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Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing 21 April 2023
Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing 21 April 2023:
-March 2023 Broke Ransomware Attack Records with a 91% Increase from the Previous Month
-Organisations Overwhelmed with Cyber Security Alerts, Threats and Attack Surfaces
-One in Three Businesses Faced Cyber Attacks Last Year
-Why Your Anti-Fraud, Identity & Cybersecurity Efforts Should Be Merged
-Tight Budgets and Burnout Push Enterprises to Outsource Cyber Security
-Complex 8 Character Passwords Can Be Cracked in as Little as 5 Minutes
-83% of Organizations Paid Up in Ransomware Attacks
-Security is a Revenue Booster, Not a Cost Centre
-EX-CEO Gets Prison Sentence for Bad Security
-Warning From UK Cyber Agency for a New ‘Class’ of Russian Hackers
-KnowBe4 Q1 Phishing Report Reveals IT and Online Services Emails Drive Dangerous Attack Trend
-Outsourcing Group Capita Admits Customer Data May Have Been Breached During Cyber-Attack
-Outdated Cyber Security Practices Leave Door Open for Criminals
-Quantifying cyber risk vital for business survival
-Recycled Network Devices Exposing Corporate Secrets
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
March 2023 Broke Ransomware Attack Records with a 91% Increase from the Previous Month
March 2023 was the most prolific month recorded by cyber security analysts in recent years, measuring 459 attacks, an increase of 91% from the previous month and 62% compared to March 2022. According to NCC Group, which compiled the report based on statistics derived from its observations, the reason last month broke all ransomware attack records was CVE-2023-0669. This is a vulnerability in Fortra's GoAnywhere MFT secure file transfer tool that the Clop ransomware gang exploited as a zero-day to steal data from 130 companies within ten days.
Regarding the location of last month's victims, almost half of all attacks (221) breached entities in North America. Europe followed with 126 episodes, and Asia came third with 59 ransomware attacks.
The recorded activity spike in March 2023 highlights the importance of applying security updates as soon as possible, mitigating potentially unknown security gaps like zero days by implementing additional measures and monitoring network traffic and logs for suspicious activity.
Organisations Overwhelmed with Cyber Security Alerts, Threats and Attack Surfaces
Many organisations are struggling to manage key security projects while being overwhelmed with volumes of alerts, increasing cyber threats and growing attack surfaces, a new report has said. Compounding that problem is a tendency by an organisation’s top brass to miss hidden risks associated with digital transformation projects and compliance regulations, leading to a false sense of confidence in their awareness of these vulnerabilities.
The study comprised IT professionals from the manufacturing, government, healthcare, financial services, retail and telecommunications industries. Five of the biggest challenges they face include:
Keeping up with threat intelligence (70%)
Allocating cyber security resources and budget (47%)
Visibility into all assets connected to the network (44%)
Compliance and regulation (39%)
Convergence of IT and OT (32%)
The report also focused on breaches within organisations, finding that 64% had suffered a breach or ransomware attack in the last five years; 43% said it had been caused by employee phishing.
One in Three Businesses Faced Cyber Attacks Last Year
Nearly a third of businesses and a quarter of charities have said they were the subject of cyber attacks or breaches last year, new data has shown. Figures collected for the UK Government by polling company Ipsos show a similar proportion of larger and medium-sized companies and high-income charities faced attacks or breaches last year as in 2021.
Overall, 32% of businesses said they had been subject to attacks or breaches over a 12-month period, with 24% of charities saying the same. Meanwhile, about one in ten businesses (11%) and 8% of charities said they had been the victims of cyber crime – which is defined more narrowly – over the 12-month period. This rose to a quarter (26%) of medium-sized businesses, 37% of large businesses and 25% of high-income charities. The UK Government estimated there had been 2.4 million instances of cyber crime against UK businesses, costing an average of £15,300 per victim.
https://www.aol.co.uk/news/one-three-businesses-faced-cyber-105751822.html
Why Your Anti-Fraud, Identity & Cyber Security Efforts Should Be Merged
Across early-stage startups and mature public companies alike, organisations are increasingly moving to a convergence of fraud prevention, identity and access management (IdAM), and cyber security. To improve an organisation's overall security posture, business, IT, and fraud leaders must realise that their areas shouldn't be treated as separate line items. Ultimately, these three disciplines serve the same purpose — protecting the business — and they must converge. This is a simple statement, but complex in practice, due mainly to the array of people, strategies, and tooling that today's organisations have built.
The convergence of these three functions comes at a seminal moment, as global threats are heightened due to several factors: geopolitical tensions like the war on Ukraine, the economic downturn, and a never-ending barrage of sophisticated attacks on businesses and consumers. At the same time, companies are facing slowing revenues, rising inflation, and increased pressure from investors, causing layoffs and budget reductions in the name of optimisation. Cutting back in the wrong areas, however, increases risk.
Tight Budgets and Burnout Push Enterprises to Outsource Cyber Security
With cyber security teams struggling to manage the remediation process and monitor for vulnerabilities, organisations are at a higher risk for security breaches, according to cyber security penetration test provider Cobalt. As enterprises prioritise efficiencies, security leaders increasingly turn to third-party vendors to alleviate the pressures of consistent testing and to fill in talent gaps.
Cobalt’s recent report found:
Budget cuts and layoffs plague security teams: 63% of US cyber security professionals had their department’s budget cut in 2023.
Cyber security professionals deprioritise responsibilities to stay afloat: 79% of US cyber security professionals admit to deprioritising responsibilities leading to a backlog of unaddressed vulnerabilities.
Inaccurate security configurations cause vulnerabilities: 40% of US respondents found the most security vulnerabilities were related to server security misconfigurations.
https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2023/04/19/cybersecurity-professionals-responsibilities/
Complex 8 Character Passwords Can Be Cracked in as Little as 5 Minutes
Recently, security vendor Hive released their findings on the time it takes to brute force a password in 2023. This year’s study included the emergence of AI tools. The vendor found that a complex 8 character password could be cracked in as little as 5 minutes. This number rose to 226 years when 12 characters were used and 1 million years when 14 characters were used. A complex password involves the use of numbers, upper and lower case letters and symbols.
Last year, the study found the same 8 and 12 character passwords would have taken 39 minutes and 3,000 years, showing the significant drop in the time it takes to brute force a password. The study highlights the importance for organisations to be aware of their password security and the need for consistent review and updates to the policy.
https://www.hivesystems.io/blog/are-your-passwords-in-the-green
83% of Organisations Paid Up in Ransomware Attacks
A report this week found that 83% of victim organisations paid a ransom at least once. The report found that while entities like the FBI and CISA argue against paying ransoms, many organisations decide to eat the upfront cost of paying a ransom, costing an average of $925,162, rather than enduring the further operational disruption and data loss.
Organisations are giving ransomware attackers leverage over their data by failing to address vulnerabilities created by unpatched software, unmanaged devices and shadow IT. For instance, 77% of IT decision makers argue that outdated cyber security practices have contributed to at least half of security incidents. Over time, these unaddressed vulnerabilities multiply, giving threat actors more potential entry points to exploit and greater leverage to force companies into paying up.
https://venturebeat.com/security/83-of-organizations-paid-up-in-ransomware-attacks/
Security is a Revenue Booster, Not a Cost Centre
Security has historically been seen as a cost centre, which has led to it being given as little money as possible. Many CISOs, CSOs, and CROs fed into that image by primarily talking in terms of disaster avoidance, such as data breaches hurting the enterprise and ransomware potentially shutting it down. But what if security presented itself instead as a way to boost revenue and increase market share? That could easily shift those financial discussions into something much more comfortable.
For example, Apple touted its investments into the secure enclave to claim that it offers users better privacy. Specifically, the company argued that it couldn't reveal information to federal authorities because the enclave was just that secure. Apple turned that into a powerful competitive argument against rival Android creator Google, which makes much of its revenue by monetising users' data.
In another scenario, bank regulations require financial institutions to reimburse customers who are victimised by fraudsters, but they carve out an exception for wire fraud. Imagine if a bank realises that covering all fraud — even though it is not required to do so — could be a powerful differentiator that would boost its market share by supporting customers better than competitors do.
https://www.darkreading.com/edge-articles/security-is-a-revenue-booster-not-a-cost-center
Ex-CEO Gets Prison Sentence for Bad Security
A clinic was recently subject to a cyber attack and even though the clinic was itself the victim, the ex-CEO of the clinic faced criminal charges, too. It would appear that the CEO was aware of the clinic’s failure to employ data security precautions and was aware of this for up to two years before the attack took place.
Worse still, the CEO allegedly knew about the problems because the clinic suffered breaches in 2018 and 2019, and failed to report them; presumably hoping that no traceable cyber crimes would arise as a result, and thus that the company would never get caught out. However, modern breach disclosure and data protection regulations, such as GDPR in Europe, make it clear that data breaches can’t simply be “swept under the carpet” any more, and must be promptly disclosed for the greater good of all.
The former CEO has now been convicted and given a prison sentence, reminding business leaders that merely promising to look after other people’s personal data is not enough. Paying lip service alone to cyber security is insufficient, to the point that you can end up being treated as both a cyber crime victim and a perpetrator at the same time.
Warning From UK Cyber Agency for a New ‘Class’ of Russian Hackers
There is a new ‘class’ of Russian hackers, the UK cyber-agency NCSC warns. Due to an increased danger of attacks by state-aligned Russian hackers, the NCSC is encouraging all businesses to put the recommended protection measures into place. The NCSC alert states, “during the past 18 months, a new kind of Russian hacker has developed.” These state-aligned organisations frequently support Russia’s incursion and are driven more by ideology than money. These hacktivist organisations typically concentrate their harmful online activity on launching DDoS (distributed denial of service) assaults against vital infrastructure, including airports, the legislature, and official websites. The NCSC has released a special guide with a list of steps businesses should take when facing serious cyber threats. System patching, access control confirmation, functional defences, logging, and monitoring, reviewing backups, incident plans, and third-party access management are important steps.
https://informationsecuritybuzz.com/warning-uk-cyberagency-russian-hackers/
KnowBe4 Q1 Phishing Report Reveals IT and Online Services Emails Drive Dangerous Attack Trend
KnowBe4 announced the results of its Q1 2023 top-clicked phishing report, and the results included the top email subjects clicked on in phishing tests.
The report found that phishing tactics are changing with the increasing trend of cyber criminals using email subjects related to IT and online services such as password change requirements, Zoom meeting invitations, security alerts and more. These are effective because they would impact an end users’ daily workday and subsequent tasks to be completed.
71% of the most effective phishing lures related to HR (including leave, dress code, expenses, pay and performance) or tax, and these types of emails continue to be very effective.
Emails that are disguised as coming from an internal source such as the IT department or HR are especially dangerous because they appear to come from a more trusted, familiar place where an employee would not necessarily question it or be as sceptical. Building up an organisation’s human firewall by fostering a strong security culture is essential to outsmart bad actors.
Outsourcing Group Capita Admits Customer Data May Have Been Breached During Cyber Attack
Capita, which runs crucial services for the UK NHS, Government, Military and Financial Services, has for the first time admitted that hackers accessed potential customer, staff and supplier data during a cyber attack last month. The company said its investigation into the attack – which caused major IT outages for clients – found that hackers infiltrated its systems around 22 March, meaning they had around nine days before Capita “interrupted” the breach on 31 March.
While Capita has admitted that data was breached during the incident, it raises the possibility that public sector information was accessed by hackers. Capita, which employs more than 50,000 people in Britain, is one of the government’s most important suppliers and holds £6.5bn-worth of public sector contracts. Capita stopped short of disclosing how many customers were potentially affected by the breach, and is still notifying anyone whose data might be at risk.
Outdated Cyber Security Practices Leave Door Open for Criminals
A recent report found that as organisations increasingly find themselves under attack, they are drowning in cyber security debt – unaddressed security vulnerabilities like unpatched software, unmanaged devices, shadow IT, and insecure network protocols that act as access points for bad actors. The report found a worrying 98% of respondents are running one or more insecure network protocols and 47% had critical devices exposed to the internet. Despite these concerning figures, fewer than one-third said they have immediate plans to address any of the outdated security practices that put their organisations at risk.
https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2023/04/20/outdated-cybersecurity-practices/
Quantifying Cyber Risk Vital for Business Survival
Organisations are starting to wake up to the fact that the impact of ransomware and other cyber attacks cause long term issues. The financial implications are far reaching and creating barriers for companies to continue operations after these attacks. As such, quantifying cyber risk is business-specific, and organisations must assess what type of loss they may face, which includes revenue, remediation, legal settlement, or otherwise.
https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2023/04/19/cyber-attacks-financial-impact/
Recycled Network Devices Exposing Corporate Secrets
Over half of corporate network devices sold second-hand still contain sensitive company data, according to a new study. The study involved the purchase of recycled routers, finding that 56% contained one or more credentials as well as enough information to identify the previous owner.
Some of the analysed data included customer data, credentials, connection details for applications and authentication keys. In some cases, the data allowed for the location of remote offices and operators, which could be used in subsequent exploitation efforts.
In a number of cases the researchers were able to determine with high confidence — based on the data still present on the devices — who their previous owner was. The list included a multinational tech company and a telecoms firm, both with more than 10,000 employees and over $1 billion in revenue.
The study informed organisations who had owned the routers. Unfortunately, when contacted, some of the organisations failed to respond or acknowledge the findings.
https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/recycled-network-exposing/
Threats
Ransomware, Extortion and Destructive Attacks
83% of organisations paid up in ransomware attacks | VentureBeat
March 2023 broke ransomware attack records with 459 incidents (bleepingcomputer.com)
Hackers start abusing Action1 RMM in ransomware attacks (bleepingcomputer.com)
Vice Society ransomware uses new PowerShell data theft tool in attacks (bleepingcomputer.com)
RTM Locker: Emerging Cyber crime Group Targeting Businesses with Ransomware (thehackernews.com)
Western Digital Hackers Demand 8-Figure Ransom Payment for Data (darkreading.com)
NCR was the victim of BlackCat/ALPHV ransomware gang - Security Affairs
Darktrace Denies Getting Hacked After Ransomware Group Names Company on Leak Site - SecurityWeek
LockBit ransomware encryptors found targeting Mac devices (bleepingcomputer.com)
Hackers publish sensitive employee data stolen during CommScope ransomware attack | TechCrunch
Vice Society is using custom PowerShell tool for data exfiltrationSecurity Affairs
Black Basta claims it's selling off stolen Capita data • The Register
Ransomware reinfection and its impact on businesses - Help Net Security
Microsoft SQL servers hacked to deploy Trigona ransomware (bleepingcomputer.com)
Play ransomware gang uses custom Shadow Volume Copy data-theft tool (bleepingcomputer.com)
Ransomware gangs abuse Process Explorer driver to kill security software (bleepingcomputer.com)
Medusa ransomware crew boasts of Microsoft code leak • The Register
New Ransomware Attack Hits Health Insurer Point32Health (informationsecuritybuzz.com)
Phishing & Email Based Attacks
New Qbot campaign delivers malware by hijacking business emails | CSO Online
AI tools like ChatGPT expected to fuel BEC attacks - Help Net Security
Marketing biz sent 107M spam emails in a year, says watchdog • The Register
Phishing FAQ: How to Spot Scams and Stop Them in Their Tracks - CNET
UK government employees receive average of 2,246 malicious emails per year - IT Security Guru
BEC – Business Email Compromise
Crypto phishing attacks up by 40% in one year: Kaspersky (cointelegraph.com)
AI tools like ChatGPT expected to fuel BEC attacks - Help Net Security
US charges three men with six million dollar business email compromise plot | Tripwire
2FA/MFA
Malware
Ex-Conti and FIN7 Actors Collaborate with New Domino Backdoor (securityintelligence.com)
US, UK warn of govt hackers using custom malware on Cisco routers (bleepingcomputer.com)
New QBot campaign delivered hijacking business correspondenceSecurity Affairs
Hard-to-detect malware loader distributed via AI-generated YouTube videos | CSO Online
Hackers Storing Malware in Google Drive as Encrypted ZIP Files (gbhackers.com)
Raspberry Robin Adopts Unique Evasion Techniques - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)
'AuKill' Malware Hunts & Kills EDR Processes (darkreading.com)
What Are Computer Worms And How To Prevent Them (informationsecuritybuzz.com)
Mobile
Android malware infiltrates 60 Google Play apps with 100M installs (bleepingcomputer.com)
CISA warns of Android bug exploited by Chinese app to spy on users (bleepingcomputer.com)
NSO Group is Back in Business With 3 New iOS Zero-Click Exploits (darkreading.com)
Global Spyware Attacks Spotted Against Both New & Old iPhones (darkreading.com)
Botnets
Internet of Things – IoT
Military helicopter crash blamed on missing software patch • The Register
Why xIoT Devices Are Cyberattackers' Gateway Drug for Lateral Movement (darkreading.com)
Hikvision: Chinese surveillance tech giant denies leaked Pentagon spy claim - BBC News
The Car Thieves Using Tech Disguised Inside Old Nokia Phones and Bluetooth Speakers (vice.com)
Popular Fitness Apps Leak Location Data Even When Users Set Privacy Zones (darkreading.com)
Five Eye nations release new guidance on smart city cyber security | CSO Online
Data Breaches/Leaks
Kodi Confirms Data Breach: 400K User Records and Private Messages Stolen (thehackernews.com)
Rheinmetall suffers cyber attack, military business unaffected, spokesperson says | Reuters
Jack Teixeira's charges in full: 'Top secret' access, leak searches and the Espionage Act - BBC News
Online Gaming Chats Have Long Been Spy Risk for US Military - SecurityWeek
Air Force Unit in Document Leaks Case Loses Intel Mission - SecurityWeek
Organised Crime & Criminal Actors
Inside look at cyber criminal organisations: Why size matters | SC Media (scmagazine.com)
Standardized data collection methods can help fight cyber crime | TechTarget
Why Cyber criminals Love The Rust Programming Language (informationsecuritybuzz.com)
Cryptocurrency/Cryptomining/Cryptojacking/NFTs/Blockchain
Crypto phishing attacks up by 40% in one year: Kaspersky (cointelegraph.com)
On the hunt for the businessmen behind a billion-dollar scam - BBC News
Hundred Finance loses $7 million in Optimism hack (cointelegraph.com)
Insider Risk and Insider Threats
Human-Centered Approach Can Reduce Cyber security Failures, Gartner Predicts - MSSP Alert
HR Magazine - UK government plans to make businesses liable for employee fraud
Top risks and best practices for securely offboarding employees | CSO Online
How to Strengthen your Insider Threat Security - IT Security Guru
Fraud, Scams & Financial Crime
Pre-pandemic techniques are fueling record fraud rates - Help Net Security
HR Magazine - UK government plans to make businesses liable for employee fraud
Why Your Anti-Fraud, Identity & Cyber security Efforts Should Be Merged (darkreading.com)
Police disrupts $98M online fraud ring with 33,000 victims (bleepingcomputer.com)
US extradites Nigerian charged in $6m email fraud scam • The Register
Crypto phishing attacks up by 40% in one year: Kaspersky (cointelegraph.com)
Three charged over banking fraud for hire website | Computer Weekly
On the hunt for the businessmen behind a billion-dollar scam - BBC News
Hundred Finance loses $7 million in Optimism hack (cointelegraph.com)
Dennis Kozlowski and the Infamous $6,000 Shower Curtain | Entrepreneur
FTC orders payments firm to pay $650k over tech support scam • The Register
Scammers using social media to dupe people into becoming money mules - Help Net Security
AML/CFT/Sanctions
Insurance
Bank of America warns Lloyd’s over state-backed cyber attack exclusion | Financial Times (ft.com)
Cyber insurance Backstop: Can the Industry Survive Without One? - SecurityWeek
Cyber insurer launches InsurSec solution to help SMBs improve security, risk management | CSO Online
Dark Web
Supply Chain and Third Parties
Capita PLC falls on reports cyber attack was worse than admitted (proactiveinvestors.co.uk)
Lazarus APT group employed Linux Malware in recent attacks-Security Affairs
Hackers start abusing Action1 RMM in ransomware attacks (bleepingcomputer.com)
Software Supply Chain
Cloud/SaaS
Cloud Security Alerts Take Six Days to Resolve - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)
Linux kernel logic allowed Spectre attack on major cloud • The Register
Western Digital Hackers Demand 8-Figure Ransom Payment for Data (darkreading.com)
Is there really a march from the public cloud back on-prem? | TechCrunch
Uncovering (and Understanding) the Hidden Risks of SaaS Apps (thehackernews.com)
Hackers Storing Malware in Google Drive as Encrypted ZIP Files (gbhackers.com)
Microsoft 365 outage blocks access to web apps and services (bleepingcomputer.com)
Experts disclosed 2 critical flaws in Alibaba cloud database services Security Affairs
Attack Surface Management
Shadow IT
Identity and Access Management
Why Your Anti-Fraud, Identity & Cyber security Efforts Should Be Merged (darkreading.com)
The Attacks that can Target your Windows Active Directory (bleepingcomputer.com)
The biggest data security blind spot: Authorization - Help Net Security
Encryption
API
Open Source
Linux kernel logic allowed Spectre attack on major cloud • The Register
Security beyond software: The open source hardware security evolution - Help Net Security
Report: Most IT Teams Can't Fix Open Source Software Security - DevOps.com
Passwords, Credential Stuffing & Brute Force Attacks
Social Media
LinkedIn deploys new secure identity verification for all members | SC Media (scmagazine.com)
Hard-to-detect malware loader distributed via AI-generated YouTube videos | CSO Online
Crime agencies condemn Facebook and Instagram encryption plans | Meta | The Guardian
Scammers using social media to dupe people into becoming money mules - Help Net Security
Regulations, Fines and Legislation
Human rights groups raise alarm over UN Cyber crime Treaty • The Register
EU privacy regulators to create task force to investigate ChatGPT | Computerworld
What Business Needs to Know About the New U.S. Cybersecurity Strategy (hbr.org)
Marketing biz sent 107M spam emails in a year, says watchdog • The Register
As Consumer Privacy Evolves, Here's How You Can Stay Ahead of Regulations (darkreading.com)
Brit cops rapped over app that recorded 200k phone calls • The Register
Three Effective Ways For Boards To Prepare For Imminent SEC Cyber Rules (forbes.com)
US imposes $300m penalty over hard disk drive exports to Huawei - BBC News
Governance, Risk and Compliance
Security Is a Revenue Booster, Not a Cost Centre (darkreading.com)
Tight budgets and burnout push enterprises to outsource cyber security - Help Net Security
'One in three firms faced cyber attacks last year' (aol.co.uk)
Skills shortage puts Europe’s cyber resilience to the test – EURACTIV.com
Quantifying cyber risk vital for business survival - Help Net Security
Wargaming an effective data breach playbook - Help Net Security
Outdated cyber security practices leave door open for criminals - Help Net Security
CISOs struggling to protect sensitive data records - Help Net Security
Why Your Anti-Fraud, Identity & Cyber security Efforts Should Be Merged (darkreading.com)
3 Flaws, 1 War Dominated Cyber-Threat Landscape in 2022 (darkreading.com)
Lack of Breach Info on Notices Surges in Q1 - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)
Ex-CIO must pay £81k over Total Shambles Bank migration • The Register
Economic uncertainty drives upskilling as a key strategy for organisations - Help Net Security
Top risks and best practices for securely offboarding employees | CSO Online
How companies are struggling to build and run effective cyber security programs - Help Net Security
Three Effective Ways For Boards To Prepare For Imminent SEC Cyber Rules (forbes.com)
Small Business Interest in Cyber-Hygiene Wanes - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)
Secure Disposal
Backup and Recovery
Data Protection
Government reprimanded for serious breaches of data protection law - Jersey Evening Post
Marketing biz sent 107M spam emails in a year, says watchdog • The Register
Brit cops rapped over app that recorded 200k phone calls • The Register
ChatGPT's Data Protection Blind Spots and How Security Teams Can Solve Them (thehackernews.com)
Careers, Working in Cyber and Information Security
Law Enforcement Action and Take Downs
Police disrupts $98M online fraud ring with 33,000 victims (bleepingcomputer.com)
US extradites Nigerian charged in $6m email fraud scam • The Register
Three charged over banking fraud for hire website | Computer Weekly
US citizens charged with pushing pro-Kremlin disinformation • The Register
Privacy, Surveillance and Mass Monitoring
Human rights groups raise alarm over UN Cyber crime Treaty • The Register
What the Recent Collapse of SVB Means for Privacy (darkreading.com)
As Consumer Privacy Evolves, Here's How You Can Stay Ahead of Regulations (darkreading.com)
Popular Fitness Apps Leak Location Data Even When Users Set Privacy Zones (darkreading.com)
Artificial Intelligence
AI tools like ChatGPT expected to fuel BEC attacks - Help Net Security
Stolen ChatGPT premium accounts up for sale on the dark web | CSO Online
Pen testing amid the rise of AI-powered threat actors | TechTarget
EU privacy regulators to create task force to investigate ChatGPT | Computerworld
Cyber crims hop geofences, clamor for stolen ChatGPT accounts • The Register
AI-created malware sends shockwaves through cybersecurity world | Fox News
Hard-to-detect malware loader distributed via AI-generated YouTube videos | CSO Online
Tech Insight: Dangers of Using Large Language Models Before They Are Baked (darkreading.com)
ChatGPT-Related Malicious URLs on the Rise - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)
ChatGPT's Data Protection Blind Spots and How Security Teams Can Solve Them (thehackernews.com)
Misinformation, Disinformation and Propaganda
Spyware, Cyber Espionage & Cyber Warfare, including Russian Invasion of Ukraine
Russian hackers targeting UK more frequently (thetimes.co.uk)
CISA warns of Android bug exploited by Chinese app to spy on users (bleepingcomputer.com)
Jack Teixeira's charges in full: 'Top secret' access, leak searches and the Espionage Act - BBC News
Russian SolarWinds Culprits Launch Fresh Barrage of Espionage Cyberattacks (darkreading.com)
Meet the hacker armies on Ukraine's cyber front line - BBC News
Offensive cyber company QuaDream shutting down amidst spyware accusations | Ctech (calcalistech.com)
Genius hackers help Russia’s neighbors thwart cyber incursions | Cybernews
NSO Group is Back in Business With 3 New iOS Zero-Click Exploits (darkreading.com)
UK, US sound the alarm on Russians exploiting Cisco flaws • The Register
Microsoft: Iranian hackers behind retaliatory cyber attacks on US orgs (bleepingcomputer.com)
US citizens charged with pushing pro-Kremlin disinformation • The Register
Heightened threat of state-aligned groups against western... - NCSC.GOV.UK
Microsoft shifts to a new threat actor naming taxonomy - Microsoft Security Blog
How cyber support to Ukraine can build its democratic future | CyberScoop
Google TAG Warns of Russian Hackers Conducting Phishing Attacks in Ukraine (thehackernews.com)
Blind Eagle Cyber Espionage Group Strikes Again: New Attack Chain Uncovered (thehackernews.com)
Britain sounds alarm on spyware, mercenary hacking market | Reuters
Global Spyware Attacks Spotted Against Both New & Old iPhones (darkreading.com)
The UK will need more than words in this cyber war | Financial Times (ft.com)
Google: Ukraine targeted by 60% of Russian phishing attacks in 2023 (bleepingcomputer.com)
Nation State Actors
BT holds China-Taiwan war game to stress test supply chains | Financial Times (ft.com)
3CX Supply Chain Attack Tied to Financial Trading App Breach (darkreading.com)
UK security chief’s alert over threat from China (thetimes.co.uk)
Russia accuses NATO of launching 5,000 cyberattacks since 2022 (bleepingcomputer.com)
Human rights groups raise alarm over UN Cyber crime Treaty • The Register
CISA warns of Android bug exploited by Chinese app to spy on users (bleepingcomputer.com)
APT41 Taps Google Red Teaming Tool in Targeted Info-Stealing Attacks (darkreading.com)
US charges 44 members of alleged Chinese troll army • The Register
Hikvision: Chinese surveillance tech giant denies leaked Pentagon spy claim - BBC News
Iranian Hackers Using SimpleHelp Remote Support Software for Persistent Access (thehackernews.com)
Microsoft: Iranian hackers behind retaliatory cyber attacks on US orgs (bleepingcomputer.com)
Heightened threat of state-aligned groups against western... - NCSC.GOV.UK
Microsoft shifts to a new threat actor naming taxonomy - Microsoft Security Blog
Killnet Boss Exposes Rival Leader in Kremlin Hacktivist Beef (darkreading.com)
Iranian Government-Backed Hackers Targeting U.S. Energy and Transit Systems (thehackernews.com)
Lazarus Group Adds Linux Malware to Arsenal in Operation Dream Job (thehackernews.com)
US imposes $300m penalty over hard disk drive exports to Huawei - BBC News
Vulnerability Management
Military helicopter crash blamed on missing software patch • The Register
Google Outlines Initiatives to Fortify Vulnerability Management - MSSP Alert
Beyond CVEs: The Key to Mitigating High-Risk Security Exposures (darkreading.com)
Vulnerabilities
UK, US sound the alarm on Russians exploiting Cisco flaws • The Register
Thousands at risk from critical RCE bug in legacy MS service | Computer Weekly
Critical Flaws in vm2 JavaScript Library Can Lead to Remote Code Execution (thehackernews.com)
Hackers actively exploit critical RCE bug in PaperCut servers (bleepingcomputer.com)
Google patches another actively exploited Chrome zero-day (bleepingcomputer.com)
Experts disclosed 2 critical flaws in Alibaba cloud database services - Security Affairs
VMware Patches Pre-Auth Code Execution Flaw in Logging Product - SecurityWeek
Microsoft Defender update causes Windows Hardware Stack Protection mess (bleepingcomputer.com)
Tools and Controls
Pen testing amid the rise of AI-powered threat actors | TechTarget
7 countries unite to push for secure-by-design development | CSO Online
Wargaming an effective data breach playbook - Help Net Security
Cloud Security Alerts Take Six Days to Resolve - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)
DFIR via XDR: How to expedite your investigations with a DFIRent approach (thehackernews.com)
Microsoft opens up Defender with file hash, URL search • The Register
Beyond CVEs: The Key to Mitigating High-Risk Security Exposures (darkreading.com)
Enterprises Exposed to Hacker Attacks Due to Failure to Wipe Discarded Routers - SecurityWeek
CISOs struggling to protect sensitive data records - Help Net Security
AI defenders ready to foil AI-armed attackers • The Register
Newer Authentication Tech a Priority for 2023 (darkreading.com)
Other News
Misconfiguration leaves thousands of servers vulnerable to attack, researchers find | CyberScoop
Fortra shares findings on GoAnywhere MFT zero-day attacks (bleepingcomputer.com)
How to defend against TCP port 445 and other SMB exploits | TechTarget
Criminal Records Service still disrupted 4 weeks after hack - BBC News
Attackers use abandoned WordPress plugin to backdoor websites (bleepingcomputer.com)
EU launches Cyber Solidarity Act to respond to large-scale attacks – EURACTIV.com
Sector Specific
Industry specific threat intelligence reports are available.
Contact us to receive tailored reports specific to the industry/sector and geographies you operate in.
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· Construction
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· Defence & Space
· Education & Academia
· Energy & Utilities
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· 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
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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 31 March 2023
Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing 31 March 2023:
-Phishing Emails Up a Whopping 569% in 2022
-The End User Password Mistakes Putting Your Organisation at Risk
-Millions of Penetration Tests Show Companies’ Security Postures are Getting Worse
-71% of Employees Keep Work Passwords on Personal Devices
-Cyber Crime Frontlines in Russia-Ukraine War Move to Eastern and Northern Europe
-Security Flaws Cost Fifth of Executive’s Businesses
-Companies Struggle to Build and Run Effective Programs to Protect Data from Insider Threats
-Only 10% of Workers Remember All Their Cyber Security Training
-Silence Gets You Nowhere in a Data Breach
-Just 1% of Cloud Permissions are Actively Used
-Dangerous Misconceptions About Emerging Cyber Threats
-‘Grim’ Criminal Abuse of ChatGPT is Coming, Europol Warns
Welcome to this week’s Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing – a weekly digest, collated and curated by our cyber experts to provide senior and middle management with an easy to digest round up of the most notable threats, vulnerabilities, and cyber related news from the last week.
Top Cyber Stories of the Last Week
Phishing Emails Up a Whopping 569% in 2022
The volume of phishing emails sent in 2022 spiked by a jaw-dropping 569% according to a new report. Based on data from 35 million users, the report details the astronomical rise of email phishing as a tactic among threat actors in 2022. Key findings from the report include the number of credential phishing emails sent spiked by 478% and, for the eighth consecutive year, business email compromise (BEC) ranked as the top cyber crime.
https://www.darkreading.com/attacks-breaches/phishing-emails-up-whopping-569-percent-2022
The End User Password Mistakes Putting Your Organisation at Risk
Businesses rely on their end users, but those same users often don't follow the best security practices. Without the right password security policies, a single end user password mistake can be a costly breach of your organisation's defences. End users want to do their work quickly and efficiently, but sharing, reusing and weak passwords can put your organisation at risk so having the right policies in place is essential for security.
Millions of Penetration Tests Show Companies’ Security Postures are Getting Worse
The risk score for the average company worsened in the past year as companies fail to adapt to data exfiltration techniques and adequately protect web applications. Companies' effective data-exfiltration risk increased to 44 out of 100 (with 100 indicating the riskiest posture) in 2022, from an average score of 30 in the previous year, indicating that the overall risk of data being compromised has increased. That's according to rankings by Cymulate, who crunched data on 1.7 million hours of offensive cyber security testing. The research noted that while many companies are improving the adoption of strict network and group policies, attackers are adapting to sidestep such protections. They also found that four of the top-10 CVEs (known vulnerabilities) identified in customer environments were more than two years old.
https://www.darkreading.com/cloud/millions-pen-tests-companies-security-posture-getting-worse
71% of Employees Keep Work Passwords on Personal Devices
71% of employees store sensitive work passwords on their personal phones, and 66% use their personal texting apps for work, according to a new mobile bring your own device (BYOD) security report this week, with the report also suggesting 95% of security leaders are increasingly concerned about phishing attacks via private messaging apps. With the widespread use of personal mobile devices in the workplace, it is increasingly difficult for employers to ensure the security of sensitive information. The use of personal devices and personal apps was the direct cause of many high-profile corporate breaches and this is a trend that will surely continue, as employees often use corporate and personal devices for work, effectively doubling the attack surface for cyber criminals as threat actors know there are fewer security controls on personal mobile devices than on corporate ones.
https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/70-employees-keep-work-passwords/
Cyber Frontlines in Russia-Ukraine War Move to Eastern and Northern Europe
More than a year into the war in Ukraine, hackers have extended the cyber battleground to Eastern and Northern Europe with the number of incidents in those geographies spiking noticeably. A new report shows that cyber warfare inside the conflict has “clearly moved on” from the beginnings of the war. Over the last 12 months, the research reports that the majority of incidents only affecting Ukraine in the first quarter of 2022 (50.4%) sank to 28.6% in the third period. But European Union countries have seen a spike in incidents related to the war in the past six months from 9.8% to 46.5%. Indeed, the number of attacks on EU countries in the third quarter of 2022 totalled just slightly less than those in the Ukraine. And, in the first quarter of this year, more than 80% of incidents occurred inside the European Union. Cyber is now a crucial weapon in the arsenal of new instruments of war, alongside disinformation, manipulation of public opinion, economic warfare, sabotage and guerrilla tactics. With the lateralisation of the conflict from Ukraine to the rest of Europe, Western Europe should be wary of possible attacks on critical infrastructure in the short term if the conflict continues to accelerate.
Security Flaws Cost Fifth of Executives New Business
Boards continue to under-appreciate the value of cyber security to the business, despite acknowledging its critical role in winning new business and talent, according to Trend Micro. The security giant polled 2,718 business decision makers globally to compile its Risky Rewards study and it found that half (51%) believe cyber security is a necessary cost but not a revenue contributor. 48% argue that its value is limited to threat prevention and two-fifths (38%) see security as a barrier rather than a business enabler. That’s despite a fifth (19%) acknowledging that poor security posture has already impacted their ability to win new business, and 57% thinking there is a strong connection between cyber and client acquisition.
https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/fifth-execs-security-flaws-cost/
Companies Struggle to Build and Run Effective Programs to Protect Data from Insider Threats
Insider risk is emerging as one of the most challenging threats for organisations to detect, mitigate and manage, Code42 Software said in its annual Data Exposure Report for 2023. To compile data for the study they surveyed some 700 cyber security leaders, managers and practitioners and whilst more than 72% of companies indicated they have an insider risk management (IRM) program in place, the same companies experienced a year-over-year increase in data loss incidents of 32%. 71% of respondees expect data loss from insider events to increase in the next 12 months. Insider incidents are costing organisations $16 million per incident on average, and chief information security officers (CISOs) say that insider risks are the most challenging type of threat to detect. Data loss from insiders is not a new problem but it has become more complex with workforce turnover and cloud adoption.
Only 10% of Workers Remember All Their Cyber Security Training
New research has found that only 10% of workers remember all their cyber security training. Furthermore, only half of employees are undergoing regular training, and a quarter aren’t receiving any training at all. Organisations should look to carry out effective and regular training that is tailored to their employees to increase the chance of training content being retained, with a programme of ongoing continual reinforcement.
Silence Gets You Nowhere in a Data Breach
In cyber security, the phrase “what they don’t know won’t hurt them” is not only wrong, it’s dangerous. Despite this, it’s a motto that remains in many organisations’ PR playbooks, as demonstrated by the recent LastPass and Fortra data breaches. Smaller companies, too, are employing a silent-treatment approach to data breaches, and cyber attacks are now a fact of doing business with almost half of US organisations having suffered a cyber attack in 2022. Attackers are increasingly targeting smaller businesses due to the fact they are seen as easier targets than large companies.
https://techcrunch.com/2023/03/29/silence-gets-you-nowhere-in-a-data-breach/
Just 1% of Cloud Permissions are Actively Used
According to Microsoft, a surge in workload identities, super admins and “over-permissioning” is driving the increase in cyber risk for organisations. Just 1% of users are using the permissions granted to them for day-to-day work. Worryingly, this leaves a significant number of unnecessary permissions which could be used by an attacker to elevate their privileges.
https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/just-1-of-cloud-permissions-used/
Dangerous Misconceptions About Emerging Cyber Threats
Organisations are leaving common attack paths exposed in their quest to combat emergent threats, according to a new report that delves into the efficacy of different security controls, the most concerning threats as tested by organisations worldwide, and top cyber security best practices for 2023. One of the key findings of the report is that many organisations are actively testing against threats seen in the news, likely from pressure to report on their exposure risk to emergent threats, and whilst this is good, it should not take away from assessing threats and exposures that are more likely actively targeting the business.
https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2023/03/30/misconceptions-emerging-cyber-threats/
‘Grim’ Criminal Abuse of ChatGPT is Coming, Europol Warns
Europol has warned that criminals are set to take advantage of artificial intelligence to commit fraud and other crimes. Europol highlighted that ChatGPT could be used to speed up criminal research, impersonate speech styles for phishing and write code. Furthermore, despite ChatGPT having safeguards, Europol note that these can be circumvented.
https://www.securityweek.com/grim-criminal-abuse-of-chatgpt-is-coming-europol-warns/
Threats
Ransomware, Extortion and Destructive Attacks
Why CISOs Are Looking to Lateral Security to Mitigate Ransomware | CIO
Clop Keeps Racking Up Ransomware Victims With GoAnywhere Flaw (darkreading.com)
New IcedID malware variants shift from banking trojans to ransomware | SC Media (scmagazine.com)
Publicly disclosed US ransomware attacks in 2023 | TechTarget
Virgin Group added to Cl0p gang’s victim leak site | Cybernews
New York law firm coughs up $200k after hospital data stolen • The Register
Telecom giant Lumen suffered a ransomware attack-Security Affairs
Ransomware crooks are exploiting IBM file exchange bug with a 9.8 severity | Ars Technica
DarkBit puts data from Israel’s Technion university on sale | CSO Online
Crown Resorts investigating potential data breach after being contacted by hacking group - ABC News
Children’s data feared stolen in Fortra ransomware attack | TechCrunch
Phishing & Email Based Attacks
Phishing Emails Up a Whopping 569% in 2022 (darkreading.com)
IRS Phishing Emails Used to Distribute Emotet - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)
These next-level phishing scams use PayPal or Google Docs to steal your data | TechRadar
Winter Vivern hackers exploit Zimbra flaw to steal NATO emails (bleepingcomputer.com)
BEC – Business Email Compromise
BEC scammers are after physical goods, the FBI warns - Help Net Security
Australian police arrest four BEC actors who stole $1.7 million (bleepingcomputer.com)
New BEC Tactics Enable Fake Asset Purchases - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)
FBI: Business email compromise tactics used to defraud US vendors (bleepingcomputer.com)
Other Social Engineering; Smishing, Vishing, etc
2FA/MFA
Malware
New IcedID malware variants shift from banking trojans to ransomware | SC Media (scmagazine.com)
MacStealer macOS malware appears in cyber crime underground--Security Affairs
Cyber Scammers Using Decentralized File Distribution System to Spread Malware - MSSP Alert
Microsoft confirms Defender has gone rogue as it's flagging legit links as malware - Neowin
North Korean malware-spreading, crypto-stealing gang named • The Register
Malware disguised as Tor browser steals $400k in cryptocash • The Register
NullMixer Polymorphic Malware Variant Infects 8K Targets in Just a Month (darkreading.com)
Chinese Cyber spies Use 'Melofee' Linux Malware for Stealthy Attacks - SecurityWeek
Chinese RedGolf Group Targeting Windows and Linux Systems with KEYPLUG Backdoor (thehackernews.com)
Realtek and Cacti flaws now actively exploited by malware botnets (bleepingcomputer.com)
AlienFox malware caught in the cloud hen house • The Register
Microsoft OneNote will block 120 dangerous file extensions (bleepingcomputer.com)
IRS Phishing Emails Used to Distribute Emotet - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)
Mobile
Android-based banking Trojan Nexus now available as malware-as-a-service | CSO Online
Inaudible ultrasound attack can stealthily control your phone, smart speaker (bleepingcomputer.com)
Russia’s Rostec allegedly can de-anonymize Telegram users (bleepingcomputer.com)
Android app from China executed 0-day exploit on millions of devices | Ars Technica
Google again accused of destroying evidence in Android case • The Register
Google finds more Android, iOS zero-days used to install spyware (bleepingcomputer.com)
Samsung keeps ignoring a huge security flaw in millions of Galaxy phones - SamMobile
iOS Vs. Android – Which Is The More Secure Platform? (informationsecuritybuzz.com)
Botnets
Denial of Service/DoS/DDOS
Internet of Things – IoT
Inaudible ultrasound attack can stealthily control your phone, smart speaker (bleepingcomputer.com)
This devious cyber attack can target all your smart speakers without you realizing | TechRadar
Gone in 120 seconds: Tesla Model 3 child's play for hackers • The Register
Data Breaches/Leaks
Fortra told breached companies their data was safe | TechCrunch
Procter & Gamble confirms data theft via GoAnywhere zero-day (bleepingcomputer.com)
New York law firm coughs up $200k after hospital data stolen • The Register
Toyota scrambles to patch customer data leak-Security Affairs
500k Impacted by Data Breach at Debt Buyer NCB - SecurityWeek
Cryptocurrency/Cryptomining/Cryptojacking/NFTs/Blockchain
Malware disguised as Tor browser steals $400k in cryptocash • The Register
NullMixer Polymorphic Malware Variant Infects 8K Targets in Just a Month (darkreading.com)
Insider Risk and Insider Threats
Only 10% of workers remember all their cyber security training - IT Security Guru
Data loss from insider events increase despite IRM programs, says study | CSO Online
Stop Blaming the End User for Security Risk (darkreading.com)
Fraud, Scams & Financial Crime
Visa fraud expert outlines the many faces of payment ecosystem fraud - Help Net Security
Cyber Scammers Using Decentralized File Distribution System to Spread Malware - MSSP Alert
Deepfakes
AML/CFT/Sanctions
Insurance
Beazley working on standalone cyber war product in market first (insuranceinsider.com)
Organisations Reassess Cyber Insurance as Self-Insurance Strategies Emerge (darkreading.com)
Supply Chain and Third Parties
Hackers compromise 3CX desktop app in a supply chain attack (bleepingcomputer.com)
Winter Vivern hackers exploit Zimbra flaw to steal NATO emails (bleepingcomputer.com)
Cloud/SaaS
Just 1% of Cloud Permissions Are Actively Used - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)
Where SSO Falls Short in Protecting SaaS (thehackernews.com)
CISA Releases Hunt Tool for Microsoft's Cloud Services (darkreading.com)
Balancing security risks and innovation potential of shadow IT teams - Help Net Security
AlienFox malware caught in the cloud hen house • The Register
Hybrid/Remote Working
Cyber security focus in second Digital Europe work programme – EURACTIV.com
More companies are watching their remote workers WFH on camera | Fortune
Shadow IT
Identity and Access Management
Encryption
API
Passwords, Credential Stuffing & Brute Force Attacks
The End-User Password Mistakes Putting Your Organisation at Risk (bleepingcomputer.com)
New Research Examines Traffers and the Business of Stolen Credentials - IT Security Guru
Social Media
Training, Education and Awareness
The era of passive cyber security awareness training is over - Help Net Security
Only 10% of workers remember all their cyber security training - IT Security Guru
Parental Controls and Child Safety
Regulations, Fines and Legislation
Governance, Risk and Compliance
Beazley working on standalone cyber war product in market first (insuranceinsider.com)
Cyber security vs. Everyone: From Conflict to Collaboration (darkreading.com)
Using Observability to Power a Smarter Cyber security Strategy (darkreading.com)
How cyber security decision-makers perceive cyber resilience - Help Net Security
NCSC issues revised security Board Toolkit for business leaders | Computer Weekly
The CISO Mantra: Get Ready to Do More With Less (darkreading.com)
Models, Frameworks and Standards
Backup and Recovery
Law Enforcement Action and Take Downs
FBI confirms access to Breached cyber crime forum database (bleepingcomputer.com)
UK creates fake DDoS-for-hire sites to identify cyber criminals (bleepingcomputer.com)
Australian police arrest four BEC actors who stole $1.7 million (bleepingcomputer.com)
20-Year-Old BreachForums Founder Faces Up to 5 Years in Prison (thehackernews.com)
Privacy, Surveillance and Mass Monitoring
UK Introduces Mass Surveillance With Online Safety Bill - SecurityWeek
FBI Spent Tens of Thousands of Dollars on Bulk Data Collection (gizmodo.com)
Clearview AI used nearly 1m times by US police, it tells the BBC - BBC News
More companies are watching their remote workers WFH on camera | Fortune
Artificial Intelligence
'Grim' Criminal Abuse of ChatGPT is Coming, Europol Warns - SecurityWeek
In Sudden Alarm, Tech Doyens Call for a Pause on ChatGPT | WIRED
Musk, Scientists Call for Halt to AI Race Sparked by ChatGPT - SecurityWeek
AI-fuelled search gives more power to the bad guys | CSO Online
Hacker demonstrates security flaws in GPT-4 just one day after launch | VentureBeat
Godfather of AI Says There's a Minor Risk It'll Eliminate Humanity (futurism.com)
Clearview AI used nearly 1m times by US police, it tells the BBC - BBC News
AI has figured out how to draw deepfake hands | The Independent
Spyware, Cyber Espionage & Cyber Warfare, including Russian Invasion of Ukraine
Putin and Xi’s plot to control the internet will leave the West in the dust (telegraph.co.uk)
In A Surprise, China-Linked TikTok Grabs Power Norway Needs To Make Ammo (forbes.com)
Cyber crime Front Lines in Russia-Ukraine War Move to Eastern and Northern Europe - MSSP Alert
Beazley working on standalone cyber war product in market first (insuranceinsider.com)
'Bitter' espionage hackers target Chinese nuclear energy orgs (bleepingcomputer.com)
Earth Preta’s Cyber Espionage Campaign Hits Over 200 (trendmicro.com)
Biden White House Issues Executive Order on Commercial Spyware (gizmodo.com)
North Korean APT43 Group Uses Cybercrime to Fund Espionage Operations (thehackernews.com)
Google finds more Android, iOS zero-days used to install spyware (bleepingcomputer.com)
Over 200 Organisations Targeted in Chinese Cyber Espionage Campaign - SecurityWeek
Google: Commercial Spyware Used by Governments Laden With Zero-Day Exploits (darkreading.com)
Chinese Cyber spies Use 'Melofee' Linux Malware for Stealthy Attacks - SecurityWeek
Chinese RedGolf Group Targeting Windows and Linux Systems with KEYPLUG Backdoor (thehackernews.com)
Pro-Russian hackers target elected US officials supporting Ukraine | Ars Technica
Russian spies more effective than army, say experts - BBC News
Cyber warfare leaks show Russian army is adopting mindset of secret police | Cyberwar | The Guardian
Nation State Actors
Uncle Sam sent cyber-soldiers to Albania to combat Iran • The Register
Russia’s Rostec allegedly can de-anonymize Telegram users (bleepingcomputer.com)
Android app from China executed 0-day exploit on millions of devices | Ars Technica
China urges Apple to improve security and privacy • The Register
North Korean malware-spreading, crypto-stealing gang named • The Register
Chinese RedGolf Group Targeting Windows and Linux Systems with KEYPLUG Backdoor (thehackernews.com)
Vulnerability Management
What you need before the next vulnerability hits - Help Net Security
Vulnerability management vs. risk management, compared | TechTarget
Most Weaponized Vulnerabilities of 2022 and 5 Key Risks: Report - SecurityWeek
Microsoft shares tips on detecting Outlook zero-day exploitation (bleepingcomputer.com)
Ignoring network automation is a ticking time bomb for security - Help Net Security
Vulnerabilities
Microsoft: No-Interaction Outlook Zero Day Exploited Since Last April - SecurityWeek
Microsoft shares tips on detecting Outlook zero-day exploitation (bleepingcomputer.com)
Apple patches everything, including a zero-day fix for iOS 15 users – Naked Security (sophos.com)
QNAP fixed Sudo privilege escalation bug in NAS devices-Security Affairs
Patch Now: Cyber criminals Set Sights on Critical IBM File Transfer Bug (darkreading.com)
Super FabriXss flaw in Microsoft Azure SFX could lead to RCE-Security Affairs
OpenAI quickly fixed account takeover bugs in ChatGPT-Security Affairs
Tools and Controls
Even with defence tools, CISOs say cyber attacks are ‘inevitable’ (techrepublic.com)
The era of passive cyber security awareness training is over - Help Net Security
Only 10% of workers remember all their cyber security training - IT Security Guru
Prioritizing data security amid workforce disruptions - Help Net Security
Using Observability to Power a Smarter Cyber security Strategy (darkreading.com)
For database security it's down to people, not tech fixes • The Register
Known unknowns: Refining your approach to uncategorized web traffic - Help Net Security
Understanding adversaries through dark web intelligence - Help Net Security
Where SSO Falls Short in Protecting SaaS (thehackernews.com)
How Does Data Literacy Enhance Data Security? (darkreading.com)
CISA Releases Hunt Tool for Microsoft's Cloud Services (darkreading.com)
With Security Copilot, Microsoft brings the power of AI to cyber defence - Stories
Compare breach and attack simulation vs. penetration testing | TechTarget
Ignoring network automation is a ticking time bomb for security - Help Net Security
Microsoft's ‘Security Copilot’ Sics ChatGPT on Security Breaches | WIRED
Breaking the Mold: Pen Testing Solutions That Challenge the Status Quo (thehackernews.com)
Diagnose your SME’s Cyber security and Scan for Recommendations — ENISA (europa.eu)
Protect your entire business with the right authentication method - Help Net Security
Microsoft Defender is flagging legit URLs as malicious • The Register
Managing security in the cloud through Microsoft Intune | CSO Online
Top 5 SD-WAN Challenges and How to Prepare for Them | TechTarget
Organisations Reassess Cyber Insurance as Self-Insurance Strategies Emerge (darkreading.com)
The best defence against cyber threats for lean security teams - Help Net Security
Overcoming obstacles to introduce zero-trust security in established systems - Help Net Security
The foundation of a holistic identity security strategy - Help Net Security
The CISO Mantra: Get Ready to Do More With Less (darkreading.com)
Other News
Hackers changed tactics, went cross-platform in 2022, says Trend Micro | CSO Online
WiFi protocol flaw allows attackers to hijack network traffic (bleepingcomputer.com)
Microsoft OneNote will block 120 dangerous file extensions (bleepingcomputer.com)
How CISOs Can Reduce the Danger of Using Data Brokers (darkreading.com)
How Does Data Literacy Enhance Data Security? (darkreading.com)
Microsoft uses carrot and stick with Exchange Online admins • The Register
Sector Specific
Industry specific threat intelligence reports are available.
Contact us to receive tailored reports specific to the industry/sector and geographies you operate in.
· Automotive
· Construction
· Critical National Infrastructure (CNI)
· Defence & Space
· Education & Academia
· Energy & Utilities
· Estate Agencies
· Financial Services
· FinTech
· Food & Agriculture
· Gaming & Gambling
· Government & Public Sector (including Law Enforcement)
· Health/Medical/Pharma
· Hotels & Hospitality
· Insurance
· Legal
· Manufacturing
· Maritime
· Oil, Gas & Mining
· OT, ICS, IIoT, SCADA & Cyber-Physical Systems
· Retail & eCommerce
· Small and Medium Sized Businesses (SMBs)
· Startups
· Telecoms
· Third Sector & Charities
· Transport & Aviation
· Web3
As usual, contact us to help assess where your risks lie and to ensure you are doing all you can do to keep you and your business secure.
Look out for our ‘Cyber Tip Tuesday’ video blog and on our YouTube channel.
You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.
Links to articles are for interest and awareness and linking to or reposting external content does not endorse any service or product, likewise we are not responsible for the security of external links.