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Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing 19 January 2024
Black Arrow Cyber Threat Intelligence Briefing 19 January 2024:
-World Economic Forum and UN Warn of Growing ‘Cyber Insecurity’ Amid Heightened Threat Landscape
-Cyber Attacks Reveal Fragility of Financial Markets as Attacks on Financial Services Sector Surge
-Researcher Uncovers One of The Biggest Password Dumps in Recent History
-Email Nightmare: 94% of Firms Hit by Phishing Attacks in 2023
-75% of Organisations Hit by Ransomware in 2023
-The Dangers of Quadruple Blow Ransomware Attacks
-Human Error and Insiders Expose Millions in UK Law Firm Data Breaches
-It’s a New Year and a Good Time for a Cyber Security Checkup
-Applying the Tyson Principle to Cyber Security: Why Attack Simulations are Key to Avoiding Disaster
-Cyber Threats Top Global Business Risk Concern for 2024
-Generative AI has CEOs Worried About Cyber Security, PwC Survey Says
-With Attacks on the Upswing, Cyber Insurance Premiums Poised to Rise Too
-Digital Resilience – a Step Up from Cyber Security
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
World Economic Forum and UN Warn of Growing ‘Cyber Insecurity’ Amid Heightened Threat Landscape
The World Economic Forum (WEF) and the United Nations (UN) have highlighted “cyber insecurity” as one of the most critical challenges facing organisations worldwide. A recent report reveals that over 80% of surveyed organisations feel more exposed to cyber crime than in the previous year, leading to calls for increased collaboration across sectors and borders to enhance business resilience. The study shows a growing gap in cyber resilience between organisations, with small and medium-sized enterprises facing declines of 30% in cyber resilience. Moreover, the cyber skills shortage continues to widen, with only 15% of organisations optimistic about improvements in cyber education and skills.
The report also underscores the impact of generative AI on cyber security, emphasising the need for ongoing innovation in digital security efforts. According to a separate report by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, there has been a significant uptick in the use of large language model-based chatbots, deepfake technology, and automation tools in cyber fraud operations. These technologies pose a significant threat to the formal banking industry and require focused attention from authorities to counter their impact. The convergence of these trends underscores the urgency and complexity of the cyber security landscape.
Sources: [ITPro] [The Debrief]
Cyber Attacks Reveal Fragility of Financial Markets as Attacks on Financial Services Sector Surge
The financial sector is facing an increased risk from cyber attacks, with cyber security now being listed as the top systemic risk according to a Bank of England survey. Cyber attacks rose by 64% in 2023, with a shift towards AI-facilitated ransomware attacks and Vendor Email Compromise (VEC), which rose 137%, and Business Email Compromise (BEC) attacks, which rose by 71%, both of which exploit human error and pose a severe threat to the industry.
However, there is a lack of readiness by financial organisations to manage cyber attacks due to sophisticated attacks, talent shortages, and insufficient cyber defence investments. Ransomware incidents reported to the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority doubled in 2023, making up 31% of cyber incidents, up from 11% in 2022. The financial sector remains a prime target for cyber criminals, especially ransomware groups.
Sources: [ITPro] [Law Society] [Security Brief] [Financial Times] [Infosecurity Magazine]
Researcher Uncovers One of The Biggest Password Dumps in Recent History
Researchers have found that nearly 71 million unique stolen credentials for logging into websites such as Facebook, Roblox, eBay, Coinbase and Yahoo have been circulating on the Internet for at least four months. The massive amount of data was posted to a well-known underground market that brokers sales of compromised credentials.
Whilst there is a large number of re-used passwords in the data dump, it appears to contain roughly 25 million new passwords and 70 million unique email addresses. This serves as a crucial reminder about properly securing accounts, such as not reusing passwords, using a password manager and securing accounts with multi factor authentication.
Source: [Ars Technica]
Email Nightmare: 94% of Firms Hit by Phishing Attacks in 2023
Email security remained at the forefront of cyber related issues for decision-makers, with over nine in ten (94%) having to deal with a phishing attack, according to email security provider Egress. The top three phishing techniques used in 2023 were malicious URLs, malware or ransomware attachments, and attacks sent from compromised accounts. 96% of targeted organisations were negatively impacted by these attacks, up 10% from the previous year.
Source: [Infosecurity Magazine]
75% of Organisations Hit by Ransomware in 2023
A recent report found that 75% of participants suffered at least one ransomware attack last year, and 26% were hit four or more times. The report noted that of the 25% who claimed to not have been hit, some could have been a victim but may not have the facilities to detect and therefore be aware as such. Ransomware remains a security threat and no organisation is immune.
Source: [Infosecurity Magazine]
The Dangers of Quadruple Blow Ransomware Attacks
With the introduction of new regulatory requirements like NIS 2.0 and changes to US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) statutes, organisations are now mandated to promptly report cyber incidents, sometimes with deadlines as tight as four days. However, attackers are evolving their tactics to exploit these regulations. They add a new level of coercion by threatening to report non-compliant organisations to the regulator, thereby increasing the pressure on their victims. This was first seen last year as a ransomware gang AlphV reported one of its victims, MeridianLink, to the SEC for failing to report a successful cyber attack.
This coercive strategy places immense pressure on companies, especially as they grapple with data encryption, data exfiltration, and public exposure threats. In response to these evolving threats and regulatory pressures, organisations must invest in cyber resilience. This enables them to effectively respond to attacks, communicate with regulators, and recover services promptly, ultimately fortifying their defences against future threats.
Source: [TechRadar]
Human Error and Insiders Expose Millions in UK Law Firm Data Breaches
UK law firms are falling victim to data breaches primarily because of insiders and human error, according to an analysis of data from the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO). According to research, 60% of data breaches in the UK legal sector where the result of insider actions. In total, breaches led to the exposure of information of 4.2 million people. Often, even those organisations that implement measures to prevent breaches will still miss insider risk. Insider risk is not always malicious; it can also be negligence or due to a lack of knowledge, and it is important to protect against it.
Source: [Infosecurity Magazine]
It’s a New Year and a Good Time for a Cyber Security Checkup
2023 brought a slew of high-profile vulnerabilities and data breaches impacting various sectors, including healthcare, government, and education. Notable incidents included ransomware attacks, such as the MOVEit, GoAnywhere, and casino operator breaches, along with the exploitation of unpatched legacy vulnerabilities like Log4j and Microsoft Exchange. Furthermore, new regulatory requirements from the likes of the US Securities Exchange Commission (SEC), and state security and privacy laws, added to the complexity. As we enter 2024, it is crucial for organisations, regardless of size, to reassess their cyber security strategies, incorporating lessons learned and adapting to new requirements. Comprehensive cyber security programs encompass people, operations and technology, addressing the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of information.
Black Arrow can help with comprehensive and impartial assessments including gap analyses and security testing. These provide you with the objective assurance you need to understand whether your controls are providing you with your intended security and risk management.
Source: [JDSupra]
Applying the Tyson Principle to Cyber Security: Why Attack Simulations are Key to Avoiding Disaster
Mike Tyson’s famous adage “Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face," is something we too often see in the world of security. When it comes to cyber security, preparedness is not just a luxury but a necessity. Far too often, unrealistic expectations in cyber defences create a false sense of security, leading to dire consequences when the reality of an attack hits. No-one wants to be testing their defences and implementing their response plan for the first time during a real incident.
In comes the benefit of incident and attack simulations: a reality check of your defences in a safe environment. Regular tabletop war-gaming exercises that simulate the fall out of an attack for senior leadership, can help to build muscle memory for when something does happen. They make sure everyone knows what to do, and crucially also not to do, when such an event happens for real. A deeper exercise would be a simulated attack that can be systematic and controlled, to mimic a real attacker and then adapted as attackers change their tactics, techniques, and procedures. From simulations, organisations can assess how their defences performed, applying insights and measuring and refining their defences for the event of a real attack.
Source: [The Hacker News]
Cyber Threats Top Global Business Risk Concern for 2024
Cyber related incidents, including ransomware attacks, data breaches and IT disruptions are the biggest concern for companies globally in 2024, according to a recent report by Allianz. The report highlights that these risks are a concern for businesses of all sizes, but the resilience gap between large and small companies is widening, “as risk awareness among larger organisations has grown since the pandemic with a notable drive to upgrade resilience.” Smaller businesses lack the time and resources that larger organisations have available, and as such need to carefully select and prioritise their resilience efforts.
Source: [Insurance Journal]
Generative AI has CEOs Worried About Cyber Security, PwC Survey Says
A recent PwC global survey found that when it comes to generative AI risks, 64% of CEOs said they are most concerned about its impact on cyber security, with over half of the total interviewed stating concerns about generative AI spreading misinformation in their company. When we think of generative AI, we often worry about outside risk and the impact it can have for attackers, but the risk can also be internal, with things such as accidental disclosure by employees to unregulated generative AI. There is a necessity for organisations to govern the usage of AI in their corporate environment, to prevent such risks.
Source: [Quartz]
With Attacks on the Upswing, Cyber Insurance Premiums Poised to Rise Too
As the threat landscape continues to evolve, the cyber insurance market is experiencing significant changes that will impact businesses in the coming months with experts predicting that cyber insurance costs are on the verge of an upward trend. The COVID-19 pandemic and the shift to remote work and the cloud disrupted the cyber insurance market, leading to rising costs and reduced coverage options. In 2022, a temporary respite saw lower premiums, but 2023 has seen a resurgence in attacker activity, making it a challenging year for insurers. Cyber insurance remains a critical component of risk management, with the industry expected to continue growing despite higher rates. For businesses, understanding the evolving landscape of cyber insurance and ensuring adequate coverage is crucial in the face of escalating cyber threats.
Source: [Dark Reading]
Digital Resilience: a Step Up from Cyber Security
In today's digital landscape, the focus on digital resilience is paramount for organisations. While cyber security has garnered attention, digital resilience is the new frontier. Digital resilience involves an organisation's ability to maintain, adapt, and recover technology-dependent operations. As we increasingly rely on digital technology and the internet of things, understanding the critical role of technology in core business processes is vital. It goes beyond cyber security, encompassing change management, business resilience, operational risk, and competitiveness. Digital resilience means being ready to adopt new technology and swiftly recover from disruptions. Recognising its value and managing it at the senior level is crucial for long-term success in our rapidly evolving digital world. Moreover, amid a rising number of cyber attacks, addressing the statistic that only 18% of UK businesses provided cyber security training to employees last year is essential. Bridging this knowledge gap through cyber hygiene, a culture of cyber security, and robust safety measures will strengthen an organisation's cyber resilience against evolving threats.
Black Arrow supports organisations of all sizes in designing and delivering proportionate user education and awareness programmes, including in-person and online training as well as simulated phishing campaigns. Our programmes help secure employee engagement and build a cyber security culture to protect the organisation.
Sources: [CSO Online] [Financial Times]
Governance, Risk and Compliance
World Economic Forum warns of growing ‘cyber insecurity’ amid heightened threat landscape | ITPro
Cyber Threats Top Global Business Risk Concern for 2024: Allianz (insurancejournal.com)
Geopolitical tensions combined with technology will drive new security risks - Help Net Security
Improving Supply Chain Security, Resiliency (informationweek.com)
Generative AI has CEOs worried about cyber security, PwC survey says (qz.com)
As hacks worsen, SEC turns up the heat on CISOs | TechCrunch
It’s a New Year and a Good Time for a Cyber Security Checkup | Clark Hill PLC - JDSupra
Over 90 percent of organisations set to increase data protection spending (betanews.com)
Financial organisations remain in cyber criminals' crosshairs (emergingrisks.co.uk)
With Attacks on the Upswing, Cyber Insurance Premiums Poised to Rise Too (darkreading.com)
Digital resilience – a step up from cyber security | CSO Online
How to Recover After Failing a Cyber Security Audit - Security Boulevard
Businesses Lack Confidence Overcome Cyber Attacks | Silicon UK
Cyber incident response impaired by stress | SC Media (scmagazine.com)
Security considerations during layoffs: Advice from an MSSP - Help Net Security
Effective Incident Response Relies on Internal and External Partnerships (darkreading.com)
InfoSec 101: Why Data Loss Prevention is Important to Enterprise Defence (darkreading.com)
How to improve cyber resilience across your workforce (ft.com)
Threats
Ransomware, Extortion and Destructive Attacks
75% of Organisations Hit by Ransomware in 2023 - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)
Underwriters concerned about ransomware and supply-chain attacks: Woodruff Sawyer - Reinsurance News
Akira ransomware attackers are wiping NAS and tape backups - Help Net Security
Medusa Ransomware on the Rise: From Data Leaks to Multi-Extortion (thehackernews.com)
3 Ransomware Group Newcomers to Watch in 2024 (thehackernews.com)
Ransomware causes mental, physical trauma to security pros • The Register
The dangers of quadruple blow ransomware attacks | TechRadar
Ransomware: To Pay or Not to Pay — What the Experts Say | MSSP Alert
Poorly secured PostgreSQL, MySQL servers targeted by ransomware bot - Help Net Security
TeamViewer abused to breach networks in new ransomware attacks (bleepingcomputer.com)
Ransomware negotiation: When cyber security meets crisis management - Help Net Security
Ransomware Victims
Ransomware gang targets nonprofit providing clean water to world’s poorest (therecord.media)
Capita hits back as pension holders look to sue over Russian-linked cyber attack (yahoo.com)
British Library to share learning from cyber attack - Museums Association
British Library starts restoring services online after hack - BBC News
British cosmetics firm Lush confirms cyber attack (therecord.media)
Delay to Manx Care dental services after cyber attack - BBC News
Email threats to patients escalate after Fred Hutch cyber attack | The Seattle Times
Majorca city Calvià extorted for $11M in ransomware attack (bleepingcomputer.com)
A key part of Foxconn has been hit by the Lockbit ransomware | TechRadar
Kansas State University cyber attack disrupts IT network and services (bleepingcomputer.com)
Phishing & Email Based Attacks
Microsoft warns of new spearphishing attack targeting workers at top companies | TechRadar
US Secret Service court documents reveal new tactics in antivirus renewal phishing scam | TechRadar
Threat Actors Team Up for Post-Holiday Phishing Email Surge (darkreading.com)
Flipping the BEC funnel: Phishing in the age of GenAI - Help Net Security
US court docs expose fake antivirus renewal phishing tactics (bleepingcomputer.com)
Email threats to patients escalate after Fred Hutch cyber attack | The Seattle Times
Shipping-Themed Emails: Not Just for The Holidays - Security Boulevard
Artificial Intelligence
AI driven cyber threats loom over business in the year ahead says report (emergingrisks.co.uk)
How cyber criminals are using AI to attack targets faster - Insurance Post (postonline.co.uk)
Adversaries exploit trends, target popular GenAI apps - Help Net Security
The Dual Role AI Plays in Cyber Security: How to Stay Ahead (bleepingcomputer.com)
Flipping the BEC funnel: Phishing in the age of GenAI - Help Net Security
If you don’t already have a generative AI security policy, there’s no time to lose | CSO Online
2FA/MFA
Senators want to know why the SEC’s X account wasn’t secured with MFA (engadget.com)
Out with the old and in with the improved: MFA needs a revamp - Help Net Security
MFA Spamming and Fatigue: When Security Measures Go Wrong (thehackernews.com)
Malware
GitLab Releases Updates to Address Critical Vulnerabilities (darkreading.com)
Updated Atomic Stealer malware emerges | SC Media (scmagazine.com)
Data-theft malware exploits Windows Defender SmartScreen • The Register
MacOS info-stealers quickly evolve to evade XProtect detection (bleepingcomputer.com)Balada Injector continues to infect thousands of WordPress sites (securityaffairs.com)
5 malware mistakes most people make while traveling and trying to charge (nypost.com)
Remcos RAT Spreading Through Adult Games in New Attack Wave (thehackernews.com)
Botnet activity surges as criminals get braver - can your business stand strong? | TechRadar
JinxLoader Malware: Next-Stage Payload Threats Revealed - Security Boulevard
$80M in Crypto Disappears Into Drainer-as-a-Service Malware Hell (darkreading.com)
Bigpanzi botnet infects 170,000 Android TV boxes with malware (bleepingcomputer.com)
Stealthy New macOS Backdoor Hides on Chinese Websites (darkreading.com)
Securing Public Sector Against IoT Malware in 2024 - Security Boulevard
Mobile
Denial of Service/DoS/DDOS
Internet of Things – IoT
Bigpanzi botnet infects 170,000 Android TV boxes with malware (bleepingcomputer.com)
Modernising print security for today’s working world | TechRadar
Securing Public Sector Against IoT Malware in 2024 - Security Boulevard
Data Breaches/Leaks
Insufficient cyber security caused PSNI data breach (iapp.org)
Cyber Attack On Insurer Compromised Over 64K, Suit Says - Law360
Email threats to patients escalate after Fred Hutch cyber attack | The Seattle Times
Organised Crime & Criminal Actors
Just ten groups were responsible for nearly half of all cyber attacks last year | TechRadar
Threat Actors Team Up for Post-Holiday Phishing Email Surge (darkreading.com)
GitLab Releases Updates to Address Critical Vulnerabilities (darkreading.com)
Stupid Human Tricks: Top 10 Cyber Crime Cases of 2023 - Security Boulevard
Illegal online casinos spread crypto-crime across Asia • The Register
Cryptocurrency/Cryptomining/Cryptojacking/NFTs/Blockchain
Hacker spins up 1 million virtual servers to illegally mine crypto (bleepingcomputer.com)
Illegal online casinos spread crypto-crime across Asia • The Register
Insider Risk and Insider Threats
Insurance
Underwriters concerned about ransomware and supply-chain attacks: Woodruff Sawyer - Reinsurance News
Munich Re secures cyber war exclusions at 1.1 as wording tension dissipates | Insurance Insider
With Attacks on the Upswing, Cyber Insurance Premiums Poised to Rise Too (darkreading.com)
Re-writing the underwriting story: How to navigate the complexities of modern risks (allianz.com)
Supply Chain and Third Parties
Underwriters concerned about ransomware and supply-chain attacks: Woodruff Sawyer - Reinsurance News
Capita hits back as pension holders look to sue over Russian-linked cyber attack (yahoo.com)
Improving Supply Chain Security, Resiliency (informationweek.com)
Cloud/SaaS
Insurance website's buggy API leaked Office 365 password • The Register
As Enterprise Cloud Grows, So Do Challenges (darkreading.com)
3 ways to combat rising OAuth SaaS attacks - Help Net Security
FBI: Beware of cloud-credential thieves building botnets • The Register
Weaponised AWS SES Accounts Anchor Massive Stealth Attack (darkreading.com)
Identity and Access Management
Encryption
Passwords, Credential Stuffing & Brute Force Attacks
Researcher uncovers one of the biggest password dumps in recent history | Ars Technica
Insurance website's buggy API leaked Office 365 password • The Register
FBI: Beware of cloud-credential thieves building botnets • The Register
Social Media
Malvertising
Training, Education and Awareness
The right strategy for effective cyber security awareness - Help Net Security
Before starting your 2024 security awareness program, ask these 10 questions - Security Boulevard
How to improve cyber resilience across your workforce (ft.com)
Regulations, Fines and Legislation
As hacks worsen, SEC turns up the heat on CISOs | TechCrunch
IT consultant in Germany fined for exposing shoddy security • The Register
Data regulator fines HelloFresh £140K for sending 80M+ spams • The Register
A Look at UK Domain and IP Address Seizures in the Criminal Justice Bill - ISPreview UK
Why the US Needs Comprehensive Cyber Security Legislation - Security Boulevard
Home improvement marketers dial up trouble from regulator • The Register
Models, Frameworks and Standards
10 cyber security frameworks you need to know about - Help Net Security
NIST Offers Guidance on Measuring and Improving Your Company’s Cyber Security Program | NIST
Backup and Recovery
Data Protection
Over 90 percent of organisations set to increase data protection spending (betanews.com)
Data regulator fines HelloFresh £140K for sending 80M+ spams • The Register
Careers, Working in Cyber and Information Security
Ransomware causes mental, physical trauma to security pros • The Register
Protecting the protectors: combating stress in the cyber security industry | The Independent
Best practices to mitigate alert fatigue - Help Net Security
Universities not delivering the right skills for cyber security (betanews.com)
Law Enforcement Action and Take Downs
Misinformation, Disinformation and Propaganda
Nation State Actors, Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs), Cyber Warfare, Cyber Espionage and Geopolitical Threats/Activity
Cyber Warfare and Cyber Espionage
World Economic Forum warns of growing ‘cyber insecurity’ amid heightened threat landscape | ITPro
Geopolitical tensions combined with technology will drive new security risks - Help Net Security
Munich Re secures cyber war exclusions at 1.1 as wording tension dissipates | Insurance Insider
Nation State Actors
China
End-of-life Cisco routers targeted by China’s Volt Typhoon group (therecord.media)
Stealthy New macOS Backdoor Hides on Chinese Websites (darkreading.com)
Feds warn China-made drones pose risk to US critical infrastructure | SC Media (scmagazine.com)
Russia
Pro-Russia group hit Swiss govt sites after Zelensky visit in Davos (securityaffairs.com)
Cyber Attack on Ukraine’s largest telecom provider will cost it about $100 million (therecord.media)
Russia finds way around sanctions on battlefield tech: report – POLITICO
Moscow imports a third of battlefield tech from western companies (ft.com)
Prolific Russian hacking unit using custom backdoor for the first time | CyberScoop
Iran
Other Nation State Actors, Hacktivism, Extremism, Terrorism and Other Geopolitical Threat Intelligence
Vulnerability Management
Vulnerabilities
CISA: Critical SharePoint vuln is under active exploitation • The Register
Ivanti Connect Secure zero-days now under mass exploitation (bleepingcomputer.com)
Juniper warns of critical RCE bug in its firewalls and switches (bleepingcomputer.com)
Over 178,000 SonicWall next-generation firewalls (NGFW) online exposed to hack (securityaffairs.com)
VMware Urges Customers to Patch Critical Aria Automation Vulnerability - SecurityWeek
Zero-Day Alert: Update Chrome Now to Fix New Actively Exploited Vulnerability (thehackernews.com)
Two more Citrix NetScaler bugs exploited in the wild • The Register
Atlassian warns of critical RCE flaw in older Confluence versions (bleepingcomputer.com)
End-of-life Cisco routers targeted by China’s Volt Typhoon group (therecord.media)
Windows 10 security update requires some major changes - experts only need apply | TechRadar
GitLab Patches Critical Password Reset Vulnerability - SecurityWeek
Balada Injector continues to infect thousands of WordPress sites (securityaffairs.com)
Vulnerabilities Expose PAX Payment Terminals to Hacking - SecurityWeek
Government, Military Targeted as Widespread Exploitation of Ivanti Zero-Days Begins - SecurityWeek
Most older iPhones, Macs, and iPads are vulnerable to GPU flaw (appleinsider.com)
New UEFI vulnerabilities send firmware devs across an entire ecosystem scrambling | Ars Technica
Opera MyFlaw Bug Could Let Hackers Run ANY File on Your Mac or Windows (thehackernews.com)
Tools and Controls
Akira ransomware attackers are wiping NAS and tape backups - Help Net Security
Underwriters concerned about ransomware and supply-chain attacks: Woodruff Sawyer - Reinsurance News
Munich Re secures cyber war exclusions at 1.1 as wording tension dissipates | Insurance Insider
How to improve your organisation's cyber hygiene score | World Economic Forum (weforum.org)
With Attacks on the Upswing, Cyber Insurance Premiums Poised to Rise Too (darkreading.com)
Digital resilience – a step up from cyber security | CSO Online
If you don’t already have a generative AI security policy, there’s no time to lose | CSO Online
Key elements for a successful cyber risk management strategy - Help Net Security
Preventing insider access from leaking to malicious actors - Help Net Security
Over 90 percent of organisations set to increase data protection spending (betanews.com)
As Enterprise Cloud Grows, So Do Challenges (darkreading.com)
Best practices to mitigate alert fatigue - Help Net Security
Modernising print security for today’s working world | TechRadar
MFA Spamming and Fatigue: When Security Measures Go Wrong (thehackernews.com)
Cyber incident response impaired by stress | SC Media (scmagazine.com)
Effective Incident Response Relies on Internal and External Partnerships (darkreading.com)
InfoSec 101: Why Data Loss Prevention is Important to Enterprise Defence (darkreading.com)
Digital nomads amplify identity fraud risks - Help Net Security
Out with the old and in with the improved: MFA needs a revamp - Help Net Security
The right strategy for effective cyber security awareness - Help Net Security
SOC-as-a-Service: The Five Must-Have Features - Security Boulevard
Other News
What’s on the Smartest Cyber Security Minds for 2024? (cybereason.com)
How news organisations became a prime target for cyber attacks (pressgazette.co.uk)
UK doubles spending on overseas cyber security projects (ft.com)
Huge boost for global security with almost £1 billion government investment - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Sector Specific
Industry specific threat intelligence reports are available.
Contact us to receive tailored reports specific to the industry/sector and geographies you operate in.
· Automotive
· Construction
· Critical National Infrastructure (CNI)
· Defence & Space
· Education & Academia
· Energy & Utilities
· Estate Agencies
· Financial Services
· FinTech
· Food & Agriculture
· Gaming & Gambling
· Government & Public Sector (including Law Enforcement)
· Health/Medical/Pharma
· Hotels & Hospitality
· Insurance
· Legal
· Manufacturing
· Maritime
· Oil, Gas & Mining
· OT, ICS, IIoT, SCADA & Cyber-Physical Systems
· Retail & eCommerce
· Small and Medium Sized Businesses (SMBs)
· Startups
· Telecoms
· Third Sector & Charities
· Transport & Aviation
· Web3
As usual, contact us to help assess where your risks lie and to ensure you are doing all you can do to keep you and your business secure.
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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 17 November 2023
Black Arrow Cyber Threat Intelligence Briefing 17 November 2023:
-Cyber Resilience Requires Maturity, Persistence & Board Engagement
-Security is a Process, Not a Tool
-46% of SMBs and Enterprises Have Experienced a Ransomware Attack
-Cyber Threat Intelligence: Getting on the Front Foot Against Adversaries
-67% of Workers Put Businesses at Risk by Downloading Applications and Software Without Permission
-The Persistent Menace: Understanding And Combating Ransomware, as New Ransomware Groups Account for Quarter of All Leaks in 2023
-Financial Services still Stubbornly Vulnerable to Cyber Disruption
-Worlds Biggest Bank Hit by Ransomware, Workers Forced to Trade With USB Sticks
-NCSC Warns UK Over Significant Threat to Critical Infrastructure
-Ransomware Gang Files SEC Complaint Over Victim’s Undisclosed Breach
-Businesses are Losing Huge Chunks of Their Revenue to Cyber Attacks
-Phishing Emails Are More Believable Than Ever. Here's What to Do About It.
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
Cyber Resilience Requires Maturity, Persistence & Board Engagement
Cyber resilience is more important than ever, particularly with the added dimensions of deepening geopolitical threats and risks coming from new technology like AI. In cyber security, it is commonly accepted that it is a matter of when, not if, an organisation will experience an attack. It is imperative to ensure there is an ability across the organisation to bounce back.
Source: [Dark Reading]
Security is a Process, not a Tool
The cyber security industry is constantly seeing tools that claim to make organisations 100% secure, despite this never being achievable. A recent report found 55% of all security tools are not put into operation or are not actively managed. Additionally, the report found that 33% of all security incidents are identifiably traced to process errors. The findings are further evidence that cyber security is more than just technology tools: it requires a mindset that aligns controls across people, operations and technology.
Source: [Dark Reading]
46% of SMBs and Enterprises Have Experienced a Ransomware Attack
A recent report found that 46% of small and medium businesses (SMBs) and enterprises have experienced ransomware attacks. In addition, 90% of SMBs and 87% of enterprises are extremely or somewhat concerned about ransomware attacks, and 64% of SMBs and 70% of enterprises don’t believe in paying a ransom.
Despite the fact that nearly 50% of the firms have suffered ransomware, too many businesses still seem to think this is something that will not happen to them and is something only other businesses need to worry about.
Source: [Security Magazine] [IT Business]
Cyber Threat Intelligence: Getting on the Front Foot Against Adversaries
In the realm of cyber security, threat intelligence (TI) is a crucial yet often underused asset for countering sophisticated cyber attacks. TI involves gathering, analysing, and contextualising information about potential cyber threats, including advanced ones, thus enabling organisations to identify, assess, and mitigate cyber risks effectively. The TI market, expected to exceed $44 billion by 2033, offers four main types: Strategic, Tactical, Technical, and Operational.
Each type serves different organisational needs, from informing senior leadership to aiding security operations teams. When thinking about TI, organisations should focus on completeness, accuracy, relevance, timeliness, scalability, vendor reputation, and integration capabilities. The rapidly evolving nature of TI demands a careful, long-term approach to choosing the right services, considering an organisation's maturity and specific needs. Effective TI not only aids in countering immediate threats but also builds long-term resilience. With 80% of the top 2000 global companies projected to increase their TI investment in 2024, it's crucial for organisations to find a trusted vendor to ensure their cyber security success.
Black Arrow conducts daily threat intelligence analyses from trusted specialist sources, and interprets the TI in the context of our client organisations to support them in proactively addressing risks. In addition to our weekly Threat Briefing and subscription email, we offer tailored briefings for organisations in various sectors and geographies.
Source: [welivesecurity]
67% of Workers Put Businesses at Risk by Downloading Applications and Software Without Permission
New research has found that 67% of UK employees are endangering their business by downloading applications and software without the knowledge of IT or security teams.
Other key findings included 39% of respondent organisations lacked total visibility of applications and software on company owned assets, and 77% lacked visibility over employee owned assets connected to the corporate environment. Of total respondents, 69% acknowledged their organisations required better policies and procedures in order to deal with security vulnerabilities, with 39% of total respondents feeling challenged by UK and other jurisdictions’ increasingly complicated regulations and governance requirements.
Black Arrow help organisations of all sizes to design and deliver comprehensive asset visibility programmes that lay the foundation for proportionate and credible cyber security controls to protect the organisation. We enable organisations to adhere to regulatory and governance requirements, by providing expert cyber security resources on a flexible basis for technical, governance and transformational positions.
Sources: [Tech Radar] [the HR Director]
The Persistent Menace: Understanding and Combating Ransomware, as New Ransomware Groups Account for Quarter of All Leaks in 2023
In 2023, the landscape of cyber threats, particularly ransomware, has significantly evolved, remaining a primary concern for businesses.
This change has been further facilitated by the emergence of Ransomware as a Service (RaaS) and the increased sophistication of phishing attacks, supported by advancements in AI. This has led at least in part to almost half (29) of the ransomware groups tracked by WithSecure in 2023 having begun operations this year. These groups accounted for 25% of data leaks in this period, helping to drive a 50% year-on-year increase in data leaks.
Businesses face not only the immediate costs of ransom demands but also indirect impacts such as operational downtime and damage to reputation. Key trends include the exploitation of basic security vulnerabilities, the role of access brokers in facilitating attacks, and innovative evasion techniques used by ransomware groups. Ransomware is not going away, and organisations need to ensure they are prepared given the realistic probability of an attack.
Black Arrow works with organisations of all sizes and sectors to design and prepare for managing a cyber security incident such as ransomware; this can include an Incident Response Plan and an educational tabletop exercise for the leadership team that highlights the proportionate controls to help the organisation prevent and mitigate an incident.
Sources: [Forbes] [Infosecurity Magazine] [ITPro]
Financial Services Still Stubbornly Vulnerable to Cyber Disruption
A recent report found the UK financial system remains stubbornly vulnerable to disruption caused by cyber and IT-related incidents, and that regulated firms are not acting quickly enough to affect required changes designed to ensure firms’ systems are resilient against significant operational shocks.
According to the UK FCA’s records, the total number of cyber incidents reported between January 2018 to May 2023 was 4,192. In general terms, incidents are reportable where they are of a certain level of materiality; for instance, where there has been a “significant failure in the firm's systems or controls.
Source: [FTAdviser]
World’s Biggest Bank Hit by Ransomware; Workers Forced to Trade with USB Sticks
The US subsidiary of the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) experienced a ransomware attack earlier this month, which reportedly forced the bank (ICBC Financial Services) to handle trades through messengers carrying USB thumb drives. This attack has sent shockwaves through financial services and banking and has prompted an increase in vigilance within the financial sector. The US Financial Services Information Sharing and Analysis Center (FS-ISAC) has urged financial services organisations to ensure their systems are protected and vulnerabilities are immediately resolved.
Sources: [SC Media] [Bit Defender]
NCSC Warns UK Over Significant Threat to Critical Infrastructure
The UK's National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) has once again sounded its concern over the rising threat level to the nation's critical national infrastructure (CNI), with its annual review admitting the level of cyber security resilience in the UK’s most critical areas is not in a satisfactory place.
The NCSC stated that CNI in the UK faces an “enduring and significant” threat from state-aligned threat actors aggressively ramping up activity, and the UK must therefore work more closely with allies and industry in countering “epoch-defining” cyber challenges.
They noted a 64% increase on last year’s voluntary report figures; to note, this refers to organisations voluntarily self-reporting suffering a cyber incident.
For wider context, the Russian cyber attacks on Ukraine began a month and a half before the invasion. In 2022 Ukraine’s national incident response team dealt with 2,194 cyber incidents, followed by another 2,054 attacks in the first 10 months of this year and Ukraine’s defence chief warns that Russia will soon attack companies that provide services to Ukraine as part of their larger cyber efforts.
This comes as Russian hackers were linked to what is being described as the largest ever cyber attack on Danish critical infrastructure. The attack involved 22 companies associated with the operation of Denmark’s energy sector.
Sources: [Computer Weekly] [The Register] [The Record Media] [The Irish Times] [The Hacker News]
Ransomware Gang Files SEC Complaint Over Victim’s Undisclosed Breach
The ALPHV ransomware group, also known as BlackCat, has taken extortion to a new level by filing a US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) complaint against one of their alleged victims, MeridianLink, for not complying with the four-day rule to disclose a cyber attack. The ransomware group said it compromised the digital lending solutions provider on November 7 and told the SEC the victim suffered a “significant breach and did not disclose it as required in Form 8-k”. While many ransomware and extortion gangs have threatened to report breaches and data theft to the SEC, this may be the first public confirmation that they have done so. Previously, ransomware actors exerted pressure on victims by contacting customers to let them know of the intrusion. Sometimes, they would also try to intimidate the victim by contacting them directly over the phone.
Sources: [Infosecurity Magazine] [Bleeping Computer]
Businesses are Losing Huge Chunks of Their Revenue to Cyber Attacks
A new report has found that businesses are paying a huge price for not properly securing their digital assets. The report found that businesses on average suffered 46 attacks (successful and unsuccessful) over the last year, resulting in the loss of 9% of their annual income. Cyber attacks are hurting their businesses in other ways such as network outages (34%), data loss (29%), web apps going offline (24%) and customer account compromises (22%).
Firms are reevaluating their cyber security approaches, with 76% planning increased spending despite concerns about current investment efficiency, as 35% feel they've overspent and only 55% of tools are fully utilised. A significant talent gap is also a challenge, with 30% attributing recent issues to a shortage of skilled personnel, and 33% expecting this trend to continue. Nearly half are seeking to address this by boosting recruitment budgets. Additionally, 51% of respondents are focusing on investing in Generative AI tools for cyber security in the next two years.
Source: [TechRadar]
Phishing Emails Are More Believable Than Ever. Here's What to Do About It.
Phishing is not new. This social engineering tactic has existed in the attack toolbox for decades, with threat actors posing as trusted contacts and then targeting unsuspecting victims through email or text messages to steal sensitive data. According to a recent report by Fortinet, phishing is the top tactic (56%) malicious actors use to infiltrate a network and launch ransomware successfully. With the turn of AI-driven content tools, cyber criminals are using them to make their phishing emails and texts appear more realistic than ever before.
It is crucial to focus on employee education to protect organisations. Customised training programs are essential. Security awareness training is fundamental in creating a cyber-aware culture, keeping employees informed about current security threats and meeting compliance requirements.
Black Arrow supports organisations of all sizes in designing and delivering proportionate user education and awareness programmes, including in-person and online training as well as simulated phishing campaigns. Our programmes help secure employee engagement and build a cyber security culture to protect the organisation.
Source: [CSO Online]
Top Cyber Stories of the Last Week
Governance, Risk and Compliance
29% of organisations cite data loss as top security breach result | Security Magazine
Financial services still 'stubbornly vulnerable' to cyber disruption - FTAdviser
Cyber Resilience Requires Maturity, Persistence & Board Engagement (darkreading.com)
Businesses are losing huge chunks of their revenue to cyber attacks | TechRadar
6% of companies have not had a digital risk cyber attack since 2020 | Security Magazine
Cyber threat intelligence: Getting on the front foot against adversaries (welivesecurity.com)
Should cyber security overconfidence be on your threat radar? | TechRadar
Insiders and outsiders: Why cyber security strategies need to look all ways - Digital Journal
Navigating the complex role of the CISO under SEC disclosure rules (betanews.com)
Every Business Owner Should Be Thinking About Improving Online Security | Inc.com
The Role of Cyber Wellness in Safeguarding Businesses - IT Security Guru
The cultural shift that’s needed to see greater ROI in cyber | Federal News Network
Business urged to increase cyber resilience as 2024 set to deliver new threats (emergingrisks.co.uk)
How to withstand the onslaught of cyber security threats - Help Net Security
Threats
Ransomware, Extortion and Destructive Attacks
Financial services still 'stubbornly vulnerable' to cyber disruption - FTAdviser
Law practices and government agencies experience the largest ransomware spikes - Digital Journal
Orgs still losing logs, powerless to speedy ransomware • The Register
Ransomware gang files SEC complaint over victim’s undisclosed breach (bleepingcomputer.com)
46% of SMBs and enterprises have experienced a ransomware attack | Security Magazine
Many organisations don’t believe they are targets of ransomware gangs: OpenText | IT Business
LockBit ransomware exploits Citrix Bleed in attacks, 10K servers exposed (bleepingcomputer.com)
The Persistent Menace: Understanding And Combating Ransomware (forbes.com)
Phishing emails are more believable than ever. Here’s what to do about it. | CSO Online
Ransomware tracker: The latest figures [November 2023] (therecord.media)
Nuclear and Oil & Gas are Major Targets of Ransomware Groups in 2024 (securityaffairs.com)
Ransomware Gang LockBit Revises Its Tactics as Payouts Slip (bloomberglaw.com)
Fast-acting cyber gangs increasingly disabling telemetry logs | Computer Weekly
Uncovering the ransomware threat from global supply chains | ITPro
Business leaders need help in getting off the ransomware merry-go-round (thetimes.co.uk)
Hackers Could Exploit Google Workspace and Cloud Platform for Ransomware Attacks (thehackernews.com)
BlackCat affiliate seen using malvertising to spread ransomware | Computer Weekly
The Rise of Ransomware in Healthcare: What IT Leaders Need to Know (bleepingcomputer.com)
What Do You Do When You’re Hit by Russian Ransomware? - Bloomberg
Success eludes the International Counter Ransomware Initiative - Help Net Security
New Ransomware Group Emerges with Hive's Source Code and Infrastructure (thehackernews.com)
How to combat ransomware in the face of tight security staffing | SC Media (scmagazine.com)
Ransomware attacks: Cyber criminals tout their ‘honesty’ in negotiating ransoms (afr.com)
New approaches to fighting ransomware are emerging | Mimecast
FBI 'Knows Identities' Of MGM, Caesars Hacking Gang | Silicon UK
FBI and CISA warn of opportunistic Rhysida ransomware attacks (bleepingcomputer.com)
FBI pumping 'significant' resources into Scattered Spider • The Register
New BiBi-Windows Wiper Targets Windows Systems in Pro-Hamas Attacks (thehackernews.com)
It ain’t what you store, it’s the way you restore it. • The Register
Ransomware Victims
Ransomware gang files SEC complaint over victim’s undisclosed breach (bleepingcomputer.com)
How a cyber attack crippled the world's largest bank for hours | Euronews
ICBC -- China's biggest bank -- paid ransom: Lockbit hackers (nypost.com)
FBI: Royal ransomware asked 350 victims to pay $275 million (bleepingcomputer.com)
Rackspace Ransomware Costs Soar to Nearly $12M (darkreading.com)
Tri-City Medical Center cyber attack impacting patient care (10news.com)
Maine govt notifies 1.3 million people of MOVEit data breach (bleepingcomputer.com)
LockBit leaks Boeing files after failed ransom negotiations • The Register
'CitrixBleed' Linked to Ransomware Hit on China's State-Owned Bank (darkreading.com)
World's biggest bank hit by ransomware, forced to trade via USB stick (bitdefender.com)
Mortgage giant Mr. Cooper says customer data exposed in breach (bleepingcomputer.com)
British Library’s Halloween cyber scare was ransomware | Computer Weekly
Royal Mail ransomware recovery to cost at least $12 million • The Register
9 million patients had data stolen after US medical transcription firm hacked | TechCrunch
Clorox CISO flushes self after multimillion-dollar attack • The Register
Toyota confirms breach after Medusa ransomware threatens to leak data (bleepingcomputer.com)
Government doesn't know details behind cyber hack that shut down port operator DP World - ABC News
Lorenz ransomware gang hit Texas-based Cogdell Memorial Hospital (securityaffairs.com)
Dragos Says No Evidence of Breach After Ransomware Gang Claims Hack via Third Party - Security Week
Long Beach, California turns off IT systems after cyber attack (bleepingcomputer.com)
Stellantis production affected by cyber attack at auto supplier - The Columbian
Phishing & Email Based Attacks
Phishing emails are more believable than ever. Here’s what to do about it. | CSO Online
From Scanning to Scamming: The Rise of QR Codes in Phishing - VMRay
Zero-Day Flaw in Zimbra Email Software Exploited by Four Hacker Groups (thehackernews.com)
APTs Swarm Zimbra Zero-Day to Steal Government Info Worldwide (darkreading.com)
FBI Warns: Five Weeks In, Gaza Email Scams Still Thriving (darkreading.com)
Police takes down BulletProftLink large-scale phishing provider (bleepingcomputer.com)
Artificial Intelligence
UK told of significant threat as state actors seek to use AI attack systems (emergingrisks.co.uk)
UK NCSC Warns Of Threat To Critical Infrastructure | Silicon UK
AI disinformation campaigns pose major threat to 2024 elections - Help Net Security
Microsoft blocks internal access to ChatGPT over security • The Register
This new ChatGPT-powered infostealer is targeting cloud platforms | TechRadar
The US and 30 Other Nations Agree to Set Guardrails for Military AI | WIRED
Mitigating Deepfake Threats in the Corporate World | MSSP Alert
A Closer Look at ChatGPT's Role in Automated Malware Creation (trendmicro.com)
Organisations Rush to Use Generative AI Tools Despite Risks (globenewswire.com)
How scammers' use of AI is affecting fintech investment | PaymentsSource | American Banker
Malware
This new ChatGPT-powered infostealer is targeting cloud platforms | TechRadar
Infostealers and the high value of stolen data - Help Net Security
Malware was downloaded over 600 million times in 2023 from the Google Play Store - PhoneArena
This fake Windows news site is spreading malware via hacked Google ads | TechRadar
A Closer Look at ChatGPT's Role in Automated Malware Creation (trendmicro.com)
Russian-Moldovan National Admits to Infecting 23,000 Devices with Botnet Malware (occrp.org)
Children’s tablet has malware and exposes kids’ data, researcher finds | TechCrunch
Ducktail Malware Targets the Fashion Industry (darkreading.com)
Mobile
Malware was downloaded over 600 million times in 2023 from the Google Play Store - PhoneArena
Temu Sued in Class Action for Risking User Data to Chinese Government Control | Law.com
Children’s tablet has malware and exposes kids’ data, researcher finds | TechCrunch
How to spot a fake data blocker that could hack your computer in seconds | ZDNET
Denial of Service/DoS/DDOS
Misconfigured Docker API endpoints allow attackers to deliver DDoS botnet agent | CSO Online
How DDoS attacks are taking down even the largest tech companies (bleepingcomputer.com)
Internet of Things – IoT
How to protect your organisation from IoT malware | TechTarget
Defending Against Attacks on Vulnerable IoT Devices (darkreading.com)
Data Breaches/Leaks
Infostealers and the high value of stolen data - Help Net Security
29% of organisations cite data loss as top security breach result | Security Magazine
McLaren Health Care revealed that a data breach impacted 2.2 million people (securityaffairs.com)
Hacker Leaks 800,000 Scraped Chess.com User Records (hackread.com)
Hacker Leaks 35 Million Scraped LinkedIn User Records (hackread.com)
Fourth time unlucky: Okta hit by new cyber attack - Digital Journal
Maine govt notifies 1.3 million people of MOVEit data breach (bleepingcomputer.com)
The real cost of healthcare cyber security breaches - Help Net Security
Mortgage giant Mr. Cooper says customer data exposed in breach (bleepingcomputer.com)
Pharmacy provider Truepill data breach hits 2.3 million customers (bleepingcomputer.com)
Samsung warns some customers their data may have been stolen by hackers | TechRadar
Hackers Claim Major Data Breach at Smart WiFi Provider Plume (hackread.com)
Vietnam Post exposes 1.2TB of data, including email addresses (securityaffairs.com)
Morgan Stanley fined over computers with personal data (cnbc.com)
Samsung says hackers accessed customer data during year-long breach | TechCrunch
A Spy Agency Leaked People's Data Online—Then the Data Was Stolen | WIRED
Organised Crime & Criminal Actors
Russian admits building now-dismantled IPStorm proxy botnet • The Register
Australian Intelligence Report Identifies China as Major Backer of Cyber Crime (voanews.com)
'AlphaLock' Hackers Launch 'Pen-Testing Training' Group (darkreading.com)
Cyber crime Victims Can Turn to New Nonprofit, Intelligence for Good | MSSP Alert
Cryptocurrency/Cryptomining/Cryptojacking/NFTs/Blockchain
Ethereum hacked to steal millions from users across the world | TechRadar
Fraudsters make $50,000 a day by spoofing crypto researchers (bleepingcomputer.com)
Insider Risk and Insider Threats
Insiders and outsiders: Why cyber security strategies need to look all ways - Digital Journal
The Role of Cyber Wellness in Safeguarding Businesses - IT Security Guru
3 Ways Behavioural Economics Obstructs Cyber security (darkreading.com)
Insurance
Bridging the Gap: The Vital Role of Skilled Brokers in Cyber Insurance
Aon president warns insurers against ‘walking away’ from major risks (ft.com)
Cyber insurance market attractive despite ransomware uptick: JP Morgan - Reinsurance News
Supply Chain and Third Parties
Uncovering the ransomware threat from global supply chains | ITPro
How top CISOs are transforming third-party risk management | SC Media (scmagazine.com)
Cloud/SaaS
This new ChatGPT-powered infostealer is targeting cloud platforms | TechRadar
Hackers Could Exploit Google Workspace and Cloud Platform for Ransomware Attacks (thehackernews.com)
Traditional cloud security isn't up to the task - Help Net Security
Transforming cyber security from reactive to proactive with attack path analysis - Help Net Security
Identity and Access Management
Encryption
The new frontier in online security: Quantum-safe cryptography (techxplore.com)
In a first, cryptographic keys protecting SSH connections stolen in new attack | Ars Technica
TETRA encryption algorithms entering the public domain • The Register
Passwords, Credential Stuffing & Brute Force Attacks
70% of passwords can be cracked in less than a second, shows NordPass study (business-standard.com)
Google Workspace security flaws could see hackers easily snaffle your password | TechRadar
Stop using weak passwords for streaming services - it's riskier than you think | ZDNET
The worst passwords of 2023 are also the most common, "123456" comes in first | TechSpot
Social Media
Meta and YouTube face criminal surveillance complaints • The Register
How Much Your Social Media Profile Data Is Worth on the Dark Web (makeuseof.com)
Malvertising
BlackCat affiliate seen using malvertising to spread ransomware | Computer Weekly
This fake Windows news site is spreading malware via hacked Google ads | TechRadar
Training, Education and Awareness
Phishing emails are more believable than ever. Here’s what to do about it. | CSO Online
The Role of Cyber Wellness in Safeguarding Businesses - IT Security Guru
3 Ways Behavioural Economics Obstructs Cyber security (darkreading.com)
Regulations, Fines and Legislation
EU Tightens Cyber security Requirements for Critical Infrastructure and Services (darkreading.com)
Meta and YouTube face criminal surveillance complaints • The Register
SEC Suit Ushers in New Era of Cyber Enforcement (darkreading.com)
Make Changes to be Ready for the New SEC Cyber security Disclosure Rule (darkreading.com)
Navigating the complex role of the CISO under SEC disclosure rules (betanews.com)
Clorox CISO flushes self after multimillion-dollar attack • The Register
Morgan Stanley fined over computers with personal data (cnbc.com)
White House is ‘working on version 2.0’ of cyber implementation plan | CyberScoop
Models, Frameworks and Standards
What You Need to Know About NIST CSF 2.0 | Accelerynt, Inc. - JDSupra
Modelling organisations' defensive mechanisms with MITRE D3FEND - Help Net Security
Backup and Recovery
Data Protection
Web browsing data collected in more detail than previously known, report finds (ft.com)
Online ad auction data harms national security – claim • The Register
Careers, Working in Cyber and Information Security
The challenges and opportunities of working in cyber security | TechRadar
How US SEC legal actions put CISOs at risk and what to do about it | CSO Online
Is ‘overwork’ culture a problem for cyber security professionals? (siliconrepublic.com)
Law Enforcement Action and Take Downs
Serbian pleads guilty to running ‘Monopoly’ dark web drug market (securityaffairs.com)
Russian admits building now-dismantled IPStorm proxy botnet • The Register
European Police Take Down $9m Vishing Gang - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)
Russian-Moldovan National Admits to Infecting 23,000 Devices with Botnet Malware (occrp.org)
Private Investigator Aviram Azar Gets Almost 7 Years for Hedge Fund Hacking Ring - Bloomberg
Nation State Actors, Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs), Cyber Warfare, Cyber Espionage and Geopolitical Activity
Cyber Warfare and Cyber Espionage
NCSC Annual Review on 'state-aligned actors' | Professional Security
Zero-Days in Edge Devices Become China's Cyber Warfare Tactic of Choice (darkreading.com)
Cyber espionage operation on embassies linked to Russia’s Cozy Bear hackers (therecord.media)
New NATO cyber forum to support collective response to cyber attacks – EURACTIV.com
Nation State Actors
China
China's Lending Giant Paid Ransom To Russia-Linked Group After It Got Hacked Last Week - Benzinga
ICBC/ransomware: China’s cyber security industry moves out of the shadows
Cyber attack shines light on role of China’s largest lender in US Treasury market (ft.com)
Australian Intelligence Report Identifies China as Major Backer of Cyber Crime (voanews.com)
Zero-Days in Edge Devices Become China's Cyber Warfare Tactic of Choice (darkreading.com)
Labour warns against watering down of UK’s takeover screening powers
Russia
China's Lending Giant Paid Ransom To Russia-Linked Group After It Got Hacked Last Week - Benzinga
Cyber attack shines light on role of China’s largest lender in US Treasury market (ft.com)
Danish Energy Attacks Portend Targeting More Critical Infrastructure (darkreading.com)
Could Russia’s Ukraine Cyber attacks Clue Global Threat? | MSSP Alert
EU Formalizes Cyber security Support For Ukraine - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)
Meet the Unique New "Hacking" Group: AlphaLock (bleepingcomputer.com)
Cyber espionage operation on embassies linked to Russia’s Cozy Bear hackers (therecord.media)
What Do You Do When You’re Hit by Russian Ransomware? - Bloomberg
Ukraine at D+670: GRU may be expanding its targeting. (thecyberwire.com)
Iran
North Korea
Microsoft Warns of Fake Skills Assessment Portals Targeting IT Job Seekers (thehackernews.com)
Novel social engineering attack infrastructure established by BlueNoroff | SC Media (scmagazine.com)
Other Nation State Actors, Hacktivism, Extremism, Terrorism and Other Geopolitical Threat Intelligence
Vulnerabilities
'CitrixBleed' Linked to Ransomware Hit on China's State-Owned Bank (darkreading.com)
LockBit ransomware exploits Citrix Bleed in attacks, 10K servers exposed (bleepingcomputer.com)
Zero-Day Flaw in Zimbra Email Software Exploited by Four Hacker Groups (thehackernews.com)
APTs Swarm Zimbra Zero-Day to Steal Government Info Worldwide (darkreading.com)
CISA warns of actively exploited Juniper pre-auth RCE exploit chain (bleepingcomputer.com)
WP Fastest Cache plugin bug exposes 600K WordPress sites to attacks (bleepingcomputer.com)
Microsoft November 2023 Patch Tuesday fixes 5 zero-days, 58 flaws (bleepingcomputer.com)
Microsoft fixes critical Azure CLI flaw that leaked credentials in logs (bleepingcomputer.com)
Adobe Releases Security Updates for Multiple Products | CISA
ICS Patch Tuesday: 90 Vulnerabilities Addressed by Siemens and Schneider Electric - Security Week
Chipmaker Patch Tuesday: Intel, AMD Address Over 130 Vulnerabilities - Security Week
Fortinet Releases Security Updates for FortiClient and FortiGate | CISA
Urgent: VMware Warns of Unpatched Critical Cloud Director Vulnerability (thehackernews.com)
New PoC Exploit for Apache ActiveMQ Flaw Could Let Attackers Fly Under the Radar (thehackernews.com)
SAP Patches Critical Vulnerability in Business One Product - Security Week
Critical flaw fixed in SAP Business One product (securityaffairs.com)
Citrix Releases Security Updates for Citrix Hypervisor | CISA
Fortinet warns of critical command injection bug in FortiSIEM (bleepingcomputer.com)
An email vulnerability let hackers steal data from governments around the world (engadget.com)
Experts Uncover DarkCasino: New Emerging APT Threat Exploiting WinRAR Flaw (thehackernews.com)
Some AMD EPYC server CPUs have a serious security flaw, so patch now | TechRadr
Microsoft Extends Windows Server 2012 ESUs Until 2026 (petri.com)
Tools and Controls
Building resilience to shield your digital transformation from cyber threats - Help Net Security
Against the Clock: Cyber Incident Response Plan (trendmicro.com)
Fast-acting cyber gangs increasingly disabling telemetry logs | Computer Weekly
Cyber threat intelligence: Getting on the front foot against adversaries (welivesecurity.com)
The New 80/20 Rule for SecOps: Customize Where it Matters, Automate the Rest (thehackernews.com)
Phishing emails are more believable than ever. Here’s what to do about it. | CSO Online
Web Application Attacks | Types of Web Application Attacks | Mimecast
Traditional cloud security isn't up to the task - Help Net Security
National security at risk from web browsing data collection, report finds (ft.com)Zero-Days in Edge Devices Become China's Cyber Warfare Tactic of Choice (darkreading.com)
The cultural shift that’s needed to see greater ROI in cyber | Federal News Network
NCSC backs use of security.txt for cyber resilience | UKAuthority
New approaches to fighting ransomware are emerging | Mimecast
Telemetry gaps leave networks vulnerable as attackers move faster - Help Net Security
The new imperative in API security strategy - Help Net Security
How to Automate the Hardest Parts of Employee Offboarding (thehackernews.com)
Steps CISOs Should Take Before, During & After a Cyber attack (darkreading.com)
Threat Intel: To Share or Not to Share is Not the Question - Security Week
As perimeter defences fall, the identify-first approach steps into the breach | CSO Online
The Role of Cyber Wellness in Safeguarding Businesses - IT Security Guru
OODA Loop - A Model for Cyber security Threat Sharing: Embracing the USA PATRIOT Act & FinCEN
How to speak the board's language with cyber security ROI so it makes sense | Fierce Electronics
Three Ways Generative AI Can Bolster Cyber security | NVIDIA Blogs
Hackers breach healthcare orgs via ScreenConnect remote access (bleepingcomputer.com)
Kubernetes adoption creates new cyber security challenges - Help Net Security
Aon president warns insurers against ‘walking away’ from major risks (ft.com)
CISOs vs. developers: A battle over security priorities - Help Net Security
Hundreds of websites cloned to run ads for Chinese gambling • The Register
AI helps leaders optimize costs and mitigate risks - Help Net Security
It ain’t what you store, it’s the way you restore it. • The Register
Reports Published in the Last Week
Other News
'Alarming': big gaps in organisations' cyber security | The Canberra Times | Canberra, ACT
National security at risk from web browsing data collection, report finds (ft.com)
CISOs vs. developers: A battle over security priorities - Help Net Security
Collaborative strategies are key to enhanced ICS security - Help Net Security
Web Application Attacks | Types of Web Application Attacks | Mimecast
Telemetry gaps leave networks vulnerable as attackers move faster - Help Net Security
Cyber crime Victims Can Turn to New Nonprofit, Intelligence for Good | MSSP Alert
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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.
· Automotive
· Construction
· Critical National Infrastructure (CNI)
· Defence & Space
· Education & Academia
· Energy & Utilities
· Estate Agencies
· Financial Services
· FinTech
· Food & Agriculture
· Gaming & Gambling
· Government & Public Sector (including Law Enforcement)
· Health/Medical/Pharma
· Hotels & Hospitality
· Insurance
· Legal
· Manufacturing
· Maritime
· Oil, Gas & Mining
· OT, ICS, IIoT, SCADA & Cyber-Physical Systems
· Retail & eCommerce
· Small and Medium Sized Businesses (SMBs)
· Startups
· Telecoms
· Third Sector & Charities
· Transport & Aviation
· Web3
As usual, contact us to help assess where your risks lie and to ensure you are doing all you can do to keep you and your business secure.
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Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing 14 April 2023
Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing 14 April 2023:
-Almost Half of Former Employees Say Their Passwords Still Work
-Efficient Risk Based Patch Management Means Eliminating Just 2% of Exposures Could Protect 90% of Critical Assets
-Printers Pose Persistent Yet Overlooked Threat
-Employees Are as Likely as Cyber Criminals to Cause Cyber Incidents
-Over 90% of Organisations Find Threat Hunting a Challenge
-75% of Organisations Have Suffered a Cyber Security Breach
-Leak Shows Evolving Russian Cyber War Capabilities
-Outsourced Payroll and HR Services Firm Forced to Shut Down After Cyber Attack
-When a Cyber Criminal Steals Personal Data from Your Organisation What Do You Do and Who Do You Need to Inform?
-Insider Threat and Ransomware: A Growing Issue
-How LockBit Changed Cyber Security Forever
-Hybrid Work Environments Are Stressing CISOs
-Protect Your Data with a USB Condom
-Strategising Cyber Security: Why a Risk-based Approach is Key
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
Almost Half of Former Employees Say Their Passwords Still Work
An alarming number of organisations are not properly offboarding employees when they leave, especially in regard to passwords. In a new survey of 1,000 workers who had access to company passwords at their previous jobs, 47% admitted to using them after leaving the company.
According to the survey one in three respondents said they had been using the passwords for upwards of two years, which is a distressingly long time for organisations not to be aware of who is accessing those accounts and services.
When asked what they use the passwords for, 64% said to access their former email accounts and 44% to access company data. A concerning 10% of respondents said they were trying to disrupt company activities.
Efficient Risk Based Patch Management Means Eliminating Just 2% of Exposures Could Protect 90% of Critical Assets
A recent cyber security report analysed over 60 million security exposures, or weaknesses that could give an attacker access to systems. The report found that only 2% enabled attackers access to critical assets, while 75% of exposures along attack paths lead to “dead ends”. Further, the report shows that average organisations have 11,000 exploitable security exposures monthly, with techniques targeting credentials and permissions affecting 82% of organisations and exploits accounting for over 70% of all identified security exposures.
The report found that most security alerts were benign and did not lead to critical assets. By applying efficient risk based patch management and reducing unnecessary access to critical assets, organisations can mitigate a significant amount of risk. This isn’t a simple task however, for an organisation to be able to employ efficient risk based patch management it must have a sufficient level of cyber maturity and internal vulnerability scanning accompanied by a dynamic threat intelligence component.
https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/eliminating-2-exposures-protect-90/
Printers Pose Persistent Yet Overlooked Threat
A rash of printer-related vulnerabilities in 2023 have punctuated security expert warnings that printers continue to be a significant vulnerability within companies — especially as remote workers require printing resources or access to corporate printers. So far in 2023, Lexmark advised that a publicly available remote exploit had already targeted a code execution flaw in its printers, HP warned of a vulnerable firmware version on some of its enterprise printers, and Microsoft fixed three remote code execution vulnerabilities in its printer drivers.
Printers remain a likely soft spot in most companies’ attack surface area, particularly because they are not always part of a company’s asset management process and are often left out of security assessments and risk registers. Many organisations don’t know where their printers are, their security status, configuration, monitoring or logging activity. Research has shown that 67% of companies are worried about the risk home printers may pose and only 26% of information technology and cyber security professionals are confident in their organisation’s printing infrastructure security.
https://www.darkreading.com/vulnerabilities-threats/printers-pose-persistent-yet-overlooked-threat
Employees Are as Likely as Cyber Criminals to Cause Cyber Incidents
Employees and cyber criminals cause similar numbers of data leakages. Kaspersky’s 2022 IT Security Economics survey found cyber-attacks caused 23% of data leakages, while employees caused a similar proportion, at 22%. The rise in employees causing leakages may be linked with more remote working since the pandemic, with new staff laptops, tablets, and virtual private networks (VPNs) featuring among the extra endpoints and systems needing security. Although innocent mistakes or ignoring cyber-security policy were behind most leakages, security managers reported 36% of employee-triggered leakages were deliberate acts of sabotage or espionage. The high number of cyber-incidents stemming from employee action shows all organisations need thorough cyber-security awareness training to teach all staff how to avoid common security mistakes.
Over 90% of Organisations Find Threat Hunting a Challenge
Executing essential cyber security operations tasks during the threat hunting process is an increasingly challenging proposition to the vast majority of organisations, with 93% of those polled for a Sophos report saying they find basic security operations a chore.
In the report, “The state of cybersecurity 2023: The business impact of adversaries on defenders”, Sophos said these findings were likely the result of the ongoing cyber security skills shortage, which is creating a domino effect in security operations: a lack of skilled personnel makes investigating alerts take longer, which reduces the security team’s capacity and increases the organisation’s exposure to higher levels of risk.
Organisations that suffer the most are those with revenues of less than $10m (£8m), which are more likely to lack the necessary skillsets, followed by organisations with revenues of more than $5bn, where organisational and system complexity likely play a more prominent role.
75% of Organisations Have Suffered a Cyber Security Breach
Most organisations need stronger security controls to stop cyber security breaches and cyber attacks, according to “The Data Dilemma: Cloud Adoption and Risk Report” from security service edge (SSE) company Skyhigh Security. Key takeaways from the report include:
97% of organisations indicated they are experiencing private cloud problems.
75% have experienced a cyber security breach, threat and/or theft of data.
75% said shadow IT “impairs their ability to keep data secure.”
60% allow employees to download sensitive data to their personal devices.
52% noted their employees are using SaaS services that are commissioned by departments outside of IT and without direct involvement of their IT department.
37% said they do not trust the public cloud to secure their sensitive data.
Leak Shows Evolving Russian Cyber War Capabilities
The leak of thousands of pages of secret documentation related to the development of Moscow’s cyber and information operations capabilities paint a picture of a government obsessed with social control and committed to scaling their capacity for non-kinetic interference.
The leaked documents detail methods and training simulations intended to prepare an operator workforce for offensive operations against critical infrastructure targets. Tools revealed by these recent leaks suggest a desire and an ability to extensively map foreign vulnerabilities and make the job of Russia’s cyber conflict operators as accessible and scalable as possible.
This leak reinforces the significant concern regarding the threat posed by Russian cyber forces to firms across the globe.
Outsourced Payroll and HR Services Firm Forced to Shut Down After Cyber Attack
Belgian headquartered HR and payroll giant SD Worx has suffered a cyber attack causing them to shut down all IT systems for their UK and Ireland services. While the login portals for other European countries are working correctly, the company's UK customer portal was not accessible. As a full-service human resources and payroll company, SD Worx manages a large amount of sensitive data for their client's employees.
According to the company's general conditions agreement, this data may include tax information, government ID numbers, addresses, full names, birth dates, phone numbers, bank account numbers, employee evaluations, and more.
When a Cyber Criminal Steals Personal Data from Your Organisation What Do You Do and Who Do You Need to Inform?
If that happens it might be time for your management to clear their desks. The prospect of financial penalties and reputational damage is very real. You need to know your obligations — for instance, reporting the breach to applicable authorities and regulators within strict timeframes — understand the breach, and prioritise. Then you communicate and remedy. If you haven’t planned well, it’s going to be tough.
You need to understand the data breach. Who is affected — is it staff or customer data? What exactly have the cyber criminals accessed? Consider the type of information: salary details and passport copies, or customer payment information.
If personal data has been lost or compromised, you will likely have an obligation under data protection regulations to report the breach to your applicable data protection authority within 72 hours, and if you are a regulated business there will likely be similar requirements to report to your regulator within a similar timeframe. Knowing your obligations — ideally before any hack takes place — will guide how well you respond.
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/who-should-i-inform-after-a-data-hack-dcrzvgp2x
Insider Threat and Ransomware: A Growing Issue
Ransomware is a growing epidemic. 2022 saw a slew of high-profile attacks leading to massive paydays for cyber criminals. Cyber criminals work just as hard to conceal their identities and location as they do to exploit weaknesses and capture valuable data to hold hostage. Organisations not only stand to lose money in this scenario, but the damage to their reputation and trustworthiness in the market can be challenging to recover from. Customers place high trust in the safety of their personal information, and it’s the company they hold accountable – not the thieves – if it slips into the wrong hands.
Even if you have good technical controls, the low-hanging fruit is capitalising on the human element and gaining entrance through a person within your organisation. Insider threats come in all shapes and sizes and roles, including employees, executives, former employees, board members, contractors, and service providers. Insider threats, by their very nature, pose a unique challenge for organisations.
https://informationsecuritybuzz.com/insider-threat-and-ransomware-a-growing-issue/
How LockBit Changed Cyber Security Forever
LockBit are one of the most prolific ransomware gangs globally, accounting for almost half of ransomware attacks in 2022. They not only maintain a high profile, but they’ve also turned ransom monetisation upside down. Thanks to their innovative approach, the group has claimed 44% of total ransomware attacks launched in 2022. LockBit made history by launching the industry’s first bug bounty program initiated by a ransomware group. The operation invites security experts to uncover vulnerabilities and report them for rewards ranging from $1,000 to a staggering $1 million. This has since been expanded and now offers bounties for creative ways to enhance ransomware operations.
https://securityintelligence.com/articles/how-lockbit-changed-cybersecurity/
Hybrid Work Environments Are Stressing CISOs
The impact of the hybrid workforce on security posture, as well as the risks introduced by this way of working, are posing concerns for CISOs and driving them to develop new strategies for hybrid work security, according to a new report.
Among the report’s most critical findings is the revelation that browsing-based threats ranked as CISOs’ number one concern, regardless of whether their organisation was operating primarily in an in-office, hybrid, or remote setting.
And as for the risks posed by hybrid and remote workers specifically, insecure browsing also topped the list of CISOs’ concerns.
https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2023/04/12/hybrid-work-environments-stressing-cisos/
Protect Your Data with a USB Condom
USB isn't just a charging protocol, it also allows data to flow back and forth, and while most of the time this data flow is safe, it is possible to create a malicious charging port that can do bad things, such as plant malware on your device or steal your data. Equally, an employee plugging their personal phone into a corporate USB port may present a danger to the corporate network through the phone. A USB condom is a small dongle that adds a layer of protection between your device and the charging point you're attaching it to by blocking the data being transferred through the port. If you must use a charger, cable, or charging port that isn't under your control, it makes sense to use a USB condom.
https://www.zdnet.com/article/protect-your-data-with-a-usb-condom/
Strategising Cyber Security: Why a Risk-based Approach is Key
By 2027, cyber crime could cost the global economy nearly $24 trillion. Businesses often find themselves at the sharp end of this challenge, and, as such, cyber security is a critical aspect of the modern business landscape. Cyber threats are multiplying and pose serious financial, legal and reputational challenges to organisations.
Modern and effective cyber security management entails more than managing technology risk; it encompasses managing business risk. Organisations must recognise cyber security as a strategic imperative integrated into their overall risk management framework — and this starts at the board level. In some cases, board members may find it beneficial to seek help in assessing appropriate levels of control.
https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2023/04/strategizing-cybersecurity-why-a-risk-based-approach-is-key/
Threats
Ransomware, Extortion and Destructive Attacks
Microsoft Issues Patches for 97 Flaws, Including Active Ransomware Exploit (thehackernews.com)
Microsoft patches vulnerability used in Nokoyawa ransomware attacks | CSO Online
How LockBit Changed Cyber security Forever (securityintelligence.com)
Insider Threat And Ransomware: A Growing Issue (informationsecuritybuzz.com)
Rorschach ransomware deployed by misusing a security tool - Help Net Security
Medusa ransomware claims attack on Open University of Cyprus (bleepingcomputer.com)
Cyble — New Cylance Ransomware with Power-Packed CommandLine Options
Taiwanese PC Company MSI Falls Victim to Ransomware Attack (thehackernews.com)
KFC, Pizza Hut owner discloses data breach after ransomware attack (bleepingcomputer.com)
7 Things Your Ransomware Response Playbook Is Likely Missing (darkreading.com)
Cyber crime group exploits Windows zero-day in ransomware attacks-Security Affairs
Windows zero-day vulnerability exploited in ransomware attacks (bleepingcomputer.com)
Ransomware gangs increasingly deploy zero-days to maximize attacks | CyberScoop
Latitude Financial Refuses to Pay Ransom - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)
Superyacht-Maker Hit by Easter Ransomware Attack - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)
Phishing & Email Based Attacks
Microsoft: Phishing attack targets accountants as Tax Day approaches (bleepingcomputer.com)
Researchers Uncover Thriving Phishing Kit Market on Telegram Channels (thehackernews.com)
Phishing Campaign Targeting YouTube Content Creators, Malware Hitting Charging Stations - MSSP Alert
BEC – Business Email Compromise
Other Social Engineering; Smishing, Vishing, etc
2FA/MFA
Comparing enabled and enforced MFA in Microsoft 365 | TechTarget
Rilide browser extension steals MFA codes - Help Net Security
Malware
New Mirai Variant Employs Uncommon Tactics to Distribute Malware (darkreading.com)
Typhon Reborn Stealer Malware Resurfaces with Advanced Evasion Techniques (thehackernews.com)
BlackGuard Stealer Extends its Capabilities in New Variant - MSSP Alert
Check Point Software Technologies: Qbot Top Malware in March 2023 - MSSP Alert
Cryptocurrency Stealer Malware Distributed via 13 NuGet Packages (thehackernews.com)
Attackers Hide RedLine Stealer Behind ChatGPT, Google Bard Facebook Ads (darkreading.com)
Microsoft shares guidance to detect BlackLotus UEFI bootkit attacks (bleepingcomputer.com)
Microsoft, Fortra Gains Legal Rights Against Cobalt Strike Abuse (informationsecuritybuzz.com)
Legion Malware Marches onto Web Servers to Steal Credentials, Spam Mobile Users (darkreading.com)
WhatsApp boosts defence against account takeover via malware (bleepingcomputer.com)
Mobile
FBI warns about dangers of public USB charging ports | Popular Science (popsci.com)
Researchers Uncover Thriving Phishing Kit Market on Telegram Channels (thehackernews.com)
Android phones vulnerable to remote hacking — update right now | Tom's Guide (tomsguide.com)
Burglars tunnel through Apple Store’s neighbour, allegedly steal $500K in iPhones | Ars Technica
5G connections set to rise past 5.9 billion by 2027 - Help Net Security
Cyber criminals To Add Android Malware On Google Play Up To $20,000 (informationsecuritybuzz.com)
WhatsApp boosts defence against account takeover via malware (bleepingcomputer.com)
Denial of Service/DoS/DDOS
Hackers Flood NPM with Bogus Packages Causing a DoS Attack (thehackernews.com)
DDoS attacks shifting to VPS infrastructure for increased power (bleepingcomputer.com)
DDoS alert traffic reaches record-breaking level of 436 petabits in one day - Help Net Security
DDoS attacks rise as pro-Russia groups attack Finland, Israel (techrepublic.com)
Internet of Things – IoT
Printers Pose Persistent Yet Overlooked Threat (darkreading.com)
There’s a new form of keyless car theft that works in under 2 minutes | Ars Technica
Special Report: Tesla workers shared sensitive images recorded by customer cars | Reuters
Default static key in ThingsBoard IoT platform can give attackers admin access | CSO Online
5G connections set to rise past 5.9 billion by 2027 - Help Net Security
Zigbee PRO 2023 introduces new security mechanisms, feature enhancements - Help Net Security
Critical Vulnerability in Hikvision Storage Solutions Exposes Video Security Data - SecurityWeek
Data Breaches/Leaks
Samsung employees unwittingly leaked company secret data by using ChatGPT-Security Affairs
Cloud accounting firm in a pickle after researchers find admin login data | TechRadar
Service NSW breach exposes personal data affecting thousands of customers | 7NEWS
Military Intel Leak Investigated By US Officials (informationsecuritybuzz.com)
Hyundai data breach exposes owner details in France and Italy (bleepingcomputer.com)
Organised Crime & Criminal Actors
Criminal businesses adopt corporate behaviour as they grow - Help Net Security
Seized Genesis malware market's infostealers infected 1.5 million computers | CSO Online
Breached shutdown sparks migration to ARES data leak forums (bleepingcomputer.com)
FBI: Crooks posing as PRC agents prey on Chinese in the US • The Register
Cryptocurrency/Cryptomining/Cryptojacking/NFTs/Blockchain
Sentiment DeFi Hacker Makes Amends by Returning 90% of Funds (beincrypto.com)
Cryptocurrency Stealer Malware Distributed via 13 NuGet Packages (thehackernews.com)
Insider Risk and Insider Threats
Employees are as likely as cyber-criminals to cause cyber-incidents | The Independent
Cyber criminals use simple trick to obtain personal data - Help Net Security
Insider Threat And Ransomware: A Growing Issue (informationsecuritybuzz.com)
Fraud, Scams & Financial Crime
FBI warns of companies exploiting sextortion victims for profit (bleepingcomputer.com)
Cambodia deports 19 Japanese cyber crime scam suspects | News | Al Jazeera
‘Overemployed’ Hustlers Exploit ChatGPT To Take On Even More Full-Time Jobs (vice.com)
When Banking Laws Don't Protect Consumers From Cybertheft (darkreading.com)
AI clones child’s voice in fake kidnapping scam | The Independent
Five arrested after 33,000 victims lose $98M to online investment fraud (bleepingcomputer.com)
Stolen Card Numbers Plummet 94% Globally - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)
Supply Chain and Third Parties
3CX confirms North Korean hackers behind supply chain attack (bleepingcomputer.com)
Capita: IT outsourcer reels from being locked out of its own IT (thetimes.co.uk)
Cloud/SaaS
Western Digital struggles to fix massive My Cloud outage, offers workaround (bleepingcomputer.com)
Microsoft Azure Users Warned of Potential Shared Key Authorization Abuse - SecurityWeek
Iranian APT group launches destructive attacks in hybrid Azure AD environments | CSO Online
Cloud accounting firm in a pickle after researchers find admin login data | TechRadar
Securing the Chaos – Harnessing Dispersed Multi-Cloud, Hybrid Environments - SecurityWeek
Hybrid/Remote Working
Hybrid work environments are stressing CISOs - Help Net Security
‘Overemployed’ Hustlers Exploit ChatGPT To Take On Even More Full-Time Jobs (vice.com)
Attack Surface Management
How to Secure Web Applications in a Growing Digital Attack Surface (bleepingcomputer.com)
The new weakest link in the cyber security chain - Help Net Security
Shadow IT
Identity and Access Management
Identity Management Day: 3 Things MSSPs Need to Know - MSSP Alert
Centralized vs. decentralized identity management explained | TechTarget
The Service Accounts Challenge: Can't See or Secure Them Until It's Too Late (thehackernews.com)
Encryption
API
Google launches dependency API and curated package repository with security metadata | CSO Online
Why Shadow APIs are More Dangerous than You Think (thehackernews.com)
Open Source
Passwords, Credential Stuffing & Brute Force Attacks
Almost Half of Former Employees Say Their Passwords Still Work (darkreading.com)
Why it's time to move towards a passwordless future - Help Net Security
AI can crack most password in less than a minute | TechRadar
How an AI tool could crack your passwords in seconds | ZDNET
Meet PassGAN, the supposedly “terrifying” AI password cracker that’s mostly hype | Ars Technica
Social Media
Malvertising
Training, Education and Awareness
Regulations, Fines and Legislation
Lagging regulations frustrate protecting data from cyber attacks (themandarin.com.au)
Battle could be brewing over new FCC data breach reporting rules | CSO Online
When Banking Laws Don't Protect Consumers From Cyber Theft (darkreading.com)
Governance, Risk and Compliance
Employees are as likely as cyber-criminals to cause cyber-incidents | The Independent
Skyhigh Security Report: 75% of Organizations Have Suffered a Cyber security Breach - MSSP Alert
Strategising cyber security: Why a risk-based approach is key | World Economic Forum (weforum.org)
Outcome-based cyber security paves way for organizational goals - Help Net Security
Why reporting an incident only makes the cyber security community stronger | CSO Online
6 common challenges facing cyber security teams and how to overcome them | TechCrunch
Top 10 Cyber security Trends for 2023: From Zero Trust to Cyber Insurance (thehackernews.com)
Most Security Exposures Do Not Put Organizations' Critical Assets At Risk, Study Shows - MSSP Alert
Threat hunting programs can save organizations from costly security breaches - Help Net Security
Gartner: Human-Centric Design Is Top Cyber Security Trend for 2023 (darkreading.com)
Law Enforcement Action and Take Downs
Seized Genesis malware market's infostealers infected 1.5 million computers | CSO Online
Spanish cops arrest teenage 'Robin Hood hacker' • The Register
Australia Is Scouring the Earth for Cyber criminals — the US Should Too (darkreading.com)
Cambodia deports 19 Japanese cyber crime scam suspects | News | Al Jazeera
Dutch Police mails RaidForums members to warn they’re being watched (bleepingcomputer.com)
Five arrested after 33,000 victims lose $98M to online investment fraud (bleepingcomputer.com)
Privacy, Surveillance and Mass Monitoring
Tesla Sued Over Workers' Alleged Access to Car Video Imagery - SecurityWeek
Consumers take data control into their own hands amid rising privacy concerns - Help Net Security
Artificial Intelligence
Samsung employees unwittingly leaked company secret data by using ChatGPT - Security Affairs
Cyber crime: be careful what you tell your chatbot helper… | Chatbots | The Guardian
US cyber chiefs warn of threats from China and AI • The Register
When you're talking to a chatbot, who's listening? | CNN Business
Bad Actors Will Use Large Language Models — but Defenders Can, Too (darkreading.com)
AI can crack most password in less than a minute | TechRadar
‘Overemployed’ Hustlers Exploit ChatGPT To Take On Even More Full-Time Jobs (vice.com)
AI clones child’s voice in fake kidnapping scam | The Independent
European privacy watchdog creates ChatGPT task force | Reuters
Spyware, Cyber Espionage & Cyber Warfare, including Russian Invasion of Ukraine
Russian hackers linked to widespread attacks targeting NATO and EU (bleepingcomputer.com)
NTC Vulkan leak shows evolving Russian cyberwar capabilities | CSO Online
The Discord servers at the center of a massive US intelligence leak | CyberScoop
Cisco trashed offices and destroyed spares as it quit Russia • The Register
Another zero-click Apple spyware biz shows up in town again • The Register
Ukrainian hackers spend $25,000 of pro-Russian blogger's money on sex toys (bitdefender.com)
DDoS attacks rise as pro-Russia groups attack Finland, Israel (techrepublic.com)
Russian Hacker Group Zarya Hit Canadian Pipeline—Leaked Docs (gizmodo.com)
Russia's Joker DPR Claims Access to Ukraine Troop Movement Data (darkreading.com)
Spyware Offered to Cyber attackers via PyPI Python Repository (darkreading.com)
Russian hackers ‘target security cameras inside Ukraine coffee shops’ | Ukraine | The Guardian
Nation State Actors
Russia-linked APT29 is behind recent attacks targeting NATO and EU-Security Affairs
North Korean Hackers Uncovered as Mastermind in 3CX Supply Chain Attack (thehackernews.com)
US cyber chiefs warn of threats from China and AI • The Register
Ukrainian hackers spend $25,000 of pro-Russian blogger's money on sex toys (bitdefender.com)
Google is on a crusade against cyber security threats from North Korea | TechRadar
Russian Hacker Group Zarya Hit Canadian Pipeline—Leaked Docs (gizmodo.com)
Iranian APT group launches destructive attacks in hybrid Azure AD environments | CSO Online
FBI: Crooks posing as PRC agents prey on Chinese in the US • The Register
Vulnerability Management
Most Security Exposures Do Not Put Organizations' Critical Assets At Risk, Study Shows - MSSP Alert
Ransomware gangs increasingly deploy zero-days to maximize attacks | CyberScoop
Vulnerabilities
Microsoft Issues Patches for 97 Flaws, Including Active Ransomware Exploit (thehackernews.com)
Windows admins warned to patch critical MSMQ QueueJumper bug (bleepingcomputer.com)
Nokoyawa ransomware attacks with Windows zero-day | Securelist
Thousands at risk from critical RCE bug in legacy MS service | Computer Weekly
1M+ WordPress Sites Hacked via Zero-Day Plug-in Bugs (darkreading.com)
Sophos Patches Critical Code Execution Vulnerability in Web Security Appliance - SecurityWeek
Cisco Patches Code and Command Execution Vulnerabilities in Several Products - SecurityWeek
CISA orders agencies to patch Backup Exec bugs used by ransomware gang (bleepingcomputer.com)
CISA Adds Two Known Exploited Vulnerabilities to Catalog | CISA
Data-leak flaw in Qualcomm, HiSilicon-based Wi-Fi AP chips • The Register
Twitter 'Shadow Ban' Bug Gets Official CVE (darkreading.com)
Exploit available for critical bug in VM2 JavaScript sandbox library (bleepingcomputer.com)
Microsoft finally gets around to fixing half-decade-old Firefox CPU bug | TechRadar
SAP releases security updates for two critical-severity flaws (bleepingcomputer.com)
Adobe Plugs Gaping Security Holes in Reader, Acrobat - SecurityWeek
Limit Login Attempts Plugin Patches Severe Unauthenticated Stored XSS Vulnerability – WP Tavern
Fortinet Patches Critical Vulnerability in Data Analytics Solution - SecurityWeek
How Microsoft’s Shared Key authorization can be abused and how to fix it | CSO Online
Microsoft shares fix for Outlook issue blocking access to emails (bleepingcomputer.com)
Critical Vulnerability in Hikvision Storage Solutions Exposes Video Security Data - SecurityWeek
Tools and Controls
Threat hunting programs can save organizations from costly security breaches - Help Net Security
Stopping criminals from abusing security tools - Microsoft On the Issues
Most Security Exposures Do Not Put Organizations' Critical Assets At Risk, Study Shows - MSSP Alert
The Pope's Security Gets a Boost With Vatican's MDM Move (darkreading.com)
Bad Actors Will Use Large Language Models — but Defenders Can, Too (darkreading.com)
Cyber crime: be careful what you tell your chatbot helper… | Chatbots | The Guardian
Detailed Analysis Of The Best Password Managers In 2023 (informationsecuritybuzz.com)
How CIEM Can Improve Identity, Permissions Management for Multicloud Deployments (darkreading.com)
Centralized vs. decentralized identity management explained | TechTarget
The Service Accounts Challenge: Can't See or Secure Them Until It's Too Late (thehackernews.com)
What is an Intrusion Prevention System (IPS)? (techtarget.com)
Securing the Chaos – Harnessing Dispersed Multi-Cloud, Hybrid Environments - SecurityWeek
How to Secure Web Applications in a Growing Digital Attack Surface (bleepingcomputer.com)
4 strategies to help reduce the risk of DNS tunnelling | CSO Online
Reports Published in the Last Week
Other News
MSI Confirms Cyber Attack, Issues Firmware Download Guidance - SecurityWeek
1M+ WordPress Sites Hacked via Zero-Day Plug-in Bugs (darkreading.com)
Western Digital restores service; attack details remain unclear | TechTarget
Rapid7 Has Good News for UK Security Posture - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)
Sector Specific
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Contact us to receive tailored reports specific to the industry/sector and geographies you operate in.
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· Health/Medical/Pharma
· Hotels & Hospitality
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· Maritime
· Oil, Gas & Mining
· OT, ICS, IIoT, SCADA & Cyber-Physical Systems
· Retail & eCommerce
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· Telecoms
· Third Sector & Charities
· Transport & Aviation
· Web3
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Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing 10 February 2023
Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing 10 February 2023:
-Companies Banned from Paying Hackers After Attacks on Royal Mail and Guardian
-Fraud Set to Be Upgraded as a Threat to National Security
-98% of Attacks are Not Reported by Employees to their Employers
-UK Second Most Targeted Nation Behind America for Ransomware
-Financial Institutions are Suffering from Increasingly Sophisticated Cyber Attacks
-An Email Attack Can End Up Costing You Over $1 Million
-Cyber Crime Shows No Signs of Slowing Down
-Surge of Swatting Attacks Targets Corporate Executive and Board Members
-Phishing Surges Ahead, as ChatGPT and Artificial Intelligence Loom
-Pro-Russian Hacktivist Group is Only Getting Started, Experts Warn
-Crypto Investors Lost Nearly $4 Billion to Hackers in 2022
-PayPal and Twitter Abused in Turkey Relief Donation Scams
-Mysterious Leak of Booking.com Reservation Data is Being Used to Scam Customers
Welcome to this week’s Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing – a weekly digest, collated and curated by our cyber experts to provide senior and middle management with an easy to digest round up of the most notable threats, vulnerabilities, and cyber related news from the last week.
Top Cyber Stories of the Last Week
UK Companies Banned from Paying Ransomware Hackers After Attacks on Royal Mail and Guardian
British companies have been banned from paying ransomware hackers after a spate of attacks on businesses including Royal Mail and the Guardian newspaper.
UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly on Thursday unveiled sanctions on seven Russian hackers linked to a gang called Conti, effectively banning any payments to the group.
Thursday’s sanctions are the first of their kind to be specifically targeted against Russian ransomware gang members.
The actions follow a spate of high-profile attacks on businesses and amid warnings from GCHQ that Russian and Iranian hackers are stepping up actions in Britain.
Fraud Set to Be Upgraded as a Threat to National Security
Fraud is to be reclassified as a threat to national security under UK government plans that will force police chiefs to devote more officers to solving the crime.
It will be elevated to the same status as terrorism, with chief constables mandated to increase resources and combine capabilities in a new effort to combat a fraud epidemic that now accounts for 30 per cent of all crime.
It will be added to the strategic policing requirement, which means that forces will be required by ministers to treat fraud as a major priority alongside not only terrorism, but also public disorder, civil emergencies, serious and organised crime, cyber attacks and child sexual abuse.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/02/04/fraud-set-upgraded-threat-national-security/
98% of Attacks are Not Reported by Employees to their Employers
Cyber attackers are increasingly using social engineering tactics to lure employees into opening malicious emails in an attempt to trick them into providing login credentials, updating bank account information and paying fraudulent invoices. Worryingly, research conducted by security provider Abnormal has found that 98% of attacks on organisations are not reported to the organisation’s security team. In addition to this, the report found that the volume of business email compromise attacks are spiking, growing by 175% over the past two years. The report also found that nearly two-thirds of large enterprises experiencing a supply chain compromise attack in the second half of 2022.
UK Second Most Targeted Nation Behind America for Ransomware
Security research team Kraken Labs released their report earlier this week, which found that of the 101 different countries that registered victims of ransomware, the UK had registered the second highest number of victims behind the US. Currently, there are over 60 ransomware groups, with the top 3 accounting for a third of all ransomware attacks.
Financial Institutions are Suffering from Increasingly Sophisticated Cyber Attacks
This week security provider Contrast Security released its Cyber Bank Heists report, an annual report that exposes cyber security threats facing the financial sector. The report warns financial institutions that security must be a top-of-mind issue amid rising geopolitical tensions, increased destructive attacks utilising wipers and a record-breaking year of zero-day exploits. The report involved a series of interviews with financial sector security leaders and found some notable results. Some of the results include 64% of leaders seeing an increase in application attacks, 72% of respondents planning to increase investment in application security in 2023, 60% of respondents falling victim to destructive attacks and 50% of organisations detecting campaigns which aimed to steal non-public market information.
An Email Attack Can End Up Costing You Over $1 Million
According to a report by security provider Barracuda Network, 75% of organisations had fallen victim to at least one successful email attack in the last 12 months, with those affected facing potential costs of over $1 million for their most expensive attack. The fallout from an email security attack can be significant, with the report finding 44% of those hit had faced significant downtime and business disruption. Additionally financial services greatly impacted by the loss of valuable data (59%) and payments made to attackers (51%). When it came to organisations preparation, 30% felt underprepared when dealing with account takeover and 28% felt unprepared for dealing with business email compromise.
https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2023/02/10/email-attack-damage-1-million/
Cyber Crime Shows No Signs of Slowing Down
Global risks from population pressures and climate change to political conflicts and industrial supply chain challenges characterised 2022. Cyber criminals used this turmoil to exploit these trending topics, including significant events, public affairs, social causes, and anywhere else opportunity appeared. According to security researchers at Zscaler TheatLabz, 2023 will see a rise in Crime-as-a-service (CaaS), supply chains will be bigger targets than ever, there will be a greater need for defence in depth as endpoint protection will not be enough and finally, there will be a decrease in the time between initial compromise and the final stage of an attack.
https://www.darkreading.com/zscaler/cybercrime-shows-no-signs-of-slowing-down
Surge of Swatting Attacks Targets Corporate Executive and Board Members
Swatting is the act of deceiving an emergency service with the purpose of the service then sending an emergency response, often armed, to a targeted persons address. Security provider Black Cloak has found that swatting incidents are now beginning to target C-suite executives and corporate board members, with the number of incidents increasing over the last few months. Malicious actors are using information from the dark web, company websites and property records to construct their swatting attacks.
Phishing Surges Ahead, as ChatGPT and Artificial Intelligence Loom
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is making it easier for threat actors to create sophisticated and malicious email campaigns. In their report, security provider Vade found that Q4 of 2022 saw a 36% volume increase in phishing campaigns compared to the previous quarter, with over 278.3 million unique phishing emails in that period. The researchers found in particular, new AI tools such as ChatGPT had made it easy for anyone, including those with limited skills, to conduct a sophisticated phishing campaign. Furthermore, the ability of ChatGPT to tailor phishing to different languages is an area for concern.
https://www.darkreading.com/vulnerabilities-threats/bolstered-chatgpt-tools-phishing-surged-ahead
Pro-Russian Hacktivist Group is Only Getting Started, Experts Warn
A pro-Russian hacktivist group's low-level distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks on US critical infrastructure could be a precursor to more serious cyber attacks, health care and security officials warned this week. A DDoS attack involves overwhelming a targeted service, service or network with traffic in an attempt to disrupt it. Earlier this week Killnet, a politically motivated Russian hacking group, overloaded and took down some US healthcare organisations. The attack came after threatening western healthcare organisations for the continued NATO support of Ukraine.
https://www.axios.com/2023/02/03/killnet-russian-hackers-attacks
Crypto Investors Lost Nearly $4 Billion to Hackers in 2022
Last year marked the worst year on record for cryptocurrency hacks, according to analytic firm Chainalysis’ latest report. According to the report, hackers stole $3.8 billion in 2022, up from $3.3 billion the previous year. De-centralised finance products, which are products that have no requirement for an intermediary or middle-man accounted for about 82% of all crypto stolen.
PayPal and Twitter Abused in Turkey Relief Donation Scams
Scammers are now exploiting the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Turkey and Syria. This time, stealing donations by abusing legitimate platforms such as PayPal and Twitter. It has been identified that multiple scams are running which call for fundraising, linking the victim to a legitimate PayPal site. The money however, is kept by the scammer.
Mysterious Leak of Booking.com Reservation Data is Being Used to Scam Customers
For almost 5 years, Booking.com customers have been on the receiving end of a continuous series of scams that demonstrate criminals have obtained travel plans amongst other personally identifiable information that were provided to Booking.com. The scams have involved users receiving fake emails purporting to be from Booking.com with genuine travel details that victims had provided. These emails contain links to malicious URL’s that look nearly identical to the Booking.com website. These then display the victim’s expected travel information, requiring them to input their card details. Some of the scams have developed and involve scammers sending WhatsApp messages after payment has been made, purporting to be from hotels which have been booked by the victims.
Threats
Ransomware, Extortion and Destructive Attacks
UK/US cyber crime crackdown sees 7 ransomware criminals sanctioned | CSO Online
US, UK Slap Sanctions on Trickbot Cyber crime Gang - SecurityWeek
UK second most targeted nation behind America for Ransomware - IT Security Guru
Hackers who breached ION say ransom paid; company declines comment | Reuters
New Wave of Ransomware Attacks Exploiting VMware Bug to Target ESXi Servers (thehackernews.com)
Massive ESXiArgs ransomware attack targets VMware ESXi servers worldwide (bleepingcomputer.com)
Royal Ransomware adds support for encrypting Linux, VMware ESXi systems-security affairs
Ongoing VMware ESXi Ransomware Attack Highlights Inherent Virtualisation Risks (darkreading.com)
Lessons Learned on Ransomware Prevention from the Rackspace Attack (bleepingcomputer.com)
ESXiArgs Ransomware Hits Over 3,800 Servers as Hackers Continue Improving Malware - SecurityWeek
Ransomware Revolution: 4 Types of Cyber Risks in 2023 (trendmicro.com)
Hypervisor patching struggles exacerbate ESXiArgs attacks | TechTarget
Linux version of Royal Ransomware targets VMware ESXi servers (bleepingcomputer.com)
Nevada Ransomware has released upgraded locker - Help Net Security
Italy, France and Singapore Warn of a Spike in ESXI Ransomware-security affairs
Massive ransomware attack targets VMware ESXi servers worldwide | CSO Online
LockBit ransomware gang claims Royal Mail cyber ttack (bleepingcomputer.com)
Medusa botnet returns as a Mirai-based variant with ransomware sting (bleepingcomputer.com)
New Linux variant of Clop Ransomware uses a flawed encryption-security affairs
After Hive takedown, could the LockBit ransomware crew be the next to fall? | CyberScoop
Russia-Linked Ransomware Gang Claims Responsibility for Royal Mail Attack (gizmodo.com)
Largest Canadian bookstore Indigo shuts down site after cyber ttack (bleepingcomputer.com)
Hackers hit Vesuvius, UK engineering company shuts down affected systems • Graham Cluley
MKS Instruments falls victim to ransomware attack | CSO Online
North Korea ransomware targets hospitals to fund digital spycraft, US agencies warn | CyberScoop
Phishing & Email Based Attacks
Phishing Surges Ahead, as ChatGPT & AI Loom (darkreading.com)
Employees Fail to Report 98% of Email Cyber Hacks To Security Teams, Study Finds - MSSP Alert
An email attack can end up costing you over $1 million - Help Net Security
What SOCs Need to Know About Water Dybbuk A BEC Actor Using Open-Source Toolkits (trendmicro.com)
How Can ChatGPT Make It Easier to Boost Phishing Scams? (analyticsinsight.net)
Cyber criminals exploit volatile job market for targeted email attacks - Help Net Security
'Phishing-as-a-service' kits drive uptick in theft: One business owner's story (cnbc.com)
Malicious Google ads sneak AWS phishing sites into search results (bleepingcomputer.com)
NewsPenguin Goes Phishing for Maritime & Military Secrets (darkreading.com)
BEC – Business Email Compromise
Malware
Hacker develops new 'Screenshotter' malware to find high-value targets (bleepingcomputer.com)
Threat group targets over 1,000 companies with screenshotting and infostealing malware | CSO Online
ESXiArgs Ransomware Hits Over 3,800 Servers as Hackers Continue Improving Malware - SecurityWeek
Android mobile devices from top vendors in China have pre-installed malware-security affairs
Hackers backdoor Windows devices in Sliver and BYOVD attacks (bleepingcomputer.com)
GuLoader Malware Using Malicious NSIS Executables to Target E-Commerce Industry (thehackernews.com)
Novel Banking Trojan 'PixPirate' Targets Brazil - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)
New QakNote attacks push QBot malware via Microsoft OneNote files (bleepingcomputer.com)
Gootkit Malware Adopts New Tactics to Attack Healthcare and Finance Firms (thehackernews.com)
Mobile
Android mobile devices from top vendors in China have pre-installed malware-security affairs
Fraudulent "CryptoRom" Apps Slip Through Apple and Google App Store Review Process - SecurityWeek
Android phones from Chinese vendors share private data • The Register
'Money Lover' Finance App Exposes User Data (darkreading.com)
Xiaomi, OnePlus, Top Android Phones in China Spy on You: Study (gizmodo.com)
Android 14 to block malware from abusing sensitive permissions (bleepingcomputer.com)
UK Proposes Making the Sale and Possession of Encrypted Phones Illegal (vice.com)
Android's February 2023 Updates Patch 40 Vulnerabilities - SecurityWeek
Denial of Service/DoS/DDOS
Here's a list of proxy IPs to help block KillNet's DDoS bots • The Register
Tor and I2P networks hit by wave of ongoing DDoS attacks (bleepingcomputer.com)
Experts published a list of proxy IPs used by the group Killnet-security affairs
Internet of Things – IoT
Medusa botnet returns as a Mirai-based variant with ransomware sting (bleepingcomputer.com)
Security manufacturer’s smart cameras went dark for two hours (mybroadband.co.za)
Vulnerability Allows Hackers to Remotely Tamper With Dahua Security Cameras - SecurityWeek
NIST Picks IoT Standard for Small Electronics Cyber security (darkreading.com)
Data Breaches/Leaks
Swiss authorities open criminal probe into bank data breaches | Financial Times (ft.com)
Mysterious leak of Booking.com reservation data is being used to scam customers | Ars Technica
TruthFinder, Instant Checkmate confirm data breach affecting 20M customers (bleepingcomputer.com)
20 Million Users Impacted by Data Breach at Instant Checkmate, TruthFinder - SecurityWeek
Over 12% of analysed online stores expose private data, backups (bleepingcomputer.com)
'Money Lover' Finance App Exposes User Data (darkreading.com)
Reddit Suffers Security Breach Exposing Internal Documents and Source Code (thehackernews.com)
Organised Crime & Criminal Actors
Tracers in the Dark: The Global Hunt for the Crime Lords of Crypto – Naked Security (sophos.com)
Minister: Cyber crimes Now 20% of Spain’s Registered Offenses - SecurityWeek
Finland’s Most-Wanted Hacker Nabbed in France – Krebs on Security
Australian Man Sentenced for Scam Related to Optus Hack - SecurityWeek
Bungling Optus scammer was no criminal mastermind • Graham Cluley
Dark Web Market Revenues Sink 50% in 2022 - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)
Cryptocurrency/Cryptomining/Cryptojacking/NFTs/Blockchain
Crypto investors lost nearly $4 billion to hackers in 2022 (cnbc.com)
Tracers in the Dark: The Global Hunt for the Crime Lords of Crypto – Naked Security (sophos.com)
Avraham Eisenberg in court accused of crypto exchange crash • The Register
Crypto Drainers Are Ready to Ransack Investor Wallets (darkreading.com)
How Cyber criminals Are Operationalising Money Laundering and What to Do About It (darkreading.com)
FTX Being Advised by Cyber security Firm Sygnia on Hack Inquiry, CEO Ray Says (coindesk.com)
Scammers steal $4 million in crypto during in-person meeting • The Register
Enigma Stealer Targets Cryptocurrency Industry with Fake Jobs (trendmicro.com)
Insider Risk and Insider Threats
Another RAC staffer nabbed for sharing road accident data • The Register
Ex-Ubiquiti worker pleads guilty to data theft, extortion, and smear plot (bitdefender.com)
Cyber Hygiene: How to get buy-in from employees (trendmicro.com)
Fraud, Scams & Financial Crime
PayPal and Twitter abused in Turkey relief donation scams (bleepingcomputer.com)
Working from home is fuelling fraud epidemic, warn managers (telegraph.co.uk)
Mysterious leak of Booking.com reservation data is being used to scam customers | Ars Technica
As V-Day nears: Romance scams cost victims $1.3B last year • The Register
What CISOs Can Do About Brand Impersonation Scam Sites (darkreading.com)
Father killed himself after falling victim to romance scam | News | The Times
'Brushing' scams send people free items, but could be a warning sign about a data breach - ABC News
Fraudulent "CryptoRom" Apps Slip Through Apple and Google App Store Review Process - SecurityWeek
How Cyber criminals Are Operationalising Money Laundering and What to Do About It (darkreading.com)
Banks leave doors open for scammers with flaws in online security | This is Money
Trio Arrested in COVID PPE Fraud Probe - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)
Twitter restricted in Turkey after the earthquake amid disinformation fear-security affairs
Impersonation Attacks
What CISOs Can Do About Brand Impersonation Scam Sites (darkreading.com)
HTML smuggling campaigns impersonate well-known brands to deliver malware | CSO Online
AML/CFT/Sanctions
How Cyber criminals Are Operationalising Money Laundering and What to Do About It (darkreading.com)
UK/US cyber crime crackdown sees 7 ransomware criminals sanctioned | CSO Online
US, UK Slap Sanctions on Trickbot Cyber crime Gang - SecurityWeek
Insurance
Tackling the New Cyber Insurance Requirements: Can Your Organisation Comply? (thehackernews.com)
How to Optimise Your Cyber Insurance Coverage (darkreading.com)
Dark Web
BlackSprut: Darknet Drug Market Advertises On Billboards In Moscow (informationsecuritybuzz.com)
Dark Web Market Revenues Sink 50% in 2022 - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)
Supply Chain and Third Parties
Have we learnt nothing from SolarWinds supply chain attacks? • The Register
Vulnerability Provided Access to Toyota Supplier Management Network - SecurityWeek
Software Supply Chain
Cloud/SaaS
Cloud Apps Still Demand Way More Privileges Than They Use (darkreading.com)
Amazon S3 to apply security best practices for all new buckets - Help Net Security
Why Some Cloud Services Vulnerabilities Are So Hard to Fix (darkreading.com)
Malicious Google ads sneak AWS phishing sites into search results (bleepingcomputer.com)
7 Critical Cloud Threats Facing the Enterprise in 2023 (darkreading.com)
Hybrid/Remote Working
Working from home is fuelling fraud epidemic, warn managers (telegraph.co.uk)
Predictions For Securing Today's Hybrid Workforce (darkreading.com)
Identity and Access Management
Encryption
It Isn't Time to Worry About Quantum Computing Just Yet (darkreading.com)
UK Proposes Making the Sale and Possession of Encrypted Phones Illegal (vice.com)
API
Passwords, Credential Stuffing & Brute Force Attacks
Biometrics
Social Media
Twitter Implements API Paywall, but Will That Solve Its Enormous Bot Crisis? (darkreading.com)
Twitter restricted in Turkey after the earthquake amid disinformation fear-security affairs
Malvertising
Training, Education and Awareness
Cyber Hygiene: How to get buy-in from employees (trendmicro.com)
Infosec Launches New Office Comedy Themed Security Awareness Training Series (darkreading.com)
Parental Controls and Child Safety
Regulations, Fines and Legislation
Corporate ‘privacy’ concerns must not derail Europe’s Data Act | Financial Times (ft.com)
While governments pass privacy laws, companies struggle to change - Help Net Security
Prioritising Cyber security Regulation Harmonisation (darkreading.com)
Governance, Risk and Compliance
Quarter of CFOs Have Suffered $1m+ Breaches - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)
Swiss authorities open criminal probe into bank data breaches | Financial Times (ft.com)
Trends that impact on organisations' 2023 security priorities - Help Net Security
With TikTok Bans, the Time for Operational Governance Is Now (darkreading.com)
Optimising Cyber security Investments in a Constrained Spending Environment (darkreading.com)
Surge of swatting attacks targets corporate executives and board members | CSO Online
Lessons From the Cold War: How Quality Trumps Quantity in Cyber security (darkreading.com)
Cyber Hygiene: How to get buy-in from employees (trendmicro.com)
Models, Frameworks and Standards
Data Protection
Corporate ‘privacy’ concerns must not derail Europe’s Data Act | Financial Times (ft.com)
While governments pass privacy laws, companies struggle to change - Help Net Security
Regulator Halts AI Chatbot Over GDPR Concerns - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)
Law Enforcement Action and Take Downs
European Police Arrest 42 After Cracking Covert App - SecurityWeek
Eurocops shut down Exclu encrypted messaging app • The Register
Finnish psychotherapy extortion suspect arrested in France – Naked Security (sophos.com)
Privacy, Surveillance and Mass Monitoring
Xiaomi, OnePlus, Top Android Phones in China Spy on You: Study (gizmodo.com)
Steps To Planning And Implementation Of Data Privacy (informationsecuritybuzz.com)
ChatGPT is a data privacy nightmare, and we ought to be concerned | Ars Technica
Artificial Intelligence
Adversaries Using OpenAI’s ChatGPT Chatbot for Cyber Attacks? Here are Some Clues - MSSP Alert
Phishing Surges Ahead, as ChatGPT & AI Loom (darkreading.com)
IT Leaders Reveal Cyber Fears Around ChatGPT - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)
How Can ChatGPT Make It Easier to Boost Phishing Scams? (analyticsinsight.net)
ChatGPT's potential to aid attackers puts IT pros on high alert - Help Net Security
Hackers are selling a service that bypasses ChatGPT restrictions on malware | Ars Technica
ChatGPT is a data privacy nightmare, and we ought to be concerned | Ars Technica
Jailbreak Trick Breaks ChatGPT Content Safeguards (darkreading.com)
Regulator Halts AI Chatbot Over GDPR Concerns - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)
Google's Bard AI bot mistake wipes $100bn off shares - BBC News
$120bn wiped off Google after Bard AI chatbot gives wrong answer (telegraph.co.uk)
Why ChatGPT Isn't a Death Sentence for Cyber Defenders (darkreading.com)
Spyware, Cyber Espionage & Cyber Warfare, including Russian Invasion of Ukraine
Pro-Russian hacktivist group Killnet could just be getting started (axios.com)
Yes, CISOs should be concerned about the types of data spy balloons can intercept | CSO Online
Android mobile devices from top vendors in China have pre-installed malware-security affairs
China sharply rebukes US over decision to shoot down spy balloon | Financial Times (ft.com)
Here's a list of proxy IPs to help block KillNet's DDoS bots • The Register
What is hybrid warfare? Inside the centre dealing with modern threats - BBC News
DPRK Using Unpatched Zimbra Devices to Spy on Researchers (darkreading.com)
Russian hackers using new Graphiron information stealer in Ukraine (bleepingcomputer.com)
The impact of Russia's Ukraine invasion on digital threats - Help Net Security
Russian Hackers Steal Data In Ukraine With New Graphiron Malware (informationsecuritybuzz.com)
Spies, Hackers, Informants: How China Snoops on the US - SecurityWeek
US teases new China tech sanctions to deflate balloon-makers • The Register
Nation State Actors
Pro-Russian hacktivist group Killnet could just be getting started (axios.com)
With TikTok Bans, the Time for Operational Governance Is Now (darkreading.com)
Yes, CISOs should be concerned about the types of data spy balloons can intercept | CSO Online
Android mobile devices from top vendors in China have pre-installed malware-security affairs
China sharply rebukes US over decision to shoot down spy balloon | Financial Times (ft.com)
Microsoft: Iran Unit Behind Charlie Hebdo Hack-and-Leak Op - SecurityWeek
Here's a list of proxy IPs to help block KillNet's DDoS bots • The Register
Android phones from Chinese vendors share private data • The Register
DPRK Using Unpatched Zimbra Devices to Spy on Researchers (darkreading.com)
SNP MP Stewart McDonald's emails hacked by Russian group - BBC News
Australia to remove Chinese surveillance cameras amid security fears - BBC News
Russian hackers using new Graphiron information stealer in Ukraine (bleepingcomputer.com)
Xiaomi, OnePlus, Top Android Phones in China Spy on You: Study (gizmodo.com)
UN Experts: North Korean Hackers Stole Record Virtual Assets - SecurityWeek
Mysterious Russian satellites are now breaking apart in low-Earth orbit | Ars Technica
The impact of Russia's Ukraine invasion on digital threats - Help Net Security
Russian Hackers Steal Data In Ukraine With New Graphiron Malware (informationsecuritybuzz.com)
Experts published a list of proxy IPs used by the group Killnet-security affairs
NewsPenguin Goes Phishing for Maritime & Military Secrets (darkreading.com)
US teases new China tech sanctions to deflate balloon-makers • The Register
North Korea ransomware targets hospitals to fund digital spycraft, US agencies warn | Cyber scoop
Vulnerability Management
Vulnerabilities and exposures to rise to 1,900 a month in 2023: Coalition | CSO Online
Patching & Passwords Lead the Problem Pack for Cyber-Teams (darkreading.com)
Hypervisor patching struggles exacerbate ESXiArgs attacks | TechTarget
How to fix the top 5 cyber security vulnerabilities | TechTarget
20 Powerful Vulnerability Scanning Tools In 2023 (informationsecuritybuzz.com)
Vulnerabilities
High-Severity Privilege Escalation Vulnerability Patched in VMware Workstation - SecurityWeek
New Wave of Ransomware Attacks Exploiting VMware Bug to Target ESXi Servers (thehackernews.com)
GoAnywhere MFT Users Warned of Zero-Day Exploit - SecurityWeek
Serious security hole plugged in infosec tool binwalk | The Daily Swig (portswigger.net)
Cisco fixed command injection bug in IOx Application Hosting Environment-security affairs
Vulnerability In F5 BIG-IP May Cause DoS And Code Execution (informationsecuritybuzz.com)
GoAnywhere MFT zero-day flaw actively exploited-security affairs
Exploitation attempts for Oracle E-Business Suite flaw observed after PoC release-security affairs
Critical vulnerability patched in Jira Service Management Server and Data Center | CSO Online
Warning: Hackers Actively Exploiting Zero-Day in Fortra's GoAnywhere MFT (thehackernews.com)
Exploit released for actively exploited GoAnywhere MFT zero-day (bleepingcomputer.com)
Patch Released for Actively Exploited GoAnywhere MFT Zero-Day - SecurityWeek
Unpatched Security Flaws Disclosed in Multiple Document Management Systems (thehackernews.com)
SonicWall warns web content filtering is broken on Windows 11 22H2 (bleepingcomputer.com)
OpenSSL Fixes Multiple New Security Flaws with Latest Update (thehackernews.com)
Android's February 2023 Updates Patch 40 Vulnerabilities - SecurityWeek
Tools and Controls
Other News
Yes, CISOs should be concerned about the types of data spy balloons can intercept | CSO Online
How to Think Like a Hacker and Stay Ahead of Threats (thehackernews.com)
Surge of swatting a attacks targets corporate executives and board members | CSO Online
Bermuda: Major Internet And Power Outage Strikes (informationsecuritybuzz.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
· Critical National Infrastructure (CNI)
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· Energy & Utilities
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· FinTech
· Food & Agriculture
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· Government & Public Sector (including Law Enforcement)
· Health/Medical/Pharma
· Hotels & Hospitality
· Insurance
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· Maritime
· Oil, Gas & Mining
· OT, ICS, IIoT, SCADA & Cyber-Physical Systems
· Retail & eCommerce
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· Transport & Aviation
· Web3
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Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing 11 February 2022
Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing 11 February 2022:
-UK, US, Australia Issue Joint Advisory: Ransomware on the Loose, Critical National Infrastructure Affected
-Ransomware Groups and APT Actors Laser-Focused on Financial Services
-Why the C-Suite Should Focus on Understanding Cybersecurity and Investing Appropriately
-Almost $1.3bn Paid to Ransomware Actors Since 2020
-Cyber Crooks Frame Targets by Planting Fabricated Digital Evidence
-Highly Evasive Adaptive Threats (HEAT) Bypassing Traditional Security Defenses
-LockBit, BlackCat, Swissport, Oh My! Ransomware Activity Stays Strong
-2021 Was The Most Prolific Year On Record For Data Breaches
-$1.3 Billion Lost to Romance Scams in the Past Five Years
-Cyber Security Compliance Still Not A Priority For Many
-The World is Falling Victim to the Growing Trickbot Attacks in 2022
-“We Absolutely Do Not Care About You”: Sugar Ransomware Targets Individuals
Welcome to this week’s Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing – a weekly digest, collated and curated by our cyber experts to provide senior and middle management with an easy to digest round up of the most notable threats, vulnerabilities, and cyber related news from the last week.
Top Cyber Stories of the Last Week
UK, US, Australia Issue Joint Advisory: Ransomware on the Loose, Critical National Infrastructure Affected
Firms shelled out $5bn in Bitcoin in 6 months
Ransomware attacks are proliferating as criminals turn to gangs providing turnkey post-compromise services, Britain's National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) has warned.
In a joint UK-US-Australia advisory issued this week, the three countries said they had "observed an increase in sophisticated, high-impact ransomware incidents against critical infrastructure organisations globally."
The warning comes hot on the heels of several high-profile attacks against oil distribution companies and also businesses that operate ports in the West – though today's note insists there was a move by criminals away from "big game hunting" against US targets.
Among the main threats facing Western organisations were the use of "cybercriminal services-for-hire". These, as detailed in the advisory, include "independent services to negotiate payments, assist victims with making payments, and arbitrate payment disputes between themselves and other cyber criminals."
https://www.theregister.com/2022/02/09/uk_us_au_ransomware_warning/
Ransomware Groups and APT Actors Laser-Focused on Financial Services
Trellix released a report, examining cybercriminal behaviour and activity related to cyber threats in the third quarter (Q3) of 2021. Among its findings, the research reports that despite a community reckoning to ban ransomware activity from online forums, hacker groups used alternate personas to continue to proliferate the use of ransomware against an increasing spectrum of sectors – hitting the financial, utilities and retail sectors most often, accounting for nearly 60% of ransomware detections.
“While we ended 2021 focused on a resurgent pandemic and the revelations around the Log4j vulnerability, our third-quarter deep dive into cyber threat activity found notable new tools and tactics among ransomware groups and advanced global threat actors,” said Trellix.
https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2022/02/07/cyber-threats-q3-2021/
Why the C-Suite Should Focus on Understanding Cyber Security and Investing Appropriately
Trend Micro has published a research revealing that persistently low IT/C-suite engagement may imperil investments and expose organisations to increased cyber risk. Over 90% of the IT and business decision makers surveyed expressed particular concern about ransomware attacks.
Despite widespread concern over spiralling threats, the study found that only 57% of responding IT teams discuss cyber risks with the C-suite at least weekly.
Vulnerabilities used to go months or even years before being exploited after their discovery.
“Now it can be hours, or even sooner. More executives than ever understand that they have a responsibility to be informed, but they often feel overwhelmed by how rapidly the cyber security landscape evolves. IT leaders need to communicate with their board in such a way that they can understand where the organisation’s risk is and how they can best manage it.”
https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2022/02/10/c-suite-engagement/
Almost $1.3bn Paid to Ransomware Actors Since 2020
Cryptocurrency experts have identified $602m of ransomware payments made in 2021, but warned the real figure will likely surpass the $692m paid to cybercrime groups in 2020.
The findings come from the Ransomware Crypto Crime Report produced by blockchain investigations and analytics company Chainalysis. It reveals some fascinating insight into current industry trends.
Average payment size has soared over recent years, from $25,000 in 2019 to $88,000 a year later and $118,000 in 2021. That’s due in part to a surge in targeted attacks on major organisations, known as “big-game hunting,” which can net threat actors tens of millions in a single compromise.
“This big-game hunting strategy is enabled in part by ransomware attackers’ usage of tools provided by third-party providers to make their attacks more effective,” the report explained. “Usage of these services by ransomware operators spiked to its highest ever levels in 2021.”
https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/almost-13bn-paid-to-ransomware/
Cyber Crooks Frame Targets by Planting Fabricated Digital Evidence
The ‘ModifiedElephant’ threat actors are technically unimpressive, but they’ve evaded detection for a decade, hacking human rights advocates’ systems with dusty old keyloggers and off-the-shelf RATs.
Threat actors are hijacking the devices of India’s human rights lawyers, activists and defenders, planting incriminating evidence to set them up for arrest, researchers warn.
The actor, dubbed ModifiedElephant, has been at it for at least 10 years, and it’s still active. It’s been shafting targets since 2012, if not sooner, going after hundreds of groups and individuals – some repeatedly – according to SentinelLabs researchers.
The operators aren’t what you’d call technical prodigies, but that doesn’t matter. Threat researchers at SentinelOne, said that the advanced persistent threat (APT) group – which may be tied to the commercial surveillance industry – has been muddling along just fine using rudimentary hacking tools such as commercially available remote-access trojans (RATs)
https://threatpost.com/cybercrooks-frame-targets-plant-incriminating-evidence/178384/
Highly Evasive Adaptive Threats (HEAT) Bypassing Traditional Security Defences
Menlo Security announced it has identified a surge in cyberthreats, termed Highly Evasive Adaptive Threats (HEAT), that bypass traditional security defences.
HEAT attacks are a class of cyber threats targeting web browsers as the attack vector and employs techniques to evade detection by multiple layers in current security stacks including firewalls, Secure Web Gateways, sandbox analysis, URL Reputation, and phishing detection. HEAT attacks are used to deliver malware or to compromise credentials, that in many cases leads to ransomware attacks.
In an analysis of almost 500,000 malicious domains, the research team discovered that 69% of these websites used HEAT tactics to deliver malware. These attacks allow bad actors to deliver malicious content to the endpoint by adapting to the targeted environment. Since July 2021, there was a 224% increase in HEAT attacks.
“With the abrupt move to remote working in 2020, every organisation had to pivot to a work from an anywhere model and accelerate their migration to cloud-based applications. An industry report found that 75% of the working day is spent in a web browser, which has quickly become the primary attack surface for threat actors, ransomware and other attacks. The industry has seen an explosion in the number and sophistication of these highly evasive attacks and most businesses are unprepared and lack the resources to prevent them,” said Menlo Security.
https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2022/02/08/cyberthreats-bypass-security-defences/
LockBit, BlackCat, Swissport, Oh My! Ransomware Activity Stays Strong
However, groups are rebranding and recalibrating their profiles and tactics to respond to law enforcement and the security community’s focus on stopping ransomware attacks.
Law enforcement, C-suite executives and the cyber security community at-large have been laser-focused on stopping the expensive and disruptive barrage of ransomware attacks — and it appears to be working, at least to some extent. Nonetheless, recent moves from the LockBit 2.0 and BlackCat gangs, plus this weekend’s hit on the Swissport airport ground-logistics company, shows the scourge is far from over.
It’s more expensive and riskier than ever to launch ransomware attacks, and ransomware groups have responded by mounting fewer attacks with higher ransomware demands, Coveware has reported, finding that the average ransomware payment in the fourth quarter of last year climbed by 130 percent to reach $322,168. Likewise, Coveware found a 63 percent jump in the median ransom payment, up to $117,116.
“Average and median ransom payments increased dramatically during Q4, but we believe this change was driven by a subtle tactical shift by ransomware-as-a-service (RaaS) operations that reflected the increasing costs and risks previously described,” Coveware analysts said. “The tactical shift involves a deliberate attempt to extort companies that are large enough to pay a ‘big game’ ransom amount but small enough to keep attack operating costs and resulting media and law enforcement attention low.”
https://threatpost.com/lockbit-blackcat-swissport-ransomware-activity/178261/
2021 Was The Most Prolific Year On Record For Data Breaches
Spirion released a guide which provides a detailed look at sensitive data breaches in 2021 derived from analysis conducted against the Identity Theft Resource Center (ITRC) database of publicly reported data breaches in the United States.
The guide is based on the analysis of more than 1,500 data incidents that occurred in the United States during 2021 that specifically involved sensitive data, including personally identifiable information (PII). The report identifies the top sensitive data breaches by the number of individuals impacted, number of records compromised, threat actor, exposure vector, and types of sensitive data exposed by industry sector.
2021 was the most prolific year on record for data breaches, surpassing 2017’s all-time high. Last year a total of 1,862 data compromises were reported by US organisations—a 68 percent increase over 2020. ITRC data revealed that 83% of the year’s incidents exposed 889 million sensitive data records that impacted more than 150 million individuals.
https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2022/02/09/2021-sensitive-data-breaches/
$1.3 Billion Lost to Romance Scams in the Past Five Years
Romance scams are reaching record-highs, regulators warn.
Netflix's new documentary, The Tinder Swindler, is a wild ride.
The show examines how an alleged fraudster impacted the lives of multiple women, matching with them on Tinder and treating them to expensive dates to gain their trust -- and eventually asking for huge sums of money.
While you may watch the show and wonder how someone -- no matter their gender -- could allow themselves to be swindled out of their savings, romance scams are common, breaking hearts and wiping bank balances around the world every day.
We've moved on from the days of "lonely hearts" columns to dating apps, and they're popular channels to conduct fraud.
Fake profiles, stolen photos and videos, and sob stories from fraudsters (their car has broken down, they can't afford to meet a match, or, in The Tinder Swindler's case, their "enemies" are after them) are all weapons designed to secure interest and sympathy.
https://www.zdnet.com/article/1-3-billion-lost-to-romance-scams-in-the-past-five-years-ftc/
Cyber Security Compliance Still Not A Priority For Many
IBM survey suggests that cyber security still isn't a priority for many companies
The most consistent data point in the IBM i Marketplace Survey Results over recent years has been the ever-present cyber security threat. This year is no exception. The study shows that 62% of organisations consider cyber security a number one concern as they plan their IT infrastructure. 22% cite regulations and compliance in their top five. While companies that prioritise security seem to be implementing multiple solutions, it’s still alarming that nearly half of them do not plan to implement them.
The complexity of cyber security often leaves industry leaders confused and overwhelmed, unable to produce the sound, proactive stance that is so essential.
Cyber security standards can be confusing, but they are necessary. Tighter security can be encouraged with an understanding of cyber security guidelines
For many organisations, cyber security standards are just too complex to wrap their hands around, but that doesn’t mean it’s not necessary. Understanding how cyber security guidelines affect companies’ legal standing can help encourage tighter security.
https://www.itsecurityguru.org/2022/02/07/cybersecurity-compliance-still-not-a-priority-for-many/
The World is Falling Victim to the Growing Trickbot Attacks in 2022
The malware goons are back again. The cybercrime operators behind the notorious TrickBot malware have once again upped the ante by fine-tuning its techniques by adding multiple layers of defence to slip past antimalware products.
TrickBot, which started out as a banking trojan, has evolved into a multi-purpose crimeware-as-a-service (CaaS) that’s employed by a variety of actors to deliver additional payloads such as ransomware. Over 100 variations of TrickBot have been identified to date, one of which is a “Trickboot” module that can modify the UEFI firmware of a compromised device. In the fall of 2020, Microsoft along with a handful of U.S. government agencies and private security companies teamed up to tackle the TrickBot botnet, taking down much of its infrastructure across the world in a bid to stymie its operations. But TrickBot has proven to be impervious to takedown attempts, what with the operators quickly adjusting their techniques to propagate multi-stage malware through phishing and malspam attacks, not to mention expanding their distribution channels by partnering with other affiliates like Shathak (aka TA551) to increase scale and drive profits.
Russian-based criminals behind the notorious malware known as Trickbot appear to be working overtime to upgrade the threat’s capabilities. Researchers announced last week the discovery of new malware components that enable monitoring and intelligence gathering on victims. The research findings include the detection of a VNC module that uses a custom communications protocol to obfuscate any data being transmitted between the command-and-control (C2) servers and the victims, making the attacks harder to find. The module is in active development and is being updated by criminals at a rapid pace.
“We Absolutely Do Not Care About You”: Sugar Ransomware Targets Individuals
Ransomware tends to target organisations. Corporations not only house a trove of valuable data they can’t function without, but they are also expected to cough up a considerable amount of ransom money in exchange for their encrypted files. And while corporations struggle to keep up with attacks, ransomware groups have left the average consumer relatively untouched—until now.
Sugar ransomware, a new strain recently discovered by the Walmart Security Team, is a ransomware-as-a-service (RaaS) that targets single computers and (likely) small businesses, too. Sugar, also known to many as Encoded01, has been in operation since November 2021.
Threats
Ransomware
NCSC Joins US and Australian Partners to Reveal Latest Ransomware Trends - NCSC.GOV.UK
Russian Ransomware Attacks Increased During 2021, Joint Review Finds | Cybercrime | The Guardian
FBI: Watch Out For LockBit 2.0 Ransomware, Here's How To Reduce The Risk To Your Network | ZDNet
Law Enforcement Action Push Ransomware Gangs To Surgical Attacks (bleepingcomputer.com)
Europe's Biggest Car Dealer Hit With Ransomware Attack | ZDNet
Swissport Ransomware Incident Delayed Flights - Infosecurity Magazine
How a Texas Hack Changed the Ransomware Business Forever - The Record by Recorded Future
Puma Hit By Data Breach After Kronos Ransomware Attack (bleepingcomputer.com)
Vodafone Portugal Hit By A Massive Cyber Attack - Security Affairs
Fortune 500 Service Provider Says Ransomware Attack Led To Leak Of More Than 500k SSNs | ZDNet
Phishing
Hackers Using Fake Job Offers in Latest Catfishing Scheme - ClearanceJobs
Threat Actors Revive 20-Year-Old Tactic in Microsoft 365 Phishing Attacks (darkreading.com)
ICO Hit by 2650% Rise in Email Attacks - Infosecurity Magazine
Other Social Engineering
Roaming Mantis SMSishing Campaign Now Targets Europe - Security Affairs
FBI: SIM Swapping Attacks Have Surged Five-Fold - Infosecurity Magazine
Malware
Qbot Needs Only 30 Minutes To Steal Your Credentials, Emails (bleepingcomputer.com)
Linux Malware Attacks Are On The Rise, And Businesses Aren't Ready For It | ZDNet
This Password-Stealing Malware Posed As A Windows 11 Download | ZDNet
Several Malware Families Using Pay-Per-Install Service to Expand Their Targets (thehackernews.com)
Qbot, Lokibot Malware Switch Back To Windows Regsvr32 Delivery (bleepingcomputer.com)
Mobile
Medusa Malware Joins Flubot's Android Distribution Network | Threatpost
Critical Android 12 Bug Fixed In February Security Patches • The Register
Data Breaches/Leaks
Organised Crime & Criminal Actors
Cryptocurrency/Cryptomining/Cryptojacking
Insider Risk and Insider Threats
Fraud, Scams & Financial Crime
Supply Chain
DoS/DDoS
Nation State Actors
Russian APT Steps Up Malicious Cyber Activity in Ukraine (darkreading.com)
Iran Malware in HPE Server Stuns Cyber Security Experts - Bloomberg
Iranian Hackers Using New Marlin Backdoor in 'Out to Sea' Espionage Campaign (thehackernews.com)
Cloud
Privacy
Meta Threatens to Shut Down Facebook and Instagram in Europe | The Independent
Facebook Exposes 'God Mode' Token Miscreants Could Use • The Register
Spyware, Espionage & Cyber Warfare
Vulnerabilities
Microsoft, Oracle, Apache and Apple vulnerabilities added to CISA catalog | ZDNet
CISA Says 'HiveNightmare' Windows Vulnerability Exploited in Attacks | SecurityWeek.Com
Microsoft Fixes Defender Flaw Letting Hackers Bypass Antivirus Scans (bleepingcomputer.com)
Microsoft and Other Major Software Firms Release February 2022 Patch Updates (thehackernews.com)
Apple Patches New Zero-Day Exploited To Hack iPhones, iPads, Macs (bleepingcomputer.com)
CISA Urges Orgs To Patch Actively Exploited Windows SeriousSAM Bug (bleepingcomputer.com)
CISA Warns Admins To Patch Maximum Severity SAP Vulnerability (bleepingcomputer.com)
Adobe Patches 13 Vulnerabilities in Illustrator | SecurityWeek.Com
PHP Everywhere RCE Flaws Threaten Thousands of WordPress Sites (bleepingcomputer.com)
Sector Specific
Financial Services Sector
Defence
Health/Medical/Pharma Sector
Retail/eCommerce
Wave of MageCart Attacks Target Hundreds Of Outdated Magento Sites (bleepingcomputer.com)
Threat Actors Compromised +500 Magento-Based E-Stores With E-Skimmers - Security Affairs
Transport and Aviation
Education and Academia
Other News
A "light" February 2022 Patch Tuesday That Should Not Be Ignored - Help Net Security
Organisations Still Struggling To Use APIs Effectively - Help Net Security
Threat Hunting: Your Best Defence Against Unknown Threats - MSSP Alert
UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office Suffered Serious Cyber Attack Earlier This Year | Reuters
European Police Flag 500+ Pieces of “Terrorist” Content - Infosecurity Magazine
A Quarter of New Online Accounts Are Fake – Report - Infosecurity Magazine
Microsoft To Make Enabling 'Untrusted' Office Macros Tougher In The Name Of Security | ZDNet
Cyber Terrorism Is a Growing Threat & Governments Must Take Action (darkreading.com)
Hackers Have Begun Adapting To Wider Use Of Multi-Factor Authentication | TechRepublic
The Race To Save The Internet From Quantum Hackers (nature.com)
Disaster Recovery Is Critical For Business Continuity - Help Net Security
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