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Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing 10 May 2024
Black Arrow Cyber Threat Intelligence Briefing 10 May 2024:
-China Suspected of Hacking MoD, Through Its Payroll Provider
-Security Tools Fail to Translate Risks for Executives
-Gang Accused of MGM Hack Shifts Attacks to Finance Sector
-Are SMEs Paving the Way for Cyber Attacks on Larger Companies?
-Misconfigurations Drive 80% of Security Exposure, Report Finds
-Only 45% of Organisations Employ MFA Protections
-You Cannot Protect What You Do Not Know You Have, as Criminals are Exploiting Vulnerabilities Faster Than Ever
-The Rise and Stealth of The Socially Engineered Insider
-Over 70% of Staff Use AI At Work, But Only 30% of European Organisations Provide AI Training
-Don't Be the Weakest Link – You and Your Team's Crucial Role in Cyber Security
-Ransomware Activity Thrives, Despite Law enforcement Efforts
-NATO Warns of Russian Hybrid Warfare
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
China Suspected of Hacking UK Ministry of Defence, Through Its Payroll Provider
UK Defence Secretary Grant Shapps has confirmed that over 270,000 personal details have been leaked after the MoD was hacked through its third-party payroll provider, SSCL. The affected systems have been pulled offline since the attack. SSCL’s website describes that it manages HR for the armed forces, the Metropolitan Police and other areas of British government. The commercial supply chain, and in particular HR and payroll providers, is increasing being used as the soft underbelly to attack larger and better protected organisations.
Sources: [LBC] [The Register] [Sky News]
Security Tools Fail to Translate Risks for Executives
Organisations are struggling with internal communication barriers, hindering their ability to address and mitigate cyber security threats, according to a report which found that seven out of 10 C-suite executives said their security teams talk in technical terms without providing business context. However, in contrast, 75% of CISO’s highlight the issue is rooted in security tools that cannot generate the insights C-level executives and boards can use to understand business implications. The role of a good CISO should be to take the output of these tools and turn that data into metrics the Boards can understand.
The issues highlight the necessity for organisations to have someone in their organisation, whether an employee or a third-party, who is able to ingest technical results and translate them into a style that the C-suite can understand for business risk management.
Source: [Help Net Security]
Gang Accused of MGM Hack Shifts Attacks to Finance Sector
The hacking group responsible for the infamous hack on MGM and Caesar’s Palace resorts is engaged in a new campaign targeting the financial sector. The group known as Scattered Spider has targeted 29 companies since 20 April this year, compromising at least 2 insurance companies so far. The research has stated that the attackers are purchasing lookalike domains that match the name of target companies, hosting fake log-in pages. Links to these are sent to employees, in an attempt to direct them there. The most recent attack took place just days ago, with more expected.
Sources: [Bloomberg Law] [Claims Journal]
Are SMEs Paving the Way for Cyber Attacks on Larger Companies?
A recent study highlights the escalating cyber threats facing businesses, particularly SMEs and supply chains. The study found that 32% of UK businesses, including 69% of large and 59% of mid-sized organisations, suffered a cyber attack last year. The situation is worse for SMEs, with weaker security systems and 77% lacking in-house cyber security. SMEs can become entry points for hackers targeting larger partners through interconnected supply chains. Meanwhile, Verizon’s latest data breaches report revealed a 68% increase in supply chain breaches, accounting for 15% of all breaches in 2023, up from 9% in 2022. These breaches are primarily driven by third-party software vulnerabilities exploited in ransomware and extortion attacks. Experts emphasise proactive cyber policies, vulnerability scans, and employee education for SMEs to bolster defences. They also urge organisations to consider third-party bugs as both vulnerability and vendor management problems, make better vendor choices, and use external signals like SEC disclosures in the United States to guide decisions. These measures can help prevent SMEs from becoming gateways for larger attacks and manage the rising threat of supply chain breaches.
Sources: [Insurance Times] [Dark Reading]
Misconfigurations Drive 80% of Security Exposure, Report Finds
A recent report has found that 80% of security exposures are caused by identity and credential misconfigurations, with a third of these putting critical assets at risk of a breach. According to the report, the majority of this is within an organisation’s network user management (Active Directory) and 56% of breaches that impact critical assets are within cloud platforms. There is often the misconception that cloud-based environments are secure by default, but misconfigurations can undo any security benefits and still leave you exposed. Just because someone else built and maintains your house, it is still your responsibility to lock the doors and windows.
Sources: [Security Magazine]
Only 45% of Organisations Employ MFA Protections
A recent report of IT decision-makers has found that 97% are facing challenges with identity verification and 52% are very concerned about credential compromise, followed by account takeover (50%). When it comes to reinforcing identity verification, only 45% used multi-factor authentication (MFA). By using MFA, organisations are forcing two identification verifications: simply knowing a username and password is not enough, especially given the speeds with which attackers can crack passwords, with average 8 character passwords able to be cracked in less than a minute. Whilst no control is 100% impenetrable, enabling MFA will aid in increasing your organisation's cyber resilience.
Source: [Help Net Security]
You Cannot Protect What You Do Not Know You Have, as Criminals are Exploiting Vulnerabilities Faster Than Ever
For many organisations, visibility of their information assets can be incredibly hard to obtain and maintain, with different tools, under-reporting and shadow IT contributing to the problem. Unfortunately, cyber criminals are getting faster at exploiting vulnerabilities, and if you do not know you have the vulnerability in your estate then you cannot patch against it. In their recent report, Fortinet found that attacks started on average 4.76 days after new exploits were publicly disclosed.
Interestingly though, while zero-day threats garner much attention (these are ‘new’ vulnerabilities that are being exploited by attackers but for which there are no security patches yet available), one third of all exploits are for older vulnerabilities. This highlights the need for a comprehensive and robust approach to network security and vulnerability management, beyond simply patching what Microsoft puts out once a month. To have effective patch management, organisations must know what they need to patch and therefore must have visibility of the corporate environment. A good starting block is the creation of a robust information asset register.
Sources: [Security Brief] [Help Net Security] [IT Security Guru]
The Rise and Stealth of The Socially Engineered Insider
Social engineering has become increasingly prevalent as the preferred tactic for foreign adversaries. Insiders are prime targets due to their privileged access to sensitive data. This is particularly affecting the technology, pharma, and critical infrastructure sectors. Advances in AI and social platforms have made it easier to exploit these vulnerabilities. These advances allow threat actors to tailor attacks with unprecedented speed and realism. Using methods like coercion or deception, these actors exploit employees to gain high-value data that can be weaponised. As a result, the threat landscape has become more complex, blurring the lines between internal and external risks. To bolster their defences, organisations are now investing in insider risk management and AI. They are also emphasising employee education and cross-sector collaboration.
Source: [Forbes]
Over 70% of Staff Use AI At Work, But Only 30% of European Organisations Provide AI Training
An ISACA study and the AI Security & Governance Report reveal a complex landscape of AI adoption and security. 73% of European organisations and 54% of global organisations use AI, with 79% increasing their AI budgets, however training and policy development lag behind. Only 30% offer limited training, 40% provide none, and a mere 17% have a comprehensive AI policy. Despite AI’s potential, 80% of data experts find it complicates security, with concerns high around generative AI exploitation (61% of respondents) and AI-powered attacks (over 50% of business leaders). Data poisoning and privacy issues persist, yet 85% of leaders express confidence in their data security strategies, with 83% revising privacy and governance guidelines. With 86% recognising a need for AI training within two years, the call for dynamic governance strategies and formal education is clear to manage evolving threats.
Sources: [Help Net Security] [IT Security Guru]
Don't Be the Weakest Link – You and Your Team's Crucial Role in Cyber Security
Cyber security success depends on more than just technology. Bad actors are always looking for the easiest entry point, meaning that employees’ everyday actions are crucial, when even one careless click or a weak password can be an open door for hackers. However, empowered with the right knowledge and tools, staff can become a robust defence. Nearly 80% of organisations have reported an increase in phishing attacks, but training programs like role-playing exercises and phishing simulations significantly reduce these risks. Effective cyber security also hinges on C-suite leaders promoting a security-first culture, ensuring all employees understand the risks and follow strict protocols like MFA and strong password policies. Consistent training and open communication are vital in fostering a resilient, security-aware workforce.
Source: [JDSupra]
Ransomware Activity Thrives, Despite Law enforcement Efforts
Despite the recent law enforcement takedowns on ransomware groups, ransomware remains rife. Whilst the takedown of a group can come as an initial relief in that the group has gone, it simply forces ransomware affiliates to diversify. This is reflected in ransomware continuing its growth in the first quarter of 2024, with 18 new leak sites, the largest number in a single quarter, emerging over this period. When comes to those at risk, both financial services and healthcare remain a prominent target.
Sources: [Help Net Security ] [Infosecurity Magazine] [Help Net Security]
NATO Warns of Russian Hybrid Warfare
NATO has issued a statement in which it describes it is “deeply concerned about Russia's hybrid actions and the threat that they constitute to NATO security”. The actions are described to include sabotage, acts of violence, cyber and electronic interference, and disinformation campaigns. This comes as many countries including the UK and US are due to have elections this year.
Sources: [EU Reporter] [Financial Times]
Governance, Risk and Compliance
You cannot protect what you do not understand (securitybrief.co.nz)
Security tools fail to translate risks for executives - Help Net Security
It Costs How Much?!? The Financial Pitfalls of Cyber Attacks on SMBs (thehackernews.com)
Now More Than Ever, it's Crucial for Companies to Get Cyber Security Right (newsweek.com)
Why SMBs are facing significant security, business risks - Help Net Security
Are SMEs paving the way for cyber attacks on larger companies? | Insurance Times
Don't Be the Weakest Link – Your Team's Crucial Role in Cyber Security | NAVEX - JDSupra
The Art Of Cyber Security Governance: Safeguarding Beyond Code (forbes.com)
CISOs Are Worried About Their Jobs & Dissatisfied With Their Incomes (darkreading.com)
92% of CISOs Question the Future of Their Role Amidst Growing AI Pressures | Business Wire
Three strategies for winning the cyber security arms race | Fintech Nexus
Rethinking Cyber Security Investment Amid Rising Threats (govinfosecurity.com)
CIOs and CFOs, two parts of the same whole - IT Security Guru
Threats
Ransomware, Extortion and Destructive Attacks
Gang Accused of MGM Hack Turns Its Sights on Finance Sector (bloomberglaw.com)
Cybercrime Unicorns: What Everyone Needs to Know About Ransomware Gangs (pcmag.com)
Why Paying Should Be A Last Resort In Ransomware Attacks (forbes.com)
Ransomware activity is back on track despite law enforcement efforts - Help Net Security
Ransomware evolves from extortion to 'psychological attacks' • The Register
Russian Hacker Dmitry Khoroshev Unmasked as LockBit Ransomware Administrator (thehackernews.com)
Ransomware attacks impact 20% of sensitive data in healthcare orgs - Help Net Security
An overwhelming majority of organisations paid ransomware last year - eCampus News
The Growing Threat of Advanced Ransomware Attacks (inforisktoday.com)
Law enforcement seized Lockbit group's website again (securityaffairs.com)
Consultant charged with $1.5M extortion of IT giant • The Register
IT chiefs plan to spend and innovate their way out of ransomware swamp | TechRadar
Ransomware crooks SIM swap kids to pressure parents • The Register
Scattered Spider group a unique challenge for cyber cops, FBI leader says (therecord.media)
97% of Organisations Hit by Ransomware Worked with Law Enforcement (globenewswire.com)
CISA boss: Secure software needed to stop ransomware • The Register
Shields Up: How to Minimize Ransomware Exposure - Security Week
Ransomware Victims
UnitedHealth’s 'egregious negligence' led to that ransomware • The Register
Ascension healthcare takes systems offline after cyber attack (bleepingcomputer.com)
London Drugs president tight-lipped over recent cyber attack | CBC News
Boeing confirms attempted $200 million ransomware extortion attempt | CyberScoop
Cyber attack disrupts operations at major US health care network | CNN Business
City of Wichita Shuts Down Network Following Ransomware Attack - Security Week
Patient appointments imperilled by cyber attack on French radiologist (therecord.media)
Ransomware attack hits Brandywine Realty Trust | SC Media (scmagazine.com)
Phishing & Email Based Attacks
Other Social Engineering
The Rise And Stealth Of The Socially Engineered Insider (forbes.com)
Iranian hackers harvest credentials through advanced social engineering campaigns | CSO Online
What is social engineering penetration testing? | Definition from TechTarget
Artificial Intelligence
Organisations go ahead with AI despite security risks - Help Net Security
Innovation, Not Regulation, Will Protect Corporations From Deepfakes (darkreading.com)
Strategies for preventing AI misuse in cyber security - Help Net Security
AI is changing the game when it comes to cyber security | ITPro
Why the Cyber Security Industry Is Obsessed With AI Right Now - CNET
LLMs & Malicious Code Injections: 'We Have to Assume It's Coming' (darkreading.com)
Cyber Security, Deepfakes and the Human Risk of AI Fraud (govtech.com)
Criminal Use of AI Growing, But Lags Behind Defenders - Security Week
2FA/MFA
Only 45% of organisations use MFA to protect against fraud - Help Net Security
UnitedHealth Attack: Stolen Credentials, No MFA | MSSP Alert
Malware
ZLoader Malware adds Zeus's anti-analysis feature (securityaffairs.com)
Russia-linked APT28 and crooks are still using the Moobot botnet (securityaffairs.com)
Iranian hackers pose as journalists to push backdoor malware (bleepingcomputer.com)
New 'Cuckoo' Persistent macOS Spyware Targeting Intel and Arm Macs (thehackernews.com)
Hijack Loader Malware Employs Process Hollowing, UAC Bypass in Latest Version (thehackernews.com)
Mirai Botnet Exploits Ivanti Connect Secure Flaws for Malicious Payload Delivery (thehackernews.com)
Mobile
Mobile Banking Malware Surges 32% - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)
Android bug can leak DNS traffic with VPN kill switch enabled (bleepingcomputer.com)
European Threat To End-To-End Encryption Would Invade Phones (forbes.com)
Ransomware crooks SIM swap kids to pressure parents • The Register
Denial of Service/DoS/DDOS
Data Breaches/Leaks
How does a data breach affect you and why should you care? | TechRadar
Dell customer order database stolen, for sale on dark web • The Register
The Breach of a Face Recognition Firm Reveals a Hidden Danger of Biometrics | WIRED
Cyber attack: Large volume of data stolen in attack on Scottish health board (scotsman.com)
Security breach affects 6,000 German military VC meetings (avinteractive.com)
Security company exposes 1.2M guard and suspect records • The Register
Children's mental health records published after cyber attack - BBC News
Georgia education agency's MOVEit data theft impacted 800K • The Register
Data Brokers: What They Are and How to Safeguard Your Privacy - IT Security Guru
Zscaler Investigates Hacking Claims After Data Offered for Sale - Security Week
UK government departments reveal rise in data breaches & lost devices (datacentrenews.uk)
'Sophisticated' cyber attacks involving British Colombia government networks found | CBC News
Over 380K more NYC students had info leaked, bringing total to over 1M (nypost.com)
Dating apps kiss'n'tell all sorts of sensitive user info • The Register
Organised Crime & Criminal Actors
Hackers of all kinds are attacking routers across the world | TechRadar
These Dangerous Scammers Don’t Even Bother to Hide Their Crimes | WIRED
Massive webshop fraud ring steals credit cards from 850,000 people (bleepingcomputer.com)
Scattered Spider group a unique challenge for cyber cops, FBI leader says (therecord.media)
Cryptocurrency/Cryptomining/Cryptojacking/NFTs/Blockchain
Insider Risk and Insider Threats
The Rise And Stealth Of The Socially Engineered Insider (forbes.com)
Don't Be the Weakest Link – Your Team's Crucial Role in Cyber Security | NAVEX - JDSupra
Supply Chain and Third Parties
UK Military Data Breach a Reminder of Third-Party Risk (darkreading.com)
Details of UK military personnel exposed in huge payroll data breach | AP News
Firm at centre of MoD 'China' hack handles data for several Whitehall departments (inews.co.uk)
DBIR: Supply Chain Breaches Up 68% Year Over Year (darkreading.com)
The complexities of third-party risk management - Help Net Security
Cloud/SaaS
Encryption
Cop complaints won't stop E2EE, says encryption advocate • The Register
European Threat To End-To-End Encryption Would Invade Phones (forbes.com)
Linux and Open Source
Open-Source Cyber Security Is a Ticking Time Bomb (gizmodo.com)
Spies Among Us: Insider Threats in Open Source Environments (darkreading.com)
Passwords, Credential Stuffing & Brute Force Attacks
Iranian hackers harvest credentials through advanced social engineering campaigns | CSO Online
Microsoft introduces Passkeys support for consumer accounts - gHacks Tech News
Google Announces Passkeys Adopted by Over 400 Million Accounts (thehackernews.com)
UnitedHealth Attack: Stolen Credentials, No MFA | MSSP Alert
Hackers can crack average 8-character passwords in under a minute (newsbytesapp.com)
How secure is the “Password Protection” on your files and drives? - Help Net Security
Social Media
Training, Education and Awareness
Regulations, Fines and Legislation
The EU Cyber Diplomacy Toolbox: Shaping Global Cyber Security Standards | UpGuard
The NIS2 Compliance Deadline Is Nearing. Are You Prepared? - Security Boulevard
Innovation, Not Regulation, Will Protect Corporations From Deepfakes (darkreading.com)
Models, Frameworks and Standards
Data Protection
Careers, Working in Cyber and Information Security
How workforce reductions affect cyber security postures - Help Net Security
One in Four Tech CISOs Unhappy with Compensation - Security Boulevard
Law Enforcement Action and Take Downs
Ransomware activity is back on track despite law enforcement efforts - Help Net Security
LockBit's seized darknet site resurrected by police, teasing new revelations (therecord.media)
LockBit leader unmasked and sanctioned - National Crime Agency
Israeli private investigator wanted for hacking in US is arrested in London | The Independent
German police bust Europe's 'largest' scam call centre – DW – 05/02/2024
Consultant charged with $1.5M extortion of IT giant • The Register
97% of Organisations Hit by Ransomware Worked with Law Enforcement (globenewswire.com)
Nation State Actors, Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs), Cyber Warfare, Cyber Espionage and Geopolitical Threats/Activity
Cyber Warfare and Cyber Espionage
Israeli private investigator wanted for hacking in US is arrested in London | The Independent
Cyber Attacks on US Utilities: New Trends in Cyber Warfare - ClearanceJobs
'The Mask' Espionage Group Resurfaces After 10-Year Hiatus (darkreading.com)
Nation State Actors
China
Firm at centre of MoD 'China' hack handles data for several Whitehall departments (inews.co.uk)
Lessons from LOCKED SHIELDS 2024 cyber exercise | SC Media (scmagazine.com)
China-Linked Hackers Used ROOTROT Webshell in MITRE Network Intrusion (thehackernews.com)
Russia
Malice from Moscow: NATO warns of Russian hybrid warfare - EU Reporter
Russia plotting sabotage across Europe, intelligence agencies warn (ft.com)
How Nato could respond after wave of Russian spy arrests across Europe (inews.co.uk)
EU, NATO denounce Russia's cyber attacks on Germany, Czechia (kyivindependent.com)
Russia Cyber Attack Germany's Ruling Party, Defence | Silicon UK
Foreign Ministry: Czech institutions targeted by GRU cyber attacks | Radio Prague International
Russia-linked APT28 and crooks are still using the Moobot botnet (securityaffairs.com)
Ukraine records increase in financially motivated attacks by Russian hackers (therecord.media)
Cyber War? EU rages over alleged Russian cyber attack on German’s ruling SPD (brusselssignal.eu)
Lessons from LOCKED SHIELDS 2024 cyber exercise | SC Media (scmagazine.com)
A (Strange) Interview With the Russian-Military-Linked Hackers Targeting US Water Utilities | WIRED
Russia says Germany using baseless 'hacker myths' to destroy ties | Reuters
Poland says it too was targeted by Russian hackers – POLITICO
Kaspersky denies claims it helped Russia with drones • The Register
Iran
Iranian hackers pose as journalists to push backdoor malware (bleepingcomputer.com)
Iranian hackers harvest credentials through advanced social engineering campaigns | CSO Online
North Korea
Other Nation State Actors, Hacktivism, Extremism, Terrorism and Other Geopolitical Threat Intelligence
Vulnerability Management
Cyber criminals are getting faster at exploiting vulnerabilities - Help Net Security
Misconfigurations drive 80% of security exposures | Security Magazine
Patch management vs. vulnerability management: Key differences | TechTarget
What is Risk-Based Vulnerability Management (RBVM)? (techtarget.com)
CISA’s KEV list improving private and public-sector patching • The Register
CISA Announces CVE Enrichment Project 'Vulnrichment' - Security Week
Vulnerabilities
Citrix Addresses High-Severity NetScaler Servers Flaw (darkreading.com)
Over 50,000 Tinyproxy servers vulnerable to critical RCE flaw (bleepingcomputer.com)
Veeam fixes RCE flaw in backup management platform (CVE-2024-29212) - Help Net Security
LiteSpeed Cache WordPress plugin actively exploited in the wild (securityaffairs.com)
New BIG-IP Next Central Manager bugs allow device takeover (bleepingcomputer.com)
Microsoft: April Windows Server updates also cause crashes, reboots (bleepingcomputer.com)
Android bug can leak DNS traffic with VPN kill switch enabled (bleepingcomputer.com)
Mirai Botnet Exploits Ivanti Connect Secure Flaws for Malicious Payload Delivery (thehackernews.com)
Tools and Controls
Behind Closed Doors: The Rise of Hidden Malicious Remote Access (cybereason.com)
Security tools fail to translate risks for executives - Help Net Security
Misconfigurations drive 80% of security exposures | Security Magazine
NSA, FBI Alert on North Korean Hackers Spoofing Emails from Trusted Sources (thehackernews.com)
Microsoft plans to lock down Windows DNS like never before. Here’s how. | Ars Technica
Novel attack against virtually all VPN apps neuters their entire purpose | Ars Technica
Strategies for preventing AI misuse in cyber security - Help Net Security
Shadow APIs: An Overlooked Cyber Risk for Orgs (darkreading.com)
What is social engineering penetration testing? | Definition from TechTarget
How workforce reductions affect cyber security postures - Help Net Security
What is Risk-Based Vulnerability Management (RBVM)? (techtarget.com)
Top 10 physical security considerations for CISOs | CSO Online
IT chiefs plan to spend and innovate their way out of ransomware swamp | TechRadar
A SaaS Security Challenge: Getting Permissions All in One Place (thehackernews.com)
Tips for Controlling the Costs of Security Tools - The New Stack
Rethinking Cyber Security Investment Amid Rising Threats (govinfosecurity.com)
Microsoft confirms Windows 11 24H2 turns on Device Encryption by default (windowslatest.com)
Reports Published in the Last Week
Other News
Microsoft overhaul treats security as ‘top priority’ after a series of failures - The Verge
The EU Cyber Diplomacy Toolbox: Shaping Global Cyber Security Standards | UpGuard
Complexity leads to trade-off between risk and innovation (betanews.com)
When has the UK faced cyber attacks in the past? | The Independent
Man-in-the-middle attack: The new cyber security threat | YourStory
Paris 2024 gearing up to face unprecedented cyber security threat | Reuters
38% of riskiest cyber physical systems neglected, warns Claroty report (securitybrief.co.nz)
Why undersea cables need high-priority protection • The Register
GAO: NASA Faces 'Inconsistent' Cyber Security Across Spacecraft (darkreading.com)
Cyber security regulations: Are non-compliant cars more vulnerable? | Autocar
Fujitsu sets aside £200m as calls mount for Post Office scandal payout
FE News | Why the education sector needs to do the homework on cyber security as attacks soar
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 24 November 2023
Black Arrow Cyber Threat Intelligence Briefing 24 November 2023:
-The Human Element- Cyber Security’s Great Challenge
-Good Cyber Hygiene is a Strategic Imperative for SMEs, Report Shows
-Despite Increasing Ransomware Attacks, Some Companies in Denial
-A Single Supply Chain Related Ransomware Incident Spurred UK Decision Makers to Spend Big on Cyber as Latest Victim Count exceeds 2.6K Organisations and 77M People
-The True Cost of a Ransomware Attack
-Largest Study of Its Kind Shows Outdated Password Practices Are Putting Millions at Risk
-Cyber Security Investment Involves More Than Just Technology
-Questions Leaders Must Ask Themselves on Security Culture
-There’s a Crossover Between Organised Crime, Financial Crime, and Nation-State Crime
-Cyber Attack on British Library Highlights Lack of UK Resilience
-Organisations Rethink Cyber Security Investments to Meet NIS2 and DORA Directive Requirements
-The Cyber Security Lawsuit Boards are Talking About
-UK and Republic of Korea Issue Warning About North Korea State-Linked Cyber Actors Attacking Software Supply Chains
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.
The Human Element- Cyber Security’s Great Challenge
According to Verizon’s 2023 Data Breach Investigations Report, 74% of all breaches involved a human element. It is important for organisations to understand that it is not simply malicious employees or employees falling for social engineering attacks; it includes things such as negligent, or intentional but not malicious actions. In fact, a recent separate report by Kaspersky found that 26% of incidents over the past two years involved the result of intentional security protocol violations; in comparison, external hacking attempts made up 20%.
Further, Kaspersky found 25% of incidents occurred due to neglecting system software or application updates, followed by 22% resulting from deliberate use of weak passwords or failing to change them promptly, and 18% from staff visiting unsecured websites. One potential cause for these incidents is a lack of training on why such protocols need to be followed.
Black Arrow provides live in person and online instructor lead cyber security training including Cyber Risk and Governance Workshops for Senior Leadership, and Awareness, Behaviour and Culture Training for employees and contractors.
Sources [Beta News] [ Infosecurity Magazine] [The Economic Times (indiatimes.com)]
Good Cyber Hygiene is a Strategic Imperative for SMEs, Report Shows
Small or large, no company is immune to a cyber attack and therefore good cyber hygiene is an imperative for all. Whilst large firms may already have more mature defences in place, smaller firms are definitely catching on to this, with 47% of respondents to a recent survey stating they were more worried about their organisation’s security posture now than compared to six months ago.
The survey found that ransomware (35%), software vulnerability exploits (28%) and using the same password across different applications (25%) were amongst the largest concerns. Interestingly, in a separate report, 44% of incidents were found to lack any element of malware, indicating that attackers are moving beyond traditional methods. The same report found 65% of cases included remote monitoring and management tools as the vector for initial access, something a number of organisations do not secure.
Business email compromise (BEC) attacks are also a key concern for businesses of all sizes but can be especially damaging to smaller organisations for whom the financial loss can be devastating.
Sources [Computer Weekly] [Beta News] [Beta News]
Despite Increasing Ransomware Attacks, Some Companies are in Denial
A recent study has highlighted a contradiction in the way organisations perceive ransomware threats. Although many do not consider themselves likely targets, they are, nevertheless, bolstering their security measures, expanding their teams, and fortifying cyber defences, acknowledging the risks despite their assumed invulnerability.
Simultaneously, ransomware tactics are undergoing significant changes. The past three quarters have seen a marked increase in double-extortion attacks, with data leaks from these incidents rising by 50% compared to the previous year. This trend is predominantly driven by a few active groups, some newly emerged this year, amplifying the threat landscape.
In a tactical shift, the ransomware group ALPHV, also known as Blackcat, has lodged a formal complaint with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) against a victim for failing to comply with new disclosure regulations. Meanwhile, LockBit, infamous for attacks on high-profile targets, is modifying its extortion tactics due to lower-than-anticipated ransom returns. These developments point to an evolving and adaptive ransomware environment.
Sources: [Dark Reading] [SC Media] [Insurance Journal] [MSSP Alert] [Security Brief]
A Single Supply Chain Related Ransomware Incident Spurred UK Decision Makers to Spend Big on Cyber as Latest Victim Count exceeds 2.6K Organisations and 77M People
It is reported that 2,620 organisations and more than 77 million individuals have been impacted to date by the MOVEit supply chain ransomware attack, with millions in the past week alone having received notifications that their information had either been accessed, leaked, or both.
In a survey involving directors of UK companies with over 500 seats that had suffered a ransomware or extortion attack in the past 18 months, it was found that 24% had become significantly more anxious about ransomware attacks as a direct result of the MOVEit breach, and 66% were slightly more anxious. This anxiety translated into action, with 42% of respondents investing more into backup and recovery, and 29% tweaking existing cyber strategies. 29% had taken the decision to amend their existing cyber strategies. Staff training was also found to rise, with 42% looking to spend on skills development and 40% upping their investment in training.
Sources: [The Register] [Computer Weekly]
The True Cost of a Ransomware Attack
While the demand is often financial, the impact and reach of ransomware goes far beyond the ransomware demand. Alongside the financial impact, comes the reputational impact, loss of customers, resources in returning to business as normal and time lost in recovery. For some companies, it can take months to return to where they were before and for others, it marks the end of their organisation.
For an attacker, it doesn’t matter. Their goal is not limited by the size or sector of an organisation and it is therefore imperative that every organisation is prepared for the event of an incident. Black Arrow works with organisations of all sizes and sectors to design and prepare for managing a cyber security incident; 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.
Source: [ITPro]
Largest Study of Its Kind Shows Outdated Password Practices Are Putting Millions at Risk
A recent study has exposed serious flaws in passwords on the internet, revealing that three out of four popular websites are compromising user security by not meeting basic password standards. The study examined 20,000 websites, finding many allowed simple passwords, didn’t block common ones and adhered to outdated complexity requirements. It was found that over half the websites accept passwords of six characters or fewer, with 75% not requiring the advised minimum of eight characters, and 30% not supporting spaces or special characters. The study showcases the gap in security measures implementation across the web and emphasises the importance of ongoing improvement in web security standards.
The problem is further exacerbated by employees using work email for non-work approved websites and reusing the same passwords, meaning any breach of a compromised site hands the user’s credentials to an attacker. Further, many organisations are not even aware this is going on.
Source: [TechXplore]
Cyber Security Investment Involves More Than Just Technology
C-suite business leaders and senior IT professionals within large organisations, found that the top five cyber security investment areas were technologies (49%), threat intelligence (46%), risk assessment (42%), cyber insurance (42%), and third-party risk management (40%). Fewer organisations highlighted technology as good value for money in 2023 (49%) than in 2022 (58%). suggesting an awareness that technology investments go hand-in-hand with investing in governance and personnel to effectively enable and manage the technology.
Black Arrow supports business leaders in organisations of all sizes to demonstrate governance of their cyber security by owning their cyber security strategy and leveraging their existing internal and external resources to build resilience against a cyber security incident.
Source: [Dark Reading]
Questions Leaders Must Ask Themselves on Security Culture
In today's corporate landscape, there's a growing emphasis on the human aspect of cyber security, with Stanford University research indicating that about 88% of data breaches result from employee errors. Companies are now focusing on enhancing security awareness through marketing campaigns and integrating cyber security performance into job reviews. This shift acknowledges that as technological defences evolve, cyber attackers increasingly exploit human vulnerabilities, as evidenced by major ransomware incidents like those impacting Colonial Pipeline and JBS Foods.
Developing a strong security culture is essential, by complementing robust policies with ingraining security-minded beliefs and behaviours in employees. Key to this is the role of leadership in embedding and continuously assessing this culture. This involves evaluating training effectiveness, reporting mechanisms, proactive security approaches, and the impact of security initiatives, while also considering the complexity of human behaviour and the example set by top management. Emphasising these aspects is crucial for maintaining a secure and resilient organisational environment, and in so doing protecting an organisation's reputation and financial integrity.
Source: [AT&T]
There’s a Crossover Between Organised Crime, Financial Crime, and Nation-State Crime
The convergence of organised crime, financial crime, and nation-state crime is a growing concern in today’s interconnected world. This crossover, driven by the digital revolution, globalisation, economic factors, and state fragility, is reshaping the global criminal landscape. Organised crime syndicates, traditionally involved in activities like drug trafficking and extortion, are now branching out into financial crimes, offering higher profits with lower risks.
Financial crime, once the domain of individual fraudsters and white-collar criminals, has become a lucrative venture for organised crime groups. They exploit the global financial system to launder proceeds of crime, finance their operations, and evade law enforcement. Nation-state crime, involving state-sponsored or state-condoned criminal activities, often overlaps with organised and financial crime. Some governments turn a blind eye to these activities, while others actively support them for political, economic, or strategic reasons.
Sources: [The Currency]
Cyber Attack on British Library Highlights Lack of UK Resilience
A recent ransomware attack on the British Library has spotlighted the vulnerabilities in the UK's public sector IT infrastructure, amid rising state-backed cyber attacks. This major incident, which caused a significant technical outage at the library, underscores the concerns of cyber intelligence experts about the government's inadequate investment in cyber resilience in critical areas like education, healthcare, and local government. The hacking group Rhysida, targeting essential infrastructure, claimed responsibility and auctioned stolen data, including British Library employees’ passports, for 20 bitcoin (approximately £600,000).
The attack on the British Library, a key public service institution, highlights the escalating threat of ransomware attacks and their potential exploitation by state actors. The UK’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) has reported a significant increase in cyber attacks in 2023, with incidents more than doubling compared to the previous year. In response, the UK government, which had already allocated £2.6bn for cyber security improvements and IT system updates, is actively assessing the situation with the support of the National Protective Security Authority.
Source: [FT]
Organisations Rethink Cyber Security Investments to Meet NIS2 and DORA Directive Requirements
The European Union (EU) is seeking to improve cyber resilience across all member states by bringing in two new regulations: the Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA), which focuses on financial services companies, and its counterpart the Network and Information Systems Directive (NIS2). The effects of the two regulations are likely to be wider reaching, bringing in more stringent processes and controls and redefining service provision to organisations.
With NIS2 coming into effect in October 2024, the mandatory directive will have teeth, with strict penalties for non-compliance for both the business and senior board personnel, who can be held directly accountable and prevented from holding similar positions in the future. It also aims to increase intelligence sharing between member states and enhance supply chain security. This latter measure will see the directive have a global impact.
Many organisations supplying services to firms that fall under DORA and NIS2 will themselves be subject to the full force of the regulations, with many of these suppliers, including IT providers, unaware that this will have far reaching ramifications for them and their ability to continue to provide these services.
Sources: [Help Net Security] [Help Net Security]
The Cyber Security Lawsuit Boards are Talking About
For the last month, an under-the-radar lawsuit has privately been a hot topic of conversation in boardrooms and corporate security departments alike. The lawsuit involved the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) accusing SolarWinds and their CISO of fraud. SolarWinds, like many organisations, had disclosed some facts, however what was reported was not sufficient to satisfy the regulator. The lawsuit is the first in which the SEC has charged a company with intentional fraud related to cyber security disclosures and it paints a picture for the wider movement of the cyber landscape. Whilst the SEC is US based you can expect regulatory counterparts in other jurisdictions globally to follow suit.
Source: [The New York Times]
Top Cyber Stories of the Last Week
Governance, Risk and Compliance
Why boards must prioritize cyber security expertise - Help Net Security4 data loss examples keeping backup admins up at night | TechTarget
Companies step up investment in ransomware protection (betanews.com)
CISOs can marry security and business success - Help Net Security
7 must-ask questions for leaders on security culture (att.com)
The human element -- cyber security's greatest challenge (betanews.com)
Why good cyber hygiene is a strategic imperative for UK SMEs (betanews.com)
MOVEit incident spurred UK decision makers to spend big on cyber | Computer Weekly
Cyber security Investment Involves More Than Just Technology (darkreading.com)
Hackers Weaponize SEC Disclosure Rules Against Corporate Targets (darkreading.com)
The Cyber security Lawsuit That Boards Are Talking About - The New York Times (nytimes.com)
Only 9% of IT budgets are dedicated to security - Help Net Security
Why transparency and accountability are important in cyber security | Computer Weekly
SolarWinds lawsuit puts corporate security chiefs on high alert By Investing.com
Internal audit leaders are wary of key tech investments - Help Net Security
Maximize Cyber security Returns: 5 Key Steps to Enhancing ROI (darkreading.com)
Stressed staff put enterprises at risk of cyber attack (betanews.com)
Threats
Ransomware, Extortion and Destructive Attacks
2023 ransomware statistics: Number of double-extortion attacks skyrocket | SC Media (scmagazine.com)
More than money: The true cost of a ransomware attack | ITPro
Despite Increasing Ransomware Attacks, Some Companies In Denial | MSSP Alert
Ransomware attacks doubIe in two years says Akamai Technologies report (securitybrief.co.nz)
Hackers Weaponize SEC Disclosure Rules Against Corporate Targets (darkreading.com)
Logs missing in 42% cyber attacks; small business most vulnerable: Report (business-standard.com)
Companies step up investment in ransomware protection (betanews.com)
Understanding the Ransomware Attack Fallout on China’s ICBC (informationweek.com)
Ransomware Gang LockBit Revises Its Tactics to Get More Blackmail Money (insurancejournal.com)
The shifting sands of the war against cyber extortion - Help Net Security
Ransomware Crews Develop GenAI Tools for Cyber attacks | MSSP Alert
Play Ransomware Goes Commercial - Now Offered as a Service to Cyber criminals (thehackernews.com)
Scattered Spider Hops Nimbly from Cloud to On-Prem in Complex Attack (darkreading.com)
Ransomware groups rack up victims among corporate America | CyberScoop
Scattered Spider Casino Hackers Evade Arrest in Plain Sight (darkreading.com)
Paying ransom for data stolen in cyber attack bankrolls further crime, experts caution | CBC Radio
UK signs joint statement against ransomware payments - “New norm” or status quo? - Lexology
Capita to axe up to 900 jobs as it battles to recover from Russian cyber attack (telegraph.co.uk)
Schools Look to Improve Cyber security, but Many Vulnerable to Ransomware (insurancejournal.com)
4 Ways Fintech Companies Can Protect Themselves from Ransomware (financemagnates.com)
Cyber security should not be a gamble: Latest data breach hits major casino - Digital Journal
Ransomware Victims
Royal Mail spent £10 million recovering from LockBit breach - Tech Monitor
British Library staff passports leaked online as hackers demand £600,000 (telegraph.co.uk)
Hackers Weaponize SEC Disclosure Rules Against Corporate Targets (darkreading.com)
Understanding the Ransomware Attack Fallout on China’s ICBC (informationweek.com)
MOVEit victim count latest: 2.6K+ orgs, 77M+ people • The Register
Allen & Overy Given 5 Days to Meet Hackers’ Demands: Expert Q&A | Law.com International
London & Zurich ransomware attack causes customer chaos • The Register
CitrixBleed Vulnerability Exploitation Suspected in Toyota Ransomware Attack - SecurityWeek
Lockbit Gang Behind ICBC Attack Hacks Into Chicago Trading Company - Bloomberg
Russian hackers claim attack on Ukraine fighter jet supplier (telegraph.co.uk)
Clorox Scapegoats Cyber Chief, Rewards Board After Crisis (forbes.com)
Fortune 500 insurance and mortgage firm FNF shuts down network following cyber attack | TechRadar
Yamaha Motor confirms ransomware attack on Philippines subsidiary (bleepingcomputer.com)
St Helens Council suspected cyber attack caused significant disruption - BBC News
Western Isles Council backup systems 'inaccessible' following cyber attack | STV News
Auto parts giant AutoZone warns of MOVEit data breach (bleepingcomputer.com)
BlackCat claims attack on Fidelity National Financial • The Register
Phishing & Email Based Attacks
Phishing Simulations Boost Cyber Awareness and Defences | Mimecast
How to combat AI-produced phishing attacks | SC Media (scmagazine.com)
More Than 50% of Online Retailers Not Blocking Fraudulent Emails | MSSP Alert
How Multi-Stage Phishing Attacks Exploit QRs, CAPTCHAs, and Steganography (thehackernews.com)
DarkGate and PikaBot Malware Resurrect QakBot's Tactics in New Phishing Attacks (thehackernews.com)
Bloomberg Twitter account hijacked to send users to phishing malware | TechRadar
The Most Common Indicators of a Phishing Attempt (With Screenshots) | HackerNoon
Artificial Intelligence
Cyber threats reached a new high this year, with AI playing a major role | TechRadar
How to combat AI-produced phishing attacks | SC Media (scmagazine.com)
IT Pros Worry That Generative AI Will Be a Major Driver of Cyber security Threats (darkreading.com)
Smaller businesses embrace GenAI, overlook security measures - Help Net Security
The Good, The Bad And The Reality: The Impact Of AI On Cyber security (forbes.com)
Ransomware Crews Develop GenAI Tools for Cyber attacks | MSSP Alert
Over a Dozen Exploitable Vulnerabilities Found in AI/ML Tools - SecurityWeek
AI threats prompt Virgin Money to invest $250 million in cyber security (proactiveinvestors.com.au)
OII | Large Language Models pose risk to science with false answers, says Oxford study
Malware
5 Of The Most Common Ways Malware Is Spread (And How To Stay Protected) (slashgear.com)
Report finds malware is no longer the biggest cyberthreat to smaller businesses - SiliconANGLE
Over half of SME cyber incidents now ‘malware-free’ | Computer Weekly
Bloomberg Twitter account hijacked to send users to phishing malware | TechRadar
Mirai malware infects routers and cameras for new botnet • The Register
Beware: Malicious Google Ads Trick WinSCP Users into Installing Malware (thehackernews.com)
DarkGate and PikaBot Malware Resurrect QakBot's Tactics in New Phishing Attacks (thehackernews.com)
Gamaredon's LittleDrifter USB malware spreads beyond Ukraine (bleepingcomputer.com)
Malware Uses Trigonometry to Track Mouse Strokes (darkreading.com)
Atomic Stealer Malware is tricking Mac users with fake browser updates - gHacks Tech News
USB worm unleashed by Russian state hackers spreads worldwide | Ars Technica
DarkGate and Pikabot malware emerge as Qakbot’s successors (bleepingcomputer.com)
How Ducktail steals Facebook accounts | Kaspersky official blog
Cyber criminals turn to ready-made bots for quick attacks - Help Net Security
3 Ways to Stop Unauthorized Code From Running in Your Network (darkreading.com)
New botnet malware exploits two zero-days to infect NVRs and routers (bleepingcomputer.com)
Mobile
FCC Tightens Telco Rules to Combat SIM-Swapping - SecurityWeek
Inside Apple’s Secretive War to Protect iPhones from Hacking • iPhone in Canada Blog
Cyber criminals Are Targeting App Beta-Testing, and This Is What to Look Out For (makeuseof.com)
Denial of Service/DoS/DDOS
Internet of Things – IoT
Data Breaches/Leaks
4 data loss examples keeping backup admins up at night | TechTarget
Morgan Stanley Fined $6.5 Million for Exposing Customer Information - SecurityWeek
Canadian government discloses data breach after contractor hacks (bleepingcomputer.com)
US Cyber security Lab Suffers Major Data Breach - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)
Hacktivists breach US nuclear research lab, steal employee data (bleepingcomputer.com)
Welltok data breach exposes data of 8.5 million US patients (bleepingcomputer.com)
Cyber attackers leaked data of 27,000 NYC Bar Association membersers (therecord.media)
Enterprise software provider TmaxSoft leaks 2TB of data (securityaffairs.com)
Sumo Logic says customer data untouched during breach • The Register
Organised Crime & Criminal Actors
Indian Hack-for-Hire Group Targeted US, China, and More for Over 10 Years (thehackernews.com)
Shadowy Hack-for-Hire Group Behind Sprawling Web of Global Cyber attacks (darkreading.com)
Police Professional | Five-year plan launched to tackle fraud, economic and cyber crime
Outsmarting cyber criminals is becoming a hard thing to do - Help Net Security
Cyber security firm executive pleads guilty to hacking hospitals (bleepingcomputer.com)
Cryptocurrency/Cryptomining/Cryptojacking/NFTs/Blockchain
Insider Risk and Insider Threats
Supply Chain and Third Parties
Microsoft: Lazarus hackers breach CyberLink in supply chain attack (bleepingcomputer.com)
Three Questions To Ask Third-Party Vendors About Cyber security Risk (forbes.com)
Cloud/SaaS
Scattered Spider Hops Nimbly from Cloud to On-Prem in Complex Attack (darkreading.com)
Navigating the complexities of cyber security in a SaaS-dominated era (securitybrief.co.nz)
Encryption
Passwords, Credential Stuffing & Brute Force Attacks
Your password hygiene remains atrocious, says NordPass • The Register
US Teen Pleads Guilty to Credential Stuffing Attack on Fantasy Sports Website - SecurityWeek
Social Media
Malvertising
Training, Education and Awareness
Regulations, Fines and Legislation
Hackers Weaponize SEC Disclosure Rules Against Corporate Targets (darkreading.com)
The Cyber security Lawsuit That Boards Are Talking About - The New York Times (nytimes.com)
SolarWinds lawsuit puts corporate security chiefs on high alert By Investing.com
Morgan Stanley Fined $6.5 Million for Exposing Customer Information - SecurityWeek
UK watchdog threatens enforcement action over ad cookies • The Register
Models, Frameworks and Standards
DORA Set to Drive Significant Change in Sell-Side Third Party Risk Management | Financial IT
Understanding the UK government’s new cyber security regime, GovAssure - IT Security Guru
Data Protection
Careers, Working in Cyber and Information Security
Law Enforcement Action and Take Downs
US Teen Pleads Guilty to Credential Stuffing Attack on Fantasy Sports Website - SecurityWeek
Scattered Spider Casino Hackers Evade Arrest in Plain Sight (darkreading.com)
US cyber cops trace and return nearly $9M stolen by scammers • The Register
Police Professional | Five-year plan launched to tackle fraud, economic and cyber crime
Cyber security firm executive pleads guilty to hacking hospitals (bleepingcomputer.com)
Misinformation, Disinformation and Propaganda
Nation State Actors, Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs), Cyber Warfare, Cyber Espionage and Geopolitical Threats/Activity
Cyber Warfare and Cyber Espionage
Why cyber war readiness is critical for democracies - Help Net Security
Fog of War | How the Ukraine Conflict Transformed the Cyber Threat Landscape (inforisktoday.com)
Nation State Actors
China
Russia
USB worm unleashed by Russian state hackers spreads worldwide | Ars Technica
Almost 4,000 cyber attacks on Ukraine detected – US Treasury Department | Ukrainska Pravda
Russian hackers use Ngrok feature and WinRAR exploit to attack embassies (bleepingcomputer.com)
Russian hackers claim attack on Ukraine fighter jet supplier (telegraph.co.uk)
Potential cyberespionage campaign against Ukraine involves Remcos tool | SC Media (scmagazine.com)
Iran
Possible Iranian Group Behind 'Flood' of New Cyber attacks in Israel - Bloomberg
Cyber attacks on Israel intensify as the war against Hamas rages: Check Point | CSO Online
North Korea
Microsoft: Lazarus hackers breach CyberLink in supply chain attack (bleepingcomputer.com)
DPRK Hackers Masquerade as Tech Recruiters, Job Seekers (darkreading.com)
Hackers pose as officials to steal secrets and cryptocurrency for North Korea (bitdefender.com)
Other Nation State Actors, Hacktivism, Extremism, Terrorism and Other Geopolitical Threat Intelligence
Vulnerability Management
Vulnerabilities
MOVEit victim count latest: 2.6K+ orgs, 77M+ people • The Register
Citrix Bleed WFH Hack and Exploit: News on Data Loss Flaw - Bloomberg
Citrix warns admins to kill NetScaler user sessions to block hackers (bleepingcomputer.com)
Hackers Exploiting Windows SmartScreen Zero-day Vulnerability (cybersecuritynews.com)
Security researchers bypass Windows Hello fingerprint authentication - gHacks Tech News
CISA warns of actively exploited Windows, Sophos, and Oracle bugs (bleepingcomputer.com)
Sophos Web Appliance vulnerability exploited in the wild (CVE-2023-1671) - Help Net Security
Over a Dozen Exploitable Vulnerabilities Found in AI/ML Tools - SecurityWeek
A critical OS command injection flaw affects Fortinet FortiSIEM (securityaffairs.com)
Russian hackers use Ngrok feature and WinRAR exploit to attack embassies (bleepingcomputer.com)
Splunk RCE Vulnerability Let Attackers Upload Malicious File (cybersecuritynews.com)
Tools and Controls
Only 9% of IT budgets are dedicated to security - Help Net Security
MOVEit incident spurred UK decision makers to spend big on cyber | Computer Weekly
Phishing Simulations Boost Cyber Awareness and Defences | Mimecast
Logs missing in 42% cyber attacks; small business most vulnerable: Report (business-standard.com)
Cyber attack on British Library raises concerns over lack of UK resilience (ft.com)
Companies step up investment in ransomware protection (betanews.com)
DORA Set to Drive Significant Change in Sell-Side Third Party Risk Management | Financial IT
The 7 Deadly Sins of Security Awareness Training (darkreading.com)
Identity And Access Management: 18 Important Trends And Considerations
The Good, The Bad And The Reality: The Impact Of AI On Cyber security (forbes.com)
MFA under fire, attackers undermine trust in security measures - Help Net Security
AI threats prompt Virgin Money to invest $250 million in cyber security (proactiveinvestors.com.au)
New Flaws in Fingerprint Sensors Let Attackers Bypass Windows Hello Login (thehackernews.com)
Security researchers bypass Windows Hello fingerprint authentication - gHacks Tech News
Detection & Response That Scales: A 4-Pronged Approach (darkreading.com)
Maximize Cyber security Returns: 5 Key Steps to Enhancing ROI (darkreading.com)
6 Steps to Accelerate Cyber security Incident Response (thehackernews.com)
The CISO view: Navigating the promise and pitfalls of cyber security automation (betanews.com)
Other News
Why Defenders Should Embrace a Hacker Mindset (thehackernews.com)
Hackers are taking over planes’ GPS — experts are lost on how to fix it (nypost.com)
UK proposes 'super-complaints' to help keep internet safe • The Register
Consumers plan to be more consistent with their security in 2024 - Help Net Security
Security trends public sector leaders are watching | CyberScoop
Even gas pumps aren't safe from cyber attacks at the moment | TechRadar
Scottish cyber security organisation calls for greater awareness of rising threat - Business Insider
The US government wants to offer better cyber security to major infrastructure firms | TechRadar
The retail sector is under threat from… Gmail, WhatsApp and Google Drive? | TechRadar
Sekoia: Latest in the Financial Sector Cyber Threat Landscape (techrepublic.com)
Shields Ready: Critical Infrastructure Security and Resilience
Crimeware and financial cyberthreat predictions for 2024 | Securelist
Terrorism, cyber attacks main Paris 2024 threats as security plan finalised | Reuters
Read again: Decoding cyber security, safeguarding educational institutions | Edexec
What direction for the EU Cyber security Competence Centre? – EURACTIV.com
Unveiling the Most Common Cyber Threats in Retail – International Supermarket News
Mideast Oil & Gas Facilities Could Face Cyber Related Energy Disruptions (darkreading.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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Links to articles are for interest and awareness and linking to or reposting external content does not endorse any service or product, likewise we are not responsible for the security of external links.
Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing 13 October 2023
Black Arrow Cyber Threat Intelligence Briefing 13 October 2023:
-Small Businesses Hit by Frequent Cyber Attacks as 90% of CISOs Faced at least One Attack Last Year
-The Most Effective Cyber Attacks Never Touch Your Organisation's Firewall, HR’s Role in Defending the Organisation
-Ransomware Infection Times Fall from 5 Days to 5 Hours
-80% of Security Leaders See AI as the Biggest Threat to Business
-Is Your Board Cyber-Ready?
-Cyber Security Should Be a Business Priority for CEOs
-The Looming Threat of a Single Phishing Click to Your Business
-40% of Organisations Leave Ransomware to IT
-Auditors Growing Concern About Cyber Security
-The Cyber Villains Are Getting Bolder: Businesses Need to Up Their Game
-Preparing for the Unexpected: A Proactive Approach to Operational Resilience
-Staggering Losses to Social Media and Social Engineering Since 21, as Victims Take $2.7 Billion Hit in US Alone
-Organisations Grapple with Detection and Response Despite Rising Security Budgets
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
Small Businesses Hit by Frequent Cyber Attacks, as 90% of CISOs of Larger Firms Faced at least One Attack Last Year
A survey by Payroll provider Sage found that nearly 48% of small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) have experienced at least one cyber incident in the past year; of note, this is only based on SMEs self-reporting, and requires SMEs to have both the ability to detect an incident and to have actually identified an incident and then self-report it. The survey found that cyber security was a priority with 68% of respondents reporting that they would use a more expensive security control if it demonstrated better security.
In a separate report by Splunk, it was found that 90% of CISOs reported experiencing at least one disruptive attack in the past year. The difference in numbers could be because organisations who have a CISO are more likely to have tools in place to detect an incident.
Regardless, cyber criminals are showing that any size of organisation can be a victim of a cyber incident and in some cases, smaller organisations may not have the necessary budget and controls to prevent an attack.
Sources: [Security Magazine] [Insurance Times] [Infosecurity Magazine]
The Most Effective Cyber Attacks Never Touch Your Organisation’s Firewall, and HR’s Role in Defending the Organisation
In 2022, total spending on cyber security technologies increased to 71.1 billion USD, illustrating just how much effort goes into protecting companies, their data, and their customers. Regardless of all this spending, there remains a popular attack which can bypass this all: social engineering. Attackers know how much technology protection is placed in organisations, so they often try to bypass this and go straight through the employees.
Cyber security will never work if organisations do not go beyond IT; it is a business-wide issue and requires the engagement and input from across the business, including functions like Human Resources. Having effectively trained employees is a crucial part of creating a culture of security within an organisation, and this starts with HR. Employees will often have training as part of their onboarding and then regular training to ensure competencies; as part of HR’s role, this should include commissioning training on cyber security that is delivered by cyber security experts that understand what attackers are doing.
Source: [News Week] [Beta News]
Ransomware Infection Times Fall from 5 Days to 5 Hours
The amount of time it takes an attacker to infect a system with ransomware has fallen drastically over the last 12 months according to a recent report. The median dwell time (the time that an attacker spends in a victim’s network before being detected) was 5.5 days in 2021, reducing to 4.5 days in 2022, and this year it fell to less than 24 hours with, in 10% of cases, the time taken to deploy ransomware being within 5 hours. As threat actors continue to leverage Ransomware as a Service (RaaS) to execute attacks, dwell times will continue to decrease and the number of attacks will increase.
This coincides with a recent survey by Hornetsecurity that revealed that almost 60% of businesses are concerned about ransomware attacks. 92% of businesses are reported to be aware of ransomware’s potential negative impact, but just 54% of respondents say their leadership is actively involved in conversations and decision making to help prevent attacks.
The report highlights that ransomware is still at large, with the first half of 2023 seeing more ransomware victims than in the whole of 2022. Having good cyber security protection and hygiene is the key to ongoing success. Organisations cannot afford to become victims. Ongoing security awareness training and multi-layered ransomware protection are critical to help avoid insurmountable losses.
Sources: [Cision] [PC Mag] [Security Magazine]
80% of Security Leaders See AI as the Biggest Threat to Business
A report has found that a large majority of security leaders (80%) believe Artificial Intelligence (AI) is the biggest cyber threat to their business, and that the risks of AI outweigh the many advantages.
In a separate report, 58% agreed that AI is increasing the number of cyber attacks. The benefits of AI were also recognised however, with 73% reporting AI to be an increasingly important tool for security operations.
With AI finding itself both sides of the coin, it is important for organisations to effectively implement their AI solutions, so that they can improve their security whilst reducing the risk that AI presents to their organisation.
Sources: [Diginomica] [Infosecurity Magazine]
Is Your Board Cyber-Ready?
With the recent US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) requirements entering effect, and the impending Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA) requirements for Europe, there is yet another layer added to the complicated issues of managing cyber security risks. However, it is clear that strong corporate governance equips companies to address them efficiently and accurately.
Governance starts with the board, as it is responsible for the oversight of the organisation’s cyber security programs. For a board to do this effectively, the leadership team must be able to understand cyber security; yet despite this, a study found that only 12% of boards had a cyber expert. Black Arrow supports business leaders in organisations of all sizes to gain a strong practical understanding of the fundamentals of cyber security risk management, and to demonstrate governance in implementing their cyber security strategy by leveraging their existing internal and external resources.
Sources: [Harvard.edu] [JDSupra]
Cyber Security Should Be a Business Priority for CEOs
A recent report found that despite 96% of CEOs saying that cyber security is critical to organisational growth and stability, 74% of CEOs are concerned about their organisation’s ability to avert or minimise damage arising from a cyber attack. The report also highlighted that 60% of CEOs don’t incorporate cyber security into their business strategies, products or services from the beginning. 44% believe that cyber security requires episodic intervention rather than ongoing attention.
Adding to this reactive stance is the incorrect assumption by 54% of CEOs that the cost of implementing cyber security is higher than the cost of suffering a cyber attack, despite history showing otherwise. For instance, the report notes that a global shipping and logistics company breach resulted in a 20% drop in business volume, with losses hitting $300 million. In addition, despite 90% of CEOs saying cyber security is a differentiating factor for their products or services to help them build customer trust, only 15% have dedicated board meetings to discuss cyber security issues. This disconnect might be explained by the fact that 91% of CEOs said cyber security is a technical function that is the responsibility of the CIO or CISO.
Source: [HelpNet Security]
The Looming Threat of a Single Phishing Click to Your Business
A single click could be all it takes to get the ball rolling and allow an attacker entry into your organisation. From there, the possibilities are endless. Phishing impacts any employee within the organisation with an email account, phone number or access to the web.
Organisations can mitigate this risk however, by conducting training and awareness programmes, aimed at improving employees’ abilities to identify, report and avoid falling victim to phishing incidents. Such training should be held regularly to maintain their knowledge as well as adapting to the ever-changing landscape of cyber crime. 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: [CMS-lawnow]
40% of Organisations Leave Ransomware to IT
A report found that 93% of respondents said they believe ransomware protection is “very” to “extremely” important in terms of IT priorities for their organisation, yet only 54% reported that the leadership were actively involved in conversations and decision-making around ransomware attacks, and 40% of total respondents were happy to leave the IT team to deal with ransomware attacks.
By only involving the IT team and excluding the leadership, organisations are at risk of not addressing regulatory requirements, or failing to manage such cyber incidents within a business context. This would also suggest a lack of an effective Incident Response Plan to ensure that considerations such as legal, communications, customers, employees and other stakeholders are not forgotten. Black Arrow works with organisations of all sizes and sectors to design and prepare for managing a cyber security incident; 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.
Source: [MSSP Alert]
Auditors’ Growing Concern About Cyber Security
The majority of chief audit executives and information technology audit leaders consider cyber security to be a top risk over the next year. The survey found that found that nearly 75% of respondents, and an even higher percentage (82%) of technology audit leaders, consider cyber security to be a high-risk area over the next 12 months.
Source: [Accounting Today]
Preparing for the Unexpected: A Proactive Approach to Operational Resilience
Recent insights highlight a pressing need: ensuring operational resilience in financial firms. As the financial sector remains a prime target for cyber threats, the increasing interconnectedness presents evolving challenges. While cyber security aims to defend against attacks, operational resilience ensures the continuity of operations even when incidents occur.
Notably, the EU’s Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA) stresses preparedness, providing a framework for the industry. Although business continuity practices exist, operational resilience offers a more proactive stance, ensuring system reliability that is crucial for global financial trust. Achieving this requires a comprehensive risk assessment, laying the groundwork for a resilient strategy tailored to a firm’s unique position in the financial landscape.
Source: [Dark Reading]
Staggering Losses to Social Media and Social Engineering Since 2021, as Victims Take $2.7 Billion Hit in US Alone
The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) reports that Americans alone, have lost $2.7 billion to social media and social engineering scams since 2021. The losses were incurred through websites, phone calls and email.
It is important for organisations to consider that such scams could very well find themselves in the corporate environment. Already, there has been a significant rise in attacks on employees through LinkedIn. As such, it is important for organisations to provide education and awareness training to users.
Sources: [Bleeping Computer] [Infosecurity Magazine]
Organisations Grapple with Detection and Response Despite Rising Security Budgets
A study by EY found that only a fifth of cyber security leaders today are confident about their organisation’s cyber security approach, with only half trusting the training they provide in-house. CISO respondents reported an average annual spend of $35 million on cyber security, with the median cost of a breach jumping 12% to $2.5 million. The leaders said they anticipate the cost per breach to reach $4 million by the end of the year.
The report found that the biggest internal challenges to the organisation's cyber security approach were "too many potential attack surfaces" at 52%, and "difficulty balancing security and innovation speed" at 50%. The study also noted big discrepancies between the CISOs and other C-suite leaders when it came to their organisation's cyber security preparedness. While 60% of CISOs were confident about the C-suite integration of cyber security into key business decisions, only over half of other C-suite officers believed they were effective. There was also a significant gap (12%) between their satisfaction with the overall cyber security preparedness.
Source: [CSO Online]
Governance, Risk and Compliance
Auditors more worried about cyber security than AI risks | Accounting Today
Cyber Security Survey: 40% of Orgs “Leave” Ransomware to IT | MSSP Alert
Cyber attacks are only getting worse for business, so what are CISOs doing about it? | TechRadar
Warning as more businesses fall victim to cyber attacks | Insurance Times
PwC survey reveals rising concerns over cyber security and generative AI in 2024 - Reinsurance News
The Role of HR in Engaging the Workforce for Holistic Cyber Security (newsweek.com)
90% firms experienced cyber attacks; 83% opted to pay attackers: Report (business-standard.com)
The world was already horrifying — technology is making it more so - The Hustle
Cyber security is a mindset, not just a set of tools and technologies. (techuk.org)
Cyber security should be a business priority for CEOs - Help Net Security
Organisations grapple with detection and response despite rising security budgets | CSO Online
The undeniable benefits of making cyber resiliency the new standard | CSO Online
Preparing for the Unexpected: A Proactive Approach to Operational Resilience (darkreading.com)
Cyber insurance costs pressure business budgets - Help Net Security
C-suite weighs in on generative AI and security (securityintelligence.com)
Cyber security overtakes cloud as top area of investment - The Recycler - 10/10/2023
New Wave of Cyber Threats Challenges In-House Legal Departments (bloomberglaw.com)
Should businesses follow Google’s footsteps in cyber security? | TechRadar
Cyber security is booming but it comes at a human cost (betanews.com)
A Primer on Cyber Risk Acceptance and What it Means to Your Business (bleepingcomputer.com)
A Cyber security Risk Assessment Guide for Leaders (trendmicro.com)
Addressing a Breach Starts With Getting Everyone on the Same Page (darkreading.com)
Uber's Ex-CISO Appeals Conviction Over 2016 Data Breach (darkreading.com)
6 steps to getting the board on board with your cyber security program (welivesecurity.com)
Threats
Ransomware, Extortion and Destructive Attacks
First half of 2023 sees more ransomware victims than all of 2022 | Security Magazine
Cyber security Survey: 40% of Orgs “Leave” Ransomware to IT | MSSP Alert
Cyber criminals can go from click to compromise in less than a day - Help Net Security
Ransomware Infection Times Fall From 5 Days to 5 Hours (pcmag.com)
Ransomwared health insurer wasn't using anti-virus software • The Register
Everest searching for corporate insiders amid rare pivot • The Register
HelloKitty ransomware source code leaked on hacking forum (bleepingcomputer.com)
How to Prevent Ransomware as a Service (RaaS) Attacks (trendmicro.com)
SEC Investigating Progress Software Over MOVEit Hack - Security Week
Ransomware attacks now target unpatched WS_FTP servers (bleepingcomputer.com)
Ransomware Attack on Hospitals Highlights Need to Ensure Continuity of Patient Care (fdd.org)
Ransomware Victims
Cyber attack victim Estes making ‘steady progress’ - FreightWaves
Caesars Offers Two Years of IDX Services to Compromised Data Victims - GamblingNews
Ransomwared health insurer wasn't using anti-virus software • The Register
BianLian extortion group claims recent Air Canada breach (bleepingcomputer.com)
Phishing & Email Based Attacks
The looming threat of a single phishing click to your business (cms-lawnow.com)
What to do if you’ve clicked on a phishing link or talked to scammers | Kaspersky official blog
LinkedIn Smart Links attacks return to target Microsoft accounts (bleepingcomputer.com)
Phishing, the campaigns that are affecting Italy (securityaffairs.com)
BEC – Business Email Compromise
Other Social Engineering; Smishing, Vishing, etc
Artificial Intelligence
PwC survey reveals rising concerns over cyber security and generative AI in 2024 - Reinsurance News
'Really frightening': IT leaders on cyber security in the age of AI (computing.co.uk)
Cyber security pros predict rise of malicious AI - Help Net Security
Why 80% of CISOs see AI as the biggest threat to their business (diginomica.com)
C-suite weighs in on generative AI and security (securityintelligence.com)
68 percent of IT decision makers are worried about the rise of deepfakes (betanews.com)
US Space Force Pauses Generative AI Based on Security Concerns (bloomberglaw.com)
Generative AI Security: Preventing Microsoft Copilot Data Exposure (bleepingcomputer.com)
How to Guard Your Data from Exposure in ChatGPT (thehackernews.com)
2FA/MFA
Malware
Mirai DDoS malware variant expands targets with 13 router exploits (bleepingcomputer.com)
Microsoft to kill off VBScript in Windows to block malware delivery (bleepingcomputer.com)
How Keyloggers Have Evolved From the Cold War to Today (darkreading.com)
Endpoint malware attacks decline as campaigns spread wider - Help Net Security
Mobile
Beware - GoldDigger malware will drain your bank accounts without you even realizing | TechRadar
China-based Supply Chain Cyber Attacks Hit Thousands of Android Devices | MSSP Alert
Android devices shipped with backdoored firmware as part of the BADBOX network (securityaffairs.com)
Operation Behind Predator Mobile Spyware Is 'Industrial Scale' (darkreading.com)
Hacktivists send fake nuclear attack warning via Israeli Red Alert app (bitdefender.com)
5 quick tips to strengthen your Android phone security today | ZDNET
Botnets
Denial of Service/DoS/DDOS
HTTP/2 Zero-Day Vulnerability Results in Record-Breaking DDoS Attacks (cloudflare.com)
Google, Amazon Face Massive Denial-of-Service Attack | MSSP Alert
Internet of Things – IoT
Automotive cyber security: A decade of progress and challenges - Help Net Security
Android TV malware case worsens: Tens of millions of devices infected - FlatpanelsHD
Have You Changed the Default Passwords on Your IoT Devices? (makeuseof.com)
Android devices shipped with backdoored firmware as part of the BADBOX network (securityaffairs.com)
Mirai Variant IZ1H9 Adds 13 Exploits to Arsenal - Security Week
Exposed security cameras in Israel and Palestine pose significant risks (securityaffairs.com)
Data Breaches/Leaks
3.81 billion records compromised by cyber security incidents in September 2023 (itsecuritywire.com)
23andMe Cyberbreach Exposes DNA Data, Potential Family Ties (darkreading.com)
DC Board of Elections confirms voter data stolen in site hack (bleepingcomputer.com)
Lyca Mobile says customer data was stolen during cyber attack | TechCrunch
Third Flagstar Bank data breach since 2021 affects 800,000 customers (bleepingcomputer.com)
Caesars Offers Two Years of IDX Services to Compromised Data Victims - GamblingNews
Air Europa customers urged to cancel cards following hack on payment system (therecord.media)
Dymocks breach happened while changing providers | Information Age | ACS
Shadow PC warns of data breach as hacker tries to sell gamers' info (bleepingcomputer.com)
Organised Crime & Criminal Actors
The cyber villains are getting bolder. Businesses need to up their game - Raconteur
Protecting your business against the cyber criminal enterprise (techuk.org)
Cyber attackers are combining attacks to bypass detection (siliconrepublic.com)
Hackers 'don't break in anymore, they log in,' expert explains (yahoo.com)
Cryptocurrency/Cryptomining/Cryptojacking/NFTs/Blockchain
‘I felt powerless’: how a crypto scam cost a finance boss £300,000 | Scams | The Guardian
Inside FTX’s All-Night Race to Stop a $1 Billion Crypto Heist | WIRED
Insider Risk and Insider Threats
Everest searching for corporate insiders amid rare pivot • The Register
Former US soldier accused of trying to pass secrets to China • The Register
Understanding the human factor of digital safety | TechRadar
Fraud, Scams & Financial Crime
Fooled by cyber criminals: The humanitarian CEO scammed by hackers - GZERO Media
Global job scam to cause $100 mn in losses for over 1,000 companies: Report (odishatv.in)
FTC warns of ‘staggering’ losses to social media scams since 2021 (bleepingcomputer.com)
The dark side of solar panels – how crooks are exploiting net zero (telegraph.co.uk)
Chinese Criminals Backdoor Android Devices for Ad Fraud (govinfosecurity.com)
‘I felt powerless’: how a crypto scam cost a finance boss £300,000 | Scams | The Guardian
Inside FTX’s All-Night Race to Stop a $1 Billion Crypto Heist | WIRED
What to do if you’ve clicked on a phishing link or talked to scammers | Kaspersky official blog
Never click on bank-draining words if message pops up, expert warns (ladbible.com)
Boss of world’s largest cinema chain victim of catfish blackmail plot | Business | The Guardian
Deepfakes
AML/CFT/Sanctions
Insurance
Cyber insurance costs pressure business budgets - Help Net Security
Insurance industry faces growing concerns over cyber cat risk: Gallagher Re - Reinsurance News
Cyber Insurance Lessens the Sting of Corporate Cyber Attacks (bloomberglaw.com)
Keeping up with the demands of the cyber insurance market - Help Net Security
Insurance cover ‘sufficient’ for $100mn cyber attack hit: MGM (insuranceinsider.com)
Supply Chain and Third Parties
Software Supply Chain
Why open-source software supply chain attacks have tripled in a year | CSO Online
New One-Click Exploit Is a Supply Chain Risk for Linux OSes (darkreading.com)
Cloud/SaaS
The Need for Speed: When Cloud Attacks Take Only 10 Minutes (darkreading.com)
Microsoft and Cabinet Office issue government-wide security guidelines for M365 – PublicTechnology
Securely Moving Financial Services to the Cloud (darkreading.com)
Identity and Access Management
Encryption
New cryptographic protocol aims to bolster open-source software security | ZDNET
Linux Foundation Announces OpenPubkey Open Source Cryptographic Protocol - Security Week
API
Open Source and Linux
New cryptographic protocol aims to bolster open-source software security | ZDNET
Why open-source software supply chain attacks have tripled in a year | CSO Online
Linux Foundation Announces OpenPubkey Open Source Cryptographic Protocol - Security Week
Security Patch for Two New Flaws in Curl Library Arriving on October 11 (thehackernews.com)
Maintainers warn of vulnerability affecting foundational open-source tool (therecord.media)
New One-Click Exploit Is a Supply Chain Risk for Linux OSes (darkreading.com)
Passwords, Credential Stuffing & Brute Force Attacks
CISA publishes top 10 most common security misconfigurations • The Register
Have You Changed the Default Passwords on Your IoT Devices? (makeuseof.com)
Social Media
FTC warns of ‘staggering’ losses to social media scams since 2021 (bleepingcomputer.com)
LinkedIn Smart Links attacks return to target Microsoft accounts (bleepingcomputer.com)
Brands Beware: X's New Badge System Is a Ripe Cyber-Target (darkreading.com)
What should you do if your Facebook is hacked? (pocket-lint.com)
Parental Controls and Child Safety
Regulations, Fines and Legislation
Models, Frameworks and Standards
Data Protection
Careers, Working in Cyber and Information Security
Work-related stress “keeps cyber professionals up at night” | ITPro
Cyber security is booming but it comes at a human cost (betanews.com)
eBook: Cyber security career hacks for newcomers - Help Net Security
Turning military veterans into cyber security experts - Help Net Security
CISO Pay Increases Are Slowing – a Look Behind the Figures - Security Week
Skills-based Hiring Can Address Cyber Workforce Shortfalls (fdd.org)
Law Enforcement Action and Take Downs
European Police Hackathon Hunts Down Traffickers - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)
Misinformation, Disinformation and Propaganda
Nation State Actors, Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs), Cyber Warfare and Cyber Espionage
Misc Nation State/Cyber Warfare
Hacking Groups, Including Some Tied to Russia, Are Attacking Israeli Websites (insurancejournal.com)
Cyber Metamorphosis: Ukraine Conflict's Impact on the Threat Landscape (govinfosecurity.com)
Hackers For Hire Hit Both Sides in Israel-Hamas Conflict (darkreading.com)
Beyond the Front Lines: How the Israel-Hamas War Impacts the Cyber security Industry - Security Week
Hamas 'using social engineering attacks' in conflict with Israel (techmonitor.ai)
Could Middle Eastern Cyberwarfare Spill Into Health Sector? (inforisktoday.com)
The Cyberwar Between the East and the West Goes Through Africa (darkreading.com)
Hamas 'using social engineering attacks' in conflict with Israel (techmonitor.ai)
Russia
Dark Horse Ukraine Proves Resistant to Onslaught of Russian Cyber Attacks (kyivpost.com)
Kremlin-Linked Hacker Group Launches Cyber-Attack Against Israel (kyivpost.com)
Russian hacker group "Killnet" declares cyberwar on Israel | Al Bawaba
Gaza-linked hackers and Pro-Russia groups are targeting Israel (securityaffairs.com)
Hacking Groups, Including Some Tied to Russia, Are Attacking Israeli Websites (insurancejournal.com)
Cyber Metamorphosis: Ukraine Conflict's Impact on the Threat Landscape (govinfosecurity.com)
China
A Frontline Report of Chinese Threat Actor Tactics and Techniques (darkreading.com)
Why One Of The Largest Cyber-Attacks Is Still A Mystery (slashgear.com)
Chinese Hackers Target Semiconductor Firms in East Asia with Cobalt Strike (thehackernews.com)
Chinese Criminals Backdoor Android Devices for Ad Fraud (govinfosecurity.com)
China-based Supply Chain Cyber Attacks Hit Thousands of Android Devices | MSSP Alert
Former US soldier accused of trying to pass secrets to China • The Register
Researchers Uncover Grayling APT's Ongoing Attack Campaign Across Industries (thehackernews.com)
Microsoft: China's Behind Atlassian Confluence Attacks; PoCs Available (darkreading.com)
Iran
Escalation In Iranian Cyber Operations: A Shift Toward Espionage | Iran International (iranintl.com)
North Korea
Vulnerability Management
Developers take as long as one month to patch security flaws, Synopsys finds (axios.com)
Vulnerability Behind “Largest Attack in Internet History” Found | MSSP Alert
Vulnerabilities
Patch Now: Massive RCE Campaign Wrangles Routers Into Botnet (darkreading.com)
Patch Tuesday: Code Execution Flaws in Adobe Commerce, Photoshop - Security Week
Google Chrome 118 is a massive security update - gHacks Tech News
Security Patch for Two New Flaws in Curl Library Arriving on October 11 (thehackernews.com)
Adobe Acrobat Reader Vuln Now Under Attack (darkreading.com)
Ransomware attacks now target unpatched WS_FTP servers (bleepingcomputer.com)
Critical Zero-Day Bug in Atlassian Confluence Under Active Exploit (informationweek.com)
WhatsApp exploits commanding multi-million prices (computing.co.uk)
High-Severity Vulnerabilities Discovered in WebM Project’s Libraries (paloaltonetworks.com)
Credential Harvesting Campaign Targets Unpatched NetScaler Instances - Security Week
Over 17,000 WordPress sites hacked in Balada Injector attacks last month (bleepingcomputer.com)
Thousands of WordPress sites have been hacked through tagDiv plugin vulnerability | Ars Technica
New WordPress backdoor creates rogue admin to hijack websites (bleepingcomputer.com)
libcue Library Flaw Opens GNOME Linux Systems Vulnerable to RCE Attacks (thehackernews.com)
D-Link WiFi range extender vulnerable to command injection attacks (bleepingcomputer.com)
Maintainers warn of vulnerability affecting foundational open-source tool (therecord.media)
Apple releases iOS 16.7.1 to plug critical security holes | Macworld
The SEC is said to be investigating a Twitter security flaw from the pre-Musk era (engadget.com)
Microsoft: China's Behind Atlassian Confluence Attacks; PoCs Available (darkreading.com)
35 Squid proxy bugs still unpatched after 2 years • The Register
Fortinet Releases Security Updates for Multiple Products | CISA
Tools and Controls
Organisations grapple with detection and response despite rising security budgets | CSO Online
Preparing for the Unexpected: A Proactive Approach to Operational Resilience (darkreading.com)
A Primer on Cyber Risk Acceptance and What it Means to Your Business (bleepingcomputer.com)
Reassessing the Impacts of Risk Management With NIST Framework 2.0 (darkreading.com)
16 Essential Factors To Cover In A Disaster Recovery Plan (forbes.com)
A Cyber Security Risk Assessment Guide for Leaders (trendmicro.com)
Addressing a Breach Starts With Getting Everyone on the Same Page (darkreading.com)
Google, Yahoo Push DMARC, Forcing Companies to Catch Up (darkreading.com)
You can't avoid APIs, so you need to secure them (betanews.com)
What is External Attack Surface Management (EASM)? | UpGuard
Why You Should Phish In Your Own (informationsecuritybuzz.com)
Why zero trust delivers even more resilience than you think - Help Net Security
Unmasking the limitations of yearly penetration tests - Help Net Security
Keeping up with the demands of the cyber insurance market - Help Net Security
Cyber attackers are combining attacks to bypass detection (siliconrepublic.com)
Keep on keeping your organisation informed to stay cyber secure (techuk.org)
Why identity infrastructure is the new cyberattack surface (siliconrepublic.com)
Reports Published in the Last Week
Other News
Cyber security is a mindset, not just a set of tools and technologies. (techuk.org)
Large law firms experiencing two 'cyber incidents' a month - Legal Futures
Small businesses growing target for cyber criminals (planetradio.co.uk)
The world was already horrifying — technology is making it more so - The Hustle
Legions of Critical Infrastructure Devices Subject to Cyber Targeting (darkreading.com)
Subsea cable business seeks to plug its security holes (lightreading.com)
Old-School Attacks Are Still a Danger, Despite Newer Techniques (darkreading.com)
Protect Critical Infrastructure With Same Rigor as Classified Networks (darkreading.com)
Drug dealers hijack NHS, police and Crimestoppers websites to sell coke in plain sight - Daily Star
Proactive not reactive: adjusting the approach to cyber crime in education
Magecart Campaign Hijacks 404 Pages to Steal Data (darkreading.com)
As biohacking evolves, how vulnerable are we to cyber threats? - Help Net Security
Electric Power System Cyber Security Vulnerabilities (trendmicro.com)
Securing the Food Pipeline from Cyber Attacks (newswise.com)
US construction giant reports cyber security incident • The Register
Sector Specific
Industry specific threat intelligence reports are available.
Contact us to receive tailored reports specific to the industry/sector and geographies you operate in.
· Automotive
· Construction
· Critical National Infrastructure (CNI)
· Defence & Space
· Education & Academia
· Energy & Utilities
· Estate Agencies
· Financial Services
· FinTech
· Food & Agriculture
· Gaming & Gambling
· Government & Public Sector (including Law Enforcement)
· Health/Medical/Pharma
· Hotels & Hospitality
· Insurance
· Legal
· Manufacturing
· Maritime
· Oil, Gas & Mining
· OT, ICS, IIoT, SCADA & Cyber-Physical Systems
· Retail & eCommerce
· Small and Medium Sized Businesses (SMBs)
· Startups
· Telecoms
· Third Sector & Charities
· Transport & Aviation
· Web3
As usual, contact us to help assess where your risks lie and to ensure you are doing all you can do to keep you and your business secure.
Look out for our ‘Cyber Tip Tuesday’ video blog and on our YouTube channel.
You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.
Links to articles are for interest and awareness and linking to or reposting external content does not endorse any service or product, likewise we are not responsible for the security of external links.
Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing 08 September 2023
Black Arrow Cyber Threat Intelligence Briefing 08 September 2023:
-More Than Half of UK Organisations Know They Aren’t Well Protected
-Generative AI Considered a Security Risk by 60% of Board Members: How Organisations Can Prepare
-Businesses Ignore Incident Response at Their Peril
-Blame Culture: An Organisation’s Ticking Time Bomb
-Spend to Save: CFO’s and Cyber Security Investment
-Cyber Security Tools Are New Targets for Attackers, including Nation-State Actors
-Attackers Access UK Military Data Through Third Party Supplier as Relentless Russian Cyber Attacks Raise Spectre of WW3
-Common Tactics Used by Threat Actors to Weaponise PDFs
-Years-old Microsoft Security Holes Still Hot Targets for Cyber Criminals
-Popular ‘As-a-Service’ Operations Have Earned Cyber Criminals over $64m
-71% of Organisations are Impacted by Cyber Security Skills Shortage
-Multiple Schools Hit by Cyber Attacks Before Term Begins
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
More Than Half of UK Organisations Know They Aren’t Well Protected
According to a recent report, just 49% of business leaders report their organisation is well or very well protected. Cyber security featured as the third highest-rated business priority, with increasing revenues and reducing costs forming the top two. One of the ways an organisation can reduce cost is to outsource, and 63% of respondents agreed, reporting that they wanted to work with an external cyber security partner to improve their security.
Even if you’re in the 49% of organisations that believes it is well protected, this can be a dangerous self-assessment based on a lack of experience and impartiality. Business leaders need independent assurance to ensure their security controls are appropriate and in line with the organisation’s risk appetite. It is essential to dispel assumptions, by investigating your security before an attacker does.
Black Arrow Cyber Consulting offers a free, no-obligation, introductory consultation to help you gain an unbiased perspective on how your current security approach could withstand an attacker. We help our clients to know the questions to ask of their external or internal IT provider, and how to leverage other security controls from existing resources.
Sources: [IT Security Guru][Beta News]
Generative AI Considered a Security Risk by 60% of Board Members. How Organisations Can Prepare
A recent report conducted by Proofpoint found that 60% of board members consider generative AI a security risk.
The rapid development and adoption of AI is double-edged in nature. Whilst it can yield positive benefits if used safely and responsibility within organisations, AI is also being used to great effect by malicious actors with AI abuse growing beyond phishing to increasing the efficacy of multistage attacks, being used to generated malware, and carrying out different types of social engineering attacks.
For this reason Boards and senior leaders are right to be concerned and should ensure appropriate measures are being taken.
Sources: [TheNationalNews] [SCMagazine] [CyberSecurityNews]
Further reading: [BusinessCloud.co.uk] [WIRED UK] [Help Net Security]
Businesses Ignore Incident Response at Their Peril
According to a UK Government report, a quarter of businesses don’t regard cyber incident response skills as essential and almost half said they weren’t confident they could put together an incident response plan. This led to 41% saying they were not very or not at all confident that they would be able to deal with a cyber security breach or attack.
Unfortunately, this leaves many organisations in a situation where they will have to learn the hard way about the implications of not having an incident response plan. A separate government report found that 37% of those hit by a cyber attack said it impacted operations and a quarter experienced negative consequences such as loss of money or data.
One of the ways organisations can circumnavigate their lack of confidence in their ability to construct an incident response plan is to use cyber security experts to construct it.
Source: [Infosecurity Magazine]
Blame Culture: An Organisation’s Ticking Time Bomb
An organisation’s attitude and responses to cyber security are almost as important as the actions taken to prevent cyber attacks. “Lessons learnt” are a common feature within mature and cyber resilient organisations. Incidents are a matter of when not if, and it is important that organisations know how to react.
Taking the example of a phishing attack, it is easy to blame the employee who opened it, potentially firing them. With phishing simulations, it is equally easy to discipline an employee who fell for it. The problem is, neither of these focus on what can be learned, such as why the employee fell for it in the first place. Additionally, there is the potential that employees become reserved or reticent about reporting potential events, due to the fear of being disciplined. This can be the difference between an organisation having an early detection of an incident and being able to invoke incident response plans sooner, or leaving the attacker in the system doing damage for longer before being reported.
Source: [ IT Security Guru]
Spend to Save: CFOs and Cyber Security Investment
For chief financial officers (CFOs), the increasing impact of data breaches creates a paradox. While more spending is necessary to combat these challenges, this spending isn’t directly tied to profit. Instead, cyber security spending is all about return on investment.
When looking at spending, CFOs need to keep in mind that the total cost of a breach is more than the initial currency loss: there is the knock-on effect of reputation and losses in customers. But it is not a case of spending more to protect more; spending must be tailored to the organisation and prioritise in terms of business needs.
Source: [Security Intelligence]
Cyber Security Tools Are New Targets for Attackers, Including Nation-State Actors
An increasing number of attacks by nation-state attackers are targeting cyber security tools in their campaigns. This includes the recent attacks on US officials which attacked and gained access through the firewalls of the victim. Security vendors, just like anyone, will have flaws in their software: there will be vulnerabilities. As such, organisations need to be aware of these vulnerabilities and when support runs out for their cyber security tools, to better protect themselves.
Source: [News Week]
Attackers Access UK Military Data Through Third Party Supplier as Relentless Russian Cyber Attacks Raise Spectre of WW3
Top secret military data from the UK’s Ministry of Defence was stolen and then sold by the ransomware gang LockBit. How, you might ask? Through a rogue Windows 7 PC that belonged to their fencing supplier, Zaun. The LockBit Ransom group conducted the attack on the supplier’s network, and Zaun admitted the group may have exfiltrated 10GB of data.
Many attackers have realised that if you cannot directly attack an organisation, then the supplier can present a way in. Organisations need to be sure of their suppliers’ security, and conduct third party security assessments to identify the risk the supplier may present to the organisation itself.
Black Arrow have helped many clients carry out third party risk assessments on a large number of suppliers and this can be done as a standalone offering or as part of a fractional CISO engagement.
Source: [The Register] [Tech Monitor]
Common Tactics Used by Threat Actors to Weaponise PDFs
PDFs are often seen as safe, something that cannot be used by an attacker, but that’s wrong. Actors are using this trustworthiness, as well as the difficulty in detection and ubiquity of PDFs, to weaponise them. Common tactics involve malicious hyperlinks within PDFs and macros that run when a PDF is opened, and in some cases attackers are disguising a malicious Word document as a PDF to evade detection.
Source: [Cyber Security News]
Years-old Microsoft Security Holes Still Hot Targets for Cyber Criminals
A recent report has found that Microsoft vulnerabilities as old as 6 years are still being exploited, with one recorded as being exploited as recently as 31 August. In fact, since this particular vulnerability was fixed, it has been used to deploy 467 different malware types. This is not the number of attacks, but the number of different types of malware used in attacks.
The concept isn’t just for Microsoft. Many organisations do not employ effective patching strategies, and as such leave the doors open to attackers. Sometimes, these doors are open for years.
Source: [The Register]
Popular ‘As-a-Service’ Operations Have Earned Cyber Criminals over $64m
As-a-service operations allow attackers to employ sophisticated attacks without the need for extensive knowledge; they simply just purchase the ability. Take phishing-as-a-service (PhaaS), where an attacker with very limited cyber knowledge simply needs to purchase a phishing kit and they are then well-equipped to target organisations. This availability in tools creates a significant surge in the number of cyber criminals, with one scheme alone raking in $64.5 billion in illegal gains.
Source: [IT Security Guru]
71% of Organisations are Impacted by Cyber Security Skills Shortage
Most organisations (71%) report that they’ve been impacted by the cyber security skills shortage, leading to an increased workload for the cyber security team (61%), unfilled open job requisitions (49%) and high burnout among staff (43%). Further, 95% respondents state the cyber security skills shortage and its associated impacts have not improved over the past few years and 54% (up 10% from 2021) say it has got worse.
Organisations need to continue maintaining and improving their security while their cyber security positions remain unfilled. Black Arrow supports firms to achieve this by providing expert resources on a flexible basis for technical, governance and transformational positions.
Source: [Security Magazine] [Digital Journal]
Multiple Schools Hit by Cyber Attacks Before Term Begins
Ahead of the new school term, a number of schools have become the victim of serious cyber attacks. The education sector isn’t a new target, with previous ransomware reports finding the education sector to account for 16% of victims.
The education sector remains a target due to the valuable data they hold, large attack surfaces and frequently a lack of resources and budgets, something many small and medium-sized business may share.
Source: [Infosecurity Magazine]
Governance, Risk and Compliance
The importance of CISOs is not recognised by senior leadership - IT Security Guru
Blame Culture: An Organisation's Ticking Time Bomb - IT Security Guru
Spend to save: The CFO’s guide to cyber security investment (securityintelligence.com)
SEC tells companies to “show their work” on cyber security - Red Canary
Cyber security: a life cycle, not a destination | Hydrocarbon Engineering
Rising Physical Incidents Should Drive C-Level Investment & Action (forbes.com)
Compliance budgets under strain as inflation and workload grow - Help Net Security
Cyber Security pros battle discontent amid skills shortage - Help Net Security
CISOs weigh in on building security-focused culture | Healthcare IT News
How Do Some Companies Get Compromised Again and Again? (securityintelligence.com)
IAM, cloud security to drive new cyber security spending | CSO Online
Threats
Ransomware, Extortion and Destructive Attacks
Ministry of Defence documents leaked by LockBit (techmonitor.ai)
Attackers access military data through fencing supplier • The Register
Ransomware attackers are targeting exposed Microsoft SQL databases, report says (therecord.media)
Ransomware and Data Breaches: Impacts Continue to Grow Louder (govtech.com)
Education Sector Heavily Targeted as the School Year Begins (databreaches.net)
Killware vs. Ransomware: What's the Difference? (makeuseof.com)
Is this the next target for international ransomware attacks? | World Economic Forum (weforum.org)
To Pay or Not to Pay? The Ransomware Dilemma (informationweek.com)
Snake Ransomware Endangers Your Data: How Can You Stop It? (makeuseof.com)
How to Prevent Ransomware: 6 Key Steps to Safeguard Assets (techtarget.com)
Ransomware Victims
LockBit Leaks Documents Filched From UK Defence Contractor (darkreading.com)
Ministry of Defence documents leaked in cyber attack (civilserviceworld.com)
Debenham High School IT system hit by cyber attack - BBC News
Highgate Wood School delays term by 6 days after cyber attack | This Is Local London
Cyber attack hits Wokingham's Maiden Erlegh School | Reading Chronicle
Ransomware gang claims credit for Sabre data breach | TechCrunch
Hackers claim to publish prominent Israeli hospital’s patient data (therecord.media)
Phishing & Email Based Attacks
AI abuse grows beyond phishing to multistage cyber attacks | SC Media (scmagazine.com)
Google is enabling Chrome real-time phishing protection for everyone (bleepingcomputer.com)New phishing tool hijacked thousands of Microsoft business email accounts (therecord.media)
Beware of New Fileless Malware that Propagates Via Spam Mail (cybersecuritynews.com)
Spam is up, QR codes emerge as a significant threat vector - Help Net Security
From unsuspecting click to data compromise - Help Net Security
Alert: Phishing Campaigns Deliver New SideTwist Backdoor and Agent Tesla Variant (thehackernews.com)
Getting off the hook: 10 steps to take after clicking on a phishing link (welivesecurity.com)
Other Social Engineering; Smishing, Vishing, etc
Emerging threat: AI-powered social engineering - Help Net Security
Hackers Using ChatGPT to Generate Malware & Social Engineering Threats (cybersecuritynews.com)
How cyber criminals use look-alike domains to impersonate brands - Help Net Security
Artificial Intelligence
Generative AI considered a security risk by 60% of board members, survey finds (thenationalnews.com)
AI ‘triggers DeepTech anxiety for senior leaders’ (businesscloud.co.uk)
Emerging threat: AI-powered social engineering - Help Net Security
AI abuse grows beyond phishing to multistage cyber attacks | SC Media (scmagazine.com)
Hackers Using ChatGPT to Generate Malware & Social Engineering Threats (cybersecuritynews.com)
UK tech tsar warns of AI cyber threat to NHS | Financial Times (ft.com)
It's the summer of adversarial chatbots. Here's how to defend against them - SiliconANGLE
Will the AI Arms Race Lead to the Pollution of the Internet? (darkreading.com)
UK cyber chief urges ‘Security by Design’ in AI development (ukdefencejournal.org.uk)
Generative AI’s Biggest Security Flaw Is Not Easy to Fix | WIRED UK
Developers have security, other generative AI concerns but use it anyway - ARN (arnnet.com.au)
How Companies Can Cope With the Risks of Generative AI Tools (darkreading.com)
3 ways to strike the right balance with generative AI - Help Net Security
Peril vs. Promise: Companies, Developers Worry Over Generative AI Risk (darkreading.com)
Experts Probe AI Risks Around Malicious Use, China Influence (govinfosecurity.com)
Beware: Deepfake Scams Could Target Your Next Zoom Meeting | Entrepreneur
Malware
Common Tactics Used by Threat Actors to Weaponise PDFs (cybersecuritynews.com)
'Atomic macOS Stealer' Malware Delivered via Malvertising Campaign - SecurityWeek
Hackers Using ChatGPT to Generate Malware & Social Engineering Threats (cybersecuritynews.com)
UNRAVELING EternalBlue: inside the WannaCry’s enabler (securityaffairs.com)
Malware configurations How to find and use them? (govinfosecurity.com)
Beware of New Fileless Malware that Propagates Via Spam Mail (cybersecuritynews.com)
New Python Variant of Chaes Malware Targets Banking and Logistics Industries (thehackernews.com)
New BLISTER Malware Update Fuelling Stealthy Network Infiltration (thehackernews.com)
Alert: Phishing Campaigns Deliver New SideTwist Backdoor and Agent Tesla Variant (thehackernews.com)
Mobile
Hacking device Flipper Zero can spam nearby iPhones with Bluetooth pop-ups | TechCrunch
September Android updates fix zero-day exploited in attacks (bleepingcomputer.com)
Hacker exploits security flaw to target iPhone users with 'notification attack' | Macworld
Botnets
Denial of Service/DoS/DDOS
DDoS attack took down the site of German financial agency BaFin (securityaffairs.com)
Mirai variant infects low-cost Android TV boxes for DDoS attacks (bleepingcomputer.com)
CISA Releases Capacity Enhancement Guide to Strengthen Agency Resilience to DDoS Attack | CISA
BYOD
Internet of Things – IoT
Securing The IoT From The Threat China Poses To US Infrastructure (forbes.com)
Connected cars and cyber crime: A primer - Help Net Security
Hacking device Flipper Zero can spam nearby iPhones with Bluetooth pop-ups | TechCrunch
Mirai variant infects low-cost Android TV boxes for DDoS attacks (bleepingcomputer.com)
Why consumer drones represent a special cyber security risk (securityintelligence.com)
Like privacy? Then smart devices are a dumb idea • The Register
Maker of ‘smart’ chastity cage left users’ emails, passwords, and locations exposed | TechCrunch
Data Breaches/Leaks
Electoral Commission failed basic security test before hack - BBC News
Insurer fined $3M for exposing data of 650k clients for two years (bleepingcomputer.com)
Golf gear giant Callaway data breach exposes info of 1.1 million (bleepingcomputer.com)
Freecycle confirms massive data breach impacting 7 million users (bleepingcomputer.com)
Thousands of Popular Websites Leaking Secrets - SecurityWeek
Johnson & Johnson discloses IBM data breach impacting patients (bleepingcomputer.com)
Northern Ireland police chief quits in wake of data breach • The Register
Lawsuit blames Tesla for data breach it sued ex-staff over • The Register
Organised Crime & Criminal Actors
Popular 'As-a-Service' Operations Have Earned Cyber Criminals over $64m - IT Security Guru
Cyber Crime Tremors: Experts Forecast Qakbot Resurgence (govinfosecurity.com)
It might be too soon to claim victory against Qakbot | Computer Weekly
Cyber crime to cost Germany 206 billion euros in 2023, survey finds | Reuters
Cyber criminals coercing children in their own bedrooms | The Canberra Times | Canberra, ACT
Cryptocurrency/Cryptomining/Cryptojacking/NFTs/Blockchain
YouTuber Loses $60K Worth of Crypto After Showing Seed Phrases on Stream - Decrypt
Who Pulled Off a $41M Online Casino Heist? North Korea, FBI Says (vice.com)
Is this the next target for international ransomware attacks? | World Economic Forum (weforum.org)
Bitcoin exchange exec admits he ignored anti-laundering laws • The Register
Cyber criminals target graphic designers with GPU miners (talosintelligence.com)
LastPass under fire again as users report stolen crypto keys and losses | Cybernews
Insider Risk and Insider Threats
Fraud, Scams & Financial Crime
Popular 'As-a-Service' Operations Have Earned Cyber criminals over $64m - IT Security Guru
Fake YouPorn extortion scam threatens to leak your sex tape (bleepingcomputer.com)
Four Convicted in $18m Investment Fraud Scheme - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)
Global roaming fraud losses to surpass $8 billion by 2028 - Help Net Security
Airlines Battle Surge in Loyalty Program Fraud - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)
How We Track Crypto Money Laundering for Off-Chain Crime (chainalysis.com)
See Tickets Alerts 300,000 Customers After Another Web Skimmer Attack - SecurityWeek
Beware: Deepfake Scams Could Target Your Next Zoom Meeting | Entrepreneur
Impersonation Attacks
'Smishing Triad' Targeted USPS and US Citizens for Data Theft (securityaffairs.com)
How cyber criminals use look-alike domains to impersonate brands - Help Net Security
Deepfakes
Emerging threat: AI-powered social engineering - Help Net Security
Beware: Deepfake Scams Could Target Your Next Zoom Meeting | Entrepreneur
AML/CFT/Sanctions
How We Track Crypto Money Laundering for Off-Chain Crime (chainalysis.com)
Four Convicted in $18m Investment Fraud Scheme - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)
Bitcoin exchange exec admits he ignored anti-laundering laws • The Register
Insurance
Insights Into the Changing Landscape of Cyber Insurance - Frost Brown Todd | Full-Service Law Firm
Time and effort to obtain cyber insurance increasing for US businesses | CSO Online
Beazley expects to sponsor more cyber catastrophe bonds in 2024 - Artemis.bm
Lloyd’s categorises cyber war wordings in aggregation clarity push (insuranceinsider.com)
Dark Web
Supply Chain and Third Parties
Attackers access military data through fencing supplier • The Register
Ministry of Defence documents leaked by LockBit (techmonitor.ai)
Supply chain related security risks, and how to protect against them (malwarebytes.com)
5 ways to improve your supply chain security posture | IT Reseller Magazine (itrportal.com)
Overcoming Open Source Vulnerabilities in the Software Supply Chain (darkreading.com)
Creating a more cyber secure supply chain requires group effort - FreightWaves
Facing Third-Party Threats With Non-Employee Risk Management (darkreading.com)
Software Supply Chain
Cloud/SaaS
Step Up Your Defence Against Cloud-loving Cyber Criminals (informationsecuritybuzz.com)
IAM, cloud security to drive new cyber security spending | CSO Online
Hybrid/Remote Working
Attack Surface Management
What OSINT is, and why it’s dangerous | Kaspersky official blog
Armis report sheds light on top 10 targeted assets by cyber attackers - SiliconANGLE
Top 10 riskiest assets threatening global business - IT Security Guru
Encryption
Government denies U-turn on encrypted messaging row - BBC News
UK lawmakers back down on encryption-busting 'spy clause' | CyberScoop
API
Open Source
Software industry urged to assume risk on open source security | CIO Dive
Overcoming Open Source Vulnerabilities in the Software Supply Chain (darkreading.com)
Passwords, Credential Stuffing & Brute Force Attacks
It's a Zero-day? It's Malware? No! It's Username and Password (thehackernews.com)
Chrome extensions can steal plaintext passwords from websites (bleepingcomputer.com)
Hacker gains admin control of Sourcegraph and gives free access to the masses | Ars Technica
Passwords From The November 2022 LastPass Breach Being Cracked? - PC Perspective
LastPass under fire again as users report stolen crypto keys and losses | Cybernews
Maker of ‘smart’ chastity cage left users’ emails, passwords, and locations exposed | TechCrunch
75% of education sector attacks linked to compromised accounts - Help Net Security
Social Media
Malvertising
Parental Controls and Child Safety
Children's snack recalled after its website caught serving porn (bleepingcomputer.com)
Cyber criminals coercing children in their own bedrooms | The Canberra Times | Canberra, ACT
Regulations, Fines and Legislation
An Overview of ENISA’s Risk Management Standards Report | UpGuard
SEC tells companies to “show their work” on cyber security - Red Canary
Verizon to pay feds $4M over cyber security lapse | Light Reading
Government denies U-turn on encrypted messaging row - BBC News
UK drops 'spy clause' for scanning encrypted messages • The Register
Models, Frameworks and Standards
An Overview of ENISA’s Risk Management Standards Report | UpGuard
CIS Benchmarks Communities: Where configurations meet consensus - Help Net Security
Explaining The New NIST Cyber Security Framework to the C-Suite
Backup and Recovery
Careers, Working in Cyber and Information Security
71% of organisations are impacted by cyber security skills shortage | Security Magazine
Cyber Security Skills Gap set to cost UK £120 billion by 2023 - Essex-TV
6 free resources for getting started in cyber security - Help Net Security
Cyber professionals say industry urgently needs to confront mental health crisis | CyberScoop
Cyber security pros battle discontent amid skills shortage - Help Net Security
Law Enforcement Action and Take Downs
It might be too soon to claim victory against Qakbot | Computer Weekly
Cops drill into chat apps to thwart coke-smuggling ring • The Register
Privacy, Surveillance and Mass Monitoring
Misinformation, Disinformation and Propaganda
Nation State Actors, Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs), Cyber Warfare and Cyber Espionage
Russia
Russia-linked attackers hit UK Ministry of Defence, leak stolen data | CSO Online
Meet the man leading the front-line effort in Ukraine's cyber war with Russia : NPR
China and Russia are pushing the boundaries of cyber attacks to harm other states - CityAM
Ukraine's CERT Thwarts APT28's Cyber Attack on Critical Energy Infrastructure (thehackernews.com)
Attackers access military data through fencing supplier • The Register
Russia-linked hack on Trident base sparks 'World War Three' warning from expert (yahoo.com)
Russia, China behind majority of cyber attacks targeting German businesses (aa.com.tr)
Elon Musk's Father Fears Possible Assassination Attempt on His Son (businessinsider.com)
Big Tech failed to police Russian disinformation: EU study • The Register
North Korea hackers going after Russian targets, Microsoft says, World News - AsiaOne
China
How China gets free intel on tech companies’ vulnerabilities | Ars Technica
Experts Probe AI Risks Around Malicious Use, China Influence (govinfosecurity.com)
How Microsoft's highly secure environment was breached (malwarebytes.com)
Securing The IoT From The Threat China Poses To US Infrastructure (forbes.com)
China and Russia are pushing the boundaries of cyber attacks to harm other states - CityAM
Russia, China behind majority of cyber attacks targeting German businesses (aa.com.tr)
German companies report more cyber attacks from Russia, China | Meta.mk
Microsoft finally explains cause of Azure breach: An engineer’s account was hacked | Ars Technica
South Korean Cyber Security Concerns Over Chinese-Made Cranes, Meteorological Gear | The Epoch Times
Huawei hits back in Portugal over 5G 'ban' with lawsuit - DCD (datacenterdynamics.com)
Iran
Hackers push anti-Iranian government messages to millions via breached app | CyberScoop
Iranian hackers breach US aviation org via Zoho, Fortinet bugs (bleepingcomputer.com)
North Korea
Lazarus hackers deploy fake VMware PyPI packages in VMConnect attacks (bleepingcomputer.com)
Researchers Warn of Cyber Weapons Used by Lazarus Group's Andariel Cluster (thehackernews.com)
Meet the man leading the front-line effort in Ukraine's cyber war with Russia : NPR
North Korean hackers target security researchers with new zero-day (therecord.media)
North Korea hackers going after Russian targets, Microsoft says, World News - AsiaOne
Who Pulled Off a $41M Online Casino Heist? North Korea, FBI Says (vice.com)
Misc Nation State/Cyber Warfare
Nation-state 'hot zones' offer view of the future of cyber war – report - CIR Magazine
Lloyd’s categorises cyber war wordings in aggregation clarity push (insuranceinsider.com)
Cyber Security Tools Are New Targets For Nation-State Hackers (newsweek.com)
Multiple Nation-State Threat Actors Exploit CVE-2022-47966 and CVE-2022-42475 | CISA
Vulnerability Management
Years-old Microsoft bugs are still hot targets for criminals • The Register
Old vulnerabilities are still a big problem - Help Net Security
Overcoming Open Source Vulnerabilities in the Software Supply Chain (darkreading.com)
How China gets free intel on tech companies’ vulnerabilities | Ars Technica
Vulnerabilities
Apple discloses 2 actively exploited zero-days in iPhones, Macs (securityaffairs.com)
Google patches 4 high-rated security issues in latest Chrome 116 update - gHacks Tech News
Two flaws in Apache SuperSet allow to remotely hack servers (securityaffairs.com)
Cisco Patches Critical Vulnerability in BroadWorks Platform - SecurityWeek
Multiple Notepad++ Flaws Let Attackers Execute Arbitrary Code (cybersecuritynews.com)
Hackers exploit MinIO storage system to breach corporate networks (bleepingcomputer.com)
ASUS routers vulnerable to critical remote code execution flaws (bleepingcomputer.com)
September Android updates fix zero-day exploited in attacks (bleepingcomputer.com)
Cisco SSO authentication bug patched - Security - Networking - iTnews
Multiple Nation-State Threat Actors Exploit CVE-2022-47966 and CVE-2022-42475 | CISA
Security or performance? Zenbleed forces you to choose | Digital Trends
Tools and Controls
Many businesses still aren't using BYOD protection | TechRadar
Insights Into the Changing Landscape of Cyber Insurance - Frost Brown Todd | Full-Service Law Firm
Spend to save: The CFO’s guide to cyber security investment (securityintelligence.com)
An Overview of ENISA’s Risk Management Standards Report | UpGuard
IOCs vs Artifacts How to Filter Out the Noise (govinfosecurity.com)
Time and effort to obtain cyber insurance increasing for US businesses | CSO Online
Chrome extensions can steal plaintext passwords from websites (bleepingcomputer.com)
Dangling DNS Used to Hijack Subdomains of Major Organisations - SecurityWeek
Why DNS Security Can Be Your Most Problematic Blind Spot (hyas.com)
Cyber Security Tools Are New Targets For Nation-State Hackers (newsweek.com)
Rising Physical Incidents Should Drive C-Level Investment & Action (forbes.com)
Why Cyber Security Risk Assessment Matters in the Banking Industry (securityintelligence.com)
Cut through cyber security vendor hype with these 6 tips | TechTarget
IAM, cloud security to drive new cyber security spending | CSO Online
Best practices for implementing a proper backup strategy - Help Net Security
Other News
Education Sector Heavily Targeted as the School Year Begins (databreaches.net)
Schools warned of cyberattack threat as new year begins | Science & Tech News | Sky News
Ways to protect WordPress sites and blogs from hacking | Kaspersky official blog
Insecure by design: What you need to know about defending critical infrastructure | CSO Online
Half of Switzerland's large companies have been the victim of a cyber attack | Euronews
Dangling DNS Used to Hijack Subdomains of Major Organizations - SecurityWeek
Securing the future: Safeguarding cyber-physical systems | CSO Online
25 Major Car Brands Get Failing Marks From Mozilla for Security and Privacy - SecurityWeek
Cyber security In Focus Ahead Of Berlin NATO Conference | OilPrice.com
10 old-school security principles that (still) rule | CSO Online
Surge in Hospital Hacks Endangers Patients, Cyber Official Says - WSJ
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
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· 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 18th August 2023
Black Arrow Cyber Threat Intelligence Briefing 18 August 2023:
-Ransomware Group Targeting MSPs Worldwide in New Campaign
-As Ransomware Surges, A lack of Resources Makes SMBs Most Vulnerable
-Business Email Compromise Attack Costs Far Exceeding Ransomware Losses
-Email Phishing Remains the Main Entry for Cyber Criminals; People with Six Personality Traits are More Susceptible
-Gartner Study Finds Generative AI to be a Top Emerging Risk for Organisations
-LinkedIn Suffers Significant Wave of Account Hacks
-High Net-Worth Families are at Risk of Cyber Crime
-Cyber Attack Rule Raises Insurance Risks for Corporate Officers
-PSNI and UK Voter Breaches Show Data Security Should be Taken More Seriously
-The Imperative of Cyber Preparedness: The Power of Tabletop Exercises
-Why Are Phones a Cyber Security Weak Spot?
Welcome to this week’s Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing – a weekly digest, collated and curated by our cyber experts to provide senior and middle management with an easy to digest round up of the most notable threats, vulnerabilities, and cyber related news from the last week.
Top Cyber Stories of the Last Week
Ransomware Group Targeting MSPs Worldwide in New Campaign
Russia-based cyber attackers called Play are evolving, with the ransomware group now using remote monitoring and management (RMM) tools at outsourced IT providers or managed service providers (MSPs) to gain access and hit downstream customers. A significant number of eventual targets are medium sized business. The group is also utilising intermittent encryption, where files are only partly encrypted, to avoid detection.
The attacks highlight the need for organisations to be aware of where they are in the supply chain and how they can be targeted through their supplier. It is not enough for an organisation to focus on its own security in isolation; organisations also need to have a way of effectively assessing their supply chain risk which includes their MSP.
Source [Dark Reading]
As Ransomware Surges, A lack of Resources Makes SMBs Most Vulnerable
Ransomware attacks continue to increase, with 1500 victims confirmed this year. It is likely this figure will continue to rise. In parallel, criminals are evolving and with that comes a rise in triple extortion; attackers are not just encrypting and exfiltrating an organisation’s data, but also using this data to blackmail employees and target third parties, hitting the supply chain.
Unfortunately for SMBs, they do not have the resources to keep up with such attacks, making them the most vulnerable. A report found that organisations that had 51 to 200 employees were the most targeted, followed by organisations with 11 to 50 employees. When it came to the types of organisations, the Financial Services sector placed first.
This should not mean SMBs should just accept this and wait to be attacked; on the contrary, their increased vulnerability means that SMBs need to effectively prioritise and allocate resources, and if necessary getting in specialist external help, to ensure their protections are the best that resources allow.
Sources [WWD] [InfoSecurity Magazine] [CRN]
Business Email Compromise Attack Costs Far Exceeding Ransomware Losses
Cloudflare's 2023 Phishing Threats Report recorded a 17% spike in business email compromise (BEC) related financial losses between December 2021 and 2022, noting that threat actors are increasingly leaning on this attack method to target organisations. Additionally, across 2022 nearly three-quarters (71%) of respondents to the study said they experienced an attempted or successful BEC attack. The Cloudflare report found that the financial impact of BEC led to organisations suffering losses in excess of $2.7 billion, whereas ransomware caused losses of $34.3 million during the same period.
Source [ITPro]
Email Phishing Remains the Main Entry for Cyber Criminals; People with Six Personality Traits are More Susceptible
According to a report, phishing attacks were found to be the initial attack vector for nine in ten cyber attacks. The report found that the focus of a cyber criminal tended to be two objectives: achieving authenticity and getting victims to click. Worryingly, 89% of unwanted messages were found to have bypassed authentication checks, leaving people and procedures as the last line of defence in an organisation.
A separate study found that having the following traits made a user more susceptible to phishing: extroverted, agreeable, people-pleasing, quick to trust, fearful or respectful of authority, and poor self-control.
With employees playing such an important role in preventing phishing, organisations need to ensure that employees are aware of what to look for in a phishing email with regular training to account for evolving tactics. This training should be carried out by experts with experience of conducting phishing simulations, accompanied with the ability to educate users on how they can protect themselves from falling victim.
Sources [Tech Radar] [Makeuseof]
Gartner Study Finds Generative AI to be a Top Emerging Risk for Organisations
In a recent survey, Gartner found that generative AI models such as ChatGPT were the second greatest emerging risk, with concerns around data privacy. This has led to organisations looking to ban such AI, with a separate report by Blackberry finding that ChatGPT faced banning from 75% of organisations.
Banning AI in the organisation is a short-term solution. The benefits of AI are clear and its usefulness in an organisation is significant, with reports finding 75% of IT leaders in favour. Organisations should instead look at how they can govern the usage of AI in their organisation, to reduce the risk of AI-related incidents and improve the effectiveness of work.
Sources [Security Magazine] [Analytics Insight] [IT Security Guru] [Decrypt]
LinkedIn Suffers Significant Wave of Account Hacks
LinkedIn users are reporting losing access to their accounts, with some being pressured into paying a ransom to get back in or else face permanent account deletion. LinkedIn is no stranger to being a target of cyber criminals; last year, the platform was deemed the most abused brand in phishing attempts likely due to its recognisability and widespread use in the corporate world. This extended as far as threat actors using fake LinkedIn profiles.
With the number of accounts being compromised, users need to be vigilant in their use of LinkedIn and be on the lookout for suspicious messages. Black Arrow recommends that users ensure they are using strong and unique passwords, combined with multi-factor authentication (MFA) to protect themselves.
Source [Dark Reading]
High Net-Worth Families are at Risk of Cyber Crime
A report found that high net-worth families have prioritised cyber security with a notable 77% of respondents stating they had a cyber security plan; however, 55% said their plan “could be better”.
A cyber security plan is not optional anymore. High net-worth families are at increased risk, with criminals cottoning on to the amount of information that is out there and the financial gain that can be made if that information is used effectively. Social media is just one of the things increasing the risk of cyber crime; unbeknownst to some families, their social media may be providing criminals a treasure trove of insight into a family’s wealth, real-time location and habits. Such information can be used by a cyber criminal to employ attacks.
Source [Campdenfb]
Cyber Attack Rule Raises Insurance Risks for Corporate Officers
The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) recently issued rules that formally outlined directors’ responsibilities in cyber security governance for the first time, laying the groundwork for potential enforcement actions. The recently issued rules bring potential regulatory probes and shareholder legal class action alleging senior executives failed to supervise their businesses’ cyber security practices.
Although the practice is not yet universal, a growing number of director and officer (D&O) policies are being drafted with cyber related exclusions. Meanwhile, most cyber insurance policies exempt SEC enforcement actions and investor claims, but some cover allegations against a company’s executives over their cyber security roles.
Whilst this is only in the US at the moment, other developed nations are likely to follow suit.
Source [Bloomberg Law]
PSNI and UK Voter Breaches Show Data Security Should be Taken More Seriously
The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) and the UK Electoral Commission both suffered cyber incidents on the same day. Whilst both incidents were different in how they happened, the result was the same: sensitive information had been leaked. In the case of the PSNI, the data was leaked through a response to a freedom of information (FOI) request, in which an Excel sheet was accidentally included by the PSNI. The Electoral Commission incident resulted from a cyber attack.
The incidents are a wake-up call for organisations. If you have not already done so, you need to put things in place to help protect your data from ending up online. The PSNI incident in particular highlights the need to ensure that data does not leave the organisation by accident.
Source [The Guardian]
The Imperative of Cyber Preparedness: The Power of Tabletop Exercises
Cyber security has become an inescapable concern for organisations across industries. With cyber threats ranging from data breaches to ransomware attacks, it is paramount that companies remain vigilant and prepared.
A key way to be prepared is through a tabletop exercise that simulates a hypothetical cyber security incident and helps organisations to practice and evaluate their response. One example scenario can be responding to a ransomware attack blocking access to the organisation's computers for a ransom. These exercises serve as a practical, engaging, and low-risk way for teams to identify vulnerabilities in current plans, improve coordination, and evaluate the decision-making process during a crisis and this is something that we do with our clients on a regular basis.
Source [JDSupra]
Why Are Phones a Cyber Security Weak Spot?
Mobile phones are more interconnected than ever, with their usage extending to the workplace. Despite this, they often enter the corporate environment with a lack of protection and oversight. When laptops are in the corporate environment they are often secured through methods such as encryption and often the organisation has a clear oversight of the applications and activity on the laptop. Mobile phones on the other hand, are often left unmonitored, despite the fact they can and often do carry sensitive information.
Mobile phones also carry additional risks; for a start, they are easier to lose, due to their size difference and the fact they are often out more. In addition, they may have more entry points. Internet of things (IoT) devices, such as smart appliances, are often controlled by phones, making them another entry point for an attacker.
Source [Tech Shout]
Governance, Risk and Compliance
Lack of Resources Makes SMBs Most Vulnerable to Ransomware Attacks – WWD
1 in 5 CIOs Believe Cyber Security Ops Are Not An Immediate Priority - IT Security Guru
Cyber threat risks reach three-year high – Avast (securitybrief.co.nz)
Cyber Attack Rule Raises Insurance Risks for Corporate Officers (bloomberglaw.com)
Why Finance Leaders In Midsize Businesses Are Stepping Up Cyber security Efforts (forbes.com)
Why are ultra-high-net-worth families at increased risk of cyber crime? | Campden FB
Traditional vs. Enterprise Risk Management: How Do They Differ? (techtarget.com)
4 reasons to understand technology risks when buying a business (businessplus.ie)
Boards Don't Want Security Promises — They Want Action (darkreading.com)
Cyber attacks and data protection worries loom large | Natasha Doris | CDR Article (cdr-news.com)
How threats to mid-sized businesses impact us all - Help Net Security
7 Reasons People Don't Understand What You Tell Them (darkreading.com)
6 Cyber Threat Areas for Companies and Organisations to Prioritize (forbes.com)
How poor cyber security policies disrupt business continuity - IT Security Guru
Cyber Prevention, Training Attract More Spend Than Remediation, Recovery, Execs Say - | MSSP Alert
Threats
Ransomware, Extortion and Destructive Attacks
Lack of Resources Makes SMBs Most Vulnerable to Ransomware Attacks – WWD
Business email compromise attack costs far exceeding ransomware losses | ITPro
Reported ransomware attacks doubled in key sectors (securitybrief.co.nz)
'Play' Ransomware Group Targeting MSPs Worldwide in New Campaign (darkreading.com)
As Ransomware Gangs Shift To Data Extortion, Some Adopt A New Tactic: ‘Customer Service’ | CRN
Triple Extortion Ransomware and the Cyber Crime Supply Chain (bleepingcomputer.com)
Companies are finding it harder to detect ransomware | TechRadar
Top 3 Ransomware Attack Vectors And How To Avoid Them (techtarget.com)
Knight ransomware distributed in fake Tripadvisor complaint emails (bleepingcomputer.com)
'DoubleDrive' attack turns Microsoft OneDrive into ransomware | SC Media (scmagazine.com)
Why Hospitals Are Being Increasingly Targeted by Cyber Attacks | Chicago News | WTTW
'Bulletproof' Lolekhosted ransomware hacker indicted (cnbc.com)
LOLEKHosted admin arrested for aiding Netwalker ransomware gang (bleepingcomputer.com)
Monti ransomware targets VMware ESXi servers with new Linux locker (bleepingcomputer.com)
Crimeware server used by NetWalker ransomware seized and shut down – Naked Security (sophos.com)
Rapid7 Says ROI for Ransomware Remains High; Zero-Day Usage Expands - SecurityWeek
Sophos: ‘Royal’ Is Trying to Make Itself the King of Ransomware (darkreading.com)
Microsoft: BlackCat's Sphynx ransomware embeds Impacket, RemCom (bleepingcomputer.com)
3 strategies that can help stop ransomware before it becomes a crisis | CSO Online
Latitude Financial takes profit hit from major cyber attack | The West Australian
Ransomware down 57%, Secureworks warns against complacency (securitybrief.co.nz)
Ransomware Diaries: Volume 3 – LockBit’s Secrets (databreaches.net)
HHS Launches 'Digiheals' Project to Better Protect US Hospitals From Ransomware | WIRED
Ransomware Renaissance 2023: The Definitive Guide to Stay Safer (securityintelligence.com)
How to Create a Ransomware Incident Response Plan (techtarget.com)
Ransomware Victims
Several hospitals still counting the cost of widespread ransomware attack (malwarebytes.com)
Has leading UK jeweller been hit by BianLian ransomware gang? (techmonitor.ai)
Cyber attack on Bay area vendor cripples real estate industry (therealdeal.com)
Colorado warns 4 million of data stolen in IBM MOVEit breach (bleepingcomputer.com)
Millions of Americans’ health data stolen after MOVEit hackers targeted IBM | TechCrunch
LockBit claims seven new victims in ransomware spree (techmonitor.ai)
Cyber attack strikes Prince George's County schools, district says - The Washington Post
Clorox Operations Disrupted By Cyber Attack - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)
Inside Housing - News - Hackney to procure new IT system after cyber attack
Largest switching and terminal railroad in US investigating ransomware data theft (therecord.media)
Honor Among Cyber Criminals? Why a Canadian Firm Paid Ransom (inforisktoday.com)
Alberta dental benefits administrator hit by cyber attack | Edmonton Sun
Phishing & Email Based Attacks
Phishing remains most dominant, fastest growing internet crime (securitybrief.co.nz)
If You Have These 6 Personality Traits, You're More Vulnerable to Phishing Scams (makeuseof.com)
Business email compromise attack costs far exceeding ransomware losses | ITPro
Reports show 62% jump in phishing attacks last year - The Hindu BusinessLine
Phishing Operators Make Ready Use of Abandoned Websites for Bait (darkreading.com)
3 Major Email Security Standards Prove Too Porous for the Task (darkreading.com)
Cyber Security Experts: AI Could Be Phishing Schemes’ Ultimate Weapon — Or Worse - The Messenger
Spear Phishing vs Phishing: How to Tell the Difference (techrepublic.com)
How to Prevent Phishing Attacks with Multi-Factor Authentication (techrepublic.com)
As Phishing Gets Even Sneakier, Browser Security Needs to Step Up (darkreading.com)
Email security vendor leaves 2M domains open to phishing hacks, study finds (axios.com)
Cyber Criminals Abusing Cloudflare R2 for Hosting Phishing Pages, Experts Warn (thehackernews.com)
'Gold mine' phishing scams rob Main Street on social media like Meta (cnbc.com)
Malicious QR code hacking campaign is targeting Microsoft credentials - SiliconANGLE
Phishing campaign steals accounts for Zimbra email servers worlwide (bleepingcomputer.com)
30% of phishing threats involve newly registered domains - Help Net Security
Russian Hackers Use Zulip Chat App for Covert C&C in Diplomatic Phishing Attacks (thehackernews.com)
Gone Phishing: An Analysis of a Targeted User Attack (huntress.com)
BEC – Business Email Compromise
Artificial Intelligence
Generative AI a Top Emerging Risk for Organisations: Gartner Survey - Decrypt
ChatGPT Faces Ban from 75% of Organisations: Blackberry Report (analyticsinsight.net)
AI Is Coming For Your Data: 6 Steps To Ensure Cyber Resilience (forbes.com)
New study by AMD finds nearly half of organisations are not ready for AI - IT Security Guru
Over 74% of organisations see a rise in AI use by cyber criminals | Security Magazine
Navigating generative AI risks and regulatory challenges - Help Net Security
Cyber security Experts: AI Could Be Phishing Schemes’ Ultimate Weapon — Or Worse - The Messenger
Top 10 AI Security Risks According to OWASP (trendmicro.com)
AI 'evil twins' may already be manipulating human nature | SC Media (scmagazine.com)
Cyber security practitioners' generative AI dilemma (iapp.org)
People Coaxed AI Into Giving Wrong Math Answers, System Prone to Flaws (businessinsider.com)
Following Pushback, Zoom Says It Won't Use Customer Data to Train AI Models (darkreading.com)
AI Can Decipher Passwords by Listening to Keystrokes Over Zoom: Study (businessinsider.com)
Fake Out: Disinformation Campaigns Get Generative AI Boost (inforisktoday.com)
2FA/MFA
How to prevent multifactor authentication fatigue attacks - SiliconANGLE
How to Prevent Phishing Attacks with Multi-Factor Authentication (techrepublic.com)
Malware
Potent Trojans Targeting MacOS Users - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)
Approximately 2000 Citrix NetScaler servers were backdoored in massive campaign-Security Affairs
Almost 2,000 Citrix NetScaler servers backdoored in hacking campaign (bleepingcomputer.com)
XWorm, Remcos RAT Evade EDRs to Infect Critical Infrastructure (darkreading.com)
An Apple Malware-Flagging Tool Is ‘Trivially’ Easy to Bypass | WIRED
Macs are getting compromised to act as proxy exit nodes - Help Net Security
Malware Dwell Time: Everything You Need to Know (makeuseof.com)
Gootloader SEO watering hole malware targets law firms | SC Media (scmagazine.com)
Raccoon Stealer malware returns with new stealthier version (bleepingcomputer.com)
Beware! Subscription malware arms hackers with tools to steal your private data | Laptop Mag
New Financial Malware 'JanelaRAT' Targets Latin American Users (thehackernews.com)
Malware Unleashed: Public Sector Hit in Sudden Surge, Reveals New Report (thehackernews.com)
North Korean Hackers Suspected in New Wave of Malicious npm Packages (thehackernews.com)
Stories from the SOC - Unveiling the stealthy tactics of Aukill malware (att.com)
Massive 400,000 proxy botnet built with stealthy malware infections (bleepingcomputer.com)
Users of cyber crime forums often fall victim to info-stealers, researchers find (therecord.media)
Turns out AI probably isn't very good at writing malware • The Register
Malware Turning Windows Machines Into Proxies (databreachtoday.co.uk)
Mobile
Lapsus$ hackers took SIM-swapping attacks to the next level (bleepingcomputer.com)
Does Turning Your Android Phone Off Protect You From Malware? (makeuseof.com)
3 Mobile or Client-Side Security Myths Debunked (darkreading.com)
Cyber Criminals Targeting Victims through Mobile Beta-Testing Applications (ic3.gov)
Threat actors use beta apps to bypass mobile app store security (bleepingcomputer.com)
FBI warns of money-stealing fake beta-release mobile apps • The Register
Three reasons why your smartphone needs security protection (securitybrief.co.nz)
Unsupported Compression Methods Enable Android Malware to Bypass Detection (zimperium.com)
This $70 device can spoof an Apple device and trick you into sharing your password | TechCrunch
Botnets
Massive 400,000 proxy botnet built with stealthy malware infections (bleepingcomputer.com)
Mirai Common Attack Methods Remain Consistent, Effective (darkreading.com)
Denial of Service/DoS/DDOS
Internet of Things – IoT
Runaway Charger: The Major Threat Of Hacking EV Stations (slashgear.com)
Ford says cars with WiFi vulnerability still safe to drive (bleepingcomputer.com)
Data Breaches/Leaks
Electoral Commission had unpatched vulnerability on server • The Register
UK Police Data Breach Exposes Victim Information - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)
UK govt contractor MPD FM leaks employee passport data-Security Affairs
Cumbria Police accidentally publish officers' names and salaries online (bitdefender.com)
LinkedIn hack: You need to check your LinkedIn account - gHacks Tech News
ICO reprimands law firm over data breach that saw money stolen - Legal Futures
How & Why Cyber Criminals Fabricate Data Leaks (darkreading.com)
Researchers find sensitive personal data in over 30% of cloud assets | SC Media (scmagazine.com)
Insurance Data Breach Victims File Class-Action Suit Against Law Firm (darkreading.com)
The most notable data breaches of 2023… So far | IT Reseller Magazine (itrportal.com)
Discord.io confirms breach after hacker steals data of 760K users (bleepingcomputer.com)
Millions of Americans’ health data stolen after MOVEit hackers targeted IBM | TechCrunch
Man arrested in Northern Ireland police data leak • The Register
teiss - News - PBI data breach impacted more than 1.2m customers of Wilton Reassurance Life Company
Here’s what you need to do after your personal data is breached (telegraph.co.uk)
Organised Crime & Criminal Actors
Meet the Most (In)Famous Hacking Groups Active Today (makeuseof.com)
Cyber security researchers become target of criminal hackers | Financial Times (ft.com)
Lapsus$ hackers took SIM-swapping attacks to the next level (bleepingcomputer.com)
How & Why Cyber Criminals Fabricate Data Leaks (darkreading.com)
Who Are Script Kiddies? Are They a Threat to Your Security? (makeuseof.com)
Researchers Harvest, Analyse 100K Cyber Crime Forum Credentials (darkreading.com)
File sharing site Anonfiles shuts down due to overwhelming abuse (bleepingcomputer.com)
How Innovation Accelerators Are at Work on the Dark Side (darkreading.com)
Cryptocurrency/Cryptomining/Cryptojacking/NFTs/Blockchain
Former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried sent to jail • The Register
Web3 projects suffered from forty-two exploits within a week (coinpaper.com)
Insider Risk and Insider Threats
Fraud, Scams & Financial Crime
Former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried sent to jail • The Register
UK gov keeps repeating its voter registration website is NOT a scam (bleepingcomputer.com)
“Grab hold and give it a wiggle” – ATM card skimming is still a thing – Naked Security (sophos.com)
Latin Americans Fall Prey to More Online Scams, Cyber Attacks (insurancejournal.com)
The road ahead for ecommerce fraud prevention - Help Net Security
A Huge Scam Targeting Kids With Roblox and Fortnite 'Offers' Has Been Hiding in Plain Sight | WIRED
Insurance
Cyber Attack Rule Raises Insurance Risks for Corporate Officers (bloomberglaw.com)
Insurance Data Breach Victims File Class-Action Suit Against Law Firm (darkreading.com)
The cyber security insurance market is estimated at USD 14.4 (globenewswire.com)
Dark Web
Supply Chain and Third Parties
Building Cyber security into the supply chain is essential as threats mount (att.com)
Why the public sector still loves Capita (even though it got hacked) - Tech Monitor
Experts Uncover Weaknesses in PowerShell Gallery Enabling Supply Chain Attacks (thehackernews.com)
PowerShell Gallery Prone to Typosquatting, Other Supply Chain Attacks (darkreading.com)
Software Supply Chain
Cloud/SaaS
'DoubleDrive' attack turns Microsoft OneDrive into ransomware | SC Media (scmagazine.com)
Researchers find sensitive personal data in over 30% of cloud assets | SC Media (scmagazine.com)
Amazon AWS distances itself from Moq amid data collection controversy (bleepingcomputer.com)
Adapting to the Cloud Era of Cyber security: How CISO’s Priorities Are Evolving | Network Computing
Datacentre management vulnerabilities leave public clouds at risk | Computer Weekly
Spear Phishing vs Phishing: How to Tell the Difference (techrepublic.com)
Containers
Encryption
UK Government Slammed For Encryption Mistruths - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)
WhatsApp is right to be angry about the UK’s encryption mess | The Spectator
Google adds post-quantum encryption key protection to Chrome • The Register
API
The Evolution of API: From Commerce to Cloud-Security Affairs
How financial services cyber regulations are hotting up for API security (betanews.com)
Open Source
Why a Software Bill of Materials Is Business-Critical - The Futurum Group
Monti Ransomware Returns with New Linux Variant and Enhanced Evasion Tactics (thehackernews.com)
Passwords, Credential Stuffing & Brute Force Attacks
6 best practices to defend against corporate account takeover attacks | CSO Online
What's the State of Credential theft in 2023? (thehackernews.com)
Building a secure future without traditional passwords - Help Net Security
Are browser-stored passwords secure? | Kaspersky official blog
Passwordless is more than a buzzword among cyber security pros - Help Net Security
More hardcoded credentials than ever, and sloppy coding is to blame | SC Media (scmagazine.com)
AI Can Decipher Passwords by Listening to Keystrokes Over Zoom: Study (businessinsider.com)
Social Media
LinkedIn hack: You need to check your LinkedIn account - gHacks Tech News
LinkedIn accounts hacked in widespread hijacking campaign (bleepingcomputer.com)
'Gold mine' phishing scams rob Main Street on social media like Meta (cnbc.com)
Malvertising
Adblock 360 Adware Extension: 3 Ways to Remove for Good - MSPoweruser
Malvertisers up their game against researchers (malwarebytes.com)
Training, Education and Awareness
Cyber Bullying, Cyber Stalking and Sextortion
Regulations, Fines and Legislation
Navigating generative AI risks and regulatory challenges - Help Net Security
UK Government Slammed For Encryption Mistruths - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)
ICO reprimands law firm over data breach that saw money stolen - Legal Futures
Breaking Down the New SEC Cyber security Rules | Epiq - JDSupra
Confusion Surrounds SEC's New Cyber security Material Rule (darkreading.com)
How financial services cyber regulations are hotting up for API security (betanews.com)
A closer look at the new TSA oil and gas pipeline regulations - Help Net Security
Models, Frameworks and Standards
Center for Internet Security announces secretive Microsoft partnership | StateScoop
What's New in the NIST Cyber security Framework 2.0 (darkreading.com)
Data Protection
Researchers find sensitive personal data in over 30% of cloud assets | SC Media (scmagazine.com)
Amazon AWS distances itself from Moq amid data collection controversy (bleepingcomputer.com)
Careers, Working in Cyber and Information Security
650,000 cyber jobs are now vacant: How to tackle the risk (securityintelligence.com)
Effectively upskilling cyber security professionals to help close the skills gap | CSO Online
How to overcome the challenges of today's cyber security talent shortage - SiliconANGLE
Army struggling to hire cyber staff as attacks on Britain ramp up (telegraph.co.uk)
Vietnam admits massive shortage of infosec pros • The Register
Heavy workloads driving IT professionals to resign - Help Net Security
ISC2 Announces Major Milestone as Community Grows to Half a Million Strong (prnewswire.com)
Law Enforcement Action and Take Downs
Polish police arrest five in swoop on Cyber Crime site - TVN24
Lapsus$ Report: Law Enforcement Battles Cyber Threats (beincrypto.com)
LOLEKHosted admin arrested for aiding Netwalker ransomware gang (bleepingcomputer.com)
Sextortion suspects on trial after one victim dies • The Register
Crimeware server used by NetWalker ransomware seized and shut down – Naked Security (sophos.com)
Raccoon Stealer malware back with updated version following administrator arrest (therecord.media)
Man arrested in Northern Ireland police data leak • The Register
Privacy, Surveillance and Mass Monitoring
Amazon AWS distances itself from Moq amid data collection controversy (bleepingcomputer.com)
Following Pushback, Zoom Says It Won't Use Customer Data to Train AI Models (darkreading.com)
Misinformation, Disinformation and Propaganda
Nation State Actors, Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs), Cyber Warfare and Cyber Espionage
Russia
APT29 is targeting Ministries of Foreign Affairs of NATO-aligned countries-Security Affairs
Russian spy agencies targeting Starlink with custom malware, Ukraine warns (telegraph.co.uk)
Russian-African Security Gathering Exposes Kremlin's Reduced Influence (darkreading.com)
Hacked electronic sign declares “Putin is a dickhead” as Russian ruble slumps • Graham Cluley
Russian Hackers Use Zulip Chat App for Covert C&C in Diplomatic Phishing Attacks (thehackernews.com)
Suspected spies for Russia held in major UK security investigation - BBC News
Russia turning to sleeper cells and unofficial agents | Espionage | The Guardian
China
Top US cyber official warns of infrastructure attack risk if China tensions rise (nbcnews.com)
New Zealand says it is aware of China-linked intelligence activity in country | Reuters
China teases imminent exposé of seismic US spying scheme • The Register
Chinese Espionage Group Active Across Eastern Europe (inforisktoday.com)
15,000 cyber attacks detected per second in Taiwan: Software provider - Focus Taiwan
US lawmaker says FBI notified him of email breach linked to Microsoft cloud hack | TechCrunch
Iran
German Intelligence Warns of Surge in Iranian Espionage (govinfosecurity.com)
Charming Kitten Targets Iranian Dissidents with Advanced Cyber Attacks (thehackernews.com)
Iran and the Rise of Cyber Enabled Influence Operations (darkreading.com)
North Korea
Misc/Other/Unknown
Vulnerability Management
Vulnerabilities
Almost 2,000 Citrix NetScaler servers backdoored in hacking campaign (bleepingcomputer.com)
CISA Adds Citrix ShareFile Flaw to KEV Catalog Due to In-the-Wild Attacks (thehackernews.com)
Patched Citrix NetScaler Devices Still Contain Backdoors (govinfosecurity.com)
Zoom ZTP & AudioCodes Phones Flaws Uncovered, Exposing Users to Eavesdropping (thehackernews.com)
Magento shopping cart attack targets critical vulnerability • The Register
New Python URL Parsing Flaw Enables Command Injection Attacks (thehackernews.com)
Data centers at risk due to flaws in power management software | CyberScoop
Bugs in transportation app Moovit gave hackers free rides | TechCrunch
Google Chrome 116: more Telemetry and 26 security patches - gHacks Tech News
Google Fixes 26 Bugs Amid Fake Update Warning - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)
AMD has fixed its latest security flaw - but at the cost of massive slowdowns | TechRadar
Proxyjacking trend continues as attackers abuse years-old GitLab vulnerability | ITPro
Windows feature that resets system clocks based on random data is wreaking havoc | Ars Technica
Tools and Controls
XWorm, Remcos RAT Evade EDRs to Infect Critical Infrastructure (darkreading.com)
AI-powered fraud detection: Strengthening security in fintech | The Financial Express
MaginotDNS attacks exploit weak checks for DNS cache poisoning (bleepingcomputer.com)
Evaluate the risks and benefits of AI in cyber security | TechTarget
How to Choose a Managed Detection and Response (MDR) Solution (darkreading.com)
How to Prevent Phishing Attacks with Multi-Factor Authentication (techrepublic.com)
Building a secure future without traditional passwords - Help Net Security
Passwordless is more than a buzzword among cyber security pros - Help Net Security
SEC cyber security rules shape the future of incident management - Help Net Security
Traditional vs. Enterprise Risk Management: How Do They Differ? (techtarget.com)
Endpoint Management Statistics, Trends And Facts 2023 - Abdalslam
Why You Need Continuous Network Monitoring? (thehackernews.com)
CISA releases cyber defence plan for remote monitoring and management software - SiliconANGLE
How poor cyber security policies disrupt business continuity - IT Security Guru
Cyber Prevention, Training Attract More Spend Than Remediation, Recovery, Execs Say - | MSSP Alert
Other News
Healthcare incurs highest data breach costs – for the 13th year in a row | Healthcare IT News
Here's Why You Should Never Accept Unsolicited Tech by Post (makeuseof.com)
Government highlights cyber threat to health and social care | UKAuthority
Why is the Education Sector a Target for Cyber Attacks? | UpGuard
Cyber security in the Entertainment Industry: Risks and Solutions | UpGuard
What would an OT cyber attack really cost your organisation? | CSO Online
Education has had most cyber attacks, survey finds | Education Business (educationbusinessuk.net)
Cyber attacks Are On The Up: What Are The Risks & Remedies For Aviation? (simpleflying.com)
Bank of Ireland ATM Glitch Hands Out 'Free' Money (gizmodo.com)
Exclusive: 300 independent retailers affected by cyber attack | News | Retail Week (retail-week.com)
Sector Specific
Industry specific threat intelligence reports are available.
Contact us to receive tailored reports specific to the industry/sector and geographies you operate in.
· Automotive
· Construction
· Critical National Infrastructure (CNI)
· Defence & Space
· Education & Academia
· Energy & Utilities
· Estate Agencies
· Financial Services
· FinTech
· Food & Agriculture
· Gaming & Gambling
· Government & Public Sector (including Law Enforcement)
· Health/Medical/Pharma
· Hotels & Hospitality
· Insurance
· Legal
· Manufacturing
· Maritime
· Oil, Gas & Mining
· OT, ICS, IIoT, SCADA & Cyber-Physical Systems
· Retail & eCommerce
· Small and Medium Sized Businesses (SMBs)
· Startups
· Telecoms
· Third Sector & Charities
· Transport & Aviation
· Web3
As usual, contact us to help assess where your risks lie and to ensure you are doing all you can do to keep you and your business secure.
Look out for our ‘Cyber Tip Tuesday’ video blog and on our YouTube channel.
You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.
Links to articles are for interest and awareness and linking to or reposting external content does not endorse any service or product, likewise we are not responsible for the security of external links.
Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing 23rd June 2023
Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing 23 June 2023:
-How the MOVEit Breach Shows Hackers' Interest in Corporate File Transfer Tools
-Attackers Discovering Exposed Cloud Assets Within Minutes
-Majority of Users Neglect Best Password Practices
-One in Three Workers Susceptible to Phishing
-Ransomware Misconceptions Abound, to the Benefit of Attackers
-Threat Actors Scale and Commoditise Uncommon Tools and Techniques
-Goodbyes are Difficult, IT Offboarding Processes Make Them Harder
-Security Budget Hikes are Missing the Mark, CISOs Say
-Understanding Cyber Resilience: Building a Holistic Approach to Cyber Security
-Emerging Ransomware Group 8Base Releasing Data on SMBs Globally
-Cyber Security Industry Still Fighting to Recruit and Retain Talent
-Financial Firms to Build Resilience in Face of Growing Cyber-Threats
-Fulfilling Expected SEC Requirements for Cyber Security Expertise at Board Level
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 Security Industry Still Fighting to Recruit and Retain Talent
Cyber security teams are struggling to find the right talent, with the right skills, and to retain experienced employees. The situation is only likely to worsen, as inflation and a tight labour market push up wages. Universities produce graduates with a strong focus on technical knowledge, but not always the broader skills they need to operate in a business environment. This includes the lack of communications skills, understanding of how businesses operate and even emotional intelligence. One solution is to outsource to a corporate cyber security provider or outsource to infill shortages whilst trying to recruit permanent staff.
https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/cybersecurity-industry-recruit/
How the MOVEit Breach Shows Hackers' Interest in Corporate File Transfer Tools
The world of managed file transfer (MFT) software has become a lucrative target for ransom-seeking hackers, with significant breaches including those of Accellion Inc's File Transfer Appliance in 2021 and Fortra's GoAnywhere MFT earlier this year. These MFT programs, corporate versions of popular file sharing programs like Dropbox or WeTransfer, are highly desirable to hackers for the sensitive data they often transfer between organisations and partners. The recent mass compromise tied to Progress Software Corp's MOVEit transfer product has prompted governments and companies worldwide to scramble in response.
Hackers are shifting their tactics, with an increasing focus on MFT programs which typically face the open internet, making them more vulnerable to breaches. Once inside these file transfer points, hackers have direct access to a wealth of data. In addition, there's a noticeable shift from ransomware groups encrypting a company's network and demanding payment to unscramble it, to a simpler tactic of pure extortion by threatening to leak the data.
Attackers Discovering Exposed Cloud Assets within Minutes
The shift to cloud services, increased remote work, and reliance on third-parties has led to widespread use of Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) applications. This has also opened avenues for attackers to exploit weak security configurations and identities. Over the past year, attackers have intercepted authorisation tokens, bypassed multifactor authentication, and exploited misconfigured systems, targeting critical applications like GitHub, Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, Slack, and Okta. A study revealed alarmingly fast rates of breach discovery and compromise of exposed cloud assets, with assets being discovered within as little as two minutes for some and others within an hour.
https://www.darkreading.com/dr-tech/growing-saas-usage-means-larger-attack-surface
Majority of Users Neglect Best Password Practices
The latest Password Management Report by Keeper Security has shed light on the concerning state of password security practices. The survey found that only 25% of respondents used solid and unique passwords. In comparison, 34% admitted to using repeat variations of passwords, and 30% still relied on simple and easily guessable passwords. The survey also found that 44% of individuals who claimed to have well-managed passwords still admitted to using repeated variations, while 20% acknowledged having had at least one password involved in a data breach or available on the dark web. The document also revealed that 35% of respondents feel overwhelmed when it comes to improving their cyber security. Furthermore, 10% admitted to neglecting password management altogether. More generally, Keeper Security said the survey’s findings highlight a significant gap between perception and reality regarding password security.
https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/users-neglect-best-password/
One in Three Workers Susceptible to Phishing
More than one in three workers in the UK and Ireland are susceptible to falling for phishing attacks, according to the new 2023 Phishing by Industry Benchmarking Report by KnowBe4. The study found that 35% of users who had received no security training were prone to clicking on suspicious links or engaging in fraudulent actions. Regular training and continual reinforcement can get this figure down but even with training very few organisations ever get click rates down to zero, and you only need one person to click to cause potentially devastating consequences.
Globally, ransomware was responsible for 24% of all data breaches in 2023, with human error accounting for 74% of these incidents. Phishing attacks can often lead to significant reputational damage, financial loss and disruption to business operations.
https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/one-in-three-phishing/
Ransomware Misconceptions Abound, to the Benefit of Attackers
There is a common ransomware misperception that there's no capability to fight this all too common hostage taking of business data. This is not true. Proactive organisations are increasingly making more strategic use of threat intelligence to prevent or disrupt attacks.
Ransomware has evolved into a massive, often state-sponsored, industry where operators buy, develop, and resell ransomware code, infiltrate networks, and collect ransoms. The perception that a speedy response is critical to prevent data encryption and loss is outdated; attackers now focus on data exfiltration, using ransomware as a distraction. They often target smaller organisations that are linked to larger ones through supply chains, using them as stepping stones. It is important to use in-depth defence measures, including email security to prevent phishing and efficient detection and response systems to identify and recover from changes.
Threat Actors Scale and Commoditise Uncommon Tools and Techniques
Proofpoint’s 2023 Human Factor report highlights significant developments in the cyber attack landscape in 2022. Following two years of pandemic-induced disruption, cyber criminals returned to their usual operations, honing their social engineering skills and commoditising once sophisticated attack techniques. There was a noticeable increase in brute-force and targeted attacks on cloud tenants, conversational smishing attacks, and multifactor authentication (MFA) bypasses. Microsoft 365 formed a large part of organisations' attack surfaces and faced broad abuse, from Office macros to OneNote documents.
Despite some advances in security controls, threat actors continue to innovate and scale their bypasses. Techniques like MFA bypass and telephone-oriented attack delivery are now commonplace. Attackers consistently exploit people, who remain the most critical variable in the attack chain.
Goodbyes are Difficult, IT Offboarding Processes Make Them Harder
A recent survey found that 68% of organisations recognise the offboarding process as a major cyber security risk, but only 36% have adequate controls in place to secure data access when employees depart. The study revealed that 60% of organisations have discovered former employees still had access to corporate applications after leaving, and 52% have had security incidents linked to former employees. Interestingly, IT professionals are not always alerted when employees leave, leading to access not being revoked and IT assets being mishandled 34% of the time.
https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2023/06/19/it-offboarding-processes/
Security Budget Hikes are Missing the Mark, CISOs Say
Misguided expectations on security spend are causing problems for CISOs despite notable budget increases. A recent report found that while most CISOs are experiencing noteworthy increases in security funding, impractical expectations of budget holders are leading to significant amounts being spent on what’s hitting the headlines instead of strategic, business-centric investment in security defences. This lack of understanding shows that a lot of work needs to be done to ensure that information security receives the attention it deserves, especially in the boardroom.
The report found that just 9% of CISOs said information security is always in the top three priorities on the boardroom’s meeting agenda, and less than a quarter (22%) of CISOs are actively participating in business strategy and decision-making processes. Talking to the board about cyber security in a way that is productive can be a significant challenge for CISOs, and failing to do so effectively can result in confusion, disillusionment, and a lack of cohesion among directors, the security function, and the rest of the organisation.
https://www.csoonline.com/article/3700073/security-budget-hikes-are-missing-the-mark-cisos-say.html
https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2023/06/22/average-cybersecurity-budget-increase/
Understanding Cyber Resilience: Building a Holistic Approach to Cyber Security
In today’s interconnected world, the threat of cyber attacks is a constant concern for organisations of all sizes and across all industries. Cyber resilience entails not only making it difficult for attackers to infiltrate your systems but also ensuring that your organisation can bounce back quickly and continue operations successfully.
Cyber resilience offers a holistic approach to cyber security, emphasising the ability to withstand and recover from cyber attacks. By adopting the right mindset, leveraging advanced technology, addressing cyber hygiene, and measuring key metrics, organisations can enhance their cyber resilience. Additionally, collaboration within industries and proactive board engagement are crucial for effective risk management. As cyber threats continue to evolve, organisations must prioritise cyber resilience as an ongoing journey, continuously adapting and refining their strategies to stay ahead of malicious actors.
Emerging Ransomware Group 8Base Releasing Confidential Data from SMBs Globally
A ransomware group that operated under the radar for over a year has come to light in recent weeks, thanks to a series of business data leaks on the Dark Web. Since at least April 2022, 8base has been conducting double-extortion attacks against small and midsized businesses (SMBs). It all came to a head in May, when the group dumped data belonging to 67 organisations on the cyber underground.
Not much is known yet about the group's tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs), likely due to the low profile of their victims. The victims span science and technology, manufacturing, retail, construction, healthcare, and more, with victims from as far afield as India, Peru, Madagascar and Brazil, amongst others.
https://www.darkreading.com/vulnerabilities-threats/emerging-ransomware-8base-doxxes-smbs-globally
Financial Firms to Build Resilience in Face of Growing Cyber-Threats
Cyber resilience is now a key component of operational resilience for the UK’s financial markets, according to a Bank of England official. Cyber attacks have increased by 38% in 2022, and the range of firms and organisations being impacted seems to grow broader and broader.
Regulators want to see how financial firms will cope with an attack, and its impact on the wider financial services ecosystem. Similar work is being done at an international level by the G7, which has its own cyber expert group. In the UK, the main tools for improving resilience are threat intelligence sharing, better coordination between firms, regulators, the Bank and the Treasury, and penetration testing including CBEST. Financial services firms should have scenario specific playbooks, to set out how to contain intruders and stop them spreading to clients and counterparties. In the past, simulation exercises have been used to model terrorist incidents and pandemics and they are now being used to model cyber attacks.
https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/financial-firms-to-build-resilience/
Fulfilling Expected SEC Requirements for Cyber Security Expertise at Board Level
The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is expected to introduce a rule requiring demonstration of cyber security expertise at the board level for public companies. A recent study found that currently up to 90% of companies in the Russell 3000 lack even a single director with the necessary cyber expertise. The simplest and speediest solution would be to promote the existing CISO, provided they have the appropriate qualities and experience, to the board but that would require transplanting a focused operational executive into a strategic business advisory role. A credible alternative is to bring in a cyber focused Non-Executive Director with the appropriate skills and experience.
Governance, Risk and Compliance
Why assessing third parties for security risk is still an unsolved problem | CSO Online
Navigating the Complex World of Cyber security Compliance - MSSP Alert
Security budget hikes are missing the mark, CISOs say | CSO Online
How to Weather the Coming Cyber security Storm - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)
Certifications are no guarantee of security - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)
Increased spending doesn't translate to improved cyber security posture - Help Net Security
Placing People & Realism at the Center of Your Cyber security Strategy (darkreading.com)
CISOs’ New Stressors Brought on by Digitalization: Report - SecurityWeek
Fulfilling Expected SEC Requirements for Cyber security Expertise at Board Level - SecurityWeek
From details to big picture: how to improve security effectiveness | CIO
IT Staff Increasingly Saddled with Data Protection Compliance (darkreading.com)
Threats
Ransomware, Extortion and Destructive Attacks
Explainer: How MOVEit breach shows hackers' interest in corporate file transfer tools | Reuters
Ransomware Misconceptions Abound, to the Benefit of Attackers (darkreading.com)
US Offers $10m Reward For MOVEit Attackers - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)
Data leak at Australian law firm spooks government, business • The Register
Fresh Ransomware Gangs Emerge As Market Leaders Decline (darkreading.com)
Emerging Ransomware Group 8Base Doxxes SMBs Globally (darkreading.com)
A Russian national charged for committing LockBit Ransomware attacks - Security Affairs
Rorschach Ransomware: What You Need to Know (darkreading.com)
Ransomware is only getting faster: Six steps to a stronger defence (bleepingcomputer.com)
Ransomware gang preys on cancer centers, triggers alert | SC Media (scmagazine.com)
Ransomware attacks pose communications dilemmas for local governments | CSO Online
LockBit Developing Ransomware for Apple M1 Chips, Embedded Systems (darkreading.com)
Ransomware Victims
Australian Government Says Its Data Was Stolen in Law Firm Ransomware Attack - SecurityWeek
Hackers threaten to release photos of Beverly Hills plastic surgery patients (bitdefender.com)
Norton Parent Says Employee Data Stolen in MOVEit Ransomware Attack - SecurityWeek
BlackCat gang threatens to leak plastic surgery photos • The Register
Reddit confirms BlackCat ransomware gang stole its data • The Register
Adur and Worthing Councils investigating after contractor data breach | The Argus
Iowa’s largest school district confirms ransomware attack, data theft (bleepingcomputer.com)
Hackers warn University of Manchester students’ of imminent data leak (bleepingcomputer.com)
USDA is investigating a 'possible data breach' related to global Russian cyber criminal hack | CNN
Avast, Norton Parent Latest Victim of MOVEit Ransomware Attacks (darkreading.com)
MOVEit Vulnerability Breaches Targeted Fed Agencies (trendmicro.com)
Phishing & Email Based Attacks
Cyber crime: what does psychology have to do with phishing? – podcast | Science | The Guardian
Hackers Will Be Quick to Bypass Gmail's Blue Check Verification System (darkreading.com)
UPS discloses data breach after exposed customer info used in SMS phishing (bleepingcomputer.com)
Insurance companies neglect basic email security - Help Net Security
Other Social Engineering; Smishing, Vishing, etc
Artificial Intelligence
How generative AI is creating new classes of security threats | VentureBeat
Over 100,000 Stolen ChatGPT Account Credentials Sold on Dark Web Marketplaces (thehackernews.com)
‘With hackers adopting AI, it’s a cat-and-mouse game’ | Mint (livemint.com)
ChatGPT and data protection laws: Compliance challenges for businesses - Help Net Security
Google Tells Employees to Stay Away from Its Bard Chatbot (gizmodo.com)
Malware
Attacker seizes abandoned S3 bucket to launch malicious payloads | SC Media (scmagazine.com)
Hackers use fake OnlyFans pics to drop info-stealing malware (bleepingcomputer.com)
Researchers Discover New Sophisticated Toolkit Targeting Apple macOS Systems (thehackernews.com)
Mysterious Mystic Stealer Spreads Like Wildfire in Mere Months (darkreading.com)
Hackers infect Linux SSH servers with Tsunami botnet malware (bleepingcomputer.com)
To kill BlackLotus malware, patching is a good start, but... • The Register
Microsoft Teams bug allows malware delivery from external accounts (bleepingcomputer.com)
APT37 hackers deploy new FadeStealer eavesdropping malware (bleepingcomputer.com)
ScarCruft Hackers Exploit Ably Service for Stealthy Wiretapping Attacks (thehackernews.com)
Chinese Hacker Group 'Flea' Targets American Ministries with Graphican Backdoor (thehackernews.com)
USB Drives Spread Spyware as China's Mustang Panda APT Goes Global (darkreading.com)
NSA shares tips on blocking BlackLotus UEFI malware attacks (bleepingcomputer.com)
Chinese malware accidentally infects networked storage • The Register
ChamelDoH: New Linux Backdoor Utilising DNS-over-HTTPS Tunneling for Covert CnC (thehackernews.com)
Mobile
SMS delivery reports can be used to infer recipient's location (bleepingcomputer.com)
Apple fixes zero-days used to deploy Triangulation spyware via iMessage (bleepingcomputer.com)
Android spyware camouflaged as VPN, chat apps on Google Play (bleepingcomputer.com)
Botnets
Romanian cyber crime gang Diicot builds DDoS botnet with Mirai variant | CSO Online
New Condi malware builds DDoS botnet out of TP-Link AX21 routers (bleepingcomputer.com)
Hackers infect Linux SSH servers with Tsunami botnet malware (bleepingcomputer.com)
Mirai botnet targets 22 flaws in D-Link, Zyxel, Netgear devices (bleepingcomputer.com)
Denial of Service/DoS/DDOS
Police crack down on DDoS-for-hire service active since 2013 (bleepingcomputer.com)
New Condi malware builds DDoS botnet out of TP-Link AX21 routers (bleepingcomputer.com)
Zeeland port website hit by DDOS attack, possibly by Russian hackers | NL Times
From Cryptojacking to DDoS Attacks: Diicot Expands Tactics with Cayosin Botnet (thehackernews.com)
Internet of Things – IoT
Romanian cyber crime gang Diicot builds DDoS botnet with Mirai variant | CSO Online
Smart Pet Feeders Expose Personal Data - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)
Security for embedded devices is ignored by too many companies, expert says | Fierce Electronics
Our cities are becoming increasingly automated—and we’re not ready (fastcompany.com)
US Military Personnel Receiving Unsolicited, Suspicious Smartwatches - SecurityWeek
Mirai botnet targets 22 flaws in D-Link, Zyxel, Netgear devices (bleepingcomputer.com)
Data Breaches/Leaks
Data leak at Australian law firm spooks government, business • The Register
Australian Government Says Its Data Was Stolen in Law Firm Ransomware Attack - SecurityWeek
Mondelez says crooks stole staff data in security breach • The Register
UPS discloses data breach after exposed customer info used in SMS phishing (bleepingcomputer.com)
Reddit hackers threaten to leak data stolen in February breach (bleepingcomputer.com)
Australia Inc roiled by raft of cyber attacks since late 2022 - The Economic Times (indiatimes.com)
SSD missing from SAP datacenter turns up on eBay • The Register
Smart Pet Feeders Expose Personal Data - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)
Hackers warn University of Manchester students’ of imminent data leak (bleepingcomputer.com)
Organised Crime & Criminal Actors
Crypto and Cyber Security: A Complex Relationship (analyticsinsight.net)
Cyber attackers Got More Creative Post-Pandemic, Proofpoint Study Finds - MSSP Alert
The Great Exodus to Telegram: A Tour of the New Cyber crime Underground (bleepingcomputer.com)
Cryptocurrency/Cryptomining/Cryptojacking/NFTs/Blockchain
Crypto and Cyber Security: A Complex Relationship (analyticsinsight.net)
Blockchain security: Everything you should know for safe use | TechTarget
From Cryptojacking to DDoS Attacks: Diicot Expands Tactics with Cayosin Botnet (thehackernews.com)
Insider Risk and Insider Threats
Fraud, Scams & Financial Crime
Influencers in firing line as France tackles scams - BBC News
Keep Job Scams From Hurting Your Organisation (darkreading.com)
Impersonation Attacks
AML/CFT/Sanctions
Dark Web
Supply Chain and Third Parties
Capita faces first legal Letter of Claim over mega breach • The Register
Why assessing third parties for security risk is still an unsolved problem | CSO Online
Mondelez says crooks stole staff data in security breach • The Register
Untangling the web of supply chain security with Tony Turner - Help Net Security
Software Supply Chain
Cloud/SaaS
Growing SaaS Usage Means Larger Attack Surface (darkreading.com)
Explainer: How MOVEit breach shows hackers' interest in corporate file transfer tools | Reuters
A new threat to financial stability lurks in the cloud | Financial Times (ft.com)
Cloud CISO Perspectives: Early June 2023 | Google Cloud Blog
Western Digital Blocks Unpatched Devices From Cloud Services - SecurityWeek
Attacker seizes abandoned S3 bucket to launch malicious payloads | SC Media (scmagazine.com)
Attackers discovering exposed cloud assets within minutes | TechTarget
Cloud-native security hinges on open source - Help Net Security
Hybrid Microsoft network/cloud legacy settings may impact your future security posture | CSO Online
US cyber ambassador says China can win on AI, cloud • The Register
Hybrid/Remote Working
Shadow IT
Identity and Access Management
Encryption
Quantum hacking alert: Critical vulnerabilities found in quantum key distribution (techxplore.com)
The US Navy, NATO, and NASA are using a shady Chinese company’s encryption chips | Ars Technica
Physics - Long-Range Quantum Cryptography Gets Simpler (aps.org)
API
Open Source
Hackers infect Linux SSH servers with Tsunami botnet malware (bleepingcomputer.com)
Cloud-native security hinges on open source - Help Net Security
ChamelDoH: New Linux Backdoor Utilising DNS-over-HTTPS Tunneling for Covert CnC (thehackernews.com)
Passwords, Credential Stuffing & Brute Force Attacks
The future of passwords and authentication - Help Net Security
These are the most hacked passwords. Is yours on the list? | ZDNET
Social Media
Influencers in firing line as France tackles scams - BBC News
Reddit hackers threaten to leak data stolen in February breach (bleepingcomputer.com)
Training, Education and Awareness
Digital Transformation
Regulations, Fines and Legislation
ChatGPT and data protection laws: Compliance challenges for businesses - Help Net Security
Bill allowing CISA to assist foreign governments passes Senate committee | SC Media (scmagazine.com)
Fulfilling Expected SEC Requirements for Cyber security Expertise at Board Level - SecurityWeek
Models, Frameworks and Standards
The significance of CIS Control mapping in the 2023 Verizon DBIR - Help Net Security
What is PCI Compliance? 12 Requirements and More Explained | Definition from TechTarget
Secure Disposal
Data Protection
ChatGPT and data protection laws: Compliance challenges for businesses - Help Net Security
Consumer Data: The Risk and Reward for Manufacturing Companies (darkreading.com)
IT Staff Increasingly Saddled with Data Protection Compliance (darkreading.com)
Careers, Working in Cyber and Information Security
8 notable entry-level cyber security career and skills initiatives in 2023 | CSO Online
UK military is struggling to recruit tech experts, says report | Financial Times (ft.com)
Certifications are no guarantee of security - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)
Google announces $20 million investment for cyber clinics | CyberScoop
Law Enforcement Action and Take Downs
Police crack down on DDoS-for-hire service active since 2013 (bleepingcomputer.com)
Megaupload duo will go to prison at last, but Kim Dotcom fights on… – Naked Security (sophos.com)
A Russian national charged for committing LockBit Ransomware attacks - Security Affairs
Privacy, Surveillance and Mass Monitoring
Spyware, Cyber Espionage & Cyber Warfare, including Russian Invasion of Ukraine
Killnet Threatens Imminent SWIFT, World Banking Attacks (darkreading.com)
A Newly Named Group of GRU Hackers is Wreaking Havoc in Ukraine | WIRED
Russia sent its reserve team to wipe Ukrainian hard drives • The Register
Russian APT Group Caught Hacking Roundcube Email Servers - SecurityWeek
Hacktivist group Anonymous Sudan a ‘bear in wolf’s clothing’ | SC Media (scmagazine.com)
Russian APT28 hackers breach Ukrainian govt email servers (bleepingcomputer.com)
Strategies for staying ahead of modern cyber warfare - CyberTalk
German intelligence services point to increased hybrid security threats – EURACTIV.com
Nation State Actors
Microsoft Pins Early June DDoS Attacks on Russian-linked Cyber Crew - MSSP Alert
US DOJ Launches Cyber Unit to Prosecute Nation-State Threat Actors - SecurityWeek
US Military Personnel Receiving Unsolicited, Suspicious Smartwatches - SecurityWeek
USB Drives Spread Spyware as China's Mustang Panda APT Goes Global (darkreading.com)
CISA orders govt agencies to patch bugs exploited by Russian hackers (bleepingcomputer.com)
US Cyber Ambassador says China can win on AI, cloud • The Register
Cadet Blizzard emerges as a novel and distinct Russian threat actor | Microsoft Security Blog
The Israeli weapons and spyware falling into the hands of despots | Financial Times (ft.com)
The US Navy, NATO, and NASA are using a shady Chinese company’s encryption chips | Ars Technica
Zeeland port website hit by DDOS attack, possibly by Russian hackers | NL Times
A Russian national charged for committing LockBit Ransomware attacks - Security Affairs
Hacktivist group Anonymous Sudan a ‘bear in wolf’s clothing’ | SC Media (scmagazine.com)
APT37 hackers deploy new FadeStealer eavesdropping malware (bleepingcomputer.com)
ScarCruft Hackers Exploit Ably Service for Stealthy Wiretapping Attacks (thehackernews.com)
20-Year-Old Chinese APT15 Finds New Life in Foreign Ministry Attacks (darkreading.com)
Chinese Hacker Group 'Flea' Targets American Ministries with Graphican Backdoor (thehackernews.com)
North Korean APT targets defectors, activists with infostealer malware | SC Media (scmagazine.com)
China-sponsored APT group targets government ministries in the Americas | CSO Online
Chinese malware accidentally infects networked storage • The Register
Trellix Detects Leading Threat Actor Countries Behind Nation-State Activity - MSSP Alert
Vulnerability Management
Guess what happened to this US agency that didn't patch? • The Register
EU Council mulls pan-European platform to handle cyber vulnerabilities – EURACTIV.com
Vulnerabilities
VMware warns of critical vRealize flaw exploited in attacks (bleepingcomputer.com)
Microsoft Teams Vulnerability: The GIFShell Attack (latesthackingnews.com)
Patch Now: Cisco AnyConnect Bug Exploit Released in the Wild (darkreading.com)
Zyxel addressed critical flaw CVE-2023-27992 in NAS Devices - Security Affairs
Microsoft Teams bug allows malware delivery from external accounts (bleepingcomputer.com)
Chrome and Its Vulnerabilities - Is the Web Browser Safe to Use? - SecurityWeek
Critical WordPress Plugin Vulnerabilities Impact Thousands of Sites - SecurityWeek
SMB Edge Devices Walloped With Asus, Zyxel Patch Warnings (darkreading.com)
VMware fixes vCenter Server bugs allowing code execution, auth bypass (bleepingcomputer.com)
Azure AD 'Log in With Microsoft' Authentication Bypass Affects Thousands (darkreading.com)
Western Digital Blocks Unpatched Devices From Cloud Services - SecurityWeek
Risk & Repeat: Mandiant sheds light on Barracuda ESG attacks | TechTarget
ASUS warns router customers: Patch now, or block all inbound requests – Naked Security (sophos.com)
Firmware Backdoor Discovered in Gigabyte Motherboards, Hundreds of Models Affected - CPO Magazine
Apple fixes zero-days used to deploy Triangulation spyware via iMessage (bleepingcomputer.com)
A (cautionary) tale of two patched bugs, both under exploit • The Register
Millions of GitHub repos likely vulnerable to RepoJacking, researchers say (bleepingcomputer.com)
Windows 11 KB5027231 also breaks Chrome for Cisco, WatchGuard EDR users (bleepingcomputer.com)
Gaps in Azure Service Fabric’s Security Call for User Vigilance (trendmicro.com)
Tools and Controls
Getting Over the DNS Security Awareness Gap (darkreading.com)
Zscaler CEO: Firewalls Are Going The Way Of The Mainframe | CRN
The future of passwords and authentication - Help Net Security
Increased spending doesn't translate to improved cyber security posture - Help Net Security
Placing People & Realism at the Center of Your Cyber security Strategy (darkreading.com)
Security investments that help companies navigate the macroeconomic climate - Help Net Security
Reports Published in the Last Week
Other News
Boris Johnson’s notebooks cause national security alarm (thetimes.co.uk)
Keep it, Tweak it, Trash it – What to do with Aging Tech in an Era of Consolidation - SecurityWeek
Cyber attacks on OT, ICS Lay Groundwork for Kinetic Warfare (darkreading.com)
Why CISOs should be concerned about space-based attacks | CSO Online
Legal firms urged to strengthen cyber defences with latest... - NCSC.GOV.UK
GCHQ’s top hacker James Babbage quits to join NCA in blow to UK cyber force (telegraph.co.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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You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.
Links to articles are for interest and awareness and linking to or reposting external content does not endorse any service or product, likewise we are not responsible for the security of external links.
Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing 02 June 2023
Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing 02 June 2023:
-How to Keep Cyber Attacks from Tanking Your Balance Sheet
-Company Size Doesn’t Matter When It Comes to Cyber Attacks
-‘Exceptional’ Cyber Attacks Now Normal, says BT Security Chief
-How State-Sponsored/Advanced Persistent Threat Groups (APTs) Target SMBs
-Phishing Campaigns Thrive as Evasive Tactics Outsmart Conventional Detection
-Don't be Polite When you Get a Text from a Wrong Number
-Capita Cyber Attack: 90 Downstream Organisations Reported Data Breaches
-Travel-Themed Phishing, BEC Campaigns Get Smarter as Summer Season Arrives
-Organisations Spend 100 Hours Battling Post-Delivery Email Threats
-Ransomware Gangs Adopting Business-like Practices to Boost Profits
-The Sobering Truth About Ransomware—For The 80% Who Paid Up
-The Great CISO Resignation: Why Security Leaders are Quitting in Droves
-When is it Time for a Cyber Hygiene Audit?
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
How to Keep Cyber Attacks from Tanking Your Balance Sheet
According to a recent Forrester report, last year saw 1 billion records exposed in the top 35 breaches, $2.6 billion stolen in the top nine cryptocurrency breaches, and $2.7 billion in fines levied to the top 35 violators.
The average cost of a data breach reached $4.35 million in 2022, according to IBM’s Cost of a Data Breach Report for that year, which represents a 2.6% increase over the prior year, and a 12.7% increase from 2020. For ransomware, a report found the average payment in 2021 was approximately $1.85 million, more than double the $760,000 figure from 2020. These are just direct costs; indirect costs are far greater and can include lost business, lost customers, reputational loss and regulatory fines.
When it comes to managing cyber risk, corporate boards should look to understand cyber security as a strategic business enabler, understand the impacts, align risk-management with business needs, ensure the organisation supports cyber security, incorporate cyber security expertise into governance and encourage systemic resilience.
https://hbr.org/2023/06/how-to-keep-cyberattacks-from-tanking-your-balance-sheet
Company Size Doesn’t Matter When It Comes to Cyber Attacks
65% of large organisations suffered a cyber attack within the last 12 months, which is similar to the results among companies of all sizes (68%), according to a recent report. The most common security incidents were the same for all companies; these were phishing, ransomware and user account compromise, also known as business email compromise (BEC).
Smaller companies often underestimate their risk, with the reasoning that cyber criminals want the biggest targets as they will likely have more intellectual property, however all businesses have valuable data and are therefore a target. Additionally, smaller organisations can sometimes be seen as a way into larger organisations that use their services.
https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2023/05/29/larger-organizations-cyberattacks/
‘Exceptional’ Cyber Attacks Now Normal, says BT Security Chief
The threat of cyber attacks is growing at an “unprecedented” pace, according to the chief security officer at multinational teleco BT, Howard Watson, but it is not just large organisations such as BT who will be impacted by this increase.
Watson highlighted that the increase in sophisticated technology poses the biggest threat in the long run: “Technological advancement, as ever, is a double-edged sword in security. Quantum and AI have great potential for benefits in the right hands, or to cause massive damage in the wrong hands. But we know that cyber criminals will utilise these technologies, so we have to be able to respond in kind.” Adding to this, the chief security officer highlighted that events that were previously considered as ‘exceptional’ need to be assessed and planned for as a probability, rather than a possibility.
How State-Sponsored/Advanced Persistent Threat Groups (APTs) Target SMBs
Small and medium businesses (SMBs) are not exempt from being targeted by advanced persistent threat (APT) actors, according to Proofpoint researchers who collected data from over 200,000 SMB customers. Proofpoint identified a rise in phishing campaigns originating from such state-sponsored APT groups, who are highly skilled and typically state-sponsored groups with distinct strategic goals. These goals range from espionage and intellectual property theft to destructive attacks, state-sponsored financial theft, and disinformation campaigns.
Unfortunately, SMBs often lack adequate cyber security measures, making them vulnerable to all kinds of cyber threats. APT actors exploit this weakness by targeting SMBs as a stepping stone towards achieving their larger goals.
Alongside phishing campaigns, it was identified that APTs are increasingly targeting regional outsourced IT providers/Managed Service Providers (MSPs) to mount supply chain attacks. By compromising regional MSPs within geographies that align with the strategic collection requirements of APT actors, threat actors can gain access to multiple SMBs to extract sensitive information or execute further attacks.
https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2023/05/31/apt-targeting-smbs/
Phishing Campaigns Thrive as Evasive Tactics Outsmart Conventional Detection
According to research, 2022 saw a 25% increase in the use of phishing kits. These phishing kits are a set of tools that enable cyber criminals to effortlessly create and maintain large scale sophisticated phishing campaigns. It is this sophistication that allows cyber criminals to circumnavigate conventional detections; in fact, the research found a 40% increase in the use of anti-bot technologies designed to prevent automated scanners from identifying content as phishing.
In some cases (11% of observed phishing kits) malicious links would not be detected when tested by anti-phishing controls because those controls do not use the exact device parameters, geolocation and referrer of the intended target victim’s profile; therefore the malicious link is allowed to be delivered to the intended target.
https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2023/06/01/advanced-detection-evasion-techniques/
Don't be Polite When you Get a Text from a Wrong Number
You should immediately be suspicious of any text you get from a number not in your contacts, even if it may be innocent looking. Your first reaction may be to be polite and let them know they have the wrong number, but this person is a stranger. Strangely, despite teaching our children not to talk to strangers, many are comfortable with divulging information to them. Although letting them know they made a mistake seems harmless, responding opens you up to being scammed and you’ve just let them know you’re a real person. Every bit of helpful information you provide has the potential to be leveraged by an attacker.
Capita Cyber Attack: 90 Downstream Organisations Reported Data Breaches
90 organisations have reported breaches of personal information held by Capita after the outsourcing group had suffered a cyber attack, according to Britain’s data watchdog. The attack on Capita, which occurred in March, is still impacting businesses, with the UK Information Commissioners Office (ICO) making enquiries. Organisations must notify the ICO within 72 hours of becoming aware of a personal data breach.
The impact of the attack, and its knock-on effect, highlights the need for organisations to consider their third party security, no matter the size of the third party they use.
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2023/may/30/capita-cyber-attack-data-breaches-ico
Travel-Themed Phishing, BEC Campaigns Get Smarter as Summer Season Arrives
A recent survey from McAfee found that nearly a third (30%) of adults have fallen victim or know someone who has fallen victim to an online scam when bargain hunting for travel deals during the summer season, with a full two-thirds of victims losing up to $1,000.
This has extended to the corporate environment, with threat actors impersonating the HR department and exploiting the trust users place in their employers, a report has found. The attack leverages regular HR procedures associated with holiday requests and taps into the anticipation and excitement surrounding the summer travel season, to capitalise on exploiting the user.
https://www.darkreading.com/endpoint/travel-themed-phishing-bec-campaigns-smarter-summer-season
Organisations Spend 100 Hours Battling Post-Delivery Email Threats
Nearly every victim of a spear-phishing attack in the last 12 months saw impacts on their organisation, including malware infections, stolen data, and reputational damage, according to Barracuda Networks. The research shows that cyber criminals continue to barrage organisations with targeted email attacks, and many companies are struggling to keep up.
While spear-phishing attacks are low-volume, they are widespread and highly successful compared to other types of email attacks. On average, organisations take nearly 100 hours to identify, respond to, and remediate a post-deliver email threat: 43 hours to detect the attack and 56 hours to respond and remediate after the attack is detected.
Users at companies with more than a 50% remote workforce report higher levels of suspicious emails: 12 per day on average, compared to 9 per day for those with less than a 50% remote workforce. Companies with more than a 50% remote workforce also reported that it takes longer to both detect and respond to email security incidents: 55 hours to detect and 63 hours to respond and mitigate, compared to an average of 36 hours and 51 hours respectively for organisations with fewer remote workers.
https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2023/05/30/2023-spear-phishing-trends/
Ransomware Gangs Adopting Business-like Practices to Boost Profits
Ransomware gangs are using a variety of business-like practices to boost profits, making it more difficult for defenders to differentiate various groups, a new report by WithSecure has surmised. This move towards mirroring legitimate businesses practices means that tactics, techniques and procedures (TTPs) are blurring.
The underground marketplace now includes entities including ransomware-as-a-service (RaaS) groups, Initial Access Brokers (IAB), crypter-as-a-service (CaaS), cryptojackers, malware-as-a-service (MaaS) groups and nation-state actors. This allows nation-states to use tools available on the underground market to gain access to networks and systems without being detected. Ultimately, this trend towards professionalisation makes the expertise and resources to attack organisations accessible to lesser-skilled or poorly resourced threat actors.
https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/ransomware-gangs-business-practices/
The Sobering Truth about Ransomware—for the 80% Who Paid Up
Newly published research of 1,200 organisations impacted by ransomware reveals a sobering truth that awaits many of those who decide to pay the ransom. According to research, 80% of the organisations surveyed decided to pay the demanded ransom in order to both end the ongoing cyber attack and recover otherwise lost data. This is despite 41% of those organisations having a “do not pay” policy in place, which only goes to reinforce the cold hard fact that cyber crime isn’t an easy landscape to navigate. This is something that’s especially true when your business is facing the real-world impact of dealing with a ransomware attack.
Of the 960 organisations that paid a ransom, 201 of them (21%) were still unable to recover their lost data. The same number also reported that ransomware attacks were now excluded from their insurance policies. Of those organisations with cyber insurance cover, 74% reported a rise in premiums. Another report, published by Sophos, revealed that 32% of those surveyed opted to pay the ransom but a shocking 92% failed to recover all their data and 29% were unable to recover more than half of the encrypted data.
Some groups have switched to stealing sensitive customer or corporate data instead, with the ransom demanded in return for them not selling it to the highest bidder or publishing it online. Many groups combine the two for a double extortion ransomware attack.
The Great CISO Resignation: Why Security Leaders are Quitting in Droves
With the rise in AI tools such as ChatGPT broadening an attacker’s arsenal, this places greater and greater pressure on security leaders who are already dealing with shrinking budgets, skeleton crew staff and a conglomeration of security tools and protocols — so much so that they are increasingly quitting. A recent report found that nearly a third (32%) of CISOs in the US and UK were considering leaving their current organisation and 9 out of 10 reported themselves as “moderately” or “tremendously” stressed.
This so-called Great CISO Resignation is concerning, because what happens when there’s nobody guarding the gate and rallying the troops?
When is it Time for a Cyber Hygiene Audit?
Effective cyber hygiene practices limit threats against your systems, devices and users, preventing breaches that could compromise sensitive business information, database information, and personal data. But cyber hygiene isn’t a static or one-off process. It requires routine execution and, occasionally, a full audit. This audit typically covers a range of aspects including encryption, documentation, authentication, patches, security and ongoing cyber hygiene.
Good cyber hygiene is a necessary part of maintaining IT security. Setting up processes and procedures within your organisation’s regular operating procedures is an effective way to maintain cyber hygiene. Although the responsibilities may differ by position, everyone in the organisation plays a role.
An audit provides important information on where and where you need to improve. It also provides a baseline for measuring improvement and effectiveness. The key to success is to integrate hygiene into routine process starting top down from policies into every part of the business and making use of third party experts to help aid in the process.
https://www.trendmicro.com/en_us/devops/23/e/cyber-hygiene-audit-best-practices.html
Governance, Risk and Compliance
Company size doesn't matter when it comes to cyber attacks - Help Net Security
How to Keep Cyber attacks from Tanking Your Balance Sheet (hbr.org)
The great CISO resignation: Why security leaders are quitting in droves - SDxCentral
‘Exceptional’ cyber attacks now normal, says BT security chief (thetimes.co.uk)
HowTo: Improve Your Cyber Resilience - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)
The strategic importance of digital trust for modern businesses - Help Net Security
Vendors: Threat actor taxonomies are confusing but essential | TechTarget
Experts Not Willing To Wager A Candy Bar On Their Security (forbes.com)
Breaking Enterprise Silos and Improving Protection – Security Week
Zero-Day Vulnerabilities: 17 Consequences And Complications (forbes.com)
Insider risk management: Where your program resides shapes its focus | CSO Online
Threats
Ransomware, Extortion and Destructive Attacks
Attackers leave organisations with no recovery option - Help Net Security
The Sobering Truth About Ransomware—For The 80% Who Paid Up (forbes.com)
Rogue IT security worker failed to cover his tracks | Tripwire
Organisations Worldwide Targeted in Rapidly Evolving Buhti Ransomware Operation – Security Week
The Week in Ransomware - May 26th 2023 - Cities Under Attack (bleepingcomputer.com)
Cyble — Obsidian ORB Ransomware Demands Gift Cards as Payment
AceCryptor: Cyber criminals' Powerful Weapon, Detected in 240K+ Attacks (thehackernews.com)
BlackCat (ALPHV) Ransomware Levels Up for Stealth, Speed and Exfiltration (securityintelligence.com)
Investigating BlackSuit Ransomware’s Similarities to Royal (trendmicro.com)
Fighting ransomware: Perspectives from cyber security professionals - Help Net Security
Ransomware Victims
New York county still dealing with ransomware 8 months later • The Register
ABB confirms data stolen in Black Basta ransomware attack | SC Media (scmagazine.com)
SAS Airlines hit by $3 million ransom demand following DDoS attacks (bitdefender.com)
Industrial Giant ABB Confirms Ransomware Attack, Data Theft – Security Week
MCNA Dental data breach impacts 8.9 million people after ransomware attack (bleepingcomputer.com)
Harvard Pilgrim Health Care ransomware attack hits 2.5 million people (bleepingcomputer.com)
Cyble — Bl00dy Ransomware Targets Indian University: Actively Exploiting PaperCut Vulnerability
Phishing & Email Based Attacks
Phishing campaigns thrive as evasive tactics outsmart conventional detection - Help Net Security
Organisations spend 100 hours battling post-delivery email threats - Help Net Security
Phishing remained the top identity abuser in 2022: IDSA report | CSO Online
New phishing technique poses as a browser-based file archiver | CSO Online
Sustained 'Red Deer' Phishing Attacks Impersonate Israel Post, Drop RATs (darkreading.com)
North Korean phishing gang stole rocket tech info • The Register
Artificial Intelligence
AI: War crimes evidence erased by social media platforms - BBC News
Artificial Intelligence's Risks and Rewards in Cyber security (analyticsinsight.net)
ChatGPT Plugins Open Security Holes From PDFs, Websites and More | Tom's Hardware (tomshardware.com)
What not to share with ChatGPT if you use it for work | Mashable
Is ChatGPT a cyber security disaster? We asked the experts | Digital Trends
Generative AI: The new attack vector for trust and safety - Help Net Security
2FA/MFA
Malware
QBot malware abuses Windows WordPad EXE to infect devices (bleepingcomputer.com)
New Stealthy Bandit Stealer Targeting Web Browsers and Cryptocurrency Wallets (thehackernews.com)
Raspberry Pi Malware Infects Using Default Username and Password | Tom's Hardware (tomshardware.com)
Tracking down a trojan: An inside look at threat hunting in a corporate network (malwarebytes.com)
RomCom malware spread via Google Ads for ChatGPT, GIMP, more (bleepingcomputer.com)
Stealthy SeroXen RAT malware increasingly used to target gamers (bleepingcomputer.com)
Terminator antivirus killer is a vulnerable Windows driver in disguise (bleepingcomputer.com)
Top macOS Malware Threats: Here Are 6 to Watch (darkreading.com)
PyPI malware ramps up the threat to the code repository • The Register
Evasive QBot Malware Leverages Short-lived Residential IPs for Dynamic Attacks (thehackernews.com)
Cyber criminals use legitimate websites to obfuscate malicious payloads - Help Net Security
North Korean ScarCruft Hackers Exploit LNK Files to Spread RokRAT (thehackernews.com)
Mobile
Don't be polite when you get a text from a wrong number | kens5.com
Predator Android Spyware: Researchers Uncover New Data Theft Capabilities (thehackernews.com)
Android threat: 'Guerrilla' virus sneakily snuck onto 8.9m phones (citizen.co.za)
Operation Triangulation: previously undetected malware targets iOS devices - Security Affairs
Russian government accuses Apple of colluding with NSA in iPhone spy operation | CyberScoop
Android apps with spyware installed 421 million times from Google Play (bleepingcomputer.com)
Botnets
Active Mirai Botnet Variant Exploiting Zyxel Devices for DDoS Attacks (thehackernews.com)
What Are Botnet Attacks & Explained Prevention Techniques | EC-Council (eccouncil.org)
Denial of Service/DoS/DDOS
SAS Airlines hit by $3 million ransom demand following DDoS attacks (bitdefender.com)
Active Mirai Botnet Variant Exploiting Zyxel Devices for DDoS Attacks (thehackernews.com)
Internet of Things – IoT
Active Mirai Botnet Variant Exploiting Zyxel Devices for DDoS Attacks (thehackernews.com)
Home routers helped Chinese hackers breach US Navy networks (mybroadband.co.za)
Hackers Win $105,000 for Reporting Critical Security Flaws in Sonos One Speakers (thehackernews.com)
Solar panels vulnerable to hackers, concern for network security - DutchNews.nl
Data Breaches/Leaks
Tesla Whistleblower Leaks 100GB of Data, Revealing Safety Complaints (darkreading.com)
Dutch watchdog looking into alleged Tesla data breach | Reuters
NHS data breach: trusts shared patient details with Facebook without consent | Health | The Guardian
The root causes of API incidents and data breaches - Help Net Security
Pentagon Leaks Emphasise the Need for a Trusted Workforce (darkreading.com)
Yet Another Toyota Cloud Data Breach Jeopardises Thousands of Customers (darkreading.com)
Hacking forum hacked, user database leaked online • Graham Cluley
Risk & Repeat: A troubling trend of poor breach disclosures | TechTarget
New MOVEit Transfer zero-day mass-exploited in data theft attacks (bleepingcomputer.com)
Workforce platform Prosperix leaks drivers licenses and medical records - Security Affairs
Organised Crime & Criminal Actors
US intelligence research agency examines cyber psychology to outwit criminal hackers | CyberScoop
What is the Cyber Crime Atlas? How it can help disrupt cyber crime | CSO Online
New hacking forum leaks data of 478,000 RaidForums members (bleepingcomputer.com)
Hacking forum hacked, user database leaked online • Graham Cluley
Tricks of the trade: How a cyber crime ring operated a multi‑level fraud scheme | WeLiveSecurity
3 signs your kids may be hackers and what to do about it | Euronews
“I was a teenage hacker”: Two child hackers share their stories | Euronews
Cryptocurrency/Cryptomining/Cryptojacking/NFTs/Blockchain
New Stealthy Bandit Stealer Targeting Web Browsers and Cryptocurrency Wallets (thehackernews.com)
Hacked DJ's Twitter account costs cryptocurrency investors $170,000 (bitdefender.com)
Cyber criminals Targeting Apache NiFi Instances for Cryptocurrency Mining (thehackernews.com)
Insider Risk and Insider Threats
Rogue IT security worker failed to cover his tracks | Tripwire
Pentagon Leaks Emphasise the Need for a Trusted Workforce (darkreading.com)
Insider risk management: Where your program resides shapes its focus | CSO Online
Fraud, Scams & Financial Crime
Don't be polite when you get a text from a wrong number | kens5.comTricks of the trade: How a cyber crime ring operated a multi‑level fraud scheme | WeLiveSecurity
HMRC in New Tax Credits Scam Warning - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)
AML/CFT/Sanctions
Insurance
Why You Need Cyber Insurance and How to Obtain It - Arctic Wolf
Cyber Insurance: A Growth Market for Insurers With Some Caveats (carriermanagement.com)
Dark Web
Supply Chain and Third Parties
Software Supply Chain
Cloud/SaaS
One of Microsoft Azure's top tools has a serious security flaw | TechRadar
Top public cloud security concerns for the media and entertainment industry - Help Net Security
Cloud Security: Don’t Confuse Vendor and Tool Consolidation - The New Stack
Why organisations should adopt a cloud cyber security framework - Help Net Security
Can Cloud Services Encourage Better Login Security? Netflix's Accidental Model (darkreading.com)
Hybrid/Remote Working
Shadow IT
Identity and Access Management
Encryption
API
Open Source
Passwords, Credential Stuffing & Brute Force Attacks
Raspberry Pi Malware Infects Using Default Username and Password | Tom's Hardware (tomshardware.com)
Swiss real estate agency Neho fails to put a password on its systems - Security Affairs
Can Cloud Services Encourage Better Login Security? Netflix's Accidental Model (darkreading.com)
Social Media
NHS data breach: trusts shared patient details with Facebook without consent | Health | The Guardian
Twitter pulls out of voluntary EU disinformation code - BBC News
AI: War crimes evidence erased by social media platforms - BBC News
Malvertising
Training, Education and Awareness
Travel
Travel-Themed Phishing, BEC Campaigns Get Smarter as Summer Season Arrives (darkreading.com)
US court finds that border phone searches need a warrant • The Register
Parental Controls and Child Safety
3 signs your kids may be hackers and what to do about it | Euronews
“I was a teenage hacker”: Two child hackers share their stories | Euronews
Regulations, Fines and Legislation
OneMain pays $4.5M after ignored security flaws caused data breaches | SC Media (scmagazine.com)
Netflix warns it may remove content from UK catalogue over government media bill | The Independent
Models, Frameworks and Standards
Data Protection
Careers, Working in Cyber and Information Security
Ways to Help Cyber security's Essential Workers Avoid Burnout (darkreading.com)
Managing mental health in cyber security - Help Net Security
ISACA pledges to help grow cyber security workforce in Europe | CSO Online
Law Enforcement Action and Take Downs
Privacy, Surveillance and Mass Monitoring
Misinformation, Disinformation and Propaganda
Spyware, Cyber Espionage & Cyber Warfare, including Russian Invasion of Ukraine
Ukraine war blurs lines between cyber crims and state hacks • The Register
Pegasus Spyware Is Detected in a War Zone for the First Time | WIRED
Russian government accuses Apple of colluding with NSA in iPhone spy operation | CyberScoop
How giant pieces of spyware are shaping our views and our world | Evening Standard
Predator may have more spyware capabilities than we know • The Register
Cyberweapon manufacturers plot to stay on the right side of US | Financial Times (ft.com)
Suspected Russia-trained spy whale reappears off Sweden’s coast | Sweden | The Guardian
AI: War crimes evidence erased by social media platforms - BBC News
Nation State Actors
China hacking Guam: Can the US stop foreign cyber attacks? | The Week
Russian government accuses Apple of colluding with NSA in iPhone spy operation | CyberScoop
US sanctions orgs behind North Korea’s ‘illicit’ IT worker army (bleepingcomputer.com)
Home routers helped Chinese hackers breach US Navy networks (mybroadband.co.za)
Investigation Launched After London City Airport Website Hacked (simpleflying.com)
Taiwan rushes to prevent China from cutting off internet and phones | The Japan Times
North Korea says spy satellite launch crashed into sea - BBC News
Dark Pink hackers continue to target govt and military organisations (bleepingcomputer.com)
The next Chinese tech threat is already here | The Spectator
North Korean phishing gang stole rocket tech info • The Register
North Korea's Kimsuky Group Mimics Key Figures in Targeted Cyber Attacks (thehackernews.com)
North Korean ScarCruft Hackers Exploit LNK Files to Spread RokRAT (thehackernews.com)
Vulnerability Management
Zero-Day Vulnerabilities: 17 Consequences And Complications (forbes.com)
Implementing Risk-Based Vulnerability Discovery and Remediation (thehackernews.com)
Focus Security Efforts on Choke Points, Not Visibility (darkreading.com)
Vulnerabilities
New MOVEit Transfer zero-day mass-exploited in data theft attacks (bleepingcomputer.com)
Zero-day vulnerability in MoveIt Transfer under attack | TechTarget
Alert: Hackers Exploit Barracuda Email Security Gateway 0-Day Flaw for 7 Months (thehackernews.com)
WordPress plugin ‘Gravity Forms’ vulnerable to PHP object injection (bleepingcomputer.com)
WordPress force installs critical Jetpack patch on 5 million sites (bleepingcomputer.com)
Microsoft finds macOS bug that lets hackers bypass SIP root restrictions (bleepingcomputer.com)
Zyxel patches vulnerability in NAS devices (CVE-2023-27988) - Help Net Security
Critical Firmware Vulnerability in Gigabyte Systems Exposes ~7 Million Devices (thehackernews.com)
Millions of Gigabyte Motherboards Were Sold With a Firmware Backdoor | WIRED
Barracuda Email Security Gateway under active attack • The Register
MacOS 'Migraine' Bug: Big Headache for Device System Integrity (darkreading.com)
FTC accuses Amazon of nightmare IoT security fails • The Register
Critical Vulnerabilities Found in Faronics Education Software – Security Week
Tools and Controls
HowTo: Improve Your Cyber Resilience - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)
The strategic importance of digital trust for modern businesses - Help Net Security
Vendors: Threat actor taxonomies are confusing but essential | TechTarget
Artificial Intelligence's Risks and Rewards in Cyber security (analyticsinsight.net)
Digital nomads drive changes in identity verification - Help Net Security
Tracking down a trojan: An inside look at threat hunting in a corporate network (malwarebytes.com)
The Top 10 endpoint security challenges and how to overcome them | VentureBeat
Why You Need Cyber Insurance and How to Obtain It - Arctic Wolf
Cloud Security: Don’t Confuse Vendor and Tool Consolidation - The New Stack
Disaster recovery challenges enterprise CISOs face - Help Net Security
Implementing Risk-Based Vulnerability Discovery and Remediation (thehackernews.com)
Research Reveals UK Firms Plan to Embrace New Era of Digital Identity- IT Security Guru
Reports Published in the Last Week
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 05 May 2023
Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing 05 May 2023:
- Boards Need Better Conversations About Cyber Security
- Uber’s Ex-Security Chief Sentenced for Security Breach
- Global Cyber Attacks Rise by 7% in Q1 2023
- Three-Quarters of Firms Predict Breach in Coming Year
- The Costly Threat That Many Businesses Fail to Address
- European Data at Risk with Tick-box GDPR Compliance and High Cyber Attack Volumes
- Understanding Cyber Threat Intelligence for Business Security
- Hackers Are Finding Ways to Evade Latest Cyber Security Tools
- Study Shows a 27% Spike in Publicly Known Ransomware Victims
- Data Loss Costs Are Going Up – and Not Just for Those Who Choose to Pay Thieves
- Give NotPetya-hit Merck that $1.4B, Appeals Court Tells Insurers
- 4 Ways Leaders Should Re-evaluate Their Cyber Security's Focus
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
Boards Need Better Conversations About Cyber Security
In a survey by Harvard Business Review, 65% of directors believed their organisations were at risk of a cyber attack within the next 12 months, and almost half believed they were unprepared to cope with such an attack. Boards that struggle with their role in providing oversight for cyber security create a security problem for their organisations. By not focusing on resilience, boards fail their companies and their stakeholders.
Regarding board interactions with CISOs, just 69% of responding board members see eye-to-eye with their chief information security officers (CISOs). Fewer than half (47%) of members serve on boards that interact with their CISOs regularly, and almost a third of them only see their CISOs at board presentations. This is worrying, as this leaves little time for leaders to have a meaningful dialogue about cyber security.
As a result, boards need to discuss their organisations’ cyber security-induced risks and evaluate plans to manage those risks frequently; the CISO should be involved in this. With the right conversations about keeping the organisation resilient, they can take the next step to provide adequate cyber security oversight. To bring more cyber security into the board room, board members may need to gain expertise, whether through frequent training or development programmes.
https://hbr.org/2023/05/boards-are-having-the-wrong-conversations-about-cybersecurity
Uber’s Ex-Security Chief Sentenced for Security Breach
Earlier this week, Uber’s former head of cyber security, Joseph Sullivan, faced several years of prison time for covering up a massive security breach at the ride-hailing company seven years ago. When it actually came to sentencing he managed to avoid jail but received three years of probation and 200 hours of community service, despite pleas from the prosecution to throw him in jail.
The case highlights the seriousness of covering up a security breach, as at one point the ex-security chief was looking at 24-30 months of jail time. With increasing regulations and focus on cyber security, it is unlikely that this is a one-off incident.
https://gizmodo.com/uber-security-joe-sullivan-sentenced-prison-data-breach-1850403347
Global Cyber Attacks Rise by 7% in Q1 2023
Weekly cyber attacks have increased worldwide by 7% in Q1 2023 compared to the same period last year, with each firm facing an average of 1,248 attacks per week according to Check Point’s latest research. The report highlights a number of sophisticated campaigns including using ChatGPT for code generation to help less-skilled threat actors effortlessly launch cyber attacks.
The Check Point report also shows that 1 in 31 organisations worldwide experienced a ransomware attack weekly over the first quarter of 2023. To defend against such threats, the security researchers recommended a series of cyber safety tips, such as keeping computers and servers up-to-date, conducting regular cyber awareness training and utilising better threat prevention tools, among others.
https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/global-cyber-attacks-rise-7-q1-2023/
Three-Quarters of Firms Predict a Breach in the Coming Year
Most global organisations anticipate suffering a data breach or cyber attack in the next 12 months. Trend Micro’s six-monthly Cyber Risk Index (CRI) was compiled from interviews with 3,729 global organisations.
While results of the index score move in a positive direction showing organisations are taking steps to improve cyber preparedness, most responding organisations are pessimistic about the year ahead.
Respondents pointed to both negligent insiders and mobile users, and a lack of trained staff, as a key cause of concern going forward. Alongside cloud infrastructure and virtual computing environments, these comprised the top five infrastructure risks.
https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/threequarters-firms-predict-breach/
The Costly Threat That Many Businesses Fail to Address
Insider attacks such as fraud, sabotage, and data theft plague 71% of businesses, according to a recent report. The report found companies that allow excessive data access are much more likely to suffer insider attacks. However, only 57% of companies limit data appropriately while 31% allow employees access to more data than necessary and 12% allow employees access to all company data.
Alarmingly, of the companies that have experienced insider attacks, one in three (34%) report that the attack involved an employee with privileged access. Data theft was the most common type of insider attack, reported by 38% of businesses.
Insider attacks can damage businesses’ reputations, finances, and competitiveness, and therefore companies should take a proactive approach in preventing these incidents.
https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2023/05/02/insider-attacks-damage/
European Data at Risk with Tick-box GDPR Compliance and High Cyber Attack Volumes
Recent research revealed that European IT and security leaders may be dangerously over-confident in their ability to avoid cyber attacks and mitigate the risk of serious data compromise. The findings reveal that most organisations have suffered a serious cyber attack in the last two years, with over half of respondents saying their company suffered an attack 1 to 3 times in this time period. Worryingly, 20% of respondents claim to have been attacked 4 to 6 times. Only 18% managed to avoid an attack altogether.
Worryingly, three-quarters (76%) of those interviewed admit they’re taking a tick-box approach to GDPR compliance, which involves doing the bare minimum on data privacy and security. Although most (97%) have a contingency plan in place should they get breached, a quarter (26%) have not tested it.
Around two-thirds of respondents say their organisation considers customer (66%) and financial data (63%) to be “risky.” But the figure drops to 60% for employee data, and even further for intellectual property (45%) and health data (28%). Alarmingly, health-related data is classified as a special category data by GDPR, meaning it requires more protection.
Understanding Cyber Threat Intelligence for Business Security
Cyber threat intelligence is not a solution itself, but a crucial component of any mature security programme, enabling organisations to gain insights into the motives, targets and behaviours of threat actors. As such, it is crucial for businesses looking to protect themselves from the ever-evolving cyber threat landscape.
Some of the benefits of effective cyber threat intelligence to a business include early threat detection, improved response, regulation compliance, competitive advantage and cost savings. It is important to highlight that an organisation does not need to come up with their own cyber threat intelligence initiative, it can instead be purchased as a service.
Hackers Are Finding Ways to Evade Latest Cyber Security Tools
As hacking has gotten more destructive and pervasive, new defensive tools continue to be developed. One such tool is called endpoint detection and response (EDR) software, it’s designed to spot early signs of malicious activity on laptops, servers and other devices known as “endpoints” on a computer network — and block them before intruders can steal data or lock the machines.
Experts however, claim hackers have developed workarounds for some forms of the technology, allowing them to slip past products that have become the gold standard for protecting critical systems. Security software is not enough on its own, it is just one of the layers of defence that organisations should employ as part of their cyber resilience; there is no silver bullet.
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/hackers-finding-ways-evade-latest-131600565.html
Study Shows a 27% Spike in Publicly Known Ransomware Victims
A report released this week highlights a 27% increase in publicly known ransomware victims in the first quarter of the year. Some of the report’s key findings include the fact that manufacturing, technology, education, banking, finance, and healthcare organisations are the largest to be exposed to ransomware.
The report identified an increase in the use of “double extortion” as an attack model. This method is where ransomware groups not only encrypt files but also exfiltrate data. The top five most active ransomware threat actors are LockBit, Clop, AlphV, Royal and BianLian.
Data Loss Costs Are Going Up – and Not Just for Those Who Choose to Pay Thieves
A recent report found while the number of ransomware incidents that firms responded to dipped in early 2022, it came roaring back toward the end of the year and into early 2023. With this came higher ransom demands and, eventually, payments. The largest ransom demand last year was more than $90 million, with the largest payment exceeding $8 million. Both were larger than in 2021 (more than $60 million and $5.5 million respectively).
Ransomware groups are upping their attacks all the time and you don’t want to be an easy target.
https://www.theregister.com/2023/05/02/data_breach_costs_rise/
Give NotPetya-hit Merck that $1.4B, Appeals Court Tells Insurers
In a significant ruling this week a court in the US found that pharmaceutical company Merck's insurers can't use an "act of war" clause to deny the pharmaceutical giant an enormous payout to clean up its NotPetya infection from 2017. The ruling will also undoubtedly affect the language used in underwriting policies, especially when it comes to risks such as ransomware and cyber warfare.
https://www.theregister.com/2023/05/03/merck_14bn_insurance_payout_upheld/
4 Ways Leaders Should Re-evaluate Their Cyber Security's Focus
The technology industry has long been building walls around structured data and communications—with little consideration of how employees use that information. Outlined below are four 4 ways leaders can better protect raw data.
Recognise that priorities have evolved.
Understand that security burdens have changed.
Understand why, despite best efforts, criminals are still successful.
Evaluate the ways in which you are protecting your most vulnerable data.
Threats
Ransomware, Extortion and Destructive Attacks
Data loss costs go up, and not just from ransom shakedowns • The Register
To Fight Ransomware, Move Beyond Detection to Real-Time Response, Fortinet Study Says - MSSP Alert
Using Threat Intelligence to Get Smarter About Ransomware – Security Week
Merck's $1.4B NotPetya insurance payout upheld by court • The Register
GuidePoint Study Shows a 27% Spike in Public Ransomware Victims - MSSP Alert
Rapture, a Ransomware Family With Similarities to Paradise (trendmicro.com)
The Tragic Fallout From a School District’s Ransomware Breach | WIRED
Hackers leak images to taunt Western Digital's cyber attack response (bleepingcomputer.com)
‘Big game hunting’ hackers ALPHV claim major breach of law firm HWL Ebsworth (afr.com)
FBI Uncovers 9 Crypto Exchanges In Ransomware Laundering (informationsecuritybuzz.com)
Legitimate Software Abuse: A Disturbing Trend in Ransomware Attacks (darkreading.com)
US, Ukraine Shut Down Cryptocurrency Exchanges Used by Cyber criminals – Security Week
BlackCat group releases screenshots of stolen Western Digital data | CSO Online
Ransomware Attack Affects Dallas Police, Court Websites – Security Week
Studies show ransomware has already caused patient deaths | TechTarget
Cold storage giant Americold outage caused by network breach (bleepingcomputer.com)
Payment software giant AvidXchange suffers its second ransomware attack of 2023 | TechCrunch
City of Dallas hit by Royal ransomware attack impacting IT services (bleepingcomputer.com)
Ransomware gang hijacks university alert system to issue threats (bleepingcomputer.com)
Cyber attack cost conveyancing giant £7m - but the insurers paid up | News | Law Gazette
Teiss - News - Lockbit 3.0 targets Fullerton India, demands a £2.3 million ransom
Phishing & Email Based Attacks
Malicious HTML Attachment Volumes Surge - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)
A Comprehensive Look At Email-Based Threats In 2023 (informationsecuritybuzz.com)
Other Social Engineering; Smishing, Vishing, etc
Malware
ViperSoftX info-stealing malware now targets password managers (bleepingcomputer.com)
Google Ads Abused to Lure Corporate Workers to LOBSHOT Backdoor (darkreading.com)
Security experts are using malware's own code to protect potential victims | TechSpot
New Decoy Dog Malware Toolkit Uncovered: Targeting Enterprise Networks (thehackernews.com)
How to Detect and Remove a Keylogger From Your Computer (howtogeek.com)
Hackers start using double DLL sideloading to evade detection (bleepingcomputer.com)
Mobile
Apple pushes first-ever 'rapid' patch, rapidly screws up • The Register
Google fought a mountain of malware in 2022 | Android Central
Google Bans Thousands of Play Store Developer Accounts to Block Malware (darkreading.com)
Digital Intruders – Top Ways Hackers Can Breach Your Smartphone’s Security (freecodecamp.org)
Smartphone owners warned about ‘shoulder-surfing’ thieves (thetimes.co.uk)
Botnets
Cyber criminals use proxies to legitimise fraudulent requests - Help Net Security
Bot Attacks Are Easy to Launch, Human Security Reports - MSSP Alert
Denial of Service/DoS/DDOS
Internet of Things – IoT
Hackers exploit 5-year-old unpatched flaw in TBK DVR devices (bleepingcomputer.com)
CISA warns of Mirai botnet exploiting TP-Link routers • The Register
Drone goggles maker claims firmware sabotaged to ‘brick’ devices (bleepingcomputer.com)
Data Breaches/Leaks
Kodi Forum Data Breach - Lessons Learned, Actions Taken | News | Kodi
T-Mobile suffered the second data breach in 2023 - Security Affairs
Sensitive data is being leaked from servers running Salesforce software | Ars Technica
ChatGPT Confirms Data Breach, Raising Security Concerns (securityintelligence.com)
Millions of patients’ data confirmed stolen after Fortra mass-hack | TechCrunch
TikTok security breach allowed attackers to leak personal information (ynetnews.com)
Organised Crime & Criminal Actors
Cryptocurrency/Cryptomining/Cryptojacking/NFTs/Blockchain
Crooks broke into AT&T email accounts to empty their crypto wallets - Security Affairs
Level Finance crypto exchange hacked after two security audits (bleepingcomputer.com)
Hackers stole $93M from crypto projects in April (cryptoslate.com)
Insider Risk and Insider Threats
The costly threat that many businesses fail to address - Help Net Security
The hidden security risks in tech layoffs and how to mitigate them | CSO Online
Fraud, Scams & Financial Crime
Hackers swap stealth for realistic checkout forms to steal credit cards (bleepingcomputer.com)
Advanced Fee Fraud Surges by Over 600% - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)
Cyber criminals use proxies to legitimize fraudulent requests - Help Net Security
UK to ban all cold calls selling financial products - BBC News
Smartphone owners warned about ‘shoulder-surfing’ thieves (thetimes.co.uk)
UK intelligence agencies to step up anti-fraud efforts | Financial Times (ft.com)
National Crime Agency urged to crush rogue US candy stores (thetimes.co.uk)
Clampdown on cold calls and mass texting technology announced in UK | Scams | The Guardian
AML/CFT/Sanctions
Dark Web
FBI Uncovers 9 Crypto Exchanges In Ransomware Laundering (informationsecuritybuzz.com)
US, Ukraine Shut Down Cryptocurrency Exchanges Used by Cyber criminals – Security Week
Supply Chain and Third Parties
How to keep calm and carry on in a supply chain attack • The Register
SolarWinds: The Untold Story of the Boldest Supply-Chain Hack | WIRED
DOJ Detected SolarWinds Breach Months Before Public Disclosure | WIRED
Aviva says it thinks customer data secure after Capita cyber attack (proactiveinvestors.co.uk)
Cloud/SaaS
Using just-in-time access to reduce cloud security risk - Help Net Security
Cloud security threats are growing faster than ever | TechRadar
Hybrid/Remote Working
Employees Using ‘Productivity Theater’ To Protect Against Surveillance, Study Finds (forbes.com)
White House seeks information on tools used for automated employee surveillance | Computerworld
Attack Surface Management
Encryption
API
Report shows 92% of orgs experienced an API security incident last year | VentureBeat
Researchers Discover 3 Vulnerabilities in Microsoft Azure API Management Service (thehackernews.com)
5 API security best practices you must implement - Help Net Security
Top API vulnerabilities organisations can't afford to ignore - Help Net Security
Open Source
Passwords, Credential Stuffing & Brute Force Attacks
ViperSoftX info-stealing malware now targets password managers (bleepingcomputer.com)
Your passwords could be cracked using thermal cameras powered by AI | TechRadar
Your Google Account is getting rid of its password (androidpolice.com)
PSA. Don’t share your password in your app’s release notes • Graham Cluley
Social Media
TikTok security breach allowed attackers to leak personal information (ynetnews.com)
Twitter outage logs you out and won’t let you back in (bleepingcomputer.com)
Meta kills over 1,000 ChatGPT-related malicious spoofs • The Register
Strike 3: FTC says Meta still failing to protect privacy • The Register
Malvertising
Regulations, Fines and Legislation
European Data at Risk With Tick-box GDPR Compliance and High Cyber attack Volumes- IT Security Guru
White House unveils AI rules to address safety and privacy | Computerworld
Governance, Risk and Compliance
Hackers Are Finding Ways to Evade Latest Cyber security Tools (yahoo.com)
Global Cyber Attacks Rise by 7% in Q1 2023 - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)
European Data at Risk With Tick-box GDPR Compliance and High Cyber attack Volumes- IT Security Guru
Data loss costs go up, and not just from ransom shakedowns • The Register
Boards Are Having the Wrong Conversations About Cyber security (hbr.org)
Uber Ex-Security Chief Joe Sullivan to Be Sentenced for Breach (gizmodo.com)
Trends and Insights from the New Global Threat Intelligence Report - MSSP Alert
Why Your Detection-First Security Approach Isn't Working (thehackernews.com)
How Strategic Threat Intelligence Elevates a Cyber security Program (accelerationeconomy.com)
Benefits and Challenges of Data Analytics in Cyber security (analyticsinsight.net)
What the Cyber security Industry Can Learn From the SVB Crisis (darkreading.com)
4 Ways Leaders Should Reevaluate Their Cyber security's Focus (forbes.com)
Optimising Cyber Security Costs In A Recession (informationsecuritybuzz.com)
Malicious content lurks all over the web - Help Net Security
Microsoft Digital Defence Report: Key Cyber crime Trends (darkreading.com)
Closing up holes: Infoseccers on being less reactive • The Register
Organisations brace for cyber attacks despite improved preparedness - Help Net Security
Global Cyber Risk Lowers to Moderate Level in 2H' 2022 (trendmicro.com)
Japan’s ‘myth of security’ raises cyber attack risk | Financial Times (ft.com)
Secure Disposal
Careers, Working in Cyber and Information Security
UK Cyber Security Council launches certification mapping tool - Help Net Security
DHS’ cyber talent management system slowly gaining traction | Federal News Network
The warning signs for security analyst burnout and ways to prevent - Help Net Security
Google Launches Cyber security Career Certificate Program (darkreading.com)
Law Enforcement Action and Take Downs
FBI Uncovers 9 Crypto Exchanges In Ransomware Laundering (informationsecuritybuzz.com)
US, Ukraine Shut Down Cryptocurrency Exchanges Used by Cyber criminals - SecurityWeek
Privacy, Surveillance and Mass Monitoring
Open Banking: A Perfect Storm for Security and Privacy? - SecurityWeek
Employees Using ‘Productivity Theater’ To Protect Against Surveillance, Study Finds (forbes.com)
Apple and Google Team Up to Stop Unwanted Tracking by AirTags, Other Devices - CNET
White House seeks information on tools used for automated employee surveillance | Computerworld
Strike 3: FTC says Meta still failing to protect privacy • The Register
Artificial Intelligence
5 ways threat actors can use ChatGPT to enhance attacks | CSO Online
Workers are secretly using ChatGPT, AI, with big risks for companies (cnbc.com)
AI will do 'real damage', warns Microsoft chief (telegraph.co.uk)
Microsoft’s chief economist says A.I. can be dangerous | Fortune
It's time to harden AI and ML for cyber security | TechTarget
Stop using generative-AI tools, Samsung orders staff | Digital Trends
ChatGPT Confirms Data Breach, Raising Security Concerns (securityintelligence.com)
How To Secure Web Applications Against AI-assisted Cyber Attacks (bleepingcomputer.com)
PrivateGPT Tackles Sensitive Info in ChatGPT Prompts (darkreading.com)
Meta kills over 1,000 ChatGPT-related malicious spoofs • The Register
How AI is reshaping the cyber security landscape - Help Net Security
White House unveils AI rules to address safety and privacy | Computerworld
Misinformation, Disinformation and Propaganda
Spyware, Cyber Espionage & Cyber Warfare, including Russian Invasion of Ukraine
Hackers use fake ‘Windows Update’ guides to target Ukrainian govt (bleepingcomputer.com)
Russian APT Hacked Tajikistani Carrier to Spy on Government, Public Services - SecurityWeek
Russian APT Nomadic Octopus hacked Tajikistani carrier - Security Affairs
Russia’s APT28 targets Ukraine with bogus Windows updates • The Register
Russian spy network smuggles sensitive EU tech despite sanctions | Financial Times (ft.com)
Finnish newspaper hides Ukraine news reports for Russians in online game | Censorship | The Guardian
Meta Unravels Social Media Cyber Espionage Operations In South Asia (informationsecuritybuzz.com)
Nation State Actors
China’s Hackers Vastly Outnumber US. Cyber Agents by 50 to 1, FBI Director Testifies - MSSP Alert
Chinese APT Uses New 'Stack Rumbling' Technique to Disable Security Software - SecurityWeek
China 'Innovated' Its Cyber attack Tradecraft, Mandia Says (darkreading.com)
'BellaCiao' Showcases How Iran's Threat Groups Are Modernizing Their Malware (darkreading.com)
APT41 Subgroup Plows Through Asia-Pacific, Utilizing Layered Stealth Tactics (darkreading.com)
APT41’s PowerShell Backdoor Download Files From Windows (cyber securitynews.com)
US Chamber of Commerce warns of major increase in risks for businesses in China | CNN Business
China’s ‘men in black’ step up scrutiny of foreign corporate sleuths | Financial Times (ft.com)
Microsoft says Iranian hackers combine influence ops with hacking for maximum impact | CyberScoop
Attack on Security Titans: Earth Longzhi Returns With New Tricks (trendmicro.com)
North Korean APT Gets Around Macro-Blocking With LNK Switch-Up (darkreading.com)
Meta Unravels Social Media Cyber Espionage Operations In South Asia (informationsecuritybuzz.com)
China labels USA ‘Empire of hacking’ citing old WikiLeaks • The Register
Kimsuky hackers use new recon tool to find security gaps (bleepingcomputer.com)
Vulnerability Management
Vulnerabilities
WordPress Vulnerability Hits +1 Million Using Header & Footer Plugin (searchenginejournal.com)
Cisco discloses a bug in Prime Collaboration Deployment solution - Security Affairs
Cisco Warns of Critical Vulnerability in EoL Phone Adapters - SecurityWeek
Apple pushes first-ever 'rapid' patch, rapidly screws up • The Register
Zyxel Firewall Devices Vulnerable to Remote Code Execution Attacks — Patch Now (thehackernews.com)
Researchers Uncover New BGP Flaws in Popular Internet Routing Protocol Software (thehackernews.com)
AMD TPM Exploit: faulTPM Attack Defeats BitLocker and TPM-Based Security (Updated) (msn.com)
Netgear Vulnerabilities Lead to Credentials Leak, Privilege Escalation - SecurityWeek
Researchers Discover 3 Vulnerabilities in Microsoft Azure API Management Service (thehackernews.com)
Apple Releases First-Ever Security Updates for Beats, AirPods Headphones - SecurityWeek
Some of the top AMD chips are suffering a serious security flaw | TechRadar
Tools and Controls
How Strategic Threat Intelligence Elevates a Cyber security Program (accelerationeconomy.com)
86 percent of developers knowingly deploy vulnerable code (betanews.com)
The hidden security risks in tech layoffs and how to mitigate them | CSO Online
Benefits and Challenges of Data Analytics in Cyber security (analyticsinsight.net)
ViperSoftX info-stealing malware now targets password managers (bleepingcomputer.com)
It's time to harden AI and ML for cyber security | TechTarget
Using just-in-time access to reduce cloud security risk - Help Net Security
Using multiple solutions adds complexity to your zero trust strategy - Help Net Security
Your decommissioned routers could be a security disaster | Network World
Wanted Dead or Alive: Real-Time Protection Against Lateral Movement (thehackernews.com)
5 API security best practices you must implement - Help Net Security
3 questions CISOs expect you to answer during a security pitch | TechCrunch
Level Finance crypto exchange hacked after two security audits (bleepingcomputer.com)
4 Principles for Creating a New Blueprint for Secure Software Development (darkreading.com)
How To Secure Web Applications Against AI-assisted Cyber Attacks (bleepingcomputer.com)
AppSec Making Progress or Spinning Its Wheels? (darkreading.com)
Windows admins can now sign up for ‘known issue’ email alerts (bleepingcomputer.com)
Top API vulnerabilities organisations can't afford to ignore - Help Net Security
How AI is reshaping the cyber security landscape - Help Net Security
Getting cyber-resilience right in a zero-trust world starts at the endpoint | VentureBeat
Practical Protection: Limiting the Damage from Local Admin Accounts (practical365.com)
To Fight Cyber Extortion and Ransomware, Shift Left (trendmicro.com)
Using Threat Intelligence to Get Smarter About Ransomware – Security Week
New Generative AI Tools Aim to Improve Security (darkreading.com)
Other News
Firmware Looms as the Next Frontier for Cyber security (darkreading.com)
Open Banking: A Perfect Storm for Security and Privacy? – Security Week
Malicious content lurks all over the web - Help Net Security
How Public-Private Information Sharing Can Level the Cyber security Playing Field (darkreading.com)
Eric Idle tells RSAC to look in the bright side of life • The Register
Your decommissioned routers could be a security disaster | Network World
FBI Focuses on Cyber security With $90M Budget Request (darkreading.com)
Google will remove secure website indicators in Chrome 117 (bleepingcomputer.com)
Sector Specific
Industry specific threat intelligence reports are available.
Contact us to receive tailored reports specific to the industry/sector and geographies you operate in.
· Automotive
· Construction
· Critical National Infrastructure (CNI)
· Defence & Space
· Education & Academia
· Energy & Utilities
· Estate Agencies
· Financial Services
· FinTech
· Food & Agriculture
· Gaming & Gambling
· Government & Public Sector (including Law Enforcement)
· Health/Medical/Pharma
· Hotels & Hospitality
· Insurance
· Legal
· Manufacturing
· Maritime
· Oil, Gas & Mining
· OT, ICS, IIoT, SCADA & Cyber-Physical Systems
· Retail & eCommerce
· Small and Medium Sized Businesses (SMBs)
· Startups
· Telecoms
· Third Sector & Charities
· Transport & Aviation
· Web3
As usual, contact us to help assess where your risks lie and to ensure you are doing all you can do to keep you and your business secure.
Look out for our ‘Cyber Tip Tuesday’ video blog and on our YouTube channel.
You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.
Links to articles are for interest and awareness and linking to or reposting external content does not endorse any service or product, likewise we are not responsible for the security of external links.
Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing 28 April 2023
Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing 28 April 2023:
- Navigating The Future of Cyber: Business Strategy, Cyber Security Training, and Digital Transformation Are Key
- Shadow IT, SaaS Pose Security Liability for Enterprises
- The Strong Link Between Cyber Threat Intelligence and Digital Risk Protection
- Weak Credentials, Unpatched Vulnerabilities, Malicious Open Source Packages Causing Cloud Security Risks
- Over 70 billion Unprotected Files Available on Unsecured Web Servers
- Cyber Thieves Are Getting More Creative
- Modernising Vulnerability Management: The Move Toward Exposure Management
- Almost Three-quarters of Cyber Attacks Involve Ransomware
- Corporate Boards Pressure CISOs to Step Up Risk Mitigation Efforts
- NSA Sees ‘Significant’ Russian Intel Gathering on European, US Supply Chain Entities
- Email Threat Report 2023: Key Takeaways
- 5 Most Dangerous New Attack Techniques
- Many Public Salesforce Sites are Leaking Private Data
Welcome to this week’s Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing – a weekly digest, collated and curated by our cyber experts to provide senior and middle management with an easy to digest round up of the most notable threats, vulnerabilities, and cyber related news from the last week.
Top Cyber Stories of the Last Week
Navigating the Future of Cyber: Business Strategy, Cyber Security Training, and Digital Transformation are Key
Cyber investments have become table stakes for businesses around the world. Cyber crime is increasing, with 91% of organisations reporting at least one cyber incident in the past year. Not only are they growing in numbers, but they are becoming more sophisticated and diverse, with new threats constantly emerging. According to the 2023 Deloitte Global Future of Cyber survey, business leaders are changing how they think of cyber, and it’s emerging as a larger strategic discussion tied to an organisation’s long-term success.
Cyber is about more than protecting information—risk management, incident response planning, threat intelligence and training can often be directly correlated to increasing trust within businesses.
Cyber security training is essential for employees to ensure the safety and security of a business. Employees are often the first line of defence against cyber-attacks and frequently the weakest link in an organisation's security posture. Cyber security training can help employees recognise and avoid common cyber threats, such as phishing attacks, malware, and social engineering. 89% of organisations cited as high-performing cyber organisations have implemented annual cyber awareness training among all employees. With increased digital dependency year over year—effective employee training can raise awareness, reduce risk, improve security posture, and support compliance.
Shadow IT, SaaS Pose Security Liability for Enterprises
There's no denying that software-as-a-service (SaaS) has entered its golden age. Software tools have now become essential to modern business operations and continuity. However, not enough organisations have implemented the proper procurement processes to ensure they're protecting themselves from potential data breaches and reputational harm.
A critical component contributing to concerns around SaaS management is the rising trend of shadow IT, which is when employees download and use software tools without notifying their internal IT teams. A recent study shows that 77% of IT professionals believe that shadow IT is becoming a major concern in 2023, with more than 65% saying their SaaS tools aren't being approved. Organisations are beginning to struggle with maintaining security as their SaaS usage continues to sprawl.
To combat shadow IT and the high risks that come along with it, organisations must gain greater visibility over their SaaS stacks and institute an effective procurement process when bringing on new software solutions.
https://www.darkreading.com/edge-articles/shadow-it-saas-pose-security-liability-for-enterprises
The Strong Link Between Cyber Threat Intelligence and Digital Risk Protection
While indicators of compromise and attackers’ tactics, techniques, and processes (TTPs) remain central to threat intelligence, cyber threat intelligence needs have grown over the past few years, driven by things like digital transformation, cloud computing and remote working. In fact, these changes have led to a cyber threat intelligence (CTI) subcategory focused on digital risk protection (DRP). DRP is broadly defined as, “telemetry, analysis, processes, and technologies used to identify and mitigate risks associated with digital assets”.
According to research provider ESG, the most important functions of DRP as part of a mature CTI programme are: vulnerability exploit intelligence, takedown services, leaked data monitoring, malicious mobile application monitoring, brand protection and attack surface management. It should be noted that a mature CTI programme can utilise service providers to help carry out threat intelligence, it doesn’t have to be spun up by the organisation from nothing. Regardless, an organisation employing these DRP functions as part of a CTI programme will be increasing its cyber resilience and reducing the chance of a cyber incident.
Weak Credentials, Unpatched Vulnerabilities, Malicious Open Source Packages Causing Cloud Security Risks
Threat actors are getting more adept at exploiting common everyday issues in the cloud, including misconfigurations, weak credentials, lack of authentication, unpatched vulnerabilities, and malicious open-source software (OSS) packages. Meanwhile, security teams take an average of 145 hours to solve alerts, with 80% of cloud alerts triggered by just 5% of security rules in most environments according to a recent report. The report, conducted by UNIT 42 analysed the workload of 210,000 cloud accounts across 1,300 organisations.
The report’s findings echoed similarities from the previous year, finding almost all cloud users, roles, services and resources grant excessive permissions. Some of the other key findings include as many as 83% of organisations having hard-coded credentials in their source control management systems, 53% of cloud accounts allowing weak password usage and 44% allowing password reuse and 71% of high or critical vulnerabilities exposed were at least two years old.
Over 70 Billion Unprotected Files Available on Unsecured Web Servers
A recent report found that more than 70 billion files, including intellectual property and financial information, are freely available and unprotected on unsecured web servers. Other key findings of the report included almost 1 in 10 of all detected internet-facing assets having an unpatched vulnerability, with the top 10 vulnerabilities found unpatched at least 12 million times each.
The report predicted that there will be a significant rise in information stealing malware; the report had found that 50% of emails associated with customers were plaintext and unencrypted. Additionally, there will be more incidents due to an increase in assets which are not known to IT, known as shadow IT.
Organisations should look to employ efficient patch management, have an up to date asset register, and use encryption to better increase their cyber defences.
https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2023/04/24/critical-cybersecurity-exposures/
Cyber Thieves Are Getting More Creative
Cyber criminals are constantly changing their tactics and finding new ways to steal money from organisations. An example of this can be seen where criminals are breaking into systems to learn who is authorised to send payments and what the procedures are. Eventually, this leads to the criminal instructing payment to their own account.
Unfortunately, it is only after such events that some organisations are taking actions, such as verifying payments through phone calls. Whilst it is important for organisations to learn from attacks, it is beneficial to take a pro-active approach and employ procedures such as call back procedures before an incident has occurred.
https://hbr.org/2023/04/cyber-thieves-are-getting-more-creative
Modernising Vulnerability Management: The Move Toward Exposure Management
Managing vulnerabilities in the constantly evolving technological landscape is a difficult task. Although vulnerabilities emerge regularly, not all vulnerabilities present the same level of risk. Traditional metrics such as CVSS score or the number of vulnerabilities are insufficient for effective vulnerability management as they lack business context, prioritisation, and understanding of attackers' motivations, opportunities and means. Vulnerabilities only represent a small part of the attack surface that attackers can leverage.
Exposures are broader and can encompass more than just vulnerabilities. Exposures can result from various factors, such as human error, improperly defined security controls, and poorly designed and unsecured architecture. Organisations should consider that an attacker doesn’t just look at one exposure; attackers will often use a combination of vulnerabilities, misconfigurations, permissions and other exposures to move across systems and reach valuable assets.
As such, organisations looking to improve their cyber resiliency should consider their vulnerability management system and assess both whether it is taking into account exposures and the context in relation to the organisation.
https://thehackernews.com/2023/04/modernizing-vulnerability-management.html
Two-thirds of Cyber Attacks Involve Ransomware
A report from Sophos focusing on recent incident response cases, found that 68.4% of incidents resulted from ransomware. This was followed by network breaches, accounting for 18.4%. Regarding threat actor access, the report found that unpatched vulnerabilities were the single most common access method, followed by compromised credentials.
Corporate Boards Pressure CISOs to Step Up Risk Mitigation Efforts
A recent report found that the top challenges when implementing an effective cyber/IT risk management programme include an increase in the quantity (49%) and severity (49%) of cyber threats, a lack of funding (37%) and a lack of staffing/cyber risk talent (36%).
Cyber attacks have been increasing for several years now and resulting data breaches cost businesses an average of $4.35 million in 2022, according to the annual IBM ‘Cost of a Data Breach’ report. Given the financial and reputational consequences of cyber attacks, corporate board rooms are putting pressure on CISOs to identify and mitigate cyber/IT risk.
When it came to reporting to the board, 30% of CIO and CISO respondents say they do not communicate risk around specific business initiatives to other company leaders, indicating they may not know how to share that information in a constructive way.
https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2023/04/26/effective-it-risk-management/
NSA Sees ‘Significant’ Russian Intel Gathering on European, US Supply Chain Entities
According to the US National Security Agency (NSA), Russian hackers could be looking to attack logistics targets more broadly. The NSA have noted a significant amount of intelligence gathering into western countries, including the UK and the US.
Although there is no indication yet regarding attacks from Russia in connection with the logistics related to Ukraine, organisations should be aware and look to improve their cyber security practices to be best prepared.
https://cyberscoop.com/nsa-russian-ukraine-supply-chain-ransomware/
Email Threat Report 2023: Key Takeaways
According to a recent report, email phishing made up 24% of all spam types in 2022, a significant increase in proportion from 11% in 2021. The finance industry was the most targeted by far, accounting for 48% of phishing incidents. It is followed by the construction sector at 17%, overtaking 2021’s second-place industry, e-commerce. Both the finance and construction industries saw an increase in phishing since last year. Of all the emails analysed in 2022, an enormous 90% were spam emails.
With phishing as prevalent as ever, organisations should look to implement training for their staff to not only be able to spot phishing emails, but to be able to report these and aid in improving the cyber security culture of their organisation.
https://www.itsecurityguru.org/2023/04/27/email-threat-report-2023-key-takeaways/
5 Most Dangerous New Attack Techniques
Experts from security training provider SANS Institute have revealed the 5 most dangerous new attack techniques: adversarial AI, ChatGPT-powered social engineering, third-party developer attacks (also known as software supply chain attacks), SEO, and paid advertising attacks.
The new techniques highlight the ever changing environment of the attack environment. SEO and paid advertising attacks are leveraging fundamental marketing strategies to gain initial access, heightening the importance for organisations to incorporate scalable user awareness training programmes, tailored to new threats.
https://www.csoonline.com/article/3694892/5-most-dangerous-new-attack-techniques.html
Many Public Salesforce Sites are Leaking Private Data
A shocking number of organisations — including banks and healthcare providers — are leaking private and sensitive information from their public Salesforce Community websites. The data exposures all stem from a misconfiguration in Salesforce Community that allows an unauthenticated user to access records that should only be available after logging in.
This included the US State of Vermont who had at least five separate Salesforce Community sites that allowed guest access to sensitive data, including a Pandemic Unemployment Assistance programme that exposed the applicant’s full name, social security number, address, phone number, email, and bank account number. Similar information was leaked by TCF Bank on their Salesforce Community Website.
It's not just Salesforce though; misconfigurations in general are responsible for a number of leaked documents and or exposures relating to an organisation.
https://krebsonsecurity.com/2023/04/many-public-salesforce-sites-are-leaking-private-data/
Threats
Ransomware, Extortion and Destructive Attacks
New coercive tactics used to extort ransomware payments - Help Net Security
Almost three-quarters of cyber attacks involve ransomware | Computer Weekly
Ransomware attacks, human error main cause of cloud data breaches: Report (business-standard.com)
Effects of the Hive Ransomware Group Takedown (darkreading.com)
Microsoft Confirms PaperCut Servers Used to Deliver LockBit and Cl0p Ransomware (thehackernews.com)
Tank storage company Vopak hacked, Ransomware groups report | NL Times
Health insurer Point32Health suffered a ransomware attack-Security Affairs
Hacker demands ransom after 'taking control' of Wiltshire school's IT | Swindon Advertiser
RSAC speaker offers ransomware victims unconventional advice | TechTarget
How ransomware victims can make the best of a bad situation | TechTarget
Hackers Leaked Minneapolis Students' Psychological Reports, Allegations of Abuse (gizmodo.com)
Linux version of RTM Locker ransomware targets VMware ESXi servers (bleepingcomputer.com)
CommScope employees left in the dark after ransomware attack | TechCrunch
Phishing & Email Based Attacks
How Dangerous Is Phishing in 2023? - Duo Blog | Duo Security
The New Frontier in Email Security: Goodbye, Gateways; Hello, Behavioural AI (darkreading.com)
BEC – Business Email Compromise
2FA/MFA
CrowdStrike details new MFA bypass, credential theft attack | TechTarget
Phishing-resistant MFA shapes the future of authentication forms - Help Net Security
Malware
Malware-Free Cyber attacks Are On the Rise; Here's How to Detect Them (darkreading.com)
Ex-Conti and FIN7 Actors Collaborate with New Backdoor (securityintelligence.com)
EvilExtractor malware activity spikes in Europe and the US (bleepingcomputer.com)
Zaraza Malware Exploits Web Browsers To Steal Stored Passwords (latesthackingnews.com)
This evil malware disables your security software, then goes in for the kill | TechRadar
Decoy Dog malware toolkit found after analysing 70 billion DNS queries (bleepingcomputer.com)
Lazarus Subgroup Targeting Apple Devices with New RustBucket macOS Malware (thehackernews.com)
A Security Team Is Turning This Malware Gang’s Tricks Against It | WIRED
Evasive Panda APT group delivers malware via updates for popular Chinese software | WeLiveSecurity
Google banned 173K developer accounts to block malware, fraud rings (bleepingcomputer.com)
Chinese Cyber spies Delivered Malware via Legitimate Software Updates - SecurityWeek
Chinese hackers launch Linux variant of PingPull malware | CSO Online
Mobile
WhatsApp used in BEC scam to pilfer $6.4M | SC Media (scmagazine.com)
35M Downloads Of Android Minecraft Clones Spreads Adware (informationsecuritybuzz.com)
Botnets
Denial of Service/DoS/DDOS
New SLP bug can lead to massive 2,200x DDoS amplification attacks (bleepingcomputer.com)
'Anonymous Sudan' Claims Responsibility for DDoS Attacks Against Israel (darkreading.com)
Internet of Things – IoT
Data Breaches/Leaks
Over 70 billion unprotected files available on unsecured web servers - Help Net Security
Many Public Salesforce Sites are Leaking Private Data – Krebs on Security
American Bar Association data breach hits 1.4 million members (bleepingcomputer.com)
American Bar Association (ABA) suffered a data breach-Security Affairs
Shields Health Breach Exposes 2.3M Users' Data (darkreading.com)
Serving UK Armed Forces member charged under Official Secrets Act (telegraph.co.uk)
Yellow Pages Canada confirms cyber attack as Black Basta leaks data (bleepingcomputer.com)
Vantage Travel Experiences Data Security Incident (darkreading.com)
Organised Crime & Criminal Actors
Cryptocurrency/Cryptomining/Cryptojacking/NFTs/Blockchain
Insider Risk and Insider Threats
Fraud, Scams & Financial Crime
The IRS is sending four investigators across the world to fight cyber crime | TechCrunch
US deploys more cyber forces abroad to help fight hackers | Reuters
The ‘Your computer was locked’ scam is gaining traction (consumeraffairs.com)
Google banned 173K developer accounts to block malware, fraud rings (bleepingcomputer.com)
Deepfakes
AML/CFT/Sanctions
Insurance
Dark Web
Supply Chain and Third Parties
The Huge 3CX Breach Was Actually 2 Linked Supply Chain Attacks | WIRED
That 3CX supply chain attack keeps getting worse • The Register
NSA sees 'significant' Russian intel gathering on European, US supply chain entities | CyberScoop
North Korean hackers breach software firm in significant cyber attack | CNN Politics
SD Worx hack: Payroll firm for M&S hit by cyber attack (thetimes.co.uk)
A third-party’s perspective on third-party InfoSec risk management - Help Net Security
Software Supply Chain
Cloud/SaaS
Shadow IT, SaaS Pose Security Liability for Enterprises (darkreading.com)
14 Kubernetes and Cloud Security Challenges and How to Solve Them (thehackernews.com)
Ransomware attacks, human error main cause of cloud data breaches: Report (business-standard.com)
GhostToken Flaw Could Let Attackers Hide Malicious Apps in Google Cloud Platform (thehackernews.com)
Saas Security: The Need For Continuous Sustenance (informationsecuritybuzz.com)
How CISOs navigate security and compliance in a multi-cloud world - Help Net Security
Security experts found a major bug in Google Cloud | TechRadar
Most SaaS adopters exposed to browser-borne attacks - Help Net Security
Exposed Artifacts Seen In Misconfigured Cloud Software Registries (informationsecuritybuzz.com)
Google accounts attacked and hijacked by this devious security flaw | TechRadar
Containers
Kubernetes RBAC abused to create persistent cluster backdoors (bleepingcomputer.com)
Experts spotted first-ever crypto mining campaign leveraging Kubernetes RBAC-Security Affairs
Combating Kubernetes — the Newest IAM Challenge (darkreading.com)
Attack Surface Management
Over 70 billion unprotected files available on unsecured web servers - Help Net Security
Study of past cyber attacks can improve organisations' defence strategies - Help Net Security
Shadow IT
Identity and Access Management
Rethinking the effectiveness of current authentication initiatives - Help Net Security
Combating Kubernetes — the Newest IAM Challenge (darkreading.com)
Open Source
The double-edged sword of open-source software - Help Net Security
Linux Shift: Chinese APT Alloy Taurus Is Back With Retooling (darkreading.com)
Chinese hackers launch Linux variant of PingPull malware | CSO Online
Linux version of RTM Locker ransomware targets VMware ESXi servers (bleepingcomputer.com)
Passwords, Credential Stuffing & Brute Force Attacks
Password reset woes could cost FTSE 100 companies $156 million each month - Help Net Security
A '!password20231#' password may not be as complex as you think (bleepingcomputer.com)
Social Media
Malvertising
Google ads push BumbleBee malware used by ransomware gangs (bleepingcomputer.com)
35M Downloads Of Android Minecraft Clones Spreads Adware (informationsecuritybuzz.com)
Training, Education and Awareness
Digital Transformation
Parental Controls and Child Safety
Regulations, Fines and Legislation
Governance, Risk and Compliance
Corporate boards pressure CISOs to step up risk mitigation efforts - Help Net Security
How the Talent Shortage Impacts Cyber security Leadership (securityintelligence.com)
Is your bank account safe? Mass layoffs weaken cyber security across finance sector | Fox Business
The strong link between cyber threat intelligence and digital risk protection | CSO Online
Organisations are stepping up their game against cyber threats - Help Net Security
CISOs: unsupported, unheard, and invisible - Help Net Security
The Relationship Between Security Maturity and Business Enablement | CSO Online
CISOs Rethink Data Security with Info-Centric Framework (darkreading.com)
UK Cyber Pros Burnt Out and Overwhelmed - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)
Good, Better And Best Security (informationsecuritybuzz.com)
SANS Reveals Top 5 Most Dangerous Cyber attacks for 2023 (darkreading.com)
Models, Frameworks and Standards
Careers, Working in Cyber and Information Security
UK Cyber Pros Burnt Out and Overwhelmed - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)
How to Begin a Career in Ethical Hacking in the Year 2023? (analyticsinsight.net)
Law Enforcement Action and Take Downs
To combat cyber crime, US law enforcement increasingly prioritizes disruption | CyberScoop
US to focus on stifling cyber attacks, not convictions • The Register
US deploys more cyber forces abroad to help fight hackers | Reuters
Effects of the Hive Ransomware Group Takedown (darkreading.com)
Privacy, Surveillance and Mass Monitoring
Artificial Intelligence
The Growing Need for Cyber Security in an Age of AI Disruption (analyticsinsight.net)
Cyber security Survival: Hide From Adversarial AI (darkreading.com)
AI Experts: Account for AI/ML Resilience & Risk While There's Still Time (darkreading.com)
NSA Cyber security Director Says ‘Buckle Up’ for Generative AI | WIRED
From ChatGPT to HackGPT: Meeting the Cyber security Threat of Generative AI (mit.edu)
ChatGPT fans need 'defensive mindset' to avoid scammers • The Register
DHS announces AI task force, security sprint on China-related threats | SC Media (scmagazine.com)
The New Frontier in Email Security: Goodbye, Gateways; Hello, Behavioral AI (darkreading.com)
Nvidia releases a toolkit to make text-generating AI ‘safer’ | TechCrunch
Artificial intelligence takes RSA Conference by storm | SC Media (scmagazine.com)
Secureworks CEO weighs in on XDR landscape, AI concerns | TechTarget
Spyware, Cyber Espionage & Cyber Warfare, including Russian Invasion of Ukraine
FBI aiding Ukraine in collection of digital and physical war crime evidence | CyberScoop
NSA sees 'significant' Russian intel gathering on European, US supply chain entities | CyberScoop
UK undersea cables worth £7.4 trillion a day under ‘real threat’ from Russia | The Independent
Eurocontrol says website 'under attack' by pro-Russia crew • The Register
Iran cyberespionage group taps SimpleHelp for persistence on victim devices | CSO Online
Russian Hackers Tomiris Targeting Central Asia for Intelligence Gathering (thehackernews.com)
CISA, Cyber Command Collaboration Blocks Attempted Attacks on US Interests - MSSP Alert
Nation State Actors
Chinese Cyber spies Delivered Malware via Legitimate Software Updates - SecurityWeek
North Korean hackers breach software firm in significant cyber attack | CNN Politics
China building cyber weapons to hijack enemy satellites, says US leak | Financial Times (ft.com)
NCSC raises alert on cyber threat to infrastructure | UKAuthority
Iran cyberespionage group taps SimpleHelp for persistence on victim devices | CSO Online
DHS announces AI task force, security sprint on China-related threats | SC Media (scmagazine.com)
North Korea's Kimsuky APT Keeps Growing, Despite Public Outing (darkreading.com)
APT 'Mint Sandstorm' quickly exploits new PoC hacks | SC Media (scmagazine.com)
Russian Hackers Suspected in Ongoing Exploitation of Unpatched PaperCut Servers (thehackernews.com)
Lazarus Subgroup Targeting Apple Devices with New RustBucket macOS Malware (thehackernews.com)
US Cyberwarriors Thwarted 2020 Iran Election Hacking Attempt - SecurityWeek
Evasive Panda APT group delivers malware via updates for popular Chinese software | WeLiveSecurity
Linux Shift: Chinese APT Alloy Taurus Is Back With Retooling (darkreading.com)
Charming Kitten's New BellaCiao Malware Discovered in Multi-Country Attacks (thehackernews.com)
Iranian cyber spies deploy new malware implant on Microsoft Exchange Servers | CSO Online
Ukrainian arrested for selling data of 300M people to Russians (bleepingcomputer.com)
FIN7 Hackers Caught Exploiting Recent Veeam Vulnerability - SecurityWeek
Chinese hackers launch Linux variant of PingPull malware | CSO Online
CISA, Cyber Command Collaboration Blocks Attempted Attacks on US Interests - MSSP Alert
Lazarus, Scarcruft North Korean APTs Shift Tactics, Thrive (darkreading.com)
Vulnerabilities
New Google Chrome Zero-Day Bug Actively Exploited in Wide (gbhackers.com)
Flaw in Microsoft Process Explorer under active attack • The Register
APC warns of critical unauthenticated RCE flaws in UPS software (bleepingcomputer.com)
Double zero-day in Chrome and Edge – check your versions now! – Naked Security (sophos.com)
Security experts found a major bug in Google Cloud | TechRadar
TP-Link Archer WiFi router flaw exploited by Mirai malware (bleepingcomputer.com)
SolarWinds Platform Update Patches High-Severity Vulnerabilities - SecurityWeek
VMware Releases Critical Patches for Workstation and Fusion Software (thehackernews.com)
Cisco discloses XSS zero-day flaw in server management tool (bleepingcomputer.com)
Microsoft removes LSA Protection from Windows settings to fix bug (bleepingcomputer.com)
PaperCut says hackers are exploiting ‘critical’ security flaws in unpatched servers | TechCrunch
FIN7 Hackers Caught Exploiting Recent Veeam Vulnerability - SecurityWeek
Tools and Controls
Corporate boards pressure CISOs to step up risk mitigation efforts - Help Net Security
14 Kubernetes and Cloud Security Challenges and How to Solve Them (thehackernews.com)
Six Key Considerations When Choosing a Web Application Firewall - Security Boulevard
The Complexities of Cyber Insurance | Cyber Risk Management (telos.com)
Unified Endpoint Management: A Powerful Tool for Your Cyber security Arsenal | CSO Online
GitLab’s new security feature uses AI to explain vulnerabilities to developers | TechCrunch
Google Authenticator finally, mercifully adds account syncing for two-factor codes - The Verge
The Needs of a Modernized SOC for Hybrid Cloud (securityintelligence.com)
Rethinking the effectiveness of current authentication initiatives - Help Net Security
Google will add End-to-End encryption to Google Authenticator (bleepingcomputer.com)
Google 2FA Syncing Feature Could Put Your Privacy at Risk (darkreading.com)
CISOs struggle to manage risk due to DevSecOps inefficiencies - Help Net Security
Generative AI and security: Balancing performance and risk - Help Net Security
CISA aims to reduce email threats with serial CDR prototype | TechTarget
Threat Actor Names Proliferate, Adding Confusion (darkreading.com)
Reports Published in the Last Week
Other News
The threat from commercial cyber proliferation - NCSC.GOV.UK
Hackers could learn how to send fake terror threats on YouTube, warn experts (telegraph.co.uk)
Government launches new cyber security measures to tackle ever growing threats - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Attackers are logging in instead of breaking in - Help Net Security
38 Countries Take Part in NATO's 2023 Locked Shields Cyber Exercise - SecurityWeek
The White House National Cyber security Strategy Has a Fatal Flaw (darkreading.com)
Threat Actor Names Proliferate, Adding Confusion (darkreading.com)
Sector Specific
Industry specific threat intelligence reports are available.
Contact us to receive tailored reports specific to the industry/sector and geographies you operate in.
· Automotive
· Construction
· Critical National Infrastructure (CNI)
· Defence & Space
· Education & Academia
· Energy & Utilities
· Estate Agencies
· Financial Services
· FinTech
· Food & Agriculture
· Gaming & Gambling
· Government & Public Sector (including Law Enforcement)
· Health/Medical/Pharma
· Hotels & Hospitality
· Insurance
· Legal
· Manufacturing
· Maritime
· Oil, Gas & Mining
· OT, ICS, IIoT, SCADA & Cyber-Physical Systems
· Retail & eCommerce
· Small and Medium Sized Businesses (SMBs)
· Startups
· Telecoms
· Third Sector & Charities
· Transport & Aviation
· Web3
As usual, contact us to help assess where your risks lie and to ensure you are doing all you can do to keep you and your business secure.
Look out for our ‘Cyber Tip Tuesday’ video blog and on our YouTube channel.
You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.
Links to articles are for interest and awareness and linking to or reposting external content does not endorse any service or product, likewise we are not responsible for the security of external links.
Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing 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
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
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· Energy & Utilities
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· Financial Services
· FinTech
· Food & Agriculture
· Gaming & Gambling
· Government & Public Sector (including Law Enforcement)
· Health/Medical/Pharma
· Hotels & Hospitality
· Insurance
· Legal
· Manufacturing
· Maritime
· Oil, Gas & Mining
· OT, ICS, IIoT, SCADA & Cyber-Physical Systems
· Retail & eCommerce
· Small and Medium Sized Businesses (SMBs)
· Startups
· Telecoms
· Third Sector & Charities
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· 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 24 March 2023
Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing 24 March 2023:
-Majority of SMBs Lack Dedicated Cyber Experts and Cyber Incident Response Plans
-Controlling Third-Party Data Risk Should Be a Top Cyber Security Priority
-IT Security Spending to Reach Nearly $300 Billion by 2026
-2023 Cyber Security Maturity Report Reveals Organisational Unpreparedness for Cyber Attacks
-Board Cyber Shortage: Don’t Get Caught Swimming Naked
-Should Your Organisation Be Worried About Insider Threats?
-UK Ransomware Incident Volumes Surge 17% in 2022
-Financial Industry Hit by Rising Ransomware Attacks and BEC
-55 zero-day Flaws Exploited Last Year Show the Importance of Security Risk Management
-Security Researchers Spot $36m BEC Attack
-New Victims Come Forward After Mass Ransomware Attack
-Ransomware Gangs’ Harassment of Victims is Increasing
-Wartime Hacktivism is Spilling Over Into the Financial Services Industry
Welcome to this week’s Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing – a weekly digest, collated and curated by our cyber experts to provide senior and middle management with an easy to digest round up of the most notable threats, vulnerabilities, and cyber related news from the last week.
Top Cyber Stories of the Last Week
Majority of SMBs Lack Dedicated Cyber Experts and Cyber Incident Response Plans
A recent report conducted by security provider Huntress found some worrying results regarding SMBs lack of dedicated cyber experts and lack of cyber incident response plans. Some of the reports key findings were 24% of SMBs suffering a cyber attack or unsure if they had suffered a cyber attack in the last 12 months, 61% of SMBs not having a dedicated cyber security expert and 47% having no incident response plan. The report found that SMBs struggled to implement basic training and only 9% of employees adhered to security best practices, potentially due to the previously mentioned training struggles. The report highlights a clear need for SMBs to increase their cyber resilience and conduct effective user education and awareness training.
Controlling Third-Party Data Risk Should be a Top Cyber Security Priority
Nearly 60% of all data breaches are initiated via third-party vendors and this is often hard to detect. The ever-increasing use of third party services has led to the average organisation sharing sensitive data with 583 third parties, a worrying number of attack vectors. Due to the impact a third party breach can have on an organisation it is imperative that organisations assess and risk manage their supply chains to increase the organisations cyber resilience.
IT Security Spending to Reach Nearly $300 Billion by 2026
Worldwide spending on security is forecast to be $219 billion in 2023, an increase of 12.1% compared to 2022. This figure is expected to continually rise, reaching nearly $300 billion by 2026. In Europe, it is predicted that the biggest portion of spending will still be represented by services, which will be increasingly leveraged by organisations with limited cyber security experience. Additionally the finance sector, which will have to constantly ensure regulatory adherence, is predicted to be the largest spending sector. Organisations should perform due diligence and ensure that they are using reputable services.
https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2023/03/20/it-security-spending-2026/
2023 Cyber Security Maturity Report Reveals Organisational Unpreparedness for Cyber Attacks
In 2022 alone cyber attacks increased by 38%, highlighting the need for organisations to have a high level of cyber maturity; despite this, a recent cyber security maturity report ranked UK organisations as 12th globally. Some of the findings from the report included that 32% of organisations were found to have weak passwords and 23% had weak authentication systems.
https://thehackernews.com/2023/03/2023-cybersecurity-maturity-report.html
Board Cyber Shortage: Don’t Get Caught Swimming Naked
The Securities and Exchange Commission recently released their rules on cyber security risk management, strategy governance and incident disclosure by public companies. As part of the rules, the public disclosure of board directors’ cyber risk biographies is mandated. Worryingly, recent research has found that there is a drastic gap in cyber expertise at the board director level, with 90% of companies not having a single director with cyber security expertise. Board directors are able to address this issue by retaining outside expert advisors, upskilling board members or hiring new cyber security board directors.
Should your Organisation be Worried about Insider Threats?
Cyber crime is predicted to reach $10.5 trillion worth, making it a lucrative business venture for opportunist criminals. One of the threats companies face is insider threat; this is where the threat comes from within the organisation. Insider threat can include third-party vendors, business partners and others with access to an organisations systems and networks. The threat an insider poses is commonly thought of as malicious but it can also be negligent, where insiders haven’t received proper user education and awareness training. Worryingly, insider threat is rising and research has shown a significant amount of under-reporting; over 70% of insider attacks never reach the headlines. As such, it is difficult for organisations to gauge the risk of insider threats.
https://www.itsecurityguru.org/2023/03/17/should-your-organization-be-worried-about-insider-threats/
UK Ransomware Incident Volumes Surge 17% in 2022
According to recent research, attacker-reported ransomware incidents increased by 17% annually in the UK last year and 2023 is showing signs of a continual rise. With this continual rise, it is important for organisations to assess and build upon their cyber resilience.
https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/uk-ransomware-incident-surge-17/
Financial Industry Hit by Rising Ransomware Attacks and BEC
According to a recent report by the Financial Services Information Sharing and Analysis Center (FS-ISAC) ransomware remained the biggest concern for the financial industry with an increase in attacks due to ransomware-as-a-service. Furthermore, FS-ISAC found a 300% increase in the number of business email compromise attacks from 2021 to 2022. Artificial intelligence was identified as an upcoming area of concern due to its ability to obfuscate detection.
55 zero-day Flaws Exploited Last Year Show the Importance of Security Risk Management
According to a report from intelligence provider Mandiant 55 zero-days were exploited in 2022 and 13 of those were used in cyber espionage attacks. Of the espionage attacks, 7 related to Chinese threat actors and 2 related to Russian threat actors. The report found that effective security management and patching remained the best protections for organisations.
Security Researchers Spot $36m BEC Attack
Security experts recently identified a single business email compromise attack which amounted to $36.4m. The attack in question contained an invoice, payment instructions, a forged letterhead and even cc’d a legitimate and well known company. The attacker also changed “.com” to “.cam” to imitate a domain. The total cost of BEC based on reported incidents is around $2.7 billion and this is excluding unreported incidents. Organisations should ensure that staff are adequately trained in identifying and reporting such attacks.
https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/security-researchers-spot-36m-bec/
New Victims Come Forward After Mass Ransomware Attack
Russia-linked Ransomware gang “Clop” has claimed a mass hack of 130 organisations via the vendor GoAnywhere, with more victims coming forward. Clop adds names of victims to its dark web site, which is used to extort companies further by threatening to publish the stolen files unless a ransom is paid.
https://techcrunch.com/2023/03/22/fortra-goanywhere-ransomware-attack/
Ransomware Gangs’ Harassment of Victims is Increasing
Analysis by Palo Alto Networks found that harassment was a factor in 20% of ransomware cases, a significant jump from less than 1% in mid 2021. The harassment campaign by threat attackers is intended to make sure that ransom payments are met. This adds to the stress that organisations already face with ransomware incidents.
https://www.techrepublic.com/article/ransomware-gangs-harassment-victims-increasing/
Wartime Hacktivism is Spilling Over into the Financial Services Industry
The Financial Services Information Sharing and Analysis Center (FS-ISAC) has identified that financial firms in countries that Russia considers hostile have been singled out for attacks and these attacks are going to continue if the Russia and Ukraine war persists.
Threats
Ransomware, Extortion and Destructive Attacks
LockBit 3.0 Ransomware: Inside the Cyberthreat That's Costing Millions (thehackernews.com)
UK Ransomware Incident Volumes Surge 17% in 2022 - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)
Banks, Financial Sector Hit By Rising Ransomware Attacks - Bloomberg
BianLian ransomware crew swaps encryption for extortion • The Register
New victims come forward after mass-ransomware attack | TechCrunch
Ransomware Gangs' Harassment of Victims Is Increasing (techrepublic.com)
LockBit ransomware gang now also claims City of Oakland breach (bleepingcomputer.com)
Free decryptor released for Conti-based ransomware following data leak | Tripwire
New 'Trigona' Ransomware Targets US, Europe, Australia - SecurityWeek
Ransomware Strongly Influencing SOC Modernization Strategies, Cybereason Research Shows - MSSP Alert
US govt agencies released an alert on the Lockbit 3.0 ransomware- Security Affairs
Security News This Week: Ring Is in a Standoff With Hackers | WIRED UK
CISA kicks off ransomware vulnerability pilot to help spot ransomware-exploitable flaws | CSO Online
Clop ransomware claims Saks Fifth Avenue, retailer says mock data stolen (bleepingcomputer.com)
Researchers Shed Light on CatB Ransomware's Evasion Techniques (thehackernews.com)
Why CISOs Are Looking to Lateral Security to Mitigate Ransomware | CIO
Dole discloses employee data breach after ransomware attack (bleepingcomputer.com)
Prevent Ransomware with Cyber security Monitoring (trendmicro.com)
Ferrari in a spin as crims steal customer data • The Register
Play ransomware gang hit Dutch shipping firm Royal Dirkzwager- Security Affairs
Hitachi Energy confirms data breach after Clop GoAnywhere attacks (bleepingcomputer.com)
City of Toronto confirms data theft, Clop claims responsibility (bleepingcomputer.com)
Phishing & Email Based Attacks
BEC – Business Email Compromise
Other Social Engineering; Smishing, Vishing, etc
2FA/MFA
Malware
Emotet malware now distributed in Microsoft OneNote files to evade defences (bleepingcomputer.com)
ChatGPT Polymorphic Malware Bypasses Endpoint Detection Filters (cybersecuritynews.com)
RAT developer arrested for infecting 10,000 PCs with malware (bleepingcomputer.com)
Google flags apps made by popular Chinese e-commerce giant as malware | TechCrunch
Mispadu Banking Trojan Targets Latin America: 90,000+ Credentials Stolen (thehackernews.com)
Custom 'Naplistener' Malware a Nightmare for Network-Based Detection (darkreading.com)
New ShellBot DDoS Malware Variants Targeting Poorly Managed Linux Servers (thehackernews.com)
Python info-stealing malware uses Unicode to evade detection (bleepingcomputer.com)
Mobile
Nexus: A New Rising Android Banking Trojan Targeting 450 Financial Apps (thehackernews.com)
The FBI Warns SIM Swapping Attacks Are Rising. What's That? - ReHack
Android apps are spying on you — with no easy way to stop them | Digital Trends
Your Samsung phone may have a big security flaw – here's how to stay safe | TechRadar
How to keep your phone safe from the scary Exynos modem vulnerability (androidpolice.com)
Botnets
Denial of Service/DoS/DDOS
New ‘HinataBot’ botnet could launch massive 3.3 Tbps DDoS attacks (bleepingcomputer.com)
Mirai Hackers Use Golang to Create a Bigger, Badder DDoS Botnet (darkreading.com)
New ShellBot DDoS Malware Variants Targeting Poorly Managed Linux Servers (thehackernews.com)
Internet of Things – IoT
Eufy security cam 'stored unique ID' of everyone filmed • The Register
Google sounds alarm on Samsung modem bugs in Android devices • The Register
EU Council extends product lifetime, clarifies scope in cyber security law – EURACTIV.com
Tesco to ditch Chinese-made CCTV cameras over security and human rights fears (telegraph.co.uk)
Data Breaches/Leaks
Complacency of staff to blame for data breaches (thesundaily.my)
Hitachi Energy confirms data breach after Clop GoAnywhere attacks (bleepingcomputer.com)
Data breaches cost businesses nearly $6M on average: Mastercard | CTV News
Healthcare provider ILS warns 4.2 million people of data breach (bleepingcomputer.com)
NBA is warning fans of a data breach after a third-party newsletter service hack- Security Affairs
Lowe’s Market chain leaves client data up for grabs- Security Affairs
Ferrari discloses data breach after receiving ransom demand (bleepingcomputer.com)
South Korea fines McDonalds for data leak from raw SMB share • The Register
A million at risk from user data leak at Korean beauty platform PowderRoom- Security Affairs
Organised Crime & Criminal Actors
Cryptocurrency/Cryptomining/Cryptojacking/NFTs/Blockchain
Fireblocks Discloses Critical Vulnerability in BitGo Ethereum Wallets - Decrypt
General Bytes Bitcoin ATMs hacked using zero-day, $1.5M stolen (bleepingcomputer.com)
Linus Tech Tips' YouTube Channel has been hacked by Crypto Scammers | OC3D News (overclock3d.net)
Insider Risk and Insider Threats
Should Your Organisation Be Worried About Insider Threats? - IT Security Guru
Top 5 Insider Threats to Look Out For in 2023- Security Affairs
Preventing Insider Threats in Your Active Directory (thehackernews.com)
Fraud, Scams & Financial Crime
Detecting face morphing: A simple guide to countering complex identity fraud - Help Net Security
‘My bank did not stop £6,500 payment to holiday scammers despite my pleas’ | Scams | The Guardian
The FBI Warns SIM Swapping Attacks Are Rising. What's That? - ReHack
Hackers inject credit card stealers into payment processing modules (bleepingcomputer.com)
Deepfakes
Insurance
SMBs don't see need for cyber insurance since they won't experience security incidents | ZDNET
Cyber insurance carriers expanding role in incident response | TechTarget
Supply Chain and Third Parties
Controlling Third-Party Data Risk Should Be a Top Cyber security Priority (darkreading.com)
Companies vulnerable to cyber-attack via suppliers - research | RNZ News
Why you should treat ChatGPT like any other vendor service - Help Net Security
MITRE Rolls Out Supply Chain Security Prototype (darkreading.com)
Software Supply Chain
Cloud/SaaS
How access management helps protect identities in the cloud | VentureBeat
Bitcoin ATM maker shuts cloud service after user hot wallets compromised (cointelegraph.com)
The cloud backlash has begun: Why big data is pulling compute back on premises | TechCrunch
Shouldering the Increasingly Heavy Cloud Shared-Responsibility Model (darkreading.com)
The hidden danger to zero trust: Excessive cloud permissions • Graham Cluley
New CISA tool detects hacking activity in Microsoft cloud services (bleepingcomputer.com)
4 Tips for Better AWS Cloud Workload Security (trendmicro.com)
Hybrid/Remote Working
Identity and Access Management
How access management helps protect identities in the cloud | VentureBeat
The impact of AI on the future of ID verification - Help Net Security
Preventing Insider Threats in Your Active Directory (thehackernews.com)
CISA, NSA push identity and access management framework as risks grow | SC Media (scmagazine.com)
API
Open Source
New ShellBot DDoS Malware Variants Targeting Poorly Managed Linux Servers (thehackernews.com)
Open Source Vulnerabilities Still Pose a Big Challenge for Security Teams (darkreading.com)
Passwords, Credential Stuffing & Brute Force Attacks
Social Media
BBC presses staff to uninstall TikTok from corporate kit • The Register
TikTok cannot be considered a private company: report • The Register
Five brutal hours for TikTok: CEO raked over coals amid privacy, security concerns | CyberScoop
Linus Tech Tips' YouTube Channel has been hacked by Crypto Scammers | OC3D News (overclock3d.net)
Training, Education and Awareness
Regulations, Fines and Legislation
Board Cyber Shortage: Don’t Get Caught Swimming Naked (forbes.com)
EU Council extends product lifetime, clarifies scope in cyber security law – EURACTIV.com
India’s infosec reporting rules observed by just 15 orgs • The Register
Why Organisations Need To Go Beyond Federal Cyber security Compliance Standards (forbes.com)
Governance, Risk and Compliance
How CISOs Can Work With the CFO to Get the Best Security Budget (darkreading.com)
How to best allocate IT and cyber security budgets in 2023 - Help Net Security
IT security spending to reach nearly $300 billion by 2026 - Help Net Security
Board Cyber Shortage: Don’t Get Caught Swimming Naked (forbes.com)
How Your Cyber security Strategy Enables Better Business (trendmicro.com)
55 zero-day flaws exploited last year show the importance of security risk management | CSO Online
How Can CISOs Connect With the Board of Directors? (darkreading.com)
Achieving The Five Levels Of Information Security Governance (forbes.com)
Enhance security while lowering IT overhead in times of recession - Help Net Security
Why organisations shouldn't fold to cyber criminal requests - Help Net Security
Models, Frameworks and Standards
Meta Proposes Revamped Approach to Online Kill Chain Frameworks (darkreading.com)
MITRE Rolls Out Supply Chain Security Prototype (darkreading.com)
Backup and Recovery
Data backup, security alerts, and encryption viewed as top security features - Help Net Security
Top 5 security risks for enterprise storage, backup devices - Help Net Security
Data Protection
Careers, Working in Cyber and Information Security
Law Enforcement Action and Take Downs
RAT developer arrested for infecting 10,000 PCs with malware (bleepingcomputer.com)
New York Man Arrested for Running BreachForums Cyber crime Website - SecurityWeek
Privacy, Surveillance and Mass Monitoring
Eufy security cam 'stored unique ID' of everyone filmed • The Register
Use of Meta tracking tools found to breach EU rules on data transfers | TechCrunch
How to protect online privacy in the age of pixel trackers - Help Net Security
Windows 11 Snipping Tool privacy bug exposes cropped image content (bleepingcomputer.com)
French govt clears AI facial scans for Paris Olympics • The Register
Artificial Intelligence
EU's AI regulation vote looms. We’re still not sure how unrestrained AI should be | Euronews
ChatGPT Leaves Governments Scrambling for AI Regulations - Bloomberg
ChatGPT Polymorphic Malware Bypasses Endpoint Detection Filters (cybersecuritynews.com)
Detecting face morphing: A simple guide to countering complex identity fraud - Help Net Security
We need to create guardrails for AI | Financial Times (ft.com)
GPT-4 devises plan to ‘escape’ by gaining control of a user's computer | Mint (livemint.com)
Mastercard strengthens customer security with new AI ‘Cyber Shield’ | Mastercard Newsroom
The impact of AI on the future of ID verification - Help Net Security
7 guidelines for identifying and mitigating AI-enabled phishing campaigns | CSO Online
Why you should treat ChatGPT like any other vendor service - Help Net Security
Mozilla launches a new startup focused on ‘trustworthy’ AI | TechCrunch
French govt clears AI facial scans for Paris Olympics • The Register
Spyware, Cyber Espionage & Cyber Warfare, including Russian Invasion of Ukraine
New Espionage Group 'YoroTrooper' Targeting Entities in European, CIS Countries - SecurityWeek
Palantir: NHS trusts ordered to share patient data with US ‘spy-tech’ firm | openDemocracy
Tesco to ditch Chinese-made CCTV cameras over security and human rights fears (telegraph.co.uk)
Purported Chinese warships interfering with passenger planes • The Register
Putin to staffers: throw out your iPhones over security • The Register
Russia-backed Iridium Hackers Set to Launch Attacks on Ukrainian Government Sites - MSSP Alert
Facebook Security Exec Seaford Hacked by Greek Predator Spyware (gizmodo.com)
BBC presses staff to uninstall TikTok from corporate kit • The Register
New 'Bad Magic' Cyber Threat Disrupt Ukraine's Key Sectors Amid War (thehackernews.com)
Hacker tied to DC Health Link breach says attack 'born out of Russian patriotism' | CyberScoop
Unknown actors target orgs in Russia-occupied Ukraine • The Register
Xi, Putin, declare intent to rule the world of AI, infosec • The Register
North Korean hackers using Chrome extensions to steal Gmail emails (bleepingcomputer.com)
Stealthy hacks show advancements in China's cyberespionage operations, researchers say | CyberScoop
Nation State Actors
New Espionage Group 'YoroTrooper' Targeting Entities in European, CIS Countries - SecurityWeek
Huawei Has Replaced Thousands of US-Banned Parts With Chinese Versions: Founder - SecurityWeek
Tesco to ditch Chinese-made CCTV cameras over security and human rights fears (telegraph.co.uk)
Purported Chinese warships interfering with passenger planes • The Register
TikTok cannot be considered a private company: report • The Register
Five brutal hours for TikTok: CEO raked over coals amid privacy, security concerns | CyberScoop
BBC presses staff to uninstall TikTok from corporate kit • The Register
Google flags apps made by popular Chinese e-commerce giant as malware | TechCrunch
Putin to staffers: throw out your iPhones over security • The Register
Russia-backed Iridium Hackers Set to Launch Attacks on Ukrainian Government Sites - MSSP Alert
New 'Bad Magic' Cyber Threat Disrupt Ukraine's Key Sectors Amid War (thehackernews.com)
Hacker tied to D.C. Health Link breach says attack 'born out of Russian patriotism' | CyberScoop
Unknown actors target orgs in Russia-occupied Ukraine • The Register
Xi, Putin, declare intent to rule the world of AI, infosec • The Register
The pressing threat of Chinese-made drones flying above US critical infrastructure | CyberScoop
Stealthy hacks show advancements in China's cyberespionage operations, researchers say | CyberScoop
Russian hacktivists deploy new AresLoader malware via decoy installers | CSO Online
Vulnerability Management
55 zero-day flaws exploited last year show the importance of security risk management | CSO Online
Hackers mostly targeted Microsoft, Google, Apple zero-days in 2022 (bleepingcomputer.com)
Move, Patch, Get Out the Way: 2022 Zero-Day Exploitation Continues at an Elevated Pace | Mandiant
10 Vulnerabilities Types to Focus On This Year (darkreading.com)
Windows 11, Tesla, Ubuntu, and macOS hacked at Pwn2Own 2023 (bleepingcomputer.com)
Top 5 security risks for enterprise storage, backup devices - Help Net Security
Open Source Vulnerabilities Still Pose a Big Challenge for Security Teams (darkreading.com)
Vulnerabilities
Microsoft Outlook Vulnerability Could Be 2023's 'It' Bug (darkreading.com)
CVE-2023-23397 Outlook exploit: "A proliferation event" (thestack.technology)
Patch CVE-2023-23397 Immediately: What You Need To Know and Do (trendmicro.com)
Cisco fixed severe vulnerabilities in its IOS and IOS XE software- Security Affairs
Exploit released for Veeam bug allowing cleartext credential theft (bleepingcomputer.com)
Experts published PoC exploit code for Veeam Backup & Replication bug- Security Affairs
WordPress force patching WooCommerce plugin with 500K installs (bleepingcomputer.com)
Windows 11 bug warns Local Security Authority protection is off (bleepingcomputer.com)
Bitwarden addresses autofill issue that could be exploited to steal logins - gHacks Tech News
Hackers mostly targeted Microsoft, Google, Apple zero-days in 2022 (bleepingcomputer.com)
Microsoft’s blunders with new Windows 10 update are causing serious headaches | TechRadar
Microsoft: Defender update behind Windows LSA protection warnings (bleepingcomputer.com)
ZenGo uncovers 'red pill attack' vulnerability in popular Web3 apps (cointelegraph.com)
Windows 11 Snipping Tool privacy bug exposes cropped image content (bleepingcomputer.com)
If your Netgear Orbi router isn’t patched, you’ll want to change that pronto | Ars Technica
Attackers Are Probing for Zero-Day Vulns in Edge Infrastructure Products (darkreading.com)
Tools and Controls
Data backup, security alerts, and encryption viewed as top security features - Help Net Security
Majority of SMBs Lack Dedicated Cyber Experts, Incident Response Plan - MSSP Alert
55 zero-day flaws exploited last year show the importance of security risk management | CSO Online
Complacency of staff to blame for data breaches (thesundaily.my)
How access management helps protect identities in the cloud | VentureBeat
Why CISOs Should Prioritize Extended Detection & Response (XDR) - VMware Security Blog - VMware
The Ethics of Network and Security Monitoring (darkreading.com)
Fighting VPN criminalization should be Big Tech’s top priority, activists say | Ars Technica
How network perimeters secure enterprise networks | TechTarget
Top 5 security risks for enterprise storage, backup devices - Help Net Security
Other News
Web Fingerprinting gets frighteningly good: sees through VPNs and Incognito Mode - gHacks Tech News
Journalist plugs in unknown USB drive mailed to him—it exploded in his face | Ars Technica
What Is Shoulder Surfing? How Does It Affect Cyber security (informationsecuritybuzz.com)
Inside the DEA Tool Hackers Allegedly Used to Extort Targets (vice.com)
Top ways attackers are targeting your endpoints - Help Net Security
What Is a Dirty IP Address and How Does It Affect Your Security? (makeuseof.com)
Techno-nationalism explained: What you need to know (techtarget.com)
How Emerging Trends in Virtual Reality Impact Cyber security - IT Security Guru
Pipeline Cyber security Rules Show the Need for Public-Private Partnerships (darkreading.com)
Sector Specific
Industry specific threat intelligence reports are available.
Contact us to receive tailored reports specific to the industry/sector and geographies you operate in.
· Automotive
· Construction
· Critical National Infrastructure (CNI)
· Defence & Space
· Education & Academia
· Energy & Utilities
· Estate Agencies
· Financial Services
· FinTech
· Food & Agriculture
· Gaming & Gambling
· Government & Public Sector (including Law Enforcement)
· Health/Medical/Pharma
· Hotels & Hospitality
· Insurance
· Legal
· Manufacturing
· Maritime
· Oil, Gas & Mining
· OT, ICS, IIoT, SCADA & Cyber-Physical Systems
· Retail & eCommerce
· Small and Medium Sized Businesses (SMBs)
· Startups
· Telecoms
· Third Sector & Charities
· Transport & Aviation
· Web3
As usual, contact us to help assess where your risks lie and to ensure you are doing all you can do to keep you and your business secure.
Look out for our ‘Cyber Tip Tuesday’ video blog and on our YouTube channel.
You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.
Links to articles are for interest and awareness and linking to or reposting external content does not endorse any service or product, likewise we are not responsible for the security of external links.
Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing 17 February 2023
Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing 17 February 2023:
-High Risk Users May be Few, but the Threat They Pose is Huge
-The Cost of Cyber Security Insurance is Soaring so Firms Need to Take Prevention More Seriously
-Cyber Attacks Worldwide Increased to an All-Time Record Breaking High
-Most Organisations Make Cyber Security Decisions Without Insights
-Ransomware Attackers Finding New Ways to Weaponise Old Vulnerabilities
-Are Executives Fluent in IT Security Speak? 5 Reasons Why the Communication Gap is Wider Than You Think
-Business Email Compromise Groups Target Firms with Multilingual Impersonation Attacks
-EU Countries Told to Step up Defence Against State Hackers
-Cyber Criminals Exploit Fear and Urgency to Trick Consumers
-How to Manage Third Party and Supply Chain Cyber Security Risks that are Too Costly to Ignore
-Russian Spear Phishing Campaign Escalates Efforts Towards Critical UK, US and European Targets
-5 Biggest Risks of Using Third Party Managed Service Providers
-Cyber Crime as a Service: A Subscription Based Model in the Wrong Hands
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
High Risk Users May be Few, but the Threat They Pose is Huge
High risk users represent approximately 10% of the worker population according to research provider, Elevate Security research. The research found that high risk users were responsible for 41% of all simulated phishing clicks, 30% of all real-world phishing clicks, 54% of all secure-browsing incidents and 42% of all malware events. This is worrying, considering the rise in sophisticated targeted phishing campaigns.
https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2023/02/16/high-risk-behavior/
The Cost of Cyber Security Insurance is Soaring so Firms Need to Take Prevention More Seriously
State-backed cyber attacks are on the rise, but they are not raising the level of alarm that they should in the corporate world. Unfortunately, this is not a productive way of thinking. Come the end of March, insurance provider Lloyds will no longer cover damage from cyber attacks carried out by state or state-backed groups. In the worst cases, this reduced insurance coverage could exacerbate the trend of companies taking a passive approach toward state-backed attacks as they feel there is now really nothing they can do to protect themselves. The uncertainty however, could be the motivation for companies to take the threat of state-backed attacks more seriously.
Cyber Attacks Worldwide Increased to an All-Time Record-Breaking High, Report Shows
According to a report by security provider Check Point, cyber attacks rose 38% in 2022 compared to the previous year. Some of the key trends in the report included an increase in the number of cloud-based networking attacks, with a 48% rise and non-state affiliated hacktivist groups becoming more organised and effective than ever before. Additionally, ransomware is becoming more difficult to attribute and track and extra focus should be placed on exfiltration detection.
Most Organisations Make Cyber Security Decisions Without Insights
A report by security provider Mandiant found some worrying results when it came to organisational understanding of threat actors. Some of the key findings include, 79% of respondents stating that most of their cyber security decisions are made without insight into the treat actors targeting them, 79% believing their organisation could focus more time and energy on identifying critical security trends, 67% believing senior leadership teams underestimate the cyber threats posed to their organisation and finally, 47% of respondents felt that they could not prove to senior leadership that their organisation has a highly effective cyber security program.
Ransomware Attackers Finding New Ways to Weaponise Old Vulnerabilities
Ransomware attackers are finding new ways to exploit organisations’ security weaknesses by weaponising old vulnerabilities. A report by security provider Cyber Security Works had found that 76% of the vulnerabilities currently being exploited were first discovered between 2010-2019.
Are Executives Fluent in IT Security Speak? 5 Reasons Why the Communication Gap is Wider Than You Think
Using data from two different reports conducted by security provider Kaspersky, the combined data showed some worrying results. Some of the results include 98% of respondents revealing they faced at least one IT security miscommunication that regularly leads to bad consequences, 62% of managers revealing miscommunication led to at least one cyber security incident, 42% of business leaders wanting their IT security team to better communicate and 34% of C-level executives struggle to speak about adopting new security solutions.
Business Email Compromise Groups Target Firms with Multilingual Impersonation Attacks
Security providers Abnormal Security have identified two Business Email Compromise (BEC) groups “Midnight Hedgehog” and “Mandarin Capybara” which are conducting impersonation attacks in at least 13 different languages. Like many payment fraud attacks, finance managers or other executives are often targeted. In a separate report by Abnormal Security, it was found that business email compromise (BEC) attacks increased by more than 81% during 2022.
https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/bec-groups-multilingual/
EU Countries Told to Step up Defence Against State Hackers
European states have raced to protect their energy infrastructure from physical attacks but the European Systemic Risk Board (ESRB) said more needed to be done against cyber warfare against financial institutions and the telecommunications networks and power grids they rely on. "The war in Ukraine, the broader geopolitical landscape and the increasing use of cyber attacks have significantly heightened the cyber threat environment," the ESRB said in a report. In addition, the ESRB highlight an increased risk of cyber attacks on the EU financial system, suggesting that stress tests and impact analyses should be carried out to identify weaknesses and measure resilience.
Cyber Criminals Exploit Fear and Urgency to Trick Consumers
Threats using social engineering to steal money, such as refund and invoice fraud and tech support scams, increased during Q4 of 2022 according to a report by software provider Avast. “At the end of 2022, we have seen an increase in human-centred threats, such as scams tricking people into thinking their computer is infected, or that they have been charged for goods they didn’t order. It’s human nature to react to urgency, fear and try to regain control of issues, and that’s where cyber criminals succeed” Avast commented.
https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2023/02/13/cybercriminals-exploit-fear-urgency-trick-consumers/
How to Manage Third Party and Supply Chain Cyber Security Risks that are Too Costly to Ignore
Many organisations have experienced that “after the breach” feeling — the moment they realise they have to tell customers their personal information may have been compromised because one of the organisations’ vendors had a data breach. Such situations involve spending significant amount of money and time to fix a problem caused by a third party. An organisation’s ability to handle third-party cyber risk proactively depends on its risk management strategies.
https://techcrunch.com/2023/02/10/why-third-party-cybersecurity-risks-are-too-costly-to-ignore/
Russian Spear Phishing Campaign Escalates Efforts Towards Critical UK, US and European Targets
Following the advisory from the NCSC, it is clear that Russian state-sponsored hackers have become increasingly sophisticated at launching phishing attacks against critical targets in the UK, US and Europe over the last 12 months. The attacks included the creation of fake personas, supported by social media accounts, fake profiles and academic papers, to lure targets into replying to sophisticated phishing emails. In some cases, the bad actor may never leverage the account to send emails from and only use it to make decisions based on intelligence collection.
5 Biggest Risks of Using Third Party Managed Service Providers
As business processes become more complex, companies are turning to third parties to boost their ability to provide critical services from cloud storage to data management to security. It’s often more efficient and less expensive to contract out work. But it does present risks. 5 of the biggest risks to be considered are: indirect cyber attacks, financial risks from incident costs, reputational damage, geopolitical risk and regulatory compliance risk.
Cyber Crime as a Service: A Subscription Based Model in the Wrong Hands
Arguably nothing in tech has changes the landscape more than ‘as a Service’ offerings, the subscription-based IT service delivery model, in fact, the ‘as a Service’ offering has made its way into the cyber crime landscape. And cyber crime, for its part, has evolved beyond a nefarious hobby; today it’s a means of earning for cyber criminals. Organised cyber crime services are available for hire, particularly to those lacking resources and hacking expertise but willing to buy their way into cyber criminal activities. Underground cyber crime markets have thus emerged, selling cyber attack tools and services ranging from malware injection to botnet tools, Denial of Service and targeted spyware services.
https://www.splunk.com/en_us/blog/learn/cybercrime-as-a-service.html
Threats
Ransomware, Extortion and Destructive Attacks
Ransomware attackers finding new ways to weaponize old vulnerabilities | VentureBeat
US, UK slap sanctions on Russians linked to Conti and more • The Register
Clop ransomware claims it breached 130 orgs using GoAnywhere zero-day (bleepingcomputer.com)
Members of Russian cyber crime network unmasked by US and UK authorities - The Verge
Over 500 ESXiArgs Ransomware infections in one day in Europe-Security Affairs
New ESXi ransomware strain spreads, foils decryption tools | TechTarget
North Korea Using Healthcare Ransomware To Fund More Hacking (informationsecuritybuzz.com)
Cisco Talos spots new MortalKombat ransomware attacks | TechTarget
Hackers Target Israel’s Technion Demanding Huge Sum In Bitcoin - I24NEWS
City of Oakland systems offline after ransomware attack (bleepingcomputer.com)
MTU cyber breach: Probe after ransomware attacks 'like a murder investigation' (irishexaminer.com)
MTU data appears on dark web after cyber attack – The Irish Times
Oakland City Services Struggle to Recover From Ransomware Attack (darkreading.com)
Ransomware gang uses new zero-day to steal data on 1 million patients | TechCrunch
City of Oakland issued state of emergency after ransomware attack-Security Affairs
Glasgow Arnold Clark customers at risk after major cyber attack | HeraldScotland
No relief in sight for ransomware attacks on hospitals | TechTarget
Burton Snowboards cancels online orders after 'cyber incident' (bleepingcomputer.com)
Dallas Central Appraisal District paid $170,000 to ransomware attackers (bitdefender.com)
Phishing & Email Based Attacks
NameCheap's email hacked to send Metamask, DHL phishing emails (bleepingcomputer.com)
Spain, US dismantle phishing gang that stole $5 million in a year (bleepingcomputer.com)
BEC – Business Email Compromise
2FA/MFA
Malware
Experts Warn of Surge in Multipurpose Malware - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)
Microsoft OneNote Abuse for Malware Delivery Surges - Security Week
New TA886 group targets companies with Screenshotter malware-Security Affairs
Novel phishing campaign takes screenshots ahead of payload delivery | SC Media (scmagazine.com)
Great, hackers are now using ChatGPT to generate malware | Digital Trends
Devs targeted by W4SP Stealer malware in malicious PyPi packages (bleepingcomputer.com)
Pepsi distributor blames info-stealing malware for breach • The Register
Malware that can do anything and everything is on the rise - Help Net Security
New stealthy 'Beep' malware focuses heavily on evading detection (bleepingcomputer.com)
Thousands of WordPress sites have been infected by a mystery malware | TechRadar
Beep: New Evasive Malware That Can Escape Under The Radar (informationsecuritybuzz.com)
Hackers start using Havoc post-exploitation framework in attacks (bleepingcomputer.com)
Malware authors leverage more attack techniques that enable lateral movement | CSO Online
Mobile
Botnets
Denial of Service/DoS/DDOS
Cloudflare blocks record-breaking 71 million RPS DDoS attack (bleepingcomputer.com)
87% of largest DDoS attacks in Q4 targeted telecoms: Lumen (fiercetelecom.com)
The Tor network hit by wave of DDoS attacks for at least 7 months-Security Affairs
Internet of Things – IoT
Digital burglaries: The threat from your smart home devices | Fox News
Mirai V3G4 botnet exploits 13 flaws to target IoT devices-Security Affairs
New Mirai malware variant infects Linux devices to build DDoS botnet (bleepingcomputer.com)
Data Breaches
MP’s laptop and iPad stolen from pub in 'worrying' security breach | Metro News
Reddit was hit with a phishing attack. How it responded is a lesson for everyone | ZDNET
Reddit Hack Shows Limits of MFA, Strengths of Security Training (darkreading.com)
Highmark data breach affecting about 300,000 members exposed personal information to hackers – WPXI
Gulp! Pepsi hack sees personal information stolen by data-stealing malware (bitdefender.com)
Nearly 50 million Americans impacted by health data breaches in 2022 (chiefhealthcareexecutive.com)
My Password Manager was Hacked! How to Prevent a Catastrophe (bleepingcomputer.com)
After apparent hack, data from Australian tech giant Atlassian dumped online | CyberScoop
Atlassian: Leaked Data Stolen via Third-Party App (darkreading.com)
Health info for 1 million patients stolen using critical GoAnywhere vulnerability | Ars Technica
Scandinavian Airlines says cyber attack caused passenger data leak (bleepingcomputer.com)
Organised Crime & Criminal Actors
Cyber crime as a Service: A Subscription-based Model in The Wrong Hands | Splunk
A Hacker’s Mind — how the elites exploit the system | Financial Times (ft.com)
Dark Web Revenue Down Dramatically After Hydra's Demise (darkreading.com)
Russian hacker convicted of $90 million hack-to-trade charges (bleepingcomputer.com)
Cryptocurrency/Cryptomining/Cryptojacking/NFTs/Blockchain
Enigma, Vector, and TgToxic: The New Threats to Cryptocurrency Users (thehackernews.com)
Lazarus hackers use new mixer to hide $100 million in stolen crypto (bleepingcomputer.com)
451 PyPI packages install Chrome extensions to steal crypto (bleepingcomputer.com)
Insider Risk and Insider Threats
Fraud, Scams & Financial Crime
Russian IT biz owner made $90M from stolen financial info • The Register
Refund and Invoice Scams Surge in Q4 - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)
Russian Hackers Disrupt NATO Earthquake Relief Operations (darkreading.com)
Romance scam targets security researcher, hilarity ensues • The Register
10 signs that scammers have you in their sights | WeLiveSecurity
AML/CFT/Sanctions
Insurance
Dark Web
Supply Chain and Third Parties
How to manage third-party cyber security risks that are too costly to ignore | TechCrunch
5 biggest risks of using third-party services providers | CSO Online
Cloud/SaaS
Cloud security: Where do CSP and client responsibilities begin and end? | VentureBeat
Application and cloud security is a shared responsibility - Help Net Security
Attack Surface Management
Open Source
Configuration Issues in SaltStack IT Tool Put Enterprises at Risk (darkreading.com)
Solving open-source security — from Alpha to Omega | SC Media (scmagazine.com)
New Mirai malware variant infects Linux devices to build DDoS botnet (bleepingcomputer.com)
Passwords, Credential Stuffing & Brute Force Attacks
Eek! You Can Steal Passwords From This Password Manager Using the Notepad App | PCMag
Eurostar forces 'password resets' — then fails and locks users out (bleepingcomputer.com)
My Password Manager was Hacked! How to Prevent a Catastrophe (bleepingcomputer.com)
Social Media
Metaverse Adds New Dimensions to Web 3.0 Cyber security | TechRepublic
Elon Musk Seems to Think His Own Employees Are Shadowbanning Him (gizmodo.com)
Malvertising
Training, Education and Awareness
High-risk users may be few, but the threat they pose is huge - Help Net Security
Reddit Hack Shows Limits of MFA, Strengths of Security Training (darkreading.com)
Regulations, Fines and Legislation
The Online Safety Bill: An attack on encryption (element.io)
As regulations skyrocket, is compliance even possible anymore? - Help Net Security
Governance, Risk and Compliance
Security buyers lack insight into threats, attackers, report finds | Computer Weekly
Cyber attacks Worldwide Increased to an All-Time High, Check Point Research Reveals - MSSP Alert
Actionable intelligence is the key to better security outcomes - Help Net Security
Build Cyber Resiliency With These Security Threat-Mitigation Considerations (darkreading.com)
Evolving cyber attacks, alert fatigue creating DFIR burnout, regulatory risk | CSO Online
As regulations skyrocket, is compliance even possible anymore? - Help Net Security
Storage security for compliance and cyberwar in 2023 • The Register
Backup and Recovery
Careers, Working in Cyber and Information Security
Get hired in cyber security: Expert tips for job seekers - Help Net Security
3 Ways CISOs Can Lead Effectively and Avoid Burnout (darkreading.com)
Cyber security Jobs Remain Secure Despite Recession Fears (darkreading.com)
Law Enforcement Action and Take Downs
Members of Russian cyber crime network unmasked by US and UK authorities - The Verge
Spain, US dismantle phishing gang that stole $5 million in a year (bleepingcomputer.com)
Privacy, Surveillance and Mass Monitoring
Artificial Intelligence
Russian hackers are trying to break into ChatGPT, says Check Point | ZDNET
Cyber criminals Bypass ChatGPT Restrictions to Generate Malicious Content - Check Point Software
Great, hackers are now using ChatGPT to generate malware | Digital Trends
Eric Schmidt Is Building the Perfect AI War-Fighting Machine | WIRED
A.I. in the military could be a game changer in warfare | Fortune US issues declaration on responsible use of AI in the military | Reuters
Misinformation, Disinformation and Propaganda
Spyware, Cyber Espionage & Cyber Warfare, including Russian Invasion of Ukraine
EU countries told to step up defence against state hackers | Reuters
Britain must ‘wake up’ to China security challenges, ex-MI6 head says | The Independent
Hacks, leaks and wipers: Google analyses a year of Russian cyber attacks on Ukraine | Cyber scoop
Google: Russia continues to set cyber sights on NATO nations | TechTarget
US shoots down ‘high-altitude object’ above Alaska | Financial Times (ft.com)
Military Organizations in Pakistan Targeted With Sophisticated Espionage Tool - security Week
SpaceX curbed Ukraine's use of Starlink terminals - Militarnyi
US shoots down ‘octagonal’ flying object near military sites in Michigan | US news | The Guardian
Six companies join US entity list after Chinese spy balloon • The Register
How Alan Turing still casts his genius in the age of cyberwar | Metro News
US warns its citizens in Russia to get out immediately over security fears | Euronews
Russian Hackers Disrupt NATO Earthquake Relief Operations (darkreading.com)
Ukraine’s use of SpaceX satellites risks starting World War Three, says Elon Musk (telegraph.co.uk)
Eric Schmidt Is Building the Perfect AI War-Fighting Machine | WIRED
Albanian gangs set up hundreds of spy cameras to keep ahead of police | Financial Times (ft.com)
A.I. in the military could be a game changer in warfare | Fortune
Chinese cameras leave British police vulnerable to spying, says watchdog | Espionage | The Guardian
China-based cyber espionage actor seen targeting South America | CSO Online
The Lessons From Cyberwar, Cyber-in-War and Ukraine - security Week
Storage security for compliance and cyberwar in 2023 • The Register
Nation State Actors
EU countries told to step up defence against state hackers | Reuters
Britain must ‘wake up’ to China security challenges, ex-MI6 head says | The Independent
Hacks, leaks and wipers: Google analyses a year of Russian cyber attacks on Ukraine | CyberScoop
Google: Russia continues to set cyber sights on NATO nations | TechTarget
Military Organizations in Pakistan Targeted With Sophisticated Espionage Tool - Security Week
MagicWeb Mystery Highlights Nobelium Attacker's Sophistication (darkreading.com)
Russian hackers are trying to break into ChatGPT, says Check Point | ZDNET
Six companies join US entity list after Chinese spy balloon • The Register
Lazarus hackers use new mixer to hide $100 million in stolen crypto (bleepingcomputer.com)
Russian Hackers Disrupt NATO Earthquake Relief Operations (darkreading.com)
Chinese Hackers Targeting South American Diplomatic Entities with ShadowPad (thehackernews.com)
Ukraine’s use of SpaceX satellites risks starting World War Three, says Elon Musk (telegraph.co.uk)
Chinese cameras leave British police vulnerable to spying, says watchdog | Espionage | The Guardian
China-based cyber espionage actor seen targeting South America | CSO Online
UK Policing Riddled with Chinese CCTV Cameras - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)
A new operating system has been released in Russia! (gizchina.com)
Vulnerability Management
Vulnerabilities
Microsoft Patch Tuesday: 36 RCE bugs, 3 zero-days, 75 CVEs – Naked Security (sophos.com)
Citrix Patches High-Severity Vulnerabilities in Windows, Linux Apps - Security Week
Adobe Plugs Critical Security Holes in Illustrator, After Effects Software - Security Week
Apple releases new fix for iPhone zero-day exploited by hackers | TechCrunch
Firefox Updates Patch 10 High-Severity Vulnerabilities - Security Week
Critical RCE Vulnerability Discovered in ClamAV Open-Source Antivirus Software (thehackernews.com)
Microsoft says Intel driver bug crashes apps on Windows PCs (bleepingcomputer.com)
Serious Security: GnuTLS follows OpenSSL, fixes timing attack bug – Naked Security (sophos.com)
Splunk Enterprise Updates Patch High-Severity Vulnerabilities - Security Week
Dozens of Vulnerabilities Patched in Intel Products - Security Week
High-severity DLP flaw impacts Trellix for Windows | SC Media (scmagazine.com)
Critical Vulnerability Patched in Cisco Security Products - Security Week
Health info for 1 million patients stolen using critical GoAnywhere vulnerability | Ars Technica
Tools and Controls
A CISOs Practical Guide to Storage and Backup Ransomware Resiliency (thehackernews.com)
Combining identity and security strategies to mitigate risks - Help Net Security
Defending against attacks on Azure AD: Goodbye firewall, hello identity protection | CSO Online
Regular Pen Testing Is Key to Resolving Conflict Between SecOps and DevOps (thehackernews.com)
Attack surface management (ASM) is not limited to the surface - Help Net Security
How to filter Security log events for signs of trouble | TechTarget
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
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.
· Automotive
· Construction
· Critical National Infrastructure (CNI)
· Defence & Space
· Education & Academia
· Energy & Utilities
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· Financial Services
· FinTech
· Food & Agriculture
· Gaming & Gambling
· Government & Public Sector (including Law Enforcement)
· Health/Medical/Pharma
· Hotels & Hospitality
· Insurance
· Legal
· Manufacturing
· Maritime
· Oil, Gas & Mining
· OT, ICS, IIoT, SCADA & Cyber-Physical Systems
· Retail & eCommerce
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· 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 October 2022
Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing 14 October 2022:
-Ransomware Report: Most Organisations Unprepared for an Attack, Lack Incident Playbook, Research Finds
-LinkedIn Scams, Fake Instagram Accounts Hit Businesses, Execs
-Study Highlights Surge in Identity Theft and Phishing Attacks
-Increase in Cyber Liability Insurance Claims as Cyber Crime Skyrockets
-UK Government Urges Action to Enhance Supply Chain Security
-For Most Companies Ransomware Is the Scariest Of All Cyber Attacks
-EDR Is Not a Silver Bullet
-Attackers Use Automation to Speed from Exploit to Compromise
-Rising Premiums, More Restricted Cyber Insurance Coverage Poses Big Risk for Companies
-Why CISO Roles Require Business and Technology Savvy
-Wi-Fi Spy Drones Used to Snoop on Financial Firm
-Magniber Ransomware Attacking Individuals and Home Users
Welcome to this week’s Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing – a weekly digest, collated and curated by our cyber experts to provide senior and middle management with an easy to digest round up of the most notable threats, vulnerabilities, and cyber related news from the last week.
Top Cyber Stories of the Last Week
Ransomware Report: Most Organisations Unprepared for an Attack, Lack Incident Playbook, Research Finds
Some organisations have made significant improvements to their ransomware readiness profile in the last year, Axio said in a newly released report. However, a lack of fundamental cyber security practices and controls, inadequate vulnerability patching and employee training continues to leave ransomware defences lacking in potency.
Axio’s report reveals that only 30% of organisations have a ransomware-specific playbook for incident management in place. In 2021’s report Axio, maker of a cloud-based cyber management software platform, identified seven key areas emerged where organisations were deficient in implementing and sustaining basic cyber security practices.
The same patterns showed up in the 2022 report:
Managing privileged access.
Improving basic cyber hygiene.
Reducing exposure to supply chain and third-party risk.
Monitoring and defending networks.
Managing ransomware incidents.
Identifying and addressing vulnerabilities in a timely manner.
Improving cyber security training and awareness.
Overall, most organisations surveyed are not adequately prepared to manage the risk associated with a ransomware attack. Key data findings include:
The number of organisations with a functional privileged access management solution in place increased by 10% but remains low at 33% overall.
Limitations on the use of service and local administrator accounts remain average overall, with nearly 50% of organisations reporting implementing these practices.
Approximately 40% of organisations monitor third-party network access, evaluate third-party cyber security posture, and limit the use of third-party software.
Less than 50% of respondents implement basic network segmentation and only 40% monitor for anomalous connections.
Critical vulnerability patching within 24 hours was reported by only 24% of organisations.
Active phishing training has improved but is still not practiced by 40% of organisations.
LinkedIn Scams, Fake Instagram Accounts Hit Businesses, Execs
Business owners with public social media accounts are easy targets for scammers who lift information to create fake accounts. The arduous process for removing fraudulent accounts leaves victims frustrated and vulnerable to further data privacy issues. Victims say platform providers, particularly Facebook and Instagram, must improve their responses to reports of fraud.
Impersonation of a brand or executive contributed to more than 40% of all phishing and social media incidents in the second quarter, according to the Agari and Phish Labs Quarterly Threat Trends and Intelligence Report released in August. Q2 marks the second quarter that impersonation attacks have represented the majority of threats, despite a 6.1% decrease from Q1.
Executive impersonation has been on the rise over the past four quarters — representing more than 15% of attacks, according to the report — as impersonating a corporate figure or company on social media is simple and effective for threat actors.
Thom Singer, CEO for the Austin Technology Council and a public speaker, was recently impersonated on Instagram. A scammer created a fake Instagram account with his name and photos, creating a handle with an extra "r" at the end of Singer. That account appeared to amass over 2,300 followers – nearly as many as Singer's own account – lending to its appearance of authenticity.
He learned of the fake account from a contact who texted to ask if he'd reached out on Instagram, which wasn't a channel Singer typically uses to communicate. Singer reported the fraudulent account using the platform's report button and asked his followers to do the same.
"You can't reach anyone at these platforms, so it takes days to get a fake account removed," Singer said. "These social media sites have no liability, nothing to lose when fraud is happening. They need to up their game and have a better process to get [fraud] handled in a timely manner."
Study Highlights Surge in Identity Theft and Phishing Attacks
A new study from behavioural risk firm CybSafe and the National Cybersecurity Alliance (NCA) has been launched and it highlights an alarming surge in phishing and identity theft attacks.
The report, titled ‘Oh, Behave! The Annual Cybersecurity Attitudes and Behaviors report’, studied the opinions of 3,000 individuals across the US, the UK and Canada towards cyber security and revealed that nearly half (45%) of users are connected to the internet all the time, however, this has led to a surge in identity theft with almost 1 in 4 people being affected by the attack.
Furthermore, 1 in 3 (36%) respondents revealed they have lost money or data due to a phishing attack. Yet the study also revealed that 70% of respondents feel confident in their ability to identify a malicious email, but only 45% will confirm the authenticity of a suspicious email by reaching out to the apparent sender.
When it comes to implementing cyber security best practices, only 33% of respondents revealed they use a unique password for important online accounts, while only 16% utilise passwords of over 12 characters in length. Furthermore, only 18% of participants have downloaded a stand-alone password manager, while 43% of respondents have not even heard of multi-factor authentication.
Increase in Cyber Liability Insurance Claims as Cyber Crime Skyrockets
A cyber insurer, Acuity Insurance, is reporting an increased need for cyber liability insurance across both personal and business policyholders. From June 2021 to June 2022, the insurer saw cyber liability insurance claims on its commercial insurance policies increase by more than 50%. For personal policies, they saw more than a 90% increase in cyber claims being reported in 2021 compared with 2020.
Our lives, homes and businesses are more connected than ever before. Being connected leads to a greater risk of cyber attacks, which aren't covered under standard homeowners or business insurance policies.
The insurance experts caution that everyone is at risk — whether you are a small business owner or an individual — as cyber attacks continue to pose a serious financial threat. From 2019 to 2021, cyber attacks were up 50% from the previous year, according to recent research. Wire fraud and gift card scams are two of the most common types of cyber attacks impacting both businesses and individuals.
Scams involving social engineering are some of the easiest to fall for, as fraudsters exploit a person's trust to obtain money or personal information, which can then be used for unauthorised withdrawals of money. Cyber insurance can protect you from financial loss caused by wire transfer fraud, phishing attacks, cyber extortion, cyberbullying and more, Acuity reported.
While all cyber crimes have a financial impact, fraudulent wire transfers often come with greater losses. Banks are typically not responsible for funds lost as a result of a fraudulent wire transfer inadvertently authorised by the customer. Whether it's a wrongful money transfer by a business or an individual, cyber insurance can help mitigate some of the financial loss caused by these scams.
UK Government Urges Action to Enhance Supply Chain Security
The UK government has warned organisations to take steps to strengthen their supply chain security.
New National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) guidance has been issued amid a significant increase in supply chain attacks in recent years, such as the SolarWinds incident in 2020. The NCSC cited official government data showing that just over one in 10 businesses review the risks posed by their immediate suppliers (13%), while the proportion covering the wider supply chain is just 7%.
Aimed at medium-to-large organisations, the document sets out practical steps to better assess cyber security across increasingly complex supply chains. This includes a description of typical supplier relationships and ways that organisations are exposed to vulnerabilities and cyber-attacks via the supply chain, and the expected outcomes and key steps needed to assess suppliers’ approaches to security.
The new guidance followed a government response to a call for views last year which highlighted the need for further advice. Supply chain attacks are a major cyber threat facing organisations and incidents can have a profound, long-lasting impact on businesses and customers. With incidents on the rise, it is vital organisations work with their suppliers to identify supply chain risks and ensure appropriate security measures are in place.
https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/uk-government-supply-chain-security/
For Most Companies Ransomware Is the Scariest Of All Cyber Attacks
SonicWall released the 2022 SonicWall Threat Mindset Survey which found that 66% of customers are more concerned about cyber attacks in 2022, with the main threat being focused on financially motivated attacks like ransomware.
“No one is safe from cyber attacks — businesses or individuals,” said SonicWall Executive Chairman of the Board Bill Conner. “Today’s business landscape requires persistent digital trust to exist. Supply-chain attacks have dramatically changed the attack surface of the typical enterprise in the past few years, with more suppliers and service providers touching sensitive data than ever before.
“It’s likely we’ll see continued acceleration and evolution of ransomware tactics, as well as other advanced persistent threats (APTs), as cyber crime continues to scale the globe seeking both valuable and weak targets.”
Companies are not only losing millions of dollars to unending malware and ransomware strikes, but cyber attacks on essential infrastructure are impacting real-world services. Despite the growing concern of cyber attacks, organisations are struggling to keep pace with the fast-moving threat landscape as they orient their business, networks, data and employees against unwavering cyber attacks.
“The evolving cyber threat landscape has made us train our staff significantly more,” said Stafford Fields, IT Director, Cavett Turner & Wyble. “It’s made us spend more on cyber security. And what scares me is that an end-user can click on something and bring all our systems down — despite being well protected.”
https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2022/10/12/customers-concerned-ransomware/
EDR Is Not a Silver Bullet
Old lore held that shooting a werewolf, vampire, or even just your average nasty villain with a silver bullet was a sure-fire takedown: one hit, no more bad guy.
As cyber security professionals, we understand – much like folks in the Old West knew – that there are no panaceas, no actual silver bullets. Yet humans gravitate towards simple solutions to complex challenges, and we are constantly (if unconsciously) seeking silver bullet technology.
Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) tools have become Standard Operating Procedures for cyber security regimes. They are every CIO’s starting point, and there’s nothing wrong with this. In a recent study by Cymulate of over one million tests conducted by customers in 2021, the most popular testing vector was EDR.
Yet cyber security stakeholders should not assume that EDR is a silver bullet. The fact is that EDR’s efficacy and protective prowess as a standalone solution has been slowly diminished over the decade since the term was first coined by Gartner. Even as it became a mainstay of enterprise and SMB/SME security posture – attacks have skyrocketed in frequency, severity, and success. Today, EDR is facing some of its greatest challenges, including threats laser-targeting EDR systems like the highly-successful Grandoiero banking trojan.
While EDR should not be your only line of defence against advanced threats, including it in a defence solution array is paramount. It should be installed on all organisational servers – including Linux-based ones. Yet installation is not enough. Your organisation is at significant risk if the underlying OS and EDR are not both implemented and fine-tuned.
https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2022/10/11/edr-is-not-a-silver-bullet/
Attackers Use Automation to Speed from Exploit to Compromise
A report from Laceworks examines the cloud security threat landscape over the past three months and unveils the new techniques and avenues cyber criminals are exploiting for profit at the expense of businesses. In this latest edition, the Lacework Labs team found a significantly more sophisticated attacker landscape, with an increase in attacks against core networking and virtualisation software, and an unprecedented increase in the speed of attacks following a compromise. Key trends and threats identified include:
Increased speed from exposure to compromise: Attackers are advancing to keep pace with cloud adoption and response time. Many classes of attacks are now fully automated to capitalise on timing. Additionally, one of the most common targets is credential leakage. In a specific example from the report, a leaked AWS access key was caught and flagged by AWS in record time. Despite the limited exposure, an unknown adversary was able to log in and launch tens of GPU EC2 instances, underscoring just how quickly attackers can take advantage of a single simple mistake.
Increased focus on infrastructure, specifically attacks against core networking and virtualisation software: Commonly deployed core networking and related infrastructure consistently remains a key target for adversaries. Core flaws in infrastructure often appear suddenly and are shared openly online, creating opportunities for attackers of all kinds to exploit these potential targets.
Continued Log4j reconnaissance and exploitation: Nearly a year after the initial exploit, the Lacework Labs team is still commonly observing vulnerable software targeted via OAST requests. Analysis of Project Discovery (interact.sh) activity revealed Cloudflare and DigitalOcean as the top originators.
Rising Premiums, More Restricted Cyber Insurance Coverage Poses Big Risk for Companies
Among the many consequences of the rising number of costly data breaches, ransomware, and other security attacks are pricier premiums for cyber security insurance. The rise in costs could put many organisations out of the running for this essential coverage, a risky proposition given the current threat landscape.
Cyber insurance is a type of specialty insurance that protects organisations against a variety of risks related to information security attacks such as ransomware and data breaches. Ordinarily, these types of risks aren’t included with traditional commercial general liability policies or are not specifically defined in these insurance plans.
Given the rise in attacks, the growing sophistication of these incidents and the potential financial impact, having cyber insurance coverage has become critical for many organisations. Premiums for these plans have been on the rise because of the increase in security-related losses and rising demand for coverage.
Cyber insurance premiums increased by an average of 28% in the first quarter of 2022 compared with the fourth quarter of 2021, according to the Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers (CIAB), an association for commercial insurance and employee benefits intermediaries.
Among the primary drivers for the continued price increases were a reduced carrier appetite for the risk and high demand for coverage, CIAB said. The high demand for cyber coverage is in part fueled by greater awareness among companies of the threat cyber risk poses for businesses of all sizes, it said.
https://www.cnbc.com/2022/10/11/companies-are-finding-it-harder-to-get-cyber-insurance-.html
Why CISO Roles Require Business and Technology Savvy
Listening and communicating to both the technical and business sides is critical to successfully leading IT teams and business leaders to the same end-goal.
Of all the crazy postings that advertise for CISO jobs, the one asking for a CISO to code in Python was probably the most outrageous example of the disconnect about a CISO’s role, says Joe Head, CISO search director at UK-based search firm, Intaso. This was a few years ago, and one can only guess that the role had been created by a technologist who didn’t care about or didn’t understand the business — or, inversely by a businessperson who didn’t understand enough about technology.
In either case, the disconnect is real. However, Head and other experts say that when it comes to achieving the true, executive role and reporting to the CEO and board, business skills rule. That doesn’t mean, however, that most CISOs know nothing about technology, because most still start out with technology backgrounds.
In the 2022 CISO survey by executive placement firm, Heidrick & Struggles, most CISOs come from a functional IT background that reflects the issues of the time. For example, in 2022 10% of CISOs came from software engineering backgrounds, which tracks with the White House directive to protect the software supply chain. The report notes that the majority of CISOs have experience in the financial services industry, which has a low risk tolerance and where more money is spent on security.
The survey also indicates that only a small core of CISOs (working primarily for the Fortune 500) rise to the executive level with the combination of business and technical responsibilities that come with the role. In it, more than two-thirds of CISOs responding to the survey worked for companies worth over $5 billion. So, instead of bashing a CISO’s lack of IT skills, the real need lies in developing business skills for the technologists coming up the ranks.
Wi-Fi Spy Drones Used to Snoop on Financial Firm
Modified off-the-shelf drones have been found carrying wireless network-intrusion kit in a very unlikely place.
The idea of using consumer-oriented drones for hacking has been explored over the past decade at security conferences like Black Hat 2016, in both the US and in Europe, but now these sort of attacks are actually taking place. A security researcher recently recounted an incident that occurred over the summer at a US East Coast financial firm focused on private investment.
The hacking incident was discovered when the financial firm spotted unusual activity on its internal Atlassian Confluence page that originated from within the company's network. The company's security team responded and found that the user whose MAC address was used to gain partial access to the company Wi-Fi network was also logged in at home several miles away. That is to say, the user was active off-site but someone within Wi-Fi range of the building was trying to wirelessly use that user's MAC address, which is a red flag. The team then took steps to trace the Wi-Fi signal and used a Fluke system to identify the Wi-Fi device.
This led the team to the roof, where two modified commercially available consumer drones series were discovered. One drone was in fine condition and had a modified Wi-Fi Pineapple device, used for network penetration testing. The second drone was carrying a case that contained a Raspberry Pi, several batteries, a GPD mini laptop, a 4G modem, and another Wi-Fi device. It had landed near the building's heating and ventilation system and appeared to be damaged but still operable.
During their investigation, they determined that the first drone had originally been used a few days prior to intercept a worker's credentials and Wi-Fi, and this data was then hard coded into the tools that were deployed on the second drone.
https://www.theregister.com/2022/10/12/drone-roof-attack/
Magniber Ransomware Attacking Individuals and Home Users
A recent analysis shows that Magniber ransomware has been targeting home users by masquerading as software updates.
Reports have shown a ransomware campaign isolated by HP Wolf Security in September 2022 saw Magniber ransomware spread. The malware is known as a single-client ransomware family that demands $2,500 from victims. Magniber was previously primarily spread through MSI and EXE files, but in September 2022 HP Wolf Security began seeing campaigns distributing the ransomware in JavaScript files.
HP Wolf Security reported that some malware families rely exclusively on JavaScript, but have done so for some time. Currently, analysts are also seeing more HTML smuggling, such as with Qakbot and IcedID. This technique also makes use of JavaScript to decode malicious content. The only difference is that the HTML file is executed in the context of the browser and therefore usually requires further user interaction.
Remarkably, HP Wolf Security said, the attackers used clever techniques to evade detection, such as running the ransomware in memory, bypassing User Account Control (UAC) in Windows, and bypassing detection techniques that monitor user-mode hooks by using syscalls instead of standard Windows API libraries.
It appears that with the UAC bypass, the malware deletes the infected system’s shadow copy files and disables backup and recovery features, preventing the victim from recovering their data using Windows tools.
Having recently described the ransomware campaign in a recent interview, HP Wolf noted that the infection chain starts with a web download from an attacker-controlled website.
Threats
Ransomware and Extortion
More and more ransomware is just data theft, no encryption • The Register
Magniber ransomware now infects Windows users via JavaScript files (bleepingcomputer.com)
Fake adult sites push data wipers disguised as ransomware (bleepingcomputer.com)
It was LockBit that forced NHS tech supplier to shut down • The Register
Ransomware posing as Windows antivirus update will just empty your wallet | TechRadar
Microsoft: New Prestige ransomware targets orgs in Ukraine, Poland (bleepingcomputer.com)
BlackByte ransomware uses new EDR evasion technique (techtarget.com)
Prevent Ransomware Attacks on Critical Infrastructure (trendmicro.com)
Microsoft Exchange servers hacked to deploy LockBit ransomware (bleepingcomputer.com)
Harvard Business Publishing licensee hit by ransomware - Security Affairs
LockBit affiliates compromise Microsoft Exchange servers to deploy ransomware - Security Affairs
Police tricks DeadBolt ransomware out of 155 decryption keys (bleepingcomputer.com)
Phishing & Email Based Attacks
Caffeine service lets anyone launch Microsoft 365 phishing attacks (bleepingcomputer.com)
A whole load of phishing emails make it past Microsoft Defender, researchers say | TechRadar
Google Forms abused in new COVID-19 phishing wave in the U.S. (bleepingcomputer.com)
US election workers hit with phishing, malware emails • The Register
Cyber criminals are having it easy with phishing-as-a-service - Help Net Security
Other Social Engineering; Smishing, Vishing, etc
Malware
How a Microsoft blunder opened millions of PCs to potent malware attacks | Ars Technica
Banks face their 'darkest hour' as crimeware powers up • The Register
Emotet Rises Again With More Sophistication, Evasion (darkreading.com)
QAKBOT Attacks Spike Amid Concerning Cyber Criminal Collaborations (darkreading.com)
Hackers behind IcedID malware attacks diversify delivery tactics (bleepingcomputer.com)
Eternity threat group’s LilithBot: A criminal multitool • The Register
Here's another excellent reason not to browse adult websites at work | TechRadar
Experts analysed the evolution of the Emotet supply chain - Security Affairs
Mobile
Modified WhatsApp App Caught Infecting Android Devices with Malware (thehackernews.com)
Meta uncovers 400 malicious apps on Android and iOS apps | SC Media (scmagazine.com)
‘Zero-Click’ Spyware Emerges as a Menacing Mobile Threat - Bloomberg
Mullvad: Android may leak information when connected to a VPN - gHacks Tech News
Android Security Updates Patch Critical Vulnerabilities | SecurityWeek.Com
Hackers Using Vishing to Trick Victims into Installing Android Banking Malware (thehackernews.com)
Mystery iPhone update patches against iOS 16 mail crash-attack – Naked Security (sophos.com)
Internet of Things – IoT
Data Breaches/Leaks
Client data exfiltrated in Advanced NHS cyber attack (digitalhealth.net)
Mormon Church data stolen in 'state-sponsored' cyber attack • The Register
2K Customer Data Stolen, Sold Online After Support Desk Scam (kotaku.com)
Toyota discloses data leak after access key exposed on GitHub (bleepingcomputer.com)
Fast Company says Executive Board member info was not stolen in attack (bleepingcomputer.com)
State Bar of Georgia Confirms Data Breach Following Ransomware Attack | SecurityWeek.Com
Singtel's second unit faces cyber attack weeks after Optus data breach | Reuters
Zoetop pays $1.9m to settle customer data theft case • The Register
CommonSpirit Health IT still suffering after cyber attack • The Register
Over 80,000 DJI drone IDs exposed in data leak: Report (dronedj.com)
High-Value Targets: String of Aussie Telco Breaches Continues (darkreading.com)
Data of 380K patients compromised in hack of 13 anesthesia practices | SC Media (scmagazine.com)
Australian police secret agents exposed in Colombian data leak (bleepingcomputer.com)
Toyota Reveals Data Leak of 300,000 Customers - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)
Organised Crime & Criminal Actors
INTERPOL arrests ‘Black Axe’ cyber crime syndicate members (bleepingcomputer.com)
Caffeine Phishing-as-a-Service toolkit available in the underground - Security Affairs
Cryptocurrency/Cryptomining/Cryptojacking/NFTs/Blockchain
North Korea's Crypto Hackers Are Paving the Road to Nuclear Armageddon - CNET
Fake Solana Phantom security updates push crypto-stealing malware (bleepingcomputer.com)
'Baby Al Capone' to pay $22m to SIM-swap crypto-heist victim • The Register
Fraud, Scams & Financial Crime
Alternative payment methods are creating new fraud risks - Help Net Security
Prison inmate charged with $11m fraud via cell phone • The Register
Mastercard moves to protect ‘risky and frisky’ transactions • The Register
Deepfakes
AML/CFT/Sanctions
Insurance
Dark Web
Software Supply Chain
Denial of Service DoS/DDoS
US airports' sites taken down in DDoS attacks by pro-Russian hackers (bleepingcomputer.com)
Russian DDoS attack project pays contributors for more firepower (bleepingcomputer.com)
Cloud/SaaS
Encryption
Microsoft Office 365 uses insecure block ciphers • The Register
Microsoft Office 365 email encryption could expose message content (bleepingcomputer.com)
Passwords, Credential Stuffing & Brute Force Attacks
Social Media
Training, Education and Awareness
Parental Controls and Child Safety
Cyber Bullying and Cyber Stalking
Regulations, Fines and Legislation
Backup and Recovery
Spyware, Cyber Espionage & Cyber Warfare, including Russian Invasion of Ukraine
Vladimir Putin’s hybrid war has begun and the West must be ready | Evening Standard
Internet outages hit Ukraine following Russian missile strikes (bitdefender.com)
Seven 'Creepy' Backdoors Used by Lebanese Cyberspy Group in Israel Attacks | SecurityWeek.Com
Researchers Uncover Custom Backdoors and Spying Tools Used by Polonium Hackers (thehackernews.com)
We must tackle Europe’s winter cyber threats head-on – POLITICO
Researchers Detail Malicious Tools Used by Cyber Espionage Group Earth Aughisky (thehackernews.com)
‘Zero-Click’ Spyware Emerges as a Menacing Mobile Threat - Bloomberg
SpaceX’s Starlink terminals in Ukraine back online after outages | Financial Times
Nation State Actors
Nation State Actors – Russia
German Cyber security Chief Accused of Russian Contact Faces Sacking - IT Security Guru
Russian DDoS attack project pays contributors for more firepower (bleepingcomputer.com)
Extreme Networks admits sales to banned Russian arms maker • The Register
Nation State Actors – China
UK Spy Chief to Warn of 'Huge' China Tech Threat | SecurityWeek.Com
China’s attack motivations, tactics, and how CISOs can mitigate threats | CSO Online
China will manipulate new tech for global influence, warns GCHQ boss | Metro News
UK telcos legally required to remove Huawei equipment • The Register
Chinese-linked hackers targeted U.S. state legislature, researchers say - CyberScoop
New Chinese Malware Attack Framework Targets Windows, macOS, and Linux Systems (thehackernews.com)
UK to designate China a ‘threat’ in hawkish foreign policy shift | Foreign policy | The Guardian
WIP19, a new Chinese APT targets IT Service Providers and Telcos - Security Affairs
China-linked Budworm APT returns to target a US entity - Security Affairs
We must tackle China’s satellite-busting technology, says GCHQ chief | News | The Times
GCHQ boss: China could use Digital Yuan to swerve sanctions • The Register
Young people using TikTok is no problem, GCHQ chief says | TikTok | The Guardian
Nation State Actors – North Korea
Nation State Actors – Misc
Vulnerability Management
Vulnerabilities
Concerns Over Fortinet Flaw Mount; PoC Released, Exploit Activity Grows (darkreading.com)
Microsoft October 2022 Patch Tuesday fixes zero-day used in attacks, 84 flaws (bleepingcomputer.com)
Microsoft Addresses Zero-Days, but Exchange Server Exploit Chain Remains Unpatched (darkreading.com)
Auth bypass bug in FortiOS, FortiProxy is exploited in the wild (CVE-2022-40684) - Help Net Security
Chrome 106 Update Patches Several High-Severity Vulnerabilities | SecurityWeek.Com
Researchers Detail Windows Zero-Day Vulnerability Patched Last Month (thehackernews.com)
Almost 900 servers hacked using Zimbra zero-day flaw (bleepingcomputer.com)
Patch Tuesday: Critical Flaws in ColdFusion, Adobe Commerce | SecurityWeek.Com
Aruba fixes critical RCE and auth bypass flaws in EdgeConnect (bleepingcomputer.com)
WordPress Vulnerability In Shortcodes Ultimate Impacts 700,000 Sites (searchenginejournal.com)
Critical Open Source vm2 Sandbox Escape Bug Affects Millions (darkreading.com)
VMware vCenter Server bug disclosed last year still not patched (bleepingcomputer.com)
Other News
Board members should make CISOs their strategic partners - Help Net Security
5 Attack Elements Every Organisations Should Be Monitoring (darkreading.com)
Ukraine’s Starlink problems show the dangers of digital dependency | Financial Times (ft.com)
Here's 5 of the world's riskiest connected devices - Help Net Security
Older, Stored Data Is Cyber Security Risk, Report Warns - MSSP Alert
What the Uber Breach Verdict Means for CISOs in the US (darkreading.com)
Increasing network visibility is critical to improving security posture - Help Net Security
What the Uber Hack can teach us about navigating IT Security (bleepingcomputer.com)
Consumers want more transparency on how companies manage their data - Help Net Security
Gaming Is Booming. That’s Catnip for Cyber criminals. - The New York Times (nytimes.com)
Fear of cyber criminals drives cyber security improvements - Help Net Security
The next Ford Mustang won’t be easy to tune; blame cyber security | Ars Technica
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 01 July 2022
Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing 01 July 2022:
-Ransomware Is the Biggest Global Cyber Threat. And The Attacks Are Still Evolving
-Study Reveals Traditional Data Security Tools Have a 60% Failure Rate Against Ransomware and Extortion
-Patchable and Preventable Security Issues Lead Causes of Q1 Attacks
-Three in Four Vulnerability Management Programs Ineffective, NopSec Research Finds
-EMEA Continues to Be a Hotspot for Malware Threats
-A New, Remarkably Sophisticated Malware Is Attacking Home and Small Office Routers
-What Are Shadow IDs, and How Are They Crucial in 2022?
-Zero-Days Aren't Going Away Anytime Soon & What Leaders Need to Know
-Half of 2022's Zero-Days Are Variants of Previous Vulnerabilities
-Human Error Remains the Top Security Issue
-Carnival Cruises Torpedoed by US States, Agrees to Pay $6m After Wave of Cyber Attacks
-Uber Ex-Security Chief Accused of Hacking Coverup Must Face Fraud Charges, Judge Rules
Welcome to this week’s Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing – a weekly digest, collated and curated by our cyber experts to provide senior and middle management with an easy to digest round up of the most notable threats, vulnerabilities, and cyber related news from the last week.
Top Cyber Stories of the Last Week
Ransomware Is the Biggest Global Cyber Threat. And The Attacks Are Still Evolving
Ransomware is the biggest cyber security threat facing the world today, with the potential to significantly affect whole societies and economies – and the attacks are unrelenting, the head of the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) has warned.
"Even with a war raging in Ukraine – the biggest global cyber threat we still face is ransomware. That tells you something of the scale of the problem. Ransomware attacks strike hard and fast. They are evolving rapidly, they are all-pervasive, they're increasingly offered by gangs as a service, lowering the bar for entry into cyber crime," said Lindy Cameron, CEO of the NCSC in a speech at Tel Aviv Cyber Week.
She added that the NCSC has dealt with "nationally significant incidents" along with hundreds of general cyber incidents that "affect the UK more widely every year".
While she didn't detail any specific instances of responding to ransomware incidents, Cameron warned that "these complex attacks have the potential to affect our societies and economies significantly", and implied that if it weren't for the work of NCSC incident responders, alongside their counterparts in the industry and international counterparts, the attacks could have had a major impact.
Study Reveals Traditional Data Security Tools Have a 60% Failure Rate Against Ransomware and Extortion
Titaniam, Inc., the data security platform, announced the ‘State of Data Exfiltration & Extortion Report.’ The survey revealed that while over 70% of organisations have an existing set of prevention, detection, and backup solutions, nearly 40% of organisations have been hit with ransomware attacks in the last year, and more than 70% have experienced one in the previous five years, proving existing solutions to be woefully inadequate in managing the risks and impacts from these attacks.
Data exfiltration during ransomware attacks is up 106% relative to where it was five years ago. We are seeing the emergence of a new trend where cyber criminals are no longer limiting themselves to just encrypting entire systems—they are making sure to steal data ahead of the encryption so that they can have additional leverage on the victim. The survey found that 65% of those who have experienced a ransomware attack have also experienced data theft or exfiltration due to the incident. Of those victims, 60% say the hackers used the data theft to extort them further, known as double extortion. Most of them, i.e., 59% of victims, paid the hackers, implying that they were not helped by their backup or data security tools to prevent this fate.
Data is being exposed for theft and extortion in other ways too. Nearly half (47%) uncovered publicly exposed data in their systems in the last 24 months. It was found that respondents have a mix of data security & protection (78%), prevention & detection (75%), and backup and recovery (73%) in their cyber security stacks. Still, exposure and extortion numbers imply a missing puzzle piece regarding attacks.
Patchable and Preventable Security Issues Lead Causes of Q1 Attacks
Attacks against companies spiked in Q1 2022 with patchable and preventable external vulnerabilities responsible for the bulk of attacks.
Eighty-two percent of attacks on organisations in Q1 2022 were caused by the external exposure of known vulnerabilities in the victim’s external-facing perimeter or attack surface. Those unpatched bugs overshadowed breach-related financial losses tied to human error, which accounted for 18 percent.
The numbers come from Tetra Defense and its quarterly report that sheds light on a notable uptick in cyber attacks against United States organisations between January and March 2022.
The report did not let employee security hygiene, or a lack thereof, off the hook. Tetra revealed that a lack of multi-factor authentication (MFA) mechanisms adopted by firms and compromised credentials are still major factors in attacks against organisations.
https://threatpost.com/lead-causes-of-q1-attacks/180096/
Three in Four Vulnerability Management Programs Ineffective
How at risk are organisations to unsecured vulnerabilities in their networks? NopSec, a threat and exposure management provider, gives us the answers in a new study of some 430 cyber security professionals.
Are security teams finding successful approaches to their vulnerability management, or are “open doors around their attack surface” leaving them susceptible to disaster in their organisation? The answer, as it turns out, is that some organisations are better at detection, response and remediation of their vulnerabilities.
Perhaps more importantly, others are not as locked down as they believe, according to the report. Keeping track of known vulnerabilities and responding quickly is one thing, but locating flaws they did not previously know existed is quite another.
Seventy percent of respondent say their vulnerability management program (VMP) is only somewhat effective or worse, blind spots and shadow IT remain top challenges, and vulnerabilities take too long to patch.
EMEA Continues to Be a Hotspot for Malware Threats
Ransomware detections in the first quarter of this year doubled the total volume reported for 2021, according to the latest quarterly Internet Security Report from the WatchGuard Threat Lab. Researchers also found that the Emotet botnet came back in a big way, the infamous Log4Shell vulnerability tripled its attack efforts and malicious cryptomining activity increased.
Although findings from the Threat Lab’s Q4 2021 report showed ransomware attacks trending down year over year, that all changed in Q1 2022 with a massive explosion in ransomware detections. While Q4 2021 saw the downfall of the infamous REvil cybergang, WatchGuard analysis suggests that this opened the door for the LAPSUS$ extortion group to emerge, which along with many new ransomware variants such as BlackCat – the first known ransomware written in the Rust programming language – could be contributing factors to an ever-increasing ransomware and cyber-extortion threat landscape.
The report also shows that EMEA continues to be a hotspot for malware threats. Overall regional detections of basic and evasive malware show WatchGuard Fireboxes in EMEA were hit harder than those in North, Central and South America (AMER) at 57% and 22%, respectively, followed by Asia-Pacific (APAC) at 21%.
https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2022/06/30/emea-malware-threats/
A New, Remarkably Sophisticated Malware Is Attacking Home and Small Office Routers
An unusually advanced hacking group has spent almost two years infecting a wide range of routers in North America and Europe with malware that takes full control of connected devices running Windows, macOS, and Linux, researchers reported on June 28.
So far, researchers from Lumen Technologies' Black Lotus Labs say they've identified at least 80 targets infected by the stealthy malware, including routers made by Cisco, Netgear, Asus, and DrayTek. Dubbed ZuoRAT, the remote access Trojan is part of a broader hacking campaign that has existed since at least the fourth quarter of 2020 and continues to operate.
The discovery of custom-built malware written for the MIPS architecture and compiled for small-office and home-office routers is significant, particularly given its range of capabilities. Its ability to enumerate all devices connected to an infected router and collect the DNS lookups and network traffic they send and receive, and remain undetected, is the hallmark of a highly sophisticated threat actor.
"While compromising small office/home office (SOHO) routers as a vector to gain access to an adjacent LAN is not a novel technique, it has seldom been reported," Black Lotus Labs researchers wrote. "Similarly, reports of person-in-the-middle style attacks, such as DNS and HTTP hijacking, are even rarer and a mark of a complex and targeted operation. The use of these two techniques congruently demonstrated a high level of sophistication by a threat actor, indicating that this campaign was possibly performed by a state-sponsored organisation."
The campaign comprises at least four pieces of malware, three of them written from scratch by the threat actor. The first piece is the MIPS-based ZuoRAT, which closely resembles the Mirai internet-of-things malware that achieved record-breaking distributed denial-of-service attacks that crippled some Internet services for days. ZuoRAT often gets installed by exploiting unpatched vulnerabilities in SOHO devices.
https://www.wired.com/story/zuorat-trojan-malware-hacking-routers/
What Are Shadow IDs, and How Are They Crucial in 2022?
Just before last Christmas, in a first-of-a-kind case, JPMorgan was fined $200M for employees using non-sanctioned applications for communicating about financial strategy. No mention of insider trading, naked shorting, or any malevolence. Just employees circumventing regulation using, well, Shadow IT. Not because they tried to obfuscate or hide anything, simply because it was a convenient tool that they preferred over any other sanctioned products (which JPMorgan certainly has quite a few of.)
Visibility into unknown and unsanctioned applications has been required by regulators and also recommended by the Center for Internet Security community for a long time. Yet it seems that new and better approaches are still in demand. Gartner has identified External Attack Surface Management, Digital Supply Chain Risk, and Identity Threat Detection as the top three trends to focus on in 2022, all of which are closely intertwined with Shadow IT.
"Shadow IDs," or in other words, unmanaged employee identities and accounts in third-party services, are often created using a simple email-and-password-based registration. Cloud access security broker (CASB) and corporate single-sign-on (SSO) solutions are limited to a few sanctioned applications, and are not widely adopted on most websites and services either. This means, that a large part of an organisation's external surface - as well as its user identities - may be completely invisible.
https://thehackernews.com/2022/06/what-are-shadow-ids-and-how-are-they.html
Zero-Days Aren't Going Away Anytime Soon, and What Leaders Need to Know
Few security exploits are the source of more sleepless nights for security professionals than zero-day attacks. Just recently, researchers discovered a new vulnerability enabling hackers to achieve remote code execution within Microsoft Office. Dubbing the evolving threat the Follina exploit, researchers say all versions of Office are at risk. And because the internal security teams have no time to prepare or patch their systems to defend against these software vulnerabilities, crafty threat actors can take advantage, taking their time after they've accessed an organisation's environment to observe and exfiltrate data while remaining completely unseen.
And though sophisticated threat actors and nations have exploited zero-days for nearly two decades, last year saw a historic rise in the number of vulnerabilities detected. Both Google and Mandiant tracked a record number of zero-days last year, with the caveat that more zero-days are being discovered because security companies are getting better at finding them — not necessarily because hackers are coming up with new vulnerabilities. Not all zero-days are created equal, though. Some require sophisticated and novel techniques, like the attack on SolarWinds, and others exploit simple vulnerabilities in commonly used programs like Windows. Thankfully, there's some basic cyber hygiene strategies that can keep your organisation sufficiently prepared to mitigate zero-day exploits.
Half of 2022's Zero-Days Are Variants of Previous Vulnerabilities
Google Project Zero has observed a total of 18 exploited zero-day vulnerabilities in the first half of 2022, at least half of which exist because previous bugs were not properly addressed.
According to Google Project Zero researcher Maddie Stone, nine of the in-the-wild zero-days seen so far this year could have been prevented had organisations applied more comprehensive patching.
“On top of that, four of the 2022 zero-days are variants of 2021 in-the-wild zero-days. Just 12 months from the original in-the-wild zero-day being patched, attackers came back with a variant of the original bug,” Stone says.
The most recent of these issues is the Follina vulnerability in the Windows platform. Tracked as CVE-2022-30190, it is a variant of an MSHTML zero-day tracked as CVE-2021-40444.
CVE-2022-21882 is another Windows vulnerability that is a variant of an in-the-wild zero-day that was improperly resolved last year, namely CVE-2021-1732.
An iOS IOMobileFrameBuffer bug (CVE-2022-22587) and a type confusion flaw in Chrome’s V8 engine (CVE-2022-1096) are two other zero-days that are variants of exploited security flaws found last year – CVE-2021-30983 and CVE-2021-30551, respectively.
Other 2022 zero-days that are variants of improperly addressed security defects are CVE-2022-1364 (Chrome), CVE-2022-22620 (WebKit), CVE-2021-39793 (Google Pixel), CVE-2022-26134 (Atlassian Confluence), and CVE-2022-26925 (Windows flaw called PetitPotam).
https://www.securityweek.com/google-half-2022s-zero-days-are-variants-previous-vulnerabilities
Human Error Remains the Top Security Issue
Human error remains the most effective vector for conducting network infiltrations and data breaches.
The SANS Institute security centre issued its annual security awareness report Wednesday, which was based on data from 1,000 infosec professionals and found that employees and their lack of security training remain common points of failure for data breaches and network attacks. The report also tracked the maturity level of respondents' security awareness programs and their effectiveness in reducing human risk.
"This year's report once again identifies what we have seen over the past three years: that the most mature security awareness programs are those that have the most people dedicated to managing and supporting it," the cyber security training and education organisation said.
"These larger teams are more effective at working with the security team to identify, track, and prioritise their top human risks, and at engaging, motivating, and training their workforce to manage those risks."
The SANS Institute study ranked maturity by five levels, from lowest to highest: nonexistent, compliance-focused, promoting awareness and behaviour change, long-term sustainment and culture change, and metrics framework. The report found that while approximately 400 respondents said their programs promote awareness and behaviour change - the highest such response for any maturity level - the number represented a 10% decrease from the previous year's report.
Carnival Cruises Torpedoed by US States, Agrees to Pay $6m After Wave of Cyber Attacks
Carnival Cruise Lines will cough up more than $6 million to end two separate lawsuits filed by 46 states in the US after sensitive, personal information on customers and employees was accessed in a string of cyber attacks.
A couple of years ago, as the coronavirus pandemic was taking hold, the Miami-based business revealed intruders had not only encrypted some of its data but also downloaded a collection of names and addresses; Social Security info, driver's license, and passport numbers; and health and payment information of thousands of people in almost every American state.
It all started to go wrong more than a year prior, as the cruise line became aware of suspicious activity in May 2019. This apparently wasn't disclosed until 10 months later, in March 2020.
Back in 2019, the security operations team spotted an internal email account sending spam to other addresses. It turned out miscreants had hijacked 124 employee Microsoft Office 365 email accounts, and were using them to send phishing emails to harvest more credentials. This, we're told, gave the intruders access to personal data on 180,000 Carnival employees and customers. It's likely the miscreants first broke in using phishing mails or brute-forcing passwords; either way, there was no multi-factor authentication.
Then in August 2020, the company said it was hit with the aforementioned ransomware, and copies of its files were siphoned. In January 2021, it was infected again with malware, and again sensitive information – specifically, customer passport numbers and dates of birth, and employee credit card numbers – were downloaded. And in March that year, a staffer's work email account was compromised again to send out a phishing email; more sensitive information was exposed.
https://www.theregister.com/2022/06/28/carnival-cybersecurity-fines/
Uber Ex-Security Chief Accused of Hacking Coverup Must Face Fraud Charges, Judge Rules
A federal judge on Tuesday said a former Uber Technologies Inc. security chief must face wire fraud charges over his alleged role in trying to cover up a 2016 hacking that exposed personal information of 57 million passengers and drivers.
The US Department of Justice had in December added the three charges against Joseph Sullivan to an earlier indictment, saying he arranged to pay money to two hackers in exchange for their silence, while trying to conceal the hacking from passengers, drivers and the US Federal Trade Commission.
Threats
Ransomware
Record-Breaking Year for Ransomware Attacks, WatchGuard Research Predicts - MSSP Alert
Cyber Security Experts Warn of Emerging Threat of "Black Basta" Ransomware (thehackernews.com)
AstraLocker 2.0 infects users directly from Word attachments (bleepingcomputer.com)
Black Basta Ransomware Gang Attacks 50 Companies, Cybereason Reports - MSSP Alert
How Dangerous Is BlackBasta Ransomware? (informationsecuritybuzz.com)
LockBit 3.0 Debuts With Ransomware Bug Bounty Program (darkreading.com)
Son of Conti: Ransomware tries its hand at politics - The Record by Recorded Future
Kaseya Ransomware - Cyber Leader’s Thoughts & Learnings One Year Later (informationsecuritybuzz.com)
Are Protection Payments the Future of Ransomware? (tripwire.com)
Conti vs. LockBit: A Comparative Analysis of Ransomware Groups (trendmicro.com)
This new malware is at the heart of the ransomware ecosystem | ZDNet
Macmillan Publishing shuts down systems after likely ransomware attack (bleepingcomputer.com)
Walmart denies being hit by Yanluowang ransomware attack (bleepingcomputer.com)
Fake copyright infringement emails install LockBit ransomware (bleepingcomputer.com)
Cisco Talos techniques uncover ransomware sites on dark web (techtarget.com)
RansomHouse gang claims to have some stolen AMD data • The Register
'Prolific' NetWalker extortionist pleads guilty • The Register
Phishing & Email Based Attacks
Google Warns About Hacker-for-Hire Services Trying to Phish Users (pcmag.com)
Clever phishing method bypasses MFA using Microsoft WebView2 apps (bleepingcomputer.com)
Cyber Attacks via Unpatched Systems Cost Orgs More Than Phishing (darkreading.com)
How phishing attacks are becoming more sophisticated - Help Net Security
How Evilnum Cyber Attacks Target Microsoft Office Files - MSSP Alert
New Matanbuchus Campaign drops Cobalt Strike beacons - Security Affairs
Kaspersky Reveals Phishing Emails That Employees Find Most Confusing (darkreading.com)
Ukraine arrests cyber crime gang operating over 400 phishing sites (bleepingcomputer.com)
Malware
Microsoft finds Raspberry Robin worm in hundreds of Windows networks (bleepingcomputer.com)
Microsoft Exchange servers worldwide backdoored with new malware (bleepingcomputer.com)
Microsoft warning: This malware that targets Linux just got a big update | ZDNet
ZuoRAT Hijacks SOHO Routers From Cisco, Netgear (darkreading.com)
XFiles info-stealing malware adds support for Follina delivery (bleepingcomputer.com)
Raccoon Stealer is back with a new version to steal your passwords (bleepingcomputer.com)
PyPi python packages caught sending stolen AWS keys to unsecured sites (bleepingcomputer.com)
Mobile
Android Spyware 'Revive' Upgraded to Banking Trojan - Infosecurity Magazine
Phone Hackers: 9 Ways To Tell If You Have Fallen Victim (informationsecuritybuzz.com)
Google Warns of New Spyware Targeting iOS and Android Users - IT Security Guru
Internet of Things – IoT
Data Breaches/Leaks
Leaky Access Tokens Exposed Amazon Photos of Users | Threatpost
California gun dashboards expose 10 years of personal data • The Register
Organised Crime & Criminal Actors
Russia-China cyber criminal collaboration could “destabilize” international order | CSO Online
Canadian admits to hacking spree with Russian cyber-gang - BBC News
Cryptocurrency/Cryptomining/Cryptojacking/NFTs/Blockchain
Pentagon finds concerning vulnerabilities on blockchain | TechRepublic
Hackers steal $100m from another breached crypto bridge | TechRadar
Santander Warns of 87% Surge in UK Crypto Scams - Infosecurity Magazine
Dozens of cryptography libraries vulnerable to private key theft | The Daily Swig (portswigger.net)
Missing Cryptoqueen: FBI adds Ruja Ignatova to top ten most wanted - BBC News
Singapore warns of ‘brutal, unrelentingly hard’ crypto regs • The Register
Insider Risk and Insider Threats
Rogue HackerOne employee steals bug reports to sell on the side (bleepingcomputer.com)
Japanese worker loses city's personal data in USB fail • The Register
How you handle independent contractors may determine your insider threat risk | CSO Online
Fraud, Scams & Financial Crime
Threat actors increasingly use third parties to run their scams - Help Net Security
Santander Warns of 87% Surge in UK Crypto Scams - Infosecurity Magazine
Evolving online habits have paved the way for fraud. What can we do about it? - Help Net Security
Insurance
Software Supply Chain
It's a Race to Secure the Software Supply Chain — Have You Already Stumbled? (darkreading.com)
Over a Decade in Software Security: What Have We learned? - IT Security Guru
Denial of Service DoS/DDoS
Attack Surface Management
Shadow IT
Open Source
Passwords, Credential Stuffing & Brute Force Attacks
RansomHouse Hackers Claim to Breach AMD With Bad Passwords (gizmodo.com)
Breaking Down the Zola Hack and Why Password Reuse is so Dangerous (bleepingcomputer.com)
Raccoon Stealer is back with a new version to steal your passwords (bleepingcomputer.com)
Social Media
Verified Twitter accounts hacked to send fake suspension notices (bleepingcomputer.com)
Facebook Business Pages Targeted via Chatbot in Data-Harvesting Campaign (darkreading.com)
New YTStealer malware steals accounts from YouTube Creators (bleepingcomputer.com)
Facebook 2FA phish arrives just 28 minutes after scam domain created – Naked Security (sophos.com)
Training, Education and Awareness
Privacy
‘Supercookies’ Have Privacy Experts Sounding the Alarm | WIRED
UK should immediately ban use of live facial recognition, warns report | Financial Times (ft.com)
Snoopers’ Charter Ruled Partially Unlawful - Infosecurity Magazine
We must stop sleepwalking towards a surveillance state | Financial Times (ft.com)
Parental Controls and Child Safety
Regulations, Fines and Legislation
Manx government department fined over data breach - BBC News
Clearview fine: The unacceptable face of modern surveillance - Help Net Security
Law Enforcement Action and Take Downs
Spyware, Cyber Espionage & Cyber Warfare, including Russian Invasion of Ukraine
NATO to create cyber rapid response force, increase cyber defence aid to Ukraine - CyberScoop
Evilnum hackers return in new operation targeting migration orgs (bleepingcomputer.com)
Commercial cyber products must be used responsibly, says NCSC CEO (computerweekly.com)
G7 to tackle cyber threats and disinformation from Russia: communique | Reuters
Google Warns of New Spyware Targeting iOS and Android Users - IT Security Guru
China lured graduate jobseekers into digital espionage | Ars Technica
Nation State Actors
Nation State Actors – Russia
Ukraine targeted by almost 800 cyber attacks since the war started (bleepingcomputer.com)
Russian Hacker Group Says Cyber Attacks Continue On Lithuania (informationsecuritybuzz.com)
Russian hacktivists take down Norway govt sites in DDoS attacks (bleepingcomputer.com)
Russia's Killnet hacker group says it attacked Lithuania | Reuters
Nation State Actors – China
Chinese Hackers Target Building Management Systems | SecurityWeek.Com
China lured graduate jobseekers into digital espionage | Ars Technica
Nation State Actors – North Korea
Vulnerability Management
Why more zero-day vulnerabilities are being found in the wild | CSO Online
Cyber Attacks via Unpatched Systems Cost Orgs More Than Phishing (darkreading.com)
Microsoft's quiet mishandling of vulnerabilities is becoming a public mess - OnMSFT.com
Vulnerabilities
MITRE shares this year's list of most dangerous software bugs (bleepingcomputer.com)
How and why threat actors target Microsoft Active Directory | CSO Online
Atlassian Confluence Exploits Peak at 100K Daily (darkreading.com)
Patch Now: Linux Container-Escape Flaw in Azure Service Fabric (darkreading.com)
Zoho ManageEngine ADAudit Plus bug gets public RCE exploit (bleepingcomputer.com)
OpenSSL 3.0.5 awaits release to fix potential security flaw • The Register
CISA: Adopt Modern Auth now for Exchange Online • The Register
CISA Warns of Active Exploitation of 'PwnKit' Linux Vulnerability in the Wild (thehackernews.com)
CISA orders agencies to patch Windows LSA bug exploited in the wild (bleepingcomputer.com)
Log4Shell Vulnerability in VMware Leads to Data Exfiltration and Ransomware (trendmicro.com)
Jenkins discloses dozens of zero-day bugs in multiple plugins (bleepingcomputer.com)
New UnRAR Vulnerability Could Let Attackers Hack Zimbra Webmail Servers (thehackernews.com)
Sector Specific
Critical National Infrastructure (CNI)
Financial Services Sector
FinTech
A Fintech Horror Story: How One Company Prioritizes Cyber Security (darkreading.com)
Security and compliance concerns limit ‘open finance’ expansion, say executives (scmagazine.com)
Telecoms
OT, ICS, IIoT, SCADA and Cyber-Physical Systems
APT Hackers Targeting Industrial Control Systems with ShadowPad Backdoor (thehackernews.com)
Cyber-Physical Security: Benchmarking to Advance Your Journey | SecurityWeek.Com
Critical Security Flaws Identified in CODESYS ICS Automation Software (thehackernews.com)
Microsoft Exchange bug abused to hack building automation systems (bleepingcomputer.com)
5 Cyber Security Tips for Smart Buildings - IT Security Guru
Chinese Hackers Target Building Management Systems | SecurityWeek.Com
OT security: Helping under-resourced critical infrastructure organisations - Help Net Security
Energy & Utilities
Oil, Gas and Mining
Food and Agriculture
Education and Academia
Web3
Reports Published in the Last Week
Q1 2022 Incident Response Insights from Tetra Defense | Arctic Wolf
Defending Ukraine: Early Lessons from the Cyber War - Microsoft On the Issues
Other News
Cyber Attacks Gain Steam in Early '22: Tetra Defense Report - MSSP Alert
FBI warns crooks are using deepfake videos in job interviews • The Register
Destructive firmware attacks pose a significant threat to businesses - Help Net Security
48% of security practitioners seeing 3x increase in alerts per day - Help Net Security
Adversarial machine learning explained: How attackers disrupt AI and ML systems | CSO Online
82% Cyber Breaches In Verizon’s Report Preventable, Says MyCena (informationsecuritybuzz.com)
SolarWinds hack explained: Everything you need to know (techtarget.com)
Properly securing APIs is becoming increasingly urgent - Help Net Security
97% Of UK Business Leaders Expect Quantum Computing to Disrupt Their Sectors - Infosecurity Magazine
LGBTQ+ folks warned of dating app extortion scams • The Register
What is Zero Trust and why would you want it? • The Register
Tencent admits to poisoned QR code attack on QQ accounts • The Register
Exploring the insecurity of readily available Wi-Fi networks - Help Net Security
As usual, contact us to help assess where your risks lie and to ensure you are doing all you can do to keep you and your business secure.
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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 20 May 2022
Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing 20 May 2022
-Fifth of Businesses Say Cyber Attack Nearly Broke Them
-Weak Security Controls and Practices Routinely Exploited for Initial Access
-How Do Ransomware Attacks Impact Victim Organisations’ Stock?
-Prioritise Patching Vulnerabilities Associated with Ransomware
-Researchers Warn of Advanced Persistent Threats/Nation State Actors (APTs), Data Leaks as Serious Threats Against UK Financial Sector
-Remote Work Hazards: Attackers Exploit Weak WiFi, Endpoints, and the Cloud
-Small Businesses Under Fire from Password Stealers
-Email Is the Riskiest Channel for Data Security
-Phishing Attacks for Initial Access Surged 54% in Q1
-State of Internet Crime in Q1 2022: Bot Traffic on The Rise, And More
-Fears Grow for Smaller Nations After Ransomware Attack on Costa Rica Escalates
Welcome to this week’s Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing – a weekly digest, collated and curated by our cyber experts to provide senior and middle management with an easy to digest round up of the most notable threats, vulnerabilities, and cyber related news from the last week.
Top Cyber Stories of the Last Week
Fifth of Businesses Say Cyber Attack Nearly Broke Them
A fifth of US and European businesses have warned that a serious cyber attack nearly rendered them insolvent, with most (87%) viewing compromise as a bigger threat than an economic downturn, according to Hiscox.
The insurer polled over 5000 businesses in the US, UK, Ireland, France, Spain, Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium to compile its annual Hiscox Cyber Readiness Report.
It revealed the potentially catastrophic financial damage that a serious cyber-attack can wreak. The number claiming to have nearly been brought down by a breach increased 24% compared to the previous year.
Nearly half (48%) of respondents said they suffered an attack over the past 12 months, a 12% increase from the previous report’s findings. Perhaps unsurprisingly, businesses in seven out of eight countries see cyber as their biggest threat.
Yet perception appears to vary greatly depending on whether an organisation has suffered a serious compromise or not. While over half (55%) of total respondents said they view cyber as a high-risk area, the figure among companies that have not yet suffered an attack is just 36%.
https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/fifth-of-businesses-cyber-attack/
Weak Security Controls and Practices Routinely Exploited for Initial Access
Cyber actors routinely exploit poor security configurations (either misconfigured or left unsecured), weak controls, and other poor cyber hygiene practices to gain initial access or as part of other tactics to compromise a victim’s system. A joint Cybersecurity Advisory by the cyber security authorities of the United States, Canada, New Zealand, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom identifies commonly exploited controls and practices and includes best practices to mitigate the issues.
Malicious cyber actors often exploit the following common weak security controls, poor configurations, and poor security practices to employ the initial access techniques.
Multifactor authentication (MFA) is not enforced
Incorrectly applied privileges or permissions and errors within access control lists
Software is not up to date
Use of vendor-supplied default configurations or default login usernames and passwords
Remote services, such as a virtual private network (VPN), lack sufficient controls to prevent unauthorised access
Strong password policies are not implemented
Cloud services are unprotected
Open ports and misconfigured services are exposed to the internet
Failure to detect or block phishing attempts
Poor endpoint detection and response.
https://www.cisa.gov/uscert/ncas/alerts/aa22-137a
How Do Ransomware Attacks Impact Victim Organisations’ Stock?
Ransomware has developed into an extremely lucrative business model with little risk involved for the threat actors. Couple this with the willingness of most victim organisations to pay the ransom demand under the assumption it will return business operations to normal - ultimately encouraging more attacks - and we have a big problem with no easy remedies.
Back in 2021, Cybereason published a report titled Ransomware Attacks and the True Cost to Business that revealed the various costs that organisations face after falling victim to a ransomware attack. Here are some of the most significant findings that stood out:
Two-thirds of ransomware victims said that they endured a significant loss of revenue following the attack
More than half (53%) of organisations suffered damage to their brand and reputation after a ransomware infection
A third of those who fell to ransomware lost C-level talent in the attack’s aftermath
Three in 10 organisations had no choice but to lay off employees due to the financial pressures resulting from a ransomware incident
A quarter of ransomware victims said that they needed to suspend operations.
Prioritise Patching Vulnerabilities Associated with Ransomware
In the last quarter, ransomware attacks have made mainstream headlines on a near-daily basis, with groups like Lapsus$ and Conti’s names splashed across the page. Major organisations like Okta, Globant and Kitchenware maker Meyer Corporation have all fallen victim, and they are very much not alone. The data indicates that increasing vulnerabilities, new advanced persistent threat (APT) groups and new ransomware families are contributing to ransomware’s continued prevalence and profitability.
The top stats include:
22 new vulnerabilities and nine new weaknesses have been associated with ransomware since January 2022; of the 22, a whopping 21 are considered of critical or high risk severity
19 (out of 22) of the newly-added vulnerabilities are associated with the Conti ransomware gang
Three new APT groups (Exotic Lily, APT 35, DEV-0401) and four new ransomware families (AvosLocker, Karma, BlackCat, Night Sky) are deploying ransomware to attack their targets
141 of CISA’s Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEVs) are being used by ransomware operators – including 18 newly identified this quarter
11 vulnerabilities tied to ransomware remain undetected by popular scanners
624 unique vulnerabilities were found within the 846 healthcare products analysed.
https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2022/05/19/increase-ransomware-vulnerabilities/
Researchers Warn of Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs), Data Leaks as Serious Threats Against UK Financial Sector
Researchers say that geopolitical tension, ransomware, and cyber attacks using stolen credentials threaten the UK's financial sector.
KELA's security team published a report examining the cyber security issues and attacks that surfaced in 2021 and early 2022, specifically focused on the United Kingdom's banks and other financial services.
The UK was one of the first countries to stand with Ukraine after the invasion by Russia. This could make UK organisations a tempting target for threat actors siding with Russia - whether by state-sponsored advanced persistent threat (APT) groups or hacktivists. The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) previously warned businesses to shore up their cyber security following Russia's assault.
APTs are often responsible for attacking the financial sector: account credentials, card numbers, and the personally identifiable information (PII) of customers are useful not only in social engineering and identity theft but also to make fraudulent purchases or for card cloning.
APTs target organisations worldwide, and those located in the UK are no exception. Over the past few years, APTs, including the Chinese APT40 and APT31, have utilised vulnerabilities, including ProxyLogon, to compromise UK businesses.
"In general, APTs may target the financial sector to commit fraud, burglarise ATMs, execute transactions, and penetrate organisations' internal financial systems," KELA says. "Although specific threats to the UK financial sector have not been identified, there is no doubt that the UK has occasionally been a target of APT groups during 2021."
Exposed corporate information and leaked credentials are also of note. After browsing Dark Web forums, the researchers found that UK data is "in demand" by cyber criminals who are seeking PII, access credentials, and internal data.
Remote Work Hazards: Attackers Exploit Weak WiFi, Endpoints, and the Cloud
Infoblox unveils a global report examining the state of security concerns, costs, and remedies. As the pandemic and uneven shutdowns stretch into a third year, organisations are accelerating digital transformation projects to support remote work. Meanwhile, attackers have seized on vulnerabilities in these environments, creating more work and larger budgets for security teams.
1,100 respondents in IT and cyber security roles in 11 countries – United States, Mexico, Brazil, United Kingdom, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Spain, United Arab Emirates, Australia, and Singapore – participated in the survey.
The surge in remote work has changed the corporate landscape significantly – and permanently. 52% of respondents accelerated digital transformation projects, 42% increased customer portal support for remote engagement, 30% moved apps to third party cloud providers, and 26% shuttered physical offices for good. These changes led to the additions of VPNs and firewalls, a mix of corporate and employee owned devices as well as cloud and on-premises DDI servers to manage data traffic across the expanded network.
The hybrid workforce reality is causing greater concerns with data leakage, ransomware and attacks through remote access tools and cloud services. Respondents indicate concerns about their abilities to counter increasingly sophisticated cyber attacks with limited control over employees, work-from-home technologies, and vulnerable supply chain partners. The sophistication of state-sponsored malware also is a source of worry for many.
Organisations have good reason to worry: 53% of respondents experienced up to five security incidents that led to at least one breach.
https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2022/05/17/state-of-security/
Small Businesses Under Fire from Password Stealers
Password-stealing malware and other cyber attacks have increased significantly against small businesses over the past year, according to Kaspersky researchers.
An assessment released this week detailed the number of Trojan Password Stealing Ware (PSW) detections, internet attacks and attacks on Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) between January and April 2022, compared with the same time frame from 2021. Kaspersky's research showed a jump in the detection of password stealers within small business environments, as well as increases in other types of cyber attacks.
According to Kaspersky, the biggest increase in threats against small businesses was password stealers, specifically Trojan PSWs. There were nearly 1 million more detected Trojan PSWs targeting small and medium-sized businesses in the first trimester of 2022 than the first of 2021, increasing from 3,029,903 to 4,003,323.
Email Is the Riskiest Channel for Data Security
Research from Tessian and the Ponemon Institute reveals that nearly 60% of organisations experienced data loss or exfiltration caused by an employee mistake on email in the last 12 months.
Email was revealed as the riskiest channel for data loss in organisations, as stated by 65% of IT security practitioners. This was closely followed by cloud file-sharing services (62%) and instant messaging platforms (57%).
The research surveyed 614 IT security practitioners across the globe to also reveal that:
Employee negligence, because of not following policies, is the leading cause of data loss incidents (40%)
27% of data loss incidents are caused by malicious insiders
It takes up to three days for security and risk management teams to detect and remediate a data loss and exfiltration incident caused by a malicious insider on email
23% of organisations experience up to 30 security incidents involving employees’ use of email every month (for example, email was sent to an unintended recipient).
The most common types of confidential and sensitive information lost or intentionally stolen include: customer information (61%); intellectual property (56%); and consumer information (47%). User-created data (sensitive email content, text files, M&A documents), regulated data (credit card data, Social Security numbers, national ID numbers, employee data), and intellectual property were identified as the three types of data that are most difficult to protect from data loss.
The top two consequences for data loss incidents were revealed as non-compliance with data protection regulations (57%) and damage to an organisation’s reputation (52%). Furthermore, a previous study from Tessian found that 29% of businesses lost a client or customer because of an employee sending an email to the wrong person.
https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2022/05/20/data-loss-email/
Phishing Attacks for Initial Access Surged 54% in Q1
Threat actors doubled down on their use of phishing emails as an initial attack vector during the first quarter of 2022 — and in many cases then used that access to drop ransomware or to extort organisations in other ways.
Researchers from Kroll recently analysed data gathered from security incidents they responded to in the first three months of this year. The analysis showed a 54% increase in incidents of phishing for initial access compared with the same period last year.
For the first time since Microsoft disclosed the so-called ProxyLogon set of vulnerabilities in Exchange Server in the first quarter of 2021, incidents tied to email compromises surpassed those related to ransomware. Kroll described the sharp increase in phishing activity as likely the result of a surge in activity tied to Emotet and IceID malware — threat actors have been using both to drop other malware.
https://www.darkreading.com/risk/phishing-attacks-for-initial-access-surged-q1
Fears Grow for Smaller Nations After Ransomware Attack on Costa Rica Escalates
Conti demanded $20M in ransom — and the overthrow of the government.
It’s been a rough start for the newly elected Costa Rica president Rodrigo Chaves, who less than a week into office declared his country “at war” with the Conti ransomware gang.
“We’re at war and this is not an exaggeration,” Chaves told local media. “The war is against an international terrorist group, which apparently has operatives in Costa Rica. There are very clear indications that people inside the country are collaborating with Conti.”
Conti’s assault on the Costa Rican government began in April. The country’s Finance Ministry was the first hit by the Russia-linked hacking group, and in a statement on May 16, Chaves said the number of institutions impacted had since grown to 27. This, he admitted, means civil servants wouldn’t be paid on time and will impact the country’s foreign trade.
In a message posted to its dark web leaks blog, Conti urged the citizens of Costa Rica to pressure their government to pay the ransom, which the group doubled from an initial $10 million to $20 million. In a separate statement, the group warned: “We are determined to overthrow the government by means of a cyber attack, we have already shown you all the strength and power.”
Conti is among the most prolific hacking groups. The FBI warned earlier this year that the gang was among “the three top variants” that targeted businesses in the United States, and it has been blamed for ransomware attacks targeting dozens of businesses, including Fat Face, Shutterfly and the Irish healthcare service.
But Conti has picked up its pace in recent months: In January and February it published 31 victims on its leaks blog. In March and April, it posted 133 victims.
https://techcrunch.com/2022/05/20/costa-rica-ransomware-attack/
Threats
Ransomware
Ransomware Gangs Rely More on Weaponizing Vulnerabilities (bleepingcomputer.com)
Ransomware Gang Extorted 725 BTC in One Attack, On-Chain Sleuths Find (coindesk.com)
5 Critical Questions to Test Your Ransomware Preparedness - Help Net Security
“Alarming” Surge in Conti Group Activity This Year - Infosecurity Magazine
Why AI-Powered Ransomware Cyber Attacks Could Be Coming Soon - Protocol
Nikkei Says Customer Data Likely Impacted in Ransomware Attack | SecurityWeek.Com
Wizard Spider Hackers Hire Cold Callers to Scare Ransomware Victims Into Paying Up | ZDNet
Greenland Hit by Cyber Attack, Finds Its Health Service Crippled (bitdefender.com)
Conti Ransomware Shuts Down Operation, Rebrands into Smaller Units (bleepingcomputer.com)
No One Is Slowing Down BlackByte Ransomware Gang • The Register
President Rodrigo Chaves says Costa Rica is at war with Conti hackers - BBC News
Engineering Firm Parker Discloses Data Breach After Ransomware Attack (bleepingcomputer.com)
US links Thanos and Jigsaw ransomware to 55-year-old doctor (bleepingcomputer.com)
Russian Conti Ransomware Gang Threatens to Overthrow New Costa Rican Government (thehackernews.com)
Phishing & Email Based Attacks
This Phishing Attack Delivers Three Forms of Malware. And They All Want to Steal Your Data | ZDNet
HTML Attachments Remain Popular Among Phishing Actors In 2022 (bleepingcomputer.com)
Chatbot Army Deployed in Latest DHL Shipping Phish (darkreading.com)
Phishing Gang That Stole Over 400,000 Euros Busted in Spain (tripwire.com)
Long Lost @ Symbol Gets New Life Obscuring Malicious URLs | Malwarebytes Labs
Spanish Police Dismantle Phishing Gang That Emptied Bank Accounts (bleepingcomputer.com)
Malware
Microsoft Identifies Botnet Variant Targeting Windows and Linux Systems - Infosecurity Magazine
Activity of the Linux XorDdos bot increased by 254% over the last 6 monthsSecurity Affairs
Fake Domains Offer Windows 11 Installers - But Deliver Malware Instead | ZDNet
Bruised but Not Broken: The Resurgence of the Emotet Botnet Malware (trendmicro.com)
Malicious PyPI Pymafka Package Opens Backdoors On Windows, Linux, and Macs (bleepingcomputer.com)
April VMware Bugs Abused to Deliver Mirai Malware, Exploit Log4Shell | Threatpost
Mobile
6 Scary Tactics Used in Mobile App Attacks (darkreading.com)
Researchers Find Potential Way to Run Malware on iPhone Even When it's OFF (thehackernews.com)
Google TAG: Cytrox's Predator Spyware Used to Target Android Users | WIRED
IoT
Data Breaches/Leaks
Organised Crime & Criminal Actors
Ukrainian Hacker Jailed for 4-Years in U.S. for Selling Access to Hacked Servers (thehackernews.com)
US Recovers a Record $15m from the 3ve Ad-Fraud Crew • The Register
Cryptocurrency/Cryptomining/Cryptojacking/NFTs
How Cryptocurrencies Enable Attackers and Defenders (techtarget.com)
Monero-Mining Sysrv Botnet Targets Windows, Linux Web Servers • The Register
US Brings First-Of-Its-Kind Bitcoin Sanctions-Busting Case • The Register
Fake Pixelmon NFT Site Infects You with Password-Stealing Malware (bleepingcomputer.com)
Hackers Compromise a String of NFT Discord Channels (vice.com)
Fraud, Scams & Financial Crime
Supply Chain and Third Parties
MITRE Creates Framework for Supply Chain Security (darkreading.com)
The Four Horsemen of Software Supply Chain Attacks - MSSP Alert
Cloud/SaaS
7 Key Findings from the 2022 SaaS Security Survey Report (thehackernews.com)
New Research Identifies Poor IAM Policies as The Greatest Cloud Vulnerability - CyberScoop
Are You Investing in Securing Your Data in the Cloud? (thehackernews.com)
380K Kubernetes API Servers Exposed to Public Internet | Threatpost
Open Source
Privacy
How To Ensure That the Smart Home Doesn’t Jeopardize Data Privacy? - Help Net Security
Privacy. Ad Bidders Haven't Heard of It, Report Reveals • The Register
Third-Party Web Trackers Log What You Type Before Submitting (bleepingcomputer.com)
Passwords & Credential Stuffing
The Most Insecure and Easily Hackable Passwords - Help Net Security
Half of IT Leaders Store Passwords in Shared Docs - Infosecurity Magazine
Cyber Bullying and Cyber Stalking
Regulations, Fines and Legislation
Europe Moves Closer to Stricter Cyber Security Standards • The Register
EU's NIS 2 Directive to Strengthen Cyber Security Requirements For Companies - Help Net Security
Spyware, Espionage & Cyber Warfare, including Russian Invasion of Ukraine
Google TAG: Cytrox's Predator Spyware Used to Target Android Users | WIRED
How Mobile Networks Have Become a Front in the Battle for Ukraine (darkreading.com)
China-linked Twisted Panda Caught Spying on Russian R&D Orgs • The Register
Pro-Russian Hackers Spread Hoaxes to Divide Ukraine, Allies | SecurityWeek.Com
A custom PowerShell RAT Targets Germany Using Crisis in Ukraine as Bait - Security Affairs
Nation State Actors
Nation State Actors – Russia
Putin Promises to Bolster Russia's IT Security in Face of Cyber Attacks | Reuters
Russian Hackers Declare War On 10 Countries After Failed Eurovision DDoS attack | IT PRO
Pro-Russian Information Operations Escalate in Ukraine War (darkreading.com)
Russian Undersea Cable Threat Shifts Tech Business to UK (telegraph.co.uk)
Russians Allegedly Storm Ukrainian ISP, Blackmail It to Switch To Russian Networks - CyberScoop
Russia-linked Sandworm Continues to Conduct Attacks Against Ukraine - Security Affairs
Russian Cyber Attack on Eurovision Foiled By Italian Authorities (bitdefender.com)
This Russian Botnet Does Far More Than DDoS Attacks - And on A Massive Scale | ZDNet
Nation State Actors – China
Nation State Actors – North Korea
Nation State Actors – Iran
Vulnerabilities
QNAP Urges Users to Update NAS Devices to Prevent Deadbolt Ransomware Attacks (thehackernews.com)
Cisco Fixes an IOS XR Flaw Actively Exploited in The Wild - Security Affairs
2 Vulnerabilities With 9.8 Severity Ratings Are Under Exploit. A 3rd Looms | Ars Technica
Microsoft Rushes a Fix After May Patch Tuesday Breaks Authentication (darkreading.com)
Microsoft Fixes New PetitPotam Windows NTLM Relay Attack Vector (bleepingcomputer.com)
Apple Patches Zero-Day Kernel Hole and Much More – Update Now! – Naked Security (sophos.com)
High-Severity Bug Reported in Google's OAuth Client Library for Java (thehackernews.com)
Over 20,000 Zyxel Firewalls Still Exposed to Critical Bug - Infosecurity Magazine
Apple Fixes the Sixth Zero-Day Since The Beginning of 2022 - Security Affairs
Mozilla Patches Wednesday’s Pwn2Own Double-Exploit… on Friday! – Naked Security (sophos.com)
Critical Vulnerability in Premium WordPress Themes Allows for Site Takeover | Threatpost
Critical Jupiter WordPress Plugin Flaws Let Hackers Take Over Sites (bleepingcomputer.com)
Apple Finally Patches Exploited Vulnerabilities in macOS Big Sur, Catalina | SecurityWeek.Com
NVIDIA Fixes Ten Vulnerabilities in Windows GPU Display Drivers (bleepingcomputer.com)
New Brute Force Attacks Against SQL Servers Use PowerShell Wrapper | SecurityWeek.Com
Sector Specific
Retail/eCommerce
How Crooks Backdoor Sites and Scrape Credit Card Info • The Register
Digital Skimming is Now the Preserve of Non-Magecart Groups - Infosecurity Magazine
Energy & Utilities
Water Companies Are Increasingly Uninsurable Due To Ransomware, Industry Execs Say - CyberScoop
UK Announces Nuclear Cyber Security Strategy - IT Security Guru
Education and Academia
Ransomware Attack Exposes Data of 500,000 Chicago Students (bleepingcomputer.com)
Higher Education Institutions Being Targeted for Ransomware Attacks | TechRepublic
“Incompetent” Council Leaks Details of Students With Special Educational Needs • Graham Cluley
Researchers Find Backdoor in School Management Plugin for WordPress (thehackernews.com)
Other News
UK Government: Lack of Skills the Number One Issue in Cyber Security - Infosecurity Magazine
Malicious Hackers Are Finding It Too Easy to Achieve Their Initial Access (tripwire.com)
How Threat Actors Are a Click Away From Becoming Quasi-APTs (darkreading.com)
Cyber Security: Global Food Supply Chain at Risk From Malicious Hackers - BBC News
Cyber Security Agencies Reveal Top Initial Access Attack Vectors (bleepingcomputer.com)
50% of Orgs Rely on Email to Manage Security (darkreading.com)
Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing 15 April 2022
Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing 15 April 2022:
-Cyber Security Is Getting Harder: More Threats, More Complexity, Fewer People
-Terrible Cloud Security Is Leaving the Door Open for Hackers. Here's What You're Doing Wrong
-More Organisations Are Paying the Ransom. Why?
-Cyber Attack Puts City Firms on High Alert To Bolster Defences
-More Than 60% of Organisations Suffered a Breach in the Past 12 Months
-Account Takeover Poised to Surpass Malware as The No. 1 Security Concern
-Security Research Reveals 42% Rise In New Ransomware Programs In 2021
-Fraudsters Stole £58m with Remote Access Trojans (RATs) in 2021
-As State-Backed Cyber Threats Grow, Here's How the World Is Reacting
-Q1 Reported Data Compromises Up 14% Over 2021
-Europol Announces Operation to Hit Russian Sanctions-Evaders
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 Security Is Getting Harder: More Threats, More Complexity, Fewer People
Splunk and Enterprise Strategy Group released a global research report that examines the security issues facing the modern enterprise. More than 1,200 security leaders participated in the survey, revealing they’ve seen an increase in cyber attacks while their teams are facing widening talent gaps.
According to the report, 65% of respondents say they have seen an increase in attempted cyber attacks. In addition, many have been directly impacted by data breaches and costly ransomware attacks, which have left security teams exhausted:
· 49% of organisations say they have suffered a data breach over the past two years, an increase from 39% a year earlier.
· 79% of respondents say they’ve encountered ransomware attacks, and 35% admit that one or more of those attacks led them to lose access to data and systems.
· 59% of security teams say they had to devote significant time and resources to remediation, an increase from 42% a year ago.
· 54% of respondents report that their business-critical applications have suffered from unplanned outages related to cyber security incidents on at least a monthly basis, with a median of 12 outages per year. The median time to recover from unplanned downtime tied to cyber security incidents is 14 hours. Respondents estimated the cost of this downtime averaged about $200,000 per hour.
· 64% of security professionals have stated that it’s challenging to keep up with new security requirements, up from 49% a year ago.
https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2022/04/13/modern-enterprise-security-issues/
Terrible Cloud Security Is Leaving the Door Open for Hackers. Here's What You're Doing Wrong
A rise in hybrid work and a shift to cloud platforms has changed how businesses operate - but it's also leaving them vulnerable to cyber attacks.
Cloud applications and services are a prime target for hackers because poor cyber security management and misconfigured services are leaving them exposed to the internet and vulnerable to simple cyber attacks.
Analysis of identity and access management (IAM) polices taking into account hundreds of thousands of users in 18,000 cloud environments across 200 organisations by cyber security researchers at Palo Alto Networks found that cloud accounts and services are leaving open doors for cyber criminals to exploit – and putting businesses and users at risk.
The global pandemic pushed organisations and employees towards new ways of remote and hybrid working, with the aid of cloud services and applications. While beneficial to businesses and employees, it also created additional cyber security risks – and malicious hackers know this.
More Organisations Are Paying the Ransom. Why?
Most organisations (71%) have been hit by ransomware in 2021, and most of those (63%) opted for paying the requested ransom, the 2022 Cyberthreat Defense Report (CDR) by the CyberEdge Group has shown.
The research company says that possible explanations for the steady yearly rise of the percentage of organisations that decided to pay the ransom may include: the threat of exposing exfiltrated data, increased confidence for data recovery, and the fact that many organisations find that paying a ransom is significantly less costly than system downtime, customer disruption, and potential lawsuits.
“72% of ransom-paying victims recovered their data [in 2021], up from 49% in 2017. This increased confidence for successful data recovery is often factored into the ransom-paying decision,” the company noted.
Similarly, BakerHostatler’s 2022 Data Security Incident Response Report says that in ransomware incidents the US-based law firm was called in to manage in 2021, ransomware groups provided decryptors and stuck to their promise to not publish stolen data 97% of the time.
https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2022/04/11/organizations-paying-ransom/
Cyber Attack Puts City Firms on High Alert to Bolster Defences
Experts warn a combination of 'ignorance and arrogance' makes City executives vulnerable to attacks.
City firms on high alert for cyber attacks were sent a clear warning recently, bolstering concerns of the potential for breaches from Russia.
Ince Group, the London-listed law firm, last month fell prey to hackers who infiltrated its computer systems and stole confidential data. The company's security systems detected the intrusion on March 13, prompting the IT team to shut down servers to try and prevent widespread damage.
But soon after, the hackers demanded a ransom for stolen data and threatened to publish it on the dark web if Ince Group, which has clients in the shipping, energy and healthcare sectors, didn't pay up.
The incident has intensified worries of possible breaches after warnings that City firms could be targeted by Russian hackers following Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.
Julia O'Toole, chief executive of MyCena Security Solutions, says executives should be "very concerned" about any news of a cyber attack at a rival company.
More Than 60% of Organisations Suffered a Breach in the Past 12 Months
Firms focus too narrowly on external attackers when it's insiders, third parties, and stolen assets that cause many breaches, new study shows.
The majority of companies — 63% — have suffered at least one breach in the past 12 months. The global average breach cost $2.4 million — a price tag that increases to $3.0 million for companies unprepared to respond to compromises.
The new data from Forrester Research, released on April 8 in a report titled "The 2021 State Of Enterprise Breaches," found that the number of breaches and the cost of breaches varied widely depending on the geographic location of the business and to what degree the organisation is prepared to respond to breaches. Companies in North America had the largest disparity between the haves and have-nots: While the average organisation required 38 days to find, eradicate, and recover from a breach, companies that failed to adequately prepare for security challenges took 62 days.
The difference in response resulted in a large difference in cost as well, with the average North American company paying $3.0 million to recover from a breach, a bill that rises to $4.0 million if the company suffered from a lack of incident-response preparation.
"The misalignment between the expectation and the reality of breaches has become very important," says Allie Mellen, an analyst with Forrester's Security and Risk group. "On a global scale, there is a big disparity of about $600,000 between those who are prepared to respond to a breach and those who are not."
Account Takeover Poised to Surpass Malware as The No. 1 Security Concern
As most researchers and financial executives can attest, virtually all types of fraud have dramatically risen over the past two years. However, attackers taking over legitimate financial accounts have become even more of a favourite with cyber criminals than most fraud schemes.
Many major recent research reports have pointed out that account takeover (ATO), a form of identity theft where bad actors access legitimate bank accounts, change the account information and passwords, and hijack a real customer’s account, has skyrocketed since last year. According to Javelin Research’s annual "Identity Fraud Study: The Virtual Battleground" report, account takeover increased by 90% to an estimated $11.4 billion in 2021 when compared with 2020 — representing roughly one-quarter of all identity fraud losses last year.
Like many types of financial fraud, cyber thieves are betting on the fact that if they attempt to seize a large number of legitimate accounts, eventually they will get a payoff.
Account takeovers are a numbers game, the more accounts that an organisation has, the bigger their risk that some of them will be compromised.
Account takeovers often piggyback off of previous attacks, making these crimes a way for hackers to make the most out of stolen information. Diskin pointed out that account takeovers most commonly happen when a password is “taken from another data leak and reused for different accounts. But there are a variety of risky scenarios that can lead to compromise.”
Security Research Reveals 42% Rise in New Ransomware Programs In 2021
Critical infrastructure in the crosshairs: operational technology vulnerabilities jump 88% .
Threat intelligence analysts at Skybox Research Lab uncovered a 42% increase in new ransomware programs targeting known vulnerabilities in 2021. The Silicon Valley cyber security company released its annual 2022 Vulnerability and Threat Trends Report, revealing how quickly cyber criminals capitalise on new security weaknesses – shrinking the window that organisations have to remediate vulnerabilities ahead of an attack.
With 20,175 new vulnerabilities published in 2021, Skybox Research Lab witnessed the most vulnerabilities ever reported in a single year. And these new vulnerabilities are just the tip of the iceberg. The total number of vulnerabilities published over the last 10 years reached 166,938 in 2021 — a three-fold increase over a decade. These cumulative vulnerabilities, piling up year after year, represent an enormous aggregate risk, and they’ve left organisations struggling with a mountain of cyber security debt. As the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) highlights in its Top Routinely Exploited Vulnerabilities list, threat actors are routinely exploiting publicly disclosed vulnerabilities from years past.
The sheer volume of accumulated risks — hundreds of thousands or even millions of vulnerability instances within organisations — means they can’t possibly patch all of them. To prevent cyber security incidents, it is critical to prioritise exposed vulnerabilities that could cause the most significant disruption, then, apply appropriate remediation options including configuration changes or network segmentation to eliminate risk, even before patches are applied or in cases where patches aren’t available.
Fraudsters Stole £58m with Remote Access Trojans (RATs) in 2021
2021 saw victims of Remote Access Tool (RAT) scams lose £58m in 2021, official UK police figures show.
RAT scams involve scammers taking control of a victim’s device, typically in order to access bank accounts.
Some 20,144 victims fell for this type of scam in 2021, averaging around £2800 stolen per incident.
Typically, RAT attacks begin with a victim being inundated with pop-ups claiming there is a problem with the computer. Users are often then asked to call a “hotline” number, when a scammer will persuade them to download a RAT.
RAT scams are often compared to the classic “tech support” scams. Modern RAT scams are typically more devious, however, with scammers often cold-calling their victims pretending to work for their bank and claiming that they need computer access to investigate a fraudulent transaction.
https://www.itsecurityguru.org/2022/04/11/fraudsters-stole-58m-with-rats-in-2021/
As State-Backed Cyber Threats Grow, Here's How the World Is Reacting
With the ongoing conflict in Eurasia, cyber warfare is inevitably making its presence felt. The fight is not only being fought on the fields. There is also a big battle happening in cyberspace. Several cyber-attacks have been reported over the past months.
Notably, cyber attacks backed by state actors are becoming prominent. There have been reports of a rise of ransomware and other malware attacks such as Cyclops Blink, HermeticWiper, and BlackCat. These target businesses as well as government institutions and nonprofit organisations. There have been cases of several attempts to shut down online communications and IT infrastructure.
The ongoing list of significant cyber incidents curated by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) shows that the number of major incidents in January 2022 is 100% higher compared to the same period in the previous year. With the recent activities in cyberspace impacted by the emergence of the geopolitical tumult in February, it is not going to be surprising to see an even more dramatic rise in the number of significant incidents.
https://thehackernews.com/2022/04/as-state-backed-cyber-threats-grow.html
Q1 Reported Data Compromises Up 14% Over 2021
The Identity Theft Resource Center published a First Quarter 2022 Data Breach Analysis which found that Q1 of 2022 began with the highest number of publicly reported data compromises in the past three years.
Publicly reported data compromises totalled 404 through March 31, 2022, a 14 percent increase compared to Q1 2021.
This is the third consecutive year when the number of total data compromises increased compared to Q1 of the previous year. It also represents the highest number of Q1 data compromises since 2020.
https://informationsecuritybuzz.com/expert-comments/q1-reported-data-compromises-up-14-over-2021/
Europol Announces Operation to Hit Russian Sanctions-Evaders
European police have announced a major new operation designed to crack down on Russian oligarchs and businesses looking to circumvent sanctions.
Operation Oscar will run for at least a year as an umbrella initiative that will feature many separate investigations, Europol explained.
The policing organisation’s European Financial and Economic Crime Centre will work to exchange information and intelligence with partners and provide operational support in financial crime investigations.
A key focus appears to be on illicit flows of money, which Russian individuals and entities will be trying to move around the region in order to bypass sanctions imposed since President Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.
“Europol will centralise and analyse all information contributed under this operation to identify international links, criminal groups and suspects, as well as new criminal trends and patterns,” Europol said.
“Europol will further provide tailor-made analytical support to investigations, as well as operational coordination, forensics and technical expertise, and financial support to the relevant national authorities.”
https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/europol-hit-russian/
Threats
Ransomware
Ransomware: These Two Gangs Are Behind Half of All Attacks | ZDNet
Don't Let Ransomware Gangs Spend Months in Your Network • The Register
Karakurt Data Thieves Linked to Larger Conti Hacking Group | CSO Online
Conti Ransomware Gang Claims Responsibility for The Nordex Hack - Security Affairs
OldGremlin Ransomware Gang Targets Russia with New Malware (bleepingcomputer.com)
Conti Ransomware Offshoot Targets Russian Organisations | Malwarebytes Labs
Other Social Engineering
FBI: Payment App Users Targeted in Social Engineering Attacks (bleepingcomputer.com)
These Hackers Pretend to Poach, Recruit Rival Bank Staff In New Cyber Attacks | ZDNet
Malware
Microsoft Sounds The Alarm Over New Cunning Windows Malware | TechRadar
Spring4Shell Under Active Exploit by Mirai Botnet Herders • The Register
Haskers Gang Gives Away ZingoStealer Malware to Other Cyber Criminals for Free (thehackernews.com)
Hackers Hijack Adult Websites to Infect Victims With Malware | TechRadar
Qbot Malware Switches To New Windows Installer Infection Vector (bleepingcomputer.com)
Windows 11 tool to Add Google Play Secretly Installed Malware (bleepingcomputer.com)
Over 16,500 Sites Hacked to Distribute Malware via Web Redirect Service (thehackernews.com)
Enemybot: a New Mirai, Gafgyt Hybrid Botnet Joins The Scene | ZDNet
Mobile
Android Banking Malware Intercepts Calls to Customer Support (bleepingcomputer.com)
How to Stop Octo Malware From Remotely Accessing Your Android (lifehacker.com)
IoT
New EnemyBot DDoS Botnet Recruits Routers and IoTs Into Its Army (bleepingcomputer.com)
3 Reasons Connected Devices are More Vulnerable than Ever (bleepingcomputer.com)
Data Breaches/Leaks
Organised Crime & Criminal Actors
New Industrial Spy Stolen Data Market Promoted Through Cracks, Adware (bleepingcomputer.com)
Google Files Suit Against Cameroonian Cyber Criminal Who Used Puppies as Lures - CyberScoop
Cryptocurrency/Cryptomining/Cryptojacking
10 NFT and Cryptocurrency Security Risks That CISOs Must Navigate | CSO Online
A Practical Reason Why Crypto Might Not Work for Large-Scale Sanctions Evasion - CyberScoop
Insider Risk and Insider Threats
Fraud, Scams & Financial Crime
Denial of Service DoS/DDoS
New Fodcha DDoS Botnet Targets Over 100 Victims Every Day (bleepingcomputer.com)
New EnemyBot DDoS Botnet Borrows Exploit Code from Mirai and Gafgyt (thehackernews.com)
Cloud
99% Of Cloud Identities Are Overly Permissive, Opening Door to Attackers | CSO Online
Top Attack Techniques for Breaching Enterprise And Cloud Environments - Help Net Security
Finding Attack Paths in Cloud Environments (thehackernews.com)
The Two Words You Should Never Forget When You’re Securing a Cloud - Help Net Security
Privacy
Spyware, Espionage & Cyber Warfare, including Russian Invasion of Ukraine
Preparing for Armageddon: How Ukraine Battles Russian hackers | Ars Technica
Hackers Target Ukrainian Govt with IcedID Malware, Zimbra Exploits (bleepingcomputer.com)
Russia’s Sandworm Hackers Attempted a Third Blackout In Ukraine | Ars Technica
The Unceasing Action of Anonymous Against Russia - Security Affairs
European Officials Reportedly Targeted by NSO Spyware • The Register
Nation State Actors
Nation State Actors – Russia
Nation State Actors – China
Nation State Actors – North Korea
US Gov Believes Lazarus APT is Behind Ronin Validator Cyber Heist - Security Affairs
Feds Offer $5m Reward for Info on North Korean Cyber Crooks • The Register
FBI Links Largest Crypto Hack Ever to North Korean Hackers (bleepingcomputer.com)
Symantec: North Korea's Lazarus Targets Chemical Companies • The Register
Vulnerabilities
Microsoft Issues Patches for 2 Windows Zero-Days and 126 Other Vulnerabilities (thehackernews.com)
Google Issues Third Emergency Fix For Chrome This Year • The Register
Critical HP Teradici PCoIP Flaws Impact 15 Million Endpoints (bleepingcomputer.com)
Critical Windows RPC Vulnerability Raises Alarm (techtarget.com)
VMware Workspace One Flaw Actively Exploited in The Wild (techtarget.com)
Adobe Patches Gaping Security Holes in Acrobat, Reader, Photoshop | SecurityWeek.Com
Cisco Vulnerability Lets Hackers Craft Their Own Login Credentials (bleepingcomputer.com)
Several Vulnerabilities Allow Disabling of Palo Alto Networks Products | SecurityWeek.Com
Cisco Patches Critical Vulnerability in Wireless LAN Controller | SecurityWeek.Com
Critical Flaw in Elementor WordPress Plugin May Affect 500k Sites (bleepingcomputer.com)
Critical Apache Struts RCE Vulnerability Wasn't Fully Fixed, Patch Now (bleepingcomputer.com)
Attackers Are Exploiting VMware RCE to Deliver Malware (CVE-2022-22954) - Help Net Security
These D-Link Routers Are Vulnerable To Remote Hacks And Should Be Retired Immediately | HotHardware
Upgrades for Spring Framework Have Stalled (darkreading.com)
Sector Specific
CNI, OT, ICS, IIoT and SCADA
CISA Alert on ICS, SCADA Devices Highlights Growing Enterprise IoT Security Risks (darkreading.com)
Pipedream Malware: Feds Uncover 'Swiss Army Knife' for Industrial System Hacking | WIRED
New Malware Tools Pose 'Clear and Present Threat' to ICS Environments (darkreading.com)
US Warns of APT Hackers Targeting ICS/SCADA Systems with Specialized Malware (thehackernews.com)
Flaws in ABB Network Interface Modules Expose Industrial Systems to DoS Attacks | SecurityWeek.Com
Energy & Utilities
Reports Published in the Last Week
Other News
Singapore To License Infosec Service Providers • The Register
What Is the Cyber Kill Chain? A Model for Tracing Cyber Attacks | CSO Online
Cyber Defense: Prioritized By Real-World Threat Data - Help Net Security
The Cyber Criminal Isn’t Necessarily Who You Think… | Mind Matters
How Cryptocurrency Gave Birth to the Ransomware Epidemic (vice.com)
Dark Data Is a Pain Point For Many Security Leaders - Help Net Security
As usual, contact us to help assess where your risks lie and to ensure you are doing all you can do to keep you and your business secure.
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Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing 08 April 2022
Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing 08 April 2022
-Nearly Two-Thirds of Ransomware Victims Paid Ransoms Last Year, Finds "2022 Cyberthreat Defense Report"
-New Android Banking Malware Remotely Takes Control of Your Device
-Network Intrusion Detections Skyrocketing
-Organisations Underestimating the Seriousness Of Insider Threats
-Watch Out For Phishing Emails From Genuine Mailing Lists, Following Mailchimp Hack
-SpringShell Attacks Target About One in Six Vulnerable Orgs
-New Threat Group Underscores Mounting Concerns Over Russian Cyber Threats
-Consumer Fraud Tripled in The Last Two Years
-Borat RAT: Multiple Threat of Ransomware, DDoS and Spyware
-Bank Had No Firewall License, Intrusion or Phishing Protection – Guess The Rest
-Global APT Groups Use Ukraine War for Phishing Lures
-Paying Ransom Doesn’t Guarantee Data Recovery
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
Nearly Two-Thirds of Ransomware Victims Paid Ransoms Last Year, Finds "2022 Cyberthreat Defense Report"
CyberEdge Group, a leading research and marketing firm serving the cyber security industry’s top vendors, announced the launch of its ninth annual Cyberthreat Defense Report (CDR). The award-winning CDR is the standard for assessing organisations’ security posture, gauging perceptions of information technology (IT) security professionals, and ascertaining current and planned investments in IT security infrastructure – across all industries and geographic regions.
A record 71% of organisations were impacted by successful ransomware attacks last year, according to the 2022 CDR, up from 55% in 2017. Of those that were victimised, nearly two-thirds (63%) paid the requested ransom, up from 39% in 2017.
New Android Banking Malware Remotely Takes Control of Your Device
A new Android banking malware named Octo has appeared in the wild, featuring remote access capabilities that allow malicious operators to perform on-device fraud.
Octo is an evolved Android malware based on ExoCompact, a malware variant based on the Exo trojan that quit the cyber crime space and had its source code leaked in 2018.
The new variant has been discovered by researchers at ThreatFabric, who observed several users looking to purchase it on darknet forums.
Network Intrusion Detections Skyrocketing
A WatchGuard report shows a record number of evasive network malware detections with advanced threats increasing by 33%, indicating a higher level of zero day threats than ever before.
Researchers detected malware threats in EMEA at a much higher rate than other regions of the world in Q4 2021, with malware detections per Firebox at 49%, compared to Americas at 23% and APAC at 29%. The trajectory of network intrusion detections also continued its upward climb with the largest total detections of any quarter in the last three years and a 39% increase quarter over quarter.
Researchers suggest that this may be due to the continued targeting of old vulnerabilities as well as the growth in organisations’ networks. As new devices come online and old vulnerabilities remain unpatched, network security is becoming more complex.
https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2022/04/08/network-malware-detections/
Organisations Underestimating the Seriousness of Insider Threats
Imperva releases data that shows organisations are failing to address the issue of insider threats during a time when the risk is at its greatest.
New research, conducted by Forrester, found that 59% of incidents in EMEA organisations that negatively impacted sensitive data in the last 12 months were caused by insider threats, and yet 59% do not prioritise insider threats the way they prioritise external threats. Despite the fact that insider events occur more often than external ones, they receive lower levels of investment.
This approach is at odds with today’s threat landscape where the risk of malicious insiders has never been higher. The rapid shift to remote working means many employees are now outside the typical security controls that organisations employ, making it harder to detect and prevent insider threats.
Further, the Great Resignation is creating an environment where there is a higher risk of employees stealing data. This data could be stolen intentionally by people looking to help themselves in future employment, because they are disgruntled and want revenge, or it could be taken unintentionally when a careless employee leaves the business with important information.
https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2022/04/08/organizations-insider-threats-issue/
Watch Out for Phishing Emails from Genuine Mailing Lists, Following Mailchimp Hack
A Mailchimp hack means that you’ll want to be even more vigilant than usual about phishing emails. Attackers have taken a clever approach to making their emails appear genuine …
When you subscribe to an email list, there’s a decent chance that the emails you received are actually sent by a company called Mailchimp, rather than directly by the company itself. Mailchimp offers companies a range of tools that make it easy to manage email databases, and send marketing emails and newsletters.
Hackers managed to gain access to more than 100 Mailchimp customer accounts, giving them the ability to send emails that would appear to have come from any one of those businesses.
Users will need to be more vigilant when receiving emails and avoid clicking on links in emails, even if they appear genuine.
https://9to5mac.com/2022/04/05/mailchimp-hack-phishing-alert/
SpringShell Attacks Target About One in Six Vulnerable Orgs
Roughly one out of six organisations worldwide that are impacted by the Spring4Shell zero-day vulnerability have already been targeted by threat actors, according to statistics from one cyber security company.
The exploitation attempts took place in the first four days since the disclosure of the severe remote code execution (RCE) flaw, tracked as CVE-2022-22965, and the associated exploit code.
According to Check Point, who compiled the report based on their telemetry data, 37,000 Spring4Shell attacks were detected over the past weekend alone.
New Threat Group Underscores Mounting Concerns Over Russian Cyber Threats
Crowdstrike says Ember Bear is likely responsible for the wiper attack against Ukrainian networks and that future Russian cyber attacks might target the West.
As fears mount over the prospects of a “cyberwar” initiated by the Russian government, the number of identified Russian threat actors also continues to climb. Last week CrowdStrike publicly revealed a Russia-nexus state-sponsored actor that it tracks as Ember Bear.
CrowdStrike says that Ember Bear (also known as UAC-0056, Lorec53, Lorec Bear, Bleeding Bear, Saint Bear) is likely an intelligence-gathering adversary group that has operated against government and military organisations in eastern Europe since early 2021. The group seems “motivated to weaponize the access and data obtained during their intrusions to support information operations (IO) aimed at creating public mistrust in targeted institutions and degrading government ability to counter Russian cyber operations,” according to CrowdStrike intelligence.
Despite its state-sponsored Russia nexus, Ember Bear differs from its better-known kin such as Fancy Bear or Voodoo Bear because CrowdStrike can’t tie it to a specific Russian organisation. Its target profile, assessed intent, and technical tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) are consistent with other Russian GRU cyber operations.
Consumer Fraud Tripled in The Last Two Years
Reported cases of consumer fraud more than tripled in the years 2020-2021 from prior years, finds a new report by Accenture, presenting a growing challenge for public safety agencies to find new strategies to counter the trend.
The report compiled data from eight developed nations (Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Singapore, the United Kingdom, and the United States) on consumer fraud, defined as any fraud directly targeting citizens and excluding fraud targeting government agencies and companies. Reports of such fraud increased at an estimated 6.8% rate annually during 2013-2019 and then increased to a 22.5% annual growth rate yearly during 2020-2021 in parallel with the large shift of workers and consumers to digital channels and greater use of technology during the pandemic.
https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2022/04/08/consumer-fraud-tripled/
Borat RAT: Multiple Threat of Ransomware, DDoS and Spyware
A new remote access trojan (RAT) dubbed "Borat" doesn't come with many laughs but offers bad actors a menu of cyberthreats to choose from.
RATs are typically used by cyber criminals to get full control of a victim's system, enabling them to access files and network resources and manipulate the mouse and keyboard. Borat does all this and also delivers features to enable hackers to run ransomware, distributed denial of service attacks (DDoS) and other online assaults and to install spyware, according to researchers at cyber security biz Cyble.
"The Borat RAT provides a dashboard to Threat Actors (TAs) to perform RAT activities and also has an option to compile the malware binary for performing DDoS and ransomware attacks on the victim's machine," the researchers wrote in a blog post, noting the malware is being made available for sale to hackers.
Borat – named after the character made famous by actor Sacha Baron Cohen in two comedy films – comes with the standard requisite of RAT features in a package that includes such functions as builder binary, server certificate and supporting modules.
https://www.theregister.com/2022/04/04/borat-rat-ransomware-ddos/
Bank Had No Firewall License, Intrusion or Phishing Protection – Guess the Rest
An Indian bank that did not have a valid firewall license, had not employed phishing protection, lacked an intrusion detection system and eschewed use of any intrusion prevention system has, shockingly, been compromised by criminals who made off with millions of rupees.
The unfortunate institution is called the Andra Pradesh Mahesh Co-Operative Urban Bank. Its 45 branches and just under $400 million of deposits make it one of India's smaller banks.
It certainly thinks small about security – at least according to Hyderabad City Police, which last week detailed an attack on the Bank that started with over 200 phishing emails being sent across three days in November 2021. At least one of those mails succeeded in fooling staff, resulting in the installation of a Remote Access Trojan (RAT).
Another technology the bank had chosen not to adopt was virtual LANs, so once the RAT went to work the attackers gained entry to the Bank's systems and were able to roam widely – even in its core banking application
https://www.theregister.com/2022/04/05/mahesh_bank_no_firewall_attack/
Global APT Groups Use Ukraine War for Phishing Lures
Security researchers have detected multiple APT campaigns leveraging Ukraine war-themed documents and news sources to lure victims into clicking on spear-phishing links.
Check Point Research said victim locations ranged from South America to the Middle East, with malware downloads designed to perform keylogging and screenshotting and execute commands.
The threat groups in question include El Machete, which is targeting the financial and government sectors in Nicaragua and Venezuela with malicious macro-laden Word documents containing articles on the war.
One of the docs was an article written by the Russian ambassador to Nicaragua titled: “Dark plans of the neo-Nazi regime in Ukraine.”
Another is Lyceum, an Iranian state-linked group targeting the energy sector with emails about war crimes in Ukraine that link to a malicious document hosted elsewhere. Its victims so far have been in Israel and Saudi Arabia, according to Check Point.
One email contained a link to an article from The Guardian hosted on the news-spot[.]live domain, alongside several malicious docs about the war.
https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/global-apt-ukraine-war-phishing/
Paying Ransom Doesn’t Guarantee Data Recovery
OwnBackup announced the findings of a global survey conducted by Enterprise Strategy Group (ESG) that reveals a staggering 79% of respondent organisations have been targeted by ransomware within the past 12 months. Of those organisations, nearly three quarters said the attack was successful, meaning that it disrupted business operations.
Other key findings
· Of the respondents that said their organisation paid a cyber ransom to regain access to data, applications, and/or systems after an attack, only 14% were able to recover all of their data.
· 87% of respondents who made ransom payments said that they experienced additional extortion attempts beyond the initial ransomware demand.
· 31% of respondent organisations targeted by ransomware indicated that application user and permission misconfigurations were the initial point of compromise.
· 87% of respondents are very or somewhat concerned about their backups being infected by ransomware attacks.
https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2022/04/07/organizations-targeted-by-ransomware/
Threats
Ransomware
March Ransomware Attacks Strike Finance, Government Targets (techtarget.com)
Why Paying The Ransom Isn’t The Answer For Ransomware Victims - Information Security Buzz
Companies Are More Prepared to Pay Ransoms Than Ever Before (tripwire.com)
Conti Ransomware Deployed in IcedID Banking Trojan Attack (techtarget.com)
Researchers Connect BlackCat Ransomware with Past BlackMatter Malware Activity (thehackernews.com)
Notorious Hacking Group FIN7 Adds Ransomware to Its Repertoire - CyberScoop
BlackCat Purveyor Shows Ransomware Operators Have 9 Lives (darkreading.com)
FIN7 Hackers Evolve Toolset, Work with Multiple Ransomware Gangs (bleepingcomputer.com)
LockBit Ransomware Attack Costs CRM Services Provider Over $42 Million - MSSP Alert
Snap-on Discloses Data Breach Claimed by Conti Ransomware Gang (bleepingcomputer.com)
Phishing & Email Based Attacks
Other Social Engineering
Malware
Borat RAT Malware: A 'Unique' Triple Threat That Is Far from Funny | ZDNet
Multiple Hacker Groups Capitalizing on Ukraine Conflict for Distributing Malware (thehackernews.com)
Malicious Web Redirect Service Infects 16,500 Sites to Push Malware (bleepingcomputer.com)
Researchers Uncover How Colibri Malware Stays Persistent on Hacked Systems (thehackernews.com)
Mobile
44 Vulnerabilities Patched in Android With April 2022 Security Updates | SecurityWeek.Com
Samsung Security Flaw Left Phones Exposed for Years (androidpolice.com)
SharkBot Android Malware Continues Popping Up on Google Play | SecurityWeek.Com
Android Apps With 45 Million Installs Used Data Harvesting SDK (bleepingcomputer.com)
New Android Spyware Uses Turla-Linked Infrastructure | SecurityWeek.Com
Organised Crime & Criminal Actors
Cryptocurrency/Cryptomining/Cryptojacking
Crypto 2022: Hackers Have Nabbed $1.22 Billion Already (yahoo.com)
Malicious Crypto Miners Can Make A Profit In A Few Hours - Help Net Security
Malicious Actors Targeting the Cloud For Cryptocurrency-Mining Activities - Help Net Security
Cryptocurrency-Mining AWS Lambda-Specific Malware Spotted • The Register
MailChimp Breached, Intruders Conducted Phishing Attacks Against Crypto Customers - Security Affairs
Turkey Seeks 40,000-Year Sentences for Alleged Cryptocurrency Exit Scammers | ZDNet
Insider Risk and Insider Threats
Fraud, Scams & Financial Crime
Traditional Identity Fraud Losses Soar, Totalling $52 Billion in 2021 - Help Net Security
South African and US Officers Swoop on Fraud Gang - Infosecurity Magazine
Insurance
Supply Chain
Cloud
The Importance of Understanding Cloud Native Security Risks - Help Net Security
15 Cyber Security Measures for the Cloud Era - Security Affairs
Privacy
How You’re Still Being Tracked on the Internet - The New York Times (nytimes.com)
Using Google's Chrome Browser? This New Feature Will Help You Fix Your Security Settings | ZDNet
Passwords & Credential Stuffing
Travel
Spyware, Espionage & Cyber Warfare, including Russian Invasion of Ukraine
Nation State Actors
Nation State Actors – Russia
The Russian Cyber Attack Threat Might Force a New IT Stance | Computerworld
FBI Operation Aims to Take Down Massive Russian GRU Botnet | TechCrunch
Microsoft Sinkholes Russian Hacking Group's Domains Targeting Ukraine (darkreading.com)
FBI Disrupts Russian Military Hackers, Preventing Botnet Amid Ukraine War | Fox News
Russia (still) Trying To Weaponize Facebook Amid Ukraine War • The Register
Nation State Actors – China
Symantec: Chinese APT Group Targeting Global MSPs | SecurityWeek.Com
Chinese Hackers Are Using VLC Media Player to Launch Malware Attacks (androidpolice.com)
Hacked: Inside the US-China Cyberwar | Cybersecurity | Al Jazeera
China Uses AI Software to Improve Its Surveillance Capabilities | Reuters
Nation State Actors – Misc
Vulnerabilities
CISA Warns of Active Exploitation of Critical Spring4Shell Vulnerability (thehackernews.com)
Palo Alto Networks firewalls, VPNs vulnerable to OpenSSL bug (bleepingcomputer.com)
A Vulnerability in Zyxel Firewall Could Allow for Authentication Bypass (cisecurity.org)
Spring4Shell Patching Is Going Slow but Risk Not Comparable To Log4Shell | CSO Online
Apple Leaves Big Sur, Catalina Exposed to Critical Flaws: Intego | SecurityWeek.Com
A Mirai-Based Botnet Is Exploiting the Spring4Shell Vulnerability - Security Affairs
Steady Rise in Severe Web Vulnerabilities - Help Net Security
ACF WordPress Plugin Vulnerability Affects Up To +2 Million Sites (searchenginejournal.com)
Zero Days Are for Life, Not Just For Christmas. Here’s How to Deal With Them • The Register
Sector Specific
Financial Services Sector
FinTech
Health/Medical/Pharma Sector
Manufacturing
CNI, OT, ICS, IIoT and SCADA
Europe Warned About Cyber Threat to Industrial Infrastructure | SecurityWeek.Com
BlackCat Ransomware Targets Industrial Companies | SecurityWeek.Com
Energy & Utilities
Reports Published in the Last Week
Other News
Okta CEO Says Lapsus$ Hack is 'Big Deal,' Aims to Restore Trust (yahoo.com)
86% of Developers Don't Prioritise Application Security - Help Net Security
Digital Transformation Requires Security Intelligence - Help Net Security
Government Officials: AI Threat Detection Still Needs Humans (techtarget.com)
The Original APT: Advanced Persistent Teenagers – Krebs on Security
How Many Steps Does It Take for Attackers To Compromise Critical Assets? - Help Net Security
As usual, contact us to help assess where your risks lie and to ensure you are doing all you can do to keep you and your business secure.
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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 28 January 2022
Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing 28 January 2022
-UK Warned To Bolster Defences Against Cyber Attacks As Russia Threatens Ukraine - BBC News
-Cyber Attacks And Ransomware Hit A New Record In 2021, Says Report
-Ransomware Families Becoming More Sophisticated With Newer Attack Methods
-More Than 90% Of Enterprises Surveyed Have Been Hit By Successful Cyberattacks
-Ransomware Gangs Increase Efforts To Enlist Insiders For Attacks
-Shipment-Delivery Scams Become the Favoured Way to Spread Malware
-Most Ransomware Infections Are Self-Installed
-Staff Negligence Is Now A Major Reason For Insider Security Incidents
-22 Cyber Security Myths Organisations Need To Stop Believing In 2022
-Android Malware Can Factory-Reset Phones After Draining Bank Accounts
-GDPR Fines Surged Sevenfold to $1.25 Billion in 2021: Study
-Cyber Security In 2022 – A Fresh Look At Some Very Alarming Stats
Welcome to this week’s Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing – a weekly digest, collated and curated by our cyber experts to provide senior and middle management with an easy to digest round up of the most notable threats, vulnerabilities, and cyber related news from the last week.
Top Cyber Stories of the Last Week
UK Warned To Bolster Defences Against Cyber Attacks As Russia Threatens Ukraine - BBC News
UK organisations are being urged to bolster their defences amid fears cyber attacks linked to the conflict in Ukraine could move beyond its borders.
The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) has issued new guidance, saying it is vital companies stay ahead of a potential threat.
The centre said it was unaware of any specific threats to UK organisations.
It follows a series of cyber attacks in Ukraine which are suspected to have involved Russia, which Moscow denies.
In December 2015, engineers in Ukrainian power stations saw cursors on their computer screens moving by themselves. They had been hacked. Hundreds of thousands of people lost power for hours.
It was the first time a power station had been taken offline, a sign that cyber intrusions were moving beyond stealing information into disrupting the infrastructure on which everyday life depends. Russia was blamed.
"It was a complex operation," says John Hultquist, an expert on Russian cyber operations at the US security firm Mandiant. "They even disrupted the telephone lines so that the engineers couldn't make calls."
Ukraine has been on the front line of a cyber conflict for years. But if Russia does invade the country soon, tanks and troops will still be at the forefront.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-60158874
Cyber Attacks And Ransomware Hit A New Record In 2021, Says Report
Ransomware attacks have doubled for the past two years, says a new report—but a lot of people aren’t bothering to change their passwords.
Hackers made up for some lost time last year.
After seeing the number of data breaches decline in 2020, the Identity Theft Resource Center’s 16th Annual Data Breach Report says the number of security compromises was up more than 68% in 2021. That tops the all-time high by a shocking 23%.
All told, there were 1,862 breaches last year, says the ITRC, 356 more than in 2017, the previous busiest year on record.
“Many of the cyber attacks committed were highly sophisticated and complex, requiring aggressive defences to prevent them,” Eva Velasquez, ITRC president and CEO, said in a statement. “If those defences failed, too often we saw an inadequate level of transparency for consumers to protect themselves from identity fraud.”
https://www.fastcompany.com/90715622/cyberattacks-ransomware-data-breach-new-record-2021
Ransomware Families Becoming More Sophisticated With Newer Attack Methods
Ivanti, Cyber Security Works and Cyware announced a report which identified 32 new ransomware families in 2021, bringing the total to 157 and representing a 26% increase over the previous year.
The report also found that these ransomware groups are continuing to target unpatched vulnerabilities and weaponize zero-day vulnerabilities in record time to instigate crippling attacks. At the same time, they are broadening their attack spheres and finding newer ways to compromise organisational networks and fearlessly trigger high-impact assaults.
https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2022/01/28/new-ransomware-families/
More Than 90% Of Enterprises Surveyed Have Been Hit By Successful Cyber Attacks
Cyber attacks can impact any organisation, big or small. But large enterprises are often more tempting targets due to the vast amount of lucrative data they hold. A new report from cyber security firm Anomali reveals an increase in successful cyber attacks and offers ideas on how organisations can better protect themselves.
Published on Thursday, the "2022 Anomali Cyber security Insights Report" is based on a survey of 800 cyber security decision makers commissioned by Anomali and conducted by Harris between September 9 and October 13 of 2021. The survey elicited responses from professionals in the US, UK, Canada and other countries who work full time in such industries as manufacturing, telecommunications and financial services.
Among the respondents, 87% said that their organisations were victims of successful cyber attacks sometime over the past three years. In this case, a successful attack is one that caused damage, disruption or a data breach. Since the pandemic started almost two years ago, 83% of those polled have experienced an increase in attempted cyber attacks, while 87% have been hit with a rise in phishing emails, many of them exploiting coronavirus-related themes.
Ransomware Gangs Increase Efforts To Enlist Insiders For Attacks
A recent survey of 100 large (over 5,000 employees) North American IT firms shows that ransomware actors are making greater effort to recruit insiders in targeted firms to aid in attacks.
The survey was conducted by Hitachi ID, which performed a similar study in November 2021. Compared to the previous survey, there has been a 17% rise in the number of employees offered money to aid in ransomware attacks against their employer.
Most specifically, 65% of the survey respondents say that they or their employees were approached between December 7, 2021, and January 4, 2022, to help hackers establish initial access.
Shipment-Delivery Scams Become the Favoured Way to Spread Malware
Attackers increasingly are spoofing the courier DHL and using socially engineered messages related to packages to trick users into downloading Trickbot and other malicious payloads.
Threat actors are increasingly using scams that spoof package couriers like DHL or the U.S. Postal Service in authentic-looking phishing emails that attempt to dupe victims into downloading credential-stealing or other malicious payloads, researchers have found.
Researchers from Avanan, a Check Point company, and Cofense have discovered recent phishing campaigns that include malicious links or attachments aimed at infecting devices with Trickbot and other dangerous malware, they reported separately on Thursday.
The campaigns separately relied on trust in widely used methods for shipping and employees’ comfort with receiving emailed documents related to shipments to try to elicit further action to compromise corporate systems, researchers said.
https://threatpost.com/shipment-delivery-scams-a-fav-way-to-spread-malware/178050/
Most Ransomware Infections Are Self-Installed
New research from managed detection and response (MDR) provider Expel found that most ransomware attacks in 2021 were self-installed.
The finding was included in the company’s inaugural annual report on cyber security trends and predictions, Great eXpeltations, published on Thursday.
Researchers found eight out of ten ransomware infections occurred after victims unwittingly opened a zipped file containing malicious code. Abuse of third-party access accounted for 3% of all ransomware incidents, and 4% were caused by exploiting a software vulnerability on the perimeter.
The report was based on the analysis of data aggregated from Expel’s security operations center (SOC) concerning incidents spanning January 1 2021 to December 31 2021.
Other key findings were that 50% of incidents were BEC (business email compromise) attempts, with SaaS apps a top target.
https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/most-ransomware-infections-self/
Staff Negligence Is Now A Major Reason For Insider Security Incidents
Insider threats cost organisations approximately $15.4 million every year, with negligence a common reason for security incidents, new research suggests.
Enterprise players today are facing cyber security challenges from every angle. Weak endpoint security, unsecured cloud systems, vulnerabilities -- whether unpatched or zero-days -- the introduction of unregulated internet of things (IoT) devices to corporate networks and remote work systems can all become conduits for a cyber attack to take place.
When it comes to the human element of security, a lack of training or cyber security awareness, mistakes, or deliberate, malicious actions also needs to be acknowledged in managing threat detection and response.
22 Cyber Security Myths Organisations Need To Stop Believing In 2022
Security teams trying to defend their organisations need to adapt quickly to new challenges. Yesterday’s buzzwords and best practices have become today’s myths.
The past few years have seen a dramatic shift in how organisations protect themselves against attackers. The hybrid working model, fast-paced digitalization, and increased number of ransomware incidents have changed the security landscape, making CISOs' jobs more complex than ever.
This convoluted environment requires a new mindset to defend, and things that might have held true in the past might no longer be useful. Can digital certificates' expiration dates still be managed in a spreadsheet? Is encryption 'magic dust'? And are humans actually the weakest link?
Security experts weigh in the 22 cyber security myths that we finally need to retire in 2022.
Android Malware Can Factory-Reset Phones After Draining Bank Accounts
A banking-fraud trojan that has been targeting Android users for three years has been updated to create even more grief. Besides draining bank accounts, the trojan can now activate a kill switch that performs a factory reset and wipes infected devices clean.
Brata was first documented in a post from security firm Kaspersky, which reported that the Android malware had been circulating since at least January 2019. The malware spread primarily through Google Play but also through third-party marketplaces, push notifications on compromised websites, sponsored links on Google, and messages delivered by WhatsApp or SMS. At the time, Brata targeted people with accounts from Brazil-based banks.
GDPR Fines Surged Sevenfold to $1.25 Billion in 2021: Study
Fines issued for GDPR non-compliance increased sevenfold from 2020 to 2021, analysis shows
In its latest annual GDPR summary, international law firm DLA Piper focuses attention in two areas: fines imposed and the evolving effect of the Schrems II ruling of 2020. Fines are increasing and Schrems II issues are becoming more complex.
Fines issued for GDPR non-compliance increased significantly (sevenfold) in 2021, from €158.5 million (approximately $180 million) in 2020 to just under €1.1 billion (approximately $1.25 billion) in 2021. The largest fines came from Luxembourg against Amazon (€746 million / $846 million), and Ireland against WhatsApp (€225 million / $255 million). Both are currently being appealed.
The WhatsApp fine is interesting. The original fine proposed by the Irish Data Protection Commission (DPC) was for €30 million to €50 million. However, other European regulators objected, and the European Data Processing Board (EDPB) adjudicated – instructing Ireland to increase the fine by 350%.
https://www.securityweek.com/gdpr-fines-surged-sevenfold-125-billion-2021-study
Cyber Security In 2022 – A Fresh Look At Some Very Alarming Stats
Last year Forbes wrote a couple of articles that highlighted some of the more significant cyber statistics associated with our expanding digital ecosystem. In retrospect, 2021 was a very trying year for cyber security in so many areas. There were high profile breaches such as Solar Winds, Colonial Pipeline and dozens of others that had major economic and security related impact. Ransomware came on with a vengeance targeting many small and medium businesses.
Perhaps most worrisome was how critical infrastructure and supply chains security weaknesses were targeted and exploited by adversaries at higher rates than in the past. Since it is only January, we are just starting to learn of some of the statistics that certainly will trend in 2022. By reviewing the topics below, we can learn what we need to fortify and bolster in terms of cyber security throughout the coming year.
Buy now, pay later fraud, romance and cryptocurrency schemes top the list of threats this year
Experian released its annual forecast, which reveals five fraud threats for the new year. With consumers continuing to take a digital-first approach to everything from shopping, dating and investing, fraudsters are finding new and innovative ways to commit fraud.
The main areas they are predicting seeing rises in fraud are:
-Buy now, pay never
-Cryptocurrency scams
-Doubling ransomware attacks
-More increases in romance fraud
-Digital elder abuse will rise
https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2022/01/26/fraud-threats-this-year/
Threats
Ransomware
Ransomware: More Families, More Vulnerabilities, More Weaponry Dominate 2021 - MSSP Alert
Linux Version Of LockBit Ransomware Targets VMware ESXi Servers (bleepingcomputer.com)
BlackCat Ransomware Targeting US, European Retail, Construction And Transportation Orgs | ZDNet
Conti Ransomware Hits Apple, Tesla Supplier - The Record by Recorded Future
Phishing
There's Been A Big Rise In Phishing Attacks Using Microsoft Excel XLL Add-Ins | ZDNet
Microsoft warns of multi-stage phishing campaign leveraging Azure AD (bleepingcomputer.com)
Other Social Engineering
Malware
Trickbot Injections Get Harder to Detect & Analyze (darkreading.com)
Log4j: Mirai Botnet Found Targeting ZyXEL Networking Devices | ZDNet
Hackers Infect macOS with New DazzleSpy Backdoor in Watering-Hole Attacks (thehackernews.com)
TrickBot Malware Using New Techniques to Evade Web Injection Attacks (thehackernews.com)
Mobile
105 Million Android Users Targeted By Subscription Fraud Campaign (bleepingcomputer.com)
2FA App With 10,000 Google Play Downloads Loaded Well-Known Banking Trojan | Ars Technica
New FluBot And TeaBot Campaigns Target Android Devices Worldwide (bleepingcomputer.com)
Latest Version Of Android RAT BRATA Wipes Devices After Stealing Data - Security Affairs
IoT
As IoT Attacks Increase, Experts Fear More Serious Threats (darkreading.com)
Millions of Routers, IoT Devices at Risk as Malware Source Code Surfaces on GitHub (darkreading.com)
19-Year-Old Describes How He Remotely Hacked 25+ Teslas (businessinsider.com)
Data Breaches/Leaks
Organised Crime & Criminal Actors
Cryptocurrency/Cryptomining/Cryptojacking
Supply Chain
DoS/DDoS
Microsoft Mitigates Largest DDoS Attack 'Ever Reported In History' (bleepingcomputer.com)
Nobel Foundation Site Hit By DDoS Attack On Award Day (bleepingcomputer.com)
CNI, OT, ICS, IIoT and SCADA
Over 20,000 Data Center Management Systems Exposed To Hackers (bleepingcomputer.com)
Energy Sector Still Needs to Shut the Barn Door (darkreading.com)
Nation State Actors
North Korean Hackers Using Windows Update Service to Infect PCs with Malware (thehackernews.com)
Russian APT29 Hackers' Stealthy Malware Undetected For Years (bleepingcomputer.com)
North Korean Hackers Return with Stealthier Variant of KONNI RAT Malware (thehackernews.com)
German Intel Warns Of APT27 Targeting Commercial Organisations - Security Affairs
Threat Actors Use Microsoft OneDrive for Command-and-Control in Attack Campaign (darkreading.com)
Cloud
Top 5 Cloud Security Data Breaches in Recent Years (makeuseof.com)
Molerats Group Uses Public Cloud Services As Attack Infrastructure - Security Affairs
Privacy
Passwords & Credential Stuffing
65% Of Organisations Continue To Rely On Shared Logins - Help Net Security
Strong Security Starts With The Strengthening Of The Weakest Link: Passwords - Help Net Security
Spyware, Espionage & Cyber Warfare
Vulnerabilities
Ubiquitous Linux Bug: ‘An Attacker’s Dream Come True’ | Threatpost
Outlook Security Feature Bypass Allowed Sending Malicious Links | SecurityWeek.Com
Attackers Now Actively Targeting Critical SonicWall RCE Bug (bleepingcomputer.com)
Patching the CentOS 8 Encryption Bug is Urgent – What Are Your Plans? (thehackernews.com)
Apple Fixes New Zero-Day Exploited To Hack macOS, iOS Devices (bleepingcomputer.com)
F5 Fixes 25 Flaws In BIG-IP, BIG-IQ, and NGINX Products - Security Affairs
Sector Specific
Health/Medical/Pharma Sector
Education and Academia
Reports Published in the Last Week
Aqua Security Reports Large Increase in Supply Chain Attacks (infoq.com)
Other News
Cyber Security: 11 Steps To Take As Threat Levels Increase | ZDNet
Right of Boom: Can Your MSP Really Survive A Cyber Attack? - MSSP Alert
Are You Prepared to Defend Against a USB Attack? (darkreading.com)
VW Fired Senior Employee After They Raised Cyber Security Concerns | Financial Times
Microsoft Outlook RCE Zero-Day Exploits Now Selling For $400,000 (bleepingcomputer.com)
Hackers Are Taking Over CEO Accounts With Rogue OAuth Apps (bleepingcomputer.com)
As usual, contact us to help assess where your risks lie and to ensure you are doing all you can do to keep you and your business secure.
Look out for our ‘Cyber Tip Tuesday’ video blog and on our YouTube channel.
You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.
Links to articles are for interest and awareness and linking to or reposting external content does not endorse any service or product, likewise we are not responsible for the security of external links.
Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing 10 December 2021
Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing 10 December 2021
-Beware Of Ransomware Attacks Between Christmas and New Year’s!
-Why Holidays Put Your Company at Risk of Cyber Attack (And How to Take Precautions)
-Security Experts Sound Alarm on Zero-Day in Widely Used Log4j Tool
-SolarWinds Attackers Spotted Using New Tactics, Malware
-Cyber Crime Supply Chain: Fueling The Rise In Ransomware
-Weak Passwords Caused 30% Of Security Breaches
-Work-from-Anywhere Requires "Work-from-Anywhere Security"
-Just 3% of UK Firms Escaped a Supply Chain Breach in 2021
-Critical Flaw In ManageEngine Desktop Central MSP Tool Exploited In The Wild
-New Financial Services Industry Report Reveals Major Gaps in Storage and Backup Security
-UK’s Poor Cyber Risk Planning Could “Wreak Havoc”
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
Beware Of Ransomware Attacks Between Christmas And New Year’s!
Darktrace reported that its security researchers discovered a 30% increase in the average number of attempted ransomware attacks globally over the holiday season in every consecutive year from 2018 to 2020 compared to the monthly average.
The researchers also observed a 70% average increase in attempted ransomware attacks in November and December compared to January and February. Following a record number of ransomware attacks this year, the company expects the spike to be higher over the 2021 holiday period.
https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2021/12/09/ransomware-attacks-holiday/
Why Holidays Put Your Company at Risk of Cyber Attack (And How to Take Precautions)
It is a time when many are thinking of their families and loved ones, time off work, and gift-giving – the holidays. However, while many have their minds outside the realm of work during the holiday season, often, this is when attackers plan their most sinister attacks.
So how can you take precautions to protect your organisation during these times?
Attackers today do not have a soft spot for businesses and give companies a break at any time of the year, especially not during holidays. On the contrary, any time of the year where companies may be less prepared to fend off a cyberattack is an opportunity for successful compromise. As a result, the holidays put your company at a higher risk of cyberattack.
https://thehackernews.com/2021/12/why-holidays-put-your-company-at-risk.html
Security Experts Sound Alarm on Zero-Day in Widely Used Log4j Tool
Security experts are sounding the equivalent of a five-alarm fire on a critical new zero-day vulnerability in Log4j, a logging framework that is ubiquitously present in Java software.
The flaw (CVE-2021-44228) could allow remote attackers to run arbitrary code on any application that uses Log4j and is already being actively exploited. Some vendors have observed mass scanning activity — presumably by threat actors — for vulnerable applications, and there are some reports of exploit activity against organisations. Attacks against the flaw take little skill to execute and are being fueled by proof-of-concept code in the wild.
SolarWinds Attackers Spotted Using New Tactics, Malware
One year after the disruptive supply-chain attacks, researchers have observed two new clusters of activity from the Russia-based actors that signal a significant threat may be brewing.
One year after the notorious and far-reaching SolarWinds supply-chain attacks, its orchestrators are on the offensive again. Researchers said they’ve seen the threat group – which Microsoft refers to as “Nobelium” and which is linked to Russia’s spy agency – compromising global business and government targets with novel tactics and custom malware, stealing data and moving laterally across networks.
https://threatpost.com/solarwinds-attackers-new-tactics-malware/176818/
Cyber Crime Supply Chain: Fuelling The Rise In Ransomware
Trend Micro released a research detailing the murky cybercrime supply chain behind much of the recent surge in ransomware attacks. Demand has increased so much over the past two years that many cybercriminal markets now have their own “Access-as-a-Service” sections.
https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2021/12/06/cybercrime-supply-chain/
Weak Passwords Caused 30% Of Security Breaches
A recent survey assessed the risk factors associated with password management and how to safeguard them from attacks or breaches. The results revealed that 30% of respondents reported password leaks and security breaches as a result of poor password practices. Respondees admitted to making poor password choices, such as sharing them with colleagues, family members or friends; writing them on sticky notes, papers, planners; re-using passwords across multiple sites and only changing them when prompted.
Consequently, researchers revealed some of the best password practices to create unhackable passwords. These practices include using secure VPNs, two-factor authentication, using a password management software and creating unique passwords that aren’t easily deduced .
https://www.itsecurityguru.org/2021/12/10/weak-passwords-caused-30-of-security-breaches/
Work-from-Anywhere Requires "Work-from-Anywhere Security"
Securing today's expanding networks often includes adding additional technologies to an already overburdened security environment. With organisations already struggling to manage an average of 45 security tools, with each incident requiring coordination across 19 different devices, adding new technologies to the mix may be the straw that breaks the camel's back.
The most recent example of the rapid expansion of the network's attack surface has been remote work. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the need for a work-from-anywhere (WFA) strategy. And now, as workers begin to return to the office, a hybrid approach to work has become the new status quo. According to Accenture, 83% of workers prefer a hybrid work model that allows them to work remotely between 25% and 75% of the time. And businesses are listening. 63% of high-revenue growth companies have already enabled productivity anywhere workforce models.
One of the biggest security challenges of a hybrid workforce is that employees need to move seamlessly between the corporate office, their home network, and other remote locations. Applications, whether deployed in the data centre, SaaS, or cloud, not only need to be available from anywhere, but user experience—and security—needs to be consistent from any location as well.
https://www.securityweek.com/work-anywhere-requires-work-anywhere-security
Just 3% of UK Firms Escaped a Supply Chain Breach in 2021
Some 97% of UK organisations suffered a supply chain breach over the past year, up from 82% in 2020 and the second highest figure globally, according to BlueVoyant.
The security firm polled 1200 C-level executives with responsibility for managing risk in supply chains, across the UK, US, Singapore, Canada, Germany and the Netherlands.
UK firms also experienced a higher-than-average percentage of breaches: 59% suffered between two and five supply chain incidents compared to an overall average of 49%. The average number of breaches in the country grew from 2.64 in 2020 to 3.57 in 2021.
Perhaps unsurprisingly given these figures, only a quarter (27%) of UK respondents said they consider third-party cyber risk a key priority versus a 42% global average.
https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/just-3-uk-firms-escaped-supply/
Critical Flaw In ManageEngine Desktop Central MSP Tool Exploited In The Wild
News of this latest zero-day vulnerability comes after hackers exploited at least two other flaws in ManageEngine products this year. Attacks against MSPs and their tools have seen a rise over the past several years due to hackers realizing that compromising such organisations can provide an easy way into the networks of thousands of businesses that rely on them to manage their IT assets.
News of this latest zero-day vulnerability comes after hackers exploited at least two other flaws in ManageEngine products this year. Attacks against MSPs and their tools have seen a rise over the past several years due to hackers realizing that compromising such organisations can provide an easy way into the networks of thousands of businesses that rely on them to manage their IT assets.
New Financial Services Industry Report Reveals Major Gaps in Storage and Backup Security
Continuity™, the first dedicated storage and backup security provider, this week announced findings from its Security Intelligence Report: Analysis of Storage and Backup Security in the Financial Services & Banking Sector. This extensive study – the first of its kind – explores the security posture of storage and backup environments in the global financial services industry.
The survey of 200 financial services firms and banks from 45 countries revealed that most of these organisations have not yet reached a satisfactory level of storage and backup maturity. Notably, more than half (52%) of the respondents were not strongly confident about their storage and backup security, and a quarter (25%) noted they were significantly concerned (low or no confidence).
UK’s Poor Cyber Risk Planning Could “Wreak Havoc”
The UK’s long-term risk planning is under-powered and could expose the nation if it is struck by a serious cyber-threat, a new House of Lords (HoL) report has found.
The study, Preparing for Extreme Risks: Building a Resilient Society, was produced by the upper chamber’s Select Committee on Risk Assessment and Risk Planning after interviews with 85 expert witnesses.
It claimed that the government spends too much of its time reacting to crises and emergencies, neglecting the kind of long-term planning which would have prepared the country better for the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The UK’s unpreparedness to manage the outbreak of the COVID-19 virus was and is clear. More broadly, our inquiry has analyzed the UK’s risk assessment process and found that our current system is deficient at assessing and addressing future threats and hazards,” it argued.
“However, pandemics are only one of a number of extreme risks facing the UK. Severe space weather events could render smart technologies on which much of society relies inoperable for weeks or longer; this would include GPS, the internet, communications systems and power supplies. A cyber or physical attack on our critical national infrastructure could wreak havoc.”
https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/uks-poor-cyber-risk-planning-could/
Threats
Ransomware
Ransomware Attacks Soar, Hackers Set To Become More Aggressive | Reuters
Emotet’s Behaviour & Spread Are Omens of Ransomware Attacks | Threatpost
Ireland Conti Ransomware Attack Vector Was Spam Email • The Register
Crackdown On Crypto Firms Needed To ‘Wreck’ Ransomware, Says Ex-GCHQ Boss (telegraph.co.uk)
Companies Linked to Russian Ransomware Hide in Plain Sight - The New York Times (nytimes.com)
New 'Karakurt' Cyber Crime Gang Focuses On Data Theft And Extortion - Security Affairs
More Than 300 Spar Shops In North Of England Hit By Cyber Attack | Hacking | The Guardian
New Cerber Ransomware Targets Confluence And GitLab Servers (Bleepingcomputer.Com)
Ransomware Attack Locks Hotel Guests Out Of Rooms - IT Security Guru
BlackCat: A New Rust-based Ransomware Malware Spotted in the Wild (thehackernews.com)
ALPHV BlackCat - This Year's Most Sophisticated Ransomware (Bleepingcomputer.Com)
Phishing
Microsoft, Google OAuth Flaws Can Be Abused In Phishing Attacks (Bleepingcomputer.Com)
Researchers Explore Microsoft Outlook Phishing Techniques (darkreading.com)
Convincing Microsoft Phishing Uses Fake Office 365 Spam Alerts (Bleepingcomputer.Com)
Study: Most Phishing Pages Are Abandoned Or Disappear In A Matter Of Days - Techrepublic
Phishing Attacks Use QR Codes To Steal Banking Credentials (Bleepingcomputer.Com)
Malware
Emotet Is Back and More Dangerous Than Before (darkreading.com)
Malicious Notepad++ Installers Push StrongPity Malware (bleepingcomputer.com)
Mobile
IOT
IoT Under Attack: Security Is Still Not Good Enough On These Edge Devices | ZDNet
Three-Quarters of Firms Admit to Sub-Optimal IoT Security - Infosecurity Magazine
Data Breaches/Leaks
Organised Crime & Criminal Actors
Microsoft Seizes 42 Malicious Web Domains Used By Chinese Hackers (thehackernews.com)
Google Disrupts Massive Glupteba Botnet, Sues Russian Operators (Bleepingcomputer.Com)
Cyber Criminals Are Using Fake Advertising To Distribute Malware | Techspot
Cryptocurrency/Cryptojacking
Hackers Are Minting Their Own Crypto To Use In Elaborate Phishing Scams | Techradar
Tor2Mine Cryptominer Is Warning Sign Of Network Exploitation • The Register
QNAP Warns Users Of Bitcoin Miner Targeting Their NAS Devices (Bleepingcomputer.com)
Insider Risk and Insider Threats
Fraud & Financial Crime
Dark Web
OT, ICS, IIoT and SCADA
Nation State Actors
UK Spy Chief Raises Fears Over China’s Digital Renminbi | Financial Times (FT.com)
Russia Blocks Tor Privacy Service in Latest Censorship Move (thehackernews.com)
Cloud
Vulnerabilities
Your Microsoft Network Is Only As Secure As Your Oldest Server | CSO Online
Lack of Patching Leaves 300,000 Routers at Risk for Attack (darkreading.com)
Vulnerability In Windows 10 URI Handler Leads To Remote Code Execution | Malwarebytes Labs
Dark Mirai Botnet Targeting RCE On Popular TP-Link Router (Bleepingcomputer.Com)
Sprawling Active Attack Aims to Take Over 1.6M WordPress Sites | Threatpost
Sector Specific
Financial Services Sector
US Bank Regulator Urges Vigilance As Ransomware Attacks On The Rise | Reuters
Israel Leads 10-Country Simulation Of Major Cyber Attack On World Markets | The Times Of Israel
Health/Medical/Pharma Sector
Retail
Fueled by Pandemic Realities, Grinchbots Aggressively Surge in Activity | Threatpost
Hackers Infect Random WordPress Plugins To Steal Credit Cards (Bleepingcomputer.Com)
Transport and Aviation
Other News
Google, Microsoft: Internet Whac-a-Mole vs. Cyber Criminals - MSSP Alert
Are You Guilty of These 8 Network-Security Bad Practices? | Threatpost
1.6 Million WordPress Sites Under Cyber Attack From Over 16,000 IP Addresses (thehackernews.com)
Next-Gen Maldocs & How to Solve the Human Vulnerability | Threatpost
As usual, contact us to help assess where your risks lie and to ensure you are doing all you can do to keep you and your business secure.
Look out for our weekly ‘Cyber Tip Tuesday’ video blog and on our YouTube channel.
You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.
Links to articles are for interest and awareness and linking to or reposting external content does not endorse any service or product, likewise we are not responsible for the security of external links.