Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing 03 May 2024

Welcome to this week’s Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing – a weekly digest, collated and curated by our cyber experts to provide senior and middle management with an easy to digest round up of the most notable threats, vulnerabilities, and cyber related news from the last week.

Top Cyber Stories of the Last Week

Most Attacks Impacting SMB’s Target Older, Unpatched Vulnerabilities

Attackers continue to aggressively target small and mid-size businesses using specific high-profile vulnerabilities dating back a decade or more, network telemetry shows. Findings have shown that this is due to these vulnerabilities featuring in a wide range of products. Due to their prevalence, they can often become missed by organisations conducting patch management and therefore leave the organisation open.

For this reason it is critical that all organisations, including smaller organisations, have internal as well as external vulnerability scanning. You might believe your systems are patched up to date but there is no way to confirm without scanning , or to know which patches might have been missed.

Sources: [Infosecurity Magazine]

91% of Ransomware Victims Paid At least One Ransom in the Past Year, as 1 in 5 Ransomware Attacks Triggers Lawsuit

Ransomware attacks saw a significant surge in 2023, following a dip in 2022. The number of victims increased by 66% from 2022 to 2023, with 91% of those affected paying at least one ransom. 58% of organisations have been targeted six times or more.

The Sophos State of Ransomware 2023 report highlighted ransom payments rose by 500%; nearly two-thirds exceeded $1m or more, with an average payment of $2m. Furthermore, 30% of the demands were for over $5m.

In the US, 18% of incidents led to litigation, with 123 lawsuits filed in 2023 and 355 over five years. Data breaches, affecting 283.3 million records, primarily triggered these lawsuits, especially in healthcare and finance sectors. The resolution rate is 59%, with the highest settlement at $8.7m. Regulatory fines added nearly $10m to the financial impact. These figures underscore the significant financial implications of ransomware attacks and the urgent need for robust cyber security measures.

Sources: [ZD Net] [Infosecurity Magazine] [Security Magazine] [PrNewsWire] [Infosecurity Magazine]

BEC and Fund Transfer Fraud Top Insurance Claims

Cyber Insurer Coalition's 2024 Cyber Claims Report highlights a significant trend in cyber security threats, identifying email-based fraud as the predominant cause of insurance claims in 2023, accounting for 53% of all claims. Business email compromise (BEC) and funds transfer fraud (FTF) topped the list, contributing to 28% of claims and increasing claim amounts by 24% to an average loss exceeding $278,000. In contrast, ransomware, while less frequent at 19% of claims, also saw a rise in both frequency and severity, with average losses climbing to over $263,000. The report also notes a 13% year-on-year surge in overall claims, with substantial losses tied to compromised network security devices and a notable vulnerability in organisations using exposed remote desktop protocols.

Source: [Infosecurity Magazine]

Correlating Cyber Investments with Business Outcomes

The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has implemented stringent new rules compelling organisations to report significant cyber incidents within four days and to annually disclose details concerning their cyber security risk management, strategy, and governance. These mandates are seen as giving “more teeth to the idea that cyber security is a business problem” and “bringing an element of cyber security to the boardroom” according to cyber security solutions provider SecurityGate. Highlighted in the "Cybersecurity Insights" podcast, experts argue for simplifying cyber security strategies, advocating sustained resource allocation over reactive measures, and emphasising the importance of training over expensive solutions. These steps are deemed crucial for enhancing organisational resilience and security in a landscape where cyber threats are increasingly sophisticated and pervasive.

Source: [InfoRisk Today] 

Verizon: Vulnerability Exploitation up 180%, 68% of Breaches involved Humans and Supply Chain Weak Link

Verizon has released the findings of its 17th Annual Data Breach Investigations Report, which showed security incidents doubled year over year in 2023 to a record high 30,458 security events and 10,626 confirmed breaches. Some of the key takeaways from the 100-page report include zero-day attacks on unpatched systems and devices rising 180% in 2023, most breaches (68%) involving a non-malicious human element and the median time for users to fall for phishing emails falling just south of 60 seconds. In its first inclusion as a separate metric, supply chain attacks were found to contribute to 15% of all attacks.

Sources: [MSSP Alert] [Verizon]

MOVEit & Change Healthcare Attacks Designated as Cyber Catastrophe Loss Events by Insurer

Verisk’s Property Claim Services (PCS) has recently identified the MOVEit and Change Healthcare cyber attacks as significant Cyber Catastrophe Loss Events. These designations are part of PCS’s Global Cyber solution, which tracks cyber incidents and their potential impact on the insurance market. The designation indicates that each attack is anticipated to result in insurance industry losses exceeding USD 250 million.

The MOVEit attack, linked to the Russian-affiliated group Cl0p, compromised over 2,700 organisations globally, affecting up to 90 million individuals. The Change Healthcare attack, attributed to the ALPHV/Blackcat gang, notably disrupted UnitedHealth Group’s operations, with projected costs and lost revenue totalling up to USD 1.6 billion. These designations highlight the escalating scale and financial impact of cyber incidents on global markets.

Source: [Reinsurance News]

Securing Your Organisation’s Supply Chain: Reducing the Risks of Third Parties

Nearly every organisation is part of a supply chain, where a significant amount of data is transferred. When data leaves your infrastructure, its security depends on the third party. The risks of a cyber incident increases as the supply chain increases.

Organisations need to mitigate the risks that their third party brings. This requires an understanding of the supply chain actors, and performing cyber security assessments of the most critical ones. The objective is to ensure that your organisation is satisfied with the third party’s security controls, or to work together to remediate any gaps.

Source: [Help Net Security]

Why Remote Desktop Tools are Facing an Onslaught of Cyber Threats

In the era of hybrid work, remote desktop tools have become crucial yet vulnerable points within corporate networks, attracting significant cyber criminal attention. A study by Barracuda Networks underscores the challenges of securing these tools. Virtual Network Computing (VNC) is particularly susceptible; it is targeted in 98% of these types of attacks due to its use of multiple, sometimes unsecured ports. VNC attacks predominantly exploit weak password practices, notably through brute force methods. Conversely, Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) accounts for about 1.6% of these attacks but is favoured for more extensive network breaches, often involving ransomware or crypto mining. The study highlights a pressing need for robust endpoint management and heightened security measures to mitigate these threats.

Source: [ITPro]

95% of Organisations Revamped Cyber Security Strategies in the Last Year: Make Sure Yours is Right

A recent report found that 95% of companies have altered their cyber security strategies in the last twelve months. This was driven by keeping pace with the shifting regulatory landscape (98%), the need to meet customer expectations for data protection and privacy (89%), and the rise of AI-driven threats and solutions (65%). Almost half (44%) of non-security executives do not understand the regulatory requirements their organisation must adhere to.

When it came to reporting, the study found that security teams aren’t reporting on key operational metrics that define whether their security investments and strategy changes have a measurable impact. It is evident that there is a disconnect between security and non-security professionals when it comes to the business strategy.

Sources: [Business Wire] [Security Magazine]

Human Factor a Significant Risk for Small and Medium-Sized Businesses.

A survey of business and IT security in small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) conducted by LastPass found that roughly one in five business leaders admits to circumventing security policies, as do one in 10 IT security leaders. The survey found that password management is critically important to cyber security, with nearly half (47%) reporting recent breaches due to compromised passwords.

Sources: [Beta News] [Business Wire]

Microsoft CEO Says it is Putting Security Above All Else in Major Refocus

Following a series of high-profile attacks in recent months and a report by the US Cyber Safety Review Board (CSRB), Microsoft’s CEO has revealed it will now focus its efforts on an increase in the commitment to security. Investigating a summer 2023 attack, Microsoft was deemed to have made a series of “avoidable errors”, including the failure to detect several compromises, the CSRB said.

Sources: [TechRadar]

Ending the Culture of Silence in Cyber Security; Three Ways to Empower Teams

A recent discussion on workplace errors highlights the significant repercussions of cyber breaches compared to typical office mistakes. In the UK, nearly a third of businesses face cyber attacks weekly, with each breach costing approximately £4,000. However, a concerning trend is that 41% of these breaches are not reported to internal leadership, often due to fears among staff about the consequences of admitting faults. A three-pronged approach has been suggested to foster a blame-free culture: providing tailored and evolving cyber training, establishing safe zones for admitting mistakes, and implementing robust recovery plans. This approach not only prepares employees to handle potential breaches more effectively but also encourages them to report incidents promptly, reducing the overall impact and aiding quicker recovery. Such strategies are essential for maintaining resilience against increasingly sophisticated cyber threats.

Source: [Minute Hack]

Governance, Risk and Compliance

• Verizon 2024 Data Breach Investigations Report: 5 Takeaways | MSSP Alert

• 2024 Data Breach Investigations Report: Half of the breaches in EMEA were internal (globenewswire.com)

• Verizon DBIR: Vulnerability exploitation in breaches up 180% | TechTarget

• Verizon DBIR: Basic Security Gaffes Cause Breach Surge (darkreading.com)

• 95% of Organisations Revamped Their Cyber Security Strategies in the Last Year | Business Wire

• 95% of organisations adjusted cyber security strategies this past year | Security Magazine

• 1 in 5 US Ransomware Attacks Triggers Lawsuit - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Vulnerability Exploits Triple as Initial Access Point for Breaches - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• MOVEit & Change Healthcare attacks designated as cyber catastrophe loss events by PCS - Reinsurance News

• Are Enterprises Overconfident About Cyber Security Readiness? (govinfosecurity.com)

• How CISOs Can Contend with Increasing Scrutiny from Regulators (informationweek.com)

• Correlating Cyber Investments with Business Outcomes (inforisktoday.com)

• Ending The Culture of Silence In Cyber Security – 3 Ways To Empower Teams - Minutehack

• 97% of security leaders have increased SaaS security budgets - Help Net Security

• The rise in CISO job dissatisfaction – what’s wrong and how can it be fixed? | CSO Online

• Should Cyber Security Leadership Finally be Professionalized? - SecurityWeek

• What needs to change to overcome nonchalant security approaches | TechRadar

• Agile by Design: Cyber Security at the Heart of Transformation (noeticcyber.com)

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Threats

Ransomware, Extortion and Destructive Attacks

• Q1 2024 Ransomware Report: 21% Increase in Q1 2023 Ransomware Activity (corvusinsurance.com)

• Ransomware Rising Despite Takedowns, Says Corvus Report - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Impact of organisational structure on ransomware outcomes: Where does your org fit in? | SC Media (scmagazine.com)

• OODA Loop - Social Engineering Remains the Coin of the Realm for Ransomware Gangs (or APTs- Advanced Persistent Threats)

• 91% of ransomware victims paid at least one ransom in the past year, survey finds | ZDNET

• Ransom Payments Surge by 500% to an Average of $2m - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• 1 in 5 US Ransomware Attacks Triggers Lawsuit - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• There was an 81% year-over-year increase in ransomware attacks | Security Magazine

• Ransomware and extortion incidents surged by 67% in 2023, according to NTT Security Holdings 2024 Global Threat Intelligence Report (prnewswire.com)

• Finnish hacker imprisoned for accessing thousands of psychotherapy records and demanding ransoms | AP News

• LockBit, Black Basta, Play Dominate Ransomware in Q1 2024 - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Understanding Scattered Spider, and how they perform cloud-centric identity attacks | SC Media (scmagazine.com)

• Ransom recovery costs reach $2.73 million - Help Net Security

• Cactus Ransomware Group Targets Qlik Sense Servers | Decipher (duo.com)

• How AI and data protection intersect in today's threat era - SiliconANGLE

• Better hygiene may mitigate the need to ban ransomware payments | Computer Weekly

• Ukrainian REvil Hacker Sentenced to 13 Years and Ordered to Pay $16 Million (thehackernews.com)

• How Businesses Should Grapple With Ransomware Threats (eetimes.eu)

• Cyber security consultant arrested after allegedly extorting IT firm (bleepingcomputer.com)

Ransomware Victims

• Single Citrix Compromised Credential Results in $22,000,000 Ransom to Change Healthcare | InfoStealers

• Change Healthcare breached via Citrix portal with no MFA | TechTarget

• Almost all US hospitals took financial hit from Change hack, AHA says | Reuters

• Another major pharmacy chain shuts following possible cyber attack | TechRadar

• Hack That Paralyzed US Health Care Turns Up Scrutiny on Insurer (claimsjournal.com)

• Cyber attack to cost Western Isles Council half a million pounds (holyrood.com)

• LockBit publishes confidential data stolen from Cannes hospital in France (therecord.media)

• French hospital CHC-SV refuses to pay LockBit extortion demand (bleepingcomputer.com)

• 'Cybersecurity incident' closes London Drugs' pharmacies • The Register

Phishing & Email Based Attacks

• AI-driven phishing attacks deceive even the most aware users - Help Net Security

• US Post Office phishing sites get as much traffic as the real one (bleepingcomputer.com)

• If you receive a Shein mystery box, do not open it | TechRadar

• Why the automotive sector is a target for email-based cyber attacks - Help Net Security

BEC

• BEC and Fund Transfer Fraud Top Insurance Claims - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

Other Social Engineering

• OODA Loop - Social Engineering Remains the Coin of the Realm for Ransomware Gangs (or APTs- Advanced Persistent Threats)

• FBI warns of fake verification schemes targeting dating app users (bleepingcomputer.com)

• A Lot of People Are Falling for Those 'Your Package Cannot Be Delivered' Texts | PCMag

Artificial Intelligence

• AI-driven phishing attacks deceive even the most aware users - Help Net Security

• AI is creating a new generation of cyber attacks - Help Net Security

• Combating the Rising Tide of AI-Driven Cyber Crime (cryptopolitan.com)

• Businesses turn to generative AI but many don't have policies on it (betanews.com)

• State of Security 2024 Report Reveals Growing Impact of Generative AI on Cyber Security Landscape | Business Wire

• How AI and data protection intersect in today's threat era - SiliconANGLE

• Understanding emerging AI and data privacy regulations - Help Net Security

• To understand the risks posed by AI, follow the money – O’Reilly (oreilly.com)

• From Risk to Resilience: Managing Data Security in AI-Driven Enterprises | Inc.com

• Security in the AI Sector: Understanding Infostealer Exposures and Corporate Risks - Security Boulevard

• Cyber security experts face AI risks, deepfakes, burnout | Fortune

• US Government Releases New AI Security Guidelines for Critical Infrastructure (thehackernews.com)

• Why Using Microsoft Copilot Could Amplify Existing Data Quality and Privacy Issues - SecurityWeek

• Why the Military Can’t Trust AI | Foreign Affairs

2FA/MFA

• Change Healthcare breached via Citrix portal with no MFA | TechTarget

Malware

• New "Goldoon" Botnet Targets D-Link Routers With Decade-Old Flaw (thehackernews.com)

• New SOHO router malware aims for cloud accounts, internal company resources - Help Net Security

• Guarding the Gates: The Growing Abundance of Linux Malware - VMRay

• Bogus npm Packages Used to Trick Software Developers into Installing Malware (thehackernews.com)

• Stealthy malware: The threats hiding in plain sight | ITPro

• Millions of Malicious 'Imageless' Containers Planted on Docker Hub Over 5 Years (thehackernews.com)

• ZLoader Malware Evolves with Anti-Analysis Trick from Zeus Banking Trojan (thehackernews.com)

• New Cuttlefish malware infects routers to monitor traffic for credentials (bleepingcomputer.com)

Mobile

• Powerful 'Brokewell' Android Trojan Allows Attackers to Takeover Devices - SecurityWeek

• Google Prevented 2.28 Million Malicious Apps from Reaching Play Store in 2023 (thehackernews.com)

• New Wpeeper Android malware hides behind hacked WordPress sites (bleepingcomputer.com)

• NCSC’s New Mobile Risk Model Aimed at “High-Threat” Firms - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Android Flaw Affected Apps With 4 Billion Installs - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Microsoft warns of "Dirty Stream" attack impacting Android apps (bleepingcomputer.com)

Denial of Service/DoS/DDOS

• Hackers Target New NATO Member Sweden with Surge of DDoS Attacks - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

Internet of Things – IoT

• NCSC: New UK law bans default passwords on smart devices (securityaffairs.com)

• DJI Could Get Banned In The U.S. As Authorities Believe That The Chinese Firm And Its Drones Present A Major Security Risk (wccftech.com)

• A glaring Android TV security flaw might put your Gmail at risk | Android Central

Data Breaches/Leaks

• PSNI data breach: Almost 5,000 officers and staff in legal action - BBC News

• 2024 Data Breach Investigations Report: Half of the breaches in EMEA were internal (globenewswire.com)

• Marriott admits it falsely claimed for five years it was using encryption during 2018 breach | CSO Online

• Kaiser Permanente data breach may have impacted 13.4 million patients (securityaffairs.com)

• Social exclusion charity Extern “urgently reviewing” impact of data breach following ransomware attack – The Irish News

• FBCS data breach impacted 2M individuals (securityaffairs.com)

• States shares health debt data of 5,000 in an email | Guernsey Press

• Qantas app exposed sensitive traveller details to random users (bleepingcomputer.com)

• DropBox says hackers stole customer data, auth secrets from eSignature service (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Mitre Shares Lessons Learned from Breach | MSSP Alert

• Hull City Council pays £30K in data breach claims and suffers nine cyber attacks in three years - Hull Live (hulldailymail.co.uk)

• Philadelphia Inquirer: Data of over 25,000 people stolen in 2023 breach (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Australian pubgoers' personal info posted to leak site • The Register

• Monash Health data breach exposes sexual assault and family violence claims (smh.com.au)

• Panda Restaurant Group disclosed a data breach (securityaffairs.com)

Organised Crime & Criminal Actors

• AI is creating a new generation of cyber attacks - Help Net Security

• Combating the Rising Tide of AI-Driven Cyber Crime (cryptopolitan.com)

• INTERPOL Identifies 20,674 Suspicious Networks Linked To Terrorists, Warns of Rising Cyber Crimes | Greenbarge Reporters (greenbreporters.com)

• Understanding Scattered Spider, and how they perform cloud-centric identity attacks | SC Media (scmagazine.com)

• Router Roulette: Cyber Criminals and Nation-States Sharing Compromised Networks | Trend Micro (US)

Insider Risk and Insider Threats

• 2024 Data Breach Investigations Report: Half of the breaches in EMEA were internal (globenewswire.com)

• 2024 Data Breach Investigations Report: Most breaches involve a non-malicious human element - Help Net Security

• Survey: Human Factors Create Significant Cyber Security Risks for Small and Medium-Sized Businesses, Despite Increased Technology Investment | Business Wire

• How insider threats can cause serious security breaches - Help Net Security

• Ex-NSA Employee Sentenced to 22 Years for Trying to Sell U.S. Secrets to Russia (thehackernews.com)

Insurance

• MOVEit & Change Healthcare attacks designated as cyber catastrophe loss events by PCS - Reinsurance News

• Cyber facility in capacity raise as risk severity grows (emergingrisks.co.uk)

• Hack That Paralyzed US Health Care Turns Up Scrutiny on Insurer (claimsjournal.com)

• Alarming Insurance Gaps and Soaring Breach Rates Call for a United Front in Cyber Security | HaystackID - JDSupra

Supply Chain and Third Parties

• UK and global cyber threats require robust supply chain risk management - Osborne Clarke | Osborne Clarke

• Securing your organisation's supply chain: Reducing the risks of third parties - Help Net Security

Cloud/SaaS

• Understanding Scattered Spider, and how they perform cloud-centric identity attacks | SC Media (scmagazine.com)

• New SOHO router malware aims for cloud accounts, internal company resources - Help Net Security

• 97% of security leaders have increased SaaS security budgets - Help Net Security

Encryption

• UK's Investigatory Powers Bill approved to become law • The Register

• Marriott admits it falsely claimed for five years it was using encryption during 2018 breach | CSO Online

• Ten years of Heartbleed: Lessons learned | SC Media (scmagazine.com)

• White Swan, Black Swan and QuantumBleed (forbes.com)

Linux and Open Source

• Guarding the Gates: The Growing Abundance of Linux Malware - VMRay

Passwords, Credential Stuffing & Brute Force Attacks

• Single Citrix Compromised Credential Results in $22,000,000 Ransom to Change Healthcare | InfoStealers

• Change Healthcare breached via Citrix portal with no MFA | TechTarget

• Okta warns of "unprecedented" credential stuffing attacks on customers (bleepingcomputer.com)

• NCSC: New UK law bans default passwords on smart devices (securityaffairs.com)

• Nvidia's flagship gaming GPU can crack complex passwords in under an hour | Tom's Hardware (tomshardware.com)

• New Cuttlefish malware infects routers to monitor traffic for credentials (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Five Ways to Dramatically Reduce the Risk of Password Compromise - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Google Online Security Blog: Your Google Account allows you to create passkeys on your phone, computer and security keys (googleblog.com)

• How to use a YubiKey to log into Windows and macOS (xda-developers.com)

Social Media

• How TikTok Grew From a Fun App for Teens Into a Potential National Security Threat - SecurityWeek

• Disinformation: EU Opens Probe Against Meta Ahead of Election - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Facebook at 20: Contemplating the Cost of Privacy (darkreading.com)

Training, Education and Awareness

• Ending The Culture Of Silence In Cyber Security – 3 Ways To Empower Teams - Minutehack

• Everyone's an Expert: How to Empower Your Employees for Cyber Security Success (thehackernews.com)

Regulations, Fines and Legislation

• UK's Investigatory Powers Bill approved to become law • The Register

• UK rolls out new consumer safeguards for smart devices (betanews.com)

• UK and global cyber threats require robust supply chain risk management - Osborne Clarke | Osborne Clarke

• FCC fines major wireless carriers over illegal location data sharing - Help Net Security

• Understanding emerging AI and data privacy regulations - Help Net Security

• CISA's incident reporting requirements go too far, trade groups and lawmakers say | CyberScoop

Data Protection

• How AI and data protection intersect in today's threat era - SiliconANGLE

Careers, Working in Cyber and Information Security

• Cyber security experts face AI risks, deepfakes, burnout | Fortune

• The rise in CISO job dissatisfaction – what’s wrong and how can it be fixed? | CSO Online

• Agencies to turn toward ‘skill-based hiring’ for cyber and tech jobs, ONCD says | CyberScoop

• Cyber Security Degrees, Are They Really Worth It? | HackerNoon

• Beyond the Buzz: Rethinking Alcohol as a Cyber Security Bonding Ritual - SecurityWeek

Law Enforcement Action and Take Downs

• INTERPOL Identifies 20,674 Suspicious Networks Linked To Terrorists, Warns of Rising Cyber Crimes | Greenbarge Reporters (greenbreporters.com)

• Finnish hacker imprisoned for accessing thousands of psychotherapy records and demanding ransoms | AP News

• Ukrainian REvil Hacker Sentenced to 13 Years and Ordered to Pay $16 Million (thehackernews.com)

• Police shuts down 12 fraud call centres, arrests 21 suspects (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Cyber security consultant arrested after allegedly extorting IT firm (bleepingcomputer.com)

• CEO who sold fake Cisco devices to US military gets 6 years in prison (bleepingcomputer.com)

Misinformation, Disinformation and Propaganda

• Disinformation: EU Opens Probe Against Meta Ahead of Election - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• ‘Honeypots’ and influence operations: China’s spies turn to Europe (ft.com)

• Think tank: Tech companies spread China's propaganda • The Register

• Two hackers in Ukraine accused of spreading Russian propaganda (therecord.media)

• Why China Is So Bad at Disinformation | WIRED

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

Cyber Warfare and Cyber Espionage

• 'DuneQuixote' Shows Stealth Cyber Attack Methods Are Evolving (darkreading.com)

Nation State Actors

China

• ‘Honeypots’ and influence operations: China’s spies turn to Europe (ft.com)

• Philippines Pummelled by Cyber Attacks & Misinformation Tied to China (darkreading.com)

• Germany grapples with wave of spying threats from Russia and China - BBC News

• How TikTok Grew From a Fun App for Teens Into a Potential National Security Threat - SecurityWeek

• Think tank: Tech companies spread China's propaganda • The Register

• China's attacks on critical infrastructure ‘tip of the iceberg' | SC Media (scmagazine.com)

• DJI Could Get Banned In The U.S. As Authorities Believe That The Chinese Firm And Its Drones Present A Major Security Risk (wccftech.com)

• Chinese Hackers Have Been Probing DNS Networks Globally for Years: Report - SecurityWeek

• Muddling Meerkat hackers manipulate DNS using China’s Great Firewall (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Why China Is So Bad at Disinformation | WIRED

• Chinese government website security has big problems • The Register

• Espionage breaches account for 25% in APAC, report reveals (securitybrief.co.nz)

Russia

• Router Roulette: Cyber Criminals and Nation-States Sharing Compromised Networks | Trend Micro (US)

• Russian Hackers Target Industrial Systems in North America, Europe - SecurityWeek

• Pro-Russia hacktivists attacking vital tech in water and other sectors, agencies say | CyberScoop

• Critical infrastructure operators urged to harden systems against pro-Russia hackers (therecord.media)

• Ukraine's military intelligence launches cyber attack against United Russia party (kyivindependent.com)

• Germany grapples with wave of spying threats from Russia and China - BBC News

• Ukraine Targeted in Cyber Attack Exploiting 7-Year-Old Microsoft Office Flaw (thehackernews.com)

• The Dangerous Rise of GPS Attacks | WIRED

• Russia’s Pawprints on Aircraft Jamming Outbreak - CEPA

• Germany Warns Of Consequences For Alleged Russian Cyber Attack (rferl.org)

• Hackers Claim to Have Infiltrated Belarus’ Main Security Service - SecurityWeek

• Military Tank Manual, 2017 Zero-Day Anchor Latest Ukraine Cyber Attack (darkreading.com)

• Sweden prepares for Eurovision amidst fears of protests, cyber attacks and unrest | Euronews

• Ex-NSA Employee Sentenced to 22 Years for Trying to Sell U.S. Secrets to Russia (thehackernews.com)

• Two British men charged with helping Russian intelligence - BBC News

• Two hackers in Ukraine accused of spreading Russian propaganda (therecord.media)

Iran

• Israel winning cyber war against Iran, says former officer of elite IDF intelligence unit | All Israel News

North Korea

• DPRK's Kimsuky APT Abuses Weak DMARC Policies, Feds Warn (darkreading.com)

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

• INTERPOL Identifies 20,674 Suspicious Networks Linked To Terrorists, Warns of Rising Cyber Crimes | Greenbarge Reporters (greenbreporters.com)

• Sweden prepares for Eurovision amidst fears of protests, cyber attacks and unrest | Euronews

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Vulnerability Management

• When is One Vulnerability Scanner Not Enough? (thehackernews.com)

• Vulnerability exploitation nearly tripled in 2023 (telecoms.com)

Vulnerabilities

• Cisco devices again targeted by state-linked threat campaign - TechCentral.ie

• Okta warns of "unprecedented" credential stuffing attacks on customers (bleepingcomputer.com)

• 1,200+ Vulnerabilities Detected In Microsoft Products In 2023 (gbhackers.com)

• Most attacks affecting SMBs target five older vulnerabilities | CSO Online

• Severe Flaws Disclosed in Brocade SANnav SAN Management Software (thehackernews.com)

• UnitedHealth hackers took advantage of Citrix vulnerability to break in, CEO says (yahoo.com)

• Palo Alto Updates Remediation for Max-Critical Firewall Bug (darkreading.com)

• Palo Alto firewalls: CVE-2024-3400 exploitation and PoCs for persistence after resets/upgrades - Help Net Security

• WordPress plugin vulnerability poses severe security risk, allows for site takeovers | TechSpot

• Ukraine Targeted in Cyber Attack Exploiting 7-Year-Old Microsoft Office Flaw (thehackernews.com)

• New R Programming Vulnerability Exposes Projects to Supply Chain Attacks (thehackernews.com)

• Grafana Tool Vulnerability Let Attackers Inject SQL Queries (gbhackers.com)

• Microsoft says April Windows updates break VPN connections (bleepingcomputer.com)

• NTLM auth traffic spikes after Windows Server patch • The Register

• New "Goldoon" Botnet Targets D-Link Routers With Decade-Old Flaw (thehackernews.com)

• Four Critical Vulnerabilities Expose HPE Aruba Devices to RCE Attacks (thehackernews.com)

• Ten years of Heartbleed: Lessons learned | SC Media (scmagazine.com)

• 1,400 GitLab Servers Impacted by Exploited Vulnerability - SecurityWeek

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Tools and Controls

• Why remote desktop tools are facing an onslaught of cyber threats | ITPro

• Correlating Cyber Investments With Business Outcomes (inforisktoday.com)

• When is One Vulnerability Scanner Not Enough? (thehackernews.com)

• Microsoft CEO says it is "putting security above all else" in major refocus | TechRadar

• Can automating security relieve CISO pressure? (techinformed.com)

• 10 Critical Endpoint Security Tips You Should Know (thehackernews.com)

• 7 antivirus myths that are dead wrong | PCWorld

• Businesses turn to generative AI but many don't have policies on it (betanews.com)

• EDR vs. EPP: What's the difference? | TechTarget

• Cobalt's 2024 State of Pentesting Report Reveals Cyber Security Industry Seeks Partners and Solutions as Staffing Shortages and New AI Threats Collide (prweb.com)

• Ending The Culture Of Silence In Cyber Security – 3 Ways To Empower Teams - Minutehack

• Organisations Struggle with Zero Trust: Gartner | MSSP Alert

• Tech Tip: Why Haven't You Set Up DMARC Yet? (darkreading.com)

• Three-Quarters of CISOs Admit App Security Incidents - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• 97% of security leaders have increased SaaS security budgets - Help Net Security

• Communication gaps between IT departments and senior corporate leadership worsening application security risks - Tech Monitor

• Continuous threat exposure management (CTEM): What it is and how to achieve it | SC Media (scmagazine.com)

• DPRK's Kimsuky APT Abuses Weak DMARC Policies, Feds Warn (darkreading.com)

• Fortifying Cyber Defence With the Power of Linux Intrusion Detection and Prevention Systems | Linux Journal

• How to Red Team GenAI: Challenges, Best Practices, and Learnings (darkreading.com)

• What is API Security? - Security Boulevard

• Chinese Hackers Have Been Probing DNS Networks Globally for Years: Report - SecurityWeek

• Muddling Meerkat hackers manipulate DNS using China’s Great Firewall (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Why LLMs are predicting the future of compliance and risk management | VentureBeat

• Navigating the Threat Landscape: Understanding Exposure Management, Pentesting, Red Teaming and RBVM (thehackernews.com)

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Reports Published in the Last Week

• Q1 2024 Ransomware Report: 21% Increase in Q1 2023 Ransomware Activity (corvusinsurance.com)

• Global Threat Intelligence Report 2024 by NTT Security Holdings

• 2024 Data Breach Investigations Report | Verizon

• The State of Security 2024 | Splunk

• Cobalt's 2024 State of Pentesting Report Reveals Cyber Security Industry Seeks Partners and Solutions as Staffing Shortages and New AI Threats Collide (prweb.com)

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Other News

• Microsoft CEO says it is "putting security above all else" in major refocus | TechRadar

• 3 Key Business Areas Cyber Security Falls Short | Inc.com

• 7 antivirus myths that are dead wrong | PCWorld

• A Season Of Health Breaches, A Season Of Changes (forbes.com)

• Bank of England tells payment firms to step up disruption mitigation plans (yahoo.com)

• Three-Quarters of CISOs Admit App Security Incidents - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• NCSC updates warning over hacktivist threat to CNI | Computer Weekly

• Cyber Space: EU and partners discuss ways to strengthen cooperation in promoting international security and stability | EEAS (europa.eu)

• The EU's Strategy for a Cyber Secure Digital Single Market | UpGuard

• Cyber attack at Irish telecoms firm? – The Irish Times

• To Damage OT Systems, Hackers Tap USBs, Old Bugs & Malware (darkreading.com)

• During National Small Business Week, Take Steps to Secure Your Business | CISA

• At Microsoft, years of security debt come crashing down | Cybersecurity Dive

• National Small Business Week: IRS warns entrepreneurs to take precautions on data security; protect their businesses, employees, customers | Internal Revenue Service

• Zelenskyy fires security service chief accused of "weaponized draft" against journalist - Euromaidan Press

• Sweden prepares for Eurovision amidst fears of protests, cyber attacks and unrest | Euronews

• The ultimate cyber spring-cleaning checklist (avast.com)

• European New Space Companies Prepare to Counter Growing Security Threat - Via Satellite (satellitetoday.com)

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Sector Specific

Industry specific threat intelligence reports are available.

Contact us to receive tailored reports specific to the industry/sector and geographies you operate in.

·         Automotive

·         Construction

·         Critical National Infrastructure (CNI)

·         Defence & Space

·         Education & Academia

·         Energy & Utilities

·         Estate Agencies

·         Financial Services

·         FinTech

·         Food & Agriculture

·         Gaming & Gambling

·         Government & Public Sector (including Law Enforcement)

·         Health/Medical/Pharma

·         Hotels & Hospitality

·         Insurance

·         Legal

·         Manufacturing

·         Maritime

·         Oil, Gas & Mining

·         OT, ICS, IIoT, SCADA & Cyber-Physical Systems

·         Retail & eCommerce

·         Small and Medium Sized Businesses (SMBs)

·         Startups

·         Telecoms

·         Third Sector & Charities

·         Transport & Aviation

·         Web3

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 26 April 2024

Welcome to this week’s Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing – a weekly digest, collated and curated by our cyber experts to provide senior and middle management with an easy to digest round up of the most notable threats, vulnerabilities, and cyber related news from the last week.

Top Cyber Stories of the Last Week

Coalition Finds More Than Half of Cyber Insurance Claims Originate in the Email Inbox

The 2024 Cyber Claims Report by insurer Coalition reveals critical vulnerabilities and trends affecting cyber insurance policyholders. Notably, over half of the claims in 2023 stemmed from funds transfer fraud (FTF) and business email compromise (BEC), underlining the critical role of email security in cyber risk management. The report also indicated heightened risks associated with boundary devices like firewalls and VPNs, particularly if they are exposed online and have known vulnerabilities. Additionally, the overall claims frequency and severity rose by 13% and 10% respectively, pushing the average loss to $100,000. These insights emphasise the necessity of proactive cyber security measures and the valuable role of cyber insurance in mitigating financial losses from cyber incidents.

Sources: [IT Security Guru] [Emerging Risks]

Unmasking the True Cost of Cyber Attacks: Beyond Ransom and Recovery

The global cost of cyber crime is expected to soar to $10.5 trillion annually by 2025, a steep rise from $3 trillion in 2015, underscoring a significant improvement in the methods of cyber criminals, according to Cybersecurity Ventures. Beyond direct financial losses like ransomware payments, the hidden costs of cyber attacks for businesses include severe operational disruptions, lost revenue, damaged reputations, strained customer relationships, and regulatory fines. These incidents, further exacerbated by increased insurance premiums, collectively contribute to substantial long-term financial burdens. The report indicates that 88% of data breaches are attributable to human error, underscoring the importance of comprehensive employee training alongside technological defences. To combat these evolving cyber threats effectively, organisations must adopt a multi-pronged strategy that includes advanced security technologies, regular system updates, employee education, and comprehensive security audits.

According to another report from SiliconAngle, cyber insurance claims increased 13% year-over-year in 2023, with the 10% rise in overall claims severity attributed to mounting ransomware attack claims.

Sources: [The Hacker News] [Huntress] [SC Media]

Why Cyber Security Should Be Driving Your Enterprise Risk Management Strategy

Cyber security has transformed from a secondary concern into the cornerstone of corporate risk management. The historical view of cyber security as merely a component of broader risk strategies is outdated; it now demands a central role in safeguarding against operational, financial, and reputational threats. Many businesses, recognising the vital role of technology in all operations, have begun elevating the position of Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) to integrate cyber security into their overall enterprise risk frameworks. This shift not only enhances visibility and strategic alignment at the highest organisational levels but also fosters more robust defences against cyber threats. As such, adopting a cyber security-centric approach is crucial for compliance and long-term resilience in the face of growing digital threats.

Source: [Forbes]

Ransomware Double-Dip: Re-Victimisation in Cyber Extortion

A recent cyber security study reveals a troubling trend of re-victimisation among organisations hit by cyber extortion or ransomware attacks. Analysis of over 11,000 affected organisations shows recurring victimisation due to repeated attacks, data reuse among criminal affiliates, or cross-affiliate data sharing. Notably, cyber extortion incidents have surged by 51% year-on-year. Additionally, a separate study reports payments exceeding $1 billion and a 20% increase in ransomware attack victims since early 2023. These findings underscore the increasing sophistication and persistence of cyber criminals. Despite law enforcement efforts, adaptable cyber crime groups swiftly resume operations, complicating effective threat mitigation. Organisations must enhance their cyber security measures to avoid becoming repeated targets.

Sources: [Security Magazine] [The Hacker News] [SC Media]

AI is a Major Threat and Many Financial Organisations Are Not Doing Enough

Artificial intelligence (AI) is a major concern for organisations, especially for the financial services sector due to the information they hold. Recent reports have found that AI has driven phishing up by 60% and AI tools have been linked to data exposure in 1 in 5 UK organisations. But it is not just attackers utilising AI: a separate report found that 20% of employees have exposed data via AI.

Currently, many financial organisations are not doing enough to secure themselves to fight AI. In a recent survey, 69% of fraud-management decision makers, AML professionals, and risk and compliance leaders reported that criminals are more advanced at using AI for financial crime than firms are in defending against it.

Sources: [Verdict] [Beta News] [Infosecurity Magazine] [TechRadar] [Security Brief]

[Biometric Update]

6 out of 10 Businesses Struggle to Manage Cyber Risk

A report has found that 6 in 10 businesses are struggling to manage their cyber risk and just 43% have confidence in their ability to address cyber risk. Further, 35% of total respondents worry that senior management does not see cyber attacks as a significant risk; the same percentage also reported a struggle in hiring skilled professionals. When it came to implementing their security policy, half of respondents found difficulty, and when it came to securing the supply chain, a third reported worries.

Given the inevitability of a cyber attack, organisations need to prepare themselves. Those that struggle to manage their cyber risk and/or hire skilled professions will benefit from outsourcing to skilled, reputable cyber security organisations who can guide them through the process.

Sources: [PR Newswire] [Beta News]

'Junk Gun' Ransomware: New Low-Cost Cyber Threat Targets SMBs

Sophos’ research reveals a concerning trend: ‘junk gun’ ransomware variants are now traded on the dark web. Rather than going the traditional route of selling or buying ransomware to or as an affiliate, attackers have now begun creating and selling unsophisticated ransomware variants for a one-time cost. Priced at a median of $375, they attract lower-skilled attackers, especially those targeting small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs). As major ransomware players fade, these variants pose significant threats, accounting for over 75% of cyber incidents affecting SMBs in 2023.

Source: [Security Brief] [Tripwire]

Penetration Testing Infrequency Leaves Security Gaps

Many organisations are struggling to maintain the balance between penetration testing and IT changes within the organisation, leaving security gaps according to a recent report. The report found that 73% of organisations reported changes to their IT environments at least quarterly, however only 40% performed penetration testing at the same frequency.

The issue arises where there is a significant duration during which changes have been implemented without undergoing assessment, leaving organisations open to risk for extended periods of time. Consider the situation in which an organisation moves their infrastructure from on-premise to the cloud: they now have a different IT environment, and with that, new risks.

Black Arrow always recommends that a robust penetration test should be conducted whenever changes to internet facing infrastructure have been made, and at least annually.

Source: [MSSP Alert]

Bank Prohibited from Opening New Accounts After Regulators Lose Patience with Poor Cyber Security Governance

A bank in India has been banned from signing up new customers, and instructed to focus on improving its cyber security after “serious deficiencies and non-compliances” were found within their IT environment. The compliances provided by the bank were described as “inadequate, incorrect or not sustained”. The bank is now subject to an external audit, which if passed, will consider the lifting of the restrictions placed upon them.

Source: [The Register]

The Psychological Impact of Phishing Attacks on Your Employees

Phishing remains one of the most prevalent attack vectors for bad actors, and its psychological impact on employees can be severe, with many employees facing a loss in confidence and job satisfaction as well as an increase in anxiety. In a study by Egress, it was found that 74% of employees were disciplined, dismissed or left voluntarily after suffering a phishing incident, which can cause hesitation when it comes to reporting phishing.

Phishing incidents and simulations where employees have clicked should be seen as an opportunity to learn, not to blame, and to understand why a phish was successful and what can be done in future to prevent it. Organisations should perform security education and awareness training to help employees lessen their chance of falling victim, as well as knowing the reporting procedures.

Source: [Beta News]

Where Hackers Find Your Weak Spots

A recent analysis highlights social engineering as a primary vector for cyber attacks, emphasising its reliance on meticulously gathered intelligence to exploit organisational vulnerabilities. Attackers leverage various intelligence sources; Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) for public data, Social Media Intelligence (SOCMINT) for social media insights, Advertising Intelligence (ADINT) from advertising data, Dark Web Intelligence (DARKINT) from the DarkWeb, and the emerging AI Intelligence (AI-INT) using artificial intelligence. These methods equip cyber criminals with detailed knowledge about potential victims, enabling targeted and effective attacks. The report underscores the critical importance of robust information management and employee training to mitigate such threats, specifically advocating for regular training, AI-use policies, and proactive intelligence gathering by organisations to protect against the substantial risks posed by social engineering.

Source: [Dark Reading]

The Role of Threat Intelligence in Financial Data Protection

The financial industry’s reliance on digital processes has made it vulnerable to cyber attacks. Criminals target sensitive customer data, leading to financial losses, regulatory fines, and reputational damage. To combat these threats such as phishing, malware, ransomware, and social engineering, financial institutions must prioritise robust cyber security measures. One effective approach is threat intelligence, which involves ingesting reliable threat data, customised to your sector and the technology you have in place, and dark web monitoring.

Source: [Security Boulevard]

Government Cannot Protect Business and Services from Cyber Attack, Decision Makers Say

According to a recent report, 66% of surveyed IT leaders expressed a lack of confidence in their government’s ability to defend people and enterprises from cyber attacks, especially those from nation state actors. This scepticism arises from the growing complexity of threats and the rapid evolution of cyber warfare. While governments play a critical role in national security, their agility in adapting to the ever-changing digital landscape leaves organisations finding themselves increasingly responsible for their own protection.

Source: [TechRadar] [Security Magazine]

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Governance, Risk and Compliance

• Ransomware triggers cyber insurance claims increase | SC Media (scmagazine.com)

• Coalition Finds More Than Half of Cyber Insurance Claims Originate in the Email Inbox - IT Security Guru

• Pen Testing Infrequency Leaves Security Gaps | MSSP Alert

• Six out of 10 businesses struggle to manage cyber risk (betanews.com)

• Email inbox cyber crime leaps as claims soar (emergingrisks.co.uk)

• It Costs How Much?!? The Financial Pitfalls of Cyber Attacks on SMBs | Huntress

• Why Cyber Security Should Be Driving Your Enterprise Risk Management Strategy (forbes.com)

• Cyber attacks are on the rise, and that includes small businesses. Here's what to know | AP News

• Cyber staff priority as threats continue – report (emergingrisks.co.uk)

• UK government cannot protect businesses and services from cyber attacks, IT pros say | TechRadar

• Why cyber attacks shouldn’t be viewed as isolated incidents - Raconteur

• Bank banned from opening new accounts over IT risks • The Register

• Battening down the hatches: Navigating third-party cyber threats  | SC Media (scmagazine.com)

• Cyber Attacks Keep Rising. Here's What Small Businesses Need to Know | Inc.com

• 73% of SME security pros missed or ignored critical alerts - Help Net Security

• Unmasking the True Cost of Cyber Attacks: Beyond Ransom and Recovery (thehackernews.com)

• 4 steps CISOs can take to raise trust in their business | TechTarget

• NCSC Says Newer Threats Need Network Defence Strategy | Trend Micro (US)

• Uncertainty is the most common driver of noncompliance - Help Net Security

• More and more businesses now have CISOs - but they're increasingly taking the blame for attacks | TechRadar

• Cyber metrics journey | Professional Security

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Threats

Ransomware, Extortion and Destructive Attacks

• Ransomware triggers cyber insurance claims increase | SC Media (scmagazine.com)

• Coalition Finds More Than Half of Cyber Insurance Claims Originate in the Email Inbox - IT Security Guru

• Report finds a near 20% increase in ransomware victims year-over-year | Security Magazine

• Risks to ransomware attack payment | Professional Security

• Ransomware Double-Dip: Re-Victimization in Cyber Extortion (thehackernews.com)

• 'Junk gun' ransomware: New low-cost cyber threat targets SMBs (securitybrief.co.nz)

• Mandiant: Attacker dwell time down, ransomware up in 2023 | TechTarget

• Behavioural patterns of ransomware groups are changing - Help Net Security

• Record ransomware attacks in March 2024, report finds (securitybrief.co.nz)

• Ransomware payments drop to record low of 28% in Q1 2024 (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Hackers use developing countries as testing ground for new ransomware attacks (ft.com)

• Ransomware Still On Rise Despite Better Defences, Firm Says - Law360

• Hackers are using developing countries for ransomware practice | Ars Technica

• Dark web inundated by cheap ransomware tools | SC Media (scmagazine.com)

• Unmasking the True Cost of Cyber Attacks: Beyond Ransom and Recovery (thehackernews.com)

• Action needed amid escalating ransomware attacks, record-high payments | SC Media (scmagazine.com)

• HelloKitty ransomware rebrands, releases CD Projekt and Cisco data (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Rising Ransomware Issue: English-Speaking Western Affiliates (govinfosecurity.com)

• Ransomware in Q1 2024: Frequency, size of payments trending downwards, SMBs beware! - Help Net Security

• CL0P ransomware gang is on the rise | Hogan Lovells - JDSupra

• Proportion paying ransoms declines in Q1 2024, even as takings break a new record (computing.co.uk)

• Megazord Ransomware Attacking Healthcare & Govt Entities (cybersecuritynews.com)

• CISA ransomware warning program set to fully launch by end of 2024 | CyberScoop

• DragonForce Ransomware Group Uses LockBit’s Leaked Builder - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Cyber Hygiene Helps Organisations Mitigate Ransomware-Related Vulnerabilities  | CISA

• Ransomware attacks rise in global food & agriculture sector (securitybrief.co.nz)

• Preventing Ransomware Attacks at Scale (hbr.org)

Ransomware Victims

• Hackers Were in Change Healthcare 9 Days Before Attack (pymnts.com)

• UnitedHealth BlackCat Attack Cost is $872M in Q1 | MSSP Alert

• UnitedHealth admits breach could affect large chunk of US • The Register

• Back from the Brink: UnitedHealth Offers Sobering Post-Attack Update (darkreading.com)

• UnitedHealth Paid Ransom to Protect Patient Data | MSSP Alert

• Will the Change Healthcare case finally make providers do a business impact analysis? | SC Media (scmagazine.com)

• UNDP, City of Copenhagen Targeted in Data-Extortion Cyber Attack (darkreading.com)

• Cannes Hospital Cancels Medical Procedures Following Cyber Attack - Security Week

• Small medical practices will close because of Change cyber attack, says AMA | Healthcare IT News

• HelloKitty ransomware rebrands, releases CD Projekt and Cisco data (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Sweden's liquor shelves to run empty this week due to ransomware attack (therecord.media)

• Authentication failure blamed for Change Healthcare ransomware attack | CSO Online

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

• Red Ransomware takes credit for Targus attack | SC Media (scmagazine.com)

• Ransomware Gang Leaks Data Allegedly Stolen From Government Contractor - Security Week

• Carpetright unable to trade after cyber attack - Retail Gazette

• Street lights in Leicester City cannot be turned off due to a cyber attack (securityaffairs.com)

Phishing & Email Based Attacks

• Phishing attacks up 60 percent driven by AI (betanews.com)

• Coalition Finds More Than Half of Cyber Insurance Claims Originate in the Email Inbox - IT Security Guru

• The psychological impact of phishing attacks on your employees (betanews.com)

• Hackers Create Legit Phishing Links With Ghost GitHub, GitLab Comments (darkreading.com)

• Authorities investigate LabHost users after phishing service shut down | SC Media (scmagazine.com)

• Researchers Detail Multistage Attack Hijacking Systems with SSLoad, Cobalt Strike (thehackernews.com)

• LA County Health Services: Patients' data exposed in phishing attack (bleepingcomputer.com)

BEC

• Coalition Finds More Than Half of Cyber Insurance Claims Originate in the Email Inbox - IT Security Guru

• Email inbox cyber crime leaps as claims soar (emergingrisks.co.uk)

Other Social Engineering

• LastPass Users Lose Master Passwords to Ultra-Convincing Scam (darkreading.com)

• Open Source Groups Warn of Social Engineering Backdoors | MSSP Alert

Artificial Intelligence

• AI is a major threat and financial organisations are not doing enough to fight it | Biometric Update

• Phishing attacks up 60 percent driven by AI (betanews.com)

• Fifth of CISOs Admit Staff Leaked Data Via GenAI - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Five Eyes agencies publish report on AI security | Hogan Lovells - JDSupra

• AI tools linked to data exposure in 1 in 5 UK organisations (securitybrief.co.nz)

• Security Leaders Braced for Daily AI-Driven Attacks by Year-End - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• CSOs say AI is 'biggest cyber threat' to organisations | TechRadar

• Man arrested for 'framing colleague' with AI-generated voice • The Register

• Microsoft Warns: North Korean Hackers Turn to AI-Fueled Cyber Espionage (thehackernews.com)

• People doubt their own ability to spot AI-generated deepfakes - Help Net Security

• A National Security Insider Does the Math on the Dangers of AI | WIRED

• 40% of organisations have AI policies for critical infrastructure | Security Magazine

• GPT-4 can exploit real vulnerabilities by reading advisories • The Register

• 25 cyber security AI stats you should know - Help Net Security

• Cyber Threats in the Age of AI: Protecting Your Digital DNA - Security Boulevard

• The Dark Side of Deepfakes: How Malicious Actors Use Synthetic Media to Manipulate and Deceive | Metaverse Post (mpost.io)

• 6 security items that should be in every AI acceptable use policy | CSO Online

• 'Poisoned' data could wreck AIs in wartime, warns Army software acquisition chief - Breaking Defence

• The use of AI in war games could change military strategy (theconversation.com)

2FA/MFA

• Strengths & Weaknesses of MFA Methods Against Cyber Attacks | Duo Security

• What is multi-factor authentication (MFA), and why is it important? - Help Net Security

Malware

• ToddyCat APT Is Stealing Data on 'Industrial Scale' (darkreading.com)

• Report says over 10 million devices were infected by data-stealing malware in 2023 - PhoneArena

• New Brokewell malware takes over Android devices, steals data (bleepingcomputer.com)

• GitLab affected by GitHub-style CDN flaw allowing malware hosting (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Microsoft unmasks Russia-linked ‘GooseEgg’ malware (therecord.media)

• Hackers hijack antivirus updates to drop GuptiMiner malware (bleepingcomputer.com)

• eScan Antivirus Update Mechanism Exploited to Spread Backdoors and Miners (thehackernews.com)

• Beware! Notorious Samurai Stealer Used in Targeted Attacks (cybersecuritynews.com)

• Threat Actor Uses Multiple Infostealers in Global Campaign - Security Week

• Seedworm Hackers Exploit RMM Tools to Deliver Malware (cybersecuritynews.com)

• Antivirus updates hijacked to drop dangerous malware | TechRadar

• Hackers infect users of antivirus service that delivered updates over HTTP | Ars Technica

• Researchers sinkhole PlugX malware server with 2.5 million unique IPs (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Millions of IPs remain infected by USB worm years after its creators left it for dead | Ars Technica

• North Korea's Lazarus Group Deploys New Kaolin RAT via Fake Job Lures (thehackernews.com)

Mobile

• Report says over 10 million devices were infected by data-stealing malware in 2023 - PhoneArena

• Ukrainian soldiers’ apps increasingly targeted for spying, cyber agency warns (therecord.media)

• iPhone password reset attacks are real – how to protect yourself | Mashable

• New Brokewell malware takes over Android devices, steals data (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Godfather Banking Trojan Spawns 1.2K Samples Across 57 Countries (darkreading.com)

• Major Security Flaws Expose Keystrokes of Over 1 Billion Chinese Keyboard App Users (thehackernews.com)

• Give Your iPhone a Security Boost With This iOS 17.4 Feature - CNET

• A Briefing on SIM Hijacking | Intel471

Data Breaches/Leaks

• 5.3M World-Check records may be leaked; how to check your records | SC Media (scmagazine.com)

• Hackers stole 7,000,000 people's DNA. But what can they do with it? | Tech News | Metro News

• AT&T Offers All Customers Free Security Bundle After Data Breach (tech.co)

• AT&T faces class action lawsuit over massive data breach exposing 70 million customers’ personal information (click2houston.com)

• App bug exposes 1M neighbourhood watchers to data harvesters • The Register

• Fifth of CISOs Admit Staff Leaked Data Via GenAI - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

Organised Crime & Criminal Actors

• Rising Ransomware Issue: English-Speaking Western Affiliates (govinfosecurity.com)

• Russian FSB Counterintelligence Chief Gets 9 Years in Cyber Crime Bribery Scheme – Krebs on Security

• Authorities investigate LabHost users after phishing service shut down | SC Media (scmagazine.com)

• To Catch a Cyber Criminal -- and the Fallout That Follows (informationweek.com)

Cryptocurrency/Cryptomining/Cryptojacking/NFTs/Blockchain

• eScan Antivirus Update Mechanism Exploited to Spread Backdoors and Miners (thehackernews.com)

• Lazarus On the Hunt: How North Korean Hackers are Targeting Crypto via LinkedIn (bitcoinist.com)

Insider Risk and Insider Threats

• Most people still rely on memory or pen and paper for password management - Help Net Security

• The rise of the outsmarted insider (betanews.com)

• CesiumAstro claims former exec spilled trade secrets to upstart competitor AnySignal | TechCrunch

Insurance

• Ransomware triggers cyber insurance claims increase | SC Media (scmagazine.com)

• Coalition Finds More Than Half of Cyber Insurance Claims Originate in the Email Inbox - IT Security Guru

• Email inbox cyber crime leaps as claims soar (emergingrisks.co.uk)

• Coalition: Insurance claims for Cisco ASA users spiked in 2023 | TechTarget

• Munich Re on the impact of cyber rate changes | Insurance Business America (insurancebusinessmag.com)

Supply Chain and Third Parties

• Battening down the hatches: Navigating third-party cyber threats  | SC Media (scmagazine.com)

• Ransomware Gang Leaks Data Allegedly Stolen From Government Contractor - Security Week

• Tech Investments Help SMBs Fortify Supply Chains Amid Economic, Workforce, and Security Concerns | Business Wire

Cloud/SaaS

• How Attackers Can Own a Business Without Touching the Endpoint (thehackernews.com)

• 5 Hard Truths About the State of Cloud Security 2024 (darkreading.com)

Identity and Access Management

• How Attackers Can Own a Business Without Touching the Endpoint (thehackernews.com)

• Identity-based security threats are growing rapidly: report | CSO Online

Encryption

• Europol asks tech firms, governments to get rid of E2EE • The Register

• How tech firms are tackling the risks of quantum computing | World Economic Forum (weforum.org)

• Australian authorities call for Big Tech help with decryption • The Register

Linux and Open Source

• Open Source Groups Warn of Social Engineering Backdoors | MSSP Alert

Passwords, Credential Stuffing & Brute Force Attacks

• Most people still rely on memory or pen and paper for password management - Help Net Security

• Apple @ Work: Over 52% of workers try to memorize and reuse the same password across multiple apps at work - 9to5Mac

• New Password Cracking Analysis Targets Bcrypt - Security Week

• Brute Force Password Cracking Takes Longer - Don't Celebrate Yet (technewsworld.com)

Social Media

• Dutch govt body: Don't use Facebook if unsure about privacy • The Register

• North Korea's Lazarus Group Deploys New Kaolin RAT via Fake Job Lures (thehackernews.com)

Malvertising

• Windows 11 now comes with its own adware (engadget.com)

Training, Education and Awareness

• 10 colleges and universities shaping the future of cyber security education - Help Net Security

Regulations, Fines and Legislation

• What is the EU Cyber Solidarity Act? | UpGuard

• International Lawyers Network Announces the Launch of Comprehensive Data Protection Guide (prleap.com)

• Preparing for NIS2: A Compliance Guide For Covered Entities | UpGuard

• NIS2: Preparing for EU’s New Cyber Security Rules | Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati – JDSupra

• Compliance in 2024: Cutting through the noise (federalnewsnetwork.com)

• Google Postpones Third-Party Cookie Deprecation Amid UK Regulatory Scrutiny (thehackernews.com)

• A view from Brussels: To be sovereign, or not to be (iapp.org)

• Cyber Security | UK Regulatory Outlook April 2024 - Lexology

• Net neutrality has been restored in the US - Help Net Security

Models, Frameworks and Standards

• Fortifying your business with ISO 27001 - DCD (datacenterdynamics.com)

• Preparing for NIS2: A Compliance Guide For Covered Entities | UpGuard

• Taking Time to Understand NIS2 Reporting Requirements - Security Boulevard

Data Protection

• International Lawyers Network Announces the Launch of Comprehensive Data Protection Guide (prleap.com)

• Boost your data protection with insights from Dell's report - SiliconANGLE

• A view from Brussels: To be sovereign, or not to be (iapp.org)

Careers, Working in Cyber and Information Security

• Cyber staff priority as threats continue – report (emergingrisks.co.uk)

• Pluralsight Study Finds the Biggest Technical Skills Gaps are in Cyber Security, Cloud, and Software Development (prnewswire.com)

• Three Ways Organisations Can Overcome the Cyber Security Skills Gap - Security Boulevard

• Addressing the cyber skills shortage: 5 key steps to take | CSO Online

• Five Essential Steps To Land Your First Cyber Security Job (forbes.com)

• Expert Insight: Outdated Recruitment Methods Are Impeding The Global Cyber Army - IT Security Guru

Law Enforcement Action and Take Downs

• Exploring Law Enforcement Hacking as a Tool Against Transnational Cyber Crime - Carnegie Endowment for International Peace

• Authorities investigate LabHost users after phishing service shut down | SC Media (scmagazine.com)

• Trend Micro Collaborated with Interpol in Cracking Down Grandoreiro Banking Trojan | Trend Micro (US)

• To Catch a Cyber Criminal -- and the Fallout That Follows (informationweek.com)

• Man arrested for 'framing colleague' with AI-generated voice • The Register

Misinformation, Disinformation and Propaganda

• Campaigns and political parties are in the crosshairs of election meddlers | CyberScoop

• Mandiant: Russia, Iran pose biggest threat to 2024 elections • The Register

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

Cyber Warfare and Cyber Espionage

• State-Sponsored Hackers Exploit Two Cisco Zero-Day Vulnerabilities for Espionage (thehackernews.com)

China

• ToddyCat APT Is Stealing Data on 'Industrial Scale' (darkreading.com)

• Chinese, Russian espionage campaigns increasingly targeting edge devices (therecord.media)

• UK mulls fresh controls on 'sensitive tech' after China cyber claim (thenextweb.com)

• FBI Director Wray Issues Dire Warning on China's Cyber Security Threat (darkreading.com)

• Head of Belgian Foreign Affairs Committee says she was hacked by China | Reuters

• New tool used in China-linked attacks against Asia-Pacific | SC Media (scmagazine.com)

• Dutch intelligence warns of stronger threats from China, jihadists and extremists | NL Times

• MITRE breached by nation-state threat actor via Ivanti zero-days - Help Net Security

• Ads on .gov.uk websites raise eyebrows over privacy • The Register

• China's Vision for Global Security: Implications for Southeast Asia | United States Institute of Peace (usip.org)

Russia

• Microsoft: APT28 hackers exploit Windows flaw reported by NSA (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Microsoft issues warning over ‘GooseEgg’ tool used in Russian hacking campaigns | ITPro

• Chinese, Russian espionage campaigns increasingly targeting edge devices (therecord.media)

• Russia's Fancy Bear Pummels Windows Print Spooler Bug (darkreading.com)

• Who Are APT29? - Security Boulevard

• Overflowing Water Tank Linked to Russian Cyber Attack (govtech.com)

• Russia accused of jamming GPS signal on flights from UK causing route chaos (inews.co.uk)

• Russian Sandworm hackers targeted 20 critical orgs in Ukraine (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Rare Computer Virus Detected in Ukrainian Network, Confidential Document Potentially Compromised (kyivpost.com)

• Russian FSB Counterintelligence Chief Gets 9 Years in Cyber Crime Bribery Scheme – Krebs on Security

• Campaigns and political parties are in the crosshairs of election meddlers | CyberScoop

• Mandiant: Russia, Iran pose biggest threat to 2024 elections • The Register

• Ukrainian soldiers’ apps increasingly targeted for spying, cyber agency warns (therecord.media)

• MITRE breached by nation-state threat actor via Ivanti zero-days - Help Net Security

• Ukraine participates in NATO cyber security exercise in Estonia / The New Voice of Ukraine (nv.ua)

• Cyber attacks on Poland surged after election of pro-Ukraine regime (thenextweb.com)

Iran

• $10 Million Bounty on Iranian Hackers for Cyber Attacks on US Gov, Defence Contractors - Security Week

• Campaigns and political parties are in the crosshairs of election meddlers | CyberScoop

• Mandiant: Russia, Iran pose biggest threat to 2024 elections • The Register

• Iranian nationals charged with hacking US companies, Treasury and State departments | CyberScoop

• The Biggest 2024 Elections Threat: Kitchen-Sink Attack Chains (darkreading.com)

North Korea

• Over 10 Defence Industry Firms Targeted in Concentrated Cyber Attacks by N. Korean Hackers l KBS WORLD

• Hackers hijack antivirus updates to drop GuptiMiner malware (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Microsoft Warns: North Korean Hackers Turn to AI-Fuelled Cyber Espionage (thehackernews.com)

• North Korean Hackers Target Dozens of Defence Companies - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• North Korea's Lazarus Group Deploys New Kaolin RAT via Fake Job Lures (thehackernews.com)

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

• Dutch intelligence warns of stronger threats from China, jihadists and extremists | NL Times

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Vulnerability Management

• Third-Party Software Patching: Your Cyber Armor in 2024 | MSSP Alert

• Automated patch management: 9 best practices for success | TechTarget

• Vulnerability Exploitation on the Rise as Attacker Ditch Phishing - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Vulnerabilities Versus Intentionally Malicious Software Components - The New Stack

• GPT-4 can exploit real vulnerabilities by reading advisories • The Register

• CISA ransomware warning program set to fully launch by end of 2024 | CyberScoop

Vulnerabilities

• 22,500 Palo Alto firewalls "possibly vulnerable" to ongoing attacks (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Palo Alto Networks Discloses More Details on Critical PAN-OS Flaw Under Attack (thehackernews.com)

• Nation-state actors exploited two zero-days in Cisco ASA and FTD firewalls to breach government networks - Security Affairs

• Russia's Fancy Bear Pummels Windows Print Spooler Bug (darkreading.com)

• 'MagicDot' Windows Weakness Allows Unprivileged Rootkit Activity (darkreading.com)

• Microsoft: APT28 hackers exploit Windows flaw reported by NSA (bleepingcomputer.com)

• MITRE says state hackers breached its network via Ivanti zero-days (bleepingcomputer.com)

• GitLab affected by GitHub-style CDN flaw allowing malware hosting (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Google Patches Critical Chrome Vulnerability - Security Week

• Microsoft releases Exchange hotfixes for security update issues (bleepingcomputer.com)

• PoC Exploit Released For Critical Oracle VirtualBox Vulnerability (gbhackers.com)

• Critical Forminator plugin flaw impacts over 300k WordPress sites (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Dependency Confusion Vulnerability Found in Apache Project - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Major Security Flaw in Popular Keyboard Apps Puts Millions at Risk (cybersecuritynews.com)

• Patch Now: CrushFTP Zero-Day Cloud Exploit Targets US Orgs (darkreading.com)

• GitHub vulnerability leaks sensitive security reports | TechTarget

• New Password Cracking Analysis Targets Bcrypt - Security Week

• Maximum severity Flowmon bug has a public exploit, patch now (bleepingcomputer.com)

---

Tools and Controls

• Seedworm Hackers Exploit RMM Tools to Deliver Malware (cybersecuritynews.com)

• Third-Party Software Patching: Your Cyber Armour in 2024 | MSSP Alert

• The Role of Threat Intelligence in Financial Data Protection - Security Boulevard

• Automated patch management: 9 best practices for success | TechTarget

• Rethinking How You Work with Detection and Response Metrics (darkreading.com)

• Choosing SOC Tools? Read This First [2024 Guide] - Security Boulevard

• Research Shows How Attackers Can Abuse EDR Security Products - SecurityWeek

• What is multi-factor authentication (MFA), and why is it important? - Help Net Security

• Strengths & Weaknesses of MFA Methods Against Cyber Attacks | Duo Security

• Zero Trust Takes Over: 63% of Orgs Implementing Globally (darkreading.com)

• Pen Testing Infrequency Leaves Security Gaps | MSSP Alert

• 5 Hard Truths About the State of Cloud Security 2024 (darkreading.com)

• Explore CASB use cases before you decide to buy | TechTarget

• SD-WAN: Don't Build a Dead End, Prepare for Future-Proof Secure Networking - SecurityWeek

• Identity-based security threats are growing rapidly: report | CSO Online

• Microsoft criticized for charging for security add-ons • The Register

• 5 insights from new Microsoft CNAPP guide | Microsoft Security Blog

• The Peril of Badly Secured Network Edge Devices (inforisktoday.com)

• VPNs, Firewalls' Nonexistent Telemetry Lures APTs (darkreading.com)

• The first steps of establishing your cloud security strategy - Help Net Security

• 40% of organizations have AI policies for critical infrastructure | Security Magazine

• Understand the Benefits and Limitations of Automated Tools in Penetration Testing (prweb.com)

• World´s most advanced cyber defence exercise kicks off in Tallinn

• Tech Investments Help SMBs Fortify Supply Chains Amid Economic, Workforce, and Security Concerns | Business Wire

• CISA ransomware warning program set to fully launch by end of 2024 | CyberScoop

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Reports Published in the Last Week

• M-Trends 2024 | Google Cloud

• Mandiant's M-Trends Report Reveals New Insights from Frontline Cyber Investigations (prnewswire.com)

• Coalition's 2024 Cyber Claims Report (coalitioninc.com)

• Boost your data protection with insights from Dell's report - SiliconANGLE

• 2024 Cisco Cyber Security Readiness Index

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

• Cyber Security in the UK - House of Commons Library (parliament.uk)

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Other News

• These sectors are top targets for cyber crime, and other cyber security news to know this month | World Economic Forum (weforum.org)

• Online Banking Security Still Not Up to Par, Says Which? - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Why Educating HR Professionals on Cyber Risk Is Crucial (thehrdirector.com)

• Where Hackers Find Your Weak Spots (darkreading.com)

• Network Threats: A Step-by-Step Attack Demonstration (thehackernews.com)

• Microsoft is reportedly making security improvements its current top priority at the company - Neowin

• UK cyber agency NCSC announces Richard Horne as its next chief executive (therecord.media)

• Internet cable at Cali airport cut in apparent sabotage • The Register

• DOD establishes Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defence for Cyber Policy (securityintelligence.com)

• EU Statement – UN General Assembly 1st Committee: Cyber Security | EEAS (europa.eu)

• US: The European Union and the United States hold the 9th Cyber Dialogue in Brussels | EEAS (europa.eu)

• Why Tourists Are Particularly Vulnerable To Cyber Attacks (maltatoday.com.mt)

• Microsoft needs to win back trust - The Verge

• AI Is Going Well For Microsoft, But Cyber Security Is Not - Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) - Benzinga

• Questions for IT and cyber leaders from the CSRB Microsoft report | Computer Weekly

• World´s most advanced cyber defence exercise kicks off in Tallinn

• Why Cyber Security Is Key To Solving Global Crises (forbes.com)

• Cyber Security is Relentless! | Gray Reed - JDSupra

• Colleges spending more than ever on cyber security efforts (insidehighered.com)

• Foreign states targeting UK universities, MI5 warns - BBC News

• Cyber resilience in the public sector: lessons for UK Councils (techinformed.com)

• Digital Blitzkrieg: Unveiling Cyber Logistics Warfare (darkreading.com)

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Sector Specific

Industry specific threat intelligence reports are available.

Contact us to receive tailored reports specific to the industry/sector and geographies you operate in.

·         Automotive

·         Construction

·         Critical National Infrastructure (CNI)

·         Defence & Space

·         Education & Academia

·         Energy & Utilities

·         Estate Agencies

·         Financial Services

·         FinTech

·         Food & Agriculture

·         Gaming & Gambling

·         Government & Public Sector (including Law Enforcement)

·         Health/Medical/Pharma

·         Hotels & Hospitality

·         Insurance

·         Legal

·         Manufacturing

·         Maritime

·         Oil, Gas & Mining

·         OT, ICS, IIoT, SCADA & Cyber-Physical Systems

·         Retail & eCommerce

·         Small and Medium Sized Businesses (SMBs)

·         Startups

·         Telecoms

·         Third Sector & Charities

·         Transport & Aviation

·         Web3

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 19 April 2024

Welcome to this week’s Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing – a weekly digest, collated and curated by our cyber experts to provide senior and middle management with an easy to digest round up of the most notable threats, vulnerabilities, and cyber related news from the last week.

Top Cyber Stories of the Last Week

94% of Ransomware Victims Have Their Backups Targeted by Attackers

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

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

Source: [Tech Republic]

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

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

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

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

Sources: [The Banker] [IMF]

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

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

Source: [TechCrunch]

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

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

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

Source: [TechRadar]

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

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

Source: [Business Wire]

Russia and Ukraine Top Inaugural World Cyber Crime Index

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

Top ten Countries in full:

1.       Russia

2.       Ukraine

3.       China

4.       United States

5.       Nigeria

6.       Romania

7.       North Korea

8.       United Kingdom

9.       Brazil

10.   India

Source: [Infosecurity Magazine]

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

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

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

Sources: [ITPro] [The Guardian]

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

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

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

Sources: [Claims Journal] [Inc.com]

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

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

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

Source: [Infosecurity Magazine] [TechRadar]

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

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

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

Sources: [Ars Technica] [Data Breach Today]

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

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

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

Sources: [Infosecurity Magazine] [Help Net Security]

Charities Doing Worse than Private Sector in Staving off Cyber Attacks

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

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

Source: [TFN]

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Governance, Risk and Compliance

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Threats

Ransomware, Extortion and Destructive Attacks

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

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

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

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

• Infiltrating ransomware gangs on the dark web - CBS News

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ransomware Victims

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Phishing & Email Based Attacks

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

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

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

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

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

Other Social Engineering

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

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

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

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

Artificial Intelligence

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

2FA/MFA

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

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

Malware

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Mobile

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

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

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

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

Denial of Service/DoS/DDOS

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

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

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

Internet of Things – IoT

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

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

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

Data Breaches/Leaks

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

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

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

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

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

• Panama Papers: Money laundering trial of 27 defendants begins

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

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

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

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

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

Organised Crime & Criminal Actors

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

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

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

Cryptocurrency/Cryptomining/Cryptojacking/NFTs/Blockchain

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

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

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

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

Insider Risk and Insider Threats

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

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

Insurance

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

Cloud/SaaS

• Exposing the top cloud security threats - Help Net Security

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

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

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

Identity and Access Management

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

Linux and Open Source

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

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

Passwords, Credential Stuffing & Brute Force Attacks

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

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

• Threat actors look to stolen credentials | Computer Weekly

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

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

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

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

Social Media

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

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

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

Malvertising

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

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

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

Training, Education and Awareness

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

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

Regulations, Fines and Legislation

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

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

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

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

Models, Frameworks and Standards

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

Backup and Recovery

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

Data Protection

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

Careers, Working in Cyber and Information Security

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

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

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

Law Enforcement Action and Take Downs

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

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

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

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

Misinformation, Disinformation and Propaganda

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

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

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

Cyber Warfare and Cyber Espionage

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

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

China

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

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

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

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

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

• Singapore infosec boss: splinternet hinders interoperability • The Register

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

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

Russia

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

• Singapore infosec boss: splinternet hinders interoperability • The Register

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

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

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

Iran

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

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

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

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

North Korea

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

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

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

• Geopolitical tensions escalate OT cyber attacks - Help Net Security

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

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

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

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Vulnerability Management

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

• How to conduct security patch validation and verification | TechTarget

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

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

Vulnerabilities

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Tools and Controls

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Reports Published in the Last Week

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

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Other News

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

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

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

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

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

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

• Geopolitical tensions escalate OT cyber attacks - Help Net Security

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Sector Specific

Industry specific threat intelligence reports are available.

Contact us to receive tailored reports specific to the industry/sector and geographies you operate in.

·         Automotive

·         Construction

·         Critical National Infrastructure (CNI)

·         Defence & Space

·         Education & Academia

·         Energy & Utilities

·         Estate Agencies

·         Financial Services

·         FinTech

·         Food & Agriculture

·         Gaming & Gambling

·         Government & Public Sector (including Law Enforcement)

·         Health/Medical/Pharma

·         Hotels & Hospitality

·         Insurance

·         Legal

·         Manufacturing

·         Maritime

·         Oil, Gas & Mining

·         OT, ICS, IIoT, SCADA & Cyber-Physical Systems

·         Retail & eCommerce

·         Small and Medium Sized Businesses (SMBs)

·         Startups

·         Telecoms

·         Third Sector & Charities

·         Transport & Aviation

·         Web3

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As usual, contact us to help assess where your risks lie and to ensure you are doing all you can do to keep you and your business secure.

Look out for our ‘Cyber Tip Tuesday’ video blog and on our YouTube channel.

You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

Links to articles are for interest and awareness and linking to or reposting external content does not endorse any service or product, likewise we are not responsible for the security of external links.

Black Arrow Cyber Alert 17 April 2024 – Major Palo Alto Security Flaw Actively Exploited by Highly Capable Actors

Executive summary

Palo Alto have issued a critical alert for an actively exploited attack in the GlobalProtect feature of PAN-OS software use in its firewall products. Successful exploitation allows an attacker to execute code with root privileges, the highest available.  Third parties have since disclosed a proof of concept for the exploit.

What’s the risk to me or my business?

The exploit applies only to applicable only to PAN-OS 10.2, PAN-OS 11.0, and PAN-OS 11.1 firewalls configured with GlobalProtect gateway or GlobalProtect portal. Organisations falling under this umbrella are leaving themselves at risk of allowing an attacker to perform code with root privileges, impacting the confidentiality, integrity and availability of data. Device telemetry does not need to be enabled for PAN-OS firewalls to be exposed to attacks related to this vulnerability. Cloud NGFW, Panorama appliances, and Prisma Access are not impacted by this vulnerability.

Whether you have a GlobalProtect gateway or GlobalProtect portal configured can be verified by checking for entries in your firewall web interface (Network > GlobalProtect > Gateways or Network > GlobalProtect > Portals).

Palo Alto has listed the following versions as vulnerable:

PAN-OS 10.2: < 11.1.0-h3, < 11.1.1-h1, < 11.1.2-h3

 PAN-OS 11.0: < 11.0.2-h4, < 11.0.3-h10, < 11.0.4-h1

PAN-OS 11.1: < 10.2.5-h6, < 10.2.6-h3, < 10.2.7-h8, < 10.2.8-h3, < 10.2.9-h1

The issue is fixed in hotfix releases of PAN-OS 10.2.9-h1, PAN-OS 11.0.4-h1, PAN-OS 11.1.2-h3, and in all later PAN-OS versions. A full list of ETA’s of hotfixes are available in the advisory by Palo Alto.

What can I do?

Black Arrow recommends following Palo Alto’s advice and applying the available fixes immediately even if workarounds and mitigations have been applied as previous mitigations are no longer effective. If an update is not available, it is recommended that the advisory is checked to see when an one will be made available. The latest expected update is currently planned for 19 April 2024.

Technical Summary

CVE-2024-3400 -  A command Injection Vulnerability in the GlobalProtect feature of Palo Alto Networks PAN-OS software which can allow an unauthenticated attacker to execute code with root privileges.

Further information can be found here:

https://security.paloaltonetworks.com/CVE-2024-3400

Need help understanding your gaps, or just want some advice? Get in touch with us.

#threatadvisory #threatintelligence #cybersecurity

Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing 24 November 2023

Welcome to this week’s Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing – a weekly digest, collated and curated by our cyber experts to provide senior and middle management with an easy to digest round up of the most notable threats, vulnerabilities, and cyber related news from the last week.

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]

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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

• Accelerating Security Risk Management (trendmicro.com)

• 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)

• Employee Policy Violations Cause 26% of Cyber Incidents - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.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)

• Corporate Boards Mulling Effects of SEC Cyber Enforcement and CISO Exposure, and Possibly Hacker Complaints to SEC | Jackson Lewis P.C. - JDSupra

• 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

• Inflation, cyber risks the biggest worry for firms | Nation

• Organisations rethink cyber security investments to meet NIS Directive requirements - Help Net Security

• “There's a crossover between organised crime, financial crime, and nation-state crime” - The Currency :The Currency

• Why transparency and accountability are important in cyber security | Computer Weekly

• ‘I employ a lot of hackers’: how a stock exchange chief deters cyber attacks | Cyberwar | The Guardian

• SolarWinds lawsuit puts corporate security chiefs on high alert By Investing.com

• Humans Are Notoriously Bad at Assessing Risk - SecurityWeek

• The role experience plays in risk mitigation (betanews.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)

• Over Half of Organisations Are at Risk of Cyber attack Due to Exhausted and Stressed Staff - IT Security Guru

• 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)

• A cyber attack on a UK accounting firm wound up leaking US patient data. Now what? (databreaches.net)

• 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)

• ICBC partners wary to resume trading with bank after cyber attack - Bloomberg News - CNA (channelnewsasia.com)

• ‘Sex life data’ stolen from UK government among record number of ransomware attacks (therecord.media)

• 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)

• Rhysida claims it hacked the British Library - Tech Monitor

• 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

• AI Solutions Are the New Shadow IT (thehackernews.com)

• 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

• InfectedSlurs Botnet Spreads Mirai via Zero-Days | Akamai

• This devious malware will let hackers restore deleted cookies and hijack your Google account | TechRadar

• MySQL servers hit by DDoS malware botnet | TechRadar

• 27 Malicious PyPI Packages with Thousands of Downloads Found Targeting IT Experts (thehackernews.com)

• 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)

• Konni Campaign Deploys Advanced RAT With UAC Bypass Capabilities - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.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

• NoEscape gang continues to use DDoS to pressure reluctant victims to negotiate (databreaches.net)

• MySQL servers hit by DDoS malware botnet | TechRadar

Internet of Things – IoT

• Mirai malware infects routers and cameras for new botnet • The Register

• InfectedSlurs Botnet Spreads Mirai via Zero-Days | Akamai

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

• Secretary Fined For Accessing Scores of Patient Records - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Canadian government discloses data breach after contractor hacks (bleepingcomputer.com)

• US Cyber security Lab Suffers Major Data Breach - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Sabre Insurance hit by cyber attack | Insurance Times

• 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)

• A cyber attack on a UK accounting firm wound up leaking US patient data. Now what? (databreaches.net)

• Sumo Logic says customer data untouched during breach • The Register

Organised Crime & Criminal Actors

• “There's a crossover between organised crime, financial crime, and nation-state crime” - The Currency :The Currency

• 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)

• A Hacker Faked His Own Death–Then Claimed To Have Sold Marriott Customer Data To Russians, FBI Says (forbes.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

• US cyber cops trace and return nearly $9M stolen by scammers • The Register

Insider Risk and Insider Threats

• The human element -- cyber security's greatest challenge (betanews.com)

• Employee Policy Violations Cause 26% of Cyber Incidents - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• cyber security: Security violations by employees as harmful as hacking: Report - The Economic Times (indiatimes.com)

• Secretary Fined For Accessing Scores of Patient Records - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

Supply Chain and Third Parties

• Microsoft: Lazarus hackers breach CyberLink in supply chain attack (bleepingcomputer.com)

• North Korean Supply Chain Threat is Booming, UK and South Korea Warn - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.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

• Some unbreakable RSA encryption keys are accidentally leaking online | New Scientist

Passwords, Credential Stuffing & Brute Force Attacks

• Largest study of its kind shows outdated password practices are putting millions at risk (techxplore.com)

• Your password hygiene remains atrocious, says NordPass • The Register

• US Teen Pleads Guilty to Credential Stuffing Attack on Fantasy Sports Website - SecurityWeek

Social Media

• How Ducktail steals Facebook accounts | Kaspersky official blog

Malvertising

• Beware: Malicious Google Ads Trick WinSCP Users into Installing Malware (thehackernews.com)

Training, Education and Awareness

• The 7 Deadly Sins of Security Awareness Training (darkreading.com)

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

• What CISOs Need to Know About Materiality | Mimecast

• Morgan Stanley Fined $6.5 Million for Exposing Customer Information - SecurityWeek

• Does claiming you were hacked when you had really just screwed up violate the FTC Act? (databreaches.net)

• Secretive White House Surveillance Program Gives Cops Access to Trillions of US Phone Records | WIRED

• UK watchdog threatens enforcement action over ad cookies • The Register

Models, Frameworks and Standards

• NIS2 and its global ramifications - Help Net Security

• Organisations rethink cyber security investments to meet NIS Directive requirements - Help Net Security

• 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

• 1 in 5 executives question their own data protection programs - Help Net Security

Careers, Working in Cyber and Information Security

• Over Half of Organisations Are at Risk of Cyber attack Due to Exhausted and Stressed Staff - IT Security Guru

• Half of Cyber security Professionals Kept Awake By Workload Worries - IT Security Guru

Law Enforcement Action and Take Downs

• Wirecard hacker sentenced to 80 months in prison (ft.com)

• US Teen Pleads Guilty to Credential Stuffing Attack on Fantasy Sports Website - SecurityWeek

• Europol Launches OSINT Taskforce to Hunt For Russian War Crimes - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• A Hacker Faked His Own Death–Then Claimed To Have Sold Marriott Customer Data To Russians, FBI Says (forbes.com)

• 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

• "We are getting very good at identifying a Russian campaign," Microsoft weighs in on disinformation and national security at recent events | Windows Central

• AI Helps Uncover Russian State-Sponsored Disinformation in Hungary (darkreading.com)

---

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

• Understanding the Ransomware Attack Fallout on China’s ICBC (informationweek.com)

• ICBC partners wary to resume trading with bank after cyber attack - Bloomberg News - CNA (channelnewsasia.com)

• Mustang Panda Hackers Targets Philippines Government Amid South China Sea Tensions (thehackernews.com)

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

• "We are getting very good at identifying a Russian campaign," Microsoft weighs in on disinformation and national security at recent events | Windows Central

• 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)

• Embezzlement Scandal Consumes a Top Ukrainian Cyber Official, Jolting Relationship With US - The Messenger

• Konni Campaign Deploys Advanced RAT With UAC Bypass Capabilities - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Europol Launches OSINT Taskforce to Hunt For Russian War Crimes - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• The Defence Intelligence of Ukraine Reveals that Russia’s Civil Aviation Industry Is on the Brink of Collapse | Defence Express (defence-ua.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)

• North Korean Supply Chain Threat is Booming, UK and South Korea Warn - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Hacking Employers and Seeking Employment: Two Job-Related Campaigns Bear Hallmarks of North Korean Threat Actors (paloaltonetworks.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

• Cyber attacks on Israel intensify as the war against Hamas rages: Check Point | CSO Online

Vulnerability Management

• Reflecting on 20 years of Patch Tuesday | MSRC Blog | Microsoft Security Response Center

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)

• Adobe Releases Security Updates for ColdFusion | CISA

• 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

• Accelerating Security Risk Management (trendmicro.com)

• 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)

• Organisations rethink cyber security investments to meet NIS Directive requirements - Help Net Security

• DORA Set to Drive Significant Change in Sell-Side Third Party Risk Management | Financial IT

• The role experience plays in risk mitigation (betanews.com)

• 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)

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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

• Cyber security: New plan to tackle ‘fastest-growing threat’ confronting Australia | The West Australian

• The US government wants to offer better cyber security to major infrastructure firms | TechRadar

• This devious malware will let hackers restore deleted cookies and hijack your Google account | TechRadar

• Australia’s cyber security strategy focuses on protecting small businesses and critical infrastructure | CSO Online

• Cyber security at EU institutions: European Parliament adopt proposed Cyber security Regulation and EU institutions organise cyber security exercise | Practical Law (thomsonreuters.com)

• 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)

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Sector Specific

Industry specific threat intelligence reports are available.

Contact us to receive tailored reports specific to the industry/sector and geographies you operate in.

·         Automotive

·         Construction

·         Critical National Infrastructure (CNI)

·         Defence & Space

·         Education & Academia

·         Energy & Utilities

·         Estate Agencies

·         Financial Services

·         FinTech

·         Food & Agriculture

·         Gaming & Gambling

·         Government & Public Sector (including Law Enforcement)

·         Health/Medical/Pharma

·         Hotels & Hospitality

·         Insurance

·         Legal

·         Manufacturing

·         Maritime

·         Oil, Gas & Mining

·         OT, ICS, IIoT, SCADA & Cyber-Physical Systems

·         Retail & eCommerce

·         Small and Medium Sized Businesses (SMBs)

·         Startups

·         Telecoms

·         Third Sector & Charities

·         Transport & Aviation

·         Web3

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As usual, contact us to help assess where your risks lie and to ensure you are doing all you can do to keep you and your business secure.

Look out for our ‘Cyber Tip Tuesday’ video blog and on our YouTube channel.

You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

Links to articles are for interest and awareness and linking to or reposting external content does not endorse any service or product, likewise we are not responsible for the security of external links.

Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing 03 November 2023

Welcome to this week’s Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing – a weekly digest, collated and curated by our cyber experts to provide senior and middle management with an easy to digest round up of the most notable threats, vulnerabilities, and cyber related news from the last week.

Surviving a Ransomware Attack Begins by Acknowledging it’s Inevitable

The best defence against a ransomware attack is assuming it will happen before it does.  Research by Visa Inc found that ransomware continues to rapidly rise. One of the main factors is the use of AI services to mass produce highly personalised and plausible emails. The second is the proliferation of highly professional do-it-yourself ransomware kits, which frequently come with 24/7 tech support. These two factors drastically lower the skill level required for cyber criminals to successfully pull off an attack.

Another new ransomware trend is “dual ransomware attacks”. This is where criminals carry out two or more attacks in close proximity of each other, ranging between 48 hours to a maximum of 10 days. With an 80% chance of re-attack, small and medium sized businesses in hard-hit industries including healthcare and manufacturing are primary targets; organisations must be extra vigilant as the holidays approach because this is when cyber criminals are most likely to attack.

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: [Venture Beat] [SC Media] [Help Net Security] [Infosecurity Magazine] [Help Net Security] [Tech Crunch]

Are You and Your Clients Soft Targets?

Cyber attacks are not a matter of "if" but "when," and the question you need to ask yourself is, ‘Are you a soft target?’. A soft target is a network or organisation that is relatively unprotected or vulnerable to cyber attacks.

You may feel confident in your ability to recover from an attack, but if you've never thoroughly tested your backup and recovery procedures, and when the time comes you find that it does not work, the result will leave you more likely to pay a ransom in an encryption based ransomware scenario. Reliance on legacy antivirus, which often fails to detect modern threats, can also render your network a soft target. Additionally, the absence of a rigorous vulnerability scanning and patching process leaves vulnerabilities undiscovered, and attackers are quick to exploit them. If you rely solely on prevention measures like firewalls and endpoint protection platforms, you are making yourself an appealing soft target for cyber criminals.

No organisation is entirely immune to cyber attacks. The key to defending you and your client's information effectively is to anticipate attacks, understand your security posture, recognise potential adversaries, and recover correctly in the event of an attack.

Source: [MSSP Alert]

Cyber Attacks Cause Revenue Losses in 42% of Small Businesses

Small businesses may be discouraged from investing in preventive cyber security measures due to the expense involved and the mistaken belief that only larger companies are the target of cyber crimes. However, according to a recent report nearly 8 in 10 small business leaders admit they are anxious about the safety of their company’s sensitive data and information. The report found that employee and customer data continue to be the most impacted categories of information in data breaches with 42% of small businesses losing revenue due to a cyber event.

The widespread use of internet-connected devices has given rise to a substantial surge in threat actors targeting small and medium-sized businesses, with malware, phishing and botnets being the most common threats. Daily malware activity has doubled year over year, and peaks in holiday seasons.

Sources: [Help Net Security] [Security Magazine] [Help Net Security] [JDSupra]

Executives May be The Biggest Risk to Your Business as One in Five Share Work Passwords Outside the Company

According to a recent report, nearly half (49%) of C-level executives have requested to bypass one or more security measures in the past year, highlighting a concerning disparity between what business leaders say about cyber and what they do. The research reported one in five sharing their work password with someone outside the company, 77% using easy-to-remember passwords including birth dates, and a third admitting to accessing unauthorised files and data with nearly two-thirds having the ability to edit those files/data.

Additionally, the C-suite was found to be more than three times as likely than regular users to share work devices with unauthorised users. An essential approach to reducing the risks is a tailored training programme that enables all users, including the C-suite, to understand the objective of security controls and the risks caused by bypassing them. Black Arrow offers bespoke training to all roles within the organisation as well as upskilling tailored to those at the board level.

Sources: [Infosecurity Magazine] [Tech Radar] [Security Magazine] [Help Net Security]

Organisations Can Only Stop 57 Percent of Cyber Attacks

According to a report from Tenable, over the last two years, the average organisation's cyber security program was prepared to preventatively defend against, or block, just 57 percent of the cyber attacks it encountered. The report found that 58% of respondents focus almost entirely on fighting successful attacks rather than working to prevent them in the first place. This is put down largely to a struggle to obtain an accurate picture of their attack surface. When it came to risks, 75% viewed cloud infrastructure as the greatest source of exposure risk in their organisation.

Source: [Beta News]

Many Businesses Remain Unprepared for AI as Phishing Attacks Rise 1,265% Since Launch of ChatGPT

Generative AI has revolutionised many aspects of life, offering new opportunities that have also greatly benefited malicious actors. A report has found that since the launch of ChatGPT, phishing attacks have increased by 1,265%. A separate report found that many businesses remain unprepared for the impact of AI, with just 16% of respondents satisfied in their organisation’s understanding of these AI tools.

Sources: [Decrypt] [Infosecurity Magazine] [Emerging Risks]

Business Email Compromise is Most Common Entry Point for Cyber Attack

According to cyber insurance provider Hiscox, almost half of UK businesses have experienced a cyber attack in the last year, an increase of 9% from the previous year. Business email compromise was recorded as the most common point of entry, mentioned by 35% of companies who suffered an attack.

The report found that 20% of attacked organisations received a ransomware demand, slightly up from 19% the previous year. The proportion paying the ransom fell from 66% to 63%, but the median ransom rose 13%.

Sources: [Hiscox] [Digital Journal]

US Regulator Charges Firm and its CISO For Fraud and Cyber Security Failures

The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced plans to charge a Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) with fraud for their role in allegedly lying to investors, overstating cyber security practices, and understating or failing to disclose known risks. A key piece of evidence presented by the SEC involved a presentation that was shared with the CISO, detailing a lack of security in the CISO employer’s setup. The presentation highlighted how exploitation could lead to major reputational and financial loss.

The case represents a larger shift in the dynamics and corporate reporting of security issues and within this, lies the professionalism of the CISO role. It is likely that this incident could become the start of something larger.

Sources: [The Record] [Security Week ] [Forbes]

Companies Scramble to Integrate Immediate Recovery into Ransomware Plans

A survey found that 66% of companies are reevaluating their data protection and cyber resilience strategies. Despite this, 35% are not prioritising recovery and only half (56.6%) focused on both recovery and prevention.

Whilst it is important to prevent attacks, nothing is 100% secure and organisations need to ensure that their ransomware plans include recovery as a part of this. If, or when, you experience an attack, you will not want to improvise your recovery.

Source: [Help Net Security]

Your End-Users are Reusing Passwords: That’s a Big Problem

Password reuse is a difficult vulnerability for IT teams to get full visibility over. The danger is often hidden until it turns up in the form of hackers using compromised credentials as an initial access vector. A recent survey revealed that 53% of people admit to reusing passwords, making it easier for attackers to gain access to multiple applications with a single compromised password.

While it is difficult for organisations to maintain visibility over who is reusing passwords, especially if employees are reusing passwords outside of the organisation, there are still ways to combat this. Implementing tools that can check for compromised passwords, using multi-factor authentication and ensuring all employees carry out cyber security and awareness training are a few methods to help combat password re-use.

Source: [Bleeping Computer]

Cyber Workforce Demand is Outpacing Supply

A study by ISC2 stated that we would need to double the cyber workforce to adequately protect organisations and their critical assets. The study found that the gap between the demand and supply grew 12.6%. For organisations, this can mean a struggle in hiring cyber expertise.

To address the challenge of attracting and retaining quality senior security professionals, Black Arrow offers a fractional CISO service that gives flexible access to a whole team of specialists with wide expertise, experience and backgrounds in technology, governance and transformation, for less than the cost of hiring one individual.

Source: [Cyber Scoop]

What the Boardroom Is Missing: CISOs

According to a new study only 12% of S&P 500 companies have board directors with relevant cyber credentials, highlighting a major gap in expertise needed to keep organisations secure. As most organisations shift to digital and cloud-first strategies, businesses of all shapes and sizes must protect their assets. Unfortunately, there's a considerable gap between security leaders and the board directors responsible for managing businesses. A recent Harvard Business Review survey revealed just 47% regularly interact with their company's Chief Information Security Officer (CISO). That's a severe knowledge gap for a company's security and business leaders.

Introducing CISOs to the boardroom is not just about compliance, it's also about ensuring transparency and accountability. CISOs are already building security programs from the ground up. They provide business compliance, hire the right people, and find the right technology to supplement their team's efforts. Security posture is critical to an enterprise's future success, and having a CISO on the board that speaks the language can help a board understand if their business is making suitable security investments.

Source: [Dark Reading]

Top Cyber Stories of the Last Week

Governance, Risk and Compliance

• SEC Charges SolarWinds and Its CISO With Fraud and Cyber security Failures - SecurityWeek

• SolarWinds Is A Game Changer - You Cannot Sugarcoat Cyber security (forbes.com)

• Part of an executive team? You might be the biggest security risk to your business | TechRadar

• One in five executives have shared work passwords outside the company | Security Magazine

• Half of Execs Request Security Bypass Over Past Year - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Organisations can only stop 57 percent of cyber attacks (betanews.com)

• Cyber attacks cause revenue losses in 42% of small businesses - Help Net Security

• Huge Cyber security Industry Survey Reveals Concerns Over Cuts Amid New Threats - The Messenger

• Only 1 in 5 Business Leaders 'Extremely Prepared' to Manage Cyber security Threats at Workplace: Survey Report, Business News - AsiaOne

• 'Are we adversary aligned?' is the new 'Are we secure?' (betanews.com)

• Cyber security habits and behaviours executives need to be aware of - Help Net Security

• The hidden costs of data breaches for small businesses - Help Net Security

• Cyber workforce demand is outpacing supply, survey finds | CyberScoop

• How Do We Truly Make Security 'Everyone's Responsibility'? (darkreading.com)

• Why lack of training can put cyber security at risk [Q&A] (betanews.com)

• Cyber security Awareness Month Series: Cyber security is Important for Small Business Too. | Jackson Lewis P.C. - JDSupra

• Threat Prevention Begins With IT & Security Team Collaboration (darkreading.com)

• Are startups underestimating their cyber vulnerability? | Insurance Business America (insurancebusinessmag.com)

• The CISO’s toolkit must include political capital within the C-suite | CSO Online

• Do You Really Need a CISO? (securityintelligence.com)

• CISO Skills in a Changing Security Market: Are You Prepared? (darkreading.com)

• What the Boardroom Is Missing: CISOs (darkreading.com)

• Is it time to merge your fraud and cyber teams? - Raconteur

• OODA Loop - Deciphering the CISO Accountability Landscape: A Comparative Analysis with the AML Officer's Evolution

• Why there’s no one-size-fits all solution to security maturity | TechRadar

Threats

Ransomware, Extortion and Destructive Attacks

• Ransomware Never Sleeps - But It Strikes Whilst You Do - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Ransom Groups Threaten Physical Violence as Social Engineering Tactic (darkreading.com)

• Companies scramble to integrate immediate recovery into ransomware plans - Help Net Security

• Surviving a ransomware attack begins by acknowledging it's inevitable | VentureBeat

• Mass exploitation of CitrixBleed vulnerability, including a ransomware group | by Kevin Beaumont | Oct, 2023 | DoublePulsar

• The dangers of dual ransomware attacks - Help Net Security

• Do government sanctions against ransomware groups work? | TechCrunch

• Why rookie hackers are capitalizing on ransomware | SC Media (scmagazine.com)

• Experts Reconsider Banning Ransom Payments as Ransomware Attacks Surge (pymnts.com)

• Why ransomware victims can’t stop paying off hackers | TechCrunch

• Key Learnings from “Big Game” Ransomware Campaigns - SecurityWeek

• New Hunters International ransomware possible rebrand of Hive (bleepingcomputer.com)

• SIM Swappers Are Working Directly with Ransomware Gangs Now (404media.co)

• One of the most dangerous ransomware kits around might have just gotten a rebrand | TechRadar

• Forty Countries Agree Not to Pay Cyber crime Ransoms - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Ransomware attacks set to break records in 2023 - Help Net Security

• Know When and How to Stop Ransomware Attacks (finextra.com)

• HelloKitty Ransomware Group Exploiting Apache ActiveMQ Vulnerability (thehackernews.com)

• Data Encrypted in 75% of Ransomware Attacks on Healthcare Organisation - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

Ransomware Victims

• Boeing Confirms Cyber Attack, System Compromise (darkreading.com)

• CCleaner says hackers stole users’ personal data during MOVEit mass-hack | TechCrunch

• Stanford University investigating security incident • The Register

• Clop group obtained access to the email addresses of about 632,000 US federal employees (securityaffairs.com)

• Massive ransomware attack hinders services in 70 German municipalities (therecord.media)

• Medical research exec hit in SIM-swap attack by Alphv gang • The Register

• Caesars Hackers Accessed Customer Data; Costs to Be Determined (bloomberglaw.com)

• Mortgage and loan giant Mr. Cooper blames cyber attack for ongoing outage | TechCrunch

• Ransomware attack shuts down Central Florida radiology imager sites (wmfe.org)

• British, Toronto Libraries Struggle After Cyber Incidents (darkreading.com)

• Ace Hardware says 1,202 devices were hit during cyber attack (bleepingcomputer.com)

Phishing & Email Based Attacks

• Report Links ChatGPT to 1,265% Rise in Phishing Emails - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• McAfee Celebrity Hot List 2023 - gHacks Tech News

• Phishing Scams, Bad Actors Bedevil Military Mass Tort Settlements (bloomberglaw.com)

Artificial Intelligence

• Email Phishing Attacks Up 1,265% Since ChatGPT Launched: SlashNext - Decrypt

• AI poses new cyber threats with many businesses unprepared (emergingrisks.co.uk)

• AI is making cyber attacks even smarter and more dangerous | TechRadar

• The People Hacker: AI a Game-Changer in Social Engineering Attacks - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Risk managers beware – generative AI spells serious concerns for security | Insurance Business America (insurancebusinessmag.com)

• 28 Countries Sign Bletchley Declaration on Responsible AI - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Biden Issues Executive Order on Safe, Secure AI - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• UK AI Safety Summit is targeting evil sentience, but there are bigger problems to solve | Tom's Guide

• AI Safety Summit: OWASP Urges Governments to Agree on AI Standards - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Enterprise AI applications are threatening security | TechRadar

• What Lurks in the Dark: Taking Aim at Shadow AI (darkreading.com)

• ChatGPT, Bard, lack effective defences against fraudsters, Which? warns | Computer Weekly

• Huge Cyber security Industry Survey Reveals Concerns Over Cuts Amid New Threats - The Messenger

• The future of AIs fighting AIs is already here - POLITICO

• AI promises incredible benefits, but also terrible risks. It’s not luddism to rein it in | Sonia Sodha | The Guardian

Malware

• Over a million Windows and Linux systems infected by this tricky new malware | TechRadar

• DUCKTAIL Malware employs LinkedIn messages Execute Attacks (gbhackers.com)

• Daily malware activity doubled year over year for small businesses | Security Magazine

• Iranian Group Tortoiseshell Launches New Wave of IMAPLoader Malware Attacks (thehackernews.com)

• Malvertising via Dynamic Search Ads delivers malware bonanza (malwarebytes.com)

• Windows PCs are being targeted with a nasty new malware - here's what you need to know | TechRadar

• Pro-Hamas Hacktivists Targeting Israeli Entities with Wiper Malware (thehackernews.com)

• These Seemingly Innocent Search Terms Could Lead Kids to Malware-Filled Websites (pcmag.com)

• Malware 'Meal Kits' Serve Up No-Fuss RAT Attacks (darkreading.com)

• Arid Viper Camouflages Malware in Knockoff Dating App (darkreading.com)

• Scarred Manticore Targets Middle East With Advanced Malware - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Ghostpulse Malware Targets Windows PCs With Fake App Installers (pcmag.com)

• Latest RAT attack surge bypasses Microsoft's XLL block • The Register

• Mozi malware botnet goes dark after mysterious use of kill-switch (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Iranian Cyber Spies Use 'LionTail' Malware in Latest Attacks - SecurityWeek

• Turla Updates Kazuar Backdoor with Advanced Anti-Analysis to Evade Detection (thehackernews.com)

Mobile

• 16 more infected Android apps you need to delete ASAP (bgr.com)

• iOS 17.1 finally fixes a three-year-old Private Wi-Fi Address security hole | Macworld

• Android 14’s user-profile data bug seems indistinguishable from ransomware | Ars Technica

• New banking scams delivered instantly via WhatsApp - F-Secure Blog

• Every day, half a million malware apps are created for scamming. Who’s behind them? - CNA (channelnewsasia.com)

• Security Expert: Apple's Lockdown Mode Still Defeats Commercial Spyware | PCMag

• Google One data breach: Dark web report at your hand - gHacks Tech News

• SIM swapping crypto crook jailed, ordered to pay $945,833 • The Register

• SIM Swappers Are Working Directly with Ransomware Gangs Now (404media.co)

• Israel Calls In Hackers And Spyware Companies To Break Into Abductees’ Phones (forbes.com)

Denial of Service/DoS/DDOS

• DDoS attacks are getting bigger and more powerful, and that's a really bad thing | TechRadar

• Why Does "Anonymous" Launch DDoS Cyber Attacks? (makeuseof.com)

Internet of Things – IoT

• IoT's convenience comes with cyber security challenges - Help Net Security

• RCE exploit for Wyze Cam v3 publicly released, patch now (bleepingcomputer.com)

Data Breaches/Leaks

• CCleaner says hackers stole users’ personal data during MOVEit mass-hack | TechCrunch

• Okta discloses a data breach after a third-party vendor was hacked (securityaffairs.com)

• ServiceNow Data Exposure: A Wake-Up Call for Companies (thehackernews.com)

• LastPass breach linked to theft of $4.4 million in crypto (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Public exposure of data breaches is becoming inevitable – Help Net Security

• Browser extensions could capture passwords and sensitive info as plain text (techxplore.com)

• Seiged Sec Breach Top Israeli Telecom, Leak Customers Data (dailydot.com)

Organised Crime & Criminal Actors

• ‘Prolific Puma’ Hacker Gives Cyber criminals Access to .us Domains (darkreading.com)

• Two Russians indicted for hacking JFK taxi dispatch system • The Register

• How cyber criminals adapt and thrive amidst changing consumer trends – Help Net Security

Cryptocurrency/Cryptomining/Cryptojacking/NFTs/Blockchain

• Crypto thief steals $4.4M in a day as toll rises from LastPass breach (cointelegraph.com)

• UK's National Crime Agency Establishes Crypto Investigative Team (mpost.io)

• Sam Bankman-Fried found guilty of defrauding FTX customers out of billions | Sam Bankman-Fried | The Guardian

Insider Risk and Insider Threats

• How human behaviour research informs security strategies - Help Net Security

Insurance

• The rise of the cyber security insurance market | CSO Online

• Cyber insurance: why it pays to be responsible | TechRadar

Supply Chain and Third Parties

• N. Korean Lazarus Group Targets Software Vendor Using Known Flaws (thehackernews.com)

• North Korean Hackers Are Trying to Stage Another Supply Chain Hack (pcmag.com)

• Okta discloses a data breach after a third-party vendor was hacked (securityaffairs.com)

Cloud/SaaS

• Within 5 Minutes, Hackers Were Able to Get AWS Credentials From GitHub (cyber securitynews.com)

• Cryptojackers steal AWS credentials from GitHub in 5 minutes • The Register

• Microsoft is Getting Serious About Security. Again. - Thurrott.com

• Microsoft is overhauling its software security after major Azure cloud attacks - The Verge

Identity and Access Management

• Identity-based security threats are growing rapidly: report | CSO Online

Encryption

• UK Banks Warn Quantum Will Imperil Entire Payment System - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

Passwords, Credential Stuffing & Brute Force Attacks

• Your end-users are reusing passwords – that’s a big problem (bleepingcomputer.com)

• One in five executives have shared work passwords outside the company | Security Magazine

• Within 5 Minutes, Hackers Were Able to Get AWS Credentials From GitHub (cybersecuritynews.com)

• Browser extensions could capture passwords and sensitive info as plain text (techxplore.com)

Social Media

• DUCKTAIL Malware employs LinkedIn messages Execute Attacks (gbhackers.com)

• Russian hacking tool floods social networks with bots, researchers say (therecord.media)

Malvertising

• Malvertising via Dynamic Search Ads delivers malware bonanza (malwarebytes.com)

Training, Education and Awareness

• Finding the right approach to security awareness - Help Net Security

• Why lack of training can put cyber security at risk [Q&A] (betanews.com)

Regulations, Fines and Legislation

• FTC orders non-bank financial firms to report breaches in 30 days (bleepingcomputer.com)

• SEC Charges SolarWinds and Its CISO With Fraud and Cyber security Failures - SecurityWeek

• Why The SEC Cyber Security Disclosure Rules Will Improve Cybersecurity (forbes.com)

• The UK Online Safety Bill Becomes Law, What Does It Mean? | Hackaday

• Biden Issues Executive Order on Safe, Secure AI - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Setting the standard for cyber security across the EU | Business Post

Models, Frameworks and Standards

• Top 12 IT security frameworks and standards explained | TechTarget

• MITRE Releases ATT&CK v14 With Improvements to Detections, ICS, Mobile  - SecurityWeek

Careers, Working in Cyber and Information Security

• UK cyber skills gap grows 29% despite record hiring (computing.co.uk)

• Cyber workforce demand is outpacing supply, survey finds | CyberScoop

• Cyber security workforce shortages: 67% report people deficits - Help Net Security

• CISO Skills in a Changing Security Market: Are You Prepared? (darkreading.com)

• What the Boardroom Is Missing: CISOs (darkreading.com)

Law Enforcement Action and Take Downs

• Pirate IPTV network in Austria dismantled and $1.74 million seized (bleepingcomputer.com)

• SIM swapping crypto crook jailed, ordered to pay $945,833 • The Register

• UK's National Crime Agency Establishes Crypto Investigative Team (mpost.io)

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

Misc Nation State/Cyber Warfare/Cyber Espionage

• Cyber War: Power, Prestige, International Governance, and Strategy in the Age of Global Polycrisis

Geopolitical Threats/Activity

• Hacktivist Activity Related to Gaza Conflict Dwindles (darkreading.com)

• New BiBi-Linux wiper malware targets Israeli orgs in destructive attacks (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Scarred Manticore Targets Middle East With Advanced Malware - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Israel Calls In Hackers And Spyware Companies To Break Into Abductees’ Phones (forbes.com)

China

• Spies and Lies: China’s Cyber Espionage Is on an Unprecedented Level | Mind Matters

• Microsoft upgrades security for signing keys in wake of Chinese breach | CyberScoop

Russia

• Boeing. ‘Sensitive Data’ Reportedly Stolen by Ransomware Group Linked to Russia - The Messenger

• IT Army of Ukraine disrupted internet providers in territories occupied by Russia (securityaffairs.com)

• Russian hacking tool floods social networks with bots, researchers say (therecord.media)

• Palo Alto Reveals New Features in Russian APT Turla's Kazuar Backdoor - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• FSB arrests Russian hackers working for Ukrainian cyber forces (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Russia to launch its own version of VirusTotal due to US snooping fears (therecord.media)

• A Ukrainian Company Shares Lessons in Wartime Resilience (darkreading.com)

• Two Russians indicted for hacking JFK taxi dispatch system • The Register

Iran

• Iranian Group Tortoiseshell Launches New Wave of IMAPLoader Malware Attacks (thehackernews.com)

• Iranian Cyber Spies Use 'LionTail' Malware in Latest Attacks - SecurityWeek

• In Cyber attacks, Iran Shows Signs of Improved Hacking Capabilities - The New York Times (nytimes.com)

• New Iranian state-sponsored hacking campaign uncovered - SiliconANGLE

• FBI Director Warns of Increased Iranian Attacks (darkreading.com)

• Iran's MuddyWater Targets Israel in New Spear-Phishing Cyber Campaign (thehackernews.com)

• 'Scarred Manticore' Unleashes the Most Advanced Iranian Cyber Espionage Yet (darkreading.com)

North Korea

• North Korean Hackers Are Trying to Stage Another Supply Chain Hack (pcmag.com)

• Lazarus Group Looking for Unpatched Software Vulnerabilities (databreachtoday.co.uk)

• North Korean Hackers Target macOS Crypto Engineers With Kandykorn - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

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Vulnerability Management

• Lazarus Group Looking for Unpatched Software Vulnerabilities (databreachtoday.co.uk)

• 20 Years Later, Is Patch Tuesday Enough? (darkreading.com)

• CVSS 4.0 keys-in on threat intelligence metrics and OT, ICS and IoT | SC Media (scmagazine.com)

• Vulnerability management metrics: How to measure success - Help Net Security

• From Windows 9x to 11: Tracing Microsoft's security evolution - Help Net Security

• It's Cheap to Exploit Software — and That's a Major Security Problem (darkreading.com)

Vulnerabilities

• Exploit released for critical Cisco IOS XE flaw, many hosts still hacked (bleepingcomputer.com)

• F5 fixes BIG-IP auth bypass allowing remote code execution attacks (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Mass exploitation of CitrixBleed vulnerability, including a ransomware group | by Kevin Beaumont | Oct, 2023 | DoublePulsar

• Hackers use Citrix Bleed flaw in attacks on govt networks worldwide (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Cisco Patches 27 Vulnerabilities in Network Security Products - SecurityWeek

• Chrome 119 Patches 15 Vulnerabilities - SecurityWeek

• Atlassian warns users: patch critical Confluence flaw ASAP • The Register

• Researchers Find 34 Windows Drivers Vulnerable to Full Device Takeover (thehackernews.com)

• Urgent: New Security Flaws Discovered in NGINX Ingress Controller for Kubernetes (thehackernews.com)

• D-LINK SQL Injection Vulnerability Let Attacker Escalate Privileges (gbhackers.com)

• 3,000 Apache ActiveMQ servers vulnerable to RCE attacks exposed online (bleepingcomputer.com)

• More Than 100 Vulns in Microsoft 365 Tied to SketchUp 3D Library (darkreading.com)

• No patches yet for Apple iLeakage side-channel attack | TechTarget

• HelloKitty Ransomware Group Exploiting Apache ActiveMQ Vulnerability (thehackernews.com)

• iOS 17.1 finally fixes a three-year-old Private Wi-Fi Address security hole | Macworld

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Tools and Controls

• Companies scramble to integrate immediate recovery into ransomware plans - Help Net Security

• Vulnerability management metrics: How to measure success - Help Net Security

• 6 steps to accelerate cyber security incident response | SC Media (scmagazine.com)

• Ethical hackers are helping more and more business stay safe | TechRadar

• Getting Smart With Cyber security: AI Can Help the Good Guys, Too (darkreading.com)

• Massive cyber crime URL shortening service uncovered via DNS data (bleepingcomputer.com)

• The state of API security in 2023 | InfoWorld

• Is There a Silver Bullet in Threat Detection? | MSSP Alert

• Huge Cyber security Industry Survey Reveals Concerns Over Cuts Amid New Threats - The Messenger

• Defence in depth: Layering your security coverage (securityintelligence.com)

• Finding the right approach to security awareness - Help Net Security

• Is state intervention needed for cyber insurance? (ft.com)

• CISA Announces New Release of Logging Made Easy | CISA

• Security Advice For Virtualization: Protecting Information And Programs (informationsecuritybuzz.com)

• Mainframes are around to stay, it’s time to protect them - Help Net Security

• Responsible Cyber Operations: From Theory to Reality - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

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Reports Published in the Last Week

Cyber Readiness Report 2023 UK - Hiscox

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Other News

• Are You and Your Clients Soft Targets? | MSSP Alert

• Four Under-The-Radar Security Risks That Can Endanger Your Business (forbes.com)

• ING CISO says data sharing is key to financial cyber security (finextra.com)

• Threat Prevention Begins With IT & Security Team Collaboration (darkreading.com)

• F5 Labs Report Reveals Rise in Malicious Automation | The Fintech Times

• Microsoft Vows to Revamp Security Products After Repeated Hacks - Bloomberg

• Microsoft launches Secure Future Initiative to bolster security | TechTarget

• The 5 Cs of effective cyber defence: Beyond traditional technical skills | SC Media (scmagazine.com)

• 9 Innovative Ways to Boost Security Hygiene for Cyber Awareness Month (darkreading.com)

• How governments can keep data secure in a digital age - New Statesman

• Are startups underestimating their cyber vulnerability? | Insurance Business America (insurancebusinessmag.com)

• Preventing and preparing for law firm cyber security attacks is fundamental to success | Casetext - JDSupra

• Cyber security insights for secure manufacturing - Aerospace Manufacturing and Design

• Demystifying the top five OT security myths | Computer Weekly

• 20 scary cyber security facts and figures for a haunting Halloween (welivesecurity.com)

• Construction among industries most at risk from cyber attacks, insurer warns | News | Building

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Sector Specific

Industry specific threat intelligence reports are available.

Contact us to receive tailored reports specific to the industry/sector and geographies you operate in.

·       Automotive

·       Construction

·       Critical National Infrastructure (CNI)

·       Defence & Space

·       Education & Academia

·       Energy & Utilities

·       Estate Agencies

·       Financial Services

·       FinTech

·       Food & Agriculture

·       Gaming & Gambling

·       Government & Public Sector (including Law Enforcement)

·       Health/Medical/Pharma

·       Hotels & Hospitality

·       Insurance

·       Legal

·       Manufacturing

·       Maritime

·       Oil, Gas & Mining

·       OT, ICS, IIoT, SCADA & Cyber-Physical Systems

·       Retail & eCommerce

·       Small and Medium Sized Businesses (SMBs)

·       Startups

·       Telecoms

·       Third Sector & Charities

·       Transport & Aviation

·       Web3

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As usual, contact us to help assess where your risks lie and to ensure you are doing all you can do to keep you and your business secure.

Look out for our ‘Cyber Tip Tuesday’ video blog and on our YouTube channel.

You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

Links to articles are for interest and awareness and linking to or reposting external content does not endorse any service or product, likewise we are not responsible for the security of external links.

Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing 08 September 2023

Welcome to this week’s Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing – a weekly digest, collated and curated by our cyber experts to provide senior and middle management with an easy to digest round up of the most notable threats, vulnerabilities, and cyber related news from the last week.

Top Cyber Stories of the Last Week

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]

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Governance, Risk and Compliance

• The importance of CISOs is not recognised by senior leadership - IT Security Guru

• Why Businesses Ignore Incident Response at Their Peril - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Blame Culture: An Organisation's Ticking Time Bomb - IT Security Guru

• Spend to save: The CFO’s guide to cyber security investment (securityintelligence.com)

• More than half of UK organisations know they aren’t well protected against cyber threats - IT Security Guru

• Boards show confidence in their cyber security but still think they're at risk of attack (betanews.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

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Threats

Ransomware, Extortion and Destructive Attacks

• Ministry of Defence documents leaked by LockBit (techmonitor.ai)

• Attackers access military data through fencing supplier • The Register

• Yes, Ransomware is Still a Huge Problem | CSO Online

• Ransomware attackers are targeting exposed Microsoft SQL databases, report says (therecord.media)

• Ransomware and Data Breaches: Impacts Continue to Grow Louder (govtech.com)

• Ransomware attacks go beyond just data - Help Net Security

• 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)

• UK and US Sanction 11 Russians Tied to Conti/TrickBot Ransomware - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• 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)

• Maidstone: Secondary school hit by cyber attack - BBC News

• 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 Suffolk school (computing.co.uk)

• Cyber attack hits Wokingham's Maiden Erlegh School | Reading Chronicle

• Russian ransomware gang AlphV targets pathology company, law firms in latest string of attacks - ABC News

• LockBit ransomware gang hit the Commission des services electriques de Montréal (CSEM) (securityaffairs.com)

• 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)

• What Is Spear Phishing? A Comprehensive Guide - Sapphire

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)

• Chinese-Speaking Cyber Criminals Launch Large-Scale iMessage Smishing Campaign in US. (thehackernews.com)

• Okta Warns of Social Engineering Attacks Targeting Super Administrator Privileges (thehackernews.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)

• Cyber Security Concerns In AI: NCSC Flags Vulnerabilities In Chatbots And Language Models (informationsecuritybuzz.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)

• Beware of MalDoc in PDF: A New Polyglot Attack Allowing Attackers to Evade Antivirus (thehackernews.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 Report: The Evolution of BumbleBee - Understanding the Emerging New Threat (govinfosecurity.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

• It might be too soon to claim victory against Qakbot | Computer Weekly

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

• Many businesses still aren't using BYOD protection | TechRadar

Internet of Things – IoT

• Securing The IoT From The Threat China Poses To US Infrastructure (forbes.com)

• Tech Company Says Cars Collect 25 Gigabits of Data per Hour, Making Them Targets for Hacking | The Epoch Times

• 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)

• Pizza Hut Australia leaks one million customers' details, claims ShinyHunters hacking group (bitdefender.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

• Anonymity and illicit activities: Cyber security expert warns of risks and dangers associated with the dark web (newswise.com)

• 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)

• Russian Malware Targets Crypto Wallet: US and UK Intelligence Agencies Issue Joint Warning (cryptopotato.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

• Lawsuit blames Tesla for data breach it sued ex-staff over • The Register

Fraud, Scams & Financial Crime

• Popular 'As-a-Service' Operations Have Earned Cyber criminals over $64m - IT Security Guru

• Smishing Triad: China-Based Fraud Network Exposed - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• 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

• Three men arrested for stealing thousands of dollars by hacking into ATMs with a Raspberry Pi device | PC Gamer

• Airlines Battle Surge in Loyalty Program Fraud - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• How We Track Crypto Money Laundering for Off-Chain Crime (chainalysis.com)

• District of Massachusetts | Russian Businessman Sentenced to Nine Years in Prison in $93 Million Hack-to-Trade Conspiracy | United States Department of Justice

• Hundreds of Scam Pages Uncovered in Major Investment Fraud Campaign - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.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

• UK and US Sanction 11 Russians Tied to Conti/TrickBot Ransomware - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• 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

• Anonymity and illicit activities: Cyber security expert warns of risks and dangers associated with the dark web (newswise.com)

• The Initial Access Broker Economy: A Deep Dive into Dark Web Hacking Forums (bleepingcomputer.com)

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)

• University of Sydney suffered a security breach caused by a third-party service provider (securityaffairs.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)

• Cyber attacks attempt to crash 6 media sites globally using US. company RayoByte - Committee to Protect Journalists (cpj.org)

Software Supply Chain

• Software Supply Chain Strategies to Parry Dependency Confusion Attacks (darkreading.com)

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

• Beware: Deepfake Scams Could Target Your Next Zoom Meeting | Entrepreneur

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

• API Vulnerabilities: 74% of Organisations Report Multiple Breaches - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

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

• Twitter accused of helping Saudi Arabia commit human rights abuses | Saudi Arabia | The Guardian

• Meta Takes Down Thousands of Accounts Involved in Disinformation Ops from China and Russia (thehackernews.com)

Malvertising

• 'Atomic macOS Stealer' Malware Delivered via Malvertising Campaign - SecurityWeek

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

• Best practices for implementing a proper backup strategy - Help Net Security

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

• FBI Qakbot Takedown: Unanswered Questions (trendmicro.com)

• 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

• Revealed: Home Office secretly lobbied for facial recognition ‘spy’ company | Facial recognition | The Guardian

• Like privacy? Then smart devices are a dumb idea • The Register

• Streetlights as Spyware (techpolicy.press)

Misinformation, Disinformation and Propaganda

• Meta Takes Down Thousands of Accounts Involved in Disinformation Ops from China and Russia (thehackernews.com)

• Big Tech failed to police Russian disinformation: EU study • The Register

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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

• NCSC Report Reveals Persistent Threat and Russia’s Ongoing Cyber Operations in Ukraine | Defense Express (defence-ua.com)

• An inside look at Ukraine's cyber war with Russia : NPR

• 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)

• UK and US Sanction 11 Russians Tied to Conti/TrickBot Ransomware - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Russia, China behind majority of cyber attacks targeting German businesses (aa.com.tr)

• Meta Takes Down Thousands of Accounts Involved in Disinformation Ops from China and Russia (thehackernews.com)

• Russian Malware Targets Crypto Wallet: US and UK Intelligence Agencies Issue Joint Warning (cryptopotato.com)

• 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)

• Chinese-Speaking Cyber Criminals Launch Large-Scale iMessage Smishing Campaign in US. (thehackernews.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

• Meta Takes Down Thousands of Accounts Involved in Disinformation Ops from China and Russia (thehackernews.com)

• Microsoft reveals hackers compromised engineer account to gain access to government accounts - SiliconANGLE

• 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

• Global cyber weapon market set for substantial growth | Insurance Business America (insurancebusinessmag.com)

• Policy, Guns and Money: Cyber conflict, competition and cooperation | The Strategist (aspistrategist.org.au)

• 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

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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

• How to detect and patch a Log4J vulnerability  - IBM Blog

• 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

• High-Severity Vulnerability Discovered in Popular CMS - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Two flaws in Apache SuperSet allow to remotely hack servers (securityaffairs.com)

• Cisco Patches Critical Vulnerability in BroadWorks Platform - SecurityWeek

• Adobe ColdFusion Critical Vulnerabilities Exploited Despite Patches - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• 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)

• CISA Adds One Known Vulnerability to Catalog | CISA

• Cisco SSO authentication bug patched - Security - Networking - iTnews

• Eight vulnerabilities in Open Automation Software Platform could lead to information disclosure, improper authentication (talosintelligence.com)

• Multiple Nation-State Threat Actors Exploit CVE-2022-47966 and CVE-2022-42475 | CISA

• Security or performance? Zenbleed forces you to choose | Digital Trends

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Tools and Controls

• Many businesses still aren't using BYOD protection | TechRadar

• Why Businesses Ignore Incident Response at Their Peril - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• 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

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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

• New Nozomi Networks Study Finds EU Critical Infrastructure Companies Are Not Ready for NIS2 Compliance - IT Security Guru

• 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

• The tangible threat of cyber-kinetic attacks | 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

• Trustwave SpiderLabs Report Highlights Hospitality Industry Cybersecurity Threats (hotelnewsresource.com)

• 10 old-school security principles that (still) rule | CSO Online

• Surge in Hospital Hacks Endangers Patients, Cyber Official Says - WSJ

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Sector Specific

Industry specific threat intelligence reports are available.

Contact us to receive tailored reports specific to the industry/sector and geographies you operate in.

·         Automotive

·         Construction

·         Critical National Infrastructure (CNI)

·         Defence & Space

·         Education & Academia

·         Energy & Utilities

·         Estate Agencies

·         Financial Services

·         FinTech

·         Food & Agriculture

·         Gaming & Gambling

·         Government & Public Sector (including Law Enforcement)

·         Health/Medical/Pharma

·         Hotels & Hospitality

·         Insurance

·         Legal

·         Manufacturing

·         Maritime

·         Oil, Gas & Mining

·         OT, ICS, IIoT, SCADA & Cyber-Physical Systems

·         Retail & eCommerce

·         Small and Medium Sized Businesses (SMBs)

·         Startups

·         Telecoms

·         Third Sector & Charities

·         Transport & Aviation

·         Web3

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As usual, contact us to help assess where your risks lie and to ensure you are doing all you can do to keep you and your business secure.

Look out for our ‘Cyber Tip Tuesday’ video blog and on our YouTube channel.

You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

Links to articles are for interest and awareness and linking to or reposting external content does not endorse any service or product, likewise we are not responsible for the security of external links.

Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing 25 August 2023

Welcome to this week’s Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing – a weekly digest, collated and curated by our cyber experts to provide senior and middle management with an easy to digest round up of the most notable threats, vulnerabilities, and cyber related news from the last week.

Top Cyber Stories of the Last Week

Cloud Hosting Firm Loses All Customer Data After Ransomware Attack

CloudNordic, a Danish cloud hosting provider, has told customers to consider all of their data as having been lost following a ransomware infection that encrypted the large Danish cloud provider. The threat actors had destroyed the organisation’s backups, which prevented the firm from recovering effectively. The attack also impacted AzeroCloud, which is owned by the same company.

Worryingly, many organisations believe that having backups and using the cloud is enough for them to be able to recover from any cyber incident; unfortunately, as shown in the CloudNordic and AzeroCloud attacks, it is not enough. Organisations need to have a recovery plan in place which is tested and improved, to best strengthen themselves in the event of a cyber incident.

Sources: [The Register] [Bleeping Computer] [Help Net Security]

Would You Infect Others to Rid Yourself of Ransomware?

Hackers continually develop ransomware with new and creative attack methods that keep internet security professionals on their toes and pose challenges for people trying to detect threats. Victims of ransomware usually see messages asking them to pay for file access restoration; however, the Popcorn Time ransomware group takes a different approach to getting victims involved.

The Popcorn Time ransomware approach works via the referral method. The ransomware group is willing to give victims access to their files if they send the referral link to two other people, extending the attacker’s reach. Most people would hesitate to distribute a ransomware link through email, WhatsApp, or another method that is easy for victims to identify them as the perpetrators. Law enforcement bodies categorise ransomware attacks as crimes that come with hefty fines and prison time. Even those choosing to send the links to people they know face disastrous consequences beyond law enforcement, including the loss of jobs and relationships.

Source: [CyberNews]

Artificial Intelligence and USBs Drive 8% Rise in Cyber Attacks

Checkpoint’s 2023 Mid-Year Security Report shows an 8% surge in global weekly cyber attacks during Q2, marking the most significant increase in two years. The report highlights the fusion of advanced artificial intelligence (AI) technology with traditional tools like USB devices used for disruptive cyber attacks.

Other significant findings include the evolution of ransomware tactics. The report found that ransomware groups are exploiting vulnerabilities in common corporate software and shifting focus from encrypting data to stealing it. USB devices have resurfaced as threats, employed by both state-affiliated groups and cyber-criminals to distribute malware globally. The misuse of AI has escalated, as attackers use generative AI tools for phishing emails, keystroke monitoring malware and basic ransomware code.

Source: [InfoSecurity Magazine]

Ransomware Attacks Broke Records in July, Mainly Driven By One Group

A number of ransomware actors are utilising the threat of releasing sensitive data to get organisations to pay ransoms; in some cases this is combined with encryption to give the actor two avenues of payment. A report has found there were over 500 attacks last month, an increase of 153% compared to one year ago, and a 16% increase compared to June. Within Europe, there was a 59% increase in ransomware attacks from June to July.

Part of the significant rise is due to the ransomware group called Cl0p, whose attack on the MOVEit software has accounted for hundreds of victims this year. The Cl0p ransomware group has kept its promise to publish files on the clearweb of all its victims if contact was not made. The clearweb is simply what we know as the internet; anyone can access it. As such, there will be many organisations who are now having their sensitive data published and readily viewable for anyone who has access to the internet.

Sources: [Gov Info Seccurity] [Security Week] [ZDNET] [Cyber News]

Cyber Risk in The Boardroom

The relationship between the CISO and the wider boardroom has become increasingly cooperative, with 77% of CEO’s seeing cyber as a strategic function and a potential source of competitive advantage. While it is ultimately up to the board to take steps to keep cybersecurity high on the agenda, the CISO also has a responsibility to press the message and bridge any gaps.

CISOs must deliver concerns, strategies and recommendations in a business-first manner, while avoiding jargon and overly technical language. Attracting and retaining good quality senior security professionals is very challenging in the current market and Black Arrow offer a fractional CISO service, giving access to a whole team of specialists with wider expertise, experience and backgrounds, for less than the cost of hiring one individual.

Sources: [Security Week] [TechRadar]

Malware-Infected Advertising Grows Ever More Sophisticated, And More Damaging

The malware exploits known as malware-infected ads, or malvertising, have been around for decades, but new reports point to a steady rise in efficacy. With malvertising, the infected ads are typically placed on legitimate ad networks, which makes them more difficult to spot and remove. The technique continues to use more and more sophisticated mechanisms for getting their infections spread throughout the web and keeping them running for a long time. The exploits can operate in one of several ways, including intercepting a user’s clickstream on random hyperlinks and substituting them with redirects to advertising websites.

Adblockers either on endpoints or at the network level can also help to prevent malvertising from causing harm.

Source: [SiliconAngle]

Cyber Security is Everyone’s Responsibility

A recent survey found that 41% of respondents said that poor quality training, or a lack of training altogether, and insider threats were impacting their organisation’s security. Cyber security involves everyone as any employee can be an entry point for a cyber incident, but they also have the power to prevent one. It is important to make sure all employees are provided adequate training. Not every role requires the same training however, so it is important for organisations to identify and provide training that is appropriate to employees. Black Arrow provide live in person and online instructor lead cyber security training, both through Cyber Risk and Governance Workshops for Senior Leadership and Awareness, Behaviour and Culture Training for employees and contractors.

Source: [IT Pro Today]

QR Code Hacks Are Another Thing to Worry About Now

One of the upcoming technologies thrust upon us is QR codes. At this point, you can find them at most restaurants and parking sites. You simply scan the code and you are taken to the relevant site, for example, the menu for the restaurant. Attackers have cottoned on to this and started to use QR codes in phishing attacks; the idea being that the victim will scan the code without scrutinising it and be taken to a malicious website instead.

Source: [Bloomberg]

Security Basics Aren’t So Basic Anymore

The basics of cyber security, it turns out, aren’t so basic anymore. What was considered basic has moved way beyond just having firewalls and antivirus, and the most basic controls nowadays include more advanced controls such as robust identity and access management, multi-factor authentication (MFA) and patching and vulnerability management. Many of these now basic controls are lacking or non-existent across the economy according to cyber security experts. A report found that only 28% of Microsoft users had MFA enabled as 2022 closed.

You can’t solve all the problems at once. However, progress on these fronts also relies heavily on the need for a cultural shift. Organisations need to get to the point where they view cyber security in the same light as locks on doors and seatbelts in cars.

Source: [CioDive]

Apple MacOS Security Myths

Apple has maintained a reputation as being more secure than other manufacturers, and whilst Apple has put many different security mechanisms into its operating system, no technology is bulletproof. Assuming an Apple device is invulnerable can lead users to believe that their Mac will not get viruses or be subject to a plethora of other cyber threats. As a result, this can lead to poor cyber hygiene from the individual, as they assume they are safe regardless of what they do. Apple users need to remain every bit as aware of risks, social engineering, keeping devices up to date, and having appropriate security controls.

Source: [Huntress]

Security Leaders Report Misalignment of Investments and Risk Reduction

The cyber risk landscape was analysed in a recent report that examined the amount of risk that organisations are willing to accept, their resource constraints and key priorities for approaching cyber risk in the future. The report found 66% of respondents indicating that they have limited visibility and insight into their cyber risk profiles, hindering their ability to prioritise investments and allocate resources effectively. 67% of organisations experienced a breach requiring attention within the last two years despite having traditional threat-based security measures in place. Further, 61% of security executives expressed concerns over the current misalignment between cyber security investments and their organisation's risk reduction priorities.

Source: [InfoSecurity Magazine]

Many CISOs Tout SaaS (Cloud) Cyber Security Confidence, but 79% Admit to Incidents

Cyber security, IT, and business leaders alike recognise SaaS (cloud) cyber security as an increasingly important part of the cyber threat landscape. And at first glance, respondents appear generally optimistic about their SaaS cyber security as 85% answered that they are confident or very confident in their company's or customer's data security in sanctioned SaaS apps.

Despite the confidence, 79% of respondents confirmed that their organisation had identified SaaS cyber security incidents over the past 12 months. Many of those incidents occurred in environments with cyber security policies in place and enforced, as 66% of respondents claimed in their responses.

Source: [The Hacker News]

If You Ever Used Duolingo, Watch Out for Phishing Email

Users of Duolingo, past and present, should be wary of phishing emails as data on about 2.6 million accounts were scraped through an exposed application programming interface (API), and then offered on a hacking forum back in January. Login and real names, email addresses, phone numbers, and courses studied were part of the collection, which went for $1,500. Now that data has resurfaced on a different forum, and at a substantially lower cost of just a few dollars, users of the service can expect this data to be used in fresh phishing campaigns.

Source: [PCWorld]

91% of Security and IT Professionals: Criminals are Already Using AI in Email Attacks

Recent research found that 91% of security and IT professionals are noticing cyber criminals already using AI as part of email attack campaigns, with 74% indicating they have experienced an increase in the use of AI by cyber criminals in the past six months. This is worrying as 52% reported that email security is among one of their top three concerns.

Organisations need to make sure that their technologies, procedures and policies are updated to factor in AI-enabled email attacks to help reduce the risk they pose to the organisation. Such improvements should also include employees.

Source: [PR Newswire]

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Governance, Risk and Compliance

• Cyber security 'number one on the agenda in boardrooms,' Cramer says (cnbc.com)

• Firms have mere hours to deflect cyber attacks, warns cyber security CEO (cointelegraph.com)

• The End of “Groundhog Day” for the Security in the Boardroom Discussion? - SecurityWeek

• Cyber risk: the view across the boardroom table | TechRadar

• Too many businesses struggling to hire and retain talent, amplifying security risks – Digital Journal

• How Cyber Security Leaders Can Help Lower Expenses While Reducing Risk (informationweek.com)

• Who’s Your Next Cyber Chief? Good Question. (wsj.com)

• Cyber crime: A Multi-Billion-Dollar Industry (thecyberwire.com)

• How the downmarket impacted enterprise cyber security budgets - Help Net Security

• What is Risk Analysis? | Definition from TechTarget

• When Leadership Style Is a Security Risk (darkreading.com)

• The Changing Landscape of Cyber Security Education (inforisktoday.com)

• Protect Your Cyber Security Budget and Your Organisation | Dell USA

• Rapid cyber attacks demand modernised security, says Palo Alto CEO (crypto.news)

• Cyber security Is Everyone’s Responsibility | ITPro Today: IT News, How-Tos, Trends, Case Studies, Career Tips, More

• The Cost of 'Good Enough' Security - GovInfoSecurity

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Threats

Ransomware, Extortion and Destructive Attacks

• Cl0p dumps all MOVEit victim data on clearnet, threat insiders talk ransom strategy | Cybernews

• Cuba ransomware gang looking for unpatched Veeam installations: Report | IT Business

• Ransomware attacks broke records in July, mainly driven by this one group | ZDNET

• Hosting firm says it lost all customer data after ransomware attack (bleepingcomputer.com)

• FE News | 70% of secondary schools have experienced a cyber incident. BIP shares three ways they can protect against attacks ahead of results day

• Cyber Attacks have left some hospital computers offline for 2 weeks, closing ERs and postponing surgeries

• Continued MOVEit Exploitation Drives Record Ransomware Attacks - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Would You Infect Others to Rid Yourself of Ransomware? (makeuseof.com)

• How Application Allowlisting Combats Ransomware Attacks (securityintelligence.com)

• Akira ransomware gang spotted targeting Cisco VPN products to hack organisations-Security Affairs

• Scarab Ransomware Deployed Worldwide Via Spacecolon Toolset - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Why Ransomware Gangs Opt for Encryption-Less Attacks (govinfosecurity.com)

• MOVEit Health Data Breach Tally Keeps Growing (inforisktoday.com)

• British intelligence is tipping off ransomware targets to disrupt attacks (therecord.media)

• What the Hive Ransomware Case Says About RaaS and Cryptocurrency (darkreading.com)

• 6 Ransomware Trends & Evolutions For 2023 (trendmicro.com)

• New Study Sheds Light on ADHUBLLKA Ransomware Network - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• North Korea ready to cash out more than $40 million in Bitcoin after summer of attacks, warns FBI | Tripwire

• Ransomware dwell time hits new low - Help Net Security

• Three trends to watch in the growing threat landscape (betanews.com)

Ransomware Victims

• Cl0p dumps all MOVEit victim data on clearnet, threat insiders talk ransom strategy | Cybernews

• Hosting firm says it lost all customer data after ransomware attack (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Cyber attacks have left some hospital computers offline for 2 weeks, closing ERs and postponing surgeries

• BlackCat ransomware group claims the hack of Seiko network -Security Affairs

• Ransomware gang threatens Raleigh Housing Authority months after devastating attack (therecord.media)

• The Estée Lauder Cos. Addresses Cyber security Attack – WWD

• Mysterious Cyber Attack Shuts Down Yet More Telescopes For Weeks | IFLScience

• St Helens Council hit by suspected Ransomware cyber attack | St Helens Star

Phishing & Email Based Attacks

• 91% of security pros say cyber criminals are using AI in email attacks | Security Magazine

• Insurer Denies Coverage Under Professional Liability Policy for Lawyer’s Email Compromise | Robinson+Cole Data Privacy + Security Insider - JDSupra

• Cyber criminals turn to AI to bypass modern email security measures - Help Net Security

• New Generation of Phishing Hides Behind Trusted Services (securityintelligence.com)

• New phishing campaign recognised in Europe and South America | Security Magazine

• If you ever used Duolingo, watch out for phishing emails | PCWorld

• Open redirect flaws increasingly exploited by phishers - Help Net Security

• How to spot phishing on a hacked WordPress website | Kaspersky official blog

• The Dual Role of AI in Email Security - GovInfoSecurity

• New Telegram Bot "Telekopye" Powering Large-scale Phishing Scams from Russia (thehackernews.com)

• eBay Users Beware Russian 'Telekopye' Telegram Phishing Bot (darkreading.com)

• Phish in a Barrel: Real-World Cyber Attack Examples (govinfosecurity.com)

• Email Security: Top 5 Threats and How to Protect Your Business - ReadWrite

BEC – Business Email Compromise

• 91% of security pros say cyber criminals are using AI in email attacks | Security Magazine

• Breaking Down BEC: The Modern CISO’s Framework for Identifying, Classifying and Stopping Email Fraud (govinfosecurity.com)

Other Social Engineering; Smishing, Vishing, etc

• Blockchain Capital’s Bart Stephens Lost $6.3 Million In SIM-Swap Hack (forbes.com)

• What Is Virtual Kidnapping and How Can You Fight It? (makeuseof.com)

Artificial Intelligence

• 91% of Security and IT Professionals Agree Cyber Criminals are Already Using AI in Email Attacks, per Report from SlashNext and Osterman Research (prnewswire.com)

• Artificial Intelligence and USBs Drive 8% Rise in Cyber-Attacks - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Deceptive AI Bots Spread Malware, Raise Security Concerns - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Cyber criminals turn to AI to bypass modern email security measures - Help Net Security

• Compliance, Risk Management and Security Are Being Impact by Generative AI... But How? | The Fintech Times

• Tricks for making AI chatbots break rules are freely available online | New Scientist

• What Is Virtual Kidnapping and How Can You Fight It? (makeuseof.com)

• Generative AI Is Scraping Your Data. So, Now What? (darkreading.com)

• Fake versions of Google Bard are spreading malware | TechRadar

• AI and the evolution of surveillance systems - Help Net Security

• The Dual Role of AI in Email Security - GovInfoSecurity

• Thinking of Deploying Generative AI? You May Already Have (govinfosecurity.com)

• Three trends to watch in the growing threat landscape (betanews.com)

• Careful -- Hackers are targeting Google Bard ads for malware | Digital Trends

Malware

• Deceptive AI Bots Spread Malware, Raise Security Concerns - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Serious WinRAR Flaw Can Be Exploited to Launch Malware (pcmag.com)

• Hackers use VPN provider's code certificate to sign malware (bleepingcomputer.com)

• HiatusRAT Malware Resurfaces: Taiwan Firms and US Military Under Attack (thehackernews.com) Ask the Mac Guy: macOS Security Myths (huntress.com)

• New Variant of XLoader macOS Malware Disguised as 'OfficeNote' Productivity App (thehackernews.com)

• New "Whiffy Recon" Malware Triangulates Infected Device Location via Wi-Fi Every Minute (thehackernews.com)

• Researchers Uncover New Lazarus Group Malware Details | Decipher (duo.com)

Mobile

• New stealthy Android malware stumps antivirus, poses huge threat to phones, study reveals | Tech News (hindustantimes.com)

• Thousands of Android Malware Apps Using Stealthy APK Compression to Evade Detection (thehackernews.com)

• “Snakes in airplane mode” – what if your phone says it’s offline but isn’t? – Naked Security (sophos.com)

• Google wants to fight pre-installed Android malware | TechSpot

• Children and smartphones: How to protect and guide them from bullying, phishing and grooming – The Irish Times

Denial of Service/DoS/DDOS

• DDoS Attacks in H1 2023 Up 200% from 2022 According to New Zayo Data | Business Wire

Internet of Things – IoT

• TP-Link smart bulbs can let hackers steal your WiFi password (bleepingcomputer.com)

• When Your Home Security System Turns the Camera on You | The Epoch Times

• Anticipating the next wave of IoT cyber security challenges - Help Net Security

• The Physical Impact of Cyber Attacks on Cities (darkreading.com)

• Smart Cities: Utopian Dream, Security Nightmare, or Political Gimmick? - SecurityWeek

• Yes, Your Electric Vehicle Could Be Hacked - IEEE Spectrum

Data Breaches/Leaks

• Insurer Denies Coverage Under Professional Liability Policy for Lawyer’s Email Compromise | Robinson+Cole Data Privacy + Security Insider - JDSupra

• Tesla Data Breach Investigation Reveals Inside Job (darkreading.com)

• Leak of 75k staff records was insiders' fault, Tesla claims • The Register

• Guernsey CCTV investigation widened after more footage leaked | Bailiwick Express Jersey

• Scraped data of 2.6 million Duolingo users released on hacking forum (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Thousands of Charity Donors Have Details Leaked Onto Dark Web | The Epoch Times

• How a Christie’s website revealed where people kept their art | The Seattle Times

• Defence contractor Belcan leaks admin password with a list of flaws-Security Affairs

• Critical Insight Report: 15% Drop in Breaches, 31% Surge in Victims - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• What lessons must be learned from the Electoral Register cyber attack? | theHRD (thehrdirector.com)

• 5 Early Warning Indicators That Are Key to Protecting National Secrets (darkreading.com)

• Sensitive Data of 10m at Risk After French Employment Agency Breach - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• University of Minnesota Confirms Data Breach, Says Ransomware Not Involved - SecurityWeek

Organised Crime & Criminal Actors

• Check Point reveals 8% spike in global cyber attacks by mid-2023 (securitybrief.co.nz)

• Attack Dwell Times Fall but Threat Actors Are Moving Faster - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• UK Court Convicts Lapsus$ Hacker for Breaching ISP BT and EE UPDATE - ISPreview UK

• Cyber crime: A Multi-Billion-Dollar Industry (thecyberwire.com)

• Bruce Schneier gets inside the hacker's mind | CyberScoop

• Hacking group KittenSec claims to 'pwn anything we see' to expose corruption | CyberScoop

• Ransomware dwell time hits new low - Help Net Security

Cryptocurrency/Cryptomining/Cryptojacking/NFTs/Blockchain

• Blockchain Capital’s Bart Stephens Lost $6.3 Million In SIM-Swap Hack (forbes.com)

• What the Hive Ransomware Case Says About RaaS and Cryptocurrency (darkreading.com)

• North Korea ready to cash out more than $40 million in Bitcoin after summer of attacks, warns FBI | Tripwire

Insider Risk and Insider Threats

• Leak of 75k staff records was insiders' fault, Tesla claims • The Register

• Police Insider Tipped Off Criminal Friend About EncroChat Bust - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Three trends to watch in the growing threat landscape (betanews.com)

• Phish in a Barrel: Real-World Cyber Attack Examples (govinfosecurity.com)

Fraud, Scams & Financial Crime

• Interpol arrest 14 who allegedly scammed $40m from victims • The Register

• Germany Hunts for Cyber Criminals Amid Billion-Euro Scams - Bloomberg

• Billion Dollar Heist: The simple typo that stopped the Bangladesh bank robbers from stealing $1 billion (ladbible.com)

• Sneaky Amazon Google ad leads to Microsoft support scam (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Blockchain Capital’s Bart Stephens Lost $6.3 Million In SIM-Swap Hack (forbes.com)

• Surge in identity crime victims reporting suicidal thoughts - Help Net Security

Impersonation Attacks

• How to spot phishing on a hacked WordPress website | Kaspersky official blog

Deepfakes

• What Is Virtual Kidnapping and How Can You Fight It? (makeuseof.com)

Insurance

• Insurer Denies Coverage Under Professional Liability Policy for Lawyer’s Email Compromise | Robinson+Cole Data Privacy + Security Insider - JDSupra

• Cyber security insurance is missing the risk - Help Net Security

• Cyber Security Insurance Market worth $17.6 billion by 2028 - Exclusive Report by MarketsandMarkets™ (prnewswire.com)

• Cyber Security Insurance Market Size & Share Analysis - (globenewswire.com)

• The Shifting Dynamics of Cyber Insurance - BankInfoSecurity

• Global Cyber Security Insurance Market to Reach USD 33.4 Billion by 2028, Driven by Rising Cyber Threats and Regulatory Compliance (prnewswire.com)

Dark Web

• Thousands of Charity Donors Have Details Leaked Onto Dark Web | The Epoch Times

Supply Chain and Third Parties

• New Chinese APT Group Launches Supply Chain Attacks - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• New Supply Chain Attack Hit Close to 100 Victims—and Clues Point to China | WIRED

• Supply chain as kill chain | ITPro

Cloud/SaaS

• The Importance Of SaaS Backup And Disaster Recovery: Reasons To Consider (informationsecuritybuzz.com)

• Cloud hosting firms hit by devastating ransomware attack - Help Net Security

• Warning: Attackers Abusing Legitimate Internet Services (inforisktoday.com)

• How to conduct a cloud security assessment | TechTarget

• Maintaining consistent security in diverse cloud infrastructures - Help Net Security

• How API authentication vulnerabilities are at the center of cloud security concerns | CSO Online

• CISOs Tout SaaS Cyber Security Confidence, But 79% Admit to SaaS Incidents, New Report Finds (thehackernews.com)

• Lack of visibility into cloud access policies leaves enterprises flying blind - Help Net Security

• Cloud services are creating more cyber-risks for telcos   - Mobile Europe

Identity and Access Management

• Ongoing Duo outage causes Azure Auth authentication errors (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Cisco's Duo Security suffers major authentication outage • The Register

Encryption

• Apple security updates could be banned by British government (9to5mac.com)

API

• Understanding how attackers exploit APIs is more important than ever - Help Net Security

• How API authentication vulnerabilities are at the centre of cloud security concerns | CSO Online

Biometrics

• ICO publishes guidance on use of biometric data in the UK - Tech Monitor

• Is Facial Recognition Technology Becoming a Privacy Risk? (makeuseof.com)

• Facial Recognition Technology (FRT) Statistics for 2023 (techreport.com)

• Biometric payment systems raise privacy concerns (iapp.org)

Social Media

• Global warning issued on social media data scraping (iapp.org)

Malvertising

• Sneaky Amazon Google ad leads to Microsoft support scam (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Malware-infected advertising grows ever more sophisticated, and lethal - SiliconANGLE

• Careful -- Hackers are targeting Google Bard ads for malware | Digital Trends

Training, Education and Awareness

• 2023 Cyber Security Awareness Month Appeal: Make Online Security Easier (govtech.com)

• The Changing Landscape of Cyber Security Education (inforisktoday.com)

Parental Controls and Child Safety

• Report reveals insights on cyber security conversations with children | Security Magazine

• Children and smartphones: How to protect and guide them from bullying, phishing and grooming – The Irish Times

Cyber Bullying, Cyber Stalking and Sextortion

• Nearly a third of young people preyed on by "text pest" delivery drivers (bitdefender.com)

Regulations, Fines and Legislation

• Apple security updates could be banned by British government (9to5mac.com)

• How EU lawmakers can make mandatory vulnerability disclosure responsible - Help Net Security

• Cyber Security Laws and Regulations in Germany | UpGuard

• Morgan Stanley Fined for UK Energy Trading WhatsApp Breach (yahoo.com)

• New NCUA Rule Requires Swift Cyber Incident Reporting - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• SEC Cyber Security Rules: Considerations for Incident Response Planning | Holland & Knight LLP - JDSupra

• Controversial Cyber crime Law Passes in Jordan (darkreading.com)

• Experian Pays $650,000 to Settle Spam Claims - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Strengthening Cyber Security In Finance: A Look At EU DORA Regulations (forbes.com)

• Proposed bill would require vulnerability disclosure policies for all federal contractors (therecord.media)

Backup and Recovery

• The Importance Of SaaS Backup And Disaster Recovery: Reasons To Consider (informationsecuritybuzz.com)

Data Protection

• ICO publishes guidance on use of biometric data in the UK - Tech Monitor

• Experian Pays $650,000 to Settle Spam Claims - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

Careers, Working in Cyber and Information Security

• Too many businesses struggling to hire and retain talent, amplifying security risks – Digital Journal

• Unrealistic expectations exacerbate the cyber security talent shortage - Help Net Security

• It's Time to Approach The Cyber Security Skills Gap Differently - IT Security Guru

• How To Become Chief Information Security Officer - The Economic Times (indiatimes.com)

• 4 ways simulation training alleviates team burnout - Help Net Security

• Government Urges More Students to Be Cyber Explorers - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Tens of thousands of students receive free training to build cyber skills - The Business Magazine

• 90% of Consumers Worry Cyber Security’s Future Is in Jeopardy if Students Aren’t Exposed to the Field at an Earlier Age - IT Security Guru

• 5 Ways SMBs Can Bridge the Cyber Security Skills Gap | Mimecast

• The Importance of Accessible and Inclusive Cyber Security (securityintelligence.com)

Law Enforcement Action and Take Downs

• Interpol arrest 14 who allegedly scammed $40m from victims • The Register

• UK Court Convicts Lapsus$ Hacker for Breaching ISP BT and EE UPDATE - ISPreview UK

• Two dozen arrested, hundreds of malicious IPs taken down in African cyber crime operation | CyberScoop

• Germany Hunts for Cyber Criminals Amid Billion-Euro Scams - Bloomberg

• Police Insider Tipped Off Criminal Friend About EncroChat Bust - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

Privacy, Surveillance and Mass Monitoring

• Is Facial Recognition Technology Becoming a Privacy Risk? (makeuseof.com)

• When Your Home Security System Turns the Camera on You | The Epoch Times

• Biometric payment systems raise privacy concerns (iapp.org)

• AI and the evolution of surveillance systems - Help Net Security

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

Russia

• Intelligence agencies warn foreign spies are targeting US space companies - Times of India (indiatimes.com)

• Incident response lessons learned from the Russian attack on Viasat | CSO Online

• Ukrainian hackers claim to leak emails of Russian parliament deputy chief (therecord.media)

• New Telegram Bot "Telekopye" Powering Large-scale Phishing Scams from Russia (thehackernews.com)

China

• Mounting Cyber Espionage and Hacking Threat from China - Modern Diplomacy

• Cyberespionage campaign by China's Ministry of State Security. CSRB will look into cyberespionage against Microsoft Exchange. Attacks against industrial systems. Threats to satellite communications. (thecyberwire.com)

• HiatusRAT Malware Resurfaces: Taiwan Firms and US Military Under Attack (thehackernews.com)

• New Chinese APT Group Launches Supply Chain Attacks - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• New Supply Chain Attack Hit Close to 100 Victims—and Clues Point to China | WIRED

• Exposed: the Chinese spy using LinkedIn to hunt UK secrets (thetimes.co.uk)

• FBI: Suspected Chinese actors continue Barracuda ESG attacks | TechTarget

• Microsoft says Chinese hacking crew is targeting Taiwan | CyberScoop

• US space companies face foreign spy threat, intelligence agencies say (usatoday.com) 

North Korea

• N. Korean Kimsuky APT targets S. Korea-US military exercises-Security Affairs

• Researchers Uncover New Lazarus Group Malware Details | Decipher (duo.com)

• North Korea ready to cash out more than $40 million in Bitcoin after summer of attacks, warns FBI | Tripwire

Misc/Other/Unknown

• Syrian Threat Actor EVLF Unmasked as Creator of CypherRAT and CraxsRAT Android Malware (thehackernews.com)

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Vulnerability Management

• NCSC issues warning on cyber vulnerabilities (ukdefencejournal.org.uk)

• How EU lawmakers can make mandatory vulnerability disclosure responsible - Help Net Security

Vulnerabilities

• Juniper Networks fixes flaws leading to RCE in firewalls and switches - Help Net Security

• Serious WinRAR Flaw Can Be Exploited to Launch Malware (pcmag.com)

• Ivanti issues fix for third zero-day flaw exploited in the wild | TechTarget

• Ivanti Ships Urgent Patch for API Authentication Bypass Vulnerability - SecurityWeek

• FBI: Patches for Recent Barracuda ESG Zero-Day Ineffective - SecurityWeek

• GDS: Microsoft, Intel confirm "Downfall" of 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th Gen CPUs, firmware out - Neowin

• Critical Adobe ColdFusion Flaw Added to CISA's Exploited Vulnerability Catalog (thehackernews.com)

• 3,000 Openfire Servers Exposed to Attacks Targeting Recent Vulnerability - SecurityWeek

• Western Digital patches potentially dangerous security flaw, so update now | TechRadar

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Tools and Controls

• The Importance Of SaaS Backup And Disaster Recovery: Reasons To Consider (informationsecuritybuzz.com)

• How Cyber Security Leaders Can Help Lower Expenses While Reducing Risk (informationweek.com)

• Security leaders report misalignment of investments and risk reduction | Security Magazine

• Cyber security insurance is missing the risk - Help Net Security

• Cyber security Insurance Market worth $17.6 billion by 2028

• Bolstering Cyber Security: Why Browser Security Is Crucial (inforisktoday.com)

• How Application Allowlisting Combats Ransomware Attacks (securityintelligence.com)

• The Vanishing Data Loss Prevention (DLP) Category - IT Security Guru

• Cyber Security: CASB vs SASE-Security Affairs

• Unveiling the Hidden Risks of Routing Protocols (darkreading.com)

• Hackers use VPN provider's code certificate to sign malware (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Network detection and response in the modern era - Help Net Security

• What’s Beyond SASE? The Next Steps (informationsecuritybuzz.com)

• Prevention First: Don’t Neglect Endpoint Security | CSO Online

• More Than Half of Browser Extensions Pose Security Risks (darkreading.com)

• Protect Your Cyber Security Budget and Your Organisation | Dell USA

• How the downmarket impacted enterprise cyber security budgets - Help Net Security

• Compliance, Risk Management and Security Are Being Impact by Generative AI... But How? | The Fintech Times

• SEC Cyber Security Rules: Considerations for Incident Response Planning

• How to conduct a cloud security assessment | TechTarget

• Maintaining consistent security in diverse cloud infrastructures - Help Net Security

• How API authentication vulnerabilities are at the centre of cloud security concerns | CSO Online

• The Needs of a Modernized SOC for Hybrid Cloud (securityintelligence.com)

• 2023 Cyber Security Awareness Month Appeal: Make Online Security Easier (govtech.com)

• The MOVEit hack and what it taught us about application security (bleepingcomputer.com)

• The Changing Landscape of Cyber Security Education (inforisktoday.com)

• The Dual Role of AI in Email Security - GovInfoSecurity

• Akamai Survey Finds Third-Party Defences Help Reduce Risk from Online Threats (prnewswire.com)

• The Shifting Dynamics of Cyber Insurance - BankInfoSecurity

• Global Cyber Security Insurance Market to Reach USD 33.4 Billion by 2028, Driven by Rising Cyber Threats and Regulatory Compliance (prnewswire.com)

• 5 Best Practices for Implementing Risk-First Cyber Security (darkreading.com)

• What's Going on With LastPass, and is it Safe to Use? (securityintelligence.com)

• Malicious web application transactions skyrocket 500% (securitybrief.co.nz)

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Other News

• Our health care system may soon receive a much-needed cyber security boost | Ars Technica

• Swan Retail cyber attack: 300 retailers crippled by breach (techmonitor.ai)

• Cyber Attackers lie in wait as federal tech agencies brace for a mass exit of top officials - Washington Times

• Cyber Attack on Energy One affects corporate systems in Australia and the UK | CSO Online

• Vendors criticize Microsoft for repeated security failings | TechTarget

• Microsoft's become a cyber security titan. That could be a problem - Tech Monitor

• Global Naval Communication Market Research Report (globenewswire.com)

• The CSO guide to top security conferences | CSO Online

• IT's rising role in physical security technology - Help Net Security

• Construction businesses are at risk as nation-state attacks are on the rise - Construction & Civil Engineering magazine (ccemagazine.com)

• Hackers knocked out San Francisco's main real estate database | Fortune

• Microsoft's 6 Biggest Hacks: Is Better Security Needed? (makeuseof.com)

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Sector Specific

Industry specific threat intelligence reports are available.

Contact us to receive tailored reports specific to the industry/sector and geographies you operate in.

·         Automotive

·         Construction

·         Critical National Infrastructure (CNI)

·         Defence & Space

·         Education & Academia

·         Energy & Utilities

·         Estate Agencies

·         Financial Services

·         FinTech

·         Food & Agriculture

·         Gaming & Gambling

·         Government & Public Sector (including Law Enforcement)

·         Health/Medical/Pharma

·         Hotels & Hospitality

·         Insurance

·         Legal

·         Manufacturing

·         Maritime

·         Oil, Gas & Mining

·         OT, ICS, IIoT, SCADA & Cyber-Physical Systems

·         Retail & eCommerce

·         Small and Medium Sized Businesses (SMBs)

·         Startups

·         Telecoms

·         Third Sector & Charities

·         Transport & Aviation

·         Web3

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As usual, contact us to help assess where your risks lie and to ensure you are doing all you can do to keep you and your business secure.

Look out for our ‘Cyber Tip Tuesday’ video blog and on our YouTube channel.

You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

Links to articles are for interest and awareness and linking to or reposting external content does not endorse any service or product, likewise we are not responsible for the security of external links.

Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing 26 May 2023

Welcome to this week’s Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing – a weekly digest, collated and curated by our cyber experts to provide senior and middle management with an easy to digest round up of the most notable threats, vulnerabilities, and cyber related news from the last week.

Top Cyber Stories of the Last Week

• 50% of UK CEOs see Cyber as a Bigger Business Risk than the Economy

Half of UK CEOs consider cyber security as a bigger risk to their organisation than economic uncertainty, a new study by Palo Alto Networks has found. The findings came from a survey of 2500 CEOs from the UK, Germany, France, Brazil and the UAE at large organisations (500+ employees).

Despite the recognition of the business threats posed by cyber attacks, UK CEOs have a lower level of understanding of cyber security risks than their international counterparts, with just 16% saying they have a complete understanding. This compares to 21% in Brazil, 21% in the UAE, 22% in France and 39% in Germany. Additionally, many UK CEOs feel detached from responsibility for cyber security at their organisations, instead leaving it to the responsibility of IT, although IT is only part of the solution.

https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/uk-ceo-cyber-risk-economy/

• Report Finds 78% of Organisations Felt Prepared for Ransomware Attacks, Yet Half Still Fell Victim

Fortinet has unveiled its 2023 Global Ransomware Report based on a recent global survey and explores cyber security leaders’ perspectives on ransomware, particularly how it impacted their organisations in the last year and their strategies to mitigate an attack. The report found that the global threat of ransomware remains at peak levels, with half of organisations across all sizes, regions and industries falling victim in the last year.

The top challenges to stopping a ransomware attack were people and process related, with many organisations lacking clarity on how to secure against the threat. Specifically, four out of the five top challenges to stopping ransomware were people or process related. The second largest challenge was a lack of clarity on how to secure against the threat as a result of a lack of user awareness and training and no clear chain-of-command strategy to deal with attacks.

Despite the global macroeconomic environment, security budgets will have to increase in the next year with a focus on AI/ML technologies to speed detection, centralised monitoring tools to speed response and better preparation of people and processes.

https://www.itweb.co.za/content/mYZRX79g8gRqOgA8

• SMBs and Regional MSPs are Increasingly Targeted by State-Sponsored APT Groups

Advanced persistent threat (APT) attacks were once mainly a concern for large corporations in industries that presented cyber espionage interest. That's no longer the case and over the past year in particular, the number of such state-sponsored attacks against small- and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) has increased significantly.

Cyber security firm Proofpoint analysed its telemetry data more than 200,000 SMB customers over the past year and saw a rise in phishing campaigns originating from APT groups, particularly those serving Russian, Iranian, and North Korean interests.

SMBs are also targeted by APT groups indirectly, through the managed services providers (MSPs) that maintain their infrastructure. Proofpoint has seen an increase in attacks against regional MSPs because their cyber security defences could be weaker than larger MSPs yet they still serve hundreds of SMBs in local geographies.

https://www.csoonline.com/article/3697648/smbs-and-regional-msps-are-increasingly-targeted-by-state-sponsored-apt-groups.html#tk.rss_news

• IT Employee Piggybacked on Cyber Attack for Personal Gain

A 28-year-old former IT employee of an Oxford-based company has been convicted of blackmailing his employer and unauthorised access to a computer with intent to commit other offences.

The convicted employee was the one who began to investigate the incident and, along with colleagues and the police, tried to mitigate it and its fallout. But he also realized that he could take advantage of the breach to line his own pockets.

“He accessed a board member’s private emails over 300 times as well as altering the original blackmail email and changing the payment address provided by the original attacker. This was in the hope that if payment was made, it would be made to him rather than the original attacker,” the South East Regional Organised Crime Unit (SEROCU) revealed. He went as far as creating an almost identical email address to that of the original attacker, using it to pressure his employer into making the payment.

While some insider threats may stem from negligence or ignorance, this case highlights a more sinister scenario involving a malicious, opportunistic individual. Malicious insiders exploit their authorized access and privileges to engage in harmful, unethical, or illegal activities.

https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2023/05/24/it-employee-blackmailing-company/

• Ransomware Threats Are Growing, and Targeting Microsoft Devices More and More

Ransomware attacks have never been this popular, a new report from cyber security researchers Securin, Ivanti, and Cyware has stated. New ransomware groups are emerging constantly, and new vulnerabilities being exploited are being discovered almost daily, but out of all the different hardware and software, Microsoft’s products are being targeted the most.

Attackers are now targeting more than 7,000 products built by 121 vendors, all used by businesses in their day-to-day operations. Most products belong to Microsoft, which has 135 vulnerabilities associated with ransomware. In just March 2023, there had been more breaches reported, than in all three previous years combined. Even though most cyber security incidents never get reported, too. In the first quarter of the year, the researchers discovered 12 new vulnerabilities used in ransomware attacks, three-quarters of which (73%) were trending in the dark web.

https://www.techradar.com/news/ransomware-threats-are-growing-and-targeting-microsoft-devices-more-and-more

• Microsoft Reports Jump in Business Email Compromise (BEC) Activity

Thirty-five million business email compromise (BEC) attempts were detected in the last year, according to the latest Microsoft Cyber Signals report. Activity around BEC spiked between April 2022 and April 2023, with over 150,000 daily attempts, on average, detected by Microsoft’s Digital Crimes Unit.

Rather than targeting unpatched devices for vulnerabilities, BEC operators focus on leveraging the vast volume of daily email and other message traffic to trick victims into sharing financial information or unknowingly transferring funds to money mule accounts. Their goal is to exploit the constant flow of communication to carry out fraudulent money transfers.

Using secure email applications, securing identities to block lateral movement, adopting a secure payment platform and training employees are a few effective methods, according to the report.

https://www.csoonline.com/article/3697152/microsoft-reports-jump-in-business-email-compromise-activity.html#tk.rss_news

• Forrester Predicts 2023’s Top Cyber security Threats: From Generative AI to Geopolitical Tensions

The nature of cyber attacks is changing fast. Generative AI, cloud complexity and geopolitical tensions are among the latest weapons and facilitators in attackers’ arsenals. Three-quarters (74%) of security decision-makers say their organisations’ sensitive data was “potentially compromised or breached in the past 12 months” alone. Forrester’s Top Cyber security Threats in 2023 report provides a stark warning about the top cyber security threats this year, along with prescriptive advice to CISOs and their teams on countering them. By weaponising generative AI and using ChatGPT, attackers are fine-tuning their ransomware and social engineering techniques.

Perimeter-based legacy systems not designed with an AI-based upgrade path are the most vulnerable. With a new wave of cyber attacks coming that seek to capitalise on any given business’ weakest links, including complex cloud configurations, the gap between reported and actual breaches will grow.

Forrester cites Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and its relentless cyber attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure as examples of geopolitical cyber attacks with immediate global implications. Forrester advises that nation-state actors continue to use cyber attacks on private companies for geopolitical purposes like espionage, negotiation leverage, resource control and intellectual property theft to gain technological superiority.

https://venturebeat.com/security/forrester-predicts-2023-top-cybersecurity-threats-generative-ai-geopolitical-tensions/

• Advanced Phishing Attacks Surge 356% in 2022

A new report published this week observed a 356% growth in the number of advanced phishing attacks attempted by threat actors in 2022, with the total number of attacks having increased by 87%. Among the reasons behind this growth is the fact that malicious actors continue to gain widespread access to new tools, including artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML)-powered tools. These have automated the process of generating sophisticated attacks, including those characterized by social engineering as well as evasion techniques.

The global threat landscape continues to evolve with a meteoric rise in the number of attacks, combined with increasingly sophisticated attack techniques designed to breach and damage organisations.

Additionally, the report highlighted that the changing threat landscape has resulted from the swift adoption of new cloud collaboration apps, cloud storage and productivity services for external collaboration.

https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/advanced-phishing-attacks-surge/

• Today’s Cyber Defence Challenges: Complexity and a False Sense of Security

Organisations can mistakenly believe that deploying more security solutions will result in greater protection against threats. However, the truth of the matter can be very different. Gartner estimates that global spending on IT security and risk management solutions will exceed $189.7 billion annually in 2023, yet the breaches keep on coming. Blindly purchasing more security tools can add to complexity in enterprise environments and creates a false sense of security that contributes to today’s cyber security challenges.

To add to the dilemma, the new work-from-anywhere model is putting a strain on IT and security teams. Employees shifting between corporate and off-corporate networks are creating visibility and control challenges, which are impacting those teams’ ability to diagnose and remediate end user issues and minimize cyber security risks. In addition, they have to deal with a broad mix of networks, hardware, business and security applications, operating system (OS) versions, and patches.

https://www.securityweek.com/todays-cyber-defense-challenges-complexity-and-a-false-sense-of-security/

• Almost All Ransomware Attacks Target Backups

Data stored in backups is the most common target for ransomware attackers. Almost all intrusions (93%) target backups and in 75% of cases succeed in taking out victims’ ability to recover. In addition, 85% of global organisations suffered at least one cyber attack in the past year according to the Veeam 2023 Ransomware trends report. Only 16% of organisations avoided paying ransom because they were able to recover from backups, down from 19% in last year’s survey.

According to the survey, criminals attempt to attack backup repositories in almost all (93%) cyber events in EMEA, with 75% losing at least some of their backups and more than one-third (39%) of backup repositories being completely lost.

Other key findings included that 21% said ransomware is now specifically excluded from insurance policies; and of those with cyber insurance, 74% saw increased premiums since their last policy renewal.

With most ransomware actors moving to double and triple extortion the days of a backup being all you need to keep you safe are far behind and firms should do more to prevent being the victim of ransomware in the first place.

https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366538492/Almost-all-ransomware-attacks-target-backups-says-Veeam

• NCSC Warns Against Chinese Cyber Attacks on Critical Infrastructure

The UK National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) and several other international security agencies have issued a new advisory warning the public against Chinese cyber activity targeting critical national infrastructure networks. According to the document, the People’s Republic of China (PRC)’s associated threat actors employed sophisticated tactics to evade detection while conducting malicious activities against targets in the US and Guam. These tactics are expected to be used on critical infrastructure targets outside the US, including the UK.

The document further added that the threat actors mainly focused on credential access theft via brute force and password spraying techniques. The NCSC advisory provides network defenders with technical indicators and examples of techniques used by the attacker to help identify any malicious activity.

https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/ncsc-warns-chinese-cyber-attacks/

• Half of All Companies were Impacted by Spearphishing in 2022

Spearphishing is a sliver of all email exploits but the extent to which it succeeds is revealed in a new study from cyber security firm Barracuda Networks, which analysed 50 billion emails across 3.5 million mailboxes in 2022, unearthing around 30 million spearphishing emails and affecting 50% of all companies.

The report identified the top prevalent spearphishing emails were Scamming (47%) used to trick victims into disclosing sensitive information and the other being brand impersonation (42%) attacks mimicking a brand familiar with the victim to harvest credentials.

The report found that remote work is increasing risks. 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.

https://www.techrepublic.com/article/barracuda-networks-spearphishing-study/

• Google's .zip, .mov Domains Give Social Engineers a Shiny New Tool

Two new top-level domain names (.zip and .mov) have caused concern among security researchers, who say they allow for the construction of malicious URLs that even tech-savvy users are likely to miss. While a top-level domain (TLD) that mimics a file extension is only one component in the lookalike attack, the overall combination is much more effective with the .zip or .mov extension.

There's no question that phishing links that involve these TLDs can be used to lure unsuspecting users into accidentally downloading malware. Unlike other kinds of phishing URLs that are intended to lure the user to enter credentials into a phony login page, the lures with the .zip or .mov domains are more suited to drive-by download types of attacks.

https://www.darkreading.com/endpoint/google-zip-mov-domains-social-engineers-shiny-new-tool

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Governance, Risk and Compliance

• Security Pros: Before You Do Anything, Understand Your Threat Landscape - SecurityWeek

• The Rising Threat of Secrets Sprawl and the Need for Action (thehackernews.com)

• Mass resignations, layoffs seen as major threat to corporate cyber security - The Korea Times

• Improving Cyber security Requires Building Better Public-Private Cooperation (darkreading.com)

• Cyber Defence: Council conclusions stress the importance of further strengthening the EU resilience to face cyber threats - Consilium (europa.eu)

• 5 Cyber security Woes That Threaten Digital Growth (analyticsinsight.net)

• Cyber Warfare Lessons From the Russia-Ukraine Conflict (darkreading.com)

• What Security Professionals Need to Know About Aggregate Cyber Risk (darkreading.com)

• Where to Focus Your Company’s Limited Cyber security Budget (hbr.org)

• Realistic Cyber security Simulations Deliver Strongest ROI for Training Programs, Security Innovation Finds - MSSP Alert

• Former Uber CSO Joe Sullivan and lessons learned from the infamous 2016 Uber breach | CSO Online

• CISO Criminalization, Vague Cyber Disclosure Rules Create Angst for Security Teams (darkreading.com)

• Today’s Cyber Defence Challenges: Complexity and a False Sense of Security - SecurityWeek

• The biggest threats are always those we fail to predict - Big Think

• How continuous security monitoring is changing the compliance game - Help Net Security

• Forrester predicts 2023's top cyber security threats: From generative AI to geopolitical tensions | VentureBeat

• 50% of UK CEOs See Cyber as a Bigger Business Risk than the Economy - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Defining CISOs, CTOs, and CIOs' Roles in Cyber security (analyticsinsight.net)

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Threats

Ransomware, Extortion and Destructive Attacks

• 3 Common Initial Attack Vectors Account for Most Ransomware Campaigns (darkreading.com)

• 12 vulnerabilities newly associated with ransomware - Help Net Security

• IT employee impersonates ransomware gang to extort employer (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Backup Repositories Targeted in 93% of Ransomware Attacks - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Ransomware threats are growing, and targeting Microsoft devices more and more | TechRadar

• Microsoft: Notorious FIN7 hackers return in Clop ransomware attacks (bleepingcomputer.com)

• FIN7 gang returned and was spotted delivering Clop ransomware - Security Affairs

• Fortinet survey finds 78% of organisations felt prepared for ransomware attacks, yet half still fell victim | ITWeb

• Bridgestone CISO: Lessons From Ransomware Attack Include Acting, Not Thinking (darkreading.com)

• Cyble — New Ransomware Wave Engulfs over 200 Corporate Victims

• Updated 'StopRansomware Guide' warns of shifting tactics | TechTarget

• The Week in Ransomware - May 19th 2023 - A Shifting Landscape (bleepingcomputer.com)

• US saw 45% fewer ransomware victims posted on the dark web | Security Magazine

• BlackCat ransomware takes control of protected computers via new kernel driver | SC Media (scmagazine.com)

• Judge Throws Out Ransomware Class-Action Suit Against Rackspace - MSSP Alert

• Ransomware tales: The MitM attack that really had a Man in the Middle – Naked Security (sophos.com)

• Here's another great reason to make sure your enterprises is safeguarded from ransomware | TechRadar

• Inside Qilin Ransomware: Affiliates Take Home 85% of Ransom Payouts (thehackernews.com)

• Buhti Ransomware Gang Switches Tactics, Utilizes Leaked LockBit and Babuk Code (thehackernews.com)

Ransomware Victims

• Food Distributor Sysco Says Cyber Attack Exposed 126,000 Individuals - SecurityWeek

• Suzuki motorcycle plant shut down by cyber attack (bitdefender.com)

• February cyber incident will cost molten metal flow engineering firm Vesuvius £3.5 million - Security Affairs

• Iowa hospital discloses breach following Royal ransomware leak | TechTarget

• Arms maker Rheinmetall confirms BlackBasta ransomware attack (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Mazars Group allegedly breached by BlackCat | Cybernews

• Dish Network says February ransomware attack impacted +300K - Security Affairs

• Philly Inquirer disputes Cuba ransomware gang's leak claims • The Register

• Dorchester school IT system held to ransom in cyber attack - BBC News

• BlackByte lists city of Augusta after cyber 'incident' • The Register

Phishing & Email Based Attacks

• Advanced Phishing Attacks Surge 356% in 2022 - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• 50% of companies had spearphishing puncture wounds in 2022 (techrepublic.com)

• Microsoft 365 phishing attacks use encrypted RPMSG messages (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Phishers use encrypted file attachments to steal Microsoft 365 account credentials - Help Net Security

• Threat actors exploit new channels for advanced phishing attacks - Help Net Security

• Malicious links and misaddressed emails slip past security controls - Help Net Security

• CopperStealer Malware Crew Resurfaces with New Rootkit and Phishing Kit Modules (thehackernews.com)

• Crypto phishing service Inferno Drainer defrauds thousands of victims (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Phishing campaign targets ChatGPT users - Help Net Security

BEC – Business Email Compromise

• Cyber Signals: Shifting tactics show surge in business email compromise | Microsoft Security Blog

• Microsoft reports jump in business email compromise activity | CSO Online

• Microsoft: BEC Attackers Evade 'Impossible Travel' Flags With Residential IP Addresses (darkreading.com)

Other Social Engineering; Smishing, Vishing, etc

• Google's .zip, .mov Domains Give Social Engineers a Shiny New Tool (darkreading.com)

Artificial Intelligence

• Employees are banned from using ChatGPT at these companies | Fortune

• When the tech boys start asking for new regulations, you know something’s up | John Naughton | The Guardian

• BatLoader campaign impersonates ChatGPT and Midjourney to deliver Redline Stealer - Security Affairs

• 6 ChatGPT risks for legal and compliance leaders - Help Net Security

• 5 Ways Hackers Will Use ChatGPT For Cyber attacks (informationsecuritybuzz.com)

• Simple OSINT techniques to spot AI-fueled disinformation, fake reviews - Help Net Security

• How to avoid shadow AI in your SOC - Help Net Security

• Microsoft urges lawmakers to adopt new guidelines for responsible AI | CyberScoop

• AI Used to Create Malware, WithSecure Observes - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Phishing campaign targets ChatGPT users - Help Net Security

• The Security Hole at the Heart of ChatGPT and Bing | WIRED UK

2FA/MFA

• Cyber criminals masquerading as MFA vendors - Help Net Security

Malware

• New PowerExchange malware backdoors Microsoft Exchange servers (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Hackers Use Weaponised DOCX File to Deploy Stealthy Malware (gbhackers.com)

• Meet 'Jack' from Romania! Mastermind Behind Golden Chickens Malware (thehackernews.com)

• Developer Alert: NPM Packages for Node.js Hiding Dangerous TurkoRat Malware (thehackernews.com)

• CopperStealer Malware Crew Resurfaces with New Rootkit and Phishing Kit Modules (thehackernews.com)

• Threat actors leverage kernel drivers in new attacks | TechTarget

• BatLoader campaign impersonates ChatGPT and Midjourney to deliver Redline Stealer - Security Affairs

• Malicious links and misaddressed emails slip past security controls - Help Net Security

• Potentially millions of Android TVs and phones come with malware preinstalled | Ars Technica

• New AhRat Android malware hidden in app with 50,000 installs (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Malware turns home routers into proxies for Chinese state-sponsored hackers | Ars Technica

• PyPI open-source code repository deals with manic malware maelstrom – Naked Security (sophos.com)

• Legion Malware Upgraded to Target SSH Servers and AWS Credentials (thehackernews.com)

• AI Used to Create Malware, WithSecure Observes - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

Mobile

• Warning: Samsung Devices Under Attack! New Security Flaw Exposed (thehackernews.com)

• Smartphones with Qualcomm chips found to be transmitting users' private data without consent - Dimsum Daily

• WhatsApp now lets you hide your messages from prying eyes. But is Chat Lock a cheaters’ charter? | Technology | The Guardian

• Android phones are vulnerable to fingerprint brute-force attacks (bleepingcomputer.com)

• New AhRat Android malware hidden in app with 50,000 installs (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Google Unveils Bug Bounty Program For Android Apps - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Predator: Looking under the hood of Intellexa’s Android spyware (bleepingcomputer.com)

Botnets

• How smart bots are infecting and exploiting the internet - Help Net Security

• The Dark Frost Enigma: An Unexpectedly Prevalent Botnet Author Profile | Akamai

Denial of Service/DoS/DDOS

• Dark Frost Botnet Launches Devastating DDoS Attacks on Gaming Industry (thehackernews.com)

Internet of Things – IoT

• Potentially millions of Android TVs and phones come with malware preinstalled | Ars Technica

• How Connected Car Cyber Risk will Evolve (trendmicro.com)

• Malware turns home routers into proxies for Chinese state-sponsored hackers | Ars Technica

Data Breaches/Leaks

• Capita under fire after ‘confidential’ files published online (thetimes.co.uk)

• Luxottica confirms 2021 data breach after info of 70M leaks online (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Hackers steal the SSN of nearly 6 million people (pandasecurity.com)

• Food Distributor Sysco Says Cyber attack Exposed 126,000 Individuals - SecurityWeek

Organised Crime & Criminal Actors

• Inside the Mind of a Cyber Attacker | Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures (TTPs) Every Security Practitioner Should Know

• IT employee piggybacked on cyber attack for personal gain - Help Net Security

• Child hackers: How are kids becoming sophisticated cyber criminals? | Euronews

• UK Fraudster Behind iSpoof Scam Receives 13-Year Jail Term for Cyber Crimes (thehackernews.com)

• The Strange Story of the Teens Behind the Mirai Botnet - IEEE Spectrum

• FBI: Human Trafficking Rings Force Job Seekers Into Cryptojacking Schemes (darkreading.com)

• 'Operation Magalenha' Attacks Gives Window Into Brazil's Cyber crime Ecosystem (darkreading.com)

• Cyber criminals masquerading as MFA vendors - Help Net Security

• The Dark Frost Enigma: An Unexpectedly Prevalent Botnet Author Profile | Akamai

Cryptocurrency/Cryptomining/Cryptojacking/NFTs/Blockchain

• Crypto phishing service Inferno Drainer defrauds thousands of victims (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Forex boss Anthony Constantinou guilty of £70m ‘Ponzi’ fraud (thetimes.co.uk)

• FBI: Human Trafficking Rings Force Job Seekers Into Cryptojacking Schemes (darkreading.com)

Insider Risk and Insider Threats

• How to prevent against the 5 main types of insider threats - IT Security Guru

• IT employee impersonates ransomware gang to extort employer (bleepingcomputer.com)

Fraud, Scams & Financial Crime

• SMBs Targeted by State-Aligned Actors for Financial Theft and Supply Chain Attacks - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Get-rich-quick schemes, pyramids and ponzis: five signs you're being scammed (theconversation.com)

• Uncle Sam tries to wrangle 'money mules' • The Register

• Scammers Using ChatGPT "Fleeceware" Apps to Cash In on AI Hype, Sophos Report - MSSP Alert

• Online scams target bargain-hunting holiday travelers - Help Net Security

• Ads for lucrative jobs in Asia may be tech slavery scams • The Register

• Crypto phishing service Inferno Drainer defrauds thousands of victims (bleepingcomputer.com)

• 79-year-old woman tricks German scammers into getting arrested (iamexpat.de)

• Forex boss Anthony Constantinou guilty of £70m ‘Ponzi’ fraud (thetimes.co.uk)

• IT employee impersonates ransomware gang to extort employer (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Banking, tech and telecoms groups combine to gather intelligence on scammers | Financial Times (ft.com)

Supply Chain and Third Parties

• Capita under fire after ‘confidential’ files published online (thetimes.co.uk)

• SMBs Targeted by State-Aligned Actors for Financial Theft and Supply Chain Attacks - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• UK councils caught in Capita unsecured AWS bucket data leak • The Register

• New Cyber Security Training Packages Launched to Manage Supply Chain Risk - NCSC

Software Supply Chain

• GUAC 0.1 Beta: Google's Breakthrough Framework for Secure Software Supply Chains (thehackernews.com)

Cloud/SaaS

• Phishers use encrypted file attachments to steal Microsoft 365 account credentials - Help Net Security

• UK councils caught in Capita unsecured AWS bucket data leak • The Register

• CISO-level tips for securing corporate data in the cloud - Help Net Security

• Google Cloud Bug Allows Server Takeover From CloudSQL Service (darkreading.com)

Attack Surface Management

• The Need to Isolate Branch Offices in High-Risk Countries (darkreading.com)

Identity and Access Management

• 7 access management challenges during M&A - Help Net Security

• Think security first when switching from traditional Active Directory to Azure AD | CSO Online

Encryption

• Quantum attack would trigger Great Depression, think tank warns | SC Media (scmagazine.com)

API

• API bug in OAuth dev tool opened websites, apps to account hijacking | SC Media (scmagazine.com)

• Are Your APIs Leaking Sensitive Data? (thehackernews.com)

• What is API Security? | Definition from TechTarget

• The fragmented nature of API security ownership - Help Net Security

Open Source

• PyPI open-source code repository deals with manic malware maelstrom – Naked Security (sophos.com)

Passwords, Credential Stuffing & Brute Force Attacks

• Inactive accounts pose significant account takeover security risks | CSO Online

• What’s a Double-Blind Password Strategy and When Should It Be Used (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Netflix's Password-Sharing Ban Offers Security Upsides (darkreading.com)

Biometrics

• Android phones are vulnerable to fingerprint brute-force attacks (bleepingcomputer.com)

Social Media

• Meta Hit With $1.3B Record-Breaking Fine for GDPR Violations (darkreading.com)

• Pentagon explosion hoax goes viral after verified Twitter accounts push (bleepingcomputer.com)

• A TikTok ban isn't a data security solution. It will be difficult to enforce – and could end up hurting users (theconversation.com)

Training, Education and Awareness

• Realistic Cyber security Simulations Deliver Strongest ROI for Training Programs, Security Innovation Finds - MSSP Alert

• A New Look for Risk in Awareness Training (darkreading.com)

• Realistic simulations are transforming cyber security training - Help Net Security

Travel

• Online scams target bargain-hunting holiday travelers - Help Net Security

• Four ways your devices can be hacked in hotels and how to stay safe | This is Money

• Tips to Protect Against Holiday and Airline Scams - IT Security Guru

Parental Controls and Child Safety

• Multiple Vulnerabilities Found in the Kiddoware Kids Place Parental Control Android App - IT Security Guru

Regulations, Fines and Legislation

• Meta Hit With $1.3B Record-Breaking Fine for GDPR Violations (darkreading.com)

• Two-Thirds of IT Leaders Say GDPR Has Reduced Consumer Trust - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Microsoft urges lawmakers to adopt new guidelines for responsible AI | CyberScoop

Models, Frameworks and Standards

• NIST Launches Cyber security Initiative for Small Businesses (securityintelligence.com)

• New security model launched to eliminate 95% of cyber breaches - IT Security Guru

Backup and Recovery

• Almost all ransomware attacks target backups, says Veeam | Computer Weekly

• 'Operation Magalenha' Attacks Gives Window Into Brazil's Cyber crime Ecosystem (darkreading.com)

• China hits back after Microsoft says state-sponsored group hacked critical US infrastructure | Financial Times

• Here's another great reason to make sure your enterprises is safeguarded from ransomware | TechRadar

Data Protection

• Meta Hit With $1.3B Record-Breaking Fine for GDPR Violations (darkreading.com)

• Two-Thirds of IT Leaders Say GDPR Has Reduced Consumer Trust - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

Careers, Working in Cyber and Information Security

• How to become a bug bounty hunter: Getting started | TechTarget

Law Enforcement Action and Take Downs

• UK Fraudster Behind iSpoof Scam Receives 13-Year Jail Term for Cyber Crimes (thehackernews.com)

• 79-year-old woman tricks German scammers into getting arrested (iamexpat.de)

Privacy, Surveillance and Mass Monitoring

• Smartphones with Qualcomm chips found to be transmitting users' private data without consent - Dimsum Daily

• WhatsApp now lets you hide your messages from prying eyes. But is Chat Lock a cheaters’ charter? | Technology | The Guardian

• UK police to 'embed' facial recog but oversight is at risk • The Register

• Abuse of government spying powers: What's to worry about? • The Register

• Reflections on Ten Years Past The Snowden Revelations (ietf.org)

Misinformation, Disinformation and Propaganda

• Simple OSINT techniques to spot AI-fueled disinformation, fake reviews - Help Net Security

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

• Opinion: Cyber war and (no) peace (insuranceinsider.com)

• Cyber Warfare Lessons From the Russia-Ukraine Conflict (darkreading.com)

• Russia's War in Ukraine Shows Cyber attacks Can Be War Crimes (darkreading.com)

• The Underground History of Turla, Russia's Most Ingenious Hacker Group | WIRED

• Bad Magic's Extended Reign in Cyber Espionage Goes Back Over a Decade (thehackernews.com)

• North Korean Kimsuky Hackers Strike Again with Advanced Reconnaissance Malware (thehackernews.com)

• Cyber Attacks Strike Ukraine's State Bodies in Espionage Operation (thehackernews.com)

• A deeper insight into the CloudWizard APT's activity revealed a long-running activity - Security Affairs

• What’s Russia Planning? (informationsecuritybuzz.com)

• Mysterious malware designed to cripple industrial systems linked to Russia | CyberScoop

• New Russian-linked CosmicEnergy malware targets industrial systems (bleepingcomputer.com)

• What’s Russia Planning? (informationsecuritybuzz.com)

• United Nations official and others in Armenia hacked by NSO Group spyware | Hacking | The Guardian

• Predator: Looking under the hood of Intellexa’s Android spyware (bleepingcomputer.com)

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Nation State Actors

• APT attacks: Exploring Advanced Persistent Threats and their evasive techniques (malwarebytes.com)

• SMBs and regional MSPs are increasingly targeted by state-sponsored APT groups | CSO Online

• NCSC Warns Against Chinese Cyber Attacks on Critical Infrastructure - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• The Underground History of Turla, Russia's Most Ingenious Hacker Group | WIRED

• A TikTok ban isn't a data security solution. It will be difficult to enforce – and could end up hurting users (theconversation.com)

• Malware turns home routers into proxies for Chinese state-sponsored hackers | Ars Technica

• GoldenJackal: Threat Risk For Organisations In Middle East & South Asia (informationsecuritybuzz.com)

• North Korean Kimsuky Hackers Strike Again with Advanced Reconnaissance Malware (thehackernews.com)

• N. Korean Lazarus Group Targets Microsoft IIS Servers to Deploy Espionage Malware (thehackernews.com)

• Fata Morgana Watering Hole Attack Targets Shipping, Logistics Firms - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• A deeper insight into the CloudWizard APT's activity revealed a long-running activity - Security Affairs

• Five Eyes and Microsoft accuse China US infrastructure raids • The Register

• Iranian hackers use new Moneybird ransomware to attack Israeli orgs (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Mysterious malware designed to cripple industrial systems linked to Russia | CyberScoop

• GCHQ warns of fresh threat from Chinese state-sponsored hackers | Hacking | The Guardian

• New Russian-linked CosmicEnergy malware targets industrial systems (bleepingcomputer.com)

• China hits back after Microsoft says state-sponsored group hacked critical US infrastructure | Financial Times

• Five Eyes agencies detail how Chinese hackers breached US infrastructure - Help Net Security

• Lazarus Group Striking Vulnerable Windows IIS Web Servers (darkreading.com)

• 'Volt Typhoon' Breaks Fresh Ground for China-Backed Cyber Campaigns (darkreading.com)

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Vulnerability Management

• 12 vulnerabilities newly associated with ransomware - Help Net Security

• Fresh perspectives needed to manage growing vulnerabilities - Help Net Security

• Judge Throws Out Ransomware Class-Action Suit Against Rackspace - MSSP Alert

• How to check for new exploits in real time? VulnCheck has an answer | CSO Online

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Vulnerabilities

• 12 vulnerabilities newly associated with ransomware - Help Net Security

• Vulnerability in WordPress Google Analytics Plugin Hits +3 Million Websites (searchenginejournal.com)

• Hackers target 1.5M WordPress sites with cookie consent plugin exploit (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Barracuda Alerts Of Breaches In Email Gateways From Zero-Day Flaws (informationsecuritybuzz.com)

• Threat Actors Compromise Barracuda Email Security Appliances (darkreading.com)

• Microsoft: Windows issue causes file copying, saving failures (bleepingcomputer.com)

• GitLab 'strongly recommends' patching max severity flaw ASAP (bleepingcomputer.com)

• 83C0000B: The error code that means a software update bricked your HP printer (bitdefender.com)

• CISA adds iPhone bugs to Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog - Security Affairs

• Vulnerability in Zyxel firewalls may soon be widely exploited (CVE-2023-28771) - Help Net Security

• Zyxel warns of critical vulnerabilities in firewall and VPN devices (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Warning: Samsung Devices Under Attack! New Security Flaw Exposed (thehackernews.com)

• Multiple Vulnerabilities Found in the Kiddoware Kids Place Parental Control Android App - IT Security Guru

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Tools and Controls

• Security Pros: Before You Do Anything, Understand Your Threat Landscape - SecurityWeek

• Malicious links and misaddressed emails slip past security controls - Help Net Security

• Making The Most Of A Penetration Test: The Organisational Perspective (forbes.com)

• Against the Clock: Cyber Incident Response Plan (trendmicro.com)

• CMOs & CISOs: Uniting for Stronger Brands (cmswire.com)

• Investigating Risks Through Threat Hunting Capability Guide (informationsecuritybuzz.com)

• Realistic Cyber security Simulations Deliver Strongest ROI for Training Programs, Security Innovation Finds - MSSP Alert

• A New Look for Risk in Awareness Training (darkreading.com)

• Almost all ransomware attacks target backups, says Veeam | Computer Weekly

• How continuous security monitoring is changing the compliance game - Help Net Security

• Blacklist untrustworthy apps that peek behind your firewall - Help Net Security

• How generative AI is reshaping the identity verification landscape - Help Net Security

• What is API Security? | Definition from TechTarget

• Are Your APIs Leaking Sensitive Data? (thehackernews.com)

• The fragmented nature of API security ownership - Help Net Security

• Enterprises Must Prepare Now for Shorter TLS Certificate Lifespans (darkreading.com)

• Cutting Through the Noise: What is Zero Trust Security? - SecurityWeek

• CISO-level tips for securing corporate data in the cloud - Help Net Security

• 6 ways generative AI chatbots and LLMs can enhance cyber security | CSO Online

• 'Operation Magalenha' Attacks Gives Window Into Brazil's Cyber crime Ecosystem (darkreading.com)

• China hits back after Microsoft says state-sponsored group hacked critical US infrastructure | Financial Times

• Here's another great reason to make sure your enterprises is safeguarded from ransomware | TechRadar

• Attributes of a mature cyber-threat intelligence program | CSO Online

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Sector Specific

Industry specific threat intelligence reports are available.

Contact us to receive tailored reports specific to the industry/sector and geographies you operate in.

·       Automotive

·       Construction

·       Critical National Infrastructure (CNI)

·       Defence & Space

·       Education & Academia

·       Energy & Utilities

·       Estate Agencies

·       Financial Services

·       FinTech

·       Food & Agriculture

·       Gaming & Gambling

·       Government & Public Sector (including Law Enforcement)

·       Health/Medical/Pharma

·       Hotels & Hospitality

·       Insurance

·       Legal

·       Manufacturing

·       Maritime

·       Oil, Gas & Mining

·       OT, ICS, IIoT, SCADA & Cyber-Physical Systems

·       Retail & eCommerce

·       Small and Medium Sized Businesses (SMBs)

·       Startups

·       Telecoms

·       Third Sector & Charities

·       Transport & Aviation

·       Web3

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As usual, contact us to help assess where your risks lie and to ensure you are doing all you can do to keep you and your business secure.

Look out for our ‘Cyber Tip Tuesday’ video blog and on our YouTube channel.

You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

Links to articles are for interest and awareness and linking to or reposting external content does not endorse any service or product, likewise we are not responsible for the security of external links.

Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing 19 May 2023

Welcome to this week’s Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing – a weekly digest, collated and curated by our cyber experts to provide senior and middle management with an easy to digest round up of the most notable threats, vulnerabilities, and cyber related news from the last week.

Top Cyber Stories of the Last Week

• Triple Threat: Insecure Economy, Cyber Crime Recruitment and Insider Threats

Across all sectors employees are feeling the ramifications of economic uncertainty, coupled with ransomware attacks continuing to evolve and become more sophisticated, and with this, cyber crime gangs are increasing their recruitment efforts. All the while, the cyber security skills gap persists and continues to widen for most organisations. This has the potential to create a perfect storm in terms of insider threats.

Insider threats can be malicious or unintentional, and they might come from current or former employees, business partners, board members or consultants. A recent report found that the past two years have seen a 44% rise in insider incidents. There is no quick fix to solve the insider threat problem. At a time when many businesses are struggling with visibility issues brought on by digital transformation and vendor sprawl, what’s needed is planning. Reducing the risk associated with insider threats requires a multifaceted approach.

https://www.securityweek.com/triple-threat-insecure-economy-cybercrime-recruitment-and-insider-threats/

• Ensuring Security Remains/Becomes Everyone’s Responsibility

In the same way as organisations believe that everyone is somewhat responsible for keeping costs reasonable, why would an organisation not think the same of cyber security, especially as cyber security is not just a technology problem: it is a business problem. One of the best methods for ensuring that security is everyone’s responsibility is to make cyber a top-down issue, with the board and C-suite setting the tone for security; they should provide clear direction and guidance, prioritising security as a business objective.

Other methods that can help ensure security as everyone’s responsibility include integrating it into the functions of roles, creating a security culture, providing awareness and training and rewarding employees for responses such as reporting phishing attacks.

https://cisoseries.com/20-ways-to-ensure-security-remains-becomes-everyones-responsibility/

• Insured Companies More Likely to be Ransomware Victims, Sometimes More Than Once

Companies with cyber insurance are more likely to get hit by ransomware, more likely to be attacked multiple times, and more likely to pay ransoms, according to a recent survey of IT decision makers.

According to the survey by Barracuda Networks, 77% of organisations with cyber insurance were hit at least once, compared to 65% without insurance. Of those with insurance, 39% paid the ransom. Worryingly, the survey found that insured companies were also 70% more likely to be hit multiple times. Repeat victims were also more likely to pay the ransom, and less likely to use backup systems to help them recover.

https://www.csoonline.com/article/3696350/insured-companies-more-likely-to-be-ransomware-victims-sometimes-more-than-once.html

• Software Supply Chain Attacks Hit 61% of Firms

More than three-fifths (61%) of businesses have been directly impacted by a software supply chain threat over the past year, according to a new report. The report pointed to open source software as a key source of supply chain risk. Open source is now used by 94% of companies in some form, with over half (57%) using multiple open source platforms, the report revealed.

Organisations may be putting themselves at further risk by not having a full view of the software which is used within their corporate environment. One of the first things an organisation seeking to reduce their risk of a software supply chain attack should do is to understand their attack surface and maintain a record of the software which they use.

https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/software-supply-chain-attacks-hit/

• More than 2.25 Million Exposed Assets on the Dark Web Tied to Fortune 1000 Employees

In a newly released 2023 Fortune 1000 Identity Exposure Report, an analysis of the dark net exposure of employees across 21 industries, including technology, financial, retailing and media, researchers analysed 2.27 billion exposed dark web assets. These assets included more than 423 million records containing personally identifiable information (PII) found in data breaches and exfiltrated from malware-infected devices tied directly to Fortune 1000 employees’ email addresses.  

Additional findings include 27.48 million pairs of credentials with Fortune 1000 corporate email addresses and plain text passwords, and a 62% re-use rate of passwords amongst Fortune 1000 employees. Whilst the research focuses on Fortune 1000 employees, it is unlikely that these are the only employees who are exposed on the dark web. Organisations should be aware of how such PII could include their own employees, and how to avoid password re-use in the corporate environment.

https://www.msspalert.com/cybersecurity-research/more-than-2-25-million-exposed-assets-on-the-dark-web-tied-to-fortune-1000-employees/

• Law Enforcement Crackdowns and New Techniques are Forcing Cyber Criminals to Pivot

Researchers say that law enforcement crackdowns and new investigative tools are putting pressure on cyber criminals, but challenges for defenders remain. It can seem like cyber criminals are running rampant across the world's digital infrastructure, launching ransomware attacks, scams, and outright thefts with impunity. Over the last year, however, US and global authorities seized $112 million from cryptocurrency investment scams, disrupted the Hive ransomware group, broke up online illegal drug marketplaces, and sanctioned crypto money launderers, among other operations to crack down on internet-enabled crimes. With such pressure, financially motivated threat actors are pivoting to crimes that have a higher rate of success, such as selling data instead of extorting, and romance scams and pig butchering (building rapport and trust with victims over time only to steal from them) are replacing the old get-rich schemes.

https://www.csoonline.com/article/3696748/law-enforcement-crackdowns-and-new-techniques-are-forcing-cybercriminals-to-pivot.html

• Talking Security Strategy: Why Cyber Security Requires a Seat at the Boardroom Table

Cyber security is no longer a fringe issue for businesses. What was once a siloed function is now woven into the fabric of any successful business. Any business still treating its cyber security initiatives as a side project is setting itself up to fail. The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has laid to rest any doubts about the importance of cyber security with new regulations around how boards of directors should approach it. The regulations, which are in the process of being finalised, will require companies to openly report any serious cyber security attack and explain who on their board is responsible for dealing with it. The regulations also will require businesses to include board of directors' cyber security experience and credentials as part of any public disclosure.

https://www.darkreading.com/vulnerabilities-threats/talking-security-strategy-cybersecurity-has-a-seat-at-the-boardroom-table

• How Incident Response Rehearsals and Readiness Exercises Can Aid Incident Response

Incident response rehearsals and readiness exercises can aid organisations by identifying security gaps, testing communications in the event of a cyber attack, and understanding roles in reducing response times. All of which benefits the business objectives of the organisation.

The importance for organisations to understand who their adversaries are and how they operate against their enterprise environments cannot be overstated. An organisation's approach to cyber security testing and resilience improvements in the face of an increasingly volatile threat landscape must be underpinned around this perspective.

Rehearsals should look to leverage scenarios based on evolving and emerging attacker techniques, tactics and procedures (TTPs), with different levels of complexity; this allows an organisation to constantly sharpen their technique and update rehearsals to reflect the current attack environment. These TTPs should be driven by an intelligence-led and risk-based approach. Additionally, organisations need to set metrics for understanding the results of rehearsals, which in turn should be used in established feedback channels to drive improvement in the organisation’s incident response.

https://www.darkreading.com/edge-articles/5-ways-security-testing-can-aid-incident-response 

• Ransomware’s Real Goals are to Exploit Internet Facing Apps, Mine Intellectual Property and Grab Sensitive Information

The majority of ransomware attacks in 2022 were intended to unearth personal data, mine intellectual property and grab other sensitive information rather than financial extortion or data encryption, Kaspersky said in a new report.

Most attacks started off as exploiting public facing applications (43%), data from compromised user accounts (24%) and malicious emails (12%). The goal was to snatch information the cyber crews could leverage into bigger and more lucrative scores. The report also revealed that the longest-running ransomware attacks began with the exploitation of public-facing applications, with just over 2% of them lasting for a year and more.

https://www.msspalert.com/cybersecurity-research/ransomwares-real-goals-are-exploit-internet-facing-apps-mine-intellectual-property-grab-sensitive-info/

• Organisations’ Cyber Resilience Efforts Fail to Keep Up with Evolving Threats

A steady increase in cyber attacks and an evolving threat landscape are resulting in more organisations turning their attention to building long-term cyber resilience; however, many of these programs are falling short and fail to prove teams’ real-world cyber capabilities, according to Immersive Labs. The report found that while 86% of organisations have a cyber resilience program, 52% of respondents say their organisation lacks a comprehensive approach to assessing cyber resilience.

Organisations have taken steps to deploy cyber resilience programs; however, 53% of respondents indicate the organisation’s workforce is not well-prepared for the next cyber attack and just over half say they lack a comprehensive approach to assessing cyber resilience. These statistics indicate that although cyber resilience is a priority and programs are in place, their current structure and training are ineffective.

https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2023/05/18/cyber-resilience-programs-shortcomings/

• Fraudsters Send Fake Invoice, Follow Up with Fake Executive Confirmation

Fraudsters are trying out a new approach to convince companies to pay bogus invoices: instead of hijacking existing email threads, they are creating convincing ones themselves. The fraud attempt begins with an email containing a payment request for a fake invoice. The recipient, an employee in a company’s finance department, reads the email and checks who sent it. The sender’s email address looks like it belongs to one of the company’s trusted vendors, and the VP of Finance has been CC-ed. Soon after, the “VP of Finance” replies to the email thread, and asks the employee (by name) to pay this at the earliest convenience.

Most organisations view social engineering methods as a one step process; however, threat actors are employing multiple layers. In this case, adding management to increase authenticity. Businesses looking to bolster their resilience should look to ensure that these kinds of attacks are addressed in their organisation’s user education and awareness training.

https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2023/05/16/payment-request-fraud/

• Capita Warns Customers They Should Assume Data was Stolen

Outsourcing giant Capita is warning customers to assume that their data was stolen in a cyber attack that affected its systems in early April. This includes the Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS), the largest private pension scheme in the UK, which holds pensions of over 500,000 individuals. A total of 350 UK corporate retirement schemes are believed to be impacted. The cyber attack, originally described to be a technical problem, has been reported to the UK’s Information Commissioner’s Office.

https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/capita-warns-customers-they-should-assume-data-was-stolen/

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Governance, Risk and Compliance

• Cyber security Often Overlooked as Key Factor for Business Success, New Study Says - MSSP Alert

• Cyber Risk Management in 2023: The People Element (trendmicro.com)

• Is Your Cyber security “Too” Good? (securityintelligence.com)

• Cyber risk: Can banks win the arms race? | Financial Times (ft.com)

• Security breaches push digital trust to the fore | CSO Online

• Cyber-Resilience Programs Failing on Poor Visibility - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• 5 Ways Security Testing Can Aid Incident Response (darkreading.com)

• Organisations reporting cyber resilience are hardly resilient: Study | CSO Online

• Organisations' cyber resilience efforts fail to keep up with evolving threats - Help Net Security

• Keeping a competitive edge in the cyber security ‘game’ | CyberScoop

• UK NCSC, ICO debunk 6 cyber attack reporting myths | CSO Online

• An Executive's Guide To The Cyber crime Underground (forbes.com)

• Accelerating Security Risk Management (trendmicro.com)

• Law enforcement crackdowns and new techniques are forcing cyber criminals to pivot | CSO Online

• 20 Ways to Ensure Security Remains/Becomes Everyone’s Responsibility (cisoseries.com)

• Talking Security Strategy: Cyber security Has a Seat at the Boardroom Table (darkreading.com)

• ‘Attackers only have to get it right once’: how cyber security burst into the boardroom | Financial Times (ft.com)

• Triple Threat: Insecure Economy, Cyber crime Recruitment and Insider Threats - SecurityWeek

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Threats

Ransomware, Extortion and Destructive Attacks

• Insured companies more likely to be ransomware victims, sometimes more than once | CSO Online

• Ransomware payments nearly double in one year | Cyber crime | The Guardian

• Ransomware’s Real Goals are Exploit Internet Facing Apps, Mine Intellectual Property, Grab Sensitive Info - MSSP Alert

• The Week in Ransomware - May 12th 2023 - New Gangs Emerge (bleepingcomputer.com)

• New trends in ransomware attacks shape the future of cyber security - Help Net Security

• Russia-affiliated CheckMate ransomware quietly targets popular file-sharing protocol-Security Affairs

• Bl00dy Ransomware Gang Strikes Education Sector with Critical PaperCut Vulnerability (thehackernews.com)

• ABB 'suffers cyber attack' by ransomware gang Black Basta (techmonitor.ai)

• Why Amazon S3 is a ransomware target and how to protect it | TechTarget

• Experts question San Bernardino's $1.1M ransom payment | TechTarget

• Manufacturers Targeted as Ransomware Victim Numbers Spike 27% - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Ransomware corrupts data, making restoration harder • The Register

• CLR SqlShell Malware Targets MS SQL Servers for Crypto Mining and Ransomware (thehackernews.com)

• VPN vulnerability linked to ransomware attack on Law Society: PDPC - CNA (channelnewsasia.com)

• New 'MichaelKors' Ransomware-as-a-Service Targeting Linux and VMware ESXi Systems (thehackernews.com)

• Philadelphia Inquirer operations disrupted after cyber attack (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Ransomware gang steals data of 5.8 million PharMerica patients (bleepingcomputer.com)

• New RA Group ransomware targets US orgs in double-extortion attacks (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Ransomware Prevention – Are Meeting Password Security Requirements Enough (bleepingcomputer.com)

• US Offers $10 Million Bounty for Capture of Notorious Russian Ransomware Operator (thehackernews.com)

• Qilin Ransomware Operation Outfits Affiliates With Sleek, Turnkey Cyber attacks (darkreading.com)

• Qilin's Dark Web Ransomware Targets Critical Sectors - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Ransomware-as-a-service groups pay affiliates top dollar • The Register

• Russian ransomware affiliate charged with attacks on critical infrastructure (bleepingcomputer.com)

• This new ransomware group is targeting big businesses - here's what you need to know | TechRadar

• Warning Issued About BianLian Ransomware Attacks By CISA & FBI (informationsecuritybuzz.com)

• FBI confirms BianLian ransomware switch to extortion only attacks (bleepingcomputer.com)

• 'Strictly limit' remote desktop to avoid BianLian ransomware • The Register

• MalasLocker ransomware targets Zimbra servers, demands charity donation (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Russian national indicted for ransomware attacks against the US | CSO Online

• A different kind of ransomware demand: Donate to charity to get your data back | CyberScoop

• Introducing the DRM-Report Q1 2023: Unveiling the Current State of Ransomware - -Security Affairs-Security Affairs

Phishing & Email Based Attacks

• What the Email Security Landscape Looks Like in 2023-Security Affairs

• New Phishing-as-a-Service Platform Lets Cyber criminals Generate Convincing Phishing Pages (thehackernews.com)

• Ongoing Facebook phishing campaign without a sender and (almost) without links

• Google's .zip Top Level domain is already used in phishing attacks - gHacks Tech News

• New ZIP domains spark debate among cyber security experts (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Exploring the tactics of phishing and scam websites in 2023 - Help Net Security

• Trojan-Rigged Phishing Attacks Pepper China-Taiwan Conflict (darkreading.com)

Other Social Engineering; Smishing, Vishing, etc

• Fraudsters send fake invoice, follow up with fake exec confirmation - Help Net Security

• Insider threats surge across US CNI as attackers exploit human factors | CSO Online

• Microsoft Teams Features Amp Up Orgs' Cyber attack Exposure (darkreading.com)

• Social Engineering Risks Found in Microsoft Teams - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Researchers show ways to abuse Microsoft Teams accounts for lateral movement | CSO Online

Artificial Intelligence

• 10 Types of AI Attacks CISOs Should Track (darkreading.com)

• New Google search tool will distinguish real images from AI-generated phonies | ZDNET

• AI-Powered Tools Threaten Password Strength, New Study Finds - MSSP Alert

• AI Is About to Be Everywhere: Where Will Regulators Be? (darkreading.com)

• Zut alors! Raclage crapuleux! Clearview AI in 20% more trouble in France – Naked Security (sophos.com)

• Generative AI Empowers Users but Challenges Security (darkreading.com)

• ChatGPT’s Chief Testifies Before Congress, Calls for New Agency to Regulate Artificial Intelligence - SecurityWeek

• BatLoader Impersonates ChatGPT and Midjourney in Cyber-Attacks - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Security Vulnerabilities of ChatGPT-Generated Code (trendmicro.com)

• 3 Ways Hackers Use ChatGPT to Cause Security Headaches (darkreading.com)

• ChatGPT is about to revolutionize cyber security | VentureBeat

• Mitigating Dark Web Risks: The Role Of AI And Machine Learning (forbes.com)

2FA/MFA

• The Ultimate Guide to Multi-Factor Authentication - Security Boulevard

Malware

• Microsoft is scanning the inside of password-protected zip files for malware | Ars Technica

• XWorm Malware Exploits Follina Vulnerability in New Wave of Attacks (thehackernews.com)

• Atomic malware steals Mac passwords, crypto wallets, and more • Graham Cluley

• CLR SqlShell Malware Targets MS SQL Servers for Crypto Mining and Ransomware (thehackernews.com)

• Lancefly APT Custom Backdoor Targets Government and Aviation Sectors - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• No more macros? No problem, say attackers, we'll adapt • The Register

• Infostealer Malware Surges: Stolen Logs Up 670% on Russian Market - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• The new info-stealing malware operations to watch out for (bleepingcomputer.com)

• DangerousPassword - A Malware Attack Pattern to Infect Devices (gbhackers.com)

• Stealthy MerDoor malware uncovered after five years of attacks (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Hackers Using Golang Variant of Cobalt Strike to Target Apple macOS Systems (thehackernews.com)

• New ZIP domains spark debate among cyber security experts (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Infamous cyber crime marketplace offers pre-order service for stolen credentials - Help Net Security

• BatLoader Impersonates ChatGPT and Midjourney in Cyber-Attacks - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Once Again, Malware Discovered Hidden in npm (darkreading.com)

• Trojan-Rigged Phishing Attacks Pepper China-Taiwan Conflict (darkreading.com)

Mobile

• Lemon Group Uses Millions of Pre-Infected Android Phones to Enable Cyber crime Enterprise (darkreading.com)

• Parental control app with 5 million downloads vulnerable to attacks (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Apple blocked 1.7 million apps for privacy, security issues in 2022 (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Converso walks back E2EE claims, yanks app from stores • The Register

• OilAlpha: Emerging Houthi-linked Cyber Threat Targets Arabian Android Users (thehackernews.com)

• Google Announces New Rating System for Android and Device Vulnerability Reports - SecurityWeek

• Millions of Smartphones Distributed Worldwide With Preinstalled 'Guerrilla' Malware - SecurityWeek

Botnets

• Beware Bots: Human Internet Traffic Dives to Lowest Level in Eight Years, New Report Finds - MSSP Alert

• Latest variant of RapperBot botnet adds cryptojacking capabilities-Security Affairs

• Bad bots are coming for APIs - Help Net Security

• Spanish cops arrest 69 in immigration bot scheme • The Register

Denial of Service/DoS/DDOS

• Polish news websites hit by DDoS attacks | Reuters

• Europe: The DDoS battlefield - Help Net Security

Internet of Things – IoT

• Netgear Routers' Flaws Expose Users to Malware, Remote Attacks, and Surveillance (thehackernews.com)

• Why 2.4GHz Wi-Fi is both the savior and the scourge of the smart home - The Verge

• Hackers infect TP-Link router firmware to attack EU entities (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Chinese Hackers Mustang Panda Attacks TP-Link Routers (informationsecuritybuzz.com)

• Unpatched Wemo Smart Plug Bug Opens Countless Networks to Cyber attacks (darkreading.com)

• Government Publishes Playbook to Enhance Smart City Security - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Is your car safe from a cyber attack? | E&T Magazine (theiet.org)

Data Breaches/Leaks

• UK's largest private pension scheme hit by Capita attack • The Register

• Capita warns customers they should assume data was stolen (bleepingcomputer.com)

• More than 2.25 Million Exposed Assets on the Dark Web Tied to Fortune 1000 Employees - MSSP Alert

• MP’s laptop stolen from Welcome Break spot 'not covered by CCTV' | UK News | Metro News

• Discord discloses data breach after support agent got hacked (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Data of 237,000 US government employees breached - CNA (channelnewsasia.com)

• Toyota: Car location data of 2 million customers exposed for ten years (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Toyota's bungling of customer privacy is becoming a pattern • The Register

• Making Sure Lost Data Stays Lost (darkreading.com)

• WordPress Plugin Vulnerability Exposed Ferrari Website to Hackers - SecurityWeek

• Personal info of 90k hikers leaked by French tourism company La Malle Postale-Security Affairs

• Ransomware gang steals data of 5.8 million PharMerica patients (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Airline exposes passenger info to others due to a 'technical error' (bleepingcomputer.com)

• University admission platform exposed student passports-Security Affairs

• Millions of deleted files recovered in hard drives purchased online | TechRadar

Organised Crime & Criminal Actors

• Law enforcement crackdowns and new techniques are forcing cyber criminals to pivot | CSO Online

• An Executive's Guide To The Cyber crime Underground (forbes.com)

• Hacker marketplace still active despite police 'takedown' claim - BBC News

• Former Ubiquiti Employee Gets 6 Years in Jail for $2 Million Crypto Extortion Case (thehackernews.com)

• How Cyber criminals Adapted to Microsoft Blocking Macros by Default (darkreading.com)

• Darknet Carding Kingpin Pleads Guilty: Sold Financial Info of Tens of Thousands (thehackernews.com)

• Lemon Group Uses Millions of Pre-Infected Android Phones to Enable Cyber crime Enterprise (darkreading.com)

Cryptocurrency/Cryptomining/Cryptojacking/NFTs/Blockchain

• Atomic malware steals Mac passwords, crypto wallets, and more • Graham Cluley

• Hacker admits he was connected to 'tens of thousands’ laptops to mine crypto (finbold.com)

• CLR SqlShell Malware Targets MS SQL Servers for Crypto Mining and Ransomware (thehackernews.com)

• Latest variant of RapperBot botnet adds cryptojacking capabilities-Security Affairs

• North Korean hackers stole $721 million in cryptocurrency from Japan - Nikkei | Reuters

• DangerousPassword - A Malware Attack Pattern to Infect Devices (gbhackers.com)

• Landmark crypto rules make exchanges liable for customer losses in EU | Ars Technica

• 8220 Gang Exploiting Oracle WebLogic Flaw to Hijack Servers and Mine Cryptocurrency (thehackernews.com)

Insider Risk and Insider Threats

• Triple Threat: Insecure Economy, Cyber crime Recruitment and Insider Threats - SecurityWeek

• Avoiding Reputational Damage By Conquering Insider Threats (informationsecuritybuzz.com)

• Insider threats surge across US CNI as attackers exploit human factors | CSO Online

• Ex-Apple engineer accused of stealing self-driving car secrets - BBC News

• Identity crimes: Too many victims, limited resources - Help Net Security

Fraud, Scams & Financial Crime

• Fraudsters send fake invoice, follow up with fake exec confirmation - Help Net Security

• Exploring the tactics of phishing and scam websites in 2023 - Help Net Security

• Edinburgh coffee shop owner devastated after losing £100,000 life savings to cyber criminals in internet scam | Edinburgh News (scotsman.com)

• How To Avoid Mother's Day Scams By Protecting Your Purse And Heart (informationsecuritybuzz.com)

• US Says VoIP Firm Delivered Billions of Scam Robocalls - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Spanish cops arrest 69 in immigration bot scheme • The Register

• This Is Catfishing on an Industrial Scale | WIRED

• Admin of the darknet carding platform Skynet Market pleads guilty-Security Affairs

• 18-year-old charged with hacking 60,000 sports betting accounts (bleepingcomputer.com)

AML/CFT/Sanctions

• How China came to dominate the black market for money laundering (telegraph.co.uk)

Insurance

• Insured companies more likely to be ransomware victims, sometimes more than once | CSO Online

Dark Web

• Hacker marketplace still active despite police 'takedown' claim - BBC News

• Infamous cyber crime marketplace offers pre-order service for stolen credentials - Help Net Security

• Darknet Carding Kingpin Pleads Guilty: Sold Financial Info of Tens of Thousands (thehackernews.com)

• Mitigating Dark Web Risks: The Role Of AI And Machine Learning (forbes.com)

Supply Chain and Third Parties

• Capita warns customers they should assume data was stolen (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Capita hit by new data breach incident | Financial Times (ft.com)

• Another security calamity for Capita: Unsecured AWS bucket • The Register

• UK's largest private pension scheme hit by Capita attack • The Register

• Discord Informs Users of Data Breach Involving Customer Support Provider - SecurityWeek

• Preparing for federal supply chain security standardization - Help Net Security

Software Supply Chain

• Software Supply Chain Attacks Hit 61% of Firms - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

Cloud/SaaS

• Security experts share cloud auditing best practices | TechTarget

• Stop worrying about cloud-lock-in, and outages: Gartner • The Register

• Microsoft Azure VMs Hijacked in Cloud Cyber attack (darkreading.com)

• Why High Tech Companies Struggle with SaaS Security (thehackernews.com)

• Sticking to traditional security playbook is mistake for cloud security: Palo Alto Networks SVP (techrepublic.com)

• Capita hit by new data breach incident | Financial Times (ft.com)

• Why Amazon S3 is a ransomware target and how to protect it | TechTarget

• Microsoft lets Azure AD choose authentication method • The Register

Encryption

• Converso walks back E2EE claims, yanks app from stores • The Register

• Protect against current and future threats with encryption | TechTarget

API

• Bad bots are coming for APIs - Help Net Security

• Attack automation becomes a prevalent threat against APIs - Help Net Security

Open Source

• EU attempts to secure software could hurt open source • The Register

• CISA: Several Old Linux Vulnerabilities Exploited in Attacks - SecurityWeek

• Open-source Cobalt Strike port 'Geacon' used in macOS attacks (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Malicious open-source components threatening digital infrastructure - Help Net Security

• Congress looks to expand CISA's role, adding responsibilities for satellites and open source software | CyberScoop

• Enhancing open source security: Insights from the OpenSSF on addressing key challenges - Help Net Security

Passwords, Credential Stuffing & Brute Force Attacks

• Time Taken For Hackers to Crack Passwords Revealed - IT Security Guru

• AI-Powered Tools Threaten Password Strength, New Study Finds - MSSP Alert

• Passkeys may not be for you, but they are safe and easy—here’s why | Ars Technica

• Ransomware Prevention – Are Meeting Password Security Requirements Enough (bleepingcomputer.com)

• KeePass 2.X Master Password Dumper allows retrieving the KeePass master password-Security Affairs

Social Media

• Former TikTok official says China had access to app data | Al Arabiya English

• Ongoing Facebook phishing campaign without a sender and (almost) without links

• Twitter wrong to block tweets during Turkey election - Wikipedia founder - BBC News

• Twitter sued over Saudi spying that allegedly landed popular user in prison [Updated] | Ars Technica

Training, Education and Awareness

• White House plan to implement cyber strategy includes ambitious digital education effort | CyberScoop

Parental Controls and Child Safety

• Parental control app with 5 million downloads vulnerable to attacks (bleepingcomputer.com)

Regulations, Fines and Legislation

• EU attempts to secure software could hurt open source • The Register

• AI Is About to Be Everywhere: Where Will Regulators Be? (darkreading.com)

• ChatGPT’s Chief Testifies Before Congress, Calls for New Agency to Regulate Artificial Intelligence - SecurityWeek

• Preparing for federal supply chain security standardization - Help Net Security

Secure Disposal

• Making Sure Lost Data Stays Lost (darkreading.com)

• Millions of deleted files recovered in hard drives purchased online | TechRadar

Careers, Working in Cyber and Information Security

• How I Got Started: Offensive Security

• Open source and Linux skills are still in demand in a dark economy | ZDNET

• Top 10 Ideas for Addressing the Cyber security Skills Gap in 2023 (analyticsinsight.net)

• Google Cloud CISO on why the Google Cyber security Certificate matters - Help Net Security

• Improving cyber mindfulness - IT Security Guru

• The Future is (Cyber) Mindful - IT Security Guru

Law Enforcement Action and Take Downs

• Law enforcement crackdowns and new techniques are forcing cyber criminals to pivot | CSO Online

• Hacker marketplace still active despite police 'takedown' claim - BBC News

• Spanish cops arrest 69 in immigration bot scheme • The Register

• Identity crimes: Too many victims, limited resources - Help Net Security

• Darknet Carding Kingpin Pleads Guilty: Sold Financial Info of Tens of Thousands (thehackernews.com)

• Admin of the darknet carding platform Skynet Market pleads guilty-Security Affairs

• 18-year-old charged with hacking 60,000 sports betting accounts (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Russian national indicted for ransomware attacks against the US | CSO Online

Privacy, Surveillance and Mass Monitoring

• The UK’s Secretive Web Surveillance Program Is Ramping Up | WIRED

• WhatsApp allows users to lock sensitive chats - Help Net Security

• Apple blocked 1.7 million apps for privacy, security issues in 2022 (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Google details its next steps for wiping out Chrome tracking cookies | Engadget

• Zut alors! Raclage crapuleux! Clearview AI in 20% more trouble in France – Naked Security (sophos.com)

Misinformation, Disinformation and Propaganda

• Pakistan shut down the internet - but that didn't stop the protests - BBC News

• Twitter wrong to block tweets during Turkey election - Wikipedia founder - BBC News

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

• Cyber Warfare Escalates Amid China-Taiwan Tensions - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• New APT Group Red Stinger Targets Military and Critical Infrastructure in Eastern Europe (thehackernews.com)

• China's 'Satellite Killer' Spacecraft Threatens To Puncture US Military In Space By Crippling Its Recon, Navigation & EW Satellites

• President Zelensky imposes sanctions against the Russian IT sector-Security Affairs

• 4 Countries Join NATO Cyber Defence Center - SecurityWeek

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Nation State Actors

• Former TikTok official says China had access to app data | Al Arabiya English

• Cyber Warfare Escalates Amid China-Taiwan Tensions - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• New APT Group Red Stinger Targets Military and Critical Infrastructure in Eastern Europe (thehackernews.com)

• Russia-affiliated CheckMate ransomware quietly targets popular file-sharing protocol-Security Affairs

• Gatewatcher unveils research into advanced persistent threats | Data Centre Solutions

• China's 'Satellite Killer' Spacecraft Threatens To Puncture US Military In Space By Crippling Its Recon, Navigation & EW Satellites

• How China came to dominate the black market for money laundering (telegraph.co.uk)

• Lancefly APT Custom Backdoor Targets Government and Aviation Sectors - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Researchers Uncover Powerful Backdoor and Custom Implant in Year-Long Cyber Campaign (thehackernews.com)

• North Korean hackers stole $721 million in cryptocurrency from Japan - Nikkei | Reuters

• Hackers infect TP-Link router firmware to attack EU entities (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Chinese Hackers Mustang Panda Attacks TP-Link Routers (informationsecuritybuzz.com)

• Cyble — Cisco Routers Exploited by Russian State-Sponsored Attackers

• DOJ links Iran, China and Russia to five IP theft-related cases | SC Media (scmagazine.com)

• Trojan-Rigged Phishing Attacks Pepper China-Taiwan Conflict (darkreading.com)

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Vulnerability Management

• Microsoft will take nearly a year to finish patching new 0-day Secure Boot bug | Ars Technica

• Remote updates on motherboards could lead to bricked servers • The Register

• Hacking Groups Rapidly Weaponizing N-Day Vulnerabilities (gbhackers.com)

• CISA: Several Old Linux Vulnerabilities Exploited in Attacks - SecurityWeek

• Microsoft Advisories Are Getting Worse (darkreading.com)

• How to build a better vulnerability management program | TechTarget

• Google Announces New Rating System for Android and Device Vulnerability Reports - SecurityWeek

• How to Protect Your Organisation From Vulnerabilities (darkreading.com)

Vulnerabilities

• Hackers target Wordpress plugin flaw after PoC exploit released (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Critical Flaws in Cisco Small Business Switches Could Allow Remote Attacks (thehackernews.com)

• KeePass flaw allows retrieval of master password, PoC is public (CVE-2023-32784) - Help Net Security

• Apple fixes three new zero-days exploited to hack iPhones, Macs (bleepingcomputer.com)

• XWorm Malware Exploits Follina Vulnerability in New Wave of Attacks (thehackernews.com)

• Details Disclosed for Exploit Chain That Allows Hacking of Netgear Routers - SecurityWeek

• CVE-2023-0008 PAN-OS: Local File Disclosure Vulnerability in the PAN-OS Web Interface (paloaltonetworks.com)

• Arm confident Cortex-M is secure after side-channel attack • The Register

• Microsoft Follina Bug Is Back in Meme-Themed Cyber attacks Against Travel Orgs (darkreading.com)

• CISA: Several Old Linux Vulnerabilities Exploited in Attacks - SecurityWeek

• Remote updates on motherboards could lead to bricked servers • The Register

• Microsoft will take nearly a year to finish patching new 0-day Secure Boot bug | Ars Technica

• Microsoft pulls Defender update fixing Windows LSA Protection bug (bleepingcomputer.com)

• WordPress 6.2.1 Released with Fixes for 5 Security Vulnerabilities – WP Tavern

• 8220 Gang Exploiting Oracle WebLogic Flaw to Hijack Servers and Mine Cryptocurrency (thehackernews.com)

• Cisco Says PoC Exploits Available for Newly Patched Enterprise Switch Vulnerabilities - SecurityWeek

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Tools and Controls

• Organisations' cyber resilience efforts fail to keep up with evolving threats - Help Net Security

• Hacking Groups Rapidly Weaponizing N-Day Vulnerabilities (gbhackers.com)

• Cyber-Resilience Programs Failing on Poor Visibility - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• 5 Ways Security Testing Can Aid Incident Response (darkreading.com)

• Organisations reporting cyber resilience are hardly resilient: Study | CSO Online

• Making Sure Lost Data Stays Lost (darkreading.com)

• Passkeys may not be for you, but they are safe and easy—here’s why | Ars Technica

• Not-Too-Safe Boot: Remotely Bypassing Endpoint Security Solutions (AV/EDR/…) and Anti-Tampering Mechanisms – Zero-Day Zone (zerodayzone.com)

• The Ultimate Guide to Multi-Factor Authentication - Security Boulevard

• Open-source Cobalt Strike port 'Geacon' used in macOS attacks (bleepingcomputer.com)

• White House plan to implement cyber strategy includes ambitious digital education effort | CyberScoop

• Protect against current and future threats with encryption | TechTarget

• Can AI Decision-Making Be Trusted for Cyber security? (analyticsinsight.net)

• 'Strictly limit' remote desktop to avoid BianLian ransomware • The Register

• Millions of deleted files recovered in hard drives purchased online | TechRadar

• Key Metrics In Evaluating DevOps Threat Matrix (informationsecuritybuzz.com)

• ChatGPT is about to revolutionize cyber security | VentureBeat

• A Requirements-Driven Approach to Cyber Threat Intelligence | Mandiant

• Embedding Security by Design: A Shared Responsibility (darkreading.com)

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Reports Published in the Last Week

• UK Cyber security Landscape: challenges and opportunities | Expel

• Kaspersky Incident Response report 2022 | Securelist

• The State of Pentesting 2023 Report | Cobalt

• Introducing the DRM-Report Q1 2023: Unveiling the Current State of Ransomware - -Security Affairs-Security Affairs

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Other News

• Heightened cyber attacks threat before Council of Europe summit in Reykjavik – EURACTIV.com

• White House plan to implement cyber strategy includes ambitious digital education effort | CyberScoop

• 12 common network protocols and their functions explained | TechTarget

• Pentagon Hacking Fears Fueled by Microsoft's Monopoly on Military IT (newsweek.com)

• Ukraine, Ireland, Japan and Iceland join NATO CCDCOE-Security Affairs

• Web entity activity reveals insights into internet security - Help Net Security

• Microsoft Security highlights from RSAC 2023 - Microsoft Security Blog

• Top 5 Cyber security Predictions and Statistics for 2023 (analyticsinsight.net)

• No more macros? No problem, say attackers, we'll adapt • The Register

• Not-Too-Safe Boot: Remotely Bypassing Endpoint Security Solutions (AV/EDR/…) and Anti-Tampering Mechanisms – Zero-Day Zone (zerodayzone.com)

• Researchers show ways to abuse Microsoft Teams accounts for lateral movement | CSO Online

• Rebinding Attacks Persist With Spotty Browser Defences (darkreading.com)

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Sector Specific

Industry specific threat intelligence reports are available.

Contact us to receive tailored reports specific to the industry/sector and geographies you operate in.

·       Automotive

·       Construction

·       Critical National Infrastructure (CNI)

·       Defence & Space

·       Education & Academia

·       Energy & Utilities

·       Estate Agencies

·       Financial Services

·       FinTech

·       Food & Agriculture

·       Gaming & Gambling

·       Government & Public Sector (including Law Enforcement)

·       Health/Medical/Pharma

·       Hotels & Hospitality

·       Insurance

·       Legal

·       Manufacturing

·       Maritime

·       Oil, Gas & Mining

·       OT, ICS, IIoT, SCADA & Cyber-Physical Systems

·       Retail & eCommerce

·       Small and Medium Sized Businesses (SMBs)

·       Startups

·       Telecoms

·       Third Sector & Charities

·       Transport & Aviation

·       Web3

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As usual, contact us to help assess where your risks lie and to ensure you are doing all you can do to keep you and your business secure.

Look out for our ‘Cyber Tip Tuesday’ video blog and on our YouTube channel.

You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

Links to articles are for interest and awareness and linking to or reposting external content does not endorse any service or product, likewise we are not responsible for the security of external links.

Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing 10 March 2023

Welcome to this week’s Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing – a weekly digest, collated and curated by our cyber threat intelligence experts to provide senior and middle management with an easy to digest round up of the most notable threats, vulnerabilities, and cyber related news from the last week.

Top Cyber Stories of the Last Week

Business Email Compromise Attacks Can Take Just Hours

Microsoft’s security intelligence team found that Business Email Compromise (BEC) attacks are moving rapidly, with some taking mere minutes. Microsoft found the whole process, from signing in using compromised credentials to registering typo squatting domains and hijacking an email thread, took threat actors only a couple of hours. Such a rapid attack leaves minimal time for organisations to identify and take preventative action. This is worrying when considering the cost of BEC is predicted to more than tens of billions.

https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/microsoft-business-email-compromise-attacks-can-take-just-hours/

Research Reveals ‘Password’ is Still the Most Common Term used by Hackers to Breach Enterprise Networks

In a report of over 800 million breached passwords, vendor Specops identified some worrying results. Some of the key findings from the report include 88% of passwords used in successful attacks consisting of 12 characters or less and the most common base terms used in passwords involving ‘password’, ‘admin’, ‘welcome’ and ‘p@ssw0rd’. The report found that 83% of the compromised passwords satisfied both the length and complexity requirements of cyber security compliance standards such as NIST, GDPR, HIPAA and Cyber Essentials.

https://www.itsecurityguru.org/2023/03/08/research-reveals-password-still-the-most-common-term-used-by-hackers-to-breach-enterprise-networks/

Just 10% of Firms Can Resolve Cloud Threats in an Hour

Two-thirds (39%) of global organisations reported a surge in breaches over the past year, with IT complexity increasing and detection and response capabilities worsening, according to Palo Alto Networks. It found that as enterprises move more of their data and workloads to the cloud, they’re finding it increasingly difficult to discover and remediate incidents quickly. Over two-fifths (42%) reported an increase in mean time to remediate, while 90% said they are unable to detect, contain and resolve cyber-threats within an hour. Nearly a third (30%) reported a major increase in intrusion attempts and unplanned downtime. Part of the challenge appears to be the complexity of their cloud security environments – partly caused by tool bloat.

https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/10-firms-resolve-cloud-threats-hour/

MSPs in the Crosshairs of Ransomware Gangs

Many attacks have heightened attention around third-party risk and the security obligations of MSPs in meeting multiple customers’ IT needs. Attacks such as the ones on RackSpace and LastPass show that some ransomware actors are now intentionally targeting MSPs to access sensitive customer data. It is now believed that some advanced persistent threat (APT) groups could be stepping up their attacks on MSP’s in order to gain sensitive customer data.

https://www.msspalert.com/cybersecurity-research/msps-in-the-crosshairs-of-ransomware-gangs/

Stolen Credentials Increasingly Empower the Cyber Crime Underground

Threat Intelligence provider Flashpoint found that last year threat actors exposed or stole 22.62 billion credentials and personal records, which often make their way to underground forums and cyber criminal markets. This follows a significant increase in market activity; just last year Flashpoint recorded 190 new illicit markets emerge and the continual rise in attacks focused on stealing credentials only further empowers cyber crime underground.

https://www.csoonline.com/article/3690409/stolen-credentials-increasingly-empower-the-cybercrime-underground.html#tk.rss_news

It’s Time to Assess the Potential Dangers of an Increasingly Connected World

As global conflicts continue, cyber has become the fifth front of warfare. The world is approaching 50 billion connected devices, controlling everything from our traffic lights to our nuclear arsenal and we have already seen large-scale cyber attacks. Adding to this, a multitude of infrastructure runs on services ran by a handful of companies; Palo Alto Networks, Cisco and Fortinet control more than 50% of the market for security appliances. As such, an attack on one of these companies could cause a huge ripple effect on their customers.

https://www.darkreading.com/risk/it-s-time-to-assess-the-potential-dangers-of-an-increasingly-connected-world-

Mounting Cyber Threats Mean Financial Firms Urgently Need Better Safeguards

According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) 64% of banks and supervisory authorities do not mandate testing and exercising cyber security and 54% lack dedicated a cyber incident reporting regime. This increases the risk of experiencing a cyber attack. Regularly testing and exercising security will aid any organisation in its cyber resilience.

https://www.imf.org/en/Blogs/Articles/2023/03/02/mounting-cyber-threats-mean-financial-firms-urgently-need-better-safeguards

Insider Threat: Developers Leaked 10m Credentials Including Passwords in 2022

Security provider GitGuardian found that the rate at which developers leaked critical software secrets jumped by 0.5 to reach 5.5 out of every 1,000 commits to GitHub repositories; overall, this amounted to at least 10 million instances of secrets leaking to a public repository. Generic passwords accounted for the majority of leaked secrets (56%) and more than a third (38%) of leaks involved API keys, random number generator seeds and other sensitive strings. These leaks can have worrying consequences for organisations.

https://www.darkreading.com/application-security/inside-threat-developers-leaked-10m-credentials-passwords-2022

Cyber Threat Detections Surges 55% In 2022

Security Provider Trend Micro has said that it stopped 146 billion cyber threats in 2022, a 55% increase on the previous year and evidence of the increase of attacks ramping up. Trend Micro also found a 242% increase in the number of blocked malicious files and an 86% increase in backdoor malware detections with the latter showing an increase in attackers gaining initial access. Furthermore, the number of critical vulnerabilities in 2022 doubled compared to the previous year. Trend Micro noted that this is all likely due to an ever expanding attack surface of organisations.

https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/cyberthreat-detections-surge-55/

European Central Bank Tells Banks to Run Cyber Stress Tests after Rise in Hacker Attacks

The European Central Bank (ECB) will ask all major lenders in the Eurozone to detail by next year, how they would respond to and recover from a successful cyber attack. The ECB is in the process of designing a scenario involving a theoretical breach of the financial system’s cyber defences, which will be sent to all of the 111 banks it assesses to see how they would react. The stress test stems from the increasing amount of cyber attacks. If cyber has shown us anything, it’s that anyone can be a target and performing a stress test would help any organisation prepare for the worst.

https://www.ft.com/content/f03d68a4-fdb9-4312-bda3-3157d369a4a6

Employees Are Feeding Sensitive Business Data to ChatGPT

1 in 20 employees have put sensitive corporate data into popular AI tool ChatGPT, raising concerns that this could result in massive leaks of proprietary information. In some cases, this has involved employees cutting and pasting strategic documents and asking ChatGPT to make a PowerPoint.

https://www.darkreading.com/risk/employees-feeding-sensitive-business-data-chatgpt-raising-security-fears

Is Ransomware Declining? Not So Fast Experts Say

Security provider CrowdStrike have explained that the perceived decline in ransomware reflects the abilities of threat actors to adapt, splinter and regroup against defensive measures. CrowdStrike expand on this, stating that whilst ransom payments dipped slightly in 2022, there was an uprise in data extortion and ransomware as a service (RaaS).

https://www.techtarget.com/searchsecurity/news/365532201/Is-ransomware-declining-Not-so-fast-experts-say

Preventing Corporate Data Breaches Starts with Remembering that Leaks have Real Victims

The impact a data breach can have on an individual is devastating and ultimately there’s not much an individual can do themselves if the organisation that holds their data isn’t taking the right steps. To best protect themselves and their clients’ data, organisations should look to have appropriate defence in depth controls, including effective asset management, an open security culture, close monitoring of access, utilising strong authentication and maintaining an awareness of the ever changing threat landscape.

https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2023/03/07/preventing-corporate-data-breaches/

Faced With Likelihood of Ransomware Attacks, Businesses Still Choosing to Pay Up

In a recent report Proofpoint found that globally 76% of organisations experienced ransomware attempts, with 64% eventually infected. Amongst those that had a cyber insurance policy, 82% of insurers stepped up to pay the ransom either in full or partially. The report found that with the rise in number and sophistication of attacks it is more important than ever for proper security training and awareness in organisations.

https://www.zdnet.com/article/faced-with-likelihood-of-ransomware-attacks-businesses-still-choosing-to-pay-up/

Experts See Growing Need for Cyber Security Workers as One in Six Jobs go Unfilled

A report by the Information and Communications Technology Council (ICTC) found that 1 in 6 cyber security jobs are unfulfilled and this is only expected to grow in the coming years. The ICTC stated that “This is not just about education or government funding, but about companies willing to provide hands-on training and experience to the next generation of cyber security experts”.

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business/careers/article-experts-see-growing-need-for-cybersecurity-workers-as-one-in-six-jobs/

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Threats

Ransomware, Extortion and Destructive Attacks

• Faced with likelihood of ransomware attacks, businesses still choosing to pay up | ZDNET

• MSPs in the Crosshairs of Ransomware Gangs - MSSP Alert

• Is ransomware declining? Not so fast, experts say | TechTarget

• FBI and CISA warn of increasing Royal ransomware attack risks (bleepingcomputer.com)

• City of Oakland Faces Major Data Leak - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Indigo Books Refuses LockBit Ransomware Demand (darkreading.com)

• Anatomy of a Ransomware Attack

• Core Members of DoppelPaymer Ransomware Gang Targeted in Germany and Ukraine (thehackernews.com)

• Ransom House ransomware attack hit Hospital Clinic de Barcelona- - Security Affairs

• Security Patch Management Strengthens Ransomware Defence (trendmicro.com)

• Ransomware's Favorite Target: Critical Infrastructure and Its Industrial Control Systems (darkreading.com)

• Ransomware review: March 2023 (malwarebytes.com)

• Ransomware gang posts video of data stolen from Minneapolis schools (bleepingcomputer.com)

• IceFire ransomware now encrypts both Linux and Windows systems (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Examining Ransomware Payments From a Data-Science Lens (trendmicro.com)

• DND: Black & McDonald reported ransomware attack | CTV News

• Cyble — BlackSnake Ransomware Emerges from Chaos Ransomware's Shadow

Phishing & Email Based Attacks

• AI is taking phishing attacks to a whole new level of sophistication - Help Net Security

• Catches of the Month: Phishing Scams for March 2023 - IT Governance UK Blog

• Emotet starts post-break phishing campaign • The Register

BEC – Business Email Compromise

• Microsoft: Business email compromise attacks can take just hours (bleepingcomputer.com)

Other Social Engineering; Smishing, Vishing, etc

• Experts Warn of "SMS Pumping" Fraud Epidemic - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Vishing attacks increasing, but AI's role still unclear | TechTarget

• Defeating the Deepfake Danger - SecurityWeek

• Does Your Help Desk Know Who's Calling? (thehackernews.com)

2FA/MFA

• NCSC: Twitter Users Should Find MFA Alternatives - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

Malware

• DrayTek VPN routers hacked with new malware to steal data, evade detection (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Malicious PyPI package signals direction of cyber crime • The Register

• How to prevent Microsoft OneNote files from infecting Windows with malware (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Snake Keylogger Malware Removal Guide (makeuseof.com)

• Stealthy UEFI malware bypassing Secure Boot enabled by unpatchable Windows flaw | Ars Technica

• New malware infects business routers for data theft, surveillance (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Old Windows ‘Mock Folders’ UAC bypass used to drop malware (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Emotet malware attacks return after three-month break (bleepingcomputer.com)

• AI-Powered 'BlackMamba' Keylogging Attack Evades Modern EDR Security (darkreading.com)

• New ScrubCrypt Crypter Used in Cryptojacking Attacks Targeting Oracle WebLogic (thehackernews.com)

• Hackers Exploiting Remote Desktop Software Flaws to Deploy PlugX Malware (thehackernews.com)

• Custom Chinese Malware Found on SonicWall Appliance - SecurityWeek

• Remcos Trojan Returns to Most Wanted Malware List After Ukraine Attacks - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• FBI and international cops catch a NetWire RAT • The Register

Mobile

• Transparent Tribe Hackers Distribute CapraRAT via Trojanized Messaging Apps (thehackernews.com)

• Officials Targeted with Romance Scams and Android Trojan - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Google One expands security features to all plans with dark web report, VPN access - Help Net Security

Denial of Service/DoS/DDOS

• Akamai mitigated a record-breaking DDoS that peaked 900Gbps- Security Affairs

Internet of Things – IoT

• TPM 2.0 Library Vulnerabilities May Affect Billions of IoT Devices - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Chinese Hikvision cameras ‘that pose security threat’ used on King’s Sandringham estate (thetimes.co.uk)

Data Breaches/Leaks

• Preventing corporate data breaches starts with remembering that leaks have real victims - Help Net Security

• The LastPass Hack Somehow Gets Worse | WIRED

• LastPass Hack: Engineer's Failure to Update Plex Software Led to Massive Data Breach (thehackernews.com)

• Credential Stuffing attack on Chick-fil-A impacted +71K users- Security Affairs

• Popular fintech apps expose valuable, exploitable secrets - Help Net Security

• PayPal Sued Over Data Breach that Impacted 35,000 users (hackread.com)

• Acer Data Breach? Hacker Claims to Sell 160GB Trove of Stolen Data (hackread.com)

• Brazilian Conglomerate Suffers 3TB Data Breach: Report - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Data breach exposed millions of Verizon customers' account info (androidpolice.com)

• Congress’ Social Security Numbers Leaked in DC Health Link Hack (gizmodo.com)

• Data protection vendor Acronis admits to data leak • The Register

• AT&T confirms 9m wireless accounts exposed by third part • The Register

Organised Crime & Criminal Actors

• At Least 30% of "Cyber-Criminals" Are Women: Report - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Cyber crime site shows off with a free leak of 2 million stolen card numbers - The Record from Recorded Future News

• BidenCash leaks 2.1M stolen credit/debit cards- Security Affairs

• Malicious PyPI package signals direction of cyber crime • The Register

• Where are the women in cyber security? • The Register

Cryptocurrency/Cryptomining/Cryptojacking/NFTs/Blockchain

• FTX Confirms $9 Billion in Customer Funds Vanished (gizmodo.com)

• Russia-Ukraine war: How both sides of the conflict have used crypto to win (cointelegraph.com)

• New ScrubCrypt Crypter Used in Cryptojacking Attacks Targeting Oracle WebLogic (thehackernews.com)

Insider Risk and Insider Threats

• 6 Ways To Go Beyond Awareness And Foster A Real Culture Of Cyber security (forbes.com)

Fraud, Scams & Financial Crime

• Scams Security Pros Almost Fell For (darkreading.com)

• FTX Confirms $9 Billion in Customer Funds Vanished (gizmodo.com)

• Experts Warn of "SMS Pumping" Fraud Epidemic - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Scammers using voice-cloning A.I. to mimic relatives | Fortune

• Alleged security breach leaves millions of dollars missing from Flutterwave accounts | TechCrunch

• UK Government Plans Skills Boost for Public Sector Fraud Fight - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Officials Targeted with Romance Scams and Android Trojan - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• New Rise In ChatGPT Scams Reported By Fraudsters (informationsecuritybuzz.com)

Deepfakes

• From Disinformation to Deep Fakes: How Threat Actors Manipulate Reality (thehackernews.com)

• Defeating the Deepfake Danger - SecurityWeek

Insurance

• Talking Cyber Insurance With Munich Re - SecurityWeek

Dark Web

• Cyber crime site shows off with a free leak of 2 million stolen card numbers - The Record from Recorded Future News

• Google One expands security features to all plans with dark web report, VPN access - Help Net Security

Supply Chain and Third Parties

• Snap CISO talks risky supply chain security business • The Register

• SolarWinds IR lead: supply-chain attacks 'getting bigger' • The Register

• AT&T confirms 9m wireless accounts exposed by third part • The Register

Software Supply Chain

• SBOMs become a security staple for the software supply chain • The Register

Cloud/SaaS

• Just 10% of Firms Can Resolve Cloud Threats in an Hour - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Experts Reveal Google Cloud Platform's Blind Spot for Data Exfiltration Attacks (thehackernews.com)

• Hackers are quickly learning how to target cloud systems (axios.com)

• Understanding the Shared Responsibility Model, Critical Step to Ensure Cloud Security - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

Attack Surface Management

• 5 Reasons You Should Care About Unmanaged Assets (darkreading.com)

Asset Management

• 5 Reasons You Should Care About Unmanaged Assets (darkreading.com)

Encryption

• New TPM 2.0 flaws could let hackers steal cryptographic keys (bleepingcomputer.com)

• New Steganography Breakthrough Enables “Perfectly Secure” Digital Communications (scitechdaily.com)

API

• API Security for UK companies - IT Security Guru

• Attackers exploit APIs faster than ever before - Help Net Security

Open Source

• IceFire ransomware now encrypts both Linux and Windows systems (bleepingcomputer.com)

Passwords, Credential Stuffing & Brute Force Attacks

• Research Reveals 'Password' Still the Most Common Term Used by Hackers to Breach Enterprise Networks - IT Security Guru

• Stolen credentials increasingly empower the cyber crime underground | CSO Online

• The LastPass Hack Somehow Gets Worse | WIRED

• Credential Stuffing attack on Chick-fil-A impacted +71K users- Security Affairs

• The Role of Verifiable Credentials In Preventing Account Compromise (darkreading.com)

• Securing ways to share workplace passwords • The Register

• Young government workers show poor password management habits - Help Net Security

Social Media

• NCSC: Twitter Users Should Find MFA Alternatives - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• TikTok unveils new European data security regime | Reuters

Training, Education and Awareness

• 6 Ways To Go Beyond Awareness And Foster A Real Culture Of Cyber security (forbes.com)

Regulations, Fines and Legislation

• Biden Administration's Cyber security Strategy Takes Aim at Hackers (gizmodo.com)

• Government Claims New UK GDPR Will Save Firms Billions - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

Governance, Risk and Compliance

• Inadequate patches and advisories increase cyber risk - Help Net Security

• Why do Businesses Need to Focus More on Cyber security (hackread.com)

• Flashpoint: Threat vectors converging, increasing damage | TechTarget

• How to achieve and shore up cyber resilience in a recession - Help Net Security

• The cyber security landscape in the era of economic instability – Help Net Security

Models, Frameworks and Standards

• Open letter demands OWASP overhaul, warns of mass project exodus | CSO Online

• PCI Compliance Requirements Guide (trendmicro.com)

• NIST Retooling Cyber security Framework to Reflect Changing Cyber scape – MSSP Alert

Data Protection

• Government Claims New UK GDPR Will Save Firms Billions – Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

Careers, Working in Cyber and Information Security

• Experts see growing need for cyber security workers as one in six jobs go unfilled – The Globe and Mail

• How to Jump-Start Your Cyber security Career (darkreading.com)

Law Enforcement Action and Take Downs

• Core Members of DoppelPaymer Ransomware Gang Targeted in Germany and Ukraine (thehackernews.com)

• FBI and international cops catch a NetWire RAT • The Register

Privacy, Surveillance and Mass Monitoring

• Secret Service and ICE break the law with fake phone towers • The Register

• Thought you'd opted out of online tracking? Think again • The Register

Artificial Intelligence

• AI is taking phishing attacks to a whole new level of sophistication - Help Net Security

• Employees Are Feeding Sensitive Business Data to ChatGPT (darkreading.com)

• You can poison AI datasets for just $60, a new study shows (fastcompany.com)

• Microsoft and MITRE developed a tool to prepare security teams for attacks on ML systems - Help Net Security

• Thousands scammed by AI voices mimicking loved ones in emergencies | Ars Technica

• Vishing attacks increasing, but AI's role still unclear | TechTarget

• AI-Powered 'BlackMamba' Keylogging Attack Evades Modern EDR Security (darkreading.com)

• Criminals will use ChatGPT to unleash wave of fraud, warns Darktrace (telegraph.co.uk)

Misinformation, Disinformation and Propaganda

• From Disinformation to Deep Fakes: How Threat Actors Manipulate Reality (thehackernews.com)

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

• What can security teams learn from a year of cyber warfare? | Computer Weekly

• New Backdoor MQsTTang Attributed to Mustang Panda Group - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Pegasus spyware used to spy on a Polish mayor- Security Affairs

• Russia-Ukraine war: How both sides of the conflict have used crypto to win (cointelegraph.com)

• Sharp Panda targets government entities in Southeast Asia- Security Affairs

• Russia’s Cyber Tactics in Ukraine Shift to Focus on Espionage - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Managed Service Provider Identifies Potential Chinese Spy Ring - MSSP Alert

• Chinese cyber spies target unpatched SonicWall gear • The Register

• What is Cyberwarfare? | Definition from TechTarget

Nation State Actors

• What can security teams learn from a year of cyber warfare? | Computer Weekly

• New Backdoor MQsTTang Attributed to Mustang Panda Group - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Russia Bans Messengers, Including WhatsApp, Telegram, And More (informationsecuritybuzz.com)

• Russia-Ukraine war: How both sides of the conflict have used crypto to win (cointelegraph.com)

• Chinese Hikvision cameras ‘that pose security threat’ used on King’s Sandringham estate (thetimes.co.uk)

• China-aligned APT is exploring new technology stacks for malicious tools - Help Net Security

• Sharp Panda targets government entities in Southeast Asia- Security Affairs

• Lazarus Group Exploits Zero-Day Vulnerability to Hack South Korean Financial Entity (thehackernews.com)

• Russia’s Cyber Tactics in Ukraine Shift to Focus on Espionage - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Managed Service Provider Identifies Potential Chinese Spy Ring - MSSP Alert

• Chinese firm got Covid contract despite trying to hack NHS data, minister says | Politics | The Guardian

• Chinese cyber spies target unpatched SonicWall gear • The Register

• TikTok unveils new European data security regime | Reuters

• Lazarus group infiltrated South Korean finance firm twice last year | CSO Online

• Remcos Trojan Returns to Most Wanted Malware List After Ukraine Attacks - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• New Chinese regulatory body expected to streamline data governance rules | CSO Online

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Vulnerability Management

• Inadequate patches and advisories increase cyber risk - Help Net Security

• Build Cyber Resiliency With These Security Threat-Mitigation Considerations

• Zero Day Threat Protection for Your Network (trendmicro.com)

• 557 CVEs Added to CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog in 2022 - SecurityWeek

• Machine Learning Improves Prediction of Exploited Vulnerabilities (darkreading.com)

• Security Patch Management Strengthens Ransomware Defense (trendmicro.com)

• VulnCheck: CISA's KEV missing 42 vulnerabilities from 2022 | TechTarget

Vulnerabilities

• TPM 2.0 Library Vulnerabilities May Affect Billions of IoT Devices - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Researchers discover 'kill switch' in Starlink terminals - Security - iTnews

• PoC exploit for recently patched Microsoft Word RCE is public (CVE-2023-21716) - Help Net Security

• CISA's KEV Catalog Updated with 3 New Flaws Threatening IT Management Systems (thehackernews.com)

• Exploitation of Critical Vulnerability in End-of-Life VMware Product Ongoing - SecurityWeek

• Fortinet warns of new critical unauthenticated RCE vulnerability (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Information Disclosure Vulnerability in Adobe Experience Manager affecting multiple companies… | by Fat Selimi | Feb, 2023 | InfoSec Write-ups (infosecwriteups.com)

• Chinese cyber spies target unpatched SonicWall gear • The Register

• Chrome 111 Patches 40 Vulnerabilities - SecurityWeek

• Bitwarden flaw can let hackers steal passwords using iframes (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Veeam warns to install patches to fix a bug in Backup & Replication- Security Affairs

• Hackers Exploiting Remote Desktop Software Flaws to Deploy PlugX Malware (thehackernews.com)

• Vulnerability Exposes Cisco Enterprise Routers to Disruptive Attacks - SecurityWeek

• Jenkins Server Vulnerabilities Chained for Remote Code Execution  - SecurityWeek

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Tools and Controls

• The LastPass Hack Somehow Gets Worse | WIRED

• 3 Ways Security Teams Can Use IP Data Context (darkreading.com)

• Two-Thirds of European Firms Have Started Zero Trust - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• What is zero trust? A model for more effective security | CSO Online

• Too Many SOAR Vendors are Failing MSSPs - MSSP Alert

• Why enterprise SecOps strategies must include XDR and MDR | TechTarget

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Other News

• Biden Administration's Cyber security Strategy Takes Aim at Hackers (gizmodo.com)

• Tracking device technology: A double-edged sword for CISOs | CSO Online

• From Disinformation to Deep Fakes: How Threat Actors Manipulate Reality (thehackernews.com)

• What CISOs need to understand about document signing - Help Net Security

• Thousands of websites hacked as part of redirection campaign- Security Affairs

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Sector Specific

Industry specific threat intelligence reports are available.

Contact us to receive tailored reports specific to the industry/sector and geographies you operate in.

·       Automotive

·       Construction

·       Critical National Infrastructure (CNI)

·       Defence & Space

·       Education & Academia

·       Energy & Utilities

·       Estate Agencies

·       Financial Services

·       FinTech

·       Food & Agriculture

·       Gaming & Gambling

·       Government & Public Sector (including Law Enforcement)

·       Health/Medical/Pharma

·       Hotels & Hospitality

·       Insurance

·       Legal

·       Manufacturing

·       Maritime

·       Oil, Gas & Mining

·       OT, ICS, IIoT, SCADA & Cyber-Physical Systems

·       Retail & eCommerce

·       Small and Medium Sized Businesses (SMBs)

·       Startups

·       Telecoms

·       Third Sector & Charities

·       Transport & Aviation

·       Web3

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As usual, contact us to help assess where your risks lie and to ensure you are doing all you can do to keep you and your business secure.

Look out for our ‘Cyber Tip Tuesday’ video blog and on our YouTube channel.

You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

Links to articles are for interest and awareness and linking to or reposting external content does not endorse any service or product, likewise we are not responsible for the security of external links.

Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing 11 November 2022

Welcome to this week’s Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing – a weekly digest, collated and curated by our cyber experts to provide senior and middle management with an easy to digest round up of the most notable threats, vulnerabilities, and cyber related news from the last week.

Top Cyber Stories of the Last Week

• Research Finds Organisations Lack Tools and Teams to Address Cyber Security Threats

In research conducted in the summer of 2022 by BlackBerry, the findings describe the situation facing organisations regardless of size or vertical.

The survey of 405 senior IT, networking, and security decision-makers in the US, Canada, and the UK revealed 83% of organisations agreed building cyber security programs is expensive due to required tools, licenses, and personnel, and 80% agreed it’s challenging to fill specialised security roles. Most organisations (78%) have an incident management process, but about half (49%) agree they lack the teams and tools to be effective 24x7x365. Evolving security threats (53%) and the task of integrating new technology (53%) are cited as top challenges in maintaining security posture.

While it’s likely these findings surprise no one, they do reveal the challenges facing organisations who are caught between limited resources and increased risk. The urgency increases if we look at the critical infrastructure that keeps things running–like utilities, banks, transportation, key suppliers, industrial controls, and more.

https://www.msspalert.com/cybersecurity-guests/research-finds-organizations-lack-tools-and-teams-to-address-cybersecurity-threats/

• Some 98% of Global Firms Suffer Supply Chain Breach in 2021

Just 2% of global organisations didn’t suffer a supply chain breach last year, with visibility into cyber risk getting harder as these ecosystems expand, according to BlueVoyant.

The security firm polled 2100 C-level execs with responsibility for supply chain and cyber risk management from companies with 1000+ employees to compile its study, The State of Supply Chain Defense: Annual Global Insights Report 2022.

It found the top challenges listed by respondents were:

• Awareness internally that third-party suppliers are part of their cyber security posture

• Meeting regulatory requirements and ensuring third-party cyber security compliance

• Working with third-party suppliers to improve their posture.

Supply chains are growing: the number of firms with over 1000 suppliers increased from 38% in 2021’s report to 50%. Although 53% of organisations audited or reported on supplier security more than twice annually, 40% still rely on suppliers to ensure security levels are sufficient. That means they have no way of knowing if an issue arises with a supplier.

Worse, 42% admitted that if they do discover an issue in their supply chain and inform their supplier, they cannot verify that the issue was resolved. Just 3% monitor their supply chain daily, although the number of respondents using security ratings services to enhance visibility and reduce cyber risk increased from 36% last year to 39% in this year’s report.

With the escalating threat landscape and number of high-profile incidents being reported, firms should focus more strategically on addressing supply chain cyber security risk. In the current volatile economic climate, the last thing any business needs is any further disruption to their operations, any unexpected costs, or negative impact on their brand.

https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/98-global-firms-supply-chain/

• Only 30% of Cyber Insurance Holders Say Ransomware is Covered

Cyber insurance providers appear to be limiting policy coverage due to surging costs from claimants, according to a new study from Delinea.

The security vendor polled 300 US-based IT decision makers to compile its latest report, Cyber insurance: if you get it be ready to use it.

Although 93% were approved for specialised cyber insurance cover by their provider, just 30% said their policy covered “critical risks” including ransomware, ransom negotiations and payments. Around half (48%) said their policy covers data recovery, while just a third indicated it covers incident response, regulatory fines and third-party damages.

That may be because many organisations are regularly being breached and look to their providers for pay-outs, driving up costs for carriers. Some 80% of those surveyed said they’ve had to call on their insurance, and half of these have submitted claims multiple times, the study noted.

As a result, many insurers are demanding that prospective policyholders implement more comprehensive security controls before they’re allowed to sign up.

Half (51%) of respondents said that security awareness training was a requirement, while (47%) said the same about malware protection, AV software, multi-factor authentication (MFA) and data backups.

However, high-level checks may not be enough to protect insurers from surging losses, as they can’t guarantee customers are properly deploying security controls.

Cyber insurance providers need to start advancing beyond simple checklists for security controls. They must require their customers to validate that their security controls work as designed and expected. They need their customers to simulate their adversaries to ensure that when they are attacked, the attack will not result in a breach. In fact, we're already starting to see government regulations and guidance that includes adversary simulation as part of their proactive response to threats.

https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/cyberinsurance-ransomware-cover/

• Companies Hit by Ransomware Often Targeted Again, Research Says

It has been reported that more than a third of companies who paid a ransom to cyber criminals after being hit by a ransomware attack went on to be targeted for a second time, according to a new report.

The Hiscox Cyber Readiness Report found that 36% of companies that made the ransom payment were hit again, while 41% who paid failed to recover all of their data.

The head of the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), Lindy Cameron, said last year that ransomware attacks were the “most immediate danger” to the UK and urged companies to take more steps to protect themselves and their data.

The NCSC urges firms not to pay ransoms as it not only helps fund further crime but offers no guarantee that criminals will return the stolen or locked data. The Hiscox report appeared to back up the NCSC’s warnings, with 43% of the businesses who paid a ransom saying they still had to rebuild their systems while 29% said that despite making the payment their stolen data was still leaked. A further 26% said a ransomware attack had had a significant financial impact on their business.

https://informationsecuritybuzz.com/companies-hit-by-ransomware-often-targeted-again-research-says-and-expert-comments/

• Ransomware Remains Top Cyber Risk for Organisations Globally, Says Allianz

According to an Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty cyber report, ransomware remains a top cyber risk for organisations globally, while the threat of state-sponsored cyber attacks grows.

There were a record 623 million attacks in 2021, which was double that of 2020, says Allianz.

It also notes that despite the frequency reducing 23% globally during H1 of 2022, the year-to-date total still exceeds that of the full years of 2017, 2018 and 2019, while Europe saw attacks surge over this period. Allianz suggests that ransomware is forecast to cause $30bn in damages to organisations globally by 2023.

It adds that from an Allianz perspective, the value of ransomware claims the company was involved in together with other insurers, accounted for well over 50% of all cyber claims costs during 2020 and 2021.

The cyber risk landscape doesn’t allow for any resting on laurels. Ransomware and phishing scams are as active as ever and on top of that there is the prospect of a hybrid cyber war.

Most companies will not be able to evade a cyber threat. However, it is clear that organisations with good cyber maturity are better equipped to deal with incidents. Even when they are attacked, losses are typically less severe due to established identification and response mechanisms.

Many companies still need to strengthen their cyber controls, particularly around IT security trainings, better network segmentation for critical environments and cyber incident response plans and security governance.

Allianz observes that geopolitical tensions, such as the war in Ukraine, are a major factor reshaping the cyber threat landscape as the risks of espionage, sabotage, and destructive cyber-attacks against companies with ties to Russia and Ukraine increase, as well as allies and those in neighbouring countries.

https://www.reinsurancene.ws/ransomware-remains-top-cyber-risk-for-organisations-globally-says-allianz/

• How Geopolitical Turmoil Changed the Cyber Security Threat Landscape

ENISA, EU’s Agency for Cybersecurity, released its annual Threat Landscape report, covering the period from July 2021 up to July 2022.

With more than 10 terabytes of data stolen monthly, ransomware still fares as one of the prime threats in the new report with phishing now identified as the most common initial vector of such attacks. The other threats to rank highest along ransomware are attacks against availability also called Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks.

However, the geopolitical situations particularly the Russian invasion of Ukraine have acted as a game changer over the reporting period for the global cyber domain. While we still observe an increase of the number of threats, we also see a wider range of vectors emerge such as zero-day exploits and AI-enabled disinformation and deepfakes. As a result, more malicious and widespread attacks emerge having more damaging impact.

EU Agency for Cybersecurity Executive Director, Juhan Lepassaar stated that “Today’s global context is inevitably driving major changes in the cyber security threat landscape. The new paradigm is shaped by the growing range of threat actors. We enter a phase which will need appropriate mitigation strategies to protect all our critical sectors, our industry partners and therefore all EU citizens.”

State sponsored, cyber crime, hacker-for-hire actors and hacktivists remain the prominent threat actors during the reporting period of July 2021 to July 2022.

ENISA sorted threats into 8 groups. Frequency and impact determine how prominent all of these threats still are.

• Ransomware: 60% of affected organisations may have paid ransom demands

• Malware: 66 disclosures of zero-day vulnerabilities observed in 2021

• Social engineering: Phishing remains a popular technique but we see new forms of phishing arising such as spear-phishing, whaling, smishing and vishing

• Threats against data: Increasing in proportionally to the total of data produced

• Disinformation – misinformation: Escalating AI-enabled disinformation, deepfakes and disinformation-as-a-service

• Supply chain targeting: Third-party incidents account for 17% of the intrusions in 2021 compared to less than 1% in 2020

• Threats against availability:

  • Largest denial of service (DDoS) attack ever was launched in Europe in July 2022

  • Internet: destruction of infrastructure, outages and rerouting of internet traffic.

https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2022/11/08/cybersecurity-threat-landscape-2022/

• Swiss Re Wants Government Bail Out as Cyber Crime Insurance Costs Spike

As insurance companies struggle to stay afloat amid rising cyber claims, Swiss Re has recommended a public-private partnership insurance scheme with one option being a government-backed fund to help fill the coverage gap.

Global cyber insurance premiums hit $10 billion in 2021, according to Swiss Re's estimates. In a study published this week, the insurance giant forecasted 20 percent annual growth to 2025, with premiums rising to $23 billion over the next few years.

Meanwhile, annual cyber attack-related losses total about $945 billion globally, and about 90% of that risk remains uninsured, according to insurance researchers at the Geneva Association.

While Forrester estimates a typical data breach costs an average $2.4 million for investigation and recovery, only 55 percent of companies currently have cyber insurance policies. Additionally, less than 20 percent have coverage limits in excess of $600,000, which the analyst firm cites as the median ransomware demand in 2021.

https://www.theregister.com/2022/11/08/government_cyber_insurance/

• Extortion Economics: Ransomware's New Business Model

Ransomware-as-a-service lowers the barriers to entry, hides attackers’ identities, and creates multitier, specialised roles in service of ill-gotten gains.

Did you know that more than 80% of ransomware attacks can be traced to common configuration errors in software and devices? This ease of access is one of many reasons why cyber criminals have become emboldened by the underground ransomware economy.

And yet many threat actors work within a relatively small and interconnected ecosystem of players. This pool of cyber criminals has created specialised roles and consolidated the cyber crime economy, fuelling ransomware-as-a-service (RaaS) to become the dominant business model. In doing so, they've enabled a wider range of criminals to deploy ransomware regardless of their technical expertise and forced all of us to become cyber security defenders in the process.

Ransomware takes advantage of existing security compromises to gain access to internal networks. In the same way businesses hire gig workers to cut costs, cyber criminals have turned to renting or selling their ransomware tools for a portion of the profits rather than performing the attacks themselves.

This flourishing RaaS economy allows cyber criminals to purchase access to ransomware payloads and data leakage, as well as payment infrastructure. What we think of as ransomware gangs are actually RaaS programs like Conti or REvil, used by the many different actors who switch between RaaS programs and payloads.

RaaS lowers the barrier to entry and obfuscates the identity of the attackers behind the ransoming. Some programs can have 50 or more "affiliates," as they refer to their users, with varying tools, tradecraft, and objectives. Anyone with a laptop and credit card who is willing to search the Dark Web for penetration-testing tools or out-of-the-box malware can join this maximum efficiency economy.

https://www.darkreading.com/microsoft/extortion-economics-ransomware-s-new-business-model

• Confidence in Data Recovery Tools Low

A recent IDC and Druva survey asked 505 respondents across 10 industries about their ransomware experiences and found that many organisations struggle to recover after an attack. In the survey, 85% of the respondents said their organisations had a ransomware recovery plan. The challenge seems to lie in effectively executing that plan.

"A majority of organisations suffered significant consequences from ransomware attacks including long recoveries and unrecoverable data despite paying a ransom," states the "You Think Ransomware Is Your Only Problem? Think Again" report.

Data resiliency is such an important element of cyber security that 96% of respondents considered it a top priority for their organisations, with a full 77% placing it in the top 3. What's striking about the survey results is that only 14% of respondents said they were "extremely confident" in their tools, even though 92% called their data resiliency tools "efficient" or "highly efficient."

When data is spread across hybrid, cloud, and edge environments, data resiliency becomes much more complicated. A plan might seem to cover everything, but then you realise that you lost your backup or can't find the latest restore point.

The ability to recover from an attack is vital, since the growth in ransomware makes it likely that your organisation will get hit. This is why agencies like NIST recommend preparing for when an attacker pierces your defences rather than trying to keep out every intruder. That mindset also shifts the priority to preparation and planning; you need to create a disaster recovery plan that includes policy on restore points and recovery tools — and you need to practice implementing that plan before disaster strikes.

The report lists three key performance indicators that reveal the success of an organisation's recovery from a cyber attack:

• The ability to fully recover encrypted or deleted data without paying a ransom.

• Zero data loss in the process of recovering the data.

• Rapid recovery as defined by applicable service-level requirements.

When a recovery fails to meet these criteria, then the organisation may suffer financial loss, loss of reputation, permanently lost customers, and reduced employee productivity.

https://www.darkreading.com/tech-trends/confidence-in-data-recovery-tools-low

• Russia’s Sway Over Criminal Ransomware Gangs Is Coming into Focus

Russia-based ransomware gangs are some of the most prolific and aggressive, in part thanks to an apparent safe harbour the Russian government extends to them. The Kremlin doesn't cooperate with international ransomware investigations and typically declines to prosecute cyber criminals operating in the country so long as they don't attack domestic targets. A long-standing question, though, is whether these financially motivated hackers ever receive directives from the Russian government and to what extent the gangs are connected to the Kremlin's offensive hacking. The answer is starting to become clearer.

New research presented at the Cyberwarcon security conference in Arlington, Virginia, this week looked at the frequency and targeting of ransomware attacks against organisations based in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, and France in the lead-up to these countries' national elections. The findings suggest a loose but visible alignment between Russian government priorities and activities and ransomware attacks leading up to elections in the six countries.

The project analysed a data set of over 4,000 ransomware attacks perpetrated against victims in 102 countries between May 2019 and May 2022. The analysis showed a statistically significant increase in ransomware attacks from Russia-based gangs against organisations in the six victim countries ahead of their national elections. These nations suffered the most total ransomware attacks per year in the data set, about three-quarters of all the attacks.

The data was used to compare the timing of attacks for groups believed to be based out of Russia and groups based everywhere else. They looked at the number of attacks on any given day, and what they found was an interesting relationship where for these Russia-based groups, there was an increase in the number of attacks starting four months before an election and moving three, two, one month in, up to the event.

The findings showed broadly that non-Russian ransomware gangs didn't have a statistically significant increase in attacks in the lead-up to elections. Whereas two months out from a national election, for example, the researchers found that organisations in the six top victim countries were at a 41 percent greater chance of having a ransomware attack from a Russia-based gang on a given day, compared to the baseline.

https://www.wired.com/story/russia-ransomware-gang-connections/

• Insider Risk on the Rise: 12% of Employees Take IP When Leaving Jobs

Twelve percent of all employees take sensitive intellectual property (IP) with them when they leave an organisation.

The data comes from workforce cyber intelligence and security company Dtex, which published a report about top insider risk trends for 2022. “Customer data, employee data, health records, sales contacts, and the list goes on,” reads the document. “More and more applications are providing new features that make data exfiltration easier. For example, many now provide the ability to maintain clipboard history and sync across multiple devices.”

Case in point, the report also suggests a 55% increase in unsanctioned application usage, including those making data exfiltration easier by allowing users to maintain clipboard history and sync IP across multiple devices. “Bring Your Own Applications (BYOA) or Shadow IT can be a source of intelligence for business innovation,” Dtex wrote. “Still, they pose a major risk if the security team has not tested these tools thoroughly.”

Further, the new data highlight a 20% increase in resignation letter research and creation from employees taking advantage of the tight labour market to switch positions for higher wages.

“In most cases, an individual planning to leave the business is not pleased with the company’s product, co-workers, work environment, or compensation,” reads the report. “Disgruntled employees are usually jaded by a business that has not shown any steps to alleviate concerns, even after communication attempts.”

Finally, the Dtex report says the industry has witnessed a 200% increase in unsanctioned third-party work on corporate devices from a high prevalence of employees engaged in side gigs.

https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/12-of-employees-take-ip-when/

• Why a Clear Cyber Policy is Critical for Companies

In October, Joe Sullivan, Uber’s former head of security, was convicted of covering up a 2016 data breach at the ride hailing giant by hiding details from US regulators and then paying off the hackers.

It was a trial followed nervously by cyber security professionals around the world — coming eight years after an incident that had compromised the personal information of more than 57mn people.

“Any news about another company dealing with a data security incident can strike a bit of fear across industries,” notes Mary Pothos, chief privacy officer at digital travel company Booking.com. She adds that incidents like these cause “many companies to pause, rethink or revisit their internal processes to make sure that they are operating effectively”.

These incidents, and threats, are growing at lightning speed, too. War in Ukraine is now being played out as much in cyber space as on the battlefield. The Covid pandemic has forced businesses to rethink where their employees work, and handle or access data. At the same time, the sheer number of web-connected devices is multiplying.

“We need to be people who can predict what is coming along the line, predict the future, almost” said Victor Shadare, head of cyber security at media company Condé Nast, at a recent FT event on cyber security.

Palo Alto Networks, a specialist security company, found that cyber extortion grew rapidly in 2021. Some 35 new ransomware gangs emerged, the average ransom demand increasing 144 per cent that year to $2.2mn, and the average payment rose by 78 per cent to $541,010.

Meanwhile, cyber security personnel have found themselves hemmed in by increasingly onerous regulations. These include threats of legal action if the right people are not informed about breaches, or if products come to market that are not safe enough. On September 15, for example, the European Commission presented a proposal for a new Cyber Resilience Act to protect consumers from products with inadequate security features.

“New domains of security have sprung up over the past years, so it’s not just an information technology problem any more, it’s really a full company risk issue,” says Kevin Tierney, vice-president of global cyber security at automotive group General Motors. He warns that automated and connected vehicles have thrown up additional threats to be addressed.

“You have to start out with the right governance structure and the right policies and procedures — that’s step one of really getting the company to understand what it needs to do,” he says. These include clear rules on how to disable access to tech equipment, on data protection and storage, on transferring and disposing of data, on using corporate networks, and on reporting any data breaches.

Security experts also tend to agree that there need to be robust systems of governance and accountability, to prevent the sort of trouble that befell Sullivan at Uber. Perhaps most crucially, staff across the organisation, from C-suite to assistants, need to know how to spot and manage a threat.

https://www.ft.com/content/0bb6df09-7d77-4605-aac3-89443ed65a18

---

Threats

Ransomware and Extortion

• Medibank: Hackers release abortion data after stealing Australian medical records - BBC News

• Medical data hacked from 10m Australians begins to appear on dark web | World news | The Guardian

• HSE cyber attack: More than 100,000 people whose personal data stolen to be contacted – The Irish Times

• How ransomware gangs and malware campaigns are changing - Help Net Security

• Thales confirms hackers have released its data on the dark web | Reuters

• More NHS dentists could be forced to close after major cyber attack leaves some nearing financial ruin (inews.co.uk)

• Most SMBs Fear Ransomware Attack Amid Heightened Geopolitical Tensions - MSSP Alert

• Australia to consider banning paying of ransoms to cyber criminals | Reuters

• LockBit gang claims to have stolen data from Kearney & Company - Security Affairs

• Azov Ransomware is a wiper, destroying data 666 bytes at a time (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Ransomware Gang Offers to Sell Files Stolen From Continental for $50 Million | SecurityWeek.Com

• Canadian food retail giant Sobeys hit by Black Basta ransomware (bleepingcomputer.com)

• LockBit affiliate uses Amadey Bot malware to deploy ransomware (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Man Arrested in Ontario For Alleged LockBit Ransomware Involvement - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Russia-linked IRIDIUM APT linked to Prestige ransomware attacks against Ukraine - Security Affairs

• Conti Affiliates Black Basta, BlackByte Continue to Attack Critical Infrastructure - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• US Health Dept warns of Venus ransomware targeting healthcare orgs (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Ransomware attacks on hospitals take toll on patients (nbcnews.com)

• Hackers post Hereford schoolchildren's data records on dark web | Hereford Times

• CISA and Spain Partnership to Develop Tool to Help Countries Combat Ransomware - MSSP Alert

Phishing & Email Based Attacks

• What is no-hook phishing? | IT PRO

• Phishing threats are increasingly convincing and evasive - Help Net Security

• Robin Banks phishing-as-a-service platform continues to evolve - Security Affairs

• Phishing drops IceXLoader malware on thousands of home, corporate devices (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Massive Phishing Campaigns Target India Banks’ Clients (trendmicro.com)

BEC – Business Email Compromise

• Instagram star gets 11 years for $300m BEC conspiracy • The Register

Malware

• Advanced RAT AgentTesla Most Prolific Malware in October - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Phishing drops IceXLoader malware on thousands of home, corporate devices (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Cloud9 Malware Offers a Paradise of Cyber attack Methods (darkreading.com)

• More malware is being hidden in PNG images, so watch out | TechRadar

• Attackers Using IPFS for Distributed, Bulletproof Malware Hosting | SecurityWeek.Com

• Malicious extension lets attackers control Google Chrome remotely (bleepingcomputer.com)

• New hacking group uses custom 'Symatic' Cobalt Strike loaders (bleepingcomputer.com)

• New StrelaStealer malware steals your Outlook, Thunderbird accounts (bleepingcomputer.com)

Mobile

• 5 Common Smartphone Security Myths, Debunked (makeuseof.com)

• Oh, look: More malware in the Google Play store • The Register

• Malicious app in the Play Store spotted distributing Xenomorph Banking Trojan - Security Affairs

• Malicious droppers on Google Play deliver banking malware to victims - Help Net Security

• Samsung phones are being targeted by some seriously shady zero-days | TechRadar

• Vultur Android Banking Trojan Reaches 100,000+ Downloads on Google Play Store - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• New BadBazaar Android malware linked to Chinese cyber spies (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Worok hackers hide new malware in PNGs using steganography (bleepingcomputer.com)

Internet of Things – IoT

• Cyber security 'Nutrition' Labels Still a Work in Progress (darkreading.com)

• Knock, Knock: Aiphone Bug Allows Cyber attackers to Literally Open (Physical) Doors (darkreading.com)

Organised Crime & Criminal Actors

• Cyberwar and Cyber crime Go Hand in Hand (darkreading.com)

• An initial access broker claims to have hacked Deutsche Bank - Security Affairs

• Cyber crime costs to hit $10.5tn by 2025 hears Saudi forum - Arabian Business

• 4 Types of Cyber Crime Groups (trendmicro.com)

• Cyber crime Group OPERA1ER Stole $11M From 16 African Businesses (darkreading.com)

• Instagram star gets 11 years for $300m BEC conspiracy • The Register

Cryptocurrency/Cryptomining/Cryptojacking/NFTs/Blockchain

• FTX says it is probing ‘abnormal transactions’ after potential hack | Financial Times

• Kraken's CSO Claims To Have Identified The $600 Million FTX Hacker (coingape.com)

Insider Risk and Insider Threats

• The 'Great Resignation' Caused Insider Threats to Peak in Q3 2022, Kroll Finds - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

Fraud, Scams & Financial Crime

• Fifth Of 18 To 34-year-olds Have Fallen Victim To Financial Scams – Information Security Buzz

• Ukrainian Cyber Cops Bust $200m Fraud Ring - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Retail Sector Prepares for Annual Holiday Cyber crime Onslaught (darkreading.com)

• Online payment fraud is evolving - Help Net Security

• US seized 18 web domains used for recruiting money mules (bleepingcomputer.com)

Insurance

• Rising cost of cyber attacks sends insurance policy charges soaring | Financial Times (ft.com)

• Just 25% of businesses are insured against cyber attacks. Here's why (theconversation.com)

• Re-Focusing Cyber Insurance with Security Validation (thehackernews.com)

• Swiss Re: Cyber-Insurance Industry Must Reform - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

Dark Web

• DoJ seizes $3.36B Bitcoin from Silk Road hacker - Security Affairs

• Silk Road drugs market hacker pleads guilty, faces 20 years inside – Naked Security (sophos.com)

Supply Chain and Third Parties

• Evolving From Third-Party Risk Management To The Extended Enterprise – Information Security Buzz

Hybrid Working

• Remote work pushes video conferencing security to the fore - Help Net Security

Attack Surface Management

• Managing and Mitigating Risk From Unknown Unknowns (darkreading.com)

Identity and Access Management

• A Better Way to Resist Identity-Based Cyber Threats (darkreading.com)

API

• Top 5 API Security Myths That Are Crushing Your Business (thehackernews.com)

Passwords, Credential Stuffing & Brute Force Attacks

• Microsoft Password Hacking Increase – Information Security Buzz

• False sense of safety undermines good password hygiene - Help Net Security

• Password-hacking attacks are on the rise. Here's how to stop your accounts from being stolen | ZDNET

Social Media

• Twitter C-Level Resignations Continue As Blue Program Creates New Cyber-Risks - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Twitter blue check unavailable after impostor accounts erupt on platform | Twitter | The Guardian

• Twitter chief information security officer Lea Kissner departs | TechCrunch

Privacy, Surveillance and Mass Monitoring

• World Cup apps pose a data security and privacy nightmare • The Register

• Surveillance 'Existential' Danger of Tech: Signal Boss | SecurityWeek.Com

Regulations, Fines and Legislation

• SEC Announces 'Enforcement Action' For SolarWinds Over 2020 Hack - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Experian, T-Mobile fined $16m for spilling 18m people's data • The Register

Careers, Working in Cyber and Information Security

• Three million empty seats: What can we do about the cyber skills shortage? (computerweekly.com)

• Cyber security, cloud and coding: Why these three skills will lead demand in 2023 | ZDNET

• Cyber security leaders want to quit. Here's what is pushing them to leave | ZDNET

Law Enforcement Action and Take Downs

• DoJ seizes $3.36B Bitcoin from Silk Road hacker - Security Affairs

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

• Cyberwar and Cyber crime Go Hand in Hand (darkreading.com)

• Red Cross seeks digital equivalent of its emblems • The Register

• Russia’s New Cyberwarfare in Ukraine Is Fast, Dirty, and Relentless | WIRED

• EU calls for joint cyber defence in response to Russia • The Register

• Nation-State Hacker Attacks on Critical Infrastructure Soar: Microsoft | SecurityWeek.Com

• What Ukraine’s cyber defence tactics can teach other nations | Financial Times (ft.com)

• Russia-linked IRIDIUM APT linked to Prestige ransomware attacks against Ukraine - Security Affairs

• APT29 abused Windows Credential Roaming in attacks - Security Affairs

• Android RAT Group Targets Indian Defence Personnel - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Dutch MEP says illegal spyware ‘a grave threat to democracy’ | European Commission | The Guardian

• Greece Is Banning Spyware After Predator Phone-Tapping Scandal (gizmodo.com)

• British embassy security guard David Smith admits spying for Russia - BBC News

Nation State Actors

Nation State Actors – Russia

• EU calls for joint cyber defence in response to Russia • The Register

• Ukraine war: Russians kept in the dark by internet search - BBC News

• Microsoft links Russia’s military to cyber attacks in Poland and Ukraine | Ars Technica

• Putin ally Yevgeny Prigozhin admits interfering in US elections | Russia | The Guardian

• Russia-linked IRIDIUM APT linked to Prestige ransomware attacks against Ukraine - Security Affairs

Nation State Actors – China

• New BadBazaar Android malware linked to Chinese cyber spies (bleepingcomputer.com)

Nation State Actors – Misc

• Microsoft: Nation-state threats, zero-day attacks increasing (techtarget.com)

Vulnerability Management

• Why CVE Management as a Primary Strategy Doesn't Work (darkreading.com)

• Why it's time to review your Microsoft patch management options | CSO Online

• Risk-Based Vulnerability Management: Understanding the RBVM Trend (darkreading.com)

• How can CISOs catch up with the security demands of their ever-growing networks? - Help Net Security

• Microsoft: Nation-state threats, zero-day attacks increasing (techtarget.com)

• Types of vulnerability scanning and when to use each (techtarget.com)

Vulnerabilities

• Microsoft November 2022 Patch Tuesday fixes 6 exploited zero-days, 68 flaws (bleepingcomputer.com)

• VMware fixes three critical auth bypass bugs in remote access tool (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Citrix ADC and Citrix Gateway are affected by a critical auth bypass - Security Affairs

• Cisco Patches 33 Vulnerabilities in Enterprise Firewall Products | SecurityWeek.Com

• Microsoft Patches MotW Zero-Day Exploited for Malware Delivery | SecurityWeek.Com

• Apple out-of-band patches fix RCE bugs in iOS and macOS - Security Affairs

• Microsoft fixes ProxyNotShell Exchange zero-days exploited in attacks (bleepingcomputer.com)

• SAP Patches Critical Vulnerabilities in BusinessObjects, SAPUI5 | SecurityWeek.Com

• Lenovo driver goof poses security risk for users of 25 notebook models | Ars Technica

• Foxit Patches Several Code Execution Vulnerabilities in PDF Reader | SecurityWeek.Com

• LiteSpeed Vulnerabilities Can Lead to Complete Web Server Takeover | SecurityWeek.Com

Reports Published in the Last Week

• 2022 Cloud Data Security Report - Help Net Security

• Report on DDoS attacks in Q3 2022 | Securelist

• Cyber security Trends Report: Check Point Software Predicts Hikes in Hacking and Exploits - MSSP Alert

• Data Security Trust is Down, Anxiety is Up, Rubrik Zero Labs Reports - MSSP Alert

Other News

• Majority of Security Managers Lack Threat Intelligence Skills - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• What Is Threat Hunting? A Definition for MSPs and Channel Partners - MSSP Alert

• Cyber security: These are the new things to worry about in 2023 | ZDNET

• Cyber Professionals Now Tasked with Securing Society, Says Mikko Hyppönen - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Corporations Confident in Data Protection Programs but Scrutiny is Lacking, New Report Finds - MSSP Alert

• What We Really Mean When We Talk About ‘Cyber security’ (darkreading.com)

• Personal cyber security is now a company problem - Help Net Security

• History of Computer Viruses & Malware | What Was Their Impact? (esecurityplanet.com)

• 5 Reasons to Consolidate Your Tech Stack (thehackernews.com)

• Attacks on Microsoft SQL have seen a huge rise | TechRadar

• Cookies for MFA Bypass Gain Traction Among Cyber attackers (darkreading.com)

• 2FA, 3FA, MFA… What does it all mean? - Help Net Security

• Qatar World Cup Firms Urged to Upgrade Cyber-Threat Model - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Common lateral movement techniques and how to prevent them (techtarget.com)

• Beyond the Pen Test: How to Protect Against Sophisticated Cyber criminals (darkreading.com)

• Red, purple, or blue? When it comes to offensive security operations, it’s not just about picking one colour - Help Net Security

• 5 ways to overcome multifactor authentication vulnerabilities (techtarget.com)

• The security dilemma of data sprawl - Help Net Security

• 15,000 sites hacked for massive Google SEO poisoning campaign (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Unencrypted Traffic Still Undermining Wi-Fi Security (darkreading.com)

• Researchers Devise Wi-Peep Drone That Can 'See Through Walls' (gizmodo.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 21 October 2022

Welcome to this week’s Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing – a weekly digest, collated and curated by our cyber experts to provide senior and middle management with an easy to digest round up of the most notable threats, vulnerabilities, and cyber related news from the last week.

Top Cyber Stories of the Last Week

• Gen Z, Millennials Really Don’t Care About Workplace Cyber Security

When it comes to cyber security in the workplace, younger employees don’t really seem to care that much, which is putting their organisations in serious harm’s way, new research has claimed.

Surveying approximately 1,000 workers using devices issued by their employers, professional services firm EY found Gen Z enterprise employees were more apathetic about cyber security than their Boomer counterparts in adhering to their employer's safety policies.

This is despite the fact that four in five (83%) of all those surveyed claimed to understand their employer’s security protocol.

When it comes to implementing mandatory IT updates, for example, 58% of Gen Z’ers and 42% of millennials would disregard them for as long as possible. Less than a third (31%) of Gen X’ers, and just 15% of baby boomers said they do the same.

Apathy in the young extends to password reuse between private and business accounts. A third of Gen Z and millennial workers surveyed admitted to this, compared to less than a quarter of all Gen X’ers and baby boomers.

Some say the apathy of young people towards technology is down to their over-familiarity with technology, and never having been without it. Being too comfortable with tech undoubtedly makes an enterprise's younger employees a major target for cyber criminals looking to exploit any hole in security. 

If an organisation's cyber security practices aren't upheld strongly, threat actors can compromise huge networks with simple social engineering attacks.

https://www.techradar.com/news/younger-workers-dont-care-about-workplace-cybersecurity

• Supply Chain Attacks Increased Over 600% This Year and Companies Are Falling Behind

The number of documented supply chain attacks involving malicious third-party components has increased 633% over the past year, now sitting at over 88,000 known instances, according to a new report from software supply chain management company Sonatype. Meanwhile, instances of transitive vulnerabilities that software components inherit from their own dependencies have also reached unprecedented levels and plague two-thirds of open-source libraries.

“The networked nature of dependencies highlights the importance of having visibility and awareness about these complex supply chains” Sonatype said in its newly released State of the Software Supply Chain report. “These dependencies impact our software, so having an understanding of their origins is critical to vulnerability response. Many organisations did not have the needed visibility and continued their incident response procedures for Log4Shell well beyond the summer of 2022 as a result.”

Log4Shell is a critical vulnerability discovered in November 2021 in Log4j, a widely popular open-source Java library used for logging and bundled in millions of enterprise applications and software products, often as an indirect dependency. According to Sonatype’s monitoring, as of August 2022, the adoption rate for fixed versions of Log4j sits at around 65%. Moreover, this doesn’t even account for the fact that the Log4Shell vulnerability originated in a Java class called JndiManager that is part of Log4j-core, but which has also been borrowed by 783 other projects and is now found in over 19,000 software components.

Log4Shell served as a watershed moment, highlighting the inherent risks that exist in the open-source software ecosystem – which sits at the core of modern software development – and the need to manage them properly. It also led to several initiatives to secure the software supply chain by private organisations, software repository managers, the Linux Foundation, and government bodies. Yet, most organisations are far from where they need to be in terms of open-source supply chain management.

https://www.csoonline.com/article/3677228/supply-chain-attacks-increased-over-600-this-year-and-companies-are-falling-behind.html#tk.rss_news

• Cyber-Enabled Crimes Are Biggest Police Concerns

Cyber-related crimes such as money laundering, ransomware and phishing pose the biggest threat to society, according to the first ever Interpol Global Crime Trend report.

The inaugural study was compiled from data received from the policing organisation’s 195 member countries, as well as information and analysis from external sources.

Money laundering was ranked the number one threat, with 67% of respondents claiming it to be a “high” or “very high” risk. Ransomware came second (66%) but was the crime type that most (72%) expected to increase in the next 3–5 years.

Of the nine top crime trends identified in the report, six are directly cyber-enabled, including money laundering, ransomware, phishing, financial fraud, computer intrusion and child sexual exploitation.

Interpol warned that the pandemic had fomented new underground offerings like “financial crime-as-a-service,” including digital money laundering tools which help to lower the barrier to entry for criminal gangs. It also claimed that demand for online child sexual exploitation and abuse (OCSEA) content surged during the pandemic. Some 62% of respondents expect it to increase or significantly increase in the coming years.

The findings represent something of a turnaround from pre-pandemic times, when drug trafficking regularly topped the list of police concerns. Thanks to a surge in corporate digitalisation, home working and online shopping, there are now rich pickings to be had from targeting consumers and business users with cyber-scams and attacks, Interpol claimed.

https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/cyberenabled-crimes-are-biggest/

• List of Common Passwords Accounts for Nearly All Cyber Attacks

Half of a million passwords from the RockYou2021 list account for 99.997% of all credential attacks against a variety of honeypots, suggesting attackers are just taking the easy road.

Tens of millions of credential-based attacks targeting two common types of servers boiled down to a small fraction of the passwords that formed a list of leaked credentials, known as the RockYou2021 list.

Vulnerability management firm Rapid7, via its network of honeypots, recorded every attempt to compromise those servers over a 12-month period, finding that the attempted credential attacks resulted in 512,000 permutations. Almost all of those passwords (99.997%) are included in a common password list — the RockYou2021 file, which has 8.4 billion entries — suggesting that attackers, or the subset of threat actors attacking Rapid7's honeypots, are sticking to a common playbook.

The overlap in all the attacks also suggest attackers are taking the easy road, said Rapid7. "We know now, in a provable and demonstrable way, that nobody — 0% of attackers — is trying to be creative when it comes to unfocused, untargeted attacks across the Internet," they said. "Therefore, it's very easy to avoid this kind of opportunistic attack, and it takes very little effort to take this threat off the table entirely, with modern password managers and configuration controls."

Every year, security firms present research suggesting users are continuing to pick bad passwords. In 2019, an evaluation of passwords leaked to the Internet found that the top password was "123456," followed by "123456789" and "qwerty," and unfortunately things have not got much better since then.

https://www.darkreading.com/endpoint/a-common-password-list-accounts-for-nearly-all-cyberattacks

• Shared Responsibility or Shared Fate? Decentralised IT Means We Are All Cyber Defenders

Does your organisation truly understand the shared responsibility model? Shared responsibility emerged from the early days of cloud computing as a way to delineate responsibilities between cloud providers and their customers, but often there's a gap between what shared responsibility means and how it is interpreted. With the decentralisation of IT, this gap is getting worse.

Applications, servers, and overall technology used to be under the purview and control of the IT department, yet with the shift to cloud, and specifically software-as-a-service (SaaS), this dynamic has changed. Whether it's the sales team bringing in a customer relationship management (CRM) system like Salesforce, or the HR department operating a human resources information system (HRIS) like Workday, there's a clear "expanding universe" of IT that no longer sits where it used to. Critical business workflows exist in separate business units far from IT and security and are managed as such. Our corporate IT footprints have become decentralised.

This is not some minor, temporary trend. With the ease and speed of adopting new SaaS applications and the desire to "lift and shift" code into cloud-based environments, this is the future. The future is decentralised.

The shift to business-owned and -operated applications puts security teams in a position where risk management is their responsibility; they are not even able to log into some of these critical systems. It's like asking your doctor to keep you healthy but not giving her access to your information or having regular check-ups. It doesn't work that way.

Beyond the challenging human skills gap, there's technical entropy and diversity everywhere, with different configuration settings, event logs, threat vectors, and data sensitivities. On the access side, there are different admins, users, integrations, and APIs. If you think managing security on Windows and Mac is a lot, try it across many huge applications.

With this reality, how can the security team be expected to combat a growing amount of decentralised business technology risk?

We must operate our technology with the understanding that shared responsibility is the vertical view between cloud provider and customer, but that enterprise-owned piece of shared responsibility is the burden of multiple teams horizontally across an organisation. Too often the mentality is us versus them, availability versus security, too busy to care about risk, too concerned with risk to understand "the business."

https://www.darkreading.com/vulnerabilities-threats/shared-responsibility-or-shared-fate-decentralized-it-means-we-are-all-cyber-defenders

• Ukraine War Cuts Ransomware as Kremlin Co-Opts Hackers

The Ukraine war has helped reduce global ransomware attacks by 10pc in the last few months, a British cyber security company has said.

Criminal hacking gangs, usually engaged in corporate ransomware activities, are increasingly being co-opted by the Russian military to launch cyber attacks on Ukraine, according to Digital Shadows. “The war is likely to continue to motivate ransomware actors to target government and critical infrastructure entities,” according to the firm. Such attacks partly contributed to a 10pc drop in the number of ransomware threats launched during the three months to September, said the London-based company.

The drop in ransomware may also partly be caused by tit-for-tat digital attacks between rival hacking gangs. Researchers said the Lockbit gang, who recently targeted LSE-listed car retailer Pendragon with a $60m (£53.85m) ransom demand, were the target of attacks from their underworld rivals. The group is increasingly inviting resentment from competing threat groups and possibly former members.

Some cyber criminals’ servers went offline in September after what appeared to be an attack from competitors. In the world of cyber criminality, it is not uncommon for tensions to flare among rival groups.

Officials from GCHQ’s National Cyber Security Centre have said ransomware is one of the biggest cyber threats facing the UK. Figures published by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport this year revealed the average costs to businesses caused by ransomware attacks is around £19,000 per incident.

US-based cyber security company Palo Alto Networks, however, warned that the average ransom payment it saw in the early part of this year was $925,000 (£829,000).

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2022/10/23/ukraine-war-cuts-ransomware-kremlin-co-opts-hackers/

• 96% Of Companies Report Insufficient Security for Sensitive Cloud Data

The vast majority of organisations lack confidence in securing their data in cloud, while many companies acknowledge they lack sufficient security even for their most sensitive data, according to a new report by the Cloud Security Alliance (CSA).

The CSA report surveyed 1,663 IT and security professionals from organisations of various sizes and in various locations. "Only 4% report sufficient security for 100% of their data in the cloud. This means that 96% of organisations have insufficient security for at least some of their sensitive data," according to the report, which was sponsored by data intelligence firm BigID.

Apart from struggling with securing sensitive data, organisations are also having trouble tracking data in the cloud. Over a quarter of organisations polled aren’t tracking regulated data, nearly a third aren’t tracking confidential or internal data, and 45% aren’t tracking unclassified data, the report said.

“This suggests that organisations’ current methods of classifying data aren’t sufficient for their needs. However, if the tracking is this low, it could be a contributing factor to the issue of dark data. Organisations need to utilise data discovery and classification tools to properly understand the data they have and how to protect it,” the CSA study noted.

https://www.csoonline.com/article/3677491/96-of-companies-report-insufficient-security-for-sensitive-cloud-data.html#tk.rss_news

• Your Microsoft Exchange Server Is a Security Liability

With endless vulnerabilities, widespread hacking campaigns, slow and technically tough patching, it's time to say goodbye to on-premise Exchange.

Once, reasonable people who cared about security, privacy, and reliability ran their own email servers. Today, the vast majority host their personal email in the cloud, handing off that substantial burden to the capable security and engineering teams at companies like Google and Microsoft. Now, cyber security experts argue that a similar switch is due - or long overdue - for corporate and government networks. For enterprises that use on-premise Microsoft Exchange, still running their own email machine somewhere in a closet or data centre, the time has come to move to a cloud service, if only to avoid the years-long plague of bugs in Exchange servers that has made it nearly impossible to keep determined hackers out.

The latest reminder of that struggle arrived earlier this week, when Taiwanese security researcher Orange Tsai published a blog post laying out the details of a security vulnerability in Microsoft Exchange. Tsai warned Microsoft about this vulnerability as early as June of 2021, and while the company responded by releasing some partial fixes, it took Microsoft 14 months to fully resolve the underlying security problem. Tsai had earlier reported a related vulnerability in Exchange that was massively exploited by a group of Chinese state-sponsored hackers known as Hafnium, which last year penetrated more than 30,000 targets by some counts. Yet according to the timeline described in Tsai’s post this week, Microsoft repeatedly delayed fixing the newer variation of that same vulnerability, assuring Tsai no fewer than four times that it would patch the bug before pushing off a full patch for months longer. When Microsoft finally released a fix, Tsai wrote, it still required manual activation and lacked any documentation for four more months.

Meanwhile, another pair of actively exploited vulnerabilities in Exchange that were revealed last month still remain unpatched after researchers showed that Microsoft’s initial attempts to fix the flaws had failed. Those vulnerabilities were just the latest in a years-long pattern of security bugs in Exchange’s code. And even when Microsoft does release Exchange patches, they’re often not widely implemented, due to the time-consuming technical process of installing them.

The result of those compounding problems, for many who have watched the hacker-induced headaches of running an Exchange server pile up, is a clear message: An Exchange server is itself a security vulnerability, and the fix is to get rid of it.

“You need to move off of on-premise Exchange forever. That’s the bottom line,” says Dustin Childs, the head of threat awareness at security firm Trend Micro’s Zero Day Initiative (ZDI), which pays researchers for finding and reporting vulnerabilities in commonly used software and runs the Pwn2Own hacking competition. “You’re not getting the support, as far as security fixes, that you would expect from a really mission-critical component of your infrastructure.”

https://www.wired.com/story/microsoft-exchange-server-vulnerabilities/

• Are Cyber Security Vendors Pushing Snake Oil?

Survey: 96 percent of cyber security decision makers confused by vendor marketing.

The availability of new security products increases, the amount of budget spent on cyber security grows, and the number of security breaches seems to outpace both. This basic lack of correlation between increasing cyber security spend and any clear increase in cyber security effectiveness is the subject of a new analytical survey from Egress.

With 52 million data breaches in Q2 2022 alone (Statista), Egress questioned 800 cyber security and IT leaders on why vendor claims and reality aren’t aligned. The headline response in the survey is that 91% of decision makers have difficulty in selecting cyber security vendors due to unclear marketing about their specific offerings.

The financial investment cycle doesn’t help in this. For many investors, the strength of the management team is more important than the product. The argument is not whether this product is a cyber security silver bullet, but whether this management can take the company to a point where it can exit with serious profits.

If investment is achieved, much of it will go into marketing. That marketing must compete against existing, established vendors – so it tends to be louder, more aggressive, and replete with hyperbole. Marketing noise can lead to increased valuation, which can lead to a successful and profitable exit by the investors.

Of course, this is an oversimplification and doesn’t always happen. The point, however, is that it does happen and has no relevance to the real effectiveness of the product in question. Without any doubt, there are many products that have been over-hyped by marketing funds provided by profit-driven investors.

https://www.securityweek.com/are-cybersecurity-vendors-pushing-snake-oil

• Ransomware Preparedness: What Are You Doing Wrong?

Axio released its 2022 State of Ransomware Preparedness research report, revealing that although notable improvements have been made since Axio’s 2021 report, organisational ransomware preparedness continues to be insufficient to keep pace with new attack vectors.

The report reveals that the lack of fundamental cyber security practices and controls, including critical vulnerability patching and employee cyber security training, continues to undermine organisational attempts to improve ransomware defences.

“Ransomware continues to wreak havoc on global organisations, regardless of size or industry,” remarked the report’s co-author David White, President of Axio. “As the number of attacks will most likely continue on an exponential trajectory, it’s more important than ever for companies to re-evaluate their cyber security practices and make the needed improvements to help combat these attacks.”

The report identifies several emerging patterns that yield insights into why organisations are increasingly susceptible to ransomware attacks. In 2021, seven key areas where organisations were deficient in implementing and sustaining basic cyber security practices were identified, and these patterns dominated the 2022 study results as well:

• 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.

• A ransomware-specific playbook for incident management is in place for only 30% of organisations.

• Active phishing training has improved but is still not practiced by 40% of organisations.

https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2022/10/20/insufficient-ransomware-preparedness/

• NSA Cybersecurity Director's Six Takeaways from the War in Ukraine

From the warning banner ‘Be afraid and expect the worst’ that was shown on several Ukrainian government websites on January 13, 2022, after a cyber-attack took them down, the US National Security Agency’s (NSA) cybersecurity director, Rob Joyce, knew that something was going to be different, and very aggressive, between Ukraine and Russia, and that it would be happening in the cyber space as well.

Ten months on, he was invited to speak at one of Mandiant Worldwide Information Security Exchange's (mWISE) opening keynotes on October 18, 2022. Joyce shared six takeaways from the Russia-Ukraine cyber-conflict in terms of what we learned from it and its impact on how nations should protect their organisations.

1. Both espionage and destructive attacks will occur in conflict

2. The cyber security industry has unique insight into these conflicts

3. Sensitive intelligence can make a decisive difference

4. You can develop resiliency skills

5. Don’t try to go it alone

6. You have not planned enough yet for the contingencies

Toward the end of the keynote, Joyce suggested the audience simulate a scenario based on what happened in Ukraine with the China-Taiwan conflict escalating and see what they should put in place to better prepare for such an event.

https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/nsa-6-takeaways-war-ukraine/

• Microsoft Confirms Server Misconfiguration Led to 65,000+ Companies' Data Leak

Microsoft this week confirmed that it inadvertently exposed information related to thousands of customers following a security lapse that left an endpoint publicly accessible over the internet sans any authentication.

"This misconfiguration resulted in the potential for unauthenticated access to some business transaction data corresponding to interactions between Microsoft and prospective customers, such as the planning or potential implementation and provisioning of Microsoft services," Microsoft said in an alert.

Microsoft also emphasised that the B2B leak was "caused by an unintentional misconfiguration on an endpoint that is not in use across the Microsoft ecosystem and was not the result of a security vulnerability."

The misconfiguration of the Azure Blob Storage was spotted on September 24, 2022, by cyber security company SOCRadar, which termed the leak BlueBleed. Microsoft said it's in the process of directly notifying impacted customers.

The Windows maker did not reveal the scale of the data leak, but according to SOCRadar, it affects more than 65,000 entities in 111 countries. The exposure amounts to 2.4 terabytes of data that consists of invoices, product orders, signed customer documents, partner ecosystem details, among others.

https://thehackernews.com/2022/10/microsoft-confirms-server.html

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Threats

Ransomware and Extortion

• Сryptocurrency and Ransomware — The Ultimate Friendship (thehackernews.com)

• Venus Ransomware targets publicly exposed Remote Desktop services (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Pendragon being held to $60m ransom by dark web hackers – Car Dealer Magazine

• Magniber Ransomware Is Targeting Home PC (informationsecuritybuzz.com)

• Hackers exploit critical VMware flaw to drop ransomware, miners (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Ransomware Now Deployed as a Precursor to Physical War - MSSP Alert

• TommyLeaks and SchoolBoys: Two sides of the same ransomware gang (bleepingcomputer.com)

• With Conti gone, LockBit takes lead of the ransomware threat landscape | CSO Online

• Tactics Tie Ransom Cartel Group to Defunct REvil Ransomware (darkreading.com)

• Wholesale giant METRO hit by IT outage after cyber attack (bleepingcomputer.com)

• The link between Ransom Cartel and REvil ransomware gangs - Security Affairs

• Deadbolt Ransomware Targets NAS Devices - IT Security Guru

• Black Basta Ransomware Hackers Infiltrate Networks via Qakbot to Deploy Brute Ratel C4 (thehackernews.com)

• How Vice Society Got Away With a Global Ransomware Spree | WIRED

• Microsoft warns over unusual ransomware attacks | ZDNET

• Defenders beware: A case for post-ransomware investigations - Microsoft Security Blog

• Ransomware crews regrouping as LockBit rise continues (computerweekly.com)

• Singapore Creates Counter Ransomware Task Force to Tackle Threats - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Ransom Cartel linked to notorious REvil ransomware operation (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Hackney Council Ransomware Attack £12m+ Recovery - IT Security Guru

• Microsoft Warns of Novel Ransomware Attacking Ukraine, Poland - MSSP Alert

• Prestige ransomware hits victims of HermeticWiper • The Register

• New ransomware targets transportation sectors in Ukraine, Poland | SC Media (scmagazine.com)

• Japanese tech firm Oomiya hit by LockBit 3.0 - Security Affairs

• Ransomware attack halts circulation of some German newspapers (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Ransomware Insurance Security Requirement Strategies (trendmicro.com)

• Australian insurance firm Medibank confirms ransomware attack (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Ransomware attack impacted some CommonSpirit sites, but few details released | SC Media (scmagazine.com)

• BlackByte ransomware uses new data theft tool for double-extortion (bleepingcomputer.com)

Phishing & Email Based Attacks

• Phishing works so well crims won't use deepfakes: Sophos • The Register

• Phishing Mitigation Can Cost Businesses More Than $1M Annually (darkreading.com)

• Securing your organisation against phishing can cost up to $85 per email | CSO Online

• How phishing campaigns abuse Google Ad click tracking redirects - Help Net Security

• Attackers switch to self-extracting password-protected archives to distribute email malware | CSO Online

Other Social Engineering; Smishing, Vishing, etc

• Amazon customers warned about text message scam that is trying to steal personal details | The Northern Echo

Malware

• VMware bug with 9.8 severity rating exploited to install witch’s brew of malware | Ars Technica

• Microsoft’s out-of-date driver list left Windows PCs open to malware attacks for years - The Verge

• Ursnif malware switches from bank account theft to initial access (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Experts spotted a new undetectable PowerShell Backdoor - Security Affairs

• Emotet Botnet Distributing Self-Unlocking Password-Protected RAR Files to Drop Malware (thehackernews.com)

• Typosquat campaign mimics 27 brands to push Windows, Android malware (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Thousands of GitHub repositories deliver fake PoC exploits with malware (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Hackers use new stealthy PowerShell backdoor to target 60+ victims (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Hijacking of Popular Minecraft Launcher by Rogue Developer Raises Malware Fears - IGN

• URSNIF (aka Gozi) banking trojan morphs into backdoor • The Register

• What is a RAT (Remote Access Trojan)? | Definition from TechTarget

Mobile

• QR codes could unlock phone to hackers, security expert warns (nypost.com)

• These 16 Clicker Malware Infected Android Apps Were Downloaded Over 20 Million Times (thehackernews.com)

Internet of Things – IoT

• Riskiest IoT Devices - Cameras, VoIP And Video Conferencing (informationsecuritybuzz.com)

• NCSC CEO Calls for International Standards on IoT Security - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Securing IoT devices against attacks that target critical infrastructure - Microsoft Security Blog

• 74% say connected cars and EV chargers need cyber security ratings | Ars Technica

Data Breaches/Leaks

• The companies most likely to lose your data - Help Net Security

• Fines are not enough! Data breach victims want better security - Help Net Security

• Medibank hack turned into a data breach: The attackers are demanding money - Help Net Security

• Mormon Church Hit By Cyber attack, Personal Data Exposed (informationsecuritybuzz.com)

• Keystone Health Data Breach Impacts 235,000 Patients | SecurityWeek.Com

• Fashion brand SHEIN fined $1.9m for lying about data breach – Naked Security (sophos.com)

• Client Data Exfiltrated In Advanced NHS cyber Attack (informationsecuritybuzz.com)

• Optus tells customers affected by data breach they can no longer use passports as online ID | Optus | The Guardian

• Australian Wine Dealer Suffers Data Breach, 500,000 Customers May Be (informationsecuritybuzz.com)

• Advocate Aurora Health in potential 3 million patient leak • The Register

Organised Crime & Criminal Actors

• Cyber criminals jailed for cryptocurrency theft, death threats (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Israeli cyber intel firm shines bright light on new, shadowy cyber crime collective | The Times of Israel

Cryptocurrency/Cryptomining/Cryptojacking/NFTs/Blockchain

• Why Crypto Winter is No Excuse to Let Your Cyber Defences Falter (thehackernews.com)

• North Korea’s Lazarus Group Attacks Japanese Crypto Firms - Decrypt

• Coinbase users scammed out of $21M in crypto sue company for negligence | Ars Technica

• SIM Swappers Sentenced to Prison for Hacking Accounts, Stealing Cryptocurrency | SecurityWeek.Com

Fraud, Scams & Financial Crime

• Financial losses to synthetic identity-based fraud to double by 2024 | CSO Online

• AI is Key to Tackling Money Mules and Disrupting Fraud: Industry Group | SecurityWeek.Com

• Cops Arrest Suspected Multimillion-Dollar Fraud Mastermind - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

Deepfakes

• Deepfakes: What they are and how to spot them - Help Net Security

• Phishing works so well crims won't use deepfakes: Sophos • The Register

Insurance

• Ransomware Insurance Security Requirement Strategies (trendmicro.com)

Supply Chain and Third Parties

• How supply chain threats will evolve in 2023 - Help Net Security

Software Supply Chain

• Software Supply Chain Attacks Soar 742% In Three Years (informationsecuritybuzz.com)

• SBOMs: An Overhyped Concept That Won't Secure Your Software Supply Chain (darkreading.com)

Denial of Service DoS/DDoS

• Pro-Russia Hackers DDoS Bulgarian Government - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

Cloud/SaaS

• Microsoft Data-Exposure Incident Highlights Risk of Cloud Storage Misconfiguration (darkreading.com)

• 3 cloud security posture questions CISOs should answer (techtarget.com)

• 10 Steps to Securing the Cloud - MSSP Alert

Attack Surface Management

• Attack Surface Management 2022 Midyear Review Part 1 (trendmicro.com)

Identity and Access Management

• What Is the Difference Between Identity Verification and Authentication? (darkreading.com)

Encryption

• The quantum computing threat is real. Now we need to act. - CyberScoop

API

• Thousands of Publicly Exposed API Tokens Could Threaten Software Integrity - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Open banking API security: Best practices to ensure a safe journey - Help Net Security

Open Source

• New security concerns for the open-source software supply chain - Help Net Security

• Python vulnerability highlights open source security woes (techtarget.com)

• Researchers find 633% increase in cyber-attacks aimed at open source repositories | The Daily Swig (portswigger.net)

• 3 Ways to Help Customers Defend Against Linux-Based Cyber attacks - MSSP Alert

• OldGremlin hackers use Linux ransomware to attack Russian orgs (bleepingcomputer.com)

Passwords, Credential Stuffing & Brute Force Attacks

• Most People Still Reuse Their Passwords Despite Years Of Hacking (informationsecuritybuzz.com)

• Password Report: Honeypot Data Shows Bot Attack Trends Against RDP, SSH | SecurityWeek.Com

• Eight RTX 4090s Can Break Passwords in Under an Hour | Tom's Hardware (tomshardware.com)

Training, Education and Awareness

• Security Awareness Urged to Grow Beyond Compliance (darkreading.com)

• Raising cyber security awareness is good for everyone - but it needs to be done better | ZDNET

• Millennials, Gen Z blamed for poor company security • The Register

Privacy, Surveillance and Mass Monitoring

• Amazon and the Rise of ‘Luxury Surveillance’ - The Atlantic

• Google sued over biometric data collection without consent (bleepingcomputer.com)

Regulations, Fines and Legislation

• Fines are not enough! Data breach victims want better security - Help Net Security

• Fashion brand SHEIN fined $1.9m for lying about data breach – Naked Security (sophos.com)

• New York fines EyeMed $4.5 million for 2020 email hack, data breach | SC Media (scmagazine.com)

• Health insurer pays out $4.5m over bungled data security • The Register

Law Enforcement Action and Take Downs

• INTERPOL-led Operation Takes Down 'Black Axe' Cyber Crime Organisation (thehackernews.com)

• Law enforcement arrested 31 suspects for stealing cars by hacking key fobs - Security Affairs

• Cops Arrest Suspected Multimillion-Dollar Fraud Mastermind - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Interpol is setting up its own metaverse to learn how to police the virtual world | Euronews

• Brazilian Police Nab Suspected Member of Lapsus$ Group (darkreading.com)

• Interpol Report: "Financial Crime-as-a-Service" an Emerging Threat - MSSP Alert

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

• Ransomware Now Deployed as a Precursor to Physical War - MSSP Alert

• US, China, Russia, more meet at Singapore infosec event • The Register

• NSA cyber chief says Ukraine war is compelling more intelligence sharing with industry - CyberScoop

• China-Linked Cyber-Espionage Team Homes In on Hong Kong Government Orgs (darkreading.com)

• Microsoft Warns of Novel Ransomware Attacking Ukraine, Poland - MSSP Alert

• Hackers target Asian casinos in lengthy cyber espionage campaign (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Prestige ransomware hits victims of HermeticWiper • The Register

• Pro-Russia Hackers DDoS Bulgarian Government - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• OldGremlin Ransomware Targeted Over a Dozen Russian Entities in Multi-Million Scheme (thehackernews.com)

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Nation State Actors

Nation State Actors – Russia

• Ukraine war: Life appears normal in Moscow... but a sinister undercurrent exists as Putin's conflict drags on | World News | Sky News

• Ukraine's cyber chief calls for global anti-fake news fight • The Register

• German Cyber security Boss Sacked Over Kremlin Connection (darkreading.com)

• Killing Starlink! Russian Media Says Over 4000 Missiles Required To Destroy Starlink Service; Experts Say 'Mission Impossible' (eurasiantimes.com)

• New ransomware targets transportation sectors in Ukraine, Poland | SC Media (scmagazine.com)

• Bulgaria hit by a cyber attack originating from Russia - Security Affairs

Nation State Actors – China

• As China-Taiwan tensions mount, how's your cyber defence? • The Register

• Chinese 'Spyder Loader' Malware Spotted Targeting Organisations in Hong Kong (thehackernews.com)

• Hackers compromised Hong Kong govt agency network for a year (bleepingcomputer.com)

• WIP19 Threat Group Cyber attacks Target IT Service Providers, Telcos - MSSP Alert

Nation State Actors – North Korea

• North Korea’s Lazarus Group Attacks Japanese Crypto Firms - Decrypt

Nation State Actors – Iran

• FBI Warns of Iranian Cyber Firm's Hack-and-Leak Operations | SecurityWeek.Com

• 'FurBall' Spyware Being Used Against Iranian Citizens (darkreading.com)

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Vulnerability Management

• Compare vulnerability assessment vs. vulnerability management (techtarget.com)

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Vulnerabilities

• 45,654 VMware ESXi servers reached End of Life on Oct. 15 - Security Affairs

• VMware bug with 9.8 severity rating exploited to install witch’s brew of malware | Ars Technica

• Hackers Started Exploiting Critical "Text4Shell" Apache Commons Text Vulnerability (thehackernews.com)

• Text message verification flaws in your Windows Active Directory (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Apache Commons Vulnerability: Patch but Don't Panic (darkreading.com)

• Zoom for Mac patches sneaky “spy-on-me” bug – update now! – Naked Security (sophos.com)

• ProxyLogon researcher details new Exchange Server flaws (techtarget.com)

• Over 17000 Fortinet devices exposed online are very likely vulnerable to CVE-2022-40684 - Security Affairs

• Exploited Windows zero-day lets JavaScript files bypass security warnings (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Dozen High-Severity Vulnerabilities Patched in F5 Products | SecurityWeek.Com

• Oracle Releases 370 New Security Patches With October 2022 CPU | SecurityWeek.Com

• Palo Alto Networks fixed a high-severity flaw in PAN-OS - Security Affairs

• Hackers exploit critical VMware flaw to drop ransomware, miners (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Zimbra Patches Under-Attack Code Execution Bug | SecurityWeek.Com

• WordPress Security Update 6.0.3 Patches 16 Vulnerabilities | SecurityWeek.Com

• Python vulnerability highlights open source security woes (techtarget.com)

• Critical Flaw Reported in Move Virtual Machine Powering the Aptos Blockchain Network (thehackernews.com)

• Analysis of a Remote Code Execution (RCE) Vulnerability in Cobalt Strike 4.7.1 (securityintelligence.com)

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Reports Published in the Last Week

• Financial and cyber crimes top global police concerns, says new INTERPOL report

• Post-Quantum Cryptography: Anticipating Threats and Preparing the Future — ENISA (europa.eu)

• Attack Surface Management 2022 Midyear Review Part 1 (trendmicro.com)

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Other News

• Zero trust is misused in security, say Cloudflare, Zscaler - Protocol

• How to manage and reduce secret sprawl (techtarget.com)

• Cyber professional shortfall hits 3.4 million (computerweekly.com)

• Infosec still (mostly) a boys club • The Register

• Cyber security Workforce Gap Grows by 26% in 2022 - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• VPN use prevails despite interest in VPN alternatives (techtarget.com)

• JP Morgan Bans Staff From Working Remotely In Hotels and Coffee Shops-But Not Airbnbs | Inc.com

• Experts discovered millions of .git folders exposed to public - Security Affairs

• Microsoft Defender is lacking in offline detection capabilities, says AV-Comparatives | TechSpot

• Internet connectivity worldwide impacted by severed fiber cables in France (bleepingcomputer.com)

• UK's Remote Shetland Mysteriously Lose Phone, Internet After Cable Cut (businessinsider.com)

• CISOs, rejoice! Security spending is increasing - Help Net Security

• Equifax surveilled 1,000 remote workers, fired 24 found juggling two jobs | Ars Technica

• Do You Think Businesses Must Do More To Boost Cyber Defences, Says Nadhim (informationsecuritybuzz.com)

• NATO Just Deployed Its First Killer Ground Robot (futurism.com)

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Sector Specific

Industry specific threat intelligence reports are available.

Contact us to receive tailored reports specific to the industry/sector and geographies you operate in.

·       Automotive

·       Construction

·       Critical National Infrastructure (CNI)

·       Defence & Space

·       Education & Academia

·       Energy & Utilities

·       Estate Agencies

·       Financial Services

·       FinTech

·       Food & Agriculture

·       Gaming & Gambling

·       Government & Public Sector (including Law Enforcement)

·       Health/Medical/Pharma

·       Hotels & Hospitality

·       Insurance

·       Legal

·       Manufacturing

·       Maritime

·       Oil, Gas & Mining

·       OT, ICS, IIoT, SCADA & Cyber-Physical Systems

·       Retail & eCommerce

·       Small and Medium Sized Businesses (SMBs)

·       Startups

·       Telecoms

·       Third Sector & Charities

·       Transport & Aviation

·       Web3

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As usual, contact us to help assess where your risks lie and to ensure you are doing all you can do to keep you and your business secure.

Look out for our ‘Cyber Tip Tuesday’ video blog and on our YouTube channel.

You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

Links to articles are for interest and awareness and linking to or reposting external content does not endorse any service or product, likewise we are not responsible for the security of external links.

Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing 26 August 2022

Welcome to this week’s Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing – a weekly digest, collated and curated by our cyber experts to provide senior and middle management with an easy to digest round up of the most notable threats, vulnerabilities, and cyber related news from the last week.

Top Cyber Stories of the Last Week

• Lloyd's to Exclude Certain Nation-State Attacks from Cyber Insurance Policies

Lloyd's of London insurance policies will stop covering losses from certain nation-state cyber attacks and those that happen during wars, beginning in seven months' time.

In a memo sent to the company's 76-plus insurance syndicates, underwriting director Tony Chaudhry said Lloyd's remains "strongly supportive" of cyber attack coverage. However, as these threats continue to grow, they may "expose the market to systemic risks that syndicates could struggle to manage," he added, noting that nation-state-sponsored attacks are particularly costly to cover.

Because of this, all standalone cyber attack policies must include "a suitable clause excluding liability for losses arising from any state-backed cyber attack," Chaudhry wrote. These changes will take effect beginning March 31, 2023 at the inception or renewal of each policy.

At a minimum (key word: minimum) these policies must exclude losses arising from a war, whether declared or not, if the policy doesn't already have a separate war exclusion. They must also at least exclude losses from nation-state cyber attacks that "significantly impair the ability of a state to function or that significantly impair the security capabilities of a state."

Policies must also "set out a robust basis" on which to attribute state-sponsored cyber attacks, according to Chaudhry – and therein lies the rub.

Attributing a cyber attack to a particular crime group or nation-state with 100 percent confidence "is absolutely hard," NSA director of cybersecurity Rob Joyce said at this year's RSA Conference.

Threat analysts typically attribute an attack to a nation-state from its level of sophistication, but as advanced persistent crime groups become more sophisticated – and have more resources at their disposal to buy zero-day exploits and employ specialists for each stage of an attack – differentiating between nation-states and cyber crime gangs becomes increasingly difficult, he explained.

There are times when nation-states will act like criminals, using their tools and infrastructure, and sometimes vice versa. The clear line of sophistication and stealth that many have used as a common sense delineation has blurred. Yet, If you are going to pay out money you are likely going to look for something that is more ironclad and likely related to forensic evidence.

https://www.theregister.com/2022/08/24/lloyds_cybersecurity_insurance/

• Cyber Security Top Risk for Enterprise C-Suite Leaders, PwC Study Says

Cyber security is now firmly on the agenda of the entire C-suite, consultancy PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) reports in a new survey of more than 700 business leaders across a variety of industries.

Of key enterprise issues, cyber security ranks at the top of business risks, with nearly 80% of the respondents considering it a moderate to serious risk. The warning isn’t confined to just chief information security officers, but ranges from chief executives to chief financial officers, chief operating officers, chief technology officers, chief marketing officers and includes corporate board members. Virtually all roles ranked cyber attacks high on their list of risks, PwC said.

Overall, 40% of business leaders ranked cyber security as the top serious risk facing their companies, and 38% ranked it a moderate risk.

Here are six steps businesses can take to address cyber security concerns:

1. View cyber security as a broad business concern and not just an IT issue.

2. Build cyber security and data privacy into agendas across the C-suite and board.

3. Increase investment to improve security.

4. Educate employees on effective cyber security practices.

5. For each new business initiative or transformation, make sure there’s a cyber plan in place.

6. Use data and intelligence to regularly measure cyber risks. Proactively look for blind spots in third-party relationships and supply chains.

https://www.msspalert.com/cybersecurity-research/cybersecurity-top-risk-for-enterprise-c-suite-leaders-pwc-study-says/

• Apathy Is Your Company's Biggest Cyber Security Vulnerability — Here's How to Combat It

Human error continues to be the leading cause of a cyber security breach. Nearly 60% of organisations experienced a data loss due to an employee's mistake on email in the last year, while one in four employees fell for a phishing attack.

Employee apathy, while it may not seem like a major cyber security issue, can leave an organisation vulnerable to both malicious attacks and accidental data loss. Equipping employees with the tools and knowledge they need to prevent these risks has never been more important to keep organisations safe.

A new report from Tessian sheds light on the full extent of employee apathy and its impact on cyber security posture. The report found that a significant number of employees aren't engaged in their organisation's cyber security efforts and don't understand the role they play. One in three employees say they don't understand the importance of cyber security at work. What's more, only 39% say they're very likely to report a cyber security incident. Why? A quarter of employees say they don't care enough about cyber security to mention it.

This is a serious problem. IT and security teams can't investigate or remediate a threat they don't know about.

Employees play an important role in flagging incidents or suspicious activity early on to prevent them from escalating to a costly breach. Building a strong cyber security culture can mitigate apathy by engaging employees as part of the solution and providing the tools and training they need to work productively and securely.

https://www.darkreading.com/attacks-breaches/apathy-is-your-company-s-biggest-cybersecurity-vulnerability-here-s-how-to-combat-it

• The World’s Largest Sovereign Wealth Fund Warns Cyber Security Is Top Concern, as Attacks on Banks and Financial Service Double

Cyber security has eclipsed tumultuous financial markets as the biggest concern for the world’s largest sovereign wealth fund, as it faces an average of three “serious” cyber attacks each day.

The number of significant hacking attempts against Norway’s $1.2tn oil fund, Norges Bank Investment Management, has doubled in the past two to three years.

The fund, which reported its biggest half-year dollar loss last week after inflation and recession fears shook markets, suffers about 100,000 cyber attacks a year, of which it classifies more than 1,000 as serious, according to its top executives.

“I’m worried about cyber more than I am about markets,” their CEO told the Financial Times. “We’re seeing many more attempts, more attacks [that are] increasingly sophisticated.”

The fund’s top executives are even concerned that concerted cyber attacks are becoming a systemic financial risk as markets become increasingly digitised.

Their deputy CEO pointed to the 2020 attack on SolarWinds, a software provider, by Russian state-backed hackers that allowed them to breach several US government agencies, including the Treasury and Pentagon, and a number of Fortune 500 companies including Microsoft, Intel and Deloitte.

“They estimate there were 1,000 Russians [involved] in that one attack, working in a co-ordinated fashion. I mean, Jesus, that’s our whole building on one attack, so you’re up against some formidable forces there,” he said.

Cyber attacks targeting the financial industry have risen sharply in recent months. Malware attacks globally rose 11 per cent in the first half of 2022, but they doubled at banks and financial institutions, according to cyber security specialist SonicWall. Ransomware attacks dropped 23 per cent worldwide, but increased 243 per cent against financial targets in the same period.

https://www.ft.com/content/1aa6f92a-078b-4e1a-81ca-65298b8310b2

Configuration Errors to Blame for 80% of Ransomware

The vast majority (80%) of ransomware attacks can be traced back to common configuration errors in software and devices, according to Microsoft.

The tech giant’s latest Cyber Signals report focuses on the ransomware as a service (RaaS) model, which it claims has democratised the ability to launch attacks to groups “without sophistication or advanced skills.” Some RaaS programs now have over 50 affiliate groups on their books.

For defenders, a key challenge is ensuring they don’t leave systems misconfigured, it added.

“Ransomware attacks involve decisions based on configurations of networks and differ for each victim even if the ransomware payload is the same,” the report argued. “Ransomware culminates an attack that can include data exfiltration and other impacts. Because of the interconnected nature of the cyber-criminal economy, seemingly unrelated intrusions can build upon each other.”

Although each attack is different, Microsoft pointed to missing or misconfigured security products and legacy configurations in enterprise apps as two key areas of risk exposure.

“Like smoke alarms, security products must be installed in the correct spaces and tested frequently. Verify that security tools are operating in their most secure configuration, and that no part of a network is unprotected,” it urged. “Consider deleting duplicative or unused apps to eliminate risky, unused services. Be mindful of where you permit remote helpdesk apps like TeamViewer. These are notoriously targeted by threat actors to gain express access to laptops.”

Although not named in the report, another system regularly misconfigured and hijacked by ransomware actors is the remote desktop protocol (RDP), which often is not protected by a strong password or two-factor authentication. It’s widely believed to be one of the top three vectors for attack.

The bad news for network defenders is they don’t have much time after initial compromise to contain an attack. Microsoft claimed the median time for an attacker to begin moving laterally inside the network after device compromise is one hour, 42 minutes. The median time for an attacker to access private data following a phishing email is one hour, 12 minutes, the firm added.

https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/configuration-errors-blame-80/

• Ransomware Surges to 1.2 Million Attacks Per Month

Ransomware threat detections have risen to over one million per month this year, with a French hospital the latest to suffer a major outage.

The 1000-bed Center Hospitalier Sud Francilien (CHSF) near Paris revealed it was hit on Sunday morning, in an attack which has knocked out all the hospital's business software, storage systems including medical imaging, and patient admissions. This has led to all but the most urgent emergency patients being diverted to other facilities in the region.

France24 cited figures claiming cyber-attacks against French hospitals surged 70% year-on-year in 2021. "Each day we need to rewrite patients' medications, all the prescriptions, the discharge prescriptions," Valerie Caudwell, president of the medical commission at CHSF hospital, reportedly said. "For the nurses, instead of putting in all the patients' data on the computer, they now need to file it manually from scratch."

Reports suggest Lockbit 3.0 may be to blame for the $10m ransom demand, which the hospital is refusing to pay.

Barracuda Networks claimed in a new report out today that education, municipalities, healthcare, infrastructure and finance have remained the top five targets for ransomware over the past 12 months. However, while attacks on local government increased only slightly, those targeting educational institutions more than doubled, and attacks on the healthcare and financial verticals tripled. Overall, Barracuda claimed that ransomware detections between January and June of this year climbed to more than 1.2 million per month.

https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/ransomware-surges-to-12-million/

• A Massive Hacking Campaign Stole 10,000 Login Credentials From 130 Different Organisations

A phishing campaign targeted Okta users at multiple companies, successfully swiping passwords from staffers and then using them to steal company secrets.

Researchers say that a mysterious “threat actor” (a fancy term for a hacker or hacker group) has managed to steal nearly 10,000 login credentials from the employees of 130 organisations, in the latest far-reaching supply chain attack on corporate America. Many of the victims are prominent software companies, including firms like Twilio, MailChimp, and Cloudflare, among many others.

The news comes from research conducted by cyber security firm Group-IB, which began looking into the hacking campaign after a client was phished and reached out for help. The research shows that the threat actor behind the campaign, which researchers have dubbed “0ktapus,” used basic tactics to target staff from droves of well-known companies. The hacker(s) would use stolen login information to gain access to corporate networks before going on to steal data and then break into another company’s network.

“This case is of interest because despite using low-skill methods it was able to compromise a large number of well-known organisations,” researchers wrote in their blog. “Furthermore, once the attackers compromised an organisation they were quickly able to pivot and launch subsequent supply chain attacks, indicating that the attack was planned carefully in advance.”

https://gizmodo.com/oktapus-okta-hack-twilio-10000-logins-130-companies-1849457420

• This Company Paid a Ransom Demand. Hackers Leaked Its Data Anyway

A victim of a ransomware attack paid to restore access to their network – but the cyber criminals didn't hold up their end of the deal.

The real-life incident, as detailed by cyber security researchers at Barracuda Networks, took place in August 2021, when hackers from BlackMatter ransomware group used a phishing email to compromise the account of a single victim at an undisclosed company.

From that initial entry point, the attackers were able to expand their access to the network by moving laterally around the infrastructure, ultimately leading to the point where they were able to install hacking tools and steal sensitive data. Stealing sensitive data has become a common part of ransomware attacks. Criminals leverage it as part of their extortion attempts, threatening to release it if a ransom isn't received. 

The attackers appear to have had access to the network for at least a few weeks, seemingly going undetected before systems were encrypted and a ransom was demanded, to be paid in Bitcoin.

Cyber security agencies warn that despite networks being encrypted, victims shouldn't pay ransom demands for a decryption key because this only shows hackers that such attacks are effective.

https://www.zdnet.com/article/this-company-paid-a-ransom-demand-hackers-leaked-its-data-anyway/

• Sophisticated BEC Scammers Bypass Microsoft 365 Multi-Factor Authentication

A Business Email Compromise (BEC) attack recently analysed by cloud incident response company Mitiga used an adversary-in-the-middle (AitM) phishing attack to bypass Microsoft Office 365 MFA and gain access to a business executive's account, and then managed to add a second authenticator device to the account for persistent access. According to the researchers, the campaign they analysed is widespread and targets large transactions of up to several million dollars each.

The attack started with a well-crafted phishing email masquerading as a notification from DocuSign, a widely used cloud-based electronic document signing service. The email was crafted to the targeted business executive, suggesting that attackers have done reconnaissance work. The link in the phishing email led to an attacker-controlled website which then redirects to a Microsoft 365 single sign-on login page.

This fake login page uses an AitM technique, where the attackers run a reverse proxy to authentication requests back and forth between the victim and the real Microsoft 365 website. The victim has the same experience as they would have on the real Microsoft login page, complete with the legitimate MFA request that they must complete using their authenticator app. Once the authentication process is completed successfully, the Microsoft service creates a session token which gets flagged in its systems that it fulfilled MFA. The difference is that since the attackers acted as a proxy, they now have this session token too and can use it to access the account.

This reverse proxy technique is not new and has been used to bypass MFA for several years. In fact, easy-to-use open-source attack frameworks have been created for this purpose.

https://www.csoonline.com/article/3670575/sophisticated-bec-scammers-bypass-microsoft-365-multi-factor-authentication.html

• 77% Of Security Leaders Fear We’re in Perpetual Cyber War from Now On

A survey of cyber security decision makers found 77 percent think the world is now in a perpetual state of cyber warfare.

In addition, 82 percent believe geopolitics and cyber security are "intrinsically linked," and two-thirds of polled organisations reported changing their security posture in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Of those asked, 64 percent believe they may have already been the target of a nation-state-directed cyber attack. Unfortunately, 63 percent of surveyed security leaders also believe that they'd never even know if a nation-state level actor pwned them.

The survey, organised by security shop Venafi, questioned 1,100 security leaders. They said the results show cyber warfare is here, and that it's completely different to many would have imagined. "Any business can be damaged by nation-states," they stated.

It's been common knowledge for some time that government-backed advanced persistent threat (APT) crews are being used to further online geopolitical goals. Unlike conventional warfare, everyone is a target and there's no military or government method for protecting everyone.

Nor is there going to be much financial redress available. Earlier this week Lloyd's of London announced it would no longer recompense policy holders for certain nation-state attacks.

https://www.theregister.com/2022/08/27/in-brief-security/

• Cyber Security Governance: A Path to Cyber Maturity

Organisations need cyber security governance programs that make every employee aware of the cyber security mitigation efforts required to reduce cyber-risks.

In an increasingly challenging threat landscape, many organisations struggle with developing and implementing effective cyber security governance. The "Managing Cybersecurity Risk: A Crisis of Confidence" infographic by the CMMI Institute and ISACA stated: "While enterprise leaders recognise that mature cyber security is essential to thriving in today's digital economy, they often lack the insights and data to have peace of mind that their organisations are efficiently and effectively managing cyber risk."

Indeed, damages from cyber crime are projected to cost the world $7 trillion in 2022, according to the "Boardroom Cybersecurity 2022 Report" from Cybersecurity Ventures. As a result, "board members and chief executives are more interested in cyber security now than ever before," the report stated, adding that the time is ripe for turning awareness into action.

How, then, can board leaders have confidence that their organisations are prepared against cyber attacks? The first order of business for most organisations is to enable a strong cyber security governance program.

Cyber security governance refers to the component of governance that addresses an organisation's dependence on cyber space in the presence of adversaries. The ISO/IEC 27001 standard defines cyber security governance as the following: “The system by which an organisation directs and controls security governance, specifies the accountability framework and provides oversight to ensure that risks are adequately mitigated, while management ensures that controls are implemented to mitigate risks”.

Traditionally, cyber security is viewed through the lens of a technical or operational issue to be handled in the technology space. Cyber security planning needs to fully transition from a back-office operational function to its own area aligned with law, privacy and enterprise risk. The CISO should have a seat at the table alongside the CIO, COO, CFO and CEO. This helps the C-suite understand cyber security as an enterprise-wide risk management issue, along with the legal implications of cyber-risks, and not solely a technology issue.

https://www.techtarget.com/searchsecurity/post/Cybersecurity-governance-A-path-to-cyber-maturity

• The Rise of Data Exfiltration and Why It Is a Greater Risk Than Ransomware

Ransomware is the de facto threat organisations have faced over the past few years. Threat actors were making easy money by exploiting the high valuation of cryptocurrencies and their victims' lack of adequate preparation.

Think about bad security policies, untested backups, patch management practices not up-to-par, and so forth. It resulted in easy growth for ransomware extortion, a crime that multiple threat actors around the world perpetrate.

Something's changed, though. Crypto valuations have dropped, reducing the monetary appeal of ransomware attacks due to organisations mounting better defence against ransomware.

Threat actors have been searching for another opportunity – and found one. It's called data exfiltration, or exfil, a type of espionage causing headaches at organisations worldwide.

Information exfiltration is rapidly becoming more prevalent. Earlier this year, incidents at Nvidia, Microsoft, and several other companies have highlighted how big of a problem it's become – and how, for some organisations, it may be a threat that's even bigger than ransomware.

Nvidia, for example, became entangled in a complex tit-for-tat exchange with hacker group Lapsus$. One of the biggest chipmakers in the world was faced with the public exposure of the source code for invaluable technology, as Lapsus$ leaked the source code for the company's Deep Learning Super Sampling (DLSS) research.

When it comes to exfil extortion, attackers do not enter with the primary aim of encrypting a system and causing disruption the way that a ransomware attacker does. Though, yes, attackers may still use encryption to cover their tracks.

Instead, attackers on an information exfiltration mission will move vast amounts of proprietary data to systems that they control. And here's the game: attackers will proceed to extort the victim, threatening to release that confidential information into the wild or to sell it to unscrupulous third parties.

https://thehackernews.com/2022/08/the-rise-of-data-exfiltration-and-why.html

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Threats

Ransomware

• Ransomware Groups Can Adapt Malware Code to Different Operating Systems Simultaneously, Kaspersky Research Finds - MSSP Alert

• [Whoa] Ransomware Strains Almost Double in Six Months from 5,400 to 10,666 (knowbe4.com)

• Ransomware: Most attacks exploit these common cyber security mistakes - so fix them now, warns Microsoft | ZDNET

• Ransomware dominates the threat landscape - Help Net Security

• We need to think about ransomware differently - Help Net Security

• Disk wiping malware knows no borders - Help Net Security

• NATO investigates hacker sale of missile firm data - BBC News           

• Cyber attackers disrupt services at French hospital, demand $10 million ransom (france24.com)

• New 'Agenda' Ransomware Customized for Each Victim | SecurityWeek.Com

• LockBit gang hit by DDoS attack after Entrust leaks • The Register

• New ransomware HavanaCrypt poses as Google software update | CSO Online

• WannaCry explained: A perfect ransomware storm | CSO Online

• LockBit Ransomware Site Hit by DDoS Attack as Hackers Start Leaking Entrust Data | SecurityWeek.Com

• New Golang Ransomware Agenda Customizes Attacks (trendmicro.com)

• New 'BianLian' Ransomware Variant on the Rise (darkreading.com)

• New 'Donut Leaks' extortion gang linked to recent ransomware attacks (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Ransomware Attacks are on the Rise | Threatpost

• Quantum ransomware attack disrupts govt agency in Dominican Republic (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Car Dealership Hit by Major Ransomware Attack - Infosecurity Magazine

• Ransomware Gang Leaks Data Allegedly Stolen from Greek Gas Supplier | SecurityWeek.Com

• Major airline technology provider Accelya attacked by ransomware group - The Record by Recorded Future

• Businesses expect the government to increase its financial assistance for all ransomware incidents - Help Net Security

BEC – Business Email Compromise

• Before Portland lost $1.4 million in cyber breach, city treasurer raised red flag - OPB

Phishing & Email Based Attacks

• Phishing attacks abusing SaaS platforms see a massive 1,100% growth (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Researchers Warn of AiTM Attack Targeting Google G-Suite Enterprise Users (thehackernews.com)

• Unusual Microsoft 365 Phishing Campaign Spoofs eFax Via Compromised Dynamics Voice Account (darkreading.com)

• Hiding a phishing attack behind the AWS cloud • The Register

• 10 key facts about callback phishing attacks - CyberTalk 2022

Other Social Engineering; Smishing, Vishing, etc

• New social engineering tactics discovered in the wild - Help Net Security

Malware

• Threat actor abuses Genshin Impact Anti-Cheat driver to disable antivirus - Security Affairs

• Fake DDoS Protection Alerts Distribute Dangerous RAT (darkreading.com)

• Meet Borat RAT, a New Unique Triple Threat (thehackernews.com)

• Donot Team group updates its Windows malware framework - Security Affairs

• How 'Kimsuky' hackers ensure their malware only reach valid targets (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Grandoreiro banking malware targets Mexico and Spain - Security Affairs

• Fake Chrome extension 'Internet Download Manager' has 200,000 installs (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Threat actors are using the Tox P2P messenger as C2 server - Security Affairs

Mobile

• Google Play Store Serving Up Chameleon-like Apps (informationsecuritybuzz.com)

• We can make our phones harder to hack but complete security is a pipe dream | John Naughton | The Guardian

Internet of Things – IoT

• Cyber criminals Are Selling Access to Chinese Surveillance Cameras | Threatpost

• IoT Vulnerability Disclosures Up 57% in Six Months, Claroty Reveals - Infosecurity Magazine

• Thousands of Organisations Remain at Risk from Critical Zero-Click IP Camera Bug (darkreading.com)

Data Breaches/Leaks

• LastPass data breach: threat actors stole portion of source code - Security Affairs

• Plex discloses data breach and urges password reset - Security Affairs

• Why the Twilio Breach Cuts So Deep | WIRED

• Plex was compromised, exposing usernames, emails, and passwords - The Verge

• DoorDash discloses new data breach tied to Twilio hackers (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Data on California Prisons' Visitors, Staff, Inmates Exposed | SecurityWeek.Com

• Expert Commentary On The Plex Data Breach (informationsecuritybuzz.com)

• Textile Company Sferra Discloses Data Breach | SecurityWeek.Com

• Novant Health: Oops, we leaked 1.3m patients' info to Meta • The Register

Organised Crime & Criminal Actors

• RaaS Kits Are Hiding Who The Attackers Really Are – Expert Comments (informationsecuritybuzz.com)

• Researchers warn of darkverse emerging from the metaverse | CSO Online

 Cryptocurrency/Cryptomining/Cryptojacking/NFTs/Blockchain

• An anatomy of crypto-enabled cyber crime | Financial Times (ft.com)

• Cryptojackers Spread Across Computers Globally- IT Security Guru

• Hackers Are Breaking Into and Emptying Cash App Accounts (vice.com)

• Threat actors are stealing funds from General Bytes Bitcoin ATMSecurity Affairs

• How Economic Changes and Crypto's Rise Are Fuelling the use of "Cyber Mules" | SecurityWeek.Com

Fraud, Scams & Financial Crime

• Scammers Create “AI Hologram” of C-Suite Crypto Exec - Infosecurity Magazine

• Employee fraud: Beware of deepfake job applicants - Protocol

• A closer look at identity crimes committed against individuals - Help Net Security

• What type of fraud enables attackers to make a living? - Help Net Security

Insurance

• Lloyds Of London Ends Insurance Coverage For State Cyber Attacks, Expert (informationsecuritybuzz.com)

Software Supply Chain

• Why SBOMs alone aren’t enough for software supply chain security | CSO Online

Denial of Service DoS/DDoS

• DDoS attacks jump 203%, patriotic hacktivism surges - Help Net Security

• Threat Actor Deploys Raven Storm Tool to Perform DDoS Attacks - Infosecurity Magazine

• LockBit gang hit by DDoS attack after Entrust leaks • The Register

• Gambling sites are losing significant amounts of revenue due to raising DDoS attacks - Help Net Security

Cloud/SaaS

• Mitiga: Attackers evade Microsoft MFA to lurk inside M365 (techtarget.com)

• Phishing attacks abusing SaaS platforms see a massive 1,100% growth (bleepingcomputer.com)

• How complicated access management protocols have impacted cloud security - Help Net Security

Identity and Access Management

• IT leaders struggling to address identity sprawl - Help Net Security

• Identity Security Pain Points and What Can Be Done (darkreading.com)

• Thoma Bravo: Securing digital identities has become a major priority - Help Net Security

Encryption

• CISA: Action required now to prepare for quantum computing cyber threats | ZDNET

• Encrypted Traffic Analysis: Mitigating Against The Risk Of Encryption (informationsecuritybuzz.com)

• US Government: Stop Dickering and Prepare for Post-Quantum Encryption Now - CNET

API

• API security incidents occur at least once a month - Help Net Security

Passwords, Credential Stuffing & Brute Force Attacks

• Credential phishing attacks rise and represent a huge threat to businesses - Help Net Security

• Twilio hackers breached over 130 organisations during months-long hacking spree | TechCrunch

• FBI: Beware Residential IPs Hiding Credential Stuffing - Infosecurity Magazine

Social Media

• Experts Reaction to Poor Security At Twitter (informationsecuritybuzz.com)

Privacy

• Oracle sued over ‘worldwide surveillance machine’ by privacy rights activists | CSO Online

• Most top mobile carriers retain geolocation data for two years on average, FCC findings show - CyberScoop

Travel

• Hackers target hotel and travel companies with fake reservations (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Fake Reservation Links Prey on Weary Travelers | Threatpost

• British Airways passengers targeted in baggage scam using Twitter | The Independent

Models, Frameworks and Standards

• PCI DSS v4.0 is coming, here's how to prepare to comply (techtarget.com)

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

• Lloyd's of London Introduces New War Exclusion Insurance Clauses | SecurityWeek.Com

• The (Nation) State of Cyber: 64% of Businesses Suspect They've Been Targeted or Impacted by Nation-State Attacks (darkreading.com)

• EU Outlines Critical Cyber Response to Ukraine War - Infosecurity Magazine

• Unprecedented cyber attack hit State Infrastructure of Montenegro - Security Affairs

• Suspected Iranian Hackers Targeted Several Israeli Organisations for Espionage (thehackernews.com)

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Nation State Actors

Nation State Actors – Russia

• Microsoft: Russian hackers gain powerful 'MagicWeb' authentication bypass | ZDNET

• Microsoft Attributes New Post-Compromise Capability to Nobelium - Infosecurity Magazine

Nation State Actors – Iran

• Google Uncovers Tool Used by Iranian Hackers to Steal Data from Email Accounts (thehackernews.com)

• Iranian Hackers Exploiting Unpatched Log4j 2 Bugs to Target Israeli Organisations (thehackernews.com)

Nation State Actors – Misc APT

• Donot Team group updates its Windows malware framework - Security Affairs

• Cyber crime Groups Increasingly Adopting Sliver Command-and-Control Framework (thehackernews.com)

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Vulnerability Management

• Up to 35% more CVEs published so far this year compared to 2021 | CSO Online

• Why patching quality, vendor info on vulnerabilities are declining | CSO Online

• How fast is the financial industry fixing its software security flaws? - Help Net Security

• Highlighting What should be Patched First at the Endpoint (bleepingcomputer.com)

Vulnerabilities

• Cisco Patches High-Severity Vulnerabilities in Business Switches | SecurityWeek.Com

• CISA Warns of Active Exploitation of Palo Alto Networks' PAN-OS Vulnerability (thehackernews.com)

• Critical flaw impacts Atlassian Bitbucket Server and Data Center - Security Affairs

• VMware fixes privilege escalation vulnerabilities in VMware Tools - Infosecurity Magazine

• VMware LPE Bug Allows Cyber attackers to Feast on Virtual Machine Data (darkreading.com)

• Critical RCE bug in GitLab patched, update ASAP! (CVE-2022-2884) - Help Net Security

• Mac users urged to update Zoom, after security patch released for previously-flawed security patch (bitdefender.com)

• Zoom patches root exploit, patches patch due to root exploit • The Register

• US government really hopes you've patched your Zimbra server • The Register

• Apple security flaw ‘actively exploited’ by hackers to fully control devices | Apple | The Guardian

• Microsoft publicly discloses details on critical ChromeOS flaw - Security Affairs

• Mozilla Patches High-Severity Vulnerabilities in Firefox, Thunderbird | SecurityWeek.Com

• 'DirtyCred' Vulnerability Haunting Linux Kernel for 8 Years | SecurityWeek.Com

• Privilege Escalation Flaw Haunts VMware Tools | SecurityWeek.Com

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Reports Published in the Last Week

• Cyber Signals: Defend against the new ransomware landscape - Microsoft

• Threat Spotlight: The untold stories of ransomware - Journey Notes (barracuda.com)

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Other News

• How attackers use and abuse Microsoft MFA - Help Net Security

• There is an urgent need to reduce systemic cyber risks | Financial Times (ft.com)

• Critical infrastructure is under attack from hackers. Securing it needs to be a priority - before it's too late | ZDNET

• We Need to Talk About How Good A.I. Is Getting - The New York Times (nytimes.com)

• A lack of endpoint security strategy is leaving enterprises open to attack - Help Net Security

• NIST Weighs in on AI Risk (darkreading.com)

• Twitter whistleblower report holds security lessons (techtarget.com)

• Nearly 3 Years Later, SolarWinds CISO Shares 3 Lessons From the Infamous Attack (darkreading.com)

• Data governance: 5 tips for holistic data protection - Microsoft Security Blog

• US Government Spending Billions on Cyber security (thehackernews.com)

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Sector Specific

Industry specific threat intelligence reports are available.

Contact us to receive tailored reports specific to the industry/sector and geographies you operate in.

·       Automotive

·       Construction

·       Critical National Infrastructure (CNI)

·       Defence & Space

·       Education & Academia

·       Energy & Utilities

·       Estate Agencies

·       Financial Services

·       FinTech

·       Food & Agriculture

·       Gaming & Gambling

·       Government & Public Sector (including Law Enforcement)

·       Health/Medical/Pharma

·       Hotels & Hospitality

·       Insurance

·       Legal

·       Manufacturing

·       Maritime

·       Oil, Gas & Mining

·       OT, ICS, IIoT, SCADA & Cyber-Physical Systems

·       Retail & eCommerce

·       Small and Medium Sized Businesses (SMBs)

·       Startups

·       Telecoms

·       Third Sector & Charities

·       Transport & Aviation

·       Web3

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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.

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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 12 August 2022

Welcome to this week’s Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing – a weekly digest, collated and curated by our cyber experts to provide senior and middle management with an easy to digest round up of the most notable threats, vulnerabilities, and cyber related news from the last week.

Top Cyber Stories of the Last Week

• Three Ransomware Gangs Consecutively Attacked the Same Network

Hive, LockBit and BlackCat, three prominent ransomware gangs, consecutively attacked the same network, according to Sophos. The first two attacks took place within two hours, and the third attack took place two weeks later. Each ransomware gang left its own ransom demand, and some of the files were triple encrypted.

It’s bad enough to get one ransomware note, let alone three. Multiple attackers create a whole new level of complexity for recovery, particularly when network files are triple encrypted. Cyber security that includes prevention, detection and response is critical for organisations of any size and type—no business is immune.

The “Multiple Attackers: A Clear and Present Danger” whitepaper further outlines additional cases of overlapping cyber attacks, including cryptominers, remote access trojans (RATs) and bots. In the past, when multiple attackers have targeted the same system, the attacks usually occurred across many months or multiple years. The attacks described in Sophos’ whitepaper took place within days or weeks of each other—and, in one case, simultaneously—often with the different attackers accessing a target’s network through the same vulnerable entry point.

Typically, criminal groups compete for resources, making it more difficult for multiple attackers to operate simultaneously. Cryptominers normally kill their competitors on the same system, and today’s RATs often highlight bot killing as a feature on criminal forums. However, in the attack involving the three ransomware groups, for example, BlackCat—the last ransomware group on the system—not only deleted traces of its own activity, but also deleted the activity of LockBit and Hive.

In another case, a system was infected by LockBit ransomware. Then, about three months later, members of Karakurt Team, a group with reported ties to Conti, was able to leverage the backdoor LockBit created to steal data and hold it for ransom.

https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2022/08/09/ransomware-gangs-attacks/

• As The Cost of Cyber Insurance Rises, The Number of Organisations Who Can’t Afford It Is Set to Double

The number of organisations that will be either unable to afford cyber insurance, be declined cover, or experience significant coverage limitations is set to double in 2023, according to Huntsman Security.

Even for those insured, the perfect storm of ongoing attacks, tightening regulations and growing financial pressures is making it more likely that any attack on an organisation will leave it exposed.

Factors like the supply chain crisis, inflation and skill shortages are all adding to the difficulty for organisations trying to execute on their cyber security strategy. At the same time, increases in insurance premiums, limits on coverage, increasing underwriting rigour, and capacity constraints are all limiting the accessibility of cyber insurance, for many.

Loss ratios will not improve until premium incomes better match the current level of pay-outs. With this reduced insurance access alongside increasing cyber threats and tightening regulations, many organisations are losing cyber insurance as an important risk management tool. Even those who can still get insurance are paying a prohibitively high cost.

With a third of UK firms subject to cyber attacks at least once a week, cyber insurance as part of overall risk management is crucial. To bridge this accessibility gap insurers are seeking to improve the quality of risk information, so premiums better reflect the true cost of that risk. Unless organisations can demonstrate they have insurers’ specified controls in place to manage their security risks, insurers will continue to have difficulty quantifying that risk. It’s for these reasons that insurers have changed the basis upon which their products are offered to reflect the risk being underwritten more accurately.

In this environment, improving and demonstrating the effectiveness of security controls will now be essential: both for organisations looking to improve their cyber resilience and oversight while enhancing their eligibility for insurers, and for insurers who need to minimise their own exposure by ensuring the accuracy of their risk pricing process.

https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2022/08/11/afford-cyber-insurance/

• Identity Cyber Attacks, Microsoft 365 Dominate Cyber Security Incidents, Expel Research Finds

Identity-based cyber attacks (including credential theft, credential abuse and long-term access key theft) accounted for 56% of all incidents in Q2 of 2022, and Microsoft 365 remained the prime target for SaaS attacks, according to Expel’s Quarterly Threat Report.

Among the key findings:

• Business email compromise (BEC) and business application compromise (BAC) access to application data represented 51% of all incidents.

• Identity-based attacks in popular cloud environments like Amazon Web Services (AWS) accounted for 5%.

• Ransomware groups change tactics, with threat groups and their affiliates all but abandoning the use of Visual Basic for Application (VBA) macros and Excel 4.0 macros to gain initial entry to Windows-based environments. In Q1, a macro-enabled Microsoft Word document (VBA macro) or Excel 4.0 macro was the initial attack vector in 55% of all pre-ransomware incidents. In Q2, that figure fell sharply to 9%. Instead, ransomware operators opted to use disk image (ISO), short-cut (LNK) and HTML application (HTA) files to gain initial entry.

• Cloud attacks are becoming more sophisticated, with 14% of identity attacks against cloud identity providers tackling the multi-factor authentication (MFA) requirement by continuously sending push notifications.

• Microsoft 365 is a common threat target, with BEC in Microsoft Office 365 (O365) remaining the top threat to organisations in Q2. 45% of all Q2 incidents were BEC attempts in O365. No BEC attempts were identified in Google Workspaces. 19% of BEC attempts bypassed MFA in O365 using legacy protocols, a 16% increase of compared to Q1.

https://www.msspalert.com/cybersecurity-research/identity-cyberattacks-targeting-microsoft-365-dominate-cybersecurity-incidents-expel-research-finds/

• Exploit Activity Surges 150% in Q2 Thanks to Log4Shell

Detections of malware events, botnet activity and exploits all increased significantly in the second quarter of 2022, according to new data from Nuspire.

The managed security services provider (MSSP) gathered the data from its endpoint detection and response (EDR) and managed detection and response (MDR) tools to produce its Q2 2022 Quarterly Threat Report.

The company recorded an increase in malware events of over 25%, a doubling of botnet detections and a rise in exploit activity of 150% versus the first quarter.

Botnet activity in particular surged towards the end of Q2, thanks to the Torpig Mebroot botnet – a banking trojan designed to scrape credit card and payment information from infected devices, the report revealed. Nuspire claimed it is particularly difficult to detect and remove, because it targets a machine’s master boot record.

It attributed much of the surge in exploit activity to the persistent threat posed by the Log4j bugs discovered at the end of December 2021. At the time, experts warned that the ubiquity of the utility, and the difficulty many organisations have in finding all instances of the CVE due to complex Java dependencies, means it may be exploited for years.

https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/exploit-activity-150-q2-log4shell/

• Ransomware Is Not Going Anywhere: Attacks Are Up 24%

Avast released a report revealing a significant increase in global ransomware attacks, up 24% from Q1/2022. Researchers also uncovered a new zero-day exploit in Chrome, as well as signals of how cyber criminals are preparing to move away from macros as an infection vector.

After months of decline, global ransomware attacks increased significantly in Q2/2022, up 24% from the previous quarter. The highest quarter-on-quarter increases in ransomware risk ratio occurred in Argentina (+56%), UK (+55%), Brazil (+50%), France (+42%), and India (+37%).

Businesses and consumers should be on guard and prepared for encounters with ransomware, as the threat is not going anywhere anytime soon.

The decline in ransomware attacks observed in Q4/2021 and Q1/2022 were thanks to law enforcement agencies busting ransomware group members, and caused by the war in Ukraine, which also led to disagreements within the Conti ransomware group, halting their operations. Things dramatically changed in Q2/2022. Conti members have now branched off to create new ransomware groups, like Black Basta and Karakurt, or may join other existing groups, like Hive, BlackCat, or Quantum, causing an uptick in activity.

https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2022/08/12/increase-ransomware-attacks/

• Email Is the Single Biggest Threat to Businesses, And Here’s What You Can Do About It

Email remains one of the most popular methods of communication, particularly for business communications. There were 316.9 billion emails sent and received every day in 2021, and this is set to increase to 376.4 billion by 2025. But despite the scale of its use and how much people exchange confidential information over email, it is not a secure system by design.

Consequently, email is a major attack vector for organisations of all sizes. Deloitte found that 91% of all cyber attacks originate from a phishing email (an email that attempts to steal money, identity or personal information through a spoof website link that looks legitimate). The cost to organisations can be catastrophic with the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) reporting in August 2021 that phishing email attacks had cost UK organisations more than £5 million in the past 13 months.

It’s not enough for individuals to create complex passwords or rely on the security services of their email provider. Spam filters are not enough to stop malicious emails creeping into inboxes. Fortunately, safeguarding your emails with enterprise-grade email security doesn’t have to cost the earth or be hard to integrate so businesses of any size can protect themselves.

https://informationsecuritybuzz.com/articles/email-is-the-single-biggest-threat-to-businesses-and-heres-what-you-can-do-about-it/

• Realtek SDK Vulnerability Exposes Routers from Many Vendors to Remote Attacks

A serious vulnerability affecting the embedded Configurable Operating System (eCos) software development kit (SDK) made by Taiwanese semiconductor company Realtek could expose the networking devices of many vendors to remote attacks.

The security hole, tracked as CVE-2022-27255 and rated ‘high severity’, has been described as a stack-based buffer overflow that can allow a remote attacker to cause a crash or achieve arbitrary code execution on devices that use the SDK. An attack can be carried out through the wide area network (WAN) interface using specially crafted session initiation protocol (SIP) packets.

The Realtek eCos SDK is provided to companies that manufacture routers, access points and repeaters powered by RTL819x family SoCs. The SDK implements the base functionalities of the router, including the web administration interface and the networking stack. Vendors can build on top of this SDK to add custom functionality and their branding to the device.

Realtek informed customers about the eCos SDK vulnerability in March, when it announced the availability of a patch. However, it’s up to the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) using the SDK to ensure that the patch is distributed to end-user devices.

The vulnerability can be exploited remotely — directly from the internet — to hack affected routers running with default settings. No user interaction is required for successful exploitation.

https://www.securityweek.com/realtek-sdk-vulnerability-exposes-routers-many-vendors-remote-attacks

• Most Companies Are at An Entry-Level When It Comes to Cloud Security

Ermetic released a study by Osterman Research that found 84% of respondents were at an entry-level (one or two rating, with four being the highest) in terms of their cloud security capabilities.

The study found that only 16% ranked on the Ermetic Cloud Security Model at the top two levels, and 80% of companies said they lack a dedicated security team responsible for protecting cloud resources from threats.

“One of the most unexpected findings that emerged from this study was the lack of cloud security maturity among the largest enterprises surveyed,” said the author of the report. “Less than 10% of companies with more than 10,000 employees reported being at the top two maturity levels, while nearly 20% of smaller enterprises have achieved repeatable or automated & integrated cloud security capabilities.”

The report shows why new cloud data breaches are being reported all the time. Multi-cloud deployments, plus low investment in security, does not make for a good combination.

The new frontiers of cyber security, such as cloud security or internet of things (IoT) security are often at early stages of maturity. Organisations that are mature in their IT and data centre security are already overwhelmed and stretched thin and that’s why automation and simplification will help organisations accelerate their maturity in areas like cloud security.

There’s a mistaken belief that cloud computing environments inherently have security built-in — they don’t.

https://www.scmagazine.com/news/cloud-security/most-companies-are-at-an-entry-level-when-it-comes-to-cloud-security

• The Impact of Exploitable Misconfigurations on Network Security

Network professionals feel confident with their security and compliance practices but data suggests that they also leave their organisations open to risk, which is costing a significant amount of revenue, according to Titania.

In addition, some businesses are not minimising their attack surface effectively. Companies are prioritising firewall security and chronicle a fast time to respond to misconfigurations when detected in annual audits. However, switches and routers are only included in 4% of audits and these devices play a vital role in reducing an organisation’s attack surface and preventing lateral movement across the network.

Respondents also indicated that financial resources allocated to mitigating network configuration, which currently stands around 3.4% of the total IT budget, and a lack of accurate automation are limiting factors in misconfiguration risk management.

The study, which surveyed 160 senior cyber security decision-makers revealed:

• Misconfigurations cost organisations millions, up to 9% of their annual revenue but the true cost is likely to be higher.

• Compliance is a top priority, with 75% of organisations across all sectors saying their business relies on compliance to deliver security. Whilst almost every organisation reported that it is meeting its security and compliance requirements, this is at odds with a number of the other findings from the survey and other reports that show a decline in organisations maintaining full compliance with regulated data security standards.

• Remediation prioritisation is a challenge. 75% said their network security tools meant they could categorise and prioritise compliance risks ‘very effectively’. However, 70% report difficulties prioritising remediation based on risk and also claim inaccurate automation as the top challenges when meeting security and compliance requirements.

• Routers and switches are mostly overlooked. 96% of organisations prioritise the configuration and auditing of firewalls, but not routers or switches. This leaves these devices exposed to potentially significant and unidentified risks.

https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2022/08/12/impact-exploitable-misconfigurations-network-security/

• Industrial Spy Ransomware: New Threat Group Emerges to Exfiltrate Data, Extort Victims

A new ransomware group dubbed Industrial Spy that first emerged in April 2022 is specialising in exfiltration and double extortion tactics and has the potential to do significant damage, Zscaler’s threat tracking team said.

The threat crew has shown that it possesses the capability to breach organisations and have been “actively adding unencrypted data from two or three victims every month,” Zscaler said. In some instances, the threat group appears to only exfiltrate and ransom data. In other cases, they encrypt, exfiltrate and ransom the data, the cloud security provider said.

At this point, it’s not clear who’s behind the threat entry or if it’s nation-state affiliated. The group started as a data extortion marketplace where criminals could buy large companies’ internal data, promoting the marketplace through Readme.txt files downloaded using malware downloaders.

In May, 2022, the threat group introduced their own ransomware to create double extortion attacks that combine data theft with file encryption.

What you need to know:

• Industrial Spy started by ransoming stolen data and more recently has combined these attacks with ransomware.

• The threat group exfiltrates and sells data on their dark web marketplace, but does not always encrypt a victim’s files.

• The ransomware utilises a combination of RSA and 3DES to encrypt files.

• Industrial Spy lacks many common features present in modern ransomware families.

• The Industrial Spy ransomware family is relatively basic, and parts of the code appear to be in development.

https://www.msspalert.com/cybersecurity-breaches-and-attacks/ransomware/new-ransomware-family-industrial-spy-emerges-to-exfiltrate-data-extort-victims/

• UK NHS Service Recovery May Take a Month After MSP Ransomware Attack

Managed service provider (MSP) Advanced confirmed that a ransomware attack on its systems disrupted emergency services (111) from the United Kingdom's National Health Service (NHS). Customers of seven solutions from the British MSP have been impacted either directly or indirectly, the company said. The first has stated it could take a month to recover systems to full service.

The ransomware attack started to disrupt Advanced systems on Thursday, August 4 and was identified around 7 AM. It caused a major outage to NHS emergency services across the UK.

Advanced did not disclose the ransomware group behind the attack but said that it took immediate action to mitigate the risk and isolated Health and Care environments where the incident was detected. The company is working with forensic experts from Microsoft (DART) and Mandiant, who are also helping bring the affected systems back online securely and with added defences:

• Implementing additional blocking rules and further restricting privileged accounts for Advanced staff

• Scanning all impacted systems and ensuring they are fully patched

• Resetting credentials

• Deploying additional endpoint detection and response agents

• Conducting 24/7 monitoring

After implementing the security measures above, Advanced said it would restore connectivity to its environments and assist customers to gradually reconnect safely and securely.

https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/uk-nhs-service-recovery-may-take-a-month-after-msp-ransomware-attack/

• A Single Flaw Broke Every Layer of Security in MacOS

Every time you shut down your Mac, a pop-up appears: “Are you sure you want to shut down your computer now?” Nestled under the prompt is another option most of us likely overlook: the choice to reopen the apps and windows you have open now when your machine is turned back on. Researchers have now found a way to exploit a vulnerability in this “saved state” feature—and it can be used to break the key layers of Apple’s security protections.

The vulnerability, which is susceptible to a process injection attack to break macOS security, could allow an attacker to read every file on a Mac or take control of the webcam. It's basically one vulnerability that could be applied to three different locations.

https://www.wired.com/story/a-single-flaw-broke-every-layer-of-security-in-macos/

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Threats

Ransomware

• Cisco hacked by Yanluowang ransomware gang, 2.8GB allegedly stolen (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Ransomware, email compromise are top security threats, but deepfakes increase | CSO Online

• Feds: Zeppelin Ransomware Resurfaces with New Compromise, Encryption Tactics | Threatpost

• Black Basta: New ransomware threat aiming for the big league | CSO Online

• Could criminalizing ransomware payments put a stop to the current crime wave? - Help Net Security

• 7-Eleven Denmark confirms ransomware attack behind store closures (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Update: Colosseum Dental Benelux pays ransom to threat actors (databreaches.net)

• SolidBit Ransomware Group Recruiting New Affiliates on Dark Web - Infosecurity Magazine

• Fears for patient data after ransomware attack on NHS software supplier | NHS | The Guardian

• US reveals 'Target' pic of Conti man with $10m reward offer • The Register

• Organisations would like the government to help with ransomware demand costs - Help Net Security

• Hacker uses new RAT malware in Cuba Ransomware attacks (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Maui ransomware linked to North Korean group Andariel • The Register

• How to Stop Zeppelin Ransomware Attacks: CISA, FBI Mitigation Guidance - MSSP Alert

• Novel Ransomware Comes to the Sophisticated SOVA Android Banking Trojan (darkreading.com)

• US govt will pay you $10 million for info on Conti ransomware members (bleepingcomputer.com)

Phishing & Email Based Attacks

• LogoKit update: The phishing kit leveraging open redirect vulnerabilities - Help Net Security

• Phishing site masquerading "Have I Been Pwned" website detected. Be careful as very similar URL (exploitone.com)

Other Social Engineering; SMishing, Vishing, etc

• Hackers Behind Twilio Breach Also Targeted Cloudflare Employees (thehackernews.com)

• SMS phishing nabs Twilio employee credentials, allowed access customer data (scmagazine.com)

Malware

• Cyber criminals Shift From Macros to Shortcut Files to Hack Business PCs, HP Reports - Infosecurity Magazine

• Emotet Tops List of July's Most Widely Used Malware - Infosecurity Magazine

• Top malware strains observed in 2021 | Security Magazine

• Microsoft blocks UEFI bootloaders enabling Windows Secure Boot bypass (bleepingcomputer.com)

Mobile

• Google researchers dissect Android spyware, zero days (techtarget.com)

• Novel Ransomware Comes to the Sophisticated SOVA Android Banking Trojan (darkreading.com)

• Xiaomi Phones with MediaTek Chips Found Vulnerable to Forged Payments (thehackernews.com)

• Hackers install Dracarys Android malware using modified Signal app (bleepingcomputer.com)

Internet of Things – IoT

• The Time Is Now for IoT Security Standards (darkreading.com)

• Introducing the book: If It's Smart, It's Vulnerable - Help Net Security

Organised Crime & Criminal Actors

• Cisco hacked by access broker with Lapsus$ ties (techtarget.com)

• New dark web markets claim association with criminal cartels (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Dark Utilities C2 service draws thousands of cyber criminals • The Register

Cryptocurrency/Cryptomining/Cryptojacking/NFTs/Blockchain

• Email marketing firm hacked to steal crypto-focused mailing lists (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Swan Bitcoin Discloses Data Leak Due to Phishing Attack on Newsletter Provider - Decrypt

• Phishers Swim Around 2FA in Coinbase Account Heists | Threatpost

• Crypto and the US government are headed for a decisive showdown | Ars Technica

• Cameo’s CEO fell victim to the latest Bored Ape NFT heist - The Verge

Fraud, Scams & Financial Crime

• “Hi Mum” Phishing Scam Swindles Unsuspecting Parents (informationsecuritybuzz.com)

• How hackers are stealing credit cards from classifieds sites (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Why robotexts are scammers' favourite new tool - CyberScoop

AML/CFT/Sanctions

• US Sanctions Crypto 'Laundering' Service Tornado | SecurityWeek.Com

• Virtual Currency Platform ‘Tornado Cash’ Accused of Aiding APTs | Threatpost

• Greece Flies Russian Money Launderer to US: Lawyer | SecurityWeek.Com

Insurance

• BlackBerry Study: Most SMBs Have Less Than $600K in Ransomware Coverage - MSSP Alert

• Number Of Firms Unable To Access Cyber-Insurance Set To Double (informationsecuritybuzz.com)

• Australian court finds insurer not liable for ransomware clean-up costs - Security - iTnews

Cloud/SaaS

• Implementing zero trust for a secure hybrid working enterprise - Help Net Security

• How to Clear Security Obstacles and Achieve Cloud Nirvana (darkreading.com)

• Why SAP systems need to be brought into the cyber security fold - Help Net Security

Open Source

• Chinese hackers backdoor chat app with new Linux, macOS malware (bleepingcomputer.com)

Social Media

• Facebook's Metaverse is Expanding the Attack Surface (trendmicro.com)

• Meta's chatbot says the company 'exploits people' - BBC News

• Facebook’s In-app Browser on iOS Tracks ‘Anything You Do on Any Website’ | Threatpost

Training, Education and Awareness

• 25% of employees don't care enough about cyber security to report a security incident - Help Net Security

Privacy

• Facebook’s In-app Browser on iOS Tracks ‘Anything You Do on Any Website’ | Threatpost

Travel

• Don't get stung by these fake holiday cyber-scams this summer | TechRadar

Parental Controls and Child Safety

• Predator Pleads Guilty After Targeting Thousands of Young Girls Online - Infosecurity Magazine

• Huge rise in self-generated child sexual abuse content online, report finds | Internet safety | The Guardian

• Online sexual blackmail of primary school children surges since lockdown (telegraph.co.uk)

Models, Frameworks and Standards

• Compliance Certifications: Worth the Effort? (darkreading.com)

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

• Russia's digital attacks are haphazard, chaotic, says top Ukrainian cyber official - CyberScoop

• Cyberspying Aimed at Industrial Enterprises in Russia and Ukraine Linked to China | SecurityWeek.Com

• Killnet Releases 'Proof' of its Attack Against Lockheed Martin | SecurityWeek.Com

• Meta Cracks Down on Cyber Espionage Operations in South Asia Abusing Facebook (thehackernews.com)

• New Hacker Forum Takes Pro-Ukraine Stance | Threatpost

• Ex Twitter employee found guilty of spying for Saudi Arabia - Security Affairs

• Ex-CIA security boss predicts coming crackdown on spyware • The Register

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Nation State Actors

Nation State Actors – Russia

• Russia Is Escalating Ukraine Hacking, Black Hat Research Says (gizmodo.com)

• Russian invasion has destabilized cyber security norms • The Register

• Russia-Ukraine Conflict Holds Cyberwar Lessons (darkreading.com)

• Industroyer2: How Ukraine avoided another blackout attack (techtarget.com)

Nation State Actors – China

• Chinese Hackers May Be Behind Attacks Targeting Eastern Europe and Afghanistan - Infosecurity Magazine

• China-linked spies used six backdoors to steal defence info • The Register

• Mandiant researchers uncover significant new disinformation campaign (securitybrief.co.nz)

• Stats say Chinese researchers are not deterred by China's vulnerability law (scmagazine.com)

• Chinese scammers target kids with promise of extra gaming • The Register

• Chinese hackers backdoor chat app with new Linux, macOS malware (bleepingcomputer.com)

Nation State Actors – North Korea

• North Korea Allegedly Stole Millions of Dollars Worth of Crypto Assets - IT Security Guru

• Maui ransomware linked to North Korean group Andariel • The Register

• North Korean hackers target crypto experts with fake Coinbase job offers (bleepingcomputer.com)

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Vulnerability Management

• Google's bug bounty boss: Finding vulns is 'totally useless' • The Register

• Patch Madness: Vendor Bug Advisories Are Broken, So Broken (darkreading.com)

• Human Threat Hunters Are Essential to Thwarting Zero-Day Attacks (darkreading.com)

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Vulnerabilities

• Microsoft Patches ‘Dogwalk’ Zero-Day and 17 Critical Flaws | Threatpost

• Cisco Patches High-Severity Vulnerability Affecting ASA and Firepower Solutions (thehackernews.com)

• Yet another Microsoft RCE bug under active exploit • The Register

• Palo Alto Networks: New PAN-OS DDoS flaw exploited in attacks (bleepingcomputer.com)

• CISA adds UnRAR and Windows flaws to Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog - Security Affairs

• Zimbra auth bypass bug exploited to breach over 1,000 servers (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Researchers Debut Fresh RCE Vector for Common Google API Tool (darkreading.com)

• Surge in CVEs as Microsoft Fixes Exploited Zero Day Bugs - Infosecurity Magazine

• Risky Business: Enterprises Can’t Shake Log4j flaw - Security Affairs

• Years after claiming DogWalk wasn't a vulnerability, Microsoft confirms flaw is being exploited and issues patch (bitdefender.com)

• Three flaws allow attackers to bypass UEFI Secure Boot feature - Security Affairs

• Windows devices with newest CPUs are susceptible to data damage (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Critical Flaws Disclosed in Device42 IT Asset Management Software (thehackernews.com)

• Cisco fixed a flaw in ASA, FTD devices that can give access to RSA private key - Security Affairs

• Organisations Warned of Critical Vulnerabilities in NetModule Routers | SecurityWeek.Com

• 4 Flaws, Other Weaknesses Undermine Cisco ASA Firewalls (darkreading.com)

• New vulnerability in AMD Ryzen CPUs could seriously jeopardize performance | TechRadar

• ÆPIC Leak: Architectural Bug in Intel CPUs Exposes Protected Data | SecurityWeek.Com

• Microsoft Paid $13.7 Million via Bug Bounty Programs Over Past Year | SecurityWeek.Com

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Sector Specific

Industry specific threat intelligence reports are available.

Contact us to receive tailored reports specific to the industry/sector and geographies you operate in.

·       Automotive

·       Construction

·       Critical National Infrastructure (CNI)

·       Defence & Space

·       Education & Academia

·       Energy & Utilities

·       Estate Agencies

·       Financial Services

·       FinTech

·       Food & Agriculture

·       Gaming & Gambling

·       Government & Public Sector (including Law Enforcement)

·       Health/Medical/Pharma

·       Hotels & Hospitality

·       Insurance

·       Legal

·       Manufacturing

·       Maritime

·       Oil, Gas & Mining

·       OT, ICS, IIoT, SCADA & Cyber-Physical Systems

·       Retail & eCommerce

·       Small and Medium Sized Businesses (SMBs)

·       Startups

·       Telecoms

·       Third Sector & Charities

·       Transport & Aviation

·       Web3

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Other News

• Microsoft 365 outage triggered by Meraki firewall false positive (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Why VPN no longer has a place in a secure work environment | TechRadar

• VMware: The threat of lateral movement is growing (techtarget.com)

• 36% of orgs expose insecure FTP protocol to the internet, and some still use Telnet - Help Net Security

• 5 key things learned from CISOs of smaller enterprises survey - Help Net Security

• Stolen credentials are the most common attack vector companies face - Help Net Security

• Your cyber security staff are burned out - and many have thought about quitting | ZDNet

• Researchers Use ‘Invisible Finger’ to Remotely Control Touchscreens (vice.com)

• Businesses are struggling to balance security and end-user experience - Help Net Security

• Starlink Successfully Hacked Using $25 Modchip | 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 ‘Cyber Tip Tuesday’ video blog and on our YouTube channel.

You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

Links to articles are for interest and awareness and linking to or reposting external content does not endorse any service or product, likewise we are not responsible for the security of external links.

Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing 15 April 2022

Welcome to this week’s Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing – a weekly digest, collated and curated by our cyber experts to provide senior and middle management with an easy to digest round up of the most notable threats, vulnerabilities, and cyber related news from the last week.

Top Cyber Stories of the Last Week

• 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.

https://www.zdnet.com/article/terrible-cloud-security-is-leaving-the-door-open-for-hackers-heres-what-youre-doing-wrong/

• 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.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2022/04/11/cyber-attack-puts-city-firms-high-alert-bolster-defences/

• 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."

https://www.darkreading.com/attacks-breaches/more-than-60-of-organizations-suffered-a-breach-in-the-past-12-months

• 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.”

https://www.scmagazine.com/analysis/cybercrime/account-takeover-poised-to-surpass-malware-as-the-no-1-security-concern

• 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.

https://informationsecuritybuzz.com/study-research/skybox-security-research-reveals-42-rise-in-new-ransomware-programs-in-2021/

• 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/

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Threats

Ransomware

• Ransomware: These Two Gangs Are Behind Half of All Attacks | ZDNet

• Clueless Hackers Spent Months Inside a Network And Nobody Noticed. But Then a Ransomware Gang Turned Up | ZDNet

• Conti Ransomware Leak Shows Group Operates Like a Normal Tech Company, with an HR Department, Performance Reviews and an ‘Employee of the Month’ (cnbc.com)

• Don't Let Ransomware Gangs Spend Months in Your Network • The Register

• Dismantling ZLoader: How Malicious Ads Led to Disabled Security Tools And Ransomware - Microsoft Security Blog

• Analysis of the SunnyDay Ransomware - Security Affairs

• 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

• Credential-Stealing Malware Disguises Itself As Telegram, Targets Social Media Users | Malwarebytes Labs

• 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)

• Researchers Warn of FFDroider and Lightning Info-Stealers Targeting Users in The Wild (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

• GitHub Says Hackers Breached Dozens of Organisations Using Stolen OAuth Access Tokens (thehackernews.com)

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

• Who Is Your Biggest Insider Threat? | CSO Online

• Former DHS Acting IT Chief Convicted in Software, Database Theft Scheme (darkreading.com)

Fraud, Scams & Financial Crime

• Cyber Criminals Do Their Homework for Latest Banking Scam • The Register

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

• The Perils of SaaS Misconfigurations - Help Net Security

• 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

• Muting Your Mic Reportedly Doesn’t Stop Big Tech from Recording Your Audio (thenextweb.com)

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

• Preparing for Armageddon: How Ukraine Battles Russian hackers | Ars Technica

• Ukraine Proves Cyber War Has No Borders - MSSP Alert

• 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

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Nation State Actors

Nation State Actors – Russia

• CISA Warns Orgs of WatchGuard Bug Exploited by Russian State Hackers (bleepingcomputer.com)

Nation State Actors – China

• China-Linked Hafnium APT Leverages Tarrask Malware to Gain Persistence - Security Affairs

• China ‘Decodes’ An Orbiting US Satellite; Claims Expertise In Automatically Detecting & Fixing Security Flaws In Outer Space (eurasiantimes.com)

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

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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)

• Critical VMware Cloud Director Bug Could Let Hackers Takeover Entire Cloud Infrastructure (thehackernews.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)

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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

• US Agencies Warn of Custom-Made Hacking Tools Targeting Energy Sector Systems - The Record by Recorded Future

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Reports Published in the Last Week

• The 2021 State Of Enterprise Breaches | Forrester

• First Quarter 2022 Data Breach Analysis Report | Identity Theft Resource Centre
  

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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

• How Can You Spot Fake News? And What Should We, As A Society, Do About Mass Disinformation? - Information Security Buzz

• The Cyber Criminal Isn’t Necessarily Who You Think… | Mind Matters

• Consumer Trust Is in The Doldrums: Indifference Towards Data Exposure Is Widespread - Help Net Security

• How Cryptocurrency Gave Birth to the Ransomware Epidemic (vice.com)

• Dark Data Is a Pain Point For Many Security Leaders - Help Net Security

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As usual, contact us to help assess where your risks lie and to ensure you are doing all you can do to keep you and your business secure.

Look out for our ‘Cyber Tip Tuesday’ video blog and on our YouTube channel.

You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

Links to articles are for interest and awareness and linking to or reposting external content does not endorse any service or product, likewise we are not responsible for the security of external links.

Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing 08 April 2022

Welcome to this week’s Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing – a weekly digest, collated and curated by our cyber experts to provide senior and middle management with an easy to digest round up of the most notable threats, vulnerabilities, and cyber related news from the last week.

Top Cyber Stories of the Last Week

• 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.

https://www.darkreading.com/attacks-breaches/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

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.

https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/new-android-banking-malware-remotely-takes-control-of-your-device/

• 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.

https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/springshell-attacks-target-about-one-in-six-vulnerable-orgs/

• 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.

https://www.csoonline.com/article/3655976/new-threat-group-underscores-mounting-concerns-over-russian-cyber-threats.html

• 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/

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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

• Phishing Hook: Are you on the line? Cyber Security Experts Explain How the Criminals Lure You In. (winknews.com)

Other Social Engineering

• Hackers Employ Voicemail Phishing Attacks On WhatsApp Users | TechRepublic

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)

• Experts Shed Light on BlackGuard Infostealer Malware Sold on Russian Hacking Forums (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

• Fake Versions of Real Smartphone Apps Are Being Used To Spread Malware. Here's How to Stay Safe | ZDNet

• Samsung Security Flaw Left Phones Exposed for Years (androidpolice.com)

• Six 'Antivirus' Apps Were Caught Spreading Malware That Steals Banking Info — Here Are the Culprits | Laptop Mag

• 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

• Cyber Criminals Taking Advantage of The Ukraine Crisis To Create Charity Donation Scams - Help Net Security

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

• New Insider Threat: Bad Business Decisions That Put IP At Risk | CSO Online

Fraud, Scams & Financial Crime

• Traditional Identity Fraud Losses Soar, Totalling $52 Billion in 2021 - Help Net Security

• Online Fraud Up 233% - Infosecurity Magazine

• Internal Auditors Stepping Up to Become Strategic Advisors In The Fight Against Fraud - Help Net Security

• South African and US Officers Swoop on Fraud Gang - Infosecurity Magazine

Insurance

• 18% Of the Top 99 Insurance Carriers Have A High Susceptibility To Ransomware - Help Net Security

Supply Chain

• The Blurring Line, and Growing Risk, Between Physical and Digital Supply Chains (darkreading.com)

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

• Attack on Ukraine Telecoms Provider Caused by Compromised Employee Credentials - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• FIN7 Hackers Leveraging Password Reuse and Software Supply Chain Attacks (thehackernews.com)

Travel

• Hotels In Hackers’ Sights as Technology Replaces Personal Touch | Financial Times (ft.com)

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

• Hackers Use Conti's Leaked Ransomware to Attack Russian Companies (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Hacking Group Claim It Has Leaked More Than 900,000 Emails from Russian State Media | The Independent

• What Is the Risk Of Retaliation For Taking A Corporate Stance on Russia? | CSO Online

• Anonymous and the IT ARMY of Ukraine Continue to Target Russian Entities - Security Affairs

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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

• Israeli Officials Are Being Catfished by APT-C-23 Hackers | ZDNet

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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)

• Citrix Releases Security Updates for Hypervisor | CISA

• Spring4Shell Patching Is Going Slow but Risk Not Comparable To Log4Shell | CSO Online

• VMware Releases Critical Patches for New Vulnerabilities Affecting Multiple Products (thehackernews.com)

• 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

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Sector Specific

Financial Services Sector

• March Ransomware Attacks Strike Finance, Government Targets (techtarget.com)

FinTech

• Server-Side-Request-Forgery Enabled Administrative Account Takeover on FinTech Platform - IT Security Guru

Health/Medical/Pharma Sector

• 49% of Small Medical Practices Lack a Cyber Attack Response Plan - Help Net Security

Manufacturing

• A Cyber Attack Forced The Wind Turbine Manufacturer Nordex Group To Shut Down Some of IT Systems - Security Affairs

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

• Spanish Energy Giant Hit by Data Breach - IT Security Guru

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Reports Published in the Last Week

• Cyberthreat Defense Report 2021 - CyberEdge Group (cyber-edge.com)

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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

• Scan This: There's Danger in QR Codes (darkreading.com)

• How Many Steps Does It Take for Attackers To Compromise Critical Assets? - Help Net Security

• Cyber Talent Shortage Remains A Top Problem For Sec Pros – CEO Perspective - Information Security Buzz

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As usual, contact us to help assess where your risks lie and to ensure you are doing all you can do to keep you and your business secure.

Look out for our ‘Cyber Tip Tuesday’ video blog and on our YouTube channel.

You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

Links to articles are for interest and awareness and linking to or reposting external content does not endorse any service or product, likewise we are not responsible for the security of external links.

Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing 12 November 2021

Welcome to this week’s Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing – a weekly digest, collated and curated by our cyber experts to provide senior and middle management with an easy to digest round up of the most notable threats, vulnerabilities, and cyber related news from the last week.

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Top Cyber Stories of the Last Week

Covid Impact Heightens Risk Of Cyber Security Breaches

CYBER SECURITY breaches are the biggest staff-related risk as Covid-19 and recruitment difficulties continue to impact workplaces, according to a survey of Channel Island employers.

Seven out of ten senior HR professionals and business leaders saw a cyber security breach as the greatest staff-related risk for a regulated financial services business – way ahead of employees leaving (16%) and employees working from home (10%). Some 57% of employers said Covid-19 had changed their policies, procedures and systems ‘moderately’, with 29.5% reporting ‘significant’ changes, according to the research undertaken at a virtual employment conference organised by Walkers last month.

https://guernseypress.com/news/2021/11/12/covid-impact-heightens-risk-of-cyber-security-breaches/

81% of Organisations Experienced Increased Cyber Threats During COVID-19

More than four in five (81%) organisations experienced increased cyber-threats during the COVD-19 pandemic, according to a new study by McAfee and FireEye.

The global survey of 1451 IT and line of business decision-makers found that close to half (43%) have suffered from downtime due to a cyber concern. This resulted in costs of $100,000 for some organisations.

Despite the increased threat landscape and the fact that over half (57%) of organisations saw a rise in online/web activity, 24% of respondents revealed they have had their technology and security budgets reduced over this period.

https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/81-orgs-cyber-threats-covid19/

Phishing Attacks Grow 31.5% Over 2020, Social Media Attacks Continue To Climb

Phishing remains the dominant attack vector for bad actors, growing 31.5 percent over 2020, according to a PhishLabs report. Notably, attacks in September 2021 were more than twice as high as the previous year.

https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2021/11/11/phishing-attacks-grow-2020/

Threat from Organised Cyber Crime Syndicates Is Rising

Europol reports that criminal groups are undermining the EU’s economy and its society, offering everything from murder-for-hire to kidnapping, torture and mutilation.

From encrypting communications to fencing ill-gotten gains on underground sites, organised crime is cashing in on the digital revolution.

The latest organised crime threat assessment from Europol issues a dire warning about the corrosive effect the rising influence of criminal syndicates is having on both the economy and society of the European Union. And it’s all happening online.

https://threatpost.com/organised-cybercrime-syndicates-europol/176326/

Ransomware Gangs Are Using These 'Ruthless' Tactics As They Aim For Bigger Payouts

More sophisticated ransomware attacks are on the way as cyber criminals tailor campaigns to raise the chances of a ransom payment.

Ransomware attacks are becoming more sophisticated as cyber criminals continue to develop new techniques to make campaigns more effective and increase their chances of successfully demanding a ransom payment.

According to the European law enforcement agency Europol there was a 300% increase in the number of ransom payments between 2019 and 2020 alone – and that doesn't account for 2021 being another bumper year for cyber criminals launching ransomware attacks, as they've taken advantage of security vulnerabilities presented by the rise in remote working. 

Europol's Internet Organised Crime Threat Assessment (IOCT) shows that while cybercrime, including malware and DDoS attacks, continues to evolve, it's ransomware attacks that have been a significant amount of disruption over the course of the past year.

https://www.ZDNet.com/article/ransomware-gangs-are-now-using-ruthless-tactics-as-they-aim-for-bigger-payouts/

Firms Will Struggle to Secure Extended Attack Surface in 2022

Companies are relying more heavily on third parties, remote employees, and partners, expanding their attack surface area beyond traditional boundaries.

In 2022, much of cybersecurity will boil down to managing the security of relationships, as companies adapt to the post-pandemic remote workforce and the increased use of third-party providers, a panel of analysts stated at the Forrester Research Security & Risk 2021 Conference.

Among five predictions for the coming year, the analysts argued that companies' attempts to manage remote employees would stray into intrusive territory, causing workers to push back and hampering security-focused monitoring, such as that for insider threats. Other predictions maintain that 60% of security incidents in the next year will come from issues with third parties, while the cybersecurity workforce will suffer from burnout and join what's been called the "Great Resignation," the recent trend of workers leaving the workforce.

https://www.darkreading.com/risk/firms-will-struggle-to-secure-extended-attack-surface-in-2022

Millions Of Home Wi-Fi Routers Threatened By Malware — What To Do

Netgear, Linksys, D-Link routers among those targeted

There's a nasty new piece of malware out there targeting Wi-Fi routers, and you'll want to make sure yours is fully updated so it doesn't get infected.

The AT&T researchers who discovered the malware are calling it BotenaGo, and it's apparently different from the Mirai botnet malware that's been attacking routers since 2016. BotenaGo packs in exploits for 33 different known vulnerabilities in 12 different router brands, including D-Link, Linksys, Netgear, Tenda, Totolink, Zyxel and ZTE. A full list is on the AT&T Cybersecurity blog post.

To avoid infection, ensure you update your router with the latest firmware.

https://www.tomsguide.com/uk/news/botenago-router-malware

Vulnerabilities Associated With Ransomware Increased 4.5% In Q3 2021

Ransomware groups are continuing to grow in sophistication, boldness, and volume, with numbers up across the board since Q2 2021, a report by Ivanti, Cyber Security Works and Cyware reveals.

This last quarter saw a 4.5% increase in CVEs associated with ransomware, a 4.5% increase in actively exploited and trending vulnerabilities, a 3.4% increase in ransomware families, and a 1.2% increase in older vulnerabilities tied to ransomware compared to Q2 2021.

https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2021/11/10/vulnerabilities-associated-with-ransomware/

80% Of Organisations Experienced Employees Misusing And Abusing Access To Business Apps

Organisations continue to operate with limited visibility into user activity and sessions associated with web applications, despite the ever-present risk of insider threats and credential theft, a CyberArk research reveals.

While the adoption of web applications has brought flexibility and increased productivity, organisations often lag in implementing the security controls necessary to mitigate risk of human error or malicious intent.

https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2021/11/08/user-activity-visibility/

Gen Z Is Behaving Recklessly Online - And Will Live To Regret It

Handing out personal information could be a slippery slope

Members of Generation Z, the cohort of people born in the first decade of the 21st century, care about digital privacy, but their desire for online fame and popularity is greater, a new study from ExpressVPN suggests.

The VPN provider surveyed 1,500 young adults from the US to evaluate their online habits and attitudes towards social media, and identified a troubling pattern that could have dire consequences.

The survey found that Generation Z isn’t trusting of the social media platforms they frequent, expressing concern that platforms may be using their images for facial recognition (67%) and wariness about oversharing personal information (66%).

https://www.techradar.com/news/gen-z-is-behaving-recklessly-online-and-will-live-to-regret-it

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Threats

Ransomware

• 12 New Flaws Used in Ransomware Attacks in Q3 | Threatpost

• Average Ransomware Payment For US Victims More Than $6 Million, Survey Says | ZDNet

• Ransomware Disrupted Store Operations In The Netherlands And Germany - Security Affairs

• Toronto’s Transit Agency Cyber Attack Exposes 25,000 Employees’ Data | Techcrunch

• Comic Book Distributor Struggling With Shipments After Ransomware Attack | ZDNet

• Ransomware Attack Hits UK Fertility Clinic - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Spanish Brewery “Paralyzed” by Cyber-Attack - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• TrickBot Teams Up With Shatak Phishers For Conti Ransomware Attacks (Bleepingcomputer.Com)

• REvil Ransomware: US seizes $6 Million In Ransom Payments And Expected To Charge Ukrainian Over Major Cyber Attack - CNNPolitics

BEC

• Interpol Closes in on Global BEC Gang - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Tiny Font Size Fools Email Filters in BEC Phishing | Threatpost

Phishing

• How Cyber Criminals Use Bait Attacks To Gather Info About Their Intended Victims - TechRepublic

• Microsoft Warns Of Surge In HTML Smuggling Phishing Attacks (Bleepingcomputer.Com)

• Shadow IT Makes People More Vulnerable to Phishing (sans.edu)

• Gmail Accounts Are Used In 91% Of All Baiting Email Attacks (Bleepingcomputer.Com)

Other Social Engineering

• SMS About Bank Fraud as a Pretext for Voice Phishing – Krebs on Security

Malware

• QAKBOT Loader Returns With New Techniques and Tools (trendmicro.com)

• Abcbot — A New Evolving Wormable Botnet Malware Targeting Linux (thehackernews.com)

• GravityRAT Returns Disguised As An End-To-End Encrypted Chat App - Security Affairs

• Report: 57% Of All Ecommerce Cyber Attacks Are Bot-Driven | Venturebeat

• New BazarBackdoor Attack Discovered - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

Mobile

• More Than 1,000 Android Phones Found Infected By Creepy New Spyware | Ars Technica

IOT

• BotenaGo Botnet Targets Millions Of IoT Devices With 33 Exploits (Bleepingcomputer.Com)

• Why the NSA Wants To Protect You From Your Toothbrush (msnbc.com)

Vulnerabilities

• Intel And AMD Address High Severity Vulnerabilities In Products And Drivers - Security Affairs

• Samba Update Patches Plaintext Passwork Plundering Problem – Naked Security (Sophos.Com)

• Microsoft Fixes Exchange Server Zero-Day (DarkReading.com)

• Palo Alto Networks Patches Zero-Day Affecting Firewalls Using GlobalProtect Portal VPN | ZDNet

• Researchers Wait 12 Months To Report Vulnerability With 9.8 Out Of 10 Severity Rating | Ars Technica

• Google Warns Hackers Used MacOS Zero-Day Flaw, Could Capture Keystrokes, Screengrabs | ZDNet

Data Breaches/Leaks

• Robinhood Discloses Data Breach Impacting 7 Million Customers (Bleepingcomputer.Com)

• This Top VPN Provider May Have Leaked Millions Of User Details | Techradar

Organised Crime & Criminal Actors

• UK Recorded 1.8m Computer Misuse Crimes During 2019 • The Register

• These Are The Top-Level Domains Threat Actors Like The Most (Bleepingcomputer.Com)

• Aleksandr Zhukov, Self-Described 'King Of Fraud,' Is Sentenced To 10 Years - Cyberscoop

• Cyber-Mercenary Group Void Balaur Attacks High-Profile Targets for Cash | Threatpost

• Humanizing Hackers: Entering The Minds Of Those Behind The Attacks - Help Net Security

Cryptocurrency/Cryptojacking

• How To Spot And Block Cryptominers On Your Network | CSO Online

Insider Threats

• Insider IP Theft Is Surging — and Most Can't Stop It (darkreading.com)

DoS/DDoS

• DDoS Attacks Shatter Records in Q3, Report Finds   | Threatpost

OT, ICS, IIoT and SCADA

• 83% of Critical Infrastructure Organisations Suffered Breaches, 2021 Cyber Security Research Reveals (darkreading.com)

Nation State Actors

• State Hackers Breach Defence, Energy, Healthcare Orgs Worldwide (Bleepingcomputer.Com)

• China’s next generation of hackers won’t be criminals. That’s a problem. | TechCrunch

• Suspected Chinese Hackers Hit Critical Infrastructure, Government Agencies In Espionage Operation - MSSP Alert

• Russian Cyber Crime Group Exploits SolarWinds Serv-U Vulnerability | SecurityWeek.Com

• Microsoft: Patch Zoho Bug Now to Stop Chinese Hackers - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• North Korean Hackers Target The South's Think Tanks Through Blog Posts | ZDNet

• Iranian Threat Actors Attempt To Buy Stolen Data Of US Orgs, FBI Warns - Security Affairs

• 'Lyceum' Threat Group Broadens Focus to ISPs (darkreading.com)

Cloud

• Cloud Attack Analysis Unearths Lessons for Security Pros (darkreading.com)

Privacy

• There’s Been A Big Rise In Monitoring Workers At Home. We Should All Be Worried | ZDNet

• Spyware Providers Are Flocking To International Arms Fairs To Sell To NATO Foes - Cyberscoop

• CEO of Blacklisted Spyware Firm Quits - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• The Metaverse Is the Ultimate Surveillance Tool (vice.com)

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Reports Published in the Last Week

• Internet Organised Crime Threat Assessment (IOCTA) 2021 | Europol (europa.eu)

• Sophos 2022 Threat Report: Malware, Mobile, Machine learning and more! – Naked Security

• Kaspersky Q3 2021 DDoS Attack Report | Securelist

• Report: 74% Of IT Security Pros Want Better Penetration Testing | Venturebeat

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Other News

• Booking.com Was Reportedly Hacked By A Us Intel Agency But Never Told Customers | Ars Technica

• Younger Generations Care Little About Cybersecurity - Help Net Security

• Hundreds Of Thousands Of Fake Warnings Of Cyber Attacks Sent From A Hacked FBI Email Server - Security Affairs

• The Rising Threat Stemming From Identity Sprawl | SecurityWeek.Com

• Playstation 5 Hacked—Twice! - Malwarebytes Labs | Malwarebytes Labs

• Hong Kong Cyber Attack Reveals That Apple Favours Latest OS Versions For Security Updates | Techspot

• Unique Challenges to Cyber-Security in Healthcare and How to Address Them (thehackernews.com)

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As usual, contact us to help assess where your risks lie and to ensure you are doing all you can do to keep you and your business secure.

Look out for our 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.

Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing 22 October 2021

Welcome to this week’s Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing – a weekly digest, collated and curated by our cyber experts to provide senior and middle management with an easy to digest round up of the most notable threats, vulnerabilities, and cyber related news from the last week.

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Top Cyber Stories of the Last Week

Many Organisations Lack Basic Cyber Hygiene Despite High Confidence In Their Cyber Defences

A new report released this week analysed IT security leaders’ perceived threat of ransomware attacks and the maturity of their cyber security defences. The report found that while 81% of those surveyed consider their security to be above average or exceptional, many lack basic cyber hygiene – 41% lack a password complexity requirement, one of the cheapest, easiest forms of protection, and only 55.6% have implemented multi-factor authentication (MFA). https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2021/10/21/organizations-cyber-hygiene/

83% Of Ransomware Victims Paid Ransom

A new survey of 300 US-based IT decision-makers found that 64% have been victims of a ransomware attack in the last 12 months, and 83% of those attack victims paid the ransom demand.

Cybersecurity company ThycoticCentrify released its "2021 State of Ransomware Survey & Report" on Tuesday, featuring the insights of IT leaders who have dealt with ransomware attacks over the last year. https://www.zdnet.com/article/83-of-ransomware-victims-paid-ransom-survey/

Ransomware Affected 72% Of Organisations In Past Year

72% of organisations were affected by ransomware at least once within the past twelve months, with 18% impacted more than six times in the past year. Organizations of all sizes were affected nearly to the same extent, with the exception of those with more than 25,000 employees. https://venturebeat.com/2021/10/20/report-ransomware-affected-72-of-organizations-in-past-year/

Ransomware: Looking For Weaknesses In Your Own Network Is Key To Stopping Attacks

Ransomware is a major cybersecurity threat to organisations around the world, but it's possible to reduce the impact of an attack if you have a thorough understanding of your own network and the correct protections are in place.

While the best form of defence is to stop ransomware infiltrating the network in the first place, thinking about how the network is put together can help slow down or stop the spread of an attack, even if the intruders have successfully breached the perimeter. https://www.zdnet.com/article/ransomware-looking-for-weaknesses-in-your-own-network-is-key-to-stopping-attacks/

A Hacker Warns: Give Up Trying To Keep Me Out — And Focus On Your Data

There is a misconceived notion that the security arena is a battlefield. It is not. It is a chess board and requires foresight and calculated pawn placement to protect the king — your data. If your main focus lies on keeping hackers out of your environment, then it’s already check mate. Your mission should be to buy time, slow hackers down and ultimately contain an attack.

Businesses must therefore make it as hard as possible for adversaries to exploit the relationships that allow them to move laterally through the corporate network. They can do this by distrusting anyone within their data’s environment and repeatedly corroborating that all users are who they say they are, and that they act like it too. That last part is crucial, because while identities are easy to compromise and imitate, behaviours are not. https://www.ft.com/content/93cec8b6-3fe9-4e9e-800a-62e13a0e2eac

Cyber Risk Trends Driving The Surge In Ransomware Incidents

During the COVID-19 crisis, another outbreak took place in the cyber space: a digital pandemic driven by ransomware. In a recent report, Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty (AGCS) analyzes the latest risk developments around ransomware and outlines how companies can strengthen their defenses with good cyber hygiene and IT security practices

The increasing frequency and severity of ransomware incidents is driven by several factors:

·         Growing number of different attack patterns such as double and triple extortion campaigns

·         Criminal business model around ‘ransomware as a service’ and cryptocurrencies

·         Recent skyrocketing of ransom demands

·         Rise of supply chain attacks.

Not all attacks are targeted. Criminals also adopt a scattergun approach to exploit those businesses that aren’t addressing or understanding the vulnerabilities they may have. Businesses must understand the need to strengthen their controls.

Cyber intrusion activity globally jumped 125% in the first half of 2021 compared to the previous year, according to Accenture, with ransomware and extortion operations one of the major contributors behind this increase. According to the FBI, there was a 62% increase in ransomware incidents in the US in the same period that followed an increase of 20% for the full year 2020. https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2021/10/18/five-ransomware-trends/

US Ransomware Victims Paid $600 Million to Hackers in 1H of 2021

US Ransomware victims coughed up nearly $600 million to cyber hijackers in the first six months of 2021, further stamping cyber extortionists as an “increasing threat” to the U.S. financial, business and public sectors, a recent report released by the Treasury Department said.

Data gathered by the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) derived from financial institutions’ Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs) revealed that the 635 reports filed for the first six months of this year is already 30 percent greater than the 487 filed for all of last year. Some 458 financial transitions have been reported as of June 30, 2021 with the total value of suspicious activity reported in ransomware-related SARs during the first six months of 2021 amounting to $590 million, or 42 percent more than the $416 million filed for all of 2020. https://www.msspalert.com/cybersecurity-research/victims-paid-600-millon-1h-2021/

Hacking Group Created Fake Cyber Security Companies To Hire Experts And Involve Them In Ransomware Attacks Tricking Them Of Conducting A Pentest

The FIN7 hacking group is attempting to enter in the ransomware business and is doing it with an interesting technique. The gang is creating fake cyber security companies that hire experts requesting them to carry out pen testing attacks under the guise of pentesting activities.

FIN7 is a Russian criminal group that has been active since mid-2015, it focuses on restaurants, gambling, and hospitality industries in the US to harvest financial information that was used in attacks or sold in cybercrime marketplaces.

One of the companies created by the cyber criminal organizations with this purpose is Combi Security, but researchers from Gemini Advisory discovered other similar organizations by analyzing the site of another fake cybersecurity company named Bastion Security. https://securityaffairs.co/wordpress/123673/cyber-crime/fin7-fake-cybersecurity-firm.html

Nearly Three-Quarters of Organisations Victimized by DNS Attacks in Past 12 Months

Domain name system (DNS) attacks are impacting organizations at worrisome rates. According to a new survey from the Neustar International Security Council (NISC) conducted in September 2021, 72% of study participants reported experiencing a DNS attack within the last 12 months. Among those targeted, 61% have seen multiple attacks and 11% said they have been victimized regularly. While one-third of respondents recovered within minutes, 58% saw their businesses disrupted for more than an hour, and 14% took several hours to recover. https://www.darkreading.com/attacks-breaches/nearly-three-quarters-of-organizations-victimized-by-dns-attacks-in-past-12-months

Cyber Crime Matures As Hackers Are Forced To Work Smarter

An analysis of 500 hacking incidents across a wide range of industries has revealed trends that characterize a maturity in the way hacking groups operate today.

Researchers at Kaspersky have focused on the Russian cybercrime underground, which is currently one of the most prolific ecosystems, but many elements in their findings are common denominators for all hackers groups worldwide.

One key finding of the study is that the level of security on office software, web services, email platforms, etc., is getting better, browser vulnerabilities have reduced in numbers, and websites are not as easy to compromise and use as infection vectors today.

This has resulted in making web infections too difficult to pursue for non-sophisticated threat groups.

The case is similar with vulnerabilities, which are fewer and more expensive to discover.

Instead, hacking groups are waiting for a PoC or patch to be released, and then use that information to create their own exploits. https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/cybercrime-matures-as-hackers-are-forced-to-work-smarter/

Hackers Stealing Browser Cookies to Hijack High-Profile YouTube Accounts

Since at least late 2019, a network of hackers-for-hire have been hijacking the channels of YouTube creators, luring them with bogus collaboration opportunities to broadcast cryptocurrency scams or sell the accounts to the highest bidder.

That's according to a new report published by Google's Threat Analysis Group (TAG), which said it disrupted financially motivated phishing campaigns targeting the video platform with cookie theft malware. The actors behind the infiltration have been attributed to a group of hackers recruited in a Russian-speaking forum. https://thehackernews.com/2021/10/hackers-stealing-browser-cookies-to.html

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Threats

Ransomware

• 2021 Ransomware Transactions Already Exceed 2020 Numbers, Treasury Department Says - CyberScoop

• Ransomware: US Financial Institutions Report Major Increase In Payments To Cybercriminals - CNNpolitics

• DarkSide Ransomware Rushes To Cash Out $7 Million In Bitcoin (Bleepingcomputer.Com)

• Gigabyte Allegedly Hit by AvosLocker Ransomware | Threatpost

• Evil Corp Demands $40 Million In New Macaw Ransomware Attacks (Bleepingcomputer.com)

• Olympus US Hack Tied To Sanctioned Russian Ransomware Group | Techcrunch

• 81% of UK Healthcare Organizations Hit by Ransomware in Last Year - Infosecurity Magazine

BEC

• BEC Attacks: Scammers' Latest Tricks - Help Net Security

• Palo Alto Warns of BEC-As-A-Service | ZDNet

Phishing

• This Monster Of A Phishing Campaign Is After Your Passwords | ZDNet

Malware

• Cyber Criminals Have Found A Way To Get Their Malware Certified By Microsoft | Techradar

• Watch Out: ‘Squid Game’ Malware Hits Google Play As Hundreds Of Unofficial Apps Flood Store (forbes.com)

• Minecraft Declared The Most Malware-Infected Game (Hackread.Com)

Mobile

• Experts Hacked A Fully Patched iOS 15 Running On iPhone 13 At Tianfu Cup - Security Affairs

Vulnerabilities

• Update Now! Chrome Fixes More Security Issues - Malwarebytes Labs

• Patch PowerShell Now, Microsoft Tells Admins | TechRadar

• A Flaw In WinRAR Could Lead To Remote Code Execution - Security Affairs

• Injection Vulnerabilities In Popular WordPress Plugin Could Expose Credentials, Allow Admin Access | The Daily Swig (Portswigger.Net)

• SQL Is The Top Critical Risk In The Web Application Layer In Q3, 2021 - IT Security Guru

Data Breaches/Leaks

• Data Scrapers Expose 2.6 Million Instagram and TikTok Users - Infosecurity Magazine

Organised Crime & Criminal Actors

• Criminals Use Fake AI Voice To Swindle UAE Bank Out Of $35m • The Register

Insider Threats

• Most Employees Believe Backing Up Company Data Is Not Their Problem - Help Net Security

Dark Web

• The Dark Web Has Become Darker And Busier, Cyber Crime Services Cost Less Than $500 | Techspot

• Increased Activity Surrounding Stolen Data On The Dark Web - Help Net Security

• The Truth About The Dark Web's Secret Red Rooms (grunge.com)

Supply Chain

• Supply Chain Cybersecurity Breaches Have Hit Alarming Percentage Of Firms: Survey | Fox Business

OT, ICS, IIoT and SCADA

• Shared Responsibility Key to Protecting Critical Infrastructure - Infosecurity Magazine

Nation State Actors

• State-Backed Hackers Breach Telcos With Custom Malware (Bleepingcomputer.Com)

• Suspected Chinese Hackers Behind Attacks On Ten Israeli Hospitals (Bleepingcomputer.Com)

Cloud

• Russian Cyber-Criminals Switch to Cloud - Infosecurity Magazine

Privacy

• Over 80% of Brits Deluged with Scam Calls and Texts - Infosecurity Magazine

• How mobile devices can be tracked via Bluetooth analysis • The Register

• Brave Ditches Google For Its Own Privacy-Centric Search Engine (Bleepingcomputer.Com)

• A Massive ‘Stalkerware’ Leak Puts The Phone Data Of Thousands At Risk | Techcrunch

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Reports Published in the Last Week

• Ransomware Report: State of Ransomware Survey & Report (thycotic.com)

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Other News

• The Simmering Cybersecurity Risk of Employee Burnout (darkreading.com)

• Acer Hacked Twice In A Week By The Same Threat Actor (Bleepingcomputer.Com)

• Threat Actors Abusing Discord to Spread Malware - Infosecurity Magazine

• Mysterious Hacking Group Is Quietly Breaking Into Global Telecommunications Networks, Research Finds | Sky News

• Hacker Steals Government Id Database For Argentina's Entire Population - The Record By Recorded Future

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As usual, contact us to help assess where your risks lie and to ensure you are doing all you can do to keep you and your business secure.

Look out for our weekly ‘Cyber Tip Tuesday’ video blog and on our YouTube channel.

You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

Links to articles are for interest and awareness and linking to or reposting external content does not endorse any service or product, likewise we are not responsible for the security of external links.

Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing 25 June 2021

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Welcome to this week’s Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing – a weekly digest, collated and curated by our cyber experts to provide senior and middle management with an easy to digest round up of the most notable threats, vulnerabilities, and cyber related news from the last week.

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Top Cyber Stories of the Last Week

BEC Losses Top $1.8B As Tactics Evolve

Business email compromise (BEC) attacks ramped up significantly in 2020, with more than $1.8 billion stolen from organisations with these types of attacks last year alone — and things are getting worse. BEC attacks are carried out by cyber criminals either impersonating someone inside an organisation, or masquerading as a partner or vendor, bent on financial scamming. A new report from Cisco’s Talos Intelligence examined the tactics of some of the most dangerous BEC attacks observed in the wild in 2020 and reminded the security community that in addition to technology, smart users armed with a healthy scepticism of outside communications and the right questions to ask are the best line of defence. “The reality is, these types of emails and requests happen legitimately all over the world every day, which is what makes this such a challenge to stop,” the report said.

https://threatpost.com/bec-losses-top-18b/167148/

30M Dell Devices At Risk For Remote BIOS Attacks, Remote Code Execution

A high-severity series of four vulnerabilities can allow remote adversaries to gain arbitrary code execution in the pre-boot environment on Dell devices, researchers said. They affect an estimated 30 million individual Dell endpoints worldwide. According to analysis the bugs affect 129 models of laptops, tablet, and desktops, including enterprise and consumer devices, that are protected by Secure Boot. Secure Boot is a security standard aimed at making sure that a device boots using only software that is trusted by the device original equipment manufacturer (OEM), to prevent rogue takeovers.

https://threatpost.com/dell-bios-attacks-rce/167195/

Bad Employee Behaviours Picked Up During Remote Working Pose Serious Security Risks in the New Hybrid Workplace

Most employers are wary that the post-pandemic hybrid workforce would bring bad cyber security behaviours. More than half (56%) of employers believed that employees had picked bad security practices while working remotely. Similarly, nearly two-fifths (39%) of employees also admitted that their employee behaviours differed significantly while working from home compared to the office. Additionally, nearly a third (36%) admitted discovering ‘workarounds’ since they started working remotely. Younger workers were more prone to these bad employee behaviours, with 51% of 16-24, 46% of 25-34, and 35% of 35-44-year-olds using ‘workarounds.’ Close to half (49%) of workers adopted the risky behaviour because they felt that they were not being watched by IT departments. Nearly a third (30%) said they felt that they could get away with the risky employee behaviours while working away from the office.

https://www.cpomagazine.com/cyber-security/bad-employee-behaviors-picked-up-during-remote-working-pose-serious-security-risks-in-the-new-hybrid-workplace/

7 Ways Technical Debt Increases Security Risk

Two in three CISOs believe that technical debt, the difference between what's needed in a project and what's finally deployed, to be a significant cause of security vulnerability, according to the 2021 Voice of the CISO report. Most technical debt is created by taking shortcuts while placing crucial aspects such as architecture, code quality, performance, usability, and, ultimately, security on hold. Many large organisations are carrying tens or hundreds of thousands of discovered but un-remediated risks in their vulnerability management systems,. In many sectors there's this insidious idea that underfunded security efforts, plus risk management, are almost as good as actually doing the security work required, which is dangerously wrong.

https://www.csoonline.com/article/3621754/7-ways-technical-debt-increases-security-risk.html

Organisations Ill-Equipped To Deal With Growing BYOD Security Threats

A report shows the rapid adoption of unmanaged personal devices connecting to work-related resources (aka BYOD) and why organisations are ill-equipped to deal with growing security threats such as malware and data theft. The study surveyed hundreds of cyber security professionals across industries to better understand how COVID-19’s resulting surge of remote work has affected security and privacy risks introduced using personal mobile devices. The insights in this report are especially relevant as more enterprises are shifting to permanent remote work or hybrid work models, connecting more devices to corporate networks and, as a result, expanding the attack surface.

https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2021/06/17/byod-security/

Firewall Manufacturer SonicWall Sees 226.3 Million Ransomware Attack Attempts This Year

Firewall manufacturer SonicWall said it saw dramatic increases in almost every market, even in those such as the US and UK, where ransomware attacks were already common. The US saw a 149% spike, and the UK 69%. “The bombardment of ransomware attacks is forcing organisations into a constant state of defence rather than an offensive stance,” said the SonicWall CEO. “And as the tidal wave of ransomware attacks continues to crush company after company, there is a lot of speculation on how to keep individual organisations safe, but no real consensus on how to move forward when it comes to combating ransomware.

https://www.computerweekly.com/news/252502854/SonicWall-sees-2263-million-ransomware-attack-attempts-this-year

Ransomware Criminals Look To Other Hackers To Provide Them With Network Access

According to a new report, cyber criminals distributing ransomware are increasingly turning to other hackers to buy access into corporate networks.

Researchers said a robust and lucrative criminal ecosystem exists where criminals work together to carry out ransomware attacks. In this ecosystem, ransomware operators buy access from independent cyber criminal groups who infiltrate major targets for part of the ransom proceeds.

Cyber criminal threat groups already distributing banking malware or other trojans may also become part of a ransomware affiliate network said researchers.

https://www.itpro.co.uk/security/ransomware/359919/ransomware-criminals-look-to-other-hackers-to-provide-them-with-network

5 Biggest Healthcare Security Threats For 2021

Cyber Attacks targeting the healthcare sector have surged because of the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting rush to enable remote delivery of healthcare services. Security vendors and researchers tracking the industry have reported a major increase in phishing attacks, ransomware, web application attacks, and other threats targeting healthcare providers. The trend has put enormous strain on healthcare security organisations that already had their hands full dealing with the usual volume of threats before the pandemic. “The healthcare industry is under siege from a range of complex security risks," says Terry Ray. Cyber Criminals are hunting for the sensitive and valuable data that healthcare has access to, both patient data and corporate data, he says. Many organisations are struggling to meet the challenge because they are under-resourced and rely on vulnerable systems, third-party applications, and APIs to deliver services.

https://www.csoonline.com/article/3262187/biggest-healthcare-security-threats.html

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Threats

Ransomware

• What’s Making Your Company A Ransomware Sitting Duck

• Have We Reached Peak Ransomware? How The Internet's Biggest Security Problem Has Grown And What Happens Next

• Ransomware: Now Gangs Are Using Virtual Machines To Disguise Their Attacks

• Ransomware Gangs Get Paid Off As Officials Struggle For Fix

• Clop Ransomware Gang Doxes Two New Victims Days After Police Raids

• Wormable Bash DarkRadiation Ransomware Targets Linux Distros And Docker Containers

• Faux ‘DarkSide’ Gang Takes Aim At Global Energy, Food Sectors

• A Deep Dive Into The Operations Of The LockBIT Ransomware Group

• Fashion titan French Connection Says 'FCUK' Ss REvil-Linked Ransomware Makes Off With Data

BEC

• 71% Of Organisations Experienced BEC Attacks Over The Past Year

Phishing

• Phishing Attack's Unusual File Attachment Is A Double-Edged Sword

• Man Arrested After 26,000 'Phishing' Text Messages Sent Out In A Single Day

Other Social Engineering

• FIN7 Scammers Posed As Sec Officials, Sick Restaurant Customers To Hack Victims

Malware

• 50% Of Misconfigured Containers Hit By Botnets In Under An Hour

• Spam Downpour Drips New IcedID Banking Trojan Variant

• Dirtymoe Malware Has Infected More Than 100,000 Windows Systems

Mobile

• Flubot Seeks To Steal Financial Data On Android Phones

• 76% Of IT Decision Makers More Vulnerable To Mobile Attacks Than Just A Year Ago

Vulnerabilities

• Email Bug Allows Message Snooping, Credential Theft

• Google Confirms 7th Chrome ‘Zero Day’ Vulnerability, Upgrade Now

• Linux Marketplaces Vulnerable To RCE And Supply Chain Attacks

• Critical Palo Alto Cyber-Defense Bug Allows Remote ‘War Room’ Access

• Google Docs Is Being Weaponized By Hackers

• Sonicwall Bug Affecting 800k Firewalls Was Only Partially Fixed

• Hackers Are Using Unknown User Accounts To Target Zyxel Firewalls And VPNs

• SonicWall ‘Botches’ October Patch For VPN Bug

• Lexmark Printers Open To Arbitrary Code-Execution Zero-Day

• Misconfigurations In Most Active Directory Environments Create Serious Security Holes, Researchers Find

Data Breaches

• Tulsa’s Police-Citation Data Leaked By Conti Gang

• Cl0p Ransomware Group Dumps New Tranche Of Stolen Data

• Carnival Cruise Cyber-Torpedoed By Cyber Attack

Cryptocurrency

• Monero Emerges As Crypto Of Choice For Cyber Criminals

• Hackers Crack Pirated Games with Cryptojacking Malware

Dark Web

• Law Enforcement Secretly Ran Part Of The Dark Web, Again

OT, ICS, IIoT and SCADA

• Hackers Tried To Poison California Water Supply In Major Cyber Attack

Nation State Actors

• Cyber Attacks Are Primary Funding Source For North Korea

• The Lazarus Heist: How North Korea Almost Pulled Off A Billion-Dollar Hack

• South Korea's Nuclear Research Agency Hacked Using VPN Flaw

• Cyber Espionage By Chinese Hackers In Neighbouring Nations Is On The Rise

• Cyber Attack On Polish Government Officials Linked To Russian Hackers

Cloud

• NATO's Cloud Platform Has Been Hacked

Privacy

• I spy: are smart doorbells creating a global surveillance network?

• EU Data Protection Authorities Call For Ban On Facial Recognition

• All The Ways Amazon Tracks You And How To Stop It

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Other News

• IT Leaders Say Cyber Security Funding Being Wasted On Remote Work Support

• Hackers Are Trying To Attack Big Companies. Small Suppliers Are The Weakest Link

• Only 7% Of Security Leaders Are Reporting To The CEO

• APNIC Left A Dump From Its WhoIS SQL Database In A Public Google Cloud bucket

• Average Time To Fix Critical Cyber Security Vulnerabilities Is 205 Days

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