber Attacks | Chicago News | WTTW

• 'Bulletproof' Lolekhosted ransomware hacker indicted (cnbc.com)

• LOLEKHosted admin arrested for aiding Netwalker ransomware gang (bleepingcomputer.com)

• It's time for companies to double down on cyber security measures as ransomware attacks rise, say experts | CBC News

• Monti ransomware targets VMware ESXi servers with new Linux locker (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Crimeware server used by NetWalker ransomware seized and shut down – Naked Security (sophos.com)

• Rapid7 Says ROI for Ransomware Remains High; Zero-Day Usage Expands - SecurityWeek

• Sophos: ‘Royal’ Is Trying to Make Itself the King of Ransomware (darkreading.com)

• Cuba Ransomware Deploys New Tools: Targets Critical Infrastructure Sector in the US and IT Integrator in Latin America (databreaches.net)

• Microsoft: BlackCat's Sphynx ransomware embeds Impacket, RemCom (bleepingcomputer.com)

• 3 strategies that can help stop ransomware before it becomes a crisis | CSO Online

• Latitude Financial takes profit hit from major cyber attack | The West Australian

• MOVEit cyber attack ignites worry about retirement plan fiduciary responsibility | Pensions & Investments (pionline.com)

• Ransomware down 57%, Secureworks warns against complacency (securitybrief.co.nz)

• Ransomware Diaries: Volume 3 – LockBit’s Secrets (databreaches.net)

• HHS Launches 'Digiheals' Project to Better Protect US Hospitals From Ransomware | WIRED

• Ransomware Renaissance 2023: The Definitive Guide to Stay Safer (securityintelligence.com)

• How to Create a Ransomware Incident Response Plan (techtarget.com)

Ransomware Victims

• Several hospitals still counting the cost of widespread ransomware attack (malwarebytes.com)

• Has leading UK jeweller been hit by BianLian ransomware gang? (techmonitor.ai)

• teiss - News - Ernst & Young says MOVEit Transfer hack impacted over 30,000 Bank of America customers

• Cyber attack on Bay area vendor cripples real estate industry (therealdeal.com)

• Colorado warns 4 million of data stolen in IBM MOVEit breach (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Millions of Americans’ health data stolen after MOVEit hackers targeted IBM | TechCrunch

• LockBit claims seven new victims in ransomware spree (techmonitor.ai)

• Cyber attack strikes Prince George's County schools, district says - The Washington Post

• Clorox Operations Disrupted By Cyber Attack - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Inside Housing - News - Hackney to procure new IT system after cyber attack

• Largest switching and terminal railroad in US investigating ransomware data theft (therecord.media)

• Honor Among Cyber Criminals? Why a Canadian Firm Paid Ransom (inforisktoday.com)

• Alberta dental benefits administrator hit by cyber attack | Edmonton Sun

Phishing & Email Based Attacks

• Phishing remains most dominant, fastest growing internet crime (securitybrief.co.nz)

• If You Have These 6 Personality Traits, You're More Vulnerable to Phishing Scams (makeuseof.com)

• Business email compromise attack costs far exceeding ransomware losses | ITPro

• Reports show 62% jump in phishing attacks last year - The Hindu BusinessLine

• Phishing Operators Make Ready Use of Abandoned Websites for Bait (darkreading.com)

• Email – The System Running Since 71’ - SecurityWeek

• 3 Major Email Security Standards Prove Too Porous for the Task (darkreading.com)

• Most consumers can't spot phishing scams | TechRadar

• Cyber Security Experts: AI Could Be Phishing Schemes’ Ultimate Weapon — Or Worse - The Messenger

• Spear Phishing vs Phishing: How to Tell the Difference (techrepublic.com)

• How to Prevent Phishing Attacks with Multi-Factor Authentication (techrepublic.com)

• As Phishing Gets Even Sneakier, Browser Security Needs to Step Up (darkreading.com)

• Email security vendor leaves 2M domains open to phishing hacks, study finds (axios.com)

• What Is a Blank Image Phishing Scam? (makeuseof.com)

• Cyber Criminals Abusing Cloudflare R2 for Hosting Phishing Pages, Experts Warn (thehackernews.com)

• 'Gold mine' phishing scams rob Main Street on social media like Meta (cnbc.com)

• Malicious QR code hacking campaign is targeting Microsoft credentials - SiliconANGLE

• Phishing campaign steals accounts for Zimbra email servers worlwide (bleepingcomputer.com)

• 30% of phishing threats involve newly registered domains - Help Net Security

• Russian Hackers Use Zulip Chat App for Covert C&C in Diplomatic Phishing Attacks (thehackernews.com)

• Gone Phishing: An Analysis of a Targeted User Attack (huntress.com)

BEC – Business Email Compromise

• Business email compromise attack costs far exceeding ransomware losses | ITPro

Artificial Intelligence

• Generative AI a Top Emerging Risk for Organisations: Gartner Survey - Decrypt

• 66% of Organisations in UK Set to Ban ChatGPT and Generative AI Apps on Work Devices - IT Security Guru

• ChatGPT Faces Ban from 75% of Organisations: Blackberry Report (analyticsinsight.net)

• AI Is Coming For Your Data: 6 Steps To Ensure Cyber Resilience (forbes.com)

• New study by AMD finds nearly half of organisations are not ready for AI - IT Security Guru

• Over 74% of organisations see a rise in AI use by cyber criminals | Security Magazine

• Navigating generative AI risks and regulatory challenges - Help Net Security

• Cyber security Experts: AI Could Be Phishing Schemes’ Ultimate Weapon — Or Worse - The Messenger

• Top 10 AI Security Risks According to OWASP (trendmicro.com)

• AI 'evil twins' may already be manipulating human nature | SC Media (scmagazine.com)

• Cyber security practitioners' generative AI dilemma (iapp.org)

• People Coaxed AI Into Giving Wrong Math Answers, System Prone to Flaws (businessinsider.com)

• Following Pushback, Zoom Says It Won't Use Customer Data to Train AI Models (darkreading.com)

• AI a Top Risk and the Preferred Solution to Financial Crime - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• AI Can Decipher Passwords by Listening to Keystrokes Over Zoom: Study (businessinsider.com)

• Why the “voluntary AI commitments” extracted by the White House are nowhere near enough - Help Net Security

• Fake Out: Disinformation Campaigns Get Generative AI Boost (inforisktoday.com)

• Insurance Regulators ‎Continue to ‎Grapple With the Rapid Development ‎and ‎Use of Artificial ‎Intelligence | Locke Lord LLP - JDSupra

2FA/MFA

• How to prevent multifactor authentication fatigue attacks - SiliconANGLE

• How to Prevent Phishing Attacks with Multi-Factor Authentication (techrepublic.com)

Malware

• Potent Trojans Targeting MacOS Users - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Approximately 2000 Citrix NetScaler servers were backdoored in massive campaign-Security Affairs

• Almost 2,000 Citrix NetScaler servers backdoored in hacking campaign (bleepingcomputer.com)

• XWorm, Remcos RAT Evade EDRs to Infect Critical Infrastructure (darkreading.com)

• Malware could be hiding on your Mac thanks to faults in Apple’s Background Task Manager | Tom's Guide (tomsguide.com)

• An Apple Malware-Flagging Tool Is ‘Trivially’ Easy to Bypass | WIRED

• Macs are getting compromised to act as proxy exit nodes - Help Net Security

• Credentials for cyber crime forums found on roughly 120K computers infected with info stealers-Security Affairs

• Malware Dwell Time: Everything You Need to Know (makeuseof.com)

• Gootloader SEO watering hole malware targets law firms | SC Media (scmagazine.com)

• Security Researchers Publish Gigabud Banking Malware Analysis - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Raccoon Stealer malware returns with new stealthier version (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Beware! Subscription malware arms hackers with tools to steal your private data | Laptop Mag

• New Financial Malware 'JanelaRAT' Targets Latin American Users (thehackernews.com)

• Malware Unleashed: Public Sector Hit in Sudden Surge, Reveals New Report (thehackernews.com)

• North Korean Hackers Suspected in New Wave of Malicious npm Packages (thehackernews.com)

• Stories from the SOC - Unveiling the stealthy tactics of Aukill malware (att.com)

• Hackers are increasingly hiding within services such as Slack and Trello to deploy malware | Cyber scoop

• Massive 400,000 proxy botnet built with stealthy malware infections (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Users of cyber crime forums often fall victim to info-stealers, researchers find (therecord.media)

• 10 people, including 16-year-old youth arrested for suspected involvement in malware scams (databreaches.net)

• Turns out AI probably isn't very good at writing malware • The Register

• Malware Turning Windows Machines Into Proxies (databreachtoday.co.uk)

Mobile

• Why Are Phones A Cyber security Weak Spot? - TechShout

• Lapsus$ hackers took SIM-swapping attacks to the next level (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Does Turning Your Android Phone Off Protect You From Malware? (makeuseof.com)

• 3 Mobile or Client-Side Security Myths Debunked (darkreading.com)

• Cyber Criminals Targeting Victims through Mobile Beta-Testing Applications (ic3.gov)

• Threat actors use beta apps to bypass mobile app store security (bleepingcomputer.com)

• FBI warns of money-stealing fake beta-release mobile apps • The Register

• Three reasons why your smartphone needs security protection (securitybrief.co.nz)

• Unsupported Compression Methods Enable Android Malware to Bypass Detection (zimperium.com)

• This $70 device can spoof an Apple device and trick you into sharing your password | TechCrunch

Botnets

• Massive 400,000 proxy botnet built with stealthy malware infections (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Mirai Common Attack Methods Remain Consistent, Effective (darkreading.com)

Denial of Service/DoS/DDOS

• How the FBI goes after DDoS cyber attackers | TechCrunch

• Most DDoS attacks tied to gaming, business disputes, FBI and prosecutors say (therecord.media)

Internet of Things – IoT

• Runaway Charger: The Major Threat Of Hacking EV Stations (slashgear.com)

• Is YOUR electric car vulnerable to hackers? How cyber criminals could steal personal data because of weak security at charging hubs and 'flaws' in vehicles' outdated software | Daily Mail Online

• Ford says cars with WiFi vulnerability still safe to drive (bleepingcomputer.com)

Data Breaches/Leaks

• Electoral Commission had unpatched vulnerability on server • The Register

• PSNI and UK voter breaches show data security should be taken more seriously | Data and computer security | The Guardian

• UK Police Data Breach Exposes Victim Information - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• UK govt contractor MPD FM leaks employee passport data-Security Affairs

• Cumbria Police accidentally publish officers' names and salaries online (bitdefender.com)

• PSNI: Leaked Data Will be Used to Target Police Officers - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• LinkedIn hack: You need to check your LinkedIn account - gHacks Tech News

• ICO reprimands law firm over data breach that saw money stolen - Legal Futures

• Over 100 Court Service agency workers warned of payslip security breach after cyber attack | BelfastTelegraph.co.uk

• How & Why Cyber Criminals Fabricate Data Leaks (darkreading.com)

• Researchers find sensitive personal data in over 30% of cloud assets | SC Media (scmagazine.com)

• Web app warning: 74% of apps with PII are vulnerable to a 'major exploit', report | SC Media (scmagazine.com)

• Insurance Data Breach Victims File Class-Action Suit Against Law Firm (darkreading.com)

• Alberta Dental Services Security Breach Exposes 1.47M Records - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• The most notable data breaches of 2023… So far | IT Reseller Magazine (itrportal.com)

• Discord.io confirms breach after hacker steals data of 760K users (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Millions of Americans’ health data stolen after MOVEit hackers targeted IBM | TechCrunch

• teiss - News - Ernst & Young says MOVEit Transfer hack impacted over 30,000 Bank of America customers

• Man arrested in Northern Ireland police data leak • The Register

• teiss - News - PBI data breach impacted more than 1.2m customers of Wilton Reassurance Life Company

• Here’s what you need to do after your personal data is breached (telegraph.co.uk)

Organised Crime & Criminal Actors

• Meet the Most (In)Famous Hacking Groups Active Today (makeuseof.com)

• Cyber security researchers become target of criminal hackers | Financial Times (ft.com)

• Credentials for cyber crime forums found on roughly 120K computers infected with info stealersSecurity Affairs

• Lapsus$ hackers took SIM-swapping attacks to the next level (bleepingcomputer.com)

• How & Why Cyber Criminals Fabricate Data Leaks (darkreading.com)

• Who Are Script Kiddies? Are They a Threat to Your Security? (makeuseof.com)

• Researchers Harvest, Analyse 100K Cyber Crime Forum Credentials (darkreading.com)

• File sharing site Anonfiles shuts down due to overwhelming abuse (bleepingcomputer.com)

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

• How Innovation Accelerators Are at Work on the Dark Side (darkreading.com)

Cryptocurrency/Cryptomining/Cryptojacking/NFTs/Blockchain

• Former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried sent to jail • The Register

• Web3 projects suffered from forty-two exploits within a week (coinpaper.com)

Insider Risk and Insider Threats

• The Data Behind Human Cyber Risk - GovInfoSecurity

Fraud, Scams & Financial Crime

• A Third of UK University Students Targeted By Fraud - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried sent to jail • The Register

• UK gov keeps repeating its voter registration website is NOT a scam (bleepingcomputer.com)

• “Grab hold and give it a wiggle” – ATM card skimming is still a thing – Naked Security (sophos.com)

• Latin Americans Fall Prey to More Online Scams, Cyber Attacks (insurancejournal.com)

• The road ahead for ecommerce fraud prevention - Help Net Security

• A Huge Scam Targeting Kids With Roblox and Fortnite 'Offers' Has Been Hiding in Plain Sight | WIRED

Insurance

• Cyber Attack Rule Raises Insurance Risks for Corporate Officers (bloomberglaw.com)

• Insurance Data Breach Victims File Class-Action Suit Against Law Firm (darkreading.com)

• The cyber security insurance market is estimated at USD 14.4 (globenewswire.com)

• Insurance Regulators ‎Continue to ‎Grapple With the Rapid Development ‎and ‎Use of Artificial ‎Intelligence | Locke Lord LLP - JDSupra

Dark Web

• Researchers Harvest, Analyse 100K Cyber Crime Forum Credentials (darkreading.com)

Supply Chain and Third Parties

• Building Cyber security into the supply chain is essential as threats mount (att.com)

• Why the public sector still loves Capita (even though it got hacked) - Tech Monitor

• How to Ensure Cyber Resilience Across the Supply Chain - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Experts Uncover Weaknesses in PowerShell Gallery Enabling Supply Chain Attacks (thehackernews.com)

• PowerShell Gallery Prone to Typosquatting, Other Supply Chain Attacks (darkreading.com)

Software Supply Chain

• Study reveals staggering cost of vulnerable software supply chains - Plant & Works Engineering (pwemag.co.uk)

• Why a Software Bill of Materials Is Business-Critical - The Futurum Group

Cloud/SaaS

• 'DoubleDrive' attack turns Microsoft OneDrive into ransomware | SC Media (scmagazine.com)

• Researchers find sensitive personal data in over 30% of cloud assets | SC Media (scmagazine.com)

• Web app warning: 74% of apps with PII are vulnerable to a 'major exploit', report | SC Media (scmagazine.com)

• Amazon AWS distances itself from Moq amid data collection controversy (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Adapting to the Cloud Era of Cyber security: How CISO’s Priorities Are Evolving | Network Computing

• Datacentre management vulnerabilities leave public clouds at risk | Computer Weekly

• Spear Phishing vs Phishing: How to Tell the Difference (techrepublic.com)

Containers

• Kubernetes clusters face widespread attacks across numerous organisations - Help Net Security

Encryption

• UK Government Slammed For Encryption Mistruths - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• WhatsApp is right to be angry about the UK’s encryption mess | The Spectator

• Google adds post-quantum encryption key protection to Chrome • The Register

API

• The Evolution of API: From Commerce to Cloud-Security Affairs

• How financial services cyber regulations are hotting up for API security (betanews.com)

Open Source

• Why a Software Bill of Materials Is Business-Critical - The Futurum Group

• Monti Ransomware Returns with New Linux Variant and Enhanced Evasion Tactics (thehackernews.com)

Passwords, Credential Stuffing & Brute Force Attacks

• 6 best practices to defend against corporate account takeover attacks | CSO Online

• What's the State of Credential theft in 2023? (thehackernews.com)

• Building a secure future without traditional passwords - Help Net Security

• Are browser-stored passwords secure? | Kaspersky official blog

• Passwordless is more than a buzzword among cyber security pros - Help Net Security

• More hardcoded credentials than ever, and sloppy coding is to blame | SC Media (scmagazine.com)

• AI Can Decipher Passwords by Listening to Keystrokes Over Zoom: Study (businessinsider.com)

Social Media

• LinkedIn hack: You need to check your LinkedIn account - gHacks Tech News

• LinkedIn accounts hacked in widespread hijacking campaign (bleepingcomputer.com)

• 'Gold mine' phishing scams rob Main Street on social media like Meta (cnbc.com)

Malvertising

• Adblock 360 Adware Extension: 3 Ways to Remove for Good - MSPoweruser

• Malvertisers up their game against researchers (malwarebytes.com)

Training, Education and Awareness

• Tips on employee cyber security training, risks and how to manage them - Albany Business Review (bizjournals.com)

Cyber Bullying, Cyber Stalking and Sextortion

• Sextortion suspects on trial after one victim dies • The Register

• Digital Safety Advice is Not Getting Through to Women - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

Regulations, Fines and Legislation

• Navigating generative AI risks and regulatory challenges - Help Net Security

• UK Government Slammed For Encryption Mistruths - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• ICO reprimands law firm over data breach that saw money stolen - Legal Futures

• Breaking Down the New SEC Cyber security Rules | Epiq - JDSupra

• Confusion Surrounds SEC's New Cyber security Material Rule (darkreading.com)

• How do we define “cyber worker”? The SEC’s rationale behind its new cyberincident disclosure rule. (thecyberwire.com)

• Why the “voluntary AI commitments” extracted by the White House are nowhere near enough - Help Net Security

• How financial services cyber regulations are hotting up for API security (betanews.com)

• A closer look at the new TSA oil and gas pipeline regulations - Help Net Security

• New York’s Department of Financial Services Moves to Further Bolster Cyber security Requirements | Jackson Lewis P.C. - JDSupra

Models, Frameworks and Standards

• Center for Internet Security announces secretive Microsoft partnership | StateScoop

• What's New in the NIST Cyber security Framework 2.0 (darkreading.com)

Data Protection

• Researchers find sensitive personal data in over 30% of cloud assets | SC Media (scmagazine.com)

• Amazon AWS distances itself from Moq amid data collection controversy (bleepingcomputer.com)

• India Passes New Digital Personal Data Protection Bill (DPDPB), Putting Users' Privacy First (thehackernews.com)

Careers, Working in Cyber and Information Security

• 650,000 cyber jobs are now vacant: How to tackle the risk (securityintelligence.com)

• Effectively upskilling cyber security professionals to help close the skills gap | CSO Online

• How to overcome the challenges of today's cyber security talent shortage - SiliconANGLE

• Army struggling to hire cyber staff as attacks on Britain ramp up (telegraph.co.uk)

• Vietnam admits massive shortage of infosec pros • The Register

• Heavy workloads driving IT professionals to resign - Help Net Security

• ISC2 Announces Major Milestone as Community Grows to Half a Million Strong (prnewswire.com)

Law Enforcement Action and Take Downs

• Polish police arrest five in swoop on Cyber Crime site - TVN24

• How the FBI goes after DDoS cyber attackers | TechCrunch

• Lapsus$ Report: Law Enforcement Battles Cyber Threats (beincrypto.com)

• LOLEKHosted admin arrested for aiding Netwalker ransomware gang (bleepingcomputer.com)

• 10 people, including 16-year-old youth arrested for suspected involvement in malware scams (databreaches.net)

• Sextortion suspects on trial after one victim dies • The Register

• Crimeware server used by NetWalker ransomware seized and shut down – Naked Security (sophos.com)

• Raccoon Stealer malware back with updated version following administrator arrest (therecord.media)

• Man arrested in Northern Ireland police data leak • The Register

• India Passes New Digital Personal Data Protection Bill (DPDPB), Putting Users' Privacy First (thehackernews.com)

Privacy, Surveillance and Mass Monitoring

• Amazon AWS distances itself from Moq amid data collection controversy (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Following Pushback, Zoom Says It Won't Use Customer Data to Train AI Models (darkreading.com)

Misinformation, Disinformation and Propaganda

• Fake Out: Disinformation Campaigns Get Generative AI Boost (inforisktoday.com)

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

Russia

• Russian and Chinese hackers breached Foreign Office systems in cyber attack kept secret from public (inews.co.uk)

• Foreign Office cyber attacks may have risked safety of civil servants and UK's allies, Tory MPs say (inews.co.uk)

• APT29 is targeting Ministries of Foreign Affairs of NATO-aligned countries-Security Affairs

• Russian spy agencies targeting Starlink with custom malware, Ukraine warns (telegraph.co.uk)

• Russian-African Security Gathering Exposes Kremlin's Reduced Influence (darkreading.com)

• Hacked electronic sign declares “Putin is a dickhead” as Russian ruble slumps • Graham Cluley

• Russian Hackers Use Zulip Chat App for Covert C&C in Diplomatic Phishing Attacks (thehackernews.com)

• Suspected spies for Russia held in major UK security investigation - BBC News

• Russia turning to sleeper cells and unofficial agents | Espionage | The Guardian

China

• Russian and Chinese hackers breached Foreign Office systems in cyber attack kept secret from public (inews.co.uk)

• Researchers Shed Light on APT31's Advanced Backdoors and Data Exfiltration Tactics (thehackernews.com)

• DHS to Review Microsoft’s Security in Chinese Email Hack - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Top US cyber official warns of infrastructure attack risk if China tensions rise (nbcnews.com)

• New Zealand says it is aware of China-linked intelligence activity in country | Reuters

• China teases imminent exposé of seismic US spying scheme • The Register

• Wide-ranging cyberespionage campaign by China's Ministry of State Security. Vulnerabilities in CPUs. MacOS threat trends. (thecyberwire.com)

• Chinese Espionage Group Active Across Eastern Europe (inforisktoday.com)

• 15,000 cyber attacks detected per second in Taiwan: Software provider - Focus Taiwan

• China would consider attacks on US railroads, pipelines if it invades Taiwan, Easterly says (therecord.media)

• US lawmaker says FBI notified him of email breach linked to Microsoft cloud hack | TechCrunch

• China-Linked Bronze Starlight Group Targeting Gambling Sector with Cobalt Strike Beacons (thehackernews.com)

Iran

• German Intelligence Warns of Surge in Iranian Espionage (govinfosecurity.com)

• Charming Kitten Targets Iranian Dissidents with Advanced Cyber Attacks (thehackernews.com)

• Iran and the Rise of Cyber Enabled Influence Operations (darkreading.com)

North Korea

• North Korean Hackers Suspected in New Wave of Malicious npm Packages (thehackernews.com)

Misc/Other/Unknown

• APTs use of lesser-known TTPs are no less of a headache - Help Net Security

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Vulnerability Management

• Electoral Commission had unpatched vulnerability on server • The Register

• Web app warning: 74% of apps with PII are vulnerable to a 'major exploit', report | SC Media (scmagazine.com)

Vulnerabilities

• Almost 2,000 Citrix NetScaler servers backdoored in hacking campaign (bleepingcomputer.com)

• CISA Adds Citrix ShareFile Flaw to KEV Catalog Due to In-the-Wild Attacks (thehackernews.com)

• Patched Citrix NetScaler Devices Still Contain Backdoors (govinfosecurity.com)

• Critical Security Flaws Affect Ivanti Avalanche, Threatening 30,000 Organizations (thehackernews.com)

• Zoom ZTP & AudioCodes Phones Flaws Uncovered, Exposing Users to Eavesdropping (thehackernews.com)

• Magento shopping cart attack targets critical vulnerability • The Register

• New Python URL Parsing Flaw Enables Command Injection Attacks (thehackernews.com)

• Data centers at risk due to flaws in power management software | CyberScoop

• Bugs in transportation app Moovit gave hackers free rides | TechCrunch

• Ongoing Xurum Attacks on E-commerce Sites Exploiting Critical Magento 2 Vulnerability (thehackernews.com)

• Google Chrome 116: more Telemetry and 26 security patches - gHacks Tech News

• Google Fixes 26 Bugs Amid Fake Update Warning - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• AMD has fixed its latest security flaw - but at the cost of massive slowdowns | TechRadar

• Windows 11 update install failures are reportedly happening again – and it’s breaking the built-in antivirus | TechRadar

• Proxyjacking trend continues as attackers abuse years-old GitLab vulnerability | ITPro

• Multiple Flaws Found in the Avada WordPress Theme and Plugin - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Windows feature that resets system clocks based on random data is wreaking havoc | Ars Technica

Tools and Controls

• What is Cyber security Monitoring? - MSSP Alert

• XWorm, Remcos RAT Evade EDRs to Infect Critical Infrastructure (darkreading.com)

• AI-powered fraud detection: Strengthening security in fintech | The Financial Express

• Microsoft Teams Rooms on Windows to enhance security with meeting ID and passcode requirement - OnMSFT.com

• MaginotDNS attacks exploit weak checks for DNS cache poisoning (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Evaluate the risks and benefits of AI in cyber security | TechTarget

• How to Choose a Managed Detection and Response (MDR) Solution (darkreading.com)

• Lock Down APIs to Prevent Breaches (darkreading.com)

• How to Prevent Phishing Attacks with Multi-Factor Authentication (techrepublic.com)

• Building a secure future without traditional passwords - Help Net Security

• Passwordless is more than a buzzword among cyber security pros - Help Net Security

• SEC cyber security rules shape the future of incident management - Help Net Security

• AI a Top Risk and the Preferred Solution to Financial Crime - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Traditional vs. Enterprise Risk Management: How Do They Differ? (techtarget.com)

• Endpoint Management Statistics, Trends And Facts 2023 - Abdalslam

• SASE and requirements of business | Professional Security

• Why You Need Continuous Network Monitoring? (thehackernews.com)

• CISA releases cyber defence plan for remote monitoring and management software - SiliconANGLE

• How poor cyber security policies disrupt business continuity - IT Security Guru

• Cyber Prevention, Training Attract More Spend Than Remediation, Recovery, Execs Say - | MSSP Alert

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Other News

• Cyber attacks against the UK Electoral Commission reveal an ongoing threat to democracy (techxplore.com)

• Healthcare incurs highest data breach costs – for the 13th year in a row | Healthcare IT News

• Here's Why You Should Never Accept Unsolicited Tech by Post (makeuseof.com)

• Government highlights cyber threat to health and social care | UKAuthority

• Why is the Education Sector a Target for Cyber Attacks? | UpGuard

• Cyber security in the Entertainment Industry: Risks and Solutions | UpGuard

• What would an OT cyber attack really cost your organisation? | CSO Online

• Education has had most cyber attacks, survey finds | Education Business (educationbusinessuk.net)

• Cyber attacks Are On The Up: What Are The Risks & Remedies For Aviation? (simpleflying.com)

• Bank of Ireland ATM Glitch Hands Out 'Free' Money (gizmodo.com)

• Exclusive: 300 independent retailers affected by cyber attack | News | Retail Week (retail-week.com)

• Documentary shines spotlight on a central bank heist and threats from cyber criminals - BNN Bloomberg

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Sector Specific

Industry specific threat intelligence reports are available.

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

·       Automotive

·       Construction

·       Critical National Infrastructure (CNI)

·       Defence & Space

·       Education & Academia

·       Energy & Utilities

·       Estate Agencies

·       Financial Services

·       FinTech

·       Food & Agriculture

·       Gaming & Gambling

·       Government & Public Sector (including Law Enforcement)

·       Health/Medical/Pharma

·       Hotels & Hospitality

·       Insurance

·       Legal

·       Manufacturing

·       Maritime

·       Oil, Gas & Mining

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

·       Retail & eCommerce

·       Small and Medium Sized Businesses (SMBs)

·       Startups

·       Telecoms

·       Third Sector & Charities

·       Transport & Aviation

·       Web3

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

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

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

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

Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing 11 August 2023

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

Top Cyber Stories of the Last Week

75% of Organisations Worldwide Set to Ban ChatGPT and Generative AI Apps on Work Devices

Newly released research found that 75% of organisations worldwide are currently implementing or considering bans on ChatGPT and other generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) applications within the workplace, with 61% stating that it will be a long term or permanent solution. Despite this, the majority recognised the opportunity such applications bring to the workplace, with 55% believing it would increase efficiency. All in all, 81% remained in favour of AI, highlighting that whilst organisations see the benefit, they are not ready to take the plunge for fear of being caught flat-footed.

Many organisations may simply not have the expertise-in house or confidence to employ AI effectively. These organisations lack an effective AI management plan, which governs the usage of AI in the corporate environment, rather than banning it outright. By having a clear-set AI plan, organisations can use AI to improve their efficiency, whilst maintaining cyber resilience. An increasing number of organisations have approached us at Black Arrow to discuss how to embrace AI securely; contact us to see how we can help you.

Source: [Dark Reading]

How an Eight-Character Password Could be Cracked in Just a Few Minutes

Strong and complex passwords are necessary to protect online accounts and data from cyber criminals. Complex passwords typically use lowercase and uppercase characters, numbers, and special characters. But complexity by itself can still open your password to cracking if it doesn’t contain enough characters, according to research by security firm Hive Systems. The report found that a complex password of eight characters can be cracked in only five minutes, and other weaker or shorter passwords are cracked instantly. However, passwords that have a greater number of characters are less vulnerable: for example an 18 character password, even if only lowercase letters, would take 481,000 years for a computer to crack.

Since creating and remembering multiple complex and lengthy passwords on your own is impossible, a password manager is your best bet. By using a password manager for yourself or within your organisation, you can generate, store and apply strong passwords for websites and online accounts.

Source: [Techrepublic]

Ransomware Victims Surge 143% as Threat Actors Pivot to Zero-Day Exploits

The number of organisations that became victims of ransomware attacks surged 143% between the first quarter of 2022 and first quarter of this year, as attackers increasingly leveraged zero-day vulnerabilities to break into target networks.

In many of these attacks, threat actors did not bother to encrypt data belonging to victim organisations. Instead, they focused solely on stealing their sensitive data and extorting victims by threatening to sell or leak the data to others. The tactic left even those with otherwise robust backup and restoration processes backed into a corner; this highlights the need for organisations to be able to detect and ideally block anomalous exfiltration of data, and have effective and rehearsed incident response plans to address the concept of pure exfiltration, because having backups is not enough.

The costs of these types of controls continue to fall making them viable for even smaller businesses. Without tools like Managed Detection and Response (MDR) and Data Loss Prevention (DLP), attacks of this nature cannot be detected until it is too late to do anything to stop them.

Source: [Dark Reading]

How Executives’ Personal Devices Threaten Business Security

Individuals, including executives, are considered a major target for cyber attacks. Motivated attackers know the right individual people they want to go after to achieve their larger organisational goal, and they’ll use any means necessary to be successful.

A recent report found that most executives are using their personal devices for work, creating a “backdoor” for cyber criminals to access large organisations. 50% of executive respondents reported receiving work-related scams in their personal emails.

Personal device use can be effective for organisations, however they need to implement an effective bring-your-own-device (BYOD) procedure and provide employees, including executives, with frequent user awareness and education training. All users at all levels within an organisation need to understand the risks, and importantly the role they play in keeping the organisation secure.

Sources: [Help Net Security] [Security Affairs]

77% of Financial Firms Saw an Increase in Cyber Attack Frequency

According a recent report on the financial services sector, 77% of firms reported an increase in attack frequency, and 87% said attacks were more severe. These firms unanimously said they would look to outsource their cyber security programs to third-party providers to shore up their cyber defences. Among the respondents, firms need to protect hybrid work environments (62%), consolidate cyber security and managed IT services (41%) and tap industry-specific and regulatory expertise (33%).

Source: [SecurityMagazine]

Protecting Against Sophisticated Cyber Attacks Requires Layered Defences

Faced with an influx of sophisticated cyber threats, including usage of AI to further enhance the efficacy of social engineering attacks, and the growth of both malware-as-a-service (MaaS) and ransomware-as-a-service (RaaS), it is critical for organisations to invest in layered security defences.

Services like managed detection and response (MDR) are integral to monitoring, investigating and responding to threats in real time. But without a strong and comprehensive foundational cyber security posture, managed services alone cannot effectively mitigate threats. To ensure comprehensive defences against emerging threats, organisations must prioritise proactive measures that can stop attacks before they even start. As adversaries continue to refine their attack techniques, layered protection that covers every stage in the attack chain becomes imperative.

Source: [Forbes]

Managing Human Cyber Risks Matters Now More Than Ever

As artificial intelligence (AI) amplifies the sophistication and reach of phishing, vishing, and smishing attacks, understanding and managing human cyber risks has become increasingly vital, according to the SANS Institute. It makes sense as no matter the technological advancement, the human element has always been a point of entry for attackers.

A recent study found that mature security programs, marked by robust teams and leadership support, are characterised by having at least three full-time employees in their security awareness teams. In some cases, this isn’t feasible for an organisation and this is where outsourcing comes in. By outsourcing security awareness, organisations can ensure that they have access to security awareness experts, to keep their organisation educated. Here at Black Arrow we offer regular security and awareness training, bespoke to your organisation, for your employees and leadership team.

Source: [Help Net Security]

Hackers are Targeting Top Executives’ Microsoft 365 Accounts to Steal Work Logins

Cyber security provider Proofpoint reported that high-level execs at some of the world’s leading companies are repeatedly targeted with credential-stealing attacks. More alarmingly, according to Proofpoint, around one-third (35%) of the compromised users had multi-factor authentication (MFA) enabled.

The attacks come amid a rise in cases of EvilProxy, a phishing tool that allows attackers to steal even MFA-protected credentials. In the three months to June 2023, around 120,000 EvilProxy phishing emails were observed being sent to hundreds of targeted organisations globally, with many targeting Microsoft 365 user accounts in particular. Approximately 39% of the victims were C-level executives of which 17% were Chief Financial Officers, and 9% were Presidents and CEOs. Users must be trained effectively, to help mitigate the chance of them suffering a phishing attack. The C-suite is no exception.

Sources: [Help Net Security] [Security Affairs]

UK Shaken by Major Data Breaches

Recent major data breaches impacting crucial institutions like the UK Electoral Commission (which exposed the data of 40 million UK voters) and the Police Service of Northern Ireland, have brought attention to potential risks. Following a recent freedom of information request 10,000 police officers and staff details where published including details such as first name and surname, their rank or grade and the unit and where they are based. This breach occurred when a junior member of staff forgot to remove the master spreadsheet containing sensitive data when responding to the request.

Sources: [Telegraph] [Tech Crunch]

Threat of Cyber Attacks to UK National Security Upgraded: Compared to Chemical Weapons or Nuclear Attack

The UK government has raised the threat level posed by cyber attacks, now deeming the risk of cyber attacks to be more severe than that presented by small-scale chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear (CBRN) attacks according to the latest National Risk Register (NRR) report for 2023. The report also highlighted artificial intelligence (AI) as a “chronic risk” – that is, one that poses “continuous challenges that erode our economy, community, way of life, and/or national security”.

Sources: [ITPro] [Infosecurity Magazine]

Mac Users are Facing More Dangerous Security Threats Than Ever Before

Apple’s MacBook Pro or iPhone devices are often perceived as safer, from a cyber security standpoint, compared to those from Microsoft or Google, mostly because of its “walled garden” approach. However, another key reason why hackers were not historically as interested in Apple was the smaller market share Apple held. That is no longer the case and as attacks are rising against Apple devices, this is something we expect to see continuing to accelerate.

In the last 10 years, Apple’s market share on desktop has increased from less than 7.5% to just over 20% today. Apple frequently patches actively exploited vulnerabilities, with overall 261 security vulnerabilities addressed so far this year. A recent report found that Mac users are targeted by three key threats: Trojans, Adware, and Potentially Unwanted Applications (PUA). Of the three, Trojans are the biggest single threat, making up more than half of all threat detections. Of all those detections, around half (52.7%) were for the EvilQuest encryption malicious software.

Source: [Techradar]

Cyber Attack to Cost Outsourcing Firm Capita up to £25m

Capita expects to take a financial hit of as much as £25m as a result of a cyber attack that began in March, pushing the outsourcing group to a pre-tax loss of almost £68m for the first half of the year. The group is still recovering from the attack by the Black Basta ransomware group, which hacked its Microsoft Office 365 software and accessed the personal data of staff working for the company and dozens of clients. Capita, which runs crucial services for local councils, the military, and the NHS, estimated that the financial costs associated with what it called the “cyber incident” would be between £20m and £25m. Previous estimates had put the cost at £15m to £20m.

The group said this new figure reflected the complexities of analysing the “exfiltrated” data, as well as costs of recovery and remediation and new investment to improve its cyber security. However, Capita said it was not currently able to estimate the level of any potential fine related to the incident and had not yet made any provision to cover any future costs. The company’s shares fell by more than 12% in morning trading on Friday after the release of its results, making it the biggest faller on the FTSE 250.

Source: [Guardian]

Government and Public Services Face 40% More Cyber Attacks and Struggle to Protect Due to Lack of Resources

A report published by BlackBerry noted a 40% rise in cyber attacks against public sector organisations and government institutions. One of the reasons is the limited resources and resistance that these government and public have; this makes it much easier for an attacker. An easy target is an attractive target.

Source: [Financial Express]

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Governance, Risk and Compliance

• SMB cyber security: Cyber Security challenge: SMBs and large enterprises face common threat but separate response routes - The Economic Times (indiatimes.com)

• Protecting Against Sophisticated Cyber attacks Requires Layered Defense (forbes.com)

• Managing human cyber risks matters now more than ever - Help Net Security

• Executives 'sleepwalking into cyber catastrophe', warns cyber security boss (cityam.com)

• How To Deal With the Vagueness in New Cyber Regulations (darkreading.com)

• Recent threat intelligence study indicates reactive measures are prioritized by most organisations over proactive | SC Media (scmagazine.com)

• Digital skills gap is challenging the cyber security of UK businesses - IT Security Guru

• Cyber attack to cost outsourcing firm Capita up to £25m | Capita | The Guardian

• 9 common risk management failures and how to avoid them | TechTarget

• Alarming survey: Many tech experts fail a test of their cyber security knowledge - SiliconANGLE

• Safeguarding Businesses From Data Privacy And Cyber security Risk (forbes.com)

• How Do Some Companies Get Compromised Again and Again? (securityintelligence.com)

• What happens if cyber insurance becomes unviable? - Raconteur

• Only 22% of Firms Have Mature Threat Intelligence Programs - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• NIST announces rare overhaul of security framework, focusing on organisational leadership | ITPro

• Protection is No Longer Straightforward – Why More Cyber Security Solutions Must Incorporate Context - Security Week

• Cyber Security Must Focus on the Goals of Criminals (informationweek.com)

• Going Up! How to Handle Rising Cyber Security Costs (securityintelligence.com)

• Maintaining Data Security Amidst Rising Concerns of Cyber attacks (techreport.com)

• Why it’s time for everyone to reorient their thinking about cyber security | Federal News Network

• 'Confusing, misleading or just plain wrong': Researchers explain why cyber security is needlessly complex - Study Finds

• It's Time for Cyber security to Talk About Climate Change (darkreading.com)

• Prioritizing cyber attacks still needs a lot of work, according to new Picus Labs report - SiliconANGLE

• It's not always malware (betanews.com)

• Act Before You're Hacked (forbes.com)

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Threats

Ransomware, Extortion and Destructive Attacks

• Healthcare and Finance Firms Ranked as Leading Targets for Cyber Attacks - MSSP Alert

• Ransomware victim numbers surge as attackers target zero-day vulnerabilities | CSO Online

• Definitive Guide to Ransomware 2023 | IBM whitepaper | ITPro | ITPro

• UK Think Tank Proposes Greater Ransomware Reporting From Cyber Insurance to Government – Security Week

• The ransomware rollercoaster continues as criminals advance their business models - Help Net Security

• Data exfiltration is now the go-to cyber extortion strategy - Help Net Security

• Clop ransomware now uses torrents to leak data and evade takedowns (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Spot Fake Extortion Attacks Without Wasting Time and Money (securityintelligence.com)

• The number of ransomware attacks targeting Finland increased fourfold since it started the process to join NATO - Security Affairs

• New Yashma Ransomware Variant Targets Multiple English-Speaking Countries (thehackernews.com)

• Ransomware Victims Surge as Threat Actors Pivot to Zero-Day Exploits (darkreading.com)

• Recent ransomware attacks share curiously similar tactics - Help Net Security

• Ransomware Attacks: 20 Essential Considerations For Prep And Response (forbes.com)

• Ransomware attacks cost manufacturing sector $46 billion in downtime since 2018, report claims | Tripwire

• Navigating the gray zone of ransomware payment practices - Help Net Security

• Anatomy of a Black Basta Ransomware Attack on BankCard USA - MSSP Alert

• Mallox Ransomware Group Revamps Malware Variants, Evasion Tactics (darkreading.com)

• Clop Gang Offers Data Downloads Via Torrents - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• The volume of ransomware attacks is dropping - but it’s no time to get complacent (networkingplus.co.uk)

• FortiGuard Labs: Organisations Detecting Ransomware Decline as the Volume and Impact of Targeted Attacks Continue to Rise (fortinet.com)

• Suspected Vietnamese hacker targets Chinese, Bulgarian organisations with new ransomware (therecord.media)

• Ransomware gangs are targeting public schools | Fortune

• New Report Exposes Vice Society's Collaboration with Rhysida Ransomware (thehackernews.com)

• White House Holds First-Ever Summit on Ransomware Crisis Plaguing Public Schools (insurancejournal.com)

• Dallas pays millions for ransomware expenses after May attack – NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth (nbcdfw.com)

• Strong authentication best defence against Ransomware: Yubico (securitybrief.co.nz)

• Best practices for reporting ransomware attacks | TechTarget

• Ransomware, healthcare and incident response: Lessons from the Allscripts attack | CSO Online

• Microsoft OneDrive is a willing 'ransomware double agent' • The Register

• Threat Report: Ransomware Down, Targeted Attacks on the Rise (inforisktoday.com)

• Rasnake: Ransomware Now Threatens All, Not Just Elites | Newsmax.com

• The Ransomware Prevention Guide For SMBs - GovInfoSecurity

Ransomware Victims

• Hospital System Goes Back To Paper Following Ransomware Attack (forbes.com)

• ‘Data Security Incident’: 16 Hospitals across Four States Forced to Close after Cyber attack - News18

• Cyber attack forces hospitals to divert ambulances in Connecticut and Pennsylvania | CNN Politics

• Dallas pays millions for ransomware expenses after May attack – NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth (nbcdfw.com)

• Colorado Department of Higher Education warns of massive data breach (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Israel hospital hacking disrupts services; cyber attackers unknown - Israel News - The Jerusalem Post (jpost.com)

• Bnei Brak hospital hit by cyber attack, bringing down computers | The Times of Israel

• LockBit posts Siemens company Varian to its victim blog (techmonitor.ai)

• Breach Connected to MOVEit Flaw Affects Missouri Medicaid Recipients - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Hacker stole more than $6 million from New Haven Public Schools (wfsb.com)

Phishing & Email Based Attacks

• Hackers are targeting top executives to steal their work logins | TechRadar

• Microsoft 365 accounts of execs, managers hijacked through EvilProxy - Help Net Security

• 9 of 10 Cyber attacks Start with a Phish, Comcast Study Shows - MSSP Alert

• Microsoft Teams used in phishing campaign to bypass multi-factor authentication (malwarebytes.com)

• AI tools like ChatGPT increasingly used by cyber criminals for phishing, experts warn | NL Times

• First quarter of 2023 saw 88% rise in phishing attacks: Kaspersky | The Peninsula Qatar

• RTL Today - Up to 80% of all cyber attacks: Phishing attempts surge in post-pandemic age

• 100K+ VIP Microsoft 365 users got targeted by phishers - OnMSFT.com

• Microsoft’s Role in Email Breach to Be Part of US Cyber Inquiry - BNN Bloomberg

• Interpol takes down phishing-as-a-service platform used by 70,000 people (therecord.media)

BEC – Business Email Compromise

• 37% of third-party applications have high-risk permissions - Help Net Security

Other Social Engineering; Smishing, Vishing, etc

• Social engineering biggest threat to online safety - Avast (securitybrief.co.nz)

Artificial Intelligence

• 75% of Organisations Worldwide Set to Ban ChatGPT and Generative AI Apps on Work Devices (darkreading.com)

• When your teammate is a machine: 8 questions CISOs should be asking about AI | CSO Online

• Generative AI In Cyber Should Worry Us, Here’s Why (forbes.com)

• How to Prepare for ChatGPT's Risk Management Challenges (darkreading.com)

• AI chatbots like ChatGPT could be security nightmares - and experts are trying to contain the chaos | TechRadar

• Experience: scammers used AI to fake my daughter’s kidnap | Family | The Guardian

• White House offers prize money for hacker-thwarting AI (techxplore.com)

• Criminals Have Created Their Own ChatGPT Clones | WIRED UK

• AI making cyber attacks more effective - Tech Monitor

• AI tools like ChatGPT increasingly used by cyber criminals for phishing, experts warn | NL Times

• Data attacks set to enter new era under 'FraudGPT', warn cyber security execs (cityam.com)

• Hackers Released New Black Hat AI Tool Evil-GPT (cybersecuritynews.com)

• Cyber security In The Age Of AI (forbes.com)

• In the age of ChatGPT, Macs are under malware assault | Digital Trends

• AI can now steal your passwords with almost 100% accuracy | Digital Trends

• Microsoft AI Red Team building future of safer AI | Microsoft Security Blog

• ChatGPT Security Concerns: Credentials on the Dark Web and More (techrepublic.com)

• Why We Need to Manage the Risk of AI Browser Extensions - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• AI hacking gets White House backing; some already go rogue (9to5mac.com)

• Zoom trains its AI model with some user data, without giving them an opt-out option - Security Affairs

• OpenAI to Unleash New Web Crawler to Devour More of the Open Web - Decrypt

• 5 Pitfalls and Possibilities AI Brings to Cyber Insurance (informationweek.com)

2FA/MFA

• Microsoft Teams used in phishing campaign to bypass multi-factor authentication (malwarebytes.com)

• Microsoft Authenticator will soon provide codes via WhatsApp - gHacks Tech News

• LastPass removes the master password from customers’ login with FIDO2 authenticators - Help Net Security

Malware

• In the age of ChatGPT, Macs are under malware assault | Digital Trends

• Mac users are facing more dangerous security threats than ever before | TechRadar

• Threat intelligence's key role in mitigating malware threats - Help Net Security

• This PowerPoint could help hackers empty your bank account | Digital Trends

• Safeguarding Against Silent Cyber Threats: Exploring the Stealer Log Lifecycle (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Israel cyber security agency says no breach after senior official self-infects home PC with malware | TechCrunch

• Latest Batloader Campaigns Use Pyarmor Pro for Evasion (trendmicro.com)

• Reptile Rootkit: Advanced Linux Malware Targeting South Korean Systems (thehackernews.com)

• Malicious npm Packages Found Exfiltrating Sensitive Data from Developers (thehackernews.com)

• Fake VMware vConnector package on PyPI targets IT pros (bleepingcomputer.com)

• New Malware Campaign Targets Inexperienced Cyber Criminals with OpenBullet Configs (thehackernews.com)

• Ukrainian state agencies targeted with open-source malware MerlinAgent (therecord.media)

• QakBot Malware Operators Expand C2 Network with 15 New Servers (thehackernews.com)

• This Mac Utility Is Now Malware (howtogeek.com)

• Hackers use open source Merlin post-exploitation toolkit in attacks (bleepingcomputer.com)

• New Statc Stealer Malware Emerges: Your Sensitive Data at Risk (thehackernews.com)

• Gafgyt malware exploits five-years-old flaw in EoL Zyxel router (bleepingcomputer.com)

• CISA: New Whirlpool backdoor used in Barracuda ESG hacks (bleepingcomputer.com)

Mobile

• Google explains how Android malware slips onto Google Play Store (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Czech cyber security experts warn against BaiRBIE.me app | Radio Prague International

• Removing Spyware From Your Android Phone: A How-To Guide (slashgear.com)

• How executives' personal devices threaten business security - Help Net Security

• Invisible Ad Fraud Targets Korean Android Users - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Google Play apps with 2.5M installs load ads when screen's off (bleepingcomputer.com)

• 40 Vulnerabilities Patched in Android With August 2023 Security Updates - Security Week

• Android 14 to let you block connections to unencrypted cellular networks (bleepingcomputer.com)

Botnets

• QakBot Malware Operators Expand C2 Network with 15 New Servers (thehackernews.com)

• Two-Thirds of UK Sites Vulnerable to Bad Bots - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

Denial of Service/DoS/DDOS

• Analysing Network Chaos Leads to Better DDoS Detection (darkreading.com)

• How to accelerate and access DDoS protection services using GRE - Help Net Security

• Researchers Strengthen Defences Against Common Cyber attack - CleanTechnica

Internet of Things – IoT

• What is IoT Security? | TechTarget

• Panasonic Warns That IoT Malware Attack Cycles Are Accelerating | WIRED

• Disposed-of Gadgets Can Lead to Wi-Fi Network Hacks, Kaspersky Says (darkreading.com)

• The new technology that is making cars easier for criminals to steal, or crash (techxplore.com)

Data Breaches/Leaks

• Executives 'sleepwalking into cyber catastrophe', warns cyber security boss (cityam.com)

• Over 200 Million Brits Have Data Compromised in Four Years - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• The Top 10 Countries Being Bombarded by Data Breaches (gizmodo.com)

• UK Shaken by Major Data Breaches: Security Concerns Surge Over Data Protection Changes | Open Rights Group

• UK Electoral Commission hacked by 'hostile actors' | Reuters

• PSNI officers who work with MI5 face relocation after ‘humongous’ security breach (telegraph.co.uk)

• Northern Ireland police investigate second data breach after documents containing officers' names stolen | UK News | Sky News

• Burger King Serves Up Sensitive Data, No Mayo (darkreading.com)

• Norway to fine Meta $98,500 a day over user privacy breach from 14 August | Meta | The Guardian

• TunnelCrack attack may cause vulnerable VPNs to leak traffic • The Register

• Phishing-resistant authentication a key to breach prevention (securitybrief.co.nz)

• How safe is my data after a hack or leak? - BBC News

Organised Crime & Criminal Actors

• Cloud Company Assisted 17 Different Government Hacking Groups: US Researchers | NTD

• New Malware Campaign Targets Inexperienced Cyber Criminals with OpenBullet Configs (thehackernews.com)

• IRS confirms takedown of bulletproof hosting provider Lolek (therecord.media)

• Interpol Shuts Down African Cyber crime Group, Seizes $2 Million (darkreading.com)

• Cyber security Must Focus on the Goals of Criminals (informationweek.com)

• How fame-seeking teenagers hacked some of the world’s biggest targets | Ars Technica

Cryptocurrency/Cryptomining/Cryptojacking/NFTs/Blockchain

• BlackBerry Discloses Major Crypto-Based Malware - The Tech Report

• FBI warns of phishing scams and social media account hijackers (cointelegraph.com)

• Crypto heavyweights back new cyber security standards after nearly $4 billion was lost to hacks in 2022 | Fortune Crypto

• Only 6 out of 45 crypto wallet brands have undergone penetration testing: Report (cointelegraph.com)

• Worldcoin is scanning eyeballs to build a global ID and finance system. Governments are not impressed (theconversation.com)

Insider Risk and Insider Threats

• Managing human cyber risks matters now more than ever - Help Net Security

• History’s Greatest Insider Threats - IT Security Guru

• US Navy sailors charged with stealing secret info for China • The Register

• Get consent before you monitor your staff, UK MPs suggest • The Register

Fraud, Scams & Financial Crime

• Rise in fraudsters spoofing the websites of leading UK banks | Computer Weekly

• Extended warranty robocallers fined $300 million after 5 billion scam calls (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Experience: scammers used AI to fake my daughter’s kidnap | Family | The Guardian

• Data attacks set to enter new era under 'FraudGPT', warn cyber security execs (cityam.com)

Impersonation Attacks

• Rise in fraudsters spoofing the websites of leading UK banks | Computer Weekly

Insurance

• What happens if cyber insurance becomes unviable? - Raconteur

• Cyber Insurance Experts Make a Case for Coverage, Protection (darkreading.com)

• 5 Pitfalls and Possibilities AI Brings to Cyber Insurance (informationweek.com)

• 10 Key Controls to Show Your Organisation Is Worthy of Cyber Insurance (darkreading.com)

• Lower Data Breach Insurance Costs with These Tips (trendmicro.com)

Dark Web

• Dark web activity targeting the financial sector - Help Net Security

• ChatGPT Security Concerns: Credentials on the Dark Web and More (techrepublic.com)

• Dark Web Threat Actors Targeting macOS | Accenture

Supply Chain and Third Parties

• Government contractor plunges after £25m cyber attack - The Mail (mailplus.co.uk)

• 37% of third-party applications have high-risk permissions - Help Net Security

Software Supply Chain

• Unravelling the importance of software supply chain security - Help Net Security

• OWASP Lead Flags Gaping Hole in Software Supply Chain Security (darkreading.com)

• 37% of third-party applications have high-risk permissions - Help Net Security

Cloud/SaaS

• Attackers Use EvilProxy to target C-suite Executives (inforisktoday.com)

• 100K+ VIP Microsoft 365 users got targeted by phishers - OnMSFT.com

• Credentials Account For Over Half of Cloud Compromises - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Cloud Company Assisted 17 Different Government Hacking Groups: US Researchers | NTD

• Microsoft OneDrive is a willing 'ransomware double agent' • The Register

• Managing and Securing Distributed Cloud Environments - Security Week

• How hybrid cloud is transforming cyber security | ITPro

• Microsoft 365 guests + Power Apps = security nightmare • The Register

Containers

• Kubernetes clusters under attack in hundreds of organisations | CSO Online

Identity and Access Management

• CrowdStrike observes massive spike in identity-based attacks | TechTarget

• Keeper Security reveals SMBs at risk due to lack of PAM (securitybrief.co.nz)

• Understanding Active Directory Attack Paths to Improve Security (thehackernews.com)

• 91% of IT leaders better protected with PAM but want more affordable solutions - IT Security Guru

• Strong authentication best defence against Ransomware: Yubico (securitybrief.co.nz)

• WhatsApp is working on phishing-proof passkey authentication (androidpolice.com)

• Phishing-resistant authentication a key to breach prevention (securitybrief.co.nz)

Encryption

• Cyber security Breakthrough: New Cipher System Protects Computers Against Spy Programs (scitechdaily.com)

• UK minister defends plan to demand access to encrypted messages | Privacy | The Guardian

• Quantum computing: A threat to asymmetric encryption. (thecyberwire.com)

• What if WhatsApp really does leave the UK? - Tech Monitor

Open Source

• Is Open Source Security a Ticking Cyber Time Bomb? (securityintelligence.com)

• Reptile Rootkit: Advanced Linux Malware Targeting South Korean Systems (thehackernews.com)

• Kemba Walden: We need to secure open source software | TechTarget

Passwords, Credential Stuffing & Brute Force Attacks

• Credentials Account For Over Half of Cloud Compromises - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• How an 8-character password could be cracked in just a few minutes (techrepublic.com)

• AI can now steal your passwords with almost 100% accuracy | Digital Trends

• US Dept. of the Interior Employees Use Accounts That Are Easily Hacked (businessinsider.com)

• LastPass removes the master password from customers’ login with FIDO2 authenticators - Help Net Security

Biometrics

• Worldcoin is scanning eyeballs to build a global ID and finance system. Governments are not impressed (theconversation.com)

• Woman Falsely Arrested Sues Detroit Over Facial Recognition (govtech.com)

Social Media

• Norway to fine Meta $98,500 a day over user privacy breach from 14 August | Meta | The Guardian

Malvertising

• Invisible Ad Fraud Targets Korean Android Users - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Google Play apps with 2.5M installs load ads when screen's off (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Not so fast: Don’t click that fake Amazon or Microsoft ad. Here’s why | Fox News

Training, Education and Awareness

• Managing human cyber risks matters now more than ever - Help Net Security

• Why Do Cyber security Awareness Programs Often Fail? (databreachtoday.co.uk)

Travel

• I'm a cyber security expert, here's why your airport selfie is a gift to scammers | Daily Mail Online

• Free Airline Miles, Hotel Points, and User Data Put at Risk by Flaws in Points Platform | WIRED

Parental Controls and Child Safety

• Cyber security expert warns parents of online predators, social media usage (wptv.com)

Cyber Bullying, Cyber Stalking and Sextortion

• Most domestic abuse cases feature spyware and remote monitoring, MPs warn | E&T Magazine (theiet.org)

• Baby monitors and smart speakers enabling abuse, say MPs - BBC News

Regulations, Fines and Legislation

• SEC Adopts Final Rules on Cyber security Risk Management, Strategy, Governance and Incident Disclosure by Public Companies | Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP - JDSupra

• How To Deal With the Vagueness in New Cyber Regulations (darkreading.com)

• What does the Data Protection and Digital Information (DPID) Bill mean for small businesses? | ITPro

• The Problem With Cyber security (and AI Security) Regulation (darkreading.com)

• CISA Unveils Cyber security Strategic Plan for Next 3 Years - Security Week

• The 5 Ways The SEC Failed Investors On Cyber security (forbes.com)

• What if WhatsApp really does leave the UK? - Tech Monitor

• America’s messy cyber regulations are no match for its adversaries | Financial Times (ft.com)

• Norway to fine Meta $98,500 a day over user privacy breach from 14 August | Meta | The Guardian

• Banks hit with $549 million in fines for using Signal and WhatsApp to evade regulators (nbcnews.com)

• ICO threatens enforcement action against websites with 'harmful' cookie banners | ITPro

• UK minister defends plan to demand access to encrypted messages | Privacy | The Guardian

Models, Frameworks and Standards

• NIST Drafts Major Update to Its Widely Used Cyber security Framework | NIST

• Understanding NIST CSF and MITRE ATT&CK Security Frameworks - The New Stack

• OWASP Lead Flags Gaping Hole in Software Supply Chain Security (darkreading.com)

• Understanding Changes in the OWASP API Security Top 10 List - IT Security Guru

• 5 steps to ensure HIPAA compliance on mobile devices | TechTarget

Data Protection

• UK Shaken by Major Data Breaches: Security Concerns Surge Over Data Protection Changes | Open Rights Group

• Regulator: “Harmful” Web Design Could Break Data Protection Laws - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Norway to fine Meta $98,500 a day over user privacy breach from 14 August | Meta | The Guardian

• ICO threatens enforcement action against websites with 'harmful' cookie banners | ITPro

Careers, Working in Cyber and Information Security

• Digital skills gap is challenging the cyber security of UK businesses - IT Security Guru

• Alarming survey: Many tech experts fail a test of their cyber security knowledge - SiliconANGLE

• Using creative recruitment strategies to tackle the cyber security skills shortage - Help Net Security

• Why cyber security is a blue-collar job - Help Net Security

• Will AI kill cyber security jobs? - Help Net Security

• Will CISOs become obsolete in the future? (betanews.com)

• 6 Essential Strategies for Enterprise Cyber security Workforce Development (govinfosecurity.com)

• Seasoned cyber pros are more complacent in their skills than junior staff - Help Net Security

Law Enforcement Action and Take Downs

• IRS confirms takedown of bulletproof hosting provider Lolek (therecord.media)

• Interpol takes down phishing-as-a-service platform used by 70,000 people (therecord.media)

Privacy, Surveillance and Mass Monitoring

• Missing persons NGO alliance kicks off global facial recognition initiative | Biometric Update

• China drafts rules for using facial recognition data - Japan Today

• Norway to fine Meta $98,500 a day over user privacy breach from 14 August | Meta | The Guardian

• Zoom trains its AI model with some user data, without giving them an opt-out option - Security Affairs

• ICO threatens enforcement action against websites with 'harmful' cookie banners | ITPro

• Worldcoin is scanning eyeballs to build a global ID and finance system. Governments are not impressed (theconversation.com)

• Woman Falsely Arrested Sues Detroit Over Facial Recognition (govtech.com)

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

Russia

• Electoral Commission cyber attack: Everything we know about the hack as Russia 'tops list' of suspects (inews.co.uk)

• BlueCharlie changes attack infrastructure in response to reports on its activity - Security Affairs

• The number of ransomware attacks targeting Finland increased fourfold since it started the process to join NATO - Security Affairs

• Microsoft Teams used in phishing campaign to bypass multi-factor authentication (malwarebytes.com)

• SpaceX's private control of satellite internet concerns military leaders | Space

• Analysts Say Use of Spyware During Conflict Is Chilling (voanews.com)

• Ukrainian state agencies targeted with open-source malware MerlinAgent (therecord.media)

• Cyber security experts discuss wins, losses and lessons at western Ukraine gathering : NPR

• Ukrainian official: Russian hackers change tactics from disruptive attacks | CyberScoop

• Ukraine Fends Off Sandworm Battlefield Espionage Ploy (govinfosecurity.com)

• Victor Zhora on cataloging cyber war crime evidence against Russian hackers targeting Ukraine | CyberScoop

• Microsoft addresses Office vulnerability attacked by Russian spooks in latest update | Computer Weekly

• Hackers with links to Pro-Russian groups compromised foreign embassies in Belarus, researchers say | CyberScoop

• New Cyber Threat 'MoustachedBouncer' Targets Embassies in Belarus - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Satellite hack on eve of Ukraine war was a coordinated, multi-pronged assault | CyberScoop

• US, Ukraine cyber leaders talk resilience, collaboration | TechTarget

• Kyiv Cyber Defenders Spot Open-Source RAT in Phishing Emails (govinfosecurity.com)

• North Korea compromised Russian missile engineering firm NPO Mashinostroyeniya - Security Affairs

• LockBit posts Siemens company Varian to its victim blog (techmonitor.ai)

China

• China-Linked Hackers Strike Worldwide: 17 Nations Hit in 3-Year Cyber Campaign (thehackernews.com)

• Electric vehicle threat: China will use its EV dominance to spy: UK warning (afr.com)

• UK security must not be sacrificed to net zero (telegraph.co.uk)

• Chinese cyber attacks on Japan prompts US push for stronger defences - Nikkei Asia

• China reportedly had ‘deep, persistent access’ to Japanese networks for months | Engadget

• Why the China cyber threat demands an airtight public-private response (federaltimes.com)

• China not ahead of US in cyber and surveillance, NSA head says - Nextgov/FCW

• China drafts rules for using facial recognition data - Japan Today

• US Navy sailors charged with stealing secret info for China • The Register

• RedHotel Checks in as Dominant China-Backed Cyber Spy Group (darkreading.com)

• US Navy sailors charged with stealing secret info for China • The Register

• APT31 Linked to Recent Industrial Attacks in Eastern Europe - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Microsoft’s Role in Email Breach to Be Part of US Cyber Inquiry - BNN Bloomberg

Iran

• Iranian state ‘now biggest threat to UK’ (thetimes.co.uk)

• Iranian cyber spies are targeting dissidents in Germany, warns intelligence service (therecord.media)

North Korea

• Reptile Rootkit: Advanced Linux Malware Targeting South Korean Systems (thehackernews.com)

• When the Absence of Noise Becomes Signal: Defensive Considerations for Lazarus FudModule (securityintelligence.com)

• North Korea compromised Russian missile engineering firm NPO Mashinostroyeniya - Security Affairs

Misc/Other/Unknown

• Cloud Company Assisted 17 Different Government Hacking Groups: US Researchers | NTD

• Security News This Week: The Cloud Company at the Center of a Global Hacking Spree | WIRED

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Vulnerability Management

• Five Eyes Agencies Call Attention to Most Frequently Exploited Vulnerabilities - Security Week

• How an unpatched Microsoft Exchange 0-day likely caused one of the UK’s biggest hacks ever | Ars Technica

• Will CVSS 4.0 be a vulnerability-scoring breakthrough or is it broken? | CSO Online

• Microsoft hits back at Tenable’s criticism of its infosec • The Register

• The Four Pillars of Vulnerability Management - GovInfoSecurity

• Has Microsoft cut security corners once too often? | Computerworld

• Why Shellshock Remains a Cyber security Threat After 9 Years (darkreading.com)

• The 7 Worst Software Vulnerabilities of All Time (makeuseof.com)

Vulnerabilities

• Microsoft Patch Tuesday for August 2023 fixed 2 actively exploited flaws - Security Affairs

• Microsoft, Intel lead this month's security fix emissions • The Register

• Raft of TETRA Zero-Day Vulnerabilities Endanger Industrial Communications (darkreading.com)

• Nearly every AMD CPU since 2017 vulnerable to Inception bug • The Register

• Microsoft fixes flaw after being called irresponsible by Tenable CEO (bleepingcomputer.com)

• New PaperCut critical bug exposes unpatched servers to RCE attacks (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Google Chrome will get weekly security updates - gHacks Tech News

• Downfall: New Intel CPU Attack Exposing Sensitive Information - Security Week

• Adobe Releases Security Updates for Multiple Products | CISA

• New 'Inception' Side-Channel Attack Targets AMD Processors - Security Week

• Collide+Power, Downfall, and Inception: New Side-Channel Attacks Affecting Modern CPUs (thehackernews.com)

• Dell Credentials Bug Opens VMWare Environments to Takeover (darkreading.com)

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Tools and Controls

• Managing human cyber risks matters now more than ever - Help Net Security

• Windows Defender-Pretender Attack Dismantles Flagship Microsoft EDR (darkreading.com)

• MDR: Empowering Organisations with Enhanced Security (thehackernews.com)

• 9 common risk management failures and how to avoid them | TechTarget

• Why Do Cyber security Awareness Programs Often Fail? (databreachtoday.co.uk)

• Only 22% of Firms Have Mature Threat Intelligence Programs - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Here’s Why You Need Identity, Privacy, and Device Protection (finextra.com)

• What Is Content Disarm and Reconstruction? How CDR Tools Protect You From Malicious Files (makeuseof.com)

• Attacker Breakout Time Shrinks Again, Underscoring Need for Automation (darkreading.com)

• Managing and Securing Distributed Cloud Environments - Security Week

• How to handle API sprawl and the security threat it poses - Help Net Security

• Threat intelligence's key role in mitigating malware threats - Help Net Security

• What Is Comprehensive Cyber-Resiliency? - The Futurum Group

• The Role of AI in Cyber security and Threat Detection: 5 Use Cases | by David Silva | Aug, 2023 | UX Planet

• Phishing-resistant authentication a key to breach prevention (securitybrief.co.nz)

• 10 Key Controls to Show Your Organisation Is Worthy of Cyber Insurance (darkreading.com)

• Lower Data Breach Insurance Costs with These Tips (trendmicro.com)

• AI Risk Database Tackles AI Supply Chain Risks (darkreading.com)

Other News

• UK Sounds Warning Over Targeted Healthcare Attack (databreachtoday.co.uk)

• British Government Report Highlights Pressing Risks: Terrorism, Cyber Attacks, and International Conflicts - Shafaq News

• Budget constraints threaten cybersecurity in government bodies - Help Net Security

• Threat of cyber attacks to national security compared to that of chemical weapons | ITPro

• UK Government: Cyber Attacks Could Kill or Maim Thousands - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Cyber Signals: Sporting events and venues draw cyberthreats at increasing rates | Microsoft Security Blog

• Cyber Security A Major Vulnerability In The Not For Profit Sector | Scoop News

• Government and public services face 40% more cyberattacks, struggle to protect due to lack of resources: Report | The Financial Express

• Hacker attacks on Mac users are 10x as high as they were in 2019, report says | iMore

• Venture Capital Investments at Risk: DynaRisk Identifies Critical Cybersecurity Gaps in Companies Backed By Some Of London’s Biggest VC Funds | Pressat

• Cyber Security Threats From Online Gaming – Analysis – Eurasia Review

• Satellites easier to hack than a Windows device | Cybernews

• Cyber attack cost Interserve more than £11m | News | Building

• Exploitable Vulnerabilities That Expose Healthcare Facilities Surged Nearly 60% Since 2022, New Research Report Finds (prweb.com)

• Environmental Regulations, OT & the Maritime Industry's New Challenges (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 28 April 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

• Navigating the Future of Cyber: Business Strategy, Cyber Security Training, and Digital Transformation are Key

Cyber investments have become table stakes for businesses around the world. Cyber crime is increasing, with 91% of organisations reporting at least one cyber incident in the past year. Not only are they growing in numbers, but they are becoming more sophisticated and diverse, with new threats constantly emerging. According to the 2023 Deloitte Global Future of Cyber survey, business leaders are changing how they think of cyber, and it’s emerging as a larger strategic discussion tied to an organisation’s long-term success.

Cyber is about more than protecting information—risk management, incident response planning, threat intelligence and training can often be directly correlated to increasing trust within businesses.

Cyber security training is essential for employees to ensure the safety and security of a business. Employees are often the first line of defence against cyber-attacks and frequently the weakest link in an organisation's security posture. Cyber security training can help employees recognise and avoid common cyber threats, such as phishing attacks, malware, and social engineering. 89% of organisations cited as high-performing cyber organisations have implemented annual cyber awareness training among all employees. With increased digital dependency year over year—effective employee training can raise awareness, reduce risk, improve security posture, and support compliance.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/deloitte/2023/04/20/navigating-the-future-of-cyber-business-strategy-cybersecurity-training-and-digital-transformation-are-key/?sh=1ab15c2c29c1

• Shadow IT, SaaS Pose Security Liability for Enterprises

There's no denying that software-as-a-service (SaaS) has entered its golden age. Software tools have now become essential to modern business operations and continuity. However, not enough organisations have implemented the proper procurement processes to ensure they're protecting themselves from potential data breaches and reputational harm.

A critical component contributing to concerns around SaaS management is the rising trend of shadow IT, which is when employees download and use software tools without notifying their internal IT teams. A recent study shows that 77% of IT professionals believe that shadow IT is becoming a major concern in 2023, with more than 65% saying their SaaS tools aren't being approved. Organisations are beginning to struggle with maintaining security as their SaaS usage continues to sprawl.

To combat shadow IT and the high risks that come along with it, organisations must gain greater visibility over their SaaS stacks and institute an effective procurement process when bringing on new software solutions.

https://www.darkreading.com/edge-articles/shadow-it-saas-pose-security-liability-for-enterprises

• The Strong Link Between Cyber Threat Intelligence and Digital Risk Protection

While indicators of compromise and attackers’ tactics, techniques, and processes (TTPs) remain central to threat intelligence, cyber threat intelligence needs have grown over the past few years, driven by things like digital transformation, cloud computing and remote working. In fact, these changes have led to a cyber threat intelligence (CTI) subcategory focused on digital risk protection (DRP). DRP is broadly defined as, “telemetry, analysis, processes, and technologies used to identify and mitigate risks associated with digital assets”.

According to research provider ESG, the most important functions of DRP as part of a mature CTI programme are: vulnerability exploit intelligence, takedown services, leaked data monitoring, malicious mobile application monitoring, brand protection and attack surface management. It should be noted that a mature CTI programme can utilise service providers to help carry out threat intelligence, it doesn’t have to be spun up by the organisation from nothing. Regardless, an organisation employing these DRP functions as part of a CTI programme will be increasing its cyber resilience and reducing the chance of a cyber incident.

https://www.csoonline.com/article/3693754/the-strong-link-between-cyber-threat-intelligence-and-digital-risk-protection.html

• Weak Credentials, Unpatched Vulnerabilities, Malicious Open Source Packages Causing Cloud Security Risks

Threat actors are getting more adept at exploiting common everyday issues in the cloud, including misconfigurations, weak credentials, lack of authentication, unpatched vulnerabilities, and malicious open-source software (OSS) packages. Meanwhile, security teams take an average of 145 hours to solve alerts, with 80% of cloud alerts triggered by just 5% of security rules in most environments according to a recent report. The report, conducted by UNIT 42 analysed the workload of 210,000 cloud accounts across 1,300 organisations.

The report’s findings echoed similarities from the previous year, finding almost all cloud users, roles, services and resources grant excessive permissions. Some of the other key findings include as many as 83% of organisations having hard-coded credentials in their source control management systems, 53% of cloud accounts allowing weak password usage and 44% allowing password reuse and 71% of high or critical vulnerabilities exposed were at least two years old.

https://www.csoonline.com/article/3693260/weak-credentials-unpatched-vulnerabilities-malicious-oss-packages-causing-cloud-security-risks.html

• Over 70 Billion Unprotected Files Available on Unsecured Web Servers

A recent report found that more than 70 billion files, including intellectual property and financial information, are freely available and unprotected on unsecured web servers. Other key findings of the report included almost 1 in 10 of all detected internet-facing assets having an unpatched vulnerability, with the top 10 vulnerabilities found unpatched at least 12 million times each.

The report predicted that there will be a significant rise in information stealing malware; the report had found that 50% of emails associated with customers were plaintext and unencrypted. Additionally, there will be more incidents due to an increase in assets which are not known to IT, known as shadow IT.

Organisations should look to employ efficient patch management, have an up to date asset register, and use encryption to better increase their cyber defences.

https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2023/04/24/critical-cybersecurity-exposures/

• Cyber Thieves Are Getting More Creative

Cyber criminals are constantly changing their tactics and finding new ways to steal money from organisations. An example of this can be seen where criminals are breaking into systems to learn who is authorised to send payments and what the procedures are. Eventually, this leads to the criminal instructing payment to their own account.

Unfortunately, it is only after such events that some organisations are taking actions, such as verifying payments through phone calls. Whilst it is important for organisations to learn from attacks, it is beneficial to take a pro-active approach and employ procedures such as call back procedures before an incident has occurred.

https://hbr.org/2023/04/cyber-thieves-are-getting-more-creative

• Modernising Vulnerability Management: The Move Toward Exposure Management

Managing vulnerabilities in the constantly evolving technological landscape is a difficult task. Although vulnerabilities emerge regularly, not all vulnerabilities present the same level of risk. Traditional metrics such as CVSS score or the number of vulnerabilities are insufficient for effective vulnerability management as they lack business context, prioritisation, and understanding of attackers' motivations, opportunities and means. Vulnerabilities only represent a small part of the attack surface that attackers can leverage.

Exposures are broader and can encompass more than just vulnerabilities. Exposures can result from various factors, such as human error, improperly defined security controls, and poorly designed and unsecured architecture. Organisations should consider that an attacker doesn’t just look at one exposure; attackers will often use a combination of vulnerabilities, misconfigurations, permissions and other exposures to move across systems and reach valuable assets.

As such, organisations looking to improve their cyber resiliency should consider their vulnerability management system and assess both whether it is taking into account exposures and the context in relation to the organisation.

https://thehackernews.com/2023/04/modernizing-vulnerability-management.html

• Two-thirds of Cyber Attacks Involve Ransomware

A report from Sophos focusing on recent incident response cases, found that 68.4% of incidents resulted from ransomware. This was followed by network breaches, accounting for 18.4%. Regarding threat actor access, the report found that unpatched vulnerabilities were the single most common access method, followed by compromised credentials.

https://www.computerweekly.com/news/365535467/Almost-three-quarters-of-cyber-attacks-involve-ransomware

• Corporate Boards Pressure CISOs to Step Up Risk Mitigation Efforts

A recent report found that the top challenges when implementing an effective cyber/IT risk management programme include an increase in the quantity (49%) and severity (49%) of cyber threats, a lack of funding (37%) and a lack of staffing/cyber risk talent (36%).

Cyber attacks have been increasing for several years now and resulting data breaches cost businesses an average of $4.35 million in 2022, according to the annual IBM ‘Cost of a Data Breach’ report. Given the financial and reputational consequences of cyber attacks, corporate board rooms are putting pressure on CISOs to identify and mitigate cyber/IT risk.

When it came to reporting to the board, 30% of CIO and CISO respondents say they do not communicate risk around specific business initiatives to other company leaders, indicating they may not know how to share that information in a constructive way.

https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2023/04/26/effective-it-risk-management/

• NSA Sees ‘Significant’ Russian Intel Gathering on European, US Supply Chain Entities

According to the US National Security Agency (NSA), Russian hackers could be looking to attack logistics targets more broadly. The NSA have noted a significant amount of intelligence gathering into western countries, including the UK and the US.

Although there is no indication yet regarding attacks from Russia in connection with the logistics related to Ukraine, organisations should be aware and look to improve their cyber security practices to be best prepared.

https://cyberscoop.com/nsa-russian-ukraine-supply-chain-ransomware/

• Email Threat Report 2023: Key Takeaways

According to a recent report, email phishing made up 24% of all spam types in 2022, a significant increase in proportion from 11% in 2021. The finance industry was the most targeted by far, accounting for 48% of phishing incidents. It is followed by the construction sector at 17%, overtaking 2021’s second-place industry, e-commerce. Both the finance and construction industries saw an increase in phishing since last year. Of all the emails analysed in 2022, an enormous 90% were spam emails.

With phishing as prevalent as ever, organisations should look to implement training for their staff to not only be able to spot phishing emails, but to be able to report these and aid in improving the cyber security culture of their organisation.

https://www.itsecurityguru.org/2023/04/27/email-threat-report-2023-key-takeaways/

• 5 Most Dangerous New Attack Techniques

Experts from security training provider SANS Institute have revealed the 5 most dangerous new attack techniques: adversarial AI, ChatGPT-powered social engineering, third-party developer attacks (also known as software supply chain attacks), SEO, and paid advertising attacks.

The new techniques highlight the ever changing environment of the attack environment. SEO and paid advertising attacks are leveraging fundamental marketing strategies to gain initial access, heightening the importance for organisations to incorporate scalable user awareness training programmes, tailored to new threats.

https://www.csoonline.com/article/3694892/5-most-dangerous-new-attack-techniques.html  

• Many Public Salesforce Sites are Leaking Private Data

A shocking number of organisations — including banks and healthcare providers — are leaking private and sensitive information from their public Salesforce Community websites. The data exposures all stem from a misconfiguration in Salesforce Community that allows an unauthenticated user to access records that should only be available after logging in.

This included the US State of Vermont who had at least five separate Salesforce Community sites that allowed guest access to sensitive data, including a Pandemic Unemployment Assistance programme that exposed the applicant’s full name, social security number, address, phone number, email, and bank account number. Similar information was leaked by TCF Bank on their Salesforce Community Website.

It's not just Salesforce though; misconfigurations in general are responsible for a number of leaked documents and or exposures relating to an organisation.

https://krebsonsecurity.com/2023/04/many-public-salesforce-sites-are-leaking-private-data/

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Threats

Ransomware, Extortion and Destructive Attacks

• New coercive tactics used to extort ransomware payments - Help Net Security

• Capita Admits That Its ‘Cyber Incident’ Was Ransomware and That Customer Data Was Breached - IT Governance UK Blog

• Russian hackers exfiltrated data from from Capita over a week before outage | by Kevin Beaumont | Apr, 2023 | DoublePulsar

• Almost three-quarters of cyber attacks involve ransomware | Computer Weekly

• #RSAC: Ransomware Poses Growing Threat to Five Eyes Nations - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Ransomware attacks, human error main cause of cloud data breaches: Report (business-standard.com)

• Effects of the Hive Ransomware Group Takedown (darkreading.com)

• Microsoft Confirms PaperCut Servers Used to Deliver LockBit and Cl0p Ransomware (thehackernews.com)

• Trojanized Installers Used to Distribute Bumblebee Malware - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• MIT and Stanford researchers develop operating system with one major promise: Resisting ransomware | CyberScoop

• Tank storage company Vopak hacked, Ransomware groups report | NL Times

• Health insurer Point32Health suffered a ransomware attack-Security Affairs

• Hacker demands ransom after 'taking control' of Wiltshire school's IT | Swindon Advertiser

• US Navy Contractor Fincantieri Marine Group Hit by Cyber-attack - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Arnold Clark braced for cyber payout (thetimes.co.uk)

• RSAC speaker offers ransomware victims unconventional advice | TechTarget

• How ransomware victims can make the best of a bad situation | TechTarget

• Hackers Leaked Minneapolis Students' Psychological Reports, Allegations of Abuse (gizmodo.com)

• Linux version of RTM Locker ransomware targets VMware ESXi servers (bleepingcomputer.com)

• CommScope employees left in the dark after ransomware attack | TechCrunch

Phishing & Email Based Attacks

• Email Threat Report 2023: Key Takeaways - IT Security Guru

• How Dangerous Is Phishing in 2023? - Duo Blog | Duo Security

• The New Frontier in Email Security: Goodbye, Gateways; Hello, Behavioural AI (darkreading.com)

BEC – Business Email Compromise

• WhatsApp used in BEC scam to pilfer $6.4M | SC Media (scmagazine.com)

2FA/MFA

• CrowdStrike details new MFA bypass, credential theft attack | TechTarget

• Phishing-resistant MFA shapes the future of authentication forms - Help Net Security

Malware

• Malware-Free Cyber attacks Are On the Rise; Here's How to Detect Them (darkreading.com)

• Trojanized Installers Used to Distribute Bumblebee Malware - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Ex-Conti and FIN7 Actors Collaborate with New Backdoor (securityintelligence.com)

• EvilExtractor malware activity spikes in Europe and the US (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Zaraza Malware Exploits Web Browsers To Steal Stored Passwords (latesthackingnews.com)

• This evil malware disables your security software, then goes in for the kill | TechRadar

• Decoy Dog malware toolkit found after analysing 70 billion DNS queries (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Lazarus Subgroup Targeting Apple Devices with New RustBucket macOS Malware (thehackernews.com)

• A Security Team Is Turning This Malware Gang’s Tricks Against It | WIRED

• Evasive Panda APT group delivers malware via updates for popular Chinese software | WeLiveSecurity

• Google banned 173K developer accounts to block malware, fraud rings (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Chinese Cyber spies Delivered Malware via Legitimate Software Updates - SecurityWeek

• Chinese hackers launch Linux variant of PingPull malware | CSO Online

Mobile

• WhatsApp used in BEC scam to pilfer $6.4M | SC Media (scmagazine.com)

• 35M Downloads Of Android Minecraft Clones Spreads Adware (informationsecuritybuzz.com)

Botnets

• Google Gets Court Order to Take Down CryptBot That Infected Over 670,000 Computers (thehackernews.com)

Denial of Service/DoS/DDOS

• New SLP bug can lead to massive 2,200x DDoS amplification attacks (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Top 15 DDoS Protection Best Practices - Security Boulevard

• 'Anonymous Sudan' Claims Responsibility for DDoS Attacks Against Israel (darkreading.com)

Internet of Things – IoT

• Government Agencies Release Blueprint for Secure Smart Cities - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• TP-Link Archer WiFi router flaw exploited by Mirai malware (bleepingcomputer.com)

Data Breaches/Leaks

• Over 70 billion unprotected files available on unsecured web servers - Help Net Security

• Many Public Salesforce Sites are Leaking Private Data – Krebs on Security

• American Bar Association data breach hits 1.4 million members (bleepingcomputer.com)

• CFPB Employee Sends 256,000 Consumers' Data to Personal Email - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• American Bar Association (ABA) suffered a data breach-Security Affairs

• Shields Health Breach Exposes 2.3M Users' Data (darkreading.com)

• Serving UK Armed Forces member charged under Official Secrets Act (telegraph.co.uk)

• Yellow Pages Canada confirms cyber attack as Black Basta leaks data (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Vantage Travel Experiences Data Security Incident (darkreading.com)

Organised Crime & Criminal Actors

• The IRS is sending four investigators across the world to fight cyber crime | TechCrunch

Cryptocurrency/Cryptomining/Cryptojacking/NFTs/Blockchain

• Kubernetes RBAC abused to create persistent cluster backdoors (bleepingcomputer.com)

• North Korean Foreign Trade Bank Representative Charged in Crypto Laundering Conspiracies (darkreading.com)

Insider Risk and Insider Threats

• Ransomware attacks, human error main cause of cloud data breaches: Report (business-standard.com)

Fraud, Scams & Financial Crime

• The IRS is sending four investigators across the world to fight cyber crime | TechCrunch

• How Startups Can Take Steps To Prevent Syphoning & Fraud

• US deploys more cyber forces abroad to help fight hackers | Reuters

• The ‘Your computer was locked’ scam is gaining traction (consumeraffairs.com)

• The true numbers behind deepfake fraud - Help Net Security

• Google banned 173K developer accounts to block malware, fraud rings (bleepingcomputer.com)

Deepfakes

• The true numbers behind deepfake fraud - Help Net Security

AML/CFT/Sanctions

• North Korean Foreign Trade Bank Representative Charged in Crypto Laundering Conspiracies (darkreading.com)

Insurance

• The Complexities of Cyber Insurance | Cyber Risk Management (telos.com)

Dark Web

• Metaverse Version of the Dark Web Could be Nearly Impenetrable (darkreading.com)

Supply Chain and Third Parties

• Capita Admits That Its ‘Cyber Incident’ Was Ransomware and That Customer Data Was Breached - IT Governance UK Blog

• Russian hackers exfiltrated data from from Capita over a week before outage | by Kevin Beaumont | Apr, 2023 | DoublePulsar

• At least 2 critical infrastructure orgs breached by North Korea-linked hackers behind 3CX attack - -Security Affairs-Security Affairs

• The Huge 3CX Breach Was Actually 2 Linked Supply Chain Attacks | WIRED

• That 3CX supply chain attack keeps getting worse • The Register

• NSA sees 'significant' Russian intel gathering on European, US supply chain entities | CyberScoop

• North Korean hackers breach software firm in significant cyber attack | CNN Politics

• SD Worx hack: Payroll firm for M&S hit by cyber attack (thetimes.co.uk)

• A third-party’s perspective on third-party InfoSec risk management - Help Net Security

Software Supply Chain

• Securing Software Supply Chains Requires Outside-the-Box Thinking - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

Cloud/SaaS

• Shadow IT, SaaS Pose Security Liability for Enterprises (darkreading.com)

• Weak credentials, unpatched vulnerabilities, malicious OSS packages causing cloud security risks | CSO Online

• 14 Kubernetes and Cloud Security Challenges and How to Solve Them (thehackernews.com)

• Ransomware attacks, human error main cause of cloud data breaches: Report (business-standard.com)

• GhostToken Flaw Could Let Attackers Hide Malicious Apps in Google Cloud Platform (thehackernews.com)

• Saas Security: The Need For Continuous Sustenance (informationsecuritybuzz.com)

• How CISOs navigate security and compliance in a multi-cloud world - Help Net Security

• Cloud Complexity Means Bugs Are Missed in Testing - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Study: 84% of Companies Use Breached SaaS Applications - Here's How to Fix it for Free! (thehackernews.com)

• Security experts found a major bug in Google Cloud | TechRadar

• Most SaaS adopters exposed to browser-borne attacks - Help Net Security

• Cloud-native security metrics for CISOs | TechTarget

• Exposed Artifacts Seen In Misconfigured Cloud Software Registries (informationsecuritybuzz.com)

• Google accounts attacked and hijacked by this devious security flaw | TechRadar

Containers

• Kubernetes RBAC abused to create persistent cluster backdoors (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Experts spotted first-ever crypto mining campaign leveraging Kubernetes RBAC-Security Affairs

• Combating Kubernetes — the Newest IAM Challenge (darkreading.com)

Attack Surface Management

• Over 70 billion unprotected files available on unsecured web servers - Help Net Security

• Study of past cyber attacks can improve organisations' defence strategies - Help Net Security

Shadow IT

• Shadow IT, SaaS Pose Security Liability for Enterprises (darkreading.com)

Identity and Access Management

• Rethinking the effectiveness of current authentication initiatives - Help Net Security

• Combating Kubernetes — the Newest IAM Challenge (darkreading.com)

Open Source

• The double-edged sword of open-source software - Help Net Security

• Linux Shift: Chinese APT Alloy Taurus Is Back With Retooling (darkreading.com)

• Chinese hackers launch Linux variant of PingPull malware | CSO Online

• Linux version of RTM Locker ransomware targets VMware ESXi servers (bleepingcomputer.com)

Passwords, Credential Stuffing & Brute Force Attacks

• Weak credentials, unpatched vulnerabilities, malicious OSS packages causing cloud security risks | CSO Online

• Password reset woes could cost FTSE 100 companies $156 million each month - Help Net Security

• The War on Passwords Enters a Chaotic New Phase | WIRED

• A '!password20231#' password may not be as complex as you think (bleepingcomputer.com)

Social Media

• Thousands of Social Media Takedowns Hit People Smugglers - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Metaverse Version of the Dark Web Could be Nearly Impenetrable (darkreading.com)

• Vietnamese Hackers Linked to 'Malverposting' Campaign - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

Malvertising

• Trojanized Installers Used to Distribute Bumblebee Malware - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Google ads push BumbleBee malware used by ransomware gangs (bleepingcomputer.com)

• 35M Downloads Of Android Minecraft Clones Spreads Adware (informationsecuritybuzz.com)

Training, Education and Awareness

• Navigating The Future Of Cyber: Business Strategy, Cyber security Training, And Digital Transformation Are Key (forbes.com)

Digital Transformation

• Navigating The Future Of Cyber: Business Strategy, Cyber security Training, And Digital Transformation Are Key (forbes.com)

• Cyber security in Finance: Protecting Your Digital Transformation | CSO Online

Parental Controls and Child Safety

• Tech giants and government have failed to stop child sex abuse online, says Sajid Javid (telegraph.co.uk)

Regulations, Fines and Legislation

• (ISC)2 Urges Countries to Strengthen Collaboration on Cyber security Regulation - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

Governance, Risk and Compliance

• Navigating The Future Of Cyber: Business Strategy, Cyber security Training, And Digital Transformation Are Key (forbes.com)

• Corporate boards pressure CISOs to step up risk mitigation efforts - Help Net Security

• How the Talent Shortage Impacts Cyber security Leadership (securityintelligence.com)

• Is your bank account safe? Mass layoffs weaken cyber security across finance sector | Fox Business

• The Tangled Web of IR Strategies (darkreading.com)

• The strong link between cyber threat intelligence and digital risk protection | CSO Online

• Cyber Thieves Are Getting More Creative (hbr.org)

• Organisations are stepping up their game against cyber threats - Help Net Security

• CISOs: unsupported, unheard, and invisible - Help Net Security

• The Relationship Between Security Maturity and Business Enablement | CSO Online

• CISOs Rethink Data Security with Info-Centric Framework (darkreading.com)

• UK Cyber Pros Burnt Out and Overwhelmed - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Good, Better And Best Security (informationsecuritybuzz.com)

• #RSAC: Organisations Warned About the Latest Attack Techniques - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• SANS Reveals Top 5 Most Dangerous Cyber attacks for 2023 (darkreading.com)

• Cloud-native security metrics for CISOs | TechTarget

Models, Frameworks and Standards

• Small Business is a Big Priority: NIST Expands Outreach to the Small Business Community | NIST

• Are you ready for PCI DSS 4.0? - Help Net Security

Careers, Working in Cyber and Information Security

• UK Cyber Pros Burnt Out and Overwhelmed - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• How to Begin a Career in Ethical Hacking in the Year 2023? (analyticsinsight.net)

Law Enforcement Action and Take Downs

• To combat cyber crime, US law enforcement increasingly prioritizes disruption | CyberScoop

• US to focus on stifling cyber attacks, not convictions • The Register

• US deploys more cyber forces abroad to help fight hackers | Reuters

• Effects of the Hive Ransomware Group Takedown (darkreading.com)

• Google Gets Court Order to Take Down CryptBot That Infected Over 670,000 Computers (thehackernews.com)

Privacy, Surveillance and Mass Monitoring

• Hackers can find your home on Strava even if you use privacy settings, researchers find | Cycling Weekly

• Major US CFPB Data Breach Caused by Employee (darkreading.com)

Artificial Intelligence

• The Growing Need for Cyber Security in an Age of AI Disruption (analyticsinsight.net)

• From pope’s jacket to napalm recipes: how worrying is AI’s rapid growth? | Artificial intelligence (AI) | The Guardian

• Cyber security Survival: Hide From Adversarial AI (darkreading.com)

• AI Experts: Account for AI/ML Resilience & Risk While There's Still Time (darkreading.com)

• 5 most dangerous new attack techniques | CSO Online

• NSA Cyber security Director Says ‘Buckle Up’ for Generative AI | WIRED

• The New Risks ChatGPT Poses to Cyber security (hbr.org)

• From ChatGPT to HackGPT: Meeting the Cyber security Threat of Generative AI (mit.edu)

• ChatGPT fans need 'defensive mindset' to avoid scammers • The Register

• DHS announces AI task force, security sprint on China-related threats | SC Media (scmagazine.com)

• The New Frontier in Email Security: Goodbye, Gateways; Hello, Behavioral AI (darkreading.com)

• Nvidia releases a toolkit to make text-generating AI ‘safer’ | TechCrunch

• Artificial intelligence takes RSA Conference by storm | SC Media (scmagazine.com)

• The good, the bad and the generative AI • The Register

• Secureworks CEO weighs in on XDR landscape, AI concerns | TechTarget

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

• BCS Policy Jam : Cyberwar and Ukraine one year on | BCS

• FBI aiding Ukraine in collection of digital and physical war crime evidence | CyberScoop

• NSA sees 'significant' Russian intel gathering on European, US supply chain entities | CyberScoop

• #RSAC: Cyber-Attacks on Civilian Infrastructure Should Be War Crimes, says Ukraine Official - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• UK undersea cables worth £7.4 trillion a day under ‘real threat’ from Russia | The Independent

• Eurocontrol says website 'under attack' by pro-Russia crew • The Register

• Iran cyberespionage group taps SimpleHelp for persistence on victim devices | CSO Online

• Russian Hackers Tomiris Targeting Central Asia for Intelligence Gathering (thehackernews.com)

• CISA, Cyber Command Collaboration Blocks Attempted Attacks on US Interests - MSSP Alert

Nation State Actors

• APT Groups Expand Reach to New Industries and Geographies - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Chinese Cyber spies Delivered Malware via Legitimate Software Updates - SecurityWeek

• North Korean hackers breach software firm in significant cyber attack | CNN Politics

• Western cyber security must advance to counter China's cyber space progress, says NCSC director (computing.co.uk)

• China building cyber weapons to hijack enemy satellites, says US leak | Financial Times (ft.com)

• NCSC raises alert on cyber threat to infrastructure | UKAuthority

• Iran cyberespionage group taps SimpleHelp for persistence on victim devices | CSO Online

• DHS announces AI task force, security sprint on China-related threats | SC Media (scmagazine.com)

• At least 2 critical infrastructure orgs breached by North Korea-linked hackers behind 3CX attack - -Security Affairs-Security Affairs

• North Korea's Kimsuky APT Keeps Growing, Despite Public Outing (darkreading.com)

• APT 'Mint Sandstorm' quickly exploits new PoC hacks | SC Media (scmagazine.com)

• Russian Hackers Suspected in Ongoing Exploitation of Unpatched PaperCut Servers (thehackernews.com)

• North Korean Foreign Trade Bank Representative Charged in Crypto Laundering Conspiracies (darkreading.com)

• Iranian Hackers Launch Sophisticated Attacks Targeting Israel with PowerLess Backdoor (thehackernews.com)

• Lazarus Subgroup Targeting Apple Devices with New RustBucket macOS Malware (thehackernews.com)

• US Cyberwarriors Thwarted 2020 Iran Election Hacking Attempt - SecurityWeek

• Evasive Panda APT group delivers malware via updates for popular Chinese software | WeLiveSecurity

• Linux Shift: Chinese APT Alloy Taurus Is Back With Retooling (darkreading.com)

• Pro-Russia hacking group executed a disruptive attack against a Canadian gas pipeline-Security Affairs

• Charming Kitten's New BellaCiao Malware Discovered in Multi-Country Attacks (thehackernews.com)

• Iranian cyber spies deploy new malware implant on Microsoft Exchange Servers | CSO Online

• A component in Huawei network appliances could be used to take down Germany’s telecoms networks-Security Affairs

• Ukrainian arrested for selling data of 300M people to Russians (bleepingcomputer.com)

• FIN7 Hackers Caught Exploiting Recent Veeam Vulnerability - SecurityWeek

• Chinese hackers launch Linux variant of PingPull malware | CSO Online

• CISA, Cyber Command Collaboration Blocks Attempted Attacks on US Interests - MSSP Alert

• Lazarus, Scarcruft North Korean APTs Shift Tactics, Thrive (darkreading.com)

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Vulnerability Management

• Weak credentials, unpatched vulnerabilities, malicious OSS packages causing cloud security risks | CSO Online

• Modernizing Vulnerability Management: The Move Toward Exposure Management (thehackernews.com)

• GitLab’s new security feature uses AI to explain vulnerabilities to developers | TechCrunch

• Microsoft: Windows 10 22H2 is the final version of Windows 10 (bleepingcomputer.com)

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Vulnerabilities

• New Google Chrome Zero-Day Bug Actively Exploited in Wide (gbhackers.com)

• Flaw in Microsoft Process Explorer under active attack • The Register

• Hackers Exploit Outdated WordPress Plugin to Backdoor Thousands of WordPress Sites (thehackernews.com)

• APC warns of critical unauthenticated RCE flaws in UPS software (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Double zero-day in Chrome and Edge – check your versions now! – Naked Security (sophos.com)

• Security experts found a major bug in Google Cloud | TechRadar

• TP-Link Archer WiFi router flaw exploited by Mirai malware (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Mozilla confirms memory leak in Firefox - gHacks Tech News

• SolarWinds Platform Update Patches High-Severity Vulnerabilities - SecurityWeek

• VMware Releases Critical Patches for Workstation and Fusion Software (thehackernews.com)

• Apache Superset Vulnerability: Insecure Default Configuration Exposes Servers to RCE Attacks (thehackernews.com)

• Cisco discloses XSS zero-day flaw in server management tool (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Microsoft removes LSA Protection from Windows settings to fix bug (bleepingcomputer.com)

• PaperCut says hackers are exploiting ‘critical’ security flaws in unpatched servers | TechCrunch

• FIN7 Hackers Caught Exploiting Recent Veeam Vulnerability - SecurityWeek

• New high-severity vulnerability (CVE-2023-29552) discovered in the Service Location Protocol (SLP) | Bitsight

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Tools and Controls

• Navigating The Future Of Cyber: Business Strategy, Cyber security Training, And Digital Transformation Are Key (forbes.com)

• Corporate boards pressure CISOs to step up risk mitigation efforts - Help Net Security

• The Tangled Web of IR Strategies (darkreading.com)

• 14 Kubernetes and Cloud Security Challenges and How to Solve Them (thehackernews.com)

• Six Key Considerations When Choosing a Web Application Firewall  - Security Boulevard

• The Complexities of Cyber Insurance | Cyber Risk Management (telos.com)

• Unified Endpoint Management: A Powerful Tool for Your Cyber security Arsenal | CSO Online

• GitLab’s new security feature uses AI to explain vulnerabilities to developers | TechCrunch

• Google Authenticator finally, mercifully adds account syncing for two-factor codes - The Verge

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

• Rethinking the effectiveness of current authentication initiatives - Help Net Security

• Attack Surface Management Strategies (trendmicro.com)

• Google will add End-to-End encryption to Google Authenticator (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Google 2FA Syncing Feature Could Put Your Privacy at Risk (darkreading.com)

• Embracing zero-trust: a look at the NSA’s recommended IAM best practices for administrators | CSO Online

• CISOs struggle to manage risk due to DevSecOps inefficiencies - Help Net Security

• Generative AI and security: Balancing performance and risk - Help Net Security

• #RSAC: GPT-4 Empowers Cyber security Leaders to Make Smarter Risk Decisions - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• SSL vs TLS: Which Should You Be Using? (trendmicro.com)

• CISA aims to reduce email threats with serial CDR prototype | TechTarget

• Top 15 DDoS Protection Best Practices - Security Boulevard

• Threat Actor Names Proliferate, Adding Confusion (darkreading.com)

• AI Dominates RSA as Excitement and Questions Surround its Potential in Cyber security Tooling - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

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Reports Published in the Last Week

• Email Threats - Discover the latest trends and stay one step ahead - VIPRE

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Other News

• Falling Dwell Time May Be Down to Faster Threat Activity - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• The threat from commercial cyber proliferation - NCSC.GOV.UK

• Hackers could learn how to send fake terror threats on YouTube, warn experts (telegraph.co.uk)

• Government launches new cyber security measures to tackle ever growing threats - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

• Attackers are logging in instead of breaking in - Help Net Security

• NCSC unveils data driven cyber security model | UKAuthority

• Hacker Group Names Are Now Absurdly Out of Control | WIRED

• 38 Countries Take Part in NATO's 2023 Locked Shields Cyber Exercise - SecurityWeek

• Quad Countries Prepare For Info Sharing on Critical Infrastructure - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• The White House National Cyber security Strategy Has a Fatal Flaw (darkreading.com)

• Threat Actor Names Proliferate, Adding Confusion (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 22 July 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

• Insurer Refuses to Pay Out After Victim Misrepresented Their Cyber Controls

In what may be one of the first court filings of its kind, insurer Travelers is asking a district court for a ruling to rescind a policy because the insured allegedly misrepresented its use of multifactor authentication (MFA) – a condition to get cyber coverage.

According to a July filing, Travelers said it would not have issued a cyber insurance policy in April to electronics manufacturing services company International Control Services (ICS) if the insurer knew the company was not using MFA as it said. Additionally, Travelers wants no part of any losses, costs, or claims from ICS – including from a May ransomware attack ICS suffered.

Travelers alleged ICS submitted a cyber policy application signed by its CEO and “a person responsible for the applicant’s network and information security” that the company used MFA for administrative or privileged access. However, following the May ransomware event, Travelers first learned during an investigation that the insured was not using the security control to protect its server and “only used MFA to protect its firewall, and did not use MFA to protect any other digital assets.”

Therefore, statements ICS made in the application were “misrepresentations, omissions, concealment of facts, and incorrect statements” – all of which “materially affected the acceptance of the risk and/or the hazard assumed by Travelers,” the insurer alleged in the filing.

ICS also was the victim of a ransomware attack in December 2020 when hackers gained access using the username and password of an ICS administrator, Travelers said. ICS told the insurer of the attack during the application process and said it improved the company’s cyber security.

Travelers said it wants the court to declare the insurance contract null and void, rescind the policy, and declare it has no duty to indemnify or defend ICS for any claim.

https://www.insurancejournal.com/news/national/2022/07/12/675516.htm#

• 5 Cyber Security Questions CFOs Should Ask CISOs

Armed with the answers, chief financial officers can play an essential role in reducing cyber risk.

Even in a shrinking economy, organisations are likely to maintain their level of cyber security spend. But that doesn’t mean in the current economic climate of burgeoning costs and a possible recession they won’t take a magnifying glass to how they are spending the money budgeted to defend systems and data. Indeed, at many companies, cyber security spending isn’t targeting the most significant dangers, according to experts — as evidenced by the large number of successful ransomware attacks and data breaches.

Without a comprehensive understanding of the security landscape and what the organisation needs to do to protect itself, how can CFOs make the right decisions when it comes to investments in cyber security technology and other resources? They can’t.

So, CFOs need to ensure they have a timely grasp of the security issues their organisation faces. That requires turning to the most knowledgeable people in the organisation: chief information security officers (CISOs) and other security leaders on the IT front lines.

Here are five questions CFOs should be asking their CISOs about the security of their companies.

1. How secure are we as an organisation?

2. What are the main security threats or risks in our industry?

3. How do we ensure that the cyber security team and the CISO are involved in business development?

4. What are the risks and potential costs of not implementing a cyber control?

5. Do employees understand information security and are they implementing security protocols successfully?

https://www.cfo.com/technology/cyber-security-technology/2022/07/cybersecurity-spending-protocols-ciso-security-threats-business-development-cyber-control/

• The Biggest Cyber Attacks in 2022 So Far — and it’s Just the Tip of the Iceberg

For those in the cyber resilience realm, it’s no surprise that there’s a continued uptick in cyber attacks. Hackers are hacking, thieves are thieving and ransomers are — you guessed it — ransoming. In other words, cyber crime is absolutely a growth industry.

As we cross into the second half of this year, let’s look at some of the most significant attacks so far:

• Blockchain schmockchain. Cryptocurrency exchange Crypto.com’s two-factor-identification (2FA) system was compromised as thieves made off with approximately $30 million.

• Still the one they run to. Microsoft’s ubiquity makes it a constant target. Earlier this year, the hacking collective Lapsus$ compromised Cortana and Bing, among other Microsoft products, posting source code online.

• Not necessarily the news. News Corp. journalist emails and documents were accessed at properties including the Wall Street Journal, Dow Jones and the New York Post in a hack tied to China.

• Uncharitable ways. The Red Cross was the target of an attack earlier this year, with more than half a million “highly vulnerable” records of Red Cross assistance recipients compromised.

• Victim of success. North Korea’s Lazarus Group made off with $600 million in cryptocurrencies after blockchain gaming platform Ronin relaxed some of its security protocols so its servers could better handle its growing popularity.

• We can hear you now. State-sponsored hackers in China have breached global telecom powerhouses worldwide this year, according to the U.S. Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency.

• Politics, the art of the possible. Christian crowdfunding site GiveSendGo was breached twice this year as hacktivists exposed the records of donors to Canada’s Freedom Convoy.

• Disgruntled revenge. Businesspeople everywhere were reminded of the risks associated with departing personnel when fintech powerhouse Block announced that a former employee accessed sensitive customer information, impacting eight million customers.

• Unhealthy habits. Two million sensitive customer records were exposed when hackers breached Shields Health Care’s network.

• They even stole the rewards points. General Motors revealed that hackers used a credentials stuffing attack to access personal information on an undisclosed number of car owners. They even stole gift-card-redeemable customer reward points.

For every breach or attack that generates headlines, millions of others that we never hear about put businesses at risk regularly. The Anti-Phishing Working Group just released data for the first quarter of this year, and the trend isn’t good. Recorded phishing attacks are at an all-time high (more than a million in just the first quarter) and were accelerating as the quarter closed, with March 2022 setting a new record for single-month attacks.

https://www.msspalert.com/cybersecurity-guests/the-biggest-cyberattacks-in-2022-so-far-and-its-just-the-tip-of-the-iceberg/

• Malware-as-a-Service Creating New Cyber Crime Ecosystem

This week HP released their report The Evolution of Cybercrime: Why the Dark Web is Supercharging the Threat Landscape and How to Fight Back, exploring how cyber-criminals are increasingly operating in a quasi-professional manner, with malware and ransomware attacks being offered on a ‘software-as-a-service’ basis.

The report’s findings showed how cyber crime is being supercharged through “plug and play” malware kits that are easier than ever to launch attacks. Additionally, cyber syndicates are now collaborating with amateur attackers to target businesses, putting the online world and its users at risk.

The report’s methodology saw HP’s Wolf Security threat team work in tandem with dark-web investigation firm Forensic Pathways to scrape and analyse over 35 million cyber criminal marketplaces and forum posts between February and March 2022, with the investigation helping to gain a deeper understanding of how cyber criminals operate, gain trust, and build reputation. Its key findings include:

Malware is cheap and readily available: Over three-quarters (76%) of malware advertisements listed, and 91% of exploits (i.e. code that gives attackers control over systems by taking advantage of software bugs), retail for under $10.

Trust and reputation are ironically essential parts of cyber-criminal commerce: Over three-quarters (77%) of cyber criminal marketplaces analysed require a vendor bond – a license to sell – which can cost up to $3000.  Of these, 92% have a third-party dispute resolution service.

Popular software is giving cyber criminals a foot in the door: Kits that exploit vulnerabilities in niche systems command the highest prices (typically ranging from $1,000-$4,000), while zero day vulnerabilities are retailing at 10s of thousands of pounds on dark web markets.

https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/malware-service-cybercrime/

• The Rise and Continuing Popularity of LinkedIn-Themed Phishing

Phishing emails impersonating LinkedIn continue to make the bulk of all brand phishing attempts. According to Check Point, 45% of all email phishing attempts in Q2 2022 imitated the style of communication of the professional social media platform, with the goal of directing targets to a spoofed LinkedIn login page and collecting their account credentials.

The phishers are generally trying to pique the targets’ interest with fake messages claiming that they “have appeared in X searches this week”, that a new message is waiting for them, or that another user would like to do business with them, and are obviously taking advantage of the fact that a record number of individuals are switching or are considering quitting their job and are looking for a new one.

To compare: In Q4 2021, LinkedIn-themed phishing attempts were just 8 percent of the total brand phishing attacks flagged by Check Point. Also, according to Vade Secure, in 2021 the number of LinkedIn-themed phishing pages linked from unique phishing emails was considerably lower than those impersonating other social networks (Facebook, WhatsApp).

Other brands that phishers loved to impersonate during Q2 2022 are (unsurprisingly) Microsoft (13%), DHL (12%) and Amazon (9%).

https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2022/07/21/linkedin-phishing/

• Microsoft Teams Default Settings Leave Organisations Open to Cyber Attacks

Relying on default settings on Microsoft Teams leaves organisations and users open to threats from external domains, and misconfigurations can prove perilous to high-value targets.

Microsoft Teams has over 270 million active monthly users, with government institutions using the software in the US, UK, Netherlands, Germany, Lithuania, and other countries at varying levels.

Cyber security researchers have discovered that relying on default MS Teams settings can leave firms and high-value users vulnerable to social engineering attacks. Attackers could create group chats, masquerade as seniors within the target organisation and observe whether users are online.

Attackers could, rather convincingly, impersonate high-ranking officials and possibly strike up conversations, fooling victims into believing they’re discussing sensitive topics with a superior. Skilled attackers could do a lot of harm with this capability.

https://cybernews.com/security/microsoft-teams-settings-leave-govt-officials-open-to-cyberattacks/

• Top 10 Cyber Security Attacks of Last Decade Show What is to Come

Past is prologue, wrote William Shakespeare in his play “The Tempest,” meaning that the present can often be determined by what has come before. So it is with cyber security, serving as the basis of which is Trustwave’s “Decade Retrospective: The State of Vulnerabilities” over the last 10 years.

Threat actors frequently revisit well-known and previously patched vulnerabilities to take advantage of continuing poor cyber security hygiene. “If one does not know what has recently taken place it leaves you vulnerable to another attack,” Trustwave said in its report that identifies and examines the “watershed moments” that shaped cyber security between 2011 and 2021.

With a backdrop of the number of security incidents and vulnerabilities increasing in volume and sophistication, here are Trustwave’s top 10 network vulnerabilities in no particular order that defined the decade and “won’t be forgotten.”

• SolarWinds hack and FireEye breach, Detected: December 8, 2020 (FireEye)

• EternalBlue Exploit, Detected: April 14, 2017

• Heartbleed, Detected: March 21, 2014

• Shellshock, Remote Code Execution in BASH, Detected: September 12, 2014

• Apache Struts Remote Command Injection & Equifax Breach, Detected: March 6, 2017

• Chipocalypse, Speculative Execution Vulnerabilities Meltdown & Spectre

• BlueKeep, Remote Desktop as an Access Vector, Detected: January, 2018

• Drupalgeddon Series, CMS Vulnerabilities, Detected: January, 2018

• Microsoft Windows OLE Vulnerability, Sandworm Exploit, Detected: September 3, 2014

• Ripple20 Vulnerabilities, Growing IoT landscape, Detected: June 16, 2020

https://www.msspalert.com/cybersecurity-news/top-10-cybersecurity-attacks-of-last-decade-show-what-is-to-come-report/

• Software Supply Chain Concerns Reach C-Suite

Major supply chain attacks have had a significant impact on software security awareness and decision-making, with more investment planned for monitoring attack surfaces.

Organisations are waking up to the need to establish better software supply chain risk management policies and are taking action to address the escalating threats and vulnerabilities targeting this expanding attack surface.

These were among the findings of a CyberRisk Alliance-conducted survey of 300 respondents from both software-buying and software-producing companies.

Most survey respondents (52%) said they are "very" or "extremely" concerned about software supply chain risks, and 84% of respondents said their organisation is likely to allocate at least 5% of their AppSec budgets to manage software supply chain risk.

Software buyers are planning to invest in procurement program metrics and reporting, application pen-testing, and software build of materials (SBOM) design and implementation, according to the findings.

Meanwhile, software developers said they plan to invest in secure code review as well as SBOM design and implementation.

https://www.darkreading.com/application-security/software-supply-chain-concerns-reach-c-suite

• EU Warns of Russian Cyber Attack Spillover, Escalation Risks

The Council of the European Union (EU) said that Russian hackers and hacker groups increasingly attacking "essential" organisations worldwide could lead to spillover risks and potential escalation.

"This increase in malicious cyber activities, in the context of the war against Ukraine, creates unacceptable risks of spillover effects, misinterpretation and possible escalation," the High Representative on behalf of the EU said.

"The latest distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks against several EU Member States and partners claimed by pro-Russian hacker groups are yet another example of the heightened and tense cyber threat landscape that EU and its Member States have observed."

In this context, the EU reminded Russia that all United Nations member states must adhere to the UN's Framework of responsible state behaviour in cyberspace to ensure international security and peace.

The EU urged all states to take any actions required to stop malicious cyber activities conducted from their territory.

The EU's statement follows a February joint warning from CISA and the FBI that wiper malware attacks targeting Ukraine could spill over to targets from other countries.

Google's Threat Analysis Group (TAG) said in late March that it observed phishing attacks orchestrated by the Russian COLDRIVER hacking group against NATO and European military entities.

In May, the US, UK, and EU accused Russia of coordinating a massive cyber attack that hit the KA-SAT consumer-oriented satellite broadband service in Ukraine on February 24 with AcidRain data destroying malware, approximately one hour before Russia invaded Ukraine.

A Microsoft report from June also confirms the EU's observation of an increase in Russian malicious cyber activities. The company's president said that threat groups linked to Russian intelligence agencies (including the GRU, SVR, and FSB) stepped up cyber attacks against government entities in countries allied with Ukraine after Russia's invasion.

In related news, in July 2021, President Joe Biden warned that cyber attacks leading to severe security breaches could lead to a "real shooting war," a statement issued a month after NATO said that cyber attacks could be compared to "armed attacks" in some circumstances.

https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/eu-warns-of-russian-cyberattack-spillover-escalation-risks/

• Critical Flaws in GPS Tracker Enable “Disastrous” and “Life-Threatening” Hacks

A security firm and the US government are advising the public to immediately stop using a popular GPS tracking device or to at least minimise exposure to it, citing a host of vulnerabilities that make it possible for hackers to remotely disable cars while they’re moving, track location histories, disarm alarms, and cut off fuel.

An assessment from security firm BitSight found six vulnerabilities in the Micodus MV720, a GPS tracker that sells for about $20 and is widely available. The researchers who performed the assessment believe the same critical vulnerabilities are present in other Micodus tracker models. The China-based manufacturer says 1.5 million of its tracking devices are deployed across 420,000 customers. BitSight found the device in use in 169 countries, with customers including governments, militaries, law enforcement agencies, and aerospace, shipping, and manufacturing companies.

BitSight discovered what it said were six “severe” vulnerabilities in the device that allow for a host of possible attacks. One flaw is the use of unencrypted HTTP communications that makes it possible for remote hackers to conduct adversary-in-the-middle attacks that intercept or change requests sent between the mobile application and supporting servers. Other vulnerabilities include a flawed authentication mechanism in the mobile app that can allow attackers to access the hardcoded key for locking down the trackers and the ability to use a custom IP address that makes it possible for hackers to monitor and control all communications to and from the device.

https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2022/07/critical-flaws-in-gps-tracker-enable-disastrous-and-life-threatening-hacks/

• Russian Hackers Behind Solarwinds Breach Continue to Scour US And European Organisations for Intel, Researchers Say

The Russian hackers behind a sweeping 2020 breach of US government networks have in recent months continued to hack US organisations to collect intelligence while also targeting an unnamed European government that is a NATO member.

The new findings show how relentless the hacking group — which US officials have linked with Russia's foreign intelligence service — is in its pursuit of intelligence held by the US and its allies, and how adept the hackers are at targeting widely used cloud-computing technologies.

The hacking efforts come as Russia's invasion of Ukraine continues to fray US-Russia relations and drive intelligence collection efforts from both governments.

In recent months, the hacking group has compromised the networks of US-based organisations that have data of interest to the Russian government.

In separate activity revealed Tuesday, US cyber security firm Palo Alto Networks said that the Russian hacking group had been using popular services like Dropbox and Google Drive to try to deliver malicious software to the embassies of an unnamed European government in Portugal and Brazil in May and June.

https://edition.cnn.com/2022/07/19/politics/russia-solarwinds-hackers/index.html

• The Next Big Security Threat Is Staring Us in The Face. Tackling It Is Going to Be Tough

If the ongoing fight against ransomware wasn't keeping security teams busy, along with the challenges of securing the ever-expanding galaxy of Internet of Things devices, or cloud computing, then there's a new challenge on the horizon – protecting against the coming wave of digital imposters or deepfakes.

A deepfake video uses artificial intelligence and deep-learning techniques to produce fake images of people or events.

One recent example is when the mayor of Berlin thought he was having an online meeting with former boxing champion and current mayor of Kyiv, Vitali Klitschko. But the mayor of Berlin grew suspicious when 'Klitschko' started saying some very out of character things relating to the invasion of Ukraine, and when the call was interrupted the mayor's office contacted the Ukrainian ambassador to Berlin – to discover that, whoever they were talking to, it wasn't the real Klitschko.

It's a sign that deepfakes are getting more advanced and quickly. Previous instances of deepfake videos that have gone viral often have tell-tale signs that something isn't real, such as unconvincing edits or odd movements, but the developments in deepfake technology mean it isn't difficult to imagine it being exploited by cyber criminals, particularly when it comes to stealing money.

While ransomware might generate more headlines, business email compromise (BEC) is the costliest form of cyber crime today. The FBI estimates that it costs businesses billions of dollars every year. The most common form of BEC attack involves cyber criminals exploiting emails, hacking into accounts belonging to bosses – or cleverly spoofing their email accounts – and asking staff to authorise large financial transactions, which can often amount to hundreds of thousands of dollars.

The emails claim that the money needs to be sent urgently, maybe as part of a secret business deal that can't be disclosed to anyone. It's a classic social-engineering trick designed to force the victim into transferring money quickly and without asking for confirmation from anyone else who could reveal it's a fake request. By the time anyone might be suspicious, the cyber criminals have taken the money, likely closed the bank account they used for the transfer – and run.

BEC attacks are successful, but many people might remain suspicious of an email from their boss that comes out the blue and they could avoid falling victim by speaking to someone to confirm that it's not real. But if cyber criminals could use a deepfake to make the request, it could be much more difficult for victims to deny the request, because they believe they're actually speaking to their boss on camera.

Many companies publicly list their board of directors and senior management on their website. Often, these high-level business executives will have spoken at events or in the media, so it's possible to find footage of them speaking. By using AI-powered deep-learning techniques, cyber criminals could exploit this public information to create a deepfake of a senior-level executive, exploit email vulnerabilities to request a video call with an employee, and then ask them to make the transaction. If the victim believes they're speaking to their CEO or boss, they're unlikely to deny the request.

https://www.zdnet.com/article/the-next-big-security-threat-is-staring-us-in-the-face-tackling-it-is-going-to-be-tough/

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Threats

Ransomware

• Post-Breakup, Conti Ransomware Members Remain Dangerous (darkreading.com)

• The Kronos Ransomware Attack: What You Need to Know So Your Business Isn't Next (darkreading.com)

• New Luna ransomware encrypts Windows, Linux, and ESXi systems (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Digital security giant Entrust breached by ransomware gang (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Protecting Against Kubernetes-Borne Ransomware (darkreading.com)

• Knauf cyber attack: Black Basta ransomware gang claims responsibility (techmonitor.ai)

• New Redeemer ransomware version promoted on hacker forums (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Kaspersky report on Luna and Black Basta ransomware | Securelist

• Snowballing Ransomware Variants Highlight Growing Threat to VMware ESXi Environments (darkreading.com)

• New Cross-Platform 'Luna' Ransomware Only Offered to Russian Affiliates | SecurityWeek.Com

• Conti’s Reign of Chaos: Costa Rica in the Crosshairs | Threatpost

• Researchers uncover potential ransomware network with U.S. connections - CyberScoop

• How Conti ransomware hacked and encrypted the Costa Rican government (bleepingcomputer.com)

• A small Canadian town is being extorted by a global ransomware gang - The Verge

BEC – Business Email Compromise

• The biggest cyber-crime threat is also the one that nobody wants to talk about | ZDNet

Phishing & Email Based Attacks

• Phishing Bonanza: Social-Engineering Savvy Skyrockets as Malicious Actors Cash In (darkreading.com)

• Outlook users report suspicious activity from Microsoft IPs • The Register

• PayPal Used to Send Malicious “Double Spear” Invoices - Infosecurity Magazine

• LinkedIn remains the most impersonated brand in phishing attacks (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Google Calendar provides new way to block invitation phishing (bleepingcomputer.com)

Other Social Engineering

• Ongoing 'Roaming Mantis' Smishing Campaign Hits Over 70,000 Users in France | SecurityWeek.Com

Malware

• Hacking group '8220' grows cloud botnet to more than 30,000 hosts (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Buy ‘plug-n-play’ malware for the price of a pint of beer (computerweekly.com)

• The Market Is Teeming: Bargains on Dark Web Give Novice Cyber Criminals a Quick Start (darkreading.com)

• New ‘Lightning Framework’ Linux malware installs rootkits, backdoors (bleepingcomputer.com)

Mobile

• Google pulls malware-infected apps, 3 million users at risk • The Register

• Several New Play Store Apps Spotted Distributing Joker, Facestealer and Coper Malware (thehackernews.com)

• Roaming Mantis hits Android and iOS users in malware, phishing attacks (bleepingcomputer.com)

BYOD

• The New Weak Link in SaaS Security: Devices (thehackernews.com)

Data Breaches/Leaks

• Neopets data breach exposes personal data of 69 million members (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Verified Twitter Vulnerability Exposes Data from 5.4 Million Accounts | RestorePrivacy

• Mixed Messages as Neopets Scrambles to Respond to Mega Breach - Infosecurity Magazine

Organised Crime & Criminal Actors

• Cyber crime escalates as barriers to entry crumble | CSO Online

• Understanding the Evolution of Cyber Crime to Predict its Future | SecurityWeek.Com

• The growth in targeted, sophisticated cyber attacks troubles top FBI cyber official - CyberScoop

• 'AIG' Threat Group Launches with Unique Business Model (darkreading.com)

• US DOJ report warns of escalating cyber crime, 'blended' threats (techtarget.com)

• Chaotic LAPSUS$ Group Goes Quiet, but Threat Likely Persists (darkreading.com)

• Last member of Gozi malware troika arrives in US for criminal trial – Naked Security (sophos.com)

• Romanian hacker faces US trial over virus-for-hire service - The Verge

Cryptocurrency/Cryptomining/Cryptojacking/NFTs/Blockchain

• This Cloud Botnet Has Hijacked 30,000 Systems to Mine Cryptocurrencies (thehackernews.com)

• Hackers Use Evilnum Malware to Target Cryptocurrency and Commodities Platforms (thehackernews.com)

• Singapore distances itself from local crypto companies • The Register

• FBI Warns Fake Crypto Apps are Bilking Investors of Millions | Threatpost

• Ex-Coinbase manager charged in crypto insider trading case • The Register

• FBI Warns of Fake Cryptocurrency Apps Stealing Millions from Investors (thehackernews.com)

• My Big Coin founder guilty of $6m crypto-fraud • The Register

Insider Risk and Insider Threats

• Three Charged in First Crypto Insider-Trading Case- IT Security Guru

Fraud, Scams & Financial Crime

• How to identify and combat online fraud - Help Net Security

AML/CFT/Sanctions

• UK Regulator Issues Record Fines as Financial Crime Surges - Infosecurity Magazine

• Broker Fined £2m for Financial Crime Control Failings - Infosecurity Magazine

Insurance

• Graff paid a $7.5M ransom and sued its insurance firm for refusing to cover this payment - Security Affairs

• 82% of global insurers expect the rise in cyber insurance premiums to continue - Help Net Security

• Will Your Cyber Insurance Premiums Protect You in Times of War? (darkreading.com)

Dark Web

• Stolen Credentials Selling on the Dark Web for Price of a Gallon of Gas – Security Review Magazine

• The Market Is Teeming: Bargains on Dark Web Give Novice Cyber criminals a Quick Start (darkreading.com)

Supply Chain and Third Parties

• Supply chain security breaches jumped in 2021 | CSO Online

Software Supply Chain

• Improving Software Supply Chain Cyber Security (trendmicro.com)

• Why SBOMs aren't the silver bullet they're portrayed as - Help Net Security

• Breaking down CIS's new software supply chain security guidance | CSO Online

Cloud/SaaS

• 60% of IT leaders are not confident about their secure cloud access - Help Net Security

• Public Cloud Customers Admit Security Challenges - Infosecurity Magazine

• The New Weak Link in SaaS Security: Devices (thehackernews.com)

Identity and Access Management

• Authentication weakness responsible for 80% of financial breaches (scmagazine.com)

Encryption

• British recycle old arguments for bypassing E2E encryption • The Register

Open Source

• Open source security needs automation as usage climbs amongst organisations | ZDNet

• New ‘Lightning Framework’ Linux malware installs rootkits, backdoors (bleepingcomputer.com)

• The US military wants to understand the most important software on earth | MIT Technology Review

Passwords, Credential Stuffing & Brute Force Attacks

• The importance of secure passwords can't be emphasized enough - Help Net Security

• 3rd Party Services Are Falling Short on Password Security (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Okta Exposes Passwords in Clear Text for Possible Theft (darkreading.com)

• Enforcing Password History in Your Windows AD to Curb Password Reuse (bleepingcomputer.com)

Social Media

• LinkedIn remains the most impersonated brand in phishing attacks (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Hacker selling Twitter account data of 5.4 million users for $30k (bleepingcomputer.com)

• TikTok Engaging in Excessive Data Collection - Infosecurity Magazine

Privacy

• New Deanonymization Attack Works on Major Browsers, Websites | SecurityWeek.Com

Parental Controls and Child Safety

• UK cyber security chiefs back plan to scan phones for child abuse images | GCHQ | The Guardian

Regulations, Fines and Legislation

• UK Regulator Issues Record Fines as Financial Crime Surges - Infosecurity Magazine

• Legal Experts Concerned Over New UK Digital Reform Bill - Infosecurity Magazine

• Understanding Proposed SEC Rules Through an ESG Lens (darkreading.com)

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

• What NATO's virtual rapid response cyber capability means for the fight against cyber warfare - Help Net Security

• EU warns of risks of spillover effects associated with ongoing war - Security Affairs

• Continued cyber activity in Eastern Europe observed by Google’s Threat Analysis Group (TAG) (blog.google)

• US Cyber Command IDs new malware strains targeting Ukraine • The Register

• Russian hackers use fake DDoS app to infect pro-Ukrainian activists (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Experts Uncover New CloudMensis Spyware Targeting Apple macOS Users (thehackernews.com)

• Hackers attempt to infiltrate Ukrainian tech company with backdoor malware, Talos says - CyberScoop

• Will Your Cyber-Insurance Premiums Protect You in Times of War? (darkreading.com)

• Hackers Target Ukrainian Software Company Using GoMet Backdoor (thehackernews.com)

• Copycat DoS App Created by Russian Hackers to Target Ukraine - IT Security Guru

• Inside Ukraine’s Decentralized Cyber Army (vice.com)

• Albanian government websites go dark after cyber attack • The Register

• China Accuses Indian APT Group of Cyber Warfare Against Pakistan; 2nd Major Accusation After 'Evil Flower' (eurasiantimes.com)

• Mysterious, Cloud-Enabled macOS Spyware Blows Onto the Scene (darkreading.com)

• Belgium claims China-linked APT groups hit its ministries - Security Affairs

• Hacked Ukrainian Radio Stations Broadcast Fake News About President Zelensky’s Health - Infosecurity Magazine

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Nation State Actors

Nation State Actors – Russia

• Google, EU Warn of Malicious Russian Cyber Activity | SecurityWeek.Com

• Russian cyber spies targeting NATO countries in new hacking campaign | Science & Tech News | Sky News

• Google warns Kremlin-backed goons pose as pro-Ukraine app • The Register

• Russia Released a Ukrainian App for Hacking Russia That Was Actually Malware (vice.com)

• Cloaked Ursa (APT29) Hackers Use Trusted Online Storage Services (paloaltonetworks.com)

• Russian SVR hackers use Google Drive, Dropbox to evade detection (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Russia, Iran discuss broad tech collaboration • The Register

• Half of Russian spies in Europe expelled since Ukraine invasion, says MI6 chief | MI6 | The Guardian

Nation State Actors – China

• Belgium says Chinese APT gangs attacked its government • The Register

• A massive cyber attack hit Albania - Security Affairs

• Government blocks Chinese tech deal on national security grounds | Business News | Sky News

Nation State Actors – North Korea

• US seizes stolen funds from suspected North Korean hackers - BBC News

Nation State Actors – Iran

• Russia, Iran discuss broad tech collaboration • The Register

Nation State Actors – Misc APT

• Unit 42 Threat Group Naming Update (paloaltonetworks.com)

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Vulnerability Management

• Mind the Gap – How to Ensure Your Vulnerability Detection Methods are up to Scratch (thehackernews.com)

• Zero-day attacks climb as hackers get more sophisticated (securitybrief.com.au)

Vulnerabilities

• Chrome 103 Update Patches High-Severity Vulnerabilities | SecurityWeek.Com

• Critical Bugs Threaten to Crack Atlassian Confluence Workspaces Wide Open (darkreading.com)

• WordPress Page Builder Plug-in Under Attack, Can't Be Patched (darkreading.com)

• Apple Releases Security Patches for all Devices Fixing Dozens of New Vulnerabilities (thehackernews.com)

• SonicWall: Patch critical SQL injection bug immediately (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Cisco fixes bug that lets attackers execute commands as root (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Atlassian reveals critical flaws across its product line • The Register

• Netwrix Auditor Vulnerability Can Facilitate Attacks on Enterprises | SecurityWeek.Com

• Azure's Security Vulnerabilities Are Out of Control - Last Week in AWS Blog

• Oracle Releases 349 New Security Patches With July 2022 CPU | SecurityWeek.Com

• 0-day used to infect Chrome users could pose threat to Edge and Safari users, too | Ars Technica

• Juniper Networks Patches Over 200 Third-Party Component Vulnerabilities | SecurityWeek.Com

• Experts Notice Sudden Surge in Exploitation of WordPress Page Builder Plugin Vulnerability (thehackernews.com)

• Google Chrome Zero-Day Weaponized to Spy on Journalists (darkreading.com)

• Apple Ships Urgent Security Patches for macOS, iOS | SecurityWeek.Com

• Cisco Releases Patches for Critical Flaws Impacting Nexus Dashboard for Data Centers (thehackernews.com)

• Juniper Releases Patches for Critical Flaws in Junos OS and Contrail Networking (thehackernews.com)

• Code Execution and Other Vulnerabilities Patched in Drupal | SecurityWeek.Com

• Atlassian Rolls Out Security Patch for Critical Confluence Vulnerability (thehackernews.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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Reports Published in the Last Week

• The Evolution of Cyber Crime:  Why the Dark Web is Supercharging the Threat Landscape and How to Fight Back - HP

• Decade Retrospective: The State of Vulnerabilities | Trustwave

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Other News

• Hackers for Hire: Adversaries Employ 'Cyber Mercenaries' | Threatpost

• Companies around the globe still not implementing MFA - Help Net Security

• Global Firms Fear the Worst Over Risk Management Failures - Infosecurity Magazine

• Humans are becoming the primary security risk for organisations around the world - Help Net Security

• What threats and challenges are CISOs and CROs most focused on? - Help Net Security

• What InfoSec Pros Can Teach the Organisation About ESG (darkreading.com)

• SATAn Turns Hard Drive Cable Into Antenna To Defeat Air-Gapped Security | Hackaday

• Cyber security hiring remains red-hot—the industry to surpass $400 billion market size by 2027 | Fortune

• Lack of staff and resources drives smaller teams to outsource security - Help Net Security

• Office macro security: on-again-off-again feature now BACK ON AGAIN! – Naked Security (sophos.com)

• New Study Finds Most Enterprise Vendors Failing to Mitigate Speculative Execution Attacks (thehackernews.com)

• Analysing Penetration-Testing Tools That Threat Actors Use to Breach Systems and Steal Data (trendmicro.com)

• Removing the blind spots that allow lateral movement - Help Net Security

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 15 July 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

• 10,000 Organisations Targeted by Phishing Attack That Bypasses Multi-Factor Authentication

Microsoft has shared details of a widespread phishing campaign that not only attempted to steal the passwords of targeted organisations, but was also capable of circumventing multi-factor authentication (MFA) defences.

The attackers used AiTM (Attacker-in-The-Middle) reverse-proxy sites to pose as Office 365 login pages which requested MFA codes, and then use them to log into the genuine site.

According to Microsoft’s detailed report on the campaign, once hackers had broken into email inboxes via the use of stolen passwords and session cookies, they would exploit their access to launch Business Email Compromise (BEC) attacks on other targets.

By creating rules on victims’ email accounts, the attackers are able to then ensure that they maintain access to incoming email even if a victim later changes their password.

The global pandemic, and the resulting increase in staff working from home, has helped fuel a rise in the adoption of multi-factor authentication.

Cyber criminals, however, haven’t thrown in the towel when faced with MFA-protected accounts. Accounts with MFA are certainly less trivial to break into than accounts which haven’t hardened their security, but that doesn’t mean that it’s impossible.

Reverse-proxy phishing kits like Modlishka, for instance, impersonate a login page, and ask unsuspecting users to enter their login credentials and MFA code. That collected data is then passed to the genuine website – granting the cyber criminal access to the site.

As more and more people recognise the benefits of MFA, we can expect a rise in the number of cyber criminals investing effort into bypassing MFA.

Microsoft’s advice is that organisations should complement MFA with additional technology and best practices.

https://www.tripwire.com/state-of-security/featured/10000-organisations-targeted-by-phishing-attack-that-bypasses-multi-factor-authentication/

• Businesses Are Adding More Endpoints, But Can’t Manage Them All

Most enterprises struggle to maintain visibility and control of their endpoint devices, leading to increased security breaches and impaired ability to ward off outside attacks, according to a survey conducted by Ponemon Institute.

Findings show that the average enterprise now manages approximately 135,000 endpoint devices. Despite $4,252,500 of annual budget spent on endpoint protection, an average of 48 percent of devices – or 64,800 per enterprise – are at risk because they are no longer detected by the organisation’s IT department or the endpoints’ operating systems have become outdated.

Additionally, 63 percent of respondents find that the lack of visibility into their endpoints is the most significant barrier to achieving a strong security posture.

IT organisations are facing unprecedented rates of distribution point sprawl, which has grown rapidly since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. 61 percent of respondents say distribution points have increased in the last two years, and the average endpoint has as many as 7 agents installed for remote management, further adding to management complexity.

https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2022/07/14/businesses-are-adding-more-endpoints/

• Ransomware Activity Resurges in Q2

Ransomware activity rose by a fifth in the last quarter, according to a report from security firm Digital Shadows.

The company, which monitors almost 90 data leak sites on the dark web, observed ransomware groups name 705 victims in Q2 2022, representing a 21% increase over last quarter’s 582. This was a resurgence in activity following a 25.3% decline quarter-on-quarter during Q1.

The LockBit ransomware group overtook Conti in victim numbers as Conti ceased operations following the leak of internal chat logs. Conti had reached almost 900 victims during its operations, but LockBit is now closing in on 1,000 after a 13% growth in activity during the quarter.

LockBit also continued to innovate, releasing version 3 of its ransomware with new features, including support for payments using the Zcash cryptocurrency. It also launched a reward program for any information on high-value targets, along with a data leak site that allows anyone to purchase victim data.

At around 230, Lockbit’s quarterly victim numbers far exceeded any other group in Q2. It was accountable for almost a third of all postings to leak sites in Q2. Conti, which had limped along for several weeks after its own data leak, managed just over 50. In third place was Alphv, which grew 118% during the quarter. Basta came in fourth.

Some other smaller groups are also growing rapidly, according to the report. Vice Society, in fifth place this quarter, doubled its activity.

https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/ransomware-activity-resurges-q2/

• One-Third of Users Without Security Awareness Training Click on Phishing URLs

Phishing attacks just won't die, and new data underscores their effectiveness among users who have not been provided security awareness training.

According to data pulled from security awareness training provider KnowBe4's clients, 32.4% of users will fall for a phish — clicking on a link or following a phony request — if those users have not had any official training. The disconnect is worse in some industry sectors, including consulting, energy and utilities, and healthcare and pharmaceuticals, where half of all untrained users fall for phishing attacks.

The data was pulled from 23.4 million simulated phishing tests conducted at more than 30,000 organisations, encompassing some 9.5 million users. According to KnowBe4, 90 days after monthly or more training, the number of phishing test fails dropped to around 17.6%, and to 5% after one year of regular awareness training.

https://www.darkreading.com/remote-workforce/one-third-of-users-click-on-phishing

• Ransomware Scourge Drives Price Hikes in Cyber Insurance

Cyber security insurance costs are rising, and insurers are likely to demand more direct access to organisational metrics and measures to make more accurate risk assessments.

The rising cost of ransomware attacks is helping push significant premium increases in cyber insurance policies in the UK and US, new data shows.

With the average payouts across the past two years averaging more than $3.5 million in the US, a growing number of cyber security insurers want direct access to customer security metrics and measures. This would help prove the status of security controls, according to a Panaseer report on the state of the cyber insurance industry.

However, insurance firms are struggling to accurately understand a customer's security posture, which is in turn affecting price increases.

Panaseer notes that 82% of insurers surveyed said they expect the rise in premiums to continue. The increasing cost of ransomware is putting premiums up, and the increase in the number of attacks, as well as the number of successful attacks, means insurance is getting harder to get and is getting more expensive.

Meanwhile, 87% of insurers surveyed say they want a more consistent approach to analysing cyber-risk. Fundamentally, insurers need better information in order to price the risk — questionnaires aren't going to cut it. Having real live data coming from a customer about their security posture is what's going to be required for them to accurately price risk, in the same way that telematics did for car insurance.

https://www.darkreading.com/attacks-breaches/ransomware-scourge-drives-price-hikes-in-cyber-insurance

• Conventional Cyber Security Approaches Are Falling Short

Traditional security approaches that rely on reactive, detect-and-respond measures and tedious manual processes can’t keep pace with the volume, variety, and velocity of current threats, according to Skybox Security. As a result, 27% of all executives and 40% of CSOs say their organisations are not well prepared for today’s rapidly shifting threat landscape.

On average, organisations experienced 15% more cyber security incidents in 2021 than in 2020. In addition, “material breaches”— defined as “those generating a large loss, compromising many records, or having a significant impact on business operations” — jumped 24.5%.

The top four causes of the most significant breaches reported by the affected organisations were:

• Human error

• Misconfigurations

• Poor maintenance/lack of cyber hygiene

• Unknown assets.

https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2022/07/14/conventional-cybersecurity-approaches/

• Virtual CISOs Are the Best Defence Against Accelerating Cyber-Risks

The cyber security challenges that companies are facing today are vast, multidimensional, and rapidly changing. Exacerbating the issue is the relentless evolution of threat actors and their ability to outmanoeuvre security controls effortlessly.

As technology races forward, companies without a full-time CISO (Chief Information Security Officer) are struggling to keep pace. For many, finding, attracting, retaining, and affording the level of skills and experience needed is out of reach or simply unrealistic. Enter the virtual CISO (vCISO). These on-demand experts provide security insights to companies on an ongoing basis and help ensure that security teams have the resources they need to be successful.

Typically, an engagement with a vCISO is long lasting, but in a fractional delivery model. This is very different from a project-oriented approach that requires a massive investment and results in a stack of deliverables for the internal team to implement and maintain. A vCISO not only helps to form the approach, define the action plan, and set the road map but, importantly, stays engaged throughout the implementation and well into the ongoing management phases.

The best vCISO engagements are long-term contracts. Typically, there's an upfront effort where the vCISO is more engaged in the first few months to establish an understanding, develop a road map, and create a rhythm with the team. Then, their support drops into a regular pace which can range from two to three days per week or five to ten days per month.

https://www.darkreading.com/careers-and-people/virtual-cisos-are-the-best-defense-against-accelerating-cyber-risks

• Firms Not Planning for Supply Chain Threats

Enterprises are failing to plan properly for supply chain risks and cyber security threats from the wider digital ecosystem, a leading technology consultancy has warned.

According to Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), firms put the risks posed by ecosystem partners at the bottom of a list of 10 key threats. CISOs and chief risk officers believed that financial systems, customer databases and R&D were the systems most likely to be targeted. Supply chain and distribution was placed in ninth.

The report, based on a survey of larger firms with annual revenues of $1bn or more, found that only 16% of chief risk officers believed the digital ecosystem was a concern when it comes to cyber risks, and only 14% said those ecosystems were a priority for board level discussions.

The research also found that a small number of enterprises fail to focus on cyber risk, with one in six boards discussing it only “occasionally, as necessary or never.” TCS found, though, that organisations with above-average profit and revenue growth were more likely to put cyber security on the agenda at board meetings.

TCS also found that enterprises view the cloud as a more secure environment than conventional data centres and on-premises systems. Additionally, the research highlighted ongoing concerns about skills and the need to attract and retain talented security staff. Firms where senior leaders focus on cyber security are more likely to be able to close the skills gap, according to the study.

https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/planning-supply-chain-threats/

• Data Breach Lawsuit: Will IT Service Provider Capgemini Owe Damages?

IT service provider and consulting firm Capgemini is facing a lawsuit related to a June 2020 data breach. The plaintiff — gaming company Razer — is seeking $7 million in damages. A trial in Singapore’s High Court regarding the dispute is underway, according to Vulcan Post.

Razer claims it has suffered approximately $6.85 million in profit losses from its online website due to the data breach. Razer is pursuing damages for an unquantified sum for profit losses from the rejection of its digital bank license application.

The Razer data breach occurred due to an issue with an IT system. It may have exposed the personal information of about 100,000 Razer customers.

The Razer data breach may have occurred due to a misconfigured Elasticsearch cluster. It also was exposed to the public and indexed by public search engines and took more than three weeks to fix.

Experts from Razer and Capgemini agreed that the data breach was caused by a security misconfiguration. However, Razer now claims that a Capgemini employee recommended the IT system that led to the breach and is therefore responsible for the incident.

https://www.msspalert.com/cybersecurity-breaches-and-attacks/data-breach-lawsuit-gaming-company-razer-sues-capgemini-for-7-million/

• Security Culture: Fear of Cyber Warfare Driving Initiatives

KnowBe4, the provider of security awareness training and simulated phishing platform, has conducted a survey during Infosecurity Europe, which evaluated the opinions of nearly 200 security professionals towards security culture, or more specifically: the ideas, customs and social behaviours of an organisation that influence their security practices.

The research found the threat of cyber warfare (30%) or experiencing a data breach or cyber attack (30%) were the two biggest reasons why security professionals wanted to improve security culture at their organisations. Given the current invasion of Ukraine by Russia and the resulting cyber security warnings announced by many of the world’s leading governments, improving current cyber security efforts has continued to be a top priority for many.

The study also revealed just over two thirds (67%) answered that a strong security culture would very likely reduce the risk of security incidents, with the majority (85%) directing their efforts into both improving security awareness training and communicating values expected from employees regarding security.

However, there are many obstacles when attempting to create a strong security culture, with the main issue being a lack of budget (26%) which was followed security professionals facing indifference from fellow employees (24%) and a lack of senior management support (16%).

Interestingly, just under three quarters (73%) admitted to putting an increased effort into measuring employees understanding of security – this still leaves a considerable gap of 27% that do not, something many security professionals will want to consider closing. Thankfully, 38% agree this aspect of security culture would be an area they want to improve in their organisation. When witnessing a colleague display poor security practises, 67% of UK security experts would prefer to tell the individual discreetly, while just under a third (31%) would send the member of staff training material to review. Only 18% would report the individual to the security team.

https://www.itsecurityguru.org/2022/07/11/security-culture-fear-of-cyber-warfare-driving-initiatives/

• Cryptocurrency 'Mixers' See Record Transactions from Sanctioned Actors

Use of so-called cryptocurrency “mixers,” which combine various types of assets to mask their origin, peaked at a 30-day average of nearly $52 million worth of digital currency in April, representing an unprecedented volume of funds moving through those services, researchers at cryptocurrency research firm Chainalysis found.

A near two-fold increase in funds sent from illicit addresses has accelerated the increase, indicating that the technology that can obfuscate the currency continues to be highly attractive to cyber criminals.

Cryptocurrency mixers work by taking an individual’s cryptocurrency and combining it with a larger pool before returning units equivalent to the original amount minus a service fee to the original account. As a result, it makes it harder for law enforcement and cryptocurrency analysts to trace the currency.

Mixers aren’t solely used by criminals, but they are extremely popular with them. 10% of all funds from illicit wallets are sent to mixers, while mixers received less than 0.5% of the share of other sources of funds tracked by the firm, including decentralised finance projects.

The bulk of illicit funds transferred to mixers came from sanctioned actors, primarily Russian dark net market Hydra and more recently the Lazarus Group, a group of North Korean state-backed hackers. International law enforcement took out Hydra, which had been responsible for 80% of dark web transactions involving cryptocurrency, in May. The US Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control followed with sanctions on more than 100 of its cryptocurrency addresses.

The use of mixers by North Korea state-backed hackers, and a popular mixer they employed to launder funds, made up the rest of the transfers.

https://www.cyberscoop.com/cryptocurrency-mixers-see-record-transactions-from-sanctioned-actors/

• Online Payment Fraud Expected to Cost $343B Over Next 5 Years

Despite ratcheted-up efforts to prevent account takeover, fraudsters are cashing in on a range of online payment fraud schemes, which researchers predict will cost retail organisations more than $343 billion over the next five years.

Physical good purchases are loss leaders, making up 49% of online payment fraud, driven in large part by developing markets with little address verification, according to a new Juniper Research report.

Fundamentally, no two online transactions are the same, so the way transactions are secured cannot follow a one-size-fits-all solution. Payment fraud detection and prevention vendors must build a multitude of verification capabilities, and intelligently orchestrate different solutions depending on circumstances, in order to correctly protect both merchants and users.

https://www.darkreading.com/application-security/online-payment-fraud-expected-to-cost-343b-over-5-years

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Threats

Ransomware

• Largest ransom pay-outs by cyber-insurers averaged £3.2 million in the past two years – Intelligent CISO

• Risk & Repeat: Ransomware in 2022 so far (techtarget.com)

• Paying ransomware crooks won’t reduce your legal risk, warns regulator – Naked Security (sophos.com)

• Ransomware Attacks Reign Supreme in 2022 - MSSP Alert

• BlackCat (aka ALPHV) ransomware is increasing stakes up to $2.5 million in demands - Help Net Security

• New Lilith ransomware emerges with extortion site, lists first victim (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Experts warn of the new 0mega ransomware operation - Security Affairs

• Organisations Warned of New Lilith, RedAlert, 0mega Ransomware | SecurityWeek.Com

• Microsoft links H0ly Gh0st ransomware operation to North Korean hackers (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Feds Issue Warning for North Korean-backed Ransomware Hijackers - MSSP Alert

• Ransomware gang now lets you search their stolen data (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Rise in ransomware drives IT leaders to implement data encryption - Help Net Security

• BlackCat Ransomware Group Deploys Brute Ratel Pen Testing Kit - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Bandai Namco confirms hack after ALPHV ransomware data leak threat (bleepingcomputer.com)

• 1.9m patients' medical data exposed in PFC ransomware attack • The Register

Phishing & Email Based Attacks

• Email scams are getting more personal – they even fool cyber security experts (theconversation.com)

• New Phishing Attacks Shame, Scare Victims into Surrendering Twitter, Discord Credentials (darkreading.com)

• Hackers impersonate cyber security firms in callback phishing attacks (bleepingcomputer.com)

• $8 million stolen in large-scale Uniswap airdrop phishing attack (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Almost a third of untrained users will click a phishing link - KnowBe4 research - IT Security Guru

• PayPal phishing kit added to hacked WordPress sites for full ID theft (bleepingcomputer.com)

Other Social Engineering

• Rise In Smishing Scams, Why And How To Protect? (informationsecuritybuzz.com)

• How Hackers Create Fake Personas for Social Engineering (darkreading.com)

• How attackers abuse Quickbooks to send phone scam emails - Help Net Security

Malware

• Criminals are now posing as security companies to trick you into installing malware | TechRadar

Mobile

• New Android malware on Google Play installed 3 million times (bleepingcomputer.com)

• The weaponizing of smartphone location data on the battlefield - Help Net Security

Internet of Things – IoT

• Honda Admits Hackers Could Unlock Car Doors, Start Engines | SecurityWeek.Com

• Watch This $80,000 Tesla Model Y Get Hacked With $20 Hardware - autoevolution

Data Breaches/Leaks

• Fewer Individuals Fall Victim to Data Breaches as Attackers Switch to Business in 2022 - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

Organised Crime & Criminal Actors

• A look inside Russian cyber crime syndicate TrickBot reveals an organised, potent adversary - CyberScoop

Cryptocurrency/Cryptomining/Cryptojacking/NFTs/Blockchain

• Crypto Scams Soar Despite Crash (informationsecuritybuzz.com)

• Cryptocurrency flowing into “mixers” hits an all-time high. Wanna guess why? | Ars Technica

• Falling Cryptocurrency Market Stalling Cyber Crime Activity - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Hackers stole $620 million from Axie Infinity via fake job interviews (bleepingcomputer.com)

Insider Risk and Insider Threats

• Joshua Schulte Convicted of Leaking CIA 'Vault 7' to Wikileaks (gizmodo.com)

Fraud, Scams & Financial Crime

• New Phishing Kit Hijacks WordPress Sites for PayPal Scam (darkreading.com)

Insurance

• Cyber Insurers Looking for New Risk Assessment Models - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• How War Impacts Cyber Insurance | Threatpost4

• The cyber insurance market has a critical infrastructure problem - CyberScoop

Supply Chain and Third Parties

• 3 Golden Rules of Modern Third-Party Risk Management (darkreading.com)

Denial of Service DoS/DDoS

• Mantis, the tiny shrimp that launched 3,000 DDoS attacks • The Register

Identity and Access Management

• Report: Financial Institutions Overly Complacent About Current Authentication Methods (darkreading.com)

• Access Permissions: Manual Reviews Less Effective than Automation, Netwrix Study Finds - MSSP Alert

Encryption

• What to do now about tomorrow’s code-cracking computers | The Economist

Social Media

• Facebook 2FA scammers return – this time in just 21 minutes – Naked Security (sophos.com)

• Disneyland Social Media Hacked - IT Security Guru

Training, Education and Awareness

• Accessible Cyber security Awareness Training Reduces Your Risk of Cyber Attack (darkreading.com)

Privacy

• New Cache Side Channel Attack Can De-Anonymize Targeted Online Users (thehackernews.com)

• Amazon handed Ring video to police without warrant, consent • The Register

• TikTok Chief Security Officer Steps Down Amid Concerns About Privacy (businessinsider.com)

Regulations, Fines and Legislation

• Proposed SEC Rules Require More Transparency About Cyber-Risk (darkreading.com)

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

• Ukraine's Cyber Agency Reports Q2 Cyber-Attack Surge - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Cyber espionage groups increasingly target journalists and media organisations | CSO Online

• Sandworm APT Trolls Researchers on Its Trail as It Targets Ukraine (darkreading.com)

• The Man at the Centre of the New Cyber World War - POLITICO

• How War Impacts Cyber Insurance | Threatpost

• Lithuanian Energy Firm Disrupted by DDOS Attack - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Security vendor splits to address Russia’s war in Ukraine • The Register

• Apple previews Lockdown Mode, a new extreme security feature | ZDNet

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Nation State Actors

Nation State Actors – North Korea

• ‘Nobody is holding them back’ — North Korean cyber-attack threat rises (cointelegraph.com)

• North Korean threat actor targets small and midsize businesses with H0lyGh0st ransomware - Microsoft Security Blog

Nation State Actors – Misc APT

• APT groups target journalists and media organisations since 2021 - Security Affairs

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Vulnerability Management

• Rethinking Vulnerability Management in a Heightened Threat Landscape | Threatpost

• Using shields up to secure credentials and mitigate vulnerabilities (scmagazine.com)

• The enemy of vulnerability management? Unrealistic expectations - Help Net Security

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Vulnerabilities

• DHS warns: Expect Log4j risks for 'a decade or longer' • The Register

• Microsoft's Patch Tuesday fixes one bug under active exploit • The Register

• Multiple Vulnerabilities in Adobe Products Could Allow for Arbitrary Code Execution (cisecurity.org)

• CISA orders agencies to patch new Windows zero-day used in attacks (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Flaw in Netwrix Auditor application allows arbitrary code execution - Security Affairs

• Elastix VoIP systems hacked in massive campaign to install PHP web shells (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Hackers Targeting VoIP Servers by Exploiting Digium Phone Software (thehackernews.com)

• Microsoft Teams security vulnerability left users open to XSS via flawed stickers feature | The Daily Swig (portswigger.net)

• Anvil Mobile Hit By New Exploit - DNS Hijacking. (informationsecuritybuzz.com)

• Microsoft Issues Fixes for 84 Vulnerabilities: Here's What to Patch Now (darkreading.com)

• Patch these Juniper Networks bugs, CISA says • The Register

• Buggy WordPress plugin allows complete site takeover • The Register

• VMware patches vCenter Server flaw disclosed in November (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Vulnerabilities that could allow undetectable infections affect 70 Lenovo laptop models | Ars Technica

• AMD, Intel chips vulnerable to 'Retbleed' Spectre variant • The Register

• Microsoft fixes dozens of Azure Site Recovery privilege escalation bugs (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Microsoft releases PoC exploit for macOS sandbox escape vulnerability (bleepingcomputer.com)

• AWS squashes authentication bugs in Kubernetes service • The Register

• Lenovo fixes trio of UEFI vulnerabilities • The Register

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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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Reports Published in the Last Week

State of Authentication in the Finance Industry 2022 | HYPR

Online Payment Fraud Market Report 2022-27: Size, Share, Trends (juniperresearch.com)

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Other News

5 key considerations for your 2023 cyber security budget planning | CSO Online

What Are the Risks of Employees Going on a 'Hybrid Holiday'? (darkreading.com)

New ‘Luna Moth’ hackers breach orgs via fake subscription renewals (bleepingcomputer.com)

Experian accounts could still be at risk from hackers | TechRadar

Cyber security skills surpass cloud skills as this year's training priority, if professionals can find the time | ZDNet

Average American Accesses Suspicious Sites 6.5 Times a Day - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

Mergers and acquisitions are a strong zero-trust use case • The Register

Recruitment agency Morgan Hunt confirms 'cyber incident' • The Register

New Exploit Attacks UK Routers and Runs Up Mobile Data Bills - ISPreview UK

How Attackers Could Dupe Developers into Downloading Malicious Code From GitHub (darkreading.com)

CEO of Dozens of Companies Charged in Scheme to Traffic An Estimated $1bn in Fake Cisco Devices - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

Data breaches explained: Types, examples, and impact | CSO Online

President of European Central Bank Christine Lagarde targeted by hackers - Security Affairs

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 20 May 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

• Fifth of Businesses Say Cyber Attack Nearly Broke Them

A fifth of US and European businesses have warned that a serious cyber attack nearly rendered them insolvent, with most (87%) viewing compromise as a bigger threat than an economic downturn, according to Hiscox.

The insurer polled over 5000 businesses in the US, UK, Ireland, France, Spain, Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium to compile its annual Hiscox Cyber Readiness Report.

It revealed the potentially catastrophic financial damage that a serious cyber-attack can wreak. The number claiming to have nearly been brought down by a breach increased 24% compared to the previous year.

Nearly half (48%) of respondents said they suffered an attack over the past 12 months, a 12% increase from the previous report’s findings. Perhaps unsurprisingly, businesses in seven out of eight countries see cyber as their biggest threat.

Yet perception appears to vary greatly depending on whether an organisation has suffered a serious compromise or not. While over half (55%) of total respondents said they view cyber as a high-risk area, the figure among companies that have not yet suffered an attack is just 36%.

https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/fifth-of-businesses-cyber-attack/

• Weak Security Controls and Practices Routinely Exploited for Initial Access

Cyber actors routinely exploit poor security configurations (either misconfigured or left unsecured), weak controls, and other poor cyber hygiene practices to gain initial access or as part of other tactics to compromise a victim’s system. A joint Cybersecurity Advisory by the cyber security authorities of the United States, Canada, New Zealand, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom identifies commonly exploited controls and practices and includes best practices to mitigate the issues.

Malicious cyber actors often exploit the following common weak security controls, poor configurations, and poor security practices to employ the initial access techniques.

• Multifactor authentication (MFA) is not enforced

• Incorrectly applied privileges or permissions and errors within access control lists

• Software is not up to date

• Use of vendor-supplied default configurations or default login usernames and passwords

• Remote services, such as a virtual private network (VPN), lack sufficient controls to prevent unauthorised access

• Strong password policies are not implemented

• Cloud services are unprotected

• Open ports and misconfigured services are exposed to the internet

• Failure to detect or block phishing attempts

• Poor endpoint detection and response.

https://www.cisa.gov/uscert/ncas/alerts/aa22-137a

• How Do Ransomware Attacks Impact Victim Organisations’ Stock?

Ransomware has developed into an extremely lucrative business model with little risk involved for the threat actors. Couple this with the willingness of most victim organisations to pay the ransom demand under the assumption it will return business operations to normal - ultimately encouraging more attacks - and we have a big problem with no easy remedies.

Back in 2021, Cybereason published a report titled Ransomware Attacks and the True Cost to Business that revealed the various costs that organisations face after falling victim to a ransomware attack. Here are some of the most significant findings that stood out:

• Two-thirds of ransomware victims said that they endured a significant loss of revenue following the attack

• More than half (53%) of organisations suffered damage to their brand and reputation after a ransomware infection

• A third of those who fell to ransomware lost C-level talent in the attack’s aftermath

• Three in 10 organisations had no choice but to lay off employees due to the financial pressures resulting from a ransomware incident

• A quarter of ransomware victims said that they needed to suspend operations.

https://www.msspalert.com/cybersecurity-guests/how-do-ransomware-attacks-impact-victim-organizations-stock/

• Prioritise Patching Vulnerabilities Associated with Ransomware

In the last quarter, ransomware attacks have made mainstream headlines on a near-daily basis, with groups like Lapsus$ and Conti’s names splashed across the page. Major organisations like Okta, Globant and Kitchenware maker Meyer Corporation have all fallen victim, and they are very much not alone. The data indicates that increasing vulnerabilities, new advanced persistent threat (APT) groups and new ransomware families are contributing to ransomware’s continued prevalence and profitability.

The top stats include:

• 22 new vulnerabilities and nine new weaknesses have been associated with ransomware since January 2022; of the 22, a whopping 21 are considered of critical or high risk severity

• 19 (out of 22) of the newly-added vulnerabilities are associated with the Conti ransomware gang

• Three new APT groups (Exotic Lily, APT 35, DEV-0401) and four new ransomware families (AvosLocker, Karma, BlackCat, Night Sky) are deploying ransomware to attack their targets

• 141 of CISA’s Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEVs) are being used by ransomware operators – including 18 newly identified this quarter

• 11 vulnerabilities tied to ransomware remain undetected by popular scanners

• 624 unique vulnerabilities were found within the 846 healthcare products analysed.

https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2022/05/19/increase-ransomware-vulnerabilities/

• Researchers Warn of Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs), Data Leaks as Serious Threats Against UK Financial Sector

Researchers say that geopolitical tension, ransomware, and cyber attacks using stolen credentials threaten the UK's financial sector.

KELA's security team published a report examining the cyber security issues and attacks that surfaced in 2021 and early 2022, specifically focused on the United Kingdom's banks and other financial services.

The UK was one of the first countries to stand with Ukraine after the invasion by Russia. This could make UK organisations a tempting target for threat actors siding with Russia - whether by state-sponsored advanced persistent threat (APT) groups or hacktivists. The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) previously warned businesses to shore up their cyber security following Russia's assault.

APTs are often responsible for attacking the financial sector: account credentials, card numbers, and the personally identifiable information (PII) of customers are useful not only in social engineering and identity theft but also to make fraudulent purchases or for card cloning.

APTs target organisations worldwide, and those located in the UK are no exception. Over the past few years, APTs, including the Chinese APT40 and APT31, have utilised vulnerabilities, including ProxyLogon, to compromise UK businesses.

"In general, APTs may target the financial sector to commit fraud, burglarise ATMs, execute transactions, and penetrate organisations' internal financial systems," KELA says. "Although specific threats to the UK financial sector have not been identified, there is no doubt that the UK has occasionally been a target of APT groups during 2021."

Exposed corporate information and leaked credentials are also of note. After browsing Dark Web forums, the researchers found that UK data is "in demand" by cyber criminals who are seeking PII, access credentials, and internal data.

https://www.zdnet.com/article/researchers-warn-of-apts-data-leaks-as-serious-threats-against-uk-financial-sector/

• Remote Work Hazards: Attackers Exploit Weak WiFi, Endpoints, and the Cloud

Infoblox unveils a global report examining the state of security concerns, costs, and remedies. As the pandemic and uneven shutdowns stretch into a third year, organisations are accelerating digital transformation projects to support remote work. Meanwhile, attackers have seized on vulnerabilities in these environments, creating more work and larger budgets for security teams.

1,100 respondents in IT and cyber security roles in 11 countries – United States, Mexico, Brazil, United Kingdom, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Spain, United Arab Emirates, Australia, and Singapore – participated in the survey.

The surge in remote work has changed the corporate landscape significantly – and permanently. 52% of respondents accelerated digital transformation projects, 42% increased customer portal support for remote engagement, 30% moved apps to third party cloud providers, and 26% shuttered physical offices for good. These changes led to the additions of VPNs and firewalls, a mix of corporate and employee owned devices as well as cloud and on-premises DDI servers to manage data traffic across the expanded network.

The hybrid workforce reality is causing greater concerns with data leakage, ransomware and attacks through remote access tools and cloud services. Respondents indicate concerns about their abilities to counter increasingly sophisticated cyber attacks with limited control over employees, work-from-home technologies, and vulnerable supply chain partners. The sophistication of state-sponsored malware also is a source of worry for many.

Organisations have good reason to worry: 53% of respondents experienced up to five security incidents that led to at least one breach.

https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2022/05/17/state-of-security/

• Small Businesses Under Fire from Password Stealers

Password-stealing malware and other cyber attacks have increased significantly against small businesses over the past year, according to Kaspersky researchers.

An assessment released this week detailed the number of Trojan Password Stealing Ware (PSW) detections, internet attacks and attacks on Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) between January and April 2022, compared with the same time frame from 2021. Kaspersky's research showed a jump in the detection of password stealers within small business environments, as well as increases in other types of cyber attacks.

According to Kaspersky, the biggest increase in threats against small businesses was password stealers, specifically Trojan PSWs. There were nearly 1 million more detected Trojan PSWs targeting small and medium-sized businesses in the first trimester of 2022 than the first of 2021, increasing from 3,029,903 to 4,003,323.

https://www.techtarget.com/searchsecurity/news/252518442/Small-businesses-under-fire-from-password-stealers

• Email Is the Riskiest Channel for Data Security

Research from Tessian and the Ponemon Institute reveals that nearly 60% of organisations experienced data loss or exfiltration caused by an employee mistake on email in the last 12 months.

Email was revealed as the riskiest channel for data loss in organisations, as stated by 65% of IT security practitioners. This was closely followed by cloud file-sharing services (62%) and instant messaging platforms (57%).

The research surveyed 614 IT security practitioners across the globe to also reveal that:

• Employee negligence, because of not following policies, is the leading cause of data loss incidents (40%)

• 27% of data loss incidents are caused by malicious insiders

• It takes up to three days for security and risk management teams to detect and remediate a data loss and exfiltration incident caused by a malicious insider on email

• 23% of organisations experience up to 30 security incidents involving employees’ use of email every month (for example, email was sent to an unintended recipient).

The most common types of confidential and sensitive information lost or intentionally stolen include: customer information (61%); intellectual property (56%); and consumer information (47%). User-created data (sensitive email content, text files, M&A documents), regulated data (credit card data, Social Security numbers, national ID numbers, employee data), and intellectual property were identified as the three types of data that are most difficult to protect from data loss.

The top two consequences for data loss incidents were revealed as non-compliance with data protection regulations (57%) and damage to an organisation’s reputation (52%). Furthermore, a previous study from Tessian found that 29% of businesses lost a client or customer because of an employee sending an email to the wrong person.

https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2022/05/20/data-loss-email/

• Phishing Attacks for Initial Access Surged 54% in Q1

Threat actors doubled down on their use of phishing emails as an initial attack vector during the first quarter of 2022 — and in many cases then used that access to drop ransomware or to extort organisations in other ways.

Researchers from Kroll recently analysed data gathered from security incidents they responded to in the first three months of this year. The analysis showed a 54% increase in incidents of phishing for initial access compared with the same period last year.

For the first time since Microsoft disclosed the so-called ProxyLogon set of vulnerabilities in Exchange Server in the first quarter of 2021, incidents tied to email compromises surpassed those related to ransomware. Kroll described the sharp increase in phishing activity as likely the result of a surge in activity tied to Emotet and IceID malware — threat actors have been using both to drop other malware.

https://www.darkreading.com/risk/phishing-attacks-for-initial-access-surged-q1

• Fears Grow for Smaller Nations After Ransomware Attack on Costa Rica Escalates

Conti demanded $20M in ransom — and the overthrow of the government.

It’s been a rough start for the newly elected Costa Rica president Rodrigo Chaves, who less than a week into office declared his country “at war” with the Conti ransomware gang.

“We’re at war and this is not an exaggeration,” Chaves told local media. “The war is against an international terrorist group, which apparently has operatives in Costa Rica. There are very clear indications that people inside the country are collaborating with Conti.”

Conti’s assault on the Costa Rican government began in April. The country’s Finance Ministry was the first hit by the Russia-linked hacking group, and in a statement on May 16, Chaves said the number of institutions impacted had since grown to 27. This, he admitted, means civil servants wouldn’t be paid on time and will impact the country’s foreign trade.

In a message posted to its dark web leaks blog, Conti urged the citizens of Costa Rica to pressure their government to pay the ransom, which the group doubled from an initial $10 million to $20 million. In a separate statement, the group warned: “We are determined to overthrow the government by means of a cyber attack, we have already shown you all the strength and power.”

Conti is among the most prolific hacking groups. The FBI warned earlier this year that the gang was among “the three top variants” that targeted businesses in the United States, and it has been blamed for ransomware attacks targeting dozens of businesses, including Fat Face, Shutterfly and the Irish healthcare service.

But Conti has picked up its pace in recent months: In January and February it published 31 victims on its leaks blog. In March and April, it posted 133 victims.

https://techcrunch.com/2022/05/20/costa-rica-ransomware-attack/

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Threats

Ransomware

• Ransomware Gangs Rely More on Weaponizing Vulnerabilities (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Ransomware Gang Extorted 725 BTC in One Attack, On-Chain Sleuths Find (coindesk.com)

• 5 Critical Questions to Test Your Ransomware Preparedness - Help Net Security

• “Alarming” Surge in Conti Group Activity This Year - Infosecurity Magazine

• Why AI-Powered Ransomware Cyber Attacks Could Be Coming Soon - Protocol

• Nikkei Says Customer Data Likely Impacted in Ransomware Attack | SecurityWeek.Com

• Wizard Spider Hackers Hire Cold Callers to Scare Ransomware Victims Into Paying Up | ZDNet

• Greenland Hit by Cyber Attack, Finds Its Health Service Crippled (bitdefender.com)

• Conti Ransomware Shuts Down Operation, Rebrands into Smaller Units (bleepingcomputer.com)

• No One Is Slowing Down BlackByte Ransomware Gang • The Register

• President Rodrigo Chaves says Costa Rica is at war with Conti hackers - BBC News

• Engineering Firm Parker Discloses Data Breach After Ransomware Attack (bleepingcomputer.com)

• US links Thanos and Jigsaw ransomware to 55-year-old doctor (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Russian Conti Ransomware Gang Threatens to Overthrow New Costa Rican Government (thehackernews.com)

Phishing & Email Based Attacks

• This Phishing Attack Delivers Three Forms of Malware. And They All Want to Steal Your Data | ZDNet

• HTML Attachments Remain Popular Among Phishing Actors In 2022 (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Chatbot Army Deployed in Latest DHL Shipping Phish (darkreading.com)

• Phishing Gang That Stole Over 400,000 Euros Busted in Spain (tripwire.com)

• Long Lost @ Symbol Gets New Life Obscuring Malicious URLs | Malwarebytes Labs

• Spanish Police Dismantle Phishing Gang That Emptied Bank Accounts (bleepingcomputer.com)

Malware

• Emotet is the Most Common Malware - Help Net Security

• Microsoft Identifies Botnet Variant Targeting Windows and Linux Systems - Infosecurity Magazine

• Activity of the Linux XorDdos bot increased by 254% over the last 6 monthsSecurity Affairs

• Fake Domains Offer Windows 11 Installers - But Deliver Malware Instead | ZDNet

• Bruised but Not Broken: The Resurgence of the Emotet Botnet Malware (trendmicro.com)

• Malicious PyPI Pymafka Package Opens Backdoors On Windows, Linux, and Macs (bleepingcomputer.com)

• April VMware Bugs Abused to Deliver Mirai Malware, Exploit Log4Shell | Threatpost

Mobile

• 6 Scary Tactics Used in Mobile App Attacks (darkreading.com)

• Researchers Find Potential Way to Run Malware on iPhone Even When it's OFF (thehackernews.com)

• Google TAG: Cytrox's Predator Spyware Used to Target Android Users | WIRED

IoT

• New Bluetooth Hack Could Let Attackers Remotely Unlock Smart Locks and Cars (thehackernews.com)

Data Breaches/Leaks

• Cornwall Council Data Breach - Information Security Buzz

• Pharmacy Giant Hit By Data Breach Affecting 3.6 Million Customers - Infosecurity Magazine

Organised Crime & Criminal Actors

• Ukrainian Hacker Jailed for 4-Years in U.S. for Selling Access to Hacked Servers (thehackernews.com)

• US Recovers a Record $15m from the 3ve Ad-Fraud Crew • The Register

Cryptocurrency/Cryptomining/Cryptojacking/NFTs

• How Cryptocurrencies Enable Attackers and Defenders (techtarget.com)

• Monero-Mining Sysrv Botnet Targets Windows, Linux Web Servers • The Register

• US Brings First-Of-Its-Kind Bitcoin Sanctions-Busting Case • The Register

• Fake Pixelmon NFT Site Infects You with Password-Stealing Malware (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Hackers Compromise a String of NFT Discord Channels (vice.com)

Fraud, Scams & Financial Crime

• Popularity Of Online Payment Goes Hand-In-Hand with Fraud - Help Net Security

Supply Chain and Third Parties

• MITRE Creates Framework for Supply Chain Security (darkreading.com)

• The Four Horsemen of Software Supply Chain Attacks - MSSP Alert

• Recovering From a Cyber Security Earthquake: The Lessons Organisations Must Learn - Help Net Security

Cloud/SaaS

• 7 Key Findings from the 2022 SaaS Security Survey Report (thehackernews.com)

• New Research Identifies Poor IAM Policies as The Greatest Cloud Vulnerability - CyberScoop

• Are You Investing in Securing Your Data in the Cloud? (thehackernews.com)

• 380K Kubernetes API Servers Exposed to Public Internet | Threatpost

Open Source

• The Industry Must Better Secure Open Source Code From Threat Actors (darkreading.com)

Privacy

• How To Ensure That the Smart Home Doesn’t Jeopardize Data Privacy? - Help Net Security

• Privacy. Ad Bidders Haven't Heard of It, Report Reveals • The Register

• Third-Party Web Trackers Log What You Type Before Submitting (bleepingcomputer.com)

Passwords & Credential Stuffing

• The Most Insecure and Easily Hackable Passwords - Help Net Security

• Half of IT Leaders Store Passwords in Shared Docs - Infosecurity Magazine

Cyber Bullying and Cyber Stalking

• UK Sextortion Cases Doubled in 2021 - Infosecurity Magazine

Regulations, Fines and Legislation

• Europe Moves Closer to Stricter Cyber Security Standards • The Register

• EU's NIS 2 Directive to Strengthen Cyber Security Requirements For Companies - Help Net Security

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

• Google TAG: Cytrox's Predator Spyware Used to Target Android Users | WIRED

• Britain can legally launch cyber attacks against hostile states, says Attorney General (telegraph.co.uk)

• How Mobile Networks Have Become a Front in the Battle for Ukraine (darkreading.com)

• China-linked Twisted Panda Caught Spying on Russian R&D Orgs • The Register

• Pro-Russian Hackers Spread Hoaxes to Divide Ukraine, Allies | SecurityWeek.Com

• A custom PowerShell RAT Targets Germany Using Crisis in Ukraine as Bait - Security Affairs

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Nation State Actors

Nation State Actors – Russia

• Putin Promises to Bolster Russia's IT Security in Face of Cyber Attacks | Reuters

• Russian Hackers Declare War On 10 Countries After Failed Eurovision DDoS attack | IT PRO

• Pro-Russian Information Operations Escalate in Ukraine War (darkreading.com)

• Russian Undersea Cable Threat Shifts Tech Business to UK (telegraph.co.uk)

• Russians Allegedly Storm Ukrainian ISP, Blackmail It to Switch To Russian Networks - CyberScoop

• Russia-linked Sandworm Continues to Conduct Attacks Against Ukraine - Security Affairs

• Russian Cyber Attack on Eurovision Foiled By Italian Authorities (bitdefender.com)

• This Russian Botnet Does Far More Than DDoS Attacks - And on A Massive Scale | ZDNet

Nation State Actors – China

• Chinese ‘Space Pirates’ are Hacking Russian Aerospace Firms (bleepingcomputer.com)

Nation State Actors – North Korea

• FBI Warns of North Korean Spies Posing as Foreign IT Workers • The Register

Nation State Actors – Iran

• US Charges Venezuelan Doctor with Selling Ransomware Used By Iranian Group | Reuters

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Vulnerability Management

• APTs Overwhelmingly Share Known Vulnerabilities Rather Than Attack O-Days | Threatpost

• How Micropatching Could Help Close the Security Update Gap (techtarget.com)

• Partial Patching Still Provides Strong Protection Against APTs (darkreading.com)

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Vulnerabilities

• QNAP Urges Users to Update NAS Devices to Prevent Deadbolt Ransomware Attacks (thehackernews.com)

• Cisco Fixes an IOS XR Flaw Actively Exploited in The Wild - Security Affairs

• 2 Vulnerabilities With 9.8 Severity Ratings Are Under Exploit. A 3rd Looms | Ars Technica

• Microsoft Rushes a Fix After May Patch Tuesday Breaks Authentication (darkreading.com)

• Microsoft Fixes New PetitPotam Windows NTLM Relay Attack Vector (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Apple Patches Zero-Day Kernel Hole and Much More – Update Now! – Naked Security (sophos.com)

• Two Business-Grade Netgear VPN Routers Have Security Vulnerabilities That Can't Be Fixed - Help Net Security

• SharePoint RCE Bug Resurfaces Three Months After Being Patched by Microsoft | The Daily Swig (portswigger.net)

• High-Severity Bug Reported in Google's OAuth Client Library for Java (thehackernews.com)

• Over 20,000 Zyxel Firewalls Still Exposed to Critical Bug - Infosecurity Magazine

• Apple Fixes the Sixth Zero-Day Since The Beginning of 2022 - Security Affairs

• Apache Releases Security Advisory for Tomcat | CISA

• Mozilla Patches Wednesday’s Pwn2Own Double-Exploit… on Friday! – Naked Security (sophos.com)

• Critical Vulnerability in Premium WordPress Themes Allows for Site Takeover | Threatpost

• Critical Jupiter WordPress Plugin Flaws Let Hackers Take Over Sites (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Apple Finally Patches Exploited Vulnerabilities in macOS Big Sur, Catalina | SecurityWeek.Com

• NVIDIA Fixes Ten Vulnerabilities in Windows GPU Display Drivers (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Gmail-Linked Facebook Accounts Vulnerable to Attack Using A Chain Of Bugs—Now Fixed | Malwarebytes Labs

• New Brute Force Attacks Against SQL Servers Use PowerShell Wrapper | SecurityWeek.Com

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Sector Specific

Retail/eCommerce

• How Crooks Backdoor Sites and Scrape Credit Card Info • The Register

• Digital Skimming is Now the Preserve of Non-Magecart Groups - Infosecurity Magazine

Energy & Utilities

• Water Companies Are Increasingly Uninsurable Due To Ransomware, Industry Execs Say - CyberScoop

• UK Announces Nuclear Cyber Security Strategy - IT Security Guru

Education and Academia

• Ransomware Attack Exposes Data of 500,000 Chicago Students (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Higher Education Institutions Being Targeted for Ransomware Attacks | TechRepublic

• “Incompetent” Council Leaks Details of Students With Special Educational Needs • Graham Cluley

• Researchers Find Backdoor in School Management Plugin for WordPress (thehackernews.com)

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Reports Published in the Last Week

• Q2 2022 State of Fraud & Account Security Report - Arkose Labs

• 2022 SaaS Security Survey Report (adaptive-shield.com)

• 2021-2022 UK Financial Sector Dark Web Threat Landscape Report - Kela (ke-la.com)

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Other News

• UK Government: Lack of Skills the Number One Issue in Cyber Security - Infosecurity Magazine

• Malicious Hackers Are Finding It Too Easy to Achieve Their Initial Access (tripwire.com)

• NIST’s Cyber Security Framework Has Become The Common Language For International Cyber Security (scmagazine.com)

• How Threat Actors Are a Click Away From Becoming Quasi-APTs (darkreading.com)

• Cyber Security: Global Food Supply Chain at Risk From Malicious Hackers - BBC News

• Cyber Security Agencies Reveal Top Initial Access Attack Vectors (bleepingcomputer.com)

• 50% of Orgs Rely on Email to Manage Security (darkreading.com)

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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.

Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing 25 March 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

• Morgan Stanley Client Accounts Breached in Social Engineering Attacks

Morgan Stanley Wealth Management says some of its customers had their accounts compromised in social engineering attacks.

The account breaches were the result of vishing (aka voice phishing), a social engineering attack where scammers impersonate a trusted entity (in this case Morgan Stanley) during a voice call to convince their targets into revealing sensitive information such as banking or login credentials.

The company said in a notice sent to affected clients that, "on or around February 11, 2022," a threat actor impersonating Morgan Stanley gained access to their accounts after tricking them into providing their Morgan Stanley Online account info.

After successfully breaching their accounts, the attacker also electronically transferred money to their own bank account by initiating payments using the Zelle payment service.

https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/morgan-stanley-client-accounts-breached-in-social-engineering-attacks/

• Ransomware Is Scary, But Another Scam Is Costing Victims Much, Much More

Business email compromise (BEC) remains the biggest source of financial losses, which totalled $2.4 billion in 2021, up from an estimated $1.8 billion in 2020, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation's (FBI) Internet Crime Center (IC3).

The FBI says in its 2021 annual report that Americans last year lost $6.9 billion to scammers and cyber criminals through ransomware, BEC, and cryptocurrency theft related to financial and romance scams. In 2020, that figure stood at $4.2 billion.

Last year, FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) received 847,376 complaints about cybercrime losses, up 7% from 791,790 complaints in 2020.

BEC has been the largest source of fraud for several years despite ransomware attacks grabbing most headlines.

https://www.zdnet.com/article/ransomware-is-scary-but-another-scam-is-costing-victims-much-much-more-says-fbi/#ftag=RSSbaffb68

• Phishing Kits Constantly Evolve to Evade Security Software

Modern phishing kits sold on cybercrime forums as off-the-shelf packages feature multiple, sophisticated detection avoidance and traffic filtering systems to ensure that internet security solutions won’t mark them as a threat.

Fake websites that mimic well-known brands are abundant on the internet to lure victims and steal their payment details or account credentials.

Most of these websites are built using phishing kits that feature brand logos, realistic login pages, and in cases of advanced offerings, dynamic webpages assembled from a set of basic elements.

https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/phishing-kits-constantly-evolve-to-evade-security-software/

• Ransomware Payment Demands Rose Dramatically in 2021

Ransomware attackers demanded dramatically higher ransom fees last year, and the average ransom payment rose by 78% to $541,010, according to data from incident response (IR) cases investigated by Palo Alto Networks Unit 42.

IR cases by Unit 42 also saw a whopping 144% increase in ransom demands, to $2.2 million. According to the report, the most victimised sectors were professional and legal services, construction, wholesale and retail, healthcare, and manufacturing.

Cyber extortion spiked, with 85% of ransomware victims — some 2, 556 organisations — having their data dumped and exposed on leak sites, according to the "2022 Unit 42 Ransomware Threat Report."

Conti led the ransomware attack volume, representing some one in five cases Unit 42 investigated, followed by REvil, Hello Kitty, and Phobos.

https://www.darkreading.com/attacks-breaches/ransomware-payments-demands-rose-dramatically-in-2021

• 7 Suspected Members of LAPSUS$ Hacker Gang, aged 16 to 21, Arrested in UK

The City of London Police has arrested seven teenagers between the ages of 16 and 21 for their alleged connections to the prolific LAPSUS$ extortion gang that's linked to a recent burst of attacks targeting NVIDIA, Samsung, Ubisoft, LG, Microsoft, and Okta.

"The City of London Police has been conducting an investigation with its partners into members of a hacking group," Detective Inspector, Michael O'Sullivan, said in a statement shared with The Hacker News. "Seven people between the ages of 16 and 21 have been arrested in connection with this investigation and have all been released under investigation. Our enquiries remain ongoing."

The development, which was first disclosed by BBC News, comes after a report from Bloomberg revealed that a 16-year-old Oxford-based teenager is the mastermind of the group. It's not immediately clear if the minor is one among the arrested individuals. The said teen, under the online alias White or Breachbase, is alleged to have accumulated about $14 million in Bitcoin from hacking.

https://thehackernews.com/2022/03/7-suspected-members-of-lapsus-hacker.html

• Here's How Fast Ransomware Encrypts Files

Forty-two minutes and 54 seconds: that's how quickly the median ransomware variant can encrypt and lock out a victim from 100,000 of their files.

The data point came from Splunk's SURGe team, which analysed in its lab how quickly the 10 biggest ransomware strains — Lockbit, REvil, Blackmatter, Conti, Ryuk, Avaddon, Babuk, Darkside, Maize, and Mespinoza — could encrypt 100,000 files consisting of some 53.93 gigabytes of data. Lockbit won the race, with speeds of 86% faster than the median. One Lockbit sample was clocked at encrypting 25,000 files per minute.

Splunk's team found that ransomware variants are all over the map speed-wise, and the underlying hardware can dictate their encryption speeds.

https://www.darkreading.com/application-security/here-s-how-fast-ransomware-encrypts-files

• HEAT Attacks: A New Class of Cyber Threats Organisations Are Not Prepared For

Web malware (47%) and ransomware (42%) now top the list of security threats that organisations are most concerned about. Yet despite the growing risks, just 27% have advanced threat protection in place on every endpoint device that can access corporate applications and resources.

This is according to research published by Menlo Security, exploring what steps organisations are taking to secure themselves in the wake of a new class of cyber threats – known as Highly Evasive Adaptive Threats (HEAT).

As employees spend more time working in the browser and accessing cloud-based applications, the risk of HEAT attacks increases. Almost two-thirds of organisations have had a device compromised by a browser-based attack in the last 12 months. The report suggests that organisations are not being proactive enough in mitigating the risk of these threats, with 45% failing to add strength to their network security stack over the past year. There are also conflicting views on the most effective place to deploy security to prevent advanced threats, with 43% citing the network, and 37% the cloud.

https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2022/03/22/web-security-threats/

• The Cyber Warfare Predicted in Ukraine May Be Yet to Come

In the build-up to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the national security community braced for a campaign combining military combat, disinformation, electronic warfare and cyber attacks. Vladimir Putin would deploy devastating cyber operations, the thinking went, to disable government and critical infrastructure, blind Ukrainian surveillance capabilities and limit lines of communications to help invading forces. But that’s not how it has played out. At least, not yet.

The danger is that as political and economic conditions deteriorate, the red lines and escalation judgments that kept Moscow’s most potent cyber capabilities in check may adjust. Western sanctions and lethal aid support to Ukraine may prompt Russian hackers to lash out against the west. Russian ransomware actors may also take advantage of the situation, possibly resorting to cyber crime as one of the few means of revenue generation.

https://www.ft.com/content/2938a3cd-1825-4013-8219-4ee6342e20ca

• The Three Russian Cyber Attacks the West Most Fears

The UK's cyber authorities are supporting the White House's calls for "increased cyber-security precautions", though neither has given any evidence that Russia is planning a cyber-attack.

Russia has previously stated that such accusations are "Russophobic".

However, Russia is a cyber-superpower with a serious arsenal of cyber-tools, and hackers capable of disruptive and potentially destructive cyber-attacks.

Ukraine has remained relatively untroubled by Russian cyber-offensives but experts now fear that Russia may go on a cyber-offensive against Ukraine's allies.

"Biden's warnings seem plausible, particularly as the West introduced more sanctions, hacktivists continue to join the fray, and the kinetic aspects of the invasion seemingly don't go to plan," says Jen Ellis, from cyber-security firm Rapid7.

This article from the BCC outlines the hacks that experts most fear, and they are repeats of things we have already seen coming out of Russia, only potentially a lot more destructive this time around.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-60841924

• Do These 8 Things Now to Boost Your Security Ahead of Potential Russian Cyber Attacks

The message comes as the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) ramp up warnings about Russian hacking of everything from online accounts to satellite broadband networks. CISA's current campaign is called Shields Up, which urges all organisations to patch immediately and secure network boundaries. This messaging is being echoed by UK and other Western Cyber authorities:

The use of Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) is being very strongly advocated. The White House and other agencies both sides of the Atlantic also urged companies to take seven other steps:

• Deploy modern security tools on your computers and devices to continuously look for and mitigate threats

• Make sure that your systems are patched and protected against all known vulnerabilities, and change passwords across your networks so that previously stolen credentials are useless to malicious actors

• Back up your data and ensure you have offline backups beyond the reach of malicious actors

• Run exercises and drill your emergency plans so that you are prepared to respond quickly to minimize the impact of any attack

• Encrypt your data so it cannot be used if it is stolen

• Educate your employees to common tactics that attackers will use over email or through websites

• Work with specialists to establish relationships in advance of any cyber incidents.

https://www.zdnet.com/article/white-house-warns-do-these-8-things-now-to-boost-your-security-ahead-of-potential-russian-cyberattacks/

• Cyber Crime Victims Suffered Losses of Over $6.9B in 2021 in the US Alone

The FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) reported a record-breaking year for 2021 in the number of complaints it received, among which business email compromise (BEC) attacks made up the majority of incidents.

IC3 handled 847,376 complaint reports last year — an increase of 7% over 2020 — which mainly revolved around phishing attacks, nonpayment/nondelivery scams, and personal data breaches. Overall, losses amounted to more than $6.9 billion.

BEC and email account compromises ranked as the No. 1 attack, accounting for 19,954 complaints and losses of around $2.4 billion.

"In 2021, heightened attention was brought to the urgent need for more cyber incident reporting to the federal government. Cyber incidents are in fact crimes deserving of an investigation, leading to judicial repercussions for the perpetrators who commit them," Paul Abbate, deputy director of the FBI wrote in the IC3's newly published annual report.

https://www.darkreading.com/attacks-breaches/fbi-cybercrime-victims-suffered-losses-of-over-6-9b-in-2021

• Expanding Threat Landscape: Cyber Criminals Attacking from All Sides

Research from Trend Micro warns of spiralling risk to digital infrastructure and remote workers as threat actors increase their rate of attack on organisations and individuals.

“Attackers are always working to increase their victim count and profit, whether through quantity or effectiveness of attacks,” said Jon Clay, VP of threat intelligence at Trend Micro.

“Our latest research shows that while Trend Micro threat detections rose 42% year-on-year in 2021 to over 94 billion, they shrank in some areas as attacks became more precisely targeted.”

Ransomware attackers are shifting their focus to critical businesses and industries more likely to pay, and double extortion tactics ensure that they are able to profit. Ransomware-as-a-service offerings have opened the market to attackers with limited technical knowledge – but also given rise to more specialisation, such as initial access brokers who are now an essential part of the cybercrime supply chain.

Threat actors are also getting better at exploiting human error to compromise cloud infrastructure and remote workers. Trend Micro detected and prevented 25.7 million email threats in 2021 compared to 16.7 million in 2020, with the volume of blocked phishing attempts nearly doubling over the period. Research shows home workers are often prone to take more risks than those in the office, which makes phishing a particular risk.

https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2022/03/22/threat-actors-increase-attack/

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Threats

Ransomware

• Ransomware Infections Follow Precursor Malware – Lumu • The Register

• Ransomware, Malware-as-a-Service Dominate Threat Landscape | SecurityWeek.Com

• Serious Security: DEADBOLT – The Ransomware That Goes Straight For Your Backups – Naked Security (sophos.com)

• AvosLocker Ransomware - What You Need To Know | The State of Security (tripwire.com)

• What the Conti Ransomware Group Data Leak Tells Us (darkreading.com)

• Ransomware Demands And Payments Increase With Use Of Leak Sites (computerweekly.com)

• Ten Notorious Ransomware Strains Put to The Encryption Speed Test (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Lockbit Wins Ransomware Speed Test, Encrypts 25k Files/Min • The Register

• Talos warns of BlackMatter-linked BlackCat Ransomware • The Register

• Report: 89% of Organizations Say Kubernetes Ransomware Is A Problem Today | VentureBeat

• Top Russian Meat Producer Hit with Windows BitLocker Encryption Attack (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Greece's Public Postal Service Offline Due To Ransomware Attack (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Hackers Demand $15 Million Ransom from TransUnion After Cracking "password" Password (bitdefender.com)

• Lawsuit Claims Kronos Breach Exposed Data For 'Millions' (techtarget.com)

• Estonian Man Sentenced To Prison For Role In Cyber Intrusions, Ransomware Attacks - CyberScoop

Phishing & Email

• New Phishing Toolkit Lets Anyone Create Fake Chrome Browser Windows (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Browser-in-the-Browser Attack Makes Phishing Nearly Invisible | Threatpost

• 'Unique Attack Chain' Drops Backdoor in New Phishing Campaign (darkreading.com)

Other Social Engineering

• Social Engineering Attacks To Dominate Web3, The Metaverse | ZDNet

Malware

• Malicious Microsoft Excel Add-Ins Used to Deliver RAT Malware (bleepingcomputer.com)

• BitRAT Malware Now Spreading As A Windows 10 License Activator (bleepingcomputer.com)

Mobile

• URL Rendering Trick Enabled WhatsApp, Signal, iMessage Phishing (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Downloaders Currently the Most Prevalent Android Malware (darkreading.com)

• Experts Uncover Campaign Stealing Cryptocurrency from Android and iPhone Users (thehackernews.com)

• Android Password-Stealing Malware Infects 100,000 Google Play Users (bleepingcomputer.com)

IoT

• Botnet of Thousands of MikroTik Routers Abused in Glupteba, TrickBot Campaigns (thehackernews.com)

• Honda Civics Vulnerable To Remote Unlock, Start Hack • The Register

• How to Secure Your Home WiFi Router - The Washington Post

Data Breaches/Leaks

• UK MoD's Capita-Run Recruitment Portal Support Offline • The Register

• Background Check Company Sued Over Data Breach - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Over 40,000 London Voters Have Data Leaked to Strangers - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

Organised Crime & Criminal Actors

• Who is LAPSUS$, the Gang Hacking Microsoft, Samsung, and Okta? (gizmodo.com)

• Hackers Are Targeting European Refugee Charities -Ukrainian Official | Reuters

• Hackers Steal From Hackers By Pushing Fake Malware On Forums (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Oxford Teen Accused Of Making More Than £10m As A Leader Of International Cyber Gang (telegraph.co.uk)

Cryptocurrency/Cryptomining/Cryptojacking

• An Investigation of Cryptocurrency Scams and Schemes (trendmicro.com)

• Global Regulators Monitor Crypto Use in Ukraine War | Reuters

• Cryptocurrency Companies Impacted by HubSpot Breach (techtarget.com)

Insider Risk and Insider Threats

• 6 Types Of Insider Threats And How To Prevent Them (techtarget.com)

• HP Staffer Blew $5m On Personal Expenses With Company Card • The Register

Fraud, Scams & Financial Crime

• Internet Crime in 2021: Investment Fraud Losses Soar - Help Net Security

• NFT Fraud in the UK Soars 400% in 2021 - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• DeFiance Capital Founder Loses $1.7M in NFTs To Phishing Scam - Decrypt

Insurance

• How The Increase in Ransomware Has Impacted The Cyber Insurance Market - Help Net Security

• Cyber Insurance and War Exclusions (darkreading.com)

Dark Web

• Dark Web Drug Peddler Gets Nine Years - Infosecurity Magazine

Supply Chain

• 'Secrets Sprawl' Haunts Software Supply Chain Security | SecurityWeek.Com

Cloud

• As Breaches Soar, Companies Must Turn to Cloud-Native Security Solutions For Protection - Help Net Security

Passwords & Credential Stuffing

• The Top 5 Things the 2022 Weak Password Report Means for IT Security (bleepingcomputer.com)

Spyware, Espionage & Cyber Warfare

• Russia Preparing To Conduct Cyber Attacks, White House warns - IT Security Guru

• New Mustang Panda Hacking Campaign Targets Diplomats, ISPs (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Vidar Spyware Is Now Hidden in Microsoft Help Files | ZDNet

• FCC Adds Kaspersky To Covered List Due To Unacceptable Risks To Security - Security Affairs

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Nation State Actors

Nation State Actors – Russia

• Internet Sanctions Against Russia Pose Risks, Challenges For Businesses | CSO Online

• Is It Safe To Use Russian-Based Kaspersky Antivirus? No, And Here's Why (komando.com)

• Anonymous Leaked 28gb of Data Stolen from The Central Bank of Russia - Security Affairs

• President Biden Says Russia Exploring Revenge Cyber Attacks • The Register

• Analysis: Putin's next escalation could be a direct cyberattack on the West - CNNPolitics

• Russia-backed Hackers Bypassed MFA, Exploited Print Vulnerability - MSSP Alert

• Hackers Around The World Deluge Russia's Internet With Simple, Effective Cyber Attacks (nbcnews.com)

• Anonymous Targets Western Companies Still Active in Russia - Security Affairs

• Ukrainian Enterprises Hit with the DoubleZero Wiper - Security Affairs

• NATO, G-7 Leaders Promise Bulwark Against Retaliatory Russian Cyber Attacks (cyberscoop.com)

• Russia Hacked Ukrainian Satellite Communications, Officials Believe - BBC News

• Russia-linked InvisiMole APT Targets State Organizations Of Ukraine - Security Affairs

• Corrupted Open-Source Software Enters the Russian Battlefield | ZDNet

• Nestlé Says 'Anonymous' Data Leak Actually A Self-Own • The Register

Nation State Actors – China

• Another Chinese Hacking Group Spotted Targeting Ukraine Amid Russia Invasion (thehackernews.com)

• Chinese APT Combines Fresh Hodur RAT with Complex Anti-Detection | Threatpost

• Mustang Panda Hacking Group Takes Advantage Of Ukraine Crisis In New Attacks | ZDNet

Nation State Actors – North Korea

• Dual North Korean Hacking Efforts Found Attacking Google Chrome Vulnerability for 6 Weeks - CyberScoop

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Vulnerabilities

• CISA Adds 66 Vulnerabilities To List Of Bugs Exploited In Attacks (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Google Issues Urgent Chrome Update to Patch Actively Exploited Zero-Day Vulnerability (thehackernews.com)

• Three Critical RCE Flaws Affect Hundreds of HP Printer Models - Security Affairs

• Critical Sophos Firewall vulnerability allows remote code execution (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Vulnerabilities Found in 250 HP Printer Models | CSO Online

• VMware Fixes Carbon Black Command Injection, Upload Bugs • The Register

• Western Digital Fixes Critical Bug Giving Root On My Cloud NAS Devices (bleepingcomputer.com)

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Sector Specific

Health/Medical/Pharma Sector

• Scottish Mental Health Charity SAMH Targeted In Cyber Attack - BBC News

• 12,000 Sensitive Patient Images Leaked - IT Security Guru

• Over 1 Million Impacted in Data Breach at Texas Dental Services Provider | SecurityWeek.Com

Retail/eCommerce

• For Magecart groups and other credit-card skimmers, old and new opportunities abound - CyberScoop

Transport and Aviation

• SATCOM Networks on High Alert After US Govt Warning • The Register

Energy & Utilities

• US Charges Four Russians Over Hacking Campaign on Energy Sector - BBC News

Education and Academia

• Heriot-Watt University in Second Week of Outage • The Register

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Reports Published in the Last Week

• The 2022 State of Cyber Assets Report (jupiterone.com)

• 2022 Weak Password Report - Specops Software

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Other News

• A Better Grasp of Cyber Attack Tactics Can Stop Criminals Faster (bleepingcomputer.com)

• The Chaos (and Cost) of the Lapsus$ Hacking Carnage | SecurityWeek.Com

• Soldiers told to use Signal instead of WhatsApp for security | The Times

• Cyber Security Compliance: Start With Proven Best Practices - Help Net Security

• Only 27% of Orgs Have Advanced Threat Protection on Endpoints | VentureBeat

• Okta Breach Leads To Questions On Disclosure, Reliance On Third-Party Vendors - CyberScoop

• The Challenges Audit Leaders Need To Look Out For This Year - Help Net Security

• South Korean DarkHotel Hackers Targeted Luxury Hotels in Macau (thehackernews.com)

• ISACA: Two-Thirds of Cybersecurity Teams Are Understaffed - Infosecurity Magazine

• Security Teams are Responsible for Over 165k Assets - Infosecurity Magazine

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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 18 March 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

Guernsey Cyber Security Warning for Islanders and Businesses

There has been a rise in cyber-attacks since the war in Ukraine began, according to the States of Guernsey and a cyber-security firm.

The States said: "We have seen a noticeable increase in the number of phishing emails since the war began."

The Channel Islands see more than 10 million cyber attacks every month, according to research by Guernsey firm Black Arrow Cyber Consulting.

It encouraged vigilance, as the islands are not immune to these attacks.

A States spokesman said: "The whole community needs to remain vigilant against such emails, which are designed to appear to be from reputable sources in order to dupe people into providing personal information or access to their device via the clicking of a link."

Bruce McDougall, from Black Arrow Cyber Consulting, said: "Criminals don't let a good opportunity go to waste. So they're conducting scams encouraging people to make false payments in the belief they're collecting for charities."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-guernsey-60763398

CISOs Face 'Perfect Storm' Of Ransomware and State-Supported Cyber Crime

As some nations turn a blind eye, defence becomes life-or-death matter

With ransomware gangs raiding network after network, and nation states consciously turning a blind eye to it, today's chief information security officers are caught in a "perfect storm," says Cybereason CSO Sam Curry.

"There's this marriage right now of financially motivated cyber crime that can have a critical infrastructure and economic impact," Curry said during a CISO roundtable hosted by his endpoint security shop. "And there are some nation states that do what we call state-ignored sanctioning," he continued, using Russia-based REvil and Conti ransomware groups as examples of criminal operations that benefit from their home governments looking the other way. 

"You get the umbrella of sovereignty, and you get the free license to be a privateer in essence," Curry said. "It's not just an economic threat. It's not just a geopolitical threat. It's a perfect storm."

It's probably not a huge surprise to anyone that destructive cyber attacks keep CISOs awake at night. But as chief information security officers across industries — in addition to Curry, the four others on the roundtable spanned retail, biopharmaceuticals, electronics manufacturing, and a cruise line — have watched threats evolve and criminal gangs mature, it becomes a battle to see who can innovate faster; the attackers or the defenders.

https://www.theregister.com/2022/03/18/ciso_security_storm/

Four Key Risks Exacerbated by Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has altered the emerging risk landscape, and it requires enterprise risk management (ERM) leaders to reassess previously established organisational risk profiles in at least four key areas, according to Gartner.

“Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has increased the velocity of many risks we have tracked on a quarterly basis in our Emerging Risks survey,” said Matt Shinkman, VP with the Gartner Risk and Audit Practice.

“As ERM leaders reassess their organisational risk models, they must also ensure a high frequency of communication with the C-Suite as to the critical changes that require attention now.”

There are four major areas of risk that ERM leaders should continually monitor and examine their mitigation strategies as part of a broader aligned assurance approach as the war continues: Talent Risk, Cyber Security Risk, Financial Risk and Supply Chain Risk

https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2022/03/17/erm-leaders-risk/

These Four Types of Ransomware Make Up Nearly Three-Quarters of Reported Incidents

Any ransomware is a cyber security issue, but some strains are having more of an impact than others.

Ransomware causes problems no matter what brand it is, but some forms are noticeably more prolific than others, with four strains of the malware accounting for a combined total of almost 70% of all attacks.

According to analysis by cyber security company Intel 471, the most prevalent ransomware threat towards the end of 2021 was LockBit 2.0, which accounted for 29.7% of all reported incidents. Recent victims of LockBit have included Accenture and the French Ministry of Justice. 

Almost one in five reported incidents involved Conti ransomware, famous for several incidents over the past year, including an attack against the Irish Healthcare Executive. The group recently had chat logs leaked, providing insights into how a ransomware gang works. PYSA and Hive account for one in 10 reported ransomware attacks each.

"The most prevalent ransomware strain in the fourth quarter of 2021 was LockBit 2.0, which was responsible for 29.7% of all reported incidents, followed by Conti at 19%, PYSA at 10.5% and Hive at 10.1%," said the researchers.

https://www.zdnet.com/article/these-four-types-of-ransomware-make-up-nearly-three-quarters-of-reported-incidents/

Critical Infrastructure Threat as Ransomware Groups Target 'Enemies of Russia'

The cyber crime underground has fractured into pro-Ukraine and pro-Russia camps, with the latter increasingly focused on critical national infrastructure (CNI) targets in the West, according to a new report from Accenture.

The consulting giant’s Accenture Cyber Threat Intelligence (ACTI) arm warned that the ideological schism could spell mounting risk for Western organisations as pro-Kremlin criminal groups adopt quasi-hacktivist tactics to choose their next victims.

Organisations in the government, media, finance, insurance, utilities and resources sectors should be braced for more attacks, said ACTI.

https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/critical-infrastructure-threat/

Cyber Insurance War Exclusions Loom Amid Ukraine Crisis

An expanding threat landscape is testing the limits of cyber insurance coverage.

The industry experienced a rapid maturation over the past three years as enterprises required a broader umbrella of insurance coverage to combat increasing cyber risks. While demands and premiums continue to rise, one recent area of contention involves war and hostile acts, an exclusion that's becoming harder to categorize.

A judgment in December, coupled with the Russian invasion last month that posed potential cyber retaliations to Ukraine allies, highlighted shortcomings in insurance policies when it comes to cyber conflicts.

https://www.techtarget.com/searchsecurity/news/252514592/Cyber-insurance-war-exclusions-loom-amid-Ukraine-crisis

Zelenskyy Deepfake Crude, But Still Might Be a Harbinger of Dangers Ahead

Several deepfake video experts called a doctored video of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that went viral this week before social media platforms removed it a poorly executed example of the form, but nonetheless damaging.

Elements of the Zelenskyy deepfake — which purported to show him calling for surrender — made it easy to debunk, they said. But that won’t always be the case.

https://www.cyberscoop.com/zelenskyy-deepfake-troubles-experts/

Cyber Crooks’ Political In-Fighting Threatens the West

They’re choosing sides in the Russia-Ukraine war, beckoning previously shunned ransomware groups and thereby reinvigorating those groups’ once-diminished power.

A rift has formed in the cyber crime underground: one that could strengthen, rather than cripple, the cyber-onslaught of ransomware.

According to a report, ever since the outbreak of war in Ukraine, “previously coexisting, financially motivated threat actors divided along ideological factions.”

“Pro-Ukrainian actors are refusing to sell, buy, or collaborate with Russian-aligned actors, and are increasingly attempting to target Russian entities in support of Ukraine,” wrote researchers from Accenture’s Cyber Threat Intelligence (ACTI). “However, pro-Russian actors are increasingly aligning with hacktivist-like activity targeting ‘enemies of Russia,’ especially Western entities due to their claims of Western warmongering.”

What might otherwise seem like a good thing – bad guys fighting bad guys – may in fact pose an increased threat to the West.

https://threatpost.com/cybercrooks-political-in-fighting-threatens-the-west/178899/

Cloud-Based Email Threats Surge 50% in 2021

There was a 50% year-on-year surge in cloud-based email threats in 2021, but a drop in ransomware and business email compromise (BEC) detections as attacks became more targeted, according to Trend Micro.

The security vendor’s 2021 roundup report, Navigating New Frontiers, was compiled from data collected by customer-installed products and cloud-based threat intelligence.

It revealed that Trend Micro blocked 25.7 million email threats targeting Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 users last year, versus 16.7 million in 2020.

The number of phishing attempts almost doubled during the period, as threat actors continued to target home workers. Of these, 38% were focused on stealing credentials, the report claimed.

https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/cloudbased-email-threats-surge-2021/

Millions of New Mobile Malware Strains Blitzed Enterprise in 2021

Researchers uncovered more than two million new mobile malware samples in the wild last year, Zimperium said in a new report.

Those threats spanned some 10 million mobile devices in at least 214 countries, the Dallas, Texas-based solution provider said in its newly released 2022 Global Mobile Threat Report. Indeed, mobile malware proved in 2021 to be the most prevalent security threat to enterprises, encountered by nearly 25 percent mobile endpoints among Zimperium’s customers worldwide. The 2.3 million new mobile strains Zimperium’s researchers located amount to nearly 36,000 new strains of malware weekly and roughly 5,000 each day.

https://www.msspalert.com/cybersecurity-services-and-products/mobile/millions-of-new-mobile-malware-strains-blitzed-enterprises-in-2021/

UK Criminal Defence Lawyer Hadn't Patched When Ransomware Hit

Criminal defence law firm Tuckers Solicitors is facing a fine from the UK's data watchdog for failing to properly secure data that included information on case proceedings which was scooped up in a ransomware attack in 2020.

The London-based business was handed a £98,000 penalty notice by the Information Commissioner's Office under Article 83 of the EU's General Data Protection Regulation 2018.

The breach was first noted by Tuckers on August 23 2020 when part of its IT system became unavailable. On closer inspection, resident techies found a note from the attackers confirming they had compromised part of the infrastructure. The Microsoft Exchange server was out of action and two days' worth of emails were lost, as detailed by the company blog at the time.

https://www.theregister.com/2022/03/15/brit_solicitor_fined_for_failing/

Russian Ransomware Gang Retool Custom Hacking Tools of Other APT Groups

A Russian-speaking ransomware outfit likely targeted an unnamed entity in the gambling and gaming sector in Europe and Central America by repurposing custom tools developed by other APT groups like Iran's MuddyWater, new research has found.

The unusual attack chain involved the abuse of stolen credentials to gain unauthorized access to the victim network, ultimately leading to the deployment of Cobalt Strike payloads on compromised assets, said Felipe Duarte and Ido Naor, researchers at Israeli incident response firm Security Joes, in a report published last week.

Although the infection was contained at this stage, the researchers characterized the compromise as a case of a suspected ransomware attack.

The intrusion is said to have taken place in February 2022, with the attackers making use of post-exploitation tools such as ADFind, NetScan, SoftPerfect, and LaZagne. Also employed is an AccountRestore executable to brute-force administrator credentials and a forked version of a reverse tunneling tool called Ligolo.

https://thehackernews.com/2022/03/russian-ransomware-gang-retool-custom.html

The Massive Impact of Vulnerabilities in Critical Infrastructure

Recent cyber events have shown how extremely vulnerable critical infrastructure is. What are the biggest security concerns?

In any world conflict, one of the primary threats posed is cyber actors disabling or destroying the core infrastructure of the adversary. Based on the global reaction to the current world conflict, countries fear reprisals. The worry is that there will be collateral damage to the critical infrastructure of other countries not directly involved in the current conflict.

Today, services such as healthcare systems, power grids, transportation and other critical industries are increasingly integrating their operational technology with traditional IT systems in order to modernize their infrastructure, and this has opened up a new wave of cyber attacks. Though businesses are ramping up their security initiatives and investments to defend and protect, their efforts have largely been siloed, reactive, and lack business context. Lack of visibility of risk across the estate is a huge problem for this sector.

https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2022/03/15/critical-infrastructure-security/

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Threats

Ransomware

• Nearly 34 Ransomware Variants Observed in Hundreds of Cyber Attacks in Q4 2021 (thehackernews.com)

• Franchises, Partnerships Emerge in Ransomware-as-a-Service Operations | ZDNet

• Dozens of Ransomware Variants Used In 722 Attacks Over 3 Months (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Conti Leak: A Ransomware Gang's Chats Expose Its Crypto Plans | WIRED

• 6 Reasons Not to Pay Ransomware Attackers (darkreading.com)

• Google Blows Lid Off Conti, Diavol Ransomware Access-Broker Ops | Threatpost

• SEC Filings Show Hidden Ransomware Costs And Losses | CSO Online

• Exotic Lily Sells Ransomware Groups Access To Targets • The Register

• New "Initial Access Broker" Working with Conti gang - IT Security Guru

• Google Exposes Tactics Of A Conti Ransomware Access Broker (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Avoslocker Ransomware Gang Targets US Critical Infrastructure - Security Affairs

• How Prepared Are Organisations To Face A Ransomware Attack On Kubernetes? - Help Net Security

• Experts Find Some Affiliates of BlackMatter Now Spreading BlackCat Ransomware (thehackernews.com)

• The Lapsus$ Hacking Group Is Off to a Chaotic Start | WIRED

• Bridgestone Cyber Attack Timeline and Ransomware Recovery Details - MSSP Alert

• Automotive Giant Denso Confirms Hack, Pandora Ransomware Group Takes Credit | ZDNet

Phishing & Email

• Massive Phishing Campaign Uses 500+ Domains To Steal Credentials (bleepingcomputer.com)

• How CAPTCHA Puzzles Cloak Phishing Page URLs In Emails • The Register

• Microsoft the No. 1 Most-Spoofed Brand in Phishing Attacks (darkreading.com)

• 76,000 Scams Taken Down Through Email Reporting - IT Security Guru

• Phony Instagram ‘Support Staff’ Emails Hit Insurance Company | Threatpost

• NCSC Catches 10 Million Phishes (computerweekly.com)

• This Browser-In-The-Browser Attack Is Perfect For Phishing • The Register

Malware

• New "B1txor20" Linux Botnet Uses DNS Tunnel and Exploits Log4J Flaw (thehackernews.com)

• Attacker Uses Websites' Contact Forms To Spread BazarLoader Malware | TechRepublic

• Gh0stCringe RAT Targeting Database Servers in Recent Attacks | SecurityWeek.Com

• Cyclops Blink Malware Sets Up Shop in ASUS Routers • The Register

• DirtyMoe Botnet Gains New Exploits in Wormable Module to Spread Rapidly (thehackernews.com)

• Linux Botnet Exploits Log4j Flaw To Hijack Arm, x86 Systems • The Register

• New Threat: B1txor20, A Linux Backdoor Using DNS Tunnel (360.com)

• Russian Cyclops Blink Botnet Launches Assault Against Asus Routers | ZDNet

• Uncovering Trickbot’s Use of IoT Devices In Command-And-Control Infrastructure - Microsoft Security Blog

• TrickBot Malware Abusing MikroTik Routers as Proxies for Command-and-Control (thehackernews.com)

Mobile

• Mobile Threats Skyrocket (darkreading.com)

• 2021 Mobile Security: Android More Vulnerabilities, iOS More Zero-Days (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Mobile Devices See 466% Annual Increase in Zero-Day Attacks - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• 'Escobar' Android malware steals your 2FA codes — and takes over your phone | Tom's Guide (tomsguide.com)

• Thousands of Secret Keys Found in Leaked Samsung Source Code | SecurityWeek.Com

• Scammers Have 2 Clever New Ways To Install Malicious Apps on iOS Devices | Ars Technica

• Threat Intel Report: Who Is Behind Staggering 190GB Samsung Galaxy Hack? (forbes.com)

• Android Trojan Persists On The Google Play Store Since January (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Mobile App Data Found Exposing API’s & Data In 1,000’s Of Cloud Databases - Information Security Buzz

IoT

• Smart Devices Spy On You – 2 Computer Scientists Explain How The Internet Of Things Can Violate Your Privacy (theconversation.com)

Organised Crime & Criminal Actors

• Who's Who In The Cyber Criminal Underground | CSO Online

• Financially Motivated Threat Actors Willing To Go After Russian Targets - Help Net Security

• A Third of Malicious Logins Originate in Nigeria - Infosecurity Magazine

• Phishers Exploit Ukraine Conflict To Solicit Crypto - IT Security Guru

Insider Risk and Insider Threats

• MITRE and Partners Build Insider Threat Knowledge Base | CSO Online

Fraud, Scams & Financial Crime

• UK Shoppers Face More Identity Checks When Buying Online | Consumer affairs | The Guardian

Supply Chain

• Container Vulnerability Opens Door For Supply Chain Attacks (techtarget.com)

DoS/DDoS

• Israeli Govt Sites Hit By Huge DDoS Attack • The Register

Cloud

• How Cloud Services Become Weapons In Russia-Ukraine Cyber Conflict | ZDNet

• The Next Big Cyber Security Threat Is Connected SaaS Platforms (thenextweb.com)

Privacy

• Smart Devices Are Spying on You Everywhere, And That's a Problem (sciencealert.com)

Passwords & Credential Stuffing

• NVIDIA Staff Shouldn’t Have Chosen Passwords Like These… • Graham Cluley

• Attackers Using Default Credentials To Target Businesses, Raspberry Pi And Linux Top Targets - Help Net Security

Regulations, Fines and Legislation

• CafePress Fined For Covering Up Customer Info Leak • The Register

• Meta Fined €17 Million by Irish Regulator for GDPR Violations | CSO Online

Spyware, Espionage & Cyber Warfare

• Would 'Cyber Geneva Conventions' Defuse Online Aggression? (darkreading.com)

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Nation State Actors

Nation State Actors – Russia

• Conti Leaks Reveal the Ransomware Group’s Links to Russia | WIRED

• How The Cyber World Can Support Ukraine | World Economic Forum (weforum.org)

• Russia's Disinformation Uses Deepfake Video Of Zelenskyy Telling People To Lay Down Arms - Security Affairs

• FBI Warns of MFA Flaw Used By State Hackers For Lateral Movement (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Ukraine Secret Service Arrests Hacker Helping Russian Invaders (thehackernews.com)

• Open Source Maintainer Sabotages Code to Wipe Russian, Belarusian Computers (vice.com)

• German Government Advises Against Using Kaspersky Antivirus (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Russia Could Use Kaspersky Antivirus Software In Cyber Attacks In Europe, German Agency Warns | Euronews

• ‘It’s The Right Thing To Do’: The 300,000 Volunteer Hackers Coming Together To Fight Russia | Ukraine | The Guardian

• Ukraine's "IT Army" Hit With Info-Stealing Malware- IT Security Guru

• Viasat, Rosneft Hit By Cyber Attacks • The Register

• Mozilla Firefox Removes Russian Search Providers Over Misinformation Concerns (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Fake Antivirus Updates Used To Deploy Cobalt Strike in Ukraine (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Ukrainian Hacktivists Allegedly Dumps Kaspersky Product Source Code Online (Updated) - Lowyat.NET

• New CaddyWiper Data Wiping Malware Hits Ukrainian Networks (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Top Ukrainian Cyber Official Praises Volunteer Hacks On Russian Targets, Offers Updates - CyberScoop

• Anonymous Sent A Message To Russians: "Remove Putin" - Security Affairs

• Cyber Attacks Cripple Russian Websites After Ukraine Invasion (gizmodo.com)

• Russia Faces IT Crisis With Just Two Months Of Data Storage Left (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Russia Labels Meta 'Extremist Organisation, Bans Instagram • The Register

Nation State Actors – China

• China-Linked Threat Actors Are Targeting The Government Of Ukraine - Security Affairs

• China Claims It Captured NSA Spy Tool That Already Leaked • The Register

Nation State Actors – Iran

• Researchers Find New Evidence Linking Kwampirs Malware to Shamoon APT Hackers (thehackernews.com)

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Vulnerabilities

• CISA Adds 15 Vulnerabilities To List Of Flaws Exploited In Attacks (bleepingcomputer.com)

• New Linux Bug in Netfilter Firewall Module Lets Attackers Gain Root Access (thehackernews.com)

• Apple Patch Day: Gaping Security Holes in iOS, macOS, iPadOS | SecurityWeek.Com

• OpenSSL Patches Denial-Of-Service Certificate Flaw • The Register

• OpenSSL Patches Infinite-Loop DoS Bug In Certificate Verification – Naked Security (sophos.com)

• Nasty Linux Netfilter Firewall Security Hole Found | ZDNet

• SolarWinds Warns Of Attacks Targeting Web Help Desk Instances (bleepingcomputer.com)

• High-Severity Vulnerabilities Patched in BIND Server | SecurityWeek.Com

• QNAP Warns Severe Linux Bug Affects Most Of Its NAS Devices (bleepingcomputer.com)

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Sector Specific

Financial Services Sector

• Top Threats For The Financial Sector - Help Net Security

• Hackers Target Bank Networks with new Rootkit to Steal Money from ATM Machines (thehackernews.com)

• Banks on Alert For Russian Reprisal Cyber Attacks on Swift | Ars Technica

• Fraudsters Use Intelligent Bots To Attack Financial Institutions (scmagazine.com)

• 70% of Financial Service Providers Are Implementing API Security - Help Net Security

• Report: Payment Fraud Attacks Against Fintech Companies Soar By 70% In 2021 - Information Security Buzz

Health/Medical/Pharma Sector

• Healthcare Cyber Security Trends: Organisations Not Quite Ready To Deal With Threats - Help Net Security

• Hospitals Warned Of 'Phone Calls And Emails From Hackers' As Russia-Ukraine War Rages - Manchester Evening News

• Nearly 300k Heart Patients’ Data Exposed - Infosecurity Magazine

Transport and Aviation

• Aircraft Disrupted by Satellite Jamming Following Russian Invasion - Infosecurity Magazine

• EU & US Agencies Warn That Russia Could Attack Satellite Communications - Security Affairs

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Reports Published in the Last Week

• 2022 Global Mobile Threat Report: Key Insights on the State of Mobile Security - Zimperium Mobile Security Blog

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Other News

• Does the Free World Need a Global Cyber Alliance? | SecurityWeek.Com

• Why EDR Is Not Sufficient To Protect Your Organisation - Help Net Security

• Public and Private Sector Security: Better Protection by Collaboration | SecurityWeek.Com

• The Importance Of Building In Security During Software Development - Help Net Security

• How Fast Can Organisations Respond To A Cyber Security Crisis? - Help Net Security

• Researcher Uses 379-Year-Old Algorithm To Crack Crypto Keys Found In The Wild | Ars Technica

• How Pen Testing Gains Critical Security Buy-in and Defence Insight (darkreading.com)

• DarkHotel APT Targets Wynn, Macao Hotels to Rip Off Guest Data | Threatpost

• When IT Spending Plans Don't Reflect Security Priorities (darkreading.com)

• Half of People Accept All Cookies Despite The Security Risk | TechRadar

• Business Is At Last Collaborating On Cyber Security | Financial Times (ft.com)

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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 16 April 2021

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

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Top Cyber Stories of the Last Week

61 Percent Of Employees Fail Basic Cyber Security Quiz

Nearly 70% of employees polled in a new survey said they recently received cyber security training from their employers, yet 61% nevertheless failed when asked to take a basic quiz on the topic. This was one of the leading findings of a research study that sought to understand the cyber security habits of some 1,200 workers, as well as their knowledge of best practices and ability to recognize security threats.

https://www.scmagazine.com/home/security-news/61-percent-of-employees-fail-basic-cybersecurity-quiz/

More Than 1,900 Distinct Hacking Groups Are Active Today

There are currently more than 1,900 distinct hacking groups that are active today, a number that grew from 1,800 groups recorded at the end of 2019. In its yearly cyber crime report, the company said it discovered 650 new threat actors during 2020, but new evidence also allowed it to remove 500 groups from its threat actor tracker due to overlaps in activity and hacking infrastructure with previously known clusters.

https://therecord.media/fireeye-more-than-1900-distinct-hacking-groups-are-active-today/

Ransomware: The Internet's Biggest Security Crisis Is Getting Worse

Organisations continue to fall victim to ransomware, and yet progress on tackling these attacks, which now constitute one of the biggest security problems on the internet, remains slow. From small companies to councils, government agencies and big business, the number and range of organisations hit by ransomware is rising. One recent example; schools with 36,000 students have been hit, leaving pupils without access to email as attempts were made to get systems back online. That is at least four chains of schools attacked in the last month.

https://www.zdnet.com/article/ransomware-the-internets-biggest-security-crisis-is-getting-worse-we-need-a-way-out/?&web_view=true

Enterprise Security Attackers Are One Password Away From Your Worst Day

If the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different outcome, then one might say the cyber security industry is insane.

Criminals continue to innovate with highly sophisticated attack methods, but many security organisations still use the same technological approaches they did 10 years ago. The world has changed, but cyber security hasn’t kept pace.

Distributed systems, with people and data everywhere, mean the perimeter has disappeared. And the hackers couldn’t be more excited. The same technology approaches, like correlation rules, manual processes and reviewing alerts in isolation, do little more than remedy symptoms while hardly addressing the underlying problem.

Credentials are supposed to be the front gates of the castle, but as the SOC is failing to change, it is failing to detect. The cyber security industry must rethink its strategy to analyse how credentials are used and stop breaches before they become bigger problems.

https://techcrunch.com/2021/04/16/enterprise-security-attackers-are-one-password-away-from-your-worst-day/

Microsoft’s April Update Patches 114 Bugs—Half Of Which Allow Remote Code Execution

The fourth Patch Tuesday of 2021 is another big one. Today, Microsoft revealed 114 vulnerabilities fixed in the monthly security, over half of which could potentially be exploited for remote code execution by attackers. Of the 55 remote execution bugs, over half were tied to Windows’ Remote Procedure Call (RPC) interface. Four more were Microsoft Exchange bugs (all urgent fixes) reported to Microsoft by the National Security Agency. In addition, six Chrome vulnerabilities that were previously addressed by Google are included in the roll-up.

https://news.sophos.com/en-us/2021/04/13/microsofts-april-update-patches-114-bugs-more-than-half-of-which-allow-remote-code-execution/

Nation-State Cyber Attacks Targeting Businesses Are On The Rise

Businesses are increasingly coming under fire from nation state-backed hackers as governments around the world engage in attacks to steal secrets or lay the foundations for future attacks. Nation States, Cyberconflict and the Web of Profit, a study by cyber security researchers at HP and criminologists at the University of Surrey, warns that the number of key nation-state attacks has risen significantly over the past three years – and that enterprises and businesses are increasingly being targeted. An analysis of nation-state cyber attacks between 2017 and 2020 reveals that just over a third of organisations targeted were businesses: cyber defence, media, government, and critical infrastructure are all also common targets in these attacks, but enterprise has risen to the top of the list.

https://www.zdnet.com/article/nation-state-cyber-attacks-targeting-businesses-are-on-the-rise/

Cyber Criminals Are Installing Cryptojacking Malware On Unpatched Microsoft Exchange Servers

Cyber criminals are targeting vulnerable Microsoft Exchange servers with cryptocurrency mining malware in a campaign designed to secretly use the processing power of compromised systems to make money. Zero-day vulnerabilities in Microsoft Exchange Server were detailed last month when Microsoft released critical security updates to prevent the exploitation of vulnerable systems. Cyber attackers ranging from nation-state-linked hacking groups to ransomware gangs have rushed to take advantage of unpatched Exchange servers -- but they are not the only ones.

https://www.zdnet.com/article/free-money-cyber-criminals-are-installing-cryptojacking-malware-on-unpatched-microsoft-exchange-servers/

NAME:WRECK DNS Vulnerabilities Affect Over 100 Million Devices

Security researchers have disclosed nine vulnerabilities affecting network communication stacks running on at least 100 million devices. Collectively referred to as NAME: WRECK, the flaws could be leveraged to take offline affected devices or to gain control over them. The vulnerabilities were found in a wide range of products, from high-performance servers and networking equipment to operational technology (OT) systems that monitor and control industrial equipment. According to researchers threat actors could exploit NAME:WRECK vulnerabilities to deal significant damage to government or enterprise servers, healthcare facilities, retailers, or companies in the manufacturing business by stealing sensitive data, modifying or taking equipment offline for sabotage purposes.

https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/name-wreck-dns-vulnerabilities-affect-over-100-million-devices/

Brits Still Confused By Multi-Factor Authentication

The British public are still woefully underinformed and unaware of the security benefits of multi-factor authentication (MFA). The industry association, founded in 2012 to promote authentication standards and reduce global reliance on passwords, recently polled over 4000 consumers in the UK, France, Germany, and the US. It revealed that half (49%) UK consumers have had their social media accounts compromised or know a friend or family member who has. However, despite a continued number of high-profile account takeovers, 43% said this does not make them enhance security on their accounts, even though they “feel like” they should. Part of the problem seems to be a general lack of understanding about the benefits of MFA in protecting account holders from phishing, as well as credential stuffing and other brute force attack types. Although such features are offered by all social media companies today, over a quarter (26%) of respondents said they were not using or didn’t know about them.

https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/brits-still-confused-by/

623K Payment Cards Stolen From Cyber Crime Forum

The Swarmshop cyber underground “card shop” has been hit by hackers, who lifted the site’s database of stolen payment-card data and leaked it online. That is according to researchers, who said that the database was posted on a rival underground forum. Card shops, are online cyber criminal forums where stolen payment-card data is bought and sold. Researchers said the database in question contains 623,036 payment-card records from card-issuers in Brazil, Canada, China, France, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, the U.K., and the U.S.

https://threatpost.com/623m-payment-cards-stolen-from-cybercrime-forum/165336/

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Threats

Ransomware

• How The Kremlin Provides A Safe Harbour For Ransomware

• Dutch Supermarkets Run Out Of Cheese After Ransomware Attack

• This Nasty Ransomware Hacks Your VPN To Break Into Your Device

Phishing

• New Invoice Payment Phishing Attack

• Tax Phish Swims Past Google Workspace Email Security

Other Social Engineering

• 7 New Social Engineering Tactics Threat Actors Are Using Now

• Cloud-Native Watering Hole Attack: Simple And Potentially Devastating

Malware

• Hackers Using Website's Contact Forms to Deliver IcedID Malware

Mobile

• Joker Malware Infected 538,000 Huawei Android Devices

Vulnerabilities

• Chrome And Edge Hacked By New Zero-Day Flaw — What To Do

• Adobe Patches Slew of Critical Security Bugs in Bridge, Photoshop

• Microsoft Security Update Fixes Zero-Day Vulnerabilities In Windows And Other Software

• Critical Security Alert: If You Haven't Patched This Old Vpn Vulnerability, Assume Your Network Is Compromised

• WhatsApp Addressed Two Security Vulnerabilities In Its App For Android That Could Have Been Exploited To Remotely Hack The Victim’s Device.

• Security Bug Allows Attackers to Brick Kubernetes Clusters

• 84% Of Codebases Contain An Open Source Vulnerability

Data Breaches

• Clubhouse Data Breach: 1.3 Million Users Have Info Leaked Online

• Covid Results Emails May Breach GDPR

Organised Crime & Criminal Actors

• Coronavirus Triggers Epidemic Of Cyber Fraud

Nation State Actors

• Iran Vows Revenge For 'Israeli' Attack On Natanz Nuclear Site

• US Poised To Impose Sanctions On Russia For Cyber-Attacks

• NSA: Top 5 Vulnerabilities Actively Abused By Russian Govt Hackers

Privacy

• 24% Of Workers Spied On By Bosses

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Reports Published in the Last Week

• SMB Cyber Security Trust & Confidence Report 2021

• Most Imitated Brands In Phishing Emails In First Quarter Of 2021: Report

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Other News

• A Casino Gets Hacked Through a Fish-Tank Thermometer

• SolarWinds: US and UK blame Russian intelligence service hackers for major cyberattack

• Detecting the "Next" SolarWinds-Style Cyber Attack

• The FBI Is Remotely Hacking Hundreds Of Computers To Protect Them From Hafnium

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

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

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

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